"Your duties are to attend to my physical needs and entertain me in all manner of ways," al-Samara said.  "Sensual and otherwise."<br/><br/>He placed his hand on Menya's leg.  "I am a Marid genie, beings born of the elements capable of great feats.  You might be familiar with the wish-granting djinn and the violent efreet, but my people, the Marid, are the greatest of them all!  Each of us is a noble, our combined might ruling planes' worth of oceans which dwarf the size and scope of your Material Plane empires.  In all our standing we've never been enslaved or conquered, our glory days never-ending!  I'm very well off; as women of my harem, you won't have to want for things in your life again."<br/><br/>Hanifa gulped when he said this.  Although al-Samara wasn't bad-looking by any stretch, she couldn't help but worry if his tastes ranged into anything unwholesome.<br/><br/>"Your friend has not said a word since we met.  Is she alright?"<br/><br/>Hanifa used her hand to mimic the sound of a talking mouth, then shook her head.<br/><br/>The bruise on her throat had long healed via magic, but she was still unable to speak.  Menya knew that curing spells can take care of immediate wounds, but regenerating limbs and internal damage sometimes required more powerful spells.<br/><br/>"I'm sorry to hear that," al-Samara said.  "My court is full of physicians and healers, if your inability to speak is via injury.  Or perhaps a vow of silence?"<br/><br/>Hanifa nodded her head to the last bit.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Sense Motive DC 10</div><div class="spoiler_body">Menya figures that if Hanifa's not expected to speak, then the sultan will not seek to pry into her past.</div></div><br/>"Sultan al-Samara, we're here!" a sailor called out.<br/><br/>"Ah, you should come take a look at the City of Glass before we dock!" al-Samara exclaimed.  "Seeing it for the first time's always the best!"<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Arrival</span></div><br/>Sitting amid the endless blue was a brilliant bright transparent sphere.  Buildings lined its interior, curving from the top to bottom in long strips of land.  Underwater boats, submarines, smaller glass spheres, and zaratans swam into and out of openings on the sphere's outer layer, bringing travelers and commerce into its walls.  Once they docked within, Menya could tell that the city was much like Material Plane cities, except that the sky was full of buildings looking down and the gravity was oriented to the "floor" of the sphere.  In addition to groundbound streets and pathways, there were waterways and canals bearing merfolk, sahuagin, and other common aquatic races.<br/><br/>Hanifa's eyes were wide open the whole time, her mouth open in awe.  She looked to Menya to see if her friend was equally impressed.<br/><br/>(http://i.imgur.com/WQyTsBV.jpg)<br/><br/>The sultan's palace was in an opulent section of town, populated almost entirely by marid like him.  Although they appeared much like humans, shimmering traces of water and waves emanated around them from time to time if Menya looked closely enough.  In fact, one of them immediately materialized into a whirlwind of pure water, taking to one of the waterways and dashing off at great speed!<br/><br/>The building's interior was a glorious monument of wealth and power.  Walls carved of dead coral and floors of marble were a common sight, with the onion-shaped domes and archways of Keleshite architecture also bore a heavy influence as well.<br/><br/><strong>Knowledge: What Menya knows</strong><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">The Planes</div><div class="spoiler_body">DC 10: The City of Glass is the major trade hub on the Elemental Plane of Water.<br/><br/>DC 15: The City of Glass is a cosmopolitan trade hub and the crown of the Marid Empire.  Portals to other planes are the most common means of visitors, and many air-breathing creatures can live their entire lives within the sphere.<br/><br/>DC 20: The sphere uses magic to create artificial gravity to maximize space.  Floating bubbles of water can be accessed near the physical center, which house even more buildings and residents.<br/><br/>DC 25: The Marid Empire is very strong, but the hierarchy is fluid.  Noble families rise and fall; assassinations, upheavals, and disgrace are regular features of the political powers.  The current Padishah of the Marid has ruled for 30 years, quite long by imperial standards.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">History</div><div class="spoiler_body">DC 10: Genies have been common in the traditions and folklore of Garund for millennia.<br/><br/>DC 15: The Osirionian and Keleshite Empires housed powerful mortal mages capable of binding and enslaving genies to work magic on their behalf.  Djinni and janni were favored targets, as the efreeti and marid had vindictive and arrogant reputations which made them riskier to enslave.<br/><br/>DC 20: In times long past, each genie clan built great nations on their elemental homelands, becoming the dominant powers of each.  In times long past they were interconnected and spanned even into the Material Plane, but infighting and betrayal divided them.<br/><br/>Menya recognizes that the al-Samara bloodline was a proud and mighty Marid house (although all marids describe themselves this way), notable for leading many campaigns against the sahuagin.</div></div><br/>Once they stepped within the walls, Menya and Hanifa were bombarded with a flurry of people waiting for their sultan's return.  Domestic servants, family members, guards, all of whom seemed to live within the palace.  It wasn't that surprising; the estate's grounds were quite expansive.<br/><br/>"It's customary for new concubines to be escorted to the harem," al-Samara said.  "Don't worry, Alfreldi will show you the way.<br/><br/>A blonde catgirl dressed in fine robes (http://i.imgur.com/GYl6bRj.jpg?1) walked up to Menya and Hanifa.  "Ah, so you must be our new arrivals!  