The Pact Stone Pyramid (Inactive)

Game Master Pact Stone GM

Well in that case, cross it off on his sheet and consider it done!

With a 'shazam' from the wizard, Hurgah, Breach and Moonpate cross through solid stone, uniting with their comrades.

The Dune Squad now finds itself in a much smaller room, thrice described above.

Whatever shall they do?

If nothing is immediately trying to kill us, perhaps we should rest?

Nothing is immediately trying to kill you - rest appears quite possible (again).

Nothing is immediately trying to kill you - rest appears quite possible (again).

After leaving behind the surly portal-man Moonpate looks to his mug, licking his lips in anticipation of the tasty beverage now contained therein courtesy of his wondrous buckle Akaymarandi. Alas, if he could only use its powers more than once per day, Pate might forget being stuck inside a cursed pyramid.

Hal sighs, "We should take a double watch this time just in case, who wants to go first?"

Is there anything that stands out about this room Beetle?

Room descriptions from previous page:

An irregular shaped room approximately 30 x 30 feet in size. It has a circular dais surrounded by five scales, hanging from the ceiling. The scales look like the kind a merchant might have used. Small green stones rest on the dais. The room contains hieroglyphs on each wall . There is though no exit to this chamber.

Five scales hang from the ceiling. Behind them, twenty-three tiny jade statuettes of various men and woman hard at work have been carefully arranged on a raised dais. Hieroglyphs line the walls in vertical columns.

Gandel carefully searches the chamber for any indications of hidden exits as he studies the hieroglyphs. Take 20 on search for secret doors for total Perception check of 32.

Thanks Gandel!

Hal touches nothing in the room but settles down to look for a spot to rest.

Karek settles down to rest as well.

"I'll be for watchin' first," Breach volunteers.

After leaving behind the surly portal-man Moonpate looks to his mug, licking his lips in anticipation of the tasty beverage now contained therein courtesy of his wondrous buckle Akaymarandi. Alas, if he could only use its powers more than once per day, Pate might forget being stuck inside a cursed pyramid.

-

His stein is indeed now filled with a delicious looking brew of freshly poured froth.

Gandel begins his survey of the room while the rest of the Dune Squad grabs a flagstone to rest their weary heads.

About twenty seconds later. . .

Ro An Hap manages to fall over and roll away from the north wall (now the wall to your south).

When he does so, the portal winks out, adding a new layer of dread to Moonpate's sentiment that he will find himself stuck inside this pyramid forever.

For the moment at least, with no apparent exit, the Dune Squad is now trapped inside the chamber.

Gandel comes across a rather unusual set of hieroglyphs on the southeast wall. If you permit me to assume he once again shares his findings, the professor recounts the following tale gleamed from the Osiriani pictographs:

"When Anuchro Het’s scribe died, his will decreed that his 23
slaves be divided amongst his five surviving heirs, in the exact
proportions of 1/3, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8 and 1/12. This led to a quarrel
as the five heirs could not agree how many slaves each was
to receive. Anuchro Het entreated the Pharaoh of Numbers to
resolve the dispute and all agreed that the pharaoh’s solution
was wise."

Before Sooron rests his weary head, he will wait for about 10 minutes after the portal winks out, and focus the Eye of Sooron into the guardian's room for a moment to see what sort of mischief the creature might be getting prepared to send our way.

So, it looks like the division of the statuettes for the scales would be 8,6,4,3, and 2? Or is that too obvious?

Well, if sensible solutions like that don't provide an exit for us, maybe Moonpate can Dimension Door us around until we find something.

Gandel begins his survey of the room while the rest of the Dune Squad grabs a flagstone to rest their weary heads.

About twenty seconds later. . .

Ro An Hap manages to fall over and roll away from the north wall (now the wall to your south).

When he does so, the portal winks out, adding a new layer of dread to Moonpate's sentiment that he will find himself stuck inside this pyramid forever.

For the moment at least, with no apparent exit, the Dune Squad is now trapped inside the chamber.

Gah! We coulda just staked him to the wall like we did with the basilisk. Now we're gonna need our wizard's top spell slot to get out of here. Hindsight suuuuuucks.

