Zayid slowly turned the nob that opened the shutter on the lantern, bathing the chamber in light.
The Serpent head dominated the room. It was enormous, standing from floor to ceiling and surrounded by smaller snake heads. The wall was carved to appear as though the necks were twined together. It's eyes were odd looking concave jewels that glittered hypnotically.
The serpent's eyes are powerfully hypnotic and very soothing.
Zayid peeks into the room, and stops, staring intently. "It's beautiful..." he breathes.
The expression on Ayaal's face moves from perplexity to irritation to amusement at Zayid's headstrong approach.
If he wants to play the lightning rod, so be it.
She crouches down and shines a light on the ranger, watching his progress. "What was that? What's beautiful?"
Farooq follows the others into the next room:
"Well now, isn't that fancy"
Casts Detect magic Farooq checks the room for any magical auras.
The eyes of the serpent glow as weak Enchantment.
Since you made the save you are able to do more than just stare at the eyes. There are a number of tools scattered about the alter. They are metal and well-kept. They were probably brought here by the surveyors. They definitely aren't old enough to be relics of the ruin.
The serpent's mouth appears articulated somehow, like it might have been designed to open.
The eyes are cut spherical Geodes about the size of a grapefruit. They are exquisite quality and obviously quite valuable.
Ayaal doesn't see much from her vantage point, just the three men oohing and aahing over some kind of statue.
Cahal and Zayid seem to be mesmerized by something supernatural, probably a spell effect similar to Facinate.
Hasani steps into the new room glancing over at the great serpent's head, and going wide eyed as he stares at its delicate beauty.
Apedemak hangs back with Ayaal and the other women, though he is torn when Farooq, the elder, moves into the next room. However, he assumes that the magician can protect himself with those flames, so he waits with those he prioritizes for protection.
Ayaal sits in disbelief as more people crawl blithely by her into an unchecked room. She casts a can you believe this? look at those who remain behind, saying quietly. "This is why the life expectancy of the collared is measured in days - no survival instincts." The oohs and aahs fill her with suspicion.
She sighs and smiles, "Well, at least we'll uncover traps before I risk my ass looking for them." With frayed patience, she calls out to the men in the other room again. "Oi! Sluggards! What's so interesting about that statue?!"
"There's some sort of enchantment coming from a large statue in here. Looks like our surveyors came this way. Just hold on moment and I'll see if there is anything I can do about it."
Farooq tries to identify the nature of the enchantment:
Thinking to maybe cover the statues eyes, Farooq advances slowly, keeping an eye out for any traps ,
Despite herself, Mahsati could not help but smile slightly at Ayaal's quip. "Shall I drag them back here and let you work?"
As Farooq climbs up onto the alter to try to reach the snake's eyes, his brows furrow. He's a bit short to cover the eyes that way. His balance rolls just a bit and he steps down off the alter and takes a closer look around.
It is only because you are standing on the alter that you realize it is ever so slightly unstable. Stepping down you can see evidence that the entire thing has sunk down into the floor a bit.
Also, Your character is not just Facinated. You have been effected by a sort of Post-Hypnotic suggestion. You have a desire to reach the bottom level. This is not a completely conscious desire, just a strong impulse. It will not end when the Fascinate effect ends. Play it however you like.
Despite herself, Mahsati could not help but smile slightly at Ayaal's quip. "Shall I drag them back here and let you work?"
Ayaal mocks looking offended, "Certainly not! I wouldn't separate a man from his folly... particularly when it makes my life easier."
Farooq's assessment of the situation raises an eyebrow on the tomb-robber. "That's a subtle snare. Give the old fellow credit - he's got a pair of stones on him." She turns back to watch Farooq's feet through the lowered door gap - hoping nothing untoward happens.
Zayid continues staring at the statue, his breathing deep and relaxed.
"I can't reach the damned things. It looks like theres a way to deactivate it, but blasted if I know how it works."
Farooq walks over to Zayid and gives him a shake:
"Snap out of it sunshine, we have work to do"
Ayaal lowers the burnoose over her eyes and shrugs, "Don't ever try this." Then she crawls into the statue room, trying to keep her eyes low.
She exhales, relieved to have avoided being charmed by this particular snake. Ayala sets to work trying to disable the trap.
Ayall quickly discovers that it is a simple pressure mechanism, much like the previous one, but this one is much harder to spot as it is actually the entire alter.
