The smoky column is cold to the touch and has a strong conjuration aura. Florence is able to see through the ‘stage magic’ of ghosts and odors to see that the column is simply a teleport circle with some illusions tacked on to make it mysterious. Hakotep clearly has a thing for appearances. She’s not able to discern where it goes, but she can tell you that most teleport circles are two-way affairs. So wherever it leads, you should be able to come back readily enough.
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"Teleport circle you say? My grand-grand mother explained me once there was a tower in the middle of the desert where guarded by ancient guardians a magic circle like this was kept secret. After many time of discussion it was decided the tribe should try and check it and they so found the secrets of the Sun Lion. This can only be good" Kosei advances himself with a clear intention to cross "I do say we cross it and check what is in there. In the worst of cases we will be teleported to a lava pool and have a horrible death on flames. But I doubt that is the case, as the Herald was visiting this place sure, she did not like lava. Let's cross my friends"
Zilchus looks confused both by the explanations, and by whatever Hackystep might be thinking in building these.
”Uh, Kosei...why would...why would Hackystep put this circle behind a wall? Does that make sense to you? It’s just weird,” Zilchus asks as he follows Kosei. ”I’ll go with you and all, but this is just weird.”
Zilchus readies for battle before following Kosei.
"It is probably a trap. Or maybe just a way to hide himself. I am starting to think the Pharaoh is a chicken my friends" breathing deeply and his hands shacking a bit Kosei extends his hand towards Zilchus "I think I will need a bit of that applejack before we do this, maybe"
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"Why not just go straight for the 'Good Stuff'?" Stelle asks, producing a twenty-five year old bottle of Wati's best, several small shot glasses into which she pours the spirit.
"Cheers," she says, throwing the contents of one of the glasses down her throat.
She looks at the column wondering how it works and where it goes. "Shall we *hic*gggo? ... Ahem. Excuse me."
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"Shall we *hic*gggo? ... Ahem. Excuse me."
Zilchus is only mostly insulted by the idea that his 4sp to the gallon applejack isn’t already ‘the good stuff’, but shrugs and tries more of Stelle’s brew.
And he will follow the team through the teleporter.
After a fortifying drink, party enters the cold smoky column, and disappears!
You reappear in an instant, still underground and, as far as you can tell, still in Hakotep’s tomb. The stonework and feel of the place is the same anyway.
The floor of the new chamber is painted with the image of a large vulture, partially covered by an abundance of blood that stains the floor and even a bit up the walls. Though some of these stains are dry, others look distressingly fresh, and glisten with a tacky sheen. Two impassive, vulture-headed statues of greenish basalt overlook the carnage from niches in the east and west. A broad hallway exits the room to the north.
Based on the coagulation, the freshest bloodstains are no more than a few hours old. Further, they show signs of a recent struggle, as well as footprints and the sign of a body being dragged heading out of the chamber to the north. Lastly, there are some hieroglyphs at the base of the statues. In ancient Osirion they explain that to activate the teleport circle on this side, you merely need to trace the outline of the vulture on the floor with your finger to be sent back.
If Kosei is affected by the abundant blood stains it is not notifiable due to his eternal stoic visage "The vulpture is a cleaner, one that transforms which is nothing else than dead materia to give it a new life."
"It seems the Pharaoh and his wife have been infighting attending all the blood stains. Not strange having been confined together during centuries. I guess if they had more to do than plotting against current and lively Osirion my friends" the Garundi examines the vulpture statues and the room in general expecting more traps.
Just before he goes to the corridor and peeks around the corner.
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Florence remarks as she takes a shot glass. She follows Stelle's lead and kills the shot in one go but immediately begins coughing.
"Oh! Are you O.K.?! Sorry Florence!" Stelle says. "It's pretty smooth for what it is. I just didn't think my favorite wine cooler would be strong enough for what we're about to do. I can certainly make those for our later refreshment!"
...
"What makes you think that it is Hakotep and Neferuset fighting, and not Herald Ain Mekh doing sacrifices of her own? If only blood could speak!"
Stelle holds up the pectoral necklace that belonged to the herald just to see if anything opens up.
Stelle keeps an eye out while cautiously following the blood stain down the hall.
She checks for fresh mummies further down the hall.
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Zilchus moves up, following the trail. He airwalks 5’ up and has his falchion at the ready.
”Let’s see what is going on here. They seem to like making a mess, don’t they?”
Perception
Survival (+5, included, when tracking)
"It seems the Pharaoh and his wife have been infighting attending all the blood stains. Not strange having been confined together during centuries. I guess if they had more to do than plotting against current and lively Osirion my friends"
Zilchus spins to look at Kosei, his mouth agape with understanding.
