At the Sign of the Salient Hurcheon

The morning for murdered Ambassador Mirnusz proceeds, pointless as it seems to some of the mourners, who know his spirit is banished, cursed to wander the world as a hungry ghost.

The evidence points to Ambassador Rumekebu of Merem as the one who orchestrated it, though his motivations seem opaque to the group, even the more experienced Agents in their number.

It looks like the investigation has come to the stage where an accusation must soon be made, and Magistrate Niralha wants no part of it, as someone in her position making such an accusation has severe political implications, instead she refuses to relieve Utana of his position as Steward of Nashwa, the responsibility of administration of the palace, and justice for crimes committed here, remains with Utana Uxarra.

Fetnah wonders if the curses can be broken, if Mirnusz’s spirit can be recalled, but first Smersh seeks to expel the spirit of disease that has been weakening him. To bring him back from the dead, if at all possible, would only be possible with a quest worthy of several epic poems, tales of advice from wise hermits, wrestling with demons, asking favours of the gods and journeys to the heart of the Underworld. Possible, but a bit tricky.

It cannot be said that Smersh is an observant and devoted priest of the Cold Ones, but he is a priest nonetheless, and used to exorcising spirits, though usually on Fetnah if she encounters a spirit too strong for her. This time his patient was himself, and luckily he was able to expel it.

Next came Fetnah’s endeavours. With the greatest preparations she could make she sought the shadow world of spirits for one with the knowledge of how she might banish the curse so that Mirnush would find his way back to the vicinity of his body.

The ritual proved successful, an answer came. Strike the inscription from the blade that embodied the curse, banish the sprit that inhabits the blade, and the curse is lifted, but the tool that does this must be blessed.

The group headed to the area of artisans, and were met by a craftsman who welcomed them with open arms, Karzahdar, the chief artificer, at a banquet had offered to create a new body for the crow spirit that Farshad imaginatively calls Aaribu, as well as an earring for Utana. The news was that the body was ready and, his design for this marvellously articulated body even incorporated some of the naive, as he called them, designs of Fetnah. Wish a sigh and a heavy heart, Fetnah helped Aaribu transfer bodies, and the bird flew around and settled back on Farshad.

Karzahdar was also able to provide chisels for the group for their task, and the smiths from the work area sharpened them. Also a hammer, an old hammer that had served him well and lasted many decades of service, only needing the head replaced twice and the haft three times. It was time to get them blessed. At the temple, the most senior priest was receptive, although Mirnusz was a follower of the Three, as a person in position of power, she knew the truth of the curse.

She led them to an area of the temple with two of the other priests, but insisted that, as one close to Fetnah and the dread weapon, that Smersh was the right person to , conduct the blessing, aided by the other three priests. With their help, Smersh succeeded, and the way was clear to perform the deed.

However, the senior priest did not want this done in the Temple, given the profane nature of the weapon, Instead she recommended a shrine built into the wall of the southern watchtower as a suitable place and, with sacrifices ready, Fetnah, marshalling all her experience as a bone carver, and hoping it transferred, struck the first blow, and itt wa true, striking all the script in one fluid movement. The evil spirit within was so surprised that it did not get a chance to attack Fetnah, and it fled the vicinity, howling in frustration.

Fetnah was able to reach out to Mirnusz, briefly, before that spirit attended his own funeral. Mirnusz, killed in a drugged stupor, knew little of the actual murder. When asked about the possible motive for his killing, he did offer a hypothesis. With Ishtir, Kutin and Idym in turmoil, with suspicions and accusations flying, the rebellion in western Idym that Merem is supporting would grow stronger, and Merem could take the territory.

In the discussion, Fetnah and Smersh recalled the area, how once it was part of a growing power, apparently it was once part of a greater empire, till it fell and was supplanted. It appears that some in Merem dreamed of achieving that power again. With Ishtir over-stretched militarily, they might see possibilities.

Pausing only to inform Mirnusz’s cousin Ctesiphon that the soul was free and that the rituals of mourning now had meaning, it was back to achieving justice!

