Vash's first arrow bisected the air between two of the advancing ghouls, but the second catches one of those two full in the chest, dropping it to the dust ground.
The last two sprint as hard as their emaciated bodies can be pushed, their hunger overwhelming...
Vash steps forward and swings his mineral sword at the ghoul.
Attack:
Damage:
Although a little slow to react to the danger, Nimaethep quickly recovered. Striding forward she stepped between Vash and the ghoul with the slightly orange hue. One quick strike to throw the vile creature off balance as she adopted the flowing style of her Ibis stance.
The fact that she did no hit the beast was unimportant as her primary goal was simply to keep it away from Vash and Harmini.
Teos takes a might chop at the advancing ghoul but it's unnatural quickness saves it from The Natron Fang's justice.
The other ghoul's advance is stopped by Nimaethep's confusing movements, stopping it from leaping upon Vash.
Vash moves to the northeast to get a clear shot at the ghoul facing Nimaethep, then fires an arrow at it’s torso from his Undead Bane Bow!
Vash's arrow causes and explosion of corrupted flesh and bone, sending the ghoul falling to the ground!
The sole remaining ghoul, undaunted in it's pursuit of fresh flesh to devour assails Teos, a chaotic swirl of teeth and claw...
...Teos manages to fend off it stinking maw and one long clawed hand, but the other hand scores a burning scratch down one arm
Combat Order
Vash
Ghouls
Harmini
Teos
Nimaethep
Fort Save:
Teos strikes back at the ghoul that damaged him!
Attack:
Damage:
Teos' crystalline sword cleaves the ghoul from shoulder to hip, spilling it's rotted innards out onto the sun bleached sand and dirt.
After the flurry of action, silence once again reigns in this part of the Necropolis...
"The way is now open... let's move before any more of these monsters show up!"
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Harmini replaces her wand in her wrist-sheath and nods to Teos.
"I couldn't agree more, my dear. According to our map, there is a compass in this old marketplace or at least very close by. Let's have a look around."
Harmini tries to stay close to Teos for protection but it is obvious that she is eager to find any signs of a device and starts searching.
"I believe the compass should be in the building the ghouls were trying to break into," says Vash, moving over that way and inspecting the building entrance. He scouts ahead and checks the door, opening it if it seems safe.
The door has signs of recent use. Beneath the ghoul tracks, you find traces of human footprints. The door is not locked.
Your exposure to embalming spices and chemicals allows you to discern the scent of unnatural chemical odors emanating from within...
Above the door a worn, washed out sign declares The Windward Wend Oil Company to be open for business.
"The door is unlocked, and I see evidence of recent human tracks. Shall we proceed?" asks Vash.
Nimaethep also examined the door, checking carefully for traps or snares. She frowned and wrinkled her nose as she concluded her examination. "I don't see any signs of traps, but there is the scent of chemicals coming from within."
She looked up at the sign "Any oil would be ancient, but it doesn't smell like rancid oil. Its more reminiscent of alchemy perhaps? They might have produced something other than oil, or someone else has taken up residence and is using their equipment for some other purpose? Either way, we should proceed with caution."
"Let us proceed with caution, then," replies Vash. He opens the door and moves into the building, looking around carefully and trying to be stealthy.
Nimaethep nodded and quietly followed. As her keen eyes adjusted to the dim interior she studied the room looking for dangers.
+1 for traps.
Teos, knowing that he cannot move very quietly, stays by the entry waiting for the others to motion him on.
Despite your efforts to remain unheard and unseen, when you enter the room beyond the door:
The air in this shop smells of food heavily seasoned with
coriander seed, garlic, and other spices, mingled with the earthy
aroma of decay. Bright stains mar the gray wooden shelves on
the walls. In the rear of the shop, a beaded curtain hangs over
an opening that leads deeper into the building.
...you see three men at ease at the back of the shop, two of whom immediately straighten up at your arrival.
They do not appear to be hostile....for the moment.
One of them calls out, "Well then, what can we do for you? We were assigned this area by the Grand Mausoleum..."
He's lying...
Nimaethep relaxed as there was no sign of undead "Haven't you been informed? The lottery is long since over. Were you trapped out here when the dead began to rise? We can escort you back to Wati if you need help."
"Nimaethep, we have work to do here. If these gentlemen are here on Mausoleum buiness, I am sure they will stay out of our way, since we are allies," responds Vash, though a memory of the silver chain thugs who tried to divert them from their mission earlier tickles at his brain as well.
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Strange. I didn't think anyone would be out here this long. Oh well. I hope this party is far more reasonable than the Scorching Hand. Don't see any religious fanatics so far. That's a good sign.
Harmini smiles, bows courteously and speaks calmly.
