Sic transit gloria mundi
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Expand on the Qadiri and Siobhan's inner circle. Also because I like Missandei and her actress and would have liked her to get more to do on the show.
Image Credit: Here. Missandei from 'Game of Thrones'.
Role: Shazora is a Qadiri politician and associate of Siobhan. She is part of a new generation of Tygarans who have risen to power and influence after first contact between them and the rest of the Galaxy. She is one of the first elves to have joined Firemane's ruling group. As such, she is one of Siobhan's advisors. She also serves as a meditator between the Qadiri and the outsiders and provides cultural insight.
Permission: N/A
Links: Qadiri, Communion, Semiramis.
PHYSICAL INFORMATION
Age: 58.
Force Sensitivity: Non-Force User
Species: Qadiri
Appearance: Shazora is of average height for a Qadiri female. She keeps in shape, but is no warrior. She has dusky skin, dark brown eyes and naturally curly, dark hair. She sometimes wears a thin braid. She has the usual pointed ears of her race. Shazora used to be a slave and suffered her share of abuse. This, as well the struggles she faced as a Qadiri leader, have left scars. She has marks on her back from being whipped. As a slave, she had to wear revealing attire and her hair was tied back tightly. She also wore a slave collar at all times. But she has been able to develop her own personal style ever since she freed herself. Thus she now wears her hair loose and dresses much more modestly. Shazora has incorporated some non-Tygaran styles and outfits, but on the whole prefers the attire of her people. She has a couple of small tattoos with some religious symbols. One of those is a rising sun on her upper arm. Shazora is graceful and radiates a calm, friendly demeanour. However, her silk hides steel. She tends to carry a holdout blaster or holdout bolter on her person. The latter is often concealed as a pendant or similarly mundane item.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
Name: Shazora Jai Vahal.
Loyalties: The Stardriven, Firemane, Hasana Jai Anhala, Qadiri, Kerrigan-Alcori, Firedawn, Board of Control, The Inner Circle, Sky Caravan.
Wealth: Moderate to High. Once Shazora was a slave, then one of the instigators of a slave revolt and the ruler of a Qadiri city-state. Now she belongs to the elite among her people and is part of Siobhan's inner circle. As a result, she is quite wealthy. However, she has not forgotten her roots, or how quickly power can slip from one's grasp. She donates a lot to charities and worthy causes to help uplift her people, particularly emancipated slaves. As a result, she lives far less luxuriously than she could, but it is her choice. Her life style is closer to that of a well-off member of the middle class. She has people who work in her household, but they are just normal people who help out on a part-time basis rather than servants.
Notable Possessions:
- Holdout Bolter. Gifted to her by Siobhan.
- Apartments on the Void Seeker and the Arx Aeternae.
- Cortosis weave robes.
- A broken chain and her old slave collar. She keeps both items as a reminder of her previous life.
- An urn filled with soil from the island she grew up on. It represents a link to her lost home and innocence.
- Copy of 'The Lady'. Gifted to her by Siobhan Kerrigan. A political treatise on statecraft. Shazora has heavily annotated it in her neat handwriting. Some of her comments are critical though.
- Corvette on par with the Tantive IV. Serves as space transport and diplomatic cruiser.
She also has an eidetic memory. Shazora is no soldier, but can defend herself with blade and pistol. Like all Qadiri, she has inherent navigational talents. One could compare it to an internal compass. She has a good understanding of poisons. Shazora has learned how to fly small starships and is good at piloting, though not a combat ace.
Personality: Shazora has come a long way. Once she was a slave, then a rebel leader, now she is a ruler. She has gone from someone who did not know anything about the outside Galaxy to not just mingling with 'sky people', but being able to meet them on equal terms. Shazora is no warrior or Force-User. Lacking extraordinary combat prowess or preternatural powers, she must rely on her wits and her brain. Her time as a slave and her exposure to the harsh realities of the game of thrones has conditioned her to accept horror. As a result, she does not lose her nerve easily. She trades swords and supernatural powers for charm, wit, political acumen and knowledge of sentient nature.
She radiates calm and has a courteous demeanour. Shazora is a genuinely compassionate and loyal person. However, she also has a talent for manipulation, lies and deception. Her weapon is a stylus and she wields it well. She is quite empathic, able to get into the heads of others, play on their emotions and minds to bring about an outcome desirable to her. Shazora is by no means a genius chessmaster for whom everything always goes 'according to plan'. More often than not she has been forced to improvise on the fly or adapt to unexpected situations. She has learned through failure as much as through success. But she is patient and willing to learn. Shazora has a good work ethic and is a highly skilled linguist, being fluent in several languages.
She is strong-willed and good at dissembling. As a personal slave of one of the rulers of her city, she learned from early on to mask her true emotions behind a compliant facade and put on her mask. She learned how to play off the 'wise masters and mistresses' while appearing demure and submissive. These qualities allowed her to be one of the instigators of a revolt. Due to her own past, she despises the institution of slavery. She is particularly compassionate to former slaves and other victims of abuse or exploitation. Shazora is very attractive, but refuses to use her looks as a way to get what she wants. This is a response to a time when she was a slave and treated as a possession. This does mean she is chaste, but she will not use seduction to get what she wants. When she was a slave, she was forced to dress in a very revealing manner. But now that she is the mistress of her fate, she dresses more modestly.
