1002 Adventures: Suitable Donations

[Vardaen]

"Suitable Donations" picks up where "A Flick of the Tail" leaves off.

Only a brief moment has passed since the Fateful Heros of Kasib, Ka'im, Ahmed, and Rambad have given the news about the Pahari Salana. Yakub "The Razor", stands to tell his tale of a 'small venture' he has for the group. While Khalid has run off, and Babazadeh sits dejected near the well crooning about his loss. Yakub suggests the group come with him to a quieter corner of the bazaar and those intrested follow him. The Barber sets down his rug and offers anyone a shave that would be interested. In fact he is willing to give everyone a shave -- free of charge!

"Let me tell you a tale", he begins...


Additional Post Forthcoming

[Vardaen]

Yakub begins his tale, frothing the chin of the first patron and giving a razor close shave. "It is doubtless true, as I have heard it said, that few people in Muluk mourned the passing of Jabir bin Hayyan, a notoriously tight-fisted moneychanger from the City of Kings. Jabir was so miserly that when he became advanced in years, he refused to divide his inheritance between his two sons, Anwar and Kalib. He feared they might squander his precious wealth on extravagant food, fine horses, and the irresponsible gambling habit they adopted soon after thier mother's death several years earlier. 'Work hard, and you will be rewarded as you are due,' Jabir told his sons. Yet, he watched as they paid no heed to these sacred words, the First Principle of Jauhar the Gem Studded. So, instead of giving his sons their share of his fortune, the old man maintained strict control over the family fiances until the day he died.

In his will, which was ministered by the scrupulous priests of Jaurhar the Gemmed ("May her smile ever gace our coffers!"), the niggardly moneychanger disinherited his 'unworthy' sons, ordering that all his wealth be covered into gold and interred with him in his tomb. Paranoid of theft his entire life, Jabir refused to be buried in Muluk's public cemetery (The Mount of Forgiveness #23 on the Map of Muluk)--
he insisted on a private mausoleum, hidden somewhere out in the wilderness where robbers could never find it. As Jabir had ordered, so was it done by the priests of Jauhar, in exchange for a suitable donation. Thus, the old miser's remains were interred secretly in the western reaches of the desolate Furrowed Mountains.

Upon learning of their disinheritance, Anwar and Kalib felt both appalled and enraged. Jabir's body was not even cold before they sought to overturn their father's 'unjust' will before the qadi, or local judge. After receiving a suitable donation, the qadi allowed himself to be convinced by their arguments. He ruled that Jabit's two sons could claim his property lawfully and divide it equally between them -- should they ever recover it.

Of course, Anwar and Kalib didn't have the slightest idea where their father and his wealth were buried. They couldn't afford to pursue the matter further with the priests of Jauhur, so they departed the city several months ago to search for their fortune in the wilderness. Jabir's two sons will need the kind hand of Fate to show them their lost inheritance!" Yakub finished the shave, and his tale. The big man looks at each of you, there is a glint in his eye, and more he wishes to say, but for now he remains silent.

[Vardaen]

Yakub looks around at the rest of you, Ka'im now with a nice neat shave. Yakub has a way about him, and Ka'im became his first customer. The loud boisterious man continues talking as the rest of you stand silent listening. Only Orman flying around speaks up, "My Liver! A wealth of gold to be had, hmm?" The barber gives the small gen a nod. "Bali! Yes is it. If there are men and women brave enough to seek it. You see, Jabir was such a miserly man that he died and still owed me a debt for services I rendered to him. I tell you all this because it is clear that you are men of honor and integrity. Proof as what you did for that Pahari." The man withdraws a small leather strap and sharpens his razor on it, flicking it back and forth. "You can see that those sons of his are disreputable men as well, and refused to pay their father's debt. Tfaddal, please, I would ask you all to help me recover my lost fees. Perhaps in the process you might all make a tidy some of dinars as well. What say you effendis?"

[Brennor]

Ka'im looks over at the rest of the group, before returning his gaze to the barber. "I do not speak for the rest, but I am interested in hearing more of your tale. How big are these fees that we are talking about? It is worth the time to track them down?"

