The Forgotten God (Table 5)

Game Master Rednal

Normally, expending a small amount of power would be sufficient to decipher the inscription, but doing so in this room may not be the most prudent course of action. Still, there was nothing prohibiting him from using his powers of deduction, and if more writing samples could be found, he should be able to piece together a rough translation. While he searched, Astoroth made sure to approach the Anubis statues to examine them more closely. An empty chamber completely devoid of traps, guardians, and riddles was highly unusual, and he wanted to make sure he entirely ruled out the possibility of overlooking something.

Taking 20 for a 35 Perception. He's especially looking for more writing samples and checking out the statues.

As you examined the area, two important things became clear - first, there were enough samples of writing in the room to ultimately decipher things. Secondly, the statues were some kind of animated construct that simply hadn't reacted to anything quite yet. There was no telling if (or when) they actually would, either, but they were clearly here for a reason. They weren't quite a trap, which was why your See Hazard power couldn't detect them, but they were nevertheless quite real.

Astoroth searched his memory of the various types of constructs before turning his attention to the writing samples. The statues hadn't attacked yet, which meant it was probably safe to continue what he'd been doing.

Knowledge(engineering): 1d20 + 14 + 1d6 ⇒ (12) + 14 + (6) = 32
Linguistics: 1d20 + 13 + 1d6 ⇒ (18) + 13 + (1) = 32

The statues were fairly typical for their kind - known as Anubis Guardian Statues, they were essentially animated objects, but with enough power of undeath to leave them vulnerable to positive energy and detectable by powers like See Undead. Though fairly hard - it would take a strong man to physically hurt them - and dangerous to casual thieves, you would almost certainly be able to handle them if they attacked.

The writing on the walls seems to be a series of prayers for the occupant, intended to guide them on their journey to the afterlife... and back again. The pharaoh had certainly not been intending to stay dead.

"The statues are a kind of soulbound construct. If they turn hostile, they're vulnerable to positive energy." As he warns Kozuri, Astoroth approaches the far door and attempts to open it.

"If" was a rather... weak... word to describe the likelihood of their animating. Kozuri nodded, though, and the statues began moving as soon as you reached for the door. Forty-two seconds later, they were in pieces on the floor, allowing you to push open the doors to what was clearly the final room of the tomb.

Huge granite slabs form the peaked roof of this chamber, the walls of which are incised with thousands of tiny hieroglyphs. In the center of the chamber lies an open stone sarcophagus, its granite lid cracked and broken on the floor next to it. A beautifully decorated wooden coffin lies inside, its lid also askew. Four alabaster canopic jars stand like guardians at the foot of the sarcophagus, while various grave goods lie heaped around the walls of chamber.

As you opened the doors, though, a tall mummy turned to look at you - as did his pet, a zombified hieracosphinx. "Mortals!" the mummy said, straightening imperiously. "I am Sekh-pa-Mefer III, god among men! Prostrate yourselves before me!"

Even in his fallen state, Astoroth could easily tell that the Pharaoh had failed in his quest for godhood. There was no divine power behind his words, not even a hint of the greatness that deities inherently possessed. Still, Sekh-pa-Mefer had been a great man in his time, and there was much that could be learned from him. Astoroth gave the mummy a respectful nod. "Greetings, great Pharaoh. I am Astoroth: one who has long studied your research and greatly desires to glean from the wealth of knowledge that you possess.

"Your slumber has been long, I'm afraid, and much has changed in the world. Perhaps we can enlighten each other in due time. For now, your wives Bastetabi and Senenetka have long awaited your return. I would be honored to lead you to them, if you are willing."

Diplomacy + Inspiration: 1d20 + 15 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 15 + (3) = 21

"Liar!" the mummy spat out. "Tomb robber! What matter are wives before divinity!?" Clearly angered by your failure to instantly obey him - which, admittedly, was far from the most uncommon trait among great rulers who considered themselves divine - the mummy pulled back with one hand, preparing to lash out and destroy one he now saw as an intruder. Next to him, his pet crouched down, ready to strike.

Init (Enemy): 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (17) + 0 = 17
Init (You): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Clearly, the pharaoh had gone mad with power. Or perhaps the transition to undeath had cost him his senses. It was quite sad, really. Still, perhaps it was still possible to avoid violence. "Miss Kozuri, please return to the pharaoh's wives and inform them of his status. Perhaps their words will have an effect where mine have none. I'll be right behind you." His instructions given, Astoroth took a quick step toward the entrance to this chamber and readied a simple retreat spell.

