Sandini’s Proclamation
27
MAR/21
The Oasis of the White Palm is the only remaining stronghold against an Efreeti of Weyog. Yet within the oasis itself the people are split into three separate factions. Each faction has its own purposes and goals—not all of them contrary to Weyog’s purposes. Everyone at the oasis knows the location of the CRYPT OF BADRAL-MOSAK and that legends say it is the home of evil beings.
THE Scaled CULTISTS: A few decades ago, most of the Symbayans converted from their Scaled-like ways and began worshipping the water element (due to having the only water source for 100 miles). This started the long war between the true Scaleds and the Symbayans. Although the Scaleds and Symbayans are now separate tribes, there are people among the Symbayans who have never given up their old ways. These people have formed a secret religious organization known as the Scaled Cult. The cult secretly plots to overthrow the sheik and return the Symbayans to Weyog worship. They would like to assassinate the sheik’s firstborn son, Hassan Arslan, and place his second son, Korus Eikoth, on the throne. However, the cultists have no one clever enough to avoid the sheik’s guards and kill him. Corga Kazan, a water bearer, is the cult’s high priest.
THE SHEIK LOYALISTS: These people are loyal to the sheik and his sons and will follow their orders. The sheik is aware that the Scaled cultists exist but has not discovered their secret meeting place. It would, in any event, be difficult for him to use force against members of the cult unless he had proof of their threat to him or the tribe.
THE SLAVE TRADERS: The respected Sandvoyagers Guild within the oasis compound was, several months ago, secretly taken over by slave traders. These ruthless individuals have continued to maintain the Guild as a front for their operations.
They have been under constant threat of discovery by the sheik and have tried to ally themselves with the cultists. They have learned that Corga Kazan, a water bearer, is the cult’s high priest. The slavers have approached Corga, promising to aid the cult if, when the cult comes into power, it does not hinder their slave operations. Now a new force has upset the careful balance. The destruction of the black gem making Badna mortal, materialized the Efreeti of Weyog within the inner sanctum of the cult’s temple while their priest, Corga, was there. The Efreeti of Weyog told Corga that it was searching for a certain woman of the desert with a design on the palm of her hand.
Corga knew that the woman with the design was the bride of the sheik’s first-born son, Hassan. However, she did not admit this to the Efreeti of Weyog. She thought she would capture the girl on her own and then trade her for the Efreeti’s help in seizing control of the oasis, Gulg and making herself its leader, and placing the Scaled Cult in power. So Corga lied to the Efreeti of Weyog and said that she didn’t know the girl but would try to find her for him.
Corga’s plan included the slavers. Corga and his people were not skilled kidnappers, but the slavers were. If the slavers wanted to befriend the cult, that was fine with Corga. If the slavers would agree to kidnap the girl for her, she could bargain with the Efreeti of Weyog to destroy the sheik and BOTH sons. That would leave only Corga to rule Gulg and the oasis with her followers.
So, Corga and the slavers (through Sandini) made an agreement. However, on the night of the planned kidnapping, Princess Shadalah disappeared.
Now the Gulg is nearly explosive with tension. The Symbayans want desperately to find the bride, but small search parties have met with no success. However, if all the guards are sent on the search, it will expose the sheik to the assassination. The Scaled cultists believe that the slavers have the bride and are holding out for a bigger share of the spoils. The slavers, (who find themselves under increasing suspicion from the Symbayans, and the houses of Raam and Nibenay) believe the cultists have taken the princess without their aid and wonder why the arrangement was changed. All the factions want the bride’s return. None of them know where she is.