Kito nods her agreement. "Yes, I'm sure we can. Let us explore the new areas first though."
"Has this door been checked for traps?" - he inquires, running his hands inches from the barrier.
"Yes, do check carefully. I can only imagine some of the ancient traps that are still set in a place like this. I'm not nearly agile enough to go ducking and diving all over the place."
Kito nervously shuffles her feet a little bit at mention of traps. After a short pause and a light prodding from Thera, Kito says "If there are magical traps, I might be able to help. I've studied the theory of such things, but never actually worked with any."
Noticing Ra-Khefer putting his ear to the door, Polux steps back - "That might be dangerous in case it is indeed trapped" - he pipes in with a nod.
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Thorough checking by the group results in finding nothing alarming. You believe that the doors are not trapped, and are openable. Since there is nowhere else to go, I am going to make the daring assumption that you're going to open the doors. At that point, you see a flight of stairs down, as per the following description:
--- A11 ---
A flight of steps gradually descends to the west down this passage. Halfway down the stairs, small holes and burrowed tunnels riddle what remains of the passage’s southern wall. Earth and sand have spilled over the collapsed masonry, covering the stairs with dirt and rubble. Stone doors engraved with a golden scarab, its wings open beneath a golden sun, stand at either end of the stairs. One of the eastern doors is slightly ajar.
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So, on your end, the doors are slightly ajar, perhaps inviting investigation, and the stairs go downward in the direction you're headed. The map that you have obtained shows the A11 room as a simple intact two-square wide passage -- the collapsed masonry and the culvert to the south of the passage that can be seen OOC on the Google Drive map, is not present in the actual IC map you have. Whatever caused that notch to the south, it presumably happened after the map was drawn.
I will be using the marching order posted by Turel as a default configuration whenever you don't say differently. As such, Ra-Khefer and Turel face the stairs down first. If they dare. They are some pretty gradual stairs, doing some...stair stuff. And you know how THEY are.
Deseri waits and watches her new companions worry over a door with an amused look on her face. Once the door is declared safe and opened she smiles broadly. Speaking quietly,Shall we go?
Turel stays away from the door for the moment, instead moving behind Ra-Khefer as the dwarf checked the cracks in the wall.
"I wonder what created these holes?" He says softly to himself as he peers closely at the wall.
Seeing the holes in the walls, Kito asks "Did some sort of creatures make those? Just in case, I best try to protect myself." She then casts a spell on herself before following the others down the wrecked stairs.
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Deseri offers her quiet reply as her cheeks darken upon realizing she was caught. I know patience is needed and that it matter but it still looks amusing to see a bunch of grown men worrying over a door, even if it is necessary.
With a smile she leans into Aleris's personal space to mumble, In no way am I complaining though. Sadly we didn't get the good view of Polux I was hopping for.
Qari wordlessly takes in the mirth shown by the group. She wasn't comfortable enough to really play around with them that way yet, although she had to admit, there were some really good looking people in the temple with her right now!
"I'm not sure I like this" - Polux whispers from under his cowl, as Ra-Khefer and Turel wade down the steps - "Something made those holes. We may be walking right into an ambush"
Reaching over his shoulder, he grips the longspear in both hands, remaining close to the last lines of the group, making sure no attack reaches them before taking at least a bite from his weapon.
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The front guard of Ra-Khefer and Turel investigate the holes in the walls. Putting together Turel's careful observations and Ra-Khefer's dungeoneering knowledge, they come up with a hypothesis that the holes are likely tunnels by burrowing creatures of some sort, perhaps roughly dog-sized. However, they do not get an opportunity to relay their theory to the rest of the group, before a surprise attack occurs!
The sand covering the ancient stairs starts to swirl and rise into the air, shaping into a large, serpentine form that moves as if animated by a sentience of some sort. It receives a surprise round, and unleashes a blasting torrent of sand at one of you, like the fury of a lethal sandstorm.
Those of you who roll higher than this may act before it attacks again. Those who roll lower, please wait until after the monster's next turn. (You may post reactions that don't take up an action if you wish.)
If anyone has trained Knowledge (planes), you may attempt to identify the creature.
I am using this map for combat placement. Desktop browser recommended, as zooming in will be extremely useful.
Init.
Qari points at the sandstorm and her familiar line of cold energy fires out from her glove, streaking straight for the beast.
RTA with PBS
Damage
Possible crit (if possible)
Damage
Turel is nearly caught unawares as thoughts of Aleris (and Deseri) float into his mind unbidden.
Fool! Pay attention...you will get us all killed!
Fortuanately he is able to react after the creature slams into Polux. Switching his spear to a more martial style, he lashes out with it in a flurry of blows trying to scatter the serpentine form into its sandy components.