With a shrug, she simply grabs an edge and lifts. It protests a bit, not wanting to give, but she gives it a little shake to loosen it in it's track and it slides upward and clicks into place after an inch or so. The light level dies down as the brilliant gems are hidden from view behind concave metal eyelids.
An odd point of fact- Snakes do not blink and do not have eyelids.
The footprints on the alter and the scattering of the tools indicate that someone probably stepped up onto it, triggering the mechanism that "woke up" the snake and probably dropped their tools. Other footprints in the dust show that others gathered around much like the group is now. The faint tracks disappear through another low archway.
Hasani sighs heavily, shaking his head,
"I fear we are going about this the wrong way my friends. We should be thinking of those lost, probably frightened individuals. Our dalliance does not do us credit, we should seek the very depths of this place helping any we meet along the way and then search out anyone missing after that.
Ayaal studies the floor, and gathers up the scattered tools. She gives a low whistle. "No cryptbreaker would leave these behind. They are too valuable. He must have fallen prey to the snake's eyes when he climbed on the altar. It looks like he went through that doorway."
She thinks on the Oracle's words. "Caution is a virtue, friend, especially in a temple filled with traps. Much as I'd like to help the vanished, our assignment is clear." She pulls the words that were read to her from memory, "The first bit was render a functional map of all passages and after that was determine the fate of the surveyors. It makes more sense to me to map as we go - that way we know our exits, dead ends, and won't run into any additional surprises on our way back. I'd rather we don't become more of the missing."
Zayid shakes his head as if to clear it, looking thoughtful. At the woman's words, he frowns slightly. "It's true that we're to 'render a map', but the lives at stake are more important in the short term. I vote we move on, and map on our way back."
He begins looking around the room, but the residual effects have not completely cleared, and he doesn't seem to see much.
"What have you found there, Ayaal?" he asks, seeing her pick up some tools.
Apedemak enters the room with Ayaal...
And is held captivated by the snake for the few moments before the woman undoes the trap.
"...huh?" the young man mutters as he blinks and shakes his head. "Strange..." He turns to his allies as they are discussing the findings and what to do. Best not to speak up; this isn't my area of expertise.
Ayaal drops the modest set of tools in Zayid's hands for inspection. There appears to be about half a thieves' kit worth. "These are well-made tools . No one in their right mind would just leave them lying here... but I'm not seeing signs of a struggle. No blood. It's like he just left them and walked off. That worries me."
"As for our priorities, the lives I'm most worried about are our own. The surveyors' lives are a distant second. As I see it, my job is to get you good people in and out of here alive." For all her smiles, there is a cold pragmatism about the thief.
Zayid examines the tools, and nods. "I'd give a good bit to get my hands on the rest of this set..."
He frowns at her last statements. "In the valuing of lives, we are unlikely to come out on top." He reaches up and rubs the chain hanging from his collar.
After a moment, he looks over at Hasani. "I, for one, will continue forward. The mapping can wait."
He moves to the next doorway, suiting action to words and not waiting to see who follows.
Ayaal hesitates briefly, at the words of the men and especially at the request. She could also put the picks to very good use...
"Zayid speaks wisdom. We need caution, yes, but mapping is beyond caution when lives are at stake."
"I'm fluent in Sand Tongue, not 'wisdom'. Though I'd probably call that something else entirely... To me, the lives at stake are those here. If you choose to forge ahead, you are free to do so. We are collared, not leashed. But I will scout every passage before I proceed deeper into this ruin." She grabs a forgotten piece of chalk from the floor and leaves a careful warning in clipt script revealing the altar's trap.
He approaches Ayaal as he speaks, then notices the tools: "Mmmh... Nice. I will take these if you wish. I will be able to provide help should we encounter traps."
She rolls the picks idly in her hand while eyeing Cahal. On impulse, She ties them into a bundle with twine pulled from her leather sash and slaps them into his hand. "If you are intent on plunging headfirst into the ruin... you'll likely need these more than me. Good luck."
Having said her peace, Ayaal calls out to the others in the last chamber. "It's safe to come in now, the statues eyes are hooded."
At the call for the all-clear, Mahsati made her own way into the room to join the others. More snakes? There certainly was a theme in these tombs, she thought.
"Hooded?" she asked to no one in particular. "Hm." Something about it seemed to be bothering her slightly, but she simply shrugged it off. She couldn't quite place it. Besides, it wasn't important at the moment.
"What's our next move, then? I thought I heard arguing."
Apedemak looks back and forth as the arguments spring up over whether to proceed with caution, or haste; whether to map, or move. Not wanting to speak up--I'm so unused to this...--the warrior-priest once again does what he's used to doing, and crawls up onto the now-disarmed snake statue.
