Girls of Talislanta: Seven Kingdoms

Suffice to to say, it cost us a pretty crescent to get Ara to agree to pose for the Feast. There were other terms and conditions, but but I am prohibited by the contract I signed to say more…

I caught a glimpse of this pastel colored beauty during my first weeks in Zanth. At the time she was perpetually on the arm of Thaenala, a duelist of no mean skill. Months laters, while at enjoying a meal at the Exquisitorium, her representative approached me; a small brown whisp named Jhaz. The diminutive creature told me that Azaliana had heard of my publication, and wanted to model. Yes dear reader, sometimes it is just that easy.

Not long after posing for The Feast, I noticed the whisp seemed to be in the area of Eerduz’s home quite a bit. After seeing the creature several evenings in a row outside of Eerduz’s home, I inquired after Azaliana. He informed me that she had fallen passionately in love with my artist friend, and spent her days posing for him, and her nights… well, Jhaz was sullen that once night came, it was banished from the manse. I took the whisp with me to a nearby tavern, where it drank away it’s sorrows with a thimble of aquavit. Sometimes Eerduz is a luck son of an Aamanian!

Cha-Kree holds one of the most intriguing jobs in Zandu: she is the Sultan’s personal botanist. She primarily works in the Inner Garden of the Palace of the Blessed Houri. By the Ten Thousand! What I wouldn’t give to see what she’s seen!

A skilled botanomancer, Cha-Kree has successfully created several new varieties of flowers, as well as a fruit that is exclusive to the Sultan’s house and is said to produce a wine that considered one of the best in the Western Lands. I would like to extend to the Sultan the opportunity to prove this claim by send several bottle to the offices of the Feast or Ardan. Cha-Kree’s honor is at stake!

When we put out the word that we were looking for ladies of the Seven Kingdoms to model for us, I was certain that we would have a difficult time finding representatives of the Kasmiran and Sindaran peoples. As you can see, I was fortunately wrong.

You are undoubtedly aware that the Sindaran are collectors. When I asked Dari what it was she collected she explained that hers was a more intangible collection: erotic experiences. She proceeded to list all her collected experiences, and I must admit that I jotted a few of the more obscure ones down for later research.

Desrelene is a fellow Cymrilian, who is also a former classmate from the Lyceum Arcanum, and a dear friend. She is one of the most brilliant scholars of her generation and has turned her mind to a most noble endeavor: recovering the lost magical erotic art of erotomancy.

She first found a reference to erotomancy in a scroll in the Lyceum Arcanum’s secret archives and has since been searching for more information. We met again in Zanth, as she had come to the old home of the Phaedran empire hoping to find something in the library of the Institute of Paradoxy.

This drawing of her was done on the evening before she left for the Library of Jaalad, following another lead. I must admit to you, dear reader, that I am a sponsor, the primary sponsor to Desrelene and her research. A percentage of every sale of the Feast of Ardan goes to assist her. With your help, we can bring back the a field of magic devoted to the erotic. Just imagine!

I was in need of some powdered crystals for the mixing of some of the enchanted colors I use in the tinting of Eerduz’s work. My normal supplier, a surly Arimite, had gone out of business, and I was directed to the shop of the charming Ela Anaria.

(Truth be told, she was recommended to me by "Kantrix, the Pharesian":http://girlsoftal.nfshost.com/articles/9/kantrix-the-pharesian .)

We chatted, and I told her about the Feast of Ardan. I mentioned that we’d yet to depict a Gnomekin, dropping many a hint that she would be perfect; perhaps she would like to pose for us? I fully expected her to reject my proposition, but to my surprise, she agreed.

It seems that the city of Zandu is filled with many expatriates from my own land. Admittedly, the Pharesians have been wanderers for many years, but to me they are kinsman. Kantrix though, is a rare breed of Pharesian: a non-wanderer. She owns a small shop, The Silver Tantalus, near the Sarista Ghetto. A trusted friend recommended her shop to me.

Kantrix is the premier maker of aphrodisiacs and other elixirs and powders of erotic kind. And now I must give the same recommendation to you, dear reader! If you are in need of such products, visit The Silver Tantalus. You can admire her wares, as well as her unique beauty.

Katar is another of Eerduz's finds. She is a tattoo artist, and all of the Thralls in Zandu claim that she is the best outside of the Seven Kingdoms. She only works on her own folk, and, it is rumored, those that she takes on as lovers.

A stray observation: after Eerduz turned his drawing over to me, I noticed some new ink on his upper right arm. Curious.

I was introduced to Kya-Kya by a mercenary acquaintance of mine. She told me of a beautiful friend of hers who might be interesting in appearing in the Feast of Ardan. I told her to send the friend my way! Imagine my suprise when this blue, buxom, be-crested beauty walked though my door.

Kya-kya had spent several years in the army of the Seven Kingdoms, but decided to muster out, become a mercenary, and move to the Western Lands. She acts as a guide and bodyguard, services I myself have employed from her. She led me into the Werewood on an expedition to find some un-plundered Phaedran tombs. I am thankful I hired her! She dispatched a exomorph that attacked us with several quick shots from her tri-bow. Brutal and beautiful!

One might expect that I, being a Cymrilian, would take issue with having a Tanasian grace the pages of the Feast of Ardan. That would be an flawed assumption. I have always been of the opinion that the Tanasians, as a whole, are perfectly fine folk; there were a few misguided, power-hungry fools among their numbers, but it is unfair to label all Tanasians as rebels or dissidents.

I assure you, Valdeaza is one of the most agreeable and interesting ladies I have had the pleasure of working with. She is well versed in the magical arts, and is an inspiring dramaturge. I expect great things from her. In fact, she is soon heading to Thaecia for the Festival of the Bizarre, to put on some of her plays.

Perhaps she, and others like her can help break the stereotypes against her people.