Zilch moves up and to the right to look around.
Perception
Ben follows the others down the stairs and keeps his mouth shut for once.
Nidhi follows Zilchus to peer into the nearby area. "Hmm."
Nidhi shifts her weight from one foot to the other as she peers around the sharp corners and into the room. She eyes the dirt floor and the walls that connect to it.
The walls are made of stone tile in a variety of patterns, though most are smooth. Knowledge Engineering check might tell you more.
Stone benches are set against the east and west walls, and torch holders are mounted in the corners and on either side of the wide doorway to the west. The beginnings of several shallow, rough passages have been started along the eastern wall and in the southwest corner, but the excavations are incomplete, ending in earth and rubble after only a few feet. At the south end of the room, a short, wide flight of steps descends to a set of stone double doors.
Unfortunately, you find you are not alone, as dozens, maybe even hundreds, of small, undead, feral cats (image) swarm into the room and attempt to overwhelm you! They seem to come from all directions at once and form into a writhing mass of feline-inity.
In the surprise round they close, and effect Zilchus and Nidhi!
DC 13 Fort or be Distracted, then DC 13 Fort or be Diseased
DC 13 Fort or be Distracted, then DC 13 Fort or be Diseased
Benedictus (acts in surprise round)
Cahal
Florence
Nidhi
Zilchus
Good Folk
Nidhi is distracted. "Huh?"
Nidhi is diseased.
Ouch Nidhi!
I should have mentioned, if you are distracted, all you can do is a single move. But you can move out of the area... on your init.
Zilchus stares at the multitude of undead cats in horror, unable to protect Nidhi.
Know (Religion) - undead cat swarm
Move Action: After everyone else finishes their Round 1, Nidhi will retreat up to 4 squares if available. (Headed West, the direction from which they came.)
"No fire left..." says Ben with a smirk. "But I still got this!", grins the scholar as he produces a flask of acid from beneath his clothes.
Ben steps to his left and into a better position.
Benedictus draws a flask of acid and prepares himself to throw it at the small, feral undead cats as soon as his companions will have move out of their area.
_____________________________
Cahal's flask goes wide of the mark.
The flask lands just beyond the creature, burning a bit of the floor, though the swarm does take splash damage.
NOTE: Actually Cahal was targeting a square, not the creature. That's AC 5 (link) and so, a successful hit! The swarm burns brightly, and several cats scatter, burning, the smell filling the chamber.
"You can instead target a specific grid intersection. Treat this as a ranged attack against AC 5. However, if you target a grid intersection, creatures in all adjacent squares are dealt the splash damage, and the direct hit damage is not dealt to any creature. You can't target a grid intersection occupied by a creature, such as a Large or larger creature; in this case, you're aiming at the creature."
Zilchus and Nidhi also take splash damage.
Zilchus still to go.
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Round 1, Init 13
vs DC15
vs DC13
"Ow!! Watch--*gah*!" Zilchus gags on a cat snoot in his caw, unable to speak or even see with cat butts and the like in his eyes.
He stumbles away.
to hit;
slashing damage.
HP: 13/19
AC: 18 (6 armor, 2 dex)
Smite: not used
Grit: not used
Panache: are you kidding me?
Ki: not used
Rage: maybe later
Grunting: 1/4 used
"Ahh!"
"Ow!! Watch--*gah*!" Zilchus gags on a cat snoot in his caw, unable to speak or even see with cat butts and the like in his eyes.
He stumbles away.
"Sorry." tries Cahal, though she does a poor job of sounding remorseful...
Yes, just 1hp of splash damage to Nidhi and Zilchus.
Benedictus tosses an acid flask at the swarm, sizzling a few cats - killing some and causing some to run off. Cahal tries fire with less success, but some damage is done none the less. Zilchus staggers away, peeling cats off him as he goes.
The swarm shifts (5’ ‘step’) a little, cascading all over each other as they tumble dexterously to encompass Cahal as well. Nidhi is still there unfortunately as the cats go before her.
