"I agree we should not mess around in the tombs.
But if a key is in one of the tombs, we'll need to find it. "
"The Captain's no go tombs are not on the search list should we need to check tombs."
"Why don't we check the tombs, take nothing that's not a key, and then be on our way?"
The sarcophagus is not trapped.
Rathis nods, keeping an eye on the room around him as his companions investigate the tombs.
"Hopefully we can avoid raising his ire."
"Since we know that the key we're looking for is magic, can anyone see if there is magic in the sarcophagus? If not, we probably shouldn't open it."
"Let's skip the sarcophagi for now, and check the other rooms."
The room opposite this one is a mirror of the first except for a few details. The fountain here reads "Fellowship" and the motto “Courage
Is King and Commerce His Queen.”
The Sarcophagus reads Vincenzo Voxus Adella, 4349–4401.
"Sounds like we'll leave them be for now. We can always come back. Down the stairs it is."
The first time you approach these stairs, the disembodied spirits of four of the last Sardisi daughters materialize and swoop up from the mists, swirling about you, disconcertingly whispering a few repeated phrases in your ears: “Are you of the blood?” “Have you come to pay your respects, cousin?” “Is his name still spoken?”
At this time, these bewitching, beautiful spirits are a harmless but unnerving annoyance. They follow you about this floor of the tomb, continuing with their inane chatter, oblivious to the your questions or any responses to their own queries. They follow you out of the tomb. And down the stairs into a swirling mist. You notice the three symbols of the Adella houses on the top step.
The stairs wind down into a flickering light that dances on the walls of a large room, thrown from fat, black candles in silver fixtures wrapped around supporting pillars that rise twenty feet to the ceiling. Frescoes cover the walls, all depicting a handsome, red-haired man of noble mien engaged in acts of heroic prowess: single-handedly dispatching a cohort of fearsome demons, speaking movingly to an adoring throng, and leading a column of Taldan soldiers toward an enormous mob of Qadiran infantry. On a raised dais in an alcove on the northern wall, an elaborately carved mahogany coffin, decorated with motifs of vines and eyes, sits on a stone base.
"Let's ignore them for now, and if they try something, I'll start purifying them."
Corso will offer the ladies a traditional Taldan blade salute with his tonfa but the continue down the stairs, waiting for the trapspotter to declare the way safe.
Valeria will check the Room
I was expecting more hostility from the resident undead. This is almost refreshing.
"Careful," Rathis says with a mirthless grin. "Speak the evil's name and you'll draw it close. Let's not taunt them into attacking."
He stands at guard as he watches the others search the room.
Sitting on a 3-foot-tall stone base in the northernmost corner of the alcove is a sarcophagus of mahogany, carved with intricate designs of intertwining vines and probing eyes. The lid is hinged on the left, with three average locks built into the wood on the right. At the southern edge of the raised dais, a rough stone pillar rises 10 feet, halfway to the ceiling. The pillar is painted white, obscuring the carvings on its surface. Carved at the base of its north face is “Ursula, 4191–4222.”
The locks click open with ease.
"Two more to go..."
"One way to find out."
Corso will open the lid.
Valeria readies herself for trouble
Corso: will save please
There will be trouble. Updating this afternoon. :)
Famous last words are only famous if someone survives to repeat them.
(miss: held)
Corso: You feel a curse descend on you, making things seem happen a fraction of a second after they really do. Take a -2 on reflex saves until the curse is removed.
As soon as the casket is opened, a floating, ghostly figure's visage streams from the pillar. It's face is constantly shifting between that of a comely, smiling human and a desiccated corpse, and it's staring at Corso. Around it swirl less substantial humanoid forms.
This is a Nemhain
Bound Spirits (Su)
A nemhain is surrounded by a whirling cloud of spirits bound to her—often, these are the spirits of close relatives or friends she had in life. As a swift action, she can direct these bound spirits to strike at any creature within 30 feet as a +21 ranged touch attack. These spirits may be used to cause damage as if she had touched the target with her incorporeal touch, or they can be used to deliver a harm or slay living effect—if used to deliver one of these spell-like abilities as a swift action, that use counts against the number of times per day she can use that spell-like ability.
The nemhain can also send these spirits up to 1 mile away to act as scouts at a fly speed of 60 feet (perfect)—she can observe and listen through them, but as long as they do not share her space, she cannot use them to deliver ranged touch attacks. These spirits are impervious to almost all attacks and magic, save the following: protection from evil prevents bound spirits from harming persons so protected; dispel evil, raise dead, or resurrection causes the spirits to vanish and be useless to the nemhain for 1 hour; true resurrection makes them useless for 24 hours.
Rejuvenation (Su)
All nemhains are tied to a ritual object used in their creation. This object is typically a Large statue, pillar, or monolith. Until this object is destroyed, a destroyed nemhain automatically rejuvenates back to full health 1d4 days after it is destroyed.
She lunges at the opener of the Sarcophagus and swipes a hand through Corso.
The swriling spirits envelop Omar as well, but they can't seem to come into contact with the lithe archer.
"Oh heck, I though so."
Parrying furiously, Corso will swing his tonfa in a highly defensive manner, drawing on his years of experience fighting things like ghosts and wraiths.
Grimacing as the creature appears, Rathis claws and bites at it.
Valeria charges up the thing
Ferod pulls a wand from his sleeve and casts shield on himself.
The abomination before you tries to step away, but Corso is on it and presses his attacks. Unfortinately, the strike misses. The creature hisses in fury and attacks Corso again! The swirling spirits around her dart toward the one who hurt her so much: Omar.
The question is almost immidiately answered: you. Omar's arrows render the undead's form into a mist that slowly creeps back into the pillar beside the coffin.
"She's like a ghostly vampire.
Destory that Piller, it's her grave."