Dark_RP

Neo-Penthu's Journal

We arrived back at my place, urgently looking for a secure base to regroup and reevaluate the position we were in. We also needed to allow for Max-Isu's khat time to heal while his Ba faced judgement. After double checking the locks, we rested ourselves. Clearly Luxor was in greater peril by a much more potent enemy than we had anticipated.

With Ra's blessing we awoke to the manifestation of Geb, Max's spirit companion. He advised us that Max had faced the Judges and had returned from Duat. Even now we wait for his full resurrection. Professor Gamil has said that the time this can take varies, dependent on the power of Max's Ba soul.

Max made his way to my new home soon enough, he told us stories of how dangerous the land of the dead was - full of storms and roving bands of armed ghosts.

We discussed our predicament at some length and decided that since we seem to be at a disadvantage in potency we might make up for that by way of gaining information. The maxim, knowledge is power, may become our motto. Clearly while we may have resurrected into healthy bodies, they were still all too fragile as Max had proven. Even Nazariah has wounds that make me wince.

Rising up, I went to Azim's abode once more, thinking that knowing his mortal contacts may prove useful. Back on my feet, I thought about death once more: so many times it happens so fast you trade your passion for glory. One should not lose one's grip on the dreams of the past; one must fight just to keep them alive.

It's the Eye of the Horizon,
It's the thrill of the fight,
Rising up to the challenge of our rival.
And the last known survivor
Stalks his prey in the night,
And he's watching them all
With the Eye of the Horizon.

While I watched remotely, Max watched spiritually unbeknowest to me. I thought he had gone to see some Osiris worshiping ghosts and had stayed there - but he had taken the initiative to do some intel gathering of his own. Little happened, Azim had been out earlier and returned to some beefed up security detail. Probably a little nervous after the audacious attack on their elder.

Meantime, Nazariah investigated our last known location for another Set worshiping devil -
Ghaffar. It was at a Sufi mosque/study centre. In its bowels all scraps of personal property of Ghaffar's was taken. However, hidden behind a bookcase was the entranceway to a modest Temple to Set, a fully darkened room - protected against the sunlight the Followers of Set despise so very much.

Professor Gamil gave us warning that the police seemed to be on the lookout for a group of people who matched our description in association with an assault charge. It seems the avoidance of official medical care was to the benefit of the group: our description was circulated to local hospitals along with possible injuries we might have sustained. Thankfully the cult has at least one member who works within a hospital.

Nazariah and I then went on a mission of utmost importance: The retrieval of Max's motorbike. I cannot fully speak of this in my journal, as words have power as you well know. An encrypted 16-page report of this crucial intelligence can be acquired with the necessary passcodes from Professor Gamil or myself.

Max kept himself occupied at Azim's overhearing a phone conversation that may well have been about us

if they are spotted or brought in let me know

We began to formulate a new plan. On the Setite witch's sarcophagus were many inscriptions. The outside was the normal funeral writings but we calculated a clue to a name may be found within. I strongly warned of the dangers of the mission. While it have been the case that she had sought out a new still hidden sanctuary - it is also possible that she had doubled her security measures after the attack instead.

We decided that Nazariah would go back, in the form of her ka. For reasons of his own, Max decided he'd tag along. As it turns out this was a good idea. In order that they might see in dark places, Nazariah learned a new spell: Ghost Lantern; it would allow them to illuminate in the spirit world.

So we parked up as close as the road went and Nazariah left the confines of her body as I steadfastly defended it from harm. They returned to the resting place of the Setite elder and found it had been thoroughly tidied: No sign of the struggle that took place here previously was visible. The previously animated statues now stood still in their shattered alcoves. Nazariah pushed her head and shoulders into the sarcophagus, and there she could see the writings within. It is embarrassing to record what happened next, but suffice it to say that Max was needed to read what they said. We found a name for our nemesis. As for the nemesis herself? Absent, fled to some dark and unspeakable hiding place, no doubt.

The name was Anat. Presumably this was a sobriquet as, I remember in my studies with the Cult of Isis, Anat was a wife of Set. I even remembered that this name was recorded in their archives with reference possibly to the Red Temple of Thebes.


Armed with this knowledge we returned to hidden Cult of Isis library beneath the Coptic Chapel of the Virgin Mary and drawing upon the memories of academic studies from my first life I quickly located the reference. I summarize our findings thusly:

She was the last of the formidable elders of the Theban court [red temple of thebes], said to have been embraced in the time of Ptolemy VII (2nd Century BCE, I believe) but spent much of her time in the sleep of ages. Once her city began to decline she began a practice of sleeping in torpor out in the desert and only waking every few centuries. It was believed that she eventually fled south after a conflict with a group of Arabian undead. A member of the Shemsu-Heru was in town with the Cult at the time and saw no reason to intervene, pleased that the dangerous and elusive elder had been driven away by a lesser evil.

