The notorious Minkai aristocrats of Clan Hanado died out nearly two hundred years ago under the weight of its own arrogance. All that now remains of the once-great clan is the long-hidden Tomb of the Iron Medusa.
HP 182/182 | AC 26 (T 16, FF 24) | CMD 30 | F +18 | R +12 | W +14 | Init +2 | Per +15 | LoH 14/10 | Smite 5/3 | Bond 15/14
"I regret to tell you that your clan is no more. The excesses, corruption, and infighting among the later generations of your kin brought the emperor to have the clan disbanded, and its name stricken from its prior place of honour. It is the wish of the descendant we serve to find a way to restore honour to the clan, and give rise to a rebirth of its name."
AC 22/18/15 HP 117/117 F+7 R+15 W+9 Init +13 Per +28, Spells Active: detect scrying, mage armor, overland flight
"As Akiyoshi-san suggests, there is certainly hope for the clan. The young man who has sent us offers a chance for a new beginning for the clan. He is a good man." While speaking, Ukyou attempts to judge what the spirits represent.
Knowledge (religion)1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17 Diplomacy to assist1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
The wispy spirits dance in the mist, their jet black hair trailing behind them. Their eery voices rise again: "Are you of the blood? Will you save the clan?" They seem impervious to your words, mindless but damned nonetheless...
HP 182/182 | AC 26 (T 16, FF 24) | CMD 30 | F +18 | R +12 | W +14 | Init +2 | Per +15 | LoH 14/10 | Smite 5/3 | Bond 15/14
"I am not entirely certain they are fully able to interact with us... and I detect no implicit evil in them. Should we continue to wait and see if they do anything else, or should we press on beyond them?"
The mists thicken and they seem like a wall as you try to go down the stairs, forcing you to stop.
Previous Description wrote:
The wide flight of stairs descends down into the earth here. After a few steps, thick white mist fills the stairwell, obscuring further vision. Three circular tiles are set into the floor inside of the archway at the head of the stairs; each tile depicts a different medusa’s face—one howling in rage, one mocking with a forked tongue, and one with crossed eyes.
AC 22/18/15 HP 117/117 F+7 R+15 W+9 Init +13 Per +28, Spells Active: detect scrying, mage armor, overland flight
"Interesting. These seem to be presenting some sort of barrier. Perhaps it isn't conversation that they want so much as a trigger. Let's have a look at those tiles." Ukyou goes over to the three circular tiles and crouches to take a closer look at them.
Perception1d20 + 28 ⇒ (4) + 28 = 32 Disable Device if he thinks they are trapped1d20 + 27 ⇒ (14) + 27 = 41
Tihn will go to the set tiles, and crouches down, leaning on his staff as he does. He presses a clawed hand against a tile (the raging medusa). If this has no obvious results, he'll examine the tile closely: is it mortared in well, or are the edges exposed? Will it rotate, slide or flip?
AC 22/18/15 HP 117/117 F+7 R+15 W+9 Init +13 Per +28, Spells Active: detect scrying, mage armor, overland flight
"You think the howling one Tihn-san? Remember, I can always press them from the other side of the room. I promise that trick doesn't always fail as spectacularly as it did when we tried to enter the tomb at the start."
"In the interest of honesty, it was an educated guess. It may be that each of these tiles will lead us to a different destination. But it appears we do have one clear way to proceed."
Tihn holds his illuminated staff high, and waits as Akiyoshi leads the way down before following himself.
Flickering light dances on the walls of this room, thrown from fat, black candles in silver fixtures wrapped around supporting pillars that rise twenty feet to the ceiling.
Frescoes cover the walls, all depicting a handsome, copper-haired Tian of noble mien engaged in acts of heroic prowess: single-handedly dispatching a cohort of fearsome demons, speaking movingly to an adoring throng, and leading a column of Minkai soldiers toward an enormous mob of Li Po infantry.
On a raised dais in an alcove on the northern wall, an elaborately carved mahogany coffin, decorated with motifs of vines and eyes, sits on a stone base. Slightly in front and to its right, at the southern edge of the raised dais, a rough stone pillar, painted in white, rises 10 feet, halfway to the ceiling.
AC 22/18/15 HP 117/117 F+7 R+15 W+9 Init +13 Per +28, Spells Active: detect scrying, mage armor, overland flight
"I'll see about the locks. Give me just a moment." Ukyou checks the sarcophagus for traps with both magical means and a mundane investigation. Then, the ratfolk backs away 30 feet and after levitating his tools over to the locks, attempts to quickly open them.
