DM-Camris' MUMMY'S MASK Part 1: The Half-Dead City (Inactive)

Game Master Camris

Max shrugs, and continues tallying the rest of the haul. He doesn't make any moves to take the mask.

Not disturbing the mask, the big man shakes his head in exasperation, "The necropolis has been opened. We have defeated this tombs protections. This mask will not remain here any longer than it takes the next curious group of treasure seekers to come find it. Will you ask us to leave every valuable object on every corpse for someone else to collect? Where do you think the most valuable possessions will be? You are already carrying a shield that was probably more sacred to this man than any funerary mask. It is our duty to make sure these objects stay here in these lands instead of wandering off with foreigners! Let the priestess' of Pharasma, who have also given us their blessing, be the judges. Or do you claim to know better than them?"

"Cerastis has a point," Lori says. "When we take the mask, we will be careful and treat it will care. The next set of tomb robbers might not be so thoughtful."

To move things along, if the body is left alone, Ra will bow and give thanks to Anubis/Pharasma.
If not, he will fume, disgusted and step outside the room in silent protest. He'll probably get over it, but he won't take a share of the mask either.

Actually, this part I was enjoying roleplaying quite a bit but sure let's move along and make 2nd level! I'm enjoying Ra's character quite a bit.

As long as Inferis does not object, or even better if she supports him, Cerastis will take the mask.

Inferis nods to Cerastes, "The dead have no need of money."

Ra stalks out of the room, his back stiff in protest.

Max follows the dwarf, trying to cheer him up. "Don't sweat it too much Ra. What's Akhentepi going to do with a chunk of gold anyway? He's gone on to his final reward. I'll tell you what, hows about we try and track down his descendants? We find them, then use our shares of the mask to treat them to a feast in this old general's honor. Let the living remember him for a change. Heck, when my time to kick the bucket comes, I'd insist that you take my last share and buy a round to toast my name, not bury it with me somewhere in the sand."

Ra turned a cold eye on Max.
"I have spent a lifetime executing tomb thieves for doing just exactly what my lord has just done."
He shook his head.
"How can I possibly explain?"
He paused a moment in thought.
"Let me ask you Max; would you steal the pennies from the eyes of a corpse? He has gone on to his final reward has he not? Would you still take them if you knew they were intended to pay the ferryman across the river of life and death?
"That mask was JUST such an offering to the Goddess!" He thundered. "Not a... a prize in a shopping spree!" He fumed.

"Ra, let us not forget that the priests are the voices of the divine. The Church of Pharasma has condoned this course of conduct. In essence, the ferry passage has been paid in full." Pausing for a moment, "I have been dead. It was not the trinkets that I miss now but the connections that I lost."

"Yes of course!" Ra threw his hands up.
"These PERFECT paragons of celestial virtue ABRUPTLY reverse a five thousand year old divine law! The fact that it enriches their coffers AND incidentally turns my entire previous career into an exercise in serial murder is something I should be perfectly fine with! Is THAT your advice MISS 'al Marris?!"
Abruptly he slashes his hand through the air.
"You know what? I'm done with this discussion. It's already done. Let's get out of here."

As you make you way back towards the exit of the tomb you see a new room hanging down the shaft down into the tomb. When you look up, you see one of the priests of Pharisma making his way down. when questioned, he explains that each team enters their tombs at the same time and, as such, all teams must return before the second round of exploration can commence. He was one of the priests sent to be sure teams that were taking too long were still alive. He helps you all exit the tomb and walks with you back to the gate of the necropolis. He is curious about the tomb and asks you many questions about what you saw, found, who was entombed, and various other things.

Max regales the priest with exaggerated tales of their exploits below. He conveniently forgets to mention setbacks and exactly how close they were to death.

I just did a double check in the back logs, but keep in mind that Max, Cerastes and Inferis all have a hieroglyph etched into their foreheads reading "thief" in ancient orisani for a few more days. Unless you've guys have covered it before leaving the priest explains that you might want to before reaching town as not everyone is thrilled with the Ruby Pharaoh's decree.

Ohhhh, I have not forgotten...he keeps his cowl pulled low to hide it.

Reminded of the mark, Max affixes a bandana over his head to cover it.

Taking a cue from Max, Inferis raps a red bandanna around her head covering the mark. With a wink to Max, "Well, sometimes fashion must take a side step to practicality. Now how about those drinks?"

