User:Soranin/Sandbox5

My quinary sandbox.

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Assassin's Creed: Mirage memories
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Valley of Memory (memory)

Basim must look into the past if he is to uncover the fate of Ishaq.

• Dervis: Basim! Finally.
• Basim: Have you missed me that much?
• Dervis: I have something to show you.

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• Basim: Where did you find this?
• Dervis: A Bedouin merchant passed through, selling some items. Most stolen, I suspect. But this painting caught my eye. It reminded me of your brooch.
• Basim: Samarra...
• Dervis: Do you think your father painted it?
• Basim: He and I loved this house deeply... Where did the Bedouin find it?
• Dervis: He said he bought the painting in AlUla, from a notorious peddler of stolen goods.
• Basim: AlUla? When I was a boy, my father read me stories of that ancient land and its mysterious monuments... He said we would go there together, when I was old enough to make the journey. I have not seen my father in many years. Not since the day he was exiled by the Khalifa. The day he left me behind.
• Dervis: Sometimes the past chases us.
• Basim: Dervis, what if my father is still alive? I must go to AlUla.
• Dervis: You will likely be crossing a desert to visit a grave... Still, I understand your need to make the journey. I know the place quite well, having previously travelled there on matters of commerce...
• Basim: You will accompany me, then?
• Dervis: Whatever you face, Basim, I will not let you do so alone. Now, are you ready to uncover the truth about your father?
• Basim: I am ready.

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• Basim: I am not sure what scares me more, finding my father's resting place or finding nothing at all.
• Dervis: Remember, it is foolish to deny the past, yet also unwise to surrender to it. Better to face it, accept it... and move on.
• Basim: First, we go to the cemetery. If my father's grave truly lies there, I need to see it with my own eyes.
• Dervis: It has been a long journey, Basim. Let us take the time to rest. We can go in the morning.
• Basim: You are right... Tomorrow shall yield its answers, whatever they may be.

The Ones Who Remain

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• Basim: Truly, AlUla is a land of the rarest beauty.

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• Dervis: Basim, over here! I hope you are well-rested...
• Basim: It was a fitful night. Sleep did not come easily.

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• Dervis: [sighs]
• Basim: The moment of truth. Ishaq ibn Khalid... Let us look for a grave bearing his name.
• Dervis: If he is here, our quest is done... And if he is not, there is still hope.

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• Basim: Jareer ibn Sulaym... this is not my father's final resting place.

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• Basim: Do you recall the day my father was exiled?
• Dervis: Your father was a good man, but also a proud one. When he was exiled, the burden of his shame was more than he could bear.
• Basim: So ashamed that he abandoned me?

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• Basim: Rashid Al-Asadi... We must keep searching.

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• Basim: The day my father left me with you... That moment has stayed with me ever since.
• Dervis: Of all the children who have come under my care... You were silent at first, but the pain in your eyes said enough.
• Basim: You have been a father to so many of us orphans...Yet the horror that befell Jasib and the others...
• Dervis: They are gone from this world, Basim, but not from our hearts.

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• Basim: I will examine the graves to the north. You, in the meantime, continue scouring the other burial grounds.

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• Basim: Mansoor Al-Kilabi... Not my father. A lifetime of hopes and fears, victories and defeats... reduced to a name etched on crumbling stone. It feels so... insubstantial.
• Dervis: Our bodies are insubstantial. The soul is what matters. You can threaten a man, plunder his goods, torture his flesh, even take his life. But his soul is his own... no one can seize that.
• Basim: There is no sign of him here.

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• Hind: [gasp]

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• Basim: My apologies, is Enkidu troubling you? This is not the way he usually acts.
• Hind: He startled me, but I see now he means no disrespect to my late husband.
• Basim: I am sorry for your loss. What is your name?
• Hind: I am Hind.
• Basim: And I am Basim... Tell me, Hind, how long have you been here?
• Hind: I... I do not know. Time has no meaning anymore.
• Basim: You must be exhausted. Allow me to escort you to your home.
• Hind: You are very kind.
• Dervis: I shall seek word of your father. If you need me, I'll be back at the tent.

