Hands that speak a hundred Words

They began to speak to Fred and Exotica, but neither of them could understand the language. The riders made no threatening moves and neither did our Heroes. Soon the riders resorted to signaling with their hands. By the use of hands they were able to convey that they had food and water and they asked from which direction our Heroes had come. After some bites of a bland flatbread and sips of water (for Velus too) they were asked to jump on to one of the animals. Not wanting to die out in the middle of nowhere, they did. Soon the riders and the Heroes were moving.

Not far from that place, within an outpost of mudhuts and stone walls four men stood silent over a sarcophagus. In the upraised right hand of each was a curious black candle radiating a strange green light, as green as the desert sands.

One of the men leaned over the sarcophagus and moved his candle as if writing with a pen, inscribing mystic symbols in the air. Somewhere outside a dog began howling dolefully. Suddenly the lid of the sarcophagus burst forth with a splintering crash as if from some irresistable pressure applied from within. But upon looking, the four men saw only the dessicated corpse which they had expected. It lay there - the lone occupant of the burial box - huddled, withered, with dried brown limbs like dead wood showing through moldering bandages.

"Can it truly come back?" whispered one.

"Shhh!" It was an urgent hiss of command from the largest of the four, the man at the foot of the sarcophagus. Perspiration stood upon his broad brown forehead and his eyes were dilated. He leaned forward and, without touching the dead thing, laid on the breast of the mummy a blazing jewel. Then he withdrew his hand and watched with fierce intensity, his lips moving in soundless invocation.

1. what nefarious thing are these men attempting? how are our Heroes involved? what villainy shall intertwine Good midst a sandstorm of Evil?

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