Introduction
In the summer of 2002, four college
students embarked on what they believed would be an exciting adventure
and a chance to prove what had never been proven before. For these
young people, status and influence were merely means to an end. And
their goals were perhaps more vindication than enlightenment.
It just seemed too easy, pulling the necessary strings. Using
falsified passports that disguised their nationality, they set out on
a journey to a strange and distant land. What had existed before only
in books and lectures could now be studied in all its glory.
Real danger seemed a distant possibility. Measured against a singular
opportunity, the risks seemed negligible. After all, what could
possibly go wrong?
Arrival in Egypt -
Stepping off the plane into the
air-conditioned lounge of Cairo International Airport, Alexandra
"Alex" Sullivan seemed the most distant. She kept looking over her
shoulder at something that obviously wasn't there. Unlike her friends,
Alex kept her passport in her hands, folding it over and looking at
both it and her ticket receipt again and again.
"What's the big deal, kitten?" asked Fergus. "C'mon, it's gonna be
fine."
"This whole thing still gives me the willies," replied Alex. "Whether
your dad's passports get us through customs are not, we're taking a
really big risk. And I don't mean just to our necks. After the embassy
bombing last summer, this kind of trip is prohibited for US citizens.
And getting busted for this kind of fraud can seriously screw up
someone's future."
Hefting her small carry-on bag, Ivy ambled a few feet over:
"Listen", she said. "We've all been
giving this a lot of thought. And we agreed it was worth the risk. The
ruins at Memphis will soon be closed to all outsiders for the next 20
years. It's the last chance any of us will have to see if the research
we did on the Men-Nefer manuscript is valid."
Big Victor Santos had been leaning quietly against the concourse wall.
Up until now, he had kept his peace. Shaking his head, he shrugged
himself to a stand and spoke out loud enough for everyone to hear.
"The bottom line is this, kids." Vic took a moment to look each of
them in the eye. "Everything we've done for the last six years has
come to this. If we're wrong, we get back on the plane with our tails
between our legs. Nobody knows, nobody cares. Just another bunch of
drunken, rich grad students who spent the summer in Amsterdam.
"But if we're right", he paused. The others studied him in silence.
"If we're right... It could open a door into Egyptology never even
imagined before. Hell, it could break down a whole new wall."
The nice lady in customs -
The well-kept woman at the counter smiled as she handed back each
passport, one after the other.
"Thank you, gentleman. Please enjoy
your stay in our country. I think you'll find it much warmer than
Canada!", she said with a smile.
"OK, that's it", Fergus said. "We have cabs out front, and
reservations at Movenpick Cairo, a good, upscale hotel. Very
discreet. Now let's just take our bags and go for a pleasant walk out
the front door."
Fergus couldn't help but lean in and
smile in his annoyingly conspiratorial grin. A short lifetime of being a
wealthy, successful ladies' man had instilled in him an almost insufferable
ego. Still, everyone had to admit it was his father's money
that had gotten them this far.
After collecting their bags, they exited the front lobby out into the
street. The cool, antiseptic air-conditioning of the airports'
concourse was immediately replaced by the potent smell of Heliopolis,
13 miles northeast of central Cairo. Even in modern day downtown, the
unmistakable atmosphere of the ancient world was palpable. Shortly
after piling into a cab, they were on their way.
Mr. Death
"Yes sir, you mentioned wanting these documents?"
Mrs. Khepri had been given specific instructions. She didn't know why
these particular passports were so important, but had been told for
weeks to expect them. The man with whom she now spoke had seemingly
posted himself near her counter since that time. Although he would
come and go, he seemed to almost always be there when she expected him
least. Like a shadow. Or an unsettling ghost.
"You have done well", he said. "I will command your competence to your
superiors. On behalf of mine, I think you."
Although
his words were pleasant, the expression on his face caused a shiver to
run through Mrs. Khepri's body. There was something awful about him,
something not right about his face - or perhaps his walk. Yes, that
was it. He seemed to always move with a strange 'dragging' sensation,
as if his body weight was just barely too heavy for his muscles to
move.
Still, she smiled pleasantly and he finally turned away. Watching him
leave for the street, she couldn't help but feel a sigh of relief that
this would be the last she saw of him.
The time of prophecy is near -
Mr. Death stood on the open street with pedestrians and tourists
passing him on all sides. From inside his suit coat pocket, he pulled
a small cell phone. Pressing two buttons he then held the phone to his
mouth and quietly spoke a secret word. The phone began dialing an
unknown number.
"Great Sahib, it is done. I have the documentation. It is true as the
prophecies have spoken. 'They'll come from afar bearing lies'.
Yes? Indeed they have come alone. I will do as you say. For as Apophis
has written, the gates shall be opened and we will rule upon the
earth."
Mr. Death closed the cell phone quietly and looked to the distance. As
the sun began to set, the Great Pyramids could be seen in the far away
distance.
"Death to the infidels", he whispered. "Death and doom to all the
world..."
Summary
This was an interesting adventure in
that we began our campaign with all 4 characters as humans. This is
unusual and it was a story idea that arose before I even bought the
game. The guys were good about it and we had what turned out to be a
fairly exciting story.
After experiencing terrifying dreams and visions after their arrival
in Cairo, the group eventually met with Mr. Azim, the curator of the
museum near Memphis. He was able to assist them in unraveling the
mystery.
The journey ended in the ruins of the City of the Dead. The scroll of
life they bore was solved by visiting the one and only Christian
temple built during the Crusades: The Temple of St. Jeremiah. They
were able to decode the manuscript just before the arrival of their
enemy.
"Agymah" arrived with a band of terrorists and nomads from the desert.
Defended by the security guards commissioned by the museum, the group
battled the terrorists for their lives - unfortunately, losing in the
end. Before they died, Ivy was able to force the Scroll of Life into
the mouth of the fiend Agymah. He was enveloped in blue flame and
consumed.
The last of the heroes died on the
desert sand only to be revived later by the faithful companion Mr.
Hasani and the priests of Osiris. They walked in the shadowlands and
looked upon Osiris himself. They were told of their great destiny and
then returned to the lands of the living.
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