Quoted By:
Intrigued, you walk inside the skeletal structure – the interior has better withstood the passage of time. Swirls of chipping paint – pale blue - still linger on the interior walls, and in the approximate middle of the eastern wall, there is an unmistakable altar, still intact, before a large statue.
Palamedes is bending low to investigate an odd script at the base of the altar, and he motions you closer with a wave –
“See here, Nikandros – this writing is neither Hellenic, nor Luwian or even Hittite – it is the language of an older time.” You bend low to investigate yourself, but you had to admit – the script looks like the tracks of a bird pressed into the weathered stone, and you don’t understand his excitement. Palamedes struggles with his armor for a few moments before withdrawing a slim, hide bag from his lower back region – he quickly pulls the drawstring and to your bemusement, reveals a small wax tablet and begins furiously duplicating the script. You can’t help it – you chortle at the man’s antics, but he doesn’t hear you – lost in his obsession already.
<span class="mu-i">This man is unhinged.</span> you think, as you shake your head.
As you do so, you catch a glimpse of the flooring - clearly, it was once a great painted mosaic, but now, more than half the tiles are missing. To your eye, it looks to be a depiction of – the sun rising over the seas of the east? The flooring towards the altar, at least, is better preserved, and the tiling shifts from deep blue to ruddy gold as you look closer and closer to the altar.
The daimon or deity displayed above the altar is also a curious one – the figure of a red-robed young woman or girl, with dark eyes, being drawn by a wagon by a pair of yellow – or golden? - goats. One of the goats is missing entirely - broken loose to decorate someone's hut, you suspect. The red-robed girl herself is remarkably intact, although the paint of her head has been mostly weathered away - the red coloration of her dress remains in the expertly-carved folds of her red dress. It's a remarkable work of craftmanship altogether - this temple was likely once a wonder to behold, many generations ago. As for the god-child - you can think of no deity or daimon that matches her description, although certainly, you know of another dawn goddess – saffron-robed Eos, sister of Helios, who rides within his chariot and who is first to display her wide-ranging brilliance across the Aegean.
You can’t resist – you reach out to touch the face of the daimon’s statue – and find that it is quite warm to the touch. An unusual find, but then, this journey has brought you face to face with several unusual –
<span class="mu-i">”Nikandros! Behind you!</span>Palamedes hisses to you, voice tense.
Without thought, you spin, bringing your spear and shield at the ready.
>cont
