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The spot Sebti's map indicates turns out to be a former shop called "The Shiny Bauble". This former glassblower’s shop was repurposed to serve as a humble family mausoleum, as well as the location of one of the elegiac compasses. The Shiny Bauble has been looted of its choicest bits of glasswork and jewelry, but the elegiac compass on the shop’s roof is in surprisingly good condition despite its age. However, a significant component of the device—its copper-wrapped quartz core—has recently been removed.
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The sinkhole behind the Shiny Bauble drops 50 feet into a large subterranean fissure beneath the necropolis. Among the many piles of rock, you eventually stumble on a larger cavern, littered with coin, silken cloth and countless other treasures.
"Who dares sully my home? Explain your presence here." a deep voice utters. You turn your heads and see a man-sized dragon seemingly made of crystal. It gazes at you angrily, obviously offended that you invaded his lair.
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Anakh-Ka's mind resists the temptation of watching the shiny bubbles, and remains fully focused on the fight at hand. Suddenly the living monolith grows in size, now towering over the dragon. Severance slices through the air, aimed at the vain dragon's neck. While the first blow fails to hit its target, the backblow is terrible and inflicts a terrible wound.
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Shardizhad lets out a shriek, both of anger and pain. "You're cheating, my magic doesn't affect you! Maybe you'll be blinded by my magnificence." He focuses his thoughts to cast a spell without letting his guard down. Instantly, Anakh-Ka is covered in glittering particles of gold.
The Shiny Dragon - round 3
1. Ib, Ka, Nailah
2. Shardizhad (42)
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The dragon's head falls on the ground, lifeless yet still with a surprised expression on it, as if the dragon didn't expect this outcome.
Shardizhad’s hoard consists of a suit of +1 half-plate, a +1 halberd, a shield cloak, an oil of bless weapon, a potion of eagle’s splendor, a potion of heroism, a scroll of f ly, a wand of hold portal (22 charges), 3 vials of soul stimulant, a platinum statue of a dwarf (worth 50 gp), a trio of lapis lazuli praying monkey figurines (worth 30 gp each or 100 gp total as a set), assorted glassware and jewelry (worth a total of 523 gp), 22 pp, 217 gp, 650 sp, and 153 cp. In addition, the copperwrapped quartz core of the elegiac compass from the roof of the Shiny Bauble rests in Shardizhad’s hoard.
Upon returning to the glassblower's shop, you can attempt to repair the device, which is large and delicate and can’t be moved from the Shiny Bauble without several weeks’ work. The elegiac compass is too complex and powerful for you to repair magically with spells, so you must attempt to fix the device manually.
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Nailah's fingers work their magic, and a few minutes later the elegiac compass hums to life once again. Once repaired, it points a straight line through the necropolis, but without other compasses to triangulate the signal, you only know that the source of the ka pulse lies somewhere along that vector.
The first location of note you find about an hour later is the Observatory of Truth and Wisdom . It is a simple affair, consisting of a single floor with a three-story tower in the center. The tower’s top level is exposed to the skies above, with various markings on the walls to indicate the position of the sun and stars on important dates. The interior of the observatory’s main floor is decorated in blue tiles and murals of major constellations and celestial events. As you are all fluent in Ancient Osiriani, you quickly spot that many prayers to Pharasma have been worked into the decorative trim.
There's also a vast spiral mosaic, partially obscured by a tattered tarpaulin, built into the floor of the tower. You immediately recognize the holy symbol of Pharasma.
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Anakh-Ka appears to be wary of this place, as if it didn't reveal everything. "That's strange, brother. See these symbols? There the ones for Maat and Thoth, yet there's this gigantic symbol of Pharasma here... wait, is that a secret door?"
The dwarf deciphers some of the prayers to Pharasma inscribed on the wall.
"All who live must pass through the doorway of death to face her judgment."
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It soon becomes clear that a whole complex lies beneath the necropolis, and you've just found its entrance. The halls and rooms are all illuminated by continual flame.
The spiraling stairway from above terminates in a vaulted chamber. Looming jackal-headed statuary, oversized pillars, and a long reflecting pool lend a grandiose scale to the room. Hieroglyphs cover the walls, describing the Shepses family’s history and the life of one Nefru Shepses. Strangely enough for this kind of structure, the deeds aren't a eulogy but speak of someone who is seemingly still alive. The hieroglyphs speak of his divine inspiration to join Pharasma’s faith, the creation of the necropolis, and his restoration of Wati.
