Lords of the East - Council Chambers

[TriforceV]

The young Persian in rags emerges quietly from the doors of the council and sneaks around the columns of the council with mischief in his eyes.

He spots the Roman envoy snoring aloud and gives a sinister grin.

He pulls out a sling shot and loads it with a pebble and aims it at the Roman envoy..
(Bong).. (Swish).. (Poook) :: the pebble lands squarely in on the head of the Roman envoy.. Who awakes in a startle!!

The young Persian takes flight and scurries quickly out of the chamber giggling to himself all the while.

[CiviC]

Deleted

[Quirl]

Kamelya smiles.

I wish all parties well in their efforts during the coming war... and hope they won't forget their friends in the north...

[SilverShield]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

man whats the deal with elephants lately… first i get banned from legally entering Zimbabwe and now i have to virtually fight them somewhere in India… crazy world… man u are talking about karma… looks like elephants are my karma… lol no matter whether im in Africa or the US those bastards seem to follow me wherever i go. but they havent killed me in real life yet - came close but just close thus let me see how i will do them in this game. so put them on the loose… but let me tell u something man… the easiest way to hunt down an elephant is when its mad and on the charge. coz that is when it loses its concentration on the whole matter, stops running away and only cares to kill u. hence its all after u then which means the chances to place some quality shots rise. yea true the chances of getting killed rise dramatically too lol but thats part of the game - that is if you are a dedicated hunter with nothing but a f up carbine and not some American dou e with a fa y anti material rifle. those are the ones they should arrest and not like born Africans but whatever… all i can say is bring them on man!! looking forward to getting myself some new ivory. lol oh yea and we got a saying too… “A Lion is dead not before You put Its mane over your Chimney.”

Kampvegter walks down the stairs his pants half flagged still and his slave girl Mzansa on his shoulders.

did my service please you Master?

Mhh yeaah!

thank you Master…

Who is my little lion cat??

ME Master! currrrrrrrrrrrrr

Thats what you are!



BYL come here my brother... Talk to me!

Mhh. Mhh. Okay. Mhh. I understand…


YOU PEOPLE FROM ALL DIRECTIONS OF THIS WORLD… Excitement fills his voice.

THAT`S how it should be…

PANDORA`S BOX has been opened! There is NO TURNING BACK!

He takes of the girl from his shoulders.

FINALLY all this talking has come to an end and FIIINAALLY IT`S TIME TO GO TO WAAAAR AGAAAIIN!

His eyes fill with enthusiasm nodding to himself . All these decadent orgies and meatfests were turning me into a lazy fucker.

MAY I ALL SEE YOU AGAIN – RAIDING YOU.

He laughs out loud and turns to leave the hall. Half on his way he turns to the Indian envoy.

Look bestiality boy the ivory carvings I wear are pretty messy already and my Nubian slave girls are waiting for some new ivory to make some quality carvings out if for me.

He laughs out loud and turns to finally leave the hall having Mzansa piggyback riding him. Byl also turns to leave.

No Byl, My brother, I need someone I can trust to report to me the ongoing in Baghdad. So take all the gold and the slave girls you need and have a good time.

Sir!

No my friend someone has to do it and you are the one speaking the most languages. This camel language is more like a cough than a language.

Both laugh.

Ah… No… I will rip out my tongue to join you!

Kampvegter laughs out loud,

No my friend, you still will need your tongue…
…and so do all the fine girls of Baghdad.

Both laugh out loud.

Send some merchant or whatever to report to Sindh.

I will.

Both bounce each others head.

Have a nice death!

Yea! I Will!

YAAAAA!

YAAAA!


Having passed the palace doors he shakes off Mzansa takes on his two bihaender he had to leave outside. Lifting both of his arms in the air he shouts out to his men messing around in Baghdad.

COOOME OOON YOU FUCKING BASTARDS! OUT OF THE BROTHELS! OUT OF THE BARS!

TOO AAAAARMS! TOOO AAARMS! TOOOO AAAARMS! TOO AAARMS!

[Quirl]

Kamelya blinks twice, unsure of anything that just happened...

