6th of Cancer, 1944
Preliminary Observations Of Archaeological Site 231
To The Council,
Our assumptions were wrong. The ruins of what the local Treasurers call "Alexahmat" is no ordinary pharaonic tomb. The stonework is right, all hewn limestone and granite, but not even the priests of the Old Kingdoms could work the sorceries layered within its walls. This work could only have been done in the bygone age of Erikesh.
You have likely already heard how our ship was behind schedule, and thus we only arrived at last night. Our progress thus far is limited. I have established a safe zone for us to camp in, and Kleppman has set up his "sonar" contraption. The security men, meanwhile, have rounded up some of the old expedition members with the help of the Treasury's agents.
We have been able to obtain very little information from them, sadly; they are all nearly too terrified to speak of it. Some show definite signs of cognito-disturbance. From what we were able to discern, the Treasurers examined 231's upper floors and three of those underground. They intended to do more and would have if one of their historians had not stumbled out of a lower chamber without his skin on. (I was able to examine the body. A delayed action Nälkäinen curse. Elegant security.) After that, they cannot agree what exactly scuttled their investigation. One man rambled of a great beast like an alligator with the mane of a lion, another could do nothing but recite Kabbalistic rites in native Hebrew… which he did not previously practice, or speak.
In any event, it is clear that the Treasury is utterly clueless as to the significance of what they have discovered here. If atheism were not a sacred tenet of ours, I would thank the gods they had the wisdom to leave well enough alone.
In the pursuit of science, sanity, and safety, I remain:
— Alexander Teles
P.S. I am attaching Kleppman’s scrawlings, so you may see the overall layout of 231 for yourselves. I have heard some of the other doctors hint that desk drawers, back rooms, and wine cellars may no longer be sufficient to hold all the things we investigate. Perhaps some day we shall build an asylum of our own.
