Northwards Ho!
Recounts our travels in the the fifth to seventh month of the nineteenth year of the reign of Pharaoh Ptolomy, son of Ptolomy.
Recounts our travels in the the fifth to seventh month of the nineteenth year of the reign of Pharaoh Ptolomy, son of Ptolomy.
From Sammus’s Boast:
Late in the day on 3rd May, Mago and a guide went ahead to warn Boujje about the curse. Boujje told us to camp outside in the canton, in the same place as we had left our animals before, and he would come and hear our story. Mago returned to let us know and we entered the canton, and Hannibal and the other guides greeted us. When Boujje arrived in the evening, Si'aspiqo told him that we had managed to find a way in, between the paws of the sphinx, and had explored and found it to be a burial place of an Egyptian Priestess of Amun. He then told Boujje of the mummy that we defeated and explained that we had investigated the sarcophagus and took the possessions we found therein. It had soon become apparent that we were cursed, he continued. He explained that we were being followed by some sort of spirit, maybe the personification of the curse or a shadow of the priestess and that he and I had coughs. We showed him the loot, and his eyes gleamed.
These are ancient things he told us. Si'aspiqo told him that the inscription on the stone entrance mentioned the name of a pharaoh which matched that on the great sphinx in the north kingdom. Boujje said this was the strongest proof he had seen that the Egyptians had come this far west. Any debt to me was discharged, he told us, and he promised to advise us as best he could regarding the curse. He let us know that he had bottled the liquid from our amphorae successfully; he had 69 bottles of healing potions and 82 bottles of sleeping draft, giving 46 bottles of healing and 55 bottles of sleeping drafts as our share.
He outlined some options to deal with the curse: we could summon the spirit of the priestess and attempt to make peace; we could summon the haunting shadow and trap it in a small, symbolic maze — if trapped moving endlessly round the maze, he was not sure how long it would hold; Boujje could try to counter the curse with charms of health and tattoos to bind them. He told us he would only charge for his services if he were successful. He left us to rest and consider the options, and to divide the loot into two piles.
The priestess’s dagger seemed sharp and well-balanced to me and as a weapon was broadly similar in value to my shortsword. Si'aspiqo and Agripinus set up wards against evil and we set watches for the night. I was on first watch and felt very tired. It was very quiet, and I realized I was no longer anywhere I recognized, and the stars were unfamiliar. I must have wandered off into the desert. I heard a voice and realizing it was probably the spirit, I put rags in my ears and stood still. I tried to get back to myself and suddenly found myself in a heap at the edge of the stone wall of the canton. I returned to the camp. No-one else was disturbed.
Si'aspiqo spent some time trying to understand the three arcane items. The dagger was quite interesting, he told us. It was very old and something that old, made of iron, would be in itself magical, as it dated from weapons were made of bronze. There was something cold about it, and as well as being sharp, the magician thought he might be able to wield it in his dream. He guessed it was a ritual weapon. The necklace was a thing of beauty, he added, and he suspected it augmented the wearer’s beauty.
Soon after sunset Boujje returned to our camp. Si'aspiqo told him that he was still unsure of one item. He added that concerning the haunting, we were inclined to ask his assistance to trap the spirit, while we reached somewhere where we could make further arrangements. Boujje explained that to do such a thing, we must first build the small tomb ourselves; he had supplies in the desert for this close by. He would then prepare the shaptis to be laid in the tomb. We should each spend a drop of blood to be put on the shaptis in the maze. He would then summon the spirit to the tomb. If this were successful, we would owe him one artifact of arcane power. It would take at least a day to prepare the tomb, if we worked on it together. We agreed that this should come from party loot.
Si'aspiqo and Agripinus set up wards against evil and although Amphius nearly stepped out of the circle, he realized just in time, and no-one was haunted that night. Agripinus had to recover his mana at dawn, but when he carried out his ceremony, he was able to heal Si'aspiqo and I. My cough felt much better. After an early breakfast, we set out to prepare a maze. It was a hot day, and we needed to drink more than normal, but under Mago’s guidance we managed to construct a serviceable maze. Late in the afternoon, Boujje arrived and inspected it. He was pleased with our work and got out a pot. We all squeezed a drop of blood into it, and he added powder from various phials and placed some of the mixture onto each of the shaptis. He then placed the shaptis in the maze. He ordered us to complete the roof apart from one final piece, leaving a hole through which the spirit could be lured. Mago again supervised and the roof was completed safely apart from the final piece. Boujje carried out a ceremony, which Si'aspiqo understood enough of to know it was to summon the spirit of the dead.
Night fell and it felt very cold. With a wave of his hand Boujje dropped the final piece into place. “It is done”, he told us. Toxoanassa told us that she had seen the spirit come from the desert, just as night fell, and disappear into the hole. We walked back a few hundred yards to the encampment.
Boujje asked if we had decided how to make the piles, and when we told him that we hadn’t he told us we could do so tomorrow. We had a warm and peaceful night; no-one was haunted. By morning Si'aspiqo still had found no more about the scarab and we agreed to divide the loot into two piles anyway. One pile had the dagger, two gold bangles, and the gold bracelet with anthropomorphic designs, while the other had the other two arcane items, two more bangles and the damaged blue bracelet from the mummy. Once Boujje had inspected the piles, he decided to take the one with the scarab and necklace. We offered him the khopesh we had found under the red dune. He agreed that it was ancient and had power and was a fair price.
I paid Boujje one of the bottles of potion for a tattoo of health and vigour, as did Mago. These would be activated by a prayer to Baal each dawn. I was told to prick my thumb and rub my blood over the tattoo at dawn and then speak words I had been given. Amphius paid twelve bottles for the necklace of beauty. In the morning, I triggered my tattoo; I was not coughing. Whether this was due to Boujje’s ceremony, the lingering effects of Agripinus’s healing or the tattoo I was unsure. But I will give thanks to Baal, nonetheless.
Party & company:
Met:
Places:
Party Loot:
From Sammus’s Boast:
We prepared to leave. Our Ajjer guides, including Axil and Bardis, were ready with the two ponies we had left here. They had six porters, probably of African descent to accompany us across the desert. Agripinus asked Boujje if he wished to buy his pearl necklace, but Boujje suggested trading it in Mergooza to Kasila, the King, for his beautiful wife Madaya. I showed him my two ivory carvings. He told me that they were of African Gods from far to the south, either House Gods or spirits. He wasn’t sure what he might do with them, mischief maybe? He offered me another tattoo in exchange, but I declined and kept them to trade later. Baal-Shaq and Boujje left on very friendly and respectful terms.
We set out at dusk on 6th May. One pony had some of the baggage and Si'aspiqo and the other was just packed with our baggage. The night march was uneventful, and we rested for the day under sunny skies. It looked set fair for the next while and it was dead calm for the night of 7th into 8th May. The ponies were skittish when we stopped for a break, so Amphius and Mago walked a circuit around us, while Si'aspiqo cast some cantrips, looking for ghouls, jabba worms and darklings, but noticed nothing. The two men returned after shooting a desiccated undead with an ivory plaque around its neck. Si'aspiqo said the plaque had a spark of magic about it. It wasn’t as powerful as a potion, but he thought it was a tribal Numidian amulet or token. Amphius wore the amulet. The rest of the march was quiet. Si'aspiqo’s lungs felt dry, but so far, he was not coughing as much as he had been; my tattoo was keeping off any signs of a cough.
