WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF LIFE.

[halfbloodhillmods]

"You see gods have great power, but only humans have creativity, the power to change history rather than simply repeat it."    -- Chief Lector Iskandar to Sadie Kane, The Red Pyramid Welcome to the First Nome! As a new initiate, you will be given linen clothing (as modern materials such as leather interfere with magic), a wand, and a special pillow to sleep on at night, lest your ba drift off in sleep. In the wise words of Carter Kane, pharaoh, "If you've ever tried ba travel, I wouldn't recommend it--unless of course you fancy turning into a phantom chicken and rafting uncontrollably through the currents of the Duat." Speaking of the Duat, don't forget that these items and more can be stored in your Duat locker. It's kind of like a school locker, only cooler, larger, more invisible, and much harder to break into. The First Nome is an underground city, beneath the Cairo airport. It is the oldest branch of the House of Life, and headquarters for all magicians. The ba of magicians from ancient times serve as guardians to the entrances of the House. There is a vast tunnel and series of hallways and chambers on the way to the center of the First Nome. Every chamber is lined with massive stone columns, straight out of Egyptian ruins. Fires burn in copper braziers. There is an "open-air" market, with dozens of stalls selling weird items like boomerang wands, animated clay dolls, parrots, cobras, papyrus scrolls, and hundreds of different glittering amulets. Much like Greeks and Romans use Iris Messages, Egyptians will use their ability to scry (using a bowl and some oil) to send messages from nome to nome. Known nomes are: Egypt - The First Nome (headquarters: Cairo) The U.K. - The Ninth Nome (headquarters: London) France - The Fourteenth Nome (headquarters: Paris) Russia - The Eighteenth Nome (headquarters: St. Petersburg) New York - The Twenty-First Nome (headquarters: Brooklyn) Texas - The Fifty-First Nome (headquarters: Dallas) Texas - The Fifty-Fifth Nome (headquarters: Houston) Ontario - The One Hundredth Nome (headquarters: Toronto) Japan - The Two Hundredth and Thirty-Fourth Nome (headquarters: Tokyo) North Korea - The Three Hundredth Nome (headquarters: Pyongyang) Antarctica - The Three Hundredth and Sixtieth Nome (headquarters: Wherever you can stay warm. Enjoy the magic penguins.) North Korea and Antarctica are known punishment assignments. As you walk to meet the Chief Lector, Amos Kane, and the current Pharaoh of Egypt, Carter Kane, you will pass through a hall of memories. Do not touch them. They are powerful enough to destroy your mind. As you walk, you will pass through all ages since the dawn of creation - the Age of the Gods, the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, the New Kingdom, the Ptolemaic times, and so on. Each year, the hall grows longer to accommodate the new memories. Carter Kane is the first pharaoh since the fall of Egypt to Rome. After the fall of Egypt, Chief Lector Iskandar banned the pursuit of the Path of the Gods, as he felt the gods were weak and no longer worthy. Only in the last year, since Carter Kane took the throne, has the Path of the Gods been officially practiced by the House of Life. The only magicians to practice this magic before that point were children following Carter and Sadie during their fight against Apophis, who trained in Brooklyn House, head of the Twenty-First Nome. It is after their victory that Carter takes his place on the throne of Egypt, with his uncle as Chief Lector. (Well, that is, until he heads back to Brooklyn to finish high school, leaving Amos to take care of the day-to-day running of the First Nome.) "Manhattan has other problems. Other gods. It's best we stay separate."    -- Amos Kane to Carter and Sadie Kane, The Red Pyramid Tough shit Amos, because shit's about to get REAL. That is to say, here in our AU, the Nomes across the globe are under attack. While they fight valiantly at first, eventually, they will all eventually fall to a new Chaos, and Egyptian magicians will be scattered across the globe. Fear spreads throughout the Nomes. Is Apophis rising once more? But he was sealed back into the Duat, his sheut execrated. In their fear and turmoil, and with the increasing lack of communication from Carter and Amos Kane, the magicians are lost. That is, of course, until perhaps you hear a strong female voice, commanding and leading you to Camp Half-Blood. Perhaps the voice even identifies herself as Hera, or Juno. Perhaps it is merely an unknown force in the Duat, pressing you forward, urging you that Ma'at is just across the Long Island Sound. Maybe even Isis herself deigns to speak to you, telling you that these are dark times indeed, when one such as herself would stoop so low as to ask Juno, a sworn enemy, for help. For after all, was it not the Romans who destroyed the Ancient Egyptian ways? Expect there to be some tension in Camp, but we hope you come to understand the Roman demigods are not to blame for the fall of Egypt. Unless some of those Roman demigods are assholes, in which case be an asshole back. Well, except for where you should probably be the better person in this. Ma'at, etc. "We choose to believe in Ma'at. We create Order out of Chaos, beauty out of ugly randomness. That's what Egypt's all about."    -- Jaz Anderson, The Throne of Fire Once you arrive in Camp Half-Blood, Chiron explains the situation - the prophecies that have been spoken, and their implications for you and your associates. You do not have to stay here, he explains, but if you choose to, they will do their best to provide safe harbor. You will need a place to sleep. If you don't have a defined Path that you have chosen to follow, like unclaimed demigods, you will be placed in Hermes Cabin. If, for example, you have chosen the Path of Thoth, like the knowledge seeking children of Athena, you will be placed in Athena Cabin. If you follow Isis, then Chiron may grant you a choice, depending on the number of campers currently residing in either Hecate or Hera Cabin. (With Hera's permission, of course, that you are allowed to reside in her previously symbolic lodging.) We hope that you left your sleeping pillow in your Duat storage locker. Otherwise, you may have some interesting first nights while you work in the Arts and Crafts Cabin trying to prepare a new one. Now perhaps Gaea has already tempted you, spoken to you on your journey here. If you are following the Path of Set, this is especially likely. Are you trying to sabotage Camp from within? Or have you chosen to stand against her, alongside your new brethren? Are you completely ignorant of the Greek goddess? Do you remember the war with Apophis, or are you a recent recruit? Whatever you decide, we hope you enjoy your stay.