Myron disengages and heads for the west door, ready to slam it shut once Mus'ad passes through.
Myron and Pherenike withdraw to just off the west side of the platform while Kheled moves out into the hallway.
The sarcophagus is content to focus on Mus'ad...
...but the Pahmet easily fends it off.
Ahkenaten and Aerathiel join Kheled in the hallway.
Myron and Pherenike followed the others out of the room, each taking a door, preparing to close it after Mus'ad cleared the room as well. Kheled waited to see what happened.
All eyes were on the dwarven ranger as he deftly removed himself from the melee and made for the doors as well, the sarcophagus in pursuit.
Pherenike and Myron slammed the door closed as planned as soon as Mus'ad was through and just in time to block the animated object. The doors thudded violently as the sarcophagus slammed into the other side, but the doors held. At least for now.
My suggestion, put a spike in the floor to hold the door and lets make an orderly retreat. We can return tomorrow and finish exploring the tomb.
Kheled is just delaying to see what the group decides.
While the others hold the door shut, Myron reaches into his pack and grabs the hammer and pitons he recovered from the corpse earlier. He swiftly hammers all of the pitons in place to keep the door securely closed.
Despite the pitons, Mus'ad is not confident that the door will hold. He slings his shield from his back unto his arm and warily watches the door flex with each pounding blow from beyond.
Once the door is secured, Myron stands and drops the hammer back into his pack. Then he prepares to retreat.
"I doubt it will hold long, but it just might give us time to reach the rope and get out. If it breaks through, we'll hear it coming and have time to make a defensive stand. Let's get out now."
The doors are tested once more, and hold fast, before the tomb falls silent once more.
Slowly backing away from the door Mus'ad ventures "Door maybe hold... but thing could still get loose... best be careful..." before moving off in a direction that they had not yet plumbed...
The party circles back via the secret passageway and past the southern doors leading into the false tomb. They can see that the animated sarcophagus has returned to its previous spot upon the central dias. Taking no chances, the outermost southern doors are similarly closed and secured before the party retraces their steps back up the sand covered stairs and through the mirror room to the foyer.
An as of yet unexplored set of doors lead north out of the foyer. Mus'ad searches and finds no traps nor locks on them, or the second set behind them and down a short flight of steps.
Opening the second yet reveals another room the same size as the foyer. A brightly painted chariot sits in the center of this chamber. Beyond the chariot, a large canvas stretches between two stone columns. The skins of several animals—antelopes, great cats, and crocodiles—now faded and deteriorated with age, are tacked to this canvas. A wooden chest, lacquered white and trimmed with gold inlay, sits in the southeast corner. In each corner of the room a small stone shield is molded into the masonry at shoulder height. An open hallway leads to the east.
Mus'ad can just see another room off to the east. A large table is visible as are more chests.
As is typical of each room they encounter, Mus'ad's first instinct is to exhort caution as he investigates the room for any pressure plates or traps...
...before looking Eastwards and murmuring [b]"Best be safe before look at anything, and investigating the corridor and other room before contemplating opening the lacquered white and gold chest.
Mus'ad finds the chariot room untrapped but the chest within it to be. It looks like a blade will slice at the hand of anyone trying to open the lock.
Ignoring that for the moment and peering down the short connecting hallway, containing four golden funerary masks hanging on one wall, staring down as if in judgment at anyone standing in the corridor, you spy the room beyond.
The same size as the room you stand in, you see a table displaying a three-dimensional diorama occupies much of the north side of the room. Three shields with different designs are displayed upon a rack against the east wall, while various weapons hang from another rack along the south wall. Arrayed around the room are five small chests and a clay urn.
Mus'ad points at the white chest "Trap... blade cut hand if try lock. Mus'ad will deal with later" before repeating his detailed search of the room with the diorama, noting any points where traps are observed. For his he ignores the diorama and tapestry - assuming those with more well trained brains will ken more details. If no further traps or foes are found he returns to the white chest and begins the long task of removing his outer armor.
As Mus'ad enters the second room, he catches movement upon the diorama table. Some of the tiny soldiers come alive and begin moving in his direction!