"I'm sorry guys, but I'm going to go." Lori says with a sigh outside the tooth and hookah. "I nearly died once and I would like to not do that again. I'm going to try to buy my ship some other way. Be safe, alright? Especially you, Max." She adds with a wink and a playful smile. With a farewell hug, Lori steps away from the hookah and onto a different path that will hopefully lead her to her lost crewmates.

Felt like giving her a proper send off before entering the bar. When i left another pbp to run the two i have now, the gm kinda just half assed it and I was honestly kind of upset about it, but whatever.

When you enter the Tooth & Hookah, its much more crowded and loud that your previous time here. You see groups of people sitting at tables some mingling with others. A singer stands on stage singly a heavenly ode to some forgotten northern god named Odin. As you all walk in, everyone's attention turns towards you and they cheer and raise a mug to you.

A man stumbles forward to greet you and looks at each of you, trying to stand still. "About" he starts before he hiccups. "About time you joined us. My name's..." He trails as if he forgot his name. He takes notice of Ra and his eyes go wide and he grabs him by the shoulders. "Good god man, what happened to your face!? Oh wait, you're just a dwarf." he says with a drunken laugh. "I'm Falto, I lead the CRYPTFINDERS! Let me show you around." he says and eagerly waves his hand for you to follow him.

I know its an npc for a different adventure path, but this is the best pic i could find for how I at least picture Falto

Assuming no one stopped the big man from carting off the iron cobra in the crate...

Somewhat exhausted by the whole ordeal in the tomb, Cerastes creates a seat out of the iron cobra crate and sits down heavily on it, not being particularly picky about who else is at the table. He rumbles at a passing tavern girl for a tankard of ale.

"Oh good. Dwarf jokes from a drunk."
Ra sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Wonderful. YOU are our entertainment this evening? Is it too late to hire someone else? Anyone else?"

"The only entertainment I provide is for the ladies," Falto says and winks at Inferis before stumbling slightly. "Besides, Sigrun there is better than me at entertaining," He says and points at the woman singing on the stage. "She's the leader of the Daughters of the Desert, an all female team. They couldn't resist my charm. Sigrun herself was all over me before she had to go on stage." With that the singing stopped and a dagger went flying through the air, missing Falto's head by inches.

"Say lies about me again and I won't miss next time." Sigrun says from the stage.

"See what I mean, can't get enough of me. Her team is the group of lovely ladies and a half-orc by the stage. My boys are over here, come on. I'll introduce you." Falto says before shambling towards his fellow Cryptfinders.

"If that is how it has to be. Not everyone is cut out for the dangers of the line of work." he replies to Lori. "May the wind be ever at your back, or whatever it is sailors say."

"Well met Falto. I am Maxelmish Stoutwick, and we are the Silver Serpents." he says with a flourished bow. He chuckles as the knife nearly impales Falto. "I dunno Ra, I think he's good for a few laughs. Maybe one of those acts where he's tied to a a great spinning wheel and and a knife thrower with a blindfold tries his luck."

Cerastes waves Lori down before she leaves, "Join me for a drink before you leave, won't you? I'll buy this round. The next one is on you when our paths cross again." His smile is genuine and warm toward her, "I appreciate your careful aim around Ra and I. Not so much as a graze."

She smiled at the suggestion. "Don't twist my arm now. Alright, one last huzzah."

"So listen here, these guys are my brothers." Falto says and puts his arms around two others at a table. One man was dressed in heavy armor and shrugged Falto's arm off his shoulder while the other was passed out stoned from some strong "hookah." "This here is Reinal, came from Chelix if you can believe that." Falto says and pats his armored ally on the chest with the back of his hand. "and sleepy is Maral from... i dunno. I know he worships... Sarenrae, her. He's a cleric and everything.

"oh oh oh. So listen, we had to go raid some high ranking govenor's place only he wasn't too happy. Him and the misses were mummified and came back to protect the place. While my boys here tried their hardest to fight them off, I made sure to lot the place before saving them." Falto explains.

bluff: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Reinal just sighs and rolls his eyes as Falto tells his tale. "So what about you lot, find anything good like me and my boys?" Falto asks, sounding slightly more sober now than he had before.

"Lori love, it will be ruff with just these boys around for now. Hope you find your ship." After they get settled in at he bar, she turns to Lori once more, "If you could do me a small favor, I would be grateful. If in your travels you come across a man named Efreat 'al Inferis, please let him know where I am and that I am looking for him."

