The newly-named adventuring group Pharasma's Seekers makes its way out onto the streets of Wati. Just northwest down the street they finds themselves in the Sunburst Market. From this location you can actually see the Grand Mausoleum rising up just to the south of this enormous open-air market, which forms the bustling heart of Wati. Decorated pillars mark out a regular grid, and various merchants hang attention-grabbing banners and samples of their wares from the painted sandstone columns. The plaza is a maze of tents and tables that display goods ranging from artwork, cosmetics, and food to weapons, poisons, and magical tomes. Traveling merchants from neighboring cities have come to the sunburst market to ply their wares. A group of guards called the “Marketwives” patrol the market, watching for pickpockets and thieves.
After some time in the market, realizing it must be nearing noon, Pharasma's Seekers make their way to the Grand Mausoleum. The bustling desert city of Wati is near bursting with excitement. Adventurers from every corner of the Inner Sea region have assembled here beneath the hot Osirian sun to explore the tombs of the city’s necropolis, waiting only to be assigned their first sites for exploration. Surrounding the participants, the public has gathered to observe the ceremony as well. There is a festival-like quality in the air, and numerous street vendors are hawking goods and refreshments to participants and spectators alike. Some merchants have even brought what can only be considered adventuring gear to sell as last minute convenience items to explorers, while others advertise that they’ll buy recovered treasures and antiquities from those who visit their establishments.
In front of the imposing edifice of the Grand Mausoleum, an immense awning has been erected between decorated pillars in the market to provide shade for the priests of Pharasma overseeing the lottery. Beneath the awning, two urns sit atop a table elevated a few feet above the ground on a wooden stage constructed for the event. The high priestess of the Grand Mausoleum, Sebti the Crocodile, sits behind the table, while two acolytes confer with her at either side.
Sebti the Crocodile rises to her feet, and the ceremony begins. She seems surprisingly young to hold such a distinguished position, but she has a confident air of authority. After calling for silence she begins with an invocation to the Lady of Graves, followed by a brief history of the founding of the Necropolis.
"Let the lottery begin! Although many of you have requested specific sites to explore, we must leave these matters to fate. The Lady of Graves is a far better judge of destiny than we of this mortal sphere. The gates of the necropolis will open at sunrise tomorrow. Use this evening to prepare yourselves for the task ahead. Let these rules guide you in your endeavors.
Remember how this came to pass. The Plague of Madness was unleashed upon the city of Wati while religious authorities were engaged in infighting. This rule is a reminder that the necropolis remains a holy place, and those who engage in needless conflict and banditry are not only criminals, but accursed.
Every slave's hut is a memorial. Every structure within the necropolis is a testament to the people who lived and died in the city. Explorers must not desecrate or vandalize standing structures and tombs, but preserve them as the memorials they were intended to be. Some structures may be trapped or decrepit, but willful and unnecessary destruction will not be tolerated.
Honor the departed. The dead should be treated with dignity and respect. If the interred need to be disturbed to recover an antiquity or relic, they should be returned to their resting places carefully. It is understood that the ancient dead are often brittle, but there is no need for the contents of a sarcophagus to be summarily dumped on the ground. This rule does not apply to the undead or other abominations.
Failure to comply with these rules can result in, but is not limited to, expulsion from the necropolis, a ban on continued exploration, seizure of recovered valuables, and arrest and prosecution by local authorities.
May you go with the Lady's Blessing”
As she concludes, her acolytes begin to draw tokens from the hat, each representing a group. As each name is called, the leader goes forward to collect a scroll with their location.
Some of the groups she names are as follows: The Cryptfinders, The Daughters of the Desert, Dog Soldiers, The Sand Scorpions, Chaundren's Champions, The Amethyst Dragons, The Flickering Four, The Scorched Hand, and finally, Pharasma's Seekers. Laroisael goes and returns with a scroll assigning you to the Tomb of Akhentepi, with a map marking the location in the Necropolis.
With that, the Lottery was over.
Fitliss tells everyone what he learned with his Diplomacy check now. Other than that, he just continues to the streets until it is time to sleep. That is, barring a knowledge result he wants to act on.
Fitliss tells everyone what he learned with his Diplomacy check now.
[dice=Knowledge (history); Knowledge (religion)]1d20 + 6;; 1d20 + 4
Selassie gives her companions a serious look when the rules are enumerated "Mark the rules well."
Before they set out Aliva will run back upstairs and gather her adventuring gear. "I Might as well look the part if we are going to be given a chance at the Necropolis"
After the final name is read out and all the people start to turn away from the spectacle Aliva turns to Selassie "So the spot we got, do you know anything about it?
Ai'sha shares what she learned before with the group, she then spends some time at the markets before returning to the Tooth and Hookah, where she hangs out for the night and rests.
