Gameplay thread
dot
test
test
Dotting
Omor walks down the street toward the team's gathering spot. Is that where we are supposed to meet? I thought it was the signpost.
The bustling desert city of Wati is near bursting with excitement. Adventurers from every corner of the Inner sea region have assembled here beneath the hot Osirian sun to explore the tombs of the city's necropolis, waiting only to be assigned their first sites for the exploration. Surrounding the participants, the public has gathered to observe the ceremony as well. There is a festival-like quality in the air, and numerous street vendors are hawking goods and refreshments to participants and spectators alike. Some merchants have even brought what can only be considered adventuring gear to sell as last minute convenience items to explorers, while others advertise that they'll buy recovered treasures and antiquities from those who visit their establishments.
In front of the imposing edifice of the Grand Mausoleum, an immense awning has been erected between desecrated pillars in the market to provide shade for the priests of Pharasma overseeing the lottery. Beneath the awning, two urns sit atop a table elevated a few feet above the ground on a wooden stage constructed for the event. The high priestess of the Grand Mausoleum, Sebti the Crocodile, sits behind the table, while two acolytes confer with her at either side.
Omor continues moving slowly around the market, keeping his hood up and his face in shadows. I hope I don't run into any of my former classmates. That might be awkward, he thinks.
After examining some of the vendors' wares and deciding he is good with supplies, he returns to the group. "Did anybody get an update on when the announcement will start? I don't think that High Priestess Sebti would want to keep everybody out here for too long." At the mention of the high priestess' name, Omor touches the symbol of a comet hanging around his neck.
Aya waits tapping her foot impatiently, hands on her hips tail flicking about Where are they..
Donnen looks at Omor and Aya with a half-smile.
Probably fashionably late, I guess. But hey, team, this might be our real chance. We all know very well how far the previous businesses went, right?
The brawler scratches his bald head, trying to avoid thinking too much about the past. Jokes aside, maybe this was really going to be the adventure to bring "relics" to the "seekers" - since, so far, they got squat.
Omor chuckles with Donnen,"True, it would be hard for us to do worse than last time. Maybe we can actually get paid for our work this time." At least I have some coin left over from my temple days so no need to worry about eating, he reassures himself.
You make your way to the area by the stage outside the Grand Mausoleum where several other groups are also waiting. The lottery is about to start. Sebti the Crocodile rises to her feet and looks over the crowd. She calls for silence and then begins to speak
"Let the lottery begin! Although many of you have requested specific sites to explore, we must leave these matters to fate. The Lady of Graves is a far better judge of destiny than we of this mortal sphere. The gates of the necropolis will open at sunrise tomorrow. Use this evening to prepare yourselves for the task ahead. Let these rules guide you in your endeavours in this holy place: remember how this came to pass, every slave's hut is a memorial and honour the departed. May you go with the Lady's blessing."
With that the attendants start to call out the groups names one by one together with the name of the area they have to explore. After some time they call out Relic Seekers - the Tomb of Akhentepi
When Sebti the Crocodile rises, Omor immediately becomes silent and maintains a reverential and respectful tone.
"That's us! Relic Seekers, let's go and get our tomb assignment. I have a good feeling about this one."
Dox rushes to where the rest of her group, the Relic Seekers, is waiting in the crowd outside the Grand Mausoleum, just as the high Priestess announced which tomb they had gotten.
"I'm just in time. Would've been here sooner but I had to sell some daggers." With a laugh, she tosses her long, vibrate red hair over her shoulder.
"What do we do for the rest of the night" Dox asks her friends as the Priestess finishes calling out matches.
We prepare to enter the Tomb, ill not have any of us get lost or gods forbid perish on my watch..we could also do research on the tomb itself before going in. Akhentepi. Her tail calms, her ears perk and she smirks.
Omor thinks about what he might know about the name Akhentepi.
"Yes, we should prepare for the morning and I don't mean just buy more overpriced gear." In a hushed and reverent tone he continues, "The Necropolis is a sacred place to Pharasma and should not be entered rashly. Tonight, I will be performing the ritual of prophecy to see what the Lady of Graves reveals. "
Omor you perform the ritual. You get the impression that there is some danger in Akhentepi's tomb but that a greater danger will be coming to Wati shortly and it is that danger that you will need to overcome.
Donnen ponders on what he knows about Akhentepi, but doesn't interfere with his colleagues - instead, he shares what he knows once everybody is free.
Agreed, my friends - we meet here at the morning. - he finally completes, preparing to rest after checking his equipment.
Donnen you remember the name of Akhentepi as that of a minor functionary of the temple of Pharasma from centuries ago, you don't know much about him.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dawn comes and you head out to the tomb. A rectangular stone mausoleum sits alone in what appears to have once been an actual cemetery. The trunks of a few dead trees poke out of the sand around the tomb, and a hot breeze whistles through their dessicated branches. A set of massive stone double doors is affixed to the northern side of the structure, beneath a facade bearing the likeness of an Osirian man. Windblown sand is heaped around the crypt, partially burying the doors that lead within.
-----------------------
As the Relic Seekers walk toward the Tomb of Akhentepi, Omor is nervous possibly even a bit jittery. He tries to be calm and let everybody know what was revealed to him. "We should be very careful this day. The Lady of Graves has revealed danger in the tomb and a greater peril beyond that. I would not normally trouble everyone with this but it is unusual to get such a clear response to a reading of the bones."
-----------------------
As they arrive at the tomb, Omor looks around the gravesite for signs that others may have encroached on their lottery assignment.
