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"Yeah! You got this! Reminds me of this one guy. He knew everything about the neighborhoods around here and their history. He was fascinating, especially during the full moon. You wouldn't believe how much silver he would carry around... Sorry, getting distracted here. The point is..."
The sooner Moonlight finishes up, the sooner Manny stops "aiding" him.
[spoiler=GM]
Moonlight's second pass through the chamber again is fruitless, much to the masked mage's chagrin.
Finally however the third time proves the charm, as with an assist from Zenith the kayal's eyes help the Ngian pinpoint a subtle variation in a minor hawk carving in the wall that hides a hidden switch. Pressing it, you hear a faint *click* as the mauls latch into secure place.
The span now is safe to cross, with the only noise in the room beyond your own now the faint hum of the active Umbral Vise across the way.
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Ever since the bath room, Itka has been grumpily sulking and trailing behind the group. She's the last to enter this room, and declines to deign to approach the trapped area until it is secured. She spends her time glaring at the statues.
Hmp. If she's such a humble ruler, why is her pyramid designed to be so lethal? Hmp! Her lips twitch in disgust as she ruminates on negative thoughts to pass the time while Moonlight makes himself useful, barely even noticing that he does so without as much self-superior drama as one would expect.
Franzine can with minimal difficulty disconnect pieces of the Vise that seem to cut of its mechanisms from its power source Immeadiately, each of you feels that faint tingling sensation that’s been itching at you lessen.
Further, the strange blackness in the room’s pits seems to disappear
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"Hmp. Agreed. " Itka mutters from plenty far away. She continues glaring at the statues, half expecting them to attack the party. Hmp. They'll probably wait until the last one is leaving. Better make sure it's not me. With an aggrieved sigh, she hobbles up to join the others, maintaining her wariness.
You are able to take out and carefully disable the vise in your pack, and then go and do the same for the one in the natron room. Each time that tingle fades even further until it is only a minor itch. Then returning back across the gallery and past the statues you form up and open the double doors...
A wide stairway leads down to the floor of this massive sandstone chamber. Directly ahead of you to the north sits an open sarcophagus on a raised dais. Its impressive lid, carved in the form of a human woman, perches precariously on the dais steps. Eight statues of people in priestly garments are arrayed around the room looking up toward the ceiling, which is painted with a planar map of the Great Beyond. Shadows flit around the room, though it’s not clear what, if anything, is casting them. Wings to the west and east hold more sarcophagi.
As the doors finish their arc open and you take in the grand chamber beyond movement catches your eye. Right by the central sarcophagus stands a desiccated figured wrapped in linen bandages and adorned with priestly bands and amulets. The mummified being raises her head with a small crack and stares at you through empty eye sockets.
More servants of the Dark Desert Lord. Come to stop us, like your forces before or that Pahmet spy. You will fail. I will not be stopped. I will bring my falcon back to me!
As she rasps this her voice rises steadily in anger. At the last word she begins shambling towards you, and you all see three other, bony, figures beginning to move about the room and its wings as well!
Initiative
Anjo
Hammid
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”Rahmet I, had you established a dynasty in your own time, you might have succeeded in securing an impressive following, rather than be relegated to an isolated tomb between worlds, worshipped by few to none. It is you that has failed. I and my guardians will hereby conduct your last rites”
As he speaks, Moonlight again holds out his gauntlet - favored weapon of almighty and ever-wandering - aloft, clutching his fingers from outstretched into a balled fist, as if catching an object thrown to him, a swirling wisp of orange divine energy, encapsulated in his grasping hand a moment, now filtering itself through the middle of his forehead, glowing his third eye, which upon enlightening, he layers in the vocalization of a low hum, breathe steady, stern, constant...
↺) Scholarly Recollection
◆) Recall Knowledge vs Mummy Queen
◆◆) ??
I’d like to determine if the spell Organsight will work against the Mummy Queen?
And/or if she has the ability to inherently See Invisibiliy?
Anjo is unable to properly identify his bony target, though he does notice there seem to be bone 'wings' erupting from its back.
