Marak detects no enchantment on any of the doors
"North is as good as any."
The northern Door is, again, untrapped and unlocked. Romon goes through hiss normal routine.
This barren room contains an upraised dais on which sits a marble throne.To either side stand statues of a man clutching a book and a glaive. A ghostly figure seems to be seated in the throne, an image of the same man who appears in the statues. He seems to be addressing an audience as he moves his hands about, fingers decorated with hooked rings, but the words issuing form his phantom mouth are difficult to make out and in a strange language.
"So" Marak muses eventually"that's what it sounds like coming from a native speaker"
It is indeed Thassilonian though it takes some time to realise it
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Marak reaches into his Haversack and produces some sheets of loose paper, kept within a scroll case, and keeps putting his hand in it, and drawing out nothing.
Finally he gives up and puts the scroll tube of paper back in the haversack, muttering, "What kind of idiot brings paper, but no ink or quill? Argh!"
He begins translating the words as best he can, for the benefit of the others.
Great. More statues with glaives. Remembering his last encounter with glaive wielding statues, Romon carefully approaches and examines them.
Marak reaches into his Haversack and produces some sheets of loose paper, kept within a scroll case, and keeps putting his hand in it, and drawing out nothing.
Finally he gives up and puts the scroll tube of paper back in the haversack, muttering, "What kind of idiot brings paper, but no ink or quill? Argh!"
He begins translating the words as best he can, for the benefit of the others.
Inikai tries to respond to Marak's outburst but he is too shaken by the phantom's oration. Instead of speaking he simply digs out his inkpen from his pouch and taps Marak's arm with it.
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Marak smiles to Inikai and bows his head. "You, sir, are a gentleman and a scholar! Thank you."
He then produces a sheet of paper and transcribes some of the phantom's rambling oratory, in tight Thassilonian script, so as to minimize the amount of paper he uses (and minimize the chance that he'll mistranslate something by converting it improperly to another tongue).
“…is upon us, but I command you remain. Witness my power, how Alaznist’s petty wrath is but a flash compared to my strength. Take my final work to your graves, and let its memory be the last thing you…”.
the image flickers
“…is upon us, but I command you remain. Witness my power, how Alaznist’s petty wrath is but a flash compared to my strength. Take my final work to your graves, and let its memory be the last thing you…”.
You realise that the Message loops..in fact it's not complete just a fragment
At the sight of the ghostly figure Aliwolf wines and refuses to go any further setting the line at something her teeth can't dig into.
Seemingly without conscious thought she flows back to Gnome, stepping back to grab onto, and hide behind Big Bear massively muscled leg.
"Ali no like no-there's, no she doesn't, no no" she mumbles as she peeks around the leg with her big green eyes.
Inikai feels the need to comfort Ali but he sees that Marak has done better than he could have. To make additional attempts would be patronizing to the gnome.
"Does his speech mean anything to anyone here? Who would his audience have been?"
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“…is upon us, but I command you remain. Witness my power, how Alaznist’s petty wrath is but a flash compared to my strength. Take my final work to your graves, and let its memory be the last thing you…”.
"He's clearly addressing some inferiors or underlings, and he expects them to die, but to die protecting some creation or information. Some enemy is upon them? This Alaznist person, perhaps? It seems odd that he would be boasting of his strength over this Alaznist, when he's abandoning his people to die... Perhaps he defeated the leader of an enemy army, but the army is still razing this stronghold, or the death of the leader unleashed some greater menace, like a magical disaster?"
Marak shakes off his speculations, "In any event, I suspect whatever 'final work' the fellow refers to will be whatever is hidden behind the star-keyed door." He then looks grim, "Considering the enthusiasm for these people for magics that warp and deform human bodies, I can't imagine his 'final work' being anything pleasant to look upon..."
"Sounds like a real nice guy. So what's he speaking, some form of Chelish?" Romon throws his eyes toward Nathaniel.
At Marak's words Ali flows back into wolf form and very slowly and carefully begins to sniff and make her way towards the image. Eventually she builds up her courage enough to poke her nose right though the image.
Satisfied and no longer exhibiting signs of fear, she pads up to Marak and licks his hand by way of thanks. The observant though do notice that she still keeps her distance from the repeating picture.
The statues are fine Thassilonian work and have withstood times rigours pretty well. However each one weighs upwards of 1000lbs and would require a great deal off effort to move out off the complex..if you could you might be able to sell one for 4 or 5 thousand gold.
Losing interest in the image, Romon drifts toward the skull and skeleton door since he gave Marak the key to the other.
Perception (listen)
Perception (trap find)
Disable device
The skeleton door is untrapped and indeed unlocked.
Romon opens the door and follows his usual prodedure of stepping and too the side.
Four pillars support the domed ceiling of this room. Several alcoves containing standing sarcophogai grace the walls, and a statue of a stern man wielding a glaive and holding a book stands at the far end of the chamber.
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Marak again bows to bring the sight of Nethys to his eyes once more, and gazes upon the room, seeking out the hidden auras of magic.
He steps into the room, hefting his shield and morningstar to the ready, not liking the signs of these sarcophagi. What dead could rest quietly in such an unwholesome place? he mutters, as his eyes pass over them.
No Magic of any sort is detectable in the room.