However, the evidence so far was circumstantial. A lie about a sick aide and having the murderer foisted on him could be explained away as embarrassment, or distancing himself. Helping someone to the roof, could the witness be sure it was Rumekebu? More proof was needed.

And so a banquets was organised, a small, intimate one, only the Ambassadors, their aides and the Agents of Haraxa. Whilst all were there, then Farshad could sneak into the Meremite ambassador’s quarters. I was surprised that it  wasn’t Smersh doing this, I out that down to Scott having left the room and still catching up.

In the banquets, to one side of Ambassador Rumekebu, Fetnah was being engaging and charming, and Juan José was being silent and imposing, as fully armoured as diplomacy would allow, the guards on station were those he trusted.

Elsewhere, Farshad wandered over to the Ishtiri ambassadorial building, where he was known, and proceeded to the roof. There he found a pole and deftly vaulted to the Metemite embassy. Clambering down to the balcony of the ambassador’s quarters, he found the door and curtain shielded the inside. He slipped in to find a rather simply furnished room, frame bed, two chests, third chest upended like a portmanteau or dresser, a small, plain table and stool, and a smaller table with a drawer by the bed. Luckily lit by lamps, so he need not find his own light

Searching revealed mostly the expected. Clothes, makeup, some jewellery and accessories, writing materials, some personal items. More interestingly in the bedside table was a small fancy flask with a curious smell, but, more importantly, in a secret compartment in one chest, was a rack with three phials of liquid, and space for two more.

This was Gadanishz, the same sleeping poison used to drug Ambassador Mirnusz. This was evidence. Farshad left that as he found it, but he pocketed the flask. After a cursory check that outside the room was as he expected it, Farshad left the way he came, and to the banquet.

Entering the banquet, Farshad caught the eye of Juan José and Fetnah, and nodded. Wish every fibre of his being, Farshad resisted a Belgian accent and twirling his waxed moustache. Rumekebu maintained his composure as he was accused of orchestrating the murder of Mirnusz. The other ambassadors quickly regained themselves after the initial shock and, as Rumekebu poured scorn on the notion, the other Ambassadors heard the story and agreed to be witnesses to the proof, and Rumekebu was persuaded to go along by the prescience of Juan José and two of his less sympathetic guards.

Rumekebu’s room was crowded as Farshad revealed the poison. Inspired, Farshad checked the same spot on the other chest, and found another dagger, this one with Haraxan design motifs. The case seemed made.

Rumekebu had been sidling over to his bedside table, he pulled it open as a triumphant grin stole to his lips, but that soon fell to despair as the flask he expected to be there was gone. Desperate, he made a break for the balcony.  But Smersh blocked his way and the vice-like grip of Juan José landed on his shoulder.

The only thing missing was Juan José saying “You are blooming nicked, my old beauty!”

Ambassador Rumekebu was put under guarded arrest. Tomorrow there would be a trial.

The group prepared to rest the night when a messenger, dressed in plain brown tunic, kilt and with an brown, close fitting skull cap appeared, shouting for Smersh. Reluctantly Smersh identified himself, somewhat surprised as to who would be wanting him, as he and Fetnah had been gone for 1500 years.

The Situation

The city of Bardij, with the aid of the group, and troops they summoned, defected from the nation of Idym to Haraxa. Bardij is situated where Haraxa, Idym and Ishtir meet. It is important for trade from the Lands of Spices, as it is on the route from the sea to eastern Ishtir, western Haraxa and the lands of the Sakah, and for Sakah goods heading south.

Ishtir and Idym are not happy with Haraxa, but Ishtir is thinly stretched and Idym is wrestling with rebellion in the west, so their ability to bring force to bear is low, and this conference is here to debate the matter.

The Ambassadors

Bahareh – Sister to the ruler of Haraxa, well regarded as a diplomat

Mirnusz – Ruler of Babilim in Ishtir, known as a hunter and wrestler, brother to the Saraniya of Ishtir. Deputy is Ctesiphon of Immura.

Ba-nereru – A priest of the Cold Ones, as all the rulers of the Theocracy of Idym are. Seemingly nervous and looking for allies.

The group gathered around the room where Mirnusz, the ambassador from Ishtir, was lying, pinned to his bed by a sword identified by Utana as being of Kutin design, and it occurred to everyone that that seemed to obvious.