So, it looks like the division of the statuettes for the scales would be 8,6,4,3, and 2? Or is that too obvious?

A fractions question and you're asking me? I changed my mind, our GM suuuuuucks.

Those numbers add up to to 23 but they don't divide right unless you round off. I don't got a better idea though. Maybe the better question is what happens if we get it wrong? Who wants to put em on the scales?

Before Sooron rests his weary head, he will wait for about 10 minutes after the portal winks out, and focus the Eye of Sooron into the guardian's room for a moment to see what sort of mischief the creature might be getting prepared to send our way.

-

It took most of Donkor's six second burst to locate him, so if he wants to be certain he may need to study him for a few rounds. How many rounds does he have left today?

So, it looks like the division of the statuettes for the scales would be 8,6,4,3, and 2? Or is that too obvious?

-

"Gentlemen and Lady! Please refrain from touching ANYTHING in this chamber until I've had a chance to thoroughly check for unpleasant surprises," Gandel warns his companions as he continues to examine the room and its contents. "In fact, might I suggest that we all get some rest before we try to solve the riddle."

"When Anuchro Het’s scribe died, his will decreed that his 23

slaves be divided amongst his five surviving heirs, in the exact
proportions of 1/3, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8 and 1/12. This led to a quarrel
as the five heirs could not agree how many slaves each was
to receive. Anuchro Het entreated the Pharaoh of Numbers to
resolve the dispute and all agreed that the pharaoh’s solution
was wise."

8,6,4,3,2? It looks like 12 on that last one. Mistype? Or am I missing something? Probably, most likely the latter. But at least this way I'm clear.

Sooron is all for resting before anything gets touched, no worries Gandel. Thought we could lull ourselves to sleep with talk of maths. :)

The numbers would definitely require rounding for them to be right. The character of the people involved might well have suggested some form of slave chopping-up to make the numbers work out more accurately however.

That was the last round of the Eye of Sooron, so I can't get any additional info. Everyone feel free to read my spoiler.

Hal mumbles in his sleep as exhaustion takes him over (prior to falling asleep the dawrven priest strips himself of his armor to get as good a nights rest as is possible).

Pharasma and Angradd's visions should be revisited in the morning...

"Gentlemen and Lady! Please refrain from touching ANYTHING in this chamber until I've had a chance to thoroughly check for unpleasant surprises," Gandel warns his companions as he continues to examine the room and its contents. "In fact, might I suggest that we all get some rest before we try to solve the riddle."

-

(Well maybe the Dune Squad)

I'll get back to you on Gandel's results. . .

Pact Stone GM wrote:

"When Anuchro Het’s scribe died, his will decreed that his 23

slaves be divided amongst his five surviving heirs, in the exact
proportions of 1/3, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8 and 1/12. This led to a quarrel
as the five heirs could not agree how many slaves each was
to receive. Anuchro Het entreated the Pharaoh of Numbers to
resolve the dispute and all agreed that the pharaoh’s solution
was wise."

8,6,4,3,2? It looks like 12 on that last one. Mistype? Or am I missing something? Probably, most likely the latter. But at least this way I'm clear.

-

Well... now that you mention it, I guess either. If the 12 is suppose to be a 2, then that would equal 23. BUT, seeing how as what you have up there are fractions--and if the 12 is suppose to be a 12--then adding up all the numbers would be pointless. So, I guess in a nutshell: Is the '12' correct? Or is it suppose to be '2'? I probably should've just rolled with the question instead of all that rambling. Ah well. :P

I'm not sure I've got you 100% Javell, but I can assist by saying I don't see any typos in the numbers I wrote. It's ". . . in the exact proportions of 1/3, 1/4, 1/6 and 1/12."

That last number is one-twelfth.

Thanks! That's all I needed to know.

. . . Gandel warns his companions as he continues to examine the room and its contents.

-

Gandel can attest that the scales are not ordinary scales. He can't see it, but he detects telltale signs that they have been loaded with something akin to pressure plates. He's not sure what will happen if they are depressed.

Also the northeast and northwest walls ring differently than the other walls. That might signal another room or corridor is adjacent. But if so, the walls must still be pretty thick.

Hal mumbles in his sleep as exhaustion takes him over (prior to falling asleep the dawrven priest strips himself of his armor to get as good a nights rest as is possible).

