The Case of Cairo - History
Synopsis
Calendar of Events
<eventCalendar> namespace = Event aspectratio = 1.3 defaultmonth = 1925-06-21 </eventCalendar>
Log of Events
Cairo, Egypt
June 21, 1925
The investigators (Charles St. Dennis, Dr. Victor Lester, and Father Quinn) arrive in Cairo. Victor feels an intense pull at his chest. Emerging from the alleyway we teleported into, we encounter Alister Trimble, who introduces himself and says that Omar al-Shakti wants to meet us. We're all very skeptical, especially since Victor remembers this man dying in London. He motions to his vehicle, a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, and we reluctantly get into the car. We're driven out the city to plantation mainly focused on cotton, away from the pull Victor feels. We're taken up to the house, a very nice Egyptian home. Servants greet and welcome us, offering tea that everyone but Victor declines. We're escorted upstairs. The decor is wealthy Egyptian with lots of antiques. Quinn looks around and spots a marine chronometer among the items in the room along with 2 crossed scepters mounted behind the desk. Victor notices a photograph[1] that includes a woman, Zahra al-Sayed, from Empire Spices - the spice shop in London owned by Tewfik al-Sayed. al-Shakti attempts to dissuade us from our path. We roughly refuse in various ways. He offers us gifts and power if we cease our attempts to thwart his master. Father Quinn dismisses it all as lies from the devil. Victor claims to already have everything that al-Shakti is offering. Charles won't forsake the life of his cousin by treading down this path. Omar al-Shakti tells Charles that Carl Stanford retained Elise's spirit, preventing her from moving on to the promised afterlife. Charles wants to hear none of it though. Attempts to engage Alister Trimble don't get far, and he doesn't seem to remember anything about his days among the living. The group tires of being toyed with and leaves, going back to the car.
We're taken to the Shepheard's Hotel, where we unload our trunk and watch Alister Trimble drive off with Victor's car. There at the bar we meet Gunter von Schreiber who says he knows his way around Cairo. We agree to meet the next day to head to the local newspaper office.
Skill Checks
- ↑ Spot Hidden check
June 22, 1925
We go to the Cairo Bulletin and talk to Nigel Wassif. He introduces himself as the editor, owner, and reporter of the Cairo Bulletin. He remembers Jackson Elias, but has no real information, though he seems to be holding something back. Quinn pushes him to give us more information[1], but he diverts the conversation with discussions of the history of the newspaper. Victor and Quinn both pick up on him deflecting[2]. Victor tries to press on information about Jackson and who else might've tried following up on him, but he doesn't seem to remember anything additional. Quinn mentions Omar al-Shakti to judge his reaction[2], and Quinn gets the sense that Nigel is interested in the connections we're making and seeing where they go, but he doesn't have a strong reaction to the name drop itself. Quinn lays on the charm[3] and makes a final attempt to get him to open up, but he seems to just get uncomfortable. He tells us that there's nothing more he can think of, but invites us to come back and talk to him as we discover more. Through most of the conversation, Charles and Gunter examine the back catalog[4] and find plenty of articles that support what they already know about what's going on in Cairo. They also find a picture of part of the Carlyle Expedition - Roger Carlyle, Hypatia Masters, and Jack Brady - arriving in Egypt years ago. Wassif is noted as the reporter of record. There is also a note that Ms. Masters took ill and ended the festivities after the arrival. When Gunter and Charles return they ask about the photo, and Nigel says that Dr. Alli Kafour at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo was one of the Expedition's local contacts. Nigel says he only interacted with the Expedition enough to get the photo and found them to be dreadfully horrible people who were extremely standoffish. Gunter then asks about cats. Nigel does mention that he has noticed an explosion of cats lately, and they are often associated with an ancient Egyptian deity known as Bast, though that seems like superstition to him. He says we could talk Dr. Alli Kafour about the cats as well, as he is likely to know more. Quinn asks what Nigel knows about the Clive Expedition. He tells us that there's a big dig that's going on right now in the outskirts of Cairo and another near the Bent Pyramid. It seems like they're close to some major discovery. There have been stories of disappearances of staff or people associated with it, but that's common. He doesn't seem very impressed by Clive, and they've gone so far as to employ a medium. He believes her name is Agatha something... He says it's not Anastasia when Charles references her. Nigel does mention that there was a robbery of the Clive Expedition - a mummy was stolen, and the information was made public within the last few weeks. We also find another clipping at the Cairo Bulletin about Faraz Najjar's shop burning to the ground completely several years ago. Quinn lets Nigel know we're staying at the Shepheard's Hotel and he could contact us there. We take a copy of the latest issue of the Cairo Bulletin and see ourselves out.
