drsparnum's page

Name: Sahmdi and Anani
Race: Both Human
Classes/Levels: Cleric Thoth (16), Oracle Wind (16), respectively
Adventure: Pyramid of the Sky Pharaoh
Location: The Inner Sanctum
Catalyst: Dominate Person

I have 7 PCs so I boosted the battle with Queen Neferuset + 3 neshmaals to add an illithilich and an additional neshmaal. Each neshmaal gets 1 dominate person/day, and I was having one neshmaal per round attempt a dominate person on the party fighter, Sayyid (a mobile fighter). On the final attempt, Sayyid succumbed to the dominate.

Sayyid was right next to the two divine casters and went for them first. In the first round he killed Sahmdi (despite a breath of life from Anani) and in the second round he killed Anani.

Sayyid was eventually knocked out by the remaining PCs. The party was in a tough spot deep in the pyramid (I made it especially hard to get out of the pyramid to make it more dramatic) and both primary divine casters dead. It looked like it was going to come down to a use magic device check on a scroll of Resurrection from the party rogue but then one of the players found an elixir of life. Sahmdi received the elixir of life and then she brought Anani back.

Pyramid of the Sky Pharaoh
• April 3: The Iron Scarab complete their bargain with Tef-Naju and Tef-Naju shares what he knows of Hakotep. Mac and Qualmi plan an invisible, flying scouting mission. The Pyramid of the Sky Pharaoh is partially buried in the sand after hitting the ground but nevertheless stands 500 feet high. The diagonal length of a face is 760 feet, ascending at a steep 53 degrees. Ultimately the Iron Scarab find balconies outside the pyramid on each of the 4 sides: the southern side has a balcony at ground level. Each of the other sides has stairs that ascend to different heights with the shortest stair on the west and the longest stair on the east. The whole pyramid pulses with occasional arcs of electricity and hundreds of 2-meter-long iron rods protrude from the pyramid where the electricity is most intense. During the scouting mission the two are attacked by a pair of colossal flying scorpion constructs who wink into existence in the air near the pyramid and strike. Qualmi and Mac are each grabbed in a separate scorpions tight claw. Mac uses his travel domain power to get Mac and Qualmi into the air above the scorpions and sighs, “Desna smiles” expecting a dimension door, teleport, or getaway spell from Qualmi. However, a scorpion hits Qualmi has he casts the spell and the spell is disrupted. Mac sighs, “Desna weeps.” Through the telepathic bond Mac calls for help from Lady Rhian and Sahmdi, who still wait at the edge of the Slave Trenches. The ladies race towards the pyramid through shadow walk. Before the ladies arrive, the scorpions finish off Mac and Qualmi who plummet dead into the desert south of the Pyramid of the Sky Pharaoh. Lady Rhian spots the dead bodies of Mac and Qualmi in the desert and no sign of the scorpions. Lady Rhian and Sahmdi return to the slave trenches to plan how to recover the bodies.
• April 4: Sahdmi uses powerful magics including ethereal jaunt and repulsion to quickly get the bodies of Mac and Qualmi. Just as Sahmdi exits the ethereal plan the scorpions move to attack but Sahmdi touches the bodies of both Mac and Qualmi and magics back to the trenches. Sahmdi then resurrects Qualmi.
• April 5: Sahmdi resurrects Mac.
• April 6: Iron Scarab return to the Pyramid as a group and dispatch the two scorpion constructs. Qualmi solves the riddle at the southern water door. Ain-Mekh, Herald of Hakotep, appears at the capstone of the Pyramid to a chorus of trumpets. She introduces Hakotep and the joy all of Osirion should feel as the true ruler has returned. The Iron Scarab say they want to destroy Hakotep and she responds that, “to meet He who wields the Crook and Flail of Kings, you must…Walk on the Wind, Breathe in the Water, Swim through the Soil, and Dance in the Fire.” Ain-Mekh then disappears. Qualmi solves the riddle of the southern door and opens the Crypt of Water. The Iron Scarab dawdle a bit outside of the Pyramid, but occasional arcs of electricity off the side of the pyramid encourage the adventures to go inside. Inside the Iron Scarab encounter 3 Ferrymen (Thanadaemons) who demand a toll. When the Iron Scarab to not learn the meaning of toll they attack and kill the ferrymen. SESSION END.
• April 6: The Iron Scarab continues exploration of the Water Crypt and comes to a room with an icy trapped pyramid. Snrub disarms the magical trap and Mac melts the ice with his flaming weapon. Snrub spots a coffin hidden on the bottom of the icy water and Anani then uses summoned water elementals to lift a hidden coffin from under the ice water and Snrub opens the coffin to find treasure on the mummy of Khessem. What team work! The Iron Scarab then come to a large room with the statue of a woman holding a crown and multiple individual pools of water. On the bottom of the pools of water the Iron Scarab see the corpses of women wrapped tightly in white linen. While Mac and Snrub recover the corpses, Anani uses stone shape to remove the crown. Removal of the crown triggers the banshee spririt of Nailah and her 6 handmaiden phantasms to come to life. The battle starts off on a bad footing as multiple members of the Iron Scarab are seriously injured, knocked unconscious, or killed by Nailah’s wail. Sahmdi gets off a critical breath of life spell to return Anani to the realm of the living and Lady Rhian holds off the banshee while the rest of the Iron Scarab recover. The team ultimately triumphs with no permanent deaths, but the party decides to rest for the day.
• April 7: The Iron Scarab rise to a sending from Ptemenib that another pyramid looms over Wati demanding the surrender of the Iron Scarab, and it fired its miasma upon the city likely killing dozens. Snrub response that Ptemenib should bluff that the Iron Scarab will surrender at the Pyramid of the Sky Pharaoh. Ptemenib encourages the Iron Scarab to continue their efforts against Hakotep, but quickly, but carefully. The Iron Scarab complete exploration of the Water Crypt by aligning the movable statues and opening the passage to the Sapphire Pyramid. Snrub scouts this room ahead of the Iron Scarab and finds a resting ghawwas div, Keshenepek. Snrub also detects illusions in the chamber and poison traps which he disarms without alerting the div. The Iron Scarab then attack. Keshenpek proves one of the toughest opponents the Iron Scarab have faced but Mac, Lady Rhian and Snrub surround him and take him down. Critically, Snrub’s tangle of blades prevent Keshenpek from descending under the water and into additional traps that line the southern side of the room. Snrub then disables the control pyramid. This also deactivates the power link between the Sapphire pyramid and four flying pyramids which according to the scrivener’s wall in the room were bound for Totra. Totra is the second largest port in Osirion after Sothis and sits on the inner sea. Knowing Wati is under attack, the Iron Scarab head immediately to the Fire Crypt who’s entrance lies on the north side of the Sky Pharaoh’s Pyramid, as they believe this crypt’s pyramid powers the pyramid over Wati. Snrub disables the trapped stone block blocking the entrance to the Fire Crypt. The Iron Scarab then head south and come to the Isle of Fire chamber. In this chamber the Iron Scarab battle 6 tophets, shaped to appear as mockery’s of ra. Freedom of Movement spells prove useful once again as they prevent the tophets from grabbing the Iron Scarab and diving into the lava. In a lengthy, but under control, battle, the Iron Scarab defeat the tophets. The Iron Scarab head west to a room with a square pool of lava in the center and a painting of a recumbent jackal on the floor. Additional paintings in the north and south sides of the room show large, extended hands holding workers. The room also includes black stone statues with jackal heads and holding staves topped with cobra heads standing at attention. Most curiously, at the foot of each statue lay an emaciated human clad only in a loincloth and head cloth. Burns and lash marks scar the humans flesh and the humans were manacled at the left ankle. The humans stir to life when the Iron scarab enter the room requesting “water” or help finding lost children or for the mercy of death. The Iron Scarab free a handful when the haunting pleas begin to drive some members of the Iron Scarab insane. Sahmdi and the Iron scarab eventually overcome the haunt and remove the insanity effect.
• April 7 (continued): Exploration continues when the Iron Scarab explore the Crypt of the Sky Pharaoh’s King and discover a gilded sarcophagus atop a stone platform. The adventurers find a cartouche naming the occupant Inhetef, one of Hakotep’s most trusted assassins. The Iron Scarab also a staff of the hooded cobra hidden in the sarcophagus. Snrub then leads the Iron Scarab through a series of rooms with increasingly potent traps, but he safely disarms each. The Iron Scarab then come to the Shrine of Offerings, a complicated room filled with hieroglyphs and statues, which Snrub overcomes by simply moving flowers between a pair of bowls. The Iron Scarab then safely cross a lava pool when Snrub observes an invisible wall with a 6 inch gap under it and Snrub swims under the gap through the lava to open the passage for everyone. Snrub and Mac discover a secret door on the other side of the invisible wall. The Iron Scarab then come to a red block with arrow-shaped handholds which, with great struggle, Sayyid pushes partway into the ground. This opens a passageway partly into the next room and as Sayyid works on the block Snrub climbs over. He does not hear anything but he does hear spellcasting so he retreats down the hall. The Iron Scarab prepare for battle as do the enemies on the other side. This leads to a large battle between the Iron Scarab and the nosferatu inquisitor Inhetef plus the nosferatu’s 3 baykok minions. Lady Rhian spiderclimbed after one of the baykok’s but was paralyzed by a baykok arrow momentarily. Mac flew to engage the flying Baykoks. Snrub and Sayyid leaped over a small trench of lava to close on Inhetef. Inhetef completed his battle preparations just before Snrub closed on him and Snrub entangled Inhetef in his blades. Inhetef then unloaded with his vicious battleax on Snrub, but to little avail as Snrub blinked away from most of it. Next Sayyid closed on Inhetef placing Inhetef in a precarious flank between the Iron Scarab’s fighter and its rogue. Inhetef called down one of the baykoks to give him a flank on Sayyid. Next Inhetef unloaded with his vicious battleax on Sayyid who linked Snrub’s blinking ability. The attack was incredible but not enough to fell Sayyid who returned the favor by knocking Inhetef out of the fight and forcing the nosferatu to flee as a swarm of bats. Snrub then flew up and turned his attention to the baykoks which Snrub and Mac handled with phenomenal teamwork. After the fight Lady Rhian provided some much needed patching up. Snrub disabled the control pyramid connected to the squad of pyramids attacking Wati, An and Tephu. Next the Iron Scarab returned to Inhetef’s sarcophagus and Mac led the team through the ritual to destroy the nosferatu for good. It was now 11:30 AM, a long day by the Iron Scarab’s standards, and the adventurers returned to the Slave Trenches for some needed rest.
• April 8: Shortly after rising on April 8, Snrub received a sending update from Ptemenib. Pteminib let the adventurers know that the Voices of the Sun were hunting refugees fleeing Wati as a flying pyramid continued to harass the city, but yesterday, in the late morning, that pyramid crashed to the earth. He also let the adventurers know they had reports that An and Tephu were attacked by similar pyramids. The Iron Scarab next headed for the earth crypt. Mac decichered the chant needed to enter the crypt but, suffering shocks of electricity from the Sky Pharaoh’s pyramid’s surface, Mac placed electricity resistance on most of the team during the chanting. Mac then spotted hidden clues and led a second chant in the foyer which caused a block to safely dissolve and Mac and Snrub saw a secret door under the sand. This trap door opened a tunnel heading east to another trap door going up. This trap door led to a room with 4 new passages all sealed by a red, gelatin like substance. The Iron Scarab read some complex hieroglyphs and based on clues decided to use Sayyid’s corrosive sword on the jello, which succeeded. This opened a passageway to the west. While traveling west the Iron Scarab had a feeling of déjà vu which Mac recognized as a temporal effect and suspected the adventurer’s went back in time. The next room had the slave artisans working on decorating Hakotep’s pyramid. During this conversation an arrogant pit-fiend bound magus and his barbed devil lackeys entered the room. Mac intimidated the tough-talking magus and Sayyid and Snrub then made short work of him. The barbed devils proved tougher. The whole team contributed to their defeat but (other than Mac who safely wielded a reach weapon) got cut up badly by the devil’s barbs. Lady Rhian fixed everyone. The next chamber was an ancient gladiatorial arena. The Iron Scarab attempted to sneak up on the ring leaders ignoring a pair of workers who were swiftly killed by a bone golem. The ring-leader, Mentu-Nebef and his wife Betebre than dared the Iron Scarab to best the challenges of the pit. The Iron Scarab quickly defeated the bone golem. Then Betebre brought forth a pair of brass golems. These proved a more difficult challenge, but the Iron Scarab succeeded. Reluctantly, Mentu-Nebef surrendered the cartouche of distinctive warding and the Iron Scarab returned to present day. Snrub found a new passage opened under the gelatin room and the Iron Scarab plunged deeper into the Earth Crypt. Lady Rhian healed the team. Next, the Iron Scarab found a healing chamber, a chamber with a warding ushabti which the team put to good use to avoid the trap of the Rearing Cobra. Snrub then deciphered the trap in the Chamber of Obeisance. Finally, Snrub scouted the topaz pyramid and found an old woman in robes, but Snrub recognized it as a disguise as the woman had tentacles under her skirt. Snrub led the Iron Scarab back a short ways to cast preparatory magic. After significant preparation the Iron Scarab returned and Snrub led the charge with a back-stab on the old woman who was actually a handmaiden devil sorcerer. The woman, Eshen Theba, had similarly prepared and was joined by a brass golem and 3 eyrines. Sayyid and Snrub flanked Eshen Theba but she was tough to hit. However, her efforts to entangle the fighter and rogue in her tentacles failed due to freedom of movement. The brass golem dealt significant damage to Sayyid and Lady Rhian moved to the room’s center to keep Sayyid safe. However, Mac proved the most impressive with his substantial battle preparations. He entered last, enlarged and wielding an enlarged bardiche. He stabbed flying eyrines and placed the killing blow on Eshen Theba. The team then turned to the brass golem, who dealt more damage than the handmaiden devil and destroyed it. The eyrines still buzzed about but soon winked out when the summoning expired. The Iron Scarab then turned their attention to the topaz control pyramid that was connected to the pyramids attacking Ipeq. This pyramid proved more difficult than the other pyramids but ultimately Snrub disabled it. The Iron Scarab then headed to the Slave Trenches to rest before taking on what they believed is the final crypt, the air crypt.
