In case they need to run again, Dumah reclaims his gear and straps it back on. Then he'll ready his shield and move to open the secret door. Once everyone indicates they are ready, he'll open it.
Saedue places herself near Dumah, her longsword in hand, and tries to make some apologies
Sorry for running away.This tomb makes me more nervous than I thought.
Amal where stay where he is just in case, motionng to Bjoern " Well then I believe Bjoern should do the honors.. correct? And it is fine you ran Saedue self-preservation kicks in when you cannot do much "
Preparing his shield Bjoern moves closer and tries to open the door
The hidden door grinds open as it slides back in on itself. This small room is filled with human-shaped bundles wrapped in linen. Each wears a small medallion around its neck.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: False Burial Chamber, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 10:39 am, Temperature: 101 degrees outside the tomb,66 degrees in current room.
Amal stands, arms folded and wary, craning his neck somewhat to get a view of hat might be inside, only vaguely " What'd you find? "
"Bodies, I guess. Or man-shaped linen bundles. "
Dumah shrugs. "I guess there's nothing here. Anyone want a closer look?"
Then he adds "Why would they hide them behind a secret door?"
Anset comes over and peers in the doorway to get a better look. "Very paculiar, burial medalions, maybe ritualistic judging by all of them being prepared the same way. Definitely bodies and definitely humanoid. Mummification. Who they could be is anyone's guess. About a dozen of them from what I can tell. Best probably not to disturb them."
Malik chimes in "What about them gold necklaces? Worth something?"
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: False Burial Chamber, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 10:40 am, Temperature: 101 degrees outside the tomb,66 degrees in current room.
Amal speaks up once again" Perhaps they were trusted servants of the ruler at the time? Regardless if they DO have something valuable we are allowed to take such.. as long as we return them with respect to the corpse; according to the rules. However if they should rise, I'm sure Anset could handle it. Otherwise we should either check the western door or check the previous rooms as you all have wanted. " moving as if suggesting they check the western door first.
" It is quite possible this door lead to the same compartment. Meaning we would e at square one to find the true sarcophagus. "
"Let us find out."Moving to the other door Bjoern carefully opens it.
Amal readies his blades this time anticipating a trap or anbush from inside.
Saedue is striken by the view of the mummified corpses, and stands there as if caught in her own memories
It could be me..Not here, but elsewhere.Trapped under the sand, in a tomb, wrapped in linen... since who knows how long?
She sudders, and tries to focus her mind on the historical importance of the corpses.WHY are they here? Is this normal, historically? Does an ancient king keep his pyramid "private" or does he get buried with faithful servants? Has the "rules" on the burial of noble born changed, and when?
As Bajoern opens the western secret door and peering beyond he sees a short passage that ends it a set of plain heavy stone double doors after only ten feet. The doors look much like the stone doors that were in the middle of the stairwell that led down to the false burial chamber.
Saedue tried to pull forth any knowledge that she could on who or why the mummified bodies were stacked in the hidden alcove and then she remembered about how these ancient tombs were built.
The dozen or so slaves who worked on the tomb were buried in this chamber, having been killed to protect the tomb’s secrets when it was completed. Which was a customary practice of the time. The slaves were mummified and interred here with all of the proper funerary rites to ward off curses and to ensure that the slaves’ souls would travel to the Boneyard and not be unjustly denied whatever afterlife they had earned. The medallions around their necks would not be gold but would be small gold painted wooden holy symbols marked with Pharasma’s spiral.
Saedue checked one of the necklaces to be sure and she was correct. Which she was.
Anset said a quick prayer over the dead and then moved toward the other door with Bjoern and Amal.
Malik moved into position across the room as well.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: False Burial Chamber, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 10:41 am, Temperature: 101 degrees outside the tomb,66 degrees in current room.
Taking 20 perception to check for traps Bjoern slowly moves closer to the door. Hoping to come closer to the burial chamber he speaks out. "Saedue, can you remember more about the burial customs. Will we now find wives and underwives?"
