Zin holds his hands up. "This one is on you guys. I released the last monster." He grins in amusement.
Removing the divan from the door is simple enough, but it takes 10 minutes with a crowbar or similar tool to pry the pitons out of the door to open it. A glowing circle of runes covers the floor in this chamber. Parchment covered with cramped writing sits on a desk situated against the north wall, and the splintered remains of a bed are piled in a corner.
A mummy wrapped in ribbons of parchment paper resides here, leaning against a staff. He holds up his wrapped arms to show he means no harm. "Ah, thank you, my friends! Thank you for releasing me! Centuries ago, I was the administrator of this arena, and this was my office. In the chaos following Belcorra's fall, someone locked me inside here. As I had previously warded this room against extradimensional travel, I was effectively imprisoned! Fortunately, before I succumbed to starvation, I cobbled together reagants to mummify myself, that I might one day escape my bounds and inflict revenge on the one who trapped me here. And that day is today!
"Now, tell me--what is the state of the Abomination Vaults these days? Have you seen any wormlike monsters skulking about?"
Mazul isn't entirely sure what she'd been expecting, but a mummy wasn't it. "Um, hi?" She waves awkwardly. "The Abomination Vaults are in a bit of disarray. Ghoul cultists mushing rotting flesh together in an attempt to summon Belcorra's spirit, skeletal giants reanimating to attack anything that moves...stuff like that. As for wormlike monsters, we did meet a mass of sentient leeches that used to be a drow named Volluk. Is that who you're talking about? There's also the corpse of a giant purple worm a few floors up. Think that about covers the wormlike monsters we've seen." She glances towards the others for confirmation before returning her focus to the mummy.
"So, um, probably a touchy subject, but why were you locked in here? Was it because you were secretly a traitor to Belcorra's cause and had been working as a double agent for the Roseguard?" She doubts it, but you never know.
"Volluk," Chafkhem says in disgust. "Leave it to that craven drow to extend his own life in the most repugnant manner possible! But no, he is not of whom I speak. I speak of the seugathis, vile wormlike aberrations from the Darklands! Belcorra permitted those monsters to operate their fleshwarping laboratory on the next lower level of the Vaults, displacing many of the arena functions under my control!
"The worst of the lot is an alchemist and fleshwarper named Jafaki. I am certain it was they who locked me in here and left me to die all those centuries ago! I will have my revenge, and you will seek it on my behalf!
"Go down and slay Jafaki! I will stay here and make plans to finally leave this place and return to my native home of Osirion. Return with proof that the seugathi is dead, and I will reward you."
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Orgun gets a little anxious unlocking the room. As they finally open the door, he sees the mummy and can't help but be a little disappointed. As it introduces itself, he thinks I don't know what I was expecting.
As he hears its answer to Mazul, Orgun says "That depends. Were you helping Belcorra in her nefarious purposes? It's a simple question." He holds his sword and shield tightly.
"Hmph! She was paying me a princely sum to perform my duties here, but I never truly agreed with her ultimate goals! The world is better off now that she is dead!" Chafkhem says.
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Orgun doesn't like it. He realizes he doesn't know the whole story. He says "Well, now you have the chance to set it right. We believe Belcorra's spirit lingers and her terrifying plan might still be in motion. I require no reward from you, but if you can help us at least hinder her plans, it would be worth helping you rid the world of your quarrel, who is probably a terrible person in the first place."
He hopes the others are ok with him being so dismissive of a reward. In truth he would really like to see some gold flowing through his hands, but he contains himself and says "First, any information you might have on Belcorra will be greatly appreciated. It might not seen much, but anything you can think of could make the difference." He probably knows more about the arena, but one learns unexpected things working with people.
"We are heading down that way anyway." Zin offers, though he awaits to see what the mummy may know about Belcorra. "What else can we expect from below? Can you draw us a map?"
"Wow!" Wan marvels, a bit more wary of the mummy in the room than some of his colleagues. "I've never been to Osirion - too dry, don't you know - but I've heard of mummification in my time in Nex. I just never thought that I'd have a chance to meet one..."
