Bedu stops trying to find his magical item, as his mouth goes wide.
Then he quickly starts bringing the rope up to the top. "Liet, you next or me, Hammarubi hopefully needs us."
Bedu unties one rope from the other and will sling one back down the slope. The other he prepares to tie around Liet.
"I'll pay this one out from round a tree here, slow and sure. You use the other rope to climb down at the same time. No more accidents that way. I hope this works."
"Hurry!" Liet yells to his friends as he goes crashing through the underbrush to reach Hammurabi. Once he comes upon the mage, he hurriedly assesses his injuries. "He's unconscious!" he calls out, "And badly hurt!"
With a sense of urgency, Liet then prays to the god-kings. "Let your will be done," he asks, "Favor your servant with the means to save our comrade."
Bedu looks down and sees Liet is already there.
"Hmm, this ravine is making me lose my focus. Come on now."
Bedu turns to Indo, taking off his armour as he goes. "You want to let me down? Then you follow? I am guessing that you can climb down better than I can, right?"
I would not go into the ravine until my friends are down. I have a better chance of holding you rope than I do of catching you.
The tribal wizard waits for his friend to 'catch' the joke, and then secures the rope around a tree, pulling it taut on the other side.
Be careful my friend. It appears haste has gotten the better of our new companion.
Once his companions are on the ground below, Indo loosens the ropes around the tree. Doubling up the rope, he rappels down the jungle wall until he has used his rope halfway down. He then lets go of one end, bounding down with the same momentum until the rope clears the tree completely as he nears the bottom. He lands hard, but appears unhurt by the last few feet of freefall.
The big man smiles broadly. That, my friends, is how you should climb!
Looking more serious, he approaches the form of Hammurabi as the group ministers to him. With friends such as we have here, we might all live forever! How is he?
Looking more serious, he approaches the form of Hammurabi as the group ministers to him. With friends such as we have here, we might all live forever! How is he?
Liet looks startled by how quickly Indo appears at their side and he wonders if the big warrior used arcane magic to somehow descend faster than normal. At his question, the priest tends once again to Hammurabi.
"He's taken quite a spill, I'm afraid," Liet replies, "Looks like he's got some broken bones...a terrible gash there...and he's lost a bit of blood. But it's nothing the power of the god-kings can't mend."
Liet's assurance seems genuine. As a healer and caretaker, he feels completely at ease. "The god-kings have always looked after those who look after them," he adds, "And, seeing as how our entire expedition is leading us ever closer to one of their tombs, it's only fitting they turn their eyes upon us and use their power to aid us."
"Stand back," he urges the others, "And someone see to Bedu before he follows the same abrupt path taken by Hammurabi here..."
With that, Liet rises and lifts his arms to the heavens, intoning words inspired by the ascension of his divine masters. "Mend your servants so they might find their way once more to the path you've laid before them," he says aloud.
He then waits to see the results of the healing power centered upon their fallen companion.
"I uhhhh, I...made it down?" Hammurabi states in obvious pain fading in and out of conciousness...
Bedu sends down the armour and other equipment, then he carefully descends (hopefully before Indo makes it look easy).
The dwarf comes to a place where the rock face curves inwards and unfortunately the rock below his feet starts crumbling. He shrieks as things start to get worse...
"I uhhhh, I...made it down?" Hammurabi states in obvious pain fading in and out of conciousness...
"You did indeed..." Liet responds, "Now lie still..."
The dwarf comes to a place where the rock face curves inwards and unfortunately the rock below his feet starts crumbling. He shrieks as things start to get worse...
Skittle yells up to Bedu, trying to help him find proper footholds for his descent.
Liet rushes to Hammurabi, who lies unmoving on the ground. After some judicious use of the healing arts and the help of the God-Kings, Hammurabi sits up, conscious but dazed, and quite shaken from his fall. Liet pronounces him fit, albeit wounded from the fall.
Meanwhile, Indo lowers Bedu down to the ground (fortunately, as the dwarf seems particularly unsuited to climbing, even giving a shriek when he misses a foothold and falls a few feet before the belayed rope arrests his fall). With Skittle's help from the ground, Indo rappels the rest of the way down, joining his companions on the ravine's floor.
Perception check DC 10:
Perception check DC 20:
The small river on the floor of the ravine trickles off beneath thick vines and foliage, pointing the way to the Twin Tombs, if Samir's map is to be believed.
