The Dune Squad takes whatever cover can be found at the back of the room while Moonpate steps forward and invokes one of the cantrips of his early studies of arcane lore. He reaches out with an empty hand and the 23 slave figurines slowly begin to rise.
As the statuettes hover in the air, the Potentate meticulously begins to separate them into five piles. As directed by Donkor and Gandel he carefully splits them into groupings of:
...8
...6
...4
...3...and
...2
After checking and re-checking the count, each member of the party nods in ascent. Gently, well appreciating the unlikelihood of an accepted margin for error in this most wicked of places, Moonpate simultaneously sets each grouping down upon one of the five separate scale.
As the wizard withdraws his magic, the scales each begin to descend from the natural weight of the statuettes - each a few inches.
The scales, however, drop unevenly. The scale with eight figurines, at least an inch or two more than the one with only two.
Gandel hears it first, the dwarves second, then Xerissa. There is a tiny "CLICK" as each of the scales reaches its balancing point.
This is followed by a hiss of air coming from the northwest wall. Then comes the excruciatingly loud sound of stone grinding on stone as a large section of wall slowly begins to descend into the floor.
A passageway is revealed!
The new passage way is flush with the floor.
The ceiling is 15 feet high. It is five feet wide (i.e. one square).
There are no visible hieroglyphs. The walls are clean stone - huge blocks of granite, assembled with excellent craftsmanship.
The passage extends five feet and immediately turns right (northeast) - how far you cannot see unless you enter.
All of this to say, it looks like you've got yourselves a plain old corridor!
Hal's shoulders slump forward at the sight of Breach's face. "I will find you Lydia, I swear to Angradd".
As the passage opens Hal turns back to Donkor and Moonpate, "Now how do we close the passageway we just opened behind us?"
As the passage opens Hal turns back to Donkor and Moonpate, "Now how do we close the passageway we just opened behind us?"
"We may not want to Master Dwarf, in case we need a place to quickly retreat to that seems isolated, defensible, and...for the moment safe."
"We may not want to Master Dwarf, in case we need a place to quickly retreat to that seems isolated, defensible, and...for the moment safe."As the passage opens Hal turns back to Donkor and Moonpate, "Now how do we close the passageway we just opened behind us?"
Hal places his hand on his chin and considers Moonpate's position. "Retreat is useless if we run wounded into more of the Khyrasma's excursion teams. Especially ones which are fresh while we are battered. The soldiers are no great threat to us I would agree but the Asmodeans could pose a problem. Also, leaving this passage open may allow the Guarddian to some seek us out again, he is tenacious if nothing else. This room seems as defensible as Ro Ap Hans' chamber, a small passageway which the warriors could defend physically with the spells of you, Donkor and myself backing them up".
Hal looks around to the others to gauge their opinions on the matter.
The new passage way is flush with the floor.
The ceiling is 15 feet high. It is five feet wide (i.e. one square).
There are no visible hieroglyphs. The walls are clean stone - huge blocks of granite, assembled with excellent craftsmanship.
The passage extends five feet and immediately turns right (northeast) - how far you cannot see unless you enter.
All of this to say, it looks like you've got yourselves a plain old corridor!
"Look alive people! Whose check'n for traps?"
Glad to see the Dune Squad hasn't been psyched out by a corridor. (Both Gandel and Breach have trapfinding, but I will assume everyone is applying their Perception skill as best they can - though your reminders are always appreciated)
In anticipation, should it come to pass that anyone seeks to enter the corridor, please note that with it's 5-foot width, the corridor cannot accommodate the Dune Squad's standard marching order.
Also let me know the verdict with respect to collapsing/sustaining Donkor's divinely created passageway.
"Morgrym's got a point. But another part o' me just says let 'em come. I'm not for carin' much at this point. Bring 'em on so we can kill 'em and be done with 'em. They be the ones marchin' to their death. Outside o' that, I don't care what ya do with the blasted tunnel." He shrugs as he waits for them to decide so they can move on.
"I'm inclined to leave the passage open for now. Perhaps one of our resident trap-smiths could rig some sort of alarm in it, so that we'll know if somebody seeks to pass through it when we're not in this room? I think there is at least a chance that the pyramid will heal itself, and the tunnel will disappear when the guardian reappears at any rate.
