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Pooka claps his gauntlet covered hand over Toorin's mouth as he anticipates the question that is about to come out of his mouth.
"Sorry friend, that seemed rude. Not sure if you heard it, but we were just discussing how this person lived and died long before any of the jeweled sages were present, and so wouldn't know anything about them. We need to take a different tact when questioning him."
Pooka breathes a sigh of relief before resuming his thinking. This thinking is clearly causing some smoke to roll from his ears and his magical armor to rust.
Suddenly Pooka's eyes light up and he whispers to his companions.
"If all of the pharaohs wore that jeweled turbin, and the Halmrat was a servant of the last great pharaoh, then if we know where that pharaoh was entombed.... wait. No. That still doesn't make sense. Why do I get the feeling we are making this to hard?"
Pooka begins to pace back and forth. The sudden movement makes Luna nervous, and his dog stands up from her comfortable position curled up in the sand. She begins to pace next to Pooka as he walks.
"Yes, I think Xull is right. He mentioned asking about the history of this place. That should be our next question."
Pooka turns to the sarcophagus and clears his throat. "What secrets are hidden in this place?"
Once again the Pathfinders find that the environment alters slightly at the halflings query. Each can feel a tingling sensation creeping at the back of their necks.
Again the mouth on the sarcophagus opens wide.
"Fortress ..... protect......travelers......!"
The mouth closes as the air still hisses out.
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"Hey, that's not a f+!@ing secret! Neither is it hidden!" Xûll yells at the corpse, angered by the response and frustrated that he will not get a chance to have the answer redone. He turns to the pharoah and poses his own question, "We saw some art outside showing pharoahs crossing the river sphinx. What exactly was the significance of each of the different jewels in their headdresses?"
A slight breeze swirls around the chamber, before once again the metal mouth of the sarcophagus opens wide.
"symbols .....of ......the .....ineffable.......mysteries ......of .......the........ Priests .....make.....them.....wear......to......honor....... No......"
The mouth on the sarcophagus closes with a snap.
The room returns to it original state.
- The chest on the walkway contains five bottles of holy water
- A stack of ancient platinum coins
- five spell component pouches
- three scholar’s outfits in red, yellow, and green, cut in a style common millennia ago.
- a scroll of bless
- a scroll of magic weapon
- 3- ?
- 4 -?
- scroll of remove disease
- 6 - ?
- a scroll of elemental speechAPG 23
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Amarok sighs and shrugs his shoulders at the corpses' obtuse or unhelpful answers and nods sagely at Xull. "No matter, I think those gems may have had religious significance once but may have been used later for the sages. The answers may be helpful for the jewelled sages so I shall note them down. Let us press on whilst we still have time to explore."
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"Well, let's get a move on... Cutie Pie warned that this was a race after all," Xûll seems to be a little deflated as he half-heartedly kicks the tomb.
He ignores Sellana on his way through to the southern double doors, drawing his nodachi as he goes. I hope my friends are canny enough to hide anything they stole from that tomb from the elemental. "Anyone want to check for traps or should I just open this?"
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Amarok follows the deflated Bloodrager, he on the other hand looks as serene as ever as he lets the winds of fate blow over him. His bow in hand he decides to check the door before Xull's impatience gets them all injured or worse.
"It is always worth checking friend, we are pathfinders after all, what if the fireball came from a trap and there are more like it?"
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"My buddy Cyrus would be good at that trap part. Probably would care a whole lot more about the Osirion history too. Not that I don't care, mind you." Pooka rambles, then stops when he realizes his rambles add nothing to the task at hand.
"Well if we are lucky, from what you say of how this sarcophagus works, we can try it again tomorrow with one of the pathfinder's bodies. We traveled quite a ways to get here, and I don't see any reason to leave right away once we are done searching the place initially. If we can close that gigantic metal door that Xull pushed open, we can defend ourselves against whoever it was that we beat to this site, assuming they would be hostile.
