Saedue can not determine the cause of death without unwrapping the mummified cat. She also thought it very doubtful that the object would survive being handled to be brought back to the surface and the fact that mummified cats were and still are a common practice used today so it is doubtful they would be worth anything to anyone other than the person they were buried with.
Picture of the mummified cat.
Malik uses his craft to detect magical energies in both directions, toward both sets of double stone doors to detect any hint of magical energies but the stone doors are just too thick and his magic can not penetrate them.
The group notices the torch holders in each corner but no torches are present. Probably designed more for when the chamber was being built than for use after. Also it was strange that the two sets of doors leading out of the room north and south had no engravings or markings on them like the two sets they had just come through.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Ante-Chamber, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 8:57 am, Temperature: 92 degrees outside the tomb, 82 degrees in current room.
The lack of adornment on the interior walls was intriguing, but Andet did not yet have enough information to suss out the reason. He waited quietly while the others chose a direction.
Bjoern will take 20 to check for hidden doors. Especially behind the curtain.
Dumah moves into the room to provide light for everyone's interests. Mindful of the scorpion that followed them into the original chamber, he keeps watch back the way they came in case anything, or anyone, seeks to make use of their rope to sneak up behind them.
Move to D3.
Actually I do not. But I keep that in mind
"It would be gravely unfortunate to damage the tapestry and Amal's search of the room seems to have found little else than these two doors, perhaps it would be best if we proceeded through one for now?" Malik says as he looks back and forth between both doors.
"Agreed. If we are able to thwart the dangers of this place and establish a value for the tapestry, perhaps we can hire someone skilled in such things to come down and remove it for us. Otherwise, we can let it remain as the ancients intended."
South is fine by Dumah.
Saedue finishes studying the mummified cat and then moves over to inspect the tapestry, both for anything the others may have missed and also for value and if valuable what the best corse of action for getting it out of here.
Amal looks back at the others with a quiet gaze. "I'm fine with moving through the south door aswell.. just be wary, there may be a trap waiting as soon as we open it.." Oh pleeeeeeaaaaaaaaseee let there be a trap!
The group all making final prep to move forward. South was the direction they had chosen, by the flip of the coin their fate now awaited them. With a final check of the current room Bjoern found no other hidden passages. Saedue checked the tapestry over and found that removing it from its place would destroy any value that it may have and paying for a magical preservative would likely cost far more than the simple tapestry would be worth even to a collector. She shakes her head acknowledging that she is also ready to move on. With that the group took up defensive positions for the next door opening.
With the positioning all was set for Dumah or Bjoern to open the door. The group also feels the temparture creeping up as the morning progresses. Now at 87 degrees in this section of the tomb.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Ante-Chamber, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 9:00 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside the tomb, 87 degrees in current room.
For the moment the Reclaimers thought to leave the tapestry where it hung, not out of respect for the dead general whose tomb they had been allotted, but for more practical concerns. Studying the cats of the long since dead general, they were soon on their way southwards, pushing past another series of stone double doors and on the other side of that a small stairwell led down to another level of the tomb. Ahead at the bottom of the stairs was yet another set of stone double doors with no markings.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Ante-Chamber, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 9:01 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside the tomb, 87 degrees in current room.
Anset understood why the remains of the cat were there. He needed not inspect them or disturb them. The remains of animals were not his concern.
Their path chosen by luck, Anset followed and waited for the door to be opened.
Amal once again slides his way ahead of the group, searching around for any traps just to be safe.
Amal spent the next few minutes checking the stairs and the next set of doors for any traps that might be present, however to his dismay he did not find any. He made his way back to his place in the group and declared the all clear to proceed.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Ante-Chamber, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 9:09 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside the tomb, 87 degrees in current room.
Malik motions to the door and proclaims "Let us move onward my friends, treasure has so far eluded us, but we have much exploring left."
The group could feel the dampness on the stairs and the cooler temperature as the steps led down. At least it would be cooler once they got down them and opened the doors. The group waited for their warriors to proceed.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Foyer, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 9:10 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside the tomb, 87 degrees in current room.
Checking the path Bjoern slowly walks forward.
Be cautious. Be aware of your surroundings.
Saedue shivers, and says to no one in particular
It's getting cold here, don't you think?