Perception DC 10 Perception DC 20 (1d20+4=15, 1d20+4=12)
SNAKES!!! Lotus shrieks when she spots the slithering slimes sliding in the shady shelter of the cliff. Immediately she pulls her sword and gets bodies between her and the snakes. Quietly she whispers Snakes are almost as bad as dragons...
SNAKES!!! Lotus shrieks when she spots the slithering slimes sliding in the shady shelter of the cliff.
"Really? Where?!" Liet looks around, but can't seem to find any of the reptiles nearby, "They must blend in quite well with the jungle foliage, my dear. I can't spot a one..."
Immediately she pulls her sword and gets bodies between her and the snakes. Quietly she whispers Snakes are almost as bad as dragons...
"Though quite a bit smaller, I imagine," Liet offers, "And hopefully less inclined toward violence as long as we leave them be."
Liet continues to look around, even searching the tree limbs overhead in case a snake is about to drop upon them.
"Hah!" he gives a small laugh, "Well, would you look at that!" He points out the small track descending from the clifftop. "Looks like we could have gone a much easier way. It's a pity Samir's map didn't see fit to mark such a trail for us. We'll have to remember that on our way back."
The priest then starts towards the river leading further into the valley. He claps Hammurabi on the shoulder as he passes. "Sorry about that fall, old friend. Perhaps the god-kings merely meant to test our mettle and determination to reach them rather than pointing out the easiest way down? Regardless, we all came through mostly healthy."
Bedu purses his lips at the narrow track back up the ravine. Then he smiles at the snakes all around.
"We have luck on our side, a veritable nest of snakes and all without poison in their hearts, oh how they remind me of the good Lady Salome's House of Nightly Pleasures. Such well trained Ladies ...... so I hear."
"As for the road ahead, are we all fit as sitars and ready to go? Thank you Indo for saving my life, if not my pride, ahem, I think we should forget about any shrieks we hear in this jungle. Who knows their source?" the dwarf finishes.
"...Thank you Indo for saving my life, if not my pride, ahem, I think we should forget about any shrieks we hear in this jungle. Who knows their source?" the dwarf finishes.
"Surely it was but a wildcat among the trees?" Liet suggests with a smile. He then gestures towards the river. "Skittle? Indo? Would you two outdoorsmen care to lead the way? And the rest of us will try our best to keep up..."
The group picks up the trail once more, following the small river that winds its way along the ravine's floor. Once, long ago, this must have been a mighty river indeed to carve such a canyon as this. As you travel, you come across numerous snakes with nearly every step, but thankfully they seem more afraid of your heavy footfalls, and no one makes the mistake of treading on a venomous viper. Once, a troop of noisy monkeys passes by in the branches overhead, shattering the stillness of the jungle, and dropping pieces of fruit and feces as they pass.
Turning a final bend in the canyon, you see an excavation site in a hidden valley below you. Under the watchful eye of several armed jungle tribesmen, two dozen slaves are busy removing rubble from what seems to be the entrance to an ancient tomb, long sealed by a cave-in. Harnessed elephants, driven by their mahouts, pull the larger pieces of debris away from the opening. A cheer rises up from the slaves as the final large stone is removed, but the cheer is quickly silenced as the tomb emits a low, bone-chilling moan.
Two large statues flank the entrance, one depicting an elephant-headed human, the other with a tiger’s head. These imposing 10-foot-tall figures eternally stand guard, daring anyone to try and enter the tomb.
Hammurabi scruitinizes the statues from a far, unconciously rubbing his ribs, that were mended by the power of Liet and his God-Kings.
know:geography 21; know History:20.
Liet, what do you make of that, my learned friend? Hammurabi gestures towards the opening flanked by the statues. "Bedu, can you add?"
"It does seem to fit with the deformed animals and people that are cropping up. As to the statues themselves and who they represent, I have heard several stories, but none mention both the tiger and the elephant. Usually the elephant and the mouse..."
"Whatever the Sisterhood and the Burning Queen wanted here, I think we need it more if we are to clear our good names."
"Fascinating..." Liet murmurs as they make their way along the river, "So many snakes. I believe we are certainly on the right track! I do believe this expedition couldn't possibly have proceeded any better for us! Not only are we following Samir's map...but we're also following in the footsteps of the god-kings themselves!"