"No harm, no foul. We all knew we likely werent' going to find the Diamond Sage sitting at a table drinking tea here, so what is one more day? Lets see what the rest of this place has in store for us."
Pooka climbs back in his saddle and grips his lance. There isn't much room to maneuver in this crowded building, but he felt more comfortable fighting from her back anyways. At least he could look the humans in the eye that way.
The ceiling of this natural cavern sparkles with thousands of tiny crystals, while the center of the cave is split by a chasm that wends deeper underground. A stone bridge stretches over the gap. At the center of the bridge rises a black granite obelisk, covered with gems and hieroglyphics. The obelisk is a masterpiece of sculpture, with flawless lines and beautifully rendered images of the past. Large double doors provide an exit to the north while an open archway to the south is covered with wall carvings and leads to a hallway.
The obelisk on the bridge details the history of Osirion. The hieroglyphics are masterfully rendered, and the gems set in the figures’ eyes gleam in the light.
Amarok and Korasu notice something isn't right with the obelisk. Spirits are coalescing as if a haunt is forming.
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If this is underground as it looks, Warpac has an init of 21 and will go before Xull. If so Warpac will be casting Bull's Strength on Xull and then will trudge 10' forward to try to get to the other side of the obelisk, assuming there is as much room there as the map suggests. If not, then Pooka is the recipient of the spell.
If I'm right about helping others instead of myself, then I'll make it past. If I'm wrong I figure I'm headed to the bottom of that chasm. Painful way of testing a theory.
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As they step into the chamber Amarok glances around the room, taking note of the large chasm and strange obelisk as his eyes dart around. His gaze falling onto the obelisk a second time he cries out in alarm.
"I have heard if these, a strange manifestation is happening at the pillar! You can suppress them with divine magic"
Obviously unsure of what to do to help, Amarok nocks an arrow and aims it at the pillar, if attacked by a malevolent spirit he will fire.
for
for
The arrow breaks on the pillar causing it no damage.
Amarok and Korasu see jeweled eyes on the obelisk turn and look at them.
Spirits pour out of the obelisk, and a wave of desert heat washes over the Patfinders. The spirits dive at .
All of you see visions of the dead rising up from ancient tombs, armies of divs marching forth from a massive structure of black stone, and a plague of locusts sweeping over the land.
And then the spirits fade away.
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Amarok will put away his bow after witnessing the various horrifying visions pout forth from the Obelisk. A tad a shaken, the monk finds their composure with a brief prayer to the Master of Masters. Looking around, he notices a body down the bottom of the chasm and slowly swings over the edge and begins climbing down cautiously.
Once down there Amarok begins by checking the body before the rest of the cavern and trues to determine cause of death.
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Xûll climbs down after Amarok to provide him with backup should it be needed. The big man was in Blakros manner when the Abyss literally spewed forth its minions to face them, and has seen worse than a little vision. At least, that's what he tells his trembling hands as he carefully descends.
"Got your back," Xûll assures Amarok while drawing his weapon and keeping his eyes peeled for trouble. He brings some light forth from his wayfinder to help him back up his words.
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Obviously unaware that the rest of the group did not hear the messagd, Warpac asks, "Why do you think the spirits said 'remember' and then just vanished like that?"
That was a bit strange. I don't know whether those spirits picked me out to bless or to curse me. Could my luck be turning around, or is it another case of bad luck? I guess I'll have to wait again to find out.
Warpac watches intently as the others retrieve the body, wondering if that might have been him had he reacted poorly to the spirits or if that is what happened to the assumed pathfinder below. He also considers the botched job when asking questions of the dead osiran. Though not happy that his question was so useless, he is also secretly happy the other questions went poorly too. Though he is quite sure the others would not have condemned him (they have all been very supportive through everything), the ego is a strange thing and a dwarven ego stranger still.
Considering the curse on him he idly fingers the scrolls in his scroll box, hoping once again that one of them might provide release from this plodding curse.
The Pathfinders carefully make their way down to the bottom of the chasm, casting magical light to aid their search.