• April 9: Iron Scarab receives a sending from Ptemenib that he has word from Ipeq, Sothis and Totra they are under attack. He reports the pyramids attacking Wati, Ann and Tephu have crashed. Qualmi conducts a ritual to summon the planar ally Glimmerfang, a coutal. Iron Scarab enter the Air Crypt and overcome a cloudy, poisoned corridor when Glimmerfang turns the party into gaseous form. In the Hall of Winged Chaos the Iron Scarab set off a trap trigger an attack by 3 tainted chaos beasts. The chaos beasts create corporeal instability in Qualmi and Glimmerfang. Mac leads the Iron Scarab to defeat the chaos beasts and Qualmi bounced back from the corporeal instability quickly; after a long and harrowing effort Glimmerfang also overcomes the effect. Next the Iron Scarab enter a huge windswept shaft and fly up near the top. This triggers an attack by a pair of cloud guardians – 2 advanced fiendish thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds deal substantial damage through smites, not on Lady Rhian, but on Mac. Of course, due to sacred bond these attacks harmed Lady Rhian too. Ultimately Lady Rhian and Mac each slay a thunderbird sending it tumbling down to the bottom of the shaft. The Iron Scarab discover a block with a Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh shaped indentation, but the party waits and flies down to explore the rest of the shaft. The Iron Scarab come to the balcony of wasps and after triggering an attack by hellwasp swarms the adventurers fly back into the windy shaft where the swarms do not pursue. The Iron Scarab fly further down the shaft and set off a trap that dispels the fly spells from both Mac and Lady Rhian, but Qualmi saves the day with 2 feather fall spells. The Iron Scarab land on the bottom of the windswept shaft and explore the bottom. It is decorated with stylized images of owls. In the center of the shaft is an iron disk 20 feet across adorned with 4 large hieroglyphs matching the symbols on the blocks barring the entrance to each crypt. The Iron Scarab climb back up the shaft to explore a balcony they saw while feather falling down. The Iron Scarab land on the Ibis Balcony and find a statue of Thoth god of wisdom holding an Ankh. Qualmi realizes they are likely near the resting place of Hakmothes, Hakotep’s scholarly son. In the corridor beyond the Iron Scarab expore the Hall of the Ibis Prince where they find the silver funerary mask of Hakmothes, in the same shape as the Mask of the Forgotten Pharoah. Mac builds a sympathetic affection for this kid who died 6,000 years ago and dubs him, “Shorty.” The Iron Scarab fly back up to the balcony and use this mask to open the block. Next the Iron Scarab enter the emerald pyramid and encounter the mummified androsphinx cleric of Set, Shendakut. The sphinx offers to give the Iron Scarab 10 minutes with the pyramid if they answer its riddle and the Iron Scarab agrees. The riddle describes a camel race, and although the Iron Scarab give an answer on the right track it is not quite right and the sphinx and his elder lightning elemental companion attack. Qualmi uses maze on the sphinx to divide the enemies while the Iron Scarab defeat the elemental and then prepare for the sphinx’s return. Shendakut solves the riddle Qualmi posed him through the maze spell but it is too late – Mac is ready. He quickly slices up Shendakut (dealing well over 250 hp of damage in a round) and with the riddling sphinx’s head rolling on the floor says, “I said no camels.” Glimmerfang then uses her knowledge of magical devices to reprogram the control pyramid, which presumably sends the pyramids attacking Sothis to the ground and gains the Iron Scarab the final elemental blessing, the blessing of air. The Iron Scarab exit the Air Crypt again using gaseous form, although short on spells Mac just has to plunge through the corridor quickly on his own. Fortunately he resists the effects of the nightmare vapor.
• April 10: The Iron Scarab feel that once they use the blessings to enter the inner sanctum it will be almost impossible to exit, and so the party teleports back to Absalom to gear up for the final push. The Iron Scarab then re-enter the air crypt and dispatch the hellwasp swarms using flame strike and cone of cold spells. They then explore the chamber beyond, the deathbed of the Netheshuun and set off a heightened boneshatter trap. The Iron Scarab recover modest treasure. Finally, the Iron Scarab head to the bottom of the shaft. As they approach the gates with the four blessings the portal opens revealing a descending shaft filled with a roiling storm. The blessing protects the members of the Iron Scarab but not Glimmerfang who did not attain all the blessings. Mac and Lady Rhian descend the shaft and when Mac lets Qualmi know the distance through telepathic bond, the necromancer uses dimension door to get Glimmerfang through the shaft as Lady Rhian and Mac keep it open. First, the Iron Scarab arrive in the Grand Aeromantic Hall, a huge hall filled with 8 tower-like structures of glass and metal with a hall to the east and a passage blocked by a stone block to the west. One of these towers is clearly broken and pinkish smoke rises from the pit that holds the tower. Presumably this tower was hit when the Iron Scarab fired the Khepsutanem at Hakotep’s pyramid. In this room the Iron Scarab encounter the ancient spirit of Dr. Sparnum, a Shory engineer. Dr. Sparnum confirms that the smoking generator is done for, and the pyramid will not fly on just 7. He also lets the Iron Scarab know that Ain-Mekh has the key to open the way west, but she lives to the east. He also tells the Iron Scarab to beware her, athough Dr. Sparnum does not know what she is, he’s sure she’s not a proper lady. The Iron Scarab discover the corridor to the east splits, but both passages are blocked by stone blocks. The Iron Scarab first explore the north end of this split and come to the Soldiers of the Sky Pharaoh. Qualmi uses his necromancer intuition to put together the clues he finds in this room. It seems this room held the mummies of the 31 Akhumen soldier most loyal to Hakotep. The plan was to bring them back when the Sky Pharaoh returned but the 3 priests in charge of the ritual only restored 4 successfully. For this performance, Ain-Mekh killed these priests and hung them upside down in the chamber. The Iron Scarab then headed to the south end and found the chamber with Ain-Mekh and 4 mummified Akhumen. The Iron Scarab spring into action with Lady Rhian charging forward and smiting one of the Akhumen with a single holy sword slice. Ain-Mekh tears off the human skin and reveals herself as an ecorche undead. Qualmi places her into a hungry pit while Mac and Lady Rhian clean up the Akhumen. Ain-Mekh lets out noises of pleasure while in the pit, so with the Akhumen defeated Qualmi decides enough is enough and dispels the hungry pit. The Iron Scarab finish off Ain-Mekh and obtain her pectoral, which opens the block to the west. Next the Iron Scarab explore a hallway and Qualmi knows the paintings on the floor signal hidden crypts. This prompts a search of a series of hidden crypts rich in treasure. In one crypt Mac sets off a trap and falls into green slime, but he quickly gets it off with an alchemist fire. The Iron Scarab find a spot where one of the crypts is missing with no symbol and they search here. This reveals the column of souls, a chamber with a teleportation circle. Before plunging through the Iron Scarab decide to rest in a Magnificent Mansion.
• April 11: An ambush awaits the Iron Scarab outside of the mansion, 2 Set Guardians. The Iron Scarab kill these guardians, keyed to acid with topaz eyes, but the guardians get in their licks on the Iron Scarab. The Iron Scarab then plunge through the teleportation circle and arrive at a room with vultures. Here they discover the teleportation circles are designed to allow 1-way teleportation for living creatures, but 2-way teleportation for non-living things. The room is covered in blood and Lady Rhian realizes the blood is fresh. Mac realizes there are tracks and footprints of bizarre creatures heading north. The Iron Scarab head down the corridor and come to the Temple of Set. Here the Iron Scarab battle 3 more Set Guardians, these keyed to fire. Mac leads the charge in destroying the constructs. The room has a copper taste in the air and Mac tracks the blood to a wall in the northeast where he discovers a secret door.
• April 11: The Iron Scarab continued exploration of the Inner Sanctum of the Pyramid of the Sky Pharaoh through the secret door. The party first came upon a room with archaic summoning circles and human bones that Mac and Lady Rhian identified as the burns of a plasma ooze. The next chamber contained symbols related to the Dark Tapestry. In this chamber the Iron Scarab faced off against a dark plasma ooze, 3 roiling oil, an intellect devourer and a cerebelith. A key use of blade barrier divided the battle and wounded the roiling oils. Mac sliced the ooze in half creating two oozes but he also dealt significant damage to the ooze(s). Sahmdi and Glimmerfang used healing magic to keep the party alive against significant damage, while Lady Rhian worked to keep Mac alive through a sacred bond. The Iron Scarab triumphed. Next the Iron Scarab came upon a large chamber partially shrouded in darkness. Although the Iron Scarab did not know the full extent of the challenge at the outset, the party faced a touch combination of Queen Neferuset, an illithilich, and 4 neshmaals. Qualmi used maze on the illithilich. Although the illithilich had specifically bragged to the Iron Scarab about his intellect it took him several rounds to escape the maze which divided the combat. The Iron Scarab were on the ropes in this 9 round combat. Most dangerously one of the Neshmaals succeeded in dominate person against Sayyid who immediately cut into and killed the Iron Scarab’s two primary divine casters: Sahmdi and Anani. Snrub was also driven insane by one of Neferuset’s insanity spells, and Neferuset cast 4 destruction spells on the party dealing lots of damage. The Iron Scarab did triumph though defeating the neshmals and the illithilich. Due to an antilife shell on Neferuset the party used magic and archery against the Queen, and Lady Rhian placed the killing blow amidst a volley of arrows. The Iron Scarab then rested.
• April 12: After resting, the Iron Scarab awoke to find an avatar of Pharasma in the magnificent mansion. She praised the Iron Scarab’s efforts to date and spoke of how fate guided them here from when they drew the Temple of the Erudite Eye during the lottery in Wati. She also gave each of them a permanent boon. The Iron Scarab emerged from the magnificent mansion back into Queen Neferuset’s chamber and battled one of Hakotep’s constructs who lie in wait, a clockwork dragon. The Iron Scarab quickly killed the machine. The Iron Scarab then found a phylactery and canopic jar and destroyed both, preventing the return of the illithilich and Neferuset. The Iron Scarab plunged deeper into the pyramid passing through another teleportation column and solving additional traps and riddles. The Iron Scarab came upon a very large room laid out like a racetrack. In this room they battled the graveknight General Tawaret, and a plethora of golems: brass, iron, stone, glass, and a slaughterstone eviscerator. Snrub and Mac flanked and killed the iron golem while General Tawaret peppered Sayyid with arrows. Sahmdi closed these wounds on Sayyid, and Sayyid then killed the brass golem and then evaded the ensuing explosion. Lady Rhian charged and killed General Tawaret and then finished off the stone golem as well. Summoned triceratops from Anani largely handled the glass golem and the eviscerator. After this fight the Iron Scarab found additional traps, and the sarcophagus of Hakotep the First.
• Finally, after almost a year since the lottery opened, the Iron Scarab entered the throne room of Hakotep the I. Snrub scouted in advance and saw the challenge before them and backed up to warn the rest of the group. The group engaged in extensive magical preparation and then entered together. After some banter with Hakotep, battle ensued, as the Iron Scarab did not agree to his generous offer of a quick death. A difficult 7 round combat ensued between the Iron Scarab and Hakotep’s forces: The mummy lord Hakotep I, 3 advanced golden guardians, a clockwork reliquary, and an elemental swarm’s worth of elementals. Snrub made the opening move sneaking forward and attacking Hakotep. This put Hakotep on his heels as he defensively cast time stop to prepare several magical defenses. Meanwhile Anani unloaded an impressive firestorm significantly damaging most of the elementals while the clockwork reliquary retaliated with a chain lightning. Hakotep attempted his own chain lightning but it fizzled against the Iron Scarab’s impressive electricity defenses. Meanwhile Qualmi cast maze on the clockwork reliquary and Anani dismissed many of the remaining elementals. By this point the fight evolved into two fronts – with Lady Rhian, Sayyid, and Snrub facing off against Hakotep near his throne and Qualmi, Anani and Samhdi near the reliquary at the entrance. Mac and the elementals locked up in the middle of the room. However, Hakotep laid down 2 quickened walls of force to isolate himself with only Snrub, largely blocking Sayyid and Lady Rhian. Qualmi blew open the pair of walls of force with a disintegrate spell, and for the first time in the fight Hakotep started taking real damage from Sayyid and Lady Rhian. Hakotep attempted an overwhelming presence spell, and Sayyid luckily avoided the effects while the clockwork reliquary, smart as it is, immediately escaped the maze. Hakotep then tried another overwhelming presence spell and Lady Rhian’s spell resistance protected her as did another lucky save from Sayyid. Lady Rhian and Sayyid continued pummeling Hakotep while Anani got off a heal spell against the undead clockwork reliquary dealing significant damage that overcame its substantial damage reduction. Anani paid for it though, absorbing a full attack from the reliquary and substantial damage. Finally on the throne room end Sayyid placed the killing blow on Hakotep I, and Lady Rhian polished off the remaining elementals. At the entrance end the clockwork reliquary kills Mac, but Anani brought him back with a breath of life spell and Sayyid quickly crosses the room and starts pummeling the reliquary. Sayyid, next to the reliquary, takes significant damage from it, but Sahmid casts another heal spell on the reliquary which destroys it.
• The Iron Scarab are triumphant but the pyramid begins to collapse after the Iron Scarab conduct the ritual to send Hakotep’s soul to the afterlife. Jasper Ra actually rescues the Iron Scarab from the pyramid and invites them to a meeting with the Ruby Prince. The Ruby Princes praises the services of the Iron Scarab and offers each member a new role. In most cases Hakotep’s flying pyramids did not hit important religious or government buildings in the cities they terrorized. The exception was Tephu where they attacked the library and church of Nethys, and killed Deka An-Kheret. Accordingly, Lady Rhian becomes the Hat-y-a of Tephu, Sahmdi takes over of high priestess of Thoth in Tephu, and Qualmi oversees the library in Tephu. Mac is put in charge of building Golarion’s first museum, an idea of the Ruby Prince, in Sothis. Sayyid becomes Hakotep’s general, as the prior general died in the battled against the Voices of the Spire over Sothis. Anani becomes Osirion’s stateswoman to the savage elemental cults of eastern Osirion. And Snrub receives special work assisting with Hakotep’s older concubines, a job Jasper Ra told Hakotep Snrub would enjoy.

