As they ride, Jaru notices Setesh's look of regret and seeks to reassures him, "I am sorry if I was short with you, my friend. I believe your intention was good and that was definitely a much nicer symbol of our faith than this old piece of bone I wear. Thank you for the thought and your concern that this poor unfortunate receive a proper burial. Think no more about it."
perception
"Ah, do you see the lone rider there? I think this is dangerous country to travel alone in. Should we see if he would care to join our company?"
Jaru's Perception (I assume it's shared once noticed): The rider is not moving and facing you, dressed in black but it looks like his head is uncovered. Still a bit far to figure out whether he is armed or armored at this stage.
"Is he waiting for us?" Jaru waves and urges his camel forward to see what the stranger wants.
@the trading post
When Noor's head hits the ceiling, she realizes something is very wrong. She is looking down upon her companions. Have I become some form of monster..like...like Setesh. Am I as hideous? All claw and fang? Has he infected me?
As her mind reels, Setesh leaps upon the creature and savagely rends it into dust. Noor recoils in disgust. She blunders into a wall and the large loose board flies free and she escapes back into the light of the setting sun.
She collapses to her knees in the sand, trying to catch her breath. She is not sure how long she sits there, but the sound of Bas'rac and the camels approaching shakes her out of her stupor. She is herself again. Noor.
The group is searching the building and Jaru is preparing the corpse for burial. She moves off to help Bas'rac with the camels and set up camp. When the others emerge and join camp, no one gives her an awkward glance. Did I imagine it? The sand creature caused me to dream..was I still dreaming about the shrinking building...or the monstrous me?
After dinner, she volunteer's to help Jaru dig a grave. She gathers stones from the outcrop to place over the corpse to keep animals from getting at the body. With no one else around she speaks to Jaru while her eyes are down on the sand as she shovels. "Jaru. I am ashamed with how easily that creature affected me and I was wondering if you had some talent from your Goddess to help me clear my mind. You see, I realize that creature had some effect to cause me to sleep, like what probably happened to the proprietor of the market here. And despite my displeasure when you woke me,...I am grateful. It is just, the creature put a wonderful dream in my head..." She has a bit of a vacant smile as she again recalls the dream, but then it is gone. Her digging has noticeably slowed down.
"But it is the second dream that worries me. I thought I was awake. I was angry..at you for waking me and especially that creature for putting such lies in my head....and..and then I dreamed I became some kind of monster,..I think." She takes a shuddering breath and her body seems to shiver a little. "I dreamed I was changing..into something like Setesh..I..I had to get out of there.." She pauses in her shoveling and sits down in the sand, her eyes focused on her hands which grip the shovel handle.
Noor speeds up to match Jaru's pace. "He is a fool to be so uncovered...or he is a creature that the sun and heat have no affect upon. Caution, as either can be dangerous."
" Caution, as either can be dangerous."
Jaru nods with a faint smile, "Yes, this is true, however I can not help but wonder that in this whole wide desert that we come across this man waiting here at this moment. For good or ill, I cannot yet say, but it must have been fated."
He pauses to look more closely at Noor. "Are you feeling better? You seemed a bit upset last night. Do not worry about the dreams that were induced by the strange creature that attacked us. It was obviously not of this world and may have meant us harm to both body and spirit."
As you move your camels forward towards the rider, you start to notice more detail. His hands are both forward and clasped on the saddle horn. His uncovered head is badly sunburnt, and you can see he is slightly slumped in posture.
Setesh nods to Jaru, and smiles thinly.
"You are right; I did not mean any harm. I apologise for not thinking things through more carefully..."
Once Setesh's attention is drawn to the solitary figure, he frowns.
"Traveling alone in the desert is never a good idea. Something must have happened..."
When the party draws closer, he hails the slumped figure.
"Hello! Do you require assistance?"
There is no response from the man. You are still a few tens of feet from his position. Bas'rac is a little further back.
Narrowing his eyes to slits against the desert glare, Setesh strains them to make-out more details about the rider...
...after a few moments, his eyes widen with shock.
"Jaru, if that man lives, he is in dire need of medical attention; he appears to be unconscious, and his hands are nailed to the pommel of his saddle! However, we should be cautious; either he is being punished for something, or he is being used as bait to lure us in..."
Setesh will follow Jaru closer to the man, keeping an eye out for any signs of an ambush...
