Nulyth spits out a mouthful of sand as he counterattacks the elemental before him! He first attack tests the defenses of the creature, preparing to possibly follow-up with a more devastating attack! His scimitar cuts through the air towards the Sandling. The Sandling was off balance because of the way he had charged and Nulyth's scimitar cut into the creature, passing through the sand of the creature as if through hot butter, emerging from the other side the scimitar only brought a little bit of sand out of it. The creature barely seemed to notice as its form shifted and swayed.
Alexander removed his crossbow from his back and loaded a bolt into the chamber, studying the creature Alexander tried to learn more of its abilities. "I don't know anything about them, will my crossbow bolts do much to assist you Holbrecht?" he says.
Kachu surveys the battle.
Holbrecht swings his hammer again, trying desperately to recreate his last effort. The swing is a little awkward and clumsy but the creature being off balance helps his warhammer once again connect into the sandy menace knocking more sand away from the creature before it reforms..
Lin blinks for a moment in surprise at the strange creature; forcing herself to focus, she claps her hands together, muttering an entreaty; silver liquid explodes out and covers the floor beneath the creature. Unfortunately the gritty nature of the creature keeps it upright against the now slick floor.
The Sandling again forms a giant maw and bites at Nulyth, but Nulyth is to quick for the creature and quickly dodges the blow.
All of a sudden the sand creature collapses into the ground breaking up a part of the stairs and is gone. The entire ground around everyone begins to shake as the creature burrows into the ground.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Chamber of Reflection, Date: Oathday, Pharast 25th, 4714 Time: 9:07 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside and 87 degrees at current location.
Holbrecht eyes the events with the same scrutiny he uses when seeing the connecting cogs of a machine and how they all operate together, he works them out half aloud "My hammer was more effective than Nulyth's sword... so it makes me think we have to disperse the surface area to make much progress... now that it has gone into the earth, it needs space to emerge.. where could it do so? behind us?"
Figuring it out, he calls to the others, "Use blunt weapons, ready yourself in case it pops up amidst all of us." He points to the ground surrounded by the group and tries to usher Alexander to protect himself in the corner. He holds his weapon at the ready for when and if it emerges, uncertain of where.
Round 2
Nulyth's strike was true; however, as his blade bit into the creature it sliced through with little resistance. The aasimar began to worry for just a moment until he heard Holbrecht's mumbling about displacement. "Of course! Good thinking, Master Holbrecht!" Nulyth quickly sheathes his curved sword and quickly draws out the warhammer from his belt.
"Cursed elemental, show yourself!" he shouts towards the ground, spinning around to face his comrades. Neferteri's words give him pause and he, likewise, attempts to listen for the sound of the sandling's burrowing.
Neferteri, activating his luck, pulls a small dark metal morning star and steps defensively in front of Lin, ready to attack the creature should it appear. He tries to hear the creatures movements beneath them but the rumbling is just to loud.
Nulyth quickly sheathes his curved sword and quickly draws out the warhammer from his belt.
Hearing Holbrecht's words Alexander puts away his crossbow and shifts into the corner, he removes a piece of cured leather from his pouch and says a incantation and makes a motion in the air as a field of force surrounds him.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Chamber of Reflection, Date: Oathday, Pharast 25th, 4714 Time: 9:07 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside and 87 degrees at current location.
Blinking in surprise as the creature vanishes into the floor, Lin hesitates a moment before turning to Kachu. A sharp gesture and sharper syllable dismisses the little monkey in a puff of smoke. Lin turns back to where it disappeared, center of gravity low, arms spread ready to cast should it emerge. "I... I'll summon something when it appears! I'll try and flank!" Heart pounding, Lin bubbles with excitement.
Holbrecht points to the ground surrounded by the group and tries to usher Alexander to protect himself in the corner. He holds his weapon at the ready for when and if it emerges, uncertain of where.
Blinking in surprise as the creature vanishes into the floor, Lin hesitates a moment before turning to Kachu. A sharp gesture and sharper syllable dismisses the little monkey in a puff of smoke. Lin turns back to where it disappeared, center of gravity low, arms spread ready to cast should it emerge. Heart pounding, Lin bubbles with excitement.