The Slave Trenches of Hakotep
• The Iron Scarab took advantage of the opportunity to speak with Hakotep, who resisted the spell but chose to speak anyway. The Iron Scarab learned that the Khepsutanem, an old name for the Slave Trenches of Hakotep, were designed by Chisisek to enhance and magnify the effects of the Aeromatic Infadibulum. The Khepsutanem were used by Hakotep’s loyal body guard, the Akhumen, to set Hakotep’s tomb into flight. However, Chisisek boasts that if the Khepsutanem had been completed it could have even been used to pull Shory cities down from the sky. The Iron Scarab also learned that the Khepsutanem could be activated to bring Hakotep’s tomb back down to the ground again, if the Iron Scarab focuses the elemental energies of the Khepsutanem’s Sekrepheres on the Aeromatic Infadibulum in Hakotep’s pyramid! Out of questions, the Iron Scarab teleported to Wati, letting Tetisurah continue her journey. The Iron Scarab did bring Serethet to Wati.
• October 7-March 17: Qualmi and Serethet then spend the next 5 months crafting wondorous items and forging rings of the Iron Scarab, while the rest of the Iron Scarab enjoy some well- deserved rest.
• March 17-March 22: The Iron Scarab decide to head to the Khepsutanem by boat sailing up the crook. The Iron Scarab book passage with Akhad’s crew, a crew renowned for their competence.
• March 22: A couple days past Ipeq, Snrub receives a sending from Ptemenib pleading for help in Wati. Iron Scarab teleport to Wati in Maru’s house. After leaving the house, the Iron Scarab see an unforgettable sight: a glimmering pyramid hovers 500 fet above the city. An immense cartouche of a five pointed sun is emblazoned on one face of the pyramid. The pyramids sides are so well polished and reflective that the pyramid has an otherworldly glow. A sphere of energy glimmered above the apex. Ptemenib alerts the Iron Scarab that portions of Wati have been damaged, but so far the invaders seem to have held back. However, the harpy mummies swarming around the pyramid specifically demanded Wati turn over the Iron Scarab or face death. Four’s Company did attack the pyramid that morning but a swarm of harpy mummies defeated Four’s Company and used a dust stroke power to make an example to Wati. The Iron Scarab windwalk up to the pyramid and in the air 5 harpies greet the Iron Scarab and demand the party cast aside weapons and go with the harpies to General Istemkhebet. Of course, battle ensues. The bodies of the harpies fall from the sky one by one as the air battle raged above Wati. The Iron Scarab triumph and Lady Rhian makes good use of her powers over undead. Inside the pyramid the Iron Scarab discover a killing box trap that Snrub disarms, a false map, a pit trap that exits from the base of the pyramid and offers another entrance, and an imposing but non-magical statue. The Iron Scarab are stymied by a snake like passage and so forge another passage up the pyramid with stone shape. The Iron Scarab stumble into Isatekhebet’s crypt. The battle takes a turn for the worse when Lady Rhian is petrified by a mummified gorgon, and Mac and Qualmi both succumb to the harpies captivating song. Anani guides a tactical retreat when her summoned huge air elemental picks up all disabled party members and the Iron Scarab un-ceremonially tumble back down the stone shaped passage. The Iron Scarab then dimension door to the ground to regroup, with plans to immediately head back in.
• March 22 Part 2: The Iron Scarab return to the Pyramid of the Five-Pointed Sun and use fang keys recovered from the Voices of the Sun to manipulate the Serpent’s Path. First the Iron Scarab explore the lower level where they uncover a Dune Boat in the Ophasu and the empty stables of Kor-Ahn-Tuk. Next, the Iron Scarab explore the main level, where they discover a trapped tomb and avoid setting off the trap. Next the Iron Scarab come to the Animus Mural which creates animated copies of the Iron Scarab with animal heads that attack individually and are ultimately defeated by the Iron Scarab. The Iron Scarab cross the twinkling Pharaoh’s Walk, but do not proceed further on the main level after Snrub detects a trapped statue of Hakotep I. Lastly the Iron Scarab head to the upper Crypt level, this time using the Serpent’s Path instead of the ad hoc stone shaped tunnel. In Isatemkhebet a difficult battle occurs where the Iron Scarab battle the mumy Isatemkhebet, her pet gorgon, Kor-Ahn-Tuk, two huge water elementals, and two Voices of the Sun. The Iron Scarab triumph. After killing Isatmkhebet the pyramid immediately plummets to the earth below. The Iron Scarab complete exploration uncovering the Aeromantic Focus and defeat the invisible stalker guardians, the Scrivener’s Wall where they learn a great deal about Hakotep’s plan, and the Sun Shaft that channels bright light out of the top of the pyramid. Although the pyramid plummeted and crushed a portion of barge town in Wati, the Iron Scarab are greeted as heroes by the people of Wati and thanked for their courage.
• March 22 – March 16: The Iron Scarab let Sebti know what they learned of Hakotep’s plans, and take x days to craft new items.
• March 16 – March 19: The Iron Scarab then set sail up the crook towards Ipeq with a new crew. After reaching Ipeq, the Iron Scarab switch boats to board with Akhad’s crew who waited here for Iron Scarab to return. Before boarding, while transferring boats on the dock, 8 minotaurs burst out of a shanty on the docks. It seems they’d been waiting for the Iron Scarab and attack. The Iron Scarab defeat the minotaurs. The Iron Scarab depart Ipeq with Akhad’s crew.
• March 19- March 26: After 7 additional days of uneventful sailing up the crook, Akhad faithfully deposits the Iron Scrab on the southern bank of the crook a day’s walk north of the Khepsutanem, or Slave Trenches of Hakotep. The Iron Scarab make payment and proceed south into the desert.
• March 26-March 29: Because of its remote location and powerful guardians and wards few have seen the Khepsutanem. The Iron Scarab arrive at the Khepsutanem, one of the more awe-inspiring sights in Osirion. It is a 17 square mile maze-like set of trenches, clogged with bones and remains of slave armies. The trenches vary in length from a few feet to over 50 feet, and average about 30 feet deep. The trenches are approximately 50 feet wide. Many obelisks line the trenches, in varying states of erosion with some now little more than lumps. The entire region has a soft, telltale him, a low buzzing that emanates from many of the obelisks. The Iron Scrarab head into the northernmost trench, and along the way find a tall ploshed stone that rises above the obelisks. It is a white polished menhir that resisted erosion and reflects the sunlight brightly. Mac identifies the symbol at the top as a symbol of the goddess Isis. Further exploration finds another menhir with the symbol of the god Kehpri. After 2 hours of walking the Iron Scarab come to a well lit hallway leading into the trench side. Snrub detects and disarms a trap of lacerating light. The Iron Scarab find a large 10 foot diameter stone disk with an ankh shaped indentation in one room. Leading out of this room to the north is a long smooth hallway that ends in a dead end, but at the dead end the hallway is lined with copper. The Iron Scarab further explore and battle 3-4 graven guardians of set. This room also has illusory floors leading to a natural cavern 50 feet below. The Iron Scarab further explore the trench level, and find a room behind an illusory wall with treasure and a contract signed by Hakotep I and a shaitan named Tef-Naju. The Iron Scarab then spiderclimb down through the illusory floor and explore the natural caverns. An advanced geist baits the Iron Scarab into finding it over patches of haunted green lichen, but the Iron Scarab all resist the haunts, catch up the advanced geist Inkusenkset, and destroy it. Finally the Iron Scarab come to a room with an ankh but are attacked by two Shining Children who leave most of the Iron Scarab blind. The Iron Scarab attempt to steal the ankh and run back down the hallways, blindly, but the Shining Children pursue. Ultimately the Iron Scarab defeat the Shining Children. The Iron Scarab now stand in these natural caverns with Snrub and Lady Rhian blind and Mac recovering from a confusion spell, but in possession of this ankh and other treasures.
• March 29 (continued): The Iron Scarab enter a magnificent mansion created by Qualmi to rest.
• March 30: Lady Rhian uses magic to correct the blindness. Iron Scarab teleport back to the Slave Trenches of Hakotep. Iron Scarab place the Life Lantern into the Great Receptacle. Mac activates The Warden figurine opening communication with the shaitan Tef-Naju. Mac intimidates Tef-Naju and Tef-Naju explains to Mac he is bound to the trenches through an ancient greater planar ally spell cast by Hakotep in exchange for a promised reward he believes he cannot receive as there are now no more Shory flying cities. Qualmi reads the contract more closely and realizes there is a possibility that using the Khepsutanem to bring down Hakotep’s pyramid may fulfill Hakotep’s contract. Tej-Naju and his entourage tell the Iron Scarab what they know of the operations of the Khepsutanem. Lady Rhian uses diplomacy and Tef-Naju agrees to split the contract payment he has awaited 6,000 years if the Iron Scrarab plan releases him from his agreement. Iron Scarab learn from Tef-Naju’s direction to head to the Sekrephrenet (The Monument Vault) to activate the Sekrepheres. Tef-Naju says it is hopeless – as the chance of stumbling upon the correct combination to Hakotep’s tomb is impossible. Iron Scarab teleport to Chissisek’s tomb and speak with Tetisurah once again. She users them to Chissisek’s body, and Chissisek impatiently communicates the Sekrephere combination to attune the Khepsutanem to Hakotep’s pyramid. Iron Scarab return to the Khepustanem and follow Tej-Naju’s directions to the Sekrephrenet. At the sand cascade entrance the Iron Scarab face off against Beken-Tofra the mythic elder earth elemental. In a tough fight Qualmi blinds Beken-Tofra, and Lady Rhian stays in the pocket against him while healing Mac and Sayyid. The Iron Scarab then negotiate a spiraling hallway and Mac detects a reverse gravity trap. Iron Scarab pass a few doors and head to the Chamber of the Sekrepheres and, using a wand of lightning bolt, attune the Khepsutanem to Hakotep’s pyramid. While exploring additional rooms in the Sekrephrenet, 4 cenovath swarms approach the party from behind. Feeling overmatches, Qualmi casts getaway returning the Iron Scarab to Chissisek’s tomb.
• March 31: Iron Scarab teleport to Tekrement: The Lantern Vault. Because it takes 2 teleport spells to get the Iron Scarab teleported (3 counting Qualmi’s return trip) the Iron Scarab decide to rest the remainder of the day in the Tekrement.
• April 1: Iron Scarab further explore the Khepsutanem. In the center of the trenches, the Iron Scarab come upon the next of the sleeping awakened roc, Kenjutret, The Dust Taker. Kenjutret awakes to the clanking of Lady Rhian and Sahmdi. The Iron Scarab defeat the roc in airborne combat. The Iron Scarab head to the amphitheater on the map and discover the Sun Disc and a nearby cave. The Sun Disc has a clear hold for a large key at the center. While sneaking towards the cave Snrub is surprised by Sensuret, the Tribe Eater, an awakened mummified advanced Spinosaurus. Sensuret falls to the Iron Scarab’s attacks, especially the smiting attacks of undead scourge paladin, Lady Rhian. After defeating Sensuret, the Iron Scarab discover a statue outside which Qualmi identifies as Hakotep’s High Imperator. The Iron Scarab also identifies the halls are filled with solid acid fog, which Anani overcomes with repeated gusts of wind. The traps also have a handful of dispelling traps, and after Anani sets off the first one, Snrub detects the remaining traps. In a chamber at the end of these Ocher Tunnels, the Iron Scarab battle 4 hanshephus. At the start of the battle Snrub disables the solid acid fog trap. The team defeats the hanshepsus, primarily with Snrub and Lady Rhian holding the line while Qualmi lands the hanshepsus in pit spells and Anani’s summoned lantern archons shoot the hanshepsus at the bottom of the pits.. In the next chamber (the Hall of Final Vision) the Iron Scarab put together clues and suspect a sight-based trap, so Snrub, and later the whole party, proceed down this hallway blindfolded. In the next room the Iron Scarab find 6 statues. The statues seem to try to wrest control of some items held by the Iron Scarab but none succeed. The Iron Scarab discover 5 additional exits from this room. Snrub disarms 10 consecutive arcane locks to discover crypts further protected by greater glyphs of warding and 2 living sandstorms. The Iron Scarab overcome these challenges and loot the mummies in the crypts. The mummies match the statues in the prior room. The Iron Scarab also find a workshop for making hanshepsus and a small isolation cell contacted to a teleport trap which Qualmi eventually dispels. The Iron Scarab free a putative traitor, a pairaka div sorcerer/arcane archer named Jeshura. Attempts by the Iron Scarab at diplomacy and deception fail, and Jeshura gets a mage armor spell off and then needles Sahmdi with many arrows. However, the Iron Scarab ultimately defeate Jeshura. The Iron Scarab continue deeper into the Akhumemnet: The Guardian Vault, and find a room crawling with scarab beetles. The eagle-eyed Snrub spots one beetle different from the others and after Anani’s flame strike the Iron Scarab realize all but this beetle are illusions. While trying to catch the real beetle, the Iron Scarab are attacked by 5 invisible great ghuls. Snrub gets off sneak attacks. Lady Rhian holds the line protecting the casters, while Samhdi gets off both healing positive energy for the Iron Scarab and positive energy to damage the great ghuls. Using clairvoyance, Sahmdi sees the final guardian of the Akhumement in the next chamber, a black jinni, although the Iron Scarab underestimate the encounter. The Iron Scarab head into the chamber to attack her and the black jinni, Agazuberi, stands firm dealing damage with her falchion. As the Iron Scarab chip away at her defenses, Agazuberi raises an obscuring cloud. The spell effectively cuts off all ranged attacks except for Anani who can see through the wind. Agazuberi falls to Anani’s spells and the flanks of Snrub and Lady Rhian. The Iron Scarab recover the Pharaoh’s key. The Iron Scarab rest in the nest of the dust taker.
• April 2: The Iron Scarab go to the Sun Disc and insert the Pharaoh’s key but it fizzles. The Iron Scarab head to the Lantern Vault and use the figurine to establish a connection to Tef-Naju, the shaitan magus. After reviewing the steps, Tef-Naju realizes that the Iron Scarab need to reset the Sekrespheres in the Monument Vault as these need to be reset each day. Following the tech support, Snrub and Qualmi align the Sekrespheres to Hakotep’s pyramid using the Iron Scarab’s electricity magic. Next the Iron Scarab arrive at the Sun Disc with the Sekresphers aligned and Pharaoh’s key in hand.
• April 2: The Iron Scarab engage the Pharaoh’s Key and the entire Khepsutanemn spring to life with a hum of electricity and the sun disc itself glows with intense electric energy. Over the next several minutes the intensity of energy in the Khepsutanemn grow as beams of intense light travel from menhir to menhir representing the gods of ancient Osirion in the order entered into the Sekrepheres. The growing energy also draw out the ossumentals – undead creatures formed from the bones of the slaves who died digging the trenches that over the last 6,000 years have mixed with the energy of the monoliths contained within the monoliths. These creatures attempt to destroy the Iron Scarab and remove the Pharaoh’s Key. Lady Rhian cuts a path among the bodies of the destroyed Ossumentals; Mac switches between bow, sword and bardiche to reign judgement down on the Ossumentals; Sahmdi flies above the fray and descends periodically to heal Lady Rhian and Mac. For their part, the Ossumentals harry the Iron Scarab with claw swipes and a breath weapon of energy and bones. After a few minutes, the Pyramid of the Sky Pharaoh can be seen on the horizon and the waves of Ossumental attacks grow more intense with new ones rising from the bones at the edge of the Sun Disc every few seconds. This increased intensity of attack forces Qualmi to use his most powerful magics to keep the Ossumental population under reasonable control. Finally, after 5 minutes the Pyramid of the Sky Pharaoh flies directly above the Sun Disc and a beam of powerful electricity travels straight up from the Sun Disc and into the pyramid causing an explosion inside the Pyramid. With this beam of electricity, the Ossumentals melt back into harmless bones that lie in the trenches and the massive pyramid crashes to the ground about one-quarter mile northwest of the Slave Trenches. The Iron Scarab receive a message of thanks from Tef-Naju, freed from his binding. In addition to the agreed upon deal he offers an additional boon and Mac selects a ring of X-ray vision. The Iron Scarab need rest and ask Tef-Naju if he can wait one more day so the Iron Scarab can rest and Tef-Naju agrees. The Iron Scarab rest in Qualmi’s mansion.