After getting in touch with outsiders, Shazora had to put up with her share of racism. A good number of humans in Firemane dismissed the Qadiri as inherently primitive 'sand babies'. Shazora is not the type to lash out. She has learned to smile and focus on the larger picture instead of being goaded into losing self-control. But she is no pushover either and does not forget. Her political acumen has helped her undermine a good number of the people who scorned her. She is dedicated to her people and determined to see them succeed in the Galaxy. Shazora has come to realise the advantages her people have. They may be low-tech, but have inherent navigational talents and a longer life span than humans. When the average human has reached retirement age, a Qadiri is still in her prime and in fact just getting started.
She believes that those who have the means should aid the less fortunate, and actually practises what she preaches. She gives a large portion of her net income to charities and groups to help her fellow Qadiri rise up. She also regularly returns home to visit emancipated people and to encourage education and self-reliance. Shazora is confident when she is on the job, but reserved and a bit shy when it comes to her personal life. She is polite, but it takes a while for her to open up to people.Shazora likes mingling with the Qadiri soldiers. She can let hair down and entertain them with absurd stories about politicos and diplomats.
Shazora allied herself with Firemane to protect herself and her people from expansionist neighbours and the aristocrats they had overthrown. At the time she knew little of the sky people, but soon came to realise that they could be of use to her. However, she refused to be a mere petitioner begging for succour. She realised that if she wanted to be taken seriously by them, she had to make herself useful to them, show initiative and learn as much about the outside world as she could. This included a drive toward modernisation. This helped her gain the respect of Siobhan Kerrigan.
Shazora often advises Lady Kerrigan on Qadiri affairs and is a member of the Qadiri Matters Committee. She helped draft the law that facilitated the integration of Qadiri into Firemane. To her, the outsiders are not deities, demons or messianic saviours. They are people like her. She is grateful for their aid, but is determined to stand on an equal level with them instead of being a supplicant. To achieve this, she has educated herself as much as possible about the outside world and is always seeking out new information. However, she does not want to wholly discard her culture and become a human with pointed ears. She mostly wears traditional Qadiri attire to empathise this. Aside from displaying her identity, it also serves a tactical purpose, for it may cause arrogant off-worlders to dismiss and thus underestimate her.
Shazora is not particularly fond of Eldorai, viewing many of them as pompous. Her initial relations with them were more than a little complicated, as the space elves settled on the continent her home city was located on. This produced its share of tensions. However, she realised early on that despite their attitude, the Eldorai were not the ones calling the shots. By aligning herself with Firemane, she could ensure that Eldorai nobles would be unable to push her around. Indeed, today she is in a stronger position than some Eldorai aristocrats.
Shazora bears a grudge against the Xioquo and the Khaimari, a group of Qadiri known for being corsairs. This is the result of her past. Her feelings on them are not very politic today, but old habits die hard and their past actions validate them in her mind. Her feelings on the Khamari can cause issues with Jazan and Bashari, as she remembers a time when they were pirates and slavers. "You act civilised and progressive now, but I remember you wielding the whip when it was profitable to you without a care in the world." It does not help that Jazan is pretty unrepentant about her past.
Unlike some diplomats, Shazora understands that compromise is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. Diplomats are not neutral arbiters who want everyone to get along; they are representatives of their respective government and want to get the best deal for it. Sometimes this involves playing nice and reaching compromises. It may also involve warships. She's not a teacher trying to pacify squabbling children; she's trying to advance her and her people's interests.
Shazora does not know whether she has any surviving family. Her family was broken up after being captured and slave families do not really have records kept on them. Thus she fears the worst, but has kept searching for them. She is unmarried, but has adopted two orphans as her children. Maizan is a boy who is the Qadiri equivalent of a teenager. He was orphaned in the last incursion of the 'wise mistresses'. Takrana is a girl and a bit younger than her adoptive brother. The young Qadiri was a slave of the Xioquo, but set free after their defeat. Shazora has to balance raising her children with her manifold duties, but is a very devoted, loving mother.
Shazora gets on well with Sahal Jai Azal, one of Siobhan's Qadiri warriors. Like her, Sahal was once a slave. She used to serve the Mirza of Lakish. Unlike Shazora, Sahal is a Force-User. Shazora has a strong bond with Hasana Jai Anhala. Both are former slaves who broke their chains and now work towards the betterment of their people. Hasana is the soldier and daring commander, while Shazora is the political mind. The two are close friends and more than occasional lovers.
COMBAT INFORMATION
Weapon of Choice: Wits | Blade | Sidearm | Guards.
Combat Function: Shazora is political leader, not a warrior by profession. Thus her place is not on the front lines. She is no martial arts savant, sniper or master duellist. However, though not a warrior she is not defenceless. If needs be, she can protect herself. She is a decent shot with a pistol and good with a blade. However, her workout regimen and training level is not that of a professional soldier. She would be at a disadvantage against heavily armoured opponents or Force-Users. She has capable guards and pays them well to do the serious fighting for her.
