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"I suppose we could try the west passage instead? That's unexplored." "But what exactly are we looking for down here exactly anyways?" "I know at least some of us were trying to find the Pactstone, but now that we've found it and we can't exactly take it and we don't think we can destroy it, shouldn't we just try to get out of here while we still can?"
At the sight of the electrified explosion the Mithral Scarab hits the deck.
“We still need you. I need you. Now wake up! Please!” (He knows her face. It's from another time, another life. It seems so long ago.)
Hurgah covers himself up as best he can, taking care to cover his many tattoos and wrap a scarf around his head to conceal his orcish ancestry. - The Scarab looks up at the giant Reaver and winces. She taps her toe in thought."Wait here," she says, "I'll be back in a minute." She then darts ahead of the Dune Squad entering the slave camp. She returns a minute or two later dragging a large tent canvass. "Here's what we do. We roll him up in this like a carpet. Then Breach - and this other guy with the giant arms, Karek is it? You carry him like you're hauling a loaded tent. We've got workers moving tents and gear all the time right now. Now that the pyramids open, there's a lot less workers and a lot of people are being moved around."
Youthful Pathfinder spy seeks *punctual* adventurers to save fate of Osirion nation. Prefers independent souls capable of subtlety. Turn-offs include high-level dungeon delving and Shrine of Horns monks. Apply quickly – giving up hope. P.S. Willing to walk barefoot in the sand a definite plus.
“Rhuma-salaxia!" the Scarab whispers. For a moment there is a faint shimmer on the sand and then everything is still once more. Halstadt and Breach can feel a slight vibration in the air around them.
- “The Society can keep it as a cereal bowl for all I care,” she says fully able to understand a Pathfinder’s well-intended obsession with the preservation of relics, a desire she shared herself, not only as a Pathfinder but also as a proud Osirian. “But it must not fall into Khymrasa’s hands – or into the Shrine of Horns’,” she adds. “The Stone is a terrible weapon.”
Breach listens intently to the woman. As she finishes with the history lesson, Breach strokes his beard a couple of times. "Is it Lydia? You look like a Lydia." He nods approvingly. - “Yes, it is. That was uncanny,” she answers hoping to placate the strange dwarf. Clearly nothing phases this one, she decided. She just laid out a doomsday scenario and he's still trying to guess her name."Aye, we'll destroy this stone for ya, lass, don't ya be for worryin'. If you can tell us, we'll need to be knowin' it's location and how to get to it and what kind o' protections it's got surroundin' it. - She smiles with relief, knowing that few would be willing to venture inside Ahn'Sehlota. Perhaps Krenshar's recruitment was better than she first thought. “It’s in Ahn’Sehlota,” she says. “It’s in the pyramid.” “I’m afraid that’s all I know – it’s been millennia since the Pact Stone was ever used.” “Oh, and one other thing, 'twas my mother that named me Breach." He winks. - She smiles. “Well I am grateful for your help then Breach – your Mother would be proud.”
