You awaken. There is no sound. You open your eyes, All is darkness and cold stone. You have a vague recollection of going to sleep last night yet you awaken in a dark, stone box only a few inches larger than you in each direction. The cool scent of earth surrounds you. You can feel that you are wearing your typical clothing and can feel that your gear is with you.
You may take your turn when the arrow is on the line with your name.
Round 1
Wulfgar 13/13, Morana 10/10, Ardran 10/10, Farod 10/10
Ardran <=====
Farod
Wulfgar
Morana
Blyad ebat what? I am way to far from Sarkoris for some spontaneous survival, resist, escape and murder training organized by my tribe.
Uhh, where the f+&& is Victoria? Hello? His Phantom is gone.
Ok, this is serious, did she ge yeeted to the shadow plane? But how?
I am clearly in a box. Well, I clearly prefer to be out of one so.
Ardran pushes to where he think top is.
Ardran tires to push the lid open to no avail.
Escaping a sarcophagus requires a DC 13 Strength check to move the heavy stone lid aside. The lids have a hardness of 8 and 40 hit points.
You are in initiative. Combat rules apply.
Ardran
Farod <=====
Wulfgar
Morana
What...is this...my bow? Blade? I don't sleep with my gear...was I drugged?
Farod attempts to sit up, realizing he is trapped by stone. He cautiously probes for the limits of his stone box.
Did they kidnap me as revenge? And bury me alive? This is troublesome. I smell earth...
Farod tries to lift the lid, with no success. He shifts his position slightly and knocks on the walls cautiously - hoping to hear if there is air/hollow room behind the lid, or if it is covered with earth.
one standard and one move or two moves
and swift and free et al
Ardran
Farod
Wulfgar <=====
Morana
'What the blazes? Whose basement am I in?' Waking in the dark to the cool damp smell of earth, Wulfgar shifts his weight in the narrow space. 'Am I laying in something? Am I laying on something?' Reaching his hand up from his waist he bangs it on something. "Forget this." Tired of fumbling in the dark, Wulfgar illuminates his halo. Squinting his eyes from the brightness, he realizes he didn't notices the wooden shield laying across his lap because of the armored kilt. But it wasn't hard to figure out what he hit his hand on. Seeing his kunia sheath tied to his rucksacks shoulder-strap he realized what he was laying on. 'Why am I laying on my pack with my shield on my lap?' As he ponders why he'd be sleeping with shield and rucksack, he realizes there is a stone slab only inches from his nose sitting atop the stone box his body was resting in.
Letting out a slow breath to calm himself Wulfgar proclaims aloud, "Well this certainly isn't normal." reaching up to his Kunai, more a tool than a weapon, he draws the tool and jambs it between wall and lid, trying to pry the thing open. He feels the tool slip in his hand and fall behind his shoulder. Moaning 'You have got to be kidding me, how am I supposed to reach that now?'
LOL
Ardran
Farod
Wulfgar
Morana <=====
What's this? What's going on? I cast light on myself and look around the inside of my box.
Round 2
Wulfgar 13/13, Morana 10/10, Ardran 10/10, Farod 10/10
Ardran <=====
Farod
Wulfgar
Morana
Clearly I have been captured by a skillfull adversary. I must make my escape stealthily! Ardran thinks, thoughts racing.
His efforts would have been labelled "meh" by his instructors.
The lid however moves!
Ardran jumps gets out of the Sarkophagus, draws his weapon.
A Sarcophagus? Orcus or Kabriri aligned forces? Or Zurah perhaps?
My Lady in Shadow has gained great power at little cost at the end of the worldwound War, and both Boney-Mc-Boneface-the-bonerless and the trash-compactor-who-thinks-it-is-a-Demonlord disliked that? There was that standing order, given to every shadowsworn I know, to not piss off Pharasma...
Ardrans thought race with Abyssal geopolitics, before he gets an obvious thought.
wait, s%+%, am I undead?