Secrets of the Sphinx
• September 10: Iron Scarab encounter the corpses of Girtabellu that are being picked over by Baykoks. Iron Scarab slay the baykoks. Sahmdi honors the burial customs of the Giertabellu.
• September 11: Iron Scarab continue north. The party encounters and defeats a behir and a death worm.
• September 11 (next session): Iron Scarab identifies many gnoll tracks. Snrub and Mac scout ahead and overtake a band of gnolls and kill the gnolls. That evening while camping in gnoll country Iron Scarab attacked by 3 coordinated bands of gnolls, killing all 37. In the battle Lady Rhian slain by a critical hit smite good, but Sahmdi quickly returned her to life.
• September12: Iron Scarab runs into Four’s Company and catch up with the party. Nubia lets Iron Scarab know they’ve been working hard to clear the necropolis. The t
• eam was so successful that the party fighter retired to luxury and party wizard sought new challenges. Four’s Company recruited a new wizard. They temporarily recruited Jaspar Ra as the fighter but then sought to leave Wati when they recruited the monk Aladin. Four’s Company also let the Iron Scarab know that there were rumors of masked cultists in Sothis shortly after an item was stolen from Aghazzad’s spire. Four’s Company was following a treasure map into the Parched Dunes when they came across the Iron Scarab. Iron Scarab + Four’s Company were attacked by multiple blue dragon and blue dragon beasts (2 large blue dragons, a blue spawn god slayer, 3 bluespwan storm lizards and 5 blue spawn ambushers). The combined teams defeat the dragons.
• Iron Scarab and Four’s Company find site on Four’s Company surrounded by androxphinx. Some enter the site and some remain outside to guard Tetisurah. Site is a bust that has already been looted.
• September 13: Early in the morning, Iron Scarab attacked by Mobats which are easily defeated. Later in the day the Iron Scarab comes across a river and battle 2 estuarine worms. Mid-day Iron Scarab battles a pack of basilisks. In the late afternoon Iron Scarab mediate a dispute between a hermit druid and another druid successfully for the hermit and then rob the hermit. In the evening Iron Scarab rescues a desert giant from manticores. The giant suffers from madness but follows the Iron Scarab.
• September 15: Iron Scarab attacked by a huge blue dragon ridden by a powerful arcane caster. Agrimus assists in battle. Iron Scarab kills the caster but the dragon leaves two in the Iron Scarab dead (Qualmi, Sahmdi). The battle ends with the dragon flying off with Sahmdi’s body. Tetisurah provides a scroll of teleport to Snrub who gets the adventurers back to Tephu to raise Qualmi. The mighty High Priest Netukheret of Thoth, already sympathetic to the Iron Scarab’s cause, joins the team. Later that evening the party is attacked by and defeats 4 sand kraken.
• September 16-17: Iron Scarab meets Naheeba and a camp of nomads. The nomads share scorpion stew with the Iron Scarab and welcome them for the night. During the night a pack of bulletes attack and kill 4 nomads, but the Iron Scarab succeed in killing or driving them off before more get hurt. In appreciation, Naheeba lets the Iron Scarab know that although she does not know where the Sightless Sphinx is, she met a tribe of displaces maftets who lived in the shadow of the Sightless Sphinx. She lets the Iron Scarab know the camp of maftets is 6-18 miles south east in the Parched Dunes.
• September 18: While exploring the Iron Scarab discover a depleted copper mine known as The Screaming Mine. Inside the Iron Scarab defeat a strong band of gnolls with a trained Yrthak.
• September 19: While traveling the Iron Scarab encounter and kill a behir. While exploring the Iron Scarab come upon the scholars Kibbri and Trevin. The scholars invite the Iron Scarab to help them explore the recently unearthed Threshing Floor of Tahket-Ibbey in exchange for 1/3 of the discoveries. After a lot of debate the party agrees. The first room is filled with undead which the combined teams defeat. Immediately after the fight the scholars’ porters betray everyone and attack. The Iron Scarab defeat the porters. There is more to explore, but Kibbri offers to change the deal to a 50/50 split.
• September 20: Iron Scarab completes exploration of the Threshing Floor by defeating 2 large fire elementals and 3 sandmen. Sayid suffers a bad dream and PCs suspect Trevin, Kibbri’s assistant, but don’t have proof. Qualmi, Sayid, Kibbri and Trevin teleport to Tephu. Qualmi completes business transactions with Kibbri and purchases magic items. Churt of Mat High Priess Kho informs Iron Scarab the effect on Sayid may be from an undead or extraplanar creature and usually these attacks have limited range. Qualmi and Sayid teleport back to the Threshing Floor. While gone, Lady Rhian and Mac defeat 6 skeletons.
• September 21: Iron Scarab travels 18 miles SE to potential location of Rhuins of Kher-Ma where Maftet’s stay.
• September 22: Iron Scarab explores area and finds a bronze sentinel. Iron Scarab kill cultists investigating sentinel. Iron Scarab learn the sentinel seems to be missing 2 pieces.
• September 23: Iron Scarab travel NW, and explore, realizing they likely past the tribe of maftets. Iron Scarb explore and find ruins. Iron Scarab treat with Erayu, the chieftain of the maftet pride. Erayu tasks Iron Scarab with proving their worth – by cutting a path to a shrine of Sekhmet overrun by effreeti.
• September 24: Iron Scarab travel to outpost. Along the way there is an earthquake and the group is attacked by mobats in the night.
• September 25: Iron Scarab attack the walled outpost. Defeat two efreet, a desert drake, an efreet sorceress, a huge elemental, and a shaitan monk. Iron Scarab discover the shrine and a map.
• September 25: Iron Scarab travel back the Threshing Floor where the maftets now live.
• September 26: Iron Scarab meet with Erayu. Erayu is convinced of the Iron Scarab’s worth. He relates a sad tale of his pride splitting when Userib led maftets into the Sightless Sphinx. He also tells the Iron Scarab the Sightless Sphinx is just 12 miles north.
• September 27-30: Iron Scarab continue exploring the desert. Iron Scarab uncovers an electrified obelisk and tap into its power. Iron Scarab explore the den of the adult blue dragon who killed Sahmdi. Iron Scarab drive the dragon off and recover treasure that allows them to return Sahmdi to life. Iron scarab battle cultists, a gargantuan black scorpion, and aranea. Iron Scarab avoid girtabillu. Qualmi raises a zombie version of the black scorpion. Iron Scarab finally head to and arrive at the Sightless Sphinx at 10 AM on the last day of September, having wandered the desert for 30 days and 30 nights. September 30 = arrive at the Sphinx.
• September 30: Iron Scarab explore the exterior of the Sightless Sphinx. Approaching the Sphinx the Iron Scarab battle 5 girtablilu and summoned giant scorpions. After defeating the girtablilu Snrub scouts the main entrance. Using telepathic bond he relays the hieroglyphs to the rest of the Iron Scarab, where Mac and Qualmi decode the puzzle in headquarters. After opening the door Iron Scarab decide to explore the entire exterior of the Sphinx. Iron Scarab proceed to defeat 9 cultists of the Forgotten Pharaoh, 10 more girtablilu and their summoned giant scorpions, and 2 huge dust scorpions. The Iron Scarab uses Navy Seal level tactics, with each squad leader connected with Qualmi’s telepathic bond, Snrub scouting ahead and calling in Anani’s silence spells to be cast on the gongs to disable the alarm system, and then Sayid and Lady Rhian joining the fight. All gongs are disabled without an alarm sounded. Girtablilu’s attempt to talk Iron Scarab out of combat to no avail, and react violently to Snrub for unknown reasons. Ultimately, Iron Scarab enter the Sightless Sphinx and defeat 2 cultists and 3 girablilu defending the first room. Although successful, Qualmi borders on madness from all the scorpions seen this day.
• September 30: Qualmi and Lady Rhian teleport to a city while Titisurah and Snrub remain in the desert. Snrub observes the Sphinx all day and has a close call with a burrowing creature. He avoids the creature by hopping atop his floating disc spell. Snrub stays up all night.
• October 1: Qualmi and Lady Rhian return and the Iron Scarab wait for Snrub to rest. Iron Scarab defeat many foes in the Sightless Sphinx: A girtablilu in the entrance hall; 2 cultists, a trap and a pair of girtablilu in the chamber of eye where a necromantic spell from Qualmi destroys many summoned foes (fiendish hieracosphinx from the trap and giant scorpions from the girtablilu); 5 bodaks and a pair of maftet cultists in the Hall of the Dead where Lady Rhian stands tough; and a large battle in the Ritual of Purification where the Iron Scarab first face 2 Guecubus which are held at bay with a pit, and then Heqet the Zombie Lord cleric of Areshkagal and his 3 summoned babau demons. Snrub keeps Heqet pinned while spells fizzle against lady Rhian. Snrub then does a systematic search of these room over the next 1-2 hours and the Iron Scarab retreat back to the desert. At 4:30 pm the Iron Scarab kill a burrowing insectile shalkeshka. At 8:30 pm a greater earth elemental attacks but it falls to Lady Rhian’s swords and the wizards’ magic missiles.
• October 2: In the very early morning (4:30 AM) Qualmi spots a serpopard on the outskirts of the camp. Qualmi attempts a peaceful greeting and offers the cat a meal of the shalkeshka. Sheba the serpopard takes the meal and lets the Iron Scarab know she has seen several patrols of girtablilu searching the Parched Dunes. A master tracker, Tetisurah surmises, based on what the Iron Scarab has seen of girtablilu patrols and the testimony of Sheba (assuming she can be trusted), that about 40 girtablilu now patrol the desert looking for the Iron Scarab. As the Iron Scarab now attack the Sightless Sphinx these forces could be recalled creating an urgency to the attack on the Sphinx. The Iron Scarab return to the Sphinx. At the Altar of Riddles the Iron Scarab meet the crazed maftet cultists Ligash. After rendering him docile, the Iron Scarab hear him tell of the horrors he has seen since he entered the Sphinx with Userib and how Userib has joined with demons. The Iron Scarab quickly slay Ligash and discover a secret entrance to the crumbling sphinx in the Sphinx’s left front paw. The Iron Scarab then reach a room with 4 doors, and choose the north door marked with a shield. Behind this door the Iron Scarab finds an armory guarded by 3 vrocks, which the Iron Scarab slay. It is about 8:30 AM and the Iron Scarab are poised to continue their exploration of the Sphinx.
• October 2 Continued; Sayid rejoins the Iron Scarab. The Iron Scarab explore the maftet quarters and defeat 4 maftets cultists. Next the Iron Scarab explores the Hall of Honor. After a failed possession attempt by a shadow demon of Lady Rhian, the sharp eyed Snrub spots the magic jar and Snrub and Sayid move into position to spoil further possession attempts. In this room the Iron Scarab defeat 3 maftet cultists and the shadow demon. Next the Iron Scarab enter a room sealed beyond a veil of lightning. After preparing magical protection, Snrub sneaks in but he is detected by the Glabrezu Ninureset. Snrub retreats back behind the lightning and both sides engage magical preparations for combat. The Iron Scarab defeat Ninureset, his 2 summoned vrocks (who appeared to be fire elementals), and his vrock companion. After the fight the Iron Scrab depart the Sightless Sphinx and spend the day resting. While resting atop the Sightless Sphinx’s left paw, Snrub and Tetisurah spot an adventuring party entering the Sightless Sphinx. Qualmi recognizes the crew as the 3 musketeers, an adventuring group in Wati with a reputation for success and short tempers. The Iron Scarab tell the 3 Musketeers to bugger off, and when they refuse combat ensures in front of the Sightless Sphinx. The Iron Scarab kill the 3 barbarians who comprise the 3 Musketeers and the Parched Dunes quickly soak up the blood.
• October 3: The Iron Scarab reenter the Sightless Sphinx and proceed once again on the side of the Areshkagal cult. This time the Iron Scarab reach the leader of the Areshkagal cult, Userib. These cultists, like other cultists of Areshkagal again ask the Iron Scarab to join the cult and the Iron Scarab again refuse. The Iron Scarab slayes Userib and 3 maftet cultists. The room contains a worthy treasure haul.
• October 3: The Iron Scarab continue exploring the Sightless Sphinx. In the Hot Spring the Iron Scarab battle and defeat girtabilus and a fiendish mishtu with Snrub the desert fox’s advanced pincer movement. Next the Iron Scarab battle forgotten pharaoh cultists including one mutated crocodile-like creature, Rathos, that scared the daylights out of Snrub and Tetisurah who got the best look at him. The room contains ways to spy on the entrance. Next, the Iron Scarab battle girtabilu in a room that itself contains a pyramid. The Iron Scarab effectively shut down the summoning ability of most of the girtabilu. Next Iron Scarab come to a cursed room with distorted images of Sekhment and cutlists. After defeating the cultists Sahmdi beings a prayer to re-consecrate the hall, when Anani’s earth elemental enters the Mad Painter’s Cell, triggering a very dangerous battle with Ausetitha the banshee. The Iron Scarab defeat the banshee thanks to Anani’s silenced air elemental preventing the banshee from using its devastating wail, and the smite ability of Lady Rhian. Finally, the Iron Scarab come to the Silver Forge and defeat a girtabilu leader Rubila and her girtabilu minions. Mysteriously, Rubila again mentions some amulet. Qualmi effectively keeps Rubila on her toes or her back by magically tossing her around the room. The Iron Scarab now decide to search the explored rooms and rest. Snrub completely disables the main door.
• October 4: After an uneventful evening, the Iron Scarab reenter the Sightless Sphinx through the secret door in the left front paw. Iron Scarab head up a long stairway and find themselves in the Sphinx’s Crown where they defeat another giant emperor scorpion. In the next room, the Iron Scarab battle the Forgotten Pharaoh and realize she suffers from some sort of possession. The Iron Scarab decide to focus on killing her 6 cultist minions and will then consider some sort of exorcism. The Iron Scarab warriors first focus on her minions, while the Forgotten Pharaoh casts blessings on herself and her minions and the Iron Scarab casters focus on dispelling those blessings. When the Forgotten Pharaoh casts multiple prismatic sprays on the Iron Scarab, the Iron Scarab decides to slay the Forgotten Pharaoh too. After knocking her unconscious Sahmdi begins the exorcism ritual with the help of Lady Rhian’s lay on hands, Anani’s searing light, Qualmi’s magic, and the skills of Snrub and Tetisurah. The Iron Scarab exorcise a spirit claiming to be Hakotep I. The mask tumbled off the Forgotten Pharaoh and the Iron Scarab see the ordinary features of a beautiful young girl about 16 years of age. From her mouth slipped a glowing, ethereal winged heart that soared up to the ceiling and passed through it vanishing from sight. The Iron Scarab revive the Forgotten Pharaoh, and she says her name is Serethet, and she remembers exploring under Aghazzad’s Spire in Sothis where she found a magical heart. She is so grateful to the Iron Scarab that she gives them her most valuable possession, an Armband of the Golden Serpent. She also offers to forge rings on behalf of the Iron Scarab. In the next room, the Iron Scarab find a coffin, which Tetisurah immediately recognizes as the coffin of the architect Chisisek. The Iron Scarab debate exploring the remainder of the Sightless Sphinx or moving on. Sahmdi’s clairvoyance spells suggest it is a relatively large, dark area.
• Rejoined with Mac, the Iron Scarab continued exploration of the Sightless Sphinx behind the Wall of Stone. Behind the Wall of Stone the Iron Scarab explored shadowy rooms that served as barracks for the cult long ago. Snrub spied a shadow demon out of the corner of his eye who had been tailing the party. He alerted Mac and battle was joined. The shadow demon Sargota summoned a second shadow demon on a lucky roll and Lady Rhian was knocked unconscious between the pair. Ultimately, the Iron Scarab prevailed over the demons. Next, the Iron Scarab explored the Scriptorium where they found an immolated cultist who was well equipped and had a ceramic tile of an armored warrior, just as Snrub predicted. After some inconsequential exploration the Iron Scarab came upon the mud baths and battled a pair of mud elementals. Anani used powerful magic to beat down the pair and the Iron Scarab cleaned up the mess. Then the Iron Scarab found a strange floating disc but could not discover its purpose. Later they would learn the cultists likely used this disc and the room behind to teleport in and out of the warded Sphinx. The Iron Scarab then explored a series of rooms that still bore the scars of the battle between the paladins of Saranrae and the cultists of Areshkagal. Snrub detected a holy word trap. The Iron Scarab found valuable gear they would later learn likely belonged to the famed paladin of Sarenrae, Lady Sophronia, who died in the battle 60 years ago. After battling spectres, where Qualmi helpfully takes control of a spectre for interrogation purposes, and exploring the Grand Temple the Iron Scarab found the final tile that matched the slots in the mud bath room and opened the passageway down. First the Iron Scarab rested overnight without event.
• October 5: The Iron Scarab descended into the bowels of the Sightless Sphinx. They battled a gargantuan mummified crocodile and defeated it before it could swallow anyone. Then they battled the half-fiend divine guardian gynosphinx Areshkesbed. The Iron Scarab triumped over her too and found a large treasure hall.
• October 6: The Iron Scarab headed south intending to report to Erayu. On the way the Iron Scarab amazingly caught up with Tetisurah who needed to rest after a battle on the way to the tomb of Chisisek.

