Stopping inside the threshold of the firefly room, Gandel eyes the glyph with interest.
"Psst! Karek!" the halfling whispers. "I bet he's bluffing. It probably has a cool-down before it can explode again."
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Gandel’s excitement is becoming more and more difficult to contain. “We could be standing on the greatest archeological discovery of our generation!” “The most important 4-way alliance in the history of human civilization as we know it might have happened right here, here, in this very spot." Gandel digs out his Pathfinder journal and starts pouring through his notes. “As I suspected then, this pyramid isn’t a tomb at all. It’s a building to hide or protect the Pactstone. The four pharaohs must have travelled down the entry shaft. They would have met the Portalman. He would have granted them passage – but to where? Not the chambers that near killed us, I presume. Maybe to the potion room. From there the pharaohs could have descended to the chamber with the mosaic tiles above. And from there they could have “fireflied” their way down here.” “But what exactly did they do when they got down here?”
"But thus far, almost everything about Ahn'Sehlota has been quite different than the Veinstone Pyramid, from what I've read." "Come to think of it, we're yet to see a single sarcophagus," the halfling notes. "What kind of tomb is this place?"
Gandel spins around searching for the disappearing fiend. "Well if he's invisible, this should flush him out!"
An explosion of golden particles erupts in a spherical cloud. Unfortunately, the halflings face wrinkles with disappointment when it fails to outline Suekahn. "Drat! He might have teleported again. Watch for him!"
"Well if that truly is a Ghaelshoton, then legend says he is vulnerable to water from the River Sphinx. I don't suppose anyone brought any with them?" he asks rhetorically.
"If there is a demon waiting on the other side of the pipes, we had better prepare. Gandel, is there anything we should know when fighting such hell-spawn?" - "Run away faster than the other party members?" He quips."Seriously, I might well have something to add. But to do so, I'd need to see what we're looking at - or at least know the creature's name." "Believe me," Gandel adds, "after I'm done soiling myself, I'll give you a full diatribe on the fiend."
"We've got no time ta explore this floor. We need ta find the demon, get Lydia back, and get the blast outta here. The more time we be wastin' means Scepter and his boys be gettin' closer. We're not for needin' ta be fightin' Scepter and the demon at the same time. Seein' how ya the Reaver went all purple cloud on us and survived, I'm thinkin' we see where the pipes take us. Maybe it'll take us ta where we be needin' ta go and fast." - "Scepter? Here? Demon!? What are you--"
"I can no longer hear the drum!" reports Gandel excitedly. "I think I am free from that accursed thing!" "Promise me nobody will go back in that room."
The slow musical tune coming fro the "funnel" transforms. It is now a discordant ugly sound, going from note to note with no rhyme or reason. Suddenly the "funnel" blows out a stream of purplish vapor and the cacophony stops. The mist hovers just beyond the pool in front of the Dune Squad, unmoving. "Hurgah's back, I think" says the professor. "Here's where we find out if this magic pool has a duration or lasts forever." Gandel seems relaxed, almost mellow - which is odd given what he's just been through. "Maybe somebody somebody should keep track of how long Hurgah floats for." And with that the halfling slurps up a mouthful of purplish goo from the ladle. And just like that, he too evaporates into a purplish mist.
"Why do you think passing through this funnel creates a sound Gandel? Some further magical effect perhaps? Master Pate, any thoughts?" - "Oh," says Gandel, "I hadn't considered that. I figured gasseous Hurgah (not a comment on his flatulence) had triggered some kind of alarm. But I think you may be right, it could be his flight that's triggering the notes of the song itself.""I'm not too worried though. Like Karek says, if there's anyone in this pyramid with ears, they've already heard us." The professor contemplates some more and then confides in Halstadt. "If this heart beat effect doesn't end soon, my plan is to drink from the pool and follow Hurgah. I'd rather be a purple cloud than a halfling without a beating heart." "That's going to make it difficult to communicate though. I dunno, if I swirl clockwise that's a "yes" and if I swirl counter-clockwise, that's a no?" "I just hope the pool really is like a potion in that it's not permanent. As fascinating as it will be to try it, I don't wish to be a purple cloud forever."
