GM Euan's Mummy's Mask (Inactive)

Game Master Euan

"Huh? Oh...you're welcome," Florence replies as she lifts her gaze from the floor to which it had migrated. "I'm just happy that I'm able to help and be useful. My magics aren't as...um, dangerous as Kosei's are or B-Ben's were, but at least they come in handy in other ways."

"And you're right, I'm sure Bynx will be fine...he's not stupid, he'll hide or run away if something dangerous comes his way," she agrees, trying to reassure herself.

WHAT IS THE HOLD UP BACK THERE!? Zilchus grouses to himself as he tromps forward a bit more into the hallways of sands, traps, and doom. He seems slightly happier when Florence follows.

He moves up and looks around the corner.

1d20 + 24 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 24 + 4 = 41 Perception (hallway, door, danger, loot)

Zilchus moves up, slightly, as he continues to carefully scan for further traps. However, none are found in this stretch, the doors sit solidly in their frames, no danger seems to be looming, and unless the sand suddenly compresses into diamonds, no loot.

Kosei advances himself past Zilchus and looks around the corner.
Perception: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (18) + 21 = 39

"Let's see what hides door number two my friends" and he pushes open the door if no immediate danger or trap is found.

Two alcove-rooms flank the central hall here and some more doors are revealed. Each room has stone shelving running along the walls, on which are stored numerous clay jars.

I'll open the door in a bit in case others want to move up/engage.

"Cheer up Florence," Stelle says jovially. "Bynx will bounce back in no time from his glumness. This is a good opportunity for him! He's in his own element, after all, and -- like you say -- he is smart!"

She moves down the hall to find out what the boys are doing.

Percept + 4

"Why is Kosei at the second door, Zilch?"

As Anubis tiptoes down the hallway, Stelle concentrates on her Scarab Amulet looking for mummies.

Stelle finds there are no mummies within the 60’ area as Kosei opens the door.

Through the northern door is a chamber with several differently sized rectangular marble slabs sitting scattered throughout the room. The tops of many of them are smeared and caked with what appears to be dried clay. A circular white dais in the room’s center softly hums with a strumming sound like that of a plucked bowstring. A small stack of parchments, a hawk-feathered quill, and a bottle of ink rest upon the southern edge of this two-foot-tall disk. One of the platforms has a very human looking stature - except for the head which has been replaced by that of an hippopotamus.

Further, the sculpting dais radiates magic when detected for.

A hallway continues to the south around a corner. When your light is cast upon the hippo’s head however, it looks up at you and begins to move!

- Round 1 -
Florence - 24+
Zilchus - 24-
Stelle - 11
Hanshepsu, hippo - 8
Kosei - 6+
Nidhi - 6-

All of you who wish to may make the spoilered checks above as free actions prior to your turn.

Next up - Florence, Zilchus, and Stelle in round one!

Round 1

Zilchus airwalk up, double moving.

"What did you find, Kosei?" Zilchus says when he finally sees the weird hippo. "Ah! A river creature! Is it probably very powerful, we should be careful! All things that resist the raging river are to be feared."

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Kosei pushes open the door with his paws and observes the strange place, scanning it with detect magic "There is a hippo statue of sorts my friend Commander of the guardians of the Osirion"

Slight Before

Kn. Arcana (DC 30): 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (19) + 22 = 41

Detect Magic + Spellcraft (DC 30): 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (11) + 22 = 33

"Oh, it's a workshop for building constructs," Florence remarks as she peers into the room, seeming to have brightened up a little bit after Nidhi and Stelle's reassuring words. "Wow! It's a really nice setup, all things considered."

As she takes a moment to scan the area for magic auras, a worried expression crosses her face and she instinctively throws out an arm to block anyone from venturing too far in. "Don't climb up on the dais. It's for sculpting the constructs but it's enchanted with magic, too. You'll end up a statue if you stand on it for very long!"
______________

Present

Florence's Round 1, Init 24+

Kn. Arcana (DC 20): 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (5) + 22 = 27

"A henshepsu," Florence warns when the hippo-headed statue suddenly begins to move. "It's a construct, which isn't surprising in a construct workshop! Watch out for its _______ !"

Special Attacks, please.

"I wonder if..."

Florence suddenly stares very hard at the henshepsu, but it's not the glare that she's sometimes given other foes in combat. This time it seems more as though she's attempting to will something to happen...

