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

[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..." ]

[likeagod]

[Dimitri casually raises his fan. Keep doing what you're doing, Phineas.]

15.

[paracount]

[ the bald halfling near the exit raises his own, making the impressive leap to... 20 ]

[sorceresslite]

50! [ they're pretty, she wants them. ella doesn't care if they're fake. she probably should because its not her money (sorry wynn) but she has no self-control. like I said, no one should have let her have a betting fan. ]

[paracount]

[ julistar watches her with disbelief on her face, WHY DO YOU WANT FAKE STAR CHARTS GIRL, but the halfling raises to 75. ]

[sorceresslite]

[ sir if you are trying to understand the thought process of ella, you're gonna have a bad time. maybe she is just taking pity on the auctioneer who had to start the bidding so hideously low. maybe she feels bad for him. she raises to 80. maybe she thinks fake star charts would be a good learning tool for squires to teach them how to figure out that they're fake. maybe all of the above. ]

[paracount]

[ the halfling scowls and goes to 100, much to the auctioneer's surprise ]

[sorceresslite]

110. [ the auctioneer's reaction is exactly why ella is doing this. well, that and the halfling's reaction isn't half bad either. but she'll be done after that, gently using the fan to fan herself. ]

[paracount]

[ the halfling boldly jumps to 200. 8| meanwhile, the woman behind phineas, lightly brushes his arm with her hand to get his attention again. ]

[thesleeper]

I suppose that's a bit high for some inauthentic star charts... Shame, really. There's often good mysteries ciphered into forgeries and the like.

Ah, well. [He sighs, and looks back at the woman.] My apologies, miss, we were discussing some... potential business?