Smersh had determined that Mirnusz was drugged with a sleeping potion, a drug called Gadanishz, made from a infused era whose origin is from Idym, though Idym did not exist when Smersh learned of it. Again, the group thought this too neat.

Juan José joined the group, and, in about of black humour to bring levity to this diplomatic incident, the group noticed that, as a far travelled man, who is in charge if security for the event and is also a herbalist, Juan José must surely be a suspect.

The room was locked, the only exit a balcony with a ladder to the roof, In the doorframe they found some loose wool threads, red threads.

Up on the roof, a search found a short piece of cut rope, a hook on one end, that looked to have been attached to something here Nearby, the wall on the roof was scuffed, where a tense rope was, obviously strung across the roof to the next embassy.

From the first house below the line of trees, on the left these house the parties of Kutin, Merem, Idym, Ishtir and below, Haraxa.

The ambassadors from further powers like the Faliscans, Sardes, Ta-Khamet and others are housed elsewhere.

Although Haraxa is host, the ambassadorial party is separate from the Magistrate and representatives of the state running the event, such as Utana and the other agents.

Interviewing the Ishtiri guards on duty, they had views around the corridors, but no-one was in or even in fromt of Mirnusz’s room, not until a morning drink was brought to him and the death was discovered.

When quizzed about the rope, and red thread and anything unusual, there was mention made of two loincloth clad workmen outside, one of whom was wearing a red loincloth. Fetnah took a description and made a sketch as well as she could, and the message went out to look for them.

Further investigations with the Idymite embassy found evidence of the other of the rope on their side of the roof. Questioning guards revealed that the Idymites had not been so tight with their security and workmen had been working in the building, including two that had been been bringing in materials in boxes, of note was a long box hauled in upstairs by two workmen, one of whose was wearing a red loincloth. The box was later removed.

The supposition was that they carried in a confederate, whom they left, as the box seemed lighter, but they had delivered and left other things, food, linens, eating utensils etc, so they did not think much of it.

Searching of the artisan’s area turned up the suspected box, also with red threads, so there were at least two men in red loincloths. The description was refined and eventually a guard said they had seen them, but not as a workman but as a party guest, at one of the tables reserved for junior members of ambassadorial parties. They were not certain which but, as organisers, they were able to narrow down which of the ambassadorial staff were at the tables that the guard remembered.

And so they found out that one of the party from Merem, called Simut, was missing. His quarters had been vacated quickly, leaving behind two phials, one empty, one still full, which Smersh pocketed. There are other bits and pieces left behind, but they were not investigated further.

Taling to Rumekebu the ambassador, they learned that one of their ambassadorial party had fallen ill suddenly, and Simut substituted, but they were unable to find the orders, though the ambassador put that down to the exigencies of travel.

There is more to investigate, but the night was getting late, and there we left it

The afternoon wore on, and the whole atmosphere changed. Trumpets and drums drift across the water and along the road as the advance parties of the dignitaries arrive to prepare matters of accommodation, protocol, precedence and dietary requirements.

As soon as word got to the Palace of Nashwa, Utana was rushed off, bathed, perfumed, oiled, dressed and bejewelled until, instead of the hard travelled agent, was a noble of Kashara Haraxa, resplendent with all the air and majesty they could muster.

The crowds entered, parasols over notables, rose petals strewn where they walked, the drums lowering as voices shouted the names of those entering the palace precincts. The rest of the group found themselves pushed away from Utana, porters started to be directed to stow luggage from the caravan and from the galley that had arrived at the dock.

The acting commander of the garrison, Juan José, arranged his troops into an impromptu honour guard. Their drill was a little ragged, but nothing disgraceful, and he quietly gave orders for more practice before the main dignitaries arrived.

Fetnah and Juan José grabbed petals from baskets for offerings, Fetnah for her spirit ally, Juan José for the undead inhabitants of the tomb.

Fetnah also had to see the wooden crow get upset at her latest creation, the duck like form not pleasing to the spirit.Will she try it again? Only the future will let us know.

