Seben sucks in a breath. She should have gotten more sleep last night.
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Sobekhotep is pleased to learn that the Shrine of Wadjet is still a well-known destination, even if most do not actually worship the Old God herself.
At least knowledge of Them has not truly been lost. That means there is still hope of renewing the people's faith in Them.
However, he is both astonished and pleased to learn of the Hall of Blessed Rebirth, and the fact that the one who runs it is most likely a true Believer in Anubis.
Perhaps this is fate?
Indus pats his trusty whip and sends his companions a smile. "As ready as I'll ever be, I think. May Bes watch over us."
"Yes, destiny awaits us," Lueck croaks as he pats the haft of his axe in the palm of his hand.
And with that, the Smoking Bas Brigade sets forth to the Grand Mausoleum.
As they stride forward in grim determination they fan out into a parallel line, inexplicably walking side-by-side down an unusually wide street.
Whereupon, the world suddenly slows down, as though the Brigade was now marching in slow motion.
As they do, epic theme music begins to crescendo from out of nowhere (perhaps an instrumental version of a recycled hit from the 80s). At that exact same moment, a slight breeze suddenly picks up so that their hair and capes begin to billow...just enough.
Behind them, in a perfectly framed the background, the Tooth and Hookah shimmers in the sunlight. You're quite expecting it to blow up in a slo-mo explosion of fire due to all the awesomeness in the foreground, but that doesn't happen.... at least not yet.
Confident and battle-tested, the Smokin’ Bask Brigade head for the Sunburst Market where the ceremony is taking place.
The city is bustling with excitement as many Wati residents have gathered to observe the ceremony. There is a festival-like quality in the air, and numerous street vendors are hawking goods and refreshments to participants and spectators alike.
Some merchants have even brought what can only be considered adventuring gear to sell as last-minute convenience items to explorers, while others advertise that they’ll buy recovered treasures and antiquities from those who visit their establishments.
Under the shade offered by the massive awning, sit the assembled priests of Pharasma overseeing the lottery. The two urns sit atop a table a few feet above the ground on a wooden stage constructed for the event. The high priestess of the Grand Mausoleum, Sebti the Crocodile, sits behind the table, while various other priests and acolytes confer with her on either side.
A large crowd is already in place. Adventurers from every corner of the Inner Sea region are waiting to be assigned their first sites for exploration. At least seven adventuring groups stand in small clusters near the stage, made up of multiple nationalities and races. Most keep to themselves, but some teams engage in quiet conversation with other teams, mostly speculating about what they’ll likely face in the necropolis.
A band of halflings keep a pack of imposing Katapeshi fighting dogs on a tight leach. You also notice an all-female group, with a red haired Ulfen woman, an apparent priest of Iomedae, a wild looking woman with a great sword and a set of identical looking women wearing gauzy veils.
Then Indus spots Velriana Hypaxes among the waiting adventurers. Three team members accompany her: A tall Garundi man wearing scale mail, a handsome Keleshite in his early twenties with thin lines of kohl around his dark eyes and a female half-elf with a dusky complexion and a vicious looking khopesh in her belt. Both Velriana and the two males openly wear the holy symbol of Nethys.
A moment later, the ceremony begins when the high priestess of the Grand Mausoleum, Sebti the Crocodile, rises to her feet and looks over the crowd. Sebti seems surprisingly young to hold such a distinguished position, but she has a confident air of authority. After calling for silence, she begins with an invocation.
"Oh Lady of the Graves, bless these here who have come upon the behest of your mighty servant, Pharaoh Khemet III, the Ruby Prince, rightful ruler of the great nation of Osirion. May you watch over them and guide their hands and actions as they proceed into your most sacred reliquaries. May their fates be just, and death not come to them before the time you've ordained."
The invocation is followed by a brief history of the founding of the necropolis, repeating most of what you already know.
Sebti concludes by saying:
”Let the lottery begin! Although many of you have requested specific sites to explore, we must leave these matters to fate. The Lady of Graves is a far better judge of destiny than we of this mortal sphere. The gates of the necropolis will open as soon as every team has drawn their first location. Let these rules guide you in your endeavors in this holy place: Remember how this came to pass, every slave’s hut is a memorial, and honor the departed. May you go with the Lady’s blessing.”
