Djehuti nods. "Combined with the summoning circle, I suspect this was a very important room to the former residents of this sanctum."
Just as Djehuti is about to walk in, Torin notices something alarming. "Stop!" he calls out. The wizard freezes in mid-step.
Torin points out that the carved figures of the Arcanotheign and Yamasha are actually magical constructs of some sort.
These are Caryatid columns. They are the lesser cousins of true golems, constructs created by spellcasters to guard objects or areas. Unlike true golems, caryatid columns cannot be made into shield guardians, but they are often used in greater numbers because of their relatively inexpensive creation cost. Each caryatid column is programmed to guard an object or area when created, and once set, this command cannot be changed. Caryatid columns are often given specific parameters concerning whom to ignore and whom to attack, but since they have no special form of detection, such restrictions can be overcome with disguises if the parameters are known.
Djehuti backs up a prudent step and peers at the statues of the Arcanotheign and Yamasha. After a moment he nods. "Caryatid columns. They are often given specific parameters concerning whom to ignore and whom to attack, but since they have no special form of detection, such restrictions can be overcome with disguises if the parameters are known."
He looks at Serenmerek. "Do you know the purpose of this room, Guardian?"
"The Sanctum's priests secretly conjured and summoned various outsiders in this chamber, far from the eyes of lay worshippers and common folk who might not be so accepting of such practices. It was done with the utmost precautions. The conjurers were always accompanied by the Sanctum's high priest."
"So, if I knew what the high priest looked like, we might be able to avoid a fight."
"Priests wear robes," Koshukhep said with authority. He seemed about to add something equally helpful when he paused, thinking. He turned slowly to look at at Senenmarek. "Were... you a high priest, honored one?"
"I am a guardian. My existence is for this temple. I was never a priest."
Djehuti nods as he finishes his notes. "I think we should leave this room as it is. Thank you for your guidance, Guardian."
"Make sure that we mention the statue thingies when we make our report. I don't want to take the blame if someone gets squashed later."
Kwin nodded in agreement as he glanced uneasily about the room. "Let's move on."
The Band of the Black Fire move to the final chamber. Senenmerek opens the gate for them.
Hieroglyphs cover the walls of this chamber. In the middle of the room, a large and majestic stone sarcophagus rests atop a raised stone platform, and several clay jars sit on the floor nearby. Two lacquered benches stand near the doors to the south.
"This is the tomb of the original founder and first high priest of the Sanctum of the Erudite Eye. His name was Djedihepet. And he was a personal friend to the Pharoah Djederet the Second," Senenmerek says with reverence.
+2 human
"We are honored to see this," Koshukhep breathed, awed. "Pharoah Djederet II was the very founder of Wati. Someday, I hope to serve the Pharoah as Djedihepet did. ...Not as a priest, but as a loyal advisor," Koshu said wistfully.
"Let Djehuti capture on his parchment the glory of this tomb, and let Djedihepet rest in peace," he asked the others, tail swishing.
"Make sure that we mention the statue thingies when we make our report. I don't want to take the blame if someone gets squashed later."
Djehuti nods. "I will make an emphatic note of them."
*****
"We are honored to see this," Koshukhep breathed, awed. "Pharoah Djederet II was the very founder of Wati. Someday, I hope to serve the Pharoah as Djedihepet did. ...Not as a priest, but as a loyal advisor," Koshu said wistfully.
"Let Djehuti capture on his parchment the glory of this tomb, and let Djedihepet rest in peace," he asked the others, tail swishing.
Djehuti nods as he sketches in his notebook. "A great honor, indeed. But there is still the matter of the other intruder; they may be inside as we speak. The summoning room had its own potent guardians, but we may need to intervene here."
"We are honored to see this," Koshukhep breathed, awed. "Pharoah Djederet II was the very founder of Wati. Someday, I hope to serve the Pharoah as Djedihepet did. ...Not as a priest, but as a loyal advisor," Koshu said wistfully.
"Let Djehuti capture on his parchment the glory of this tomb, and let Djedihepet rest in peace," he asked the others, tail swishing.
Kwin leaned towards Koshukhep and stage-whispered behind his hand, "D'je ever hear so many names starting with 'Dje' in your life?"
Then he put on a straight face to address Djehuti. "Where do you think they've gone, then?"
"Behind the statues, perhaps, unless they slipped past us as we explored."
