Left in solitude Deseri crouched down and wraps her arms around her knees and waits for the others to returns. Now why did I go and do that?cowards don't like to be alone. Lost in thought she stays in her little ball until everyone else is practicality standing over her.
"I'm..." Harmose pauses, trying to decide what he is. Panicked? No. Not anymore, at least. Embarrassed? No. These are friends. "...remembering. That thing made me remember how I died. Well, not just me. My guards. My nanny. They had all been my friends, and then..." Harmose's hands are shaking, and he deliberately stills them. He breathes deeply. In. Out. In. Out. One breath following the next. "We all have things that we'd rather forget. That memory was one of the ones that tops my list."
He frowns and then meticulously straightens his clothes before descending back into the Crypt. Pulling out his notebook, he prepares to take notes. Why? Because maybe the physical act of committing pen to paper will keep him from going over the edge again. He needs something to do, something to prove that he is more than the terrified nine year old that he was so long ago.
As they come across Des, he offers her a hand up, and smiles with a confidence he does not fully feel. "So. Let's get another look at that Sarcophagus, shall we? Anything that is set to cause that kind of panic attack has got to be rather interesting, don't you think?"
Harmose goes down the steps, preparing to take a good long hard look at that mummified and memory-inducing cat.
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With a false smile to match Harmoses she take his hand to get up. Oh I am certain it will be fascinating. Maybe we will get lucky and that was the worst of it. Clearly she does not think that is a possible future though.
Favoring her injured leg a little more than usual she is content to fall back into her normal spot at the back of the group. Once back near the Sarcophagus morbid curiosity pulls her foward
Polux stands guard over the sarcophagus - Now would be a BAD time for anything to jump at me - the thought crosses his mind as he hears the others scuffling about, and he grips the longspear slightly harder.
Kito hesitates a little before entering the room. "We released something..."
She then inches her way up to the Sarcophagus and looks inside. Perplexed, she then casts Detect Magic and tries to figure out what happened.
"A magical cat?" she faintly mutters as she concentrates on the spell.
"No idea - everything has been dead silent since you guys... Huh... Left" - Polux comments to Aleris - "How are you by the way?" - he asks the others.
"I believe we should check with the church, but may want to leave the cat here. Although it is what caused the feelings of dread, it also prevents the corpse from ever becoming undead."
She thinks a moment, then adds "We should be very careful of who we talk to about this. Having opened the sarcophagus, we have used up the magic which causes the panic, so any looters would have no problem stealing the cat."
Turel nods in reply, "A wise call here. Perhaps the Church of Pharasma can take additional steps to prevent more looters from disturbing his remains." He glances around the crypt thoughtfully. "though considering the evils we have already encountered, I fear the tomb may have been violated at some point anyway."
Shrugging, Kito says "I can not say. All I can say is that as long as the item stays in place that body will not rise as an undead."
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Harmose's feelings are mixed as he stares at the cat mummy. Is that why it had evoked those memories in you? Harmose, did it sense the undead monster in your past?
On the other hand, if he had had such a thing on him long ago, he never would have risen. They couldn't have turned him into a monster. Part of him aches to snatch it, take it, never let it go. That thing... it would be like a promise that he would never ever become a monster again. It could be his salvation.
The temptation is too much. Harmose calms his trembling hands, and turns resolutely away from the cat. "I never knew before that there were ways to prevent becoming an undead other than sanctifying a burial place. Are there other... less gruesome.... methods?"
The intellectual side of him realizes that this is treasure. Perhaps the biggest treasure in this house. More money that would pay off the debt he owes his parents, but there are better ways to earn that.
Feeling uncomfortable with the cat and the corpse, Harmose nods. "I'll not be the one to disturb Pentheru the Younger's rest. Let's go through the other rooms one more time, make sure that there is nothing else we missed."
And get the hells away from that memory-invoking cat!
"Well, is this it, then? Do we need to finish cataloging things and head back to town? If there are no more rooms or floors, I think we have completed our task."
Harmose nods. "Yes, let's finish cataloging things and head back into town to make our report back to the church."
Smiling at Polux, Yes. All better now.
Glancing into the sarcophagus and staring at the jar cat. It is no stranger looking than the corpse next to it. And considering its purpose it is beautiful. Death is painful but this one had a purpose. Content to stand their staring at it while the others move about. There is nothing there. Why did I lose control like that?
Still gazing at the mummified corpses she calls out the others, So that is it for this area? Then we talk to the church and we are given another area?
Smiling at Polux, Yes. All better now.
Polux's hand reaches out to grasp one of Deseri's - "Good" - he nods - "No point in stressing about something that was nothing more than a scare, right?" - his grip is strong, yet relaxed, maybe because he did not receive the full brunt of the magical effects earlier - "At least this cat is just there lying still" - he chuckles, slightly squeezing her hands again, and moving back to te sarcophagus.
"I think that's it, aside from what jewelry he was buried with," Aleris agrees. "It looks like we're done here, thankfully. I didn't know things like the cat mummy existed either and I'm not sure that I really wanted to know, to be honest..."
"Huh... We're not taking these?" - Polux pipes in, as he was already picking up the mask and pendant from the sarcophagus - "If we don't, anyone can just waltz in here and take it, right..? Actually, anyone can do the same with the cat... Thing..." - he shrugs.