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• Basim: Forgive me if I am being too forward, but I assume your husband's passing was recent?
• Hind: He has been gone three days... though he had been ill for a long time. He often suffered chest pains this past year.
• Basim: Do you have children?
• Hind: Two boys, both still young. My husband has left enough wealth to care for us until the boys are old enough to make their own way.
• Basim: Your sons are waiting for you at home?
• Hind: They are staying with relatives... I am not the company they deserve right now.
• Basim: Your grief carries no shame, Hind... I too tasted its bitterness when I was a child and lost the people I cherished most.
• Hind: Your parents?
• Basim: My mother died young, and my father... It is complicated.
• Hind: I am sorry.
• Basim: Still, I was fortunate to find another family... in a manner of speaking.
• Hind: The heavier man at the cemetery?
• Basim: Heavier man? Do not let him hear you say that.
• Hind: My husband grew heavy later in life... You might ask your friend if he suffers from chest pains and heart flutters.
• Basim: I doubt he would appreciate the thought. In his mind, he remains in his prime, though his body says otherwise.
• Hind: Then he is a typical man.

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• Hind: We are nearly there. See, that is my home. And beside it, my husband's warehouse...

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• Hind: That... that mark. They are here.
• Basim: Who?
• Hind: They... they came for my husband's valuables.
• Basim: Robbers, then?
• Hind: In the warehouse, you will find a small wooden case. It holds my beloved husband's portrait. I beg you, retrieve it for me, but do not endanger your life for anything else.

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Soon to Return

To those I love.
The days are long, the sun cruel, but I endure
I carry stone such that my hands no longer feel pain.
Each coin I earn, I hide in the chest.
For medicine and for the day we are together again, not only in dreams.
Wait for me.

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To Those Who Find It

Gold will make a fine tribute to our masters. Strike swift, take the wagons unaware, and they will see favor in us.

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• Basim: Are you hurt?
• Servant: I am fine, thanks to you. I owe you my life. I will not forget it. Perhaps it is time I found another role in life... Something a bit safer.

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• Basim: Hind will be relieved when I return this to her.

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• Hind: Basim! Over here!

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• Hind: Basim, I am relieved you managed to get out of there.
• Basim: I believe this is yours.

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• Hind: Thank you. Though it is nothing compared to what these criminals have stolen from many others all across AlUla.
• Basim: Tell me more about them? "These criminals?"
• Hind: There has always been lawlessness here, drawn by the caravan wealth. Yet recently, that lawlessness grows more united. Now they strike wherever they please. Sometimes the Caliph's men intervene, but it never ends well for them. For that reason, few dare to act now... the rest are too faint of heart.
• Basim: You should not stay here. The robbers might come back.
• Hind: You are right, they usually do not leave witnesses alive... Please, Basim, take me somewhere safe.
• Basim: Where is safe?
• Hind: Nimlot's house. I can send word for my children to join me there. I will show you the way.
• Basim: And I will follow.

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• Basim: The symbol on the warehouse—the vulture—what does it mean?
• Hind: The robbers always leave that mark. To cause fear... No one opposes them and lives. Until now... Who are you, Basim?
• Basim: Sometimes I wish I knew.

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• Basim: You said the lawlessness has been unified...
• Hind: His name is 'Abis.
• Basim: 'Abis. An unfortunate name. "The one who frowns." He must have been quite the delightful child to earn such a title from his parents.
• Hind: He grew up here, always a thorn in our side. But now, he becomes more savage than ever.

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• Hind: I am sure Nimlot will take me in...
• Basim: Nimlot, who is he exactly?
• Hind: A merchant, originally from Baghdad. Made his fortune in Misr (Egypt) and settled here in AlUla a few years back. He is a good man, steadfast and generous.

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• Hind: For what it is worth, Basim, you have reignited my hope. It is time we people of AlUla fought back against the criminals.
• Basim: Yes, but be cautious. I would not have my example cost the lives of the innocent, especially yours.

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• Hind: Basim, a moment please!

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• Hind: Basim, you have already done so much for me, but I have one last favor to ask...
• Basim: I am listening.
• Hind: If you happen upon any more stolen items, please bring them to me. I will see that they are returned to their rightful owners.
• Basim: Of course. I will do what I can.

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• Nimlot: Afterwards, once you are finished, I want you to -

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• Nimlot: Hind?
• Hind: Nimlot...
• Nimlot: What has happened?
• Hind: The robbers... They took nearly everything.
• Nimlot: I will send some of my men to guard your home. Meanwhile, you are welcome under my roof.

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• Nimlot: See that she is cared for.

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• Hind: May God protect you.
• Basim: And may God protect you.
• Hind: And if you need me, you will find me here.

