AGELESS Campaign Episode 2 - Temple of the Cat-Goddess

Chapter Forty, “Gateways to the World", September 5th, 1882, 3:30 P.M.

James says, "Well, I guess that makes the decision of which door we try. Luiz, let's see if we can get back home please." The good Doctor places the octagonal coin in the bronze wall plaque to the side of the doorways, and like the outer one, it too glows with lines of script above and below. There is one difference however, the top line is in the more common Atlantian language and the upper of the bottom line is in the more elite Atlantian, but the very bottom line is in a different language althogether, made up of assorted symbols. Alsoomse comments, "Very interesting, the lowest line is written in the language of the Timucuan elves. Give me a few minutes to work on the translations." While she studies it, George heads over to the original door and writes in chalk on the floor in front of it. "Florida"

After a short while Alsoomse says, "Okay, I think I've got it worked out. Each of the lower lines is from the perspective of those of that language. The Altantian translates as "Entrance to arrive with the Spirit Children", that was a term in other Atlantian writing used in reference to their slave race. The Timucuan line translates roughly as "Door to the Many Chiefs of the Salt Water People". It is the first time I've ever seen Chief used in a plural rather than singular fashion. Salt Water People, or Macoma, were what this group of Timucuan used in reference to themselves.

"So in theory, this door has the passage to the remnant of the Timucuan. While we are here we should translate the other doors as well." says George. George, an accomplished linguist himself has been standing over Alsoomse's shoulder as she translates, trying to pick up what he can of both Atlantean and Timucuan. James says, "Actually, before we check any other doors let's try that door first to ensure that we can open it." Alsoomse says, "Okay, Luiz and Ruby, pay attention to the song for future reference." She sings "Pak Man-nal Kwe-tipe Nis-Nen A-Lish" followed by "Un-u-chu-a A-Mir-O Hol-O-Tam-A-Qui Moc-A-Ma".

The door opens, with the tunnel up the house visible on the other side. The doors reopen and those inside reassure those still outside that everything is fine. Lawrence says, "Whew. You gave me a scare for a moment there." A relieved Ruby says, "Well, THAT is good news. I only know some Spanish from a group of very dear elves I lived with back in Promise City and some French from my best friend Kate. I'll look for those languages to save you the time." She passed each door looking for a language she might possibly recognize while letting George and Alsoomse look for and translate the less common and more difficult languages. "You know, it would be helpful if we had more than one key," she said while eyeing the altar in the middle of the room.

James takes out his stopwatch and instructs Luiz to remove the coin. After approximately a minute-and-a-half the door closes again. James comments "Just as I thought." Alsoomse asks "Eighty-six-point-four seconds?" James smiles and says, "Exactly!" Alsoomse turns to the others and explains, "The Atlanteans calcualted everything by units of ten, including time. Instead of breaking a day down into twenty-four sixty-minute increments of sixty-seconds, they instead divided it into tens, one-hundredths and one-thousands. One-thousandth of a day works out to be that exact length."

They reopen the exterior doorway and then move the coin to another of the interior doorways, the one clockwise from the Florida door. The plaque on it does not light up until after the time period passes and the other door closes. Luiz comments, "Interesting but not surprising, it appears that only one door can be opened at any given time." The bronze plaque on the second doorway now lights up. Like the previous one, the writing above the key being common Atlantean and two lines below, the first in the elite Atlantian dialect and the other in a different language. Nobody in the room has any idea what the other language is.

They remove the key and move to the next clockwise door. Even though the previous door wasn't opened they still have to wait the full eighty-six-point-four seconds from when the key was removed until the new plaque lights up, again with the two Atlantian languages followed by another language. Luiz says, "Ah, this one I can read myself!" James says, "As can I, but I suspect that we do not wish to." Mina says, "Isn't that ancient Celtic? Wouldn't that mean the British Isles?" James says, "At the time of Atlantis the Celts also occupied the French coast and much of interior France. I suspect that is the door that goes directly to the Chateau de Dippe in Normandy France."

Lawrence leans on his shovel. "Why do you think that, James? Does the sign say anything about France?" James replies, "It says the coast, which could apply to the British Isles as well as Normandy. It's possible that it does lead to Britain, but until we know for certain we can't risk opening up the portal to France and alerting our rivals to the presence of this doorway." Abby says, "We don't necessarily want to open up doors in Britain either, not unprepared. We may live in a more open-minded world among us, but Britain is still a clerical country, and wizarding countries wouldn't be any better." Abby looked up at the ceiling again. "I wish I'd mastered that levitation spell, I really want to get up there and have a look around." Lawrence says, "So we leave both doors unopened for now. We can always come back to them later."

They move on to the next clockwise doorway and insert the key, which like the other three has script of the two Atlantian languages followed by a local language. Luiz, James and Alsoomse all study it. "Any ideas?" James comments. "No clue," says Alsoomse. The scholar Doctor Thomas Crane steps forward and comments, "Possibly Africa, a few of those symbols resemble markings of the Khoikhoi language, used by the Hottentot ogre tribe of South West Africa." Alsoomse says, "Perhaps, but their ancestors didn't migrate to that region of Africa or develop the language until eight centuries after the destruction of Atlantis."

James comments, "Aren't the Hottentot's the red-skinned ogres?" Thomas says, "Yes, a reddish-yellow tone, and considerably shorter in size than other ogres." James says, "Perhaps another servant race that was intermixed with the Atlanians, not unlike the Timucuan?" Alsoomse says, "That speculation is quite a stretch, a few markings is all that you are basing that on. I dare say that we will probably find at least a dozen ancient civilizations that also used similar symbols."

Moving on to the next door, the one directly opposite the door that they entered from, the writing on the bottom row is clearly Egyptian hieroglyphics. Lawrence does a double-take. "Are those hieroglyphics? I think they are. I've always been fascinated by Egypt. But they're just came under Victoria's thumb, so that's out, too." James says, "I wouldn't exactly say 'Victoria's thumb', the British have been assisting the Egyptian government with fighting the rebels since early May of this year. Once Alexandria fell to the British siege in July the rebels retreated back towards Cairo. Things have been more or less at a stalemate, broken up by an occasional battle, for the last five weeks. But you're right about it maybe not being the best time to visit there, with the Brits in the backyard."

Examining the hieroglypics and comparing them to an Egyptology text, Luiz says, "It appears that we were mistaken, it doesn't lead to the City of Tanis after all." He points to one that resemble a cat and says, "Each Egyptian city was dedicated to a different deity. That is the symbol of Bast, also know as Per-Bastet, the Cat-Goddess. Her's was the city was Bubastis." Mina says, "James and I briefly visited the ruins of that city a half-century ago. At that time one of the city's two temples was being excavated then by an archeological team." James says, "Yes, a team led by the French archeologist and wizard Jean-Francois Champollion, who within the last twenty years became a member of the rival wizarding group."

Abby says, "In other words, another door we probably don't want to open quite yet unless we want to share it with our rivals. Seems Latin and Greek aren't the languages to know in this room." James says, "The time of the Atlantians was the Bronze age, before the time of the Romans, so Latin would not be used yet. Ancient Greek could be one of these three remaining doorways, although Homer's writings indicated that trade between Atlantis and Greece was limited, with him being one of the few ambassadors. The Atlantians had the Tartessians as their primary trading partners."

Hardin is visibly uncomfortable with the chamber and the goings-on. Fish looks at him with an arched eyebrow. Hardin says, "A bit too much like my most recent accommodations..." He trails off and looks around. All the languages, strange carvings and talk of other dimensions are just a bit outside his understanding. A piece of his mind conjured up strange monsters striding out of one of the portals - needing to be met with deadly gunfire and he chuckles to himself - a bit too loudly. He looks around and flushes a bit. "Nevermind me..."

The key is inserted in the next clockwise door. Luiz looks at the interesting writing on the bottom line and says, "Vaguely familiair? What do we have here?" Alsoomse replies, "The people James was just speaking of, that is the Tartessian language." James says, "Unfortunately, as that language is lost to us." Alsoomse explains, "Tartessia was a city-state along the southwestern coast of Spain. They were the great traders of the Bronze Age, travelling the coasts of the known continents in their great ships, some up to one-hundred feet in length.

Their society abruptly ended within the same century of Atlantis's destruction, when the Tartessian King thought himself better than the gods and had a temple deconstructed for materials to build his own castle. The god was an angry one, and collapsed the reefs and mountains that protected Tartessian, having the sea sweep in and wipe the place from the globe. This occurred during a major celebration, when nearly all of the Tartessian ships had returned home, with the destruction of the fleet ending their domination of trade in that era."

Luiz continues, "Alexander the great was intregued by the legend ot Tartessia and assembled all of the remaining remnants of their culture scattered across the globe. Centuries later when the Library of Alexandria was burned to the ground that history became lost forever." Alsoomse adds, "Yes, and even archeaological digs have proven to be fruitless at learning the language, as most Tartessian writings were primarily of a short term-nature, on animal hides rather than pottery or stone, so did not survive over time."

Abby says, "I suppose it's arrogant to imagine we might learn enough about how this works someday to find a way around it... It's very rare for a language to develop in a vaccuum. There aren't any related languages to help at least give clues?" Alsoomse says, "I personally know nearly every linguistic expert in the world, given time I'm optimistic that we will have translations of all of these." They try the next door, finding it is also in a language unknown to everybody present. This language is a pictograph one, with a variety of different symbols.

The coin is placed into the final door. The bottom language on it is also unrecognizable to those present. Looking at James in his fancy clothes Mina comments, "I'm sorry dear, it looks like you got all dressed up with no place to go." Ruby is crestfallen as well. "Well, why don't we at least try one of those other doors? I mean, how else are we ever going to find out where there go? The one that might be to Africa perhaps?" James says, "Ruby, we only know the languages to be able to read the inscriptions on three, including the one back to Florida. Right now we can only read to sing the Gaelic and Egyptian ones, but as it has been pointed out, now might not be the best time to attempt to visit either."

Alsoomse says, "Be patient young one, now that we know what to look for we can start researching those ancient languages. It is only a matter of time before we can use them." Mina adds, "And Ruby, don't you and George have a dinner date in the city with those actors this evening? You can hardly do that if you run off to England, France or Egypt." "Yes, we do," she said with a sigh. "But while the dinner date might be fun England, France or Egypt will DEFINITELY be fun. I'm just ready. To go. Somewhere. You know. You've been to Egypt and France and all over, I haven't been anywhere fun. Rochester New York isn't exactly the exciting center of the universe."

"It is when you are there my dear" replies George gently. "But yes, before we go through ANY door, I think we need food, water, supplies and weapons. We really do not know what to find. We may indeed find that the door has been equally hidden and need to dig another fortnight before it emerges. Patience and preparation Ruby will see us very well. As would I expect a visit to the library. Though James, I knwo that some knowledge is known of the Phonecian pictographic langauge, and that the Phoneicians were widely considered to be a vassal state of the Tartessians. The Phonicians assended to domimance in the Mediterraean as sailors and traders after the fall of their masters, would not that provide for us some clue as to their language?" postulates George.

James says, "That is a good direction to start. While Tartessia was along the coast of Spain that Tartessian doorway could actaully lead to anywhere, as they had trading ports throughout Europe, Africa and Asia. However, since we know that they only sailed within sight of land and not across open water that does rule out the Americas and Australia. If our threory is correct one of these other doorways leads to Australia, but very little has been written about the native languages there."

"Um, okay, I have no idea what you two are saying but it sounds like you are saying we're not going through any doors tonight. And that someone here, and that someone is not me, has to do some researching. Like in books. Is that correct?" “Yes,” Alsoomse replies. James, Mina, Alsoomse and Luiz are joined by the archeologists Thomas and Abigal as they head up to the library to spend the next six hours searching through the various texts for clues to the various doorways.

Sol sails the Ageless Journey boat into Jacksonville, taking Ruby and George there for their planned dinner. Fish also comes along to run various errands, a mixture of both business and pleasure. Ruby and George take a Hansom Cab to the Astor Hotel where they have a wonderful and entertaining dinner with the pair of actors. Once the cover of darkness falls Nanuet, John and Lawrence assist the two ship captains Wilkinson and Watkins with emptying the filled wheelbarrows into the ditch. The conversation centers around the two ships, which are both now prepared to depart. They return to the boat at 11:00 PM and get back to the house.

By midnight everyone is back at the house and has turned in for the night. Meanwhile, some 6,500 miles away, events are transpiring that will have an almost immediate impact upon the future of the AGELESS Corporation.


End Episode One -
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AGELESS Campaign – Episode Two – Temple of the Cat Goddess

Chapter 41 - "A War in Egypt" - (Episode Two, Chapter One), Wednesday, September 6, 1882, 8:00 A.M. at the Timucuan Conservancy, Jacksonville, Florida

“Wake up sleepy heads, you’re needed downstairs” Wilamina Parker’s voice sounds out, as she awakens the occupants of the house while knocking on their third and fourth floor bedrooms. As the house’s occupants make their way downstairs they see that the first floor dining room is covered with various textbooks. Standing around the table and working frantically are Wilamina, her husband James, his elvan Grandmother Alsoomse, Doctor Pedro Luiz Napoleão Chernoviz and Doctor Thomas Sapathwa Crane.

Awakened by Wilamina's knock, Fish pulls on his new silk robe ("it's so slippery!" he thinks to himself), and heads downstairs for breakfast. Unbeknownst to the others, he's been practicing this move: planting his left cheek on the banister, he slides down all three flights of handrail with his feet never once touching the floor -- cartwheeling through handstands when necessary. "Ta da!" he says as he walks into the dining room on his hands.

The front door of the house opens and in walks Solomon Star carrying several newspapers and a pile of telegrams. James exclaims, “You made good time, round trip to Jacksonville in less than an hour.” Sol replies, “Well, you said it was a top priority so John Wilkinson took me on the Frolic, those paddlewheels make for some formidable propulsion.” Sol hands over the papers to both James and Doctor Chernoviz, commenting “I read them on the way back; they have a lot more detail than the initial telegrams.” James and Luiz each start to read. Luiz exclaims, “Oh
my!”

Fish asks, “What's for breakfast?" “Books and telegrams from the look of it," Captain Winslow states as he enters the room behind Fish. "Can't fill a man's or elf's stomach on books and newspapers!" Nanuet says, joining the group at the table from his shelter outside. An audible grumble comes from his empty stomach. John Wesley Hardin awakens from a dark sleep...full of exploding bullets and dying men. He dresses in pants and shirt-sleeves and makes his way downstairs.

Ruby peers over James shoulder to take a look at the paper. "What's going on?" James says, “The British have brought their war in Egypt to a whole new level.” Ruby furrowed her brows together. "The British have a war with Egypt? What did they do now? I am assuming this somehow affects us...?" Nanuet states, “I agree with Ruby, what does a war in Egypt have to do with us?" Hardin exclaims, "I am in bad need of coffee...as black as can be had. So what's this about a war in Egypt?"

James states, “Let us give you some background. A half-year or so back an Egyptian Army officer, Colonel Ahmed Orabi, resigned to lead a revolt against the Egyptian government. He felt that the various European empires were dominating Egyptian life and politics, that their country’s leaders mere puppets of the Europeans. He found sympathy with the people, including many others in the military and also those from his home Province of Sherkiyeh, who flocked to his side. His rebels soon set siege around the Egyptian capital of Cairo and also took control of the major Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, at which time more in the army resigned to join him.”

Luiz says, “The situation is all about the Suez Canal, completed eight years ago and creating a water passage between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea that connects to the Indian Ocean. The canal means that ships no longer have to sail around Africa to travel between Europe and the Orient. The canal has brought wealth to Egypt, although many Egyptians including Orabi feel that they are receiving a mere pittance of what they should from the European shipping companies. This is because current rates for passage through the canal are low for the European countries who financed the building of the canal.

