Mummy Game 016

[10/26/2013 11:35:07 PM] Kate: The Valley of the Kings, outside Luxor, March 1922. Felix went to bed again early in the morning after an odd encounter with a zombie, in which yet another of the Driscoll workers was killed, and a second worker frightened, while a third helped Felix eliminate the threat. [10/26/2013 11:38:11 PM] Kate: As usual now when he dreams, he merely wakes up again in ancient Egypt, once more in Ramses's room and appearing as him to others, though he still seems to be himself to himself, if that makes sense. [10/26/2013 11:39:10 PM] Kate: It appears to be evening; Ramses is alone, and judging by the tools on his table, he was sharpening a wide array of swords and knives that look anything but decorative. [10/26/2013 11:40:00 PM] Felix: Felix looks at the swords. He does like swords. [10/26/2013 11:41:21 PM] Kate: They're very simple, with very little decoration, but well-balanced and quite functional. [10/26/2013 11:41:49 PM] Kate: The blade seems to be made of bronze, and the handle, wood. [10/26/2013 11:43:10 PM] Kate: They don't have gems and the like set in them, which Felix knows via Ramses' knowledge is unusual. Ramses does not like a lot of fuss. [10/26/2013 11:43:59 PM] Kate: He puts up with it on his armor as it helps his men identify him on sight even on the battlefield, but prefers quality over flash in weapons. [10/26/2013 11:44:24 PM] Kate: ((Bigfoot wears a plaid shirt and is called Larry.)) [10/26/2013 11:44:58 PM] Felix: Felix nods, and stands up, looking around. [10/26/2013 11:45:58 PM] Kate: The knives come in a variety of shapes and sizes, each meant for a different style of fighting or use. [10/26/2013 11:49:43 PM] Felix: Felix raises an eyebrow. "How many knives does one need?" [10/26/2013 11:51:02 PM] Kate: As Felix/Ramses stands up, a man pops into the room. It's a short, densely-built, muscular man with very dark skin and very frizz hair in multiple tiny braids, bundled and held back in a string. He's wearing the usual kilt, but also a lot of jewelry, much of it in the form of piercings. [10/26/2013 11:51:16 PM] Kate: Man: One more than the enemy has! [10/26/2013 11:52:58 PM] Felix: Felix looks at him! Do I know him? [10/26/2013 11:54:46 PM] Kate: Ramses does. His name is Taharqa; a lot of people just call him "the Medjai," though, as he is a Nubian and part of the Medjai elite guards. [10/26/2013 11:56:24 PM] Felix: What do you need, Taharqa? [10/26/2013 11:56:29 PM] Kate: Ramses has worked with him before during the wars--he's a captain, of sorts, and led a small group of Medjai as shock troops under Ramses' command. [10/26/2013 11:57:41 PM] Kate: Ramses also remembers Taharqa in particular as a friend rather than a subordinate, partly because he's almost suicidally derisive about protocol and skilled and loyal enough to get away with it. [10/26/2013 11:58:35 PM] Kate: Taharqa: Need, nothing. Want? What do I ever want, Ramses--wine, women and a good fight, not necessarily in that order. [10/26/2013 11:59:08 PM] Kate: Ramses is very sure the good fight should be first in Taharqa's catalog, in fact. [12:00:17 AM] Felix: Felix nods. "Fight, women, wine?  or Fight, wine, women?" [12:01:03 AM] Kate: Taharqa: Why not all three at once. Come on, Ramses, we haven't gone out for ages. You're in imminent danger of becoming boring. [12:01:19 AM] Kate: He picks up one of the knives and tests its edge. "... and dull." [12:02:23 AM] Felix: Well, why not. [12:03:01 AM] Kate: He brightens. "Really? I thought I would have to drag you by the hair you don't have." [12:04:01 AM] Felix: I'm feeling a bit claustorophobic lately. [12:04:49 AM] Kate: Taharqa: I blame your woman. Perhaps the magic is coming to an end. [12:05:25 AM] Felix: No. Just bad dreams. [12:05:47 AM] Felix: And my sister, and that vizier. Life's easier when I'm fighting. [12:06:42 AM] Kate: Taharqa: Your sister is ghastly, and that obsequious toady who follows her around is even worse. [12:07:14 AM | Edited 12:07:18 AM] Kate: Taharqa slaps him on the back. "At least you're coming around to my point of view. There's