In the afternoon, we go to the Egyptian Museum. We meet with Dr. Alli Kafour. Quinn notices a tattoo on his chest[5], but isn't able to place it. Gunter introduces us and asks about the Carlyle Expedition. Dr. Kafour says they uncovered some secret of the Black Pharaoh that led to their deaths in Kenya. Victor asks about the Black Pharaoh. He says at the end of the 3rd dynasty, a man named Nephren-ka came to Egypt. He was a powerful sorcerer. It was said he could bring madness or death to his enemies with the flick of a finger. According to legend, he was the Black Pharaoh or in other legends he was a priest of the Black Pharaoh. His symbol was an inverted ankh. Nephren-ka and the Black Pharaoh ruled for several dynasties. Nephren-ka was said to possess a huge beast similar to the sphinx in appearance. His voice was said to be a black wind that went through the lands destroying. The Black Pharaoh is still worshipped today by cults that are essentially inhuman in their behavior. The cults may have something to do with the evil Queen Nitocris. She's rumored to have been beautiful but horrible. The Clive Expedition recently opened a tomb and found a mummy that was rumored to be Queen Nitocris, but it was stolen. He confirms that the Clive Expedition has been digging in Giza. They are specifically interested in pyramids built by Sneferu. He consulted for both expeditions. He remembers Jackson Elias as nervous and driven, maybe to the point of paranoia. He also asked about the Carlyle Expedition. He left Cairo abruptly and missed a follow-up appointment with Dr. Kafour. Victor shows him the Cult of the Bloody Tongue symbol and he correctly identifies it. He believes the God of the Bloody Tongue is related to the Black Pharaoh, and that the cults have grown recently. Charles asks about cats, and he mentions Bast and acknowledges that there are a lot of cats these days. Dr. Kafour mentions Janwillem Van Heuvelen, a man he's used for translations of hieroglyphics that's had a lot of issues with cats. Van Heuvelen definitely worked with the Clive Expedition, though it seems that he had a falling out with them. We get his address. Dr. Alli Kafour mentions a legend about the Black Pharaoh that he was said to arise fingers and toes, 20 years, after the Great Good One. The Great Good One was said to possibly be Jesus though he thinks it more likely to be Muhammad. The legend also mentions man-like, inhuman creatures under the sands that would kill. He also tells us that the sphinx was a ritual site for the Black Pharaoh and especially the Queen Nitocris. He gives us a tour, and points out what he claims is the original copy of the Necronomicon. He and Quinn seem to reach a rough agreement that keeping that out of the hands of evil is of paramount importance. He assures us that it is extremely secured. Quinn pulls Dr. Kafour aside and confides that they are here to fight cults of the Black Pharaoh. He tenuously agrees that we're all on the same side. He agrees to help us make connections to people who've worked for the Clive Expedition. Quinn brings up the medium that the Clive Expedition hired, and he confirms that her name is Agatha Broadmour. He mentions other members of the Clive Expedition - Archeologists James Gardner and Johanna Specht. Asking more about the Carlyle Expedition, he notes that he met with Aubrey Penhew and discussed the Black Pharaoh, though Penhew explicitly didn't visit last time. He mentions that Penhew was very rude when Dr. Kafour visited the Carlyle Expedition. Asking about Besart and Najjar, he says they're associated with the Clive Expedition. He says that Besart is a hashish addict and will be out with the expedition, while Najjar can be found at his shop in town. The Clive Expedition has used their money and influence to ensure the government is hands-off with their expedition. We thank him for all the information and the tour, and take our leave.
We head back to the hotel and everyone, except Quinn, starts reading books recently recovered with the iron chest. Charles attempts to read Russian[6], but can't translate it. Victor and Gunter read books containing diary ramblings of cultists. We go to sleep.
Skill Checks
June 23, 1925
Gunter goes to the lobby and gets the concierge to hire a dragoman for us. The dragoman is Saleem Naziz whose family has been guiding for generations and is noted for being extremely scrupulous. Victor does some shopping to buy better-fitting clothes. Quinn visits the post office and writes back to the Sacra di San Michele about another reported copy of the Necronomicon being in the wild.
