Nidhi doesn't see taking additional fire damage effective if she's going to finish cleaning her bow. She squeezes through the hole Florence has made and picks up the golden mask, tucking it under her arm since she's still holding an unstrung bow. "We should burn this body. I don't want the pharaoh coming back - even if they are royalty!"
Nidhi continues to move out of the room, and into the hall, where there is no fire. She will either wait for the thorns to be dispelled or move just enough that she is clear of taking additional damage.
The wall of fire is one-sided. So if you're on the north side of the wall, you'll take no damage. The wall burns out of it's own accord in about another minute.
Zilchus hacks again at the mask jerk, wanting to make sure the snake-wristed caster is dead-dead before removing the mask.
Coup d’Asp
He is terribly bruised and wounded, but takes the moment to peal the mask off the jerk and toss it to Nidhi (when she is done fixing her bow, of course).
”Nidhi, try not to hand over our artifacts to those who ask, won’t you?” Zilchus grumbles, still wound up from the fight. When he calms down, he will channel a few times for the benefit of those who appreciate the Great Crocodile.
Channel
Channel
Channel
”We should burn this body.”
Zilchus smiles. ”That would be a clever trick. If we’ve learned anything this fight, it’s that this jerk is immune to fire. But maybe those magics will wear off soon and we can give it a go.”
Zilchus will loot all the bodies.
The mask fell off the woman's face in death. It's on the floor next to her. Nidhi is able to put it back on (with Zilchus' help or on her own) without trouble. So warm...
The party searches the cultists first, stripping them of their magical or valuable gear. They have the following
Amulet of Mighty Fists +1 (4,000gp) (x3)
Belt of Giant Strength +2 (4,000gp ea) (x3)
Cloak of Resistance +2 (4,000gp) (x3)
Gilt wooden funerary masks (25gp) and assorted coins (175gp) x3
However, as you’d expect, the big payoff is to be found on the leaders body.
Potion Cure Serious Wounds (750gp)(x2)
Wand of Haste (25 charges) (4,500gp)
Quarterstaff +2 (8,300gp)
Belt of Physical Might (Dex/Con +6) (90,000gp)
Cloak of Resistance +3 (9,000gp)
Ring of Energy Shroud, fire (19,500gp)
Armband of the Golden Serpent* (image) (20,000gp)
Falcon Crown* (image) (42,000gp)
Assorted Jewelry and Gold Funerary Mask (2,500gp)
Diamond Dust (2,000gp)
An armband of the golden serpent allows its wearer to cast spells with the range of touch in melee combat without provoking attacks of opportunity. Spells with ranges other than touch provoke attacks of opportunity as normal - even spells with a range of personal. When the wearer of an armband of the golden serpent casts a touch spell in melee combat, the armband animates, slithering down the wearer’s arm and striking to deliver the touch attack. Although the armband delivers the spell, the wearer is still required to take the necessary actions and make the required attack roll; the wearer does not gain any additional actions.
- - -
The wearer of the falcon crown gains a +2 insight bonus to her Armor Class. In addition, up to three times per day as an immediate action, the wearer of the falcon crown can sacrifice a prepared spell or unused spell slot of 1st level or higher and transform it into a damaging ray, targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. This ray deals 1d4 points of damage for every level of the spell or spell slot sacrificed. A non-spellcaster cannot create rays with the falcon crown, but can still gain the AC bonus.
- - -
Kosei's wounds fully disappear with Zilchus magics "The false pharaoh is dead, and Osirion is safe now. Let the shiny domes of Sothis know of our success as the rush of undead is truly no more"
Observing the group is wore down by the fatigue the Garundi proposes "If you want to sleep here and now I can leave the thorns for a wile to protect us my friends"
If the group prefers so, Kosei just dismisses the thorny wall.
With the exploding cultists and the results of combat, the room is rather covered in gore. Not a great place to rest all things considered. Do let me know where you try though. :)
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The bard mindlessly restrings her bow and straps it across her back, while the others have first pick of the loot.
Nidhi eyes the Armband of the Golden Serpent for purely stylistic reasons, but doesn't reach for it. She doesn't think the armband would do her much good - even if it is glamorous. In fact, Nidhi thinks that a lot of the treasure may be quite useful to the tankier members. She laughs when she sees the healing potions, thinking of her own healing capabilities. Then, she remembers she's out of most of her healing spells, so she stops laughing. I reammy need to rest... Nidhi counts the four Cloaks of Resistance and reaches for the one the leader had been wearing "What appealing cloaks. If you all don't mind, I'd like this one. I think it flatters my figure." Nidhi tosses her thick black braid over her shoulder, causing her gold and Lapis Lazuli bracelets to jingle.
