Riding through the desert outside Anbar, I defeated a group of bandits looting buried treasures from mercenaries they killed. After taking their dirhams, I traveled to the silent Dur-Kurigalzu excavation site, where I scaled the massive hill , and synchronized with the point of interest, over the vast dunes.
I picked up right outside Anbar, where I had left Basim after earlier exploring the canals. This time, I decided to head out into the desert toward an unvisited point of interest. Speeding up my horse across the open terrain, I kept my eyes fixed on the distant high landmark.
Along the way, I spotted a group of bandits busy doing something out among the dunes and decided to investigate. It appeared they assaulted a group of travelers to carry out their dirty deeds.
The moment I dismounted, the bandits charged straight at me. I parried an incoming swing from the first attacker and cut him down instantly. Staying focused, I carefully parried and dodged the rest of their strikes to avoid taking heavy damage, and I picked off the bandits one by one until the entire squad was eliminated.
With the threat cleared, I searched the surrounding area and discovered that the bandits had been digging up buried treasure chests.
It seemed to me as though a group of mercenaries had previously hidden their valuables underground and returned to retrieve them, only for the bandits to track them down and murder them on the spot.
Since no one was left to claim the prize, I claimed the treasure for myself, though the pots contained only a handful of dirhams.
Mounting up again, I continued my ride toward the main objective located near the Aqarquf Dunes. Arriving at the destination, I found a massive excavation site that should have been packed with workers, yet not a single soul was in sight.
I set out to climb the massive landmark structure to synchronize with the point of interest. Historical records identified the location as Dur-Kurigalzu on the outskirts of Baghdad, an ancient fortress dating all the way back to the 14th century BCE.
Leaving my horse at the base, I began scaling the massive stone hill. Finding the correct climbing route proved confusing at first, forcing me to circle around almost the entire structure before realizing I had initially overlooked a clear ledge right in front of me.
As I scrambled upward, my movement spooked a flock of resting pigeons that scattered into the sky.
I eventually reached the highest peak of the ruins, startling another group of birds that took flight as I stepped onto the summit platform.
After reaching the top, I synchronized with the point of interest, taking in the breathtaking view of the vast, open desert dunes stretching out for miles.
Until next time, happy gaming.
Note: The icon for the thumbnail is collected from steamgriddb.com