”Ah, you’re saying that being cooped, quarantined, if you will, with another for many days or weeks could cause disagreements? Ha! I bet that is likely true. I would never want that. I do, on occasion like to go outside. Being trapped up in a creepy crypt would not be fun, no doubt. I do not wish that.”
The group approaches the hall and peeks around the corner to see a short hall which leads into a much larger chamber, which is devoid of mummies. A barrel-vaulted ceiling hangs high above this awe-inspiring temple (50’ up), and an enormous painting of a man with a canine’s head covers much of the floor - the god Set of course.
Four basalt baboon-headed statues stand at the southern end of the chamber, and two more stand to the north; each holds a wicked-tipped spear and bares its fangs. Those are on the map. Four large statues with lacquered bronze heads mimicking that of Set and with red gemstone eyes stand in niches in the east and west walls. The niches are pictured on the map, but not the statues (though I've noted their locations with text for clarity). Each of these ten statues is around 20’ tall.
A large altar sits atop a dais to the north. Behind the altar stands a huge 30' tall golden effigy of the same canine-headed figure - Set. I sense a theme…
A prominent trail of blood, some old some fresh, leads from the south area where you are to the dais, where even more copious puddles, and piles, of gore have congealed. You think you see something glinting among the gore, but you cannot tell exactly what it is from here.
Kosei nods agreeing with Zilchus and wondering what kind of blood rituals Stelle might be referring "Indeed. It makes you think what kind of goal this Pharaoh was trying to achieve to end trapped in a structure reeking of death. For a successful nobleman that is a kind of a misery destiny when one could walk the dunes, fly with the wind and contemplate the stars of Osirion with your well smelling lioness by your side my friends"
The Garundi will step inside but will approach the glinting gore only if others stay back for too long.
"I could talk with the stones to tell me what has happened, but we will have to rest for a quarter hour or so"
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”Yes, you’re right, Kosei. I’m beginning to think Hackystep might not be the benevolent and well-adjusted abomination that we thought he would be.”
Zilchus follows wise Kosei up and into the blood room, following the blood trail.
”Hang on a sec, Kosei, let me send my snappy friend in there first. I don’t know that I like how this looks,” Zilchus mutters eagerly, happy to send the chaosodile in for a taste of entropic revenge. Teach you to snap at me.
Zilchus will summon another Chaosodile and send it into the pile of gore, asking that it snap up and chew things of interest, but leave the sparkly thing untouched.
Kosei moves a little into the room uneasily. He senses nothing amiss however, though he does spot a poorly hidden secret door in the northeastern portion of the chamber. Well, it’s a properly hidden secret door, but the trail of blood and viscera leading to it pretty much give it away.
Zilchus summons another chaosodile and sends it forth. It is careful to avoid the sparkly bits, but it does find a nice hand to gobble up among the gore.
As you're a little closer, you can see that the amount of blood and gore is too great for just one death. Likely a half dozen or more have succumbed to their final rest on this altar recently.
"That blood... that is not from a single body my friends. Here, many people, or maybe animal, have been sacrified I fear my friends" a bit worried, Kosei approaches even more the other side of the room, but he climbs in the air to a safer distance from the ground "There is some golden statue behind the altar..."
The Garundi joins forces with Florence to try decipher what is going on with this huge chamber.
Zilchus moves up, keeping up with wise Kosei.
"I expected something more when my scaly friend approached, to be honest, but not sure where Hackystep is getting fresh bodies to be massacred," Zilchus offers as he looks around.
Perception
The party moves further into the expansive chamber uneasily. Nothing however jumps out at you.
The gore-covered offerings scattered on the altar and dais, all of which need cleaning for proper appraisal, include:
silver mummiform statuettes (250gp ea x7)
Several faceted gems (alexandrites and aquamarines worth 500gp ea x9, blue sapphires and fire opals worth 1,000gp ea (x10), and jacinths worth 5,000gp ea x2)
artfully crafted animal figurines with magic aura cast on them (ivory lions worth 100gp ea x2, a golden goat worth 150gp, and an onyx spider worth 200gp)
serpentine owl figurine of wondrous power (9,100gp)
The statue of Set behind the altar is covered in gold plate worth 22,000gp, though stripping off the gold plate will take about two hours.
Let me know if you’re collecting and cleaning the loot and/or removing the gold plate.
”Nah, we don’t need to take the gold plating...not now at least, but maybe his Ruby Highness will want it out after we present the pyramid to him,” Zilchus offers as he guards the secret door while the place is looted.
