Tetsu no Kurage no Haka - Tomb of the Iron Medusa in Minkai (Inactive)

Game Master Dreaming Warforged

Ukyou smiles and folds his clawed fingers, "There may be more still to reveal itself tonight. Tihn and I also need to consider which spells will suit this venture best. Perhaps we should teleport to the crypt in the morning."

"Perhaps teleport. But the walk may do us some good. Perhaps we'll encounter clues as we approach. Things that our keen eyes may note as significant given we understand the potential relevance. And, we may want to reserve teleportation as an opportune retreat should it prove necessary."

"Well I suppose we have no pressing need to hurry, though I would not wish to dither. I have spells prepared and am ready, so let us know when you are ready, I suppose we may as well avail ourselves of the beds in the meantime."

The Necropolis sits before you, in a hidden dale in the foothills of the Kyoin Mountains. The scene contrasts strongly with the one of the morning. This is far from balanced serenity and beauty. The whole scene speaks instead of desolation and abandon...

You recall your last words with the young man. After breakfast, he produced a white marble funerary baton from a pouch and placed it on the table: "This baton was in a hidden panel behind a plaque on a wall of the inn." He then twists the top of the baton, causing the tip to pop open and reveal a hollow inside containing a rolled parchment. "I didn't know what to make of it. It would frustrate me and I kept thinking about it all the time! But then I eventually realized that it was a sort of map. That's how I found the secret tomb of the Hanados! I want you to have it. It might have invaluable information once you're inside the tomb. Again, I don't know how to thank you for honouring my request. Please keep all you find there, except for information on my family, and the family's sword."

The complex of several buildings is surrounded by a 15-foot-high wall made of tightly fitted gray stone blocks. Wider sections resembling castle watchtowers are spaced along the wall. Spaced equally around the wall between these towers are 10-foot diameter iron discs decorated with the leering medusa face of the Hanado family mon. Sturdy vines that would make for an easy climb have claimed the walls and the towers. Inside the walls, the buildings barely stand and will soon be claimed by nature.

You unroll the parchment kept secret in the funerary baton, reading one more time it's enigmatic words:
Set thee off from Slumbering Cat
Seeking where the Dead are at
Journey north and east apace
To find Medusa’s iron embrace,
Follow now the Spider Star
Behind the Wall that hides its Face
To our Sad, Abandoned Place
If visit ye the Long Deceased
Find the Will to Feed the Beast
Then Begin where all Men End
Light go out and Breath Suspend
Egress through the Stony Door
After turning Face to Floor
Each Hanado Branch has Room
In its Silent, Musty Tomb
For at least one Careless Soul
Wouldst thou fill that Empty Hole?

A hard wind starts blowing, lifting a dust that carries with it a smell of iron and decay...

"Where shall we begin? Do you suppose there is an entrance to a large complex below?"

Akiyoshi casts his eyes about, looking for anything suspicious, or a place for a likely entrance.
Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33

Taizo frowns stroking his goatee,

"So we can assume Slumbering Cat is the Sleeping Lion, dead are at the tomb, I believe we have already journeyed north and east apace. So we need to find the Medusa's iron embrace, by following the "Spider Star" behind the wall that hides its face. So we should presumably check these iron disks for either a Medusa hiding its face or some clue to the nature of this Spider Star."

Ukyou moves over to one of the medusa faces and takes a long look over it for any clues.
Perception 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (14) + 28 = 42

Jiro will also look at the discs set into the wall

perception: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (5) + 21 = 26

"Well," he says to Mikko, "I suppose it begins now."

He'll cast extended mage armor on himself.Walking around the complex, Tihn will examine the faces with the others, using detect magic on each in turn.

The medusa's head is a masterfully wrought iron relief. Ten feet in diameter, its angry face stands almost as tall as you. A circular hole about an inch and a half in diameter sits at the back of the sculpture’s open mouth.

As you inspect it, you can tell the funerary stick you've been given fits perfectly in the hole.

"I do believe the baton would fit in that space, perhaps as a key of sorts. I sense some arcane force at work here as well. The power of conjuration, which brings something into existance. Perhaps creatures, or objects, even doorways or walls. Perhaps a simple messenger, perhaps a fountain of acid. I think we've little choice but to try the baton, but be on guard and take any precautions you may see fit."

"If you like, I will try the baton while the rest of you stand back. No need to risk more of us than necessarily."

"Perhaps a small distance. But it could as easily be a magic passage inside as it is a defensive trap. "

Tihn considers for a moment, then adds "The verses said 'To find Medusa’s iron embrace, follow now the Spider Star. Behind the wall that hides its face, to our sad, abandoned place.' Are there other discs of the medusa around the perimeter that could be said to be hiding its face?"

