Journey to Akbyset V: The Cords of Abuthos Surround Me

As the double doors at the center of the tel swung open, the smell of cumin, cinnamon, mothballs and death became overpowering. The center of the room contained a sarcophagus in the Khemian style. To the left of the room grave goods waited for Tef-Amen, and to the right a cave-in obscured what material wealth had once been stored for the deceased. The party discussed briefly and then began assessing the grave goods. Theo studied the idols and believed one of them to be a Djeti deity and one to be an effigy of the resident of the sarcophagus. Alex looked to practice his Khemian reading skills and found the idol to have the name "Reshpu," but even the learned Theo did not recognize the name. Asbjørn grew bored sitting on the sarcophagus and decided to test if an ornate sofa was a trap by setting the legitimate business Oameni on it. Alex was too shocked at the indignity of being hoisted onto furniture, but found the sofa to be surprisingly comfortable for something so old. He was also pleasantly surprised that it was neither trapped, nor obviously cursed. Riven saw a scarab of blue glass with a chariot driver intricately etched within the glass and hatching in the corner. She felt it would make a worthy adornment to her Palesian Cloak. Alex began packing up blue glassware that glowed in an eerie light. Teleptyon pocketed two gems, the statue and the idol.

The mummy abomination of Tef-Amen burst forth from its sarcophagus to attack the party desecrating its tomb. Riven, with instinctive quickness drew her bow and loosed it on the mummy. It only grazed it but even that wound quickly vanished. Alex did his best to light the desiccated corpse on fire, but his throw went astray and hit Kegho instead. As he burst into flames he mumbled disappointedly: "Again, Alex?" before dodging a mummy strike. Asbjørn strikes to cut off the mummy's arm, but though he struck mighty and true, the mummy shrugged off the injury. Ükhilflin, in her great wisdom and intelligence fled the room, only to be charmed to calmness by Brother Theo. Teleptyon smashed one of the canopic jars, which seemed to cause the mummy distress. Riven missed as did Asbjørn who was trying to douse the mummy in oil. Alex became greased instead. Theo attempted to turn the mummy but the taint was too strong in the heart of the tomb. Teleptyon reminded them that he had a flask of Eknoi fire he had been itching to test and the temporarily very flammable Alex moved quickly toward the hallway in retreat. Asbjørn narrowly avoided a strike by the mummy. Alex and Riven both shot from a distance but missed. Tef-Amen and Kegho both missed each other. Teleptyon smashed the other canopic jar sending the mummy into a rage. Theo strode in and bestows upon Tef-Amen the Vision of Ourana, and Tef-Amen begins to drown in a sea of remorse for his following of cruel dark gods, and his attacks on these poor tourists. Kegho saw and opportunity and struck. Asbjørn drew Lullaby, but failed to strike the mummy. Teleptyon having surmised the connection between the jars and Tef-Amen lit the remains of the organs on fire. Smoke poured out of Tef-Amen from where his heart would have been and he burst into flames, but Alex was nearby and well-oiled. He too was lit.

Teleptyon sent an arc of energy at the mummy. Asbjorn and Kegho missed their strikes. The mummy missed Kegho. Riven shot another arrow but the mummy took no notice of her true shot. Alex missed. Alex continued moving toward the door to escape the rain of Eknoi fire that Teleptyon wanted to bring, but Ükhiflin was charging in to attack the mummy at the same time. Kegho struck true with Skullcleaver, but Tef-Amen, worshipper of Reshpu, the Plague-Bearer grazed Kegho's face. Keg immediately felt his skin begin to whither as Reshpu's blight took hold. Theo attempted to splash the mummy with holy water, but missed and blessed Ükhiflin instead. Riven and Kegho attacked but missed. Asbørn slipped Lullaby into the mummy and finally granted him his final quietus.

Kegho was exhausted from the battle and concerned by his face. Theo tried to wash it with holy water, but there was no improvement. Riven suggested that everyone leve the cursed tomb to rest. They excited the tomb to grey skies. Riven and Asbjørn had uneventful watches. Kegho was distracted from admiring the two moons of Tel at half-fullness each by something looming in the darkness.