Elysia, Douena, Kimu, Allovin:
** spoiler omitted **
"Well sir, if you could tell us what you know about the tomb that would go along way to helping us stay alive. While I do not fear death it behooves my friends and I to know as much about the tombs so that we might protect ourselves. While you might be able to convince us not to risk our lives no doubt there are others who will want to exploit the tomb who would likely not care how many lives they threw away to get what they want. I'd rather see as few lives lost exploring the tomb as possible and I'd like to see the history and artifacts of Osirion end up in the hands of the people. Your help is all we ask."
Elysia, Douena, Kimu, Allovin:
“It was almost fifty years ago, now...I was hired by an elderly scholar – a man by the name of Imivus. He needed me to fill out his expedition into the Tomb of the Four Pharaohs of Ascension. He hired ten of us in all, a number he said was important, for some reason... He had a preference for those with reputations for following orders and asking few questions – typical Chelaxian, if you ask me. I was young, foolish and poor, so I said yes. Imivus was always rushing us, he said we were under some time pressure – ‘the Ringed Planet is in its ascendancy...our window of time was waning’, typical astronomer talk. He never really explained what he meant and none of us ever asked.”
“I remember something he did tell us. The pyramid we were looking for...and that tragically you seem foolish enough to look for too... was hidden on another plane. I don’t know where, but from what Imivus said it is a horrible place. The pharaohs thought they were going to live forever after they died and they secluded themselves in this other plane, however they left a means for their followers to call them back to Golarion – a funeral mask. The mask is unique, you’ll know it if you see it,” he continues. “It was inlayed with gold and adorned with a headdress of sphinx feathers – alternately red and black. Imivus took us many miles into the desert, through the underdunes, to the base of four pyramids newly exposed by a sandstorm. Once there, he put on the mask and with a great shimmer of light, a gigantic pyramid appeared between the other four. The pyramid was a massive temple of green stone. I’d never seen anything like it before.”
“Once our group entered, Imivus’s apprentice deciphered several of the inscriptions which covered the walls and floors. According to the inscriptions, the four pharaohs had declared that all intruders would be doomed to live out their existence as eternal guardians of the tomb. Apparently, anyone who saw the four symbols of the pharaoh’s namesakes would forever become enslaved monsters.” He shifts uncomfortably in his chair, clearly slightly shaken by the effort of recollection. “At first, we thought it was bluster designed to scare off thieves. Imivus ordered us to just ignore the first few symbols as we came across them inside the tomb.”
“Suddenly Seraton, the bowman, suddenly cried out in alarm, warning us to avert our eyes - he had seen the fourth and final rune...” Raegos pauses for a good thirty seconds, shaking his head as he relives that moment. Swallowing, he continues. “Moments later, Seraton....transformed. He withered before our eyes, until there was just a gaunt, lifeless husk, looking just like one of the embalmed bodies we had expected to find. However, far from lifeless, Seraton was filled with a terrible, smouldering anger.”
“The transformed archer attacked us immediately, driving his arm through Imivus’s chest in one mighty blow, the Chelaxian scholar exploding into dust! As he disintegrated, he dropped the funeral mask. Don’t ask me why, but I stopped to grab it, clutching it close as I turned with my companions and fled that vile tomb.”
“The rest followed me, I vividly remember that long, terrible run back through the pyramid shaft to the exit, our numbers growing fewer and fewer each time I looked back to see the monster that Seraton had become mowing us down. As we neared the entrance, it was as if somehow the pyramid itself was pulling us back towards doom and death. Only I escaped, no doubt it was because I was lucky enough to have grabbed the mask.”
“I barely made it back to Sothis. When I did, the first thing I did was sell that cursed mask to some merchant, no doubt for a fraction of what it’s worth. Still, I’ve seen three of the four runes. There’s no way I’m going to risk that fate...no way...” Tired from his recounting, Raegos sits quietly, musing to himself in the silent tent.
Garai:
** spoiler omitted **
1d20+10=16, 1d6+5=7, 1d20+5=21, 1d6+5=11, 1d20+5=20, 1d6+5=7
Douena has unconsciously drawn closer to her companions. Her eyes wide, she murmurs, "How horrible. If Garai was with us, he'd be quitting and going back to guarding caravans right now."
Elysia is unusually quiet and thoughtful as she thinks over the words of the strange gentleman.
"How horrible. If Garai was with us, he'd be quitting and going back to guarding caravans right now."
Garai:
His eyes flinch as you suddenly swing the other end of your staff around and catch him heavily in the chest. Continuing your motion with a smooth pirouette, you then release another flurry of thrusts and sweeping attacks, catching him a nasty blow over the head as he reels from your assault. Although clearly hurt, he makes no move to flee as his eyes narrow, a little more wary now as he presses forward once more.
Garai:
Elysia, Douena, Kimu, Allovin:
Douena:
"Thank you for telling us your story, sir, and for warning us about the symbols. I'm so sorry about what happened to your friends. I promise we'll be as careful as careful can be. Thank you so much for your time." Elysia does her best to sound as respectful as possible.
DM, Elysia, Kimu, Allovin:
DM:
Douena:
Elysia, Kimu, Allovin:
DM:
Garai:
** spoiler omitted **
Attempting to keep the orc off guard, Garai changes his tactics a little, moving to using the staff as a single weapon, he doesn't putt the change off two well, with the first attack being quite ineffective. Garai remains silent, and frowns in concentration.
