Like an old campaigner JM naps as they drive.

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 203):

Matt drives, keeping an eye out for the usual dangers plus watching out for the sudden appearance of unexpected vehicles or pedestrians.

They were drawing closer to Dashur. The dirt road was treacherous indeed!

OOC: Everyone can make Spot Hidden rolls. Matt can make a Drive check.

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 205):

"Blast! Another flat tyre!" exclaimed Alexander. He was behind the wheel of his Renault touring car. It was obvious he had blown a tyre, which was not unexpected during a journey of any duration on rough roads at night.

He pulled over and called out to the lorry. "We have to stop because of the flat tyre. We are about two miles from the fishing village near Dashur, maybe another mile west to the Lesser Bent Pyramid. Do you want to wait and fix it, or leave the car and continue on?"

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 206):

"We can go on. You lot can all pile in the back of here if you want. Sort out the flat in the morning. Unless you think it'll get lifted before dawn." Matt calls back.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:20, Wed 13 Feb 2019.

In reply to Matthew 'Matt' Clancy (msg # 207):

"I don't think anyone will disturb the Renault if we leave it by the side of the road for a few hours. We are in a rather primitive part of the world now. Only perhaps twenty miles away from home, twenty-five from downtown Cairo, but back centuries in time.

"All right, let's all climb into the lorry. No point in setting a guard. We've only a couple miles to go to the Lesser Bent Pyramid. There is apparently a guard set there now for some purpose. We should approach cautiusly.

"I am also led to believe that the Clive expedition is residing in Dashur, although it is more to the west near the pyramid of Djoser."

With that he grabbed his Enfield, a couple canvas bags loaded with food and canteens full of water, and climbed into the canvas-topped bed of the Thornycroft War Department (WD) lorry.

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 208):

As they got set up in the lorry, Chalky happened to glance east towards the vast, dark river. There were no palms here, just a dark body of water perhaps a quarter mile across, if that, much narrower than where it ran through Cairo and the delta.

Far out on the water, he thought he saw a large, dark shape like a barge or sailing vessel floating several miles downstream.

"What's that?!" Says Chalky. "Dumb to to sail a boat, you can't see what you'll hit in the river. Only a nutcase would do that."

He shifts and says to the driver. "Stop for a sec', let's have a look at this."

In reply to Andrew 'Chalky' White (msg # 210):

Matt brakes gently and pulls to a halt to have a good look at whatever Chalky has seen.

The Count hops out as well and looks towards the river. He rummages around in his carpet bag before producing a set of field glasses. He scans the boat with them looking for anything a miss.

Count Sigismund Bathony rolled 78 using 1d100 with rolls of 78.  Spot Hidden = 72%. That dice roller!


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In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 212):

Once pointed out, everyone noticed the dark shape on the river. The almost-full moon was setting but the glimmer of light on the water was enough to show there was something there. It seemed to be a medium-sized barge or boat of some kind.

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 213):

"I don't know if that's something we need to worry ourselves about or not but it won't be able to keep up with this truck." Matt says. "Shall we just bolt? After all it's likely nothing to do with us."

"I dunno Matt," says Chalky. "You'd have to really be desperate to move a craft like that at night without lights. It smells fishy."

In reply to Andrew 'Chalky' White (msg # 215):

"Of course it smells fishy, it's a boat!"

Chalky looks over at Matt in the dark but his wry look is lost to the gloom

In reply to Andrew 'Chalky' White (msg # 217):

"Are we going to continue on, then? Or wait here a while?"

In reply to Alexander Hussein Mahfouz (msg # 218):

"Keep driving then." Matt says before shoving the truck back into gear and pulling away. "You might want to keep an eye on that boat thought Chalky, in case a bunch of magic men  suddenly jump off it to get us."

In reply to Matthew 'Matt' Clancy (msg # 219):

It was hard to tell the location and direction of the vessel. It seemed to be at least a couple miles downstream.

In reply to Matthew 'Matt' Clancy (msg # 219):

Alexander held on as the lorry lurched forward when Matt put the big vehicle in gear.

"I should let you in on what my friends are doing here and hope to accomplish.