DC 13 Fort or be Distracted, then DC 13 Fort or be Diseased
DC 13 Fort or be Distracted, then DC 13 Fort or be Diseased
Round 2, Init 13
Zilchus recovers his stomach enough to step back near the swarm, using his falchion to sweep through the cats with a loud grunt...calling to mind extra ooomph.
to hit;
slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+5+1[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]2d4+4[/dice] slashing damage.
HP: 13/19. ::DISEASED::
AC: 18 (6 armor, 2 dex)
Smite: not used
Grit: not used
Panache: are you kidding me?
Ki: not used
Rage: maybe later
Grunting: 2/4 used
I don't have any resources anymore...Dammit! One can prepare himself as carefully as possible, but something unexpected always happens. Next time I'll do better!
Benedictus stares for the moment at the undead cats, mentally sifting through his options. Regardless of the great care he puts into this analysis, however, the scholar is not able to find any good solution. Letting out his frustration with a sigh, Benedictus loads a bolt in his crossbow and fires it at one of the cats, then steps next to Florence.
_________________________
Can't hit the 'center' of the swarm, so I'll say you flung it at the far side, so you splash the swarm - and Nidhi with your miss.
Florence flings a flask of fire, missing and splashing the swarm and Nidhi. Nidhi backpedals to free herself from the swarming cats. Benedictus shoots wildly into the mass, but manages to miss every cat. Cahal gets clear of the swarm, turns, and slices into them. She notices though that she’d doing much less damage than she thought, as the cats move lithely out of the way (you did half damage). Zilchus steps up and swings, but misses sadly - too bad Nidhi couldn’t inspire. It would have made all the difference!
The cats slide back to their beloved Zilchus and Cahal, massing them with purring delights!
DC 13 Fort or be Distracted, then DC 13 Fort or be Diseased
DC 13 Fort or be Distracted
They clearly love Zilchus more, as all cats do, and they swarm their rough tongues all over his body, leaving bloody marks in their wake.
"Florence, do you have more alchemical weapons with you? We could definetely use some!" cries out Ben as he stares at the terrible sight of the undead cats swarming over Zilchus and Cahal.
_________________________
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Round 3, Init 13
Fort save DC 13
Zilchus laughs as the cats crawl all over him because he knows he is immune to further effects of their disease. Ha ha! Your disease will have no additional effect on me! Who's meowing now!?!
He slashes again with his sword, a loud yell enjoining the swing. He moves back after his swing.
to hit;
slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+5+1[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]2d4+4[/dice] slashing damage.
HP: 7/19. ::DISEASED::
AC: 18 (6 armor, 2 dex)
Smite: not used
Grit: not used
Panache: are you kidding me?
Ki: not used
Rage: maybe later
Grunting: 2/4 used
The situation is desperate, even to Benedictus' rational eyes. Fighting so many creatures at once was a kind of challenge he was not prepared for. The scholar realizes that ordinary weapons and spells would be of no use against such a foes, and decides to try something different, having personally witnessed the devastating effects that his flask of alchemist's fire has had on the cats.
"Pardon me, Florence", says Ben with a clumsy smile as he grabs one of the three flasks of acid the girl has on her. "I'll craft one for you as soon as we get out of here, I promise!" In the process, Benedictus pays the maximum attention to avoid any form of physical contact with Florence that would embarass both of them. Instead, he reaches out for the flask as precisely as he can, and once he's got the desidered alchemical weapon in his hand, he drops his crossbow and closes his eyes in concentration.
I cannot afford to fail. Our resources are limited, and I should not waste them. Focus, Ben, focus.
As he concentrates, Ben whispers two arcane words of power, his right fist clenched around a small wooden replica of an archery target, a focus for the spell he’s about to cast.
“Ezi Iku!”
________________________________
Benedictus snags a flask of acid and readies himself with a spell. Cahal also picks up a disease, but she is not distracted - though she fails to land a hit.. Zilchus scatters the rest of the cats with a scream and a broad stroke. Florence delays until the end, and it is the end, so no need to fling a flask of fire onto the party. Nidhi also delays to see what happens.
