The defence of Al-Haikk brought a much needed sense of relief to the people of Araby, a nation ravaged by the Orcish Waaagh! in recent times. The greentide which once seemed unstoppable, having wiped out 4 of Araby’s most populous settlements, but now hope shone through. The Orcs could be beaten, they could be pushed back and the people of Araby could pursue their lives once more. Of course in truth the death of warboss Grokka Goreaxe had come at a price, that price being that the Sultan had to surrender himself to the whims and fancies of Jaffar, the ghostly first Sultan who haunted this land. Somehow, through love for his daughter or by other means beyond this world the Sultan has been able to withstand his possession, to push that spirit back into dormancy. However, despite this development the event had left the Sultan shaken. His whole legacy up until now had been to modernise this land, to cast off the shadows of the nation’s dark past. Yet when destruction came, he’d fled back into that past’s grips. Could a modern, diplomatic Araby ever survive or would it always be forced to rely on its savage past once the chips were set? For the Sultan knew only of one thing for certain. The savage orcish tribes would be back. Their ranks would swell over the blood of the innocent once more and their terrible conquest would continue. So long as their champion took breath, the Orcs would never stop; not until Azhag was dead and buried.

Over in the ruins of the former trading city of Copher, Azhag the Slaughterer toyed away with his latest achievement. The Golden Magus was dead and with his passing Azhag now held control over 3 Greater Djinn, powerful elemental spirits locked away in an oil lamp whose sole duty would be to answer his every wish to the best they could. As he fiddled with his prize, his army celebrated the destruction of this trade hub with the erection of a massive Idol of Gork crafted from several hundred mounds of dirt, dung and excrement, deposited equally by the Orcs themselves and by the raising of the city’s sewage system. Azhag considered himself above such acts of course, for the intellect (albeit limited) offered by his crown would never let him stoop to such barbaric levels, yet in order to maintain his pretence among this army of troglodytes as their messiah, he knew he needed to maintain a sense of gratitude. Azhag wasn’t upset when he heard of Grokka’s death. It had come as a surprise to him, but not one he felt any regret over. After all, if Grokka Goreaxe had lived it would have only been a matter of time until he tried to hack his axe into Azhag’s back. Better for him to be gone now than to challenge the Slaughterer’s rule.

The Greenskins’ celebrations in Copher went on for weeks as more and more of Azhag’s neighbouring clans gathered there to express their reverence to the orc they believed to be the personification of Gork. Five clans gathered: the Top Knotz, the Teefsnatchaz, the Red Fangz, the Scabby Eyez and even Wurrzag’s old tribe the Bloody Handz. Azhag languished around the idol for days on end as more and more Orcs came to praise him, all while concealing his true conversations with the crown he wore. Eventually, after well over 2 months of celebrating Azhag decided to get up off his arse and rally the Waaagh once more for he had a new sight in mind, the holy city of Mendai, birthplace of the Prophet Mulhaed al-Quayat for that would surely demolish any sense of hope or optimism the Arabayans has picked up from their victorious defence of the Capital. And so Azhag massed his forces, numbering over 60,000 Orcs in total once all the savage orc clans had gathered, and crossed the great desert once more to lay siege to the holy city as Azhag flew high overhead on his wyvern Skullmuncha.

While Azhag led his armies, the Arabayans faced a difficult dilemma of their own. The Sultan had by now heard that the greentide was on the move and naturally wished to intercept their advance before they could reach Mendai. However, Al-Haikk’s national guard was running low with less than 10,000 soldiers still alive if not gravely wounded and while they certainly included a trick or two among their ranks such as war elephants and flying carpets, no tactician would willingly face a force outnumbering them 6 to 1 should other possibilities exist. The Sultan considered how to proceed, with so many of their cities in ruins and investment fleeing their country only one source of reinforcement really remained viable, the Corsair Pirates and Slavers of Lashiek led by the infamous captain Sinba’ahd Ibn Martuk. For years the Sultan has been trying to reign in the corsairs’ activities, banning them from taking Arab nationals and minors of any race as slaves, compelling them to pay a tax for each slave taken of Elven origin (a pact which led to the Sultan forging an alliance with the Prince of Ellyrion Arandir Swiftwing and promising Princess Jasmine’s hand in marriage to the prince to strengthen that bond further) and the setting of minimum residential standards for slaves when being transported by sea. Therefore, they knew well enough that any request for support from the corsairs would come at high cost.

