| Marwan al-Baghdadi | |
| Fictional Character | |
| In High Places POD: 1348 | |
| Type of Appearance: | Direct |
| Nationality: | Unknown |
| Date of Birth: | 21st century |
| Occupation: | Criminal, merchant, slave dealer |
| Affiliations: | Illegal cross-time slave-trading ring |
Marwan al-Baghdadi ("Marwan of Baghdad") was the alias used by a member of a renegade Crosstimers' clique who established himself in late 21st Century Muslim Madrid in a backward alternate, and engaged in extensive slave-trading activities.
Possessing a lot of money and speaking perfect Arabic, he arrived in Muslim Madrid in the 2090s and quickly established himself as a successful and influential merchant. This was greatly resented by members of Madrid's old established aristocracy such as Hassan ibn Hussein against whom "al-Baghdadi" often bid in slave auctions.
Many of the slaves he purchased were taken by a transposition chamber hidden in the basement of his home to the illegal estate which the renegades maintained in another timeline. The disappearance of slaves whom "al-Baghdadi" bought into his home and who never came out again was noted by his neighbors, some of whom suspected that he was sacrificing the slaves to demons. However, due to "al-Baghdadi"'s wealth his position in Madrid society was strong, and the local authorities did not inquire into his affairs.
His fatal blunder was to buy Annette Klein and include her among slaves transported to the illegal estate. She eventually escaped to the home timeline and exposed the whole renegade ring.
Literary comment[]
The novel never reveals "al-Baghdadi"'s real name, nor his fate after the trafficking ring was broken up.
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