I should add... because of all the platforms and debris in the room, consider the terrain difficult unless you're flying/air walking above it all (ceiling 15' in the room, 10' in the halls).

Also, mr. Hippo-head is wielding a large mace.

"What are you doing, Florence?" Stelle asks, waiting for Flo to finish staring.

If allowed, Stelle will gingerly reach over and shut the door.

"I'd charge in, but that terrain looks tricky. Maybe we could come back?"

Florence identifies the constructs for what they are, but is unable to hex it quite yet as she needs to open the door first. Zilchus double moves into position. Stelle moves up and quietly closes the Northern door.

You hear, through the door, some heavy movement and a banging against the door, but it does not yield, nor, yet, does it open. Florence sees the hanshepsu head toward where Kosei was standing. Even though Florence is clearly visible to the construct, it does not attack or make any sort of move against her.

- Round 1 -
Kosei - 6+
Nidhi - 6-
- Round 2 -
Florence - 24+
Zilchus - 24-
Stelle - 11
Hanshepsu, hippo - 8

Next up - Kosei and Nidhi to round out round one, then Florence, Zilchus and Stelle in round two.

Misunderstanding on my part; I thought the southern door had been opened too! Will give Kosei & Nidhi a little more time to post before posting my own actions :)

"It can change its...head, somehow, don't ask me! Different abilities for different heads," Florence warns as she manages to get the southern door and peers through. "Right now it's especially resistant to all weapons!"

Kosei steps back and casts barkskin +5 on Zilchus.

"Is there a way we can inspect the room without having to fight that construct smart Florence?" the Kosei-lion growls to the door "Can we disable that thing temporarily?"

Florence's Round 2 - Init 24+

"Ah...I doubt it, it really wants through that door you're standing behind," Florence calls out, watching through the southern door with some puzzlement. "But there's no way it can't see me standing here...why's it not coming for me?"

Unsure of whether it was entry through the 'main' entrance that triggered the construct or something else, Florence holds her position and waits to see what the rest of the group want to do. Still, there's a little niggling itch in the back of her mind as though some new power is waiting for the perfect opportunity to emerge...
______________

Flo will delay for the moment when it gets to her turn, but if the construct decides to come for her or the others decide to engage it by opening the northern door she'll attempt to hit it with her Retribution hex (and move accordingly to gain LoS); DC 23 Will~

Round 2

Zilchus delays for Kosei, wondering what will happen and unsure about attacking such a powerful emblem of the raging river.

"Ah...I doubt it, it really wants through that door you're standing behind," Florence calls out, watching through the southern door with some puzzlement. "But there's no way it can't see me standing here...why's it not coming for me?"

"Maybe it's like the others we encountered, and it will only attack the males. Maybe Florence, Nidhi and I can 'sneak' up on it from the southern door and put it out of its misery?"

"It would be better though, if I were flying. Can you help with that please, Kosei?"

"Good point," Florence remarks, glancing over at Stelle while still keeping one eye on the statue. "Let's try it; I don't have to get right up close to make most of my magics work anyway!"

Round 1:

Nidhi situates herself between Florence and Stelle, Zilchus, and Kosei. Then, she opens her mouth and begins to sing, inspiring the party.

Inspire Courage: +3 (level 11) morale bonus on Saving Throws against charm and fear, +3 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls

" Sorry Stelle my friend, I did not prepare that spell today." Kosei lowers his head "I am ashame of my lack of preparation, but I can prepare whatever you need by communing with the desert and the stars for 15 minutes "

Kosei holds his position and readies to attack if the construct breaks through the door somehow.

Round 2, Init 24-

Zilchus doesn't want to block others from the creature, instead readying an attack (with lunge) for when the creature moves closer.

1d20 + 20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 20 + 2 = 36 to hit; (+hero)
1d10 + 23 ⇒ (1) + 23 = 24 adamantine slashing damage.

Round 2, Init 11

" Sorry Stelle my friend, I did not prepare that spell today." Kosei lowers his head "I am ashame of my lack of preparation, but I can prepare whatever you need by communing with the desert and the stars for 15 minutes "

Kosei holds his position and readies to attack if the construct breaks through the door somehow.

"Oh, that won't be necessary. I'll see if I can somehow distract it from this door from the other side, and open it for you."

Stelle (and Anubis) gallop to the southern door where Nidhi, Zilchus and Florence wait, then carefully picks her way toward the construct.

Stay there, you hipposchippo..