"We have heard quite a bit from Gandel on the subject. Though it would seem that you know more specific information on them. I suppose their lives would be interesting if I were still in a history lesson however I surmise that the real question here is what is the Pactstone and what does it do?" ----- “Everything!” the Scarab answers suddenly animated with passion. “The Pactstone bound the four pharaohs to one another. Their lives, their destinies, became intertwined. Before the stone, the four pharaohs were at war. Once they were united, Osirion rose to hegemony of a kind not seen anywhere on Golarion. Their success was all because of the binding magic of the stone." The half-elf slows herself down. "I fear a history lesson you will receive. I know you are not from here." "Prior to the Four Pharaohs' unification in -1498 AR, Osirion’s people were divided as four separate dynasties contended for supremacy. As its resources were expended in internal squabbling, Osirion fell vulnerable to invasion by its neighbours. To avert catastrophe, the four tyrants came together in a solemn pact, forming a powerful junta of pharaohs. Initially, the suspicious emperors employed a regimented circuit of shield other spells to limit the risk of backstabbing and secured each other’s loyalty to the pact. Later, as their paranoia grew and demanded ever greater assurances, in order to maintain their accord the pharaohs bonded their destinies into a single fate. With the alliance complete, Osirion rose to an unprecedented prominence, fuelling its wealth with an enslaved underclass, sourced from its conquered neighbours. With their fates intertwined, the Four Pharaohs of Ascension lived together, ruled together and were fated to die together. Each year the Four Pharaohs would convene inside Ahn’Selota and perform a great ritual to renew their mystic pact – to do this, they used the Pact Stone." “According to historical texts”, she says, looking to Gandel, well knowing he knows these details far better than her, “ultimately, at the end of their iron-fisted reign of terror, the four pharaohs fell ill and died from a mysterious incurable disease. In truth, only one pharaoh actually died and the other three were dragged to their deaths by the magic of the Pactstone that was once the secret to their success. Although several theories still circulate to this day, it was never known which pharaoh was the one that was truly fated to die and which three were merely sharing in their colleague's demise." "From spying upon her, I have learned that Khymrasa seeks the stone to replace the diseased pharaoh. Her ally, the Sand Sage has revealed to her how this could be done. If she succeeds, what happens? I’m not certain, but in theory we have three ancient tyrants reborn, powerful once again with their newly minted partner, the new Fourth Pharaoh Khymrasa." "How long will our Counsel of Sun and Sky and the Ruby Prince last against the force of the tyrants of histories’ greatest empire?" the Scarab asks rhetorically. "Osirion as we know it will either crumble into civil war, or plunge the lands into immortal despotism – no doubt that’s what the monks are here for. They mean to do whatever they can to make sure Khymrasa succeeds." The Scarab looks Hal, Gandel and Breach in the eye. "I know you came here on the Venture Captain's promise of treasure, but the Pactstone has to be destroyed – or hidden forever – or whatever else can be done to keep it from Khymrasa. We have to find it before she does. And that Morgrym, I believe, is what the gods have sent you here to do. You've known for some time your destiny would lead you inside that pyramid. Did your vision not lead you to me?"
"I do not yet know my purpose. It shall be revealed to me once we enter the pyramid. At least that is what I believe, we must stop whatever forces were set into motion by these ancient rulers". ----- The Scarab wonders if her Venture Captain knew the dwarf signed on for his own agenda. The wheels start turning in her head and she wonders if Gandel was aware. Then the light in her eyes begins to twinkle:“Well, if I may be so bold then Halstadt, I think I can preview for you what your purpose will be. I apologize for the weight of what is about to be placed upon you and your colleagues." “When I started this mission, I thought I was delaying the dig so Professor Hoffenburrow could retrieve a valued prize. Seeds, if you can believe it. Somewhere in that pyramid is a cache of preserved seeds of an extinct desert crop. Hoffenburrow believes the seeds have significant historic value and need to be preserved for future generations. The Decemvirate, on the other hand, has figured out that if the lost crop is recovered and re-introduced it could be worth a fortune, in the right hands. I’m sure they’re both right.” “I on the other hand, no longer give a rust monster’s crap about desert seeds.” “I now know that Khymrasa did not unearth Ahn’Sehlota for seeds. I’ve discovered she is after a powerful artefact called the Pactstone. If she finds it she will doom Osirion.” The Scarab looks at the dwarves, “How much has Gandel told you about the Four Pharaohs of Ascension?”
