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Post by Killer_DM on Sept 19, 2016 16:52:23 GMT -6
Book of Amun-re: Verse 1 of 6
"I, Amun-re, do set record of myself and of my dealings with this world. The years fold back in my mind. There were green & fertile fields in my youth. Throughout the land flowers grew in abundance in the thick & lush forests, filling the air with pure fragrance and well-being. Traders in their sand ships would travel a year or more to visit our oasis on the borderlands and bid a high price for our sweet perfumes. Fruits and sweetmeats came from our fields, while within the city of Terbakar, the mills turned out secretly woven cloth, fine enough for kings & queens."
[More to follow...]
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Post by scottenkainen on Sept 20, 2016 14:26:02 GMT -6
Arristuun rolled his eyes, hating when the others contradicted him right after making him speak for the whole party. While Saskia read, the river ranger busied himself with standing guard and keeping an eye on the nomadic warriors.
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Post by Killer_DM on Sept 20, 2016 15:08:41 GMT -6
Arristuun had often noted the hill folk he traveled with were prone to lapses in conversation, as if they needed a second to understand and digest the information as it was conveyed. There were even more Thune to be seen behind the initial twenty-some-odd that had joined immediately after the possible threat on their tribesmen.
Verse 2:
The river of Athis was the mother of our land, giving life itself with its waters. Springing forth from the courtyard of the Old Palace, Athis blossomed all that she touched, even in the harsh Borderlands, and gave strength and health to her children. My father would sit me beside the spring and tell me the stories of her wonderful power and her blessing to the land; the very gift of Isis. There, by the raging torrents of Athis, I grow strong in the love of my father, as we played and learned of life and its living."
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Post by Killer_DM on Sept 20, 2016 15:15:05 GMT -6
Verse 3:
"But not by him alone was I instructed. Daily was I taught by the priests and wisemen of my country about the order of kings and the heavens. I learned of the passing of kings and how they, after death, journey to Heaven Westward, making the long passage in their burial ships, sailing across the River of Death until they reach the Farthest Shore. There, they are admitted to their separate estates by Osiris, God of Death, according to the riches they have brought with them. I also learned of wicked men whose minds had darkened and forgotten the old ways, who plundered the Old One's tombs and took their riches, thus robbing them of their place in Heaven Westward. As a boy, I would often cry in the night at such thoughts - and fear the judgment of Osiris lodged in my heart."
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Post by Killer_DM on Sept 20, 2016 15:25:17 GMT -6
Saskia was getting tired of this, but at least it seemed to match the Spirit's speech from before. Perhaps these riches and relics did exist. The tone of the room was tense, but the threat of armed conflict seemed to have at the moment passed. The old dervish priest looked on expectantly, but did not interrupt her reading.
Verse 4:
"My father had built a tomb for himself to guard against just such wickedness. Yet, only a few years after my father's death, there were whisperings that even his great burial place had been desecrated. I was tortured by thoughts of his spirit wandering forever, alone. Cloaked in the darkness of deepest night, I went to my father's tomb. No priest followed me to witness my trespass upon the world of the dead. I carefully slipped past the traps that barred the way when, suddenly, I came upon his sarcophagus."
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Post by Killer_DM on Sept 20, 2016 15:36:04 GMT -6
Some grumbling was going through the ranks of Thune as Saskia continued to read. One broke upon a skin of some sort and started passing it around, eliciting a few grunts among the desert folk.
Verse 5:
"I gazed through watery eyes at the broken clay pots that had contained the gold. The once jewel-encrusted hull of my father's ship was barren and scarred with gouges. I knew with certainty that he could not have approached the great Osiris in that mockery of a boat, without so much as a humble clay token."
Verse 6:
"In weakness and horror, I fell upon my father's sarcophagus and stared at the scarred wooden image of my father's face. It had once been covered with the purest of gold leaf. His golden Staff of Ruling was nowhere to be found. I lay myself upon the scarred surface to hide its imperfections, weeping great tears of fury. My torch went out as, too, did the light within my soul. I emerged from the tomb as the sun arose. Clutching my own staff, I swore by all the gods that I would not be cheated of my place in Heaven Westward."