The remaining members of the swarm scatter down tunnel and hole throughout the chamber - fleeing from an obviously superior foe. You do not expect to see them back again. All is quiet again in the crypt as the last of the soft meow’s fades into the stone.
Zilchus takes a knee, looking at the many bite wounds on his knees, ankles, and arms.
"Wow. I couldn't keep them off me! There were so many of them!" Zilchus says, bleeding from the many many small bites. "These bites itch too!" Zilchus scratches a few of them, hoping that the wand of healing is quick in coming.
healing
healing
Even healed, Zilchus oocassionally scratches at one of the bites.
"Well, let's see what might be buried in the sands around here beyond cat poop." Zilch begins to look around.
Perception
Neither Zilchus nor Florence find anything of particular note in this chamber.
It looks quite unfinished, save for the doors leading to the south. As if several tombs were planned, but something stopped them short - and suddenly too.
"We're poor explorer! Always getting caught, always getting bloodied! I'm sure the other teams are doing much better! Should we not organize differently?" she asks, visibly peeved.
I'm doing the best I piddlespotting can! Zilchus looks peeved as Cahal expresses herself.
"Well, if you don't like how we do things, maybe you want to go join one of those *other* teams that you love so much," Zilchus snaps back. "Perhaps they will do things your way...which I'm not even sure what that is!"
"Why don't you go marry them if you like those other teams so much! I think we're doing fine. We brought back lots of loot from the last place...and uh..." Zilchus looks around to point to any sort of success here, but fails, "...but I'm still standing and I'm still fighting. I ain't giving up."
Zilchus goes to the other area to examine it quickly, then will rejoin the team at the double doors.
Perception
”Thanks for the healing Florence.” Nidhi looks around the chamber where they encountered the cats. ”Despite that healing, I’m still feeling a little strange.”
At first, she is reticent to accept healing, as she can't make 'where' the healing comes from: "This is strange. Where is the priest? Who did she worship? How am I supposed to trust this?" But pain has the final say.
Nidhi blinks and frowns at Cahal. Maybe I can impress her with magic later. She doesn’t seem too know much about it. Nidhi turns away to continue examining the room. She approaches what appears to be doors(?)
It looks quite unfinished, save for the doors leading to the south. As if several tombs were planned, but something stopped them short - and suddenly too.
"Why don't you go marry them if you like those other teams so much!”
Nidhi’s left eye twitches involuntarily. Who knew Zilchus was so skilled in the art of diplomacy, Nidhi thinks sarcastically.
Nidhi sees Zilchus start to walk away. Trying to lighten the mood, Nidhi calls out teasingly: Including you and Cahal. “We’re all a lot stronger together than apart.” Gods, I sound generic. “I’d probably be down for the fight if you all hadn’t been here… and I still might be” Nidhi looks down at herself, examining the places where the swarm of undead cats touched her.
”Do you all notice anything?” Nidhi asks, still looking down at herself. She doesn’t offer anything else as an explanation. Nidhi could be talking about herself or the ‘shed’ they’re currently standing in.
"GAH! What is this?" Nidhi turns in a circle, patting herself down. "Florence, if I turn into a cat, will you take care of me like you do Bynx? My grandmother isn't a cat person - I don't know if she'd take me in!" Nidhi slaps the palms of her hands to her face. "I think I'm getting a craving for warm milk." Perhaps the ancient armor is making Nidhi paranoid again.
Benedictus nods in assent to Zilchus' words addressed to Cahal. "We're doing our best. I have this annoying tendency to speak too much, as you may have noticed, but this time I'll try and be concise". Ben retrieves his crossbow and loads a bolt in it, then fixes his backpack on his shoulders. "Efficiency in a group is synonym of synergy; but sinergy takes time; ergo, efficiency takes time. A simple syllogism, don't you think?"
Benedictus takes off his serious mask and tries to offer a simple smile to Cahal. He also walks closer to her, in order to look her into the eye. "Perhaps the other teams are more efficient that we are. But we can't prove it. Anyway, thinking about them is only a waste of time, the way I see it. We should focus on ourselves, and with time I'm sure we will improve". Ben nods to Cahal, then looks at the others as though he's hoping to find corroboration of his argument in their eyes. "Besides, I don't think we're doing that bad. These were tough enemies."
