Tybalt moves in, and bashes the female mummy really hard, so hard you hear some bones crack beneath the bandages!
Tybalt then raises his shield, imagining he probably got the lady's attention... the dwarven way, by bopping her on the head.
With an arrow lodged deep into its head, the yellow mummy stands up and steps over towards Seeker-- who expects to be attacked, seeing the furious red eyes.
But it seems the mummy is rather sluggish, and it cannot follow up with a strike just yet.
The red mummy also stands up--
--and simply swing its hand at the Dwarf, trying to slap the fighter in the face.
But the blow cannot pass the shield, nor the armor, and bounces harmlessly off Tybalt.
Eldon and Variel enter the action--
Tybalt reacts, lashing out instinctively as the mummy with the red hued bandages rises... and his hammer cracks bones once again, dealing a savage blow!
Eldon comes in and gathers arcane powers that yank a pot off the ground, hurling it dangerously at the yellowish mummy... sadly, the pot is too old, and it crumbles as it is propelled through the air, thus not hurting the undead.
Variel's first claw-like swipe rips into the bandages of the prone female mummy, giving her a serious blow, but the second blow is a total miss.
The mummy Variel just hurt stands up, rising slowly to her feet-- it seems all the mummies are rather sluggish.
Sluggish, but powerful, or at least this lady is!
Pulling her arm back, she socks Variel in the face.
The monk tries to dodge, and the mummy barely manages to clip him in the jaw... but barely is enough!
WHACK!
The blow resonates in the room, as Variel's jaw bone is nearly broken.
Variel drops to the ground like a rag doll, his eyes rolling as he passes out...
Some blood trickles from the side of his mouth.
Arrus, JR and Fumbus, though taken aback that their comrade seems knocked out, jump into the fight--
"Er, Longshanks look less lively than the undead... notes Fumbus. Unthinkingly, he reaches for a pair of vials of alchemist's fire from a couple of easy-to-reach pouches. Actively noticing what are now in his hands, the goblin tosses them at the mummy in front of him.
"But, Longshanks probably still throw better than Fumbus just throw." he concludes, viewing the results of his efforts.
Frustrated with his efforts, Fumbus draws his dogslicer.
Singed every so slightly singed by Fumbus's boom booms Arus looks over the nearby red mummy.
Arrus then fires his crossbow at point blank range into the mummy.
Arrus then moves to the far side of the room.
But since you rolled a nat' 1 your result is one degree worse, meaning you downgrade from failure to crit' failure.
The Splash effect of alchie bombs is that "if you critically fail, no one takes any damage".
So your first bomb does no damage at all - or am I missing something?
Then the 2nd one is "only" a miss (simple failure), meaning you do 1 damage to red, and those in the 5ft around: orange, yellow, Tybalt and Arrus.
(Then the mummy weakness kicks in-- but that's another story.)
_______________________________________
Fumbus tosses his first flask, but he lets loose of it when he is arming his throw, and so the fire goes flying out behind him in the corridor, not hurting anyone.
The second flask is at least tossed in the correct direction, and as it explodes, blobs of fiery matter land on Tybalt and Arrus, singing them.
Tybalt's beard is even redder than usual, for a few seconds!
The small blobs of fire touch the three male mummies, and, upon doing so, ignite the embalming fluids that must have been used in their making, because true flames explode all around them!
The yellow one is even so badly burnt, that it collapses to the ground in a pile of ashes.
Then Arrus shoots a bolt into the burning red mummy, totally obliterating it, and sending pieces of flaming cloth left and right... as he moves across the room to avoid the burning debris.
Arrus recalls that the type of mummy he just blasted to bits is some sort of slow shambling mummy, which is an evil mindless undead that--
--
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Junior takes a cautious step forward then lines up a devastating spell, as sheets of stand and stone blast forward in a cone, engulfing the three mummies.
Burning HandsSpell 1
EvocationFire
Source Core Rulebook pg. 322
Traditions arcane, primal
Cast Two Actions somatic, verbal
Area 15-foot cone
Saving Throw basic Reflex
Gouts of flame rush from your hands. You deal 2d6 fire damage to creatures in the area.
Elemental energy surrounds you or a target. Either you gain a +1 status bonus to Intimidation checks for 1 round, or a target takes 1 damage per spell level. The damage is bludgeoning or fire, according to your elemental type (see below). If the spell already deals that type of damage, combine it with the spell’s initial damage before determining weaknesses and resistances.