”Shall we go this way, wise Kosei?” Zilchus indicates the door.
I don't know what to make of this...
Stelle joins forces with Florence to check out the alter, then ascends as high as she can to see if bodies just get dumped here from higher mezzanines hidden from sight from below.
Stelle grants greater perception to Zilchus, though it reveals nothing further. She also checks the domed ceiling. She finds it to be well fitted - especially to have lasted so long. There do not seem to be any mezzanines or other openings however.
"Just after you Commander Zilchus my friend" Kosei nods the tanned man and helps he find the way to open the wall following the blood strains in the floor "The ritual continues in this direction it seems..."
"Alright, Flo, please stay back, don't want you to get hurt again..." Zilchus will open the secret door when others are ready.
No one wants to mess with the mess, so the group leaves the loot behind for the moment, likely to clean it later (perhaps with a column of flame). You press on through the secret door and down a short tunnel to a small room. Painted on the floor of this circular chamber is a strange arcane design, though it is marred by spatters and pools of congealed blood. A few oddly twisted bones also lie strewn about this grisly scene. The ceiling is high above, and a corridor heading south exits the chamber.
Those knowledgeable in arcana can tell you this is a summoning circle. Blood splatters continue down the narrow hall to the south for a little more than 20’ before stopping abruptly, though you can see another circular room beyond this one when you get that close. The ceilings in the circular chambers are 20' as well, and domed, but the tunnels between them are only 8' tall and cramped.
Eyeing out the party is leaving behind a lot of treasure, Kosei flights back to the altar "There is no much need for treasures in the dunes of the desert, but you know... some say jewels are likely to help impress a lioness. Let's return dressed like an actual Prince of the dunes. Besides we might need some of these, the necklace for example served to open the way before my friends" once he picks it all or at least the most relevant, he walks in the air back to the main group exploring the corridor.
"I am curious to know what was summoned in this circle... might it have to do something with the blood stain?" the Garundi uses detect magic to further find clues of what happened here before heading to the south.
"I don't know much about the blood stains. This is all no way to keep a majestic pyramid. Seems like a travesty to kill a couple of thousand slaves to get this place built, but then keep it so poorly and so messily," Zilchus offers an opinion. A bad one.
Zilchus moves in after Kosei when it seems safe and looks down the hallway.
Perception
As Kosei touches the loot at the altar, the four lacquered bronze heads on the statutes of Set all turn to look at him. In seconds the rest of the bodies follow suit, seemingly intent on attacking this would-be church thief!
Florence
Kosei
Stelle
Zilchus
Good Folk
"Ah poop! Get into the narrow hallway! Look out!" Zilchus grumbles as the trap goes off.
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"Ooops!" Kosei looks in surprise to the moving statues while he stashes the forbidden treasure.
Losing no more time, he retrieves a pinch of wet dust and casts sleet storm in the middle of the room. Driving sleet starts to fall strong, leaving no trace of Set statues "Time to go my friends!"
"Run!" the Garundi quickly follows Zilchus advise and retreats into the hallway.
Kosei summons forth sleet, blinding the Guardians of Set and slowing their advance, before he drops back into the tight tunnels. Florence gives Stelle good fortune as she too drops back into the protection of the tunnel. She also learns that while they do appear in all ways to be constructs, Knowledge Religion is what’s needed for their identification.
The clerics and crafters preparing the constructs would begin with the body of an evil desert giant—preferably one who, like them, revered Set. The crafters would then fashion headpieces out of brass, bronze, or iron that were sculpted in the likeness of the god of darkness, deserts, murder, and storms. The headpiece would then be lacquered a glossy black, and set with expensive gemstones indicative of the type of elemental spirit used to animate the construct. After the headpiece was crafted, the preserved desert giant would be decapitated and the headpiece aff ixed to its shoulders.
The towering constructs stood within the sanctuaries of Set’s great temples across the empire, and were often posted at the temple’s exterior doors when the faithful were called to worship. The laity always assumed that the constructs were undead servants crowned with metal helms of their god, and the clergy did nothing to disabuse them of this conceit. Indeed, adventurers often make the same mistake. Opponents can use Knowledge (religion) to identify a Set guardian’s true nature and learn about the construct’s unholy weaknesses.
During the dark decades of Hakotep’s reign, the guardians were a common—and for many, terrifying—sight, for the pharaoh used them as tools to threaten and cow the priesthoods of cults opposed to his religious reforms favoring Set. Today, these constructs have fallen out of favor in ecclesiastical circles—few of the modern cults employ them, though a couple of the surviving temples formerly dedicated to Set still boast one of these giant wardens. Most encounters with Set guardians today are reported by archaeological parties exploring lost temples or the tombs of long-buried nobles who had some devotion to the god in life. Once frightening attendants in temples across the land, they now wait in darkness for those unwisely disturbing ancient burial sites.
