You may dot in here.
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A man in fine dark clothes walks into the room and looks at Crowe with a nod and a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes.
His windswept brown hair seems to blow in a nonexistent breeze as his curious brown eyes take in the scene around him.
He wears several pouches on his belt as well as two daggers on his right hip and his left hand is covered with a leather glove that stretches from mid-finger to mid-forearm.
He takes a place against the wall near the doorway and clears his throat before introducing himself.
"Well met everyone. My name is Brinshandyr, but please, call me Brin."
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A bearded man walks in to the room quietly. Scans the room intently for a fraction of a second then move to the corner of the room from which he can see the whole space.
A golden eagle sits on his shoulder, his leathers are rustic but well maintained, and a nearly black bow is slung over his shoulder.
Once in place he grows 5 inches, his hair transforms into feathers that match those of the golden eagle on his shoulder and his pupils grow now taking up the majority of his eyes.
Still he says nothing and keeps watch.
You were all summoned to Sothis, the capital of Osirion. You meet with Venture Captain Norden Balentiir in the Pathfinder lodge known as Sandswept Hall. The lodge is a two-storey structure built out of white limestone blocks with copper-reinforced, wooden doors. Statues of two sphinxes flank the entryway. You enter and are shown to the garden housed inside the walls of the lodge. This area is designed to be a place of tranquillity amidst the bustle of the city of Sothis. You notice date palms, sycamores, and tamarisk; a variety of grapevines and hanging plants are also growing on latticework.
Norden is clearly excited as he begins. "News has come from the west! In the depths of the Osirian desert, a sandstorm has recently uncovered a mighty pyramid that was buried beneath the sand for ages. It has been lost for centuries, so the pyramid has not yet revealed its secrets. However, a crumbling papyrus scroll found in the Great Library of Tephu contains references to the tomb of an ancient Osirian king known only as the Pharaoh of Sphinxes. I have reason to believe these are one in the same. Even if they are not, this revelation must be investigated!"
"Word of the pyramid’s discovery has spread far and fast. Archaeologists, explorers, and tomb robbers from across the Inner Sea are gathering in Osirion’s taverns and inns to plan expeditions into the desert, each vying to be the first to plunder the tomb’s treasures. You must get there first. Fortunately, The Pathfinder Society is ideally equipped for such an event, so hopefully we have a slight edge. I have arranged transport for you. As you can surmise, time is of the essence." He looks at you all for a moment before asking, "Well, why haven't you left yet?"
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Only two sets of eyes noticed, or bothered to notice, the small fellow entering the room. "Well met indeed. Looks like I have arrived just in time. This discovery is very interesting. I can not wait to get my hands on that untold wealth...err I mean discover the mysteries of the long dead king for the betterment of the society."
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Eyes wide at the new halfling's statement, Brin exclaims, "We must get there first! We can't let careless tomb robbers destroy the history of such a find! Wealth be damned, there is KNOWLEDGE to be had!"
Brin quickly takes out his journal and scribbles some notes as he begins to walk out of the room, presumably heading to the transportation.
Norden looks to the alchemist, "Brin was it? Well, it is rumored that the Pharaoh actually spoke to sphinxes. Isn't that incredible?"
The venture captain pops a date into his mouth before responding to the warrior. "I would assume many of the same dangers we have come to expect; traps, undead..." he offers a sidelong glance toward Deter, "tomb raiders. Nothing more specific. As to who is going to try and get there? Easier to list who's NOT trying. Anyone who wants to be a someone will try to get there. But, if you hurry, I think your team can get there first and claims it's long hidden secrets."
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A wispy young woman enters the pathfinder lodge looking very lost and rushed for time. She brushes the sand out of her eyes and spits her hair which slowly curls around her. She speaks softly and excuses herself into the conversation.
"Aaaaaaaah, is this Sandswept Hall? All the buildings look the same to me in this desert. Please excuse my tardiness, I had to travel quite a ways to get here. I am truly not accustomed to these hot winds. From my understanding, we are here to explore a pyramid...? Oooooh, i'm so sorry - my manners seemed to have burned up in the scorching sun. I am Ynam - wanderer of the winds. I follow them where they take me... and it seems they have taken me here... I do hope I am not too late."
