The Old Sheikh

Because of his wisdom and judgment, Abd-al-Mamat received the attention of the sheikh of his tribe.

The sheikh and the tribe benefited from his wise advice. However, the sheikh was himself not wise, his reason often overshadowed by his love of wine and feasts and other pleasures of the flesh. This - and the fact that the most foolish of the sheikh's brothers had more claim to leadership of the tribe than he - frustrated his grand vizier on a regular basis.

The sheikh was later killed by the power of Malbus, when the sheikh seemingly misinterpreted the advice Abd-al-Mamat gave him. A battle-weakened group of merchants allied to the Burning Citadel had been spotted, and the old sheikh had asked Abd-al-Mamat what it would be best to do with them. When Abd-al-Mamat encouraged him to go to them, "for the rewards would be great", the old sheikh interpreted this as encouragement to attack and raid the merchants. Predictably, the merchants called for help when they came under attack. Without even being present on the battlefield himself, Malbus consumed the sheikh, his brothers and his finest warriors in a pillar of fire.

Abd-al-Mamat later explained he had meant that the old sheikh should go and offer assistance to the merchants, and thus gain the favor of their dread master. Although, given Abd-al-Mamat's much-praised wisdom, the way he phrased his words to the old sheikh may have been deliberately tailored to send him to his death at the claws of Malbus. The old sheikh's son, the young sheikh, was left to rule in his place.