He begins to check if he has longer incisor then he used to, and ideally also verifies if his body temperature is within normal parameters. As he moves out of the box. Does he see other Sarcophagi? Do any of them look unusually?
Other than the sarcophagi,the only other furnishings in this room are drop cloths covering a square object. Various relief carvings are on the north wall. The lids to the sarcophagi bear carvings of warriors of old. Ardran's sarcophagus displays a male human wearing scale mail and bears a small shield and a Bec de Corbin. While eerily similar to his own appearance the face indicates this is not Ardran.
Ardran
Farod <=====
Wulfgar
Morana
How long was I out, this setup, moving me here, whereever "here" is, perhaps making a Sarcophagus? Neither Boneface nor "worst blowjob in the Abyss" do pranks, so Zurah? But why? Why would I merit such a resource expenditure? Whoever did this, he/she or it will regret not killing me when he/she or it hadthe chance. I am Shawdowsworn of our Lady in Midnight Eternal, as long as I exist, I can fight, as long as I can fight, I exist.
Ardrans thoughts keep racing. His faith giving him a degree of vengefull purpose.
Farod attempts to make sure that he is not, in fact, buried alive, without drawing undue attention.
Farod taps the lid and the sound indicates he is not underground. The tap can be heard by the others in the dark silence. The actual location of the slight tap cannot be determined.
Ardran
Farod
Wulfgar <=====
Morana
'I can't believe I dropped the stupid Kunia.' Reaching back over his shoulder he feels the handle of what must be a polearm, pushing it to the side he finally feels the blade of the Kunai. Picking up the tool, he jabs it in the crack. 'Let's try this again.' Holding the handle in his right hand he places his left hand on the ring pommel and pries the blade up and away, finally feeling the stone on the box slide away.
Wulfgar manages to slide the lid open. The light from his halo illuminates an arched stone ceiling above him.
Ardran
Farod
Wulfgar
Morana <=====
Realizing that she's panicking she says to herself "I don't need light I can see in the dark. Maybe I can get out of here" Hears the tapping and thinks "I'm an easy target in here. I should try to get out"
Round 3
Wulfgar 13/13, Morana 10/10, Ardran 10/10, Farod 10/10
Ardran is standing beside his sarcophagus with darkvision. Wulfgar is laying in his sarcophagus with lit halo and lid open. The others remain in their final resting places.
Ardran <=====
Farod
Wulfgar
Morana
Adran silently moves 10 feetish to a position from which he can observe the light source coming from one Sarcophagus without being seen from what may be inside.
He casts detect magic, scanning his surroundings, and looking for any exits.
Most undead would have dark vision, and if it is another mortal like me in there. he, she or it could prove useful to me. Let's observe prior to striking, the Lady never strikes without knowledge, and it behoves we well to follow her example.
Ardran moves closer to the sarcophagus with a light source. He produces a 60 foot cone of detect magic. Where is it aimed?
Ardran
Farod <=====
Wulfgar
Morana
Concentrating on the sarcophagus emitting light Ardran detects the presence of magic in that area.
Attempting to shift 'down' in his sarcophagus so his feet don't slip away when propping them on the floor, Farod uses both legs and hands to lift the lid enough to shift it to the side. The moment an opening large enough for him appears, he leaps up - to the outside and seeks cover beside whatever object he was in.
Ardran
Farod
Wulfgar <=====
Morana
'Strange, an arched stone ceiling a stone lid and box, almost like a mausoleum. This is turning into a bad joke.' Sheathing the kunai, Wulfgar reaches to his side grasping the pole arm with his right hand he takes hold of the shield in his left, moving it to the side. Using the butt end of the polearm he pushes himself to his feet, illuminating the room. Looking at the polearm he realizes it's a Glaive from his homes 'practice room.' Shifting he noticed the morningstar looped through his belt, also one of the many weapons his mother kept for him to learn to use.
Wulfgar sees a human male warrior standing beside his sarcophagus.
Other than the sarcophagi,the only other furnishings in this room are drop cloths covering a square object. Various relief carvings are on the north wall. The lids to the sarcophagi bear carvings of warriors of old.