"How fortuitous for all of us. My name is Lady Harmini Wakestep and these are my companions, Nimaethep, Teos and Vash. Not many groups were able to survive their assignments unscathed, let alone with any profit to show for their efforts."
She pauses for introductions while casually shifting her stance, allowing her hefty coin purse to jingle a bit before continuing.
"We're looking for a device of little value to you but great worth to us. Perhaps we can strike a bargain?"
The man inclines his head in response to Harmini's politeness, "I'm sure we could..."
He frowns at Nimaethep's revelation, "Over is it?" the shrugs, an easy smile replacing the frown , "No matter, we took shelter here and will continue to do so. The Mausoleum will welcome the artifacts we've recovered."
He the looks back at Harmini, "What kind of bargain were you thinking of? "
Sense Motive:
Shaking his head at the foolishness of this group, Teos keeps watch at the door.
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Harmini presents her offer to the man, looking him directly in the eyes.
"Well. As it so happens, we were sent here personally by the high priestess of the Grand Mausoleum, Sebti the Crocodile to investigate the location of a device called an Elegiac Compass."
She continues to stare intensely while she speaks.
"If the device is indeed here, I simply suggest that you lead us to it. Show us the compass as well as any other artifacts that you've collected, allow us time to examine them privately and there'll be a shining platinum piece waiting for each of you when we're finished. Everyone gets what they want. Doesn't that sound nice?"
Harmini retrieves three platinum pieces from her belt pouch and holds them up to prove that she means what she says.
The man smiles at Harmini's 'suggestion', nodding, "Certainly. Boys..." he says, making a gesture with his hand.
One of the others, pull bulging back up from behind the counter and gently empties it onto the aged surface. A bounty of dusty trinkets and artifacts spill out.
The man frowns, "A compass you say, elegiac? Can't say I've ever heard of such a thing...." then he snaps his fingers, "Ah, it must have been that device we found. Alas, we stripped that down and sold it's parts....the frame is still there if you want a look."
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Hmm. disappointing...
"Ah! How lovely. Give us a moment with these treasures and then we would very much like the see the frame of the device."
Harmini casts a simple cantrip to ascertain whether any of the presented "artifacts" contain any magical properties. Then she will follow them to the frame.
While his friends are examining the items, Teos keeps an eye on the other group.
Nimaethep frowned in disappointment "Do you remember who you sold the parts to? If we must, we might have to try and purchase them back from the buyer."
None of the items show magical auras of any kind. Most look to be worthless, a few may of nominal value.
The other two men put the artifacts back in their bad, and return the gazes of Teos and Vash.
The man leads Harmini and Nimaethep back, answering Nimaethep on the way, shaking his head, "No, sorry. We use a few different middle men...the parts could be anywhere..."
He opens a door to the right, "The privy....still works amazingly.."
The he opened the door opposite, showing what was an old bed chamber. In the middle of the room, a familiar metal frame stands, bereft of even some of the structure you found at the Bath House. Beyond, a bed sags under the weight of a tall pile of wrapped mummies.
He stands in front of the curtain leading to a bigger room in the back.
Again you catch a wiff of the chemical odor you detected at the entrance, only much stronger here, coming from the back room.
Vash tags along, wanting to see if this compass is in any better shape...and is disappointed. Even without a wall crushing it, the structure appears to be stripped bare.
Seeing the mummies, Vash once more becomes suspicious, narrowing his eyes and evaluating the stack of wrapped bodies.
+4 more if Undead
Nothing too unusual about the mummies, except them being stacked on the b ed. Ordinarily, in these homes/businesses turned into tombs, the bodies would have been laid out in everyroom. The men obviously moved them in here to clear space for themselves.
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Ugh. Another dead end.
Harmini looks upon the pile of mummies and sighs. She then addresses the man leading them around.
"I think we've seen enough, my dear. A pity the device is no longer in working order. It would've been quite valuable otherwise, a great deal more than the sum its parts I'd wager... Alas. The time has come for us to conclude our business and part ways."
She motions for the man to lead them back to the entrance.
Vash nods and follows, consulting the map once outside to see where their next opportunity might be.
Nimaethep looked at the stacked bodies with disapproval: That the dead would be treated with such casual disrespect did not sit well with her, but still she held her tongue.
After examining the remains of the device they had been looking for, she wrinkled her nose and casually asked "What is in there? It smells foul." while pointed into the back room where the odour was coming from.
The man smiles and nods at Harmini's observation, but stays in front of the entrance to the back room, "After you..." he says politely.
The man smiles at Nimaethep, "Ah, one of my friends fancies himself an alchemist. What you smell is one of his concoctions...horrible isn't it!" he says, indicating that Nimaethep could proceed him back to the front of the shop.
