User Guide

The Herbalist’s Craft
Shomu, 13th year of Ramesses
Morning
Dear Journal
Khmunhotep and I set out early this
morning. The agenda: fishing on the Nile.
But first, we stopped at the Apothecary to out-
fit ourselves with some basic necessities.
The herbalist greeted Khmunhotep,
and they began talking of a recent malaria
outbreak. The herbalist said he did all that
he could, but that once malaria breaks out
it’s hard to stop.
While they talked, I selected my items
for purchase. First, I bought some kohl to put
around my eyes. Kohl helps to reduce the
sun’s glare which can be almost blinding.
Then, I purchased some insect repellent made
from hippo’s fat. While the unguent had a
noxious smell, it was well worth it. Mosquitoes
are always a nuisance on the Nile, and their
bites sting. Well stocked with supplies, we
headed for the Nile.
We borrowed a fishing raft made from
reeds and set out. We
caught a lot of fish,
even the sacred
oxyrhynchus fish
which we threw back.
By midmorn-
ing, we had our fill of
fishing and returned
to the shore.
Each of the health threats behaves in a different way:
Disease
Disease occurs in homes that do not have good access
to a physician and a steady supply of food. Disease
153
Health
Plagued Citizen
Mortuaries.
At Mortuaries, embalmers prepare
the dead for their final journey to the afterlife.
Properly preparing the dead promotes a city’s
overall health which helps prevent plague. To wrap
the deceased’s body, embalmers use linen made by
a weaver or imported from a trade partner.
Dentists.
Sand is everywhere in Egypt, even in
food, and continuously crunching on sand quick-
ly wears down teeth. Wealthier citizens want to
take care of their teeth, and turn to dentists to
keep their smiles bright. Dentists do not impact
city health, but they do improve a neighborhood’s
desirability.
All the above health structures require both road
access and labor to operate.
CCiittyy HHeeaalltthh aanndd HHeeaalltthh RRiisskkss
The health of each resident in the city contributes to
overall City Health. Generally, to remain healthy, each
resident needs plenty of food
and frequent visits from
a physician. A varied diet and access to a Mortuary
supplement a resident’s health.
Three health threats stalk the city: disease, malaria and
plague. Providing good healthcare to each citizen is
the key to preventing disease and plague from striking.
Malaria, on the other hand, only threatens certain
areas of the city, particularly those along the water and
near marshland. To protect citizens who live in these
areas from succumbing to this deadly ailment, make
sure to provide them with clean drinking water and the
insect repellents provided by herbalists.
152
Health
Mortuary
Dentist’s office