Nidhi ignores Zilchus' comment about how she handed over the mask so easily. Instead of responding, she focuses on Florence: "Hey, Flo! Look at that ring! Do you think that would help ward off your fear of fire?" Nidhi tilts her head at her friend, finger pointed towards the jewelry. "...I mean, if you run out of snowballs." Nidhi smiles wryly but also feels sorry for the woman. It was obvious, to Nidhi, the woman clearly has some sort of traumatic past with the element. Nidhi thinks of the time she was a ragdoll in a zombie crocodile's maw and gives an involuntary shiver. She looks at Zilchus and wonders if maybe she should have responded with some snappy comeback. Still owing him a life-debt, Nidhi feels like she needs to sppear stronger than she actually feels.
Adventuring didn't come without trauma. Now, standing in the blood-soaked hall, Nidhi struggles to contain a newly forming fear - a lack of control over her own body. Nidhi can still feel the odd sensation in her mind. Her head being turned into a pincushion, filled with cotton, and the needle of suggestion being stabbed into her consciousness. She turns to stares down at the corpse of the evil woman. Nidhi wants to scream and kick, pummel the dead body for retribution even though she know's it'll do her no good. The violence wouldn't bring her closure on what happened.
Kosei's wounds fully disappear with Zilchus magics "The false pharaoh is dead, and Osirion is safe now. Let the shiny domes of Sothis know of our success as the rush of undead is truly no more"
Observing the group is wore down by the fatigue the Garundi proposes "If you want to sleep here and now I can leave the thorns for a wile to protect us my friends"
"Seemed like the real Pharaoh." Nidhi perks up at Kosei's words, but is left feeling confused. "Yes, I guess the Forgotten Pharaoh really is dead now... but... I thought the Pharaoh was already dead?" She frowns, placing a second hand on her hips. "So is there another part of him here? Maybe a heart or a brain? In a magic jar?" The fear of another intrusion into her mind makes Nidhi not want to rest, but her body is beginning to ache. And the fire wall behind them is so toasty warm...
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”Yeah, the pyramid room, sure,” Zilchus replies to Florence as the bodies are stripped and stacked. ”Good as place as any and probably less bloody.”
Zilchus looks down at the body of the Pharoah. ”You think this was the *real* Pharoah?” His eyes go down to where his sword had removed most of the head from the neck. ”I don’t think so, but maybe you’re right in that we need to burn this body.”
He seems pleased to have defeated the Pharoah, but still has a long of lingering questions.
”Man, where is Ben? Piddlespotting BEN!! This is exactly why we liked having him around! At least he could answer questions...don’t get me wrong, he tended to blather on things far too long, but, in general, he’d be really helpful right now.” Zilchus quickly glances at Flo, then away. ”No matter, he’s gone now.”
I wonder if Kosei is a drinker. Would be good to have someone to drink with.
Zilchus will drag his ass over to make camp, intent on opening up some booze and sipping until his turn at watch.
In the morning, Zilchus will work on burning the body of the Pharoah.
The party moves to the pyramid chamber which is much cleaner and begins to settle in.
Just shy of an hour after the Forgotten Pharaohs death, there’s a shudder, like a small earthquake in the ground - centered on Nidhi.
Further you sense that now the two pieces have rejoined, the pharaoh’s ka, which is still trapped inside the mask, wants to join them as well. It surges to join them in fact, before resting back within the golden mask. But it feels somewhat heavier to you for a while…
- - -
From her open mouth slips a glowing, ethereal winged heart that soars up toward the ceiling and passes through it, vanishing from sight.
”You think this was the *real* Pharoah?”
Stelle thinks, pointed index finger to chin. "I think this was just the Cult Leader. I think ... there are more formidable things still to be found here, maybe undead things. Let's be prepared for that."
Stelle helps Zilchus burn the body. Preferably in one of the many the Sphinx fireplaces, complete with chimney.
"I too wish that Ben were here, so we could know what that little flying heart thing was. Do you think it was part of the Pharaoh's soul? Hey -- Nidhi, does that mask feel any different to you now as you wear it?"
~~~
Stelle steadies herself on Anubis, who whimpers slightly and sniffs in the direction of Nidhi.
"What was that?! Was that you? Did you do something?! What did you do?"
