The current of the sand river is only moderately strong, but the fact that it is sand instead of water makes swimming a challenge. Anyone who enters the river must succeed at a Swim check or get caught up in the current and rushed over the edge of the sandfall.
The sand flows downward, in the direction of the elemental, eventually melding with the earth dozens of feet below.
The walls look like they might have hand holds.
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Leyten scratches his chin, and then he turns to his four companions. "Just as a guess," he says softly to them, "I think the test is in how we handle this, rather than whether we make it across. That is, we can't each try this on our own. We have to succeed or fail as a team."
He continues, "Remember what I did to your backpacks on the trek here, lightening the load? I can do that here, too, trying to lighten the load for anyone willing to help Lekki across."
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Taking the offered rope, the barbarian quickly ties it around his waist."Yeah, that was the idea." Believing time is of the essence, Osten tries to spot the oread in the swirling sand. Do oreads even breathe? Is he in any actual danger here? Before leaping in after the monk, he mutters, "I hate tests." As he plummets toward the 'river', Osten allows his frustration to bloom into something more useful.
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"Oooooh okay, you guys go on ahead, i'll just wait here. Mind setting up the rope when youre done?" Lekki turns towards Laafdahni and squawks -
"I remember when I was that young. We too wound swim in the lakes around razmiran, althought, they didn't have nearly as much sand. Oh youth, how I miss thee..."
Rumblerock jumps over the edge into the sand "pool". He doesn't land well, and hurts himself slightly. He manages to keep his head above sand until the very end. then his head disappears under the sand.
Osten with the rope around his waist, and the end still sitting on top of the bluff goes flying off the cliff. He manages to land in a way that avoids injury. He swims an almost catches up with Rumblerock.
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"This is going downriver quickly," says Leyten. He looks to Laafdahni and Lekki. "I can make it easier for you to jump down, but only one at a time. Unless one of you has a better idea... Laafdahni, I can help you jump down there first, and then you can help Lekki when I send him down. I'll go last. By that point, perhaps Osten will be able to use that damn rope. All right?"
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"All right. Please hold the other end of the rope here. Once Osten gets to solid ground, he can pull it tight on his end. Then Lekki and I can pull ourselves hand over hand if needed. We'll pull you in once we're there. Sound good?"
Once Leyton has the rope in hand and Osten makes it to solid ground, Laafdahni lowers herself into the sand river. Swimming in sand is definitely different than swimming in water; she is grateful for the assistance of the rope.
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“Ooooh, are we doing this already? Alrighty then. Can you please throw that long thing back so I can tie it around myself. Be sure to use those big muscles of yours to pull me across! Okay! Razmir, are you watching?” - the old bird lowers himself carefully into the sand and makes his best attempt to swim.
— not including any assist I get. I am really bad at this...
Osten makes to the other side of the pond of sand. Rublerocks head pops up out of the sand, and he makes it to the edge of the pond, but can't quite climb out.
Leyton helps both Laafidahni and Lekki reach the surface of the pond. He
holds the rope while they make their way across.
Laafidahni keeps her head above water, grabs the rope and manges to make her way carefully across the sand.
Amazingly Lekki also manages to make his way carefully across the pond.
Now all that remains is Leyton.
Iyasset gives you all an encouraging smile as you arrive on the other side.
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Relieved that the others have make it across, Leyten redirects his concentration to the area around him. His feet tingle. "I'm coming in!" he yells.
Still holding the rope, he gets a running start and then leaps forward as far as he can - and more than he should physically be able - hoping to shorten the distance he'll need to swim.
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Seeing Rumblerock struggling to climb out of the sand river and that all the muscle in the group is otherwise occupied, Laafdahni bends over to give him a hand. (She feels awkward just standing there doing nothing while he fights the sand river.) The sight of the slender, sinuous Undine reaching out to pull up a rock solid Oread is incongruous; it looks like he is more likely to pull her in than she is to pull him out.
Everyone makes it across the pond of sand. There's sand in your shoes, your hair. Pretty much everywhere.
The emissary waits on the edge of the sand pool. Congratulations. Welcome to a place few outsiders have seen. You have completed the first trial." His body language is such that you should be impressed with the area and the honor being bestowed to you by seeing it.
You move forward toward the next area.
The natural slope of the trench combines with several artificial elements. The curved southern wall bears a slight polish and is reddish in color. An opening to the north gives way to a sandyfloored corridor. A wide frieze carved with numerous hieroglyphics flanks each side of the northern exit.