Shifting Sands
• May 24: Iron Scarab travels to Tephu by ferry in the evening. Cultists attack the Iron Scarab aboard the ferry. During the combat two were-crocodiles who seem independent of the cultists lose control and assume hybrid form. In addition, 2 normal crocodiles are attracted to the ferry. The Iron Scarab triumph over all foes but most of the innocent passengers and crew die in the battle. The captain of the ferry survives, but his son died in the battle. The Iron Scarab begins investigation of the Outer Sanctum of the Great Library. A note provided by Sebti the Crocodile on behalf of the party waives the traditional 50 gp/person/day fee to access the library.
• May 25: Iron Scarab completes investigation of the Outer Sanctum and must delve deeper into the library to gain further information.
• May 25: Request access to the Spiral Archive section of the Inner Sanctum from Deaconess Seket at the Sanctuary of Nethys. Message carried to Deka An-Keret, High Priestess of Nethys and Haty-a of Tephu, who declines invitation.
• May 26: Request access to Inner Sanctum. Deaconess secures meeting for tomorrow afternoon following diplomacy of Lady Rhian.
• May 27: Meet Haty-a Deka An-Keret who refuses access to Inner Sanctum. Follow up on lead from slave of Her Excellency Muminofrah of Sothis, Fan-Bearer on the Right Side of the King, a powerful courtier from Sothis, Osirion's capital city. Mumminofrah develops a crush on Snrub. Iron Scarab secures 3 days access to Inner Sanctum by order of Mumminofrah over the head of the Hat-ya.
• May 27-May 28: Complete research in the Spiral Archive.
• May 29: Muminofrah sets up a chariot race through Tephu. Iron Scarab (Snrub + Sahmdi) win chariot race. Muminofrah rewards 3 days access to Dark Depository. Spend day searching for Dark Depository.
• May 30-31: Significant, but not complete exploration of the Dark Depository conducted. Sahmdi slain by assassins when exiting Dark Depository. Muminofrah loses lime green gown and asks Quaomi for help. Lady Rhian catches Talibah revealing information he should not have about the Iron Scarab.
• June 1 (Just starting): Sahmdi raised by High Priestess Netukheret of Thoth. Quaomi realizes he is cursed.
• June 1: Iron Scarab attempts to confront Talibah but he overhears conversation and escapes the Iron Scarab with magic. Iron Scarab complete exploration of Dark Depository beyond time frame of access granted by Mumminofrah.
• June 2: Iron Scarab confronted by a ransom note from cultists. Iron Scarab choose to comply with kidnapper demands and wait until sunset. Iron Scarab sail down river and confront cultists in a large battle. Iron Scarab victorious and all cultists dead.
• June 3: Iron Scarab locate the Vault of Hidden Wisdom using notes from Dark Depository, Iron Scarab’s research skills to learn the height of the tower of Ra, Iron Scarab’s math skills to calculate shadow lengths, and the astronomy expertise of High Priestess Netukheret. Iron Scarab enter vault and defeat 3 clockwork soldiers. Iron Scarab rest for the remainder of the day.
• June 4: Iron Scarab continues research of the Vault of Hidden Wisdom after defeating 2 Theletos and 2 Ubashki Lynxes. The Lynxes were hidden above a false ceiling detected by Qualmi’s engineering ability.
• June 5: Snrub finds the green dress of Mumminfrah securing more library access. Iron Scarab continues research in Vault of Hidden Wisdom.
• June 6: Continued research in Vault of Hidden Wisdom.
• June 7: Complete research in Vault of Hidden Wisdom.
• June 8-August 30: Iron Scarab shops for new gear for expedition into the Parched Dunes. Qualmi works hard to craft many items for the Iron Scarab as well. Iron Scarab travel upstream by barge to an unnamed tributary feeding The Crook.
• September 1: Iron Scarab battle gnoll slavers in the Parched Dunes. Mac and Anani escort slaves to Ipeq. Remainder of Iron Scarab attacked by and defeat a pack of large scorpions.
• September 2: Iron Scarab defeat a dragonkin paladin of Bahmut, and his party. Paladin sought to kill all humans. Iron Scarab met the effreeti Tescorch who sought to transport 1 willing member of the Iron Scarab to the City of Brass. Iron Scarab declined but Tescorch stayed on. During the night Iron Scarab attacked by a pack of Ankhegs. Iron Scarab defeat Ankhegs with Tescorch’s help. After battle Tescorch decides to leave the Iron Scarab.
• September 3: Iron Scarab battle a party of bug-like creatures as they approach Falchion Ridge. Climbing the ridge the Iron Scarab are attacked by cultists with flame drakes in the cult’s service. Iron Scarab camp atop the ridge with a wide view. In the middle of the night the Iron Scarab is attacked by a Shadow Umber Hulk.
• September 5: Jamirah, the Lamia Matriarch begins haunting the dreams of Iron Scarab and attempts to sow discord in the team. Iron Scarab traveling in the Parched Dunes attacked by gargoyles, harpies and stirges while NW of Falchion Ridge. In the late afternoon Iron Scarab encounters and defeats a Bluespawn Godslayer.
• September 6: Iron Scarab battles. Tengu bandits with wizard allies. Iron Scarab misleads Tengu into giving information and then kills Tengu anyway. Lady Rhian loses paladin powers until attoned by Sahmdi.
• September 7: Iron Scarab reaches the Tomb of Chissisek. After a probing attack Iron Scarab retreat following a beating from a trained destrachan beast. Iron Scarab stays within the canyon until nightfall to hide from trained Rocs.
• September 8: Iron Scarab return to Tomb of Chissisek, staying in the canyon again to avoid trained Rocs. Long and large battle ensues. Iron Scarab defeats Jamirah and many cultists, including allies the Cult of the Forgotten Pharaoh recruited specifically to battle the Iron Scarab. Iron Scarab frees the gynosphinxy Tetisurah, who tells the party the cult has already carried the body of Chissisek north to its base, the Sightless Sphinx.
• September 9: Iron Scarab explores the tomb, overcoming multiple traps along with a pair of stone golems and then a pair of clockwork golems. Tetisurah joins the Iron Scarab.