Irakelesh wanders around the market with the rest of the group, curious with nearly every item he sees. Soon he finds himself nearly bouncing with excitement waiting for the lottery.
"Woohoo!" Irakelesh shouts when he sees the name of the tomb they got. "Akhentepi! That's the one I wanted. I don't really know anything about the guy. But the name sounds exciting."
Knowledge (local) for Selassie
Perception and Knowledge (religion) for Aliva
Religion 21: While Pharasma is the chief religion of Wati in the present day, other faiths have or have had strong presences here as well. The city's foundation was originally laid by mages and clerics of Nethys. Until the Keleshite Interregnum the Osirian pantheon was also important. Osiris, Ra, Set, Isis, and many others made up this pantheon. There is still a shrine to one of those gods, Wadjet, where the Asp and Crook rivers mingle to form the Sphinx River, a river that Wadjet traditionally symbolized. Abadar worship is also important here, and the Sanctum of Silver and Gold serves as his temple.
Knowledge (local) checks for A'isha
Local 14: You recognize the name Dog Soldiers when their halfling leader approaches the stage. You heard of tales of them in Sothis. They are a mercenary band of halflings known for training dogs to aid in their fights.
Knowledge (history) for Irakelesh, Fitliss and Selassie (Laroisiel can read this too)
In 1608 AR, Pharaoh Djederet II ordered the construction of a grand city to mark the birthplace of the Osirion’s greatest natural resource: the River Sphinx, springing from the confluence of the Asp and the Crook. With its early foundations magically laid by the church of Nethys, the city sprang to life within just a year. Named Wati, the riverside town soon dominated trade across southern Osirion. Hardwoods and spices from Katapesh and the Mwangi Expanse bound for Sothis, and manufactured goods and luxuries from the nations surrounding the Inner Sea bound for Osirion’s southern territories, all paused long enough in Wati’s warehouses and markets to make its citizens famously wealthy. For centuries, Wati endured through political upheaval and the births and deaths of entire dynasties as it dominated its younger sister cities of An and Tephu.
But Wati’s destiny was forever warped in 2499 AR, when the cult of Lamashtu unleashed the Plague of Madness among the city’s thriving populace. Many of those whom the fever did not immediately kill were driven to murderous insanity, and within months, more than half the city had fallen in painful, anguished death. Most of the survivors fled Wati to make new homes elsewhere, but a stubborn minority remained behind, determined to reclaim their city. But even once the plague had run its course, their livelihoods collapsed as An and Tephu took over Wati’s once exclusive trade routes, and their floundering community struggled against recurring outbreaks of the undead from the city’s many abandoned buildings-turned-tombs.
It took almost half a millennium for Wati’s fortunes to reverse thanks to the church of Pharasma. With the tacit permission of Osirion’s Keleshite sultan, a Pharasmin priest named Nefru Shepses marched on Wati in 2953 AR with a small army of alchemists, masons, and morticians under his banner, intent on consecrating the entire city to the Lady of Graves, beginning with a new, monumental temple to Pharasma called the Grand Mausoleum. Over the next 30 years, Nefru Shepses and his followers recovered the bodies of those slaughtered in the Plague of Madness from their hasty, makeshift graves and the Pharasmins walled off that portion of the city that had been abandoned, transforming it into a metropolis of makeshift tombs. Thousands of corpses were given formal burial rites and reinterred in this dead copy of the living city, which continues to serve as Wati’s necropolis today.
The consecration of the city and its necropolis revitalized Wati, and though it never reclaimed its dominance among the cities of the south, over the next 1,700 years Wati grew until its necropolis—once more than half of the city— took up less than a quarter of the city’s total area. Today, long after the necropolis’s completion, Wati continues to produce a great variety of grave goods for Osirion’s honored dead. A steady stream of burial figures, canopic jars, embalming fluids, prayer books, and sarcophagi sail downstream on the Sphinx, outpacing Wati’s crop and textile exports. Even Wati’s criminal underworld revolves around death, as competing gangs regularly raid the necropolis for valuables and even human carrion.
Knowledge (religion) for Fitliss and Aliva
"I don't know anything about this specific tomb. I do know something about some of the other groups. We should be careful of the Flickering Four an the Amethyst Dragons, they are said to be trouble and apt to rob other groups for their treasure. The Scorched Hand worship Nethys, the Sand Scorpions are several roguish types and a magus, led by an alchemist calling herself Black Kiss."
Fitliss doesn't think anything he remembers would be worth the time explaining to the group, so he heads back into the city to ask around some more. Specifically, he goes off of what Selassie said and asks about the party composition of the Flickering Four and the Amethyst Dragons, as well as Black Kiss.