The largest banks of Great Britain were the main financiers of the canal project. Britain fears that if the Egyptian rebels take full control of the Egyptian government one of two things would happen. First, that the rebels would take control of the canal and either raise the rates for passage or restrict passage of British ships altogether. Second, that they would claim that they are not responsible for the debts incurred by the previous government and default upon the loans. That in turn would cause the banks to collapse, and bring the entire British monetary system into ruin.”

James continues, “The British therefore had incentive to stop this rebellion, and at the invitation of the current Egyptian Government, dispatched their military. The British fleet arrived at Alexandria on the 20th of May, and for the first seven weeks attempted to negotiate with the rebels while preventing all Egyptian ships from leaving port. In early July the negotiations deteriorated and on July 11th Alexandria was then bombarded by the British fleet. Two days later the rebels withdrew and the British naval forces landed, taking control of the city.

Rather than retreating all the way to Cairo, General Orabi strategically deployed his troops between Cairo and Alexandria, and for the last two months has been fairly successful at repelling the British forces. That all changed today when Britain’s General Wolseley took the rebels by surprise. As dusk set in last night he withdrew the majority of his troops under the cover of darkness.

They then reboarded the ships at Alexandria and sailed east to the Suez Canal, taking full control of the canal and sailing on to the upper banks of the Red Sea. By Egyptian dawn this morning, which would have been about ten hours ago our time, the ships had reached their destination. From there the British Army has started traveling westward in the direction of Cairo.” "Ummm...," Ruby tried to put two and two together, "So the British are taking over Egypt. This is bad for us how?"

James holds up the newspaper and says, "While Cairo is clearly the end destination of the British, the problem is that General Wolseley has in effect issued a challenge to Orabi. He has publicly stated that their initial goal is to first take the city of Zakazik, approximately half-way between the Red Sea and Cairo. Zakazik has a population of 40,000 that has no real strategic importance other than a railroad line between it and Cairo. However, the real reason that Wolseley has named it is because it is also the home city of the rebel leader Orabi and close to half of his rebel forces. To protect their homes and families the rebel forces will have to defend Zakazik, by either withdrawing from Cairo or splitting their troops to fight on two fronts.”

Ruby comments, "That's pretty smart of that General, I guess. I don't know too much about war." Mina interjects, “You don't have to Ruby, but in answer to your earlier question of how that affects us, we discovered yesterday that one of the Atlantian portals leads directly to the ancient Egyptian city of Bubastis." James says, “Yes, the great city of Bubastis was destroyed by the Persians and dismantled stone-by-stone some twenty-two-and-one-third centuries ago. Using a canal, the Persians then transported the stones approximately two miles to the northwest, where they then constructed the community of Zakazik.”

Mina says, “The straight path of the British Army to Zakazik will take them directly over the ruins of Bubastis. Furthermore, the remaining excavated ruins would provide ideal cover, about the only cover in the open desert in fact, to either attack or defend Zakazik from. That, in turn, would make it the target of the opposing force’s artillery. So unless something is done, and soon, it is very possible that the destination of this particular portal may be destroyed in the very near future.”

"That wouldn't be good." Ruby poured a cup of coffee for herself and for George. "Is there something we can do then? Since we're probably the only ones or one of very very few who know about this portal. But if we go there and try to defend it, not only would we be in the middle of two army's but we might inadvertently give away the valuable location of that gate."

James glances towards Lawrence and says, "It wouldn't be the first time I found myself between two armies, ask me some time about when Lawrence and I first met. But regarding the situation at hand, I would say that a trip to Egypt as soon as possible is in order. We have two possibilities here, we either head off on The Magnificence to Egypt, which will probably take around a week of sailing, or alternately we go through the portal."

Luiz says, "Let's try both, I'll take The Magnificence. I have enough connections in the area to smooth over our ship's presence in the war zone. And even if you manage to get through the portal we'll need a more common explanation of how you got to Egypt." Sol says, "He's right James, if you check the 'Society' columns in those papers you'll see that all six of us who were inducted into the Jacksonville Fraternal Order are listed as having attended the ball on Monday night. It wouldn't do our secret any good to have you turning up in Egypt a mere two or three days later."

James says, "Good point, if any of us six do go through the portal we'll have to either keep a low profile until The Magnificence arrives on the scene or wear pretty good disguises." Fish rights himself, sits down at the table, and helps himself to a hard-boiled egg. "I happen to have a fair amount of experience with disguise," he says somewhat cryptically, "and for keeping my head low, if need be." Nanuet interjects, "There are also magical means of disguise that I have seen used, and they have been very handy."

Mina looks over the newspaper with the society column and says, "It only mentions the men". Sol says, "Well yes, it is a Fraternal order, hope you're not offended." Mina smiles and says, "Not at all, it means that Wilamina Hamilton Parker can show up in Egypt any time she wishes, such as now." "Looks like you're leading the expedition through the portal then," James states. Abby says, “As can Abigail Elizabeth Marsters. I was nobody to anyone at the ball, except a young Belgian man who left with someone else.”

Ruby exclaims, "I'm going with you Nana! You can't go alone. I insist." "I don't have your curves, Miss West," offers Fish modestly, "although I can say with some confidence I've had success passing for drag." George leans into whisper in Ruby's ear "Not that that would be much of a challenge for Mr. Trout." Fish pauses to furrow his brow whilst inspecting the gunslinger. "On the other hand, hiding your frown lines might tax my skills, Mister Hardin!"

George asks, "Is there any reason to believe that the portal is not hidden as well in Egypt? James says, "It most likely is well hidden, but we would be coming at it from the inside rather than outside, which should help." George replies, “Do we think that opening it will lead us into battle?” James says, "That's all dependent upon timing. They may send scouts on swift horses or camels, but over all desert travel is hard on an larger army. It will probably be several days until either forces reach the area with any sort of number."

George states, “I do speak Arabic though and with my beard and some walnut stain on my skin I could pass as an Arab without too much trouble as well as help guide the group through the battle, but we risk much if we come out in one of the others camp.” Mina says, "That is good, it could be of great help for my team to have someone who can pass as an Arab. I too am fluent in Arabic." George replies, "Yes, but as you know a man in those societies commands more respect than a woman.

George states, “And if we do, what is the goal? To move the battle? To join one side to the other to hasten the end of the battle? To what end do we strive?" Mina says, "We'll have to play it by ear once we see what we are facing." George says, Alright, perhaps we can get out there and hide the entrance and let military might take its course, unless we have vested interests, especially financially in seeing one side win."

Abby states, "There's less likely to be activity around the gate during the night, so with a little arithmetic we can emerge, assuming the gate is open an accessible, when there's less likely to be activity around it." Captain Winslow says, "Well, Luiz and I had best be sailing off soon in that case." Sol adds, "Yes, and in your ship's log mention all of us as passengers and show your departure from Jacksonville as Monday evening. I'll do the same for the records here."

Abby mulled for a moment. "I like the idea of going off without all you gents. I do like your company now, but ladies do tend to have their own methods when the boys are out of the picture." Nanuet says, "I'm not exactly sure how one like myself can blend in. I had hoped to bring Maska along with us as well, will that be an issue?" Ruby says, "Why would that be an issue? As far as I am concerned Maska is always a welcome part of our team. She has saved our butts more than once! If you think going through the gate might be dangerous she could go by boat, but since your name probably wasn't listed in the paper due to your ancestry than you can come with us through the gate and she probably can too."

Ruby exclaims, "When are we doing this, today? Soon?" She was beginning to get itchy at the thought of adventure.

Chapter 42, "Doorway to Egypt" (Episode Two, Chapter Two) Wednesday, September 6, 1882, 8:30 A.M. at the Timucuan Conservancy, Jacksonville, Florida

During the conversations Alsoomse has been flipping through a series of Greek parchments. She says, "Okay, I found it! It took a while. The Greek historian Herodotus visited Bubastis during the city's greatest era. He refers to the city as 'Per Basta'. The test translates as:

"Per Basta is situated on the eastern side of the Pelusiac arm of the Nile. The city is dedicated to the Goddess Bast, the animal sacred to whom was the cat. The temple stands in the center of the city and can be seen from any part of the community. The street leading to the temple is about 1,800 feet in length and 400 feet in width, paved, with trees planted

The temple of Bubasus is magnificent, some other temples being larger but no other ever being more beautiful. Bast's temple stands on an island surrounded on all sides by water except at an entrance passage. The water comes from a canal from the Nile that diverts around the temple. The side of the canals are lined with trees. Eachof the walls of the temple are 600 feet square. The vestibule is ornamented with fine figures eighteen feet high. The shrine room is 100 feet broad and 60 feet in height with a statue of the goddess in the center.”

"This must have been but a few years before Alexander began his conquest of Persia. I mean Alexandria wasn't even founded yet, and we have a Greek historian documenting the old city? Seems odd to me. But in any case, if the city was moved stone by stone, if the gate in the old location or was it moved and if so does it still function?" asks George

James states, "It is probably underground. In 1798 Napoleon Bonaparte led a group of approximately 175 scientists, mathematicians, linguists and wizards from the French Academy of Science to Egypt. It was really just an 'excuse' to invade Egypt, with his Army soon following and fighting the British there. But several of these men of science and magic took their jobs seriously. Their top man, who essentially founded the modern school of Egyptology, was Jean-Francois Champollion. He was the one who later discovered and translated the Rosetta Stone in 1809.

While the general area where Bubastis had been was known, no real archeological digs had been done. It was Champollion who had the brilliant idea to survey the area from a hot air balloon, where from several thousand feet up you could see the variations in color of the sands, and actually see the outline of the canal that had surrounded the temple.

From the center of that he began digging, finding an underground section where the Priests and Priestesses of Bast had lived. When Mina and I visited the site some fifty years ago he had unearthed a series of chambers beneath the sands, including an altar room forty-feet wide, over one-hundred feet long and fifty-feet high, containing a massive statue of Bast with eyes made of huge rubies."

Mina says, "He gave a tour to James, Myself and the other members of our team of his diggings. At that time none of the rooms had a doorway like the one that we saw. But that was fifty years ago, he may have excavated more since that time." Ruby exclaims, "Right, so we'd be coming up inside the chamber and may not be able to easily to make our way out, right? Considering ours was covered up with all that dirt, theirs might be too. So we have to hope that they have found the room it's been hidden in."

Mina says, "Well, we won't know until we try. James, I would suggest that you stay here and coordinate things. I have no doubt that Jean-Francois Champollion has reached the same conclusion about the armies meeting at Bubastis. He will most likely do anything to keep his excavations from being destroyed by a war, it represents seventy years of his life's work. He would recognize you despite any magical or common disguise."

Ruby asks, “Would it be bad if we ran into him in the area of the gate?” James says, "It would, given that he is also a member of the French 'Weekly Wizards' group." Ruby answers, “That’s what I figured, so we should move quickly. But we have one thing they don't have, the gate. So we can get there before them then make sure we don't leave any trace of where it is. So I guess we’re going now? What kinds of things should we bring with us?”

James says, "Get whatever standard 'adventuring' supplies you might want to bring as well as any weapons you are proficient with." Abby asks, "What are the customs of dress there?” Hardin's ears perk up at the mention of "...any weapons you are familiar with". "Now that's something I can live with..." He grins wolfishly and starts heading for his room. Pausing in the doorway, he turns and says off-handedly, "Anyone need a hogleg? I have a few extras."

Lawrence says, "If you got something trusty, I'd be much obliged. I'm not much of a shot, but a deputy has gotta have a proper gun." Hardin provides Lawrence with a re-chambered 1860 Army Colt and holster. He grins... "Take care of her...she's a bit of an old lady, but still shoots straight!" Lawrence accepts the gun and straps on the gun belt. "I'll take good care of her, Mr. Hardin. Thank you." He draws the Colt and checks the cylinder before holstering it. "It's been a while since I've had to shoot a gun."

Abby comments, “Do we want to try to blend in, or are we going to look like archeologists? Or just dress for action?" Abby mulled for a moment. "I like the idea of going off without all you gents. I do like your company now, but ladies do tend to have their own methods when the boys are out of the picture." Ruby started running out of the room to gather her belongings but stopped short. "That is a good question. What kind of clothes would make us fit in there? Certainly huge ball gowns would not be appropriate in the desert of Egypt."

Nanuet says, "I'm not exactly sure how one like myself can blend in. I had hoped to bring Maska along with us as well, will that be an issue?" Ruby says, "Why would that be an issue? As far as I am concerned Maska is always a welcome part of our team. She has saved our butts more than once! If you think going through the gate might be dangerous she could go by boat, but since your name probably wasn't listed in the paper due to your ancestry than you can come with us through the gate and she probably can too."

Nanuet quietly went about his business. He headed to his lodge on the grounds and packed up his gear. He had done this routine many times before, this was nothing new, but something about this trip bothered him. He was torn between the thrill of going on a new adventure and worrying about the safety of his friends both old and new. Perhaps that is the nature of a healer he thought. Maska nuzzled up against him, knowing something was up. He tussled her hair for a moment and finished packing his gear.

Mina arrives attired in a white cotton long-sleeve shirt, sleeveless canvas dress with black woolen trousers beneath, felt wide-brimmed hat and tall boots. She has on a full backpack from which a sawed-off-shotgun is attached to the front outer left side, within reach of her right hand. Her belt has multiple leather pouches of various size and a holstered revolver. And on her shoulder rests Walter, the multi-colored parrot who belongs to their neighbor Alan MacKinnon.

Abby decided to dress for action. Or rather, for work. She reentered the room wearing brown trousers made of tough material tucked into knee-high flat-soled boots. A white man's work shirt was underneath her short, tan leather jacket and she carried a wide brimmed man's hat in her hand. Over her shoulder was slung an odd-looking rucksack.
"I hope someone's bringing something to eat. I'll try anything once, but there are a lot of things I will not eat twice."

Ruby had rushed up stairs and took her time returning down with her belongings all packed in her worn backpack. She wore her usual adventuring gear; though it was new to most of this company. She wore a snug white buttoned top which would allow for any movement and tight, flesh colored leather pants with knee high black heeled boots.

Once everybody is assembled back downstairs in the tunnel rooms Alsoomse places the octagonal key into the bronze plaque, causing the Atlantean and Timucuan lettering to light up. She reads the writing to herself and then removes the key. She says, "Before we actually open it I want to have each of you eight practice the incantations needed to open both the door to Florida and then the door to Egypt, so that any of you might be able to return through this means." She recites both incantations and asks each of them to repeat it. She then casts a 'Speak with Animals' spell and explains it to the parrot Walter, having him also then practice the incantations.

Nanuet listens carefully to the words Alsoomse says before repeating them back. His voice cracks ever so slightly as he attempts the Atlantean line for the Florida door but now that his voice is somewhat warmed up he manages to get the other three lines correct. "What about Maska? Does she need to 'sing' in order to pass through the doors? I don't think that will be possible."

Mina says, "Anybody can pass through the doors once they are open. We don't know what is going to happen on the other side, so as a contingency each of us should know how to get back to Florida if one of us needs to return for reinforcements. That's also why I borrowed Walter from our neighbor. It might not be possible for any of us eight to get back quickly, while he could always fly back and speak the commands words to get the others."

Lawrence clears his throat, "I gotta admit, I never sang in front of people before. But I'll give it my best shot." He begins to sing in an uncertain tenor, starting each verse strong. He struggles through the second part of each verse, but manages to complete them. George's rich baritone rings out clearly among the company as he practices the incantations.

Hardin manages to croak out some lines, but ends on a dismal note as he starts coughing. Abby took a deep breath and sang the lines in an untrained but pleasant enough alto, running out of steam a bit at the end. "Sorry, every now and then my accent gets the better of me." Ruby smiled as she listened to the others sing, she knew she would have no issue with repeating the words and tune. On her turn her angelic soprano voice rang out strong and true.

James comments to Mina, "Well my dear, it appears that we won't be able to start a door-opening chorus just yet, but over half of your group appears to be able to return on their own. The real issues will be the coin, as we only have one."

