Post by TheUdjat on Aug 11, 2008 12:43:10 GMT -5
As Grey speaks, Gavigan turns his eye on the gentleman, listening attentively.
“Ah, I see you are well abreast of matters indeed,” he says, nodding. “The expedition is led by Dr. Henry Clive, a very adept and esteemed archeologist, as I’m sure you both know.” He nods to indicate Thurman. Indeed, both men have heard the name before—he is an older man, a contemporary of the late Sir Aubrey Penhew no doubt, and considered an excellent archeologist. Neither Thurman nor Grey has met the man, however. “I’m afraid it will be quite difficult to contact the Expedition. They receive letters, occasionally, but do not make it a habit to stay too near to civilization, focusing ardently on the dig. I receive the occasional missive, and could send one on your behalf, certainly, but there is no guarantee when they will receive it—or even where.” He smiles and laughs a little. “Dr. Clive can be quite... independent. I will do what I can to arrange a visit, if you wish.”
Tommy speaks next, and Gavigan turns his attention to the private investigator.
It could be one’s imagination, but Tommy’s dogged persistence appears to be wearing on the Director. Gavigan frowns a little, but stays polite and calm as ever. “I understand what you’re saying, Mr. Cannon, but there are many forces conspiring against the free flow of information in this matter. Firstly, there is the matter of funding—as Roger Carlyle supplied all the expedition’s funds, there was no need to make formal arrangements with the Foundation as a whole. Sir Aubrey led the expedition, but it was through Carlyle’s funds, not the Foundation’s, that they went about it. As such, those such as myself were told very little. All I can tell you, indeed, is that it concerned an ancient period of Egypt’s past wherein it is rumored that a powerful sorcerer—if you can believe such tales—ruled all of the Nile Valley. It has long been an enigmatic period in Egypt’s past, and the African woman supposedly possessed new leads on the matter. As I said, though, the matter proved to be a hoax. There was never any such sorcerer in Ancient Egypt, as intriguing as such a story would be.”
He gives a heavy sigh, still frowning a bit. “The matter is a trifle embarrassing, as you see, that such funds were lost on so trivial a pursuit. But Sir Aubrey was a man of curiosity—much like yourself, it would seem. You would do well not to follow in Carlyle’s footsteps—but if you are insistent upon it, the lost records from the Expedition would be in Kenya, if anywhere, for that is where the massacre occurred.”
Gavigan doesn’t seem to notice the clever innuendo in Tommy’s speech. Instead he stands, smoothing his suit a bit in the act. “Certainly, you may do both, if you like. I will have to accompany those who wish to see the artifacts, given the measures to protect their security—nothing personal, I assure you. I will have my secretary show you and Ms. Devereux to the library.” He gestures to the door, and steps out from behind his desk to speak to the woman in the other room, giving Tommy his opportunity to speak briefly to the others.
But the moment doesn’t last long. Gavigan soon returns. “Now then, Colonel Grey, Dr. Osgood—this way, please.” He leads both men back into the hallway, back towards the foyer. The secretary gestures to Tommy and Rebecca, smiling prettily, and leads them in the opposite direction, to the Penhew Foundation’s special library.
Thurman, Grey-
Gavigan leads both men up the stairs to the Foundation’s second level, where a small exhibit of various Egyptian pieces takes up most of the floor. There are other rooms for the careful examination of artifacts, with a couple of scholars already at work. Gavigan speaks with someone nearby, an assistant perhaps, and soon begins to show both men various ancient relics retrieved from the Carlyle Expedition’s findings in Dhashur.
[Archeology/Anthropology rolls.] None of it is especially groundbreaking—fractured pots and damaged statuettes and other small trinkets, the kind commonly associated with most Expedition findings. Thurman notes nothing amiss about the artifacts, though Gavigan’s voice has a tendency to grow monotonous and droll in very little time. He will never be the type of person to give exciting lectures, that much is certain.
Still, both men force themselves to endure the endless parade of inscribed shards, bas-reliefs, noseless statues, and so forth for hours—but there is simply nothing unusual to be seen in Gavigan’s collection. Even browsing artifacts not from the Carlyle Expedition, everything seems well in order.
Rebecca, Tommy-
Searching the very Egyptian-centric tomes of the Penhew Foundation, Tommy and Rebecca are able to find little more than they found in the Widener library at Harvard—certainly, there is no mention of the Bloody Tongue or the Mountain of Black Wind in this place, though that is hardly surprising, given that such things were connected to Kenya, not Egypt. However, armed with the name ‘Brotherhood of the Black Pharoah’ from the book Life as a God, and with Gavigan’s vague references to a sorcerer in Ancient Egypt, Rebecca does manage to find something after hours of searching through the endless and archaic pages of the library—Tommy tries to help, but mostly he gets in the way, and eventually he takes to sitting off to the side and chatting up the secretary, still lingering nearby.
