GM PC: Donkor Sooron's page

"It's strange then. An entire loop that leads to nowhere? I feel like we've missed something. Though perhaps it's something we're glad to have missed."

Donkor too seems rather nonplussed. "I don't suppose your Master has a helpful piece of wisdom for our predicament?"

Karek examines the pinhole and says "I dink dis is bard of de same song dubes we already used." After a lingering glance around, Karek starts back the way the party came.

-

"He might be right," nods Donkor. "I remember that when we travelled downwards through the pipes as clouds there was a fork in the pipes and we had to pick one way. It makes logical sense that the road not travelled simply lead to here."

"Or this leads to somewhere else entirely - there's just no way to know without trying."

"Everyone needs shoes, I suppose - even ancient Osirions and their pharaohs. . ."

The priest's facial expression, however, makes it clear that he does not believe his own words.

Donkor speaks up from the middle of the pack, the furrow in his brow growing ever deeper.

"At the risk of changing the subject, now that Breach has mentioned it, I had thought I had felt something unusual in the corner of my mind. I had dismissed it as the stress of our situation."

"The more I think on it though, the more I realize it is possible that Shattershield is right--we are being scried upon or watched in some way."

"We might have to take care in what we say. . ."

Initiative for Donkor Sooron: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (20) - 2 = 18

"Either way, the answer requires us to resume our search."

"Gandel, I say we continue to check every nook and cranny until we find what we're looking for--whatever that may be."

"My limited experience is that it is only when one tries to leave a pyramid of the Four Pharaohs that they become truly dangerous. Wouldn't you agree Xaven?"

"Not to beat a dead (but regenerating) Tarasque, but this is a terrible idea. Neversword is not to be trusted."

Then suddenly pensive Donkor adds, "Though I suppose no one is any more."

Donkor helps Lydia as she rises to her feet. The two of them join with Breach.

Double move for Donkor.

“The feeling of Déjà vu has never been stronger." says Donkor shaking his head. "I warn you all again, this did not end well for my former colleagues in the Veinstone pyramid.”

Donkor’s pupils disappear as his eyes become twin pools of white. He stares into space, casting his vision into places beyond the ability of normal mortals.

Donkor takes a move action, following behind Breach, falling within the Mithral Scarab's protective aura. He also uses 1 round of clairvoyance, centering the sensor at the top of the shaft so he can view the room around it on the upper level.

He quickly rattles off his findings:

“Suekahn is there. Two corpses. Four more of Khymrasa’s guardsmen still alive. Two are trying to flee, two stand against him. The giant doors to the chamber with changing scenery, they have been flung open wide.”

Breach looks to the healer with a raised eyebrow. "What are ya carryin' on about, Sooron? What in the blazes do ya mean by, 'In life and death we now share'?"

-

Sooron draws out a dagger. He runs it across his bare forearm, spilling his blood to the ground.

The Pool takes 2 points of damage and Breach feels that as well. Donkor’s next move will be to channel positive energy for the pool though technically he’ll need a few more seconds to do that.

Breach and the rest of the Dune Squad now instinctively understand how the partial pact works, as better detailed above. Though there are a few details that remain mysterious, such as how might it be undone, or how long will it last.

"How is this possible!?" exclaims Sooron in wonderment.

"Can you not feel it? We have become one before the Goddess!"

"In life and death we now share!"

You will have to pardon Donkor, for a pharasman who worships a birth/death goddess, the partial pact is probably a quasi-religious experience.

"So... this chamber protects the Pactstone? If that's the case, then, where is the blasted thing?"

-

His index finger slowly turns and points down towards the vast white floor.
-----
Though we should probably give props to Jace who was actually the first to come up with this theory, be it ever so OCC.

As he watches Hurgah hoist Xaven up with a single giant hand to carry him back the way they came, Donkor expresses a farewell:

"Till we meet again then - and soon I hope."

Then looking at the apparently helpless Xaven he adds, "Remember, he's slippery that one. Don't take your eyes off of him."

"Is it that cowardly dung-heap who likes shooting off lightning bolts in the dark - that Sceptre fellow?"

"Yes."

"I'm not sure I would agree he's not a murderer," says Donkor darkly.

"But if he's not, then his associate Rhokon is."

"He does have a half-orc associate who is quite fond of him," supplies Donkor. "But it would be quite a stretch to say he's anything like the size or strength of the Reaver."

"Is Rhokon here?" he asks.

Gotta look after our pet sub-plots,right?

-

Xerissa turns to Donkor and quietly asks, "I don't suppose he's likely to have any info on Auraraun of the Lost Scroll?"

-

". . . Someone had better give me a very good reason not to tear this one apart before the monks shows up to try and stop me," Hurgah growls, not taking his eyes off the halfling for a moment.

"You won't get it from me, I'm afraid," answers Donkor. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to learn he's still working with Sceptre."

Then more softly, as though to himself, "I'm more surprised to find he's still alive."

"Hardly," replies Donkor coldly.

"He's a mercenary."

Then with some thought he adds: "Useful, and the very best at what he does, but absolutely not to be trusted."

And that's probably waaaay too much discussion before some of our PCs want to jump in. . .