"As you may recall, back in 1919-1920 the Carlyle Expedition arrived here from New York via London. It was funded by American playboy, Roger Carlyle, in conjunction with the Penhew Institute in London. They arrived in late 1919 at the start of "digging season" (the winter) and left for Kenya in early 1920, to return before the digging season ended in March or April and it got too hot. They were all slaughtered by natives while there, in Kenya, possibly by primitive cultists.

"My friends, JM, Cynthia, JM, et al, were friends with an investigative reporter and author, Jackson Elias, who thought some or all of the expedition's principals were still alive. He travelled to at least London, Cairo, Nairobi and we think Shanghai to track down leads. When he returned to New York he asked his friends for help, but was killed by cultists. So that's what my friends are doing here: looking for traces of the Carlyle expedition and perhaps find if any of them are alive. Especially Roger Carlyle, at the behest of his sister, Erica.

"Something to consider: the Carlyle expedition did visit Dashur. They also visited the Collapsed Pyramd at Meidum, thirty miles to the north of there, upriver. There something happened. It was witnessed by Warren Bessart, Carlyle's agent here in Cairo. (He is alive because he did not accompany them to Kenya.) He was broken by what he saw there, and feels he would have perished had it not been for a local porter, Nyti al-Wasta. We are very close to the town of al-Wasta, another thirty miles, perhaps before we return to Cairo we can pay him a visit? In the daylight the journey will be much quicker."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:34, Fri 22 Feb 2019.

JM listened as Alexander provided a summary of their activities.  He frowned as the memory of so much horror and bloodshed flashed through his mind.  "There has been much blood spilled on the path to our arrival in Egypt.  The conspiracy that enmeshed Carlyle and his team spans the globe."  He nods though at the mention of the porter.  "We should definitely speak to Nyti.  I am sure that there will be much to learn from him as he was at the site of the atrocity as well.  Hopefully he is more coherent than Bessart."

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 222):

"Yes, the Frenchman was quite mad. Poor sod. After we are done here we will continue on north to al Wastya, and meet this Nyiti fellow.

"Something else to consider is the Clive expedition is located near here, to the south of Dashur. They are the ones who possessed the mummy of Nitocris, and lost it. Now, they are also supported by the Penhew Institute, like the Carlyle expedition. Bear in mind from what you told me the director and many of the board were members of the Dark Brotherhood cult in England. (I am unsure how they are reacting to the decimation of their leadership back in England!) So should you wish to visit them you must exercise caution.

"The Dutchman van Huelevelen, who left the Clive expedition, said he would help furnish you with an introduction if you assisted him in translating some papers he found. Or there might be other means of gaining entry."

JM had forgotten in the press of events about the Clive expedition.  "There might be some advantage to scouting their digs but if they are a nest of cultists they will either hide things or if they know of us make us disappear.  I think more of a covert reconnaissance is what might be needed of them at least first."  He looked at Alexander.  "Do you have any contacts that might provide us with a cover to enter the camp?  Maybe authorities of the government or contractors of some type?  Or just tourists..."

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 224):

"Dr. Khafour would be the best resource for that. All authorisation for archaeological digs must go through the museum, and ultimately him.

"Let us do some looking, then. At least while the darkness lasts. Another hour or so. Thankfully, we are almost there."

JM nods. "We need to stop the cultists first.  If we survive and succeed then we can make our further investigations.  I am pretty sure that doctor Khafour will help us with credentials if needed."

In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 226):

"Right then. First order of business is to investigate the Lesser Bent Pyramid. That is where Cynthia's vision suggested that Omar Shakti took the sarcophagus of Nitocris earlier tonight. I have information that the government has mounted a guard on the pyramid. Egyptian soldiers. They let the procession into the main entrance. Perhaps they are innocent, perhaps they were bribed, perhaps they are part of the Dark Brotherhood cult. We should be careful of them.

"Next we can take a look at the Clive expedition camp without intruding. Merely take its measure from the outside.

"And after daybreak we shall travel north to Meidum and the town of al Wasti, and interview this Nyiti fellow. Perhaps he can be more help to us than that Warren Besart wretch."