Taking a 5ft-step back (so the mummy will have to 5ft toward me if he wants to melee. Then I'm readying an action to Warp as far away as possible while still remaining in sight of Sekh-pa-Mefer. Trigger condition is: either the Pharaoh or the Zombie try to physically attack me.

The goal is to 'kite' the two of them back toward the harem chamber. Since the pharaoh will have to 5ft to reach me, teleporting away should deny him additional movement. As for the zombie, I'm hoping it doesn't have the Fast template. ;-)

*Amused look*

Kozuri wasted no time at all in darting backwards - and with a roar, the mummy moved forward, only for you to warp straight backwards and away from his grasp. The hieracosphinx shot forward through the air a moment later, moving right towards you and lashing out with its teeth.

Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

With a swift kick, however, you were able to push the large creature back a bit and stop its jaws from snapping down on your flesh.

Remember that each square on the map is 10 feet! Speaking of which, I should go update it...

That worked out exactly as predicted - a good sign. The question now was whether it would work twice in a row....

5ft away from the hieracosphinx and ready another Warp with an almost-identical trigger. This time, it'll go off when the zombie or mummy attempts to attack. Also, if possible, Astoroth will attempt to position himself so that possible charge lanes are obstructed by bodies or scenery.

Free to run, Kozuri had reached the other room while you were busy dealing with the mummy and his pet - but a moment afterwards, you heard two cries of rage from the women's bedroom. Perhaps they were... less than inclined to go against their husband. On the bright side, you were able to dodge the mummy's next blow as it charged, but the zombie hieracosphinx continued to fly after and pursue you.

Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24 for Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

How far from the harem am I?

90 feet from their front door. (They're in Room 12, you're just coming out of Room 17)

That wasn't the reaction he'd expected. Either Kozuri had misunderstood his instructions, or he'd miscalculated the women's response. Either way, this was a problem. Caught off-guard by this turn of events, Astoroth was slow to react to the sphynx's next attack. It seemed he needed to speed things up.

Acrobatics + Inspiration: 1d20 + 12 + 1d6 ⇒ (15) + 12 + (6) = 33

Tumbling away from the zombie, Astoroth began to run toward the harem chamber.

Tumble followed by a Move action puts me 45ft away from the front door.

Ducking back from the sphinx was easy enough, but that didn't stop it from soaring through the air and towards you as you continued to try and get back towards the women.

Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Now that you were finally coming into view, though, you could see more of what was going on - and the two women looked distinctly less attractive now. Indeed, supple flesh had vanished, replaced by the form of a pair of zombie lords that Kozuri was attempting to hold back.

"I don't think this is working!" she yelped. The Pharaoh, following behind his pet, just started laughing.

"You dared to disturb the tomb of a god - suffer the consequences!" he howled.

Martial Flexibility for Power Attack

"What happened?" asked Astoroth as he backed up and retrieved the rod from Kozuri's prison. He had no particular feelings toward undead, preferring to leave that to Pharasma and Urgathoa, but he saw no point in allowing the pharaoh and his minion to continue their unprovoked attack. Actions did have consequences, after all, and fleeing would only strengthen the pharaoh's delusions of grandeur.

Improvised with PA: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 9 - 2 = 8 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 4 = 11

The broken rod was oddly-weighted, and Astoroth's clumsy swing didn't even come close to hitting the sphynx.

"I think they're on his side! I said the Pharaoh had turned violent, and they just started attacking me!" Kozuri answered, ducking under a swing from one of the women before kicking at her knee. The sphinx beside you reared a moment later, lashing out with tooth and claws as it tried to wear you down.

Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Two of its attacks came close to scratching your skin, but a few quick thrusts of your improvised weapon were though to ward off the attacks. The Pharaoh himself caught up a moment later, punching out with one hand...

Slam: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16

...and abjectly failing to actually hit you.

"You should never have come here, thief!" the Pharaoh hissed. "My curse will rend your flesh until there's nothing left!"

Typical. What was with this predilection towards mindless violence? Had the world forgotten the value of knowledgeable discourse? So many people were so quick to fly off the handle without even possessing the smallest bit of relevant information. Astoroth was actually beginning to feel rather disappointed. Everything he'd read had spoken of the pharaoh's great intellect, but in undeath, he was simply acting like another ignorant mortal.

