Cairo Adventure - Part 2 The Museum

This is the third episode in my Tomb of the Serpent campaign. The events of this report occurred a few days after the events at the ‘Dig’ and continue the quest by our heroes to obtain the Hyksos relics. My writing started with an extract from New Age Comic’s Slade Horton Adventures.

A City on the Edge

In the heart of Cairo, beneath the scorching sun and amidst the bustling streets, a small cavalcade of vehicles drove Slade Horton and his companions to a storage site of the famous Cairo Museum. As the cars passed the shops, cafes and bazaars, the tension within the city was all too obvious.  Small crows gathered on street corners, and gangs roamed blatantly, displaying knives and axes. Eventually, the convoy stopped in front of an old colonial-style building surrounded by a small park and iron gates typical of museums worldwide.

New Age Comics, Issue 3

The Cairo Museum Annex

Our small party of heroes entered the Cairo Museum, navigating its labyrinthine corridors filled with relics from Egypt's storied past. Sir Francis clutched a map with a list of storage numbers that had been gained from Robert Talbot's notes.

As they entered the Great Hall of the building, they all sensed an eerie presence and felt the weight of ancient curses. Unknown to them, a Risen One, one of Aphosis's priests, Akhmin-Ra and his hypnotic horde had entered the museum from the old tunnels that ran under Cairo. With a sinister grin, Akhmin-Ra whispered commands that sent his entranced minions forth, ready to confront anyone who dared to cross their path.

 

Honey and Sir Frances had taken the corridor to the west, where several storage rooms were marked on the map. Slade and Daphne entered the tomb room whilst Thwaites and Alfie explored the enclosed garden. Daphne and Sir Frances were the first to encounter trouble, a mob of knife-wielding thugs came rushing down the corridor. The tight space allowed our two heroes to let off several shots without the fear of being surrounded, but the servants of Aphosis seemed limitless. 

The Tomb Room

In the tomb room, Slade and Daphne approached the sarcophagus of a Fourteenth-dynasty pharaoh and started to hunt for the hidden compartment mentioned in the notes. For once, luck was with our heroes, and suddenly , they heard a pop, and dust flew into the air. The opening was small, but Daphne managed to put her slender hand and withdrew ankh with groves cut into the side. Clearly, from the hieroglyphic, this relic had something to do with Aphosis. However, the joy of finding the relic so quickly was short-lived as Akhmin-Ra and his rabid followers entered the tomb room.\

The Fighting Retreat

Fighting retreats now took place across the museum as the three teams slowly withdrew whilst trying to hold back Aphosis's servants. Ultimately, it would be a test of courage, resourcefulness, and teamwork, but Slade Horton and his colleagues managed to escape and took one step closer to thwarting Aphasia's nefarious plans. Now, it was a race against time and the dark forces, and will our pulp heroes prevent the snake god's rebirth.

Some Closing Thoughts

This was the easiest scenario so far in the campaign. Mainly, the luck of finding the relic at the first attempt. Even with this bit of luck the scenario proved challenging in trying to leave the museum intact with a mob of crazy cultist in pursuit. One thing learned from the earlier adventures, is the Mace team is more effective if they stay out of combat, especially against Aphosis’ priest.

Now the choice is either het the last relic or save some valuable time an head into the desert. However, that is a story for the next episode.