The carvings along the columns praise the accomplishments of Alkhet Utmari, the Merchant Prince. The camels eagerly drink the water, Augrim finds him self covered in their sticky affection. The stairs at the entrance descend into a ten foot wide corridor, with the sun rapidly descending there will be no light beyond the first step.
As noticed before, three of the camels are from the Pathfinder's favored stable. The other six have no telling signs, their gear being too pieced together. In their saddle bags remain a simple blanket, an empty waterskin, and a journal listing the routes commonly taken by Thuvian water barons. The merchants of Andoran may find this interesting.
"If you fellas don't object, I'd like to have that little map,there. I might know a couple of folks it could be of interest to.", he says as reaches into his belt pouch and produces a small stone about the size of his palm."Looks like this little fella will be comin'in handy soon." Giving the sphere a toss he says,"Light.",causing the stone to go from dull grey to glowing orb of light now orbiting just above his head."Ready?",he ask with smile.
|
"Before we make our final approach, let me make some last minute preparations." Learnur immediately begins rifling through the various pockets and pouches of his explorers outfit as if he has misplaced something. "Now what in the nine hells did I do with those blasted contraptions?" Suddenly he draws forth two metal rod-sized lengths of black frame with coiled springs and several small belts and buckles affixed to them. Rolling up the sleeves of his shirt, he begins strapping the devices to his forearms. "I've always believed in the philosophy; it's better to have a wand and not need one, than need a wand and not have one." Tightening the final buckle of his spring-loaded wrist sheaths in to place, Learnur produces two wands from his Pathfinder Pouch, one a stout bolt of steel with rivets running along its length, the other a transparent baton of green glass. slightly straining against the pressure of the springs, Learnur slots the wands in to place with a distinctive click.
"I suggest we bolster ourselves magically if at all possible, who knows what could be waiting for us just inside the halls entrance." Learnur retrieves yet two more wands, this time an iron shod black spike and a pearly white crooked stick with gold rings spaced evenly along its surface. He speaks a word of magic and waves the black spike in a circular pattern about his form.
"That should do it for me. You guys ready?" Waiting for a reply from his fellow party members Learnur stowes his recently used wand of Mage Armor back in his Pathfinder Pouch.
"Prepared as I'm going to be, yes, and ready to move out, in any case. Let's waste no time."
Theo begins to advance, cautiously, uneasily, with rapier and shield in hand.
Jack falls in about 20' behind Theo hoping the range will give him the drop on anything they run into. Double checking his weapon, Bumpo readies himself for whatever may lay ahead.
|
"At 10-foot width, two of us can move abreast.
"Might I humbly suggest that Theo and Aeron take point. Jack and I might take second rank, and Learnur would then take the rear guard? When we need something examined, Jack or Learnur could slip out front, but this way we have our heavy-hitters making first contact with any enemies."
"I further suggest we keep a ten or fifteen foot interval between the ranks to minimize any potential mishaps should something truly nasty be sprung upon us. We use this tactic quite often while on patrol back home."
Changing movement patterns to adopt this new formation, Theo says in a tone above a whisper, but just barely audible "Good suggestions, all. After all, should I trip something that incapacitates me, I know I'd sure prefer having a comrade in good health to aid me than for everyone to fall."
As the group moves to the entrance, Jack takes a closer look at the carvings. He finds that the number seven holds a great deal of significance, but in all such arrangements, Alkhet is always in the highest position
Cool silence greets the party as they descend the stairs into the ancient tomb. At their base is a spacious chamber with a large sandstone altar in the center. Set into the walls are four smaller altars, surrounded by ancient writing, each one a little different from the last. On the opposite side of the room are a pair of corridors leading off into darkness and a larger hallway, ending in a great stone door. A trio of rods are slotted into the altar in the center of the room and there is room for one other to fit, but the hole is empty.
|
|
", the first room of the dungeon and we've already stumbled into a puzzle. Better scan the area with a divination for magical auras, we don't wanna run into any traps!" Learnur exclaims looking around suspiciously.
Speaking words of magic and gesturing in an arcane manner Learnur approaches the altar. With his arm extended and the palm of his hand facing the center of the room, Learnur focuses his concentration on the trio of rods for several seconds, then turns in a circle scanning for magical resonance.