He's sort of telling the truth. But, there's definitely more there than what he's telling.
You're sure the horrible smell is the result of someone back there creating the drug Mumia
You know that one of the main components in the creation of mumia is...corpses.
Nimaethep paused for a moment, she had no reason not to believe the man when he claimed one of his companions was performing some type of alchemy, but with that revelation everything fell into place and she realized what kind of alchemy was being performed.
She returned to the front room. "Thank you for your help. Because you have traded with us fairly and amicably, I would like to extend the favour.
The mumia that you are making, I can't allow that to continue. Under other circumstances I would feel obligated to turn you over to the Grand Mausoleum. But right now I think it would be best if we remained civil about the situation. Leave now and we can part ways without conflict. I will still report this activity when time allows, but I won't do anything now unless you compel me to.
The man nods along with Nimaethep, until she mentions mumia, when his face and manner become decidedly more nervous.
Still he maintains his composure, even with the worried glances sent his way by his two companions. A quick motion of his hand calms them.
With a sigh, he says, "Alas, you've caught me...well, rather my friend in back. As I said he fancies himself an alchemist, and I'm afraid he's been too successful. He's changed....he scares me. We'll leave, gladly. But I'd advise you to leave him be...like we have. "
He ponders for a moment, "You've been very....ah, civil. I can appreciate that. I'll leave you with something else, as you mentioned working for the High Priestess. Other than the rise in undead, we noticed a number of figures wearing golden masks using one of the smuggler's tunnels. We saw one such entering the Pyramid of Arithmetic Bliss. "
Vash draws his bow and asks, "Exactly what kind of change are you talking about? Has he become something...unnatural?"
The man looks at Vash, nodding, "Yes...that's the word...unnatural. He's always been an odd bug, but lately I've caught him looking at me, and the others....as if we were his next meal." he says, visibly shuddering.
”Hmmm...This drug has been known to transform its addicts into undead. You should leave now and forsake this way of life...We may never know how close you came to being eaten by your former friend,” warns Vash as he draws his bow and looks towards the back room.
Drawing his magically tempered rock salt sword, Teos steps forward.
"Mummies are my specialty. Perhaps we should check in on your friend!
The man looks from Vash's bow to Teos' strange sword, "Um...yes...we will leave. But first..." he says , turning to Harmini, "I believe we had a deal, pretty lady." . He holds his palm out to Harmini, obviously looking for his 3 platinum.
The man takes the coins and takes a sober look towards the back of the shop. Then he reaches under the counter and grabs a pack and motions the other two to follow. He stops at the door and asks, "Make it quick , if you can. He's not a bad man..." then with a motion of his head, lead the other two men out into the bright sunshine.
Nimaethep watched with mixed emotions as the men left. What they had done here was a travesty, an affront to Anubis and the sanctity of the tomb and those whose mortal remains rested within.
On the other hand she had run with people like them in days past. These men seemed reasonable and even sympathetic towards the plight of their fellow. She had certainly encountered far worse individuals during her days as a lowly thief. They were not necessarily evil or even bad men. It did not absolve them of their crimes, but it did temper her judgement of them.
However she felt on the matter though, she was glad that this situation was resolved peacefully. They had much more important matters to attend to and getting into unnecessary fights would jeopardize that. Still, the potentially mumia afflicted alchemist was a different matter.
"Let's put an end to this travesty."
She drew out her wand of shielding and quietly approached the door to the back where the stench was emanating from.
Teos moves along with the catfolk monk and once everyone is in position, he pulls the door open and rushes in to confront the deviant alchemist.
You enter the back room and you find that a stinging chemical stink fills this room, which is separated from the rest of the building by a bead curtain. Shards of broken glass and scraps of desiccated flesh litter the floor, along with a jumble of crockery, bundled herbs, and dismembered mummified limbs.
At the other end of the room , a robed figure leans over a table laden with alchemical instruments.
The beaded curtain rustles as you enter, and the figure turns, "Oshwyt, I told you not to disturb me...who are...what are...no.. no..no...arrrrrr" he says, his words devolving into a growl of hunger and agony.
With lightning quick reflexes he leaps across the room, his motions and face reminiscent of the ghouls you faced recently outside.
Initiative
Order of Combat
Alchemist
Teos
Vash
Nimaethep
Harmini
So fast is the alchemist's attack, that he's on Teos before the warrior can react...
The alchemist's hunger is immense and he falls on Teos in a flurry of gnashing teeth and slashing claws. Most uncomfortably is the noises and muttered words coming from him, sounding exactly like someone biting into a favorite meal.
Overwhelming the chemical smell, the alchemist brings with him the charnel stink of the grave....