Gandel’s heart continues to slow and he is gradually beginning to feel more comfortable. Physically at least. However, he is certainly mindful that the last time this internal train ride slowed down, it was so slow it almost stopped. But for the next half minute at least he seems to be in a ‘good’ part of the cycle.
“Wait a second,” he says when he hears the sound ring out of the funnel. “I’ve heard that song before.” The professor unslings his pack and the bag magically produces one of his many notebooks. He begins paging through them, stopping on a collection of bardic sheet music. “That tune, I recognize it. It’s called Ahnkana’s Lament. Or at least that’s what the modern day locals call it.” “Ahnkana was one of the Four Pharaohs of Ascension,” he reminds. “She was known as the Radiant Pharaoh. It never occurred to me that the song might actually be from her time.” He wrinkles his nose. “I can’t believe it’s been passed down for that many generations – it’s really not that good a song. Kind of a self-indulgent story-piece really.”
"Wow!" says the halfling as the half-orc dissolves into gas. Somehow that doesn't begin to cover it. A split second later, the stone ladle drops to the floor. Unlike the rest of Hurgah's gear the ladle has not turned insubstantial.
"Bottoms up people!" she says. "This might help a bit!" Gandel reluctantly accepts the terrifying vial. Earlier, he watched as she prepared it. "Uh, I really don't see how crushed arvinsa cubes could possibly be good for a racing heart-- but hey, bottoms up it is!" He plugs his nose and downs the strange concoction in a single gulp.
(whew!)
"Even though I thankfully cannot hear this infernal death spell, it is clear that its power is dependent upon sound. Do any of you have means magical or mundane for countering this noise?" - Still catching his breath: "countering?"
Hal will cast lesser restoration on Gandel to bring him from exhausted to fatigued. - (Gasp!) "Thanks!" (pant, pant)"By the gods, that's better!" (pant, pant)
"Karek, listen," says the professor as he hangs over Karek's shoulder, panting for breath. "I don't think I can take too much more of this. I'm. . . blacking out." There's silence before the halfing is able to continue. "In my pack there's a black leather-bound journal. On the cover there's a symbol of the open road. If you make it out of here, get the journal to Krenshar. He'll know what to do with it." "It was an honor. . . to have delved with you all."
"Okay, yeah. . ." the halfling answers weakly, still kneeling on the floor next to Xerissa. "I just need a brief rest first, then. . . I'll. . . come, yeah, just a. . . short rest. . ." Despite his claims of resting, he's breathing awful fast.
"The heart beat, it's really racing now. We can't keep on like this!" (fail!)
The halfling suddenly clutches his chest. His heart is pounding so fast and so violently, you can see it beating visibly in his chest. Almost instantly his hair and clothes have become matted with sweat with the intense exertion. "Help!" he cries. Though the fact that he's still able to call for help is a good sign.
- The professor kneels down beside her and helps preparing ingredients in the hopes of speeding Xerissa's efforts up. He also begin nattering away about how he once read the works of the great wizard-alchemist MacGoover who prided himself on his ability to wipe up a batch of anything - apparently the less time MacGoover spent on a concoction, the better his results. Perhaps they will share in his luck today.
"Here! Quick! Try adding some more crushed Yuchora crystals!"
Waving his arms, Gandel tries to ward Hurgah away. But he soon realizes would have more luck turning back the tide. Once the Reaver has grabbed the doors with his clawed hands, the halfing dives back into the hall seeking safety.
The halfling accepts Xerissa's cloak with thanks, but suddenly sees Halstadt re-enter the Chamber of Heart Beats. "Hal!" cries Gandel running after him. "No! It's too dangerous!" Entering the room, the halfing throws his back against one of the doors and tries to push it closed, pushing as hard as he can with his feet against the flagstones. (fail!)
The halfling looks a bit flushed, but he seems otherwise okay. He's more concerned about Halstadt than anything else. "Hal," he says, "I have a magic cloak which might help with this sort of thing. Maybe you should wear it instead of me - it will re-size to fit."
