"Quite simple really as I'm sure you already most of my group already have experience with exploring ruins specifically ones involving the four Pharaohs so I simply think it may be more prudent to let us help explore the place."
Seeing that the spiritual ally and the dretch have not been dispelled, the Asmodean enforcer monks ride their palanquin golems towards Ovirid. Their are four other Asmodean enforcer monks who approach Khymrasa's paladin.
Seeing how they seem to be willing to talk Refina and haven't immediately tried to magically brainwash her Refina dispels the spiritual ally once she has walked into the Palanquin.
Khymrasa agrees a little too quickly.
"That," says Khymrasa with a generous smile, "sounds possible. I would suggest that Master Soan is not entirely inexperienced with dangerous environments, but ..."
She smiles as if she has made some private joke when she speaks of Master Soan. Then, she continues speaking quickly and precisely as if reading from a contract.
"... but, the question would then be the disposition of anything recovered from the tombs. Your Society gains any seeds recovered. I have second choice of items recovered from the tomb, that is first choice over any items recovered other than seeds. Your party then chooses third, seeds having been your first choice. We alternate turns thereafter. If no seeds exist, you do not gain an alternative first choice. All objects must be openly displayed before members of your party and Master Soan, the Sand Sage and myself for inspection prior to selection of the items. Non-intrusive inspection of the items of both magical and mundane nature is permitted. In case of objects of unknown or unidentifiable nature but with a strong magical aura, arrangements will be made with mutual agreement for the transportation of the items to Sothis for further research. Should no agreement be reached on the agreement for transportation, the items will remain here watched by representatives from both parties until such a time as experts from Sothis can travel to the site for further investigation."
Hoffenburrow claps his hands as if the proposal is a marvelous thing.
"That sounds acceptable assuming of course there is anything there and it is not just some giant death trap."
Before she can finish her sentence, the same infernal voice as before interrupts your thoughts. Khymrasa's wince shows you she is hearing it too.
All hear a strange voice speaking a horrid tongue. The voice comes from inside your head but all react to it.
"Okay when did that voice start and how often has it been doing that?" Refina asks whilst at the same time clutching at her holy symbol
"Unfortunately no although I think it is safe to assume it has something to do with the pyramid."
To Korian and the others via message
"Okay I've talked her into letting us into the pyramid there are a whole load of strings attatched but it should give us time to come up with a more concrete plan while we are in there. Also whatever is making doing that Infernal speaking has nothing to do with them."
Ixius keeps cruising in the airship. Does he see anything new out of the porthole?
Ixius can see what's happening below. Other than having an aerial view, Ixius is not seeing anything else happening.
Ixius tells Esteban to just circle the area for now.
"We are in negotiations and awaiting further developments."
Esteban smiles as if Ixius made a joke and adjusts the sand bags to cause the seedpod to circle.
Esteban smiles as if Ixius made a joke and adjusts the sand bags to cause the seedpod to circle.
Korian thinks for a moment then says "Good work so far Refina, but do you trust her? If she had to bewitch Hoffenburrow to agree, it seems he wouldn't have agreed otherwise. Ixius, grill Estaban on how Hoffenburrow was before. Had he said anything more or specific about what his mission was? What was his personality like? Had he said anything previously about Khymsara and/or the Chelaxians? That kind of thing. Ovirid, how are you holding up? Do you have or need any healing?"
Via message to the others
"I already said I don't trust her however this does get us into the pyramid and give us time to come up with a plan."
The bat is a dot on the horizon at this point. Traveling at full speed for a few rounds, it has gotten small quite quickly.
Ixius pretends to make idle chatter as he looks out the porthole
"So how did you and Hoffenburrow end up working with the Chelaxians?"
"Me 'n Master Soan 'r jus' thinkin' we might be goin' fer a spot o' tea if'n th' rest o' ye don' figure out if'n we 'r fightin' 'r workin' t'gether 'r what."
To Soan: "Yer a fightin' machine fer such a young'un. Ah'm very impressed. Looks like mebbe 'ere be some work fer a dwarf 'n th' pyramid yonder. 'ow 'bout a truce while Ah find out if'n yer lady Khymsara wants me t' explore 't 'r not."