Hoping that his contribution to the discussion will prove enough for Cahal to relax a little bit, Benedictus tries to shift focus on practical exploration. "I take a look around here. Someone's willing to help?"
After having scanned the room, Benedictus approaches Florence. "Florence, can I keep it?", the scholar says, showing the flask of acid he took from her a few minutes ago, "I almost completely consumed my resources..." The scholar smiles and puts a hand on Florence's shoulder. "You have my word I will give it back to you if I don't end using it. And if I do...Well, I'll buy you another".
---
Benedictus then places himself in front of the double doors to the south. "Shall we open them?"
Still irked, Zilchus moves over to examine the doors. He examines them, itching his arm as he does.
Diplomacy
When others are ready, he opens the doors.
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Noticing Zilchus' irkness, Ben waits for a good moment, one in which they're close enough while examining the room. The Osirionologist crouches down, apparently committed to analyzing a rather unremarkable small rock. "For what it's worth, Zilchus, I believe that we're doing fine". Then Ben stands up and puts a hand on Zilchus' shoulder. "And I'm firmly convinced that a lot of credit for this goes to you. I owe you my life, and I won't forget that. I couldn't think of a better companion than you, my friend". Ben offers a genuine smile to his ally, then follows him as he opens the doors.
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Zilchus found nothing in the northern area of the crypt but a few ancient workman's tools in horrible shape and of no value.
The party, finding no traps on the double doors, opens them carefully to reveal a tomb.
A stone sarcophagus rests atop a stone platform occupying the southern end of this room. The lid of the sarcophagus bears the likeness of a man and is inlaid with gemstones and trimmed in gold. Two lacquered benches run parallel to the east and west walls just north of the platform. Hieroglyphs line the walls of the chamber, and stone torch holders are set in all four corners.
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"Then we're on the same page, Cahal", replies Ben with a smile. "Did you know that a Taldan philosopher of the Age of Enthronement thought that all of human disagreement arised from linguistical misunderstanding? He worked for years on a calculating machine, which he called Step Reckoner, that he thought would help humans to formulate their opinions in such a way that no misunderstanding would exist anymore."
Ben shrugs, and smiles at Cahal again. "He failed, so I suppose sometimes misunderstandings are unavoidable. Anyway, I'm glad you reason along our same lines."
---
Ben waits for at least Zilchus to enter the tomb first, then he steps inside.
"This must be the tomb of Pentheru the Younger", the scholar explains while he scratches his chin and reads the hieroglyphs. "The hieroglyphs on the wall tell his story". With his index finger, Ben points to the beginning of the carvings. "The story starts with his father's elevation to nobility, then goes on with his death and Pentheru the Younger's inheritance of his father's title and lands."
Ben looks at the others, in order to make sure that everyone is following him. "The story boasts of their prosperity and success as land managers, the justness with which the family lived their lives, and the care with which they treated their slaves and servants. The text also calls upon the gods to smile upon Pentheru the Younger and bless him with a good and just life in the Great Beyond."
Ben takes a sip of water from his canteen to ease his dry throat. "Pentheru the Younger is probably inside that sarcophagus, my friends...", says Ben with a thoughful expression. "Last time we opened a sarcophagus though...you all remember how it went. Oh, right, Cahal wasn't there. Well, the sarcophagus animated and attacked us."
Ben shakes his head. "I think we should open the sarcophagus anyway. What do you think about it?"
_____________________________
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"For what it's worth..."
* * *
"It's been twice that we got surprised and caught in a bad position, on the defensive... Learn from every fight."
Zilchus looks at her with his jaw open.
What does she think we have been doing!?
He takes a breath and thinks before responding.
"If, at any time, you want to go first and show us how it's done, then please do. I'm happy to stand behind you, if you'd like. Despite what it might seem like, I don't like being speared and bitten, but I do it to protect them and because I know I'll live where they might not...but you want to go first. Please...please...." Zilchus lets her go ahead as much as she wants.