[Thanatos Eclipse]

Malek burst into the courtroom, fire in his eyes, a wooden tube in one hand, and a bloodied sword in the other. Ignoring the Sindh ‘representative’s’ babbling as usual, Malek scans the room, finds the Khwarezm diplomat at the Shah’s table, and advances. Shaking the wooden tube at the Shah’s dignitary, Malek says, “How can you speak of honor, when you yourself are incapable of it. You call our admiral a ‘man of honor’ in private, while behind our backs you slander our motives. You also speak of strong alliances while trying to talk and threaten us out of ours. It may be true that many Omani sailors take on the appearance and act of pirates, some even are pirates, but an Omani admiral, especially the Grand Admiral is the highest example of honor and nobility among the Omani people; and I will not have filth, such as yourself, question his motives or honor!” Malek takes a second to calm down, then continues, “Fortunately for you, the Admiral feels that private words should remain private, and will not sink to the level of the Malikat.”

Malek tosses the wooden tube to Zurm and Em, and says, “Get rid of this! Burn it, throw it in the river, bury it in the desert for all I care, just get that trash out of my sight!” Zurm and Em scramble out of the palace, nearly tripping over each other in their haste.

Malek returns his attention to the Shah, saying “We never wanted war with Khwarezm, but it appears war is what we got. Is the Shah’s fear of a united India so great that he has lost his sense and composure? His lies and threats are hardly even worthy of that mercenary who keeps dirtying our court with his nonsense and pathetic support of Sindh. If you are going to try and manipulate an Omani Admiral, you need to be more convincing and consistent. As for your threats...” Malek throws the bloodied sword the Khwarezm’s feet. “..we offer you the sword of the tyrant of the Malikate. The good Captain Amr wanted to send his head, of course, but the admiral did not think it an appropriate gesture within these hallowed walls. Now the heir of the Malikate hides to lick his wounds.” Addressing the whole court, Malek adds “I tell you good dignitaries, soon the people of Sindh shall be free and the Malikate’s bloody reign over.”

Malek turns to walk away, but he stops and says with his back still turned, “I do have one question for your Shah dear friend. If he moves his toy soldiers south from Merv into the hands of Oman, then what will he use when other come to his house 'to play'?” Malek draws out the words ‘to play’, but once he is done, he excuses himself, sits down at the Omani table, and starts to write; often crumpling parchment up and tossing it aside, just to start over again.

[TriforceV]

The Kwarez diplomat raises an eyebrow at the Omani Admiral and shrugs uncomfortably

Omani dignitary,
the letter was addressed to you in private! I expected a response to our plea in such fashion or I was have expressed our wishes publicly...

Nevertheless, since you wish this to make this public than I shall do so, for I do not want my words further distorted by those crazyed madmen that wish war upon us/
It appears that the Rajupts and the Omani are truely joined at the hip..

The Kwarez diplomat stands and addresses the council in its entirety

I must apologize for I sent a letter to the Omani offering him a way out of the coming war, I told him that the war with the Rajupts will come soon, and that if he
If he truly did not want war, 'as he claims' than he would have accepted my proposal to drop out of this imperialistic alliance of the GOIA...he need not partake in ithe coming war if he is no longer in the alliance
It was a mistake... for he truly he stands behind his friend the dubious unreliable manipulates of Rajupts who have proven time and time that they cannot be trusted.
I did not want war with the Omani, and that is why I sent him my proposal, but quite clearly I misjudged his commitment to to the Rajupts and to his alliance and his desire to fight us in the coming war.

The Kwarez diplomat glares coldly at the Omani admiral and stares at him with discuss and loathing
he spits on the floor before the Omani admiral, with clear intention of discuss, sits back down all the while still glaring at his new adversary.

[CiviC]

Deleted

[Thanatos Eclipse]

Malek ignores the Khwarezm’s insult and continues to scribble on pieces of parchment. Without looking up, for the Shah’s puppet was no longer worthy of his full attention, he addresses the Khwarezm “If the Khwarezmi ‘truly did not want war’, then you should have never forced it upon us. The Grand Oceanic and Indian Alliance, as we clearly stated, was meant as a defensive alliance; but your Shah, in his infinite ‘wisdom’ and paranoia, has since sought only to prove our original cautions just!”

At this point Malek met the Khwarezm’s gaze, but there was no anger in his eyes, something more like pity: pity for the mere man that now sat before him; pity for the mirage of the noble warriors of Khwarezm as they faded into the deceitful and paranoid creature that time had revealed them to be. With a somber tone to his voice, Malek again addressed the Khwarezm, “You claim you offered us a way out of this war, but it truly is clear that you have misjudged us. However, it is not our greed or lust for war you have misjudged, but the strength of the binding contract of an Omani’s word. The admiral would sooner throw himself on his sword then break his oath; an oath he made before the Rajputs and before this council. Do not fret however, we now see our error. You fling around words like honor and nobility, but we have come to understand that you know neither what they mean nor how to be of such character. You know only that these traits are held in high regard by those of civilized nations; which is why you slip such words into conversations and letters as often as you can.”

