Date

09/20/2007

Zhaji's notes

Zhaji starts creating her Robe of Eyes. 79 days into it

2995.2.2.3.4

Vandis, Brianna, Kress, Zhaji, & Mambo all received personal invitations to meet at a private pub. A superior priest of Thoth met with the party, interviewed them, and offered them a commission.

2995.2.2.3.6

The party meets again and follows the priest through a portal to a lush dessert city, Thebes. The party was to travel with a waiting caravan to Furnoc. The party's contact at the caravan told the party that they could not wear foreign armor when they meet officials, lest they get detained. Brianna, Kress, and Mambo all had glamered armor and could blend in with the natives. Vandis took off his armor, and accepted some armor made of hippo and crocodile.

The party journeyed westward. Vandis provided Heroes' Feasts twice a day. The party reached Furnoc in six days, and Aartuat in another three.

The party left the caravan, looking for their next contact. A priest, who invited the party to his shrine after they checked in, was a possibility. A man, beckoning the party, told them an interesting story about a follower of Set. An animal handler, whom Kress paid to take care of the camels, warned the party of a beggar who was a thief.

Zhaji used her Medallion of Thoughts to try to locate the party's contact, successfully reading surface thoughts of everyone in the compound except the beggar. She then used Detect Magic and noted that the beggar had some magic. Zhaji then cast a silent and still Message spell on the party, and filled them in on her discoveries.

The party, taking the priest's advice, checked in with the authorities. They asked where the party was from and what they were doing. Only a few cities were mentioned, but that was acceptable. Brianna successfully bluffed that they were merely tourists. The House of Horus' Fortune was a recommended place to stay.

The party headed to the inn and got three rooms (Brianna had paid for Mambo's room), Brianna and Zhaji, Vandis and Kress, and Mambo, snoring loudly, by herself. After some conversation, Zhaji cast a silent, still, and extended Polymorph spell, and sleep on the bed in the form of a lioness.

In the morning, the party looked around the village. They entered the House of Gods, each purchasing statuettes of their deities. The servant was able to elaborate on the story of Set and his follower, Rahotet.

Mambo's notes

We all get own letters invite us to nice pub place. Private room. Nice! And good drink.

[Tehi-neken] Muffin Man meet us and make him proprop. We all say we no like evil. We live to fight against evil. Him say there suspect evil in town in gorge in desert place. Them not evil people there need help. Come back in two days and him take us through port door to him home place. Me curious and eager to go.

We drink after man leave. Vandis say him not able to get woman to marry. Zhaji say she available. Kress say confuse what available mean. Brianna say not available. Me say me available to Tigerkitty, biggest man me know! Him great man with school of battle! Him teacher to little men. Him kind to Mambo and like way Mambo fight.

2 days go by. Me not have much to do. No need pack. Others take long time. Little people pack lots little things. I go, see Tigerkitty. Ask IOU to pay Wizz Man for new greathammer against undead. TigerKitty understand completely!! Him want me have new weapon. Me hug Tigerkitty and try to kiss him, thank you, but him say him belly too big to reach me for best kiss. Tigerkitty important man. Have lot to do. Him generous and kind and sweet to see Mambo on notice short! Mambo need look for special gift for Tigerkitty, when Mambo travel.

We go with Muffin Man. Port door come out to island of palm trees in nice hot desert [Thebes]. Nice! Mambo love heat! There is big river too [Nylle].

Man say we take caravan of camels to place called Noc that far. [Farnoc] We cross river to Big City - to get caravan. Them say maybe we see crocodiles in river, but me no see any today.

Me see many mud buildings. People live inside. Me miss old homes made of rock. Me think rock better than mud. Me afraid to lean against mud. Me pull hood up and stand away from mud.

Man wait for us. Him tells us - No wear armor we have. Him tell us - Only ride camels. No fly. No show wings. Must wear hippo armors or crocodile armors - made of hides. Me and everyone have glammer-invis armor, except Vandis. So man see him armor and force him take hides. Me say crocodile look best. Zhahi say Hippo. Vandis make all women happy. Him wear both.

When we get on camels and out of sight of man, Vandis turn not visible and put him own armor back on. Him not leave him good armor with man - as man wanted.