At lunch Saleem joins us. We provide him the address of Janwillem Van Heuvelen, ask to visit Najjar's shop, ask him to look at getting us into the Clive Expedition dig in Dashur, and mention that we'd like to visit the sphinx as well. We go to Janwillem Van Heuvelen's place first. It's not in the best part of the city. We knock, but there's no answer. Looking around, there are a lot of cats... like, way more cats than normal. We catch a glimpse of a woman rounding the corner[1]. She is a stunningly attractive lythe woman in her early 20s with thick black hair in a fashionable bob wearing western clothes. Victor quickly goes after her, but doesn't see her at all. Quinn and Charles break down the door, and the cats immediately start coming inside. We get the door shut when only 4 have come in. We hear some noise as we enter. Victor and Quinn head toward the voice and begin grabbing cats that got in. We manage to toss the cats out and talk to Van Heuvelen. He's an average height man, unkempt and unclean, with many cat scratches on his hands. Quinn and Victor notice dirt on the floor indicative of something hidden under the bed[1]. Victor goes to look upstairs while Quinn talks to Van Heuvelen. He says the Clive Expedition let him go due to finances. He worked with them to find the mummy of Queen Nectosis, though he doesn't seem so convinced it was that mummy; however, though the expedition was. Quinn leads him upstairs with Gunter, and he starts swearing in German but isn't really capable of resisting. Gunter realizes that Van Heuvelen was his replacement on the Clive Expedition. Victor finds a German and Hieroglyphic scroll hidden under the bed in a hole and calls for Gunter to come help. Gunter translates The Black Rites of Luveh-Keraphf, though it seems it's only partially translated. There are references to Bast and Apep. The translation seems very rambling and seems to describe some rituals. There are many errors in translation, including Apep being Sebek. Gunter thinks he could fix the translation in 2 days and then another 2 days to finish it. Victor and Charles go through all the other scrolls on the desk and discover that they're the materials he was using to translate the scroll. He's basically assembled a German to Hieroglyphics occult dictionary. Quinn talks to Van Heuvelen, who's very honest except about his dismissal. He got employed because they were looking for a German archeologist that could pick up where the previous one left off. As a Dutchman, he speaks German. He confirms that they were digging in the Giza Plateau working Mykerinos' Pyramid before they left for Memphis. He interacted with Dr. Clive and Johanna Specht, whom he thought was great. She's a tall, blonde haired, blue eyed, Bavarian woman who hates Jewish people. It was one of the most secure sites he's ever worked on, and security was beefed up due to the missing mummy. He's aware of Agatha and that the expedition believed she could talk to the dead. He's not aware of Besart being involved with the Clive Expedition. Quinn gets him to admit that he was dismissed over alcoholism. We come back downstairs. Gunter asks how much it would be to hire him, and he says they could agree on a very reasonable rate. Charles asks who the scrolls belong to, and he says they're his for working on a personal project. He's willing to put that aside to work on a project for us. He believes the project will make him famous. He doesn't want to leave his place though. We leave, stealing the ritual scroll.
Saleem leads us back through the streets. Quinn notices that one of the cats is now focused on Gunter[1], and as we continue, more cats are interested in Gunter and begin following us. Gunter and Quinn notice a panther-sized cat stalking the group on rooftops. Cats everywhere converge on us as we head back to the hotel.
As we arrive at the hotel, the woman from earlier is outside. We push past her and get into the lobby. She introduces herself as Neris and says we have something of hers. She knows that Gunter has the scroll and wants it back. She has an amulet around her neck, which we cannot place[2][3]. Her manner is very polished and regal. She offers that we will no longer be pursued. Quinn counters that we'll give it over in 4 days unless she has information to barter now. If Van Heuvelen can survive in his shack with it, we can make it 4 days[4]. Quinn tempers the offer by saying that no one wants the Black Pharaoh to ascend and we need to work together[5]. She offers us each a boon from the Goddess if we return the scroll now. We agree. She sensually traces a clawed nail around our necks, and we have a wooden cat necklace afterward. Then she leaves with the original scroll.
We go back to the room and Gunter works on the scroll translation that we're left with.
Skill Checks
June 24, 1925 thru June 27, 1925
We work on our skills for the next 2 days while Gunter works on the translation. He learns that it contains rituals for Contact Bast and Bind Cat. Gunter tries casting Contact Bast to ask about the death of his fiancee. He sleeps for the next 15 hours, but learns that his cat was defending the home against demons and there was residual energies on his fiancee that caused her to get scratched. He also learns that binding a cat is fine as long as it's in the service of the goals of Bast, which is the protection and pleasure of cats. Charles attempts to wake Gunter, Victor checks his vitals, and Quinn prays over him until he wakes.
During the downtime, Victor and Charles work on reading and translating scrolls. Victor translates a Spanish text, though Charles fails to translate the unknown Russian text. Quinn keeps vigil and works on his skills.
