egypt ♔ is this called living or something else

[lissatrinall]

♬ amsterdam - daughter

WHO || Lis'sa, Riddick, Phineas, Ella, Dimitri, Raegos, the Mithril Scarab, and more [Closed]
WHAT || The Knights head to Egypt to try and ascertain the location of a lost pyramid
WHERE || Cairo, Egypt
WHEN || Jan 21st, mid-day[forwarddated]
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread, don't worry about maintaining tagging order.

The party arrives in the bustling city of Cairo around mid-day, where it's a beautiful 70 degrees outside compared to the cold London January they came from. Along with whatever gear they brought individually for tomb raiding*, Wynn has also sent them with a chest of 2,000 gold pieces - because the woman who has promised to take them to meet Raegos (the only living man who can claim to have seen the lost tomb) plans to meet them at an antiquities auction.

Wynn has pre-arranged with the woman, who goes by the name of the Mithral Scarab, to recognize the party by the fact that they will cast several bids at the auction - and all of their opening bids will always be exactly ten gold more than the starting price. Once she has recognized them, she will find a way to show them a symbol of the Knights of the Silver Dragon discreetly to identify herself, and they are to follow her away from the crowd. Raegos' rumored paranoia concerning anyone else learning his location seems well demonstrated by the levels of security embedded in Scarab's directions.

The auction itself is a direct result of the recent elemental-driven storm that has unearthed a number of structures long buried in the desert. Some industrious tomb raiders have already taken to looting the lesser pyramids, and this underground sale promises to deliver some of the discovered goods into the hands of eager collectors. Wynn's generous supply of furnished gold was delivered to them with explicit instructions to purchase anything that they thought might be an item of actual valuable historical or magical significance, to become the property of the Knighthood.

* Don't forget to make a list of all items your character is carrying in an entry in their journal before tagging into this post! Please try to stick close to your character's maximum carrying capacity.

Comments

[paracount]

[ he lets it go at that for a moment, before chiming in again at the last second. ] 125.

[sorceresslite]

126.

[ just... sayin'. someone take the fan from her, she's being facetious now. ]

[paracount]

[ he seems to consider whether to bid again... but finally pointedly places his fan on his lap, making eye contact with ella. a middle aged egyptian man with a retinue of seven guards carrying a large lockbox full of gold puts up a bet for 150 gp ]

[sorceresslite]

[ ella smiles because that feels just like winning and dips her head in a small nod, as if to say, "well played, sir", but then the other guy raises and she automatically makes a face. because while she wants it is a good enough reason to start betting, its not so much a good enough reason to spend all wynn's gold on a wee statue. apparently ella's limit is 150 because she doesn't bet again, but she turns back to whisper to lis'sa, using her betting fan as a proper fan: ] Who's that bloke then, the cute one?

[ look, she just expects lis'sa to know everything because snake lady is dragon's hoard and isn't that their thing -- knowing it all? ]

[lissatrinall]

[ she frowns a bit, glancing over at him. ]

I heard someone name him the Paracount Julistar Thrain. [ the lot is going... going... gone to the man the announcer names the "Crook Bearer" who looks quite pleased. ] The one who just took the lot is a prominent collector. Somewhat notorious for his rivalry with the Arch Docent, the curator of Cairo's Exhibitory. [ she nods subtly towards another man to indicate he's the museum director.

the next lot is a collection of carved veinstones: 11 green-speckled stones for whom bidding will open at 150gp. ]

[sorceresslite]

Can I go meet him? I'm going to go meet him. [ she does not mean the director and she moves off without waiting for lis'sa to answer, aodhagán at her heels. CLEARLY THIS IS RESEARCH. she's tiny but she moves quickly, stopping near one of the scary tattooed guards. she clears her throat and flashes a bright smile. ] Hello, love.

[paracount]

[ his fan had flashed up as she walked his way, and he puts in a bid for 175gp, before noticing her approach. he flashes her a quick once-over and a charming smile (cha 16), although he's definitely keeping one wary eye on the auction. ]

Hello, yourself. [ his eyes flash to aodhagan momentarily ] What a lovely cat.

[ the arch docent immediately puts in a counter bid for 250gp, and the crook bearer tops it at 300, darkening the paracount's face with a frown. ]

[sorceresslite]

[ the stupid cat puffs up, pleased as can be that he clearly has an admirer. he never wants to leave egypt, they have the perfect amount of respect for obviously incredible felines.

ella rolls her eyes slightly, but returns the man's smile with a sweet one of her own. (cha 23) ] I can see why someone would want a statue, but for the life of me, I cannae figure out the appeal of a pile of stones. [ the innocently hopeful expression that crosses her features turns the question leading. she's clearly asking for him to tell her why they're so special. (diplomacy...? 15) ]

[paracount]

[ her smile makes something glisten in his eyes, and his gaze lingers on her a second, but he looks away again to raise his fan. ]

400!

