In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 552):

First, they quickly hid down a side corridor. The narrow twisting passage was pitch black without their electric torches and they were able to hide most satisfactorily. The only response he got to his query was some shaking of heads from Roger and JM. Everyone else was occupied with moving weapons out of sight. Likewise, they could no longer see the main corridor itself.

The sounds of tramping feet got louder, then passed them by, growing dimmer. There was still an opportunity to spring out and ambush the group from behind.

The count hazarded a look at the retreating group the check number and if they have any non combatants. He had a mills bomb in his hand as he watched.


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In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 554):

They had seen no prisoners. This detail had obviously been sent to bring the victims (now rescued from the cells) to be sacrificed.

A little further along they saw a large entrance to what must be the chamber. Past that was a small alcove and stairwell going up.

Cynthia gives a silent thumb's up to continue setting up the Lewis gun. She takes a few of the bombs for herself, preparing to toss some surprises into the main circle when the party starts.

She does take a moment to stuff cotton in her ears before setting herself up, first beside the Lewis gun to toss bombs, then to fall back in a dark and protected corner (out of sight of the Lewis gun, to prevent that gunner from getting shot in the back) to ambush the prisoner-party when they inevitably come running back.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 556):

Their choices to assault the ceremonial chamber were to go in through what seemed to be the main entrance, or up the small side stairs. If those led to a balcony or similar area it would be perfect to rain fire down. But if it led somewhere else, like a guard room, it could be disasterous!

Perkins looked to the Count and then Ms Holloway. "Lets try up the side and see if it gives us a vantage point." He pats the .303 sniper rifle on his shoulder.


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In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 556):

Chi-yin promptly gestured for the prisoners to cover their ears from what would be the loud sound of the bombs and gun, and then did the same herself.

Climbing the stairs of the side passage they came out onto a gallery with a high balcony circling the rectangular underground ceremonial chamber 60 feet up.

The chamber itself was immense, easily 400 by 500 feet across, with a ceiling of 100 feet. There were many dozens of black columns holding up the roof. However, there was not much light in the vast space, just a handful of lamps, candles, braziers and torches. Incense and perfumes lay thick in the air, masking a pervasive miasma of decay. The floor was of a shiny black stone.

Below them they could see the ancient chamber laid out with the main entrance right below them. Then a set of stairs in the middle of the floor leading yet further below. According to Dr. Khafour, accessing the underworld. Past this was an elongated rectangular pit with water at the bottom, a leech pit. Near the far end of the chamber was an ornate throne made of carved green stone on a raised dais and platform.

Leading off to the right of the throne and platform was a ceremonial bridge leading over the floor to a side entrance. At that entrance was a stele, much like the one found on the estate of Edward Gavigan, the senior cult leader (now deceased) of the Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh in the UK. The investigators had attacked and wiped out the cult there some months ago.

On the rear wall of the throne room was a gigantic irregular oval portal measuring 90 by 120 feet, of utter blackness.

The ceremony conducted by the Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh to honour their King, and to resurrect his Queen, Nitocris, were getting in to full swing.

Inside were hundreds, perhaps almost a thousand worshippers, chanting and swaying. Staring at the throne. Guarding them were scores of hundred of the hideous unnatural "children of the Sphynx", man with the heads of animals (crocodiles, jackals, panthers, hippos, birds etc. armed with ceremonial clubs and curved knives. In between the square pit and the throne a group of prisoners were surrounded by a group of priests. All the cultists, priests and Children of the Sphynx were dressed in the familiar black satin cultist robes.

On the altar was the sarcophagus of Nitocris. Chi-Yin recognised it as the one that was mysteriously stolen from the Clive expedition.


This message was last edited by the GM at 23:47, Wed 10 Jan.

"Wow... Alright. This is maybe a grander affair than I had imagined."

Cynthia scans the room and again, hoping to size up the number of people, and more importantly, where the magical artifacts are perhaps located.

"I think... someone is going to have to... sneak down there and steal the objects back. One or two people will need to move through the crowd and get close enough, grab them, and then try and waltz back to safety. As much as I'd like to bomb this whole wretched den, I don't think all the TNT in the world will be enough to destroy those artifacts."

She looks at each of her friends in turn, to gauge their feelings, but also size up who could possibly accept that perilous role.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 561):

One thing they knew was that there needed to be a sacrifice of great power to complete the ceremony that would resurrect Nitocris. This was originally intended to be Lady Agatha, although they had just rescued here. A fact that would be revealed soon, as the ceremony seemed to be getting underway within the hour.

The question of who the was answered as a party of cultists entered from the right side entrance, starting across the ceremonial bridge. The party included several of the 3 most-suspicious members of the Clive expedition. There was Sir Clive himself, cold and cruel German Johannes Sprecht, and supercilious Brit Martin Winfield. Looking through binoculars they saw them help carry a bound prisoner along the ceremonial bridge to the central altar.

It was the priestess of Bast, Neris. She would be the human sacrifice that would provide the mystical power required for Nitocris' resurrection.

OOC: As a reminder, the upper gallery and balcony circles the massive room. However, it's still a hundred feet up. You could drop down onto the Stele, as that's only about 20 feet from the tip to the level of the balcony, and you have rope. But not very subtle!

Over the racket of the crowd below they heard someone approach up the stairs behind them.

It was Abou, Dr. Khafour's Arab servant. He was holding out a silver dagger covered in inscriptions.

"Do not shoot! I had hoped to find you were. The Doctor has prepared a special weapon for you.

"You must plunge this in the eye of the mummy. Preferably before she is resurrected although it can still work if she is running around. Just more difficult!"

