Fable - Ask Lords of Dust

[Ivan Skender]

Tell Arran - The Empire

It was intriguing perhaps, how sometimes the smallest, seemingly most insignificant of events could have the deepest repercussions down the line.

In Tell Arran, for instance, it had been rather surprising how the death of a small silk merchant some months prior had played into the already deeply-seated misgivings about the newly-forged Empire and its perceived neglect of the periphery to foster a full-blown mutiny.

While such events, occurring in a backwater such as this, would normally have been dismissed by the world at large, the Arrani had the relative misfortune of living close enough to the Anirian border that such happenings in their lives were of note to its Southern neighbour.

The city itself was difficult to access, laying at the heart of a mountainous massif that rose as an offshoot of the Fel Draza range further to the southeast. Surrounded by narrow gorges, insurmountable peaks, and arid wilderness, teeming with hostile tribes of sand elves, Tell Arran was not exactly a place it was easy to keep tabs on. So much so in fact, that rumours of these rebellions had taken months to reach Vel Anir, just next door.

Still, for all its remoteness, the settlement still commanded incredible strategic importance, laying on the narrow pass that connected Aniria proper to the Empire to the north. This had made it into something of a commercial hub for those courageous, or shrewd, enough to brave the craggy passes of the mountains.

It had been this mix of strategic and economic value that had prompted Vel Anir to send a small detachment to assess, and act on, the recent - or maybe not so recent - events that had transpired within the fortified settlement.

With a mission to investigate, make contact, and - should the situation favour such an approach - play the power-brokers of Tell Arran to secure a friendly government in the city, a group of initiates had been assigned to the mountain settlement.

Considering his recent successful foray into these lands, Ivan had been among those handpicked for this mission. Riding at the head of the small Anirian grouping, astride Naspie, the black camel he had… acquired during his first visit to the Tell Arran, the blonde had been rather eager for this assignment. Not only was it a great opportunity for advancement - due to the great responsibility placed upon the initiates - but also it was a chance to get away from the smothering embrace of the Academy. For while the border was close, Aniria itself was far away and difficult to reach, which meant that, while they were to be stationed here, they would be completely and fully on their own.

His mount, for one, seemed to share in his eagerness, its contentment to be back home rather evident in its gleeful bleating as they approached the reddish-brown walls of Tell Arran.

- “We should find shelter the moment we get into the city.” - He told his comrades. - “Our last intel from the city is from months ago." - He continued. - "Better set up camp somewhere first to try and figure out what's happened since ." -​

 

[Rhidian]

"Shame Quinnick ain't here to exercise her Kaliti. I am so awful with the language." Rhidian grimaced, riding astride Ivan on his own equine steed. It seemed his experience in growing up in a family that served the Guard and going through the training for six months before active duty gave the figure heads of this mission the idea to sigh up Rhidian to keeping order in this bordering city.

He had heard Ivan speak of the adventure he had taken last he was here, Livia assisting him. He knew after hearing it all that he wouldn't follow Skender into any ruin or let him touch anything.

"Fuck, and I thought the Savannah was hot... this heat is something else." He wiped his face down with his light layered sleeves, eager to bathe and get some rest as soon as he could. "Got any contacts to ask around or we doing this the old fashioned way, going door to door and hoping they can speak Common or Anirian?" The former more likely than the latter.