Carthago !

From Sammus’s Boast:

76: A40 – Leaving Carthage

Towards dusk Agripinus was ready to go into the city. Amphius accompanied him but the rest of us remained behind in the safe house. They returned at dawn with a very heavy chest and Amphius with news of a ship.

At a dock tavern he had met up with Kalicrates, a Greek ship-owner who he had sailed withß previously. His ship, the Morning Breeze, was bound for Tharras, a major town on the western coast of Sardinia. He wanted to sail at dusk that evening as he had a charter to meet and needed both sailors and mercenaries as boat security. Agreeing to sail for passage in either role, he told us, would allow us to travel with him to Tharras for no payment (either way).

Kalicrates also needed a Priest to deliver some religious reassurance after the leader of his last boat security died on board. The man had been a Gaul apparently and his other Gaulish companions had now decamped, claiming the boat was unlucky. We should aim to be at the docks by noon today, so that we could board, giving Agripinus time for a ceremony. Kalicrates planned to sail with the evening tide.

After Tharras, Kalicrates did not have definite plans, but had talked of going West to Spain. Again, we could sail with him for passage, if that was where he was bound. If not, we should be able to pick up another boat in Tharras.

The three idols were worth a talent of gold each, some 6,000 gold coins in all. All six of us had a share of 1000 gp each. Serif had the remaining ponies included as part of his share.

We all went into Carthage city, collected our horses and said our farewells to Serif. Toxoanassa was again wrapped in a cloak and Amphius wore a wide-brimmed hat, which only partially concealed the bandages around his eyes. I gifted my horse to Serif. Agripinus gave him a bronze helmet, Amphius a fine short sword, Toxoanassa a dagger and Si'aspiqo a fire flute and his pony. Serif gave heartfelt thanks to us all, and said that his gift in return was friendship : we would always be welcomed in Teveste by his family, whether or not he were alive. Now he would return home a wealthy man, and could guest with the King of Eastern Numidia as a man of renown, and not some distant cousin of no account.
   ‘May the light of Tanit shine always shine on your path — Farewell!’

The Numidians left Carthage by the Uttica gate. We avoided the shops and temptations of the Agora and just escorted Agripinus, the loot and all our other impedimenta carried by porters for a few silver, and made our way down to the commercial harbour. There we were introduced to Kalicrates, the Greek owner of the Morning Breeze, which was moored there. She was a merchant ship, configured mainly for sailing and long range, with perhaps 24 sailors on board, and a half-dozen professional warriors. I was told that she was reckoned a small triacontor, but had been set up for carrying some cargo.

Kalicrates was a large bulky man with red eyes and two days of dark stubble on his face, who looked like he had been up all night. He introduced Agripinus to the crew as a Priest of high renown throughout Carthage, and an expert in averting evil spirits and similar misfortunes. He was conveyed to the very spot where the unfortunate Gaul had dropped dead, and he conducted an impressive ceremony of propitiation, sanctification and blessing for the whole ship and those souls on board. The motley band of Greeks, Sicilians and Ionics seemed highly superstitious, like most sailors, and were soon convinced of his capabilities and a good outcome. Kalicrates welcomed each of us on board as professional soldiers and ship-guards for this voyage. Amphius he knew, and Agripinus and I were obviously men of arms, experienced in warfare. Si'Aspiqo was accepted as ‘combat support’, when vouched for by Amphius. Last of all, Toxoanassa pushed back her cloak and fired three arrows into a basket of rope twenty paces off. In a few heartbeats they all landed within a palms-width of each other, and she gave her name as Oiorpata, from Sythia.
   ‘An Amazon! You never mentioned an Amazon, Amphius…’ said Kalicrates… but welcomed her to the boat as a warrior and deadly shot. ‘I have never met a real Amazon before,’ he remarked. ‘I thought they wore… less… heavy clothing… or special… armour.’
   ‘They don’t look like the ones painted on wine-cups’ said Amphius, from under the brim of his sun-hat, and we all laughed. Toxoanassa came on board, and took her place in the prow of the ship as a lookout and archer. Agripinus, Si'aspiqo and I had a normal station near the stern, whilst Amphius would be the night-watch man in the prow.

The sailors busied themselves loading and lashing down all our gear in a space just forward of the stern platform, and gradually some sort of order appeared out of the chaotic mess of gear and people filling this slender one-masted ship. Four Sardinian passengers were summoned aboard late in the afternoon, and the ship cast off. Twenty oars dipped rhythmically in the water, and the vessel drew away from the quayside, into the deeper water of the harbour. As the sun touched the Eastern horizon, she slipped into the sea proper, helped by the evening tide. A light wind blew from the south-east, and as twilight swept across the sea the oarsmen shipped their oars as the sail was set. The lights of Carthage twinkled far behind, as we sailed on northwards…

From Sammus’s Boast:

77: B1 – Arrival in Sardinia

Four Sardinian passengers were summoned aboard late in the afternoon, and the ship cast off. Twenty oars dipped rhythmically in the water, and the vessel drew away from the quayside, into the deeper water of the harbour. As the suns touched the Eastern horizon, she slipped into the sea proper, helped by the evening tide. A light wind blew from the south-east, and as twilight swept across the sea the oarsmen shipped their oars as the sail was set. The lights of Carthage twinkled far behind, as we sailed on northwards bound for Caralis or Karaly, the largest port in the southern part of the island of Sardinia.

Kallicrates was delighted to have a lookout at night as it would double the distance we could travel in a day. Apart from the many rowers on board, in addition to Kallicrates, there was the helm Phillas from Syracuse, a stocky man of medium height with short dark hair and skin burnt brown, Sigmatus the lookout from Corinth, another man of medium height with short dark hair and burnt brown skin, but of slim build and Odysus the pilot from Athens the same as the captain. We sailed downwind in good conditions and continued through the night with Amphius looking out from the bows and Toxoanassa also on watch.

The next morning arrived and we all shared a cold breakfast as the sun rose, apart from Si'aspiqo who slumbered on. Amphius gave him a shake but he just rolled over and slept on. Agripinus did a blessing and thought he was dreaming in his sleep, but not under threat. We decided to watch over him in turn to ensure he didn’t do anything rash in his trance.

The day was cloudy and quite warm by the afternoon. The wind increased slightly in strength but still held fair and we made good progress. The rowers were pleased and yelled praise to the priest, delighted that they were not required to row. We were out of sight of land and there was nothing to see apart from a few sails on the horizon, until later in the day we overtake a slower, wider galley. As I looked around the ship, I noticed the four Sardinians and the most important piece of their luggage, which was a large wooden box covered in tar. It looked like it would contain something of value as it was made of Lebanese cedar with bronze nails. It was seven feet long by three feet wide and two feet deep. Amphius told me that the Sardinians were going to a funeral.

By tea time Si'aspiqo had been asleep for 18 hours. Agripinus didn’t sense anything evil, so we decided to continue leaving him undisturbed but to stay up through the night to watch over him. At about 3am Si'aspiqo suddenly woke up and sat up. He stretched and looked around and was surprised to be told that he had slept for over 24 hours. He asked Agripinus, Toxoanassa and I to follow him to the prow where we spoke quietly to Amphius who was on lookout.

The magician explained that we had received a job offer connected to the Sardinians and he had accepted provisionally on our behalf. It would pay 30 pounds of silver and maybe something valuable to him. He admitted he was not sure what would happen next, but basically it would be an escort job, maybe taking over from the Sardinians. This had been communicated to him while he slept in some arcane fashion.

It was now not long before dawn, so after breakfast we took it in turns to rest. There was some cloud and a few rain showers and some sunny spells, but the wind continued to drive us on to Sardinia. Kallicrates was very pleased with the passage so far – if the wind held, we might make it to Caralis before dusk and a two-day voyage would have been impossible without Amphius looking out at night. He planned to sail in, get the news and take stock, before deciding whether it was a good place to sell his cargo. Early in the afternoon the island appeared above the horizon and grew larger as the afternoon wore on, but now we needed to tack. As we drew closer the rowers had to take a turn, the sail was dropped and we steered directly into the harbour. Not long before dusk we entered a large harbour, where we were greeted by a small boat and directed to moor.

Kallicrates wanted to take the rowers and his other crew ashore to celebrate while the town slept and he couldn’t do business, so we agreed to guard the boat, cargo along with the passengers if who also remained aboard. Agripinus headed off to the temple, guided by Kallicrates, to report in and would return later in the evening or maybe the next morning.

The four of us gathered some distance from the Sardinians and Si'aspiqo quietly explained that the box contained the body of a powerful sorcerer, who had been dead for some time. He added that the sorcerer had enemies both here and in other worlds. He did not explain how he was able to speak with the sorcerer, but I assumed it was similar to the way in which he had communicated with Circe. He told us that the Sardinian servants would be sent in one direction, while the dead sorcerer wanted us to take his body to his family plot. Si'aspiqo also told us the deceased was Egyptian, but he was not sure why he was in Sardinia.

Night fell and Amphius watched out over the harbour and with his cat's eyes observed many minor nefarious acts, as the perpetrators took advantage of the darkness; but it seems there is no hiding in the shadow from him. Si'aspiqo dozed and then woke with a start. He told us that we were likely to be off the boat for at least a week and were going to a place called Saar, in the interior of Sardinia and we would need a cart or wagon. The Sardinians would move some things and we would take everything else including the body.

Si'aspiqo then walked down the boat and spoke to one of the Sardinians, who awoke their leader, a man called Peleset. Si'aspiqo explained to him that he had instructions from the man’s master. He looked surprised and asked Si'aspiqo what the master looked like. Si'aspiqo explained that he did not know as he had spoken to him in a dream and did not show his face. And lo, this did not seem strange to Peleset, who believed him and was immediately ready to follow Si'aspiqo’s instructions.

The scribe told Peleset that he was to hire a wagon and transport everything out of town with us. The Sardinians were then to take the sacred jars by back roads and leave one man to act as a guide for us and we would take the body to the agreed site – Saar. There were no other commands at the moment but his master would to Si'aspiqo later the magician told him. One of the Sardinians was called Kuma. He could drive a wagon and would accompany us. Peleset and the other two men would use donkeys and travel by secret ways. Peleset would arrange the wagon and oxen to pull it and the donkeys.

My companions and I gathered again to discuss further. We agreed that Amphius would inform Kallicrates that we had a job and would be away for at least a week. When we returned, we would stay at a named inn and if he were still here and needed a guard, he would find us there. We discussed our plans and then stood watches for the night.

Agripinus returned and told us what he had learned. There were three main tribal groupings on the island. The Corsi were a small group in the northeast corner and then further south were the Baleri who were currently revolting against the Carthaginians. The Carthaginians had a naval base at Sulci an island just off Sardinia to the southwest. Some of the garrison in Caralis had been withdrawn to Sulci and then landed in the northwest of Sardinia to deal with the rebels. In the southern half of the island were Sardo-Punic settlements including Caralis and much farming. In the hills were the lands of the Iolei people. These were not currently at war with the Carthaginians. Local news was that more recently, after some of the garrison were withdrawn, local Iolei bandits had attacked a mining convoy on the way from local mines to Caralis and a number of soldiers had been killed and wounded defending the wagon train. They were short on healers in Caralis, as many had left to go with the army on campaign against the Baleri. Agripinus’ assistance was required with the wounded and he had at least a week’s work and would not be able to accompany us on our trip.

Amphius spoke to Kallicrates, who expected to be in port for at least a week to sell his cargo. He recommended the inn Nestor’s Rest and Amphius agreed that we would stay there on our return. Kallicrates was delighted with the trip to Sardinia and would be very happy if we could travel on with him. He told Amphius of rumours of mercenaries being in demand in Sicily and the good rates there. He knew that there were many Carthaginian soldiers in the north of Sardinia but he didn’t know why.

We all agreed that our gold would be safer with Agripinus in the Temple in Caralis while we were off somewhere in the hinterland on this escort job. I gave 1000 gp to Agripinus for safekeeping in the Temple and prepared to set off with the Sardinians, who now had 3 donkeys for riding and one as a pack animal, along with the wagon and two oxen we would require.

From Si'aspiqo’s Wheeze:

78: B1 – The Job Offer

Night fell and Carthage faded into gloom behind us. I dare say that if I had turned around I night have seen the pinpricks of light marking the great city, but in this unexpected second wind of my life I would rather look forward to whatever new things may come.

Or so I thought at first as we were rowed out of Carthage port. Despite the expectation of new things the rocking of the triacontor Morning Breeze over the swells in a steady evening breeze, fair for Sardinia, lulled me to unexpected sleep even as I thought to make conversation with my comrades, our lookouts, Amphius of the night eye and Toxoanasa – or rather the “Oiopata”, her tribal name, as she chooses to be here amongst strangers.

Sleep or no, I walked forward to speak with them, but found them ever a few steps beyond me. So, yes, it was one of those dreams that have marked the turning points of my life. This time it was not the goddess I now carry in my pack, Astarte-Bound, who had brought me here to the far north western wilderness from Kush, calling me in that language I do not know, but understand perfectly from her lips. Now though, first was the the cold, dark breath at my back that froze my body, then the grave-dark voice speaking in the northern tongue, the lower Nile language, that of the true Pharaohs before the Ptolomies.

“Do not fear, child of the Nile! The Gaul perished when he turned to face me. I, Arkon-zar, have taken control of your movement for your safety.”

The voice naming itself Arkon-zar went on acknowledged its debt to the god Ausar, whom the Greeks speak as Osiris, god of the afterlife, the dead, and resurrection. The mortal remains of Arkon-zar were even now with us, being transported to the tomb of their ancestors, but the voice expressed concern that their enemies, both in life and in death, seek to destroy their bones and thus deny their passage to the afterlife and, I presume, resurrection in the Sekhet-Aaru, the Field of Reeds, at Ausar’s blessing.

Arkon-zar’s spirit, on feeling the presence of one capable of walking in the borders of the dreamlands they could reach and noting the accompanying scent of a goddess associated with the underworld (though referring to the Greek’s Isis) had devised a plan of cunning to misdirect their opponents by sending their longtime servants by one route to lead at least some of their enemies stray, while offering the opportunity, with inducements, to me to arrange the escort of the sarcophagus and its mortal remains to the destination somewhere ahead of us.

There were negotiations. Once Arkon-zar was disabused of the notion that my companions were mere hirelings and understood that we came as a group with the agreement of all or not at all, I bargained over the price of the service. The offer to me personally seemed generously fair, a magical boon, but when I challenged the offering to my companions Arkon-zar seemed to regard this as mere mercenary greed, so challenged me to face them; they would increase their offer if I proved my courage in the cause of my companions. Of course a luckless Gaul had ended up dead, but I am Si'aspiqo who carries a goddess and has tasted the Earth’s Blood, so I turned — but was immobilised again even as I took the decision to move. Professing themself to be impressed by my bravery on behalf of my companions — for I had asked nothing extra for myself — Arkon-zar acknowledged that so strongly-bound a group were indeed worthy of a better reward, and increased their offer of material reward by half again, to 30 pounds of silver, which I agreed to put before all.

Then I woke up, feeling quite the most refreshed I have been in 30 years, but of course, I do not recall having tried sleeping for over a whole day in the last 30 years…

From Sammus’s Boast:

79: B2 – Bandit Night Attack

Si'aspiqo and Toxoanassa left me on guard and went into the market. They returned shortly before midday with a couple of hatchets and a throwing dagger respectively. The Sardinians returned at midday with four donkeys, one with wicker paniers, and a small waggon drawn by a pair of oxen with a rope harness.

The large box containing the body was swayed up onto the waggon using a contraption at the quayside and then we loaded our baggage and some bales of straw. Two large pieces of canvas or tarpaulin were then lashed over the top. One of the tarps could be rigged as an awning for the night. There was room for Si'aspiqo to sit alongside the driver. There were plenty of provisions; hay and root vegetables for the oxen, plenty of water, salted fish, smoked sausages, beans and hard tack for us. Toxoanassa considered buying a pony, but Peleset was in a hurry to leave.

We were let out of the gates by the sentries and headed northwest along the river. It was a dry, warm day and the oxen managed a decent walking pace. Myself and Toxoanassa marched alongside the waggon and I hung my shield from the cart, while Amphius rested under the tarp on the hay to shelter from the sun.

We passed a few carts heading into city, but saw nothing else headed in our direction until about an hour before dusk, when we drew alongside a broken-down wagon. There was a cry for help in Punic from a man called Sullo, who complained that he had been left behind by the convoy with which he had left town, when the wheel had come off his waggon. He had two servants, but between them, they had not been able to lift the waggon and put the wheel back on, and asked for our help. I was able to lift the waggon on my own, to the amazement of Sullo. The wheel was shoved back on and he hammered something in to hold the wheel in place.

Sullo told us he was pleased to see honest armed mercenaries. He had been stuck for hours and would be grateful to keep company with us. He told us there was a horse nearby with a saddle and no rider – he would write an affidavit to swear that we had rescued a lost horse on the road. He couldn’t approach it, but he thought we might have more luck.

Amphius found tracks and Toxoanassa spotted a grey pony down nearer the water. After quarter of an hour, she managed to persuade it to come towards her with some oats and eventually it accepted her and she was able to bring it back to the party, although it was still very skittish. It was a very good quality mount, with two saddle bags and a saddle with blood all over it, probably from yesterday or the day before. In the saddle bags were kindling, flint and tinder, along with cakes of compressed grain and grass for the pony. The rider had evidently taken a serious wound, but the horse was unharmed but scared.

In the twilight Amphius went off for half an hour to check for signs of the rider or a struggle, while we set up camp, but he spotted nothing. Sullo had two dusky servants or bondsmen, with which he spoke an unknown to me, probably local language. He explained that he was the factor for an estate, to which he was returning after visiting the town. He was of Sardo-Punic race, a Carthaginian citizen, and was concerned by reports of bandits.

Sullo was surprised when he realised Toxoanassa was a woman and also when he learned Si'aspiqo was Kushite, although he had met an Egyptian in town once or twice, he claimed. He spoke to Peleset in the same Sardinian language as he used with the bondsmen.

Si'aspiqo set up a protection from evil around the camp for night. Amphius would stay on watch all night and myself, Toxoanassa and Si'aspiqo agreed to accompany him for a watch each and a Sardinian would also join each watch. During my watch, with his night vision, Amphius spotted three men creeping towards the campsite, when I could see nothing. He started firing his bow and there was a grunt from one direction and then a scream from another, which awoke everyone. Amphius went after the bandits, who were unable to see him in the dark.

After a few minutes there was another piercing shriek and Peleset asked if we should go to the aid of the Greek, but I was confident Amphius would be able to deal with the attackers in the dark. Si'aspiqo added that the shriek wasn’t high enough pitched to be the Greek. We stayed in the camp and awaited his return.

After half an hour Amphius reappeared and reported that he had killed two of the three bandits and the other had fled. He went out into the night again and this time returned with a couple of spears and daggers from the corpses. The spears looked like standard Carthaginian issue, although the daggers were local and of poor quality. I suspected the spears were spoils from the bandit attack on the mine convoy. The rest of the night was quiet.

In the morning Si'aspiqo quietly reported to us that the spirit of the magician had spoken to him in a dream during the night, and we were going to separate from Peleset and head on as quickly, quietly and unnoticed as possible. He asked Peleset how many days it would be to Saar and told him that his master had told Si'aspiqo that Peleset was to travel in secret separating from us today. The Sardinian understood immediately. We were to go the long way and he would find us. He told the Kushite that it was two long days flat along river and another day up into hills to get to Saar. He would meet us in the hills.

The second day was also warm, but there were a few clouds, so it looked like we might get some rain late in the day. By full daylight I could see the rescued horse might be a light cavalry mount, or it could be for a messenger or courier. Sullo wrote an affidavit affirming that Oiorpata had rescued the lost horse running near the road, He gave the date and swore that there was no owner and the horse had been rescued honestly. Anyone concerned could speak to him, a Carthaginian citizen, at his home address. Toxoanassa put it in one of the saddle bags.

It took a lot more time to get everything packed up on the waggon and get the oxen to start, than when we had been camping with the Numidians, but eventually the carts set off at a reasonable speed. After breakfast we had probably consumed a quarter of the rations and our donkeys and oxen around a fifth of the fodder. Toxoanassa scouted ahead on the pony and I was the only one of our party now walking. As I looked around during the day, I saw evidence of intensive farming all around. There were irrigation ditches and prosperous farms and farmhouses. There were no signs of any burning and although farm workers stopped to look at us as we went by, they soon resumed their work.

Just before lunch the Sardinians pulled off to the northeast into an orchard with the four donkeys. Peleset nodded to us as they quietly detached themselves. Sullo stood up and looked around and asked where they were going and Si'aspiqo just replied that they were only with us for as long as they were with us.

We continued on for most of the rest of the day, until about an hour before dusk, when Sullo said that we were near his settlement. He said that he was grateful for our help and offered to put us up at the settlement for the night, a little away from road and river. We explained that we had a contract and needed to press on.

As we left Sullo behind and continued along the road, I could see that there might be a road on the far side of river. There were more fairly large, prosperous farms, but the road seemed eerily quiet for such a well cultivated valley.

From Sammus’s Boast:

80: B3 – A New Companion

We set up camp for the night. During the night I thought I heard noises, maybe shouting far away. I took off my helmet but I couldn’t hear much more. Amphius went out of the camp for a prowl in the darkness and returned at the end of first watch – he had also heard what might have been shouting far off, but couldn’t make it out. The rest of the night was uneventful.

Si'aspiqo sniffed the air and informed us that it should stay dry for the day. Kumar busied himself with domestic tasks around the camp at which he was very skilled. He spoke some low Greek, close to Arma and like most of the people from here was swarthy and sunburnt. He had dark hair, was middle height and build and armed with a spear. He seemed around 30. We finished breakfast and Si'aspiqo whispered that the spirit of the magician had spoken to him in a dream during the night and told him that there were no obvious problems in the way and we should continue on.

About an hour after setting out Toxoanassa noticed a man with a donkey and a pile of gear at the side of the road ahead. She returned and reported and we approached together. He waved and spoke in Punic. He was of medium height, dark and sunburnt with a trim beard. He had a strange accent and switched to low Greek fairly close to Arma. I thought he might be Spanish. He told us his name was Mago and he was a modest trader. He had been out at the mines from Caralis and his donkey had gone lame. He had been with others, but there had been a shout of “bandits” and everyone else had fled in different directions and abandoned him.

Mago told us that he had heard there was trouble and certainly there was no-one on the road. He asked if he could stay with us. After listening to him for a while, I realised he was speaking Arma in the same way as I had been taught it in the Carthaginian Army, so I asked him what unit he had been with. He said his full name was Mago Gymnesias and he had been a Balearic slinger and then had served in the Navy – fifteen years of service. He seemed more relaxed when I told him of my army service.

He asked how far we were going and told us that he was headed back to Caralis. We explained that we wouldn’t be returning that way for a while, but could take him on to the next settlement. He told us that he had been looking into the copper trade as he was also a smith; he had some bronze from the mine. He was planning to join a ship in Caralis with someone he had sailed with before, but decided he would rather come with us than be left at roadside. We could maybe stop at a farm where he might trade his donkey for something more useful.

Si'aspiqo cast a spell to help the lame donkey and it swayed in place and then lay down. Toxoanassa whispered to it, to try to comfort the beast, but it just looked spooked and resentful, although it no longer seemed to be in pain after the magician’s spell.

Mago gave a start and looked Toxoanassa wide-eyed when he realised she was an Amazon, but quickly pulled himself together. He changed into native clothing, with a girdle or kilt of pale cream wool. He was armed with two slings, one longer than the other and had a pouch of ammunition at his waist. I helped him load his stuff on the waggon, while Amphius raised the tarp and peered out from the brow of his sunhat to introduce himself. The heaviest items were two large ingots of bronze weighing about 20 kg each. With some horse cake Mago managed to persuade the donkey to follow him and he tethered it to the waggon and we set off again along the road.

After an hour or so, two lads appeared from the hedge waving rabbits and shouted something in Sardinian. Kumar explained they wanted to sell the freshly-caught rabbits. The lads asked him if we were from afar and if we had seen the bandits. They added that their father had told them that the border was closed, which surprised Kumar. We paid a silver piece each for the rabbits and continued on. An hour later Toxoanassa saw some sheep ahead, but they were quickly driven away by the shepherd, who obviously feared we might be bandits.

Late in the morning the Scythian saw carrion birds circling off the road half a mile away and rode off to investigate. She found the head, limbs, guts and hide of a butchered cow. There was scuffing on the ground that indicated at least half a dozen people had been there. The cow had probably been butchered yesterday or last night by bandits. She reported back and we carried on.

Just before noon the road headed steadily uphill and soon after we saw smoke ahead from a small settlement. There was a barricade across the road, with two guards in leather armour armed with shields and spears and two large guard dogs and a young lad. They called out what sounded like a challenge in Sardinian. Kumar responded and approached them and there was a long conversation with our driver looking quite animated at times and pointing at us all on occasion. After 5 or 10 minutes he returned looking bewildered or upset. He told us that he had explained that he was from Beskar, which was beyond Saar, but he was told that no-one could trade with the Iolei without a permit, and that the King had ordered the border closed. Kumar had told the sentries that he had mercenaries who he was taking to his home as guards. The sentries told him that he could proceed as long as he didn’t cause trouble and paid 20 gp to pass. Alternatively, we could stay in the village, which was called Firte.

We discussed the options and agreed that the 20gp would be party expenses as Kumar barely had the money for it. Si'aspiqo suggested that Mago might want to stop here rather than continue. Kumar spoke to the sentries again and they told him that he should know that Beskar was now part of the Sporaga lands (they had previously belonged to the Evro) and that Saar was now empty apart from broken men. Kumar told us that it was now almost three years since he and eight comrades had left to accompany the now deceased sorceror to the Great River. There were now only the four of them left. They had had no news in that time and Kumar seemed bewildered by the changes. Si'aspiqo asked where they had journeyed and Kumar told him they had gone to Karnak, where his master had had business.

We made our way slowly towards the village and the natives came out and waved, offering provisions for sale and an invite to stay at their inn. The headman introduced himself as Edann Evra and welcomed us to Firte. He reiterated the offer of provisions and Si'aspiqo negotiated for some lamb, wine and oil as, I believe, he wished to make a sacrifice to Astarte, although he would not name her. Mago had thought about his plans and preferred to carry on with us rather than stay in Firte. There were quite a lot of questions from the villagers, which Kumar deflected as best he could and the locals were disappointed as we headed away from them without stopping.

The road continued more steeply uphill as we left the village and the oxen had to work harder, pulling the waggon. There were no longer farms and estates around us, agriculture was different now, much smaller scale and the road was narrower; we had left the river behind. We would need to take more care on stops to ensure there was water, but Kumar thought we could push on to Saar late that evening.

The donkey was reluctant to continue. Toxoanassa approached it again, but it seemed to consider her to be its enemy. As we continued on, the Scythian had the feeling we were being watched but could see no-one. Not long before dusk we stopped for water where there a couple of burnt-out huts and a stream. Kumar told us there used to be a farm building here and he wondered what had happened to the family.

We discussed our next move. We could continue on to Saar, but we did not know what awaited us there. It would be dark well before we reached Saar and although Amphius would be able to see, the rest of us would be at a grave disadvantage if those watching decided to attack. Si'aspiqo was expecting Peleset to find us, but he wasn’t sure if he had made it safely to Saar and if not where he would be. We decided to camp here for the night and Amphius volunteered to venture out towards Saar during the night to investigate.

He set off in the early part of the night when there was only starlight during my watch and planned to start off along the road and then move off and continue in parallel to it. The rest of us took it in turn to stand a watch and await his return.

He returned after a couple of ours and reported as follows:

From Amphius’s Arguments:

81: B3a – A Little Night Scouting

As retold by Sammus

After a short while I found a ‘castle’ consisting of a circular outside wall enclosing three towers arranged in a line east to west: the towers are also circular though seem unusually thin compared to typical castle construction. There is a gate with guard at a brazier accompanied by a dog. 

“Circling the building there are the remains of a village behind – the huts appear to have been destroyed 1 or 2 campaigning seasons ago – as other huts I encountered. Round the castle wall there is a dry moat which is rough underfoot with brush.”

“There are noises from the castle and I climbed the curtain wall to observe more closely. Inside the castle there is a circular lean-to from the wall towards the central tower covering about half the distance between wall and tower. There is a small walkway / fighting platform inside the wall. Steps seem to lead up and down from beside the outside towers.”

“It is not possible to observe inside the buildings, but there was quite a bit of noise including singing. I estimate that there may be – some – 2 dozen people inside the castle. Mostly men, but some women. There were a further 2–3 dogs, including one which set to barking when it seemed to hear me. This led to a patrol of 2 men + dog round the outside of the building. While I don’t speak Sardinian, it seemed to me that the people were speaking the local language – through from which bit of Sardinia I don’t know”.

From Si'aspiqo’s Wheeze:

82: B3b – A Little Night Dreaming

As Amphius completed his report just short of the mid of the night, attaining a proper sleep in order to meet our Principal in my dreams would have been difficult. It is fortunate, therefore, that a meditation upon prayers set out in the Book of the Dead proved an adequate pathway to a sleep-adjacent trance. A familiar cold, oppressive presence filled my unwaking state.
  “Am I in the presence?” I asked that which stood unseen behind me.
  “It is I. Who else walks in your dreams?”
A question I did not answer directly, of course, but played on the Principal’s expectation of my… caution by mildly and apologetically replying
  “It always does to check.”

I gave my report of the present situation, carefully omitting the arrival of the limpet-like Mago in the hope that he can be prised off, dissuaded, or disposed of, before the lich can notice his presence amongst the damned, and take wroth.

“Kumar, your servant and our guide, tells us there have been changes in this land since he left with you. To his eyes all has changed. War has been fought here. Different tribes claim this land since your departure. We have found that Saar, the walled fortress of three towers, appears to be occupied by what we have been told are ‘broken men’. Our scout has confirmed the fort site is occupied, and the surrounding building have suffered fighting and are ruinous. We believe we are under observation, but nothing untoward has occurred, yet.
  “The road here, which Kumar expected to be open, was blocked at a nearby village by what described itself as a border post in the name of some local king.”

As the Principal had enjoined us not to attract attention I felt I must add that, “Paying what by their lights was substantial inducement in gold to let us pass may have have attracted attention, but they have not followed us and attacked, yet.
  “We have had no contact with your chief servant, but we are not in Saar, rather an ox-cart’s hour short, at a small stream ford, with signs of war close at hand. We can progress, but likely would attract attention from the, presumably, border bandits in Saar.
  “What, oh Principal, is your direction?”

Our Principal acknowledged “a strange silence is explained” as “the House of Musa” had fallen, and then railed for some time against men’s ambition as promoting division, weakness and collapse. It was difficult to understand their words for the dream-stuff could not sustain such extreme emotion. Only fragmentary words scathed my spirit as the darkness roiled about me.

Once they calmed they gave instructions that we are to retake the castle, to drive off, slay or enslave the present occupants – our methods and their fates are not our Principal’s concern. Then break into the catacombs and place the package of remains in the prepared tomb; also down there is our reward, silver and much else, but it is hidden. We shall have to dig, but our Principal will advise us of the secret ways involved in due course.

They can offer no advice whether there may be their loyalists amongst the present occupants. They expect a mere rabble lead by a strongman, and advises slaying that person would quickly bring the rest to heel or cause them to flee. Our Principal is of the opinion there are five ways to take out such a leader: stealth, force, cunning, poison or betrayal. They suggest considering engineering a direct challenge by our best warrior; or formenting distraction and panic by sorcery to cover a stealth decapitation attack; perhaps infiltrate the camp and administer poison to the common pot; or any other any strategem we may devise to move the odds in our favour.

However our Principal was optimistic. Though the situation here is not what they had expected, they had taken precautions against the vagaries of fate and have hidden reserves in case of reversals of fortune. Perhaps the present situation made their plans in some ways easier to fulfill, they thought.

So it is up to us to decide on an approach, to report back of our success and then to seek further direction.

From Sammus’s Boast:

83: B4 – Night Assault on Saar

As previously reported by Si'aspiqo elsewhere in these pages, our magician was able to converse again with our Principal in a sleep-adjacent trance. Once he had relayed the information to us, we discussed our plans. It seemed we needed to deal with the bandits and gain access to Saar, but it was up to us to decide on an approach. We discussed the advantages of pre-dusk and pre-dawn attacks and the best use of our skirmishers. I stated my willingness to take on any leader in single combat, but we couldn’t determine how we would induce the leader to accept my challenge.

Kumar said that the castle was very old, made by the ancients, and the ancestors of the Musa were buried beneath the mound in the centre. He explained that it was possible to ascend to the top of the watch tower via bars on the outside. The base of the tower was a space where a hot fire could be burnt to make metal and the smoke could rise up the tower and escape out of the top. He added that he was happy to defend his master’s remains, but that assaulting Saar defended by 20 bandits seemed very bold. He would rather wait and get Peleset’s instructions. He explained that the gateway was a tunnel with a gate and it used to be possible to drop things onto it from above, but from Amphius’s explorations it seemed this was no longer possible. There were now only lean-tos and ramparts on the other side now. We explained our mission to Mago.

We decide to advance with Amphius’s aid in the darkness to the point where there would be little risk of alerting the sentry. Then Amphius would sneak up to have a shot at the guard. Mago agreed to go with Amphius. Kumar stayed and guarded the cart. Toxoanassa rode to within a mile of Saar and then led her pony. After an hour or hour and a half, I could see a large black blot ahead down the valley and once we were about half a mile away Saar was quite clear in the moonlight. Toxoanassa, Si'aspiqo and I stopped at this point and Amphius and Mago made their way quietly into range of the sentry. My two companions and I planned to follow them in ten minutes unless we heard something before then.

After waiting ten minutes we started moving forward and shortly heard cries and the noise of battle. I started to jog and after a minute I reached the gate. In the moonlight I could see the bodies of the dog and the sentry, transfixed with arrows. I headed through an L-shaped tunnel into a courtyard and encountered two wounded Sardinians. They tried to surrender; I ordered them to beat it and they limped off. I could see Amphius ahead in the moonlight, Toxoanassa and Si'aspiqo were just behind me. The first hints of pre-dawn light were now visible.

Amphius reported that there were around 20 men barricaded in the shelters on the opposite side, waiting for dawn. We discussed trying to panic them with the use of fire. Amphius guided Toxoanassa on to the ramparts on the far side ready to shoot anything emerging from the lean-tos and Mago was already in place. I picked up some firewood and went with Si'aspiqo to the chimney above the shelters again guided by Amphius. There was some calling, presumably in Sardinian as we didn’t understand, some of it was higher pitched and there sounded to be some confusion and turmoil, but there was a more authoritative voice or two and it sounded like barricades were being dragged into place.

The chimney was a squarish pile of rocks almost up to my chest and a foot or two across. As indicated by the magician, I piled up firewood on top. Meanwhile an authoritative voice called out in Sardinian as though trying to communicate. Amphius shouted back in Greek, as I continued setting the firewood. The voice called back in low Greek, asking who we were? Amphius responded that we acted for the owner.
“He is long dead,” responded the voice.
Amphius replied, “That is the bad news. Leave now or die.”

Si'aspiqo took out a fire flute and used it to ignite the burning material. He then cast a spell to try to augment the fire; it took a few attempts, but then it really burst into flames.

The voice came again inside in heavily accented Greek, “So you want this ruin, our home, what for?”
Amphius repeated “Leave now or die.”
“Who are you anyway?” asked the voice.

By now the fire was producing quite a lot of smoke and Si'aspiqo used a cantrip to direct it down the chimney and soon those within were coughing and spluttering. The magician then added sulphur to the fire and kept the smoke going down the chimney. I added more wood to the bonfire and then knocked the pieces down the hole at which point Si'aspiqo dropped a fistful of coal down. There was a pop and a muffled bang. The door flew open and people streamed out into the courtyard in confusion. Toxoanassa shot someone in the mob, and Amphius picked someone armed with spear and shield and clipped him with an arrow, but he continued to move and Amphius fired again, sticking an arrow into the man’s buckler. Mago fired his sling into the mob.

Amphius shot the man again and he went down with an arrow in his arm or shoulder. The mob was heading for the exit. Toxoanassa shot again and there was a high-pitched shriek. Mago hit someone else who went down groaning and Amphius shouted “Don’t shoot, let them go.” Amphius spotted someone with a spear in one hand, but trying to help one of the wounded with the other and Amphius shot him and he let go of his comrade and ran off. There were no more combat effectives in sight.

Another door opened and a voice said “You can have the place, we’ll go.”
“Ok, get out now,” Amphius ordered him.
Several people came out; two or three had shields or bucklers and there were a couple with studded leather and helmets and they all fled in a coordinated group. They made for the entrance passage and left.

I went to cover the entrance – the bandits had gone. Amphius led Toxoanassa to her horse and I went to check the wounded. They were no threat, as the woman was dead and the two men unable to get to their feet, so I returned to guard the entrance. Mago stayed on the roof and kept watch. Si'aspiqo let the smoke disperse. After 15 or 20 minutes Amphius returned. He had told the survivors to head north. Toxoanassa had galloped off to fetch Kumar and the waggon from the camp to the south.

The shelters were divided into general quarters for most of the bandits and peasants and a slightly better-looking area. There was a lot of camp impedimenta, some beds and a cooking fire but nothing of value. The better area had a couple of rooms, which had once been storerooms. Mago climbed up the tower via the iron bars on the outside and kept watch. I found a large barricade for the entrance and pushed it into place. Amphius went to rest in one of the dark rooms, where there were no windows.

Si'aspiqo tried to heal the one of the wounded men. He was moaning and seemed in danger of dying if nothing was done. Si'aspiqo cast a spell and the man stopped moaning and lost consciousness, at first it seemed he might be dead, but he was just in a deep sleep or coma. The magician moved him into the shade and looked for some water.

He found an aperture in the central mound away from entrance, pointing at the doors of the smoky huts. As Mago was on watch and there was no threat nearby I accompanied Si'aspiqo down the aperture guided by a small magical light he conjured.

The aperture led into a wider space, where there was some daylight from cracks in the rock walls. We found a well with a bucket and some rope. Si'aspiqo lowered the bucket maybe 60 feet down into water and I hauled it up. There were strange anthropomorphic carvings in nooks and crannies in the stonework and space for a fire and a shaft up.

We returned to the wounded. The first was still breathing peacefully in the shade when we returned. The other man spoke a few words of Punic and said his name was Arta. Si'aspiqo gave him some water. I looked around but only found a couple of broken arrows, which I gave to Amphius for the arrow heads.

After a couple of hours Toxoanassa, Kumar and the waggon appeared and I moved the barricade back out of the way. Kumar unhitched the oxen and we brought them in. Then we unloaded the waggon and dragged the large box inside the gateway. We watered the oxen using a large cooking cauldron – they certainly drink a lot, so it was lucky we had found the well. Kumar looked around bemused at the ruins of the gateway and the shelters on that side – this had once been his home. He spoke to Arta in Sardinian and told us that Arta was a runaway from the mines not a local. He was either Ligurian or Italian. Kumar didn’t recognise the other wounded man or the woman.

Kumar asked about the other bandits and learnt that Bult was their leader and they were called Rovers in low Greek. They had no lord and no taxes and subsisted by whatever they could get their hands on. They were mainly escaped slaves or refugees from war, although several of the women were originally from the village. I could see Arta looking around and counting and wondering why there didn’t seem to be more of us.

Kumar asked Arta if they had attacked anyone recently, as we wondered what had happened to Peleset. The bandit told us that they hadn’t; neither had they seen three men on donkeys. Kumar asked if maybe the Amazon could scout around and try to find Peleset. He thought Peleset had been intending coming in to Saar from hills to the East, although he wasn’t sure. Toxoanassa agreed to go and scout out in a circuit to see if she could find any sign of the three men. We hobbled the two prisoners and put them in the smoky quarters and the Scythian rode off on her pony.

From Sammus’s Boast:

84: B5 – Instructions from the Archon

In the early afternoon Mago spotted Toxoanassa with three figures on foot and it quickly became clear that the figures were Peleset and his two companions. Soon the three Sardinians were reunited with Kumar, who updated them on what had happened. The newcomers they looked around at Saar in shock and amazement.

Peleset explained that they were late as he had found a relative, who had explained what had befallen Saar, and it had taken Peleset a while to understand what had happened during his absence. There had been a war between two neighbouring clans, which had destroyed almost everything around Saar. The order of the King had brought peace but no-one was now allowed to live in this valley.

Peleset had hidden the jars he had been transporting, but told us he could retrieve them. He added that he could return to his family for shelter and protection. Si'aspiqo said that the sorcerer had suggested digging here. Peleset told him that family members of the House of Mousa knew the secret way into the catacombs but he didn’t. He had seen the door open, and a funeral procession enter, but he had never set foot inside.

Peleset referred to his former master as the Archon. He suggested that if Si'aspiqo could communicate with the Archon, then he could tell Si'aspiqo what to do and the Egyptian replied that that was his intention, but that he would have to wait until the night to receive further instructions. Peleset said that Si'aspiqo should tell the Archon of the war, but he would be grateful if the scribe did not mention Peleset and his companions as he could not defy the King and serve the dead. Si'aspiqo replied that he would try but might not be able to prevaricate their status in communicating with the Archon.

The Sardinian said that if Toxoanassa took him, he could ride and get the jars and return before nightfall, staying overnight before leaving in the morning. Si'aspiqo suggested that if they wanted no involvement then they ought not to be here when he spoke to the Archon. The Sardinians could take the oxen out of the valley if Toxoanassa escorted them and she could then return by dusk with the jars.

The Sardinians hitched up the oxen, we all exchanged good wishes and they trundled off. Toxoanassa walked her pony behind them.

We thought we might need some tools for digging to get to the catacombs. We found a hoe and a wooden shovel, but we would need a pick to get through any rock. Mago found something that could serve as a forge and a lot of wood and I found a hammer and a set of tongs, and enough iron for Mago to be confident that in a couple of days he could make an iron pick.

The injured prisoner still slept, but we gave the other water. Nothing disturbed those of us guarding the ruins, although Mago thought he had seen someone watching from some ruins. He had sent a sling bullet or two in and there were sounds of someone scurrying off. Around dusk the Scythian returned with two extra saddlebags containing four jars.

Dusk fell and Amphius got up. He looked around from the walls and checked the ruins of the village, but saw nothing. Si'aspiqo prepared and then carried out a small ceremony to the goddess Astarte-Enslaved, to assure her of his worship and to send an offering into the lonely underworld desert where she was imprisoned.

At midnight Si'aspiqo went into a meditative trance and received some directions from the dead sorcerer. He related these instructions to the rest of us. We were to enter the central tower and find three statues. Someone understanding mechanisms should find one beneath each of the three statues – the serpent, the man and the beast. In order to open the way, these mechanisms would need to be activated in order: serpent, man, beast and then man again. This last was very important, otherwise some sort of deadly trap within the catacombs would be activated. There would be a ramp down to the first level and then from there a shaft directly to the fifth level. However, there had been a rope and windlass, but there was no guarantee that these were still there and in operational condition.

The Archon wished to be winched down into position on the fifth level bypassing all his ancestors, who, although they had been calm a few years ago, might have been disturbed by the war. We were given free rein to deal with any who disturbed us. Hopefully once we had the body of the Archon in place, he would tell us how we could find our reward and then we could leave.

Si'aspiqo was a little concerned at the Archon’s use of the word “we” in the phrase “we will set things to right”. The Archon suggested that if we had serious trouble with his ancestors, then as a last resort, we should place the sarcophagus down and open it and he might deal with the problem, but this might have side effects. He added that if we couldn’t use the shaft then we would have to go down all the ramps to get to the fifth level.

Si'aspiqo had tokens for each of us apart from Mago, which he could use to enable him to cast protection spells and asked Mago for something similar, as he felt such spells might be required within the catacombs. Mago cut a lock of hair from his head, and twisted it into a knot. The Kushite pricked his thumb and sprinkled a drop or two of blood on this, muttering some caballa all the while. When he was satisfied, he gave back the little token of hair back to Mago, who pinned it to his tunic.

We made our way to the central area and with a little light Amphius could see the statues clearly and recognise which was which. He could see chips and hack marks in the walls and fragments from blades where the bandits had obviously been trying to loot the place.

Amphius looked for the mechanisms beneath the three statues. He started with the Serpent without, initially, any success, although after a subsequent attempt he thought he had found something. He moved on to the Man and immediately found it. He couldn’t find the one beneath the Beast in two attempts and took a break. He had a look out from parapet and thought he saw a shadow move in the ruins, but nothing else.

After discussions we thought the bandits unlikely to attack at night and decided we to guard the place during the day and then go down into the catacombs during the night. Amphius would spend part of the day investigating the mechanisms and then sleep for what remained of the day, while the rest of us would take it tuns to guard and then sleep during the day.

Both prisoners were awake in the morning. The more seriously injured who had been put into a coma by a spell from Si'aspiqo, seemed to have broken ribs and was in pain, but was no longer likely to die. He could speak some broken Greek. Amphius gave him some water and the man asked who we were. Amphius told him that we were employed by the owner to get the castle back and the prisoner told him we were welcome to it. He said he was from Neapalis and asked to be set free. Mago thought Neapalis was further up the island. It had been a Greek trading settlement on the West Coast but had been taken over by Phoenicians. It was about halfway up the west coast, between 50 and 100 miles away. Amphius told him he would be released when we had finished.

Amphius investigated the mechanism beneath the statue of the Beast and thought he had found it. He inadvertently set off the mechanism and got a small bronze tool stuck when he tried to reset it. After some careful manipulation he managed to get it out intact without jamming the secret mechanism within the stone.

Toxoanassa went out on her pony and three skirmishers broke from cover and ran off past the village, when she came near. She returned to the castle and the rest of the day was hot, but uneventful.

From Sammus’s Boast:

85: B6 – Draugr Wrestling

Shortly before dusk, Toxoanassa rode around the area outside the fort and then carefully through the ruined village. She saw no-one. She returned and we all sat down for our evening meal at dusk.

After the meal we looked at the box. It was large and heavy and maybe over 7 feet long – I could drag it on my own, but to carry it would need at least two others. We decided to open the gate before trying to take the crate down, so we could see how big any passageway was. Amphius operated the mechanism beneath the serpent statue, then the one under the statue of a man then the beast. As he operated the mechanism underneath the statue of the man there was a rumbling sound from the wall on the far side of the entrance, between two of the statues. Beyond the opening an antechamber 15 to 20 feet wide and 10 or 12 feet deep was revealed. There was an exit in the wall on the far side of the antechamber.

As he entered Amphius saw a lever on the left-hand side of the wall within the antechamber. He thought that the crate would only fit through the opening if it was pushed through on its side. It would fill a substantial amount of the antechamber. The Greek looked at the door ahead which was a little wider and he thought the crate would fit through the right way up.

There was a left turn immediately ahead, with a 30-degree ramp down, made of steps filled in with some sort of grout. The filling looked to be relatively recently carried out. It looked ideal for sliding the crate down. There was a landing 15 feet down with another turn to the left.

Realising that the crate would be difficult to negotiate through the corners, Mago started to look at opening it. He took out some small tools and, using Si'aspiqo’s axes as wedges, removed a plank to reveal lots of packing. He realised it was going to burn quite a lot of lantern oil, working down here, so I helped him move the crate back to the courtyard into the moonlight.

He took off most of the top planks and within there were layers of cloth with the outermost layer coated in pitch. Mago worked his way through several layers and found bundles of reed beneath, which he carefully removed one by one until we could see some kind of painted effigy – a painted wooden sarcophagus.

As Mago removed more bundles of reeds, the sarcophagus became clear in the moonlight. It had a painted figure on top with a malevolent looking expression and a bandaged mouth. The black eyes seemed to follow you around. Using a couple of loops of rope, we pulled it out of the crate and then Amphius fashioned a rope sling with handles at each corner. The sarcophagus weighed substantially less than the crate and there were actually carved handholds on the lower part. The bottom was smooth and it was relatively easy to drag it along a flat surface.

Si'aspiqo pointed out pictograms and many small sigils drawn over the outside. He told us that one was a major warning against disturbing the dead – something like Anubis will devour anyone interfering with this box. A different hand, more scribbled and in a different pigment, had written along the side – warning that something cursed lay within, and a terrible fate would overtake anyone foolish enough to release the night walker. The other parts looked formulaic and were in the same careful script as the first warning.

Four of us took a handle of the sarcophagus each and, led by Amphius carrying the saddlebags containing the jars, we headed back down below.

The opening into the antechamber had now closed. Amphius tried to open the mechanisms again. He started with the one beneath the serpent statue, but didn’t think it had opened, then he jammed a bronze tool within. He managed to wriggle it out again and eventually succeeded and had no problems with the other mechanisms. Once again, the opening was revealed as part of the wall between two of the statues seemed to move back and them slide to one side with a rumble.

Mago put in some wooden wedges to jam it open. There was only room for single file so Amphius led the way, followed by Si'aspiqo with a shuttered lantern then myself and Toxoanassa carrying the sarcophagus and Mago brought up the rear. We went down the first ramp and turned to the left and then down another similar ramp into an octangular shaped chamber with a dais on either side and burial urns in the corners. There was an archway opposite the entrance and ahead there was a dim red glow.

Amphius led the way through the archway and ahead were a couple of curved steps up to an urn or altar of twisted metal with the glow of fire within. A little smoke rose and disappeared somewhere above. The way led either left or right of the altar and Amphius turned to the left.

He entered a room small rectangular room with four ledges on the walls on either side and ahead with maybe 20 bodies on them in all. There was no exit.

He retraced his steps and we followed him past the altar and after 15 to 20 feet the passage turned to the left. Amphius entered another larger room of ledges. The central part had two floor-to-ceiling pillars. The Greek spotted an opening in the right-hand wall with the shaft we had expected, while Si'aspiqo heard creaking and rustling ahead. The magician cast protection against evil on Amphius through the Greek’s token.

I saw Amphius peering off to the right and heard rustling from ahead and to the left. Toxoanassa and I lowered the sarcophagus to the ground. Amphius realised there were two or three undead lumbering stealthily towards him. He dodged round them and came back to my side, while Si'aspiqo cast a protection spell on me.

There were three armed zombies. Amphius shouted we’re with the boss in Greek, but they paid no attention to him and lumbered on. Si'aspiqo told Toxoanassa to turn the sarcophagus to face the zombies, while I drew my sword and moved to fight them. One had a long bronze sword, a war shield, armour vaguely reminiscent of the Kushite’s but with reinforced shoulders and a helmet with horns. The second had a leather helmet with horsehair tufts and a bizarre bronze sword on a pole in bronze. The third was on the other side of a pillar and had leather armour, a war shield and a bronze spear.

Amphius shot at the sword-armed draugr closest to him and his arrow glanced off the helmet. I hit it on the helmet with my magic shortsword and knocked it off. The two undead facing me both missed. Toxoanassa with the help of Mago managed to raise the sarcophagus, next to Si'aspiqo, and facing the undead. Mago looked scared but did not run away. Amphius fired again and hit the same undead in the head and his arrow lodged in its skull through the eye and it reeled back. I hit the draugr holding a spear and hacked into its thigh, but it fought on. It missed wildly and struck sparks from wall. Si'aspiqo backed behind the sarcophagus to give us more room, but this restricted the amount of light for me, as he had the lantern.

Amphius fired into the same undead and his arrow lodged in its arm, while I cleaved into its arm behind the shield and sheered the arm off. It still continued to attack. Amphius hit it again, but didn’t seem to cause the same damage with his arrows as I did with my shortsword. I cleaved through its right shoulder and sheered off its other arm, while I shielded off a spear blow from the other draugr.

Amphius drew his shortsword and placed his bow behind the sarcophagus, while I lopped off the right arm of the spearman. Amphius missed the armless swordsman, which lurched into him with teeth snapping at his armour. He could see every detail on its long dead visage as it closed in. Amphius stabbed again and missed wildly hitting me in the back, but my chainmail deflected the blow. Amphius hit it and it collapsed to the floor, while the spearman shielded off my blow. The final undead guardian stepped forward and narrowly missed me with its polearm.

Amphius jumped over the collapsed undead and faced the polearm, trying to get too close for it to be wielded effectively. I sheered the leg off the spearman with another vicious blow, and it fell to the floor. However instead of lying still it wriggled towards Si'aspiqo who backed away, exchanging places with Toxoanassa, which made the light even more tricky for me. The remaining upright undead stepped back to a more effective range and Amphius shuffled back beside me. The polearm rang off my shield and I missed with my riposte.

An arrow from Toxoanassa flashed past me and hit the undead, but just glanced off the helmet. Mago cracked and, overcome by fear, ran away down the passage behind us. Amphius once again bravely leapt in close to the undead, while it thrust at me, glancing off my shield, while I missed again. Si'aspiqo cast a protection from evil on Toxoanassa.

Amphius dropped his shortsword and tried to grapple the polearm; he managed to get a hold of it, but it was like wrestling with a tree trunk. I tried to hit the draugr on the head, but checked my blow as it would have hit Amphius. It struggled to discard Amphius, trying to bang him into the wall on the right-hand side, but the Greek managed to hang on and evade the wall. Si'aspiqo tried to light a torch with a cantrip, while I ran around the pillar into the darkness, to try to get in the back of the undead and avoid striking Amphius. Amphius still clung onto the polearm and the draugr trundled across to the pillar, but again missed smashing Amphius into it. Amphius let go and jumped back and the polearm hit the retreating Greek, but I was now able to strike freely and I hit it on the helmet.

Meanwhile Toxoanassa was kicked at by the undead wriggling on the floor. Si'aspiqo lit the torch, and although he was somewhat sheltered behind the sarcophagus, I had a little better light. Amphius picked up his shortsword and as the polearm glanced off my armour, I struck off the draugr’s head. The rest of it crumpled to dust.

I despatched the last two and after a couple of minutes Si'aspiqo and Toxoanassa returned with a somewhat dishevelled Mago. Amphius and I gathered the sword, polearm, bronze spear and two war shields and Amphius noticed a gold ornament. I noticed a gold wire bracelet on one of the severed arms. Amphius had a ten or fifteen minute break and we searched the bodies.

Si'aspiqo cast a fortune telling spell to determine whether the shaft to the right of the entrance was the way to get our charge to his destination – this is an important way came the response. By the light of the dark lantern, he saw three heavy bronze rings in a triangle above the shaft. One on the edge of the entranceway and two in the ceiling. He could see no bottom to the shaft but it was dark down there.

Amphius looked down. He thought there might be a bottom at least 50 maybe 100 feet down. He wrapped a pebble in some light material and dropped it down and thought the bottom was 50 or 60 feet down. There was no rope around, but Amphius thought the brass rings were handling rings similar to those used for hauling cargos on and off ships. Amphius looked for any secret compartments that might store rope, but spotted nothing other than the exit from the chamber, in the far corner.

One of the corpses had a blackened torc of silver or tin. There were two armrings of blackened metal on the spearmen, and across his chest low down, horizontally, was a small scabbard with a knife with a carved bone handle. There was a leather helm with black reeds fitted as a crest and another with deer, goat or sheep horns. The three all had leather armour, much hacked up. The archers recovered all their arrows, they were all broken but the heads were intact.

Si'aspiqo checked the objects for power and recognised the gold object. It was a blue and gold scarab and he thought it old and Egyptian and with some power. The small dagger also tingled. When drawn it was darkish and rather blue, maybe iron or even sky iron. The armrings and torc were tin, Mago said. He had heard of sky iron found in the east. It looked to him as though the dagger had been heated too far, but yet it remained both hard and sharp. Si'aspiqo thought sky iron might bite on the shedim.

Amphius looked down the corridor ahead. It was too narrow for the sarcophagus. As he looked, he spotted a trap. Almost out of sight on the right-hand side was a large iron grate set with spikes and pressure pad. He leapt past the pad and the corridor opened out and then swung round to the right and there were stairs down.

We walked back to the surface leaving the sarcophagus behind us. We emerged not long before midnight.

From Sammus’s Boast:

86: B7 – In the Shadows

We returned to the surface and settled down for a rest, while Si'aspiqo prepared to communicate with the Archon. The magician found it difficult, partly because there were now other voices, but also because the scarab, which was some kind of protection against spirits, seemed to have an impact. He realised that as the door to the catacombs was open, the spirits of the Archon’s ancestors were emerging and these were the other voices he could hear. This also led to my companions and I suffering a very disturbed sleep. Si'aspiqo cast a protection over the entrance to the catacombs and we were all less disturbed in our slumber. While we slept, Amphius weaved our light ropes into heavy rope and ended with 50 feet and 30 feet lengths of heavy rope.

At dawn Toxoanassa and I took it in turns to watch while Amphius slept for a few hours and Mago tried to release the wedges preventing the door into the catacombs from closing. He was unable to remove the wedges without either opening the door with the mechanism or having me force the door back slightly as they were wedged so tightly. He gave up and tied together the two pieces of rope Amphius had weaved.

Whilst I was on watch I thought I might have seen someone watching from the ruins of the village. When Toxoanassa took her turn she thought she could make out a couple of people, and at the end of the watch she rode out to investigate. She rode around the area and the ruins but saw no-one.

We assembled again and Amphius led us down to the chamber with the shaft, taking our rope with us. He looped the rope through one of the brass rings and tied the rope around his waist while I wrapped the other end around my waist and braced myself. Si'aspiqo cast protection from evil on the Greek and I allowed enough slack for him to abseil down the shaft. We thought there would be just enough rope to allow Amphius to descend to the bottom of the shaft.

He clambered slowly down and at one point I felt the strain slackened as though he had stood on a support, but the strain picked up again. Soon after the rope went slack again, but this time it was because Amphius had reached the bottom of the shaft.

After a short time, the rope went taut again and I could tell the Greek was climbing back again. I felt a couple of odd twitches of the rope and suddenly it went slack. There was a thud and a groan as Amphius fell to the bottom of the shaft. The rope must have snapped. He whispered up that he was OK.

I pulled up the rope, Mago tied the grapnel to it and I checked it and lowered it down over the edge, rather than through the rings. After a minute Amphius walked back up the shaft as I kept the rope taut to help him. He had the 30 feet of rope that had detached wrapped around his body.

Si'aspiqo felt it was cold in the chamber and that it seemed dark in the corners. He muttered and cast protection from evil on himself and a ten-foot radius around and then we made our way back to the surface to discuss what Amphius had seen at the bottom of the shaft. On our way out I pushed the mechanised door up and gave Mago just enough play to hammer out his props. The door came down with surprising speed, as I leapt out of the way, but there was not much noise or much of an impact as it reached the ground. It now looked like just part of the wall.

It was still early evening and Amphius reported that the joined rope had reached the bottom. Here there had been a rectangular room with a dais and two tables. Upon each table was a metal bowl. All around three of the four walls were pictures and the other wall had closed double doors. He had heard a trickle of water along one of the walls. The shaft was close to the centre of the room. If he rejoined the heavy ropes and then attached a sling made from some lighter rope, to hold the sarcophagus, Amphius was confident that we could lower it down the shaft to the room.

The rest of the night passed uneventfully. In the morning we fed the prisoners, but left them still tied up. During the night Si'aspiqo had gone into a trance and once again communicated with the Archon. Si'aspiqo confirmed to us that the agreement had been to deliver the coffin to this place, but not to unpackage him and perform any ceremony. He added that he was happy to take the coffin down and put it in place.

Amphius had a nap and then, around mid morning, Toxoanassa rode off to the ruined village. We heard a couple of cries and she returned to report that she had hit two bandits in the leg and incapacitated them.

Amphius awoke and rejoined the heavy ropes, then cut up the lighter rope to make a cargo sling, which he attached to the heavy rope. He then triggered the three mechanisms under the serpent, man and beast statues in succession and then the one under the man statue again. As the door opened, he led myself, Si'aspiqo and Mago into the tunnel with Toxoanassa as rearguard. We followed the ramps down to the octagonal chamber with two tables and then turned right past the altar and round to the room with two pillars and the shaft, where we had left the sarcophagus.

Amphius rigged the harness around the sarcophagus and the rope through the rings and then, as I held the rope, he pushed the sarcophagus out above the shaft. As I lowered it down, there were some grinding noises, but it came free and continued down. There was a bump at the bottom and the rope started to slacken. I lowered it a few inches more and then stopped.

Amphius then prepared to climb down the rope. I told him to give one tug to pull up on the rope and two tugs to lower more rope. Amphius climbed down to the top of the sarcophagus. He gave two tugs and I lowered a little more rope. He lowered the sarcophagus, which landed flat on the ground with a little bit of a crash. The Greek clambered off and reported up the shaft that the sarcophagus was now flat on the floor and the correct way up. He cut the rope below the grapnel and then, holding the rope, he walked up the wall as I helped pull him up.

Si'aspiqo, Mago and Toxoanassa noticed it was colder in the room and darker in the corners. Si'aspiqo walked towards a corner trying to open the lantern, but closed it by mistake. When he opened it again it looked like some of the darkness moved in a shadowy way, particularly off to the left, where a tunnel led off. He thought he saw a glint of steel and bronze and called Amphius to take a look with his dark vision. The Greek too a look and saw a hint of darkness and a shadowy form.

Si'aspiqo cast a protection against evil on me as I armed my shield and took out my sword. I advanced to the entrance, while behind me, Si'aspiqo shone his lantern to try to illuminate the tunnel ahead. Amphius pulled up the rope from the shaft and then drew alongside me to look down the passage and I let him past.

Si'aspiqo called out to the shadowy figure in Egyptian, but it ignored him and I was struck by some sort of magical attack. Amphius thought the shadowy figure was a magician and he and Toxoanassa fired at it. The Scythian missed but Amphius glanced a spark off the helmet of the shadowy figure. Amphius fired again and hit it low down where there was a swirling of shadow, while Toxoanassa again struck sparks off a helmet.

Amphius crouched down to look at the trap and spotted a tile that he thought was a pressure point; he used the pommel of his sword to trigger it. I felt a jolt of pain in my hand and arm and I dropped my sword from another magical attack, just as the iron gate slammed shut against the opening to the passage with a crash. There were spikes sticking out of an iron grill which would have impaled anyone in the first few feet of the tunnel. Amphius picked up my sword and the rope and we headed out.

As we left, swirling darkness came through the grill and occupied the corners of the room. I brought up the rear as I could still wield my shield and the protection Si'aspiqo had cast on me kept the darkness away. Mago led the way and felt the coldness around him. As we reached the altar and turned to the left there seemed to be more shadows but they kept away from the fire in the altar.

Once we reached the hexagonal room the light projected more strongly and we headed to the exit. The lever by the secret door seemed to be in the central position. Amphius moved it to the left and although there was a click, nothing seemed to happen. He then moved it to the right and the door opened smoothly. Amphius stayed behind as the rest of us left, by now my hand and arm had recovered and I took back my sword as I passed him.

