The Eye of Anubis: Book Ten

[lostboy]

When Tomas steps forward he winces inside, yet diplomacy isnt Sascha's strong suite so he keeps his silence, nothing he can do right now will aid the situation with the Akiri.

The Knight remains standing with his arms by his sides doign his best to appear non-threatening, silently preying Kuzan was wrong and the Falkovnian detachement wasnt about to arrive on the scene. If Vederrak needed an excuse for carnage this was it, and that woman seems hell bent on providing the spark. Sidling over to the priest he whispers "What direction are the hooves coming from, and how long do you think before they reach us?"

[NeoTiamat]

Town Square, Muhar, Har'Akir
August 27th, 761, 1:19 PM; Day 163 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"Sir... it's not your fight, you're a civilian." Tomas felt a hand on his shoulder as he finished his little speech. It was the young Falkovnian, Niklas. He looked worried. "We were ordered to protect you."

"And we're not leaving anyone to this rabble." Luther added, glaring at the local Akiri without even the smallest bit of sympathy. "Especially not brothers-in-arms."

For her part, Banafrit merely smiled at Tomas. It was a cold, reptilian smile, utterly without mirth. Before anything more could be said, however, the sounds of hooves came closer still. The cavalry, it seemed, had arrived.

The Falkovnians rode into the square at a gallop, pulling up in the middle of the square. There were well over a dozen of them, all fully armed, fully armored, and generally looking extremely unfriendly. You could make out Lieutenant Schiffer, looking tired and drained, and also Kommandant Vederrak, looking frustrated. There was a bundle draped across the back of a spare horse, wrapped in cloth and about the size and shape of a man...

The arrival of the Falkovnians was the final straw. The crowd, growing steadily more bored and more confused with the theology and accusations of possession and witchcraft, all of which flew firmly over their heads, began to disperse. A few shot venom-filled glares at the Expedition or at the Falkovnians, but most just wandered off, trying to get to their homes before the Falkovnians did anything unpleasant.

Banafrit looked at the departing crowd and gave a little shrug, as if to say can't win them all. She looked at Tomas and Charles, smiling a little, and raised a single finger to her brow, as if to tip an imaginary hat. Then the ferryman's wife followed the rest of the crowd out of the square. She disappeared behind a corner, and in all likelihood, beyond the possibility of pursuit.

You, meanwhile, had bigger things to worry about. Kommandant Vederrak led his horse up, looking at what had, when he left this morning, been the Temple of Osiris. From what was formerly an impressive, multi-story building, only a pile of rubble remained. A single wall was still standing, but the other three had collapsed quite thoroughly, and the floor was undermined as well. It was certainly an impressive job of demolition.

Vederrak looked at the ruins of the temple, then at you, then back at the ruins.

"...Research." The Falkovnian said mildly.

[Nathan of the FoS]

"Don't worry, we're starting a collection for a new one," Charles says, going to the front steps of the temple and taking back his bracers. "I suppose I might as well keep these until we find a responsible person to take the donations--a new priest of Osiris...someone who isn't secretly a cultist of Set. It's a dangerous business, archaeology. I give you my word, Kommandant, I had no idea we would--or could--do anything to cause...this."

He gestures to the collapsed temple. "Fortunately we managed to...well, I confess, I am not exactly sure what impressions our audience took away from this piece of street theater, but they didn't set on us and tear us limb from limb, which under the circumstances must be considered a positive review. It's not beyond the possibility that we can turn it to good account...a generous donation to show respect for local mores might do wonders to convince the populace that we are willing to live and let live--respect local traditions and leaders and so forth. But having been an ambassador I suppose all of that is second nature to you, Kommandant."

Charles looks at the horse with no rider and his demeanor changes. "Your soldier, Kommandant?" he says respectfully. "Ezra receive him. Did you learn anything about...his demise?"

[DocBeard]

"Hi." Tomas said, as if they were not doing anything untoward at all. "How're you doing, Herr Kommindant?"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

'And we will meet again, I am certain,' Lia thinks as she shoots a last, venomous glare at 'Banafrit' before 'she' disappears. The look she gives the Falkovnians is a bit more measured, though still rather chilly.

"Regardless what this looks like to you, ambassador," she says in a cool tone of voice, "you should know we now have proof conclusive that Cavendish was here. Your man, here" - she gestures vaguely at Luther - "was there to hear the sound of his voice, recorded through magic. There was a hidden basement underneath this temple of Osiris, well-stocked with Lebendtod undead, gestating to readiness. They should be buried beyond easy retrieval now. But there was also a ghost."

The look Lia gives the ambassador now is somehat ... flat. "The ghost of Snefru, priestess of Set, to be specific. She got away from us, and so it seems a safe bet that she will be back, sooner or later. Do you possess any spels that will ward against attacks by ghosts, herr kommandant? I am sure you must still be reeling from the loss of your loyal follower, but you might wish to take steps to further safeguard the ones you have left. Snefru could pick them off easily, if she wanted to."