Sol brings down a pair of high-backed chairs telling Mina "Will these do?" She replies, "The height looks about right." From inside the octagonal room she places one chair beneath the plaque for the door to Florida. Alsoomse then has the parrot Walter stand atop the chairback, using it as a perch. She has him practice standing on one claw while holding the coin in the other and placing it into the slot with the other claw. Once this is completed she says, "Looks like we're ready to go. It's off to Egypt!"
The eight adventurers for the trek enter the Octagonal room. They are accompanied by Alsoomse, James, Luiz, Sol and Thomas, who while not going on the Trek can't resist seeing what is on the other immediate side of the doorway. The coin is removed from the Florida doorway and a minute-and-a-half later it closes. The coin is then placed on the Egyptian doorway as they wait for the plaque to light up. Ruby squeezed George's hand in excitement, holding her breath as she waited for the door to another world to open

Upon completion of the incantation, including the hard-to-pronounce Egyptian line, the doorway opens. Standing before them is a twenty by thirty foot room, ceiling twelve feet high, made entirely of stone slabs. The doorway is in the center of one of the longer walls, with another closed stone door on the opposite wall. In the center of the room is a small metal fire pit with ash inside it and beside the pit is a small table with a few stone tools on it.

The remainder of the room is comprised entirely of shelves along all of the wall, also made of stone slabs and supported by stone pillars. The first shelves all begin three feet above the ground, with ceramic and stone statues and urns on the floor immediately beneath them. The remaining shelves five shelves are each eighteen inches high and are filled with sealed bone scroll cases stacked atop one another. Luiz does a quick count and says, "I estimate that there are between twenty-five hundred and three thousand scroll cases in here."

Lawrence looks around the room in awe. "My gods. It would take years to copy all this. Do you think it's a library?" He goes one of the shelves and runs his fingers across the scroll cases. "This is practically a treasure trove." Abby, "There's no practically about it. This is a treasure trove. The possibilities of what might be in here are endless. Words that could literally change the world."

Ruby exclaims, "Treasure trove? It's just a boring bunch of words on paper. I bet behind that door," she points across the room, "Is real treasure." She strides over to it to have a look, pulling her hair back into a twist as she does. "I suppose I won't be able to get this one open either, we'll be needing the key. But I'll have a looks anyway." Hardin pokes around half-heartedly at the scrolls, but his eyes brighten considerably at Ruby's demeanor. "A woman after my own heart, Ms. West..."

Abby had been moving slowly around the room, drinking in what, if known publicly, would be a find to make a career a hundred times over. "Knowledge is power, Miss West. That dismissive attitude of yours is offensive. Beautiful, rich things are all well and good, but the collective knowledge of an entire civilization can change the world. Real treasure has the power to make change."

Fish thinks to himself, "Both those gals are very attractive! I'm staying outta this..."
Lawrence nods. "I learned that during the war. A few battles could have turned if orders weren't delivered on time or if the commanders had more information."

" A wise man cannot feed himself nor others Abby. It takes wealth to put knowledge into action, into real results. Your attitute can be just as offensive as Ruby's. The key to all things is balance. My employees care little for the scientific advancements they are part of, but the profit sharing they are a part of ensures a warm house and good food. Without those, no one can focus on knowledge" replies George in defense of Ruby. She squeezed George's hand tightly in hers. She could always count on him to stand up for her and defend her, even if it was with his own life.

Abby states, "I never said material things are without worth, Mr. Eastman. Just that they aren't the only things of worth. So we do not disagree, do we sir?

Luiz and James each open a scroll case, one from the left side of the door and one from the right. James says "It has dates in both the Egyptian and Altantean calendars, from the 23rd Dynasty, when this temple was built. This looks like an accounting of that month's expenses building the temple." Luiz says, "Mine also has writing in both languages, and the dates indicate they are from the final Dynasty under Pharaoh Nekhtharheb. That is consistent with when the Pharaohs were assisted by the Atlantean advisors. This one was written just four years before the Battle of Issus, where Alexander the Great conquered Egypt. it talks of the invading armies getting closer and how morale among the Egyptian Army was declining."

Alsoomse gestures around the room and says, "It is probably that these are all a chronological record of the millennia or so in between those two periods. If so, these are invaluable for researchers. The last Pharaoh also built a temple here in Bubastis, although its location has never been found."

James says, "Once your team leaves with the octagonal key we won't get able to get back in here." He turns to his Grandmother and says, "Alsoomse, why don't you head up to the library room and try to duplicate the low humidity and lighting conditions of this room. We could then safely move these scrolls up there and review them all while Mina and her team are away." Sol says, "I'll help. Some of the equipment that came in on the Magnificence will help to establish those room conditions." The two depart.

Another forty-five minutes pass as the scroll cases are all moved back to the Florida Library room, as well as the brazier that had been in the center of the room. The parrot Walter practices placing the coin into the plaque while standing atop one of the shelves near it.

The other door has no plaque. Ruby, Luiz and Mina all detect a magical aura around the other door. Luiz suggests using a simple 'Wizard Lock' spell on the other doorway. He casts the spell and the door opens, revealing a ten-foot wide and ninety-foot long stone staircase, with stone walls and stone ceiling twelve feet above the stairs, rising upward to a door at the top.

James and Mina embrace, with him giving her a passionate kiss and wishing her luck. He says that somebody will remain near the tunnel door on the Florida side until they return, and not to hesitate to return if they run into trouble. James and Luiz depart from the other eight and the key is then removed from the plaque in what had been the scroll room. Approximately a minute-and-a-half later the doorway closes and Mina says, "Welcome to Egypt everyone!"

Chapter 43, "The Staircase Trap" (Episode Two, Chapter Three) - Wednesday, September 6, 1882, 4:00 P.M. (Egyptian time).

Lawrence looks around the room. "How can you tell we’re in Egypt? Shouldn't it be hotter?" Mina gestures up the staircase and says, "We're probably deep underground, I am sure that the temperature will increase as we get closer to the surface." "Hmm. I've heard tales of large cities of the dead buried under the desert sands. Could we be in one of them?" Lawrence shudders.

Abby says “Mrs. Parker is likely right. We are probably quite far underground, and it we may not see the surface at all if this room is buried somewhere, as I suspect it is for these documents to be here, intact." She began to take a closer look at the walls, looking for any writings in the stone itself that might tell them more about where they were. The walls are smooth, lacking any hieroglyphics.

Ruby says, "Why don't we find out? I'll go first. If anyone wants to stay behind and look after the paper treasure... well, it seems pretty safe down here. Anyone who wants adventure, let's go!" As the party assembles to climb the stairs, Fish quips, "I'm happy to guard our tail, and I'm just as happy to take point with Miss West, as I do have some talent at 'creeping'."

Ruby steps to the bottom of the staircase and inspects it carefully for any sort of traps. She takes her time, searching each step before stepping onto it until she reaches the top of the stairs to inspect the door that guarded their way out. Abby says, "I'll bring up the rear. I want to examine the walls of the staircase for writings as we go along." "Great! So I'll watch Miss Marsters' rear," offers Fish.

Ruby cautiously makes her way up the stairs, checking each for possible traps. Nanuet trails twenty-feet behind her, with both George and Mina immediately after him. Behind them are Lawrence and John, with Abigail and Fish taking the rear guard.

When she reaches a step approximately fifty-feet up two things happen. The first is that a thirty-foot section of stairs, running from four steps before Ruby to two steps behind Nanuet, fall out from beneath them. The steps swing downward, the first and last eight feet sections fastened together and hinged to beneath the front and rear respectively. The two middle seven feet sections are hinged on the sides, one section to the left and the other to the right.

Nanuet manages to grab onto the bottom falling step as it swings over a deep pit below, hanging on and swinging with his hands eight feet below Mina and George. Ruby is less fortunate, with the steps all falling away from her before she can grab one as she falls twenty, thirty, forty feet, and continues...

The second thing that simultaneously occurs as the trap is sprung is that a dark smoke pours out from the pit walls from the corners where the steps had been and starts to fill the staircase. George watches in horror as the stairs fall out from under Ruby. A heart wrenching "NO!" is torn from his lips as he dives head first after Ruby.

George dives into the darkness and falls the same fifty-feet as Ruby had. The black smoke above blocks all of the party's light sources so he cannot see what is actually below him. His landing is abrupt but partially cushioned as he comes to a rest in a pool of semi-liquid sand that flows as it buries him up to his waist as he straightens himself out.

Ruby has landed six feet away from him, also half-buried in the semi-liquid sand and having taken less impact as a fall from that height normally would [9 points damage]. Her upper right arm hurts from also landing on a solid stick or rod that had been floating atop the sand [4 points damage]. Nanuet begins to feel a burning sensation in his throats from smoke that surrounds him [2 points damage] which is now rising higher into the staircase.

"Miss West! Nanuet!" shouts Fish, as he springs into action. He pulls a silk rope from the duffle slung over his shoulder, and extracts a kerchief too. "Mr. Hardin, grab hold of this!" he exclaims, tossing the gunslinger one end of the rope. Hardin's hands snake out to snag the rope and he spins in place twice to rap the rope around his body and then braces himself as hard as he can against the inevitable "snap" as the rope plays out

"I'm a damn monkey!" Fish yelps, with an edge to his voice the party hasn't ever heard before. He quick-slips a loop of rope around his waist, securing it to the trapeze artist's strap sewn to the fabric of his trousers above his tailbone. He then smears an ointment across the kerchief, ties it across his nose and mouth, and scrambles toward the edge of the pit.

"Ouch. That was unexpected," Ruby said as she held her bleeding arm to her chest. Then she heard a thud next to her and squinted. In the very dim light that was coming from above she could tell it was George. "Oh crap, are you alright George? Please tell me you are okay." "Quite alright dearest." says George calmly.

She waved her uninjured arm and cast four little globes of light that floated up into the air, gently illuminating the area. She took a good look at George to assess his injuries and then a good look around at her surroundings, including looking for whatever it was she hit down here.

Peering over the edge of the pit, Fish spots Nanuet hanging on below. He clambers toward him with the grace of an acrobat, trailing the rope. Once alongside him, Fish hisses through his mask, "Hardin and the others are topside. I'm climbing down after the Beauty and the Brains. We might all want to climb down with all that smoke rising above us!"

Leaving the rope around his waist slackened so that Nanuet can elect to haul himself upwards, Fish concentrates on climbing down the wall of the pit as quickly and sure-footedly as possible. Rather than dwell on the hazards, he imagines he's descending from the shadowed peak of the Big Top into spotlights and applause. The now-softly-glowing globes emitting light from below add to the effect.

Mina had backed down a few steps to get out of the smoke. She says, "I hear their voices below, we need to get to them soon." With no spells that could do anything about the smoke, and Fish already halfway down the hole with his rope Abby couldn't really do anything to help further. "Mrs. Parker," she shouted, "we may need to open the door back up and let this trap reset. It must reset, we can't be the first people who ever set this off."

Mina points up and says, "But notice Abby how the smoke rises, filling the upper corridor to the door above. This trap was clearly established with the expectation that people would be coming down the flight of stairs rather than up. My guess is that the trap may be magical rather than mechanical in nature."

Abby replies, "Magical or mechanical, I can't affect it at the moment. Once the others are out we should be able to wait this out at the bottom of the stairs if the smoke is only going up. I'm just an apprentice level wizard," Abby said apologetically. "Nanny always said I'd come to nothin' if I didn't study harder. Might as well find out which it is," she added and cast a detect magic spell.

Moving towards George causes her to sink a few inches more, and she realizes that they are inside a pool of quicksand and her feet have not touched any floor yet. The pool of quicksand is roughly twenty-five feet in diameter with rough dirt walls. The more-solid item that her arm struck turns out to be the arm bone of a skeleton, which became dislodged from the torso when she hit it.

Looking around she sees another ten-to-twelve other skeletal remains floating atop the quicksand, apparently earlier victims of this particular trap. "Now lie back, till your head back and spread your arms and legs as wide as you can and we will float on top of this." says George as he holds Ruby's hand tightly so she cannot sink under.

Above, Fish makes his way towards Nanuet and manages to grab his arm as the smoke becomes thicker. Mina now begins to feel a burning sensation in her throat as the smoke fills the staircase near the edge of the pit. Lawrence grabs the rope and tries to brace himself on the stairs. He coughs in the choking smoke.

As Ruby sunk deeper into the quicksand she took a deep breath in. "Oh, George, I'm not usually one to panic but this isn't looking very good..." But she looked in his eyes and saw the calm there and tried to mirror it. She slowly did as he said and tried to tilt her head back and arrange her legs. "I think my arm is broken from the fall. I hit... someone... when I fell."

Fish climbs down just above the sand trap. He drives a piton and secures his line. "Are you two alright?" he asks as he swings his task hammer. ping...ping...ping "Mr. Eastman, I think we can haul both you and Miss West out of this mess, but we gotta get you tied in! Suggestions?" he asks, breathing heavily. Ruby says, "I'm a little hurt. But I'll be okay. I'll have a hard time climbing with only one arm though. And then there is the little problem of sinking in quicksand..." "Do you have extra length of rope? If so make a rescue loop. That's it tie it off in a bowline. Now drop that down and I can help Constance get it under her armpits and you can haul her up," says George.

Lawrence asks, "Ruby? Why don't you tie the rope around your waist and we can pull you up. Then you won't need to climb." Ruby called up, "Well Larry, it'd be easier if we weren't... SINKING IN QUICKSAND!! Every time we move we sink further!" Fish tosses a looped length of rope down toward George, secured to the piton.

Lying on their backs and floating atop the quicksand they can see that Nanuet has used Fish's rope to get back up the dangling stairs. The light globes also illuminate four pipes higher up along the wall immediately beneath the hinged stairs from which the smoke is pouring out. They also see suspended beneath the front staircase is a bronze metal tube, approximately one foot high and six inches in diameter, open on the front and held up by metal bars in the center on both sides. Inside the open front area they see the distinctive shape of an hourglass. The hourglass is solid bronze, so they cannot see if it contains any sand.

Ruby tried not to panicking at the sinking in the sand thing and instead she concentrated on the mechanics above her. "Hey Ben, if you can get me up there I think I can disable the trap." "Hold on a moment longer, friends! There's no time," says Fish with urgency in his voice. "Let me take a crack at that infernal device before our comrades up top choke to death!" Fish climbs back up the wall and attempts to disable the trap, taking a deep breath before he nears the smoke.

The dark smoke continues to pour from the tubes beneath the stairs hanging downward, now completely filling the section of stairs below the pit as well as the entire staircase upward from that point. Nanuet has now been pulled down the staircase and back to the first room with the shelves, suffering relatively low from the inhalation of the smoke. "I'm going to help Nanuet out," Abby said to Mrs. Parker, took a deep breath, and ran back toward where the stairs had dropped extending a hand to Nanuet when he was close enough.

George, whose head was more above the sand than Ruby's, takes the rope and slowly and carefully throws it for her head, looping it around Ruby. "Get your arms through there Ruby so you can't sink any further." His well placed aim made it easy for her to reach up and get her arms through, though it made her sink a little further. Still she felt more secure with the rope under her arms.

"Pull me up Ben so we can hurry and throw the rope back for George." She was trying not to notice how much he had sunk when he moved to help her. She was scared he would be hurt but at the same time she was glad he was with her, otherwise she would not know what to do. Ruby yanked on the rope and tried to pull herself up out of the sand as she could.

With the secured rope, Ruby and George are able to keep from sinking further. Fish reaches the cylinder with the hourglass and is able to flip it over 180 degrees until he hears a 'click' sound. Three things then occur. First, the smoke immediately stops pouring from the tubes. Second, the four staircase sections each being to slowly rise back upward. Third, the skeletons all become animated and start moving through the quicksand towards George and Ruby.

"Oh... crap. SKELETONS!!!!!!!!" she yelled out. "Um, NANA, what do we do??" She reached into the sand and pulled out her pistol, shaking the sand from it once it was out. She cocked a grin for a moment and mumbled to herself, "Jake would have a heart attack over the state of this gun..." She pointed the gun at the advancing undead.

Chapter 44, " There's dead things down here that didn't stay dead!“ (Episode Two, Chapter Four) - Wednesday, September 6, 1882, 4:30 P.M. (Egyptian time).