If the group breaks, where do I go? With the elder, or the women? Who needs my protection more?
Apedemak shakes his head and hopes he doesn't have to find out.
Hasani shakes his head sadly,
"I appreciate your care Ayaal, but my reasons for wishing to save the lives of men out weigh my orders. They may be beyond help, that is true, but then they may be lying hurt and alone to, or perhaps imprisoned. Caution is a balance and I weigh the lives of others as heavily as my own, and have faith that Ash will see me through. Let us proceed cautiously, but avoid unnecessary expenditures of effort mapping ways that have not likely been traveled by the missing men. Such things can wait, they have for thousands of years, but time may be more critical to those we seek."
Zayid began to inspect the two doors they had not checked. Kneeling to look under the low archway, the first opening led directly to a small round chamber perhaps half the size of the one they stood in. It was difficult to make out what the room once was because it appeared that the desert had attempted to reclaim it.
It once had a narrow window open to the world, but the sands had climbed the structure, burying it long ago. It had spilled through the opening into the chamber creating a slope from the former window down nearly to where Zayid knelt. The only thing he could see was a shallow, round basin sitting low against the wall, perhaps four feet across, covered in the grit and dust of ages. Next to it sat and a large earthenware jug etched with a faint depiction of a strange looking plant.
The other archway leads to another curved, downward-sloping hallway similar to the one that led the group into the Altar room.
Nothing like that tree exists in the world today, as far as you are aware.
Zayid crawls into the room, muttering. "Don't think they came this way, but this is interesting..."
He approaches the basin carefully (watching for pressure plates and other traps as he goes) and peers inside, curious.
"Fortune favours the bold. Let's move on. Together preferably."
Farooq follows after Zayid, taking pains to step where he steps.
"If that plant was once a true thing and not just some fanciful imagining of the potter, then this complex is very old indeed. Nothing of that sort has grown in these lands in many lives of men."
Farooq pokes about with his dancing lights,
"It is a true thing... or was. There is a grove of them — not alive, but petrified — many days' journey from here."
"What's our next move, then? I thought I heard arguing."
"Arguing? No, no. More a difference of philosophies and priorities. Some would press on with all haste, following the tracks laid, and paying little attention to the dangers that could lurk in the side passages. I plan to be more methodical, making sure there are no surprises if we need to return in haste. I believe the old saying - only a fool follows in the footsteps of a dead thief." She points to various scuff-marks along the floor. "The sand tells the tale. Something strange happened here and the 'surveyor' dropped his tools and went down the slope. Whether the rest of the surveyors went to rescue him or were tricked into going... they haven't been seen again. Following those tracks is worthy of great caution."
She looks to the massive snake statue and then at the low doorframes. Perfect for serpents - even very large serpents - to pass through and guaranteed to slow us down. Worry crosses her face briefly.
Zariah enters as the all clear sounds taking in the room. She listens to the debate brewing as the group moves forward.
"I am sure we have nothing to fear with you keeping us safe Ayall." she says with a grin.
Putting her 'thorough' approach into action, Ayaal let's the team know that she is going to check on the fang-blocked room. She then backtracks to it and lays down at the entrance and uses her lamp to illuminate everything in range. Moreover, she listens for any hint of movement - especially slithering. Finally, she looks for a way to raise or lower the fangs.
After she's satisfied there is no other way in, Ayaal sheds her burnoose, backpack, sash, and most of her gear. She strips down to a light set of leather armor, thieves' tools, a crowbar, a set of brass knuckles, and two wickedly curved daggers - one at her waist and another in a custom wrist-sheath. For good measure, she strikes a sunrod against the wall and tosses it into the room - just one more test for hidden dangers.
Satisfied, she tries to wedge herself through the bars - and feels a hard creaking as her ribs flex unnaturally. She backs out and tries again, lubricating the bars with her sweat. After emptying her lungs of breath, contorting, and pushing with all her might, she flops her way into the room and rolls to her feet. Immediately the dagger from her hip is in her hand. She looks around very cautiously as she pulls the lamp through as well.
Ayaal's breath huffs in her chest and she wipes the sweat from her brow as she looks around.
This room appears much as the Gallery did, only lacking the pedestals. Snake-motif alcoves ring the room. Most are empty, but five bear small containers on their shelves that have lids crafted in the shape of animal heads. Three are broken to one degree or another, but two are intact, one topped with a serpent and the other with a featureless human.
