"'ere - use it sparin'ly, 'at's got t' last ye t' Sothis." The dwarf chucks the first of the allotted 'skins to the speaker.
"Well, the rest I think you know. Lonicera, ... uh ..., infiltrated your group and accompanied you to the tents of that blind, ... uh ..., tomb raider. We followed and the, ... uh ..., Paracount listened from a distance. (His, ... uh ..., magic is strong; I wouldn't cross him.) After you left the Crook Bearer's with the, ... uh ..., mask, Scepter used his, ... uh ..., wand rifle to distract you and trick you into giving away who in the party carried the mask. After that, ... uh ..., it was easy to set up another distraction and lift the mask."
The man looks up at you and smiles, "And, after that, it was a race into the sands until the, ... uh ..., Paracount decided that we should be sent back to slow you down."
The man turns and looks at his companion, "Anything to add, Stonewall?".
"Nothing, Fillibuster," says his companion angrily.
"In that case," says Fillibuster, "I have carried out my duty to the Paracount and her Majestrix the Queen. I can delay you no further. I go to my death with honour. Asmodeus will hold my oaths fulfilled."
Stonewall winces, not being quite as sure of where he stands with Asmodeus as Fillibuster is.
"Congratulations t' ye. Ye 'ave yer water 'n rations, but n' camels. Start walking, 'n may yonder sphinx find yer liver tasty."
Ovirid still has an axe in hand and will ready his shield, readying an action to attack if either man approaches.
"Lads, Ah guess we need t' be fer catchin' up t' 'r point man. Sorry Ah wasted 'r time. Let's be fer startin' to move out. Ah'll be fer watchin' these two."
He doesn't take his eyes off of the legionnaires while he listens to the others mount up and start moving out. If the legionnaires leave or at least don't approach, he will start backing away until he feels he will be able to mount a camel unhindered.
The legionnaires don't argue, though Stonewall looks more reticent than Fillibuster. They walk slowly into the distance as the party follows the direction the whirlwind of sand indicated. After a few moment, Ovirid catches a glimpses of a dark shape plummetting out of the sky and then rising again, carrying a struggling figure.
"Huh. Wonder if'n that be th' one at peace wit' 'is god 'r th' one not s' sure." He shrugs his shoulders and scans the sky, returning to watch the dark shape until it's out of sight.
Korian is silent and grim and the group finally begins to head after the Chelaxian Thief again. Yet after some time he turns his head partially towards his old friend saying "Perhaps you will use this lesson to recall the wisdom of giving mercy towards one's enemies in the future..." then turns forward and continues riding on.
At this point, you have fallen behind the other party. Tracking them is easy, but catching up would be difficult. Do you want to do anything before I jump you to the site of the pyramids?
Tarren:
Tarren:** spoiler omitted **
Tarren:
The swirling elemental comes back to buzz the group several times in order to express a sense of urgency but eventually settles down and flies ahead, staying just in sight apparently unhappy with the pace and the turn of events....
Korian is silent and grim and the group finally begins to head after the Chelaxian Thief again. Yet after some time he turns his head partially towards his old friend saying "Perhaps you will use this lesson to recall the wisdom of giving mercy towards one's enemies in the future..." then turns forward and continues riding on.
"Bah, Ah dinnae ask ye t' wait fer me. Ah could've taken bot' o' th' wee bitties alone if'n Ah needed t'. Ye're th' leader, ye could've told me t' pack up 'n 'ead out if'n ye were s' sure 'ey deserved t' be left 'ere."
More to himself than to anyone in the party, "'n Ah 'ate t' be fer killin' a man 'oo is offerin' me information about me goal. 'course, 'at's th' only thing 'e 'ad t' offer t' slow me down. Right smart one, 'at one. 'n it got 'im a long way 'n life, Ah see." This last is accompanied by a nasty grin as he looks over his shoulder.
Ovirid will fall to the back of the party to berate himself for a fool in silence.
When the party arrives at the base of the pyramids, they see five pyramids of green veinstone, the largest one being in the centre of the square formed by the others. The four smaller pyramids are weathered and blasted by the sands. The larger pyramids is flawless and looks as if it were newly hewn from stone.
Just outside of the pyramids complex, the entire train of camels is watched over by a single Chelish legionnaire. He smiles when he sees the party.
When the party arrives at the base of the pyramids, they see five pyramids of green veinstone, the largest one being in the centre of the square formed by the others. The four smaller pyramids are weathered and blasted by the sands. The larger pyramids is flawless and looks as if it were newly hewn from stone.
Just outside of the pyramids complex, the entire train of camels is watched over by a single Chelish legionnaire. He smiles when he sees the party.