"He did not tell me but then I am not a Pathfinder. I am here for other reasons. Tell me what do you know about Legends of the Past forming Scarab's wall? In a series of divinations received from Pharasma as well as Angradd that was one of the verses. In my vision I saw you, that is how I recognized you in the dig site. "She shakes her head. "No, sorry. It doesn't mean anything to me. Wait, hold it a second, maybe it does!" She collects her thoughts further: "Did you receive your vision before the pyramid was unearthed? Before Ahn'Sehlota was uncovered, for the past week, I had been trying to slow down the dig. One of the biggest tools I had available to me was the proverbial rumor mill. It's a pretty powerful thing around here with so many slaves working in the hot sun with little information on what they were actually digging for. At night, I joined many of those campfires that you saw on your way in here. I had been spreading tales amongst the slaves and workers - some true, most exaggerated - about the hazards of digging up a pyramid of the Four Pharaohs of Ascension. I had spooked a lot of people into sneaking off into the night and deserting the dig, rather than unearthing something mortals might regret. I liked to think this activity had slowed down the rate of progress, but as you have seen, apparently not enough. Nothing can compete with Khymrasa's seemingly unlimited resources. Perhaps those rumors were my 'legends of the past', and my fight against the dig was my 'Scarab's Wall'." "Aw, it's just speculation. Who am I to interpret the words of the gods? In any event, 'Scarab's Wall' was unsuccessful I fear, and my failure may have doomed Osirion more than I could have imagined when I started out." Halstadt continues: On top of that what is Suekhan's count? Does the number 56 have any meaning for you? The word 'Suekhan' doesn't ring a bell I am afraid. Was that part of the vision too? The number fifty-six might though. I can't seem to put my finger on it right now, but the number fifty-six sounds oddly familiar. I'll think on that. Where did you come across it? Perhaps these eyes you spotted on the way here are part of the vision, many eyes which watch the way who controls those eyes? "Definitely," she says. "Those eyes belong to the Sand Sage, Khymrasa's hired expert Osiriontologist. He's also a wizard of no small ability. Those eyes are a powerful spell of some kind, I believe. He uses them to spy on all aspects of the dig site. They constantly roam the dunes and are especially prevalent in the Master Camp area. My experience has been whenever the eyes spot something of interest, a squadron of monks is dispatched very quickly. "He's possibly the biggest reason I couldn't effectively slow the dig. I think he's on to me. Sometimes I feel like. . . it doesn't matter." Sorry I know that is a lot of questions but you are the first person we have met that might have an answer". "Not at all," she says, "this may be the one chance we get to catch each other up. Ask away. I will have questions too. Earlier you alluded to the fact that you were here for other reasons - why have you come? What is it that I do not know?"
She flashes her smile, as though to assure Breach that that is something he's never going to know. "And I suppose you're going to tell me your mother named you Breach?" Changing the subject she asks, "Now did Krenshar tell any of you what Professor Hoffenburrow has been ordered to retrieve from Ahn'Sehlota?"
"I'm sorry - did you say 'Lady Thalia'? Have you heard of her before?" Gandel asks, concern evident in his tone. - "I did. She showed up here just a few days ago and from what I've been able to learn, very quickly worked her way into the Exemplar's inner circle. Many people adore her, slave masters, and guards alike. You filled in the missing piece for me back at the monk's grave when you told me she was with your group. Earlier you also called her a druid. She certainly doesn't sound like any druid I've ever met." "When we were scouting the dig site earlier, we saw Thalia at the bottom of the excavation with the rest of the Exemplar's entourage. I would swear that she saw us as well, but she didn't raise an alarm at that time. In fact, she seemed to be studiously ignoring us." - "No offence, but you guys do kinda stick out. There's not a lot of dwarves and halflings here. Once we're done here, I'll see what I can do about proper disguises. Are you sure she saw you? If she turned you in no doubt she could get even further in the Exemplar's graces." "As far as slowing down the excavation - we did rig that massive lift to give way the next time it was raised. It may be too little too late now, though." - She smiles. "Thanks, it never hurts to slow those guys down. But the situation has changed, drastically I'm afraid, and so have our priorities."