Eventually they prepared for their meeting with the Keteaorum, Farshad and Smersh scavenged pastries, sweetmeats and wine to present to the Keteaorum as gifts. A pair of dazzling charmers, they did well and got sweet treats destined for the most rarified tables.

With gifts in hand, they proceeded to the secret room. Three Keteaorum were already there, unarmed though one had a crystal topped staff. Whatever words the creature uttered were rendered into the native tongue of the hearer, Idarit of an ancient kind for Smersh and Fetnah, Faliscan for Juan José, the Ta-Khameti dialect of Idarit for Arpaesis and the modern Idarit for Farshad, the words emanating from the crystal.

The Ketaorum had also brought gifts of food, and each group politely sampled what was on offer, the sea urchins got lightly prodded about by the land dwellers, the sea dwellers however seemed intrigued by the honeyed flatbreads went down well with the Keteaorum.

The sea dwellers also a had request for aid.

“Greetings those who occupy this place. We are the faithful. We are the descendants of the first of our kid summoned to this world by priests of the Cold Ones two thousand years ago. Other Keteaorum around the world have deserted their bound contracts, but we are the faithful.

Our bond is to protect this place until a sixth Royal Person is buried in the tomb. It has been centuries since the fifth Royal Person was entombed, we wait, and remain faithful, but we need your help.

“The symbol of our bond is a statuette, of the dual deity Ahera-Ba, in white jade with our contract carved upon it, it has been stolen by other Keteaorum, ones who long ago broke their faith. If they can unravel the spells, they can command us, they can break our bond!

We need your help. We cannot leave this place, please bring us back the Seal!”

The group had questions, about how far the Seal was from the peninsula, about how far the faithful could go (about two miles from the shore), surely the thieves would be underwater and how could they fetch. It.

They were offered arm rings, bronze with enamelled detail, that the Keteaorum called “The armlets of Segin-ah. These would let the land dwellers breathe underwater and operate almost as well as if they were on land. That concerned the group, who were aware that Keteaorun enslaved land dwellers, fixing collars with similar powers to them.

The priest of the faithful reassured them that these were a more limited magic, that would only last until the next full moon. The group conferred, and struck a bargain, they would fetch the Seal, but could the faithful guard the waters around the peninsula for the duration of the conference. To that the Keteaorum agreed.

It was obvious that bows, the preferred weapon of many of the group, would be of little use. Asked if they could provide anything, one of the Keteaorum went back into the water and returned eventually with quivers of darts, each containing six darts. These will glide through the water as well as if they were on land. (For any readers [Ha! Readers!] in the UK, there were references to Bullseye and the phrase ‘Magic Darts‘ was uttered). They were bound to the armlets, so the spare quivers and darts left behind for Utana and Jalabu were sets.

Transport was offered, a kind of frame that could propel them through the water, but the group preferred to find a boat and sail to the island. Leaving behind a note, arm ring and darts for Utana, they found a fisherman delivering his catch to the burgeoning population of the Palace of Nashwa, the boat dwarfed by the galley delivering the delegation from Ishtir.

Juan José tried to find a crossbow, but this weapon, whilst known in the west where Juan José is from, and in the east in the Empire of Zhau, is rare in the Haraxan Kingdom, especially in an ancient palace at the start of a diplomatic conference. In any case, would the crossbow work underwater any better than a bow? The string would be just as slack!

The sail was not long, the arm rings guiding then towards an island under which the Seal was located, and the group were dropped off, before the fisherman, guarded by Dhran and Jalabu, took the boat round to a cove to keep it safe from counter-attack.

The movement was odd, half walking, half swimming, a layer of air keeping them dry, moving disown a rock face, the base of a cliff, into which was carved an opening, great rhomboidal columns of stone and a lintel onto which two hands, above and below, cradled a disturbingly realistic looking carved heart.

This triggered memories for Smersh. Of stories he was told of a people who lived in the area, but were drowned by a flood. This might be a mountain temple of those people.

The group swam into the temple, their eyes adjusting to the dark by the magic of the arm ring, and saw a courtyard, the floor covered in aquatic plants, but no signs of fish.

In the centre of the courtyard was a Square cut font, set in a carved, sloped depression in the ground.