Amarok is able to discern that this body seems to have died roughly the same time as the other two bodies they have found. A
cursory study of the wounds, Amarok indicates that this woman fell to her death. After retrieving the Wayfinder that is slowly emitting a faint light, they are able to discover numerous items that detect as magic.
After investigating the body they find:
- scarab-embossed wayfinder
- wand
- gem
- ring
Toorin and company are able to tell that the
- wand is a Wand of Protection from Evil (10 Charges)
- gem is a Gem of Brightness (12 charges)
- ring is a Ring of Maniacal Devices; though on further investigation Toorin is able to tell it is a Ring of Truth
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Korasu regards the magic items with a beady glare. "Ah, never have I seen so many cursed items in one place before. An agent of the Dark Archive would be having a literal field day over this. The Ring of Truth may have some useful applications, though.
He then looks to the obelisk. [b]"Ah, I wonder if there is a way of permanently bringing rest to those spirits."
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Pooka shudders at the thought of the haunt, realizing it could have been him that was scared to death. He looks down into the chasm where his companions are.
"I wouldn't trust anything in this place. That pathfinder may have succumbed to the horrors of this haunt, but she may just as well have been rendered blind by that supposed gem of lights and stumbled down there."
"Let's get out of here before that spirit returns. If it does, be ready with your wands of healing if you want to disable it. It is possible we could release it from its binding here, but that would require some specific knowledge of what actually happened to bind the spirits here."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Toorin stands blinking and shaking his head, looking around the entrance hall where he was standing when the vision of death and evil dominated his consciousness for a moment. This place was keeping him on his heels and he was not comfortable being so befuddled about his surroundings. At the same time, he was still amazed at the connections he had already made with such an ancient place. Seeing similar reactions to the others, he comments, "Did everyone else just witness that same illusion? I heard no words, but if Warpak heard advice to 'remember,' we must all think on that meaning. Let's hope we don't trigger such an uprising of undead."
Once the party ventures into the room, Toorin follows, keeping an eye on the two climbing down to examine the corpse. After checking for magic and considering whether any magical traps or runes might be present, Toorin studies and admires the obelisk, but keeps a wary distance, knowing it harbors potentially malevolent spirits. He looks for a historical connection to the rest of the complex, curious if the obelisk was part of the original construction and what it's purpose might have been.
Once items are retreived from the chasm, he busies himself studying the items for magic, with particular concern to spot cursed items. His care is rewarded once more, spotting the glimmer of a hidden aura beneath the false auras meant to lure a user into wearing the item. "Was our Pathfinder wearing the ring?"
With the third Wayfinder found, he requested all three be brought forth and opened each one, comparing them. In the rush to look in the secret room, he had forgotten to check the second one for clues as to the Pathfinder's mission or fate. "Anybody recognize the significance of Wayfinders with a scarab emblem? I know the scarab is a common symbol of Osirion, of death, but also of the Scarab Sage Faction. Anything else this could stand for?" he points to the scarabs on the wayfinder.
He volunteers to keep the Gem of Brightness, pointing out to those who might not know about it's magic that it can provide light but it has charges that can send forth unusually bright light which can blind a single target or everyone in an area. He puts his smoked goggles on his head so they can be placed over his own eyes should he need their protection.
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"So many cursed items," Xûll agrees with the assessment, shaking his head, "Perhaps all the uncursed ones have been looted already. Maybe it's something about this place. Maybe the haunt directed you to 'remember' that this place is called Seeker's Folly."
Xûll climbs back out, not unwilling to touch the items but knowing that Toorin has it in hand. Good choice of room, Pooka... surely this must lead somewhere, and surely we will find something to fight in there.
The tattooed Shoanti pops a wand from his wrist sheath and casts shield upon himself before opening the next door (after it has been checked for traps, of course).
Xûll realizes that it was not a door at all, but an opening. Another body seems to be within...
"Toorin, want to have a look at this corpse?" he asks, growing tired of finding only dead things.