Feat 1: Sorcerer. Source Core Rulebook pg. 198
Your legacy grants you great destructive power. When you Cast a Spell from your spell slots, if the spell deals damage and doesn’t have a duration, you gain a status bonus to that spell’s damage equal to the spell’s level.
Junior cringes as he wonders if the red mummy will hit him when he casts... but since it burns to ashes, he is relieved that it will not. Though he still does not know if it could have!
His spell engulfs the two mummies that remain, bludgeoning them with stone and sand from the deserts of Osirion!
They seem unable to even dodge a little bit of this elemental onslaught, and are badly pummelled...
The orange hued mummy manages to still get up, despite the sandstorm that slashed its bandages apart.
Then it takes a step towards Tybalt
Arrus suddenly speaks out: "Beware the male mummy's grasp! I remember I was told they try to grab you when they punch... in order to yank you close and bite ya'... and their teeth can hurt!"
On the ground Variel stops bleeding from the mouth, and you see his breathing, though a bit shallow, is regular...
Eldon's finger provokes an electric arc to jump from the lady-mummy to the he-mummy.
Where the spell starts, on the she-mummy, it burns her badly--
--but the he-mummy is able to see it coming, and avoid some of the arc.
• it is not "17 Reflex save negates damage" because the spell calls for a "basic Reflex" save, which is:
Critical Success You take no damage from the spell, hazard, or effect that caused you to attempt the save.
Success You take half the listed damage from the effect.
Failure You take the full damage listed from the effect.
Critical Failure You take double the listed damage from the effect.
Tybalt's hammer bashes the mummy, but she then manages to avoid being hurt by the second blow.
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Seeker launches two more stores st the "male" mummy. Afterwards, he analyzes the "female" for weaknesses to exploit.
(ooc)Shortbow strike
Shortbow strike
Hunt prey female mummy (/ooc)
(ooc) (dice=shortbow attack)1d20+7(/dice) (dice=damage)1d6(/dice)
(dice=precision damage)1d8(/dice) (/ooc)
(ooc) (dice=shortbow attack)1d20+7-5(/dice)
(dice=damage)1d6(/dice)(/ooc)
Seeker launches two more arrows--
--the first at the "male" mummy, skewering it against the ground with a powerful strike!
The mummy breaks in two, and stops moving... it is back to its negative plane or hell or such.
Seeker launches the second arrow at the black colored "female" mummy, but he cannot change targets well enough so fast, and thus misses her.
He thus decides to analyze the "female" for weaknesses to exploit.
The dark lady of undeath seems to seethe as she sees her last minion be reduced to useless bandages and she starts striking back.
First she swings at Tybalt, and socks him in the stomach, bypassing his shield, and bashing the Dwarf with a mighty blow that-- knocks him cold.
Then, without moving, she swings a left hook at Fumbus, her arms extending (!) and reaching all the way to him.
But the Goblin manages to duck.
As Fumbus comes back up from his successful dodge, he is hit right in the ear, which is quite a big target, by her right hook, that is also with an elongated arm reaching all the way out to him!
CRACK!
His ear ringing, Fumbus is knocked out cold.
The mummy seems satisfied to having taken two more enemies out and turns her head towards Arrus, with a grim smile.
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Junior's eyes grow wide and he starts to panic. He backs up a step and launches a blast of positive energy at the creature, hoping to disrupt the necrotic energy binding it. "Shoot it quickly, quickly!"
Disrupt Undead Cantrip 1
Cantrip Necromancy Positive
Source Core Rulebook pg. 331
Traditions divine, primal
Cast Two Actions somatic, verbal
Range 30 feet; Targets 1 undead creature
Saving Throw Fortitude
You lance the target with energy. You deal 1d6 positive damage plus your spellcasting ability modifier. The target must attempt a basic Fortitude save. If the creature critically fails the save, it is also enfeebled 1 for 1 round.
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Watching two more ally's go down Eldon attempts to even up the odds and chants "Gen do'canious", Summoning a dog by the mummies side, it imidiately attacks the female mummy.
