The Forgotten City XVI

La Compagnia foraged on the edges of the bounteous valley while Theo prepared poultices from the Scordus and moss they found. They then packed up their camp and with the mysterious visitor marched out into the desert. In the heat of the day, Riven was overcome with delirium from the heat and dropped what she was holding, screamed at the top of her lungs and ran off into the desert. Those charmed by the Visitor suspected she was just jealous of the attention they were giving to their new companion, but The Jiam, asked "shouldn't someone go after your friend?" and the visitor waved her arm as if that was a fine idea. Theo shouted after her, his voice laced with honey and she was calmed and stopped her mad wandering. They took a break, giving Riven extra water and The Jiam led a few members in seeking out more scordus and moss for which Theo was grateful.

Near midnight the party set up camp. Theo gave benedictions to those still wounded and applying a poultice to Kegho. In the distance tribal drums beat throughout the night leading to uneasy sleep. Riven took the first watch and stared in the direction of the drumbeats, she surmised they were coming from the encampment they had seen in the distance. The Jiam predicted that the winds would turn and they would be upwind of the village The Jiam and Riven discussed the problem of the visitor and clarifying that each person was seeing something very different. As the party prepared to leave a few hours later, Alex begrudingingly gave the visitor un-prepared crocodile meat, and the visitor showed him favor which drew ire from his companions.

Having left the edge of the verdant valley, more of the party succumbed to heat exhaustion with Kegho, Theo and Riven feeling faint, the drank lustily of the dwindingly water supplies and were able to carry on. Khufu doused for water, but found that while there was some underground it was about 30 feet deep and he did not have the necessary tools to access it. They rested again and then continued travelilng after dark until they could not go further.

Theo again set to work blessing, healing and applying salves while Kegho set up the yurt and Teleptyon warded the camp. Khufu again dowsed for water and found it was nearer the surface, but did not think he could convince the lazy humans to dig it up. Kegho took the first watch and the visitor approached him, looking every bit the steppelander woman. She rested a hand in the crook of his arm and her head against his shoulder and beckoned that he should follow her behind a rock and away from the The Jiam who is sleeping by the fire or anyone else who might wander from the yurt in the night.

Kegho was torn between his duty to keeping watch and the beautiful woman and at first demured, but she insisted and he was unable to resist. As she initiated, Kegho sensed that she was sorely inexperienced and asked about it. She opened her mouth and contrary to the soundlessness of their previous interactions she hissed and moved to bite his neck. Kegho narrowly came ot his senses to find himself wrapped tightly in the long coils of another Lamia, but this time the face and torso was of a young girl instead of woman. He struggled to free himself, howled out, and struck out at the creature with a human girl's face and wicked serpentine fangs, but she took the blow and seemed wholly unaffected by it.

The party wwoke to a sound they had never heard before: Kegho in distress. Alex grabbed his lantern and the sickle and ran out of the tent. The Jiam pointed to a rock at the very edge of the firelight. "That walkin' oak tree took him back that way!" he gestured at the Oameni who felt marginally more capable of landing a blow. Alex ran as fast as his short legs could carry him to the far side of the rock. Grasping at the lamia's head Kegho tries to break her neck but was unable to force it and felt the coils tighten further squeezing the air from him. She attempted to bite him again.

Theo exited the tent and sees the Sophia-like woman acting unbecomingly with Kegho, and Kegho screaming in pain. The image was deeply incongruous. Riven was finally able to see the truth and shot at the creature, but was unable to hit it. It continued to squeeze Kegho tighter and snap its fangs at his neck as he became less and less able to fight off her bites. Khufu exited the tent and saw the illusion fall away and was revolted that he had ever found it attractive. Teleptyon exited the tent and loosed a magic missle at the creature just as Riven fired another arrow, but she snapped her bowstring. Alex covered his lantern and attempted to sneak up behind the beast but in the darkened light fumbled his attack. Theo calls out to Maya that this creature, intelligent though evil could see a different path and it sees the potential for inclusion in the Ouranic afterlife and is deeply stunned by this. Khufu drags the stunned Kegho away just as a blast of flame leaped from Teleptyon's staff and began to immolate the lamia.