Noonan is having another senior moment. Is it time for prayer now? Martha? I can't find my slippers.
The cat tries to maintain the grapple!
The bird tries to free itself.
Tariq leans in with his blades while the tiger has a firm hold.
"Great job Ba'set! hold it firm!"
The bird is shredded by the angry attacks of Tariq, leaving you alone in the oasis.
Leaving you time to search the body near the river. The bones have picked clean by the stympalidies you murdered (and the two who fled) but you see clothing and and equipment that includes a certain golden mask that you recognize all too well. Included in that is a fragment of canvas where you find a sketch of a part of the mountains...and a crown made of a circlet of gold studded with teardrops of diamonds and jade.
Noonan's eyes finally start working again. Oh my! I wonder if we could use those feathers as darts. Who here is wounded?
Well that was exciting
Shad says as he keeps his head covered, and he adjusts his shawl so none of his skin is hit by the horrific sun.
Where to now?
Noonan grabs some ale to heal Dwal's wounds by pouring it over the cuts
10+5 healed
Dwalindor recognizes the mountain range and is confident he can find the location sketched on the canvas. Perhaps it has more treasure within it.
So how long will we be traveling?
Dwalllll! Shad is looking at me again!
He looked at me first. He tried to take my hat. And that is mean...cause that will kill me
He pauses
No seriously. That will kill me.
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Shad, I am surprised you do not have a way to call darkness around you. Those dang birds probably would not have liked it one bit.
The dwarf keeps marching.
I am getting thirsty in these mountains. I thought we were going to get some more ale...what happened to the colored water passing for beer that we brought anyway? I am sure I did not drink all of it yet
Noonan creates water
"Hey guys look at this stuff the birds left behind. . . A golden mask. A fragment of canvas with a sketch of a part of the mountains... "
"Meh, . . . and a crown consisting of a circlet of gold studded with teardrops of diamonds and jade. . . . hummmm."
Tariq studies the crown trying to see if there is anything about it that would allow him to make a nobility check.
"So steel Ibises, these are the remains the scorpion man was talking about . . . to the tomb of the architect which marks the southernmost border of our protected lands - perhaps I will find the place these monkeys come from and question them to determine why they haunt our tombs. I intend to meet with Bartal and hand him this letter when he journeys back to you in the shadow of the Great Riddlemaker. . . . So this map might show the way to the the tombs in the mountains? I think i am going to wrap all the creatures items in a skin. When we meet this Bartal I want to make it clear we are not the intruders."
"Any thoughts on who the Great Riddle Maker is Noonan? I think he must be talking about a god. If we can figure out which god these scorpionfolk follow it could be really useful."
Tariq turns the mask over in his hands.
Noonan ponders
Noonan ponders and aside from possibly a sphinx you can't think of anything referred to as a "riddle maker".
As you travel through the desert, following a path only a Pahmet could find, you find yourself coming to a rocky outcrop - The facade of a once-grand temple extends upwards from among the dunes. The slender gold columns and cupola of the temple suggest the image of an elegant gilded cage. Patches of bare rock show through where the gold leaf has flaked away, however, and cracked steps worn from the passage of countless feet show the temple’s age. Desert sand lies thickly on the temple’s
balustrades, but the steps seem freshly swept.
/
Noonan takes the opportunity to pray for new spells.Wonder who is inhabiting if the stairs are swept
After a few days of travel tariq tries to determine the owner of the crown.
"Guardians or the faithful of course. Raiders rarely sweep."
Tariq scans the area looking for potential hazards and indications of what god the temple is dedicated to.
"Some one or something must be watching us."
"Do Spinx's sweep?"
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Yeah, somebody's probably been watchin us for months. That's the only thing can explain all the weird stuff happenin' to us most of the time. But, let em watch. We will catch them soon enough and turn the tables on them there napping sphinxes or whoever they are.
Unless something jumps out at them, Dwalindor hefts his hammer and approaches the stairs.
A broad-shouldered human man with sundarkened skin, white hair, and a dignified bearing is exploring the temple.
As you approach he's surprised and walks down the stair to meet you.
Oh, travelers. That's unusual - what brings you to this temple?
Shad stays to the back not sure how people will react to him
Well we are just seeking to pay our respects here and rest a while before continuing our travels. Might you spare some shade for us?
You're welcome to sit on the portico, but Iust insist you stay outside of the temple proper.
Noonan looks at the man, trying to pick out any signs of his faith
Perhaps we wish to worship.
The man laughs expansively.
Oh ho, you wish to worship. Tell me dwarf man and shadow thing, what god do you think is worshipped here?
You recognize the structure as a temple of Sarenrae. You also identify small religious glyphs carved on the pillars indicating that the temple’s residents deconsecrated the temple in a formal ceremony, probably as part of moving to another holy site. In such a ceremony, the temple relics would have been removed, along with any items of value that could be of use at the new site.
Noonan moves in front of Dwal a bit so his back is to the man. Oh, not so many probing questions. We are guests here after all Noonan points his finger at his own holy symbol.
Ha, you are wrong there dwarf man. Listen to your big friend, he is learned.
I have claimed this temple and preserve its historic value from vandals so no need to worry about whose temple it is. Tell me dwarf man, shadow thing and polite one; since you are not here for worship, why are you here? And why is your turbaned friend with a big cat so quiet?
”I am quiet to better use my ears and eyes in this place. I am one who travels the desert and studies monuments such as this, but I am no vandal. Failure to honor and preserve treasure such as this is to lose the wisdom of our ancestors and to spit upon our own origins. My name is Tariq Ibn-Ziyad. After a long trek whom do we have the honor of meeting?”
The desert warrior gives a sweeping bow.
Well spoken traveler - my name is Zaid Faad. I am an explorer myself, and there are many interesting mosaics and hieroglyphs in the temple itself. Come back in a month and I can share my notes with you if you like.
The man smiles, knowing that you almost certainly won't return.
Hehehehe..Now Dwal, we haven't been the best of people have we? Noonan tries to soothe things over.
I am a traveler yes - but no, I do not belong to the Pathfinder Society. I journey by myself and for myself.
If we may good sir, under your guidance of course
The man shakes his head.
No, no. The temple is definitely off limits until I finish my examination.
Can we help?