Due to her racial heritage, she is agile, dexterous and has an inherent knack for navigation. She has guards to do the heavy lifting for her and makes sure they are well compensated. If pressed, Shazora will fight, particularly if it is in defence of her people. This can sometimes override her normally solid judgement and compel her to risky behaviour On the other hand, it is also inspiring for her followers.
Strengths:
- Piloting and navigational skills.
- Dexterous. Skilled with blade and pistol.
- Not a frontline soldier or a Force-User.
- Though tougher and more balanced than Eldorai, Qadiri are on average a bit physically weaker than humans. Shazora is no powerhouse who can overwhelm enemies through sheer physical presence and brute force.
Shazora was born on Tygara, a few decades before the remote planet was opened up to the rest of the Galaxy. Her people are the Qadiri, a subrace of the Eldorai. However, her people were not united. Rather the Qadiri were divided into a myriad monarchies, free cities, theocracies and oligarchies. In her case, she was born on a remote island called Farsi. The inhabitants of the island were peaceful farmers and fishers. Unfortunately for them, the world they lived in was not peaceful. When Shazora was very young, her home was invaded by Xioquo raiders.
The Xioquo were the hereditary enemy of the Qadiri. Both races warred for dominance. The Qadiri lived in tropical areas and the desert. They venerated Kashara, goddess of the sky, were excellent sailors and navigators. By contrast, the Xioquo were children of the soil who dwelt beneath the earth in a land they called the Underealm. They venerated a dark goddess called Myrou and were ruled by an oligarchic council of scheming matriarchs. They also believed it was their manifest destiny to rule Tygara. The hatred between both races ran deep, with each vilifying the other as vile and evil.
Farsi had a feudal overlord it paid tribute to, but it was too unimportant to merit dispatching a relief force to confront the raiders and foil their attack. And so the island was overrun. Shazora was a child when she was abducted. She remembers how the slavers rowed her and her people away from the shore. She remembers how white the beaches and how tall the trees were. Above all, she remembers her village burning while smoke rose from the sky. Conditions aboard the slave ship were defined by sadism and cruelty. Slavery was the glue that held Xioquo society together. The same applied to Dark Side worship.
A great storm destroyed one of the smaller slave ships. Some slaves used the chance to rebel or try to escape, but many of the rebels were put down or seized. The somewhat superstitious Xioquo had their dark witches conduct a ritual to appease the spirits. The Xioquo did not know of the Sith, but they practiced a form of sorcery that was quite similar to Sith magic. The ritual required blood sacrifice. One of Shazora's sister was one of the unfortunate souls chosen for it. Indeed, she probably saved her younger sibling from this fate. Shazora could only watch in horror while her people died a ghastly death.
The ghastly blood sacrifice brought an end to the storm and brought clear seas. However, the Xioquo raiders' difficulties had not come to an end, for the somewhat battered slave ship ran into Qadiri corsairs, the Khaimari. The raiding party was led by Darya Jai Khalal, an infamous pirate. Her young daughter Jazan accompanied her, drawing first blood. Ambushing the 'dark ones', the corsairs assaulted the slave ship, carrying out a successful boarding action. Despite the dark sorcery of the Xioquo, they soon gained the upper hand, butchering many of the drows.
However, if Shazora or any of the other inhabitants of Farsi had expected that their rescuers would set them free, they were mistaken. Slavery was a fact of life on Tygara. All races, even the peaceful, light sided Vashyada, practiced it to varying degrees. Moreover, their rescuers were pirates who actually acted like pirates. Thus they exchanged one slave mistress for another, though the corsairs were less sadistic. The Xioquo that had survived the onslaught and been taken prisoner were also enslaved, but this brought little consolation. The corsairs were pragmatists and thus would let some of the Farsians who seemed capable enough join their crew. However, most were designated as chattel. Shazora was one of them.
Her new captors brought them to a Qadiri city called Karahamor. It was located on the northern continent of Ajustra, far from the territory of the Amikarese Empire, the most powerful of the Qadiri states. This had enabled them to maintain their independence from the expansionist Amikaron, whose rulers were eager to bring all Qadiri under their rule. The landscape was defined by forests and waterways. Karahamor was part of the Northern League, a defensive and commercial confederation of merchant guilds and market towns. Fittingly, local politics in Karahamor were dominated by a wealthy merchant class. It was governed by an Emir. It was the first large city Shazora had laid eyes upon. However, given the circumstances, she could obviously not enjoy its marvels, as she had come to Karahamor as a slave.
She and her kin were brought to the slave market. Like many Qadiri states, Karahamor had an uneasy relationship with the corsairs. When the seasons were good, the Khaimari were peaceful fishers and farmers. When they were bad, they were murderous pirates who raided coastal cities and seized merchant ships. Some merchant guilds paid wergild to protect their investments, but this could easily backfire. Sometimes, Qadiri states hired Khaimari war bands to prey on their rivals.