...Once, a troop of noisy monkeys passes by in the branches overhead, shattering the stillness of the jungle, and dropping pieces of fruit and feces as they pass...
"Oh. Perhaps I spoke too soon. This expedition could have done without...that," Liet mutters, brushing aside the 'debris' that landed on him.
...you see an excavation site in a hidden valley below you. Under the watchful eye of several armed jungle tribesmen, two dozen slaves are busy removing rubble from what seems to be the entrance to an ancient tomb, long sealed by a cave-in....A cheer rises up from the slaves as the final large stone is removed, but the cheer is quickly silenced as the tomb emits a low, bone-chilling moan.
Liet's breath catches as the site is revealed before them. He stands in silence as he observes the slaves' efforts to unseal the tomb. And, when the low moan sighs from the open entrance, he nods slightly in satisfaction.
"They should know better," he says, "Entering a god-king's tomb without a devout priest by their sides will be seen as nothing more than a violation...the penalty for which...is death."
He glances around at his companions. "But fear not, my friends!" he tries to encourage everyone, "For I am with you. The god-kings should hold no such punishment for us!" He pauses for an extra second, and then adds, "Just make sure I'm kept healthy and alive and all should go well..."
Two large statues flank the entrance, one depicting an elephant-headed human, the other with a tiger’s head. These imposing 10-foot-tall figures eternally stand guard, daring anyone to try and enter the tomb.
"Exquisite!" Liet remarks as he visually assesses the statues from a distance, "Such craftsmanship to have withstood so many centuries."
Liet, what do you make of that, my learned friend? Hammurabi gestures towards the opening flanked by the statues.
"Let me consult the treatise we obtained from Samir's belongings for a moment," the priest replies.
"It does seem to fit with the deformed animals and people that are cropping up. As to the statues themselves and who they represent, I have heard several stories, but none mention both the tiger and the elephant. Usually the elephant and the mouse..."
"Oh, I think these statues have a much greater story to tell us," Liet adds as he continues to scan the book.
"Whatever the Sisterhood and the Burning Queen wanted here, I think we need it more if we are to clear our good names."
"We do indeed," Liet nods, closing the book and putting it away in his pack again, "This tomb should hold the answers to a great many questions. All of which will have great bearing on our futures...as well as the future of Iskandria!"
The statues on either side of tomb seem to represent the twin God-Kings Takshak and Haatim the Cinderborn. It was traditional to represent the divinity of the god-kings by portraying them (in art, statues, etc.) with the heads of powerful beasts. The tomb itself appears very old - it is built into the side of the valley, which means it predates the practice of elaborate ziggurat temple-tombs favored by later god-kings. It is also decidedly non-traditional, being a twin tomb for twin rulers, instead of for a single god-king. The book mentions Takshak's body being laid to rest in his tomb upon his death, but mentions nothing of the later fate of Haatim or his body. A dark hole now gapes in the hillside, leading underground into the tomb.
Both the slaves and desert tribesmen guarding them cower from the entrance as the moan issues forth, and even the elephants trumpet nervously. When they have recovered their wits, the tribesmen whip the slaves into motion and order them to begin setting up camp a short distance from the tomb. The sun hangs low over the walls of the canyon as late afternoon turns to evening.
DC 15 Perception check:
There! the for once sharp-eyed rogue hisses. She points at the tribesman beginning to saddle a horse, apparently in preparation for a ride or journey. Can we intercept?
There! the for once sharp-eyed rogue hisses. She points at the tribesman beginning to saddle a horse, apparently in preparation for a ride or journey. Can we intercept?
"What? Where?" Liet replies, finally taking his eyes off of the statues, "I don't see anything. Oh. Yes. A rider? Hmmmm...it would seem these tribesmen plan on informing someone of their breakthrough..."
He looks around at the others.
"If we plan on going in there...and I know I do..." he tells them, "We should do our best to prevent that rider from bringing more attention to this place. And then...well, perhaps we should try and frighten the rest of these slaves and tribesmen away with a bit of trickery."
"What say you, Hammurabi? Idno? Bedu?" the priest asks, "Can any of you summon more frightful sights and sounds to further dampen their spirits? Maybe the rest of us can add a bit of bite to make it seem all the more real?"
"But first..." he says with narrowed eyes, "We have to deal with that rider..."