We set out again on the evening of 8th May. There were light winds, and the night passed without incident. Si'aspiqo was now coughing slightly and just before dawn Agripinus successfully called on Tanit to cure disease and then produce some water for the ponies. The guides told us half a night’s march should get us to Adra. Just before midnight the wind started to rise but we reached the oasis soon after and before the sandstorm arrived.
By dusk it was still blowing sand from the west, but it had eased considerably so we decided to press on. During our pause around midnight, the two ponies were restless, so Amphius and Mago again circled the camp to investigate. After 20 minutes Mago returned alone and told us that he had been looking closely at the old bones of a goat and when he looked up Amphius had disappeared. We followed the tracks and eventually saw Amphius returning confused. He told us that something had been calling to him in Greek from the desert. We wondered whether this was related to the dead priestess. The guides asked what had happened and Amphius relayed to them via Baal-Shaq what he had heard. Bardis said this sounded like the Asuf. He said that sometimes they could be talked to and mentioned the Asuf or Adebni. We continued our march. Soon after we heard Bardis pray and when he had finished, he told us that he thought there were restless spirits around. We stopped just before dawn to camp for the day and Agripinus brought forth some more water for the ponies.
The night of 11th into 12th May passed uneventfully, but just after midnight on the next night Amphius told Mago that he had seen something off in the darkness. He disappeared from view and Mago waited 5 minutes. Amphius did not reappear, so Mago reported back to the main body. Agripinus shouted a priestly command calling on Amphius, to stop and get back to the party in Greek. Amphius returned and asked what was up. He reported having seen a large deer. Baal-Shaq asked him to describe it and Amphius told us that it had been a large, majestic, grey gazelle with long curving horns. Baal-Shaq and Bardis babbled in Numidian and then we went to look for tracks. We found the tracks of Amphius but no others. Bardis told us that it must have been a Kamelton and made a sign to Baal. He told us that this was a shape-changing ghoul. We carried on and just before dawn, Toxoanassa and I thought we caught sight of something. The nearest pony was restless, so we looked into the desert I all directions but saw nothing. We stopped to make camp, and again Agripinus produced water for the ponies. Mago was exhausted by the end of the night’s march and Si'aspiqo was coughing so Agripinus also cured Si'aspiqo’s cough and healed Mago with the help of Tanit.
As we prepared to leave at dusk on 13th May, the guides told us that we should arrive at the large oasis of Tamoudi by the morning. During the last part of the march around 3 in the morning, Mago stumbled onto a small pit of slippery sand. Amphius threw a rope to him. Mago tried to grab it as something bit him on the arm and took hold of him. Amphius and Baal-Shaq tried to pull him out, and Baal-Shaq called a warning in Numidian which sounded like ‘Jabba’. Mago’s left arm went numb and he tried to cling onto the rope with his right, but Baal-Shaq pulled too hard, and the rope slipped from Mago’s grasp. Amphius bravely jumped into the pit after him.
Agripinus sang a holy hymn to encourage us all and held up his symbol of Tanit, from which bright light spread around. Mago could feel something dragging him into the soft sand, as Amphius grabbed Mago and tried to pull him back. A rope landed bedside the Greek, who was unable to grab hold, as he was concentrating on holding onto Mago, who muttered a prayer to Baal for luck. Si'aspiqo cast a spell and called on the jabba worm to leave the area. Baal-Shaq threw the rope again and this time Amphius did get a hold, whilst still keeping hold of Mago. Mago with the help of Amphius and Baal-Shaq managed to hold firm and there was a whirl in the sand and Mago felt the creature release its grip. Amphius tied the rope around Mago and Baal-Shaq and the guides pulled Mago and Amphius out of the pit.
Agripinus cleaned out the wound and performed some healing ceremonies and another for cure disease. Mago was helped onto a pony in place of Si'aspiqo and we continued on our way. A little after dawn we reached the outskirts of Tamoudi oasis. The guides and the local tribesmen discussed the attack of the jabba worm, and we learned that the locals were a little concerned by an attack of a jabba worm so close to the oasis but thought we had been unlucky to be attacked there. They thought it highly unusual that it had let go of its intended victim once it had a grip, and had left.
Party & company:
Met:
Places:
Party Loot:
From Sammus’s Boast:
At Mergooza there was a herd of around 50 ponies awaiting us along with four Spanish horses and guides we recognized. Baal-Shaq paid off the Ajjer guides and after a celebration the next evening, we bid them farewell. We would now be switching to day travel even though it was still hot as our mounts would not see well enough at night. We would have a fragile cargo on our return journey, so following advice from our guides, after much explanation between them and Baal-Shaq, we spread the load amongst many mounts and would travel somewhere between walking the horses all day and travelling flat out. Both Si'aspiqo and I started coughing during the day, but Agripinus was able to carry out a small rite and we almost stopped coughing completely.
We left Mergooza on 27th May on a cloudy morning with a fresh wind from the north. It was good to be back on horseback. By evening we reached a small hamlet, Erfond, with a dry river off to the west. Si'aspiqo pondered the obsidian blade as he slept and thought it was ceremonial. It might be a spirit cutting blade. The next morning our guides gave thanks to to the Spirit of the Sky as it was raining lightly and there was a little mist. We were travelling through semi-desert but now there were signs of vegetation. The rain and mist cleared in the afternoon, and our guides told us we could either ride hard to Khettara or camp in the semi-desert. Agripinus told them we would keep the same pace and camp. When we stopped, Agripinus produced water for the animals and found it easier than in the desert.
The 29th May was a fair day, and we reached Khettara oasis in the afternoon and rested. Agripinus healed those of us who were tired and saddle sore. The next morning, we set out again and after 15 miles of semi-desert we saw the land starting to rise ahead with mountains in the distance. Agripinus again produced water for the animals and then did some more healing before dawn.
On 31st May we rode up into the high pass where it was cooler and there were places to water the horses. We had to dismount and walk the horses as the footing became trickier. Amphius tripped and the pony shied but did not fall. We camped on a clear and cool night. The next day we continued walking our mounts. We soon crossed the highest point of the pass and began to descend. We saw several eagles.
We continued walking for the morning of 2nd June but then began riding again. It was hot by the time we reached Midef. There was a small market here and wells sank into the ground. Everyone came to look, and hawkers tried to sell their wares. We spent a day recuperating, during which Si'aspiqo learnt the spell ritual Identify from one of the scrolls from Hemeroskopeion. He used his new spell to investigate the bone necklace. As he was meditating, he slumped over, exhausted. We made him comfortable, and he had recovered by the morning.
We left Midef on 4th June and had a quiet day with a light wind from the north and rode to the hamlet of Zeda. That night, in his dreams, Si'aspiqo investigated an ivory trinket Amphius had found on an undead and he thought had power. It seemed to have something to do with guiding.
It would be a harder day’s ride to get to Katan, so Agripinus decided we should continue at the same pace on 5th June and camp in the wilderness. As we set up camp, Agripinus managed to produce some water, but it took a few attempts to get enough for the horses and ponies. We had a shorter day on 6th June to reach Katan.
The next morning, we rode north from Katan. The hardest stretch would be coming up, up the Kander Pass, the highest part on our journey. We headed slowly up into the mountains with a light wind from the southwest on a fair day. I was coughing a little, but Si'aspiqo was coughing badly, so Agripinus healed him. That night Si'aspiqo slept on the ivory trinket again. He had a helpful dream on its use, so when he awoke, he put it on. If he closed his eyes and turned away from the north, he found it pulled him back in that direction. It seemed as though it would direct him to the Pole Star, which would be useful for mariners and when exploring mazes underground.