After Sebti returns to her seat, two acolytes take turns drawing a token from each of the urns on the table. The first token identifies the adventuring group, matching the token that group received when it registered for the lottery. The second token determines which tomb is assigned to that group. A single representative of the chosen group is then summoned to the stage to present the token his group received at registration to one of the acolytes. Once the group’s identity has been confirmed, Sebti shows the representative the location of that group’s first exploration site on a map of the entire necropolis. She also gives the representative a smaller, sketched map that shows the site’s location in relation to the necropolis gates. Once a group has received its assignment, the process repeats with a new group.
Velriana Hypaxes moves forward when the name "The Scorched Hand" is called from the stage. The halflings respond to "The Dog Soldiers" while the female group reacts to "The Daughters of the Desert".
After a few drawings, it is the Smokin’ Bask Brigade’s turn to be called. Indus approaches the table and receives the groups assignment. Sebti hands the young archeologist a sketched map telling him: ”Indus Ionaeus, your group has drawn a tomb that predates the Plague of Madness, located in the city’s original cemetery in the eastern section of the necropolis: The Tomb of Akhentepi.”
The sketched map shows a rough overview of the necropolis, with the location of tomb marked Along with the map is a list of rules pertaining to the exploration of the necropolis.
Remember How This Came to Pass: The Plague of Madness was unleashed upon the city of Wati while religious authorities were engaged in infighting. This rule is a reminder that the necropolis remains a holy place, and those who engage in needless conflict and banditry are not only criminals, but accursed.
Every Slave’s Hut Is a Memorial: Every structure within the necropolis is a testament to the people who lived and died in the city. Explorers must not desecrate or vandalize standing structures and tombs but preserve them as the memorials they were intended to be. Some structures may be trapped or decrepit, but willful and unnecessary destruction will not be tolerated.
Honor the Departed: The dead should be treated with dignity and respect. If the interred need to be disturbed to recover an antiquity or relic, they should be returned to their resting places carefully. It is understood that the ancient dead are often brittle, but there is no need for the contents of a sarcophagus to be summarily dumped on the ground. This rule does not apply to the undead or other abominations.
Failure to comply with these rules can result in, but is not limited to, expulsion from the necropolis, a ban on continued exploration, seizure of recovered valuables, and arrest and prosecution by local authorities.
After all of the groups had drawn their assignment, the ceremony ends with the instruction that the groups can begin their explorations immediately. Members of the Voices of the Spire are standing by to open the gates to the Necropolis. Once completed, groups can return for reassignment to other sites.
The crowd begins to disperse into the surrounding market and the vast number of vendor's stalls, with many following the first adventuring groups as they head for the necropolis.
"Indus Ionaeus, your group has drawn a tomb that predates the Plague of Madness, located in the city’s original cemetery in the eastern section of the necropolis: The Tomb of Akhentepi.”
A nervous blank look washes over Seben.
"Akhentepi? I, uh, didn't study that name. I don't suppose anyone else?..."
[Rule #3] Honor the Departed: The dead should be treated with dignity and respect.
Seben laughs inwardly. She's down with that.
Once we're headed inside the necropolis, a few thoughts:
Subject to what anyone else has to say, I propose that when we travel to through the ruins of the necropolis to the Tomb of Akhentepi, the Brigade will use their double "search' order.
One exception though, rather than march with the group, the Sacred Ibis will fly high overhead and use the literal bird's eye view to hunt for threats.
Seben will switch his animal focus from 'Tiger' to 'Falcon' to raise his Perception bonus an extra +6 for a total of +13.
Unfortunately the Sacred Ibis isn't able to communicate any details of what it finds to the Brigade, but he's intelligent, so if it sees we're marching into an ambush, for example, he could fly down and gives us some agitated squawks.
(But if there's anything anyone wants to do first before we pass beyond the gate, like try to talk to other adventuring parties who might linger, I'm happy to hold off.)
Diorio looks on in fascination at the spectacle of the lottery process, whistling low between his teeth as each group accepts their lot. His keen eye takes in every detail he can regarding their stances, strides, the way they balance on their feet, move their arms; wondering which ones are particularly dangerous or not with the blade.
He then admonishes himself for these musings, remembering another one of his mentor's dictums: never take any foe for granted. Study your foe, yes. But do not assume.