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"What was that?! Was that you? Did you do something?! What did you do?"
"Oh? I'm sorry. Did my flatulence wake you?" A mischievous grin spreads across the bard's face.
Then, "I jest! I jest!" She waves a palm at Stelle, "I think it was the Forgotten Pharaoh. I think... Hakotep’s ib and ba have been reunited. The mask knows this and wants to join. I think that's why I know."
Nidhi yawns and tries to get back to sleep. "I hope the Pharaoh at least keeps his promise to kill me last." She's too tired to care at the moment. She doesn't mention anything about how the mask feels on her body.
To put him to eternal rest, you should need only to place the Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh on Hakotep’s body, in his tomb.
- - -
Please feel free to discuss further as you settle in to rest for the night. Apparently, there are no more cultists coming, as you are able to sleep, with proper watch rotations of course, until well into the next day. You arise refreshed, and ready to face new challenges. It is Sunday, Erastus 19, 4714.
Nidhi will use her Lore Master ability before sleeping. She thinks for a minute, then adds: "We may have caused Hakotep to rise from the dead. Since two parts of him are joined."
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"We may have caused Hakotep to rise from the dead. Since two parts of him are joined."
Know (Religion)
Zilchus cocks his head, hoping to prove Nidhi wrong with a 'well ackshully', but realizes she's damn right. He nods approvingly.
"Sounds weird, but that's what I think too. So maybe now we should try again to destroy the mask or, if you all want, find a way to capture and destroy the last triad," Zilchus sits and cracks up an jug of applejack. "It's amazing that it can cause flatulence too. I wish Ben were here to ask about that."
He holds up the jug, giving it a sniff. It's not cold, it's not good, but it will be just perfect after the first few long swigs.
Zilchus, unless others complain, will try on the Falcon Crown, thinking that it's pretty sweet. He doesn't ask if anybody minds, he just does it.
It’s midmorning before the party is ready to move. You’ve claimed some of the items and packed the rest .
You move to the double doors and prepare, each in your own way, for what may lie ahead. Eventually the doors are opened to reveal a large, hot chamber. A silver bonfire burns within a wide rectangular pit in this chamber, giving off a considerable amount of heat and shedding dim white light that reflects off of polished shields affixed to the vaulted ceiling some 30’ above.
Stone workbenches form a half-circle around the pit next to long stone troughs. A brick kiln sits on the far side of the pit. Against the walls, more tables hold various tools and implements. Among the mundane tools on the tables are two sets of masterwork artisan’s tools, one for armorsmithing and one for weaponsmithing.
There’s a side chamber, lined with empty racks and a long staircase going up into the sphinx.
"Neat! A forge!" exclaims Stelle as she moves into the room toward the nearest stone workbench to see if she can figure out how it works.
Having no real skill in forging however, she merely ends up looking about the room.
In the morning, bedazzled with the Falcon Crown, Zilchus takes his time to prepare his self for whatever horrors await in the rest of the Sphinx.
Kosei looks at the treasures with a suspicious look, as if not trusting on their real value, although he takes the Armband of the Golden Serpent for now. The Garundi sits on the ground for his rest, opening a small bag to bring in a couple of small fruits he carefully cleans of needles and frugally eats for his late meal.
-------------------------------------
"The workbench is a true blessing for our needs. We can just use it to smash broken with the strength of the metal and the stone the masks that so much trouble are causing to our Osirion" Kosei looks at Nidhi "If we break them we will have no need to find Hakotep's tomb, isn't it?"
The man also scans the room along with the strong halfling.
Zilchus enters the forgeroom with sword drawn and weapon cord attached. He’d like to believe there are no more threats here, but that likely isn’t the case.
”A forge? A forge *in* the Sphinx? This is...impressive...” Zilchus comments, looking around carefully.
Perception
The party searches through the forge, but finds nothing of specific value other than the toolkits already mentioned (though they are large and bulky).
The forge is indeed magical, though there are no other auras in the room. Identification seems to indicate it's an everburning forge, but not particularly more powerful (other than providing the convenience of constant heat).
Zilchus acknowledges the stairs, but opts to return back to a few of the rooms they passed on the way in. If others agree and are ready, Zilchus will enter the room.
"We can just use it to smash broken with the strength of the metal and the stone the masks that so much trouble are causing to our Osirion" Kosei looks at Nidhi "If we break them we will have no need to find Hakotep's tomb, isn't it?"