There was also a legend attached that many centuries ago she has removed her heart with the arts of her clan and then made a deal with a group of power hungry mortal mages to enchant it so that she cannot die until it is destroyed and then to hide it away in the dark, the mages were then tricked and betrayed - killed so none would know [The legend is sourced from one of their retainers who went on to join the cult of isis].

Memories from the first life

Back in Thebes, the plot was growing dark and thick. We were all of us, invited to meet with High Priest Amenhotep at the temple of Karnak at night by Nomarch Khayan. I decided that discretion was probably required so declined to advise my mistress of the meeting.

We met outside of the temple, and Heruhotep told us of some useful information to be shared at the meeting and that Heruhotep had been given a stern talking to by a senior Priest of Anubis about asking awkward questions.

It wasn't just a the High Priest, with him was a younger man named Seshet-kheru - a wandering priest of Horus. During the discussion that followed between us, Heruhotep revealed her chilling news. She had uncovered the purpose of the hem-ka-shabti rite. It's superficial effect is the housing of a soul of the recently deceased in a shabti figure, but that is nothing compared with what this implies. Whomever said certain prayers over the shabti figure would have at their disposal whatever abilities and influence the person possesed in life.

This was meant to be used to preserve the knowledge and influence of trusted servants, but with the vizier's planned prayer ceremony at the funeral: could it be he plans to steal the pharaoh's influence and perhaps then ascending to the throne?

Isu reported smelling frankincense, (odour el-Libyan) on another occasion, but to be frank I was paying more attention to the Nomarch's impressive beer swigging at the time so I didn't quite catch the context - I think he was talking to the Vizier about something.

We decided that we could not allow the Vizier to grab that much power and we would do what we could to interfere with his plans, but to not reveal our intentions to him until the last possible moment. How we hoped to achieve that I do not know, I have a feeling that together we might just be able to pull this off.

But, I must inform my mistress of this dark treachery. If things go wrong, and the Vizier succeeds but knows that I tried to stop him, the consequences would be dire for both of us.

---

Apologies to Steve who won't have time to have read this.

Aki was interrupted from sitting in the van by a triad guy named Fen Jin who annoyed him for a while talking about some guy called Gan Shuo who wanted to take the instrument out of their custody. The plotline basically petered out and is mentioned only for completeness.

This space left intentionally blank.

Huan Hai returned with the boy's mother, who had been thrown into the path of an oncoming train to buy the kidnappers time to make good their escape...with the son. They were Qian Shi's men, claimed Huan Hai - referring to a character out of local folklore who steals naughty children away.

Still distraught, and seeing help was at hand the Old Man helped the Wu with their queries. He told them of Master Li, a genius instrument maker in the Second Age, who was commissioned by powerful shen to create the finest instruments he could possibly make...and then burn them, until naught was left but ashes and slag. Master Li saw the money offered and could hardly refuse. For 5 years he tolled, but as he worked he grew proud of his creations. When the time came to destroy them, thinking nobody could possibly know differently he kept one behind, destroying a hastily made duplicate in its stead.

The Shen where angry and cursed Master Li. Every instrument he created thereafter would bear a curse. And he despaired. But he learned to use the curse...sending cursed gifts to enemies and people in certain positions, Master Li was able to manipulate things to his liking. Once again, the Shen were angered. Together they mustered a force to end Master Li's impudence.

Master Li survived the first skirmish and quickly realized he was going to suffer greatly. So he crafted one final instrumented and invested his Po into it. The Shen destroyed Master Li's body, but they missed part of his soul. What followed was unclear but Master Li is said to have waged a counterstrike against the Shen, and escalation upon escalation occurred until with a sudden abruptness the fight ended.

The Old Man, who revealed his status as Dong Tao, the Zhong Lung (and mentioned his son was also Zhong Lung), referred them to a specialist in undoing powerful artifacts. Simply referred to as 'The Boddhisatva' the enlightened Devil Tiger unlived on Lantau Island.

On their way, they spoke to Anguo Chun about the situation who seemed to approve.

They commissioned a vessel from the only captain mad enough to sail in Typhoon weather conditions and just about made it, shadowed by a old ghostly ship on the horizon...

