None of you is taken by surprise (except Duriel who is busy watching Luuther) so there is no surprise round.
As you wait for Luuther to finish searching the room below, suddenly a giant scorpion the size of a large dog sneaks in through the open doors. Its translucent carapace provides an unwelcome view of its internal organ as it rushes up to Haydar and stings him for 2 points of damage (and a Fort save vs poison).
You are all up. I don't think we'll need a map. Two of you will be able to flank it, so you can choose any two.
Poison save:
Fleur tries to hit the scorpion with an arrow.
and though she puts a lot of power in the shot, it flies off in the wrong direction and misses.
Duriel allows the others to get in their hits before he attacks.
Inmir gasps in horror as the giant scorpion suddenly rushes in and stings Haydar. Pharasma save us! he cries out. His eyes narrow with determination and he steps in to flank the monstrous creature with Haydar and stabs at it with his spear.
Alas, his spear skitters off the scorpion's carapace.
The mulling of bodies throws off his aim as his bolt goes just past the scorpion
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Flurry with flank
...threat
Confirmation:
Damage: or
2nd attack:
Damage:
The battle is chaotic, but Haydar manages to shrug off the poison and then destroy the scorpion with two devastating blows.
Down below, Luuther declares the room safe.
Inmir leans on his spear and bows his head in a brief prayer of thanks to Pharasma. Lady of Graves, we give thanks that in your divine grace we gained victory in this challenge. Speed our hands and bolster our hearts in the challenges to come, we entreat you.
Then a slightly quizzical expression crosses his face and he walks back to the door to the first room. Extending his spear into that room, he looks about for a moment before rejoining the group.
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Inmir returns to the group, although making a point of not standing too near the hole in the floor.
So, there appears nothing behind us... I suppose our only way forward is down.
At this he glances towards the hole and looks distinctly uneasy...
So then, how do we go about getting down there. We can't all be lowered down on a rope like Luuther, can we? Please tell me someone has some magic to waft us all safely down. He smiles at his last comment, clearly meant as a joke but with an undertone of tension to it.
"Using the rope i believe is the only way down." he shrugs
"I'll go down first"
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"I'll hold the rope. The gods know you eat too much."
"What is happening up there? Is everyone OK? I thought I heard the sound of combat".
Luuther walks to where the rope overhangs, and looks up.
"It is safe down here for now, and there are other ways to go".
"I can climb down next.... I'm not a good climber tho, so be ready to catch me if I fall. "
"With pleasure my dear" he smirks as he begins to climb down
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Despite your misgivings you all manage to climb down safely and find yourselves in front of a pair of double doors which Luuther claims are not trapped. They are the only way out of the room other than the shaft.
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Once Inmir's feet are finally safely on the floor of the room below he sinks to his knees and bows his head in a prayer of thanks. Once he has done with that he rises to his feet again.
Then he touches the head of his spear and murmurs The Lady of Graves brings light in the darkness . Then he says to the group Would someone else like something spelled to shed light? It is probably no bad thing to have two or more of us carrying light.
Then he will move to the dead body. Kneeling down beside it, he will turn the body over and arrange it's limbs in an appropriate funerary fashion . Poor soul. What a dreadful way to die. Alone and in the dark down here. Still there is hope yet in the afterlife. Then the cadence and tone of his words changes slightly and it seems clear that he has shifted into something more studied - a prayer for the dead... Lady of Graves. See this man. Judge his life kindly. Calm his fears and send him on his way, not to the Boneyard, but to his just and proper rest in the arms his god.
That done, he will rise and remain standing by the body.
The rope has rotted away, but he is carrying a hammer and pitons.
Fleur watches Inmir's treatment of the thief's body with interest and even a little awe at the priest's respect for even a potential scoundrel's remains. When he's done arranging the body and says a prayer, she stands quietly to show similar respect.
When it's over, she says to Inmir, "You are a good man to treat all folks with such respect. If i die, I can but hope you are there to pray for me as well."
Then she goes to inspect the doors as well, looking for the means to open them.
Inmir looks serious at Fleur's words.
We must all face her judgement in our time. Given the gifts of your birth it is likely that I will face my judgement long before you face yours. However, the adventuring path is an uncertain one. Rest assured, if you should be taken from the world early, it will be my honor to pray to the Lady of Graves on your behalf.
Then suddenly, he smiles, as if at a joke. How my teachers would laugh to hear me sound so serious. But we can hope that you have many years yet in this world. And before she must pass judgement on you in the next world, Pharasma can help you in this one.
With that he reaches out and touches a single finger to Fleur's forearm and says Pharasma I entreat you, lend your divine guidance to my friend.
The doors are not locked and can be pushed open with a Str 10 check.
Duriel pushes the door.
Haydar binds the wound from the scorpion. He stays close to Inmir and the light.
The doors swing open and reveal a ten-feet wide (and 35 feet long) corridor The walls feature bas-relief carvings of great battles. Armies with spears and shields clash at the direction of generals, while other leaders direct troops from chariots that are ruthlessly overrunning their enemies. Engraved stone double doors stand at either end of the hallway.