Amphius tried moving the lever to the left, but he did not have time to exit before the door swiftly closed. He put it to the right and it reopened, he then put it to the middle and exited. After a few minutes the door closed once again. Shortly afterwards the protection spell dwindled and stopped.

Amphius described what he had been able to see in more detail – a humanoid figure in leather armour with a metal helmet and a weapon in one hand, surrounded by small black flying objects that seemed to form the shadows.

After a short rest, Si'aspiqo went into a trance and tried to communicate with the Archon, but couldn’t get through – he thought this was because the secret door was closed. We rested until dawn so that the magician was fully recovered. We thought we still had a couple of days before we had to reduce our rations.

Amphius opened the door again and we made our way down to the room with the shaft. The grill across the entrance to the tunnel had retracted. As he prepared to set up a ward against evil, Si'aspiqo accidentally triggered the trap and the gate smashed back into place, but fortunately we were all well clear of the spikes. He cast a protection from evil across the entrance to the tunnel and then went into a trance and tried to contact the Archon again.

When he awoke, he told us that the Archon suspected the shadowy figure was Zaigas, one of his ancestors. He added that the Archon promised that the treasure was down there. He had reiterated that he could not afford to lose any servants, so why would he so why would he destroy us? But these words did not fill me with any confidence; if he had no other servants, he would want to control us, not destroy us.

From Sammus’s Boast:

87: B8 – Opening the Box

After awaking from his trance, Si'aspiqo told us that he did not think we should place too much weight on the warnings daubed on the sarcophagus – this might just have been revenge for a disagreement with the Archon’s servants, maybe caused by the less than flattering painting of the Archon on the lid. The Archon had offered a job as his mouthpiece to Si'aspiqo as he was the only “Speaker with the Dead”, which led Si'aspiqo to believe that the Archon would not be able to take over the minds of living people to provide himself with obedient servants, but just have power over the dead in this place.

He further explained that it was an installation rather than a ritual. We were to place the sarcophagus on the table and remove the lid, which should be placed in a nearby slot. Then place the canopic jars in their settings around the table and finally light with normal fire the bale-fires in the metal bowls by the table. We all agreed to go ahead with the ritual.

We returned to the surface to have some refreshments and a brief rest for the magician and then while it was still fairly early morning, we headed back down to the room with the shaft. Here, Amphius triggered the spiked yett, whose spikes hammered into the wall alarmingly close to the Greek. Si'aspiqo cast his protection from evil as a ward along the wall past the tunnel entrance; he thought this would last until sundown. Amphius then climbed on my shoulders and tied the rope onto the ring above the shaft, where it would be in reach for me. He then climbed down the rope, followed by Mago who carried a torch. Toxoanassa tied a stirrup at the end of the rope and I lowered Si'aspiqo, carrying the jars, down the shaft.

Over the next half hour, I heard occasional whispers from below that all was well. Then there was a tug on the rope, I started pulling the rope up and after a brief slip I hauled Si'aspiqo out of the shaft. He reported that they had run out of light as it was taking so long. The sarcophagus was on the bier but so far, they had failed to open it, although Mago and Amphius now thought they had spotted the secret.

We left the catacombs once again and collected a few torches before returning to the room with the shaft, where Si'aspiqo’s ward still seemed to be working and the yett was still in place. Amphius retied the rope and climbed back down followed by Mago and again I lowered Si'aspiqo. Mago and Amphius manage to remove the identified pins and then some wedges.

After some fumbling, the two men removed the lid and a pungent smell of resin filled the room. They propped the lid in the recess identified by Si'aspiqo, with the bandaged face looking balefully out into the room, and then placed the canopic jars in the four recesses. Si'aspiqo went to the metal bowls on the bier. They seemed to contain some shavings or kindling. He lit them using a cantrip and they flared up and then died into a low smouldering fire like that in the altar on the level above. The smoke didn’t go up the shaft but seemed to collect below the ceiling at the north end of the room.

Mago and Amphius climbed the rope and I hoisted Si'aspiqo up. We returned to the door out of the catacombs and Amphius moved the lever over to the right and the door opened. We went through and left it open and Si'aspiqo went into a trance close to the entrance. When he awoke, he had instructions for retrieving our loot. We would need to return to the chamber where the Archon had been placed and were warned to follow the instructions carefully as there were deadly traps. We should find our silver and Si'aspiqo’s promised spell scroll. The Archon wanted to speak to Si'aspiqo again at midnight.

In the chamber there would be an empty shelf to the right-hand side as the Archon would see it, we should break open the panels for the silver, there might be more than agreed, but Si'aspiqo was instructed to pay out the agreed amount. There would be a set of tiles on the wall also on the same side and breaking the third tile from the left and the fourth down would reveal the scroll. Breaking the wrong tile might lead to deadly consequences. Si'aspiqo meditated for a short time.

In the early afternoon we returned to the catacombs, allowing the door to close behind us. We returned to the chamber with the shaft and Si'aspiqo verified that his ward still seemed to be working. Amphius once more tied the rope to the bronze ring and he and Mago climbed back down. As I lowered the rope for Si'aspiqo, it slipped in my hands and Si'aspiqo failed to hang on and fell. Fortunately, he was near the bottom of the shaft and although he landed heavily, he suffered no more than a sprained ankle.

Amphius went to the shelves to the left of the Archon as he looked at him. There was a thinner panel rather than stone at one point and he noticed it seemed hollow. He could not detect any traps, so he took out his sword and managed to lever out some of the panel and found a small recess with little dark blocks. He pulled one out and Mago identified it as an ingot of tarnished silver. It had a Spanish mark on it and weighed about five pounds. Amphius put it back and Si'aspiqo handed out six of them – as agreed with the Archon. Amphius replaced the panel as best he could.

On the same western wall there was a square array of five-by-five tiles. Si'aspiqo counted three from the left and four down from the top. Amphius checked there were no traps and then broke it for him with the pommel of his sword. The tile split and he picked fragments away. Behind was a dark circle. Si'aspiqo created a small light with a cantrip light and carefully pulled out a scroll tube with Egyptian ciphers on the outside. The three men took two ingots each and Si'aspiqo also pocketed the scroll tube. Mago and Amphius climbed up the rope and then Si'aspiqo grasped hold of the rope and placed his foot in the rope stirrup. He stubbed out his torch, gave the signal and I hauled him up and helped him out of the shaft.

We made our way back to the surface for mid afternoon and closed the door behind us.

From Sammus’s Boast:

88: B9 – Return to Caralis

Si'aspiqo carried out a small augury to determine the omens for leaving immediately. He had some difficulty interpreting the way his tokens had fallen but there was no death rune, so we decided we could go. Si'aspiqo meditated and Amphius had a nap while we packed. While on watch Mago had the feeling we were being watched but could not spot anyone.

We released the prisoners with orders not to leave until the morning. One was now fully recovered but both seemed stiff and cowed. We had enough supplies for the animals but less for ourselves. The donkey seemed to have recovered and was no longer lame. We set off in the twilight, soon after the sun went behind the hills. Si'aspiqo mounted up on the pony, which was led by Toxoanassa and Amphius guided us on our way along the road to the left.

It was a clear night and just after midnight the moon came up and we soon came to the end of the valley and turned right to the south. Around dawn we saw the smoke of a settlement off to the south. Si'aspiqo dismounted and limped the last mile to the village, while Amphius sat on the pony with a bag over his head to protect his eyes from the rising sun.

A few villagers appeared and we were recognised and waved in. Si'aspiqo paid 8 silver pieces for some provisions and accommodation. The pony and donkey were given water and some dry hay and the headman appeared and beckoned us into the middle of the settlement and into a large hut with a family inside. He didn’t ask for money but as a token of appreciation Si'aspiqo gave him 2 gold pieces.

After lunch Peleset arrived and it was obvious that the head man had sent for him as soon as we had arrived. He had warned the villagers that we might be back and they should let him know if we arrived.

Si'aspiqo explained that we had fulfilled our mission and put the Archon’s body in position and that the place was quiet when we had left. As far as we knew everything was as it should have been. Although the Archon might have wanted more, we had completed what had been agreed and had other work waiting.

Peleset told us that there was trouble in various parts of island and that it was fortunate that we were foreigners and not Carthaginians as there was trouble to the north between the tribes and the Carthaginians. He added that if we wanted, he could negotiate for us to buy mounts. Si'aspiqo asked him to acquire a pack animal and some provisions.

The magician spoke quietly to Peleset and asked what he had known of Saar. The Sardinian replied that he knew the catacombs were below the centre of the fort and that the family would conduct ceremonies there. He knew in general terms where his master was.

Si'aspiqo asked how the Archon had passed and how they had brought him back. Peleset explained that they had traveled across the sea as a group to Alexandria and up the river to the Temple City. There they had stayed in a house while the Archon had talked to the priest. He added that the Archon had announced that he was going to die and no-one had been surprised as, although he had been in good health, he had been the oldest man in the valley. He told his servants to wait for the body to take home and he had died within a week or two of his announcement.

They had waited for a whole season while the priest had carried out the funeral ceremonies which had been the reason for the trip. Most of the preparations had been completed by another member of the party who was a magician, but this person had died, along with others, during the return journey when plague had struck in Alexandria. Since then, they had been travelling in hope until Si'aspiqo told Peleset that he could speak to the Archon.

Peleset negotiated with the head man on our behalf. The head man agreed to organise food and a donkey back to Caralis in exchange for 20 gold pieces. The donkey seemed in good health, much better than that of Mago’s beast and there were a couple of paniers full of fodder and some provisions for ourselves. It was evident that Peleset had prepared the way for our appearance and Si'aspiqo gave him 4 gold pieces as a token of our appreciation and we all wished him well. He advised us to return to Caralis as soon as possible and suggested we travel at night to avoid any bandits and tribes on the warpath.

We set off again around dusk with Si'aspiqo mounted on the pony led by Toxoanassa as his ankle still had not recovered. Amphius led us off the road as we approached the border guard post and we successfully avoided the sentries and any settlements before rejoining the road and continuing along it until the sun started to rise.

Toxoanassa chose a camp site in an olive grove near the road but after we had slept for a couple of hours, during my watch I spotted peasants coming to work in the grove. We set off again as they rapidly left the area. Amphius held on to my belt to follow me along the road as Si'aspiqo was still mounted on the pony. We saw a few farm workers but they always immediately found somewhere else to be.

A couple of hours before dusk, Mago’s pony started to limp again and we had to transfer some of its burden to the donkey from the village, which was evidently of a much higher quality.

Soon after, Toxoanassa spotted the dust of a horse patrol ahead and we discussed hiding. However, we decided that this must be a Carthaginian patrol and hiding might be suspicious, so we just waited at the side of the road. After about 20 minutes 16 fairly well armed and equipped militia arrived led by a Carthaginian officer.

The officer asked if anyone spoke Carthaginian and Si'aspiqo told him we were returning from a job and mentioned that we were friends of Agripinus, who was known to the Carthaginian officer. He switched to Arma as we introduced ourselves and said that Agripinus had warned him to look out for his four companions and we explained we had met Mago on our way. He asked if Amphius was OK as he had a sack over his head and the Greek explained that he was sun blind. He told us his name was Pythas and that his troop were going out for one more day and might be able to escort us on their return trip. “You should push on and we will probably see you tomorrow”, he finished and then they cantered off.

It was the end of the day and we had been marching for almost 24 hours so we looked for the village of Sullo, whose cart we had repaired on our way to Saar. We didn’t spot it, but instead found a site near the road down by the river. Si'aspiqo made a midnight offering to the goddess and the rest of the night passed uneventfully.

We watered the pony and donkeys in the morning and Mago’s donkey seemed to have recovered after the rest. Amphius was now able to mount on a donkey as enough provisions had been consumed, so we set out along the road again and made good progress. It was sweltering towards the middle of the day, particularly wearing chainmail as I was and we stopped for a long siesta before returning to the road after hottest part of day.

Late in the afternoon, the cavalry returned. Pythas said he was pressing on but told us he would leave word at the north gate. As a password we should tell the watch that “Pythas’s mother is Aphrodite” he said. They rode off and we marched on along the road.

At dusk we could see the outline of Caralis ahead. In the gathering gloom the pony was startled by something. It stumbled and then galloped off with Si'aspiqo hanging on for grim death. Fortunately, Toxoanassa calmed the pony, before the magician was thrown off.

We arrived at the gate just after midnight and hailed the watch. Amphius gave the password, the gate was opened and we were inspected and allowed to enter. We returned to the same inn before and it open to let us in. We were served some refreshments and given a room.

And so it was that we all returned safely from those catacombs in the Sardinian hinterland, to enjoy a well-earned rest in the city of Caralis.

From Sammus’s Boast:

89: C1 — A Problem in Emporion

The next morning, we found that Kallicrates was still in port. He had a quick contract to get some provisions and gear from up the coast to Tharras or Neapolis for the Carthaginians but we agreed to meet on his return.

Agripinus and arranged to convert four bars of silver into gold which came to 120gp. Toxoanassa and Amphius each kept a silver ingot. I put in 20gp for the gold wire bracelet as valued by Mago and we sold the tin torc and armrings for 30gp. Agripinus took the donkey and pony to the army and as he was able to vouch for us and we also had Sullo’s affidavit, we were given half value (40gp) for the pony, even though it was recognised as a military mount. We were also given 8gp for the donkey. Si'aspiqo took the scroll as his reward while the rest of us had one and a half ingots of silver (5lbs each) and expenses of 52gp.

Mago returned his donkey, sold his ingots and then helped me to find a goldsmith who made two coiled gold armrings. Each was made from a bar of 200gp of melted gold, bent into concentric coils. Along with my other jewelry I felt that this allowed me to cut an impressive figure. The two archers then bought arrows and the makings of some fire arrows and Amphius also bought a box to keep them in along with some headbands and a leather helmet he designed to help protect him from sunlight.

Si'aspiqo studied the scroll of healing sleep and tested the spell on a couple of the wounded Carthaginian soldiers and it seemed to work well. The scarab was very valuable, he thought, for it was a lovely piece of art aside from its magical properties. It had been stolen from a tomb so some people (Egyptians in particular he said) would immediately take offence against anyone wearing it. In any case he thought that it was not a good market here. It was a protection of soul or mind – but this was probably a side effect of its main purpose which was for a named person probably a dead pharaoh. It would probably be best to sell it in a big city where people had few principles.

He thought the dagger would bite on things that a normal dagger wouldn’t. He thought it was sky iron, and Mago agreed. He thought there might be something more about it that he hadn’t yet found. Myself, Agripinus and Toxoanassa thought it could be made into a Carthaginian stabbing spear, but not a hoplite heavy spear as it was too slender, and that it was probably best left as a dagger. We decided to let Si'aspiqo and Amphius hang on to the scarab and dagger respectively for now.

There were a lot of refugees in Caralis, who had fled their homes in the interior, bringing with them just what they could carry. The garrison was depleted here and there were less patrols in the city than normal and Amphius heard rumours of the increased opportunities for crime. There was a lot of speculation on how long it would take to put down the rebellion. Agripinus bought some jewelry from one of the refugees who was keen to convert it into cash.

Kallicrates returned after 2 weeks and started unloaded provisions. He had taken paying passengers to Tharras, the port on the north of Sardinia, who hoped to then find a ship onwards from there. He was happy to discuss with us what we wanted to do next. Odysseus of Athens, his pilot, a short scrawny man, recommended crossing the Blessed Sea to the northwest to Emporion, the largest Greek settlement near the mountains and the centre point of trade up to Gaul or along the coast. He had been to Gadir, beyond the pillars of Hercules he said. From Emporion we would be able to work our way along the coast to the Carthaginian settlements. We all agreed this sounded a good plan.

Kallicrates was delighted to welcome us all on board particularly with the addition of Mago with his experience in naval dockyards. He suggested that we each put in 50gp and he would match the total to buy a cargo for Emporion. He returned after a couple of days and told us he had found a cargo abandoned by another Greek and waiting shipment to Emporion. He had secured three blocks of fine marble ideal for carving for 600gp. He thought it should be worth double that or more in Emporion.

I had volunteered to watch the ship but I swapped duty with one of the sailors to help Si'aspiqo, who wished to make a sacrifice to Astarte. Agripinus was busy, but made sure the town watch went past the ship. Mago, Amphius, Toxoanassa and I accompanied the magician in a small fishing boat. We were dropped off on a long curving sandy beach near Caralis in the late afternoon. The fishermen agreed to come and collect us in the morning.

Si'aspiqo lit a small fire and prepared for a midnight ceremony and we enjoyed a picnic of wine and cheese. I noticed some driftwood and footprints but all seemed quiet now. Amphius noticed that there was sparkling in the ocean as it got darker — he pointed out faint phosphorescent lights glowing on the water. The stars came out on a warm evening.

Shortly before midnight, Si'aspiqo set up his statue, made a fire in front of it, and set a protected circle around it. He then sacrificed food and wine, and added charcoal and powders to the fire. He called to Astarte that she was remembered, told her where he was and what he had been doing and asked for her blessing on the next voyage. The offerings flared up brightly and he could smell hot sand, cedar and aromatic wood reminiscent of North Africa and could make out the faint outline of a face in the fire. He thought the ceremony had gone well. He tidied up and slept peacefully until dawn. The fishing boat eventually arrived, delayed by the calm weather, and ferried us back to the harbour late in the morning.

It took two days to prepare the ship. During this time, three large blocks of pale stone wrapped in cargo nets arrived on a cart, were hoisted on board and then stowed low down in the boat. Kallicrates also stored food and water. Amphius had a box full of arrows and Mago a sackful of pebbles for his sling. I made a contribution to Agripinus, who included it with his own ceremony asking Tanit for a successful journey. Before we set sail a number of Carthaginian officers and dignitaries came to say goodbye to Agripinus, who was obviously a man of some reputation in these parts.

We set sail at dawn with a light easterly wind and after rowing out of the harbour the sail was set and we headed west with the wind mainly behind us. Three days and nights passed without incident while the wind, though somewhat fitful, persisted from the east. We made good progress through the days and with Amphius keeping watch were able to sail on during the night.

In the late afternoon of the fourth day there was a cry of land ho and eventually land became clear through the clouds. Odysseus thought we should head North along the coast but had not confirmed where we were by the time darkness fell, so we drifted for the night. It was a starry night and Amphius spotted a dark shape in the water, which he thought was circling the ship. He woke and warned Kallicrates and then ourselves, but no-one else could see anything. Eventually the pre-dawn light arrived.

As it brightened Agripinus too saw a shape in the water — a large dark fish with a fin breaking the water. Odysseus thought it might be a shark and remarked that it was thought unlucky to be followed by one. Kallicrates ordered the sail raised as the wind veered more to the south and slightly west and strengthened. By mid-morning we could make out a bay with stone walls and buildings, and an island with a small fortress. The oars were put out, the crew rowed into harbour and Kallicrates announced we had arrived in Emporion.

Most of the town was south of the port, while to the north was an island with a fortress which was the old harbour and settlement. The walls and fortifications were probably bigger than Caralis and this was the first place since Carthage that was Greek. Looking around at the local populace they seemed worried and unhappy and seemed to be wondering who we were, which was not what I would have expected in a trading port.

Kallicrates spoke to the harbour master and reported that things had changed since last year. The City Council had voted to elect Platon as ruler for a limited period of time and things were not as free as previously and he wasn’t sure why. He thought it was probably best to stay on the boat while he worked out what was going unless we were Greek. We knew that Greeks and Carthage had clashed in Sicily but as far as we knew they were not at war and, although we had heard there might be trouble brewing, there was no news that this had developed into anything.

After dusk Amphius went out and returned just before midnight. Kallicrates and the Greek members of the crew were still in a bar somewhere. Amphius had heard from a source that there had been a series of killings in the city around the full moon. The background to this appeared to be related to a prominent visitor called Jeremiah and his wife. She had been suspected of witchcraft and they had both been executed in turn around 18 months ago. Jeremiah had cursed the city – since then there had been multiple earthquakes. These had resulted in damage to the new temple, where building work had ceased and to the Agora. Finally in the necropolis a tomb had sunk into the ground leaving behind a large hole from which a gorgon issued forth each full moon, or so the rumours told. Platon, the Tyrant, had issued an invite to mighty heroes to take care of the problem, but none had arrived thus far. Already some priests had tried without success and had been slaughtered by the monster. It seemed the gorgon’s victims were torn apart. The next full moon was about four nights away.

Kallicrates returned a couple of hours later, looking surprisingly sober and rather concerned. with things on his mind. He confirmed that the new temple had been damaged by earthquake and construction had ceased, which would make it difficult to sell our cargo. Platon appeared to have instigated regular military exercises some of which were starting shortly. Kallicrates thought that we had two choices; either to leave immediately on the next tide and wonder what to do with cargo or stay here which would mean getting involved in the military exercises. He wondered what we felt of the second option, he added that he knew Platon was keen on experienced mercenaries and priests of power might have some defensive duties.

Si'aspiqo said that there was more to this than Kallicrates was letting on and we huddled closer around the Greek. He told us that there were certainly problems for the state that they were cautious not to spread as rumours would affect trade. The men on exercises were trying to keep it secret and if we got involved, we might be here for the duration he warned. Si'aspiqo pressed him to be clearer as this was beginning to smell of something and eventually after swearing us to secrecy he explained further.

There was a haunting of sorts with something from the Necropolis – some kind of spawn of titans or a foreign demon he thought, raised by the curse of sorcerers from the east. Everyone was conscripted into the military and given part of the city to defend. Platon had sent word for heroes to the Temples of Nemesis — the nearest was in Sicily but most were in Greece and there had been no response so far. If we were keen to get involved, he could try to introduce us as a mercenary company specialising in dealing with monsters he added.

After discussions we agreed that Kallicrates should introduce ourselves, but emphasize that we were not wall guards but an independent company of mercenaries. He thought we could walk into the Agora and town but we would attract attention so we waited while he had a nap and then left to get an introduction to Platon for us. He returned after a couple of hours having arranged an interview for the noble Agripinus and whoever he wanted to take with him.

We assembled and followed Kallicrates up the harbour steps and through the gate. We worked our way through a compact city with many stone buildings, and the damaged Agora and then beyond into a town hall. Here we were admitted into an antechamber by a guard. We waited half an hour or so before an underling showed us into a Greek hall with a dozen Greeks on guard.

Kallicrates told Platon that we were mercenaries on his ship, men and an Amazon who could keep a secret and might be able to help in his military situation. He would leave it for us to discuss as experts and specialists and he would return to his ship.

Agripinus introduced himself and the rest of our group and explained that we had heard of Emporion’s plight and sought to aid him. We had sworn an oath of secrecy and would like more information he added.

Platon looked like a grizzled army commander in his late forties. He was well muscled and in good shape with the scars of an experienced warrior. After we repeated our oath of secrecy the Tyrant explained that the city was being molested by a demon invoked by foreigners and which needed to be dealt with before confidence in trade failed. The creature issued forth at night near the full moon from the necropolis he added. His men had tried digging it out and blocking it in to no avail. Various priests had tried warding and banishing the demon but to no effect apart from leaving multiple vacancies at various temples. He hoped Tanit might prove more effective. He would provide free accommodation and free rein to investigate the necropolis. If we succeeded, he would be grateful and would provide citizenship and a reward. If we failed, we would be buried with full military honours.

Agripinus thanked him and told him that we needed to gather information, talk to the temple and any with experience related to the problem. We would then talk of requirements and rewards. Platon seemed happy with that and pulled out a carved wooden baton, a skeptron, and told Agripinus to show it to any priests or guards and they would co-operate. He mentioned the temples to Artemis, Zeus Serapis and in particular Asclepius, which was famed throughout the region, we would be provided healing if needed by the latter. The Tyrant reminded us that this was a secret mission within the walls of town. He did not want word spreading over the Blessed Sea. We agreed to return at sunset.

From Sammus’s Boast:

90: C2 – Agripinus Swears an Oath

We agreed to investigate in three pairs, so while Amphius and Mago headed to the markets to find what rumours they could hear and Agripinus and Si'aspiqo went to visit the temples, Toxoannassa and I followed the main street south, towards the Temples. It was clear that Emporion was a compact city and its walls were strong, built of ancient stone with a parapet and guard-walk from one end to the other. Only two gates pierced the walls – the sea gate led down to the port, while the south gate led to the lands outside. Many shacks, sheds and dry-stone enclosures stretched out from the walls, while the necropolis covered a low hill a few hundred paces to the West. There was only light cover around, nothing to worry skirmishers or small bands of soldiers.

At the necropolis a funeral was taking place, watched over by two city guards. They questioned us in Greek, and we gave them a note that Si'aspiqo had lettered for us. They accepted that we were mercenaries, here by Platon’s authority and just asked to leave the mourners alone. There were no forbidden areas but they told us not to enter the pit as it wasn’t safe and grave goods were sacred. They wouldn’t discuss the gorgon as it was above their pay grade, but suggested we talk to their sergeant back at the gate. They added that they were on duty all day and that it was quiet as always.

The guards added that we had to be back inside the walls before dark as the gates would be locked then and no-one would be admitted as the curfew started when the cryer called out. Anyone outside after that would be arrested. One of them then noticed that Toxoanassa was an Amazon and he and his companion had an excited conversation in Greek as we left them and explored the necropolis.

The necropolis was empty, apart from the funeral party. Amidst the older stones, at the North end, was a deep pit, at least 20 feet deep. It looked like a sink-hole, with various excavations all around and clods of earth and stones scattered in all directions. If someone had tried filling it in, something had dug it out from below, with ease. A faint smell of burned leather came from the pit; the bottom was dark and lay in shadow, even by the light of day. There were numerous tombs nearby as the necropolis was a jumble of graves all packed together, many were weathered, and tilted with age, but there was nothing obvious to report.

We found find the sergeant. He said that the topic was not to be discussed openly, and called his captain from nearby. We were directed into a small room in the wall. The captain looked at our note. “Prudent. I am taking this at face value, as you would be in a lot of trouble if it was a lie. If Platon has let you in on the secret, I will comply with his orders on the matter. But I have not got any yet. So come back tomorrow.” Then he nodded politely, and left. After a minute, so did we as sunset was not so far away and we wanted to hear what our companions had found.

Amphius and Mago reported a number of rumours. The Celt Iberians were said to be on the warpath and might be at the city gates by winter. The wealthy widow Jubella was looking for a new lover. There was report of big stakes gambling dice game tonight and someone had claimed to have found the dice of Kyros lying in the gutter after a recent festival and was asking for a loan of 100gp to be repaid thrice over from his winnings. It was rumoured that Platon secretly worshiped Baal and was in league with the Carthaginians. Subscriptions for the next phase of the Zeus-Serapis Temple were available and now was thought to be a beneficial time to invest. They heard nothing of Gorgons, curfews or murders in the street, just a joke that hauntings would continue until morale improved. They also heard that the local coinage had a woman on one side and a winged horse on the other. Amphius knew that the winged horse, Pegasus was the offspring of Medusa. Zeus-Serapis was a reworking of Zeus building on the eastern Gods and it seemed to Amphius a little odd for this to be here in Emporion. He wondered if this was relevant to the eastern prophet or priest that had been executed.

Si'aspiqo reported that he and Agripinus had gone to the temple district near the southern wall. Starting at the temple of Artemis, the huntress, associated with hunting, healing and childbirth, where the priestess Andromeda had read a bland statement that the temple supported Platon and stood on the wall with the citizens to defend the city. She said that they knew no more about Jeremiah than could be heard as gossip in the agora.

At the temple of Asclepius, Calix the Dominee was far more positive in attitude. He took them to see a guard, who was being treated, a survivor of one of the attacks. His squad were overrun and had no back up magical or priestly. He said the demon stank of something bad thrown on the fire. He waxed poetic, describing how the demon had come out of the darkness black as soot and as fast as a wild boar. It was as hard as stone and had smashed his shield, arm and helmet and knocked him out. His sergeant had been taken back over the wall and bits found of him in the necropolis area. He wished us good luck, adding that we would need it.

At the half-built temple of Zeus-Serapis, the senior surviving priest was Barack the Younger. He was not very friendly, seeming offended that foreigners and unbelievers should be coming to rescue them. He thought the populace was being punished for a lack of faith in Serapis.

The High Priest, Aeges had stood against the demon. He had made his preparations and gone to the tomb along with his guards but they had not succeeded and the priest had been torn to pieces. All that had been found of him was his hand still wearing a ring. They learnt a little of Jeremiah, who Barack really seemed to detest. He had been an eastern merchant and apothecary who had been around Emporion for several years. He was a respectable man who paid his taxes, but his wife, from Tyre, had attracted the ire of all and sundry. She might have been a priestess but was seen as a witch. Barack was careful, not to say her name aloud, although he spelt it out for them.

Barack thought that Jeremiah had been turned from his Hebraic faith by his wife. It was not clear how long she had been in Emporion. It was alleged that she had put curses on people and certainly some people had fallen sick. There had been a riot and her place had been turned over by a mob. She was found guilty by the judgment of the people and had been lynched. Jeremiah had tried to defend her and paid with his life. It seemed Jeremiah had been stoned to death and then her corpse had been burnt and scattered.

Si'aspiqo understood her name was “Isabel” which might be translated as “Vow of God”. Agripinus pointed out that it might be Ize-baal which would mean “Promised to Baal” or “Bride of Baal”. He wondered if perhaps this was no Greek Gorgon but an incarnation of the Vengeance for Baal for something which had occurred in the city. He hoped that as a priest of Tanit he might be better placed to deal with anything related to Baal that the other local priest had been.

Barack, when asked if anything had been left of the Fane of the sorceress, took great delight in explain the way that everything that could be burnt had been burnt, anything that could melted had been melted. Anything remaining had been thrown into the sea.

Returning to the temple of Asclepius there were strange rumours Imhotep and Asclepius had been linked in some way. Si'aspiqo gave a sleep of healing to the surviving guard they had interviewed, who immediately fell deeply unconscious.

We discussed what we had found and agreed that we would take this quest on. We agreed that Agripinus should ask for 2000gp to be shared between us and suggest that we watch from the walls tonight. After we had finished our discussions, it was time to meet Platon. As before we were met by guards and shown in, but his time Platon was dressed in full battle gear. He had impressive armour, with a finely made metal cuirass with bronze cast shapes, pteruges, greaves and a large helmet close at hand.

There was a hush from the guard as though waiting orders to deal with us, when Agripinus made his demand. Platon raised his eyebrows and said “A serious fee for a serious business.” However, if Agripinus swore to deal with the demon or die in the effort he agreed to pay us 2,000gp. In addition, he would give full logistical support, provide any healing and give us an honourable burial if we died. He doubted we would need citizenship if we had 2,000gp. Agripinus added that any spoils of any battle should also come to us and agreed to provide the head as proof.

Platon led us to the temple of Artemis and bashed on the door. We were quickly admitted into the courtyard, from whence Andromeda took us to the inner sanctum. Here Agripinus swore on our behalf to Tanit in the sight of Artemis to take on the Gorgon or die in the attempt. Platon swore to support us as valued mercenaries and to pay us 2,000gp if we killed the Gorgon.

We marched back to the administrative building and Platon invited us to an informal supper. He suggested we join the duty guard a couple of hours before midnight. Platon had a word with one of his officers and quarters were made ready for us in a wall barracks. At Agripinus’s request a small room was included for Toxoanassa.

A small feast was prepared, which was a mix of formal and informal like a military camp meal. There was a general conversation with the Greek soldiers, which mentioned the current military situation. There was a curfew and the gates were locked and guarded. We learnt that the Gorgon could scale the walls even though they were sheer. Sometimes it seemed to be a whisp of smoke, but at other times it was material with teeth and claws; it usually took any victims back over the wall to eat. Once it had eaten it did not usually reappear until the next new moon. It seemed to delight in eating priests and priests no longer held ceremonies by the pit. We asked if it broke into houses, but it seemed to take its victims from the streets hence the curfew. It was said that anyone who had died in a house had either left a door open or invited someone in.

We were shown our quarters and then let up on to the wall. The wall was higher than any of the buildings except maybe some of the temple roofs. There was an urban wall on the sea side with a cliff down to the sea and military walls for the rest. The whole of the western wall was about 250m to 300m long.

All was quiet until midnight, it was warm and dry, and very dark until the moon started to rise. The rest of the night was also uneventful and we return to our quarters when the sun came up to get some rest.

From Sammus’s Boast:

91: C3 – Into the Pit

We slept for the morning and then after some refreshments went our separate ways until we reconvened later in the afternoon to take stock and make our plans for the night.

Amphius had bought some kantharos to hold holy water, while Mago had bought and whittled cork to make lids for them. Agripinus blessed one of them. He also had four earthenware pots of holy water, one was freshly blessed but the other three had travelled with us from Karalis and would need to be blessed again – he could do one a day. The priest had also procured some protective leather wrappings for my sword arm.

We discussed our plans and Amphius in particular was keen on setting up in the Agora to try to tempt the gorgon to attack us in the open there. If there were guards on the wall and patrolling the streets or if townspeople broke the curfew and were out in the streets, then the gorgon might attack them and return to its lair without us having a chance to intervene. Amphius would prefer that the guard and watch were kept inside. Otherwise, we would have to set up outside the wall; we all agreed that we would not want to fight against the gorgon on the walls which had a narrow walkway with a long drop on either side.

Agripinus went to Platon to outline our plan. He returned to inform us that the Tyrant was unwilling to leave the wall undefended. The curfew was always broken by someone and he also did not want the city to be defenceless. Agripinus had agreed that we would set up outside about 50 yards from the wall, and 100 yards from the pit. We made our way through the gate and found a suitable site where there was light cover from low walls and dykes, but a pretty clear view to the necropolis. The night passed uneventfully.

We ate on returning to our rooms and then slept until noon. We had refreshments and again arranged to reconvene later in the afternoon. Si'aspiqo gathered some torches and a modest amount of whale oil and requested some brimstone. He returned to the Temple of Asclepius and saw Urion, the wounded guardsman. Urion had slept for more than a day, and had awoken hungry but his head had healed well. The temple now accepted Si'aspiqo as a proven healer. The magician cast a less powerful version of his spell again on Urion who still had an arm injury.

Toxoanassa went to the temple of Artemis, where the priestess Andromeda said she had been forewarned of her coming, and told by the goddess what to do. Andromeda gave her a bowstring of hair, blessed by the Temple. Andromeda said that if she were to string this to her bow, and call thrice upon the goddess by moonlight, she would become her avatar. Tidings of dire import indeed, for those that walk for the gods are truly in peril. Yet Toxoanassa took the hair, and wore her fate lightly. Agripinus prayed to Tanit, asking for her help in dealing with the demon.

An hour before dusk we emerged from the city and made our way to the Necropolis. There were two guards nearby, but they knew who we were and did not disturb us. There were a lot of worn and tumbled gravestones scattered about the area. Around the large hole were clods of dried earth which looked as though they had been cast out from deep within the pit. The hole was at least 20 feet deep and the size of a house. The sides sloped down at 45 degrees or more. The hole was smaller at the bottom, maybe the size of a room. Mago, Si'aspiqo and I could detect a burnt smell from the pit, but there was no smoke and the others did not notice the smell. Si'aspiqo thought it smelt unnatural. I thought it looked a tricky climb down to the bottom of the pit in armour.

We set up 100 yards away from the pit in a yard outside a ruined hut. Agripinus cast a glyph of warding in the yard and marked it with stones. We lit a couple of torches at dusk but the moon came up brightly soon after and we did not really need them. It would be the full moon on the following day. Nothing had disturbed us by midnight and Si'aspiqo tried to sleep. He slept fitfully as though something was coming but it never arrived, and the night passed without incident.

We returned to the barracks again and slept until noon. At lunchtime a guardsman arrived and handed a small package to Si'aspiqo; it was the brimstone he had requested. The magician ground it into powder giving him several handfuls, which he put in a pouch. We then headed out of the city again to investigate the pit.

Looking into the bottom of the pit, we realised that no matter how high the sun, the bottom of the pit was always in shadow – the shadows seemed like those around Kaskator. Agripinus cast the light of Tanit and directed it into the pit; the shadow receded and now only covered a small plot in the corner.

Amphius climbed down and had a look around. Mago tried to follow him and slipped and fell heavily, cutting his head open. Mago climbed back up and Agripinus stitched and healed the wound. Meanwhile Amphius investigated and found a five feet long, stone-lined, slightly arched passageway about five feet high, which led from the corner of the pit. He headed into the passageway to investigate….

From Sammus’s Boast:

92: C4 – The Demon Appears

After a few minutes Amphius returned from the tunnel to report his findings. “Looking into the passage from outside it looks dark, very dark – like some of the narrower passages in Kaskator. Once entered the passage remains supernaturally dark, although there is enough light from outside to back-illuminate anyone entering, at least initially”.

He had sneaked forward to the full dark and found a continuing narrow, constrained passage with a number of 90 degree turns. At one turn he noted a small inscription high in one corner: “The Knossian Made This” which reminded him of pre-historic Cretan labyrinths he had been told of as a child. Continuing for some turns there was a smell of something burnt in the passage, but again all remained dark. Although he could see a little, he suspected that others might not be able to, even with torches. Supernatural positive light would, of course, be more effective at suppressing the present dark environment…

We discussed our options. The passage was very small for me and would prevent us from manoeuvring, so we decided the best option was to face the demon as it emerged from the tunnel. Si'aspiqo sent Mago into a short healing sleep, and after an hour he had completely recovered. Meanwhile Amphius went into the city and returned with a shovel, a pick and some rope and pegs. He set up two knotted ropes up the sides of the pit and pegged them in place, while Mago set to work constructing a set of steps. Once he had set up the ropes Amphius helped Mago with the steps.

Si'aspiqo prepared two fire flutes and Agripinus set up a glyph of warding where the passageway exited into the pit. The priest warned me to invoke Tanit if I crossed the area protected by the glyph of warding. Si'aspiqo also cast an area of protection there. The moon rose and we waited. Mago and Amphius continued with the steps. Agripinus and I stood guard in the pit and Si'aspiqo and Toxoanassa watched from the rim. Amphius would join myself and Agripinus in the pit and Mago would join the others around the rim as soon as anything happened or when they finished work on the steps.

The night passed uneventfully, so in the morning we headed through the gate back into the city. The gatekeeper said we must have kept the monster at bay, as the city had remained quiet, but we knew it would be the full moon tonight. Agripinus requested three spare shields and a squad of men to finish the steps. The captain of the watch organized some citizens and sent them out with the Necropolis guards and provided the requested shields. We rested for the morning.

Si'aspiqo recharged all his flutes and returned to the necropolis where one of the diggers reported the markings for Agripinus’s glyph of warding. The magician made his way to the pit and muttered over them and told the digger all was safe now but to keep away from the entranceway, which he was glad to comply with.

By dusk we were all in place back at the pit with two sets of steps having been completed. Agripinus checked his glyph and it was still active. Soon after dusk the full moon rose and Si'aspiqo recast his protection. We shared out six containers of holy water with the majority going to the skirmishers. Si'aspiqo ran through the rhyme for me to trigger my own protection from evil and then started to meditate. I set up one spare shield in the pit and the other two at the top of the steps.

After an hour or so Toxoanassa pointed and asked “what is that at the entrance?”. Amphius saw some mist or a whisp of smoke and threw a bottle of holy water at it. The bottle shattered on the ground or the side of the pit and spread holy water around. Agripinus started singing a hymn and we all felt emboldened. Amphius threw another bottle of holy water which didn’t seem to hit anything but smashed and scattered holy water around. Toxoanassa ran around the pit with her bow drawn.

Agripinus thought that his glyph had not been passed. He triggered his holy orb and gradually increased the light of Tanit that it cast. Amphius drew his bow and headed towards the steps. I heard Toxoanassa utter a prayer to Artemis and then her bow seemed to burst into yellow gold flames. In the increased light from Agripinus’s orb I saw the whisp of smoke disappearing out of the pit and I followed Amphius up the steps. Toxoanassa, her bow and an arrow were all limned in yellow gold flames and I saw a burning gold arrow arc towards the smoke and then strike sparks.

Toxoanassa fired another golden arrow and Mago followed her around the pit, while Si'aspiqo was startled out of his trance and leapt to his feet. Amphius reached the top of the steps and I was not far behind him. I could see a blot of darkness and then the flash of sparks from another of the Scythian’s arrows. I headed for the darkness as it closed on Amphius. He was clutching two kantharos of holy water. He threw the first just before the shadow reached him, but missed. The shadow seemed to move extremely quickly and Amphius tried to hit it with the second kantharos, but again missed. There was a discommoding smell from the darkness of smoke and something other worldly and the Greek was overcome and hurled himself into the pit in terror.

Mago threw a kantharos and hit the shadow. The kantharos shattered and scattered holy water; the demon let out a roar. Toxoanassa struck it with another flaming arrow and I came into contact and stabbed it with my shortsword. It was very quick and hit me on the leg and knocked me on to one knee. It seemed to be a beast with four legs but then it seemed to be on just two. It seemed to lash out with claws like a bear. I made out hair, claws and a horrible demonic beast face. The blackness dissipated and collapsed into small blots. Mago threw a second kantharos and it shattered on the ground.

Amphius followed Agripinus up the stairs comforted by the hymn the priest was still singing. Toxoanassa fired another arrow at the dissipating target and it stuck into the black mess right in front of me. I got to my feet as there was no target and tried to stab the mass, but there was nothing to stab, so I dropped a bottle of holy water on the blots and again it smashed and scattered more holy water. The remaining blots of darkness seemed to drift like heavy vapour. The vapour started to rise and as Agripinus stepped forward it seemed to shrink away from him and slithered back into the pit. Toxoanassa shot again but the arrow went straight through the mist.

Agripinus used priestly magic to summon an arcane weapon, with which he could strike from distance. Si'aspiqo cast protection from evil on Amphius. The Greek now recovered, stepped toward the shadow as it closed on the entrance to the passage. He tried to stab it with a magic dagger, but the blade just went through the shadow. Toxoanassa, still limed with golden flames shot again, but the arrow also passed through without seeming to cause any damage.

Agripinus missed with his arcane weapon. Guided by the light of Tanit from Agripinus’s orb, I headed back down the steps. Agripinus struck with his arcane weapon and the whisp of smoke shrank away. It avoided the ground where Agripinus’s glyph was still warding and disappeared into the tunnel, scuttling along almost like a smoky hand.

From Sammus’s Boast:

93: C5 – Artemis Leads Us – Into the Labyrinth

The shadowy form disappeared into the dark passage, with Amphius and Agripinus watching and I jogged down the steps to join them. Amphius and I indicated we were willing to follow but Agripinus thought we should wait out the night and then set up again tomorrow. If nothing happened for a few days then we could investigate.

Toxoanassa, still limned in a golden glow, ran down to join us, but did not hesitate, plunging straight into the low, narrow passage. Amphius followed her immediately, while I dropped my large shield and grabbed a smaller one and rushed after them. Agripinus and the others paused at the entrance and Si'aspiqo cast a protection from evil on Mago.

I had to jog almost bent double to try to keep up with my more lightly armed comrades and the disappearing golden glow, which gave the only illumination. As I went, I counted the turns in the passage: a left, four rights, three lefts. Here Toxoanassa paused and took a couple of breaths and I caught up. Two rights turns were followed by a longer stretch, three rights, two lefts, two rights, three lefts. The stretches between the turns shortened which slowed the Scythian and I was able to keep up.

Three more right turns and then Toxoanassa got to one knee as the inky shadow sprang out of the passage around a corner just ahead of her. The arrow struck the dark form, which emitted a horrible roaring noise and then leapt to attack the archer. Amphius shrank against the wall and I managed to squeeze past him.

Toxoanassa dodged back and drew an arrow. To her bow of burning gold. She fired and struck the demon, which looked like a huge, long-haired dog or perhaps a bear, with a hideous anthropomorphic face. She tried to stab the demon with an arrow and did some more damage and I stabbed at it over her as she dodged low. I hit it again as Toxoanassa collapsed to the ground and it cascaded into blots of darkness. I stabbed at it with my shortsword but it was like thrusting into a sack of rice and whatever it was just seemed to flow around my blade. The golden light around Toxoanassa faded and the passage was plunged into darkness.

Amphius moved forward and, in some strange Greek ritual, pissed on the blobs of darkness or powder before stabbing at them with his Egyptian dagger. Now all was totally black, but he told me he could see a mist starting to come off the remains. Just ahead was a corner where the passage turned to the right.

After what seemed an age in the blackness, but can hardly have been a minute, Amphius managed to spark my torch, but just as it caught light, we saw behind us the brilliant white illumination of the light of Tanit with Agripinus leading the rest of our comrades along the passage towards us.

Agripinus passed me and Amphius pointed out where the shadow had been. In the corner to the right there was a cloud of vapour wafting down the passage. The vapour was coalescing into a huge spidery hand. It slithered along the floor becoming more substantial as it went. Agripinus focused the light of Tanit and struck with his arcane weapon. The shadow seemed to shrink from the light and writhed along the passage. Ahead was a stone box, like an altar, in a ten-foot square chamber with no other exit. On the altar was smoke or vapour rising from a bowl on the altar. The priest used his light to force the smokey hand into a corner in the ceiling of the room and then smashed a flask of holy water into the bowl, which seemed to suppress the vapour.

There were carvings with the name of Baal on the altar he told us. It looked like a fane with a sacrificial fire which had now been extinguished. The light of Tanit continued to constrain the smoky hand and Amphius entered the chamber, crunching on some bones scattered on the floor. There were more behind the altar. He levered at the top which seemed to move. Agripinus poked at the hand with his arcane weapon and I helped Amphius with the top of altar and we slid it off the altar and it clunked down onto the floor. There was nothing but ashes inside.

Meanwhile Si'aspiqo checked that Toxoanassa was still breathing and then cast protection from evil on the Scythian himself. He noticed Toxoanassa’s bow had no bow string and burnt tips.

I tried to smash the lid, but was enveloped by the smoky hand which had briefly escaped the light of Tanit. Si'aspiqo’s protection from evil still worked and I shrugged it off and Agripinus forced it back into the corner of the ceiling with the light of Tanit. Mago tipped holy water into the box to soak the ashes within.

After a few attempts I managed to lift up and smash down the lid of the altar and it cracked and a piece broke off. It took quite a few more attempts before I finally managed to get a better grip and dashed it onto the rest of the altar and the lid broke into two. The vapour and smoke dissipated and the light of Tanit burnt even more brightly. There were numerous skulls and cracked bones scattered around the chamber.

Agripinus checked Toxoanassa, and saw just superficial scratches. She was profoundly unconscious but there was no sign of a wound. He cast cure light wounds and made her comfortable, while Amphius looked for concealed spaces and Si'aspiqo checked for any magic. Neither of them found anything. The magician said the lid of the altar had a carved inscription in Phoenician and then scrawlings in an obscure eastern language. He started to take careful notes. Mago spotted a glint of metal in the soggy ash and fished out two pieces of silver linked together on a silver chain – a star interlinked with a Phoenician or Carthaginian symbol.

We set off back up the passage with Si'aspiqo and Mago carrying Toxoanassa and me with one half of the altar lid under each arm. We emerged safely into the cool air and moonlight and made our way to the gatehouse.

Agripinus spoke to the watch and told them to open up as we had dealt with the demon and had an injured comrade. The gate was opened and a runner was sent to Platon. We took Toxoanassa to the temple of Artemis and then went to report to the Tyrant.

We were met by Platon in full armour and his guards. Agripinus told him we had dealt with the demon and related how we had followed it to its lair and broken the tablet which was the lid of the altar and described how the vapour had then dissipated. He said he would investigate the tablet by the light of day and consult with his priests. If it was as we said we would have fulfilled our mission. He told us we should return to the necropolis to ensure we had completed our task as we believed. He would give thought to what we had told him and meet with us again. We returned to the Necropolis and completed our watch, which was undisturbed.

In the morning we enquired of Toxoanassa at the Temple of Artemis and were told that she was awake but exhausted, and could be visited at noon.

We rested for the morning and then returned to the Temple to speak with Toxoanassa. She lay in bed, still weak from her exertions, and told us that it seemed Artemis had taken a forceful hand and she had had little say in what had happened in the Labyrinth. As was foretold, those that walk for the gods are truly in peril. We discussed what should be done next and decided we should collect the remaining ashes and maybe drop them in sea. The ceremonial fire in the bowl must have been started by someone but it could have been left burning for a very long time. Agripinus thought he perform a ceremony to ensure nothing could easily be summoned there again.

We went to see Platon again and Agripinus looked at the tablet. He saw there were two scripts, one to Baal in Phoenician, carved into the rock, and then another scribbled in a different script maybe Persian or Hebrew, perhaps Syrian or another Palestinian language. The latter was in dark ink which might be a mixture of blood and something else and had been added within a generation; the original lettering looked fairly old, maybe two or three hundred years old, within a few hundred years of Carthage’s founding.

Agripinus and Si'aspiqo looked at the silver jewelry. There was a female form dedicated to Baal interlinked with an odd star which the magician said was a star of David. It was an amulet to go round the neck. They wondered how old the labyrinth was – maybe there were records. They also wondered what or who had been burned there. Platon told them that no-one had worshipped Baal round here for years, but thought that Barak the younger from the Temple of Zeus Serapis might have an idea. Agripinus said that the fane was now no longer active and would need to be rededicated by a priest of Baal.

Platon said that he could provide any labour required but Agripinus would be ideal for dealing with any remaining threat from the demon of Baal. We could seal up the fane or cause it to collapse, then seal up the outside and fill in the hole. If we stayed until the next full moon and all remained quiet then we could then sail away with our reward.

From Sammus’s Boast:

94: C6 – Sealing the Labyrinth

Amphius returned to the labyrinth and completed a search of the stone box with the ashes. He returned with eight more pieces of silver jewelry, similar to what Mago found, but all were individually made and varied from piece to piece.

About 2 o’clock in the afternoon Platon sent a message to Agripinus requesting that the priest took him to the altar in the labyrinth. He arrived soon after accompanied by Gate-Captain Orthon and six grizzled veterans. Toxoanassa stayed resting under the attention of the priestess Andromeda, but the rest of us accompanied them to the pit.

Amphius entered the passage ahead in the darkness and Agripinus provided the light of Tanit for the rest of us. We followed the same turns as before and reached the chamber with the altar. Amphius picked up the stone bowl that had held the flame. Platon had a good look around as Agripinus explained again to Platon exactly what had happened and where.

After a few minutes we retraced our steps to the outside. He explained that the entrance was now forbidden, although Agripinus could return to carry out a formal ceremony to ensure that the altar could not be reused. The tyrant invited us to a private dinner that night to outline his plans. We marched back to the city with Platon but some of the guards remained on watch at the pit.

That night we went to the tyrant’s residence where we ate with Platon. There were a few guards outside the hall, but apart from servers no-one else joined us. Platon explained that tomorrow he would call a meeting of the citizens to explain the recent events. He then told us what he planned to say:
   “Last night foreign mercenaries penetrated a secret temple to Baal under the necropolis and drove the Gorgon back underground by the holy light of Tanit. Our patron goddess Artemis then took a hand and using the Amazon as her weapon slew the Gorgon with holy fire. I have seen with my own eyes the altar under the necropolis where this all took place. The Amazon was sorely wounded by the Gorgon but is now recovering under the care of the Temple of Artemis. Agripinus and his band of warriors will help destroy forever the altar and once that is done, we can be sure the Gorgon has been eliminated. There will be a festival in four weeks to celebrate and then I will return my skeptron and hand over power to the council. Four seats on the council that are now vacant – Barak will take over the chair of Aeges, and elections will be held for the three others. Those that fled the city abandoned their seats.”

He told us that it was important that we all stuck to the same tale and thought it would be best if Toxoanassa was not exhausted by questioning. He hoped that electioneering would quieten any unrest but was concerned that rumours might be spread. He wanted to keep the temples on our side. He thought this would not be a problem for the other temples, but he was worried about Barak. He urged us to do our best to keep things on an even keel.

Agripinus asked if he was expecting trouble. Platon replied that it was possible, but the populace would be keen to get back to normal. “Times of great change are times of peril”. He didn’t wish to extend his post as tyrant, but he was concerned that Barak or someone else might try to rouse the mob. He wanted no rumours of foreigner worshippers raising Baal and calls to expel them, or rumours that this had been devised by foreigners to make a profit leading to reprisals.

Agripinus wondered if Platon could buy our stone for the Temple of Zeus Serapis. The tyrant replied that he was intending condemning some of the existing buildings in the old acropolis so that the stone could be used for this purpose. If we donated our marble, it would be a very generous gift he added. Finally, he told us we should be ready to sail straight after the celebrations.

I asked what I should say if I was asked who had been worshipping Baal and Si'aspiqo suggested I should say that as far as I knew it was just the witch and her husband. The rest of the dinner passed quietly. Platon agreed to supply logistical help with closing up the tunnel and filling in the pit.

The next day as Toxoanassa continued her recuperation, the rest of us returned to the pit. Agripinus spent a few hours on a ceremony to cleanse the altar while Amphius and Si'aspiqo mapped out the labyrinth and took measurements, and Mago and I looked at how best to seal up the place. Mago thought it would be easier to brick up the entrance, rather than break down the passageways as it was very well made. Amphius and Si'aspiqo thought the labyrinth covered an area probably 100 feet or less square. The walls were one brick thick. Stone and lime were ferried by a work party and made ready to fill in the passageway. Supervised by Mago over a couple of days, the last ten feet of the passage, all the way to the ceiling was filled with stone and mortar. After that we left the gravediggers and an army work party to the long task of filling in the pit.

Amphius went and fetched Kallicrates who had listened to Platon’s speech, which had been as he had described to us. Kallicrates was interested to hear our story and was glad to hear that Toxoanassa was recovering well as he had noticed her absence. Agripinus and Amphius explained to him Platon’s fears of Barak’s rabble rousing against foreigners and profiteers. We discussed what to do with the blocks of marble and agreed it would be politic to donate a block to Barak and then sell the other two.

Kallicrates and Agripinus went to Barak and donated a block as agreed. They then sold the other two blocks to the priest for just enough to cover our costs. Kallicrates was disappointed but philosophical about the politics involved. We each donated 10gp to the Greek merchant to compensate him for the loss of his expected profit. He was a little surprised but was happy as this would pay for food for the crew.

We agreed to stay in the town rather than in the more isolated Acropolis and Amphius and Kallicrates went to look for a modest town house. They met Lander a local merchant who supplied a small property which he was more than happy to donate for free for as long as the heroes of the hour needed it. He plied the two men with wine. We did not see them until they crawled back the next morning looking very hungover.

The house was on the maritime side of city, and we found that Lander was one of the merchants standing for election to the council, which was why he had been keen to loan us the town house. We visited the Temple of Artemis again to find Toxoanassa was recovering but still strained as though recovering from an illness.

From Sammus’s Boast:

095: C7 – A Month in Emporion

As the moon waned, Emporion buzzed anew with gossip and social activity. With the Gorgon slain and sealed in its underground labyrinth, colour and life began to return to the streets. The gates were still closed at dusk, and the curfew bell rung late in the evening, but the faces of the people no longer showed the strain and fear of the week before.

Agripinus, Amphius, Mago and I took up the generous offer of accommodation made by the merchant Lander, leaving Si'aspiqo to study in peace in our former quarters in the city wall. I approached Orthon the gate captain asking him to recommend a tutor to teach me some Greek and he pointed out a side street and I met the teacher cleaning the courtyard as a group of young men swarmed out into the street. He told me he could come to our quarters each evening for a gold piece per session and I agreed.

The Greek schoolteacher, spent time each evening with me and Mago joined me in the lessons, he complained of my accent and the fact that I could not read, but I did start to make progress. I went to a few parties and accepted a few amorous invitations but managed to keep out of trouble. Mago also attended some of the parties and missed the curfew after one but managed to get home safely at dawn.

Kallicrates made his ship and crew available to assist Platon in his transfer of stone and timber from the acropolis to the construction plot surrounding the Temple of Zeus-Serapis. Every day the ship ferried stone to the harbour, and parties of citizen-soldiers dragged carts through the city. Kallicrates was always involved in the deliveries of stone to the Temple, and publicly praised the pious work of the citizens. Mago and I often helped with the work.

Platon dismantled several buildings in the old acropolis and kept the stone and timber moving every day for a fortnight. Soon the Temple was surrounded by new mounds of materials as the masons and joiners there were overwhelmed by the volume arriving. In pride of place were set out three blocks of imported white marble ready for carving into statues. Even the irascible Barak the Younger seemed satisfied with progress and pleased with the involvement of so many citizens and even some foreigners in this worthy work.

After a week or so, Toxoanassa slipped out of the temple of Artemis just before the curfew bell sounded and made her way to the quarters in the wall occupied by Si'Aspiqo. She remained there quietly, but within a few days rumours spread through the streets and a small crowd gathered outside hoping to catch a glimpse of Artemis walking the earth in the guise of a naked Amazon. One enterprising citizen even brought a beautiful white horse to the door in the hope of enticing her to ride through the streets unclothed. The disappointment of the crowd was palpable when all they saw of the goddess was a small fist connecting with the ear of her supplicant.

Amphius went to many more parties than Mago or I and as he spoke Greek had many more interactions with Greek citizens. He built up some contacts and learnt a little of who was standing in the elections and their platforms particularly about Lander but did not follow the finer points of the campaign. He and I continued to train, and he made good progress. However, I was still unable to throw the javelin with much accuracy, although on occasion I could throw it a long way.

Si'aspiqo spent his time ensconced in the barracks poring over scrolls and such like. When we saw him, he was enthusiastic about some scrolls he was reading concerning the story of a Greek called Agamemnon and his wife. Toxoanassa had joined him after her convalescence at the Temple of Artemis. She seemed more contemplative than before, and I noticed a streak of grey in her hair.

Strips of coloured rags began to adorn the alleyways as local politics gathered momentum and the elections drew ever closer. Platon or his gate-captains attended most rallies with a few guardsmen to prevent things becoming too heated. Even so, the Greeks seemed inclined to do a great deal of shouting, jeering, and clapping in their philosophical debates, and some of the finer points of rhetoric involved pugilistic scuffling. Still, no actual riots broke out, and the various manifestos advanced did not include the incarceration, expulsion or execution of any sect or race of foreigners. Instead debate seemed to revolve around money: duties due, property taxes, qualifications for voting, how much should be spent on public festivals, and whose image should feature on the next issue of silver coin from the city mint.

At last, Emporion was covered in bunting with the elections only a few days away when a large black bireme rows into harbour, with a black banner streaming from the masthead. This news raced through the streets as only rumour can… for at last the temple of Nemesis had sent its Heroes to save Emporion from the Gorgon.

On hearing the news Agripinus started putting on his parade armour, suggested we all we all got dressed up in our best but with belt weapons only. He sent word to Si'aspiqo and Toxoanassa to join us. Agripinus led us all towards Platon’s headquarters at the administration centre of Emporion and we took position on the street nearby to await the arrival of the Heroes of Nemesis.

After a short while 24 hoplites in two files came into view. Each wore a bronze, plumed helmet, a black linothorax and carried a shield with the same device. All were tall and sunburnt with spears gleaming in the sunlight as they marched in step without the aid of music or drums. They were led by a man, or was it a woman? He ordered them to halt in front of the administration building and was greeted by Platon. The leader removed his helmet revealing long blonde curly hair; all the same he was clearly male. He introduced himself in Greek, but despite my lessons I wasn’t entirely sure what he said. Platon nodded at Agripinus and indicated that he was to follow and the rest of us accompanied him.

We entered the same reception room as before, but this time it was packed – all twenty-four warriors were already inside and had piled their shields and spears in a corner. Most of the men stood at attention around the room. The curly haired man spoke to Platon, and I learned he was Boreas of the Sacred Band of Nemesis and claimed to be the foster son of the Goddess Nike.

Boreas explained that he and his men had come from Rhamnous in Attica at Platon’s request. They had had a long and arduous journey via Syracuse, where they had been forced to circle around the island of Sikelia as the straits of Messina had been closed due to war, then avoiding Sardinia for the same reason, taking on water in Kyrnos and then Massalia. They had arrived at last in Emporion after a three-month journey through storm and drought to find their quest had already been completed by foreigners. “These are strange times” Boreas concluded.

“Well met comrades, we are all brothers in arms”, he continued. “Wine!”, he called, “Let’s talk of old enemies and new friends!”. Agripinus and Platon were evidently relieved, they had been concerned what the reaction from this Greek hero would be, to find his arduous journey had been in vain.

Boreas introduced an old blind man named Apollidon – a blind seer. Our tale was repeated and again Agripinus told how he had driven the Gorgon below aided by Tanit and then Artemis had taken a hand in the form of the Scythian to destroy it. Apollidon asked to touch the Amazon’s face and she let him. The seer said that today she was but a woman, yet there was still a trace of the unseen, something strange about her. She was not Aphrodite but the real deal he added, to much laughter.

Boreas explained that he had gone to Delphi and spoken to the Pythia to ask his fate. He claimed to have been told that he would die in battle, but no mortal man could kill him. He had thought this would be an animal but now he realised that an Amazon might also fit the words.

Boreas was a slim, handsome man, fearless and intelligent with dazzling charisma and also narcissistic. He was all I would have expected in a Greek commander of heroes and more. He asked Agripinus what we were going to do now. He explained that with the Italians landing in Sicily there was going to be a major war with lots of work for the likes of us for years. He was going to head there he thought and asked us to join him. He would not want to work for Italians as he disliked the Romans but there would be much demand for mercenaries.

Agripinus declined and Boreas again asked him what our plans were. Toxoanassa indicated that Agripinus could reveal where we were headed and so the priest explained we were headed for the Pillars of Hercules. Apollidon joked that he would be a rich man if he had a gold piece for every time he had been offered a grey and a red rock from either side of the Pillars. He explained that there was an old tale of such rocks having power.

Boreas asked if we any fancy treasures to trade? He claimed to have a couple of Pyrrhus’s swords. When an old woman had knocked the King’s head off with a roof tile one had gone to Atogonas Gonates as loot and the other was from Alexander’s campaign he said. He told us he would be happy to trade and chat if we had anything.

Si'aspiqo said that we travelled light, while Amphius showed him his dagger. Apollidon felt the blade. The seer asked what had happened to his eyes and Amphius admitted that it had been due to his greed. Apollidon explained that he had lost his sight to disease. The seer said that the blade was old and cold and then put it to his tongue. He added that it had been long underground and asked Amphius how he had got it. Amphius told the seer that we had been delivering a man to his final resting place and something tried to prevent us. When the seer asked if it had been alive the Greek replied that it had once been alive and was certainly now dead. The seer passed the dagger on to Boreas saying that it was very old, but Boreas said a dagger was worth only half a sword. I decided not to mention my own blade.