Perception
Jaru spots the nails and rides up carefully calling to the man, "Stranger, can you hear my voice?"
If he gets no response he'll secure the horse and atttempt to remove the nails with as little injury as possible.
Heal
Tarik has spent the morning in relative silence. Those who might glance at him would notice that he is deep in thought.
This adventure is quite exciting, though I had no idea it would be so dangerous! What more will these endless sands hold for us?
He continues staring off into space even as they come upon the man nailed to his saddle, and only snaps himself back to reality as Setesh shouts aloud and Jaru rushes to his aid.
Bringing up the rear, Noor is too slow to stop Jaru. The sense of a trap was screaming in her ears. Someone nailed that man to the saddle...and for a very bad purpose. Jaru's intentions are good, but something is wrong here.
Noor draws her bow and scans the surrounding dunes for any signs of an ambush.
[
Coming up alongside the man, you see that the saddle also has a harness at the back that is what is keeping him upright. He is recently dead, though was not killed on the horse.
The horse is in good health and appears unfazed by your approach, nor adversely affected by the desert.
Jaru moves forward to remove the nail holding the hands to the saddle, he can see that the nail through his hands is also helping to keep a small saddlebag secured in place.
Bazil's ruddy face blanches as he observes the propped up body. "What kind of a country is this, where one finds corpses riding in the middle of nowhere? Any of you locals have any insight into what may have set this bloke thus into the sands?"
Bow still in hand, Noor approaches Jaru as he struggles with the nails and the saddle. "I don't know of any tribal group or bandits that would perform such and action...and it is doubly odd as the horse is in such good condition."
The nail comes easily from the saddle, letting the man's hands flop lifelessly to the side. The saddlebag it was securing also falls to the sand.
history
Jaru helps the body from the saddle to the ground and hands the horse's reins over to whomever is handy.
"I never thought my training in death rites would see so much use on this journey," he says as he shakes his head. "I've also never heard of any local tribes nailing a man to a horse as a punishment or warning. Do you think there is a message in the bag that was nailed to his hands?"
Jaru straightens the body on the ground and looks for any identifying marks. perception
"I don't like it," Bazil says as he shakes his head. "If this is no punishment or warning, then it's either bait for an ambush, or a delivery. Whoever nailed that bag there was making sure it wouldn't come off - might be that it's supposed to get somewhere. But why would a rider be necessary for such a purpose? Nope, I'm thinkin' this is a trap, and that bag could well be the trigger, one way or another. I betcha five silver bits that the moment we open it some bugger or another is going to hop out of the sand and try and kill us."
"It would have to be a small assassin, but to what reason." Noor will carefully pick up the saddlebag and peer inside.
There are no identifying marks on the rider's clothes. It looks like he was killed before he was mounted on the horse - if the lack of blood around the saddle horn is any indication.
The saddlebag has but a single item within, an envelope. There are no marks on the exterior, but it is wax sealed - with a scarab sigil imprinted upon the wax.
"A delivery then. Is that seal significant?"
"The rider's identity willl remain unknown to us for now. Hopefully, Pharasma will recognize his soul and his destiny. It appears he was some sort of messenger. I do not recognize the seal. Perhaps the contents will make this more clear..."
know (religion/ history if either applicable)
Noor will take a careful look at the seal, before opening the letter, trying to preserve the seal if possible.
Neither of you can discern any specific purpose from the scarab, but it is a reasonably common iconography in Osirion.
Opening the envelope you are able to retrieve the one-page letter within. It is written in Ancient Osiriani.
To continue this path would be to draw the ire of both the Mother and the Rough Beast.
You have been warned.
"This seems a threat. I don't recognize all of the symbols. Any of you read the old pharaohs' language?" She holds the document out for the others to read if they wish.
Jaru smiles, "Not normally, but with Pharasma's assistance I may be able to translate," He pauses to offer a prayer to Pharasma and clasping his holy symbol he reads the letter.
"It says, 'We know what you seek. It is not yours to take. To continue this path would be to draw the ire of both the Mother and the Rough Beast. You have been warned'.
If I am not mistaken, the Mother and the Rough Beast refer to the evil gods, Lamashtu and Rovagug."
know religion
Jaru continues, "However, the Mother of Monsters and the World Destroyer are not known for their cooperative natures. It is odd to see them united as appears to be claimed by this letter..."
Setesh clears his throat.