N,SM ALL, ANIMAL
Perception +6; low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet
Skills Acrobatics +5, Athletics +4, Stealth +5, Survival +4
Str +1, Dex +2, Con +2, Int –4, Wis +1, Cha –1
AC 15; Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +4
HP 8
Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +6, Damage 1d4+1 piercing
Pack Attack The dog’s Strikes deal 1d4 extra damage to creatures within the reach of at least two of the dog’s allies.
summoned trait. A summoned creature can’t summon other
creatures, create things of value, or cast spells that require a
cost. It has the minion trait. If it tries to cast a spell of equal
or higher level than the spell that summoned it, the spell fails
and the summon spell ends. Otherwise, it uses the standard
abilities for a creature of its kind. It generally attacks your
enemies to the best of its abilities. If you can communicate
with it, you can attempt to command it, but the GM
determines the degree to which it follows your commands.
Immediately when you finish Casting the Spell, the
summoned creature uses its 2 actions for that turn.
Summoned creatures can be banished by various spells
and effects. They are automatically banished if reduced to 0
Hit Points or if the spell that called them ends.
Recovering consciousness, the goblin wearily rises to his feet. "Ooooh." he groans. "What hit Fumbus??"
Seeing the threatening mummy, Fumbus cries, "Oh, yes! Fumbus remember now!" The goblin reaches for his last remaining vials of alchemist's fire.
"Rise from coffin.
You then Fumbus bash.
Fumbus no stay down.
But, you go up in ash!"
Arrus takes a moment to examine the situation before reloading and shooting at the lead mummy
In a desperate move, Tybalt pushes his shield against the creature's blow, pushing it so hard that it splinters!... but does not reduce the blow enough, and Tybalt goes down.
Junior's blast of positive energy hits the creature, that... fails to resist.
Then Junior's eyes grow wide and his panic subsides, as his spell seems to multiply and expand, and the energy totally disrupts the mummy-- that collapses in a heap.
It was obviously quite sensitive to positive energy!
And things go quiet... as the fight is over.
Fumbus has stopped bleeding, and is unconscious, but safe, like Variel.
Tybalt...
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"Holy s#~$." Is all the half elf can mutter as the mummy goes down and he takes a breath to avoid passing out from stress.
He looks around at the group and knows what to do, stepping forward and casting a lengthy spell. A pleasant green light washes out from him thirty feet in every direction, healing all those of land of the living, and doing nothing for or against those that are not.
Heal Spell 1
Healing Necromancy Positive
Source Core Rulebook pg. 342
Traditions divine, primal
Cast Single Action to Three Actions
Range varies;
Targets 1 willing living creature or 1 undeadYou channel positive energy to heal the living or damage the undead. If the target is a willing living creature, you restore 1d8 Hit Points. If the target is undead, you deal that amount of positive damage to it, and it gets a basic Fortitude save. The number of actions you spend when Casting this Spell determines its targets, range, area, and other parameters.
Single Action (somatic) The spell has a range of touch.
Two Actions (verbal, somatic) The spell has a range of 30 feet. If you're healing a living creature, increase the Hit Points restored by 8.
Three Actions (material, somatic, verbal) You disperse positive energy in a 30-foot emanation. This targets all living and undead creatures in the burst.
"My Father is a very, VERY accomplished Arcane Master. He was quite distraught when his power manifested in a more primal manner in me, instead of that which he loved so much: the Arcane." Junior claps his hands together and smiles "I'm pretty sure I disappoint him to this day, but I think the power over life is far more important."
He then heads over to check on the wounded, finally ending with the false Pathfinder they found here.
Recovering from the brutal onslaught, you help the three downed companions come to and get back on their feet.
First through Junior's new blast of positive energy, but one that heals your wounds this time, rather than send an undead out this plane.
Then, using some elixirs of life - although you are pretty sure that one of the potions Fumbus gave you was his bottle of varnish, just mislabeled - and a first aid kit to apply medical relief, you all patch yourselves up enough to be healed enough to finish exploring, hoping that these were not the weak minions of some more powerful mummy awaiting you...
In the room, there is but dust and old bandages, no real trace of the undead.
And the stone "tombs" they exited carry no clues as to who they were: no writings or carved images...
The body of Nefaram Subeli makes you now feel sad for this poor fake-Pathfinder.
You can see that he only carried a simple, non-magical, old compass, that is in no ways a wayfinder.
You know that he will no longer “explore, report, corroborate.”
But, other than that, there are no clues as to who he was, or what scheme he had in mind... at least not here.
• Reporting Notes
If the PCs confronted Nefaram on his lies with enough evidence to back up their accusations, check box A on the reporting sheet.
