The Eye of Anubis: Book Six

[NeoTiamat]

Bahadur's Yurt, Kermanshah, The Kermanevar, Sebua
June 23rd, 761, 12:10 PM; Day 98 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"True enough," Charles says, smiling. "You've chosen your business wisely, m'sieur. How has business been? Any visitors in the last few weeks?"

"Business is mediocre, for few have been by to purchase magics. But then, traders come through but rarely. The profits when they do, however, are impressive." Apparently not impressive enough to break Bahadur out of his bored-sounding tone.

Temple of Osiris, Kermanshah, The Kermanevar, Sebua
June 23rd, 761, 12:10 PM; Day 98 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"You think there's something seriously wrong here?" Mary blurted out. "I just thought, well... they don't know me, and it must be very dull living out in this canyon, so... I've never been out of Mordent before, I just thought this was how other cultures acted."

The Mordentishwoman gave a small smile. "I'm not sure my nightmares will be too helpful. It's mostly been dreams of me being alone in the desert or the ship crashing down onto the sand."

Miss Collins spread her hands apologetically. "I wish I could be more use."

[yalenusveler]

"You've actually been rather helpful. And I'm sorry about the trauma you've gone through. It's a testament to the Mordentish will and your own personal fortitude that you've held up this well." Andre offered a smile.

"Now..you said you wanted a message passed back home?"

[lostboy]

Having said his piece Khalil offers another short bow, more a nod this time and wanders over to the altar and the priest.

[Akiri] " Well met honoured son of Osiris. Would you impart some wisdom to a curious traveller?"

Khalil stares at the back of the priests head for a moment as the man continues his tasks as if oblivious to his presence. He heaves an inaudible sigh, and repeats his question.

" Honoured son of Osiris, may I ask you a question? I wish to know about the place they name the singing spire, with the temple being so close I thnk you must have heard it many times, no? I am wondering how this singing manifests itself, for I heard a most strange noise on the wind earlier today..."

He tails off leaving an unspoken question for the priest.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"You think there's something seriously wrong here?" Mary blurted out. "I just thought, well... they don't know me, and it must be very dull living out in this canyon, so... I've never been out of Mordent before, I just thought this was how other cultures acted."

Lia gives Mary a blank look, then slowly shakes her head. "Woman," she says, "I have considerable respect for you, because you managed to make it here, all alone, across the desert. That respect just took a hit, however. Please do not tell me that you have never read anything about foreign countries that was not written in those abominable dead travel fast rags."

[NeoTiamat]

Temple of Osiris, Kermanshah, The Kermanevar, Sebua
June 23rd, 761, 12:10 PM; Day 98 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"Now..you said you wanted a message passed back home?"

"Yes, sir." Mary straightened, and in a rather rehearsed tone said. "Please tell Mr. John Collins of Harborview Lane of Mordentshire that his daughter, Mary Collins, has been diverted to Sebua, to the village of Kermanshah. He should..."

Mary faltered.

"I don't suppose father can actually do much..." She said in a small voice. "I mean... he's a purchasing agent for the Carlyle Trading Company. It's not like he can send powerful wizards to get me."

Lia gives Mary a blank look, then slowly shakes her head. "Woman," she says, "I have considerable respect for you, because you managed to make it here, all alone, across the desert. That respect just took a hit, however. Please do not tell me that you have never read anything about foreign countries that was not written in those abominable dead travel fast rags."

"Madame." Mary said formally, her waxy face frosty. "If you are going to insult me, I shall ask you to leave my room and leave me in peace."

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" Honoured son of Osiris, may I ask you a question? I wish to know about the place they name the singing spire, with the temple being so close I thnk you must have heard it many times, no? I am wondering how this singing manifests itself, for I heard a most strange noise on the wind earlier today..."

The priest, Javed of Osiris, had been so engrossed in his tasks that he had ignored Khalil altogether. Or maybe he didn't deem the original, rhetorical question worthy of a response. This one, on the other hand...

"It is a whistling moan upon the wind." The older man said. "I do not know what it is, but it occurs only when a strong wind blows through the Kermanevar. It is a loud hum, heard throughout the valley, especially at dawn and dusk. My predecessor named them the 'Yawns of Ra' "

[Kaitou Kage]

Kuzan smoothly shifted the topic from Lia's accusation to his topic of concern.

