WWXIV: The Valley of the Kings.

[Ayshela]

"Napheen"

 

Upon hearing her name spoken in such cold accusation, Napheen turned in horrified bewilderment to Nehrathi. Insistently shaking her head, she stammered "I didn't, I couldn't, how could anyone think I could do such a thing? I didn't even know what happened, and I'm accused of being responsible for it? How? Why?

 

"Someone must be desperate to divert suspicion from himself, from herself, to try to make me look guilty of something I don't even understand."

 

OOC: oh heck, i hate first round accusations. talk about shooting blind.. umm. since i've been ordered to bed i can't come back later, either, so..

 

I accuse.. Knight/Khe, on grounds of having been too quick to accuse. *shrug* no clue, really.

[Tanuchan]

Nehrathi hugs her friend, still unwilling to believe such evil thing as accusing one among themselves of being responsible for Hemahibe's disappearance.

 

"Oh, Napheen... this is terrible!"

 

"Someone must be desperate to divert suspicion from himself, from herself, to try to make me look guilty of something I don't even understand." Napheen accepts the comfort of her friend's hug. "Khe... he's also accusing... quick, oh so quick..."

 

Nehrathi listens to Napheen, and for the first time in her life (and un-life) she's forced to look upon her people with suspicion. Her heart heavy, remembering the dark accusation by the Ambassador, she nods.

 

