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Of course, the Totawly AWesome and Stupendous Lil" Hep has the right skill for the right occasion.
And even more skills for all the wrong occasion she can meet (or probably create, because she is after all, an agent of Chaos, Displaced Things (or Thongs, not sure about it), Fluffy Kittens and General Mischeviousness From Here to Eternity (and Heavens).
And, being THAT Awesome, she totawly surpass any expectations, even those you didn't have.
But you can't teach that. Its the Gift of Totawl Awesomeness. Don't be jealous and drink it in, man!
Wow. Groovy.
Of course, you don't know yet what she has saw.
But it's Groovy.
Whatever that means.
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Hep watches Maria perform the simple ritual and begin cleaning the shrine, likely peering over her shoulder and helping the way a kitten “helps” with cleaning up a mess. As Maria bows out, she feels a presence envelop her, as if the ancestors of the Yohanatotsu clan are thankful for her efforts and once more at peace here in this place so far removed from their homeland.
Hep feels the same thing and experiences a groovy vision…
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Soddy watches the proceedings with interest, but does her best to stay out of the way while those more attuned to the spirit world see to the shrine. She does nod along as Maria explains the proper way to approach a shrine such as this one.
"Each spirit is different, just like each fleshy is different. Different things make them happy."
She also does her best to keep her eyes peeled for any signs of trouble while the others work.
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I'm afraid I have some Bad news from the past for you: I witnessed the three samurai sisters fighting an horde of undead. One of them, Michiko, fell. And unfortunatly, she rised again, as a lifeless warrior carryin what seemed to be an ice-covered katana. Well, the blade was ice-covered, not the whole weapon, or she would have had some trouble keeping it in hand.
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Maria makes some notes and then comments, ”Excellent. Well, not about her. But excellent information to have. Perhaps if she is down here and still cursed we could end that. Also, ice isn’t always slick though so maybe the katana was fully covered in it. It only gets slick at temperatures where it is melting. Does everyone have a good way to mitigate cold damage?”
She moves to start scouting the next area once she is sure everyone is well prepared for things.
(+2 vs. traps)
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Maria leads the way scouting for traps. She’s absolutely certain that there’s nothing unusual here. Absolutely….
She pauses at the sound of flowing water. Peering into a twisting hall, she spots a staircase leading down into dark watery depths. The clear water shifts and swirls, lapping up against the ancient sunken stairs. Exploring further into the water would likely require a specialist team and is likely “beyond the scope” of your instructions.
Proceeding further to the west, your scout finds herself in a long, wide connecting corridor. Several small rooms extend off the sides. Shelves wrap around each side room holding small stone boxes with the bones of fallen warriors. However many of the boxes have been opened, and there are fragments of bone scattered all across the floors.
One of the smaller rooms has a narrow hallway leading south, and there is also a larger gallery visible to the north. At the far southern end of the wide passageway, you see the first room you came into where you encountered the haunt.
Nothing attacks you, nothing surprises you, and there’s nothing much of interest here….
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"Uh.. I am somewhat inured to the privations of cold weather, having crossed the Crown of the World multiple times... but I have no special protection against supernatural cold.
If we should encounter the fallen samurai, disarming her may be an effective tactic. The Way of the Sleeping Sword says: the blade and the warrior are one.
Now let us bring the light of the Empress of Heaven to this place."
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A quick agreement leads the party north into a long gallery bisected by the entry hall. A wide set of stairs exits the room directly across from where you came in, and a quick glance around reveals a smaller hallway leading south from the shadowed southwestern corner.
A statue of an elven woman with a snake’s body lies crumbled at the east end of the high-ceilinged room. Dozens of fist-sized nooks line the walls near the statue. The nooks themselves hold wax-sealed rolls of parchment containing stories of heroism from the time of the Shining Crusade. Many are written various dialects of Tien, though plenty are also in Common and Elven.
As you peruse the room and read a few of the stories, someone notices a small bag tucked into the back of one of the nooks. A quick scan and safety check reveals that it contains a pair of magical gloves and three potions.
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Soddy perks up as the cache of potions is revealed and she reaches out her hands for them. "Ancient potions! May I have a look?"
The leshy takes a few moments to swirl each potion around, holding them up to the light to better judge their color and viscosity, before carefully opening each one to have a sniff and a small taste. But alas, she's only able to identify the third potion's function.