"So you saw they were tired and unmotivated, too?" he asked, "How long ago did you get here? Sorry, they haven't told me much about your circumstances. I'm just trying to get an idea of how long this has been going on."

I wonder if we can take her with us. I know it's probably not exactly...normal, but she could be in danger, too. I wish I could at least get a sending to her father but without knowing the man, that may be impossible. Maybe I can try to contact someone else at the or the Core...

[Nathan of the FoS]

"Business is mediocre, for few have been by to purchase magics. But then, traders come through but rarely. The profits when they do, however, are impressive." Apparently not impressive enough to break Bahadur out of his bored-sounding tone.

"All to the good," Charles says. "Who have you sold to recently, m'sieur? Anyone of note? We'll pay five gold for that one." Charles indicates the most detailed of the maps as he makes the offer.

[lostboy]

It is a loud hum, heard throughout the valley, especially at dawn and dusk. My predecessor named them the 'Yawns of Ra' "

Khalil grimaces a little, unless the priest was incredibly poor at describing things that was certainly not the sound they had heard earlier. Which of course meant that something mysterious indeed seemed to be occuring in the Kermanevar, and they were not all just jumping at shadows.

The desert guide considers the impliacations of this for a moment, flirting breifly with the notion of convincing Samael to move the expedition out of here as fast as his little Borcan legs would go. No I would never convince the others he thinks with a small sigh, besides this place is a lifeline to anyone crossing the wastes, I cannot allow this oasis to become tainted.

Shifting his focus back to the priest, he contniues with a thoughtful look. "That is most interesting honoured son, thank you. Forgive my morbid curiosity but perhaps you could tell me, has anyone died here recently?"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Lia appears ... less than impressed by Mary's response, but remains silent while Kuzan continues the interrogation. 'Stupid girl,' she thinks to herself as she placidly looks around the room. 'From my perspective, anyway. I should not judge too quickly. And she did make it through the desert alone.' Suddenly, an unwelcome thought tickles Lia's mind. 'Why is she not badly sunburnt? The cleric could have healed her, but she should be deeply tanned, surely.' Lia eyes Mary with a trace of suspicion ...

OOC: I cast Detect Magic several posts ago. Any results from that?

[NeoTiamat]

Bahadur's Yurt, Kermanshah, The Kermanevar, Sebua
June 23rd, 761, 12:15 PM; Day 98 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"All to the good," Charles says. "Who have you sold to recently, m'sieur? Anyone of note? We'll pay five gold for that one." Charles indicates the most detailed of the maps as he makes the offer.

"As you would, sir." Bahadur took the coins lazily and gave Charles the map.

"I fear that no one of note has passed by in the last three months or so. Before that the caravan of Sheik al-Feladin passed by then, as it has for years now. He bought a good many artifacts of minor worth from me, trinkets and spells and the like."

[OOC: Congratulations, you now have IC access to the map up at the map thread.

Listen Check.]

Temple of Osiris, Kermanshah, The Kermanevar, Sebua
June 23rd, 761, 12:15 PM; Day 98 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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[OOC: Not a blessed thing. Mary Collins has not a single active spell or magical item upon her, nor any traces of spells or magical items.]

"So you saw they were tired and unmotivated, too?" he asked, "How long ago did you get here? Sorry, they haven't told me much about your circumstances. I'm just trying to get an idea of how long this has been going on."

"I'll try to help..." Mary ducked her head, brows furrowed in thought, though not without casting a baleful glare at Lia. Their dislike and disdain seemed to rapidly becoming mutual.

"I came here.... two weeks ago, little less than that." Mary closed her eyes for a second, calculating the days. "I'm not sure what day today is, but the ship left Mordentshire May 21st, and managed to get Mist-led four days later, on May 25th. We stayed at the monastery for two days, getting our bearings, then set out."

"I don't really know how long we traveled." Miss Collin's voice took on a quiet tone. "After a while, days tend to blend together under the sun and heat. I...think I showed up here on the seventh or eighth of June, but I couldn't swear to it."