Unfortunately, the Sultan’s plans for shrewd negotiation would come at a cost when his naive daughter, Princess Jasmine Silverveil, overheard him speaking with his council and decided to take things into her own hands. Figuring that her father had enough to worry about with Al Haikk’s restoration and the marshalling of his armies, Jasmine made contact with her long-time fling, the would-be Prince of Thieves who’d whisked her away on a magic carpet ride three years ago.

The Princess and the Thief flew across the desert, over sand dunes and streams, making sure to stay well away from where orcs and harpies congregated until finally, Lashiek came into view.The carpet landed and the thief escorted his princess through the city’s main gates, the maiden so used to being fawned over that she never even thought of asking how her companion had the contacts required to get them past the gates to a free city. The two were escorted through the city streets until finally they came across a great villa where she was told the Corsair Lord resided.

The two entered its halls and were greeted by a wave from a figure sat at the other end of a long stretch of fountains sat on a throne surrounded by stained glass and the decorations mirroring the feathers of a peacock. However, the guards told her she couldn’t speak to the figure for he had another meeting to complete first. The two figures discussed business in the distance while the Princess and the Thief stood in the lobby and waited.

Jasmine: “He shouldn’t make me wait. Doesn’t he realise royalty waits within these halls?”

Prince of Thieves: “The Corsair Lord is the wealthiest man in Araby now that he no longer faces competition from Copher. The death of the Golden Magus left quite a void to fill. He makes everyone wait.”

The two waited for another few minutes until Jasmine suddenly recognised who it was who was talking to the corsair. She stormed over in a huff before decrying “I know you. You’re my father’s former vizier Mydas, you’re wanted for embezzlement.”

“And you are interrupting our meeting, wench. I would have thought you could control your dancing girls.” Mydas the Mean responded before directing the latter statement to the figure sat on the peacock throne.

Jasmine: “I am no wench, my name is Princess-“

“Princess Jasmine Silverveil of House Khwarezm, heir apparent to the throne of Araby.” the man on the throne stated.

Jasmine: “You know me, Corsair Lord?”

“Of course I do, though only by reputation Princess, your father and I have substantial history between us I’m afraid. But I assure you I am no lord. I am merely a humble merchant of goods and peoples. But you may refer to me by my first name Sinba’ahd if you so fancy. I do so despise titles.”

Mydas: “No she may not. We have business to discuss and I will not have it interrupted by some harlot allergic to proper clothing.”

Sinba’ahd: “Easy Mydas, let us hear the lady out. Before her father has us sanctioned by another one of his embargoes.” the corsair lord stated before the two burst into laughter.

Mydas: “Perhaps we should make this quick. This woman for all her bluster is remarkably beautiful. Forget driving a bargain with my friend here and come join my harem as one of my wives. In return I shall reward whatever you came to demand twice-fold.”

Jasmine: “I am already betrothed.”

Sinba’ahd: “Ah but I heard you rejected the offer of engagement from the Prince of Ellyrion, little princess. Have you been offered another such arrangement since then?”

Jasmine: “Well, no but-“

Sinba’ahd: “Well then you are open to my friend’s offer, no?”

Jasmine stared at the two in bewilderment, unable to get a word in edge-ways when suddenly the two criminal masterminds fell into raucous laughter once more.

Sinba’ahd: “Your face! Don’t they tell you about jokes in that palace of yours? Come, take a cushion and sit with us, smoke from the hukkah. Besides Mydas, she is far too lovely for a glorified paymaster like yourself.”

Mydas: “Very true, and yet I hear that your father, who sold paprika off the back of a wagon, married a lady far lovelier and higher born than himself.”

Sinba’ahd: “Every lady alive was lovelier and higher born than my father, Mydas. You look famished princess, so skinny. Did my servants not offer you something to eat, to drink? I’ll have them whipped.”

Jasmine: “Thank you, my lord you are gracious indeed but I fear no servant alive could bring me what I need.”

Sinba’ahd: “Oh, she has a talent for drama, this one. Perhaps your hunch that she was a dancer wasn’t so false after all, Mydas. So, little princess, what is it you came here for?”