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• Nimlot: You... You are one of them. I am no threat... though I am aware of your kind. My apologies, but I am in a state of abject terror being in your presence.
• Basim: I would have guessed mere nervousness. Yet, if it comforts you, know that appearances deceive. I did not come to AlUla seeking bloodshed, even if a touch of it found me. Now, tell me, how do you know of my people?
• Nimlot: In Baghdad, at the Caravanserai... A soap mill owner... Though there were rumors he was something more. Something... darker. I was in the city on that day. I did not witness the deed, but saw the aftermath... a throat slit, carcass hanging from a balcony.
• Basim: Al-Ghul...
• Nimlot: That was not the name I heard whispered.
• Basim: More of a... description. The man you speak of was Mas'ood Al-Ya'qoob... It was a righteous kill.
• Nimlot: I must take your word for it. May I ask your role in today's ordeal?
• Basim: I was present and chose to intervene.
• Nimlot: You say you were "present"...?
• Basim: My name is Basim. I came to AlUla in search of my father, Ishaq ibn Khalid. You know him?
• Nimlot: The name, it is familiar, but... no.
• Basim: It has been many years since I last saw him. I have recovered one of his possessions, likely stolen from him. If he fell prey to these same robbers, I must learn all I can about them. Swiftly.
• Nimlot: The market. It is the heartbeat of AlUla... If you intend to seek out these men, begin there.

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• Nimlot: Basim? The men you seek... are dangerous, even for you... Nevertheless, I understand you may have no choice but to tread this path. I lost a loved one recently... and I... would stop at nothing to be reunited with them.

Wares and Shadows

Basim must investigate the robbers' activities in the hope that this leads him closer to Ishaq.

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• Basim: Surely this is the market Nimlot spoke of.

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• Merchant: Please, behold the wares I have on offer. Take a look. I promise you will find my wares most inviting.
• Basim: What a splendid market you have here. Treasures at every turn!
• Merchant: We do our best, though it cannot compare to Baghdad.
• Basim: I am glad of it. I came here to escape Baghdad, if only for a while.
• Merchant: In that case, you will find AlUla offers much to discover. Still, we harbor our share of shadows...
• Basim: Such as?
• Merchant: Venture beyond that path with caution... They say it leads to the black heart of this market, where ugly desires find purchase.

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• Basim: His garb mirrors that of the robbers I met earlier. I must follow him.

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• Basim: Perhaps I should check his pockets for any clues...

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• Basim: It is a list of hidden spots where the robbers keep their weapons. There are many... even inside the Musa ibn Nusayr Fort.

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• Guard: Stop right there, dog!
• Guard 2: Do not let him get away!
• Basim: What is happening over there?

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• Basim: I cannot let them get to him first. My only chance to question him depends on it!

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The Heart of Corruption

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• 'Abis: Ah, my new pet. Mark my words, your stay here will be most disagreeable.

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• 'Abis: Return to your duties! Tell the others the threat is over.

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• Basim: This falls far short of my hopes.

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• Guard 1: Have you noticed... there are more of us on the day shift lately?
• Guard 2: No one wishes to serve under that new captain overseeing the night guard. He is as ruthless as 'Abis himself. And better trained for battle.
• Guard 1: But how are those few left on night duty meant to patrol the entire prison?
• Guard 2: Harsh methods are their only hope.

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• Neighboring prisoner: Anyone alive in there? Newcomer... You still breathing?
• Basim: Apparently.
• Neighboring prisoner: Then look on the bright side, you will not be for much longer!
• Basim: The ugly man who acts as if this place belongs to him... I get the impression he does not serve the Caliphate?
• Neighboring prisoner: You mean 'Abis?
• Basim: So that is 'Abis.
• Neighboring prisoner: He treats the prison as if it is his own den. Even has a special chamber here.
• Basim: What does he use it for?
• Neighboring prisoner: To concoct his poisons... which he then tries out on us.
• Basim: Does no one attempt to escape from here?
• Neighboring prisoner: Attempt, yes. But never successfully. You can still stumble upon what is left of their unfinished escape tunnels.

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• Basim: I must keep watch for any chance to slip free... though opportunities are scarce in this place.

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• Basim: I wonder what has become of Enkidu...

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• Servant: I hear the silversmith has gone forty days without so much as a crumb. If true, it is barbaric!
• Guard 3: Stop fretting, cook. He does not get to eat. That is the order of 'Abis. One of his little experiments. You are new here, but soon you will understand.
• Servant: 'Abis is a stain on all this land.
• Guard 3: Shut up, wench. Or maybe you would like to become the next experiment?

