@767 = ~I wish to tell you what happened after I left the monastery...~ @768 = ~Tell me about it.~ @769 = ~We have more pressing matters to attend to today.~ @770 = ~I was alone on the road and had no idea of what to do nor where to go. I had spent all my life in the shelter of the monastery. I knew nothing of the outside world.~ @771 = ~I wandered aimlessly on the road for a few days. I ate fruits from the trees, grass roots and even insects and rats so that I might survive.~ @772 = ~Finally, I made the old road to the farm, a sort of pilgrimage into my past only to find old ruins embedded with plants and trees. I took time to make a small symbolic grave with lovely flowers for my parents and took the road again.~ @773 = ~Insects and rats, what a thrilling diet!~ @774 = ~What did you expect when returning to your parent's farm?~ @775 = ~Fine, . Another time perhaps~ @776 = ~Yes, another day would be best.~ @777 = ~I didn't get accustomed eating such food if that’s what you are implying. Snails have quite some flavor, when cooked with garlic though.~ @778 = ~I find it quite revolting but please move on with your tale.~ @779 = ~I tasted it once too. It's not all that revolting.~ @780 = ~Nothing I guess, but I had nowhere else to go, so I went to a familiar place.~ @781 = ~Hmm, makes sense.~ @782 = ~Eating rats and insects, this must have been utterly disgusting~ @783 = ~Whilst on the road to the nearest village, I met a group of merchants that had concluded their trade in our capital city of Tu Pe and were traveling back to their Zakharian homeland in the south, an island called Afyal.~ @784 = ~When they saw me traveling alone, they approached me and we starting talking. They had lost their ship and were trying to reach the port of Azuza in neighboring Tu Lung.~ @785 = ~Of course, I did not reveal the full story of the monastery but just that I had had enough of a cloistered life and had decided to become an adventurer.~ @786 = ~Why did you hide the truth from these merchants? I feel you had nothing to be ashamed of.~ @787 = ~One can't be too cautious.~ @788 = ~I guess.. They did not know your whole life.~ @789 = ~It was the first offer of help I'd received, and I didn't want to frighten them. The fact that I was expelled from a reputable monastery in Koryo could have raised many suspicions on their part. Let me continue my tale...~ @790 = ~The fact that I was expelled from a reputable monastery in Koryo could have raised a lot of suspicions on their part, but let me continue my tale...~ @791 = ~They told me the road to Tu Lung was unsafe and that my fighting skills could prove useful to them. To convince me, they added that they would pay good money if I escorted them to Azusa.~ @792 = ~We traveled without incident to Asuza, nothing aside from a few bandits and gibberlings, which proved to be no match for my skills.~ @793 = ~They were so impressed that they also asked me to join them on their boat trip to Afyal. Since I had little else to do and was quite eager to discover their island, I accepted their offer.~ @794 = ~It must have proven a valuable experience and quite an adventure...~ @795 = ~I am sure your skills in the martial arts must have impressed these simple merchants~ @796 = ~I am sure a bit of money in your precarious condition was of great help...~ @797 = ~The cloistered life was nice and offered a lot of practice in martial arts, but we never fought to kill, only to defend.~ @798 = ~I am sure your skills in the martial arts must have impressed these simple merchants.~ @799 = ~So, what happened when you arrived in Afyal?~ @800 = ~The flying gibberling is probably what impressed them most. On one of them, my blow was so forceful that the creature literally flew into the air, landing on a nearby tree.~ @801 = ~Well, I couldn't really refuse their generous offer, but the chance to discover the world was also very tempting.~ @802 = ~Perhaps later, I shall tell you of how I met Zaiya and of her affliction.~ @803 = ~Would you like to know how I met Zaiya and how she was afflicted with this terrible curse?~ @804 = ~Yes, definitely. I was actually wondering when you'd tell us about Zaiya's strange affliction.~ @805 = ~It seems interesting enough.~ @806 = ~On arrival at Medina al Afyal, the merchants paid me one hundred gold as agreed. Before parting, I asked them for directions to the nearest inn and spent the rest of the evening asleep.~ @807 = ~The next day I went to a temple, as I needed a few herbs and some time in meditation. This is where I met Zaiya. She had just been struck by a terrible curse and was seeking help from the local temples, but it seemed all her attempts had failed. Perhaps it would be best if she relates this dreadful event.~ @808 = ~Fine, I wouldn't say no.~ @809 = ~Zaiya and I stay together. She has pledged herself as my servant ever since, though I did not force this decision upon her. She just had little choice in the matter.~ @810 = ~Reading books on poison is not truly something sensible to do.~ @811 = ~How did you perform such an amazing feat, Kiara?~ @812 = ~Her affliction is truly peculiar. Nobody ever managed to cure her.~ @813 = ~Zaiya is extremely curious and I guess it was her innocent fascination with magic that led her to her infirmity. She is truly sensitive about it and does not really wish to say more.~ @814 = ~Her affliction is truly peculiar. Has nobody ever managed to cure her?~ @815 = ~So, what does Zaiya do as your servant?