Me ask friends introduce me to new woman with purple eyes. They say her names Brie Anna. She wear pretty local outfit. Look good! Me use Disguise spell. Make me look like her big sister. Surpise Brie. Me brag me could look just TigerKitty if me want.

Brie say she also surprised me can ride camel. Me have good skill handle animals, me tell her. Me also say me will carry camel when it get tired.

Brie say she hear me best fighter in party. Me say not as good Vandis when Vandis do spells. Me say Zhaji make smoking holes in metal walls. Brie say she still look forward to see me fight.

Brie and Vandis say we need plan. Zhaji say we fight evil, that is plan. Kress confused by talk. I agree with Zhaji. She right. We see evil, then we hit, bash, cast spells until evil gone. That is best plan!

Vandis frown. Him say - We need catch bad men making poop before we hit them.

Brie call that - Proof.

Vandis agree with Brie. They say - We need proof of poop. Then authorities understand it okay to hit bad men.

Brianna sings songs about all bad men having blue eyes. Me hope Mister TigerKitty's eyes not blue. Me not sure. Maybe me find him gift change color of him eyes.

Vandis say - Mambo, let Brie Anna talk to strangers. Brie Anna must always talk to strangers first. Her or Him will tell Mambo when want Mambo talk to strangers. Will make sign when want Mambo hit strangers. Me confused about signs.

Me ask - Who make sign? Who decide we hit or not?
Vandis say him decide hit or not. And Brie decide talk or not.

Vandis say - If he draw weapon, then me do too.

Zhaji say - If Vandis make face of worry and make spell, then me make face too.

Kress say - If any one friends slam weapon into face of stranger then all friends must slam weapon into face of stranger.

Me say - Only in face?

Kress - Where ever you can reach!

Brie tell us - They may be civilized or uncivilized people riding camels. But Brie still talk first.

We travel some days. Vandis do Heroes Feast for us every morning! Yum!! Me snakc on rations from me cloak rest of day.