"Let's begin with your involvement in this affair. I think only one member of our group was even aware that we had an agent already here on the ground". ----- “Hmmmm," beings the Scarab, "I have been infiltrating the dig for several weeks. A contact of mine in Sothis reported the Exemplar was quietly spending vast sums of money on an expedition, the details of which were being kept secret. I followed the money trail around the city and it eventually took me here. It did not take me long to trace the rumours and discover that the Exemplar believed she was digging for Ahn’Sehlota. I notified Krenshar who notified the Decemvirate, who took the possibility very seriously. The Decemvirate sent back orders that they had selected Professor Hoffenburrow to search the pyramid. The Decemvirate is after something very specific." The Scarab removes a pouch attached to her belt and begins to search through it as she continues. "I was then told that Krenshar would send me a group of professionals who would slow the dig down and prevent the pyramid from being unearthed before Hoffenburrow arrived. My job was to cooperate and find a way to get Hoffenburrow inside the camp. Once he was inside, I was to then tell these pros their job delaying the dig was complete and they could let Khymrasa finish the excavation. If I follow what Gandel has told me though, instead of sending me the crack team he promised, Krenshar instead sent Lady Thalia and the whole thing went south very quickly."
Inside the Scarab’s portal is a bizarre chamber, the sensation is not unlike what you might expect were you in an empty fishbowl. You can see no walls, yet you are in a confined space. Beyond the invisible borders you can see the inside of the tent below, though the Scarab assures you that you are now hidden from sight from anybody outside the portal. You can see out of the 'fish bowl', but none can see in. “OK, now we can talk. You must have many questions, I know I do. Where should we begin?”
"Is it possible just to hide inside a tent all day to escape notice?" ----- Probably not, but my tent should be, at least for a time. I have a spell where we can hide inside a pocket of magic. Anyone looking inside will see an empty tent. "I am thinking that our companions will be joining us only under the cover of darkness anyway. In the morning I will be able to contact them all to set up a rendezvous point where we can all meet up, including you my dear. I would like to know tonight though what you have discovered about this pyramid". ----- "Excellent Halstadt, the sooner we can get everyone together the better, I think. I’m afraid there’s a lot more going on here than Krenshar knows about and we don’t have much time." The Scarab starts to strike out, heading southwest but she abruptly stops. “That fresh corpse is probably going to leave a blood trail. Unless we have the means of solving that, I think we may need to bury it here. With the flashes of magic that were set off, we probably shouldn’t tarry much longer.”
"Very well let's get to the safehouse, along the way we can bury the body". ----- "May I suggest we keep off the paths then until we do." She bends down and picks up Vellaneer's decapitated head and holds it gingerly in front of her.
"Why, yes!" Gandel exclaims, surprise evident in his tone as he pauses in his examination of the deceased monk's various items. "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage. Have you heard of me?" ----- “Of course, “ she nods. “It's part of my job to be familiar with the Pathfinders. While I can't say I know them all, I should know the major archivists who study my country. As for you not knowing of me,” she smiles, “that too is the way it is supposed to be.” "I can examine these items more thoroughly when we're in a safe place," Gandel adds, gathering up the monk's former possessions. "I'm with Breach - let's avoid the Prelate if she's likely to turn us in to the Exemplar. Where did you say your safe house was?" ----- “Safe house is perhaps too kind a description. I’ve been living off and on in a slave tent hidden in plain sight deep amongst perhaps a hundred others.” She points southwest . “I ward the tent with a kind of magic and it’s kept me alive so far, but I’ve never had to conceal a group before. I’ll see what I can rustle up for disguises in time for dawn.” She looks at the burly armoured Hal and Breach and adds, “I’m not sure those two will go unnoticed for more than a few minutes in the daylight.”
"That's twice you've mentioned Donkor -- he's the one Lady Thalia and the Sand Sage keep arguing about." "I'm not so sure it is wise to make contact with the Prelate. From what I've gathered, the her sect dispatched her to support the Exemplar and she is steadfastly loyal. If she pegs you for adventurers, or worse, Pathfinders, she's likely to kill you on the spot. Pharasma rarely takes kindly to 'looters of the dead'. But if you have a plan. . .""
Seeing Gandel immediately go to work on the body, she smiles. "Now this one I can believe is a Pathfinder!" "Gandel was it? Not the Gandelplot Trapspringer from Absalom is it?"