The centerpiece to the room is another large snake head set into the wall, this one with it's mouth closed, facing downward.
In the center of the floor is an etched circular band full of images of scales and serpentine eyes looking inward. The inside the ring on the floor is not rough like the rest of the ruin so far. Instead it is a glossy stone the color of dark smoke.
Risking moving about, Ayaal notices that the downward-facing snake head on the wall appears to be articulated somehow. It looks like it is built to open along the hinge of the jaw.
Practically smelling the occult that she can't see in the room, Ayaal considers for the hundredth time that she should study a little magic for situations just like this.
Maybe I can sweet-talk the old man into teaching me the fundamentals...
Putting aside the future, Ayaal surveys the room carefully then describes what she sees in as much detail as possible. "This place reminds of the Gallery, without the pedestals. There are a lot of alcoves. Three with broken animal-headed jars. Two are intact. One looks to be a faceless man and the other - this will shock you - is a snake. In fact, someone decorated this whole room with snakes."
"There is a central circle on the floor that is smooth and made of a glossy grey stone. It is ringed by a band with snake scales, eyes, and whatnot. It looks etched into the floor. Finally, we've got another big snake head against the wall. It's kissing the floor with its closed mouth. Problem is - the jaw is hinged so it looks like it could open. Put that together with the fang bars and I think it isn't a stretch to imagine an awfully big snake was kept in here... and some trigger in the temple opens the jaws and the bars."
"Not sure I want to attempt to pop this thing open. I'd rather not find out that giant snakes, or their undead cousins, live for thousands of years. Maybe I should try to shim this thing so it won't open?"
Apedemak moves back with Ayaal when she returns to the fang-headed room--The others are all close enough together that they're safe, he thinks. He also rather likes the witty woman.
In that room, Apedemak averts his eyes when she begins to remove her burnoose and other gear, but when he hears her drop to the floor, he looks and realizes what she's done. He moves over and crouches next to the fangs, watching her contort herself and wincing as he sees her own struggle.
Finally, when she's through, the warrior sits down against the wall next to the fangs, though he's ready to move at a moment's notice. Listening to her description, he thinks for a moment...
...and shakes his head. "Sounds strange, but I can't say anything on that from memory. Maybe the priests were right--I should have focused on reading the scriptures more."
Ayaal snorts a laugh from the room she is calling, at least in her own mind, the snake-pit. "When a priest tells you to read scripture, it's because he wants your eyes on the vellum not on the girls." Her head pops back into view and gives the Man-cat a wink. "Go with the girls - the rewards are sweeter."
Apedemak grins down at Ayaal. "That was at least part of their reasoning, and that's exactly what I did. Part of why I'm here, and not still in the temple." Apedemak shrugs, still grinning. "I'm not sure what they expected, raising me in a temple full of young women devoted to goddesses, wearing thin robes. They even had a communal bath," he laughs.
Zariah moves back with Apedemak, watching as Ayaal slips through the bars. As she listens to the description of the room, she closes her eyes, attempting to visualize it.
"From the sound of it the circle is containment magic. Such spells can be used to either protect what is inside, or contain it to keep it from harming those inside." she frowns slightly putting that thought together with the giant snake images.
Knowledge religion
Knowledge Arcana
Zayid crouched next to the basin in the small sand-filled room.
The patina of grit was caked on. Something seemed odd about it. He felt it and scratched a bit. Grit chipped off under his fingernail. Beneath was metal of some kind.
The patina of grit could be formed by sand sticking to residual oil and hardening over the ages, so it is impossible to say if it is valuable without cleaning it a bit.
"Oh, you're a scoundrel, I see. Well, if we cross any djinn-touched, sultry, harem girls in thin gowns worshipping at the altar of a great snake, I'll leave them entirely in your well-schooled hands."
"Hmmm... either way, it doesn't sound good. I think it's about time to go."
Ayaal sweeps the room for traps, a lever that will raise the bars, or anything of value. She is careful to avoid stepping on the arcane circle. At the broken jars, she inspects and sniffs them - trying to determine what they held and their worth. She avoids touching the unbroken ones.
After she's gleaned all she can from the room, Ayaal crawls back to the bars, not looking forward to this next bit. She tosses her equipment through the gap, leaving only the sunrod near her feet, and then painfully tries to squeeze back through the bars...
Zayid scratches a bit at the grit, and frowns. "There's something in here, but I'll be Sekhmet's uncle if I know what it is. Have a look, Grandfather?"