The Count had turned to blast whatever was coming up the stairs but quickly lowered his weapon when Abou appeared. He thanked the man but made no moment towards the man or the weapon. He turns back to survey the scene if front of them as Mr Perkins readied his rifle.


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Cynthia pauses for anyone else to act first, then snatches the knife. <blue>"I'm not going to be any use up here with the guns. But if I fuck it, you make sure me and Neris do not make it alive to that pit."

She pulls her cultist robes back over her head, tying them close so they don't come loose. She does break a piece of stone off the walls to mark her own back. Nothing surreptitious, but the party will maybe recognize her in a crowd. She checks her shotgun again, for what good it will be, and the knife which she ties to her belt, and returns back the way they came to enter into the main room in the crowd.

In reply to Cynthia Jane Holloway (msg # 565):

Abou let her have the knife.

"My word, you have quite the spirit! Come, milady, I'll provide a distraction whilst you use the dagger to stab the mummy in the eye and destroy it. As Dr. Khafour instructed."

They noted his voice had changed, becoming less gutteral and accented with Arabic. He pulled back his hood and lowered his mask to reveal a familiar face that you'd not seen in a while.

It was Nigel Wassif, the foppish and handsome part-Arab editor and sole reporter for the Cairo Gazette.

"Let us go, yes? No one may ever become aware of what we do here, but we do our duty here in the dark for King and Country. Farewell, and I shall see you on the other side, my friends. God Save the King!"

As they may recall on his meeting, "Abou" was not just the agent for Dr. Khafour but said he worked on behalf of the King himself.

"Abou! You should not be here! This mission is certain death!"

Despite her protests, Cynthia is pleased for the company. With nothing left to be said, she pulls her hood tight and descends to the pit...

The Count readied a mill grenade in one hand and then watched the crowd for Ms Holloway's head making its way through the crowd. He would wait until the deed was done or a ruckus was created and try and add to the mayhem so she might escape.


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Mr Perkins readied his Lee Enfield and lowered the cross hair of his telescope onto the chest of the high priest and then he waited.


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Dressed as cultists, Cynthia and Nigel/About disappeared down the stairs, moving towards the main entrance.

A few minutes later they emerged from the main entrance below. They joined the throng of worshippers in the massive cavern below, moving carefully towards the altar.

They had a choice to either split up or stay together, and go down one or another side, or the down the middle.

Before they left, Migel spoke to the group. He also stuffed a pair of Stielhandgrenates in a belt under his robe. He also tucked a small automatic pistol and a Mauser "broomhandle" pistol there as well.

"How about if we get into trouble and need you to start shooting or throwing bombxs either one of us will put a hand on top of their head. Or start shooting! Remember, clear a path for us to get to the altar with the mummy."

"Yes, good idea.

"There's no way for us to hold off such a mob directly. We should move separately, but close. If things go haywire, our best defense is confusion and misdirection." How much Cynthia wishes for a big fog cloud right now...

She will take the middling aisle (next to the "G" in 'Great' on the map) and let Abou trail a few steps behind along the aisle beside the wall. She's not hurrying... In all likelihood, she's taking the last steps of her life. But if she can make this one last strike, everything else will be worth it.

Ideally she circles around towards the back of the altar, to size it up (and especially the sarcophagus -- is it something she'd be able to open unassisted?) without drawing too much attention.

The Count watches as they enter the crowd and then casts his gaze a little wider looking for trouble.


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The disguised pair appear through the main entrance, then disappeared into the crowd. Those above could see them every once in a while, steadily making their way forward.

Nigel casually followed her down the wide centre aisle of the massive chamber. Despite the throngs of people the air was strangely cool. Perhaps cunning vents channeled fresh air to where they were, the Gods knew how many feet or yards or miles under the surface. They passed a set of stairs down lined with burning braziers. Two massive jackal-headed guardians holding pole arms blocked easy access. She had been told these stairs supposedly led to the "underworld", a pretty ominous description that did not invite investigation.

Beneath their feet the floor was black polished marble, as were the columns. Deep within the blackness it seemed like were dimly-seem points of light.

They managed to reach the raised altar where the sarcophagus lay. No one paid them much attention as they sidled around to the rear. Thankfully the stairs at the base of the altar went all the way around. There did not seem to be an easy way to open the vessel.

Bathony checked his watch. The group they'd seen presumably going to retrieve the prisoners for sacrifice would have reached the cells by now. Discovering they were empty and the guards killed the alarm would be raised. They would send a runner, who would take even more time. It seemed they had a few more minutes before the runner reached the main chamber and raised the alarm. Intercepting and ambushing the runner as they approached in the outside corridor was an option.

Meanwhile, at the altar a half dozen servants moved to the lid, removing it. Priests, including one that resembled the high priest Omar el-Shakti, now stood in a line in front of the altar at the top of the stairs. It seemed like the ceremony proper was about to begin.

Cynthia scans the area for any possibilities of faking a role she doesn't properly have claim to. She judges whether the servants look sufficiently close to her cultist robes she could join them, or if the girdle is in sight and needs to be brought up, or even if there's a large candle she could hold to give the illusion of aiding as she approaches. Unfortunately, with neither disguise or disruption, her approaching the dais would result in her volunteering as the first sacrifice.

"Minutes." did they have minutes he thought. Would there be only one runner ? The Count let Mr Perkins know he was going down the stairs to try and spot anyone coming along the corridor.

He would use the doorway at the bottom of the stairs for cover as he looked back along for anything out of the ordinary.



Count Sigismund Bathony rolled 52 using 1d100 with rolls of 52.  Spot Hidden = 72%.


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