Double move

Kosei steps back and casts bearskin on Zilchus. Nidhi summons the power of song to boost the party. Zilchus moves and readies an attack with lunge as needed. However, the creature doesn’t move within reach. Stelle moves into position in the room. The creature looks up at Stelle, lingers a moment, and turns back to the door, ignoring her and Anubis. Florence delays until Stelle goes by. She follows and hexes the poor golem.

Will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9 vs DC 23

The hanshepsu opens the northern door (move), 5’ steps to Kosei, and attacks once with his mace.
Mace on Kosei: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (11) + 23 = 34 damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

As he attacks, it seems clear that the mace is attached to his hand (cannot be disarmed) from the way he fights with it. He's clearly shocked too, as cracks erupt in his stony body because he takes damage... a little damage... from his own blow. He looks to Florence but says nothing.

- Round 2 -
Kosei - 6+ (-17hp)
Nidhi - 6-
- Round 3 -
Zilchus - 24
Stelle - 11
Florence - 10
Hanshepsu, hippo - 8 (-8hp, retribution 1/6r)

Next up - Everyone.

Florence's Round 2, Init 10

Wait...it just looked at me? Like it knows...no wait, that can't be right, can it? It's just a construct!

She carefully attempts to pick her way into the room behind Stelle, calling out, "There's something strange about this construct! Be careful, Stelle!"

Flo moves to her current map position and activates Fortune on Stelle~

"Uo oh! I have him here friends!!!" Kosei-lion steps back scared and casts expeditious excavation at the feet of the construct.
As a construct I guess immune to magic, so NO SR spell, Ref 18

Round 3, Init 19

”I am coming, Mighty Kosei,” Zilchus moves again back along the hallway to strike at the hippo.

1d20 + 20 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 20 + 2 + 3 = 34 to hit; (+hero,+bard)
1d10 + 23 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 23 + 3 = 29 adamantine slashing damage.

With deceptive agility considering it's a clay creature, the Hanshepsu...

Reflex: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14 vs DC 18

...falls into the pit! I can't believe he failed that, sigh.

Poor golem-in-a-pit. Everybody gets a +1 higher ground bonus against him as well as he's prone.

"Well, that certainly works," Florence remarks as the statue suddenly falls into the magic pit. "I wish I could learn how to summon pits!"

Round 2:

Nidhi continues to inspire her companions and takes a 5 ft "step." She aims and fires at the golem.

To hit (Manyshot): 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (1) + 17 = 18
Damage (Blunt Arrows): 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (4, 5) + 6 = 15
To hit (Rapidshot): 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29
Damage (Blunt Arrow): 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
To hit (Iterative): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
Damage (Blunt Arrow): 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Round 3, Init 11

Stelle hears the sweet voice of Nidhi, and feels encouraged.

Who needs to charge? While picking her way through the debris, she sees the construct fall into the earth.

"Why, how thoughtful of you, Kosei!"

Stelle steps up and stabs into the pit.

Stab: 1d20 + 14 + 5 + 3 - 4 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 14 + 5 + 3 - 4 + 3 + 1 = 42 -PA, +Inspire, Kosei
for Damage: 1d6 + 5 + 3 + 8 + 2d6 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 3 + 8 + (2, 6) = 25 +PA, +Inspire, Holy

Confirm Crit?: 1d20 + 14 + 5 + 3 - 4 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 14 + 5 + 3 - 4 + 3 + 1 = 33 -PA, +Inspire, Kosei
for Damage: 1d6 + 5 + 3 + 8 + 2d6 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 3 + 8 + (1, 2) = 20 +PA, +Inspire, Holy

Kosei drops the hanshepsu into a shallow pit as he sprawls at your collective feet. Nidhi fires a volley, but between cover and the golem being prone, she doesn’t manage to land a blow. Zilchus steps up and takes a swing, but the creature is as hard as stone, and thought his blade be adamantine, damage reduction applies, and quite a bit too (DR 15/-). Stelle strikes a critical blow on the creature’s back stabbing deeply within it, though DR applies here too. She will also notice that the holy damage doesn’t apply - it must not be evil. Florence provides a boost to Stelle for the battle, improving her odds.

The golem looks back at Stelle and though his stony eyes reveal nothing he says, ”What have I done my lord, to deserve such treatment by your hand. Am I not protecting the tomb?”

