Sahlman El Musafir

Sahlman's hair is blue-black and graying. His skin is dark and weathered. A huge handle-bar mustache sweeps down to cover much of his lower face, and Sahl is always careful to keep it properly groomed. He is generally very particular about his clothing, equipment and appearance. Sahlman wears the desert robes of his homeland, with headgear that blocks out the sun and hangs over his neck. He wears light trousers and high hard boots, and when his robes are wet, the hard links of his chain mail bulge through. Sahlman keeps his scimitar and ghurka sheathed at his sides, and a heavy bag on his shoulder, about which a bow is strapped.

As of turn 71, Sahl has changed his appearance to look like a good Rouche citizen. The huge handle-bar mustache has been replaced by a short, neat beard and moustache. His white robes have become tough traveling clothes and boots of Rouchplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigLanguage

Rouch

Rouch is the vernacular, or common tongue, spoken throughout Rang. Because of Rang's influence, it's also a trade language in the surrounding kingdoms.

Sarnam

Sarnam is the “old tongue,” spoken by the priests of Andritha. Most of the nobly-born are familiar with the language. design. He is armed with dagger, handaxe, longsword and warhammer, and he wears his chain shirt outside his clothing. His helm and shield are of a common Rouchplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigLanguage

Rouch

Rouch is the vernacular, or common tongue, spoken throughout Rang. Because of Rang's influence, it's also a trade language in the surrounding kingdoms.

Sarnam

Sarnam is the “old tongue,” spoken by the priests of Andritha. Most of the nobly-born are familiar with the language. design. When travelling on foot, he wears a heavy bag on his shoulder, about which his bow, the only exotic-looking item he still carries, is strapped.

Zephyr is Ulan's personal riding-horse, given to the group by Ulan under Galgeweplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGalgewe

Last updated 2012-10-26

This could afford to be a little longer, for such an important NPC...

Description

A short, stocky man with a balding head of curly, fiery red hair entered the room. His dull blue robes matched his eyes, and the sheath of a short sword hung from his waist.'s manipulations in turn 31. It is large and black, and is easily a foot taller than Balban's horses, and as well-muscled from years of carrying an elaborate saddle. It now has a much simpler, but newer, leather saddle.

Sahlman is twenty eight years old, five foot eight and 160 pounds. His eyes are light blue, and hair is dark.

Appeared in turns 1-37, 64-74, 83-100.

Sahlman was born Saladin, son of Hakariim, in the great and bustling city of Tchu'dan.

Tchu'dan is the largest and most prominent city in The Sahlman El Musafir, a loose alliance of desert city-states, which was formed primarily for trade purposes <an attitude which has resulted in a very business-oriented outlook on the part of the upper crust of city society> many generations gone… The city is administrated by a group of men, called the Faaruk Council, the most senior member of which is known as “The Faaruk”… When Saladin was born, Hakariim was The Faaruk, and the lad was raised well, given the opportunity to do and learn whatever he would… So he was taught merchantry, which Saladin learned well, but which quickly became tiresome for him, and also the arts of war, which was a course of study much more suited to the young Tchu'danite's liking.

Unfortunately, the ways of Tchu'dan, and the Coalition in general, tend to be hazardous in the extreme, especially among the membership of the Faaruk Council. As Saladin matured into his manhood at the beginning of his 17th year, a jealous undercouncillor, probably in the emply of a full council member, found a chink in Hakariim's political armour… A chink that proved devastating. After several months of bitter, but futile, struggling, The Faaruk was thrown down, removed from office, and subjected to dreadful public humiliation.

Disgraced, Hakariim and his 3 favorite wives gathered together in seamy hostelry down in the guts of the city, and took poison to end their lives. Saladin was left houseless, worse, the only remaining member of a fallen house. While no official command to leave Tchu'dan was issued, the young warrior wasn't left with much of an alternative. And that suited the succeeding Faaruk just fine.

Saladin, now calling himself Sahlman <Spirit of the Warrior, in his native tongue>, determined to make a good life for himself somewhere. He visited many desert cities, bedoin clanholds, and other places, but always they seemed to him to possess the same hazy, ill-feeling miasma that he's come to associate with Tchu'dan.

