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Characters / The Secret World: Egypt NPCs

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A character subpage for The Secret World. For the main page, go here.

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The Marya and Their Allies

     Overall Tropes 
The boy king sent out a call. Philosophers, magicians, warriors, and priests of Amun answered, and they formed the Marya - the Young Warriors. They saw their country defiled, their deities feasted on by a parasite-god, and they made a promise, on their dying breath, to free their home from the mad tyrant and the ruinous entity he served.
—The Buzzing.

A guerilla army sworn to protect Egypt from the Cult of the Aten, the Marya (or "The Young Warriors") were formed many thousands of years ago by none other than King Tutankhamen in order to end the threat that his father Akhenaten posed to the land and its people. In the centuries that followed, they have continued their watch over the desert, though their numbers have dwindled considerably; with the Atenist uprising in Al-Merayah, the Marya have arrived to defend the town and the lands surrounding it, cutting off all exits to prevent any reinforcements from joining the cultist army. Naturally, you end up acting on their behalf while in Egypt.

  • Ancient Tradition: Dating back to the time of Tutankhamun, charged with preventing the return of the Black Pharoah.
  • Child Soldiers: Shani hints that at least some of the Marya have been taken from the ranks of child soldiers- though she wasn't one of them.

     Shani 
In my life, we have made more travels than most can recall. But I, I remember every one. I grew into a woman across the Western Desert, and its dunes and oases are my home.

Voiced By: Leigh-Allyn Baker

Leader of the Marya forces in the Valley of the Sun God.

  • Country Mouse: She, like many of the Marya, do not do so well in large cities.
  • New Media Are Evil: Shani does not like the Internet.
  • O.O.C. Is Serious Business: It takes a serious crisis to get Shani to drop her stoic demeanor- ideally something involving a mole in the ranks of the Marya; the introduction to "The Traitor" features the only point in the game when Shani really loses her temper.
  • Politically Incorrect Hero: Justified and downplayed, as she makes some rather... ethnocentric, remarks to the player character, but it comes off more as pride in her own culture combined with an insular upbringing rather than any sort of bigotry, and she is clearly a heroic figure nonetheless.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure
  • The Snack Is More Interesting: In the intro to "The Siege of Al-Meyrah," Shani is eating an apple and not paying much attention to the Atenists swarming up the hill towards her defences.

     Nassir 
Lucky for me I have war training, eh? Embedded with Special Forces, hunting Jinn in Afghanistan. Like Rambo! They give me the cool sunglasses. And we do not fight alone. We have new friends! We have you!

Voiced By: Andrew Kishino

The Marya's demolition expert, he has been assigned the job of destroying the Atenist's pumping facilities and preventing the spread of the Filth. Unusually for one of the Marya, Nassir is surprisingly exuberant, often extolling the virtues of American action movies and Bollywood musicals as he prepares another round of C4.

  • Bunny-Ears Lawyer: As far as Shani's concerned, Nassir more than compensates for his eccentricities by being the best at his job; he even remarks that he was trained to "blow shit up in other dimensions," and given the setting, it's doubtful that he's lying.
  • Funny Background Event: During the cutscenes to his missions, when he's not talking to the player, he's usually dancing around in the background with an AK-47
  • Keet: It is almost impossible to get Nassir to sit still when he's in a good mood- which is nearly always.
  • Mad Bomber: Borderline example. Along with his devotion to "blowing shit up," he has a habit of playing catch with live hand grenades.
  • The Pollyanna: Despite the fact that his entire family was killed either by local monsters or the Atenists during his backstory, Nassir remains as optimistic and light-hearted as ever. Even the worsening situation in the Valley of the Sun God doesn't dampen his spirit.
    "I am very serious. But if we can no longer have fun, if we cannot take joy in life, they have won."
  • Shout-Out: Nassir regularly quotes from his favourite action movies, and the titles of his missions are no exception- "Live Free, Die Hard" and "Demolition Man."
  • Sole Survivor: Of the American Special Forces unit that trained him.

     Zhara 
I want to be here with friends and neighbours, to serve them tea and cakes, as long as there is tea and cakes... and friends.

Voiced By: Adjoa Andoh

Owner of a coffee shop in Al-Merayah, and a source of civilian information on the Atenists lurking inside the city.

  • The Bartender: With no actual bars existing in the village, Zhara is the nearest equivalent.
  • Stepford Smiler: She's really, really trying to seem pleasant and bubbly in spite of the ongoing siege... and she's starting to crack under the strain.

The Sentinels

     Overall Tropes 
Seven towering statues loom over the City of the Sun God with the gravity of three thousand years. Child voices twinkle on the desert wind. An old man, who knows more than any old man should, wanders the sands, footprints dug deep by the weight of ancient sadness. He stands quietly next to each statue, before moving on to the next.
—The Buzzing

A septette of ancient statues overlooking the newly-rediscovered City of the Sun God, the Sentinels were originally constructed following the end of Akhenaten's reign; though the Black Pharaoh was dead and interred within an enchanted pyramid, it was realized that drastic measures had to be taken in order to prevent him from ever returning- measures which Ptahmose, High Priest of Amun, enacted. Sacrificing all seven of his children, he performed a ritual that transformed their souls into seven statues, each one depicting one of the Egyptian gods: together, these Sentinels and their song have kept Akhenaten suppressed and the City hidden- until now.

