"Let's be at the ready for anything"
"I always am. That's why I'm still alive."
Each internal wall has nine stacked interment vaults, a total of twenty-seven in all. The dates of death on these vaults fall between 3754 and 4050. None bear full names, only first initials (such as P. Adella, A.G. Adella, etc.). The limestone sarcophagus at the center of each crypt
bears an epitaph in its surface, but the effects of time have rendered these illegible.
Before continuing on, Rathis pulls out a jeweled wand and spends a couple minutes healing the horrific burns covering him. He growls as he sees various gems darken, nearly half the wand spent before he's ready to move on again with just a few faintly glistening scars.
"Well, nothing to do but open them, I guess. We need to make sure nothing's in them that could get us farther into this place. Just be ready in case something else doesn't like its rest being disturbed."
Once the group nods its readiness, he'll help shove aside the heavy stone covers.
To anyone who enters the crypt - Fort save please
Both men feel the sinking of sickness in their gut and the tingle of magic, but both steel themselves and get over it quickly enough.
Inside the sarcophagus are several pieces of jewelry. Specifically a gold bracelet set with onyx, a silver ring set with a small ruby, and a necklace bearing the Adella house crest. All told, they are worth about 900 gold. There is also a masterwork Cane Sword, but it has decayed somewhat over time .
"Unless your immune to curses, and who knows what diseases may be on their corpses."
"You're the trap expert. Shall we just proceed to on of the central buildings then?"
"Left, right, or center?" says Corso, looking at the 3 northern buildings.
Corso will move to take point and open the door after it has been checked for traps.
This building is of gray basalt, and unlike its sister buildings is plain and functional in design. Chiseled above the entry arch is the phrase, “The Living Make Their Plans; the Dead Watch, Amused.” The building is mostly empty. The only feature of note is a 10- foot carving in the floor depicting the cross-eyed medusa of house Daellum.
A keen eyed observation reveals to h arcane runes worked cleverly into the artwork. A subsequent Detect scan reveals an active teleportation circle that is triggered by standing on the carving.
Ferod watched as the others inspected the carving.
Anything of interest?
"What do they say?"
The runes are the required components to make the circle permanent. It does not indicate a destination.
"So does this one need a key, like in the entrance way?"
As Valeria says "way" you all feel the familiar tug and rush of teleportation magic. Your destination is dim and takes a moment to absorb. This great, domed chamber is home to hundreds of funerary urns of every description, housed in niches along the walls. The domed ceiling thirty feet above is decorated with images of Taldan aristocrats engaged in passionate debate, locked in duels, or poring over great tomes together. A carving of a medusa’s face decorates the floor in the room’s center, flanked to the sides by two trios of stone sarcophagi. An archway to the north opens into a large pillared hall.
The six sarcophagi in this room are ceremonial—they aren’t even hollow. Such is not the case for the urns displayed on the walls. These contain the cremated remains of favorite servants as evidenced by the varied last names.
You have arrived on a similar Madusa carving to the one you just triggered. However, an examination reveals several differences. Firstly, this one seems to work by some method other than simply standing on it. The symbols for 'contact' on the previous circle has been replaced with symbols for 'thought' and 'intent'. Secondly, there are four differences in the carving itself. There is a keyhole in the right eye, a starburst indentation in the left eye, a thin slot in the mouth, and an oval indentation in the chin.
"Looks like we need to go get some keys, although we already have one of them, if not two of them."
"Through the door, then?" Rathis says in his growly voice, nodding toward the archway.
He moves closer and looks through.
This massive hall hosts a vaulted ceiling fifty feet above,
supported by huge pillars of marble running down its center. The walls are lined with vaults, stacked in columns of eight, twenty feet high. Lavish murals occupy the thirty-foot stretch of wall above the vaults, depicting naval confrontations between Taldan and Qadiran ships to the east, and Taldan ships and what appear to be ghost ships to the west. The dominant ship in the painting appears in both battle scenes, its mainsail proudly flaunting the mocking medusa; a handsome figure clad in archaic captain’s uniform grips the rigging in one hand while he rallies his sailors by waving a falcata over his head. The man has thick white hair and a long beard divided into three braids.
A round after the you enter this room, a shimmering, ghostly figure drifts down from the western representation of the captain. He drifts down to float just a few inches above the ground
before the stairs, and addresses the you in a deep, commanding voice.
It is apparent that none of your assembly is of the blood, so I must conclude you are thieves. To avert my righteous vengeance and leave in peace, answer me these three questions. First, what was the name of my flagship? Second, how did my first darling wife die? And third, why is my eldest son’s body not here with us? All the information you need is within this chamber. I give you ten minutes
"Great. Another ghost. Let's see if we can avoid a fight this time," Rathis says, looking around.
You all spread out and have the answers in under a minute. Omar is the first to come back with the name of The Flagship: Pasco’s flagship was the Harlot, which he discover by checking the name of the ship painted on the mural.
Valeria finds Pasco’s Wife: Pasco’s first wife, Annavale, died in childbirth, which she deduces from the date of her death and the date of her son’s birth.
Rathis finds the Eldest Son: Pasco’s eldest son died at sea—his name is recorded on the westernmost pillar with the austere words, “Pasco Voxus Adella II, 4138–4156, The Sea Reclaims Its Own.”
Corso uncovers that Pasco’s second wife is buried here as well—“Eudocia, Beloved Wife, 4130–4192.”
Once the answers are given the spirit intones, Good! One should know of those who came before, and tread reverently. Disturb not these three tombs before you and I shall not vex you further. before fading away into nothingness.
"So we have three entombed bodies we should not touch at all,
unless you want to make Pasco Adella angry."
"Yes, let us not behave like filthy tomb robbers. We should find the evidence we are looking for, as well as the blade, and then be on our way."
"Agreed. We're here to discover the truth, not despoil the place. I'm as happy going left as right. Shame the ghost didn't stick around to answer questions, though."
Corso will move to take point towards H4a.
Quick work! I much prefer the easy way.
Ferod follows Corso. So how do you think the pretender is going to try and screw us at the end of this adventure?
A marble fountain, the basin of which resembles a huge shell, sits near the entrance to this room, its waters cascading from between the fingers of reclining mermaids. The chamber beyond is empty, save for a single sarcophagus at the far end of the room.
The sarcophagus bears an inscription that reads, “Commerce Is King and Courage His Queen". A bronze plaque on the sarcophagus reads, “Vespacio Voxus Adella, 4349– 4401.”
The fountain also bears an inscription reading "Brotherhood".
"While I may think that he'll try and trick us, I did not get to where I am today by assuming the worst of people. Expecting it, sure, but you should always give people the chance to make that choice first."