"This one is thick and coats the tongue. Slightly bitter, purple in color...it's a potion of Remove Blindness/Deafness."
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Being fluent in Tien and Elven (and even, sometimes, in Common!) Hepsubia reads a few scrolls, glances at the statue, and studies the magical objects
That's a lilend, they are kind of celestial bards, ful of songs and knowledge. Colleagues, in fact. Those are gloves. Magical gloves. Ghostvision gloves. You'll see dead people. Or something like that. Useful to spot ghost, very powerful if you can channel energy, but as long as you wear it, you'll be only able to see the restless dead, not the living. So that's a double-sided hammer. With spikes on it. Not sure with the first potion, but Maria will know, and the second one can remove your diseases.
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Maria takes a simple sniff and immediately identifies the last potion, ”Remove Curse, useful. Nice to have some free options in case we run across some nasty things in here. I am continually amazed at how long magical items can keep their potency, I can’t find an expiration date on any of these.”
She, of course, logs the locations and information her teammates have discovered.
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"Wuzzat? Ghostvision?"
Sleeping Sword jerks upright from a slumbering lean, his scabbard flashing into his hand.
"Oh. Curious. I have a very limited ability to harm undead with the light of the Empress of Heaven - usually my blade is superior. Perhaps these gloves could make it worthwhile? But if I cannot see the rest of you then that presents other dangers."
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Soddy has to take a moment to parse Sleeping Sword's reply but then gives a satisfied nod. "Yes. Some people can listen and read and understand but others learn best by doing. I'm like that too. And so I can't be afraid of trying something new, otherwise I won't learn!"
Noticing that Maria seems to hesitate the slightest bit before carefully beginning to scout to the north, the leshy simply gives the elf a thumbs up.
______________
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As Sleeping Sword starts to put the gloves on, something falls out of one, as if it had been tucked inside for safe keeping. At first glance it’s a round object bisected by a curved line. But the cleric of Shizuru instantly sees it for what it truly is: a blazing sun behind a katana. It does not radiate magic, but was certainly once a divine focus for someone who served the Empress of Heaven.
On the back is a simple inscription in Minkain Tien:
The Empress of Heaven will protect you, as you have always protected us. Your little sisters.
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The old man turns the disc over in his palm, and reads the inscription. He blinks away tears. "...Michiko... was this yours?"
Sleeping Sword sinks to his knees. He reveals his own, matching, symbol - a wooden disk on a simple leather cord tied around his neck. He lifts his face heavenwards, raising the found symbol in one hand and his scabbarded katana in the other.
"Empress of Heaven! Lady Sun! You have sent your servant to this place as a blade in your blessed hand. By your light, I shall not fail in my appointed task."
"ヨハナトツミチコ、あなたが拒まれていた眠りをお届けします。"
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Soddy remains silent as Sleeping Sword experiences a moment of faith. As he completes his prayer, the leshy offers him a hand to get him back on his feet - an amusing sight, given the height difference. While she herself doesn't feel a strong calling to any particular faith, she can't help but feel solidarity with those that follow deities of the sun.
"I'll help. Sometimes it's good to bring light to dark places."
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The party moves carefully into what is likely the largest room in this crypt, everyone watchful and cautious.
Suddenly, the walls appear to fall away and reveal a war-blasted vista. Mighty trees laid low by gargantuan undead monstrosities litter the muddy field under heavy, gray skies. Ghostly crusaders appear, shouting battle cries while intoxicated by the thrill of the fight. Commands are given by flags from leaders atop a nearby hill until a swarm of undead crawl out of the soil beneath beneath their feet. The crusaders closest to you do not attack, but instead rally to your side even as a ghostly undead hill giant marches steadfastly towards you!
Soddy Daisy doesn’t hear the sounds of battle, but does see the manifestation after others point it out. Hepsubia, though, is so busy with … well … whatever it is that occupies her mind in this crucial instance. But either way, everyone else is able to react before the hill giant apparition begins to lay waste to you and your ghostly crusader allies.
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The ghostly hill giant pauses at Zithembe’s command. It watches warily as the Grandfrogger buffs up his allies again, but takes no further action, nor does it fade away though.
