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AGELESS Campaign Episode 2 - Temple of the Cat-Goddess
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<blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 6058171" data-attributes="member: 8530"><p><strong>Chapter 65 "Heliopolis” (Episode Two, Chapter Twenty-five) - Saturday, September 10, 1882, 8:00 A.M. </strong></p><p></p><p>They manage to board the train without incident. In fact, having the note from the Princess affords them the best seats in the Pullman car as well as private attendants. Cetan notes the difference between now and the ride up where they wanted to put him in the cattle car of the same train. "It's nice to be important," Abby said with a sigh. "Mr. Stevenson, you're about to learn some things. I'm trusting you to keep them to yourself. I don't know who you'd tell, but then, I don't know who you'd tell," she smiled.</p><p></p><p>"I'd appreciate anything you can tell me that you might have heard in the camp, it may help us with what we're doing now." Stevenson relates all that he heard or deduced, most of which Abby was already aware of. The man named Prosper Merimee had been in charge of the group at Tanis and was searching for a magical gateway, that he was convinced was located there. Three other possible locations had also been identified, the next most probable site being Bubastis, which also had a team searching for it. </p><p></p><p>Most of the Frenchmen assigned to Merimee were engineers, who were far more interested in returning to Port Said, where the Suez Canal's main engineering works were located. Apparently the canal is the main prize in this war, and the French planned to use the control of it as their main bargaining chip, feeling that the British would concede to any other terms if they were given the operational control of it. Before that happened the French engineers wanted to install some magical traps and safeguards, in the event that they ever had to take control of it back from the British.”</p><p></p><p>"Thanks honey. Robert? Can I call you Robert? Most of that I knew, but it's good to keep the canal in mind. And I didn't know they were planting magical booby traps, that's especially good to keep in mind." She looked to Alsoomse, Fish, and Cetan. "So our main goal is to disrupt Sarah Bernhardt's mission. We can either find her, the Druidess she's supposed to get out of the way, or her partner. Maybe we'll need to do all three. I'm ready to hear some ideas, friends. I'm a kinda "fly by the seat of my pants" kind of girl. A plan is probably better this time."</p><p></p><p>It takes a while for the multitude of crowds to board, with a near riot breaking out once artillery fire is heard from the southeast, originating twenty miles distant. Even as the train is pulling out, dozens of people who were told to wait abandon their luggage and grab onto the exterior rails of moving train. As the train continues southward it remains a good fifteen miles from the closest point of the conflict, with the artillery fire sounding louder and clouds of black powder forming in the sky to the east.</p><p></p><p>"I wish I didn't know that those aren't fireworks," Abby said. "Alsoomse, Cetan, what can you tell me about Druids? I'm ignorant here. Maybe if I know more I can hypothesize about what Bernhardt might try to get her out of the way." Alsoomse says, "Druids are priests, followers of the various gods of nature. While many of the spells we cast are comparable to those of other priests, others are more specific to the natural world. Druids are very powerful here, as many of the Egyptian deities are animal personifications, for example, their supreme god Ra has the head of a hawk. Bernhardt is a magician, not a druid, her magics are different. Once I see this druidess cast a spell I should be able to tell if she is real or fake."</p><p></p><p>Abby replies, "If she works for the King, I'm sure she's going to be the real deal. So Bernhardt knows she would be facing a foe who could turn the natural world against her. If I were facing someone like that, I'd want to be invisible if possible, but expect they might hear or even smell me in the area.” Alsoomse says, "Unlikely, although the druid priestess probably would." Abby asks, “I wonder if Bernhardt has a familiar that she might send to scout first?" "Alsoomse says, "Unlikely, she travels as an actress and most hotels do not allow pets." </p><p></p><p>The train continues southward, with nothing but sand and sand dunes to the eat. To the west are fields of crops, being irrigated by canals from the Nile further west. Abby was quiet for a while, thinking about a lot of things. Wishing now that she had learned more magic more quickly. Wishing her own power was greater. Wishing she felt more up to the task ahead of her. The weight of the lives of people who didn't even know they