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The arched ceiling of this chamber towers overhead, rising to a height of sixty feet above the tiled floor. Hundreds of small alcoves cover the walls, hidden behind neglected silk curtains in blue and gold. A small altar sits in the center, caked in unsightly stains. A heavy scent of camphor and pitch hang in the air. A large silver seal depicting a phoenix spiraling around its own tail is inset into the top of the altar, but the seal is blackened and appears half-melted.
As for the altar, it has been desecrated and smeared in blood, and exudes an aura of pure evil. Thirty zombies are chained to the walls with improvised shackles, but a dozen uncontrolled zombies roam the room freely, attacking you. As they shamble towards you, a voice can be heard from behind. "You fools! The mask belongs to us! We are the true heirs to the Sky Pharaoh’s legacy! When he rises again to reclaim his throne, we will receive Hakotep’s blessings, not the likes of you!" The voice belongs to a woman wearing a gold funerary mask, and escorted by three cultists looking much alike those you fought in the Silver Chain hideout.
The Masked Cultists' Ambush - round 1
1. Nailah, Ib & Stone Servant
2. Zombies
3. Ka
4. Cultists, MH
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Two of the cultists are blinded by the golden particles.
The zombies, sensing life and hungering for it, tread towards Khal-Ib and his stone servant. While the Pahmet manages to keep his shield up, the elemental gets mauled by one of the zombies.
The Masked Cultists' Ambush - round 1
1. Nailah, Ib & Stone Servant (6)
2. Zombies
3. Ka
4. Cultists (red & pink: blinded), MH
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The cultist's head, still covered by a funerary mask, flies high in the air before rolling to the feet of the woman. She groans with displeasure, but doesn't complain. Instead, she starts retelling the epic tale of the Forgotten Pharaoh, thus bolstering her companions' spirits.
The sole cultist still able to fight decently takes a step to close in on Anakh-Ka, and stabs him with his sword, but to no avail.
The last cultists wipes the particles off his eyes, and can see again.
The Masked Cultists' Ambush - round 2
1. Nailah, Ib (6) & Stone Servant (1)
2. Zombies
3. Ka (1)
4. Cultists, MH
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One of the zombie is slain by the joint efforts of Khal-Ib and his elemental friend, while the rest of them are mostly greatly weakened by Irori's presence. However, it is not enough to deter them from attacking.
Nailah's acid blast reaches the bard, inflicting more displeasure than real harm.
The Masked Cultists' Ambush - round 2
1. Nailah, Ib (6) & Stone Servant (10)
2. Zombies
3. Ka (1)
4. Cultists, MH (1)
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The Pahmet's blow is staggering, yet she remains on her feet and continues her narrative. She takes a step behind, and chants a spell and tells a joke to her tormentor.
Meanwhile, the two other cultists move towards Anakh-Ka to flank him.
The Masked Cultists' Ambush - round 3
1. Nailah, Ib (11) & Stone Servant (5)
2. Zombies
3. Ka (1)
4. Cultists, MH (25)
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With the Pahmet's expertise, the cultist's seconds are numbered. He falls, lifeless, on the ground.
3 scroll of whispering wind
3 oil of taggit
3 cloaks of resistance +1
3 brass funerary mask (worth 25 gp each)
9 turquoises (worth 10 gp each)
potion of cure moderate wounds
scroll of expeditious retreat
wand of invisibility (10 charges)
+1 studded leather
+1 buckler
mwk sickle
lesser book of extended summoning (evil)
gold funerary mask (worth 50 gp)
lapis lazuli bracelets (2, worth 35 gp each)
29 gp
The only things that remain are the zombies chained to the wall, most of which have been destroyed by Irori's peaceful energy, and an altar irradiating evil. It is clearly under the effect of a desecrate spell.
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Khal-Ib heals his wounds thanks to his wand while his brother leads the search of the large room.
"Brother, I think we should take the heavy seal on that altar and cleanse it. If we find a holy water font, it would do the trick. Oh, look, a secret compartment! What's that, a shield of some sort?" Once Nailah has identified it, Khal-Ib will toss it with the rest of the pile of loot and turn his attention to the northern doors.
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Statues of female figures clothed in spidery robes and masks stand with arms outstretched at either end of this wide, short hall. The tiled floor is a detailed mosaic starscape. The floor mosaic depicts several constellations, with a pathway of stars—representing the River of Souls—winding between them. The statues depict morrigna psychopomps, the investigators and bounty hunters of the afterlife.
As he's about to enter this hall, Anakh-Ka immediately spots a 10-foot square pressure plate in front of the hallway’s northern doors. Another trap!