  • Historical Domain Character: They share their names with the High Priest of Amun and his family during the later part of the reign of Amenhotep III (Akhenaten's father).
  • Living Statue: On two fronts; the Sentinels can act as both their giant statues and as the figurines on the shrines at the base of said statues.
  • Magic Music: How they perform their prime function; however, all seven of them have to be singing in unison for it to work- very nearly leading to disaster when an Orochi research team steals one of the songs.
  • Powered by a Forsaken Child: The only way of preventing the return of the Aten required the death of seven people- the last three of which were still children at the time of their death; worse still, all seven of them are permanently trapped in the City of the Sun God with nobody to talk to except each other.
  • Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Thanks to a combination of Cabin Fever and clashing personality traits, there has been a lot of disagreement among the adult members of the Sentinels.
  • Who Wants to Live Forever?: None of the Sentinels are in a position to enjoy their immortality, and for good reason: none of them can leave the city or even move under their own power, they're forced to remain eternally vigilant in order to keep Akhenaten sealed inside his pyramid, they're stuck in the company of increasingly antagonistic family members, the only visitor they'll ever meet is Ptahmose, and their entertainment is limited to what Ptahmose can bring with him.

     Ptahmose 
It's no longer enough to conceal this place; it must be destroyed. Each of their aspects, each of their spirits and the gods they represent, will be needed, and you must help us unite them all. Only then can the Black Pharaoh be defeated. Only then can we prevent the return of the Aten itself. And only then may my children finally be free of this place... of this world.

Voiced By: Tom Mannion

The father and creator of the Sentinels, as well as a former court vizier to Akhenaten, high priest of Amun and ally of the Marya. Following the sacrifice of his children, Ptahmose killed himself out of grief; over the next few thousand years and the many different incarnations he assumed, he remained the caretaker of the Sentinels, always returning to the City of the Sun God every once in a while to keep his children from losing hope.

  • Born-Again Immortality: After his suicide, he was cursed to reincarnate with full awareness of his former lives, which allows him to visit his children in the City of the Sun God from time to time.
  • Driven to Suicide: Initially out of grief for sacrificing his children; we don't know if he was driven to this in any of his other lives.
  • Shoot the Dog: What he had to do in order to prevent Akhenaten from rising again was sacrifice his children and bind their souls to the Sentinels to keep watch over the Black Pyramid.
  • So Proud of You: Uttered in the intro to "The Binding."
    You have all done more than a father could ask; I have been so very proud of you in every lifetime I have lived... and in every lifetime yet to come.
  • Walking the Earth: Judging by the many, many postcards and souvenirs he has given Moutnefert over the years.

     Thutmose 
Our days on the battlefield are over. Leave that to the young warriors, to the Marya. That's what they're there for. Ours is a different task, one of equal import.

Voiced By: Neil Newbon

Ptahmose' eldest son, he represents Horus, god of the sky. At the time of his death, Thutmose was an adult and an experienced warrior; as such, he has become one of the de facto leaders of the Sentinels alongside Nefertari and can usually be found providing the younger members of the septet with guidance.

  • Crisis of Faith: During the opening to "The Eye Of Horus," he admits to being in the midst of one of these.
  • The Dutiful Son: Thutmose was the first of the Sentinels to accept his fate, and still does his best to ensure that the others continue playing the role his father assigned them.
  • Only Sane Man: Often forced into this role, especially during the arguments between Nefertari and Hemineter.
  • Shut Up, Hannibal!: This is his primary power - he prevents the Aten from calling out to people to come and dig it up.
  • Team Dad: In Ptahmose' absence.

     Nefertari 
In these times of lawlessness, chaos rises. The power of the word is challenged. Don't get any ideas!

Voiced By: Katie Lyons

Representing Maat, goddess of justice, Neferati is the eldest daughter of Ptahmose; as such, she leads the Sentinels alongside Thutmose. Far stricter than her brother, she is also the disciplinarian of the group, ensuring that her siblings remain vigilant in their watch over the Black Pyramid - with mixed success in Hemitneter's case.

  • Sugar-and-Ice Personality: Primarily ice, admittedly.
  • You Didn't Ask: Her reason for not explaining certain things about the Atenists to Hemineter.
    Hemineter: That's how the Atenists seized power so quickly; they took up the arms that had been left behi- hold on! You knew this all along?
    Nefertari: Well, You Didn't Ask.
    Hemineter: Wha... I don't... I... (statue turns its head to look at Thutmose's statue) Is this because I pushed her off the barque when we were children?
    Thutmose: Oh no, don't drag me into this.

     Moutemouia 
Mine is the sad song. I guess it always was.

Voiced By: Joanne King

Moutemouia is unique among the Sentinels for having started a family of her own in life - until her sacrifice forced her to abandon both her husband and her children and become representative of Meretseger, goddess of silence and protector of tombs. Needless to say, she despises her immortality more than any other member of the Sentinels, and only remains constant in her duties because of her desire to protect her younger siblings.