"Oh! Wait -- I have an idea!" Stelle takes one of the cultists' no longer used masks and dons it. She then uses the Sleeves of Many Garments to make it identical to the Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh that Nidhi is wearing.
"How does it look? If nothing else, maybe this will lend an additional layer of protection for the true mask bearer. What do you think?"
~~~
She follows Zilchus out of the Forge room back to the room that was skipped.
Nidhi stares in awe at Stelle's ingenious idea. "I like that."
The bard follows behind one of the more melee-heavy party members, longbow out.
Zilchus carefully opens the door.
White and green flagstones cover the floor of this opulent chamber in an interlocking pattern. Tiles of semiprecious stone decorate the north wall in an elaborate mosaic depicting a ferocious lion devouring a multi-headed serpent. A fine linen curtain curves around the northeastern corner of the room; the form of a large bed shows through the delicate fabric. On either side of a curtained archway leading south, green continual flames burn atop white stone pillars that reach almost to the ceiling.
You proceed to the next adjoining chamber to complete your search. A glowing pool occupies the center of this chamber, illuminating the room with a rippling green light reminiscent of being underwater. Silk pillows cover a raised dais next to the well. On the western side of the room, a white stone statue of a six- legged, faceless sphinx gazes unseeingly toward the well.
You find that if you concentrate, you can see through the eyes of this statue too. There may be other statues you can see through, but without knowing about them, you can't really focus on them.
- - -
Zilchus moves into the room, looking for things of danger or interest, still with his sword drawn.
Perception
"Well, this room is weird, ain't it? Ben? BEN!? GET YOUR FACE OUT OF THE...oh...nevermind," Zilchus seems embarrassed by his error, forgetting that Ben left yesterday and can't answer his questions. "Uh, Nidhi, Flo? Any ideas on what this room is about?" He tries to make it sound like he's not scrapping at the bottom of the intellectual barrel.
"Hey, Zilchus? Stelle? It's a pretty new trick that I've learned, but um...well, if you'll let me, I can give one of you a special sort of ward," Florence coughs.
"Oh yeah, totally. Make me feel heroic. I like that!" Zilchus agrees happily.
Kosei offers some divine guidance to help Florence determine the source of the magics "Shall the thousand sands of the warmest deserts guide you my friend"
The man observes the bed curtains ecstatic "Oh the great Lion eating the serpent!" he sits on the bed and starts touching and enjoying the linen "Why have we slept in those hard tiles when there was such an awesome bed nearby!?" he checks below the bed, sure there will be some secret there.
The party checks the rooms further, but finds nothing of further interest. There is some evidence that perhaps some of the girtablilu slept here.
Zilchus tries the device, trying to see what he can see. He agrees it's darn neat, but also it confuses him as how it works. He'll try out all the eyes and statues, but then be ready to move on.
Perception - secret doors?
Kosei plays a bit with the well with interest "Well of the great vision show me the entrance of this hollow Sphinx!" and attempts to see multiple places probably without result.
In the end he seems to get bored and follows up Zilchus "You are truly brave man. Do you not fear walking over into a room full of traps? Or perhaps one of the ancient curses of the great and glorious mummies of the pharaoh?"
Zilchus finds no secret doors or panels. Remember though that was the section of wall that is obviously more recent then the rest. Someone intentionally bricked up the passage.
Kosei has no luck with the well either. You can see just two places currently apparently, and it takes some time to switch between them.
Zilchus finds no secret doors or panels. Remember though that was the section of wall that is obviously more recent then the rest. Someone intentionally bricked up the passage.
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"You are truly brave man. Do you not fear walking over into a room full of traps? Or perhaps one of the ancient curses of the great and glorious mummies of the pharaoh?"
Zilchus looks over the intentionally bricked up passage, examining it for weaknesses. He looks over his shoulder at Kosei. "Well, I have a good eye, but that doesn't stop me from getting knicked every once in a while by a trap or spike or a verbal barb from Nidhi. So far, they haven't killed me yet." He runs his hands over the wall, looking for a way through it.
"But to tell you the truth, I try not to think about it. I just try...I dunno, I just go on like a river crashing down the rapids. I don't worry about where or why, I just go. It makes sense that way. Traps don't tell me where to go. They should be wary of me."
Zilchus makes some shooing gestures to get Kosei to stand back. He then casts Stone Shape, trying to make a hole in the rebuilt wall. He thinks he can move a lot of stone in this way, and might be able to craft a way through.
Stelle looks on as Zilchus pokes a hole in the bricked up wall, her eyes shining in delight with anticipation.
