[Gameplay] 7. The Search for the Forgotten Pharoah

Tabat nods and scans the area ahead of their path for an alleyway they might be able to casually turn into.

Iseret keeps her eyes focused ahead but makes furtive glances to be certain that they are still being followed.

You find an alleyway that has a few stalls in it, although substantially less crowded than the street. Turning into it, you find a good ambush spot thirty feet down.

Two or three of you could duck behind a couple of stalls, while Jaware could continue ahead, giving the impression that all of you have gone farther down.

Iseret finds cover in a nearby stall, from where she can watch the would-be ambushers.

Tabat nods at the plan and ducks behind one of the stalls near Iseret and Khadi.

Khadi sticks close to Tabat, ducking down near him. If things went wrong she wanted him between her and the danger.

After a minute the woman creeps down the alley, following the party (she thinks) and makes her way after Jaware. She passes your hiding spot and suddenly realizes it's an ambush.

Before she rabbits (which she obviously will) you can roll initiative to block her exit.

"Nope!" Tabat says, moving to block her escape. "I think it best you tell us who are are, and why you are following us, miss."

Iseret rolls from beneath a stall, but catches her burnous on a loose nail and has to disentangle herself.

She's aware that she has been ensnared, and prepares to fight or escape if any opening arises. Falchion in hand, from behind her funerary mask, you hear, "Now or later, you will all die. Let me go and live your remaining days to the fullest."

Tabat narrows his gaze at the woman, "Tell me why we should consider letting you go without answering any of our questions? Or perhaps, simply tell us why you are following us."

She's evil in the way of people rather than undead or outsiders (who radiate their evil much more than a person does).

"Your trespasses have been noticed. Kill me if you will, it will not save you "

Iseret finally looses her burnous and stands, weapons drawn. "We don't kill without provocation," she says defiantly.

"What trespasses? Perhaps we were unaware of such a thing. Tell us where, and perhaps we can avoid further angering you and your allies. Do not think your evil escapes me, woman, yet my friend is right - we would not harm you lest you first do us harm. Following us and making threats aside, you have not. So why don't we put our weapons down and talk."

She is tensing up, ready to attack. Your words give her pause and she chews over her thoughts before she says, "You've been watched, since Wati, and now you search the libraries here for that which doesn't belong to you. Your chances to walk away from this grow short. Give up that which you've found and you might survive."

"The knowledge we found in the library? Or this?" He taps a finger on the edge of the mask he's wearing. "What does your group want with either?"

The rage builds within her and she pulls the falchion into position for a decapitating stroke. "You dare!" She two hands the blow but Tabat easily blocks it. The four of you descend on her finding her to be inadequate to the task of even one-against-one, despite her zeal.

The fight is quickly over, with her beaten to the ground and bleeding from various wounds. Her sword falls from her hand as unconsciousness takes her.

Iseret disarms the woman and uses her whip as a makeshift rope to secure her hands.

On her person, you find she's fairly well equipped, with a potion of heroism, 2 scrolls of magic missile, 2 scrolls of magic weapon, studded leather, +1 heavy crossbow with 20 bolts, a masterwork falchion, a cloak of resistance +1, and a gilt wooden funerary mask (worth 25 gp). Her belt pouch has 23 gp in it.

When you rouse and question her later, she tells you that she's a never of the cult of the forgotten Pharoah, and they have a camp on an island on the river. They seek the mask that Tabat wears and they also want to search the library for clues to the resting place of the Hakotep. She doesn't know much else about their plans.

If you go there, you're earned that there will be six cultists (less her), a sorcerer who leads them, and a hieracosphinx.

Once out of earshot of the woman, Tabat addresses the others. "We should hand her over to the proper authorities, perhaps let them know about their group, that they might be dangerous. Now, I wonder if we should pay this cult a visit before seeking greater access to the library. What do you all think?"