"It needs to be struck by magic cutting or piercing weapons. Otherwise, set it on fire!" Jazadi shouts before trying to knock the golem over again.
Jazadi upends the golem with a deft flick and a mighty tug and then Say'ri fires off a close range barrage that shatters the top half of the golem with repeated hits.
Behind the golem is a mummified body, presumably the original Khnenti. If there was a way to interrogate his corpse then you could probably learn a lot of the information kept here in the Dark Depository. Further investigation reveals three iron tablets hidden in a dark corner. They are extremely heavy, but contain words of power - forming the spells clone, energy drain and wail of the banshee.
Further exploration involves more traps, including a particularly nasty one that would (according to Jazadi) have summoned some sort of outsider to attack whoever set it off and an encounter with a pack of shadowy hounds. Fortunately Adol's defenses hold strong and the hounds seem less than keen on loud noises as the group puts them down with prejudice.
With this hard work done you are now free to research the Dark Depository.
Research: Knw Arcana, Knw Local, Knw Religion
Knw Bonus: +4
KP: 30
In addition everything in the Dark Depository is in Ancient Osirian. Anyone who can't read it needs Comprehend Languages or to pass DC30 linguistics checks (DC20 if they speak modern osiriani) before they can attempt research checks.
The archaeologist lets out a little giggle as she begins delving into the Depository...
To Uthe's surprise, some of the scrolls here were written with some of the later dialects and she can actually make out the meaning. With growing excitement, she begins pouring through the collection.
Seeing the body of Knenthi before them, Adol is truck with an idea and takes out the Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh, then stares at the body intently. "Supposedly, this mask allows us to speak with the dead. What should we ask it?" he asks the others.
After concluding their interrogation one way or the other and the black stones are described, his eyes grow wide when the incredibly destructive magic of said tablets is revealed to him. Despite his innate dislike for necromancy, he offers to carry the stones with him - if only to make sure no one else would get their hands on it. Exactly like the mask, come to think of it... hm... was he too willing to put them to use?
The paladin continues trying to aid the others research the relevant topics despite his obvious lack of scholarly talent. He could, however, translate for others, which was at least vaguely helpful?
The team sets to work and between them they manage to uncover quite a lot of information. The only downside is that being this far underground there is absolutely no way of tracking the time. The upside is that clearly no-one else ever comes here so there are no busy-body curators to throw you out at closing time. If you're willing to camp for the night then you can continue straight on in the morning!
The fact that the members of the sect were priests and priestesses of Nethys was kept secret, as Nethys was much revered in Ancient Osirion. Hakotep’s successor, Djederet II, was a priest of Nethys himself, and he deemed that the potential backlash of such information becoming public
could lead to dangerous civil unrest.
KP 20: Scraps of a personal journal reveal that a priest of Nethys named Khnenti became obsessed with the mystery of the Sky Pharaoh. One extract from Khnenti’s journal reads, “The Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh is said to contain a portion of Hakotep’s soul, his ka, which gives the mask its magical abilities.” What follows is a detailed listing of the powers Khnenti ascribes to the Mask - his understanding seems remarkably accurate.
Khnenti seems to have set out upon some sort of quest to unravel these mysteries. There is also brief mention of the Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather hoping to commune with the Sky Pharaoh to learn his “darkest secrets,” but with ambiguous results.
KP 10: Research in the Secret Archive (area D10) finally reveals the Scrolls of Inquiry. The scrolls are cumbersome and difficult to read, and most of the confessions recorded upon them are of no use to the PCs’ research. One transcript, however, does contain some useful information.
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With no way of telling what time of day it is, and flagging much earlier than all the other researchers, Say'ri sets to work building a temporary camp for the night. She cooks near the entrance, so that the smoke can head up the long entrance shaft and works hard to make sure that Jazadi eats a proper meal, or at least something close to it.
After a pleasantly warm night with her cuddly, furry companion Say'ri is up 'bright and early' or whatever passes as such, ready for another fun day of learning!
Jazadi munches on a bit of jerky while looking through the Depository...
Adol, meanwhile, positions himself near the entrance and keeps watch throughout the entire night, not sleeping at all as he was want to do. Just in case, he decided to don the mask, so that if someone snuck in they might go for him instead of the other thres.
