Jake points out the wallet to Barrington, then goes to huddle with Sylvia and Colt.
"Well, it's been hard, but we seem to have the victory here. Is there anything left for us to discover here in Britain? It seems to me we must follow this trail to Egypt, in the tracks of the Carlyle Expedition." Jake said, rubbing his blackened leg.
Gathering up your items you head to the nearest port. After a few days you manage to get passage on a steamship the SS Cumberland a luxury cruise ship. The journey will take 3 weeks.
Sylvia never thought she would be so relieved to be on a ship. A nice, normal ship. With no snake monsters, or cultists, or...whatever that thing Gavigan had summoned was.
Just a ship ride. Waves and water and nothing attacking her or for her to attack in turn.
Sorry guys. Lifes been a bit crazy.
Colt would have gathered up the more interesting scrolls, and books from the secret lab, as well as the remainder of the powdered silver, and anything else that looked interesting before officials arrived and took it for evidence. He'll spend the journey mostly cooped up in his cabin reading and researching these things.
Jake spent his time schmoozing with the Captain, crew and passengers, trading on his movie fame...
...Asking touristy questions about what to see and who to talk to in Egypt from those who have been there.
Speaking of skills you all get increases from the last chapter:
Sylvia: Spot Hidden, Psychology and Medicine- all increase by d8
Colt: History: Increase by d8
Jake: Charm by d8
Jake apart from general comments about the touristy things to see and do such as the pyramids and not getting caught out in the midday sun you are given the name of an antiquities dealer called Faraz Najjar who apparently has many fine pieces.
Colt if you spend 3 weeks reading the scrolls you can have 2 points in the Occult skill. The two most read documents are a book written in Arabic and a scroll written in Hebrew which you can't read. The other books and scrolls just give basic information about the occult but nothing specific.
In Jake's cabin, he noted down the name recommended to him as a man to know; Faraz Najjar(Antiquites dealers).
Struck by a thought, he brought out the case containing their notes and research findings.
Fishing around, he finally found the letter he thought he remembered being on Jackson Elias' desk.
A letter written to Roger Carlyle from Faraz Najjar! Apparently he offered some artifacts for sale.
Rooting around further, he found another letter written to Roger Carlyle ABOUT Faraz Najjar, from a M. Warren Besart.
Colt you manages to read some of the passages in one of the books - it is calles Oghniat Min al Jinn (Song of the Djinn). It seems to relate a series of discussions between a human and a Djinn. You can learn the spell Enchantment of the Living Flame
The steamer docks at Port Said and after about 30 minutes you all pass through customs and have your documents allowing entry. You manage to get passage on the next train and after just over 2 hours you are in the noisy bustling city that is Cairo
Sylvia is unphased by the noise (and smell) of Cairo. She is less unphased by the oppressive heat. "Lodgings first I think, and then some shopping for more appropriate clothing." Her dress is already beginning to soak through with sweat. "Then perhaps we can track down this Faraz Najjar? He seems to be our best lead to the Carlyle Expedition, at least for the moment."
You manage to find your way to a hotel, called the Hotel du Sud. It is a bit basic but deecorated in a style that is tasteful but about 40 years out of date.
You manage to find a shop nearby where you can buy some clothing more suitable to the climate of Egypt for about $3 each.
Jake pays for a natty outfit and hat, suitable for the climate.
At the hotel, Jake hands the concierge a 50 british pound note.
"I say good fellow, we are here to see the sights, perhaps examine some antiquites. Could you rustle us up a local guide? There's a good fellow!" Jake asked with a grin.
History
Arabic
Sanity Loss
@Jake>> "Well hopefully your money will buy us some information. I can barely understand anything they're saying".
Jake grinned.
"Money is very helpful. With any luck, the Concierge will rustle us up a local guide to show us around as well as translate."
The hotel manages to arrange a couple of dragomen (local guides) who manage to lead you to the Street of Jackals in about half an hour. However, you discover that Faraz Najjar's former shop is now a burned out, rubble-strewn hole in the ground. Several locals who pass by invoke the name of Allah as they pass. The guides speak to the locals five and six years ago before, a hideous demon descended on the shop and set it aflame.
Jake pokes about the burned out hole, trying to see what clues may have been missed in the scene of Najjar's establishment.
He will then ask locals through the guides in the neighborhood about the events and where Najjar might have gone to.
Sylvia doesn't bother poking through the ruins, figuring that any clues would have long since been lost. Making sure she can't be heard by anyone outside the group, she mutters, "Five or six years would be about the time of the Carlyle expedition. I doubt that's a coicidence."
She attempts to help Jake as he questions the locals, trying to monitor their body language to see who might know more than they're saying.
Jake you find clear signs of scorch marks in the room but the strange thing is there does not seem to be any sign of any accelerants and nothing that initially fuelled the fire, it seems almost as if the fire suddenly appeared and caused the destruction.
Using the dragomen to interpret you discover that Faraz Najjar survived the fire although he was horribly burned and has opened a new shop in the Khan el Khalili, an ancient marketplace off the Sharia al Muizz.