nothing wrong with the woman you have, just get three or four more and you won't be so attached. Life is easier *that* way as well." [12:08:11 AM] Kate: Ramses recalls that Taharqa is almost as fond of pretty men as pretty women, though most people don't know it--and he's not any more likely to stick around them either. [12:09:57 AM] Felix: Well, i'm not you, my friend. But wine and fights sound good. [12:12:20 AM] Kate: Taharqa: Well, I'm glad she hasn't managed to *entirely* dull you down. And you're finally coming around to my way of thinking, too. [12:13:02 AM] Kate: Taharqa: Though a slave, I haven't tried that. I suppose the going rate for a pretty one is pretty high. [12:13:38 AM] Felix: You know how we met, right? she tried to kill me. [12:14:28 AM] Kate: Taharqa: ... now why didn't you tell me that before? I like her already. [12:15:40 AM] Felix: I figured you'd approve. [12:18:29 AM] Kate: Taharqa leads him out of the palace. "And she managed to get you from trying to kill her to having you doing her bidding?" [12:21:36 AM] Felix: Your longest affair was an hour. I don't think you're qualified to offer an opinion on Taia and I. But... she isn't obsequious. She's never once accused me of being a god. Like you. [12:22:39 AM] Kate: Taharqa grins. "Nobody's perfect. Besides, you mean a *night.* Not an hour. An hour's for amateurs." [12:23:50 AM] Felix: Didn't want to presume too much. [12:24:15 AM] Felix: Felix is pretty comfortable with this guy as he's probably known plenty of guys like him in the army. [12:25:15 AM] Kate: Taharqa leads Ramses through the teeming streets of Luxor, filled with mostly poor people, and a few wealthy people on litters, with slaves carrying them. It's much more colorful than the modern-day Luxor, as people's idea of what's beautiful is bright colors, lots of jewelry--clay painted brightly if they can't afford precious metals and gems. [12:27:32 AM] Kate: Indeed. Ramses trusts Taharqa implicitly; the littler man has saved his life a number of times, often with the bow. Nubians are known for their accuracy with the bow, and Taharqa is even known among his own people. [12:29:28 AM] Kate: The two men end up in a wealthier area of the city, surprisingly--that's not usually Taharqa's preferred bailiwick. However, the party *is* appropriately rowdy, with plenty of drinking and at least a fair amount of other behaviors normally deemed inappropriate. [12:31:27 AM] Kate: Taharqa surveys the scene. Ramses recognizes the look on his face as imminent trouble. [12:32:00 AM] Felix: What do you see? [12:32:49 AM] Kate: Taharqa: Faces to break, faces to... not break. [12:33:14 AM] Felix: Wine first. [12:33:48 AM] Kate: Taharqa: You spoil everything, you know that? Very well, very well. Are you *certain* your slave-who-has-enslaved-you won't object? [12:35:49 AM] Felix: Felix rolls his eyes. "I should have the guards take you away for insubordination.  I would, but guards are expensive and I don't think putting you in a cell would be worth the cost." [12:37:32 AM] Kate: Taharqa: Do you want me to fall flat on the floor every time I see you like these probably would if they recognized you? [12:38:17 AM] Kate: He eyes the crowd speculatively. "I imagine you'd lose at least five men to put me in a cell. More if the day was clear and I had my bow." [12:39:11 AM] Felix: Right. So, not worth it. [12:40:06 AM] Kate: Taharqa: Even a man with godsblood must have a friend. And we haven't killed each other yet, so we do seem to qualify. [12:40:49 AM] Felix: So we do. And besides, I'd just have to let you out of the cell the next time I wanted a drink anyway. [12:40:50 AM] Kate: He grabs two jars of wine from a passing slave, smiling at her as he does, and hands one to Ramses. [12:41:13 AM] Kate: Taharqa: The trouble with the wine in the palace isn't the drinkability, it's the company. [12:41:40 AM] Felix: My sister can turn it to vinegar with a sneer. [12:42:24 AM] Kate: Taharqa: Yes, good thing they dug up Apepi to marry her, isn't it? It could have been you. [12:43:14 AM] Kate: (Brother-sister marriages were common