Empty Graves
• May 8-9: Price of relics collapse. Iron Scarab receive an invitation from Ptemenib to a May 10 auction at the Canny Jackal, a prestigious auction house and art gallery.
o Iron Scarab elect not to explore Leopard’s Eye and turn over recovered token. High Priestess Sebti directly expresses personal appreciation to Iron Scarab.
• May 10: Iron Scarab attend evening auction at Canny Jackal. Meet other auction attendees, including:
 Khammayid Okhenti, a hard of hearing, wealthy, stupid fighter interested in weapons.
 Menya the Whip, who discussed armor with Iron Scarab.
 Basif Iosep, who expressed interest in coffee and books.
 Maru and Namaru Meshoten. Namaru expressed interest in Saiyid.
 Djat Masakhet and Intef Karam, who bought lots of Nethys goods from Iron Scarab.
 Baketra, who invited Sayid to a dinner party on Saturday evening.
 The Five Lanterns, an adventuring party. The party wizard Tim appreciated Iron Scarab’s advice but Jinx, the party’s kobold rogue argued with Snrub.
o During auction, Canny Jackal attacked by waves of undead. Iron Scarab and Four’s Company fight well and The Five Lanterns fight poorly. Iron Scarab help The Five Lanterns to some extent.
• In battle Iron Scarab bring Canny Jackal servants Ahteb and Hamapetra back from unconsciousness; Iron Scarab rescue Maru and Namaru Meshoten from collapsed scaffolding; Iron Scarab rescue Meny the Whip from a crawling hand.
 Traveling to Tooth and Hookah, Iron Scarab discover entire section of the city overrun by undead and city in panic. Tooth and Hookah closed. Iron Scarab head to Grand Mausoleum and battle Ochre Jelly, likely driven from the sewers along the way.
• May 11: Iron Scrab defeat many wandering monsters, defeat a deranged sorceress, help Bal Themm defeat Raging Shadows at the gates and stare down a pack of looters.
• May 12: Iron Scrab debate and win against Old Eye Taker. Iron Scarab meet Qasin the Nosoi Psychopomp who leads them to his friend Ptemerib at a Silver Chain gang hideout. Qasin dies in battle to a Tekenu, but Iron Scrab rescue Ptemenib, defeat Efram Iffek, discover a note about how the gang was infiltrated by a religious cult and discover secret tunnels to the Necropolis.
• May 13: Iron Scrab intervene in an argument between Nakht Shepses, who leads the Voices of the Spire, and Sebti the Crocodile, High Priestess of Pharasma. To appease Shepses, Iron Scrab defeat psychopomps in combat, earning the responsibility for determining the cause of undead uprising from the Necropolis. Iron Scrab attempt to enter Necropolis, battling Fiendish Praying Mantis in route, but become fatigued due to heat and go to dinner with Maru and Namaru Meshoten.
• May 14: Iron Scrab scale wall and enter Necropolis. Iron Scrab meets Dark Folk leader Unwrapped Harmony who asks Iron Scarab to bring her wayward apprentice, Gaunt Cadaver to justice. While patrolling Gaunt Cadaver’s reported hideout, Iron Scarab attacked by the revenant of Velriana Hypaxes. Revenant slays Snrub. Remaining Iron Scarab in the necropolis return to grand Mausoleum to gather strength. Current Panic Level 9.
o Current panic level 13.
• May 15- May 18: Iron Scarab explores the Necropolis seeking the source of the undead uprising. Iron Scarab explores: The Ghoul Market/Acrid Street; Shiny Bauble (and found an elegiac compass it believes it can fix), Smugglers Tunnels/Dry Veins, Academy of Sky and Moon, Mahkept’s Mavelous Maps, Pahak’s Prognistications, Asetiti Estate, Kawab Villa, and Marid’s Caress. Iron Scarab knows about Centopath of the Cynic (Lamias), Pyramid of Arithmetic Bliss (possible source of star chart).
• May 19-May 20: Sahmdi repairs elegeliac compass, which points North by North East. Direction triggers Sallah to remember the Observatory of Truth and Wisdom as a possible source of the star chart along this axis. Mac feels strongly to go to the observatory. In observatory, Iron Scarab discover a secret entrance hidden under a Pharasma symbol on the floor. Iron Scarab procced to lower levels and battle undead zombies, skeletal champions, festfrogs, a crypt thing and a powerful ghoul, as well as cultists. After succumbing to a teleporting burst by the crypt thing Elsa dies while facing the very powerful ghoul Naghut. Iron Scarab return to Grand Masoleum.
• May 21-22: Iron Scarab completes exploration of the Observatory of Truth and Wisdom by defeating the necromancer Nebtu-Kufre and his undead minions along with a Sceadinur. In the battle with Nebtu-Kufre the Iron Scarab recovers a powerful mask. The battle with the Sceadinur ends with the creature leaving but during the combat Sallah was killed by a slay-living spell marking the 3rd death in the group over the past week. Iron Scarab discusses the events with Sebti the Crocodile, Nahkt Shepses and Ptemernib. Sebti feels the mask is safer with the Iron Scarab and encourages Iron Scarab to hold onto the mask as evil-doers would expect it to be hidden in the Grand Masoleum. Iron Scarab completes shopping and makes plans to travel to Tephu to better understand the mask at the Great Library in Tephu.

