It seems the discharge was a trap, set to bestow a curse upon the first living creature entering. By pure willpower, the outsider has resisted it.
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Rhanloi enters the tomb and takes a covering position with his bow and his sharp elven eyes.
If it is a skeleton, Rhanloi will instead fire a force missile at the collection of bones!
The party explores the tomb, while the dead remain silent. A few minutes of startled non-action, a sloshing sound can be heard, and finally two dwarves and a pale-skinned man move into the tomb.
Halt! What are you doing here!
You cannot BE ! the pale-skinned man shouts at Bones and the Eidolon, with a sound so loud it splits the eardrums
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Maeglin + Eidolon
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Dwarf
Dwarf
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Percy
Rysalius
Bones
Rhanloi
Castien
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Vonraig
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Vonraig gives the command kill them all in a cold, matter of fact tone, and the dwarves move up with unmatched ferocity.
One of them moves up to Rysalius, and swing his war axe at him with bloodshot eyes. Only the heroic efforts of Rysalius - and his armour - prevent him from coming to harm.
Gorazio is less fortunate: stunned, he cannot avoid the blow of the eager, and takes a bad cut in the flesh from the war axe of the dwarven rager.
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Maeglin + Eidolon
Percy
Rysalius
Bones
Rhanloi
Castien
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Vonraig
Dwarf
Dwarf
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Twock, twock two straight arrow pierce the dwarf's chest, just before Bones' hammer remorselessly breaks the dwarf's skull.
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Maeglin + Eidolon
Percy
Rysalius
Bones
Rhanloi
Castien
---
Vonraig
Dwarf
Dwarf
---
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Cold iron spear felt on floor with clanging sound. Gorazio crossed a border between planes as he could not stand this fight anymore.
As heavily damaged Gorazio dissapeared, returning back to his own home plane, Maeglin was very disappointed. He started took morningstar in one hand and started screaming:
"Damn you, beardy bastard, you just killed my friend, and you worth nothing in real fight. Come and face me right now!"
The fire incinerates the entrance of the forgotten tomb, immolating the dhampir and the two dwarves.
Castien then proceeds to turn the first dwarf into more of a hedgehog, while Bones breaks the skull of the other dwarf. Once the smoke clears - luckily most of the items here are made of stone, and only scorched, not burning - only the damper is left standing
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Maeglin + Eidolon
Percy
Rysalius
Bones
Rhanloi
Castien
---
Vonraig (21)
Dwarf - Dead
Dwarf - Daed
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With a heavy TWOCK the bolt from Percy's crossbow pierces the chest of the Dhampir. Rysalius heaves his longsword to decapitate the pale man, just as a arrow flies underneath his armpit to pierce the grave-robber's heart. Which, it turns out, is just as vulnerable to being pierced with a wooden stake as an actual vampire.
Although amenopheus didn't quite give you an assignment of this one, you can be sure that he would want the tomb undefiled. Returning the amulet where it came, and making sure nobody else can enter would do the trick. And report, of course.
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"Let's remove these scupper-trout from this tomb and restore the brickwork. Should we try and find where the amulet came from, or just return it to Amenopheus? I wonder if Vonraig has any other illicit items on him..." Rhanloi will look about the tombs without disturbing the remains, and will check the bodies of the dhampir and dwarves, using detect magic.
The damper has some interesting item on him. Inside the tomb, the hindmost sarcophagus is opened, and clearly ransacked, as shreds of mummy wrapping lie strewn on the floor. So far, this was the only sarcophagus that was touched. Apart from some soot stain near the entrance, the tomb is undisturbed.
light steel shield, mwk shortspear, +1 dagger
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"Hang on" Percy brings over a light source and begins examining the items "We can tell the difference between an Osirian artifact older than dirt, and a more recent item" Percy examines the captured items and the amulet.
"If the place has been defiled, then a quick clean up and a restoration to its correct condition should be all thats required - good thing you have a scholar and historian with you eh?"
Percy gets to work setting things to rights as best he can fathom.