"The people here were tired and apathetic, that's true." Mary nodded. "But when I asked for food, shelter, they gave it to me."

"Do you think you can help them?" The woman asked. "And is there anything I can do to help?"

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"That is most interesting honoured son, thank you. Forgive my morbid curiosity but perhaps you could tell me, has anyone died here recently?"

"Some." Javed of Osiris said bluntly, continuing his little cleaning around the altar. "Pejman ibn-Reza drowned seventeen days ago in the Kermanevar. Sharham fell off of the cliffside at the edge of the Mazes a month and a half ago. Goshtashb al-Rahzid drowned three months ago. Miss Jannat died of a scorpion sting not long before that, by the Oasis."

[yalenusveler]

"We're going to do our best, Mary." Andre said, his tone serious. "Already, you've given us a timetable, which is phenomenally helpful. If I can think of anything else, I'm sure we'll let you know." He offered her a sincere smile, then considered a moment.

"I think right now, you should concentrate on staying safe. I have no desire for you to fall victim to whatever is causing the issue here. "

[Kaitou Kage]

Kuzan nodded in agreement with Andre, smiling. "Thank you for your help. If you notice anything new or strange, please let me know immediately."

He glanced over to Andre for a moment, then back to Mary. "I don't want to get your hopes up too much, but there's a small chance I can get a message back to the Core for you soon. Some of the messenger gods, like Garuda, will deliver words sent on prayers. I can't promise, but I can try."

The priest grimaced inwardly. If nothing else, hopefully Sam won't mind calling on Basler for yet another sending favor...

[The Whistler]

Listen 28

"Erm...thank you very much for your...assistance, sir. It is quite of fine quality, this thing you give us..." The worried look on Otto's face strained a little, as if he was trying to prevent himself from doing something.

And still, you just can't resist, can you...

"...But are you *sure* that it is not in fact worth--"

The gunsmith didn't actually have a chance to finish the sentence. Instead, he cocked his head slightly to one side, slightly. The worried look turned briefly more so, and then instantly set into stony focus.

Then, several things happened one after the other--or, rather, were the sort of things that one *presumes* must have happened one after the other, only because they couldn't have happened simultaneously. To wit:

-A very fast bow to the mage, accompanied by something that might have been an "Excuse me" if it had had all the syllables it was supposed to.

-A very fast hand gesture in Charles' direction. This hand gesture might have said: "I am frantic yet attempting to conceal that fact! Please follow me to the site of a likely emergency!" if Otto had known Drow Sign Language. Unfortunately, he didn't--but it's the sort of message that doesn't need a lot of nuance to get across.

-The gunsmith not being in the room anymore. And, in fact, sprinting down the Kermanshah. Very fast.

Moving in the direction of the scream, if I can tell where it came from at all. If not, then just looking for anything outwardly emergency-esque.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Of course we shall do our best," Lia adds her support to Andre's and Kuzan's. "And miss Collins? Let me repeat that, although I care not for your taste in literature" -- Lia indicates the dead travel fast novellas with an almost lazy hand gesture -- "I do respect your accomplishment in making it across the desert by yourself. You are clearly a woman of iron determination."

As soon as Lia has the other members of the Expedition alone, she quietly addresses Kuzan. "I did not want to get the woman's hopes up, but ... You are capable of casting a spell of teleportation, or so I seem to recall you telling us back at Dezbar keep. I am well familiar with Mordent, and could cast an illusion to show you an image of Mordentshire. Could you use that as a focus to send our desert-traveling debutante back home?" She frowns slightly. "Also ... Is it me, or should she be a bit more tanned after traveling through the desert for over a week?"

[Nathan of the FoS]

Charles is not so bad a judge of body language as to miss Otto's meaning, drow sign language or no; with a very slightly lengthier farewell (he gets his "Thank you very much," out quite intelligibly) he scoops up the map and has it secreted (neatly folded) in an interior jacket pocket by the time he reaches Otto, now in the street.

"What are we looking for?" he asks quietly.

Listen 17, almost certainly not enough to get a bead on the sound and quite possibly not enough to have heard it in the first place.