"If this is indeed a tomb of a wizard-priest of Phundail" Zudaan remarks, clearly dubious by his tone "There is the strong possibility of undead present, so a priest might be useful. We are talking about men whose knowledge of hidden arcane secrets was so great they were considered insane by others. While such a tomb might have mundane treasures the real rarity is that knowledge, even a fraction of it is such that it would draw many. Some to recover it, others to ensure it remains buried."

"Indeed," Thalia says agreeing with Zudaan.  "The tomb is three days ride from here, South.  I will not reveal any more in this place.  Once we are agreed to go in this together and we are safely away I can guide you to the place and we can reap the rewards together," she says clearly smart enough to know that revealing too much could mean competition for the treasure that awaits.  (Or for that matter, the possibility that you three go without her...)

Looking toward Oxsdi, Kurin said, "I got nothing better to do. You?"

At the question Oxsidi could be seen furrowing his brow, and sinking in to deep though. After a minute he shook his head in the negative.

"Nope, nothing better to do, except maybe a little shopping first. Holy water might be useful."

" 'Holy water'? Do you know something of these tombs, Oxsidi? I have never heard of this man or his legacy."

"Nor I, but I was taught that water that had been blessed could aid in fighting the undead Zudaan thinks we might encounter."

The thought of undead caused a shudder to run thru Oxsidi's body. He took another sip of ale.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:36, Mon 09 Aug 2021.

"Any sealed ancient tomb is likely to contain undead, as anything living would have likely perished eons ago. then he says "My friends,  let me speak of the wizard-priests of Phundail. Long ago a group of men discovered beings, gods if you will, but unlike the gods we know, for our gods are like us and we like them, we share their form and visiage, their emotions, and we can see ourselves in them. Not so for these gods. They were from beyond the realm of reason where chaos reigns,  where the laws of nature do not apply. Their forms  are said to be hideous to behold, the things of nightmares. Their thoughts and desires unfathomable by the human mind, and their lives exists outside the bounds of creation and destruction, where as we lay between the two. So these powers, seeking to return the world of men back to the primordial chaos, got these men to worship them with promises of great power, and they taught the men forbidden knowledge, powerful secrets that the human mind is not meant to hold, and so they twisted them, hopeing they would open the gates between their realm and ours. Needless to say, these men failed to manifest their gods here, else we would be no more, they became so twisted, depraved and mad that they slew each other,  descended into unrecoverable madness and isolation or were overthrown, so it is said." he takes a so of wine then says "I'm in, of this is truly one of the wizard-priest of Phundais tombs imagine what secrets lay within."

Kurin repressed a shudder of revulsion. "Should not such things remain buried?" he asked. "While chaos has its uses in the larger scheme of things, inviting chaos would be most unwise."

"I must agree with Kurin,"  Oxsidi adds. Goosebumps have risen on his flesh from Zudaan's eerie tale. "What treasure would be worth risking opening our world up to destruction. Where would we spend it?"

Kurin smiled, "Oh, I suspect we would find somewhere to spend the coin and doubt we'd destroy the world but on balance," he became more somber, "if undertaking such a quest, we must remain vigilant that the Balance is not harmed. Who knows?" he concluded sipping his wine, "there may be an opportunity to right some past wrong or destroy something that would damage harmony and life in the future."

Head spinning at Kurin's swift and bizarre change of mind, at one moment wanting to keep chaos locked up, and the next willing to risk it for enough profit, Oxsidi blinks rappidly, and tips his head at an angle, as if hoping to see the world straighter.

"Zudaan just spoke of evil knowledge not meant for the mind of mortal man, if this involves something like that, I will opt out. Sorry."

He drank deep of his ale, and ordered another.

"Well, your loss then," Thalia says in response to Oxsidi.  "For you two then, I will depart at first light from the South gate as the farmers head to the fields.  If you want to join me on this venture meet me there,"  she says concluding her pitch.  She will pause to answer any final questions and then wrap herself in her cloak and depart swiftly.

Seeing as she actually gave them almost no information, and things sounded way to dangerous for him anyway, he certainly didn't feel like it was his loss. If anything, it might be to his advantage, as he did enjoy living.

"Best of luck you guys, if you wanna follow that crazy lady into the unknown." he says, after she leaves.

OOC Guess this is where we part ways, best of luck everyone. It was nice getting to meet you.

Kurin, having not taken a stand either way but was in the process of weighing the merits of said venture, found Oxsidi's withdrawal disappointing. He said, "Fare thee well, then. Perhaps we'll meet some other day on some other adventure." He returned to his drink, waiting to see what Zudaan or the woman would say next.

"It is doubtful the tomb is what she claims it is, undiscovered for so long?" he says, shaking his head with doubt. "Yet it could be so, the sands are fickle and can bury a city and then uncover it after many lifetimes. Consider this though, man of faith, perhaps the old gods unburied it seeking to once again threaten our world, and your gods put you here, in this place and time, to stop their plans?" he smiles.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:51, Thu 12 Aug 2021.

As dawn breaks in the Eastern sky, coloring the clouds and sky in bright earth tones of orange, yellow and red, the new companions meet at the South Gate.  The Kadun's soldiers opened the gate with first light and the workers - farmers and miners - are heading out.  Thalia is waiting just outside the gate mounted on a black mare with black saddle and bridle.  The only color is some green of a saddle blanket peeking uot.  Thalia herself is wearing her traveling cloak, and beneath that a white divided skirt from her bronze girdle and spiral bronze cups over her breasts secured with thongs around her neck and chest.