 

~~~~~~

OOC: accusing Khe/Knight. It's just IC for Nehrathi to follow Napheen...

Edited November 18, 2004 by Tanuchan

[Gryphon]

Rahotep turns his gaze from Moses to Khe, "For that matter the ladies are quite correct. You too bring suspicion on your self by your quick accusation of others.

 

Not only that, but unlike Ambassador Moses you don't even have the excuse of having your thinking influenced by association with foreigners. In fact you accuse without any evidence or reasoning to support your accusation."

 

Rahotep has an amusing thought and chuckles in the dry kind of way that only a Mummy can.

 

"The speed with which you both started pointing fingers elsewhere almost make it seem like the two of you could be in this together!"

 

The possibility indicated by his words sends a chill through those gathered and Rahotep levels a truely disturbed gaze at Khe

 

"No, it could not be, a guard would not, could not do such a thing!"

 

There is as much plea as accusation in his words

 

"Perhaps you'd better explain your own whereabouts last night Khe, to reassure us all."

___________________________________________________

 

OOC: Ok, I didn't want to do this so soon, but I find myself agreeing with Napheen and Nehrathi. I accuse Khe/Knight. For fear that my thoughts outlined above are a portent of nightmares to come.

[YanYanGanaffi]

*Casts an eye suspectingly at Khe* So quick to accuse...Something to hide or a guilty spirit?

 

 

 

(OOC: Going with the flow and accusing Khe/Knight. Sorry, nothing personal, bubba!)

[Gnarlitch]

OOC: Uh, guys....Khe/Knight didn't make an accusation yet. Ya wanna kill off the new guy before he even has a chance to play? http://www.themightypen.net/public/style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif

 

 

__________________________________________________

Moses sits and thinks.

 

"Napheen.

"I bring suspicion upon you. Defend yourself."

 

__________________________________________________

 

OOC: I accuse Napheen

Personally, I like Tangy's IC reasoning for accusing Napheen, so, I'll follow suit, although after working a 13 hour day today I'm too tired to RP it. So...

 

Accuse Napheen/Ayshela

[Lady Celes Crusader]

(OOC: I'll give you all an additionnal 24hrs of period since the vote is so close and one of the interested parties didn't even posted today.)

 

Maesha stares inside the empty tomb, wondering if the grave robbers did grabbed absolutly everything. She looks around and everything had been taken away, the room had been neatly searched, as if they didn't want to leave anything behind.

 

Meanwhile, the bickering continues behind outside the dancer's emptied tomb.

[cryptomancer]

Imhotep Glances around the empty tomb, the fibre of his undead body strain with the fear of distruction. "It is strange how even after cheating death, an end is still offered by the gods, a new death to haunt us even after we survived the first."

 

Looking at the Young Napheen he shakes his head, "many of us have lived long even before this suspended existance began, except you. Could the undecided life of youth be the cause of this evil, is it your hand that cuts us down now?"

 

 

[OOC: Napheen]

[Ayshela]

As Napheen continues to face accusation her disappointment and hurt is slowly overcome by anger.

 

"I may be young compared to some of you, but that does NOT make me evil! I was trusted with beloved children - to guide, guard, and protect them, their lives, their wellbeing. I taught them much, *including* right from wrong and how to live happy lives in peace with those around them.

 

"What kind of person would call this evil?"

[Knight]

OOC: Sorry about my delay folks... I had a very busy last few days. As far my 'accusation', it was not an accusation at all. Merely my character being characteristically suspicious. Oh well, go with the flow.

 

IC: "I cannot believe that you all would suspect me of this. Especially you, Rahotep. I refuse to accept that you, a fellow guardsman, would think that I would stoop so low as to allow access to those that we guard. I was in my chamber last night.. as has become our custom.. Resting. Why I would eliminate one of our own is beyond me. Especially after all these many years, I still bare the weight of my position and station. It is my duty to ensure your SAFETY, not your harm. I would not do such a thing. And for this, I admit, if I am guilty of anything, it is failure. Failure to prevent the action from happening. I did not ensure the safety of Hemahibe. For this, my friends, I am truly, and greatly sorry..."

 

Khe pauses for a moment, letting his words soak into the others as they may. He glances around, and his eyes shift from Moses, to Napheen. His body rattles somewhat- as if he were trying to clear his throat.

 

"Napheen, I am greatly disappointed that you also have brought these charges against me. I believe that the ambassador may speak rightly- you were quick to shift the blame from yourself, and without good cause... I spoke hastily, but you should know by know that that is one of the many facets of my nature..."

 

OOC: Accusation goes for Ayshela/Napheen

[Lady Celes Crusader]

