15586/The King's Tomb

The King's Tomb
Date of Scene:	10 September 2023
Location:	The Tomb of the Desert King
Synopsis:	Magneto leads a group to explore the Tomb of the Desert King
Cast of Characters:	Magneto, Boom-Boom, X-23, Sinister

---

Magneto has posed:
The Tomb of the Desert King, a sentinel of solemnity amidst the sprawling Egyptian desert, commands attention as one draws near. The stark juxtaposition between the endless golden dunes stretching into the horizon and the tomb's aged, stone visage strikes the eye. Crafted from colossal sandstone blocks, its surface tells tales of ages long past through intricate hieroglyphics, etched into the stone with the grace of an ancient scribe. Time's patient caress has dimmed some of these engravings, rendering them as faint echoes from a distant era. Yet, the stones themselves bear the scars of countless desert tempests, and they endure, stoic guardians against the relentless passage of centuries.

The tomb's entrance, a formidable portal, stands framed by towering columns, each adorned with intricate lotus motifs, symbols of renewal and rebirth. Above this gateway, a colossal stone lintel displays the Desert King's name in faded hieroglyphs, though still discernible to those who dare to decipher them. As the sun casts elongated shadows in the waning afternoon, the tomb seems to awaken with an ethereal presence, evoking a potent mixture of reverence and intrigue. It testifies to the ancient Egyptians' unparalleled craftsmanship and profound spirituality, offering a portal to a realm where the boundary between the living and the departed blurs beneath the relentless desert sun.

Magneto stands at the threshold of this ancient mausoleum, Israa by his side. Regret lingers in his thoughts, a missed opportunity to rally the Brotherhood, a matter he intends to address sternly later. Yet, his hope rests on the chance that word has reached the X-Men, that a team of their finest will soon journey to their side. The shadows lengthen, both within the tomb and in the hearts of those who stand vigil outside, bound by a shared mission that defies the boundaries of time and space.

Boom-Boom has posed:
A contingent of X-Men had come, one of which for good or ill was Tabby Smith, also known currently as Boom-Boom. At least now being all having to raid tombs and get her archeology on she ditched the street clothes. Which for Egypt post summer and being in the desert, meant wearing an X-Suit instead of clothes meant for warmer weather that covered head to toe.

Midriff just lets you breath better, facts!

It's probably not an insult sending her. The young woman does have experience as a thief and spy so sneaking through a boobytrap laden tomb might be up her alley. "So wow, almost tempted to wear the khaki shorts and bring my whip and fedora for this one." she did at least squirrel tools and stuff for the event in a utility belt around her compact waist.

X-23 has posed:
Laura Kinney is uniquely built for survival even in harsh conditions, the desert included. She has experience mostly as an assassin, which isn't exactly the most useful of skills for this mission. Until something horrifying rose up out of the depths to try to kill them all. And that was inevitable, right? She hadn't seen any Mummy movies, but she knew the concept well enough.

She sticks close to Tabitha and snorts. She's wearing a fitted bodysuit in all black, her dark hair loose and spilling around her face as she flexes her fingers in anticipation, opening her senses to try and see if they're alone here...

Magneto has posed:
As Tabitha and X-23 materialize on the scene, Magneto's brows furrow in a gesture of mild disappointment. "It appears we're a smaller group than anticipated, unless the others are running behind schedule," he observes, a tinge of uncertainty in his tone. "Nevertheless, I have every confidence that the unique talents both of you bring to the table will prove invaluable before our task is complete."

With that, he shifts his attention towards the imposing tomb entrance and takes his first steps within, Israa following closely in his wake.

The interior of the Tomb of the Desert King reveals a grand chamber, an expanse of history waiting to be unveiled. Twelve columns rise majestically, arranged in three neat rows of four, their surfaces adorned with fading hieroglyphs, ancient scripts etched in stone by hands long turned to dust.

Israa, her senses attuned to caution, remarks on the potential hazards that may lurk within these hallowed confines. "This place has the feel of a well-prepared trap," she comments, her tone laced with vigilance. "Prudence dictates we proceed with care, mindful that not all among us share the blessings of mutation."

Boom-Boom has posed:
"Well, it's not like we wanna send like everyone on this kinda deal. There's like four of these tombs right. Divide the talent, send them where they're needed. Can't just brute force through place like this. Like even I know it's like history and all 'This belongs in a museum' or probably become a museum itself. Use that tourism money to preserve it." Tabby points out.

Treating it a lot like a heist, Tabby seems haphazard where she places her feet but is amazingly careful while her head swivels about all the time. Anything that looks funky and trap like getting a wide berth.

"Least it's not lasers and stuff. But spikes and falling stones and stuff still gonna do a number even on us. Even like Magneto could get squished if we ain't careful." she adds in a more quiet volume if not tone.

