Soren's Reply

I very much appreciate the food and drink. Abu Gebir. It seems you truly grant our every wish. That is the perfect definition of a gracious host.

What would a person wish for? Well, a few moments ago my greatest wish would have been for a spring of pure water in these dry sands. Now in this room with such gracious accomodations, I wouldnt think to wish for a paltry puddle of water. It would be a foolish wish. Isnt that remarkable, Adib? That what we wish for yesterday is of no consequence to us today?

Therefore we know that wishing a really great wish is not a simple matter, for such wisdom obviously surpasses the understanding of our past self, and if I learn anything from that I must admit that a truly great wish is probably beyond my present self as well, and I might as well confess that my future self would fair no better. Perhaps even Eurynome could not unite those struggling and shortsighted fractions of a self.

But here we are, about to wish for something!

Hmmm. Here is another problem... there is a part of me that wishes for gold and gems, another part of me would rather eschew the riches in exchange for a long healthy life, and yet another part of me would wish for great accomplishments and fame. No matter which one I pick, it is almost certain that my future self will be unhappy and would rather have a different wish!

I have so many different parts of me wanting to race off in different directions to wish for different things, let alone the different wishes of my past, present, and future self. I cant imagine it all, let alone keep track of it all. It is actually a wretched thing to have to choose one of them. Surely sorrow would come of it! Whatever i wish for now would seem palty later, or might even turn into evil! Yes, thats a problem. This world is always changing, and our wishes turn to evil very easily. Evil itself is a very changeable thing. Evil is one thing this week, and a different thing the next. It is likely that what we wish for today will be wrong tomorrow. Be certain of this: Whatever you wish for now... you will regret it later.

Perhaps it is best not to wish at all? No... that will give me constant regret in the future. At every future moment when I desire something, I will remember that my past self could have wished for it. What misery that would be!

Wish or dont wish, either way, you will regret both. This is our dilemma. Do not look so perplexed Adib. There is a way out of this mess. Why are you smiling, Eurynome?

The best thing is to admit the chaos and face it straight on. Keeping that in mind, perhaps the best wish of all would be to wish for this:  "I wish to have in my heart.. only one wish!"

Yes, I wish to have only one desire, a desire so great and so pure that it is unchanging and perfect. A desire so steady that it never changes, never alters. But I am such a chaotic creature that I cannot make the truly great wish on my own. How can I obtain that perfect desire?

The only unchanging thing that I know of comes from the glowing center of the Sacred Flame, which is eternal and perfect. Even if I only percieve it from a distance, I do percieve it. So does everyone.

Now then my wish:  "I wish for a pure heart that desires only one thing, which is to say a heart that desires whatever it is that the Eternal Flame desires, for only the Flame is unchanging in its goodness."


As for that temple you have spoken of, i would very much like to claim... er... explore it. Yes exploration is what we are here for.

Perhaps, Abu Gebir, you would send your servant to come with us? It would be most useful. Oh, dont worry, I can keep him under control. (Soren clutches his staff and his eyes narrow as if calculating his own strength) Yes. Just enough.

(Soren loosens his grip and his eyes relax as he focuses on his host with proper deference) With your permission, Abu Gebir. Do you think your servant is up for adventure and hardship? Can it use a sword? Carry great burdens?

But lo! your servant stands by me now, as if he wishes to come along with us and aid us. What a remarkable servant you have! It knows the needs of your guests and quickly carries out every wish.

In exchange for lending us your servant, Abu Gebir, you must enjoy a share of the loot, ah... I mean knowledge that we find. Yes, it is knowledge that counts, and knowledge you shall have if we succeed. With the aid of your servant, we shall surely suceed.

And may I have some more cabbage? and wine? You are a most gracious host to say 'yes' so generously to our requests,  I thank you profusely in advance. 

The Tent of Abu Gebir

"Come in, strangers, come in and welcome."  A strong, musical voice beckons from within the tent. 

Adib pulls aside one of the doorflaps and ducks inside, followed closely by Eurynome and Soren.  You blink as your eyes adapt to the dim shadows of the interior, coming in from the bright, morning sun.  It is a bit cooler in the tent and the shade is welcome.

The interior is decorated rather luxuriously.  Elegant rugs and cushions deck the floors all around.  Candles on little gold stands shine and the light catches fine embroideries on the silk.  In the center of the room there is a low table covered with fruits and cheeses, as well as a flask of wine and several silver goblets.  Behind the table sits a man.

He is somewhat hidden by the lack of light.  But he seems to be dark of skin and hair.  His white teeth flash as he smiles.  "I am Abu Gebir, a humble astronomer.  Welcome to my temporary home."  He gestures you to the f ood and drink, "please join me in my breakfast if you will."  The food smells very tasty and fresh.

Should you accept, Gebir will snap his fingers and another shadow will move.  To your eyes, it seems as if dishes of food and drink rise up of their own accord and float through the air towards you.  Gebir watches you to observe your reaction.

Soren, you know from your skill with lore that desert sages often employ spirits of the desert as servants.  This fellow may have a djin at his command: such a thing would be hard for the mortal eye to see.

Adib, you sense no danger from what is happening.  You also detect no trap or trick, as a circus magician might carry off.  Those plates and cups seem really to be floating around.

Eurynome is, of course, a seer. 
You clearly observe a white-skinned djin kneeling by the table the whole time.  He looks like a man except for his pointed ears and three-foot height.  He serves the food without comment, but he keeps his eyes on the guests, watchfully. 

