Overbound

[Flashlight237]

"well ... nothing venture" April hummed, shrugging her shoulders as she began making her way down a random hallway.

((Wow! You made the 500 post of the thread.))

Ella followed Hannah, making sure to keep the flashlight shining. "I wonder if the statues represented how the Hornkin chose to be buried here."

[Polyedit2000]

Well, you do see some hieroglyphs as you venture down the halls. It probably goes like this: Hornkins live, Hornkins die, probably cast a last-second spell that wake up grittier Hornkins. Then the next set shows some Hornkins guiding these magicks; these spells seem to be guided to forms that would benefit them, but another set with a queenly figure seems to guide these magic into tomes and objects mostly as punishment.

[Flashlight237]

"Hmm, so it seems that the magic of the Hornkin are passed down from generation to generation, with past hornkin even having their own magic evolve through later generations after death," Ella said. "And yet, ill-devised magic seems to be transferred into inanimate objects as punishment, likely in the form of cursed objects..." Ella turned to April. "Azuros seemed pretty firm with us not touching any of the treasures here; this only further explains why."

[bond56]

"... does that mean hornkins produce asexually? or are they reincarnated?"April couldn't help but hum in thought, tilting her head as she curiously looked over the hieroglyphs. "no wait thats not the important part, don't touch anything or else ... maybe switch places with the punished hornkins? no touchy." April mumbled more to herself then anything continuing down the hall.

[Flashlight237]

Ella followed, of course keeping an eye on April.

[Polyedit2000]

So the hallway they traveled down was apparently the sarcophagus version. Most of the sarcophagi here mainly had the shape of a body with a carved face. There were a few with patterned decorations and gems with less body shape, probably of more importance. There is another room in the back.

[Flashlight237]

"I wonder who was buried in these things..." Ella examined the sarcophagi. Based on what Gwen told her, the names of the deceased are written on the sarcophagi themselves in the forms of cartouche: ovals containing the name of the deceased. "The writing tends to be phonetic, Gwen said. My name would be written as a vulture, a lion, and a vulture, for example. The vultures have an 'eh' or 'uh' sound usually, but on occasion, they can have an 'ah' as in 'apple' sound."

[Polyedit2000]

There are no names or seams on the sarcophagi.

[Flashlight237]

"No names and no seams..." Ella said. "Not exactly sure how encasing someone in seamless stone, metals, or cartonnage is a fitting way to put someone to rest, but leaving the names out is definitely ill practice. I certainly don't want to be in an unmarked grave at least. I don't have any portable imaging technology to safely see what's inside either."

[bond56]

"well, if they are gonna be reborn in some way like what we say before then does it really matter to hold onto the old body? or maybe they are being punished." April hummed in thought as she curiously looked over the sarcophagus as she made her way into the next room.

[Flashlight237]

"That's the thing," Ella replied as she followed April. "In Ancient Egypt, people were hellbent on preservation and spiritual rebirth, thus they kept every trace of identity they can muster on the deceased. Even nowadays, people made sure the names of the deceased are marked on their tombs. It feels so out of touch for Hornkin to forgo identity preservation."

[Polyedit2000]

The last room seems to have a lot of ornate lamps and bottles.

[Flashlight237]

"I wonder why there are lamps here," Ella said. Then... She realized it. "Do you think, by any chance, the Hornkin believed in djinns?"

[bond56]

"either that or ... more likely these are the hornkin getting punished." April hummed, staying clear of the lamps for now and instead looking for any smore hieroglyphics to hopefully explain what these are. ".... you wanna touch them?"

[Flashlight237]

"I don't have any tongs, so no."

[bond56]

"...nothing ventured" april shrugged, using a bit of her shirt as cover as she reached over and grabbed one of the lamps.

[Flashlight237]

"Wait, what are you--"

[Polyedit2000]

It was actually...a very vintage bottle of wine.

"What are you lot doing?" It seem that the captain has found them. She might fit in this place with the amount of bandage she's wearing.

[Flashlight237]

"Hey, chillax..! We're just here for the history..." Ella looked at April, then back at the mummy. "Although the fact that you don't put names on the tombs really don't help us do that."

((I wonder if the April/Hannah name confusion is a running gag.)

[Polyedit2000]

"Our souls depart, and our bodies become empty vessels. And we prepare the bodies accordingly should we call those souls back." The captain motioned to the sarcophagi. "Should we seek only words, these vessels should be enough to contain their violence."