With a sudden gasp the halfling's eyes pop back open! His hand clutches his heart. It's moving again! Slowly, but powerfully. He can feel it gaining momentum. Amazing! How long had his heart stopped? It could not have been more than several seconds. He wiggles his fingers and toes looking for signs of stroke or loss of motor function from brain damage but none are immediately apparent. Miraculously, he appears to have been clinically dead for the briefest of moments.
Although it has become quite faint, Gandel can still hear the drum beat. It seems to be picking up speed.
"The beat," says the halfling suddenly. "It's come to a complete stop! What does that mean for us? What does that--" The halfling looks over at Karek. The dwarf is clutching his chest. A moment later Kogan wordlessly topples over right in front of him and goes completely silent, the light fading from his eyes. Gandel's own eyes widen with fear as he realizes the same fate now awaits him. His heart has stopped. He looks to Donkor, who seems oddly at ease, as though the priest is communing with the death goddess who awaits him. Sooron is nonetheless slumping against the wall and as he crashes to the ground it becomes clear that the end is nigh for him as well. Where is Hal? Where is. . .?
Gandel collapses to the ground. He can draw a breath but the oxygen won't circulate to his brain. His vision fuzzes over. He's losing consciousness. He's losing his life.
"I wouldn't think so," the halfing responds after consideration. "Maybe we could force it in." "If that hole is for a key, I would think we're looking for something with a sharper point to it."
Unfortunately, the pace of the beat has also slowed considerably. At this rate, it may even stop entirely. - When Donkor explains this, Gandel comments:"That sounds really, really bad."
"At this rate, I'm going to run out of paper! As hard as it is, I'll have to save some for other chambers."
"The sound - do you hear it? It is definitely slowing." "Say, you two," he says, looking at Karek and Halstadt, "don't look so good." "Could there be a spell in this room? For some reason I don't think it's affecting me." The halfling hastily make another charcoal rubbing of another panel of glyphs, this one involving cardiac data on a young woman forced to run herself to death.
"You know, it would take hours to place all these numbers in their proper context. Perhaps I could speed things up if I took some charcoal rubbings instead." The halfing reaches into his special backpack and the tools he needs appear in his hand, paper and a charcoal stick. He slaps the paper over a section of panel and runs the stick over the paper, creating an impression on the page. "Say, is it just me or is the drum beat slowing down?"
Hal turns to the group outside, "I hear something, like a drumbeat. Not sure where it is coming from as this place seems empty, Gandel come on inside, take a look at these runes so we can get out of here as soon as possible". - "I'd be delighted!" Gandel swoops into the room with excitement. "Hmmmm - well this is different!" "This is very detailed - exceptionally so. It could take a while to see what we have here precisely." "I think I'm looking at numerical representations of some kind, but of what exactly? . ." Gandel goes silent as he continues his study. After a few more moments he seems to be babbling more to himself. "I mean we knew the ancient Osirions were unusually advanced, but this is truly incredible. I had no idea!"
Hal turns to Master Pate, "Yes a good idea I can summon a servant of Angradd to explore the room briefly. At least two of us must enter at some point though. Gandel can certainly read the hieroglyphs. Perhaps they will give us a clue as to how to move through this place. There is more to it than we are seeing for certain. I am willing to go with you Gandel". - Gandel pulls out a magnified glass with a leather strap and affixes it over his head."I'm in! There's gotta be a treasure trove of hieroglyphs in there." With a grin, he swivels the lens in front of his eye. From the correct, or perhaps incorrect, angle one of his eyes appears twice the size of the other, making him almost look like a disfigured mongrelman. "Though, I suppose I should heed Master Moonpate's warning. If there was an investigation he wanted to perform first. . ."
"I think we've seen this chamber before. Only from the other side." "If I'm right, it's one of the rooms we viewed from the half-sphere chamber using the Portalman." "But we've never been inside."