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Cautiously climbing back out of the chasm, Amarok pulls himself up and distributes the items for Toorin's inspection. He thinks hard about the significance of the Scarab upon the wayfinder but has no answer beyond the elf's own musings.
"Perhaps if we have a few days as planned here, we can ask our fallen comrades. I wonder if they wear the ring of truth before being placed in the sarcophagus we can ensure we receive no lies or half-truths? Not that I suggest a Pathfinder would lie, just a theory."
Following Xull and the rest, he cautiously checks for traps before drawing his bow and moving to inspect the latest victim of seeker's folly.
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" I wonder if they wear the ring of truth before being placed in the sarcophagus we can ensure we receive no lies or half-truths? Not that I suggest a Pathfinder would lie, just a theory."
"Spoken like a true path-finder, Amarok. I confess the idea intrigues me too. Though once we put the ring on him, I wonder if we could get it off. Do cursed items become detached when someone dies? Hmmm... Not that I have any intention of dying, but if I do please remove this accursed thing before any resurrection is attempted. Or even if I'm unconscious. I doubt that would work, but hey! It's magic so who knows!"
With that he shakes his hand for the 50th time attempting to rid himself of the annoying rock.
He sounds more like he's talking out loud to himself or just rambling, obviously still preoccupied with his bad luck and the curse.
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Once the party ventures into the room, Toorin follows, keeping an eye on the two climbing down to examine the corpse. After checking for magic and considering whether any magical traps or runes might be present, Toorin studies and admires the obelisk, but keeps a wary distance, knowing it harbors potentially malevolent spirits. He looks for a historical connection to the rest of the complex, curious if the obelisk was part of the original construction and what it's purpose might have been.
The hieroglyphics are masterfully rendered, and the gems set in the figures’ eyes gleam in the light.
Their observations finished, the items stored, they walk towards the next room.
The arch around the north entrance to this hallway is covered with detailed carvings depicting the life and accomplishments of a female pharaoh. A charred corpse covered in flecks of glass is visible just inside the hallway.
The studious Pathfinder once again take the time to observe the unique architecture of Seeker's Folly.
Toorin identifies the woman in the carvings as the Song Pharaoh, whose death began the slow decline of the Ancient Osirion dynasties. Succeeding at this check also reveals that two aspects of the carving don’t match historical records; the carvings show her defeated by the Pharaoh of Forgotten Plagues, whom she famously overthrew, and her being born in Shiman-Sekh, when she is known to have founded that city.
Everybody except the cursed Warpac can easily spot the trap in the next room. Pooka thrusts his arm straight out just before the dwarf spots it and sets it off.
The observant Pathfinders spot a switch, and all but Warpac and Toorin spot a second switch needed to disable the trap.
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Pooka circles back just add the group is entering the next room and figuring out what to do about the discovered traps. While Korasu attempts to disable the switches, Pooka crawls up the obelisk with a spare dagger. He carefully picks each of the gems out, dropping them in his pocket for later.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Toorin studies the trap mechanisms and then provides a third or fourth hand for Korasu as needed, handing him an appropriate tool at other times. Sweat breaks out on his forehead as he works. Given the state of so many others who have tried to penetrate this place's secrets, he is anxious to avoid a similar fate.
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"Ah, Friend Warpac, a Blessing cannot hurt."
[dice=Disable Device]1d20+15+2
[dice=Disable Device]1d20+15+2
Korasu flips open a copy of the Chronicles before fiddling with the switches.
Warpac watches with intent interest to see how the blessing fares, personally invested in this particular skill attempt.
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Pooka circles back just add the group is entering the next room and figuring out what to do about the discovered traps. While Korasu attempts to disable the switches, Pooka crawls up the obelisk with a spare dagger. He carefully picks each of the gems out, dropping them in his pocket for later.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Moving over to one of the two switches, Korasu is able to snip a bit here, shave off a touch there, and with a flop the switch falls inert.
He moves to the next one and after a few moments he is able to replicate his successes.
The traps disabled, the Pathfinders are free to examine the dead body.