X-23 has posed:
"Brute force better work, brute force is all I got," Laura mutters to Tabitha.

She looks up at the tomb. She isn't the type to enjoy 'majesty' and such, generally speaking. Decorations for dead people seem like a pretty useless idea to her, but she's just a murderous clone of a murderous man. What does she know?

She's not sure exactly what they're looking for, but she figures Magneto will know it when he sees it. In the meantime, she stalks ahead and keeps her claws prepared just in case.

Magneto has posed:
Crossing the entrance chamber, Laura discovers a formidable obstruction in her path---an imposing stone slab, solid as the ancient walls.

Meanwhile, Magneto walks amongst the towering columns, his gaze lingering on the enigmatic hieroglyphs that decorate their surfaces, like chapters in a cryptic tale.

"Israa," Magneto's call carries across the chamber, "if you'd be so kind." He beckons the archaeologist to his side, a request veiled in a gentle tone. "I possess the gift of tongues, yet the language of hieroglyphs eludes me. Would you consider undertaking the task of deciphering these inscriptions? Your expertise may unveil crucial information."

As Israa's focus shifts to the columns and their enigmatic markings, Magneto turns to Laura, her discovery momentarily diverting his attention. "A stone barrier," he muses aloud. "While I could attempt to brute force our way through, the repercussions are uncertain." His contemplative gaze then sweeps towards Tabitha. "A similar risk if we were to rely on your explosive talents, Boom Boom."

"I think I have deciphered a couple of lines,

'Amidst the shifting sands of time, I lie in eternal slumber sublime...'

I think it's a riddle."

Boom-Boom has posed:
"Girl, you like sneaky ex-assassin! You never had to like disarm and avoid traps and stuff? You're like way more speedy and nimble than me." Tabby points out, literally as she finger guns at Laura.

The slab getting in the way gets a chuckle. "Well I could get us around it, but it'd take a while and I think we're on the clock so it's still off the table." Tabby says as she sparks a very small flame of plasma that streams around her hand and then around and over her head as they head into the tomb, and further from any natural light. The woman easily able to provide her own for everyone's continued visibility.

"There's probably like funky switches and stuff. Probably some extra cryptic stuff like a riddle, yeah. Hourglass in a riverbed or something." she ponders in a shrug of her shoulders. That kind of thinking not quite her forte. She's too much of a slacker with more a knack to just ass pull a solution instead of over thinking.

X-23 has posed:
"Yeah, well, the people I had to kill usually were born in the last century, at least," she says. "I'm not really expecting a high-tech surveillance system or pressure plates or lasers. More like...blowdarts and shirt," she says.
HersrHer ears are her greatest help, though, letting her listen for hidden triggers being set off or finding holly places where there should be none.

"I don't know shit about archaeology. I'm just here in case something needs to be killed."

Magneto has posed:
"Well, fortunately, that's why we have Israa here," Magneto responds to Laura and Tabitha, his tone tinged with appreciation. He then returns to Israa, who diligently pores over the hieroglyphs.

"'Amidst the shifting sands of time, I lie in eternal slumber sublime,'" he muses, a thoughtful expression gracing his features. "It certainly appears to be a riddle. Although it could relate to a fossil, it seems there's more to it. What else have you managed to decipher?"

Israa nods in response. "Yes," she confirms. "I've gathered more from the inscriptions:

'Amidst the shifting sands of time, I lie in eternal slumber sublime,
My name in whispers, etched in stone,
In this chamber of shadows, seek the unknown.'

So, it seems less likely to be a fossil."

Magneto begins pacing between the columns, a veil of concentration draped over him as he contemplates their predicament.

After a while, Israa calls for everyone's attention.

"Alright, I've pieced together the full riddle," she announces.

"'Amidst the shifting sands of time, I lie in eternal slumber sublime,
My name in whispers, etched in stone,
In this chamber of shadows, seek the unknown.

To pass through these hallowed gates, prove your might,
Unravel the riddle, bring forth the light.
In life, I thrived beneath the sun's warm breath,
In death, I'm shrouded, silent as death.

With magnetic grasp, reveal the way,
Guide the shadows, let them sway.
But beware, for failure here,
Shall seal your fate, quell your cheer.

Seek the truth in this chamber's depths,
Unlock the secrets that death begets.
What am I, this name I bear,
In hieroglyphics, answer with care?'"

Boom-Boom has posed:
"I've watched all the Indiana Jones movies. Including the awful ones, thank goodness Harrison Ford finally passed away and no one is game to recast. And all four of the good Mummy movies from like way before we were born, and the last few crappy remakes. It doesn't take much to figure old ass traps out. Primitive is still effective." she points and aims her eyes down at those claws Laura has.

