Backstory

The Decanter of Thoth stands about 14 inches tall. The top half is made of blue crystal etched with swirls depicting wind. Its base is etched copper depicting sand dunes. The edge of the copper, where it meets the blue crystal, is etched with a simple city scene. The brass cap is etched with outward radiating lines helping to depict the cap as the sun.

The story of the ghosts as it is so far is that there once was a nomadic desert tribe that lived and traveled in a land to the far south. Though life was sometimes hard for the tribe, they lived quite well and were generally happy with their lives. Then a drought hit and no rain fell in their homeland for a year and all the oasis and other water sources begin to dry up. The leader of the tribe worried constantly about what he could do for his people. they could leave the dessert and try to seek more hospitable lands, but hostile tribes surrounded them. In addition they had waited so long for the rains to come back, he began to worry if they would have enough water for all and if the peaceful tribe had the strength to hold off enemies long enough for those who travel slowly, then children and elders, to get through enemy lands. This chief did not want to leave anyone behind. On night while staring into his camp fire worrying about all of this, a hot breeze blew over him and the breeze turned into a cyclone and before he knew it a Djinni stood before him. after hearing of the cheiftans plight the Djinni offered him a plan. The djinni would give the chieftain a magic bottle within which was a city. This city was full of food and water, houses, barns, everything a people needs to live. the chief could lead his people into this city in a bottle and then the chief could sneak through hostile lands by himself carrying the bottle. It would be much easier for one person to slip through unnoticed than it would for 5000 people to do so. Once he reached the other side and it was safe the chief could let his people out of the bottle and the tribe could begin their life anew. The tribe within the city would then be able to travel in safety and comfort. The chief loved the idea and took the bottle from the Djinni. After leading his people into the bottle by having them each say an incantation, the chief placed the stopper in the bottle, loaded up what he needed to travel and went on his way. Well, of course, he is set upon by bandits during his travels and is killed, but while he was running he tried to hide the bottle form the bandits, fearful they would break it which the chief believed would kill his tribe. the bandits caught him and also found the bottle. before the bandits killed the chief they heard he plead not to break the bottle as it was magic and held the whole of his tribe. the bandits killed him and, fearful of the magic of the bottle, poured wax over the bottle top and made sure all knew the bottle was cursed. Meanwhile inside the bottle the tribe did not know what was going on in the world. They had food and water aplenty, enough to last them for years and their trip would last only weeks at most. So the people feasted like they had never been able to before in their desert home. time passed and weeks turned to months, the month into a year and the people began to worry about why they were still in the city. Though there was plenty of food and water in the bottle city, they noticed that it was not an infinite amount and the food was decreasing. people began to hide food and water. years passed and the food began to run out. people began to fight amongst each other for food and water. people began to die from starvation since others were hording food. more time passed and desperation lead the people to commit horrible crimes against each other in order to survive just a little bit longer. Murder, cannibalism, theft, riots all occurred in waves wiping out the population till all were dead. In addition to this, one other side effect of this city in a bottle is that it is cut off from the realm of god. so once the poor souls died, there was no place for them to go, the souls of the dead were unable to escape the city. These spirits roamed the city reliving the horror and pain of their last days, this drove the spirits even more mad than they were when their bodies died. they existed this way for hundreds of years while the cursed bottle was hidden and protected from ever being opened. Well, of course, the bottle ends up being lost and finds its way across the land to a city in the north where the PCs happen upon it. of course the PCs will open it, you know how PCs are. When they do all of the spirits of this ancient tribe are released from the city, but they spirits madness has now prevented them from moving on. They have hunger, they have thirst. There will be time enough to rest after they finally get something to eat and drink.