Turel helps himself to the Hammer and pitons, stowing them in his pack. "It seems to me these carvings have some historical value. Harmose. I think recording them is a good way to honor one of the Three Rules, if not all of them."
He nods in respect to Aleris' prayer. "While this unfortunate soul was less than worthy to enter this tomb, dying alone is a torturous way to pass into judgement. I pray he found release from his torment."
Assuming nothing else unusual is discovered about the doors, Turel waves Camus over. "Let us get this door open. Just in case something lurks on the other side, I will push it open and you cover me with your blade."
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There aren't any mirrors, as in reflective surfaces. The "mirrored images" means that the two warrior engravings are horizontally flipped copies of each other, so that there are two warriors facing each other, one facing left, the other facing right.
Turel pushes open the double doors to area A4.
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The walls of this ten-foot-wide corridor feature bas-relief carvings of great battles. Armies with spears and shields clash at the direction of generals, while other leaders direct troops from chariots that are ruthlessly overrunning their enemies. Engraved stone double doors stand at either end of the hallway.
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The engravings on the insides of both sets of doors resemble those in area A3, except that Akhentepi is depicted as an older man riding in a chariot. He carries the same scarab shield, but his other arm points at his own reflected depiction on the opposite door.
Harmose pokes his head through the doors, and double checks the reality of A4 against the map.
"A simple hallway. I distrust it already. I love that it depicts armies ruthlessly overrunning enemies."
He looks around at the rest of the group.
"Since everyone has to come through here, this looks like a great place for one trap or several, and I think we all can agree that we are overdue."
He passes the map back to Tuneya. "How do we want to proceed? I have a message spell if you or Camus want to scout ahead for traps that can keep us in communication with each other."
"Is there a story behind why it's his preferred weapon? There's one behind why Shelyn favors the glaive."
"There is, but it is a long one that tells of how Horus first battled Set to protect Osirion from the encroaching desert." He pauses, and takes a deep breath. "If we get out of this alive, maybe you and I can share the stories at length. Over dinner, perhaps?"
Harmose, WHAT are you doing?! She's a teammate, and you're asking her out on a DATE.
It's not a date, it's a conversation.
It's a date, and YOU know it.
"We can bring the whole team together," Harmose says, backpedaling. "I think some stories would be a good way to calm down once we're past the danger."
Aleris ponders a moment as she considers what an appropriate prayer in this situation might be, before kneeling down beside the man's body and bowing her head. "Though all must someday meet the Lady of Graves and face her judgement, a person's actions in life reach beyond death and ripple down through the ages. May your memory live on in the ripples brought about by your life - those whom you loved, and those that loved you, for love is the greatest of all things."
Harmose kneels in prayer beside her, and adds one of his own. Lord Horus, could you ask your father Osiris to guide this poor unfortunate home to his own proper afterlife?
"Thank you, Aleris. That was beautiful."
Just like you.
Tuneya nods to Harmose. Right now, she is not paying attention to the body behind her. As she moves by it, she steps whispers beneath her breath by it; anyone who is close can hear it is a silent prayer to Pharasma for the departed. And then, she moves on, her eyes focused straight ahead. She moves slowly, carefully looking for traps, though anyone who looks at her can tell that she is a bit distraught and seems to have been since moving past the dead body.
"I believe this is telling his life story. It would make sense. A place of his final resting that celebrates his life and accomplishments. It is a marvel to behold. I am just sorry they needed to protect it as they did. If such a need had never existed, who knows how much more beautiful they could have made places."
She nods to Aleris. "I'm glad to help! And when we get back, if I have all of my bombs left I can demonstrate the traditional Osirion stuff-blowing-up dance!"
She smiles at her joke, not even hiding that she made it up on the spot.
If Tuneya is moving forward, there is now a message spell on her. Yes, this hallway is not long, but Harmose likes to be prepared.
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Turel sees the interaction between Harmose and Aleris and turns his face away wondering why he feels so...sad all of a sudden.
Why do I feel this way? Harmose has been generous to me. He is like a brother to me, I should be happy for him. Aleris is a perfect match for him in every way. I must...
Aleris' words startle him as he had not expected a reply. "You are a...very forgiving person, Aleris. That is an admirable quality."
He then steps into the hallway looking around him at the ceiling and floor looking for any signs of traps...while noticeable avoiding her eyes.
Get a hold of yourself! We have work to do here!! He grabs his wooden pole and moves next to Tuneya. "Allow me to help you check for tripwires and other triggers. It is best not to trigger them with your body if possible." As the Keleshite woman moves down the corridor, Turel stays behind her using his pole to probe ahead of her.
