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

Game Master Dreaming Warforged

"Perhaps were we defeated the elementals?"

Tihn orders Mikko, his rat familiar, out of his pouch and onto Tihn's shoulder. In a chittering speech, Tihn tells the rat to be his eyes for him, telling him when we needs to step up, avoid obstacles, speed up or slow down, etc. With his staff at hand to help prevent stumbling, Tihn is ready to follow the paladin to where he thinks it best to recover.

Ah sorry about that...I was confused when it talked about firing arrows around a corner...thinking it meant the whole attack benefited from the ki points, not just 1 shot.

Sorry, I was talking about Ukyou's ability.

lol..ok..so I'm good then??

lol..ok..so I'm good then??

No, you're lawful neutral!

<<<Insert laugh track here>>>

lol..ok..so I'm good then??

That was a "on the fly" ruling. I'd like to think further about it.

"The crematorium? Fine, lets make our way back there. Be careful. I will lead the way. Ukyou, could you link arms with the others and guide them? We will move slowly, but stay close together. When you're ready, we will move."

Akiyoshi waits until his comrades are prepared, and then holding his sword out before them, he begins to make his way back the way they came.

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29

Always turning left, the group makes it back to the stairs, and from there, they can easily reach the crematorium.

How do you organize for the rest?

Jiro Bukisaka wrote:

lol..ok..so I'm good then??

That was a "on the fly" ruling. I'd like to think further about it.

Ok, I found a few elements. You should have located the square of the creature (pinpoint). The DC is very high, but if the creature is involved in battle, it should be doable. Then you can remove concealment with 2 points. To be repeated if the creature moves.

Akiyoshi scouts the structure, looking for the most secure room; it should preferably have only two ways in, with one that can be secured from the inside. (This might be as simple as barricading the second door, or even a window, in a manner that can be torn down from the inside should we need it for escape.) If an ideal area cannot be found, he will make the best of what is there.

"Watches will be difficult; Tihn and Jiro will be unable to assist us, Ukyou, and I will need to rest if I am to cure their blindness in the morning. I am afraid that I must ask you to stand the watch all night. Can you do this?"

"Mikko can certainly help. And I can cast a spell that will create a wall of iron if it would help isolate us."

"If you can dispel it if we need a quick escape, that would be perfect. I can help you with where to cast it."

So, what's the plan for the night?

"I could disintegrate it, but not casually dismiss it. I could always summon if needed. Ukyou, could you and Mikko keep watch for a spell? After Akioyoshi has restored us, we can let you rest as well. If we are assailed during the night, I can teleport us away from here so we can regroup."

"Of course Tihn-san, I would be happy to keep watch with our little cousin. Get some rest. I will rest when you all are well."
Perception for night 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (18) + 28 = 46
Let me know if you need some other checks.

Jiro waits in silence, unable to help in protecting the camp. The feeling of helplessness stings, but it also give him insight into how such people must interact with the world around them.

"Thank you, Ukyou. I'll take advantage of the rest as well, so that when sight is restored to me, I can renew some of the arcane force I have expended so far." Then with his instructions given to Mikko, he settles in to sleep.

Night never ends where you dwell, but hours pass, filled with fear and terror as half of you find yourselves cheated of sight. The sound of the wind whistling through the cracks of the crematorium plays tricks on your mind, but your rest goes undisturbed.

"You may wake Akiyoshi. This place is haunted and it is a wonder you can sleep, but I think you have rested long enough to see if you can bring back sight."

Tihn stands, leaning on his staff heavily. With a word, the tip of the staff flares into light, illuminating the area. With a quick exchange from his sighted familiar, Tihn confirms the light is present as he intended before he settles in to see if the gods answer Akiyoshi's plea on his behalf.

"Thank you friends, for standing watch so faithfully. I am indeed rested, or as rested as I could be, being in such a place as this.

Akiyoshi wanders off a short ways, though not completely out of sight, to answer nature's call. When he returns, he settles into a comfortable position atop his bedroll and begins his morning meditations.

