Revisit the Dig

The next morning Cooper [Ian], Gazala [Richard], Bernard [Jamie], Mezmer [Shane], Hubert [Kevin], Wonton [Darryl], Gunter [Jeff] and Fleur [Steven] dragged themselves out if bed, after an evening with the German Antiquarian Augustus Herschel at the posh Le Délicieux Lavement (the delicious enema).

Dr Jacob lay in his bed, marmalading.

Ring "of wishes" (to Triad)

The group spent the morning in their apartment and made a list of their loose ends :

1. Triad & ring ("of wishes")
2. Desert dig site and Annex
3. Crypt under church
4. Tariq and the Scolds' Bridle
5. Herschel's Compound
   

Wonton went off to the Bibliothèque Nationale de Tunisie to do some research: Nyarlathotep is a "Mighty Messenger" of the insane elder gods. A lesser elder god himself, he/it can not be harmed.

Mezmer went to the Bibliothèque too, and he had a look at Wonton's research. His conclusion over the same material was a little different: Nyarlathotep can be harmed by molten silver. It should be poured on his head while certain incantations are voiced.

While the two were researching, Bernard, Gunter and Cooper went to the velodrome, across the road from Herschel's Compound, and spent the day watching the compound. There were lots of men dressed in SA brown shirts marching around accompanied by a jolly brass band. 

___________________________

The next morning, the group packed up the Mercedes, loaded up a trailer with supplies, and headed south to the desert, to the Baal dig site. The Mirror of the Ghost was put in the bank vault to keep it safe.

They went straight to the Annex. To their surprise, it had a Légion Étrangère flag flying above it, and there were trucks and vehicles there, as well as moving troops. 

They stopped the car well back. Mezmer got out and stepped behind a rock. He said his jiniri poem, and turned invisible. Then he headed to the Annex. 

Baal

The Légion Étrangère soldiers numbered about thirty (a platoon), and they had two trucks and two staff cars. But, these "LE" soldiers were speaking German. Mezmer made his way into the tunnels, deftly avoiding any soldiers.

Deep inside, the power symbol ("Baal") was being carefully cut from Annex tomb wall, and then man-handled outside. Here it was loaded onto a truck. Mezmer watched them work, and he could not help but notice that they were very careful not to touch the actual symbol. They seemed to know what they were doing, rather than gung-ho explorers throwing caution to the wind.

As the trucks and cars left the site, and headed down the dirt track to the main road, the party carefully hid their car (and trailer). The trucks then headed on the road back in the Tunis direction.

After the Germans were gone, the party drove to the main dig site to check that too. It was deserted, but there were signs of recent activity and recent truck and car tyre tracks all around. So, the group made their way carefully down the ladder, and checked down the tunnels. The two symbols of power  ("Tanit" & "Hammon") were gone. The entire wall sections where they had been, were cut out, like in the Annex.

Someone did some envelope calculations, and it was estimated that each of these slabs would weigh 200 kg.

So, the party headed back to Tunis, and arrived after dark. Assuming that the slabs would need to be shipped out by sea,  Bernard went to the Tunis docks to reconnoitre. There were two ships bound for Venice, one for Athens, one for Naples and one for Rotterdam.

The rest of the party went to check on Herschel's compound. As it was night, there were lots of electric lights illuminating the compound. Sure enough, the two trucks and staff cars were here. And many men.

Not sure what to do, the group went back to their apartment.

___________________________

Ju G31

Next morning, they visited Inspector Heroux.

They eventually managed to get him to phone the aerodrome. A Junkers G31 had taken off a few hours ago. Heroux was told what was on board, and it was suggested that maybe fighter aircraft from Corsica or Marseilles could be scrambled to shoot it down. But he would have none of this.

"Mais des rochers ? Antiquités? Ce n'est pas une excuse suffisante pour attaquer un avion !"

(Rocks? Antiquities? That's not enough excuse to attack a plane!)

When they got back at the apartment, they noticed a German staff car with two men across the road - now watching the Calomnie de Tunis (and probably the party) unabashedly.

Bernard and Gazala confronted them. 

Gazala tried to stab one of the car's tyres. One guy just stepped out of the car, in broad daylight, and shot her. Then they drove off. Gazala was unconscious. Bernard tended her.

Bernard recognized them as two gentlemen from the docks from last night. He even knew their names: Sinbad and Ahmed. [Ah, the joy of an appalling Perception roll. ] But now they were dressed in smart German dress uniforms.

But at least they did get the registration plates of the car.

They decided that they wanted to do some more experimenting with the items. So, Bernard and Gazala went to the bank vault and retrieved the skull, medallion and the Tala Mirror. 

Then they waited until dark

They all chatted, experimented and wheedled with Tala.

They played around with gem in the skull and the medallion. As usual, the gem would always point at the medallion.

Tala suggested for Wonton to try wearing the medallion and to pick up the skull at the same time. When he did this, the gem pointed in a different direction. What was it pointing at?