Like other bands, these seem to have taken Dragons as their mascot.
"Well, as you look the worse for wear, maybe we should help you?"
The trio decide to follow you, as they seem curious.
"Where are you headed? We are quite the experienced adventurers."
Your trip back to the 'living' part of town is uneventful but for your new 'friends'.
"We certainly appreciate the offer, but I think we're good."
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"We appreciate your interest, but we would not want to be responsible for your untimely demise, surely you understand. Also, our writ is only good for our group, and having you along would make the whole event merely illegal grave-robbing. You'd end up hung for certain, even if the ghouls and ghosts didn't get you."
The trio shrugs and returns to the City of the Dead as you return to the City of the Living. "We will see you safely out. OK, maybe someone else needs help."
You decide where to go.
The temple of Pharasma, or the inn you are staying at come to mind first.
Asaran keeps his defenses up, watching for any signal that might pass between them... only relaxing as they leave. He pauses a moment, exhaling his tense breath, before saying, "I do not trust them... I can't help but think that they were denied a slot, and look to steal ours. It may be wise to warn the officials at the temple about these jackals."
"I agree, we would hate to be semi responsible for illegal looting happening at our site!"
"And a comfortable bed I should think!"
Asaran nods and smiles at Dusty's suugesting, "That too."
As the group arrives at the temple, they see an acolyte of Pharasma come up to greet them. You check in around mid-day, and the temple seems to be quiet.
Asaran and Iskender notice a few pieces of hair falling out in very small clumps from their head.
"Well, I'm beat up, to be sure, but contracted a disease? I don't think I feel that."
Asaran says, "Is it a magical disease that needs curing, or can we simply be treated and recover? "
The temple of Pharasma seems to get excited at the prospect of a nasty disease. After much consultation, they return with Sebti the Crocodile. She returns and gives you a look of concern.
"Left untreated, this disease could likely turn you into flying, bodiless undead. For 400gp each, we should be able to cure you. If you do not have the amount right now, you can probably owe us until your explorations bear more fruit."
"Please, this is a great scam you have running. Undead don't happen that way. Vampires, sure, you get bitten and you become one."
"Huh? You think I'm infected too? Well, you would be the expert on undead I suppose!"
Asaran says, "Those things weren't undead. I know undead... followers of Anubis loathe them." He then shrugs, "But I know little of magical diseases... and I'd rather not have my body wither away leaving only a head behind."
Sebti nods: "Whether you wish to have treatment is up to you. I am told consecrated holy warriors have nothing to fear from vargouilles in terms of changing into flying heads."
Asaran repeats, "I prefer keeping my body attached to my head.", and rubs the scar across his throat.
He nods, "I swear by Anubis that I will pay my debt... and should I fall first, then I will my gear to the temple."
"Perhaps we have enough in goods to pay for these services?"
Sebti casts, and two clouds of black specks leave the ears and nose of Asaran and Iskender.
"I guess you are good."
The priestess waits before departing.
"Somebody pay the man!"
Asaran nods, "Thank you. We'll try to avoid needing more healing."
Refreshed and healed after a day off, you return to the Manor. It is quiet as you retrace your steps inside through the back door. You return to the top of the steps, and consider which rooms to investigate on the second floor.
"Shall we be extra careful today my friends?"
Garavaen nods, "Yes, let's keep our heads."
Garavaen nods, "Yes, let's keep our heads."
Iskender follows Sunjeet.
Asaran follows the bard closely.
Checking out the rooms upstairs you begin to find some treasure.
Buried amid the debris in the first room is a large
darkwood box (Ariseti’s hope chest) worth 100 gp. Inside
is a white silk Osirian wedding robe that is extremely
fragile with age. Asaran notes that any attempt to remove the robe
from the chest will ruin it, but make whole, mending,
or similar magic cast upon the robe prior to handling
completely restores it. If preserved, the robe is worth 150
gp. The chest also contains several pieces of inexpensive
jewelry worth 35 gp in total, and a strand of freshwater
pearls worth 200 gp. A small sealed tube contains five
applications of kohl of uncanny discernment.
