Nomen Infernale I: The Name of the Wicked Shall Rot
General Summary
La Compagnia continued their journey from Akbyset to the abandoned silver mines of Lakham Tabab near where Abet's sister, Ashat the Bayek, had been slain on their way to Akbyset to investigate the importation of a foreign death cult. Zahur turned out to be a serviceable camp cook although he complained bitterly about the lack of a camp-stove. As they discussed the mine, Zahur piped in "the sugar mine?" but received only blank stares from Abet and the party. "My grandfather used to go to the mine and said it was full of a white dust that tasted sweet, but he was a bit pixelated," the groom continued. Teleptyon chuckled to himself and then suggested that his grandfather may have found naturally occurring sugar of lead, which would explain the sweetness and perhaps the oddness of his grandfather.
As they journeyed Abet discussed Kegho's affliction and possible cures including drystone, but mentioned that there was a purple gem, which was often used in the creation of mummies that would not only stop the spread of the blight, but would also restore the flesh of the afflicted. Alex perked up, realizing that he had assessed a gem with a similar description while in Akbyset. Teleptyon shook his head and sheepishly noted that he had sold it to the jeweler.
Abet described the purpose of the Medjay of Khemia: yes it was to keep grave robbers out (he looked pointedly at the party), but also to keep that which had been buried locked away (he looked even more pointedly at Kegho's face). He queried Riven on whether she knew of the shared history of the Scouts of Palesia and the Medjay, but she did not. He explained that the Medjay had been tasked with training the first scouts in the style of the Bayek or Falcons of the Medjay. He explained that a Falcon or scout was always paired with a ranger, which the Medjay called Abai (Leopard). Like Riven, Abet's sister had been a Falcon before she had been slain by the bear-men who had been driven wild by the evil emanating from Lakham Tabab. A brief flash of pain and rage flitted across his normally inscrutable face. He turned and stared of to the East and was silent.
As they traveled the dark grey patch on Kegho's face continued to grow and now showed above the veil that he wore, encircling his eye. Abet asked didactically if Riven knew the origin of ghouls. She knew they were the dead walking among the living and that they were driven by eternal hunger, but did not know why the hungered. He told her of the time when Senu was a verdant jungle ruled over by the Serpent-men of the Djeti Empire. The men at the time served the Djeti and men and Keb were one race. The Ant-men came from the stars and tugged at the threads of the Ar in strange ways. They unleashed an alchemical weapon on the servants of the Djeti bringing undeath to the lands. The increasingly desperate war between them lead to the destruction of the natural order, created the splinter races of man and Keb, wiped out both the Serpents and the Ants and drove the remaining servants into the arms of the Dragons. Having finished his tale he tucked himself in for the night and went to sleep, leaving Theo and Riven to the first watch.
While she sat wondering at all that Abet had said, Riven heard ghostly pipes. She asked if Theo could hear them and they set out looking for the source of the sound, but it was fleeting and darting from place to place. Theo called down the light of Aelos and a blinding ball of light revealed sand-colored humanoids the size of housecats. When they realized that they had been seen they turned to Riven and screamed "Russian warship, go fuck yourself" and raised dragonfly-like wings and flew away. As they left, Riven's skin began to tingle and Theo was shocked to see she had turned green.
Kegho and Asbjørn each had an uneventful watch. In the morning, Riven's skin is a lighter shade of green, but she is unconcerned by it. When Abet was pressed about the imps that did it he merely said "there are strange things in the sands of Khemia" and stared stoically out at the horizon. Alex asked Zahur if there were any tales of such things that his grandfather may have told and he replied not so much that, but when the Bascios had first taken over the mines the miners had found carvings in the walls of the natural caverns consisting of swirling patterns and images of twisted limbs. The miners were afraid and would not dig where the walls were covered.
Riven's skin continued to improve, but Kegho's began to hang increasingly loose from his face and jaw.
As La Compagnia came to the base of the hill beneath which sat Lakham Tabab, Abet bade them move slowly and carefully and helped Riven to identify the faint, but distinctive prints of the bear-man. They moved closer to the entrance to find clearer tracks and discovered that a bear had also roamed through the area. The party believed it was safer to travel the path of the bear rather than the bear-men, but Abet expressed a desire to avenge himself on the bear-men and the twitterpated Riven agreed to head that way instead. Alex listened intently as they traveled and heard heavy cloth flapping in the distance and believed it to be tent-flaps in the wind. As they grew close, Abet asked the stealthiest among them to go with him on a sneak attack, but Asbjorn, clad in his ancient armor strode forth noisily and was grazed by an arrow for his troubles. Alex pulls his black cloak tightly around him and moves quickly but quietly toward the wall upon which the bear-men are encamped. He sees the silhouette of something 6' tall, covered in fur and his nose is tickled by wet-dog smell. From his vantage near the rocks he sees something tall and resembling the Wem of Labrax Bay in features striding down the path from its camp. Kegho pulls his crossbow but misses. Teleptyon strikes with a bolt of pure Ar.
