User Guide

The juggler’s stage is in one corner of the venue,
and the band plays on a second stage in another
corner. People like to live near Bandstands.
Pavilion.
The largest of the entertainment venues,
Pavilions have three stages: one for juggling
shows, one for musical concerts and one for dance
performances. No citizen will complain about liv-
ing next to a Pavilion.
Training Centers
Citizens expect high-quality entertainment, and train-
ing centers make sure that people are entertained by
professionals, not amateurs. Each type of performer
has his or her own training center: would-be jugglers
practice their skills at Jugglers’ Schools, musicians
attend the Conservatory and dancers hone their craft
at Dance Schools.
Conservatories and Dance Schools both have a nega-
tive effect on a neighborhood’s desirability. The
cacophony that emits from a Conservatory is not
music to residents’ ears, and dancers come and go at
the strangest hours. People like living near Jugglers’
Schools. Jugglers learning their craft engage in some
very amusing highjinks.
SSeenneett HHoouussee
A Senet House offers a place for people to go to enjoy a
relaxing game of senet, a contest that depicts the journey
to the afterlife. With frothy mugs of beer at their elbows,
citizens while away the hours in each other’s company
and engage in a little friendly competition. In addition to
workers and road access, a Senet House needs a supply of
beer (see page 76) to serve to its patrons.
161
Entertainment and Education
160
Entertainment
Jugglers’ School
A Sumptuous Banquet
Shomu, 13th year of Ramesses
Evening
Dear Journal,
What an evening we had this evening!
We were invited to a banquet at the local
Nomarch’s house, and I have never been privy
to such a lavish party.
Nefernetka looked resplendent. With
the aid of her servant, she spent all day
preparing for the evening. She wore a tunic
made of the finest linen available and
adorned herself with jewels. Her eyes were
made up with kohl and galena, and her fin-
gernails dyed with henna. Another servant
spent hours grooming the wig that Nefernetka
wore.
When we arrived at the party, our host
handed each of us a cone of wax to place on
our heads and a garland of flowers for our
necks. The cone helped to keep our heads cool.
We sat down to a sumptuous feast of beef,
antelope and fowl accompanied by gorgeous
fruits and crisp vegetables. The host had even
procured a large supply of wine from distant
Mycenae, a rare departure from the usual
Egyptian beer. While we ate, a group of musi-
cians began to play, and beautiful dancers
leapt about to the music. The revelry contin-
ued until all the food had been eaten and all
the wine had been drunk.
Enjoying ourselves too much to sleep,
Khmunhotep, Nefernetka and I went to the
local Senet House where the townspeople gath-
er after work to drink beer and have conver-
sation. Several people were playing games of
senet, and a storyteller entertained the crowd
with tales of bygone days. We finally went
home, but I couldn’t sleep. With visions of all
that I had seen swirling through my mind, I
didn’t need to dream.