Smiling at Polux, Yes. All better now.[dice=Sense Motive]d20+9
Polux's hand reaches out to grasp one of Deseri's - "Good" - he nods - "No point in stressing about something that was nothing more than a scare, right?" - his grip is strong, yet relaxed, maybe because he did not receive the full brunt of the magical effects earlier - "At least this cat is just there lying still" - he chuckles, slightly squeezing her hands again, and moving back to te sarcophagus.
Raising an eyebrow at Polux's odd behavior but dismissing it while firmly content that her lie is believed.
"I think that's it, aside from what jewelry he was buried with," Aleris agrees. "It looks like we're done here, thankfully. I didn't know things like the cat mummy existed either and I'm not sure that I really wanted to know, to be honest..."
"Huh... We're not taking these?" - Polux pipes in, as he was already picking up the mask and pendant from the sarcophagus - "If we don't, anyone can just waltz in here and take it, right..? Actually, anyone can do the same with the cat... Thing..." - he shrugs.
Staring wide eyed at Polux as he picks up the mask and pendant. If we take it we are giving it to the church so that they can find a way to keep it safe, right?
"Huh... Sure, I guess" - Polux smiles.
"But if we just leave it here, won't simply any looter be able to wade in and take it? Isn't that exactly what we are supposed to prevent in a way?" - Polux inquires.
"I don't think we can carry the whole sarcophagus, and the cat must stay with the body." Kito points out, as if it were fact. Hadn't I already explained that?
"The rest we should catalogue and take with us now."
Turel nods in agreement, "I agree with Kito here. While we cannot prevent the tomb from being violated again, at least we can inform the Church about this and arrange for some protection of the Crypt."
"I wasn't planning on taking the body, the sarcophagus, nor the cat Kito" - Polux chuckles - "I was talking about the mask and the pendant, though on second thought, even if we leave the cat behind someone may come back and take it, defeating its purpose here anyway" - he shrugs, but doesn't touch the mummified animal, instead storing only the two other items.
Harmose keeps his hands busy by taking notes. "We're taking everything but the cat." He nods, calmer now. "Let's double check our inventory, and then pack up."
"Polux, do you want to start appraising these items?"
"Sure" - Polux nods.
Content to stay out of the way as the others take their notes, this part is still abnormal to her. Staying in the back of the group lost in thought as they leave that horrid shrine of the dead and return to a world of life.
The further away from the Necropolis they get the better she feels. Yep I am a big coward. Slowly starting to hum and dance around. Twisting around to a rhythm in her head. Pulling the scarf out of her head and integrating the scarf into her twirling.
Seeing Des twirl around, Harmose smiles a real smile for the first time since the cat scared him.
He points his finger and whispers with message spell. "I feel that way too, now that we're leaving of this city of the dead."
The sun is shining. As they pass through the Necropolis, and past the pit of smacking lips, Harmose grins and takes Aleris's hand. "Have I told you today how lucky I am to have you?"
"That certainly could have gone worse. I wonder if there was some other trap we bypassed that we were to blindly run into when the magic sent us scurrying? That could have been a disaster. But, I guess we mark things down as a great success!"
Kito looks over the recently acquired mask and pendant but has nothing to add to what Polux already knew.
Harmose nods. "Any trip to this place where we come out intact is a good trip."
As she follows the others out of the necropolis, Kito moves up beside Turel.
Looking hopeful, she asks "Turel, do you know someone in the church we contact about the cat?" That should be obtuse enough that even if someone is listening in, they will lack context.
Turel, who had been lost in thought ever since the party left the Crypt, looks up from his musings on Kito's words. "Ahhhh...Yes...yes of course Kito. When I talk with my friend later, I will certainly mention to her about the cat."
It seems as if Kito is concerned about looters even at this stage. If she is concerned, then so am I.
Seeing Des twirl around, Harmose smiles a real smile for the first time since the cat scared him.
He points his finger and whispers with message spell. "I feel that way too, now that we're leaving of this city of the dead."
Not bothering to stop her uncoordinated inopportune dance. She moves around the others to be near Harmose for a moment Deseri offers Harmose a big grin then flouncing back to the outskirts of the group so that one on is victim to her wildly swinging arms and scarf that reaches out even further.
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Harmose raises an eyebrow. "It's good to let your mind wander sometimes," he says gently. "But if you ever feel lost, we can try to wander through whatever it is together. Just tell me. Wherever you go, there I'll be too."
Turel nods in reply to Aleris. "I agree with you Aleris. The Temple should be the first stop this time. I think all of the items found in the Crypt should at the very least be shown to the Church, so should they turn up later in whatever black market exists here we can track them down." He pauses, rubbing his forehead. "Of course I have no say as to what the Church decrees here, but I think I can influence the decision here."
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Everyone may make Relationship rolls for Day 9. 1d20 + Charisma modifier for one NPC of your choice. Current relationships can be found at this link.
Those of you who go to report at the Grand Mausoleum (the temple of Pharasma, which is the biggest and most influential temple and religion in Wati) will be individually interviewed by the priests about the site. Each of those reporting in will be asked to answer the following questions:
"What were your general impressions of the site? What things do you feel are important for historians to record about the House of Pentheru?"
"Do you feel you have explored the site fully? Were there any aspects that were left unanswered or confounded you? Suspected secret doors, anything of the kind?"
These are individual interviews, so you are not aware of what other people reporting in have said to the priests, unless you choose to share with each other afterwards.