Ardran
Farod
Wulfgar
Morana <=====
'Is that a sarcophagus?' Seeing the man beside the sarcophagi, Wulfgar thinks he recognizes the man. Shifting his glaive into two hands. "I'm Wulfgar Ivarsson, do I know you?"
Ardran Skuggason, I just got out of another Sarcophagus. You are a member of Roslars coffer military, which hired me as a scouting and night fighting specialist The man answers speaking quietly.
It appears we are in similar circumstances he states.
Would you by chance be able to recall the last thing you did before waking up here? Perhaps including a time and date? He looks around, seemingly having no problem to see in Darkness.
Still enclosed in a stone box Morana tries again to lift the lid
Failing she screams "Someone get me out of here!" She then presses her ear to the lid to see if she can hear anything.
Round 4
Wulfgar 13/13, Morana 10/10, Ardran 10/10, Farod 10/10
Ardran <=====
Farod
Wulfgar
Morana
Did you hear that, female, panicked and loud, lets fix it
Ardran moves over to the screaming sarcophagus opening it.
Ardran sees a panicked female assimar with scale mail that has light cast on it.
Ardran
Farod <=====
Wulfgar
Morana
I am not your foe, we are in a similar situation.
Farod takes a moment to check what type of gear is on him, finding basically his whole adventuring gear on a swift pat-down. In these close quarters, with people already close by, the bow seemed unpractical, so he instead draws his Rapier, then steps out from cover:"Well, you seem awfully calm about this situation. Where are we? What is this place?"
Glancing at what the light from the Aasimars illuminates, he adds:"This does not look Orcish."
Seeing they are in a room with only one exit, he reluctantly turns his back to the others, glancing at the exit:"I just came to moments ago - I believe we should check the other Sarcophagi as well - see if others were trapped here with us?"
Indeed. Adran states.
I can see in the dark due to the specific historical circumstances of my people, I believe you can as well? He asks Farod, as he moves to attempt and open yet closed Sarcophagi.
It would make 2 of us, and currently 2 who require light to orient, perhaps we 2 He speaks to Farod
Shall form a reconnaissance group? Calling in the other 2 as needed?
S*%% what, I can cast light anymore? What is this partial amnesia, does it effect the others as well? Adran subtly recoils.
Is anyone else have well, currently afflicted memory and/or ability loss?
'Yes, the 'night scout' I seem to remember him and didn't he have a companion?' Nodding at the skalds observation, as he looks down at the box he's standing in realizing it was probably a sarcophagus like the one Ardran was near."Yes similar circumstances indeed." As he prepared to climb out of the box, Wulfgar shrugs his shoulders. "I remember going to bed last night, how about...." Hearing the scream was well, Wulfgar, straightened weapon in hand watching as Adran moved toward the third sarcophagus. As he turned to look, he saw the fourth sarcophagus open and empty as Farod revealed himself from the shadows .
'So Farod is here with us, So I wonder who is in the fourth sarcophagus.' Chuckling at Farod's observation, Wulfgar started to climb out of the box he was standing in. "Calm is better than screaming like a lunatic." Realizing the fourth lid had been open, Wulfgar furrowed his brow hoping whoever was inside did not take offense, he hadn't intended his comment as a slight.
Moving towards the open box, "I agree Farod, it doesn't look Orcish, but it is familiar." As he thought about their location Wulfgar shook his head at Ardran's question. "I've no memory loss." He smiles, "Or I've lost enough memory that I don't remember having it."
End initiative.
The words “Red Shrikes–Noble Companions in the War against Evil. Rest Well, My Friends” are inscribed above the carvings. The lids to the sacrophagi bear carvings of Red Shrikes.