Musing to himself, I wonder what they are assuming? Will they take me for granted? How can I use that to my advantage should our blades cross?
Out loud: "This will surely be interesting. I will not be surprised if one or more of these groups seeks advantage over the others."
Along with the other adventuring group and a crowd of onlookers, the Smokin’ Bask Brigade moves north through Wati to the main gates of the necropolis.
The high sandstone walls that surround the necropolis are painted with murals depicting scenes from the crusade led by Nefru Shepses centuries ago. Although faded and in some places marred by graffiti and obscene words, the majority of the paintings have been respectfully kept intact, and you can see images of armored clerics and paladins, arcane spellcasters and alchemists engaged in battle with the undead. The bright spiral of Pharasma is everywhere, as are images of a tall and imposing military leader, whom you can only assume is Nefru Shepses himself.
In front of the gates, you are met by a contingent of militants from the Voices of the Spire, led by a stern-looking Osirian male that bears a passing resemblance to the images of Nefru Shepses. Once all the teams are assembled, he steps forward and addresses the gathered adventures.
”I am Nakht Shepses, leader of the Voices of the Spire. We have dedicated our lives to the eradicating the abomination of the undead and conduct daily patrols of the necropolis you have all been selected to enter. And while we have continued this holy duty since my honored ancestor erected these walls, the scourge of undeath remains active to this day.”
”Our esteemed high priestess, Sebti the Crocodile, has already informed you of the rules that apply to your exploration. Allow me to add an additional warning. Stick to your appointed sites and don’t get any ideas about wandering or poaching sites from other groups. All locations in the lottery have been carefully screened and selected. They can be approached in relative safety but keep your guard up at all times. While you doubtlessly have great confidence in your abilities believe me when I tell you there are horrors within you would do well to avoid.”
Nakht Shepses pauses before making a final statement.
”Also know that the Voices of the Spire will be vigilant throughout this entire affair. If we catch any of you dishonoring our ancestors or endangering the safety of Wati, I will personally leave you bound and naked for the ghoul gangs!”
It is clear that Nakht Shepses is barely able to contain his disdain for the idea of allowing outsiders to enter and explore the necropolis. And judging from the way he spoke of her, he does not hold Sebti the Crocodile in very high regard.
His warning delivered, Nakht Shepses steps aside and motions for his warriors to open the gates and let the first group in. To reduce the risk of conflict among the teams, there is a five-minute waiting period between entries.
The Smokin’ Bask Brigade is one of the last teams to enter. You all feel the gravity of the task before you as the heavy gates slam shut behind you.
The first sight you see is an imposing black obelisk known as Pharasma’s Needle. Soon after the Pharasmins arrived in Wati to rebuild and consecrate the city, a burning rock fell from the sky into the River Sphinx where Bargetown now floats. Nefru Shepses took this as a sign of approval from the Lady of Graves, and ordered the black stone dredged from the river’s depths and carved into a capstone for a sacred obelisk, erecting the monument just inside the gate s to the necropolis. Today, mourners interring their loved ones inside the necropolis still stop at Pharasma’s Needle on their way to the grave sites to gain the goddess’s blessing for the deceased’s journey to the Boneyard.
Moving past the obelisk, you follow the map towards the tomb of Akhentepi. The route follows the main roads that the Voices of the Spire keep relatively clear though frequent patrols and you have little difficulty locating the original cemetery of Wati.
At the back of the cemetery, a rectangular stone mausoleum sits alone. The trunks of a few dead trees poke out of the sand around the tomb, and a hot breeze whistles through their desiccated branches. A set of massive stone double doors is affixed to the northern side of the structure, beneath the faded likeness of an Osirian man. Windblown sand is heaped around the crypt, partially burying the doors that lead within.
The name Akhentepi is engraved under the image, along with two dates, indicating that he was born in 2416 and died in 2488, 11 years before the Plague of Madness decimated most of the city. The doors are 10 feet tall and made of solid stone with no visible handles or hinges.
The doors have concealed hinges and swing outward. There are also telltale traces of mortar along the seams and jamb that has since crumbled or been chipped away, indicating that the doors were meant to be sealed permanently and not be opened again.
There are subtle signs that a crowbar or similar tools have been inserted between the doors at some point.