June 28, 1925
Saleem says that visiting the Clive Expedition is possible but their high security may quickly turn people away. He says they are being financed by the Penhew Foundation. We have him take us to Najjar's shop. He takes us to the Khan el-Khalili, an ancient marketplace off the Sharia al-Muizz. The shop is called Curios, and we head inside. An older Egyptian gentleman comes out from the back excitedly and shows off items on the walls. Victor demands better things, and he shows them a jeweled scimitar. Asking about Nefran-ka, |Najjar kicks them out of the shop. Saleem says that he could attempt to barter for information, but Najjar wants $1000 and Victor isn't willing to go that high. They get kicked out, and Charles and Quinn briefly attempt to interact with Najjar, but without Saleem, they can't translate and leave.
Meeting up again, we decide to watch the shop for the afternoon. Victor and Gunter head to the back while Charles and Quinn stick with Saleem and watch the front. Najjar locks up his shop and starts to walk down the street. Charles and Quinn attempt to follow him[1]. Najjar quickens his pace, and Quinn assumes he's been spotted and drops back with Saleem while Charles sneaks ahead. Charles notes that he's entered a building where people are sitting around drinking something. Saleem identifies it as Fishawi's, one of the most popular tea establishments in Cairo, presumably to get some tea after closing up his shop. He emerges out the front about 30 minutes later and continues walking. He continues to Al-Hussain Mosque in time for evening prayer, which lasts for about an hour. We head back to the hotel.
Skill Checks
- ↑ Stealth check
June 29, 1925
Gunter goes to the Egyptian Library and finds pictures of Hypatia Masters as she prepares for a camera safari in Kenya. The accompanying article notes the rumor is the Carlyle Expedition is looking for King Solomon's Mines. This confirms a lot of the things the others have been talking about and makes Gunter more comfortable around them.
Meanwhile, Victor, Charles, and Father Quinn do the tourist things at Giza and the sphinx. Most people are just talking about the history and colonial potential of Egypt. There are no mentions of mummies or curses in the general population of tourists, though some folks do mention the missing mummy scandal in relation to the Clive Expedition.
We meet back at the Shepheard's Hotel for tea. Then we head to the Egyptian Museum to talk to Dr. Kafour. We take our case notes and lay out our case, requesting any aid he can provide in helping to restore the Eye of Light and Darkness at the Bent Pyramid. Dr. Kafour seems to take stock of what we're saying[1], but then asks us why we're doing this now when in just 2 months time, in August, the Sleeper of R'lyeh wakes. He believes the future of a world conquered by Nyarlathotep is at least a future; whereas, the Sleeper waking would be the end of all existence. We ask about Omar al-Shakti. Dr. Kafour instead tells us what he knows of the goings on in Cairo. He believes that the Carlyle Expedition uncovered a secret related to the Black Pharaoh. He understands Aubrey Penhew long studied the Black Pharaoh, and Dr. Kafour and Penhew corresponded about the Black Pharaoh at length prior to Penhew coming to Egypt. When Penhew came to Egypt, he did not seek out Dr. Kafour and Kafour was rebuffed when he attempted to contact Penhew. In terms of the Black Pharaoh, in the 3rd dynasty a man named Nephren-ka showed up, and he was a sorcerer and became pharaoh. Nephren-ka revived the worship of an old foul god, the Black Pharaoh. Nephren-ka was a powerful sorcerer who brought madness and death to his enemies at the flick of a finger. He did so at Irem, the city of pillars. This is according to the Necronomicon, the original copy. Nephren-ka fought against the forces of Zoser's successors. Sneferu rose and founded the 4th dynasty with the aid of Isis and slew Nephren-ka. Sneferu built a pyramid at the site to contain the body of Nephren-ka. This pyramid is known as the Bent Pyramid at Dashur. Records indicate that Nephren-ka's body was removed from the Red Pyramid and placed in the Bent Pyramid. The Red Pyramid is dedicated to Sneferu, where Nephren-ka is contained in the Bent Pyramid. In the 6th dynasty, the cruel Queen Nitocris was thought to be in league with the Black Pharaoh. Sometimes the Black Pharaoh is known by the name Nyarlathotep. Nephren-ka was said to possess a huge beast of which the sphinx of Giza was a small, inaccurate representation. The voice of Nephren-ka was said to be carried by a Black Wind, a wind which was destroyed by his whim. One prophesy implies that the Black Pharaoh will rise 20 centuries after Jesus. Man-like but inhuman worshipers of the Black Pharaoh were said to lurk underground in the desert occasionally waylaying innocents. The great sphinx of Giza is said to have an important function in the rituals of Queen Nitocris. Dr. Kafour believes that the Black Pharaoh and Nephren-ka existed, as do the pantheon of gods, of which the Black Pharaoh was a part. He calls these gods the Outer Gods, and feels that they were led by a being known as Azathoth. He only knows that Omar al-Shakti is related to Queen Nitocris and the Penhew Foundation which is funding the Clive Expedition. Gustaf Joheansen, a Norwegian sailor, is Dr. Kafour's source for what's happening with the Sleeper. He believes the Sleeper lies in the south Pacific ocean. He says that he will personally assist us, but he won't bring any further resources to bear as he feels that they're needed for the coming battle with the Sleeper. He has stone napping skills. We leave him with a copy of the ritual to create an Eye of Light and Darkness and leave.
