"If you used up all your fire, then you really should get some more. I've got 3 flasks, but I imagine that'll be used up in no time if we end up facing more than one swarm, but take one of mine at least. Did the rest of you pick up some after that awful experience with the magical swarm?" Zariya says and hands one of her flasks to Zohreh. "But yeah, let's just go into the necropolis, we don't want to dawdle and get caught outside after nightfall."
Fionn strolled up beside Jardar and glanced at the man, before shifting his eyes to their surroundings, "Mind if I scout with you? Me and Chulainn are pretty quiet when we need to be. And I inherited my mothers eyes!" He grins, tapping his pointed earlobe.
"I can buy more...but...yes, we shouldn't tarry." Nenet's mouth draws into a frown of concern. "I hope we aren't rushing and unprepared."
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Fionn strolled up beside Jardar and glanced at the man, before shifting his eyes to their surroundings, "Mind if I scout with you? Me and Chulainn are pretty quiet when we need to be. And I inherited my mothers eyes!" He grins, tapping his pointed earlobe.
"Be my guest. Who am I to argue with large wolves?" as Jandar-Ki sweeps his arm outward for the pair to move forward.
You guys have time. It will take about 2 hours of walking to get to the House of Pentheru. If you want to buy stuff, and change your domain spells, get a facial or a haircut, smoke some hashish or pesh, be my guest. As an FYI, there is no time limit for the dungeon exploration.
"Those of you who don't already have should take. With the flask I gave to Zohreh I still have 2 flasks of fire and one of acid left, so I should be good for now. Great that we got this resolved, I feel a bit less apprehensive about potentially meeting swarms of insects now. Let's be off."
The party starts to walk towards the gates leading to the Necropolis. The priests wave you in, and you walk on your way to the House.
You have no encounters on your way to the House.
The House of Pentheru
Sandstone walls ten feet high enclose this estate, affording
those who once lived inside some privacy. A two-story stone
house is visible beyond the walls, adjoining the rear wall ofthe
property. In the center of the estate's southern wall stands a
pair oftarnished bronze gates hanging partially open. A pair of
statues flanks the gate. Dusty hieroglyphs are carved into the
wall at eye level to the left ofthe gate.
Varisia approaches the gates and takes a quick read of the hieroglyphs before taking a quick peek inside the gates to get the lay of the land inside the walls.
Nenet reads the hieroglyphs as well, and casts Detect Magic. "Do we proceed with a scout?" she asks the group.
"Scouting is a bit risky. If we all go together we'll have more eyes to look out for things." Zariya says as she walks up to the statues to study them.
Jandar climbs the wall. He can walk around the compound on the wall if he makes a DC 15 balance check for every 100 ft he walks. The wall is only 5 feet wide but is 10 feet high. The hieroglyphs state "This is the House of Pentheru." The statues have a small set of hieroglyphs that state Pentheru the Elder and Pentheru the Younger. No magic is detected.
From what you can see from the gates, the courtyard looks something like this:
Dust and sand cover the ground of this small courtyard. To the
east and west stand pairs of columns, once brightly painted
and now bleached from the sun, which support stone archways
leading to other section of the property. Tarnished bronze gates
hang open under both arches. To the north, a small flight of
steps leads up to a pair of ornate doors in the south wall of the
house between another set of columns.
I'll get the map up as soon as I can. I have a visit from the mom unit today which may keep me slightly busy.
"There is nothing in there right? These statues are nothing interesting either. Let's just go in." Zariya says and follows Varisia through the door.
Jandar can take a 10.
For Jandar and anyone else not entering:
The western side of the estate forms an L-shaped yard mostly
given to sand, sun-dried earth, and the ancient husks of dead
trees. Stone benches line the walls of the yard, and a large tiled
pool sits in the southwest corner, dried and partially filled with
sand. A short flight of steps leads between a pair of pillars to a set of stone doors in the west side of the house. At the north end of the yard stands a squat stone building with columns at every corner.
For those entering the small courtyard:
Dust and sand cover the ground of this small courtyard. To the
east and west stand pairs of columns, once brightly painted
and now bleached from the sun, which support stone archways
leading to other section ofthe property. Tarnished bronze gates
hang open under both arches. To the north, a small flight of
steps leads up to a pair of ornate doors in the south wall of the
house between another set of columns.
.
Varisia walks to the middle of the courtyard and stops. 'Probably best to wait here until Jandar-Ki makes his trip along the wall.'
Zohreh walks cautiously towards the small courtyard.
(guidance)
"May the light of Sarenrae illuminate my path and help me spot what is hidden." Zariya prays for guidance to her goddess as they enter the courtyard.
Zariya and Zohreh hear what sounds like the stomping and yelling of many people running towards you. Varisia hears nothing. As you turn to face the source of the yelling, you see a large group of people running in terror and screaming, "the heads of the plague are here, run, run!
Roll for init Zariya, and Zohreh for a surprise round. Varisia doesn't get a roll.
"Where did all these people come from? They are not supposed to be here. Are they even real?" Zariya says as she disbelieves he own eyes, she'll grab hold of Varisia and pull him towards the gate they entered through.
Zohreh freezes and clutches her glaive, then thinks better of it and casts Sanctuary.
"Glad I'm not the only one seeing that."
Being pulled intensifies
Mostly waiting on Fionn and Nenet.
Nenet prepares a Toppling Magic Missile spell and narrows her eyes, looking for the cause of the commotion.
Fionnid frowns as he follows after the others, his eyes peeled, his weapon drawn, an arrow resting lightly in the crook of his thumb and the bow.
As the screaming people run by you, a wave of fear spreads out from them. Please roll will saves vs DC 15. Add any save bonus you have vs fear.
Zariya steels herself against the weird situation.
If you rolled your init above the effect in the surprise round, you did get an action. If you didn't, you were surprised.
Effects. Those who failed the save are frightened for 1d4 melee rounds. Those that made the save are shaken for 1 round.
Varisia and Nenet, you begin to run away from the courtyard as fast as you can. The rest, other then Jandar-Ki are all shaken for 1 round.
Varisia begins to wonder how he hadn't heard this mob of people coming but the wonder is quickly overridden by a wave of panic. Varisia attempts to break free from Zariya's grip and scramble for the gap in the gate.
No enemies whatsoever.
Zariya rushes after Varisia and grabs him again. "Wait! It's some supernatural fear. We gotta stay calm. Snap out of it."
Nenet sprints away, frightened out of her wits.
Zohreh shudders at the feeling spreading to her from the mob. She reaches out to try and touch one of them with the palm of her gauntlet, trying to figure out if they are real.
Zohreh's hand flashes through the mob, and she is chilled with the fear and recognition of death. If they are real, they're not on this plane of existence. Jandar see a mob of panicked Osiriani running out from the courtyard screaming about a plague, but they start to vanish once they leave the building grounds, they disappear with a scream and a sigh.