The Tomb of Cleopatra's Handmaiden


Synopsis:

	In this level, Lara searches for a way into Lercsidisis' tomb.  There are 3 secrets to find.  


Directions for use:

	Place the tut1.tr4 file in the 'data' directory of trle directory.  The level is accessed using the Tutorial Level selection in the main menu when you start the game.  Good luck, and I hope you enjoy it!
	Thanks to Serpentstooth, Manus, Qudlatopec, KingSpyder, and everyone from the www.tombraiders.com forums for their help with using the level editor.  And thanks to T.P., the author of strpix.  

		-- SH

Email:

	lgaljr@erols.com



The Story:

	Once upon an egyptian moon there was a rather exotic woman named Lercsidisis, who happened to be one of Cleopatra's handmaidens.  It was her job to decorate the baths, and this suited her, because bathing was a passion of hers.  Some people enjoy a well laid table, or a well dressed bed.  Lercsidisis like a good bath, and she threw herself heart and soul into her work.  
	There was another dedicated soul involved with Cleopatra's bath, and that was Zeyipides.  He was a rather eccentric architect, but had an eye for luxury, and was thus put in charge of designing Cleopatra's bathing pools.  When Cleopatra decided to use some underground springs for a new set of bathing resorts for herself and her subjects, she naturally called on Zeyipides to design it, and Lercsidisis to outfit it.  The two enthusiasts became good friends, and worked happily together for many years, creating exotic and strange designs for Cleopatra's new baths.  
	But one day, Lercsidisis fell ill with fever, and soon after died.  Zeyipides didn't have the heart to continue without her, even thoguh everything was mostly built already.  
	Cleopatra missed Lercsidisis alot too, and in her honor, gave up her new baths to be used as an elaborate tomb for her handmaiden.  Naturally, Zeyipides wanted to design it, and Cleopatra could think of no person better suited, since the the architect and handmaiden were so fond of each other.  From the start, Zeyipedes designed everythig so that Lercsidisis' tomb would be below her favorite bath.  Even a few traps and puzzles were put in, to keep robbers out-- a distinction ususally reserved for royalty like Cleopatra herself.  
	However, just as the finishing touches were being put on the tomb, something went horribly wrong.  While designing baths wasn't beyond the architects ability, as niether were tombs, putting both together proved too much for him.  Just as the workers were moving a few last vases into position, all the water suddenly flooded out of the pool, washing the workers out of the nearly completed tomb where the body of Lercsidisis lay.  The workers gave a collective shrug, and decided that the tomb was good enough as it was, especially if it meant not being drowned.  
	But things were to get worse.  Years passed, and strange happenings began to occur in the streets above the tomb-- at first, just minor things like strange weather.  But then as time went on, they got worse, until a whole section of the city had to be abandoned.  There was a restless spirit responsible for that, and everyone knew that it was probably Lercsidisis.  

	...

	In the present day, zealous explorer Lara Croft has been doing research into the Zeyipides and Lercsidisis' legend, and thinks that the problem is that the worker's were flooded out before they could move the vases into there places-- perhaps some of these vases were blocking the stone carved path that was vital to allowing the soul of Lercsidisis to continue it's road from the tomb into the afterworld.  
	She had gotten disturbing reports that James Dipspur, a blackmarket-style archeologist, is searching out the key to the treasure room of Und Asmaeir, a room rumored to have links with the tomb of Cleopatra's legendary handmaiden.  If Dipspur gets the key, it will be sold off, and there will be small hope that anyone will every be able to clear Lercsidisis' path to the egyptian afterlife.  
	With this thought in her head, she calls her egyptian agent for plane tickets...