Before we move forward I think that we should revisit what Pharasma and Angradd revealed to us. These clues should be kept in mind as we venture forward or perhaps not but better safe than dead. We began to discuss these issues when you were all gone searching after Lydia".
First – follow smoke leads to hole. It would seem that the smoke rising from the entrance solves that riddle. Perhaps that clue was more relevant before excavation began.
Second – but too far down lose thy soul. This one I am still struggling with, Ro Ap Han seems to believe that we have doomed ourselves by coming here. Perhaps his warning was not without merit as even the Gods indicate that this is a dangerous place.
Third – many eyes watch the way. The eyes we have seen around the camp seem to fit this bill. Those eyes though belong to who? The Sand Sage? The ancient Pharaohs’? Perhaps the eyes refer to guardians here in the Pyramid, beholders or something else. A grim thought as such creatures are quite deadly.
Fourth – promise of clock his hand will stay. Gandel, have you seen any evidence in the hieroglyphs of what this may mean? Do we assume the “his hand” means the Pharaoh of numbers or one of the other Pharaohs’? What clock is being referred to here? Could these scales be considered a clock or am I focusing too much on what is in front of me because this is the only thing I have seen in the Pyramid thus far? Hat is likely. Perhaps the clock is an hourglass which has been slowly counting down through the ages.
Fifth – legends of past form scarab’s wall. This vision was accompanied by a vision of Lydia. Does that mean that her disappearance was forseen? Has she been taken by Ro Ap Han to another location to become part of the Pyramid? A part of the wall itself? I cannot think of anything outside of the Pyramid that would equate to Scarab’s Wall. Though the walls of this place do have hieroglyphs, perhaps these legends form Scarab’s Wall, but why would the Gods call it Scarab’s Wall? She was never here before? Unless Lydia is a reincarnated being from the time of the ancient past should we look for images of her in this Pyramid?
Sixth – the final vision, when Suekahn’s count strikes 56. This is the only vision that seems to be concrete but we have nothing to connect it to. Ro Ap Han did not react to the name Suekahn, did he Gandel? Did we mention that name to him? While I have been picking up Osiriani the ancient dialect is beyond me. Is the number 56 significant for us here? It would not appear so there are 23 figures and five scales. I don’t see how 56 fits into this riddle. The number 56 though must have some meaning as it was the only specific vision granted by the Gods”.
Karek listens to Hal. For a while, anyway. Somewhere around "Third", he loses interest, and wanders on over to the passage created by solving the puzzle. He first takes a good look down it. Then, assuming Gandel or Breach (specifically) aren't waving him away, Karek steps into the passage.
Once Karek steps in to the corridor and looks to his right, he can see where it heads. It travels only 15 feet northeast before it turns 90 degrees to the right, heading southeast. How far it goes from there, Karek cannot see unless he delves further.
It remains just as tight, only 5 feet wide. There are no doors or forks in the road so to speak - just a plain corridor to follow.
Karek is using his darkvision. Whatever effect has been lighting the previous rooms, it isn't in play here.
Karek's affinity for architecture and all things made of stone does not yield any new info at the moment: this place is ancient, well built, and composed of very large blocks of granite.
Being as wary as the inside of an exciting ancient architectural wonder permits, Karek continues down the hallway, putting his companions out of sight.
Breach walks over to observe Karek walking down the corridor. "Alright people. Time ta move. We'll figure it out as we go, Morgrym. You and Sooron and Pate can think on it as we walk." He waits for the others to head out so he can take up position in the back.
Hal chuckles, "Fair enough, Karek has yet to kill anything today, he must be getting antsy!"
The Dune Squad hears Kogan's metallic footfalls slowly grow quieter as he marches further away, disappearing from sight as he winds around the corners. Bunky has gone even quieter than normal.
I'll send you a private message. . .
Breach walks over to observe Karek walking down the corridor. "Alright people. Time ta move. We'll figure it out as we go, Morgrym. You and Sooron and Pate can think on it as we walk." He waits for the others to head out so he can take up position in the back.