The poor hanshepsu, a bit bruised, staggers to his feet (AoO’s all around for Stelle, Zilchus, & Kosei), but as he does so his features become more agile, and his head morphs into that of a purring cat. With a boundless leap, he jumps up onto the tunnel floor next to the pit.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (12) + 18 = 30 vs DC 20 (has special ability to “always count as having a running start when attempting Acrobatics checks to jump”).

He looks menacingly at the great lion and at Zilchus, clearly debating who to attack first.

- Round 2 -
Kosei - 6+ (-17hp)
Nidhi - 6-
- Round 3 -
Zilchus - 24
Stelle - 11
Florence - 10
Hanshepsu, cat - 8 (-41hp, retribution 2/6r)

Next up - Everyone.

Round 3, Init 24

Zilchus takes his AoO, but then only readies another attack.

1d20 + 20 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 20 + 2 + 3 = 40 to hit; (+hero,+bard)
1d10 + 23 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 23 + 3 = 36 adamantine slashing damage.

”Hey, we don’t want to hurt you and probably don’t want to raid your tomb, we can talk about this if you want,” Zilchus says, holding back his blade until the creature threatens another or himself.

”Flo? Nidhi? Why don’t talk this majestic cat away from the hissyfit? Huh?”

Readied attack:
1d20 + 20 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 20 + 2 + 3 = 30 to hit; (+hero,+bard)
1d10 + 23 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 23 + 3 = 30 adamantine slashing damage.

Unfortunately lions have only 5' reach it seems, so no AoO for Kosei

"Let's talk, but from the pit, ok friend?" observing the construct is so tough he will deal no damage to it, Kosei-lion leaps over the construct trying to push it back so others can attack it.
Bull rush+wild shape+Inspire courage: 1d20 + 10 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 10 + 3 + 3 = 31

In the eventual case the Garundi succeeds, he steps forward to remove the possibility of coming back up.

HP 127/143 AC 29 TAC 13
Effects: longstrider, g. magic fang, barksking, inspire courage

Round 3, Init 11

Stelle lances at the feline headed construct as it leaps out of the pit.

AoO: 1d20 + 14 + 5 + 3 + 3 - 4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 14 + 5 + 3 + 3 - 4 + 2 + 1 = 27 +Inspire, -PA, +Hero
for Damage: 1d6 + 5 + 3 + 3 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 3 + 3 + 8 = 20 +Inspire, +Pa

Do all of its potential heads keep it non-evil?

"Talk?! What?! It's clay, just mindlessly doing whatever its creator designed it to do! If we must, let's talk once it's unconscious!"

AoO: 1d20 + 14 + 5 + 3 + 3 - 4 + 2 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 14 + 5 + 3 + 3 - 4 + 2 + 1 + 4 = 40 +Inspire, -PA, +Hero, (+Terrain, Prone)?
for Damage: 1d6 + 5 + 3 + 3 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 3 + 3 + 8 = 24 +Inspire, +Pa

AoO: 1d20 + 9 + 5 + 3 + 3 - 4 + 2 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 5 + 3 + 3 - 4 + 2 + 1 + 4 = 29 +Inspire, -PA, +Hero, (+Terrain, Prone)?
for Damage: 1d6 + 5 + 3 + 3 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 3 + 3 + 8 = 22 +Inspire, +Pa

AoO: 1d20 + 5 + 5 + 3 + 3 - 4 + 2 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 5 + 5 + 3 + 3 - 4 + 2 + 1 + 4 = 27 +Inspire, -PA, +Hero, (+Terrain, Prone)?
for Damage: 1d6 + 5 + 3 + 3 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 3 + 3 + 8 = 21 +Inspire, +Pa

Fortune, AoO: 1d20 + 14 + 5 + 3 + 3 - 4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 14 + 5 + 3 + 3 - 4 + 2 + 1 = 41
for Damage: 1d6 + 5 + 3 + 3 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 3 + 3 + 8 = 22

Round 2:

Nidhi stops singing to focus on her speech, but the effects of her song seem to linger for an additional two rounds.

Nidhi lowers her bow a bit, idea in her mind. She calls out in what she hopes is an authoritative tone and points an outstretched finger at Hanshepsu. "You dare attack my followers, then question your Pharaoh?" Nidhi glides her carpet 10 feet closer towards the enemy and asks accusingly: "Have you forgotten your Pharaoh? Show me proper respect and I may give you the privilege of remaining in my service." Nidhi's emerald green eyes stare unblinkingly at the cat through the mask. "I am not in a patient mood today."

