M
Mirian enters the familiar alter room, and nothing seems to change, she then opens the doors of the room which are the main doors to the outside they witnessed earlier. There is another door on the same wall as the double entry doors to the right, that was not visible from the street, and to the left at the end of the entry is a small staircase leading downward.
You can still hear the man bellowing from outside the alter room, when you open the front doors, but the heavy doors muffle the sounds once closed behind you. The single guard now on duty looks back at you, but seeing only another priest pays you no mind. The dog with him growls a bit, but the guard jerks him back to attention. You spot another wagon full of corpses making it's way into the courtyard as well. You guess it is about an hour before midnight at this time.
So your choices are (1) go back in the double doors; (2) Try the smaller side door; (3) head down the steps to the left; (4)Leave the temple by descending the stairway out front...or something else I haven't thought of.
Notice: Success
You see two men exit the small door as you're standing there, wearing familiar looking robes.
Notice: Raise
You spot Hakketh, and Septimius in their acolyte robes exiting the small door on the same well as you, and look around. They don't seem to recognize you.
S&H
Not seeing a door that leads to where the voices seem to come from, Hakketh decides to open the door directly across from where they currently are, as that is the closest to the sound source. The door opens to the outside courtyard where the main entrance to the temple is. This seems to be a door, that might be mainly concealed from opening from the outside, though now that you've opened it, you see how it is done. To your left are the big double doors into the Cathedral proper. In front of you is a guard, a dog, and the entrance to the street down the large staircase, and the columns in front, and at the far end of the covered entry a small staircase headed down (To your far left). You see a priest in a different uniform...possibly higher ranked exit the double doors and look around.
Your choices are...(1) Go back in the door you entered; (2) go in the double doors passing the senior priest; (3) Interact with the Senior priest; (4)Exit the grounds by the front entrance; (5)Explore the smaller downward leading staircase; (6) Something I haven't thought of yet. As you open the door you can hear indistinct shouts from inside...either angry or frightened you can't tell.
Wonderful, we've managed to find our way back to where we started and still no Mirian. I think we should try the downward leading staircase.
Mirian smiles behind her mask as she notices the two priests. Ignoring the guard she tries to signal the priests to follow her down the staircase to the left.
"Follow", she whispers before moving down the staircase.
Hakketh pauses as he moves towards the stairs seeing a priest in a mask moving towards the stairs. Suddenly he realizes that that priest has the figure of a beautiful woman with a very familiar walk hidden under those robes and he hurries after her signaling Septmillus to follow.
”We might as well head downstairs. That shouting — I don’t think that’s part of a ritual,” he whispers. Squeezing his hands as if he’s getting ready to punch someone, he heads towards the stairs, but is stopped when Hakketh signals him to follow. He’s not sure they should attack anyone at so close to the entrance, but he’ll follow Hakketh’s lead.
Septimilus Notice rolls:
Notice
WD
The two priests catch up with the Sr. priest with silence, and Septimilus finally figures out that this is Mirian when she speaks, and Hakketh nudges him while rolling his eyes. He starts to question her, then notices the guard, and remembers the shouting from inside, and decides that it might be best to find somewhere more private to talk. He follows the others towards the descending staircase.
DM Rolls
The stairs lead downward into the darkness. About halfway down the air grows cooler, and the strong smell of stench and decay fills the air. As you descend you enter a room. The stairs are 10 feet tall and the ceiling height is 20 feet. You see two large closed doors to your left as you enter (Back towards the temple) In the chamber are several rectangular stone slabs. The skull-masked priests carry the dead from the city on biers of blackened leather with handles of polished bone, and place their bodies here, covering the corpses with purple funerary shrouds until they are ready to be taken either to the furnace or the embalming chamber.
Since the room is below ground level, it is somewhat cooler than the rest of the building, which slows decay and helps prevent the outbreak of diseases. Yet, the stench of death and decay is overwhelming and living creatures who stay in the room must make a toughness test or be sickened.
What is your next step?
At the bottom of the stairs Mirian turns back to Hakketh and Septimilus. "So, what have you found?" Seconds later she nearly throws up as the stench hits. "What is th... we need to go someplace else." She moves to the two large doors to the left.
At the bottom of the stairs Mirian turns back to Hakketh and Septimilus. "So, what have you found?" Seconds later she nearly throws up as the stench hits. "What is th... we need to go someplace else." She moves to the two large doors to the left.
"Found? FOUND!?!"...we've been wondering in circles every since we entered the temple...and now we're in a fricking pit of dead people!" Hakketh says, clearly starting to feel his composure start to crack.
