Hoping the others can drop the monster quickly Francis retches at the stink but calls on Pharasma for healing.
[ooc]Mainly trying to keep Elliander from dying. Channel is SU so won't be interupted and won't draw an AoO.[/dice]
Fireday, the 30th day of Gozran, 4714 AR
Weather is clear and fairly hot by mid-afternoon.
Three hours after sunrise.
----------------------------------------------
Amenhep drives his spear into the creature, impaling it before it causes any further harm! The ghoulish-looking half-orc is definitely dead. Again. Francis channels positive energy, healing himself a bit and bringing Elliander back to the land of the living! Though the duskblade still looks to be in bad shape.
--------------------------------------------
PC Health & Adventure Notes
Francis 44/47 [Prayer/Sickened (-1 penalty to attack/damage/saves/skill checks) for 5 rounds; Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 3 minutes; Shield of Faith (+3 deflection bonus to AC) for 3 minutes]
Amenhep 51/51 [Prayer (+1 luck bonus to attack/damage/saves/skill checks) for 5 rounds; Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 3 minutes; Spear is shedding Light (20’)]
Elliander 6/57 [Prayer (+1 luck bonus to attack/damage/saves/skill checks) for 5 rounds; Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 3 minutes; Shield is shedding Light (20’); Detecting for Magic Auras; Armor Crystal - DR 1, has absorbed 6 (of 10) damage this day]
Soumral 45/45 [Prayer (+1 luck bonus to attack/damage/saves/skill checks) for 5 rounds; Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 3 minutes; Mage Armor (+4 armor bonus to AC) for 57 minutes]
Rediz 35/35 [Prayer (+1 luck bonus to attack/damage/saves/skill checks) for 5 rounds; Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 5 minutes; +4 to Perception and Darkvision 60’ (Crypt Breaker’s Draught) for 22 minutes; +2 to Perception and trained Knowledge checks (Heightened Awareness) for 57 minutes; Barkskin (+3 natural bonus to AC) for 57 minutes]
Amenhep wrenches his spear from the rotting body of the half-orc, ”And so the blasphemy is purged once more. Oh lord Ra, I give my thanks to you.” He extends a hand to Elliander to help him to his feet, ”You fight bravely, even in the face of death.”
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Elliander reaches consciousness again and realizes he’s not dead. Almost instinctively, he reaches out and grabs his sword from the floor. The Biter feels satisfied, but the duskblade is hurting all over. Elliander starts to get up on one knee, still bleeding. Thankfully, Amenhep aids him standing up. Elliander gives a nod of thanks.
”Fast bastard. Got a jump on me. Had to stop it somehow as I felt it wasn’t going to leave us alone.”
He gives the defeated half-orc a kick with his foot, just for good measures, but then grimaces as his arm hurts badly.
While the rest takes a look-around, Elliander uses his Healing Belt, taxing the belt carefully, to get the most out of it. He saves the last charge.
There’s no hurry, so use it two times, with one charge each.
hp
hp
Feeling a little better, but far from alright, he grabs his shield again.
”Any charges left in those healing wands?” he asks.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Soumral is glad things didn't go as far as she feared they might, but a little concerned and annoyed that Amenhep explicitly chose to ignore her warning.
"So we're on the same page Amenhep, if I tell you to move back it's because I'm about to do something that will be messy. I'm warning you that you will almost certainly be affected or injured by what's coming next. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"If you do understand now, the next time you decide to say put and shout things about your god rather than getting out of the way, I'm going to assume you're fine with whatever happens to you because your god is just that fantastic and go ahead anyway. Are we clear?"
"Let me be specific. If that thing hadn't dropped right when it did, I was going to open up a pit right under it to drop it in. You'd have dropped in as well most likely. I figured most people wouldn't be to happy to be down there so I said something first. If you see things differently, please go ahead and disregard my future warnings."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
”You asked of me simply to retreat, but did not tell me why. I thought you asked me to step back so that the beast would not strike me. My duty is to protect, to never back down from evil and wickedness. My defense is strong and Ra protects me when the need is great, and so I knew I would be safe from it. Had you told me of your plan I would have listened.”