Striking again at the sphinx, Astoroth continued to speak with a level voice, in a final attempt to reason with the pharaoh. "Great Pharaoh, I'm afraid you are mistaken. My associate and I are researchers, not thieves. We've taken nothing that belongs to you and have done our best to keep your tomb in the condition that we found it. The only harm we've caused to anyone here has been in self defense when your other guardians attacked us. Even now, as you vent your fury on us unjustly, we have only worked to reunite you with your loved ones. Great Pharaoh, where is the wisdom you learned from the mighty sphinxes? Must your triumphant return really begin with the murder of innocents?"

Improvised with PA: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 9 - 2 = 25 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 4 = 10

Undeath was not known for doing good things to one's brain. Still, the pharaoh waved one hand - and his wives abruptly disengaged, pulling back even as his pet yelped in pain. "Is it not traditional for sacrifices to be offered to a god?" the Pharaoh asked - and the ancient knowledge in his voice was coming through quite clearly. He'd lived in a time very different from your own - and did not share your values, despite your shared interest in knowledge. "If you would prove your sincerity to me, then offer the life of your companion."

Ah, undeath hadn't robbed the pharaoh of all his reason. That was good; he could work with this. "Before I do something that serious, I request proof that you really are what you claim to be. There's a great difference between immortality through undeath and true divinity, after all, and prospective followers will have many questions for you. What position have you taken among the Pantheon? How well are you getting along with Pharasma and Urgathoa? What powers can you grant to your worshipers?" Astoroth pauses for a moment before looking the pharaoh in the eyes and asking a final question. "Most importantly, what display of godly might can you perform to set yourself apart from a common mage?"

Readied Action to attack with my rod if (when) the attacks resume.

"Gods do not need to prove themselves to everyone who asks for a show." he sneered. "I am not some cheap entertainer, answerable to the wishes of mortals, and I know exactly what I'll be doing to those who fail to show me the proper respect. Sacrifice her life or forfeit your own - now."

Astoroth's eyes grew cold and hard. "Respect is earned, not demanded. And while deities do not NEED to prove themselves, anyone who expects to be worshiped and obeyed solely on their word is a fool. In your particular case, you don't even know to whom you are speaking." He sighed. "I spent years studying your life and wished nothing more than to meet you. Now that I've done so, I only feel disappointment. You're no god. You're not even a man. You're just a corpse that should have stayed buried. I'm done wasting my time with you."

Launching himself toward the pharaoh with a flying kick, he followed up with a spinning backfist.

Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 5 - 2 = 9 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 4 = 10
Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 5 - 2 = 20 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 4 = 13

A flash of light briefly emanated from the Endless Fount as he expended a surge of power. Moving impossibly quickly, he swung his rod in a powerful arc.

Improvised + PA: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 9 - 2 = 12 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 4 = 10

Your first attack missed - as did the extra attack you'd pushed energy into, for that matter, although your second managed to hit hard enough. The two undead wives let out a cry of anger as they saw you attack, only to be interrupted by a pair of quick jabs from her companion. "I'll hold them off!" she cried out, even as the pharaoh and his pet attacked with renewed vigor.

...Er, what passed for vigor among the undead, anyway. The claws were accurate enough, but neither did more than the most minimal damage to you.

Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27 for Damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28 for Damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Slam: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15
Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11 Nnnnope.

Ignoring the sphinx, Astoroth continued to press his attack. He barely acknowledged Kozuri with the briefest of nods; his full attention was focused on putting down the pharaoh as quickly as possible.

Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 5 - 2 = 20 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 4 = 10
Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 5 - 2 = 22 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 4 = 12

You could feel the power of your blows being reduced as each struck the mummy's body - undead of his type were naturally tough, though you'd managed to deal a noticeable amount of damage to him despite that. Simply attacking wasn't enough to stop his retaliatory blows, however, and necrotic forces blazed around his hands as his curse sought to strike - and punish - you.

Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
Claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Slam: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22

This time, though, a few well-placed kicks (and one hard punch) were enough to keep both the pharaoh and his pet at bay, though both of them did come nerve-wrackingly close to striking you. The Pharaoh in particular was no minor threat, given what his curse might be able to do.

Astoroth continued his assault but took advantage of a momentary opening to glance back to see how Kozuri was faring.

Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 5 - 2 = 8 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 4 = 11
Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 5 - 2 = 9 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 4 = 9
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Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 5 - 2 = 9 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 4 = 12
Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 5 - 2 = 18 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 4 = 9
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Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 5 - 2 = 16 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 4 = 12
Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 5 - 2 = 18 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 4 = 11

Now that I've had several rounds to observe, does the pharaoh seem different from a standard mummy?

