“I would like to bear the Kopesh, it is an ancient weapon and I would like to know more about it.”
Help yourself. I'll take the Earth gem
”Lets examine the map guys!”
Noonan examines the map!
Eleven tiny blue points of light glow on the map. Close inspection reveals that each glowing spot is a circular area containing the holy symbol of a deity of Ancient Osirion framed by two crooked, mirrored, lightning-bolt-like runes. The runes look similar to those of the wand you just discovered...
Perhaps touching the wand on the points will do something? I can give it a try
As Noonan places the wand against the point, the blue light turns yellow. He can feel the thrum of power jolt through the ruins as long dormant magics begin to draw upon reserves of power forgotten beneath the sands.
We seem to be on the right track.
”Lets try touching by the Good Gods and leave the Evil ones rest huh? I mean maybe we should figure out who is who before we start releasing these things from their prisons or whatever this map does? I mean, that sound is like long dormant magics begin to draw upon reserves of power forgotten beneath the sands. What need that kind of power? Another flying pyramid?”
Noonan tries to puzzle out the names and symbols
Each symbol on the map corresponds to the ancient gods of Osirion. As you ponder the map you realize rhat Tariq's suggestion while well intentioned would be contrary to the pantheon of long agi.
The ancient Osirion deities fueded and their followers fought for influence even as the gods do today but each was important, indispensable, in the cosmic cycle of the kingdom long ago.
Hmm..SO even the gods of evil have their place in the pantheon here. Hmm..Perhaps by choosing direct enemies? Family groups?
Tariq looks at the writing and tries to use his command of the ancient language boosted by the knowledge worm.
The sequence of the gods makes some sense as you try to puzzle it out.
Noonan seems closest as he tries to puzzle out the order, thinking back towards the ancient occult practices of Osirion before the coming of the modern pantheon.
He examines the sigils and lights them in an order that tells the story of Hakotep's twisted ego. Horus, the sky god who encompasses all, while Ptah, god of craftsmen builds great works. Isis, goddess of wisdom, leads those works towards a great purpose as directed by Ra, god of pharaohs.
Khepri, god of rebirth, helps the renewal of Osirion under the reign of Osiris, reborn god of resurrection. Sobek, the crocodile god, is also the symbol of pharaonic power and that power restores Maat's cosmic balance of Hakotep's power over all creation. Sekhmet then leads Osirion to war against Hakotep's enemies, the Shory, led by the powers of Thoth, god of magic.
Finally Set, guardian of Ra and ruler of the desert, buries the Shory beneath the red sands, stained with the blood of Hakotep's foes.
As Noonan traces the path across the lights they shift from blue to yellow as the ancient sekrespheres that power the magic to pull Hakotep's pyramid from the sky begins to awaken.
Power floods through the chamber causing the three of you to tremble as a magical artifact created through the sacrifice of thousands of workers for a mad king screams for direction and power.
Suddenly a powerful voice comes unbidden into your thoughts.
"Travelers - I see you have come to the Trenches and meddle in the affairs of great powers. I am Tef-Naju, guardian of the Slave Trenches, bound by contract with Hakotep. The Shory are long dead, what reason have you for activating the weapon designed to bring Osirion final victory millenia after the war has ended and the combatants have crumbled to dust?"
The shade of Hakotep seeks to restart the trenches and wage war against those who live now on these lands to establish a long gone kingdom. Such an event will cause great qoe and we wish to confront him and if unable to convince him to stop, then lay him to rest.
”And I serve Azghaad The First Pharaoh, Azghaad the All-Seeing. He too has an interest here for he has never truly left this land and still watches over his people.”
Tariq says proudly, sure he was about to get his ass kicked for saying it.
"Servants of Azghaad seeking to stop Hakotep? Truly? Does this mean you will attack and kill Hakotep?"
Well hold on there Dwal. Just what are you feelings on Hakotep?
"Intriguing. Perhaps...Yes, perhaps you may be of service. Long ago I swore to serve as guardian of this place against Hakotep's enemies the Shory to prevent the destruction of the Sekrespheres until he was released from the Material Plane. The swine never mentioned lichdom. But if you are here to use the Trenches against Hakotep there's nothing in my agreement to prevent me from allowing such a thing. I did not detect an intrusion into the Akhumemnet, have you retrieved the Key?"
Noonan tries to remember if they have the key
”Uh . . . We have found a lot of things around here, um . . . Little statues, um a wand thingy, uh, and what not. What does the key you are talking about look like?”
The voice chuckles.
"I see research is still not the priority of the mortals of Osirion. The Akhumemnet is the crypt and vault of the most devoted followers of Hakotep, his personal guard the Akhumen."
"It is a place of darkness shrouded even from my own entry and warded against teleportation. Powerful glyphs and great elementals and darker creatures. Hakotep's would-be-queen Jeshura lies there entombed within a fiendish sarcophagi - her torment would make her a dangerous foe, or perhaps a dangerous ally if you wish to destroy Hakotep."
"Worst of all is Agazuberi, a shaitan who guards the key. Kill her and I will reward you greatly."
Where is the Akhumemnet located?
”Can you show yourself so we may see whom it is we speak with?” Tariq asked, his Curiosity getting the best of him.
"I am afraid my location is far from your current place - although my own magic allows me to monitor the SKrephrenet - the Monument Vault."
"The Akhumemnet is far to east of your current location. If you were to head to the spiral you will find it at the end, descending beneath the Sun Disk."
”Um, can you tell us the story of this Jeshura? What happened to her and what became of her?”
”What can you tell us of Hakotep in life?”
"Jeshura gambled that she cpuld become Hakotep's queen and lost, sealed for eternity by the Akhumen where they themselves sleep. As for Hakotep I can tell you much - once you have used the Sekrespheres."
”This is what we need to do, right Noonan? Gosh, there are so many power factors wrapped around this place.”
Sure is confusing to me. Let's head out.
You escape the chamber you're in and collect Shad as your sphinx companion from earlier dimenson doors you across the wall of sand.
He bids you farewell to return to his time studying the amber wall with shifting hieroglyphics and your journey along the trenches is long but wearisome as the walls loom over a hundred feet above you through the long spiral towards the spot that Tef-Naju directed you towards.
Far from the impressive, forboding enterance you might have expected however you find drifts of sand lying heaped in small dunes at the
bottom of this dead-end trench, piled up to heights of thirty feet or more against the walls. Massive bleached bones protrude from a dune at the end, a testament to the deadliness of this place, the lack of anything living.
”Okay, are those the giant bones of the Deeno-Cyress or whatever it was you were talking about? Look at all this freaking sand! Crap! Dwali is going to be digging for days.”, the desert warrior says with his hands on his hips.
He puts a hand up to shade his eyes and keenly looks about for clues and threats.
I could try to think of a being to call upon that can move the sand. Hmm..No doubt something lurking here.
The three of you realize that the bones are somehow connected to the same hulk - a powerful looking creature of some kind that has buried itself in the sand.
The sand however is still so whatever the creature is it does not breathe.