"This brute will come with you for your beautiful gems and to see a place he has never visited before."

Her long lashed eyes blink slowly and she tips her chin in a sort of nod.

"I'll arrange the food for the trip," she says.  "Better send your man with a purse so he can pay for and tote the things I'll need."

She pushes her chair back from the table and stands.  Tall for a woman, even tall for an Atlantean woman, but perfection like all Atlanteans. She reaches out to pat the two nearest her on the shoulders in a friendly fashion, a smile spreading on her perfect ebony lips.

Brude who has been caught up in a very tasty goblet of wine finally nods his head,

"AYe, you have me as well if for no other reason than to keep both Fernao and Thamyron out of trouble."

The large soldier who has not spoken yet, stands and quickly makes his way out of the tavern. Vranu moves out of his way to let him leave.

Alembos frowns as he sees the man leave..."Too bad, he was a good fighting man by all accounts but perhaps he lacked the testicular fortitude to undertake such a journey?"

"No matter, we have all we need here. Unless there are any more questions, let us meet on the Rosy Fingered Dawn the morn after next."

Thamyron looks up at Alembos and says, "Since you seem to have put a great deal of effort into setting up this expedition, are there any items we should run down before leaving here?"

Once that is answered and any other questions and the group seems to be breaking up, he will motion Fernao and Brude to join him for a short discussion.

Alembos shakes his head..."We are well outfitted. Just get what you need for your own gear and we should be good."

He looks at Sabetha and replies in kind..."As with the rations. We are well stocked. Once on board you are more than welcome to peruse the galley and we can go from there if you do not find it adequate. Remember I share the same Atlantean tastes that most do here in our greatest city. I do not go for field rations or the like."

As the hardened soldier is allowed to leave, Nkruma waits a moment to speak. "Is there no fear that that man might run to your ... rivals and reveal your plans? Or is there no need of haste in this venture?"

When Thamyron, Brude, and Fernao pull aside to talk, Nkruma hesitates a moment, waiting for Alembos's response.

Conall looks inquiringly at Alembos, curious as to his response to Nkruma.

Alembos smiles and shakes his head..."The yet unraided ziggurat is well known among my peers, it's location is not. We have our guide, Koryos, if someone were to steal him then perhaps I would start to worry but for now I am ok with the man leaving...of course he is being tailed right now, just as any of you would have been."

A wolfish grin spreads across Conall's face.  "That, sir, sounds like fun in itself!"  He pauses a moment, as though considering, still smiling broadly, "but I like the sound of your adventure more than a game of cat and mouse, as tantalizing as that may be," he laughs.

Nkruma nods his head once, his snout dipping towards his chest slightly. "Very well. I shall go and make a sacrifice to the gods and pick up my belongings. I shall see you all aboard ship."

He will rise and move closer to Thamyron, Brude, and Fernao. "I heard your words of Ahmes Ahmose. I, too, have faced the Khemite, though not in battle. I," he pauses, thinking of the proper words while standing before the gaze of this Atlantean. "I have something that he once strove to possess. In payment, he has turned my home and city against me with false accusations. Though there is no solace for that ache, perhaps the secret I bear might shed some light upon the Khemite's future plans."

Hearing Nkruma's words, Thamyron motions for him to join them. Once the main meeting wraps up, he speaks, "Any information would be helpful. I should have run that dog down years ago. Judging by the ineptitude of his assassins, I assumed he would remain an insignificant pest. I was wrong. It is time to break him into little pieces and feed him to the sharks."

His face and posture tightens as he admits to being wrong, and after that his voice becomes sharp and hard. A wind seems to blow through his hair, and his green eyes flash.

Nkruma shrugs. "He was in Ophir some years back before... well, in any case, that is where I met him. And though his body displayed some of the twisted signs of one long acquainted with the use of sorcery, he was a pleasant enough man. He was researching something in our libraries there. He financed an expedition out to sea. I, and others, accompanied him." Nkruma hesitates, looking over his shoulder in what seems a reflexive gesture learned in years long past "He ... called something up. Something like the Makara, the sea-devils. They brought him something and he gave them something in return. He gave them a large number of the crew of the ship." He swallows. "My master's son, whom I was with, objected. They argued. My master's son was killed and I nearly so in defending him. Ahmose had me thrown overboard, and by the time I was able to make it back to shore, he had spread lies that I went berserk and killed my master's son. That the missing sailors had sacrificed themselves to stop or slay me in turn." His ears lowered, he shakes his head slightly. "I found him. I stole the thing the Makara had given him. It is with my belongings, but I shall bring it with us."