The young woman bows deeply awaiting a responce, knowing very well that a late pathfinder is not a good pathfinder.
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"I wouldn't worry about being a little late. I just walked in myself. My name is Deter." The slight hand of the halfling reaches up in greeting."It seems we must hurry. Would you care to look about the town together in gathering what we need? We may get a chance at something decent to eat before we are suffer the dreadful travelling fare."
"Worry not about the conditions during your travel. I will cover the cost myself. Make certain you have all the equipment you would need to explore. Hurry now. As is so often the case, time is not our ally in this endeavor. I have prepared for your trip as best I could. Take the rest of today to buy any other helpful items. Tomorrow you leave with the dawning sun."
Oloch is very quite during the explanations of Venture-Captain Balentiir and also looks at the other Pathfinders as if to test if they are worth his attention.
In the brief time that you had before assembling here you gained some insight into his character and he seems to be a quiet, brooding warrior with a disturbing love of violence.
"I do care a little bit about history - especially if it is about war!" Oloch says smiling.
"But I also live in the moment, relishing the red rush of battle and the communion it brings me with my god. I was hoping to find worthy opponents in these tombs. But beware that I am scornful of those who pick on weaker opponents. Nonetheless, we have to take it as a given that might makes right. So if our competition, that means tomb raiders, goes on our nerves I will cut them down in a similar fashion to the undead that we will surely meet." Oloch says with a rumbling voice.
"I am hearing that you are preparing us to enter the site immediately. We will of course come back alive as I will kill all opponents. "
Your journey through the desert was fairly swift. Norden procured camels for the team, and may have taken steps to make it difficult for other parties to find appropriate mounts. Four days was all it took to find yourselves before the recent discovery. An incredible man-made mountain, the pyramid rises out of the desert sands, a relic of an earlier age. Its limestone casing blocks are weathered from millennia of scouring sands, but the structure seems solid and intact. The exterior of the pyramid is featureless, with no doors or windows. A stone wall, buttressed by drifts of sand, surrounds the entire structure. To the east stands a squat stone building,connected to the pyramid by a long, covered causeway. No visible entrances to the pyramid’s interior can be seen. A rectangular building constructed of large stone blocks sits on the desert sands to the east of the pyramid. A wide portico opens to the east, its ceiling supported by two rows of red granite columns. A dark passage leads deeper into the temple to the west.
The pyramid of the Pharaoh of Sphinxes is nearly 160 feet tall and 250 feet square at its base, and is constructed of giant limestone blocks carefully fitted together without mortar.
Oloch looks at the pyramid and smiles.
”Let us scan the area!“ Oloch says and he starts to search for any signs or tracks.
As near as the warpriest can surmise, you are the first to arrive.
”Let us go to the squat stone building!“ Oloch says and starts walking.
Sek is able to confirm that there are no other detectable dangers nearby. He forges a path through the sand to the entrance of the ancient stone tomb.
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Brin approaches the ancient tomb, but holds back some distance from the entrance as the others search for traps.
"I'm very glad we are the first to arrive. Anything of value has yet to be despoiled. Thinking of the knowledge we may gain is almost intoxicating!" he says to no one in particular as he takes out his journal and scribbles several notes.
”Let us go in!“ Oloch says.
A pair of carved and brightly painted granite columns support the ceiling of this darkened, roughly triangular chamber. To the east, stone statues of a regal man holding a crook and flail and wearing a striped cloth headdress
stand on either side of the chamber, though the head of one of the two
statues now lies cracked and broken on the alabaster floor. Two more
stone statues depicting winged creatures with leonine bodies and falcons’ heads sit beyond.
The smooth granite walls are decorated with hieroglyphs and faded murals that depict loyal subjects and slaves presenting offerings to a pharaoh who sits on a gilded throne, flanked by winged, falcon-headed lions. A passageway to the west stretches off into darkness.