Sylvia you discover that many of the inhabitants think that Najjar is cursed and they make warding signs against the evil eye.
"Protection from the evil eye." Sylvia has become rather more familiar with such superstitious gestures than she would prefer. "They think Najjar is cursed, and given everything we've seen, I can't say they're wrong."
"I suppose at least we have a lead. Shall we go to the Sharia al Muizz?"
Peering about, he muttered to himself.
"How on earth did the fire start? It's like it just appeared here..."
Hearing that Najjar is alive, Jake broke out into a grin.
"Splendid! Where there is life there is hope, and I hope Najjar can tell us something useful. Let us go!"
Colt has been even more silent and withdrawn since the voyage. The dark circles around his eyes have deepened, and he seems to be constantly lost in his own thoughts.
After about 20 minutes your guides take you to the Khan el-Khalili bazaar and on a street known as the Street of Potters you find a small shop marked "Faraz Najjar" in Arabic; "Curios" in English and "Magasin des Antiquities" in French. The open door shows within the shop that it is packed full of merchandise.
The shopkeeper is a portly man whose face is badly scarred on one side. He wears a traditional Arab djellaba and a turban in his mid 40s.
"Greetings honoured guests, how may I serve you today?"
Jake grinned, turning on the charm.
"Jake Westfield, Westfield Pictures! Honored to meet you sir!" Jake gushed, shaking the mans hand vigorously.
Now to set the hook...
Looking around at the curios, Jake waved his hand.
"And just as advertised, the most magnificent of curios, artifacts, relics and objects d'art in Egypt! I think they'll be perfect when featured in my film!"
Sylvia follows Jake inside, then startles slightly at his speech. Film? Are we supposedly making a film about the Carlyle Expedition?
Unsure exactly what the plan is, she simply smiles and waves. "Hello, nice to meet you."
"Certainly sir, is there any particular artefact or curio that you are interested in?"
Jake waived his hand.
"Oh, I don't know. What about the ones that M. Besart thought were interesting?" Asked Jake, watching Najjar closely. "For the CARLYLE Expedition?"
Ah, so that's the play. Understanding now, Sylvia also focuses on Najjar's face. Let's see how he reacts to that.
As soon as you mention the Carlyle Expedition Najar starts to splutter and choke and his eyes bulge. He attempts to shoo you out of the shop, cursing loudly in Arabic.
Jake looks crestfallen.
"No? Oh, well. Sorry to have troubled you. I'll just have to make do with the film I have with your shop, your artifacts and curios, and the testimony of M. Besart telling the audience everything he knows about you and your help with the Carlyle Expedition..." Jake said as he was led out.
Apart from a low growl from Najjir there is no other response and you find yourselves back on the street.
Sylvia you can tell that Najjir was extremely frightened, almost terrified at the name Carlyle.
Jake leaned in to the others.
"What do you think? Follow him?"
"That could have gone better." Not that it was their first time being thrown out of a shop. Hopefully this one wasn't the headquarters for a secret cult.
"Following him might net us some information. He's terrified though; I doubt he'll tell us anything. Not unless we can find a very good reason why he should. Maybe we'll have better luck with Besart." Sylvia looks conflicted. "Not certain which is our best option at the moment."
"Tis a tangled web. Perhaps we should look up an expert on Egyptian lore and history. Maybe someone at the Museum? I've always kind of wanted to see the museum hear anyway"?
"That's a good idea. It gives us a chance to get the lay of the land around here; maybe make some allies."
Talking to the dragomen they take you to the Egyptian museum, a staggering storehouse of Egyptian antiquities not far from the Nile and the Kasr el-Nil Bridge. A former palace it houses an ever growing collection of everything precious to the Egyptian past, pride of place being the finds of the Tomb of Tutankhamen, although the casket itself is currently on loan to the British Museum. The Egyptian Museum is open to visitors from 9am to 4.30pm.
Jake is fascinated by the museum, and wandered about thinking about how to shoot some scenes here.
Coming out of his daydreaming, he turned to the others.
"Do we know anyone here? Maybe something in Jackson's papers?"
Sylvia shakes her head. "I don't remember him mentioning anyone in particular, although I do believe he was here. Some of his notes said he wanted to examine the Cairo-based portion of the Carlyle Expedition's itinerary, and surely he would have ended up here for the same reason we are." She sighs. "Might as well stick to our story and ask."
Going up to the information desk, she smiles sweetly. "Excuse, my friend is looking to shoot a film about the Carlyle Expedition. Would you happen to know if there is anyone here who helped with their research while they were in Cairo?"
Asking around in the museum you are quickly directed to the museum's expert in occult matters, Dr Ali Kafour. He is a short and thin man in his early 60s. He leads you into his office which is crammed with ancient tomes and scrolls. He closes the office door and then turns to you.
"Good Afternoon. I understand that you are interested in the Carlyle Expedition. May I ask did you know a young man called Jackson Elias?"
