Carthago !

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Carthago! is a game by G.M., louisxiv just made a site for it.

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FRIDAY, 22nd November ’24
7:45 for 8pm GMT

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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.


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:

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.



A Timeline

1. On Calendars

I set as the era the year of the accession of the Pharaoh Ptolemy II, son of Ptolemy, so we begin in the year 18 of that reign, and I use a simplified system of twelve months with no regard for the multiple systems of intercalary days, weeks, months or moons of our own various cultures nor those we have passed through. I shall use the month names used by the main story-teller, a Gaul, Sammus the Strong, but number them to disambiguate their order.

2. The Tale of Months

18 Ptolomy 02 – February Scroll 3: Teveste Investigation  
18 Ptolomy 03 – March: Scroll 30: A13 Preparations in Carthage ref. end of March)
18 Ptolomy 04 – April: Scroll 31: A14 Ambushed by Darklings  
18 Ptolomy 05 – May Scroll 71: A36 News from the Darklings  
18 Ptolomy 06 – June Scroll 77: B1 Arrival in Sardinia  
18 Ptolomy 07 – July Scroll 89: C1 A Problem in Emporion  
18 Ptolomy 08 – August Scroll 95: C7 A Month in Emporion  
18 Ptolomy 09 – September Scroll 106: E4 Into Baria  
18 Ptolomy 10 – October Scroll 118: E14 An Agreement  
18 Ptolomy 11 – November Scroll 119: E15 Climbing Abyla  
18 Ptolomy 12 – December Scroll 125: E18 The Black Lion  
19 Ptolomy 01 – January Scroll 137: E26 The Jabba Worm  
19 Ptolomy 02 – February Scroll 142: E31 Three Asuf and a Scorpion