A few bad apples

[Highlander]

In Dilpur, complaints spread rapidly about a mysterious illness caused by imported Aglarondan rose apples. The few local merchants investing in the imports may have to dump all the apples, and inspection of all fruit becomes paramount. A cart was allegedly put to the torch by the authorities. Some, however, are willing to buy the poisonous apples at a bargain price, either motivated by skepticism or desparation.

After a few turnings of Selune's face tending to the needy of the city at the Docks, and also to the comings and goings of ships especially from her homeland, Maera hears the rumous with a frown, and deciding that with Kelda's return, she can be spared from the Docks for a while for a journey south. Whether misfortune or maliciousness has caused this illness, she does not wish to leave uninvestigated a possible stain on the reputation of her homeland.

[Copper Dragon]

Maera Thlantyr's arrival in the city of Dilpur is similar to how she would have been greeted in Sarshel many moons ago, too. For the elven blood in her features, as well as the telltale foreign flavour of her attire draw people's attention, and natural Impilturan suspicion.

Unlike in Sarshel, the faith in the Triad here is fervent, the representatives of the Gods Three doing all there is in their might to keep the populace's ear keen on their word. But that is not why Maera came here; it is for the ill rumours that have spread about Aglarondan imports.

After several days of asking questions and meeting accusing customers and accused merchants, the Moonbathed would find that the rumour is not much more than the work of venomous mouths: one businessman trying to destroy another's reputation, and commoners all too susceptible to hysteria in this dreadful winter. The trader whose imported apples have been tainted in name is ruined, and fears the men in his neighbourhood on the dockside of Dilpur; men eager to break bottles against his apartment's door and leaving behind garbage on his threshold.