As they reach the room at the bottom of the stairs, the smell claws into his brain. Septimilius covers his mouth and nose with his folded arm. Tears well in his eyes as he dashes towards the doors, right behind Miriam. ”Allow me,” he says, pulling on one of the double doors to open it. He knows he can’t stay in this room without regurgitating. His stomach and brain are sending out distress signals that leaving this place is vital.
"Well, I did find something. Let's discuss it in the other room", Mirian says and follows Septimilius through the double doors.
Hakketh follows the pair alternatively mumbling complaints under his breath and gagging from the stench.
The double doors open to a hallway extending 5' to your right, and 25' to your left. Across from you is a single doorway. Down the hall to the left is a door at the end of the hall, and two doors facing each other 20' down the hall. The door in front of you just closed as you opened the double doors, and looked out.
By the way I forgot to mention it, but the two doors are at the top of a stairway leading up to ground level again...not that it really matters for this.
GM Rolls
Next up?
Septimilius points to the door that just closed. He whispers, ”You want to go through that door after you tell us what you found Miriam? Wait, let me listen first”. He softly steps to the door and presses an ear against it.
Septimilius
You hear the mumble of speech on the other side. You can make out at least two different voices.
Mirian, just about to retell her findings, stays silent and makes a "go at it" gesture to the door.
At the door, Septimilius nods and steps away to stand next to the others. ”I hear two voices. Can’t understand them. Miriam what did you discover?”
"How do they sound? Casual? Agitated?" Mirian asks in a whisper.
"When I entered the temple I came to hall with a thick curtain on one side and a door on the other. Behind the curtain was a an altar room with a statue of Susrah. I backtracked into the opposite door and came into some kind of study or living quarters for a higher clergy. The was numerous rows of cages containing black scorpions along the walls and another black curtain at the end. Behind the curtain was another priest, or something. He heard me come in and mistook me for someone called Othbanes. Since mimicry of male voices are not my specialty I tried to act like a disciple, saying that Othbanes had sent me. He didn't believe me, so I snuck out before he could move outside the curtain. I could hear him causing a fuss behind me so I moved through the door in the altar room, and there is where I found you." Mirian recant's, leaving out the reptilian tail and loot for the time being.
The speech sounded casual, but you can faintly make out agitated voices from the far end of the hallway, either through the wall, or through one of the doors.
So through the doors this evening, unless you have other plans?
Hearing Mirian’s report, Septimilius lets out a soft groan. ”Couldn’t be helped I guess. They’ll be looking for one person, not three, at least for a little while yet. That may work in our favor. Probably wouldn’t expect you to go deeper into the temple once you’ve been discovered, either. Well, shall enter and continue our search or confront the two people,” Septimilius indicates the door he listened at.
Mirian fixes her eyes on Septimilius. "Of course it could not be helped. I wouldn't be standing here telling you about if it could. Then I would be standing here telling you about the priest quarters and where we could find it. I'm not going to kill someone unprovoked. I'm here to rob this place, not to murder."
"Shall we go then? Since I outrank you I guess I should go first", she says and gestures to the robe. You can practically hear her smile behind the mask. Before she opens the doors and wanders into the room beyond she turns to Hakketh. "What do you know about this cult?"
Hakketh wracks his brain trying to remember anything useful about Susrah.
"Uh, it's a religion I think. That's about all I know."
”That’s unfortunate”, Mirian whispers. ”Then we will learn something new today. Remember where the exits are, we might have to leave in a hurry.”
Mirian fixes her eyes on Septimilius. "Of course it could not be helped. I wouldn't be standing here telling you about if it could. Then I would be standing here telling you about the priest quarters and where we could find it. I'm not going to kill someone unprovoked. I'm here to rob this place, not to murder."
"Shall we go then? Since I outrank you I guess I should go first", she says and gestures to the robe. You can practically hear her smile behind the mask. Before she opens the doors and wanders into the room beyond she turns to Hakketh. "What do you know about this cult?"
Mirian opens the door and strides into the room...an Acolyte accompanied by two initiates.
This grisly chamber is the domain of the senior priest of Yadar and master embalmer. The room features a workbench filled with mummification tools, such as knifes, hooks, and saws, as well as jars filled with herbs, oils, and resins. The room is 25' deep, and 20' wide with doors on the back wall, and on the left wall as you enter.
Before mummification, the corpses are drained of blood and the blood is collected in small golden bowls. Then, the internal organs are removed, and moisture is removed by covering the body in salts. The body is treated with special herbs and resins, then wrapped up in cloth and in some cases decorated with protective amulets, jewelry, and face masks.