The sand creature reemerges in the same location it burrowed in moments ago. However it is having some problems as it reassembles its humanoid shape due to the grease now mixed it with the sand from Lin's spell.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Chamber of Reflection, Date: Oathday, Pharast 25th, 4714 Time: 9:07 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside and 87 degrees at current location.
"There you are," Alexander mutters, his voice grim.
The old wizard takes a step to the side, points a finger at the sand creature and mutters two simple words, the vocal component to a cantrip: "Stilla Acida!"
A small splash of acid flies forth...
Round 3
Nulyth spins around with his hammer when he hears the sandling reforming behind him!
Somewhat pleased to no longer be at the fore, Holbrecht finds there's little he can do from here. He decides to just be ready nearby in case someone needs healing or he needs to step up.
Round 3
[b]"Shaoxin Zi, Eagle of the Lily, gird my enemy in gore..."[b]
A gesture and a few more syllables and a white-feathered eagle springs into existence on the far side of the elemental in gore, lashing out as Lin grins.
Neferteri, his luck still lingering, moves past the dwarf to swing at the elemental with his cold iron morning star. The morning star lands squarely against the Sandling's humanoid form, displacing a lot of the sand in what would be the chest area if the creature was human.
Nulyth spins around with his hammer when he hears the Sandling reforming behind him! The hammer missing its mark entirely as the sand rolled to one side and then the other trying to hold together a semblance of a human shape.
The old wizard takes a step to the side, points a finger at the sand creature and mutters two simple words, the vocal component to a cantrip. A small splash of acid flies forth from Alexander's finger tips... Upon reaching its target the acid bubbles and hisses into the creature as it lurches and reels back from the attack.
Somewhat pleased to no longer be at the fore, Holbrecht finds there's little he can do from here. He decides to just be ready nearby in case someone needs healing or he needs to step up.
Lin makes a gesture and a few more syllables and a white-feathered eagle springs into existence on the far side of the elemental in gore, lashing out as Lin grins. The eagle swipes its two talons at the creature in a flurry, one of the talons manages to scrape the creature but has little effect against it. Then the eagle bites at the creature but only gets a mouthful of sand.
The Sandling full withdraws and burrows deep into the earth, everyone can feel the rumbling for a few moments and then all is silent as the creature is gone from the area.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Chamber of Reflection, Date: Oathday, Pharast 25th, 4714 Time: 9:08 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside and 87 degrees at current location.
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Breathing hard from the exertion and excitement of even this short combat Neferteri wonders Did we drive it off? Best to get past this area it seems to defend regardless.
Picking up the pace the halfling will check each square for traps as he moves down from where he has gotten to to the doors.
He will pause at the door and take 20 searching it.
Holbrecht lets out a sigh of relief. Overall that went much better than their last two fights, and it seems no one even got injured. As they relax from the battle, he does his best to scatter the piles of remaining sand, hoping it will prevent it from returning. He even uses a couple bouts of conjured water to wash away both the remaining grease and grit as Nefer goes about his checks.
Neferteri examines the remaining of the stairs and that beyond finally coming to the doors at the far end of the stairs, examining them carefully he believes the doors to be both unlocked as well as not trapped. The engravings on the door was both of high quality and the colors seem to have stood the test of time, the scarab beetle with outstretched wings beneath the shining sun that were present on both doors look to have been done by a very skilled artisan.
Holbrecht cleaned the remaining grease and scattered the sand as Lin's eagle vanished from sight.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Chamber of Reflection, Date: Oathday, Pharast 25th, 4714 Time: 9:11 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside and 87 degrees at current location.
Nulyth nods to Neferteri as he descends the stairs with his shield at the ready. He hooks his hammer back onto his belt and draws his scimitar once again. He approaches the doors and waits for the rest if the group to get into position before opening the set of doors.
With everyone in position now Nulyth opened the next door....