It turns out though that knowing thy enemy isn't necessarily important under certain levels of firepower: the pair of nigh-perfeclty placed arrows crack its bones so hard it collapses into dust!
While this is happening, Moonlight's 3rd eye allows him to realize you are facing a mummy pharaoh!. While not neccessarily an actual pharaoh these far more powerful mummies retain their intelligence and can buffet their foes with wide attacks using the desert sand itself.
Initiative
Hammid (two actions)
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"Your petty reign, False Pharaoh, mortal in utero, is snuffed here, to be buried in an unmarked tomb, dying a peasant's death!" In an attempt to rouse emotion, Moonlight looks for an opportunity to capitalize on an opening in Rahmet I's defenses!
↺) Scholarly Recollection
◆) Recall Knowledge vs Mummy Pharaoh
◆) Create a Diversion vs Mummy Pharaoh
◆) Strike
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”I and my guardians will hereby conduct your last rites”
Franzine rolls her eyes.
"As my Thane, I'm sworn to your service. I'll guard you, and all you own, with my life." she says in a sarcastic tone.Anjo calls out to the frontliners,
"Franzine, do not let it approach the party!"
"I'll do my best!"
She calls back as she bites her lip and pumps her sword and shield, ready for battle.
Moonlight's insult is loud, but fails to draw the mummy's attention away. Her gaze stays on the cleric as his bolt narrowly misses her.
Setian interlopers. You would mock a bountiful pharaoh? turn loyalty and commitment to a gracious ruler into acts of foolishness? she rasps with increasing anger as she shambles forwards.[/b]
She then looks up towards you all and opens her mouth. From it an intense blast of superheated snad burst out to race over you flensing and scorching as it does so!
As she finishes breathing, those of you near the front of the group notice an umbral vise in the western wing of the chamber. Like the others it seems to be having some shadowy energy hovering around it. Suddenly a portion of the faint shadowy stuff races out towards the mummy! It covers her for a moment, but the undead appears to shake it off and the shadows about her fade just as quickly.
Initiative
Franzine, frightened 1, need Will save, need Reflex save
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Everything is happening so quickly. Manny doesn't even have time to compliment the pharaoh's beauty. Well, former beauty. He has met a few vain vampires before, and a couple of humble ones. It's quite a mix he didn't expect-
Stay alert, Manny!
Manny's body seizes up as he twists around the sharp sand.
I told you to stay alert.
Manny hopes his facial expression isn't too goofy.
Not today, Shadow Plane.
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Zenith's fearlessness falters for a split second, but it was all that it took. The mummy's presence overwhelmed them with fear and the duskwalker embarrassedly froze in place. The subsequent blast was met without resistance as Zenith watched themself and their allies get hurt and not being able to protect them. They let out a low grunt which is all they can physically do. Desna...Pharasma... they begin praying to their Gods for anyone that will listen. This must be stopped....
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While most of your party is scoured by the sand, Franzine manages to retain all of her motor functions and braces herself to avoid the hot grit. Meanwhile Zenith's internal prayer sends a bit of divine protection down into Manny's limbs...
Initiative
Franzine, frightened 1
need Will save for chance to break out of paralysis
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When the spray of searing sand ends, Franzine comes out of her cowering position and looks at her arms, expecting her skin to be shredded from the bone. In awe, she realizes it's no worse than a minor sunburn.
"Blessed be, Iomedae." she says in thanks for being spared from certain death.
She grits her teeth, holds her sword aloft, and charges the mummy in righteous fury.
She brings her sword down with all of her might on the undead pharaoh.
Then brings her sword around with a backhanded slash.
↺) Reactive Shield
↺)
↺) Glimpse of Redemption
↺) Shield Block w/ Disarming Block
*(or 1 less than current sum of hardness + break threshold).
Zenith gives Manny some good luck against the sand...
[dice=Will Save]1d20 + 11 +2- 1But that Mummy is freaky.
[dice=Zenith's Campaign Coin]1d20 + 11 +2- 1No, really.