Finally, the it occurred to a much older and more seasoned Sahlman that he must leave completely the land of his birth. He must go, away into the outlands, the world of the Infidels, to find the life that he knows himself to deserve.

Sahl was played by three seperate characters, so his personality changed a bit over time.

Sahlman's alignment: Good attitude, unfettered by considerations of Law and such. Does not consider either individual or popular needs to be more important, always taking the path that “instinct” tells him is the right one.

(From some FidoNet personality profile)

2) How does this character deal with his/her history?: He was hateful and bitter at first, but time and the elements have mellowed him significantly… Sahlman nows considers the events that happened 11 years previous to be the initiation of a test through which he will eventually prove himself… After he does, he believes that he will again be allowed a comfortable life somewhere…
3) Would this player character kill?: Yes. If the life of a true friend were in danger, or his own life… There are undoubtedly other special circumstances, as well… A peaceful solution to a problem would almost always be Sahlman's preference… Though his hot blood can sometimes cloud even the best intentions he might have…
4) Would this player character commit torture?: No
5) Does this player character enjoy killing?: No. Killing was an attractive prospect to Sahlman for a portion of his youth, just after leaving Tchu'dan… After searching his motives at length, he found that he did not like the person that those emotions were turning him into…
6) Would this player character lie to his comrades?: Only if knowing the truth would in some way prove harmful to the person in question…
7) Would this player character lie to other people?: Yes. He is trained in the ways of merchants, after all… <G>
8) Would this player character obey a law even if he/she thought it was wrong?: No
9) Is this player character comfortable doing his/her own thing?: Yes, very much so…
10) Does this player character feel more comfortable when someone is in charge?: Not particularly…
11) Does this player character prefer to be in charge?: He's indifferent…
12) Does this player character desire wealth?: Eventually, yes…
13) Does this player character desire fame?: He's avoided it so far, in his homeland… The lands of the infidels may be different…
14) Does this player character desire power?: No…
15) Does this player character have more personal needs, such as love, friendship, etc.?: He enjoys friendship when it's available, but is very choosy about that… His attitude on love mostly reflects those of his homeland… A man may obtain love whenever and wherever he finds himself in need of it…
17) Under what circumstances would this player character put his/her own welfare in ahead of that of the group?: If the course the group was set on were to be severely contradictory to what Sahlman would consider to be a “good” outcome…
18) If an opponent in battle surrendered and asked for mercy, would this player character grant it, and under what circumstances, if any?: Yes, in most all circumstances…
19) If an NPC approached your player character and asked for protection, what circumstances would dictate that your player character grant it?: If the person were wanted for a crime that Sahlman also considered to be bad, then he would not grant protection…
20) Would this player character share his/her wealth with a friend who needed it?: If it were a friend, absolutely… Maybe would be the answer if it were a person that he knew somewhat, but not as well as if the person were his friend…
21) Does this player character have any charities to which he/she donates?: No
22) Is there any amount of wealth or any item for which this player character would risk his/her life?: Maybe, but it would have to be A BUNCH!!!
24) Of the previous two questions, would either of these cause this player character to risk the lives of his/her companions, without their knowledge and consent?: No
25) Prefer to use muscle, or guile to gain his/her ends?: Forthrightness and honesty…
26) Does this player character feel that the ends justify the means, no matter what those “means” may be?: If furthering the cause of GOOD, for all, then yes… Otherwise, no…
27) Does this player character get his/her way by bullying others into what he/she wants?: No
28) Does this player character feel that the strong are entitled to exploit the weak?: No
29) Towards whom does this player character feel animosity?: Beauracrats (See history)
30) Feel towards members of the opposite sex?: Protective, amorous <if appropriately beautiful>
31) Characterize in one sentence: A man searching for the good he knows life has in store for him.

Zephyr is effectively the “Heavy Horse” from the Monster Manual, meaning that he's strong, but can't fight effectively with a rider. Sahl doesn't think he's been war trained, and he is in fact rather spoiled, having lived, until recently, as a pet to make Ulan look good. He might be trainable as a warhorse.