"It's a pleasure to meet you Sigrun." He then pours drinks for the table after paying for some.
I explored the Tomb of Akentepi. We dealt with the normal dog-sized scorpions and such that infested the tomb and moved on to deal with a strange sand guardian and a large number of animated clay dolls..."
Caius goes on to explain portions of the adventure taking a few liberties to make it sound more grand than it truly was.
"Now that you've heard my story now what about yourself?"
Caius squints at the words but doesn't seem to understand them. He nods as Hibbins and Merutep explain the writings.
"Pentheru...Pentheru...nope doesn't ring a bell to me. Though I do agree Merutep it would have been quite the household in its day. Hopefully that means good tidings and wealth for us." he says with a devilish grin.
Caius then attempts to open the gate and peek inside.
Here's the invite to our Roll20 game.
Dust and sand cover the ground of the small courtyard beyond the gates. To the east and west stand pairs of columns, once brightly painted and now bleached from the sun, which support stone archways leading to other section of the property. Tarnished bronze gates hang open under both arches. To the north, a small flight of steps leads up to a pair of ornate doors in the south wall of the house between another set of columns.
As the party moves onto the grounds, Aya squawks in alarm, clearly alerted by something. Then, from the street, dozens of voices raised in anger can be heard. It sounds like an riotous mob headed directly for the House of Pentheru.
Merutep glances around in confusion...
"That sounds like a... mob? Where could they have come from?"
Caius has a puzzled look on his face as he hears the mob approach. "What in the nine hells is that about?"
He then moves to the side of the gate they entered into and takes cover, keeping his hand gripped on the hilt of his rapier.
"Something isn't right. There is no way the temple would allow a movb in to their holy grounds."
Rashim looks puzzled, and takes cover with the others. "Not sure mobs ask for permission. Perhaps they forced their way in?"
Before Merutep can rush back into the street, the gate slams in her face.
Moments later, an Osirion women in archaic dress leans out from a second story window and points towards the gate. "Xasef har wudha! Wa exam iweyt!"
Powerful blows pound the doors, rattling the gate and sending a palpable wave of fear through the Sand Scarabs. The effect seems most pronounced in Hibbins and Merutep who flee through the eastern archway.
The outburst is over almost as soon as it began. The woman vanishes and the gates swing open, revealing a dusty street, empty of the mob that sounded so real a moment earlier.
---
When Merutep and Hibbins stop running, they find themselves in a spacious yard that fills the compound east of the house. To the east, several small stone outbuildings have been built into the compound's outer wall. A wells stands between two of these outbuildings, opposite a stone table and benches that sit in the shadow of the house. To the west, two sets of steps, both flanked by columns, lead up to doors into the main house. To the northwest, an open doorway leads into an extension into the house, next to a stone structure with a domed roof.
"Aaaahhhh!" Merutep exclaims as she and Hibbins flee.
Aya lets out a caw, but seems unable to get through to her wayward 'child.' With a unnaturally human shake of her head, she flies off after Merutep.
When she regains her senses, Merutep looks at Aya and Hibbins in surprise.
"Wait... That can't... It wasn't..."
She catches her breath and lets out a chuckle. "That was not real at all! Wow! It was so terrifying!"
She lets out another chuckle, making her sound a bit like a mad woman. "Fascinating!"
Then she strokes the bird on her head and says to Hibbins. "We should rejoin the others."
Hibbins looks at Merutep, after the blind panic wears off, and shakes his head at her laughter. "Fascinating, yes... that is one way to put it. It seems the dead are less than happy with us being here."
Rashim had barely had time to register everything going on before it all faded out of existence. He grins a little as the other two return, though quickly puts his face back to neutral. "The dead rarely are happy, I expect, though these seemed particularly violent. So, what's the plan here? Scout around the building first, then enter?"
Merutep nods her head and smiles. "Oh, that sounds like a good plan! You're very clever, Rashim."
She points at the archway she just came through. "There's a yard over there and some outbuildings. Why don't we start on that side?"
Caius relaxes his grip on his rapier as the gate opens again, and the sounds of the mob fade away. "Well that's new...what in the nine hells was that?"
He listens as his companions devise a plan. "That sounds like a fine plan to me. Let's begin."
Caius then moves into the yard and leans against the first outer building, attempting to hear if anything moves inside.
Caius takes a moment and presses his ear against the building, before turning to his companions and speaking in a hushed tone.
"There is something big inside...I can hear it's breathing." he says as he points towards the structure.
Merutep quickly casts a protective spell on Caius and herself, then readies her quarterstaff.
"Alright. I'm ready."
"Is it to be a fight, then?" A nearby rock floats up, and starts rotating around near Rashim's right hand. "I am ready for such a thing. I prefer big things, they are easier to hit."
"No time like the present." Hibbins draws his sword and watches the others prepare.
Caius watches as his companions prepare. Once they are ready he moves to the door and attempts to open it slowly and quietly.
Rusted metal hinges in the doorframe indicate that this building once had doors, but they have long since been destroyed or removed. Inside, the single room is devoid of features but for the remains of furniture that have disintegrated over the passage of time.