What Rebecca finds is small, but significant. She finds direct and reliable references to a sorcerer that did, in fact, rule Ancient Egypt at one point in time. Whether the man was actually a sorcerer is up to debate, but this so-called sorcerer, Nephren-Ka—called the Black Pharoah—certainly ruled. This directly contradicts Gavigan’s claims, and though the information was hard to find, Rebecca finds it hard to believe that the Director of the Penhew Foundation, known for its expertise in Egyptology, would not know this. Either the man is less knowledgeable than he seems, or else he was misleading them.
Unfortunately, nothing more can be determined about this Black Pharoah or the Brotherhood both Rebecca and Tommy have read about. Before much longer, the two have exhausted the library’s resources—and just in time, for their bored and exhausted comrades are finished with Gavigan’s tour of the artifacts, and their footsteps can be heard approaching.
Everyone-
Gavigan enters the library with Thurman and Grey in tow. “Well, gentlemen—lady.” He gives Rebecca a respectful nod. “I am afraid I have spent far too much time indulging in my passion for ancient relics. I hope you have found what you are looking for—and if you still persist in pursuing this expedition, I wish you luck. But for now, I must be back to work.”
“Again, if you wish to make a communiqué to the Clive Expedition, I can forward your letter to them, or include it in one of my own. As you like it. Until next we meet, I bid you good day.” And with a little bow, Gavigan heads back to his office. The secretary ushers all of you out of the library moments later, and to the foyer, where the burly secretary watching the door eyes you a little.
Business appears to be concluded at the Penhew Foundation.
[I’ll update leads soonish.]
List of clues
"Mr. Gavigan, I did hear about the current operations in Dahshur taking place, and would be very interested in any further details concerning it that you may be able to provide me. Who are the expedition leaders, and is there a way for us to contact them? Indeed, I am very interested to see what their results are, up to this moment."
“Ah, I see you are well abreast of matters indeed,” he says, nodding. “The expedition is led by Dr. Henry Clive, a very adept and esteemed archeologist, as I’m sure you both know.” He nods to indicate Thurman. Indeed, both men have heard the name before—he is an older man, a contemporary of the late Sir Aubrey Penhew no doubt, and considered an excellent archeologist. Neither Thurman nor Grey has met the man, however. “I’m afraid it will be quite difficult to contact the Expedition. They receive letters, occasionally, but do not make it a habit to stay too near to civilization, focusing ardently on the dig. I receive the occasional missive, and could send one on your behalf, certainly, but there is no guarantee when they will receive it—or even where.” He smiles and laughs a little. “Dr. Clive can be quite... independent. I will do what I can to arrange a visit, if you wish.”
Tommy speaks next, and Gavigan turns his attention to the private investigator.
"I'm sorry to be a bother Mr. Gavigan, but you say that Mr. Penhew's notes, save his personal letters, were lost with him in Kenya and that the purpose of the expedition was a hoax. But you haven't clearly told us what the explicit goals of the expedition were, something we have been yearning to find out for a while. It's the first step in our own little expedition you see." He smiles a bit trying to make sure he doesn't sound accusatory. "Wouldn't it be great for us to complete the legendary Carlyle Expedition and delve even further to uncover more secrets of Egypt." He leans back in h is chair and laughs, as he says the words wistfully, as if it were a pipe dream.
"I know it is asking a bit much, but an expedition as grand as this one must have registered some of it's goals with the organization, right? Surely they didn't keep all hope and secrets with this thieving African woman? I ask only because, while most say it is a hoax, you know the natives they claim both ways, some say it is nothing but us white folks' attempt to steal their history, others say it is the real thing. This is why we want to look into it, this is what is making this so exciting!" He laughs again, as if it were a game hoping to appeal to the man's sense of adventure and quest for knowledge.
"I know it is asking a bit much, but an expedition as grand as this one must have registered some of it's goals with the organization, right? Surely they didn't keep all hope and secrets with this thieving African woman? I ask only because, while most say it is a hoax, you know the natives they claim both ways, some say it is nothing but us white folks' attempt to steal their history, others say it is the real thing. This is why we want to look into it, this is what is making this so exciting!" He laughs again, as if it were a game hoping to appeal to the man's sense of adventure and quest for knowledge.
It could be one’s imagination, but Tommy’s dogged persistence appears to be wearing on the Director. Gavigan frowns a little, but stays polite and calm as ever. “I understand what you’re saying, Mr. Cannon, but there are many forces conspiring against the free flow of information in this matter. Firstly, there is the matter of funding—as Roger Carlyle supplied all the expedition’s funds, there was no need to make formal arrangements with the Foundation as a whole. Sir Aubrey led the expedition, but it was through Carlyle’s funds, not the Foundation’s, that they went about it. As such, those such as myself were told very little. All I can tell you, indeed, is that it concerned an ancient period of Egypt’s past wherein it is rumored that a powerful sorcerer—if you can believe such tales—ruled all of the Nile Valley. It has long been an enigmatic period in Egypt’s past, and the African woman supposedly possessed new leads on the matter. As I said, though, the matter proved to be a hoax. There was never any such sorcerer in Ancient Egypt, as intriguing as such a story would be.”