The Boddhisatva's cave lay hidden close behind



After an initially nervous approach past the 'Danger do not enter' tape, down the pitch black 'stair case', pausing momentarily at the stalagmite impaled toddler/baby in a large cavernous erm...cave.

The Boddhisatva came to them shortly thereafter and heard there tale and agreed to help. He took the item and asked for some time to study it. During which time, they could get someone from Hong Kong for him...a pharmacist called Michelle Nett whose brews would be most useful in the process. In return, he would be willing to introduce her to someone she has been keen to meet.

Ms Nett, was more than a pharmacist of course, she is also a member of the Shemsu-Heru. A reborn and ancient spirit, fighting for justice and balance. Xian massively tolerated this. Ms Nett was in Hong Kong searching for her Eastern Counterpart, reborn through different means, Ms Nett clearly had many questions.

The Boddhisatva had divined at least part of the True Name of the instrument upon there return, but was disturbed that he got the distinct sensation that the Wu were the True Owners of the instrument - but could not discern what that meant other than its fate was ultimately in their hands. He also revealed that Master Li was a sworn enemy of the Jade Emperor.

And so the alchemical brewing began as unguents and potions were concocted that would be sufficient to unhook the instrument from the Great Wheel.

But things would not proceed smoothly. Somehow a person claiming to be the aforementioned Qian Shi called Xian and gave his ransom demands for the Zhong Lung child: The erhu.

Xian and Yoshino took a Jade boat along the dragon's tongue to meet with Dong Tao but found the Yang World's perilous; the final time they followed the crab's footsteps was dangerously painful. Dong Tao wanted the child back, prepared it seemed to allow the cursed erhu into the hands of the kind of person that kidnaps young children.

They decided to mount a daring betrayal at the exchange, and with the assistance of Shui Fang - a Zhong Lung ally of Dong Tao's, they headed back through the Yang World's on the back of a gigantic spiritual crocodile who seemed most congenial.

They collected the wu and headed to Victoria Peak where the villain was to do the exchange. But alas, an invisible reccy carried out by Yoshino uncovered but a lackey. The exchange arranged, and once completed the lackey - previously encountered in a bird shop in Kowloon/Mongkok, was blitzed and the child hurried away by Yoshino. To devastating effect. It's difficult to know what finished him off - but he had a friend who took a killer shot at Wu Ling and everything went dark.

Wu Ling awoke on the back of a magic talking crocodile on the way to the island of the Boddhisatva to stand in the circle of death and cross into the realms of Yin themselves as decided by a true randomocratic decision.

The field of the ritual seemed to be a stone circle with a granite, or similar, floor to it. Passing through turned out to be very easy and they found themselves in a dark realm, illuminated by red ellipses in the sky. Soon it began to rain flame covered maggots and Yoshino began the annointment ritual as the others stood guard.

They came from the sky, hundreds of monstrous scavenger creatures circling around the storm wall the Boddhisatva and the Reborn were holding in place for them. Some would come through, to be swatted aside by the demon form Xian, the extreme martial arts of Wu Ling and the glowing pointy stick wielded by Aki.

All the while Yoshino conversed with a voice, a voice that revealed itself to be Master Li. A voice that pleaded not to be destroyed, that their destiny was to be rulers during the sixth age rather than slaves, that together they could overcome any obstacle they faced - that he was responsible for their growth in power. Yoshino refused to be seduced.

But outside an army approached, legions of the dead massed. A swirling chaotic swarm approached from the opposite direction, and there seemed no end of flapping monsters to dispatch.

In a lull, Master Li manifested in front of them, to appeal to the group. Since he presented no obvious threat, being an elderly bespeccled gentleman - they listened to his plea.

He revealed he hid himself from the likes of the Jade Emperor who once more attempts to hunt him down by attaching his Po to the erhu. He claimed he regretted the actions his untamed Po caused. His Hun was scattered but not destroyed - and once the wu, each imbued with part of that Hun - the soul was more or less completed. He had helped them out with their enlightenment and offered to do so once more in an attempt to prove his claims.

As they looked upon the kindly old man they each felt something, fleeting perhaps but in others a deep understanding grew in them. They would never forget the screaming pits of the Yomi world that threatened to reclaim their souls, and Master Li could be the key to doing so. Except Wu Ling who would not tolerate that at all.

And so followed an obligatory inter-wu combat scene, which was resolved only when Wu Ling and Xian were dead-locked in a martial arts versus demonic strength standoff and they both cooled off. They decided to consult the elders leaving Yoshino(?) behind with Master Li who faded and seemed to lose awareness of his surroundings.

And so the scene fades...

---

No on food - I've kept you posted.