* * *
"Of course we should open it. That's why we're here."
Nidhi looks unfazed while Zilchus speaks to the professor in Ancient Osirani. Nidhi is relieved and entertained at hearing Florence’s teasing remark. Nidhi manages to laugh a little despite her own moderate hysteria over the fear of turning into a cat. Ahh good, good. Silver linings in everything.
”Shall I check for traps?” Nidhi moves into the next room and takes a look around, her eyes lingering on the sarcophagus. If she doesn’t find any traps, she informs her companions that it looks safe. If there appears to be a trap, Nidhi will warn her companions and attempt to disable it (once they decide to back up or stay.)
When Nidhi gives the all clear, Zilchus opens the sarcophagus (unless Cahal is doing it, which is fine).
No traps are found - Nidhi is sure of it!
You open the sarcophagus to find Pentheru’s mummified body and a small cat mummy (image).
Unfortunately, the feelings of dread at disturbing Pentheru the Younger are too much for some of you to bear! Everyone please make a Will save DC 13 (fear) or flee in terror three rounds (which would put you more or less on the stairs for the trap). If you make your save, you are shaken for one round. As the trap is disabled, this is not as big a deal as it once was...
Those that remain see that the sarcophagus also contains Pentheru’s gold funerary mask, worth 150 gp, and a gold-and-turquoise scarab pendent worth 50 gp. In addition, several small semiprecious stones worth a total of 40 gp can be pried off of the sarcophagus. If the gold trim is salvaged from the sarcophagus, it is worth an additional 10 gp. The whole sarcophagus might be worth even more in one piece. Though it’ll be tough to carry out, you could manage it as a group.
"There are definitely no traps in this room. Come on inside!" Nidhi continues to stand right inside the room, looking around confidently.
But before the sarcophagus is opened, she says: "Everyone knows what they need to do? Anyone wants alchemical fire? I have some left..."
"I'm okay, thanks Cahal!" Nidhi winks. Nidhi fells pretty confident until the sarcophagus is opened.
"Err... oops? I guess there was a trap inside of the sarcophagus... Sorry everyone! Some traps are hidden until activated I guess." Nidhi smiles in apology at her companions.
Nidhi approaches the sarcophagus and picks up the turquoise scarab pendent. "Look at this! How pretty! And look at those stones! What kind of stones do you think they are?" Nidhi touches one of the several small semiprecious stones with her fingers with the hand holding the scarab pendent in her palm. (Are other hand is holding her everburning torch.)
Nidhi also uses Detect Magic.
The mummified cat radiates as magical.
When placed inside a sarcophagus or coffin alongside a dead body and activated, a mummified guardian also infuses the corpse with positive energy, preventing the body from being turned into an 5 undead creature, as sanctify corpse.
In addition, the mummified guardian also creates a magical ward around the sarcophagus containing it. If the sarcophagus is opened after the mummified guardian is placed inside, any creature with 5 Hit Dice or fewer within 20 feet of the open sarcophagus is overcome by a feeling of dread and must succeed at a DC 13 Will save or be frightened for 3 rounds. On a successful save, a creature is instead shaken for 1 round. This ability functions only once. Once triggered, the mummified guardian retains only its sanctify corpse ability (this reduces the price of the mummified guardian to 3,000 gp).
If the sarcophagus containing the mummified guardian is placed in an area or room with multiple paths of egress, the owner may designate one general direction an affected target must take if it flees, as long as the chosen direction does not require the target to move any closer to the mummified guardian. After moving in the designated direction for 1 round, the target behaves as normal for the frightened condition for the remainder of the effect’s duration. A mummified guardian must be placed inside a sarcophagus, coffin, or other enclosed container with a dead body to function. Although cats are most common, mummified guardians can be created from the mummified remains of other small animals as well.
- - -
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Will
Zilchus stares as the cat, his fingers moving to itch his arms. He itches more and more furiously at the spots where the cats had bitten him.
Zilchus screams and goes tearing off up the stairs.