"Careful Vilman, that device could be some sort of trap." As Learnur warns his trusted ally, he too examines the mechanism.
Stopping just inside the door, Jack brings his trusted musket to a position of low ready. Scanning the room he begins looking for things which seem out of place or of an unusual nature. "Easy, fellas. These Orisions do love 'em some traps. Before you touch anything let's make sure we are not under the threat from anything livin'." Noticing the pillars, he cocks hs head to the side and says,"Those might give us some answers.
The floor of the room is filled with tracks they are a few days old, but Learnur can make out around half-a-dozen different boot-prints. All of them lead to the pair of gigantic stone doors that bar the north exit. Carved into their surface is a pair of figures holding aloft a throne, on which is seated a man of regal bearing. In one hand, he holds a scepter, in the other, a merchant boat. Beneath the carving of the throne, a pair of narrow holes in the door let through a flickering light. A woman’s voice calls out from beyond the door. “I was wondering when someone else would show up.”
While Learnur investigates theroom Aron the searches the center altar there are three rods placed in the four slots. Something would likely activate when the fourth one is fitted.
Meanwhile Jack checks the four altars, are all different. The north east altar, which is made of ebony and platinum with a plaque of ancient Osiriani writing. The south east altar, made from iron and silver has a similar plaque. The northwest altar is made of copper, it too has a plaque. The sceptars in the center are each made of materials matching a single altar. The southwest altar, which is made of sandalwood and decorated with a fine ivory inlay, is the only one with a missing scepter.
There are no magical auras in the room.
After a moment of deciphering Jack reads the four plaques;
“For Shasha, my third wife, who taught me to always seek the best in life.”
"For my beloved Osomi, the last love of my long life"
"For Elea, my delicate desert flower. May the fourth rest forever at my side."
"For Kiranna, my right hand, my fifth, the one who brought order."
"My name is Alarka, I'm in here with three of my guards and a servant girl. She has been unconscious since receiving injuries during the attack," the woman seems to be moving from panic to frustration, "Please. Help us get out. I have the scepter in my hand that you need to open the door."
Five of them, muses Theo. The group with the poorly maintained camels, then.
Theo frowns and then questions Alarka
"Attack? By what?"
Moving toward the door, he continues.
"And if you and the others are on the other side of this door, which you can't open, how do you propose to give the scepter to us?"
Pausing to think for a moment, Theo then says, in a more deliberate, friendly tone
"I know that's a lot of questioning, especially for how long it must have been since you got stuck in there, but we need to know how to proceed, and to be prepared for any threat ahead of time, or else nobody will make it out unharmed."
"If any of us should be talkin' to them, I imagine it would be Theo.",Jack says to the rest of the group as he again sets himself up halfway behind the nearest bit of hard cover he can find. "What do they have to say about what those scepters did when they decided to take it."
Theo nods to the party. "Right. Aside from the servant girl, have you any injured? And are her wounds treated? We have more than enough healing magic to spare for you, should you need it, and I can also conjure water, though I fear we may not have much food to spare. Which reminds me. Did you come across three experienced-seeming adventurers while here?"
Theo pauses for a moment to listen to Jack, and then catches his breath.
"We'll be right on our way to help, but if you would, please detail for us the function and purpose of the scepters, as well as what you recommend we do next."
In a quieter tone, to the party "If we've got any other questions to ask or aid to offer, now's the time."
|
|
Learnur waits quietly for a response from the strangers on the other side of the door.
Call me crazy, but if I were attacked in this room and had to retreat, I damn sure wouldn't flee further into the dungeon. And with a rod that operates Nethys knows what in your possesion? Something is definately rotten in Absalom!
We were attacked by some kind of zombie creatures, they drove us into this room. I managed to pull the scepter from the altar and seal the door," she replies. Though something about what she says doesn't ring true for Theo.
Qaluas remembers that the name Alarka once belonged to a powerful desert priestess many hundred years ago. No other details come to mind.
"The girl was injured in the fight, she's been unconcious since then. I think she just needs time to rest. If you open the door we can carry her to the city. I hope our camels are still outside."
Jack's eyes narrow at the mentioning of zombies and injuries. Being a veteren of numerous battles against the fiends of hell he has seen his fair share of undead. "Exactly what kind of injuries did the girl sustain,lady,and how long ago did you say they happened again?." Jack silently signals the others to hold while he waits for his answers.
