No Honor Amongst Thebes

No Honor Amongst Thebes was a visual representation of one of Bayek's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan through the Portable Animus HR-8.

Description

Gamblers, Greeks, and thieves: Merti's information sends Bayek to the black market, where he discovers a roaring trade in relics stolen from the tombs.

Dialogue

Having received information from Merti, Bayek travelled to the black market to find out more. He arrived at the market.

• Bayek: If the relic was stolen from a Pharaoh's tomb, someone here must know the thief.

Bayek spoke to a shopkeeper.

• Bayek: Is this all you have? I was told this market sold artifacts from the tombs?
• Shopkeeper: There is no money to be made in relics, neb. (sir.) All anyone wants is protection from the curse, scarabs, amulets.

Bayek spoke to a merchant.

• Bayek: Where would I find something rare, golden like the sun?
• Black Marketeer: I have gold, you need a trinket for a lady friend? Whatever you want, neb (sir) you won't find better in Thebes.

Bayek spoke to another merchant.

• Bayek: I'm looking for something... special, ancient, I have coin.
• Shady Shopkeeper: Talk to Siamun if you want that kind of trinket, he has the best in Thebes.

Bayek spoke to Siamun.

• Siamun: Welcome, Seni (friend) to Siamun's Curios. Are you looking for something special? I have the rarest stock in Thebes.
• Bayek: An artifact... from the tombs.
• Siamun: Such a treasure will cost a Pharaoh's ransom... but not here neb (sir), the soldiers are stupid, but their swords are sharp. Come.

Bayek followed Siamun.

• Siamun: Not many merchants will sell to a stranger.
• Bayek: Now why is that?
• Siamun: You are in the heart of the black market. Relics are everywhere, trust is hard to come by. But you can trust Siamun.
• Bayek: You alone amongst all the merchants?
• Siamun: Some might take advantage of a man fresh off the boat in Thebes. One so laden down with coin. You should be more careful, Neb. (sir.)

Siamun brought Bayek to an empty quarter, where several soldiers attacked the Hidden One. Bayek eliminated them and confronted Siamun.

Bayek interrogating Siamun

• Bayek: Let's try this again, I'm looking for an artifact, stolen from the tombs.
• Siamun: Oh, that artifact! Yes, yes but Irsu must not know we spoke.
• Bayek: Irsu?
• Siamun: You really don't know anything do you?
• Bayek: I know how to slit a man's throat before he can cry for help.
• Siamun: There's an auction, very exclusive. I tried to get in, but Irsu and I don't see eye to eye.
• Bayek: Where can I get an invitation?
• Siamun: Tahemet has one... the historian? I tried to win it from her in our last dice game. We play on a roof north of here. By Horus, that's all I know. Just let me live.

Bayek travelled to the gambling site, where he found Tahemet gambling with a soldier and a gambler, who won the game against the historian.

• Tahemet: Beetle dung from a horse's ass, what is? Let me roll again, if I lose, I'll give you twice what I offered.
• Soldier: By all means.

Sutekh approached Tahemet and placed an apple in front of her.

Sutekh asking Tahemet for the auction's invitation

• Sutekh: I know you have an invitation. I will play you for it. I have coins!
• Tahemet: Maybe I want to keep my invitation! Ever thought of that?
• Sutekh: I guarantee, you can't possibly want it more than me. Please! My mother, she's sick. She has one wish—
• Tahemet: Your uncle's a better liar.

Bayek joined them.

• Tahemet: Who invited the thug? He's here with you?
• Sutekh: Never seen him before.

Tahemet rolled the dice again. However, she lost the game.

• Soldier: Pay up, woman!
• Tahemet: You cheated! Just like you cheated him!

She gestured at the other gambler as part of her ruse.

• Gambler: I knew it!

The gambler punched the soldier, who then attempted to kill the whole group. Bayek defended the group against him.

• Soldier: You hiring muscle now, Tahemet?
• Tahemet: You better leave while you still can.
• Soldier: Not a chance, swindler.
• Tahemet: On your head be it.
• Soldier: You picked the wrong camel to back!

Bayek eliminated the soldier and his allies.