[The Whistler]

It does have to be addressed, at some point, so Otto says it--in as politic a fashion as he can manage, having narrowly missed being rioted to death.

"...As we were to witness, Herr Kommandant, this priestess *has* retained a good deal of her clerical powers in the time afterward of her death. The most potent display of which was..."

He pauses, a bit awkwardly, then gestures vaguely at the ruins of the Temple. There is, apparently, no polite way to say "a ghost collapsed a building on us, which means it isn't our fault."

"...A desperate tactic on her part, indeed--not to mention one difficult to repair."

[lostboy]

Sascha also takes this moment to chime in, he isnt Vederrak's biggest fan, but information needs to be imparted, forewarning all of the danger looming.

"It would also be fair to say that she is unhappy with her current predicament, and even in the unlikely event she were not in life, she is certianly now is a creature of hatred and vengance. She will be back to be sure, and this" he waves a hand at the ruined temple "is probabley but a taste of the havoc she hopes to wreak."

[NeoTiamat]

Falkovnian Compound, Muhar, Har'Akir
August 27th, 761, 1:34 PM; Day 163 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"Regardless what this looks like to you, ambassador," Lia says in a cool tone of voice, "you should know we now have proof conclusive that Cavendish was here. Your man, here" - she gestures vaguely at Luther - "was there to hear the sound of his voice, recorded through magic. There was a hidden basement underneath this temple of Osiris, well-stocked with Lebendtod undead, gestating to readiness. They should be buried beyond easy retrieval now. But there was also a ghost."

The look Lia gives the ambassador now is somehat ... flat. "The ghost of Snefru, priestess of Set, to be specific. She got away from us, and so it seems a safe bet that she will be back, sooner or later. Do you possess any spels that will ward against attacks by ghosts, herr kommandant? I am sure you must still be reeling from the loss of your loyal follower, but you might wish to take steps to further safeguard the ones you have left. Snefru could pick them off easily, if she wanted to."

"Yes... I am certain that the evidence seen in the presence of so many skilled mages, enchanters, and illusionists can hardly be doubted. Pity all the rest is buried under a hundred tons of rubble." Marcos Vedarrak said with a cold gaze at Lia. "I shall take all precautions I deem necessary, against ghosts, necromancers, or whoever else threatens us."

Charles looks at the horse with no rider and his demeanor changes. "Your soldier, Kommandant?" he says respectfully. "Ezra receive him. Did you learn anything about...his demise?"

"Hi." Tomas said, as if they were not doing anything untoward at all. "How're you doing, Herr Kommindant?"

"I've been better." Vedarrak said darkly. Then the Falkovnian just sighed, and for a moment you glimpsed past the carefully reserved mask the Ambassador wore. Marcos Vedarrak was frustrated and bone-weary. "Franz died same as the others. We'll hold funeral services later tonight."

"Regardless, a collection is a good idea, M'sieur Martel." Vedarrak continued tiredly. He reined his horse back towards the camp. "Nevertheless, I believe it may be wise to undertake no more research expeditions while Muhar is in such an uproar."

"Also, please search your knowledge." The Kommandant finished simply as you entered the Falkovnian compound. "The sooner you can tell me where the Tomb of Menetnashte is, the sooner we can all leave."

Then he left you, heading back to the inner compound to prepare for the funeral of the late, lamented Franz. Pretty soon you were back in your quarters. They were comfortable enough, though somehow you still felt captive here.

Sense Motive DC 24

Also, you are now back at the compound, and may consider yourselves returned to your quarters. I heartily recommend that you take this time to figure out what you know and what you plan to do next (including how do you plan to get out of the compound). Basically, discussion time.

You can also, if interested, go and track down any NPCs with whom you would like to speak and are in the Falkovnian compound (to wit, Vederrak, Mandisa, Schiffer, as well as Luther, Niklas, and Hermann). For certain obvious reasons, you aren't going to be let outside the compount any time soon.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"So," Lia says once the group has been 'returned to quarters' and she is reasonably certain that no Falkovnians are quite closeby enough to hear her if she keeps her voice down.

"It sees to me that we are sitting on a powder keg and the fuse has been well and truly lit. We have Cavendish stirring up trouble among the Akiri, Snefru lurking somewhere itching for a rematch against Cavendish and now possibly us as well, and Vedarrak on behalf of the brotherhood, here to gain access to the cenotaph.

I feel rather strongly that if we do not provide the ambassador with information as to the cenotaph's location, he will become considerably less pleasant soon. Already, he seems to distrust us ..." Lia pauses for a moment after saying this, and smirks behind her mask.

'Just our luck,' she thinks, shaking her head. 'The first scion of evil to say something positive about our abilities since that monster Diamabel, and he thinks we are using them in order to hoodwink him. All is as usual, for us ...'

