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Feeling a bit uncomfortable with the seriousness that had overtaken the group during their trek, Gabby randomly turns and says, "What do you call a dragon after it eats a group of adventurers?" After an awkward silence he exclaims, "A party pooper!" Whether the group enjoys it or not he continues, "Why was the necromancer so unhappy about his new skeleton? He couldn't find the funnybone!" He laughs at his own jokes for a bit before asking, "Come on Dhru, you've been around, I'm sure you've heard your fair share of knee slappers. Got any good ones?"
Neve is about to glare at Teos when Gabby's jokes break the tension; she smirks - at first in spite of herself - before giving in to the earthy humour and getting the giggles. She offers one herself. "Why did the warlock walk with a limp?"
"Because of his crystal balls."
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"How many Sarenites does it take to light a campfire?"
Badhru waits a beat, then continues. "Only one, but the wood has to want to change."
"And how many priests of Abadar does it take?"
"Two: one to mix the drinks, and the other to find a servant."
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While keeping an eye out Rani joins in the fun, just not too loudly.
"What kinds of wizards can jump higher than a mountain?
One beat later,
" All of them, mountains don’t jump!
Trying to maintain a somber demeanor, Teos chokes and snorts over the joke Rani gives.
"Please...stop! The ghouls will be able to track us by our laughter!", he says in good humor.
Boaz muses " You haven't heard?, there has been people sneaking in the necropolis for years, at their own risk; Of course. There is one group in particular called The Silver Chain Gang, that is known as the group that brings dried Mummy's to make Mumia."
A rectangular stone mausoleum sits alone in what appears to be a acual cemetery. The trunks of a few dead trees poke out of the sand around the tomb, and a hot breeze whistles through the branches. a set of massive stone doors is affixed to the structure, beneath is a façade of a Orison man that has been scoured by dust over time. a large dune of sand partially blocks the doors.
@rani- it is around two oclock by the time you reach the tomb.
"Ugh." Neve shivers, her good humour suddenly lost at the mention of narcotics.
She shakes her head briskly, as if trying to dislodge unwanted thoughts - or memories, perhaps. "Master Teos is right, we should move more cautiously. And Master Badhru has the right of it as well: we are not safe as long as we are in the necropolis."
She walks in silence until they arrive at the mausoleum, where she reads the inscription: "Commander Akhentipi birth 2416, Death 2488 - 11 years before the Plague of madness hit Wati. One less thing to beware of."
She looks at the sand blocking the entrance. "Did anyone bring a shovel?"
Rani gives a snort at Neve's agreement with both Teos and Badhru. "To run like the wind and move like a mouse, both are right. True enough, though a pessimist might say that it's a choice between Hemlock and arsenic. As an optimist, today, I'll just point out that on our way back we choose one or the other. The muddled middle rarely works well."
"Akentipi had a long life then good enough may his spirit rest in peace. And here that is not just a phrase."
"I have brought very little though indeed I should have suggested a shovel."
"The mortar in the other doors is missing, possibly a way in. On the other hand maybe we don't want to spend the afternoon opening the way then leaving for the evening, so that gang of argent opportunists benefit from our labor."
Examine the potential entrances, and good for breaking and entering.
To all, I need the leader to choose the option.
1. If you don't have a shovel it takes two hours to dig if you take breaks and don't strain under the sun. (no fort save)
2. If not one hour then fort saves for everyone. (can use endure elements to negate it, for those that have it.)
(the shovel would remove one hour off the time on the first. and not have to make fort save on the second.)
I'll go off whatever Badrhu? or Teos says, I cant remember which is your leader.
@gabs- no on the black powder. lol.
@rani- there are no other entrances.
Nope, but go on. its entirely possible you did.
@badhru- I don't know, that is half the fun.
Badhru sizes up the situation. "Trust me, Gabradon, not a lotta folks love a good black powder explosion more'n me," he grins, "But I think here it'd do more harm than good. Like, what if we needed some of that for a fight later? For now, we do what we can by hand, and we'll see about getting a shovel tonight."
Dhru starts the thankless task of digging the sand out of the way by hand.
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Neve sheds her cloak and rolls back as much of her sleeves and leggings as decency will permit, and joins Badhru in digging the sand away from the door.
She resorts to liberal use of her Prestidigitation spell to try and keep cool, or at the very least, to stop the perspiration from dripping into her eyes. It stings.
Rani takes out his spellbook and prepares in his empty slot Unseen Servant.
Rani seems not to help and he settles in the shade reading a large book. After about a quarter hour he stride forward and looks over what has been done.
Picking a good efficient spot to dig.