The first skeleton is almost upon Ruby. It is the one whose arm she broke off with her fall, as it tries to grab at her with its remaining arm. Noting the dirt walls, she doesn't hesitate to blast the skeleton in the face with her pistol. "Uh, George, can you do anything?"

George grasps the rope while reaching for his own gun. "I can shoot their heads off too, if that works. I haven't exactly studied the nature of reanimated life forms. I imagine I'll have to look into that now." Ruby rolls her eyes. "Just shoot them George!" So he does. Half-dangling from the rope, Fish un-holsters and fires the small revolver that Hardin helped him strap to his chest harness, targeting whatever creature has moved nearest to either Ruby or George.

Up above Nana looks around that room for anything that could help clear out the smoke, a large ornate shield or some sort of palm fan. She hears Ruby calling for her and her ears perk up when she hears "undead" and "stairs closing." "Everyone stay calm, we need to think quickly here. Any ideas? I can affect the undead if I can get over there. We have to keep Ruby, George and Ben from getting trapped down there. They're the ones who can get the trap open! Larry, can you disable the stairs from closing? Hardin and Abby, can you work on trying to clear the smoke out? Nanuet? Ideas?"

After helping Nanuet get down below the smoke, Abby heard the sounds of the mechanics grinding back to life and the trap beginning to reset. She reached into her deceptively small rucksack and pulled out a spike, then held a deep breath and ran back up the stairs, looking for a way to temporarily keep the stairs from completely closing.

Ruby manages to blow the heads of the first two skeletons to bits. Above, the others all hear the gunshots discharge. Nana concludes that it will take a considerable amount of time for the smoke above to dissipate. Abby realizes that they could probably jam the stairs with one of the stone shelves from the library room. However, that presents two problems. The first is physical, as each shelf probably weighs in excess of 500 pounds. The second is moral, as it would destroy a piece of furniture three thousand years old, which her archaeological training has taught her to never do.

Ruby looked up to the stairs trying to estimate how much time before it totally closed. "I'm sure glad I cast that spell, at least we have light," she said as advanced her gun. "The life of adventure, huh?" she said with a grin and took another shot at the undead with her gun. George shook his head at his fiancé's antics. He reached out and placed a hand on her arm, healing her.

During the past minute since Fish moved the hourglass the stairs have risen approximately one-fifth of the way back, meaning that in approximately four minutes they will be sealed. "Blazing bitches bleeding maggots!" curses Fish from below the stairs, "There's dead things down here that didn't stay dead! Jam the gears and help us already!"

Fish manages to shot and stop another skeleton but seven continue to move towards Ruby and George from all sides. Ruby yells up, "Ben, you made the stairs go you can make them stop, try to fix it! Or pull us up and I will!" Fish holsters his pistol and makes the attempt, sweat beading on his brow. He deliberately smirks as he does, jauntily flirting with his Lady Luck.

It takes all of Benjamin Trout's strength pushing and pulling on the cylinder, but he finally hears a click and it allows him to pivot it around 180 degrees, with the hourglass section now turned. Two things immediately happen - the rising stairs immediately collapse back downward, and the black smoke starts to pour out of the pipes again. The skeletons continue to move towards Ruby and George.

"We'd need something huge to jam those gears, bigger than Mrs. Parker and I could carry," Abby shouted, then shot a magic missile spell at one of the skeletons. "Damn the smoke!" Mina quickly wrapped her scarf over her mouth and nose. Then she hurried up the stairs, stopping at the edge of the break. She peered down into the pit but could barely see, the smoke and darkness almost making it impossible. But Ruby's globes of light still hung there above the sand and gave her the faintest view of below. She quickly cast a command undead spell on the skeletons and she yelled out "Halt!"

"Haul Miss West up and outta here!" shouts Fish to those above as he repositions his grip on the wall, "She's tied to the bottom of the rope." He then fires at the skeleton nearest George. Fish stops another of the skeletons. Mina's spell is successful at stopping all but two who are more towards the far end of the pit. This pair begins to move towards Ruby and George.

Hardin starts to move backwards, hauling on the rope to bring Ruby out of the pit. Beads of sweat immediately form on his brow at the exertion. "Girl needs to pass on the pastries..." As he continues to pull, he calls for anyone close by to assist with the rope-work. Abby moved over and helped Hardin haul on the rope. Ruby is hauled up into the air and out of the reach of the skeletons. Both still moving skeletons advance on George.

Ruby leaned to the side so she could see below her. She targeted the skeleton that Fish didn't and blasted it with a shot from her gun. "George, are you alright?" she called down as she was being hauled up. "Just hang on and we'll send the rope right back down before those others start up again!" Once Ruby was near the top she tried to find a foothold to help pull her up. Lawrence reaches down and pulls Ruby up. "I got ya. Hang on and we can get your fiancé. Are my old eyes betraying me, or did I see moving skeletons down there?" Once Ruby clears the lip, Fish retrieves the rope to drop it toward George.

Abby tossed another magic missile spell down on the skeleton Ruby didn't shoot. "Let's get the gent out of there, we need to get out of this smoke," she said, coughing. "Mrs. Parker, you might want to get that door open. We need to get out of here for a bit." "Oh, I'm fine" calls out George with forced cheerfulness as he moves his eyes from the skeleton he fires at to the opening above him. "I am quite sure Mary Shelley did not have this in mind when she wrote." quipped George.

Nanuet coughs heavily, having inhaled quite a bit of the smoke. As his lungs clear at least temporarily he says "Is anyone in position to plug up wherever that smoke is coming from?" He'll stay low and make his way back to the edge of the trap and see if he can't help pull anyone out.

After dropping the rope on George, Fish maneuvers himself near the trap apparatus. Once George is tied in, and friends above begin tugging, he begins manipulating the hourglass again in hopes of stopping the smoke. He has gathered that he needs to allow time for the two of them to climb from the pit before the stairs lock shut.

Ruby reached up and took Lawrence's hand, letting him pull her up. "Thanks for the hand up! No, you saw right. There were skeletons moving down there! There aren't any left alive, er, dead, er, undead, I don't think anyway. I think we all blasted them to bits." As Lawrence pulled on her arm she grimaced. "Ouch, I think my arm is still broken." She quickly pulled the rope off her and threw it down the pit. She yells "George grab the rope and these strapping men will pull you right up. Just hold on one more minute..." She started coughing, just then realizing she was breathing in smoke. She fanned in front of her face. "Abby's right, we should get out of here."

Nanuet seeing Ruby wincing in pain lays his hand on her and chants in Apache, as blue light washes over her arm and the swelling that had started begins to subside. "How's that?" The healing spell manages to fix Ruby's arm, as it was sprained but not actually broken. George is pulled up in short order. Fish makes his way back up top and they are all able to make their way safely back down the staircase to the first room that the scrolls had been kept in.

"Thank you Nanuet, you always make me feel better. How is everyone else? Anyone hurt?" She turned to George, "Sorry that I tripped the trap and made you fall. You could have died! I don't know what happened, I thought I had it. Next time I will," she said confidently. "You're welcome Miss Ruby. Where do we go from here?”

George smiled at Ruby "No Constance, I did not fall, put your mind at ease in that regard. I know you did your best, and that is all any of us can ask of any other member here. We are dealing with ancient traps that have kept these places safe for thousands of years, they are well made. We need to re-group and proceed with more caution is all." says George as he take Ruby by the hand and gives it a squeeze. And tie a rope around Miss West's waist when she tries again, so she can be quickly and easily rescued," Abby added.

Not long after they return the 'hourglass cylinder' flips again and the stairs return back up to their original position, the massive stones crushing in the process the spikes and obstacles that had been placed to keep them from closing. The smoke at the upper end of the staircase begins to slowly dissipate. Nanuet asks, “Onward and upward or back to regroup?" "Hrmm, prudence would say re-group, but if you have healed Constance's arm enough, perhaps we need to press our advantage and knowledge. We are on a tight time line" offers George.

Mina says, "I guess the next key question is how are we going to get around the trap we've already discovered, it runs for the thirty feet up the staircase. We could go back to the Florida house and get construction materials to make a semi-permanent way over it, or we might already have what we need to get by it in the short-term."

Abby says, "That's true, but we used up some valuable resources getting out of that mess. Nanuet there used some of his healing, I used up most of my spell power for the whole day... I hate to put off leavin', but it might be for the best." Nanuet says, "I guess another attempt at disabling the trap is out of the question

Ruby exclaims, "I can try the trap again. Perhaps Fish and I can work together." Ruby nears the steps and studies them again, being especially carefully to look where she set the trap off before. "Ropes to climb over the stairs without touching them... or Ben, did you see the underneath to see better how to disable it?" Ruby, with Ben's help (if he gives it), will attempt a second time to disable the trap. "Two sets of eyes are better than one, Miss West," replies Fish.

While neither see any way to disable it from above, it is now clear to both exactly where the pressure points are to trigger it, that being not only the steps that collapsed but the one immediately before it. ?" Fish explains what he has seen to the others. "Fish, can you monkey climb along the wall with some ropes so we can rig up a way to move past without stepping on the floor? I didn't bring any of that kind of gear..." Hardin trails off uncertainly...

"Yes sir, I can clamber along the wall and avoid the steps themselves," replies Fish confidently, "and I can rig some sort of harness to help the rest of you do the same..." Ruby says, "Or now that we know where this step is that sets off the trap, let's check the rest of the stairs for anymore that look like it... just the two of us... then we can just have everyone step over those steps. Might be easier." "Fair enough," says Fish cautiously, "but let's the both of us tie ourselves in before we try." He prepares the ropes. Ruby raises an eyebrow at Ben as he ties the ropes around her waist. "Don't get too frisky now Ben, we have a serious job to do," she chuckles.

Tied together they proceed cautiously, avoiding the steps they think to be trap triggers. When Ruby reaches the spot that sprung the trap before she carefully avoids that step, reaching the one beyond it. As before, the thirty foot section collapses out from under them and the black smoke begins to pour out from below. Unlike last time, they only fall as far as the ropes holding them allow, with the other members of the party holding the ropes securely from further back. The Indian exclaims, "Well that didn't work out so well." Nanuet tries to haul them back
out of the trap.

Ruby coughs and fans the air in front of her face. "Alright, I guess we have to go over all the remaining steps. Ben, let's make some sort of contraption to get that done. I have a feeling you'll be able to help me with that," she smiles. They first have to retreat a short while to wait for the trap to reset itself and the smoke to clear.

They set about using ropes and any other equipment they can find to make a pulley system so they can get up the stairs without touching the stairs. Fish and Nanuet go first followed by his wolf. He then "untangles" Maska from the rigged harness and sends it back waiting on the far side of the trapped stairs for everyone to cross. "Fish, maybe you should go ahead and see what other delights lie in store for us?" It takes close to an hour, but they are able to work out a rope and pulley system to get everybody up and across the section of steps.

Fish and Ruby carefully make their way up the remainder of the staircase to a stone doorway that opens out onto the top of the staircase. Looking carefully, they discover a swinging-blade trap by the door. The trap and blade is on this side of the doorway, clearly intended to spring on somebody opening the doorway from the other side. They have no difficulty at all in blocking the trap. "Are we good to go, my friends?" asks Fish, smoothing his hand across the face of the stone doorway whilst crouched low alongside it. He nods at Miss West.

The door opens easily from this side. It opens onto what is either an empty room or wide corridor, ten feet to the opposite stone wall and running forty feet to the right, ending in a solid wall. There are no other doors. Lawrence stoops to check the floor in front of the group. "Hold on. Let me check for other traps."

No traps are found, but Lawrence does manage to locate a hidden doorway on the far wall, half the width of the wall itself. It appears that the door will open once significant pressure is pushed against it. Lawrence states, "Well, look at that. Let's go here." Hardin steps up to lend a shoulder on the door..."What's the worst that could happen?" He says and grins his crooked grin. Lawrence raises a finger, "Well. Instant death would be one thing. But other than that..."

Lawrence and John both push, assisted by Nanuet, and the stone door pivots on the ride side, pushing outward. The face a cobweb-filled corridor continuing onward, the webs so think that visibility is limited to ten feet out. Lawrence blows webs from his mouth. He brushes his sleeves to rid himself of the sticky threads. "I'd hate to see the amount of spiders that created this."

"Ladies, it's a good thing you put your 'do in a bun..." says Fish, shuddering a little at the thought of bugs in his hair. "They'll be long gone," Abby said, twisting her hair up and off her neck. "Burning them would be easiest, but not a good idea. We'll just have to sweep them out, we need to see the walls."

George takes an unlit torch and extends an arm into the corridor. He raises the torch up and catches the webs and begins to twirl the webs about the torch. The sticky webs cling to each other as he winds them about the stick making a large wad on the end of the torch as the webs pull away from the ancient walls. 'We'll need a few more to clear the whole tunnel but they'll burn well afterwards" says George reaching deeper into the corridor. "Someone get some light onto this floor before we step on it"

Hardin's skin crawls as he slides past the webbing..."I don't like bugs..." he mutters under his breath. Using George's unlit torch method, they begin to make their way down the corridor. They soon come to a closed doorway on the right-hand wall. The stone door has a bronze doorknob and no apparent lock. The cobweb-filled corridor continues onward. Lawrence says to the others, "What do you think? There may be untold treasures behind this door. Let's go in."

"There could also be some fiendishly clever traps, sir," Abby said. "Let's get a look before we just go blunderin' in again." Arch and Engineering to see if there's anything Abby can tell that's odd about the door. The door is completely solid, flush to the floor, with no hint of air of light coming through. There are also no hinges or indications of any sort of how the door itself opens from the outside. Fish checks for traps. Lawrence and Ruby also do not detect any traps around the door.

"Let me just check it for magic before we call the all clear," Abby said and cast a simple detect magic. Abby detects no magic at or around the door. She does see a residual aura of magic around the doorway they entered from that heads down the trapped staircase. "No magic. If it explodes and kills us it won't be because we leapt before we looked."

Chapter 45, "Who is gonna stick their arm in that mouth?" (Episode Two, Chapter Five) - Wednesday, September 6, 1882, 5:30 P.M.

The door opens into the room with relative ease as the stale air inside mingles with the better air in the hallway. The room is fairly large, thirty feet in diameter with a thirty foot high ceiling. The floor has a tile fresco inlaid of the cat goddess Bast. On each of the three other walls is a metal rod near the ceiling, from which dangle tatters that were apparently once great tapestries, which would have been twenty-five foot square. On the wall on either side of the door are rods with the remains of a pair of ten-foot wide and twenty-five-foot long tapestries. Nothing else is inside the room.

Ruby wanders around the chamber to the remains of the tapestries and looks them over, searching the area. "I wonder what happened to these? I mean, everything else in here is in good shape." Lawrence coughs in the stale air. "My guess is they fell apart due to age. Hmm. It doesn't look like there is any other doors in this room. Let's take a quick look." Mina says, "Probably either mice or insects inside the cloth. Once the door was sealed the tapestries would have been the only organic material left for them to eat until they died of dehydration."

A search of the room reveals no other doors. Nanuet remains in the hallway, just peeking into the room. "No way out huh? Let's see where else this hallway leads." Nanuet waits to see if the others follow before continuing cautiously up the hallway with Maska. Fish quickly inspects the tapestry mounts/rods before following Nanuet into the hallway. "Nan, let's check out that room. Bring the torch!"

Continuing to make 'cobweb torches', they continue another twenty-five feet further down the corridor to a '+' shaped intersection with another door ten feet down the short corridor to the left, a blank wall at the corridor's end ten feet in front, and a wide open arch-style doorway to the right leading to another room that appears to be another thirty-feet square although the vast sheets of spider webs obscure the far wall.

As the party is watching a trio of black spiders, six-inches in length, scurry diagonally up a sheet of webs twelve feet into the room. The multitude of webs between them and the party prevent a more detailed identification of the exact type of spider. Fish comments, "Well, dem bugs certainly found something to eat! What say we burn 'em?" Lawrence lifts his torch. "Yeah, better them than me. I don't want to get caught in their webs. Let's start at the bottom of the web."

