[Exalted 3e] [IC] Zhakara, the land of Enlightenment

[Red Shadow Claws]

The Genie's Anvil
The sand blew across the desert called Genie's Anvil. It was morning, and already the heat was high, and it would be scorching hot by the time noon arrived. To those unfamiliar with this desert, which is most everyone, this was one of the most inhospitable places in the land of Zakhara.
But you were no ordinary men. In fact, you were Chosen of Luna, and this piece of the desert was claimed by Sought-But-Not-Found, a No-Moon Lunar that has taken you in, granted you the tattoos need to affix your Caste, and has taught you more about the world, and your powers. And so, even the elements in this desert were more kind to you, so the heat of the day wasn't as hot, and the chill of the night wasn't so bone-deep.
And today was a special day, because today Sought-But-Not-Found has told you that she will send you out to the world beyond to do a task for her, to prove that you've learned well, and can be left without supervision.

Sherwood Psychie

 

[Sherwood]

Thamina was not the same woman that she was when Sought-But-Not-Found had first found her. Back then, even with her time living in the slums of the city, she was a pampered, spoiled little girl. She was used to living the good life, even when she was taking the role of bad girl master thief. Her resources would go to living well, eating well, and generally spending her cash as soon as she would get it. Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought that she would be living in a tent in the middle of nowhere. But she had changed. Sought-But-Not-Found worked with her to make the spoiled little girl grow up. At first, Thamina would resist and resented the lessons that her master would give her, but over time, she came to realize that Sought-But-Not-Found was an excellent teacher, and Thamina gratefully embraced the lessons that her teacher would give out.

Now, Thamina still has a taste for the good life, but she was no longer that little brat that she was thanks to her mentor.

This day was like most others, cool in the early day, but as the sun came up, the heat began to beat down. Right now, Thamina was sitting on a small throw rug outside of her tent, waiting for her teacher to be ready to give out the details of what it was that she wanted her pupils to do. Thamina was excited at the thought. It had been a while since she had experienced civilization, and a part of her was truly looking forward to having a top-rate meal and an expensive bottle of wine to go with it. Until the time that her teacher was ready to talk, she composed herself to sit patiently.

 

[Psychie]

Salwa is pleased to hear that they will be leaving the desert for the first time in a long while. She is missing the sea, and is hoping that their eventual destination will be close to the ocean so she can feel the freshness of the sea air in her lungs once more. In any case, it will be good to see something besides the endless expanse of shifting sands around them.

After spending some time practicing with her weapons and working up a good sweat, she decides to go sit next to Thamina. She says to the other woman, “Hey princess. I don’t suppose that you have any idea on where we are going yet, do you? I can’t wait to get myself clean without having sand in places it isn’t supposed to be.”

 

[Sherwood]

Thamina does her best to suppress her irritation at the nickname of 'princess'. <Sigh> It was a mistake to tell Salwa about my family. Ever since I did, she's insisted on calling me princess. Ah, well. Nothing to be done about it now. Ignoring the nickname, she says, "You know as much as I do about what our master has in store for us. She has not decided to share that information with me yet. I suspect that it will not be long now."

 

[Psychie]

Salwa shrugs. "I guess so. I just thought that you might know something that I don't, since you are Sought-But-Not-Found's favorite. She's always liked you more."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

"I don't hold favorites" You can hear a voice coming from behind you, where you can see Sought-But-Not-Found rat's form lounging "but of the six Lunars I've gathered here, you two have the most advanced grasp of your capabilities, and in fact, someone you're both encountered before has surfaced again." She gives them a moment to digest this before continuing "It seems like the Water Aspect is once again seen in the alleys of Jumlat. A merchant by the name of Kamal seems to be a rival of his, and is apparently sending a cursed jewel to the Mosque of Selan in Gana. As you probably know, Selan is the local name for Luna, and you two will join the caravan leading this cursed jewel to the Mosque, and keep the Water Aspect from getting his hands on it. I feel like there might be more to this entire thing, so keep an eye out for entanglements. Any questions you have?"