Rani start gesturing in the style of the Ancient Osirian magi. Words of their Ancient tongue mix with the words of creation that bring forth magic. Dust blows away in a giving a vague impression of feet on the ground that cannot be seen.
Rani points to the ground at the spot he determined was best and says, "Dig" A tireless unseen force starts pushing the dirt away.
Rani finds a shady spot to watch the proceedings without exposing himself to the sun.
Teos keeps a sharp lookout as the others dig....someone has to keep watch...right??
Perception:
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Sefanit moves sand for a while but then stops.
"Nope, this isn't going to work like this. Rani, you don't get to waste a quarter hour when time is short so you can memorize a spell that allows you to "help" while sitting on your ass. If you want to use the spell as a labor multiplier for your digging fine. But this doesn't cut it. Teos, get to work. We can all play "guard" on rest breaks. If you all want this done fast, do it yourself. Everyone digs."
Oh, I think I'm going to LIKE her.
Neve nods her assent to what Sefanit is saying (she in fact was thinking something very similar, although not in nearly such diplomatic tones), but doesn't stop digging to say anything - lest she too incur the witch's displeasure.
Rani calmly replies, "I'm prepping a spell to call forth a servant to help in the digging, since it will be tireless it would do more good than a quarter hour of labor would. Afterward I'll be fresh while you are all tiring. I'll help then if you wish to be so egalitarian. It may not be fair but I think it will cut off significant time off our total."
Rani will continue prepping unless further hassled. He will help instead of the earlier plan and pitch in, otherwise everything else will be the same.
Sefanit crosses her arms and steps back from the mound of sand.
"'Afterward I'll be fresh while you are all tiring?' What a bonus for us!" Safanit acidly remarks.
"We all dig, or we'll all wait for you to cast your spell and watch it work from the shade along with you. That way we'll ALL be fresh and rested, and can prevent you from being gutted by ghouls or whatever since you spent all your magic ensuring you don't have to get your hands dirty. If you're at all serious about exploration here, then act as if you're serious. And don't try to pawn this off as some sort of ideology of mine. It isn't about egalitarianism, it's about contribution."
"But since you brought up egalitarianism, drop the smug wizard posing. You're not going to calmly rationalize your ass-sitting as the best thing ever for us. You have a back like everyone else here, and you'll use when needed."
Teos gives a crooked smile and, doffing his helmet, begins to scoop sand from the opening, using the head gear as a makeshift shovel.
Rani sighs, puts away his book, "I see you're not to be dissuaded by logic. Very well, I was contributing in the most efficient way, to see effort for efforts sake is egalitarianism in effect not as an ideology. You suffer from the delusion you can make life fair. No one can. I just have accepted that."
Rani then casts Endure Elements, strips to the waist, putting away those clothes but bringing out his scholars robes.
Walking over to the site he studies it for a moment then says, "Not bad Teos, but I think we can improve on your idea. Without a shovel it's more efficient to push than lift." Rani lays the cloth of his scholar's robe on the sand just to the side of the doorway. "Push the sand onto the cloth, then we all lift it after taking hold of every side, then dump it. Repeat as needed." Rani helps as well as anyone after that. Should save a bit of time.
Nodding, Teos helps the wizard move the sand onto the cloth, then picks it up and deposits it away from the great doors.
"Seems to work well enough...anyone want to use my helmet?"
Sefanit applauds Rani, clapping three times slowly.
"Very well done Rani. You are so convincingly a martyr to my irrationality. Cynicism and apathy as an excuse for dodging a little work? If this career doesn't work out for you, politics surely will."
"I'm not too concerned about whether life is fair, it seems a largely useless question to me. But within this little group right here, there damn well will be fairness."
Sefanit goes back to moving sand.
@everyone- I need everyone to roll the fort save using any clothing bonuses if you have those the DC is 12. Neve already rolled hers and just barley made it.
Boaz gets down on his knees and starts shoveling with little complaint using his hands. "Yes friend Rani, I agree with Sanifit. not because you not helping a "mage uses spells a warrior uses his arms" is a saying I've heard, but the simple labor allows one to Focus their thoughts and prepares oneself for the future."
Fort save vs heat:
Not wearing the full hot weather gear because the player did not think it was needed.
Rani ignores Sefanit comments as not adding anything new. To Boaz he replies, "Far from me to incur the wrath of your god or yourself but I have many ways to focus and I am very prepared for the future; I could do more with manual labor only at the expense of my other talents and I made a choice not to do that. There are only so much time in a life, and like everyone else I do not have enough of it."