I think there are many of these faces if I understood correctly. Would a Knowledge (Arcana) 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31 or Spellcraft 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (16) + 24 = 40 shed any light on things?
"Just a moment Akiyoshi. Let us look a little further and prepare first. I should be able to use my talents to try the wand from quite a distance away should we wish to be cautious."

Many faces are found along the perimeter, but only one has a hole that would fit the funerary baton.

"Shall we see what happens when we insert the baton?"

"Let us be bold, the baton is an ancestral relic it is not likely to trigger a trap, though we should of corse be wary. Try it, or I shall if you wish?"

If Ukyou can insert the baton from a distance, then it is probably wisest to allow him to do so. I agree that it is unlikely to be trapped, but there is no need expose ourselves to unnecessary risks."

"As the philosopher said, 'The cautious seldom err.'"

"True, my friend. But if we were truly interested in great caution, we would still be back at the inn." With a smile, Tihn paces back to the right of the disc about twenty-five feet along the wall. He then turns, ready to bolt forward if it is needed. Then he nods his approval to Ukyou to proceed.

Let me know how far you stand. If you don't say anything, I'll assume you're by Ukyou.

Ukyou takes the baton and walks about 30 feet straight back from the face. He releases the baton and spreads his arms wide. It floats for a moment and then darts forward to the face, rotating to point at the circular hole, where it hovers for a moment. "Everyone ready?"

"We are," Taizo says simply, having already utilized his wand of mage armor, and already floating a few inches from the ground thanks to overland flight.

Jiro has his bow ready and is standing about 20' from the lock.

You watch as the baton clicks into place. The metal covering the medusa’s eyes slides back, exposing eyes made of polished white marble, with painted black pupils glaring menacingly.

But nothing else happens. Ukyou frowns for a moment, then concentrates on rotating the baton, as you would a key. As he does so, the eyes move towards one another, until the medusa's eyes look cross.

At this moment, the medusa’s jaws gape open and a cold blue light shines forth. The air in front of the medusa's had shimmer in the blue light and you feel your ears pop slightly as air is sucked in the medusa's mouth

The mouth closes and the metal eyelids slide back into place. Things return to normal...

...except the baton is gone.

"Umm...was it suppose to do that? I still see no entryway, or perhaps that just turned off some sort of protection?"
Jiro looks around to see if anything looks to have changed.

Perception: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (19) + 21 = 40

Did it happen too quickly for Tihn to rush forward? If so...

"Hmm. The crossed eyes make it look like the symbol for the Dalano clan."

Can Tihn tell what the blue light/sucking effect was? Was it a teleportation effect?

Spellcraft 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (9) + 24 = 33
Knowledge Arcana 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (10) + 24 = 34

I think in our abundance of caution, we may have missed our opportunity to get inside.

Hopefully not, or this will be a short campaign. Even if we did, there should be a secondary way to get in.

"Well, if we are going to get to the bottom of this place, we need to at least get in. I cannot confirm, but I suspect that is a teleportation effect to bring mourners or funeral groups inside. Perhaps we can trigger it without the baton?"

UMD, anyone?

Taizo has it. Luckily.

Taizo moves forward, ushering the rest of the group to follow, then cracking his fingers and casting detect magic, he examines the face. Producing a couple of slender mithril daggers, he begins to carefully probe the entry while humming softly trying to attune himself to the magics.

UMD: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (12) + 16 = 28 Generally its a DC 25 to activate something blindly so hopefully that will suffice.

Akiyoshi draws his sword, and facing away from Taizo but back to back with him, stands ready for any threats that exist wherever they appear.

"If bypassing this wall is our objective, then I am sure I am capable of doing so. Is there any reason why we cannot jump or climb over the wall, or perhaps pass through it? Is the wall magical in any way, or just the one medallion?"

"Yes," Taixo replies, "This appears to be teleportation magic, so there is no reason to suppose it is taking us to the other side of this wall. It is the method set up for their kin and thus likely to be the safest way of entering. We could hack it apart to, I possess an adamantine axe for such a purpose, but such work is exhausting and crude. I believe a little finesse will serve us better now... I think I have it..."

An embarrassed Ukyou merely utters "Oops" upon seeing the baton vanish into the portal opened by the medusa. "Good thing we've got your talents with us Taizo."

Taizo's work seem to work quite well, as he manages to get the eyelids open, them the eyes crossed. For a moment, nothing else happens, but as he hums, a clear harmonic seems to resonate and he shift his tools slightly.

The mouth of the medusa opens once more and you are bathed in blue light as your corporeal essence shifts and is drawn into its mouth, literally sucked in!

Please use spoilers.