The doors at the other end are the only visible exit. How do you proceed?
Fleur examines the reliefs from the doorway for historical significance and workmanship, and finally for traps... then the first 10' area for traps... if none, she'll start walking down the hallway, watching for traps... if and when she finds one, she'll use the guidance bonus to disarm it.
Fleur does indeed find a suspicious-looking pressure plate right before the second set of doors. Roll to disarm, please.
You wisely opt to stay out of the corridor while Fleur tries to disarm the trap, and are proven right when suddenly the walls shift ever so slightly to reveal a number of arrow slits and release a barrage of darts into the corridor.
Fleur is hit for 4 points of damage before the holes close and calm is restored.
"Well that could have gone better... "
Fleur tries to determine if it will trigger again or if it was a one-time thing before proceeding to the door to check it as well.
Inmir gasps as the seemingly empty hallway is suddenly filled with flying darts. His eyes widen as just as quickly it returns to seeming perfectly safe. He looks at Fleur, concerned. Are you alright Fleur? he asks.
Once Fleur has determined that the trap will not trigger again, he will move up and renew the Guidance spell upon her to aid her with checking the door, but otherwise will trail along about ten feet behind her so as not to get in the way.
Fleur takes another look at the trap and decides that it will not trigger again. Unfortunately she is wrong. On the bright side, she has the good sense to drop to the floor as she hears the ominous click and the dart passes harmlessly over her.
"Perhaps it would be best for us to double check each other, and use assistance to disarm the traps going forward. It would probably be just as effective, and a lot less painful... for you anyway". The dwarf then laughs at his own joke.
"It seems this is going to happen more than once... perhaps you should try to disable it, Luuther, and I will assist."
She crawls backward off the plate and assists Luuther with Inmir's guidance.
"Hmmm... Let me see here".
Luuther steps up to the trap, to see if he can disarm it.
Disable Device (+1 Trapfinding, +2 Assistance)
"I have seen similar traps, but never one just like this. It must be of an archaic design. There, that might have done it".
The Dwarf then decides that he should be the trial subject this time.
By the combined efforts of Luuther and Fleur (and some determined fiddling) you eventually manage to disarm the trap, making the corridor safe for all.
Since you know that the door is safe, you simply push it open to emerge in the next room. A faded tapestry hangs on a wooden frame on the western wall of this chamber. Faded and delicate, the tapestry depicts a middle-aged man, accompanied by a woman and two children, with a small estate in the background. To either side of the tapestry are two small pedestals, upon which sit two dead and preserved animals. Stone double doors exit the chamber to the north, south, and east. Since you enter from the east, that means that there are exits to the left and right.
Examining the tapestry:
successful military career.
Hefting his axe, Duriel guards against any intruders from the left passage.
"Haydar, guard the right passage."
"It seems his family, perhaps those shown on the tapestry, are interred elsewhere. I guess they predeceased him since he went on afterward to continue a successful military career. This tomb apparently was built long after their demise. I wonder why they all died so young, but apparently my memory fails me on that matter," Fleur says while examining the tapestry.
Haydar moves to guard the passage, temple sword in hand, glad the priest's light covers the room. He relies on his senses to protect him from dangers, as he looks around the room.
Perception:
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Talin stays in the middle. His crossbow loaded and ready. Traps were expected. Anything else. Best be prepared
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Inmir stands looking at the tapestry, holding his spear up to it so the glowing tip can better illuminate the heiroglyphs.
You are quite right Fleur. This suggests that Akhentepi’s family went to face Pharasma's judgement long before he himself did. Some sort of tragedy seems to have befallen them, although the exact nature of it isn't clear. What is clear is that Akhentepi was left alone. Poor man. I wonder how much their deaths drove him in later years.
"Whoo Hoo! Let Jing determine which path we take... and his most humble servant would be most pleased to lead the way.
Heads 1 Right, Tails 2 Left.
Perception (+2 if stone, +1 if trap)
"So Right it is".
The door opens onto a short stairway that leads to another set of doors. Luuther declares them safe too and you enter another small room (20 feet square).
A brightly painted chariot sits in the center of this chamber. Beyond the chariot, a large canvas stretches between two stone columns. The skins of several animals—antelopes, great cats, and crocodiles — now faded and deteriorated with age, are tacked to this canvas. A wooden chest, lacquered white and trimmed with gold inlay, sits in the southeast corner. In each corner of the room a small stone shield is molded into the masonry at shoulder height. An open hallway leads to the east, and a set of stone double doors leads south.
Since you enter through the doors the hallway to the east is the only visible exit.
As the group moves in to the room, Inmir moves to the center, standing next to the chariot so his light can cover the most of the room. Looking at the skins on the canvas, he observes It would seem that Akhentepi was something of a hunter as well as a soldier.
He looks closely at the chariot, trying to determine if it was of the sort used in war or for other purposes, such as racing.