I wonder if there's more of the pool from the Bath room here... OOH! I wonder if something is entombed here! Besides a Pharaoh...
Nidhi detects no magic on the wall. It looks to be rather old (dozens of years? More? Hard to say without knowledge engineering), just not as old as the many centuries old sphinx.
It looks like an extremely solid wall, until Zilchus makes a magical hole in it. The wall is a few feet thick, so the hole isn't huge, but certainly large enough for the party to enter. The hallway is considered open and continues to a bend. You smell something... 'earthy' ahead, like freshly turned soil, though a mild smell from here. Seems to be slightly more humid as well beyond the hole.
"Oh hey, look at that! I can't believe that worked...but it did," Zilchus smiles as his handwork works.
Zilchus scoops away a bit more stone, finding a hole that he feels comfortable entering. When others are ready, he will step to the end of the hallway, keeping a sharp look out.
Perception
"Oh I see! You are a truly blessed man Zilchus the tapsenser, a truly blessed man. Only can you then survive to such explorations I think. That makes an adventurer, a hero of the ancient tombs of the infinite Osirion" Kosei looks interested over Zilchus shoulder as the bricked wall is forced open by him "A truly blessed man"
Kosei smells the air trying to identify the humid smell, specially scared of ancient molds and such.
The Garundi takes a small stone and casts light on it before sending it forward. If no danger he moves after Zilchus.
The interior continues to be lit with continual flames at regular intervals, so no need for light, mostly.
The party cautiously advances, the humidity and mud smell growing stronger as they do so. Eventually you round a series of corners and see why, confirming Kosei's suspicions.
A rich, earthy smell pervades the tendrils of steam that drift through the air in this room. The eastern wall of this long chamber is a sunken pit of reddish mud. Lazy currents ripple through the mud, with an occasional slow-forming bubble rising to the surface. Three stone carvings protrude from the wall behind the mud pit at evenly spaced intervals above square recesses about the size of a human hand.
Tiny hieroglyphs decorate each carving. Each of the carvings on the east wall displays the same hieroglyphs - prayers to the demon lord Areshkagal - but Stelle and Zilchus both notice that one small hieroglyph is different on each carving. The left carving displays the hieroglyph for “four,” the center carving the hieroglyph for “two,” and the right carving has no hieroglyph at all in that space.
Zilchus also identifies a secret door in the floor of the chamber, but does not quite understand how it works.
- - -
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Kosei thinks he might be able to understand what Zilchus points in the ground, but he is not much so.
"Do you think the hieroglyphs have anything to do with the way to open the ground stones?" Kosei looks at them without understanding its meaning "It is a true luck you are here, because those symbols are as difficult to understand as the destiny of the stars in a clouded night sky"
"The numbers might be a number of people, or number of steps or other actions. And the absence of hieroglyph might point out to the number of zero. Oh smart ancient people of Osirion who discovered the number of zero. Perhaps the hierograph was written before the number of zero was discovered." Kosei arches an eyebrow "The zero is a true blessing I say my friend"
"Hey, Zilchus? Stelle? It's a pretty new trick that I've learned, but um...well, if you'll let me, I can give one of you a special sort of ward," Florence coughs.
Stelle nods, appreciatively. "Oh, that sounds great!"
~~~~
"The numbers might be ... the absence of hieroglyph might point out ... zero ... zero ... zero ... The zero is a true blessing I say my friend"
Stelle regards Kosei with a raised eyebrow. Is he actually over thinking nothing?
"Oh, look at that!" exclaims Stelle, pointing to the recesses beneath the stone carvings on the eastern wall. "I think you're on to something Be -- Kosei. It looks like we're supposed to put some tiles there in order to open the slab! Are the tiles supposed to match the carvings?"
She takes off the Belt +6 Physical Might (Dex/Con) and offers it to Nidhi. "Will this help if you have to disarm a trap on the secret door?"
"Spot on you are, Flo!"
Nidhi studies the wall. Then studies it harder, staring down the cold stone. She uses her Lore Master Special to discover how the trap works. She relays what she is able to discover.
"Perhaps we should come back. We might find a way to disable this the way it was intended.... unless you want me to try anyway?" Nidhi tilts her head and places a hand on her hip, waiting for a response.
Kosei follows what Stelle points out "Oh, yes. It seems we will have to walk around the Sphynx a bit more to find the required tiles"
The Garundi crosses the room and looks to both sides of the corridor and the southern room with the stealth of a cat "Are you tiles out there?"