A little over 1,500 years ago, the ancient wizard TarBaphon—slain by Aroden millennia earlier—returned to Golarion as a powerful lich known as the Whispering Tyrant. He ruled an empire of the dead, bringing much of central Avistan to heel for 5 centuries before Taldor finally launched the Shining Crusade to halt the Whispering Tyrant’s conquests. The paladins of the crusade carved a slow, steady swath into the Whispering Tyrant’s forces, and summoned Aroden’s herald, Arazni, to finish her patron’s work. But Tar-Baphon had grown more powerful on stolen secrets and borrowed glory than anyone suspected and struck the archon down, throwing her lifeless body before Taldor’s armies. The soldiers’ resolve broke and the Shining Crusade nearly turned back before the young paladin Iomedae and general Arnisant rallied their forces and renewed their assault—this time as a battle for vengeance. The Shining Crusade brought their war to TarBaphon’s doorstep: Adorak, the city of the dead. There, and at the Whispering Tyrant’s tower fortress of Gallowspire, Arnisant and Iomedae confronted the lich while wielding the artifacts Aroden had used to strike down TarBaphon’s mortal incarnation millennia before. Insulted by his enemies’ presumptions, Tar-Baphon cast a wish spell, wishing for Arnisant’s heart to appear in the palm of his hand. However, Tar-Baphon didn’t realize that the shield of Aroden wielded by Arnisant had the ability to direct deadly magic into itself to spare its wielder harm. The shield shattered into twelve pieces, Tar-Baphon’s own wish spell embedding one shard into his withered hand, where it burned with righteous light. Surprised and severely weakened by the artifact, the Whispering Tyrant fled deep into the dungeons below Gallowspire. Members of the Shining Crusade realized the danger of hunting Tar-Baphon within his own lair, and instead constructed the Great Seal to bind the Whispering Tyrant in the shadows beneath his own capital forever. The Great Seal, empowered by three lesser seals hidden
across Avistan, remains in place today, still binding TarBaphon in a prison of his own making.
Ervin Roslar was a Knight of Ozem and one of the greatest heroes of the Shining Crusade, 900 years ago. A valiant paladin, Roslar was particularly devoted to Arazni, a divine warrior serving as the herald of Aroden. He threw himself into the fiercest of the fighting and died a hero. An extensive tomb was constructed to honor him and his associates, near the town that would later bear his name.
Roslar commanded several servants and retainers, but his most elite companions composed a group of troubleshooters called the Red Shrikes. They survived The Shining Crusade and lived long lives.
Roslar's favourite horse was the stallion Abdell; after Abdell's death, Roslar insisted that the horse's remains would be kept near his own.
Red shrikes? Some Arodenite Speznaz team from 900 years ago? Supposedly survived but their leader did not? Really fond of his mount, well, if I would be a Paladin, I would prefer the divine weapon bond ability. Unintelligent allies are too often a hindrance in combat.
Newfound comrades, the coffin I was in had a resemblence to me, in terms of equipment and overall size, but not in terms of the face. Does the same apply to your coffins? He asks as he looks at the inscriptions.
As to why I am calm He refers to Farod.
I grew up at the boundary between the Worldwound and the darklands, being thrust into chaotic and unpredictable situations is normal for me. Orient, Observe, Decide, Act. Then, in a situation changed to the better by your action, Orient, Observe, Decide, Act, again. Repeat until the crisis is over. If you go through such cycles quicker then the foe causing the crisis, you can vanquish far greater forces.
Unless you really need an increase to your movement speed for greater speed of running away, panick just doesnt work.
Let us investigate the remaining Sarcophagi, as well as the object beneath the drop cloths.
The other carvings eerily resemble the party members but are not the party members just like Ardran.
Farod sighs. Ardran meant well, but somehow he could not help trying to school people, even in this situation: "Sounds like memory loss is not great for your way of handling things. Maybe stick to the simple plan of my orc forefathers. If it's hostile, whack it until it stops moving. Works decently well, most of the time. Less sophisticated, sure, but fewer parameters, too."
Taking note of the Aasimar, Farod wonders who was the one shouting. The voice did sound familiar, but he was not entirely certain. Not wanting to waste time, he picked one of the remaining sarcophagi and attempted to push the lid.
