As soon as you finish swapping the top cartouches there is a loud click and the wall panel swings open. The rich scent of palm wine, cinnamon, and myrrh fills this magically illuminated storehouse. Each wall has deep slots filled with papyrus scrolls. A white-and-black marble altar enveloped in faint wisps of faerie fire sits squarely in the center of the room. A ladder to the south leads up to a walkway, with more shelves and a golden sarcophagus.
The sarcophagus contains a mummified corpse. A small shrine next to the
sarcophagus holds coded notes in Ancient Osiriani.
DC 25 Linguistics:
The notes are question-and-answer sessions conducted with the scholar’s spirit. The questions concern the preservation of memory in magical jewels and the crafting and repair of such jewels—information that Amenopheus might be able to use to repair his own sage jewel.
The notes explain that the sarcophagus allows a creature touching it to commune with any corpse placed inside. This ability can be activated once per day, as the spell speak with dead (CL 8th), though the visage on the lid speaks the answers rather than the corpse.
Searching the shelves reveals a collection of spell scrolls: a scroll of bless, a scroll of magic weapon, a scroll of ghostbane dirge, a scroll of resist energy, a scroll of remove disease, a scroll of speak with dead, and a scroll of elemental speech.
The chest on the walkway contains five bottles of holy water, a stack of ancient platinum coins, five spell component pouches, and three scholar’s outfits in red, yellow, and green, cut in a style common millennia ago.
HP 38 AC 18, T 11, FF 17 /CMD 19/F+7/Ref+3/Will+3 (+1vs Fear)/Ini+5/Perc+5
Mythic:
HP 53 AC 18, T 11, FF 17 l CMD 20 l F 7 R 3 W 3(+1 vs fear) l Ini +11 l Perc +5
"Lots of items in here Anything that will be useful now? I know that it will be all useful at some point right Fethril?" Kelris asks keeping his eyes open.
"Of course it will all be useful Kelris. Nethys has certainly blessed us this day. However, the immediacy of their benefits is somewhat obfuscated at the moment."
The mage makes a detailed rubbing on the sarcophagus, as well as any runes and hieroglyphs to be found.
NG Halfling S Bard 5 | HP: 38/38 | AC 20; TC 15; FF 16 | CMB +5; CMD 19 | Fort +3; Ref +9; Will +7 | Init +6 |Perc: +10, SM: +10 | Speed 20ft | Performance: 15/15
Morka takes a few scrolls, and then tries on one of the scholars outfits. "What do you think guys, does it suit me?"
"This place has so many secrets, I wonder what it's like further inside." He leaves the treasure room, and curtsies infront of the elemental. "Thank you, your Grandness." Satisfied, he moves back, and then checks out the path leading further in.
I keep forgetting no one has linguistics. Onwards!
B9
This storage space housed food and supplies for the fortress. The walls, floor, and ceiling are charred, and the burnt remnants of a few splintered boxes and barrels and a handful of corpses are scattered to the edges of the room.
DC 23 Kn. (Arcana) or Spellcraft:
You identify that at least part of the damage is the result of a fireball spell.
B10
The ceiling of this natural cavern sparkles with thousands of tiny crystals, while the center of the cave is split by a chasm that wends deeper underground. A stone bridge stretches over the gap. At the center of the bridge rises a black granite obelisk, covered with gems and hieroglyphics. The obelisk is a masterpiece of sculpture, with flawless lines and beautifully rendered images of the past. Large double doors provide an exit to the north while an open archway to the south is covered with wall carvings and leads to a hallway.
DC 13 Perception:
You spot a faint glow from below, where a nearly spent wayfinder sheds light like a candle. At the bottom of the chasm is the dry, crumpled remains of one of the Scarab Seekers.
HP 38 AC 18, T 11, FF 17 /CMD 19/F+7/Ref+3/Will+3 (+1vs Fear)/Ini+5/Perc+5
Mythic:
HP 53 AC 18, T 11, FF 17 l CMD 20 l F 7 R 3 W 3(+1 vs fear) l Ini +11 l Perc +5
Perception:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
"Looks like a light down there." Kelris points below the bridge they are crossing. "This place really matches the Diamond sage do you not think? Almost like he wasn't trying to hide." Smile on Kelris' face
He taunts the wizard, "Perhaps it was a dragon. It matches right, the scorch marks. Did someone remember to take that dragon bane sword?" His laugh turns awkward at the end there.
Elf Rog 4 | AC 20 T 16 FF 20 CMD 21| HP 47/47 | F+4 R+10 W+3 | Per +10 (+12 traps) | Init +10 | Mythic 4/9
"James, Kelris, can one of you hold the end of this rope? I believe I am the best climber among our group."
There is an implied as would be expected in her tone; Fethril appears to be rubbing off on Merisiel.
She has a +9 climb and 50' of silk rope, so can just Take 10 (or even if she had to roll she would get a minimum of 10).
HP 38 AC 18, T 11, FF 17 /CMD 19/F+7/Ref+3/Will+3 (+1vs Fear)/Ini+5/Perc+5
Mythic:
HP 53 AC 18, T 11, FF 17 l CMD 20 l F 7 R 3 W 3(+1 vs fear) l Ini +11 l Perc +5
"I can." Kelris says putting his pack down and wrapping some of the rope around his arms and moving to James to help out as well. "An explosion by the scorch marks but who knows." Kelris offers over his shoulder.
"Take a small blessing from Nethys, Merisiel. And this next one should help ensure you can see what you are doing." The elf takes the end of the rope and begins incantation. Moments later the coiled knot shines like a torch.
I will cast Guidance on her and Light on the rope.