"There's a thing called giving away an advantage. If I stand there spooling out a whole long explanation, it also knows what coming and can act to counter what I'm about to do. Anyway, now you know."
This whole place is heavy with religion and thoughts about afterlife, Elliander thinks to himself. Francis holy symbol had helped them from getting attacked by the tiles before. Maybe it would have helped against the half-orc too?
“See if you can find anything that can be used as a holy symbol of sorts. Those who work here must have a way to protect themselves from traps or identify that they belong here.”
|
Hearing Soumral and Amenhep discussing Battlefield tactics Rediz can't stop himself quipping back at them. "You better head her warning Warrior of the thun. When old Voss dethided he knew better, next thing he knows he is finding himself in a sea of grease in the middle of a bunch of thceletons. He was lucky that thtey could dance even worse than him. And to be fair Soumral then gave him a hand getting out of it."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Soumral smiles slightly at the memory Rediz brings up, but her expression is sad.
"Yeah, and I really liked Voss."
While the others discuss tactics and such, Francis pulls his wand of healing and works on Elliander.
"That should be enough for now? Where to next?
”I must confess, too, that it has been long since I fought alongside equals, or even anyone at all. When others depend on your example, or you fight alone, any step back is simply not an option. But now I do fight with equals. I shall do my best to heed your words, Soumral.”
While the rest still argues about tactics, Elliander searches the half-orc for anything useful. He is especially interested in any sign, like a holy symbol, she carries to allow her to roam freely down here.
When he’s done, he carefully ventures forward into the room she came from, looking for the same.
Francis helps Elliander heal up again and he thanks the cleric. It feels good to have his wounds close up and the pain recede, but the duskblade worries that his carelessness may have cost them too many charges of that precious healing wand. Without the healing, he wouldn’t have been much further use to the team as a frontline fighter though.
While the rest still argues about tactics, Elliander searches the half-orc for anything useful. He is especially interested in any sign, like a holy symbol, she carries to allow her to roam freely down here.
When he’s done, he carefully ventures forward into the room she came from, looking for the same.
[dice=Perception]1d20+4+1
Fireday, the 30th day of Gozran, 4714 AR
Weather is clear and fairly hot by mid-afternoon.
Three hours after sunrise.
----------------------------------------------
The party discusses battle tactics as Elliander’s wounds are healed up so that one wouldn’t even know he’d been on the brink of death just moments earlier. The duskblade leads the way into what is quite obviously a mummification chamber. However, besides the finely crafted breastplate armor worn by the half-orc (non magical), the contents of the jars and bottles found are unusable and worthless – having long ago lost their potency, now reduced to a sticky-looking residue.
--------------------------------------------
PC Health & Adventure Notes
Francis 44/47 [Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 2 minutes; Shield of Faith (+3 deflection bonus to AC) for 2 minutes]
Amenhep 51/51 [Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 2 minutes; Spear is shedding Light (20’)]
Elliander 55/57 [Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 2 minutes; Shield is shedding Light (20’); Detecting for Magic Auras; Armor Crystal - DR 1, has absorbed 6 (of 10) damage this day]
Soumral 45/45 [Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 2 minutes; Mage Armor (+4 armor bonus to AC) for 56 minutes]
Rediz 35/35 [Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 2 minutes; +4 to Perception and Darkvision 60’ (Crypt Breaker’s Draught) for 21 minutes; +2 to Perception and trained Knowledge checks (Heightened Awareness) for 56 minutes; Barkskin (+3 natural bonus to AC) for 56 minutes]
Elliander backs out of the likely mummification chamber. He doesn’t know very much about the rituals they perform here, but it was relatively easy to see that there was not much of value left. He can sense that the half-orc's armor is not magical, although well crafted. He ignores it. It’s to heavy to bring, at least now. Disappointed, he couldn’t find anything usable (like a holy symbol) to identify him as a guard or worker down here, he turns to his allies.
”Sorry. We’re running out of resources. Resources and time. I don’t think we can count on coming back later, so we likely need to push on. Do we continue to check behind these curtains, just to be sure we’re not missing anything, or should we tackle the problem with that second double door?”
