The first thing Ayedan sees is that the floor is made of a different kind of patterend tile. Looking closer at the tiles he finds that they are loose. A few minutes with his tools reveals that there is a pressure trigger under it. A few more tense seconds eventually reveals that the trigger rod can be pulled out of the hole and the tile set back in place to be walked on safely. It takes an hour to remove dozens of other rods from under tiles. He finally declares the hallway safe and has a pile of 73 two foot long rods to show for his work.
The walls have depictions much like those in the first room, but these seem to flow in a chronological order. The ones near your door show Akhentepi journey out into the desert with his loyal band of soldiers. They journeyed across the desert to a city of people among the reeds then into the sculpted desert to a sphinx with what looks like a golden mask covering it's eyes. From there he traveled on to fight people with pyramid shaped heads below a floating pyramid. In the last panels it seems he was brought down with most of his forces, but slaughtered all but one of the pyramid headed people. The three remaining members of his force took up his body and brought it back along with two items. A chest, which was placed someplace within ancient Wati, which is the current necropolis. The other chest went on to a tomb in the desert. Akhentepi's body was placed in this tomb. The writing talks of an epic battle under The Shadow of the Eye but does not explain what it is.
Ayedan sits after his marathon of trap removal. He takes a long pull from one of his water skins.
"Ok, I was joking about earning my keep but good graces I think I just did. I hope every room isn't like this or we'll never get done in time. I think in the next room when I look for traps I see if we can just go around them, or only disable the ones that will form a clear path. Everyone ready to move on?"
"I got your back. It can only get better from here on, no? And talking about getting done .. we should definitely try to keep track of time. Do we want to sleep in the entrance room upstairs? Or head back to town?"
"What is the time?" Satati wonders, glancing back the way the group came.
let us open the next door. This room should be an entrance chamber not worth our time.
The next door is not heavy and Faffnyr can open the door easily.
Satati stretches her wounded leg tenderly, sighing with relief. "Well, I don't think it's getting any worse," she chuckles. "Alright. Let's proceed."
Satati opens the door into the next room.The door opens to reveal a faded tapestry with a portrait of Akhentepi, his wife, and two children before a small estate. On either side of the tapestry are two pedestals. Upon each is a small burial urn. From the size they would contain the families mummified pet cats.
To the left and right are short hallways leading to doors. These doors are made of thin sheets of patterned metal in frames. They can be easily opened by anyone.
Walking carefully closer Faffnyr prepares to open the right door.
"Let's form a patter and stick to it? Ayedan goes first with our support, then when he gives the 'o-kay', we follow?"
Ayedan waits for the others to stand back and then begins looking for traps and disarming them if needed.
With a nod Faffnyr answers. "I was a bit rash. Your plan is way better
Ayedan takes a look around and finds no traps. The room looks safe.
Ayedan turns to the others, "It looks safe. Which way next?"
He then looks behind the tapestry to make sure nothing is hidden there.
the tapestry hangs from the wall and has nothing hidden behind it.
"I say left," Satati offers, not looking up from examining the urns.
Ayedan heads to the left and checks the door for traps by taking a few minutes and then opens it after it is determined to be no longer trapped.
Ayedan doesn't find any traps and proceeds to open the door to see an armed Sylph staring at him from the other side of the room. It takes him a second to realize that a massive mirror stretches across the southern wall.
Flanking it are two statues. The statue to the east depicts a tall, gaunt woman in a flowing, hooded gown, holding an hourglass. The figure to the west is that of a jackal-headed man carrying a short staff in his hand.
Stone double doors, standing slightly ajar, lead to the east and west.
Torch holders sculpted in the shape of bird skulls are built in each corner, and a thin layer of dust covers every surface.
Ayedan suddenly comes into an on-guard position and laughs. "It's just a mirror. I nearly peed my pants there for a moment." Ayedan lets out a long sigh.
"I guess I should get to it."
He then moves into the room and begins looking for traps.
This is getting monotonous. That mirror will teach me to stay on my toes though.
Both statues turn their head and speak in ancient tones in an even more ancient tongue. The words lost to you sound like dire warning none the less. Satati and Faffnyr, who speak ancient Osiriani hear "say my prayer to release the spirit" said by the Jackal headed statue. The hooded woman says "Speak my prayer to quiet the troubled spirit".
Ayedan doesn't get two steps into the room before they speak. Though he didn't find any traps it seems the statues are aware of all of you and look right at everyone at the doorway.
Satati repeats the warnings in a hushed tone, studying the statues. "Quieting the troubled spirit sounds like the better option," she mutters, trying to identify the statues - and the appropriate prayers.
Satati recognizes the hooded woman as the same woman found in the entrance hall, the Goddess Pharasma.
The prayer she has heard at every funeral in these parts. The statue of the jackal headed god she knows is an ancient Osiriani god but not much more.
Glancing briefly at her teammates for affirmation, Satati spreads her hands and recites the Pharasmin funeral prayer in carefully-practised ancient Osiriani. "Lady Pharasma, guide this soul along your river. Let it find its final peace by your hands."
The statue of Pharasma settles back onto her stand. The statue of Anubis still looks at the team with malice. It looks ready to strike anyone should they venture into the room.
Fearful of the jackal-headed statue, Satati looks at the others for guidance. The emotion on her face resembles a river - seemingly calm, but with a wild turmoil just below the surface. "I don't recognise this god," she explains in a low tone. "One of the deities of ancient Osirion, but beyond that, I don't know."
Ayedan stutters as he says, "Anyone else have a guess? I don't particularly want to fight it."
The jackal headed statue continues forward. He raises his staff to swing at the party.
Ayedan stays to the side of the group out of everyone's way and throws a dagger at the statue.
Grabbing his x-bow Faffnyr shoots at the statue.
Satati draws her longspear, bracing to attack the statue when it moves closer. "Forgive me, ancient gods," she whispers, before setting her face into a hard mask.
The jackal faced statue lurches forward raising it's spear to attack.
The dagger flies true and hits it the shoulder joint and gets logged there with a screeching noise as the stone drags along the blade.
The magical energy slam into the chest blasting chips from him.
The crossbow bolt also hits his chest and the bolt causes an explosion of stone chips as a hole opens into the statue, its hollow. A glowing crystal that seems to be its heart glows with an angry red light.
The screeching of the dagger caught in its arm reaches its height as it causes a massive crack that runs along it's chest and left shoulder.
The Satari, shoving through the crowd at the door, stabs out at the statue, her spear jostled hits with a glancing blow.
Its chest compromised and the left arm spider webbed and ready to fall off it looks for a target. With Satati up front from praying to Pharasma he swings at her with his spear.
As the spear cuts a gash across her belly, Satati stumbles back, trying to retreat to a safe distance.
Ayedan pulls another dagger and throws it at the statue to finish it off.
Satati withdraws, taking cover behind the group.
Ayedan's dagger hits the left arm finally shattering the stone and clay the glowing crystal fully exposed now it lurches off balance.
Going infight Faffnyr draws his rapier and attacks.
The acid splashes across it eating into the stone with a hiss. Faffnyr lunges in and stabs the statue in it's glowing heart, shattering the stone.
The statue slows. The mana of the red stone leaks from it's joints in waves of glowing red smoke. Finally it stops, now inert.
The room stands quiet again. The remaining statue does not react. It stands in the corner
Ayedan collects his daggers and then heads to the doors on the left and peeks through.
Bleeding from the gash across her gut, Satati takes stock of her prepared spells. After a moment, she places a hand against her own wound and mutters a short prayer.
It wasn't ideal, but it would help.