This season, this particular Khaimari captain was on friendly terms with the local power brokers and so she was granted entrance into the city and allowed to sell her wares. Indeed, she was praised for striking a blow against the 'dark ones'. One need not point out the obvious hypocrisy. Many decades later, Shazora would remember Darya's daughter Jazan, when the latter had joined Firemane. Suffice to say it was not a happy reunion, as the former slave had not forgotten or forgiven the pirate's actions.
Regardless, Shazora was separated from her kin and sold to a noble called Tahora Jai Kamazal. Local conditions made mass slave farming uneconomical, but there were still plenty of menial jobs the free citizens did not want to do. It also utilised slave-soldiers a lot. Many of these mamluks were acquired at a young age. They were thoroughly drilled and indoctrinated to obey their owners, but also received better treatment than chattel slaves since they were an investment. Her owner Tahora had a few in her services. Like all slaves, Shazora had to give up her family name.
Being a household slave, Shazora fared better than others, but she was angry, afraid and grieving. Lack of discipline or 'uppityness' was punished with beatings. She learned to conform, obey and seemingly blend in, for she had no other choice. She need only look at slaves who were whipped for disobedience to know that At first her duties were those of a handmaiden. Her owner was the type who liked to be waited on hand and foot. However, Shazora demonstrated keen intelligence, observational skills and an aptitude for languages. Taking note of this, her owner had her trained as a scribe. This raised Shazora's status among the slaves in the household.
Fearful of what would happen to her if she failed to perform, she did all she could to be useful. However, she was still just a slave and thus subject to her owner's whims. But over time she realised that her new position provided her with more freedom of action and that she could expand it if she was smart about it. Tahora was a very ambitious, but vain woman who desired to raise her status among her fellow oligarchs. It soon became apparent to Shazora that her owner was not content with being one of the oligarchs, but desired the position of Emir for herself. Gradually it dawned upon Shazora that her position as scribe gave her latitude to alter some orders slightly for her own ends.
When Tahora put down an attempted poisoning from her son, Shazora creatively interpreted an order, arranging for the death of a particularly sadistic, leecherous guard who had often abused slaves. Having been presented with 'proof' that the guard had been part of the plot, Tahora came to trust Shazora and took the slave into her confidence. After all, she was just a docile slave who had been conditioned to obey her wise mistress without question. She used the trust her owner had in her to intercede for some slaves. This allowed her to gain confidantes among her owner's servitors. She was able to help out some of her friends.
It was around this time that Tanaera Jai Danal, a Qadiri warlord, came to the city. Exiled from her throne in distant Khawjar at a young age, she sought to reclaim what she believed to be her birthright. For this she obviously required soldiers, so she wanted to purchase slave-soldiers in Karahamor. Tahora was the wise mistress who negotiated with her. Qadiri have many different dialects and languages, and so Tahora could not understand her visitor. Hence she used Shazora as an interpreter. The girl translated largely accurately...but sometimes she did not quite translate what was actually said.
To be fair, a bit of meaning always got lost in a translation. She noticed the tension between the two mistresses intensify, as her own owner's speech became cruder and Tanaera kept grandstanding. Still, a deal was made. Tanaera had little coin, but she possessed three alchemised war beasts. Though still practically children, they would become very powerful once they were grown. After some tense negotiations, she agreed to trade them for a large force of mamluks. Believing that possession of these creatures would raise her status and get her close to the position she so coveted, Tahora agreed to the trade. But it turned out that Tanaera had no intention of living up to her end of the bargain.
Tanaeara also asked for Shazora as a gift and a show of good faith for the upcoming transaction. Tahora agreed, and Shazora followed Tanaera. Taenara asked the young slave for her name and enquired about her family. She warned Shazora that she is heading into war and she might be killed or may fall sick and die, to which Shazora simply said that all must die. Tanaera spoke a bit about her plans, declaring her intention to reclaim her birthright and build a better world. She had a penchant for dramatics, but was lacking in concrete plans for what she actually intended to do with her power once she had acquired it. Shazora appeared obedient and supportive. Her new mistress told her that she was a free woman now, but Shazora gained the impression that she was only free to obey Taenara's orders and could not actually leave.
Sporting a new dress to match her mistress' outfit, Shazora was present present when Tahora and Tanaera conducted their exchange. She interpreted their exchange until Taenara began issuing orders to the Mamluks to turn on their mistresses. It turned out she could speak the local language. In this moment, Shazora issued instructions that ran counter to her mistress'. Instead of obeying the would-be warlord, the slave-soldiers turned on her and her entourage. She had her war beasts, but her party was badly outnumbered and she and her allies were slaughtered. Shazora managed to hide during the bloodletting. Shortly thereafter, she was reclaimed by Tahora. She was now once again a slave, but she had learned a valuable lesson. The slaves were denied freedom, but she had seen the power they could wield. Every noble had a small force of personal mamluks. They only needed to get organised and seize power for themselves.