Ovirid pushes to catch up with the others upon site of the pyramid complex, letting out a low whistle. "'at's green veinstone, lads. Never been found 'round 'ere, but greatly prized by old Osirion. 'ey must 'ave put a fortune into 'auling all 'at stone clear out 'ere. Supposed t' be strong with conjuration magic -- 'oes 'at mean anythin' t' ye mages?"
You have heard theories about green veinstone but those are widely considered to be quaint and misinformed. If any dwarf brought up such theories at at a gathering of 'the learned,' eyes would roll and smirks would appear.
'The learned' don't know everything. Who knows? Maybe there is something to the theories.
'The learned' are a bunch of dinks. Add +2 to the DC of any conjuration spells cast within the pyramids.
"Not much. I heard a thing or two about that back at school, but most of the masters discounted it. My mother though believed that green veinstone had powers."
Facinated by the majestic pyramids, Korian is so intent on studying the structures that he hardly even notices the guard.
K arcana:
Obviously not quite sure, Korian merely nods carefully at Ixius' statement.
Then his eyes finally fall on the guard and death is once again within them "Where are they? You have One chance to answer truthfully or die"
Ovirid looks at the mage and says in a low voice, "Ah thought 'ey said 'ere was four pyramids 'n th' fifth supposedly came up 'en th' stars'r right. 'at one 'n th' middle dinnae look like it's been fer gettin' weathered fer a thousand years. Just sayin'."
Then his eyes finally fall on the guard and death is once again within them "Where are they? You have One chance to answer truthfully or die"
"They're inside ... obviously," says the guard with a shrug. "The big pyramid, right there, in the center."
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The others catch up to Asim and Sykala easily as they are not setting a fast pasce, merely keeping the trail. He is told of Filibuster's duplicity and thinks that their end is fitting.
Everyone arrives at the pyramids and after Asim's eyes light up in wonder at the sight, they soon harden as he spots the smiling Legionaire. He pulls his Double Axe out and approaches the man with the others, waiting as Korian speaks.
After the man replies, he says, "we cannot allow this man to remain out here with our camels and supplies. Either we kill him for yet another attempt at slowing us down, or he accompanies us into the Pyramid, tied and gagged. He will make a good trap detecter I think, leading us in." He smiles at the man, waiting for him to respond.
Ignoring the man and camels the little air elemental immediately takes off in a sweeping circle around the pyramids and then a closer one around just the central pyramid.
Tarren:
After the man replies, he says, "we cannot allow this man to remain out here with our camels and supplies. Either we kill him for yet another attempt at slowing us down, or he accompanies us into the Pyramid, tied and gagged. He will make a good trap detecter I think, leading us in." He smiles at the man, waiting for him to respond.
"You know," says the Chelish legionnaire, "back in Westcrown, when I was a young one, I used to take copper pieces for tending horses for busy nobles ... For a gold piece, I'll watch your camels. It's not like I'm doing anything otherwise."
Ignoring the man and camels the little air elemental immediately takes off in a sweeping circle around the pyramids and then a closer one around just the central pyramid.
Tarren:** spoiler omitted **
"You know," says the Chelish legionnaire, "back in Westcrown, when I was a young one, I used to take copper pieces for tending horses for busy nobles ... For a gold piece, I'll watch your camels. It's not like I'm doing anything otherwise."
"Except dying? What's to stop us from killing you and taking all the camels?"
Then to Asim: "Why don't we just kill him, hide their camels and kill them when they come back out? That way they do all the work and we get the treasure."
Korian smiles in grim appreciation of the Sorcerer's brilliant plan. It is with a somewhat reluctant shake of his head that he replies "While I cannot force any of you to enter, I Will be doing so, even if it is by myself. I simply cannot let an oppourtunity like this, a once in a life time oppourtunity, pass me by. No, I did not come all this way only to let those defilers see the wonders of ancient Orisian while I do not. Each of you decide for yourselves, but I am going in."
And turning to his partter Korian adds with a viscous smile "And I very much like the idea of have a mobile trap detector" then something else seems to occur to him as he adds more quietly "While I would not trust this one as far as I could spit him, I do hope that the sphinx has had its fill on legionnaire flesh already and will leave our camels be."
Korian smiles in grim appreciation of the Sorcerer's brilliant plan. It is with a somewhat reluctant shake of his head that he replies "While I cannot force any of you to enter, I Will be doing so, even if it is by myself. I simply cannot let an oppourtunity like this, a once in a life time oppourtunity, pass me by. No, I did not come all this way only to let those defilers see the wonders of ancient Orisian while I do not. Each of you decide for yourselves, but I am going in."
The dwarf doesn't hesitate as he favors the mage with an incredulous look. "D'ye think Ah came out 'ere t' stand 'n bake, man? 'r ye daft? If'n ye get t' go int' th' shade, Ah'm goin' int' the shade." He folds his arms, the matter decided.