"Best to take at least a quick look here, if only to make sure we don't leave something nasty behind to later surprise us from the rear. Just a quick look should do."
For her part Soumral activates Detect Magic for a quick scan of the mummification room.
Soumral doesn't find anything of interest. Rediz peels back another curtain as he waits for the elven wizardess to do something about the arcane locked door.
Elliander moves with Rediz. He’s glad they don’t blame him for being careless with the curtains, but instead agree that it’s worth to be thorough. He stands ready with sword and shield.
Fireday, the 30th day of Gozran, 4714 AR
Weather is clear and fairly hot by mid-afternoon.
Three hours after sunrise.
----------------------------------------------
Behind one of the curtains is another small alcove. The other conceals a very short hallway, ending in another curtain.
--------------------------------------------
PC Health & Adventure Notes
Francis 44/47 [Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 2 minutes; Shield of Faith (+3 deflection bonus to AC) for 2 minutes]
Amenhep 51/51 [Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 2 minutes; Spear is shedding Light (20’)]
Elliander 55/57 [Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 2 minutes; Shield is shedding Light (20’); Detecting for Magic Auras; Armor Crystal - DR 1, has absorbed 6 (of 10) damage this day]
Soumral 45/45 [Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 2 minutes; Mage Armor (+4 armor bonus to AC) for 56 minutes]
Rediz 35/35 [Bless (+1 to attack rolls/saves vs Fear) for 2 minutes; +4 to Perception and Darkvision 60’ (Crypt Breaker’s Draught) for 21 minutes; +2 to Perception and trained Knowledge checks (Heightened Awareness) for 56 minutes; Barkskin (+3 natural bonus to AC) for 56 minutes]
A new passage is revealed behind one of the curtains. Elliander looks at Rediz and Amenhep standing close to him. He wants them on board with the action, while Francis and Soumral support from behind.
“It’s narrow and could be trapped. Do we check out the other curtains in this big room first before focusing on this corridor?”
"As long as we stay together we should be fine. It's not likely that something is standing behind one of the other curtains, waiting for us to be distracted. I say check this one and if its a dead end like the other we come back here to check the next."
"Alright, lets finish these off."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
”Alright.”
Elliander moves to the left to check out the curtain left by the double door they entered.
He makes sure the others are ready and grouped around him, before using the tip of his sword to remove the curtain.
Amenhep stands besides Elliander, spear at the ready.
Fireday, the 30th day of Gozran, 4714 AR
Weather is clear and fairly hot by mid-afternoon.
Three hours after sunrise.
----------------------------------------------
Elliander and the others move cautiously along the short hall, the duskblade carefully pushing aside the heavy curtain with his blade, revealing what appears to be an empty, yet elaborately decorated chamber. Half-walls and more heavy curtains lead to a couple others as well, revealing a network of small apartments and common spaces. Colorful linens, faded with age, lie neatly folded at the foot of each bare bed, save for the far end of the room, where rich silks and pillows cover a bed surrounded by a mess of discarded books and notes, half-eaten food and discarded clothing.
Within a pair of private sleeping quarters off the common eating and gathering area that the party first entered, the group finds two bodies, lying in repose upon the beds. Both are women, quite beautiful and, at first glance, appear to be asleep. But Francis quickly determines that they are, in fact, both dead and preserved quite well with a Gentle Repose spell. Each are dressed in very fine clothes of soft silk, with expensive jewelry adorning their lifeless bodies (value – 2,400 gp).
The notes are written by none other than Nebta-Khufre, the grandson of the severed head belonging to the oracle Neferekhu that the adventurers dispatched a short while earlier, along with her skeletal warrior guardians. The notes seem to confirm that the exile of Tephu recovered the Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh that he’d been searching for in the ruins of the Necropolis. It appears that he is part of a cult that believes the mask can be used to somehow resurrect an ancient ruler called Sky Pharaoh Hakotep I. Nebta-Khufre is attempting to raise an undead army here in the Sepulcher of the Savant, the necromancer further intending to bring back Nefru Shepses - Wati’s former savior - as the general of his immortal army. The writing also reveals that Nebta-Khufre is a vain main, requiring adoration and respect above all else. Perhaps more can be gleaned from the writings, but the party takes the notes with them for now, not wishing to linger too long in these chambers – for it appears that they are used frequently and quite recently.