It was around this time that her owner began to conspire in earnest. Tahora had long been jealous of Emir Vakard Jal Markan. She was one of the ringleaders of a cabal of nobles and merchants who wanted to overthrow the Emir. The conspiracy had been going on for a while, but now acquired a new sense of urgency as the Emir tried to clamp down on the power of her would-be rivals. It was rumoured that she had hired a sellsword company to strengthen her power base and that it would arrive in the city soon. Tahora relied on her loyal slave. After all, she was so docile and had never broken faith. As the conspirators gathered all their forces, they sent humble, submissive Shazora as their messenger before nobody noticed slaves. They even sent her to the palace to negotiate with officials and bribe the palace guards, many of whom were mamluks. What they did not know was that she was using the chance to plot and secretly bring the slaves to her side.
She grew close to a Mamluk called Varzura. She was a tough slave-soldier who had been drilled from an early age. Trained to be a near-unquestioning killing machine, she had few memories of her life before being enslaved. However, the wise mistresses had not been able to completely rid of her individuality - or her desire for revenge. Having fought in several campaigns, Vazura was respected by her fellow soldiers. She had slain one of Taenara's war beasts, despite being injured by their flames. Though very different in upbringing and mentality, the two soon made common cause. When the long awaited day came, the coup went off without a hitch. The Emir was betrayed and captured. The mistresses and masters sent a message to the other free cities, declaring that the Emir had been forced to step down. To justify their coup, they provided a long list of real and invented crimes she had supposedly committed.
However, as the mistresses celebrated their victory they noticed only too late that their slaves had sealed off every exit and were no longer under their orders. A slave boy Shazora had befriended spiked the wine of Talora, poisoning her. Now the slaves staged their own coup. The mistresses and masters were caught by surprise when their servitors turned on them. Some mamluks who were not in on the plot did defend their owners, others used the chance to turn on them. Conveniently, the wealthiest and mightiest citizens of the city had been gathered in one place to partake in the festivities, score points with the new régime and select a new Emir. This made it easy for the rebels to take over. Still a lot of blood was spilt on that day. Shazora was a backroom manager, while Varzura led the Mamluks in battle.
By the time it was dawn the slaves were in control. Many of their former owners were executed outright. Others were put on trial. During these proceeedings, their former slaves were called forward to give testimony on their conduct. Obviously the owners were not allowed defence lawyers, for they could not expect anything they had denied their slaves. Some of them were executed in an often grisly fashion, others were sentenced to heavy labour or given menial tasks to redeem themselves.
After they had won, the slaves held a naming ceremony, reclaiming the identites their owners had denied them. Varzura took the name Jai Akhal. However, not all was rosy. The slaves had taken over, but now faced even more pressing challenges. For starters, they were in control of a city but many of them lacked a formal education. Many free citizens resented the slaves being in charge. Moreover, the Northern League was obviously not keen on the idea of one of its members falling under the control of slaves. It could set a bad example, after all. Qadiri society was open to the idea of manumission, but this was the prerogative of the owner. Slaves were supposed to obey, not topple their mistresses.
The rebels were also divided about how to proceed. Some wanted to work with those free citizens who could be trusted, others wanted to continue the revolution and believed that going on the offensive was the only way to survive. Idealistic Shazora believed that if they went on the offensive, they could inspire other slaves to throw off their shackles and join them. Varkura was sceptical, but this led to some mamluks to accuse her of cowardice. In fact, the soldier was being realistic about their chances. Shazora's faction managed to win the debate and the rebels launched an expedition against Nishapur, one of Karahamor's neighbours.
To her credit, Shazora accompanied them. Unfortunately for her, the campaign was a debacle. Nishapur's ruler had made an example of dissenting slaves and their soldiers remained loyal. The rebel army was smashed in the field and forcec to retreat. Shazora was injured in the battle and narrowly evaded escape. Many lives had been lost because she and her comrades had been afflicted with victory disease. It also encouraged Nishapur's forces to advance on the city. Shazora threw herself into the defence of the city. She visited wounded and organised the logistical side of things. When she met Varzura again, she had to admit that the hardened soldier had been right. Some slaves tried to escape, bribing smugglers to get them out.
However, Shazora stayed and helped put down a coup attempt by some citizens. Nishapur's oligarchs had hired the sellsword company that had originally been sworn to Vakard. Needless to say the mercenaries wanted to get paid. The slave uprising in Karahamor had made the other free cities nervous, so they hired mercenaries in large numbers, just in case their own mamluks got deviant thoughts. Unwilling to allow Nishapur to alter the balance of power, two other cities in the Northern League sent forces. Combined they outnumbered the slaves by a significant margin, but each contingent had its own leader. This produced dissonance in command.
Realising that she lacked the experience or mind set to lead the rebel army, Shazora instead backed Varkura's nomination as general-in-chief. The mamluk commander used scorched earth warfare, setting fire to farmland and poisoning wells to deprive the invaders of supplies. Meanwhile, Shazora focused on the political side. The rebels conducted sorties to sabotage the siege and raid the camps of their enemies. They also took some captives. Shazora realised that their enemies were far more divided than it seemed on first sight. Nishapur's forces had taken prisoners from among the rebels. Some of them were quite prominent. Shazora clalculated thatt hey could not be saved. Instead she came up with a plan to cause division among the forces besieging Karahamor by offering their weight in gold for three prominent hostages.