"Some help with this one, Wulfgar?"
It may surprise you, but our Lord in Iron can be highly intelligent in his application of violence. He usually does brute force to make things "fair", and give his foes a fighting chance, but anyone who underestimates the battle plans his cold fury can come up with if truely roused is a complete idiot and soon completely dead.
The sarcophagus is empty as it should be knowing that Roslar’s adoration of Arazni was his undoing, for he wanted more than her aid against the Whispering Tyrant—he wanted her love. He listened to the insidious whispers of unscrupulous agents who promised to help him gain Arazni’s love, and he accidentally revealed important information about the Knights of Ozem as he fantasized about meeting Arazni to express his adoration. Roslar was horrified to discover later that his unknown benefactor was an agent of the Whispering Way, and that the information he revealed ultimately helped pave the way for Arazni’s death. He threw himself into the fiercest of the fighting and died, to all appearances, a hero.
Before Roslar’s body was placed in his tomb, rumors of his involvement in Arazni’s death surfaced. The Knights of Ozem, reluctant to call shame upon one of their own, conducted a lackluster and inconclusive investigation. Roslar’s legacy was shrouded in scandal; his body was instead buried elsewhere, and his tomb neglected.
'We're in the crypt of the Red Shrikes... I was in the sarcophagus of one of the red shrikes!' The dawn of recollection on his face Wulfgar looked from the sarcophagus he'd climbed out of towards Ardran. Clearly shaken by the revelation, he gestures towards the faces, asking his question as much to himself as to the others. "Have these always looked like us, but not us?"
Shaking his head, realizing this was more than someone playing a prank on them, Wulfgar watched as Farod had moved towards another unopened tomb to see if anyone was inside. Answering his friends call as he moved towards the tomb, he saw that it was Morana the mid-wife screaming from the now open sarcophagus. Nodding towards Morana on the way past, he joined Farod at the stone tomb. Leaning his pole arm against the wall he drew out his kunai. Jamming the tool under the lid, he twisted it and pulled, attempting to lift the stone lid.
'Our Lord in Iron?' Losing his concentration Wulfgar leans on the lid again. Shaking his head, "Blasted lid, let's try this again." Eventually prying the lid off of the last tomb. Relieved that he was able to get the lid off eventually, Wulfgar peered into the crypt asking, "Do any of you have the ability to tell if any of this is magical?"
That one is empty as well.
Morana blushes slightly at the fact she made so much noise before, she turns to Wulfgar and says in a low voice"No not right now. I can't cast the spell to see magic auras. Perhaps tomorrow. My name is Morana by the way." hoping the others heard her. She recovers her gear from the sarcophagus, readies her spear, and whispers a short prayer to Pharasma.
"Oh, sure. Don't underestimate your enemy. Not surprising. You may explain it all away however you want. But there is value to instinct, to fear, to being afraid. Which I am not ashamed to admit I am, in this situation. It puts me on edge and heightens my senses. I don't see the value in training that out of someone to make sure they stay calm, but you guys do you, I guess."
he conversed with Andran while he worked on the lids - they had made so much noise already, it would not matter.
"Now that you mention it, they do seem awfully familiar. That one...and that..."
Farod takes a closer look at the carvings for the two "missing" people, trying to memorize their features, or thinking back if any similar people lived in the village.
"Magic, hu? Let me try."
Farod attempts to focus for a bit, but fails to produce any magical effect.
"Hm...sorry, I am training, but I can't quite gather the mental presence right now. This situation is a bit overwhelming."
Glancing sideways to Ardran, he adds:"Didn't say things are black and white. Both options have merit. Wait, was that a sound?"
I can detect magic, ideally someone watch for other threats though as my perception will be focused otherwise.
Ardran reactivates detect magic, and gives everything a thorough lookover, ignoring magic auras from Wulfgar or Morana lights for the moment.
Farod looks and listens and believes you four are alone in this room.
Ardran does not detect anything magical while avoiding his party members.