The group moved in, taking in the flora and the font, and it was only at the last minute that   Fetnah spotted a threat from above, two Keteaorum with readied darts. A short fight ensued. Arpaesis improved his vision with magic, in case of further ambush, as the others flung darts then closed.

Outnumbered, the Keteaorum would have been hard pushed in any event, One had lightly wounded Juan José, but he later smashed it in the face with his shield during an excellent defence, that it was stunned. The Keteaorum had also not reckoned with Farshad. Possibly in a cold rage from all his times being dunked in wells or unused as bait to aquatic menaces, with sword and dagger he sliced one in two in just one attack, and brought the other, wounded one so close to death that a flung dart finished  it off.

Blood diffused through the water as the group took stock. Only Juan José had been injured, a mere scratch he could easily take care of. Fetnah had already discovered that picking up a Ketaorum dart was not a simple matter. The ownership had to be overpowered, something Smersh failed to do but Fetnah and Farshad were able to accomplish, adding to their quivers.

The aftermath found Fetnah and Juan José examining the plants for any with useful properties, as the rest examined the stone font in the centre of the chamber. Arpaesis spotted a compartment in the bases, allowing Smersh and Farshad to recover three bronze phials, capped with wax.

The symbols around here also triggered more of Smersh’s memories. Of the deities of the forgotten inhabitants of this mountain, and a goddess who welcomed the worthy dead. The bodies would be anointed with oil before proceeding into the inner precincts.

That next precinct awaits and, with that ahead, we left it.

It is a week since the journey down the well ended with Jalabu both embarrassed and injured by his possessed underwear, and the palace is being tidied and prepared for the incoming conference.

However rest is not forthcoming, Jalabu is somewhat traumatised by his experience and the rest of the group have their sleep disturbed by his screams. Smersh has his own problems, he has visitations of a religious nature. His gods are reaching out to him, but he cannot hear their words.

It is early morning, Fetnah is doing her morning rituals as Smersh, accompanied by Arpaesis, goes to the Temple. It is in a better state than it was when the group first arrived, when Smersh did a little cleaning, but Smersh had not attended the Temple since, or really shown much devotion.

There they found strange wet footprints, which, under investigation, proved to be a large group that had come up the cliffs from the sea, gathered in the Temple, then split into three groups, two returning to the sea, and a small group heading to the the older central palace building. There they followed the footprints, part of the group clambering over the compound wall as did the intruders, others, like Utana, being more dignified and using the gates.

Each well in the Palace complex had, on Smersh’s advice, been covered with a cover to stop anything coming up the well.

Jalabu could hardly wait to drop his clothes, tie a rope around himself and head down the well, accompanied by Fetnah and Farshad, with spells of seeing cast by Arpaesis, well, mostly cast, for some reason something went awry with Jalabu. Arpaesis also provided inflated goatskins to be used to provide flotation or emergency air as required.

Down the well, again a sloping passage going under water, and again a chamber with strange tables. Fetnah’s dive did not go well, but Jalabu managed it, finding a set of plaques. Meanwhile Farshad rested in an air pocket, lying on a collection of the inflated goatskins, gods alone know where the cocktail came from, or the little umbrellas, or indeed the concept of either.

Jalabu, emboldened by his success so far, decides to explore on, a passage leaving this chamber towards the one he had been in previously, he swam on but only just reached the air pocket in that chamber, breath heaving and gasping, at the limit of his ability. There he looked around, it was unchanged, but the rope was at its limit and going on would be a risk. It never came to that, something dark and mysterious swam towards him, Jalabu experienced the strange effects of Arpaesis’s botched spell, instead of the reality of what was in the water, he saw a fearsome sight, a jagged toothed, razor horned sheep, angling towards

Him, panicked, Jalabu tugged the rope, and he was hauled out, gathering Fetnah and Farshad with him.

Settling down afterwards, the aftereffects of a submarine Nantucket sleigh ride making underwater adventures a sore trial for Jalabu twice in a week, Farshad and Arpaesis examined the tablets.

Written language

Writing of the North and  East
Shamek The most common current writing system. it is alphabet based.