Inferis remains unmoved by Falto's attempts at flirting. She does nod to the knife thrower but sighs when it misses. Turning to Falto's companions, she nods politely at each of them. "Did we find anything?" she smirks and looks to Cerastes, "Perhaps you should give him your seat? It may help to calm his claims for the future." With a wink and a smile, she orders a bottle of wine and partakes of some smoke.

The big man chuckles, "Like you say, perhaps." He pauses for a moment, "Do you think we will be able to continue our excavations tomorrow? As Lori is leaving our company...and maybe even Ra."

"that won't be hard at all." Falto says as he takes a seat at the bar beside you. "there are plenty of gutter rats and late comers that would leap at the chance to make a quick piece of gold."

"that may be but I doubt you'll find anyone as good lookin' as me," Lori says with a grin.

"Indeed, I do not possess the lovely female form of m'lady but if you are in search for a replacement for your adventuring crew then you will find none better."

The speaker rises from his seat at the table next to the gathered group. "Forgive my eavesdropping and allow me to introduce myself." The stranger says as he makes an elaborate formal bow sweeping back his cloak in the process. I am Ibrahim Aziz. However most of the citizens of the Asp district know me as Ibrahim the Sand Sage.”

The man who identified himself as Ibrahim is tall with a wiry build. His skin tone and facial features identify him as Garundi in decent. His face is clean shaven and his wavy hair is black. Although his clothes have copious amounts of sand and dirt caked to them when he bowed the smell of sweet desert flowers briefly overtook the hooka smoke and alcohol of the establishment.

The man finishes the deep formal bow and continues: “I make my trade as a guide across the desert sands of Osirion, my calling is that of a druid. I have just returned from a long expedition escorting a band from the Pathfinder Society to a small temple buried in the sands. Only upon my return to Wati this very afternoon did I discovered my tardiness for the exploration of our Necropolis. Should you need references as to my character and skills all you need do is ask about this city for the finest desert guide and you will hear my name spoken more than once.

The entirety of this life I have called Wati my home. I make my home in the Asp district with my front door looking out upon the southern wall of the Necropolis. These tombs have always had a deep meaning to me though I do not know why. Out of respect for the dead, I have never ventured into their depths to learn its secrets. Still I feel a calling to explore what I feel is my Necropolis. Allow me the great honor to venture with you.”

Ra seemed to have resigned himself to be towed about by Falto.
Until...

"As Lori is leaving our company...and maybe even Ra."

Ra stiffened, then jerked himself out of Falto's grasp.

"Seems you had it easy, just dealing with a couple of dried up corpses. We had an entire sarcophagus animate to keep us out. Now normally, such a trifling thing we'd dispatch with haste, but this particular stiff decided to try to flood us out at the same time. Can you imagine? A veritable flood in the middle of the desert! But we cut that overgrown cabinet down to kindling despite the odds." Max brags.

In response to Ibrahim, he adopts the exaggerated airs of an interviewer. "Nature magic, huh? Can't say as we've run afoul any animals out there yet, aside from the bugs. Know anything about battling bugs?"

Cerastes gives Ra a quick nod, "I wasn't sure...but yes you are correct, that is more important than petty disagreements. We will find the assassin." With a sudden realization, he rumbles out a laugh and pats the crate underneath him, "We have our companies namesake right here." He looks toward the druid, "Well met Ibrahim. You wouldn't know anything about taming metal snakes now would you?" He still is apparently a little fuzzy on the concept that constructs are not living creatures.

Lori shivers when max brings up the bugs they encountered in the tomb. "ugh, don't remind me about those things, Max. That's one thing I definitely won't miss."

In response to Ibrahim, he adopts the exaggerated airs of an interviewer. "Nature magic, huh? Can't say as we've run afoul any animals out there yet, aside from the bugs. Know anything about battling bugs?"

"Indeed I have much knowledge in most of the creatures of the natural world including vermin and insects. I am also greatly versed in knowledge of geography and of local endeavors". Ibrahim clears his throat before continuing.

"When battling insects one must realize they possess only instinct. Even giant insects are mindless foes that cannot be reasoned with. Only brute force can cause the flee instinct to overtake their fight and feed instinct. When fighting any swarm one must attack all beast at once. I always carry alchemical fire with me for this purpose. However, if at all possible it is best to avoid swarms altogether then to scatter thousands of souls across the planes in an instant."

"He looks toward the druid, "Well met Ibrahim. You wouldn't know anything about taming metal snakes now would you?" He still is apparently a little fuzzy on the concept that constructs are not living creatures.

