"What game? I don't want to play games... oh, you're talking to your friends?
Well, the place is all dug up already, so I guess you're the lazy Pathfinders come after the hard work is done.
Fine, show me you papers... but you boss brought the papers a month ago.
And that's when all the work was done.
The boss is all alone now, the hard workers left, and I guess he called the fancy pants like you to help do the easy stuff."
Your Venture-captain gave you a stamped and sealed and approved permit.
|
"Dear Officer Elrekah, your voice is smooth like the eastern winds over the desert and I would love to hear you singing again, but in the meantime. Would you be so helpful on repeating who came when? And what did they do here?"
Says Xun smiling and flattering to soften the mood of the officer
"We were under the impression that we would come first here."
|
"Aspis?" Nurten looks a bit confused. "Nurten took a class on them. Same weak points as other longshanks. Not much point. Why'd they be all the way out here?"
Linna frowns. "I've heard that Aspis agents have a sort of vested interest in one-upping Pathfinders. Let's say they caught wind of this operation, showed up with a bunch of Wayfinders and a forged permit, and set up shop while our Venture-Captain was busy making sure everything was legitimate-- like a gambler stuffing his pockets while the other players check the rule pamphlet on a new game," she explains.
The officer smiles at Linna and shrugs: "And a nice lass like me supposed to have a husband."
Turning towards Milosh she shrugs again: "Ask your boss. I am stationed here to protect the site. Mine is not to ask what is in the site."
Smiling at the Goblin, she answers: "He's some sort of boss. A top dog Pathfinder. A local. Nice looking guy. Single... I think."
But then she blushes when Xun Saburo flatters her: "Well, I am on duty now, but, singing, yes... during my off time, with pleasure!
Well, a month ago the Pathfinder boss came with the official permit, and started clearing the place, bringing in a dozen or so fellows of his, who worked and dug out the sand and cleared the place up I guess.
I mean, they worked a lot and had a lot of tools and such.
It seems it is excavated, because most left, and the boss came back to start exploring and establishing an inventory I guess...
As for your impressions, I am a Guard, and we often think one thing is coming, but the brass then have us do the opposite."
|
|
Vargir listens to the conversation, their expression grave as it seems they were outdone by another agency here. Hearing mention of the Aspis, the Ulfen man spits in disgust for he had heard several tales of their dastardly underhanded deeds, often blamed on the honourable Pathfinders. Concerned, Vargir decides to see if they can move past the flattery, no doubt it was important here but they needed to take action.
"Yes, we will talk to this 'Boss' are they inside the structure? or are they in a tent? If we are of course allowed to proceed past your station." he states simply, eager to be moving.
Officer Elrekah points over her shoulder, indicating what must be the entrance, on the other side of the canvas "wall".
"He is inside.
As for going in to see him, since you are saying you're not with him and all, well... do you have some papers? A permit?"
"I have no idea what was or is in the ruins, so, even if I knew what your boss removed - which I do not - I would have no idea if that would constitute "most" of it."
She looks Xun Saburo over: "I must ask some questions to... let you in: are you married, you "smooth talking one"?"
Taking the papers from Nurten, she looks them over: "All seems in order... though why you need two sets of orders, I know not!", she says, waving another access permit.
Those who wish to try and get a look at the papers she is waving can make a Perception check...
Officer Elekrah smiles at Xun: "Yes, if you have some time, we could have some tea later on..."
She then hands him the permit she already had in her possession, so you can look it over, though Xun sees nothing special about it.
Curious Linna checks out the permit that was left with the guards and the officer is showing you.
Linna sees that it is an access permit, just like yours.
Like all of you, she sees that the requester of this permit was Venture-Captain Norden Balentiir.
The same as yours.
Linna spots a difference: the date of approval is almost a year ago, whereas yours was approved barely a month ago.
With the exception of the date, this permit is almost identical to the one in your possession.
It seems to be a legitimate government document.
It does not appear to be a forgery.
|
|
"Approval date on this is about a year ago," she says. With her face scrumbling up more and more with each bit of information she's given, she's starting to show more lines than face.
"Well, time to see this boss, then, and get to the bottom of this."
She hops off her camel, heading toward the entrance with her barbecue fork and steak knife at the ready.
"After you, meatshie-- er, friends!"