"Well like those senses and reflexes like, give you an edge if we screw up. Yank my butt out of the way since you like hear clicking old ass machinery tripping." she says while carefully but totally not looking like it's cautious, looking about for anything that might seem closer to what Israa is translating. "Like sands of the hourglass, so are the days of our lives! But if like, you spot something you might be able to work backwards to the trigger mechanism."

The whole riddle gets a hmm. "What sort of fossil though? Sounds like plant. What was the cash crop back in Pharoah days? Flowers, grain, whatever got smoked?" The plasma stream swirls and twirls about the woman, directed psionically to avoid hitting anyone and anything. While bright enough to let folks see what they're doing and where they're going.

X-23 has posed:
Laura Kinney puts a hand out and gives a thumbs down gesture, "That song sucks. How'm I supposed to dance to that?' she says in regards to the verse that's read.

"Sounds like we're all really doomed down Here. I've been doomed before. They're welcome to try and snuff me. Bunch of long dead bitches, looks like to me," she says.

"Sorry, the people who made me didn't think this was important information for me to have."

Magneto has posed:
Magneto ceases his pacing and approaches Israa once more, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "Is that all of it?" he inquires, his tone a mixture of relief and anticipation. "The entirety of the riddle inscribed on these columns?"

Israa's response is brimming with satisfaction. "Yes," she affirms, her voice buoyant. "It took some time to decode all of the hieroglyphs, but that's the complete riddle. Do you need me to repeat it for you?"

"No," Magneto declines with a thoughtful shake of his head. "That won't be necessary. Now, all that remains is to unravel the riddle's mystery and determine our next course of action. It's plausible that the answer could be 'Apocalypse,'" he posits, his gaze drifting to the shadows and the ancient enigma they conceal.

Boom-Boom has posed:
"Flowers. My money is on flowers, some kinda plant. Sunlight, they bloom, when they die they curl up and drop seeds and stuff that grows in the ground." The blonde is shrugging her shoulders.

While there are shadows, Tabby just adds more small orbs of plasma to increase light and visibility. Thankfully she doesn't need hands for that while she peeks about, just shy of touching anything.

"Trick is what else could that be. And like why would the riddle say magnetic? Didn't they have like no idea of the term, the concept might a been beyond a bit beyond them at the point. That sounds more like some timey wimey crap. Like someone from now, went back, set this up, and wrote the riddle with Mags in mind. I probably wouldn't blindly yank on any old metal though. I've yanked on enough old rods and stuff to know that can end badly." she adds as she continues searching at least on that plant based frame of mind.

X-23 has posed:
Laura Kinney isn't even making any attempt to solve the riddle. She is not the riddle solver. That is not her purpose. Maybe because she was raised as a weapon, she's always aware of her role and making sure she keeps herself focused on the business at hand.

IN her case, that's making sure that nothing comes out of those shadows to turn the rest of them into spam.

"Why exactly are we diggin' up this horror movie again?"

Sinister has posed:
There's a crackling sound, as of static electricity from a tesla coil arcing and a brief flash of bluish light, before the sound of clipped heels approaching resonates in the chamber they're all in. "Grain was the chief export, believe it or not and the ferment of such, as the egyptians invented beer and it was quite the success. How the world's turned on its head, when that's now their chief /import/." The cultured tones are distinctly English and deep in tone, originating from the man in his black trench coat and well turned heels. There's a sword cane in hand with a ruby quartz as the handle in Doctor Essex grasp.

He draws to a stop at the entrance of this chamber, gazes at the people within. "I believe the answer you are looking for can be found inside the cartoush, but pronunciation may be key." He points with the cane to a set of heiroglyphs, bracketed by what had once been an overlay of gold on the border; the containment of the name.

"The desert king. I've been here before, or close approximate. In Khem, that would be Amun-Deshret, from which we derive the bastardization of desert." He sniffs, eyes Magneto. "And at this juncture, I find myself /compelled/ to ask what in the name of Nelly you think you're doing, Eric."

Magneto has posed:
Magneto pivots toward the newcomer, his voice laced with authority. "Essex," he declares firmly, his steps carrying him a few strides in the man's direction.

"I go by Max now; in case you've forgotten the name of your White King," Essex retorts, a tone of nonchalant familiarity underscoring his words.

Israa, unsettled by the sudden presence, furrows her brow and retreats behind a column. "Who is this peculiar-looking gentleman?" she inquires, her voice hushed.

"The individual before you," Magneto begins to explain, "is none other than Nathaniel Essex, a member of the Hellfire Club. A brilliant mind, when he isn't meandering into madness," he quips, the complexity of their history reflected in his gaze. "While I question whether our affairs concern you, I will acknowledge your contribution to solving the riddle. Laura, do you see any hieroglyphics on that door?" he redirects his focus, urgency simmering beneath his words.