"That's right! The mound. I was misrememberin'. Is that alright with you, lass? Unless like Hal said, you've a safer place for us." "I can't think a lot of places a lot safer," she says quickly, "And I can take you there." "Down there is where they hide the bodies of the dead slaves - it's a mass graveyard. It's tended by a powerful priestess of Pharasama who guards over the fresh graves from necromancers. She won't likely take kindly to strangers skulking around. A misunderstanding could turn ugly. i try to avoid there." "Then again," she says looking back at the headless monk, "That might be the exactly right place to hide him. Other than the priestess there are no guards." Thinking more she adds: "I have a place I use to hide where I am safe from the scrying of the Sand Sage. We could talk there. It won't be long before he starts to look for us - he has eyes everywhere."
Once Gandel fills her in, he can tell from the Scarab's reaction she has lots to say on this - or perhaps many questions. However, the conversation quickly turns to the matter of where to next and, for now, she does not get the chance.
"Yes", she says slowly picking herself up. Once she finds her footing once more, you can see she is slightly taller than both Breach and Halstadt, and certainly taller than Gandel. "We need to be away from here quickly." Turning to Breach to answer his question she adds, "They call me the Mithral Scarab. And you must be two more of Krenshar's men. How many are you in total?"
. . . And yourself as well, lass?" He asks the young girl. ----- The Scarab collapses, catching her breath from the shock of the monk's ambush, as she waits for her heart to slow down. “That was close.”
("miss") ("n/a")
Seeing that Halstadt is now free, the Scarab spins from her kneeling position and hurls her dagger end over end, hoping to bury into the monk before he can harm anyone else. No doubt the longer this skirmish goes on the greater the chance that they will be overheard. How long did they have before someone comes to investigate the golden flash from the dwarven priest's spell? The knife flies end over end and strikes-- --the wrong target! The hilt bounces off of Breach's shoulder guard, flies into the air and buries itself into the side of a dune. "Sorry!" she cries sheepishly.
“Oh do shut up!” growls the Scarab to the monk. Then, realizing he monk is focussed on the dwarf with the axe and spine-covered shield barrelling down on him, she makes her move, diving away. “Hang on Master dwarf!” she cries, “I’m coming!”
The Asmodean, however, is faster than she anticipates. As soon as she dives away he delivers a snapping kick into her back. (hit) An expert anatomist, he drives his heel straight into the Scarab’s mortality nerve, causing an explosion of pain to ripple up her spine to her brain – enough to incapacitate a towering orc, let alone someone so frail. (saves!) (applies) The Scarab, drops to one knee screaming from the pain, but she fights through it and still rises, letting the charging dwarf with the axe sail past her. She then races to Morgrym, grabs his legs and pulls him out of the sand dune. “Hold very very still,” she shouts as she turns her knife over in her hand. She then makes a rapid incision through the camel blanket, completely transecting it from top to bottom – possibly chopping off a lock of Hal’s beard in the process.
A scream escapes from the Mithral Scarab’s lips as she sees the dwarf suddenly swallowed up by an attacker who appeared from nowhere. She fights to push the monk’s powerful leg off of her. As soon as she does she quickly brings her knees to her chest and prepares to spring to her feet to help before Halstadt runs out of air.
(hit) As soon as she takes to the air the monk suddenly turns to the side, dragging the flailing dwarf off-balance. He drives Halstadt’s thick head into the Scarab’s stomach, seeking to wind her a second time. (saves!) (applies) The assailant slams Halstadt into the Scarab and knocks her back a step but she has at least fought her way to her feet. “Let him go!” she cries, though she looks rather tiny next to the powerful killer. A small knife appears in her right hand, coming from out of nowhere. It looks more like a cutting tool though than an actual combat weapon. (Miss) Now restraining the dwarf with but a single hand, the monk brings his free arm inside the Scarab's arc and blocks it with only the slightest of motion. It is almost as though he would not lower himself by acknowledging her pitiful assault.