A tapestry hangs from a frame against the south wall of this large chamber; it depicts an otherworldly vista where the souls of the dead, shepherded by strange beings, enter an ethereal river ambling through space toward a landscape dominated by an impossibly tall spire. Columns sculpted in the shape of Osirian warriors wielding khopeshes stand in all four corners of the room. The floor is tiled in a white spiral pattern on a black background, and this spiral pattern is repeated on the stone double doors to the north, east, and west.
It is much cooler here than above ground.
The spiral symbol is that of Pharasma
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Chamber of Reflection, Date: Oathday, Pharast 25th, 4714 Time: 9:12 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside and 77 degrees at current location.
Neferteri moves into the room, moving his dancing orbs of light with him and recalling them as necessary. He examines every inch of the tapestry before him and like some of the others this one is beautiful but is just to delicate with its age to be successfully taken down or moved.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Chamber of Reflection, Date: Oathday, Pharast 25th, 4714 Time: 9:14 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside and 77 degrees at current location.
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Disappointed that the tapestry can not be "harvested" Neferteri muses I wish there was some spell that could restore this work of art. Have heard of a spell called Make Whole. Would it reverse the aging effects? After posing his question he moves over to the western set of doors and begins to check them, first listening and then taking 20 to check them. After that he will move to the northern doors and do the same.
Holbrecht follows Nefer into the room, first seeing if he can detect any poison. Then he circles the room at the edges looking for anything that stands out. As he does he answers Nefer's question, "I don't think it works for deterioration, which is just age not damage. It would likely mend a tear or rip in the fabric though."
"I wonder whether this room might be consecrated, or at least ritual in nature," Alexander says from the door opening, leaning against the doorjamb, his cane in hand.
The old man makes a hand gesture and mutters a single Word of Power.
Lin exhales and dismisses the eagle with a bow. Sitting on the floor, she re-summons Kachu and tells him how the battle went. Kachu joins Holbrecht and the rest in examining the corners of the room as Lin peers down at the tiles with interest. "Beautiful..." Bending down on one knee, she pulls out a bit of cloth and starts buffing up one of the tiles, wiping away the sand and dust to better appreciate it.
Neferteri checks both the western doors and the northern doors, no sounds can be heard behind either set. However both sets of doors are locked.
Holbrecht cast is magical detection spell but no poison can be detected within the range of the magic. He then moves around the room and inspects the walls and statues but finds nothing unusual or out of place. However he does determine that the room probably serves as a transition from the outer tomb chambers to Akhentepi’s final resting place.
Alexander scans the room for any sign of a magical aura, either present or lingering but his detection comes back empty as no auras are present.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Hall of Soul's Crossing, Date: Oathday, Pharast 25th, 4714 Time: 9:15 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside and 77 degrees at current location.
Nulyth looks around the room in awe if the strange, yet beautiful patterns in the room. "What a gorgeous room, though macabre. What a man he must've been to deserve such a sending to the afterlife."
Neferteri works at the locks on the two sets of doors, they take him a few minutes as the locks are slightly above average in craftsmanship but soon he has both sets of doors unlocked. Slipping his tools away back into his pouch he nods to the group that the task has been accomplished.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Hall of Soul's Crossing, Date: Oathday, Pharast 25th, 4714 Time: 9:19 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside and 77 degrees at current location.
Holbrecht stares in turn between both doors, back and forth, before offering. "The western door. That way, if there is danger within, we can be as far back as the door we came in or use it for egress more easily."
"Sounds like an excellent plan, Holbrecht. I shall open the western door first, prepare yourselves." Nulyth approaches the door with his shield at the ready and opens it once everyone is in position.
Nulyth opens the western doors....
This short hallway narrows sharply to the west, descending to set of stairs that abruptly ends at a rough rock wall. The area at the foot of the stairs was never excavated, though a few small tunnels pockmark the stone.
Alexander recalls something from the journals he was studying about this area...
After the death of his family, Akhentepi took a mistress, Andromeda Pierpoint whom he planned to eventually marry. Preparations for a secondary tomb for her were begun here. When Akhentepi died unexpectedly, no financial provisions had yet been made to continue excavating her tomb. Further construction on his mistress’s crypt was abandoned, and the tomb was sealed in its current state once Akhentepi’s interment was complete.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Hall of Soul's Crossing, Date: Oathday, Pharast 25th, 4714 Time: 9:20 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside and 77 degrees at current location.