were in danger sat on her shoulders, and her shoulders weren't ones used to bearing so much responsibility. "How do you do this, Alsoomse?" she finally asked. "How do you take so much on yourself without being crushed beneath it?" </p><p></p><p>Alsoomse moved Abigail three rows further down the train car and sat with her, taking her hand in hers. "There is only one way to look at life, with both intelligence and optimism. You need to take things one step at a time and not be overwhelmed. The elvan equivalent of one's 'teenage years' were difficult for me. The humans arrived at Plymouth, and our Chief Massasoit sought a peaceful coexistence with them. He was a great man, leader of a vast tribe of 12,000, who occupied most of what is now Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and the eastern half of New York's Long Island. </p><p></p><p>He died four decades later, of European-borne diseases that we had no natural cures for. His eldest son, Wamsutta, died under mysterious circumstances while negotiating with human officials in Boston. His son Metacom, known by the English as Prince Phillip, went to war against the humans. It was a disaster, we were all but eliminated. Only 400 of our tribe survived, mostly women and elders, and we were forced onto reservations on Cape Cod and the island of Martha's Vineyard. </p><p></p><p>In the 18th Century a new group of people came to Martha's Vineyard, whaling men, who sought their fortunes from the largest creatures in the sea. I met such a man, James Parker's Grandfather, and fell in love. You may have seen the portrait of us with our daughter in my office back in Jacksonville. He taught me the life's philosophy I live to this day, waking each morning with an optimistic viewpoint and trying to move forward despite all obstacles."</p><p></p><p>Abby nodded and held the other woman's hands. "Alsoomse, I'll never stop trying to move forward, and generally I've got a pretty sunny disposition. Only a fool is never afraid, but I've never let fear stop me, and I won't let it today. But... I've always been the student. I learned magic from my Nanny, I went to college, and I worked on the Pitt-Rivers estate. I KNOW I'm competent at almost any task set me, but now... Now I feel I must lead. And that terrifies me more than anything. Baptism by fire, I suppose."</p><p></p><p>Alsoomse says, "Relax, a leader's strength is derived from that of their followers. I know that you've only known myself and Benjamin a short while, but we are both extremely good at what we do. Cetan is all but a stranger to you, but has unique talents of his own that will help our mission. You could not ask for a better team." "I've got no doubts about y'all's talents," Abby said with a smile. "And we'll all do what we have to, but I wouldn't call any of y'all followers! At least not of mine. Compared to you and Ben, I haven't felt so inexperienced in a long time."</p><p></p><p>Alsoomse says, "The only way to get experience is through experience. And you have special talents that neither of us other three have. What do you think we should do first when we arrive at Heliopolis." Abby says, "I'm not sure. Like I said, I tend to fly without a plan. If we're looking for Sarah Bernhardt, then we may want to check into a hotel. I doubt she's staying in some rag of a place, she'll treat herself well. Maybe not to the best, but well.” Alsoomse adds, "Unless they have friends in the area, or purchased a building outright. They would have the resources to do so." </p><p></p><p>Abby says, “We could act more defensively, and try to find the Druidess. That's probably simpler, it shouldn't be hard to find the royal flock." Alsoomse says, "No, but it would be well protected and the locals might question strangers asking about it." Abby replies, "Well, our other option that I can see is to track Sardou through the fanatic, Abdullah. But I have less idea of what his job is in all this. He'd have to meet up with Bernhardt at some point, he is the man with the poison."</p><p></p><p>The train pulls into a station and stops. Alsoomse says, "Well, we need to decide soon. We're at Sabara Depot, Heliopolis is the next stop, just five miles further south." Abby says, "The other paths seem easier, but my gut tells me to find Sarah Bernhardt. I think she's the weak link in all this. Her teacher wasn't surprised to see her in the French camp, convinced she would hate the orders she had to follow. If she doesn't truly believe in her mission, she may be easier to throw off, to disrupt." </p><p></p><p>Alsoomse says, "Well, we don't know where either of them are, so we may want to split into pairs and meet back up in an hour or so.” Abby replies, "Absolutely. We should take advantage of our numbers and follow every lead we have. Since the train station is the only place I'll be familiar with, we'll probably have to meet back up here unless you can tell me of a better place. You just spent some time here.”