When the water is poured on the door, a keyhole appears in the pegasus' forehead. Using the key, the locks of the door turn effortlessly, and the door opens inwards.
Inside, a large granite tablet covered with names and dates stands in the center of this small room.
The tablet provides a chronological record of the Alcastis buried within the tomb. About halfway down the stone the list stops, ending with “Honaria Alcasti, 4049 AR - 4123 AR.”
The door to the east is ajar. Jimmothy can see a statue of a soaring pegasus rising above the pool of stagnant water in the center of the room.
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"OH BOY!" Filled with youthful exuberance, Jimmothy looks prepared to rush in.
"A tomb is a place to honor the dead, Young Jimmothy." Claremguard counsels. "You should enter with respectful reverence. It can also be a place of danger. You would do well to keep an eye open." The paladin demonstrates by making a point to scan the area.
However, he focuses more on being an example than on identifying dangers.
Nothing stirs in this room. The water is dusty and still.
A door leads to the northwest:
Somber statues of Alcastis past line this hallway, their hands broken apart and lying at their feet. A pile of shattered rubble lies strewn across the floor, the stone pierced through with abandoned spears and swords. The air is thick with dust and neglect.
...notices distinct features in the shape of the stone, such as a paw and an ear, that suggest that it was once part of a statue of a dog. The weapons all came from the hands of the Alcasti statues—spears from the statues on the south wall, and swords from the statues on the north wall. All of the weapons bear a pegasus crest upon them, which matches the wax seal on the letter you received from Remaio. There are 3 longswords and 4 spears.
...you can hear scraping and crackling noises through the door to the next room to the west
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Cillian takes a knee as he looks over the pieces. "I believe this statue was once a dog." He then moves to a different part of the rubble. "And the these? The weapons all came from the hands of the Alcasti statues—spears from the statues along the south wall, and swords from the statues along the north wall." He examines some of the weapons more closely. "All of the weapons bear a pegasus crest upon them, which matches the wax seal on the letter we received from Remaio." Suddenly, his head jerks up in alram. "Did you hear that? It sounds like scrapping and crackling coming from the chamber to the west!"
Moving on west:
Stairways lead up to a marble dais, where rotted wooden offerings lie in splinters. The tiles of the floor are scorched black, and the smell of magical ozone fills the air. A sickly pale glow sputters amid a pile of debris, illuminating a shattered sword upon the ground. In the chamber’s walls, rows of niches bear ceramic urns labeled with bronze plaques. A repetitive grinding sound echoes through the chamber, erratic and yet unceasing.
The shattered sword has the same design and style as the longswords you just found in the previous room.
The urns hold the remains of members of the Alcasti family.
The grinding sound and pale glow come from the tomb’s last remaining guardian, who was smashed into pieces centuries ago. Despite the smasher's best efforts, the ruined guardian clings to life, vainly attempting to perform its duty. Formerly a statue of a proud, doglike creature, it now lies in fragments, only able to move its intricate metal frame with its magical animating force. The guardian’s jaws spark wildly as the disparate pieces drag themselves towards you, struggling, to destroy the intruders.
As you spot the ruined guardian, you note that it is magically unstable and likely to explode. The remnants of the tomb’s magical wards also animate three of the stone hands from the statues in the room you just were.
Inititiative
Party may go!
guardian dog
crawling statue hands
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I think standing back is a fine idea. I think we can disable without getting too close.
Stavarg glides out to the left where he can clearly see it head-on, keeping a safe distance from either staircase. He takes a fighting stands with fists clenched as he gathers the electrical energy around his body, before throwing both arms forward to send a blast to the mechanical guardian. At its height, just before the energy passes from his body you almost think you see the outline of his skeletal figure.
A glowing metallic insect lantern appears on the dais flutters its clockwork wings, and gives a tinny, mechanical-sounding growl "Pyyyyyyre."
[dice=Arcana]1d20+10
"A nice piece of deduction Master Tavee! Ranged and blunt currently sound like the safest course of action."
This is a damaged guardian dog.
Stavarg unleashes electrical hell upon the metal dog, which seems to inflict great damage on it! Cillian barely dents the metal frame and Claremguard destroys one of the crawling hands. Mallycorn blesses the party, and Pyre Beetle's bite appears ineffective. Jain is unsure what to do.
The mecha dog bites the summoned beetle.
vs. beetle CMD 19
The beetle succumbs to the electricity damage conducted by the mecha dog's teeth! the canine constructs descends the stairs.
The two remaining crawling hands swarm upon Claremguard.
Both abobinations miss the well-defended soldier!