  • Despair Event Horizon: Moutemouia has been teetering on the brink for quite some time, and acknowledges that without Houy, she would have given up on everything a long time ago.
  • Glamour Failure: She is responsible for this - her purpose as an aspect of Meretseger is to magically conceal the Valley of the Sun God from outsiders, but her despair is causing her powers to fail.
  • I Hate You Magician Dad: For obvious reasons, her relationship with Ptahmose is cold and distant at best; when the other Sentinels discuss what their father does in order to keep them from losing hope, Moutemouia's only answer is, "He leaves me alone."
  • Morality Pet / Living Emotional Crutch: Houy; as the youngest member of the Sentinels, Moutemouia has latched onto him as a substitute for her own long-dead children, and in turn, Houy has adopted her as his mother. In fact, during the introduction to "The Sad Song," she admits that Houy is the only thing that has kept her going over the past millennia.
    If it weren't for him, I would just let go. I would let the deep voices in and allow them to still my song. I would rest. I would sleep... but I would miss him too much.
  • Parental Substitute: To the three youngest Sentinels, Houy most of all.
  • Reptiles Are Abhorrent: Subverted; quite apart from representing a cobra-headed goddess, Moutemouia's statue has a snake's tail in place of legs and numerous snakes have gathered around the shrine at the base- and yet, she is likely the most compassionate of the Sentinels.

     Hemitneter 
The word had its time. Talking is all you do. Why should we play by the rules when no one else does? Now actions must speak louder than ancient promises...

Voiced By: Laura Aikman

Like her older brother, Hemitneter actively fought in the war against the Atenists; unlike Thutmose, she enjoyed the thrill of combat and never truly gave up on the battlefield, even as a Sentinel. Bloodthirsty, irritable, reluctant to accept the commands of her older siblings, Hemineter's chosen patron is - appropriately - Sekhmet, goddess of war.

  • Action Girl: Was this in life. In "Blood and Fire," she gets to briefly become one again.
  • Angrish: Briefly reduced to this in "The 3rd Age."
  • Badass Boast: "I shall go forth in blood and fire, beloved of Sekhmet, Mistress of Dread, Lady of Slaughter!"
  • Cats Are Mean: Depicted with the head of a lioness, Hemitneter is definitely the most warlike and argumentative of all the Sentinels.
  • Eye Beams: One of her powers- which you end up on the receiving end of in "The Binding."
  • The Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry: Between her and Nefertari.
  • He's a Friend: Halfway through "The Binding," she gets a little carried away at the sight of you approaching, and Thutmose has to remind her that you're a friend.
    "Oh, right. Well, first off - oops, sorry; secondly, still in one piece, no harm done, we're all friends here."
  • Jerkass
  • Leeroy Jenkins: She's often encountered on the verge of jumping the gun and attack the enemy head-on, much to the exasperation of both Thutmose and Nefertari. Taken to extremes in "The Binding" when she mistakes the player for an Atenist and opens fire on you with Eye Beams.
    Hemineter: I vote we smite anything that moves!
    Nefertari: Imagine our surprise.
  • Precision F-Strike: In "The Stained Oasis," she becomes the only Sentinel to engage in profanity by exclaiming, "What a pot of shit!"
    • And again in, "Blood and Fire":
    I've stayed put, an obedient handmaiden, like patience on a fucking monument!
  • Tomboy: To the extent that Nefertari actually asks if Ptahmose raised her as a man.

     Moutnefert 
In another life, I too was a traveler. I went out as far as the sea, the one called the Mediterranean. I was small then, and it seemed so big, bigger even than the desert. Now our father brings photographs...

Voiced By: Yasmin Garrad

Made a Sentinel at only fourteen years of age, Moutnefert is an explorer at heart and longs to see what lies beyond the City of the Sun God; because she is unable to move, Ptahmose regales her with tales of his travels across the world and decorates her shrine with maps and postcards, allowing Moutnefert to continue her duties as an aspect of Satis, goddess of refreshment and the Nile's fertility, in cleansing the waters of Filth.

  • Constantly Curious: Recognizing you as a world traveler from her very first mission, she immediately begins bombarding you with questions.
  • Cool Big Sister: To Nefertari the Younger.
  • From a Certain Point of View: At one point, Moutnefert remarks that her gardens were watered with her tears - and Nefertari the Younger asks if this is true.
    Everything is true, little one.
  • Garden of Evil: The garden she's been growing in the valley below her statue has been converted into one of these by the Filth.
  • Pastimes Prove Personality: Her two major pastimes are gardening and postcard-collecting- one symbolizing her patience, the other her desire to see the outside world; in one side-quest, you have to retrieve a few of them that have been purloined by Orochi survey teams.

     Nefertari the Younger 
We have to wait for Baba. He promised he would play also.

Voiced By: Lauren Mote

Official protector of the City's animal population and youngest daughter of Ptahmose, Neferari the Younger represents the cat-headed goddess Bast. Made a Sentinel at age ten, she is rarely troubled by her immortality or her duties, given that they allow her to remain with her family.

  • The Beastmaster: She possesses the ability to communicate and direct the animals of the City, leading to the opening cutscene of "Halls of Lost Records."

     Houy 
But now the peace is over. Is that our fault?

Voiced By: Haydon Downing

Youngest of all the Sentinels, Houy barely remembers the few years of life he had before becoming a Sentinel- and given that much of it was spent on the run from the Atenists, he doesn't miss it at all. Representing Anubis, god of the dead, he shares his patron's duties in ushering the souls of the dead to their final end.

  • Don't Fear the Reaper: Despite representing a god of the dead, Houy is still one of the most innocent members of the Sentinels; in one side-quest he can be seen ushering a wandering soul to the land of the dead, remaining gentle and mature throughout.
  • Morality Pet / Living Emotional Crutch: To Moutemouia.
  • Not Now, Kiddo: According to the lore entry, he often gets this kind of reception, requiring him to approach his points in a somewhat roundabout manner.
  • Smarter Than You Look: Despite having seen and learned more than any living scholar, Houy is still seen as a child by most of his brothers and sisters, leading to a certain degree of surprise when he reveals just how intelligent he really is.
  • Wise Beyond Their Years: At least, from the perspective of the other Sentinels. He is around three millennia old, though.