The Half Dead City
• April 30: Sebti the Crocodile, high priest of Pharasma at the Grand Mausoleum of Wati, hosts a lottery awarding registered adventuring parties random access to the first of up to 3 ancient sites in the Wati necropolis.
• May 1: Iron Scarab first explore the Tomb of Akhentepi, a wealthy merchant families tomb and recovers lost treasures and maps.
• Iron Scarab meets other groups of adventuring parties during adventuring, many on May 1. These include:
o Nubia, of Four’s Company, who advises the Iron Scarab to follow the rules of the church in the lottery and what to expect over the next few days for selling recovered relics.
o Tasu Leech, of Kanjiklub, who expresses interest in the Wati drug trade and eventually learns Iron Scarab stays at the Tooth and Hookah.
o Falto, of the Cryptfinders, who claimed great success that the Iron Scarab doubts.
o Sirgun Firehair, of Daughters of the Desert, who Snrub spilled his drink on and who now avoid Iron Scarab.
o Mad Dog Marn, of the Dog Soldiers, who warned Iron Scarab of haunts and swarms and could not help the Iron Scarab with information on counterfeit tokens. He seeks information on dog breeders.
o Black Kiss, of the Sand Scorpions, who tried to hire Samdi into their group of accomplished rogues and offered to make counterfeit tokens.
o Velriana Hypaxes, of the Scorched Hand, who told Iron Scarab they seek a temple of Nethys known as the Temple of The Erudite Eye.
• May 2: While exploring the Necropolis the Iron Scarab is attacked by down-on-their luck bandits/adventurers known as Hot Steel and recover a token to the Leopard’s Eye. During the battle ghouls attack the combatants who temporarily team up but Iron Scarab violate the agreed upon truce after the battle and kill the group.
• May 3-5: Iron Scarab successfully explore the second site, the House of Pentheru, the mansion of a minor noble of ancient Wati.
o Imanish, a Doru Div, battles the Iron Scarab but ultimately escapes.
o Iron Scarab join the Scorched Hand at the baths.
o Iron Scarab continue to debate exploring the Leopard’s Eye, but for now decide against it.
• May 6: Iron Scarab draw the Temple of the Erudite Eye as their final site and successfully explore it.
o In route to the temple, Iron Scarab attacked by hired bandits in the necropolis, which the Iron Scarab again kill after accepting surrender.
o During exploration of Temple, Iron Scarab observe clues another group likely entered the Temple ahead of them. A raging sandstorm outside seals all parties together in separate parts of the Temple.
o Iron Scarab harassed by an Akhat guardian of the temple which they ultimately do not destroy.
o Iron Scarab uncover messages portending the ancient church of Nethys concealed a great secret in this temple.
o Iron Scarab discover a stone effigy of a humanoid figure in a chamber with a message describing a curse to one who would plunder this chamber. Drops of blood in the chamber, soled footprints in the dust on the floor, and a lack of dust on the figures head suggest the figure was recently plundered.
o Iron Scarab battle Scorched Hand in the temple. Iron Scarab kill evoker Azaz Arafe, rogue Idorii, and wizard Velriana Hypaxes in battle. Additionally, Iron Scarab kills Mad Dog Marn who seems to have joined Scorched Hand. Iron Scarab spare Nethys cleric Khelru, leaving him alive but broken by the death of his homosexual lover Azaz Arafe.

The cast:

Elsa: Human Aboreal Sorceress (dies)
Lady Rhian: Human Undead Scourge Paladin (replaces Elsa)
Sallah: Human Archeologist Bard (dies)
Qualmi: Gnome Necromancer (replaces Sallah)
Sahmdi: Human Cleric Thoth (dies and returns)
Lady Neferkuerte: Human Cleric Thoth (temporarily replaced Sahmdi)
Snrub: Goblin Rogue (dies and returns)
Jasper Ra: Human Cavalier (temporarily replaces Snrub)

Permanent Members:
Sayyid: Human Mobile Figher
Mac: Half-Orc Inquisitor (Cayden Cailen)
Anani: Human Wind Oracle

My party complete the AP yesterday. Along the way I kept a journal. It is not beautiful prose but it is a no-nonsense record of my party's progress against a precisely maintained calendar. I share it as other DMs may find it useful.

My players face off against Hakotep in our session next month (9/21). I'm planning to run Harder Hakotep + the golden guardians as described here. I will also add a clockwork reliquary that is slightly modified...the reliquary has a star metal vulnerability as I think it comes from another adventure path. These creatures have a 1% chance per round of combat of losing control (becoming confused). To protect himself from this eventuality Hakotep built the reliquary so that someone wearing the mask (he expected it to be him) could overcome the DR 15/epic.

In room E22 I will put some plates from the reliquary's armor plating. If my players make a DC 30 arcana check I will tell them these are parts of a clockwork reliquary, and these creatures are often built so that the designer carries an item that allows him to overcome the DR of the constructs powerful plating.

I have 7 players and all will make next session so it is:
1) Sayyid - human mobile fighter L16
2) Lady Rhiana - human undead scourge paladin L16
3) Mac - half-orc inqusitior Cayden Calian
4) Snrub - goblin rogue
5) Qualmi - gnome necromancer
6) Sahmdi - human cleric Toth
7) Anani - human air oracle

I ran it by the book and the slay living did kill one of my PCs. It is is a tough encounter.

GM SuperTumbler, I thought about your challenges some more, and here is what I propose assuming you don't want to force it on the rails.

1) Let the party down the Sky Pyramid in book 5 as written,
2) Hakotep will allow the PCs back into his good graces if they help him now repair his broken Sky Pyramid. To do that the party must travel to the lost city of Kho. You'll need to make up most of the content, but Hakotep has some kind of magic doo-dad to give them to make it easier. If you're looking for inspiration this novel may help (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13175620-city-of-the-fallen-sky).
3) Hakotep also needs an army. He asks the PCs to win over the savage elemental clans of Osirion. When the PCs interact with the clans they learn there is a special nexus constructed in the sands of eastern Osirion that create especially thin barriers between the elemental and material planes. This nexus is broken and must be repaired. If the PCs do this they will support Hakotep. Then you can repurpose much of the content from the 4 elemental crypts in book 6 to be the content for this part of the adventure.
4) Hakotep and his flying pyramids and the elemental clans lay siege to Tephu (Hakotep chooses this spot, if he needs to make an example of one city he'd like to pick the one with the closest connection to Nethys). This draws the Osirion army away from Nethys. At this time the PCs need to sneak/deceive/battle their way into the palace in Sothis, defeat the Ruby Prince's guards and capture (alive) the Ruby Prince so he can surrender to Hakotep. I don't want to give a lot of spoilers but there is a Kingmaker adventure you can grab for this battle and re-skin it to Osirion and adjust the power level.

Then...Hakotep triumphs. And true to his word, the PCs receive senior positions in the new Osirion government from Hakotep.

I plan a few tweaks to the final section of the final book…Hakotep’s inner sanctum. I’m seeking to give the section some level of time urgency so my players don’t sleep and stock up between each battle. Also, I’m seeking to make Hakotep a bit more proactive in defending his home base.

1) Once the players cross the gates in the air crypt, I will warn them that if they go further turning back will take a miracle. Out of game I want this to be a point of no return, but I recognize I may need to give them some wiggle room if a player dies and no one left alive has the means to bring that person back to life. In game my plan is to require the casting of miracle or wish + succeeding at a DC25 caster level check for living creatures to escape the inner sanctum without defeating Hakotep. The inner sanctum is divided into 3 sections with additional teleport rooms – to up the ante I plan to require one miracle or wish for living creatures to return through each teleport gate. I’m pretty open to the PCs teleporting to a city and buying just about anything off the shelf of the Ultimate Equipment guide but I do want there to ideally be one purchase before heading in and that’s it.
2) I plan to make Hakotep a guy into constructs as a hobby. He needs a hobby, and this seems like a good hobby for the rich and famous of his day, and he seems to like technology and already has a bunch of golems in the room with him. Each evening my players sleep in the inner sanctum Hakotep will send one of his constructs after the PCs. I haven’t worked it out yet but I am imagining accelerating challenges of golems from things like…those set constructs in the adventure path, pantheon golem, a steel predator, a clockwork dragon, a clockwork reliquary (the latter 3 I have the mini for and really want a chance to use them).
3) I will likely need to boost the final encounter just because I have a lot of PCs. But subjectively, if I feel like the PCs took their time getting to Hakotep I plan to further add additional constructs from the list above to make the encounter harder. He’s been working on this stuff since he came back to un-life, and the longer the players take the more productive he will have been.

Another group could also have Neferuset summon an increasing number of things for her encounter and dispatch an escalating number of outsiders at the PCs if the DM feels the players are too slow. I won’t be able to do this because I think my players will face her with just 3 PCs in this particular session but it is an option. Too bad for me too….I sorely wanted to use my huge spawn of chuluthu mini.

It's a fairly different campaign and will require a lot of work on your part but I believe Hakotep would welcome the PCs for the help and reward the assistance and loyalty (after the PCs complete a quest to fix Hakotep's pyramid after they shoot it out of the sky,to return to his good graces). You now need a battle between the current government and Hakotep + PCs.

Possible roles for the PCs would be an assassination effort against the Ruby Prince or some kind of mass combat battle system. I'm inclined to think it would be easier to do the assassination in the context of D&D but you know your party.

Maybe Hakotep strikes a bargain with the savage elemental clans and while the army is battling those clans as a diversion the PCs must sneak into Sothis, defeat the Risen Guard, and take the current Pharaoh hostage so he can properly abdicate to Hakotep? You can get Khemet III's stats in the Osirion source book. As I recall he is L17.

It is within reason for a party of L16-17 characters to achieve this.

Good luck!

Good references:
https://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Osirion
https://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Khemet_III

There are a few references to Neferisis on p47.

I believe this is a typo and it should read Neferuset. If I am mistaken, can someone let me know who Neferisis is.

Sorry Folkish. My players saw swarms coming and immediately cast get away.

It is strange, which is what sparked my question to begin with. But I agree with your read - it should give the barbarian a very reliable way to dispel one dispellable de-buff on an adjacent ally or yourself.

Can you use this on someone who is not hurt at all? For example put a cure light wounds on someone before a battle like a mini-aid spell?

Can your buddy voluntarily lower his CMD to make it easier?

6 year necro...

Can spell sunder be used on a fellow PC or yourself to remove an unfavorable spell? E.g., my buddy is cursed. Can I spell sunder it of of him?

My party is not in the Hakotep section yet but I am also thinking of changing the opening to Hakotep's section. I'm considering that after the party disables the control pyramid they don't disable the door and the elemental storm but instead acquire something like a blessing. Once the party has all 4 blessings, when they approach the door it will automatically slide open (like an automatic grocery store) and the storm will dissipate when they pass through. This action will consume the blessing so it is one trip into Hakotep's section and that is it. Any concerns?

One change I implemented to this adventure: I decided that 5 days after the party grounds the Pyramid of the Sky Pharaoh at the end of The Slave Trenches of Hakotep the flying attack pyramids reach their destinations and begin firing down a beam of miasma every morning and again demanding the surrender of the Iron Scarab and Hakotep's mask.

In my game my party hit day 5 before clearing a single crypt because they had some bad luck and poor planning with the scorpions on the outside of the pyramid and it took a few days to get everyone back to life.

The party knows about it as Ptemenib sends a sending that Wati was attacked on the fifth day. My party told Ptemenib to lie and say the party will surrender at the Pyramid of the Sky Pharaoh. Ptemenib then urged the party to fight quickly as dozens of people died today and more will die tomorrow, but to be careful and make sure you ultimately triumph. The attacks are going on all over Osirion now, but it will take time for Ptemenib to learn of the other attacks and communicate it to the party.

I also decided the Ruby Prince must be preparing his defenses, but since they are poorly suited to combating flying pyramids he will also send his morale support and promise great rewards to the party if they triumph.

The whole thing is strongly alluded to in the adventure I just put some rules on it so my party doesn't take forever and get hyper cautious in this part of the adventure.

Name: Zed

Race: Human
Classes/levels: Sorcerer 6
Adventure: Shifting Sands
Location: The Dark Depository
Catalyst: Researching too greedily, and too deep.
** spoiler omitted **

Zed's dead baby, Zed's dead.

Names: Mac and Qualmi
Race: Human and Gnome
Classes/levels: Desna Inquisitor L14 and Necromancer L14
Adventure: The Sky Pharaoh's Pyramid
Location: Outside the pyramid
Catalyst: Split the party, ad hoc DM decision, poor tactical decisions.
The Gory Details: Two of my PCs split from the party to fly around and scout Hakotep's pyramid from the outside. The adventure describes 2 gargantuan scorpions immune to electricity and flying. The monsters are poorly described and almost feel like a trap rather than a monster, and I ad hoc ruled they could also see invisibility (seemed right for the sentinels of the final dungeon). When my PCs got near the pyramid the scorpions winked into existence, rolled excellent initiative, and grabbed the two PCs. The inquisitor actually got them out of the scorpions' claws (both himself and he reached over to get the necromancer too) with his Desna blink ability to go ~20 feet straight up above the scorpions. The necromancer then could have gotten away in a number of ways, but while trying a teleport he did not say "cast defensively" and underestimated the reach of a gargantuan scorpion. Spell disrupted, the necromancer was chewed up and killed that round. The following round the inquisitor, out of his blink ability was chewed up and killed. The party later carefully recovered the bodies and raised these two.

