Orhan 4 Day 32 TE 6065

Haeraan finds himself aimlessly walking when he says, "Oathar, send me a sign!" Oathar shows up and chides him for forgetting to cast dreams. He also point out some exotic musical instruments for Haeraan to buy (1500gold for 15 crates.). Then he tells Haeraan to ask tonight for a dream where they can talk freely.

Alynna goes to the temple of Issorda, the god of conflict and war.

Haeraan goes to sleep to have a dream. He dreams of.... Oathar!

Oathar fills him in on the fact that the whole mission is actually a moral test. Don't screw it up.

Orhan 4 Day 32 TE 6065

When people wake, they find RFR-2's on the pillow. Hmm, time to fill out requisition forms.

Kyrik immdiately fills one out requesting reimbursement for his night in the brothel. Haeraan looks at it, as the new moral authority of the party. He bemoans his fate.

The party goes down to breakfast and there's a golden glowing chalice in the center of the table. Yup, it's pretty bitter. Haeraan starts talking to Kyrik about his form. What was it for? What was in his heart of hearts when he chose to make the decision? He tries to get Kyrik to probe deeply into his own soul...

Meanwhile, Alynna is going over her own form for reimbursement. It was rejected by Arisia because Alynna got ripped off. She asks for help in filling out a new one.

Haeraan and the party plan to move out and head towards the Valley of the Kings. Perhaps they could hire themselves out as caravan guards. They decide to join a caravan heading out from the caravanserai. Sadly, the first one they find is organizing and getting ready for Official Allaince Business. They seem to mostly be loading with food, water, shovels etc. Not a trading caravan. So instead they go to Honest Obdul's Used Camels. 10 gold per camel! Haeraan studies the camel dealer. They also get a racing camel. It finished second in the all Gethren camel race last year. He buys four camels. Haggling commences! Four camels end up costing 28 gold.

Those who have not yet gotten them get local desert clothes.

Orhan 4 Day 33 TE 6065

The alliance caravan heads off to the south.

We wait a few hours and then follow along behind the official alliance business caravan with their camels.

That night, the sun finally sets, and night watches commence. Far to the northeast a pale shaft of light streches up into the sky from the horizon. It mostly just hangs there all night. Kyrik decides to go investigate on griffen-back. Night flying seems to go OK. He sees a structure way to the north east. It's a glowing pyramid. Kyrik suspects it's one of the Pyramid of the great kings.

At the shift change people talk about it, but nothing is really figured out. It's "not technically" caused by the undead.

That night they channel dreams to Imre and Kyrik and get the standard talk to Oathar dream...

He tells them about the message from above. Shape up! Kyrik is like, "But, Kieron thinks debauchery is fine! That's why I do it."

When they wake, Imre apologizes to the party for abdicating his moral responibilities of late. So, he assures them that this is no longer the case... Then Haeraan apologizes for phoning it in these last few years... It's all very touching.

Then, they get to Kyrik. He's disappointed that Oathar didn't tell him how to recover his eight gold. He's not really clear how he got stuck in this situation. Imre tries to get through to him, but his shield is serious. Time to stop phoning it in. Kyrik still thinks prostitutes are the perfect answer to learning languages.

Alynna thinks perhaps focussing a little too much on the final goal and letting the process go by the wayside is perhaps emblematic of the same failing that brought us all down...

This brings on another two hours of philosophical musings. A good time is had by all.

That night, Alynna gets a channeled a dream. This time it's Oathar telling her about orcs and how they need to be paid a fair wage if they're working for us. She starts awake in a cold sweat!

Since Haeraan is up anyways, he sends Kyrik another dream. Oathar shows up and discusses the theory and practice of prostitution in both theory and practice. Then he says, sometimes you have to let to the money go and Kyrik awakes with a start!!

Orhan 4 Day 34 TE 6065

Around mid-day, the party arrives at the edge of the Canyon of the Kings. It's like a beehive/giant excavation site. Around the edges of the canyon are Kal-Cha alliance soldiers. The Alliance is digging up the place all over. A bunch of native Gethren workers are being used as the diggers. They cover the valley.

People disguise themselves as Gethrens, Misfeel as 5th level laymen, and then start wandering around the valley carrying buckets of rocks. Kyrik doesn't really mingle well. But while Imre is looking after him, Alynna finds someone to tell her where Salah is. Alynna makes contact with Salah, flashes him a sign and gets told to bring her additional workers to a location he designates.

Haeraan cases the place pretty completely.

Oathar talks to one of the guardian spirits at each of the tombs. He presents himself as a servant of Shashan, so the spirit tells him which king guards the Great Staff of the Sun Disk. Horatom the Fierce, blessed of Hora, guards this staff. Perhaps Horatam will not destroy them when they enter the tomb if they indeed intend to return the staff ot great Hora so that it may not be desecrated. To find the tomb of Horatom they must go to the map chamber and use the Crystal Staff Head the light of the sun will then reveal where the tomb of Horatom is.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party digs all day. Then they go to the mess tent and are given some lamb stew and beer. After a while, Salah comes and sits down with his crew. He gives them all advice on how to work better tomorrow. During this, he slips Alynna a note. "Come to my tent after the meal. It will be marked on the flap with the Loremaster symbol." Then Salah leaves. The party heads to the tent of Salah. Alynna goes in first with an earring. When she gets into the tent, he says good and waits for them to get inside. He says his tent is warded and illusioned so they can speak freely therein.

Oathar can't get in the tent since it's warded. Once everyone but Oathar gets in, they speak ot Dr. Harrison Jones. They are seeking powerful magical items to aid them in their conquests. They don't know which tomb it is though. The headpiece of the staff will indicate it's position. Luckily, Harrison Jones has been researching just this and thinks the headpiece was valued above all other things by the great king Mortu and is thus in his pyramid in the Northeast. Ah, the beacon pyramid. It glows because it has never ben violated.

We'll probably have to negotiate with the spirit at the tomb to get permission to enter the pyramid. Jones gives the party a briefing on the great king Mortu. He was an archmage. In death, he possesses all the powers he had in life. Plus, he's a mummy. At least these undead are not powered by the Unlife. Next time, the Pyramid of the Great King Mortu!