The tengu reacts in alarm as Orgun continues to aggressively question the mummy. "Look, Orgun...Chafkhem isn't our enemy. He...she....IT can help us!" Wan turns to the mummy. "What, exactly, is a seugathi? Are they known colloquially as something else? You know, like 'skum' don't call themselves 'skum'; they call themselves....uh, wait, are those seugathi??"
Wan pauses, realising that Chafkhem has been bombarded by a barrage of questions.
Wan recalls that mummies are weak to fire. They can inspire despair in those who gaze upon them, and they deliver a deadly curse called mummy rot with their fists.
”I don’t have time to draw a whole map for you,” Chefkham scoffs. ”Take the stairs down from the mess hall to the west. You’ll pass through the training grounds, then exit through the southwest doors. Jafaki’s main laboratory is at the end of that hall. Kill them, and I’ll tell you everything I know about Belcorra and this place.”
The mummy turns his withered gaze on Wan. ”The proper name for skum is ulat-kini, and they are far different than seugathi. Whereas ulat-kini serve the aboleths, seugathi are created by and ultimately serve even more nightmarish worms called neothelids. Seugathi fog the minds of those around them and are skilled with magic wands and other implements. Their rubbery bodies resist bludgeoning weapons, and they are immune to mental effects.”
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This song and dance is familiar. Chefkham is far more arrogant than Boss Skrawng had been, but the general request is the same. 'Go forth to the next level and take revenge on mine enemies for I am too weak to do it myself.' He even included the nebulous promise of a reward at the end. At least Chefkham's information might actually exist, unlike Boss Skrawng's shiny gems.
"Sure, we can pencil 'kill Jafaki' into our busy schedules. We seem to be killing everything in this place anyway." Mazul shrugs. "We're clearing out one floor at a time so it might be a day or two, but we'll let you know once the deed is done."
"Anyone else have questions for our undead friend, or shall we continue on our merry way?"
Zin seems good as he doesn't seem interested at all in trying to take on a mummy and rotting his flesh off. "Ready when you are."
Mazul is able to pick the lock on the door in the previous room, which leads to another portal chamber. You can use the awaken portal ritual here later to connect this level with the upper ones.
The door to the north leads into an abandoned waiting room with padded furniture. In the cushions of the sofa here are 13 assorted silver pieces, minted centuries ago by a long-shuttered mint that are worth 4 gp each to a collector.
Another door to the north leads into a larger room. Weapon racks stand in the northeast and southeast corners of this room. The southeast rack is empty, but the northeast rack holds a hatchet made of dark crystal. Two alcoves between the racks on the eastern wall each have an open hatch and a ladder leading down. Other exits leads to the west and north.
”Now THAT is magical, or my name is Baron von Crumpet-pants!”. Wan gestures at the crystal axe.
”Which, it is not,” he adds with a nod.
"I'm actually more curious about the trap doors." While she's sure the hatchet would sell for a pretty penny, it's not her type of weapon. Too unwieldy. "What's down there? Why are there two of them so close together when they probably go to the same place?"
In an attempt to satisfy her curiosity, she moves over to the nearest hatch and peers down.
Both shafts lead down into what appears to be a large pool of water below. Several of the ladder rungs are missing, however.
Zin walks up and looks at the doors. "You think it is a trick or a trap?" He checks out the doors for any signs of a trap.
Neither door appears to be trapped.
Zin looks down into the murky water below. "I should be able to make it down alright." He sends a trio of dancing lights down below as he climbs down the ladder, sliding past the missing rungs.
A rocky shoreline drops steeply into a large pool beneath several stalactites. Five square shafts in the stony ceiling lead upward. To the south, a barrier of transparent stone protects winding raised ledges that run along each side of the cavern. A short bridge, similarly encased in transparent stone, crosses over the pool to connect the two ledges.
The cavern extends past the range of Zin’s sight to the west and south.
"Aw, damn! It would've been useful if I had made one of those there snapleaf talismans to prevent people falling. Oh well...carry on."
Zin climbs back up to let everyone kow what he found. "There is a large cavern below. It is a level just below this one." He kicks the shaft door shut.
"Hey, cool, more things down below..." the tengu appears distracted, his eyes darting to the hatchet.
"Zin, sweetheart, is this crystal axe thing magical?" Wan takes the direct route.
There do not appear to be any magical auras within this room.