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Once inside the Necropolis, Sobekhotep looks around, emotions ranging from nostalgia, to sadness, to regret passing in quick succession across his face.
"The city used to be so vibrant, so full of life. I had hoped that by coming here, it would spark some memories that would be useful. However, I can see that the city I remember is long gone, crushed beneath the weight of time."
Upon arriving at the tomb, Sobekhotep immediately goes into 'exploration mode'.
"Look here - the doors have concealed hinges and swing outward. If you take a closer look at the seams and jamb, there are also telltale traces of mortar that have since crumbled or been chipped away, indicating that the doors were meant to be sealed permanently."
He then frowns.
"That said, there are subtle signs that a crowbar or similar tools have been inserted between the doors at some point. It would appear that we are not the first to breach this place, although how long ago it happened, I cannot say."
Indus confirms what Sobek relates, then finds a crowbar in his backpack.
"I knew I had forgotten something. Shovels would have been handy here, but I guess we'll have to make due. We can probably use sacks to move the sand more easily than with our bare hands. Let's get to work, so we can get out of the sun."
Keeping her voice down as they work, Seben asks "Anyone else get the impression that the army-spire-guy doesn't exactly see eye-to-eye with the crocodile leader-woman? I think there might be some politics going on here that we'll need to avoid stepping into."
"Gonna go out on a limb here and assume that's supposed to be Akhentepi..."
Nothing really out of the ordinary about the image of Akhentepi. He’s wearing armor, as would be expected of a military officer.
Nakht Shepses pauses before making a final statement....
check
While the Brigade labors, hauling sand in the hot sun, the Sacred ibis lands right on the stone head of Akhentepi and looks down upon the tomb. Briefly it unfurls its wings, as though to show off its full span of black and white feathers--a grand display of avian vanity.
Surely this moment is a portent of great fortune and you must all be most grateful.
But the moment passes and the graceful creature then, once again, takes to the air.
Putting their backs into it, Seben and Sobekhotep pull on the crowbar with all their might. The stone doors give a little but remain shut.
Seben looks to see if there is a way she can somehow contort herself so that she can push with both her arms as well as her legs, perhaps by bracing herself off of the outer entrance of the tomb.
"Rghrrrrrrr... little...help...here...guys..."
Lueck asks for blessings before wrapping his webbed fingers round the crowbar and bearing down on it.
. Casting guidance on our primary door opener.
Murmuring a prayer to Sekhmet, Lueck reaches for the crowbar. As soon as his hand closes around the sun-warm metal, he feel an enegizing jolt running through him.
His birthmark, shaped like the seven-arrowed holy symbol of the lionheaded godess, burns with a searing intensity that flows into both his arms. In his head, the voice of Sehkmet roars in fierce, triumphant glee that only he can hear:
"Yes, my chosen...I will guide you! Break open these ancient doors and venture into the depths below. There you shall find all you need to bring glory to my name. Danger, battle and Death!"
Seben-en-Ra and Sobekhotep both tumble back into the hot sand as the massive stone doors fly open with a resounding crash.
Indus takes his turn on the crowbar hoping to at least make it move a little.
At Seben's remark about Nakht Shepses, he chimes in "Pharasmins aren't big on grave robbing, as far as I recall, so it makes some sense that he's not too happy about this whole thing..."
Like Seben and Sobekhotep, Indus barely has time to touch the crowbar before the force of Lueck’s mighty heave sends him stumbling back.
There are no handles or hinges on the doors. Through the open doors, you can see into a rectangular chamber with a few engravings and fixtures on the walls and an immense stone wheel against the south wall. The air is stale and the floor is dusty and covered in sand, lying in a thicker layer to the south.
All four walls bear sunk-relief engravings and hieroglyphs, while small stone faces are affixed to the stone walls at about shoulder height in each corner. The stone wheel to the south is engraved with a large spiral and is set in stone tracks in the floor and ceiling.
"Stand back! These places are often filled with traps to deter intruders. We should proceed with caution..."
With that, Indus crouches down and begins to carefully investigate the ground for traps, only moving forward once he is reasonably certain, he won't trigger a trap.
Seben flies into the dirt.
She looks up at the tiny frog-man and his feat of strength with amazement.
"Wow!"
She spits out a mouthful of sand and slowly finds her footing.
