Basim entered Abbasiyah's new bureau, where he found Tabid at work by his work desk.
Basim:Ah, I see our new Abbasiyah Bureau is well-guarded by an alert and active Rafiq.
Tabid:Basim! You startled me, I was just enjoying some poetry.
Basim:Oh, whose?
Tabid greeting Basim during his arrival
Tabid:The court poet, Sayyida (Lady) Arib. Her words chirp like the birds of paradise.
Basim:Ah, yes. I have read her works. My friend Nehal and I used to sneak into the House of Wisdom when we were young. Hours we spent, reading of gods and jinn. I always enjoyed this place.
Tabid moved to another part of the bureau to have a proper discussion with Basim.
Tabid:The House of Wisdom is not what it once was.
Basim:Is not our friend Ahmad ibn Musa there? He went to his workshop, as I recall.
Tabid reporting on Ahmad's status to Basim
Tabid:Yes. I sent a message for him to come and help set up this Bureau. But he never replied. My spies could not contact him. A week has passed, and he cannot be found.
Basim:So one of the famous Banu Musa is missing in the House of Wisdom.
Tabid:Yes. Venture there and learn his fate.
Basim:It shall be done.
Basim asked Tabid more about the district, Ahmad, Rafiq, and the Order.
Basim:Tabid, I would like to ask you something.
Tabid:Please, go ahead.
Basim:What can you tell me about Ahmad ibn Musa?
Tabid:The son of a famous astronomer, Ahmad and his brothers excel at mathematics, invention, and scholarship. Together, they wrote the Book of Ingenious Devices, describing their wonderful clockwork automata.
Basim:What made him join our cause?
Tabid:The Banu Musa were once close to al-Mutawakkil, but grew disgusted with the Abbasid Caliphate.
Basim:What happened?
Tabid:They refuse to discuss it, so I cannot say.
Basim:There are many reasons to be disgusted with the Abbasids.
Tabid:Was there anything else?
Basim:What is important in Abbasiyah?
Tabid:This district is the heart of learning in Baghdad. All the world's knowledge can be found here.
Basim:Any key places to investigate?
Tabid:Follow the trail, wherever it leads. Besides the House of Wisdom, there are other vital landmarks. Be sure to visit the Four Markets, the Observatory, and the Dome of the Ass.
Basim:I remember the Observatory well. I met the great astronomer Al-Khwarizmi there when I was young.
Tabid:Excellent. Finally, if you need to soothe sore muscles, a steam bath at the splendid hammam of Abbasiyah is a joy.
Basim:After a night of clambering across rooftops, that sounds good.
Tabid:Was there anything else?
Basim:Any hint on what the Order might be doing in Abbasiyah?
Tabid:No, my friend, not more than what I've told you. Although ... no, it is probably nothing.
Basim:What is it? Any little bit may help.
Tabid:Before he left, Ahmad ibn Musa said something about books going missing from the House of Wisdom.
Basim:I will keep that in mind.
Tabid:Was there anything else?
Basim:Tell me more about yourself, Tabid.
Tabid:Me? Oh, not much to say. I love poetry, is that enough?
Basim:Come now, do not be so modest.
Tabid:As you wish. I come from Nubia, a dry land south of Egypt. My father sent me to Cairo to study Islam. There, I learned a fiery sense of right from wrong. And the corruption in Cairo was very, very wrong. We revolted. Our revolt failed and I fled to Baghdad. The Hidden Ones took me in and ... here I am.