Ebbarisi A cuneiform system used before Shamek, still used as a scholarly form. 

Habbarisrri A more pictographic ancestor of Ebbarisi. 

Writing of the South and  West
Shehkhami The most developed glyph based system of Ta-Khamet, Menasveh, Bedewah and Damat

Shehhemnet The ancestor of Shehkami, the glyphs are closer to pictures

Writing of the Haozi
Haozi The writing system of the Zhau, where each character representing an idea. 

Other writing
Adshir musical notation also used in ciphers

The script on the metal plaques was Shamek, but the way of expressing ideas seemed to indicate someone more used to Ebbarisi than the modern alphabet. It read

“We are the Keteaorum, we dwell here for centuries, why do you visit us?”

Between the group, they pooled what they knew of the Keteaorum, an aquatic folk, with strong magic that allows them to work metal underwater and to exist on land. In times past, they were brought by priests from some other realm, and bound as temple guardians. They spread under the waters, in both fresh waters and salt, and from time to time they raid the land and take captives.

The group checked out the Temple again, there they found more of these message plaques, at the pantheon statue, at the crypt and the room of offerings.

The day was further complicated by new arrivals. Soldiers to garrison the palace, put under José’s command, hunters reporting back that a unicorn had been found, and was being herded to a more convenient location for an organised hunt, and news came of entertainers descending in droves tomorrow to be selected.

Smersh then went around the complex looking for vulnerabilities. Particular attention was paid to the main palace buildings, as both would be used for meetings, especially those when some of the parties probably would be unable to stand to be in the same building as each other

In the cellar of the older building Smersh found a door disguised behind a false wall, leading down to a meeting room. This was a strange room, a table like those underwater, chairs for both mortals and the strange physiology of the Keteaorum. Leading away from the room on the other side was another passage leading underwater.

A reply was written, and placed where the Keteaorum might find it. They would meet with them in the secret room under the palace.

Fetnah carved a new crow body for the crow spirit, but it was not her best work, and the crow rejected it, as the crow seemed more like a duck. Next time maybe

The next morning, Smersh held a service, aided by Farshad as cantor. The other workers and guards who attended the service were satisfied, but Smersh could not feel his connection with his gods as clearly as he once did, but he did feel his bond grow closer.

The peace of prayer was soon lost, as entertainers descended on the palace. Birds of Prey were brought to each of the group as they settled down to audition the acts. Each act was judged and, if found wanting, the judges hit the buzzard to signal rejection.

The evening grows near, the meeting draws near, and there we left it

The group left some of their number to get accommodation in the palace complex sorted (ie folk who could not make it) the others approach the gates carved into the large rock in the middle of an unkempt area of trees and woody shrubs to the east of the penninsula.

In front of the gates are two braziers, like the gates and much in the complex, is down at heels, but maintained enough not to be falling apart. The braziers have ash and unturned wood, left there long enough for some of the ash to have turned to paste with rain and dew, but the remnants still giving off aromatic scents.

Under Utana’s knowing scrutiny, Farshad checks the gates, wooden with strong, complexly embossed hinges. He determines that they are both unlocked and well enough maintained that there are traces of lubrication on the hinges, all of which Utana established with a critical but perceptive glance.

The group remembered what the local spirit told them about the spirits under the earth demanding respect, and so gathered such dry fuel from the woody shrubs as they can and, sprinkle herbs and spices donated by Fetnah so that, when set alight, they gave off a pleasing scent. This they hoped would be appreciated by the dwellers underground. (Note. It was. It made the attitude of the dwellers below a notch friendlier)

With the offering being made, they opened the doors, revealing a short hallway coated with the clay they had spotted lining the wells before steps descended. The stairs were a square cut spiral down that went down 6 flights, a little over 3 metres per flight. At the base of the every second flight, two of the walls held three alcoves, five of which were occupied by painted, life sized statues of warriors.

The first set of statues  encountered were examined closely, though not destructively. The statues were clad similarly, but with slight differences of decoration, making each individual. The fabric of the statue proved to be plaster. There was no sign of the empty alcove that it had ever had a statue. These findings were repeated on the next two sets of alcoves.

