Grimsby said, "Most potentates of my acquaintance would not welcome being hailed by a stranger --but most potentates I know don't ride bicycles around their capitals, either. Perhaps the professor should hail him --after all, the professor is the guest he's expecting."

"Lemme at one," Connor murr-growled bravely as finished up paying for his purchases, the larger items having to be delivered to the airship separately instead of being carried out with him, the big tiger felinoid ready to go find a good place get a good pint, or at the very least a refreshing cup of tea, "I'd open up the regulator and see what the thing could really do, and could surely improve it if didn't go quite fast enough. It'd certainly do until I can find myself a locomotive and a couple carriages for it to pull."

Saying nothing more about it, the felinoid had a gander at what was going on around him on the busy streets, trying to decide what direction would be more appropriate to head to find some liquid refreshments...
This message was last edited by the player at 04:03, Fri 26 June 2015.

PM

Grimsby observes Connor's behavior with some surprise, but does not outwardly respond. He has known Asiatic rulers who have beheaded men for less, but he hopes this is not one of them.

Charles notices the look on the young Lady's face and looks to Mr. Smith ( who appears to be heads down in a bin of do-dads) then bows and doffs his top hat to Marian.  Charles Harris.

She smiles, pleased at the introduction and nods her head in a polite mini bow. Pleased to meet you Mr. Harris. I am Marian Holroy she speaks in a warm British accent. If Charles is a fiction reader of any sort he may have heard of her books, quite popular for their tales of adventure, romance and intrigue. I take it mechanical wonders such as these are not quite your cup of tea either? Or perhaps you've already had your fill of them she laughs. I admit I am out of my element here though I'm grateful for companions who are technologically minded. Still, gears can only be interesting for so long for someone with only limited understanding of their uses. she admits. My word I hope I don't come across as stupid she thinks to herself suddenly. I'm surely not the only one who doesn't know mechanics...

Charles looks thoughtful for a moment as he puts his hat back on. Are you perchance the novelist Holroy or perhaps a relation?

As for this, His wave encompasses the shop.  I do not understand much of it beyond the basics that we must all know to operate in society. I met Mr. Smith at the Elephant and he mentioned an interest in shops like these.  Having been here for several weeks already I was able to direct him to Faud's.  But it is not a place that I would shop.   

Marina is surprised and pleased to have someone recognize her name and she nods. Yes I am she. I thought it high time I finally experience the things I've been writing about.

Hearing that Harris was not anymore interested in mechanics than herself she laughs in relief. I like you already Mr. Harris. she grins. So many people these days seem to have an affinity for it that I feel a bit behind the times though I truthfully have little interest in rectifying that. So, what brings you so far from England?

In reply to Marian Holroy (msg # 43):

Charles nods. Your books are quiet the talk at some of the evening gatherings I have attended in London.  I only get pulled into the talk if one of your books goes to some exotic location.

He returns her grin. Everyone cannot be mechanics.  Some of us must talk to other people about things without gears or steam.  As to why I am here,  I represent Her Majesty's interests in various places.

Fortunately, Connor was far enough away that he may not have been heard, particularly since the Shah disappeared around the corner of the palace before then, so that only the woman in the three-pennyfarthing was in sight.

Grimsby says "Shall we go on to the palace? We still must deliver the professor there before we go about our own business."

Oh glad to hear there are some readers out there anyway she laughs happily. I'm hoping my books will be improved after all this. I've been taking a great many notes already. She listens to his mention of Her Majesty with interest. Oh really? Does that mean you've been to other places too or are you relatively new at working on her behalf? I love to pick traveler's brains she admits.

In reply to Marian Holroy (msg # 47):

All of my travels have been on her Majesty's behalf.  As a soldier I was in India and Hong Kong as well as fighting in Afghanistan.  My further travels have taken me to China and the South Pacific. With a slight bow he continues.  I will happily give you cultural details for any of those places but it does not compare with going there and meeting the people.