Please study our history. It might help you understand how you are the prophets. This is a good place to rest."
A script that alternates between different languages accompanies the hieroglyphics.
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Lekki tips his head to one side to let all the sand exit his ear. “Ohhhh, I can hear again! This is wonderful! Such restorative sands! Amazing...let’s see here...this is some interesting history...”
“Most fascinating! The wall tells of Ini-Kherit, the leader of the Goanron tribe, and his attempts to reshape the physical structure of the desert in conjunction with the khamsin storms, thus slowly bringing Osirion back to its original sacred shape. But what’s this? There seem to be conflicting messages within the writing which suggest that Ini-Kherit acts selfishly and seeks to keep the lost city of Tumen concealed because he fears some hidden power within...sounds like something Razmir would be interested in. I wonder if we can find this power...”
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Leyten shakes his garments, feeling sand rubbing against his skin in very uncomfortable places. He momentarily forgets about it, though, as he sees the hieroglyphics. "These are beautiful...thank you," he says to the emissary, then he listens to Lekki's interpretation.
"Osirion's 'original sacred shape'? What does that mean?"
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As she wears so little, it does not take long to empty the sand from Laafdahni's scanty garments. Her hair is another issue entirely; the fine sand has worked its way into her braids, giving them a dusty appearance that only a thorough washing will remedy. Her dark skin is streaked with fine sand dust as well; she really wants to take a bath in real, honest to goodness water right now.
She strolls up to the walls bearing hieroglyphics just after Lekki, eyes smizing in sincere appreciation for the stark beauty of their surroundings. As Lekki shares about the history, she nods her agreement to his interpretation. Turning to Rumblerock, her eyes narrow slightly in concentration as she murmurs: "Hmmm... I wonder what that means, and what the pictures were before..."
"You have done well in learning our history. Now that you have rested an learned, I will tell you of some of the challenges you face ahead."
Iyasset tells you about some degenerate earth-things in the next room."[/b] It's clear he doesn't see them any differently as a regular earth elemental. "They have a sand form. They need eliminated so they don't continue to sully the holy site."
"Blades do little good against the creatures. If you lack weapons that can bludgeon, I can retrieve something for you. "
”The next area after the sand men is an honor for you. You get to experience what I do on my native plane of air.
”The last challenge is this. Iyasse tells you of the presence of Qiarah, an oread sorcerer who came to the Sandflow Source weeks ago and sequestered herself within. ” She is a nuisance, I would like her removed— with force. I want to use her to teach others a lesson about not entering our holy place.”.
”She attempts to transform herself into an elemental. It is an abomination that somebody would want to bond themselves to dirt and stone.”
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“Yes yes, alright. Thank you for all your help, but what about the girrrrllll that supposedly passed though here. Did you also give the thief the same courtesy as you do us? Is she attempting these trials too?” Lekki insists.
He looks tried but ready to continue. He will cast Shield on himself before they head through (lasts 1 minute...).
//Lekki is Scarab Sages but keeps quiet.
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"Let me see if I understand this correctly," says Leyten, his scar-twisted smile slightly more arched than usual. "You call us your 'champions' - based on Pharasma knows what - then you test our resourcefulness, and now we champions are to act as your personal sanitation squad, cleaning up situations you'd rather not see. And at some unspecified point, you will tell us where our quarry has gone. Is that right, or have I overlooked anything?"
Iyasset smiles at the tengu. "You are doing these trials so you may speak to my clan's leader. They have information, and you need to prove you are worthy to speak to them."
He gives Leyton a long look. "I would not put it like that. You have been asked and agreed to take these trials. These creatures have moved in recently. If you take care of the tasks as I've asked you, it will go a long way to cement good relations."
"Yes, Yes you will be flying. It is going to be glorious. Spells should work on the creatures. It's slashing that doesn't work well. They are made of sand."
The stone floor gives way to a track of soft sand that runs from east to west and curves northward in both directions. Thin green vines and bright violet flowers protrude from the sand in various spots. The flowers give off a strong fragrance that leaves the air thick with their pleasant perfume. A skeletal human form, partially obscured by sand, lies to the west, while the roar of violently swirling winds echoes just past a sheer drop to the north.
The sandman bursts out of the sand right next to Rumblerock, and Laafdahni.
Everyone needs to give me a DC 14 Will Save
Leyten Krovt: 29
RumbleRock: 21
Lekki Pioro: 12
Osten Grimhelm: 10
Sandman: 6
Laafdahni Riverrun: 5