"I feel like I should know what that thing is.. but no matter." Eisalka makes a bunch of complicated gestures with her wings and says some arcane words, and her eyes glow with fire.
You can tell that even if Eisalka think she's casting the spell, Man is doing the moving and shaking. His lips and fingers are moving slightly.
Then Man pulls a wand from his belt.
Eisalka glares furiously at the imposter, eyes alight!
The strange thing catches fire, unable to put out the flames as it slaps at itself with its tentacles, which makes a disgusting wet sound as its adhesive skin catches and releases. The air is filled with a smell that's like a mix between burning flesh and tar...
Sionnach revives his companion, staying out of the creature's reach. Khairam is now conscious again, but barely.
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Initiative!
Being at such a disadvantage and close to unconsciousness, Khairam stays motionless, but seeing the creature trash around trying to put out the flames Khairam smiles, "maybe, just maybe.." he mutters under his breath, "must get away or do I play dead, dead would be sensible! ... but..." Rolling himself into a ball he attempts to get away from the sarcophagus without getting too dizzy, hoping against hope that the creature is too busy extinguishing the flames to notice his movement.
In addition, you can move through a threatened square without provoking an attack of opportunity from an enemy by using Acrobatics. When moving in this way, you move at half speed. You can move at full speed by increasing the DC of the check by 10. You cannot use Acrobatics to move past foes if your speed is reduced due to carrying a medium or heavy load or wearing medium or heavy armor. If an ability allows you to move at full speed under such conditions, you can use Acrobatics to move past foes. You can use Acrobatics in this way while prone, but doing so requires a full-round action to move 5 feet, and the DC is increased by 5. If you attempt to move through an enemy's space and fail the check, you lose the move action and provoke an attack of opportunity.
Akri scrambles towards Khairam, reaching for the Keleshite, hoping to pull him farther from the flaming sarcophagus.
"Should we head north? Outrunning this thing is our best chance- nothing on tentacles can catch a Dwarf. Or do we stand and fight? Khairam needs healing..."
With Akri's help, Khairam is able to get away from the hungry sarcophagus while it's distracted and trying to put itself out.
It continues to slap at the flames licking its flesh, but to no avail.
Enraged and in pain, it moves forward on its tentacles, trundling at Sionnach now that Khairam has tumbled away with Akri. The nimble Kitsune easily sidesteps its attack, though!
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Initiative!
Eisalka stares at the mimic again, engulfing it in flames once more.
And Man swings a wand toward the creature.
Now away from the tentacles and the teeth, Khairam struggles to his feet, his strength nearly taken out from him, blood starting to congeal on his dusty robe. He casts his eye back over the thing, his mind working furiously. HIs voice full of self-loathing his gravelly voice is heard, "Why didn't I see that, I should have been aware. Damnable creature, pesky MIMIC. I should have realized a creature that disguises itself as inanimate objects to hunt its prey, and in this place a sarcophagus that was out of place. Damn creatures produces a strong adhesive that allows it to grapple its prey, before crushing it to death. Thanks Akri for pulling me out, and whoever brought my mind back. Akri, be warned, weapons that strike it also have a chance of getting stuck to it. I can dissolve the adhesive, I have some universal solvent, although strong alcohol like your dwarven ale can do the trick too. Remember it is immune to acid damage, so no point using that against it. But we have the advantage of speed, it is a fairly slow creature, so we could outrun it very easily."
With that Khairam limps away from the creature as far as he can, with a painful movement he pulls his bow off his back and makes it ready. Hatred in his voice, he calls to his companions, "Kill it from range, it must be destroyed here!" revenge dripping from each syllable.
Eisalka continues her fiery stare, but the mimic resists this time. It looks steadfast (if still ignited), until Man shoots a strength-sapping ray at it. It doesn't look too bothered, though.
After Khairam's declaration, the mimic's wide mouth stretches into a grin at the corners. "So you know what I am! Then you know that there is no escape! I shall devour all of you gullible fools!" it cries, before breaking into sadistic chuckles interspersed with grunts of pain as it burns.
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Initiative!
"Get out of there, Fox!" Akri bellows. He turns to Khairam. "Stay safe, friend! If we keep it at bay we should prevail!"
Akri produces a slender, mahogany object shaped like a pharaoh's hook, and fits a large stone dart into it. He uses the the object to hurl the dart towards the mimic.
Akri frowns. "Too bad the mimic wasn't impersonating the broad side of a pyramid."
The mimic continues to burn, and screeches a battle cry as it scoots forward to attack Sionnach. It smacks him with a tentacle, which sticks to the medium like glue.
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Initiative!
Eisalka once again stares straight at the stupid mimic.
And Man decides to deal some more Strength damage to it.
"Sionnach! Give me your hand! We'll negotiate later!"
"Sionnach! Give me your hand! We'll negotiate later!"
Man's ray strikes stone as he barely misses the mimic, trying not to accidentally hit Sionnach.
The mimic continues to resist Eisalka's fiery gaze, although it keeps burning. The fire does not spread to Sionnach, but the smell of burning flesh and glue assails his nostrils. As Sionnach struggles, the thing cackles. "You can't break my grasp, fool! I am a master of the hunt! You shall be MY dinner!"