As Elliander continues to push aside the heavy curtains in the octagonal room with the enormous statue of Pharasma, the party is startled when they find something crouching in the revealed alcove nearest the southern doors. Shreds of leathery flesh cling to the skeletal figure’s body, most of its body is cloaked beneath a heavy black robe, but you can see twin motes of fiery light glowing deep with its eye sockets, attesting to its unholy un-life. However, it makes no move to attack when its presence is revealed – instead it simply crouches with the shallow alcove, staring at the party with no emotion evident in its glowing eyes.
--------------------------------------------
PC Health & Adventure Notes
Francis 44/47
Amenhep 51/51 [Spear is shedding Light (20’)]
Elliander 55/57 [Shield is shedding Light (20’); Detecting for Magic Auras; Armor Crystal - DR 1, has absorbed 6 (of 10) damage this day]
Soumral 45/45 [Mage Armor (+4 armor bonus to AC) for 45 minutes]
Rediz 35/35 [+4 to Perception and Darkvision 60’ (Crypt Breaker’s Draught) for 10 minutes; +2 to Perception and trained Knowledge checks (Heightened Awareness) for 45 minutes; Barkskin (+3 natural bonus to AC) for 45 minutes]
As they follow the narrow corridor into the inner chamber and find the two bodies, Elliander is first alerted but then calms down some as he realizes they are truly dead. The fine clothes and jewelry the dead bodies are wearing seem to indicate importance. At least the jewelry wouldn’t be much trouble to take, and it would likely give them some well-needed funds if they get out of here alive and can sell it. He’s a bit hesitant though, as these are not merely undeads, but might be former royalties laid to rest here. While the necropolis has been opened to ‘investigations’ conducted by likely grave robbers, simple looting these might be looked badly upon.
“Maybe leave these alone for now? We can decide what to do later if we succeed with our mission down here and we can come back on the way out. We have no use for this jewelry now.”
Having learnt what they can in these chambers, Elliander moves out to the central room with the alcoves. A little later they have all gathered around an alcove with a strange creature. At least it doesn’t attack them on sight, but the duskblade is not trusting anything down here any longer. Glowing eye sockets do not bode well.
Elliander backs away from the figure and tries to gather the others around him for a quick talk on the other side of the statue.
”Not really sure what that is. Anyone knows? I don’t like it though. It’s by the door. Do we try to talk to it or attack it?” he whispers.
Soumral studies the thing to see if it matches anything she's ever heard of before.
Her preliminary opinion is "elsewhere out in the necropolis there might be some chance it wouldn't take any interest in us and we could move on peacefully. This close to Nebta-Khufre, I doubt it. It may be under a command of a specific kind?"
|
|
When Eliander hesitates to collect the Jewelry, Rediz remarks "I believe everything withing the city of the dead was considered fair spoils? and we probably really need to by some new Wands of Healing once we are through with this night."
When they find that unnerving silent creature, Redit rather keeps himself behind Eliander in case it springs up like that orc. earlier.
In the chamber with the bejeweled women, Amenhep urges caution, ”These treasures are tempting, but the ancients rarely allowed their riches to sit defenseless. If we are to take them, it would be wise to show proper caution for their skill with traps and veneration for their work.”
Amenhep keeps his spear at the ready. He says quietly, ”This is a curiosity, to be sure. I shall stay my hand, but one wrong move and I will excise this corruption.”
Soumral and Rediz both recognize the undead creature as a Crypt Guardian, or sometimes called a Crypt Thing - which explains its motionless state. The creature, which can be quite formidable, is essentially geased to protect something specific. Until that protected item is touched, or unless the creature itself is attacked first, it will not react violently.
In fact, Rediz has heard that sometimes they will speak or otherwise interact with those that encounter it, if its master has directed it to do so. The fact that the undead creatures speak the common tongue, also means that the ratfolk is certain it understands everything that is being spoken aloud by his companions.
