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

Flight Threads

[lissatrinall]

[ any and all flight threads go here! flight time is 5 hours ]

The Auction

[lissatrinall]

[ The auction house is a large white pavilion, hidden among dozens just like it, each contributing to the endless maze of tents littering the Malhitu Bazaar. Inside, rows of brightly woven carpets encircle a wooden stage topped with a garish podium. The auctioneer is already in the middle of rattling off sums as curious rich men and women, nobles, scholars of ancient Egypt, and several other would-be adventurers loft their numbered fans to place bets. A seven-man crew delivers the items to those willing to part with the most money - and all items are being sold for real gold, perhaps underscoring the illegal nature of the auction itself, where no trades are done with any traces of paperwork. An unobtrusive security party of eight keeps the corners of the room pinned down, watching exits and the crowd for any potential squabbles. Two other men watch the exits with a cautious eye who are identifiable (with a DC 13 spot check), as not guards - a squat, bald halfling in black armor studded with razored gears, and a gigantic green half-orc who sports a tower shield as tall as a human being, ostensibly decorated to look like the solid gold lid of a sarcophagus. A spot check of 18+ recognizes what definitely appear to be dried blood stains on the shield. The half-orc wears a jet black scaly-looking hood and has a scimitar and a crossbow strapped to him.

The lot for sale currently includes seven large gold coins, which the translator on stage explains are said to date back to the dynasty of the Four Pharaohs. A pair of noblemen are currently bidding on them for 40 gp, only to be topped by the lazy waft of a fan from a man sitting near the front, flanked by an entourage of what looks like six armed bodyguards who each bear a scarlet cross tattooed across their entire face. The handsome man has an aristocratic air to him, dressed in rich red clothing covered in leather armor that has a distinctly ancient Roman flavor to it. Against his shoulder rests a steel rod with a dark emerald magical flame burning at the top. Numerous rings line his fingers and he looks bored as the noblemen raise the price to 60, and he casually counters to 75, which they seem unwilling to top. The auctioneer looks around for other bets as Lis'sa returns with their own betting fans and doles them out. ]

Remember, [ she mutters under her breath, affixing each of the party members with a harsh glance. ] any of our opening bids must be 10 more than the starting price.

Vomiting - with side of flying. Also, peanuts.

[thesleeper]

[Phineas has a pile of books about tombs, curses, and Egypt on the ground in front of him spilling into the aisle-way, that he is pecking through - between sprints to the bathroom. He's extremely green, but that won't stop him from trying to learn whatever he can about the ruins. Feel free to bother him, or be bothered by him.]

[sorceresslite]

[ ella's watching a movie on her phone, but the way she keeps pausing it to text or peruse the skymall would lead one to believe she isn't really paying attention to it. feel free to interrupt and come talk to her and her (usually) friendly little ginger kitten. ]

[lissatrinall]

[ lis'sa turns around from her seat in front of him to affix him with an amused look ] Still worried about that curse, I see.

[thesleeper]

I wouldn't say I'm... worried. Just... concerned.

[He turns a page.]

Besides, if anything happened to me, who would keep all your papers organized? [He peeks up and arches an eyebrow.]

[lissatrinall]

I'll hope the curse doesn't take your filing hand then.

[likeagod]

[Dimitri spends the flight the way he usually spends them, reading a Western novel. They're his favorite, don't judge him.

People can come bother him, though.]

[sorceresslite]

[ aodhagán, the small ginger kitten, precedes his owner, winding himself around dimitri's legs like ATTEND TO ME, PEASANT and meowing plaintively. seriously big dude, pets. all the pets. put your big honey ham hands to good use with the pets.

ella wanders up a minute later, perching neatly on the armrest of the seat next to him. ] Hiya, big fella. Sorry 'bout him, thinks he's a bloody lord, he does. The way he goes on you'd think no one paid him any attention ever.

