The Lizard's Mask

The Lizard's Mask was a virtual representation of one of Bayek's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan through the Portable Animus HR-8.

Description

Bayek must work with Pasherenptah to uncover the whereabouts of The Lizard, who is believed to be behind the curses that are plaguing the city of Memphis.

Dialogue

Bayek entered the Temple of Ptah to find Pasherenptah. He overheard Taimhotep, Pasherenptah's wife, arguing with him.

• Taimhotep: You dare accuse me, you coward? You, who sent the past three days cringing behind the doors of our home? It is your spinelessness that dooms us, not my neglect!
• Pasherenptah: I am blamed for the whole city's troubles, and when I suggest we might share the blame, you deny all--
• Taimhotep: I deny blame when I am free of it! Ask your little priestlings if they have neglected--
• Pasherenptah: Taimhotep, I visited them before I came to you! I have spoken to all the priests. Each one swears to handling your meals with the utmost care!
• Taimhotep: And you trust their word over mine? How could you think that I would take the smallest risk with our child? Do you doubt my love for him? For you?
• Pasherenptah: No! But you are very agitated right now.

The couple walked through the central courtyard.

• Pasherenptah: Perhaps we forgot some part of the ritual...
• Taimhotep: I will vomit if I hear more. Have no doubt of this. If our child dies, I die.
• Pasherenptah: No, my lotus, do not speak like that!
• Taimhotep: I must go to the Seer's house. Just leave me be.

Taimhotep walked away alone. Pasherenptah approached a black bull chained atop an altar. Bayek approached from the shadows.

• Bayek: High Priest.
• Pasherenptah: Uh... ah, Bayek. I'm sorry. I'm, ah...
• Bayek: I have come to seek the Lizard.
• Pasherenptah: Oh, the Lizard... One more affliction for Memphis. The city withers in the darkness of a curse. Disease, pestilence... the poisoned stink of the air. The Apis Bull sickened nearly unto death.

Pasherenptah approached the bull.

• Pasherenptah: The gods have abandoned us. The people look to me for guidance, but I am as lost as they.
• Bayek: Pash!

The bull suddenly lurched back. As it settled onto its stomach, its legs giving out, it seemed to die. Pasherenptah fell to his knees.

• Pasherenptah: Apis, how have we wronged you?
• Bayek: Pash...
• Pasherenptah: The curse touches even my own house. My wife, Taimhotep, has miscarried three times this year. She is with child again, but if... If she loses a fourth...

Pasherenptah wept as he crawled to Bayek. As Bayek helped him to his feet, the Apis Bull also rose.

• Bayek: I will look into this curse.
• Pasherenptah: My wife's Seer can help. His house is to the southwest.
• Bayek: If the gods are responsible, I will kneel beside you as they strike us down.

Thankful for the kind words, Pasherenptah placed a hand over his heart.

Bayek proceeded through the Temple of Ptah to Pasherenptah's home. Within, the Seer performed a ritual around a circle of candlelight. Taimhotep and her handmaiden swayed nearby.

• Seer: Grow, O light; come forth, O light...

Taimhotep groaned and sank to the floor.

• Taimhotep: My child!

Bayek entered as the Seer rose in frustration.

• Seer: You have come at last!
• Handmaiden: Who is this man?
• Seer: He is the Deliverer. Many years I have waited for him.
• Bayek: What?
• Taimhotep: Quick, help me dream my child away from death!

Taimhotep rose and grasped hold of Bayek, only to collapse again.

• Seer: Let us proceed with the ritual.

The Seer, Taimhotep, and the handmaiden resumed their positions around the candlelight. The Seer issued orders to Bayek.

• Seer: Bring me the cauldron.
  I am the Master of Secret Things, the form of the soul that rests in the heavens... I am servant to the Great God, who gives light exceedingly...

Bayek placed the cauldron on the fire in the center of the room. The Seer added ingredients to the liquid within.

• Seer: Sothis, reveal yourself here today, and answer me without falsehood.

He scooped some of the liquid into a bowl, passing it to Bayek. Bayek brought it to Taimhotep, raising it to her lips so she could drink.

• Seer: Let your eyes be opened. Devoid of moisture, come forth from the stream! Sothis, let their eyes be opened!

Taimhotep lowered Bayek's hands from her mouth, then forced him to drink.

• Taimhotep Let your eyes be opened.

Both Taimhotep and Bayek collapsed.

Bayek opened his eyes within a dream of the desert in the middle of a sandstorm.

• Bayek: Must not get lost.

He rose to his feet, seeing the darkened, frozen shapes of the room's occupants as Senu flew overhead.

• Bayek: What is this gods forsaken place? Is someone there?

He moved forward through the storm, passing between rows of tall busts with fires at their bases.

• Bayek: What is that? Some sort of tomb? I must keep moving or be swallowed by the desert.

As the approached the tomb, the busts reveal themselves to be full humanoid statues. Bayek gained entry to the tomb, out of the storm.

• Bayek: That shadow, that is the soul eater!

He entered the main chamber of the tomb.

• Bayek: O you door-keepers who guard your portals, who swallow souls and who gulp down the corpses of the dead. What a journey I have made, the things I have seen. I am but one of you.

He entered a large chamber, a chasm stretched below. Across the chasm was a stone bridge leading to a set of giant scales. A figure waited on the other side with what appeared to be Bayek's glowing heart in his hands. Bayek looked down at the front of his clothing, now covered in blood. The figure offered the heart up to the scales, and it lifted through the air. The scales suddenly collapsed in an explosion as a giant serpent appeared.

• Bayek: No!

Bayek ran and leapt across the partially-collapsed bridge as his glowing heart fell. The serpent lunged for it as it fell into the chasm. Rising back from the depths, the serpent was suddenly struck by a golden vision of Senu. The eagle dove towards Bayek and, at the last second, became a golden bow that sprung to life in Bayek's hand. A golden arrow appeared floating before him. More soon followed, falling around him in a circle. Bayek stomped his foot, and the arrows rose from the ground, swirling around him until they became a golden quiver that came to rest upon his back.

Reference

• Assassin's Creed: Origins