The leaders of Nishapur had no need of that money, but their sellswords wanted the deal and grew angry when it was refused. After all, even the Emir of Karahamor had not paid them. Shazora offered bribes. This helped sow dissent in the enemy ranks. Still, the fighting was fierce. The rebels were able to weather the storm and hold the city. They utilised fire ships, concealed as civilian transports, to break a blockade imposed on them by the enemy navy. Ironically, they were aided by Khaimari, who had had a falling out with the Northern League. As the days went by, the bickering increased in the camp of the enemy. Nishapur was left alone after the other cities withdrew and then pulled out as well, after Varkura repulsed their last attack. However, significant portions of the city had been devastated. Many rebels had died in the fighting and people were suffering from disease.
Moreover, Karahamor was now without trading partners. This was a serious blow to its economy. The rebels had to face the reality that they would be unable to conquer the entire Northern League and revolutionise it. Their fellow slaves were not about to break their chains and join their cause. Ironically, they were forced to trade with the Khaimari, despite Shazora's contempt for them. Rationing had to be imposed to ensure the survival of the many. They also had to make compromises with the free citizens. Freed slaves who took their expropriations and desire for vengeance too far had to be punished. Shazora entered into secret negotiations with some politicians in the Northern League.
The revolutionaries had survived because their enemies were divided and they had to make sure they stayed that way. This meant giving up their dream of spreading the revolution. To gain more popular support within Karahamor, Shazora turned to the under classes. While not slaves, their conditions were poor and they had little move for the ancien régime. The revolutionary experiment endured, but had to deal with foreign intrigue, coup atempts and terrorist attacks. Soon the rebels heard rumours that Nishapur was gathering another mighty host to conquer Karahamor.
Then Tygara's long isolation came to an end with the arrival of the sky people. Shazora had heard stories about star warriors descending upon Tygara in sky-ships, but given them little credit. She had been busy with more pressing matters. But then they came to Ajustra in large numbers. They were Eldorai who had fled the destruction of Kaeshana en masse. Entire Qadiri communities were displaced and 'relocated' to make room for the settlers and they soon started building an enormous city, New Santaissa. Their arrival was fortuitous because now the Northern League had more pressing concerns than rebellious slaves.
Shazora was unsure what to make of these outsiders. At first she was rather fearful of them. The first Eldorai representatives who arrived were quite imperious. The firepower they possesed unnerved her deeply. However, her scouts told her of a group called Firemane, which seemed to be more powerful than the Eldorai. It was claimed that they were led by a mighty warlord, who had been blessed by Kashara and destroyed Xioquo armies. Despite the evident risks, Shazora decided to approach them. Her people needed to advance and break free from their isolation.
She was encouraged by reports that the outsiders despised slavery. She took the initiative to invite Firemane agents to the city. This caused some discord in the governing council. Her earlier recklessness had not been forgotten. However, she justified it with the argument that the League would be unwilling to attack the city while the sky people were being received. If they did, this would put the sky people's ambassador in danger and thus incur the wrath of their leader.
The sky people sent Firana Marux, a member of Firemane's Diplomatic Bureau. The first meeting was a bit awkward. Shazora spoke no Basic and so a protocol droid had to act as a translator. Shazora was a bit unnerved by the 'metal demon', but displayed an inquisitive mind and asked the enjoy many questions. She determined that these sky people could not be demons or deities, but people. She gave Firana a tour of the city, trying to empathise its productive, peaceful nature and their wish to be free of oppression. In return Firana took her aboard her transport. Shazora was afraid when she entered the sky-ship, but faced this challenge nonetheless. She asked Firana for some books about the outside Galaxy and for a 'metal demon' who could teach her more about it. Above all, she enquired about their leader.
No final agreement was made, as Firana did not have full authority. However, the mere fact that a Firemane delegate had visited meant that the Northern League could not move on the city so soon. It also had the same effect on Eldorai nobles who coveted the land and did not support their Queen's more diplomatic approach. Nonetheless, there was still a lot of uncertainty in the air. Shazora was unnerved when she learned that Nishapur had sent a delegation to Santaissa. Then, after several days of waiting and rumours of Nishapur trying to purchase weapons from the sky people, she finally received word that Siobhan wished to meet her personally. The council elected her to be their spokeswoman. She knew very well that this would turn out to be a poisoned chalice if she failed.
The audience took place on the Viceroy, Siobhan's personal yacht. It was a ship fit for a Queen, built to offer its regal owner all the comforts she could ask for while at sea. Shazora had prepared herself well. There was a dramatic scene when she and some of her people approached and laid their broken collars and chains at Siobhan's feet. "Great Mistress of the skies, we broke our chains, we beg your protection to keep it that way. We offer our fealty, not as slaves, but as free women and men who see your wisdom and strength," Shazora spoke. This went down nicely with Siobhan, for it appealed to the abolitionist in her, but also played just enough to her vanity.