Casts detect magic Perception1d20 + 28 ⇒ (3) + 28 = 31 DD Lock #11d20 + 27 ⇒ (13) + 27 = 40 DD Lock #21d20 + 27 ⇒ (20) + 27 = 47 DD Lock #31d20 + 27 ⇒ (2) + 27 = 29 DD Lock #3 again if needed1d20 + 27 ⇒ (3) + 27 = 30 Oy vey! And one more time!1d20 + 27 ⇒ (2) + 27 = 29 Maybe Akiyoshi should just break it!1d20 + 27 ⇒ (5) + 27 = 32 And have Tihn Magic Missile it!1d20 + 27 ⇒ (5) + 27 = 32 Wow, just wow! I know its probably just a DC 30, but I better burn these horrible rolls!1d20 + 27 ⇒ (13) + 27 = 40 Be sure to add +5 to those DCs because of him using ranged legerdemain.
As Ukyou starts manipulating the locks, the four ethereal spirits fly down the stairs, this time clear of the mists. They spin around the group, their clothes and hair trailing long behind them. Their voices echo eerily in the chamber: "This is our beloved brother Sarudo Durusu. Oh! How we miss him. He was the greatest of the clan. Yes he was, and we looooved hiiiiimm."
"We need to open it to be sure the blade is not there..." Once the locks are undone and the others ready, Tihn will try to push it open. If it is so heavy or stuck in place that it needs a strength check, he'll shrug and give a deferential gesture to Akiyoshi.
As Akiyoshi and Tihn move to open the lid, the ghostly sisters of Sarudo Durusu form a vortex of swirling hair above the black sarcophagus, their skin turning to bloody crimson while their eyes turn jet black: "Noooooooooo!" they scream.
Only Ukyou is fast enough to sense the shift and react before it happens.
Ukyou:
You also saw something stir, something ghostly, in the white pillar...
Ukyou with a standard action in the surprise round, then the threat, then the order for round 1 is as follow:
-Ukyou
-Unknown threat
-The rest of the group
Ukyou shouts out, "Look out! Something is attacking!" //Though he knows this is some form of undead, it must be a rare one, for he can’t identify it any further.
He utters a few words and points at the creature, sending three fiery rays at it.
//The rays fly true, but they pass through the whirlwind of spirit without harming them, crashing against the wall at the back of the alcove.
Surprise Round - Urula and her Sisters
The whirlwind of spirits flies to Ukyou, aiming for his chest!
AC 22/18/15 HP 117/117 F+7 R+15 W+9 Init +13 Per +28, Spells Active: detect scrying, mage armor, overland flight
Three questions for you Tomb:
1. Can Ukyou tell what was done to avoid the spell? Shift out of this plane? Simply immune to magic? Incorporeal would still take damage.
2. Any Spellcraft chance to know about them setting up the wall?
3. What do the white and red dots on the map represent?
Fair questions. I'll do my best:
1. Ukyou can't tell exactly, but it seems that either the ghosts are impervious to magic, or that they're only a vehicle of action, or that they are impervious only to specific spells.
2. On your side, you didn't see them cast a spell, but remember what I told you in the spoiler. If you make a perception check DC 30, you can tell the echo in the room has changed. DC 40, you'll be able to tell a wall is blocking the way.
3. The red circle is the whirlwind-like spirits, their clothes turned the colour of blood. The white circle is the white column.
AC 22/18/15 HP 117/117 F+7 R+15 W+9 Init +13 Per +28, Spells Active: detect scrying, mage armor, overland flight
Perception1d20 + 28 ⇒ (10) + 28 = 38Close but not quite.
"Think I saw something in that white pillar. Something has also changed in this room. It doesn't sound the same as before. I'm going to try hitting the pillar since I wasn't able to do anything to those ghosts." Ukyou steps away from the spirits and casts another spell sending a flurry of knifing ice shards flying into the pillar.
5-foot step to i9 and casts cold ice strike for 14d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6, 4, 5, 5, 6, 5, 3) = 65 DC 23 Reflex save for half though I doubt the pillar itself can dodge.
Male Human Monk (Zen Archer) 14 HP-117, AC-23/23/17, F+11 R+14 W+13
Jiro keeps his bow ready.
"Should I try to shoot them? Your magic did nothing, so I am sure my arrows will not do much, but make them more angry, if thats possible."
"Think I saw something in that white pillar. Something has also changed in this room. It doesn't sound the same as before. I'm going to try hitting the pillar since I wasn't able to do anything to those ghosts." Ukyou steps away from the spirits and casts another spell sending a flurry of knifing ice shards flying into the pillar.
Secret Rolls:
50 % miss 1d100 ⇒ 32
//Stone chips fly and rain down everywhere as the ice shards bite into the pillar. A long wail resonates through the room.
Ukyou feels his heart freeze as Urula slams into him, followed by the whirlwind of ghosts. (-39 hp and 5 Con Drain, probably resulting in 42 hp further lost)
The characters don’t know it, but there is a wall of force between the two pairs.
The creature is inside the pillar now, meaning a 50 % miss chance on targeted spells or attack. She also incorporeal.
Status
5 Con Drain to Ukyou
Map The rest are up for round 1 and Ukyou for round 2.
