September – At the request of Primax, Severian, Grymaldus, Taz, Charon, and Wheat depart Arabel and travel to the Anubi kingdom. Along the way they visit the Keep on Borderlands (Icasus and Sir Leuhr).  In Dandaran, they meet with the Anubi Pharaoh and are asked to help recover lost Items of Power.  These will aid the True Pharaoh to drive out the False Pharaoh from White Palm Oasis, the ancient capital of the Anubi.  They are joined by three Anubi: Aube (desert druid), Himhotep (air lancer), and Segmin (mage-cleric of Thoth).  The group undergoes the Ceremony of Bonding and is divided into pairs: Severian and Charon, Grymaldus and Taz, Segmin and Wheat, and Himhotep and Aube.
 

Eventually joined by Keldavan, Teran, Silk.