Neutral Parties

     Khalid 
I have fought this war many times: the weapons may change, but the faces do not.

Voiced By: Christopher Fairbank

A mysterious hermit living out on the dunes outside Al-Merayah, providing indirect assistance to both the players and the Marya against the burgeoning Atenist threat. Heavily implied to be an immortal Moses or Aaron, most likely Aaron.

  • As the Good Book Says...: Of a sort; when you first meet him shortly after the Atenist attack on the Marya camp, he paraphrases Exodus 32:22 as "Do not be angry Master, you know how prone these people are to evil." Which strengthens the case for him having been Aaron.
  • Been There, Shaped History: Despite being sworn to non-interference, Khalid has ended up observing and shaping history quite a bit... especially since he's either Moses or Aaron.
  • Not Now, Kiddo: Says "Not Now, Brother" at the beginning of "The Unburnt Bush" to a burning bush who he states to be his brother.
  • Really 700 Years Old: Looks to be a fairly well-preserved seventy, but is actually several millennia old.
  • Screw Politeness, I'm a Senior!: Rather than absentmindedly voicing mission briefings to nobody in particular like most quest-givers, Khalid makes it clear that he actually expects you to solve the problem at hand during the intro to "The Last Legion"- and gets very irritable when you don't catch on.
    Get to it! Now! What, are you not used to being told what to do, child? Go! Go go go go!
  • Time Abyss: To put this in perspective, Khalid was one of the original members of the mysterious Four and Sixty, a supernatural faction that predates the Big Three- all of which are several thousands of years old.
  • The Watcher: However, his inability to stay on the sidelines without acting is implied to be the reason why he is trapped in this form.
  • Who Wants to Live Forever?: A popular gripe of his, often stating that while his brother escaped into death, death has escaped him. Apparently, the thing that really gets Khalid down is that, because immortality goes on and on forever, you inevitably notice just how often History Repeats itself.

     The Oxford Research Team 
Monty: I'm the hot young turk, he's the stuffy old professor. No, wait, the heat's getting to me.
Arun: You see how a wit like this is wasted on Oxford.

Voiced By: Chris Nayak (Arun), Nathaniel Parker (Montgomery)

Consisting of Arun Singh and Montgomery "Monty" De La Roche, two visiting archaeologists from Oxford's Lazarus College, the team has ended up getting caught in the middle of the Atenist uprising while on expedition to the Valley of the Sun God. The two have dug in and done their best to protect themselves from wandering monsters while continuing with their studies; to that end, both provide missions regard Egypt's sordid past- and the world's uncertain future.

  • Adventurer Archaeologist: It naturally comes with the territory, given they are not only evocative of adventure serial scholars, but belong to Oxford's Lazarus College which means they regularly encounter ancient curses and booby traps at a higher frequency than their more mundane colleagues.
  • Gentleman and a Scholar: Monty what with his posh RP bearing and full suit, bowler hat and cane in the middle of the Egyptian desert. He is the standard bearer of the traditional Oxford don in the field.
  • Golem: The team have set up a golem at the camp's southern entrance to prevent Atenists from getting in.
  • Hand Cannon: Arun's weapoon of choice.
  • Like an Old Married Couple: In most of their scenes, this dynamic is in play; they aren't married, but it's clear that they're romantically involved. Over the course of their missions, Arun disapprovingly remarks on just how much swordplay Monty's had to engage in, Monty calls Arun "my dear," they both let slip the odd bit of sexual innuendo, Arun gives Monty a backrub... during the "Mayan Apocalypse" event, they even get into a serious disagreement and refuse to speak to each other for a time.
  • Magic Staff: Arun appears to have one of these strapped to his back, though he's never seen using it.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: Arun being the red and Monty firmly grounded in blue territory.
  • Sharp-Dressed Man: Monty, who wears a three-piece suit complete with hat and tie despite the desert heat.
  • The Worm Guy: Both of them are apparently used to upsetting magical academia with unusual ideas and discoveries, but Arun's "Big Terrible Picture" theory pushes him into this territory. For good measure, his belief in the Mayan apocalypse actually drives him to an extremely messy lover's quarrel with Monty.

     The Kingdom 
The dapper dead walk the streets of modern Cairo in Armani suits. There are levels of panache the breathing never achieve. In the deep shade, they tickle the strings- Kingpins of Egypt's underbelly. Hidden, fearless, outside the bounds of any faction- no rules save what they create. Their chests are hollow, but their ribcages pound with lust and debauchery. These embalmed princes pursue the one sanctity left in the world: money. They are the Kingdom.
— Lore Entry

A group of Ancient Egyptian merchants for whom the whole "mummification" thing managed to accidentally induce immortality; after a short period of adjusting to life as reanimated corpses, they decided to spend their eternal lives making money and acquiring luxury. After many centuries, they now rule Egypt from behind the scenes, manipulating both the government and the criminal underworld to their own ends while continuing to spread their trading connections farther across the world; as a result, they're completely neutral in the war between the factions and the Atenists now brewing in Egypt, only motivated by the desire for profit.