She doesn't seem overly concerned when she replies, "Nothing serious I belive. The men say she was slammed about a bit. I'm sure the priests in the city will be able to fix her."
Taking a more serious stance with the woman, Jack presses the issue,"Look here, lady. You're a fool if ya think any ah us are gonna just wander into an Orision crypt, find some wierd scepters,and people locked in a room with a zombie attack victim, then just take yer word that we should let ya out. Ifin' we don't start getting the inforamtion we want, you're all gonna rot in that room just like everything else in the place should be. Understand?", he says finishing with a bluntness that underscores his resolve. "Now, exactly, what kind of injuries does she have and how long ago did they occur?"
"She's just bruised and battered, I think we've been here for two or three days. It's hard to tell time..."
Feeling some doubt about the woman and sensing tensions between her and Jack begin to flare, Theo will step in and say It's been a long ride here, quite a number of days, and we've been in the desert heat. Upon reaching our destination, my companion here lost his steed and was badly injured earlier today, in fact. We hear of foul zombies, and there is no sign of the people we have come to search for. You all have been trapped in here for quite awhile, without certainty of rescue."
Thinking for a moment, he continues
"Understandably, everyone is a little upset, and a little impatient. We don't mean to be enemies, and we are willing to help. Your camels are still alive and well, thanks to a friend here, who treated some wounds they recieved. We're on the same side"
"My friend here is right. There is reason to doubt you, and I don't fully believe everything you've been telling me. But I do believe that you are not our enemy, and that you need our help. This is going to require you to trust me, ok, but it's necessary. I want you to pass the scepter through the door"
He moves to the door and crouches down, as he continues
"And then I'll count down from thirty. When I finish, I will open the door. Here's the tricky part. I need you guys to stand up against the wall with your hands empty and visible, ok? And they need to stay that way until I say so. We don't want to hurt you, but if you don't do this, my partner here may see you as a threat. We don't want that, because at the end of the day, if you fight each other, I gotta take his side. I want you to stand a bit away from the unconscious girl so we can take a look at her, maybe treat her if she looks infected. So, nice and easy now."
He holds out a hand, expectant of the scepter
"Alright...here's the scepter, we'll be ready," she says calmly. Her's are words of relief.
Theo takes the scepter and begins to move towards the altar. "30, 29, 28..." Upon reaching it he nods to members of the party, hoping they understand the next steps they will take "22, 21, 20..." He then examines the placement and the other scepters thoroughly, to see how they have been fitted, and to learn how he would do so
"14, 13, 12..." He readies himself, and looks to see if his party members have begun to take appropriate positions, finishing "6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1" as he places the rod into the hole.
Jack has followed Theo's lead and placed himself in a dark corner across from the door raising Equalizer to his cheek he sights down on the door preparing to drop the first person through it.
Slowly lowering the scepter toward its slot, Theo responds "Good idea, Qalaus. However, we don't want to spook them by summoning a fiery azata in their midst, especially when they know what to expect by what I said"
|
|
"We might then warn them that healing is on its way.
" And, may I be as true as the northern stars, I am more comfortable with the thought of startling kindly people who accidentally fail to tend their camels while mysteriously carrying around Andoran records of trade routes, than I am of exposing us to whatever might be in there."
|
|
Qalaus glances at Learnur. "I suspect I am out-voted on this. Very well, I shall the azata on this side of the door, to stand with us against what may. Insert the rod and raise the door. We shall see what awaits."
With that, Qalaus passes his tiny hands in front of him, moving down and out, as of molding an imaginary lump of clay on a potter's wheel. A sparkling archway appears, a portal to the gleaming towers of Findeladlara on the plane of Elysium. Through it steps a great being, radiant, resembling an elven archer, save that her hair and eyes both shine silver. She wears a loose-fitting robe, tied at the waist with a long pair of golden cords that continue down her legs and secure her sandals as well. She has an arrow knocked as she steps through, wary for battle.
"Liberty and joy be upon you, Qalaus."
"And upon you, fair lady Raeksu. We are attempting to rescue strangers who say they are trapped behind that door, some injured."
I, too, will need to step out on this game. Thanks for all the fun. If you ever get something moving again, let me know.