He pauses for a moment, thinking. "If the brothers have been searching for several months now and haven't found anything, either it is quite well hidden or difficult to get to, perhaps both. Either way, it will not be a cheap journey."

He glances about the rest of the area, to see if there are any others in the immediate area.

I'm interested. Not sure how the rest of the group feels. Cannot do it myself though.

"What else can you tell us of this tale?"

[TetNak]

"Such a tale!" the Rawun gasps, pulling forth his instrument, a Zither from his back. He starts struming the strings immediately, and his voice lifts up into the heavans.

"Two sons were shunned, by Fate at hand. Their rules they did not follow, their lessons not learned ... but the teacher, oh he was no better! Leaving debt and shame to his family name ...! We heros of fish and sewers .. and beautifuly maidens ... consider this bard the next in the band!!!"

Kasib smiles afterward, looking around to see how everyone enjoyed his song.

[Brennor]

Smiling at Kasib slightly as the Rawun finishes his short song, Ka'im returns his attention to the barber to await further tales.

[Vardaen]

Yakub The Razor laughs at the Rawun's song, "A fine song Kasib! I shall tell you more of what I know. You ask me questions of fees and cost, but I tell this that riches await for us should we find Jabir's hidden tomb." He prepairs his razor and offers Kasib a shave next as he answers the questions of the Sha'ir.

"The fees are small, 45 dirham should cover it, but that is not the point. It is the honor that I have lost. That Jabir nor his sons would pay me for the services..." he motions at the Sha'ir's fine shave,"..you can see I do fine work, and I am dishonored that I have no been paid by him." He lathers up his foam, "His sons are fools, they wandered off into the wilderness and did not think to find out where the tomb might be hidden before leaving. It was the priests of Jauhar buried the man, and surely they would know where he is buried. Why not ask them where before leaving to find it. If the qadi can be bribed to give the son's rights to the fortune, then there must be a suitable donation we could make to the temple of Jauhar to learn what we desire. In fact..." he pauses, thinking a moment, his sideways cocked head causes his fez to slip again and fall to the floor. He stoops lifts the hat to his head and continues, "...in fact I may know a priest that would be willing to help us."

[Wargie]

Rambad scratches his chin, the mustach and beard that covers his mouth is in need of some work, and almost invisible he moves closer to the barber to get a piece of the action himself. He sounds up in a chuckle and nods happily at Kasib and speaks shortly.

"Good song....if we do this...you might get more than one verse..."

He chuckles loudly and the pats his chest,

"This sounds exciting enough for a man like me..."

...I really hope more of the gang will follow up on this...cause what an adventure to tell the grandchildren, if I now ever get any.....

[Vardaen]

Yakub offers a seat to the Corsair, "Sit, I shall trim that up for you." He at once begins to lather the man's face and starts shaving off the scruff that has grown in from all those days at sea. He snips and clips around the gottee cleaning it right up. A dash of aftershave and the Corsair is better than new. "Wonderful! Wonderful! You are all in agreement then. I shall even put up some of starting funds, we shall need camels and supplies for a trip into the mountains." He thinks a moment, "Hmmm, yes, I can take care of much of the planning, you fine men get yourselves ready and meet me tonight for dinner at the 'Golden Oasis'." He wipes off the extra foam from Rambad and continues on, "I hope to have someone there that might be willing to help us with the location of the tomb."

The Golden Oasis is a small restaurant in the large Caravanserai near the edge of town not far from the Grand Bazaar. (#1 on Map of Muluk) Each of you can easily find it as well as perhaps a room there for the night.

The Razor claps his hands together and gives you each a bow. "Now meet me there tonight for a late dinner, around dusk. I must go to the temple of Jauhar and inquire about a certain priest. Maas salama, go with peace." The large barber gathers his things and heads out toward the city proper.

[Brennor]

Ka'im thanks the barber for the nice shave before the barber heads off.

Once the barber is away, he turns towards the others remaining. "Well, now it appears that we've got some time before we must meet. The afternoon, it seems. What are you guys planning on doing?"

He looks over the shoulders of the others as he looks around to see if there is anyone else in the large crowd showing any particular attention in the gathering.