I have 7 PCs in my game at max. If I have all 7 I'm thinking of running the encounter with harder hakotep + shield golems + a clockwork reliquary.

I have the clockwork reliquary mini so I'm eager to use it, and it seems like something Chissisek may have created.

Do people think this encounter would be too hard for 7 PCs of level 16-17?

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/constructs/clockwork/clo ckwork-reliquary/

Thanks for the update. Looks like it was pretty well tuned (1 PC death, some drama, what you want in a final battle).

Sounds like some bad rolls by BBEG. I do think a BBEG who fails 3 saves in a row over 3 rounds will die 9 times in 10.

Thanks Terrepin. I wrote this text as Tef-Naju's contract:
I, Tef-Naju, Shaitan Magus, in recognition of the threat posed by the aeromatic infadibulum powered flying cities of the Shory to Osirion, do commit to defend the Khepsutanem’s construction site and the Khepsutanem for the Osirion Pharaoh Hakotep until the Pharaoh Hakotep succeeds in grounding an aeromatic infadibulum powered creation.

I, Hakotep, Pharaoh of Osirion, in recognition of the threat posed by aeromatic infadibulum powered Shory cities, do agree to payment to Shaitan Magus Tef-Naju the treasures listed in Appendix 1 after the first occasion when the Khepsutanem overcome the an aeromatic infadibulum.

How did it go?! How did it go!? Don't forget to tell us.

My players are in module 5 and have been pretty successful so I'm very interested in a way to boost the last encounter. However, your redesign looks extremely formidable so I'm interested in how it goes.

The great despair aura alone looks brutal.

I have up to 7 PCs a session so I routinely boost, but usually I boost by adding more things to an encounter rather than enhancing an existing foe. For example in this case, if I had 7 PCs I'd take Harder Hakotep as is, but throw in 7 golems rather than 4.

Reprint?

My kids have been bugging me to play D&D for several years and I just started running Skulls and Shackles for 6 PCs:
my wife
my friend
my 5th grade boy
my 3rd grade girl
my friend's 6th grade girl
my friend's 3rd grade girl.

My 3rd grade daughter wanted to make a pixie (of course) and I'm trying to make a fair one. I want most to hang onto flight, as it is not much of a pixie without flight.

Fey
Small size
+4 DEX, +2 CHA, -2 STR
Slow speed
Fly 40' (poor manuverability)
SR 5 + character level
SLA at will: Dancing Lights, Shield
Languages: Common and Sylvan.

What do others think? It still looks a bit too good to my eye but I want other's thoughts. I made the flight a bit worse and did not want to go any worse. Shield at will and a +4 DEX looks a bit too good after the flight is in there.

My group has a 15-point buy and anything they want from the CRB and Advanced Player's guide. Other options are approved ad hoc and I'm a bit stingy about that - it should be core to your role-playing concept or Egyptian themed.

I have 7 players, and we play whenever we can get at least 4. For example, this Saturday we will have 6. I do boost the encounters when I have more than 4 players and try to boost it linearly with the number of PCs (e.g., if the encounter as written involves fighting 4 cultists and I have 6 players present that day my party fights 6 cultists). That increases the challenge and increases the treasure too.

We are about to finish book 4. I think we've had about 6 PC deaths, and no TPKs.

Has anyone created a handout to serve as Tef-Naju's contract described on p30?

Here is the text of a handout I prepared for the scrivener's wall. There are two sections specific to my campaign (the part where my PCs are named, and the part where another party attacks the pyramid) but I share it here in case an interested party wants to adapt it...

Scrivener’s Wall
Handwriting 1: Aunt Isatemkhebet, it is your nephew, the Sky Pharaoh Hakotep I, can you read me?
Handwriting 2: Yes, my pharaoh. How may I serve?
Handwriting 1: I have arisen from the dead and begun my plan to reclaim the throne of Osirion. What is your status?
Handwriting 2: Ready to serve my pharaoh. The Five-Pointed Sun is airborne.
Handwriting 1: Fly to Wati. Destroy them unless the church hands over the Iron Scarab: Lady Rhian the paladin, Sahmdi the cleric, Snrub the wizard rogue who is vulnerable to dispel magic, Qualmi the necromancer, Sayyid the fighter who may be dominated, and Anani the oracle, who has minions vulnerable to dismissal. Adjunct members may include a gynosphinx Tetisurah, an inquisitor Mac, a cavalier Jasper Ra, an archaeologist Sallah, and a snow queen sorceress Elsa. They also possess my funerary mask. You must recover my funerary mask so that I may reunite with my soul and return to life to begin my second and eternal reign over Osirion.
Handwriting 2: Yes, my pharaoh.
Handwriting 1: Aunt Isatemkhebet, preparations are underway to raise the tombs of the 15 other generals from the sands of Osirion to the skies above. When ready, we will attack all Osirion’s cities and demand the loyalty of the citizens and leaders to me, the reborn Sky Pharaoh.
Handwriting 2: Yes, my pharaoh.
Handwriting 2: My pharaoh, I have arrived in Wati and issued your demand. Four other adventurers attacked. They were held in high regard by the people of Wati. The Voices of the Sun defeated the defiant. They made a good example to Wati of Your might. I destroyed the home of the defiant with the Five-Pointed Sun to underscore the example.
Handwriting 1: Your progress pleases me. If you perform well I will name you Supreme Commander of the 16 flying pyramids that will retake my kingdom.

Did anyone incorporate the items listed in the section: Lost Treasures of Ancient Osirion, and if so, how? I'm thinking of putting the Lotus Stone of Namrut into the adventure, but I don't want to just casually throw in an artifact.

I added some rules for excising Hakotep from the Forgotten Pharaoh and pasted them below. This exorcism will deprive the PCs of combat with the Forgotten Pharaoh but I'm okay with that for a few reasons: 1) this combat looked pretty easy, 2) there is plenty of other combat in this adventure, and even in this dungeon, 3) an exorcism is a fairly iconic scene in literature and I've never had one in D&D. I think my PCs will remember an exorcism better than another fight. Here are my notes, which I think are of sufficient detail for others to use if you wish. They are inspired by, and adapted from, the occult ritual rules. I have up to 7 PCs in a session and tried to make this a 50/50 thing. You may wish to adapt with a smaller party. Feedback welcome and if you use it I would like to hear how it goes. I don't think my party will get here for a few more months.Mummy’s Mask Exorcism Ritual with 7 PCs

Exorcise Hakotep from the Forgotten Pharaoh.

1 PC acts as the ritual lead, any number of other secondary PCs within 30 feet of Hakotep and the leader can assist. Lead PC must succeed at a bluff, intimidate, knowledge religion or sense motive check (the lead PCs choice) vs. Hakotep’s concentration check (+34, using Harder Hakotep from this post: http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2v6qi?Harder-Hakotep). The opposed checks play out over a series of rounds, and the PCs must succeed at 3 checks before Hakotep succeeds at 4 (think balls/strikes from baseball; ties go to the PCs). If the PCs physically attack Hakotep during the ritual the exorcism is disrupted. As long as the PCs come within 10 of Hakotep’s check (e.g., the PCs check is 48 and Hakotep’s check is a 58) then Hakotep is functionally stunned as he must devote all of his efforts to the ritual.
The PCs can learn of this ritual with a DC25 knowledge religion check. The PCs are entitled to this check either because 1) the possibility of possession or an exorcism occurs to the players and the players ask, or 2) upon first seeing Hakotep a PC succeeds at a DC 25 sense...

My party battled the Forgotten Pharaoh. I boosted the encounter with 6 minions. I had pre-determined that if my party started the ritual while minions were still alive Hakotep would order his minions to stand down, confident he could win the exorcism ritual and thinking he would get the bonus temporary hitpoints. In the end my players decided to kill the minions first and then my players were of two minds: just kill the Forgotten Pharaoh or do the ritual. After round three, while the players had killed some minions, the FP started throwing prismatic spray which can be a save or die spell. At this point my players decided all bets were off and fought to kill the FP. After they knocked her unconscious the party cleric just started doing the ritual and PCs joined in...the paladin with lay on hands, the wind oracle with searing light, the necromancer with some spells, the rogue with bluff checks, and tetisurah with some skill checks. Because I had 5 PCs and not my full cadre of 7, I lowered the DC on the skill checks from 31 to 26, and I made the boosts that normally add +5 add +8.

How have people handled the Animus trap from a practical perspective? Did you get the sheets of your PCs in advance?

Has anyone prepared a handout of the false map (area A3, p13) that they would be willing to share?

In the 5th AP, the party will travel SW along the river to the slave trenches. That is the easiest time to have the party escort Constantine. If you hold this plot line until then you can fairly seamlessly work it in there.

Mu cultists often say, "My soul is prepared, is yours?" in homage to the Indiana Jones movies.

kadance wrote:

They found a false mask... (the mask you're seeking is in another tomb)

Their mask is incomplete, and thus just seems to be an ordinary magic mask that sells for more than its worth to the players (and is then bought by a certain NPC that has the missing pieces)

That won't work as I've already kinda hyped up the magic aura around it. At the very least, the character holding the mask won't give it up till she knows it's safe(Locked away and searched for by a gang with strange mask wearing allies? This can't be good).

However, you DID remind me of a possible out. The character in question is going to see about visiting this little old map maker they've come to know. Little do they know this old man is actually the Certain NPC in disguise.

Idea; Drug/Sleep/Knock Out the visiting character, search for mask on person, replace with fake, bluff way out, book 2 happens as per usual.

Embrace it. Drop a hint that the mask was stored in the Temple of the Erudite Eye for milennia and the PCs may find clues to the mask's operation in that place. What party can resist that temptation, especially when they also draw that location as part of the lottery.

If you can't steal the mask from the PCs embrace it further.

The party accidentally sets the mask off and spends the second book cleaning up the mask they inadvertently made (I would not ablate anyone's soul in this case). The necromancer in the second adventure no longer has the mask, he was just attracted by the ka burst and is the last major piece of the damage the PCs did. Then have the church of Phrasma command the party to investigate the mask (book 3) as penance for the damage they did.

I'm in the Sightless Sphinx and my PCs have shown almost no interest in talking with them. In a way I'm glad because it is easier for me, but I think it would be more interesting if they spoke with the cult more. Maybe I should not be surprised - the AP has a Lord of the Rings feel to it (find an artifact and bring it to the enemy in an effort to stop it) and I don't recall the good guys in Lord of the Rings ever trying to talk to the orcs.

I think they do worship the FP and see him/her in his/her FP configuration as a god-queen. They tatoo that troth on their skin which makes me think the cultists believe the FP has some power over the afterlife hence the god-like nature of their belief. The AP never suggests they would surrender or anything either.

I have them shout fanatical things at the PCs in combat. If they tried speak with dead I would have to think more carefully about their responses but so far that has not happened. I would at least make them hostile under the speak with dead spell.

My PCs have also not tried to role-play with the girtablilu in the Sphinx who are more obviously willing to talk, so that is just my bunch.

I'd like to create some sense of urgency to the exploration of The Sightless Sphinx, so my player's cannot rest in each room.

My best idea: The FP only has a fraction of her strength dedicated to holding the stalemate with the cult because she has another major priority: find the mask. So she has sent patrols of Girtabilu (e.g., 50 total) to comb the desert for the PCs. These scouts are due back in about a week, greatly swelling her ranks. That means the PCs really want to wrap the place up in less than 7 days.

What do others think of this idea? And do others have better ideas?

I need a lot of girtabilu because I have 7 PCs. I need a number the PCs won't just see as a worthy challenge. And the girtabilu don't have too much treasure per creature, so they are not attractive from a treasure perspective, like those juicy cultists.

I would like to have a wandering monster encounter prepped for the Sightless Sphinx section. I have these minis too:

Minotaur Artillery x2
Minotaur Cleric x2
Minotaur Labyrinth Guardian

I think they would make a nice adventuring party/wandering encounter within the dungeon. Anyone have ideas for a cool story for why they are in the Sphinx? So it is more than just a combat.

What does Areshkhesbed "ability healing" power do?

Room K27 has 2 Maftets that burst into room K26 if the PCs fight the bodaks. Room K27 also contains 2 Guecubus. Why aren't the maftets and the guecubus fighting one another before the PCs arrive?

Picking up the heart resulted in Serethet instantly being possessed by Hakotep. However, handling the Mask poses no such danger. Any ideas why, besides it's magic so it doesn't have to be consistent?

Iron Scarab.

My players chose it; I quite like it.

I know of no information beyond what is in Empty Graves (pages 40-45).