Djehuti does not detect any magic.
You find a hidden button near the head of the sarcophagus.
Koshukhep ventured into the tomb, keeping a respectful distance to everything, but looking everywhere it might be possible to hide.
+2 v. humans, +8 scent
"A button! I should push it," Koshu said, but first he leaned in close behind the sarcophagus and took a deep sniff.
Koshukhep smells only dust.
Kwin resisted the impulse to facepalm. "Did you look it over for traps?"
Koshukhep looked aggrieved. "Traps are for you and Torin to look for," he sniffed, hand hovering over the button.
"I'm sure it's fine. No one traps a secret button."
Djehuti continues to sketch and make notes in his journal as others check the room for traps and interlopers.
Koshukhep looked aggrieved. "Traps are for you and Torin to look for," he sniffed, hand hovering over the button.
Kwin shook his head in amazement. "Kosh, don't you know by now? Torin finds traps. I disarm them. You count on me to spot a trap for you and... well, I promise I'll come to your funeral, okay?"
Koshukhep shot a look at Kwin. "Torin found nothing. See? Perfectly safe." He mashed the button with his fist, looking around expectantly.
As Koshukhep presses the button a platform under the sarcophagus slides to the south on a set of concealed tracks, revealing a secret opening beneath it.
And then immediately there is an explosion of lightning. But nimble Koshukhep manages to get away from the worst of it.
;
Djedihepet’s mummy wears a simple onyx funerary mask worth and a gold and black-enameled holy symbol of Nethys.
The secret compartment under the sarcophagus contains a pearl and a ring.
• onyx funerary mask (20 gp)
• gold and black-enameled holy symbol of Nethys (50 gp)
• pearl of power (1st level)
• ring of the grasping grave (Ultimate Equipment 176)
Djehuti is busily sketching the room and taking notes, looking up only when Koshu dodged out of the way of the lightning bolt. "Excellent reflexes, Koshu," he says as he looks back down at his notebook to scribble a note about the lightning trap.
Izra looked over the "loot," whilst also keeping an eye on the erstwhile "guardian" of the tomb. She still felt that it was unlikely they would be able to leave here without the thing attacking them.
"Guardian," she said, "what would your mission be if we offered to keep these things safe by removing them from this tomb and placing them under the protection of the Church?"
Djehuti is busily sketching the room and taking notes, looking up only when Koshu dodged out of the way of the lightning bolt. "Excellent reflexes, Koshu," he says as he looks back down at his notebook to scribble a note about the lightning trap.
Fur still crackling, Koshukhep sneezed the smell of ozone out of his nose. "Perhaps they would have been better employed mentally, Djehuti. I failed to ask whether Torin could detect magical traps." Koshu retreated to look over Djehuti's shoulder, his ears flattened in shame.
"If the one who stole the headdress is no longer here, then we must seek them elsewhere. It is an outrage that they have been here. An insult. Honored Senenmarek, can you describe this person more closely? Did they leave anything behind?"
Kwin patted out a bit of Koshukhep's fur that was smoldering. "Yes, the church might ask us to pursue," he offered, politely avoiding the obvious "told you so."
"Seriously though, who traps a hidden button? Paranoid people, these clerics."
"...Honored Senenmarek, can you describe this person more closely? Did they leave anything behind?"
"The despicable man who did this left nothing behind. He was a bald Osirion man covered with white symbols on his body."
"Guardian, what would your mission be if we offered to keep these things safe by removing them from this tomb and placing them under the protection of the Church?"
"I would slaughter you in the most painful way possible!"
"The despicable man who did this left nothing behind. He was a bald Osirion man covered with white symbols on his body."
Djehuti looks up. "Did you recognize any of these symbols, Guardian? Or did you overhear him or anyone with him say anything that could give us a clue to find him?"
***
"I would slaughter you in the most painful way possible!"
At this, Djehuti puts away his notebook. "Honored Guardian, we are no looters. And I have the greatest respect for your sacrifice and mission. But no lesser authority than the Pharaoh, Khemet III, the Ruby Prince, has ordered the artifacts of these ancient tombs taken to the Grand Mausoleum. They are to be protected and studied so that the memories of those interred here are not lost to the sands of time."
"Did you recognize any of these symbols, Guardian? Or did you overhear him or anyone with him say anything that could give us a clue to find him?"