“You say you do not want this war however you are the one who pushes it along. If the Rajputs were truly as greedy for your lands as you say, how come it is your forces that eagerly invade Rajput territory and build forts on their people’s land? You may not have attacked yet, but this incursion, resonates your intentions just as loudly.”

With pity gone, Malek allows irritation to creep into his voice. “The Admiral tires of your attempts at manipulations and misdirections; if your Shah wanted so badly to play games of deceit, war, and hypocrisy, maybe he should have just requested a game of chess from Captain Amr. I can assure you that games of strategy are never boring when Amr’s involved.”

Having said his peace, Malek returns to fervently writing on, and inevitably crumpling, his parchment.

OOC for Triforce

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

just for accuracies sake, Malek is not an admiral or sailor, but an advisor to and personal messenger of the Grand Admiral; and, of course, a dignitary while attending the council

[CiviC]

Deleted

[CiviC]

In protest to how history is manipulated and rewritten Grand Ambassador Vijaypal retreats forever from the Court and all his previous messages are erased.

[TriforceV]

With all haste the young Persian boy enters the room and rushes to his master handing him a pamphlet.

The Persian diplomat reads the pamphlet, crumples it quickly, scowls loudly and hurries towards his chambers,
The young Persian boy still standing their with disappointment has he glances at his empty dirty hand with a tear in his eyes.

Suddenly the Persian Diplomat reemerges wielding a Persian Saber and glares around for the Rajupt Diplomat who has eagerly escaped...,
He yells obscenities in all direction, aimed at humiliating him
"I shall cut you down like the swine that you are"

Finally his bodyguards enter the Council and forcefully persuade the Diplomat back to his chair so that he does not cause anymore harm,
The Persian Diplomat takes a deep breath and thrusts his saber right through his table
and collapses angrily on his chair

"Good Sirs,"
He snarls
"It would appear the war has truly started, in all its ugliest and despicable nature, our forces in this short time has achieved glorious success and bitter defeats,", "But it is never the Persian way to fail, and we will continue to fight brilliantly whatever may come"
"We have now both officially declared war now on the Omani, and have taken their Fortress, and we also continue to fight the Rajupts, whatever may come"

The Persian diplomat sighs heavily, and his bodyguards walk him back to his cambers comforting him as he goes,
Even the Persian boy is upset, makes a fit and walks out of the council in disgust

[Quirl]

Such violence... and we have yet to make any profit from it.

She sighs.

How I hope that changes soon...

[phonicsmonkey]

Orloomo looks pained.

Such a waste of a beautiful piece of furniture..

[Thanatos Eclipse]

Baghdad lay still, quiet, as if waiting for something. Tension, like a heavy fog, flooded every street corner and alleyway.

Within the council walls the delegates lounge, oblivious to the mounting storm. Malek sat, propped back with his feet resting upon the table, as he quietly sipped wine. Despite his calm exteriors, he was growing restless. No news had come out of the Far East for weeks now and he could only imagine what atrocities might have befallen his brethren. What if the path they had chosen was the wrong one? What if Allah had brought down his wrath upon the Omani Nation!?

Something within Baghdad began to stir, something new. Whispers arose from the streets.

As Em slept, Zurm was trying to swat a fly that kept buzzing around his head. Swat...miss...swat...miss...swat...bang! Zurm rubs his eye, now sore from being hit.

Panic and Aw now filled the streets; a commotion among the people, the likes of which had not been seen since the mass of Crusader forces were spotted from the city walls. A low rumbling vibrated along the ground. It was heading towards the Court.

As the fever outside its walls grew louder, the Palace began to shake with the approaching rumble. Many within the court, fearing their god’s judgment, dive beneath tables and chairs. Malek, leaning back in his chair, almost falls over, but catches himself at the cost of his drink. He angrily wipes the off his now stained council robes.

The roar outside had grown deafening, even within the council walls. Crowds of people cheered and screamed as they followed the now thunderous steps of what could only come from the devil himself. The noise drew closer and closer to the Council doors, then...

It stopped; right outside the council. Moments later, the doors burst open, but it was not the devil that stood before them, but Captain Amr. Outside the door great beasts, even taller than the court’s massive doors, could be seen standing around. Behind them, what appeared to be Baghdad’s entire populace, stood in aw of the creatures.

