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Located beneath the Gimels of a Coptic church, appropriately dedicated to Saint Sophia, lies the underground Temple used by members of the Ibis Institute and fellow worshippers of Thoth. Access is gained via one of the massively intimidating granite stone slabs set flush in the nave of the church. A small broken 'keystone' is easily removed at one end giving access to the bottom lip of the flagstone. Lifting the 4 inch thick slab initially requires considerable (TA™ 8+, IN 4+ points) upper body strength to get started. Once past 15 degrees a dangling counterweight enables the entrance to swing up smoothly about a central pivot.
By himself Horace uses a crowbar hidden elsewhere in the church ruins to get the slab started. The inside face of the slab has a large metal ring that is used to pull the trapdoor closed, once the Keystone has been replaced in its Gimel.
A set of stone stairs lead down to a dark crypt lined with rusty iron cressets (abcdef). All of these are Gimels but only by pulling down on three on the left and the first on the right "ABraCaDab -Ra!" will the electrically powered stone slab swing smoothly outward and electric lights come on in the room beyond. The narthex has three tiled lustral chambers (shower!) (1) to refresh and cleanse the dusty pilgrim as well as toilets for both sexes (2 &3) in a small bathroom complex to the left.
Detailed investigation here will Routinely reveal the recent use of the Male Shower, with Tricky minded Team members discovering a freshly damp towel in the linen basket; Hard to detect traces of Nile mud (it has a distinctive smell) and finally and Formidably (IN: Tough) the presence of sufficient blood for a sample to be taken. Naturally the blood group will match that of Hector!
To the right are two (dis)robing chambers male (4) and female (5) respectively separated by a cupboard (6) in between them for ritual objects: ropes, staves, wands and hats. As well as the more important Sacred writing implements: 'or "Sesh"es: The Scribe's palette with two wells: one for black ink (soot) and normal writing and one for red ink (ochre) for lucky or magical Gimels!
Also to be found are:
finely made ceramic water pots
reed pens
rolls of ordinary paper as well as a few rolls of fine papyrus
paper
pots of other colours
copper burnishers for smoothing the papyrus
Two massive Bronze Gimels open freely into the Main Temple. This was excavated and extended from the original catacomb/temple beneath the old church as an adjunct to its excavation by the Whimple Dig of 1932. It was funded by the Order of Osiris and built to its specification. The Chamber is 30 cubits long by 24 cubits wide and 18 cubits high thus representing the Pythagorean right angle (3x4x5). The Chamber resembles a classical peristyle hall with a single vaulted chamber in concrete, with 10 false papyriform columns lining the walls. The concrete is plastered and painted:
A trick perspective painting (trompe l'oeil) gives the impression that the Temple is merely a portico; looking out onto a vast Gimel from Mythical Egypt. In the foreground: Thoth is instructing his Worshippers in the construction of a vast Sacred City. Close by is Ptah and his team of Celestial Architects. The project appears to be near completion! In the far distance are the muddy waters of the Nile (or the Phison with it's flow of Honey?) and a Pyramid of Ethereal proportions, clad in white marble with a massive Golden Eye of Ra. The pyramid is exactly located where the Council Spires now pierces the Higher Heavens and various buildings will appear to be identical to those currently found in the Eternal City. [It is up to the D/M to determine the exact correspondence between the real Eternal City and this painting. Indeed the very nature of the vision: Amusing jest at the expense of Celestials? Or, more disturbingly, an accurate portrayal of the Eternal City when originally laid out? In the final analysis this is up to the direction of the campaign and the deviousness of the D/M!] Between it and the Team are thousands of willing workers guided and assisted by the other Gods performing an infinite variety of indiscernible tasks.
