"Yeah, I got nothing," the dwarf admits. He unshoulders his pack as Mahmoud grapples with it. "Should we burn it?"
Epperson will attempt to light a torch unless someone has a better idea.
Shaking his head, Tribim looks around for the 'scroll.' Seeing Mahmoud struggling with it, Tribim asks, "Mahmoud, you got it?"
Aerith walked over and touched her hand to Mahmoud. In an instant he (and only he) teleported safely away. Appearing approximately fifteen feet away from the grappling monstrosity, she called out ”Attack now while it is isolated.”
Seeing Aerith 'teleport' Mahmoud to safety, Tribim tries his best to do what she says. Drawing his Gladius', he slashes at the paper, first with his right paw, then his left.
Epperson shrugs, moves to the scroll, and swings his heavy flail.
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Mahmoud quickly reorients himself, and shoots Aerith an admiring look, as if to say That is powerful magic! He draws and throws his magical dagger at the scroll from his new position.
You manage to rip the scroll to shreds. Once it's destroyed, you see several items stored in the hidden alcove from whence it emerged.
Potential Loot
tablet of languages lost
Scroll - align weapon
Scroll - halt undead
Scroll - knock
Wand - lesser restoration
In addition, you find a second stone tablet with an inscription carved onto it.
"By Royal Order of Pharaoh Djederet II
... The high priest of our blessed temple shall take this relic to our new city where the asp and crook join and ensure it is never discovered. Treat it with reverence, but conceal it with your most trusted secrets and valuable treasures. Do not attempt its destruction. Do not be tempted by its powers. Let our scandal remain forgotten until this obscenity can be undone ..."
As the scroll scraps fall to the ground, Tribim kicks the bits about with his sandaled foot making sure it was dead. He starts to do a happy dance, but stops, reminding himself to be more serious.
As they investigate, Tribim smiles, helping pack the stuff up, "This stuff should be useful or at least worth a fair amount."
Pulling the second stone tablet out, Tribim reads it aloud and translates with each sentence. Scratching his head, he wonders, "A 'scandal'?" Curious as a cat he adds, "I wonder where this 'asp and crook join' maybe we could figure out what city."
As the conversation wains, "We can gather the libraries collection later." he gestures towards the western door exiting the library, "Shall we see if our fellow graverobbers went that way?"
Returning to the western door, Tribim quickly checks it for traps and locks, then attempts to open it.
”Yes, yes we can do that. But wait a moment.” Aerith said as she walked over to the tablets. ”First, look at this! These were made about two thousand years ago, during the Keleshite Interregnum. This was part of a larger stele that was placed in public. It is a translation key between Ancient Osiriani, Kelish, and contemporary Osiriani. While it is enchanted to translate any written text that the owner wishes, the real benefit of this is in learning languages. I would have killed for this when learning Ancient Orisiani. Before this is sold, this is a golden opportunity for anyone else who wishes to learn the language.” Obviously geeking out, she looked around to see if anyone else was as excited as she was.
Mahmoud watches Aerith impassively, not wanting to stifle her enthusiasm, but his expression faintly supportive at best. I cannot think why I would ever need to speak Ancient Osiriani, he thinks. But it is good that she does. He nods dubiously.
When Tribim moves to the western door, Mahmoud follows.
Epperson's eyes light up with delight at the treasure trove but for differing reasons as he moves to pick up the wand.
"This will come in exceedingly handy for combatting curse effects should they land!" he says, touching the wand of restoration. "I would be very happy to carry this for use as needed given that I am less prone to be affected by curses given my Groetus-derived resistance!"
He then gives the ancient tablet a cursory glance. "It would appear that knowing Ancient Osiriani could be useful as well to read up about curses placed in an ancient tongue."
Grinning from ear to ear Aerith exclaimed ”Oh, this is going to be so much fun! I haven’t had anyone to practice my Ancient Orisani with in so long. Thoth, raiding dungeons is so much fun!” She finished, completely ignoring the other treasure that they had found. Realizing that she was getting abit too excited she quickly pulled herself together. Clearing her throat she added ”That is, after we finish up in here. Of course.”
Chuckling at Aerith's outburst about ancient Orisani, Tribim turns, "I'm learning it as well, anytime you want to practice talking let me know."
He furrows his brow, and points to where the 'scroll' had caused him to start to 'bleed' asking, "Aerith, could you use a wand and heal this?"
Absolutely delighted to hear that Tribm was learning the language, Aerith happily went about using the wand to ensure that the group was ready to push onward.
Smiling at the wand waiving elf, Tribim breaths easier. Once everyone is healed he opens the door.
The door to the next room is locked, but Tribim's able to get it open with a quick bit of work.
D8
This sparsely furnished room contains a bed frame bolted to the floor in the southwest corner next to a lacquered end table. On the opposite side of the room, a wooden desk has partially collapsed against the wall. Doors exit the room to the north, east, and south.
