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The trip to the Osirian capital city from Absalom was as uneventful as could be expected. Expecting a lack of familiarity with Sothis, the party was provided with a map; this served to be quite useful in navigating the hot, dusty, and crowded streets.
The shaded gardens outside the Sandswept Hall provide a welcome respite from the sweltering midday sun. Venture-Captain Norden Balentiir invites you up to a walkway along the garden, high enough that the tops of the date palms are at human shoulder level. He reaches over to one, pulling down a bunch of ripe fruit to share with the party at a table. “They’re good for much more than shade, my friends. But I did not call you here to enjoy my garden. A few months ago, I finally received confirmation that we would be able to execute one of the last excavation permits issued by the Osiriani government. The site is a desert location where the dunes have shifted, revealing the beginnings of a staircase leading down beneath the sands.
“The Osiriani government is protective of its cultural history, and with recent changes in their stance on allowing foreign archaeologists to work inside their borders, I wasn’t sure this permit would even stand. The bureaucracy was rather slow this time around, but it turns out we were approved before they stopped issuing permits. I’ve already secured your provisions, including camels, tents, food, water, tools to perform the excavation, and a map to the site. As you know, it may take many weeks to clear the site of debris. The desert can be unforgiving, so don’t hesitate to return here to rest as needed.
“The government has already sent guards to oversee the site and protect against any potential thieves. Remember—keeping up a good reputation in Osirion is vital to the Pathfinder Society’s continued presence here. Don’t antagonize the guards.”
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"Hello," says a small leshy that looks more like a lotus flower with a face, than a person, "I'm High!"
And, it rather looks like the leshy is high. Looking at it, you can see the bloodshot eyes and sort-of vacant stare. "I've got some really good herbs here. And, I can share."
It goes rumbling around in its backpack, and you notice a nice longbow slung across its back, that is covered in what must pass for leather armor.
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Another plant creature bows. "Vanizadi. I can share some fruit. The fruit I create is magical and infused with vitality, so it has healing power."
The mass of twisting roots and limbs grows in geometric patterns and encases an orb containing something that looks like the starry night sky. He also wears leather armor and a backpack, and has a set of healer's tools slung over a longer limb that serves as an arm. There's also a mace hanging from it, though it looks brand new.
"I have joined the Society to explore the world and see many new and strange places. This place is very new and strange to me. My plants may not grow well here, but fortunately my magic does not require them to grow naturally. They reach through me from the Plane of Wood. Though maybe I can incorporate more cacti."
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A tallish tengu enters the gardens, dressed in comfortable clothing and sporting a sword on his belt. Concentrating briefly, a pink, yes, pink creature materializes beside him.
"We really ought to try to change your color" he whispers to the construct. His companion is a short rotund bird with short stubby wings that don't appear to be capable of flight.
"Greetings, fellow Pathfinders!" he says with what sounds like a short cackling laugh, "I am Chuckles and my companion here is called Cupcake"
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The only mark that Sar is half-elven, are his pointy ears. Otherwise, he looks like a muscular human with long black hair. He wears thick hide armor with the bear skin fur still attached at the areas of the neck and arms. He sports a bastard sword on his side, and a large steel shield on his back. A spare buckler is attached to his belt. He wears a holy symbol of Ragathiel, General of Vengeance, as a necklace on his chest.
"Well-met Pathfinders Atlach, Vanizadi, Chuckles, High and Cupcake! It is a pleasure to work with you all. I am Sar Damalion. Good day to you too Venture Captain Norden Balentiir! Are there any guesses as to what we may find at the bottom of those stairs?"
Norden smiles, rubbing his hands together. "The shifting winds revealed only the top. What lies below remains a mystery. Ah, I envy you the opportunity to see it for yourselves. Alas, I have my responsibilities here."
"The site was uncovered less than a year ago. I believe that the authorities sent the guards shortly after the first report reached Sothis." He smiles thinly. "The Ruby Prince takes unauthorized looting very seriously, especially after the Cult of the Forgotten Pharaoh used ancient artifacts to revive the Sky Pharaoh and nearly conquer Osirion."