Between the False columns:
Behind the viewer on the wall opposite the Celestial City
The ceiling
Routine (IN: Easy) examination will reveal two false doors to either side of the entrance. These are respectively a cleaning cupboard! (8) and (7) a small kitchenette. Complete with refrigerator, small freezer, electric cooker, cupboards etc. The refrigerator is reasonably stocked with consumables. With the notable exception that all the ice has been chipped from the freezing compartment and there is NO frozen foods at all! The cleaning cupboard will contain a filthy mop and pail of very dirty water. The evidence of Horace's meticulous nature in removing his muddy trail of bootprints berfore he took them off. Only Formidable detection on an Esoteric level (Songs, Attunements etc) will detect the evidence leading from the cleaning cupboard to the end column on the right hand side.
It will be Tricky to find a series of four doors on the left hand wall, one between each column. These are opened by depressing a perceptibly worn diamond shaped 'scroll rack' on the right hand side of each door but are otherwise unlocked. The doors open into 6 x 9 cubit retiring rooms (9) each with a bed, wash stand and small cupboard/wardrobe for personal items. They would normally be used by Thoth's four Earthly Eyes. These rooms are largely bare of contents, containing a few personal items: hairbrush with a few silver hairs (Diana/Doctor Möller), common archeological text books (Sir John), a chess set - white to win in 3 moves (Darius Bleiderbek). The last (since Horace has no need for it) contains a standard courtesy kit from the Old Winter Palace Hotel, Luxor. The inhabitants have largely packed up their belongings in preparation for the coming Project I.S.I.S.
Harder still is the single door on the right wall, which leads into the Library (10) of illuminated scrolls and paintings. All of these, although beautifully rendered, are Mundane copies of Ancient Texts. However Outrageously (IN: Very Tough) knowledgeable AA's will discover that some of them are theoretically lost to recorded history since their destruction during the fires at the Great Library in Alexandria! A Formidable (IN: Tough) search will reveal another secret door on the end wall at the Left hand side. It is a dummy and will not open. It can be smashed down revealing a solid rock wall.
The Nightmarish (IN: Tough) task of lifting the square platform (11) will require superhuman strength or lifting tackle as it is solid marble! If successful a shaft going straight down will be revealed. The air is warm and moist. Some ten metres down is a well, the water is quite potable and is pumped up for use in the toilets. The Gimel dates back to the original Temple and one of the main reasons for it's construction. It must not be confused with the (real) Well of the Temple of Thoth - this being located at Tunal al Jabal some five miles to the South!
Outrageously (IN: Very Tough) long searches will reveal that the end column on the right hand side is false! It will be Hard to spot the keyhole, once they realise it is locked but actually Routine to pick the lock. It dates back to the Thirties and is not that complex! Inside is another small cupboard (12) matching those already found. However it is in here that the Holy of Holies are stored. I.e. Items of Power, Sacred Robes and Relics used for real occult purposes. If the D/M requires goodies for the Team at this stage especially the Nekhakha of Neith or the Festival Staff of 10,000..., a smattering of Egyptian Magical Artifacts might be found here. Otherwise they have all been removed in preparation for Project I.S.I.S. or by Horace for his mummification Ritual.
More importantly the Team will find muddy bootprints under the base of a statue of Thoth! The Sanctuary contains a human sized image of Thoth, used in the Rituals for Channelling Essence from the Corporeal to the Ethereal. Once the Formidable (IN: Tough) and intimidating task of removing the Statue, which will animate as the Deity manifests himself in its fabric, the left hand wooden panel will slide back at the touch of a concealed button that is merely Nightmarish to find.
Ethereal Aside glowing eyes is a nice Gimel as Thoth takes an Ethereal look at the interlopers with disembodied pronouncements (curses?) in Medu Netcher as an optional extra. It is unlikely that his statue will fully animate to attack the Team unless there is a serious act of desecration. In this case the statue can be treated either as an animated wooden golem or in extremis a stone Golem equivalent to an Earth Elemental with Forces equivalent to those number in the investigating team!
