The brick depresses with a slicht click revealing a small chamber.
Standing in the doorway is a desiccated humanoid shrouded in rotting, tattered funerary clothes. Its hands end in sharpened claws with slightly elongated fingernails.
Seeker smoothly steps out of the creatures line of sight to draw it out.
Cymric and Ogochukwu you recognise the creature as a coffer corpse, a type of undead. Ogochukwu you know that these creatures have damage reduction except against magic and bludgeoning weapons. It has a death grip ability which is a form of a grapple, it it manages to grab someone it can prevent them speaking or casting spells. If they take a certain amount of damage they pretend to be destroyed but this is a ruse.
The creature moves up the corridor looking for a target.
Knowing that he does not have anything that can harm the creature, Cymric starts his bardic ability to inspire his companions to kill the creature.
Seeker's blow pummels into the creature and it groans in pain.
Shukara looks down at the crossbow in her hands, then sighs. "Why did I even bring this thing."
She has to do something though, and there's a slim chance a particularly well-aimed shot might help. So she takes a step back, raises the weapon, and fires at the approaching corpse.
Shukara's bolt strikes the creature but it ignores the damage.
Ogochukwu slashes at the mummy creature
Cymric continues his bardic performance, ensuring that everyone is within its affects.
Ogochukwu's blade smashes down onto the creature destroying it.
Loot: 6 golden funerary masks worth 100gp each
apprentice's cheating gloves
a potion of bull's strength
2 potions of cure moderate wounds
330gp
6 rubies worth 25gp each
As they begin making their way out of the tomb, Shukara pauses to speak to the guardian. "Thanks again for letting us pass Mr. Senenmerek. Unfortunately we didn't find any clues as to who might have stolen the mask. These people." she gestures to their still-unconscious prisoner, "didn't look like they got far enough. But we'll question him as soon as he wakes up, to see if he knows anything. If we find the mask, we'll let you know."
”Ask him the importance of the mask.” Seeker signs.
"The mask belonged to Hakotep 1, also known as the Sky Pharoah, an evil ancient ruler of this land. It contained an element of his spirit and is infused with dark and powerful necromantic energy. More than that I do not know."
By the time you leave the Temple of the Erudite Eye your captive has come round. He tells you that his name is Khelru and he is a cleric of Nethys. He was hired by Velriana as she believed there was an ancient artefact of Nethys hidden in the Necropolis but now he suspects that this was an error as they found no traces of such an artefact. At the same time he felt some kind of powerful evil which had been buried within the temple but by the time they had got there it had been taken away.
You hear that the rest of the expeditions are now completed and any further exploration will be put on hold for a few days due to a desire to record what has been found so far. In addition tomorrow night there will be an auction of various items found so far and you are welcome to put up any such items yourselves as you may find you get a better price at auction.
As they finish their goodbyes to Cymric and Shukara, Seeker turns to Ogochukwu. ”I fear this is also my time to leave, friend. I came to Wati seeking knowledge, and I have found it. I intend to petition the rulers of Wati for permission to excavate and throughly study and catalogue the three crypts we have cleared thus far. It’s enough work to keep me busy for years. I will return to the Brazen Peaks briefly to assemble an archeological team, then start my study on the Tomb of Akhentepi. I have one in mind to replace me. People often say we monks are warrior scholars, I am more scholar than warrior. My replacement is... She...” Seeker flounders for a moment, trying to find the right words. ”She tries her best. She will enjoy hopping tomb-to-tomb, uncovering monsters and treasures more than I. She little enjoys standing still for too long.” He puts a large stony hand on the occultists shoulder. ”I will maintain a Correspondence with her while you uncover more mysteries and slowly but surely I will follow slowly behind to document your discoveries. I appreciate you assistance these last few weeks. If you ever wish to settle down for a bit and move in a more scholarly direction, I will always welcome your assistance. Especially the way you can speak to objects of their history; I know many who could utilize that talent.”
"I will miss you, Seeker. You have been a stalwart companion. "
Emerald Oread made her way thought the crowded auction house. This was the first time she had been so far from the monastery, or to such a large city. Her friend, Seeker, and his freakish tallness, would have had little trouble navigating these crowds. She, however, took after more traditionally short oread, and her stronger human blood did not even allow her her kinds normal stony heft. She had been knocked over multiple times on her journey just from the city gates to the auction house, despite how much she stood out - height notwithstanding. As a gemsoul oread, her skin was a bright, reflective pink-ish color, as if millions of tiny rubies were implanted in her skin. Her eyes were an unsettling ruby red with no apparent pupils. Instead of hair, ridges of blood-red gems run in parallel rows from her brow to the nape of her neck. Like the other monks, she goes barefoot everywhere and wears simple, white linen trousers. A long linen cloth, almost like a bandage, is wrapped several times around her chest.
She approaches several of the native-looking men --humans all look the same to me...-- and asks them if they are the contact she was sent to meet until approaching one with an impressive bardiche. "Excuse me. Are you Okachobee?"