Set guardians stand a towering 18 feet tall and weigh approximately 12,000 pounds.
One question for each five you beat the DC as usual.
- - -
Unable to see clearly the statues do their best to close with where Kosei was last seen (double moves or worse).
vs DC 10 (no movement)
vs DC 10 (no movement)
vs DC 10 (half movement)
vs DC 10 (falls down)
vs DC 10 (falls down and immediately gets back up)
vs DC 10 (no movement)
vs DC 10 (falls down)
Though you cannot see into the sleet, it must be a scene of the Keystone Cops in there for nothing comes to the edges of the spell. There are a couple loud thumps though as two of the Guardians fall in the sleet.
Round 1, Init 9
Stelle rolls her eyes -- first at the sleet which threatens her charging potential into the room -- secondly at the comical sound of large constructs slipping and falling on ice.
Gee... can't he make this spell so we can see? I would have liked to have seen that...
"Nice job, Kosei," she says, winking to Kosei.
"Fall back into the secret corridor! If they choose to bottleneck up here, we'll take them out at this secret doorway on our way back!"
Though the dice I rolled surely contributed to my many failures, I’m going to let it ride. They just had a bad round. Even were I to make every roll, they still wouldn’t have closed in any effective way due to the difficult terrain I think.
Round 1
Zilchus moves into the hallway, airwalking atop Flo and taking total defense.
"Keep going back...go on..."
"Just close the door, Commander."
Kosei nods and goes back through the corridor, stopping to turn and ready an spell if one of the statues comes into the passage before it can be closed. If that comes to happen he throws 3 sharp stone discusses at the first one to appear.
Florence explains, as the secret door is closed, that the Guardians absorb fire, and can then discharge it against their enemies. Perhaps more importantly, Zilchus cannot fit above Florence, as the tunnels are too small (8’ ceilings). He could try to squeeze I suppose, but as the Guardians cannot follow you down the hallway and the most they can do is open the door and bluster, so the party retreats into the summoning chamber.
We are out of initiative, unless you want to try and engage the enemy through the tunnel in some fashion. Kosei, I’ll assume you’re keeping your spell for now.
A search of the summoning chamber reveals nothing of particular interest, though relatively easy Knowledge Arcana checks (for this party) lead you to believe you could perhaps teleport to and from this chamber if you wished. The tunnel continues to the south, though the bloodstains stop at about 20’.
"That was nasty. Do you think they will calm down if I give them back the jewels my friends?" Kosei looks worried at the closed passage before he turns back his attention to the circle.
"Perhaps we will have to teleport here like we did before, but having a way to the south... maybe we should explore first there, isn't it?" assuming the party will proceed south, Kosei moves forward with them to peek around the next corner.
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"No, I think -- keep the jewels. After what just happened, returning them won't restore any sense of dignity they might have possessed," says Stelle, also following the tunnel south. "Otherwise, being dumb constructs up top, once triggered stopping their attack probably isn't on their list of instructions."
Zilchus agrees with Stelle, thinking that moving forward is the best plan and thinking the golems would be likely to reset.
He follows Stelle and Kosei down the hall.
Kosei smiles at Stelle "I always wondered how they do instruct those creatures. Do they use a language as we use now my friends?"
"Do not have doubt Florence. We will make our way back my friends" the Garundi keeps going south, using the light on his shield to see forward.
The next chamber is much like the one you’re in now. A group of bizarre symbols and shapes are painstakingly drawn on the floor of this circular chamber in a sickly green, gummy substance however. The ceiling here is 25’ as before and the tunnel that leads off is another small one.
- - -
At the end of the short tunnel out of this room to the east, is another stone block. This one has handholds in it suggesting it needs to be pushed down, like a previous block, with brute strength and time.
”Agreed, wise Kosei. We will make our way back,” Zilchus moves up carefully, looking around for trouble.
Perception
He waits at the stone block, ready to put his shoulder to it when others are ready.
Kosei moves forward and waits for Zilchus to open the block. Kosei is very confident the commander can open it alone. He will just remain there seeing how he does it, but if help is requested, help he will give.
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"Dark Tapestry? What do you mean? People who like knitting in the dark? That doesn't seem *too* weird," Zilchus opines. "Ain't nothing wrong with that. Just sewing and s$%$. That isn't my thing, but probably what some people would think is okay."