~ @816 = ~I am able to focus my Ki energies for a short period and stabilize Zaiya's condition. Without this, she will die. My energies seem to neutralize the curse for a short while.~ @817 = ~It is only temporary, however, and I must apply my hands to her almost everyday.~ @818 = ~Reading dark books is not truly something sensible to do.~ @819 = ~But how did you two come to Athkatla?~ @820 = ~We have sought the advice of many powerful clerics. We have visited many temples, but haven't found any cure yet.~ @821 = ~Zaiya had little choice but to stay with me, else she would die. When Zaiya proposed to be my servant in exchange for her life, I almost laughed but accepted nevertheless.~ @822 = ~Besides, the combination of our forces has proven valuable at times.~ @823 = ~Not enough to prevent your somehow getting sold into slavery. What happened?~ @824 = ~This is another long tale so I will tell you of it the next time we speak.~ @825 = ~Would you like to know how we became slaves?~ @826 = ~Sure, this should be quite interesting.~ @827 = ~Why not?~ @828 = ~It seems like a gruesome tale, I wouldn't really want to hear it.~ @829 = ~All the herbalists and clerics we approached almost ruined us with their expenses. We decided to try our luck with a tasked Djinn. He was not able to offer much by way of help, but did offer us some advice.~ @830 = ~He said some extraordinary herbs grew in the land of Maztica and that we might find a cure there. Trade between Afyal and Maztica was so unusual that our hopes grew thinner.. As a last resort, we went to see those merchants I escorted from Koryo and asked them if they could help us travel to Maztica.~ @831 = ~They looked at me with genuine surprise at such a request but soon offered to help us reach Qudra, the city of power, on mainland Zakhara. From there, it would be much easier to find a ship traveling to Maztica.~ @832 = ~Off the shorelines of Qudra, our ship was boarded by corsairs who later sold us to slavers in Athkatla.~ @833 = ~Even a genie was not able to help?~ @834 = ~Another great adventure of yours, I believe...~ @835 = ~You know more of Toril than I'll ever find out...~ @836 = ~I assure you there is nothing as such in my tale.~ @837 = ~Not all genies will grant you a wish, .~ @838 = ~Months of travel in a tiny cabin, then later being chained in the hold of a corsair ship is an adventure I would have gladly skipped.~ @839 = ~Considering we spent most of our time at sea, yes, we know pretty much what *water* looks like.~ @840 = ~When you found me, I had been sold to Amaralis. Luckily you found Zaiya before the worst could happen to her. One of the reasons I decided to travel with you was not so much my desire for freedom or adventure, but the story foretold by an old prophetess. We met her whilst searching for a cure in Afyal. She sensed something in me but wouldn't tell me anything of it.~ @841 = ~After asking a lot of questions about my life, she said I was soon to meet a powerful Bhaalspawn. That's when I stopped listening to her. I should have been more attentive when she related the tale of the Bhaalspawn and the prophecy of Alaundo.~ @842 = ~So, this prophecy is about you and I after all! Why didn't you tell me so?~ @843 = ~Did she say what would happen if you tried to corrupt me?~ @844 = ~I am sorry, . I lied to you. I don't want you to conclude that I am a liar. I was just unsure about the way you would react to this prophecy.~ @845 = ~Did she say what kind of consequences awaited you?~ @846 = ~Did she say anything about me?~ @847 = ~I am afraid she did not. She said something terrible would happen but refused to say more.~ @848 = ~I'll need time to think about what you have told me, Kiara.~ @849 = ~She did not say anything either.~ @850 = ~Did she mention the consequences that awaited you?~ @1594 = ~I was born in a village near Medina al Afyal. I loved to learn and study but my parents were extremely poor and I could have never risen above my status as the island is governed by very strict social codes.~ @1595 = ~My father one day went to seek help from a powerful elemental mage, a man named Korezam, who specialized in all kind of poisonous spells. All our animals had fallen sick and my father was hoping the mage would provide him with a remedy.~ @1596 = ~Korezam offered my father a cure to the plague if he could provide him with a servant. The mage was getting old and would need somebody to help him in his studies. My father immediately proposed I become his helper.~ @1597 = ~I was quite happy to live with Korezam but was never really happy about the progress of my magic. Although he had defended the reading of his collection books against wild magic, I started studying them in secret at a later age.~ @1598 = ~One day, something awful happened. I was reading a book on powerful poisons and their effects when a wild surge occurred. I was cursed. Korezam tried several remove curse spells, but it was to no avail. He was getting old and was not able to move much from home and told me to go to Medina al Afyal and seek help in the temples, perhaps the potions would help or some genie.~ @1599 = ~I visited nearly all the temples in Medina and used several potions prepared by skilful herbalists, but none of them worked and my condition worsened.~ @1600 = ~Fortunately, I met Kiara in one of these temples, and she said she might be able to assist.~ @1601 = ~Kiara has powerful healing hands and she is able to stabilize my condition from time to time by applying her hands over my body...It does not remove the curse but helps me live. Ever since, I stayed with her as her servant.~