Indus’ careful examination reveals no traps. It’s clear that the dusty floor has not been disturbed for decades.
. . . Earlier, when the party was still clearing sand to the tomb. . .
At Seben's remark about Nakht Shepses, he chimes in "Pharasmins aren't big on grave robbing, as far as I recall, so it makes some sense that he's not too happy about this whole thing..."
"Right, hmmmm, then why I wonder, is the crocodile-woman?"
Seben chastises herself for not previously giving any thought to what the true motives behind the lottery might be. And here she is, on the very precipice, and only turning her mind to it now.
Does it really matter? She ultimately says to herself. You'd be doing this regardless.
She glances up at the Sacred Ibis sitting atop the statue. She knows she stopped calling the shots a long time ago.
"Ara-Kasava Xi!" she whispers, whereupon a pale green orb of light radiates outward.
"Well, I've seen people do strange things to obtain priceless artifacts that belongs in a museum and not in some wealthy person's private collection. Maybe it is simply greed. Or do you think there's a deeper motivation?"
"Well, I've seen people do strange things to obtain priceless artifacts that belongs in a museum and not in some wealthy person's private collection. Maybe it is simply greed. Or do you think there's a deeper motivation?"
"I almost hope it is greed," she says. "Greed I can wrap my head around. The politics of religion? I don't think I ever will."
Having checked the floor and sand, Indus moves up to Seben and tries to help her decipher the writing on the walls.
In 4707 AR, the current ruler of Osirion, Khemet III, instituted a radical new policy for the nation, when he began to open Osirion's many ancient tombs to explorers from throughout the Inner Sea region. He understood that foreign adventurers who traveled there would most likely sell any artifacts they found to local markets in order to make an immediate profit, which in turn would provide a valuable boost to the Osirian economy.
Many have questioned why Pharasma’s Osirian churches and temples have chosen to aid and abet what is essentially grave robbery on a national scale. The simple answer is they have not been given much choice, and they’re not happy about it. Osirian tradition dictates that the material trappings of a tomb help to correctly identify a departed soul’s station to Pharasma at the time of its judgment. This belief may not be metaphysically accurate, but it is nevertheless deeply ingrained in Osirian culture.
Yet, from an ecclesiastical perspective, once a soul has been judged, its possessions from its former life play no role in whatever afterlife Pharasma assigns to it. In the eyes of the Ruby Prince, the ancient Osirian dead have already been judged and no longer require their grave goods. In the eyes of the church, however, this “licensed tomb raiding” sets a dangerous precedent and puts Pharasma’s divine judgment
on a mortal timetable.
Wisely deducing that the church of Pharasma was unlikely to directly defy him, Khemet III’s response was to give the church a choice—it could either cooperate with the royal decree in exchange for limited authority over how the tombs are explored, or be overruled and have no say in the matter. Making the best of an untenable situation, the Pharasmins accept the pharaoh’s offer to let them oversee the opening of the tombs and impose rules and guidelines upon explorers for the sake of propriety.
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Ancient Osiriani and the modern Osiriani tongue are two separate, but very closely connected, languages. Ancient Osiriani is the direct precursor to modern Osiriani, differing mainly in its simpler vocabulary and the number and complexity of its hieroglyphs. The change from Ancient Osiriani to modern Osiriani took place gradually, primarily during the Keleshite Interregnum of 1532 to 4609 ar, when Qadiran satraps and Keleshite sultans ruled Osirion.
These foreign rulers deliberately attempted to transform Osirian culture by imposing Keleshite traditions on the people of Osirion, which over time resulted in the loss of much of Osirion’s history and customs, including the Ancient Osiriani language. Although speakers of Ancient Osiriani can make themselves understood in modern Osiriani (albeit with a noticeably archaic accent), the same cannot be said of modern Osiriani speakers communicating in Ancient Osiriani.
In the tombs of Wati’s necropolis (and other ancient Osirian sites), all mentions of “hieroglyphs” refer to the Ancient Osiriani language. Contemporary Osiriani uses much simpler hieroglyphs, and a speaker of modern Osiriani cannot automatically read Ancient Osiriani hieroglyphs.