Zhaji - what if there is wind storm?
Mambo - put camels in circle and get in middle
Mambo: Kress- no matter which way wind blows, it will stink
Mambo: Vandis - do not say that to our guides
Mambo: Our guides lend us sand-desert scarves if storm comes up
Mambo: Vandis tell Brianna, need to be aware there might be secret enemies.
Mambo: Vandis say be cautious.
Mambo: Brianna agree
Mambo: The caravan winds through the rock and sand all day, near sunset on the third day
Mambo: Finally arrive at first base of Operations - a village
DM: Aartuat
Mambo: A welcome sight of tall palms and lush veg and well ahead and walls that keep out hot sun, will have good beds and baths tonight.
Mambo: Me lose count. Others count the days
Mambo: We covered 60 miles with camel tracks
Mambo: Tomorrow a hundred asses will depart at dawn, braying as they are whipped.
Brianna: and camels
Brianna: braying
Brianna: Mambo came into Aartuat, riding on her ass.
Mambo: Camels feel sorry for asses being whipped
DM: Map of Aartuat
Mambo: We enter through gates in wall with caravan into open dusty dirty poopy, dungy courtyard
Mambo: Chicken shit and lounging soldiers
Mambo: This is before the caravan moves off at dawn the next day
Mambo: Brianna tells us let us go look into buildings
Mambo: We look at people in courtyard too
Mambo: people are selling pottery, fresh fruits and vegetables
Mambo: Mambo wants to look at Amulets
DM: Merha-aptut Priest of Hapy
Mambo: Priest-like guy gets 20gp out of Brianna (all of us) and gets her to go and see his "shrine" later.
Mambo: Kress wants to talk to greeter - the local story teller who asks us for news
Mambo: Mambo does not stay and listen - maybe - unless story is good
Mambo: I tell story teller of tiger who eats metal
Mambo: Kress tells latest gossip from Taverns in Sigil
Mambo: Brianna has to explain our purpose here.
Mambo: She describes us as tourists
Mambo: Storyteller says nomads occasionally raid town.
Mambo: Teller speaks of history and culture
Mambo: Story for children
Mambo: Cautionary tale
Mambo: Priest and evil man and worshiper of Set
Mambo: Choatic Evil guy who murdered his way to the top.
Mambo: Set II he called himself.
Mambo: Had dark vows
Mambo: He wanted to assassinate Pharaoh
Mambo: His plot was discovered
Mambo: Disloyal military were beaten and no mention of Set permitted.
Brianna: Rahotep?
Mambo: SetII and his faithful servants escaped.
DM: Rahotep
Mambo: Raho SetII
Mambo: finally Pharoah's secret police found he evil band
Mambo: managed to locate and immobolize, but not destroy. He was contained only
Mambo: weeks of struggle
Mambo: no single mortal could last forever against combined forces
Mambo: "contained, not really destroyed was Rahotep."
Mambo: Watch out for evil followers of Set
Mambo: Kress gives teller a one gp coin for that great story
Mambo: Brianna gives little kid donation to help us and asks about changing camels for good horses
Mambo: Kid has an innocent face
Mambo: Kress is talking to little kid an give him 2 silver per camel
Mambo: He does a really good job with our camels
Mambo: He says to Kress, quietly, the beggar over there is a thief.
Mambo: Heptite
DM: Hep-thait
Mambo: Zhaji reads minds. Thoughts are mundane, some minds can't be penetrated
Mambo: She can't read mind of beggar-thief
Mambo: she can't read mind of slightly less than half the people in the courtyard with her amulet
Mambo: Zhaji does a detect magic on beggar boy/thief
Mambo: She does detect magic - school of abjuration, moderate
Mambo: Zhaji casts silent and still message spell on all of us in party "I was able to read everyone's mind except the beggar and he does seem to have some magic on him"
Mambo: Kress looks at beggar with True Seeing - sees nothing unusual.
Mambo: Kress has silver plate and rubies covering left side of his head. He says it is decorative. He would have eye patch if pirate. He says it covers his damaged left eye.
Mambo: Me have bat. Zhaji have Nevermore
Mambo: BB is baby bat
Mambo: Description of how my baby bat is unique
Mambo: We must register with the administrator
Mambo: Brianna leads on to administration office
Mambo: Brianna taunts Kress as Rich One, Ruby Eye and asks him to buy her a drink. (Can Veracity do scry?)
Mambo: We look arond and see that sandstone is centered on south wall and windows high up and stairs, fortification
Mambo: Soldiers guard big doors, storage area.
Mambo: Brianna asks a soldier for directions - points us SW corner - patio like area
Mambo: We enter that area. See civilian scribe
Mambo: state name, number of people and animals, caravan leader points us out as stranger, not locals
Brianna: non-Khemitians
Mambo: sergeant beckons us over and Brianna introduces us.
Mambo: Mambo says - me from mountains in wilderness
Mambo: Sergeant asks what mountains - me say Anglia
Mambo: Me not know what else to say
Mambo: Brianna says acquaintances invited us out to see the sights. Tourists
Mambo: Brianna - bluff check
Brianna rolls Brianna Bluff (d20 + 19): [3 + 19] = 22
Zhaji rolls Skill (Bluff) (d20 + 22): [19 + 22] = 41