Captain Amr begins to laugh, as dignitaries and servants crawl out from underneath tables and chairs. Trying to stifle back the laughs, Amr addresses the court “Do not fear, these demons have not come for your souls this day. Actually, most unfortunately, these beast are just for show, no more trained for battle then that shivering Khwarezm diplomat and he hasn’t even seen our war elephants yet.” Waving his troops to continue the parade, Captain Amr enters the court, closing the doors behind him. “Dignitaries of so many great nations, I have great news! The vile Malekate has fallen, and the people of Sindh now rejoice under the just rule of the Grand Oceanic and Indian Alliance. As we speak, Omani armies sweep up the rest of the rebel resistance and move forward to take on the Khwarezm who have been so eager to war with us. The Omani might be sharks out of water for this one, but I worry not, for we bring Alleh’s blessing and the Devil’s beasts to this fight!”

As Amr finishes, he heads towards the Omani table, but first stops to address the Rajput dignitary. “Be sure to let your lord know that the Omani are very grateful for his gift of those show elephants, they will be much adored back on the Omani homeland.”

[Thanatos Eclipse]

Once seated at the Omani table, captain Amr looks over at Malek and smirks. “You were only here in my stead for a comparably short time, yet you already got your robe ruined.”

Malek glares at Arm, “You could have sent me a message or something! I’ve been sitting here for weeks with no news.”

Captain Amr’s smile just broadened. “And ruin the surprise! I wouldn’t dream of it.”

[phonicsmonkey]

Orloomo Bland looks extremely pleased with himself as he stands to address the Court.

My esteemed gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the Holy City of Jerusalem has been returned to its rightful custodians, the armies of Christ.

The Ayyubid Sultan Al-Aziz and his royal army at Gaza have been utterly defeated by Crusading armies led by Raynald de Chatillon and Jocelin de Cyprus.

Our liege lord Baldwin is once more King of Jerusalem. Let all who stand in his way perish!

[Thanatos Eclipse]

At the news, Malek moves to say something, but Amr stops him. Malek looks at the Captain, puzzeled.

“Let the Shah explain himself” Amr calmly says.

“What does the Shah have to do with the Cusaders?” Malek demands.

Amr, narrowing his eyes at the Khwarezm diplomat, replies “As the strongest Islamic nation, other than the Ayyubids, he would rather bring war to his brothers in faith, then stop the Crusaders before they could make this betrayal that anyone could have foreseen coming. Well Khwarezm, what do you have to say in defense of your leader? Tell us why he has failed Allah.”

[Thanatos Eclipse]

While waiting for the Khwarezm’s response, Malek quietly queries Captain Amr, “What has happened to that first mate of yours, Femr Ushem?”

Amr chuckles, “Oh, yes; he partied a bit too hard after the fall of the Malikate. After falling under siege twice of late, I did not think Baghdad would survive if he was allowed in the reigns of one of the great Elephant beasts; so he has been left to take care of the ship for now.”

Malek just grimaces, muttering something about ‘drunken sailors’.

[Thanatos Eclipse]

A messenger arrives at the court. He quickly finds Captain Amr and hands him a letter. Captain Amr opens it and reads the message

“Ha, ha, ha”

Amr’s booming laugh makes several nearby dignitaries jump. Still chuckling to himself, Amr faces the Khwarezm diplomat and speaks “It seems your Shah’s subjects also find your leader’s cowardice quite laughable. What, we destroy your one magical ballista and he runs? Are none of his soldiers large enough for him to hide behind during battle?” Amr pauses, looking more intently at the Khwarezm diplomat, “Is this why you have not responded in defense of your Shah, have you too, lost faith in your leader?” Amr turns away, bursting into laughter once more, “Ha, ha, ha,” but he quickly stops and spins back around on the Khwarezm. “Waite, I know what it is. The poor Khwarezm are scared of water; saw the Omani coast and ran for the hills! Better not get too close to me Khwarezm, I practically sweat the stuff.”

Malek, not amused by the Captain’s jokes, says “Amr, you just got back and you have already drunk yourself silly!”