Both the northern and southern doors are locked, but Tribim notices scratch marks indicating they were both recently picked.
Moving into the sparsely furnished room, Tribim quickly checks for anything hidden, starting with the mattress of the bed, then quickly searching the drawers of the collapsed desk and finally checking the lacquered end table. As he searches he looks towards the double doors to the south then turns back towards the northern door. As he moves to the northern door he comments, "Both these doors have been recently picked."
He gestures towards the northern door, assuming it's a closet. "Let's check here before we go back through the temple."
Taking a moment he inspects the door, then begins to pick the lock as well. Once he has it unlocked he opens the door.
Mahmoud follows three steps behind, and keeps watch for trouble while Tribim works on the door.
Epperson hums to himself, then moves to the south door and takes a listen.
He then takes out the tarp used to shield the party from the sun on the day most of them met. Looking at the door, he tries to determine if the door opens into the room or into the next room. If it's the former, he finds a way to tie the long tarp across the door frame, providing at the very least further resistance to opening the door.
At the askance looks from his crew, he murmurs, "Not that it matters in the greater scheme, but I would rather face one room of baddies at a time."
The door opens to reveal a short, narrow corridor that terminates at a stone door.
*click* Halfway down the corridor, Tribim steps on a pressure plate, and a scything blade rapidly descends out of the western wall before automatically retracting back inside.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The door at the end of the end of the hallway is unlocked and untrapped. Opening it reveals an octagonal chamber that is empty save for a large metal chest against the eastern wall. A series of hieroglyphs are inscribed on the wall above it. Stone doors are set in both the northern and southern walls.
"The righteous and the holy have no need of staff, rod, or ring. Place your faith in the Good Magister and walk without fear."
A single set of bloody boot prints leads back the way you came. Epperson and Tribim also notice the tracks of multiple people heading north.
On the other side of the far doors, you find a stone staircase that descends below the ground.
"Yikes!" hearing the pressure plate but jumping too slow to react to the blade, Tribim, turns to the kind elf and asks, "Aerith would you mind healing me again while I disable this trap?"
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Reading the hieroglyphs aloud "The right-standing, and the holy have no need of staff and rod, and ring. Place your mental assessment um, in the great, oops, Good Magister and proceed without being afraid." He turns and looks towards Aerith to see if he got it right.
Turning he looks at the floor. Seeing the bloody boot prints he follows them to the northern door. Opening the door just enough to see the stairs, he gestures that direction, "Whoever is ahead of us went down stairs. Do we follow or clear the rest of the temple first."
As he asks he moves towards the chest, kneeling down beside it he takes a really careful look at it before he touches anything.
Mahmoud frowns. "The trappers want us to leave all of our weapons and magic items here before continuing? I bet they would." The hint of sarcasm is unusual in the normally taciturn man's voice. "But following the prints would seem wise to me."
"The hieroglyphs might just reference the chest and nothing else," Epperson reasons. "As in, don't try to open this chest if you've got magic items on you." The dwarf stares at the chest, trying to determine if it has been opened from a few paces away.
After a thorough examination, Tribim determines that the chest is unlocked and free of traps. It's completely empty.
Hoping Epperson was wrong, Tribim opens the chest. Frowning at the empty chest, Tribim, having a gift for the obvious states. "Empty"
Furrowing his brow as he stands, "I think your right Mahmoud, maybe whoever left the bloody prints took whatever was in the chest. Let's follow them and find out."
Moving quickly back out the hall he heads towards the double door to the south. Quickly checking them for anything suspicious, he quickly opens them.
Mahmoud frowns at the riddle of the empty chest and the hieroglyphic instructions, then shrugs and follows Tribim.
D6
A series of cubicles encircle an open central space here, each separated from the common area by a curtain hanging from a rod over the doorway.
D7
A short hallway connects a shallow, empty pool to the west to two curtained cubicles to the east. A wooden bench is bolted to the floor in a small alcove across from the pool. A set of stone doors marked with hieroglyphs stands to the north. Two corpses have been dragged into the northern cubicle. One is a pile of bare bones kicked unceremoniously out of the way, and the other is a rotting, but still intact, cadaver.
"It is a puzzle what these rooms were used for, but I think we can all agree that restless undead were not the original purpose. That said, I wonder how those we pursued bypassed them."
"Perhaps those we pursue summoned them," Mahmoud suggests in a low, ominous voice.
Having 'put down' the undead, Tribim's curiosity gets the better of him and he starts checking the cadavers and rooms for anything of value. As he searches, he asks, "Couldn't the rooms have been where the priests lived? I know Bastet's temple is like that." He pauses for a moment, not sure if the priests of this god would have provided the other services those of Bastet's did or not.
Hearing Mahmoud point out the undead could have been summoned, he scratches his head. "Do you think any of them are our friend wearing the bloody boots?"