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Initiative!
"Damn that sticky creature, damn tentacles.. " the investigator grumbles loudly, dropping his bow and takes out a bottles from his many pockets. He looks first the colourless solution, the glass catching a golden sparkle from the lighted torch, "This should do the trick, if Sionnach is in trouble." and label with handwritten ink letters Solvent. Holding it in his hand, he steps forward using his momentum to throw the solvent over the Mimic and its tentacles. "That should help Sionnach, won't be stuck now, might be able to wriggle free."
Akri extends his hand to Sionnach.
"C'mon you rapscallion! Khairam's also helping get us out of this sticky situation!"
Between Khairam's solvent and Akri's help, Sionnach is free of the sticky glue. Additionally, adding solvent to the mimic's burning sticky flesh creates an even worse smell - the kind that's going to stick in the explorers' noses for much longer than anyone would want. The creature screeches in pain and frustration. "Not fair! Not fair!"
The mimic continues to burn, before trying to wrap its tentacles around the interfering dwarf.
Not used to its glue not working, the mimic is overly aggressive. As it rushes to grab Akri, the dwarf reflexively cuts off a tentacle with a swipe of his axe, and the tip falls wriggling on the stone floor.
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Initiative!
Eisalka stares once more at the mimic.
Man fires off yet another ray of enfeeblement at the mimic.
"Take that, you sad substitute for reality! Mimic indeed! You got the drop on us, but unfortunately for you we cannot leave this place as we found it."
Akri's hackle is raised and he attacks the mimic, war axe and mace in hands.
Khairam picks his bow back up and then shoots towards the living sarcophagus.
The mimic finally puts out its flaming hide, although the air still reeks as smoke trails from its charred flesh. Akri, Sionnach, and Khairam manage to injure it with their attacks, though, and a white ichor seeps from its wounds. With the solvent still acting, the explorers' weapons are in no danger of sticking. Badly hurt, it attempts a more cautious approach, taking a measured attack at Akri. Its tentacle hits precisely, and it's a weighty blow, if not particularly impressive for a creature this strong.
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Initiative!
Eisalka stares once more at the stupid box, wishing it to be finished.
And Man fires off yet another ray of enfeeblement at it.
Shuffling around the mimic, keeping his distance, Khairam coughs as the smell of burnt flesh hits his nostrils. He takes another arrow, swiftly placing it in the bow. His arms pull back the string, his muscles straining under the taut bow, he let's go and the arrow shoots towards the living box.
"GAH! It's like someone's set gnome toejam ablaze in here! Sionnach, be safe - If this putrid coffin drops me, kindly see that I am properly kept."
Akri yips a hyena-like yawp as he draws both Ghoulsplitter and Skullcrusher and brings them both down on the sarcophagus mimic-
Spittle flecks at the corners of Akri's mouth. "Who put you here, foul fiend? Or did you settle in on your own evil accord?"
The mimic doesn't get a chance to respond to Akri's question - rhetorical or not - as Ghoulsplitter and Skullcrush split and crush it, respectively. It grunts in pain, but its tentacles stop flailing and fall limp. Having caught on fire again, at least it will be unconscious if it's allowed to burn to death.
The fight concluded, the explorers may continue their investigation of the pyramid free of harassment (for now). There are two hidden passageways to the east and west, and an open corridor to the north. From the flicker of your lights (and the mimic's burning corpse), you can catch sight of a tall, black statue in the room to the north.
Khairam, his body battered and bloodied by the mimic, his robe splattered with dark red blotches encrusted in the sand sits on the floor exhausted. With a voice full of self loathing, he speaks slowly in a growl, "I can't go on like this I need to rest, to heal and get my strength back. I do not think I can be of much use to you, in this state. I will stay here to gain my strength and breath."
Eisalka looks over at Khairam. "You look in a bad way there, my friend. Does anyone have some healing magic that they can use on him?"
Through labored breaths, Akri tries to tend Khairam's wounds.
"I haven't a proper kit, but I'll try to help you, Khairam."
Unable to help the Investigator, he calls for the mystic.
"Sionnach! We'll need that wand and a bit of your wit to raise the spirits of our friend, Khairam. I could use a touch as well."
Akri sits down next to Khairam.
"Good idea, let's take a moment, catch our breath and prepare for the next challenge."
The explorers move the covering to the concealed passage to the west, revealing another ten-foot wide corridor. The passage continues for 70 feet, then turns north into a long chamber 30 feet wide and 70 feet long. Two woven reed boats sit end-to-end in this chamber, covered in a thick layer of dust. Carvings on the walls depict naval expeditions and boats bearing tribute for the pharaoh.
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Sionnach goes first to Khairam (who looks worse off) and then to Akri to give healing. Finally, he heals himself.
Throughout the time he is healing, he is uttering prayers to Urgathoa, the gist of which is, "Oh Pallid Princess, do not let Pharasma take this one, but rather let them live on to suck the fullness of life and to lead them into the unlife beyond."