Halstadt Morgrym:
Ugh! She really does have a boot driving into her stomach.
For Halstadt Morgrym: The Scarab has to suppress an immature giggle when she sees Hal’s splayed dwarven toes, perhaps betraying her elvish ancestry, but her face soon hardens. She picks up his boots, and for a moment Hal wonders if she will race off with them into the desert leaving him barefoot and alone in the dark. However, she then slides out from her sandals as well, which gives the bearded priest some comfort that there might be a reason for the sacrifice of his boots. Once again the Scarab pockets her hand inside her garb and withdraws it, her fingers again carefully arrayed to form an arcane symbol. When she does so, the four pieces of footwear begin to walk off further down the path on their own. After approximately twenty feet, she Scarab makes a motion with that same hand and the boots and sandals suddenly gallop off to the right. The footwear then circles back to Hal and the Scarab, only this time, the shoes fly above ground, leaving no tracks. “Now we go left,” she says slipping back into her sandals preparing to jump,“and hide—quickly.”
"Now would be a good time employ such magic as is at your disposal my lady", whispers Hal as he hurries down the path. "Otherwise I think we should get off of this path immediately". ----- "I think that's a good move regardless," she says still unsure where the dwarf is going. "Mmmmmm. How do you feel about taking off your boots?"
Hal grimaces at the sight or lack thereof of the cloaked monk. "Do you have any stealth related magic? I presume this monk is still on our tail". "I might have a few tricks. It's not my thing, but I've had a week and a half to become a quick study." Hal looks over at his new companion, "We did not attack the Exemplar, like I said it is a long story and we don't have time for it now". The Scarab bites her tongue and follows the dwarf.
"Let's keep moving. My friends will be able to see well in the dark. I have an idea of where we can rendevous. Tell me, can you fight if it comes to that?" asks Hal as he hustled ahead towards the statues of the Reaver and the Potentate. ----- The slave girl shakes her head, a response that Hal takes to be a bad sign. She gestures to the statues as you pass, and begins to put two and two together. “It was your people that tried to assassinate the Exemplar in her camp, wasn’t it?”But before Hal can even answer another problem has arisen. Looking back over his shoulder, he no longer sees the outline of the cloaked Asmodean on the path. He’s gone – at least for the moment. Hal can’t help but feel that the Scarab’s boast of superior eye sight has jinxed them both. Hopefully Breach and Gandel have kept him marked. Catching Hal's look, the Scarab turns as well and scans the dunes, seeing nothing, other than some kind of ruckus back at the check-point. She instinctively picks up the pace. “Where are we going?”
Advancing beyond the check-point, the Scarab turns to Halstadt as they walk. "My eyes are. . .," she pauses searching the right word, "adaptable. Similar to yours in some ways. You do not need to slow for me." "I have found the Chelaxians much less effective at night. If only the moon was in further wane. It grows larger every night."
"We are winging it, I am hoping they challenge us on the way in but let things go on the way out. I have a few friends behind me watching our backs. If it all goes wrong there are only a handful of them so it should not be too hard to handle them". Hal winks at her despite the fact that he is not kidding, he really is winging it... ----- “Then permit me to join in the improvisation,” she says appreciating his show of confidence, “I have some active mana which has helped to keep me out of captivity for the past few days.” She draws her hand back out of the fold and flexes it, ever so slightly, as though her fingers were forming a shadow puppet. Suddenly Hal spies a disturbance in the dunes just beyond the shadows of the torchlight beyond the check-point. Whatever manner of creature it is, it is kicking up dust and making noise. The guards spot it too. “I don’t relish the thought of winding up on a Chelish rack.” If Hal can succeed on a DC 16 Spellcraft check: The Scarab has an unseen servant spell running. She has directed it to create the disturbance in the sand. The effect has significant limitations though and is not likely to confound the guards for very long, if at all.