He gives a heavy sigh, still frowning a bit. “The matter is a trifle embarrassing, as you see, that such funds were lost on so trivial a pursuit. But Sir Aubrey was a man of curiosity—much like yourself, it would seem. You would do well not to follow in Carlyle’s footsteps—but if you are insistent upon it, the lost records from the Expedition would be in Kenya, if anywhere, for that is where the massacre occurred.”
"As much as I'd love to look at the artifacts and the books both, I doubt that you allow people to borrow the books from your library, I'm dreadfully unaware of how things work here. So while I'd like to see exactly what Mr. Penhew dug up in Egypt, I feel we'd best optimize our time now?" He looks around to the group and settles on the young lady, "Ms. Devereux would you accompany me to the library, you are much better at these things than I. I bet this library will have a better selection than the one at Harvard." He puts an emphasis on the last part, hoping that she will understand his meaning.
Gavigan doesn’t seem to notice the clever innuendo in Tommy’s speech. Instead he stands, smoothing his suit a bit in the act. “Certainly, you may do both, if you like. I will have to accompany those who wish to see the artifacts, given the measures to protect their security—nothing personal, I assure you. I will have my secretary show you and Ms. Devereux to the library.” He gestures to the door, and steps out from behind his desk to speak to the woman in the other room, giving Tommy his opportunity to speak briefly to the others.
But the moment doesn’t last long. Gavigan soon returns. “Now then, Colonel Grey, Dr. Osgood—this way, please.” He leads both men back into the hallway, back towards the foyer. The secretary gestures to Tommy and Rebecca, smiling prettily, and leads them in the opposite direction, to the Penhew Foundation’s special library.
Thurman, Grey-
Gavigan leads both men up the stairs to the Foundation’s second level, where a small exhibit of various Egyptian pieces takes up most of the floor. There are other rooms for the careful examination of artifacts, with a couple of scholars already at work. Gavigan speaks with someone nearby, an assistant perhaps, and soon begins to show both men various ancient relics retrieved from the Carlyle Expedition’s findings in Dhashur.
[Archeology/Anthropology rolls.] None of it is especially groundbreaking—fractured pots and damaged statuettes and other small trinkets, the kind commonly associated with most Expedition findings. Thurman notes nothing amiss about the artifacts, though Gavigan’s voice has a tendency to grow monotonous and droll in very little time. He will never be the type of person to give exciting lectures, that much is certain.
Still, both men force themselves to endure the endless parade of inscribed shards, bas-reliefs, noseless statues, and so forth for hours—but there is simply nothing unusual to be seen in Gavigan’s collection. Even browsing artifacts not from the Carlyle Expedition, everything seems well in order.
Rebecca, Tommy-
Searching the very Egyptian-centric tomes of the Penhew Foundation, Tommy and Rebecca are able to find little more than they found in the Widener library at Harvard—certainly, there is no mention of the Bloody Tongue or the Mountain of Black Wind in this place, though that is hardly surprising, given that such things were connected to Kenya, not Egypt. However, armed with the name ‘Brotherhood of the Black Pharoah’ from the book Life as a God, and with Gavigan’s vague references to a sorcerer in Ancient Egypt, Rebecca does manage to find something after hours of searching through the endless and archaic pages of the library—Tommy tries to help, but mostly he gets in the way, and eventually he takes to sitting off to the side and chatting up the secretary, still lingering nearby.
What Rebecca finds is small, but significant. She finds direct and reliable references to a sorcerer that did, in fact, rule Ancient Egypt at one point in time. Whether the man was actually a sorcerer is up to debate, but this so-called sorcerer, Nephren-Ka—called the Black Pharoah—certainly ruled. This directly contradicts Gavigan’s claims, and though the information was hard to find, Rebecca finds it hard to believe that the Director of the Penhew Foundation, known for its expertise in Egyptology, would not know this. Either the man is less knowledgeable than he seems, or else he was misleading them.
Unfortunately, nothing more can be determined about this Black Pharoah or the Brotherhood both Rebecca and Tommy have read about. Before much longer, the two have exhausted the library’s resources—and just in time, for their bored and exhausted comrades are finished with Gavigan’s tour of the artifacts, and their footsteps can be heard approaching.
Everyone-
Gavigan enters the library with Thurman and Grey in tow. “Well, gentlemen—lady.” He gives Rebecca a respectful nod. “I am afraid I have spent far too much time indulging in my passion for ancient relics. I hope you have found what you are looking for—and if you still persist in pursuing this expedition, I wish you luck. But for now, I must be back to work.”
“Again, if you wish to make a communiqué to the Clive Expedition, I can forward your letter to them, or include it in one of my own. As you like it. Until next we meet, I bid you good day.” And with a little bow, Gavigan heads back to his office. The secretary ushers all of you out of the library moments later, and to the foyer, where the burly secretary watching the door eyes you a little.
Business appears to be concluded at the Penhew Foundation.
[I’ll update leads soonish.]
List of clues
}
]