The party sets out forthwith, well-equipped with the gear that Venture-Captain Balentiir provided. It soon becomes clear that traveling during the hottest part of the day is contraindicated...the debilitation caused by the heat could be lethal. As far as you know there's no reason to hurry, though.
After a few days' ride, you reach the location marked on your map. Where you expected to see a small stone building and an encampment, though, there's...well, the encampment is there: a couple of tents and three shade flies, one of which has four camels resting under it. However, the area around the head of the stairs has been completely excavated. A canvas fence is staked down around the entrance to keep sand from blowing back in and covering the ruin. As you ride closer, an Osiriani woman in armor rouses from a nap in the shade and waves. "Hail! Are you more Pathfinders?"
She shakes her head at Chuckles' comment. "The head Pathfinder--Durvin Kline--showed up just over a month ago, had a team do all the clearance, and they left after the job was done. That was about a week ago. I don't know how he'll react, you getting here after the hard work is finished."
When Atlach hands over the authorization, though, her tone changes. "This is in order. So was his, though. You'd better figure out what happened, because it sounds like you Pathfinders don't know what you're doing."
"He's down below now. Your documents are in order, so you can go in if you like." She shrugs. "Or you could wait up here. All the same to me."
You descend the stairs into the ruin. It's in surprisingly good condition, doubtless preserved by its long burial beneath the sands.
The stairs end at a once-grand entryway. Several of the pillars along the walls have collapsed. Human-sized scarab beetle statues occupy niches in the walls. There's a closed door in the south wall, a narrow hallway leads north from the room, and a broad hallway leads west. The only light in the room is what filters down from above , and flickering firelight emanating from the broad hallway.
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"Hm."
Wood grows over and around Vanizadi, hard bark covering most of his body like armor, and taking the form of a shield on his arm. Roots grow out from him along the ground in geometric patterns, but whither to nothing as he moves away, consistently spreading about 10 feet away from him. Within this area, small flowers occasionally blossom in the air, though also whither away to nothing before they've drifted to the ground. This with allergies to plants or pollen might find it a little unpleasant to be too close to him.
He moves up to wherever nobody else wants to be, hanging back if enough others want to take the lead but staying near Sar if nobody else does.
"Do not be concerned. These roots won't damage the architecture. Unless I need them to for some reason. They will constantly grow, but no single plant persists long."
Sar was able to see partway down the hall to the north .
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"Hm."
Wood grows over and around Vanizadi, hard bark covering most of his body like armor, and taking the form of a shield on his arm. Roots grow out from him along the ground in geometric patterns, but whither to nothing as he moves away, consistently spreading about 10 feet away from him. Within this area, small flowers occasionally blossom in the air, though also whither away to nothing before they've drifted to the ground. This with allergies to plants or pollen might find it a little unpleasant to be too close to him.
He moves up to wherever nobody else wants to be, hanging back if enough others want to take the lead but staying near Sar if nobody else does.
"Do not be concerned. These roots won't damage the architecture. Unless I need them to for some reason. They will constantly grow, but no single plant persists long."
You create an orb of light that sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius (and dim light for the next 20 feet) in a color you choose. If you create the light in the same space as a willing creature, you can attach the light to the creature, causing it to float near that creature as it moves. You can Sustain the spell to move the light up to 60 feet; you can attach or detach it from a creature as part of this movement.
The hallway turns west after about 25 feet, going past a door to the east. After it turns west, there's a door partway down on the north wall.
The hinges grind a bit from the dust and sand still adhering to them, but Vanizadi is still easily able to push the door open. The chamber on the other side is dimly lit by a pair of braziers, one in each of the far corners. The floor is carved with an image of a humanoid figure crowned with a pshent and leading an army of skeletal creatures against a great city.
Behind the crowned humanoid are several similar figures leading smaller armies of undead. However, their faces have been chiseled away, and Osiriani writing has been engraved across their bodies.