The two ladies sat down to discuss matters of state. At first they exchanged pleasantries. Siobhan expressed surprise at Shazora's linguistic skills, and the Qadiri complimented her for speaking reasonable Zandri. This made Siobhan a bit indignant, as her Zandri was obviously far better than reasonable. One of her courtiers got annoyed with Shazora and proceeded to insult the 'uppity sand babe'. Shazora calmly replied in Basic that she might be that, but that she was also correct about Siobhan's Zandri. Her boldness and ability to turn the tables on the racist official a bit worked in her favour, as Siobhan took a liking to her. She dismissed her minions, save for a guard, and the two proceeded to talk in private.
The pair managed to get on. Siobhan made it clear that slavery would persist in other Qadiri states...for now. She expressed her deep disdain for the institution, but stated it could only be abolished gradually. Seeing her chance Shazora affirmed that if her people were given the chance to succeed, they could act as a beacon for the other Qadiri states, showing them that slavery was not necessary. This argument resonated with Siobhan. The same applied to some calculated flattery. She did, after all, like to imagine herself as a 'Breaker of Chains' and an 'enlightened despot'.
Thus an accord was made. In return for an aid package and advisors, Karahamor became a Firemane protectorate. Not all rebels were thrilled about this. A good number of them understandably distrusted the sky people and believed that their spokeswoman's display had been humiliating. However, Shazora believed she had made the right choice. It ended Karahamor's political and economic isolation. Trade soon picked up. Shazora consolidated her position as the leader of the community. It took time, but eventually the innovations of the outsiders would find their way into the city. To further bind her new allies to her people, she agreed to provide levies for Siobhan's campaign against the Xioquo. This tallied well with her own personal desires, as she wanted justice for her kin.
Shazora did not participate in the bloody campaign, for she had realised that she was no general and should leave this to the professionals. However, she did her part to make sure the soldiers had the tools they needed. She was able to use her connections with the sky people to equip them with more modern weapons. By galactic standards, these were very primitive, but they were advanced by Tygaran ones. While Sio is campaigning, a group of aristocrats from Nishapur as well Karahamori exiles conspired to poison Shazora and frame Varkura for the deed. Their hope was that extremists would take over in Karahamor and enact bloody retaliation, which would give them an excuse to intervene and 'restore order among the rabble'. They managed to bribe Raina Velss, the local Firemane resident.
The assassin did indeed manage to get invited to dinner with Shazora and the Mamluk. However, Shazora had secretly acquired a testing kit from Siobhan. She let the assassin believe that she was about to succeed, then turned out and had Varkura seize the would-be assassin, making her believe that she was about to die. Then she told her to leave and go back to her mistresses, or, if it pleased her, become a free woman. The Firemane representative had been watching, but Shazora was smart enough not to move on her without Siobhan's approval. Instead she played the role of the 'naive sand baby'. By now she was quite good at fooling arrogant offworlders.
So instead of acting hastily, she organised a bug so that Raine could be induced into revealing her involvement. This led to the resident being arrested by Firemane soldiers. Siobhan had her executed. A few nobles were put in custody as well. The Emir of Nishapur disavowed the conspiracy, denying any involvement in it. Siobhan pretended to believe her, but took her son as a hostage. He would be an 'honoured guest' at her court and learn the ways of the future. Nishapur suddenly became a lot more receptive to gradual abolition of slavery.
With the Xioquo defeated, large scale warfare between the elf races ceased for a while. However, this did not create an utopia. Firemane had learned of a slave rebellion among the Qadiri of southern Khajwar. A charismatic rebel leader called Hasana Jai Anhala had led revolt of slave-soldiers against their owners. She had waged a successful irregular war, but now faced a large coalition of nobles. The situation looked grim. Shazora petitioned Siobhan and was granted permission to meet this woman.
When Hasana and her rebel army faced the forces of the coalition, they found themselves massively outnumbered. Stil, the mamluks were determined to fight for their freedom or die trying. Before the battle could begin though, a Firemane gunship bearing Shazora landed. The emissary brought tidings of the great events that had happened elsewhere. Though many Qadiri were panicked by this device, Hasana controlled her fear and approached this strange craft. Shazora showed Hasana her own marks of former enslavement and offered a deal. If Hasana and her warriors pledged their allegiance to Firemane, they would be granted right of passage to the north where they could join with Firemane's other allies.
Faced with this deal though Hasana stood her ground. She would not bow or become servant to anyone. She would only accept if her freedom and those of her warriors was guaranteed. She also knew that the coalition army would not simply let them march free, and so she asked that they be aided in the battle. Shazora however did not want to fight a battle, and so tried to reach out to the Coalition for a diplomatic solution. Unwisely they attacked the gunship and promised to crucify every captured slave.
When faced with a choice, Shazora decided to stand with the rebellious slaves. Technically this exceeded her mandate, but she could not abandon them. Thus battle was joined. Hasana and her soldiers fought for their lives. They were aided by the gunship, but it could not be everywhere. The battle was a bloody one that took a toll on both sides. For hours the coalition struggled to get up the slopes where the rebels had taken position, and were beaten back. But the rebels ran out of ammunition and were reduced to fighting with spears, swords and axes. They were being worn down by constant pressure, but so was the enemy.