Once lit, the flames moves quickly, flowing from sheet to sheet of webs through connecting lines. As the light and heat sweep into the room the spiders scatter, and it appears that there are far more than three, as dozens of six-inch-long black spiders climb up and away. This proves to be fatal for them as the flames rise, as burning spiders begin to fall to the floor. The smoke itself flows out and into the back of the chamber.

After around five minutes the full thirty-foot-square room is cleared of webs and the flames move through a ten-foot diameter archway at the far wall and into the next web-filled room. That room appears to also be thirty-feet wide but only twenty-feet deep. Several more flaming six-inch spiders fall to the ground. There is then a ear-piercing scream.

A large object crashes to the ground, flames surrounding it. It too is a spider, but considerably larger, the body being nearly four-feet in length and over two-feet wide excluding the legs. It is aflame, but still far from dead as it quickly begins to scamper in the direction of the party forty-feet away from it. Harden swallows hard. "Lord preserve us!"His hands brush across his chest and come away with the Colt Lightenings. He steadies his shaking hands as the monstrous spider scurries towards them, waiting for it to close the range. The reports of the twin guns is very loud in the enclosed space...

Ruby exclaims, "Well, this is considerably disgusting. I'm not exactly a fan of the spider..." Seeing Hardin pull his guns, she pulls her too but checks her hasty loading from earlier while he shoots his fancy guns. If the spider is still living when he is done, she will shoot at the spider too. The creature continues to move towards the party as Hardin's bullets strike it. It finally comes to a stop a mere three feet before the group not long after the revolvers are empty, where it slumps and continues to burn.

"I wonder what a creature that size eats in a place like this?" Nanuet says kneeling down to examine the body of the spider closely. "And I wonder if there are more of them." Harden frowns as he re-loads..."I put enough lead in that critter to stop a rampaging buffalo...sure didn't die too easy..." He glances around to see if there are any more... No other creatures are visible and the fire appears to be out in both rooms, with the smoke dissipating.

Ruby says, "It was a good idea to burn the webs. Luckily there wasn't anything else stuck in them that we burnt though. I wonder... how were they surviving down here so long with no food source? Or they must have had a way in and out. So I guess we should keep searching around to find it." She takes a closer look at the areas they just cleared out, especially looking for any signs of false or secret doors. Fish shadows her, checking for the same.

The first room is empty save for the small number of remaining strands of cobwebs that the fire did not touch. The second room has a large pile of bones in the far corner, most of which appear to be skeletons of rodents of various sizes - mice, rats, rabbits and a ferret-like creature. Lawrence scatters the bones with his foot. "Well, I reckon that these were what those spiders were eating. Much better than me."

The remaining smoke is filtering out from the ceiling through a pair of ventilation shafts, one in each corner of this room, and each measuring twelve-by-eight inches in size. One is covered by a metal grate, the other is open, with a rusted metal grate lying on the floor beneath it.

In the center of the far wall of this room is a metal door made of bronze, that stands eight feet tall and three-and-a-half-feet wide. Cast into the door itself is a human-sized molded relief of Bast, the Cat-Goddess. Her mouth is open, and looking beyond her bronzed fanged-teeth one can see a keyhole inside at the center of her mouth. He peers inside the mouth. "Huh, I haven't seen a key anywhere about. I'd be scared of putting my hand in there to pick the lock, though. Those teeth still look sharp." He pokes at one with his gun.

Fish examines the rest of the bronze door, avoiding the nasty-looking mouth for the moment. Finding nothing of note in the door itself, Fish extracts his little mirror and takes a peer at that mouth. It appears to be a regular keyhole. Hardin chuckles..."Who is gonna stick their arm in that mouth?" Mina says, "It isn't absolutely necessary that anybody do that right now, there are other still places to investigate back in the main hallway." Then let's go. There's plenty of time for a visit to the sawbones."

Ruby takes a look at the rusted grate that lies on the floor and the ventilation shaft it came from. "I wonder if time did this or something else?" As she is searching her eyes dart back to the keyhole in the cat's mouth. The lure of that was just too great and pulling on her. Abby says, "Let's be quick about it. I don't like leaving unknowns behind us, each room should be searched thoroughly. We have to come back through here and I don't want something biting us on the ass."

Investigating the left corridor from the intersection, it goes for another ten feet to another stone door with no obvious mechanism for opening. The other forward corridor ends abruptly after ten feet. Fish spends some time searching for hidden doors along these corridors. Fish locates the cracks to indicate a hidden doorway along the dead-end corridor along the far wall and side. The doorway begins two feet above the floor and looks to be four feet high and two feet in width.

Ruby searches around to find how to open the door, getting a lift up to get a better view. Ruby senses an aura of magic radiating from around the cracks of the hidden doorway. "Hmmm..." Ruby tapped on her full lips as she studied the door, "There may be a trap here or the door is just magically sealed. Let me check for a trap." Ruby carefully checks the door and area for traps or a way to open it. Ruby detects no traps Lawrence states, "Hmph. What if we just push it? Or maybe it's connected to the cat statue with the open mouth." "Good point, you very well may be correct about that."

Ruby pushes on the door a few times to see if she can move it. Pushing has no effect. Mina states "Let me try a 'knock' spell." She makes the incantation and focuses the energies at the doorway. Ruby senses the magical aura shifting in intensity. The stone then slides back and pivots to the side, creating an opening into the next darkened chamber. Lawrence says, "Nice trick, Mina. Does that work on normal locks, too?" "A different variation of the spell does," she replies. Lawrence whistles, "That could put locksmiths and thieves out of business."

Climbing through one at a time, they find themselves in a long corridor moving forward. Unlike the previous area, this section is empty of cobwebs with a minimal of dust. The corridor runs for is straight for forty feet before it apparently opens into a larger chamber to the right for the next forty feet before ending in a stone door. On this more immediate corridor there are three doors as well, one fifteen feet out and to the right and two on the left, at five and twenty-five feet. "Let's try the closer door first and work our way out. Agreed?"

"Fine with me," Abby agreed. "Everyone keep your eyes open now, this area looks like someone or something comes 'round and keeps it from gettin' dusty." She makes sure to take note of what the doorway looks like on this side and how it may operate, knowing they will have to come through here again to get home. Hardin grins his crooked grin. "A kitty cleaning staff?" The first door contains a small ten-foot square room with several metal rings of various sizes and heights imbedded into the far wall and ceiling. "Well, that's interesting. Almost like they kept something chained up in here."

Taking care to tread lightly, Fish inspects the door on the right. He does not see anything apparent about the door other than a standard bronze handle and no lock of any sort. Fish pulls/pushes on the handle. Like the previous room, this one is also ten-foot square. The room is empty, although from indentations and a small pedestal on the floor it appears that there was once a two-foot diameter object in the upper right corner.

"Prisoners, I'd say. Could have been animals of some kind I suppose, text and research tends to heavily edited to avoid talking about anything that might have been magical. Idiots." Fish proceeds to the third and final door, inspecting it first and then attempting to open it if he discerns no lock or trap.

Another ten foot square room is on the opposite side of the door. In the center of the room is a round metal brazier, four foot in diameter, that has what appears to be a fire currently burning in it, except that no smoke comes from the fire and the flames are purple in color. "Uh, that is really odd, no?" Ruby steps closer to inspect the purple fire. She concentrates on it to detect if it's magical.

Ruby detects a magical aura. Mina moves forward and says, "That's Bast's Eternal flame, it is clerical in nature. The ruins that I visited a half-century ago had a brazier like that in one of the Priest's chambers. They were used to burn scrolls on which prayers to Bast were written."

Moving down the corridor beyond the rooms they reach the large room off to the right. Shining their lantern they see that it runs the full forty-foot width of the remaining corridor and one-hundred feet out with a curved arch on the opposite wall. Four pairs of stone pillars support the fifty-foot high arched roof. Centered on the opposite side of the room twenty feet from the far walls is a large round twelve feet diameter stone pedestal standing eight feet high.

Mina exclaims, "I've been here before! This is Champollion's dig!" She gestures back to the previous room and says, "That room with the purple flame, it was the same one that I saw before, it just looked different without any of the other furnishings in the room." She points back across the big chamber and says, "And that pedestal, atop it sat a thirty-five foot tall statue of the Cat-Goddess Bast." Lawrence says, "Champollion? Who's that? And what was he digging for? I guess that means you're in familiar territory, Mina."

Mina says, "Jean Francois Champollion is considered by many to be the founder of Egyptology. His primary expertise was in the deciphering of hieroglyphics. Sixty years ago he managed to decipher the Rosetta Stone, which Napoleon had found during his earlier invasion of Egypt. Through that stone the secret to reading all of the ancient Egyptian writings was made possible.

Champollian is a linguistic genius, fluent in most of the languages of the world, both present and past. The College of France made him their Professor of Egyptology. He spent much of the 1820's exploring Egypt, which is when James and I met him. That was when he showed us this dig here in ancient Bubastis. Years later he caused great controversy by moving ancient Egyptian antiquities to museums in France. He justified it by saying that it was the only way to keep the treasures safe from thieves. I imagine that is where the Bast statue is now."

She gestures to one of two doors along the left side long-wall of the large chamber and says, "That would be the door to the surface exit. Champollian commented to us that he hadn't found the second exit, as the priests would have had one to use for emergencies. Based upon the fact that he apparently never discovered the section that we entered from I would guess it is somewhere that way."

"Thomas Young did much of the earlier work," Abigail added. "What Champollian realized was the hieroglyphics represent phrases rather than single words or letters. These emptied rooms make me want to cry. So much of their meaning is now lost." Abigail sighed and looked around the room. "We'll want to use that unknown exit. There may be nothing left to steal but that doesn't mean the main entrance isn't watched." Mina says, "Yes, going out the known exit might be bad. Smell the air in here, torches dipped in oil burned in this room recently, probably earlier today."

Lawrence states, "I've read that thieves looted many tombs soon after the burial. So I can see his point. Anyway, what's done is done. Let's go look for that secret door." They backtrack, but for the time being still leave open the magical door between Champollion's ruins and those that they found. From the "+" intersection there are two options, the chamber with the metal doorway with the cat mouth keyhole, and the short corridor with a still unopened single stone doorway. Ruby senses a magical aura surrounding that door. "Lady Wilamina, Miss West...what do you think?"

Mina examines the door on the wall and says, "Let me try something." She waves her hands and recites an incantation in the Ancient Egyptian language. A number of Egyptian symbols then materialize on the doorway. After studying them for a short while she declares "This is it, the back-door out of here. However the phrases indicate that it has been warded against the 'great evil from below', whatever that might mean, and that only the 'pure of heart' can open it." "Well, that disqualifies your granddaughter!" thinks Benjamin to himself.

Chapter 46, "A Great Responsibility" (Episode Two, Chapter Six) - Wednesday, September 6, 1882, 7:00 P.M.

Ruby exclaims, "Evil down below? I wonder what THAT could be?? Perhaps the spiders? But those didn't seem all that difficult to get rid of. Hmmm...," Ruby tapped at her lips then shrugged. "I really have no idea. Nana, how do you think we get this door open? Magically?" Ruby looked it over for traps and to see if it was locked in a traditional way.

Mina says, "Sure, we'll just have to get the one among us who is most 'pure of heart' to open it. I'm afraid that I won't quality due to a number of indiscretions from my youth." Ruby quirked an eyebrow, "What KIND of indiscretions Nana?" Then Ruby laughed. "I suppose I'm off that list too. What about George? He's pretty pure, though I have been working on that..." She broke out into a fit of giggles.

Abby asks, "The question is, what would the Egyptians have considered pure of heart? Their attitudes about a lot of things were more liberal than in modern America. They valued other things to be of higher worth." Mina replies with a laugh, "Well, they definitely had a different description of purity than Queen Victoria. Virginity, or sexuality at all, would not have been a factor.

Followers of Bast viewed their goddess as a protector and defender of the Pharaoh. Essentially, she was a divine mother-figure. So purity would have been seen as protective loyalty and dedication, as well as tenderness. So Ruby, I think I'll agree with you. Of the eight of us the one who best matches that description is probably your George. He also knows clerical spells, which is probably what is needed to get this door to open."

Hardin grins..."Wonder why I don't fit the bill...must have something to do with that whole purity and light thing. Although I am a lawyer now...that must count for som'thin'." He winks at Mina. Mina replies, "Yes John, I am afraid that you probably won't qualify." Lawrence quips, "I think that lowers your chances, Mr. Hardin. I'm too old to be pure of heart, so it can't be me."

She turns and looks towards Abigail and says "However, you might be a viable candidate Miss Marsters." Fish keeps his filthy thoughts to himself. She replies, "Humility aside, it's possible. I can't say I ever been mean or disloyal, that's for certain." Abby got closer to the door and took another look. "I'm out of magic for the day already though, I can't look at it that way. What do you reckon I'd need to do?"

Mina says, "I think that a Commune spell might be in order. Nanuet and I will place our hands on each of your shoulders and he can repeat my spell after me. We will then each cast a spell, him a clerical and myself a sorcerer. That should channel enough energy into to your body to cast your own spell, with the remnants of both the clerical and sorceror energy."

They get into position, Nanuet placing a hand on her shoulder and the other on his amulet. Mina waves her and states "Aljaa brohh sanatista johaa", then nods to Nanuet who repeats it. They then simultaneously cast their own spells. Ruby is able to discern colored auras flowing from Nanuet and Mina's arms and into Abigail, Nanuet's being gold in color and Mina's being a pinkish-red. Abigail immediately feels a surge or energy flow into her, with a light-headed sensation similar to being intoxicated.

Abby stands momentarily frozen, focusing on the rush of power flowing through her. She watched the text on the door flicker and play, and her mind began to pull together bits and pieces of spells she knew. At the core was the knock spell, one she had studied but was not yet powerful enough to cast on her own. Behind them were the simple spell that opened and closed small things, and the spell she did know that would hold a door shut. With all this extra power floating through her, Abby took a chance and recited the untested knock spell, hoping that her inexperience wouldn't work against them.

There is a slight rumbling followed by a thin puff of dust from the doorway. The stone doorway before them slides, not inward or to the side as previous doors in this series of chambers but instead, upward, rising ninety-percent of the doorway. Light shines outward into the corridor, far brighter than the group's lantern, as the chamber within appears to have a Continual Light spell within in. A rush of bad air washes over the group in the corridor, causing a few to gag. Mina comments, "It has probably been sealed for several millennia. We need to wait a few minutes for this outside air to circulate in before we attempt to enter."

From the corridor most of the thirty-foot square stone room can be viewed. The ceiling is twelve feet high with an inlayed-stone portrait of Bast set into it, with large red rubies for eyes. There are no visible exits to the room. The back wall is lined with five wooden bookcases, each four feet wide and ten feet tall, with small stone altars between them. Each bookcase has its own collection of items. One has shelves of scroll cases, another of wooden boxes, another of ceramic urns, another of rolled tapestries, and the final has stacks of wax candles.

On the right wall of the room are three low beds, with blankets atop padding. On two of the three beds are mummy-like bodies wrapped from head to toe. The third is empty. Beside each bed is small wooden cabinet. The left wall contains a man-sized statue of Bast made entirely of gold save for the rubies that represent her eyes. Fish casually lifts his hand to his face and tucks his bottom lip to keep from drooling. The spell illuminating the room appears to originate from the statue. Gold candleholders are on alters to either side of her, one with the candle burnt down to the stub, the other new. Tapestries depicting Bast adorn the wall behind the statue.

In the center of the room is a large wooden table, made of a thick dark wood not native to Egypt. Twelve ornately-carved chairs of the same wood are around the table. All are unoccupied save for the one at the head of the table, where a mummified body of a white haired man wearing priest robes and gold jewelry is seated. A parchment is lying on the table before him. Lawrence coughs, then says, "Wow, this is some room. What kind of room is this? Did they bury that man alive?"

