Author Games: The River of Night

Task Five: The Lethality of Luxury

"Well. That was exciting. Pity about that Anka girl. I don't imagine that was a fun way to go."

"Consumed by the purifying flames? I should think not. Miss Charobim, will you cease that infernal tapping? I'm quite certain I'll go mad if it goes on a second further."

Fatima stilled her foot, somewhat embarrassed. "Sorry, professor. It's the coffee. I need it to stay awake for any meaningful amount of time at night, but I always get a bit twitchy after cup number three. And then of course, there's the crash afterwards..."

Professor Wyndham sniffed. "I have no idea how you stand the stuff, my dear. Coffee will never replace the peace of a good night's rest. In my experience, it only spoils it."

"Sacrilege. There is nothing coffee can't replace if you're motivated enough."

The professor did not dignify that with a response, to Fatima's annoyance. Instead, he pulled out the next sheet and began to pore over it, adjusting his glasses. 

"It would seem our intrepid rescuers managed to reach the House of Rest. The boat didn't quite survive the journey through the Lake of Fire- according to this, it fell apart as soon as it reached the shore. Rather understandable. The majority of Ancient Egyptians did not bother to fireproof their aquatic vessels."

"Thrilling stuff. Why does this stop in the House of Rest get an entire section of the mural to itself? This place is supposed to be the most restful, peaceful place in the Underworld. You'd think we could skip nap time."

The professor eyed her for a moment. "My dear, I believe one key fact ought to be clarified. This is a place of rest, yes. For the most powerful being in the Egyptian pantheon. If I drank a glass or two of fine Merlot, it would do little more than relax me. If I gave it to an infant...well. The results would be very different. I would imagine the same principle applies in this situation."

Fatima rolled her eyes. "I think you're overthinking the situation. The Egyptians could get pretty into scenery descriptions and flowery epithets. How dangerous could a palace be?"

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Requirements

-The scorched boat comes apart next to the House of Rest. The remainder of your journey will take place on foot.

-To get to the next area further down the river, your tribute must go through the House of Rest, an enormous palace filled with every kind of luxury you can imagine. 

-Be wary about stopping for too long! After all, the foods that sustain the Sun might be somewhat hazardous to humans, even if they seem appealing. Fall asleep on the elegant couches, and you might never wake up...

Deaths: Two ballot kills. Three tributes will go up for votes. One will be leaving us.

Due Date: Sunday, November 27 at 10 PM EST