"Of course, brother." Hogan replies, leading the way down a corridor.
Starting from the doorway that you just entered, you begin your search of the curtained alcoves in a counter-clockwise fashion.
The first alcove reveals a red marble and jade basin filled with water. At the bottom of the basin, there is a quintet of tiny holes that lead down into an orb shaped addition crafted into the basin. The etchings around the rim of the basin are worn down and hard to read, but you can tell that this is a small memorial to one of the more ancient ancestors of the tomb.
The second and third curtains are parted and reveal corridors to lead to other part of the tomb.
The fourth curtain hides a statue of a small white granite child looking wistfully in the direction of the fifth curtain's alcove. In the wall of this room, you can see that a hole has been cut into the wall, shaped into a window of sorts that allows you to see a black marble statue of a young woman, her arms extended towards the child. The daises that hold these two statues are ringed by white, ever-blooming lilies and a soft light emanates from small etchings in the ceiling.
Crossing over the set of locked doors, the sixth alcove is revealed to contain a proud bronze statue of a warrior. His face is obscured by a mask of Anubis and his hands hold a bronze heavy flail that appears to have a working chain. Dwizzle, in his curiosity, pushes the hanging spiked ball and the chain allows it to swing back and forth, giving off a slight creaking sound.
The seventh and eight alcoves contain nearly identical monuments as the seventh bears an inverted silver-hilted longsword buried halfway down the blade in a marble sculpture of a tree trunk. The eight bears a golden-hilted longsword buried halfway down the blade into an actual tree trunk, seeming uprooted and somehow fossilized.
The ninth curtain reveals a third passage to another part of the tomb and the final curtain is revealed to show a familiar sight: an altar to Pharasma. The altar is crafted from fine white marble and the eyes of the Mistress of the Boneyard is made from pure black obsidian.
Seherab diligently takes notes on each of the shrines. At the last one he says, "At least Lady Pharasma still has some sway down here, seemingly. I hope we can restore it completely and rid this place of undeath soon."
"Now, let's go see what's down there." Seherab puts his pen and journal away and pulls his sword back out to join Hogan at the first corridor.
Dwizzle looks on with fascinated eyes as each curtain is pulled aside and the majority of alcoves each seem to contain a novel discovery.
"Hey! This feels like it should be some sort of contest - guess what's behind the next curtain! Is it a basin? A sword-in-a-tree?"
Dwizzle backs away from the spiked ball after he learns the chain fully functions, once again realizing he was this close to allowing his curiosity to unleash some horrific deathtrap.
Shrugging, Dwizzle's mind continues to race at the religious implications of each alcoves' contents as he rushes ahead to catch up with Hogan and Seherab.
Dwizzle puts his hand into the basin of water and finds that the water seems to be coming out of a pair of the holes, while another pair of holes seems to be drawing water down into the alembic at the bottom of the altar. The fifth hole is a mystery and doesn't seem to be doing anything obvious.
After Dwizzle has thoroughly investigated the various alcoves, Hogan leads the party to the northwest. The group finds a room of interest to those wanting a greater understand of burial rights.
Carvings of somber women and vulture-headed angels adorn the walls of this chamber, and the smell of cedar, onions, and myrrh is overwhelming. Viscous amber fluids fill glass reservoirs, while stone bins of sand, sawdust, and salt crowd the floor. Hooks, knives, and other grisly-looking tools are neatly stored on several worktables along the walls.
Ankhef comments "These things should have rotted long ago..."
Casting detect magic.
Seherab holds up his hand for silence. He points to one of the shelves and then taps on his ear. He slowly approaches it and, once everyone is in position around it, pulls it open.
Hogan nods to Seherab as he draws his hammer.
Ankhef stops his spell short at Seherab raises his hand.
As you pry off the stone door, you find that it was sealed shut long ago and inside you see that there is only a weak ghoul left in this area. The corpse must have turned when the ki pulse ran through the area, however the lack of access to food and movement seems to have crippled the ghoul making it easy for you to dispatch.
As Hogan smashes its face into pulp, you see that it is wearing a magical breastplate .
Satisfied with his work though also a bit disappointed that it took no effort, Hogan stows the armor on his back and moves to the next corridor.
Ankhef nods to Hogan "Good job" and follows along.
Seherab breathes a sigh of relief that for once they weren't on the verge of death after a run-in with an undead fiend. He moves along counter-clockwise to the next corridor and slowly leads the way, checking for traps or anything unusual.
Moving the western corridor, you find that the passageway leads to a long, multi-angled staircase that looks quite treacherous. This pathway contains no light sources and is pitch black.