Bluff: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (13) + 22 = 35

Kosei bull rushes the poor bloke back into the pit! Nidhi commands the golem - and it obeys! Zilchus takes an AoO prior to Nidhi’s command, and readies another just in case which does not seem to be needed. Stelle takes a tough approach and stabs repeatedly at the golem-in-a-pit hitting an additional time (in addition to the AoO). Stelle, you may stay your hand if you wish on the second hit - just let me know. Florence may still act…

The hanshepsu salutes the Forgotten Pharaoh and stands easily at attention. ”Apologies your grace, but your followers were not wearing the appropriate gear to indicate as such.” he gestures to Kosei and Zilchus. ”I stand ready for your punishment my lord.”

He stands still, and awaits his fate with stony silence - utterly still.

- Round 3 -
Kosei - 6+ (-17hp)
Nidhi - 6-
- Round 4 -
Zilchus - 24
Stelle - 11
Florence - 10
Hanshepsu, cat - 8 (-53hp, retribution 3/6r)

Next up - Everyone and Florence twice - though we are out of initiative if you chose to discontinue the attack. The hanshepsu does not attack any further.

”Apologies your grace, but your followers were not wearing the appropriate gear to indicate as such.” he gestures to Kosei and Zilchus. ”I stand ready for your punishment my lord.”

Nidhi lifts her chin to give Hanshepsu a disdainful gaze. "Yes, unfortunately a bit digression is required. My soul is not yet whole." She doesn't elaborate, assuming the forgotten pharaoh's follower will understand the lengths the pharaoh went to achieve immortality.

The bard continues to float on her carpet, looking Hanshepsu over and contemplating what to do next. To Nidhi's benefit, Hanshepsu might take it as the pharaoh deciding the follower's fate. Nidhi lifts up her arm, various gold and lapis lazuli bracelets clinking together, and snaps her fingers. "Ahh, yes."

Bluff: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (7) + 22 = 29

What can Nidhi ask the guardian to do? Protect the party (Nidhi) while in the slave trenches?

Zilchus takes total defense and does not attack. He does not stand down either.

"Hey Nidhi, why don't you ask your new cat friend to go back guarding that room? Or answering a few questions that we forgot the answers to?"

The hanshepsu stands there in the pit, waiting for a command.

Knowledge (History): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

"Tell me, what inventory are you protecting?"

"Go stand in the pit and await further instruction from me," Nidhi points to the hole in the hallway.

"Ah! This is good... mmm... Pharaoh my friend!" Kosei-lion winks an eye to Nidhi "Perhaps you should thank your follower for guarding this place for so many years and explain it we are to recover the stuff you needed to store here for this kind of urgent situations"

"Aaand, that we have to light some elementals to land your pyramid, of course my friend!"

The soldier looks at Nidhi confused a moment, and then follows her command and stands to attention in the pit. His head changes from the cat head, to a sort of solar disk. It remains motionless.

As someone is sure to poke their head around the corner down the hall to the south, you'll see a collection of eight six-foot-tall clay statues of men and women with different animal heads standing along the walls of an octagonal chamber. The statues, from a distance, look like Ancient Osiriani deities.

”Nidhi, wanna ask what’s going on down in that room? Not sure that I remember? I’m none too bright,” Zilchus asks as well.

Sorry, spent most of yesterday catching up on sleep!

Oh right...I keep forgetting that we're all wearing these ridiculous masks except for Kosei and Zilchus...

Kn. Arcana (DC 22): 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (19) + 22 = 41

"That? I'm almost positive that they were meant to be animated into constructs much like our new, uh, friend, here," Florence remarks as she peers around the corner and into the octagonal room. "But they were never finished. It takes a lot of work to make constructs, you know - all manner of skills and magics. And for these in particular, um...willing human sacrifices."

Actually, if the Golem is more or less tame after round 2, nothing Stelle did in round 3 happens.

Stelle stays ready to further "encourage" the construct into abiding by Nidhi's will if necessary.

"We should examine the contents of this room. I want to make sure my guards are doing their job." Nidhi doesn't make a move to enter first, but she'll follow after someone and offer her expertise. See map.

Perception (Room): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (7) + 18 = 25

Nidhi examines the room with the statues, and the construction room with the empty platforms and finds nothing further of interest.

You have three sets of double doors to open and two alcoves to search (you've only glanced, and that from a distance).

(Kosei, how long does your pit last? Or is it permanent?)