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Raullaur	After weeks of travel, along rivers and roads, the jungles give way to the plains, and things become much more orderly as the latest caravan draws closer to the Farthest Satrapy of Prasad. The roads are well-maintained and patrolled by Legions, though small detachments of them, and not all in the same uniform. Farms and smaller towns show evidence of civilization, and as the caravan draws closer to the main city, the surroundings stop being farms and start to be slums. Out-castes and Corporals dwell here, and the Caravaners--for a number of people in the caravan are of the Caravan caste, aggressively ignore them. They do greet the guards and are quite respectful towards them, and a functionary checks the vehicles and goods before signing off to let access to the city after the appropriate favors are exchanged. "Well, we've reached the city. I'd suggest staying where Clan Burano holds sway. You always know where you stand with them. Sure, they're /my/ overlords as well, but they're steady. Better than those frivolous Ophrises or the Akathas--they care about the gods more than us." The grizzled man takes a lok over Raga. "Second thought, you might fit in with them, with your blood. Still, be careful. You have neither clan nor caste, so push comes to shove..." He gives a shrug. "Ya did good, and didn't cause any trouble besides a couple brawls--and those don't count. Be well, and walk the Pure Way," he says in benediction.
Raga Shrine-Crusher	Raga gets up with a brief creak of the cart, hopping off onto the ground with a thud as she lands. "If I caused trouble, I'd only ruin my chances at trying myself against someone powerful here." she replies, spreading her arms in a it's-the-way-it-is gesture "Thank you for your service, you run a well-kept caravan." she says, bowing before heading deeper into the city. Her approach is as quiet as she knows how to be, she's not a subtle presence but she does try to avoid overstepping her bounds. To start, she needs to learn how this place works. What will and won't get her into trouble as an outsider, how to learn how the least members of this society are treated... And what the consequences might be for aiding them.
Raullaur	Inside the walls, things are nicer than the squalor outside. Less ramshackle, certainly. At first glance, things are orderly, certainly. There are people moving through--dressed more nicely, and deferred to by others who move out of their way--but as you get farther away there are leaders among distinct strata. And little in the way of interaction between the layers. There are beggars and the poor--ignored at best by most--and things are rougher as they get away from the main thoroughfares. There are obvious slaves, some whipped here and there, but is that different from Nexus or Great Forks?
Raullaur	One beggar in particular has just had someone leave, and is covered in wraps as well as clothes, but hands and feet as well, only eyes exposed, and a raspy voice calls out, "Othriti, remember Hansi and her gift to me! Treat her kindly for her kindness to me." Another moment, and it calls again, "Alms for the sick! Alms for the poor! For the sake of Othriti, Alms! Alms for one who will ask the gods' mercies and blessings on you! Alms for the hungry! Alms for my children!"
Raga Shrine-Crusher	Raga approaches the beggar, fishing for some coins from her pocket before lightly placing them in a bowl nearby. "May all your days be brighter than this one." she says, bowing. She's not sure if this is a strictly appropriate time or place to reply, but it is her heartfelt wish for the one before her. That... And she needs to work out some of her frustration after seeing people she put off helping. Charity, even if ultimately selfish, to reassure herself of her own intentions.
Raullaur	"Thank you! Thank you, lady!" The wrapped figure takes a look at the coins, and then pulls out a small bit of incense. "Would you light this?" And after a moment, continues, "What is your name, that I may pray for you? And where are you from? What brings you here? You don't sound like you're from Kamthahar."
Raga Shrine-Crusher	"Raga." she says, taking the incense and withdrawing a small piece of metal to strike against her fingers. As sparks fly, the incense catches and she places the stick back down respectfully. "If you must tell me from one Raga to the next, called Shrine-Crusher for struggling with some few wayward gods of Great Forks."
Raullaur	"Greetings, Raga, and welcome to the city, such small welcome as Zoyan can give. If I could do more than pray for blessings, I would." The figure turns to the side and coughs through the wrappings. "Crushing shrines? Don't let the Akatha catch wind of that. Unless it's to make things the right way. Ophris woudl love it if it's done with passion and style, though. But you don't have a Clan affiliation...you need to watch yourself here, Outsider. Watch yourself, or get in with /some/ faction..."
Raga Shrine-Crusher	"Exactly why I made sure to say it was done in Great Forks. Whatever spirit blessed or lay with one of my ancestors, I was told at least enough to not completely make a fool of myself here. Or so I hope." she says, sitting down. "What would Ophris want from me, if I affiliated with them?" she asks.
Raullaur	"A descendant of the gods? Akatha would love to meet you. Especially if you prove it. Ophris would want to fete you as a none-day wonder, and probably forget about you, or use you as muscle for getting others to knuckle under to them." There is a pause, "One-Ear will want to know of you, if you don't want to work with the Clans, and don't mind being with us Corporals and un-Caste. Lots do. It's life. Harder. Riskier. Maybe better." A pause. "You in?"