Diplomacy
Esteban answers, "Oh, Hoffenburrow said from the time I met him that he was coming to negotiate access to a dig site. He didn't really let me in on the details. Not that I asked. I was more interested in the vessel. And THAT he's very secretive about."
Master Soan allows Ovirid to pick up his shield but does not respond to Ovirid's witty banter.
"Well if we are all in agreement I will gather the others and we can begin to prepare."
Exemplar Khymrasa gestures toward the world outside the palanquin saying, "I hope you will be ready to begin as soon as possible. Frankly, you've killed some of my people. It would be easier for their colleagues if you were out of sight."
Via message to the others
"Okay thats me on the way out we should all get together so we can talk about what we plan to do I'm thinking maybe in that giant pod thing since it is pathfinder property."
They did send 10 slaves in. No one came out.
"Sounds like we're going in," Ixius tells Esteban. "Are you coming?"
Then, "How do we get out of this thing? can you land it?"
"Ixius, tell Estaban to land the ship outside of camp and we'll rendevous there. Refina, tell that bi.., ah, Khymsara that we'll enter the pyramid first thing in the morning. If that is acceptable to her. Also Refina, try to get as much info about the Pyramid as you can. Try asking Hoffenburrow first, to see what happens."
"My associates and I will head to Hoffenburrow's airship to prepare and we should be ready to head in first thing in the morning. Speaking of which Hoffenburrow is there anything you may have forgotten to tell us about the pyramid, curses legends or such?"
Esteban usually anchors the ship to something. There are anchors to drop. It remains afloat without consuming energy, so Hoffenburrow never has him land it.
The Exemplar seems miffed that you won't be entering until morning, but grudgingly accepts.
Hoffenburrow bursts with energy saying, "Well, it is actually a very exciting site! At the same time as Ahn'Selota--the Osirion name for this site--was being built and nearing completion, the Pharaoh of Numbers requested tokens of devotion and affection from the governors of various provinces of Old Osirion. One sent the fingers of some exiled traitors hiding in his province. Another sent a pair of timeless servants. A third sent seeds preserved against the passing of time. Apparently this treasure was not appreciated at the time, as that governor was later removed from power, but think of it, fingers and servants are easy to come by now! What foresight did that governor have to bury seeds of species not seen on Golarion in thousands of years."
Seeing that this does not excite you as much as it does him, he turns to Khymrasa, and suggests, "Perhaps that Paracount from whom you requested reinforcements could provide more information."
Khymrasa glares at him and then says, "Well, it will take a couple of weeks for them to arrive. I don't believe our friends want to wait that long."
DC 5: during osirion’s age of the Black sphinx in –1500 ar, ancient osirion was, for a time, ruled by a union of four god-kings known as the four Pharaohs of ascension. the pharaohs built ahn’selota, a lost pyramid that was the source of their alliance. they are buried in a gigantic veinstone pyramid to the south.
DC 10: the four Pharaohs of ascension were anok fero the Cerulean Pharaoh, hetshepsu the fiend Pharaoh, ankana the radiant Pharaoh, and the Pharaoh of numbers, whose true name has been lost to time. although each pharaoh brought different strengths to the alliance, each was the equal of the other.
DC 15: legends say that the four Pharaohs were bound by a magical pact that intertwined their fates: they lived together, ruled together, and were fated to die together. each year the four pharaohs would return to ahn’selota and renew their mystic bod using an artifact known as the Pact Stone.
DC 20: reliable information on ahn’selota is almost impossible to come by. in order to protect the secrets within the pyramid, the four Pharaohs made it a crime to record the pyramid’s location in writing. it is said that ordinary citizens of tumen were forbidden to even speak of the pyramid’s existence, even though it may have rested in the very center of their city.
DC 25: osiriontologists have virtually no information as to where the Pact Stone came from or how it was made. some have theorized that the source of the four Pharaohs’ pact magic was inspired by dark magic originating from the planet aucturn. aucturn was intensely studied by the Pharaoh of numbers, an astronomer and an architect with talents centuries ahead of his time.