Boreas showed a Greek blade in his belt, which had been made in Chersonisos in the Crimea near Scythia. He had another which was being rehafted back at their camp, it had come from India during Alexander’s campaign. All his men had Nemesis spears, which had been forged near the Temple of Nemesis and quenched in blood. They had planned to kill the Gorgon with these. Amphius told him of the Labyrinth.

Si'aspiqo sidled over to Apollidon and introduced himself as a Kushite and asked his opinion of the twisted green ring that had come from the Shedim’s lair. The seer thought it a token of protection. He touched Si'aspiqo’s face and asked if he were a seer too, to which Si'aspiqo replied, “In my dreams”.
   “A dreamer from Kush, well we would have much to talk about. Are you here long?”. Si'aspiqo told the seer he would certainly be here for a few days. Boreas seemed friendly and seemed keen to make contact with Agripinus in particular.

Boreas and his men were given quarters in the Acropolis. They could be ferried across from there for the elections and the festival of celebration after confirmation of the Gorgon’s defeat.

The next day we accompanied Boreas as he inspected what was left of the hole in the Necropolis. He was joined by Apollidon, who had a black cat on his shoulder. The seer put the cat down and wandered the Necropolis muttering a few prayers. Boreas and his men stood guard with the watch at night, and I joined them, but the full moon came and went without interruption.

Si'aspiqo checked the silver jewelry we had found at the altar in the labyrinth for magic or power. He thought they were ritual tokens and might be usable for certain types of magic. He did not have access to these types of magic, but he thought they were probably worth keeping hold of to study further. Si'aspiqo spent some time in conversation with Apollidon.

We discussed our next destination with Kallicrates. He knew we were bound for the Pillars of Hercules and thought that it would be best to go straight to the next colony, Hemeroskopeion. It was a fading colony and might be abandoned, but it was the last Greek colony, just a day or so along coast. He thought of buying Greek pottery or ceramics or something from the market but concluded that anything available here would be probably available all along the coast. We could check out what was at Hemere Propion or maybe just pick up passengers there.

Kallicrates was glad to have Agripinus to lead us into Carthaginian territory. There had been many wars over the last 450 years between Greeks and Carthaginians. With Rome now involved this was no longer the case, but he still felt the ship would be more welcome at Carthaginian settlements further along the coast with the priest on board. Kallicrates bought supplies and made the ship ready to depart.

The local elections passed without incident and Lander came first on the poll. A celebration was held, and we were paid our fee of two talents of gold, which came in two heavy boxes of fine silver coins fresh from the Emporion mint, each bearing the face of Artems on one side, with a winged horse on the reverse.

From Sammus’s Boast:

096: D1 – Hemeroskopeion… Has Fallen

Kallicrates had already bought supplies and so we set sail soon after the coins were carried on board. Agripinus shared out the coins – 300gp in silver minted coins to each of us and then gave 200gp worth to Kallicrates to pay for the ship and crew for the next period. There were 10 of these Emporion silver coins to a Carthaginian gold coin, rather than 20 as there would have been in Carthage as they were double the weight.

We left in fine weather and the wind strengthened from north on the second day, which was a good direction to sail along the coast and we drifted each night. On the afternoon of the third day there was a shout from the lookout as he spotted the watch tower that gave Hemeroskopeion its name. Odysseus yelled Port ho! and as the afternoon wore on, we rounded the point where the watch tower stood and then rowed northeast to enter the harbour late in the afternoon.

Everything was very quiet as we approached the harbour, and we could just hear the screeches of gulls and the lapping of waves on the shore. Despite our hails there was no response. There were fragments of boats up on the beach and posts pushed into the sand as a landing point, but everything seemed deserted, and the harbour was eerily silent. Everyone felt that something must be wrong.

The harbour was formed by a spit of sand made up of small islets with rock piled in between. To the right or south as we approached the shore, was the watch tower, which was well over 50 feet tall and to the left or North was the settlement, which had a palisade but no sign of any fires burning within. Kallicrates knew that the colony had been struggling, but had no knowledge that it had fallen so it seemed very strange that no-one seemed to be here. Agripinus gave an authoritative shout of “Show yourselves!” in Greek, which echoed around us, but no-one responded.

Kallicrates pulled the ship in close to shore and my comrades and I leapt into the surf and waded ashore. Once we were on land, the Greek kept the ship close by, but ready to leave. Amphius and Toxoanassa headed to the right to investigate the watch tower and I followed them, while Agripinus led Mago and Si'aspiqo to investigate the settlement.

It took a little time for me to catch up to the two lightly armed skirmishers by the watch tower. When I arrived, Amphius reported that there was no sign of any occupants, and more surprisingly there was no entrance and if there were any windows, they must have been very high up. The tower was perhaps 80 or 90 feet high with some sort of roof at the top, just above the battlements. It might be a shelter from the rain or maybe it housed some sort of engine to raise supplies and people to the top. There were signs of digging around the base but whoever had dug seemed to have found nothing. Amphius had seen similar towers used as a harbour light in Alexandria and one or two other large harbours in the eastern Mediterranean, but this seemed too large for such a small settlement.

We headed north towards the settlement to rejoin the others. There was an entrance through the palisade, but the gates were broken and once I went through, I could see burnt buildings within. There were weeds and some bleached bones which Si'aspiqo was examining. Obviously Hemeroskopeion had fallen but what had caused this was not evident.

Four of us searched the town for a short while before dusk fell while Agripinus and Si'aspiqo stood watch. The small town had been sacked and burnt quickly. There were corpses, some suggesting death by violence, but not that many compared to the size of the town. This had evidently happened some months ago but well within the last year. We found lots of dressed stone and roof tiles and a bronze fitting and thought that a thorough search would find much more. There were the ruins of a temple in the centre of the settlement, but it was not clear to which God the temple was dedicated. There was a second gate on the far side, which was much less damaged but had been left open. Both sets of gates had metal fittings. Far away across the fields of the settlement Amphius spotted movement. He saw maybe one or two people disappearing into an overgrown orchard a couple of hundred yards away.

The sun was now starting to set, and we headed back to the ship to report our findings to Kallicrates. We thought the settlement had probably been attacked from the sea and the inhabitants had been killed or had fled or maybe been taken to sell as slaves. This was a daughter settlement to Emporion but no-one there seemed to know of the fall. It seemed strange that report had not reached Emporion of events here.

Kallicrates decided to move the away from the shore and anchor for the night in slightly deeper water, but before then Amphius slipped back over the side and headed ashore to scout out the area in the darkness.

He returned to the shore at dawn and Kallicrates beached the once more. Amphius clambered aboard to report. He had seen evidence of lots of dead adults. He had found a variety of bronze and iron artifacts from which Mago could fashion a couple of dozen spikes to aid in climbing the tower. He had perhaps 8 pounds of bronze and 3½ pounds of iron from a burnt spearhead, cleaver, and shovel.

Si'aspiqo said that this was a place of unquiet spirits which had been unpleasant enough to keep him awake during the night. Amphius agreed that the place had indeed seemed quite spooky but nothing particular had disturbed him. At the mention of the bodies, Kallicrates suggested that we should dig a mass grave for them and Agripinus added that he would say a few words over the victim.

From Sammus’s Boast:

097: D2 – Investigating Enigma

Kallicrates organised a work party from the crew to search the ruins of the town for dressed stones, tiles and metal fittings. He passed out weapons and tools to them and then sent them into the town where we were already searching.

Amphius and I wanted to check for possible entrances to the watch tower. The path to the tower from the harbour was no more than an overgrown rabbit track, whereas the path to the town was wider but still overgrown. We searched the buildings nearest the watch tower for a cellar which might serve as a concealed entrance to a tunnel to the tower. Amphius found bleached bones in a fishermen’s hut with a basement for nets but nothing else of interest.

Meanwhile the others searched the rest of the town. Si'aspiqo was using his arts to search for metal or arcane things and soon found one or two burnt spearheads in a ruined building. There were about four dozen houses in all with the ruins of a temple in centre. One or two of the other buildings were larger than rest but all were in the typical style of the area. All had been burnt out or badly damaged by being roughly searched. There was evidence that one building has been a tannery, another a leather workshop and then a few others whose use or purpose was unclear.

My comrades moved on to search the area of the temple ruins, where Amphius and I rejoined them. Si'aspiqo had an uncomfortable feeling about one area, and Agripinus suspected there were a lot of freshly burnt bones under the temple. He thought perhaps people had stayed here as it had burnt and then collapsed around them. He carried out a religious ceremony, inviting any spirits to leave or be at peace.

By mid-morning Mago and the sailors found the remains of some workshops, including a burnt-out blacksmithy, close to the land gate. They started tidying it up and Mago began work there in the afternoon.

We looked at some of the other buildings and found the ruins of a bakery and a butcher, and then a larger house, which had been smashed but not burnt. There was a small workshop which made roof tiles and another workshop with broken pottery. Si'aspiqo sensed traces of iron in the ashes, and we found bits and pieces that might have been for use on a ship; the shop had been thoroughly looted and then set on fire, but we did manage to retrieve some iron. Half to two thirds of the buildings seemed to have been active and thriving before the attack, but the rest must already have been in disuse. Agripinus thought there must have been two or three dozen households and a population of a couple of hundred people all told. We could not understand how this event had not yet been reported – for no survivors had managed to walk to Emporion and no ships going up and down the coast had reported this calamity either.

Kallicrates thought the place had been well looted and most of the remains smashed, but there were still many things of trade value such as building stone, and a lot of undamaged roof tiles. His men would gather them ready to be loaded on the ship. Kallicrates had posted someone to keep watch from the land gate. They had seen birds flying from the nearby orchards but had seen no sign of people, although it was possible we were under observation.

In the afternoon Toxoanassa and I helped Agripinus investigate the temple while Si'aspiqo helped Mago make some iron spikes and Amphius slept back on the ship. It was clear that there were many bones and crushed skulls, from eight or ten bodies of various sizes, in the first small area we investigated. When I levered aside a pillar of stone it looked like there was a pile of bodies beneath, which had already been dead before they were burnt to ashes. For some bones showed signs of shearing with a blade and there were also marks of spear injuries. There must have been several dozen bodies piled up here; then combustible material had been added and all had been set on fire. It looked like this had been a well organised raid in substantial force. The spearheads we had found seemed to be of typical hoplite pattern and would have been those of the local militia. It didn’t seem likely that the raiders had been Carthaginian, perhaps they were pirates?

Meanwhile Si'aspiqo used his arts to help Mago get a good fire going in the old forge, which quickly burned hot enough to forge iron. Mago hammered hot metal skilfully and started producing iron spikes to the shape desired by Amphius. By the end of the afternoon Mago had completed about 16 spikes and had metal roughly shaped to make 16 more.

We continued with our investigations until the sun set. Agripinus thought the temple was likely sacred to many Greek gods, including the worship of Zeus or Apollo. As we continued to dig, we found many burnt bones, from at least two dozen bodies, with still more waiting to be uncovered from the rubble.

Kallicrates and his men made a pile of roof tiles and some more scrap metal not far from the ruins of the temple. He and his crew returned to sleep on the ship while we set up camp in a larger house as dusk fell.

By the early evening Mago had completed and hardened two dozen iron spikes. As the darkness of night became established, Amphius started bashing them into the watch tower, but after a short while Kallicrates arrived with a torch to complain about the noise, so the Greek stopped and returned to our camp. He kept watch all night, while the rest of us took turns to assist. Si'aspiqo did not join the watch as he set his mind to wander and tried to dream about the events that had taken place here.

Mago and I both slept well after our day of manual labour. Agripinus slept fitfully, dreaming of voices, although he could not make out the words while Toxoanassa had nightmares of fire and people burning and screaming.

Si'aspiqo looked pale and drained in the morning after a night of vivid dreams. He thought the attackers had been Carthaginians – in his dreams they had spoken in Arma, were organised, and looked military. He made a finger drawing in ash of a devise that had been marked on some of their shields. Agripinus recognised it as representing Melkart. It had been a common infantry sign but had been replaced in the modern Carthaginian army by signs aligned to Tanit. He wondered whether the unit had been renegades.

In his dream of the raid, Si'aspiqo had seen people being extorted, men murdered, and women and children taken to ships. He had heard people pleading for freedom or for their loved ones, and others complaining that had paid a ransom or given all they had. It had not ended well for them. Come the dawn the women and children had been taken away, the masts were out at sea and the temple and town were burning. It had looked to Si'aspiqo as though there had been some significance to the tower, but he was unsure what and it may just have been because it was the only building left intact.

There was one other thing, which may have been a sign to Si'aspiqo personally or a part of the raid. His dream ended with something of the scent of the desert in which he had met a vision of Astarte – the wasteland of burning sand and ash. It didn’t seem to be the smell of the burning town.

As the sun rose, we gathered around the campfire and ate some breakfast in the cool morning air. Si'aspiqo suspected that what he saw was a dissident group rather than the regular army: maybe the Baal-Melkart axis was more powerful than we had believed and was running their own operations, or perhaps this was an ex-army unit that had gone freelance.

For now, none could know for certain.

From Sammus’s Boast:

098: D3 — Parley

Agripinus concluded that the attack had most likely been a pillage and raid by a force of a couple of hundred Carthaginian soldiers operating as either a rogue unit or as mercenaries for some other paymaster. He told us that although Tanit’s followers were in the majority in Carthage, that had meant that followers of Baal and Melkart had been lured by Iberian riches and were looking to make a name for themselves in these western provinces. He added that we had been fortunate that this attack (or even word of it) didn’t arrive in Emporion as we would have been have been in the wrong place at the wrong time (with the exception of Amphius perhaps). It’s likely that any knowledge of this attack would have been prevented from leaking out by the use of an encircling force inland, and that probably meant that anyone who had seen anything and lived would view another group of Carthaginian mercenaries in a similarly bad light.

He thought that it wouldn’t be too long before a band of Iberians showed up and wanted to extract some revenge for the destruction of its local harbour and closest trade route to the rest of the Mediterranean. Given that we’ve not exactly hidden our presence here, he suggested that we pack up, take what bits we could, and make haste out to sea. Even trading the stone from here too locally might cause suspicion, so he suggested we go far enough that it would not be an issue.

We discussed whether we should leave immediately or maybe send scouts to gather more information and try to ascend the tower before leaving. We decided on the latter course of action and so in the pre-dawn Amphius started hammering in the completed spikes and working his way up the tower, while Mago with assistance from Si'aspiqo finished the remaining ones. I went to assist an armed working party of the crew in gathering up any tiles and stones ready to be carried back to the ship where Agripinus was busy helping prepare the ship for departure at short notice. Toxoanassa kept watch with a sailor looking out from the main gate.

Once the sun had fully risen Amphius climbed back down and went to sleep in the shade. Having completed the spikes Mago joined Toxoanassa, and they left by the main gate to scout inland.

After an hour or so Mago returned to request Agripinus’s presence for a parley. He told us that they had been surprised by a party of Iberians and he had been sent back to the town to request the presence of our leader, while Toxoanassa remained as a hostage. Agripinus, Si'aspiqo and I woke Amphius to join us, and we made our way to the main gate. The lookout here pointed out a couple of light cavalry who had ridden through the fields and circled around orchard and had been watching from there since Mago had returned.

We marched 800 yards through to the furthest part of the orchard, where we could see at least a dozen Iberian tribal warriors and suspected that more were hidden nearby. There was a Spanish man standing in conversation with Toxoanassa. He looked us over and greeted us in Arma, introducing himself as Escas of the Editane. He spoke Arma in a similar way to Mago. His gaze settled on Agripinus, who returned his greeting with an army salute and said, “well met, Escas! I am Agripinus of the Sacred Band of Carthage.”

Escas had good quality leather armour and a helmet which he had donned for the parley. He was armed with a falcata and a spear and wore an ornate silver bracelet covering his right forearm. His men were similarly equipped but with gear of lesser quality.

Agripinus explained that we had landed here as a suitable stop on our way further West and South and had been investigating the widespread destruction, which we had had no part of. He then asked if we could help in any way. Escas replied that it was too late now. He thought that the force that attacked was probably Punic and from South of here and had destroyed the colony and killed all his friends. He added that the attackers had killed or taken as slaves all the Greeks from the town and that we were the first ship since the raid.

Agripinus said that he was horrified to hear that the attack had been the work of Carthaginians but added that there was bad in all races. He asked if Escas had any descriptions of the raiders and the Spaniard responded that some shepherds had heard them as they came inland and formed a line to prevent any escapees. They had recognised the language as Arma but did not understand what had been said. Escas explained that he had served as mercenary for Carthage, where he had learnt Arma.

Escas also told us that everything had been destroyed and ruined and the town was now haunted, and he and his men did not go into the ruins. Maybe the dead would quieten but it was still too soon. He told us that there had been a seer living in the tower, but he did not know what had happened to him — they had shouted up but there had been no response. Agripinus explained that we were trying to get in and might be able to find him. Euripides, the seer, had been able to heal and do other useful things Escas added.

Agripinus asked how long ago the attack had been and we were told that several ships, maybe half a dozen in all, had appeared during the night during the first fair weather after the winter, around three months ago. They had attacked at first light.

After a nudge from Si'aspiqo, Agripinus explained that he had helped with the haunting and that he could also heal. Escas replied that that would help as no-one would return while the town was haunted. Si'aspiqo told the Spaniard that although this was a place of unquiet spirits, nothing had walked when he slept there, although it was an uneasy place. Agripinus promised that he would take on the settling of the unquiet dead and discover the fate of Euripides and report back to Escas and it was agreed that we would meet again in three days’ time. The Spaniard muttered something in Iberian and his men stood up in unison, he saluted and then he and his men marched off.

We returned to the town and the cavalry watched us pass by. Toxoanassa told us that they had been talented scouts and had completely surprised her and Mago.

We explained what had happened to Kallicrates and that we had committed to two tasks and would meet again in three days’ time. He ordered his men to continue making piles of tiles and stone but not to load anything on the ship. He thought the Iberians would be keen to recommence trading — this was probably the trading port for a large area, and it would be inconvenient to take their goods elsewhere.

Amphius slept until the late afternoon when he returned to the tower in the purple twilight with all the remaining spikes. He did an excellent job of hammering them in and ascending the tower. There was a parapet at the top which he peered over before he clambered over and disappeared. After a few seconds he leant over to shout down that there was a hut up there and more to explore so Mago climbed up with a lantern to join him. The slinger had more difficulty, but eventually was able to join the Greek at the top. He yelled down that there was a winch there but also it looked like there were plenty of spiders too…

From Sammus’s Boast:

99: D4 – Exploring the Tower

I removed my armour and wrapped it into a bundle with my shield to be hoisted up. Meanwhile Toxoanassa began climbing up the spikes with the help of a safety rope. She safely reached halfway but then as she ascended further, she slipped, and the safety rope went taut. Amphius clung on and braced himself, and she recovered and climbed safely to the top where Amphius helped her over the parapet. I tied her equipment in a bundle and attached the rope to it when it was dropped down and it was hauled up and then the process was repeated with my own gear. Meanwhile Mago kept watch for spiders.

Toxoanassa and Amphius braced the rope around some sturdy timbers supporting a roof and I stood in a loop in the rope when it was dropped down to me. Amphius and Toxoanassa hauled me up despite Mago stumbling over the rope as they pulled. I put my armour on and looking around I could see there were cut pine logs piled around and there was a plinth and a small roof with a dish suspended down – it looked like it was for a signal fire. There was also a mirror to reflect the light out to sea.

Mago held a lantern and was watching down through a hole leading to the level below. He could see a ladder to one side and where it should be set, to enable someone to climb up onto the parapet. There seemed to be steps leading down into the darkness to the next level down from that. There was a cylinder on a stand with a handle which looked like a hand winch.

Amphius and I hauled up Si'aspiqo who had been back to the ship to collect some more torches. It took him a little time to compose himself, but he then cast a cantrip to feel for spiders. He thought there were three spiders on the level below, but more beyond. He cast protection from evil on myself, Mago and Toxoanassa and I stepped onto the cylinder for the winch which was about five feet down and Si'aspiqo handed me a torch. I then jumped down to the floor another five feet and started burning the webs.

Mago followed me down and a spider landed on him, but it leapt straight off. I tripped and a spider jumped on me, but again immediately scuttled off. The protections seemed to be working! Toxoanassa joined us and cleared some web, but she was attacked by a spider that bit her. I cleared more web and squashed and burnt two of the spiders. Toxoanassa was bitten once more.

Mago’s torch set light to some of the debris, and he tried to extinguish the flames. He fell over but he did put out the flames. Toxoanassa and I cleared some more web, and she spotted a square hole to the next level. The last spider was trying to escape that way and she singed it with the torch but it escaped to the level below.

Looking around there were stacks of wood with waxed leather covers around the wall, presumably ready to feed the fire for the light. It was lucky Mago had quickly extinguished the fire as there was the fuel for a large conflagration. Toxoanassa started to feel a lot of pain from the bites in her arm and leg and evidently been poisoned.

Si'aspiqo cast his protection on Amphius, who joined us and then used his sword to cut his way through the web down the steps to the next level, while the rest of us kept the torches away from him. He got about halfway down the steps before becoming entangled in the web. He could see there was a lot of web on this level and the movement of multiple spiders. He became entangled in the web and a couple of spiders dropped onto his legs but leapt off immediately. He was forced to leave his sword behind as I helped to drag him out of the web and back to the top of the steps. He was bitten by a spider but did not seem to be affected by the poison.

I cleared some web and retrieved the sword, and then burnt the web off the steps before returning to the level above to keep watch. Mago and Amphius set up ladder and then helped Toxoanassa up to the top as the pain worsened. The two men then used the winch to lower the rope down to Agripinus and were able to raise the remaining equipment and then Agripinus. While Agripinus looked at Toxoanassa’s wounds, I put out my torch and Amphius kept watch on the steps down to the second level. I stayed close by in the dark. There was a strong smell of pine resin.

After half an hour Agripinus had cleaned the Scythian’s wounds and stopped the poison spreading any further, but she was still restricted in her movements and would take a few hours to recover. The priest donned his armour and cast the light of Tanit to drive any spiders further down the tower. I relit my torch to clear the webs. Si'aspiqo checked on the spiders in the next level down, while Amphius retreated to the darkness of the parapet.

As I cleared the webs I saw an alcove with wooden doors, but I left them unopened and continued on. The spiders were shrinking away from the holy light, four or five gathered together and then moved down to the next level through another opening. As I cleared the room of webs, I noticed a table, a desk, and a chair. There was a shadow in the corner where the spiders had disappeared. One section of the wall had a grid of vertical and horizontal wooden struts and as I cleared the webs something in one of the spaces between started to smoulder. I quickly and carefully extinguished it and then moved away. It looked like there were parchments or papyrus in most of the spaces in a ten-by-ten grid. I left them for the magician to investigate. There was nothing else here.

Agripinus with the light of Tanit led the way down the steps to the next level driving the spiders before us. There were around 8 spiders on this level, Si'aspiqo thought – they again gathered together and headed down through a darkened hole to another level. Again this level had doors in an alcove, which I left untouched. I swept the webs away with the burning torch and found a table. I spotted a barrel with sticky black stuff around it and thought it was probably a barrel of tar, I was careful not to set it alight. There was another barrel smelling strongly of pine resin and two large amphora. There were many small bottles and boxes on a large table along with other materials. There was an oil lantern suspended from ceiling and two more amphora lying down.

Agripinus shone the light to the level below and Amphius came down to join us. We wanted to block the entrance down to that level, but there was too much on the table that we did not wish to disturb, so we retreated to the level above. Here we used the smaller table to block the entrance down to that lower level, using some of the logs piled on the first level to weigh the table down. Si'aspiqo checked the rack on this level and there were 87 scrolls. This was the largest repository of scrolls he had seen since the library at Alexandria and he seemed impressed.

Amphius checked the pair of doors in the alcove and then opened them. They were storm shutters revealing starlight and a breath of air through the window. The wooden desk was nicely made with writing materials and there was a bronze mirror.

From Sammus’s Boast:

100: D5 – The Seer’s Library

During the night Amphius checked out the rack of scrolls and found nothing suspicious or any hidden compartments or traps. Meanwhile the rest of us took the opportunity to rest. After an hour Si'aspiqo used his cantrip to check on the presence of the spiders and they had now returned to the level below us, but they did not get past the table with which we had covered the entrance to our level. Si'aspiqo wanted to check out the scrolls to see if any shed some light on the tower and the spiders and any connection with the underworld. He decided it was best to wait for the first rays of the sun before commencing.

At midnight the magician went into a dream sleep and twitched for half an hour. On awakening he looked disturbed. He reported nightmares springing from a sense of underlying evil, and felt the spiders were some sort of kin to those we had met in Kaskator.

It remained quiet until dawn, when Si'aspiqo opened the wooden shutters which faced directly towards the morning sun. By this light he started to look at the scrolls, checking the titles in search of any working notes the seer might have left. Over the next few hours Si'aspiqo checked all 87 scrolls and reported that he had found:

• 23 scrolls of Greek literature, a mixture of plays and fables;
• 9 scrolls of Greek stories;
• 11 scrolls by Greek philosophers;
• 6 scrolls by Pythagoras, a Greek mathematician;
• 11 scrolls in Greek of alchemical lore;
• 9 scrolls in Greek of arcane lore;
• 3 scrolls of Egyptian to Greek equivalence, some of which were of arcane lore terms;
• 6 scrolls in Egyptian of arcane lore, which looked like the source for the Greek scrolls, their study might give cantrips or other secrets he believed;
• 9 scrolls of spells in their final form,
  1. protection against evil,
  2. another similar, but probably higher level protection against evil,
  3. alchemical sealing,
  4. detect flavours or purposes of magic,
  5. making a potion – appearing as shadow,
  6. making a potion – fire oil,
  7. circle of binding spirits,
  8. open gate and
  9. contact great ones.

Si'aspiqo thought that someone had spent a lot of time transcribing arcane lore from Egyptian to Greek – the Greek was in a single hand, but the Egyptian scrolls were a range of ages and hands. The other scrolls seemed like a library of Greek literature assembled over time. The seer, if it was indeed he, had spent years of work translating from Egyptian. Si'aspiqo suspected that maybe he had mistranslated something, which had opened the way to the underworld for the spiders.

As he worked his way through the scrolls, he carefully placed them in my bag and once it was full, I lowered Agripinus down the tower and he took the sack to the ship to find Kallicrates and ask him to have the scrolls sealed in a watertight barrel. Kallicrates was in town collecting roof tiles with the crew, but Agripinus found him and left Kallicrates to the task. He then returned to the tower with more sacks and the makings of more torches, and I used the winch to hoist him back up to the top.

By mid-morning all the scrolls had all been checked and taken back to the ship for safe storage and we had made some torches. Dawn had restored Agripinus’ powers to full capacity and after some food and drink Toxoanassa was feeling much better. Si'aspiqo meditated for a few hours to rest his mind and recover his mana. Soon we were all ready to strive again against the shadow in the tower beneath us.

Agripinus called for the blessing of Tanit and then immediately brought forth the holy light of Tanit and, as I pulled aside the table, he shone that light before him and led the way down the steps into the next chamber. I had a lit torch in one hand and my sword in the other and I was close behind him. Si'aspiqo held a torch ready to be lit and Toxoanassa held her dagger, both ready to follow.

As the priest started down the steps his light revealed the shadows of spiders scuttling away, heading to the exit down to the next level. This level was still clear of webs, so we headed to the next steps, pausing briefly to open the shutters, and spread some more light. Agripinus used his sword to cut the web that covered the steps, and I used my torch to burn them away and we began to descend. Agripinus heard buzzing down amongst the web and then saw a swirling shadow as a swarm of locusts, flies or beetles rushed past his light and my torch was extinguished as they swept by. Behind me I heard Si'aspiqo start to mutter, but he was prevented from completing his incantation by the swarm. Most of them carried on, heading higher up the tower, where Amphius waved his sword narrowly missing Mago’s head. A few of the insects landed on Toxoanassa and bit her, but she crushed them with her hand.

Agripinus climbed back up to the next level and waved his light and the remaining insects here collapsed to the floor and Si'aspiqo cast protection from evil on himself. The main cloud of insects headed up away from the light of Tanit and then dissipated to dust as they reached the light of the sun.

Si'aspiqo relit my torch and we continued.

From Sammus’s Boast:

101: D6 – The Seer’s Fate

Agripinus led the way back down the steps. As we descended, he cut through the web with his sword, while I burnt the remnants with a torch. A spider landed on the priest and leapt off. It was struck by his sword but scuttled off back into the web. We reached the bottom of the stairs and saw there were no windows on this level, but there did seem to be furniture in the web in one corner.

Two more spiders leapt at us but then scuttled away as my sword narrowly missed. There were a couple of fitted wooden cupboards on one wall and stairs in the far corner. As we cleared the web from the room, we found a mouldering pallet bed with a corpse upon it. The corpse was extremely dried out, almost desiccated. I spotted a roll of parchment under my feet and pointed it out to Si'aspiqo as he followed me into the room. Toxoanassa took his torch when she joined us and by its light the magician checked the parchment for magic and then read it. He recognised the same hand as on many of the parchments he had already seen. It was a poem:

They came,
Apollo answered not.
The play ended,
With fire and lamentation.
So passes knowledge,
And the laughter of life,
Like tears in rain

Agripinus noticed an overturned cup nearby with some residue, which seemed to have rolled off the bed. The corpse was lying as though it had just gone to sleep. Amphius came down to check the cupboards for traps, while Agripinus said a few words over the corpse and shielded the light of Tanit so that the Greek was not dazzled. The first cupboard had clothes in boxes in a grid and the second had a stone bowl, a steel razor, a brush, some soap, an empty commode, and a jug that looked as though it probably once held water but was now empty. Agripinus thought the corpse looked as though it had been dead for a decade or more. There were no obvious signs of bites or wounds.

Si'aspiqo tried to cast protection from evil on me, but he failed to cast the spell successfully and gave himself a headache. He waited ten minutes and tried again once his headache had subsided. He failed once more and this time he ended with a splitting headache and was now unable to cast magic for a period. He retreated to the top of the tower to recover, and Toxoanassa took the torches off him. I relit my torch and followed Agripinus down the steps in the corner. I was bitten by a spider and could feel the wound was poisoned. I swung my sword wildly and it got caught in the web – I had to use my torch to burn it free. I was bitten again but this time I shrugged off the poison. My right arm felt cold from the first bite and was starting to weaken. Toxoanassa stabbed and killed one of the spiders.

We retreated to the bed chamber above and Agripinus extinguished the light of Tanit and washed out my wound with holy water. He cast a cure light wound spell and after ten minutes my arm felt fine. The priest recast his holy light and we descended again. Agripinus killed a spider, but I was bitten again although I did not sense any poison in the wound. The remaining spiders scuttled away to the corner where there were more stairs down. On this level as we cleared the web, we saw six amphorae and six stone storage urns. There was also a grid or rack along one wall, with some jars.

We were now about 50 feet down from the top, so getting towards the bottom of the tower. We descended the next set of steps and there seemed to be less web in the next chamber. There was something dark moving in the shadows. It looked like a very large snake as it struck at the descending Agripinus.

Agripinus hit it with his sword, but it wrapped itself around his torso – maybe it was a tentacle rather than a snake. The shadows here didn’t seem to be fully penetrated by the light of Tanit and there was an odd mixture of light and shadow. I leapt down the steps past Agripinus and landed safely on the floor. I struck at the tentacle, which was still wrapped around Agripinus, severing it. Blots of darkness sprayed in all directions and the light of Tanit penetrated more thoroughly into the room. The tentacle writhed and shrank back into a corner, and I noticed there were many chalk marks covering the wall and floor. There were spiders at my feet; one bit me on the leg and I felt poison seeping into my blood once again. There seemed to be more of the tentacle emerging from the wall.

Agripinus and I attacked the tentacle and it recoiled. I hit it hard and was bitten again by a spider but felt no more poison. Toxoanassa got to the bottom of the steps and stabbed a spider, but it scuttled away. Mago followed the Scythian down the steps. He impaled a spider with a throwing knife and Toxoanassa killed the last one.

I stepped forward to deal with the tentacle and was struck by the flailing tentacle, but then Agripinus struck it and I cut through it and the stump disappeared through a crevice between wall and floor. There were two large wriggling sections left and they turned to smoke, and the darkness dissipated as the light of Tanit shone on them. My leg started to go cold from the poisonous spider bite.

The chamber seemed empty apart from the chalk marks on all the walls and floor, so we ascended to the chamber above and again Agripinus washed my wound with holy water and cast cure light wounds. Amphius passed us and investigated the chamber with the chalk marks. He reported that it was still unnaturally dark in one corner, which might be steps down. Having treated me, Agripinus went to investigate. The dark area was where the wall met the floor and the stump of the tentacle had disappeared. The priest cast a glyph of ward against evil. There were no more stairs down.

We rested for half an hour and Si'aspiqo’s headache had faded somewhat, so he was able to descend and investigate the chalk marks. He concluded that it was a connection with another world, and a physical crack had been opened. There was a protection which had been messed up by footprints. There were also mathematical doodles. He thought he might be able to disarm the connection by erasing some marks, but he would need to be vigilant not to remove the protection.

It was now mid to late morning. I went to the roof with Agripinus to recover from the poison. Amphius checked the racks, amphorae, and urns. There had been a large amount of food stored at one time but there was virtually nothing left. The amphorae were empty but had probably contained water. There were a few grains in the urns, and a few herbs remained in the racks. We concluded that when the town had fallen the seer was unable to descend from the tower or have his provisions resupplied. Once his supplies had been exhausted, he had taken hemlock rather than die of thirst or hunger. Agripinus speculated that maybe the body seemed so old because the seer’s life had been magically extended in some way.

Si'aspiqo found Greek letters on some of the jars and with help from Amphius was able to decipher that two said Hemlock. Others said something like sleep or dream. In the workshop they also found a barrel of tar and another of pine resin. There was an amphora which might have had wine, they found traces of something very aromatic, a honeycomb with a strange smell, and a very heavy liquid. There was also an oil lantern and one or two smaller amphorae that had once held olive oil or vegetable oil.

We spent the afternoon clearing the tower and then wrapped the corpse in a blanket and lowered it down to the ground to be cremated and then buried. With some of the logs stored at the top of the tower, Agripinus created a small pyre nearby at set it alight at dusk. He carried out a short ceremony as the sun set and then buried the ashes. We left the rope hanging down from the tower and returned to the ship for the night, where we had a meal and related what we had found to Kallicrates.

From Sammus’s Boast:

102: D7 – Last Words

The night passed without incident. Everyone had a reasonably peaceful sleep, although Si'aspiqo was disturbed by unsettled dreams at one point. By the morning Toxoanassa and I were recovered from our spider bites and Si'aspiqo was again able to use magic. We returned to the tower and Amphius climbed the rope back up the tower. Mago followed him and then they used the winch to haul up everyone else. Agripinus and Toxoanassa were safely raised to the top of the tower, but when it came to my turn, just as I approached the top, the handle on the winch broke and the rope ran away. I grabbed for a spike and managed to cling on. Amphius and Mago secured the rope, and I climbed up the remaining few feet to where Agripinus was able to grasp my hands and help me clamber over the parapet to safety. Mago started work on repairing the winch handle, while Amphius and I passed down a rope with a loop and safely hauled Si'aspiqo up the tower to join the rest of us.

Mago continued to work on the winch handle, while Agripinus cast the light of Tanit, and led the rest of us down to the bottom of the tower for Si'aspiqo to investigate the gate to the underworld. As soon as we reached the next to bottom chamber, Si'aspiqo cast a cantrip and told us there were two spiders on the bottom level. Agripinus descended cautiously and saw a spider scuttle away from the light. On the stairs Si'aspiqo recast his cantrip and reported that there were no spiders left so we assumed they had gone through the crack into the underworld.

Si'aspiqo worked up and cast a protection against evil on the crack which we thought was the gate to the underworld and told us it would last the rest of the day. He studied the markings by the light of Tanit but was unable to make sense of them. Agripinus prayed to Tanit for guidance and had the feeling we had done all we could do and should leave the tower.

We returned to the top of the tower, where Mago had fashioned a replacement handle for the winch. I was safely lowered to the ground, but when Agripinus began his descent, his foot slipped from the loop in the rope. He managed to cling on and was lowered down to the bottom. Toxoanassa, Mago and Si'aspiqo all descended safely and leaving just Amphius in the tower, we went to fetch supplies from the town. Kallicrates and the crew had piled up a substantial quantity of tiles and some stone in the town but had not transferred it to the ship.

We planned to fashion covers to block off the entrances to the two lower levels and to weigh the covers down with rocks or stone. The supplies were hoisted up the tower and then Mago supervised the work while Si'aspiqo wrote elaborate warnings in Egyptian and Greek and Agripinus supplied a briefer warning in Punic. The copper mirror was salvaged and lowered to the ground.

Everyone else descended safely via the rope and then leaving the rope for the winch at the top, Amphius used his own rope and spikes to climb down. After halfway he removed all the spikes as he descended. He then released his rope and recovered it. We returned to the ship for another quiet night with only one or two unsettling dreams between us.

After breakfast the next morning we headed straight to the orchard. Late in the morning we heard horses and a few light horsemen appeared close to the city gate. Soon about two dozen cavalry led by Escas arrived. These were better armed and equipped than the first time. We suspected that there might be more, lighter armed troops in the orchard.

Escas approached and greeted us and said he was here for the parley as agreed. He had spoken to his chief and would report back to him. Agripinus returned his greeting and complimented him on his troops. He told Escas that we had carried out what had been agreed to. In the tower we had found a doorway to the underworld. The tower had been cleared and we had blocked the portal as best we could and left warnings not to disturb. The temple had been reconsecrated and as much as possible any evil removed. Agripinus explained that the seer was dead.

Si'aspiqo who had been hiding in the shadows, stepped forward and explained that there was a problem here. He suspected that the seer had worked for many years to control a small access to the underworld, from which small evil could enter. He had died and we had given him the best rites we could. The tower was a cursed place, he added, and we would strongly advise against going there. We had made it difficult to access physically but didn’t have the power to close the crack of evil. Unquiet spirits were still there, he told Escas, but the local ones we had dealt with as best we could by our rites. The tower would be unquiet until someone able to close it was found.

Escas replied that he would bear messages to his chief and Si'aspiqo told him that we would take an oath that we had done all that was in our power. Escas believed us as he thought we seemed earnest people. He told us that the Editane were happy, and we would be welcome to return. He would report what we said to his chief and he was sure the chief would call the tower taboo, a forbidden place. Maybe Greeks would return, or his people live here at some point in future, but he was grateful for our warnings and would wait and see whether the spirits are quiet. He bade us fair voyage. We noticed that we hadn’t been asked into the interior, but we hadn’t requested to go there. It had been a cautious meeting and maybe they were hoping for better news.

We returned to the colony around midday. Kallicrates had set watchmen at the gate and the rest of the crew were on board the ship awaiting our return. Agripinus told Kallicrates he could start loading the ship. The rest of the day was spent loading the tiles, and we left on the high tide a little before dusk leaving some of the tiles behind.

We talked with Kallicrates and Odysus and the pilot explained that Akre Leuke was the next port along the Iberian coast and the start of the Carthaginian world. Then there is Carthago Nova, which was a new port, followed by Baria, Sexi, Malakka and Kart. The last being the closest port to the Pillars of Hercules. Odysus had even sailed through the Pillars once to get to Gadir, on the shores of the Demon Sea. From this point onwards we would be in Carthaginian waters and Kallicrates felt that Agripinus would make the best spokesman from now on.

We agreed on Carthago Nova as our next destination as a city being built ought to be a good place to sell the roof tiles.

From Sammus’s Boast:

103: E1 – Three Against Twelve

We set sail at dusk on August 18th from Hemeroskopeion, which was exactly a week after leaving Emporion. The night was uneventful and by morning the weather had turned cooler and showery. During the morning we rounded a point and could see the coast heading west and south before us. We spotted a deserted beach late on the 19th August and spent the night beached there.

The night was quiet, and we set sail in the morning in persistent light rain, with poor visibility. Mago and Toxoanassa saw some wreckage floating in the water nearby and we steered to investigate. It appeared to be flotsam and jetsam from a vessel and Mago threw a line, and I helped haul it closer. It looked like a body and Amphius clambered down to look more closely. He reported that there was only half a body remaining and the birds had pecked at the face. It seemed to Amphius that the victim had secured himself to the foundering ship, but rescue had come too late, and the body had probably been in the sea a week or two. There was a ring, which Amphius removed. Amphius cut the wreckage free, and it sank slowly as he clambered back aboard. The ring was a gold signet ring with what Agripinus recognised as a sign of Tanit. Si'aspiqo cast a cantrip and confirmed that it was not magic. Agripinus muttered a short prayer over the remains consigning them to the deep. We wondered whether the wreck had been caused by a storm but there had not been one recently and we concluded that piracy was more likely to have been the cause. We kept a lookout for more flotsam and jetsam, but nothing was spotted. At the end of the day, we found another sandy beach, with several old campsites and spent the night there.

On August 21st there were light showers, and the wind now came from the east, which made it awkward to get off the beach, so I helped with the rowing. Late in the day the coast had become rocky and there was nowhere obvious to beach the ship and so we stood out to sea. Si'aspiqo cast a cantrip and did not feel a storm was coming and the rain would die out the following day. Amphius kept watch for the night and after midnight he reported that he could see breakers far off. We rowed away from them and there were no more alarms for the night.

By dawn on 22nd August the wind had changed to come from the northwest, which was a good direction. During the day the crew caught several fish, and we anchored in another sandy cove for the night. Once darkness fell Amphius scouted around. He could see smoke, probably from a settlement a mile inland, but nothing disturbed us that night.

The 23rd August saw heavy showers and visibility worsened, despite Si'aspiqo’s positive forecast from his cantrip. As heavy rain set in, some of the crew mocked the magician by miming sunbathing. In the mid-afternoon the lookout spotted a sandy beach, and the ship headed to shore. Si'aspiqo was very seasick in the heavy swell. Through the rain we saw a couple of fishing vessels already beached. The boat struck the beach hard, and anchors were thrown overboard. Toxoanassa, Amphius and Agripinus leapt overboard and forced their way through the surf.

They headed off 300 yards along the beach to investigate the fishing boats and a group of a dozen men came to talk to them. A fight suddenly broke out and I guessed the men were pirates. Mago and I leapt over the side and set off running to join our three comrades.

As I ran, I saw Amphius and Toxoanassa loose arrows. She narrowly missed the figure that seemed to be the spokesman, but Amphius shot him in the arm, and he screamed. Agripinus drew his sword and asked if anyone wanted to fight. Toxoanassa shot one spearman and Amphius shot the other in the head and he lost interest in continuing. Some of the pirates were running and one shot a sling and hit Amphius. Amphius shot again and I could see his bowstring had failed in the rain, but Toxoanassa shot the leading spearman in the body.

Agripinus called out in a commanding voice “Carthaginians flee” in Punic. Some of the pirates immediately ran away, while others stopped in confusion and just a few continued. Toxoanassa was put off by the loud shout, but Amphius drew his sword. A man with a club threw a stone and missed and another armed with a falcata in one hand and with a hook at the end of his other arm closed with Amphius. Agripinus was faced with two men armed with clubs.

Amphius missed and was struck by the falcata, but the hook missed, while Agripinus was hit by a club. Toxoanassa shot another approaching pirate in the leg, and he went down. Amphius hit his opponent in the right arm, causing him to miss. Agripinus shielded one blow and hit the other man in the right leg with his new sword. Amphius struck his opponent in the right leg and staggered him back. Toxoanassa dodged a sling shot.

The pirates looked demoralized and started backing. Agripinus sliced into the right leg of a man with his sword and the man collapsed to the sand, while Toxoanassa shot the slinger in the arm, but the pirate fighting Amphius slashed him with his hook. Agripinus pushed past his two opponents after their leader, a priest called Boros, I later learnt. Toxoanassa shot the man closest to her in the arm and he fell to the sand and the rest of the pirates started to flee.

Agripinus ignored the fleeing men and grabbed Boros. Amphius let his opponent turn to flee and then stabbed him in the back and ran him through. Toxoanassa continued to shoot at the fleeing targets, and soon two of them were lying face down in the sand. Mago soon jogged up and I was somewhat later and out of breath from running in chainmail. The fleeing men were heading inland, and we ignored them.

We heard cries for help in Balearic and saw three heads sticking out of the sand. Mago let them know we were rescuing them. We took possession of the campsite and dug out the three fishermen. They had been beaten up but were otherwise unharmed. Unfortunately, two of their comrades had been killed. There were four ships drawn up here and a huge, blue fish hung on a tripod. We collected up some arms and Agripinus healed the wounded priest so that he could be questioned.

The fishermen explained that they had landed the fish and one of the boats was theirs. They had been attacked by three boatloads of pirates, who had killed their two comrades and then buried the three of them alive. The three pirate ships all had pale red sails and red insignia – which Agripinus knew was the mark of Melkart. All four of the ships would be crewed by five men, with four rowing and one steering.

Our crew soon arrived and took care of the corpses and any pirates left on the beach. There were three corpses and two wounded captives other than Boros. We learnt that the pirates had come from Akre Leuke, the closest Punic colony. The crew returned to our ship, hauled it further up the beach and set a guard, while my comrades and I made camp at the captured campsite.

From Sammus’s Boast:

104: E2 – Arrival in New Carthage

The three rescued fishermen Tona, Nandes and Elandos had just a few words of Arma, but they chatted away to Mago in Balearic. They were very grateful and thanked us profusely. That evening they cooked tuna steaks for us in celebration of their rescue. They had nothing else to give but if we could take them home their clan would thank us. They asked as a boon to help them out to sea as it was too rough for the three of them to manage. They had heard of Akre Leuke which was two days’ sail away and was a place given over to evil deeds, theft, murder, and piracy they told us. They had heard of the new city and believed those there to be honourable, but added it was difficult to find work there. It blew hard that night with lots of surf. In the morning there was a gusty southerly wind and showers with poor visibility. Amphius scouted during the night but reported seeing no-one in the dunes.

Si'aspiqo cast a weather cantrip, and thought there was rain and wind ahead, so we stayed on the beach for the day and found a stream for water. Boros was now conscious and Agripinus questioned him. Once Agripinus gave his word he would be left unharmed on the beach, he agreed to answer Agripinus’s questions.

Boros was a devotee of Melkart with many tattoos in Punic. He was from Akre Leuke, which was the front line against the Greeks. Since the silver boom had started in the West times were much harder there, he said, and men lived and died by the sword. He explained that Akre Leuke was run by a council of three each affiliated to a different substantial armed faction; Sadoc, leading the red banner of Melkart, Hasdrubal, the blue and black banner of the Strongmen of Baal and Hannibal the black and yellow of the Faithful of Baal. He thought Sadoc the strongest, but maybe that was because that was his own faction. Anyone landing in Akre Leuke could deal with the council of three and buy and sell arms and armour or ship provisions and there was a slave market.

Boros was evidently well travelled in the area and explained that from west from Akre Leuke there were the following settlements: New Carthage or Hadasht for new port in the local tongue, Abdira, Sexi and Malakka each two or three days apart, then came the narrows. We asked for more information on the narrows, and he talked of the great rock near Kart on the northern coast, with Abilia on the southern coast. He had not been out on the Demon Sea beyond the pillars, but he had spoken to people who had gone as far as Cartessus on the Demon Sea.

The rest of the day and night passed without incident, but when Amphius was scouting in the pre-dawn light he spotted the movement of one or two people in the sand dunes further down the beach beyond the ship. He checked there were no more people there but then returned to the ship to report.

Si'aspiqo cast his cantrip again and deemed the forecast uncertain but that it would probably continue rainy and rough for the day. In the afternoon a couple of people appeared and waved and Agripinus sent Mago to wave back at them. It was a young couple with creels, and they shout to him in Spanish that they were selling shellfish. He waved them down to the boats to trade. We bought some oysters, clams, mussels, and crabs, paying with some of the silver pieces we had taken from the pirates. Agripinus told them we were from Carthage and had punished the pirates. Si'aspiqo spent much of the time contemplating the green ring we had gained in Kaskator, and I took the opportunity to continue to practice my Greek as long as training in sword and javelin with Amphius.

The next morning the wind was lighter and from the north, and the rain cleared but there was still a heavy swell. Si'aspiqo thought the weather would improve later and we might be able to leave either later that afternoon or on the morrow. Kallicrates had the crew digging to help free the ship’s stern. The two young beachcombers returned with more shellfish and some seaweed which we bought with more of the pirates’ silver.

Agripinus ordered the pirate ships to be left undamaged as their destruction would have meant a 60-mile trek through the interior to Akre Leuke for the pirates and very likely death. However, the Balearic fishermen did liberate a few fittings from the pirate ships along with an extra oar. They asked for help to get out to sea and Kallicrates arranged for the drawing of lots and two sailors helped the fishing vessel out through the surf and onto calmer waters. Once the Morning Breeze was also through the surf the fishing boat rowed closer and our two sailors were swung back abord and we waved farewell. Boros was left unarmed on the beach as agreed.

The Morning Breeze stayed well out to sea to avoid Akre Leuke and with Amphius able to see in the dark, the ship sailed on through the night. The next day we decided we were far enough away from Akre Leuke to steer to the west and after a couple of days the pilot judged we were close enough to New Carthage to change course and head north. Soon we saw three small sails ahead, which we guessed were fishermen. We manoeuvred into hailing distance, and they hailed us in Punic that they were from Hadasht. They advised us to continue our course and we would arrive at the port. Later in the afternoon we saw a large natural harbour and bay slightly to the west.

We were met by a light ramship, and it was evident that most of the vessels here were military. There were many cranes at the harbour and a half-completed fortress. Agripinus, in full gear, greeted the commander of the ramship, with his name and position and asked if we might dock as we wished to trade. The ramship came alongside and the commander had a good look at Agripinus then saluted him and gave directions to the harbourmaster. Agripinus returned the salute and we sailed on into harbour. By early evening we had dropped anchor. Agripinus registered with the harbourmaster, who told him that he should report to the commander, Hanno, in the fortress.

Agripinus and Mago made their way to the fortress. They waited 45 minutes and were served refreshments, before they were shown in to see Hanno. He was a grizzled, balding man, well into his sixties, with a short spiky beard and crew cut white hair. After a few words Agripinus realised that Hanno was the father of Hasdrubal, a senior officer of the Sacred Band, who Agripinus knew. Hanno asked if Agripinus was on a mission, but the priest replied that although he bore the goodwill of Carthage, he had no message. He could tell Hanno the most recent news from when he had left Carthage. He explained that he was on a private venture heading West with trade items. They had building materials, mainly roofing tiles, and Hanno was pleased as they were in demand. He promised to send a man down to survey and offer a price from the navy.

Hanno explained that this was a military port under construction with some civil support and local supplies. He mentioned that there had been trouble inland with some disputes over the silver mines. Agripinus asked about a temple, but the street of temples was just marked by pegs in the ground. He was given some accommodation for the crew in a small warehouse with a range in one corner.

From Sammus’s Boast:

105: E3 – Working for the Man… Hush Hush

The morning after meeting Hanno, someone from the port authority arrived before breakfast to inspect the cargo. Kallicrates came to the warehouse shortly after very happy to announce that the port would pay one and a quarter gold pieces per slate, so 545gp for 436 tiles, in gold minted Carthaginian coins. Dockers soon arrived to load the tiles into carts.

Later that day a messenger arrived with a note, which was a formal dinner invite from Hanno, in Punic for Agripinus and his “sworn companions”. The dinner would take place soon after dusk.

I dressed in all my gold, but not in armour and just took my dagger and my comrades dressed in their finest. When we arrived a grizzled man with one eye and one arm, but dressed in full armour, introduced himself as Truco and asked us to leave our blades in wooden lockers. We all checked in our daggers. He spoke some Punic and excellent Arma with a Spanish or Celtic accent and stood guard outside the door as less heavily armed men ushered us into a room. We sat down at the table and Hanno soon joined us for a very pleasant meal of multiple courses. Agripinus introduced us in turn and then Truco addressed him in Punic and then repeated himself in Arma.

“So,” he asked, “436 grade one Greek roof tiles, what’s the story? Usually used grade one tiles don’t get transported; they are re-used locally. Some of these had burnt edges – where did you get them?”

Agripinus explained what we had found at Hemeroskopeion and added that we were glad to be a small part of building New Carthage. Hanno knew the place and the lighthouse. Agripinus then explained about Si'aspiqo’s vision and that the report of the locals seemed to fit what the magician had seen. It seemed that Akre Leuke – from where we suspected the attack had originated – was a rogue Punic settlement. Hanno explained that making war without state authority was a serious charge, and Carthage would not take that lightly. He wanted us to gather evidence for him that he could present in Carthage to get sanction for an attack on the pirates in Akre Leuke.

He proposed that Agripinus and his companions visit places and obtain hard evidence of what happened by buying enslaved captives from Hemeroskopion – who would be able to tell the story under questioning in Carthage. He would pay 1,000gp per slave and would provide help to get to the Demon Sea. He excused himself and left us alone to discuss our response to his proposal. My companions and I agreed that as this was the direction we were proposing to travel anyway, that we would agree to accept Hanno’s commission.

After half an hour or so, Truco looked in and asked if we needed more time or wine and when Agripinus said that we were ready, Hanno returned. Hanno explained again that he needed permission from Carthage to sort out the problems in Akre Leuke and that he would leave it up to Agripinus to determine what would make reliable evidence. He told us that this would be a covert mission and saw it as a bit of a longshot but that he would give us something to make it worthwhile and Agripinus agreed that we would accept.

Hanno suggested that we put in at Baria, Odyssa, Sexi and Kart, going west and then head through the Pillars of Hercules to the Demon Sea. Rusadir on the south coast opposite Akre Leuke, might also be a possibility, but this would require that a slaver take on water and Hanno thought it was more likely that any slaves from Hemeroskopeion were taken west. Abilia was on the opposite coast south of Kart and once were in the Demon Sea, Tingir was to the south and Gadir and Tartessos to the north. Again, he told us he would send some stuff down to help us on our way and make our trip worthwhile.

The next morning, water, food and amphoras of wine started to be loaded onto the Morning Breeze, much to Kallicrates’s surprise. Agripinus explained a little of what we had agreed and Kallicrates was happy that all he had to do was sign for the delivery of the supplies. Soon spare sail cloth, rope, and lumber were loaded aboard. Truco arrived to supervise a small barrel, which contained several tarry blobs, which he explained were 50 fire arrows, then a box with six small balls, which were heavy slingshot with a wick – incendiaries from Syracuse. Next came a large box which we were told not to drop. A large amphora came with it, which was winched aboard and propped in a corner. The box had a military grade ship light, made of bronze and thick glass, and the amphora contained whale oil. Truco also handed Agripinus a scroll, which said in Punic that Agripinus, officer of the Sacred Band, was working on matters of state naval intelligence and should receive all assistance and was signed by Hanno.

Finally, there was a little woven basket, containing a hand-written note and a cloth bundle. The note in Punic explained that someone with enough wit should be able to use the contents to hear storms coming. Wrapped in the cloth was a strange, worn shell with coloured stripes and spiky appendages.

Kallicrates said that there was enough on board to sail for weeks. With the light at night, we would look like a ramship, although the light would also effectively blind Amphius. It took all day to load all the supplies. We were ready to sail at dawn, but as the sun rose Agripinus held a religious ceremony for Tanit’s blessing. He had bought a young bullock and he sacrificed it as part of the ceremony. We set sail at lunchtime.

During the past night, Amphius had had a couple of visitors and as we sailed out into the bay, he explained that he had passed word via Truco, that he was interested in weapons and had a substantial amount of gold to spend. He had had two responses and he showed us the blades he had bought.

The first was a short sword of very dark iron with a pale gold pommel shaped like a bull, in a fancy sheath. It had Punic writing on, which Agripinus said read “Blood for the Blood God” and marked it as a votive offering to Baal. Si'aspiqo said it disturbed his dreams and much blood had been spilt with it.

The second was a cavalry sword made for the noble cavalry in Carthage, it was well balanced and flexible and should give a bonus to the wielder. Si'aspiqo said it was a mundane object but well-made.

Amphius decided to pack away the dark sword of Baal to sell at a later date and use the cavalry sword.

From Sammus’s Boast:

106: E4 – Into Baria

We left New Carthage behind us and headed south for the rest of the day and then sailed on into the night with Amphius on watch.

The next morning, 1st September, dawned fair with a light northeasterly wind. We discussed our options for finding the slaves from Hemeroskopeion. Along the coast Baria was famous for mining and there was a silver boom there, but we did not think it likely there would be much demand for women and child slaves there. Abdira was a smaller trading settlement with contacts with the tribes inland. Sexi was another Carthaginian settlement with some mining and exported fish. Malakka was the largest Carthaginian settlement in Southern Spain and was founded at the same time as Carthage – it sold purple dye and manufactured goods. Kart was much smaller and was the last stop before the Demon Sea.

We decided to sail along the coast and stop at each settlement in turn, so we sailed along the coast to the west. We saw a couple of fishing boats and caught a tuna, although it was nowhere near the size of the one that the Balearic fishermen had caught, it was around 70 or 80lbs with strange scars and round marks.

The next morning was fresher with the wind from slightly west of north and the Morning Breeze had to tack for most of the day, but in the late afternoon the lookout spotted a settlement along the coast. It was a harbour about the same size as New Carthage and Odyssus recognised it as Baria. We had to row in, but we arrived a couple of hours before dusk. It was a busy little port, but we were soon moored amongst some fishing boats against one of the small piers.

My companions and I went into the settlement and found a restaurant in the beach area for a meal. I ate large quantities of tasty seafood, and plenty of wine while my companions found out the following: there was a local temple of Tanit in the city, which was formerly dedicated to Astarte; there was an Acropolis above the beach area and a necropolis for former citizens situated nearby; Baria produced a range of metals – silver, gold, bronze, lead and copper – which could readily be bought; there was a major silver mining business in the hinterland of Baria and a lot more free-mining for gold and other metals nearer the town; slaves were brought in from Carthage and sent to the silver mines.

Amphius surprisingly lost his way while returning to the ship; as he tried to regain his bearings, Agripinus had his purse stolen by a cutpurse.

The next morning Kallicrates, Agripinus and Mago went into the city to buy metal. We had agreed to put in shares of 100gp and with Si'aspiqo putting in for two shares and Kallicrates for three this came to a round 1000gp. With Mago’s advice on the quality of alloys, Kallicrates bought a mixture of metal ingots: silver, lead, copper, bronze, and iron. Kallicrates thought he had gained good value for money. Later that day donkeys arrive at the pier with the first set of ingots – the rest would be delivered the next day.

We split into different groups to explore the city further and see if there was any news of Greek slaves. Agripinus asked if there might be a slave for sale who could speak African languages and Greek but found that there was no regular slave market in Baria. Amphius looked for educated Greeks in town and found a tutor who could teach Greek and Iberian. From him he learned that there were occasionally some Greek-speaking slaves for sale, but the last group which had arrived in Baria had been enslaved criminals from Carthage for the mines, and so not from Hemeroskopeion.

Si'aspiqo bought a kid and some wine for a sacrifice to Astarte and was directed to the temple for incense. Agripinus took him there, and he found a shrine to Astarte. Si'aspiqo hoped to arrange to set up a ceremony, but the temple staff were mortified when they realised he was sacrificing to Astarte - Enslaved and not Astarte - Great Mother of Fertility to whom the shrine was dedicated. Luckily Agripinus was there otherwise he would have been thrown out onto the street. Si'aspiqo made an apologetic donation and Agripinus worshipped at the shrine of Tanit and made a small sacrifice.

After the delivery of the remaining ingots, we set sail again on the 4th September. It was a fair day with a southerly wind and the crew had to row the Morning Breeze out of harbour. As we were leaving there were half a dozen small fishing boats just ahead of us, but we quickly passed them and then turned West. We continued into the night and around midnight Amphius noticed lots of sparkling blue lights in the water. After a while we realised this was from small squid. Some of them were caught and hauled aboard where they glowed for a little while before fading. The lights reminded us of the glowing plants in Kaskator. After an hour or so we left the lights behind us as we sailed on.

From Sammus’s Boast:

107: E5 – From the Deep a Kētŏs!

On the morning of the 5th of September there was a light wind from the south and we sailed on out of sight of land, continuing more slowly northwest for the night. As dusk fell two very large fish were caught, but as the second was hauled in, a shark or something from the deep tore off two thirds of it. Perhaps it was an omen of what was to come the next night.

At dawn the wind was much brisker wind from the southeast. We saw some fishing vessels and Odyssus thought we would reach Abdira the next day. At dusk we slackened speed again but sailed on. Amphius spotted some wreckage in the water and the helm steered around it.

As the rest of us settled for the night, there was a loud shout of ‘Kētŏs!’, from Amphius in Greek and then he called “Action, Hydra!” in Arma. I grabbed my sword and shield and clapped on my helmet as a large snake-like form loomed out of the sea and hissed fiercely. I raced towards it.

Toxoanassa hit it in the head with an arrow, while Mago struck it with a slingshot. My blow went wide, but some of the crew threw javelins and one struck home. The Ketos battered a couple of sailors off their feet with the side of its head and neck, while Agripinus called for a shield wall.

The sea beast gave another loud and fearsome hiss and some of the crew cowered away. Mago and Amphius hit it again with missiles, I missed once more as I stepped back into the shield wall. The beast missed me and then bit and worried at the mast. More javelins were thrown, while Si'aspiqo lit a torch with a cantrip and set it to burn at a low level. The two sailors who had been knocked down got back up and sheltered behind the shield wall.

Amphius, Toxoanassa and Mago all hit the Ketos and then I hacked halfway through the neck of the beast with a powerful blow and the head lolled on the deck as the rest of its body started slithering overboard. I hacked through the long neck, severing the head, from which two deeply embedded arrows stuck out, while cheers erupted from the sailors. We could all hear the bump of the whale-like body against the side of the ship as we drifted on.

Kallicrates shouted and some lines and hooks were thrown to try to snag the carcass and the sail was dropped. One line hooked in, and I helped hold it fast. Agripinus grabbed another rope and a large hook and jumped down into the sea. He managed to stick the hook firmly into the carcass, while a couple of sailors hung over the sides grasping poles with hooks on the end grabbing at the body. Agripinus was helped back on board to safety, and we all hauled at the body. It was probably many times the weight of a man, but we got it alongside and then partly out of the water. Unfortunately, at that point the hooks ripped out and the body sank slowly below the water and drifted away.

The head was the size of a large horse and Si'asiqo told me that it resembled a Nile crocodile. It was certainly the largest and ugliest toothed fish any of us had seen, and it was certainly a fearsome creature. Kallicrates opened an amphora of wine, and we all celebrated the slaying of the Ketos.

