he remembered the hours of endless talk in the little wine shop on the corner , where mahkra had sipped sour , resinous rendorish wine by the hour and had delicately , subtly , probed for the information which was then passed on to his friend and fellow pandion , sir voren - information concerning the reawakening of eshandist sentiment in rendor , of secret caches of arms hidden in the desert and of the activities of the agents of emperor otha of zemoch .