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Muttering an invocation to Neythys to grant him clarity of vision, Marak peers at the sarcophagi, attempting to remain where he is while looking for evidence that the coffins have opened, or are rusted or sealed shut.
I see no trace of magic. Do you scent the presence of evil, Alisebett? he asks quietly.
The sarchophogai are heavy,plain stone.You'll need to move closer to discern anything else.
"It seems that we will have to disturb the rest of these souls in order ensure that we have faced all the enemies here. We should surround each sarcophogus and open them in turn."
Clearly not comfortable, the small grey wolf nevertheless bravely pads slowly forward. Using her ability to scent for evil, her ears are perked and her eye dart everywhere as she also looks for any sign of danger.
Perception:(+2 to smell & touch checks)
As you debate what you should do shadowy forms float out from three of the Sarchophogi.
Initiative
Muchorak 19
Ali 17+
Romon 17
Shadows 12
Inakai 8
Marak 6
Nathaniel 4
Inikai's normally quick reflexes are stalled by the sudden appearance of evil and he freezes in place. Finally he overcomes his involuntary delay and draws on the power of Focalor to strike out at his foes. A flash of lightning arcs down from the ceiling toward the nearest shadow.
Will Save vs Fear:
Although her natural instinct is to flee, the brave little Gnome realizes that her friends will than have to face this threat to the pack without her. And so, hackles raised and growling, she leaps to the attack.
Attack & Damage:(attacks count as magical)
(Ah ok I know what happened as I made the same mistake a couple min ago. I originally entered the attack as 1d8+8 instead of 1d20+8. So it's 19 not 27. If you need me to roll again let me know)
At the sight of the shadowy forms the hair on the back of Romon's neck bristles. Shades of the first world! Desna get me through this and I'll offer thirty gold at the temple in town.
Short sword and magic dagger spring from their scabbards and the half elf steps backwards toward the door. "Can we hurt them?"
Romon will fight defensively and strike only if one comes in range.
Attack:
Damage: (short sword)
Fighting Defensively Rule :
Perception:
Muchorak moves forward his sword flashing out slicing the tenuous fabric of the undead creature it parts easily before his blade and then forms again behind it.
Ali leaps forward to assist the big bear and her teeth meet no resistance tearing away a small part of the shadow stuff..
Romon waits his weapons circling before him.
The shadows attack...
Muchoraks opponent misses him a second floats towards Inakai reraching for im and failing to connect
The third targets Nathaniel and he howls as it's grasp chills him to the bone his strength ebbing.
Inakai steps back and calls the lightning which crashes down on the shadow before him..still it does not fall until Marak calls upon his god and the power flows from him. It washes over the shadows dissipating the first two but the one holding Nathaniel is made of stronger evil it seems.
the mage breaks away gasping and lets go with Magic Missiles from Kalli's wand which seem to tear holes in the undead thing.
ROuND TWO
Inikai is less eloquent in his exhortation to the floating stain of evil.
"Die! Uh... again. And with that he calls down lightning again.He hopes that his allies will miss his malaproprism should they prevail.
Damage:
Reflex save DC15 for half damage.
Seeing two of the shadowy threat dispersed and the third attacking Nathaniel, Romon takes heart. He flips his dagger, snatches it by the point and hurls it overhand at the last shadow.
Attack (magic +1 dagger)
Damage
Rewind to round 1..
Romon sees his chance and his dagger flashes into and through the last shadow
Muchoraks sword cleaves the form and it fades away a last despairing wail hanging in the still air off the crypt.
Romon waits casually to pluck his returning dagger from the air. As he drops it in the scabbard he flashes a grin at the party. "Don't know what I was worried about. That was easy."
The rogue turns a contemplative eye on the sarcophagi. "Marak, you figure those shades were put here as guards?"
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Such creatures are not easily bound to productive service, hungering for life and spreading death in their wake. It seems more likely that they have formed here in a reaction to this crypts unwholesome nature, far from the light of the sun, in a place where death has grown stronger than life.
Looking at the crypts, I suppose no harm could come of examining the sarcophagi, to see if they are false. Whatever people created this place seem to have had no respect for the sanctity of life, as born witness by the bones in the other rooms, so it's possible that this is no burial chamber.
And while I can't in good conscience suggest the defilement of a burial chamber, these people certainly had no respect for the dead they left in their torture chambers... he thinks, grimly.
Romon's eyes glaze over for the first part of Marak's speech, but the rogue maintains an attentive facade. "Those lids look heavy. Muchorak better open them. Inikai can help. I'll check the statue for traps."
Romon carefully approaches the statue and examines it thoroughly until he has an idea how hard the others worked to open the sarcophagi.
Perception (trap)
Disable Device (if needed)
Muchorak backs wearily to the door the came in from, "This place is full of foulness we should be gone from here." He looks at the others and pays more attention to the shadows should the form life again, "The dead do not rest easy for a reason we should not disturb their burial."
"Is there a chance that they might have been interred with dangerous magic? It could well be that we risk leaving it here for evil men to claim it in that case. In truth I would prefer to leave the dead unmolested, though."
"But without Muscle-orak here helping, nothing is likely to happen. Ooh. Be quiet. This might be dicey." Romon leans in to examine the staute more carefully.
Bluff
The Sarchophogi are genuine and indeed do not turn out to be too difficult to open if you so desire..
The Statue is harmless