Welcome to the great Sultan al-Samara's home!  Quite glorious, is it not?"<br/><br/>Hanifa nodded in agreement and smiled as Alfreldi took their hands and ran down the corridor.<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Adjusting to Harem Life</span></div><br/>(http://i.imgur.com/vZpCTrm.jpg?1)<br/><br/>"Oh no, those clothes won't do!" a harem girl said.  "They smell of the desert!"<br/><br/>"Apricot!  No, no, that perfume won't do!"<br/><br/>Menya and Hanifa were in the midst of a chaotic ensemble as al-Samara's concubines threw clothes and accessories aside to find that perfect combination.  They were forced to go naked most of the time, as the ladies spent plenty of time holding up clothes or swatting them out of each other's hands.  Presiding over them all was Roshul the naga, (http://i.imgur.com/wQVwTwF.png?1) designated matron of the sultan's harem.<br/><br/>"Now don't be so hasty, ladies," Roshul said.  "We'll never find out what's perfect in this mess of clothes!"<br/><br/>"I'm sorry," Alfredi said.  "I guess I got carried away."<br/><br/>"Well personally, I think that they're more in need of some relaxation," the naga replied with a smirk.  "We don't want to overwhelm them, now."<br/><br/>"As you wish."<br/><br/>Menya was given a noble's welcome.  Sampling the finest foods, splashing around in the baths, (http://i.imgur.com/L9fMWsv.jpg?1) dressed in fine clothes, exquisite massages, with her body a fine sheen after one of the catgirl concubines rubbed some fine oils across her. (http://i.imgur.com/Hwll7I7.jpg?1)  She hasn't been cleaner in years.<br/><br/>Oddly enough, Menya's skin was tingling ever since that massage.  Roshul seemed to notice, and smiled evilly as she wrapped around her.<br/><br/>"Those oils?" she whispered in her ear.  "Well, I've heard that catfolk react quite oddly to the effects.  Like memory loss, for example.  It won't be long before your old life fades away; it's for the best, after all.  With nothing to miss, you'll be all the better able to serve our fine sultan."<br/><br/>Menya's eyes blurred over as she lost consciousness.<br/><br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">A New Life</span></div><br/>By the time Menya came to, she found herself lying amid a pile of pillows, clad in translucent harem pants and some nice jewelry, but otherwise topless.  Fellow women of various races and nationalities could be seen lounging about, eating, sleeping, socializing, and breathing in some sweet-smelling smoke from a communal pipe.  All clad in similar exquisitely decadent clothes.<br/><br/>"Are you okay?" one of the women asked.  She was fair-skinned and raven-haired, (http://i.imgur.com/h3rqVLK.jpg?1) a look of concern on her face.<br/><br/>"You've been asleep for a long time."<br/><br/>When it became clear that Menya was suffering from amnesia, she panicked.  "Oh no!  Do you remember anything?!"<br/><br/><em>Menya still possesses basic knowledge, as well as spellcasting ability and languages.  However, she remembers nothing of her own life.  She won't recognize Hanifa or the people she earlier met in this adventure.</em><br/><br/>"You're Arensha, concubine of the Sultan Hasan ibn Akilah al-Samara, or Sultan al-Samara.  You've lived here and served him gratefully for five years.  Maybe your memories will return over time.  Let me take you around the palace.  Oh!  And my name's Alice."<br/><br/>Alice gave Menya a tour of al-Samara's palace.  Along the way she witnessed many beautiful sights and interesting characters.  Bakr the alchemist had his own chambers where he concocted all manner of potions and drugs for the sultan's many wants and pleasures.  One of the harem's great baths had breathable water and a miniature replica of Material Plane oceans, colorful schools of fish included!  When they came to the dining hall and the harem's wardrobe, memories of yesterday came back; of Menya eating many fine foods, being dressed for the perfect occasion...yes, it was all coming back now.<br/><br/>"How are you feeling, Arensha?" Roshul asked.  "Last night in the library a particularly heavy tome fell upon you while reading, and we were all so worried!  It's good to see you up and walking about."<br/><br/>Alice looked to the ground.  "Unfortunately she has amnesia.  She seems okay otherwise."<br/><br/>"That is most unfortunate," Roshul said, feigning concern.  "Hopefully the love of our dear sultan will bring back some pleasant memories.  You can even think of it as experiencing your first meeting all over again!"<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">The Sultan's Bedchambers</span></div><br/>The ladies of the harem were very nice to Menya throughout the day.  Eventually Sultan al-Samara paid them a visit, much to their delight.<br/><br/>"How's my little catgirl doing?" he asked with a smile as the others were still embracing him.  "I'd like to request your company tonight."<br/><br/><br/>The sultan's sleeping area was not very expansive, but the size of his bed made the room feel much larger.  It looked like it could comfortable hold as many as five people at once, perfect for threesomes and larger orgies.  Al-Samara gently removed his clothes, as well as Menya's, as they walked up to the bed.  His hands wandered down her body, sampling and squeezing her most tender areas.<br/><br/>"Every time I took you to bed, you were always eager and insatiable," he said.  "It was never a routine or dispassionate moment with you, and I was always more than happy to pay you back in kind."<br/><br/>His erect member pressed against the small of her back from behind.  "The burdens of a noble are many, but during these few hours with you I could forget it all, holding you in my arms and knowing only bliss."<br/><br/>With a gentle kiss he pushed her onto the bed.  "Your mind might not remember, but your body will.  It will all come back soon, once I'm inside you again."<br/><br/><em>Roll a Perform (Sex) check, with a +2 bonus for favorable circumstances.</em>