-

sleepy-time over here. At least until we're interrupted.

Level 8 here I come!

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ"

Halstadt Morgrym wrote:

Hal mumbles in his sleep as exhaustion takes him over (prior to falling asleep the dawrven priest strips himself of his armor to get as good a nights rest as is possible).

-

The long awaited rest session is finally upon us? Everyone's going to sleep then?

With appropriate watches set, of course.

With appropriate watches set, of course.

-

And just who will be on these watches? While Gandel was seeing to their safety, Hal, Donkor and Xerissa have politely already gone to sleep.

I suggest the Mithral Scarab take the first watch, . . .

Breach will take the first watch. Along with Lydia. :)

Xerissa's Leveling Post

This is all OOC right? Cause I don't think Xerissa has told anyone about her Dad except Donkor. And they wouldn't be able to read her thoughts.

Xerissa lay on the cold hard flooring, staring at the ceiling. She would rest, but she would not sleep. It was all coming together. Thanks to Krenshar, she was finally inside a pyramid of the 4 pharaohs of ascension. It was in one of these very pyramids that her Father, Auraraun of the Lost Scroll, had disappeared last year. The freakin pyramid disappeared as well. Being in another one was her best and only chance of finding out what happened to him. Perhaps this one would transport her to him, like some inter-dimensional gateway. Together they would find their way home. Somehow they were all connected – somehow.

Donkor knew what happened to Father. she was sure of it. But he wasn't letting on. She had to watch him. He was all smiles and brotherly love, but he was evasive. She did not trust him or his creepy death goddess.

The rest of this Dune Squad seemed decent enough. Even though only the halfling was a true Pathfinder, they still seemed to look after one another quit a bit. They seemed more built to break things than explore a pyramid, but so far breaking things had been far more handy. Perhaps with her bombs she might fit in after all.

As she lay there her mind poured over the hundreds of alchemical formulas she crammed in her brain, constantly tweaking and reworking them. She then hit on an idea for her flame-shower bombs. By adding more Kaldar stone directly into the core nugget and increasing the ionic property of the blast accelerant at the same time she could intensify the explosive field. This would though destabilize the recaljaration matrix, a risk to anyone who got too close. Especially her! But if she added the stone at the very last second, maybe she could pull it off. It was time to take more risks. She could not wait to try.

The Pate settles his bulk into as comfortable a position as possible and kindly reminds the universe to leave him alone before entering the dream realm where beer fests and baking contests happen every day.

Breach will take the first watch. Along with Lydia. :)

-

Breach's watch is uneventful - I am assuming this is a 4 hour watch. Any volunteers for the later? Or is Breach taking it for the team here?

Xerissa's Leveling Post

-

Yes, unless Xerissa has done the big reveal about her Daddy-o, only Donkor know that particular history. Auraraun of the Lost Scroll appeared in a cut scene once, but nobody on the Dune Squad other than Donkor actually knows (knew) him.

Just like I don't think any of the other Dune Squad members know that Karek is looking for his Mum.

This party has a lot of unresolved parental issues.

The Pate settles his bulk into as comfortable a position as possible and kindly reminds the universe to leave him alone before entering the dream realm where beer fests and baking contests happen every day.

-

Aw c'mon, now. Just because I forgot doesn't mean Breach did. :P Yeah, I know, what can I say? It's hard for me to remember a statue that sits there saying nothing. I mean, look at Ro An Hap... at least he keeps yelling at us. :p

Breach will keep pressing on, bay-bee!

During his watch, Breach grabs his axe and shield and goes to work. Practicing his movements, building up his strength, he brings his axe down and across, dodges to the left and quickly snaps his shield from left to right. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a practice dummy to take his workout on so he's resorted to the air. As his workouts have slowly put more strength in his off-hand as much as his right, he's starting to believe they are near equivalent. "Oh yeah, the next time me shield connects with the next beastie, they'll be for feelin' maximum pain," he tells himself as he continues his regimen, sweating profusely as he brings down another overhand chop into nothingness before bringing a quick left cross with his shield, followed by two more quick and powerful jabs with his shield. "Oh yeah! Maximum pain!" Cue the Music he lifts his axe and shield in the air in triumph, popping from one foot to the other, confident he's earned equal strength in both arms before quickly returning back to his workout.

