Yes.
It's not a long walk, but getting to the area while avoiding all the various dangers on the way takes quite a bit of energy. The sun is coming down as you arrive in the area.
An unsettling and ominous structure, the round, fortress-like building that Almathea identifies as the Cenotaph of the Cynic stands apart from the other tombs in Wati’s necropolis, separated by 100 feet of flattened rubble on all sides. The building itself stands nearly 40 feet tall.
who had fallen to the Plague of Madness, but when the Pharasmins created the necropolis, they repurposed it to house the atheistic dead of Wati.
Just as you start to plan your approach across the flattened rubble, the front doors open. Three creature's whose upper torso are that of human women with cat’s eyes and sharp fangs, and lower bodies of lions, step out of the building. It seems like they lock the doors behind them. They don't appear to have seen you yet, and they'r about 100 feet away.
That took more time than i thought and was quite exhausting. Why are all the buildings around here torn down? This seems ominous. How to best get through there? I don't want to sprain an ankle in the fading light.
As Leto spots the creatures he sighs.
And what is this now? Half lion half woman? Did they make the Cenotaph their lair? Most importantly, what are we going to do? Try to talk to them, attack directly or wait till they are gone and then break in, hoping they take time to come back?
Thea looks over at the creatures, trying to figure out what they are.
"Well, they don't look undead at least...."
They look kinda beautyfull and gracefull, let's talk to them.
They're Lamia. Typically evil, but they can speak.
"I don't feel like getting into it with a bunch of evil lion-centaurs right now. Let's check the next spot."
"We're running out of spots and time. The more time we spend running around here the more likely we'll find another hoard like what attacked the gates. Either those lamia are part of this, and likely helping to coordinate the undead, or they've been here and have other things to attend to, and this undead uprising might be as much of a disruption to them as it is to us. If I had to guess, I'd guess the former, but that's just because I didn't expect to find much of anything living on this side of the wall.
"Anyways, I suggest we go talk to them, and find out what they know, but be ready in case they try to attack or deceive us."
"I suppose. If they're not part of it they're going to be pretty tough, though, to survive the undead hereabouts."
Nuru walks alongside of Nevai with her hand resting on the pommel of her khopesh.
Thea follows Nevai, hoping that the Lamia's will be reasonable.
The creatures stiffen as they hear your voice and quickly turn, seemingly ready for a fight. One lowers her spear and whispers to the others.
The lead Lamia lowers her weapon as well. Come human, it is dangerous to shout within the walls of the necropolis. If you wish to speak, you'll have to come closer. The creature smiles, almost mischievously.
To her group: "The one is speaking Abyssal and acknowledging that we wish to talk with them."
Thea will move up a bit at their request, acknowledging that it is, indeed, dangerous to speak loudly in this area.
Horrible language. They don't seem hostile. Let's go and talk.
"If Lana could speak, I imagine she'd sound just like that..." Nevai chuckled to himself as he continued to approach. Once they stood before the lamia, he introduced the group properly. "We're here searching for the source of the undead assaulting the city. To be honest, until we started exploring thoroughly, we had no idea there were people living within the necropolis."
The Lamia smiles as it responds, There are many things the humans that live beyond the walls would be surprised to find in their city. Many wondrous things. She looks over Nevai appraisingly, You look tired, Priest. You should come inside and rest. Meet with Hepsushep. She may know of this source that you search for.
Wary but willing to go along with the others, Marnarius keeps close to the rest of the party.
"I doubt we will rest easily until this menace is dealt with, but I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with this Hepsushep. She is... your leader of sorts? Forgive my ignorance, while you are likely correct about the awareness of the citizens of this city, I am even more lacking as I am a visitor from the desert beyond."
Hepsushep? Inside? Mh...
"Is there a large group of you living here?"
The Lamia smiles, We are not so many. Hepsushep will speak with you, she says, as she turns back to the door and unlocks it.
Nevai returned the smile, and followed her inside.
Leto follows after Nevai, looking as casual as he can.
Mh several of them, interesting. I wonder if their fur is as smooth as it looks...
Thea gives a little shrug to herself as she follows the guys in. If they are not so many, surely we can handle them if they turn on us...
The doors open to a large dark foyer. Three columns support the domed ceiling of this chamber and a fourth lies broken across the floor. A mosaic of gods and the afterlife decorates the walls, marred by centuries of graffiti. A pungent musk fills the air.
As you step in a massive emperor cobra rears up and spreads its hood. A dozen glittering earrings decorate the snake's body. The lead Lamia barks an order in some guttural unknown language and the creature calms and slithers off towards the wall with a long hiss that echoes in the empty chamber.
