"Well that didn't work." Irakelesh frowns at the mess he and Ai'sha made of the first scorpion. "I guess we can try again." He starts working the tail of the second one.
"Ah! Now that's more like it!" Irakelesh is able to squeeze out and collect enough of a sample of the venom that he thinks he can make a poison out of it.
"Ok. Now that that's done. Yes, I agree. Let's head back." He adjusts the headband on his forehead just to make sure that the 'thief' mark is still hidden.
At Aliva's question Irakelesh looks at G'Nock. "He certainly sticks out. But you know, I think that they are used to foreigners here. Considering all of the announcements looking for people to investigate these tombs. I think they will be ok with him." Then Irakelesh digs around in his gear and pulls out an arrow. "Hey G'Nock, here, this is for you." He hands the arrow to G'Nock. "It is a sleep-charm arrow. If you sleep with this under your pillow each night it will improve you use of your bow. I've been using my sleep-charm arrow for months now. Works great."
Irakelesh can't keep a straight face as he tries to fool the lizard man. He breaks into a laugh but is still holding out the arrow.
"Don't mind him, he's a little stupid at times, such as this time and, well, every other time.", Ai'sha jokes, adjusting the weight on her backpack as they start heading back to town.
"So, what are you all buying when we get rich?"
"Well, I should buy some paper to make rubbings with, really should have thought of that before.", she smiles a bit wryly.
"Ai'sha, I'm so hurt!" Irakelesh puts on a mock look of pain. "I can't believe you would say that about me."
Then he focuses back on the lizard man.
"Oh, I see what you're saying." Irakelesh laughs. "Save that arrow for our enemies though."
Pharasma's Seekers gathered their accumulated loot and made their way back to the Living City without incident. When they reached the gates to the Living City the sun was still high in the sky. The Voices of the Spire, the militant wing of the Pharasmin church here in Wati, stood guard as before. Their leader, Nakht Shepses, a tall and muscular young Osiriani inquisitor and dedicated Pharasmin, eyed the group, but A'isha presented their papers, and he actually recognized Selassie (the two knew each other from the Church), giving her a smile and a bow. The paladins and inquisitors eyed G'nock carefully, but when the Seekers explained that he was with them, he was allowed to pass without an issue.
They walked west down a wide and straight street past low buildings, painted white to reflect the sun, making their way through the throngs arrayed in colorful caftans and bustling with the sound of life. They eventually took a right turn and headed off to the Tooth and Hookah, where it stood down a sandy avenue. The quaint crocodile signpost appeared in view, and they came into the shady awnings in front of the inn, finally out of the sun, as well as able to set down the large chest and their packs.
Sign at the Tooth and Hookah (or at least a drawing of it made by some adventurer)
"Ok, who here likes numbers and bargaining?", asks Ai'sha.
"Do we know anyone local here who would help us with selling of these artifacts? The local University seems the best place, and I have some shopping to do so I can go with whom ever does want to go."
"Hey, I know where we can sell stuff! I heard about a halfling named Dredge!" Fitliss says exuberantly. "None of that looks like something I in particular would need, but we should probably hold onto that adventuring gear."
When everyone is gathered in one of the second floor rooms Irakelesh looks through the stuff they brought back from the tomb. "This is all very interesting. I bet we can sell it for a good bit. Hmm. What's this?" He grabs a couple flasks of alchemist's fire. "We could use these, I bet. Unless someone else wants them, I'll hold onto them."
"I'm very curious about this locked chest. I know it's trapped. Hey G'nock, maybe you can open it without springing the trap?"
"I'd like to see the documents in the scroll case, they could be of great historical interest."
"I'd say we go to the university first. I rather see these artifacts being used for study than in some collector's basement."
"Yes. I think the university would be a much better place to take these. But don't you think we could peek at the scrolls first?"
Fitliss rummages through his belt pouch for a moment. "I do not think I have enough to pay for tools. I am fairly certain we have enough from the tomb though."
Aliva will pull out the coinage to pay for a set of common tools, "I am not sure as to where you will buy such items without drawing suspicion though."
Irakelesh digs through his backpack and pulls out a small leather pouch. "Here, I bought these earlier. Haven't had a chance to use them yet. Lacking some training. But maybe you can use them now to try to unlock that chest." He holds out the small packet of thieves' tools to G'nock.
"Why would that be?" Fitliss asks, leaning in to watch him work.
