Having met with Neris and accepted companionship(?) of her feline herald, the investigators needed to decide what to do next. A quick trip out to Memphis would be in order, although the ancient ruined city was located several miles south of Cairo on bad roads. They had the touring car, they had a full tank of petrol and a couple spare tyres. If they did not want to (say) drop the cat off at Alexander's and instead keep it with them, they could depart.

Along with the Count, Cynthia and Chi-Yin, the ex-RAF pilot Roger Bedford (armed with his Mauser pistol) volunteered to stay with them to act as driver. Salim bin Kabina (armed with a Mauser rifle) would act as interpreter.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:24, Thu 24 Mar 2022.

The only thing Cynthia is looking to get is additional kitty snacks, from any available souk along the way. Her guns are in the trunk, but it won't take much to pull them out and keep them ready. (And no way she's going out to some empty camp so someone else can talk to someone else, and Cynthia is stuck in the car without even a CAT to play with.)

They followed the Nile road south out of the city, heading towards the Clive expedition dig site in Memphis.

The cat seemed to like the ride, or at least tolerate it. She sat and slept on Cynthia's lap in the sun, out of the way of the dust kicked up by their travel. She did seem to like the goat meat Cynthia purchased for her along the way.

In a couple hours travel they reached the dig site some 20 miles south of Cairo. It was heavily fortified, separate from the nearby town. There was a perimeter of concertina wire, and guard posts. Asenath hopped down and concealed herself in the shadows under the front seats. Armed guards at the gate examined their documentation provided by the Museum, and as well recognised Chi-Yin as having business there. Then they were allowed in.

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 3):

Roger parked outside the mess tent. "Ok, Chi-Yin, you get your stuff and talk to your friends? I'll have a word with Dr. Clive, keep him and his cronies occupied. Salim, you stay with the car."

The Count will accompany Roger while he suggest Mr Perkins to stay by the car as well.

-

In reply to Roger Bedford (msg # 4):

"Alright ." Chi-yin said, and got out of the truck.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 5):

Roger pulled Bathony aside and whispered,

"Count, after you meet Dr. Clive and his cronies, I suggest you find Chi-Yin and assist her. That will be a much more profitable avenue for inquiry. I'll handle Dr. Clive."

While Cynthia waited in the car, Chi-Yin retrieved her belongings. After, she visited the two expedition members she was closest to: the Scottish archaeologist James Gardiner and the English mystic Agatha Broadmoor. Tea and biscuits were served.

Meanwhile, the Count and Roger met with Dr. Clive and his cronies, Johannes Sprecht and Martin Winfield. It was as fruitless as they had been warned. Dr. Clive was condescending and standoffish, refusing to answer questions and complaining about the natives. Martin Winfield was superficial and smarmy. Sprecht was icy and aloof. He did let slip something about how his studies here helped proved the existence of a supposed "Master Race", which you suspect you have not heard the last about. No tea or refreshments were offered in the austere main office tent.

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 8):

Chi-yin sipped some of her tea and wondered how to broach the subject she had come here to ask them about.

In reply to Wong Chi-yin (msg # 9):

She was warmly welcomed by James Gardner, the Scottish archaeologist. He complimented Chi-Yin as being the only other academic on the expedition who did not seem to be a close-minded pillock or intellectual lickspittle. "A dinnae ken how come we ur digging 'ere 'n' nae a Giza. We hud important finds in oor howk thare. Eerything is a' gaen ower a hundred times 'ere in Memphis."

Indeed they had found an undiscovered chamber there in one of the pyramids of Giza. And a sarcophagus and mummy, although those had gone missing in a very suspicious manner. Yet Dr. Clive had pulled them all out and relocated twenty miles south to Memphis, an area that had been picked clean by now. Chi-Yin had been of the same opinion as James, yet she had been asked to leave while he, a White man, had not (although Gardiner was a tenured academic).

The English psychic, Agatha Broadmoor, sipped her tea. "It is shameful Dr. Clive forced you out, my dear. It is because you are of what he calls the "weaker sex". And you are not the correct race either, according to him. But no matter."

Then she got a far-off look in her eyes and said something in a strange voice, "when the moon is dead, the Dark Pharaoh shall resurrect his bride."

Agatha then snapped out of it. "Oh! My word! Did I say something? I have these spells, you see. Everything gets so bright. Apparently I say something, but I can never remember what it is! Curious. But that is the world of the spirits."

Well at least everyone had managed to stand by the reputations they had. Given the digs leader seemed to have a problem with his local staff perhaps that would be somewhere to begin inquiries that may or may not be more fruitful.



-

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 11):

Roger and the Count were dismissed from the main expedition tent. Dr. Clive and archaeologists Sprecht and Winfield did not seem like they were hiding anything or wanted them gone, merely they found them uninteresting. An invitation to dinner was extended but in a very half-hearted manner.

The servants and workers seemed surly and did not know English. Still, although they were unwelcome no one was overtly threatening.

In the tent of Agatha Broadmoor and James Gardner, Chi-Yin continued drinking tea. Agatha seemed to not be aware she had said anything in that strange voice. Gardner teased her a little, "och, ye had one o' yer wee spells now, lassie! 'Tis the Dark Stranger ye mentioned. Come to warn ye!" Agatha sniffed. "The Dark Stranger comes and he or she says what he or she wants. I will say, they are never wrong. But sometimes the words of the Dark Stranger are hard to interpret or understand.

"Chi-Yin, dearie. Would you like for me to do a Tarot reading for you? Read your palm, perhaps?"

"Give me a minute Roger I will go and see if the driver can help with some translation." The count goes to see if he can find one of Alexander's men who  maybe able to help with the language.


-

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 13):

Even with Salim's help the Egyptians were singularly unhelpful and uncommunicative. They would walk away, pretend they didn't hear, look busy and give monosyllabic answers.

He said as a quiet aside to the Count, "it is obvious they do not want us here. I can tell no more, and perhaps it is because I am of the Bedu. Maybe this is nothing, but I can tell that none of the Egyptians are locals. This is unusual. An expedition would normally hire the people here, who are experienced in digging for archaeological expeditions and are more affordable. As far as I can tell all the help is from Cairo and the Nile Delta, which is expensive. Very unusual."

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 10):

Chi-yin had to agree with Agatha. Funny, what the other woman had just said. Hadn't Neris said something similar?

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 10):

"Thank you, James. " Chi-yin said, smiling a little.

This message was deleted by the player at 21:46, Sat 14 May 2022.

"Thank you Salim, lets take a walk regardless, Roger ?" He lead the small group towards the dig and tried to look like interested tourists as they walked around.


-

Cynthia is having a very in-depth conversation with Snowball Asenath. A mob descending on the camp will certainly be noteworthy, and therefore problematic. But she does keep an eye on the horizon for any trouble.

"Did you name yourself Asenath? Did YOU name yourself Asenath? Little baby. Come here. No no, here. On my lap... where are you... No. No! Asenath! Get out of there... That's not a good place for you! What do you think will happen when the Count tries to sit down?"

Snowball (nee Asenth) found the best shade physically possible and stayed there.

The dig didn't seem to be very diligent, even to Bathony's and Roger's untrained eyes. Chi-Yin passed the time with some pleasant but not further enlightening conversation. They could either stay and potentially wear out their welcome, or return to Cairo.

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 20):

Chi-yin decided to leave at last, and stood up from the table.