Ohrmizd picks up the strange spear and studies it with detect magic "This spear seems something special"
"Hmmm... do you think there might be treasures inside the sarcophagus?" the Keleshite studies the calligraphy trying to get what do they mean.
He then casts detect magic and searches the area before trying to open the sarcophagus.
The rough-hewn passage widens, emptying into a larger excavation site in which the upper corner of another, older structure protrudes from the surrounding earth about a yard above the floor. A sizable hole has been cracked out of its ceiling, from which protrudes a ladder of lashed sticks. This obviously leads out of the structure into a different cave system.
"Ok, although Burn, Loot, Kill does not seem bad either" Ohrmizd smiles and follows the cleric into the next room passing to him the spear "I have seen you using a spear at some point I think. Maybe this one is of interest to you, it seems hollow inside"
Studying the hole Ohrmizd casts light on the scimitar and observes the cave system "Hmmm... this is leading to a different place. It might be worth to explore it. What do you others think?"
Omari glances at the hollow tip spear that Ohrmzid handed to him and then lays it aside. "That might lead to the exit where the original group of slaves escaped, although I am not sure exactly where we are down here... But I doubt that passage will lead us to the Carrion King - no giant gnoll could climb that rickety ladder. Thus, I say back to the main area..."
"It may also be used by the other gnolls," Heshan added. "We can check around and then head back if it leads to nowhere."
Casting light on a pebble and letting it fall down the shaft reveals that it goes down very deep. The stone ricochets several times from the walls before finally reaching the bottom after about ten seconds.
"Since the king is supposed to be somewhere below, we might as well drop down a floor. But what about Kehdron?"
"Khedron can't climb a ladder, no. Also, going down there leaves our route out in danger of getting cut off... I repeat, my opinion is back to the main area."
Omari ushers the group back on track. The next room to investigate is a horror to behold. A battle has recently taken place here — the walls are spattered with fresh blood, and the bodies of what look like three men lie scattered in pieces on the floor.
In the midst of that mess sits one of those large gnolls, and plays with the body parts. Seeing more humans entering the room, the gnoll roars in delight and attacks.
Omari looks at the monstrosity and commands Khedron, "Charge!", even as he draws and shoots.
vs Flat Footed
+3 bab +3 dex +1 enhancement(weapon)+1 PBS -2 rapid shot + Precise shot: No penalty for firing into melee, Deadeye Bowman can ignore 1 person worth of cover
+2 str +1 enhancement(weapon)+1 pbs
vs Flat Footed
+3 bab +1 str +1 enhancement+2 charge
+1 str +1 enhancement
Roryx once again zaps his wand of Shield, then moves around the creature.
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It was a grisly sight, and the initial response was a rarity in his books: a grimace.
"Try that against people who can fight back," He replied coldly as he positioned himself before blanketing the upper part of the room with shiny sand, landing it close enough to hit the giant and not their companion.
"Where are you getting those overgrowing pills?" Ohrmizd shortly interrogates the gnoll before joining the attack reaching out as far as he can.
Neither Omari, nor Khedron manage to wound the gnoll. Ohrmizd on the other hand cuts deep into the gnoll and Manuun gets an arrow in. The glitterdust only makes the gnoll sparkle.
Then the gnoll attacks Ohrmizd with teeth and claws.
"Huh." The gnoll took the blast as if it was nothing. At least he looked slightly better. With more people in the way, Heshan moves closer to deliver a more precise strike.
Today Heshan's spells are duds.
Hoping for some luck from the gods of battle, Omari and Khedron continue their assault...
+3 bab +3 dex +1 enhancement(weapon)+1 PBS -2 rapid shot + Precise shot: No penalty for firing into melee, Deadeye Bowman can ignore 1 person worth of cover
+2 str +1 enhancement(weapon)+1 pbs
+3 bab +1 str +1 amulet
+1 str +1 enhancement
Edit: Possible Crit, Khedron
Manuun gets another arrow to stick to the gnoll. Omari finds a stand and good aim to add two more holes to the gnoll with arrows. Khedron catches the gnoll on the way down already and pushes the beast directly into Pharasma's court with its antlers.
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Ohrmizd ducks his head as more arrows come over to make a pincushion out of the oversized gnoll. Nodding approvingly the man checks the fallen enemy possessions while chuckling at Manuun's words "Definitely their diet choked him. How the heck are they creating those gnolls?"
Then Ohrmizd moves over to the northern door, and after regular checks for traps, he opens it and scans the next room for magical auras.
Naked men have no pockets. At least the gnoll has fur, but nothing else to take. The former humans also owned only rags that are now completely ruined.
The door Ohrmizd wants to open is locked.
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Manuun quickly unlocks the magically sealed door.
