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Ollo crawls out of the sand and onto the shore, spitting fine dust from his mouth and lungs, then giving a vigorous shake, trying to get the sand out from under his armor! "I'll be findin' this mess fer weeks!" he grumbles as he dumps out a boot. Finally, he stands and addresses Iyasset. "Could ya help us out here a bit? If'n ma friend here donna read yer language, you may haff ta read it fer us.."
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Grax dusts the sand off of him, but as Ollo says, this will be everywhere for days. Javon lands on his porter's helmet and looks down at him. "Good show, Gerald. I was worried when you went over the falls flailing, but it seems you had everything under control. Now, what the devil are these things?"
The bird peers at the pictures.
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The hieroglyphs aren't just hieroglyphs; mixed in frequently are symbols and words from some of the elemental languages; Auran and Terran mostly. But Alexis understands enough to decipher the pidgin scribbles.
The wall tells of Ini-Kherit, the leader of the Goanron tribe, and his attempts to reshape the physical structure of the desert in conjunction with the khamsin storms, thus slowly bringing Osirion back to its original sacred shape. However, conflicting messages within the writing suggest that Ini-Kherit acts selfishly and seeks to keep the lost city of Tumen concealed because he fears some hidden power within.
You find notes regarding the elemental binding process that the ancient pharaohs used. The references suggest that something special about the Sandflow Source lent power to the bindings.
"Your friend seems to be able to understand the ancient script, as was foretold! Now to warn you of what comes next" exclaims Iyasset gleefully. "Beyond this opening are degenerate earth-things, who deserve nothing but your scorn and to be put to rest. I'm told that when they coalesce, riding the wind like one would ride a horse, they tend to put creatures of the flesh to sleep."
He shrugs, continuing: "They have trespassed upon this holy site long enough. You must destroy them!" He pauses, looking at your weapons. "Some of you do not seem to have weapons that bludgeon, their only weakness. I would be honored if I could go fetch some for you, as that is but the beginning of your trials, and I still have much to tell you."
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"Judging from the wear on the stone, it would appear this text - those parts that speak of Ini-Kherit - has seen a great deal of adulteration over the ages." She looks at Iyasset. "There is a struggle over truth at work here. How can you be certain what to believe?"
She looks back at the hieroglyphs. "Fascinating..." She says more quietly to herself.
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Grax nods. He draws out a heavy flail with a wicked barbed ball and chain. "Do they find this site holy as well?"
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Ollo looks over the wall, agreeing with Alexis. "It seems there be a coupla factions here.. But I dunna know the rest."
Turning to Iyasset, he pats his hammer lovingly. "I'll be havin me own hammer ta fight with, thank ye, but what else can ye be tellin us about what lies ahead? Do we just clear out these earth creatures then come back here? Or is there another way through?"
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"Oh no, once you have dealt with these trespassers, you must press on to the Maelstrom! It is nothing to be worried about though. It is a privilege to pass through, an honor that few have experienced that aren't themselves from the plane of air."
"Beyond that chamber, you should be coming across that Oread trespasser Qiarah. She seeks to bind herself to dirt and mud, turning herself into an elemental. Deal with her as one would deal with a fly consuming your meal; pain is, after all, the perfect educator" Iyasset comments darkly.
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"Kill an Oread? Is that really necessary for these trials? Is what he's doing dangerous?" Grax lazily swings his flail in a figure eight motion.
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"She is a trespasser, and like those filthy sandmen she is worthy of nothing but your contempt" Iyasset snarls, motioning at the walls. "We have enough trouble with the Goanron trying to dissimulate the truth of the matter with regards to Ini-Kherit. Bumbling superstitious fool that he was" he huffs.
Grax has no trouble reading into the man's belligerent attitude: The Goanron have earth elementals, the Goanron are the enemy, she is an Oread trespasser, she deserves to die for sharing lineage with the Goanron.
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Ollo looks around at the group. "Perhaps we'll find a way once we git in there.. I am sure there'll be time fer thinking as well as acting.."
When the party is ready and just before they enter the cavern, Ollo gathers the team together and says a brief prayer over them. A soft golden glow settles upon their shoulders for a moment before dissipating.
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Soft sand running from east to west curves northward in both directions before your eyes. Thin green vines and bright violet flowers protrude from the sand in various spots. The flowers give off a strong fragrance that leaves the air thick with their pleasant perfume. A skeletal human form, partially obscured by sand, lies to the west, while the roar of violently swirling winds echoes just past a sheer drop to the north.
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The skeleton seems to be that of a humanoid that passed on here. judging by the broken ribs, he or she took quite a pounding before dying. However, both it's armor ( a chain shirt) and it's backpack are intact.
Javon, inspecting the flowers discovers that they are rare desert orchids, reputed to have powerful hallucinogenic properties. However, there is more to them then that...
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Ollo peels the backpack's cover off to find that it contains a length of silk rope, possibly fifty feet long and two vials labeled "Cure Moderate Wounds" in Taldane . But as the dwarf is bent over, the sand right behind him begins to grow, as if inflated by an air bubble. Quickly, the shape resolves into that of a humanoid made entirely out of sand, which roars as it goes to attack the dwarf!
Round 1
Ysmero
Iddo
Khair
Sandman
Grax
Ollo
Alexis
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The first shot goes through the creature, causing it no harm as the second one misses.
It howls as it's sand seem to entrance you!
In a rage, it attempts to strike Ollo as it moves to protect the local flora!
Round 1
Ysmero Confused
Iddo Confused
Khair
Sandman
Grax Confused
Ollo 8 dmg
Alexis Confused
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Grax is transported to another place. Another time. Deep in the cool stone palace of Sekh-pa-Mefer, you find yourself in chains, your fellow elementals straining at the chains that bind you. An Osiriani wizard chants, a binding ritual to keep you upon this plane as four of your compatriots, already bound stare down impassively at you. Summoning what is left of your strength before the wizard completes her spell, you lash out, only to strike at one of them. One of the slaves. Who proceeds to strike back at you.
Meanwhile, taken by the intensity of the imagery, Javon whamps itself with it's own talons.
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Grax manages to shake off the compulsion, although the memory of what he has seen is fresh in his mind. But now, he has much bigger problems.
Alexis sees the long-gone shades of Pharaoh's wizards finishing the binding rituals on her consort, who stills as free agency is taken from him. And now they approach for her, to use her elemental nature to build Sekh-Pa-Mefer's pyramid.
Round 1-2
Ysmero Confused
Iddo Confused
Khair
Sandman
Grax
Ollo 8 dmg Pending DC 14 Will save - Rnd 1
Alexis Confused - Rnd 1
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Visions of pyramids and eternal slavery course through Iddo's mind as he goes for the creature that stop him from his freedom!
Ollo, after a few moments of indecisiveness, decidedly falls asleep, while Khair's new arrow knocks the creature's head aside. Peeved, it nonetheless lashes out at Grax.
The attack misses, possibly thanks to that arrow.
Battle MapRound 2
Ysmero Confused
Iddo Confused
Khair
Sandman 7 dmg
Grax
Ollo 8 dmg - Asleep
Alexis Confused - Pending if Iddo hits you.