"We shall heed your warning Selassie about the other groups. So do we get a map or anything about the potion of the Necropolis that we are going to enter? How can we plan out this trip?"
Results of Fitliss's Diplomacy check to gather information
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Some of the locals recognize Fitliss as an adventurer, and the talk almost invariably turns to the Necropolis. Many locals are hopeful that all this adventuring will put an end to the infrequent but deadly attacks visited on the living part of the city by various monsters who live in the Necropolis, but others are afraid it may just stir them up. In particular there are known to be a large number of ghouls to be found there, so great a number in fact that they have organized into gangs, whose macabre names are rumored to include the Walkers of Nimret, Sunset in Red, and the Lapis Dogs. Other threats include monstrous vermin and all sorts of aberrations. There is even said to be a passageway to the Darklands somewhere in the Necropolis, which would explain the occasional appearance of skulks and sometimes dark folk in the Necropolis.
The priests of Pharasma do patrol the Necropolis, but they only deal with anything they meet on the streets and do not typically go into the buildings to seek out trouble.
"We shall heed your warning Selassie about the other groups. So do we get a map or anything about the potion of the Necropolis that we are going to enter? How can we plan out this trip?"
Aliva really has nothing to buy right now, "I spend my last coins to get here, now is my chance to get some more and maybe further Milani's faith in this city."
Aliva will stay with the group till they are ready to head back and prepare for the journey tomorrow.
Laroisael will stay with the group, gathering her stuff and planning out for the journey.
After the lottery Irakelesh mentions that he needs to pick up a few more items in the market. He meanders through the marketplace handling nearly everything he sees and talking almost nonstop. "This scarf," he says to whoever is listening while holding up a brightly colored and patterned peice of cloth, "has an interesting design. See the different colors and shapes? This is something I saw a lot of when we stayed in Vudra. If I remember correctly, this signals one of the richer families too." Just as quickly he drops the scarf and moves on to the next stall. "And this cup? I'm certain that it came from the north. I mean look at this depiction of snow covered mountains. You don't see that around here!" And then to the next stall...
Along the way he buys a few items for the adventure. Before long his backpack is stuffed full and he returns to the Tooth and Hookah and little bit tired and a lot bit excited.
By and by, the party goes to their rest at the Tooth and Hookah.
As sunrise approaches the next day, the Seekers of Pharasma gather their equipment and gear in the common room of the Tooth and Hookah. Farhaan is excitedly bringing out food, encouraging the group that they get a good breakfast in them before setting out.
A man called Sheb, one of the tavern's patrons and a man the group has seen around off and on the last couple of days is talking about the Necropolis to anyone who will listen:
“Oh yes, there are more dangers than tomb guardians and curses and dead things in that necropolis, I'll tell you,” he whistles through his teeth, “My uncle was an explorer back in his prime. He's poked around every corner of the desert–once even he back with an emerald the size of a peahen's egg.
Anyway, he was always telling stories about how big statues would suddenly spring to life and chase him out, but the weirdest one was about an old guy who nearly bled out from paper cuts when a shelf of scrolls leapt off their shelves, wrapped him up, and dragged their edges across his whole body. So be careful out there, and don't trust anything but your instincts.”
Farhaan smiles, and helps the group carry their backpacks to the door.
“I hope to see you again tonight, I will keep the light on for you. Good luck my friends.”
With that, the party heads to the Necropolis. At the gates of the Necropolis they group is stopped by a group of well-armed and armored Pharasmins, members of the Voices of the Spire. Their leader, Nakht Shepses, stands by, eyeing eye party as their papers are checked and they are allowed to pass, his hand on his khopesh. Pharasma's Needle, a great obelisk that stands just inside the walls, dominates the skyline.
The sturdy stone buildings of Wati's necropolis were once part of the living city, and even now could still be mistaken for apartments, estates, shops, or tenements if not for the faded paint and desert sand piling up in the streets. Separated from the rest of the city by high stone walls inscribed with prayers and blessings, the necropolis has an outward appearance of beauty and repose. The dusty streets seem empty of life.
The party arrives at the site. A rectangular stone mausoleum sits alone in what appears to have once been an actual cemetery. The trunks of a few dead trees poke out of the sand around the tomb, and a hot breeze whistles through the desiccated branches. A set of massive stone double doors is affixed to the northern side of the structure, beneath a facade bearing the likeness of an Osirian man. Windblown sand is heaped around the crypt, partially burying the doors that lead within.
Aliva will walk up to the doors "Lets hope he is laying peacefully."
She will look the door over then turn back to the group, "How do you purpose we get this open?"
Fitliss tries to push the doors open just in case. Assuming that doesn't work, he casts detect magic.
If none of that works, he turns to Irakelesh. "Didn't you say something about being good with ancient Osiriani doors, or was that just the secret ones?"
