Tunar strolls up to Setesh. "What do you hear in their Setesh? Insects? That doesn't sound horrible, how bad could insects be? You should open it."
Setesh raises an eyebrow.
"How bad could it be? Haven't you heard stories of flesh-eating scarab swarms, immune to conventional weaponry, boiling up out of tombs to strip the flesh from the bones of those foolish enough to disturb the resting places of the dead...?"
He then shrugs, and opens the door.
A mass of iridescent blue-black insects emits a foul stench, and a loud chorus of thousands of clicking and clacking jaws can be heard as the mass flows forth from the open door.
"Told you!"
Setesh beats a hasty retreat.
Almathea used the power of her bound ring to channel forth a spell from her book and a gout of flames flick towards the bugs.
-----------------------------------------------
Thea grabs a flask out of her pack and flings a flask of alchemical fire at the swarm.
Round 1:
Leto gets a flask of acid out and throws it at the scarabs.
Did i ever mention i utterly dislike vermin?
Seeing Setesh start running Tunar calls out, "They're just bugs!"
Tunar cluelessly moves forward and begins swinging his sword wildly at the mass of insects.
Setesh withdraws swiftly, realizing he has few options against the swarm.
Almathea blasts the area Setesh recently vacated with fire, letting it wash over the swarm.
Leto and Almathea throw flasks of fire and acid at the swarms. Neither score direct hits, but still manage to do some damage.
Tunar wades foward into the insects. They seem unimpressed and start biting.
"Time to test this shield out I suppose..." Nevai said as he uttered the command word for his scarab shield. He then drew his healing wand and moved forward, hoping the shield would keep the roiling insects at bay.
Tunar starts swatting at the bugs "Geroff me, stupid bugs, GEROff!."
Before running away from the swarm of bugs.
This isn't the good kind of variety.
Erei will retrieve a torch and light it.
Anyone want to try to hit it with fire?
Erei will delay and hand the lit torch to anyone that will take it, Longspear in the other hand.
The scarabs swarm after Tunar as he attempts to flee them, but stop short as Nevai blocks the way. The mass angrily sways back and forth, occasionally pushing forward only to snap back away from the shield. For the moment it appears Nevai has them trapped in front of him.
"Oh I say! Good job, Nevai!"
Setesh fumbles around and pulls out a flask, which he throws at the swarm.
Round 2:
That was my only flask of acid! Afraid i can´t do much besides skewering those pests one at a time. Anyone has some ideas?
The flask explodes directly in the mass of scarabs and there is a large flash of fire. Nevai is singed slightly but the swarm dissipates as most of the insects are either burnt to a crisp, or on fire. The few remaining disperse and fly off.
A search of the granary reveals three fleshless corpses with rags remaining as their clothes. There is also an adamantine heavy flail hidden among the pile of refuse. It is filthy but perfectly usable.
"Well that worked out quite a bit better than I expected." Nevai said as he healed himself and Tunar. "An adamantine weapon will be quite useful. Especially if we end up trapped in a stone room rapidly filling with water again..."
"Huh, who would have known that swords aren't very effective against swarms of bugs. I'll have to remember that for the future. Nicely done Leto, Nevai, and Alamthea.
Setesh, why did you open that door, you said yourself such things were dangerous?"
Tunar pretends as if his question was an innocent one before moving to inspect the corpses, noticing the Heavy Flail.
"Oi, this thing is a fine piece of craftsmanship. Anyone want it?"
Looks mightily fine this flail, i´ll pass up on it though and stick to my bow and fists.
Leto clenches his bow in his fists and shakes it in a martial display, convinced about his ways.
The magic of your shield work really good Nevai. Thanks for stepping up there!
He pauses a bit, looking around.
What do you think, should we head to the Mausoleum now? Do we still have some means to defend against further swarms of those pests? And some healing? If not we should perhaps stock up first?
"We still have plenty of healing for now, though we'll probably want to invest in another want before our next delve."
Setesh looks thoughtful.
"If it is a mausoleum, it could be a large dungeon complex; should we check the main building first?"