Charles heads to the local British military base asking about available moonlighters (mercenaries), but comes up empty.
The rest of the group heads to the Egyptian Library. Gunter researches Queen Nitocris while Quinn looks up information on the sphinx[2], hoping their efforts will intertwine. The Mykerinos' Pyramid was heavily damaged and bent in 1196. It's possible to get under the sphinx via the stelle. The sphinx is currently being excavated by the Clive Expedition. Underneath the sphinx is supposed to be the worship site of Queen Nitocris. The tunnels under Giza are very confusing and it's easy to get lost. It would be unsurprising to find areas that have never been seen by man since the antiquity. Based on everything we've read and researched, there's a high probability that we would die venturing under the sphinx. Victor researches the Shining Crystal[2], but comes up empty.
We all meet up and head back to the hotel and sleep.
Skill Checks
June 30, 1925
Victor goes back to the Egyptian Museum to talk to Dr. Kafour again. He asks if there's a way to tell if there's a spell cast on you because he feels a compulsion to abandon his companions and endanger himself. He shares that he's conversed with Nodens and was made his spear, but he's trying to determine if the compulsion is coming from Nodens or another source like Omar al-Shakti. He gains some insights and heads back to the hotel. He leaves a note, sets his affairs in order, and heads off to the sphinx.
The rest of us go to follow Faraz Najjar for the day. No one unusual appears to visit the shop during the day. Father Quinn approaches him with Saleem to translate. He asks him about the Clive Expedition[1]. Najjar invites him to come to the Al-Hussain Mosque in the evening. They go to a quiet room together, and Najjar explains that Roger Carlyle was seeking info on the Black Pharaoh whose reign was ended by Sneferu. Najjar had come into possession of a number of items related to the Black Pharaoh that he offered Carlyle via his agent, Warren Besart. He has not spoken to the Frenchman since and has no idea where he can be found. Quinn believes him[2]. Among the items given to Besart by Najjar was a scroll that detailed the underground passages beneath an unnamed pyramid. Another item was a bust of the Black Pharaoh, a statue whose description matches what we saw in the Penhew Foundation. He also has a strange circlet that was not sent to the Penhew Foundation. Quinn is skeptical and presses him, and he eventually discloses that he did not find these on a dig, but rather "obtained" from the house of Omar al-Shakti. His understanding is that Omar al-Shakti runs a cult, but he doesn't believe in that nonsense. Najjar's understanding is that there is a mummy that could possibly be moved. He suggests that if we really want to know more about the cult, we should look for a woman named Nuri El Wasta. He's unsure where to find her. He's clearly terrified about disclosing this information to us. He indicates that Warren Besart and Nuri would know more than he can tell us.
We return to the hotel and discover Victor's note. Charles is all for finding Victor and stopping him from committing what looks to be suicide. The rest of the group arms up as well and comes with him.
At the sphinx, Victor is approached by dragomen, but waves them off. He links up with a tourist group and hears about the general history of the site and legends associated with it. The rest of the group finds Victor sitting around waiting for night fall. We argue in hushed voices until Victor, while spinning around in frustration, sees a small opening near Mykerinos' Pyramid nearby that appears unguarded[3]. Charles leads us there. The opening is hidden beneath ancient stone slabs without any discernible carvings. Gunter looks for traps[4], but doesn't see any. He also notes that everything seems to be normal stone for the area. The passage descends sharply. Victor leads us down the passage. We descend 30 feet into a cube-shaped room. We look around, and Quinn notices that one wall looks recently patched up and newer than the others[3]. Charles examines it and doesn't feel like there are any mechanisms to open it[5]. Gunter determines that someone who knew what they were doing purposefully disguised this and made a solid wall[4]. Quinn suggests that Gunter get an excavation permit so we can make some noise, while the rest of the group investigates the lead we got from Faraz Najjar.
We return to our hotel and make some plans for the next day. Gunter will be finding a permit for digging and acquiring some of the tools. Victor will be looking into gas masks, molotov cocktails, and fire extinguishers. Charles and Quinn will be looking into Nuri. We go to sleep.
Skill Checks