He glances back to Mr. Smith and the rest of Miss Holroy's group. If you or your group wish to visit the bazaar I will be happy to escort you but perhaps Miss Holroy, you should introduce me.  I would hate for us to leave and they think a scoundrel has made off with you in a foreign port.

In reply to Grimsby Baskerville (msg # 46):

Giving the Professor a questioning look Bellgrove nods to Grimsby, "Yes, well, that does seem like the thing to do."

I would love to hear all about them she smiles with delight. I've long lived off of other people's adventures. My parents were world travelers too and I grew up listening to their stories. That's how I got into writing in the first place. I have been wanting to travel for some time now but...well my husband died a few years ago and I only recently decided to start living myself. Sometimes those left behind tend to follow the dead prematurely she gives a pained half smile. But it's high time I stopped all that. James would never forgive me if I wasted my life feeling sorry for myself.

Hearing his comments on the bazaar she laughs. Yes, perhaps I'd better. I don't think you would enjoy being chased by a cat man through the streets, though I confess it would be marvelously entertaining. She then escorts him to the others and proceeds with the formal introductions that the British relied on so much.

Despite the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula, Lugaash sport jagged mountains, and Lugarno, situated on the coast, gets its share of breezes. Still, the glaring sun makes the lowlands hot and the nearby Persian Gulf contributes a goodly amount of humidity.

And that is why the guards at the palace entrance stand just inside the open foyer rather than outside.

As Grimsby, Dash, Bellgrove and the Professor cross the boulevard and approach the 'front door' after the pennyfarthings have passed out of sight, the first thing they notice, besides the two guards, is the fans. There are two rotary fans blowing air onto the guards' backs.

The guards are dressed in khaki-colored shirt and shorts with black belt and bandolier, holding a spear and wearing a scimitar on one side and a sidearm on the other. They also wear a fore-and-aft pith helmet.

Stepping up to the foyer, the guards place their outside hand on the butt of their pistols and lower their spears across the door.

"What business have you at the palace?" one of them says.


Back at the Faud's, Mercy has made her purchases and the group moves on to another shop, which, at first glance, defies labeling, but then you realize is a Middle Eastern equivalent of a pawn shop.

There is quite a collection of odds and ends here, things that you wouldn't expect to see outside of the posh shops of London or Paris. A few things that catch your eye is the rhino head on the wall, the pair of tall African drums, an elephant's tusk, a camera, an ebony cane with a sterling silver dragon's head handle, a canvas-and-leather vest with two dozen pockets, a typewriter, a trumpet, three ukeleles, and a wide selection of guns (derringer, pepperbox, pearl-handled Colt, a Winchester rifle, and three elephant guns).

Charles Harris walks around the shop examining many items.  He pays close attention to the ebony cane and questions the proprietor about where it came from.  He can speak Dari/Farsi if the shop owner does not speak English.

Oh if it weren't so heavy I'd love another typewriter! she gasps with delight. Instead she looks more towards the ukeleles and if they aren't asking too much (she may have money but she wasn't stupid with it) she will purchase one. She already played two instruments and since the cello was also a stringed instrument surely this ukelele wouldn't be too hard to learn. The rest of the time she wanders around happily, enjoying both familiar and exotic merchandise. This was much better than Faud's.

The shopkeeper speaks heavily accented English, though oddly, the accent is Indian rather than Arabic.

"Mr. Sheridan sold it to me to pay his gambling debts at the Cobra Club," Mustapha replies to Charles. "It is quite exquisite, is it not? It is of Chinese craftsmanship. Quite rare."

"Mr. Sheridan was killed two weeks later, so he will not be returning to claim it. In order to cover the money I gave him, I could not possibly let it go for less than 10 pounds. A larger donation, of course, would be greatly appreciated."


The typewriter in question is a lightweight portable one. It's been banged up a bit, but seems to be functional. It's only 1 pound.

The ukelele has also seen better days, but is in reasonable condition. It is 3 pounds.