"These don't look like they can be simply opened..."
She gets close to the door.
"Maybie if we remove this sand we can find another entrance?"
"This is the place."
Selassie carefully examines the door.
"Hmm. Interesting doors." Irakelesh follows Ai'sha as she investigates the doors. "I'm sure there is just some secret way to open them. Hah. That is probably the first part of the adventure!"
Pharasma's Needle (Irakelesh and Selassie)
Upon further investigation of the door, Selassie and and Irakelesh come to the conclusion that the piled sand will need to be removed before the door can be opened. Additionally, Irakelesh can tell that the doors are on concealed hinges and swing outwards. There are telltale traces of mortar along the seams and jamb that has since crumbled or been chipped away, indicating that the doors were meant to be sealed permanently and not intended to be opened again. However, Irakelesh also notices signs of a crowbar or similar tool being inserted between the doors at some point.
Aliva will look around the opening for any tools that they can use to help with clearing the sand and opening the door.
Aliva will look around the opening for any tools that they can use to help with clearing the sand and opening the door.
perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Aliva will get down on her hand and knees and start to clear the sand from around the door, pulling out her dagger to help with clearing under the door as well if possible.
Fitliss gets on his knees and starts shoveling with his bare hands, since he has nothing to shovel with.
Selassie joins Aliva in using her dagger to scrape sand out from under the door. She also reminds people to drink lots of water and refills waterskins as needed.
"I guess this is just too much sand to blow away with magic.", she sighs, joining the group at the task of removing sand.
The group gradually clears the sand away from the doors.
Fitliss doesn't have a crowbar, but he does have a 10 ft. long wooden pole.
Ai'sha tries to help Fitliss in opening the door.
Selassie also tries to help.
Aliva will lend what muscle she can.
Once the sand is cleared away Irakelesh studies the door. "I think if we push right here," he indicates a spot, "and pull here," he points out another spot, "then I think it will work."
Laroisael will try to aid in her strength.
Try as they might, the Seekers of Pharasma cannot seem to get the doors open.
Fitliss sets his feet, cracks his knuckles
Aliva will grab hold and help pulling the pole to open the door.
"This door is more stuck than I thought it would be. I am certain that if we apply the right pressure here," he points to a spot near the seam, "that we'll be able to pull it open. Here. Let's try again."
Ai'sha used all her strenght to try to open the door, but all she managed to do was push herself away from the door, her feet sliding in the sand.
"Urgh! It's all because of this *pant* damned *pant* sand!"
She catches her breath and adjusts her stance before trying a second time.
Selassie manages to brace herself well enough to push on the door.
After some time and a lot of work, the party manages to get the doors open. Sandy and sweaty, the adventurers peer into the entryway.
The room is unlit, but sunlight from outside pours into the chamber revealing its contents. This rectangular room is empty save for some engravings and fixtures upon the walls, a pair of heavy stone doors to the north (which have just been opened), and an immense stone wheel against the south wall. The air is stale, and a layer of dust and sand covers the floor, lying in a thicker layer to the south. All four walls bear sunk-relief engravings and hieroglyphs, while small stone faces are affixed to the walls at about shoulder height in each corner. The stone wheel to the south is engraved with a large spiral and set in the stone tracks in the floor and ceiling. The ceiling is ten feet high.
Upon closer inspection, the wheel is about ten feet in diameter and about six inches wide. It appears that the wheel can be rolled to either side along its track to reveal, judging from the size of this room compared to the size of the structure from the outside, a passage to another room.
Irakelesh stares at everything in the room with awe and amazement.
Aliva will look around the room in wonder, "Never have I seen anything like this."
She will gently trace her fingers over the engravings and fixtures, moving up to the wheel she will look at the track to both sides then back to the group.
"So which way to do we move it?"
Selassie inspects the hieroglyphs.
"Fascinating."
Selassie inspects the hieroglyphs.
"Fascinating."
"Those seem pretty cool," Fitliss spares the details of the room a brief glance before moving on to the wheel. "It doesn't look like it matters Aliva," he says before trying to roll it out of the way.
Laroisael looks around, trying to see if there's anything out of the ordinary in this room.
Laroisael looks around, trying to see if there's anything out of the ordinary in this room.
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Laroisael looks around the rooms, but she doesn't notice anything particularly strange. Closer examination of the carved faces in the corner of the room reveals them to be torch holders, such that when torches are place with them, a corona of flame surrounds the deities' heads, but it doesn't seem to have any connection to the wheel.
"Those seem pretty cool," Fitliss spares the details of the room a brief glance before moving on to the wheel. "It doesn't look like it matters Aliva," he says before trying to roll it out of the way.
K.Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 201d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Strength: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16