By the next morning the wind had died, and we had to row. Toxoanassa and I took a turn, but it was much more difficult than it looked; we almost lost our oars and were quickly replaced. Si'aspiqo wanted a tooth from the Ketos, and Mago winkled out a sizeable one embedded in the mast, where the beast had bitten it. In the early afternoon we arrived at the small settlement of Abdira, which was on a small hill above a harbour.

Agripinus spoke to some sailors from one of the ships in the harbour and asked about Ketos. The sailors all made a sign of Melkart, and one told him that anyone would be lucky to survive an attack from one and that it was the worst of luck to encounter one as they took many a sailor. The priest then dropped into the conversation that we had chopped the head off one although the body had got away. Soon word of the head of the Ketos had percolated around harbour.

Abdira was a very small town with one substantial building: the Temple of Melkart. There was a small market, where there was a fair amount of food on sale. Si'aspiqo did some small tricks with sleight of hand and smoke to entertain the locals, while Mago and I watched. Amphius asked a local about buying slaves and was told that slaves were rarely sold here, and he would be better to go to Malakka.

Agripinus talked with a merchant who spoke Punic and learnt that there was no regular slave market here. Trade was mainly with the tribes inland, which provided grain, olives, fruit, basket ware and livestock. The settlement was also well known for bulk salted fish. The merchant had heard a rumour of strangers in town who had killed a sea monster and Agripinus admitted that it had been him and his comrades. The merchant bought mugs of wine for Agripinus in exchange for the tale. Agripinus bought salt to preserve the head and was advised that Malakka or Kart, which was a strange place, might be good places to sell it. My comrades and I gathered to eat at a Greek-speaking restaurant, while the crew toured the local bars celebrating their survival with large quantities of wine.

In the morning Kallicrates had to send a search party for the last three sailors. They were found sleeping off the wine, slumped in a corner. We left harbour later that morning despite the three latecomers still being incapable of rowing. Many of the local sailors gathered to watch the Morning Breeze leave. Soon we picked up a brisk easterly wind and headed west. We sailed on at night, with Amphius on watch. He saw the multiple colours of luminous squid in the water once more but left them undisturbed.

The next morning, 9th September, the wind dropped, and we had to row. Late in the afternoon, the lookout saw smoke ahead and in the early evening we rowed into the port of Sexi. We tied up alongside a small pier at dusk and the Carthaginian militia soon arrived with the harbourmaster. Agripinus introduced himself and we were welcomed. Sexi was bigger than Abdira, but places were preparing to close so we left our investigations until the morning.

In the morning most of the fishing boats had left to fish. We found that the market here had fish paste, silver, and fish readily available. There was a temple of Melkart but no slave market. Again, Malakka was suggested as a good place to go. We learnt that there had been a Greek merchant here last week, but he had gone now. The local fish pate was very pungent and Mago bought three sealed earthenware jars of it for 10 Carthaginian gold coins each. We left Sexi at midday of the 10th of September.

From Sammus’s Boast:

108: E6 – Arrival in Malaka

As we sailed away from Sexi with a northerly wind pushing us away from the coast, Si'aspiqo used the magic shell to check the long-range weather; he found it hard to hear anything. We passed a few returning fishing boats and then turned west, continuing throughout a fine, clear night under a small sail. The next two days the wind was from the southwest or west and the crew were forced to row. We made slight progress during the days and just drifted at night while the crew rested.

The next morning, 12th September, there was a light southerly wind and the Morning Breeze tacked. By mid-morning we passed a few inshore craft and then a much larger settlement came into view ahead. We were met by a Carthaginian warship and after a short conversation we were allowed to continue.

Malaka was a river port with a peninsular out into the sea. There was a larger version of the Hemeroskopeion lighthouse – a blocky structure with a site for the light on the roof. There was a V-shaped wall closing off the peninsular with a tower at each end and a hill between them. We slowly rowed up and moored against a small quay around midday. Kallikrates was horrified to have to pay 50gp for a good spot to unload the cargo.

Malaka had a large market with shops and stalls with a variety of goods for sale – salted fish, dyed cloth, purple dye, jewelry, and leather work. There were three temples: one to Tanit and Astarte Holy Mother; a second to Melkart; a third to Baal. There was a weekly livestock market we were told, with goats, donkeys, cattle, chicken and occasionally horses. There was also an irregular slave market, which was dominated by three men – Haro of Ham, Sam-el of Tyre and Jonas of Malaka.

Mago found someone very keen to buy his fish paste and he made 50% profit. Agripinus sold his spare helmet. Mago found a weaponsmith, from whom Amphius bought four good quality swords and Toxoanassa a steel dagger with a gold pommel. Kallicrates tried selling our metal ingots but was asked various technical questions and decided to try again later with Mago’s help.

We celebrated our arrival with a long meal and quite a few drinks; the drunken Amphius managed to get lost on our way back to the ship. We were spotted by a night patrol of very young soldiers; the situation might have been problematic, but thanks to Agripinus’s presence, they just pointed us in the right direction. We reached the ship with no more issues.

The 14th September Agripinus took Si'aspiqo and I to the temple of Tanit, while Mago helped Kallicrates with trading the ingots. At the temple Si'aspiqo was told something of the worship of Astarte in Malaka. She was claimed as the mother or aunt of Tanit, and revered for childbirth, fertility, and health. Meanwhile Agripinus spoke to the High Priest and asked about the best way of dealing with a Ketos. The High Priest suggested that the holy light of Tanit was best to try to make the creature quail but admitted that Melkart might be more apt to persuade them to depart and Baal might more directly repel monsters of deep. A protection might work if a creature were demonic, but this was not the case for a Ketos. He also told Agripinus and I that they were more common in the Demon Sea and suggested it were best not to go through the gateway into it.

The priest had some healing draughts of holy water blessed by Tanit, which might be good for the wounded, and we brought three potions for 100gp and were warned not to take more than one a day.

Agripinus gave the High Priest news from Sardinia. In exchange the High Priest explained that Malaka was run by a Council of 9 citizens. There was a citizen levy and a band of professional soldiers led by a man named Paris, which would give a force of some hundreds to defend the city. Agripinus also asked about the slave traders and learnt that Jonas of Malaka sacrificed at the Temple of Tanit and Astarte; the High Priest suspected that the others might go to the temple of Melkart, but he didn’t know for sure.

With Mago to give technical advice on the metals, Kallicrates struck a deal to sell however many of the metal ingots he wished at a profit of around 40%.

Agripinus requested an introduction to Paris. He introduced himself to the commander and explained that was interested in talking to the slaver merchants, Jonas in particular, and could he send someone to guide us. He also congratulated the commander on the diligence of his night watch explaining how we had got lost on our first night in the port. When Paris started to speak, Agripinus realised that he knew Paris from when they were both in the Sacred Band in Carthage and they had not been close friends. Agripinus remembered having been a tongue-tied recruit in Paris’s presence. Paris had been more interested in the military rather than the priestly duties of his role. Agripinus could not remember why Paris had left Carthage,

Paris was courteous but evidently unimpressed that we had lost our way in the port. He agreed to allocate one of the levy, if we needed it. Agripinus left hurriedly accompanied by an orderly with his arm in a sling. Cenas, a local man, admitted that he had been injured falling from his horse. Cenas’s parents owned property in the area, which is why he had been drafted.

Cenas told Agripinus that Jonas had an estate out of town with Celt-Iberian mercenaries. He had served on the town council in the past. He said it would be impolite to go to the estate without an invite, but he should have an agent in town. Cenas would ask around to find out about Jonas or his agent and would come to the Morning Breeze first thing next morning.

Cenas arrived as promised on the Friday morning, wearing marine armour, but with his arm still in a sling. Si'aspiqo offered to cast dream sleep on him to help with his recovery and Cenas readily agreed. He had learnt the name of the agent for Jonas and had directions to a town house where the agent lived. He led us there and Agripinus explained to the factor that he wished to talk to Jonas as one of his companions had relatives who had moved through slave markets. He had heard of Jonas through the temple and would like to ask him some questions. The factor replied that he would pass on the message, and he should have a reply the next day.

The next day Agripinus received an invitation to see Jonas of Malaka for Agripinus and such companions and servants as he might need.

Next game 14th July.

From Sammus’s Boast:

109: E7 – Investigating the Slave Trade

Before we left to visit Jonas of Malaka, we discussed what our approach should be. After a debate, we agreed to talk to Jonas and get his advice on how to trace some relatives of Amphius and get some explanation of how the slave trade worked.

Si'aspiqo remained on board ship, reading scrolls, but the rest of us walked out of town in the cool of the morning and followed the directions we had been given. We passed vineyards and trees before coming to a large villa and estate complex. Agripinus stated our business, and we were escorted into the outer part of the complex by half a dozen Celt-Iberian mercenaries, armed with long gallic swords. They seemed to be bothered about something and I saw some making superstitious signs. One of them spoke Arma and invited us to hang up our weapons at the front entrance. The squad leader bowed and apologized before patting us down, but nobody touched Toxoanassa, and they followed us inside into into a courtyard garden.

We were met by a well-built, tanned man with a shaven head, who introduced himself as Jonas and welcomed us to his home in Punic. As most of us did not understand Punic, Jonas agreed to speak to us in low Greek which was very similar to Arma. He invited us to share a glass of wine and explained- somewhat sheepishly - that his mercenaries were God-fearing Iberians who had been upset to find an armed woman in our band. They would not touch her, their faith causing them to believe her a 'man-killer' – they believed they would be cursed to touch her and struck blind if they saw her naked. Therefore, they had accompanied us into the courtyard rather than examine her for weapons. This caused us some amusement, especially with Amphius obviously half-blind and squinting out from under his sun-hat.

Jonas said that clearly the Scythian was indeed the real deal and asked if Agripinus was also the genuine article. Agripinus used his divine power and brought forth the light of Tanit after warning Amphius to shade his eyes. The Iberians muttered amongst themselves, and Jonas was fascinated. He told the priest he was all ears to hear what had brought him and his interesting companions here. Agripinus explained that we were trying not to make mistakes or offend people in the business of slavery, but we were looking for particular Greek slaves, relatives of Amphius. We had begun here as we thought Jonas would receive him more favourably as a fellow believer in Tanit. Jonas asked for names and Amphius gave him a few common Greek female names and said they were from Crete or closer and when pressed told Jonas they had been recently taken from Hemeroskopeion. When asked how many had been taken Amphius admitted that he didn’t know, but there had been many, and he was looking for a number of families. Jonas considered for a moment and then asked for a word in private with Agripinus and they disappeared into a side room.

The two men returned after a few minutes with the Celt-Iberians watching Toxoanassa unceasingly. Jonas dismissed all but two guards and spoke in a lower voice so that only we could hear. He told us that about 10 weeks ago a ship had come in sailing westwards and taken on a large amount of water and some food, so there must have been many slaves on board. There had been a private sale of a few girls to Haro of Amm, but Jonas had only heard of this from the gossip of some sailors. Apparently, the ship belonged to Hannikart of Gadir, a name meaning ‘beloved of Melkart’. Hannikart was a well-known slaver who transported slaves and traded them in Gadir and Tartessos. Jonas was pretty sure that no-one else in Malaka had been offered any slaves, only Haro. 'A quiet deal, kept inside the faction', he said.

Jonas believed that a small group of female slaves had been sold and perhaps as many as three dozen. Haro was a follower of Melkart and a man of some disrepute. He was known as a specialist who only dealt in pretty women. Jonas explained that Haro had his own rules and would only buy girls at least 5 or 6 years old, otherwise it was hard to predict their beauty and would not want them over 20 unless they were outstanding or exotic – at this point he glanced meaningfully at Toxoanassa – and he trained them for a long time. ‘He deals in the exotic and you have the real thing, which should gain you access and help you make a deal’, he pointed out. Jonas asked Agripinus not to tell Haro where we had heard our news. ‘Whatever your business is, if it leads to problems for Haro, that sounds good to me’ he added. Jonas finished by saying that Haro had an agent in town, so it should be easy to contact him.

After other questions, he said that Sam-el of Tyre dealt exclusively in slaves for manufacturing - spinning and weaving and so forth; he was not very interested in males as they were less nimble than women. Haro might have some of the people we were looking for; otherwise, we would have to go on to Gadir.

Agripinus had agreed to provide a special ceremony for Jonas in exchange for the information provided and asked when Jonas would like this blessing from Tanit. Jonas said any sunset would work and he would just need a day or two’s notice to inform his Iberian contacts. He wanted the blessing at a sacred grove no more than ten miles away in a private ceremony by invitation only. He would provide us with accommodation until the ceremony took place.

It was a splendid estate with several outbuildings, including a stables, many fruit trees, and fruitful vineyards with between 100 and 200 workers in all. There was a tiny shrine to Tanit and Holy Mother Astarte in the villa, and Toxoanassa even had her own room. She and I borrowed horses and had a pleasant ride back to town, where we let Kallicrates know that all was well, and that we would be back to the port in a few days, after the ceremony. We rode straight back to the villa and were waited on hand and foot by numerous domestic slaves. We all headed out the next evening to a grove of trees about ten miles away, with a small lake with a stream emerging from it and a spring as the source - the sacred spring of the local tribe. It looked very similar to the shrines I was used to back in Gaul, where we would have thrown items into the lake to propitiate the Gods. Agripinus blessed the water, which seemed very pure, and carried out a ceremony to cleanse Jonas of all his sins as the sun set in the West. Afterwards we all returned by torchlight to the estate without incident to enjoy the luxurious food, drink and accommodation and were sad to depart in the morning to return to Malaka.

Amphius went round the port and bought some some drinks for thirsty sailors and dockers. He learnt that Jonas was the easternmost of the three slavers’ estates, with Sam-el’s in the centre and Haro’s estate to the west, all about 5 or 6 miles outside of town. Haro was some posh foreigner from Africa, and there were many lurid stories of a harem and fantastic dancing girls. When Amphius asked where he sold his slaves, his sources did not know as it was way out of their league, but it would be to local toffs, or they might be transported even as far as Carthage. Haro had a guarded estate with fierce dogs and was of mixed blood, probably Liby-Phoenician, but was nonetheless a Carthaginian citizen who paid his taxes in Malaka.

From Sammus’s Boast:

110: E8 — Toxoanassa’s Challenge

We discussed what we should try to buy from Haro, and I said that given their likely ages I doubted that any of the slaves would make credible witnesses in Carthage, but Toxoanassa suggested that they would be able to help us identify suitable witnesses if we travelled on to where the other slaves might be sold. Agripinus left word in town that we would like to see Haro and a few days later we received an invitation and directions.

We set out in the morning and this time Si'aspiqo accompanied us. A few hours walk took us somewhere very like the compound of Jonas. There were managed grounds and flashy new estate buildings with a wall and entranceway with lots of Greek tiles and stonework. As before there was a villa and several outbuildings, even with something that looked like a cavalry courtyard. We were met by Iberian guards and heard guard dogs barking. There were small groups of women doing something outdoors, but these were not farm workers — they were dressed in skimpy tunics and were a variety of ages, though all were young. Some were exercising, while others seemed to be doing classes.

We were escorted through a gateway into an inner courtyard by a couple of guards and heard whispered comments from the walls. There were pegs on the wall where we left our weapons, apart from Toxoanassa who kept a concealed dagger. Apart from the Scythian, who was just patted ineffectively, we were all searched thoroughly, especially me. There was more muttering, which by now we were sure was about Toxoanassa, an armed woman. I could hear quite a lot of whistling around us, but we could not see who it was.

We were led into a posh inner courtyard with gardens and polished marble. There was a large man seated on a wooden chair or throne in the centre of the garden courtyard. He greeted us in horribly accented Punic, which Agripinus translated: “Greetings strangers — welcome to my house, what business brings you to my door?” Haro was in his late forties, over six feet tall and very heavily muscled, probably the broadest man I had ever met. He had long dark hair and was dark and sunburnt. Agripinus introduced himself, thanked Haro and complimented him on his stature, then explained that we were looking for slaves. Haro switched to low Greek and sat down with a large sword across his lap. Once Agripinus explained that the rest of us were travelling companions and not mercenaries, Haro asked us to introduce ourselves.

I started and he noticed me eyeing his sword. He explained that it had gone to Egypt over 700 years ago with the army of Ma and he had had taken it from a tomb and had sent many souls into the afterlife; “what better blade to serve Melkart?”, he added. Si'aspiqo went next and Haro told him that 500 years ago their ancestors had fought for the Pharoah’s throne. The people of Kush, after a long struggle, had earned the respect of the Meshwesh. Mago went next and Haro told him that he had a dozen mercenaries from his islands who were paid in women, but that he could see there was wisdom and experience in his eyes.

Amphius then introduced himself and Haro mentioned the story of the labyrinth and the minotaur and said that Crete was very old and had once been the heart of the Blessed Sea. He then asked what had happened to the Greek’s eyes. Amphius tried to say it was sun blindness, but Haro warned Amphius not to vex him with tales of sunstoke and that he would not scoff at the truth but would punish a lie. Amphius then explained that he had been too greedy and consumed too much blood of the earth. Haro acknowledged his tale and said that he had been cursed by the Gods.

Finally, it came to Toxoanassa who introduced herself as Oiorpata of Scythia. Haro explained that he had long wished to meet a real Amazon, and find if they were really man-killers, who could shoot backwards off a galloping horse. He looked hard at her and said “Some hawks can never be tamed. They might sit awhile on your hand but will fly off one day because their hearts are truly wild”. He asked why she had left Scythia and she explained that she had a quest to perform on behalf of her father and that she had to visit the twin pillars of Hercules. He commented that she was a long way from Scythia and added that he had been well-served by fate to have such interesting visitors.

Agripinus explained that we were searching for lost relatives of Amphius who we thought had been taken as slaves. Haro replied that we looked more like Argonauts than grieving relatives, but added that the Powers guided all steps, so this meeting was not by chance. Opportunity was not to be scorned and he invited us to sit and talk a while. He clapped his hands and scantily clad young women brought stools for each and then each of us was served refreshments by a different, very attractive slave girl.

Agripinus gave some details of our travels, without mentioning Hemeroskopeion, and explained that we planned on visiting further places in search of the slaves as it matched our planned route. He told Haro that he was impressed with his buildings, his sword and impressive stature.

Haro explained that he dealt in women in his own way. He provided years of training and only sold the best; he didn’t sell girls he had just bought. However, he continued, he would break his own rules and sell an untrained girl from the latest group in exchange for a demonstration of the Amazon’s skill. We would be able to appraise the girls. There were 20 girls, he said, all young, some very young and we could pick whichever we chose. Agripinus asked Haro to what end he offered this and Haro said it was for amusement and to satisfy his curiosity. He added that the Amazon could choose one from three of his best horses, and then ride in the yard outside, where three young girls carrying shields would be. If she stuck an arrow in all three shields, then the Amazon would win the slave, but if any of the three managed to paint a mark on her then she would lose, and we should leave and never darken his door again.

We had a brief discussion in which Mago whispered that the whistling we had heard was young women being hunted so these girls would be trained. However, all agreed that this was the likeliest way of achieving our aim and Toxoanassa accepted the challenge.

Haro had three horses brought into the yard. A black one, a brown one and then another brown one with white socks. Toxoanassa decided the first was magnificent but unruly, and although the one with white socks seemed to her very fast, she chose the second as it was both intelligent and good natured. All three were very fine animals. She climbed on and rode it masterfully, and then fetched her bow and arrows.

Three young girls came into the yard, dressed in very little but bearing light shields painted scarlet and sticks with cloths soaked in paint on the end. Haro said “Go” and they ran towards Toxoanassa in a skirmishing line. When the Scythian got in good range, she loosed an arrow and the first girl tried to dodge holding the shield in front of herself. The arrow went almost completely through the centre of the shield, and she stopped and then walked off the field. The other two leapt towards Toxoanassa as she turned the horse and rode away, loosing another arrow behind her which bounced off a shield. The two girls zig-zagged towards her, and she shot again, but again it glanced off the target’s shield. The girl missed narrowly with her stick, as Toxoanassa swerved the horse around here, leaving a small paint stain on the horse.

The two girls now clustered together and Toxoanassa fired from longer range hitting a shield and leaving the arrow in it. This girl also stopped and walked away. The last one ran in a zig zag towards the Scythian but again Toxoanassa’s aim was true, and her arrow stuck firmly in the third shield. Toxoanassa picked up her arrows, pulling three of them out of the shields and trotted her horse to join up with the rest of us.

“Bravo — well done!”, exclaimed Haro, adding that he should have made this test more difficult — it seemed too easy for a real Amazon. He admitted that he had promised we could choose a girl and sent for them along with more refreshments.

Meantime Si'aspiqo talked with Haro of other worlds and Haro described dreams where he had seen the dead and therefore had become an initiate of Melkart who ruled the Land of the Dead. They compared dreams, and Haro told the magician that he had been born and brought up in Libya and had travelled to Egypt through the desert. I discussed Haro’s sword with him and when he let me pick it up the guards took a great deal of interest. It looked like it was made of bronze and was very long like a tapered gallic sword with a wide cross-guard. It was very sharp and well-balanced and felt much lighter than I had expected. Whoever made it 700 years before knew what they were doing.

Haro also spoke to Agripinus, recognizing that he was a was a priest of Tanit. Haro offered his respect to the wife of Baal-Hamon, which was an unusual way to refer to Tanit. He then called in the 20 young girls, who were a variety of ages. They were all clean and well-groomed in gymnastic attire. Amphius approached the girls with Agripinus and questioned them in Greek introducing himself and asking each in turn their name and age. They were all demure and polite and replied in good Greek. One of the older ones, called Ione, whispered something in Archaic Greek, which Amphius didn’t catch.

After a few more questions Agripinus told Haro that Ione seemed to fit their description. She was 17 and quite plain looking with dark hair and brown eyes but with the light of intelligence in her eyes. Haro said he was a man of his word, but did wonder whether Ione had been hiding her light under a bushel. He told us that he would like the Amazon in particular to visit again. Agripinus thanked him for his hospitality and added that if the Gods decided, we might drop in on our return. Haro told us that if we ever wished to go to Egypt that he might have valuable knowledge to offer.

Ione had little to pack, and it was not long before we set off for Malaka. After 100 yards or so, Amphius spoke to Ione and explained that we were seeking information about the fall of Hemeroskopeion and that she had a choice and could go back and stay with her friends if she preferred. “Let’s just keep walking”, she replied. When we were a mile away, she told us that she was a handmaiden of Apollo and would just like to be taken to any temple of Apollo.

Agripinus explained that we needed a statement of what had happened in Hemeroskopeion and would like to take her to Carthage to swear. We would like her to pose as a slave girl for now. If she had any problem with this, he would like to solve it amicably.

Ione explained how a ship had arrived at night full of Carthaginians bearing shields with painted devices on them and they had stormed and sacked the town. They had cast down and burned the temple and slain many people including her family. All females and all male non-combatants that were not too old were taken prisoner. Ione had claimed to be a Temple cleaner instead of a handmaiden of Apollo. Ione asked why we wanted to take her to Carthage when the people who had taken her were Carthaginians. The priest explained that they were of a different faction and Ione quickly grasped the implications and realised that she had been sold to Haro because he was a follower of Melkart. She thought Haro was very religious and wanted to live forever.

Agripinus told her that we expected her to play a role as a slave, but that we would treat her well and gave his word as priest of Tanit that in the end she would have her freedom. Ione was happy to go to Carthage and swear, if we would then take her to a temple of Apollo. She was keen to do something to give trouble to faction of Melkart and said she could be more useful if we got her to temple of Apollo, with a glint in her eye.

We returned to Malaka before nightfall without any trouble on the road and set sail on the morning tide.

From Sammus’s Boast:

111: E9 — Onward the Sailors Cry

We set sail on the morning tide on 21st September in fair weather with a good westerly wind to help us out of harbour. We then had to row into the wind to head along the coast towards Kart.

After an hour Ione asked to say her prayers to Apollo and after considering awhile Agripinus suggested she should do this from the stern, which would be more discrete and less likely to be noticed by the sailors. But this was not her way.

She stood up and sang very loudly in a beautiful voice:

Speed bonny boat like a bird on a wing,
Onward the sailors cry,
Carry the lass that’s born to be free
Over the sea to home.

Loud the winds howl, loud the winds roar,
Thunderclaps rend the air
Baffled my foes, stand by the shore
Follow they will not dare.

Speed bonny boat like a bird on a wing,
Onward the sailors cry,
Carry the lass that’s born to be free
Over the sea to home.

Burned is my home, Exile or Death
Scattered the loyal men.
Yet by the sword, cool in its sheath
Apollo will come again.

Speed bonny boat like a bird on a wing,
Onward the sailors cry,
Carry the lass that’s born to be free
Over the sea to home.

Over the sea to home.

All the crew listed enraptured and Kallicrates ordered “up oars”. Now the ship drifted silently. Odyssus asked where she had learnt to sing and whether she was a handmaiden to Apollo, to which Ione replied that she had learned in the Temple of Apollo in Hemeroskopeon, and by his grace was still pure in mind and body.

She then commanded the crew: “Hark me Greeks — and mark my words! On this ship and off it, tell no-one of Hemeroskopeon or Ione!” She put the power of command in her voice as Agripinus can, and she obviously had the holy power of a priestess.

She told the crew that she had agreed to go to Carthage and tell of the murder and enslavement of her people. She then asked the crew to swear an oath to say nothing of Hemeroskopeon or Ione. One by one all the Greeks came up and swore by Apollo, and so did Si’Aspiqo and I. She looked them all in the eye as they swore and looked much less demure and unassuming than she had when we had met her at the compound of Jonas.

Kallicrates walked by and whispered, “good job that we got rid of the roof tiles!”.
Agripinus turned to Ione, “thanks for doing that so surreptitiously”, he said with a grin.
Ione considered and then gave him a quizzical smile. “The crew are Greek; you can leave them to me”. She then turned and looked back eastwards and watched that horizon for the rest of the day.

I helped with the rowing and am finally getting the hang of it. Southwards we caught glimpses of the African shore, so we had to be approaching the narrows at the uttermost end of the Blessed Sea. Towards the end of the day Si'aspiqo listened to the conch and heard only peaceful waves; Kallicrates decided to drift at night, hoping for the wind to change for the morning.

The night was uneventful; just before dawn Ione came to stand alongside Amphius and then sang a short song to Apollo to greet the sun. Agripinus and I spent some time practicing our Greek with Ione. She seemed strong in mind and spirit with an inner toughness.

Today there was a light wind from the north and the rowers could rest. Soon we all saw high ground ahead to the north and then to the south too and the sea narrowed. Ione called: “Behold — the Pillars of Herakles, named by the Greeks 700 years and taken by Carthage 400 years ago. Now they are the Pillars of Melkart”. She explained that the whole mighty rock was sacred ground to Melkart and there were tunnels beneath it leading to the underworld. She reminded the crew to take care to keep their promise to Apollo.

As we drew nearer to the great rock, we saw a lot of small boats even though the port was not in sight. We spotted a column of smoke from a signal fire on the southern tip of the rock and the fishing boats clustered together. A dolphin came alongside and was soon joined by a second and a third all playing in the bow foam. As we closed on the tip of the rock, they veered off and called at us. We threw some mackerel at them, which they scoffed, and then continued to call; asking us to follow it seemed. Agripinus feared we were being led astray as our way lay westward beyond the tip of land according to the pilot.

Many of us were in favour of following the dolphins, but Ione determined that although there was no sign of evil, she believed they were servants of Melkart. We tacked out to sea to round the rock and then rowed north along the coast to Kart.

We passed the lookout tower with a signal fire on the tip and saw that the rock was not so sheer on the western side. We could see the smoke of the settlement a mile or two ahead. There were a handful of buildings on the rock itself along with many verdant green plants. There was a stone building and a shrine or monument near the top and a larger building in the north-western corner which could be a temple.

We were met by a multi-purpose Carthaginian ship full of marines. As the rock joined the mainland there was a bay fed by a river where the small town of Kart stood. There was a mole out into the bay, a small lighthouse, wooden quays, and some slips with boats drawn out of the water.

We were hailed from the ship and asked, “What ship is this and what is your business in Kart?”.
Agripinus gave his name and explained that we were trading and sought to buy goods and slaves and return via the southern coast to Carthage. We were told to anchor off the slip and await the pilot.

A smaller boat soon arrived, and the pilot clambered aboard. He was surprised to see a Greek crew. He explained the options and charges for our stay and Agripinus and Kallicrates chose to stay in the main harbour which would be storm proof and had better security.

The pilot, Bodo, exclaimed that there was still a Greek quarter in Kart and although there was some historic bad feeling, the Greek crew should not be a problem, it was just he hadn’t seen a Greek crew for a while. He was in his late thirties or early forties and had lived all his life in Kart and was able to tell us about the town.

The town was surrounded by a wall with warehouses and factories outside the town walls towards the quays. Then to the south-east of Kart was a large shanty town, which extended past the slips – we hadn’t seen such a large shanty town at any of the other towns along the coast. We rowed in and moored close to a stone stairway by mid-afternoon. Agripinus thanked Bodo and gave him a gold coin.

The priest asked for a guide and explained we were looking to buy and sell here. Bodo agreed to send a relative who would guide us for a similar fee to his own. He explained there was a market for provisions in the morning and then once the second, noon bell, sounded people would sleep and then another bell rang, and the bazaar opened for the evening. Tables for food and drink would be set out after an hour or two. When the fourth bell sounded the bazaar closed and entertainment began. If we stayed out after the fourth bell, we would need our own lights and to go armed. He blamed this on ne’er-do-wells from the shanty town. He said that the poor lived there, and these were of mixed races and were not citizens.

He explained that there was a town guard, and every male citizen did military service. The town was governed by a council of elders. There was a large temple to Melkart, one of the biggest in the world he told us proudly — only the one in Gadir was bigger. There were shrines to Baal, and in the Greek quarter were the crumbling stones of a Greek temple.

Bodo left and about 90 minutes later a younger Carthaginian named Gisgo, a man in his late 20s, arrived. Kallicrates organised the crew into two groups to have half on board while the other half went for refreshments in the Greek quarter, but then he accompanied the rest of us to explore the town before letting the first group leave. Ione stayed on board keeping a low profile although she told Agripinus that she would like to go to the market the next day to buy some clothes. He gave her 10 gold pieces to spend. Amphius also stayed on board. I took belt weapons and a torch but did not put on my armour.

After a few minutes Gisgo exclaimed, “That’s a girl! … and she’s armed”, and the dockers started goggling. He started questioning Toxoanassa, but Agripinus told him she was our trusted companion and urged him to guide us on. We went in through a fortified gateway to a main street and passed the marketplace, a substantial temple, and then a minor shrine to Baal. Gisgo pointed out the Greek quarter and at Kallicrates’s request led us in and found a small run-down tavern. The houses here were quite a lot older than elsewhere. There was a crumbling temple with creeping weeds and patchwork repairs.

We returned to the market area where some of the food stalls had started. There were cloth merchants, leather workers and the banging of a smith. There was extensive trade here and then a large, covered area for the bazaar, which had not yet opened. Gisgo showed us a couple of quite fine wine houses, which would be ready to serve at around eight, two or so hours after the bell. He explained that clothes and other manufactured goods were for the afternoon market, while fresh food and produce was for sale in the cool of the morning. Once the bazaar started there would be herbs and spices for sale, strange things from the sea, healing, fortune telling and tattoos.

Gisgo showed us the city wall and the prominent buildings, including where the council of elders met. He mentioned the famous rock and gardens and temple – the pride of the city. Agripinus asked if there was a route to the top as there must be a fantastic view from there. Gisgo told us that pilgrims did go to the top. In induced dreams the pilgrims could see what they wanted, even talk to family who had passed, he explained. All was arranged by the Temple of Melkart – pilgrims had to go the main temple and then they were taken to the rock temple for a cleansing ceremony and a night walk to the top, to commune with the spirits of the dead and greet the dawn. Gisgo explained that all worshippers of Melkart did the pilgrimage at least once in their life.

Kallicrates arranged with Gisgo to leave us at one of the fine taverns and then go back to the ship and guide him and the first half of the crew back to the Greek quarter. Gisgo could then return to meet the rest of us at the winehouse.

Meanwhile, we walked around to see Kart for ourselves. After 30 minutes there was a loud bell from the temple, the bazaar opened and lots of stalls set up. There were many small stalls and shops close together. Someone tried to cut Mago’s purse, but he slapped them away and shouted and they ran off. Then someone poked Toxoanassa most inappropriately and she took out a dagger and brandished it. She noticed that someone had used the diversion to slit her pouch and she had lost some money. She raced into the throng after the jostler, gripping her dagger and I rushed after her…

From Sammus’s Boast:

112: E10 – A Tall Dark Stranger

Toxoanassa raced into the throng after the jostler, gripping her dagger and I rushed after her. Mago and Agripinus followed more slowly, while Si'aspiqo cast a spell, enabling him to make his way after everyone unnoticed.

The thief started to pull away from Toxoanassa and I, but a figure in the crowd tripped the thief and then pulled a short-sword and used the point to force the thief up against a stall. Moments later Toxoanassa and I joined them. The stranger was tall and thin with a dark complexion and beard. He was dressed in a grey cloak with a long dark purple robe underneath and held a long thin short-sword pointed at the adam’s apple of our quarry. He introduced himself as Baal-Shaq, a Carthaginian citizen.

The thief claimed he was being pursued for no reason, but Toxoanassa and I explained what had happened and Toxoanassa showed her slashed and empty purse. The bystanders and stall holders looked on, but they all held their tongue and looked at Baal-Shaq with respect. “My friend”, he said, “you have three choices: go with me to the temple of Baal and swear on the burning metal that you had nothing to do with the theft; ask for mercy from your victim; or confess and exchange your hand for the ring on your finger.”

The thief did not want to go to the temple and face a trial of burning iron, and offered to buy his hand, which would otherwise be forfeit, for his gold ring. Toxoanassa examined the ring and thought it might be of similar value to the contents of her purse, so she agreed. Baal-Shaq said to the thief, “Today you are in luck — go back to Shanty Town and don’t let me catch you here again.”

Baal-Shaq was even slightly taller than myself and looked like he might be Nubian, for he was very dark in complexion indeed. He turned to us and said, in low Greek, “Welcome to Kart – though it is not a very good welcome. I can see you are from far away.”

We thanked him for his kindly intervention, and he explained that he was a citizen and some of his family had been in Kart since the Greeks, although his father’s family were from far away, and therefore the welfare of foreigners was near to his heart.

Baal-Shaq advised Toxoanassa to buy some Carthaginian dress and suggested that people here would respect a modestly dressed woman. He pointed to a stall in the market, but she declined, after thanking him for his suggestion. He directed us to a place to eat and stay and said he would return in an hour or two after some errands. It seemed that people kept out of his way as he left.

Agripinus secured a table for us, and we sat and drank some wine. After a couple of hours Gisgo arrived after having searched the market for us. Si'aspiqo asked our guide who Baal-Shaq was, and he explained that he was a trader and his family had been here for a long time. He was known to be very religious and travelled far into Africa in search of ivory. There were many stories of his travels, and he was a notable citizen. He worshipped Baal rather than Melkart. Gisgo was difficult to read but it was clear he had his own opinion of Baal-Shaq and seemed a little disconcerted. Agripinus told Gisgo he could go home as we would stay here and would not need a guide this evening. He arranged for us to meet Gisgo in the market square a couple of hours after the first bell the next morning.

Shortly after Gisgo left, Baal-Shaq arrived. He wore a purple robe with a wide leather belt with bronze fittings, a grey woollen cloak over his arm and carried a small leather handbag. He had very bright, piercing eyes. He confirmed that he traded ivory and explained that he took a trip to Africa every year across the Numidian desert. His father was from the far side to the south of the great desert. His father had saved Bomilcar, and then returned to Kart and married his only daughter Sophonisba. She was a devout woman, and on his birth Baal-Shaq had been consecrated to Baal.

Si'aspiqo explained that his own footsteps were guided by the Goddess. He had taken the chance to visit the utmost west and the place where spirits go when they die. Baal-Shaq replied that he respected any pilgrim travelled who had travelled so far. He added that he owed all his good fortune and prosperity to Baal.

Toxoanassa explained her reason for being here and Baal-Shaq listened carefully and respectfully to her. He told her that if she wanted to get to the top of the rock, she would have to take a Melkart pilgrimage, and as a follower of Baal, he wouldn’t ever do that. If she went to the temple of Melkart and was blessed and became a worshipper of Melkart, she could then take the pilgrimage to the top.

Si'aspiqo asked if it were possible to worship other Gods as well as Melkart and get a temporary dispensation to visit the high and holy place and Baal-Shaq explained that you would have to discuss your commitment to Melkart with the priest, but that if you went there and worshipped Melkart, then paid the sacrifice and learnt the prayers, he didn’t think there would be an embargo on worshipping other Gods for things that were in their purview. There would be an oath involved, so it was not something to be taken lightly. “Your word is your bond”, he added.

Agripinus told Baal-Shaq that he was a priest of Tanit and a fellow citizen of Carthage. He respected Baal-Shaq’s views and choice. The land required a variety of people with different faiths he explained.

Baal-Shaq spoke Punic, Numidian, low Greek and a tribal language from the faraway south. He spoke of his travels, including desert raiders and burning sands. Agripinus asked him about slaves and Baal-Shaq said that there had not been many come in to Kart recently and suggested that Gadir might be a better place to find them. He told us that Gadir was about five or six day’s sail away, although the wind was often from the west, which would mean a slower journey. The Demon Sea was alive he continued, and unlike the Blessed Sea, the sea rose and fell and there were often storms. There were also many strange creatures in the depths, much sought after by the wise and potion makers.

The bell rang to end the market and the stallholders began to pack up. Agripinus asked if a land route to Gadir were viable but, although Baal-Shaq had not traded there, he knew they would need Iberian guards through Turdetani lands and carrying anything heavy or returning with slaves would be difficult. He explained that he would be looking to go across to Africa in a few weeks and would be glad to go with us in our ship if we wished it. He then invited us to dine at his home the following day and gave directions. Before he left, Si'aspiqo lit his little lantern with a cantrip, and Baal-Shaq was impressed, saying “that is a remarkable and interesting ability”.

We were given a corner of the roof terrace overnight and the owner apologised for having no rooms left. The next morning, we met with Amphius back at the ship. He had met craftsmen keen to buy metals and had investigated the small, rather old and nearly ruined Greek temple, where there were shrines to the main Greek Gods including Apollo. Hearing this news, Ione expressed a wish to go there.

Ione and Toxoanassa went with Agripinus and bought some clothes in the market and then Amphius took Ione, Toxoanassa and Si'aspiqo and introduced them to Diodorus the Greek priest at the temple. Toxoanassa made a sacrifice to Artemis, while Ione handed over all she had to the priest and was shown to the main shrine which was to Apollo, where she said her prayers.

After the third bell Mago tried to sell the head of the Ketos, in the bazaar. Si'aspiqo found a suitable shop, “Potions from the Demon Sea”, where there were large, dried things hanging up, some with tentacles as long as a man. Mago was given a choice of swapping the head for other alchemical things or for cash. When he opted for cash, Mago was offered 100gp, which he declined. Si'aspiqo did buy a few alchemical ingredients there before we left for dinner at the house of Baal-Shaq.

From Sammus’s Boast:

113: E11 – Feasting in the House of Baalshaq

That evening Gisgo guided Agripinus, Si'aspiqo, Amphius, Toxoanassa, Mago, Kallicrates and myself through Kart to Baalshaq’s house. We were let through a wooden door on the street into a substantial house with fine things and servants. There was less obvious security than at the slave compounds, but we still had to leave our weapons in a hallway. We were greeted by Baalshaq and shown into the dining room where we were served a formal Carthaginian meal with multiple courses of delicious food.

Si'aspiqo asked Baalshaq about his experiences crossing the desert in Africa. Baalshaq told us that it took several months with some riding and a lot of walking. He had good relations with the Numidians, and they helped him get to the desert and the point where horses could go no further. He added that it was only practical in winter, with guides and with lots of water. Si'aspiqo mentioned camels, a creature that purportedly could go long distances with little water and Baalshaq had heard of them but said that they were not used in the desert there, adding that it was lucky the desert raiders didn’t know of them. He told us of creatures of the night, which could see in the dark and moved like men. There were many strange things in the deep desert, things like unusual stones that weren’t there the next time. He had his protections and explained that it was valuable to protect against the desert creatures. He was interested to learn of Si'aspiqo’s own protections. After passing through the burning sand to the far side there were people of his colour and darker and he could speak their language, for his father had taught him. There he traded for ivory, which he shared to pay his way back.

He explained that he would set off when it started to cool in Kart and his first stop would be the African colony of Abyla, which was the closest settlement to the southern pillar. Here the pillar was not part of the settlement unlike in Kart. It was an area where the locals did not go and was a wilderness hike from the settlement and was best done by day; it was wise to not be there at night. There were tales of pilgrims being plagued by monkeys which were a danger to wanderers. Amphius asked if there were monkeys here and Baalshaq told us that any here were smaller and not harmful and in any case were managed by the authorities.

Amphius asked how much of the top of the rock was enclosed and Baalshaq told us that the whole of the peninsular was managed by the temple of Melkart and there were warning markers and a path with a gate. There was no danger of straying onto holy ground inadvertently, it would take an act of will to enter and everything south of the barrier was sacred to Melkart including the hollow world below. It had been part of the religion for hundreds of years and was not a place he would go to as a worshipper of Baal. Amphius asked about shrines and Baalshaq said that he had a shrine to Baal, there were shrines to other Phoenician gods as well as the Greek ones in Kart.

We told Baalshaq of the slaying of the Ketos. He was interested and drew us all into the telling of the story. Si'aspiqo then told him how he had been spoken to by a dead sorcerer and how we had moved his casket.

Baalshaq told us that he had had to encounter creatures of night adding that he was lucky he was under Baal’s protection, while he glanced at his seal ring with the eye of Baal. It seemed his protection was based on religion and not ritual magic.

Si'aspiqo explained that we had met someone further east along the coast with looted grave goods – a follower of Melkart. He added that there were many such things buried in Egypt but getting them out of the ground and the out of the country was difficult. Baalshaq then talked of the lands beyond the desert, which were well populated and where ivory, gold, strange colourful feathers and bizarrely large eggs could be found. He had heard that it became wetter and wetter the further south you went.

Agripinus told him that if the timing worked with our return to Kart, we would be happy to take him across to Africa. We would look him up when we returned and extend an offer if he was still here. Baalshaq said that some people in Kart believed that foreigners who were not citizens were of no account, but he was not of that opinion. Agripinus thanked him and told him that he had enjoyed their discussion in pleasant company despite the difference in religion. By now it was about one in the morning; we said our farewells and Amphius guided us safely back to the ship.

The next day Si'aspiqo and I went to temple of Melkart and handed over 10gp each and were given a short tour and then an explanation of the pilgrimage by a priest of Melkart. We were told that Melkart was the lord of the underworld, who allowed communication with ancestors, and was all powerful in these parts. He told the story of Melkart and his glory. The priest was proud of the pilgrimage of 7,000 steps.

If a pilgrim were not already dedicated to Melkart they could be converted to join the temple by a donation of 20gp and a ceremony. It was 10gp for a ceremony and then the ascent. Pilgrims needed to know the mystery of Melkart and had to be true adherents, a scholarly interest was insufficient. Apostates and unbelievers were not permitted to walk on steps with a penalty of exile or death depending on the seriousness of the transgression.

He explained that pilgrims were taken to the special temple for a cleansing ritual and then led along paths that wended their way through gardens to the sacred landmarks and shrines. The pilgrims would then pray at each shrine, with the aim of reaching the shrine of the ancestors at midnight. Pilgrims then returned at dawn. Special robes were provided. Many people came to Kart for this reason alone he said. The priest was very convincing in trying to convert us to Melkart, but we resisted.

Amphius and Toxoanassa went to the Greek temple and made a sacrifice. They both prayed to Artemis for a successful outcome of Toxonassa’s quest and for the luck of the Gods to follow them.

When we had all returned, Si'aspiqo and I passed on what we had learnt of the pilgrimage and mentioned the need for pilgrim robes. Amphius asked Mago to buy some suitable robes and 20 local arrows for him and Toxoanassa to share.

Mago bought the robes and arrows and then he and Si'aspiqo tried again to sell the Ketos head. The magician found a suitable place and Mago sold the head for 300gp and Si'aspiqo bought some more alchemical ingredients.

Kallicrates moved the Morning Breeze out of the harbour and hove to, while Mago bought a brand-new dinghy for 70gp. It could hold three people including the rowers. Kallicrates agreed that it would be suitable to be secured to the deck when we set sail. Agripinus explained that Amphius and Toxoanassa were doing extra trades that he didn’t wish to be involved in and that the ship needed to be ready to depart on their return. Mago then rowed them ashore in the dinghy and left them to complete the quest. He then returned, alone, to the ship.

From The Oiorpata Amazon’s Tale:

114: E11a — Midnight at the Pillar of Melqart

With Amphius and myself aboard, Mago rowed his newly acquired skiff from the Morning Breeze to the shore south of Kart. He wished us luck as we clambered on to the shore and he headed off into the darkness.

The night was dark with only a sliver of a moon before dawn, ideal for our purposes and for Amphius’s altered vision, but more of a problem for me moving around. As we made our way inland from the beach, we crossed an obvious path, but could see no sign of people on it or approaching it so we carried on our own way inland to the East, with me following quite literally and to the best of my ability in Amphius’s footsteps.

We came to a set of poles which were stuck upright in the ground and set in an East-West configuration. Then we realised that these poles were topped with a skull and we had the very strong eerie impression that the skulls were watching us. This impression intensified when we spotted piles of skulls on the ground set at regular intervals among the poles. When we tried to pass between the poles we found that our courage failed us. After trying a few places Amphius did manage to summon the will to jump between the poles, but I could not and so we abandoned the effort and moved further East along the line of poles. Unfortunately we could find no way through and had to retrace our footsteps to the West along the line of poles and piles of skulls. Eventually we came to a covered gateway in the pole line and after Amphius had checked carefully to ensure there were no obvious watchers or guards we passed through the gateway.

Inside the gateway, I experienced an unearthly feeling of ill omen and foreboding such as I had not felt since Kaskator. It was as if an extra layer of gloom lay upon the land beyond the poles and skulls. There, we found two paths, one leading to a temple building and the other heading South. We avoided the buildings and took the other path which was running parallel to the shore. We had not gone very far when we spotted a light meandering its way in our direction. As it got closer we realised with a shiver down our spines that it was a will ’o the wisp so we left the path and carried on our way eastwards, followed by the uncanny wisp. Amphius started to be able to make out carved stones and shadows all around us in the gloom and we realised that we were in a necropolis. Then one of the clots of darkness started moving towards us in a purposeful manner and attacked Amphius. I had been carrying my bow unstrung in the guise of a staff so attempted to restring it while Amphius was fighting with his sword. Unfortunately in the darkness I was struggling to restring my bow, much to my dismay, and so I attacked the Ghoul with my daggers. Amphius succeeded in putting an end to the monstrosity, but had taken some damage himself though not enough to hinder him. We continued on our way through the necropolis with care and though we did attract some more wisps we did not see any more Ghouls.

Eventually we came upon a path which had steps heading up the Rock and which we took to be the Path of 7,000 Steps. As we stepped on to the Path the preternatural air of gloom and foreboding lifted slightly, so we decided to follow the Path upwards. The uncanny wisps which had been following us started to fall behind us somewhat but we kept our bows strung and Amphius kept a watchful eye on our surroundings.

After a few hundred yards of ascent on the Steps we came to a sharp right turn and a stone bench with carvings on it which Amphius thought were Punic lettering. Since neither of us could make out the symbols we pressed on upwards. Over the edge of the Rock Amphius spotted what looked to him like another Ghoul scrambling up the hill towards us though I could detect nothing. With his cat’s-eyes Amphius was able to shoot it and soon declared its demise.

After a few more hundred yards of ascent we came to another switchback turn with another carved bench on the corner. We concluded the stairs were rising in a zigzag formation from north to south. The zigzags were occurring at shorter intervals as we rose higher. Amphius could see the views around us and even I could see lights far below us from the direction of Kart. Amphius could see white caps on the sea far below off to the side. Then I stumbled in the dark and tumbled down several steps. Feeling a bit battered and bruised we rested for a few minutes before pushing on upwards. Once again I missed my footing on the stairs and fell back, requiring another rest break for a few minutes.

We pressed on up again and finally came to a longer stretch of stairs along a ridge which ended at the summit. On the summit was a cairn of pale stones. I looked around for any signs of other stones I could readily pick up without disturbing the cairn. There were some bushes, but upon inspecting those we detected some sort of homunculi lying on the ground at the base of the bushes. These creatures were lying still and quiet and appeared to be asleep and I was loathe to wake them lest they prove to be some sort of guardian demons. I reluctantly reverted to the cairn and picked up one of those stones, with my heart in my mouth. However, nothing reared up out of the cairn to reclaim the stone and the homunculi remained quietly in their positions under the bushes so, having secured the stone to my belt, we quickly headed for the stairs to retrace our steps downwards.

On the descent I put my hand on Amphius’s shoulder so that we could proceed at a reasonable pace. We had, by this time, been on the move for a few hours though neither of us knew exactly how long. However, as Amphius looked down the stairs he could see torch lights near the temple complex and they seemed to be making their way towards the steps. We decided to carry on and make as much progress as possible, then step off to the side and hide should we see pilgrims approaching. At one point on the descent we came to a convenient gully off to the side of the steps with some scrubby bushes for cover. There we waited for the pilgrims to pass us. A single person drew near carrying a lantern on a stick. As he passed by our hiding place we could see his anxious face as he looked around. We could also see a wisp following him. As we waited, concealed, pilgrims passed us by in small groups of ones and twos, each with their lanterns swinging on sticks, each looking nervous and some followed by wisps.

We knew that the pilgrims would be aiming to reach the summit by dawn and so we needed to press on with as much speed as we could safely muster if we were to regain the shore by dawn. When at last all the pilgrims had passed, we moved on with haste.

As we neared the bottom of the stairs Amphius spotted a Ghoul and tried shooting at it, as did I. Unfortunately it moved out of sight and started a horrible ululation. By this time there was the first dim trace of morning light in the eastern sky. We made our way past the temple complex as quickly as we could as more Ghouls started to appear. We could see the gateway ahead of us on the far side of open ground so we raced towards it followed by a pack of howling Ghouls. At the gateway the Ghouls gathered and continued to mewl and mutter but appeared unable to cross beyond the barrier.

Meantime Amphius grabbed me, threw me over his shoulder and made a dash for the beach. I was momentarily shocked and not a little outraged by this ignominious treatment, but looking up I could see the predawn lightening the sky and getting brighter by the moment. Since time was of the essence I submitted to the indignity without demur. We arrived at the beach without further incident, whereupon I got a fire going, lit an incendiary arrow and fired it out to sea as the previously agreed signal for a pick up.

After an anxious, seemingly endless wait on our part, Mago appeared in his small skiff to carry us back to the Morning Breeze, with one precious white stone from the summit. I felt very grateful to Amphius for his willing aid and his keen eyesight and to the Greek gods for their protection. By dawn’s early light we climbed aboard, battered and bruised but victorious.

****

From Sammus’s Boast:

115: E12 – Storms Guard the Demon Sea

As soon as Mago rowed Toxoanassa and Amphius back to the Morning Breeze, Agripinus let Kallicrates know we should leave immediately. Kallicrates was a little surprised by the hurry, but he ordered the dinghy to be lashed to the deck and as the ship was prepared Toxoanassa related her tale to her companions. We were underway around dawn on a fair day.

There had been two multi-purpose Carthaginian merchant ships in the anchorage, which had come in late in the afternoon, probably too late to get into port, along with a flotilla of smaller fishing vessels, which left at the same time as us, but were soon left behind.

Si'aspiqo tried to determine weather, using the conch, but received little information. After an hour or two we turned to the west and rowed steadily into the wind, with Ione looking to the east, watching the rising sun. As Si'aspiqo looked back he observed a lot of movement on the path from the temple to the rock but couldn’t see any details. The rowers were singing to keep time, but it was hard work rowing into the wind, and I took a turn at an oar to help. Odysseus said the wind was more often from the west and it was notoriously difficult to get out into the Demon Sea. In the afternoon a Carthaginian trading ship raced past towards Kart with the sails set, a mile or two south of us, driven by the wind and tide.

As evening approached Kallicrates explained that we had two choices: head into shore to beach the ship, which looked difficult as it was a rocky shore with no sign of a sandy beach; or to put up a tiny sail and run on the wind from the northwest, which would drive us back away from our destination. At Agripinus’s suggestion we headed instead towards the coast to try to anchor and hold position overnight. Agripinus sang a hymn to Tanit to bless this venture and we ran in close enough to drop anchor – it was not stuck firmly but was holding for now. Si'aspiqo checked the weather again using the conch and thought there was more wind on the way.

In the middle of the night Si'aspiqo awoke with a start. He said that there were bad omens, and he did not think we would be able to go further west. By the light of Toxoanassa’s stone he could see larger and larger waves far off to the West. He feared the wind would soon come from the south and push us onto shore. He thought we should get offshore heading eastward at full speed as a storm was coming. He checked the weather via the conch again and this confirmed his impression, it seemed there was a storm coming from the south. He told Kallicrates and then Ione awoke and agreed that a storm was coming; she told the crew to get out to sea in Greek in a commanding voice.

I helped haul up the anchor and as we set off the wind veered to come first from the southwest and then the south. Kallicrates steered to the southeast and we managed to pull away from the coast. By dawn we had lost an oar, but we had a spare one and there were no other mishaps, apart from a few bruises to the crew. Everything was lashed down as the waves grew higher. By now we were a mile or two out to sea and could see the entrance to the narrows and the African coast to the south.

Si'aspiqo had a vision of a great staircase of waves, each getting higher to the west. His guidance from the spirit world was to point the boat back to the light of Apollo and into the Blessed Sea to the east. Ione had a similar view. Kallicrates said, “you ignore portents at your peril” and added that we could either run like we were along past Kart and then turn to head up the coast to Abyla or push out to the west to Tingis and Agripinus suggested we should try heading to Abyla.

The Morning Breeze sailed briskly to the east and soon Kart was in sight. By noon we had passed the port. Late in the afternoon Si'aspiqo used the conch to check the weather and it seemed the strong wind was set for a while. Mago spotted a cape to the south and at this point the coast changed from running east to west and slightly north to head directly south. Kallicrates ordered the sail dropped and replaced by a small one which would hold enough wind to keep the ship pointed east overnight. The crew were grateful for Si'aspiqo’s warning the previous night – without setting off when we had, the Morning Breeze would probably have been driven onto the rocks.

At dawn Si'aspiqo thought the weather was improving. The wind was still from the south but had dropped and the waves were smaller. A little later in the morning a gentle cooler wind from the north began and Kallicrates raised the sails. The wind rose and by midday was blowing quite strongly. By the end of the afternoon we saw the settlement, port and harbour ahead.

Late on the afternoon of 29th September we moored in Abyla, in an anchorage a little way from the shore. Abyla was much less impressive than Kart. Kallicrates had been here once, but Odysseus had not been here at all. Kallicrates said it was an African port, although there were a few Carthaginians there, most people were of African tribes, including some Western Numidians.

From Si'aspiqo’s Wheezings:

116: E12a – Two Dreamers

’Twas a Dark and Stormy Night…

… aboard the Morning Breeze as we bobbed at anchor on the coast of Iberia somewhere west and north of Kart, following our departure from the said port westwards in notional pursuit of the slaver ships from the Hemeroskopeion raid, which we believed to have preceded us by some weeks.

There was debate about the safety of the anchorage and how the weather would turn, in the face of our general distaste for losing any of our exhaustingly won westward progress. This was it seemed, precarious should the wind shift, but better than trying to hold place by oars alone, close by a coast, in the dark.

I was considering, with little enthusiasm, a night’s intermittent bailing so that others might rest after the day rowing into the relentless west wind, but then a veritable messenger of the gods came to my rescue in the form of the Oiorpata, Toxoanassa, with an offer to let me sleep with her new favourite pet rock.

This pale pebble from the proud pillar of Melkart, prominently placed and perilously protected, was prised by the plunderer in pursuit of her pledge — by the practices of the pony-peoples — to perfectly perform promises of a previous progenitor.

Given where it came from she posited properties of possible puissance pertaining particu— A-hem. She thought it might be as well for it to be slept on in a mindful manner and that I was, of course, the man for the job. Well it was a better offer of work for our company’s benefit than bailing all night.

So I slept on it, with some difficulty because when I closed my eyes the dark pressed in, not as my old friend, but a swirling thing wherein I was buffeted up and down and down and up. Eventually though there was a degree of stability and a light in the darkness, with a strange quality as of first or last light when the colours of the world do not show. A profound greyness illuminated my world.

This light escaped from under the sacking upon which I pillowed my head (never mind that I had rested my head on a bundle of rope in the waking world). From under this pillow I pulled Toxoanassa’s stone and saw the Morning Breeze, its crew and passengers in the grey gleaming. None of the watch-keepers were aware of me except for the the statuesque woman standing at the stern with her hair streaming in the wind, looking back east. Standing by her, suddenly as happens in dream, I recognised Ione, the Hemeroskopeion temple maiden. I could see a faint gleam in the east and she spoke, “There is Apollo’s last light. If we go west we will lose even that, and out there,” she pointed west without looking around, “is the storm.”

And I looked and there were the storm waves marching towards us, the further waves bigger than the waves in front of then until in the darkness of the far distance it seemed they merged with the dark sky and the eternal chaos of the primal dark.

Looking around, closer, it seemed to me also that the wind itself was veering to the south. The rocks of the north shore were taking on the appearance of teeth ready to crush and rend any floating thing the wind might toss into the maw.

I woke with a start and scrabbled for the conch, murmuring the cantrip of weather opening, “I am Amun. I breathe the sweet air into my nostrils. My nostrils inhale the goodly wind without its ever leaving...”. Immediately I heard the faint rasp of the grains blown towards us from the great south sand and the crash of waves on rocks close behind me...

Calling my alarm to wakeful and half dozing comrades Kallicrates seemed doubtful at first, but I suppose I have a patchy record with weather — until Ione woke and spoke in terms of the enlightenment she has been vouchsafed by her sponsor deity. A close, perhaps even common, vision with mine, of course. Then it is all to oars until we are clear of the coast and can flee more or less east, as much as the wind permits.

It is days later, as the Morning Breeze rows rather than blows into Abyla that Ione and I find ourselves parked, out of the way of the sailors, on the same section of wale and can talk quietly about our meeting in the unseen world.

She saw me, that time on the offing of the Demon Sea. She saw me in dream, bearer of the gray light – I wonder as what, because what I saw of her was not the young lady we speak to day-to-day, but something more mature, greater. In her dream she could only look at, only see by, the light of the East, the light of Apollo. She could tell though that I could see further, into the West.

Her suspicion is that the ships that go westwards are under the protection, I might say perhaps the forbearance, of Melkart, her reasoning that He is the ultimate end for sailors on the Demon sea, waiting for them in the depths. She has profound doubts of our ability to penetrate the western seas; Apollo’s writ is stretched thin this far west and does not run beyond the Blessed Sea. There is no help through her from Him in the beyond. We have no priests of the bathytic gods to moderate Melkart’s will. She does not think the strongest arrow in our quiver, Tanit’s grace, is quite the tool we would need.

I note though, that I see in her signs of a close, uncomfortably close in mortals, link to her god. What did Apollo’s Temple at Hemeroskopeion make here I wonder? Who it is that is urging us to turn away from the west, and their motive, is unclear to me, but I do not think it was only Ione speaking to me.

—Si'aspiqo

From Sammus’s Boast:

117: E13 – Tamuda: Town and Tyrant

We sailed towards the harbour of Abyla and saw wooden quays leading out of a riverbank and the smoke of a settlement. The architecture was similar to Teveste, but larger overall and with a few substantial stone buildings in the Carthaginian style. Immediately, I caught the smell of horses mixed with people. There was a horde of men shouting from the quayside, offering guides, translators, hospitality and goods for sale in a mixture of Punic and low Greek. Most of the men were in tribal dress. We were offered help unloading the boat and to trade. We picked a guide who had shouted about food and drink and claimed to have been as far east as Rusadir, a settlement a few days to the east. He was asked to get rid of the rest and he babbled at them in a Numidian dialect and the other men moaned and groaned and shouted some insults before drifting away.

Our guide introduced himself as Zegas, and while Kallicrates and the crew stayed on board, he led the rest of us into the settlement. Toxoanassa took the precaution of wearing a Numidian cloak to conceal her looks. There were armed men watching the harbour in groups of two or three, in Numidian dress, with daggers, truncheons and small shields. Zegas told us that they were Tamuda’s guards. Tamuda was the headman of the settlement; the settlement was now named Tamuda in his honour.

We were soon approached by a better dressed man who said that he had goods for sale. Agripinus spoke to him and explained that we were looking for the centre of town and somewhere to eat and drink and then to trade goods. The man said that he was Sallas, and his uncle Zachary was a merchant, and he would be happy to introduce us to him. Zegas tried to get us to follow to his cousin’s hostelry, but Sallas told him that he could take us there later.

We headed on to the north past a road to the left leading to the market and on towards several stone buildings. We soon arrived at a substantial house and were taken into a small courtyard. An older gentleman in much better Carthaginian dress introduced himself as Zachary, and Agripinus introduced himself and said it was good to get away from the crowd. Zachary said he was happy to meet a trader from Carthage. He switched from Punic to low Greek and bade us all welcome. He said his name was Zacharias Argerios, and I had heard that Argerios meant silver. We sat on stone benches and a few chairs that were brought out and we were served drinks.

He asked what cargo we brought to Tamuda and Agripinus explained that we had a variety of metal ingots. He told us that he traded for goods from beyond the desert to the south and along the coast and also sponsored commercial ventures. Agripinus told Zachary that we had met Baal-Shaq in Kart and Zachary professed to know him well. He explained that Tamuda was a good source of stone, and he would be happy to help make commercial deals for rough stone or polished stone.

Zachary explained that the settlement was built around ancient springs and that it was run by Western Numidians independent of Carthage. The lords of Tingis and Tamuda were rivals and Tamuda had defended the settlement well for a long while and hence it was now called Tamuda rather than the old name of Abyla. He said that Abyla was really the mountain to the north, and it was a very old name meaning ‘mountain of god’ or something like that.