Jasmine: “Araby, free of the devastation brought by the Greenskin hordes.”

Sinba’ahd: “A large ask. What makes you think I could offer such an outcome to you?”

Jasmine: “Your slavers fleet is world renowned through the Old World for its ability to conquer and capture thousands of innocents at the time. I ask that your pirates join my father’s army in fighting the Orcs.”

Sinba’ahd: “Slavers? Pirates? I think you are mistaken, little princes. I trade only in goods and servants.”

Jasmine: “Whatever you call them. My father will pay you three times over for their buying cost if they join his cause.”

Sinba’ahd: “I see. So after squeezing the service trade for so long the Sultan has finally seen the error of his ways.”

Jasmine: “Well, actually he doesn’t know I’m here …. but he will hold up whatever bargain we make I assure you.”

Mydas: “Interesting.”

Sinba’ahd: “So you have come all the way here, with no protection and without telling your father. You’re either exceptionally brave or stupid, little princess. Fortunately for you, I do not doubt your honesty or your intentions and I am never one to miss an opportunity to make some money. Do go on. How large is your father’s army?”

Jasmine: “He says it’s down to somewhere around 10,000 soldiers but I overheard his council saying the Orcs outnumbered them six to one.”

Sinba’ahd: “Giants and trolls among those numbers I assume?

Jasmine: “Uhmm… I think so.”

Sinba’ahd: “Ah, I see why you may need some help. Well, you may like to know that one of my fleets will be returning from a collection in Khuresh soon. They should number at some 7,000 men roughly speaking.”

Jasmine: “Those would surely suffice my lord.”

Sinba’ahd: “I’m glad to hear it, little princess. Shall we discuss my fee?”

Jasmine: “Fee? I offered you three times your normal payment!”

“Oh come on, little princess. I am a corsair lord you cannot expect me to be so single-minded as to only deserve payment for myself. If I am going to do business with the Sultan I should expect some way of appeasing the other Sheikhs otherwise they’ll have my head for dealing with the enemy.” Sinba’ahd chuckled.

Jasmine: “What do you want?”

Sinba’ahd: “Let’s see. Your father thinks of himself as a moderniser does he not? Well then, his ban on employing Arab nationals I can understand and his little tax around elves being sold is rather cute once you see it as the political ploy it so obviously is – both are in fact given that his own army contains indentured servants. But his other two intrusions into my industry, well I won’t have those at all. Banning young ones from entering, why is that? Are they your children or my ones? No, of course not because of the first law. So who cares what happens to the spawns of filthy snakeskins or Southern pygmies? It simply strikes me as illogical, especially when some may otherwise volunteer for service to escape the deluge of their sick-laden living. As for the other rule, demanding each servant a space far larger than they would ever need, thereby cutting my supply space. Again, preposterous! A slave is a slave and only requires the bare minimum space with which to be transported. All else is unecessary and strikes me as deliberate obstructionism to my trade. So, if you want to save your country and make your daddy proud, I suggest you convince him to drop these ridiculous laws.”

Jasmine: “How could you say that? Have you no respect for this country? For the moral society we strive toward?”

Sinba’ahd: “Let me make myself clear. Unlike you, I do not come from a long line of exalted ancestors. When I die, there will be no-one to write of my deeds. So why would I care for legacy? No, I make my living based on the merits of my trade and sleep well at night knowing that my coffers are full and my sailors properly cared for. In short I am a businessman, little princess. I am driven by the logic of trade, not passions or dreams of a moral world, so half-baked in their practicality that only the likes of Royals who bare no knowledge of the real world would dare imagine them. Morality is a tool of the fatuous privileged, used to scorn us mere mortals for making an honest living out of our circumstances. Now, can you convince your father to make these adjustments or are you wasting my time?”

Jasmine: “I – I think so. Maybe?”

“Forgive me, little princess, but that simply is not good enough. I cannot invest my time, men and resources into your venture without some certainty. I do not conduct business based on the whims of wishes and dreams. Now if you’ll pardon me.” Sinba’ahd said before turning back to Mydas to continue their discussion.

Jasmine: “What are you doing? You promised to receive me.”

Sinba’ahd: “I have received you. Here I am, awaiting your response to my offer and here you are, little princess.”

….