"Let's set up a rope across-, do we have a rope left? if so tie it across this trail abot eight foot off the ground, I reckon. If that rider comes this way then we should ambush him and find out what we can. Everyone needs to hide further along in case he gets past the rope and we can hit him with magicks and the like. I really like to have a chat with the rider, Indo, preferably before he gets disembowelled."
"Of course that rider may be going in a completely different direction...but let's be ready."
"Come on everyone, Liet's right. Let's go! I'll try to keep up." Off speeds the sweaty dwarf.
No time for delicacies boys. He's going the other way. That said, she dashes off to run to where her path will meet the rider. Hopefully that will be out of earshot of the other tribesmen.
Skittle stays put, content to let the ones with longer legs race against a horse. Instead, he hunkers down to keep an eye out for anything the others may have missed due to being distracted by the rider.
Liet hesitates only a moment and then races after Lotus and Bedu, worried they might need his help if things go badly. Along the way, he keeps an eye out for dangerous snakes. He's surprised by how quickly he overtakes the dwarf.
"C'mon!" he urges his friend, while trying to keep sight of the fleet-footed Lotus.
Hammurabi casts expiditious retreat then runs after Lotus
Once in a position where they can ambush the rider, Lotus pulls out her crossbow and loads it with a bolt. Her sword she puts in easy reach.
*puff puff*
Liet arms himself with his sling and readies a stone as he comes up behind Lotus, Bedu, and Hammurabi.
"Skittle stayed behind," he magically whispers to Lotus and Bedu, "And I'm not sure if Indo is with us. I didn't see him in the forest as we ran along. Do we still have the numbers necessary to take this rider?"
"Yes."
Bedu takes up a position beside the track about twenty feet or so from where he intends to cast a spell as the rider approaches.
"Rope the road here," he marks the trail with a large stone in the middle then paces out his distance just to be sure.
If no one has rope then Bedu pulls out a reel of twine from his pack and stretches that across the trail instead. He then cuts a small length of twine and ties that to the centre so that it will dangle about eight foot off the ground. The dwarf quickly attaches a dagger and pulls the twine taut. Then he resumes his position and readies a spell.
Liet crawls forward to Lotus as Bedu prepares his ruse. "I have a feeling you're a better marksmen than the rest of us," he confides, "May the god-kings bless your aim, child." He presses his palm against the girl's forearm, hoping his faith can match his words.
Thank you Liet, I'm sure the God-Kings will grant your request. Lotus will wait until the rider is close enough for a sneak attack. She will then attempt to shoot the rider, hopefully knocking him off the horse, but not killing him. I'll try to keep him alive for interrogation.
For the rider's equipment, make a DC 15 Perception check:
Actions so far:
Lotus: readies crossbow
Liet: casts message, readies sling, noble's blessing on Lotus
Bedu: strings twine across trail, readies bow, readies daze
Skittle: staying behind to keep an eye on the camp
For the rider's equipment, make a DC 15 Perception check...Even as the rider starts to approach, Liet still can't seem to get a good look at him through the undergrowth. 'Confound it!' he worries, 'How am I going to see him well enough to put a sling stone to him?'
Initiative Stealth check Perception DC 15 (1d20+4=17, 1d20+9=18, 1d20+4=17)
Lotus sets up quickly behind a tree that hides her form. From there she readies to fire her crossbow. Her sword leans against the tree ready for action. To Liet hiding with her, she whispers the discription of the rider. The rider carries a madu, a whip, and a longbow on his back. Let's take him down quickly from that horse.
"Agreed," Liet responds as he marvels at the rogue's ability to get a clear look at the rider.
"Someone should have been behind him, perhaps Indo has hidden himself there?" Bedu murmurs quietly.
Then he waits, whispering the first few syllables of his incantation.
You take up your positions, and the sound of hoofbeats reaches your ears soon afterwards. The rider comes into view a moment later, then abruptly hauls back on the reins, slowing his horse to warily approach. Focused on the dagger apparently hanging in mid-air, he doesn't seem to notice the trio of ambushers hidden in the underbrush.
Stand still right there. Lotus whispers under her breath and then she releases her bolt.
Following the lead of his obviously more experienced companion in the ways of conducting a proper ambush, Liet rises from the undergrowth and whirls his sling. He lets fly an almost perfectly-aimed stone straight for the rider's head.