Dumah stays where he is, keeping a shoulder over the space that the door receded into. His is planning on keeping his allies from being locked in while they investigate.
Bjoern slowly makes his way into the alcove and to the stone doors be careful to check every inch as he goes. Finding nothing of note he stops in front of the stone doors.
Malik moves over in front of Anset where he has a clear view of Bjoern and says and incantation as he waves his hand in the air, "I don't detect any magical auras afoot on the doors."
Anset remarks "I do not see any religious markings in the area of the doors, so I doubt the main tomb is on the other side."
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: False Burial Chamber, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 10:45 am, Temperature: 101 degrees outside the tomb,66 degrees in current room.
" Well you never know, If I wanted my tomb not to be found, I wouldnt place obvious markers on it either. Now lets see if there are some.. precautions on the other side of this door. Bjoern, would you like to do the honors of opening it or do you need some help. Afterward we can tag team any traps along the way. " Amal seemed fidgety at the thought, excited you might say.
And a place to the main tomb should be LADEN in glorious traps!
Bjoern tries to open the door.
I might be wrong, but I think it's too early for us to find the real tomb...
Seeing how Amal was excited, Saedue can't help but smile...
You're like a small boy in a shop full of sweets...and a vigilant shopkeepeer.So be careful.
" Well, how did you know so much about my life Saedue. I'll have you know 'this' boy was never caught and the shopkeeper none the wiser. " Amal smiles back which then devolved into a slight embarrassed snicker under his mask, " I wasn't the leader though so maybe I should be a bit more cautious " giving Saedue a curt nod.
Bjoern opens the doors as they hiss with a presurrized release, looking beyound he saw the passage turn and go down yet another flight of steps toward another set of doors. Again the next set of doors were plain and unmarked and even cooler air came from below.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: False Burial Chamber, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 10:45 am, Temperature: 101 degrees outside the tomb,66 degrees in current room.
Waving the other forward he slowly makes his way down taking extra care to search for traps.
Amal assists with the trap finding ever happy to assist.
Bjoern and Amal begin moving forward carefully looking for the slightest sign that something is amiss, Malik and Anset follow about five feet behind the two quietly letting the two men work.
After about ten feet into the hall Bjoern spots something. A secret door lies on the southern wall of the passage, recognizable only by a tiny keyhole set into the wall at waist level.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: False Burial Chamber, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 10:49 am, Temperature: 101 degrees outside the tomb,66 degrees in current room.
Pointing it to Amal he takes out his lockpicks. "Let us check what is behind the door. You do not make secret doors for naught. Maybe a switch to defuse the next trap."
Saedue walks between Bjoern and Anset
I'll keep my eyes open as your attention is focused on the lock. But be careful anyway.
Amal nods to Bjoern " My thoughts exactly, Sadly it doesnt seem trapped because it was so well hidden. Let us explore this realm as well. Something tells me we have found a much more interesting portion of this tomb. "
Amal takes the lockpicks and uses them with ease
Saedue and Dumah move over to see what is going on in the passageway that has everyone's attention as Bjoern steps to the side to let Amal work on the lock. As Amal clicks the lock over with a pick the door automatically begins to slide out of the way as the group looks beyond...
In contrast to the rest of the tomb, this rough earthen passage is not lined with masonry. At various points along the tunnel, sections of the walls have crumbled, as if something had dug small tunnels in the walls that subsequently collapsed.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: False Burial Chamber, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 10:50 am, Temperature: 101 degrees outside the tomb,66 degrees in current room.
Some insects maybe? Remember that strange beetles we fought earlier, maybe the small tunnels are their work..
Could those two connect?
"Shall we check it out real quick. This could be a trap that backfired. Maybe! Or we continue? Dumah? Saedue? Amal?"
"I think we should check it out. We need to be thorough. And if something lurks in there, we don't want to have it emerge behind us at an inopportune time."