The Mage continues: "Vedarrak has already been plenty unpleasant towards the Akiri, so they have good reason to want to get rid of him and the rest of the Falkovnians. Add to that Cavendish stirring them up when we're not around. No telling what Snefru might get up to -- except that, with the little revelation that she is a priestess of Set, it becomes more likely that her surviving acolytes are assassinating lone Falkovnians when and where they can. She might rally them to her cau ... se. Drat. We might need to warn that priestess of Isis about that.

And oh yes, we're stuck in the middle of this entire tangled mess, with part of our complement moved to some location we know not where. Am I forgetting anything? What are we going to do? I do not think it beyond our abilities to retrieve the professors and escape from Muhar, but we would have Vedarrak on our heels -- possibly after he'd cut a bloody swath through such Akiri as chose to oppose him. No telling what Cavendish would do to them before he left, either. Or the ghost."

Lia sighs and scratches her head. "Really," she says, "I am more than eager to hear what we are going to do now ..."

[yalenusveler]

"We could have a chat with Fasshad's father I belive it is...or Grandfather. Either way, there are interesting enough rumors about him, and it might give us more to go on about Fasshad's motivations." Andre said, trying to relax, but having that distinct feeling that the only thing that would truly be relaxing right now is Cavendish's horrible demise.

"It would hopefully help explain a great deal, like why a tomb robber suddenly becomes terrified and pious.."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Yes, Andre," Lia says, "speaking with the grandfather would be most enlightening and useful. I agree with that wholeheartedly. But what are we going to do about the various forces ranged against us in Muhar? Unless we all sneak out of here and expect to be able to hide out in the grandfather's bailiwick until the mess here blows over ..." She allows the sentence to trail off.

[DocBeard]

"I think Vedarrak's right." Tomas says, perhaps unexpectedly.

He lets a moment pass before amending, "About the tomb. In town, we have three enemies we know about, and the problem of the whole town rioting. On the road, we may still have these troubles, but at least we won't be putting the biggest population center of a country at risk while doing it. The right thing to do is get the Falks out of here as soon and as bloodlessly as possible."

"If Fasshad has family here, maybe they can help. It's the most solid lead we have to the tomb, I think."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Please do not forget" -- abruptly, Lia looks up and all around, making doubly sure no one is listening in. Still, she drops her voice another octave -- "Please do not forget who our real guide to the cenotaph is. Menetnashte. I do not know why she disappeared when we entered Muhar, but there is also no telling what will bring her back. Nor what she will do once she returns. Who wants to explain her to Vedarrak? And who wants to be caught in the crossfire if it turns out she wants the Falkovnians nowhere near that blasted cenotaph?

Your thought is a worthy one, Tomas, and I'm all for getting the Falkovnians out of town. We'll have to be prepared to move quickly, however."

[Kaitou Kage]

"He believes us."

Kuzan spoke softly and with a bit of strain. The priest looked tired and drained. He had dark circles under his eyes and until now had been quiet the entire way back to the party's quarters, and with good reason. He channeled and expended a tremendous amount of positive energy in the underground temple, and yet more patching everyone up after the escape. Even for a powerful priest like himself, that took its toll on the body. So as the group returned, he was the first to find a place he could sit and try to relax.

"He really does believe we were telling the truth," the priest elaborated a little more in a quiet voice. "But things are not going well for him right now. He has an angry people on his hands, he just found his soldier's body, and the temple collapsing on our heads is not making his life any easier."

He glanced to Lia. "I do not mean to start a fight," he advised, still speaking quietly, "But this time, you did set him off. He lost his temper at your pushing him and snapped. His accusation was a way of telling you to back off and be quiet."

The priest heaved a big sigh and slumped down a little more. "I know there is no love lost between Vedarrak and the rest of you," he continued, "But whatever crimes he has committed, he is still only human, whether he seems it or not. I sense that he does care for the well-being of his own men, if nobody else, and would rather not lose any more to ghosts, Cavendish, or an angry mob. I suggest that we try to be more cooperative and understanding -- just for now. All of us wish to see the problems in this town settled as smoothly and as quickly as possible. I do not think we will accomplish that by instigating him unnecessarily, especially not when..." He trailed off, but his golden eyes flicked for just an instant toward where the professors were held.

"We are not entirely of one mind with him, let alone with each other. But for the moment, his goals and ours are the same. It is my suggestion that we strive to show him that we are valuable asset and not a yet another troublesome nuisance that he must deal with. We stand much more to lose if we act the latter."

[Nathan of the FoS]

Charles stands up and fiddles with his necklace of Ezra, muttering something under his breath. "We can speak freely," he says. "As long as no-one comes in, anyway. Menetnashte will not take Vedarrak to the tomb, and she must not be explained, or mentioned, at all. We've got to give him the slip somehow; once we do, I feel sure she'll be able to find us. I am all in favor of leaving as soon as possible, but we need to get our hostages out of durance vile and figure out how to send Vedarrak off one way while we go another. Or...dispose of him permanently."

casting zone of silence