• Wow React: “I am not your little princess! I am Jasmine Silverveil, heir to the throne of Araby and if you will not give what is owed to me, I will take it, by fire and blood if need be!” Jasmine yelped.

“You dare threaten me in the safety of my own home! Guards! Take her away, perhaps a night in the dungeons will soften her highness’ mood.” Sinba’ahd stated.

The corsair guards marched over and took hold of her arms “You can’t do this to me! I’m Princess Jasmine Silverveil!”

“And perhaps by morning you’ll be Princess Jasmine the Respectful and Compliant. Enjoy your evening, little princess.” Sinba’ahd smiled.

Jasmine turned to her companion, begging him to fight the guards off but he remained motionless. “Why would he attack his own bosses, little princess? Perhaps if you had been less busy making demands of me you would have taken the moment to consider how a lowly street rat could become a Prince of Thieves without outside support.”

Realising the trap, Jasmine tapped into her limited powers in the lore of light, hoping to blast the corsair lord with a burning gaze spell before being hit over the head by one of the guards’ mallets. She fell down, her head spinning and dazed, while Sinba’ahd continued “You seem so intent on resisting this punishment, perhaps one night won’t be enough to tame you. Well fear not for you shall be afforded additional time downstairs to acquaint yourself with my home and lifestyle. After all, from what I’ve heard today your father may not be in power for too much longer. Perhaps we can get her resettled as a dancer after all, what do you think Mydas?”

“Oh yes, that could work.” Mydas chuckled.

….

• Love React: “I can’t possibly agree to those terms.” Jasmine responded.

“Well then, my little princess. I wish you and your friend a safe journey hope and your father plenty of luck. You will need it.” Sinba’ahd responded.

Jasmine and her lover were escorted beyond the city walls and allowed to fly home on their carpet, with nothing to show for their efforts.

….

• Sad React: “Decide, little princess. I have business to get on with.” Mydas chided.

“Alright! Alright, I agree to your terms. I’ll convince my father to change those laws….but please, don’t be late when it comes to supplying your troops. We need you.” Jasmine complied.

“I know you do. Farewell, little princess. We’ll be in touch.” Sinba’ahd stated before nodding his head to Jasmine who bowed in return before leaving his courtyard, heading back home to convince her father to wreck his own legacy.

….

• Angry React: “Alright. I agree to your terms. I will convince my father to change the minimum space requirements and law on child servitude if and when your army has come to our aid and helped us vanquish the Greenskins from this land. But not a second before.” Jasmine demanded.

“You strike a hard but fair bargain, your Highness. My men will come to your aid and help you win the day. Don’t think to double cross me after though. If you do, you will find that the Greenskins were but the lesser threat to your father’s rule.” Sinba’ahd stated.

Princess Jasmine Silverveil left the corsair lord’s villa to inform her father of his aid. Will she convince her father to change the laws once the battle is won or will she ignore the Corsair Lord’s warning and seek to betray their deal?….

• Laugh React: “I simply cannot ask my father to tear his own legacy apart. I’m sorry but I won’t.” Jasmine replied.

“Then it seems our business is settled, little princess. A fair journey to you.” Sinba’ahd replied.

“But I will consider your offer.” Jasmine said, turning to Mydas the Mean.

“My offer?” Mydas replied quizzically.

“You claimed to offer twice whatever this slavish bore would in return for my hand in marriage. The corsair has offered 7,000 men. So, if you can guarantee 14,000, I will agree to marry you. Can you do such a thing, or do you paymasters speak nothing but empty words and bluster?” Jasmine asked scornfully.

“Ooh, I like her, Sinba’ahd. I really do. Yes, your highness. I have contacts all through the border regions and could supply such a force with ease, given some time and support from my lending partner Sheikh Yadosh. The finest warriors in all Tilea, Sartosa and Estalia could be yours but in return, know now that I will not treat you any differently than any of my other wives just because of your lineage. A wife of Mydas never gets up off her knees.”

The Prince of Thieves tapped Jasmine’s arm to gain her attention “You can’t possibly consider this offer. Your father would never allow it … and what about us?”

“My father isn’t here. This is my body, my life and my decision to make. Besides, we were never going anywhere anyway. You’re just a thief after all, nothing more than a plaything for someone like me.” Jasmine replied coldly before turning back to Mydas “I accept your marriage proposal.”