-
Can I take this as confirmation that the party follows Karek? Perhaps single-file in a row in the order Hal set out, modified by the absence of Karek?
Breach walks over to observe Karek walking down the corridor. "Alright people. Time ta move. We'll figure it out as we go, Morgrym. You and Sooron and Pate can think on it as we walk." He waits for the others to head out so he can take up position in the back.-
Can I take this as confirmation that the party follows Karek? Perhaps single-file in a row in the order Hal set out, modified by the absence of Karek?
Also yes.
The conga-line turns right and travels northeast,15 feet.
No other options, it then turns right again, traveling southeast, 20 feet.
It then turns left, once again traveling northeast, 20 feet.
At this point, the corridor terminates in a T-section, giving the option of heading left (northwest) or right (southeast).
Notably, at the top of the "T" the corridor widens, increasing its width to the more familiar expanse of 10 feet, not unlike the very long entry shaft through which you entered the pyramid.
Also the wider corridor at the top of the "T" looks as though it might not be perfectly straight. The dwarves in the party detect a distinctive curve. Each branch curves ever so slightly to the south back towards the direction you are coming from.
Oh, and Karek is standing at the foot of the T-section, as though contemplating whether to head left or right, or turn back.
Hurgah looks left, then right. Seeing no notable difference between the two, he taps Karek on the shoulder with the butt of his axe, points right and starts to move in that direction.
Karek nods in assent, and resumes point, stonecunning and darkvision combining once again to form the pinnacle of scouting an ancient pyramid.
Or maybe Anyo 3.0 does that better. Anyway.
The passage definitely has a curve to it. It continues to wind to the right.
By the time the Dune Squad has advanced another 50 feet, those who possess an inherent sense of direction come to believe you are now traveling straight south. Although it is too early to tell, some among you begin to harbor suspicions that this corridor might eventually even prove to be a loop or a ring.
That thought though is interrupted by the sound of approaching footfalls.
Someone is coming.
And they should be around the bend shortly. Like you, whoever it is, they have a light source. The flickering glow grows brighter as you draw more near to one another.
Sooron clunks along in his typical non-stealthy fashion, prepared to stop if the leaders of his line stop, otherwise following along and readying his weapon.
Hurgah stops.
Something is coming this way. Donkor, can you see what it is with your farsight?
Karek clutches his hammer and keeps moving.
-----
An older man dressed in an ankle-length grey gown slowly walks
toward you. He carries a bone scroll case in his left hand and a lit,
black tallow candle in his right.
-----
He begins to call towards you, slowly uttering words. You are stunned when you realize you can all understand him. He speaks Taldan*!? His voice though is frail or perhaps congested. It is altogether unsettling.
". . . Is. . . there. . . a . . . priest. . . among. . . you?"
He is now less than 20 feet away and slowly closing. Karek will soon reach him.
*Taldan is Golarion's common.
There can be no mistake. This old human is the bald-headed figure in the vision Hal received from Angraad during his journey across the desert.
Karek clutches his hammer and keeps moving.
-
Although Karek's attention is most likely focused on the elderly, bald-headed man approaching him with that candle and scroll case, there are a few other details worth noting.This wider arcing corridor that the Dune Squad is presently in seems to terminate in about another 60 feet or so. It reaches a nondescript dead end.
But before that, perhaps about 40 feet away, there is a square archway on the right-hand wall. A branch leads off, headed southwest.
-
Thanks for that.
Hal initially shocked recovers quickly and pushes to the front of the group, "Are you Suekahn?!"
The old man either fails to hear Halstadt, or he ignores him, repeating his interrogative:
". . . Is. . . there. . . a . . . priest. . . among. . . you?"
The light of Gandel's dancing lights begins to mingle with the flicker of the old man's candle, casting dark shadows up and down the walls.
Hal turns to his companions, "This is the man from my vision!"
Turning back to the man he replies, "Yes there are priests among us. I am a champion of Angradd. Are you Suekahn!"
Halstadt has the old man's attention now. He begins moving up to Halstadt.
"I know. . . not. . . this god."
"Tell me."
"Can you . . . raise the dead?"