Agripinus asked about the mountain, and Zachary made a superstitious sign and told us that it was not really a place to go to, the locals were particular about who went there and did not allow people to wander in their lands. There were stories of people going there and never being seen again. If we were interested, we would need to speak to Tamuda and would need guides. Zachary had seemed unsettled and flustered by our questions and once more referred to that place as ‘the mountain of god’.

Agripinus asked if there were temples in Tamuda. Zachary told us that he had his own house shrine, but there was no Carthaginian temple in the town. He talked of elephants and leopards in the high mountains to the South and other things from beyond the desert. He explained that it was easier for goods from the south to come here than Tingis, unless they were taken by boat. Agripinus thanked him for his refreshments and information and added that we hoped to do business with him soon, and then we made a polite departure.

Zegas was waiting outside and showed us through the Carthaginian quarter down a narrow street into the market square, where stalls were being packed up and then led us to an inn run by a man of Numidian or mixed descent, who was Zegas’s cousin. As evening fell, we were taken to the roof, where places were set, and we were served wine, water and plates of salted fish and treated as honoured guests. A couple of gold pieces were handed over and Zegas was invited to join us and thanked us profusely.

Over a number of cups of wine, Zegas explained that in times gone by the settlement had just been a trading point and hadn’t been fortified, but then Tamuda came and took the place over and defended them from other tribes. He had built the town walls and the north gate and revolutionised security, and in gratitude the town had been renamed. There had been a lot of territorial disputes, but these seemed now to be in the past; Tamuda had brought peace, prosperity and security to the town. Zegas babbled away of things to see and do in the High Atlas to the South — such as hunting lions and leopards. He hadn’t seen these things alive but had seen hides of leopards, striped hyenas and red foxes in the market, and he had eaten wild boar. He spoke of little monkeys on the sacred mountain and then mentioned elephants in the forested valleys of the Atlas Mountains and told of locals hunting hartebeest, lion and even ancient ox. He had heard that Carthaginians were offering a huge bounty for a live elephant; I knew that elephants were being trained by the military back in Carthage, although this was a secret, so I said nothing.

Si'aspiqo carefully explored the attitude to people of learning. Priests and those dealing with the spirit world were dealt with by the council. People generally followed the native gods and permission would be required from the council for any ceremonies in the city.

We were served Carthaginian wine, while the cooking went on below and then we had bread and oil, followed by freshly cooked chicken and lamb, goat on kebabs, and then a pot of traditional mealy porridge, which was spicier than in Teveste. The guide took advantage of his opportunity and ate and drank heartily.

We asked about the sacred mountain and Zegas told us that it was taboo to go there, and terrible things happened at night. People had gone there and never been seen again. It was full of caves with things inside that could tear a man apart. He made a sign against evil but told us if we were serious then we would need to seek permission and guides from Tamuda. He agreed to pass word that we wished to speak to Tamuda, although he could not promise what he might say in return. The landlord set up a tent over half the roof and servants brought up some bedding for us. Zegas left saying he would be back in the morning.

We were awoken by the hubbub of the town coming to life in the morning and headed back to the ship with Zegas, who seemed surprisingly unimpaired by a hangover, despite all he had eaten and drunk the night before. There was no sign of any trouble on the streets here, even though there was evident poverty. Groups of armed men in twos and threes were again in evidence as people tried selling their goods, while others asked for alms.

Later in the day we returned to the market to the smell of baking. There was fresh bread, salted fish, milk and some livestock. From one corner came the pounding of a blacksmith and from elsewhere came the smell of horses. There was also the smell of something organic, strong and quite pleasant and we realised someone was brewing beer of some sort. This was a domestic market, with all the goods seeming to come from the local area. There was no-one selling anything arcane or even any of the herbs or spices Si'aspiqo sought.

Zegas suggested Hamilcar, a general merchant in Carthaginian quarter, might have spices and herbs, but if Si'aspiqo only needed small quantities then maybe his cousin, the innkeeper, might be able to provide them. He added that hot spices and aromatic herbs came from the south. Zegas pointed out a much larger half built, fortified building, which was for Tamuda. We returned to the ship and Zegas took the Greek crew to feast and drink at his cousin’s inn. They returned at three in the morning escorted by torch bearers and some local security. Ione was the only person not to have gone ashore, which seemed prudent.

My companions and I each agreed to put in gold or items to the value of 20gp to act as a gift for Tamuda and Agripinus let Zachary know that he could have first refusal on a trade for our metal and about our wish to meet with Tamuda. Later that day Sallas arrived at the ship with news that Tamuda would see us mid-morning of the following day at his town house.

The next morning both Agripinus and I donned our armour, while our companions wore civilian clothes and Toxoanassa her Numidian cloak. We set off to the town house and on arrival were conveyed into a hall with many venerable Numidians, some guards and a large, impressive figure, with dark, silvered hair, and one blind eye who introduced himself as Tamuda. He asked us to present credentials and Agripinus named himself and all of us as his companions and gave him our gifts in greeting.

Agripinus told Tamuda that we were honoured to meet him directly. In return, he appreciated our gifts of welcome and noted that we had taken due note of his status. He was pleased to meet a noble from the sacred band of Carthage. He asked what brought us here and what we wanted. Agripinus introduced each of us in turn and explained that everyone had pointed at the mountain and told us that if we wished to visit the mountain of God, that it would be politic to seek his approval. Tamuda told us that it was generally forbidden to go there as the place was cursed and asked why we wanted to go there. From the way he spoke Arma, it was evident that he had spent some years in the Carthaginian army.

Agripinus indicated that Toxoanassa wished to go there, and she explained that she was a Scythian from the uttermost East following a family quest. Although a woman, she had taken the Numidian test of manhood in Teveste, and so was entitled to speak in council as a warrior. This led to much murmuring amongst the tribal elders, but Tamuda asked them directly and none would deny what she had said was the truth. With that settled, he nodded to her and said no more about it and pressed on in Arma.

Tamuda said that it was dangerous to go there as those who did often failed to return. There were things that lived below the mountain and ate people at night. However, he would support a trip if we took guides and returned by daylight. To keep our venture simple, he added that all life on the mountain was to be considered sacred from dawn to dusk. If we wanted to go at night, then he could not ask guides to go with us and we might never return. However, if we returned with heads of the unclean, he would consider this a service worthy of note. No-one had done this for a long time. When pressed, he explained that there were savage things there that might walk like men but were not men. They came from the underworld with a taste for flesh but were not ghouls or undead. They did not bother people by the light of day, but he would not ask guides to go up the mountain by night. He let us know that we would need to pay him 300 gold pieces for permission, and each guide would be paid 100 silver pieces, and we would have 2 guides each. If we chose to go up by night the guides would take us so far and no further, for the same price. If we survived, he would be grateful for any heads brought back and he would reward us in some way appropriate to our story.

So, we had a choice to make; Agripinus told Tamuda that we were pleased to hear of this support for our mission and would need time to consider our approach. With that we returned to the ship to think hard on what we should do next — try to dash by day or seek the danger by night.

From Sammus’s Boast:

118: E14 – An Agreement

We returned to the ship to discuss our options and agreed that we should attempt to climb the mountain during daylight; Toxoanassa could fulfil her quest and then we could all return before nightfall. Toxoanassa offered to pay the gold for our trip.

We finished our discussions around midday on October 1st and then returned to the administration centre to give our answer to Tamuda. Agripinus let him know we would follow his suggestions and pay him 300gp along with 100sp for each guide. He told us he would send his chief guide to the ship the following day to collect the money and make all the arrangements.

The next morning a silver-haired, older Numidian arrived and called out in Arma to speak to Agripinus. He looked to be in his fifties and introduced himself as Barak, Tamuda’s guide and Kallicrates invited him on board to chat.

Barak explained that we would be provided with ponies and one of Tamuda’s Spanish horses for me and we would set off as soon as the horses could see their hooves, on a fine day. Only a fool would go up Abyla in the rain, he added. We would ride to a camp and then follow a trail up from there leaving our mounts behind. Half the guides would remain at the camp, along with any who did not feel capable of the hard walk up the mountain. There would be a short break going up and another coming down, but the party could not wait for the slowest and anyone falling behind would be led back to the camp. If anyone fell at the top, then we might not get back before nightfall. Someone would only be left behind if staying with them would mean staying after dark. The party would carry water and little else – no-one should wear armour. It was perhaps 3 hours hard walking to the top and a further 2 hours back down and we would spend an hour at the top. Once we returned to the camp we would ride back to the town, returning just after dusk. Donkeys would be too slow, so everyone would need to ride ponies or a horse. Barak agreed that it would be wise for Si'aspiqo to stay in camp and added that soon he would not be able to complete the journey in a day himself.

Barak warned that there was no water to be found on the way up the mountain, although Agripinus explained that he had the power to create water. The Numidian explained that things lived in the mountain that eat flesh. They didn’t come far from the mountain as they had to be back underground by dawn. He referred to them as evil spirits and made a sign against evil. I think we all thought they sounded suspiciously like the darklings we had encountered in Kaskator. Barak spoke very fluently in Arma, as though he had spent some years in the Carthaginian Service and had also explained this process many times before. He told us to send word when were prepared and he would make the preparations. He would need two days’ notice. He told us to send word if we needed to ask more specific questions. He would convey the 300gp payment to Tamuda, and we would pay the guides when we started the expedition.

Kallicrates and Mago sold the rest of the metal ingots and made a profit of a third of the value. Altogether for an outlay of 1,000gp we had a profit of 415gp. Kallicrates spoke to Zachary and was introduced to Pumay-Yaton who would provide cut stone. Kallicrates thought he could get a good deal on stone here and was keen to take a cargo to Carthago Nova while we made preparation to ascend the mountain. After further discussions it was agreed that we would all fund a share of this and Agripinus and Amphius would travel on the ship with Kallicrates. Ione would go with them to be presented to Hanno and confirmed as a suitable witness. Si'aspiqo, Toxoanassa, Mago and I would remain in Tamuda.

We spoke to Zachary and arranged to rent a native house in the centre of town for a month. It was a rectangular block made of mud bricks with a flat roof above and some timber structures. There was a small backyard. All the incendiaries and related equipment were unloaded from the Morning Breeze and stored on the roof of the town house, along with Mago’s dinghy to provide more room for cargo on the ship.

Meanwhile wagon loads of stone were ferried from the quarry to the ship and loaded and preparations were made to leave. Mago and I took the weapons and armour we had taken from the pirates and traded them at the market. Traders did not have gold, but there were rare things from the mountains to the south and lots of livestock, especially goats and chickens. We managed to barter for two large gazelle horns, a well preserved, large colourful snakeskin from a viper with a black and two-tone grey pattern, a tanned hide of a leopard with very few marks and six sheep. Our guide, Zegas, arranged for us to receive two sheep per week and for his cousin to butcher them. Through Zegas we also hired a cook and a housemaid and then another cousin with his dog to act as a guard.

Amphius gave 10gp for the bronze mirror and 15gp for the brass reflector from the lighthouse and Agripinus gave 50gp for the signet ring. 75gp were shared amongst the six of us, giving 12gp and the remaining 3gp went to expenses.

The Morning Breeze was ready to sail on 5th October…

From Sammus’s Boast:

119: E15 – Climbing Abyla

The morning of October 5th was bright and sunny, with a fair wind from the south-west, which filled the sails of the Morning Breeze as she cleared Tamuda harbour and headed north towards the Iberian coast. Those of us waving goodbye from the quayside noted how low she rode in the water, fully laden with a cargo of stone bound for Carthago Nova. Best not to make any mistakes at the helm, we thought; but Agripinus had blessed their voyage, and the winter storms were surely still far off. With fair winds, they should be back in a fortnight…

Tamuda appeared a fairly peaceful place to pass a few days — the locals were eager to supply whatever the wealthy visitors needed to pass the time. The Western Numidians were just as keen on riding as the Eastern Numidians we had met before, and so Toxoanassa and I could hire a pony and even a horse to ride out around the town and take part in various games of skill with the locals. As ever, Toxoanassa's acrobatics on horseback were appreciated by the tribal audience, and I made small work of their game of handball, being twice the weight of most of the locals. Mago and Si'aspiqo followed more studious pastimes: the Kushite always pondering some scroll or scrap of parchment, although he found time sample the local ale with me; the Islander chuckling as he poured molten lead into small stone moulds he had carved.

As guests of the warlord, no trouble came to our door. The hubbub of the town became a new routine, and even the smell of horses seemed to fade with time. The nights were dark and quiet, and for a while peace settled over the heart of each traveller.

So, October passed in leisurely pursuits — a few days of rain were followed by a week of cloudy weather, then the sun shone brilliantly for a day before four days of rain, showers and finally a sea-mist washed the streets of Tamuda clean again. Another week of cloudy weather, with barely a whole day of sunshine, showed that the wet season had come at last and soon the sailing days of the year would draw to a close.

Life here was not dissimilar to what I was used to back home and I learnt some words of Berber and made some friends and the locals seemed to have accepted Toxoanassa; we rode out often to explore the local area. I managed to hone my skills with a javelin. One day Si'aspiqo asked to come with us for an arcane experiment in peace and quiet north of town and over a couple of days did some minor experiments which seemed to involve setting things on fire.

There was still no sign of the Morning Breeze, although no storms had raged in the narrows. At last, the sun broke through the clouds, and warmth returned to the streets of Tamuda, and the ground hardened quickly once more. On the 30th day of October a local rushed in with news of a Greek ship approaching the harbour, and the Morning Breeze returned at last, tacking across a north-westerly wind and rowing into the harbour in mid-afternoon.

Kallicrates greeted us all at the quayside, but there was no sign of our companions. As we went aboard for a more private conversation, he gave his news:

"Hanno took them all to Carthage in a warship — all very hush-rush. I am to meet them back in Carthago Nova a fortnight hence. A chance for another trade voyage before the season closes! Those Carthaginians are keen for our stone, and I have brought a light cargo back here to offer Tamuda. If the gods are with us, we should have plenty of coin for a winter of ease — gold looks like it goes a long way round here. Let's get ashore and get some wine, I could drain an amphora!"

Kallicrates looked up from his third Kylix of imported wine and said:

"Profit… depends how this light cargo goes. We should be up at least one-third. If Tamuda wants what we have brought back, we may clear a half share each. I may have to leave some of it for Mago to sell if it takes too long to get buyers for everything. I need to get more stone loaded and get back to Carthago Nova in a fortnight. If we get a wind from the East, we won't have any time to spare. We were a bit heavy in the water last time, so I might go a little lighter back again. So, let’s roll round the original shares again, and settle up all the profits when we get back next time. But… [drains kylix]… worry about that tomorrow. If you need some cash in the meantime, I can pay an advance and reckon it out at the end… Hey, where's the food? We are starving over here!"

And the Greeks made merry in the local hostelry. Hopefully someone was guarding the ship…

Toxoanassa saw no good reason to spend a fortnight aboard a cramped boat rather than riding her pony and looked towards the mountain wistfully. Mago and I agreed we would accompany her, and we decided we would make the attempt now, rather than wait for the return of our companions when the rainy season might have arrived. We let Barak know that we were ready to go to the mountain on the next suitable day. Si'aspiqo told us he would accompany us as far as the base camp.

The Morning Breeze had a light cargo with second-hand Carthaginian armour and ropes and baskets made from some sort of grass from Spanish interior and Kallicrates sold the armour to the tyrant of Tamuda but left the rest for Mago to deal with. Then he bought a cargo of stone to take to Carthago Nova, which was loaded over the next few days. We had three days of rain followed by a quite violent gale and Kallicrates was glad to be in harbour. The 4th November was clear and Si'aspiqo foresaw no storm in the offing and no coming change in the weather, so, noticeably higher in the water this time, the Morning Breeze set out once again.

As the ground was drying fast, Barak gave the go ahead for the following day and found gentle aged ponies for Mago and Si'aspiqo, while Toxoanassa and I would ride our usual mounts; we all arose before dawn the next morning and set out. The sun came up after a couple of hours on a cloudy day with a wind from the East and we could see the mountain ahead. The trail was easy to follow and after a few hours we turned north towards an arm of the mountain, where a spur headed to the south from the main ridge. We crossed a line of boundary stones and reached a kraal similar to the one he had used outside Kaskator. There was a low outer wall with a campsite inside. Around the kraal were scattered pale stones daubed with paint. Our guides paired off, each pair throwing daggers into the air until just one stuck in ground. The winners took cloaks, daggers, javelins and some bottles of water, while the losers prepared to stay in the kraal with the magician. Barak did not take part in the competition; he also carried a falcata. Si'aspiqo spoke to Barak and then added his sigils of protections without disturbing the existing ones on the pale stone markers. Toxoanassa, Mago and I were each given an extra water bottle and we were setting off up the mountain before mid-morning. I had removed my armour, but Toxoanassa still wore hers, which caused much muttering amongst the guides.

After an hour of climbing the steep trail, Mago was exhausted, and his guide led him slowly back to the kraal. After a further hour of tiring weather Toxoanassa was forced to remove her armour and leave it beside the path to be collected on our return.

After another hour of steep ascent, we reached the summit, by which time Toxoanassa was completely exhausted and had drunk all the water in both her bottles; one of the guides gave her a spare. We were grateful that the climb wasn’t in the heat of summer. One of our guides was also very tired but the other guides, Barak and I were still in good shape.

As we rested and caught our breath, Toxoanassa and I looked around at the panoramic view. We could see across the narrows to the pillar of Melkart, to the north, even though it wasn’t a clear day. To the south we could see the road between Tamuda and Tingis. The earth looked brown down below the mountain, but here it was bare, rocky ground with a few scattered aromatic weeds; I took a sample for Si'aspiqo. I could see seabirds and some hawks and then down the slope, off to the east some large gazelles.

Toxoanassa looked around for a suitable, red rock, but only found scattered rocks of dark grey, with a few traces of red, although she did spot a small pit. She asked Barak for help, and he asked what she was looking for and when she explained, he smiled grimly and told us that once, on this summit, there had been a strange pillar of rock that bled in times of portent. In his grandfather’s grandfather’s time, a ship had come from the north and people from it had scaled the mountain at night and fire had been seen on the summit from Tamuda. When his people scaled the mountain in the morning, they found the pillar gone and the area around it had been burnt. The ship had left and headed toward Kart. No bodies had been left behind, but the area was stained with what might have been blood. Since that day, Abyla has been cursed — for those that dwell within have not forgotten.

Barak said that we had one hour to search. Toxoanassa gathered some dark grey stones with traces of red, but they felt broken to her. I found a piece of shattered rock with a more definite trace of red, which I gave to her. We looked at the pit. It went down about 5 or 6 feet below the level of the summit and there were marks around it that might have been made by tools and we surmised that the pillar had been prised out of here.

Barak said it was time to go and we set off downhill. It was much less tiring descending than the ascent had been, and we made more rapid progress. We picked up Toxoanassa’s armour and I carried it for her and after a couple of hours we walked back into camp. After just ten minutes of rest, we set off to ride back to Tamuda. Barak was in good shape, but the other guides were tired. Si'aspiqo asked about the denizens under the mountain, and Barak told him that the night-walkers rarely went past the white markers but stayed close to the mountain.

We rode back to Tamuda and apart from Si'aspiqo sliding off his pony at one point, we arrived without incident shortly before dusk. There was a tasty meal of barbecued sheep and mealy soup ready for us along with some of the local beer. Si'aspiqo thought the beer in Kush was better, but although it was very different from the beer I was used to, I thought it had a certain charm and the main thing was that it was alcoholic. Toxoanassa told us that it was nothing like fermented mares’ milk, but that didn’t seem to stop her consuming a large quantity. I was still awake when everyone else had gone to sleep and took another beer up on to the roof to gaze up at Abyla by moonlight.

The next day Toxoanassa gave some of the flecks of rock to Si'aspiqo to investigate. One fleck was mundane and uninteresting, but the larger one I had found, although it had no power or virtue, did remind him of something, perhaps a hint of something in Kaskator. Mayhap it was the redness or darkness of the stone.

Si'aspiqo looked hard at the pale stone from Kart and did some cantrips to see if there was any connection between it and the chips from here. After much concentration, he found some degree of link or relation of opposites between them. He thought it very likely the small trace of red was the right stuff as it, in some strange way, resonated with the pale stone.

We suspected that there might have been a bloodstone pillar on the mountain, similar to the one we had found in Kaskator, where the shadow lies. Maybe it had been dug out and taken to Kart and we speculated that it might be powering things there, maybe in the temple. We decided we would need to talk to Tamuda again and investigate the mountain and its denizens — but first we would have to wait for Agripinus and Amphius to return.

From the Diary of Agripinus:

120: A Short Trading Visit

The first few days of October were taken up with the loading of our joint cargo of fine stone onto the The Morning Breeze. The winds were favourable for the return to Carthago Nova and I performed a blessing for our safe passage on the dawn of our departure, the 5th October. With Kallicrates and his crew, Amphius and I intended to meet with Hanno and safely deliver our star witness, Ione, to him and secure our reward for the task.

The journey was uneventful and Amphius's night sight allowed good progress to be made in the sunless hours. To pass the time, we both improved our language skills, me by improving my Greek and Amphius by working on his Punic. On the 10th we landed in Carthago Nova and beached the ship. While preparations to get the cargo unloaded were made, we made arrangements to see Hanno, Commander of the garrison. He was pleased with Ione who gave a very credible account of herself and proved to be exactly the quality of witness he was hoping to secure. So much so that he immediately gave orders to ready a fast ship directly to Carthage.

Amphius and I were assuming that we'd be able to do some trading, eating and drinking before returning to Tamuda to rejoin the group. However, Hanno had other ideas and requisitioned me to accompany him and, by extension, Amphius too though he was free to return if he preferred. In the end Amphius readily agreed to return to Carthage and so we met up with Kalicrates and bade him get word back to those in Tamuda of our onward travels and that we should return to Carthgo Nova in 30 days. Kalicrates would try and use that time wisely to try and make another stone delivery as his profits from the current cargo were handsome indeed.

Pre-dawn on the 13th I sacrificed a cow and other livestock to Tanit for our speedy and safe journey to Carthage aboard The Fist of Melqart, a double-oared sleek warship commanded by Hammilcar, a priest of Melqart. We left the harbour and scattered fishing boats as the fresh oarsmen impressed us with the speed they could muster. An hour later, they swapped with the rested men who kept a similar pace and thus continued each hour to propel us eastwards.

As before, Amphius and I continued to improve our proficiency in each other's tongue. Though now he was immersed in a Punic-speaking environment as opposed to our own crew's Greek one. It proved to be a good opportunity to learn lots of sailing terminology for both of us, and the first two days passed quickly with good weather and wind.

On the 16th we docked in Icosian on the African coast to pick up fresh water and supplies. Amphius also volunteered his services to help out the watchmen up the mast in the twilight hours and proved himself more than capable to seeing the coastline when others were not. The 17th was reasonable sailing but a storm was behind us and the next day it was a lot rougher. The day after it was a lot calmer and misty, and Hammilcar performed a ritual that appeared to guide us towards our next destination, the port of Hippo.

It was good fortune to make Hippo as a storm raged on the 20th, but let up enough that we hopped down the coast to Thabakra on the 21st. On the 22nd we had our first sighting of some sea-beasts and sprang to action but no sooner had the alarm been raised that whatever creature it was has submerged once again and the repetition of the rowing resumed. They continued into the dusk with the aim of reaching Hippocra after sunset, and Carthage was merely around the next headland.

Finally, we docked under cover of darkness in Carthage 12 days after setting out. Glad to be back in my home city and my feet on stable, dry land again.

An Audience Like No Other

We three VIP guests were quietly escorted through the city with Hanno to the army base on the other side of the city. Essentially a city within a city, well defended and as safe as anywhere could be. Hanno didn't rest and was off into the city again shortly after our arrival and it was gone midnight when he returned. We reminded ourselves, of course, that we had only five months previously agreed to absent ourselves from Carthage for a year and a day. However, the gods obviously had plans for us that were beyond our knowledge.

He informed us that the Adrim, comprising the two Suffete (consuls), the High Priest of Tanit and the Speaker of Law plus a further twenty elected citizens (effectively the Elders of Carthage), would convene the following night to hear our testimonies. This was quite awe-inspiring, these Four-and-Twenty were the most powerful personages in the land. It didn't bear thinking about what might happen to us if things didn't turn out OK.

We translated all this for Ione and asked her what she might want to do when this was over. She would like to get back to the Greek world, hopefully to Syracuse, but just to Sicily would be good. There was a known place called “The Greek House” in Carthage where the various Greek states would meet and we proposed that it would be an excellent place for Ione to find passage back to her homelands and temple.

With no small amount of trepidation, the next day, the 25th, passed slowly until the midnight hour. Under Sacred Band escort, we assembled in the dark subterranean chamber where the shadowy figures of the elders sat on 3 sides. We could make out statues representing Tanit, Baal and Melqart around the dark walls, and waited in silence.

Hanno was first to be called and gave his account of the sacking of Hemeroskopeion and that the likely culprits were from Akre Leuke. He recounted that I had reported this event to him, and in response Hanno had commissioned me and my comrades to seek out and find any credible witnesses from the settlement so that a faithful account could be given in this chamber. We were successful in this endeavour and returned with Ione, who was taken as a slave, and proved to be a loyal and faithful adherent of Apollo.

After Hanno, I was called upon to corroborate all that was said and to elaborate if necessary. Both I and Amphius kept our comments short and sweet, both swearing that Hanno's account was accurate and true. Ione added her eye-witness testimony of being taken captive and sold on to a man called Haro to become a housekeeper. It was by the intervention of Apollo that Amphius recognised her as more than a simple slave girl and chose her as the reward for a challenge given to the Amazon in our group.

After we concluded our testimonies, the Elder Suffete stood and confirmed to all that no lie had been spoken, and the Younger Suffete suggested that Ione be give diplomatic status and offered the protection due. We minor pawns were ushered out to wait while more secret discussions went on. Finally, Hanno emerged and with a somewhat relived smile declared that things had all gone rather well.

One upshot of the testimony was that Hanno had been given a new task, to return immediately to Iberia and summon the three leaders there and bring them back to Carthage to answer for an unauthorised attack which could lead to more serious escalation. There was obviously a lot of high level diplomacy going on and this transgression would surely not bode well for those responsible.

Ione's fate was conversely very good. She would be offered an escorted passage to Syracuse which was fitted nicely with the promise I made her when we first met. We could either go with her or return with Hanno to Iberia. The logistics of making our own way back to Iberia made the decision for us, and it we said our thanks and farewells to Ione. I gave her a small gift of a bronze dagger to remember her journey to the ends of the sea with us and hoped that perhaps our paths may cross again in the future.

The Fist of Melqart would be leaving on the 28th so I had time to visit the Temple and pay my respects. I had an audience with the High Priest and was informed that our “quiet return” was anything but unnoticed. However, given the circumstances, it was the correct choice. Plans were made to divert attention from our movements while we were to be smuggled back on board Hanno's ship.

I was also informed that our attempts to pass beyond the Pillars was indeed foolish as they cannot be passed without the blessing of Melqart, and it was certainly closed to the Greeks. I was basically told not to try that again without first buying the ticket and getting it validated!

Our short stone delivery trip had extended somewhat, and we left Carthage on the 28th with us a small chest of coin from Hanno not knowing how things were doing at the other end of the sea.

Rapid Returns

Leaving Carthage on the 28th of October the Fist of Melqart made along the African coast to reach Hypocra on the morning of the 29th, where we stopped briefly for water and supplies. Facing adverse winds, the crew rowed during the day and the day after until we reach Tobacra. There was a further day of light showers and mist on the 31st until we docked at Hippo, a larger Carthaginian settlement and trading centre serving the Eastern Numidian hinterland to its South. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd of November were lost to bad weather, so Amphius and I spent time ashore, finding the local wine to be of good quality.

Returning to the ship on the morning of the 4th we sailed west during the day, overnight and the next day. On the 6th the wind was adverse and the Fist of Melqart made little progress. On the 7th we had a cross wind which allowed us to reach Icosium. The day after we left the coast to sail directly across towards New Carthage. We sailed initially, then the crew spent most of two days rowing. On the third day, the 11th, we arrived in New Carthage in the late afternoon.

We see Kalicrates and crew unloading stone and agreed to sail once they have unloaded. This took until the 13th when we departed, rowing along the coast to reach Baria that evening. On the 14th we continued westwards - rowing to anchor off Adbira that night. The next day was one of pleasant sailing with a warm wind from the south to reach Sexi. On the 16th we sail and rowed towards Malaca before turning south under favourable winds. We encounter another trader out of Rusadir, captained by one Bozan. Also heading to Tamuda, Bozan suggests to Kalicrates that we sail in company and, despite Amphius' suspicions, we do that day, row the day after and sail into Tamuda together around noon.

We find the rest of the party taking their ease in their Tamuda town house…

****

GM Speaks:

121: An Accounting

After a few days of activity, Kallicrates has hired two townhouses in the Merchants Quarter and off-loaded all the stores and equipment from the Morning Breeze. The ship is dragged out of the water and on to a timber stand by the shore of the river-dock. Awnings soon cover the deck and the crew begin scraping the hull clean after a year's sailing on the Blessed Sea. They take their time, as it is clear that Kallicrates is planning to winter in Tamuda before voyaging again in spring.

Kallicrates arranges a mid-day feast to report on trading to his investors. Over some fresh bread and olives with grilled fish, he says:

“To accomodate Agripinus’ urgent mission to Carthago I had to move quickly to acquire a return cargo for Tamuda, and then chose a smaller cargo of stone for the second trip due to the increasing risk of storms late in the season. By the grace of the gods – respecting in due part Tanit, Poseidon and Apollo – we have safely made harbour with successful trading in both ports. Due to the limited time in each port, I did not try to fill the ship or spend every coin earned in each port. I took the best opportunity available and tried to balance the risk for all shares. On the last run of stone I took a larger share of the cargo for myself as I have to keep my ship and crew in Tamuda for at least three months without much prospect of income. Each of you put in 100 gold pieces as a trading investment, and I am pleased to return 178 gold pieces to each of you. I suggest it is paid as 150 gold and 560 silver as a sensible balance of coin for spending in Tamuda. If you wish, I can approach the local merchants to see if it could be changed into more portable wealth. If you are curious, I am happy to explain my trading records and accounts to anyone who can read Greek and use an abacus.

“And now — some wine to toast our profits — Good Health to All!”

From Sammus’s Boast:

122: E16 – Making Plans

Once we had all met up again in Tamuda, we started to discuss our options for the next steps. Agripinus and Amphius expressed concerns that had been raised as they left Carthage, that there might be factions there who would wish to pursue them. For Kaskator was still a mystery that some wanted to know more about. We organised a dinner and invited Baal-Shaq to gather any news from Kart and his plans for the winter as well as to repay his own hospitality.

He told us: “Since you left, the only real news was a crackdown by the Elders on crime in the shanty town. Several sweeps by the militia produced evidence of wrong-doing, with public punishments for theft, kidnap, assault, plotting against the state and blasphemy. The Temple of Melquart took a leading role in exhorting the town to ‘sweep its borders clean’ and many vagrants were expelled in just the clothes they stood up in, with all manner of parcels and bags confiscated on the way out. One or two pious beggars ended up at my door, and I gave them alms and shelter in the name of Baal-Hammon. The Elders had done a good job of keeping their plan secret for I heard no hint of the crackdown beforehand — it came out of the blue after years of tolerance.”

“There was a rumour that one of the untouchables had stolen something from the Temple, and they turned the shanty upside-down looking for it. But what was stolen — no-one could say. Maybe they snatched an offering, or even an idol from the precinct. They did not accuse any follower of Baal in Kart — which is well, for his Word is: No-one Troubles Me Lightly.”

He explained his arrangements for his trip south. The Numidians in Tamuda would guide him south to the Atlas Mountains where he would pick up more guides to go further south through the mountains to the start of the desert. Here he had other friends who he would pay to guide him across the desert. At this point any horses and ponies would be left behind and the rest of the journey would be on foot as there was insufficient water for horses or ponies. Only the desert people knew where any water could be found. In the desert he would travel in the earliest and latest parts of day, resting in the middle, and travel would be mainly in darkness. On the far side he would trade for ivory. He would welcome more guards and a stronger party and would help us buy ivory if we could carry it back. He commented that it was a shame no horses or ponies could make the journey across the desert. He explained that there were hazards other than men, so it would be good to have other companions. The journey would be at least 60 days to the far side and another 60 back. He was mainly taking sea salt which was in great demand by the peoples on the far side of the desert. Agripinus explained that he could use his priestly powers to generate enough water each day for one or maybe two horses and we all agreed that two donkeys would be best. Baal-Shaq reckoned he would be ready to depart in about 3 days.

Agripinus put out word that we would be grateful for an audience with Tamuda, and we were invited to join him the next mid-morning. We were conveyed into a reception room where Tamuda sat on a small wooden throne, accompanied by a few elders. He greeted Agripinus and told us that although we had gone to the mountain, he surmised that Toxoanassa had not found what she wanted. He understood that Barak had told the story of the breaking of the stone pillar and of it being taken away. Agripinus explained that we would like more information and permission to investigate further.

Tamuda told us that over the years, others had camped in the open on the mountain overnight and had never been seen again. Tamuda agreed that he would like ‘the beasts that walk as men’ to be gone but he did not want us to ‘light a fire and then leave while his house burnt down’. He told Agripinus that if we swore an oath to follow this quest to the end he would guide and shelter us and that if we succeeded, we would be rewarded and honoured by his people. He explained that others had tried and mentioned a ship that came from Egypt with Greeks in fine armour and shaven headed priests in his grandfather’s time. Only one man had returned to the town, a man whose shield bore many scars, and which had the sign of the crossed pillars. He would not speak of what happened and left, never to return. Amphius told us that the symbol on the shield was that of Sparta where once the most famed Greek warriors had come from, but which had now fallen on hard times.

Tamuda confirmed that when the pillar had been removed only scattered fragments were left behind. The ship of raiders had seemed to be heading North back to Kart. Agripinus told Tamuda that he had given us much to consider and we would go and ponder these matters further.

Amphius had initially been reluctant to cross the desert, but when he had heard that travel would be mainly at night he reconsidered. Toxoanassa had no deadline for her quest and was willing to wait until we returned from the south, so all were willing to accompany Baal-Shaq and then investigate Abyla further on our return.

Agripinus warned Kallicrates that some Carthaginians might be looking for us. The Greek told us he would keep an eye out and offered to look after anything anyone wished to leave. If we didn’t return before he had to leave port, he would put it in storage with one of the merchants. He planned to take the winter off and then trade more stone to Nova Carthago when sailing conditions improved in the spring.

From Sammus’s Boast:

124: E17 — Caravan to Sef

We heard a rumour that Amphius and Agripinus had been for a meal with Baal-Shaq and that Baal-Shaq had adopted Amphius as his long-lost brother. We found that Amphius had taken his dark sword, inscribed “Blood for the Blood God”, to Carthage and shown it to a priest there who had told him that the sword would be more effective if used by a priest or adherent of Baal. Amphius had therefore decided to give it to Baal-Shaq.

The next day, 24th November, we were all invited to join Baal-Shaq for a meal at the town house of the merchant Hamilcar the Bald and Baal-Shaq outlined his plans. “So, we all go on a long journey together! There can be only one leader on a trip such as this. I will ask everyone for their thoughts if we have to make a hard choice, but in the end, I have to decide, and you must follow. If I fall, then that burden will fall on Agripinus, as he has been your commander. No-one will be left behind, unless the needs of the many must outweigh the life of one — and there is no other choice left.

“I am a fortunate man to have new companions on this journey: Amphius, my brother, will see our way in the dark; Agripinus will heal our hurts and find water in the desert; Sammus, will fight at my shoulder; while the wise Mago will give us counsel when needed; Uncle Si'aspiqo will see the unseen world; while Toxoanassa will see he never falls from his pony. Hers is the most difficult task, for we must travel quickly across the mountains if we are to cross the desert in winter and return before the heat makes it impassable again. We will have guides along the way, for I have friends waiting for us who can be trusted. I cross the desert for ivory, but there are many strange things in the wasteland which seven might explore where one may not”.

He explained that we would be accompanied by 20 Numidian horsemen and their remounts, plus pack animals and two mounts for each of us. The inexperienced riders would need to ride double. Those riding double would switch horses in the middle of the day, and everyone else would change horses each new day. Si'aspiqo would ride with Toxoanassa, Amphius with Baal-Shaq and Mago with one of the Numidians. There were two passes through mountains, and we might have to wait at some places if the rain made the way impassable. After the first pass we would change to a second group of Numidians to get to the edge of the desert. Horses and any heavy equipment would be left there, and we could pick up a couple of donkeys, for crossing the desert, one of which would be for the use of Si'aspiqo. Baal-Shaq had made the trip many times before and told us he would be ready to depart on 26th November.

There were four merchants in Tamuda: Himilco of Kart who arranged the travel between Tamuda and Kart; Pumay-Yaton, the stone merchant; Hamilcar the Bald; and Zachary Argyrias, the money lender. My companions and I collected together our gold and silver, which would be too heavy to take with us, and put it into a large chest. Bearing an introduction from Baal-Shaq and Hamilcar we went to see Zachary and Mago negotiated with him to store our chest in his strong room. We agreed to let him have the use of the coins for his business while we were away, and in exchange Zachary was willing to store it at no charge. Si'aspiqo stored all the scrolls in barrels in the care of Kallikrates and had the incendiaries buried at a safe distance to be recovered on our return.

With preparations complete, we set out on 26th November on a cloudy morning with a breeze from the east. As planned, we were accompanied by 20 Numidian horsemen, with their remounts along with 4 pack horses, and 12 extra horses for the party. Tamuda had leant some of his Spanish horses for Baal-Shaq and me to ride. Leading the party were two Numidians carrying long poles and as we set out, they each unfurled a banner — a long blue and white streamer and a long black and red streamer — the standards of Tamuda and Baal-Shaq.

It was a hard day’s ride to Taza, but Baal-Shaq pushed on for around 50 miles, and we arrived at the village shortly before dusk. Si'aspiqo and Mago were both in pain by lunchtime and exhausted by the end of the day with very sore muscles. They were grateful that Agripinus was able to heal them and in the morning, much to the surprise of the Numidians, they were fit to continue. The next day Amphius as well as Mago and Si'aspiqo needed some healing by the priest. That day we passed through Malha, then Ghabia and on to Tafrat, a tiny hamlet on a sizeable lake. The following day we went through a pass with hills on both sides and crossed a river that was running off to the east.

At the end of the day Baal-Shaq gave words of encouragement telling Mago, Amphius and Si'aspiqo that every fourth day would be shorter. On the fourth day we climbed steep hills and through another pass to Ghefia and then on to Hamraine, stopping soon after noon. Toxoanassa, Agripinus and I, as experienced riders, were still feeling fresh, but Mago, Amphius and Si'aspiqo were very grateful for the extra rest.

On the fifth day we rode to Doum and the following day we rode more slowly, climbing steadily up through the Harazem Pass, aiming for Sef. As we rode through the pass, we met a group of Numidians heading north, who looked worried by the size of our party. They were relieved when some of our Numidians waved at them in recognition. We entered Sef at the end of the day; it was similar in size to to Tamuda, apart from not being a port. Baal-Shaq paid his respects but then told us that the Headman wished to speak to all of us. We were invited to the Headman’s townhouse and it was evident he had something on his mind.

The seven of us were admitted into a more modest townhouse than that of Tamuda, similar to those in Teveste. We were met by a middle-aged man, H’Assan. There was much discussion in Berber then in Carthaginian, which Baal-Shaq and Agripinus eventually translated to Arma. H’Assan told us that he had a problem as a witch had cursed his town, which was now haunted by a Black Lion. This lion left no trace and hunted only by night. The settlement had suffered much loss and shepherds feared to guard their flocks. Eight people from the town had been slain and any hunters had returned empty-handed. Wise men had placed spirit-tokens around the town and prayed for deliverance. They prophesied that a stranger would come to their aid. H’Assan hoped that we would be the strangers to fulfill that prophesy. He told us that some bodies had been found near the lake of N’zala and it was thought the lion came from the hills to the north of Sef. He was sure the hide of a Black Lion would have magical properties and added that if we were able to rid the town of the beast, we would have his thanks and a great deal of fame.

Baal-Shaq asked what we thought, and I immediately voiced my interest in dealing with the lion. My companions agreed and Baal-Shaq was keen to maintain good relationships with the people here. He told us that lions in the Atlas Mountains had black manes and that lions were strong and terrible and finding this one would be hard. He would ask if any Numidians would like to join us but would point out to them that this was not what they had signed up for.

From Sammus’s Boast:

125: E18 — The Black Lion

The next morning, 1st December, was a cloudy calm morning, with white tips visible on the mountains to the north. We met to discuss plans to deal with the black lion with Baal-Shaq, who was joined by Amanar and Tanazart, two Numidian brothers. They were young, sturdy and healthy looking and keen to join us in our quest, despite their leader, Udad, who thought this was a job for wizards or wise men and had made a sign against evil, when the matter had been raised.

Baal-Shaq relayed what he had learnt from H’Assan’s counsellors. Eight shepherds had died over the last two months, but the lion had attacked only on dark nights, never in the day or by moonlight. Some bodies were horribly mangled and eaten and there had been some spoor left behind, but others had almost completely disappeared with just fragmentary remains of the eaten bodies. Any tracks disappeared after a short while. I wondered about the figures from Greek legend I had seen depicted on kraters with the body of a lion and the wings of an eagle. Si'aspiqo asked for any tufts of fur or droppings, to help him use magic to locate the lion. Baal-Shaq sent word for some of the elders, and when they arrived Baal-Shaq questioned them in Berber. We were told that the hunters had found no lion scat anywhere nearby even though things had been eaten, which was unusual. There had been whisps of black hair in bushes nearby, like the mane of a lion but none had been collected. Lions were rare here but were well known further south. Wise men had put tokens out against evil spirits, lion men and black magic and the lion hadn’t appeared here, but people were unwilling to take their sheep out into good grazing.

North of Sef was a strip of agricultural land, but to the west and south was good grazing. To the west was a gap in the mountains where there was a lake, which was now filling up with winter rain. It was an area hunters came to in search of the animals that watered here, and it was where some of the attacks had taken place. It would be a full moon tomorrow but as the day was so cloudy and still, it would be dark tonight. We decided to ride up to the lake where some of the attacks had taken place and look around for tracks and then camp overnight and see if anything attacked.

We set out that morning under heavy cloud, with Amphius riding with Baal-Shaq, Si'aspiqo with Toxoanassa and Mago with one of the Numidians. We rode due west to a green notch in the mountain, and soon we could see water ahead. The lake was a few hundred yards wide and went on for several miles into the mountains. Before midday we reached the area where we had been told the killings had taken place.

We spent an hour or more searching but found no trails of any large animals. It was now noon, so we rode up to the lake to water the horses and ponies and have a snack. One of the Numidians spotted pony tracks a few days old and thought they might be from wild ponies. There were signs of wildlife and tracks near the water’s edge and Si'aspiqo found some bare human footprints around a rock nearby. They seemed to come out of the water, round the rock and back into the water. Mago found fairly recent sheep and pony tracks — a small group of each. They might be from sheep without a shepherd and some stray ponies or maybe there had been a barefoot shepherd on one of the ponies. The trail headed north away from the water into some bush.

The sheep tracks were difficult to follow, but Toxoanassa spotted some sheep higher up, a couple of hundred feet above us. Toxoanassa, Amphius and the Numidians climbed up to see if they could see the shepherd. They found a dozen sheep there, but no sign of a shepherd.

We gathered firewood and made a camp at a site chosen by Baal-Shaq on a slab of rock a little above the lake. We made a very large fire and Agripinus set up an area to one side with a protection from evil ward around it. We agreed on three watches with Baal-Shaq and Mago on first, Si'aspiqo and me on second and Toxoanassa and the two Numidians on third. Amphius would stay awake all night slightly away from the fire to watch into the darkness.

During my watch, Amphius spotted a very large lion nearby. It came from the north and circled the camp about 50 metres out When it was closest to the Greek, he loosed his bow and hit it with an arrow. I hadn’t spotted it at all, but even though Si'aspiqo had dozed off, he was aware of something in his dreams, so maybe it was more than an ordinary lion.

Amphius came closer to the fire and as he told us what he had seen, Amanar and Tanazat shouted and threw javelins into the darkness and there was a roar from the lion, but it was difficult to tell from which direction. Amphius spotted the beast again but missed with an arrow. Si'aspiqo cast protection from evil on Amphius, who struck the lion with an arrow, just before it pounced on him. He tried to dodge but failed and the lion landed on him. Mago missed with his sling. I moved in to attack the lion.

Agripinus chanted a prayer to cast his light of Tanit, Si'aspiqo cast protection from evil on me and the Numidians threw their javelins. I shielded off a massive claw. The claw hit my shield like a sledgehammer, and it was all I could do to keep my feet. The lion was very big, very strong and very fast. Toxoanassa loosed an arrow, which struck Mago in the shoulder by mistake in the darkness.

Agripinus brightened his light of Tanit and then chanted again to summon an arcane weapon in the form of a shortsword, with which he could strike spiritually at the lion. Meanwhile Si'aspiqo cast affect normal fires to make the fire burn brighter. Toxoanassa hit the lion with an arrow, but both Baal-Shaq and I missed with our blows and Mago staggered out of reach of the lion.

The beast was clearly visible from the light of Tanit and the now blazing fire. Agripinus armed his arcane weapon. Baal-Shaq was knocked back by a claw, but it missed me. Toxoanassa shot me in the back with another misplaced arrow. Agripinus struck the lion from a distance with his arcane weapon and the lion slumped back as one of the Numidians struck it with his third javelin and Mago hit it with a sling shot. Baal-Shaq and I stepped forward and thrust our spears into the twitching body and it lay still.

Amphius was bleeding in the left arm, but conscious and Agripinus cast cure serious wounds on him; the Greek started to feel a little better. The two Numidians, Baal-Shaq and I dragged the corpse back nearer the fire. It was very heavy — at least twice the weight of a large man — and had a very black mane. Agripinus tried to cast cure serious wounds on Mago who had an arrow sticking out of his shoulder, the priest caused some more damage, but did manage to get the arrow out.

Si'aspiqo looked at the body. It was a very large male lion, with a very thick dark mane. It was a little past its peak with slightly worn teeth. There seemed to be no signs of the arcane attached to it, it seemed entirely mundane, although the magician had had a feeling when he dozed of something like a spirit in his dream, similar to that when he had dreamt of the Archon.

Examining the body of the Lion by the morning light we found: three arrows are sticking in it (two Greek, one Scythian); four Numidian javelins sticking deeply into the body, a sling shot leaving a distinctive wound and broken ribs; one hack into the spine, as though from a sword or axe; two spear thrusts into the chest area, delivered by Sammus and Baal-Shaq to make sure it was dead.

Baal-Shaq congratulated everyone for their bravery in the face of the charge of such a terrible beast. The two Numidian brothers, Amanar and Tanazart were beaming with pride as the carcass was inspected; they now carried only their daggers. The hide of the beast showed many old wounds — several on the face and front legs, as well as an old scar on its rump. One on the face looked only recently healed. Every skirmisher had missed their mark with at least one missile, although it occurred to me that all Toxoanassa’s shafts had all struck home, although not necessarily in their intended target.

Baal-Shaq remarked: “This Black Lion was very bold, to attack a band of armed warriors and hunters — even at night with a rush from the darkness. It charged without hesitation, as soon as we camped in this area, and seemed to have no thought for its own life. Perhaps it had been maddened by pain or some sickness? It seems clear that this must be the man-killer that has been stalking the shepherds, although like others I am uneasy. Chief H’Assan’s talk of a witch’s curse troubles my mind. Perhaps these hills hold more secrets.”

From Sammus’s Boast:

126: E19 — Into the Lion’s Den

In the morning we speculated on whether the lion had been summoned by the witch, whose curse had been mentioned by H’Assan. Amphius asked whether we had asked questions about the witch rather than just the lion and we were not sure what had been asked as it was in Numidian. Baal-Shaq said “My grasp of Numidian is imperfect, but I think he said the witch was cast out, and cursed Sef. Chief H'Assan did not volunteer much information about the witch, so I thought it impolite to ask directly. From his reluctance one might guess it was a local matter which would bring down the reputation of Sef. Doubtless he told us what he thought we needed to know. We could return with the skin of the Black Lion, and ask questions on the strength of his gratitude, but to what end? Their hunters could not find the Lion, much less the witch. After men started to die, surely they would not suffer a witch to live”. He continued “So our choice is to return with the task maybe only half-done, or to seek out the witch and end this matter one way or another. We were not asked to do this, but maybe what is unsaid may not be unheard. I would hear the views of all. We cannot tarry here for too long, but I had thought it might take several days to find the trail and hunt down the Lion.”

Agripinus prayed to Tanit and used his healing powers on myself and Amphius. I was fully recovered after this and while Amphius had a lot of stitches on his arm and bruising on his chest he could now move around stiffly. Over breakfast Baal-Shaq told us it was time to decide on our next steps. Either we were hunting for the witch or going back to Sef with the trophies from the lion. After a short discussion we all agreed we should stay here, while Amphius was cured by the arts of Si'aspiqo and Agripinus. The Numidian brothers would skin and take trophies from the lion, Toxoanassa would ride round the lake looking for any tracks or clues and Mago and I would try to retrace the lion’s steps in the hills. We would all return to the campsite for mid-afternoon.

Si'aspiqo muttered and touched Amphius and cast a healing sleep on him. The Greek went into a very deep sleep, not stirring at all. Agripinus checked and re-bandaged his wound while he slept away the day.

Mago and I set off lightly armed. Initially I followed a false trail. Casting around I found signs of lots of birds, a fox and a few other small mammals, quite a lot of game. I even spotted a small deer, but no lion. Mago found a very large pile of droppings. It wasn’t something I knew, so I thought it might well be the lion and then Mago noticed a small piece of fur in a nearby bush that could be from the mane. We followed the trail with some difficulty as it had left very little trace. Soon we were high up in the hills following a dried-up stream heading north with the lake off to the west. It led further into the hills and although there was no real trail to follow, every now and again there was the outline of a paw print to indicate we were on the right track.

Mago looked up at the rocks off to one side. There was a band higher up with darker splotches, which he thought might be caves. It was now after midday, so I blazed the trail here and we headed back to camp for mid-afternoon. Toxoanassa had returned around an hour after midday, a couple of hours before us.

She told how she had got part the way around the lake and seen a small crannogg at the end of a causeway in the lake. She had hailed from the shore and a wizened man appeared who seemed to only speak Numidian. From the halting conversation she understood that he was warning her about a bad man and a bad lion and advising her to return to Sef. She had immediately returned to the campsite to report her news and fetch Baal-Shaq, as the only one of us who could speak both Numidian and Berber.

In the middle of the morning Amanar had come to Agripinus as he had seemingly been bitten by the dead lion, while trying to remove the teeth. Agripinus had cast cure light wounds on the Numidian and then had taken a close look at the lion, which had been almost completely skinned and had looked very dead. He had then cast a blessing, as a ward against bad luck or ill will. Meanwhile Si'aspiqo had muttered a cantrip but had discerned no arcane influence. The Numidians had resumed their work and had taken teeth and claws as trophies as well as the skin.

Once we had all reported our news, Baal-Shaq, Agripinus and Toxoanassa rode off to talk to the hermit, while the Numidians and I stayed to guard the camp and the sleeping Amphius. Si'aspiqo and Mago also stayed behind with us. Baal-Shaq and Toxoanassa returned just before dusk with a rather damp looking Agripinus.

Baal-Shaq had laid aside his sword and gone out on the causeway to talk to the hermit whose name was Bibi, a wise or holy man of Lake N’zala, which was his god. He had told Baal-Shaq about the witch and had pointed off to the East, maybe in the direction of the caves we had found earlier. He had warned Baal-Shaq that arrows would have no effect on the witch and that the witch could curse people and even find and kill them in their sleep. Bibi had explained that the lake was good and fed him and protected him against the witch. He had also told Baal-Shaq that he and the witch could see each other, but the lake saved him. Agripinus had made an offering to the lake by throwing some coins in. Bibi had walked out into the water and Agripinus had followed. When Bibi dived below the surface the priest had tried to follow but the water was very cold and Agripinus got into difficulty as he could hardly swim. He had been propelled powerfully out of the water by Bibi as though by a powerful sea creature. Bibi had suggested that they go back to Sef and tell them that they had killed the lion and avoid the witch.

The Numidians collected more firewood and built a fire for the night. Amphius was still deeply asleep and not stirring at all. Si'aspiqo cast circle of protection around the Greek and meditated within the space, trying to keep an eye out for anything prowling in the dream world. Agripinus cast a glyph of warding outside of that and we set watches for the night and tried to get some sleep.

In the second half of the third watch, a little before dawn, Amphius stirred and awoke. Baal-Shaq was by the fire sleeping and Si'aspiqo had his head bowed and dozed fitfully. Amphius felt very refreshed and was back to full fitness, despite being mauled by the Lion hardly a day before. We all awoke in the pre-dawn light and Amphius related his unwelcome dream to the party:

Last night I seemed to wake while walking a narrow path — all was dark, though, of course, I could see. The path fell away on both sides with rough terrain below. While I was not sure why, it felt right to be on the path and the path, although narrow, seemed to go in a straight line. As I walked, I became aware of a presence below the path: a malevolent figure, a person, dark, in a cowled garment. His eyes burned and were visible to me, but no other features: he was attempting to ascend from below to the path but seemed unable to do this.

I looked for my weapons but found myself unarmed. Looking along the path I felt it was taking me towards the dawn. I continued to walk on, stumbling twice, but recovered each time. The figure came closer but was not able to reach me on the path and fell behind. I continued on the path and then woke here in today's dawn. I give thanks to all gods and others who have preserved me from this unwelcome dream.

In my dream state I realize that I did not actively call on the Greek gods to guide me. Nor did I attempt to use other skills — such as moving rapidly or silently out of sight (maybe by crawling) — which might have allowed me to evade the presence. I kept to the middle of the path and walked steadily although, as I say, I stumbled twice even in this cautious mode of progress. I also did not attempt to keep to the side away from the presence. Possibly I should have done this, though the narrowness path may not have made this practical. Nor did I attempt to call any weapon into my dream — so cannot say if such an attempt might have been successful.

I am reminded of the power of the Lamia some of us encountered in the desert south of Carthage. It called to me powerfully and I was unable to resist its spell without assistance. In this case the witch, for I am sure it was he, could summon me into his dream while I was sleeping deeply in our camp. Without the protection of the path, he would have seized me to my detriment. All of us should be alert to this risk. I say that we must urgently confront and kill the witch to prevent his attack. Either that or quit this region and travel to be beyond the reach of his power — however, I do not know how far that would be.

I, Amphius of Crete, have spoken and remain troubled.

Si'aspiqo had seen nothing in his own dreams. Baal-Shaq told us we had a choice to make, and we decided to investigate the caves rather than returning to Sef. We left the ponies behind guarded by the two Numidians and set off into the hills the way Mago and I had gone the previous day. After some hours we followed the dried water course up to where we had seen the band of rocks sticking out of the hillside with shadows that might be caves.

The skirmishers led the way a few hundred feet steeply uphill and apart from Amphius twisting his ankle, we reached the spot safely. Here indeed we found a cave mouth. Si'aspiqo felt for magic with a cantrip but felt nothing. Amphius led the way deeper into the cave into shadow. There was a broad opening narrowing into a darker place, but he could see gnawed bones ahead. Si'aspiqo cast protection against evil on Amphius, but he soon found the cave was empty. It had evidently been the lion’s den. There were five or six dismembered human corpses judging by the gnawed bones and scattered skulls, plus the bones of deer and sheep. There were no other exits from the cave.

Si'aspiqo cast another spell; a fortune telling seeking the beast’s master and learnt that he was not to the West.

From Sammus’s Boast:

127: E20 — The Witch is Dead

By now it was late morning and we decided to spend a few hours searching for the witch, with the aim of returning to camp for the night to avoid leaving the Numidians alone for night. After a short while we spotted another possible cave and Amphius went in to investigate. There were two caves close together but he found nothing of interest in either. We headed on for another couple of hours but found no more caves of interest. Although there was less wildlife than close to the lake, we saw plenty of birds and the occasional wild goat and sheep.

After a further two hours we were higher up, following a gap in the hills to the northeast, about 3 hours from our camp. Just as we were deciding to finish for the day, Mago spotted what looked like a cave on the slope opposite and we decided to investigate that before heading back to camp.

Amphius sneaked up quietly and found evidence of a campfire, some weeks old, and then entered a broad cave with an overhang. There was some brush and rubbish at the back of what seemed to be quite a shallow cave, but when he pulled away the brush, he found that it went much deeper into the hillside.

Si'aspiqo cast a cantrip to try to determine if there was any feel of magic within the cave but had no definitive result. Agripinus cast a blessing on Amphius and then the Greek headed into the deeper part of the cave and after a few minutes the rest of us started to follow. He soon returned to meet us at the entrance.

He said there seemed to be a substantial series of linked caves. He had found a stack of prepared firewood in one and then there had been a 45-degree slope down to another level, where he had spotted two skulls placed on either side of the tunnel as it levelled out after the slope.

Amphius led the way again, followed by Agripinus, me, Si'aspiqo, Baal-Shaq, Mago and Toxoanassa. We passed an opening on the left and reached the steep slope down. I held a 30-foot rope at the top of the slope, while my comrades started to work their way down the slope, which stretched just beyond the reach of the rope.

Si'aspiqo lit a torch and could see the two skulls on the floor ahead. The rest of the party halted their descent until there was enough room at the bottom of the slope. Si'aspiqo cast another cantrip and felt these skulls held magic and that there were more wards ahead. Agripinus invoked a protection against evil and summoned the light of Tanit, while Amphius covered his eyes. By the light of Tanit the priest and the magician could see another couple of stones with sigils drawn on them set further along past the skulls and that the passage turned to the right further ahead.

Agripinus walked past the skulls. In the dust of the floor was a rope or noose that caught his feet and he fell loudly to the floor and pebbles scattered in all directions. Amphius cut the rope and then led the way forward with Agripinus shielding the light from dazzling the Greek. Now there was space for Baal-Shaq to descend the slope. Amphius looked for traps as he led the way forward and saw scribbles on a pair of small rocks in the wall of the passage as it turned to the right. The tunnel opened out into a long irregular cave with more pairs of rune-signs drawn on the walls of the passage. As he passed the first pair of stones, Amphius’s guts started to churn as though he had been suddenly struck by dysentery and he felt an urge to run to the surface and empty his bowels. Si'aspiqo cast protection from evil on Amphius, but the Greek was soon incapacitated by the curse and voided his bowels in the corridor.

Si'aspiqo made his way to the front to look more closely at the runes. They looked to be badly drawn Egyptian characters and he recognized them as a black magic curse ‘quaking of the bowels’ similar to those he had discovered in Kaskator. The sigils all seemed to be curses inscribed on rocks sticking out into the path. He thought the first pair had been discharged and would need to be recharged before working again. He recognized the next pair ahead as being a curse of ‘misfortune’.

Agripinus strode forward confident in his faith, with his protection from black magic amulet as well as his protection from evil which he refreshed. He felt something unseen as he passed the next pair, but his protections deflected it – Si'aspiqo wasn’t sure what curse had been laid there. As Agripinus went past another pair of sigils he felt an attack but once more resisted its effect – Si'aspiqo thought the curse inscribed was ‘fever’. Agripinus pushed on boldly but felt something squirm in his innards as he passed the next as his protections failed. He too felt as though he had been suddenly stricken by dysentery.

Mago went down the slope next, and stumbled and fell close to Amphius, but was not seriously harmed. Baal-Shaq told Agripinus to go outside as he was clearly unwell. The priest drank some holy water and briefly felt a little better and Baal-Shaq led the way forward. Agripinus offered a protection from evil, but Baal-Shaq told the priest he had no need of it.

Agripinus and Amphius now retreated and Agripinus also voided his bowels as he was overcome by the black magic of the curse. He managed to stagger outside, while the Greek waited in the entrance. Toxoanassa stayed with the two victims, and I descended after the others taking the rope with me.

Baal-Shaq led Si'aspiqo followed by Mago while I took rearguard, and we continued carefully along the narrow cave. There was an option on the right, or the tunnel continued ahead. Si'aspiqo with his torch looked to the right and could see another 45-degree slope down into the dark. Baal-Shaq stood guard here, and Mago and I looked for tracks ahead. We saw nothing but after a short distance the passage turned to the left and then ended in a ceiling collapse. Si'aspiqo tried to check if there was anything hidden there but didn’t find anything suspicious.

We returned to the option on the right and the difficult slope down. I held onto the rope while Baal-Shaq descended halfway and then Si'aspiqo followed with the torch. Mago and then I followed and although I slipped a little, we reached the others safely. I then held the rope again for the second half of the descent. Baal-Shaq called up that he was at the bottom, and we all followed him down. I slipped near the bottom and collected a few bruises.

The passageway narrowed ahead and out of the darkness a horrible voice echoed out in what seemed to be Numidian. Baal-Shaq translated that we were called on to depart or perish – but we were all undaunted and continued on into the darkness to face our foe.

The passage was very narrow, and I had to really squeeze through and drag my shield after me. We could all hear the unpleasant voice intoning something ahead of us. Baal-Shaq made a swift prayer to Baal and pressed forward with sword drawn. Si'aspiqo cast protection from evil on both Mago and I. Baal-Shaq had gone on ahead with the only lit torch, so Si'aspiqo lit another and we hurried after. I saw the passage ahead open up into a large cave and the figure of Baal-Shaq on the floor with his feet tangled by something and another figure in the darkness beyond him.

Mago passed to the side of Baal-Shaq and Si'aspiqo and saw the figure waving a club or maybe a wand at them. He threw a knife, which hit the figure and seemed to put him off his incantation. Mago moved further off to the side, and I rushed past Si'aspiqo to attack the witch.

Si'aspiqo fumbled for a bone flute, while my feet seemed to stumble and I felt checked in some way, but I was still able to wield my sword. However, my blow seemed to lack its normal control and the witch managed to dodge – I must have been cursed with ill fortune. Mago narrowly missed with another knife, while Baal-Shaq had managed to cut his feet free. Mago threw another knife but missed again and my blows were still ineffective as my luck had run dry.

The witch chanted again in Numidian but seemed to misspeak his curse and coughed and spluttered instead, while Si'aspiqo pulled out his flute, then readied it to blow fire or smoke at the witch. My sword missed again, and the witch waved his wand or club at Baal-Shaq who also missed with his sword. Now Mago had thrown all his knives, so he drew a dagger and closed in on the witch from the flank.

Si'aspiqo used the torch and his flute to create a strange writhing stream of smoke and blew it towards the witch. Mago managed to stab the witch in the arm and then the head, while Baal-Shaq and I were still ineffective – Baal-Shaq also seemed cursed with ill fortune.