In reply to GM StarMaster (msg # 51):

Grimsby says, "We are simply escorting an invited guest whose journey here was interrupted by a violent attack. We rescued him after his ship was destroyed and are making sure he arrives safely." He gestures towards the professor to suggest he introduce himself.

Marian is torn over the typewriter as it would be easier than scribbling notes by hand but ultimately decides against it simply for ease of carting it around. It may not be heavy but she doubted it would fit in her carpet bag and as much as she hoped her new companions would let her travel with them for some time she needed to be ready in case they tired of her company. Instead she will purchase the ukelele with a happy grin, excited to have something to occupy her time with.

In reply to GM StarMaster (msg # 54):

Charles continues his examination of the cane.    I always enjoy someof the stories of the items.  It tens to make then...more valuable.  Mr. Sheridan was killed?  How did that happen.

"Alas, Mr. Sheridan engaged in a duel with al'Kazar... and lost," Mustapha answers Charles. "It is most tragic."

"Of course, there was a woman involved. al'Kazar has been courting Shalimar for over a month now, but when she seemed more interested in Mr. Sheridan, naturally al'Kazar had to remove his rival for the lady's affections, did he not?"

"That is the story that has been told and repeated by many tongues. Alas, I cannot vouch for its veracity. It makes for a great romance, though, does it not?"



At the palace, the professor steps forward and addresses the guards, pulling a waterproof leather pouch from his coat pocket and extracting a telegram.

"My good sir, I am Professor Xavier Strawbridge. In response to an enquiry made by your shah, I applied for the position of Vizier and received this telegram in response, inviting me to visit Lugarno to accept that position."

He holds the telegram out so the guard can read it--if the guard can read.

"Would you be so kind as to inform your shah that I have arrived, at no small peril to myself, I might add."

The guard scrutinizes the telegraph for a moment before ringing the bell. The door opens a moment later, and another person is there.

"Tell His Majesty that his new Vizier has arrived."

"I am not authorized to let anyone in that I do not know, so you'll have to wait for the Major Domo to return with the proper authorization."

The guard directed the last back to the Professor.

Just then, the pennyfarthing drives by behind you. The rider waves at you. Clearly there must be another way into the palace as the pennyfarthing can't fit through these doors.


Marion acquires the ukelele and Mercy purchases the vest of pockets and the pepperbox. Nothing in the shop seems to interest Connor or Paul?
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:14, Wed 08 July 2015.

In reply to GM StarMaster (msg # 58):

As the penneyfarthing (the one actually carrying the Shah, I assume, not the trike with his wife?) passes, Dash tosses off a casual salute to the rider, along with a big 'ol American grin.

Meanwhile, Connor had broken off from the rest of the group to go exploring a little more freely on his own, keeping an eye out for a possible cafe or a saloon since that was what he had originally had in mind when he had disembarked from the airship with his companions.

The tiger-person kept on his guard as he weaved through the pedestrian traffic, not at all eager to repeat his experience that had occurred in Marseilles, but all the same his bearing was relaxed and his pace was slow and steady, a steady tap-tap-tap coming from the wooden walking stick he carried as he went along. Connor found the heat a bit stifling, considering his pelt of fur and his clothes piled on top of that it was no wonder, but nonetheless he found Lugaash an interesting place to have a look-about in, definitely a far cry from his own small town in Ireland where he had his humble abode and his business based in.

A little ways on, he paused to have a gander and one of the street stalls that was selling books and other printed media such as newspapers, in many languages and on many subjects. A slight smile coming to his muzzle, Connor selected out a good half-dozen books (not all of them in English, since he could read and speak practically every human tongue), including a couple penny adventure novels (a guilty pleasure, his favorites being the ones with the Shanghai Kid, essentially a collection of American Western stories, as well as Allan Quartermain, another favorite character), as well as a copy of the local paper. "What do I owe you?" he asked the proprietor of the stall in the local dialect, figuring if he didn't appear like a complete foreigner he might be able to wrangle a deal.

After all, it might be nice to catch up on his reading once he found a good drink...
This message was last edited by the player at 11:00, Wed 08 July 2015.