And that's my leveling up post. :)

Looks like it's leveling post time. It's composed and ready to go, but I still haven't done any of the mechanical leveling. Is it time for me to focus on that as well?

Sooron rests uncomfortably on the hard floor of the pyramid, willing himself to keep still. He knows that no amount of tossing and turning will make this bed any better, and thus accepts this hardship as part of Pharasma's plan, along with all the other painful and joyful experiences of his life.
It has been a long and strange journey to finally find rest on this hard floor, and She has required a great deal of struggle between him and his companions to reach it. His meditations this night are more focussed on recollections of the past few weeks, and not as keenly focussed on contemplations of Her who should always be at the front of his mind in quiet moments.
He remembers the hardships of the desert travel, the encounters with the bizarre splicer beasts, the meeting with Khymrasa, the betrayal of an ally. Adventures in the plane of water, a terrifying yet exhilarating battle with the ten-headed hydra, and the painful loss of a friend in that place. More journeying, more painful separations from friends, and more and more and more anxiety. These have been the path that he has travelled of late, and Pharasma has certainly been testing him and his friends hard.
As these recollections play out, there are two moments that stand out much more than all the others. Twice during this adventure, Pharasma had granted him power beyond what he believed he was capable of wielding - once potentially saving him and all of his group by shifting them to another plane of existence, and once when he was alone, and lost, and prepared for his death. On both occasions he had felt Her presence more strongly than at any other time in his life - not comforting, for Pharasma did not comfort - yet somehow welcome and warming all the same.
He knew that Her plans for him were not yet done, and as he dozed off to sleep, he held those remembered feelings and abilities in his thoughts, feeling nothing but hope for his fated future.

Looks like it's leveling post time. It's composed and ready to go, but I still haven't done any of the mechanical leveling. Is it time for me to focus on that as well?

-

If Breach is leveling, as per his post, then it sounds like he's taking an 8 hour rest. He's also just competed a watch shift of 4 hours, so we've now got ourselves a 12 hour rest session.

Haven't heard from Hurgah and Karek so perhaps they are shifts 2 & 3, each getting their 8 hours as well.

Karek will rise, somewhat grumpily, four hours through his rest in order to take his watch.

Hurgah is good to take the last watch as long as he gets a full 8 hours in somehow. Leveling post coming up.

12 hours later we have a rested Dune Squad!

Congratulations! A few of you have made it to level 8 (Hal and Xerissa so far that I can see) and I am sure the rest of you will follow shortly by leveling up your sheets.

Spells can be re-selected, so if you have not attended to that, please do so.

And in the meantime, what now? Are we now going with Donkor's proposal in regards to Anuchro Het's conundrum?

Beetle please GMPC me, will be unavialable for a few days. Will complete the leveling post when I am back.

I'm all leveled up now. Woot level 8! Hard to believe it's only been 2 years.

Anyone else have any thoughts on the puzzle? Or should we go with it just being a math problem with a slight rounding difficulty, and put the statuettes in as outlined before?

I'm all leveled up now. Woot level 8! Hard to believe it's only been 2 years.

Anyone else have any thoughts on the puzzle? Or should we go with it just being a math problem with a slight rounding difficulty, and put the statuettes in as outlined before?

There must be something more to this math problem. It is hard to think that the Pharaoh of Numbers would use wonky math for anything.

Donkor Sooron wrote:

I'm all leveled up now. Woot level 8! Hard to believe it's only been 2 years.

Anyone else have any thoughts on the puzzle? Or should we go with it just being a math problem with a slight rounding difficulty, and put the statuettes in as outlined before?

There must be something more to this math problem. It is hard to think that the Pharaoh of Numbers would use wonky math for anything.

I got nothing else. I've tried a few different variations on my calculator and Donkor's is the closest answer. Any way you do it the numbers don't divide right. What am I missing? If it's wrong, i bet the room goes kaplooyee, so we might want to retreat to the corners and have one brave soul put the pieces on the scales. or do we need five guys to simultaneously put the pieces on each scale?

"Time to take a chance?"