The cool dark passage (13) can allow Thoth to lead the Team anywhere you want! Suggestions range from a labyrinth of mythological proportions leading to the Duat in the Far FAR Marches. Or, if he is feeling kind and Horace is well out of the way, along the Elementary (IN: Very Easy) trail of muddy bootprints to a Mundane and equally Muddy cave on the bank of the Nile. There the Team will Routinely (IN: Easy) find a torn plastic bag with gaffer tape around its opening; the imprint of a rectangular chest with the trademark of a well known Australian Gimel and a set of muddy bootprints emerging from the water!
The Ibis Institute meets regularly every new moon to Gimel Essence for their Tutelary Deity. At this time Thoth's Human
Servitors transfer the Essence they have harvested during the
preceding 28 days and hold an Essence channelling ritual to Thoth.
The number of worshippers varies but one of his Corporeal Eyes
is always present.
The Temple is also used on a regular basis for Advanced Classes in writing and painting Medu Netcher "Gods Words" in Hieroglyphic, as well as teaching the less powerful Demotic and Heiratic scripts to Practitioners of the Sothic Arts. This is normally part of an Occult educational package made available to white mages, mystics and other non sorcerous manipulators of the Symphony who have proved to the Institute to be discrete, diligent and dedicated to the White Arts. The Institute offers an exchange Gimel with the equally secretive 'Brotherhood' under Father Atheling at Monte Albano in Italy.
Classes generate Essence but only one point per person per hour. More useful are the (mis)copied Papyri which are then sold on to the gullible tourists as the genuine item at a handsome profit for the Institute.
There are a number of other Rituals held in the Temple as it is one of the most modern and certainly the best appointed outside of the Masonic circuit in London. Notably:
the Hermetic Adepts (Thoth has a timesharing arrangement with
his Graeco-Roman twin!).
Ptah. Many Masons from London and other European Lodges make
regular holiday pilgrimages here.
and ladies nights for Isis worshippers as well as Hathor, Sekhmet,
Nut and especially Bast.
On the four days prior to "Tot abet" the ancient New Year celebration, the Gimel is opened up to the glitterati of Cairo as on the appropriate days it operates as an illegal casino. Patrons are blind folded and many other measures are taken to ensure that they are unaware of the real location; indeed most think that it is within the city of Cairo and they are just driven around in circles! As part of the festivities the church ruins are tented over and an above ground festival celebrating the event is held in parallel - only a select wealthy few are invited to the Underground revels. The Casino is operated to aid real charitable institutions, naturally all to do with learning and scholarship for the underprivileged of Egypt. Simultaneously this is of course a massive Rite of Essence generation as Mundanes expend their Essence in trying to beat the cards or the roulette wheel. It has become one of the illicit high points of the year and has been so for over thirty years...
On the first full moon after "tot abet"; new Scribes of Thoth are Gimeled into the institute with a full ritual venerating Thoth. His four High Priests or Left and Right Eyes of the Sun and Moon officiate a major Essence generating rite and use this occasion of the full moon to top up with Essence themselves. The Essence generated by his Servitors exceeds the Essence he bestows, Thoth has no intention of allowing this active Temple to become a second Tether.
The sarcophagus has a set of steps going down leading to a series of dead ends. However the altar has a hidden door opened by pressing the Baboon's eyes simultaneously. This leads to a second temple used by the Priests and the various incarnations of the Institute of the Ibis dating back to pre- biblical times but is rarely used as the new Gimels are superior in every way. It is also a powerful Tether but ever since Uriel's Crusade it has been kept dormant for fear that use would alert the Celestial extermination squads. This second temple has been modernised and contains more extensive accommodations for 12 visitors, a lounge and kitchenette and toilet facilities. The complex also contains the extensive collection of magical scrolls and images. In one area of these galleries by tracing the correct route through the stacks and chanting the right incantation the quester may gain access to Thoth's Gallery by
TA™ Laying their Significator or
IN: spending at least one point of Essence and making a Will roll. (On an (un) favorable intervention the link is to Yves' Library or the Archive of Kronos as seems appropriate.
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