"Alright then," she says, seeming to take Hals' distressing announcement in stride, "Let's do it your way then. And just how is Venture Captain Shevala Iorae doing by the way?" "Who the heck is that? I met with a Venture Captain Krenshar and he is no doubt having a canary at the moment as our assistance is behind schedule. As I said my lady it is something we should discuss in private", Hal whispers. He remains calm and glances back only occasionally disguising his peeks as attempts to help the slave girl whose name he is still not 100% sure of! ----- She smiles – evidently satisfied by Hal’s answer. “He’d better be upset – this is his fault as well. There’s a lot more going on here than the old man knows.”Then she asks, “You have a plan to bypass those guards?” She appears to be reaching for something inside the fold of her cloth wrap.
"Well its a long story but it will have to wait as I think you are being followed. Hopefully our follower is being followed as well". "Alright then," she says, seeming to take Hals' distressing announcement in stride, "Let's do it your way then. And just how is Venture Captain Shevala Iorae doing by the way?"
Hal speaks to the slave girl in a gentle voice, "I was told that you were in need of assistance with these items come with me". Hal places one hand on the small of her back ushering her through the crowd and away from the monk hoping the others are behind him. At first she is startled. Then she seems to catch on. "Yeah, I've been in 'need of assistance' for like eleven days!"
Behind Enemy Lines: The slave masters on the wall were pointing in the distance. When she squints her eyes, the Scarab can see the two riders disappearing over the northern horizon. Two men escaped by air the night before, now two more by horse. Did that make four? How many were killed in the Master Camp? How many escaped? Would they come back? No, she decided. She would ahve to come to terms with the fact that she was on her own. If this dig was to be stopped, it was now up to her. All of Osirion was counting on her. She alone knew the true stakes and so the burden was hers. She had one plan left to try. She ducked back inside the tent and opened her pack. She would have to time this exactly.
Behind Enemy Lines: “No, no, no!” The Scarab ducked back inside a tent to try to absorb this latest development. The sound of signal horns from the Master Camp were blaring all around her. This was not right at all! What just happened? Were those the Pathfinders Krenshar sent? They were late, but not too late. It could have been. But instead of finding her, it appears they launched an all out attack on the Master Camp. How did they even get inside? She thought she saw two of them flying away to the east. She didn’t recognize them. She couldn’t even be sure they were Krenshar’s men. Was one of them carrying a sack over his shoulder? Were they looting? Were they crazy!? There should have been more Pathfinders though. Krenshar would not have sent only two. Were the others killed in the raid? Did they need a rescue? She would have to hurry. Maybe the strike was worth it. Maybe they struck a blow to Khymrasa’s inner circle. She needed to investigate - and quickly. But now was a bad moment – the entire dig site was on an extreme alert. Then again, maybe she could find a way to take advantage of the confusion. . .
That time it was close. “Dammit Krenshar!” said the Mithral Scarab to herself for what felt like the hundredth time. “Where is that team you promised me?” She waited against the side of the tent slowly regaining her breath. Eventually the guards would move on and she would be able to slip back to the slave tents. But she knew she couldn’t continue this on her own for long. The arrival of the Shrine of Horns made everything far more complicated than she had planned. Dammed devil-worshipers – they didn’t belong here. But what was taking the Venture-Captain so long? She knew the old man had no idea what was truly at stake here, but he had never let her down before. Krenshar said something about the Professor requesting a man named Hurgah. Could he have held up the team in order to make sure he was on it? She hoped not. What kind of a name was Hurgah anyway? At some point she would need to focus on her safety. One day more, maybe two or three tops. Then she’d have to get out before she was found. She didn’t even want to think of what Master Soan would do if he discovered her. Then again, in three days, perhaps Khymrasa would complete her dig. The slaves were excavating far faster than she had anticipated. Truly there was nothing the Exemplar's money could not accomplish. Just how deep down was that pyramid? As her breathing slowed, the Scarab forced her mind to concentrate. She had saved a much-needed spell for her escape, and it just might work here, that is if she could calm herself and focus hard enough to access it. "Dammit Krenshar!"
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