Mumia

in Late Khemitian , Mumia is a medicinal drug made from the tar/pitch (Bitumen) found in the desert hills. It's also known as a generic "Cure All" used in topical ointments to potions with antibiotic properties. It has similar phoenitic in High Borean. However after the Hyborian Hedgemony, there was a mistake in translation where the formation of Late Khemitian Mumia crossed the Old Kemitian Mummy and became one in the same. This forever changed it's meaning.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

in Today's Khemitian, Mumia is a drug created from the grinding up of Mummies. It's somewhat addictive with assumed benificial properties of staving off disease and curses. However cumulative use of mumia also can transform a person into a Ghoul. Early abusers of mumia can be seen with permanent tanic stains on fingers are around their lips. the stains darken and expand with continual abuse. mumia also has a unique smell from the nitric salts and herbs in preparing the mummia; sweet yet vomitous smell.
While the curing of Disease and Curses are dubious, years of addiction will give a person Ghoul Fever and a slow transformation into a Ghoul.

Manufacturing process

besides the name, another reason for the mistake is that it was thought that the black substance exuding from mummies during preservation was the same as the deshret bitumen. the final reason was that the preservation process is considered mineralization, substituing the organic with inorganic materials that don't decay. Grinding up a complete mummy creates a black sticky sugar substance that is very similar as Deshret Bitumen (Original Mumia)

Significance

Durning the Hyborian Hedgemony, Westerling merchants started making a fortune by selling Mumia as it was easier to dig up a Khemitian mummy than it was to dig tar out of a hill. The Occupying Pharaoh by I.R. 40 had to forbid the ransacking of tombs and graverobbing in Lybnos on pain of death. It was not to protect the culture of Khemitians, For you see, it was a growing drug problem that was spreading through the army. While this did stave off the argeevous of graverobbers and mumia manufacturing, it didn't end the drug problem. In the last 200 years or so as markets fluxuated, merchants have resorted to "Seasoning" recently deceased as mumia.

Item type

Drug / Narcotic / Medicine

Related Condition

Ghoul Fever

Base Price

50 gp

Raw materials & Components

Mummies prepared in Khemitian fashion. during decomposition the body is buried in nitric salts and Myr resin.  Olive and linseed oil soaked linens wrapping the body halts any decomposition. as the oils, resins, and salts mix, the organic flesh and fats blacken and become tougher.