Inside - At one end of the room, a great stone sarcophagus covered with arabesques and calligraphy sits, displayed upon a tiered dais. Opposite the sarcophagus stands an ancient shrine consisting of an upright wooden box, its faded colors also covered with ancient scribblings in black and gold. The shrine is flanked by short rows of badly tarnished candleholders holding naught but clumps of dried tallow.
Inside the sarcophagus lies a mummified body wrapped in tar-soaked strips of muslin. It wears copper armbands and a magical ring.
"That time you have past dangling machines with Father Zastoran has really paid off" Ohrmizd smiles at Manuun before advancing forward into the room "Good job"
With certain amount of respect Ohrmizd works on removing the copper armbands, then the ring "Wow, that was strangely easy"
The Keleshite relaxes and attempts to study the ring magics.
Of course, he is nothing but a beginner on the topic and soon passes it to Manuun and Heshan for expert identification.
"Am I going to have to remind you of this every 5 minutes? Kill then Loot then Burn..."
Omari urges the party to keep it's mind on business.
"That is admirable, but allow me to take a look at what we have here." Heshan steps forward to share his own opinion on what the item might be.
"My guess is as good as yours." When Omari urged them to move forward, he shrugged before moving onward to the next room.
A recently repaired hole in the eastern wall of this otherwise empty room stands partially blocked by three boulders cemented together with dried clay.
Sadly for the first inattentive person to move into the room, someone put a trap on the passage. The portcullis that originally protected this passage, got rigged and sharpened and comes down at Omari and Heshan.
Luckily for Heshan, Omari's sharp eyes have noticed the trap and he holds the mage back.
"Manuun, is there a way perhaps the mechanism can be reversed?" - Roryx inquires.
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Rolling suspicious through the corridor, Ohrmizd examines the portcullis from a safe position against the wall "The trigger mechanism is a spear on one side that barely keeps the portcullis up, and a loose tile on the floor wiggling the spear. We could just lift it with some strength"
"Ooomph! Well, I was obviously wrong and it cannot be lift with share strength" looking back at the party "I guess if Man cannot disable it, we will have to look for another route"
The door is not locked and opens into a corridor. At the end of the corridor is another door that also can be opened against some resistance. Because on the other side the door is covered with thick sheets of webbing.
Ohrmizd lights a torch and throws it into the room, closing the door behind "Shall we explore the southern tunnel while this area burns?"
Ohrmizd lights a torch and throws it into the room, closing the door behind "Shall we explore the southern tunnel while this area burns?"
"That does seem to be the only option left except going down that hole..."
5 ranks +2 wis +2 racial
Ohrmizd shrugs "I do not know. I guess the King was not there anyway. Unless he is the Spider King instead of a gnoll King"
Agreeing with Manuun, Ohrmizd turns back and starts walking south of the slaves room.
Checking the tunnel to the south you find it crudely boarded up.
Heshan breaths a sigh of relief as Omari helped keep him away from the trap. "That was close. Thank you."
Miraculously, he is standing in just the right spot to see movement in a crack. Listening in, he came to a conclusion.
"Don't look now, but it appears that we have company on the other side," he whispered.
At Heshan's warning, Omari motions everyone back so we can plan without alerting the guards . Once there, he speaks "If that's boarded, the gnolls down here didn't come in through there. So there must be another entrance, presumably past the portcullis trap... So we can either get together and lift the portcullis or escort our newly freed friends to meet the other escapees. I say lift the portcullis. The former slaves can help us if we need it."
"Oh well! That is exactly the type of aid I need!" Ohrmizd pushes the portculis up with renewed strength "Can you devise something to hold it there up Man? I do not want to remain here standing the whole exploration"
Omari nips past the straining pair and grabs the spear that was holding up the portcullis. He jams it in place to hold up the portcullis, avoiding the loose tile it had been set on before.
The portcullis rises and Omari jams it with the spear. As there is nothing of interest in this chamber, the group moves on to the next door. This opens easily. Behind it are the remaining slaves.
Pale blue ceramic censers dangle from copper chains mounted into the ceiling along the edges of this room, filling the chamber with a faint, flickering light. To the west, a mound of rocks has been stacked to form a crude throne. A collection of mismatched boxes and clay urns lines the northern wall, while to the south, numerous rocks have been stacked in front of a pair of doors.
The creature on the throne is a tall and bulky, but malformed human with an unhealthy greenish complexion. As you enter he orders "Attack them!"
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When Omari expertly blocks the trap Manuun nods approvingly towards the priest. " We better be careful this has not been here for centuries, but only shortly. There might be people ahead."
When he hears the 'king' give the command Manuun lets his bow sing before the man can do further damage.
" Is that the way you treat freedom fighters in these lands?"
Two of the slaves move up and block passage.