The three Lamia lead you to the double doors in the back of the room that lead further into the building. They open up into a semi-circular corridor heading to your right and left. You see a series of vaults meant to hold the dead along the outside wall. The corridor smells like a mix of various perfumes and oils. The smell grows stronger as you draw closer to what appears to be a larger vault or chamber on the outside wall, directly across from another door heading further into the building. The lead Lamia opens the door and calls out,
Tarouk, I have guests for your Master.
She enters the room and waves you inside. Four columns support the ceiling of this large chamber, filled with stone tables and curtains of tattered velvet. Stone fonts carved with images of scarab beetles and whippoorwills stand between the columns to the east and west. Two sets of double doors exit the room to the south (one of which you used to enter), and the doors to the north sport relief carvings of Pharasma as both deliverer of life and harvester of the dead. Deep, chiseled gashes mar the goddess's carved face.
A tall and handsome man sits on a pile of pillows in one corner of the room. As he stands, two lions also stir and stand with him.
Who are they?
Various tools, books, and half-finished creations lie strewn about every surface. You see a masterfully made lyre leaning against one table andd several odd clockwork machinery scattered across one table. The ceiling is 40 feet high in this room.
Nevai stepped forward and spoke, "I am Nevai, and we are here in the necropolis seeking the source of the undead attacks taking place throughout the city. We noticed these ladies outside and asked if they knew anything about the recent occurrences, and they suggested that we speak to you."
Althea remains quiet for the moment, waiting to hear his answer or his command to attack....
Marnarius looks a little nervously around the room, judging his chances of fighting the lions.
The lions, while large, are normal lions. The man looks confused.
Me? No, you should speak to Hepsushep. You...do not seem like you belong here. Do not waste the Master's time. She is busy, an mortal concerns such as yours are beneath her. He glances briefly at the Lamia escorting you, But, if they say you are welcome, then you are welcome.
Nevai's face reflected the man's confusion for a moment before recalling the earlier conversation.
"You are right of course. Please forgive my mistake; we've been running about for quite a while. Since we are clearly lacking in knowledge, would you mind educating us? What is it that you and your master do here? We had no idea that people lived on this side of the wall."
Mh and where do we find this Hepsushep? Is Hepsushep your master? A Lamia as well? Such gracefull and beautyfull creatures! You have an interesting workshop here, may i ask what your profession is?
"The plague of undead outside of this place has been steadily growing worse, so just because these 'mortal concerns' have been beneath her before doesn't mean that won't always be the case. Best if we can speak with her soon."
The lead Lamia laughs as the man looks confused. Go, Tarouk. Go get her, she says as she waves towards the door in the back of the room. He's pretty, but easily confused. Don't worry about him. As to his profession...I think he was a guard? This is just stuff that we've collected.
The man nods and makes his way into the back room. After a few moments another Lamia enters. Ah, you didn't tell me our guests were so handsome Tarouk! But, of course you didn't. The creature pads forth, her eyes narrowing as she looks you over and her tone becomes serious, I'm told you can be civil, so...what is it that you want?
Leto clears his throat.
We can be civil indeed. Yeha what is it that we want? A bit of rest? Admire the fluffyness of your fur? Indeed we are here to see wether you would know something about the circumstances of your surroundings, especially this new wave of undead plague?
"Indeed. There has been a flood of undead pouring out from this side of the wall. We are here to find its source, and were hoping that you might know something of it. Also, I noted the various clockwork contraptions you have over there as well. Are you an expert in such things?" Nevai asked respectfully.
"And do you happen to know anything about who's been going around the necropolis and gathering up all the elegiac compass?"
A flood of undead? The Lamia looks surprised, but not overly worried. She flashes a glance at the other Lamia. Interesting. The Lamia that showed you inside simply shrugs. Well, we are not the source...so what brings you here? She waves off the question concerning the clockwork objects. Things we've found. There are many oddities to be found within the walls of the necropolis.
Elgiac compass? The Lamia almost purrs, You're looking for something powerful then. I don't know of anyone else that's been tampering with them. We had assumed only one or two were still active.
The handsome man speaks up, Perhaps the golden masked men? Hepsushep frowns, Yes. The new ones. They're using the old smuggler's tunnels to come and go. If there are others interested in what you seek, it is probably them.
"Golden masks? We've found some people with brass masks...." Marnarius describes the funerary masks taken from some of the party's enemies. "Did they look like that?"
It did look like those, but...gold, says the handsome man. It seems rather obvious that he's confused and they might have actually been brass, but they looked the same.