Zynazyr nods in agreement.
Steps up by the door, Best to determine if you can divine any evil Walia before entering he says eyeing the direction from where it was reported the sarcophagus lies.
|
Wallia concentrates on his holy symbol for ten minutes while the rest of the group waits, trying to detect evil, but fails detect any.
The party then carefully enters the room. Once the light is brought in, the room is revealed to be yet another tomb. The box at the end of the room is indeed a sarcophagus, made of wood and set into a niche in the south wall.
The furniture against the west wall turns out to be an alabaster dressing table, with drawers and vanity. The mirror is dusty but still well-polished. In front of the table is a chair, and sitting in the chair is a skeleton. It's head is tilted back. Papery bits of clothing still cling to the body.
The skeleton does not move when approached.
Walia gives a little prayer for the person who is now a skeleton and says, "I suggest we search the room."
"I agree.
Odd to find a dressing table in a crypt. With an occupant, no less.
Did they move into their beloved's tomb and live here? Or rather live here first and then have their partner interred in a niche in the wall?
Strange customs these Cynidiceans have."
Brathas moves to investigate first the dresser, then the sarcophagus. He will ask that Ferrous or Fistep be between him and the skeleton before he touches the sarcophagus; that seems like it could be a trigger to awaken the skeleton.
Still, he doesn't want to destroy the skeleton unless it animates.
Walia will have his holy symbol pointed directly at the skeleton just in case.
|
|
Though covered with cobwebs the dressing table is in fine shape, and would be worth quite a bit if you could get it to a suitable market, but that seems unlikely.
Ana realizes that the dressing table is actually enchanted, though she is unsure what the enchantment is. Ferrous notices several small holes in the metal plate where the handle of the drawer is, and suspects that something may shoot out of them if the drawer is tampered with.
The sracophagus is finely carved and seems to be sealed with some sticky resin, but no evidence of any traps, magic, or evil are found there.
The skeleton remains still.
Ferrous points out the potential trapped drawer and suggests loudly Usually people trap this they don't want others to have. I suggest we open that drawer.
Ana blows some of the dust and cobwebs off the table, cleaning the mirror enough to see herself in it.
Brathas attempts to disable the trap, then pick the lock.
The drawer pops open with a click.
|
|
Brushing the dust and cobwebs from the mirror and table reveals that the mirror is very well made and shows a clear reflection, but has no other effect.
Examining the contents of the drawer, the group finds a jeweled hairbrush, jeweled hand mirror, and a vial of perfume.
Ana notes that the hand mirror is enchanted, but is not able to discern what the enchantment is.
The jeweled hairbrush is worth 100 gp and the vial of perfume is worth 50 gp.
The skeleton remains still throughout the proceedings.
Walia says, "We should let Ana and Zyn try to figure out what is with mirror and dressing table."
Brathas looks over the contents of the dresser. He had thought to let the mages finish their examination before proceeding, but had a good feeling about the lock and trap.
He's still uncertain about curses.
"Is it safe to take these?"
He'll wait for input from others on the sarcophagus but will do his job if requested.
Walia will try to detect evil on the items and Sarcophagus
1) Mirror
2) Dressing Table
3) Sarcophagus
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Wallia spends a turn trying to detects no evil coming from anything in the room.
Meanwhile, Ana and Zynazyr try to unravel the magic if the mirror and the dressing table. Each attempt takes 10 minutes.
Zynazyr realizes that the hand mirror is a mirror of protection. Neither Ana nor Zynazyr are able to determine what the dresser does.
While the wizards take the time to examine the items, the rest of the group examines the sarcophagus , taking turns while two people watch the door. But no traps or anything else of interest is found.
Walia says, "May as well open the sarcophagus because if it is an undead creature within then it is best for future inhabitants that it is destroyed."
I say the elf keeps the mirror she's always catching herself in the mirrors anyways.
The dwarf grumbles as he moves towards the sarcophagus inspecting it for any traps opening it if he detects none.
|
|
The group pries open the lid of the sarcophagus.
Inside lies a desiccated corpse of a woman with hands crossed over her chest. She was wearing fine clothing which has since fallen apart revealing bones underneath. The corpse remains as still as... a corpse.
Around her neck is a gold necklace with emeralds worth 100 gp, and on either wrist is a gold bracelet with lapis inlay worth 50 gp.
The corpse does not seem to need the jewels so the group takes them. There is no response from the corpse.
"Should we go up and check in now? Maybe we can bring some of the books and try to sell them? We should also fill up on some water. Or do we want to rest so that I can read and the enchanters can learn some new things?"
Ana slips the mirror carefully into her pack, making sure to wrap it in the large sack. Giving the dwarf a dirty look, she moves to examine the sarcophagus with the others.
Zynazyr is pleasantly surprised by the mirror, realizing it could be quite useful for Ana or himself. He hesitates for a moment when Ferrous suggests Ana take the mirror, thinking he could use it to help protect himself. However, when he realizes it could make Ana more effective in combat, he hands the mirror to her.
He helps inspect the items in the sarcophagus, disappointed that there is nothing else magical. When Wallia suggests stopping for the day, he smiles with the anticipation of studying the spell book they found earlier. "Yes, I think we should return to the wizard's tomb so we can study his spell book and inspect the items some more. We can return this way tomorrow. I feel the farther we go and the more doors we open, the greater the chance we get attacked and the farther we will need to go to get back to relative safety," he says.
Walia says, "Let's continue going north."