While the majority of the suspicions lands on Napheen, Maesha walks over the nurse and looks at her sadly.

 

- You know what to do Napheen. May Osiris protects you on your journey.

 

Napheen acknowledges and walks over her tomb, opening its door and leaves it opened. Everyone then realizes the mistake they had done: Napheen had many protective scrolls in her crypt. She gives them to Imotep and looks at him.

 

- Read these and learn from your mistakes. I'm sure that wherever I'll be, I'll be with Hemahibe and we will stick together.

 

Everyone returns to their crypt, heavy hearted.

 

(OOC: Napheen/Ayshela was no only innocent, but she was also the Baner. Be careful next time.

So, this is Day phase. I'm waiting for the Werewolves and Seer's PM. You can roleplay your character on their way to their crypts or within their crypts)

[Gryphon]

Rahotep's shock and confusion over the false accusation of Napheen becomes something akin to fear and paranoia on his way back to his tomb at the end of the night.

 

The dark which had long since lost it's ability to cause fear seemed to conceal shapes and shadows. Was that someone following me? Seeking the entrance to my tomb?

 

Rahotep doubles back trying to see if he's being followed, and when he finds no-one he takes a torturous twisting route back trying to disguise where he rests during the day from anyone who might be watching.

 

As he does so suspicions begin to rotate in his mind, those that accused Napheen when she'd clearly been protecting us all... Surely at least some of them were behind the disappearance of Hemahibe also.

 

Finally reaching the entry to his tomb with enough time to put a comfortable margin before daybreak Rahotep pauses and listens for any sign that he may have been followed before slipping inside. Surely I took enough precautions to keep myself safe? He settles in, hoping to last the day in the safety that has eluded so many of his friends of late.

[Vahktang]

Moses is in his dark, deep dungeon.

No light illuminates the fanciful and pleasent wall paintings.

Nothing shines on the many entertaining games or the scrolls with vast and secret knowledge.

'All I said was 'defend yourself'.

'I didn't mean anything to actually happen.

'I thought she would, or, -

...

'I don't know.

In the dark he moves to a musical instrument, finding it surely, being very familiar with his habitation, even in the dark.

He begins to play a haunting melody, something that an outsider would call imagination, or just the wind.

[Gnarlitch]

Pamiu makes his way through the labrynth of tunnels between the main section of crypts and the personal and private crypt of the Pharoah. Sadly he reports on the events of the last 24 hours before returning to his own crypt, where his "sleep" is haunted by terrible dreams and is unrestful, having a guilty conscience over the banishment of Napheen. His sobs sound as the shifting of the sands...

[Knight]

As he shifts back to his guard chamber, Khe contemplates what has gone wrong here. If only he'd known the actions he would perpetuate by allowing Napheen to go. What a terrible, terrible waste, he thought. Still... she had been quick to accuse him.

 

She knew full-well what was his nature. He was a guard, and it was his nature to be watchful, and careful of EVERYONE, but the Pharoah himself- he and only he was infallible.

 

Quietly, he jotted the events down on an ancient sheet of parchment, before settling into his 'sleep'.

[Ayshela]

Napheen returned to her chamber, heavy sadness overtaking the anger at the unjust accusations. Turning over all her scrolls of protection, she looked once more upon the faces of her friends, and those she had believed were friends, and took her place leaving the door open to whatever had taken Hemahibe. Settling herself to wait, she drifted into an uneasy sleep.

 

Sudden noises awoke her with the solid instinct to not move. Someone was in her chamber, moving carefully and carrying a peculiar torch which never flickered as it lit the room. Napheen scowled angrily as all her belongings were removed, then she suddenly felt herself lifted and carried into daylight. She was carefully placed into a very strange wagon. All her belongings were there as well, much to her relief, and it seemed that at least some of Hemahibe's were as well. Napheen cried out softly in fright as she heard the growling of strange beasts begin, and then the wagon began to move. Hemahibe must have been somewhere near, as Napheen heard muffled sobs and pleas to the gods for protection. "Fortunate," Napheen thought, "that all these beings will hear of our cries is the sighing of the wind."

 

It seemed ages before the wagon stopped, and Napheen's head ached from the echoes of the growling beasts pulling it. They must have been beaten the entire way to have moved so quickly, and so angrily. The strange people were back, hauling Napheen and Hemahibe off the wagon and moving them and their belongings into an immense winged monster which shone in the sun, though it sat there unmoving as they were placed in its belly. It must have been displeased, though, as it growled and roared after Napheen's sight had been blocked by a shield being slammed over the opening. She felt as if she fell, surely from a great height, though the belly of the monster remained solidly under her and it continued to roar. Napheen could no longer hear Hemahibe, and hoped she was still close. "Osiris," she begged, "please watch over those left and keep them safe. Please guard them well and keep them from these beasts."

 