Erei will cast prestidigitation on the flail to clean it.
I'd vote for the main building myself. Though I suspect both are going to be large.
"Well then, let's try the main building. At least we have a rough idea of its size..."
He then moves over to check the main doors for traps...
...before opening them.
Allright, then let´s move on.
Leto follows the rest, looking over Setesh´s shoulders to assist him with detecting traps and other dangers.
Tunar shrugs "Well, I guess I'll hold onto it for now. Though I'll probably stick with my sword for now.
I vote we continue on, there has got to be some interesting things in there."
Tunar will move with the group, keeping his sword out and at the ready.
The unlocked doors open easily.
---
Brightly colored columns stand in the four corners of this foyer. Hieroglyphs cover the walls and tiled floors, obscured in places by piles of dust and sand. Open archways lead to the north, east, and west.
---
Two skeletal guards stand immobile in each of the archways like statues. Each of the silent guardians hold an ancient and rusted Kopesh in their crossed arms.
Setesh looks over his shoulder, and raises an eyebrow.
"Nevai? I think this is another one for you..."
"The fact that they're not attacking might mean that they're here as guards. We could try talking to them. Alternatively, they might just be assembled into this form and aren't actually animated. Does anyone speak Ancient Osiriani? Try telling them that we're here to perform burial rites for the family of this house."
Setesh looks doubtful.
"I thought skeletons were mindless undead?"
"I meant they may have been commanded to only attack those who don't declare their entrance. And I've heard of intelligent skeletons before, but I think they're rarer. The arrangement of skeletons seems more ceremonial than the mass of skeletons that attacked us earlier."
Intelligent skeletons? Unfortunately i don´t speak that language, but i´m about to learn it. So you want to steo in front of them and lecture them to not attack us?
"Technically, I simply want to announce our purpose before we enter the home of a long dead family, and if the skeletons move to attack us, then I'll treat them with a bit of holy medicine. For all we know, these skeletons might just be pinned together as decoration, much like you might see at a museum."
Setesh steps aside, and directs Nevai forward.
"Well, by all means, feel free to test your hypothesis."
"I can speak the language if any of you have any suggestions as to what I should say to them. Preferably something that will not result in my death of course."
Well i agree with your sentiment of keeping dignity. Please proceed.
"Simply that we intend to investigate the events that led to this house's downfall and intended to bury those that lost their lives here. And no need to put yourself in danger. You can just make the announcement out here and then we'll send the more armored of us in first, just in case."
Tunar keeps his distance, eyeing the skeletons suspiciously. "Ain't no good gonna come from talkin with the dead."
Nevai strode casually into the room.
Thea nods, turns to look at the statues and addresses them, trying not to feel a little silly as she does so. "Here me, oh guardians of the dead. We have come to investigate the fall of your noble house and to ensure that those within have received an honorable burial and have been able to make their final journey to the afterlife. We mean no harm and ask for safe passage through your house."
Neither the words of Almathea nor the movement of Nevai into the room stir the skeletons. They remain immobile and standing in the archways.
Almathea gives a little shrug at the lack of response. "Well, I suppose we shall just have to find out the hard way if anything in here is dangerous to us. Shall we just keep going now and see is anything happens?"
Wealth never came to those that stood around. I'm up for pressing on.
"Sometimes a skeleton is just a skeleton." Nevai started searching the room for anything interesting.
Thea will search around as well.
Tunar wipes his brow in relief before helping the others search.
As Nevai, Almathea, and Tunar start searching around the room the doors slam shut in front of the other members of the party.
A woman’s voice cries out in Ancient Osiriani, They’re inside! Protect the family! and another voice shouts, It’s too late! Save yourselves! Screams and the clash of arms fill the air.
The skeletons come to life suddenly and take attack stances. Their empty eye sockets locked on the front doors.
"Well... that can't be good... I did say we should just try to destroy the skeletons..."
Erei will try to check and see if the now closed doors are locked.
"...and sometimes the skeletons are just waiting."