Zayran Al-Karim

You were a thief in a gang, fleeing through the desert at night, away from other bandits. You'd stolen a scroll from them, on the orders of your leader. You ran as fast as you could, hearing men's voices threatening you from behind. Then, a sudden silence, and you lost consciousness. You came to in the night, your head resting on someone's lap, a fire burning in the middle. You realized it was Zairan, a wanderer from the southern deserts, about whom conflicting rumors circulated. You sat up and looked into his blue eyes, his mask concealing his face. He looked at you; you looked vulnerable, having only just come to. He chuckled. "You had some good training, running from those guys. But I killed them all, I don't like it when the weak are bullied." He poked you in the forehead and stood up.

• I'm offering you a deal, join me. Otherwise, I don't want to hand you over to that gang. He laughed. -You have no choice.