The Eye of Anubis: Book Ten

[Nathan of the FoS]

"We wanted to meet you," Charles gestures slightly to indicate that he is including the Muhari generally, and not just the priestess, "without our...watchers." I wish I knew how to say chaperones...that should get the idea across though. "It was a bad surprise to us to find them here. We will have to stay with them, I think, but we would not want to if we could do otherwise. They are...not very good companions. We are hoping to talk, to be friends, with the Muhari, as much as we can; so, when the Falkovnians went away, we decided we would come here and talk to you without them."

[NeoTiamat]

Temple of Isis, Muhar, Har'Akir
August 26th, 761, 5:52 PM; Day 162 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"Perhaps you mean what you say." Nathifa looked at you for a long time. Then the priestess of Isis came to some decision. "Very well. It is not a long story to tell."

"A week ago, these foreigners arrived in Muhar, riding upon a number of horses both living and spell-wrought, and claimed control of the town. The High Priestess of Osiris, Snefru, denied them." Nathifa spoke quietly, without condemnation or rancor. "There was a brief spell-battle, but Snefru and some of her underpriests were slain. Two survived, I believe, but they have been in hiding."

"They have taken over Snefru's manor, and instituted a curfew and mounted patrols, as well as commandeering Snefru's food stores." Still in a carefully studied voice, the priestess of Isis continued. "Four days ago, they found the blacksmith's daughter out after curfew. Isis grant her soul refuge."

"After that... there was some grumbling, and several men threw stones at the foreigner's compound. They now occupy the stakes before Snefru's manor." Nathifa sighed, just a little show of emotion. "I pray it is the gods' will."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"A spell-battle, you say?" Lia notes. "The Falkovnians have a spellcaster among their number? And if you do not mind my asking -- what befell the temple of Horus?"

[lostboy]

As the priestess speaks there is a mounting sound of squealing metal as Sascha clenches his fists in anger.

"I pray it is the gods' will."

"It is as I feared" he mutters through clenched teeth. Then in a louder voice "It is not the gods will milady, merely the base cruelty of man's."

"There will be a reckoning for the perpetrators of these crimes, and the bodies of those slain shall be returned for the proper rituals of passing on, I swear it."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"That would be most agreeable, yes," Lia agrees, her voice mild. "It is offensive to see what Falkovnian soldiers do."

[Kaitou Kage]

Great. Oaths of vengeance, motions of rage, and ill-conceived anger are being thrown about randomly when we still don't have the whole story. Kuzan sighed quietly.

"The others mentioned their own were being killed in a very brutal way," he said, "Do you know what could have caused it? Body parts were cut off and the bodies just left behind."

[yalenusveler]

"It's a variation on a old punishment for blasphemy, Kuzan." Andre said quietly. "It's a recreation of the indignities heaped upon Osiris by Set. Which makes it likely that Snefru's underpriests are the ones staging the attacks on the Falkovnians. And although I can understand their rancor...it's likely making an already unpleasant situation far worse."

[Kaitou Kage]

"Ritual killings?" Kuzan asked, "Like what some of Kali's priests do?"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Quite possibly so," Lia says. "Although I am not certain whether Kali's priests are systematically brutalised in Sri Raji as the citizens and prisoners of Falkovnia are ...?"

[NeoTiamat]

Temple of Isis, Muhar, Har'Akir
August 26th, 761, 5:59 PM; Day 162 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"A spell-battle, you say?" Lia notes. "The Falkovnians have a spellcaster among their number? And if you do not mind my asking -- what befell the temple of Horus?"

"I think it is their leader that was the magus, though I do not know his name." Nathifa shook her head. "A blond man of medium height, and less armored than his fellows, but with an air of command."

"The temple of Horus still runs, and Qeb still holds services, but he is closely watched by the foreigners."

"The others mentioned their own were being killed in a very brutal way," he said, "Do you know what could have caused it? Body parts were cut off and the bodies just left behind."

"It's a variation on a old punishment for blasphemy, Kuzan." Andre said quietly. "It's a recreation of the indignities heaped upon Osiris by Set. Which makes it likely that Snefru's underpriests are the ones staging the attacks on the Falkovnians. And although I can understand their rancor...it's likely making an already unpleasant situation far worse."

"I have not heard of this..." The priestess of Isis spread her hands. "And so I do not know what to say. I am told that Badri, Snefru's personal aide, and Khait, the high priestess's apprentice survived, but this is but rumor."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Are the sirs Badri and Khait doughty fighters?" Lia asks, sounding nothing but curious. "Capable of taking down more than one trained and armoured warrior in a surprise attack?"

[Kaitou Kage]

"Vedarrak is a mage?" This was obviously news to Kuzan. "So...we're dealing with a wizard, possibly a pair of angry priests, and Cavendish might still be running around. I wonder if he's involved in making things worse."

[DocBeard]

"You can count on that." Tomas has been on his knees, scrubbing the floor this whole time. The only way they are going to win these people over is by showing them that some outsiders do have a basic respect for decency, Tomas has reasoned, and besides it means not having to look at the cold, defeated embers in the eyes of the people here. "If not already, eventually. I'd bet my left arm that maniac won't be able to resist throwing lard onto der fire soon enough."

Personally he is not sure that the armored Falkovnian leader is a wizard-the reason being that she said 'less' armored instead of 'un'armored, but Tomas admits to himself that this is just schematics. Hit a spell-caster hard enough and they all break apart the same way anyhow.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Using elements of local faith to cause unrest and suffering is one of the things Cavendish is good at," Lia notes. "As he invoked fear of the most ancient evil in Phiraz, so might he be using the style of killing derivative of the tale of Osiris, Set, Horus and Isis here. It is well possible, and would probably amuse him."

[NeoTiamat]

Temple of Isis, Muhar, Har'Akir
August 26th, 761, 6:04 PM; Day 162 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"Are the sirs Badri and Khait doughty fighters?" Lia asks, sounding nothing but curious. "Capable of taking down more than one trained and armoured warrior in a surprise attack?"

"The priest Badri was a powerful man, Snefru's bodyguard." The priestess of Isis sniffed slightly at this, a faint grimace of distaste in her voice. Nathifa continued though. "The priestess Khait was passing skilled in the use of magic, Snefru's apprentice in matters of the gods."

"They were dangerous... but so was Snefru, and she fell swiftly." Nathifa sighed. "And for all that I know, they may be dead as well. Only rumors say that they are still alive."