"I can read the Ancient Tongue, too, and can confirm what Jaru says."
He then shrugs.
"I for one have no intention of being scared-off by a threatening letter, and a corpse... Although I suppose we should bury the poor soul. Jaru? Would you be able to perform the death rites?"
You seem to recall a useage of this design by an old Osiriani cult, but can't nail down the specifics. Perhaps you might recall more later with access to some reference books.
At around this time, Basrac arrives with the camels and sees the horse and rider. His eyes narrow slightly before a spark of recognition flashes across his eyes. "Step back, not all is as it seems."
Setesh's eyes narrow in frustration.
"You know, I am sure I recognise that seal... I vaguely recall that it was connected with an old Osirani cult; perhaps if I had access to some reference books, I would remember more..."
As soon as Bas'rac approaches and utters his warning, however, Setesh jumps backward with alacrity, his hand immediately going to one of the potion vials at his belt.
"What? What is wrong?"
Noor moves back quickly and an arrow is fitted into her bow as she again scans the horizon, but comes back to focus on the horse and rider, ready to follow Bas'rac's lead.
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Bas'rac releases the reins of the camel temporarily and strides up to the horse. With a grunt of exertion he slugs the horse in the skull...
but the reaction is not what you expect. His fist blows through the skull as though it were not there, and the horse crumples to the ground. Its body seems to sussurate before it splits at the seams. A flood of tiny scarabs well forth from the body and melt into the sands, the horse gradually melting until it is gone.
After the scarab have retreated back beneath the sands, the only item remaining is the dead human. Bas'rac moves to it and places one hand on its forehead, whispering to it quietly.
Jaru starts as the horse collapses into a scarab swarm. "What type of..." he trails off and watches Bas'rac intently on his guard for necromantic magic.
spellcraft
Setesh breathes a sigh of relief once the scarabs disappear.
It seems that there are some... interesting... competitors after the secrets of this vault!
Once Bas'rac finishes with the corpse, he asks:
"What the Devil is going on around here?"
Bas'rac finishes his whispering before standing up and addressing the group "No rites are necessary, he would have wanted to be returned to the desert." not waiting for any response Bas'rac gathers the camels and starts walking on. His jaw is set and the expression on his face inscrutable.
Jaru is reluctant to leave the exposed corpse. "I am sorry Bas'rac, but leaving this man unburied after so violent an end may cause his soul difficulties in its journey to the afterlife. Please explain yourself or allow me to give him the rites that will prevent an unnatural return."
Rounding on Jaru with squared shoulders "His soul is not yours to guide priest. I am his death-speaker and he is to be left uncovered."
Jaru holds his tongue and follows uneasily, trying to remember if he knows anything of death-speakers.
know religion
You also know that some of the desert dwellers believe that once dead their body is mere meat and should be allowed to decay rather than be interred.
Setesh nods to Bas'rac.
"If you think it is for the best, I will not gainsay you. Come, let us leave this place. Will still have a long journey ahead."
He then heads back to the camels.
"Um, yeah... Let's move on..."[b] Bazil gives his camel a few kicks and a veiled threat before it begins moving forward once more, though he cannot take his eyes off the spot where the scarabs entered the sand. He edges his horse over to Setesh and gives him a soft nudge with his elbow. [b]"So exactly how much crazy happens in these deserts? I always figured that miles of sand would be a little more uneventful."
When the time comes for the midday rest, Bas'rac is uncharacteristically silent.
During the midday stop, Jaru cautiously approaches Bas'rac. "My friend, I am sorry if I have offended you. I know there are some tribes with different beliefs from my own. You seem to have known the man or at least his tribe. Could you explain how you came to be his Death Speaker? I only seek to understand your loss."
Bas'rac waves away Jaru's concern "He is badawi. A friend of mine who lives near our destination. I spoke to him recently before I joined you at Lath'rat's table. His tribe does not venerate the flesh once the spirit is passed, but allows it to return to the sands."
Sighing "It is the scarab construct that has me more concerned. I fear we have wakened old evils against us.... and I speak not of the mother or the rough beast"
At Bas'rac's words, Noor feels something stir inside her. She feels cold as something seems to coil through her insides and stretch at her skin as if trying to break out. She sees nothing on her skin to indicate this, but she knows what she feels. But the feeling soon passes. She gets up to pace and stretch to hide her discomfort.