Mina says, "This would have been the room for the High Priests. I doubt he was buried alive, if this room has a surface exit. He was probably the one who sealed the entrances from the inside, although why is anybody's guess." "That is odd. He's starting to give me the creeps, though. "Glancing back towards the secret entrance into the other section of the temple she says, "We should shut that other doorway, we wouldn't want Champollion and his team to know about this room." "John, Fish, can you give me a hand with the door?" Tearing his eyes away from the loot glinting in the eye sockets of the venerable relic, Fish volunteers lustily, "Of course I'll help you!"

Ruby stood, momentarily speechless at the sight of the room. "Um, okay. LOTS of questions... Why are there three beds and one is empty? Is that third bed for this guy?" She thumbs towards the mummy sitting upright. "Why is one of the candles burnt down and one new? Who else is down here? What does that piece of paper he was reading say? What kind of magic is so powerful that it can last all this time?" She paused and tapped her lips in an all too familiar I'm thinking of something pose, "And most importantly, WHY are this guy's..." She points to the statue of Bast, "Uh, girls? - eyes all red?? Is that significant? What was this Bast person all about?"

Mina says, "Here in Bubastis she was deemed The Protector, seen as a nurturing figure to those of the city, as well as the protector of the Pharaoh. However, Bast was also known alternately as the sun goddess and the war goddess, either one of which could explain why red is used here by her priests to depict her eyes." Ruby exclaims, "Ah that doesn't sound SO scary... Still, there are a lot of questions here we need answered." She moved toward the mummy sitting at the table and peeked at the parchment.

She cannot read it, but recognizes it to be the same language that was on the first lower line of the octagonal room doors, namely the elite form of ancient Atlantian. "Nana, do you want to try to read this? It's that ancient magic language again." Mina says, "This is the rare version of the language, at best I could guess at every fifth word or so. We will need Alsoomse to translate it."

Ruby moved to the back wall and began to inspect the bookcases and their contents. Ruby does not detect anything magical about the contents themselves, but does sense a magical aura from the wall behind the center bookcase. She exclaims, "Hey, there is something behind the bookcase here. Perhaps a secret door? Let's move it out and check it out." Ruby points George towards the correct bookcase expectantly and waits for the others to help.

After helping Lawrence secure the door, Fish turns his attention to the bookcase. He searches for any trip mechanism first, figuring that anything worth concealing behind a bookcase is worth booby-trapping too. He sees no traps but does notice that instead of being flush with the wall as the other four bookcases are this one is approximately one-eighth of an inch out and there looks to be something ceramic and eight-inches tall along the wall near the midpoint of the bookcase. Fish immediately informs Lady Wilamina.

Mina exclaims "Wait, don't anybody touch or move anything in this room until after George has photographed it." Ruby freezes, looking guilty, her hand just about to touch something on a shelf, stating "Good idea." Fish admires her lithe fingers. Lawrence states, “Well, that'll take a while. It won't hurt to just look around, right?" He wanders over to another shelf. Fish stands off to one side of the cat statue and squints at the rubies.

People continue to look around as George sets up and uses his photography equipment, continually telling people to move so that they won't be in each shot. He then has them all move outside so that he can take a few of the full room from the doorway. Fish estimates the rubies to be worth several thousands of dollars, probably even more to a collector given their historical significance. Once the pictures are completed people reenter the room and start looking around again. George stores the film away safely, glad that he did not have to lug around this many plates. Still, the dust may affect the development, but he wouldn't know that until he got back to the lab. If he got back to the lab that is.

Ruby says, "Now that business is done... let's get back to that bookcase. I'm curious to see what's behind it. Will someone help me?" Ruby waits for the big strong men to help move the bookcase out of the way so she can investigate further. Hardin lends a shoulder on the bookcase. Nanuet lends a hand to Hardin. The men are careful moving the case so as not to topple any of the ceramic urns on its shelves. They lift from one side, pivoting it out into the room.

Behind the bookcase is a stone doorway with a curved arch on the top. It stands two-feet wide and seven feet high in the center. There is no door, although both Ruby and Mina detect a magical aura where a door would be if there was one. Immediately on the other side of the doorway whatever passageway or room that might be there is covered with hard packed dirt going from top to bottom of the doorway itself.

At the base of the doorway is a ceramic statue of Bast, eight inches high and three inches wide and deep. Most of it is sitting in the doorway itself, inside the magical aura seen by the two sorcoresses, with only the very front of the statue out into the room. The statue has a black glaze to it, save from the eyes that are painted red. Fish feigns nonchalance and begins rolling a cigarette. He ducks his head forward to get a whiff of the hidden doorway. There is no discernable smell.

"That thing is giving me the heebie jeebies!" says Fish, before licking, tucking and sealing his spliff. Fish's discomfort goes beyond not liking the looks of it, his long-honed instincts say for him to stay away from the object. He steps away. Fish wanders over and takes a closer look at the bling on the corpse. "Certainly this dead guy has no need of his finery..." he thinks to himself. George steps up and asks everyone to step back as he take a photograph of this new statue. "Hrmm, a guardian of some sort?" Lawrence continues to inspect the shelves. He takes quick glances at Bast's statue.

Abigail feels drawn to the object, gaining a sense of comfort and peace as she nears it. Abby took several deep breaths as she stared at the statue. "Mr. Eastman, are you finished with your photographs? I'd really like to examine that statue," she said with a faraway lilt in her voice. "No, no I am not." replies George as he steps closer and sets up another photograph. He then steps closer still and sets up another photograph, and yet another, inching closer and closer to Bast. As he moves nearer, like Abigail, George too feels a welcoming draw towards the small replica of Bast.

Abby exclaims, "Good gods, man! Just walk up and touch it if that's what you want to do! I'll be an old woman by the time you're finished!" George stares at Abby and opens and closes his mouth wordlessly before looking at Ruby. "George, hurry up!" Ruby smiled but curiously moved closer to take a peek at what was causing all the commotion.

George nods resolutely. He carefully puts away his camera. He takes a deep breath and steps forward inches from the statue. He kneels down facing the statue. "Ok Miss Bast, you have protected this area for a long time. I respect that guardianship and we mean no harm to anyone or thing you protect." With introductions done, George slowly reaches out to pick up the statue.

As George's hand touches the statue his head is flooded with a cascade of images and voices. He sees a trio comprised of two Priests and a Priestess of Bast. The image fills with the living face of a single priest of Bast that appears to be the exact same man sitting mummified at the table, although the man in the image is attired in much fancier robes and carrying a staff. The image speaks to him in the ancient Egyptian tongue, although George hears and understands every word. The man says:

"Worthy believer, you must assist me in keeping the world safe from the dark ones below. We know not if they are allies of the Persians or if the dual attack was only one of opportunity. The image of the Goddess before you will keep those of evil intent from coming any closer."

The priest then tells George the incantation to both deactivate and activate the Wall of Protection that surrounds the statue, which is an unbreakable barrier combining the abilities of the Wall of Force and Protection from Evil spells. The barrier will expand to fill any doorway, corridor or room within the Temple of Bast or any other location also dedicated to a good-aligned Egyptian deity. The commands are a mix of the Atlanian and Egyptian languages and can only be stated by a Spellcaster who is Pure of Heart, in fact anybody else who attempts to touch the statue or barrier it protects will suffer great pain, or even death with continued contact. The priest concludes saying "A great responsibility has been thrust upon you. Keep the world safe."

George nods reverently to the statue. He sighs and stands, turns and relates what he has seen and heard. "So it appears we now have a burden of responsibility added to us, though we have some extra measure of protection. My main concern is what was meant by 'the dark one below' and what ancient evil attacked the temple. I know how to disable the barrier that exists in the doorway, though I do not see it. But we may also let in any evil on the other side." Mina says, "Do we have a choice? We have to get out of here to stop the British from destroying the place, and going the other way would alert the French."

Chapter 47, ""Well dear, would you care to see Egypt?" (Episode Two, Chapter Seven) - Wednesday, September 6, 1882, 10:30 P.M.

George sighs "I know, I know. I just we there were more choices." George faces the doorway and holds the statue of Bast before him and carefully recites the ancient Egyptian and Atlantean words that are now forever scribed in his brain. With a flash of light the barrier becomes visible then vanishes completely. Ruby notes that the aura around the doorway is gone. The packed dirt remains immediately on the other side of the doorway. Ruby comments, "So I guess someone needs to start digging..."

Lawrence looks around for a shovel. "I guess it never ends, does it? I've had a long enough rest. Let's get to it." Lawrence's shovel hits the dirt, and the entire wall of packed dirt collapses, it apparently being only a few inches thick. Beyond the doorway is a four-foot-wide corridor, the floor made of polished stone but the walls and ceiling being rough unworked stone. The corridor goes for ten feet and then forks, with the corridor to the right continuing at a downward angle and the one to the left at an incline.

George takes deep breath and holding Bast before him, plunges ahead into the tunnel. Benjamin follows, they soon reach the fork in the tunnel. Ruby follows them down the hallway. "Left or right... let's go left." She listens at the fork for any sound before moving. The corridor heads upward at an angle that varies from ten to twenty degrees. This corridor is rougher than those previously traveled in, with an occasional stone support pillar to keep the roof from collapsing. They travel for nearly two-hundred feet when it turns sharply to the right and continues on at a steeper twenty-five degree angle. "I wonder if this is leading us out?" Ruby comments before continuing the ascent.

The corridor continues for another seventy-five feet, ending in a twenty-foot diameter room. The room has a stone bench and table for furnishings. Markings on the stone floor indicate that there was once either furniture or containers of some sort but those have long ago been taken away. On the far diagonal wall from the entrance is a pair of three-by-six-foot stone doors at a sixty-degree angle. To either side of the doors are metal fittings that hold a pair of thick metal bars blocking the doors, however both the fittings and the bars are rusted and corroded. The rust appears to be thickest near the crack between the two doors, where a very thin gust of fresh air is also seeping through near the top. Ruby also detects a slight magical aura on the doors.

"Well, only one way to go, lets get a crowbar under those bars and open the doors up." says George. Lawrence hefts his shovel. "George, This will have to do. Stand back. Who knows what I might shake loose." If Ruby doesn't stop him, he'll wedge the tool between the doors and pry. The nearly 3000 years of exposure to the elements has weakened the metal bars enough that the combined efforts of the men managed to cause the bars to split and then be pried out. The door itself remains shut and based upon the placement of the bars they apparently open into the room, which would make pushing on them ineffective.

"Lawrence, try to get that shovel into the crack between the doors and let's see if we can pry this side up a bit," suggests George. Fish posts up near where the party entered the room to keep an eye out on our tail end. Nanuet pitches in to help and they manage to pry the door inward enough to get the end of the shovel into it. Some sand pours through the crack. They reposition and work out an improvised pulley and lever system to enable them all to help and the right side door soon gives out, opening in with several hundred pounds of sand following, it having piled up outside over the centuries. The doorway appears to be on the side of hill, with the desert sands stretching for several miles into the distance. Mina turns to Ruby and says, "Well dear, would you care to see Egypt?"

Abby asks, "Does anyone have the means to hide this door again? The sand isn't going to cut it anymore." They notice it is dark outside. Mina says, "Yes, it's a ten-hour time difference. Back home it would now be mid-afternoon, so it would be around midnight here." As they peer outside Mina thrusts up her hand and whispers "Quiet, I hear voices." Once everybody is silent they all listen intently. The voices are a good distance off, too far to make out what is being said, although they hear enough to determine that the language appears to be Arabic.

George holds a finger to his lips and listens carefully to the Arabic, suddenly grateful for that summer he spent in Morocco finding a silver supplier and learning Arabic. He only makes out a smattering of the conversation, a few names and the words for "camel", "rocks", "morning", "provide", "well-organized" and "navigator". He does detect that the conversation appears to be casual, with no indication of alarm or intruders in the area. "What next, friends?" quips Fish quietly.

George waves the group back a bit. "I would like to investigate the other branch, but now that this entrance it open, I fear leaving it exposed however. Does someone have a way to conceal the entrance?" asks George quietly. Lawrence wipes the sweat from his brow. He looks around and just sees sand. "I don't see any brush or trees. Can we use the bookcases?"

Mina says, "Well, if we're on the outside we can always just shut the door and pile the sand up again." Ruby says, "Good idea Nana, let's just go. It's kind of smelly in here anyway. We just have to be all quiet like is all..." Ruby tries to push her way through the group and out the door to peek out onto the land that she has been desperate to see since she was a child. She looks for where the voices are and if she doesn't see them she will cautiously step outside the door.

Mina follows Ruby outside. The air is cool, in the low sixties, with a slight breeze. The owners of the voices are nowhere in sight, the sound coming from bottom of the opposite side of the hill that they are on. The moon shines on the desert below, with miles of straight sand intermixed with sand dunes. Around two miles away is a large brightly lit community of some sort. Floating in the air around two-hundred feet above this community is a dark cigar-shaped balloon that appears to be between five-hundred and six-hundred feet in length.

Lawrence whispers to Ruby, "What do you see? Can you see who's talking?" He holds shovel at the ready. George follows into the cool desert night. "All right, what now? We have found a way outside. What is our next priority? And if we conceal the door how can we find it again?"

Mina motions for silence and for the others to follow. She makes her way up to the top of the hill and peers over. Down below at the bottom of the opposite side are the excavated ruins. On the sand situated near a stone archway at the hill's base are three canvas tents. Two men attired in western clothing and with head scarves are the two men heard speaking in Arabic. Mina points and whispers saying, "That archway is the entrance to Champollion's dig." Ruby asks, "So Nana, what are we actually going to do? We have to stop the French Wizards but how can we do that?"

Mina replies, "All of you stay here and keep an eye on things. I'm going back to the Florida house to let James know we made it here and to get some supplies." Nanuet says, "Mrs. Parker, you shouldn't be going through these caves by yourself." She replies, "Fine, you come with me. We should be back in an hour or so."

"Nana! What will we do here without you? I mean, what if something happens??" Ruby's cheeks turned a crimson color. After all, she had taken care of herself for many years and alone on the other side of the country from where her family had lived. But now she was on the other side of the world, as she always wanted to be, and was feeling a little overwhelmed by the fact they weren't exactly here on vacation.

She took a deep breath in and let it out. "Oh, we'll be fine, I was just being silly." She looked down onto the other dig site. "Perhaps while you are away I should get a closer look at that," she pointed to the archway. "Or maybe that big balloon thing, what the heck is that anyway?? Or that far off city, maybe we should go investigate that," she suddenly grinned at that thought. "Do you know the name of it Nana?"

Mina replies, "That is the city of Zakazik, which looks to be where the balloon is anchored, notice it isn't moving. Don't consider going towards the city yet until I return. You way want to just rest here and keep a guard. If you do decide to check out the men in the tents, or that lower tunnel, then please be careful. We will be back as soon as we can." Ruby nodded. "Yes Nana. And you be safe going back." She kissed the woman on the cheek and did the same for Nanuet. She didn't have to ask Nanuet to make sure her grandmother was safe in their travels. Mina and Nanuet say their goodbyes and head back down the tunnel towards the gateway.

"Well, Mr. Eastman, you're the only one with anything like a working knowledge of what the locals speak 'round these parts. What do you suggest we do next?" asks Fish sincerely. George replies to Fish, "I will head down and see if I can't scare up some more info." Turning to Ruby he gives her a kiss and says "Cover me" George, his face and hands stained dark with walnut stain in preparation for this, wraps some cloth around his head as a keffiyeh and quietly makes his way down the dune to eavesdrop on the men some more. Lawrence reaches into his pocket for a handkerchief and brushes the handle of the revolver Hardin gave him. He thinks, I forgot that was there. He draws it and thumbs back the hammer. "I have you covered, too, George."

Lawrence and George make their way down and around the hill, staying low and using the tents themselves to shield them from the pair of men. As they near they can see that the camp consists of four tents, two larger tents, approximately twenty-foot square and two smaller ones approximately eight-foot square, one of the smaller ones having been behind a bigger one. Snoring is coming from both of the smaller tents.