Aliva will take a step back in precaution under the advisement of G'Nock. She will touch his shoulder lightly muttering, "Goddess over your protection and guidance to G'Nock and allow him to not suffer any ill effects from this chest."
"I believe he was concerned about the possibility of an explosion if the lock is rigged. You probably want to follow his advice."
G'nock knelt over the large, decorated chest, and pulled out a small set of lock picks and a hammer, thieves' tools as they're commonly called. He set to work attempting to disable the trap that so insidiously guarded whatever was inside the chest.
Meanwhile, Selassie went into the inn and began to carefully and meticulously examine the documents in the scroll cases that were found. She laid out the documents on the tables, perusing each page with intensity of interest. They appeared to consist of fairly mundane documents, papyrus records, private memos, expense ledgers, speeches, and private correspondence, but there might be something of interest among them.
The rest of the group backed away, watching intently as he fiddled with the mechanism. Suddenly there came a loud cracking noise and a muttered curse from G'nock as some mistake was made.
A blade came slamming down, cutting deep into G'nock's clawed hand before he could remove it. Blood poured from the wound, but luckily whatever poison was on the blade seemed no match for the lizardfolk.
Fitliss thinks for a moment, and then lays a hand on G'nock, transferring the link from Ai'sha, before healing himself. "There, all better!" he declares cheerfully.
Aliva will ask for Milani's guidance again in opening this chest.
She will then help Selassie in looking through the papers, "Is someone making an inventory of the items we wish to part with?"
"We should keep the hammer and pitons, and Irakelesh wanted the alchemist's fire." Fitliss pauses. "Were you going to use that bow we found?" he asks before glancing at the vaguely bow-shaped piece of wood in Aliva's hands. "Hey, what's that?"
"Wwwwouch!" Irakelesh exclaims when the blade springs from the chest. "Are you ok?" Irakelesh examines the chest some more. "So it's still locked. Can you try to unlock it now that the trap is disabled?"
"Aliva, I think we want to part with pretty much everything. Fitliss, you have the stuff we want to keep, right? Oh, and my fires here." Irekelesh holds up the flasks. "But I really want to see what's in this chest before we get rid of it."
She looks down at the supplies she has still in her hands.
"Just a bow I plan to make, can never have enough you know." she smiles at Fitliss and places her supplies down on the chair beside Selassie and helps her with the readings.
Irakelesh watches G'nock attempt to unlock the box. "It's fun to watch G'nock, the box to unlock, perhaps he should knock, to open this lock?" Irakelesh laughs loudly at his limerick. "Come on Ai'sha. That was funny!" He looks at the others to see if anyone else shares his sense of humor.
"It is, but i think it would be more if you were the one to spring the trap. I'll remember this joke for when you try to disarm or open something.", she gives him a cruel smile.
It took a few tries, but G'nock was eventually able to unlock the chest, and he lifted the lid open. Inside the chest were four potions, labeled in Ancient Osirion as "healing tinctures," and another two potions labeled "night's eye." There were also three hefty tomes with thin, gold-plated metal sheets for pages. These books are written in Ancient Osirion. The first seems to be a brief biography of Akhentepi, the second is a list and description of the various military campaigns conducted by Osirion between 2350 and 2450 AR, while the third is a book of poetry written by, according to the documents that Selassie has been investigating, Akhentepi's second wife.
Seeing the apparently magical items, Fitliss tries to test the potions before hurrying off to the market.
Aliva will accompany the group to the market, making sure that she finds the thing she wants. She will purchase the wood for a bow, a new string for the short bow they found, some blunted arrows and a new set of the best tools to craft a bow.
Irakelesh looks through the contents of the chest. "I think we should keep these potions," he says as he holds them up. "I'm guessing they are a couple of healing potions and maybe something about seeing in the dark?" He gasps as he finds the books."These are very interesting and valuable historical documents. Someone is going to love them! Before we go I'd like to read through them. Selassie, do you want to help? I think you can read this language."
While the others rummage around and visit he reads as quickly as he can through the books.
After a couple hours he finishes the books. "That was very interesting."
Seeing the apparently magical items, Fitliss tries to test the potions before hurrying off to the market.
Fitliss, as is his wont, wanders off into the city. He soon finds himself in front of a building whose sign identifies it in stark block letters as the Precinct of the Left-Eyes, a retrofitted fortress which serves as the home of Wati's town guard, as well as the town's jail. He stops to look at the building, and as he does so, a pair of ruff looking Keleshites come walking out of the building, speaking to each other in Common.
