Yalls first day of research proves very fruitful..
You find an index that catalogs all of the scrolls copied from Hakotep's library, but the scrolls have clearly been moved or hidden and are not where they are supposed to be.
Later on you finally locate the missing scrolls. A huge pile containing several references to the Sky Pharaoh and his participation in some ancient war. The Sky Pharaoh is represented by a very distinct hieroglyph of a winged pyramid. According to the scrolls, the Sky Pharaoh was convinced that an attack was coming from enemies who lived in cities in the clouds, and that he was frantically searching for a weapon to defeat them. Apparently, the pharaoh eventually succeeded in finding this weapon, but all that remains of the scrolls that detail this weapon are a handful of ragged papyrus scraps depicting confusing
geometrical patterns. Again it appears the scrolls that go into detail are not hear.
Later on you find a large collection of tablets bound in cloth marked with the Sky Pharaoh’s winged pyramid hieroglyph contains a number of transcribed recollections of several courtiers at Hakotep’s court. These accounts make passing references to the Sky Pharaoh having access to stolen Shory magic.
Its late in the day when you finish your reasearch and head back to the Inn.. There you meet up with Hadjii and he gives you a report of what happened.. The following day is the same and you can roll again Calla.
"I did observe a couple of cultists entering a mercantile: I've noted the location of that building. Perhaps we should investigate that tomorrow; for today, I will join you in these interesting "spirals" you have described!"
Hadjii's Aid Another rolls:
so he'll succeed in adding +2 on each if those checks, if Calla does a check in that area...
Logos yawns. "Seems like this place has some clues, but not what we need. But, now that we know what to look for..." He traces a finger over the winged pyramid glyph. "...we might find some more information if we specifically look for this symbol, not just on books or scrolls, but on the library itself. Hidden rooms, artifacts, and so on."
The next day with the help of everyone Calla and the crew is able to unlock the rest of the Spiral Archives secrets..
A dusty, otherwise unremarkable scroll contains a lengthy passage about the burial of Hakotep I, with a passing reference to his tomb having wings. The scroll also contains a tantalizing fragment of the confession of a member of a group called the Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather, who claimed that when the Sky Pharaoh was interred, his heart and funerary mask were stolen from his tomb before it was lost to the skies. These two objects supposedly contained the pharaoh’s soul, but his body was left behind in the tomb. This confession was extracted in –1560 ar, some 50 years after the pharaoh’s death. There are also references to considerable efforts by Hakotep’s successor, Pharaoh Djederet II, to round up members of the Sacrosanct Order for questioning. The results of the interrogations were recorded on a collection of scrolls called the Scrolls of Inquiry, but this collection is not held within the Spiral Archive. You all can identify
the Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather as a secretive sect of the priesthood of Nethys dedicated to the collection and preservation of knowledge.
You all also find a curator’s catalog reveals that the Scrolls of Inquiry were moved to another of the Inner Sanctum’s libraries, the Dark Depository 103 years ago.
"Guess that means we need to look into the Dark Depository. Why doesn't that fill me with glee?"
"I imagine we'll need light there. Perhaps we should get a wayfinder -- but secretly! We wouldn't want to be mistaken for some of those Pathfinder scum!"
Logos nods. "And, once we find the Dark Depository, that will lead to the Murderous Mausoleum, and from there to the Gory Graveyard, and then to the Happy Hollow, where we will be eaten alive by Cannibal Fairies."
"That's why I like you Logos. You're just a ray of sunshine. "
Ok so with the access slip you all have the curators tell you where the hidden entrance to the Dark Depository is. They also remind you that you have but 1 day left on addmittance before you will be required to get a slip again. They also warn that few scholars tread the library’s dark halls, and that the forbidden knowledge held within the Dark Depository has spawned things that have never seen the sun.
It's late evening when the directions bring you to the entrance. It appears to be a dried up well a bucket access and all.. Peering down into the darkness shows nothing up to Hemket's 60' darkvision.
Shall yall enter now or the next day?
Get on with it today as we have limited time.
After heading down the rope for about 60' you come to a set of steel rungs set into the wall.. They continue to head down for almost 400'. By the time you reach the bottom your limbs are exhausted and burning. In front of you all stands a set of large bronze doors set into the eastern wall. It's a very tight fit in the hole with all 5 of you lol..
Hemket will take his time examining the door for traps (take 20)
perception 33.
as soon as the party is clear of the curators, Hadjii will put the Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh back on, and turn into a wolf (medium size).
when they get to the vertical shaft, he'll cast his prepared Communal Spider Climb -- which will last 10 minutes each (100 rounds). That's the only way a wolf is getting down there! since we're just walking down the wall most of the way, our limbs won't be so overworked.
double-moving with a climb speed of 20' (running is not allowed with Spider Climb)), that'll save us 400' of climbing: everyone will have to use the ladder for the last 60' however. Hadjii will have to use his prepared regular Spider Climb to finish the trek down -- and he'll still have Spider Climb running for over an hour, so he'll walk on the ceiling most of the time!
by standing on the wall, 6' up from the floor, Hadjii can make it a little less crowded at the bottom...
Crazy spider wolves..
Hemket is able to make out that the door is deff trapped.. Calla promptly tells him its a magical glyph after casting detect magic and examining it.. Prob the blow up in your face kinda thing..