Si'aspiqo’s smoke blew around the head of the witch, putting him off and I finally managed to hack into the arm of our foe. At that point Baal-Shaq hit the witch with his sword and cut into his left leg and he fell down shrieking. After Mago stabbed him once more in the leg he was badly wounded and immobile and then Baal-Shaq struck off his head. We stuffed rags in the still-moving mouth of the head and then explored the cave.

There was a pool of water and nearby a skin stretched out on a frame. There were also some rolls of lambskin marked with hieroglyphics. Si'aspiqo made some arcane gestures, and the smoke was cleared away by a gust of wind. On the floor we found a wand of carved bone and a necklace of large claws and teeth, which was probably a fetish for the black lion. There was also a burnt bone with yarn around it, five or six potions and some other wizardly detritus scattered here and there in various corners.

Mago investigated the pool. It was cold, clean water, which seemed to be filled drip by drip from the ceiling and was quite shallow. He could find nothing of value within. Baal-Shaq and I still both seemed bedeviled by bad luck and stumbled our way up to the outside world, where Amphius and Agripinus were both still suffering from dysentery.

The things we had found in the witch’s den were taken outside along with his head. Baal-Shaq made a pyre of firewood and announced his intention to burn the body of the wizard at dawn. Si'aspiqo set up a protection from evil around the camp and we set watches for the night, while Agripinus prayed to Tanit for aid against the curses inflicted upon us.

From Sammus’s Boast:

128: E21 – Return to Sef

Baal-Shaq suggested burning the body on a pyre at dawn, but after discussion we decided it would be best to dispose of the head and body as soon as possible. Toxoanassa and Mago went back down into the caves to fetch the body and the head, accompanied by Si'aspiqo. Agripinus focused on healing himself and suggested making a hole beside the cave, so that he could make water spring forth. Baal-Shaq and I ferried out the firewood from inside the caves and then dug a small hole.

Si'aspiqo filled a water skin from the dark pool in the witch’s cave. Mago trussed up the body with some rope and with Toxoanassa help they managed to carry it up the two slopes and drag it outside. Agripinus cured himself but his first attempt to heal Amphius failed. He did produce enough fresh water to refill all the water bottles. He then successfully healed Amphius, and they both had a large drink of fresh water.

A campfire was prepared, and a large pyre was made 10 yards away. The body was placed on the pyre and Baal-Shaq removed the head from his bag. Si'aspiqo started the fires with a cantrip and then brewed a calming and restorative tea. Soon after the full moon rose. It was very cloudy, although a little diffuse, pale light shone through. Si'aspiqo cast spells to increase the force of the pyre, which roared and burnt hotly. In a fairly short time, a lot of the wood was consumed, and we could all smell the burning body. Baal-Shaq tossed the head on, and the magician kept the pyre burning longer at the optimum heat. It had burnt into a pile of ashes by midnight. Baal-Shaq put out a thin shard of stone and placed a gold object on it in the campfire and then muttered prayers to the idol.

We settled for the night and Amphius and Agripinus slept fitfully. Si'aspiqo went into his dream trance and the rest of us tried to stay awake. In the morning Si'aspiqo reported that he had seen the spirit during his dreams, and it had tried our boundaries during the night. It had whispered and approached, but each time had failed to cross the wards. Si'aspiqo had been concerned that it was trying and had cast a further protection for himself and stood to oppose the spirit in his dream. This in combination with the two existing protections had forced the spirit to leave, but the wizard did not think it had gone completely. It had clearly been the spirit of the place, although Si'aspiqo was not sure if it was still the spirit of the witch. He was also not sure whether the body we had burnt had been occupied by its original owner or the spirit that the witch had summoned.

In the morning Baal-Shaq felt that his curse had been lifted through his prayers to Baal. I was blessed in a ceremony by Agripinus but unfortunately the curse still seemed to hold sway on me.

We decided to take the ashes and remaining bones with us back to the lake and scatter them along the way. First Agripinus blessed the area and then he used his sword to cut up any bones. Finally, Baal-Shaq gathered up any remains in a bag and we struck camp and set off back to the lake, with Baal-Shaq scattering remains at multiple points along the way.

As we got close to the lake, we were met by one of the Numidian brothers, who had come in search of us. When we reached the campsite near the lake, we found the lion skin pegged out to dry and a pile of very large teeth and claws. The heart of the lion was being smoked over a fire.

Agripinus and I stayed with the Numidians while the rest went to pass on news of the death of the witch to the hermit. When they returned, they reported that Baal-Shaq and Si'aspiqo had explained to the hermit that we had killed the witch and fought off an attack from the spirit. The hermit had known that the spirit walked in the night and thought it might continue to haunt the hills if it did not want to be reborn. The hermit had agreed that we had done a good deed and thanked us for letting him know. He was confident that the lake would keep him safe.

He heard of the witch’s curse of me and thought it might be difficult to lift. Only powers like the lake last a lifetime he added, but curses of the dead often linger. Maybe in Sef someone would know more of this than he, he suggested.

The Numidians believed that eating the heart of the lion made someone a lion hunter and they would no longer be affected by the lion’s roar and the lion would know this and be wary. Baal-Shaq distributed the lion heart, and we all took our share. The loot was then all packed into saddlebags, and we broke camp and rode for Sef, arriving shortly before dusk.

On our arrival we were met with a lot of happiness in the town, and we were immediately shown to the Headman’s hut, where H’Assan greeted us. There did seem to be some mixed emotions on his face, but he told us he was pleased and there would be a large celebration tonight.

A barbecue was held, starting with a long speech from H’Assan. A leopard skin hat was given to Baal-Shaq, who was formally adopted as a noble warrior of Sef. All of us were now in good standing here. We were given advice from the elders on the things we had found in the cave.

The flasks had sigils; two for spirit walk, another for slave, two more had healing and one had slow death. They elders agreed there was no doubt that we had killed the witch, Netan How, who had lived in Sef for a long time and had been cast out for making mischief. The name sounded slightly Egyptian to Si'aspiqo.

The lion skin was seen as a powerful trophy and was much admired. It was something that could be worn by warriors or witch doctors, but the elders were not sure what its virtue was. Amphius told the tale of Hercules, a Greek hero, who had killed the Nemean lion and wore its skin.

The night passed in a public festival, with the barbecuing of lambs and sheep. Baal-Shaq was pleased that we could now resume our journey and he was in even better standing in Sef than he had been and told us that this could not have been done without everyone’s help.

I knew I would not be able to continue unless the curse was lifted and Agripinus planned another ceremony in the morning and would pray to Tanit for inspiration.

Si'aspiqo investigated the wand that had been used to curse me. He thought it was a thigh bone, possibly human that had been carved and inscribed but he couldn’t decipher it. He thought it might be pseudo-Egyptian. His only suggestion was to destroy it as part of ceremony. He also found that there were Egyptian hieroglyphs on the lambskin, but they were not well drawn.

From Si'aspiqo’s Wheeze:

129: By the Witch’s Pyre

The low, slow, thorough pyre glows beside the cave entrance, light catching our expedition’s principal, Baal-Shaq, as he stands a night watch over our close-packed campsite. His rite is concluded, his golden idol watches over him from the camp fire.

My comrades, exhausted and so susceptible, are protected within the boundaries I have laid down. Boundaries marked by tokens: the small cairns of the proper number of pebbles; the branch, twisted, so the low red-glow of the coals of the camp fire light it as a significant sign; on a protruding boulder the carefully patterned daub of mud taken from the edge of a holy man’s miraculous spring. All these mark vertices of a perimeter of protection.

I strongly suspect the slain witch to be a dream-walker as well as a wielder of the curse-sorcery, so lay my head down and leave the waking world, to stand my own guard in another place. There is dark and warmth. Below a warm breeze blows; high above streamers of cloud speed past the stars of this place, stars which never quite resolve into constellations known to the waking world.

Here below I am alone, though a golden light close-by must mark the camp fire. Alone, until a chill draught cuts through the warmth, the same chill I felt before the black lion attacked, the chill of the Archon, the chill of a deeper darkness from beyond.

A shade in the shape of a person circles around the camp, just beyond the light. Watching from the corner of my own eye, I catch a glint as of another's eye in the dark shape and below that, movement of a mouth, and my ears hear a faint muttering that is no language I recognise, let alone understand.

Better I am here to hear than it whispers into the ear of any innocent sleeper hereabouts. I am closer, nearly here with it. Though I think the shade cannot approach the sleepers through the protections in place, despite it seeming incapable of approaching close enough to achieve harm, I am uncomfortable at the prowling shade’s presence, so speak an incantation of protection:

“Oh male spirit, female spirit, male dead, female dead!
Be on your way, be distant from me!
Go on, you, I shall not go along with you!
You shall have no power over me, you shall not give me to Apep.
You will raise your face as well as your ba, your shapes, your corpse-like apparitions, your magic as well as your forms.
I speak with the blood of the earth on my tongue!
I stand here as the Hand and Eye of Ra!
I stand here to bring light in the face of those who would bring darkness!”

And it seems to me that I am become the focus of the golden glow at the camp fire, a torch in the darkness, and I step to the boundary to stand directly against the shade, which recoils into and merges with the outer darkness and troubles this dream no more. But there is no sign of it passing out of the world altogether while I stand watch here, alone, until woken by the pre-dawn light.

From Agripinus’s Journal:

130: Cleansing Sammus : By the Grace of Tanit

The witch-doctor’s last curse placed on Sammus was tenacious; it was going to need divine intervention to wipe away the stain. For the best result that would entail performing the ritual in a sacred place. Since departing Carthage, I had carried two idols of Tanit with me for the purpose of setting up shrines where they would do most good. The first, smaller, one was set up in Teveste, and now it appeared that here in Sef was an apposite place to set the second. Far enough from the port of Tamuda to be in “new territory” and also on a caravan route so that it could be visited by any traveller wanting to give thanks to Tanit’s healing light.

After some consultations with Baal-Shaq and the village elders, a suitable site was selected by the headman. It looked as if it was a round stone and timber building that had burned down at some point and most of the remains had been cleared away. I blessed the ground, and communed with Tanit herself to ascertain the most propitious method to cleanse the worthy Sammus. Inspiration told me he would need to be washed with holy waters, and baptized in Tanit’s healing liquid. It was fortunate that I had the ability to bring forth several gallons of water from the arid sands in preparation for bathing the unclean.

Meanwhile it appeared that the entire village turned up to help build the new shrine out of stone. With almost too many hands willing to help with every task, the process was completed in only a day and a half. I sang hymns to Tanit as they worked to reduce the chances of slips, trips and other accidents, and then performed some curing for several sick children in gratitude for the villager’s aid.

I bought 4 sheep for the sacrificial offering to Tanit as I performed the ceremony that would consecrate the finished building. Then the meat was used to feed the villagers who had been so generous with their time and skills to aid me in this venture. Before midnight on the second day Tanit was emplaced in her new shrine-house, and the feast of celebration was over.

At dawn on the third day, it was time to dig a shallow pit and fill it with the blessed waters. I laid the naked Sammus down and washed him with the holy waters, washing away the curse that gripped him. Being such a big lad, I had to do it twice before all trace of the foulness was washed away, but finally I could declare, by the Grace of Tanit, that the curse was lifted, and the stain of misfortune had been washed away.

The next day we were scheduled to leave, and so I bestowed a sum of money on the village chief for the aid of any traveller who would need it, to provide shelter and food in the shrine, and to keep it clean should any desire to stop there. I was content that two good deeds had been done in one, and would endeavour to visit again, or perhaps even send a representative to continue to spread Tanit’s light in the region.

From Si'aspiqo's Wheeze:

131: Destroy the Unclean

Recorded in the 18th year of the reign of Pharaoh Ptolemy, son of Ptolemy, King of Upper and Lower Egypt.
7th day of the 12th Month.

(The afternoon of the morning of the Cleansing of Sammus)

Baal-Shaq said:

‘The things of the Witch should be for Si'aspiqo to study. Destroy the unclean, keep what is safe to use. No-one should handle them lightly. They are for those that know these Arts, at least in part.’

I have destroyed, by fire, the bone cursing wand* as a possible link to the world for the curséd spirit of the late witch whom I shall not name.

* Despite the possibility of an opportunity to advance the academic pursuit of counter-malediction studies. Sigh.

I thank Agripinus Tanit’s Priest for his support in conducting a further, cleansing, blessing of the ashes in the the name of Tanit’s Light, so standing shoulder by shoulder with me against the dark, after my application of cleansing fire to the bane-bone at a wilderness site beyond the boundary of our hosts’ fair home of Sif.

We, or our ponies most likely, shall further grind the ashy remnants of the witch’s working into the dust of the path in our passage out of Sif in the morning, tomorrow.

My thanks also to all who accompanied or assisted us.

Footnote:

By my reckoning, of the late witch's effects I bear: the black lion skin by gift of our leader Baal-Shaq and further, by his command above, responsibility for:

• six flasks of potions, variously marked in the Numidian manner as: Healing, Spirit Walking, both these being each two in number, then as singletons two more, marked Slave and Slow Death — and now all countersigned with my own marks in the manners of the Greeks and Egyptians, for clarity)
• a bag of ochre
• a bone charcoal-holder pen
• a bundle of 12 sheep-skin/parchment scrolls
• a bone, burnt, with holes through it, wound about with rawhide twine (perhaps a bull-roarer?)
• a lion tooth-and-claw fetish necklace
• a pestle

(I have concerns, still, about what exactly is is written on the sheep skins, and the actual contents and ingredients of the bottled potions, but judge their status less pressing of investigation and that their fate can – with due caution meanwhile – be determined at a later time.)

From Sammus’s Boast:

132: E22 – Ride Boldly Ride

Preparations were made to leave Sef and we rode out on a cloudy morning, the 8th December. We followed the trail which swung round to the south. After 20 miles we rode through a small hamlet, Sefron, and then at the end of a hard day’s ride, we reached a wilderness camp, where we stayed overnight. By then both Mago and Si'aspiqo were exhausted and strained by the day’s ride. They were cured by Agripinus and able to ride again by dawn.

The following morning was fair with a light north-westerly wind and as we rode south, we could see snow tipped mountains and late in the morning we could see the Burman pass ahead. We climbed the pass through impressive terrain with snow above us, and then descended. We covered less distance than the previous day, because of the hard climb, but reached the small hamlet of Katan at the end of the day. In the afternoon Agripinus had fallen, when his horse slipped, and he had to ride a spare pony. This evening, he had to heal the exhausted Si'aspiqo, Mago and Amphius.

It was noticeably cooler the next morning, and we rode along a high plain where it was much drier and dustier. We arrived in Zaida late in the day, where the priest had to heal Si'aspiqo and Mago once again.

The next day we rode until lunchtime, as far as Midef, an isolated town. We were met here by two guides from Merzooga, who had been waiting for Baal-Shaq. Their names were Yidir and Boona, and they were more familiar with the trails and mountain pass south of here. They were surprised by the size of the party. We rested for the afternoon were all fully recovered after a good night’s rest.

There was a blood red dawn, and we could see mountains sparkling with snow to the south of us. Si'aspiqo thought it would be a fine day, but there were some dark, threatening clouds to the north. As we rode south, our guides spent quite a lot of time looking back to the north. During the afternoon we wound our way through the spectacular mountain pass of Er-Riche. It was considerably colder when we made camp at the end of the day. Mago, Si'aspiqo and Amphius were all exhausted and Agripinus had to heal them. It was bitterly cold, but we had a little wood, and found some more to make a small fire, which Si'aspiqo persuaded to burn efficiently with a spell.

In the morning, Si'aspiqo, Mago and Amphius needed further healing, Mago was suffering badly from the cold as well as the ride. Snow was now falling heavily. Baal-Shaq told us we needed to ride on, but we should go cautiously as footing would be treacherous. Si'aspiqo thought the snow would last all day or more. Soon we needed to lead the horses, as the snow had quickly become quite deep. Without the guides we would soon have been lost in the snowy mountains. It was still very cold when we camped for the night. Those in sandals had found it very hard and they improvised better footwear overnight. We huddled together for warmth, although the weather was no worse than I was accustomed to in Gaul.

The next morning, we walked on leading the horses and ponies as the snow continued. Si'aspiqo cast a cantrip and thought there was better weather ahead. Soon the guides decided we could ride as the path was clearer ahead and the snow petered out. The wind was in our faces, but it was warmer now. Agripinus’s horse stumbled; he fell, and he again had to swap mounts. When we camped at the end of the day Agripinus had to cure himself, after his fall, as well as the usual suspects. He was having to work hard to keep the inexperienced riders in condition to continue.

The next day it was very overcast behind us, but brighter ahead, as we rode onto the plains. At dusk, we rode into a settlement in a small oasis, Khettara. Our guides told us it was now only two days ride to Merzooga, at the end of the Numidian lands. The priest again had three to heal.

The next morning there was a brisk warm wind with particles of stinging sand in it. Visibility was poor to the south and our two guides told us this was the Sirgui, a desert wind. We tied rags over our faces, to protect us from the sand as we rode south into it. Mago, Amphius and Si'aspiqo needed healing and that night Si'aspiqo slept fitfully and dreamt of a dark desert, full of shadow.

Amphius needed more healing in the morning, before we rode on, with a cool wind from the northwest as the bad weather spilled over the mountains and it began to rain, which seemed unusual here. After 10 miles we passed through the hamlet of Erfond and late in the day we approached Merzooga. I thought there were mountains far off to the east, but soon realised they were much closer than I had thought and were made of great piles of sand. There was a line of ridges and huge sandy dunes, which I had never seen before.

To the west of us we had followed a small waterway with some vegetation on either side. The waterway was seasonal, I guessed, and it petered out, just before we reached Merzooga, the largest place we had seen since Sef. This marked the beginning of the desert lands and here we would have to say goodbye to the horses – to the relief of Mago, Si'aspiqo and Amphius, I suspected.

There were two desert guides waiting for us, they were heavily armed with sword, dagger, hide shield, and javelins and each had a blue veil wrapped around their head, neck, and shoulders. I learned that these were Kel Ajjer, one of the different groups of desert nomads, each of which had a name beginning with Kel. To the east were the Kel Hoggar, and there were other clans off to the south. They muttered something in Berber to Baal-Shaq, who talked to them and pointed to us. It seemed plain that they had not expected Baal-Shaq to have companions. These men said little, and I did not learn their names. Their faces were hard to see behind their blue veils, and they looked darkened by the sun and wind.

That evening we camped in an empty kraal in part of the town. The Numidians would leave in the morning and Baal-Shaq discussed with them when they should return. We would now walk east into the desert with the two guides, which looked difficult in the soft sand. We would head to Abadla, an Ajjer town, where we would pick up more guides and the long trail southwards. Mago and Amphius bought boots for the return trip, and I bought extra cloth for protection from the blown sand. Si'aspiqo could not find boots to fit him and had to make do with what he had.

We said a fond farewell to the Numidians in the morning and then followed our two guides eastwards into the desert. We took two ponies with us, which provoked much discussion between our rather villainous-looking guides and Baal-Shaq, who pointed meaningfully at Agripinus. It was an overcast day with a light, sandy wind from the east carrying particles of sand. We made camp at the end of a long day’s walking: crossing the dunes had been hard work. The ponies were now very thirsty and nearly flagging, but Agripinus made a small depression in the sand, and muttered a prayer and a little spring of water bubbled forth to fill it and then continued to flow, much to the amazement of the two guides. They jabbered away in some dialect of Numidian and gestured to the sky many times. Tanit’s miracle with water certainly made an impact in this sea of red sand. The ponies guzzled away, and we all refilled our bottles before it vanished once more into the thirsty ground.

In the morning, we set off again with an overcast sky which became clear as the day wore on. At the end of that day, we reached an oasis and a town, Abadla, quite different in style from those of the Numidians. All here were wearing dark blue veils and more guides were waiting in the town for Baal-Shaq. It seemed to me they had chosen a hard place to live in.

From Sammus’s Boast:

133: E23 – Into the Desert, by Night

Most buildings in Abadla were made from mud bricks and had thin angled flat roofs. There were a handful with taller towers and there was a low stone and mud wall all around the town with scattered kraal enclosure. We were shown to one of the larger buildings and then Baal-Shaq, my companions and I were shown in to see the headman.

Kasila, chief of the Ajjer clan, appeared with his wife, both formally dressed and on a double throne; she didn’t speak but did take an interest in the conversation. Her name was Madaya, she did not wear a veil and was very attractive. They both wore fine jewelry. There was a lot of discussion in the local version of Numidian and after a while Baal-Shaq gestured to Amphius and then the rest of us. He then explained to us that he had told Kassila and Madaya that Amphius was his blood brother, and the rest of us were the sworn companions of Amphius and that we were all travelling as brothers and sister. Kassila spoke in broken Punic, bidding us welcome to Abadla, his home, saying that he gave us food and water, and asked us to stay in peace.

There was more talk in Numidian, before Kasila and Baal-Shaq seemed to reach an agreement and the discussion was handed over to an advisor called Izil. Izil was a priest-doctor and said that he had heard we travelled with a mystic who caused water to spring forth in the desert – enough for two ponies or more, and asked who it was. Agripinus introduced himself as a member of the sacred band and a priest of Tanit and Baal-Shaq added that he was from Carthage. Izil called Carthage the City of the White Veil and told us that Agripinus was the first of these mystics to visit his lands and added that if he respected their faith, they would respect his. Agripinus agreed, adding that we would respect their laws and customs and thanking Kasila and Izil for their kind words. He asked what God was followed here and Izil explained that they were worshippers of Baal, which helped explain why Baal-Shaq was welcome here.

We camped in one of the kraals on the outskirts of the town and the next morning we met up with our guides and bearers. As well as the two guides we had already met, who we learned were named Ebeggi and Ittu, there were four more – Axil, Ghanim, Ijju and Badis. The latter was armed and dressed differently. He had a black veil and in his belt was a truncheon with silver bands around the end. Our guides planned to leave that very night and produced half a dozen porters in rougher clothes with a darker complexion like Baal-Shaq. They were evidently of a lower status than the warrior-guides. We discussed what we should wear; our guides recommended a bermuz, a long woolen cloak worn for the winter. They also wore shirts and trousers, which were familiar to me, but not to my companions, along with a tagelmust, a veil that went around the face, neck, and shoulders – dark blue for warriors, black for doctors and brown for craftsmen.

We went to the market to try to equip ourselves. Many of my companions bought complete sets of clothing and even leather shoes, with Si'aspiqo opting for a black tagelmust and Mago a brown one. I bought a bermuz and tagelmust, but even though I tried on many pairs of trousers and shirts, all were far too small, and the sight provoked much laughter in the crowd of locals following us. Toxoanassa also provoked much interest – the locals were evidently unused to female warriors. It was noticeable that women and their faces were much more in evidence here than previous towns. Si'aspiqo also bought a dozen sheets of sheepskin parchment and some inks in the market.

We discussed what we might encounter in the desert with our guides. They mentioned the following:

• Idebni, haunting spirits, who talked to women and then strangled them if they couldn’t be persuaded;
• Iwillmiden, the offspring of humans and demons, somewhat like darklings;
• Elijinen – similar to Iwillmiden but hairy and living in secret places deep in the desert like lonely oases;
• Jabbaren – giants that lived out of sight of humans, but these stories were from long ago;
• Azsuf, wandering spirits some of whom might not be human and could not be hurt with iron weapons;
• night demons that tried to eat people, donkeys, goats and could change shape, but couldn’t break bone or they would dwindle down to a tiny form, also immune to iron.

Badis explained that this was the reason for the silver bands round the end of his truncheon and showed us marks on the bands, explaining that this work was done by jewelers rather than bladesmiths. Some of these things also feared fire, he added. Baal-Shaq showed Badis his sword, which interested Badis, who then asked about Amphius’s eyes. Baal-Shaq explained that Greek had been marked by the Gods, and although dazzled by the sun could see like a cat at night.

Amphius went with Baal-Shaq seeking a jeweler to make him a silvered weapon. They found someone and Baal-Shaq talked to him, and he agreed to make a silver banded truncheon without delay. Amphius asked about silver arrowheads, but the trader explained that these would be too soft to harm anything. Mago traded a bag of ochre from the witch’s den for an iron sword in a scabbard. This looked a good deal, as it was of local manufacture but sharp and well made. I left a lion’s tooth with a jeweller to be made into a necklace ready for our return. We took the opportunity in the afternoon to have a nap, as we would be walking through the night.

That evening a large party walked out of town: six guides, six porters, Baal-Shaq, my five companions and two ponies besides myself. The porters carried a tent, water, and other supplies. As we walked into the desert, Axil stayed in the middle of the party, but there was always one guide at the back and two at the front. Amphius was also at the front, because of his night vision. The night was cool and quite dark as it was overcast, but for the first part of the night there was a little moonlight from a first quarter moon. We walked for twelve hours, resting after every four, and continued past dawn. Agripinus greeted the dawn with his usual ceremony, and we stopped soon after to set up camp. By now the ponies were gasping for water. Agripinus muttered a prayer and a little spring of water bubbled forth to fill a depression, then continued to flow, causing much muttering and amazement amongst our guides. Agripinus went behind the tent and tried a second prayer, but nothing happened this time. Once the ponies had drunk their fill, we topped up our waterskins.

We were camped alongside a dried-up seasonal waterway, with some vegetation, which the trail had followed for a little while. The guides told us we were headed for Bnei oasis, which would take about three days. The porters erected a tent, while Badis got a fire going in a similar way to Si'aspiqo – he clicked his fingers and little flames appeared. We agreed that throughout the day one guide and one of us would be awake at all times, while Amphius rested for the whole day and spared his eyes from the sun.

We set out again the following evening and rested after about four hours and then continued. During this second period of travel, I suddenly found myself standing in the desert in the darkness with just Toxoanassa for company. Strangely, we felt like we had just awoken from dozing, and both vaguely remembered a conversation with someone but could not recall any more about it. We looked around and could see no sign of anyone else; I shouted and then we both listened carefully but heard nothing. How long we had wandered we did not know. The night was dark, with only a little starlight, so I lit a torch and we tried to follow our tracks back to where we had wandered away from the rest of the party.

Soon after we were glad to greet Amphius, who was following our tracks and a little later we met up with Baal-Shaq, our companions and one of the guides who were following the trail the Greek had marked. The rest of the guides had stayed with the porters and the two ponies.

Listening hard, Baal-Shaq could hear a voice or voices off to the east. After some discussion we decided to investigate…

From Sammus’s Boast:

134: E24 – Lair of the Asuf

Baal-Shaq had heard something far off to the East and there was a dry riverbed nearby, so Amphius led us in that direction. There was a lot of brush around and the night was quite dark with just a few stars visible amongst the clouds. Baal-Shaq and the rest of us followed after Amphius. Agripinus summoned the light of Tanit using his orb, which gave a bright yellow light, so Si'aspiqo and I extinguished our torches. Our guide, Ijjn, Mago and Toxoanassa were at the rear, with Agripinus and Si'aspiqo in the middle and Baal-Shaq and I behind Amphius.

After about 10 minutes, Toxoanassa noticed that Ijjn had disappeared. We called out to Amphius, and he found a trail that drifted away from our path. The Greek jogged after our guide who was soon found sleepwalking eastwards. Amphius decided just to follow the ensorcelled man, rather than awaken him, and whistled us to follow him.

Not long thereafter I also started to sleep-walk and drift off course, but Si'aspiqo woke me with a tingling nerve shock. Amphius could hear something from ahead and fell back to join the group at which point Si'aspiqo used the tokens we wore to cast protection from evil on Amphius, myself, Toxoanassa, Mago in turn and then finally himself.

Baal-Shaq and Amphius headed on and once Si'aspiqo had cast his protection on me, I hurried after them. Agripinus summoned a protection on himself and started singing a hymn to Tanit. Ahead I saw Baal-Shaq and Amphius step down into the dried-up riverbed, still following our guide. They crossed the riverbed and ascended the other side into some brush. As I ascended after them, I could hear the sound of scuffling ahead and soon, by the light of Tanit, I saw that they were engaged with some shadowy figures that seemed to be made of sand. They looked like dust devils and because of the way they were whirling around it was difficult to see if there was just one or maybe as many as three.

Amphius dodged past one of the shadowy forms and tried to jostle the guide awake. Ijjn staggered and fell to the ground but did seem to regain consciousness. Baal-Shaq seemed to strike one of the figures firmly with his sword. I got near enough to strike, and decided there were two sand-spirits to engage. I missed the second one and Amphius struck with his silvered truncheon, but the weapon just seemed to pass through the dust devil as though it were just sand in the wind. I was struck by the sand-spirit and immediately felt drained and tired. Baal-Shaq seemed to strike firmly once more, and sand flew off the first dust devil. Ijjn scrambled away, and I missed with another blow, while Amphius dodged, but missed his blow. Agripinus strode forward and hit the first dust devil hard, so it sparkled into nothingness.

My next blow struck firm and true and sand flew off the remaining figure. Amphius again swished his truncheon through the sand, but then I hit it once more and it flew apart in all directions. We were left with fragments of bones and rags and rubbish at our feet; the desert night was quiet around us.

Looking around we saw four large monolithic stones in the brush in a rough circle, about six feet high and a pit with crumbling stone within. Amphius went down into the pit and found some desiccated corpses and piles of sand. The corpses looked like they were probably Numidian as they had the remnants of garments similar to those worn by our guide. Amphius searched carefully, while Si'aspiqo lit a small fire and then cast a couple of detect magic spells to aid the search.

Sifting through the sand, and searching the bodies, Amphius found the following: a gold ring, an iron sword, 3 pairs of leather boots, a carved ivory amulet with strange sigils carved on it, a silver bangle – quite well made but age darkened, two iron daggers, a heavy leather flask, well-made and stoppered with liquid inside, a spear, 4 gold Carthaginian coins, not recently made and 138 silver coins, one or two of which were Greek and the rest Carthaginian. Both the amulet and the flask were identified by Si'aspiqo as having some virtue of magic about them. The four menhirs appeared ancient with nothing obvious carved on them. They were too big for us to tumble over without equipment.

Baal-Shaq talked to Ijjn and found that they usually buried their dead in the desert, where they lay. Agripinus and Baal therefore prayed over the corpses we had found and then we buried them in the sand nearby.

Our guide was keen to leave, and we soon returned to the camp where the other guides and porters were waiting. They were pleased to see our safe return. Both the recently ensorcelled guide and I felt very tired and thirsty, so Agripinus called upon Tanit, and a spring of water appeared. The two of us and the ponies all drank greedily and Agripinus called on Tanit a second time; this time there was a smaller spring, but we were able to refill our waterskins and eventually Ijjn and I had slaked our thirst sufficiently.

Agripinus cast cure light wounds on me, and I felt less tired and thirsty. Baal-Shaq spoke to the guide for a while before he agreed to be healed by the power of Tanit, but soon he too was feeling much recovered.

Badis and Axil spoke to Baal-Shaq, who then explained that they were interested in what we had recovered from the lair of the Asuf, as these spirits were named by those that lived in the desert. Badis looked at the amulet and told Baal-Shaq that he recognised the runes – they were Numidian runes for resist pain, and he muttered something about the power of Baal. It was clear that Bardis was a wise person. He was a worshipper of Baal, but had knowledge of certain magical arts, such as being able to produce a small flame from his fingers. He could talk about magic and chatted to Si'aspiqo over the next period with the help of Baal-Shaq.

After two more nights of walking, we reached Beni oasis without further incident. We had been following a dried-up riverbed, and the first sign of the approaching oasis had been green vegetation and a few animals. This was a much smaller settlement than Abadla.

Si'aspiqo thought long about the flask and eventually he carefully removed the stopper. He had a tiny taste, and then a sniff. It smelt like refined spirit. He was not sure what it did, but it had some potency. While he pondered what it might do, he sealed it by his arts so it would keep without spoiling.

From Sammus’s Boast:

135: E25 — Praying for Rain

We set out the evening after arriving at Beni oasis, 22nd December. As we started to make camp at the end of the first day’s march Amphius disturbed a large cobra, but with good fortune he avoided it and let it slither away. After another night’s travel, we arrived at the small oasis of Ouata. We rested on the outskirts as our guides discussed passage with the inhabitants. We had seen bats flying at night and heard the scurrying of mice during the day in the grasses on the approach to the oasis, but otherwise we saw no sign of life until we reached the oasis.

We continued on the next night under a clear sky. During the night the party blundered across a carpet of grasshoppers or locusts, which hopped or flew in all directions into the darkness. Amongst them was a scorpion that I failed to notice in the dark, fortunately it scuttled around my feet and disappeared. Baal-Shaq told us that our guides call them the man-killers – or androkteinein according to Amphius – and that it was best not to be stung by one. Our guides caught many of the fat grasshoppers and put them in a bag and cooked them in a frying pan when we made camp. They were surprisingly tasty.

At dusk as we prepared to set out again, Si'aspiqo heard a snake as he relieved himself. He moved away and once he had finished, called the rest of us over. The snake was a hissing viper, with a white belly and beautiful brown and white mottled skin. The guides told us it was venomous and aggressive, so we left it undisturbed and set out. Later that night Amphius heard some rustling and then the sound of galloping; It was a small family of slender deer with stubby horns, which the guides called Endi. After a short discussion, we took a break and Amphius, Mago and Toxoanassa went hunting for deer. Toxoanassa managed to shoot one and the hunters returned in triumph. The deer weighed around 25 kilos, with dark fur and two stumpy horns. The deer was skinned, and butchered and Si'aspiqo was given one horn and Mago the other.

It took us two nights’ travel in all to go from Ouata to Timoudi, which is a much larger oasis. The trail went through communal farmland around the oasis and shortly before dawn as we passed through plantations less than a mile from our destination, we saw a native woman crying over a sick child at the side of the road. There were discussions between our guides, Baal-Shaq, Agripinus and the woman. The child was completely limp and did not look well at all. Baal-Shaq told us that this was a tricky situation; the child had a virulent fever, and the woman had been told to abandon it, but she had been unwilling. Agripinus tried to help the child and then broke off to welcome the dawn. Baal-Shaq decided we should make camp here.

Once his ceremony was complete Agripinus muttered and muttered again, and water appeared from a spring into a depression he had made, and the ponies drank while we set up camp. Agripinus made more water appear and said more words over the child. He told us that the child had scarlet fever and was on the brink of death and he had done what he could. Later that morning Agripinus reported that the child had not died and maybe the fever was less intense. Workers had arrived at the location and the guides chatted to them and then someone more important turned up and talked to Axil and Baal-Shaq and I saw them pointing at the woman and child. Baal-Shaq said we would continue to camp here. He told us that the woman had been told to abandon the child and did not want to go back to settlement. There was evidently concern over the spread of fever.

By noon Agripinus felt the child had rallied. A compromise was reached with the man from the settlement where the woman could take her child to her home and Agripinus could go with them and the rest of us could continue to the oasis. Ebeggi and Toxoanassa followed Agripinus who went with the mother and child, while the rest of us went on to the oasis. There was a large pond of open water, some scattered buildings, and more greenery than anywhere since we left Abadla. We were shown to a livestock kraal and set up camp within. There were a lot of people staring at us and jabbering in Numidian and I could see that a crowd of small boys were following Toxoanassa.

At dusk Baal-Shaq spoke to the elders of the settlement. They went to talk to Agripinus and Amphius, Si'aspiqo and I accompanied them. There was still a crowd of boys hanging about and watching the Scythian. Agripinus emerged from the woman’s hut and a conversation between him and the elders was facilitated By Baal-Shaq. He was trying to calm things down and be diplomatic, but it was clear that the locals were unhappy. Eventually the elders marched off and Agripinus said he would speak to the goddess. Baal-Shaq explained that the local wise men were unhappy that a foreign mystic was robbing their oasis of water. If he really wanted to help, they said, he should make it rain. Agripinus had explained that he would ask Tanit to make it rain, but it was not something he normally did.

We ate the gazelle at dusk, and I spent the night between watching Agripinus and back in our camp. I noticed a cat in amongst the buildings rustling around, but the night passed without attack. Part way through Ebeggi was relieved by Ghanim on watch at the hut and neither of them seemed happy with their role.

In the morning the Elders arrived and Agripinus told Baal-Shaq to tell them that he had spoken to Tanit, and she had told him it would rain in four days’ time. Baal-Shaq asked him if he was sure and once the priest had repeated this, Baal-Shaq announced it in Numidian. The Elders muttered amongst themselves and agreed that this would be big news if true, but they would wait and see. Baal-Shaq told us that we were going to be here for four days, and that we had better hope Agripinus was right.

Badis and Ittu told us of the Mound of the Jabbarin nearby, where there were large stones supposedly erected by ancient giants; this seemed worth a look. Leaving Agripinus and Mago behind, Badis, Ittu, Amphius, Toxoanassa, Si'aspiqo and I set out a couple of hours before dawn with some extra waterskins.

It took a few hours walking across the sand but when we arrived, I saw two very large rectangular stones with a third laid across the top, in the form of a trilithon, which are quite common in my homeland – how far away that now seemed. They were on top of a mound of very weathered sand and stone. Si'aspiqo investigated but found no magic, just hints of metal or iron. He pried away some sand and found some rust, maybe a broken piece of a knife and then a fragment of a fitting or buckle from a belt or a harness.

Meanwhile Amphius investigated the sizeable mound looking for some way in but found nothing. The stones were very weathered and had obviously been here a very long time indeed. The colour of the stones suggested they had been brought here from elsewhere, but we couldn’t imagine how this could have been done, unless by giants. It was sunny and hot under a cloudless blue sky, so it didn’t look as though there would be rain anytime soon.

We arrived back at the oasis safely around dusk and rested in camp. Dawn arrived with a brilliant clear sky, with not a breath of wind or sign of a cloud. The child had recovered, and the woman was very grateful. She and Agripinus both seemed healthy, with no sign of fever. Amphius bought some pottery bowls to catch water to take a bath to show his confidence in Agripinus. We rested during the warmth of the day, while Baal-Shaq prayed earnestly to the King of the Heavens and the bearers loafed, enjoying the break. There was a brilliant purple twilight at dusk.

Before dawn Si'aspiqo felt a wind rising and was sure rain was coming from the West as clouds began to cover the sky. By the morning it was cloudy, as the wind brought more in from the West and the sky darkened; later in the day, it rained. I wasn’t impressed by the amount of water that hit the ground, but the locals seemed grateful and joyful. Amphius even had enough for his wash. Agripinus pointed to the rain falling from the sky and the Elders agreed he was not a charlatan. Baal-Shaq was very relieved, and our guides were cheerful, as we could now continue our journey and they could return here in good standing.

From Si'aspiqo’s Wheeze:

136: From Timoudi to Adrar

Rain fell during the 29th day of the 12th month and was spitting on into the night, and so we left Timoudi walking across damp sand. Some of the porters found this quite unusual, commenting about the ‘muddy’ sensation underfoot, if my beginning pidgin Berber served. The fitful rain and the relative coolth continued into the next day with the sun obscured by clouds.

The second night on the trail, that of the 30th day, we were still travelling over slightly damped sand though there was no more rain. Here and there were fuzzes of green shoots. Eventually we were distracted from contemplating the unfortunate necessity of crushing eager, hopeful young greenery under our boots and sandals and pony hooves, by Amphius reporting a contact, which our companion guides identified from tracks as a golden wolf, a rare beast with a valuable pelt.

There was a brief discussion whether a pelt might be worth a delay, but Agripinus felt the faster progress we were making on the firmer damp sand should not be wasted, given the delays at Timoudi, with which Baal-Shak agreed and so ended the discussion in short order. We pressed on for the rest of the second night.

In the day the clouds cleared, so warmth returned as we took our rest. We set off on our third night’s travel, 31st day, under a clear starlit sky, proceeding as expected until in the early morning well before any sign of the dawn, came a Berber cry from our forward scouts: “Jabba! Jabba!”, which sounded full of alarm, and was accompnied by calls for assistance from Amphius.

Various of us hurried forward from the middle part of the party to find Amphius and some of our guides at the edge of a sandy pit, one part of which had given way as guide Ijju walked by unheeding, trapping him in a sand-slide down at the bottom of the pit. His comrade Ghanim was making his way down the slide-prone pit side, trying to reach Ijju without burying him completely in further sand falls, while Amphius was trying to throw a rope end to the trapped man.

My observation was of a depression some 20 feet across and perhaps a third to a half that deep. Unsurprising that the sides slide easily and I was in mind of the the pits of the ant-lion, writ large. Certainly the trapped guide seemed to be calling out in pain as if stung perhaps, more than just fallen or trapped in a quicksand.

Having little to offer in that matter of climbing nimbly into carefully unstable sand and performing rescue by main force, I contented myself by falling off the pony as a rapid way to dismount – planned I assure you – lighting a torch and standing none-too-close to the pit’s rim to make the location clearer for all following and perhaps assisting those in and around the pit. Any but Amphius of course, who was saved some of the, for him, searing glare as he had his back to me.

There was a lot of throwing and hauling of ropes as Ijju in the centre slowly sank deeper through his struggles. His friend Ghanim, alongside, had to chose one of several ropes to secure himself, but then the sinking man screamed and convulsed, disappearing almost entirely as sand puffed up, sparkling in the torchfirelight. His roped companion caught Ijju by a spasming hand just in time to prevent it and him disappearing forever.

Agripinus, his rope lying ignored, jumped down into the pit, but controlled his slide to the bottom. Amphius took up the slack on his rope, attached to Ghanim, by walking backwards from the lip, but found himself pulled back as the sand quaked and Ghanim moved to catch his disappearing friend. Agripinus prayed to Tanit to protect the the soul of the trapped, nigh-disappeared, Ijju.

A third wave of assistance arrived in the forms of Toxoanassa, Sammus and Baal-Shaq. Toxoanassa had another rope noosed ready to throw, Sammus helped anchor Amphius, but Baal-Shaq kept running, not breaking pace until he was running on air, and landed in the pit.

The action in the pit became a mass of writing bodies and snaking or twanging ropes in a haze of dust, with cacophony of screams, thuds, shouted instructions and prayers to accompany it. When the dust cleared the be-roped Ghanim had been dragged out of the pit without his close comrade, Ijju, who was now sustained only by Agripinus’s prayers. Baal-Shak seemed to be venting some rage at the shambles by forcefully thrusting his sword into the sand at the bottom of the pit. The victim, Ijju, though somewhat extracted by the disparate balance of various tugging forces moments earlier, started to sink once more, until Agripinus brought to mind the aphorism that gods help them that help themselves and took a firm hold on the him rather than spending breath on calling Tanit, thus arresting a second, or maybe third, disappearance.

Anchoring Amphius being no sort of challenge as the rope was freed down in the pit, Sammus looped the rope around himself and scrambled down, anchored by Amphius and guide Bardis, while Toxoanassa braced her rope for the recently extracted Ghanim to climb back down to his comrade...

More coordinated pulling, perhaps less hampered by any panic actions by the Ijju, or indeed any actions at all by him, allowed the various tuggers to extract him from the sand and drag him back to the lip, while Baal-Shaq conducted some sort of slow, deep-stabbing fight with the sand of the pit itself. Sammus jumped back into the pit, for fear of missing out of a fight, stabbing the sand with his short sword up to the elbow of his long arm. Something beneath the sand seemed to wriggle, he he said later, so he stabbed again and again...

Baal-shaq paused, poised with his sword high, as sand danced out of rhythm with Sammus’s blows. Seeing Baal-Shaq, Sammus too ceased. The sand grew still. They carefully left the pit for Baal-shaq to talk with the gathering guides at some length. This is the trap of a Jabba Worm, they said. A very big one.

Ijju, on examination by Agripinus, was found with puncture wounds to his legs, ripped into tears by his forceful extraction from the sand and whatever the worm gripped him with, which wounds oozed a miz of dark venom and sluggish blood until Agripinus laved them with Holy Water of Tanit and prayed mightily for that such serious wounds be cured. And Tanit had mercy. Though the subject was not a follower, he would be a believer...

While Agripinus persuaded his god of the value of that investment in future reputation I listened to Baal-Shaq’s summary of the guides’ knowledge of the Jabbar worm. This could be summarised ‘possibly profitable — if it be dead not just hiding, nursing its wounds and its wrath, in the depths’.

As no one seemed inclined to get into the pit for speculative digging in the first faint lightening for the pre-predawn hour, I put out the torch and focussed on the poison-stained rags cut away from the Ijju's legs. If I could feel through the Unseen for the creature that was the source of that poison...? No, the poison was too contaminated by human blood and there were too many containers of human blood standing gawping all around me. Hmph.

So, would digging up the Jabbar Worm’s pit bring us fortunate times or disaster in its larder? A scatter of bones and minor idols from my pouch — I shaln’t go into the detail of why this 11th hour of the night became a propitious time to ask — but, well, well — “more likely than not…” would be a summary reading of the signs.

So there was a better than even chance of profit and as we were not likely to go much further before sunrise anyway… The decision was easy.

Baal-Shaq assigned Sammus to digging with Amphius keeping lookout until the sun rose, himself and Agrippinus stood with weapons ready should the sand start to move on its own again. It did not, for a fanged, barbed head was dug out, then its separated body, a wormlike tube some 20ft long.

There was no loot from the misfortunes of other less unlucky travellers, disappointing the expectations of some. Badis said this thing would have come from the deep desert, called by the recent rain and the chance of damp sand suitable for making its pit. Likely we were the first passers-by and left the way safer by our passing. However, its hide would be of worth in trade and the meat might be prepared to make it edible – though perhaps not this amount he said, looking at the 20ft length of the body, a span thick. More interestingly the head yielded intact one of two poison glands to Sammus’s meat carvings and the hollow fangs used to deliver it seemed intacte despite being wrenched from Ijju's leg. This venom is tricky stuff; I had already had a small accident by contaminating a scratched finger, which was by then numbed to all sensation. But this was known in the lore of Badis’s people. It would pass, which made a complete gland a useful tool for physic “Make heal, no pain good” says Badis. So I preserve the gland in small pot with a rite of sealing. Some spillage reconfirms the numbing properties… We also retained the sharp hollow fangs, rasping manibles, and roughly skinned hide to be made leather.

There remained one night and perhaps a further half of travel to Adrar oasis; the victim was weak and woozy from the venom, but more importantly unable to walk until the deep damage to his leg healed. Toxoanassa reckoned once he could sit on a pony she could steady him. But by the morning of the first day of the new year – in some calendars – and despite Agrippinus’s continuing attentions, Ijju was still too affected by the venom to sit up, never mind consider riding.

So we kept camp and those with the skills processed the worm meat and hide. The limiting factor for the meat was firewood to boil water for seething the meat before carving, then wind- and sun-drying it. I spent a lot of time and spell-mutterings that day tending the fire, keeping the burn just so to best use the fuel we had.

By the night of the first day of the new year the numbness and weakness of our friend Ijju had abated somewhat so we set off, slowed by me walking and having to take more breaks than anyone else. Though I may have had sore feet, trembling legs and the wheezing returning from gasping for breath in dusty air, at least my tail bone did not ache from sitting on a pony all night.

The second day of the new year passed in as undisturbed rest as is practical in bright sun in the desert. It was then a leisurely stroll that should perhaps have been a half night under our normal arrangements, but again I was forced to walk, slowing our passage to the oasis of Adrar.

We arrived at Adrar in the early morning of the third day of the year, without incident. Until, that is, our daytime rest was broken by the Elders of the oasis arrival, clamouring for our miracle worker to make it rain here, too. Amphius was puzzled how word of the miracles could have preceded us, but Baal-Shaq’s brow was thunderous as he caught sight of some of the guides and bearers telling tales of the wonders they have seen in trade for water, date wine and fresh food...

Agripinus was very reluctant to call on Tanit again for a weather forecast, let alone to make water fall from the sky. At least not without proselytising a little, to placate Tanit. Baal-Shaq, dedicated to Baal as a child, he told us once, pointed out these villagers and their elders are all followers of Baal and that he really couldn’t advise such a move. This goes and fro for a while, but with the Elders insistent eventually Agripinus agreed to seek the his god’s guidance as to when there would next be rain hereabouts and requested a small, quiet, private place he might use to commune with Tanit.

So he was awarded the use of largest building of the oasis, with the Elders seated outside peering through the doorway (and occasionally shooing away the close to the half of the village peering in over their heads). Perhaps much encouraged by the moral support of Amphius, who stood by ready with sponge, backbrush, bathrobe (and veil against the bright, warm sun), Agripinus communed. When he emerged to say there would be rain in two days time, were a sheep to be sacrificed, it was quickly done lest a fickle foreign god’s favour failed. Which meant, of course, we must we must wait here two days. More time for the tanning of jabba-leather. And reading scrolls.

Baal-Shaq said that the next stage of the journey – if we got away damp enough to depart without trouble – would be the three and a half nights to Regane oasis and the end of the Ajjer lands. There we should wait for the Kel Ere to take us south.

The next day, fourth of the year, was sunny, but I sniffed a change coming, as Tanit promised, and that night turned cool as the wind shifted to west and then north of west. Later on in the fifth day of the year it rained, for whole minutes at at a time! The locals people were ecstatic. Amphius’s bath robe was dampened, doubtless to his joy too. Agripinus was hailed a true miracle worker and doubtless many tales will be told of his works before we pass this way again.

Baal-Shaq sighed his relief and ordered all to rest, make ready for departure for Regane at the setting of the sun.

From Sammus’s Boast:

137: E26 – The Jabba Worm

We were ready to leave at dusk on 29th December. We travelled through the night and there were a few drops of rain as we marched. The next day was cooler as the sun was blocked by clouds. On the second night we travelled on through slightly damp sand and saw a few green things had surprisingly poked through. During the night Amphius reported seeing an animal of some kind and he found tracks of a golden wolf which was thought to have a very valuable hide, but Agripinus thought we should continue while we were making good progress and Baal-Shaq agreed.

That day the clouds cleared, and it warmed up. We set off again at dusk and about 2 in the morning there was a cry of alarm from the front of the party. Amphius called for help and guides were shouting “Jabba!”, or something like that, to each other.

There was a depression in the ground ahead and Amphius threw the end of a rope down into it. A guide, Ijju, was down there, calling out in pain, and I thought he might be in quicksand. He didn’t notice the rope. A second guide, Ghanim, was trying to pull him out, while Amphius tried to flick the rope towards the guides. Si'aspiqo rode closer and tried to dismount, but the pony was skittish. Ghanim grabbed the rope and tied it round himself, but Ijju started sinking into the sand. Agripinus tried to throw a second rope, which was attached to a pony. Ijju had now almost disappeared as though he was being forcefully swallowed, but the Ghanim managed to grab a hand.

Agripinus drew a weapon and scrambled and slid down the slope. Amphius started to walk back pulling the rope. Si'aspiqo held out a lit torch to illuminate the pit. Amphius was pulled back a step or two as Ijju disappeared up to his hands and Ghanim started to disappear. Agripinus felt soft sand, getting softer beneath him. He muttered a prayer and cast protection from evil after grabbing Ijju’s arm. Toxoanassa, Baal-Shaq and I all arrived. Toxoanassa made a lasso and I grabbed Amphius’s rope, while Baal-Shaq went straight into the pit.

Amphius and I pulled on the rope and Badis arrived. Si'aspiqo had dismounted and started to prepare magic. Between two of us pulling on the rope, Agripinus and Ghanim, we managed to pull Ijju’s head out. Bardis joined in pulling the rope. Agripinus cast remove fear on the guide. He seemed to be weakening and his movements were slowing. I felt I was making progress, although Amphius slipped. Toxoanassa tried to lasso Ghanim, and the rope landed on him around the shoulders. She waited to see if it would drop down around his waist.

Si'aspiqo cast a cantrip to try to determine if this was natural or there was something behind it. Meanwhile, Agripinus grabbed Ijju’s other arm, Amphius dropped the rope, but I pulled very strongly, and with help from Bardis, we pulled so hard that Ijju lost his grip. Agripinus managed to get more of the sunken guide out of the sand, but he was weakening further.

Baal-Shaq gave a shout and seemed to be digging or poking at something in the sand. I tried to wrap the rope around me and reach down for Ijju. Whatever had hold of him seemed to give a fierce tug, but Agripinus still had hold of him. I went down into the pit to grab hold of Agripinus, and Ghanim helped. Agripinus and I made progress, but Ijju had now gone limp and was semi-conscious. Baal-Shaq was stabbing into the sand. Almost his whole shoulder was in the sand.

As we pulled, Ijju flew out of the pit, while Baal-Shaq continued poking with his sword. I joined Baal-Shaq and felt I had stabbed something moving under the sand. Badis and Toxoanassa pulled Ijju out and Agripinus and Amphius looked to help him. There seemed to be lacerations on his calf. I stabbed again and my sword bit deeply into something I felt wriggling. The other guides arrived as Agripinus gave first aid. Baal-Shaq was standing poised with his sword, listening. I stabbed sand but felt a rattle beside me.

The wounded man looked exhausted or drugged in the torchlight. He had two large puncture wounds, on either side of his calf, from which blood and something very dark oozed. Agripinus cleaned the wound with holy water and bandaged it and then muttered a healing prayer. Baal-Shaq told me that either we had got it, or it was waiting for us to move. He indicated that I should stand ready with my sword and then he wiggled his feet a couple of times, but nothing reacted. We then retreated in turn from the pit.

The guides discussed with Baal-Shaq, and he explained that this had been a Jabba worm, maybe encouraged by the rain, which had dug this pit as a trap. Baal-Shaq asked Si'aspiqo if he could tell if it was still alive. Using the black stain from my sword, he cast a cantrip to feel the creature. He thought it was probably dead. Baal-Shaq stuck a torch in the sand and then moved a little away and muttered. On his return he told us that the spirits told him that it might be worth digging a little as the worm might be close. Bardis said the hide of the worm could be valuable, the meat could be eaten if prepared correctly, and the poison could be used in healing. I set to digging out the body, while Baal-Shaq stood poised with his sword and Toxoanassa with a rope, and Amphius watched for movement.

Si'aspiqo tried to cast a spell, but he found he had a cut and some of the dark ichor had got to it. His fingers went numb and felt cool. I dug up the head and then found the body of the worm, which was like a thick and heavy eel. There were no eyes, just a barbed pincer and two antennae protruding from the head. I tied a rope around it and with more digging we got the body out – it was 20 feet long, and 8 inches in diameter at the widest point. The head had been severed.

The guides suggested we camp there. They seemed very happy to have all survived and impressed by how we had killed the Jabba worm. Amphius looked to see if there was anything else in the pit, but Badis, helped by Baal-Shaq, explained its lair might have been far away and it had just dug here after the rain. He added that this had been a great service to travelers. Smaller ones were more common, but this one had been fully grown.

It was a day and a half’s travel to the next oasis. Ijju was very weak, but Toxoanassa was confident she could keep him upright in the saddle, so Si'aspiqo would have to give up his ride. Ijju said his lips were numb, but he could move his limbs, even though they were very weak. He could be fed and given water to drink. Agripinus muttered another healing prayer before dawn.

We skinned the worm in three cylindrical sections, each of which opened into a rectangle. Bardis asked if we had oil, so that when the sun came up the outer part could be oiled, and the sun would dry the inner part. He told me where the poison glands were; I dissected the head and found two hollow needle-like mandibles and followed them back to find glands. I extracted one, but the other leaked. Badis explained that this could be used to eliminate pain. Si'aspiqo took some ground charcoal from a pot and put it in a twist of cloth. He used the pot to collect the venom from the gland and sealed it with an alchemical seal. Most of the venom was collected. We also took the hide and the mandibles.

We rested until dusk, and the guides spread the hide in the sun. Badis asked if it was possible to summon more water to boil some of the meat and Agripinus did so, while the guides gathered some brush and built a fire, which was lit by Badis. Si'aspiqo lowered the flames so that it used less fuel and some of the worm meat was boiled, cut into thin strips, and then dried in sun. Agripinus muttered another prayer for the injured guide to cure disease, and we set off for the night.

That night passed quietly, and our guides thought we were half a night’s travel to the oasis at Adrar. We rested for the day and then reached Adrar around midnight. There was much talk about Jabba worms and an inspection by the council of Elders of the worm parts. A delegation of Elders came to speak during the day and there was a lot of talk with Baal-Shaq, who looked resigned. He told us that word of the holy man had reached them, and they asked him to make it rain like he had in Timoudi. Agripinus asked Baal-Shaq to try to tell them that he couldn’t make it rain, but he might be able to ask Tanit when it might rain. Baal-Shaq didn’t think he could convince them, but it was important to maintain good relations. He convinced Agripinus to perform a religious ceremony where he could commune with the Goddess.

He was shown into the largest building in the village and all the villagers gathered outside to watch. After the Ceremony, Agripinus told them it would rain in two days’ time. We had to wait two days to see if his prophecy was correct and the locals sacrificed a sheep.

By now the hide was quite hard – the leather was marbled and rippled; it might be quite valuable when finished. Our guides also prepared more meat, although some would have to be left behind when we departed. Si'aspiqo kept some offcuts to use as a fetish. Amphius prepared for another bath.

The next day was brilliantly sunny but overnight a cool wind began from the North and Northwest and tendrils of cloud arrived. Most of the inhabitants were out looking at the sky. Si'aspiqo sniffed at the wind, and thought rain was on its way. Later in the day the rain started. It still looked insignificant to me, but the locals were very happy, even more so than in Timoudi. Baal-Shaq looked unhappy. He held a briefing and warned the guides to say no more about the rain, as it was obviously them that had told the Elders. We set off for Regane at dusk.

From Sammus’s Boast:

E27 – The Ziggurat

It was the evening of 8th January when we set out from Adrar Oasis. The ground was damp after the rain, so we made good progress and then made camp just after dawn. Amphius noticed tracks of a reasonably sized snake leading into the scrub, but we ignored them. The next evening, we heard bats hunting insects but otherwise the march was uneventful. The next evening continued fair, with a warm wind from the southwest. As we made camp the next morning and Agripinus was providing water for the ponies, myself and the other hunters all spotted the tracks of a large creature with clawed feet and a tail. Baal-Shaq told us that the guides thought it was a meat-eating lizard, probably longer than a man. They said there would be a lot of meat on them, but we ignored the tracks and rested for the day.

It was another hot day, but cooler by the evening when we set out. During the evening as we marched, I heard Baal-Shaq talking to the guides. He seemed to be making it clear that they were not to mention Agripinus having made it rain. I did notice that our guides seemed much friendlier after the jabba worm, in particular Ijju had been very grateful and thanked everyone for saving his life. We approached the next oasis around midnight and the guides called out. We were invited into a central area where there were a few buildings. There was a conversation in Numidian and Baal-Shaq informed us that the Elders greeted us and our coming had been expected. We were going to the stronghold of Boujje, just south of the oasis and Boujje would speak to us.

We were led south and soon came to a strange stone block, in four layers, each layer slightly smaller than the one below it, although they were all the same height. I found out by the light of day that it was actually mud bricks. Si'aspiqo explained that this was called a ziggurat. On the roof of the fourth storey was a tent or awning. There was an oval shaped mud wall, and the ziggurat was at one end and the gate through the wall at the opposite end. Half of the oval was split into animal pens by dry stone dykes, and I could hear chickens and goats. We were conveyed towards the base of the ziggurat where there was a rickety wooden staircase going up the second level where there was a narrow, arched doorway. Evidently the staircase could be easily destroyed for defensive purposes.

Within there was a meeting hall with torches and candles and the smell of spices or incense. There we met a man with a shaven head, and a long, curled, iron-grey beard. He greeted us in Punic: “Welcome Baal-Shaq”, adding a pertinent greeting to each in turn. He evidently knew much about each of us already. He asked Baal-Shaq if we could keep a secret and Baal-Shaq said that we would keep an oath and explained how we had all helped save Ijju and had slain the jabba worm. Boujje did not look Numidian but was a person of local power and respect.

Food and drink were supplied. We sat down and he had conversation with each of us. He spoke to Si'aspiqo in accented Egyptian, saying that this was a hard journey for one of his years and that he was welcome to stay here in the shade until Baal-Shaq returned – they might have much to discuss. He discussed Amphius’s eyesight speculating that he had been cursed by the Gods. It was beyond his power to change that. Amphius denied that it was a curse, admitting though that it might have resulted from his greed. Boujje compared his sight to that of an owl. He thought he could do something to improve the shade offered by a hat for the Greek.

He wished to know of my homeland and in exchange for words of there, he offered a tattoo of health. He knew that Toxoanassa was from a green sea of grass and saw no fear in her. He warned her that the light that burnt twice as bright burnt half as long. Agripinus was warned not to cause water to spring forth from the earth in the deep desert and not to preach at the Kel Ayr, for this would offend them.

Baal-Shaq told us all that we had come to the point of decision. He warned that no man could live in the real desert and that there were things there he had sworn to keep silent. We would also need to take an oath to Baal to continue, as the Kel Ayr worshipped Baal. It would be three weeks to Maktar and a further three weeks to Kuku, the end of the journey, where they spoke a different language. The way ahead would be hard and he had made the journey alone many times he told us; Boujje had offered hospitality to any who wished to wait here, and we should consider our options. There appeared to be water here, maybe a well under the ziggurat. Boujje told us that the ponies would be looked after, and we could leave anything else we could not take with us.

We went to a separate area to discuss our plans. When asked, Baal-Shaq admitted that he never thought to take the ponies across the desert. Si'aspiqo said that he was aware of the difficult journey ahead and although it would be interesting to talk to Boujje, he would continue. I told Baal-Shaq that I followed the iron road, and although I was willing to tell Boujje of my homeland, I would continue with Baal-Shaq. Amphius and Toxoanassa also said that they would continue.

The next afternoon we talked once more with Boujje. The guides gave us all the requisites from the jabba worm in gratitude for saving Ijju’s life, so we traded for these with Boujje.

Baal-Shaq gave the iron sword to the guide who had led us to the place of the undead, the daggers to Ijju and Ghanim, and the spear to another guide. Si'aspiqo took Badis aside and told him he would teach him a cantrip as discussed, on the return trip. Baal-Shaq gave a little extra money to Axil and Badis.

Si'aspiqo and Amphius put in 50gp each for the amulet of hardiness and it was agreed that Si'aspiqo would use it to cross the desert and back and then it would go to Amphius. I put in 30gp for the silver bracelet and 20gp for the gold ring. Boujje identified the flask as containing 4 doses of healing and traded a similar flask of four shots of healing for the Jabba worm poison. For the meat from the jabba worm he traded a quarter of the amount in dried, preserved meat. It would last indefinitely and give salt and sustenance. There should be enough to last the party up to a week.

He looked at the leather and said that it had been well started and Badis had learnt well. For this he traded a shield and a tattoo of either health or luck. The shield was a finely made buckler, that was made of the same leather, it was very light, with a bronze boss, but the leather was also very hard. I agreed to take the buckler and pay for it on our return. Mago won the drawing of lots for the tattoo.