Faster than Mus'ad can react, one of the tiny soldiers slides down the table leg and rushes the Pahmet. Moving right between Mus'ad's legs the diminutive construct swings at his ankle...
...but his greave absorbs the surprisingly strong blow.
Aerathiel quite audibly sighs at what appear to be yet more constructs and once more brings to mind his acid conjuring cantrip. It is not as if the elven mage did not expect guardians in such a place, but the fact that they appear to be of the sort that is highly resistant to mundane weaponry has started to irritate him somewhat. Of course, he readily admit that what better guardians for a tomb than non-living ones?
Aerathiel misses with his trusty spell just as another figurine drops from the table and rushes past Mus'ad to get at Myron...
...catching the smaller halfling in the knee with a solid blow.
Myron winces at the bruise on his shin, then retaliates with a solid smack from his sling staff.
Pherenike's strike misses just as Myron's blow glances off of the durable miniature warrior that darts about underfoot.
The third tiny defender leaps from the table at Mus'ad with in a spirited attempt to cold cock the dwarf before he can get his wits about him...
...but Mus'ad dodges the blow as the diminutive construct lands on the floor next to his comrade.
Round 1:
Stepping away from the midget sized assault Mus'ad puts hands on his warhammer. Kicking away a construct he attempts to bring the blunted weapon down in a heavy smash upon the creature...
Guidance, then move up to Mus'ad and touch him with it. Blessings from Pharasma, use it wisely! Since I moved beofre him, he could have used it on his attack or save it for next round.
Mus' ad's hammer blow, aided by Kheled's magic, pounds one of the durable warrior figurines into fragments.
Ahkenaten stays in the back and watches the battle unfold, ready to contribute should it prove necessary.
"At least these things break easily enough once you manage to hit them." Myron remarks as he kicks away a piece of broken doll and prepares to take another swing at the doll fighting him.
Aerathiel tries his luck with another bolt of acid...
...and manages to hit the tiny target, melting a good portion of the warriors features.
The construct retaliates by rushing the wizard and swinging at Aerathiel with both its fists...
...hitting twice but doing little by way of damage.
Myron smacks at the doll that is attacking Aerathiel. But the nimble construct evades the blow.
Pherenike and Myron continue to have difficulty hitting the tiny figures dashing about underfoot.
Ahkenaten heeds Pherenike's words and makes ready to move back if required.
The as of yet undamaged construct moves on Kheled...
...looking to knock him in his bad leg...
...but the oracle is able to lift it clear in time.
Barking at Kheled "Move" Mus'ad steps forward and attempts to crush the construct wedged betwixt himself and Pherenike...
Flanking Warhammer: for
Kheled steps aside and casts guidance on Mus'ad again.
Mud'ad misses after moving forward to flank with Pherenike.
Aerathiel holds his position and tries to finish the tiny warrior at his feet with his acid...
...but misses.
The construct retaliates with two punches from his tiny fists...
...knocking the elven wizard to the floor unconscious.
Pherenike destroys the construct that downed Aerathiel.
The Professor bends down to check on Aerathiel while keeping a wary eye on the remaining toy soldier, stating calmly, He still lives.
"Oi, shorty - over here!" Myron calls out, whacking at the remaining doll with his sling staff, hoping to distract it so Pherenike can finish that one too.
The tiny soldier ignores Myron and moves on Pherenike, hoping to bring her low as well...
...but his attempt is pitiful.
Stepping forward Mus'ad holds his blow until Pherenike backs away - so as to provide the both of them with the benefit of flanking...
Warhammer: for
Kheled casts guidance on Mus'ad once again as the dwarf moves up and waits to time his strike just so.
Kheled would have probably stabilized the Elf.
With Pherenike's last powerful strike, the last of the animated tomb defenders is obliterated sending pieces flying in all directions.
Kheled steps over to attend to Aerathiel, and after a few minutes has the elf back on his feet. Aerathiel is still a little wobbly.
With the last of the tomb guardians hopefully dealt with, Mus'ad set to dealing with the trapped chest as the others explored the rest of the room.