We rode north on 8th June, climbing higher and higher as we went and then camped not far from the summit. As we set up camp, I narrowly avoided being bitten by a snake, but I quickly drew my sword and cut it in two. Agripinus thought that his curved, ivory wand aided against the shadow of despair and might be invoked by calling on Tanit. He discussed it with Si'aspiqo, who tried to investigate but awoke trembling and in a sweat. He felt that something large, heavy and threatening was nearby in his dreams and thought it was part of the device’s protection. He felt he was approaching his investigation in the wrong way.
The next morning the wind was rising, and we did not want to approach the highest point of the pass in a gale. We decided to wait to see if the wind would drop.
Party & company:
Met: —
Places:
Party Loot: —
From Sammus’s Boast:
We decided to wait for the wind to drop. It was pleasantly cool here near the top of the pass as we camped. There were a few scattered patches of snow and a little water from mountain streams. It was cold at night.
The wind had dropped by the morning of 10th June, so we set off and soon after the summit we saw horses ahead. It soon became clear this was a group of Numidians escorting pack horses. We pulled off the trail to let them pass and both groups exchanged polite and friendly greetings. The other group were escorting a trader heading south for Mergooza and were carrying Punic made things from the coast, frankincense and oil.
We rode on the next day with a light wind from just north of northeast. In the early morning, the Numidians started pointing and we heard the word Emdi, which Baal-Shaq told us was a black gazelle. There was a large one just off the trail, but as the land was rocky and difficult and Amphius had been lured by a supernatural gazelle previously, we left it undisturbed.
On the 12th June there was a light wind from the northwest. Hannibal’s horse stumbled a couple of times during the day and the second time he fell off and tumbled a short distance down the mountain. He made his way back without suffering serious damage but had to change mounts as his first horse was limping.
The next day the wind had freshened. During lunch Baal-Shaq stomped on some poisonous yellow scorpions crawling on crumbling stones. That evening as we set up camp, Agripinus had wandered a short distance from the camp, where he spotted a snake at his feet in the twilight. He pulled his sword and neatly decapitated a horned viper. I skinned it and Si'aspiqo smoked the head over a fire to provide another fetish for a cantrip.
Overnight the wind rose, in the morning it was blowing strongly from the south, which gave a little protection from the blowing sand. The guides discussed with Baal-Shaq as they would like to let the wind blow out, but we were almost out of horse fodder, and it was still a day or two to the next hamlet. Agripinus carried out a ceremony and transferred grain from almost empty sacks to other containers and soon he had two full sacks of grain. The Numidians were wide-eyed, and Baal-Shaq swore them to secrecy. The priest’s ceremony would not work on the straw as this was not potential food for humans. There was a small stream for water, so with the increased supplies we waited for the wind to drop.
On the morning of 15th June there was just a light wind from the west. That night would be a full moon, and we should be able to reach the hamlet before midnight. The day was quiet, and we made good progress and reached the hamlet of Sefron in the evening. The larger settlement of Sef was little more than a day ahead.
During third watch we were awoken by cries of alarm and commotion. Amphius had been attacked by a large bat. It had jumped on his back from behind and bitten him. He had swept it off and stabbed it, and it had flown away. Agripinus cleaned the wound with holy water and the rest of the night was uneventful.
17th June dawned and we rose a little tired after a short night. Agripinus carried out a rite to heal Amphius whose wound was infected. A cloudy day passed uneventfully with a cooler light wind blowing from the north. We arrived before dusk in Sef on the 17th June. We were welcomed back as the locals were happy that we had solved the problem with the black lion. There was a short reception, and we were invited to speak to H’Assan the headman.
H’Assan welcomed us. He told us there had been some problems, as several Asuf had been haunting around the settlement, particularly at the new shrine to Tanit during the night. We agreed to investigate.
After a night’s rest, Baal-Shaq and the guides busied themselves reprovisioning for the next stage of the journey. Agripinus made preparations for a ceremony to remove the curse from the party and in particular the coughs from which Si'aspiqo and I suffered at times.
The shrine looked in need of cleaning. There were a couple of local women that had been praying here but there was no acolyte to take responsibility for the shrine. Baal-Shaq and Hannibal both offered to assist against the Asuf. Agripinus made it clear that he would like their help defending the village and the people rather than the shrine itself. He prepared holy water for a ceremony to cleanse Agripinus, Si'aspiqo, Amphius, Toxoanassa, Mago and I. We set up camp for the six of us in the shrine for that night, with Baal-Shaq and Hannibal nearby.
Party & company:
Met:
Places:
Party Loot: —
From Sammus’s Boast:
The big news on morning 18th June was the unmistakable smell of rain in the air! Agripinus began manufacturing holy water in the shrine and towards midday it poured with rain for around two hours. People were outside capering in the rain and looked very happy. A couple of inches of rain fell in an hour or two, which didn’t seem unusual to me, but apparently was quite remarkable in June here. A crowd had gathered and there was a lot of babbling in Numidian and waving at the clouds and we made out something about Agripinus making water come from sky, finding water in the desert and feeding the hungry and the sick were appealing for aid. Agripinus preached the word of Tanit and Baal-Shaq told us that the crowd were pleading for him to stay in Sef and help them. Baal-Shaq did not seem altogether delighted with the crowd’s enthusiasm. Through Baal-Shaq, Agripinus commented on the benefits of Tanit to the 100 or more villagers who had gathered. He told them that the God did not give out miracles lightly, but he picked out a mother with a sickly baby as being worthy of healing. He carried out a short ceremony and the child perked up with much rejoicing and calls of “he heals the sick”, and Baal-Shaq looked resigned. Agripinus told the crowd that was all he could do today, but he might do more tomorrow.
As the crowd started to disperse, through them came H’Assan. He spoke to Baal-Shaq who translated for the rest of us. He said that it seemed the priest had become known to many and added that Tanit might have many worshippers if he stayed here. He urged Agripinus to be gentle with them, as hope was more useful than despair. He asked Agripinus to return here or at least to send someone to serve here. Agripinus assured him that he would make the strongest effort to return or at least send someone who could keep the shrine going and keep the people safe and healthy. H’Assan had been happy to see the shrine built and would be happy to see it supported.
Towards evening we collected provisions and then set up camp in and around the shrine. The shrine was a small hut with a low wall around it. Si'aspiqo set up a protection from evil, outside the shrine within the drystone wall. It was a cool evening with a light wind. Si'aspiqo, Amphius, Mago and I were within the wall outside the shrine, while Agripinus and Toxoanassa were in the shrine. Si'aspiqo went into the land of dreams.
Just before dawn, Mago woke with a shriek. He looked bewildered and clutched his arm. “Where’s the lady?”, he asked and when questioned what lady, added, “the scary one”. He looked very white, and his arm hung by his side. He had had one of those dreams he said. He hadn’t seen Si'aspiqo but had found himself in an empty town and had heard lamentations. He had followed the sounds and had found a lady there bemoaning the loss of someone. He had asked her if he could help find the person. Mago had tried to lead her back where he had come from and then had felt pain in his arm and had noticed that she looked scary.
Agripinus looked at Mago and examined his arm. It was as though it had been dangled in cold water all night, and although the rest of him was warm as normal, his arm was very cold. Over a period, it started to warm. Mago realized that he had chosen to leave the safety of the ward and the wall around the shrine to look for the lamentations.
The next morning, which was clear and sunny, the villagers gathered again calling for “The Rainbringer!” Agripinus prepared more holy water and the woman and her baby reappeared. The baby seemed healthy, and the woman gave grateful thanks.