As Caius peaks around the corner, something shifts in the back of the room and the swashbuckler is overcome with a powerful rotten stench. The thing sniffs the air and then growls, the sound low and menacing. One paw steps into the light, and then another, revealing a massive hound, easily the size of a horse. More alarmingly, it bears two snarling heads. Wriggling grave worms drop like saliva from its twin maws and four midnight-black eyes fix on Caius.
"Eeek! A death dog!" Merutep shrieks in a rather undignified fashion. "Don't be fooled, they're not undead! Watch out for those worms! They infect and weaken everything the dog bites!"
"A death dog? The things they come up with. So, don't let it bite us, check." Rashim tracks quickly northwest, bringing the dog into view but keeping his distance. Once in a better position, he clenches his fist, and the rock that had been floating nearby zips off toward the dog.
Caius draws forth his rapier in a blur of movement and quick steps in front of the creature, his eyes gleaming with fire.
"Back to the nine hells with you beast!" As he yells out his rapier flickers with the flames of hell for a few moments.
"Oh good, now I get killing a dog added to the things I didn't want to do but did today... Will wonders never cease." Hibbins charges in and attempts to stab the beast.
The bullet thrown by Rashim punches into the death dog's flank. The beast snarls in pain and turns to face the telekineticist, right in time for Caius and Hibbins to charge.
The pair back the dog into the hollowed out building, blades flashing, slicing the flesh of the creature. It bites back with both of its maws, flinging grave worms with every snap. One bite catches Caius in the thigh, its teeth biting below where the bloodrager's chain shirt could cover.
Merui steps into the outbuilding, his scimitar flashing from his scabbard. The blade delivers another gash to the monster.
Merutep hurries forward, but is unable to get into the fight. As the dog bites Caius, Merutep exclaims, "Oh, careful!"
She holds out her arm and prays loudly, "Mother Isis, watch over your children!" As she speaks her hair begins to shimmer in the sunlight, and her eyes seem so bright they nearly glow.
Suddenly, a burst of calming energy flows out of Merutep and Aya, bathing her allies in Isis' blessing.
As Merutep begins to pray, Aya's eyes glow with a golden light. She sticks her beak up into the air striking a regal pose with pride.
Hibbins attempts to stab the beast a second time...
...Failing miserably even with the added pep of the shining haired one.
Caius grimaces in pain as the beast tears into his leg.
He then screams at the creature while thrusting his rapier. "Cursed mutt!
Rashim grins in cocky satisfaction as his shot tears into the dog and distracts it. He steps up slightly, and tries to thread another shot between his melee companions.
The point of Caius's rapier punches through the eye of the death dog. The beast shudders once and dies, collapsing to the flood and nearly wrenching the blade out of the bloodrager's hand.
"Oh, my! Such prowess!" Merutep exclaims. Then she turns her gaze onto Caius. "Please, let me inspect that bite wound."
Caius seems to calm for a moment and fatigue washes over his face. He sheathes his weapon and bends over breathing heavily.
In between gasping for breath he speaks. "Ahh...Thank you Merutep."
Hibbins begins cleaning his blade while waiting on merutep to heal their companion.
Merutep pulls out her wand and presses it against Caius' wounds.
"It looks good so far. Let me know if you start to feel off."
She smiles brightly, puts away her wand, and looks around. "Shall we?"
The purpose of the outbuilding is a mystery, its interior and furnishings disintegrated to the ravages of time. More recently, the death dog has made it its lair. Piles of bones, both animal and humanoid, are shoved into the corners of the room, as well as clumps of greasy black hair crawling with nauseating worms.
"How very... unappealing..." Rashim says, with an unpleasant look at the room. "On to the next outbuilding?" Rashim starts to move toward the outbuilding, but delays to allow others to go in front of him.
Caius rubs his freshly healed wound and look up at Merutep. "Thanks. I'll let you know if i feel off."
He then begins to move forward to the next building.
"Yeah the next building seems good to me."
The Sand Scarabs march past the dry well and stone table to the next outbuilding, which appears much like the last: empty except for debris, refuse, and windblown sand.
Merutep peeks inside, then moves on toward the next one.
This outbuilding is nestled in the northeast corner of the compound, tucked between the empty building a small granary with a domed roof. Inside, a pair of skeletons huddle together in the corner on the floor. Behind the tatters of a curtain is a separate alcove, hiding another, smaller skeleton.
Rashim looks questioningly at Merutep. "Can you divine any magic in there? I don't trust skeletons, as a general rule."
"Oh, I don't know about magic." Merutep remarks. "But, I should be able to handle some skeletons just fine!"
Merutep peeks into the building to see if the skeletons are lifeless, or undead.
"I'm going to go in for a closer look."
Merutep wanders right into the building to look around.
"If they move I will kill them easily." Hibbins waits in case they need one of his volatile mixtures.
Caius moves in to watch Merutep's back as she investigates.
"Right behind you."
Rashim focuses on one of the skeleton skulls, and uses his telekinesis to cause it to rattle around and then turn to look at the group.