The Eye of Anubis: Book Ten

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Possibilities, possibilities, there are always too many possibilities," Lia sighs, shaking her head. "Have there been any stirrings of the undead near Muhar recently?" she then asks, appearing to be scrutinizing the ugly 'head' of her cane.

[lostboy]

"And for all that I know, they may be dead as well. Only rumors say that they are still alive."

"Perhaps we should begin by confirming or denying these rumours then." Sascha says, ignoring the looks some others of the expedition keep giving him.

"The Falkovnians will show no mercy or quarter, regardless if the fight is driven by desire for freedom, vengance, or the machinations of a dread necromancer. I fear we have but little time before a massacre occurs in Muhar."

Turning his attention to Nathifa he asks; "If these priests are still alive, where could we begin trying to find them?"

[DocBeard]

Scrub scrub scrub.

"Either way, we're only going to learn more by following that lead." Tomas rationalizes, secretly hoping to get another crack at Cavendish before he has to kill himself to save the world.

[NeoTiamat]

Temple of Isis, Muhar, Har'Akir
August 26th, 761, 6:04 PM; Day 162 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"Possibilities, possibilities, there are always too many possibilities," Lia sighs, shaking her head. "Have there been any stirrings of the undead near Muhar recently?"

"Nothing." Nathifa shook her head. "Muhar has always been free of the living dead, the last trouble being before I was born. In my lifetime, the strangest we have at the tombs is Kheldun, who unsavory rumors notwithstanding is nothing but a grief-stricken old hermit."

Turning his attention to Nathifa Sascha asks; "If these priests are still alive, where could we begin trying to find them?"

"I do not know... if they live, they have been in hiding." The priestess of Isis considered this question for a moment, letting her gaze fall upon the carving of Isis before she made a suggestion. "The Goddess has granted me some sliver of power. I may try to send a spell-carried message to Badri or Khait. If they live, they may choose to be found."

[yalenusveler]

"That may be a wise idea, however I would be loathe to put you at more risk" Andre said, weighing the options available to them at the current time, and not exactly liking any of them really. "If they are responsible, they may try to assault you to cover their tracks. And if they aren't..they might anyway out of desperation."

[Nathan of the FoS]

"Nothing." Nathifa shook her head. "Muhar has always been free of the living dead, the last trouble being before I was born. In my lifetime, the strangest we have at the tombs is Kheldun, who unsavory rumors notwithstanding is nothing but a grief-stricken old hermit."

"What are the rumors, Mother?" Charles asks quietly. "I think we might wish to talk to this Kheldun...we have an enemy, the Cavendish who has been mentioned, who seeks out the dead for his unholy rituals, and if Kheldun is acquainted with the city of the dead here he may be able to tell us if anything has...changed...there recently."

[NeoTiamat]

Temple of Isis, Muhar, Har'Akir
August 26th, 761, 6:06 PM; Day 162 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"That may be a wise idea, however I would be loathe to put you at more risk" Andre said, weighing the options available to them at the current time, and not exactly liking any of them really. "If they are responsible, they may try to assault you to cover their tracks. And if they aren't..they might anyway out of desperation."

"I do not think the danger so great, but you may speak truth." Nathifa shrugged.

"What are the rumors, Mother?" Charles asks quietly. "I think we might wish to talk to this Kheldun...we have an enemy, the Cavendish who has been mentioned, who seeks out the dead for his unholy rituals, and if Kheldun is acquainted with the city of the dead here he may be able to tell us if anything has...changed...there recently."

"All manner of rumors." The priestess of Isis said in distaste. "Some say that he is a cannibal, feasting on the flesh of the dead, or upon living victims. Others say that he is a shapeshifting monstrosity, a hideous man-jackal with rending claws and cruel teeth. Still others believe that Kheldun is a necromancer of some manner, binding the dead to his service. Others yet think him a cultist who consorts with foul demons and unnamed things out in the desert."

"For my part, I believe Kheldun nothing more than a withdrawn old man who has not gotten over the disappearance of his grandsons." Nathifa continued, voice softening a bit. "He used to come down to the village every month to gather supplies, but since last year Kheldun has not left his solitude."