Sykala hovering most of this time quietly outside of the palanquin listening to the conversation heads back to the airship and awaits the arrival of the others. She changes back into her human form giving Esteban a scowl just for good measure.
When the others arrive she suddenly says so everyone can understand, "Py-ra-mid bad. Like last one. We see too much sym-bol. Make us not natural. Die but not die. Sym-bol here too maybe." She seems quite agitated at the prospect.
Ixius has Esteban anchor the airship, then emerges to reunite with the others.
Knowledge(history-Pharoahs):
While making is way towards the ship to rendezvous with the others Korian whispers again "What! The Paracount! That fiend! What is he doing out of captivity! I had hoped he would be rotting away in a dank prison for the rest of his life. We shall have to move even faster than I thought if he is on the way. On the other hand, if he does arrive in time, at least I'll have the oppourtunity to not make the mistake of leaving him alive this time. On another note, Refina, try and get Hoffenburrow to come with us. Maybe state there's some secret Pathfinder business or maybe that Estaban was thinking of stealing the ship and we need his advice on what to do with him. Say whatever you think will work, but maybe if we can get him out from under her influence we can get him back to himself."
If he does make it to the ship and hears Skyala's remark he answers her in Elvish and then again in Common for the others "You are very right Sykala, we shall have to think of a clever way to avoid the curse if we can. Perhaps mirrors? Perhaps summonings? I shall put my mind to it..."
Knowledge(history-Pharoahs): 1d20+19
While making is way towards the ship to rendezvous with the others Korian whispers again "What! The Paracount! That fiend! What is he doing out of captivity! I had hoped he would be rotting away in a dank prison for the rest of his life. We shall have to move even faster than I thought if he is on the way. On the other hand, if he does arrive in time, at least I'll have the oppourtunity to not make the mistake of leaving him alive this time. On another note, Refina, try and get Hoffenburrow to come with us. Maybe state there's some secret Pathfinder business or maybe that Estaban was thinking of stealing the ship and we need his advice on what to do with him. Say whatever you think will work, but maybe if we can get him out from under her influence we can get him back to himself."
If he does make it to the ship and hears Skyala's remark he answers her in Elvish and then again in Common for the others "You are very right Sykala, we shall have to think of a clever way to avoid the curse if we can. Perhaps mirrors? Perhaps summonings? I shall put my mind to it..."
Via message to Korian
"Don't think I can get to Hoffenburrow without looking suspicious I think I may be close to pushing it as it is"
Once Refina is aboard the ship she looks to see who else is there "So who is this Gentelman?" she asks looking in Estebans direction
Esteban nods graciously to Refina saying to the others, "You haven't even told this lovely young about me after all we've been through together?"
Ovirid is still standing by the monk, waiting for permission to pick up his weapon.
"Been through...Oh you must be Esteban I take it? Yes the others have mentioned you quite a few times in the past. My name is Refina Frizart a pleasure to meet you."
Esteban attempts his most formal of bows in the Taldoran fashion, but it looks somewhat silly in these Vurdran robes he's borrowed from Hoffenburrow.
Ixius laughs at Esteban. "You look ridiculous in those."
"Pure silk, and nothing underneath," he whispers loudly.
Looking back and forth between Refina, Esteban and Ixius for a moment,he young mage lets his invisibility drop and all see that Korian's angry scowl is suddenly replaced by a loud guffaw and a big bright smile as he says "Esteban, sometimes you honestly make me glad that we haven't killed you yet." he then turns to the priestess of Shelyn and, still smiling but in a more serious tone says "Refina, I honestly think you may have saved all of our lives back there. And I...hold it!" he suddenly says as if something just occurs to him.
Although he makes no further sound, there is movement underneath his robes and a moment later a tiny pointed head sticks itself out. Jinx blinks his eyes for a few moments and climbs down his master's arm and immediately begins sniffing all around the entire inside of the ship. While he does this, Korian moves over to the hatch, closes it, then stands guard underneath it. He does not speak again until Jinx finishes his search and gives the all clear that there are no others inside or nearby outside the craft than those visibly present.