The two men are guarding the entrance to one of the bigger tents, the one closest to the archway to the temple. George listens to their conversation for around twenty minutes and draws a number of conclusions: (1) The men are brothers named Haaab and Rameri; (2) They are currently employed by Frenchmen; (3) The Frenchmen are staying at the best inn at Zakazik; (4) The men are very nervous about the British Army heading that direction; (5) They both have a great dislike for a particular lamb, carrot and bread meal that their mother makes; (6) They wish that they had brought more cigars with them.

Ruby pops up behind George and Lawrence. She whispers, "Find anything out?" After George fills her in she says, "I think I'll try to sneak up behind the back of the unguarded bigger tent and get a closer view." Ruby sneaks around the hill and making the least amount of noise possible she chooses the best route to go unseen to come up behind the back of the second tent.

Ruby manages to make her way into the tent unseen. It is fairly dark inside and it takes her a few minutes for her eyes to adjust to the lack of light. She sees that the interior of the tent consists of several tables, two with books and another with maps. There are also three locked steamer trunks inside. Ruby checks the trunks for traps, searching thoroughly before attempting to pick the lock on one.

She finds no traps and is successful at picking the locks. The trunk is filled with standard archaeological supplies - lanterns, ropes, spikes, shovels, brooms, blankets, clear glass jars with some sort of liquid inside, and half-a-dozen more books. Ruby grabs a smattering of books, one of the clear glass jars and the maps off the table. She returns to George and Lawrence and shows them the newly acquired booty. "Does any of this mean anything to you two?"

With only the moonlight for illumination they are unable to make out exactly what the book is. They can see enough of the maps to determine that they are all of Egypt, and that many notations have been written on them. George are Lawrence are able to deduce that the balloon must have done some high-altitude reconnaissance of both the Egyptian and British forces, and it appears that several days still remain before either army reaches this location.

She says, "Let's get back to the others now. I think these guys are really just watching this site. Perhaps the French Wizard is sleeping here and I don't think we're prepared to face him without James and Nana. We need to figure out how we are going to make sure the armies don't meet up and fight here. At least, I think that is why we are here..."

Ruby is quiet for a moment while George and Lawrence discuss the findings. She listens to them talk and it bores her, not while something so magnificent waits so nearby. She peeks over the top of a dune and looks out, across the desert and towards the city. The quiet out there, the nothingness, then the lights, the ancient exotic calling to her... her heart swelling with excitement and happiness. Her body was literally itchy to go towards the city, out into the desert or at least into the other dig site.

She flipped her hair over her shoulder and looked back to the boys. She looked out into the desert, back to the boys, back to the desert then sighed. She would have to wait another day for adventure. "Alright let's go." Ruby led them back to the others where they passed on what information they gathered. "Should we just wait for Nana or should we maybe sneak into their dig site and see what they found?" George grinned at Ruby. He was calculating and methodical. She was impulsive and reckless. Yet at times she had the right idea and he had learned to trust that. "Let's go check out the dig site and see how close they are."

Being mindful to stay out of sight of the two guards, they are able make their way around about two-thirds of the dig. They find that a number of small structures have been unearthed as well as a small dry canal. Nothing of intrinsic value looks to be out on display. They can see the remaining third of the sight, including the entrance to the temple, but cannot venture into that area without being spotted by the guards. Ruby nodded at George. "I have an idea..."

She looked around the camp and thought for a long moment. "Okay, I figured it out." She cast some arcane words, a little more complicated than her normal spell casting. It took a few seconds but then both Ruby and George slowly disappeared from each others sight. George could hear Ruby giggle at her own talent. "Okay Babe, let's go get in some trouble! And find out what this French guy has found here," she whispered.

She stumbled around to find his hand then carefully chose the best path to get them inside the entrance of the temple. They moved slowly and carefully and as silently as they could. George smiled at Ruby's inventiveness and followed her silently down the dune, walking in her footsteps obscuring the tracks.

After Ruby and George disappeared into the temple Fish exclaimed, "Well damn! Somebody oughtta watch their tail!" He asks Lawrence, "What say me and you git back down there and keep an eye out near the temple entrance?" "Well, I guess that leaves me to be the responsible one and keep an eye on this door," Abby said in her thick accent. "That'll be a first," she laughed.


NOTE - We are currently on a short break, having lost a few players due to life circumstances, and are actively recuriting one or two replacement players. This Story Hour is a wee bit behind, with the playing characters now up to Sept. 9th, having just discovered the plans of the Frenchmen. The British and Egyptian armies are on the verge of their first battle. If you are interesting in joining us please post to the following thread over on the Circvs Maximvs board. Thank you.


http://www.circvsmaximvs.com/showthread.php?p=1195937#post1195937

Chapter 48 "Across the Desert” (Episode Two, Chapter Eight) - Thursday, September 7, 1882, 12:30 A.M.

The large stone double doors to the underground temple are opened, and from the ropes and pulleys it apparently required a considerable effort. A long staircase down is before them descending seventy feet and ending at a thirty-foot long passageway carved from stone, with a stone door at the end. Using a candle for illumination they see an image of Bast carved onto the door. It appears that gems once were placed in the eye socket but they have long since been removed. Egyptian hieroglyphics are caved above the image of Bast. There is no doorknob.

George touches the idol of Bast in his jacket pocket and takes Ruby by the hand and starts to head in. George takes a moment to faithfully copy the hieroglyphics into his journal. Once copies they proceed inside the temple. They make their way down and to the chamber, finding another door with an image of Bast similar to the one before. This door is currently opened, leading to a twenty-by-thirty foot room with pegs and hooks along the high ceiling along the walls which probably once held tapestries. A small side chamber is along the right wall and the corridor continues along the far wall.

George and Ruby head over to check out the small side chamber. The side chamber is small, around eight-feet in diameter, with rough and irregular floors wall and ceiling. The room appears to have been part of a natural cave rather than carved out of the stone like the remainder of the temple. The room appears to have been recently swept out, as there is no dust or debris at all in it. Ruby and George continue on down the corridor.

The corridor continues for ten feet and then goes into a thirty-foot diameter chamber. The first twenty feet are comprised of three separate carved out sections in the floor, each three feet across, one-foot deep and running the full thirty-feet from left to right wall, with three foot wide sections between each carved out section. After this is a ten-foot section of the room devoid of all furnishings. There is a closed door along the left wall of the section. Ruby detects a magical aura around the door.

"This is very curious, what could this room have been used for," Ruby whispered to George. Ruby took a few moments to really think about this room and if a trap was to be set, where it would be. She looked closer at the carved out sections of floor.

The first one has a slight green tint on the stone. The middle a slight red tint. The third has a perfumed smell to it. She says, "What in Hades is this?? I wish I had one of those smarty pants here with me to figure this out..."

Ruby turned her head and looked at George, then slowly grinned. She was only able to hold in the giggles for a moment. "You have to have SOME idea what this is, no?" Ruby moved closer to the perfumed area and took a large breath in to see if she could guess what the scent was.

It occurs to George that these were pools in which the priests and other worshippers would have performed a cleansing ritual before entering the main sanctuary. Each pool would have contained different oil for the cleansing. "Sorry Bast, no oil to cleanse ourselves this time" he whispers to the statue. "Let us leap over these Ruby." says George bounding over each trough as he makes his way to the door.

Ruby detects from the magical aura around the door that it has been sealed with a magical spell, and unlike the previous magical doors this is purely 'Wizard' magic in nature and fairly recently cast.

"Darn! Obviously that smarmy French guy put a spell on the door. He's pretty powerful; I don't know there is anything I can do to get it open." Ruby kicked at the dirt beneath her feet, frustrated. "Well, let me see just how trapped it is, if I can." Ruby slowly moves towards the door, checking each area for traps but fairly certain the egotistical wizard would be confident enough in his spell he wouldn't need any other traps.

Ruby attempts to disarm the magical trap though roguish and magical means. She feels a surge of magical ability from within herself rise to her hands and give off a magical aura as she works the magical trap. She then sees the magic on the door disperse. Ruby bounces up and down a couple of times, unable to contain her glee. "I did it George, I DID it!!" She reaches out and opens the door.

They enter along the middle of the long wall large pillared chamber, forty feet wide and one-hundred long with a large arched end that has a large statue of Bast. They recognize the room as the same one they were in three hours earlier. "George, I think we've been here before. But I'm confused. Why would the Wizard block this particular door? Does he know that there is something good in there? Perhaps we should search around down there better?"

George looks around a moment remembering the place before. He wonders for a moment why the door was magically sealed. Then in a moment of fear and clarity he has an epiphany. George quickly summons the power of Athena to send a few words of wisdom and warning. He sends a magical message to Abby "Warning! We found a way behind you. Champollion may be behind you."

George then sets down the statue of Bast and invokes the ancient Atlantean words and activates the barrier of Bast before grabbing Ruby and running down the hall towards the party.

Meanwhile, back at the exit to the surface Abby and John hear somebody coming up from the tunnel below. Both hide.

George and Ruby quickly make their way through the secret doorway into the other section of the caverns and head up towards the exit. When they reach the upward seventy-five feet of corridor that goes directly to the twenty-foot diameter room with the exit they see two figures wearing Eastern-style robes for clothing and climbing ahead of them moving towards the exit, each carrying some sort of suitcase.

George and Ruby, still invisible, quickly but quietly proceed up the corridor to get a better look at the two figures. The two figures are almost to the twenty-foot diameter room when George and Ruby near them. As the robed figures reach the room they set the suitcases down on the floor. Their backs are still to Ruby and George when the taller one of the two says, "Where are they? They should be here." The voice is recognized by both Ruby and George as being Mina's.

"Nana!" Ruby rushes forward and throws herself onto her grandmother in a big hug. "Thank goodness you're back! The French guy is almost at the Temple! I mean, he made it in the Temple. But I don't think he found the other way out." "Ruby! You'll give Mina a heart attack doing that while invisible!" calls out George a bit too late. George advances on the pair still a bit wary; there was a crafty wizard about still.

Both robed figures remove their headscarves, one being Mina the other Alsoomse. Mina says, "And what are the two of you doing skulking around invisibly?" Alsoomse laughs and says, "Well, they are engaged, maybe you don't want to know the intimate details." There is a long silence from Ruby before she speaks again. "I never thought of that..." Another thoughtful pause then laughter.

Outside of the room, Abigail and John hear the four voices speaking inside and then Ruby’s laugh. The relax but remain outside initially as they are still keeping an eye out for Fish and Lawrence.

And speaking of them, down by the tents, "pssssst, Lawrence!" whispers Fish as they crouch near the temple entrance. "Do you think I oughtta rig a trap? In case we should need to slow pursuit?" Lawrence advises against it. With no indication that Champollion's men are aware of our intrusion, Fish and Lawrence scamper back across the dunes to join their friends.

Back in the tunnel "Okay, now that you've distracted me, we have a lot to tell you!" Ruby quickly explains what they found in the tents outside and the Temple. She gets a little more excited telling her about how she figured out the trap on the magical door. "Couldn't do nothing while you away, you know." "How was your trip back here? Hey, where is Nanuet? Is he coming behind you?"

George laughs along with the jest. "I wish there had been time for intimate details. Instead Ruby snuck into a tent in the worker's camp then investigated the dig. Champollion found a side door into the temple we came through. It was locked magically but Ruby opened it. I did seal that way with the Bast statue. We also know the British and French armies are still several days away, so we have some time yet."

Mina says, "No, James thought it best that somebody who knows their way here stay back with him, in case they need to find us later. Besides, we may need that scroll we found with the priest to be translated, so Alsoomse volunteered to come with us."

After George explains what has transpired Mina says, "Champollion already knew that way into the large chamber, that's where we entered when he gave James and I the tour a half century ago. It's the secret entrance that we found that must be kept hidden. Before we move on George I would suggest that you quickly retrieve the magical statue and re-erect the barrier on our side of the secret door in order to prevent them from finding it." George indeed goes back and moves the statue of Bast to protect the secret doorway.

Abigail and John come back into the room. Fish and Lawrence soon rejoin them. After the group is back together and everyone is briefed on what they found Ruby says, "So... how the heck are we going to stop the two armies? We're just a rag tag group of adventurers, not war generals." Alsoomse says, "We can decide that later, right now we have a fairly short time window to get away from this area."

She heads over to one of the suitcases cases, each two feet high, three feet wide and one foot deep. They appear to each open only along the top and she lifts the panel and removes two metal rods, a tan blanket, a metal stick-like object before closing up the case again. Mina and Alsoomse each lead the group outside, carrying the cases. Once everyone is out they lie the blanket down and then telescope out the metal rods, fitting them into folded and sewn ends on both blankets. They get the others to help extend the rods on both the top and bottom to create a makeshift curtain over the door to the tunnel entrance.

Once that is done Alsoomse has them step back. She takes the metal stick and unlatches the side, then waving it outward, the party now seeing that it is a oriental-style hand-fan made of metal. She states a phrase in Japanese and the fan begins to glow. She waves it slightly in the direction of the sheet-covered doorway and a steady gust of magical winds begins to blow, tossing up the sand in the area over the doorway in a manner that looks to have been done naturally.

Ruby eyes widen, "That is SO darned impressive..." She gazes at the magical fan a bit greedily, her curiosity of how it works overwhelming her as she steps toward Alsoomse. She snaps out of it when someone coughs, "Oh, ah, right, so where are we staying tonight? We can't just stay in the middle of the desert. Will we go to the city?" she asks hopefully.

Mina says, "Yes, but we won't be arriving there until dawn. It is too dangerous to approach a protected city at night, especially now when they are on the lookout for both British and Egyptian Rebel forces. Best that we also approach it from the northern road instead of from the southeast. Let's heat off that direction (pointing to the northeast, rather than the northwest that the city lights shine from). Mina says, "Alsoomse will follow in the rear and continue to use the fan to cover our tracks." Alsoomse asks John and Fish to each carry one of the suitcases.

Fish does as asked, all the while admiring the night sky. He gauges the weight of the luggage as he hefts it. Despite the bulky size it is rather light, weighting between 10 and 15 pounds. After a half-mile Mina asks Lawrence and George to each take a turn carrying the cases. And George gladly takes his turn carrying the suitcase. They travel for another half-hour through the desert heading northeast, the city of Zakazik now off to the west of the party's position. The cases are switched off back to John and Fish to carry.

"How long is this going to take?" Ruby whines as they trudge along in the desert. "It is rather sandy, isn't it, Miss West?" chortles Fish. Ruby narrows her eyes and gives Fish a good "harrumph" accompanied by a crossing of her arms and pursing of her lips. The nerve!

Mina says, "The problem is that sound carries far across the desert and things will soon be getting rather noisy." Alsoomse comments, "We should be far enough now." She points to some sand dunes a few hundred yards off to their right and says, "Head over behind those." As they near the dunes Fish notices that the case he is carrying suddenly doubles in weight. "Oi?" thinks Fish to himself as he adjusts his grip to better lug the weight.

They get the cases over behind the dunes and set them down. Mina and Alsomsee then work together at unloading them. From the case that Fish was lugging they first remove a toy horse, standing nineteen-inches high and twenty-six inches in length. Mina comments, "Looks like we got here just in time." They set the life-like horse figure down standing up. They then remove three smaller horse statues from the same case, these being approximately half the size. Each horse has saddle, tack, harness and saddlebags.

They go to the second case and remove four of the smaller horse statues as well. While they are doing this the larger of the eight horses doubles in size. "Oh. My. Gods. What just happened?? Are these REAL??" Ruby slowly approaches the horses to see if they are life size statues or actually real horses.


Fish loves horses! He was a circus hand, after all. He smiles so widely, one might think his face will split open! The horse doubles again in size, appearing as a full-sized black Percheron stallion, one of the largest horse breeds. It then blinks its eyes and lets out a loud whinnie. Alsoomse runs up to the beast to calm it, saying "Relax Trooper, you'll be okay, I'm your friend."