I should have took lessons in architecture too. Strangely, being inside of a tomb seems familiar.
Dumah stays with Bjoern, light held high. Perception
Bjoern and Dumah moved down the steps carefully and made there way to the next set of smooth doors at the bottom of the stairs.
The party thought that Saedue's shivering was odd since it was still 87 degrees where they were standing, at the bottom of the stairs where Bjoern was it was slightly cooler at around 82 degrees.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Foyer, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 9:11 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside the tomb, 87 degrees in current room.
Malik notices everyone else looking around suspiciously instead of heading through the door and focuses on his surroundings as well.
But notices nothing out of the ordinary.
Bjoern puts a torche ineach of the torchholder and lights them. Just as a beacon. Then he opens the southern door.
Saedue's hand go to her sword, and she prepares herself for the worst, trying to look at least a little confident
Bjoern retrieves four torches from his pack and his flint and steel. He lights each one and carefully places one in each torch holder in the foyer room with the mummified cats as a beacon in the dark tomb. He then returns to his position beside Dumah and opens the next set of doors which open much easier than the doors coming into the tomb as they do not seem to drag on the ground..
A massive mirror stretches across the southern wall of this chamber, flanked by two statues. The statue to the east depicts a tall, gaunt woman in a flowing, hooded gown, holding an hourglass. The figure to the west is that of a jackal-headed man carrying a scepter or staff in his hand. Stone double doors, standing slightly ajar, lead to the east and west. Torch holders sculpted in the shape of bird skulls are built in each corner, and a thin layer of dust covers every surface. The dust looks like it has been disturbed in a few places.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Chamber of Reflection, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 9:15 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside the tomb, 82 degrees in current room.
Feeling like little more than a torch holder himself, Dumah crouches down to look at the patterns in the dust.
Survival
"These here" he says, pointing at the dust on the floor "are tracks. Vermin of some sort."
With that roll, can he tell how old the tracks are, or what kind size of vermin? Are we looking at R.O.U.S.'s?
"There must be another way into this tomb, even a small passage. These tracks were recently laid, by creatures probably..." he holds up his hands to indicate a small sized creature. "Unless these are a trick of the tomb. We'd best be ready for them, though."
He asks "Did everyone bring vermin repellent? I got an extra vial, but if we can't all protect ourselves with it, it wouldn't do much good for one or two of us to use it."
Stone double doors, standing slightly ajar, lead to the east and west.
I got two flasks of vermin repellent, among other things...And I'm sure that, given the time, I could craft some. But i guess we won't have time.Who knows something about the jackal headed statue? The woman should be Pharasma, I guess. After all, tombs are her kingdom.
Dumah stepped into the room to study the tracks in the dust, informing everyone of the small vermen that left the recent tracks that criss crossed the room through the two sets of doors that were ajar on the east and west wall. After standing back up from studying the trap his sunrod reflected of the mirror that was in front of him, he looked at his reflection that peered back at him from the mirror. Only his reflection showed a stern scowl on his face as if in disapproval. No matter what face the dwarf made his reflection just kept scowling at him like he had done something wrong.
A moment later he saw another reflection come into focus standing beside him in the mirror. It had the likeness of Akhentepi as depicted elsewhere throughout the tomb: a human man with bronzed skin in his forties, wearing white ceremonial robes and a headdress. The reflected image of Akhentepi also appeared stern and disapproving.
The image caught Dumah off guard and he jerked his head to the side to see the man being reflected in the mirror but there was not another man present but him in the room. Looking back at the mirror he could see both his reflection and that of Akhentepi still. Both frowning at him. A chill ran down his spine.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Chamber of Reflection, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 9:17 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside the tomb, 82 degrees in current room.
Bjoern takes one lit Torch from the room before and puts it into a holder at a7. Checking for traps he moves in and is confronted with the mirror. Yelling for a wise man or an arcane he continues his exploration.
Malik follows Dumah and Bjoern into the room, detecing magic as he does, focusing on the mirror.
Anset followed as well eyeing the statues. He hadn't noticed the odd mirror yet.