Hemket will disable the trap.
when he sees the Slayer start playing with the glyph, the spider wolf backs up the wall to about 50' up...
then, when he sees a good roll (I assume success) he'll come back down -- but will remain in the rear of the party, walking on the ceiling, and "checking six" frequently!
Hemket takes care of the trap with ease.. Opening the doors yall see.
Three short corridors slope down from the center of this cruciform chamber, each ending at a wall with a large, carved stone face— one frightened, one sad, and one angry. Tablets, statues, icons, and carvings cram the corridors. A heaping pile of bones sits in the intersection of the 3 corridors.
Transversing this room is tricky and requires a DC 10 acro to not fall prone.
Hemket has +15 acrobatics, so he dances right across the room without any trouble. He takes a careful look at the bones before getting real close.
derp "Looks safe in here. "
The bones do not move as you get close. Which way first? None of the walls have doors so prob a good idea to search for secret stuffs..
take 20 searching the area for a 30.
I imagine there are somewhat fewer bones scattered on the ceiling...
from a spot right above the bones, Hadjii will crane his canine neck down to examine them -- using his Mage Hand to pick through 'em a bit: how many different critters' bones are here?
Marius will auto assist hemket's perception check.
Hemket notices several secret doors throughout the room, 5 in all.. Which shall you try first?
Hadjii they are the bones of many different things. SOme you recognize, some you don't..
Hemket will check out the secret door to the south for traps and if clear open it.
take 20 for 33 perception vs. traps.
Your pretty sure it has some sorta scything blade trap connected to the door.
"This place must be hell on the librarians. "
You're pretty sure you disarmed it.. Opening the door you see..
A series of high walls blanketed in hieroglyphs forms a twisting maze of narrow corridors in this chamber. Shelves, recesses, cabinets, and cubby holes crammed with scrolls, stone slates, and wax tablets line the walls.
Welcome to the Shadow Stacks! The ceilings are 20' high btw..
assist Calla if that is how this works.
do the shelves go up to the ceiling? If so, Hadjii the spider-wolf can review the upper 5' of shelves from his upside-down position on the ceiling (at least for the better part of the next hour or so)...
In any case, the Hadj moves directly to his left upon entry to the room, until he gets to the corner. Then he moves up a bit -- either to examine books (if the shelves go up the full 20'), or just to look across the ceiling from this vantage.
Marius will be next to Calla and auto assisting any of the knowledge checks here.
The selves do indeed go up to the ceiling.. Hadjii give me a perc check.
Hemket and Marius can give me one as well.
Yea everyone fails to notice the shadowy figures approaching to take your souls..
Hits touch AC
Init Order:
Hadjii
Hemket
Marius
Baddies
Calla
Logos
Hadjii, Hemket, and Marius are up!
Hemket will volley arrows at the one attacking Marius.
rapid shot, deadly aim, +1 bow
miss
Your 2nd and third arrows hit bu do roughly half to the incorpeal creature..
Marius shifts back and channels energy to harm undead.
These be Greater Shadows.. They have a Str Damaging attack and are incorporeal, obviously.. Not much else to be known.
Both make the save for half.. Regardless there's some hissing/sizzling..
Hadjii is up!
-20
-8
Hadjii-wolf will take a 5' step back, and taps the Mask of the Forgotten Pharoah's <Death Ward> power as a spell-like ability...
then he barks at the shadow, trying to provoke it.
The shadows attack again!
both hit
Hadjii's realizes it can no longer damage him and hisses..
Calla and Logos are up and i think both are absent atm so ill bot them
Calla hits the one in front with a buffed magic missile..
Logos rages and attacks it twice.. His Ankh flashes as he attacks the undead..
he hits with both
After the missiles and Logos's claws the shadow disappates into nothing..
fire at the one on Marius again.
deadly aim, rapid shot, point blank, bless
Yea you, Hadjii, and Marius are up again.. The one on Marius is dead btw..
The Hadj will cast Light on his pointy wolf ears: if the shadow tries to move away, he will follow where ever it goes -- keeping it illuminated so that it can be targeted by the party's effective killers...
I want this thing destroyed!
Hemket holds his arrows till the other shadow comes for life..
Which it happens to be him..
and hits..
Which i assume you 5' back and attack your 3 times with 1 miss.. Slightly less damage due to str loss..
The party finishes the shadow before it can attack again.. Out of combat!
Beign free to do research over the next 8 hours yall discover numerous references to interrogations can be found, including mentions of the Scrolls of Inquiry, recording the confessions of members of the Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather, a sect of Nethysians who were questioned immediately after the death and burial of Hakotep I. The fact that the members of the sect were priests and priestesses of Nethys was kept secret, as Nethys was much revered in Ancient Osirion. Hakotep’s successor, Djederet II, was a priest of Nethys himself, and he deemed that the potential backlash of such information becoming public could lead to dangerous civil unrest. Looks like more research elsewhere will be needed..
Yall also find scrolls of animate dead, contagion, ray of exhaustion, and symbol of pain in this chamber.
Ok so yall staying the night or heading out to rest?
Hadjii will morph human and use the wand o' Lesser Restoration:
4 charges scratched...
The druid will be happy to carry the scroll of Contagion.
"Should we stick it out and try to finish up here? I get the idea that we don't have a lot of time. "