Agripinus completed his preparations and Si'aspiqo stripped to his loincloth. Agripinus carried out a ceremony to cleanse the sorcerer and rid him of the curse, which lasted about an hour, and he deemed a success. Baal-Shaq arrived at lunchtime and sent several small children, who had been capering around Toxoanassa, on their way. Agripinus prepared more holy water in the afternoon and then examined an old man with a broken arm. He decided that the arm would need to be rebroken and the priest told the old man to return at midday the next day.
We set up for the night in the same places as previously. The night was uneventful and Si'aspiqo woke at dawn looking very refreshed. He told us that there was definitely a haunting. He had seen the woman in his dreams, and she was searching for a lost child. He had offered to help her on the mortal plane and she had tried to tempt him out of the protection of the ward and shrine and into the Land of the Dead; he had declined. He had held out the ritual knife in front of him in case anything needed severed. She had shied away, and her cloak had fallen off revealing how dead she was. She had fled and all was quiet for quite a long while but just at dawn he saw a pair of eyes glittering in hearth light. He thought we might be being haunted by a cat we had befriended at one of the oases on our way back.
Baal-Shaq arrived with some breakfast and Agripinus prepared more holy water. I then stripped to my loincloth, and he carried out another ceremony to rid me of the curse. I felt very clean and refreshed after the ceremony.
The old man with the broken arm arrived and Agripinus explained the options and Baal-Shaq translated into Numidian. The man looked very concerned but then nodded his agreement to Agripinus breaking his arm. We agreed that Agripinus should use a dose of painkill, which had been received from Boujje for some jabba worm venom. Si'aspiqo resealed the jar once one dose had been administered. Agripinus gave a sharp tap on the arm to rebreak it and then bandaged it up. The man was surprised but did not scream in pain, so the dose of painkill must have worked. Agripinus also did a small ceremony to cure light wounds. The old man gave lots of thanks in Numidian and walked off as though a little drunk.
Party & company:
Met:
Places:
Party Loot:
From Sammus’s Boast:
It was now dusk on the 20th June. It had been a very warm day and there was a gusty wind. Si'aspiqo set up his ward again, outside the shrine, but with the outside of the ward on the outside of the wall. He called a sand cat via a cantrip and set out some food. Nothing arrived in the first hour after dusk. Si'aspiqo slept to enter the spirit world. Amphius and I had slept during the day and stood watch all night.
In the real world it felt cool with a refreshing wind. During first watch I heard a voice, a woman crying off in the night. Toxoanassa and I woke Agripinus and told him the direction we had heard the voice, and he brought up the light of Tanit in his orb, to illuminate that direction. I stood guard and Agripinus, Toxoanassa and Agripinus crossed the ward and wall and headed towards the crying. Toxoanassa thought she spotted a flicker of movement and a grey shape crossing an alleyway ahead but when they got there, there was no sign of the figure. Agripinus communed with Tanit for guidance as to where the spirit was so he could deal with it in her name. The response was that he needed to look in the necropolis of Sef.
Meanwhile in the spirit world, Si'aspiqo asked who the spirit was seeking in Numidian. He heard crying, but it approached no closer. From time to time, he could still hear a sorrowful cry from the village in the spirit world. He tried to cast protection on himself but failed and he found himself wandering the streets outside the barrier in the town, but he still seemed to be in the spirit world judging by the stars. He cast his protection again and this time he felt it had worked, so he followed the sound. Si'aspiqo found himself in a graveyard and saw a grey shape crying in the corner. He moved through the graveyard and cut a trail with the ceremonial knife, in a circuit around the figure as best he could. It took a long time to work his way round. He thought he was back where he had started the circuit just as the first light of dawn crept above the horizon. The magician tried to find his way back to his sleeping form, but the sun rose as he approached the shrine, and no matter how much he tried to hurry he couldn’t get there before dawn. He awoke with a horrible start. He checked the food he had left for a sand cat, and it had been eaten, but he saw rat droppings nearby.
Agripinus and Si'aspiqo both agreed that we needed to look for the graveyard or Necropolis. We enquired in Sef and found that the necropolis was to the west. Amphius and I rested while the others went to visit it and were followed by a group of locals. The necropolis seemed smaller than in Si'aspiqo’s dreams, but he found a spot that seemed to correspond with where he had seen the grey shape. Agripinus noticed a plain stone marker. There were others nearby that were worn and plain, but they had the remains of offerings, while this one was completely bare.
They returned to Sef, and with Baal-Shaq’s help they spoke to H’Assan as Agripinus was keen not to offend and infringe on local sensibilities. H’Assan agreed that if it was an unmarked grave, that we believed to be haunted, then Agripinus was welcome to give any blessings he wished, but that no exorcism should be carried out. He suggested carrying out a ceremony at dusk. Amphius and I rejoined the party for the ceremony after resting for the day and we were also accompanied by Baal-Shaq and Hannibal in full gear. Hannibal had a small wreath of flowers which he placed on unmarked grave and Agripinus conducted a ceremony in front of the party and a small crowd of watchers.
After the ceremony we set up in and outside the shrine, with protections in place as before. The night passed without incident in the mundane world, but in the morning Si'aspiqo related what he had seen in the spirit world while he slept.
He said that there had been a disturbance off to the east during the night, almost as though there was a thunderstorm on the horizon. After that it felt as cold as the grave and he saw a form in rags, in a very deteriorated condition, which was no longer identifiably female. It penetrated his barrier and was cursing him in poor, Numidian-accented, Egyptian. It called him the slave of the false priest and told him he would get no rest, be sunburnt in the day and have cold feet at night. Si'aspiqo quickly cast protection against evil, and the figure immediately collapsed and blew away. He wasn’t sure whether the curse had taken root at all. He was unsure whether this had been associated with the thing we laid rest or was something else maybe from earlier, but we all thought it was likely to be the uneasy spirit we had been encountering in Sef.
It was now the morning of 22nd June. Agripinus spoke to H’Assan, who gave us permission to leave. H’Assan was pleased the ceremony seemed to have been successful. He told Agripinus that although he knew the priest had business in the City of the White Veil, he would have many worshippers of Tanit if he stayed here. He warned the priest to be gentle with his people, as hope was more useful than despair. Agripinus explained that he had to leave, but that if he couldn’t return, then he would try to send another in his place.
We visited the graveyard and the grave looked clear, with no signs of any disturbance. The rest of the day was quiet, and we prepared to leave at dawn on 23rd June. The man whose arm Agripinus had rebroken visited the priest. The arm was sore, but he felt well and asked for an inspection and blessing. Agripinus carried out a short blessing to cure light wounds. The man said that when his arm had recovered, he would sweep the shrine, and he blessed Agripinus’s name.
The night of 22nd June was completely quiet, and we set out at dawn the next morning. Our guides thought it was nine or ten days to Tamuda at our current place, but we could reach it in 5 days if we rode hard. Agripinus declined to speed up and instead two of the Numidians were sent ahead to warn of our pending arrival in Tamuda. It was a sunny morning with a light wind from the west and one or two dozen villagers cheered and waved us on our way. The day passed quietly, and we started climbing up towards the high pass and camped for the night.
Just before dawn three figures jumped out of the shadows and attacked Agripinus. We were all awoken by a command from the priest. He shielded against the small figures, but one blow got through and the three figures chittered at each other. Agripinus was joined by one of the Numidians, and they struck one of the small figures. Amphius and Mago were the next to arrive. Amphius evaded one of the figures and then drew his bow and shot the figure with an arrow, while Mago prepared his sling.