Boom-Boom has posed:
There's a half squint and half frown expression as a new voice is heard and Sinister makes himself known. And it seems Magneto knows him. "That ensemble can't be comfortable in desert weather." she mutters and shrugs while she looks around.

"When is a door not a door?" she asks while she floats a plasma orb to where 'Max' is suggesting Laura look. "Might not be game to try and solve riddles. But you got peepers as functional as they are pretty so look about!" she says playfully towards the pale feral mutant.

She's looking around herself. Not just for hieroglyphics but anything poking or indented or looking like it could be a button or switch. Even if she's functionally illiterate in this case, she still knows how basic mechanisms might work. If it has anything they're looking for on it, that's a happy bonus.

"So what does Amun mean? Do we literally have an old pharaoh called 'Teenage Wasteland' she asks and chuckles.

X-23 has posed:
Laura Kinney flares her nostrils at Sinister and makes an unpleasant face. She isn't sure exactly what Essex is, but it's nothing she's smelled before, that's for certain. Still, everybody else is being mostly friendly with him so whatever.

Magneto explains Essex's presence and identity. "Sup," she gives him before doing as Magneto asks and trying to peer where Magneto directs her to see if she can see stuff, "Uhhhhhhhhh, I think so?"

Sinister has posed:
"Madness is relative... and Ohh, yes, dear me how could I have forgotten," Sinister murmurs in a droll and dry tone, shaking his head in a slow expression of the negative. "How quickly we all forget, it seems. If you're doing what I think you are, he does -not- play well with others. At all. Not even you." Essex glances askance at Tabitha, tilting his head up at the ceiling and back, with a glance. "Means Supreme-lord, tacked on as an honorific, essentially meaning ordained by God. The egyptians had a funny period where they were all anti polytheism and tried monotheism on for size. Got abolished, came back with Tut-ankh-Amun. And here I was, thinking my days of poking in the Pitt-Rivers museum was fringe..."

Leaning on the cane, he watches the women, though half an eye, or perhaps half an ear and mind, are on Magneto.

"Do you want more help, or should I just see how this goes?"

Magneto has posed:
"Well, as I was saying before your arrival," Magneto responds, his tone composed, "I'm not well-versed in hieroglyphs. However, shortly after my arrival in Cairo, I had the pleasure of meeting Israa here, a true expert in ancient Egypt, including the art of deciphering hieroglyphs."

He pivots to face Israa, his back now turned on Essex. "From the riddle's context, it appears we may need to trace hieroglyphs on the door to form the name of the King of the Desert," he surmises, contemplation in his gaze. "In essence, it's akin to using your own name as a password when you think about it."

Israa, emerging from behind her column sanctuary, scuttles over to Laura and Tabitha as she begins her meticulous examination of the door.

Returning his attention to Essex, Magneto sets the record straight. "I believe there might be some confusion regarding my intentions. You're undoubtedly aware of my role as a leader in Genosha."

In a sudden, dramatic turn of events, the chamber resonates with a loud click, the very stones of the tomb responding to an unseen force. The grinding sounds reverberate around them, and the door leading to the heart of the tomb swings open, a portal to the unknown beckoning them forward.

Boom-Boom has posed:
"So like yeah. It's probably a dumb password if he's expecting to come and go. Wait, mummies. They probably did expect he'll come and go? Did they ever figure out how to get the organs back in the bodies after extraction. Getting brains out by nose hooks weren't easy on the meats, going back in couldn't have been fun either." she asks and mimics picking her own nose though without the icky nostril entry.

At least the door seems to be open between Laura and Israa's efforts. Claws can be pretty good for drawing stuff on stone after all.

"Okay, so what's next? More riddles or is this the physical challenge where we crawl through green slime?" she ponders aloud.

X-23 has posed:
Laura Kinney SNIKTS at the sound of the clicking, prepared for anything as the door opens.

"Well. That's ominous as all hell," she says with a bit of a snarl.

"So, who wants to be the canary goin' into this coal mine?"

Sinister has posed:
Looking up and around at the sounds and shifting mechanisms, there's a curious "Well, now." From Sinister, along with a soft cluck of the tongue. He points to Magneto, does a little twiddle in a circle with his finger as if to ask 'Your doing?' with a circumspect eyebrow raise, then observes the younger mutants once again.

"Categorically not 'it'." Sinister says in a very soft tone, letting his other hand join the first atop the cane, only to spin it up and do a little step-ball-change, twirl-the-cane routine as he steps forward to the entrance down. "What you do on your own private island as ruler, I am sure is none of my beeswax. I was aware... Max. But this..." twirling the cane until he points it down into the darkness "...isn't Genosha. It's /him/. And once again, I don't think this is necessarily a good idea."

But that doesn't mean he's actively going to stop this, at least on the surface. He sniffs at the air, sniffs again as if to make his mind up and steps aside, with a gallant 'after you' sweep of the hand.