He prepares his list of spells as usual, except for preparing two versions of Remove Blindness instead of two of his usual 3rd level spells. He will retain Dispel Magic, replacing the other two.

After an hour of focus, Akiyoshi opens his eyes, and stands, looking calm and refreshed. He moves to the sides of his blinded companions, and heals them both, in turn.

"May sight return to you eyes, my friends, though there is little here of beauty to see."

Jiro and Tihn regain their sight.

Tihn opens his eyes after Akiyoshi's touch and murmurs "Most excellent. Thank you, my friend."

With that, Tihn sits with his spell book and carefully flips through the pages. Though it seems like much longer, after a mere 15 minutes he tucks away the book and pushes himself to his feet with his staff. "Gentlefolk, shall we return the favor and watch over Ukyou will he rests?"

Jiro says a quick prayer to Irori as his vision returns.

"I thank you Tihn-san. Given the hazards we have already encountered here, it would be best if we were all at our full facilities." Ukyou lays out a sleeping pallet and lies down to catch a quick nap.

"Thank you Akiyoshi-san. I am in your debt" Jiro bows low to the warrior

"You owe me nothing, old friend. Let's put these spirits to rest, and we will call it even."

"Tihn-chan, do you have another spell you could store within my sword? The last one was very beneficial."
I meant to ask last night before we slept, but I forgot to do it then...

"Tihn-chan, do you have another spell you could store within my sword? The last one was very beneficial."

I meant to ask last night before we slept, but I forgot to do it then...

"Perhaps..." he replies thoughtfully. How about Magic Missile, Acid Arrow or Burning Hands?

I'll let Akiyoshi respond later if he wishes.

After recuperating, you make your way back to the maze, going through the secret stairwell located in the sarcophagus. You stand in the room where the outsiders had burned your eyes. Arranged in various raised niches in the ornately-bricked walls are several dozen mummified corpses, attired in clothing of bygone eras, standing in lifelike poses as though engaged in conversation.

Four oval niches in the north wall are obvious places of honor,as each holds but a single mummy bearing valuable-looking treasures. The room itself is lit brilliantly by two spheres of bright light floating near the center of the thirty-foot-high ceiling above.

This time though, no scary babies come out of the floating lights.

Tihn will respectfully examine the treasures on the mummies, not touching them if he can. He'll cast detect magic on them, and he'll look for any clues as to who they were, or something that will help them get to the bottom of what happened with the family.

@Tihn: Magic missile does the most instant damage, and Force effects affect pretty much everything, as opposed to fire, which is pretty commonly resisted. If you are OK giving up the spell, I will take a MM casting for my sword.

"When I cured your blindness, I had an impression, or perhaps a vision. A glow of jade and gold as a small bird flew away. Green and gold are the colors of the Higashiyama clan, who are of course the ruling imperial family. Their son, Shigure, is often called Fushō s*#$a tori: the injured bird, since his retreat into hiding and the start of the regency. I do not understand the significance of this yet; it bears pondering."

On the way back, Akiyoshi takes the lead as usual, his flaming sword drawn to be ready for action and to provide light within the catacombs. Upon reaching the chamber with the floating lights, he looks about carefully, looking for signs of danger, and scanning for evil auras.
Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29

Ukyou, Jiro?

Jiro keeps his bow trained on the globes where the children first made their appearance, still not trusting that more ma not show up at any minute.

Any visible evil auras?

I am waiting for Ukyou's action to update. I'll do so later if he has not shown up.

You take a moment to examine the room, finding nno specific auras beyond the lingering one.

Looking at the alcoves, it seems the honored dead here were the talented carpenters, stonemasons, sculptors, and spellcasters who worked to build the necropolis—their reward for this service was being put to rest here to ensure their silence...

Of note, you find the following items among the remains of the deceased:

• a +3 axiomatic long bow,
  
• a scroll of forcecage (CL 18)
  
• a scroll of mage’s sword (CL 18)
  
• a lyre of building,
  
• a horn of blasting.

Also, hidden behind one of the corpses, you find a second one, mummified with great care.