Taking his bodyguard duties seriously, Hurgah steps in front of the old man, physically blocking his way. He keeps his axe slung across his back, but is ready to bring out teeth and claws if needed.
That's far enough. he says in a tone that does not invite argument.
Halstadt grimaces, "No, not yet. My God has not seen fit to bestow such grace upon me. I can heal the injured and the sick of body and mind though. Tell me what ails you or as it seems to me, someone you know".
Hal skips over the obvious questions, for now.
Taking his bodyguard duties seriously, Hurgah steps in front of the old man, physically blocking his way. He keeps his axe slung across his back, but is ready to bring out teeth and claws if needed.
That's far enough. he says in a tone that does not invite argument.
-
Hurgah is able to successfully blockade the man. The mystery traveler is forced to a stop right in front of him.He nonetheless seems to be ignoring Hurgah - a feat in itself which is normally quite impossible. He is far more intent upon scrutinizing Morgrym. He's leaning forward with his black candle, trying to get a closer look at the dwarf's face.
And then Hal answers. . .
Halstadt grimaces, "No, not yet. My God has not seen fit to bestow such grace upon me. I can heal the injured and the sick of body and mind though. Tell me what ails you or as it seems to me, someone you know".
-
The old man pauses, as though Hal's response has held repercussions of untold weight."Priests. . . earlier. . . you said priests," continues the man, placing as much emphasis upon the plural in priests as possible.
"Can any of you. . ."
". . . raise the dead to life?"
The old man seeks to look behind the Hurgah blockade, reaching with his candle, trying to look each member of the Dune Squad in the face.
Sooron hesitates for a few moments, pondering the wisdom of giving this being more information than necessary, and then decides to follow suit with Halstadt, "I also am a priest, serving the most holy Pharasma. Although I also do not have the abilities to raise the dead to life, I am able to speak with the dead, if this might help you in some way."
The old man again pauses as though processing Donkor's answer and its ramifications.
Then he moves in response, wordlessly attempting to move around Hurgah. He seems to be trying to reach beyond to pass Halstadt his scroll case, though it's impossible to know his intentions for certain.
-----
Karek will allow this man to do what he's going to do, scrutinizing him all the way.
Once again, Hurgah steps in front of the old man, blocking his way but taking no hostile action just yet. He does, however, murmur a few magic words to learn a bit more about the objects the man seems so intent on giving away.
Karek will prepare a readied action. If it looks like he is harming anybody, Karek will hit him.
Karek will allow this man to do what he's going to do, scrutinizing him all the way.
-
Perception does not yield anything new. The unnamed stranger is not very spry and he is probably advanced a fair bit beyond his original age category.
Karek's investigative instincts tell him this man has an agenda. He's up to something. But whatever it is, Karek can't sense anything to suggest he means to harm the Dune Squad.
Karek will prepare a readied action. If it looks like he is harming anybody, Karek will hit him.
-
Got it! He'll have his hammer up and pulled back for a swing.
Once again, Hurgah steps in front of the old man, blocking his way but taking no hostile action just yet. He does, however, murmur a few magic words to learn a bit more about the objects the man seems so intent on giving away.
-
There are three (new) auras here.
The candle has a magical aura.
The bone scroll case does not. But something in it does.
Plus, the stranger himself has a magical aura upon him.
As Hurgah is casting, the stranger lobs his scroll case to Halstadt. It seems more like an attempt to pass it than an attempt to hurl it.
His effort may be easily defeated, if you so choose. Hal can elect to catch the scroll case or dodge it, or even just let it bounce off of him. Hurgah or Karek could bat it aside (though that would negate Karek's readied action to pulverize).
Sooron also casts Detect Magic, having a look at the man and the scroll case.
Donkor gets the same result so go ahead and read the result of Hurgah's spoiler tag above.
I say you can think thoughts while petrified. Though you still can't take any actions, so a psionic could not use those thoughts as a weapon, for example. Nor could you cast component-less spells.
Technically the rules treat petrified as unconscious, so by 'rules as written' there would be no thoughts, but I just really like the flavor text of someone entombed in rock being forced to experience it.
(I had a PC once who had this in his back story. . .)