Mambo: He looks at us sternly and says make sure you cause no trouble
Mambo: He gives us no more notice
Brianna rolls Brianna Diplomacy (d20 + 32): [4 + 32] = 36
Zhaji rolls Skill (Diplomacy) (d20 + 24): [2 + 24] = 26
Mambo rolls Intimidate -M (d20 + 17): [19 + 17] = 36
Brianna rolls Brianna Intimidate (d20 + 13): [15 + 13] = 28
Mambo: Brianna wants to visit "shrine" of her new friend before we find a place to stay. Brianna not like sand flees
Mambo: Where sand flee to?
Brianna: Deep into the skin. Very uncomfortable
Mambo: ouch!
Mambo: He invites us to his dwelling place, but it is not in this town. So we visit him another day.
Mambo: We need to find a place to stay.
Mambo: He lives in a cave.
Mambo: Cave by pool of Hapy
Mambo: We ask the sargeant about place to stay besides the courtyard. He recommends building #4 on map = The House of Horus' Fortune
Mambo: Obviously a place wealthier traveler's lodge.
Mambo: Joining buildings form a U shape, some signs in Common.
Mambo: This is a tavern - with big common room - here on west side - plain board serves as bar. Owner serves date wine and passable beer, house made. Man and his wife and young boy run the place with help from Barman. Dancing girls perform at night.
Mambo: Owner offer rooms over stable or over common room. The prices are stated, not to bargain over.
Mambo: Prices are in silver pieces.
Mambo: Mambo has small money only. Has gp or 20 for week. Me feel snubbed that Brianna doesn't suggest we share room.
Mambo: Zhaji say it okay to share with other ladies, though
Mambo: Me run up to room right away as changing into her regular self.
Mambo: Brianna compliment Mambo and say she is of greater character than men of lesser character. Mambo is proud and says she is emansapanted
Mambo: Brianna offers to pay for a separate room for Mambo - Mambo wants big room over stables.
Mambo: Brianna - nothing too good for my new friend! Mambo gives Brianna a big hug.
Mambo: Mambo has a big room by the week - 20gp. Vandis might help pay too.
Mambo: Mambo hangs over bed and snores
Mambo: The party decides she can have her own room at party expense. Zhaji is glad she doesn't have to be a dog and sleep on the floor.
Mambo: Brianna has special ring of partying all night and not being sleepy next day.
Mambo: Brianna and Zhaji have a PJ party in their small room over the common room
Mambo: Zhaji turns into a lionness to sleep on the bed.
Mambo: We show up together in common room next morning.
Mambo: Mambo puts up her hood and goes out as herself today
Mambo: We trade the camels for horses for even trade and have just the Inn expenses, plus lots of people who will get gp out of us later.
Mambo: Brianna and Vandis want to promenade about town. We start with Building 5 Sign in glyphs and lioness-headed goddess.
DM: "The House of All Neteru"
Mambo: Vandis goddess is Lady of Pestilence, Goddess of Destruction
Mambo: Pakhut, Goddess of Strength, CG, might work for Mambo.
Mambo: Ground floor bulging with statuary and great garden and magically burning candles and incense
Mambo: Plaster interior walls filled shelves and niches
Mambo: Seems to be a warehouse for sales of idols
Mambo: strikingly beautifyl woman stands by the door.
Mambo: some are very valuable, some large, some small, strange writing, etc, etc
Mambo: Pantheon Palace
DM: House of All Neteru
Mambo: Elderly man approaches in long while gown with yellow headdress
DM: Atmu-thoth-rahat
Mambo: He bows and says - welcome to the house of all gods. Buying or selling, I am at your service.
Mambo: Mambo looks for Pakhut
Brianna: Brianna asks about Hathor
DM: Pricelist
Mambo: Me look for little Pakhut (pakhoot)
Mambo: prices are in silver, divide by 10
Mambo: Me want 25 gp one of Pakhut, simple, not elaborate
Mambo: We note on character sheet what we bought.
Mambo: Pakhut - nice scented wood - very smooth - 3 inch tall
Mambo: Or perhaps in local stone common in these parts, for 25 gp
Mambo: He is reasonable wealthy and collects out of faith, not necessity.
Mambo: The owner of the shop, that is.
Mambo: Kress gets the idea this guy might be good to ask Religious questions
Mambo: Zhaji wants to know more about Set and things
Mambo: He repeats the same story but adds:
Mambo: When the karryheb were about to take Rahotep - he shut his followers into a tomb and they took their own lives and hand of Set was there to protect tomb from violation. Burial was in metropolis and new temple of opponent erected at mouth of gorge to keep bad man bound in his prison
Mambo: Brianna brags it is fortunate the god Set has not run across her trail because his followers have been mean to her in her youth.
Mambo: Brianna is going to sense motive
Brianna rolls Brianna Sense Motive (d20 + 10): [17 + 10] = 27
Mambo: Mambo does too because Brianna is
Mambo rolls Sense Motive -M (d20 + 13): [17 + 13] = 30
Mambo: He seems to be on the level.
Mambo: We stop here

We sit and sup with him and he mentions son who lives in Thebes and is employed by royal court there - Heru Nib Cheru? We note that down