The Pahmet skillfully disables the poisoned blade and carefully opens the beautifully carved chest to reveal three small stoppered metallic vials and two books with thin, gold-plated metal sheets for pages.
The first is a brief biography of Akhentepi, while the second is a list and description of the various military campaigns conducted by the nation of Osirion between 2350 and 2450 ar. The books are quite heavy, roughly 25 lbs each, but obviously valuable.
Kheled examines the four golden funerary masks hanging on the wall while Pherenike's eye is drawn to the northern rack holding the three shields.
The shield on the right is a light wooden shield identical to the shields carried by the soldiers in the diorama. It bears Ancient Osiriani hieroglyphs that Ahkeneaten remarks spell the name "Akhentepi, marking those soldiers as under his command". The light wooden shield on the left does not appear to be Osirian in origin...
... but Mus'ad reveals that it is similar in style to those used by tribes in the Mwangi Expanse far to the south.
The center shield is unusual in that it is a light steel shield shaped like a scarab; it matches the one borne by Akhentepi in the engravings within the tomb complex. Aerathiel attunes his senses to magical auras and determines the scarab shield, along with the three vials from the trapped chest, are magical.
Aerathiel determines one of the potions is a healing draught and the shield is known as a "Scarab Shield" . Kheled is able to identify one of the others as a healing draught as well while Ahkenaten determines the last grants the drinker with .
The other rack on the south wall holds a composite shortbow, a khopesh, and a spear. The bow lacks a string but seems like it should be serviceable if that deficiency is rectified. The khopesh and spear are of the highest quality and bear unique engravings, marking them as the personal weapons of Akhentepi.
Mus'ad checks the remaining chests and urn for traps but finds none. In fact they aren't even locked, each only sealed with wax.
Myron sets to opening them up as each is cleared by Mus'ad. They contain a sack with 100 golden coins emblazoned with a sun and 42 silver bits marked with a chariot, and several scroll tubes holding papyrus records, private memos, expense ledgers, speeches, and private correspondence.
Ahkenaten gives the writings are cursory looking over stating There seems to be of little of interest in the papers, but to the right collector or Osirionologist, these documents could be worth something.
The clay urn contains nard, an expensive, oily perfume.
Price: 4399 gp Slot: shield CL: 3rd Weight: 6lbs.
Aura: faint conjuration
This +1 light steel shield is fashioned in the shape of a scarab beetle—a creature that functions as a psychopomp for Pharasma, guiding the souls of the departed into the afterlife. Scarab shields are especially favored by archaeologists and tomb raiders for the protection they grant against guardians and vermin frequently found in ancient ruins and forgotten tombs.
Once per day on command, a scarab shield grants its wielder a +2 sacred bonus on saving throws against fear and death effects for 3 minutes. At any time while this bonus is in effect, the wielder can end the effect as a swift action for a burst of healing energy. The wielder loses the saving throw bonus, but is healed of 1d8+3 points of damage.
In addition, a scarab shield can protect its wielder from swarms. If a mindless swarm attempts to enter the wielder’s space, the swarm must attempt a DC 11 Will save. If the save succeeds, the swarm can enter the wielder’s space and attack the wielder normally. If the save fails, the swarm instinctively avoids the space occupied by the wielder, completely ignoring the wielder for 3 rounds. This effect ends if the wielder makes any attacks, but the wielder may use non-attack spells or otherwise act without ending the effect. This ability functions once per day.
--- Cost: 2279 gp
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, blessing of courage and life, sanctuary
Fairly sure you have found and explored everything there is to discover in the tomb of Akhentepi, and with Aerathiel still suffering from the battering he has taken the last few minutes and hours, you load up that which you wish to take and begin to make for the surface.
Myron examines the many treasures with interest.
[b]"I suspect the pharasmins who sent us here will be pleased to see us return with such an abundance. These items will certainly shine new light on the past of this country. If we ever manage to haul it all back, that is,"[b] he says.
A good haul, though it was guarded quite heavily for a long dead man. I hope they are not all like this.