in the Egyptian royal families; royal blood was the blood of gods, after all.) [12:43:22 AM] Felix: I've been having my share of nightmares lately ,and that still terrifies me more than anything. [12:44:09 AM] Kate: Taharqa takes a sip of the wine, and then stops sipping in favor of casual guzzling. "Well, she's beautiful, I'll give her that. But it'd be like bedding a snake." [12:46:20 AM] Kate: Taharqa, speculatively: ... doesn't seem like fun. [12:47:03 AM] Felix: No. She'd poison you. [12:47:28 AM] Kate: Taharqa: How is that different from your Taia? [12:49:18 AM] Felix: Taia wasn't born dead on the inside. [12:50:31 AM] Felix: ((brb.)) [12:51:59 AM] Kate: Taharqa: Oh, well. You have a good point there. How can you be so unlike your own sister, anyway? [12:57:01 AM] Kate: Taharqa: You must take after different gods. [1:04:30 AM] Felix: I really don't know. [1:04:58 AM] Kate: Taharqa, speculatively: She *is* beautiful. [1:06:30 AM] Felix: Is she? [1:08:33 AM] Kate: Taharqa: A shame she hates me. Then again, perhaps not... [1:08:57 AM] Kate: He blatantly ogles a woman who has stepped into ogling range. [1:09:18 AM] Felix: Felix follows his gaze! [1:10:55 AM] Kate: Pretty girl, with a large nose and very curly hair, a little shorter than is fashionable. Her clothes aren't as expensive as those of most of the women at the party. [1:11:14 AM] Kate: Taharqa grabs another pot of wine, as his first is already empty. [1:13:49 AM] Felix: Felix is still nursing his first, as Felix hates the taste of wine. [1:14:28 AM] Kate: Taharqa: What do you think of that one? [1:16:44 AM] Felix: She's cute. I like her nose. [1:17:12 AM] Kate: Taharqa: Go ahead, then. By all means. [1:19:20 AM] Felix: She's all yours. I'm here for the wine and the probably inevitable brawl. [1:19:45 AM] Kate: Taharqa grimaces. "You've never been any fun, and now you're even worse!" [1:20:19 AM] Kate: Taharqa: And you're never anywhere for the wine. [1:22:23 AM] Felix: Good point. Why are we friends again? [1:23:36 AM] Kate: Taharqa: Because you *love* me. [1:23:47 AM] Kate: He grins. [1:26:01 AM] Felix: Must be. [1:26:10 AM] Kate: Roll a D10! [1:29:20 AM] Felix: ((4! Woot!)) [1:30:26 AM] Kate: Taharqa frowns. "Isn't that Apepi's obsequious little toady over there?" [1:30:55 AM] Kate: His eyes flicker to one of the darker corners of the room, but he otherwise doesn't indicate any direction. [1:32:12 AM] Felix: Felix glances over! Trying not to be obvious about it. [1:33:18 AM] Kate: It's definitely Khyan, and Ramses knows this is even further from his normal behavior than drinking wine is for Ramses (who is rather abstemious). [1:33:40 AM] Felix: Yes, yes it is. [1:34:24 AM] Kate: Taharqa: ... well, seems like a good time for a fistfight, then. [1:35:52 AM] Felix: He makes me nervous. [1:36:29 AM] Kate: Taharqa: You'll feel better when you've hit him a few times. [1:38:40 AM] Felix: I sparred with him not too long ago. he was berating me over Taia. That sounds familiar... who was berating me over Taia not too long ago....? [1:39:32 AM] Kate: Taharqa: Maybe I want her for myself. [1:40:44 AM] Felix: Ahhh. It all falls into place. [1:41:52 AM] Kate: Taharqa grins. "For starters. What's he doing here, anyway? Doesn't he hate fun?" [1:42:39 AM] Felix: He is rather out of place. I wonder if he's following me. [1:43:36 AM] Kate: Taharqa: Let's go ask him. With our fists. [1:44:19 AM] Felix: ... stay here. i'm going to go talk to him first. If we come to blows, feel free to jump in. [1:45:06 AM] Kate: Taharqa: Stay *right* here? [1:45:13 AM] Kate: He looks at the pretty girl with the nose. [1:45:20 AM] Felix: Stay nearby. [1:45:43 AM] Felix: Felix goes over to him! [1:46:43 AM] Kate: Taharqa sidles up to the pretty girl. [1:47:03 AM] Kate: Meanwhile, the man who was talking to Khyan spots Ramses and escapes! [1:47:33 AM] Kate: Khyan eyes Ramses/Felix. "What are you doing here?" [1:48:18 AM] Felix: Felix eyes him. "I could ask you the same question." Felix glances at the guy escaping. [1:49:36 AM] Kate: Khyan: My job is to make connections on your family's behalf. Not all