Somewhere during the research prior to the rest, he asks the corpse of Knenthi three questions through the Speak With Dead the mask provided the group:
-What do you know of the Sky Pharaoh?
-What can you tell us of the sacrosanct order?
-What is most important for us to know when opposing the forces of the Sky Pharaoh?
Trusting Jazadi with further research, Uthe's curiosity has been piqued by the idea of talking to the long-dead corpse, and she hovers around Adol as he asks his questions.
Jazadi and Say'ri, like the practised team that they are, scour the rest of the archives and uncover what remains of the interesting information.
DC30 Knw Local/Engineering
Following up on Khnenti’s research on Hakotep, you learn that the priest carried out further study in an archive of the Great Library called the Vault of Hidden Wisdom. The location of the Vault is secret, but worthy scholars can find the entrance by casting their eyes from the summit of the Tower of Ra’s Glory at dawn on midsummer’s day.
Adol and Uthe meanwhile interrogate the mummy. Khnenti's spirit is very upset, but after the first question it calms visibly and answers the remaining questions with every appearance of enthusiasm.
What do you know of the Sky Pharaoh
"He was a pharaoh of the ancient days. Information gone!"
What can you tell us of the Sacrosanct Order?
"The Scrolls of Inquiry!"
What is most important...
"Look up. No-one ever looks up."
It seems that the Dark Depository has given you all the information it can, so you retreat back into the light and heat of Tephu. Fortunately it's just before dawn when you emerge, so you aren't thrown straight back into the noonday heat!
Unfortunately, as you retreat to your inn, you find a well (although only half) dressed slave sitting outside your rooms.
"Her Excellency Muminofrah commands your attendance on her at once!" The slave says, bowing deeply to Jazadi. "She is overcome with boredom and wishes to see you immediately! I will return to her residence at once to inform her that you have heard the message and will attend her shortly."
Jazadi taps the hieroglyph on the plans. "Chisisek's signature... wow, this dates all the way back to Osirion's first age!"
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When the party returns to their inn, the news that Muminofrah wishes to see Jazadi again causes her to pale.
"Uh..." She looks at her companions.
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"You will inform her Excellency that we will come to her in three hours." Say'ri says firmly to the slave. "Her Excellency would not want us to appear in this state I'm sure."
She points out the blood that still stains Adol's clothes, the dust that streaks Uthe's fur and the large smudge of ink that Jazadi has (inevitably) managed to leave across her face.
"We will bathe and then make haste. Three hours, as I said." She stares at the slave until he nods his agreement and then hands him a few coins before he leaves. "If you wish to wait in the common room for another hour or two, no-one is to say you weren't waiting for us." She comments lightly, before watching him retreat down the stairs.
"Well I brought you some time." She says, turning to Jazz. "Let's all get a bath and then we can deal with whatever ridiculousness she's cooked up this time."
"Yaaaaaaaaay."
Jazadi meekly swallows and nods at the mention of a bath. "...right. Um, is this a bad time to mention I've never done the whole 'communal bathing' thing before?"
A faint blush breaks through the normally stoic paladin's facade. "I... ah, don't believe that was what she was suggesting," He remarks, glancing at Jazadi and then from her at the other two girls. "Though if it is the only option in that timeframe, I'll... just look the other way."
When they depart from the archives, he notices the archeologist's continued trepidation at the coming meeting with Muminofrah. "I've been thinking, Jazadi, if whatever she wants from you really is too much, I could perhaps openly challenge you to a duel of sorts 'to regain her favor'. If you were to lose it spectacularly enough, that might set her gaze back on me. An escape option of sorts, if you will, should you wish to go that route," he offers.
Jazadi looks over at Adol.
"...I'll keep that in mind. I might need that if this meeting's going to go the way I'm afraid it'll go..."
Uthe turns to give Say'ri a look of frustration. "We are doing more dunking in water?" she questions. It's the first time any one of you have heard anything close to a defeatist tone in her voice.
"How does a shirt of sorts help us out here?" Adol asks Say'ri, puzzled. Was there another meaning to 'flannel'?