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Tuneya nods her appreciation, and makes certain to keep slow enough Turel can check in front of her easily.
Camus gives a malicious smile
"Heya Harmose I didnt know you were into Snow White too, it did look like you had a thing Ms. creepy over there. You know i wouldnt want to see her mad personally"
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I heard that, Camus my dear.
Regina gives Camus a mischievous smile.
And I'm sooo glad someone understands me.
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Crap! You've been outed. By Camus. He whose name appears under the phrase "Socially clueless" in the dictionary. If Camus can see how you feel about Aleris, you're slipping, Harmose...
I told you that getting involved with a teammate would mess up the team dynamic. See?
It was just a conversation...
...with someone you're completely infatuated with. And everyone on your team can see through you right now. What will you do? Your usual? Cover up? Lie? Run?
Harmose raises an eyebrow, calms his breathing, and prepares to raise his walls and lie. And then he looks at Aleris.
No. I don't lie to lovers. Horus help me, but I'm already thinking of her as one...
"You caught me, Camus," Harmose says, quietly. "I like Aleris a lot. Maybe even enough to want to ask her out to dinner after all this is over."
He glances over at Aleris. This isn't the way I wanted to tell you.
"But we're a team, and we have a dangerous job to do right now. Can we set aside my romantic interests for the moment so that we can watch over Tuneya and Turel?"
Aleris has TEETH, Harmose thought, admiringly. Who knew she could be fierce?
Her hair had whipped in a breeze that had startled him, there in the otherwise still air of the tomb, and her grey blue eyes looked more stormy than usual. He felt a stirring of more than just interest as he contemplated how hot she looked right then.
Always with a mind of its own. Now is NOT the time.
Well, here's one thing the bedsheet has going for it. It's untailored and roomy, and thus can hide a variety of sins.
He caught Aleris's glance at him, but there was such a mix of emotions on her face he could not quite read its meaning.
Still, he reflected on what Aleris said, and smiled. "Us", he thought. She had said, "us."
Then he turned resolutely back to peering down the hallway, marshaling his thoughts firmly back on his teammates.
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As Turel moves slowly down the corridor probing in front of his partner Tuneya, his mind drifts back to when he met Aleris and Harmose for the first time.
Was it just the day before? It seems as if I have known them all of my life. There is a bond between us...but what sort of bond? When I see Aleris...I...I do not know what to think of her. It is as if she is carrying my thoughts away with her. And Regina, she is so...fascinating....I know not what to make of her. She terrifies me and yet draws me to her...
.
.
and Harmose...my heart says you are a rival to me, and yet you are also ...something else to me...I...I know not what yet. But when I see you, I see the obelisk towering over you. That trumps all other concerns.
He lets loose a breath he realized he had not been holding and sees Tuneya has moved ahead of him slightly. He also realizes he has clenched the pole so tightly his fingers ached with the strain. Flexing his fingers to restore the blood flow to them, he steps forward nodding to Tuneya to continue onwards.
That MUST trump ALL else!
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Tuneya tries her best not to react to the conversation behind her. The lovely thing about the magic in play was that it was perfectly helping her hear everything. Finally, seeing she has pulled against of Turel, she sighs and stops, then looks back. It didn't help that, being mere feet away, she could hear some of what they said.
"Considering I married one of my teammates, I can honestly say I have no problems with you two hooking up. Grats, Harmose, she's beautiful. But can we please save this until we're not in the trap-filled tomb of doom and despair?"
She then realizes exactly how she sounds and facepalms. "By the eternal blessings of Pharasma... I've turned into Master Turin. I can't believe I'm on this end of that conversation."
She then looks to the three hanging back. "Okay, I'm being a bit of a hypocrite. Can we please secure the area first?"[/b] She then looks to Camus. "And can I get your help? If I were them, I would have trapped this hallway enough to make a master trapsmith weep with joy."
She then shakes her head, smiling. [i]Izola is going to laugh herself catatonic when she reads about this. I'll write her a letter about it as soon as we're done.
Camus opens his mouth and closes it again. He tried to notice all which his simple comment had started.