of them are savory. [1:50:28 AM] Kate: Khyan: Did you imagine deals were brokered at court? [1:52:24 AM] Felix: Suppose I never really thought about it. [1:52:57 AM] Felix: I barely know what it is you do, after all. [1:53:14 AM] Kate: Khyan: I do whatever you lot tell me to do. [1:55:53 AM] Kate: Khyan: I prefer other venues, personally. ... last I checked, so did you. [1:56:35 AM] Felix: Taharqa did the picking. [1:57:17 AM] Kate: Khyan: Ah, your disreputable friend. And your slave? I don't see her here. [1:58:24 AM] Felix: She's not here. As you recall, she's not actually mine. [1:58:43 AM] Kate: Khyan: But are you hers? [1:59:21 AM] Felix: It is remarkable how much you sound like my disreputable friend. [2:00:29 AM] Kate: Khyan: If I were your disreputable friend I would would be punching you in the face right now. I don't see why I should go to all the trouble of helping you if you're just going to choose somebody else in a place like this. [2:00:46 AM] Kate: Khyan: Especially since I, unlike you, am risking my neck. [2:01:23 AM] Kate: (This is actually only somewhat true; after all, the pharaoh could execute a prince as well. It's just not as lightly done, typically.) [2:03:41 AM] Felix: I'm not here for the women, Khyan. [2:04:09 AM] Kate: Khyan: ... good. [2:04:13 AM] Kate: Khyan: I spoke with her. [2:04:21 AM] Felix: And? [2:05:03 AM] Kate: Khyan: She has an inordinate amount of faith in you. [2:05:49 AM] Felix: And I don't plan on betraying any of that. I'm here with my friend, that's all. [2:07:43 AM] Kate: Khyan: ... very well. I misjudged you; I'm sorry. It isn't easy to put grievances aside. [2:09:33 AM] Felix: No. [2:11:11 AM] Kate: Khyan: ... we can make this work, Ramses. I'm sure of it. Give me some time. [2:11:37 AM] Felix: I'm trusting you, here. [2:13:17 AM] Kate: Khyan smiles a tiny little half-smile. "I can't imagine why." [2:13:46 AM] Felix: Me neither. [2:16:20 AM] Kate: Khyan: ... I wasn't going to help you at first. I've changed my mind. [2:16:35 AM] Felix: Why did you change your mind? [2:18:55 AM] Kate: Khyan: I spoke to *her.* [2:19:29 AM] Felix: Fair enough. [2:20:27 AM] Kate: Khyan: An unusual situation calls for unusual alliances, Ramses. Now, if you will excuse me, I have work to do. [2:21:58 AM] Felix: All right, I'll leave you to it. [2:22:07 AM] Felix: Felix leaves him alone without punching him. [2:23:58 AM] Kate: He nods. [2:24:37 AM] Kate: There's a bit of a shriek, and there is, in fact, a fight starting! [2:25:13 AM] Kate: Taharqa is politely shielding the girl with the big nose from the fray, or at least, he's trying to. She just broke a wine jar over somebody's head, though, so obviously she'd like to be involved. [2:25:50 AM] Felix: Felix looks for who's fighting who? [2:26:43 AM] Kate: Everybody's fighting everybody, as far as he can tell! [2:27:09 AM] Kate: Though there are still a few people focused on, well. Each other. [2:27:37 AM] Felix: Felix then wanders back over, waiting for someone to accidently hit him in the scuffle before getting involved. [2:29:16 AM | Edited 2:29:21 AM] Kate: Eventually somebody does! [2:29:25 AM] Kate: Not very well, though! [2:29:53 AM] Felix: Felix jumps into the fray at that point, though. Punch, punch, punch. [2:33:33 AM] Kate: He can get a pretty goodly amount of his aggression out! [2:33:43 AM] Kate: At one point a woman actually grabs him and snogs him with great enthusiasm. [2:34:32 AM] Felix: He gently but firmly pushes her away! [2:35:15 AM] Kate: She takes a swing! [2:35:21 AM] Kate: A drunken, inaccurate swing. [2:35:41 AM] Felix: Felix dodges it! [2:36:00 AM] Kate: She giggles, and staggers off. [2:37:28 AM] Kate: ((BRB briefly.)) [2:37:36 AM] Felix: ((kk!)) [2:38:29 AM] Kate: ((Back.)) [2:38:59 AM] Kate: At one point, Ramses/Felix ends up back to back with Taharqa, who suddenly seems terribly, *terribly* familiar. [2:40:21 AM] Felix: ((Hmmm!)) [2:42:38 AM] Kate: This is about the point at which Felix wakes up next to the Countess. [2:44:20 AM] Felix: Felix sighs, and looks around, trying to figure out what time it is outside! [2:44:34 