</p><p></p><p>Alsoomse says, "The train depot is as good a place as any. Heliopolis is an ancient city, as it is situated where the Nile forks as a single river flowing south but two separate branches flowing northeast and northwest from here to the mouths at the Mediterranean Sea, on what are called the Rosetta and Damietta arms of the Nile. Cairo is five miles to the south.</p><p></p><p>It was also the religious center of ancient Egypt, where the high priests received their training, and remains so to this day. Three-thousand years ago Pharaoh Ramses III built several temples in this city. The gods Horus and Set are both actively worshipped here, as well as the greater god Ra. It was given its current Greek name approximately two-thousand years ago, for the two-centuries or so of Greek rule over this region following the collapse of Alexander the Great, a name that the Romans retained during their semi-occupation. The great obelisk called Cleopatra’s Needle was originally here by Pharaoh Usertsen I, in honor of Ra, before the Romans moved it to Alexandria and renamed it.”</p><p></p><p>Cetan says that he would like to get away from trains and buildings with stairs and human sized door ways. He asks Alsoomse, in Elvish, if there is a particular place she thinks the Druidess might be? He volunteers to go look. Cetan also suggests he might scout outside of town to see who and what is coming in and out. He could meet here or somewhere when the sun is at the same place in the sky tomorrow. </p><p></p><p>Alsoomse suggests that Cetan and Abigail head off together and that she will stay with Benjamin. She suggests that they start on the fields to the northwest, as that in the general direction that the livestock would be raised. She says they should meet back here at the train depot at sunset if possible, otherwise they will try again at midnight, dawn, and high-noon until they reconnect again. "How long is it to sundown?" Abby asked.</p><p></p><p>Fish had kept quiet for a very long time. His face had been a mask the entire ride. He had smiled broadly when Miss Marsters embraced him, but had said precious little ever since. He'd not pressed the centaur for details why he had joined the motley crew, although he choked back a snicker to hear Cetan's pidgin English. He knew it was a ruse: the centaurs that had traveled with Ben's circus had a "public voice" they adapted for the marks, and their real voice when they joining the rest of the carnies after hours. Centaurs certainly could hold their liquor! Glancing to the northwest, Fish breaks his silence. "I'll follow your lead, ma'am. I know you know I'm not much help with blades or bullets, but I have a good head for avoiding ... staying ahead of ... escaping trouble, should the need arise!"</p><p></p><p>Cetan turns to Abby and asks in Elvish, "Are you ready to examine the fields to the northwest?" She smiled at Cetan and said, "English, Francais, or Egyptian, honey. Otherwise I have to cast a spell to understand you." With dramatic gesturing Cetan replies in English, " You make'em ready and we go to fields where heap big Elf say." Fish is unsuccessful stifling his snicker. Abby replies, "Honey, Alsoomse brought you to us, so I KNOW that your brains outstrip just about all your other attributes. If that accent makes you happy you go right ahead, but you're not foolin' me." "Squaw sound ready", Cetan says without the hand gestures. He turns and heads for the fields to see what can be seen.</p><p></p><p>As they prepare to depart they see a large gathering in front of the temple to Ra at the end of the street. Rather than a religious affair, it looks more political in nature given the number of people carrying and waving firearms. A large bearded man is standing atop the temple steps and several people start to chant "Abdullah". Mina says, "Let's switch to Plan B and all stay together, I think we've found our fanatic." Abby says, "Well, that didn't take long. I wish I knew what Sardou looked like."</p><p></p><p>Abby says, "Let's go round the crowd as we head out. I want to hear what some of this crowd are saying. If Sardou did his job too well they could be an issue for us. Plus, they may be able to lead us to the Royal flocks." She drank one dose of the potion Alsoomse had given them so she could understand the language. Abby set off, leading the others and trying not to be ridiculously annoyed by the word Squaw. Fish sticks close to Alsoomse, watching the crowd to see if anyone seems to be paying special attention to them, and takes note of anyone taking special note of the big centaur's progress to the northwest.