Genubath the Golden plying his trade
Hot... Hot and exhausted. That is the only possible way to describe your condition as you poll a small barque up against the current of the River of Blades. Time seems to have lost all meaning as the riverbank moves sluggishly beside you.
Reclining in a small settee under an awning near the rear of the boat your current owner Genubath the Golden turns to Ogre, a massive brute of a slave master who is currently manning the rudder and exclaims "Damn this heat." in the tongue of traders. He then gestures towards you and raises his voice mixing Keshhtic words in with the traders tounge "Come now chattel! Put your strength to it! But two days hence we will be reaching Y'Mataar! Then you may rest! Then you are at your strongest for market!" he then leans back and takes a long swig from a wineskin at his belt before passing it to Ogre and popping a few dates in his mouth.
The Karthis barbarian who's name you still do not know looks back at the sound of Genubath's voice, and his eyes narrow with pure unadulterated hate. Fortunately for his back, Genubath and Ogre are both too distracted by their wine to notice, and the eyes of the guards are trained on the riverbanks so his disrespect was not noted.
At that moment, one of the outriders who had been keeping pace alongside the boat on the river rides into view on a small sandbank. He shouts out to Genubath and Ogre in Keshtic. You don't understand much, other than river, and possibly the word for tree or wood. The Keshite gambler named Heptman lets out a low moan before explaining in Tradespeak that a tree has apparently fallen across the river... Now you were expected to move it. You're not sure, but you think the barbarian's face may have flashed into a feral grin upon hearing the news before returning once again to its masklike expression. Cursing, Ogre brings the boat up to the bank near the tree and beaches it. After a few barked orders Ogre begins getting you organized as a work party to move the tree.
Once your feet hit the ground, one of the guards again starts shouting something in Keshtic and pointing at the stump... which appears to have been deliberately cut. His words are cut off with a gurgling scream as the head of a javalin bursts through his torso, and you hear shouts and warcries from the forest. The barbarian lets out a snarl like a caged beast and leaps behind Ogre, using the ropes that bind his hands like a garrote begins to choke the life out of him. A nearby guard shouts in surprise and moves to drive his spear through the Karthis' back as Ogre gurgles and flails at his attacker.