Smiling broadly, Amr replies “My friend, if I had drunk myself silly, you would not be sitting there with a frown upon you face; besides, I do not need drink to make fun of cowardly land-lovers, it’s second nature to me.” Turning back to the Khwarezm, sobering his act up a little, Amr continues “Unfortunately for your Shah, it seems news of his acts have traveled fast across his lands, sparking rebellions among his own people. I do wish you could ask your Shah to keep a tidier house, taking rebel settlements will be so much more work; the Rebels might actually have backbones.” Amr smiles at the anger spreading across the Khwarezm’s face, then walks back to his table, leans back, and props his feet up.

While Amr takes a sip of his drink, Malek, with a look of scorn on his face, asks Amr “Why did you have to go and anger him?”

Amr smiles behind his glass, “Maybe now he will respond.”

“Ya,” Malek mumbles to himself, “with a sword.”

[Quirl]

A second letter comes into the court. It is delivered by Kamelya's servant boy, read to her in quiet, and then taken away. The woman smiles, then stands and bows to the Omani circus.

Masters, it seems we are in communion with one another. The Qara-Khagan has heard the call of the Omani Admiralty and have accepted your contract. Let all those who oppose your will fear hooves and arrows of the Ghul.

With this simple statement she bows and takes her seat--turning slightly to the quiet Khwarezm diplomat and licking her lips.

[Thanatos Eclipse]

Amr smiles, “I’d ponder whether the Shah will make his stand on the Omani coasts or run back to protect his homelands, but we all know the real question is which master will he go crawling to first, groveling on his knees and begging for mercy: The Ghul, the Omani, or the Rajputs?”

Amr nudges Malek, laughs a little, and says “If this does not stir the Khwarezm diplomat to speech, maybe someone should check if he still be among the living; might have died of fright.” Amr laughs some more.

Malek just mumbles something about being left out of the loop again, but the news of the Shah’s imminent demise had clearly brightened his spirit all the same.

[Thanatos Eclipse]

At the far end of the Omani table Em and Zurm are huddled together and whispering, occasionally sneaking quick peeks off in Kamelya’s direction. Zurm says “Look at the way the witch licks her lips. Betcha by the time it is all said and done she kills that Khwarezm diplomat and eats him.”

“No way,” Em replies, “she’ll sick that demon boy all over him, then grind the Khwarezm’s bones into dust and use them for her magic.”

“I’ll take your bet!” a sailor sitting beside them intrudes, thrusting a handful of gold coins on the table in front of them, “Cause the way I have it figured, the old witch is going to spell that land-lovin’ coward into cutting off chunks of his own flesh and hand feeding them to that servant beast of hers.”

Em and Zurm eagerly get out their own money as a few more sailors join the pot. As they quietly trade stories of myths and magic, they eagerly await the old witch’s next move.

[TriforceV]

A messenger arrives at the court. He quickly finds Captain Amr and hands him a letter. Captain Amr opens it and reads the message

“Ha, ha, ha”

Amr’s booming laugh makes several nearby dignitaries jump. Still chuckling to himself, Amr faces the Khwarezm diplomat and speaks “It seems your Shah’s subjects also find your leader’s cowardice quite laughable. What, we destroy your one magical ballista and he runs? Are none of his soldiers large enough for him to hide behind during battle?” Amr pauses, looking more intently at the Khwarezm diplomat, “Is this why you have not responded in defense of your Shah, have you too, lost faith in your leader?” Amr turns away, bursting into laughter once more, “Ha, ha, ha,” but he quickly stops and spins back around on the Khwarezm. “Waite, I know what it is. The poor Khwarezm are scared of water; saw the Omani coast and ran for the hills! Better not get too close to me Khwarezm, I practically sweat the stuff.”

Malek, not amused by the Captain’s jokes, says “Amr, you just got back and you have already drunk yourself silly!”

Smiling broadly, Amr replies “My friend, if I had drunk myself silly, you would not be sitting there with a frown upon you face; besides, I do not need drink to make fun of cowardly land-lovers, it’s second nature to me.” Turning back to the Khwarezm, sobering his act up a little, Amr continues “Unfortunately for your Shah, it seems news of his acts have traveled fast across his lands, sparking rebellions among his own people. I do wish you could ask your Shah to keep a tidier house, taking rebel settlements will be so much more work; the Rebels might actually have backbones.” Amr smiles at the anger spreading across the Khwarezm’s face, then walks back to his table, leans back, and props his feet up.

While Amr takes a sip of his drink, Malek, with a look of scorn on his face, asks Amr “Why did you have to go and anger him?”

Amr smiles behind his glass, “Maybe now he will respond.”

“Ya,” Malek mumbles to himself, “with a sword.”