</p><p></p><p>As they near they see that the crowd of Egyptians represent a large cross-culture, as every age, gender and social class seem to be represented. Abdullah's name is chanted several times until he calms them and exclaims, "King Takeleth VI has failed us, and he has brought foreigners into our land to fight our brothers. The great General Ahmed Orabi seeks nothing but peace, having wed the King's favored daughter Neferka to that end. That should have been enough for most, but not this despot, as he now fights a blood relative! Is this the way true Egyptians would act? I say thee nay! Brothers, sisters, kinsmen, spread the word. We gather here tomorrow at dawn and march to Cairo!"</p><p></p><p>"Dawn tomorrow," Abby said quietly to the others. "They're marching to Cairo. Bernhardt would be heading there before the mob. Let's get a look out at those fields then have a look around Heliopolis. I wish we had one of those airships." Alsoomse pulls the group back and says, "Hold on, I detect significant amounts of magic on seven different people, one of them is probably the French actor. Abby, take Cetan and head off to find the druid. I'll stay here with Ben and we can hopefully figure out which is the man we want." </p><p></p><p>Fish feels the hair rise up the nape of his neck. He steps back to guard Alsoomse's flank, all the while keeping his eyes peeled. He reaches inside his vest to secure the pearl-handled little two-shot derringer he'd "liberated" from a buxom lass earlier that day. Abby tells her, "Alright. We'll meet you back here at the train station. Good luck." Abby ran after Cetan to head out toward the countryside. She tells him, "We probably want to look in whatever direction Cairo is in. That's where they'd need to move the sheep to if they wanted to take them to the King." </p><p></p><p>Alsoomse pulls Fish back a few feet to point out the seven that she identified. One appears to be an Egyptian priest of Horus, and is flanking the man Abdullah. She says that his staff, ring and belt are magical. Another two are a well-dressed couple who appear to be of great wealth, with magical clothing and jewelry covering both of them. Next appears to be a beggar boy who is keeping close to the assemblage, but has on magical boots, a magical ring and magical amulet hidden under his cloak. </p><p></p><p>The fifth is a young woman of some financial means, who has on a magical dress, magical belt, a pair of magical rings and magical flute attached to her belt. She has a pair of ogre bodyguards beside her. The sixth is further back in the crowds, a rather tall evil looking man wearing a black cloak over black clothing. Alsoomse says that his entire body appears to be covered with a magical spell, and the scimitar in his belt also appears to be magical. </p><p></p><p>The final person with considerable magic is a young man dressed in flamboyant western-style garb, a white silk suit with silver ascot, with a diamond pin and gold cane. She says that not only are the pin and cane radiating magic, but that he has something magical under his white hat, and that she also detected magical bullets inside the pistol concealed in a shoulder holster. Gesturing to the last man, "Alsoomse, I wonder what he's doing here! He certainly looks outta place." mutters Ben.</p><p></p><p>She replies, "I have no idea, but he probably isn't the French actor we are seeking. One wouldn't want to appear as a westerner while trying to blend in." Still whispering, Fish suggests, "If I were trying to blend in, I might choose an otherwise-inconspicuous beggar boy as my cover..." Alsoomse replies, "I was thinking the same, although the big man with the scimitar is another possibility. Sure he stands out, but it is unlikely that anybody will intentionally bother him."</p><p></p><p>"Alsoomse!" continues Fish in a whisper, "What say you I sidle up to the beggar boy and try to figure his motives in this crowd? I am quite practiced at 'blending'!* You can keep an eye on the big dude and attempt the same?" Alsoomse heads off as the large man in black departs, following him from a safe distance. Benjamin stays, as the beggar boy does not immediately leave, instead holding out his bowl and asking for coins from the departing crowd.</p><p></p><p>Fish moves nearer the boy to observe him more closely. He uses his own skills at subterfuge to appear bewildered by the crowd as it departs, acting as though the surge of people might in fact push him up against the boy. If it's an elaborate disguise the boy has adopted, Fish watches for some sign of the ruse. Despite the surging of the crowd, the boy makes no attempt to pick anybody's pockets, maintaining his observation on the departing fanatical leader. The boy then opens his palm enough to reveal a small two-by-three in notebook in his hand, which he then makes some notes on with a pencil, before storing the notebook and pencil in a pocket of his tunic.