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Mahmoud considers. "The undead we fought were so weak, I thought they might be summoned of desperation. But I do not know much about the art of necromancy. I would think that the bloody footprints are either the summoner or a ruse."
He follows Tribim, staying within thirty feet to be able to attack any creatures he disturbs.
Each of the cubicles holds a bedframe and footlocker that are bolted to the floor. They're dusty, but otherwise in good repair. The bedding, however, has completely rotted away. The cubicle in the center of the chamber is a privy that doesn't appear to have been used to over a millennium.
Upon examining the bones, you find them to be scorched and still warm to the touch.
”Ah-HAH!” Epperson concludes.
As he continues checking the rooms Tribim answers Mahmoud, "That would make sense, but like you, I know little of necromancy." Touching the bones, Tribim looks up, "There still warm."
Moving, south towards the foyer, he adds "We may still catch whoever were following, we can come back and empty the bedside chests later."
Pausing in the hallway off of the foyer, he kneels looking to see if there are any tracks in the narrow area.
Having little to offer when it came to the subject of necromancy, Aerith held herself to the ancient wisdom of it is better to keep silent and be thought a fool, than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt. With that in mind she moved with the group, eager to see exactly who they were chasing.
There are no footprints in the hallway off of the foyer.
Furrowing his brow, Tribim turns to the others, "I find no footprints here. Maybe they didn't exit this way." He gestures towards the cubicles. "Should we search this area, or press on."
Mahmoud says slowly, "I think the stairs are the best bet, if we want to catch whoever has entered the ruin before us-- and presumably sent the bandits to ambush us."
”If they set up snipers to attack us before we came in, do you think they may have tried to set up fake footprints to throw us off their trail?” Epperson reasons. ”Not that it matters at all, but if they are who we think they are, aren’t they keen to recover stuff from here related to Nethys first? Delays would be helpful to them.”
Mahmoud nods again to Epperson's musings. "Maybe they are looking for something in particular," he suggests, thinking of how angry the group seemed to be that they didn't get to choose their loot location.
”We are speculating.” Aerith said. ”Until we find them, they simultaneously are both alive, and impeding us, and are dead, with the guardians of this place impeding us. We will not know for certain. Regardless, all we can do is be on our guard.” With a shrug she said ”Let us continue pushing onward.”
Shaking his head, Tribim isn't sure what to do. Mahmould was right, the tomb raiders were probably looking for something particular and the 'Shadlows' would need to investigate the basement eventually. Wondering if Epperson might be right about trying to throw them off, Tribim sighs. This is why he paused, he just wasn't sure. Not entirely sure what Aerith was talking about with simutaniouslessness Tribim gestures back into he room. "Let's just double check before we move on."
He begins to pull he 'curtains' aside, revealing the interior of all the small rooms. "We can check the trunks later."
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Turning to Mahmoud, "I think your right, we'll end up in the basement. But let's clear the other side of the ground floor if you don't mind."
Moving across the foyer, he heads cautiously up the hall.
"Lead on," the dwarf grunts, hefting his shield and flail.
Mahmoud nods, his expression conveying that he regards it as Tribim's decision and that he is content following where the rogue goes, covering his back whenever possible.
D3
An immense tiled pool, empty and no more than two feet deep, lies beneath a vaulted ceiling covered with images of celestial beings. Four columns stand beyond the pool to the northeast, each carved to represent one of the four primal elements. A ring of hieroglyphs encircles the base of each pillar.
D4
A small shrine occupies a raised dais in the north of this room. Two waist-high fonts stand on either side of the altar, and a small wooden cabinet is bolted against the eastern wall. Two rows of stone benches stand to the south of the dais. A fetid odor permeates the room.
Two humans are in here, both clad in priestly robes. Seeing you, they desperately point at the shrine and plead, "Look what has happened here! Help us!"
D5
The southern area of this large space contains a long stone table, two benches, and two wooden hutches. Just visible behind a partition wall to the north is a kitchen with tables, cabinets, and a stove in the corner. Around a corner to the south stands a stone enclosure with a rounded top and a hatch set in the front.
Quickly moving from room to room, Tribim notices the feted smell wafting from the central area before he sees the two priests. Wrinkling his nose he looks at the two for any familiarity. Meanwhile, keeping his distance from the two, confident that Mahmoud's and Aerith's blades can bring them down at any sign of trouble.
His curiosity getting the better of him, he turns towards the shrine, and answers in ancient Osiriani, "How can we help"
Aerith stood by Tribim, her face radiating excitement at seeing the priests. There was so much that could be learned from them! Leaving aside what happened the last time she had tried...she was fairly confident that this time would be different.
Mahmoud frowns more deeply, unable to understand what the people are saying. He looks sharply at Tribim when the catfolk responds, and decides that they are probably speaking ancient Osiriani. This puzzles him; Why would there be people here speaking in the ancient tongue? He studies them warily, carefully, to try and determine if they are some kind of illusion or magical trap.