Jake nodded to Dr. Kafour.
"Indeed sir, Jackson was a good friend of ours who sadly died in New York. He had some fascinating stories of the Carlyle Expedition and we are trying to follow along in their trail, so to speak. Why do you ask?" Said Jake with an inquiring look.
"Well I remember Elias quite distinctly. He was nervous, driven and constantly seemed to be checking over his shoulder throughout our conversation. He wanted to know about the Carlyle Expedition. Unfortunately I had a meeting to attend so could not fully address his queries at the time. I scheduled another meeting but he never turned up. If you are following in his footsteps I fear that you may be in great danger."
Sylvia's eyes widen at the revelation that Dr. Kafour knew Jackson. "We're trying to follow up on his work. He asked us for help discovering what really happened to the Carlyle Expedition, but as Jake said he died in New York before being able to explain...anything, really." She looks around the office for a place to sit, sees only chairs still covered in scrolls, and decides to stand instead.
"Any information you can give us would be very helpful. We know Jackson talked to a man named Faraz Najjar, but otherwise his movements in Cairo are a bit of a mystery. The more we know about what he knew, hopefully the closer we can get to the truth."
"Well I can tell you what I told him. I believe that the Carlyle Expedition uncovered a secret pertaining to the Black Pharaoh, and the discovery of this secret led to their slaughter in Kenya. Sir Aubrey Penhew had studied the Black Pharaoh for years and we discussed the topic several times.
However when he last came to Egypt, Sir Aubrey did not meet with me, and when I tried to see him at the expedition I was rebuffed. I can still recall there seemed to be marked changes in Sir Aubrey - he seemed younger and emotionally he was withdrawn and aloof and curiously malicious."
Jake nodded thoughtfully.
"Hm. Seems like a lot of that going around in this case.
"Well then, can you tell us what exactly they DID do here in egypt? I have heard tell of an excavation, but nothing else as to where or to what end." Asked Jake.
"I am not entirely sure. I always respected Sir Aubrey, as well as director Edward Gavigan and the efforts of the Penhew Foundation in London. Since Sir Aubrey's death there have been ten Foundation expeditions to Egypt, and among there there have been at least 20 deaths, numerous disappearances, several suicides, and once certified case of madness. Most have followed the same pattern of paranoid secrecy, erratic excavation and bizarre incident originally seen by the Carlyle Expedition. The Black Pharaoh is clearly not to be taken lightly."
"The Black Pharaoh period of history is a bit strange.
At the end of the Third Dynasty, a man known as Nephren-Ka came to Egypt. He was a powerful sorcerer; he brought madness and death to his enemies at the flick of a finger. The stories say that he came from an ancient city in the deserts of Arabia, whose name was Irem, the City of Pillars. This place is mentioned in a tome called Al Azif. All who knew of it held it in dread.
Nephren-Ka revived the worship of an old, foul god: the Black Pharaoh. Soon Nephren-Ka and that god were interchangeable in the minds of the people, and the sorcerer became known as the Black Pharaoh. Now no one can distinguish between their deeds and legends.
For many years, the Black Pharaoh fought with Zoser's successors of the Third Dynasty for control of the land; so great was the power of the Black Pharaoh that no record of them remains. For a time Nephren-Ka ruled the Nile and its peoples. At last Sneferu rose and founded the Fourth Dynasty and, with the aid of the goddess Isis, thwarted the evil magic and slew Nephren-Ka.
Remarkably, a pyramid was built at Meidum, by Sneferu's command, to contain the sorcerer's body. I think that this insulated Egypt from the still potent magic within the corpse; however the Meidum pyramid collapsed and a second which was already under construction was hurriedly repurposed. This second pyramid is now known as the Bent Pyramid at Dahshur. Records imply that Nephren-Ka's corpse was removed from Meidum and placed within the Bent Pyramid, but exploration of the site has discovered no trace, despite rumours of a hidden chamber within. Another pyramid at Dahshur, the Red Pyramid, is also attributed to Sneferu; this pyramid is said to guard Dahshur, lest Nephren-Ka rise from the dead.
Upon his triumph, Sneferu ordered all traces of the Black Pharaoh stricken from the land. Nevertheless, worshippers of the Black Pharaoh remained and schemed for the evil one's return. In time the worshippers were driven south, out of Egypt and into the hideous swamps beyond the Sudan.
In the Sixth Dynasty, the cruel Queen Nitocris was thought to be in league with a new cult of the Black Pharaoh; the proof is subjective but I believe it to be true. The Black Pharaoh is sometimes known by the name Nyarlahotep."
Jake frowned.
"Well then, I guess we have some travelling to do. The collapsed pyramid at Meidum, the Bent Pyramid at Dahshur, and maybe the Red Pyramid also at Dahshur.
"Do you know if any of the Foundation Expeditions visited any of those sites?"
Colt nods his head in agreement. "At least it's dry here. My cough is much better in this climate".
He then stands and walks about a bit.
"We should probably try to hire a guide to the desert. I know I've never ridden a camel".