[dice=Know. Religion]1d20+5/dice]
Bjoern steps into the room bringing a flickering torch with him from one of the holders in the foyer, the crackling fire dripping in drops from the torch tip and hissing into the ground as he moves. He places the torch in one of the bird head shaped holders in the reflection chamber. Looking toward the mirror he sees his own reflection stern and disapproving staring back at him, however he does not see the reflection of Akhentepi as Dumah did. Instead he sees the reflection of Akhentepi standing next to him, frowning at him as if disappointed. He looks around but only can see himself and Dumah actually in the room. He immediately calls for the casters.
Malik hears the call of Bjoern and immediately steps into the room, focusing his detection magic as he goes. The mirror has a faint magical aura. Malik also sees his own disapproving image reflected back in the mirror along with Akhentepi standing beside him in the reflection.
Anset comes down the stairs and looks around everyone trying to get a better look at the statues. He recognizes both, he can easily identify the eastern statue as the goddess Pharasma and identifies the western statue as Anubis, the ancient Osirian god of burials and tombs.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Chamber of Reflection, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 9:18 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside the tomb, 82 degrees in current room.
Saedue descends the steps carefully, keeping her eyes and ears open and staying with the priest, her sword raised.
Her free hand touches her vials in her bandolier, quite absentmindly, as she whispers words in Elven
Danieto...Aelvis...Mubtarab....Loe..Loerith..
Dumah ponders what he thought he saw for just a moment before mentally dismissing it. He continues to illuminate the way with the sunrod.
"Anything of interest, or shall we press on?" he asks generally.
"Are either of these doors safe?" he asks of Amal.
Anset smiles slightly and makes a small bow and a respectful prayer to the jackal-headed statue. He places a single silver coin on the ground, lights a candle of of one of the torches, and places the candle on top of the coin.
"This is Anubis. God of Judgement. When the faithful die, it is onto his scales our hearts are placed. He knows our worth."
His small ritual complete, Anset takes his place next to Saedue again and prepares to move on.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Chamber of Reflection, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 9:19 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside the tomb, 82 degrees in current room.
Sensing magic from the mirror Malik focused on it more strongly, trying to determine the type of magic.
After studying the mirror for three rounds, Malik can not determine the school of the aura. However his forehead becomes increasingly hot, almost to the point of burning. For a short second his comrades around him can almost smell the scent of burned flesh. The word THIEF can be made out as red tender skin on Malik's forehead for just a moment and then fades away as his forehead cools down. The reflection of Akhentepi in the mirror shaking his head in displeasure at Malik's actions. Malik's own reflection showing disapproval as well.
Amal remains quiet, staying slightly behind the group as he observes. Blinking slightly as he spots the light coming from Malik's head, though since he's behind him, he doesn't notice that words appeared. ".... Did your face just light on fire?" Amal asks, being the first one to speak up about it.
Malik winces at the mirror's attack on his skin, and anwers Amal's question "Not quite, but that mirror did attempt to brand me," then for the rest of the party he makes a statement "Well, while I can't say what type of magic is contained within this mirror, I can definitely confirm it is malicious to us, whom it seems to consider thieves."
Amal chuckles slightly, thus being the first chuckle the party would hear from Amal as well. "I wouldn't say that we're stealing, just more of... extensive borrowing." Amal says this as he wanders towards the eastern door and peeping through, trying to see if there's anything dangerous on the other side.
Amal shrugs slightly, turning back to look at the party."I don't think there's any dangers on the other side of this door." He gives a thumbs up to the group."I give this door a danger-free approval."I think..."Personally certified by your handy..... borrower."
Looking at Malik's forehead
Interesting...I'm not really expert in arcane matters, except alchemy, but i suspect the magic use could be of the protective kind, as we are considered thieves. Or maybe some illusion, to distract us from our goal, or from the real danger? Anset, do you have more information about this ancient god, Anubis? I've never been interested in religion. So far, of course.
Bjoern carefully walks closer and checks the left side
Peeping through the doors you see a flight of steps gradually descends to the west down this passage. Halfway down the stairs, small holes and burrowed tunnels riddle what remains of the passage’s southern wall. Earth and sand have spilled over the collapsed masonry, covering the stairs with dirt and rubble.
The event seems to leave no permanent mark on Malik's forehead but it is tender to the touch, like a bad sunburn.
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Current Location: Tomb of Akhentepi: Chamber of Reflection, Date: Wealday, Pharast 26th, 4714 Time: 9:20 am, Temperature: 97 degrees outside the tomb, 82 degrees in current room.