She felt herself falling again, faster and harder than before, but just as she was sure disaster had befallen the monster stopped growling and the shield over the opening in its belly was removed again. "Napheen?" It was Hemahibe calling. "I'm here," Napheen answered. "Wherever they're taking us, I hope we go together." "As do I," Hemahibe said.

 

They were taken once more and placed into a wagon. Napheen thought she would never hear the end of growling beasts, and felt sorry for the poor beasts forced to haul the wagons at such speed. At every turn she slid and banged against the hard side of the wagon, so she was quite relieved when finally the beasts stopped growling and she was hauled out of the wagon again.

 

Napheen and Hemahibe and all their belongings were carried into a gleaming building and down long hallways lit by strange things which flickered slightly but looked nothing like torches. They were carefully and gently placed at opposite ends of a long room, all their belongings arranged around them. Strange people with light skins came regularly to stare at Napheen and Hemahibe, speaking strange sounding syllables that neither understood.

 

Composing herself for stillness and extended sleep, Napheen cast her thoughts far away to those she loved. "Nehrathi, please my friend, be safe. Be safe with Esaneh, be happy. I guess we'll never know now whether Rahotep liked me - or perhaps we do, he did defend me." And with a small smile, Napheen drifted into endless sad dreams.

[Vahktang]

Moses waits in the darkness, wondering what the next surprise will bring.

He hates surprises.

[Gnarlitch]

Pamiu tosses and turns, unable to sleep. Time seems to stand still. And he wonders..."Could this be the night that never ends?"

[Lady Celes Crusader]

When the moon comes down, the activities resumed, although everyone are having heavy feelings on their shoulders. Maesha strolled over the what was Napheen's tomb. Nerathi sobbed by its door while Esaneh is conforting her. Rahotep is standing not to far from the couple, staring over to where her. Maesha carefully walked over the guard and gives him a hug.

 

- I'm such a coward Maesha, whispers Rahotep, I've never found the courage to tell her how I feel. I've waisted millenias and now... she'll never know.

 

- I believe she knows. answers back the lead dancer, in a reassuring tone, You've stooded up for her, along with Nerathi.

 

Rahotep nods sadly, while staring at the desperatly empty crypt. Pamiu and Benny explored the now empty crypt, hoping that the robbers left anything behind, anything that was dear to Napheen that they could give to Rahotop, but there was nothing. Khaires, Imhotep and Khe where observing the scene with a lot of disappointement, realizing the amplitude of the mistake and the threat.

 

Suddenly, one of the dancers runs over the group panicking.

 

- MOSES!!! THEY TOOK MOSES!!!

 

((OOC: Vahktang/Moses is not only gone but he was an innocent. I give you 72 hours of roleplay and voting time, as a way to resume the playing from this long hiatus. I'll add the scorecard in the subscription thread.))

[Gryphon]

Rahotep feels a dark despair settling over him as waves of numbed shock course through his body. A cold darkness creeps over him and his thoughts become sluggish like the waters of the mighty nile river.

 

"Moses? Gone?"

 

He staggers slightly as the feelings overwhelm him and a strange kind of pained keen emerges from his dried throat.

 

"Again I fail to protect those around me! An outsider he may have been, but no-one deserves this kind of terror that is being visited upon us all. Moses is no exception."

 

Stumbling slightly Rahotep moves to the side of the group knowing for sure now that which his soul had been trying to tell him earlier. Not only were some amongst those he'd counted as friends for so long turning traitor, but evidence suggested that they'd stop at nothing to see all his other friends stolen away during the hostile hours of the day.

[YanYanGanaffi]

"What in the holy hell is going on here," Benny exclaimed,"I don't know about all of you, but I'm going to start boobytrapping my tomb. This is getting out of hand." Benny starts to construct a few snares near his crypt to hopefully keep out whomever is taking the mummies.

 

After finishing the modifications on his tomb, he angrily turns toward the others."I know one of you is trying to remove the rest of us from the tomb complex, I just don't know who yet. All I can say is that's bull*bleep*!"

 

 

OOC: Khe is being accused. Sorry, bro, just got a bad feeling off of you in this game.

[Tanuchan]

Nehrathi, finally seeming to pay attention to her surroundings after Napheen being gone, hears Benny and nods slightly.

 

"Khe accused Napheen, didn't he? If he's innocent, at least he'll be paying for that with my friend..."

 

Her voice, once crystalline with laughter, is now cold and almost as dead as her body.

 

