digiman619's Mummy's Mask, Book III: Shifting Sands

[digiman619]

MUMMY'S MASK, BOOK III: SHIFTING SANDS

After a few days' journey via ship, you arrive in the city of Nephu. Like most of the cities on the banks of the River Sphinx, it is hot, dusty, and perpetually loud. The street vendors hawk their wares, offering everything food (of all sorts) to tchotchkes of various power to dancing girls and boys. With only a modicum of difficulty, you manage to find an inn where you can rest for the time being.

Do you wish to explore the city, or do you want to cut to the chase and get to the library?

[stack]

Arethros wipes grease from his fingers as he finishes the last of the samplings of street food he tried along the way, returning the soiled handkerchief to one of his many pockets. He called it a 'research project'. He seems untroubled by the discomfort of the environment, looking around the city eagerly. "I am never one to say no to a library, but becoming familiar with the locale also has value. We could divide and conquer?"

[SwordChucks]

"I wouldn't mind exploring the local culture. That's why I came to Osirion in the first place. The treasure hunting is mostly a bonus."

"Anywhere in particular you want to begin Arethros?" Vic says as she adjusts her hat.

[stack]

"In order to explore the local culture, one must know what there is to explore. Finding a major market is a good source of information due to density of people. A high point of view is an alternative; important buildings are often obvious. And circling back to the beginning of the discussion, a library could also tell us much of the area."

He pauses, then continues as something occurs to him. "Or we can simply ask the proprietor of this inn, who would be well-versed in such matters."

[MesiDoomstalker]

Anai inhaled deeply, taking in the mingling scents of the local street food, burning incense and the myriad of sweaty bodies in the cramped streets. It felt almost like deja vu, when she had first set foot in Wati. But the stone in her stomach was different; she wasn't the overly-excited archaeologist out on her first exploration. She had already sent a letter back to Sothis and the Ministry of Culture to explain her absence; she was sure they'd understand. Vic, why don't you and Boru scope out the local affairs here while I and Arethros go towards the Library.

[Jacior]

The kobold, having also finished a particularly juicy fruit and wiping his mouth with a needlessly delicate handkerchief speaks up. "And... what should I do in all this then? I am no researcher but, to tug my own tail here, I have quite the gift of the gab. But if needed I can certainly employ said charm to say... pursuade a few scholars away from their projects for a time to help?" Elias was trying not to sound... too desperate to be of use. What was the point of signing up otherwise?

[SwordChucks]

Vic puts a hand to her chin for a moment before saying "How about Boru, Elias, and I go explore the town square and market. We can ask about rumors and gossip and see if that gets us any leads." She looks to Elias "I'll be relying on your gab. Mine's in the shop."

[stack]

Arethros leaves his various traveling good, readying himself for a delightful library dive.

[digiman619]

GROUP 1 (Anai, Arethos)
After a half mile of walking, you finally reach the library. The high blue dome of Tephu's Great Library, topped with shining gold pinnacles, towers over the surrounding buildings. Huge columns rise from immense footings along the edifice's sheer walls. There's all sorts of records and other reading materials in here, but after a quick search, you don't see anything about this 'sky pharaoh' you're seeking. There is, of course, more information that you might peruse, but it's in the Inner Sanctum, and you need the permission of the Haty-a, one Deka An-Keret.

GROUP 2 (Boru, Elias, Vic)
Your path to the People's Square leads you past the Eye of the Heavens, an observatory who has details of all the astronomical events dating back centuries, even before the founding of Tephu itself. Apparently it houses a both a huge telescope as well as a large brass orrery that they use to model the movement of the planets. However, you decide to continue on your journey until you get to the Square itself. Once there, you see a bustling thoroughfare, with street entertainers and food stalls. As you stop for lunch, the vendor tells you that the real show comes in the evening; with all sorts of excitement: fire eaters, dancing girls (and boys), as well as the merchants of things best not traded in the light of day. You're pretty sure he's referring to various black market goods, though no doubt one could acquire sex and/or drugs this way (rock and roll optional).

[stack]

Arethros inquires around as to where to find Deka An-Kere, while fishing for any tips on making a favorable impression.

Spoiler

Show

diplomacy if needed (1d20+15)[23]

[Jacior]

Elias gestures grandly at the market, a sight they've certainly all seen before. "Welcome my new friends to the markets! Though, I'm certain you have all been here before, perhaps it is not with the sights I can provide hmmm?" It wasn't perhaps the easiest thing to do, but it was mooooostly just looking for the most interesting people and plying them with food or drink to get them to say something interesting. Or the street urchins. Always the street urchins. With a small grin to the group, he pulled a hefty looking coin pouch from his pack and affixed it to his belt. "At the very least, I can perhaps treat my new friends to some food? There are delicacies everywhere! O-of course we'll look for someone who seems educated as well? For the... thing."

[digiman619]

GROUP 1
The clerk says that that the Haty-a (which is a title roughly equivalent to that of governor) also happens to be the high priestess of Nethys, so you would probably find her in the Sanctuary of Nethys, the large cathedral across the boulevard from the Library. However, you spent all day searching the archives, so the sun is rapidly starting to set. You'd best get back to the inn before it gets too dark.