Si'aspiqo protected me from evil as I moved to join Agripinus, who struck what I realized was a darkling. It backed away from us and we followed. A second darkling turned and ran. There were two more darklings trying to steal a horse and Toxoanassa shot one with an arrow, but two javelins narrowly missed them.
Amphius struck the same darkling as before with an arrow and it went down and Mago hit one with a slingshot as it tried to flee, and it went down. I cut down the darkling facing Agripinus as it tried to escape. The two trying to steal horses dropped the reins and fled pursued by javelins and an arrow, while the one struck by a slingshot regained its feet and tottered off into the gloom as Mago’s next shot missed wildly. Amphius could see a few darklings as they disappeared into the gloom, but he did not waste his arrows.
There were two bodies, and we saw that these were much hairier than the darklings we had met before. The Numidians called them Elijannen – which seemed to mean hairy darklings. These were just wearing loincloths. Si'aspiqo cast a detect cantrip, using a finger bone from a darkling we had encountered previously and could feel the darklings were scattering and fleeing. There were two bodies: one had an iron knife and small pouch with 4sp; the other had a wooden club and 2sp. Our Numidian guides were surprised that such a large group as ourselves had been disturbed by the darklings.
We continued for three days with little incident, but late on the third day, we saw a pair of desert gazelles off into the mountains. We ignored them as we had no need of supplies. That evening Agripinus found a scorpion in his bedroll, but he was able to deal with it, before it could sting him.
On 27th June we were well up in the mountains and it was pleasantly cool and cloudy during the day and very cool at night. Si'aspiqo checked for darklings with a cantrip when we stopped but there was no sign.
The next morning it was very foggy, with just a few breaks in the mist, but we pressed on. There was a sprinkling of rain and there was green vegetation around. Again, at dusk Si'aspiqo cast a cantrip but felt no darklings present. During the first watch I felt a voice calling on the wind far out over the mountains or pass, but it was not close enough to hear clearly. Si'aspiqo had heard the same in the dream world in his sleep.
On 29th June, a wind from the south southwest blew away the clouds. We had a quiet day’s march and at dusk a golden coloured fox or wolf was spotted watching the camp. We ignored it and after a few minutes it slinked away.
The next day we started descending and the guides said that if we rode hard, we could reach Tamuda that night, but we pressed on at the same speed as before and on the 1st July we descended down into the plain and saw signs of the coast ahead. Amphius fell off his horse and injured his left arm, but it was not broken so we continued and arrived in Tamuda in the late afternoon.
As we approached the town, armed men and guards were more obvious than usual and there were no children in the street The Numidians muttered to themselves, and we saw people making signs against evil. The Numidians spoke to Baal-Shaq and told him there seemed to be trouble in the land and we should stay in our house until we knew what was happening.
The party rode up to the house Kallicrates had rented, and Hannibal told us he would go to the house of Hamilcar and would send word when he knew what was happening. We transferred our goods to the house and some of the guards went off to find what was going on. In the house was just the housekeeper and her son, and she gave us a tablet. There was a message written on it from Kallicrates saying that he would be back soon, and was trading in good weather, but there was another stranger piece which Amphius recognized as being from a work by a Greek poet called Homer about the fall of Troy and a Trojan horse, which he explained was some sort of trick to get into Troy. It was something only a Greek would recognize.
The floor looked like it had been disturbed in one area and when he investigated Amphius found a small box in the area, which was where Si'aspiqo thought he had buried the scrolls from Hemeroskopeion. The statue to Astarte was still there though. In the box there were 600 silver coins. We checked the harbour but there were just fishing boats, and no sign of Kallicrates or his ship. Agripinus went to the temple with Baal-Shaq to find out what he could there, while the rest of us stored our goods in the house and wondered what was going on.
After dusk there was a gentle knock at the door, and a Greek boy handed us a message in Greek. It said, “ZA: Goods safe. Spies watch you. From Kart. Have house in town. Meeting tonight”. The lad explained that he was to take us wherever we wish but there should be no torches. Toxoanassa, Si'aspiqo and I stayed to guard our goods, while Mago and Amphius accompanied the young lad.
Party & company:
Met: -
Places:
Party Loot:
From Si'aspiqo’s wheeze:
The night was peaceful, no cries of loss or despair from the town nor its necropolis, but then, the unquiet one walked nearer dawn. Dark the direction where dawn’s rosy fingers would show, and end my dream watch whether I will it or no. But soft! What light...?
It is the East. In the distance, a flicker of distant storm, a grumbling trembled the night’s stillness. Then it was gone and distance no longer held my attention. The night was peaceful, no cries of loss or despair from the town nor its necropolis, but cold.
Grave-cold wrapped around me even in the peaceful night. An unfleshed figure in rags was present at the other side of the stone rampart from which I watched. It did not stand, it was just there. Hardly a figure at all, a cold, dark presence. No semblance of a weeping woman, no cry for a lost child. Then the rampart was gone and the shade stood beside me.
“Slave of the false priest! I await you, beyond!”
The voice was harsh and seemed, to my inner ear, to speak the Egyptian language of the oldest hieratic scrolls I have studied, but mumbled and mis-emphasised as if by an elderly Numidian.
“May you know no rest!”
“May the sun burn you!”
“May the sea drown you!”
“May snakes bite at your heels…”
I counter-spelled automatically:
“O Atari! Kentake of Meroe!”
“You who are known as Hathor, Lady of Dendera!”
“Atari protect my rest!”
“Hathor protect my body!”
“May your light shine protection upon my head!”
“Turn back, you who has come forth from the darkness!”
“Turn backwards! Fall down upon your face!”
“No form will enter this house!”
“Atari protects me!”
“Hathor protects me!”
And Her protection was with me. A warm wind blew past me and the dark form crumbed to dust and ashes, blowing back to the dark whence it came, but still a distant wail reached me.
“…We shall meet again…
…on the other side…
…I hunger for your passing…”
From Mago’s Meanderings:
At length we arrived safely at Tamuda once more, having crossed the great desert in both directions, and seen the wonders of the other side. We were dismayed to discover, however, that the city was not as we had left it, with the streets strangely empty and the hut where we had hoped to meet with Kallikrates even more so. Apart from a derisory amount of money left buried under the floor where we had left much more valuable goods. Only a clay tablet left by Kallikrates gave us some hope that all was not lost. It ended with some mysterious quotation from Homer, referring to the fall of Troy, and the Trojan horse. While we couldn’t be sure what it did mean, it clearly wasn’t the message that an absconding bandit would leave along with a box of 600 silver pieces.
Some little time later, we received further reassurance, with a boy carrying a message from Zachary Argentos, a Hebrew friend of the Greeks with whom we had also had previous commerce and with whom we had also left some of our belongings. It said:
ZA. Goods safe. Spies watch you. From Kart. Have house in town. Meeting tonight.
Only Amphius and I were light-footed and unremarkable enough to safely cross the darkened city without attracting unwanted attention, so we accompanied the boy with the message back to the house of Zachary. Despite our stealth we disturbed a dog, but the boy knew its name and calmed it with a word.
Zachary welcomed us and gave us the news as to what had occurred in Tamuda. He reassured us that he was holding all the goods we had left when travelling south, and that they were safe. Kallikrates had delivered all the items left in his care to Zachary, and he and his men were now sailing back and forth between Tamuda and Kart — by which knowledge we might expect their arrival shortly for the two cities are not far apart though separated by a sea.
The tension in the city of Tamuda was caused by the sudden illness during the last two weeks of Tamuda the man, tyrant of the city, who it appeared might be close to death. If he were to succumb to mortality, then the expectation was for civil war.