Manny shakes himself loose from the depths of his fear thanks to Desna’s grace!
Franzine in turn strides ahead and brings her nose down upon the mummy. Her first cuts digs into its desiccated flesh (though the second is dodged).
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Manny feels something or someone nudge his mind. Not Shylye. Someone else. Someone... bigger. Much more fluttery.
Come on already. No time for daydreaming.
Manny's body responds his commands and he fixes his face immediately. "Hope I didn't have a goofy smile on or something... does anyone know what's up with that last Umbral Vase?"
As Franzine pulls back her sword after her second strike, the shadows flowing around the room's Umbral Vise again surges - this time towards the champion. The rest of you see Frnazine vanish for a split-second only to suddenly reappear to the west of the stairwell.
Just as abruptly you seem back in the same room you were just in, encroaching mummy and bony figures and your allies and all. But you're standing in a different position!
The two beings of bone finally respond. Despite the flesh being long-since stripped from their bone-y wings they somehow unnaturally are still able to take to the air as they advance. The one in the west wing flies past the Vise and lashes out at Franzine with a set of taloned hands. The champion whips her shield up in response and the first slash bounces off of it but the second digs past her guard for a deep cut!
for
for
The second moves from the south and arcs around and up the stairs to interpose itself slightly between you and the mummy. It lashes out at Manny with a single strike that the bard is unable to duck away from.
for
The Vise flares twice more as shadows streak out towards these undead, but the shadows slip from them quickly as they stay where they are.
Initiative
Anjo 56/92 HP
Moonlight 22/56 HP
Zenith 50/86 HP, frightened 1, paralyzed
Itka 44/62 HP
Manny 68/85 HP, frightened 1
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"That Umbral Vise is pretty nasty..." Manny ponders. Then a... undead thing slashes him.
"Nnnnnope." He quickly trips the undead fiend.
"Anyway, let's disable that last Umbral Vise."
He casts >Haste< on Moonlight. "You've got the speed boost- don't let us down!"
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"Hmp." There's no need to enter the danger room yet. Itka casts Circle of Protection vs. Evil on Zenith, then casts Guidance on Manny.
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Zenith continues to stare directly forward, unable to move their eyes or body. Thank you...Protect us... Zenith continues to pray to their Gods. Desna, it has caused despair. Pharasma, Let me balance the cycle.
As Itka provides some protection around the frozen kayal (who resists being transported away), Manny accelerates the masked Moonlight while causing the undead before him to collapse onto the stairs (and also stays where he is)
Initiative
Moonlight 22/56 HP, Quickened 1
Anjo 56/92 HP (actions above, pending Moonlight's turn for resolution)
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Blasted by divine sand, Moonlight clutches his holy weapon - five-fingered gauntlet of the mysterious Ng! - and scoops up a handful of it, and draping it over his body, disappears like a mirage over a shifting dune...
Your mystic control and meditations allow you to resist external influences upon your consciousness. Whenever you are affected by a mental effect that lasts at least 2 rounds, you can reduce the duration by 1 round.
◆◆) Invisibility
◆) Hasted Stride (first 5 feet NE into the Mummy's aura)
◆) Sneak
...and so Invisible, moves no further than 5 feet north-easterly, before his primordial fear seizes every muscle in his body, and he becomes consumed by paralysis, unable to move, unable to see himself.
Is he even here!?!
Moonlight vanishes from all of your sight.
Just as abruptly you seem back in the same room you were just in, encroaching mummy and bony figures and your allies and all. But you're standing in a different position! And one much closer to the mummy while still being unable to move!
It's unlikely this is exaclty what Anjo was expecting. but the patient archer focuses on the mummy nonetheless before loosing three quick shots. As the first arrow pierces her wrappings he takes in the longspear at her side and notes her gait as that of one not unaccustomed to combat.
Right on cue it seems the mummy lifts and hefts her fine spear in her wrapped arms as she continues to shamble forwards. Moving right past Moonlight and up the bottom few stairs, her stabs out and up at Manny.
for
The stab HURTS, sand as the blade goes in the bard feel a rotting effect seep from the wound.
