Khemia Occulta I: Cut Off the Hand of the Thief

When Alex manages to tackle the Oameni who had taken his purse and was about to ask him some pointed questions followed by a lecture on clan influence when Asbjørn stabbed him while he was pinned. Alex pointed out that Oameni rarely robbed their kinsmen and he had wanted to know why these had, but Asbjørn brushed off the protest with “they won’t again.” Alex retrieved his purse and quickly marked the dead youth with the signs of Bennos and Elene that he might find a happier home in the underworld than the one he had found in Khemia.

Theo intervened with the approaching guards, who regarded Alex with suspicion. After he had masterfully smoothed over the situation, implying that Alex was “one of the good ones,” the guards offered to dispose of the bodies “properly” while the party joked about selling them for pigfeed. Ultimately the cost of disposing of the bodies was 5c each and everyone went on their merry way.

Having retrieved the purse they were shocked at the costs of outfitting an expedition on their own and instead sought to join one of the Ghamadi caravan crossing the desert. They learned that they were traveling the Gold Road which eventually led to a series of city-states and then Fande, where mines and robust economic systems could make anyone wealthy.

The larger caravans were already bristling with muscle and and but Talal ibn Ayyub al-Shemi and his manservant Jafi Xis Tarabi were willing to take on the group at a modest rate. Theo negotiated their retainer up with his skills both verbal and clerical, but beyond that Talal would not budge.

Before they set out, Teleptyon indicated that he had some skill as an astrologer astrologer and asked after the birth dates and locations of each member of the party and explained in detail the theological and mathematical principles of his divination that the party will likely survive their trip. While most of the party had fallen asleep or wandered off to pick their noses, Theo was enthralled.

The party went about their shopping and Kegho, with funding from Alex, sought out a spare camel and provisioned it for the trip.

When ready they returned to Talal who asked the name of the band. Theo dubbed them La Compagnia Septentrionale, (Company of the North). but mentions they have been informally known as the Ho-Pack, which Talal seems not to hear.

The caravan set out uneventfully heading to the from Nekhsemeru to Kusrem, but when the caravan stopped for the night and Theo, Alex and Elissa bas Sisa took their watch, they were inevitably set on by a giant creature of the world. “At least it’s not frogs!” Alex and Theo thought almost aloud, but as the spiders came closer it became clear that they would fare little better against these. Alex and Elissa moved quickly to the high ridge between them and their adversary and began firing bolts and arrows at the spiders from a distance. Teleptyon began channeling the Ar to unleash magic missile on the spiders. Alex continued firing, but did no damage. Elissa—frustrated by the limitations of her ranged weapon, ran up and stabbed the larger one, which turned and bit her, its venom coursing through her veins caused her to have a fit. Asbjørn and the second spider did mighty battle, and he was also bitten but he flexed, preventing the venom from flowing through it's chelicerae. Telly continued firing blasts of Ar-kane energy. Theo came out of nowhere to crack a spider on the head and ran after Elissa to heal her wounds and try to keep her from thrashing and spreading the venom, but she began running back toward the caravan. Theo gave her aid and comfort, but in the desert he was not able to find herbs to draw out the venom and Maya and Lamos granted his petition that her health be restored, but for their own ineffable reasons,

Miniho was bitten and poisoned by a spider; seeing his faithful companion poisoned, Kegho struck a mighty blow, but failed to finish the spider. It lashed out in rage and pain, biting Kegho who resisted its poison. Disheartened at seeing his Elissa and Miniho harmed and his inability to do damage from afar, he stabbed the spider who had poisoned Elissa and Miniho in the spinnerets, putting it out of its agony. The spider Asbjørn fought fled on in terror on seeing its mate so brutalized. Alex shot after her but to no avail.

Talal was pleased that La Compagnia had shown valor and sufficient skill. He brought them all back to the caravan to rest and aided Miniho and Elissa in their recovery.