"Why go down?" Now that Zin's reported back and there's apparently nothing there but a cavern, Mazul's curiosity has been (mostly) sated. "I still think it's really weird that there are two trap doors right next to each other both leading to the same place, but the floor-by-floor strategy seems to be working out for us so far. Let's just check out the rest of the rooms, maybe do the ritual thingy to awaken the latest portal, then head down the stairs. Not like there's any shortage of those in this place."
Her brow furrows slightly as Wan asks about the hatchet. "If it's not magical it must just be a decoration or something. I can't imagine a weapon made of crystal is very sturdy. If you want it it's yours, otherwise I'll add it to the sell pile."
As Orgun reaches out to open the north door, his hand sticks to the doorknob! A pseudopod suddenly extrudes from the door to slap at the dwarf!
His armor keeps him safe. More pseudopods extend from the door as a large maw filled with sharp teeth splits its surface! ”Knock, knock!” the door-creature says with a laugh!
Before you can react, the creature attacks Orgun again, but once more it fails to hit. Moments later, the weapon rack with the hatchet on it sprouts its own pseudopods and mouth as it moves to attack Wan. ”Time to rack up some kills!” it proclaims.
”Ahhh!” Wan exclaims in surprise. ”I don’t know what’s worse - the surprise attack or the awful puns!”
Abruptly, Neo explodes in a wreath of flame.
”It’s a good thing that I’m insulated to mediocre wordplay!”
He then attempts to break away from the weapon rack.
Zin releases a stream of moon light into the psuedopod door. "Where are they coming from?"
+ Dazzled 1 round (Minute if a crit)
AC 22 (23 w/ shield); Curse Stage: None ()
HP 51/51 | Resistance Physical 4; Harm 5
Hero Points 0/3
Focus Points 2/3
Spells (1) 3/3 | (2) 3/3 | (3) 0/2
Wand of Heal (1st) 1/1
Curse Benefit: Resistance: All Physical 4
Minor - (Enfeebled 1; -2 to saves, Grapple, Shoved and Forced Movement)
Mazul does not scream like a little girl when the door suddenly sprouts tentacles. Definitely not. At most she makes a slight sound of surprise, and she'll stab anyone who claims otherwise.
"Um, Akkaboo? Any idea what these things are and how to kill them?" Moving into a flanking position with Wan, she tries to stab at the creature. 'Tries' being the operative word.
"Eeeek!" Akkaboo winces in pain at the creatures' words, but thankfully adventuring with Wan has helped her develop a resistance to puns. "What is that?" Sparks flash from her fingertips and dance between the pair of animated objects.
Akkaboo recognizes the creatures as mimics, shapechanging aberrations! Thought to be the result of a failed experiment meant to animate objects or a sinister alghollthu creation, mimics are clever monsters that can take the form of common manufactured objects. Mimics are ambush predators and voracious eaters, surprising their prey through their uncanny ability to mimic the form of common furniture and miscellany.
Zin scorches the door-mimic with a moonbeam, dazzling it. Akkaboo then zaps both creatures, badly wounding the one that attacked Wan! Orgun pulls himself free of the adhesive before slicing at the door-mimic, wounding it but causing his sword to get stuck to its body! Mazul misses with her attacks, but Wan's foe takes the full brunt of his explosion!
The creatures continue to attack their chosen foes. Once more, Orgun wards off all of his assailant's blows, but Wan gets clobbered twice and grabbed again!
Frustrated by the mimic's refusal to step away from the wall and conveniently expose its (their?) back, Mazul tries to be as distracting as possible. "You like shiny weapons, right? You were pretending to be one. So what do you think about this shiny weapon?"
"Yaaaargh!" Wan yells out in frustration as he gets clobbered and stuck again. "I'm awash in pseudopods over here! I pseu-don't like it!"
Wan pauses for a moment to see if the power of his offensively-bad pun works on the mimic. When it doesn't respond, he sighs and attempts to pull free again.
"Thank you for the assistance, Orgun, my dove." The tengu then brings his khakkara down two-handed on the weapon rack.
"Are you KIDDING me?!?!" he exclaims as his weapon adheres to the weapon rack. "I didn't mean to put the weapon away!!!!"