And this ended the first of two chapters of the book. It did not take much more than a few seconds afterwards for Saskia's enchantment to fade. The Tale of the Years would have to wait until she rememorized her spells.
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Saskia
Junior Member
Posts: 77
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Post by Saskia on Sept 21, 2016 10:53:07 GMT -6
Saskia related the essence of what she had read to the others.
((Sorry about the brevity, but not much time to post right now.))
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Post by scottenkainen on Sept 21, 2016 13:35:56 GMT -6
"You see?" Arristuun said to the priest afterwards Saskia had translated relevant passages to everyone. "This confirms the story the spirit told us in the desert. If there is any chance that us entering the pyramid could change things back to how this tome describes them...how could you turn your backs on that chance?"
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Post by Killer_DM on Sept 21, 2016 14:06:13 GMT -6
The old priest motioned and the Thune stood down, with the majority leaving the room to go about whatever business they'd been up to before things had gotten tense.
"It seems that there is still more to be read. I believe that your magic has expired?"
Without waiting for a response, H'rathi continued.
"Feel free to explore as you will, but understand that any defacing of sacred items, statues, books... anything considered holy to this place will bring down the wrath of the Thune. Through the right stairway you'll find cots where my men rest. Feel free to use them as long as you need."
There was a look of genuine hope in H'rathi's eye that he would be able to find the missing chieftain of their group.
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Post by alfbern on Sept 21, 2016 20:23:22 GMT -6
Alfbern led the way up to the area with the cots. Once there he said, "I will explore. Who wants come with?"
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Post by Thorsan on Sept 21, 2016 21:27:21 GMT -6
Suddenly, everyone realized how loud they had been talking as Thorsan, who had fallen asleep during the reading, suddenly stopped snoring and room grew quiet once more. "If alla the sandy bottomed scholars are dun wit the dusty old books, mebbe we kin git ter somethin interestin now. I'm with ye, Alf, lead th way!"
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Post by PG Faolan on Sept 22, 2016 6:43:51 GMT -6
Taliesen stood with eyes closed, attempting to memorize the story . . . and embellish it a little with great daring do and walking mummies, long-dead sorcerers who created sandstorms with their face in it, and something else. Spiders? No. Beatles! Beatles that could crawl inside your flesh. Oh, yeah. This was going to be a good story for a better audience than a bunch of sword-wielding religious zealots."Seems like we have a good place to start. Thank you for your hospitality and understanding, H'Rathi." He bowed low and went to follow Alf.
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Post by kevinpc on Sept 23, 2016 10:17:09 GMT -6
Baal had tried to remain off of everyone's minds as the situation in the temple-pyramid grew tense. He said nothing. He only watched the scene unfold until the threat had abated. He scrutinized each new Thune he could see and the walls in the main chamber also. The druid focused his mind and closed his eyes, trying to burn the images of every detail into his memory.
"Ramman, give me insight beyond sight. Let me know the nature and intent of these new peoples..." He trailed off after whispering under his breath. ((Cast Know Alignment, aimed at the Thune. Trying to be very discreet here!))
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Post by scottenkainen on Sept 24, 2016 8:32:39 GMT -6
"Explore? You mean, right now? But we just got here, and they're offering us beds! Oh...fine, I'll help..." Arristuun finally said, grumpily. He would come along, but he wasn't sure what they were expecting to find in the temple.
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Post by Killer_DM on Sept 24, 2016 16:56:37 GMT -6
Baal was able to get his prayer through with little notice during the reading. All of the dervishes seemed aligned to Law & Neutrality. He had encountered some Thune in the past, and this seemed the norm. Their culture was centered around tribal law and respect for other cultures and especially religions. To break those laws often meant death or the removal of a hand.
Osric had been studying the walls and the carvings. He had been able to decipher some of the text. "Though his spirit lies far from us in Heaven Westward, into his likeness does his spirit come to commune with men." He relayed this information to the bard, Taliesin, who originally expressed interest in the writings.
(I will write some more tonight. This week has been full of interesting surprises.)
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