  • Dated History: The Kingdom have ended up becoming "living" examples of this to Egyptologists acquainted with the Secret World. Arun Singh laments the fact that there seems little point spending months digging for answers on the Nineteenth Dynasty when you can actually speak to people who lived through it, while Montgomery De La Roche claims that at least one member of the Kingdom revealed that the Rosetta Stone translation was "an impressive effort but totally wrong."
  • Fiction500: Insanely wealthy to a man, they command the legitimate and criminal resources of an entire nation and demand exorbitant sums for anyone trying to access them.
  • Immortality Seeker: Before they united and become the Kingdom, its members were obsessed with securing immortality in much the same way that the Pharaohs were, through access to the afterlife; however, none of them were expecting physical immortality.
  • Living Forever Is Awesome: They certainly do not seem to mind being now immortal now.
  • Man Behind the Man: To most of Egypt.
  • The Necrocracy: They're greedy and unscrupulous, but they're not inherently malevolent.
  • Only in It for the Money: the Kingdom helps whoever allows them to get more profit.
  • Post Modern Magic: The Kingdom are surprisingly computer-literate, having wholeheartedly embraced the age of online banking, and Säid is very proud of his brand new smartphone.
  • I Own This Town: Take this stance regarding Egypt, particularly Cairo. "Everything goes through the Kingdom. Everything has its price. That's Cairo rules. This is an antique land and we are its curators, no one else." For the most part, they succeed in enforcing their claim.
  • Stages of Monster Grief: Very firmly grounded in the Acceptance stage by now.
  • What Have I Become?: According to the lore entry, the members of the Kingdom experienced this shortly after their accidental resurrection; it took some time, but they eventually recovered once they realized their newfound purpose of making money.
  • Wild Card: The Kingdom works for itself. That's about the only consistent thing about their allegiances.

    Säid 
Earthquakes, plagues, locusts... I know what you're thinking- but I'll tell you what you should be thinking: "what can I get out of this?" And take it from me, a mummified corpse in a £12000 suit, this isn't biblical, it's local.
Voiced By: Ben Aldridge

The representative of the Kingdom in Al-Merayah, and ally to the player, the Marya, the Atenists, and anyone else who can serve his purposes. Despite being forced to tackle the problems in the area more directly than his fellow Mummies generally prefer, Säid has continued his lifestyle of dealing and decadence to the fullest extent; as such, when not negotiating with his many clients, he can often be found on the balcony of the ghoul-infested Hotel Wahid International.