"This... is probably the place that was set aside for my ancestor, Andromeda," Alexander says, absentmindedly spinning his cane between his fingers. "It will be unfinished, due to a lack of financial provision after Akhentepi's sudden death. There should not be a lot of treasure here... but I should still like... to see."
Neferteri steps beside Nulyth at the doorway peering down the stairs and sending his dancing lights forward to get a better look. Alexander peers over Nulyth's shoulder to look as well.
The steps travels down a short ways to an unfinished section. It looks like the walls are actually partially collapsed as what looks to be small holes pock mark these stairs very similarly to the ones that you came down a little while ago. Other than that there seems to be no way to progress past the end of the stairs.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Hall of Soul's Crossing, Date: Oathday, Pharast 25th, 4714 Time: 9:21 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside and 77 degrees at current location.
"More beetles," Alexander says, sighing. "Oh, well. Onward to the other passage."
Holbrecht scowls once again at the destruction caused by the frustrating insects tearing up the quality architecture, before moving to his self-assigned tasks. All the while he explains to Alexander, "There's no reason that we should not afford this space the same due diligence we have used throughout. Who knows, there may just be a clue to the tools or blueprints that were used for what was to come of this space."
"A crypt," Alexander says, succinctly, to Neferteri's question. "This was all to be a crypt."
To Holbrecht, he just shrugs. "I wish you joy of the investigation. There does not seem to be anything here for me." His eyes dull as he looks away, the corners of his mouth pointing downward. "Nothing..."
Nulyth turns suddenly to look at Alexander when he mentions the unfinished tomb had been for his ancestor. "Alexander, what do you mean this was an unfinished tomb for you ancestor? Who is this Andromeda? Why did you not speak of this before?"
Neferteri steps into the small room and begins to look around but finds nothing but unfinished walls and little else.
Holbrecht can not detect any poison so he makes his way down the steps along the south wall, suddenly a faint green glow emits forth from the beetle tunnels ahead. Coming out of the tunnels you see two housecat-sized beetle's they have a dull brown color brightened by two glowing green-yellow spots on their carapaces.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Unfinished Wing, Date: Oathday, Pharast 25th, 4714 Time: 9:22 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside and 77 degrees at current location.
Lin blinks and starts back. "Beetles... why did it have to be beetles." She shudders.
"You would seriously prefer snakes?" Alexander asks, drily.
The old man follows behind everyone else if/when they move towards the beetles to assist Holbrecht.
Nulyth moves forward with his shield at the ready into position just before the stairs to keep the beetles hemmed into the stairwell. "Holbrecht, fall back. I will hold them here! We shall take them down one at a time." He looks back as he approaches. "Cover my back, I'll be busy."
Holbrecht's stubby legs are already in motion, or at least processing the intent of motion, as the others call for him to fall back. He takes advantage of the beetle's sudden arrival, to get out of the way before they get to him. He moves up to behind Nulyth's secure position.
Holbrecht's stubby legs are already in motion, or at least processing the intent of motion, as the others call for him to fall back. He takes advantage of the beetle's sudden arrival, to get out of the way before they get to him. He moves up to behind Nulyth's secure position.
Nulyth moves forward with his shield at the ready into position just before the stairs to keep the beetles hemmed into the stairwell.
Neferteri fires a shot off from his bow as Holbrecht retreats back up the stairs. His arrow flies true and strikes the forward beetle in the head, the beetle shrieks as the arrow impacts.
The wounded beetle continues to shriek as it charges toward Neferteri just as Nulyth steps into the front. the beetle lashes out at the Paladin with its mandibles but the arrow sticking out from its face and the grievous wound it has suffered throws its attack way off and Nulyth easily bats the thing away without much effort.
The other beetle advances behind the first waiting its turn at its prey.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Unfinished Wing, Date: Oathday, Pharast 25th, 4714 Time: 9:22 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside and 77 degrees at current location.