[ oh yeah, she's very irish. ]

[sorceresslite]

[ after a cursory glance around the tent (spot 10), ella's eyes are drawn to the man in the front, or rather his staff -- staff first then man. magic over people, oops, she's drawn to magic fire.

she immediately tucks the fan into her belt when given so she can reach up to adjust the delicate headscarf covering her bright hair and pale skin. the irish are not meant for this kind heat and sun. her dress might be thin and light but she is used to england and ireland, she will actually have to remember that the fan is for betting and not for fanning. especially in a tent. ]

After that, anything is fine though, yeah? So long as the first bid is exactly ten more?

[lissatrinall]

That's the arrangement, yes. [ the auctioneer scans the room looking for any final offers on the coins. going once... going twice... ]

[thesleeper]

[...He arches an eyebrow, thinks a moment, and coolly says;] Let's hope not, I'm told it's one of my better features... Though, it does more than just file.

[And with that, the page in the book on his lap turns itself, and he winks.]

[likeagod]

[A Russian and an Irishwoman met in a bar...I mean.

He puts his book down, smiling at her pleasantly before he looks down at the feline.]

It's fine. I'm used to cats not being particularly fond of me. It's a nice change.

[As he obliges and pets the kitten.]

[sorceresslite]

[ his fluffy tail whisks back and forth as he purrs like aw yeah, that's it. ella looks at the cat with exasperation. ]

He's not too fussed about who he hangs 'round with. He used to badger the kid next door for pets and that little bastard would fry ants with a magnifying glass. And he was, like, fifteen! [ a beat. ] Not that you'd do that.

[lissatrinall]

[ ignoring that. entirely. ]

You know, most people only have to worry about being horribly cursed forever if they don't look before they leap.

[thesleeper]

[Phineas confers with them quietly.]

Bad idea, coins. I've read some Pharaohs slathered their wealth with poison, to kill any tomb raiders who dared touch it.

[Apparently that was in one of those books about curses... Phineas takes his betting fan. Also Spot check of 10, so he sees nothing, really.]

Wonder if there'll be anything exceptionally... interesting for auction.

[likeagod]

I suppose we'll have to wait and see.

[He understands the arrangement, though. It's pretty straight-forward.]

[thesleeper]

[Probably for the best.]

Most... Sure. However, I've made a career out of being different from 'most people' so... Can't hurt to be diligent.

[lissatrinall]

I suppose not. After all, that's why I brought you along.

[likeagod]

[He smiles quietly, eyebrows raising slightly at her words.]

No, I wouldn't. Promise.

[He gently scratches behind the creatures ears, his fingers gentle despite his size.]

[sorceresslite]

Lovely. I'm Ella, by the way, seeing as none of us were properly introduced before.

[ the spoiled cat is just eating this up. ]

And that's Aodhagán. [ and his head pops up with a meow that sounds like he might be saying hi. if cats could talk. ]

[lissatrinall]

[ The auctioneer announces the coins sold for 75gp to the aristocratic man, and brings forth the next offering. these are charcoal rubbings from the facade of a lesser pyramid, detailing numerous references to the four pharaohs of ascension. the bidding will open at 20gp for these pieces. ]

[thesleeper]

Forty! [Phineas blurts out, waving his fan as a second thought. He's clearly excited about any information that might be on these, because his attitude is 100% changed about this whole situation.]

[lissatrinall]

[ the slow turn of her head lis'sa grants phineas might as well come straight out of the exorcist, what with the baleful look in her eye. under her breath she hisses: ] Did you forget how to count?

[ phineas' 40 is accepted, but topped a few moments later at 60gp by a consortium of sages across the way. ]

[thesleeper]

[Phineas blinks... and doesn't seem to even register the complaint, overly-intrigued by the rubbings, then he says, absently;]

Oh... Right... Of course. [Never taking his eyes off the distant sheaf of papers.]

My mistake. [His little voting fan dances from hand to hand, as he fights not to blurt out another bid.]