"I agree with Walia. Let us explore a bit more. North sounds good to me."
|
|
The party travels along the hallway. The hallway is long, running for about 120' before turning to the east, and then narrowing after 10'.
In the northern wall facing the corridor to the south, there is another door. This door is badly damaged and in the bottom right hand corner is a large hole marks that looks to have been gnawed or scratched open.
The group takes turns checking the door but no traps are found, nor is any sound heard. However, the gnawed door is not a good sign. Holding the light to the door you can see inside the first section of the room and it seems to be empty, though you cannot see the far wall. You can see murals on the walls but from this angle you can't make out what they are.
Walia thinking that says " whatever is on the other side of the door is probably edible, we should toss one of them dead rats in there through the hole to see what happens. "
Tosses a rat into through the hole.
Ferrous takes out a rat tying his rope to a foot. Somethings only like hunting moving food. He explains to the others while waiting to see if anything went after the tossed in rat.
|
|
Fistep tosses a chink of dead rat through the hole into the room.
For a moment, there is nothing. Then you can hear scurrying sounds, and then sniffing, and then a squeaking noise and more scurrying.
You are able to catch glimpses of the creatures through the hole. They look rodent-like, but much bigger than giant rats. Perhaps the size of a decent-sized dog.
Ana recognizes the creatures as Giant Shrews. They are vicious predators who are always hungry, but they are nearly blind and hunt by sound and smell. They are not too tough but very fast.
Walia says, "That looks like dinner."
Probably not so interested in dead rodent then... Grabs his sword and shield and readies by the door Someone wanna open this door?
Walia says, "OK" as stands next to the hinge and pulls the door outwards toward him.
Brathas readies a dagger to throw.
|
|
The door actually opens inwards, but a push is all that is needed to open it.
Beyond the door a large chamber is revealed, thirty feet wide; the door sits in the middle of the south wall. The far end of the room is lost in darkness. The rat carcass is gone; all that remains is a smear of blood on the floor, indicating that the carcass was dragged northward.
At the sound of the door opening, a giant shrew emerges from the darkness, and sniffs the air in the direction of the party.
Walia hurls a bullet at the shrew with his sling if hits
Initiative
Brathas will throw his dagger and draw his short sword.
Steps into the breach and swings at the shrew... food?!
|
|
Wallia twirls his sling and sends a sling stone flying. It strikes the shrew, which shrieks loudly. Other answering shrieks are heard from the darkness.
Blindingly fast, the shrew attacks! It's teeth grate against Fistep's armor but manage to find a gap, and draw blood.
Four more shrews appear from the darkness. Two more are able to squeeze into the doorway to attack. One more attacks Fistep while the other attacks Ferrous. The one attacking Ferrous manages to sink its teeth into Ferrous' thigh!
The vicious attack of the shrews fills Fistep and Ferrous with Terror! Both Fistep and Ferrous turn and flee from the shrews!
Brathas' dagger buries itself in the neck of the wounded shrew, and it rolls over with a gurgle, dead.
Pre-rolled
Pre-rolled
Round 1 Initiative:
Block 1: The shrews
Block 2: Ana, Brathas, Ferrous, Fistep, Wallia, Zynazyr
Round 2 Initiative:
Block 1: Some shrews
Block 2: Brathas, Ferrous, Wallia, Zynazyr
Block 3: More shrews
Block 4: Ana, Fistep
Ana m0oves to the front and interposes herself between the shrews and the group. She slashes at the nearest shrew!
Walia hurls another bullet at the closest shrew if hits
Init
Zynazyr is surprised by the quickness of the vermin as they swarm the fighters. His surprise turns to concern as Fistep and Ferrous turn and run away, leaving him vulnerable to the creatures attacks. Seeing Ana step up helps calm him for a moment, but then he realizes he does not have any sleep spells left. Hoping to thin out the swarm, he throws his ustar at the nearest one.
He then drops the beetle glands and moves back from the doorway.
"Ana, you may need to step back from them to try to put them to sleep. I'll summon a warrior spirit if we need to," he says from a safer distance.
|
|
Zynazyr's dagger flies true and strikes the shrew in the neck. It gives out a horrible screech.
The shrew lashes out at Ana, the only target it can actually see, biting madly.
Ana is bitten savagely by the shrew. She feels fear rising, but masters it and remains in control.
Ferrous continues to flee to the south and disappears into the darkness.
Round 2 Initiative:
Block 1: Some shrews
Block 2: Brathas, Ferrous, Wallia, Zynazyr
Block 3: More shrews
Block 4: Ana, Fistep
Arghhh! Blasted things. Ferrous screams as he flees.
Walia hurls another bullet at the closest shrew if hits
Init
Brathas moves up next to Ana and stabs a shrew with his sword.
He then drops the beetle glands and moves back from the doorway.
Seeing the group dispatch a few of the creatures and a front line re-established, Zynazyr gets closer to the door in order to throw another ustar.
|
|
Zynazyr flings an ustar but it flies past the shrews harmlessly.
The two remaining shrews rush forwards, shrieking!
Pre-rolled
Ana and Brathas are able to desperately block the snapping jaws of the shrews, but the horrifying beasts send chills through Ana and Brathas' hearts! They both turn to run! Ana falls back down the corridor! Fistep continues to flee south and is now in darkness.
Fistep and Ferrous manage to swallow their fear and turn to face the beasts.
Round 3 Initiative:
Block 1: Ana, Ferrous, Fistep, Wallia, Zynazyr
Block 2: Some shrews
Block 3: Brathas