Mina says, "Yes, all eight are real. Four of them are the riding horses from our barn back in Florida. Two are the horses of our neighbor's the McKinnons. The other two, including Trooper here, belong to the County Sheriff Deputies over at Atlantic Beach. I realized that our showing up in Zakazik would prompt the question of how we got there, so riding in on mounts would solve that."

Alsoomse says, "Luiz reduced them all in size, we then gave them all the sleep elixir. His spell does not effect magic, so when they enlarge back in size the sleep elixir remains small and becomes diluted in the larger bodies, causing them to awaken. Of course, waking up in a strange place with some strange people, and at night when it had just been day, can unnerve them."

Ruby comments, "Ah yes that makes sense. Well, Nanuet was our animal guy, aside from Alsoomse. I'll just stand back and let you all do your thing...So about tomorrow, we're going to ride up and stay over in town. What's the town like?" Mina says, "Tomorrow will be here before long, we're now only around two hours from sunrise. It's been fifty years since I've been to Zakazik, so it has probably changed considerably since then."

The other horses now grow and awaken. Ruby asks, "Are these horses good to go now or do we have to wait?" Alsoomse says, "Let's give them a few more minutes to get acclimated." Mina leads Ruby over to a golden Appaloosa and says, "This one would probably be good for you to ride." Alsoomse interjects, "Yes, she was partial to the female students this last summer. Her name is Peta, which is the Blackfoot Indian name for Golden Eagle."

Ruby grins as says, “That was my mentor’s nickname for me.” She moves towards the horse and pets it gently. "Us Golden Eagles have to stick together." She gives the horse a little kiss on it's nose. "I wonder how Mr. Gonzales is doing right now. I bet he would love this little adventure we're on! He's been all over the world too you know."

While Mina shows Ruby the appaloosa as well as her own horse, a brown thoroughbred stallion named Nizhoni, Alsoomse introduces the other members of the party to the remaining horses. First Alsoomse introduces them to her own mount, a silver quarter horse named Sooleawa, which is Algonquin for 'Silver'. She then shows them the other horse which was bought last summer for the students to ride, a painted stallion named Ahote, which is Hopi for 'Spirited One'.

The two horses borrowed from the deputies are, an odd pair, being the largest and smallest of the eight animals. One is the black Percheron stallion named Trooper while the other is a white Icelandic pony mare named Cave Dweller. Lastly she re-introduces them to the McKinnon mounts. Alan McKinnon's ride is a former cavalry, a gray mare sixteen-hands high of the Frisian breed named Moonbeam. Autumn McKinnon's horse is also a mare, a light brown mustang named Flurry.

Fish approaches Cave Dweller, retrieving a sweet from his tunic. "Hello pretty," he coos, "have a snack!" The horse happily accepts the snack and reacts affectionately to Fish. While each person is getting acquainted with the mount Mina retrieves robes and headscarves from the saddlebags for each to wear. They notice that they are all identical in pattern and style except for George's, which has some extra ornamentation.

Abby put on the robe and scarf, feeling more secure as she began to look more like the people who lived here. "Mr. Eastman is to be our face then? Makes sense, since he speaks the language. Do you have a more detailed cover story?" Mina says, "No, but a variation of the truth would always work, we were concerned about preservation of the archaeological ruins being in a potential war zone.

One thing that you three ladies need to know about this culture - single free women do not go out in public, they stay home with their families until they are married. Thus, it will be assumed that each of you is therefore either a wife or slave belonging to George. Allow that assumption to continue, otherwise you risk being captured and sold into slavery yourself. Despite what you may have read in dime-novels, the life in a harem isn't one of romance and fun."

Chapter 49 "Arrival at Zakazik” (Episode Two, Chapter Nine) - Thursday, September 7, 1882, 3:00 A.M.

"I make friends easily, ma'am!" quips Fish with a sly grin. "Trust me when I say that the other 'stable boys'? They're as good a source of what the frogs are doing in town as any you might name! Who do you think shovels their sh**?" Fish blushes, "Oops! Pardon me, ladies..." Lawrence interjects, "Aye, Fish. Servants and the like see more than the high and mighty realize. And they're usually willing to give up their knowledge."

Lawrence puts on the robe. He cinches the belt and wraps the scarf around his head. "So what about us? Are we George's servants too?" Glancing at Mina and Alsoomse he adds “Or wives?” "HA!," Ruby laughs, "George is only allowed one wife, the rest of you can be servants." Just the though of that brings another laugh. "

Mina says, "Perhaps, or you could be his brothers, our cousins, or some other relation by marriage. And any of your could be the husband of one or more of the women. That's the beauty of it, unless you provide the people in this culture with the answers they generally won't ask, after all it would be insulting to accuse somebody's spouse or relative of being a servant, just as it would also be embarrassing to inadvertently raise a servant's status by mistaking them for a spouse or relative."

Lawrence says, “Huh. Good insight. So they'd rather be unsure, than cause insult. In any case we have to keep quiet while George does the talking. I don't know Arabic."
"Ill play the cook!" giggles Fish, while donning a robe. "I was thinking stable boy actually" say George to Ruby dryly. "That's fine too! I'd be honored: these are beautiful animals!" chirps Fish.

George dons his disguise. Ruby says, “Well, whatever we have to do." She follows Lawrence's lead and begins wrapping the robe around her. "This is a little large, isn't it? And won't it be hot with this big scarf thing on our heads?" George asks Mina "Once we enter the city do we have an idea of where to head within it's walls?" She replies, "My knowledge of that city is fifty years out-of-date, and I was only there for a few hours then. But you've already heard where the Frenchmen are staying, so that can work as a starting place for a scouting mission."

Ruby says, "Eventually we'll have to sleep too... at any rate, let's get going, I am sooooo excited to see the city!" Mina says, "Well yes, eventually, but I doubt anybody is tired just yet. It may be almost dawn here but we started today on Florida time, where right now it is only late afternoon or early evening." "I know, I was just hoping to get to stay in some swanky hotel!" Ruby pulls herself up on her Golden Eagle.

"Who's leading the way?" Lawrence states, "I think George should do it. It'll be less awkward when people ask questions." He climbs up onto his horse and rocks in the saddle experimentally. Fish vigorously rubs Cave Dweller on her nose, and then climbs on. "Lead on, Mr. Eastman!" he says cheerfully.

They continue to take a wide arch to the northeast before turning back to the northwest, eventually reaching the road north of Zakazik just as the first light of dawn is coming up over the horizon. Alsoomse has continued to use the magical fan to cover their tracks. Mina says, "Let's stop here for a short break until the sun begins to rise, that way we can honestly say that we stopped a few miles north of the city."

Alsoomse retrieves some water and grain from the saddlebags for the horses. Fish helps her. George hops down from his horse and visually checks the group to make sure everyone is wearing their disguises as well as are able. Fish helps George with his inspection, tweaking their disguises in accordance with his instructions. Lawrence plucks at his robe, getting it to settle right. In so doing, he gets tangled in it.

The early morning light is now filling the eastern sky, with the first hint of sun rising beyond the furthest dunes. The group heads off to the south along the road. Alsoomse rides further up alongside Fish, no longer needing to magically cover their tracks. The distant city begins to come into sight. A twenty-foot high stone wall surrounds the city, which appears to be approximately three-square miles in area. There are only around a dozen buildings of height higher than the wall, two of which appears to be elaborate castles. The giant balloon is tethered to the roof of another large building. A river flowing from the east appears to be the primary water source for the city.

Ruby comments, “Well, looks like it would be easy to dry this city out if someone wanted to. Hey Nana, what is that big castle over there?" She replies, "The largest castle further back is where the Sultan of Zakazik lives, he is the political ruler of the city. The other castle towards the main gate is where the military leader and the high priests reside." Lawrence comments, "Seems like the kind of place for us to avoid. Which gods do they follow here? We don't want to slip up and praise the wrong ones."

Mina replies, "They follow the Egyptian pantheon. In Zakazik Bast would be the primary deity worshipped. As this is the home city of the rebel leaders it would probably be best to avoid all references to the Greek and Roman deities. Lawrence nods. "I understand. Bast it is. Hermes forgive me." Ruby comments, "Oooooooo I bet it's real pretty inside that castle..." "I know we have a lot to get done here Mina, what should our first goal be?" asks George.

Mina replies, "I see three primary goals. First, seek information about what the Frenchmen are up to. Second, not get into trouble here. Third, have some fun." Ruby pats her grandmother on the back. "See Nana, THIS is why I love you so so much," she grins. "Let's have some fun!" Lawrence says, "I can see about the first, if there's any one who speaks English here. I can't make any guarantees about the second though." He winks.

Mina says, "Well, I agree with James that it might be a good idea for us to establish good reputations here. Through the use of the gateways this city is actually a lot closer to the Timucuan Conservancy than Jacksonville, two miles instead of twelve, so we may want to keep this place available to us in the future for supply and information runs." Ruby says, "I'm not sure I understand Nana... are you saying you would come here for supplies rather than stay in Florida?"

Mina replies, "Oh no, Florida will remain our base of operation. I'm saying that if we needed magical supplies, or other items that would raise suspicion in Jacksonville, this would be the preferred place to visit. Of course, that assumes that this doesn't soon turn into part of the British Empire, with all of their Victorian restrictions and control of commerce. "Ah." Ruby is silent. Then she asks curiously, "Does that mean there are lots of magical items available here?"

Mina laughs, "Of course dear. Did you think that those stories of magical flying carpets and genies living in lamps was just make believe?" Ruby's eyes go wide and for a moment they are unsure what she is reacting to. "Genies are REAL? REALLY? Can we get one here??" Mina laughs and says, "I think you have that backwards, Genies generally use humans as their play-things, not the other way around. Some of those 'Arabian Nights' tales are wishful thinking at best."

Ruby hmmmss to herself, pondering the new information. "Well the faster we get to town, the better I say. We can check everything out when we get there. Let's hurry." George is quiet. He smiles at the jokes, but he is muttering to himself, trying to figure out how to speak French with an Arabic accent.

As the horses near the city they see that while the metal gates on both sides of the wall are currently open there are nearly one-hundred armed guards atop the wall watching it and another twenty guards by the gates stopping and checking those entering and leaving the city. There are three groups in line ahead of the party wishing to enter. They are immediately behind what appears to be a very wealthy man and his entourage, who don't seem annoyed by the delay as it gives their servants time to feed and water the horses pulling the large silk-covered carriage that the people are riding in.

At the gate, the first group is a middle-aged pair of male arabs riding camels with two pack-camels. They appear to be some sort of merchants and are allowed to enter after each hands the head guard a wrapped package from the saddlebags.

The next group appear to be a poor extended family comprised of fifteen people of four different generations. They are all on foot, with two ancient donkeys pulling a cart piled with possessions. The man who is the spokesman offers the head guard a bottle of some type of alcohol. The guards takes one swig, spits it out, and then smashes the bottle on the ground. The guard then points to the man's teenage daughter and indicates that he wishes to be given her as the family's payment to enter the city.

Lawrence bristles at what he sees. He puts his head back down and whispers to George, "What can we do? Anything? I served in the war to free slaves. I don't want to stand by." Ruby steps forward, her eyes stormy, obviously about to make a scene. "Mr. Eastman," whispers Fish grimly, "we'll follow your lead!" He lifts the edge of his cloak to reveal the smoke grenade secured within. Fish takes a long and surreptitious look at the head guard. What does he see? Is he able to discern how deferential his men appear to his manner and command?

The head guard appears to be the most formidable of the men, standing at six-foot-four and 250 pounds of solid muscle. He appears to be in his early-to-mid-thirties and is attired in a leather tunic beneath his open robe, with a leather helmet sporting a red feather atop his head. Unlike the others, his beard and mustache are neatly cropped. There are visible scars on the man's neck and forearm. The sword hanging from the man's belt appears to be well used but also taken care of, with the morning sun shining off of the finely sharpened edge. The man appears to command the undivided attention of his men. Fish sidles up next to George, and mutters under his breath, "Mr. Eastman, the captain is a beast! And his men? They'd eat a scorpion if he asked 'em!"

Ruby steps forward and calls out in English, "What's holding up the line? It's hot as Hades out here!" "And we have horses to water!" shouts Fish. Ruby and Fish calling out in English has the immediate effect of the head guard shifting his attention to the party. He yells out in Arabic "The British are trying to attack our city disguised as Egyptians. All guns on them now! Prepare to fire."

Three dozen guards atop the wall as well as the half-dozen behind the head guard all immediately point their weapons at George and his companions. Ruby throws her hands up. "Whoops." George silently prays to Athena for patience to suffer fools and impatient wives.

He quickly calls out in Arabic "NO NO, Aasif, they are not British! They are merely servants whom I am trying to teach a little English to in case I need to sell them." Fish will enjoy playing the role, but he chortles inside hearing George call Ruby "a servant." George switches to French smoothly "We are here to seek the safety of the city before the British arrive"

George switches back to Arabic again "Sahibi, please we only need to get into the safety of the city. i shall beat my servant soundly later for their impudence I assure you." says George calmly as he flashes some Egyptian currency. Given that he is standing near Mr. Eastman, Benjamin flinches for added effect. The man comes forward towards George and stands so as to block the view of the hand with money from the men atop the wall. "And who exactly are you?" he asks in Arabic.

George smiles slightly as he passes the money over "I am Tariq Al-Farahad, I have traveled here from Medina. I have come to visit the wonderful shrines of Egypt. This was before I knew of the interfering British coming here. But I came here to pray at the shrine of Bast. You must be very proud to be from Zakazik." says George with a smile as he hands the money over.

The man gives George a big hug, simultaneously pocketing the money, and exclaims "Tariq, welcome to Zakazik." He then turns around and yells up to the guards on the wall, "We are safe, just a friend from Medina with English-speaking slaves to sell." Turning back to George he loudly sells, "I would suggest that you muzzle your slaves in the future."

George smiles and continues the sell by raising his hand menacingly at Fish and screaming at him in Arabic about what a worthless dirty dog of a servant he was and how he would get no food tonight and beaten until dawn. All the while George ad the caravan move along behind the head guard towards the gate. Fish flinches again and tears well up in his eyes.

The lead guard walks away from George and is summoned over to the fancy silk-covered carriage by a man wearing fancy robes with gold embroidery. The guard goes through a parted seam in the side and converses with somebody inside. When he exits the more observant party members notice he has a new pouch fastened to his belt.

He heads back up to the first group and says something in Arabic to the family. It is too far away for most of the party to hear, except that Alsoome's elvan hearing exceeds that of humans. She translates to the others stating "He is telling them to go into the city, that they do not have to give up the girl. He says that they owe their gratitude to Princess Neferka."

"There you go, old problems and new problems solved, now lets try to behave as we get through the gate" says George Mina gestures to the fancy carriage and says, "Problems solved, yes, but it also raises more questions. Princess Neferka is the daughter of Egypt's King Hakar. Why would a member of the Royal Family be coming here now to Zakazik? This city will soon be in the middle of a war zone!"

Lawrence suggests, "Maybe she's the adventurous type. Life as royalty seems like it would be stifling, especially for a young woman." George says “Ten to one it has something to do with that dirigible. Let's get in the city and we can put down some feelers on that." Ruby exclaims, "A real princess? I think we should try to meet her!" Lawrence states, "I think that'd be dangerous. She'll be well-guarded and guards tend to not like gawkers. The longer we stay in the city, the riskier it is. We should find the Frenchmen."

Benjamin steps near Ruby, muttering softly, "Speak English and they'll probably draw and quarter you!" He then drops back to speak with Alsoomse, hiding his mouth behind his hand, "Is there a blessing you have that might grant me the ability to speak their tongue? I'd like to keep it attached to my mouth, thank you very much, but I'm most useful to y'all if I can yammer with the locals..."

She whispers back, "I brought some Elixirs of Comprehension for the non-Arabic speakers, but I was planning to wait until we were somewhere more private to distribute them." Discretely grinning, Benjamin chirps his soft reply, "You're indispensable, you know that, right?" She smiles and replies, "And I suspect that Mina was rather wise to bring you on board. I believe that we each have indispensable skill sets."