Finally, a long scroll tube holds a rolled-up papyrus
painting—a self-portrait of Ariseti, accompanied by
her signature in Ancient Osiriani. Unlike the wedding
robe, the painting has been protected from air for many
years and can be safely handled without damaging it. It is
worth 80 gp to a collector.
A few minutes searching the next room turns up
a Small rusted dagger, a handful of marbles, and a small
lacquered wooden box. The lacquered box is an ancient
board game whose rules have been forgotten over time.
Inside the box are several small, carved stone playing
pieces. The box functions as the game board. To an
Osirionologist, the game is worth 50 gp as a rare antiquity.
Finally the master bedroom looks even nicer than the others.
This spacious room has entrances in the southern and eastern
walls. The aged remains of dressers, a large bed, and a divan
lie in ruins. The husk of large hornet’s nest, gray, papery, and
devoid of life, occupies one corner of the ceiling. The spaces
in the northeast and northwest corners appear to be closets.
Their wooden doors have all but fallen off their hinges, and
heaps of disintegrated fabric mingle on the floor. Between the
closets stands a single lacquered dresser covered in dust.
Close examination by the alert ranger and archeologist discover that
the dresser has no actual drawers, only handles
on the front face, which is carved to look like drawers. The
entire fixture is more akin to a box with an open back.
When placed against the wall, the dresser conceals a
bronze chest, which is revealed when the dresser is pulled
away from the wall. The chest is tarnished, but otherwise
in perfect working order.
"The first eight hundred needs to go to pay off our medical bills!"
Asaran says, "Careful... Some of those things are fragile and would need magical mending to be safe."
He then stands aside, keeping careful watch to ensure that nothing leaps out to kill his companions while they carefully gather the goods.
No traps are found on the chest, but an exhaustive search of the nearby bedroom turns up the key.
The key opens the chest, which now can be opened if the outer part is lifted off the inner part. Carefully examining this, there is a mechanism which triggers an insidious trap.
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Finding the trap, Sunjeet nods and removes his loose gear, his chain-shirt and sets aside his heavy shield. He brings out his tools and makes sure all are in easy reach before setting to work on the trap.
"Best everyone back away in case I don't manage to contain this thing."
Once everyone is clear, Sunjeet concentrates to bring his luck to bear, butters a quick prayer and sets to work on the trap.
Iskender backs off.
With skill, Sunjeet disables a nasty arrow trap!!
He opens the chest to find...
Pentheru was a businessman as
well as a noble, and the concealed chest served
as a safe for some of the family’s cash assets.
The chest contains 20 small gold ingots, each
bearing a seal.
(history) or Knowledge (nobility) check:
who governed Osirion at the time of the
Plague of Madness, 2,215 years ago.
Each ingot
is worth 25 gp.
In addition, a magical headband is concealed inside
an old hornet’s nest.
Using magical means, Iskender finds it is a Dead Man's Headband.
Aura faint enchantment and abjuration; CL 1st
Slot headband; Price 3,600 gp; Weight 1 lb.
DESCRIPTION
This taut black band, clipped with a black metal skull, can be attached on the outside of a hat or other head slot item or can be worn as a normal headband. The wearer gains a +2 competence bonus on Intimidate checks and increases the DC of any fear effect he creates by +1. In addition, if this headband is attached to the outside of a hat, the wearer's hat or headgear cannot be blown off or removed by wind, water, or environmental effects, and the wearer gains a +5 circumstance bonus to his CMD against steal and sunder attempts targeting his headgear.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Craft Wondrous Item, doom, shrink item; Cost 1,800 gp.
Asaran whistles, "I think we may be able to pay the clerics."
"Twenty ingots at twenty five gold each is only five hundred, or is math different around here? Sure there are other items as well, but the ingots do not just cover it."