The base of the stairs led to a short corridor, thoroughly decorated with complex designs. Close examination revealed to Farshad that what appeared to be a complex and confusing story, was actually five stories of different monarchs with spaces in the interlinked narrative for a sixth.

This carried onto the next room, a wide chamber with a grand exit ahead, but three doors either side, three on the left decorated, two on the left decorated, one plain. Each decorated door had a pair of guardian statues flanking the door. The symbology they had seen on the statues was put into more context here, a progression could be seen from the first door on the left, along the left them over to the right, suggesting some sort of inheritance or transfer of power,

From the grand entrance came music and voices, though indistinct. Stealing forward, Farshad saw a shrine, of an ancient style, but clearly dedicated to The Cold Ones as it looked similar to other shrines he had seen in Bardij and other places. With that in mind he recognised that the music was drums, some indifferently played flutes and some slightly off singing. The flutes and singing suffered no doubt because the musicians were actually desiccated corpses, dried out husks of mummies.

Upon Farshad’s return to the group, they examined the first door on the left. It was painted as a door, but actually seemed to be functional. Utana’s gentle but insistence shove did nothing to open it, but it did indicate that the door could open. Further prodding and scrutiny looking for secret switches or locks revealed that decorative beading down the side concealed a simple bronze knocker, disguised by the paint that fitted it to the rest.

Using it led to the door being opened by another desiccated corpse, a very well spoken door warden, though their diction was affected by their lack of lips and whatever state the rest of their mouth was in. Over a very civilised conversation the group learned that the mistress of that household was Yuwannah, once Sharatum. From that house were those of her nephew the Sharrum Shisuthrus (that name especially mangled)  his cousin the Sharatum Harekah then to the other side, Harekah’s son the Sharrum Navaah and then his daughter the Sharatum Uchani, the last door is for the one to come.

Questioned about the connection, it was confirmed that these were monarchs of the local kingdom. Though the warden did not volunteer its name. These monarchs were bound by family bonds, though that did not stop them removing other family members who threatened their reigns.

Although the group could see past the warden to see, at the end of a hallway, other household members, as dedicated and decayed as the warden, peer back curiously at the group, the warden makes no move to let them in, but instead points towards and past the chamber with the musicians, indicating that there the monarchs held Council.

The group took their leave, and moved on. The music had changed from religious to more maudlin, homely music, but it was not much improved. Beyond the shrine, the chamber proved to be an incredibly decorated audience chamber in which well dressed mummies stood in knots of conversation in front of a dais upon which were 6 stools. As before, five were decorated, 1 plain.

An entranceway stood at either side of the dais, three guards at one, two at the other. The whispering, croaky conversations died down and all, err, places where eyes might have been once, turned to face the strangers.

Juan José addressed one, and explained that the land above would soon be busy and possibly disturbing, and they would like to discuss this with those that ruled these halls. The one they spoke to beetled off through a doorway, leaving the group to make extraordinarily awkward small talk as they waited.

In not too long a time, the messenger returned and beckoned them into the Council Chamber, a well lit by magic that shone through coloured glass lamps and panels in the ceiling giving an illusion of a sunlit chamber.

Juan José opened negotiations, explaining what was to occu above, to apologise for the disturbance. He asked what might the dwellers here desire and if they would care tp send observers. The Council deliberated and responded. They thanked the group for the invite, though foresaw problems that might arise should they attend, so they thanked them, but declined.

As to what they could do, offerings from each feast, each celebration held during the conference, a portion should be delivered to the gates to the tomb, some burned as offerings, some left intact.

The group agreed, and received cups from the court as a gift, before they left. They climbed the stairs, and two realisations for Utana. Once, that the statues they had seen were not just statues, they were the right size for a mummified warrior coated in plaster, remaining in place perhaps for centuries. The other was that the complex extended from the rock towards the palace, his sense of direction made that clear.

The group ascended the steps out of the tomb, towards the accommodation prepared for them, and there we left it.

I wasn’t sure how this would go. I wasn’t sure what the players would do, it might have gone all dungeony, but it was all very social, explore and discussion. I enjoyed it, I hope the players did.