Check (w. your pointing out the fake Wayfinder)
• Primary Objectives
The PCs fulfill their primary objective if they defeat the combat encounter, making this site safe for future Pathfinder expeditions. PCs who complete this mission also gain the Sand Slide boon on their Chronicle sheet as well as 1 XP, 1 Fame, and 1 Reputation for any faction associated with their currently slotted faction boon.
Check (w. the three mummies reduced to dust)
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Junior continues to work to help the others regain their strength. While he can call forth healing energy magically, he can also use the natural materials growing around them to patch them up. He gathers up some odd dirt, dusts, and ground .. stuff? to help fix their bruises.
Prerequisites trained in Nature
You can apply natural cures to heal your allies. You can use Nature instead of Medicine to Treat Wounds. If you’re in the wilderness, you might have easier access to fresh ingredients, allowing you to gain a +2 circumstance bonus to your check to Treat Wounds using Nature, subject to the GM’s determination.
"Just rub this dirt in it and you'll be fine. Trust me, I worked with an herbalist for years back home in Gallowspire." His tone takes on a bit of an order if his directions aren't followed. Some of the intensity of his bloodline pushing through to the surface.
Though you are not sure about whether you should accept healing from someone who worked the gallows for years... you do heal up nicely thanks to Junior.
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Variel pouts a bit about being knocked out before he could really participate in the fight, but decides that his taking the hit allowed others to get theirs in, and quickly perks up. As the group finishes its exploration, he thanks Junior for the healing, and dances his way back to the camels to ride home.
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Before they pack up to leave, and after people are patched up, JR urges the others to explore the last room or two they haven't seen. "The Venture Captain won't be pleased if we haven't been thorough. Besides, I could use a hand making notes on some of these drawing and statues since my art skills aren't great."
Following JR, who wishes to make some sketches, you move to what turns out to be the last room, at the end of the corridor.
A brazier burns bright, still, illuminating the long narrow place.
There are two statues in this room thatdepict a pair of robed skeletons, each of which is pointing at the other.
After regaining conscious, Fumbus quaffs one of the minor elixir's of life that he had prepared earlier, then offers the other to another party member.
"A pair of dead guys." notes Fumbus. "Likely, died deciding who dealt it." Fascinating by what is causing the ancient brazier to still glow (and also, you know, fire) the goblin makes his way to the brazier and eagerly peers within it.
Fumbus sees that the brazier, like all the braziers, are burning away because they have recently been stocked with charcoal.
Probably from the big bag in the room where the man died to the bandaged hands of the mummies.
It seems rather mundane, nothing magical.
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JR drags out his writing implements and starts drawing the statues and their arrangements "Anyone have any idea why they're pointing at each other? How's that brazier Fumbles? Something different than the previous ones?"
He flips to another page to take notes on some of the other larger rooms once they get back there. Taking notes on the room with the colorful vats, etc. as well.
"How's that brazier Fumbles? Something different than the previous ones?"
[N]"Still burning."[/b] Fumbus responds. "But, could use more charcoal.". The goblin excuses himself to go look for the bag of the substance near the pummeled corpse.
JR does not see anything special about why the two are pointing at one another.
And then he makes nice notes and drawings of the various rooms he wants.
Fumbus finds the bag of charcoal, and can stock up whichever brazier he wishes.
Having finished exploring what you wish to explore, you all exit, and bid good-bye to the guards, trekking back across the desert to the Sandswept Hall in Sothis.
Where your Venture-captain is not very happy with your work: "So, what happened? Who was this man? Why did he pass as a Pathfinder? How? What was he doing there? What did he want to achieve? And, what did you do with his body?"
Since you did do work, he hands you a small pouch of silver coins to share amongst your group.
"Longshanks said name was 'Nefaram Subeli'. However, when grabbed by mummy, longshanks only said ! But longshanks not use mouth to speak." Fumbus pauses a moment as if deep in thought, then notes, "On second thought, longshanks not say anything then. Only bones spoke that time."
"Also, longshanks only passed as Pathfinder for short time, until Fumbus suggest making better fake wayfinder." the goblin further reports.
"As for longshank's body, Venture-Captain would not want it. It even more broken than longshank's camel." he adds, pointing to Lost Child Seeker.
"I thought the Guards said this Nefaram Subeli had people working and excavating there for a month? That is not very short...
Anyhow, I will have to go out myself to get some answers."