"Hey erm, how can I say this... I had no idea that was serious Harmose man, I was just you know... teasing you"
I maybe should laugh my ass of now, but I wont, something tells me it's enough for one day
Camus tried to hide his amused face, trying to keeep a serious face
*shrugs*
"Hey snowy dont take it personal, unlike many other times it was not my intention... this time at least. But whats done its done aint it? "
Direct toward everyone trying to focus on tasks ahead
"Alright guys lets scan this, later we will have time to play to lovey dovey's game"
"Altought I dont mind some action later one
Giving a mischievous smile to Regina
'Yes, Tuneya," Harmose says, looking distinctly chagrined at Tuneya's lecture. "We can wait until we're out of the 'trap-filled tomb of doom and despair.'"
Harmose sighs at Camus continuing NOT to use Aleris's real name. Tuneya would kill me if I started a fight with him right now. If I'm to be her student, I have to show her that I can listen.
Still... How obtuse can the man be? I am going to have my work cut out for me, helping him win that Kema of his...
He says gently to Camus, "I believe that Tuneya just asked you for trap-disabling backup. Maybe you should go out there and help her?"
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You can Take 20 on Perception, it just takes 20 times as long. I am going to interpret that you take your time with this room (Take 20). Tuneya finds that the two westernmost squares, right in front of the double doors leading deeper into the tomb, are trapped. She has not yet set it off. Has everyone moved into room A4, or is someone still left in room A3? >;)
Harmose asks over message spell on Tuneya:
"So you found a trap. I've asked Camus to join you. Do you think the two of you will be able to disable it? Do you need any further help?"
He pauses a moment, and then asks, "Can you tell at all where the trap is aimed? Is it possible to position yourself somewhere else while you disable it?"
"Stand back, I am gonna try disarming it"
Camus disarms the trap with timely precision on mere seconds.
"Easy, it seems this should be enough. Alright guys, we can move along now"
"Very nicely done, Camus!"
Harmose comes into the room, A4. "Are the doors themselves safe to open?"
"Do we follow the same procedure going into this next room as we did before?"
Camus will go forth to A5, drawing his sword while he aproaches, he tries to notice anything which may be of particular interst or dangerous
If Camus is charging forward, Harmose will step back away from the door and let him past.
Well, I guess there's my answer.
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A5:
A faded tapestry hangs on a wooden frame on the western wall of this chamber. Faded and delicate, the tapestry depicts a middle-aged man, accompanied by a woman and two children, with a small estate in the background. To either side of the tapestry are two small pedestals, upon which sit two dead and preserved animals. Stone double doors exit the chamber to the north, south, and east.
Turel nods to Harmose as Camus proceeds into the next room. "Stay here while Camus and I check this out." He then follows Camus close behind, spear at the ready, watching for danger. He pays close attention to the pedestals where the preserved animals are sitting.
Regina inspects the tapestry.
Hmmmm dearies. How prosaic. When do we get to the fun stuff?
Her eyes glance back, ever so briefly, to the rotting corpse of the thief.
Harmose peeks head in door after Turel and Camus state what they've found.
"Actually, tombs are supposed be a reflection of the prosaic daily life of an individual. This tapestry looks too frail to move, but I'm sure that once Tuneya studies it, she can tell us more about who Akhentepi was. Maybe even it will provide clues for later on."
"Don't worry, I'm sure that there will be gold or other valuables once we get closer to Akhentepi himself. The ancient Osirions believed that they really could take all their wealth with them when they went. Akhentepi is more modern, but traditions die hard."
Still Harmose noted to himself that the "treasure" found so far was largely intangible. Perhaps we can sell rubbings of the walls to various libraries and places of learning in town? Maybe there are trapsmiths who will happily purchase the parts of a largely intact trap mechanism? Looking down at the trap pieces left in the hallway, Harmose shuddered. My team. Those nasty darts could have gone through Tuneya, Turel or Camus. Thank Horus that Camus was able to disable it.
Lacking anything better to do, Harmose takes notes on what was found so far, and tries to record the writings on the tapestry as he had watched Tuneya do. If you're going to study with Tuneya, you might as well make yourself useful now.
He also makes an attempt at drawing the tapestry figures themselves.
It's a blocky, stick figure-like diagram, but everything is clearly labeled.
"Turel, do let us know when you think it's safe for us to come in. It's hard to record notes at this angle."
Camus looks for traps, or takes 20 if possible
While Camus and Turel check for traps, Harmose puts away the drawing material and then pulls out the map.
"After this room, we will have a choice. We can see what is in the northern wing -- the small set of rooms labeled A6, A7 and A8 -- or we can proceed to the main part of the tomb by going straight to A9."
He tilts the map and frowns. "We're contracted to explore the whole tomb, so I'd normally vote to get the short wing completed first. However, I have no idea what the structure depicted in A6 is supposed to be. It looks rather ominous to my untrained eyes. Tuneya, do you have any idea what it might be?"