~~~~

OOC: Accusing Khe/Knight

[Gnarlitch]

"Rahotep. You and your guards are failing us at this crucial time. That is inexcusable. However, neither you nor your ancestors has ever failed my family before. As such, it must be the most recent addition to the guards that has brought this evil among us. Arrest him."

 

OOC: Knight/Khe

[Gryphon]

Rahotep stiffens at Pamiu's words.

 

"Failed? These disappearances all seem to be happening when the bright light of day scours the land and we are all one as vulnerable as the other during that time.

 

It was not I who accused Napheen who was trying to protect us, though sadly you were quick enough to add your voice to those who ensured her downfall.

 

The only true failure here is our failed ability to trust each other and none are more to blame for that than those who have brought this terror upon us all."

 

Turning to the others, Rahotep continues.

 

"Some of the rest of you accused Napheen also, and worse yet, some of you must have known she was innocent of wanting to cause harm. Those of you who accused without evidence are almost as guilty as those who have caused this harm to the innocent amongst us all."

 

Turning to Imhotep Rahotep asks, "Can you not seek guidance from the gods? Perhaps they will grant you some insight to who might be causing this grief to us."

 

With a heavy heart Rahotep turns at last to Khe.

 

"And you, you were the first to voice an unfounded suspicion claiming impulsiveness and speaking without thinking. Perhaps this is true... perhaps, but in times such as these those are not traits you can afford to have. Now these others accuse you, and I still have trouble believing that another guard could so betray our sacred trust to protect... but if a guard did betray that trust it would be my duty to see to their punishment.

 

What say you in your defence in the face of those who accuse you?"

 

OOC: Again, just so you know I'm not withholding an accusation to be annoying I'm giving those I've addressed in character a chance to answer for themselves. It's pretty sucky pointing fingers when it feels like half the people still in the game either are not joining in or not saying anything in character. No accusation yet, patience patience.

[DeanTheAdequate]

Deep withen one of the minor chambers, there is a mote of dust, silently making it's way to the floor. Just as it is about to rest for hundreds upon thousands of years with all the others... it is blown away as a stone slab thuds to the floor.

 

Khaires looked about the darkened room. No light shone from the ornate brassires, yet he could see. He tried to take a deep breath, but all that happened was a deep rattling noise. He stared at the polished brass...

 

And screamed. The wine servant held his skull in his hands. He remembered the chanting, the plunge of the knife, everything. It was like his chest was on fire, that his head was filled only with void.

 

All in his being that void only told him one thing, the Pharoh was in danger. Great danger. But surely the guards were charmed for this... Unless Ra sent his spirit back because one of the Pharoh's guards were untrustworthy...

 

He had to warn the others, but surely only most of the guards would eternally protect the Pharoh in the life streams...

 

Khaires was afraid to show himself. Such enemies would be powerful, and quick to send him die in the black fires beyond. He grabbed a weighty pitcher. It wouldn't be much, but maybe it would help should he run into a traitor...

 

(OOC: I don't know... Meh, gimme til' tomorrow.

[Knight]

Khe, having rushed in at the first sign of commotion, looks about the room. "In the name of Ra, what kind of creature do you all think me to be?! I did no such thing! What mad sort of logic would it be for me to allow Moses to be taken? He was not one who was suspicious of me in the last incident, and thus it would be foolish for me to have him eliminated! Would you or would you not agree? I would think that someone was out for vengeance! By the gods, I am starting to wonder if one or more of you have it in for me. Nehrathi, be not vengeful unto me- I was not the only one who had accused her. I already deeply regret that I had. Would it have been myself, and not her. We were wrong, dreadfully wrong."

 

Khe sighed, and looked the group over. His eyes fell upon Rahotep, pleadingly.

 

"My commander, please- you must know this to be true. We have been through this unlife together, and you must indeed realize what is going on- someone is trying to spread dissension, and confusion amongst us! We must work together, to defeat them! In my defense- I spoke hastily. I made no accusations, I merely questioned. It is true that I acted without pause and without hesitation. I admit this. I admit that that was wrong. I also admit that I wrongly accused Napheen. I am deeply sorrowful for this. As I said- would it have been I, rather than her..."

 

(OOC: Minor editing to answer something I missed, and just caught in the re-read. No accusation yet, at this point...)

Edited November 26, 2004 by Knight