Honor Guard Khamorth

When the "Ronams" first came to Videssos the city, Nephon Khoumnos arranged for an honor guard to meet them at the Silver Gate. It consisted of three groups, Videssos akritai under Khoumnos' direct command, a troop of Namdalen heavy cavalry under the command of Hemond and a band of Khamorth from the plains of Pardraya. One of the Khamorth nomads sneered "Foot soldier!" and spat in contempt. Marcus Scaurus locked eyes with him until the nomad jerked away.

Some time later, after the Romans settled into the city, Scaurus was awakened early one morning by unusual footsteps. In the dim light he saw a Khamorth nomad with a dagger stalking towards him. He arose from his bedding and the nomad charged. The two struggled for a moment but the noise awoke other Romans in the hall and the nomad was quickly overpowered. Scaurus looked at him carefully and recognized him both as the plainsman who tried to stare him down at the Silver Gate and as someone he had seen talking to Avshar the previous day.

The nomad was tied up but Scaurus was puzzled by his continued struggles. He had been in full control of his faculties at the gate but now acted like a madman. Scaurus wondered if Avshar had drugged him and asked Gorgidas to examine him. He did so and found that the nomad was near death from some sort of toxic potion. When Scaurus tried to pick up the dagger, it began glowing a sickly yellow-green and gave off a faint reek of decay. With all this magic about, Scaurus sought the help of Nepos, a priest of Phos and a chair of sorcery at the Videssian Academy.

Nepos examined the nomad and discovered he had been enchanted by Avshar. He also discovered that Avshar had bound a demon to the blade and the soul of the nomad was linked to the demon too. When the dagger blade was destroyed by Phos' sunlight the demon was also destroyed and the nomad's life was lost. Nepos could do nothing for him but Avshar's actions forfeited the protection he enjoyed as an envoy and he could be arrested.