" If it was hidden behind a wall it is most likely constructed, but of a different use or method. And it was locked as well. I think we may find a few treasures if nothing else.. lets be careful however shall we? " On that note Amal proceeds forward carefully but not trusting having the luxury of extended stay in the passageway
Amal steps in through the secret door, eying what looks to be a unfinished passage that has further been damaged by some type of burrowing creature, after stepping in he slowly begins to proceed down the broken passage when through the small tunnels at the far end burst forth a familiar green glowing mining beetle. The beetle having the sudden advantage of surprise charges Amal and sinks his mandibles into the rogue tearing away a large portion of flesh off of one of Amal's thighs as he screams out in pain.
The beetle acts quickly snapping his jaws again at the off balanced rogue tearing into his midsection with his mandibles, ripping away more flesh, blood now flowing freely as Amal collapses under the blows and falls to the passage floor, blood pooling where he fell.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: False Burial Chamber, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 10:50 am, Temperature: 101 degrees outside the tomb,66 degrees in current room.
Amal humms to himself as all of a sudden he finds a beetle in his sight, and then everything went dark. A fine trap indeed.
Using his shield 2 handed to bash in the beetle, Bjoern defends the downed rogue.
Seeing the beetle coming out of nowhere and biting Amal to death, Saedue sighs
Sometimes, I wish I would be wrong...
Then Bjoern rushes to the rogue's defence, and the elf sheated her sword
Anset, be ready to cure Amal... I'll try to get him out of harm's way!
Dumah moves over to take Bjoern's place by the door (G1), readying his main axe as he goes.
Malik hears his friend cry out, since he already has his crossbow in hand he steps to the secret passage entrance and fires a bolt at the creature attacking Amal. His bolt fires true and pierces the head of the beetle as it goes completely limp.
Seeing that the beetle was down Saedue sheaths her sword and moves to Amal's unconscious body.
Bjoern moves to the dead beetle to block Amal's body from any other of the insects that may be present in the tunnels.
Amal's wounds continue to bleed.
Hearing Saedue's words Anset quickly moves to the entrance of the secret passage with both Amal and Anset in his sight he holds the holy symbol of Ra high over his head and says "By the power of Ra may the wounds be lessened this day!" and he slams the symbol down into his palm a ripple of divine energy washes over the group. Some of Dumah's injuries stitch themselves up and fade away. Amal's injuries begins to heal and the bleeding stops and he suddenly opens his eyes and inhales deeply.
Dumah moves over to take Bjoern's place by the door, readying his main axe as he goes.
Just as everyone is breathing a sigh of relief another Mining Beetle burst through the wall between Saedue and Anset and bites at the cleric with his mandibles. Anset lets out a howl as the flesh is torn from his right arm and chest.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: False Burial Chamber, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 10:50 am, Temperature: 101 degrees outside the tomb,66 degrees in current room.
Anset’s scream echoes in the chamber. Blood soaking into his robes, he steps around the corner, weaving from side to side as he does his best to avoid any further attacks from the mining beetle.
Bew..
Saedue shout was too late to warn the priest, and another beetle bite Anset before he could react
She takes her sword out, and prepares herself to fight, waiting for an opportunity
Amal awakes to a flash of light, his wounds sting, yet in a hurried fashion he kickflips to his legs drawing a blade from where he dropped. He was ecstatic. " Whoa. Where? How? T-There ANOTHER one... this place never ceases to surprise. "
Dumah steps into the space that Anset cedes, engaging the monstrous insect before it can inflict further harm on his allies. Unfortunately his axe glances off the wall, interfering with the swing.
Step to G2, strike with axe.
To hit
Damage
Saedue thrusts her sword into the beetle's chitinous armor, trying to pierce its defense
Take that, you.... bug!
Malik moves to the side allowing Anset to move should he need to do so, then he reloads his crossbow.