  • Affably Amoral: He might be a crime baron and a consummate hedonist, but he still manages to balance his more unpleasant tendencies with a certain degree of charm. Plus, he and Nassir get along better than he's prepared to admit.
  • Anti-Hero: Callous, vain, lustful, self-indulgent and quite amazingly greedy, it's quite clear that Säid isn't hero material. That said, he does have a few redeeming qualities. Plus, maintaining his luxurious lifestyle and criminal empire just happens to require that Säid provide aid to the protagonists in their attempts to save the world. Can't do business in a wasteland, after all.
  • The Atoner: A rather mercenary example. It turns out that, thanks to his role in providing shipping for the Atenists, Säid was indirectly responsible for the Tokyo Incident, and he'd like very much to erase this incident from his resume.
  • The Comically Serious: He never, ever breaks from being snide, sarcastic, and that whole 'trying to be cool' thing. Which inevitably leads to his most famous line:
    — "Next time, I get to be Rocky."
  • Cool Shades: Wears a sizeable pair of aviator shades to hide his empty sockets.
  • Deadpan Snarker: A smartass from his introduction onwards, Säid always has some measure of sarcasm to spare for his guests, and rarely finds himself caught without a snide remark on hand.
    • Gentleman Snarker: As a member of the ancient Egyptian aristocracy, he occasionally drifts into this territory.
    • The Snark Knight: As well as being unfailingly sarcastic, Säid has a very dim view of human nature; Shani mentions that he once told her that, if she truly wanted to understand humanity, all she'd have to do was read the comments section on YouTube.
  • Deathless and Debauched: He enjoys sugary treats, wine, cigarettes, tailored suits, and the very latest smartphones. It's even implied that he might actually have a sex life, despite his desiccation. For good measure, he spends most of his time lounging around on the Hotel Wahid's balcony rather than getting involved in the fighting occurring throughout the region - even though his status makes him practically indestructible.
  • Even Evil Has Standards: The story mission sees him cut ties with Berihun and the Atenists, considering them too unstable to be considered business partners. In "From Carthage To Cairo," he also discontinues his business relations with Tanis for cutting deals with the Atenists.
  • Fearless Undead: Remains at the Hotel Wahid despite the place being infested with ghouls, casually arranges meetings with Atenist leaders without bothering to bring guards, and barely even flinches at the sight of a gun shoved in his face.
  • The Fog of Ages: While Säid can remember the time period when he was alive well enough, the details of his identity prior to his death have long since been forgotten - including his real name. During "The City Beneath Us," he recalls that he may have been involved with the Cult of Osiris, but that's about it.
  • A Glass of Chianti: Usually seen with one on the table in front of him.
  • Good Smoking, Evil Smoking: Säid will occasionally help himself to a plain cigarette.
  • The Hedonist: Over his many centuries of unlife, Säid has had plenty of time to acquire a great many vices and other unhealthy habits. Even as a corpse, he still has a taste for expensive cigarettes and alcohol, and easily shells out colossal sums of money on tailored suits; it's even implied that he still has something of a sex life. For good measure, he usually spends his days relaxing on the balcony of the region's only luxury hotel.
  • Hyper-Awareness: On occasions where you attempt to listen in on his business meetings, he will invariably reveal that he knew you were there all along: the first time by remarking "I trust you caught the gist of that?" without even bothering to turn in your direction; the second time by sending you a text message saying "Since you're so curious..."
  • If I Had a Nickel...: After being subjected to a poorly-veiled threat from Berihun, Säid remarks, "If I had a pebble for every thug who tried to shake me down the last three thousand years, I'd build a great pyramid of my own."
  • Inhuman Eye Concealers: Completes his expensive ensemble with a pair of aviator shades, both to look cool and to hide his empty eye sockets. Of course, it's pretty obvious from the look of him that he's a reanimated corpse, so the shades are mainly there because Said prefers not to upset his clients more than necessary.
  • Intrepid Merchant: The old-fashioned Marya see him as this, hence their most common nickname for him.
  • In-Universe Nickname: "The Trade Prince."
    • Kirsten Geary prefers to call him "The Prune Prince." Bizarrely enough, Säid appears to like this particular nickname, and actually adopts it as his email address!
  • I Was Quite a Looker: It's revealed in "The City Before Us" that Säid was quite handsome when he was still alive, way back in 1700 BCE.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Snobbish and extremely vain though he may be, Säid still has a few redeeming features under his belt. Among other things, he's at least willing to provide aid to the beleaguered Marya, and still regrets the role he inadvertently played in the Tokyo incident; and as his dealings with the Atenists and the Phoenicians show, he actually has some semblance of honour. Plus, he and Nassir actually get on really well, despite their many differences.
  • Lean and Mean: Thanks to being mummified, entombed and left to desiccate for several centuries before finally rising again, Säid is extremely thin and bony - not to mention arrogant, self-absorbed, hedonistic, and decidedly acerbic.
  • Memento MacGuffin: A golden scarab amulet; Säid has long since forgotten where and when he got it, but imagines that it must have once been very dear to him. Ultimately, he gives it to you for your journey back in time in "The City Before Us." At the end of the mission, it's revealed that Säid's younger self pick-pocketed the amulet from you before sending you back to the present.
  • Mission Control: During your journey into the past, he replaces your faction contact in delivering after-mission reports.
  • Mr. Vice Guy: Proud, greedy, gluttonous, slothful and apparently more than a little lustful even in his current state of desiccation, Säid's vice of choice is undeniably avarice.
  • Never Bareheaded: Never seen without his fedora. Might fall under the heading of "Please Keep Your Hat On" given just how dessicated the rest of him is.
  • Non-Action Guy: Säid isn't too keen on getting his hands dirty, usually employing you to act on his behalf. However, it's clear that this isn't out of cowardice - after all, he spends his off-hours at a hotel that's been overrun by monsters; it's because he's an incorrigible snob.
  • The Nose Knows: Uses this as an intimidation tactic when Tanis pulls a gun on him.
    Gun oil, desperation and cheap perfume. Tanis, Tanis, Tanis...
  • Sharp-Dressed Man: He has a thing for ridiculously expensive tailored suits, as his quote demonstrates.
  • Sinister Sweet Tooth: Works for a crime syndicate known as the Kingdom and is known for being a greedy, arrogant, lustful, hedonistic and generally unempathetic Nominal Hero. He also indicates that he's got a bit of a sweet tooth, given that he often conducts meetings at Zahra's Cafe (known for its cakes) and recommends that he and a client treat themselves to ice-lollies.
  • Villain in a White Suit: A crime baron who is immediately distinguished by his dazzling white suit and hat.

     Amir 
This is a city of slavery, of slaves to a corrupting power: animals like you are such easy prey and it has fed on you well, grown in strengths. Now it debases even the mighty Jinn, turns them upon Gaia! I cannot allow it. I will not allow it! We are already exiles, but without nobility, we are nothing.

Voiced By: Tim Watson

One of the few Jinn who refused to participate in the demonic invasion of earth, Amir has been exiled from the Hell Dimensions and now resides in the City of the Sun God; though almost as contemptuous of humanity as his fellow Jinn, he nonetheless refuses to stand by and allow the armies of Hell to destroy Gaia, and ultimately allies himself with the player in order to stop them.

  • As the Good Book Says...: In his case, the Quran, as he burns an Atenist, he recites Jinn 72:15:
    It is written, "As for the perverse, they will be firewood in Hell."
  • Berserk Button: In the DLC, one quest involves bringing him one of the lesser Rings of Solomon to win him over. It doesn't work, as he sees it as a reminder of captivity at Solomon's hands, and he knocks the player character down in a fury.
  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Delivers a lot of these to you; in "Mummy Issues," though, he also takes the time to lambaste an Atenist mummy before incinerating it.
  • Token Heroic Orc: Quite literally, the only friendly jinn you encounter in Egypt, and it is more out of opposition to Eblis's invasion of Earth than any care for humanity.