The Pharaoh does not seem different than a standard mummy, aside from his ego. ...In part because I felt a Mythic Mummy here would have been cruel and unusual. XD Expect more variants of foes as you increase in level and are better-able to handle such challenges.

Also, none of those attacks hit. Would you like to surge on any of them - or use some other appropriate power - or simply accept the misses?

I only have one Mythic Power left, so I'll accept the misses.

Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25 for Damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26 for Damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Slam: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30 for Damage: 1d8 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18
Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Slam: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18
Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Slam: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22

Fort DC 16: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33

In their first series of attacks, both the sphinx and the Pharaoh managed to hit you - their following attacks were somewhat less successful, and at least your defenses were good enough to avoid the bulk of their strikes.

As the series of traded blows finished, the (much weaker) zombie women Kozuri was facing finally let out pained cries as they were banished from this world and she turned around to join you. "Here, kitty kitty kitty!" she said, trying to pull the Sphinx's attention away from you.

Astoroth easily withstood the pharaoh's curse, but the battle of attrition was beginning to take its toll on him. He made a last-ditch attack in hopes of ending the threat before fatigue set in.

Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 5 - 2 = 11 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 4 = 9
Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 5 - 2 = 21 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 4 = 13
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Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 5 - 2 = 23 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 4 = 14
Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 5 - 2 = 18 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 4 = 10
Confirm: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 5 - 2 = 21 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 4 = 11
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 5 - 2 = 19 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 4 = 13
Unarmed Flurry + PA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 5 - 2 = 10 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 4 = 11

And Power Attack goes *poof*

Your first attack missed - the second connected, as did your third (a successful critical), though the others failed to land. The mummy was looking quite wounded at this point, and another two hits would probably be enough to bring it down. Noticing this, Kozuri stepped around as she continued dueling with the sphinx - and got into position to help you flank the mummy and be a bit more accurate with your strikes.

Slam: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23
Slam: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18
Slam: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24 for Damage: 1d8 + 14 ⇒ (7) + 14 = 21

Fort DC 16: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (7) + 14 = 21

Meanwhile, the Pharaoh had also managed to land one more blow on you, though your inner fortitude was able to continue resisting the attempts at curse... and the Pharaoh (or what was left of him, anyway - undeath was complicated) seemed a little confused about that.

This was not good. Although he easily avoided the curse, that last blow had brought Astoroth's health dangerously low. Worse, his current drained state meant that healing himself would be difficult at best. Time for a change of tactics. Taking a quick step back (5ft), he launched a bolt of concussive force at the pharaoh.

Augmented Destructive Blast (touch): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20 Damage (magic, bludgeoning): 3d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 6) = 12

Then, expending his final reserves of power, he assumed a defensive stance and hoped that he'd be able to outlast the mummy.

Move Action: Martial Flexibility to pick up Dodge.
Spending my last Mythic Point for Amazing Initiative
Standard Action: fighting defensively, readied action to strike when the pharaoh enters melee range

Improvised Weapon + Inspiration: 1d20 + 9 - 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (11) + 9 - 4 + (4) = 20 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

AC is currently 28

The mummy wobbled slightly, badly injured but still standing - and swept out in one last attempt to bring you down before you could banish him from this world.

Slam: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25

With your added flexibility, though, what would have been a fatal blow became rather less so - and your counter sunk into the Pharaoh's chest, shooting him back and into the wall. The sphinx dropped a few moments later as it was finished off, even as the Pharaoh's body turned to dust, leaving behind nothing but a curled, mummified hand.

Completely exhausted from the battle, Astoroth stayed where he was and focused in catching his breath. After a minute or two, he pulled some apparatus out of his pack and began mixing chemicals together. As he worked, he asked, "Miss Kozuri, are you injured?"

I have four unallocated extracts today. I'll be spending the next 4min to convert all of them to cure light wounds.

"A bit." she admitted, not unscathed after holding off those zombies. "Patch yourself up first, though - they got you pretty good. Worst-case scenario, I can just heal myself up tomorrow." she wrinkled her nose a bit, then bent down to examine the hand. "You know, I bet this would work as one of those artifacts they wanted us to recover." she mused thoughtfully. "Mummy hands're supposed to have magical powers, too. Wanna just grab this and go, or keep looking around?"