[ he tilts his head to the side a bit, considering ] Diamonds are nothing but a pile of stones, are they not?

[sorceresslite]

With specific value placed on them by society, I still don't know what value your stones have. [ a beat. ] Aside from monetary value.

[paracount]

Maybe they're a gamble. Historical significance isn't always something easy to discern at first sight. [ the arch docent brings the price up to 450 and the crook bearer takes it up to 525 ]

600!

[sorceresslite]

[ she mouth twists a little. she wants an actual answer and her attention span isn't going to last much longer. ] Popular, aren't they? [ a beat. ] So what's a Paracount?

[paracount]

An honorific title for special services rendered to a Crown. [ he gives his own twisted smile, and the archdocent goes up to 700. he seems ready to bid again but glances at her and watches the lot go. ]

[sorceresslite]

I've got a crown, does that mean you can render special services for me?

[paracount]

[ he raises an eyebrow at her, looking her over again. ] ... You don't mince words, do you, dear?

[ he cuts her a provocative grin. ] Perhaps after the auction.

[ the next lot is brought onstage: a 6 inch tall bronze sculpture of a muscled man with a cobra's head and a serpent's tail with hieroglyphics carved in his chest. bidding begins at 200 gp. ]

[sorceresslite]

I'll polish my tiara. [ she smiles back (another cha 23) and turns to flounce off, holding up her fan as she goes. ] 210!

[ she prances back to the group, cheerful as ever. ] I learned nothing, but I think I might've made a friend.

[lissatrinall]

Just don't forget what we're here for. [ but she... did do bet 10 over, so lis'sa can't complain too much. the arch docent counters at 300, and the crook bearer leaps up to 500 immediately. ]

[thesleeper]

Speaking of... You suppose we've caught her attention, yet? It's a big crowd...

[Phineas peers about the assemblage.]

[lissatrinall]

She's supposed to introduce herself to us. So I'd say not yet.

[ the paracount leaps to 700, and lis'sa frowns. ] But that woman is definitely watching us. [ she nods very subtly towards a lady in the crowd with a mess of red curls, who seems, indeed, to be watching them with interest. ]

Why don't you go talk to her?

[thesleeper]

Well... Right. Why don't I... go... do that?
I'll, uh... Back in a moment, then.

[Phineas mutters to himself as he walks through the crowd, cutting a path to the woman.]

That is a marvelous hat you've there Miss... Enjoying the Auction so far?

[lissatrinall]

[ the arch docent and crook bearer keep betting, raising the price to 1000 and then 1200, respectively. the paracount finally puts in a bet of 1500, which seems to stymie the others.

the woman that phineas approaches slinks off the wall, eyeing him up. ]

"They're always interesting, that's for certain. You and your friends don't look like you're from around here."

[thesleeper]

[Phineas grins, an throws his hands up, feigning surrender.]

Caught us, [He winks.] we're uh, here on business... figured the auction would be a good distraction. [Bluff 24. Again, the only thing I ever consistently roll well for Phineas. Lies and/or slander.]

How's about yourself? Business... or pleasure? [Phineas has been watching terrible TV... and picking up the worst sayings, to bolster his repertoire of terrible idioms.]

[lissatrinall]

[ no one goes up against the paracount this time, and the lot goes to him for 1500. ]

"Business... Though I don't know why business can't also be pleasurable." [ and she tosses him a wink with a 38 charm check yeebus ] "I noticed your group purchased those charcoal rubbings. If you're in need of a translator, perhaps... you and I could do business."

[ the next lot is announced as an ancient collection of 11 papyrus scrolls prepared by the Pharaoh of Numbers. each scroll is a star chart of some kind. the bidding is about to begin with the paracount raises a hand and demands to review the charts first, gesturing for them to be brought to him. ]

[thesleeper]

[Daaaamn gurl.]

I'm... actually a bit of a linguist, myself... though, perhaps you could teach me a thing or two about the tongue of this world.

[He grins devilishly, and begins to say more, when he hears mention of star charts penned by pharaohs. If pupils could dilute more than an eye physically allows, his just did, as his head whips around instantly.]

Nine hells, don't let him touch them - that is precious literature.[He says, probably a bit louder than intending.]

[paracount]

[ julistar ignores him, scrutinizing the charts ostentatiously for a bit. finally, he looks up, and scowls, holding them aloft. ] Fakes! Every one of them!

[ the audience applauds wildly, the auction master looking embarrassed by the entire proceeding, as the charts are retrieved.

"Er, bidding will begin at... 5gp..." ]