"Relic Seekers, this is what we came for!" he says. "Remember to use care, both for us and for any of the interred dead."
No one has been in the tomb. The doors outward buy you will need to clear some sand away which will take about 10 minutes.
Not a problem, Omor. You know how careful we are. - says Donnen, smiling, as he approaches to start the work - Oh well, sand away, sand away.
Seeing all the sand in front of the door, Dox shakes her head, asking "Anyone bring a shovel?"
Not really expecting anyone to have one, Dox sets her backpack on the ground, riffles around for her for her mess kit. Taking her plate, she'll start helping move the sand away from the door after checking for any traps.
Omor nods to Donnen when he confirms the need for care. "I know, Donnen. You are right about that. I trust everybody to do the right thing, I'm just extra nervous today on account of my reading."
Then to Doxania, "No shovel here, Dox, but it looks like you have the right idea." He then joins the two in clearing sand from the doors with their improvised tools.
ugh, annoying. she helps clear away the sand, joining the others with an iron pot she lazily levitates out of her pack we'll be fine, if anything dangerous shows up ill light it on fire.
Omor gets to thinking, "Aya if you can levitate that pot, can you do the same for this sand? That might be more effective than digging with our dinner plates."
Sand is too loose, like water rather than rock. Some mages can, my spell focus tends more toward destruction and evocation rather than the transmutation required for flight she goes off on her lecture on basic magics, explaining off hand.
While moving the sand, Omor listens to Aya pontificate about how magic works for her.
"It works totally differently for me. I think of something that I really want to happen, then open myself to The Lady's power. If she thinks the ask is righteous, I can feel her power surge through me like water moving quickly through a canal. Sometimes, she must not agree because I get no power to channel."
You manage to clear the sand away to find 2 stone doors that open outwards
Donnen looks at Doxania with friendly eyes.
Is it safe, Dox? - says the striker.
Omor stands back just in case he missed something.
"See anything unusual or should we start opening the tomb?"
I've never had to worry about my power, its always just...happened its in my blood. looking to the doors someone should check the doors for traps or safe guards just in case
Dox examines the stone doors careful, checking to see if there are any traps now that the sand had been cleared away.
If she doesn't notice anything unusual, dox opens the doors.
Omor helps Dox open the stone doors that appear to have been undisturbed for some centuries. "I don't think anything is getting into or out of here too easilly, " he says with a grunt.
Realizing her mistake that she could easily open the door, Dox acknowledges Omor's help with a nod, while shoving with all her might to get the door open.
Swiping her brow, she muttered, "Well, hope that's all the heavy lifting we have to do." With a laugh at her silliness, she cautiously steps inside.
"Give me a minute to take a quick look around, guys. Also, for those that can't see in the dark, you'll probably want to light torch." Chuckling to herself, Dox slowly wonders around.
Donnen lights a torch and follows, entering the place with curious eyes.
This rectangular room is empty save for some engravings and fixtures upon the walls, a pair of heavy stone doors to the north, and an immense stone wheel against the south wall. The air is stale, and a layer of dust and sand covers the floor, lying in a thicker layer to the south. All four walls bear sunk relief engravings and hieroglyphs, while small stone faces are affixed to the walls at about shoulder height in each corner. The stone wheel to the south is engraved with a large spiral and is set in stone tracks in the floor and ceiling.
Omor walks slowly around the room, investigating the various hieroglyphs, stone faces, and the stone wheel with the spiral.
Aya walks in curious, Whats with that wheel on the track?
"It's either a way to open the door or a trap, I'd bet." Walking around, Dox studies the room before heading over to take a closer look at that wheel and the track. "Shall I move it?""Not touching it yet, she asks "Any ideas about the large spiral on here?"
I will not touch it before they tell me I can, I will not touch it before they tell me I can. Over and over, Doxania repeated that to herself.
I'm not sure moving it would be a good idea... - says Donnen, taking precaution - ... Then again, probably entering this place wasn't a good idea either. Anyway, my vote would be to go take a look at what's beyond those two big doors there.
Omor compares the spiral on the stone wheel to the Comet of Pharasma. Could this be a sign?
The hieroglyphics are written in ancient Osiriani and read
Akhentepis tomb is well defended and those who defile it tempt the wrath of the gods.
The only thing that the Lady of Graves despises more than a grave robber is an unsuccessful grave robber.
The spiral on the wheel is the symbol of Pharasma.
The wheel looks like it can be moved to reveal a shaft descending further into the tomb.
The double doors behind you appear to have no way of opening from the inside.
Ooh i can read Ancient Osirian! Aya gets excited and reads it aloud
Omor listens to Aya translate the hieroglyphs.
Well, that does look like a sign. The Lady of Graves has smiled on me this day, he thinks.
Then, speaking with the group, "I find this to be much better sign than last night. Remember to do nothing that would defile the interred dead lest we provoke the Lady. I think we should move further into the tomb. By the reading of the inscriptions, Akhentepis may have been a powerful person and we could recover much. "
Omor starts inspecting the wheel but makes no attempt to move it until the group agrees.
It looks as if the wheel can be pushed aside to open the way to the shaft
Doxania you do not find any traps
It will require a strength check to move the wheel.
Donnen receives the sign that apparently no traps are here, so he moves in to try to move the wheel.
"Are we ready to move this thing now? I doubt there are any traps around." Dox asks just as Donnen reaches in to try to move it.
"Won't budge, huh? Lets all try together."