"Crypt-Hugger!" Donkor mutters under his breath, the recognition plain on his face.

He reveals the halfling's name to the Dune Squad: "Xaven Neversword," and then addresses the halfing. "How on earth did you get here?"

"Third level down, then?" muses Donkor. "When I was in the Veinstone Pyramid, the third level down proved to be the bottom. It was there that we met the most fierce of the pyramid's guardians. . ."

Ever influenced by his death goddess, he let's the ominous thought hang in the air.

Donkor rushes back from the bas relief of the firefly, trying to catch everyone's attention to alert them to Karek's disappearance and possible transformation.

"Wait, wait!" he calls.

"Moonpate! You've got to call your elemental off! I think Karek's in the shaft!"

"Hold a second there Karek - I don't know if that's a very good--"

Just to assist Kenneth, Donkor actually did do that and shared his findings less than a minute ago. However, since it was almost a month ago in real time, and so much has happened in those intervening seconds, I wouldn't be surprised that it has been forgotten. Mr. Monotony had dropped off and Kenneth was at Gen Con at the time, I think. Fortunately, we still have this:

The Return of the Eye

Technically, I probably should have first asked you to describe where the sensor actually goes, in case you planned to place it in the center of a wall or solid region, but I think I have the gist of what you are trying to do—put it on what you believe is the other side of the wall.

Donkor places The Eye of Sooron beyond the barrier of strangely compacted sand and peers into it to see what he can see. For 1 round - six seconds

The Eye of Sooron:

Inside is a small square chamber . The room is unoccupied. The chamber itself is rather unimpressive, lacking murals, hieroglyphics, or other décor. Inside is a squat wooden table surrounded by four modest but comfortable chairs. A ceramic Osirion tea set sits on the table, the cups empty.

There are no entrances or exits to this chamber (other than the small doorway blockaded by the wall of sand).

Based on Donkor’s snapshot, it is difficult to see what all the fuss over this room could be. There is no sign of danger or treasure.

Is it really a spoiler when Donkor has consistently always reported his findings? I would be fine if everyone looked at this one.

Donkor calls back to Hurgah: "I didn't see anything that would help, just simple furniture, but I hear what you are saying. Perhaps there is more to the room than it appears."

"Well, I wonder what's going on with these tiles?" asks Donkor. "The don't appear to be trapped--or magical. Perhaps they conceal something underneath?"

Donkor shakes his head.

"There is no mistake. Pharasma has shown what is beyond."

""The news," says Sooron looking rather grim, "is not very good I am afraid."

OOC: Go ahead and read the two spoiler tags I left for Donkor (Feb 22 & 24). He shares this information as best he can.

A harbinger of death, the Pharasman has years of experience in breaking bad news. He decides to let the two dwarves know gently.

Honestly, I never favor chances with weaponless damage. If we rushed in, the guards would see us coming with ill intent and likely get off at least one shout, even if everybody manages to take their target in one hit. With nobody else in the vicinity, though, and these looking like random guards, bluffing seems like it might work. Alternately, do we think Donkor could take them down with a channeled negative energy?

-

OOC: Mr. Montony could tell you Donkor does an average of 14 points of damage with a single negative channel, so it all depends on the guards’ hit points and his die luck. He can definitely get them all in a single channel.

He would probably also support a Bluff. He also has his calm emotions spell re-prepared in case things go awry as another option, but is uncertain if it would stop the guard’s from raising the alarm.

“Donkor Sooron, Slave Master”
-----
Donkor tries for a slightly different tact. Having already secreted his armor away in his pack, he inverts the lower half of his clerical vestments to conceal the various symbols of Pharasma embroidered within. He removes his top and turns his cape into something vaguely like a sash. Unlike most of the Dune Squad, Donkor’s skin has the look of the locals and he lacks the red blotches of burn that can so quickly expose a foreigner. He retains all of his jewellery, including the big honking ring of star tribe jewellery and his over-sized amulet. Using his acting skill he practices waltzing around like he owns the place, and in particular begins barking a few practice orders to those dressed in slave garb.

He then walks over to Gandel and says, “You There – you boy. You’d best hand me back my whip before I decide to practice my skills on your hide.”

“I’d appreciate the loaner,” he whispers, “I’ll pass it back as soon as we’re there.”

“And you! Bearded old man who does not seem to know how to wash,” he says gesturing to Halstadt. “I thought I told you, you were to carry my pack. See to it that it doesn’t touch the ground again.”

Looks like Mr. Monotony may not have reception after all. Perhaps I can step in. . .

"Donkor what happened to you out there?

"I had an unfortunate run in with an old 'colleague' of mine named Sceptre, an assassin who was, if you can believe it, on the hunt for Hurgah and Professor Hoffenburrow. I don't know why."

"He's still out there having co-opted a couple of those Asmodean monks to his cause and they may well be the reason why the Ambush team hasn't shown. Believe me, things just got even more complicated."

". . . And how did you find Xerissa or how did she find you?"

"Xerissa found me, thanks to some timely scrying provided by our Venture Captain--glad he finally decided to help out! She's a Pathfinder agent, so hopefully she knows what she's doing."

"How did you find the Scarab? Is she the agent on the inside Krenshar promised us?"