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• Basim: I cannot help but pity this silversmith. As for the cook, was that Hind's servant?

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• Basim: This cell is a sentence of death. Forget 'Abis or the food, boredom here is the cruelest of killers.

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• Neighboring prisoner: You, are you awake?

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• Neighboring prisoner: What crime brought you here?
• Basim: I have committed no crime.
• Neighboring prisoner: Why are you here, then?
• Basim: I was looking for someone...
• Neighboring prisoner: Who?
• Basim: Have you heard of a man named Ishaq ibn Khalid?
• Basim: The old fool who claims to be the Caliph's architect? He dwells in the oasis—a house with a blue door, in the farmers' quarter.
• Basim: You are certain?
• Neighboring prisoner: In AlUla, everyone knows everyone. We are a small community, after all.
• Basim: Nimlot did not know of him.
• Neighboring prisoner: Nimlot? The foreign merchant from Misr? He is rich. Why would he care about the likes of Ishaq ibn Khalid?
• Basim: What more can you tell me? About Ishaq?
• Neighboring prisoner: What more do you want?
• Basim: How is he?
• Neighboring prisoner: How would I know? I recognize his face, but we are not friends. If you want details, escape from here and learn them yourself.

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• Guard 4: 'Abis has gone too far this time. Two deaths in such a short time... First the poisoning, now the silversmith dies from starvation.
• Guard 5: The silversmith, especially! Outside, he was a respected member of the community.
• Guard 4: Inside too. There will be consequences, trust me.

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• Basim: This could be poisoned. I should not take the risk.

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• Basim: There once stood a man here. Now, only bloodstains remain. I must be more than this.

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• Basim: Whoever left these marks must have been touched by madness. May I not follow the same path.

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• Basim: I pray the robbers learn nothing of Dervis. With me confined, he stands unguarded against their threat.

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• Guard 6: 'Abis himself nearly had us the other day. It was a close call.
• Guard 7: You were fortunate. Keep clear of him next time.
• Guard 6: And then there is the matter of the roof...
• Guard 7: What about the roof?
• Guard 6: I have been venturing up there in the evenings to take my meals. I am not the only one, to be fair.
• Guard 7: You and the others should be careful... or you may find yourselves confined in these very same cells as punishment.

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• 'Abis: Time to see if my newest brew is all it promises to be...
• Neighboring prisoner: No, no! Please! Have mercy!
• Guard 8: Not even a dog deserves that...
• Guard 9: I am not going to tell him to stop.
• 'Abis: Useless fools! Get in here and hold him down!

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• 'Abis: Hold him... That is it... Hmmm, stronger than I thought... Doubt he will make it through the night.

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• 'Abis: Your turn draws near, friend... Then the true entertainment will begin.

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• Basim: This confinement, the threat of torture... I feel as if I have lived such a fate before... In some distant memory I cannot fully grasp...

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• Guard 10: For a man who starved to death, he is heavier than I expected.
• Guard 11: He had plenty of friends here. Now the other prisoners are getting restless. One even struck me. I can still feel the blow.

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• Servant: You there...
• Basim: You are Hind's servant, correct?
• Servant: So it is you! My rescuer from the warehouse!
• Basim: I should be equally surprised to see you in this place.
• Servant: I did say I intended to seek a new path in life.
• Basim: And you chose a prison, run by criminals and crooked guards, as your new calling?
• Servant: All men must eat. Although I am not sure what I cook here counts as food, or just another form of 'Abis's torture.
• Basim: When we last met, you swore not to forget the service I did you...
• Servant: I remember.
• Basim: Then perhaps you could fetch the key to this cage and hand it to me?
• Servant: To steal the key would be far too dangerous for me. But if you can find a means to slip free of these bars, I may be able to aid you in some other way...
• Basim: How exactly?
• Servant: There is mandrake in the kitchen. With it, I can try to brew a sedative strong enough to lull the guards to sleep.
• Basim: That would be a tremendous aid.

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• Basim: Where have you gone, Enkidu? If you still draw breath, I would welcome your help.

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• Basim: I should have known you would find me. If only you could aid me. The key to my cell... It is somewhere in this forsaken place.

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• Basim: Thank you, my friend! I can always count on you!

