Background
Fustian is struggling financially, but has discovered that Imbi, one of the powerful traders at Paru in the Cosh Goyope, will buy mundane goods (e.g. porcelain, hides, wine, dyes) that are cheap in Mazarid using gold artifacts that are worth a lot in Mazarid. He has staked his fortunes on a desparate trip to Paru in his last merchant ship, the Deliverance. His friend Ayesha is coming with him on a voyage of discovery, and their bodyguards Farimaal and Zayesha have brought Takander along, as they identified the gold artifacts as ancient Kaikuhuran items and wrangled Takander's passage as an expert on identifying the worth of such things.
Cosh Goyope
The Mungoda River is over 60km wide at its mouth, and Paru is around 100km upstream on the northern side. Paru is a sprawling expanse of bamboo huts built up on stilts, sometimes connected by bridges, more than 200m away from the shore (for protection from the Mungodans, who shun the river and are scarce on the northern side). The locals travel around by swimming in the water (very bad for the foreigners, will probably cause the Trembles - diarrhoea and palsy - or White-Eye Grin - fever and coma) or using dugout canoes.
Imbi is a merchant prince of Paru, with many wives, children and grandchildren. His hut is quite large, and the foreigners will be rowed there from the Deliverance by several of his sons in dugout canoes, served drinks by his granddaughters, and feted like royalty (for Paru). He's a cunning bastard who pretends to have poor Nascarine language skills: "Good sirs! Good sirs! Imbi's home, your home. Make free with food and grandchildren. Tomorrow talk barter, much glitter-gold for your wares, yes?"
Imbi's rival is Lokto, whose hut is at the other end of Paru. His grandchildren will swim up outside and invite the foreigners to negotiate with him instead. "Masters! Good sirs from afar! Imbi is big rogue: take your business to Lokto's hut." Imbi will have his grandchildren chase them off: "Lokto has worm in place of tongue!"
The next day, Imbi will negotiate with Fustian. He has realised that the gold is worth a lot to Fustian, much more than it's worth to him, and he's playing hardball. He wants the foreigners to drive off a group of Aknatli who have come down from their jungle homeland and are raiding Paru. Imbi's people are not warriors, so they can't fight back effectively, and they're having difficulty gathering nuts and fresh meat. Once the foreigners drive off the Aknatli, he will negotiate, then have his family fetch the gold.
Imbi will send two of his nephews, Junja and Ganni, to help the foreigners track the Aknatli. Both have bows and daggers
Aknatli Clan
The Aknatli, or "spider-people", revere a totemic spider-deity, and their warriors (ushok) wear their hair in eight braids and have furry russet cloaks with eight sections. Their hunters (kasha) use poisoned spears when hunting. They can't hunt effectively in the thicker jungle near the river, so they're preying on Paru.
Their camp is two days into the jungle, away from the muddy swamp and into the thick forest. It is only half an hour's walk from Imbi's "treasure hill".
All kasha and ushok have wooden-tipped poisoned spears (one handed spear for kasha, two handed spear for ushok, javelin for both, damage threshold 3, 4 or 5, range 10/20/40m, poison strength +0, damage +3). Some will use shields (+1 Defence) and obsidian clubs (one hand, damage threshold 4). None have armour.
Five senior ushok: Stature 3, +1 STR, +1 REF, +2 FIT, +2 HTH, +5 ATT (+6), +5 DEF (+6), +3 INIT (+4), +3 AIM (+5), +3 SNEAK (+5), Berserk (1) - +9 ATT, +0 DEF.
Sixteen junior ushok: Stature 2, +0 STR, +1 REF, +2 FIT, +1 HTH, +3 ATT (+4), +3 DEF (+4), +2 INIT (+3), +2 AIM (+3), +2 SNEAK (+3), Berserk (1) - +6 ATT, +0 DEF.
Sixty kasha: Stature 1: +0 STR, +0 REF, +1 FIT, +0 HTH, +1 ATT (+1), +1 DEF (+1), +1 INIT (+1), +2 AIM (+2), +2 SNEAK (+2).
They will flee into the forest with their families and livestock after losing more than one senior ushok, more than three ushok, or more than 6 kasha, then start hunting the foreigners once they have regrouped.
Pyramid
The Pyramid is recognisably Kaikuhuran to everyone. There are alcoves to the side of the passage, in which servants and guards are buried behind stone portals. Some of the alcoves have been breached by Imbi's family and looted: each contains a mummified corpse in a stone casket, clay tablets detailing personal history, rotted weapons and clothes, some gold artifacts.
The main corridor is blocked by a massive stone door with a bronze seal, green with age. Takander can read the Qemor hieroglyphs at the entrance: "Shefru Cha'Af. Lord of Light, Caster of Enchantments Against Enchantment, Wielder of Swords Against the Fray: Now are the Bright Songs turned to Dust." An Education Resolution Roll (target number 20) is required to know this is a fragment of poetry. Once the seal is broken, the door will easily swing inwards to reveal a low-ceilinged tunnel sloping gently down.
At the end of the tunnel is Shefru's tomb with his gilded sarcophagus, gold artifacts, jeweled ornaments on his corpse, etc. Anyone stepping into the tomb will cross a magic pattern on the floor, which Takander, Farimaal and Zayishah will all spot on a Perception Resolution Roll. Stepping inside will awaken the Guardian, a powerful demon confined to the tomb by the bronze seal on the stone door.
Guardian: Stature 10, +5 STR, +5 REF, +5 HTH, +19 ATT (+24 +19 DEF (+24), +10 INIT (+15), +5 PER (+5), Berserk (3) - +36 ATT, +0 DEF, fight until dead, +5 Damage Resistance (not vs enchantment or fire), Enhanced Damage (5) - DT 1, Dwarfsight (2), Fasting (2), Unaging (1).