However, because of the similarities between the two languages, a speaker of modern Osiriani can decipher Ancient Osiriani hieroglyphs with a successful DC 20 Linguistics check. A character who knows neither modern nor Ancient Osiriani must succeed at a DC 30 Linguistics
check to decipher Ancient Osiriani hieroglyphs.
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After about 20 minutes of careful searching, Indus is finally confident that the chamber is completely safe. While he works, the rest of the group do their best to find a bit of shade alongside the small structure.
As Seben's light illuminates the interior of the tomb entrance, it becomes easier to examine the different features. The spiral on the stone wheel is easily recognized as the symbol of Pharasma.
The hieroglyphs on the walls are Ancient Osiriani and with the engravings, they describe the life of the tomb’s enshrined occupant, Akhentepi, a celebrated military commander who presided over the troops garrisoned in Wati prior to the city’s downfall.
The hieroglyphs warn, “Akhentepi’s tomb is well defended, and those who defile it tempt the wrath of the gods.”
An additional warning advises, “The only thing the Lady of Graves despises more than the grave robber is the unsuccessful grave robber,” followed by a final admonishment to “turn back while you can.”
Two of the carved faces depict an ashen-skinned Garundi woman with white eyes.
The other two faces show a stylized jackal head, carved with a human-like expression.
Closer examination of the faces also reveals them to be decorative torch holders, such that when torches are placed within them, a corona of flame surrounds the heads.
The wheel itself has no handholds or hidden features, but looks like it can be pushed to the side with enough muscle-work.
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Sobekhotep points to the carved faces depicting an ashen-skinned Garundi woman with white eyes.
"That is an ancient likeness of Pharasma, the Lady of Graves."
His voice slightly choked with emotion, Sobekhotep then points to the other two depictions, these of a jackal-headed god.
"That is the likeness of Anubis, the Old God of burials and mummification. It is pleasing to see the two of them giving equal respect."
Knowing that none in the party is exceptionally strong, Sobekhotep willingly lends his strength to shifting aside the great wheel.
On a whim, Indus makes a gesture with his hand in front of his eyes.
"Braith duine atá ag teastáil"
The only magic Indus detects is from Seben’s light cantrip.
"There doesn't seem to be any magical auras in this chamber, so let's see if we can move that wheel."
“Uh, oh, looks like dire warnings, guys,” she says. ”Let’s hope it’s just bluster to ward off thieves because it sounds… bad.”
Seben puts down her bow at her feet so she can consult her notes and analyze the pictograms. After cross-referencing them she slowly reads out the hieroglyphs for the Brigade.
The hieroglyphs on the walls are Ancient Osiriani and with the engravings, they describe the life of the tomb’s enshrined occupant, Akhentepi, a celebrated military commander who presided over the troops garrisoned in Wati prior to the city’s downfall.
The hieroglyphs warn, “Akhentepi’s tomb is well defended, and those who defile it tempt the wrath of the gods.”
An additional warning advises, “The only thing the Lady of Graves despises more than the grave robber is the unsuccessful grave robber,” followed by a final admonishment to “turn back while you can.”
Seben is play acting once again. She reads the hieroglyphs as easily as though they were a public Taldan sign-post.
"Hey, there Akhentepi," she whispers. "Knock, knock."
When Seben 'struggles' with reading the hieroglyphics, Indus casts her a curious look and bows his head in apology. "I'm sorry, I forgot not all of us have been reading ancient Osiriani since childhood..."
Seven blushes with embarrassment. She’s uncertain if she’s just been politely called out for deceit or incompetence, and she’s not entirely certain would be worse and which would be better. She tries to cover:
“Uh, yeah, some of these vertical pictographs get pretty subtle, a few have triple or even quadruple meanings dependent on where they are positioned, relative to one another.”
“I’m pretty sure this one here though is a warning to stay away from the tomb, lest we tempt the wrath of the gods.”
She steps back form the wall.
“…Kinda the story of my life, actually. Say, that wheel doesn’t look like it is going to move that easy. We might need Luek.”
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"...lest we tempt the wrath of the whatever from high atop the thing..."
Diorio will keep his crossbow trained and ready for anything that might happen after moving the wheel.
"I'm not really much of an aid for moving heavy things, but I will certainly help keep guard.
Seben nods as Diorio joins her with his sideways crossy bow thing. She tries to hide the shake in her hands, jealous of how confident the other Brigade members are.
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