Ibrahim rubs his right thumb up and down the underside of his smooth jaw while he anwsers the large mans query: "While I have studied herpetology in great detail and have encountered most of the desert serpents in my travels I can honestly say that I have never seen nor heard of a living metal snake. Such a creature is not part of the natural order and must be magic born."

Max seems to be hardly paying attention to the details of Ibrahim's explanation as he takes a heavy toke of the hookah. "Well you seem to know your stuff. I think we can take you on. On a trial basis, of course. As soon as we figure out the next job that is."

"Too bad about the snake. maybe we could find a gnome or something to tinker it into submission."

"That would be tonight since you all have been so kind as to join us," A woman states as she approaches the bar. She has olive skin and wears violet clothes more commonly found on nobles than tomb raiders. Standing beside her is a dark skinned half-elf standing a few inches taller than the first woman. She is dressed more to the job of explorer and even carries a khopesh on her belt.

"Allow me to introduce you to Velriana. Leader of the Scorched Hands and the first team too-" Falto begins to explain.

"Falto. Shut up." Velriana says and he does.

"I have a simple question for you... serpents. Were you given a location called the Sanctum of the Erudite Eye to explore?" Velriana asks.

Max's eyes narrow. "Now where would you hear a thing like that?"

"I am not hear to play a game of words kind bard, did you or did you not visit the sanctum?" Velriana says a bit more forceful.

The big man frowns, "No need to get upset. Is this place important to you? Perhaps we can come to some sort of agreement. We're all friends here, right? Just trying to make an honest coin and do the Pharoah's work."

Diplomacy roll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

She looks at Cerastes and says. "it is and of none of yours. It is obvious to me you have not entered those halls so my business with you is done. Idorii." Velriana turns to leave. The half elf, Idorii, smiles warmly at you and nods her head before turning to follow.

[b]"and good residence," Falto mutters into his mug.

"Well she's a piece of work if I ever saw one. Falto, your taste in women is quite questionable. What is this tomb she seemed so interested in anyway?"

Knowledge: Sanctum of the Erudite Eye: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14 +4 more if it is History.

"Agreed she was as pleasant as a summer sandstorm"

Knowledge Local or Geography: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Cerastes leans close to Max, "That Idorii seemed friendly enough. Perhaps she'll be more open to chatting away from that scorpion dressed as a woman. Probably someone less...large should try though."

"I have a taste for northern flesh," Falto says making reference to Sigrun. "She's a b$*@# but she's good at what she does apparently. Her team was the first team back from their excavation site. Also through a fit with the high priestess about not being able to pick their own sites and leaving it to fate."

Max doesn't know much about the Erudite Eye mainly due to most knowledge before the plague of madness being scarce to non-existent. All he knows is that it was a temple to nethis.

You know that Velriana had a symbol of nethis around her neck but Idorii didn't seem to have one. Ibrahim, what exactly are you knowledging? how similar she is to a summer sandstorm? cause I'll go with very similar if that's the case. lol

Knowledge(Religion) for info on Nethys: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Nethys is the god of magic and represents the duality of magic, creation and destruction. I honestly can't think of what else to really say that would be known about the erudite eye.

"So, after that sobering encounter," Falto says without slurring his words. Almost as if he had never been drunk to begin with. "Let me introduce you into Fido and his crew."

Falto then stands and walks towards the back of the bar and waits for you to follow.

should you follow

"this is Major General Fido and his Lieutenant... Fido... I duno where i was going with it."

A grizzled looking Halfling glares up at Falto from the table. Infront of him are many empty mugs and an apparently passed out Halfling.

"Don't look at me that way. Bad, bad dog," Falto says and shakes his finger.

"Falto, Do me a favor and fall on a sword," The grizzled halfling growled. He then turns his attention on you guys and says. Name's Ser Mirren and this is our... fearless leader 'Mad Dog" Marrn. We call ourselves the Dog Soldiers. We actually lost a few in the necropolis so excuse my mood and Marrn's behavior. It wasn't for naught though we found this," Ser Mirren says and shows off a Scimitar that's too large for him to weild properly. The blade is beautifully crafted and the hilt is modeled after wing. "We call it the Angel's Wing. It's magic, seems to help you hit better but that's it. If you guys are looking to buy it can sure help us replace our lost dogs. Hell, we'll even trade. None of us can use it, we're too small." he says and forces out a slight laugh.

it's a +1 Scimitar that can actually double as a holy symbol of sarenrae

"Sorry to hear it. Our expedition wasn't without a few close scrapes as well." Max replies. He has better sense than to laugh at the joke.