     The Unbound 
The first Jinn created by the Host, and unlike most Jinn, was created from all four elements, which made it so powerful that it devoured its own name making it unable to be controlled. Thankfully, King Solomon managed to seal the Unbound in a Third Age prison device hidden beneath the Black Pyramid. Recent excavations by the Atenists, however have disturbed its prison, threatening to unleash it upon a world with too much to deal with already.
  • Elemental Powers: Being the only Jinn created from all four elements, the Unbound has command of them all.
  • I Know Your True Name: Averted, it devoured its own name, making it impossible to be controlled.
  • Jackass Genie: It will grant a wish, and that will be its wish for freedom.
  • Leaking Can of Evil: When the dynamite explosions from the Atenists' excavations damage the shields around its prison, it causes a series of earthquakes throughout the Valley of the Sun God.
  • The Nameless: As mentioned, it ate its name so no one could control it.
  • Names to Run Away from Really Fast: The prison device refers to it as "It Who Gnaws Its Name Below".
  • Sealed Evil in a Can: Thanks to Solomon, it's imprisoned in a Third Age Prison Device, that looks remarkably like a lamp. It will apparently bring a completely new apocalypse on the world if let loose, and according to the prison device when you fight it, its current power is suppressed to less than a ten thousandth of its full potential.
  • Super Prototype: As the first Jinn, and the only one created from all four elements, it is extremely powerful, enough to challenge its creators.

The Cult of the Aten

     Overall Tropes 
Some went willingly into Aten's embrace, their minds wiped and their souls taken, leaving them with nothing but anger, hatred and a burning wish to see the Earth scorched. Others were taken from their homes, brought to hidden temples and altars, and forced to gaze into Aten's eye and listen to His whispers. They too were reduced to mindless slaves of the Sun Eater.
—The Buzzing

Worshippers of Pharoah Akhenaten's chosen sun deity, the Atenists have devoted themselves to preparing the world for the resurrection of their messiah and the arrival of the Aten itself. Composed mainly of press-ganged civilians mixed with the few rare true believers, most of both demographics have been deliberately exposed to the Filth in order to make them more pliable- sometimes without either of them knowing...

  • Brainwashed and Crazy: Initiates aren't really recruited, most are kidnapped and forcefed Filth-tainted food and drink to bring them under the cult's thrall.
  • Cult: One of the oldest in the long line of destructive Sun-worshipping cults that in truth follow the Dreamers.
  • Historical Villain Upgrade: Downplayed. While the real Akhenaten wasn't the servant of a dark god planning to destroy the universe, he was still monumentally unpopular and hated across Egypt for banning all other gods and for crashing the economy and hamstringing the government by shutting down the priesthood, who pulled double duty as government bureaucrats. There were a large number of actual uprisings against his rule, and everyone was happy when he finally died.
  • Holy City: The City of the Sun God, the second level of the Egypt arc and holy site for the Atenists. For good measure, it's also the resting ground of the Black Pharaoh himself.
  • I Have Many Names: Though they initially appear to be a fairly homogenous organization, it turns out that the cult and the Aten have both had many different facets and titles over the years. As Khalid notes, each name associated with them has something to do with the sun: Aten, Deus Sol Invictus, and so on. Given the name and the similarities in methods, it's possible that the Morninglight are actually an offshoot of the cult.
    • And at long last it's been confirmed that Lilith did indeed utilize the doctrine of Sun-worshipping Filth cults in order to create the Morninglight.
  • Madness Mantra: Members of the cult are often heard chanting "Aten" over and over again, even while dying.
    • The cultist preachers have more complicated mantras, being trained to address a crowd:
    Come forth, experience miracles...
    Festivity in the streets, in the desert...
    I was blinded by your radiance, and yet I still see...
    Show me another sign, master; I shall scrabble in Filth for it...
  • Tears of Blood: Most Atenists are recognizable by the black fluid trickling from their eyes.

     The Black Pharaoh, Akhenaten 
Akhenaten bathed in the blackness of eons, and climbed back out. When he expired, the sarcophagus of the Black Pharaoh was placed within the pyramid. The City of the Sun God was sealed. Egypt returned to the worship of their old gods. There Akhenaten abides, waiting for the return of the whispers. Can you hear, sweetling? The behemoth eyelids tremble. May they never open. May the eye movements always be rapid. Let us pretend the whispering is only the desert wind.
—The Buzzing

Voiced By:

The central figure of the Cult of the Aten and the chosen champion of their god; sealed within his pyramid at the end of his reign, the cult of the Aten has been attempting to release him ever since then.

  • Archnemesis Dad: To Tutankhamun, who actively opposed his father by founding the Marya.
  • Arc Villain: Nominally, as leader and founder of the Cult of the Aten, but as he spends most of his time sealed up in the Black Pyramid, the villianous actions of the cult are done at the command of Abdul Doud and Berihun.
  • Crisis of Faith: The events of Exodus are implied to happen either before or early into his corruption by the Filth, as the Plagues unleashed by the Hebrew God cause him to seek out powers that could match it, believing the traditional gods had abandoned him.
  • Dead All Along: Because of the changes to the story in Legends, Akhenaten spends most of the Egypt missions dead in the Black Pyramid, and is only revived by a ritual preformed by Abdul Doud.
  • Domestic Abuse: Back when Akhenaten was still human, his wife Nefertiti attempted to discourage his omnicidal worship of the Aten. It ended very, very badly.
  • Final Boss: Of the Egypt arc.
  • He Who Must Not Be Named: The Marya and Egypt went to great lengths to erase his name and cult from the records and only refer to him as the Black Pharaoh.
  • Historical Villain Upgrade: What was originally a heretic pharaoh whose radical religious policies threw Egypt into chaos, is here the Pharaoh of Exodus and leader of a fanatically omnicidal cult.
  • Large and in Charge: Even without his crown, Akhenaten is substantially taller than the player character.
  • Omnicidal Maniac: As with all Filth-worshippers, he seeks to unleash the Dreamers from their prisons, and are eager to experience all the apocalyptic consequences that entails.
  • Sealed Evil in a Can: Already interred within a magically-reinforced pyramid, he was also doubly sealed inside his crypt by the Song of the Sentinels. For good measure, his ultimate goal is to release the Aten from his can.
  • Touched By The Aten
  • Used to Be a Sweet Kid: According to Ptahmose, he was a lot saner as a young man; even during the early years of his reign, he was a Reasonable Authority Figure- up until the Filth corrupted him.