You identify the pharaoh depicted in the carvings and statues as Sekh-pa-Mefer
III, the Pharaoh of Sphinxes.
You recognize the winged, falcon-headed creatures as hieracosphinxes.
Sek's keen eyes spot something in the gloomy light. After he points it out to the team, Deter is able to disarm the deadfall trap.
The team continues down the long hallway. Shafts of sunlight shine down from slots in the ceiling of this long, straight corridor, illuminating the piles of sand that have accumulated beneath each slot. Elaborate carved reliefs, their paint now faded with time, cover the walls on both sides of the passage, depicting the legendary deeds of a great pharaoh. After minutes of continues walking, the silence is broken by a low rumble. Ahead, you make out what appears to be a ten foot tall pyramid racing down the passage directly at you.
This is a construct knows as a rolling pyramid. For every five points you beat the DC by, you may ask a question from this table.
INITIATIVE
As this unnatural avalanche trundles down the hallway, most of the team has a chance to act.
Brawl in the Hall ~ Round 1 (bold may act)
Deter
Oloch
Brin
Sek
Pyramid
Crowe
Oloch sees the construct and begins to cast the spell ‘ devine favor’.
Either Sek's moment of focus or his use of an adamantine tip allow his arrow to penetrate the animated tomb. However, it shows no sign of slowing down.
Brawl in the Hall ~ Round 1 cont. (bold may act)
Deter
Oloch {cast spell}
Brin
Sek {shot}
Pyramid (-6/?? hp)
Crowe
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"Did you know the pharaoh depicted in the carvings and statues is Sekh-pa-Mefer III, the Pharaoh of Sphinxes?" He says nonchalantly. "And those winged, falcon-headed creatures? They are hieracosphinxes."
Suddenly realizing the others just might not know, despite the obviousness of it, he says, "And that thing coming toward us? It's a rolling pyramid, as if you didn't already know." he then goes on to let the group know its resistances.
"Perhaps we can make a fighting retre..." Brin starts to say, then suddenly stops as Deter tries to dance around the rolling stone construct.
"Well that depends on if it keeps coming or not now I suppose." He adds as he takes a small resin bag from his hip and throws it at the creature's base.
[dice=Tanglefoot bag vs touch,-range]d20+4-3[/dice]
Deter dives under the behemoth charging down the hallway. Brin's bag is not nearly strong enough to hold the thing in place. However, the coating may hinder it's movement. The pryamid seems to loose some momentum and hits the wall next to Crowe. Aside from a shower of rocky debris, the bloodrage is untouched.
Brawl in the Hall ~ Round 1 cont. & Round 2 (bold may act)
Crowe
****Round 2****
Deter
Oloch
Brin
Sek
Pyramid (-6/?? hp)
Crowe
”Aaaaaghhhhrr!!!“ Oloch shouts and attacks with his greatsword!
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"Unless we have adamantine weapons, this construct will be difficult to damage. Sek's arrows seem the best at penetrating its stony exterior. Be careful friends." Brin offers from behind Crowe.
He takes a step back, away from the pyramid's reach, and drinks an extract that will strengthen the effect of his bombs.
Deter's dagger's are turned aside, leaving nary a scratch. Due to the tight confines, Crowe experiences some difficulty landins a solid blow. As the alchemist quaffs an extract, Oloch's blade crashes into the animated monolith. Though the strike was muted, cracks race across the surface. A bow thrums twice, yet only one can find the mark.
In a nearly impossible spin, the edge of the pyramid clips the halfling in the head. Deter sees stars, but is able to quickly recover.
Brawl in the Hall ~ Round 2 cont. & Round 3 (bold may act)
Crowe
****Round 3****
Deter {29/40 hp}
Oloch
Brin
Sek
Pyramid (-24/?? hp)
Crowe
The bomb singes the surface of the pyramid, but does not seem to harm the animated construct.
Brawl in the Hall ~ Round 2 cont. & Round 3 (bold may act)
Crowe
****Round 3****
Deter {29/40 hp}
Oloch
Brin tossed bomb
Sek
Pyramid (-24/?? hp)
Crowe