The person seems to have died around the same time as all the other bodies they have found with the exception of the entombed librarian from court of the Song Pharaoh.
The Pathfinders find in the dead body's pack that there is a letter bearing the seal of the Decemvirate.
Thanien,
Our agents in Qadira unearthed documents that were taken out of Osirion during the interregnum. They speak of an ancient group of scholar revolutionaries that were suppressed by the pharaohs during the Second Age. We believe we’ve pinpointed the abandoned fortress where some of these sages hid from the purges with their treasures. The documents say these scholars held priceless histories of Ancient Osirion, which we need you to retrieve and return to Absalom.
Assemble a team of the Scarab Seekers and follow the instructions that arrived with this letter. We’ve set up a cover for you as merchants and prepared a caravan that should see you close to the fortress and provide transport for anything you recover. If the Osirians discover your purpose, we can’t have it traced back to the Society. Once you go in, you’re on your own. Burn this letter and the other documents once you’ve memorized them, and keep the information they conveyed to yourself.
In addition to the letter they find a broken scarab embossed wayfinder and a scroll of remove curse.
Their investigation almost complete, the Pathfinders peer through the archway into the last room.
This large columned chamber shows signs of past comforts, but an ancient battle scorched the walls and ceiling, and cracked and smashed the floor and columns. The remnants of furniture are scattered against the walls, and piles of bodies are stacked in the sleeping alcoves along the south and west walls. A dais crowned with a great, round table rises from the floor in the south part of the room. Three corpses sit around the table as if in conference, each dressed in fine silk robes. A slight breeze whistles through with a sound like a distant, murmuring voice, but there is no sense or meaning in it. An open hallway to the north leads to a natural cavern. Stairs lead downward in the northeast corner of the room, but were buried in stone when the wall collapsed.
Everyone except Pooka and Toorin can see on the table.
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Once the traps are disabled, Toorin looks more closely at the latest Pathfinder corpse, trying to determine why it is covered in glass.
But this does not hold his attention for long. Looking into the room, he is puzzled. Too much too fast, he thinks. "The obelisk tells an intriguing story that is at odds with the standard Osirion history of the Age of Pharaohs. This letter perhaps is the key to understanding the place. Perhaps the Song Pharaoh did get defeated by the Pharaoh of Forgotten Plagues. But later scholars chose to cover this up."
To Warpak's request, he says, "You don't think this is lucky, to find just what you need in possession of Pathfinders? It would be cruel to put a cursed scroll that purports to remove curses. I'll check it out as best I can."
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Amarok muses over their latest discovery unsure of the meaning behind 'scarab seeker' he only has assumptions.
"This thought is just musing but, if the specialist rank of Seeker is given to the more established pathfinders, could this be a team of Seekers tied to the old faction representing the Ruby Prince?"
His musings left there to discuss at a more appropriate time, Amarok peers into the next room with interest, concurring with his friend's statements he points out something missed.
"Are those shards of Ruby on the table?"
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"Shards of the Ruby Prince's ruby? More like to be one of the other jeweled sages," notes Xûll, "We should take those with us, though."
"Warpac, my friend," Xûll pats the more ponderous than usual dwarf on the back, "You should definitely use this scroll to rid yourself of that item."
"Well, these foolish Pathfinders perhaps thought they would survive down here," notes Xûll, shaking his head at the letter, "But at least we can acquiesce to the Decemvirate's wishes." The big man reads over the letter twice more, committing the salient points to memory before burning the thing.
"There. Now, let's go into whatever lies within the bowels of this accursed place!" Xûll waits for everyone to ready themselves, and just before descending the stairs, he once more springs his wand free and casts shield upon himself. "Time for some fun!" he exclaims before drawing his nodachi and descending the stairs.
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*plunk* The annoying stone falls from Warpac's outstretched hand and an actual smile floats across Warpac's face for the first time in days.
"My luck has changed, friends! Now, what about that monster summoning spell? Are you game or do you want to just forge ahead?"
Unfortunately, in the middle of his sentence Xûll ... forges ahead.