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• Basim: Though of humble make, these weapons should serve me well.

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• Basim: Freeing these captives would sow chaos, and aid my escape.

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• Basim: This is not a fate I would wish on my worst enemy.

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• Basim: The potion that Hind's servant brewed has proven potent indeed.

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• Basim: That plunge is too great, even for me.

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• Basim: That list of weapons I stole the other day... one of the hiding spots lies within these walls.

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• 'Abis: We tread this path as one!

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• Basim: That poisoned blade... I can feel its filth in my blood, stronger than anything I have felt before. Perhaps Dervis can offer aid... I must reach him, and endure until then.

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• Basim: I must reach Dervis... only he can cure me.

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• Civilian: Dervis! Come!
• Dervis: What happened? Is he alive?
• Civilian: If so, for how much longer I do not know.

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• Basim: [groans]

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• Basim: [gasps]

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• Dervis: Drink.

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• Basim: Nimlot did warn me. I was a fool to walk right into their trap in the market.
• Dervis: Perhaps you still have some lessons to learn, Basim. You will mend soon enough.
• Basim: Thank you for recovering my things.
• Dervis: I may be old, but I still have a few tricks left. I also took the liberty of grabbing a rather fine dagger. The same one that almost ended your life. While you were away, I sought word of your father. The oasis came up...
• Basim: During my captivity, I spoke with another prisoner. He said my father is there—the house marked by a blue door. With 'Abis dead and his men leaderless, [stress]nothing can stop me from finding him.
• Dervis: If you wish, I can come with you...
• Basim: I know you yearn to see him again, but for now, I must go alone.
• Dervis: I understand, Basim. Go, find your father.

House of Memories

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• Basim: At last, I am almost there... But... what will I say after all these years? Will he even want to see me? My father left me in Samarra for a reason... Still, if I can at least understand why...

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• Basim: Father! Are you here?

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• Basim: These are his possessions... But where is he?

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• Basim: I remember this toy.

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• Ishaq: Here, Basim. I made this for you.
• Young Basim: Thank you, Father!
• Ishaq: You like?
• Young Basim: It is the best toy ever! I want to make toys like this when I grow up.
• Ishaq: With patience and practice, you will.

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• Basim: We played this game the night before he left.

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• Young Basim: Father! Where you going?
• Ishaq: To a place not meant for little ones.
• Young Basim: Why can't I come with you? Why can't I come?
• Ishaq: Do not cry, Basim. Remember, you are the one who smiles. But I must go. Dervis—he will take care of you now.
• Young Basim: Father, please! Do not leave me! Is it because of the toy I broke?
• Ishaq: No, Basim, no!
• Young Basim: I am sorry! I will be good! I promise! Don't leave me! Please, Father!

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• Basim: Ah, yes, the book of bedtime songs...

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• Young Basim: [yawning] Father, sing it again.
• Ishaq: Again? But you should be asleep.
• Young Basim: Please, Father.
• Ishaq: Fine, just one more time. "We will float as one, through waters so wide, no harm will come, I will be by your side."

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• Guard 1: Make it quick!
• Guard 2: So they really took the old fool?
• Guard 3: I doubt he even noticed as they did. "Confused" does not begin to cover it.
• Guard 2: Where did they take him?
• Guard 3: Some camp up north, middle of nowhere. That is where their real chief holds court.
• Guard 4: For the sake of the idiot farmers living around here, we must appear dutiful while investigating this so-called disappearance.

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• Guard 5: I heard even with 'Abis gone, his men still set ambushes all over the north of AlUla.
• Guard 6: Hope to catch a few rich travelers, no doubt.
• Guard 5: How do they manage without that madman barking orders?
• Guard 6: Ah, who cares, as long as we get our share of whatever they steal.

Tracks in the Desert

• Basim: My father has been taken. To find him, I must journey into the north of AlUla. But who leads the robbers now? With 'Abis dead... I wonder who this "real chief" may be?

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• Basim: I should remain alert to ambushes...

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• Basim: That smoke... I should investigate.

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• Trader 1: Please! Show pity! [screams]
• Trader 2: Kill me, but spare my wife!
• Trader 3: [weeps]
• Trader 2: Have mercy on me!
• Trader 3: [sobs]

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• Robber: We've got everything! Time to go! Move out!

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• Trader 1: I beg of you, stranger! I need your aid!