In front of you are two initiates placing a mask on a recently prepared corpse. On another table is a less prepared corpse currently draining into a golden bowl. Over him stands a female Acolyte, dressed in blood spattered robes, and not wearing a mask. In the back of the room walking about is a portly man wearing the finery of a high priest, and spreading a foul smelling purple incense about the room. Everyone looks up as you enter.
The Acolyte stands back from her grisly task hooked blade in hand and screeches. "Who are you, and what are you doing with my robes on"?
DM Roll
And with that it's on to initiatives:
Mirian KC
Hakketh QS
Septimilius 9D
Initiates 10S
Acolyte AD
Othbanes 10C
So....
Acolytes
Mirian
Hakketh
Intitiates
Othbanes
Septimilus
The Acolytes drop the mask they were affixing and turn at the intrusion, drawing their daggers as they turn to face the intruders. When the Acolyte screeches than gather in front of her, and take defensive positions.
Mirian?
Hakketh feels the anger and frustration that's been building up ever since the group started this useless errand instead of finding the fat man before his dagger is used to release an undead monster explode in his mind and he channels that anger into a bolt of searing white light that he sends speeding at the face of the fat high priest.
”How unfortunate”, Mirian says when her cover is blown. Her dagger slides out of her sleeve and into her hand as a response to the initiate’s drawn daggers. ”Before you test your luck with those knifes, consider that you face the Greyfeather. When you advance against me you’re taking the last few steps towards the final rest. Lay down your daggers and you shall live.”
Cocky (minor)
Some heroes, and villains, just don’t know when to brag and when to act. Your character suffers from this affliction. The hero must spend the first round of any combat announcing how great he is, or pronouncing the doom of those who oppose him. If for some reason your hero must act instead, it costs him a benny.
A villain with this Hindrance ….
Mirian:
The Acolyte seeing Othbanes attacked by sorcery, runs forward screeching, to attack the wielder of foul magic.
Fighting attack on Hakketh
But the unfamiliar weapon twists in her hand, and she is unable to make contact.
DM Rolls
Othbanes looks up from his duties at all the commotion, just in time to get blasted in the face by a bolt of light from Hakketh. He stumbles back at the force of the blow, then seems to regain his senses. He begins to screech at the top of his lungs. "Intruders"! "Intruders"! "Rally...we are set upon"!
He then swirls his arm and a thick foul smelling deep grey fog begins to fill the room concealing his position. (Total Concealment)
Notice
You see him go through the door on the left side of the room, just before the fog cuts off your view.
”Eh, do I look like an assassin? I don’t want to murder anyone either. I’m all for getting out of here without any bloodshed.”
”You heard the lady!” Septimilius barks. He balls his fists and gets ready to strike, a smirk of amusement on his face at the thought that any of these acolytes would attack him. He flinches as the white light explodes from Hakketh. His smirk is quickly replaced by a frown as the Othbanes calls for guards and disappears in deep grey fog.
"If we lock the doors, we’ll be safe from guards but trapped,” he says taking a swing at the Acolyte that attacked Hakketh.
Mirian 5D
Hakketh JS
Septimilius 5H
Initiates 5S
Acolyte QH
Othbanes AS
Septimilius rushes forward, and attempts to punch the female Acolyte, but she easily slides past his attempt.
Round 2
Othnabes
Acolyte
Hakketh
Initiates
Septimilius
Mirian.
You all hear the slamming of a door, and the click of a lock somewhere beyond the fog.
The Acolyte slightly perturbed that this initiate should try to physically assault her, turns her venom on Septimilius. But her curved flensing knife catches in the cloth of her robes, and rips, slowing her attack and causing it to not damage the man.
DM Rolls
Hakketh continues to let his anger flow from his as bolts of light.
Striking the acolyte in the face with a blast of magic.
Total of 13
Everyone stares for a moment in abject horror, as Hakketh's bolt of light removes first the mask, then the skin from the face of the female acolyte. Her skeletal faced body stands for a moment a look of shock (Well at least that's what you assume, without a face it's hard to tell) on her ex-face, before collapsing soundlessly to the ground, flensing knife falling to the floor.
The two initiates grimace at the sight, but their zest keeps them from surrendering and they gang up on the source of their anger.
Two attacks on Hakketh, Wild Attack, and ganging up.
Cultist #1 Dagger (13= Hit plus raise}
XD
Cultist #2 (5=Hit)
Dagger Damage (14= Damage, 1-wound, and stunned)
XD
Dagger Damage (2= shocked at Cultists #1's skill)
Mirian's mind races with which of the her other problems she could point the sorcerer at. He had to be alive for that though. "Sorry, but the sorcerer is ours", she says and moves in and slashes against one of the initiates with her knife.