After the party moves the sand away from the doors it takes just a little effort with crowbars to get the front doors open. By this time the party is more than a little ready to get into the shade. Entering in the rectangular room is empty save for some engraving and fixtures on the walls, and a pair of heavy stone doors to the north. a immense stone wheel sets against the south wall the air is stale , and a later of dust and sand cover the floor. all four walls have hieroglyphs and runes covering them. the wheel to the south is engraved with a large spiral and is set in stone tracks in the floor and ceiling.
A strength check is needed. to push the wheel DC 28.
Teos moves to the great wheel. He spits into his palms and readies himself to turn the wheel, with the assistance of Gabby and any others who might wish to help.
Strength:
Neve is no longer the spoiled rich girl, or the addict: she spent many long months working as a sculptor, hammering marble and chiselling clay, and that builds muscle and stamina.
But the effort of moving all that sand out of the way has taken its toll, and she struggles to make any impression at all on the great wheel.
Looking wearily around the chamber, she translates the Ancient Osirian hieroglyphs on the walls for the benefit of anyone who can't read it.
"'Akhentepi's tomb is well guarded, and those that attempt to defile it tempt the wrath of the gods' - also 'turn back when you can', and 'the only thing the Lady of graves hates more than a grave robber is a unsuccessful grave robber.' Cheerful."
Rani steps back to watch the their handiwork as he rest. As he take a drink of water, the other foolishly hammer open the door and enter.
Choking and spraying water, Rani's unable to speak for a moment. When his throat clears he takes a grip on his temper and mildly says, "Maybe it would be good to check for traps before opening and entering doors?"
He cautiously walks up and checks for any traps and then looks over the wheel the others strain over.
Look for tricks and traps on door, in room, in or on the wheel.
Is the wheel in workable condition? Is it a fake or trap? If it's safe and workable how best to get it moving.
Rani says, "Lets take our time over this if we wish, though I still feel we are but making an entrance for others, if they are daring or foolish enough."
With crowbars for added length to allow more to apply strength and working together over several minutes make the move if and only if safe.
Take twenty on STR for a 22 likely just to aid Teos.
Sefanit begins copying the wall's inscriptions, but stops when the others begin preparing to open the door.
"Rani has a good point. Our time before sunset is short now. If we can't do much more than open the door before we go back, we're just making it easy for grave robbers to take advantage."
She goes to the entrance to check the sun's position, try to remember what time it set yesterday. There should be only the slightest difference between then and today's sunset.
@sefanit - It is around, Four o'clock you still have plenty of time. At least another couple of hours before you need to head back.
@Rani- your checks turn up nothing.
Everyone tries to move the wheel together, assisting Teos; when with a creek and grinding of stone the wheel starts to turn. When it does a doorway is opened that leads to a room where a ten foot by ten foot hole is in the floor. next to the hole is a piton hammered into the floor with a piece of old rope attached to it going into the darkness. I slight musty smell is coming from the room.
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Gabby's eye go wide as the wheel moves. It takes everything he has not to Sprint into the next room. Upon discovering the large hole Gabby lights up a sunrod and tosses it down. As long as nothing moves he begins hammering in his own piton and attaching a silk rope. "I don't trust that old rope at all." Gabby says as he hammers the piton in. "Ladies first." He adds after standing up and motioning Teos to go ahead as he smiles uncontrollably.
As excited as Badhru is at this, his nerves are jangling after having seen the admonition against tomb-robbing. "The first sign of somethin' we're not prepared for, fall back, ok? I don't want to join the General down here."
Sefanit takes a look around the room, then watches the bottom of the shaft while Gabradon works on the piton and rope.
Despite herself, Neve can't help but smile wryly at Dhru's cautions about things they might not be prepared for: "Like a sand dune in the way, Master Badhru?"
She nods approvingly at Gabby's work. "Perhaps remove the old rope altogether, so nobody risks confusion."
Badhru laughs despite himself. "Sand rarely fights back, Neve."
Rani observes the rush to enter, tamping back his own excitement, he calmly moves forward to check the area around the hole and in.
What's to see and hear.
Rani says, "Gabs, maybe a few moments to put some knots into the rope would be helpful in allowing those less skilled in climbing an easier time coming down or quickly up if that is needed."
Rani follows up by saying,"Let me take a quick look ahead anyway. Best to look before leaping." He kneels at the hole looking down Finding a good spot that looks to be a vantage point, he invokes his scryer power to place a point of vision at the bottom of the hole then looks around.
Rani starts gesturing and intoning words of power, A glowing blue triangle appears on his forehead with a stylized closed eye in the center, it opens and a disturbingly real looking eye peers out from his head. Rani's viewpoint is now where the sensor he invoked is. He just looks around and ends the effect.
What he sees from that vantage point? Sight only.