Initiative
need Will save v paralysis
Franzine 58/82 HP, frightened 1
need Will save v paralysis
need Fort save v Mummy Rot
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Franzine glances about in slight shock, wondering what the hell just happened.
"What in the Nine Hells was that!?! How'd I get over here!?!"
And then she's suddenly hit hard by a bony winged creature.
"Ouch! You worthless pile of...!!!" she shouts, spitting blood in its face.
She goes full-on attack mode...
Then thrusts her shield into its rib cage...
And returns with a backhanded smash into its skull...
↺) Reactive Shield
↺)
↺) Glimpse of Redemption
↺) Shield Block w/Disarming Block
*(or 1 less than current sum of hardness + break threshold).
Franzine strikes out thrice, but frightened as she is only the first swing connects (and even that seems less effective than normal as the blade find it hard to cut only bone and no flesh.
In response it slashes right back.
for
for
for
But all three strikes are easily parried by Frnazine. Then it's enveloped by shadow and vanishes from sight!
The prone undead before Manny attempts to stand - being whipped for its trouble. It then - despite clearly and visibly lacking lungs - emit an unearthly, bone-chilling scream that seems to echo in your very heads!
This one then remains where it is on the stairs.
Initiative
Moonlight 22/56 HP, Quickened 1, paralyzed, invisible (and with that shunting currently Undetected by all of you), need Will save
Anjo 56/92 HP, need Will save v paralysis, need Will save v scream
Zenith 50/86 HP, frightened 1, paralyzed, circle of protection around them, need Will save
Itka 44/62 HP, frightened 1, need Will save
Manny 38/85 HP, frightened 1, Guidance'd, need Fort save v Mummy Rot, need Will save v scream
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"Hey, Pharaoh Lady. Er, Rahmet I. I see you're approaching me. You're not exactly my type, with the desiccated flesh and all. But we could send you to the Boneyard real quick, ya know?"
Manny's attempts at flattery end with a spear to the gut.
"I'll be honest. This isn't the worst way I've ever been rejected. I guess we'll do this the hard way- one second." Manny takes the Opportunity to whip the Red bony thing before it screams at him.
"HEY! No screaming!" Manny wishes he could >Counter perform<, but he reacted already to it standing up.
"Okay, that's a nasty headache. I gotta heal or I'm Mummy Chow."
Despite Anjo's warning, Manny realizes he has little choice: He has to provoke the Mummy's Wrath. He begins casting >Soothe<...
If he survives, the magic restores hit points.
He lashes out at the Red bony thing, hoping to destroy it.
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Mortal terror and existential dread consuming our shady hero, Hammid fears death for the first time in his long life - his inability to observe even his own body compounding his inability to use it to express movement in the physical realm - the scream of death confuses him further, accelerating his spiraling panic!
He loses faith that he is, in fact, alive,
Anjo freezes up for a moment, but as the unnatural scream washes through his mind he sees celestial butterfly wings enveloping him. It not only fully shields the archer from the damage, but lights one last spark against his fear.
Meanwhile Moonlight is mentally shook.
Against in an instant you're back in the 'first room', again in a different place. But at least now you find yourself able to move again.
Also Zenith finds themselves able to move once more
Initiative
Anjo 56/92 HP, frightened 1 need bonus Will save v paralysis
Zenith 50/86 HP, frightened 1, circle of protection around them, need Will save
Itka 44/62 HP, frightened 1, need Will save
Actions posted, pending confirmation of position before resolving
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...and just before all goes dark, our shady hero remembers his training, and focusing on his breath, begins exhaling slowly and thoroughly, the years of developing an (elven) Unwavering Mein edifying his consciousness back into the Ivory Tower he built mud brick by mud brick.
Feeling his limbs again, he clenches his gauntleted fist, mentally saying a short prayer to Ng, lest his errant vocalization give away his position.
What could the dwarven man on the Bright Side of the Shadow be trying to convey!?...