The Kwarez Diplomat rises finally, and speaks

"The Omani dogs taunts are as threatening as their warriors are in battle, and thats not saying much..
Does the Captain not forget the last huge battle between our people, and the complete ahhnilation of his army?, I'm sure it is something he and his people would love to forget, how they were humilated not with sewage that leaves the mouth of bitter diplomats but with the actions demonstrated on the field of battle"

"I Suspect the Captain knows nothing of military matters or he would not question the direction and actions of our armies, I have never been one to act on the wishes of an enemy but to ensure the opposite"
If the Omani wish to demonstrate their greatness, then it is their turn to act, perhaps they can start by recapturing lost land..."

The Kwarez Diplomat sits back down.

[Quirl]

Kamelya has been absent for several days. But word has spread: The Ghul have invaded Kermanshah and Hamadan, sparking war between the Qara-Suu and the Crusader States. A new contract has been written and now hangs from the standards of the Qara-Khagan.

It seems the invasion of Khwarezm was a mere ruse...

[phonicsmonkey]

Orloomo looks puzzled for a moment and turns to his advisors.

Kermanshah and Hama...Hamadan? Oh, we did? I see - hard to keep track of all these new territories!

He says, to no-one in particular.

It's a pity the Ghul appear not to respect the value of existing business relationships - we could have had much more business for them in the future and we have much greater resource of coin than their slave paymasters.

Still, if they are hell bent on their own destruction who are we to argue?

[Thanatos Eclipse]

Malek looks taken aback by the news of the Qara-Suu invasion, but Captain Amr appears to have more important things on his mind. He pats the speechless Malek on the shoulder and says “I’ve got captain duties to attend to.” Amr walks to the far end of the table and picks up the pile of money that had formed. Before any of the sailors can protest, Amr says “Seeing as you all lost the bet, it falls on me, as your captain, to collect the winnings.” Captain Amr smiles and puts the money in a bag. With a few sighs of defeat the sailors go back about their business. Em, about to form his own protest, was quickly shut up by a sailor beside him.

Amr sits back down in his seat, kicks back and rests his feet on the table, like he was about to take a nap. Malek coming back to his senses asks “I won’t bother asking why I was not informed about this either, but are you not going to respond to the Khwarezm?”

“What!” Amr says, sitting up straight again. “You mean he finally talked? Hmm...” Amr considers, “must have missed it; so many more interesting things going on. So what the boring little guy say this time?”

Malek responds “He wants us to come to him-”

“Of course he does,” Amr interrupts, “he’s in the middle of a desert, no water there!”

Malek ignores the interruption and continues, “He also spoke of the battle-”

“He calls fighting those land-lovin’ peasants a battle! Wait, wait, wasn’t that fool from the old Imamate leading that rabble. I heard those idiots went running for the hills after they heard of the Khwarezm’s castle crushing ballista. Surprised the Khwarezm could even find them. Sure is unfortunate we had to destroy that ballista, though, would have been a nice addition to my ship. Imagine a powerful piece of equipment like that on a ship; probable punch through a ship’s hull with a single shot. Wouldn’t even have to bother with boarding any more; could be sinking ships before they probably even knew we were there...” At this point Malek just tunes Amr out, as the Captain continues to imagine all the possibilities of such a wondrous machine.

[phonicsmonkey]

Orloomo receives a message, smiles, and reads it aloud.

The city of Alexandria, the castle at Bilbeis and the fishing village of Aqaba have been seized from the slaves.

The city of Shiraz has also been occupied by crusading forces, and the last Sultan of the Seljuks perished therein.

The siege of Kermanshah has been broken. Hamadan remains under siege but we warn the Qara-suu to withdraw their forces from our territory immediately lest they face severe retribution.

A most reasonable financial offer has been made and we see little reason for them to continue with their contract - their slave paymasters will soon be unable to afford the payments!

[Quirl]

Outside, the war drum beats. There is the sound of hammers and nails outside the city walls. All have come to know this sound by now:

Baghdad is under siege...



... again.

[barcamartin]

Yussuf stands, after his long period of absence and silence.

Let it be known to all that the proud and noble people of the Ayyubids have suffered hard for their belief in peace. It has not, however, broken our spirit. We will stand against the spawn of the Devil, and struggle to be the light that the Muslim world needs in these grave times. We shall once more rise, and be the great center of Muslim faith and power that we were. To King Baldwin I bring four words from Crown Prince Shahanshah, Commander of the Faithful: We will never surrender.