From the Journal of one Wigmar Heck, pt 85 (Arabyan Nights)

 

16 Nachhexen 2502

Al-Adiz, Northern coast of Araby

Landfall.

It feels wondrously strange to finally set foot in the Old Country. I've talked about it with Ankh a lot, and dreamed of it frequently, but to be here is different.

20 Nachhexen 2502

Al-Adiz, Northern coast of Araby

Have made arrangements ashore, setting up trade relations with one Hakim ibn-Alim al-Hakk, Master of the Emporium of Heavenly Delight. A mystic by training, Hakim is one of the merchant lords of the city. And, perhaps, one of the faithful. In commercial matters, he will be most useful, I think, but he is also an important source of information about this strange land. Many things have changed since the Old Times and even Ankh does not seem to be aware of everything.

Their god, El, the One, IS the sun and thus IS Ankh. El is not the daemon "god" we have imagined (but there are clearly powerful, perhaps daemonic, entities in the desert, including one outside Al-Adiz, which we have to look into at some point). This is good, but it will be a while before All Araby accepts the fact. But in the deep desert, around the Oasis of the White Palm, there are still some tribes that hold to the old ways (why is it always the hill people that cling to the old ways?). This is where Ankh and Thes have gone.

Hakim's illegitimate daughter Sekhmet now serves me. Of course, this is no coincidence. Hakim has his reasons, I'm sure, but so does the Lord Sun. The girl is uniquely talented in drawing or painting a creature's inner nature, which defines it.

Through her drawings we have confirmed that the Everchild passed through Al-Adiz around two weeks ago. She was in the company of humans and bound. They took her into the desert. I have sent Thesalva in pursuit. We will wait in Al-Adiz for three weeks for Thes and the Child. If they do not return by then, I must sail north, but arrangements have been made.