Professor Smythe-Piddling, after adventures and hardships beyond recounting, has once more submitted a report to the RGS about the fabulous city of Opra.
The second expedition that arrived at Opra consisted of four groups, each of only about ten men.
The expedition chose an alternate path to Opra for this trip in hopes of avoiding the Mahdist forces encountered during the first expedition. NOTE: Opra appears to be a city of tremendous size, with many gates and towers, so that it may be possible to visit it many times and never see the same sights twice.
Once a city gate was located, Professor Smythe-Piddling approached it and attempted to converse with the Oprans, who were dressed as before as ancient Egyptians, and his efforts had the same negative results as before. After some time had passed with nothing to show for it but rising frustration all round, Lt. Farid Mohammed ordered his men to open fire on the Opran archers lining the walls. The other expedition forces quickly followed suit and soon a lively firefight occurred. Lt. Churchill had rashly advanced alone toward the Opran gate, and was inundated with waves of arrows, which, fortunately, all missed him.
The Orpan's bows were no match for modern bold-action rifles, so they soon withdrew behind the wall. Once the walls were cleared, Colonel Mustard and his Indians poured though the gate and fought their way up a long ramp leading to what appeared to be the main building in the area, Col Mustard displaying singular sword and pistol work in the process. Lt. Burn's regulars were close behind them, while the Egyptians and Bersaglieri chose to scale the walls.
Several axe-armed gate guards, who had been bypassed by the Indians, now charged up the ramp and engaged in hand-to-hand combat. It was at this time that the unfortunate Col. Mustard was seriously wounded by an Opran bronze axe. The Indians, now under the command of Mr. Smith, carried the poor colonel into a temple at the top of the ramp and held there. A secret doorway was discovered underneath an alter and Lt. Churchill led his British regulars down into the inky depths, followed quickly by the Egyptian force and the Bersaglieri.
There were a great many rooms in the underground temple, along with several mastabas (tombs). While the Indians guarded the entrance, the other three forces split up and began to explore. As with the first expedition, it is very difficult to be certain of what happened during this time. Small parties of two or three explorers would disappear into darkened rooms, there would heard the sounds of gunfire, shouts, and sometimes the screams of the dying. Men would stagger out into the open, covered in gore, carrying bars of gold or other treasures, and sometimes the wounded. They might babble some incredible tale of men dressed as mummies, jackal-headed warriors with great bronze weapons, huge spiders that lurked in eldritch dark corners, and so forth. Obviously, in the confusion and darkness the men became overexcited and imagined all sorts of things. For example, the poor Bersaglieri lost half their men to what they later claimed was a single spider! Simply one more example of why more scientists and fewer soldiers should be included in the next expedition.
Still, the gold and the death were real enough, and, having as much of each as they could handle, the expedition crawled out of the underground temple complex and made for the city gate. By this time the alarm had been sounded and more Opran troops were advancing along each side of the ramp. Much shooting was required to clear them away.
Once outside the gate, a large force of tribal natives armed with muskets and spears was encountered. After a receiving few rounds of rifle fire, the natives charged the Egyptian force, which formed up nicely and beat them back. The natives rallied and charged the British regulars, who also stood like rocks on the seashore. Gathering their forces for one last thrust, the natives again battered themselves futilely against the Egyptians. The piteous survivors ran away into the desert, never to bee seen again.
The expedition then rapidly formed up and began the long and dangerous trek back to the coast and the relative safety of Zanzibar.
Despite the relative success of the expedition there remain almost as many questions about Opra as before the expedition. Professor Smythe-Piddling made a crude sketch of certain hieroglyphics found on a sarcophagus located in one of the underground rooms and the RGS hope that these symbols can soon be translated. Unfortunately, the sarcophagus itself remained unopened, so we are at a loss as to what it may have contained.
The RGS board is currently considering proposals for a third expedition to Opra. Professor Smythe-Piddling is still recovering from enteric fever that he contracted on the return trip and will therefore almost certainly be unable to return to Opra for many months. Another leader will be chosen and details announced to the public as they are warranted.