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• Trader 1: The robbers who attacked us stole everything, and we must now learn to live without.
• Basim: Tell me, from where did these robbers come?
• Trader 1: They suddenly appeared from the nearby canyon.

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• Basim: There is something here... I should follow these tracks. They might lead me to my prey...

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• Basim: This seems to be the right way...

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• Robber 2: You are surrounded, dog!
• Basim: Oh? Yet you are the ones about to die!

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• Basim: This must be one of the robbers' hideouts. There could be useful information here to help me find my father.

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• Robber 3: Those wandering traders walked into this land carrying dinars. And now they walk out empty-handed.
• Robber 4: Not all of them will be walking out. Only the lucky few.

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• Basim: I should look at this more closely.

Robbers' Mark

Watch for the mark. Let it be your guide through our work. Seeing it will be as though speaking with your brothers.

• Basim: These symbols... It seems the robbers use them to communicate. I must investigate further.

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• Basim: This is helpful. I should check this area.

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Robber's Note

Orders to move the old cur to the camp north of here and await word. Why does he bother with such a worthless fool?

• Basim: Interesting... That explains much.

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• Basim: Soon enough I shall have my answers. Until then, I must remain focused.

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• Basim: If only I could understand what I did so grievously wrong. Or... perhaps... you deemed my very birth the error?

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• Basim: Father, why did you abandon me all those years past? Steady yourself, Basim. You are a man now, not a boy.

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• Basim: This looks like a hidden den of the robbers. Maybe I will find the information I need to locate my father.

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Epitath for a Fallen Warrior

Here lies a great warrior, faithful to his troops and to his commander. Wife and son both murdered; he sought to wreak his vengeance. At his end, his sword meted justice; and his soul found peace.

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• Renegade robber: Release me with the key and I will help you.

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• Basim: This traitor they spoke of may hold useful secrets. And this key might help loosen his tongue...

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• Renegade robber: You look like you're after some answers. Perhaps we can strike a bargain?
• Basim: You will have your bargain if you answer my questions. But how do I know you will not alert the camp the moment I free you, just to regain favor with your old friends?
• Renegade robber: Speak your questions, and we shall see.
• Basim: That is not exactly reassuring.
• Renegade robber: Do you want answers or not?
• Basim: I seek an old man, recently taken from the oasis...
• Renegade robber: Old man? Yes, I know the one, I helped capture him just the other day.
• Basim: On whose orders? 'Abis is dead—mine was the last face he saw.
• Renegade robber: 'Abis? He was never our true chief. He answered to Nimlot.
• Basim: Nimlot? He commands your band of cutthroats?
• Renegade robber: That's right. Though I've now parted from them, as you can see.
• Basim: Do you know where the old man is held?
• Renegade robber: It's hard to explain, but you will find it marked on this map. The place serves as Nimlot's base. All we steal goes there, then is sold off by a network of friendly merchants. To gain entry, you will need a whistle. You will find one upon that table. To pass as one of us, blow upon the whistle when you are standing close to the site. Now, hurry up and set me free.

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• Renegade robber: You are a rare man of honor. Much like myself.

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• Basim: I possess all that is needed to rescue my father. Only Nimlot stands in my way... So, Nimlot has been my enemy all along. How could I have been so naive? But why take my father? Unless he hopes to use him as bait.

In the Vulture's Nest

• Basim: I must locate the proper spot to sound the signal.

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• Basim: The note I found on that robber spoke of a certain mark upon the ground.

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• Basim: Ah, good, here it is. The right mark.

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• Basim: Now, to gain entry, I must give the signal.

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• Basim: This is where it begins. My father is somewhere inside. I must find a way to gain entry into the fort's inner compound.

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• Basim: I should listen to these robbers. They could have valuable information.

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• Robber 1: Nimlot says the inner wall is weak in places, fit to crumble at any moment.
• Robber 2: Too bad the Caliph's so-called architect cannot mend it. Not in his state.
• Robber 1: This is no jest. Make sure no explosives remain too close or they may accidently blow a breach wide open.

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• Black market merchant: You! Come over here! I have never seen you here before.
• Basim: I seek an audience with the one they call Nimlot.
• Black market merchant: You wish to trade with him?
• Basim: In a manner of speaking. But first, I must get past the gate.
• Black market merchant: Seems you are looking to strike a bargain...
• Basim: And what price do you set?
• Black market merchant: I trade in rare items - amulets, talismans, charms of protection. Offer me something of worth, and I will see you through that gate.