</p><p></p><p>Ben fishes out a little talisman wrapped in copper wire that he has pinned behind his lapel and, upon spying Alsoomse, cups his hand over his mouth and whispers a Message to her, reporting what he has observed. She nods upon hearing the message. She heads off after the man in black with the scimitar, leaving Fish to deal with the beggar boy.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Silver Moon, post: 6058171, member: 8530"] [B]Chapter 65 "Heliopolis” (Episode Two, Chapter Twenty-five) - Saturday, September 10, 1882, 8:00 A.M. [/B] They manage to board the train without incident. In fact, having the note from the Princess affords them the best seats in the Pullman car as well as private attendants. Cetan notes the difference between now and the ride up where they wanted to put him in the cattle car of the same train. "It's nice to be important," Abby said with a sigh. "Mr. Stevenson, you're about to learn some things. I'm trusting you to keep them to yourself. I don't know who you'd tell, but then, I don't know who you'd tell," she smiled. "I'd appreciate anything you can tell me that you might have heard in the camp, it may help us with what we're doing now." Stevenson relates all that he heard or deduced, most of which Abby was already aware of. The man named Prosper Merimee had been in charge of the group at Tanis and was searching for a magical gateway, that he was convinced was located there. Three other possible locations had also been identified, the next most probable site being Bubastis, which also had a team searching for it. Most of the Frenchmen assigned to Merimee were engineers, who were far more interested in returning to Port Said, where the Suez Canal's main engineering works were located. Apparently the canal is the main prize in this war, and the French planned to use the control of it as their main bargaining chip, feeling that the British would concede to any other terms if they were given the operational control of it. Before that happened the French engineers wanted to install some magical traps and safeguards, in the event that they ever had to take control of it back from the British.” "Thanks honey. Robert? Can I call you Robert? Most of that I knew, but it's good to keep the canal in mind. And I didn't know they were planting magical booby traps, that's especially good to keep in mind." She looked to Alsoomse, Fish, and Cetan. "So our main goal is to disrupt Sarah Bernhardt's mission. We can either find her, the Druidess she's supposed to get out of the way, or her partner. Maybe we'll need to do all three. I'm ready to hear some ideas, friends. I'm a kinda "fly by the seat of my pants" kind of girl. A plan is probably better this time." It takes a while for the multitude of crowds to board, with a near riot breaking out once artillery fire is heard from the southeast, originating twenty miles distant. Even as the train is pulling out, dozens of people who were told to wait abandon their luggage and grab onto the exterior rails of moving train. As the train continues southward it remains a good fifteen miles from the closest point of the conflict, with the artillery fire sounding louder and clouds of black powder forming in the sky to the east. "I wish I didn't know that those aren't fireworks," Abby said. "Alsoomse, Cetan, what can you tell me about Druids? I'm ignorant here. Maybe if I know more I can hypothesize about what Bernhardt might try to get her out of the way." Alsoomse says, "Druids are priests, followers of the various gods of nature. While many of the spells we cast are comparable to those of other priests, others are more specific to the natural world. Druids are very powerful here, as many of the Egyptian deities are animal personifications, for example, their supreme god Ra has the head of a hawk. Bernhardt is a magician, not a druid, her magics are different. Once I see this druidess cast a spell I should be able to tell if she is real or fake." Abby replies, "If she works for the King, I'm sure she's going to be the real deal. So Bernhardt knows she would be facing a foe who could turn the natural world against her. If I were facing someone like that, I'd want to be invisible if possible, but expect they might hear or even smell me in the area.” Alsoomse says, "Unlikely, although the druid priestess probably would." Abby asks, “I wonder if Bernhardt has a familiar that she might send to scout first?" "Alsoomse says, "Unlikely, she travels as an actress and most hotels do not allow pets." The train continues southward, with nothing but sand and sand dunes to the eat. To the west are fields of crops, being irrigated by canals from the Nile further west. Abby was quiet for a while, thinking about a lot of things. Wishing now that she had learned more magic more quickly. Wishing her own power was greater. Wishing she felt more up to the task ahead of her. The weight of the lives of people who didn't even know they were in danger sat on her shoulders, and her