Then once things are clean and in order, uses the bricks to reseal the entrance.
With some skills and some knowledge, the party manages to restore the tomb to something close to its pristine state. The brickwork is restored, and the green marking erased (but not before logging the location of the burial vault).
Later that evening, at the society event, the adventurers have the opportunity to talk to both Ollysta and Amenopheus
Ollysta smiles with approval as the party reports of the success in the auction.
“I wish I could say today’s events were isolated, but I cannot. With recent victories to the north, I understand the Fifth Mendevian Crusade is drawing to a close. I now see that we have as much work to do at home helping people as we do on the frontier fighting demons. Fortunately, our efforts at the Worldwound have made the Pathfinder Society look as much like a guild of heroes as an association of archaeologists, and the positive response has not been lost on the Society’s leadership. I expect they will continue to support our efforts as we turn them homeward and attempt not to be crusaders, but soldiers of peace.
“Be prepared for missions of mercy and justice. Our work is not done.”
The party reports to Amenopheus of the findings in the burial tomb, and the way they restored and sealed the important piece of Osiriani heritage. Dremhet Salhar seems impressed.
“Amenopheus,” the copper-skinned ambassador begins, “the significance of this most recent gesture is not lost on me. As I noted earlier, your continued respect for Osirion and its history despite past circumstances has impressed even the Ruby Prince who sent you away a year ago. If there is anyway I can aid you and your agents in reconciling with His Majesty, I happily offer my services.”
Amenopheus responds graciously, “During my year of searching for the Jeweled Sages, I have determined my true calling is that ancient organization. While I’m honored by your gesture, Osirion shall always be a close friend, but not my master.”
Salhar seem somewhat taken back by Amenopheus’ reply, then with solemnly dignity makes a sacred sign and says, “So be it then. In the Ruby Prince’s name, I offer you Osirion’s blessing. We officially recognize the Jeweled Sages’ legitimacy and accept them as allies and honored guests within our borders. I shall make this declaration public ensuring a peaceful break between your new order and the old.”
“Peace, yes,” Amenopheus agrees, “but the head of our organization would prefer we not be exposed to public scrutiny until we are better established.”
The festivities conclude on the fourth day, when the First Lady of Laws announces Grint Basatrel as the new member of the Grand Council. After the new councilor takes the stage to thank Diobel and the High Council for their trust, the crowd gradually disperses to fit in a bit more city-funded celebration. Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng, ever looking the part of a blind beggar, sidles up alongside the PCs to chat.
“And so ends an election and begins a political career. I’m pleased that the High Council chose Grint, as he’s amenable to working with the Society. It also sounds as though he’s not the only one with friends in high places; I hear several of our close allies owe you their thanks, and they’ve already begun paying off that debt with a fewer presents delivered to the Grand Lodge with your names on them. Well done. The Society’s strength is not measured by the enemies it defeats but by the friends it keeps.”
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"It was a pleasure making all of your acquaintances, and the adventure was indeed as thrilling as it was intriguing... I have much to learn now of the coming of the Sovereign Court, and what it may hold for my fellow aristocrats. Rysalius, we no doubt have our work cut out for us eh?" he laughs. "I have a bit more study to catch up on and a few mysteries to unfold, I'll be in the Absalom library if needed... i'll be there a few weeks..." with that, Percy finishes carousing into the night before departing for the library....
Until his next adventure.
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Baron Rysalius Starnon addresses a courteous bow to his companions. "Likewise, the pleasure was mine. I for one am glad to have found such like-minded individuals to pursue the Society's goals. I shall be looking forward to our next common assignment."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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"Oh, how great,", said Maeglin, shaking Lady Z's hand, "Gorazio will be envy, he couldn't see what we archieved. Of course, will be doing more great things for you and for Pathfinder Society, dear Ollysta".
Being overexcited, he noded to Rysalius: "I will follow you further on, as I feel I can learn a lot from such great man. To new adventures we go!"
..and with that, we draw a close to this episode of Absalom history. The blakros museum awaits...