Akkaboo continues trying to think of something useful - maybe they can be distracted with puns? - even while pulling more static electricity from the air.
Zin steps up and pours a bit of healing into Wan's injury. "Hand in there just a bit longer Wan."
AC 22 (23 w/ shield); Curse Stage: None ()
HP 51/51 | Resistance Physical 4; Harm 5
Hero Points 0/3
Focus Points 2/3
Spells (1) 3/3 | (2) 2/3 | (3) 0/2
Wand of Heal (1st) 1/1
Curse Benefit: Resistance: All Physical 4
Minor - (Enfeebled 1; -2 to saves, Grapple, Shoved and Forced Movement)
Akkaboo is unable to recall any specific weaknesses that mimics have. Both creatures dodge most of her lightning this time. As Zin heals Wan, he smacks the monster that has been attacking him. Mazul feints and stabs the same mimic, finishing it off! It collapses into an inert, sticky mass, releasing her blade and Wan’s weapon.
Orgun manages to strike the remaining mimic, which responds by attacking him for a third time. This time, it lands a hit!
Zin slashes at the creature in front of him as he shields himself from further harm.
AC 22 (23 w/ shield); Curse Stage: None ()
HP 51/51 | Resistance Physical 4; Harm 5
Hero Points 0/3
Focus Points 2/3
Spells (1) 3/3 | (2) 2/3 | (3) 0/2
Wand of Heal (1st) 1/1
Curse Benefit: Resistance: All Physical 4
Minor - (Enfeebled 1; -2 to saves, Grapple, Shoved and Forced Movement)
Between Zin's and Orgun's attacks, the second mimic falls as well!
Searching the remains, you can see no sign of the crystal hatchet that was attached to the "weapon rack." It's likely that it was part of the mimic's disguise. However, the northern room that the door-mimic was blocking is a supply room filled with shattered jars. Amid the debris, you can find a few intact bottles, including a lesser sea touch elixir and a corked glass bottle. Runes on the base identify it as a bottle of air.
”Well that was just unneighbourly and uncalled-for, attracting the tengu with the promise of sparkly axes just to try to eat him,” Wan grumps, kicking the remnants of the weapon rack and getting a still-sticky part stuck to Neo’s boot. ”I will brook no more indignities!” he further exclaims, walking away from the combat scene with the mimic’s detached pseudopod dragging behind him.
Wan comes back to Orgun sheepishly.
"Yeah, I could use a little healing."
Zin unravels some of the bandages. "Let's see what I can do.", he keeps an eye on the miics, ot trusting much else in the room to spring to life.
After taking time to heal up, you continue exploring the last few rooms in this section of the dungeon level. The nearest room has a floor that contains several open square pits: one in each of the three alcoves to the north and two larger pits in the middle of the room. The pits drop down into the large, watery cave below. A dais at the room’s west end contains a stone throne with two rusty levers jutting from the floor next to it. However, the levers are currently useless--nothing happens when you move them from one position to the next.
The stone throne contains a secret compartment in the back. Inside, you discover a climbing bolt, a dragon turtle scale, and 31 gp.
The room across the way is locked, but the key you discovered among the disgusting shanrigol heaps in the prison a while back unlocks it. This room’s shelves are well stocked with jars of preserved organs, crates filled with bones wrapped in rags, and surgical tools. Two armor stands flank a weapon rack to the south, but they bear only a pair of gnarled sticks in leather sheaths.
The shelves here, though, contain a moderate bestial mutagen, a moderate juggernaut mutagen, and a moderate quicksilver mutagen. The two wands hanging on the rack are a 2nd-level wand of summon animal and a 2nd-level wand of heal.
The only unexplored section of this dungeon is far to the west. Once you get past the portcullis blocking the passage, you discover a small complex of rooms that seems like it served as a security station, including guard chambers and archer stations. Fortunately, it is empty.
A rusted iron door to the west opens onto a long passage that ends in a cave-in behind a secret door. Clearing away the rubble takes a while, but you find it opens back out into Smuggler's Refuge, the cave where Carman Rajani was hiding. This probably explains where the shadows you fought there came from--they escaped from the dungeon!
At any rate, you have fully explored this level of the Abomination Vaults now. You feel stronger and more prepared to face the challenges still to come.