The crusaders gathered around you turn to Zithembe and bow deeply in respect for his holy power. One of them sees the holy symbol of Shizuru that Sleeping Sword is carrying and turns as if to address the monk. Wearing the furs of the horse lords of Hangol - though clearly of an archaic style - the warrior looks right through Sleeping Sword as if seeing someone else. ”Lady Yua, though it pauses, how do we truly defeat this one?” he asks in desperation with a wave of his hand toward the giant.
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As Soddy Daisy and Hepsubia ogle the masses of dead people, Maria quickly discerns what needs to be done. The soldiers accept the reassurances from "Lady Yua" and her attendant medium that the battle has ended. As the Grandfrogger concludes his prayers, the crusaders bow deeply in thanks and fade from sight.
With the haunted illusion now clear, you find yourselves in a vaulted room which features a raised dais at the east end with a large, gold-flecked stone basin full of a green fluid. Arcane symbols painted on the basin glow amber. Six scorch-marks mar the floor of the chamber, all angled from the dais into the gallery.
Investigating the basin, (which I think we can safely assume that the ever-curious Elf-stigator would do) reveals that the green fluid is in fact unholy water. In addition, it seems that the basin itself lends a corrupting influence to the water and the crypt as a whole. You deduce that emptying and/or destroying the basin (hardness 8, 30 hp) or resanctifying the water would end the effect.
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"Thank you for helping to lay those spirits to rest" Sleeping Sword nods. "Now, perhaps I can do something about this corruption."
The priest recites prayers to Shizuru as he draws forth a wand. Touching the tip to the unholy water, he Blesses the liquid in hopes of purifying it.
"Uh.... those are Lightning Bolt marks" the old man frowns.
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Maria frowns as Shizuru wanders right on up to the basin and starts tapping it with his wand, ”Normally, if you notice lightning bolt scorch marks you avoid the area until after it is deemed safe. But this time hopefully we got lucky. I say we empty the bowl and go from there, I don’t really want to destroy anything though. If bless doesn’t work, does anyone have consecrate?”
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Agreeing (I think) to empty the basin when it seems that the blessing of Shizuru wasn’t sufficient, you leave a large unholy puddle on the floor and move on. The hallway to the north is bare and twists and turns until it ends at a convoluted series of intersecting rooms. Just beyond to the west another room beckons.
This grand chamber contains finely carved stone, opulent in contrast to the rest of the crypt and with a ceiling vaulted extra high to 15 feet above the floor. The heraldry of five major houses are inscribed into the wall above five ornate sarcophagi. Each sarcophagus stands ajar and empty. Except one….
The one sarcophagus that’s different is so because it’s not empty. Among the dust and cobwebs in that one's bottom corner is a pendant made of an iron ring strung on a necklace made from polished and discolored bones, nails, and teeth.
Suddenly Soddy Daisy begins wailing and crying out about the horrible fate that has befallen Mordesha.
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Knowing that the essential thing to know, when someone ask you if you know about something, is that Maria knows everything there is to know about what you are asked about to know, and that brings some totawl relief; you don't feel burdened by the weight of useless knowledge.
Besides, unlike TOE (The Other Elf), you have no problem lying and inventing facts, dates, stuff, recipes (althought Maria does killer cocktails!) who can pass for real knowledge: it's UNreal Knowledge.
Way Better.
And Totawly Awesome and Stupendous, of course.
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Maria notices the drool coming from TAHL’s mouth as her vision glazes over obviously thinking all the important thoughts, ”I know that look. I’ll make margaritas when we get back, ok?”
She looks over the heraldry.
”Ah, the crests of local and very ancient and prestigious Lastwall houses Caliphvaso, Ordranti, Immarin, Kavapesta, and Siervage. It seems most likely that the nobles of those houses desired the prestige of being buried alongside the crusaders. It further stands to reason that they would have hired the best stoneworkers to fashion their tombs, thus the finely carved stone and overall opulence of this room.“
And then she waits to see if anyone identifies the magical item.
And after Soddy Daisy begins wailing she surmises, ”The tattered remnants of the interred nobles' souls still cling to this room. They are not powerful, so their influence is transitory and limited to the bounds of their crypt, this room specifically. But it seems that there is some powerful negative energy effect in place somewhere nearby, but not here in this room, that is what is binding them to this plane.”