With the end near Hasana met briefly with Shazora and they organised a final charge. Shouting their battlecry of ‘Anhala!’ every remaining rebel who could still fight charged down the hill into the final onslaught of the Coalition at the same time as the gunship released its final bombs. This charge finally broke the Coalition army, and they broke and fled the field. Hasana and what remained of her army were too shattered to pursue, but they had fought and won their freedom.
In the aftermath of the fighting, Shazora introduced Hasana to Tegaea Alcori, Siobhan's wife. Hasana agreed to join Firemane, but only on terms. She would not kneel or call anyone mistress or lady. These terms were acceptable. Shazora became the soldier's guide to all things modern. The soldier pushed herself to learn all she could. Her determination impressed and sometimes intimidated Shazora. The two eventually became lovers.
Back at home, Shazora oversaw a period of economic development. She eventually took a leave of absence from high office, leaving the government in the hands of trusted associates. She visited Farsi. There was nothing left of her home, but the natives had rebuilt. She used her personal funds to build a small, dignified memorial and invested in the local communities. Determined to do all she could to combat slavery and heal the wounds it had created, she worked closely with Firedawn. This was a Firemane agency charged with providing freed slaved with food, a home, education and jobs. After all, it was not enough to set slaves free. They needed to be given the tools to succeed and make something out of their freedom, otherwise they would be left destitute and probably end up as de facto serfs.
Shazora drew on her own experiences to help the organisation provide effective aid to former slaves. In a number of cases, she was also able to prove that Qadiri or Xioquo leaders who claimed to have set their slaves free had in fact only done so in name. However, working with Firemane also forced her to confront old grudges. Firemane had enacted a Clear Seas policy and was clamping down on piracy. This obviously pleased Shazora. However, some very practical Khaimari had realised the way the wind was blowing and sworn allegiance to Firemane. Suddenly they were no longer slavers and pirates, but soldiers of the 'Skyqueen'. Jazan Jai Khalal was one of them. By now the young Qadiri had become a feared corsair. Now she wore the uniform of a Firemane officer.
Shazora was deeply unhappy about this and argued with Siobhan. Siobhan justified her decision on pragmatic grounds, but Shazora disagreed vehemently. A very heated argument caused a rupture between the two. In the end, pragmatism won out, but she did not forgive or forget and she did not want Khaimari around her. Shazora used her time to travel a bit and learn all she could about the outside Galaxy. Unwilling to be dependent on foreign help, she learned how to pilot a starship and encouraged her followers to do the same. A delegation was sent to foreign schools to learn all they could about the outsiders' technology, so that they could come back and teach their people.
After Siobhan had a stroke shortly before the rather bizarre Incursion Event, Shazora visited her on Arkas. Their relationship had been strained ever since Shazora voiced her disconcent about Firemane's recruitment of Khaimari. But now they reconciled. Siobhan was distrustful toward some of her subordinates on Firemane's Board of Control, for she suspected that they were trying to take advantage of her infirmity and isolate her. So she appreciated having the Qadiri around. Shazora became one of her agents on Tygara and Siobhan sometimes had her attend board meetings in her absence. Time spent abroad broadened her horizons, expanding her knowledge of the outside world.
Siobhan soon took over the reins again, but did not forget the young Qadiri. She helped Siobhan organise a conference of the four races of Tygara. There it was decided that, as it was feared that the planet might be at risk, the elves would expand into space to colonise other worlds. Firemane would provide technical support, ships and know-how. Shazora provided Siobhan with advice. One of Firemane's demands was the abolition of slavery.
It was clearly not polite advice. Suddenly the city-states of the Northern League were a lot more receptive to Shazora. She encouraged the creation of a Qadiri merchant fleet, having realised that their inherent navigational talent would lend itself well to space travel. Meanwhile, Hasana had advanced in the ranks of Firemane. What made the pair even happier was that Golconda, Hasana's home town, had formally refused to comply and set its slave population free.
So Shazora and Hasana travelled to the city. The soldier wanted to destroy her former home and punish the aristocrats, but the sight of Firemane ships and soldiers had the desired effect. The two were there when the Nawab, who had once sent an army against Hasana and her freedom fighters, proclaimed that all slaves would be free now. Hasana insisted that all the slaves who wished it to be transplanted to prevent future exploitation once Firemane's eyes were elsewhere, which Shazora agreed with. As she told her friend, it might not be the total victory she had sought, but it was a triumph regardless.
Then Siobhan offered her a position on the Board of Control, the ruling group that governed Firemane's various holdings. Shazora accepted, becoming the newest member of Siobhan's inner circle. She acted as a chief diplomat for her. Shazora assisted Siobhan in drafting a decree that would facilitate the integration of Qadiri into Firemane. She also spearheaded an initiative to acquire an Asur worldship for her people to allow them to go off into space and colonise. These efforts bore fruit, and the vessel was called the Void Seeker. It is set to embark on its maiden voyage to explore the stars, discover and colonise new worlds for the Qadiri. Now Shazora stands ready to help guide her people into a new and hopefully brighter future into the stars.
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