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• Basim: I trust this meets your requirements?
• Black market merchant: Very much so. We have a deal. Now, I will honor my end. You will follow me and carry one of my crates inside.
• Basim: Am I to act as your servant?
• Black market merchant: You learn fast. Pick up that crate and follow me.

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• Black market merchant: Stay close, we must not draw attention.

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• Black market merchant: Speak no word. There are ears everywhere.

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• Black market merchant: Let us pass. I have a delivery for Nimlot.

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• Black market merchant: For appearances' sake, we must take this crate to the supply room.
• Basim: You are risking much to help me.
• Black market merchant: I have my vices, but breaking a bargain is not one. You may set down the crate. And if anyone asks how you gained entry, keep me out of it.

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Robber's Note

Let's keep this to ourselves:

The explosives are stored in the safe room beneath the fortress, just inside the second wall's gate.

Seal the door and keep it locked - one careless spark will take us all down.

• Basim: Perhaps I can put these explosives to good use.

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• Basim: What is happening over there?

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• Basim: I need to find out what is stirring among these robbers.

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• Robber 3: If you ask me, Nimlot puts too much faith in that crooked astrologer's horoscopes.
• Robber 4: This time it's not about the predictions.
• Robber 3: Then what brings the charlatan here?
• Robber 4: He stole an astrolabe on Nimlot's orders. A merchant in Al-Madinah wants it, and Nimlot is always happy to oblige on such matters. Word is, the astrologer even killed a helpless old woman to get his hands on it. Cracked her skull wide open.
• Robber 3: Ruthless dog! I did not think he had it in him. He is no better than we are!

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• Basim: The astrologer is as bad as the robbers... Still, his attire may serve me well as a disguise.

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• Astrologer: Why does Nimlot keep me waiting? Does he truly want the astrolabe?
• Robber 5: You will see him when he's ready. For now, he has more urgent affairs to attend to.

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• Basim: Now is the time!

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Astrologer's Invitation

I invite you to my fort to discuss the gift. You know how you may find me. I would like very much for this matter to find a favorable conclusion.

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• Basim: The "astrologer" is ready to make his grand entrance... Hopefully it is enough to persuade any guards to grant me passage.

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• Basim: Open this door at once!
• Robber 6: Who is there?
• Basim: It is the astrologer. I bring the astrolabe Nimlot requested.
• Robber 6: Nimlot is busy. You must wait.
• Basim: I have other matters to attend to. If Nimlot wants the astrolabe, he must see me now.
• Robber 6: Fine, fine, keep your temper.

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• Basim: None of them are the man I seek.

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• Basim: Father?
• Civilian: Who are you to call me father? I have no offspring, spare me your delusions!

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• Basim: Is that my father suffering such torments?

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• Basim: No... this is not my father.

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• Tortured man: Thank you... I feared it was the end for me.
• Basim: You can show your gratitude by telling me where I can find Nimlot.
• Tortured man: He locked himself in the tower... but to pass through, you will need the key. It is in the captain's pocket.

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• Basim: Nimlot is in the tower... and he alone knows where my father is located.

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• Nimlot: Astrologer! You are early, and I am busy with other -

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• Nimlot: Let me correct myself. You, Basim, are on time.
• Basim: Where is my father?
• Nimlot: "Where is my father...?" I could ask the same of you.
• Basim: What are you blathering on about? You think you can use my father as a hostage to save your own life?
• Nimlot: That was never the plan.
• Basim: Then what!?
• Nimlot: To watch you suffer as I slowly slit the old pig's throat.
• Basim: Why involve him? Your fight is with me!
• Nimlot: Indeed. You truly have no idea, do you? Let me demystify it for you... A father... for a father.
• Basim: Your father?
• Nimlot: What was it you called him? Al-Ghul?

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• Basim: You... are his son?
• Nimlot: Was, Basim. I was his son.
• Basim: Killing Al-Ghul was an act of justice.
• Nimlot: Ah yes, the Hidden Ones and their moral high ground. You believe so fiercely in your spotless justice. But what of Ishaq ibn Khalid? You only know him as a memory. And yet here you are, ready to kill anyone standing in your way.
• Basim: Your father was a monster!
• Nimlot: Your kind never pause to consider the consequence of your deeds, do you? You think of justice as an end in itself, yet justice is consequence.
• Basim: Where is my father?
• Nimlot: As I said, you will kill anyone standing in your way... I stand in your way.