More to our immediate concern, however, he explained the meaning of “Spies watch you.” Six or seven men from Kart had arrived long before, and by their actions had clearly been watching ever since for our return. It was known they were to hold a meeting this evening.
So Amphius and I were presented with an immediate dilemma — what to do? Deciding quickly we sent a note inscribed by the Greek back to our comrades by the boy to warn them, while bracing ourselves for the perilsome action of observing and eavesdropping upon the meeting. The note said:
Six or seven men from Kart. Might attack tonight. Beware! Put a light outside the door. Amphius.
Having done our best to alert our travelling companions to what we knew, and to put them on their guard, we waited for the boy to return and enlisted his aid once more to take us to the house where the Kart spies had made their lair.
The house was at no great distance — a street or two away — but great caution was necessary to arrive at a point where we might be able to hear what was going on. It was known that a watcher was upon the street outside to give them intelligence or forewarning of any unexpected developments, so we took a roundabout route down a small alley to try to come to the house from behind, running the risks of dogs or neighbours instead of the watcher. We went especially slowly after some early false steps upon the cobbles, particularly once we observed the watcher checking round the corner of the building to look down the alleyway we had chosen.
Luckily, he withdrew once more to watch the larger street, and we were able to make our way to the rear of the distinctive triangular house. It was as well we had both the boy, who knew the way, and Amphius who could see his way as clearly as day. I endeavoured to follow them both without too many errors.
On arriving, we discovered that a small courtyard was formed by a wooden fence a little over the height of a man, and that behind the fence we could clearly smell the effluvia of chickens.
I lifted Amphius up to see over the fence what the lay of the land might be, and he found that there was a bolted gate (on the other side of the courtyard), a loosely shuttered window, and a door — no more, as we were at the narrowest side of the triangular building.
Until now it had been best for Amphius the owlish to lead the way. It now fell on me to climb over the fence and listen at the window; for Amphius would not have their tongue.
Amphius and the wall assisted me atop the fence, and then the goal was to descend as quietly as possible into the courtyard, and position myself below the window. At a stroke, the plan tottered and nearly fell, as I did upon landing. Having some remaining sense (and, in truth, being somewhat winded) I lay quietly without a curse in the filth until the chickens made up their minds that nothing had happened after all.
I cautiously crept to the window and applied my ear.
The first voice that I heard upon doing so was the treacherous Hannibal of Uttica!
A debate ensued between the servant of Baal and adherents of Melkart, as to what should happen next. Hannibal was adamant that his mission took precedence, being decreed by Baal, whose token he carried. His goal was to take the priest of Tanit and his companions, unspoiled if possible, to Uttica, where they were wanted because of what they had found in the desert.
The people from Kart strongly opposed this, wanting to take the despoilers of the holy mountain (and their companions) back to Kart to suffer the fate of blasphemers against their god.
By force of his appeal to authority — Baal comes first! — and a less theistic threat to chop them up good if they should chance their fortune against him, Hannibal convinced the Kart spies that they should assist him.
He also spoke of how terrible we were and that those from Kart did not know what they would face, when they spoke with scorn of Agrippinus spreading his falsehoods in the desert and beyond. “I have seen his miracles with my own eyes. You do not understand who you are dealing with. I have seen hm make the light of Tanit to burn demons from hell. His companions do not flee. One is a woman who can shoot a fox in the eye at twilight. One is a Gaul with the strength of two men. One is a Greek who has the eyes of a cat at night. You will need a whole ship to bring them down, not half a dozen spies.” I noticed with relief that I was not among those mentioned, but suspected it would avail me little.
“Enough!”, said the strongest voice of the Kart spies, “We will abide by the parlay and agreement of powers, Baal is foremost.”
Hannibal then commanded them: “Get in your boat and sail to Kart tomorrow. Get two ships, ram ships if you can, and anchor one west and one east of the harbour, out of sight. When the Greek ship leaves with the priest, whether he turns east or west, you can seize him. Then we can all sail to Uttica and my master will decide what fate is due.”
With that, matters seemed to be concluded and so I withdrew across the fence once more and Amphius and I made our way back to Zachary’s house — not without some difficulty, despite the short distance, but we did find our way. From there, we returned to join our travelling companions as quickly as we might, to discuss what should be done next.
From: Agripinus’s Journal:
Almost immediately we arrived in town I was approached by guardsmen summoning me to the Big House. There I was ment by an older Numidian, Juva, who conveyed that I was summoned to Tamuda who was gravely ill, and that I was required to cure him. It was not without trepidation that I hurried to meet Tamuda’s summons, failure was not an option! With Baal-Shaq as translator, we entered the main compound and within the grand reception room was a dessert tent. The tent was covered in scribbles and scripts of arcane shapes, some of which I recognised from watching Si’s handiwork labelling jars and samples. Some were Egyptian, others Numidian sigils all were written in ink, blood, or who knows what else. Braziers burned, incense clouded the air from many bowls and in the midst of this fog was a low plinth upon which Tamuda lay.
We’d been searched for weapons before being allowed to approach the gravely ill man, and two guards remained with us at all times. In addition there was another man, Tabat, who appeared to be the local healer and who was obviously agitated at my presence. After an initial diagnosis, it was clear that Tamuda suffered both from a bloody flux and fever, he’d been in this state for 2 days and was unconscious when we arrived.
I set about casting a blessing on myself and allies hoping to give myself the best possible chances of working successfully through Tanit and after washing his body with Holy Water and preparing the rituals, I managed to curtail the disease within his body. A lot more curing managed to bring him to a state of wakefulness and I was able to get some much needed water into him. I also managed to get the braziers moved as they appeared to affect my ability to breathe, so I can only guess what effect it was having on Tamuda.
The rest of the night I spent watching over the patient, and a chair and some mint tea and refreshment was brought so that I could remain near. Micipsa, the Captain of the Guard, put in an appearance and was notable for being fully armed - obviously a trusted man.
At midnight the guard changed and the shifty Tabat had words with them and lots was said that I didn’t understand. At some point in the night I noticed an odd smell from one of the braziers still outside the tent and were I not a hardy fellow I might have succumbed to the sleepy effects it caused. I called Baal-Shaq over to confirm my suspicions and he fell to one knee as he too almost collapsed after taking a breath of it. I immediately got it removed and there was all sorts of commotion involving Tabat who was obviously either trying to ensure I failed in my healing, or by extension, to kill Tamuda himself. We saved some of the mixture for examination later, as perhaps Si’ would be able to divine its origin?
As dawn approached there was little further improvement but I was powerless to do much more until the sun arose. After it did I communed with Tanit herself in an effort to find out a path to heal the sickness. She guided me with shafts of light and revealed that poison gnawed at Tamuda’s entrails also warning of Treason that stalked the halls and I was alerted to the chance of an attempt on my life or perhaps on Tamuda’s.
Without specific knowledge of the poison, nor any remedy, I decided to seek miraculous intervention. This was a first for me, and I committed not only most of my mana but also sacrificed half my own health into the ritual in the hope that it would somehow boost the effectiveness or chances of being able to channel Tanit’s divine healing into Tamuda.
I was shattered, but by mid-morning it looked as though progress had been made, and Tamuda was able to drink more and we got the tent opened up to get some sunlight and fresh air into the place
From: Sammus’s Boast:
When Amphius and Mago returned to our house in the night, they told us news of the treachery of Hannibal of Uttica and the pursuit of the followers of Melkart. We discussed our options but decided to wait until dawn before taking further action. A short time after midnight six guardsmen carrying torches appeared at the door and hailed us in Arma:
“Your Master sends word. He is healing Lord Tamuda who is sick. Expect his return or more news tomorrow. Salute!”