Akiyoshi eschews the magic objects garbing the dead; he is not here for personal wealth or to rob the dead, but in the hopes of aiding a man in regaining his family honour. He makes no move to take any of the items from the bodies, instead leaving them where they are.

Likewise, Tihn makes notes of the items and looks for any inscriptions that may help them understand what has been happening here, but does not take anything.

The writings don't go further than recognizing the sacrifice of the workers here left for eternity.

Ukyou will renew detect scrying, overland flight, and mage armor
"Mmmmm. You all are sure we should leave them? Some of these items may prove useful in overcoming the dangers and mysteries of this crypt. The scrolls in particular..." Ukyou examines the corpse behind the others as best he can without disturbing the bodies.
Perception 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (16) + 28 = 44

The corpse has been preserved with great care and clearly doesn't belong with the others. It was a male human.

"I'm still not eager to unecessarily disturb the dead here, but look at this. This body is clearly different from the others here. I wonder why whoever left it here chose this location as opposed to somewhere else?"

The 'treasures' found by the group do not interest Jiro, although he does give the bow a long look!
"It does seem strange that such a body should be found here, but as it was prepared with such care it makes me hesitant to disturb it. I bow to the groups greater knowledge in such things."

To be clear, the body was mummified with great care, but its position, behind another corpse, suggests it has been moved there perhaps to hide it.

Tihn nods in agreement with Ukyou. "The scrolls may indeed be useful." Tihn will note very carefully where the scrolls are being taken from in case they are not used and can be returned. He will put both in his pouch.

"Akiyoshi, would you be so kind as to bring these remains" he says, indicating the mummified, hidden corpse "to a level where I may examine them? They seem distinctively out of place here, and I suspect they were not interred as the rest were."

Once the remains are where Tihn can look them over, he'll look for clues. Does this one seem to be more recently deceased than the others? Is there anything that marks it as a member of the clan, or is it an outsider? Is it obvious how this person died? He will cast detect magic and detect poison, and he'll use presdigitation to gently move wrappings aside long enough to examine each portion.

Akiyoshi watches Tihn remove the scrolls, but does not comment or move to stop him; this was a conversation the two had had many times before, and neither was likely to change the other's mind.

"As you wish, Tihn-san."

Akiyoshi examines the corpse, scanning it for evil auras to make sure it will not come to life as he touches is, and then reaches in and lifts the body over the mate that lies in front of it. He brings it back a safe distance and lays it in a place where Tihn can examine it.

Akiyoshi grabs the mummy and heads back through the maze... to the crypt at the entrance of the maze.

The air grows more stale as you reach a great chamber. The walls of this room are brick. The ceiling is twenty-five feet above, and from its center hangs a ghastly chandelier, made entirely of skulls and bones. A pair of tapestries flanks a corridor that exits to the east, so ancient that the fabric retains only hints of the original color and the scenes they depict are insubstantial.

Written on the stone above the archway seems to be some sort of phrase, although letters seem to be all strung together. The phrase written above the exit from this room reads:

“SOONENOUGHYETOOSHALLSLEEP.”

The room’s lone sarcophagus is made of plain limestone and the fitted lid is without mortar and somewhat askew, as though replaced in haste. Carved in its surface is:

“Hanado Murada, 3711–3758,
Hero of Minkai
Great Patriarch”

Along the lid’s edge are the words, “While my bones rest peacefully here, the guardians need not protect me.” Within is an empty burial shroud.

The body is missing.

You all stop and look at one another...

"This is... disconcerting..."
He looks at the body in his arms, "I suppose it would be too much to ask that this is the wayward set of remains... This mention of guardians is worrisome too; is that who we have been facing thus far, or is there a new threat about to be unleashed?"

Akiyoshi places the mummy respectfully upon the ground, and then draws his sword, looking about for threats.
Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25

Tihn closes his eyes a moment, reliving times when he read considerable tomes of history, including those of Hanado. He is trying to place if this could be the remains of that long ago fallen champion. Did tales mark him as tall, scarred, etc.?

"If these remains are the misplaced remnants of Hanado Murada who should have been interred here, should we perhaps replace them to their rightful place?"