Seeing the worm-like creature suddenly form from the sand, Kito moves back and around the corner so that Polux and Qari will have room to retreat. She stands poised there, dagger in hand.
"By the light of Horus... What is that thing?"
Harmose acid splashes the worm and then backs to the side behind Qari to give the wounded Polux room to retreat.
Deseri's mouth drops open once the sand monster rises up. Her eyes slam shut while she mumbles to herself אנא שעזרת להם בעבר, לעשות את זה שוב
Her eyes open to see wispy figures swirl around her. She then lifts her spear waiting to attack.
Polux's skin blisters and burns, even under the thick, heat protecting clothing - his eyes redden from the sand, and the hands gripping the longspear blister almost to the bone.
He stands fast, but the single step that he takes back betrays the violence of the assault.
Completely taken by surprise, he is slow to react, but taking notice of the space vacant behind him, he does step back and thrust his weapon forward without a word.
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The creature's initial surprise attack may have been vicious, but it is met with a devastating defense. Qari and Harmose's energy-based attacks take full effect, causing the animated sand to recoil from the hits. Turel's longspear hits, but bashes clear through the sand without the creature seeming to even notice -- his attack was ineffective. Aleris' arrow and Polux's spear run into similar difficulties, finding it difficult to affect the sand, but they manage to damage it just a little bit, which turns out to be enough.
The sand suddenly lowers to the ground, and starts to split in multiple directions, flowing into the walls, between cracks in the stairs, being absorbed all around into the surroundings, until there is no more large mass of animated sand present.
Combat is over...for now.
Aleris' Knowledge (planes) roll was unfortunately not sufficient to tell what the creature was.
"One day it will be written that the first I ever achieved in my first incursion into the Necropolis was a mouth full of sand" - Polux shakes his head and chuckles, bending down on one knee to gather some of the sand, and storing it in a small pouch - "At least I'll take a memento, apart from the one I swallowed - who knows what this could be used for"
"You achieved more than that. You took a hit that would have downed many of us and are still standing."
Harmose pulls the cure light wounds wand hastily out of his pack. "This seems like a good first use of the wand. Unfortunately, I haven't studied it yet enough to figure out to activate this." Harmose blushes, looking acutely embarrassed. "Kito, will you do the honors?"
Qari looked around, the threat had gone before she truly realized what it was. The group had struck quickly and made the creature run, if not destroyed it completely. Her attack had proved deadly as well. Hopefully the others noticed.
"Good job, everyone. I've never even heard of a sand snake before! It looks like he hit hard, Polux. Are you alright?"
Looking around the corner, still not sure if the sand creature is dead, she hesitates a moment before approaching.
"Do you happen to know..." she starts to say as she accepts the wand. "Nevermind! I see it written here."
With a flick of her wrist and an incantation of "Boo-Boo Be Gone!" she activates the wand and touches it to Polux.
The wound is healed!
"Oh, yeah." Harmose blushes again. "I wanted a command phrase that I could remember. Besides, I thought it would be hilarious to hear Aleris say that."
"Great job, everyone, on taking that thing out. Qari, that blast worked even better on that snake than it does on Farhaan's chairs."
Looking towards Aleris, Kito asks Then you should be carrying this?" as she delicately holds out the wand to her.
"You achieved more than that. You took a hit that would have downed many of us and are still standing."
"I guess" - Polux agrees half-heartedly - "Yeah, let us portray it like that - 'bravely stepped in front of danger, taking a mighty blow in lieu of his companions' sounds much better" - he adds, still spitting sand.
"Do you happen to know..." she starts to say as she accepts the wand. "Nevermind! I see it written here."
With a flick of her wrist and an incantation of "Boo-Boo Be Gone!" she activates the wand and touches it to Polux.
The wound is healed!
Maybe it was the rush of healing, but when he hears the activation words, he simply bursts into laughter - "Boo-Boo Be Gone" - he looks at the group around him - "Really?"
Still shaking his head, the Aasimar turns to Kito, with a short nod - "Thank you"
Turel does not relax his stance, even as the others take care of healing Polux. Keeping his spear ready he waves the others onward. "I shall guard the rear to make sure the creature does not catch us unawares."
Qari smiled at Harmose. "Indeed. That's an extra gold for Farhaan when we get back to town. Without him allowing me to practice, the shot might not have been true! He's earned that extra coin at the least.". Once the others were healed, the tiefling was ready to move on to the next challenge.
Harmose raises an eyebrow as Polux spits sand. "Oh! Let me take care of that."
The sand in Polux's mouth disappears, replaced by a lingering taste of mint. "I used to do this all the time after Mehr's parties. We'd get so drunk we'd wake up with all sorts of things in our --" Harmose looks like he's going to say more, then breaks off as he glances at Aleris. Maybe it's best not to go into full detail about Mehr's parties yet. "The Zet's are dwarves, with the constitution of oxen. You wouldn't believe the amount of alcohol that went into their cocktails. Me, I'm a bit more of a light weight."