A tall merfolk of crutches of sorts see the groups saying sentimental goodbyes and see his chance. "I see you are finishing up some farewells and also meeting new people. I would like to be one of those new people. I see you gained a spot as one of the necropolis groups. I was hoping to get one of those spots but my group unluck in the draw. I know this is forward but I'm a bard healer of sorts. My friends are a wizard and a witch. All very talented."
Izora waves meekly towards the group with one hand, the other arm holding a black cat with keen yellow eyes.
The silver haired gnome with the wild silver facial hair nodded at the others, his large eyes constantly darting to and fro around the room. ”The big fish is right. We are looking to join up with a group. There’s gold out there that has our name on it and traps that need springing. I can help with both of those areas,” he says with a wink. ”Big Fish does a good job of patching everyone up. And the little lady is real good with animal types. Some kind of weird Druid type magic, I think.”
The man was dressed in wild purple robes, the strangest looking thief any of us have ever seen.
The Canny Jackal is hosting the auction. In terms of food there are cheese stuffed figs, hard boiled peacock eggs, onion bread, onion stuffed squid, frsh and dried fruit and spiced wine. The auction is due to start about an hour after sunset.
There are two dozen attendees which include:
A female human aristocrat with a haughty manner.
An Osiriani merchant.
Two clerics from the temple of Nethys in Wati.
A group called the Four Lanterns a band of Andoren explorers.
A young studious looking Osiriani man.
A sour faced middle aged woman who represents the Sothis trading house.
An aging dowager and her granddaughter
A thin looking ironsmith
An elderly cleric of Pharasma.
"Whoah! Where did you come from?" Emerald almost shouts when she sees the merfolk.
The gnome heads to the spread, piling a couple hard boiled eggs on his plate, with a handful of figs and a half loaf of onion bread that he just stuffs into one of his robe pockets. He complements the food with a large mug of the spiced wine.
He finds a comfortable spot to eat his meal while observing the auction festivities. He waves at the group, pointing out the empty spots and the full table of food near him.
"To be honest I have been wanding around here and the taverns nearby looking for opportunities to participate in the auction and get into the necroplis. My name is Navir. The specific details of my life are sad and unimportant at the moment. For the time being, I'm going to follow the lead of this man until I can show you all what I can do. If there is someone you would like me to speak to on your behalf I'm happy to do it."
"Well... mostly Khesina, though its a complicated relationship..." Izora says, referring to the black cat near her.
Emerald looks around slyly and whispers to the three newcomers. ”I’m new here, too. My friend Seeker told me to find his friend Okachobee but I’m having trouble because all humans look the same to me and I think I might have his name wrong on account of Seeker being really hard to understand.”
As the auction winds down and the attendees mill about, paying for their purchases and gloating over their acquisitions, a frantic pounding comes from the doors of the Canny Jackal. As a servant moves to open the door, it suddenly collapses, reduced to splinters, and a horde of zombies shamble in.
”Goodness graces!” Emerald shouts as the zombies burst into the auction house. While she had initially hoped to score some items from the auction, she had been lulled almost to sleep by the rhythmic auction chant as well as wear from her travels. She jumps to her feet and reflexively casts a spell to strengthen her in combat. ”Run away, little townlings! I shall save you!”
”Oh no, copious amounts of undead! This will never do. Someone save me! And everyone else too, I suppose, ” Rhade comments as he casts Mage Armor on himself, realizing this was going to be very tough.
Navier Raises his flag high in the air takes a breath and exhales the sonorous, thrum fills the area.
Izora takes a step back as the amassed dead make themselves known "So many... but how? And why here?" she says, as she forms an arcane barrier around herself.
[i]Ogochukwu readies. The two slaves who were by the door are unconscious and bleeding after being hit by the door.
The zombies surge forward, Navir drops one with his longspear as it approaches.
Ogochuckwu swings at the zombie approaching him, but misses.
Emerald unleashes a rather sloppy flurry of blows against the zombies.
Rhade takes a 5’ step away from the zombie aand snaps his fingers. A small arc of fire strikes the closest zombie and a much smaller one hops to the next closest zombie.
Navir will attack another zombie. And will hit another with an app should the opportunity arise.
Izora points towards the nearest standing zombie and an oddly shadowy sphere streaks towards it.
[i]With a flurry of blows Emerald drop the two zombies at the door
Rhade's fore bolt bounces between two of the zombies closer to him and they burn slightly.
Navir then strikes a zombie with his longspear but not all of the damage gets through.
Ogochukwu manages to finish off the zombie next to him.
The zombies try to attack Navir and Ogochukwu, but they both miss.
”Hwatcha!” Emerald shouts as she leaps across the room, running across the backs of the chairs to pummel the zombie near the squishy little gnome.
Navir will attack another zombie. And will hit another with an app should the opportunity arise.
Leaping over the chairs Emerald pummels the zombie near Rhade and it falls beneath her mighty blow.
Navir deals a significant blow to the remaining zombie, it is still there but only just.
Rhade moves to flank the remaining zombie, hoping to use the distraction of the group to inflict more damage on the undead.
Attack with masterwork rapier
Damage plus
Sneak attack