"Thank you again for paying my bail, brother. Listen...while I was in the jail I heard of a rumor. Many of the adventurers who went into the Necropolis are supposedly going to the Tooth and Hookah tonight, to brag about their findings. I say we go there too, and lighten their pockets a bit."
Aliva, A'isha, and G'nock carefully inventory and pack the loot they have found back into the ornate chest for easier carrying, keeping aside only the potions, the alchemist's fire, the climbing tools, and the string-less longbow.
Eventually Farhaan the innkeep brings out a late lunch, roast lamb with dukkah and rich, creamy goat's cheese on flatbread, which the adventurers enjoy. He doesn't seem to be taken back in the least by G'nock, and explains that he actually adventured with an albino lizardfolk during his heyday, a warpriest of the Osirian river-god Sobek. Laughing as he explains, he also says that Laroisael returned here safely, but she did not stay long, and said that she was going back to Cheliax where things are safe.
By and by Selassie and Irakelesh are able to fully read through the documents and tomes. A'isha and Aliva are able to help to a certain extent, as they do speak and read modern Osiriani, but G'nock just admires the fine pictures and blueprints found in some of the documents.
Akhentepi, it would seem from the documents, was indeed a renowned military commander and influential politician. His speeches are well-written and inspiring, though show signs of the times, in his blatant racism against non-humans in general, and against gnolls and lizardfolk in particular. The ledgers show he was quite rich. There is a little bit of information about the funding of his tomb, but unfortunately the blueprints for his tomb are nowhere to be found. There is one worthwhile tidbit: there were plans to expand his tomb to include his second wife, but Akhentepi predeceased her and his estate did not continue the expansion's construction. All and all there isn't much of great importance to be found, although the insights into life in Ancient Osirion are and would be valuable to anyone interested in the lore of that nation.
The Seekers gather the documents and books, and add them to the chest. Farhaan actually has a small push-cart, which he allows the group to borrow, and so taking the chest to the Grand Mausoleum is easier than expected. You walk down the narrow street that the Tooth and Hookah sits on, until you reach a wider avenue that leads straight down to the temple of Pharasma, passing the Sunburst Market and the Golden Lake as it does.
The sun is scorching hot, being as it is the hottest time of the day, and few of Wati's citizens are out and about in the Midwife District. With fewer adventurers blocking your view than the last time you were here, you get a better glimpse of the Golden Lake, the large artificial pool that stands between the Grand Mausoleum and the marketplace, as you pass. This time you catch a sight of the rare breed of sacred crocodiles that Wati is well-known for. These crocodiles, long-lived cousins of the beasts that inhabit the Sphinx River, possess white scales, though they are not albinos. The crocodiles, at least, are enjoying the blazing sun, as they float on the surface absorbing the rays as they rest. Nearby, surveying the beasts from the tiled area surround the Golden Lake, stands an Osiriani man with pitch-black skin, who Selassie identifies to the group as Crocodile Keeper Neb-At, the half-brother of Sebti the Crocodile.
Finally, they reach the Grand Mausoleum. This massive building, rivaled in size only by the High Temple of Pharasma in Sothis, serves as both a place of worship and as also as Wati's city hall, ever since the Lady of Graves eclipsed Nethys and Abadar as the city patron deity. Selassie recognizes the man and woman who are standing guard outside the temple doors, though knows neither of them well; a temple of this size, between the clergy and the militant Voices of the spire, has hundreds of people working at it. At any rate the Seekers of Pharasma are welcomed, and they soon get a chance to meet with one of the priests about purchasing some treasures. Luckily, the Seekers are the first group to have returned and tried to sell to the Church, so their coffers are still fairly full. Business is conducted briskly and fairly, though the church will not buy everything.
This is also the time when you can try to barter with the priest you are doing business with, if anyone wants to. Also, if Fitliss decides to meet up with the party, he arrives in time for this scene. This was an extremely long post, but once I got going I figured I might as well throw out a lot of exposition to make up for being kind of slow lately.
Irakelesh stares, fascinated, and the immensity of the mausoleum. "Selassie, so is this what all of your temples is like?" he speaks in a low and reverent voice.
The priests finish looking through the material and make their offer with the potions and wands. Irakelesh turns to the others, "I think we should take the potions and wands and the credit. We're going to need them anyway. Ai'sha, you're in charge here. What do you think?"