He grins as Aleris makes her slip up about accepting water. "Yes, best to be careful when accepting gifts from strange men, and I'll admit that I'm quirkier than most." He waggles his eyebrows. "Shall we move on and see what else we can find?"
Deseri starts to giggle at the magic incantation and the smile remains watching the antics of her companions. I have truly found a strange group to travel with.
Once Polux bends down to collect his momento she smirks. Ha! There is the angle I was looking for! Now what does it look like without all that fabric in the way? A ghostly figure moves infront of her view and she bats it away only to have it reform.
Deseri twirls around with her arms out running them through the ethereal figments around her. She laughs as they reform despite her hands dancing through them. She is clearly no longer paying attention to the group.
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Ra whirled around, but was too late to attack the creature, whatever it was.
He nodded at Polux, the apparent victor.
"Well struck warrior." He said, saluting.
Once all battle damage is dealt with and everyone is ready to proceed, he points towards the holes.
"Beware. These holes are made by burrowing creatures of some kind; they may be aggressive."
Once ready, he will nod at Turel and proceed with him down the stairway to the doors there. (Defensive stance;AC18).
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The only exits are at the top of the stairs to the east (where you came from) and at the bottom of the stairs to the west. The western doors are unlocked. You pass through them, to enter one of the largest halls you've seen in this tomb so far, about 20' by 30'.
---A12---
A tapestry hangs from a frame against the south wall of this large chamber; it depicts an otherworldly vista where the souls of the dead, shepherded by strange beings, enter an ethereal river ambling through space toward a landscape dominated by an impossibly tall spire. Columns sculpted in the shape of Osirian warriors wielding khopeshes stand in all four corners of the room. The floor is tiled in a white spiral pattern on a black background, and this spiral pattern is repeated on the stone double doors to the north, east, and west.
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The doors leading north and west are both locked.
Quari also notes the aasimar's strange dance going on beside them. She looks around and notices that Aleris had seen it as well. She shoots the sylph a bemused grin and shrugs her shoulders. Strange time to dance, but so long as she keeps her mind on the task when it matters, that's fine by me...
Turel sees Deseri start to dance out of the corner of his eye and resolutely turns his back on the scene.
I will NOT lose focus here!
He elects to stay next to the east doors to make sure the sand creature did not return.
Watching Aleris walk past her without taking the wand, Kito shrugs and puts the wand with her own equipment. "It is just a command word. Whatever works."
She then follows the rest down the stairs, totally oblivious to Deseri's dance.
It takes her a moment to realizes that her group is moving. Blushing deeply she moves after them while continuing to bat at the figments.
Harmose raises an eyebrow as Polux spits sand. "Oh! Let me take care of that."
The sand in Polux's mouth disappears, replaced by a lingering taste of mint. "I used to do this all the time after Mehr's parties. We'd get so drunk we'd wake up with all sorts of things in our --" Harmose looks like he's going to say more, then breaks off as he glances at Aleris. Maybe it's best not to go into full detail about Mehr's parties yet. "The Zet's are dwarves, with the constitution of oxen. You wouldn't believe the amount of alcohol that went into their cocktails. Me, I'm a bit more of a light weight."
"Sounds like the best kind of party" - Polux agrees - "Thanks for that, it may be one of the best uses for magic I have ever found" - he jests, tongue feeling around his mouth and teeth, and finding no sand whatsoever.
Ra whirled around, but was too late to attack the creature, whatever it was.
He nodded at Polux, the apparent victor.
"Well struck warrior." He said, saluting.
"I got lucky with the timing master Khefer..." - he offers a short bow to the dwarf, immediately distracted by Deseri's dance, staring at the woman for a few moments.
It takes her a moment to realizes that her group is moving. Blushing deeply she moves after them while continuing to bat at the figments.
"Celebration?"
---
As they move into the room, Polux was getting ready to begin searching the premises, but as his dwarf companion seems to show such reverence for the place, he hesitates momentarily. Only Ra-Khefer is finished, does he begin - "Does anyone detect magical auras of any sort? This place feels special"
Kito was peering at the tapestry when she hears Polux's question. Moving into the center of the room, she casts a spell. She then starts slowly turning, so as to sweep the whole room. She then moves to check any areas that might have been blocked by pillars.
It takes her a moment to realizes that her group is moving. Blushing deeply she moves after them while continuing to bat at the figments."Celebration?"
She freezes with her hand in the air and stares at Polux with wide eyes. Sure?
Still a little red in the face she follows after the others with her head down.
Polux smiles and nods back to Deseri - "Why not? Right?"