[yalenusveler]

"His grandsons?" Andre asked, more than a touch curious now. "What were their names?" Although it was likely just falling prey to some hazard of the locale, knowing the group's luck, it was likely some eldrich horror they'd have to put down.

Sweet Oracle, maybe the paranoia bug was rubbing off. On second thought...naaah, couldn't be.

[DocBeard]

Tomas is...

...finished?!

"My clean-fu is superior." Tomas cracks his knuckles, mangling a phrase from those wu xia books his colleague Falling Rain back at the U loves to read. "Want I should go and talk to him, Charles?" The unspoken, 'Since obviously we're kind of a mob all together like this.' hangs over Tomas's sentence.

[NeoTiamat]

Temple of Isis, Muhar, Har'Akir
August 26th, 761, 6:06 PM; Day 162 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"Two young men, Shenti and Fassahd." The priestess of Isis said after a brief search of her memory. "Their parents had died several years ago, and they were all Kheldun had. Fassahd was something of a rogue, but Shenti was a baker. They disappeared last spring, and I think it broke the old man's heart."

[The Whistler]

One loose end still out there in the firmament, and though Otto isn't exactly sure he wants to know the answer, it's still something that's best addressed by someone in the position to know--and then the gunsmith hears the name "Fassahd" enter the conversation, and things become a good bit more urgent.

"Begging pardon, Miss: it may be nothing, but... Did you perhaps witness another group of Corelanders, aside from the Falkovnians, pass through the town recently? They would have been led by a dark-haired man, pale, and a woman of--how you are saying--" He gestured at his own hair indicatively. "--Blonde, yes? They may have been claiming to be upon some manner of archaeological expedition, or perhaps upon some other pretense..."

[Kaitou Kage]

"What else can you tell us of these grandsons?" Kuzan asked.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Tomas is...

...finished?!

"My clean-fu is superior." Tomas cracks his knuckles, mangling a phrase from those wu xia books his colleague Falling Rain back at the U loves to read. "Want I should go and talk to him, Charles?" The unspoken, 'Since obviously we're kind of a mob all together like this.' hangs over Tomas's sentence.

"He's very clean, isn't he?" Charles notes to no-one in particular. "I don't think we'll have time tonight, it sounds as if our...hosts...are very serious about their curfew. We should certainly arrange to talk to him soon, though."

[NeoTiamat]

Temple of Isis, Muhar, Har'Akir
August 26th, 761, 6:12 PM; Day 162 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"Begging pardon, Miss: it may be nothing, but... Did you perhaps witness another group of Corelanders, aside from the Falkovnians, pass through the town recently? They would have been led by a dark-haired man, pale, and a woman of--how you are saying--" He gestured at his own hair indicatively. "--Blonde, yes? They may have been claiming to be upon some manner of archaeological expedition, or perhaps upon some other pretense..."

"I know only of the foreigners that are here now. I have seen none others," Nathifa said simply. There was simply nothing to tell.

"What else can you tell us of these grandsons?" Kuzan asked.

"Shenti was a baker, hard working and well-known. He was well-liked, if a bit self-important. It was thought that he would be married, soon. His bakery still stands in east Muhar, though it stands empty now," the priestess said, gesturing towards the opposite end of the town.

"Fassahd... was not so hard a worker," Nathifa said, after a moment's thought. "He had many ideas of things to do and no patience to see them done. He would often drift from one job to another. His heart did not seem content to stay with any one thing for long."

Throughout the priestess' short answers Kuzan felt a a strange sensation in one of his ears, vaguely akin to what softly murmerred voices would be if they were felt and not heard. Now they coaleced into words, as the sending stone pulsed slightly. "Where are you?" Carter's voice spoke clearly in Kuzan's mind. "Lebrecht returned without you, he thought you would be here. There's an argument with another soldier. Could be trouble - be on guard."

[Kaitou Kage]

We'll head back immediately, Kuzan replied to Carter over the stone, We're fine, just stopped for a detour. See you shortly.

The priest nodded at the priestess, then turned to the others. "We need to head back now," he said, "Lebrecht's already back and they're wondering where we are. We probably should not test our hosts' patience."

He bowed toward the priestess and made a sign of blessing. "Thank you for your time. May the gods watch over you." Then, he turned toward the door and began heading out.