---

Her clothes is very Deja Thoris in design.

Loitering nearby is a tall, blonde and obviously female figure silhouetted with her back to the rising sun. Saefrith has made little concession to the southern heat save a bulging waterskin and a lightweight white cloak of local manufacture, with the hood pulled up beneath her helm and single thick braid falling from one shoulder to her mailed chest. Her blue eyes are keeping a wary watch between the bustling crowd of working men and her charge and employer, with a two handed axe across one shoulder, her offhand holding the reigns of a dark brown horse. From the accrouments of her mount, weapons of choice and especially her complexion the fighting woman is clearly a northern barbarian, uncommon but not unknown amongst the mercenaries in this part of the world and rumoured to worship evil gods.

Saefriths otherwise icy composure cracks somewhat as she intermittently fidgets in the heat. With a look cast to Thalia she finds herself coming to understand the womans' choice of attire, but keeps her thoughts to herself.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:16, Mon 16 Aug 2021.

Zudaan, who had left the tavern soon after Thalia the night before shows up, riding his black stallion, one of his hawks on his wrist, the other on his boys hand, the boy leading a pack mule. Also with him is the guard from last night, astride another mule.

He looks at Thalia with a smile, taking in her garb. "Still testing the wills of the local men I see." he says to her.

Saefrith releases the reigns of her mare, which obediently remains in place as Zuldan's party approaches. The northern woman strides to within a few steps of Thalia and slightly ahead of her, axe still resting over her shoulder with the fearsome head and rings of her mail both catching the orange dawn light. While her posture isn't hostile, her eyes are bright and alert.

Helmed head tilted, Saefrith scans Zuldan quickly, with a single eyebrow briefly raised in apprehension. From his neat appearance, silk clothing, books that must be ledgers, and single ornate dagger she takes him to be a spice merchant or such like and takes a moment to wonder why he's here at all. Her gaze quickly shifts to the enthralled guard, sizing him up as the potential real threat, unsure if she recalls his face from the caravansary tavern or other merchant teams, and particularly if he was among the more boorish and troublemaking clientele. She overlooks the boy entirely, opting to let her watch divide between the warriors weapon hand and the thronging crowd behind unless addressed.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:24, Fri 24 Sept 2021.

"Indeed, Zudaan, though I do not intend to tarry here any longer," Thalia says in response to the mage.  "I see you kept the boor from last night.  You have a strange taste in pets," she adds glancing and then dismissing Alperen.  For his part Alperen snorts in derision, though he casts the occasional hungry look at Thalia.  "This is Saefrith, a warrior of the North, who I also recruited to our venture.  I had a sense last night that the others had no stomach for it," she introduces Saefrith.

After Saefrith and Zudaan exchange greetings, Thalia will say "let us begin before the day gets too hot." and she will then urge her horse South along the road at a comfortable pace.

---

Which remind me that Alperen does not have a mount.

Saefrith diverts her attention to the man she'd dismissed as a merchant when Thalia addresses him directly, inclining her blonde head to him in recognition before a wary eye returns to Alperen.

"Well met" she offers simply, with a friendly tone, feeling her employer has said all that needs to be known for now. She's happy to take any position in the group after climbing astride her dark mare but by her own preference would fall in at the rear of the party to keep up her vigilant overwatch.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:26, Fri 24 Sept 2021.

Zudaan looks the barbarian woman over with an appraising, unsubtle examination. "I am Zudaan of Adiz, you are a striking flaxen haired barbarian woman! A true rarity in my lands. Perhaps you should come to Adiz with me when we are done. You could join any Harem in the town and have a life of opulence and leisure that all would envy."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:30, Fri 20 Aug 2021.

"I am sure in your land that is a high compliment,  Zudaan of Adiz." Saefrith notes, a flicker of disdain giving way to a gregarious smile and tone when the mage's eyes find their way to her own. She turns away, striding to her mount to reach up and drop the haft of her long axe through the loops that keep it tight to the saddle.

"Not to mention a life even less likely to provide for my twilight years than that of axe and shield. Why not accompany me to my home? A close shave and we would find some warrior or another willing to take you to warm his furs, I am sure." The warrior woman casts a grin back over her shoulder, taking her turn to appraise him for any provocation before hoisting herself into the saddle.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:39, Fri 20 Aug 2021.

"Surely even a barbarian can recognize the dichotomy between perfumed silk in a temperate land where the desert kisses the ocean, and sweat stained hides in the bleak desolation of ice pummeled rock?" Zuldaan laughs "If you ever visit my land you would not wish to raise your children anywhere else, if you cared for them. Come, let us see where fate takes us then." he continues,  motioning to the open land.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:00, Fri 20 Aug 2021.

The company moves South with Thalia in the lead, passing the miners on their slow march to work, and following the Spice Road away from Karfan.  The terrain is hilly and rocky, with scraggly brush here and there and the occasional Joshua or Acacia type tree providing some meager shade.  Within an hour the city and the plateau upon which it sits are out of sight.  Alperen is in a foul mood by that point, muttering to himself as the mule plods along, and looking askance at the women, but Thalia in particular, as the company progresses.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:55, Thu 26 Aug 2021.