shoulders weren't ones used to bearing so much responsibility. "How do you do this, Alsoomse?" she finally asked. "How do you take so much on yourself without being crushed beneath it?" Alsoomse moved Abigail three rows further down the train car and sat with her, taking her hand in hers. "There is only one way to look at life, with both intelligence and optimism. You need to take things one step at a time and not be overwhelmed. The elvan equivalent of one's 'teenage years' were difficult for me. The humans arrived at Plymouth, and our Chief Massasoit sought a peaceful coexistence with them. He was a great man, leader of a vast tribe of 12,000, who occupied most of what is now Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and the eastern half of New York's Long Island. He died four decades later, of European-borne diseases that we had no natural cures for. His eldest son, Wamsutta, died under mysterious circumstances while negotiating with human officials in Boston. His son Metacom, known by the English as Prince Phillip, went to war against the humans. It was a disaster, we were all but eliminated. Only 400 of our tribe survived, mostly women and elders, and we were forced onto reservations on Cape Cod and the island of Martha's Vineyard. In the 18th Century a new group of people came to Martha's Vineyard, whaling men, who sought their fortunes from the largest creatures in the sea. I met such a man, James Parker's Grandfather, and fell in love. You may have seen the portrait of us with our daughter in my office back in Jacksonville. He taught me the life's philosophy I live to this day, waking each morning with an optimistic viewpoint and trying to move forward despite all obstacles." Abby nodded and held the other woman's hands. "Alsoomse, I'll never stop trying to move forward, and generally I've got a pretty sunny disposition. Only a fool is never afraid, but I've never let fear stop me, and I won't let it today. But... I've always been the student. I learned magic from my Nanny, I went to college, and I worked on the Pitt-Rivers estate. I KNOW I'm competent at almost any task set me, but now... Now I feel I must lead. And that terrifies me more than anything. Baptism by fire, I suppose." Alsoomse says, "Relax, a leader's strength is derived from that of their followers. I know that you've only known myself and Benjamin a short while, but we are both extremely good at what we do. Cetan is all but a stranger to you, but has unique talents of his own that will help our mission. You could not ask for a better team." "I've got no doubts about y'all's talents," Abby said with a smile. "And we'll all do what we have to, but I wouldn't call any of y'all followers! At least not of mine. Compared to you and Ben, I haven't felt so inexperienced in a long time." Alsoomse says, "The only way to get experience is through experience. And you have special talents that neither of us other three have. What do you think we should do first when we arrive at Heliopolis." Abby says, "I'm not sure. Like I said, I tend to fly without a plan. If we're looking for Sarah Bernhardt, then we may want to check into a hotel. I doubt she's staying in some rag of a place, she'll treat herself well. Maybe not to the best, but well.” Alsoomse adds, "Unless they have friends in the area, or purchased a building outright. They would have the resources to do so." Abby says, “We could act more defensively, and try to find the Druidess. That's probably simpler, it shouldn't be hard to find the royal flock." Alsoomse says, "No, but it would be well protected and the locals might question strangers asking about it." Abby replies, "Well, our other option that I can see is to track Sardou through the fanatic, Abdullah. But I have less idea of what his job is in all this. He'd have to meet up with Bernhardt at some point, he is the man with the poison." The train pulls into a station and stops. Alsoomse says, "Well, we need to decide soon. We're at Sabara Depot, Heliopolis is the next stop, just five miles further south." Abby says, "The other paths seem easier, but my gut tells me to find Sarah Bernhardt. I think she's the weak link in all this. Her teacher wasn't surprised to see her in the French camp, convinced she would hate the orders she had to follow. If she doesn't truly believe in her mission, she may be easier to throw off, to disrupt." Alsoomse says, "Well, we don't know where either of them are, so we may want to split into pairs and meet back up in an hour or so.” Abby replies, "Absolutely. We should take advantage of our numbers and follow every lead we have. Since the train station is the only place I'll be familiar with, we'll probably have to meet back up here unless you can tell me of a better place. You just spent some time here.” Alsoomse says, "The train depot is as good a place as any. Heliopolis is an ancient