While discussing possible trades, Boujje mentioned natron (pellets used in worship, which could help communing with the Gods and was also used for preservation of the dead), Egyptian blue (this could turn copper and other things blue and could be used in arcane recipes), and Frankincense oil from Kush.

For the jabba worm poison he traded a flask containing 4 doses of healing and 2 flasks of painkill, each with 3 doses for serious wounds. For the mandibles he traded two bright burning torches, each one of which would burn brighter and longer than a normal one.

We gave a small gift of some deer horns and fur to Boujje.

From Sammus’s Boast:

139: E28 – Camels!

We spent an extra day at the Ziggurat and both Agripinus and Mago agreed they would accompany Baal-Shaq across the desert. Mago got his tattoo and Amphius got a new snakeskin band for his hat. His face now appeared to be in the shade during the day as the hat seemed to cast a very dark shadow, indeed his whole body seemed to be shadowed – Si'aspiqo commented that he had always thought Amphius a shady character!

During the day Baal-Shaq went out with a few bearers into the desert with bearers, returning prior to dusk to tell us he had contacted the Kel Ayr, who were waiting at the exchange. He had told the Kel Ayr that there were extra people and they had discussed water; we would each need to carry an extra water sack.

We said goodbye to our guides around dusk on 12th January and walked to exchange rock, arriving in the early evening, where we were greeted by a tall, athletic Numidian with a hawk nose, wearing very dark robes, a long sword and dagger. Baal-Shaq introduced him as Barsoom of the Kel Ayr and introduced each of us in turn. Barsoom paid particular attention to Toxoanassa and Baal-Shaq had obviously already explained about her. There was a very small fire to which he added some more kindling.

Baal-Shaq asked us each to swear to Baal to keep the ways of the Kel Ayr to ourselves. Agripinus swore to both Baal and Tanit and the rest of us just to Baal. After all, had sworn, Barsoom called into the desert and then we heard strange noises, shuffling and bellowing and six very large quadrupeds with humped backs emerged from the gloom. Only Si'aspiqo had seen creatures like this before and he told us they were camels. Baal-Shaq warned that the Ur-Camels of the Kel Ayr were very fierce but could carry much. He had brought a little less with him than normal to allow room for water and there might be space for one of us to ride. Si'aspiqo warned that the camels often spat. We were introduced to three more guides: Asmun, Barsoom’s brother who was shorter and stockier with a weather-beaten face and the same hawk nose; Mezian who was taller; and Buna who was slighter. They were armed with spear, buckler and dagger and one had a small, spindly hunting bow. One of the camels spat at Toxoanassa; they all seemed wary of her.

Barsoom’s camel was the tallest and was about 8 feet tall at the shoulder and he was the only rider when we set off and he led the way initially but then scouted around the group. The other guides walked, leading one or two camels each, and all the camels were heavily laden. We walked all night and then camped for the night and the Kel Ayr erected a small tent. Barsoom put out small flat stones in a circle around campsite, which Baal-Shaq explained were tokens of Baal to discourage spirits from approaching. Initially there seemed to be some expectation that Toxoanassa would prepare our food, but Baal-Shaq explained that she was a warrior and Buna prepared something with cheese and pieces of fruit.

We continued the next night heading south. We noticed that crumbs of something black were fed to the camels and they seemed to snort when they were given it. As we watched them more carefully, the camels, particularly the larger one, seemed to look back.

The next morning as we camped, we saw tracks leading to a burrow, but we ignored them. We set out again in the evening. We were all drinking 5 or 6 litres of water each day. The camels seemed to be able to carry a very large load and drank little, but we would need to renew our water supplies along the way. Baal-Shaq said that these were true desert camels prized by the Kel Ayr, sacred to Baal and not to be sold – one of the secrets of the desert. It was a very tiring walk and Si'aspiqo was exhausted at the end of each day, but his amulet had made a difference.

The third night we heard bats circling as we marched. Some of them seemed very large. There were smaller ones, which were after insects, but the larger ones seemed to be circling like vultures according to what Amphius could see. Baal-Shaq told us that the Kel Ayr believed they were following the woman. Everyone was interested when Amphius suggested he might hit one with an arrow. He was good to his word and one tumbled and almost hit the ground, before recovering and flying raggedly off, evading a second arrow. The second larger one also departed. Baal-Shaq congratulated him, and the guides looked at his bow with interest. Just before dawn we made camp again.

Each day was warmer than the last and we set off again as the sun dipped to the horizon. Around midnight our guides led us up into an outcrop of rock, which rose out of the deep sand. We followed a circuitous hard to follow path, which led to an open area above the desert with a small campsite with stone walls. The camels were put into a kraal and then two of the guides started digging in a corner and then disappeared, one after the other, underground with empty water sacks and then returned with them filled with water. Their two comrades waited at the entrance to what must have been a tunnel.

At dawn we could see we were well above the surrounding sand. There was a dry-stone dyke and an old circle of stones with burnt ashes within denoting long usage. There was a dark cave at one end where the Kel Ayr continued to fill water sacks. Toxoanassa found a small piece of carved, weathered onyx with an anthropomorphic shape. She took it to Baal-Shaq, and he showed it to Si'aspiqo who thought it might have wings but was not magic. It did not look like the tokens Barsoom had put out, which were flat. Baal-Shaq showed it to Barsoom and Baal-Shaq told us that Barsoom said it looked like it represented a flying demon or Shedim. He said it was from the old people. Barsoom did not want it, so Si'aspiqo kept it.

In the evening clouds appeared and the wind became gusty. The guides were muttering to each other and by dusk there were no signs of preparation for departure. Baal-Shaq explained that we were staying as there might be a storm. Extra ropes were used to secure the tent, and everything was moved to the lee of the stone dyke. More black stuff was given to the camels, which Agripinus thought was some sort of crumbly black stone, perhaps hard charcoal. Baal-Shaq explained the camels were creatures of Baal and this was part of their diet. By 9pm there was a sandstorm and sand blew in horizontally and we had zero visibility. We all hunkered down and rested. The storm continued until the middle of the next afternoon and sand built up in all the corners. We were all relieved to be up in secluded refuge, rather than in the open.

The storm had died down by dusk and the Kel Ayr decided we could leave. Si'aspiqo cast a cantrip to check the weather and did not feel there was bad weather ahead of us. We shook everything to get rid of all the sand and the Kel Ayr filled the last waterskins. As we prepared to leave, I came across a carved flake of rock in the sand which looked like an old flint arrowhead. The two archers agreed. It was a very small arrowhead, almost like it had been made for a child or darkling. The last guide put pieces of wood back across the tunnel and covered them in rocks and sand and then we left.

Barsoom enquired whether Si'aspiqo wished to sit on a camel. Baal-Shaq had deliberately taken less trade goods on this trip, to allow one camel for the use of any wounded. He advised Si'aspiqo that it would be best to save his strength, by riding the camel until it was needed. He explained that there would be food, water and rest at the end of the journey for the camels, until then just a little grain and leaves from any bushes plus the ground up blackness, which they enjoyed, was enough. The camel knelt, and Baal-Shaq warned Si'aspiqo to hold on tight. He got on and managed to hang on tight, while the camel stood and set off. Fortunately, it was a docile camel. It was easier for Si'aspiqo than walking.

We traveled for four further days without incident. The last of these days was cooler with a light wind from the west with sand in the wind which made navigation more difficult. We had seen no more bats and just a few signs of snakes and small animals.

Si'aspiqo carved a token and asked if he might make friends with his camel and there was a discussion between the guides and Baal-Shaq. The guides shrugged and agreed he could do this, but to beware, and then watched with interest. He tried to cast the spell animal friend, but the spell failed and the camel nipped him, much to the amusement of the guides.

The next night there were light winds from the southwest and during the night Amphius spotted several of the large bats circling above the camels. One of them swooped down and passed narrowly over the guide at the front. Amphius loosed an arrow at it but missed. Another bat pounced on Toxoanassa and scratched her. Mezian had hold of Si'aspiqo’s camel and everyone moved closer together and the camels all knelt. Agripinus muttered a prayer and summoned an arcane weapon ready to attack any bat he could see. He then warned everyone there would be light and started praying again. Amphius loosed another arrow and a bat crashed into the sand close to Si'aspiqo. Amphius tried to hit it again, but it evaded his arrow and flew back up. Agripinus cast his light of Tanit, and half covered it in his hand but there was still enough light to make out the bats. There was a strange clicking noise from above and we could see a few large flying bats, with a body the size of a dog and a wingspan like a man with his arms spread out. They did not like the light and they left the area, apart from two who circled at a distance. Agripinus tended to Toxoanassa’s scratch.

Si'aspiqo tried to check whether the bats were linked in some way to those from Kaskator and determined that the large ones seemed to be of a similar kind to the large ones from that place and that he would be able to detect them with the fetishes he had made. We walked on but made sure to stay in pairs and periodically Si'aspiqo checked for bats. We marched on until close to dawn at which point Amphius spotted a bat in range and loosed two arrows, the second of which struck home. The bat made a twittering or clicking noise and veered off. Si'aspiqo used his fetish and got a general direction for the bat although the clicking noise seemed to have come from a different direction. The bat that had been struck carried on circling but out of range. Si'aspiqo thought the bats were heading towards the sunrise.

We made camp at dawn, circled the camels and put up the tent. The guides believed we were now over halfway to the next water.

From Sammus’s Boast:

140: E29 – Deep Desert Dwellings

We rested for the remainder of 23rd January and set off at dusk. Si'aspiqo used his magical abilities to help control the fires and fuel use at each stop. The wind died down during the night and temperatures cooled. Whenever we stopped, Si'aspiqo used his fetish to seek out large bats. He felt them out there and warned Amphius to keep watch. It was cloudy with no starlight and therefore very dark.

After a second stop we started to divert round some steep rock. We seemed to almost double back on ourselves but went through a tiny gully which opened out into a wider dark area. The camels seemed agitated, and we were warned not to stray from the path as there was deep sand off to the left. The trail ended up in a large cave and torches were lit. There was plenty of room for everyone and the camels too. Our guides pulled away some boulders at the back of the cave and disappeared down a tunnel carrying empty water sacks, returning soon after with water sacks filled. Amphius looked around outside and reported that we were in a corner of a rocky bowl with tall rocky walls all around and a large amount of deep sand covering the central area. The light from the cave was visible in the bowl but not in the desert beyond.

High above him in the shadows Amphius spotted some movement, just a shadow high up on a rock wall. He thought perhaps it was an animal. Si'aspiqo used his fetishes to cast some detects; there were large bats around, but he wasn’t sure whether there were Jabba worms.

Amphius reported that he had seen more movement and this time thought he saw a small humanoid figure. He wondered if there was another cave high up. Barsoom said that the shadows dug higher up in the walls, men did not go there. He did not know where caves might lead and advised us not to go out into the sand as Jabba worms lurked there.

Late in the night there were gusts of wind, but the sky started to lighten and then the pre-dawn appeared above the rocky wall where Amphius had seen what we suspected was a darkling. Large dark clouds appeared, and we sheltered in the cave and Baal-Shaq allocated us all to formal watches. Soon it started raining with one very heavy shower that the guides went out to watch. This was more impressive rain than either of the rains that Agripinus had predicted at our previous stops. There were more spots of rain on and off and it was cool and comfortable in the cave. We decided to rest another night as the sand would be wet.

During the night Si'aspiqo detected bats nearby probably circling above the bowl. Amphius kept watch outside and reported more motion and suspected we were being watched by Darklings. Si'aspiqo slept on the shedim token that Toxoanassa had found at our last stop. He was napping close to the fire and was spotted leaving the cave by Barsoom and one of the other guides. They ran outside and tackled him to the ground and brought him back inside. Baal-Shaq explained to Barsoom that the magician had been sleepwalking. They roused Si'aspiqo and told him that he had slowly left the cave and then started to speed up. He explained that this had not been under his own control. There was something unpleasant active in the token and he suspected that this might be why the bats were following. In some way or other the token seemed to be calling the faithful, in the way that idols were often a means of communication. He put protective sigils around the token.

The rest of the night was uneventful and Amphius spotted no more figures. Before dawn the skies cleared, and stars appeared.

At dusk the Kel Ayr were packed and ready to leave. By starlight and the first light of dawn the trail was much clearer, and we went back through the gulley and out into the desert. When we stopped for our first break, Si'aspiqo spotted a scorpion and cast a spell to order it away and any of its companions. Amphius spotted a few smaller bats, but there were also a couple of larger ones high in the sky, maybe the token still called. Agripinus had a small box and Si'aspiqo put the idol within and stuffed rags around it and Agripinus put a ward on it. Si'aspiqo could tell there were still bats up in the night skies and Amphius could see they were hovering out of bow shot. We stopped at dawn.

It was a calm, bright day and we rested undisturbed, setting off again at dusk. During the first stage of the march, something grabbed at Toxoanassa’s arm, but didn’t catch hold of her. Amphius noticed something behind her at the back of the caravan. Agripinus, Mago, Amphius and I all spotted a figure and rushed to investigate. Toxoanassa pulled out a dagger and stabbed a dark figure it as it tried to grab her and failed once more.

Amphius struck the figure with an arrow, and I cut it down. As it collapsed all that was left were desiccated flesh, bones and ragged Numidian desert robes, but it must once have been human. Our guides made signs against evil, and prayers were muttered to Baal, Tanit and Artemis as we moved on. The guides thought this one of the Idebni. Towards dawn there were tracks across our path, which our guides and Amphius thought were the feet of gazelle or deer. They were fresh tracks, but as we were not in need of supplies, we marched on until we made camp soon after as dawn broke. Si'aspiqo checked for bats and didn’t see any.

We set off again at dusk. Late in the night Amphius spotted some movement in the sand off to the left of the trail 50 to 100 yards away. He reported that there were small humanoid figures paralleling us and Barsoom charged off on his camel. Amphius ran after him, and Baal-Shaq and I followed more slowly. The small figures scattered as Barsoom neared them. Barsoom stabbed one with his spear, while Amphius chased one of the figures. Baal-Shaq and I soon met up with Barsoom, but Amphius was not in view. After a few minutes he appeared from the darkness with a bundle – a trussed-up Darkling. It looked like those from Kaskator – bald, dark-skinned, the size of a child and could see in the dark. Amphius had taken its dagger and it glared at the three of us with its dark eyes.

We returned to the party and Si'aspiqo spoke to it. He offered the Darkling food and drink in old Egyptian and explained that we just wanted to talk. It used what the magician told us was the Babylonian word for water and had understood him. The Darkling was given a handful of water which it drank and then a small amount of food. Si'aspiqo asked if it had been following us and it replied brokenly, “Follow trail, hunt, hunting for food. Bad if seen look like hunting us”.

Si'aspiqo asked who their chief was, their father and it replied, “Yes father, where you learn talk?”. Si'aspiqo told it he was a friend of Darklings and then took out a whistle he had been given by the Darklings in Kaskator and played a few notes. The Darkling immediately recognised this and said “Trader, trader! Long time, trade long time, nice trader, tell father you come trade. You bring woman.”. Si'aspiqo explained that Toxoanassa was not available for trade and that we were passing not stopping. He warned that if the Darklings attacked us then more of them would die and so would their Father.

Si'aspiqo checked with Baal-Shaq and Baal-Shaq told him to tell the Darkling that we were servants of Baal and would take the head of any Darklings we saw along with the head of their father. He should also explain that he (Si'aspiqo) had interceded so that the Darklings could go this time and take a message. They should not be seen by any of us again. Barsoom threw the slain Darkling’s head at the feet of our captive, who snatched it up and made off into the darkness. The guides called the Darklings the Eli-jinen.

Agripinus went back to the Darkling corpse and removed the hands and then covered the remains with sand. From the two Darklings we had a bronze war axe and a hide shield, and a small, tarnished but still sharp iron knife. There was also a small arrow that Barsoom extracted for the saddlebags of his camel. It was very similar to the flint one I had found. We moved on a short distance and then set up camp.

From Sammus’s Boast:

141: E30 – The Night Demon

The next night, after the second break, the camels were led up a zigzag track up a rocky hill surrounded by sand. As we approached, I could make out a dark blob around the top. The track led between rocks and steep slopes and Amphius told us that the dark bob was a ruin of what was perhaps a mud brick ziggurat. As dawn arrived, I could make out a collapsed mound of mud bricks. In the corner the guides moved away rocks and revealed a tunnel. Again, they descended with empty water sacks, returning with them filled. I looked back to the north and could see a ridge of rock with three more jagged peaks. We were on the fourth peak where there were the ruins of a ziggurat. Barsoom through Baal-Shaq told us that no-one knew who had built it, but that it had been many lives of men ago. He also told us that we were nearing the end of the Erg – the deep desert. If our luck held, we would reach Moktar oasis, better sand and more regular water in the next week.

Toxoanassa and Agripinus stayed in the camp but Amphius, Mago, Si'aspiqo and I explored the ruins of the ziggurat. We were warned not to fall into the hole in the centre. There were piles of weather worn bricks in the centre and then a pit into darkness below. I noticed some of the bricks looked burnt. Si'aspiqo noticed a few scraps of charcoal and burnt wood. Looking into the darkness it looked like part of the ziggurat had collapsed into space below. There was no obvious way down.

I secured a rope around myself and used it to help Amphius climb down to look around. He saw a few bricks on the ground as the space narrowed, but then the rope went slack. I heard muffled words from below and heard some bricks fall. Amphius called again to say he was stuck, so I hauled the rope back up and then used it to help lower Mago. Mago spotted a hand sticking out of a pile of bricks and then keeping his foot in a loop of the rope he managed to free the Greek. With the help of the rope, they both climbed back out. Amphius described a funnel of broken bricks and said there was no obvious way into any other levels of the ziggurat, so we returned to the camp. Amphius was very dusty.

The rest of the day passed quietly, so the guides replaced the rocks covering the tunnel and we left at dusk on 30th January with replenished water sacks. We wound our way back down the switchback path back to the sand and resumed our march. About two thirds of the way through the night I heard a galloping camel as Barsoom raced off. Si'aspiqo told us there was something out there glowing, but he feared it might be a lure. We weren’t sure if Barsoom had been lured or was just investigating. The magician added that he thought he had seen an antelope with an ethereal glow. He used some hair from his camel to make a fetish and used magic to feel out for Barsoom’s camel. Baal-Shaq and Agripinus stayed with the other camels and guides and Amphius led the rest of us in following Barsoom’s tracks. Si'aspiqo lit a torch and dimmed it so we could follow the Greek but not spoil his night vision.

As well as Barsoom’s camel’s tracks Amphius also made out faint tracks that might have been a small deer. The camel seemed to be meandering around, but then we heard a galloping camel off to the northwest and Amphius saw a small silvery deer run by between us and the camel just under 200 yards away. The Greek ran off into the darkness away from the camel but probably in the direction of the deer and was lost to our sight.

We waited on some higher ground and Si'aspiqo made the torch burn brighter. After around 10 minutes Barsoom got back to us. We had a conversation in broken Numidian. Si'aspiqo said Baal-Shaq and pointed back the way we had come; I said Amphius and pointed in the direction he had gone. Barsoom followed my direction northwest.

After a few minutes, we heard the camel stomping and then some cries. Shortly afterwards the camel returned with Amphius mounted behind Barsoom. Amphius had followed the lure and then had been surprised by a very large undead humanoid, which had been very difficult to see. We all returned to the rest of the party. Baal-Shaq told us that Barsoom had told him it was a kind of shapeshifting demon, a Kamalton. It lured victims as a deer and then turned humanoid to attack and was very fast and strong. Our guides talked some more, and Baal-Shaq explained that camels would be too big for it, but it would take people or donkeys. We were warned that it might haunt us, and we would need silver or magic or maybe fire to damage it.

Agripinus stayed with the guides and Baal-Shaq came with us to track the demon. We returned to where Amphius had last seen it and looked for tracks. The Greek picked up strange shuffling tracks which might have been the silver deer and we followed them for an hour. He spotted some movement in the distance, something pale and silvery. Si'aspiqo cast a protection against evil on me and then I moved after the light as though I were ensorcelled, whilst my companions moved off together at a tangent.

Soon after I set off, a blot of darkness separated from the shadows and a figure attacked me at high speed, before I could raise my sword. I managed to keep off one of the blows with my shield, but the other clawed hand struck me. I parried two more blows, and then managed a riposte with my magic shortsword, which struck it in the left leg; it let out a gibbering howl. I parried another pair of blows, but I missed when I tried to respond. I was clawed twice more, but I struck it in his right leg. It let out another howl and seemed to slow a little. I was struck by another claw, but I hit its leg again. The Kamalton tried to break off by throwing sand in my face, but the sand missed me and even though it did turn and start to run off, I was pursuing closely, and it could not get away as I had slowed it with my blows to the leg. I was close enough to hit it again and this time I heard its leg snap; it went down. It dwindled into a crawling form, and I finished it off.

My comrades found me a couple of minutes later amongst the crumbling dust and a skull, which were all that remained of the Kamalton. We spotted a glint of gold and Si'aspiqo told us that it had some virtue. The skull did not seem the right shape to be human. I had taken four or five cuts and started to feel stiff, as did Amphius, who had been cut by the demon during his earlier encounter. The gold was a setting of carved stone – a scarab beetle. Si'aspiqo thought the scarab looked Egyptian, old and valuable. Baal-Shaq cleaned and bound my wounds and then we returned to the guides taking the scarab and skull with us.

Agripinus looked at the wounds Amphius and I had received, and he carried out a ritual to cure disease for both of us. The guides decided we would make camp where were as by now it was not long until dawn. They were very pleased when Baal-Shaq showed them the skull, delighted that the Kamalton had been eliminated.

From Sammus’s Boast:

142: E31 – Three Asuf and a Scorpion

We all gathered firewood and then Si'aspiqo caused it to burn more fiercely. Agripinus carried out a ritual, splitting the Kamalton skull and throwing the pieces onto the fire where they burnt until consumed. Si'aspiqo investigated the scarab and then put it under his pillow while he slept. He thought it was protective and gave good fortune and decided to have it on his person for the time being.

At dusk on 31st January, we set out again, but Baal-Shaq had suggested a new march order with him and Barsoom at the front and Toxoanassa, Amphius and me as rearguard. He hoped to reach Moktar and leave the great Erg by the end of the day. There was a light wind from the southwest and it was a clear night. The desert seemed quiet.

Just after we had set off again after our first break, Amphius noticed movement behind us, and saw three shadows approaching. He sounded the alarm and struck one with an arrow, but it did not react. I moved to attack and an arrow from Toxoanassa struck another of the undead shadows or Asuf to no apparent effect. One was armed with a sword, and I hit it. This slowed the blow, but it still struck me and a cold claw from another Asuf also damaged me. Amphius put down his bow and pulled out his silvered club and a sword. A Scythian arrow narrowly missed him. I hacked into the torso of the sword armed Asuf, which crumbled to pieces, but another grappled me and tried to pull me into the desert. Amphius hit one of the two remaining shadows with his sword, but the blow just bounced off. I was grateful for my magic sword.

Si'aspiqo descended from his camel and prepared to cast a spell. I hit the Asuf grappling me in the arm, but the other still clawed me and I had moved a little further into the desert. I could hear sounds of a camel galloping and some shouting. Amphius and I both missed and one of the shadows clawed me again and I felt cold from the blow. Si'aspiqo cast protection from evil on me and one of the Asuf fell back hissing. The other was still close, so I stabbed at it. Amphius hit one with his club and this time we saw a reaction. I hit it on the head and on into shoulders and something chipped off and it reeled but fought on.

Si'aspiqo cast protection from evil on Amphius, but the Greek missed his blow. The Asuf recoiled, but the other Asuf came back in; I hacked it low down and it disintegrated into crumbling bones and rags. I heard the pounding of camel hooves approaching as Amphius and I both hit the remaining Asuf; it crumpled just as Barsoom rode up. Baal-Shaq and Agripinus arrived soon after. Amphius found a golden necklace amongst the crumbling bones of one of the Asuf. He also found a fine steel sword one of them had been wielding. It had a straight blade and was neither Carthaginian nor Greek; Baal-Shaq thought it might have been made in Kuku. Si'aspiqo helped the archers find some of their arrowheads. Agripinus healed me and then we resumed our march.

By dawn we were close to Moktar, so we continued marching. It was more tiring once the sun started to come up, but we reached the Moktar oasis after a couple of hours. As we approached, we could see date trees, and then shepherds, goats and sheep and we reached a patch of green vegetation and bushes and saw Numidian style houses. There was no wall around the settlement but there were some drystone pens for animals. There was quite a large area of open water, but it was very shallow and seemed to be fed by now dried up streams. It was surrounded by a drystone dike to keep animals out but there were also troughs of water. There was a trail to the south which would lead to our destination and another heading east into the desert which Baal-Shaq told us led deeper into Kel-Ayr territory and eventually to Egypt. Our guides had been expected. They busied themselves refilling waterskins and getting fresh supplies and more firewood. The camels had a good drink for the first time since we had set out. Our guides pitched a tent for us in one of the animal kraals and we rested.

Si'aspiqo noticed quite a few people, particularly those working, had a complexion as dark as a Kushite, and noticeably darker than our guides. Toxoanassa spotted a young woman wrapped in same garb as the men, who, in Numidian, asked her where she was from and if she was a warrior, which the Scythian just about understood. Toxoanassa replied that she was a warrior for the North. The woman cocked her head and then scuttled off.

As dusk fell, we took the south road and kept the same formation as Baal-Shaq was pleased with how it had worked for the attack of the Asuf. We marched for two nights without incident.

We set out again at dusk on 3rd February. As we neared our first break for the night the caravan wound through an area of broken rock. It had become less sandy now and we saw one or two bits of greenery poking through in places. The whole area here was a crazy paving of shattered rock and as Toxoanassa stood on one stone, it rocked; something scuttled out – a very large scorpion. She let out a cry and pulled out a dagger. She hit the scorpion, but it grabbed at her with its claws. Amphius loosed a couple of arrows, but neither struck home and Toxoanassa and the scorpion both missed each other.

Si'aspiqo descended from his camel as I reached Toxoanassa and split the scorpion in two with my sword. It must have been a couple of feet long! Si'aspiqo collected the sting and sealed it in a pot. All around us were plates of shattered rock, where there might be more sleeping scorpions. We proceeded cautiously and managed to stay on the trail, leaving them undisturbed.

The next day was dry with a freshening breeze with a hint of moisture on it. The night march was uneventful but as we made camp Amphius disturbed a viper, which bit his boot but then scuttled off down a crack.

The next night by midnight the wind had dropped. We walked into Tessault Spring a few hours before dusk. There was a stone shrine with some pillars still standing, but those at one end had all crumbled. In another corner the guides pulled off a wooden cover to reveal a deep well from which they pulled up water to fill the waterskins. In amongst the crumbled and tumbled pillars Amphius found a piece of stone with a face with a long square beard and another piece with the leg of a beast. Si'aspiqo used a small flame to look more closely at the pieces and told us that he had seen similar pictures and thought it looked Babylonian. Toxoanassa added that she had seen mighty temples with large carvings of a beast with human head and square beard when she had crossed the Seleucid Empire on her trip West. Maybe it could be Assyrian, but it was a mystery why it was here in the middle of nowhere. We wondered who had made this place and Barsoom told us that men from the east had come to the desert and made this long ago. Whoever it had been had walked a long way but at least there was still water here.

We left at dusk despite a brisk wind that gusted from the north and blew sand everywhere causing poor visibility and difficult travel. We had two nights of uneventful march and by the second night conditions had improved. After another night we reached Adjel fort, which was the first such place since Boujje’s fort. Here also we saw a ziggurat, but this one had completely collapsed into a pile of bricks, but there was a stone walled canton. The Kel-Ayr, who lived here and seemed more watchful than those at Moktar, traded with our guides for more supplies and refilled the waterskins from a tunnel into the remains of the ziggurat.

Baal-Shaq was pleased with our journey so far and thought our destination, Kuku, was maybe five full days south of here. We had one longer haul across bad lands, and then in a few days we should find a seasonal river or maybe a spring for water, and from there it would be two more days to Kuku. Here we would be out of the desert and there would be a large river and we would be able to trade. The guides would wait outside the settlement, while we walk into Kuku. There we would stop for a while but not too long and then, once trading was successful, turn around and head back to the north.

From Sammus’s Boast:

143: E32 – The Bringer of Light

We set off again on the evening of 8th February. It was humid, which settled the dust that had been blowing for the last few days. Our way led west initially but then turned to the south. We marched for three nights without incident. It was cloudy and we crossed several dried streams. Although it had obviously been dry for quite a long while there were signs that it did rain from time to time here.

During the day of 11th February there was a brisk dusty wind and when we resumed our march, visibility was poor, and we made our way through soft sand. Baal-Shaq told us we were approaching the last section of our march. We would cross a dried river and after a couple more days there would be a sudden change to green vegetation. By the end of the night, we were at the margin of a substantial dried waterway. Baal-Shaq told us we would cross this in the evening and then it would be three or maybe four marches to Kuku.

That evening as I climbed a steep descent to the dried riverbed, I slipped and rolled down onto some rocks. I was not seriously injured but I needed some healing from Agripinus before I could resume. The wind died, and it was a dark overcast night. Barsoom lit a torch to help him make out the way. Si'aspiqo cast a spell to make the torch burn more slowly. As people were stumbling in the dark, Agripinus called on the light of Tanit and made sure enough light was shown to help people keep their feet. Amphius didn’t feel it was unnatural or as dark as Kaskator and he pushed ahead of Barsoom to scout in the darkness. Barsoom warned him not to go far ahead. We camped at dawn.

At dusk on 12th February we resumed our march southwards, it was still overcast and there was no wind but soon there was a breath of wind, which freshened from the North. Amphius thought he could smell a hint of mint or herbs on the wind and the guides looked confused. Soon there were a few spots of rain to the surprise of Baal-Shaq and the guides. Amphius thought he could smell rain and weather from the north, from the far side of the desert. The guides and camels looked bemused when a steady drizzle began to fall. Agripinus again summoned the light of Tanit, and we marched on through a couple of quite heavy showers. As we set up camp for the night, Baal-Shaq commented that it was just as well we had crossed the riverbed before the heavy showers.

The next day was much more pleasant after the dusty, hot, dry days to which we had become accustomed. Si'aspiqo cast a cantrip to predict the weather and thought it would continue fresher and so we decided to rest for the night and marched the following day, in almost Mediterranean weather with more showers. We passed some small streams that had started to form in dried up riverbeds and wound our way between rocks. Our guides seemed mystified by the weather. Baal-Shaq thought it might now be just one day to the large river. It was called the River of Rivers by the Numidians, but the locals called it the Isa. Fortunately we would not need to cross it as Kuku was on the northern bank.

Si'aspiqo thought the weather would continue the same, so we marched during the day once more on 14th February. By the afternoon the showers started to dry up and the wind turned to come from the south. Soon we could see smoke ahead and a green band of vegetation on the horizon. We started to see moisture steaming out of the ground as the sun began to beat down.

As we drew nearer to the settlement of Kuku, late in the day, we noticed that the architecture was very different here. There was an area of straw huts, and then more impressive buildings further off amongst and extensive area of ramshackle buildings. We set up camp in a drystone dyke canton on the outside of the area of straw huts. There were a lot of people, and it was noisy. The people look different, darker in complexion like a Kushite and wore different clothes to Numidians. The river was on the far side of the settlement and looked very large from here. As we approached the settlement, we saw goats and livestock and then tribesmen approached waving vegetables and other produce and babbling incomprehensibly in the local tongue.

Baal-Shaq called us all together and congratulated us on crossing the desert. He explained that we probably wouldn’t be able to talk to the natives, as they couldn’t talk to the Kel-Ayr, and any trading might have to be with hand signs. At the market there might be someone who spoke Numidian. He warned us that we would all provoke a lot of interest as foreigners and looking so different from the locals, unlike himself. He would expect no trouble during the day but wasn’t sure about at night. If we wanted to trade, we could either barter or trade silver, Swe could also trade for funny shells, which were useful for buying local things. He suggested waiting until morning for trading. Si'aspiqo asked about the local attitude to magic and tricks and was warned to be careful. Baal-Shaq warned Toxoanassa that there were no female warriors outside of the King’s place, although the King’s wife was very important, so women could be powerful. In the market we would be able to buy ivory and slaves and locals would be interested in gold. The Kel-Ayr bartered for some provisions, including fresh fish and water and the camels drank in the river. The night passed without incident.

The next day was much warmer and sunnier. We made our way through the settlement between various huts. There were some larger timber reinforced mud brick buildings and included one especially large one presumably belonging to the King. There was an area for trading, and I could hear the banging of metalsmiths and blacksmiths nearby hard at work. I got a better look at the river, which even though the water level was currently very low, was the largest I had ever seen. Apparently, according to Si'aspiqo and Toxoanassa, the Nile was bigger – that must be a mighty river indeed. The vegetation seemed green and freshened by the recent unseasonal rain and there was a belt of it alongside both sides of the river. There were chickens and goats and strange grains, for making a sort of porridge, for sale along with small green crunchy vegetables, which none of us had seen before. There were tasty, large round fruits and various gourds and squash and lots of river fish. There were boats on the river – some for fishing, and other, larger ones heading up and down the river. Mint tea similar to that of the Numidians was widely available. There were multiple public wells around the marketplace, and it was clear that people didn’t drink from the river; it was just used for animals and washing, and people drank water from the wells.

Baal-Shaq helped us with our trading. Mago traded some purple dye for a bundle of very large black and white feathers. Agripinus tried to trade his trade helmet and greaves but wasn’t offered anything he liked and when he offered a mirror the locals seemed scared by their reflections. Si'aspiqo was looking for alchemicals and found he could buy lots of charcoal as this was used in metalworking, which seemed advanced here. Amphius was offered some ceramics for his Greek armour but deemed it too heavy. Toxoanassa bought some glass bead necklaces for a few gold coins, and I bought a necklace of large lion teeth for 10gp. I saw quite a lot of people passing colourful shells for trade.

In the evening a torchlight parade appeared outside our canton, led by someone in robes. He babbled something to Baal-Shaq, who told us that the King, Askey-Za, had asked to speak to the travelers who had crossed the desert. Our guides looked bewildered, and Baal-Shaq told us that in all his many visits he had never been asked to do this.

We all dressed up in our finest and were accompanied by a procession of people waving torches and spears and lots of noise, and led to an area outside the largest of the buildings in the settlement. The man who had delivered the message to us, shouted loudly and the noise died away. We saw an impressive, well-dressed man on a double throne with a woman wearing even more gold sat next to him, but slightly lower. The spokesman spoke in Numidian to Baal-Shaq who nodded and then translated into Arma for us:

“The Great Lord Askey-Za, ruler of Kuku, and speaker of the Gods, has heard of the Mystic from the North and asked if you are truly the Light Bearer”. At this point Baal-Shaq looked with resignation at Agripinus. The priest responded that he bore the light of his Goddess, Tanit, and Baal-Shaq translated, and it was relayed to the King. “It has been foretold. One will come to purify the Red Dune and cast down the evil that waits there”, was the response. Baal-Shaq looked displeased, but resigned and explained that the King clearly had a problem and that this was an offer that we couldn’t refuse. Agripinus responded, “I am the light bearer, and we will help you, Askey-Za”. This was relayed to the King, who raised his hands and waved. The crowd started chanting and waving and a party began. There was a large celebration, with dancing and roasted meat, but no alcohol, just water to drink.

There were topless dancers and invitations to join them and Amphius disappeared, but I stayed seated beside Toxoanassa, enjoying the food. There was a lot of chanting and strange native dancing, some of which was aimed at the Scythian, but she resisted and just remained straight faced; after a while they gave up and moved on.

There was some conversation between the King, the translator, Baal-Shaq and Agripinus. We learnt that the Red Dune was over the river and was a very large sand dune, which glowed red in the dusk and the dawn light. It had been a place of some spiritual significance, but now was haunted. By the great powers of the Gods, Askey-Za had kept the town safe, but anyone leaving the town was likely to be molested by spirits by night; the undead, or spirits of the night. These seemed to transfix people with fear, so much so that some jumped into river to drown, and others ran until they dropped. Agripinus asked about a reward and was told we would receive the friendship of the King and could ask for what we wanted. He was warned by Baal-Shaq to take care what he asked for as it would not be a good idea to embarrass the King and ask for something he would not wish to give. The King mentioned the prophecy about the Bringer of Light on multiple occasions during the conversation.

By the end of the party, around three in the morning, I was the only one still eating and even I was very full. There was no sign of Amphius, but he did turn up, very tired, late in the morning.

From Sammus’s Boast:

144: E33 – The Red Dune – A Good Beginning

Later that morning the King’s Speaker arrived at our kraal. He talked to Baal-Shaq in heavily accented Numidian. His name was Deobey, and he told us that he would provide any supplies we needed as well as boats to ferry us across the river to the dune. We could see the large dune in the distance on the other side of the river.

Si'aspiqo asked for some alchemical supplies. Deobey did not know what sulphur was and there was no vegetable oil or mineral oil, but he would be able to supply plenty of charcoal, fish oil or animal fats, and the small amounts of finely ground iron and copper that the magician requested. The archers asked for arrow heads but thought their own flights would be better than local ones. Amphius also asked for three silver javelin heads. Mago requested some ceramic pots for holding holy water.

Later in the morning, while our orders were being supplied, we headed off to view the red dune more closely. Deobey organised two boats and we made our way through a wide margin of mud and small streams for 100 yards or more to where we could board them. Si'aspiqo slipped and fell into the mud, emerging completely besmirched. He claimed it was a Kushite trick to keep cool, but no-one believed him.

The boats ferried us across the river, and we were landed on a beach close to the red dune around midday on a hot sunny day. There was very little vegetation on the dune. We began by circumnavigating the huge berm of sand. On the far side at the northwestern corner Agripinus spotted some markings most of the way to the top. He thought they might be game trails. There was a ridge running north south along the ridge, which was steepest in the centre, which seemed the natural way to climb to the top, so we set off up the slope following the ridge.

Looking around at the top, we noticed a dip in the ground and a dark hole, which led into darkness. I secured a rope around Amphius’s waist and braced myself while he entered the opening. The hole was roughly square and comfortably large enough for a man to enter. It was a deep shaft, lined by salvaged timber, well put together quite recently.

Amphius began to descend a ramshackle assault ladder – a pole with alternating pegs down its length. He descended a couple of metres until his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He then went down the pole for 20 to 25 feet, where he caught sight of the bottom. There were multiple identical poles for descending, each connected to the one above. After about 40 feet the shaft opened into a wider chamber or cavern and then there was a further ten feet to the floor where there was a small pile of sand. This would be about halfway down the dune from the top, he thought. Amphius climbed back up and out of the shaft and reported what he had seen.

Mago and Amphius then investigated the multiple game trails. There were holes about the size of a badger hole. Maybe Mago could squeeze in, and it would be possible for a darkling, we thought, but far too small for me. It had been wet recently but the tracks were hard to make out in the soft sand, all that we could tell was that whatever had made them was bigger than a rabbit – darklings could not be ruled out. Si'aspiqo took out his darkling finger fetish and felt for them but did not feel anything nearby.

We descended the southern end of the ridge, boarded the boats and returned to Kuku. As we crossed the muddy margin, like Si'aspiqo, I slipped off the trail and went into the mud up to my waist. I claimed I was trying Si'aspiqo’s suggestion, but no-one believed me either.

By the end of the day our supplies had been delivered – Si'aspiqo’s alchemicals, the arrow heads, javelin heads and the pots. We discussed our options for further investigation and decided that we would cross the river again and set up camp in a defensive position near the dune and spend the night and see if anything attacked us. It was around 4 or 5 days to the full moon, so there would be moonlight for the first part of the night.

The next morning Deobey returned to the kraal. Baal-Shaq told him what we had found and related our plan. When he was asked about the shaft, the speaker explained that foolish people had gone to the dune a few years ago and made the shaft – they had never been seen again. There were some foreigners from the desert and some locals following stories. It was after this he told us that the hauntings had started and complained that it was the fault of these foolish people. We asked about the stories that had attracted them, but Deobey just said there were many stories from the desert. Deobey was happy with our plan to face up to evil at night and agreed to arrange boats to ferry us again to the dunes. The boats would return to Kuku before dusk.

That afternoon we were again ferried across the river and dropped off at the foot of the red dune. We had two days’ supply of water, and plenty of firewood. Baal-Shaq picked a spot between the river and the dune. Si'aspiqo scribbled marks on stones and in the sand and marked out an area 10 feet in diameter and cast a protection against evil. Agripinus then set up his own protection with a religious rite, around the outside of Si'aspiqo’s ward. Si'aspiqo made sure it was well marked out. The boats returned to Kuku, dusk arrived, and darkness descended quickly.

Si'aspiqo went into meditation and watched from dreams, but soon he was snoring. Baal-Shaq marked a square within the wards into four quadrants, with himself and Amphius in one of the quadrants in the other closest to the pyramid, with Agripinus and Toxoanassa in the other two. Mago was allowed to join whoever he liked and move between the quadrants, but while the rest of us could look in other directions our primary task was to watch in the direction the quadrant faced.

All was quiet until midnight, when Amphius caught sight of some movement round the side of dune, and maybe heard a quiet scuffling in the sand. Agripinus saw the movement of something that looked like a big dog. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of something rushing out of the desert towards me. It barged right up the ward and then stopped hissing. It was humanoid and ran on all fours but then stood on two. It pressed up against the ward but would not cross it. Toxoanassa loosed an arrow, and it hissed horribly and retreated. Other similar shapes were moving in from various parts of the dune and we soon realised they were ghouls. Amphius quickly woke Si'aspiqo.

Agripinus summoned his arcane weapon and Amphius, Mago and Toxoanassa all struck the ghouls with their missiles. Agripinus cut into one with his arcane weapon. One of the ghouls crossed the first of the wards and was hit by Baal-Shaq. One of the ghouls went down, but there were still five up, four circling the perimeter of the ward and one partly within. Si'aspiqo awoke but was frozen by fear of the ghouls. Mago, Toxoanassa and Amphius all struck again with missiles and Agripinus did likewise with his arcane weapon and a second ghoul went down. Another ghoul made it past the first ward and came within my reach and I hit it with my sword. It recoiled back past the barrier.

One of the ghouls gave a warble ululating shriek and they backed off towards the dune. Mago and Amphius loosed missiles which struck home, and it went down but still crawled on. Toxoanassa hit a different one and knocked it over, but it also still crawled on. Mago dropped his stone, and Amphius’s next arrow went astray but Toxoanassa struck home. Now there were three prone ghouls lying still and one crawling and staying low, but an arrow from Amphius stopped it. Two ghouls got away but four bodies were left behind and all was quiet.

Si'aspiqo regained his composure and then then we all went out from the wards with Agripinus, and he removed the heads of the ghouls and ensured they were permanently at rest with a short rite. Si'aspiqo took a sample from one of them. The two men then reinforced their wards. The rest of the night was uneventful.

By dawn under the bright light of the sun we saw that the corpses had aged, desiccated and withered. The boats returned to collect us an hour after dawn, and we returned to Kuku with the ghoul heads in a sack. We reported to Deobey who was delighted with our progress so far.

From Sammus’s Boast:

145: E34 – The Red Dune – Down the Shaft

We discussed our next steps and decided we would return the following night and depending on what happened then, decide when to descend the shaft. We also discussed what further supplies we would need and agreed on rope, replacements for the old ladders and more torches. Si'aspiqo had preparations to make, but decided these could wait until after that night’s visit. Deobey visited us and was pleased with our report and plans and agreed to provide more food and provisions and arranged for boats again, including an extra one to be left with us. We rested as best we could despite the warmth and the sound of metal working.

Late in the afternoon we boarded the boats again and a smaller vessel was paddled across with us and was dragged up and tied to an anchor in the sand and left for us to use. The other boats returned to Kuku.

We set ourselves up at the same site and the priest and magician renewed their wards. The sun went down with a red glow. The night passed uneventfully, although on a few occasions someone thought they had seen something moving and we had the feeling of being haunted and watched.

Just after dawn the boats returned and ferried us back to Kuku. We had a visit from Deobey and informed him that we had not been attacked. It was the full moon in two days, and we asked him if that made a difference to activity on the Red Dune. He wasn’t sure but there were stories, but then the town celebrated the night of the full moon, so there were more people watching. He didn’t think it was particularly inauspicious.

We went back to the Red Dune again the following night. This time there was a pile of stuff in the smaller boat – a couple of assault ladders, several coils of thick rope and bundles of torches. Once we had landed, Si'aspiqo and I took a few torches and Toxoanassa took one of the coils of rope and we climbed up to the top of the dune. Si'aspiqo slipped on the way up, but fortunately did not fall far and the sand was soft.

We camped near the southern edge of the area at the top of the dune, closest to the landing beach and about 100 metres from the shaft. Agripinus and Si'aspiqo set up their wards. Towards midnight the moon had risen and Amphius saw some humanoid movement not far from where the shaft was. Toxoanassa had a strong sense of being watched and she saw a creeping figure down closer to the river. Amphius saw three or four humanoid figures surrounding us and keeping watch. All were at a long bow range, so he did not try to hit them. Baal-Shaq made a sign against evil, and we all kept watch.

Around midnight just before the almost full moon reached its zenith, a voice called out in the night. It was far off and difficult to hear. Amphius noticed me walk determinedly across the barriers, towards the shaft and hurried after me. When he pulled me back, I came to my senses, and we returned behind the wards. Baal-Shaq said that was one of the Asuf. Agripinus and Si'aspiqo checked their wards.

Soon after Mago and Baal-Shaq reported that many scorpions were just outside the ward, scuttling around. Mago could see shadows still circling around. Amphius fired a few arrows at the larger scorpions, and we waited until a faint blue light off to the east heralded the arrival of dawn. Si'aspiqo felt that the two or three humanoid figures were back where they had started, to our north, and close to the shaft and then they disappeared from view and the sun rose. The scorpions had gone. We decided to return to Kuku, rest for the day and night and return at dawn the following day.

Soon after we had returned Deobey came to the kraal and talked to Baal-Shaq, who reported that we were all invited to the party that night. We decided it would be difficult to get any extra sleep, so we delayed our return to the Red Dune for a day and rested, while Si'aspiqo worked on preparations. The town had been quiet during the day but came to life around dusk. Amphius and I joined wholeheartedly in the celebrations, while Toxoanassa kept to the kraal and the others observed more quietly. I danced the night away with some of the locals and drank some of the slightly fermented milk, which didn’t seem very strong. Amphius returned the next morning with a new, local girlfriend. The town was quiet the next day.

The following day we set off as dawn broke. Si'aspiqo had prepared 6 torches, all sealed with wax. It was another hot clear day, and we were ferried across to the Red Dune. Baal-Shaq talked to the boat crew and with some nervousness, they carried the assault ladders and bundles of rope to the top of the dune with the rest of us carrying all the spare torches. The crew returned hurriedly to the boats.

We reached the shaft, and I lowered a rope to be used by anyone who had difficulty descending. Amphius and then Mago descended using the existing assault ladders and were soon followed by Agripinus. Amphius called up that they were in a stone chamber about 20 feet wide and 50 feet long, which was illuminated by the circle of light from the shaft. There was darkness at one end, which looked like it led to a further chamber and then some damage in the corner of the wall opposite that. It was obvious that the chamber was much better made and older than the rudimentary shaft and ladders.

The rest of the party descended without incident. I improvised an anchor from one of the ladders we had brought and secured the rope to it. However, when I set off down the ladders the first section started to give way. Fortunately, I managed to grab the rope and then after descending the rope to the next section of ladder, I managed to transfer back to it and descend to the floor.

The long axis of the chamber was east-west, and the short axis was north-south. The door was at the eastern end and the damaged wall was in the southwest corner. Baal-Shaq guarded the eastern doorway, and I guarded the southwest corner, while Mago and Amphius climbed back up and repaired and resecured the top ladder.

Si'aspiqo looked past Baal-Shaq through the doorway and saw that the walls were painted with strange images and that something was carved into the floor and lit a torch to try to see better. After checking that there seemed to be no active spells, he stepped into this second room, which was 20 feet wide 30 feet long. The images were of humans and what looked like demons, but he did not understand what was being portrayed. The paintings were not Greek said Amphius and not Punic said Baal-Shaq, but Si'aspiqo wasn’t sure what they were. He did report that there was a summoning circle in the middle of the room; he warned people not to step into it. There was a stone flagged floor and no other obvious exits. Agripinus entered and looked at the paintings. He agreed they were not Carthaginian and speculated that it showed people being eaten by demons.

Amphius investigated the other corner, which seemed to have been damaged when the shaft was made. There seemed to be a corridor beyond, going left and right. He thought that the looters who had made the shaft had gone that way.

From Sammus’s Boast:

146: E35 – The Red Dune – In the Footsteps of the Tomb-Robbers

Amphius looked at the damaged area in the southwest corner. There were the remains of a door and a doorway, and he looked through at a corridor running east-west. To the right there was an enforced right hand turn after about fifteen feet. Agripinus summoned the light of Tanit and shielding it from Amphius, he followed the Greek as he led the way along the corridor to the right and then round the right-hand turn. By the improved light we could see that there was a slightly arched, solid roof of bricks or stone above us. I followed the priest and then came Mago and Si'aspiqo with Toxoanassa and Baal-Shaq at the rear.

After a short distance there was a confusing junction. There were two options next to each other with a narrow wall between them and a door on the right. The passage continued ahead but at double the width. It reminded Amphius of Kaskator. He checked for traps but spotted nothing. The wooden door was in remarkably good condition, there was no keyhole, just a bronze latch and he opened it onto a small landing at the top of some stairs with a set of vertical iron bars across the stairs ahead – it looked like a trap that had already been sprung. Maybe the robbers had gone this way? We closed the door and left it until later.

We carried straight on to the north and then took an enforced right turn, heading eastwards. We left an option on our right which looked to be encircling the rooms we had already discovered and headed on for around 90 feet to an enforced right turn where there were a couple of burrows. Here Amphius was attacked by a large centipede over a foot long. He dodged back and then cut it in half with his dagger. It was brightly striped, and he gathered the two halves in a leather bag for Si'aspiqo to investigate later. Amphius looked around the corner, to the south, but saw nothing down the passage.

We retraced our steps and took the option now on the left and as expected this completed the circuit around the rooms, but before turning the corner back to the rubble the passage did continue and next we headed in this direction southwards. After about 30 or 40 feet there was an option on the left or the passage narrowed and kinked around a knob of rock. We took the option on the left which ended in a small natural rock cave after about 40 feet. Amphius checked the cave and found nothing, so we returned to the passage and turned left past the knob of rock.

After we passed the rock it the passage circled round 180 degrees and passed a narrow passage on the right which also turned right 180 degrees. Amphius looked at the narrow turning passage which turned backwards and forwards very sharply with narrow separating walls. He passed another opening in the wall, which also turned sharply. He found an end that was at rock. It was difficult to keep track of the direction here, and deeming this a maze we left it for now and retraced our steps past the rooms and then to the right back to where we had spotted the burrows.

This time we continued past the burrows turning to the right and headed south. After 50 feet there was a no option right turn and then after ten feet there was an option on the right and shortly after it an option to the left which immediately turned to the right. This looked like another maze and had narrow walls, so we returned to the western side of the rooms where there were two options heading west, close to the door to the steps going down. We took the northern of the two options and after 60 feet there was a no option right turn and then a T-junction, but again this had the feel of a maze, so we returned, and explored the southern of the two options.

After about 30 feet the passage ended with a rock wall on the right and a five-foot opening on the left which emerged into a crossroads. There were options east, south and west and we entered from the northeast. The crossroads was about 20 feet square. We headed west which turned immediately to head southwest. After 60 feet there was a 90 degree no option turn to the left to head southeast and after another 80 feet, we reached a triangular junction with a door on the left and passages south and east.

Amphius looked at the door, which again was very well preserved with a bronze latch and opened towards him. The door creaked and felt he needed to pull it up towards him. There was darkness and silence beyond. The chamber was about 20 feet off to the left and right and 30 feet deep with a dark passageway directly ahead. Amphius wedged the door open. He edged into the room and worked his way along the right-hand wall, where there was an opening which turned left, to the east, and looked like it might be another maze. The passage on the far side headed north back to the crossroad.

As we walked north, Mago noticed something odd about the brickwork, about two thirds of the way along the wall on the right. Amphius found and opened a secret door into a room maybe 40 feet square with lots of junk on the floor. The room was plastered and painted white with ochre borders and brickwork showing through in places underneath the plaster and a high ceiling. There were the remains of storage cupboards and splintered furniture. There was a sturdy door in the North wall. There were the ragged remnants of dyed robes and ancient leather sandals. Baal-Shaq was amazed to find something like this complex under the sand as it must have been a huge amount of work.

Amphius opened the door, which creaked loudly. Beyond was another large room 50 feet wide and 30 feet deep with no obvious exit. This room had white painted plaster walls with ochre and black borders. There were the remains of several Egyptian style beds with neck-rests and piles of desiccated cloth and the remains of a chest which still had a good inlaid lid. There were broken ceramics in the remains of the chest and Agripinus pointed out a tablet with markings that Si'aspiqo thought were Assyrian or Babylonian cuneiform but which he couldn’t read, but thought was records or tallies.

Amphius spotted a secret door in the north wall. It was easier to spot as this was the inside. The door opened onto a passage heading east-west and we turned right to head east. There was an option on the right, or the passage continued. We turned right and then there was an option on the left or the passage continued. We turned left which came to an end at a junction with options to left and right which immediately turned back on themselves and looked like more mazes. We left these and returned to the previous junction and turned left to head south.

After about 30 feet there were stairs ahead going up and we passed a pair of alcoves as we ascended. The passage flattened again and after a further 30 feet we reached a crossroads but headed straight on. After about 30 feet Amphius spotted a pile of bones ahead, filling the corridor. Looking ahead Amphius thought there was another pair of alcoves and stairs going up.

The bones seemed to be the disarticulated skeletons of dozens of humans, some of which still had desiccated fragments of flesh and tendons. The bones looked to have been gnawed and we guessed these were relatively recent victims of the ghouls.

Si'aspiqo investigated and said he found no traces of magic or the arcane. He thought the corpses were human and of different ages, but none were ancient. There might be some iron, maybe a dagger somewhere amongst the bones he told us. Agripinus noticed that were no signs of people killed in battle.

From Sammus’s Boast:

147: E36 – The Red Dune – Amphius Finds a Trap

We pushed the bones aside and Amphius led us past them and up some stairs. Soon after, he called back that the way ahead was blocked by rubble and ancient pieces of burnt wood. Si'aspiqo thought these pieces were substantive roof supports and that the roof had come down and Mago added that burning the props would be a good way of bringing the roof down, so this may have been blocked deliberately.

We returned to the crossroads and marking it with a 1, we turned right and headed east for around 20 feet where there was another T-junction which we labelled 2. We turned right and then after 25 feet there was a no-option left turn. After 120 feet there was a door on the left or the passage continued. Amphius checked for traps and then opened the door, which revealed a passage continuing ahead to the north. He shut the door, and we continued east along the original passage. After 20 feet there was a dead end with a door on the left. Amphius checked the door and opened it to reveal a chamber. He reported something in there, but it was not moving – he looked very pale and did not enter the room.

Agripinus entered and reported that there seemed to be a demon or a gargoyle; it was made of stone or frozen. The room was 20 feet wide and 30 feet long with black painted walls. The priest walked in and said it felt like walking on someone’s grave. I went to follow but saw something sucked into a shapeless void and subsumed into the statue, and I recoiled in horror. Si'aspiqo cast protection from evil and stepped in. He thought the figure was either a demon frozen in shape or a strangely wrought and twisted anthropomorphic statue reminiscent of Baal. There was a slender new moon on one wall and a red lunar eclipse on another and the walls seemed freshly painted. I still felt the same horror and Si'aspiqo cast protection from evil on me and Agripinus removed fear from me and Amphius with a short ceremony. Baal-Shaq looked in and thought it was a demon from the hell desert, which had been worshipped here, but it was nothing to do with Baal.

Amphius spiked the door closed and we retraced our steps to the door, which Amphius opened. We followed the passage north. After around 20 feet there was a door on the left and beyond that the passage turned left.

Amphius opened the door, which creaked loudly. It opened into a room 20 feet square, with a polished stone floor room. There was a bed with a neck rest and a small table and chair. One of the walls had a rectangular grid of angled slats which made fist-sized pockets. Amphius fished out a square ceramic tablet from one. It had angled characters or scratches and Si'aspiqo confirmed that this was cuneiform again, but this had more writing and was higher quality. Amphius took 36 of them out of the grid. There was a small, wooden table which looked good quality and an elegant stool of carved hard black wood. We decided to leave these here for now. Amphius put the tablets back into the grid and then closed and spiked the door behind us.

He led us round the enforced left turn and headed west for 30 feet and then took an enforced right turn, then after 20 feet a no option left turn and then after another 20 feet there was a narrow exit to the north with a T-junction on the other side with options west and east. We labelled this with a 3 and turned right. After 70 feet there was a no option right turn. Amphius noticed that there was solid rock on the left here but felt the wall ahead was thinner. We took the right turn and after 20 feet there was another no-option right and we felt this was another maze and so we retraced our steps to the T-junction marked 3.

We continued past it to the west and after 20 feet it ended and turned to the right, back on itself. There was something marked on the wall here, and just after the turn there was a narrow opening in the northern wall. Amphius thought the marks were a stylized door or window. It was decorated and quite low and narrow. He noticed a small hole and thought it might be a recessed door. He took out the magical key and inserted it in the hole and as he did so, something flew out and hit him. He stepped beyond the door close to where there was a narrow opening. Agripinus revealed more of the light of Tanit and Amphius came back and tried inserting the key again. This time Agripinus saw something fly past Amphius and he found a small bronze dart in his cloak smeared with resin or something, which we suspected was a poison. Agripinus washed Amphius’ s wound with holy water and removed a small bronze dart and cast cure wounds.

Amphius was starting to feel weakened, so we returned to the crossroads marked 1. We turned right here and headed north. It was about 30 feet to an alcove and then we descended 30 feet of stairs which descended about 10 feet, there was then another 30 or 40 feet to an option on the right, which we marked as 4, and then a further 40 feet to a T-junction, which we marked as 5. We turned left and after 50 feet came to an odd junction which we marked as 6.

Here there was an option to the left, a narrow passage going back to the east, parallel to the passage we had entered from, or a passage going off southwest. The passage to the left widened into a room to the south. We took the narrower passage to the east, which after 40 feet reached another complex junction. There was a no option left turn, a door on the left, or it continued into options to the north and south. I could see some natural light to the south, so we headed that way and after turning to the left we saw the opening into the shaft room. Amphius condition was deteriorating.

Mago climbed up the ladders first and took up the slack on the rope I had left in place. I climbed up next and took hold of the rope, making sure I had it tight enough to hold Amphius, if he fell. About halfway, he slipped, and I held on tight. He tried to continue but then slumped into semi-consciousness and I had to drag him up with the rope. I then lowered the rope for the others and everyone else climbed up safely. It was very hot at the top under the baking sun as it was now just after midday. Baal-Shaq carried Amphius down the dune on his back and, guided by Mago, we took the remaining boat down river back to Kuku. Here we were greeted by natives fishing or washing in the river. We carried Amphius back to the camp.

After an hour or so Deobey arrived and on seeing Amphius, told Baal-Shaq he would bring local physicians. Si'aspiqo looked at the dart that Agripinus had retrieved and examined the residue. He made a soothing draft for Amphius and then the local physicians arrived. They poked at the Greek with feathered sticks and then danced and chanted. Via Deobey and Baal-Shaq they reported that it did not look positive. Si'aspiqo showed them the dart and Deobey said that the physicians would stay there and continue their singing. They would know in the morning whether Amphius would live or die. The Kel-Ayr suggested drinking as much water as possible.

Around midnight Amphius started to feel a little better, and very thirsty. He drank a lot of water and in the morning had improved. There was much singing and dancing from the witch doctors, who claimed a successful cure.

From Sammus’s Boast:

149: E37 — The Red Dune — The Pool Room

Amphius needed to rest for another day, so Agripinus and I took the opportunity to try learning to swim in the river. This drew a happy, cheering crowd, who followed us back to our kraal. They seemed very happy about something, but we had no idea what that might be and no-one explained.

The following day we were ferried back to the Red Dune with more supplies and a boat was left for us to use for our return. We climbed up to the top of the dune and then took it in turn to descend the shaft. Si'aspiqo broke a rung which fell to the pile of sand at the bottom, but he kept his footing, and we all reached the bottom safely.

We marked the complex junction to the west of the shaft room as 7 and then followed the southern of the two parallel passages heading west. At crossroads 6 we headed east to junction 5 and continued past it to the east. After 20 feet there was an option on the right, which we ignored and then after 50 more feet there was an enforced right turn. We headed south for 80 feet, where there was a no option right turn and then 50 feet to a no option left turn, immediately followed by another turn to the left. However, before we could carry on, Mago noticed something unusual about the brickwork on the left wall before the first of those turns. Amphius couldn’t see anything hidden there, but Mago spotted a tiny hole. He poked a cloak-pin in the hole and after a 'click' a large piece of wall slowly opened like a jagged door. There was a faint phosphorescent glow, and Amphius found himself in the northwestern corner of a very large room, at least 50 feet by 50 feet but maybe larger.

Amphius entered, checking the floor as he went. There was a stone floor, and four massive stone columns running north to south. There was a stone basin in the floor off to the southeast. It was round and set into the floor. He wondered if this might be a temple — the columns were as stout as those in a Greek temple, although they were not fluted. The basin was five feet across and a few feet deep and seemed to have liquid in it. There were columns to the east and then another pool to the south and another to the east, reminiscent of Kaskator. The rest of us followed Amphius into the room. He said the room was 80 feet long off to the south and further to the east. Toxoanassa knocked an arrow and Agripinus uncovered the orb of Tanit and shone it into the room.

We saw that there were more columns off to the southeast 80 feet away, and the furthest two had more columns heading off to the east, 100 feet or more and there were many pools like Kaskator. Mago and Si'aspiqo went back out and Amphius closed the door and looked at the mechanism and reopened it and Mago and Si'aspiqo came back in. Mago looked at the mechanism too and they both knew how to open it. Amphius wedged it open.