"Yes, your boss is at the bottom of the stairs..."
|
Milosh walks down the stairs anxiously, waiting to meet the so called "boss".
He hastily makes his way to the front of the group, visibly distressed.
Bad relic handling ruined his life once, and since then, he acts quite paranoid when it comes to the handling of discoveries from anyone outside the Vigilant Seal... or himself.
Milosh and Nurten pass through the canvas "wall", moving through the opening.
On the other side, you see an opening at the base of a small rocky hillock.
The opening is against the rock, but cut out of the ground.
It is obvious that this has been cleared up, and you see a pile of dirt and sand, as well as shovels and picks to the side.
Moving down, you feel you are starting your adventure, and you discover a 10-foot-wide staircase that leads from the surface into this ruin.
Sandy dust covers the floors of the underground complex.
The height of all ceilings is 10 feet unless otherwise stated, and each stair is 9 inches tall.
Only the echo answer's Nurten's words: Boss... Boss...
You arrive at the bottom of the stairs, in a room, with illumination coming from outside, trickling down from the above.
Milosh and Nurten see an entrance hall, about 40 by 50 feet.
Several of the pillars in this once-grand entryway have collapsed.
There are statues around its edges, that depict scarab beetles.
Milosh does not see so well, as the light is a bit dim, and even dark here and there.
Nurten has it easier...
|
|
Xun leaves his camel watered and unloaded near the rest of the camels. You can hear him singing quietly add he does his chores. Half-orc leaves most of his things but he reaches out for short sword that he attaches to his belt, bow and arrows through his back and a drum that he carries under his shoulder. Beyond that he gets a rope with him.
Prepared like that he walks down stairs looking around
Xun meets you downstairs, and Linna and Milosh too...
All look at the scarab statues, and are sure those are some sort of beetle.
At least all of you agree that those are beetles on the statues, and they might mean something... or not, but they sure are beetles.
As you start to move into the entranceway, to check things out, and maybe admire the beetle statues close up, you see there are three ways to exit... besides the stairs you just came down: but you aren't leaving just yet, are you?!
There are two side corridors, to the North and to the South--
--and a wider corridor to the West, facing the stairs you exited.
You look at one another: do you follow Linna's wise advice?
Linna and Nosepicker move along the wall at their left hand, passing a couple alcoves with scarab statues, and two pillars, before arriving at the opening, close to a couple of the fallen pillars.
Nurten looks around, seeing nothing.
The opening is actually is a very short corridor, that ends with a stone door.
Having moved to the left, you are now facing the little corridor and the door.
With no one moving, the last motes of sandy dust drop to the floor, no longer floating in the shaft of light that comes down the stairs from the outside.
Everything is motionless and quiet again.
As Linna looks about at her companions, she wonders if that lady, MJ Ludove, might be good at checking traps or not.
Though she accompanied you from the Lodge in Sothis, the woman had not spoken much at all so far... well, so long as she acts when needed, that is all you can ask of a Pathfinder.
Linna sees nothing on the door as far as traps go, it seems safe to here...
Xun sees the stone door swings open easily... it seems the people exploring this past month must have unblocked it.
You discover a small, barren room, some 15 by 15 feet, and a wide corridor that exits it and turns--
There is no light on this side, though with the little filtering in, Xun can see the room and the start of the corridor quite well, and notices nothing at all.
The something hidden is either well hidden, or not here.
|
|
Vargir nods to the guards and follows the group through the canvas tent flap, eyes widening slightly at the ancient staircase leading down into the earth. Glad to be out of the oppressive sun for a time, the Ulfen warrior carefully makes their way down the stairs and into the first hall. Listening as their Goblin companion’s question echoes he shrugs as it seems they are not answered.
Having no inclinations to the significance of the murals Vargir moves to follow Nurten. ”I too have heard tales of keeping to a wall. But also to mark your passage in case the place turns out to be a maze” he adds softly, not wishing to raise their voice in the eerie silence.
Reaching the door at the end of the corridor, Vargir pauses for a moment and scans the surroundings before gingerly touching the stones around the door frame, seeking signs of tampering or disturbance.
For Vargir too, these scarabs are mere beetles... and the door was safe, so could be opened.
Xun goes to the corner.
It is getting rather dark down there, so even his low-light vision is at the end of its ability.
But, so far as he can tell, the corridor remains as wide, and soon turns to his right.