city, as it is situated where the Nile forks as a single river flowing south but two separate branches flowing northeast and northwest from here to the mouths at the Mediterranean Sea, on what are called the Rosetta and Damietta arms of the Nile. Cairo is five miles to the south. It was also the religious center of ancient Egypt, where the high priests received their training, and remains so to this day. Three-thousand years ago Pharaoh Ramses III built several temples in this city. The gods Horus and Set are both actively worshipped here, as well as the greater god Ra. It was given its current Greek name approximately two-thousand years ago, for the two-centuries or so of Greek rule over this region following the collapse of Alexander the Great, a name that the Romans retained during their semi-occupation. The great obelisk called Cleopatra’s Needle was originally here by Pharaoh Usertsen I, in honor of Ra, before the Romans moved it to Alexandria and renamed it.” Cetan says that he would like to get away from trains and buildings with stairs and human sized door ways. He asks Alsoomse, in Elvish, if there is a particular place she thinks the Druidess might be? He volunteers to go look. Cetan also suggests he might scout outside of town to see who and what is coming in and out. He could meet here or somewhere when the sun is at the same place in the sky tomorrow. Alsoomse suggests that Cetan and Abigail head off together and that she will stay with Benjamin. She suggests that they start on the fields to the northwest, as that in the general direction that the livestock would be raised. She says they should meet back here at the train depot at sunset if possible, otherwise they will try again at midnight, dawn, and high-noon until they reconnect again. "How long is it to sundown?" Abby asked. Fish had kept quiet for a very long time. His face had been a mask the entire ride. He had smiled broadly when Miss Marsters embraced him, but had said precious little ever since. He'd not pressed the centaur for details why he had joined the motley crew, although he choked back a snicker to hear Cetan's pidgin English. He knew it was a ruse: the centaurs that had traveled with Ben's circus had a "public voice" they adapted for the marks, and their real voice when they joining the rest of the carnies after hours. Centaurs certainly could hold their liquor! Glancing to the northwest, Fish breaks his silence. "I'll follow your lead, ma'am. I know you know I'm not much help with blades or bullets, but I have a good head for avoiding ... staying ahead of ... escaping trouble, should the need arise!" Cetan turns to Abby and asks in Elvish, "Are you ready to examine the fields to the northwest?" She smiled at Cetan and said, "English, Francais, or Egyptian, honey. Otherwise I have to cast a spell to understand you." With dramatic gesturing Cetan replies in English, " You make'em ready and we go to fields where heap big Elf say." Fish is unsuccessful stifling his snicker. Abby replies, "Honey, Alsoomse brought you to us, so I KNOW that your brains outstrip just about all your other attributes. If that accent makes you happy you go right ahead, but you're not foolin' me." "Squaw sound ready", Cetan says without the hand gestures. He turns and heads for the fields to see what can be seen. As they prepare to depart they see a large gathering in front of the temple to Ra at the end of the street. Rather than a religious affair, it looks more political in nature given the number of people carrying and waving firearms. A large bearded man is standing atop the temple steps and several people start to chant "Abdullah". Mina says, "Let's switch to Plan B and all stay together, I think we've found our fanatic." Abby says, "Well, that didn't take long. I wish I knew what Sardou looked like." Abby says, "Let's go round the crowd as we head out. I want to hear what some of this crowd are saying. If Sardou did his job too well they could be an issue for us. Plus, they may be able to lead us to the Royal flocks." She drank one dose of the potion Alsoomse had given them so she could understand the language. Abby set off, leading the others and trying not to be ridiculously annoyed by the word Squaw. Fish sticks close to Alsoomse, watching the crowd to see if anyone seems to be paying special attention to them, and takes note of anyone taking special note of the big centaur's progress to the northwest. As they near they see that the crowd of Egyptians represent a large cross-culture, as every age, gender and social class seem to be represented. Abdullah's name is chanted several times until he calms them and exclaims, "King Takeleth VI has failed us, and he has brought foreigners into our land to fight our brothers. The great General Ahmed Orabi seeks nothing but peace, having wed the King's favored daughter Neferka to that end. That should