"I am not all that surprised Gandel, I am sure this place is much larger than we even suspect it to be. I just have to wonder whether Suekhan was a phantasm or something else. The more I think about it the more his appearance and disappearance unnerves me. Why would he hand us such a potent set of scrolls then vanish without discussing his intentions for us?" ----- ----- "Well my first thought was that he wanted us to use the scroll to save someone - someone in this pyramid - perhaps a dead colleague." "But it doesn't fit. The Mortuos Suscitate Duo is not a scroll of raise dead. Its a scroll with two castings of breath of life. It won't help anyone whose been dead for any amount of time - certainly not someone who has been lost for millennium. It can only save the life of someone who has died a split-second ago. Unless Suekahn can see the future, he won't know who it can help." "Maybe he can?. . ." "If the Mortuos Suscitate Duo was meant for us, why would he want to help us? Maybe these are questions for your gods. If Suekahn was an angel, maybe he's known to them. Didn't you say his face appeared in one of your visions?" "That reminds me Mr. Mogrym. I can't help but notice you have your two-handed great axe out. Probably a good idea for our present situation. But in order to use the power of the scroll, you have to read it within mere seconds after someone dies. And you need to be able to touch the recipient. In the event one of us were to, um, suddenly expire, will you be able to get it out fast enough and still run over to where we need you?"
"Strange," comments the professor. "I don't recall seeing this room when we pushed the Portalman along the outer wall of his chamber to see what lay beyond."
“No symbols on the doors?” says the halfling as he raises an eyebrow. “That’s enough for suspicion right there.” He raises a hand as though he were feeling for vibrations in the air. “No magic though, not that I can tell.” He begins by putting on a set of protective gloves. Once ready, he strides forward, sliding a number of slender tools from his vest. “I won’t take offence if you want to step back for this,” he says, to no one in particular. Gandel slowly inhales and proceeds to gently make contact with the door using a stout strip of darkwood wrapped in rubber. Satisfied that the door is not electrified, he switches to what appears to be a brush of horsehair. He proceeds to gently stroke several parts of the door, examining for traces of powders or gels, even going so far as to dip his brush in a flask of ‘gods knows what’ to test for chemical reactions. “No contact poisons at least,” he reports, stripping off his gloves.
“It’s times like these, I wish I brought a step stool,” he remarks.
“No tripwires or gears – though I’d need a boost to be certain there’s nothing at the top.” He steps back, resting his head in his hands as he stares at it. “With no visible hinges, I’d say it opens outwards, just by pushing on it.” He triple checks to make sure he’s right that there is no visible lock. “But if I’m right, it will take a lot of force to open. Maybe the pharaohs had massive servants to open it for them. Or they never came this way. . .” Gandel then withdraws a listening cone – you’re quite certain you’ve never seen him actually pack such a thing – and applies it to the door. He nods to himself as he sticks his ear to the cone and glides it along the surface of the doors. “All’s quiet – or so it seems. Nothing that ticks, whirls or hums.”
“My verdict? Plain doors – no traps. But given where we are? I wouldn’t sign a guarantee.” The professor puts his tools away as he shrugs. “So do we go through? Or check out the rest of the corridor?”
-
(wha???)
"Arrrrrrgh!"
Drabsbringer, whad is dis rune? Karek yells, thrusting some coins at Gandel. - "WHAT?!""That one!?" "It's the rune of reckoning!" he shouts back. "A very bad sign, I fear. Before the Four Pharaohs of Ascension formed their alliance, they each had a personal symbol they used in battle or in their city-states. This one belonged to the Pharaoh of Numbers." "It's--" At that point, you can't make Gandel out over the crash of the coins, but from his sour expression, you doubt he feels his history lesson would be of any assistance. (Also I am probably pushing how much he can say in a free action.)
Gandel does his best to shout over the growing cacophony: "It's not a "Z", it's a hieroglyph, a symbol from the age of the Black Sphinx. It means 'Time'!" "It came out of the sentence I translated to you earlier:" "My coin comes with the gift of time and if leveraged wisely, soon you will be richer than all those around you." "But I don't see how that fits in." "The symbol on the coins on the other hand is not a hieroglyph at all. It's a rune! If I am correct, it's the personal rune of the Pharaoh of Numbers, in fact. It's called the 'Rune of Reckoning'. The texts indicate that bad things tend to follow wherever that symbol is seen. It's certainly one to avoid." "I'll be sure to note that in the future if we ever get out of here!"
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