The claws retract as Sekhmanu settles back into a feline sprawl. "Then bring these treasures forward and let us see what Pharasma will reveal."
Sekhmanu turns her gaze to the rest of the party. "And? Is this all that you have?"
Sekhmanu waits until one of the other Pathfinders remembers the third artifact and places the falchion of Kamilah by the other two items. She speaks slowly, words of a divine prayer murmuring on the air as her voice grows louder, insistent refrains repeating over and over. The chant abruptly ends as the sphinx recoils with a flurry of her wings. Even as she withdraws, an eldritch mist seeps from the items laid before her.
“What trick is this?” the sphinx demands. “These artifacts carry faithless spirits within... godless creatures who should have journeyed to the Boneyard long ago!” No sooner has she spoken these words than the pillars of mist coalesce into translucent images of three young women garbed in the raiment of Osirian concubines. Each one bears a distinctive ring upon her hand which glows with an angry red radiance.
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“What we know of these items’ previous owners is that they were concubines of an ancient ruler of Osirion,” Not-Trixie explains quickly. “The tragedy I spoke of is that someone wishes to use the rings sealed to their corpses in a dark ritual of some kind, and we need your help locating those bodies before the ritual can finish. Do you mean that these are ghosts? Or more like reflections of the past?”
The spirits seem to cast about in confusion, gradually focusing on the Pathfinders before them. Ghostly hands fold before translucent dresses, the picture of courtly grace. Sekhmanu stares at them, aghast.
"Yes, we hear your words. We are Akila, Kamilah, and Meskhenet. The concubines of Khalfani Zuberi." All three speak at once, their voices a united chorus.
"The enchantment of our rings binds us to the world of the living and to our merchant prince. Assist us in slaying Zuberi. He must die by our hand to send us to our rest. Our spirits can share your forms as you face him."
""Our spirits are torn between two places. We can feel our corporeal forms to the south and will lead you to them if you will help free us. If you allow us to possess your forms, our power will become yours. We are mere shades, so your will shall guide our combined might." Not-Trixie senses no subterfuge in the spirits.
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The wizard inhales, then exhales. "By your leave, Sekhmanu, I would help these spirits find peace and travel to receive Pharasma's judgement." She waits for a moment to give the sphinx a chance to disagree, then steps forward.
"Akila, I will give your spirit a home until this task is completed and the merchant prince Zuberi is defeated."
Sekhmanu nods wordlessly as the spirits continue. "It requires a simple ritual to enact. Akila can instruct you. But our strength is limited and will only last so long. Use our possessions to call us forth when the battle is joined."
With the guidance of the three spirits, you find your way between the many monuments and tomb entrances to one weathered structure. Alabaster steps ascend an elevated platform under the shade of a solid stone roof supported by eight thick columns, each one carved in the likeness of a bearded Osirian councilor. Along the far wall, three sets of golden double-doors await, each inscribed with intricate hieroglyphs.
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Ehm uses the time traveling and speaking to the Sphynx to prepare some more spells.
As the group arrives at the mausoleum, Selter casts a few spells on the group to prepare.
Though he can't read the writing, Selter carefully examines each door. He is looking for traps or anything hidden, but also to see if there is a crack between the door and the ground that a small viper might be able to pass through.
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"The hieroglyphs would suggest we are in the right place - Sahib ul-Makam al-Rafi Khalfani Zuberi. The honorific Sahib ul-Makam al-Rafi means something similar to 'Holder of the Eminent Position', though it doesn't specify what that position is other than eminent. Most likely royalty." Not-Trixie shrugs and applies some of her own defensive magics before investigating the doorways and floors for signs of magic. We've certainly seen enough runic surprises already today...
Not-Trixies divination reveals no auras in the doors.
Detecting nothing, the party opens the door. The sloped passageway beyond descends ten feet before opening into a large 35-foot-square chamber. Four decorative clay urns stand beside each entrance along the north wall. To the west, an alabaster throne inlaid with gold, lapis lazuli, and carnelian stones sits upon a raised dais flanked by two bronze braziers. The throne overlooks a miniature model of buildings and structures in the center of the room, portraying the city of Sothis. To the south, two statues with the heads of jackals stand with stone glaives in their hands by a huge stone door engraved with the symbol of an all-seeing eye. Hieroglyphs also cover the entire eastern wall, reaching all the way to the chamber’s 20-foot ceiling. The images depict scenes of everyday life in ancient Osirion.
Almost immediately, Bo notices secret doors hidden in the hieroglyphs of the eastern wall.
The throne room remains as still and quiet...as a tomb.
Nothing in the room detects as magical, while Not-Triie reads the glyphs easily, seeing the leftmost glyphs depict childhood scenes, while the center shows middle-age work, and the right describes elderly retirement
Selter sees no locks or traps on the doors, while no noise emanates from beyond.
Bo stands before the three secret doors, each marked by different hieroglyphs.
Bo finds a corridor extending twenty feet before turning right, a noticeable downward slope to the angle of the floor.
The downward slope enters a 15-foot-by-30-foot hall. To the west, two lines of upright sarcophagi face one another along the north and south walls. To the east lies a diamond shaped table of black basalt, bearing six ornate masks of gold decorated with semiprecious stones.
Not-Trixie sees no auras in the room, nor any obvious threats.
Opening the door, Selter finds another narrow hall continuing deeper into the tomb.
As the party advances, the 50-foot-long corridor slopes down before running between several dark alcoves. On the floor before them lie six black-garbed figures, surrounded by scattered weapons and a pool of blood.
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After taking a quick peak at the figures,
Selter sneaks back to tell the others what he witnessed.
If he doesn't hear the sound of pursuit or spell casting, he will mostly close the door, summon a spectral scout (spider), and send it in crawling on the ceiling for a closer look.
If he does hear the sound of pursuit, he will cast divine favor on himself and Sithiss.
If he hears the sound of spell casting, what he does will depend on if he can tell what spell is being cast.
No noise follows Selter as he makes the way back to the party.