"A snake eating its tail on his forehead. And an Ankh on his leg. I did not get a good look at the other symbols."
"Honored Guardian, we are no looters. And I have the greatest respect for your sacrifice and mission. But no lesser authority than the Pharaoh, Khemet III, the Ruby Prince, has ordered the artifacts of these ancient tombs taken to the Grand Mausoleum. They are to be protected and studied so that the memories of those interred here are not lost to the sands of time."
Senenmerek stares at Djehuti for a long moment before finally saying, "The Pharaoh has no authority here. Only those who seek power through magic are worthy. And even then only those selected by the high priests can come unmolested. All others must be destroyed."
Torin whispers to Izra, "Still looking to put an end to this undead abomination?"
Koshu's brow wrinkled in thought. "Honored Senenmarek, what if we were to gain the blessing of the current high priests of Nethys? Would this serve to ease your burden? I have no wish to cross you in your holy duty."
Djehuti nods as he takes a few steps away from Serenmerek. "Would that suffice, Guardian?"
A look of concern crossed Kwin's face at Senenmarek's pronouncement. He rested a hand on the pommel of his rapier in the most casual manner he could manage, but took no further action.
"The Pharaoh has no authority here. Only those who seek power through magic are worthy. And even then only those selected by the high priests can come unmolested. All others must be destroyed."
Noticing the rapidly tensing room, Ahmed raises his hands and moves closer to the guardian. "Honoured guardian," He begins. "Those who seek power through magic have imprisoned me, have imprisoned us both. One could argue that perhaps I was weaker than they, and I would not dispute that. Mostly I was young and foolish and let my guard down. Perhaps I should suffer for that. But for how many centuries? I know not. I only know that I have learned, and that the answers I seek, the magic power that I search for, does not lie within these walls."
"I do not suggest that I am worthy to keep such artifacts as you do. However... I do believe that my plight is in line with Nethys's beliefs. Maybe that is not enough to make us suitable proxies to carry these items to his priests, but my understanding of Nethys is that he would be loathe for this knowledge and magics to be, as my friend put so eloquently, lost to the sands of time. As I was."
"I do not ask you to have heart, or to take pity, but to understand that our quests and desires are in sync. We seek knowledge, and we desire to share it with others who are worthy."
Senenmerek stares long and hard at all of the Band of the Black Fire. An internal conflict between his duty and the spell compelling him plays out.
Senenmerek stares hatefully at Ahmed. "If you were too weak to resist that magic, mortal, then you're suffering is just. Knowledge and power are the only virtues Nethys respects. And you clearly lack both. Speak to me again, and I promise you, I will put my spear in your throat."
Senemerek then turns to Djehuti. "I will allow you, and only you to take what you wish from this temple."
"Your will is just," Koshukhep murmured, bowing deeply and backing away. He flicked an ear at Kwin, trusting that the kitsune would understand that Koshu wanted him to follow suit, and shot an imploring look at the others. "Let us leave the Guardian to his duty."
Ahmed closes his mouth silently, taking a step back and averting his eyes, the flames in them diminishing in the presence of Senenmerek's fury and power. Suri's face hardens and she opens her mouth, intending to fly into a barrage of how little Senenmerek knows of him, or their people, but Ahmed simply shakes his head, and steps from the room.
Djehuti bowed his head respectfully. "I am deeply honored by your trust, Guardian. Know that I will see these artifacts carefully protected and cared for." He carefully places the items in his pack and indicates to his companions when he is ready to go.
"We will leave you to your duty, Guardian. You have honored your purpose today."
Senemererk does not respond to any remarks. He simply watches all of the Band very closely, his spear in hand.
Izra, standing beside Torin, took a deep breath, wavering a little on her feet, as the weakness that was Pharasma's disapproval washed through her. She wanted, very badly, to tell Torin that, yes, they should destroy the undead guardian. Very badly, indeed.
But she didn't. Even when he threatened Ahmed, her hand barely twitched, and holy, radiant judgement did not fly forth to destroy the thing.
"We take what it lets us, and we go, unless it fights us. So I have agreed to do with our companions."
Kwin nodded, almost imperceptibly, at Koshukhep's signal then quietly backed out of the room following the big cat.
"Not happy about leaving Djehuti in there alone with that thing," he said very quietly as they watched after exiting. "I don't like some of the things it said. Be ready."