Brude looks on as Nkruma tells his tale.

"How can so many here have been touched by Ahmose? It is almost like the gods have placed us together eh? I look forward to learning more about this item and whatever it is, I hope we have a chance to use it against him."

"The item? It is... a horn. Like a hunting horn, but of no beast that walks the land. It is a frightful thing to behold. It's very touch and visage can set the hearts of those around it to hammering, and when it is sounded it can strike fear into those for many steps around." He shrugs, almost absently. "It certainly has it's uses, though I prefer to keep it hidden away because of the fear it engenders."

Koryos overhears Nkruma speak of the horn..."Is it possible to target certain fols with this horn or will it bring fear to all tha can hear it? This could come in veryhandy should we be attacked on the plains."

Nkruma shrugs. "If I had it on me and were to take out here, we each would feel the cold caress of fear. When the horn is blown, fear comes also to the enemies of the horn. Just as a bold warrior might attempt to frighten his foes, so too the horn can bring terror to those who oppose its wielder." He pauses a moment. "Or so I understand it. As I said, I do not like to bring it out into the light of the sun because of its evil mien. But, as these men were speaking of Ahmose, I felt it best that all know of this horn and Ahmose's past connection to it."

Koryos nods his head making his top knot bob up and down..."THis is good to know. Just make sure youc arry it when we cross the Scythian plains. The Kurgan's are known as fearless but we willsee if your horn will call this out for a myth. I already know they fear the strong magic of the ziggurat, let's see how this horn fairs should we need it."

Fernao has listened as he wove strips of leather into a new bracelet having finished weaving flowers into the one he first began. When Korys spoke he humphed, speaking in a gentle rumble, "Yes, this horn is powerful magic, Nkruma. Many have learned that Fernao is as Ferocious as he is Flowered, but he prefers to be Flowered."

The tall Kurgan looks up at the even taller Tauran and smiles thinly..."I speak of the horn that Nkruma has in his possession. I have no doubt of your magical nature my new friend. Only a enchanted beast could be covered in so many flowers as yourself!"

Thamyron looks intently at Nkruma, and removes a folded piece of parchment and a piece of charcoal which he lays out on the table. He speaks in a quiet, calm voice but his eyes glint with interest as he leans slightly forward, "In Ophir you say? Where exactly?  And do you think you could sketch the horn on this for me?"

Nkruma nods to Thamyron, awed somewhat by the Atlanteans direct glare. "Aye, in Ophir's jewel cities. It was in Ogbu, the City of the Shattered Mirror, that I encountered him. He said he had come from our capital, Khafir, up the coast where the great university lies." Nkruma's sketch is quite crude; he seems nervous and his clawed hands grip the charcoal perhaps a bit too tightly to keep from shaking. As a result some of the charcoal crumbles and leaves smudges, both on the parchment and on his fur. He frowns at the poor quality and rubs at his muzzle, leaving another smear of charcoal there. "I am not good at this. I apologize. When we are aboard the ship, you can see it. Perhaps it will not affect you as strongly as it did myself."

Thamyron shakes his head back and forth, his beard and hair shaking with a quiet chiming noise. A rueful smile appears on his face, and his white teeth flash.

"I should have thought more carefully. Let me see your drawing, and then you tell me what is different. It would be good to have a sketch to research before we leave. You just keep the horn safe. After we finish this, tell me any other details you remember, particularly on the Makara like creatures."

He folds out another piece of parchment, and holds out his hand for the charcoal. A look of determination appears on his face, as his mind focuses in on the task of finding out everything he can about Ahmose's plans.

The Asena nods his head briefly. "The mouth of the horn is wider. And this curve is more... It is more." He gestures, trying to shape the horn in the air with his hands. "Like an ibex and a ram together." He runs a claw along the side of the drawing. "There are some symbols carved into the horn here. And here. When wet, it smells strongly of fish. I try to keep it out of the rain."