Seeing nothing of note, Hogan will move on to the only other exit besides the double doors.
Half-walls and heavy curtains divide this room into a network of small apartments and common spaces. Colorful linens, faded with age, lie neatly folded at the foot of each bare bed, save for the far end of the room, where rich silks and pillows cover a bed surrounded by a mess of discarded books and notes.
Living visitors to the Sepulcher of the Servant with long-term business in the mausoleum were housed in this chamber. Intended to provide a sense of sedate normalcy, the individual apartments lack the opulence common to the tomb, instead resembling quarters in a modest inn. Curtains running to the ceiling allow each room to be closed off, while a hearth and table in the room’s center provide a common space for preparing and taking meals.
This area seems to have become a mess of scribbled notes, half-finished food, and discarded clothing. Next to the mess, you see two preserved corpses of women laid on the beds. They are dressed in fine Taldan silks and Osirian jewelry, complete with Calistrian adornments worth a total of 2,400 gp.
"This is quite an interesting find." Seherab notes as he looks over the corpses. "But we can not take the time to investigate too closely right now. Let's continue."
Seherab leads the way, checking for traps along the way.
"It is brother. We should move on though." Hogan nods as he leads the way.
"What a tremendous find! Funds for our fight against the evil that lurks in the dark!"
Dwizzle scoops up their latest finds into the party's haversacks.
He follows closely behind Seherab and Hogan before realizing something.
"Oh! Of course, we shouldn't all stand so close together... you know, in case Seherab does find a trap, or ward, or pit, or you know, something deadly!"
The group thoroughly explores the apartments and finds nothing more of value as they see their only options being the set of double doors to the south and the winding staircase.
"Unless we want to make enough noise to awake those dead enough to slumber through all the action so far, I suggest we make our way down for now."
"You are right, brother. Heading down is the wise choice."
The group descends down the narrow staircase, following the many twists and turns until they hear the gentle sound of lapping water.
This sound makes sense once the group find the next chamber, seeing rippling waves against the edges of a tiny replica of Wati. The floor is covered in sand, and tiny stone replicas of buildings and streets fill most of the gallery, creating a room-sized map of Wati. A stark black pillar rises from the center of the room.
The city sprawls through most of the room, with a model “desert” surrounding all sides and a fountain shaped like the confluence of the Asp, Crook, and Sphinx rivers, creating a serene masterpiece few in the city above even know exists. The ceiling in this room is 50 feet high and the black pillar is 30 feet tall. The sand and water extend down 2 feet to the chamber’s stone floor. You notice that the general layout is accurate, the map is woefully out of date.
The black pillar stands in the location of the Grand Mausoleum and appears to represent Pharasma’s Spire in the Boneyard, atop which all mortal souls are judged for their deeds in life. Perched atop the pillar, you see a foul creature that resembles a gargoyle, but its body seems to be made of living, dark purple crystal.
From the purplish gargoyle, you hear a voice creak out. "Leave my sanctuary at once. I won't ask again." it says, the voice gravelly and ominous.
"Interesting place," Seherab mumbles as he looks at the model city. When the gargoyle speaks out, Seherab calls out, "Apologies! We did not mean to offend." I hope Dwizzle can convince this thing to let us pass.
Dwizzle stands for a moment, mouth agape as he observes the replica model of Wati.
"That's the Asp! And that there is the Crook! Oh, I believe that makes that river the Sphinx!"
Dwizzle continues mumbling to himself or nobody in particular.
"Ahhh... the pillar must be Pharasma's Spire, judging mortal souls for their deeds. I'm quite certain all of us dwarves would be quite worthy, given our efforts to stem the tide of undead plaguing Wati. Pharasma, you know..."
As the gargoyle animates and speaks, Dwizzle shakes his head and re-orients his attention after a moment to process.
"Oh, greetings there, good Gargoyle! Please, I am Dwizzle Dandydweller and these are my four, errr.. three good dwarven allies!"
Dwizzle bows low, earnestly professing much respect for any stranger that gives him the time to greet him/her/it.
"I don't suppose you've seen anything that could say, be offending our dear Lady Pharasma, say... an endless stream of undead minions wandering up towards the surface above?"
Ankhef taps Dwizzle on the shoulder and gives Dwizzle a look with a pair of closed fists.
This creature hates the undead and the living.
Hogan eyes the creature warily as he lets his companions speak to it. The foul thing did not look trustworthy but he was hoping to be wrong.
The creature speaks slowly, answering no questions. "Your friend is correct. I despise all. Now leave before I take your life force and add it to my own. You have ten seconds before I rain down death upon you." he says, perched 30' in the air on the black marble pillar.