We headed along the east wall, 50 feet to a corner and turned right and south, after 30 feet we turned turn left and came to a second pool, it was symmetrical in relation to the first pool and the two columns in a diamond shape. There were eight columns in a pattern and at least 4 more pools heading east along the wall. After 25 feet the wall turned right and south and then after 10 feet it turned east again, and there were two more columns and two more pools. As he passed the first pool, Amphius reacted as a strange oozing limb or tentacle groped at him from the pool. It was yellow and translucent. He avoided it, but then a blob rolled out of the basin towards him. He crossed in front of Agripinus and behind a column, and I dropped my map and drew my sword. Agripinus summoned his arcane weapon and struck at the blob. It seemed to slash through it with ease, but then it just reformed together again. It waved a tentacle at Amphius, narrowly missing and we started to retreat. Fortunately, it was slow moving. We backed away and Si'aspiqo threw a burning torch. It recoiled from the flame and retreated and then oozed around it and resumed following us. Si'aspiqo put my map in his pouch and got out an alchemical torch of his own devising. Agripinus missed with his arcane weapon. Si'aspiqo lit his torch and tossed it at the blob. It landed in front of it and burned brightly. The blob recoiled and held back as we retreated westwards. Agripinus hit the blob once more but again it split and reformed either side of his arcane weapon.

Si'aspiqo prepared two more alchemical torches, and gave them to Amphius, who threw the first. It landed on the blob as it slowly oozed towards us. Si'aspiqo ignited it with a cantrip, and it burned slowly at first and then flared strongly. The blob oozed in different directions and parts of it smoked. Amphius went to throw the second torch but dropped it at his feet. He picked it up and threw it again, and it landed close to the blob. Again, the magician ignited it, and the blob seemed to burst into flame and there was a lot of reeking smoke, and we left the room.

Most of us had streaming eyes and started coughing; Si'aspiqo was the worst affected. There were just a few whisps of smoke in the corridor and as soon as Amphius removed his wedge, the door closed behind us. We soon recovered and even Si'aspiqo stopped coughing.

We decided to leave this room for a while before returning. We headed on to the west and turned left and left again, then after 30 feet there was a no option right turn which came to a dead end after 50 feet, but with a small aperture in the southwest corner after which a tunnel ran south to junction 2. We turned right and then straight across at the crossroads, marked 1, heading west. After 30 feet there was an option on the left or the passage continued. After a further 20 feet we were forced to turn left and then after 30 feet we had to turn right. We continued north for 70 feet to a junction which we marked as 8 and turned right. After 60 feet there was an option in the right-hand wall, which we marked as 9, but carried on to the east.

Ten feet further on we turned left and left again. After 50 feet there was a no option right, which then opened out and then led into a room with a door and number 8. We walked north and as we passed the secret door in the east wall, Mago noticed something about the wall on the west side opposite it. Amphius looked, but couldn’t spot the trigger, but Mago spotted a small hole. He inserted a tool, and a door opened into a chamber with at least one stone column. There was a natural rock ceiling. Amphius spotted some small ceramic jars and a very large stack of candles.

This chamber looked like it had a natural finish and seemed to have been hollowed out leaving the supporting columns behind. Maybe there had been mining for minerals here and then the other passages had been built around it. There were alcoves in the pillars with burnt out candles.

Si'aspiqo investigated ceramic jars. He saw some cuneiform markings but didn’t know what they denoted. All seemed mundane. He selected one without a lid, which looked empty, then he pried the lid off another. This had traces of oil and then others had traces of cereal and honey. It looked like all had been left behind when the supplies had been finished, hundreds of years ago. The only usable items were the candles which seemed to have been made of tallow or similar.

From Sammus’s Boast:

151: E38 — The Red Dune — Skeletons in Closets

Looking at my papyrus sheets, I realised I had two junctions marked 8, and some confusion about what was what. So we left the room with the candles and stone pillars and headed south from the rock chamber with all the candles to the junction beyond the door and changed the charcoal mark from 8 to 10. We then turned left eastwards, after 50 feet we saw a passage on the right which was marked 9 or the passage continued and turned to the left and then returned after some turns back to just south of the secret doors. I made some corrections to my map and then we headed south from junction 10. After 70 feet there was a passage on the left, 11, or the passage continued. Immediately beyond that was another left turn 12, then a dead end and an enforced left turn. After 40 feet we came to another enforced left turn back to the north, 40 feet more to an enforced right turn and then 20 feet further there was an option on the right, 13. We continued 30 feet to a crossroads, the junction marked as 1.

We retraced our steps to 13 and took the option now on our left. We headed south for 30 feet to a no-option right turn, then 50 feet to another no option right turn, and then 55 feet to an enforced left. There was a strange junction here, which we marked as 14. We could go left again parallel to the way we had come, from the south, or just a few feet further on the passage turned to the right northwards. We turned right to the north and after 30 feet we came to a dead end. Amphius was suspicious of the wall to the right, as it seemed very thin, but I suspected this was just another brick wall in this strange maze. Mago was also suspicious but could find no mechanism or secret there, so I marked it for further investigation, and we passed on.

We returned to the junction marked 11, and this time turned to the right, eastwards. There was an immediate no option left turn and after 50 feet there was a no option right turn. After another 50 feet there was another no option right turn and the passage narrowed. After 10 feet there was an option on the right with an alcove or the passage continued. We marked this as 15, and we turned right. The alcove had a door, or the passage continued onwards. Amphius thought the door was false and spotted a pressure pad in front of it, which we marked in chalk. The passage then widened and turned to the right and ended in a blank wall. Amphius thought he could see a secret door on the right and Mago agreed but neither could find the mechanism despite much searching and prying at cracks. Si'aspiqo muttered a rhyme and gathered smoke from the torches, and it then writhed like a smoky snake towards the secret door. Some seemed to disappear into the cracks, confirming our suspicion.

Agripinus wondered if the door was opened by the pressure pad nearby, so he returned to there and stood on it. There was a click and the door in front of Amphius opened inwards swiftly and silently. Out of the hidden closet came a skeleton with a long bronze slashing sword, which struck at Amphius. As Agripinus emerged from the alcove a similar skeleton attacked him from the darkness east of the party. Agripinus tried to use his priestly powers to ward it with no effect, but the skeleton hit him before he could utter his prayer.

Amphius ducked under the long sword and closed with the first skeleton, while Mago called for luck from Baal and drew his dagger. Meanwhile Si'aspiqo cast protection from evil on himself and I put away my scribbles and drew my sword. Agripinus revealed more of the light of Tanit but again failed to utter a prayer to Tanit and the undead guardian hit him again. The first skeleton thrust Amphius back, so the Greek tried to grab its sword arm, but didn’t get a good hold. Mago took courage and closed and stabbed it with his dagger.

At last, Agripinus shone the light of Tanit at the skeleton and uttered his prayer clearly. Baal-Shaq also called on Baal and hit that skeleton in the right arm. Si'aspiqo cast a protection from evil on Mago, while Amphius tried to push past the skeleton but was blocked. Mago missed with his next dagger thrust and the skeleton threw back Amphius. It hestitated, perhaps deterred from being close to Mago because of his protection and stepped back into its alcove.

Mago pressed on into the hidden closet, no bigger than a cupboard, and stabbed the skeleton. Amphius drew a sword, and the skeleton forced Mago out of the cupboard with the pommel of its sword. Its shield was hanging limply now after a blow to the left arm. Acting swiftly, Amphius forced the door closed on the skeleton, and it latched shut once more. Si'aspiqo cast protection against evil on me and we swapped places in the passageway. The second skeleton retreated from the light of Tanit and went through a narrow aperture in the wall. It backed away at a steady pace into the maze of dark passages with Agripinus in pursuit followed by Baal and finally Toxoanassa.

Agripinus flourished his cold steel and hit the skeleton on the head, and it looked quite damaged, but rallied. When he missed his next blow, the guardian struck him again. It continued to retreat, quailing from the holy light and Agripinus kept following. Agripinus hacked through the left arm and the shield fell to the floor. The passage widened here, and Baal-Shaq joined him in fighting the skeleton. It hit Baal-Shaq and then backed into a narrower corridor where Agripinus followed and hit it again and it went down on one knee, but then got up to stand unsteadily on one foot. Agripinus then caved in its skull and the rest of the skeleton crumbled, having taken several blows which would have killed a guard made of flesh and blood. After a brief search of its remains, the priest took the well-made long bronze slashing sword, and they retraced their steps to rejoin the rest of the party, picking up an old shield on their way.

Si'aspiqo recast protection against evil on me and Agripinus re-triggered the pressure pad and this time I was ready when the closet opened. I struck off it’s right arm with my first blow and its left arm was already limp. I then cut through its right leg and quickly crushed its skull. The skeleton crumbled to dust, no match for Spanish steel and Gallic muscle. We took its sword and shield and noticed the two swords were similar in pattern to those we had found in the ancient basement in Sardinia.

After a few moments rest we headed south from junction 15, to where we were forced to turn right to the west, but in the south-east corner was a narrow aperture to another passage. We turned west and then went 30 feet to a T-junction, which we labelled 16 then turned right where the passage ended in a dead end after 20 feet. We retraced our steps to 16 and headed south. There was an opening on the left, which was labelled 17 but we headed south. After 30 feet there was an enforced right turn which led to junction 12. We returned to 17 and headed east and after 30 feet we came to a dead end.

We returned to the small opening in the wall south of 15. This headed east with natural rock on the right-hand wall and then after 20 feet turned left to the north. This then led to junction 9. We turned left and headed to junction 10 and then went north to junction 6. We turned east past junction 6 and then on another 20 feet to a narrow opening in the right-hand wall, which we labelled 18. Through this there was a T-junction, and we turned right and headed west. It immediately turned left and then after a further 30 feet turned left again to head east. After a further 40 feet there was an enforced right turn with a turn immediately on the right and then another enforced right turn immediately after. We labelled this 19. We took the second of the passages heading west. After 40 feet there was an enforced left turn, after 10 feet option on left or continue south, after 40 feet, there was a no option left turn and then with a stone wall ahead, after 20 feet no option right south, 20 feet passage ends with a small passage on the right which led to a 10 by 15 feet chamber with rock walls.

By now my head was spinning from all the twists and turns in this accursed maze, so we returned to the tomb-robbers entrance where there was a fine shaft of sunlight by which we could compare notes and improve my map.

From Sammus’s Boast:

153: E39 – The Red Dune – A Ghostly Guardian

Amphius, led Toxoanassa, me, Si'aspiqo, Agripinus, Mago and Baal-Shaq out of the shaft room 30 minutes later, shortly before midday. We headed west and north to the junction marked 21 and then along to the enforced right turn where we had seen signs of burrows. We passed this cautiously with Baal-Shaq and Agripinus waiting at the burrows while we passed by, but nothing disturbed us.

We headed south for 50 feet to an enforced right turn and then came to an option on the right, which we labelled 22 and then after 15 feet an opening on the left which we labelled 23, or the passage continued. We went through the aperture and immediately had to turn right to continue west. The left-hand wall seemed to be stone but the rest of the walls here were brick. After 45 feet there was an enforced right turn and then after 50 feet another no option right turn then after 60 feet an enforced right turn and we seemed to be heading south. After about 30 feet we reached a T-junction already labelled 22. We turned right and ignore the opening and continued 40 feet to the west and then reached an enforced right turn, we followed a series of enforced right tuns each getting closer until we came to a dead end in a small chamber within which Amphius found what looked like a broken stone coffin.

Amphius approached holding his silver javelin. As he did so he called out that he could see something white like a cloth inside, but then he suddenly turned and fled gibbering down the corridor past Toxoanassa and I. Hurriedly I put away my map and notes and pulled out my sword. Amphius ran into Si'aspiqo and grabbed hold of him, still gibbering incoherently. A Ghostly form, looking like a tattered white cloth drifted around the corner and Toxoanassa loosed an arrow which went straight through it and struck the wall behind. After a moment she too took fright and ran past me gibbering. The white cloth hung limply in front of me, and I stepped forward and struck at it with my sword. I hacked through it, but it was like swishing through nothing. I discerned a face within the apparition but then I too was overcome by fear and ran back down the passage towards my companions.

Si'aspiqo cast protection from evil, but I buffeted him into the wall as I hurried past him. Agripinus stopped me and invoked his miracle to remove fear, and suddenly I recovered my wits. Toxoanassa passed Agripinus and Mago and ran into Baal-Shaq who body-checked her into the wall. Agripinus held up the full bright light of Tanit and he pushed past Amphius, and I followed. His example inspired courage. Behind us, Baal-Shaq tripped Toxoanassa and held her still and then managed to bring her to her senses.

When we reached Si'aspiqo, he was alone, and reported the following:

The various retreats in the face of overwhelming odds passed me by and subsequent scuffling occurred behind me, so I ignored it all and cast the ward as the floating presence approached.

Fear did not touch me, but the guardian spirit broke my concentration on further workings as their voice thundered in my head. After a moment I recognised formal, old, priest-language of the northern Nile, giving us fair warning:

“Hear the words of Mar-tak:
“Anubis punishes tomb robbers!
“Your heart will be consumed!
“Begone!
“Leave here and do not return or your puny life and soul will be forfeit.
“You understand the words, I know. You are a worm, adept.”

This was quite enough from an insubstantial fright mask in luminous rags, so I set the filmy phosphorescent figment right. “We HUNT those who disturb tombs. We return the dead to their resting place. We have carried the Archon Saar to his eternal rest.”

I was quite indignant, and my formal grammar might have been a bit loose, but my Truth was plain to one whose vision was unclouded by the living world. “Guardians? Hunters of tomb-robbers? Aha! Hear me then. Eliminate the ghouls and seal the entrance. Forthwith, by my command!”

“I hear you. We shall hunt them. Now release us.” (It is best to keep things simple with these apparitions.)

The presence withdrew from my mind and in the world its light disappeared from the corridor. I found instead Agripinus standing by me, glowing orb in hand and Tanit’s name on his lips.

We retraced our steps out of the maze and went towards the burrow. Amphius saw a flicker of movement, but when he reached it there was nothing there. Si'aspiqo used a fetish from a ghoul bone and, after some muttering, said he thought there were two down there. We continued to junction 21 and then turned left and went on past an option on the right towards the shaft room and then on past an option on the left which I knew led to a rocky chamber. Immediately after this was an enforced left turn, with the wall of natural rock on the left but maze brickwork on the right. After 20 feet there was a narrow opening on the right, which we labelled 24, but we continue for another 20 feet to a dead end. It seems like solid rock, but Amphius was uncertain of the brick wall to the south. Mago also checked it but could find nothing, although he too was suspicious of some cracks.

We returned to 24 and went through the opening. The passage turned to the right and then after 20 feet there was an enforced left turn and then another, so we were heading east now. After 30 feet there was a narrow opening on the right, which was labelled 25 or the passage continued. Through the opening Amphius could see a passage east and west, but we continued straight on to another dead end, with nothing suspicious about it.

We returned to the opening. Amphius found a familiar recessed door and a passage off to the west. This time Amphius did not set off the trap and darts. We headed 30 feet to the west and after two no option left turns, we reached the junction already marked 3. We continued past 3 and after 60 feet there were two no option right turns and then after a further right turn, we found ourselves in another small rocky chamber. The turns leading into this reminded Amphius of the earlier turns into a small chamber and he was relieved to find this empty with no signs of a spectral guardian.

We continued towards the crossroads marked 1, but on the way, we checked the door into the gargoyle room was still spiked, which it was. We carried straight on at the crossroads and turned left at junction 13 and followed the passage round to 14. We ignored the option on the left here but went straight on, round an enforced right turn to a dead end, which Amphius wanted to investigate further. After checking carefully he found a hole, inserted a tool and a secret door opened in the eastern wall into a room 20 feet by 30 feet with the wall to the north at an oblique angle.

Inside were the remains of another Egyptian style bed with the desiccated remains of its covers. There were shelves with jars and a small table with an oil dish lantern and the means to light it. There was a wooden rack on one wall filled with shelves with numerous small jars. The door closed behind us and there was scribbling on the back. They were hieroglyphs which Si'aspiqo could not understand but he did make a copy. The small jars were competently sealed and there were five larger jars. Baal-Shaq pointed out that this was the most secure location we had found in the complex, with only one entrance — a secret door.

From Sammus’s Boast:

155: E39 – The Red Dune – Back to Kuku

Amphius led the way out of the room through the secret door, which closed behind us and Agripinus, me, Si'aspiqo, Mago, Toxoanassa and Baal-Shaq followed him south, round to junction 14 and there was soon an option on the right or the passage continued. We turned right and then after 20 feet there was an enforced right turn and then 60 feet to an enforced left turn, and then 30 feet to a no-option right turn and we started heading north. After 80 feet there was an enforced right turn and then after 20 feet, we reached a small chamber 20 feet by 15 feet with a passage on the left heading north and another going straight on to the east. There was nothing else here and nothing unusual about the walls. We marked 26 on the wall.

We headed north and after 20 feet there was an enforced right turn and after 30 or 40 feet an option on the right, which immediately turned to the left, parallel to the current passage. We marked this 27. Back down the passage behind us, Mago noticed something on the wall on the left soon after leaving the previous chamber before the enforced turn to the right.

He found a small hole which he poked with a tool. His tool got stuck but he wiggled it and there was a click and part of the wall opened into a room 20 feet by 20 feet with no other exits. Like the earlier secret chamber that we had found, there was the remains of desiccated linen and an Egyptian style bed. There were large storage jars on one wall and a rack with shelves and small jars on another.

We left the chamber and returned to junction 27. The option on the right turned immediately left and this led to the complex junction already labelled 7. We retuned to junction 27 and turned right, eastwards and after 60 feet Amphius reached the end of the passage where there was a door ahead. The door looked similar to the recessed door with a trap. Behind us, Mago noticed something about the floor 30 or 40 feet back. We tried to retrace our steps and avoid stepping on the area Mago had pointed out. Si'aspiqo tripped and sprawled, dropping a torch and I stumbled over him, but we regained our feet and managed to get past without triggering anything.

Amphius looked carefully at the trap. He could see a crack in the floor and Mago joined him to investigate further. There were three cracks here altogether one 10 feet on from the first and another 10 feet further. They thought that when something happened this would create a 20 feet long slide into something below. They speculated that maybe instead of triggering darts, the door would trigger the slide. Mago thought there was a 10 feet safe area in front of the door.

We return to the small chamber marked 26 and turn left which led to the east. After 40 feet the passage came to a dead end. The passage was a little narrower, but the end wall felt solid. Amphius noticed nothing unusual in the area and Mago agreed.

We returned via junctions 27 and 7 to the shaft room, where the sun was shining brightly with a reddish tinge. We all climbed safely up the ladders and emerged into the sun which was well towards the horizon. We returned safely to Kuku. Once we were back at the kraal Si'aspiqo summarized that we had agreed to deal with the ghouls but not to close the complex, although he had not wanted to say while we were under the Red Dune in case the guardian could hear.

It was not long before we had a visit from Deobey, wanting to know what progress we had made. Baal-Shaq reported on our explorations, explaining that we had dealt with some skeletons and mapped out the layout. He added that more explorations would be needed, but tomorrow we would need to make further preparations before returning to the Red Dune. Deobey pressed him on whether any treasures had been found, and Baal-Shaq told him we had found nothing valuable.

The party discussed how we might trap and deal with the ghouls, who seemed reluctant to attack us when we were all together and prepared. We explored the idea of someone trailing past the burrows in the maze on their own to lead them to the rest of the party but decided that as the ghouls knew the maze much better than we did, that we would probably be better on the surface. Maybe we could try to entice them by having one or two people wandering off from the rest. One suggestion was to camp above the shaft room and have some of the party in the shaft room and some on the surface, although this would mean that it would be very difficult for one group to come to the aid of the other. Another suggestion was to camp close to the site we had used previously and have one or two foolish wanderers leave the camp. Baal-Shaq pointed out that the early part of the night would be dark and just lit by the stars with the moon rising closer to midnight.

Si'aspiqo made six incendiary torches with the assistance of Mago, and we requested from Deobey that other ordinary torches be supplied.

From Sammus’s Boast:

157: E40 – The Red Dune – The Pool Room

We left Kuku early the next morning under clear blue skies promising another hot day. We were ferried to the landing near the Red Dune and again left with a boat to enable us to return when we wanted. We climbed up to the top of the dune and then began descending the shaft via the ladders. Si'aspiqo fell and I failed to get a proper grip of the rope, but did slow his descent somewhat. My hands were a bit burnt and the magician was bruised by his fall. I then slipped when it was my turn, but Baal-Shaq grasped the rope, and I descended safely.

We rested for 10 minutes before Mago led us out of the room and followed the passages round to a hole I had labelled 18. Mago went through to a passage, and we turned left, eastwards, which we had not explored yet. After 40 feet there was an enforced right turn followed by an option on the right which I labelled 28, but we continued straight on southwards for 40 feet to an enforced right turn. Just around the corner, a very large centipede reared up like a cobra but missed as Mago backed off and threw a knife. The knife struck the millipede, which dropped down dead. It was as big as Mago’s forearm, and I saw Si'aspiqo thrust the body in his sack for further investigation. After 50 feet we reached a junction, already labelled 20.

We return to 28, which was now an option on the left or passage continued. We turned left and after 20 feet Mago noticed something in the shadows above him. He held up his torch and could make out a thin groove running across the ceiling of the passage. Further forward was an alcove. I boosted Mago up to the groove and he could feel metal and some spikes and thought it was an iron grille or portcullis, so we left this and went around the passages past the hole out to 18 to get to where the end of that passage with the trap would line up but found nothing unusual there.

We went out through the hole at 18 and turned left to junction 5 where we turned left again. We headed south to junction 4, where we turned left again. After 30 feet this came out at junction 19.

We retraced our steps to junction 5 and turned left to head to junction 6. Here we headed south to where the passage widened into a chamber after 40 feet with a secret door on either side. We took the passage to the east in the southeast corner and followed this around to the right where it turned back on itself and then came to junction 9 and then on to junction 10.

From here we headed south following the passage past a couple of junctions and round a few turns to junction 13. We turned right here, to the south and then followed the passage to junction 14, where we turned left to the south. We passed an option on the right which we had explored but had not labelled. We labelled it 29 but continued south. After 50 feet there was a no option left turn and then after 60 feet the passage ended in a door ahead. Mago checked for grooves and pressure pads but found nothing. He checked the door and was suspicious of a brick in front of it and then of the door itself. Tapping around the door it sounded like solid rock and seemed to have been chiseled to give the impression of bricks.

We left it and returned to 14 and turned right and then were forced to turn left. Just before the next enforced left turn which would lead north to junction 13, Mago noticed something in the left hand wall. He thought there might be a door just prior to the turn. He investigated further and Amphius came up to help him. The Greek slipped a dagger into cracks in the wall and found a jagged set of bricks outlining a door. There was no obvious way of triggering it and both Amphius and Mago were mystified. They went up and down the corridor looking for possible triggers but still found nothing. Si'aspiqo joined looked at the door and casting a cantrip could feel there was something magic here. He could feel no iron there, neither could he determine how the door opened. We marked it for subsequent further investigation.

We continued up to 13 turn and turned right and then went straight across at the crossroads. At junction 2 we turned left and after 20 feet as the passage ended, we went through a narrow opening in the right-hand wall and turned left onto a passage heading north. We followed the passage round three turns to reach the secret door into the room with the pools. It took a while but eventually Amphius managed to find and open the door, and we labelled the wall opposite 30.

We entered the very large room and wedged the door open behind us. Off to the east and south of the first corner, we could see the burnt remains of the blob that had attacked Amphius last time. Amphius watched out into the darkness of the corridor and Agripinus shone the light of Tanit brightly through the whole room. The bright light enabled us all to make out three rows of stone pillars, each running north south parallel to each other, with four in the westernmost aisle and two each in the other two aisles. The aisle of two were matched with the southernmost columns of the aisle of four.

Around the columns were 13 stone pools. Two in the first row, west to east, making a diamond pattern with the two northernmost pillars in the aisle of four. Then three in the next row and then four in the last two rows, so that each pool was equidistant between the pillars around it. Going west to east for each row and then each row in turn as we headed south Si'aspiqo explored the pools labelling them A to M as he went:

As he looked at each pool with liquid or something in it Si'aspiqo felt a tingle of magic. It seemed similar in set up to the pools in Kaskator.

From Sammus’s Boast:

159: E41 – The Red Dune – Ghouls

It was now an hour or so after midday and we headed out of the pool room and returned to the shaft room. Si'aspiqo inspected the paintings on the wall in the adjacent chamber in the light cast by Agripinus’s orb. The scenes did not look Egyptian or Kushite to him. They were Underworld scenes reminiscent of Persian, Syrian work or maybe older work from earlier peoples in this area.

As the sun started to sink towards the horizon we climbed out and walked down the slope. We set up camp off the dune, in sight of the burrows. Baal-Shaq suggested two of us go out from the camp, once the moon had risen, and pretend to investigate something in the sand — he and I volunteered. Agripinus blessed the area around the camp and Si'aspiqo set out markers outside of that but cast no magic yet.

Once the moon had risen, Baal-Shaq and I took a spade and walked about 50 yards from the camp. Baal-Shaq had lit a lantern and turned it down low, and he now placed it on the ground, and we started to dig, whilst keeping watch around us. Si'aspiqo lay down to watch in dreamland and had uneasy dreams — something was out there he felt although nothing manifested. Toxoanassa had the feeling she was being watched and thought she had seen motion at the top of the dune, but no-one else saw anything.

Soon Amphius saw motion off to where the sun had set, away from the dune. Maybe a shadow or two moved out there. Baal-Shaq nudged me, whispering: “something is out there”. Amphius loosed an arrow at long range and Mago joined in after calling on Baal for luck. Amphius hit something crawling close to the ground and shouted: “from the West!”. Toxoanassa struck the same shadow. Si'aspiqo was startled awake by the shout and Agripinus jumped to his feet and started chanting.

Baal-Shaq and I drew our swords; he placed his lantern on the ground and headed to the West and I followed. Amphius struck home again. and the shadow went to ground. Toxoanassa, Amphius and Mago all hit the other shadow, and it went to ground too. Baal-Shaq and I dispatched them both as they writhed on the ground.

Si'aspiqo used his fetish to feel for ghouls and felt nothing more than a residue from where Baal-Shaq and I were searching the remains. Baal-Shaq removed the two heads; each was slightly distorted from the original human form, with long sharp teeth. We found a bracelet gold and a leather thong holding a semi-precious stone. We returned to camp.

The rest of the night was uneventful. By daylight we could see the semi-precious stone was pink and mottled, maybe granite or a mineral, and shaped into a cube and the bracelet was of hammered gold and a fair weight. We took the boat back to Kuku, after ditching the heads in the river and arrived in the early morning. Deobey soon joined us, eager for a progress report.

Baal-Shaq told him that we thought we had destroyed the ghouls, but we needed to verify this and investigate the attractive force in the dune. We wondered if the ghouls were what remained of the party that had sunk the shaft into the dune and first explored it. Baal-Shaq asked what information Deobey had about that party and they discussed this for a while. Baal-Shaq showed him the pendant and the bracelet, Baal-Shaq then told us that Deobey had explained that foreigners had visited the mound and were similar in number to our own party. He had not recognised what we had found but could not say that this had not been theirs. Deobey was pleased and would report to the King that we had dealt with the wandering dead and would investigate further. He seemed interested in the gold. We requested more torches and a net from Deobey. Baal-Shaq thought the bracelet might have been Numidian.

We tried to rest during the day, but the town was very noisy and many of us found it difficult to sleep. We discussed whether to investigate the pools further or the grate and the steps down. When we decided on starting with the grate, Baal-Shaq managed to get two chunky lumps of wood to use to prop up the grate if we managed to raise it. They looked like two pieces of a large beam and were each rigged up as a backpack. The following morning, we set off with these, the net and extra torches, back to the Red Dune.

Once we had ascended the dune we lowered the packs containing the wood, extra torches and net down the shaft and descended the makeshift ladder. Mago and Amphius then led the way to look at the grate. Amphius opened the door near junction 7 and then he and Mago investigated the grate. It was flush to the ground at the bottom, making it difficult to grasp, but Baal-Shaq, Toxoanassa and I took hold of the grate and tried to raise it. We strained for a while but could not shift it. We took a rest and then made another attempt and only shifted it very slightly before we tired. We took a longer rest and Mago and Amphius took another look at the grate and beyond.

Amphius thought he could see something, maybe a pile of rubbish, or maybe a body about 25 feet beyond the grate, on the steps down. Once we had rested, Toxoanassa, Baal-Shaq and I tried once more and this time, we moved the grate an inch or two and Mago quickly hammered in a wedge. Now Mago could get ropes under it and rig harnesses, and we could get a better grip. We managed to get it up a little further and Mago got a full block underneath. After another 15 minutes’ rest we managed to haul it up far enough and Mago managed to slide both blocks under. There was now enough room for all of us to crawl under.

While the three of us recuperated from our exertions, Amphius, Mago and Si'aspiqo crawled through and Agripinus watched. There was a six-foot square landing immediately beyond the grate and then at least 30 feet of stone steps leading down. There was a desiccated body on the stairs. It didn’t look very old and was dressed in contemporary Egyptian clothing. Beyond the body was graffiti on the wall in Egyptian script: “Osiris save me! Your servant Menes begs for mercy”. There was a cloth cap, and a golden headband, with the head of a cobra, poking through. The body had Greek-style leather armguards and a broken shortsword. There might have been fragments of that under the grate. There was a sturdy leather pouch with an ingeniously made set of iron tools for opening locks, the stubs of three torches, an empty, dry and cracked water bottle, and a purse with 30 gold pieces and 50 silver coins — a mixture of Carthaginian and Ptolemaic. The latter had been recently minted in Alexandra. The feet were shod in high, sturdy leather sandals. Si'aspiqo told us that the cobra headband was socially significant, and he had seen pictures of these in the temple of Karnak. Either the body was that of a priest or maybe he had looted it from one.

Beyond the body the steps led to a dead end. Amphius found a step that moved slightly and seemed to be the trigger for the grate. It didn’t seem to be resettable. There were no signs of secret doors. After some study, Si'Aspiqo thought the headband had some magical power or virtue within it, although he would need more time to decipher its secrets.

From Sammus’s Boast:

160: E42 – The Red Dune – A Funeral

I crammed the dried-out corpse of the thief in an extra pack and carried that on my back. We crawled back under the grate and returned to the shaft room where I left the pack and body. Amphius led us past junction 21 to a right turn and nearby burrows. Si'aspiqo took out his ghoul finger and concentrated. He felt no ghouls in range and even when he concentrated for longer and pushed out as far as his fetish could reach; he felt nothing in range, just a lingering odour. We headed back past the shaft room and on past junction 5 to the crossroads. We went straight on to the pile of bones and again Si'aspiqo took out the ghoul finger to search for traces of ghouls and felt nothing.

We returned to the crossroads and turned to the west to investigate the possible magic door to the south of junction 13. First, we stepped out the distance from the enforced left turn after junction 13 down to where it turned to the right and compared it to the distance from junction 13 south to the right turn. There was a difference of 10 feet, so there would be enough room for them to a small space or even a passage and steps down behind it.

Amphius could see the irregular outline of a hidden door, but nothing to trigger it. Mago found a loose tile, and pulled it out, but it wasn’t any mechanism, and the ground was solid beneath, so he replaced the tile. Si'aspiqo tried a cantrip to focus his luck. Agripinus gave a blessing and sang a hymn, both of which sought to help Si'aspiqo in his endeavors. The magician then cast a cantrip to establish the most fortunate way to proceed. He undertook a physical examination of the area but found nothing. Agripinus felt a certain disconnection as he sang as though something was opposing him. He didn’t feel as holy as he expected. Si'aspiqo thought it was best to give up for now and try again later.

We headed west from junction 13 and followed the passage, round corners up past junction 10 and through the door here and Mago and Amphius looked for the secret door on the left. Mago opened it and Si'aspiqo looked for suitable jars. He found 8 small ceramic jars with dried wooden lids, which still fitted. There were many more. He also collected some candles in a bag. He left and closed the door behind him.

Amphius then opened the secret door in the opposite room and looked through the two rooms there. There were a couple of black clay tablets in the northern of the two rooms with cuneiform markings on. Amphius thought the rooms had been looted, but Agripinus thought they had just been abandoned. The remains of robes in one of the rooms looked like they might have been ceremonial. We left the northern chamber via the secret door and turned left and headed to the shaft room. The pack with the body was still there. Toxoanassa and I rested in the shaft room while Amphius, Si'aspiqo, Mago and Agripinus climbed the ladder and the pack with the body was hoisted up on the rope.

They descended the slope of the dune under the heat of the noon sun and looked for some brushwood. They made a fire and Si'aspiqo tried to enhance it. It took him two attempts but then it flared up. The magician then said a few words he knew from the book of the dead and they burnt the body and then climbed back up the dune hill. Then climbed back down the ladder to join us.

While they were outside, I saw a large scorpion scuttle in from the corridor and stamped on it. Baal-Shaq said it was a poisonous desert scorpion.

When we were all back together, we discussed our options and decided to stay overnight in the shaft room, so that Si'aspiqo could tell if anything visited him in his dreams, and we could all see if anything disturbed us. A small party fetched the remaining torches from the boat and noticed there was more traffic on the river than we had seen previously. We also collected another bag of candles from the chamber with the rock pillars as dusk approached.

Si'aspiqo set up a ward against evil around the base of the shaft, and we set up half a dozen candles. We set up three watches for the night: Mago and I on first watch, Amphius and Baal-Shaq on second and Toxoanassa and Agripinus on third. Meanwhile Si'aspiqo went to sleep and tried to enter the land of dreams, where the dead walk and Powers speak to the Wise.

From Si'aspiqo’s Wheeze:

161: The Red Dune’s Overseer

Though in general it often best to dream while open to the subtle hints of the the Gods and Powers which hold sway in the land of sleep, in preparing to sleep in the entrance chamber of the ancient construction beneth the Red Dune I held it likely I would be facing some malevolent force, perhaps the demonic form which so twisted the perceptions of my comrades in an early stage of the explorations here, and so protections might be advisable even despite the risk of not receiving subtler intimations.

So I donned the cloak made from the pelt of the Black Lion as symbolic of the strength and fearlessness of one who has won the epithet of ‘Lion Hunter’. To this I added the green crystal spiral ring from the lair of the Shedim of Kaskator with its virtue of good fortune, and the protection of the gold-set, carved gem scarab from the encounter with the Kamalton. Other tokens and tricky trinkets were laid aside as likely a distraction, and of more use on the material plane than whichever of the spirit places I would visit.

I wandered in the dark and shifting mist mazes of sleep a while, until I came to a way light by candles — of tallow, from their pungent, smoky yellow flames — which led me through the confused mutterings and wailing of the last words of the newly dead to a more purposeful chanting of passages of the Book of the Dead as the line of candles before me turned to my right hand, time and time again, extinguishing as I passed them; there was no way back.

I came with silent footfalls to a well-lit chamber where stood a priest of the classic Egyptian style, with shaved head and plain white robe. At their sandalled feet I could count seven candles (I speculate that there may have been two more behind the priest to complete the traditional nine gods of the Pesedjet, but perhaps Set and Nepthys were excluded to minimise the effects of the chaos they represent so to favour Ma'at, or unchanging order, as part of the preservation of this place…)

As I approached the priest was chanting a passage I am not familiar with from any edition of the Book which I have studied, a bidding of the Guardian of Anubis to “await the Call to Faith, lest tomb-robbers return…” at which point the priest noticed my arrival and broke off.

A keen gaze from the priest focussed on the tokens I bore even in dream and they greeted me:

“Aha ! I see you clearly now. You are no Egyptian – with Lion cloak, a ring of power and your soul protected by a royal scarab – surely you are a Kushite from the Southern Kingdom, not some ragged adept from the desert waste !

“You stand straight and undaunted, I see, as one who has walked under the silent stars before, and talked to the Powers, perhaps.

“So… have you done as I bid ?”

I could truthfully answer the priest that we had, that the ghouls were lured outside of their domain, destroyed in the wider world and disposed by fire or flood to prevent their return. Further we had also removed the remains of an adherent of the Osiris of our contemporaneous world lest they too turned ghoul.

But before we set to sealing the ways in, as best as we might though mortal effort, I wished to confirm some aspects of the Overseer’s domain:

• The dark shadow over this area will inevitably act as a lure to the likes of ghouls and graverobbers.
• The existance of secret and magically controlled door we had found in a maze passage, but not yet penetrated to be able to check for unwelcome visitors.
• The pool array of the Sumer people — which I have seen the like of in another shadowed place — displayed some signs of decay and corruption that might give rise to further problems.
• And finally the gargoyle itself in its peculiar room.

I asked for guidance as to how or whether we should extend our cleansing to these matters.

Venerable Martak was pleased to give guidance as they hold the role of Overseer of this installation:

• The magic door contains the Guardian of Anubis. Should they give the Call of Faith, it will emerge to roam the passageways and destroy all it finds. However the ghouls hid in tunnels too small for the Guardian to enter.
• The pools are the purpose of the facility; which is closed and no longer maintained except in their eternal guardianship as Overseer.
• The gargoyle guards the way below whence the Darkness seeps, guarding the way to other worlds against mortal intrusion.

(As an aside, we have of course met similar arrangements at Kaskator, but the guardianship of the way beyond was perhaps aged and broken down, or interfered with and removed.)

I put it to Overseer Martak that while we could not destroy the intricacies of the ghoul burrows completely — as mortal people are bulkier than bone-thin ghouls — we could essay the covering of the external exits and entrances.

The overseer agreed we need only take mortal pracitcal measures. “Yes, that is what I would have you do. Seal up this place again. Close all the exits and hide them from view. It is inevitable that some may sense the darkness and seek to meddle. My purpose is to maintain this place sealed and secret.”

Gratifyingly, they went on: “You deserve some reward or recompense. You may take a dozen containers from any of the pools that still function when you seal this place. They produce components for healing, elementally pure substances… and weapons should they be needed. Take care, some of them have their own perils.”

“I pay you for your service… and your silence. There will always be dabblers and tomb robbers. I will have to deal with them if they return. But if you can unmake the paths they have made and warn others against entry, you have fulfilled your bargain.”

I explained how the facility they oversee appeared at our moment in time. The huge dune, with the ghoul burrows emerging near the top ridge and an entrance, the one made by mortal men, dug straight down from the top of the dune into an antechamber of a summoning place. This latter the Overseer had recognised from the feel of the sun peeping in. It too must be closed, breaking and burning the supports and hide everything in there. We should confuse all that we can on the surface and give warning against further disturbance; name it a forbidden place and abode of evil.

Further on the matter of our reward the Overseer noted “One pool for healing, a pool of tempting wine to make the drinker happy and thirsty… A medical substance to give those in pain over to sleep; potent. Then alchemically potent cold and hot water. The dangerous ones are animated green and oozing yellow. Beware.”

“There is Cold Fire; Ever hot; Compulsion of telling the Truth; and Forget Them All. Something like that.”

“You may take 12 containers with you and then seal the complex.”

Then we exchanged parting compliments and customary wishes and I made may way back to the world of the living.

From Sammus’s Boast:

162: E43 – The Red Dune – The Guardian Again

The first two watches passed quietly, although a couple of large scorpions tried to get in from the corridor. They were quickly stomped on. As Toxoanassa and Agripinus were awoken to begin the third watch, Si'aspiqo stirred and let us know he had been dream-walking and spoken with the guardian again.

I will allow Si'aspiqo to report on what he had learnt in full, but I will give a short summary of what he reported to us. In the spirit world the magician found himself walking through ill-defined passages, following a line of candles, following distant chanting, which sounded like spells from the book of the dead repeating. Behind him he heard what he suspected were the cries, gabbling and pleading of the dead. He followed multiple corners all turning to the right and becoming closer together to where he had previously seen the guardian. This time it appeared as a priest in a better-appointed chamber, clean-shaven and bald, so it was hard to discern age or gender. The priest was chanting as Si'aspiqo entered, wearing his green ring, scarab and lionskin cloak. This time his entrance made an impression, and the priest recognised that he was not some ragged adept out of desert.

The magician explained that we had destroyed the ghouls outside the complex and buried any remains outside or thrown them in the river, along with the body of the adherent of Osiris we found in the trap. He asked the priest, Martak, if this was all acceptable and if there was anything else required before we sealed the place. Si'aspiqo mentioned his concern about the dark shadow over this place and three locations in particular – a magic door, the pool array and the gargoyle in the strange room.

The spirit-priest told him that behind the magic door was a Guardian of Anubis, which roamed the corridor destroying intruders, but which had been unable to pursue the ghouls into their burrows. The priest confirmed that the pools were what we thought and like those in Kaskator. He warned that the red wine was addictive and sapped the will, but Si'aspiqo speculated that an abstemious priest might view these things differently. Also, he learned that some of the pools contained elemental things valuable to alchemy, and some were poisons. We were given permission to remove 12 vessels filled with the contents of the pools as a fee for a job well done. The priest warned that the gargoyle in the demon room guarded access to the underworld. Perhaps the magic of the pools was driven by leakage from the underworld, which had been blocked as far as possible. The spirit warned against any trespass into the Underworld — our task was to destroy the burrows and conceal any entrances to this place. Although the guardian seemed unaware of the details of digging down here, we were commanded to destroy the tomb-robbers’ shaft as well.

The rest of the night passed without incident and in the morning, we made our way to the room in the north-west corner, where Mago opened the secret door. Here there were five large jars, 3 empty and two full of a liquid. We opened the first full jar, which was three quarters full of what, after investigation, Si'aspiqo determined to be stale water. The second was heavier, and he determined it to be very old vegetable oil, enough to burn a lamp for a long time. We returned with all the jars to the shaft room and left them there, then headed via junction 6 to the wider corridor heading south with secret doors on either side.

Amphius opened the secret door into the room with many rock pillars, there were only small jars. Amphius filled a pack with candles and then led us south past junctions 11 and 12 and then turned right at junction 13. We passed the potential magic door, and he walked by, Agripinus had a more acute feeling that all was not quite holy here. We went straight past junction 14, and then turned right to a dead end where Amphius opened the secret door on his right. Here there was a small table, and five empty large storage jars all stoppered. We took all five jars and returned to the shaft room via junctions 14, 29 and the small chamber room labeled 26. We now had a stock of 10 large jars.

After a brief discussion we decided that Si'aspiqo should investigate the pools for the rest of the day and then all return to Kuku before dusk to spend the night, before returning with spades and any other supplies we needed. We took the first five jars with us to the pool room, including the two containing water and oil. We made our way past junctions 7, 6, 5 and 18 following the passage to where 30 was marked on the opposite wall to help locate the secret door. Amphius opened the secret door and leaving Si'aspiqo to investigate carefully the rest of us amused ourselves as best we could while keeping a watch. We returned to the shaft room, ascended the ladder and returned safely to Kuku before dusk.

Deobey arrived soon after our return and Baal-Shaq spoke to him. Baal-Shaq explained to us that we needed shovels and more water and would return to the Red Dune the next day.

Si'aspiqo wheezes:

163: Pools’ Properties Partially Perused

Following from the Overseer’s, Mar-Tak’s, words:

They produce components for healing, elementally pure substances… and weapons should they be needed. Take care, some of them have their own perils.
…
One pool for healing (1), a pool of tempting wine (2) to make the drinker happy and thirsty… A medical substance to give those in pain over to sleep (3); potent. Then alchemically potent cold (4) and hot water (5). The dangerous ones are animated green (6) and oozing yellow (7). Beware. There is Cold Fire (8); Ever hot (9); Compulsion of telling the Truth (10); and Forget Them All (11). Something like that.

I have conducted further investigation and assigned these descriptions as seems appropriate:

Late note: The large jars we have found here under the Red Dune are about 15L capacity, the small about 1L.

From Sammus’s Boast:

164: E44 – The Red Dune – Collecting Our Reward

We discussed which pools would best supply us with contents we could transport safely and would give us the best value. We were worried about transporting the corrosive liquid and when Mago told us that he thought it was like a concentrated form of the mild acids used in metalworking, we decided the risks would outweigh any potential rewards. We decided we would take the cold crystal and then four containers of the healing pool and four of the one that helped those in pain to sleep along with three of the wine.

We needed something with a wider neck to fit the crystal and only had ten large amphorae, so Baal-Shaq, Mago, Amphius and Si'aspiqo went to the market to buy supplies. They bought a couple of large gourds with stoppers and Si'aspiqo picked out some beeswax and some resinous compounds for seals. They found tongs and a cup on a bronze rod for pouring liquid from the pool into larger containers. Amphius also bought two very large, ceramic, tear-shaped containers with a net of fibres and a pole to carry them. They also found some wooden shovels, twine and hide, along with some oil lamps to burn the oil we had found. Si'aspiqo spent time preparing his seals and Mago made sure the stoppers closely fitted the gourds.

The following morning, we loaded up a boat and were rowed to the Red Dune, where a boat was left for our return. We made our way to the top of the dune. Amphius descended the shaft and then guided our supplies as they were lowered. Then the rest of us followed. We made our way, with our supplies, to the secret door to the pool room. Amphius soon opened it and once we were within, Si'aspiqo started purifying all the containers.

Amphius used the tongs to pick up the steaming white crystal and carefully put it in the gourd. Mago secured the stopper and Si'aspiqo magically sealed it. Each of the containers was filled carefully, the stopper secured and then magically sealed by the magician. This was the work of a few hours as Si'aspiqo had to pause to meditate periodically. By the time all was finished it was early afternoon. Baal-Shaq stayed in the pool room with Si'aspiqo as he rested from his work, while the rest of us carried the full containers, in harnesses, to the chamber with the shaft. When all the containers had been transferred everyone returned to that room and rested, while Si'aspiqo meditated.

After a short rest, I climbed up to the top of the shaft. Amphius and Mago secured the rope to each container in turn, and I hoisted each one up. Each time Amphius followed closely as I hoisted the container, to ensure there were no problems. On one occasion Amphius slipped when descending but quickly recovered and on another trip one of the containers clattered against the side of the shaft but didn’t break. By the time this was complete there were 3 or 4 hours of daylight remaining.

Mago had spent some time working out where to set a fire to bring down the shaft. He decided to set up firewood and lamp oil at the base of the shaft, where it broke through into the ceiling of the chamber far below, and pile it up high before soaking it, and the ladder, with lamp-oil. He was confident this would burn well and should consume all the supports of the shaft, causing it to collapse. Si'aspiqo thought he could use his arts to help. He gave Mago a quickly burning torch to jam with the wood behind the ladder.

Everyone else climbed to the top and Mago set up his fire, securing some of the wood between the ladder and the shaft, including the torch Si'aspiqo had given him. At the same time Agripinus, Baal-Shaq, Toxoanassa and I carried containers down to the shore and stowed them safely in the centre of the boat. On the third and final trip both Toxoanassa and I slipped and fell, but fortunately the containers came to no harm. Baal-Shaq stayed to guard the boat, while the rest of us returned to the top of the dune.

Mago finished the awkward task of setting up his bonfire while on the ladder, and although some of the sticks fell through to the bottom of the shaft, he was confident the bonfire would do the job. He placed Si'aspiqo’s torch at the top and climbed up to the top of the shaft. We waited for dusk.

As soon as the sun had set, Si'aspiqo secured the rope around himself, and I grasped hold of it, then the magician carefully descended ten feet. He ignited his torch with a cantrip. The fire quickly took hold but was very smoky. As he tried to climb up, he was overcome by a bout of coughing and slipped. Fortunately, he managed to grab the ladder and resumed climbing. He emerged from the shaft followed by a large amount of oily, black smoke. We waited a while until he stopped coughing and then gave him some water. Once the fire had taken a good hold, he glanced down and could see flames. He cast affect normal fires, but his first attempt failed as he was overcome by another bout of coughing, but a second attempt was more successful and then the fire seemed to take a good hold, as if fed by a bellows far below.

In the darkening evening twilight, we all made our way down to the shore and camped by the boat for the night. The night passed quietly, and we could hardly see any smoke against the stars above.

At dawn we returned to the top of the dune. The ladder had been completely consumed, but there were still some whisps of smoke coming from the shaft, which had not collapsed. The structural supports had all been consumed by the fire too. We could still feel a lot of heat surrounding the shaft. Mago thought it would be very dangerous to try to disturb the shaft from within. Maybe a pick or spear could be used by someone dangling on a rope in the shaft, but there would be a high risk of total collapse, which might engulf anyone working in the shaft. He thought the whole thing would collapse at some point, but he was not sure when.

We filled in the ghoul burrows and then retraced our steps to the boat. We returned safely with our cargo to Kuku and carried our containers to our base camp, where we ate a late breakfast and pondered our next move.

We have our reward, if it can survive crossing the desert, but we have not yet fulfilled our bargain with the dead.

From Sammus’s Boast:

165: E45 – The Red Dune – Sealing the Shaft

We discussed how we might bring down and collapse the shaft. We decided grappling hooks would be the best option. Mid-morning Deobey arrived looking very happy. He babbled in Berber to Baal-Shaq. He enquired how things were progressing and what we had brought back. Baal-Shaq explained we had bought back what we could but were still investigating it. We had eliminated the problems we could but had a little more work to do. He said he would tell the King we had a little more to do but were nearing completion.

Mago and Baal-Shaq went to the blacksmith to have a grapple made. Mago described what he wanted, and the smith fixed together three small anchors and added a loop on top and forged it. It was ready by early afternoon. We left Baal-Shaq and his men to look after the camp and made our way up river to start work about an hour before dusk.

We climbed to the top of the dune, where it looked as though there was debris from the fire, which had scattered around the shaft. We tried to tidy it up, by raking sand over it. Mago secured a heavy rope through the loop on the grapple, and I dropped it on one side of the shaft and then with help from Toxoanassa and Agripinus, I dragged it back to the shaft from the far side.

It dropped straight down the shaft and caught fast about 20 feet down. We pulled hard, but it did not move, so we circled round the hole to the other side and tried again. It still was held fast and Amphius joined us and eventually we pulled it clear.

We lowered it again and jiggled it around to try to score the surface of the shaft and after a short time it caught fast again. We hauled away and it came free. There had been no rumbling or crashing sounds so far, so we continued dragging it round, but nearer the top of the shaft. This time there was a big puff of dust. Next time there were more puffs of dust, and it felt like something was starting to crumble. The grapple stuck again and as we pulled it free once more, there were more collapsing sounds. I pulled it a bit higher and tried again and we continued to drag it around the shaft scoring the surface and then pulling it free when it got stuck. There were more sounds of collapsing sand and then a few rocks tumbling. When we tried again there was a loud crumpfff and the shaft collapsed. Toxoanassa, Agripinus and I immediately let go of the rope as it was pulled down into the collapsing shaft, but Amphius had a loop of rope around his wrist and was dragged down a bit before he could let go. He ended up in a collapsed hole up to his waist in sand. With help from Mago and Toxoanassa he managed to clamber free.

A small tuft of rope sticking out of a small depression was all that was left of the shaft. We brushed and dug away at the sand in relays by lantern light and the stars and cut off the tuft of rope. After an hour the depression was wider but shallower and more sand was scattered down the slope to make it look like a natural slip.

We carried our gear back down to the boat, camped for the night nearby and Mago, Agripinus, Toxoanassa and I split into two watches, while Amphius and Si'aspiqo slept. Si'aspiqo had a very disturbed night, fitfully waking throughout the night.

We went up to check the site in the morning light. We found a few strands of rope and a little detritus, which Si'aspiqo picked up. We used brushes to remove any smudges related to the fire. There was only one thing on the ridge that could be a collapsed shaft, but it would only be evident if someone knew there had been a shaft. We brushed our steps back down to the boat and returned safely to Kuku, arriving in time for breakfast and told Baal-Shaq what we had done.

Deobey soon arrived and Baal-Shaq let him know that the place was now sealed, but it was a cursed place, that was best avoided, where there were still things that would destroy men. We had removed some things that were not cursed and might be valuable. Deobey looked delighted and ran off clapping his hands and babbling. He returned to tell us that the King was also delighted and there would be a celebratory feast where we could tell our stories and show what we had found. We agreed to offer the King three of the containers, one of each liquid, and we would try to carry the rest back across the desert. We would share what made it safely to the other side, so that the risk was shared collectively. We washed and dressed up. Toxoanassa, Baal-Shaq and I wore Numidian robes and other wore their own traditional garb. I made sure I wore all my gold and jewelry.

We arrived at the feast and displayed the containers we had filled from the pools along with all the lot we had taken, including the hammered gold bracelet, semi-precious stone on a thong and the gold cobra headband. Everyone seemed happy and there was quite a celebration, and we were invited to Askey-Za’s palace, which while less impressive than other palaces I had seen was still the largest building in Kuku. Food was being cooked over a large pit with comestibles being rotated on spits and there were lots of dancing girls. Deobey made a long speech, and the King greeted us all and was glad to hear our report. Baal-Shaq summarized that under the leadership of our priest we had carried out the King’s mission in this accursed place, slayed the ghouls and undead and investigated the pools, bringing out what we could and then had sealed the place. However, there were still dangerous things within, and he suggested it might be good to forbid any tinkering with the dune which might unleash further evil. He explained that some of the jars contained wine and others healing draughts. The King took an interest as this was translated and asked questions about the contents of the jars. Si'aspiqo pointed out what was in each and Baal-Shaq and Deobey translated. When he mentioned the wine, the King asked if it were Greek or Carthaginian, and was told yes but it was stronger. The King’s eyes light up and said he had never tasted Greek wine. Baal-Shaq gave a long explanation of how strong it was and the possible impact of drinking too much, but it seemed that Deobey just told the King it was good stuff, and the King beamed and wanted to try some. Deobey sampled a small amount first and then the King had a large bowl filled, which he quickly drained, and food and water was passed around his guests. Amphius suggested watering the wine in the Greek fashion, and this was translated by Baal-Shaq. The feast with lots of food, singing and dancing and telling of tales and the King drank more wine and even gave small amounts to favoured guests including ourselves. As he drank the King began to lose interest in the tales.

The King made a speech with lots of expansive gestures, and he hugged us all, even Toxoanassa. The two other jars of wine were lined up with the already opened one and Deobey gave a short translation. The King had said that this was all good news, we were all his friends and would be welcome in Kuku forever, and we should carry on eating and drinking. As soon as it was politic we left the feast with the remaining nine jars and the rest of our loot, and the King waved happily from his throne as we left.

We had nine containers to transport across the desert, which would not leave much room for ivory, so Baal-Shaq told us he did not plan on buying any tusks this time. He suggested we purchase any supplies we need and anything we wished to buy from the market in the morning, then get some rest. Then, if the Kel Ayr were ready, we would set off in the evening on our return journey.

From Sammus’s Boast:

166: E46 — Return to Fort Adjel

When Baal-Shaq returned from the feast at midnight he told the Kel Ayr that we would be leaving at dusk that evening. We were all warned to get some sleep during the day while the Kel Ayr packed.

Mago, Toxoanassa, Si'aspiqo, Agripinus and I accompanied Baal-Shaq to the market, but Amphius stayed to sleep. Mago bought some ivory trinkets, Toxoanassa bought a necklace of carved ivory, Si'aspiqo traded some powders for a flask of aromatic oils, and I bought two large and strange ivory figures — people with large heads and small bodies carved out of ivory. Si'aspiqo thought them strikingly ugly but considered they could be used in rituals, even though they were not intrinsically magic. Baal-Shaq sold a stock of high-quality sea salt. We returned to camp to get some rest for the remainder of a very warm day.

By the end of the afternoon on 3rd March, the Key Ayr had collected large quantities of water and other supplies and had packed the containers on the camels, and we made ready to depart. Baal-Shaq told us we would travel all night before stopping to avoid any risk of interference from anyone following from Kuku.

We set out with Si'aspiqo on one of the camels, four packed with our containers, supplies and water and Barsoom riding the largest camel. We travelled without incident and camped for the day.

We travelled for three more nights. Amphius turned his ankle and needed some healing the first night. We made good progress as we headed north and slightly east with high ground to the east with some rocky outcrops and flat sand north and west.

As we rested during the fourth day clouds started to cover the desert skies and it became very humid with a light wind. During that night the wind swung round to come from the north, blowing sand in our faces which slowed our progress.

The wind continued during the day but slowly dropped that evening, 9th March. I fell after two days of little sleep and was quite tired by the end of the night and Si'aspiqo fell off his camel. When we stopped, Agripinus carried out a healing ritual and Mago gave us both massages and we soon felt recovered.

On the evening of 10th March, we set out again. Half-way through a cloudy dark night with no wind, Amphius, scouting a little ahead, saw shapes moving in the desert ahead and heard a noise. He returned to the caravan and warned Baal-Shaq and Barsoom. It was soon apparent that many camels were heading in our direction and the Kel Ayr thought it was more of their own people. There seem to be a couple of dozen camels, including two larger ones being ridden.

Barsoom rode out to meet them, and Asmun, Baal-Shaq, Toxoanassa, Mago and I followed on foot. Baal-Shaq gestured to Toxoanassa to bring her bow. The caravan stopped and Barsoom and the other two riders talked. They seemed to know each other, although they were evidently not close.

Barsoom returned with us to the rest of the party, and we moved off the trail slightly and waited for the other caravan to pass. It took a while. There were a few people walking amongst the camels and a couple of others being transported on camel back like Si'aspiqo. There was some staring in the darkness between the two groups but no hostilities. Those in the caravan had similar equipment to our guides. They were well armed and had obviously been carrying a lot of water along with plenty of trade goods although it looked as though quite a lot of the water had been consumed. There were 15 or 16 people altogether none of whom looked like a foreigner, but then without looking closely it was probably not evident that any of us were foreigners either, although Baal-Shaq and I were extremely large figures. They were clearly on the trail to Kuku and Baal-Shaq commented that it was a large caravan and quite late in the season, which seemed strange. As nothing had arrived in the two weeks we had been in Kuku, he had thought we might be the last for the season.

Once the caravan had passed, we resumed our journey for what remained of the night and then rested for the day. As the morning wore on the wind got up and became gusty from the south and we saw lighting and heard the rumble of thunder in the distance. There was a brief sprinkling of rain after which it was cooler.

The next evening, 11th March, the weather cleared, and we could see stars. We saw the outline of Adjel Fort and were met by a couple of Kel Ayr when we arrived and Barsoom paid a toll.

From Sammus’s Boast:

167: E47 – Attack in the Sandstorm

There were a small number of Kel Ayr based at Fort Adjel, maybe for the season. We rested for the day in the lea of a pitched tent and set watches, while the Kel Ayr refilled our water. We all had a very hot and fitful sleep and took turns with the cooling gourd. By evening the Kel Ayr had prepared a meal to eat before we set off. Si'aspiqo was uneasy about something – he thought we had company in his dreams. He had heard something, and thought something was watching us. He suspected that it was since we left Kuku. He believed there might be two things and Amphius suspected my ivory carvings. Si'aspiqo said there was no evidence that it was these.

The night’s march was uneventful. That day Si'aspiqo set up a protective circle around me. Si'aspiqo concluded that I was haunted, and it was connected to the ivory carvings. He thought they wanted my body and that of Toxoanassa. I left the trinkets in the protective circle and stepped out of it. Si'aspiqo then went back to sleep and tried to reach out to them in his dreams.

When he awoke, he reported that we had incarnations of envy and lust, looking for something to do. They were currently only able to look out, not take any action. Si'aspiqo asked me about the transaction. I told him there had been other figures, and the stall had been right in the corner of the market. The seller was an old, local man. Baal-Shaq looked at the figures and said they were very unusual in style. They were distorted caricatures of humans with strange hairstyles and features, unlike most people. Looking at the expressions we could determine which was envy and which lust. Baal-Shaq suggested they were a juju object and Si'aspiqo added that they were a means of communicating with spirits. Baal-Shaq chuckled and said the night was full of spirits, questing things we could not see. Agripinus thought they were idols. Si'aspiqo told us that they allowed something to see the world but not interact. He had heard them talk about lust for Toxoanassa and envy of my gold.

As we were packing at the end of the day the wind started to rise from the north. After a little of the night the sand was stinging in our faces, and we stopped while the Kel Ayr took time to put up the tent in adverse conditions. The rest of that night and the following day, the 13th March, we were stuck in the storm. The next night the wind started to shift erratically and lessened, and we thought about setting out, but then the wind rose just as strong from the south and the sand continued to blow all through the day.

During the night of 14th to 15th March, the storm continued and Si'aspiqo maintained a protective circle around my pack with the idols. In his dream Si'aspiqo heard the idols much as before. During the first watch of the night, I was awoken by a call for help. It was very dark, and the sandstorm still raged.

I could hear sounds of fighting as I tried to get out of the tent along with chanting from Agripinus and muttering from Si'aspiqo. Suddenly all became clearer as the light of Tanit shone forth from the priest’s orb. Just outside the tent, I saw Baal-Shaq was fighting with an undead armed with a large khopesh held in two hands. Further on I could see Amphius, Toxoanassa and one of the Kel Ayr were fighting more of them and I could hear Mago in combat on the other side of the tent.

Amphius backed away from his opponent, while Si'aspiqo cast protection from evil on Toxoanassa. The undead she was fighting recoiled. I hit the undead armed with the khopesh hard and it staggered, but Baal-Shaq missed. In the confusion Agripinus was jostled and stumbled over the words of another ritual. Si'aspiqo cast another protection from evil, this time on Amphius and I caught sight of Mago, who was being grappled by another undead but managed to stab it.

Agripinus muttered a prayer and the undead facing Toxoanassa turned and retreated. Mago scored his dagger on the skull of the undead grappling him, which forced it back. I hit the undead I was fighting on the arm and sheered it off and it was left ineffectively holding the khopesh in one hand. Baal-Shaq missed again. Si'aspiqo cast protection from undead on me. Mago’s opponent retreated far enough for him to use his sling and there was a crack as the slingshot hit the undead on the leg, breaking it, and it retreated limping.

Si'aspiqo cast a protection on Mago. One of the Kel Ayr stabbed a retreating undead in the head and Mago struck his opponent with another slingshot. My opponent parried my blow with the khopesh and my sword bit into the blade, but Baal-Shaq crunched it in the head, and it collapsed. Mago hit a retreating undead with another slingshot and its left arm went numb and then it was finished off. All the undead had now either been dispatched or had fled into the sandstorm.

I searched the remains. On the leader I found a very large bronze khopesh with a jet handle and Egyptian hieroglyphs on the blade and a strange pectoral carved of stone or semi-precious stone, marked with what Si'aspiqo called a shen ring – a circle with a crosspiece. He explained this was an Egyptian protection ring, which offered eternal protection. It was a variation on a scarab. The leader also had ragged remains of ancient Egyptian armour. One of the other undead had a large intricately carved ivory amulet on one arm, but I found nothing else. Si'aspiqo said that only the shen ring pectoral had any magical virtue, although I thought the khopesh was unusually well-balanced.

Meanwhile Mago used his healing hands to massage Amphius and Agripinus carried out some healing. The rest of the night passed quietly but the sandstorm continued.