Both the wizardess and the alchemist also know that the monster exudes a frightful aura when it attacks, and Rediz further knows that Crypt Guardians have some sort of teleportation ability (Dimension Door), including the ability to spontaneously send its victims off into multiple directions some distance away, should it choose to do so.
Hearing what the others can tell (in low voices), Elliander comes with a suggestion:
”Well, it might be guarding the door then. We likely have to defeat it to have a chance to work on the door. Knowing a little how spells like teleportation works, maybe a person of strong will can stand against it, but we don’t have to look at the creature all of us.
Amenhep, would you stand in front of it first and attack it with your spear. You have reach with a magical weapon and a strong will. Rediz and I will be on either side, but out of its vision at first. We will attack from the flanks if it moves forward. Soumral hides behind the statue, ready to attack with range and Francis a little to one side too. What do you think?”
Hearing what the others can tell (in low voices), Elliander comes with a suggestion:
”Well, it might be guarding the door then. We likely have to defeat it to have a chance to work on the door. Knowing a little how spells like teleportation works, maybe a person of strong will can stand against it, but we don’t have to look at the creature all of us.
Amenhep, would you stand in front of it first and attack it with your spear. You have reach with a magical weapon and a strong will. Rediz and I will be on either side, but out of its vision at first. We will attack from the flanks if it moves forward. Soumral hides behind the statue, ready to attack with range and Francis a little to one side too. What do you think?”
Recognizing the creature Francis motions everyone away. "Anyone that doesn't recognize that creature, well, try again?" He holds out a hand to give a second chance....
Elliander backs away from the figure and tries to gather the others around him for a quick talk on the other side of the statue.
With Francis’s help, Elliander digs deeper into his memory (and perhaps helped also by the eager sword), and this time he has a pretty good idea what they are up against. Avoiding a fight seems unlikely.
Elliander is skeptical but does not want to turn down Rediz’s suggestion.
”It’s an evil creature most likely. If you think that it’s possible to negotiate with it, then you can try. It has some teleportation if it can see us, so let me get out of the way first. Use the wand if you like.”
"There are two problems we have to solve. First, if a powerful compulsion like a geas forces it to guard the door we can talk to it as much as we like, but that will change nothing if we try to open the door. It can't be talked out of preventing us from doing it."
"Second, being invisible to it, if the spell is strong enough to manage that, won't matter a whole lot if we open the door, which will be quite visible. It will be compelled to stop whatever's happening. Any hostile actions on our part at that point will end the spell."
"So, the spell might get us to the door unnoticed, but no more. We can already probably walk right up to the door noticed though. What happens when we touch the door is the problem either way."
"So, how do we convince it to let us open the door? We could try wearing the masks we've taken from cultists if we have enough to go around? That's all I have. Otherwise we're really needing to figure out how to kill it really quickly."
"It's already ignoring us so I don't know that the invisibility would help. Something controls it so it's acting more like a trap than a creature."
"Thinking of it like a trap.... We need to disable it. I don't think blinding it would stop an area effect attack that it might make. Same with knocking it down, tripping it. Our best option might just be to buff our strongest two to hit it really hard and hope they can drop it with that one hit!"
"Unless someone has a summons available? Have a summoned creature attack it while we are outside of the room?"
<Just kill it!>
Elliander feels Biter getting restless and he grips the sword more firmly.
He nods at Francis's suggestions even though he'd prefer to only have one of them risking the teleportation if possible.
|
|
"Two personth might be able to kill it in one strike, but I have the feeling its situationally aware. So it might teleport you when it feels threatened by the people approaaching, before you can even strike. Therefore I would thuggest we give someone as much protection as we can before sending him in, and the others only rush to help once the guardian has spent his teleport."
”OK, buff me up and I’ll take the first blow.” Elliander hears himself saying.
He goes on to make a suggested outline, with Amenhep standing to the opposite side, Soumral ducking out of view behind the statue and Francis and Rediz hiding behind curtains at first. We need to succeed in hitting it first, though.
"It can't hurt to try, but I'm not sure why we're assuming it's not intelligent enough to wait for the rest of us before using the power."
While still out of sight Soumral casts Protection from Evil on Elliander.
Using one of her pearls of power, Soumral gives Amenhep the same protection as she's given Elliander.