     Abdul Doud 
Praise be upon Aten! Praise be upon His prophet Akhenaten, the Black Pharaoh! Go forth and do His bidding! And may He lay waste to heretics and unbelievers...

Voiced By: André Sogliuzzo

Leader of the Atenists in Al-Merayah, he is usually found in an isolated coffeehouse just outside the Marya barricades.

  • Anti-Magic: "The Prisoner" reveals that he has means of temporarily negating the magic of the Bees.
  • Arc Villain: Graduates to this in Issue #6, and of Egypt in the reordered storyline of Legends.
  • Big Bad Wannabe: Doud honestly believes himself to be a prophet of the Aten, destined to bring Akhenaten back from the dead and conquer the world in the name of his god. The truth is infinitely less impressive... up until the events of Issue #6, when he manages to regain control of the situation without any obvious help from Berihun.
    • The reordering of the Egypt storyline in Legends however makes him the defacto Big Bad since Akhenaten is actually dead, and isn't revived until the final confrontation in the Black Pyramid.
  • Disney Villain Death: After being defeated in combat, Doud finally meets his end when the player kicks him off the train in "The Last Train To Cairo.
  • Dragon-in-Chief: As Akhenaten is sealed within the Black Pyramid, Abdul commands most of the Cult of the Aten's activities, especially in Legends as his activities in Issue #6 become part of the main storyline, and Akhenaten really is dead rather than just sealed up in the Black Pyramid.
  • Final Boss: Of Issue #6.
    • Legends reordering Issue #6 into the main storyline places him as the penultimate boss of Egypt in general, making him the first half of the boss fight in the Black Pyramid, as killing him completes his ritual to revive Akhenaten.
  • Immortality Seeker: One of the reasons Doud is so eager to replace the Black Pharaoh is because the Aten has offered him immortality as a reward.
  • I Own This Town: According to Kirsten Geary, Doud is the most powerful man in Al-Merayah, owning shops and small businesses throughout the town and the surrounding area; it's at least partly due to his financial influence that Zhara hesitates before providing evidence against him. However, Geary also makes it clear that he has virtually no influence outside the town- another reason why he requires aid from Berihun.
  • Must Have Caffeine: Though not overt, he does spends most of his time in a coffeehouse.
  • Not-So-Harmless Villain: As of Issue #6.
  • Puppet King: Ostensibly in charge of the Atenists, Doud is largely dependent on Berihun for resources, tactical advice, and even followers; for good measure, Berihun regularly threatens to withdraw support unless Doud takes his advice. Subverted in Issue #6; when Berihun mysteriously vanishes, Doud manages to retake control of the cult with surprising efficiency.
  • Took a Level in Badass: Issue #6 sees him finally get off his ass and take charge of events, to the point that he actually manages to capture and neutralize the player in person.
  • Villain: Exit, Stage Left: In the original version of the game, despite his spirited defence of the Black Pharaoh, Doud is very quick to retreat when the Marya and the Orochi group join the battle; unfortunately, this leaves him in the perfect position to replace Akhenaten as Aten's right hand. Legends changes the order and inserts Issue #6 into the main storyline for Egypt. After being thwarted at the end of The Last Train to Cairo he returns in the final confrontation in the Black Pyramid, looking noticeably worse for wear, preforming a ritual to revive the Black Pharaoh, and dying when the player character confronts him in the burial chamber.
  • Villains Out Shopping: Doud spends the majority of his time doing this, much to Berihun's irritation.
  • You Are in Command Now: In the original version, following Akhenaten's defeat, Doud has been promoted to official cult head. In Legends, he is instead killed right before fighting Akhenaten himself.

     Berihun 
There are forces out there older than the Kingdom, older than the sun, with power unwitnessed by the likes of you. Power we just unleashed upon the world. But that was just the beginning. The Marya will feel that power. Venice will feel that power. Those living... weapons. And once they are all gone... Who knows what we will do? So choose your allegiance wisely, dead man.

Voiced By: Don Wallace

The cult's mysterious supplier; little is known of his goals, his past, or even his true allegiance. He works for an organization which wants powerful magical artefacts at any price, and strong-arms the Atenists to get them. Given the specific nature of his boasts above, his artefact hunting, and his prominent tattoo, the most likely affiliation is the Phoenician Brotherhood. Acting in Doud's stead in almost all matters of business except those regarding the cult's membership, he seems to believe in the power of the Aten - and certainly the Filth - but what he hopes to gain from unleashing them upon Egypt is still uncertain. In Dawn of the Morninglight it is learnt that he is a family friend of the Marquards and eventually comes to blows with the player character.

  • Back for the Dead: His appearance in Dawn of the Morninglight it was the first time he and the player directly interacted and it was also the last.
  • The Dragon: To Doud. For the Atenists in general, he's an Evil Genius.
    • Dragon-in-Chief: Given how little effort Doud puts into his work, Berihun is undoubtedly the more dangerous man by far.

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