NG Halfling S Bard 5 | HP: 38/38 | AC 20; TC 15; FF 16 | CMB +5; CMD 19 | Fort +3; Ref +9; Will +7 | Init +6 |Perc: +10, SM: +10 | Speed 20ft | Performance: 15/15
"Well aren't you a brave one, Merisiel? Ladies first, as they say, heh!" He tries to cover up his concern with humour before rectifying that, "Just please be careful."
He will use up a few rounds (not sure how many it would take) of bardic performance to give her +2 climb. At GM descression, just to make sure she makes it okay.
She doesn't really need it, but it would take about 3 rounds for her to get down the rope.
Merisiel discovers a broken, scarab-embossed wayfinder, a wand and a gem. The corpse is also wearing a ring. Everything else on it has been eaten away by time and appears useless.
DC 16 Spellcraft:
The wand is one fairly commonly seen throughout the Pathfinder Society. It is a wand of protection from evil and has 10 charges left in it. Looking closely you can even see the serial number still stamped on its handle, though the number is incredibly old, and still uses a four digit code, last seen more than a decade and a half ago.
DC 19 Spellcraft:
The ring appears to be a tiny dragon curled protectively around a gemstone. Not necessarily the most useful since Merisiel has the skills it provides, but it does allow one to disable locks and make traps without effort. It is colloquially known as a ring of maniacal devices.
DC 23 Spellcraft:
The gem appears to be a long, rough prism. Looking deeper into its facets you notice that three of them swim with words of power just underneath the surface. They emit light in various levels of power and duration. You don't know many Pathfinders that use these with the rise in prevalence of continual flames cast on belts, headbands, hand-wraps and other locations, but you have heard some old-timey Pathfinders still use these gems of brightness. Looks like there's still 12 charges left in this one.
DC 29 Spellcraft:
The corruption you've noticed in other magic items recovered from this cursed place has made itself known here as well. Looking closer at the ring you realize the dragon appears to be smirking and is covered in a patina of disease and corrosive splash marks. Examining the enchantment closer you come to the realization this is actually a ring of truth.
I'm proud of these spoilers. These are good spoilers.
"A wand to aid in the defense against the forces of evil. The gem is left over from a long ago age. It will allow us to dispell the darkness, temporarily at least, for a half-score more times. As to the others, the knowledge of these magics are long forgotten."
Spirits pour out of the obelisk, and a wave of desert heat washes over the area. The spirits dive at Kelris, screeching in some foreign language.
Touch your heart...:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
They move through the big man, leaving faint trails of ghostly matter on and around him. Inside he hears faint whispers, "Remember". I need a DC 15 Will save from you Kel.
Kelris forces his will on the spirits, pushing them away and stopping them from scouring his soul.
The obelisk starts giving off visions to all of you nearby. All creatures within 50 feet of the haunt see visions of the dead rising up from ancient tombs, armies of divs marching forth from a massive structure of black stone, and a plague of locusts sweeping over the land. The visions end shortly.
The arch around the north entrance to the hallway ahead is covered with detailed carvings depicting the life and accomplishments of a female pharaoh. A charred corpse covered in flecks of glass is visible just inside the hallway.
On the other side of the short hallway you can see a large hall with a table surrounded by three chairs.
DC 20 Kn. (history):
You identify the woman in the carvings in the hallway as the Song Pharaoh, whose death began the slow decline of the Ancient Osirion dynasties. You also revealize that two aspects of the carving don’t match historical records; the carvings show her defeated by the Pharaoh of Forgotten Plagues, whom she famously overthrew, and her being born in Shiman-Sekh, when she is known to have founded that city.
It is difficult to make out details on the corpse from outside the hallway, but Meri can make out some things about it. It looks as though it was killed by flying molten glass, and is clutched around a pack.
Stepping into the hallway triggers a loud screeching sound, followed by the hallway filling with the howling wind and sand from outside the fortress. Fire soon joins it, ripping through the entire small space and causing molten glass to fly everywhere within. DC 17 Reflex save Meri for half damage and to avoid being blinded for 1 minute.
It isn't easy, but with her skills Merisiel manages to save the pack, pulling it out of the hallway before it is destroyed like the corpse that was holding it.
Inside the pack is a broken scarab-embossed wayfinder and a scroll of remove curse, easily identified by Fethril. In addition there are notes about the ruins and correspondence from the
Pathfinder Society leadership. The notes record the pathfinder's suspicions about a trap in the hallway and that he had located a switch to bypass it. In addition, there is a letter bearing the seal of the Decemvirate.
Thanien,
Our agents in Qadira unearthed documents that were taken out of Osirion during the interregnum. They speak of an ancient group of scholar revolutionaries that were suppressed by the pharaohs during the Second Age. We believe we’ve pinpointed the abandoned fortress where some of these sages hid from the purges with their treasures. The documents say these scholars held priceless histories of Ancient Osirion, which we need you to retrieve and return to Absalom.
Assemble a team of the Scarab Seekers and follow the instructions that arrived with this letter. We’ve set up a cover for you as merchants and prepared a caravan that should see you close to the fortress and provide transport for anything you recover.
If the Osirians discover your purpose, we can’t have it traced back to the Society. Once you go in, you’re on your own. Burn this letter and the other documents once you’ve memorized them, and keep the information they conveyed to yourself.
HP 38 AC 18, T 11, FF 17 /CMD 19/F+7/Ref+3/Will+3 (+1vs Fear)/Ini+5/Perc+5
Mythic:
HP 53 AC 18, T 11, FF 17 l CMD 20 l F 7 R 3 W 3(+1 vs fear) l Ini +11 l Perc +5
"I guess we can throw the letter in the hall now to incinerate it." Kelris muses after reading it himself. "SO now we have some of this information, I wonder if he had more about these ruins. Did we hear about a Caravan coming here?" Kelris says
