Seeing Zariya reach the bottom Varisia slings his crossbow over his shoulder and begins his descent. 'Hold tight, I'll be right down'
As the party descends into the shaft. they see it emerge into a 20x20 room. It becomes obvious that without a rope or magic or flight or some awesomely powerful leg muscles, the shaft would be unable to be reascended. The room has has a pair of stone in the west wall. Mirrored images of a warrior in side profile, facing inward, cover the ornate doors. The figure is depicted wearing padded armor, with a scarab-shaped shield on the arm facing the viewer, and a raised khopesh help aloft in the other. A crumpled humanoid body lies directly in front of the doors. A hit of decay hangs in the air, and a dried stain mars the stone floor under the body.
Upon reaching the floor safely Varisia moves cautiously towards the body. Wary of traps and other hidden dangers he keeps his eyes roaming for signs of hazards. Despite his best efforts his gaze is drawn to the images on the doors.
Varisia sees no traps and the body doesn't stir.
Varisia carefully inspects the hopefully dead body checking for wounds or cause of death and anything useful.
He appears to be dead from a fall. You do find a couple of pitons, a hammer, and two vial's of alchemist's fire that didn't break from the fall.
Varisia collects the hammer and pitons and stows them in his backpack. He stands and turns to everyone else at the bottom of the shaft and holds out the two vials.
'Alchemist's fire. I already have one, but I figure the more of us who do the better. Looks like this one had a little trouble getting down here.'
"Poor man, may the Sarenrae bless his soul." Zariya says and holds her symbol in prayer. "I could use the fires. I got only an acid flask in case we run into something my weapon is unsuitable to handle. Though I do have the flask, so if someone else got nothing, maybe we can split so I take one and someone else take the other?" Zariya walks over to get one of the flasks, which she carefully proceeds to strap within easy reach, in case she'll need it fast. "I think we should proceed. Maybe this man was assigned to this tomb before us and we got it when he didn't come back?" She does study the area more closely and wait for everyone to proceed before continuing though.
The rope was cut about 5 feet down from the first part of the shaft. Zariya sees and hears nothing. The rope is quite old, so it would be doubtful that he was part of the original lottery.
"Yes, let's continue."
Zohreh listens at the doors for any sounds from the inside, though she's not sure what she expects to hear.
Zohreh hears nothing but the sound of silence.
Jandar-Kai is able to open the doors and through them, the group sees a 10 ft wide hallway. (More to come since I'm at work and don't have the adventure handy).
Arasmes looks at the body and then down at Lorn and says Well that's an ominous start.
The walls of the corridor (10 ft wide) before are covered in bas-reliefs of great battles. Warriors clash at each other with spears and shields, while commanders bowl entire lines of troops over with chariots while shouting commands. At the end of the corridor, engraved double doors stand closed, holding sentinel over the troops...
'So far so good. Let me see if I can find anything.' Varisia begins to move down the hallway, ready for any surprises.
Varisia finds nothing in the 1st 10 feet of the corridor.
"I'll take point. My armor and my goddess and my quick reflexes will protect me against anything unforeseen. It's a good idea to be careful and watch our step though." She walks up beside Varisia, continues into the corridor, stopping every 10 ft to look around until they get to the door where she'll study it carefully and listen.
The eidolon is summoned at the moment. I wanted to see what other people's reactions were going to be since I assume you were being cautious. The corridor is 35 feet long.
.
Zariya's keen senses find a pressure plate 5x10 in front of the western doors.
Seeing Zariya take the lead Varisia turns his attentions to the carvings along the corridor walls.
'Let's see, chariots, swords and shields. If I reckon correctly this is the battle of...' The Archaeologist trails off racking his brain sorting through the long and storied history of the region.
"A pressure plate!" Zariya exclaims, her voice filled with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. She points towards it with the end of her weapon. She stops moving forward and holds out to stop anyone from getting past her. "We need to disable it, or jump over it somehow."
Varisia believes it is the battle of Mumu the Dressmaker vs Todd of the Brute Squad. It was a pivotal time in determining whether dresses or Osirion skirts were going to be the primary dress for male halflings working for the city of Wati,
'Mumu the Dressmaker vs Todd of the Brute Squad! If memory serves it set Halfling fashion forward decades and the influences can still be seen in noble Halfling and middle-class children's fashion throughout Southeast Osirion today. Fascinating to see such a complete history.' Varisia runs his eyes along the length of the mural soaking in the carvings. He is distracted from his marveling by Zariya's find.
Seeing Jandar-Ki working on the plate he returns to studying the figures along the walls.
Arasmes raises an eyebrow and says Do we want to perhaps spring it to see what sorts of traps we can expect?
.
'I'd hate to spring it and see the ceiling come caving in. Not only would we miss out on seeing more of this great stonework but I imagine the Priests would appreciate us destroying a tomb. Between Jandar-Ki and myself we shouldn't have any issues getting by any traps that may be waiting for us.' Varisia continues to take in the carvings.
"I agree. If we manage to avoid springing any traps at all that would be best." Zariya says as she retreats out with the others.
Varisia tears his eyes away from the walls to glance down at Jandar-Ki. 'You need a hand with that, kid?'
Jandar-Ki fiddles with the pressure plate, but is unable to disarm it. However, his fiddling does nothing apparent.
Works for me. That's what I assumed anyway was going to happen.
Varisia glances back down the hallway to where everyone is waiting. 'Just be one more second, just making sure it's safe' He says with a convincing smile.
He turns his attention back to the plate and speaks quietly to Jandar-Ki 'Let's get this done before they get impatient and send send 'help''
. After much travail (but fortunately not setting off the trap, though the second attempt was close (by 1),)Jandar-Ki and Varisia are able to disable a rather nasty dart trap. It appears to fire darts down the length of the corridor hitting anyone in the entire area. It also appears to be loaded for at least 10 rounds of fire while someone stands on the plate.
. The doors still lie unopened at the end of the corridor.
Varisia pats Jandar-Ki on the back and moves toward the door. He gives it the old once over.
Varisia opens the door while waving the group forward.
Varisia waves forward the Jandar-Ki and appraises him of the situation.
Varisia finds nothing on the door nor is it locked. In the next room the party sees a 20 x 20 room with doors to the south and the north. A faded tapestry depicts an middle-aged man accompanied by a woman and two children, with a small estate in the background. To either side of the tapestry are two small pedestals, upon which sit two dead and preserved animals. No obvious creatures are in the room.
Varisia waves the rest of the group forward.
Zohreh enters cautiously, her eyes on the tapestry. "Amazing it's stayed preserved for so long."
The tapestry looks back at you, the children happy but the wife forlorn and sad. Perhaps not enough Calgon in her bathwater?
Otherwise nothing in the room but the tapestry, some animals on statues, and the north and south doors.