AM] Kate: Well past dawn, probably. [2:44:55 AM] Kate: Lena even looks beautiful in her sleep; possibly because she's smiling. [2:46:59 AM] Felix: Felix smiles, and doesn't make a move to get up. [2:48:12 AM] Kate: She murmurs a bit, still half-asleep, and snuggles up to him a bit. [2:48:42 AM] Felix: Felix puts an arm around her. [2:49:47 AM] Kate: Lena: I am awake. Am I? [2:50:25 AM] Felix: Mostly. [2:51:08 AM] Kate: Lena: I had the strangest dream. [2:51:32 AM] Felix: Was it a good one? [2:52:31 AM] Kate: Lena: Very good. I believe I tried to kill you. [2:53:07 AM] Felix: .... what? [2:53:51 AM] Kate: Lena: With little... curved knives, they use them for cutting the grain. [2:54:00 AM] Felix: Sickles? [2:55:43 AM] Felix: And you tried to kill me? [2:55:49 AM] Kate: Lena: Is that the word? Sickles. Sickles. Are those not the ice that hang from the eaves in the winter? [2:56:06 AM] Kate: Lena: You did not let me, fortunately. [2:56:27 AM] Felix: .... dare I ask why this was a good dream? [2:56:46 AM] Kate: Lena: You did not let me. And then there was a cave... [2:57:02 AM] Felix: ... and a sandstorm? [2:58:41 AM] Kate: Lena: Yes. A beautiful sandstorm. [2:58:55 AM] Felix: .... I think I had that dream. [2:59:04 AM] Felix: A couple days ago. [2:59:52 AM] Kate: Lena: It was a very good dream. [3:02:17 AM] Felix: I recall, it was. Ramses and Taia. [3:03:45 AM] Kate: Lena: I could not understand what I said. [3:03:53 AM] Kate: Lena: Or what you said. [3:04:44 AM] Felix: You can't understand them? [3:04:49 AM] Felix: I wonder why I can. [3:05:48 AM] Kate: Lena: I don't know. You looked different. [3:06:04 AM] Felix: But you knew it was me? [3:06:15 AM] Kate: Lena: Yes. [3:06:26 AM] Kate: Lena: I know how you kiss me. [3:07:15 AM] Felix: Well, good. [3:07:33 AM] Kate: Lena: You were taller. You had two eyes. [3:08:02 AM] Kate: Lena: ... and neither was better. [3:08:10 AM] Kate: She smiles at Felix. [3:08:22 AM] Felix: Ramses and Taia. [3:08:32 AM] Felix: ... I wish I understood what was going on. [3:12:36 AM] Kate: Lena: What is going on.... we are in Egypt. I found a tomb. I am dreaming your dreams and you are dreaming mine. [3:13:05 AM] Felix: And the dead are rising. [3:13:49 AM] Kate: Lena: It appears so, yes. [3:14:08 AM] Kate: Lena: It sounds silly in the morning. In the daylight. [3:14:25 AM] Felix: I still have the scratches to prove it. [3:15:40 AM] Kate: Lena: I believe it. It merely sounds silly. That does not make it silly. [3:15:57 AM] Felix: Felix nods. [3:16:44 AM] Kate: Lena: Leave the bandages on for now; I will look at the wound later. [3:20:13 AM] Felix: Felix nods. "Will do. ... I think Forrester is in these dreams, too.  he's a vizier.  He has the same cat head on his staff." [3:21:06 AM] Kate: Her eyes open wider. [3:21:17 AM] Kate: Lena: What is a vizier? [3:21:41 AM] Felix: An... advisor, to royalty. I think. [3:22:04 AM] Felix: In a lot of the old stories, they're corrupt and evil. I don't think that's actually the way it happened, though. [3:22:48 AM] Kate: Lena: No? [3:24:36 AM] Kate: She puts an arm around Felix. [3:24:39 AM] Felix: Just exaggeration for the fairy tales. [3:25:03 AM] Kate: Lena: And this one? ... he is not an advisor to the king, he is only a policeman. [3:25:49 AM] Felix: No. But I'm not a prince in the here and now, and you're not a slave. [3:26:36 AM] Kate: Lena: Not now, no. I am not a slave now. [3:34:10 AM | Edited 3:34:22 AM] Felix: Felix raises an eyebrow. "Just... back then.  And even then... you didn't act like a slave." [3:34:34 AM] Kate: Lena: She was a slave? [3:35:10 AM] Felix: Taia. Yes. [3:35:59 AM] Kate: Lena: Why do I dream as if I am her? [3:36:21 AM] Felix: I don't know. Past life? Magic? [3:36:30 AM] Felix: I dream as if I'm Ramses. [3:39:05 AM] Kate: Lena: It was a good dream. [3:39:45 AM] Felix: They loved each other. [3:40:30 AM] Kate: Lena smiles. "And that is why." [3:42:26 AM] Felix: I wonder if Ramses is buried down there. [3:44:02 AM] Kate: Lena: I suspect we may find out. [3:44:23 AM] Felix: Felix nods. "Me too." [3:45:16 AM] Kate: ((And let's stop there!))