As Sionnach speaks, Khairam looks up puzzled at the healers strange words. He nudges Akri and whispers into his ear, "Not sure I like the sound of this healer, though I won't stop him, I need this holy magic." He smiles weakly at Sionnach, "Thanks...I think!" as his open wounds heal up, but his robes still show the blood that has congealed.
Once all healing is complete, he starts the process of moving into the secret passageway. Taking his torch in one hand, he leads on through the corridor, slowly, deliberately knowing he doesn't want another encounter like the last.
Stopping in the doorway, he sees the carvings and model ships and stops, the light of his torch flickering. "This pharaoh seems to have had a varied reign, fighting on the water too. It looks as though nothing has been this way for years, judging b the dust. Doesn't mean there aren't dangers, but that its years since the dangers surfaced." His beady eyes look left and right, both searching for tracks in the dust, anomalies and any strangeness with the carvings. "Be ready, I want to find what significance the carvings have, keep an eye out. Bird, fly over the boats, look down and see what lurks within. Akri you be ready to do what you do best. Let's see why and what this chamber is about, just remember death can lurk in any corner. And Sionnach, be prepared with your magic too." he finishes, looking at the magical wand in Sionnach's possession.
Akri readies Ghoulsplitter in one hand.
"A good plan, Khairam. I think this time I'll let you set off the trap. Though I, too, wish to see how the Sphinx Pharaoh operated on the water."
Akri pauses. He turns to Man and Sionnach.
"Can either of you swim? Judging from that mimic, we should be ready for anything, and a water hazard here seems like a proper puzzle piece. Eisalka, if it agrees with you, reconnaissance from above might give us a better perspective, as Khairam pointed out."
The murals depict the Pharaoh leading various expeditions by boat, both inland along Osiriani rivers and ocean armadas conquering the northern coast of Garund. Little remains of this knowledge in the current age, so it is questionable whether these events are accurate or exaggerated. Likely a mixture of both.
Eisalka wings over the dusty boats. In the southern boat, closest to where the explorers entered the chamber, she spots that something is stuffed between some of the woven reeds of the boat, as if it were hidden there on purpose. In the northern boat, she catches a glint of something--actually, multiple things, that shine and glint in the illumination of this chamber. She can't quite make out what it is without getting closer, though.
Eisalka relates all that she saw to the group.
"I'm personally interested in whatever was shoved between the reeds in the southern boat, but we should investigate both. Unfortunately I have no way to allow the rest of you to sprout wings..."
Akri looks up at the boat closest to the door. "Why did it have to be boats?"
"Thank you, Eisalka, yes, let's see what this boat hides from history first."
Khairam, torch in hand, turns around looking for a place to hold the torch. "Yes, good idea, we can look in the boats. These carvings don't show much without further research and access to the libraries of Sothis. " Khairam places his torch to give light, whilst he has has his two hands available to use his bow if required.
"Give me a moment, I'll just check it over first, don't want to fill the chamber with water and whot not, a certain way we'd drown. Mind you, no idea where any water would come from, I mean, more likely be sand trap in these parts." Khairam, mumbles to any who might listen. "Maybe I'm too worried after all those other bothersome traps and falsehoods we found. Oh I don't know looked sfe enough when I came in." he continues in his low growly voice, unsure what to expect next, just knowing that these tombs had more than a few interesting surprises. And often these surprises meant death to the unwary, and that isn't the sort of adventure he wanted spoken about by in his elder days. Well assuming he reached his elder days.
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Sionnach says his prayers and boosts all willing allies (himself included) with the divine guidance of the Pallid Princess and he readies his crossbow and stands just inside the entrance with his back to the wall to lay down cover fire if need be. "Don't worry, Khairam, I'll poke holes in the boats if they try to eat you," and he flashes a wolfish grin...or maybe a fox-like grin would be more accurate...?
Khairam takes a careful look around the room, but finds nothing suspicious in the stone. Akri retrieves the bag from the southern boat, and finds that it contains fine, tan dust. It's silky smooth, and seems to suck the moisture from one's hand.
Khairam carefully searches the boats as well for traps. As he approaches the boat to the north, he hears something: a faint scuttling sound, interspersed with faint buzzing as if from an insect's wings. And it's not just a few; there is a constant drone, muffled by the reeds.
Eisalka will fly up toward the ceiling and try to see what the buzzing sound might be in the boat.
Khairam watches Eisalka as the bird flies above the boat. "Mighty strange that noise, buzzing .... can't be insects surely, not in a tomb like this... undead insects I suppose that's a possibility....or could it be some mechanism .... I don't know..." Khairam contemplates his next move, he looks quizzically at his compatriots, his nose twitching as his eyes take in Akri, Sionnach and Man. Against his better judgement he asks his compatriots should they look further into the buzzing sound. "Well, do we see what makes that noise?"
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"Buzzing, you say?" Sionnach responds. "I can't imagine undead bugs would be beyond the realm of possibility. All things are possible with the Pallid Princess," he says, smiling reverently.
"Just so," he says, lowering his crossbow and reaching to his bandolier, "bugs and fire don't mix," and he pulls forth a flask from his bandolier. "Or perhaps," he says with his fox-like smile, "I should say they mix extremely well."