Round 1, Flight! (EE, The Desert, Observation Thread)

[Kezia]

Rufus grimaces. " The first time I heard that, I thought it was superstition. But hearing it from two different sources, and very different ones, gives me pause."

"Oh, it is absolutely superstition, but here in the Jewel... superstitions have teeth."

"Leading to you thinking "there is no way she could be oblivious, she's doing it on purpose" but then really making you wonder?". Rufus nods. "Not that you are a stranger to excitement as well. You look good like this."

"And here I thought I was overdressed..."

You certainly look good like this, but so, so much better in... wait. Focus.

"But yes, I think we've both met the same young lady. Lots of people trying to meet her, it seems. Some just dying for the chance to get close to her."

[Rufus Belgica]

[

"And here I thought I was overdressed..."


"But yes, I think we've both met the same young lady. Lots of people trying to meet her, it seems. Some just dying for the chance to get close to her."

"Well, I certainly wouldn't mind if you overcorrected about your state of dress" In spite of the levity, Rufus' eyes narrow at the implication.

" I take it that you obliged those people"

[Kezia]

" I take it that you obliged those people"

"After a fashion... two escaped. One killed herself rather than be taken alive. Very... busy way to start the day."

[Rufus Belgica]

"Hmm. And I take it that they aren't going to give up so easy." Rufus gets a faraway look in his eye. "Setting up an ambush for them would be...a challenge"

[Kezia]

"Does sound fun, doesn't it? Mind you, after this simple kidnapping attempt failed, the next will probably be a bit more involved, but, well..."

Kezia's expression grew darker, if only for a moment.

"I don't really care about the why of it, people who go around grabbing young women off of the streets deserve anything I can make happen to them."

[Lamis Naaji]

He looked at those she was pointing at, or at least indicating, narrowing his eyes to catch their postures during or after playing their part in the competition. "I can think of worse reasons for competing, but you're probably right, Sayyeda Naaji. As for the Yodotai, perhaps they've sent him here for us to have the wrong idea about their shooting skills. If not, that's probably good news for us if that's their weakness. I wouldn't like the Jewel to get on their list of conquests. Hopefully the desert can deter them."

He glanced at her with a smile, slightly apologetic. "Speaking of, is your oasis far away from here? I am ashamed to admit I don't know much about your people."

"Far enough that you wouldn't want to set out from the city gates with a goatskin of water you expected to fill there before the desert swallowed you. Well, not on foot at least." A short huff of amusement through the nose. "Pardon, you're not of the dessert...but an oasis that's not widely known, is a secret held by a few, or maybe only one group. So I do you the favor at this festive gathering of assuming you're not intending to pry out secrets of my family." Her tone is matter of fact, a bit indulgent even, but there's a stiffness to her that speaks of the ease with which offense can be given or taken.

"In any case, the Naaji don't come to the city much, though we trade at a few of the watering spots you _could_ get to on a skin of water. The better known oases are good for news and running into some of your bolder merchants. We're...hmm, you might consider us an offshoot of the Qahtan. More like cousins." The familial linkages across the nomadic tribes and families roaming the sand would take days, and a few scholars to sort entirely, but that seemed like enough to offer the gist of things.

Head tilting, "and you? I've next to no knowledge of families in the city. I don't think I'm important enough for random nobility to come chat me up, but I'd never guess by the name."

[Jewel]

A gibbering spectral voice yelling in fear and anger sadly is not very helpful in providing visual cues but, in time, Haddar sees what has upset the spirit. Across the field of archery, amongst the crowd on the other side, he too sees his brother's face... though clad in finery well outside what either of them could ever have hoped to wear.

Everything's fine...

"Pistachios! Who wants pistachios?"

What are you doing?

"Trying not to stand out, what else," he whispered back.

"The day has been long, treat yourself to a few delicious pistachios! You deserve them."

Beyond his pretense, he glanced, as much as his all relative courage let him, in the direction of the doppelganger, trying to catch any hint of what he could be: Distinctive elements of his apparel, the company he kept, what he was doing and looking at himself, etc.

Now that his attention was brought to the man Haddar would say that he seemed slightly out of place even if not for the 'stolen' face. His clothes appeared to mark him as a noble or a merchant of skill and repute but he was simply standing watching the archers among the milling crowed as opposed to the areas reserved for the Dahabi and other important individuals. If he had companions they were not so well dressed and did not clearly stand out of the crowd.

(Stealth/Awareness or Etiquette/Awareness to not stand out)

[Aydi al-Qais]

"Far enough that you wouldn't want to set out from the city gates with a goatskin of water you expected to fill there before the desert swallowed you. Well, not on foot at least." A short huff of amusement through the nose. "Pardon, you're not of the dessert...but an oasis that's not widely known, is a secret held by a few, or maybe only one group. So I do you the favor at this festive gathering of assuming you're not intending to pry out secrets of my family." Her tone is matter of fact, a bit indulgent even, but there's a stiffness to her that speaks of the ease with which offense can be given or taken.

"In any case, the Naaji don't come to the city much, though we trade at a few of the watering spots you _could_ get to on a skin of water. The better known oases are good for news and running into some of your bolder merchants. We're...hmm, you might consider us an offshoot of the Qahtan. More like cousins." The familial linkages across the nomadic tribes and families roaming the sand would take days, and a few scholars to sort entirely, but that seemed like enough to offer the gist of things.

Head tilting, "and you? I've next to no knowledge of families in the city. I don't think I'm important enough for random nobility to come chat me up, but I'd never guess by the name."

"In this case your logic is correct, since I am no nobility, far from it. If you hear a name like Menjari, Basiri, Hazaad, Haffit, Enour and several others, then you may need to adjust the way you would before a combination of power, status, wealth, vanity and entitlement." He smirked, having spoken the last words behind covered lips.

"From what you say, it looks like you may be in contact with the Khorsan as well. They trade in fabrics in that area, don't they? In the ruins of Jandarah no less."

He noticed being indulged a little and smiled at that. Aydi was not a few scholars, but he might be considered a quarter of one by someone who knew him better. "But you're correct I am not prying your secrets, Sayyeda. It's a mortal mistake in this city, since almost everyone is a part of something they wouldn't like to speak about in a street. Secrets is often stronger coin than copper, and I am no robber." Though, by that logic, I can consider myself a tax collector. He thought to himself.

[Arash Karuvah]

"Oh? That this is certainly an educational experience then, I am sure." He smiled himself, slightly sweaty. "There is, it is one of our noblest martial art. Do your people practice it in general?"

He asked in curiosity.

Her irk faded, and she gave a soft grunt of assent. "From what I understand, yeah. I'm not the best help on Senpet matters I'm afraid, grew up here in the Jewel. Not a lot of my people around here wiling to admit if they were ever soldiers."

Arash bows his head in apology. "Oh, my apologies. You are a native then? How wonderful!" He smiled in good humor. "Your city is quite wonderful. I have been here for a few months, but still getting used to it. What is your favorite part, if I may ask?"

[Tarset Kishan]

It was a bit more complicated than that for her origins, but she wasn't about to lay it all out, she had no reason. His question brought a low chuckle. "My favorite part? That's a hard question to answer. There's plenty NOT to like about the Jewel after all. Still, I suppose in the end I'd say the variety. You could go through the city and never see the same sights twice. The city's a melting pot of so many different people, life styles, cultures, and so on."