have been enough for most, but not this despot, as he now fights a blood relative! Is this the way true Egyptians would act? I say thee nay! Brothers, sisters, kinsmen, spread the word. We gather here tomorrow at dawn and march to Cairo!" "Dawn tomorrow," Abby said quietly to the others. "They're marching to Cairo. Bernhardt would be heading there before the mob. Let's get a look out at those fields then have a look around Heliopolis. I wish we had one of those airships." Alsoomse pulls the group back and says, "Hold on, I detect significant amounts of magic on seven different people, one of them is probably the French actor. Abby, take Cetan and head off to find the druid. I'll stay here with Ben and we can hopefully figure out which is the man we want." Fish feels the hair rise up the nape of his neck. He steps back to guard Alsoomse's flank, all the while keeping his eyes peeled. He reaches inside his vest to secure the pearl-handled little two-shot derringer he'd "liberated" from a buxom lass earlier that day. Abby tells her, "Alright. We'll meet you back here at the train station. Good luck." Abby ran after Cetan to head out toward the countryside. She tells him, "We probably want to look in whatever direction Cairo is in. That's where they'd need to move the sheep to if they wanted to take them to the King." Alsoomse pulls Fish back a few feet to point out the seven that she identified. One appears to be an Egyptian priest of Horus, and is flanking the man Abdullah. She says that his staff, ring and belt are magical. Another two are a well-dressed couple who appear to be of great wealth, with magical clothing and jewelry covering both of them. Next appears to be a beggar boy who is keeping close to the assemblage, but has on magical boots, a magical ring and magical amulet hidden under his cloak. The fifth is a young woman of some financial means, who has on a magical dress, magical belt, a pair of magical rings and magical flute attached to her belt. She has a pair of ogre bodyguards beside her. The sixth is further back in the crowds, a rather tall evil looking man wearing a black cloak over black clothing. Alsoomse says that his entire body appears to be covered with a magical spell, and the scimitar in his belt also appears to be magical. The final person with considerable magic is a young man dressed in flamboyant western-style garb, a white silk suit with silver ascot, with a diamond pin and gold cane. She says that not only are the pin and cane radiating magic, but that he has something magical under his white hat, and that she also detected magical bullets inside the pistol concealed in a shoulder holster. Gesturing to the last man, "Alsoomse, I wonder what he's doing here! He certainly looks outta place." mutters Ben. She replies, "I have no idea, but he probably isn't the French actor we are seeking. One wouldn't want to appear as a westerner while trying to blend in." Still whispering, Fish suggests, "If I were trying to blend in, I might choose an otherwise-inconspicuous beggar boy as my cover..." Alsoomse replies, "I was thinking the same, although the big man with the scimitar is another possibility. Sure he stands out, but it is unlikely that anybody will intentionally bother him." "Alsoomse!" continues Fish in a whisper, "What say you I sidle up to the beggar boy and try to figure his motives in this crowd? I am quite practiced at 'blending'!* You can keep an eye on the big dude and attempt the same?" Alsoomse heads off as the large man in black departs, following him from a safe distance. Benjamin stays, as the beggar boy does not immediately leave, instead holding out his bowl and asking for coins from the departing crowd. Fish moves nearer the boy to observe him more closely. He uses his own skills at subterfuge to appear bewildered by the crowd as it departs, acting as though the surge of people might in fact push him up against the boy. If it's an elaborate disguise the boy has adopted, Fish watches for some sign of the ruse. Despite the surging of the crowd, the boy makes no attempt to pick anybody's pockets, maintaining his observation on the departing fanatical leader. The boy then opens his palm enough to reveal a small two-by-three in notebook in his hand, which he then makes some notes on with a pencil, before storing the notebook and pencil in a pocket of his tunic. Ben fishes out a little talisman wrapped in copper wire that he has pinned behind his lapel and, upon spying Alsoomse, cups his hand over his mouth and whispers a Message to her, reporting what he has observed. She nods upon hearing the message. She heads off after the man in black with the scimitar, leaving Fish to deal with the beggar boy. [/QUOTE]
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AGELESS Campaign Episode 2 - Temple of the Cat-Goddess
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