"You may be wondering where you are," comments Gebir.  "But the answer to such a question is never simple.  You have perhaps heard of the Temple of Light?  It lies just up the road.  It is both a blessing and a curse for you to have found it."

He leans forward intently to tell his story, "in older days the Temple was a great place of learning, an ancient library of the seven sciences.  Both mortal and djin were welcomed there.  The temple would appear at dawn and disappear at nightfall, each day in a new location, gathering knowledge from all the corners of the world.  Today it has landed before you.  But it will be gone the very instant the sun sets."

A look of regret crosses the man's face, "but the Temple has changed.  I, and all the other mortals, have been exiled by the djin.  Recently, a powerful Djini sorcerer called the Malik Far has gathered together warriors and taken the Temple and its grounds by force.  He claims that the Temple was originally created by the spirit-folk and that mortals defile it.  However, this is just talk to hide his true purpose.  He seeks the Custodian."

"The Custodian is the true guardian of the Temple.  No one has seen him for centuries.  It is said he is hidden away somewhere in the deepest archives.  The Custodian was known to be a djin powerful enough to grant any wish, even to open the mind to all the mysteries of the cosmos.  The Malik Far wants this knowledge."

Abu Gebir smiles.  "What a grand thing it would be, to have any wish granted.  What would you wish for, eh?"

He looks to each of you expectantly.  He is genuinely curious.

What you see in the desert

-->

The bright horizon goes on and on in all directions. There is no obvious way to go. The dunes are wide and rolling, with dips and valleys as well as tall peaks. It will be laborious terrain to cross.

However, Eurynome pulls out a string worked with beads and charms tied with a small, conical crystal at one end. The crystal bobs slightly as she lets it down like a plumb-line, hanging from between her fingers, palm down. The woman begins to mumble to herself as slowly, she turns in a circle, eyes fixed upon the tiny movements of the crystal. She slows down as she faces the north, the little crystal trembles ever so slightly. She turns slightly back west and finds a spot in her circuit. When her hand rests there, the crystal jangles and sways at the bottom of its line.

“There's a lot of water,” she announces, “this way.”

You've heard that seers and magicians use such tools to divine things unseen. There seems to be no other obvious way to go and Eurynome looks convinced that what she is saying is true. You make what little preparations you can agains the desert sun and begin walking. The day is already hot and the morning has barely begun.

However, you walk for less than an hour before topping a ridge and seeing an amazing sight on the horizon.

There is a temple,  It for it to appear so large at this distance it must be truly massive: larger than the palace of the Sultan. A narrow channel crosses it's grounds, holding the tantalizing hope of water within. There are all kinds of out-buildings around the temple as well, a small town's worth. You will be able to see more once you get closer.

There is also a small tent between you and the temple, just a short walk away. It is made of outlandish purple fabric and seems to be sewn with gleaming crescents and stars. You wonder what all of this could portend.

The road is supposed to stretch on for weeks before reaching the small farming towns of the mountains. You have never heard mention of such an extravagant temple existing along the way.

Adib: You note that whoever is in the tent has posted no watchers. You could slip away, or sneak up to the tent without being noticed, as the ridges of sand are tall enough to conceal a crouching man.

Soren: You are not sure how Eurynome's divination works. To your eye, it seemed as if she was addressing someone. Perhaps she prayed to her deity, who granted her a boon. She is definitely not unskilled in the magical arts.

Eurynome: The temple is richly populated with people of all shapes and sizes. They buzz around, going about their business. But they are very strange people. Perhaps of an exotic race.

You are all on the edge of the valley in which the temple is located. Some obvious options are to visit the tent first, sneak up on it, or sneak past it. It looks to be a little less than an hour's walk before you can reach the temple itself.

Three Dreams

-->

The conversation is... unsettling. You are not sure why you are here with these two strange new people. It seems to have the touch of fate about it. Whether that fate is pushing you towards good or ill remains to be seen.

As the screaming wind settles to a sigh, some few stars begin to glimmer from between the waves of blowing sand. A heaviness comes over your eyelids and you nod, half-asleep and half-awake.

***

It may be just the wind. However, at times you hear a high-pitched male voice singing plucked notes of song out among the wind and the dunes. Sometimes it seems far off and sometimes it seems near as the wind blusters this way and that. It's song is plaintive and lonely.

You can only make out a few lines:

“We spun like birds on fire...
And I, I took all that I desired
Deep water, deep water...
...Senseless denial”

...

As the song subsides the images from it dance in your mind. You imagine chasing a phoenix across the sands, reaching out for its fiery feathers, hoping to catch the down that brings new life. You feel it's nest is in a high place... and that nest contains a brilliant, crystal-clear gem, the size of a fist, perfectly round, and glowing with the bright light of the sun. To find the gem, seek the phoenix's nest on the tallest tower.

...

And, whispering from between the pages of forgotten tomes, come the voices of Averoes and Avicenna.  Their words are like light that cracks through the darkness and breaks into dawn.

***

You awaken with a start and blink in the blinding light. The sky is already bright in the east, clear and yellow and at least two hours past dawn. You leave the world of dreams behind as you and your two companions shuffle, dusty and tired, from the small cavern. You emerge onto a landscape scrubbed clean and new by the previous night's storm. There is no sign of the road.

More Music

This is a song that Ada sent me in a Mix Tape of hers many years ago.  It seems like a lovely overture for the campaign.