Si'aspiqo questioned them and the leader said that they were town guards and his son had been part of our escort from Sef.
We waited for dawn and Amphius stood watch from the roof, while the rest of us got some rest. Dawn came without incident and there was some traffic in the town, but it was much more muted than normal. During the night the wind had risen from the north and was very strong by dawn. No ships would be leaving Tamuda today and it would probably be best for Kallicrates if he were not at sea today.
Amphius joined us for a breakfast of porridge provided by the housekeeper. Amphius then caught up with some sleep while the rest of us took turns to stand guard at the door and then get some rest. Si'aspiqo cast a fortune telling cantrip to see if it was auspicious to go out or better to stay where we were – it suggested that it was safer to stay here. We had lunch and in the afternoon some guards, accompanied by Baal-Shaq, arrived at the door. He told us that he and Agripinus had been with Tamuda all night. Tamuda had been very sick indeed but was a little better now. Agripinus would not be allowed to leave him until he had recovered more fully. Baal-Shaq added that there were strange things going on in court. He asked for Si'aspiqo to accompany him and help Agripinus.
Si'aspiqo mentioned that our stored goods were not here but with Zachary, since Kallicrates had set sail. Only the goods from our trip across the desert were in the house. Baal-Shaq warned us to be on our guard before he left and to watch out for Tabat, giving us a description of him. Tabat was a Numidian wizard or shaman, who Agripinus and he suspected of poisoning Tamuda. The man had fled, and the captain of the guard was searching for him. If we saw him, we should grab him Baal-Shaq added. We asked if we should accompany him and Si'aspiqo, but Baal-Shaq did not think that would be wise, particularly as we would not be allowed near Tamuda with our weapons.
Si'aspiqo asked Baal-Shaq if we were still a company and Baal-Shaq wondered why we wouldn’t be. Si'aspiqo suggested there was something we should share and after hesitation we agreed. Baal-Shaq sent the housekeeper to get some bread and when we were alone, Si'aspiqo asked Mago to tell Baal-Shaq what he had overheard. Mago explained that some of Baal-Shaq’s coreligionists had issues with us and that followers of Melkart were also after us. Amphius told him that we would be glad of his continued friendship and brotherhood. Baal-Shaq said that many people who worshipped Baal did not like coming of Tanit to authority, but he had no axe to grind with Tanit. That there might be plots against Agripinus was not news to him. He then said, “we are a band of brothers and a sister in a common endeavour”.
Mago then said that Hannibal of Uttica was the follower of Baal in question and when Baal-Shaq asked how he knew, he explained that he had overheard the conspirators and was certain that Hannibal was the man, even though he had not seen him. He then related to Baal-Shaq exactly what he had overheard. Baal-Shaq told us that we would have to discuss this further later, as there was no time now, but we should all say nothing to confront Hannibal until after that discussion. Si'aspiqo grabbed a pack of stuff and left with Baal-Shaq and were accompanied by the Numidian guards.
The housekeeper returned with some fresh bread and more provisions and prepared roast rabbit. At dusk Amphius went up on to the roof to keep an eye out for watchers. Just before we started eating our evening meal, Hannibal of Uttica knocked on the door and we let him in. He told us Tamuda was now doing better with the healing of Agripinus. He told us that the town was very jumpy, and we told him that Si'aspiqo had gone to join Agripinus. Hannibal told us that he had learnt from Hasdrubal that Kallicrates was expected any day from Kart where he had been trading. He advised us that we should stay indoors for now and he would stay at Hasdrubal’s. If he heard any news, he would let us know.
After dark, guardsmen, some carrying torches and led by Baal-Shaq approached the door. Baal-Shaq came in and asked for Agripinus’s armour, explaining that the priest had been given permission to wear it. He explained that Micipsa, the captain of the guard was searching in the town for Tabat, and that Micipsa was looking for a triangular house at the suggestion of Si'aspiqo. He asked about this house, but we were unable to help him. We wondered why Si'aspiqo had passed this on as it hinted that we might know of the plotters. We told Baal-Shaq that Hannibal had been and had exchanged news with us. I asked him if he knew who might be behind the poisoning of Tamuda as it seemed likely there were larger forces than Tabat at play. Baal-Shaq thought we might all be better not knowing but did say that Tamuda was independent and there might be factions who would prefer someone less independent. He collected a bale of Agripinus’s armour and bad us farewell.
An hour or so later, eight or nine guardsmen arrived at the door, including someone in better armour. He introduced himself as Micipsa, Tamuda’s captain, in Arma. It sounded like he might well have served in Carthage. He told us that Si'aspiqo had said something about a triangular house, but we told him we were unable to help. He told us that Tamuda was improving but he thought the help of Agripinus and Si'aspiqo would probably be needed for several more days.
The next afternoon Agripinus, Si'aspiqo and Baal-Shaq arrived with a couple of guards. Agripinus looked very tired. He told us that Tamuda was still alive and had been in a very bad way as he had probably been poisoned by Tabat and had been kept in a poor state so that no finger could be pointed if he had died. We sent the housekeeper away on errands and discussed the situation.
Agripinus explained that as well as blessings and some healings he had called a miracle from Tanit and cured Tamuda of the poison. He had then cleared the room but had almost been poisoned himself by Tabat. He had left Tamuda in good hands and he should make a full recovery, but it would take time. Mago told Agripinus what he had overheard, and the priest told us that he had been warned by Tanit of traitorous intent and to stay safe and guard against a knife in the night.
The wind was still from the north, and conspirators would find it hard to row out of harbour and certainly would not get to Kart until tomorrow at the very earliest. We discussed our options and Baal-Shaq said that he thought we were going to go to Carthage as it was a good place to sell the potions from the Red Dune. He asked why the followers of Melkart were so determined against us and Agripinus said it was probably because Agripinus had put up shrines and made headway for Tanit here. His work had been referred to as dung spreading in Africa he added.
Baal-Shaq confirmed that we were still his brothers and sister but added that Hannibal was a holy warrior of Baal and he would not draw sword against him without good cause. Toxoanassa explained that it would be very hard for her to leave the area without completing her quest. She told us that she was now baffled as to how she would be able to do this though. Baal-Shaq responded that we needed to think more on what we should do. He suggested finding what Kallicrates could tell us. Mago went up on roof to see if any ships were in.
In the last hour of daylight, he came back down with word that a ship was coming in – the Morning Breeze. It tied up in the twilight and little later Kallicrates arrived with a couple of sailors and two Numidian guards.
Party & company:
Met:
Places:
Party Loot: —
From: Sammus’s Boast:
Kallicrates told us he was delighted to see us safe and sound after crossing the desert. He reported that spies had gathered while we were in the desert and he had been warned, so he had moved our gear to safe storage with Zachary. He and Baal-Shaq nodded to each other. He told us that he had started sailing back and forth to Kart and when he had arrived in Kart he had been stopped by the authorities, and the Morning Breeze had been searched from stem to stern. He had gone to the temple and had sworn that he knew nothing of our travels in the desert or of any sacrilege and he had been allowed to continue his voyages. He added that his ferrying passengers to and from Kart had annoyed Hamilco, who had normally had a monopoly on such business. He asked us what news we had and Agripinus told him about Tamuda, which surprised the Greek as Tamuda had been hale and hearty eight days ago when the Morning Breeze had set sail.
