Malusha and Dart work together to banish the haunt. The visions linger a few seconds more and then fade. Once the visions fade, all of you catch glimpse of a faint glow in the cavern below. Those with darkvision can just make out a nearly spent wayfinder 50 feet below at the bottom.
Up ahead, the arch around the north entrance to this hallway is covered with detailed carvings depicting the life and accomplishments of a female pharaoh. A charred corpse covered in flecks of glass is visible just inside the hallway.
You identify the woman in the carvings as the Song Pharaoh, whose death began the slow decline of the Ancient Osirion dynasties. You also realize that two aspects of the carving don’t match historical records; the carvings show her defeated by the Pharaoh of Forgotten Plagues, whom she famously overthrew, and her being born in Shiman-Sekh, when she is known to have founded that city.
You deduce this may be a hint to bypass the trap without needing to disarm it.
Dart with his keen eyes sees the telltale signs of a trap in the hallway. The trap has funnels to channel the sand and winds from the desert outside. Also, Dart can tell that there is alchemist’s fire in small nodules throughout the funnels, the end effect likely being a brief but fierce molten whirlwind to destroy anyone who steps inside.
Those with low-light vision or darkvision can make out a great round table in the center of the room beyond the archway, with broken fragments of a large ruby scattered atop it.
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Malusha glances over the carvings on the archway and can't tell if they are depicting a real historical figure or just decorations. When Dart mentions the trap Malusha responds to him. "If you try to disable the trap, let me cast a spell on you first. I can give you guidance which will help to steady your hands."
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"Good eye Dart! Let me know if the wall is too smooth for you. We could try other means of retrieving the wayfinder."
Eyeing the trap from a safe distance, Umbrato considers the options. Ultimately he turns to Malusha. "I think we can handle that tricky bit there. If you wouldn't mind giving Naldric and myself Sarenrae's blessing, we'll get to work.
Dart crawls down the cavern wall and finds at the bottom the body of a dead woman. She still has all her adventuring gear as well as a scarab-embossed wayfinder. It seems she fell off of the bridge, probably while under the effects of the haunt there.
This is a wand of protection from evil.
This is a gem of brightness.
This is a ring of maniacal devices
Meanwhile Umbrato manages to disable the trap. The bypass clicks and the proximity alarm can no longer be triggered. The charred body is of an elven man. His back is badly burned but there is a note inside as well as one scroll.
This is a scroll of remove disease
You move further in. Inside this large columned chamber shows signs of past comforts, but an ancient battle scorched the walls and ceiling, and cracked and smashed the floor and columns. The remnants of furniture are scattered against the walls, and piles of bodies are stacked in the sleeping alcoves along the south and west walls. A dais crowned with a great, round table rises from the floor in the south part of the room. Three corpses sit around the table as if in conference, each dressed in fine silk robes. A slight breeze whistles through with a sound like a distant, murmuring voice, but there is no sense or meaning in it. An open hallway to the north leads to a natural cavern. Stairs lead downward in the northeast corner of the room, but were buried in stone when the wall collapsed.
The corpses seem to be the fabled Sages of long ago. The fragments of a ruby gem remain on the table.
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Dart gives the treasure over to the group. "Here friends, I hope these help." Somberly, " though they did little for their previous owner."
Dart again imbues his eyes with magic a sweeps the room for danger.
"Umbrato, Maybe I can get you to use this wand you seem to be better with this spell than me."
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Nadric takes a look at the magical items.
"They're beyond my abilities to identify," he admits with a shrug, and hands them over to someone else to examine if they wish to. He looks at the note as well, and comments wryly, "This fellow must have had a bad memory, or he never got around to the memorize-and-destroy part of the instructions."
He shivers at the sight of the three bodies sitting at the table as if they are still alive. "Creepy. But that ruby looks important." He joins Dart in casting detect magic to look into the room.
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"I have never disabled a trap before. Though I seem to notice them regularly enough. Even with the ring I would need to borrow tools before I could make use it. I will give it Umbrato he may be best suited to using it, and I will keep doing my best to make sure we see the traps early enough to disable them. Thank you for considering me."
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Eyeing the items, he pauses to look closer at the gem. "Well, this is interesting. It's called a 'Gem of Brightness'. I've never seen on before, but from my readings it could be used as a lantern, a blinding ray of light, or a flashing cone of light."
Turning to his companions, he holds of the gem. "I would suggest we have one of you without the ability to see in the dark to carry this. As for the wand, I'm unfamiliar with that magic, though Dart or I may be able to activate it if needed."
Strolling towards the grippli, he takes the offered wand and taps him with it. "Be my pleasure. If you feel I should carry it for now, I would gladly accept the ring. You just make sure to point out the traps for me."
After investigating the main room and finding the pieces of the ruby, you deduce that this must be one of the fabled Jewels that Amenopheus was searching for! It radiates overwhelmingly strong transmutation magic. Though it be broken, you can also tell by the patterns of dust that two other jewels once lay here, but were recently taken.
Soon though, while checking the remaining parts of the room, you hear bootsteps clacking down the hallway behind you. Three Ulfen men stand in the once-trapped hallway, surveying the room and you.
”YOU THERE!” bellows the large Ulfen man in the lead. ”YJALK SAYS PUT TREASURE DOWN!”
”Yes,” says the smaller half-elf man to the side of his captain. He looks to the bigger Ulfen, then to you. ”Do as Yjalk says. Who are you and what are you doing spoiling our delve?”
"YJALK TAKE ALL TREASURE. MAGIC WEAPONS, ARMOR. SLAY LINNORM!"
