Auntie toasts the VRMMORPG

68. Building the Pyramid - Part 1

Name: Building the Pyramid

Description: Experience the creation of the Egyptian pyramids as a simple worker.

Type: History / Endurance

Duration: 36 hours

Requirements: none

Restrictions:

Disabled InventoryDisabled SkillsPain-Setting at 50 %

Level-Cap: 5

Rating: A

Price: 10 VirDias

Quest: Building the Pyramid – Session 1

Description: Comply with the demands of the overseers. Last 6 hours.

Possible Rewards: Continue Scenario

Possible Penalties:

Whip lashesChange of occupationEnd of scenario

Difficulty: B

Just as Flora asked herself what they meant by "whiplashes" an overseer screamed at her to move while cracking his whip.

"Oh, dear. What have I gotten into?" Flora suppressed her instinct to lecture the burly man and followed his directions to a cart. No, it wasn't a cart, Flora realized, it was a sled. On it lay a stone block taller than herself. Five other workers stood in front of it, holding cords attached to the sled. Right beside the guy in the first row was an unassigned rope. Taking in a big breath of the dry desert air, Flora grabbed it by the handle on the tip.

"For the sun, for the moon, for the stars, heave-ho!" The guy next to her called, and they leaned into the ropes. The mighty push brought the sled in motion.

Now, Flora had a bit of time to orient herself. She wore the same outfit as her co-workers, a white tunic, a Keffiyeh, and sandals. On her right shoulder was a leather patch on which the cord rested. Nevertheless, it cut deep into her flesh.

They dragged the sled over a muddy slope, walking to the right and left of it where the sand and mud mixed. Every step, they fought against inertia. Flora strained herself against the weight of the stone and struggled not to lose her grip or her footing.

The sun shone on their heads and naked arms and tried its best to burn through flesh and clothing.

After a while, the sled grew heavier. The crew had advanced on a ramp, leading to the building lot. Flora was astonished, how massive the job site was. The huge square dominated the landscape with its fearful symmetry.

First, Flora couldn't take her eyes off it, but humans are creatures of habit, and after some time, even the majesty of the antics' biggest building project lost its luster.

Instead, Flora's thoughts circled wheels. The Egyptians didn't use them. Why? Flora could only speculate maybe because they had no suitable wood. Furthermore, sand and wheels didn't mix well. Critical parts of the movement apparatus were made with metal, but they only had copper and couldn't smelt iron yet.

'Maybe stone wheels? No, the additional weight would offset the advantages. Papyrus wheels?'

Flora didn't dismiss the idea. Papyrus was an incredible material. They even made boats out of it. 'If we would compress it into a dense bale ... '

The sled was nearing the end of the ramp, and Flora got a look inside the Pyramid. The stones there were not as accurately cut as the outer layer.