GROUP 2
Elias' gambit paid off, and soon enough you get a street urchin attempt to pickpocket him. The urchin, a young boy by the name of Iago, bolts, but the trying to run from someone who can teleport rarely goes well and he is quickly captured. With some talk and metaphorical greasing of palms, you learn a few things about the local goings on, but the major one is that there's some dignitary from Sothis visiting town. She's staying in a fancy house just outside the Old City (the walled section in the center of town), and she heard stories that she likes to feed people to crocodiles and laugh, so he has been keeping away.

[stack]

Arethros thoroughly enjoys his day, diving into dusty tomes, sorting scroll fragments, translating nearly forgotten tablets, and haranguing poor innocent clerks. Speaking to his companion on the way back to the inn, "The indexing system here really is atrocious. We could have made twice the progress if Swiftbloom standard classification, but humans! What can you say? Still better then the mess in Magnimar, obviously. Dreadful. Regardless, a satisfying day. You know, in a few centuries I may settle down to be a librarian. There are worse ways to spent a hundred years."

One may feel free to shudder for the fates of the hypothetical future assistants.

[SwordChucks]

After turning the urchin loose, Vic stands for a moment twirling her hair while deep in thought.
"Hmm, a dignitary from Sothis feeding people to crocodiles? That might be worth looking into, but I'd want the team together. Maybe a quick, or you know not so quick, stop off at the Eye of Heaven? I've always wanted to learn more about astronomy, but the gear required is so expensive."

Spoiler

Show

I'm thinking Eye of Heaven,
then get the band back together, and see if anyone wants to hit up the black market.

[digiman619]

Boru, Elias, and Victoria visited the observatory. While not particularly insightful, Vic learned a lot of surface level details about astronomy, while Boru enjoyed learning the 'official' names to a ew stars his people had used for navigation. Otherwise, their trip went without note, and they returned to the inn where soon they met up with Anai and Athreos, who had learned quite a bit from their trip to the library.

[stack]

Once all together again, Arethros gives a brief report on their progress. "We made a good start on our research, ran into a bit of a complication. The information appears to be in a collection that we need special permission to access. Seems we need to speak to the Haty-a, Deka An-Keret, high priestess of Nethys. I would like to do so first thing tomorrow."

[Jacior]

Elias picks at a pastry he'd picked up while they were out. "I feel like we didn't accomplish a lot today. And I admit to taking part of that blame. Only part." He sighs and takes another bite, washing down with some sweet water. "I don't really know how to get a hold of someone in the churches, we don't... see eye to eye all the time. But we found out about a dignitary from Sothis who supposedly throws people to her crocodiles, that's interesting?"

[MesiDoomstalker]

Anai stifled a laugh. Interesting? Sure. That's really kind of typical for those snobs back at Sothis. Trust me, I know. Anai downed the lukewarm coffee she had been nursing since finishing her own breakfast. Well lets not waste any time; lets get to this high priestess.

[SwordChucks]

"There is a black market that opens at nights. It might have equipment for sale that we won't find anywhere else. The Eye of Heaven is also probably more interesting when the stars are actually out." Vic makes sure to mention.

"What fun facts did you guys manage to find by the way?" she says to Arethros and Anai.

[stack]

Arethros chuckles. "I could compile a book, but the relevant portion has been said."

[digiman619]

Deciding to finish the search in the library before moving on towards the haty-a, the more scholarly of the party is able to finish up their search in the Library. While you don't find anything about Hakotep himself, you do find an obscure index compiled by a previous curator of the library lists the scroll referencing Hakotep as one of many that were copied from the personal library of the Sky Pharaoh. This collection of scrolls is held in a part of the Great Library's Inner Sanctum called the Spiral Archive, described as a chamber resembling a vertical scroll tube crossed by a latticework of papyrus bridges. At least now you know where you need to look for more info.

The rest of the party goes looking for the noblewoman they'd heard of the day before. With a little bit of searching, you find an estate called The Palace of Gentile Reeds. A great palace towers over the canal, fronted with a palisade of beautifully painted pillars in dazzling colors. In front of the palace, moored to a magnificent marble quay, a luxurious river barge wallows in the turbid waters of the canal. Between the barge and the palace, a makeshift camp of colorful tents and stalls has sprung up, creating a small village worth of bustling activity.

With both leads reconnoitered, the two groups meet up around noon for lunch at a local eatery.

What's the plan?

[SwordChucks]

Vic orders a sampler platter and makes notes in her journal about the ingredients and her opinions of the food.

"Do we know anything about Deka An-Keret? Maybe something she'd want as a present. It never hurts to suck up to someone that has what you need."

[stack]

Arethros shrugs, "We can ask around; what we need is a local versed in politics."

[MesiDoomstalker]

Anai huffed, puffing a stray hair out of the way from her face. I work in the Black Dome all the time, but I don't really get out of the office much. She doesn't even ring any bells for me, sorry.

[Jacior]

"Hmmm..." Elias mumbled into a cup full of some over-sweet liquer. "If we are to ingratiate ourselves to the Lady, it's only the most minor courtesy we can extend. Though, I admit my idea is... minorly cheeky in reference to the rumors surrounding her." He looked over his cup, lizard-esque eyes glinting. "What about, a crocodile statue? Jade perhaps? Or Lapis, if we're feeling spendy?"