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• Basim: Father?
• Nimlot: I know exactly what you are thinking... Can you reach me before I reach him? Of course, if my dagger parts his flesh, even as yours parts mine... for me, it will be worth it.
• Basim: Speak your final words.
• Nimlot: Some months ago, after many years away, I returned home to Baghdad to see my father one last time... But as we were merely starting to rekindle our ties... You stole that from me. My chance to show him I had made something of myself!
• Basim: Your father deserved death... You... deserve death.
• Nimlot: Who are you to decree a man's death, Basim ibn Ishaq?

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• Nimlot: Your prize... Choke on it.

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• Basim: Father... Father!
• Ishaq: Are you looking for your father, young man? I do not think he is here... I do not like this place, I must go.

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• Ishaq: You do not smile much, young man. That... that thing... Where did you get it?
• Basim: In Samarra.
• Ishaq: Why has Samarra changed so much? It is very dark... I do not like it.
• Basim: What do you remember of Samarra? Of home?
• Ishaq: I have lived here all my life. But now... The Khalifa says that I must go. To another place. No coming back.
• Basim: And what of your son?
• Ishaq: Yes, yes... Basim, that is his name. He is my son. My boy must not suffer for my failure. The journey I must take, the dangers. The shame... He will not taste them. They are mine. Alone. My son, he has a future... I have none.
• Basim: Why not tell him this?
• Ishaq: He is too young. He cannot understand. I must do something.

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• Basim: Sit. What must you do?
• Ishaq: I will see the sunrise one more time... before I leave Samarra. There is a tomb out there... Like the ones in AlUla... I never had the chance to witness the monuments of that land.... Only... what I have read... in stories...
• Basim: My father once read those same stories to me. Do you want to see the sunrise from near the tomb? It will be just like AlUla. I can take you there. We will go together.
• Ishaq: Good, good.

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• Basim: Do you... do you remember your wife?
• Ishaq: Wife? I have no wife. Not since Basim's mother.
• Basim: Tell me about her. Who was she?
• Ishaq: I once saw a young woman in the bazaar, brought here from across the sea. From a land far to the north, they said... Such a delicate beauty... eyes like the bluest sky in winter... And her smile... Basim inherited my looks, but the way he smiles... that belongs to his mother. She left this world too soon... taken by a sickness before she could see more of it.
• Basim: What was her name?
• Ishaq: I... I cannot recall. It is gone.

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• Basim: After you left Samarra, where did you journey?
• Ishaq: I have not left Samarra. I am here even now. Though that time draws to an end.
• Basim: Then... where do you wish to go?
• Ishaq: I would dearly love to behold the Great Mosque of Qurtuba (Córdoba) in Al-Andalus... And one day, the ancient marvels of AlUla. They say those wonders are unsurpassed.
• Basim: My father spoke of Qubbat al-Sakhrah, that sacred dome in Al-Quds (Jerusalem).
• Ishaq: Ah yes, it would be a sight! Yet for grandeur, surely nothing compares to al-Ahram, the great pyramids of Misr!
• Basim: Imagine scaling their heights and gazing out over endless sands!
• Ishaq: Truly, none have dared such a feat!
• Basim: Of all the cities, Qustantinīyah (Constantinople) is the one I feel drawn to most... though I cannot understand why.
• Ishaq: Yes... home to Aya Sofiya. They say she is the grandest and loveliest of all kanīsa (cathedrals). How I wish I could behold her beauty. But my time is much too brief...
• Basim: One day, I shall journey to Qustantinīyah... and you will be with me. In my heart.
• Ishaq: What is that you say? Your heart?
• Basim: It is nothing.

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• Basim: Look, we are nearly at the tomb.

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• Ishaq: I wish my son could see this... Basim, the one who smiles... He is a good boy... He will grow into a fine man one day.

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• Ishaq: It is time. I must go... I will not be coming back.

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• Ishaq: Tell my little Basim... Tell him one day, when his time comes, we will be together again. Until then, he has a life to live... Tell him that, if you see him.
• Basim: I will tell him.
• Ishaq: So... you have a smile after all...

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• Dervis: Well? Did you find him?
• Basim: A mere echo of the man I once knew. Time has wrought its changes. Yet... my heart remains thankful.
• Dervis: I do not understand?
• Basim: I have faced my past, Dervis. Few get that chance. Now, I must look toward the future. Toward the man I am destined to become.