Bold may act.
Active party buffs:
Sira
Dart
Umbrato
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Crew Member (no action)
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Nadric
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Signe
Yjalk
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Malusha
Ankird
Yjalk's fury is barely contained. "LITTLE FROG TALK MEAN NOTHING! ALL TREASURE ON FLOOR NOW AND LEAVE, OR THE BLADE IT IS!"
Yjalk’s fury noticeably calms. He thinks for a moment, then says, ”Fine, we delve together then. Yjalk my name. Kill linnorm to be king one day!” His crew lets out a cheer at this. ”To kill linnorm Yjalk need good weapon. Yjalk heard rumors of good weapon here! What’s that? That not weapon?”
He points his greatsword at the shards of the ruby. ”That weapon?”
As soon as Yjalk’s men calm and combat seems avoided, the room begins to tremble. The brazier in the center of the table ignites with emerald fire, and a malignant cloud of shadows boils up into the air, its skeletal maw eerily babbling as the creature’s claws manifest from the darkness.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs:
Round 1
Sira
Dart
Umbrato
Crew Member (fascinated, 2 rounds)
Nadric
Signe (fascinated, 2 rounds)
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Sage of Plagues
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Yjalk (fascinated, 2 rounds)
Malusha
Ankird
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Malusha jumps as the emerald flames erupt. He stares at the boiling smoke and the emerging creature but keeps his senses about him. Quick as lightning he flicks his wrist sheath to access his wand of bless and activates it over the group. "Sarenrae's blessing to all of you!" Using the wand reminds him of the wand he just recently picked up. He fishes that one out of his bag a prepares to activate it as well.
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Spotting the strange image taking shape, Umbrato unfurls his scroll and gives it a quick read. "By the sages power, hasten my companions and myself!" A fuchsia light radiates out from the man, engulfing his traveling companions.
Drawing another scroll, he scurries towards the enemy. As he moves forward, he folds the parchment to increase it's lethality.
The transmuted creatures move and act more quickly than normal. This extra speed has several effects.
When making a full attack action, a hasted creature may make one extra attack with one natural or manufactured weapon. The attack is made using the creature's full base attack bonus, plus any modifiers appropriate to the situation. (This effect is not cumulative with similar effects, such as that provided by a speed weapon, nor does it actually grant an extra action, so you can't use it to cast a second spell or otherwise take an extra action in the round.)
A hasted creature gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves. Any condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses.
All of the hasted creature's modes of movement (including land movement, burrow, climb, fly, and swim) increase by 30 feet, to a maximum of twice the subject's normal speed using that form of movement. This increase counts as an enhancement bonus, and it affects the creature's jumping distance as normal for increased speed. Multiple haste effects don't stack. Haste dispels and counters slow.
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Nadric stares at the apparation in fascination, but he's not so caught up in it that he loses his senses. "What is that? It definitely doesn't look friendly." Feeling quite light on his feet thanks to Umbrato's spell, he steps to the side, draws his bow, and looses an arrow at the... fire and shadow? I don't even know if a regular arrow would do any good against this thing, he thinks as he holds his breath to see if it lands.
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Nadric watches his arrow fly straight through it, and as the smoke clears he recognizes the figure that has appeared. "It's an allip! An undead being with no physical body. It can drive you insane with a touch, so watch out!" With some tripidation he calls out, "Who... are you? Why are you here?" I wonder if it speaks Common, he belatedly thinks. Or if it speaks at all.
The creature continues its incessant babbling in a language that none can tell. It turns and reaches out toward Dart's chest, but the wily grippli moves aside before the creature can get hold.
The Sage of Plagues' power fans out and finds a corpse in the northwest alcove. It rises quickly, a pall of plague over it like the others in the courtyard, and staggers toward Nadric!
Bold may act.
Active party buffs: haste, bless
Round 2
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Plague Zombie (blue)
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Sira (fascinated, 1 round)
Dart
Umbrato
Crew Member (fascinated, 1 round)
Nadric
Signe (fascinated, 1 round)
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Sage of Plagues
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Yjalk (fascinated, 1 round)
Malusha
Ankird
Sarenae's radiance pours from Malusha's holy symbol and damages the undead severely. Ankird stands in awe of his companions' abilities. Dart lands two solid punches to the allip, and Umbrato sends a fistful of lightning at the allip, nearly missing, but recovering at the last moment to touch the incorporeal creature. Nadric finishes off the zombie. Signe begins to sing of ancient times, times or raiding, when the Ulfen men and woman would swarm the coastlines, village to village and return with their spoils. Better days. . Yjalk's crew member tries to hit it with a crossbow bolt, but it flies straight through the creature.
"Blast!" the man yells. "What is that thing?!"
The Sage of Plagues cackles maniacally, but the red shards of the ruby begin to swirl on the table. A bolt of red lightning bursts out of the shard, careening toward the undead creature. Its aim is pour and creature floats out of the way, nearly dodging the entire thing. Then it surveys its victims one by one. How poignant their madness will be!
The creature reaches out and just barely misses Umbrato, its sickly claws skating off of Umbrato's magical wards.
Meanwhile Yjalk begins to rage and in a fury charges forward with his greatsword, cutting through the creature's incorporeal form.
"WHY DEAD THING NO STAY DEAD!"
Bold may act.
Active party buffs: haste, bless, inspire courage +1
Round 3
Sira
Dart
Umbrato
Crew Member
Nadric
Signe
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Sage of Plagues (-23)
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Yjalk
Malusha
Ankird