And turning to his partner Korian adds with a viscous smile "And I very much like the idea of have a mobile trap detector" then something else seems to occur to him as he adds more quietly "While I would not trust this one as far as I could spit him, I do hope that the sphinx has had its fill on legionnaire flesh already and will leave our camels be."
"Ah'm thinkin' th' traps I c'n find 'r th' least o' 'r issues, but Ah'm in. As fer th' camels, 'e might as well watch 'em. Ah've n' stomach t' kill 'im outright fer n' offense."
@Terran:
@Sykyala:
"Fine, lets bring him in with us."
"Fine, lets bring him in with us."
"Well," says the legionnaire, seemingly offended, "If you insist, INSIST, on my coming, then I won't tell you about the book that the Paracount forgot in his saddlebag!"
He then covers his mouth with both hands as his eyebrows shoot up.
|
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"Well," says the legionnaire, seemingly offended, "If you insist, INSIST, on my coming, then I won't tell you about the book that the Paracount forgot in his saddlebag!"
He then covers his mouth with both hands as his eyebrows shoot up.
Asim walks over to the other group's Camels and begins opening the bags one by one, looking for the book and also anything else they might have left behind that may be useful.
"Well," says the legionnaire, seemingly offended, "If you insist, INSIST, on my coming, then I won't tell you about the book that the Paracount forgot in his saddlebag!"
He then covers his mouth with both hands as his eyebrows shoot up.
Asim walks over to the other group's Camels and begins opening the bags one by one, looking for the book and also anything else they might have left behind that may be useful.
After looking through a few saddlebags, Asim comes across a leather bound, locked volume with the words "Aucturn Lexicon" burnt into the cover. It's thick.
"'asim, let me 'ave a look at 'at afore ye try t' open it, if'n ye dinnae mind."
"Anyone know what this 'Aucturn Lexicon' might be?"
"'asim, let me 'ave a look at 'at afore ye try t' open it, if'n ye dinnae mind."
"Anyone know what this 'Aucturn Lexicon' might be?"
Ovirid finds no traps and easily opens the lock the 'Aucturn Lexicon'. The leather bound volume is full of hand copied pages written in a flowing, angry, and rather tiny script.
The Chelish legionnaire smiles at you innocently.
Knowledge (history)
Knowledge (history) 1d20 + 12
The text describes the planet called 'Aucturn' that some Osirionologists believe was responsible for the rapid development of civilization in Osirion. Reading the text to see how this particular author understands this would take about eight hours.
"I can wait," says the smiling Chelish legionnaire. "Tea, anyone?"
Before Ovirid can get too deep into his reading, Korian scowls and says angrily, casting a dangerous look at the legionaire "Bah! This is another attempt to stall us! Bring the book and this fool and let's enter this damn tomb already!"
Despite his anger, Korian still takes a moment to recast Mage Armor on himself and Jinx, this time casting the spell from memory instead of using the wand. He then pulls out his rod of extend spell, holding it in his off-hand as he says, "If there's any last minute preparation anyone needs, I suggest you do so now."
Once they are ready to go, Korian will take up a position in the middle or rear of the party.
Before Ovirid can get too deep into his reading, Korian scowls and says angrily, casting a dangerous look at the legionaire "Bah! This is another attempt to stall us! Bring the book and this fool and let's enter this damn tomb already!"
Despite his anger, Korian still takes a moment to recast Mage Armor on himself and Jinx, this time casting the spell from memory instead of using the wand. He then pulls out his rod of extend spell, holding it in his off-hand as he says, "If there's any last minute preparation anyone needs, I suggest you do so now."
Once they are ready to go, Korian will take up a position in the middle or rear of the party.
Ovirid was only scanning the book and nods at Korian's outburst. "Ah was thinkin' much th' same." The book disappears into his pack and he makes a quick check of straps, tools, and weapons to make sure everything is near at hand. To the legionnaire, "Lad, Ah think ye 'ave th' 'onors o' leadin' 'is expedition."
After surveying the area Sykala hovers near awaiting the group to make itself ready.
Ixius casts mage armor on himself.
"Let's go."
After surveying the area Sykala hovers near awaiting the group to make itself ready.
The only discernable entry shaft is 300' up the smooth-as-glass face of the pyramid.
"Well," says the trussed up Chelish legionnaire with a cat-who-ate-the-canary grin, "who's going to carry me?"
Ovirid eyes the slope and the tied-up soldier. "Ah'm not fer sure we c'n afford t' use 'r rope t' tie 'im up. 'ow much rope d'ye 'ave? Ah 'ave a c'ple lengths o' good rope..."
Assuming some rope is located, Ovirid will offer to lead the way up the slope if it has to be done via climbing (+10 bonus). He will go as slowly and carefully as the situation dictates.