CLW: 4d8 + 8 ⇒ (1, 6, 2, 2) + 8 = 19

Astoroth chugs the concoction he's brewed, and several of his wounds heal. "If we're careful, I think we can explore a bit more. While I have no interest in fighting any more guardians, I wouldn't be surprised if there's more items of historical interest to be found. At the very least, we can look at the pharaoh's chamber."

Checking out the mummy hand
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 15 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 15 + (3) = 22

The mummified hand definitely had a magical aura around it - and while it was still settling down after the (re-)death of the pharaoh, it seemed like it would function as a Hand of Glory, quite useful for people who wore lots of magical rings.

As for the pharaoh's tomb? Definitely full of objects of interest. First and foremost was his burial coffin, which was made of rare woods and covered in delicate gold inlay. There were also clothing, furniture, jewelry, weapons, and other items stacked near the walls, traditionally for the deceased's use in the afterlife, and the walls were covered in hieroglyphics that would probably be quite valuable in their own right once transcribed.

Of course, actual monetary value was a tricky thing - by local laws, all of these treasures technically belonged to Osirion, and needed to be properly delivered and cataloged before the Blakros family could perform a bit of bureaucramancy and get them into their museum. Properly delivering them in the way you'd been instructed to would, at the very least, ensure a direct reward without any of the problems associated with selling off Osirion artifacts.

"Most excellent." Astoroth is pleased with the findings. "The mummified hand will serve as proof that our information is valid when we inform the authorities." He makes a copy of some of the hieroglyphics for later translation. Normally it would be a simple matter to read them, but the battle with the pharaoh had taken even that power from him. "We should catalog the rest of the chambers before we leave."

We'll start by checking the room at the end of Hall 16, then backtrack to the harem and looking around before heading to Room 6. Of course, the presence of guardians and/or traps will probably change this plan.

Each corner of the room ahead holds a stone obelisk carved with hieroglyphs. The obelisks surround a golden circle engraved in the center of the floor. The bad news? The circle looks rather worn-down and old... while clearly intended for magical use, it may no longer be functional. The harem itself was looking different now, and the magics sustaining it were fading away to reveal plain stone walls and scraps of mummified flesh where once there'd been food. From there, at least, it wasn't too hard to backtrack to the central chamber. There were no other guardians you'd seen yet, but that didn't mean they weren't in here somewhere...

Is any magic detected in the obelisk room?

Yes, especially among the obelisks themselves, though the magic doesn't seem to be associated with a specific spell - it's some kind of ongoing ambient effect.

Not even a specific school of magic?

Leaving the obelisks for later study, Astoroth continues to look through the unexplored parts of the pyramid.

From Room 6, he'll look at the unexplored area to the top of the map, followed by the area toward the right side.

North of the chamber in the middle of the pyramid was another chamber with openings branching off to each side. A black granite statue of a pharaoh stands on the polished alabaster floor in the center of the chamber, beneath a vaulted limestone ceiling decorated with gilt stars. An engraved panel of granite stands against the western wall, carved to resemble a door and decorated in dense script. A flat granite slab lies on the floor in front of the false door.

Off to the sides are shrines to the Ancient Osirian gods. One looks to be of Set, the other of Ra.

Astoroth takes a minute to divine for any magic auras. The presence of the shrines made him unwilling to much more in this room. Even though he wasn't officially part of the Pantheon any longer, decorum must still be maintained.

One of the carvings on the false door is functionally a scroll - it seems to record how to remove curses (which isn't actually that bad of a thing to have in a place like this), though you'd need a wizard's talents to copy this sort of thing down. There don't seem to be any other magical auras here.

That's an interesting way to preserve a spell. Astoroth made a note of its presence before continuing his exploration.

I think there's just the Right side of the pyramid left.

For the room to the east... Two ornate wooden chariots sit upon platforms in this chamber, positioned as if ready to charge across the desert sands outside, though no mounts are harnessed to their yokes. The chamber's walls are carved in relief with scenes of charioteering, racing, and war.

There were a few guardians in this chamber - emphasis on the past tense. Being fairly simple skeletons, it took no more than a few seconds to put them out of your misery.

Like the other rooms, Astoroth scanned for magic auras once the guardians were eliminated.

Those ten one-minute casting times require a lot of patience, and Kozuri looked a bit bored as you repeated the process... but she didn't complain. Better safe than dead, right? Speaking of being dead, that was the status of magical auras within the room - nothing seemed enchanted. This chamber was apparently more for decoration than anything else.