Turmish Empire of Mind

Turmish – home of the best traders. It is a peaceful place for everyone who has coin. This warm land is the best for tired adventures. However, even here legions of orcs and other creatures covet it for the rich earth.
Here are many master-dwarfs. They minegold, and gems and craft armour for all west coast of the Inner Sea. Here… breathing the spicy air of Turmish we look at the Alaghon, the Wight Pearl of the West. In this crowded city flourish all kind of races. We see the stone walls of buildings and come close to the Yellow Rose. This year was generously praised in songs by the greatest bards in all Faerun. Did not I tell you of the many bards? Yeah. Too many for so small a land.
Turmish is not a stable place. The Kingdom has no leader, everything that we know is descending into chaos…

An eye watching from the skies looks down upon the traders in the tavern. They are three humanoids in a private room of the “Umberlee hart”. One of them calls himself Nazos The Hathran. He always wears an ugly mask of a dragon bone. Another one wears all black and tries not to look at the fire from the candles, he hides his white skin under the shadows of a cloak. The third one… is simply common, a real Turmish trader in a turban and oriental robe.
They are talking… but about what?.. come close my friend we should listen.
- My work is on fire. Here Anon, who can need such a costly precious adornment? Even the Sultan doesn’t give credits in his best courts. What should I do? Those blasted pirates destroy all my brigs.
- Don’t worry, - says Nazos the wizard. – I’ll buy you four or five ships, and protected them with my magic.
- And what I must do to you for that?
- Ooo, just a little favor. I need adventures who are clever enough to find me but a single scroll in a Vilhon Reach. I’ll certainly pay for any expenses that you may incur with this business.
- This sounds too good to be true.
- Why not? replies Nazos Am I not a magician? Says Nazos smiling under his mask, as the tenor of his voice becomes sly.
- Wait! – the dialog is interrupted by the Black Shadow. His voice charming even Nazos that was very dangerous for the moon elf. – If you do it I’ll pay you more ducats, emeralds and northern girls. You heard that the princess Arissaea disappeared like in a Songbird's ballad two weeks ago. I told her father not to do fool things when he gave this name to her… but the deed is a done and she’s lost. Nazos and I can’t find the Songbird. It seems that magic doesn’t work on him. We can’t even leave the town. After Songbird’s performance a lot of rich people have disappeared. We think this is someone who wants come to the Palace when we’re not with the Sultan, and arrival of the Greatest Bard on all Faerun is not just a coincidence. Especially when the dwarven caravans took a long time getting here from the Orsraun, Aphrunn and even from Alaoreum Mountains.
- I think you’ll give me troubles. What is that scrolls if Nazos don’t know them?
- There are not only scrolls. – said Nazos. His white robe with silver embroidery tulips gleaming with gold fire. - You shouldn’t worry, the adventurers will do all dirty work for us. We’ll protect Turmish from the hazards beyond the ocean and mountains.
- Well… I agreed, but what with the Corwin? He is not the type of guy who takes money for his silence.
- No, he isn’t. But we have found the means of doing his job here… in Alaghon. Don’t worry; he’ll find his Emerald enemies. – The Wizard’s gentle hint was all too clear.
When the third one leaves the Black Shadow sucks red blood from archmage’s hand, after drinking blood from Lady’s Jalana neck. If Nazos is still alive, the Lady was dead but still beautiful… We can only guess what passed between them... Why did such powerful wizard give his blood to the vampire?..