Agripinus told Kallicrates that spies had called up ramships to take us when we left harbour and then asked the Greek how long it would take to load up the ship and make ready for departure. Kallicrates told us that it wouldn’t be long – because he had just been ferrying passengers, he had no cargo to load just our own gear.
We then discussed further what our options were and Toxoanassa explained that she would be loath to leave without completing her quest. We thought there might be more to discover under the mountain and that Tamuda ought to be ready to grant us freedom to do this after Agripinus’s healing. Baal-Shaq asked if wanted to see Tamuda now or tomorrow morning and we decided we should do this as soon as possible. Si'aspiqo, Agripinus and Baal-Shaq set out straight away.
After a couple of hours, they all returned looking pleased. Agripinus reported that Tamuda was in good health and following the diet the priest had prescribed. Agripinus then gave a box to Toxoanassa. When she opened it, there was a cloth wrapped around something inside. As she unwrapped it, she gave an exclamation of delight and beamed from ear to ear. Inside was a red rock similar in size and shape to the white one she had from Kart – she had completed her quest! Now she just had to get them safely back to the other End of the World and her family curse would be lifted.
Si'aspiqo told her that he had confirmed that like the first one, it had power. She tried to place the white rock in the box with the red one, but when the white rock came close to the red, it started to glow.
Agripinus said that Tamuda as well as giving the rock, he was also prepared to swear an oath to Tanit and the City of the White Veil if Agripinus would have an emissary sent from the temple of Tanit in Carthage.
Baal-Shaq suggested we should return to Carthage as soon as possible and sell the proceeds from the trip to the Red Dune – as Toxoanassa had fulfilled her quest we all agreed. This would also allow Agripinus to arrange the sending of an emissary to accept Tamuda’s oath and strengthen Tanit’s foothold in the area. Kallicrates explained that it should only be a few hours to load our potions and other loot from our travels, along with everything that was now stored at Zachary’s.
Baal-Shaq, Toxoanassa and I went to Zachary’s to collect our goods and Kallicrates returned to the ship and sent sailors to start loading the potions carefully onto the ship. Si'aspiqo cast a cantrip to determine the weather. He detected a change to a warmer wind from the south, which would be ideal to commence our voyage and would hinder the arrival of any ramships. The Numidian guards lit the way and cleared off any people who they saw hanging around watching. Soon everything was loaded and stowed securely ready for departure, and we set sail soon after midnight on 4th July guided in the starlit night by the night vision of Amphius.
As we sailed, he saw no signs of waiting ships, just a large semi-submerged tree trunk, which he guided Kallicrates around. Just before dawn Agripinus prayed to Tanit and asked her to watch over Tamuda so that he would be able to swear his oath to Carthage and Tanit when the emissary arrived. We sailed on in the daylight heading east of north towards the open sea and then more eastwards as the wind switched to a favourable direction. We did see a sail, but it was just a Phoenician trading ship, and it tacked on westwards as we sailed east. Mago saw some more flotsam and jetsam, probably from a wrecked ship, but we saw no sign of survivors and sailed on for the rest of the day and then continued at night with Amphius keeping watch. He again saw wreckage or a large floating log, which he guided as around and we sailed on until dawn on 5th July.
Party & company:
Met:
Places:
Party Loot: E69
From: Si'aspiqo’s wheeze:
-or- Tamuda Juggles the Hot Cobble
After some discussion amongst us of our options, Agripinus with Baal-Shak’s encouragement, decided to test, gently, the extent of Tamuda’s gratitude for Tanit’s intervention on his behalf.
It being somewhat after dusk Baal-Shak called an escort of Tamuda’s guardsmen as link-bearers for the ruler’s healer, himself and a supporter — that was me — to return to assess the results of the earlier treatment. At the residence we were required to lodge our weapons before approaching the presence, so I gave up a number of small daggers, insignificant though they looked beside the weapons of the merchant-warrior Baal-Shak and the warrior-priest Agripinus.
Stripped of physical weapons we were admitted to the same chamber where Agrinius had invoked Tanit to save the sickened ruler. To say Tamuda looked well would be untrue, but compared to earlier in the day when we left him, it was clear that his recovery continued, thanks no doubt to the intervention of Tanit’s servant, the departure of the villainous Tabat and tearing down of that one’s baleful-daubings on Tamuda’s sleeping tent. Though clearly weak, he was sitting up in large chair and conversing with his court and servants.
The Head Guard Micipsa brought us in and immediately Tamuda took notice. He called for chairs for his visitors. I was somewhat surprised to be included as one of the seated, thinking my own role tiny beside Agripinus’s, but arguing with Tamuda’s judgement could have no good outcome and so I kept silent and seated myself.
Agripinus though was quickly out of his seat, urgent to care for his patient, so the room was cleared, somewhat, for Tanit’s priest to examine Tamuda while I pottered in Agripinus’s shadow checking the food and drink for gross signs of poisons, stimulants or sedatives, of which I detected none. I was reasonable sure, short of a tasting, that there was nothing at all interesting about the thin gruel and watered wine at Tamuda’s hand.
On the matter of the villain Tabat, he had not been found despite searches. He has not been seen to leave by land or sea, and no one had informed the guards of his whereabouts. Though there was a watch set for the rogue witch doctor should he still be in town, it was quite possible, Tamuda knew, that Tabat’s arts might allow him to lurk, or flee, unseen.
Tamuda remarked on the return of the Morning Breeze at dusk, but Agripinus assured him that we had no plan to leave soon, so that he and his Goddess could attend to Tamuda’s recovery. Even though, he mentioned, we had recently learned our enemies had placed spies and plotters in this city with plans to summon warships from Kart to take us, particularly himself, in some dispute over theological boundaries. But he considered the health of Tamuda more important, as evidenced by Tanit’s gift of healing channeled through himself. Agripinus also mentioned the matter of our hero-Amazon Toxoanassa’s quest to the mountain Abyla was yet incomplete and she would soon petition for his permission to return to further her quest-weird for the pillar-rock.
Tamuda nodded thoughtfully at all this and said he knew from talking to Toxoanassa last autumn that she, we, sought the Heart Stone of the holy mountain Abyla. He acknowledged that he must and would repay us for saving his his life. What he had would be ours, he said.
He called his man Juva, muttered instructions in his own speech rather than the halting — likely half-remembered — Arma he had been using with us. Juva disappeared briefly, returning with a wooden box which he placed in front of Apripinus. This contained a piece of red stone of a notable Presence…
Tamuda then said “Two things. First. You should leave my town tonight or as soon as there is light enough to sail by.” His guards would keep the peace in face of any strikes by our enemies already present, and assist us with the loading of all our goods and chattels aboard the Morning Breeze to speed us on our way, with his thanks.
And the second point was his instruction to Agripinus to tell Carthage to send an embassy, bearing with them the sign of Tanit, and he would swear allegiance to the White City!
I think it is fair to say that Agripinus was momentarily dumbfounded by this mark of thanks and favour, but upon confirming that he had heard correctly and that the red stone was of more than a mundane sandstone brick, he acknowledged that Tamuda’s life-debt to us was paid in full and that he would bear the offer of allegiance to the White City as speedily as fate permitted.
Then Agripinus turned healer again and made parting healing prayers for Tumuda (and I added a marks of protection about Tamuda’s seat and sleeping place for his seat turned out to be a cunningly artificered reclining throne-couch). During this Tamuda gave orders, lengthily, in Numidian, to Guard Chief Micipsa in regard of our safekeeping and with particular emphasis on the necessity of our rapid, safe departure.
We were back at our lodging house well before midnight and away from the shore before dawn.
Party & company:
Met:
Places:
Party Loot: —