[ooc]The crawling hands are diminutive and had to enter Claremguard's square to attack him; Claremguard may take an AoO.
PARTY BUFF: Bless (+1 to atk)
Inititiative
Claremguard may take an AoO, then:
Party may go!
guardian dog -10
crawling statue hands (2/3 remaining)
After Claremguard's defense, one crawling hand remains... but Mallycorn's religious zeal does short work of it.
Jimm, Jain, Cill and Stav may go!
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The beetle succumbs to the electricity damage conducted by the mecha dog's teeth! the canine constructs descends the stairs.
Energy Resistance, Acid (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Acid attacks.
Energy Resistance, Cold (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Cold attacks.
Energy Resistance, Electricity (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Electricity attacks.
Jimmothy recalls the energy used to summon Pyre Beetle and calls upon a new summons.
"Alphatross!"
the magical raptor dives out of the sky above the monster, and attacks.
Tross manages to slightly scratch the dog with his last talon, but other attacks were ineffective.
Jain, Cill and Stav may go!
Stavarg and Jain both blast the creature with their elemental powers.
The mecha dog bites the summoned eagle.
PARTY BUFF: Bless (+1 to atk)
Inititiative
Party may go!
guardian dog -20
Stavarg misses.
PARTY BUFF: Bless (+1 to atk)
Inititiative
Everyone except Stavarg may go!
guardian dog -20
The entire party files back south past the paladin. The dog pursues, and upon trying to make it past Claremguard, is met with hard magical ALCASTI steel!
The mechanical mutt explodes, engulfing Claremguard in a ball of lightning!
COMBAT OVER!!!
The heroes put an end to the guardian dog's extended service. Beyond the door to the west, a sparse room holds little beyond a lacquered wooden coffin. A human skull sits on a plate in front of the casket, while a mangled clockwork owl lies a few feet away. An engraved plaque is propped up behind the skull against the wooden pall. The smell of corrosion fills the air.
The plaque reads, The letters are faded and the plaque appears to be centuries old. You find a hairpin with a noble crest on it.
The coffin itself contains Honaria’s corpse and her accolades, including an impressive collection of military ribbons and medals.
If you approach the owl you realize that he's missing half of his face. He is immobile but he begins to speak in a broken and stuttering voice, "I am A-A-Amantius, the former f-f-f-familiar of Italice Cenabri, whose head now rest here atop Honoria's coffin. Syagra Tetranella did this to m-m-m-m-me. Do not a-a-a-a-approach closer: I a-a-a-am malfunctioning and g-g-g-generating a cloud of c-c-c-corrosive gas. If one of y-y-you is good at dismantling mechanisms t-t-try disconnecting the w-w-wand in my inner chassis. This w-w-will stop the corrosive gas."
Although slightly singed in the attempt, and now coughing vigorously, Cillian manages to disable the production of corrosive gas and the malfunctioning wand is finally dismantled from the clockwork owl! Amantius' speech, albeit still labored, appears to come out much easier now. After a violent shaking fit, he finally settles and says the following.
"S-S-Syagra was one of Honaria's followers. After Honaria died in public ignominy, S-S-Syagra cast the blame on my mistress, Italice Cenabri, w-w-w-which was a prominent adviser to the crown. In truth, many factors led to Honaria's disgrace, but Italice served as a convenient scapegoat for Syagra’s rage and sorrow. I failed to notice Syagra's growing rage thus I failed my m-m-m-mistress...
After years of preparations, S-S-Syagra carried out her plan to assassinate Italice, fleeing from justice and escaping into the wilderness. Again I was out and not by my mistress' side when this happened... I am an extremely bad familiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar...
Syagra eventually made her way here where the Alcasti family had given Honaria a hero’s burial in the family tomb. In her single-minded devotion, Syagra broke into the tomb, planning to leave Italice’s head as an offering to Honaria’s memory.
Ironically, in her attempts to honor her friend, Syagra was forced to smash apart the tomb guardians and vandalize most of the magical wards, a-a-a-as you have witnessed in coming here.
However, as she was about to leave this place I caught up with her and attempted to stop her and reason with her, great hero me... She struck me down and left me as another twisted offering to Honaria’s memory.
First I blamed Honaria for Italice’s death but centuries of reflection in her tomb have changed my opinion. Despite my bitterness and despair,
I must admit that Honaria was innocent in all this, and I do not believe any of this to be something she would have wanted.
Now, will you do the honorable and please arrange for Italice’s remains to be returned to her family?"
Immediately following the adventurers' noble words and their willingness to return Italice's remains to her descendants, a feeling of peace suffuses the tomb.