Septimilius waves his hands in front of his face as the fog continues to fill the room. He swings at the other initiate, hoping Mirian’s knife and his fist distracts them away from Hakketh.
Mirian's mind races with which of the her other problems she could point the sorcerer at. He had to be alive for that though. "Sorry, but the sorcerer is ours", she says and moves in and slashes against one of the initiates with her knife.
Mirian 9S
Hakketh 7S
Septimilius 3H
Initiates 7C
Acolyte Dead
Othbanes ?
Mirian
Hakketh
Initiates
Septimilius
DM Rolls
Spirit roll (If needed) for Initiate #1
So Mirian is up, then Hakketh, then the initiates, then Septimilus the brawler.
Once it is Hakketh's turn...
Removes the wound which also takes away the shaken condition.[/ooc]
"YOU FOOLS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RUN WHILE YOU COULD!!!" Hakketh screams at the initiates.
Hakketh cackles with glee as he extends a finger towards his target and then goes "Boom". A bright flash of light fills the initiates eyes and then begins to leak out of his mouth, ears, and nose before he falls dead. Hakketh laughs again.
Once it is Hakketh's turn...
[dice=Vigor]1d6 Removes the wound which also takes away the shaken condition.[/ooc]
[dice=Wild]1d6
"YOU FOOLS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RUN WHILE YOU COULD!!!" Hakketh screams at the initiates.
[dice=Spellcraft]1d10
[dice=Wild]1d6
[dice=Damage]2d6
[dice=Ace]1d6Hakketh cackles with glee as he extends a finger towards his target and then goes "Boom". A bright flash of light fills the initiates eyes and then begins to leak out of his mouth, ears, and nose before he falls dead. Hakketh laughs again.
"Knock that one out. We'll have to move quickly", Mirian says as she takes another stab at the initiate she's fighting.
"Knock that one out. We'll have to move quickly", Mirian says as she takes another stab at the initiate she's fighting.
Initiate #1 is startled at the blood on his robes, so backs up a few steps holding his dagger out in front of him Still shaken
DM Rolls:
Initiate #2 almost drops his dagger, as he is assaulted by a beam of bright holy light, and has to stop and rub his eyes with his open forearm, while crying out in surprise. Still Shaken
Mirian - Hit target, but didn't overcome toughness, so no wound.
Hakeeth - Blinding light to Initiate #2 shaking him.
Initiate #1 - Shaken and backing up
Initiate #2 - Shaken and rubbing his eyes.
Septimilius - Your up.
Septimilius sees a chance to strike while his enemy is overcome with Hakketh’s white light. He launches a kick to the groin of the initiate.
Mirian 8S
Hakketh 5C
Septimilius 9C
Initiates KS
Initiates
Septimilius
Mirian
Hakketh
DM Rolls
The two initiates begin to back up, one bleeding from a knife wound, and the other blinking and eyes watering, blood leaking from one ear,and holding on to the bleeding one. Then seem to be heading through the fog towards the closed door that Othbanes went through.
"Othbanes"! "Help us"! "We are beset".
Notice
You can hear chanting from the other side of the door. Maybe a spell being cast.
If notice is successful
Knowledge: Religion or arcane
You would swear that this is a summoning spell of some sort.
You can all hear shouts, and slamming doors from somewhere else in the complex.
You are all up!
"Quickly, contain those two", Mirian says and darts after the two initiatives, determined to subdue them.
As Septimilius sees the initiates back up into the fog, the sound of banging doors and yelling focuses his mind on the fact that they might soon be facing armed guards. He pulls his mace from under his robes, watching where the initiates went to in the fog for any sudden attacks.
Hakketh will wait to see if the fog dispels or something comes out of it.
The fog continues to linger, and the only sound is of the initiates crying in pain, and banging on a hidden door. "Othbanes". "Please let us in". "We are sorely pressed".
Notice
You can hear sounds of shouting, and banging doors from outside the room you entered.
Notice: Raise
You can hear a male voice from somewhere beyond the door shouting that three priests came out a moment ago, and entered the morgue.
Hakketh 7D
Septimilius 9H
Mirian JC
Initiates KC
Othbanes JS
Surprise visitors 6D
Initiates
Othbanes
Mirian
Septimilius
Hakketh
Surprise Visitors
The initiates continue to mewl and grovel.
Suddenly there is the sound of a drawn bolt, and opening door. A strong male voice comes from the fog, chanting some strange words...Then laughter. "Up Peons" "These traitors shall now taste my wrath".
You guys are all up before the surprise visitors.
DM roll