Bayek speaking to Tahemet

• Tahemet: I already lost all my money er... neb (sir)?
• Bayek: Bayek. I don't need coin, I need information... and your invitation.
• Tahemet: To Irsu's auction? You heard what I told that rust-haired clodpate Sutekh.
• Bayek: But the boy didn't just save your life, Tahemet.
• Tahemet: Alright, it's all getting a little hot for my blood anyway. Desecration, curses, Pharaohs returning from the dead...
• Bayek: Do you know what Irsu is selling?
• Tahemet: Whatever it was brought the curse down upon us. Look, Irsu is a crook. He and his cronies found Queen Nefertiti's tomb, stole something from it.
• Bayek: And now she wants it back.
• Tahemet: No one deserves death more than that dung-peddler, but she comes for us all. My invitation's at my villa near the entrance to Karnak. Take it... if the gods allow.
• Bayek: The gods?
• Tahemet: You'll see. I have a game on the other side of Thebes. May the dice fall in your favor, Bayek.

Bayek left the gambling site and travelled to Tahemet's home. He climbed up to the second floor and entered through an entrance.

• Bayek: Maybe Tahemet's study is somewhere underneath?

He picked up a dice.

Tahemet's Weighted Dice
A playing piece from Mehen, the game of Snake. Seems Tahemet likes to win, whatever the cost to fair play.

• Bayek: This is from Mehen, the game of Snake. I used to play with Aya.

Bayek read a large papyrus on the wall.

Builder's Traps

Ingenious! Some of the means by which the builders protected the Mastabas from looters are incredible. Hidden passages, pits, false chambers... I have even heard tell of platforms with ropes and pulleys, which must be manipulated to reach the treasure rooms.

Bayek entering the 1st floor

Bayek travelled to the 1st floor.

• Bayek: What was it that Tahemet said? If the gods allow?

He read a poem on one of the tables.

Puzzle Poem

Gods regard the scarabs. Twin plumed one, the Lord of Thebes unblinking. Jackal eyes Jackal, beneath their gnawing jaws the beetle, resplendent, golden.

He investigated the two statues of Anubis with wheels under the busts and a statue of Amun.

• Bayek: Wheels? Perhaps the statues can be turned?

Bayek turned one of the Anubis statues.

• Bayek: They all seem to turn in one direction.

Bayek turned the statues until the two Anubis statues faced each other and the statue of Amun faced the wall, unlocking a hidden entrance.

• Bayek: That did it!

Bayek entered the hidden room, where he found shelves of scrolls and artifacts. He read a papyrus on a shelf.

Neferititi and Akhenaten

And so did the Living Aten and his Chief of Wife, the Beautiful One turn away from the Heresy of the Many. They founded a city, resplendent, bathed in the rays of the Sun Disk. There did they reign over the people and the crawling things, flying things, swimming and stalking things. Forever they held dominion over the faithful and all life.

Bayek commented on the note.

• Bayek: Papyrus from the Old Kingdom, myths of the Pharaohs.

He read a papyrus in a chest.

Tahemet's Notes

We live in dangerous times... I would not believe the dead rise again if I had not seen them with my own eyes. I believe the Pharaohs who walk are Queen Nefertiti and her husband. I found some carvings in a forgotten temple, it joins their cartouche together... they ruled their city of Aten together. Joined in their heresy. What does this mean for the source of the curse?

Bayek commented on the note.

• Bayek: Tahemet has been researching the root of the curse!

He read a papyrus on a table.

Finds from the Tombs

The thievery is rife in Thebes. So far I have managed to recover a golden collar inlaid with turquoise. A bracelet in the shape of a serpent, also in gold. Others allude me still. Queen Nefertiti's bust and the relic that Irsu means to auction. Much was stolen from her, which must be why she stalks the streets of Thebes.

Bayek commented on the note.

• Bayek: A list of relics stolen from the tombs. Does she know about the orb?

Bayek finding the invitation depicting the relic

Bayek investigated a shelf and took out a roll of papyrus, which was the invitation he needed. He unrolled it, which showed a drawing of the orb.

• Bayek: Like the orb of Siwa. How much more bloodshed and madness will this one bring?

Bayek rolled back the papyrus and kept it in his garb.

• Bayek: I should hurry to the island before the relic is sold!

Outcome

Through his investigations in the black market, Bayek learned that the artifact he was looking for was to be sold at an auction on an island near Thebes. He gained possession of Tahemet's invitation and travelled to the auction in an attempt to retrieve the artifact.

Trivia

• The name of the memory is play on the proverb "No honor among thieves", meaning the sentiment that thieves are criminals, and are untrustworthy.

Gallery

• 
  Tahemet's home
• 
  Tahemet's hidden chamber

References

• Assassin's Creed: Origins – The Curse of the Pharaohs