Squinting, Dwizzle looks across the room, his eyes accustomed to dark places, and seeing no other exits that would possibly lead them down corridors to things they seek.
He turns and shrugs at the others.
"Seems kind of moody? Should we leave it alone?"
"I think it will not leave us alone, brother."
Ankhef whispers, "If we need to go this way, I doubt we can be friends."
"Do we need to go this way? I see no exit from this chamber that might lead us on. Let's go back and open up those doors. That seems our only way forward."
Back at the doors, Seherab looks over them once more, shaking his head. "This magic is too complex for skills. I don't think I can open it. But breaking it down will cause far too much noise. Could anyone use magic to deafen the sound? Then Hogan could break though without alerting anyone within. I think that is our best option unless someone else has a suggestion."
Ankhef will slowly back up along with the rest of the Dwarves.
The gargoyle lets you leave and seems to enjoy that he didn't have to fight, however you seem to be at an impasse at the last route forward: the magically-locked double doors.
Ankhef shrugs to Hogan "We seem to be out of less noisy options"
Hogan draws his hammer and strikes at the door as the party is out of options.
It takes Hogan a little bit of time but he eventually takes down the door.
Dwizzle plugs his ears and winces with each successive strike made by Hogan's hammer, choosing to occasionally shout at Seherab during the process.
"WE SHOULD GET YOU SOME MAGIC SCROLLS OR TOOLS SO WE DON'T NEED TO DO IT THIS WAY AGAIN!"
The loud banging echoes throughout the entire tomb as Hogan hammers home the fact that the last option left is brute force.
The revealed room appears to be an antechamber of sorts. It is deathly silent, its vaulted ceiling absorbing any sounds from the surrounding area. A broad walkway leads through, flanked by deep pits. In the center of the walkway stands a quietly bubbling fountain filled with clear liquid. The antechamber of the Sepulcher’s deepest crypt exists for ritual purification. The fountain’s lower basin constantly refills itself with clean, pure water.
The 30-foot-deep pits once burned with cold, colorless flames, but the illusory magic supporting them has faded over the years. Heavy double doors stand at each end of the walkway, adorned in symbols of life and death.
Standing guard near the doors to the south, you see a giant statue of a man with a flail in one hand and he bears the head of a jackal.
Ankhef notes outloud "Anubis, unsurprising given the location..."
Seherab nods at Ankhef's conclusion. "Indeed. So much of the symbolism here is against undeath... and yet we have our current problem. Let's keep going though."
Seherab moves up to the next set of doors, checking for traps and trying to open them.
As Seherab looks around the room for traps, he notices that the Anubis statue appears to have a spark of life, though it appears benign at the moment. You believe that attacking the statue or trying to move past it might invoke its wrath, though you have little choice. Perhaps there is a trick to move past it.
"Oh! We wouldn't want to make it unhappy, especially since it sounds like it's on our side, wanting to fight against undeath and all that."
Dwizzle gestures to the Celestial words.
"Can anyone read those? They look all swirly and fancy. Seherab, seems like that'd something you could read? Maybe it has the command word for the statue? Hey! Maybe we can command it to help us!"
Seherab stops moving as he notices the eyes following him. "Exactly," Seherab notes to Dwizzle. "Personally, my family always favored Ptah but Anubis is a worthy deity as well. Does anyone have his holy symbol? Most golems have a trigger and maybe if we present his holy symbol we can pass unopposed. If no one has one on hand, I think we should back up and make some, even if we have to improvise a bit."
Since the group fails to respond to Seherab's information, the inquisitive dwarf readies the group as he trips the golem into activity.
The large statue of Anubis animates and you hear the grating of stone on stone as it moves to block entrance to the next chamber.
Initiative:
+2 while Underground.
The giant statue moves forward and swings its giant flail at the most heavily armored one, Hogan. "Intruders shall be judged by Anubis!" it bellows as it swings.
The giant flail slams into Hogan, leaving behind rent flesh, causing the Stonelord to continue bleeding even after his stout dwarven constitution stands strong against the attack.
Initiative:
1st: Guardian (Kn. Arcana to Identify)
2nd: Ankhef; Dwizzle; Seherab; Hogan
Status
Hogan-Bleed (2) @ 45/59 HP
Seherab backs up and quickly drinks an elixir of stone fist.
Seherab studies the construct as he stabs, feeling slightly wrong at hitting a statue of a god.
Ankhefgh worriedly takes a step back and begins a summoning spell.
"I've got help coming!"