" I see no reason not to check out the north wing. There probably are additional historical clues about Akhentepi." Turel responds to Harmose. "There is only one way to find out what that structure is in the north chamber."
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Tuneya reaches over to pat Camus, smiling. She was very glad he spotted the trap and disarmed it!
I was just trying to get him away from Harmose and Aleris before they killed him. I'm glad I did!
She moves into the next room, carefully looking around for traps [ooc]and taking 20 on this if possible[/ooce], and nods to herself once she has identified any. She then glances to the tapestry, distracted by it for the moment, and quickly tries to translate it.
"I would suggest the north chamber as well. Isolated like it is, it might hold valuables or artifacts worth our time. But, I bet it's heavily trapped..."
And then, reminding herself there are traps, she looks back to any she has identified and informs the party of them.
Regina smiles.
Your strategy is sound, my dear. But hang a moment, I may be able to help.
I have a special affinity for locating creatures of the crypt. It....comes in handy at times.
She concentrates strongly for a minute or so to the North , walking slowly toward the room and sweeping her gaze Eastward as far as she can without actually entering the room.
The hairs on the back of Harmose's neck stand up and his eyes widen.
An affinity for the crypt? So it's true! Regina's... like me.
He shivers suddenly, and then tries to take a deep breath to hide how he feels, from everyone.
Harmose is trying to hide that he's freaked, and failing miserably.
Still shaking, he tries to calm himself by asking Tuneya in a far too casual tone, "Did you learn anything from the Tapestry?"
Turel glances at Regina out of the corner of his eye as she glides into the room. Prosaic? Does that mean ordinary? She certainly is not like that!
As Regina starts moving to the north side of the crypt, he moves in close to her protectively, eyes watchful for any threat. Having seen his tribal shaman perform this type of detection spell before, he waits patiently for her to finish.
Inhaling Regina's perfume proves to be quite distracting, so Harmose's unusual response escapes his notice.
Regina is too focused on her future minions possible adversaries to notice anything amiss with Harmose.
Thank you, Turel dear. It's nice to have someone strong protecting you.
Harmose leans against the wall, feeling a sudden warm furry weight land in his arms. Wenet puts her paws on his chest and bumps her nose against his. Despite himself, he laughs though the tone sounds, even to him, just on the edge of hysterical.
"What are you doing here, Wenet?" he asks softly. "I did not summon you."
Then he looks up, registering the warmth of Aleris's touch on his arm. And the question that came from the one person in the room he could not lie to.
"I'm not sick. I just had... a flashback. I haven't had one of those for years." The last one was when I was twelve.
He looked up into her clear eyes, now looking more a soft grey than blue. Fascinating. They change color.
"The story is a long one. Can we add it to the list of things we have to talk about once we get out of here?" Still supporting Wenet with one arm, he reached the other one up to touch Aleris's hand.
Harmose watches Aleris leave as his breathing calms. Oh great, he thinks gloomily. She really believes you are ill. Wonderful way to impress someone before your first date.
And what will she think when you tell her the truth?
He scratches the rabbit's ears.
There's only one way to find out.
He strokes Wenet one last time before scooting her back to her tattoo. "Go back in where you're safe, little one."
Then he gets up, breathes deeply, and joins the others by the tapestry.
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The tapestry is a portrait of Akhentepi, his wife, and two children, depicted standing before their family home. Characters who study the tapestry and succeed at a DC 10 Linguistics check can discern several symbols and hieroglyphs that suggest that Akhentepi’s family befell some tragedy, possibly murder or sickness, and he was left widowed.
Knowledge (nature) might be useful in identifying the preserved animals on the small pedestals. Untrained would be sufficient there as the DC is pretty low.
There do not appear to be any traps in A5. As you have surmised, you now have a choice of going north to A6 or south to A9. The north and south doors open without difficulty onto short stairways that descend to additional sets of doors.
The group was awarded 600XP for disabling the corridor dart trap. You are now 20% of the way to level 2.
Harmose looks at his notebook, then back at the tapestry. The symbols were starting to make sense!
"Tuneya," he said, excited, "I think I've made some of this out. Could you double check my translation?"
He runs the translation past Tuneya, sounding out each of the ancient Osiriani symbols slowly.
Then, suddenly, it occurs to him what he read. "That poor man. How lonely he must have been!"
What are those preserved animals?
Harmose contemplates once again his abysmal ignorance. I will FURNISH my house with knowledge. It will take time, but I will do it!
-Posted with Wayfinder