Struggle for Paruhapta III: He Is Covered in a Mantle

While Khufu and Antonious coughed and gasped for air, their lungs filled with yellow mold spores, and feeling like they were drowning, The Jiam calmly asked Teleptyon if he still had poultices of Scordus and moss in his pack. Teleptyon was agog at the request, but handed him the poultices explaining that they were for the binding and healing of wounds and should only be used in a topical manner. The Jiam smiled and tilted his head a little bit like a dog confused and Mitra across the room mirrored this movement. He then called for Kegho and Herk to bring Khufu to him so they might solve both problems at once, and tented them under a cloak. To Theo he said "May Sri Aelos lend us some fire?" and looked down at the dry moss bundle. With a brief invocation and the snap of his fingers the bundle glowed and caught flame. He let it burn for a moment before cupping his hands and depriving the fire of breath until it smouldered instead of burned and set the bundle under the cloak between the two. The room smelled acrid and woodsy, hot and dry. Khufu and Antonious could not help but gasp down the smoke as they choked and it did drive away the mold that was eating at their lungs though Khufu had come very near to death and Antonious was not much better. The Jiam and Theo began to minister to them through spiritual and mundane pathways and as soon as Khufu was awake he too called on his gods for health.

When the party had rested a moment and slaked their hunger and thirst they decided to not head into the room filled with mold again although Theo, Kegho and Teleptyon had an elaborate plan to wreak mighty vengeance on their mindless foe. Instead they stepped outside into a small walled garden. Alex noticed that the wall moved at an angle to the ravine cliffs behind it and believed it was near the left path behind the build where they had scouted. They found a door an it indeed opened to a grassy space beneath the cliffs. They luxuriated in the late morning sun and the shade of date palms. The Jiam moved to the largest date tree and spoke softly to it harmonizing with the green aspect of the Uculu and the tree itself. It swelled and budded and fruit ripened drinking in sun and bearing so much fruit that some branches broke and fell to the ground. He thanked the tree and the party packed pounds of fresh food into their sacks and some in to the jars which had been empty in the workshop. Theo sealed the jars with a bit of wax and they returned to the building and decided to seek out more rooms that were not filled with mold.

They made their way back up to the hall with baths and went left instead of right. Kegho opened the door to find something that looked like a ghoul tearing at flesh. It did not hear them open the door and Riven stepped past Kegho and loosed an arrow that flew true into its hunched back. It howled and moved to turn but not before Kegho and Antonious charged at it and Theo stepped into the room brandishing his holy symbol and calling for Ator and Aelos to drive back this creature of Nexra. He felt the foul creature resist more than he expected, but was then driven to terror as Kegho and Antonious's weapons bit deep into its flesh and it fell. Alex suggested they move the dead thing directly into sunlight for a time before burying it and Theo and Antonious shared a glance that they believed the Oamenus might not be beyond the truth. As they moved the body toward the window they noticed it had been gnawing on something Alex's sized and green and decided it must have been one of the creatures who had ambushed them in the hall of Xam in the caverns. They also noticed a pungent smell and wispy white cloth.

They backed out of the room and gathered themselves for a moment, commenting on how fine the dates were, when they heard the buzzing of insectile wings and the scraping rustle of carapace joints rubbing one against another. All fell silent and the buzzing stopped for a moment and a door was scratched at gently but then moved on.

Alex entered and saw more of the small jars and toddled over to inspect them while Riven and Khufu noticed a small chest. Alex found the unmarked jars to be filled with many copper coins and one that was lying on its side to have the marking of an Owl. Alex wondered what the sound /m/ had to do anything, but Herk looked over and told him the animal was sacred to Nisat for its mourning cry and ability to see even in darkness. Khufu felt his shim slip and catch and told Herk to lift the lid while he and Riven kept the springs in place. They were pleased to find that the chest had two arrow slits embedded in it which had not fired and a velvet sack. While Herk, Riven and Khufu held the mechanisms and lid in place Alex attempted to retrieve the sack, but was foiled by its weight. Kegho strode over to lift it out and all could hear the sliding and clattering of coin on coin as he removed it. Khufu opined that it would be a shame to leave behind such exquisite worksmanship and the springs made of a metal that had not fatigued in so long. Theo rolled his eyes and said "fine we'll put it with the coins and the dates and the sofa!" Khufu did not know what this sofa was or why they were sitting on the ground of their meals if they had a sofa but he wrapped the box closed so it would not open randomly while being carried and started moving it to the room with the jars and the dates, but they had barred the door from behind. Kegho moved quickly, torch lit and weapon drawn to fend off any flying insects that might be outside, but he traveled without incident and unbarred the door. They piled their booty in the room and decided it made sense to take it back to their camp and rest again before tackling whatever else might be there and did just that, returning to the camp without incident and storing their excess gear in the slightly obscured tunnel entrance.