I've travelled the known world for many years searching for the answers. Answers to questions I do not even remember now. Still, when I have been in one place for too long, the wanderlust comes upon me. Not long ago, I sat on the docks of Zek when the feeling came upon me again. After a bit of trial and error, I found my way to Maj'Dul.
Maj'Dul is not like any place I have ever seen before, though I have heard many tales of places such as this. Walking along the city's cobbled lanes, dodging street rats in its markets or sitting on a whitewashed balcony all seem so familiar to me even though I have never done these things before.
Around every corner, intrigue awaits. There are many ways to make enemies in this city. The unwritten rules governing everyone's behavior inside the city walls sometimes drive me to wander through the surrounding deserts. I always come back, though. No matter how bewildering life in Maj'Dul can be, it is child's play compared to some of the things I've encountered recently.
It is a beautiful place, Maj'Dul. Wherever I may wander, I will never forget my time in this Desert of Flames.
signed - Jonty Bindleswheel
Climbing the walls
While hiking in the desert I chanced upon a quiet stream. It looked like a great place to relax for a moment and cool my feet in the water. I sat down to remove my boots when I realized the log I'd chosen to sit upon was moving.
I jumped up and started backing away wondering why I thought there might be logs near the stream - logs! In a desert! What an idiot!
Gnomes aren't the most physically inclined folks, but I made excellent time sprinting back toward the cliffs.
I'd done some rock climbing before and those rocks had definite potential. The crocodiles snarled behind me, they were rapidly closing in.
From the distance I saw the perfect climbing area and headed straight toward it. My hand and feet moved quickly. The crocs snapped at my heels but I had adrenaline and skill on my side.
Even with a good head for heights, it can be pretty unnerving to look down, especially when you know there's a group of hungry critters at the bottom.
The Sha'ir and the Arena
Maj'Dul's enforcers are the Sha'ir, carpet-riding keepers of the law. If there's one thing they don't hold with, it's bloodshed in the city streets. While the city seems otherwise lawless, if a Sha'ir catches you in an act of violence, you'd better hope that a good healer is nearby.
Folks seem inclined to spill blood, though, and that's why the arenas are so popular. They are controlled environments in which beating on your neighbor is not only encouraged, it's necessary.
That doesn't mean that you do the beating yourself. You can hire champions to battle on your behalf. The better your champion, the better you get treated around your particular Court. At least, it seems that way to me. My champions always seem to be underachievers.
Another use for the arena battles is a slightly obscure to outsiders. Folks who want a law changed will hire the best champions so the outcome is to their liking. It gives a whole new meaning to the power of the people.
Still, strategies can go awry and I'm left with just my good looks and good luck. Ah, well. The allure of the arena always comes back to draw me in.
The city of Maj'Dul
Alleys, stairways and buildings physically separate Maj'Dul streets, providing cover and concealment. But the city is divided in more ways than one. There are three Courts, all vying for its control. Each Court is run by a Caliph that maintains a tight grip on the community through strict laws.
What took me the longest to understand is the bad blood between the different Courts. If one Court likes you, the other two won't let you near them. If you've offended a Court (mainly by spilling blood within the city walls), the Sha'ir enforcers will be all over you like a hot desert wind.
The Court of Blades is heavily militant, guarding against external threats to the city. Creating and enforcing the law gives the Court of Truth a keen interest in their Arena Champions. Mercantile and banking interests are mainly found in the Court of Coin.
While it's easy enough to tell which Court appreciates my presence, I prefer to spend most days near the Tower of the Moon, which is a neutral area.
The two Dragons
Though I've had several of the Dervins (Maj'Dul's local folk) tell me tales of the Twin Dragons, it wasn't until recently that I actually encountered them.
Technically, they're not twins, they're betrothed. One's gold and the other is silver. I gather they arrived around the same time as the Rending, though that might just be gossip. They say there's bad blood between the dragons and the djinn. One of the djinn tricking them into changing shapes and now the dragons can't keep a steady job. Something like that, anyway.
I shouldn't be so flippant about them. They are a magnificent sight! When the silver dragon landed in the city, all I could do was stare.
At sunset, the light rippling along its opalescent scales took on an almost golden hue. If you weren't close enough, you might have thought it was changing from silver to gold right before your eyes! That might be why some folk say there's only one dragon.
Several Dervins told me these dragons change shapes, though they're never sure what they turn into. Some of them say the dragons can become anything they want!