Textblock #9440

not in game 2 parts

part 0

"...It was only after the pharaoh had exhausted the quarry's supply of
sandstone did he make the decision to delve further into the mountainside.
Long did the slaves labour under the burning sun to carve out more stone
blocks for the pharaoh's pyramid, and many perished under the cruel whips of
the overseers. Winding tunnels had pierced the quarry walls, delving deep
into the rock, when they came upon the ore.

Blood-red it was, and harder than steel. When the overseers first reported
the metal to the pharaoh, he immediately was overcome with lustful images of
his armies wielding strong new weapons. He doubled the number of slaves, and
set them to mining this new ore. So great was his want for the strange metal,
that thousands died and were dragged outside for the carrion-birds to devour.
Tensions rose as even the strongest slaves began to weaken from malnutrition
and abuse. Finally, one day, as the pharaoh was personally overseeing the
mining operation, an angry slave picked up a jagged chunk of the red iron ore
and flung it at the pharaoh.

What happened next was a shock to everyone. All knew that the pharaoh was a
mighty wizard, and many had perished while attempting to slay him. Normal
weaponry simply would not harm him, as he was cloaked in a magical barrier.
However, when the chunk of red ore struck the pharaoh in the head, he reeled
backward, blood dripping from a deep cut. For what seemed like an eternity,
all froze in shock and horror. Then, suddenly, incredulous that he had been
harmed by a mere slave, the pharaoh unleashed a storm of flame upon the slave
that incinerated him on the spot. Their daze broken by the magical destruction of their comrade, the other slaves immediately began stoning the pharaoh with shards of the red ore.

In a bloody fury, the pharaoh called upon his immense magical powers. Demonic
magic swirled about the chamber, causing all who viewed it to stop what they

part 1

were doing and quiver in terror. With a triumphant, bloodthirsty cry, the
pharaoh completed his spell, and vanished.

For a moment all thought he had simply left. Abruptly, however, a rumbling
far beneath the earth rocked everyone off of their feet. The rock at the far
end of the chamber split open with great violence, revealing a hideous dark
abomination! The pharaoh, in his indignant hatred, had summoned a nether
beast to devour all who remained in the mine.

It is at this point that I turned and ran for my life. The sound of horrified
slaves and overseers being devoured will haunt me for the rest of my life.
Once a cruel overseer, I now am a simple monk who lives in penitence for my
former crimes. Perhaps I was the only one who survived to tell this tale.
May God have mercy on their souls."

References