1d20+12=16, 1d6+6=9, 1d20+7=22, 1d6+6=7
Garai:
Garai:
** spoiler omitted **
He forces forwards with renewed vigour, desperate now to dispatch his opponent and get back to safety, and possibly put pretty girl over his knee.
1d20+12=30, 1d6+6=12, 1d20+7=25, 1d6+6=10
Garai:
"You and your friends should watch yourselves," he warns darkly. "Her Majestrix's Expeditionary has been charged with securing access to the tomb of the four pharaohs. We will achieve that goal, no matter who gets in our way." Heading back the way you have come and the safety of the evening crowds, he watches you closely for any sudden moves.
Elysia, Kimu, Allovin:
Douena:
Garai:
** spoiler omitted **
Garai ignores the half orc's words as he bends double and takes a deep breath. He then storms over the Neferet, and taking his staff in one hand and her wrist firmly in the other, pulls her clear off the ground, and continues in the direction of the Lodge. He lets her down to ground level after a few steps, without breaking pace, letting her stumble, or jog to keep up as she can.
"You have some explaining to do, Girl. I will allow my companions to decide if you have lost your right to view these documents or not. I dislike being ambushed, and like even less being left without help."
Once at the lodge, he will arrange a conference room, and leave a message for the others to find him there, urgently, and hunker down with Neferet, making it obvious she isn't allowed to leave.
As Douena disappears out the front flap of tent Allovin lays his hand upon his sword and motions for the others to keep an eye out as he begins looking and listening for anything out of the ordinary.
When Allovin hears Douena's words and the sound of retreating footsteps he draws his sword and runs out to join Douena.
** spoiler omitted **Garai:
** spoiler omitted **
Garai:
"But you told me to leave," she says meekly. "I thought you were going to come too...then when I realised you weren't running with me...I got worried...". The young sage breaks off with a helpless shrug, clearly upset by your implication. Nonetheless, Neferet makes her way to the Pathfinder Lodge with you willingly. Not only does she show no signs of trying to leave, she stays even closer to you than before, continually looking back over her shoulder as if frightened of further attack.
Garai:
** spoiler omitted **
As Douena disappears out the front flap of tent Allovin lays his hand upon his sword and motions for the others to keep an eye out as he begins looking and listening for anything out of the ordinary.
When Allovin hears Douena's words and the sound of retreating footsteps he draws his sword and runs out to join Douena.
DM, Allovin (and anyone who decides to follow Allovin out):
Garai:
"Garai, you're hurt!" she exclaims moving over to you. "You should have said. Here, let me help. This looks nasty, do they have healers you can see here? I can help a little, but you should have a priest see to it soon - it's a nasty wound." Her wide eyes express her admiration as she tends to your wounds, although she bites off further talk, still unsure of where she stands.
DM, Allovin (and anyone who decides to follow Allovin out):** spoiler omitted **As Douena disappears out the front flap of tent Allovin lays his hand upon his sword and motions for the others to keep an eye out as he begins looking and listening for anything out of the ordinary.
When Allovin hears Douena's words and the sound of retreating footsteps he draws his sword and runs out to join Douena.
DM, Douena, and anyone who followed me out...
Allovin turns and heads inside sheathing his sword as he goes.
"Well Raegos it looks like there are indeed some others who are interested in getting to the tombs and will likely do whatever they can to beat us. I suggest you come with us to the Pathfinder lodge where you will be protected until this expedition is done. Now that others know you have information on the tomb they will likely come seeking that information and may not be nice about asking for it. Is there anything else we should know? Anything about how to get there or what to look for? Could you describe the symbols you saw?"
DM, Allovin (and anyone who decides to follow Allovin out):** spoiler omitted **As Douena disappears out the front flap of tent Allovin lays his hand upon his sword and motions for the others to keep an eye out as he begins looking and listening for anything out of the ordinary.
When Allovin hears Douena's words and the sound of retreating footsteps he draws his sword and runs out to join Douena.
DM, Douena, and anyone who followed me out...
** spoiler omitted **
Everyone but Garai:
She then sets herself to carefully watching the area around Raegos' tent, walking around so that she can see all sides of it.
Spoiler:"Garai, you're hurt!" she exclaims moving over to you. "You should have said. Here, let me help. This looks nasty, do they have healers you can see here? I can help a little, but you should have a priest see to it soon - it's a nasty wound." Her wide eyes express her admiration as she tends to your wounds, although she bites off further talk, still unsure of where she stands.
Elysia, Douena, Kimu, Allovin:
"Well Raegos it looks like there are indeed some others who are interested in getting to the tombs and will likely do whatever they can to beat us. I suggest you come with us to the Pathfinder lodge where you will be protected until this expedition is done. Now that others know you have information on the tomb they will likely come seeking that information and may not be nice about asking for it."
Raegos shakes his head decisively, refusing Allovin's suggestion point blank. "I've lived here fifty years perfectly safely thank you very much," he insists. "I have arrangements. I can take care of myself..."
Douena pops her head inside the tent flap. "Oh! Oh! Ask him if there was just one of each of the four symbols! And if they were carved in the stone or painted on the wall or what!"
"Is there anything else we should know? Anything about how to get there or what to look for? Could you describe the symbols you saw?"
"I myself only saw three of the four, thank the gods. Imivus's apprentice mentioned that they were the ancient osirion symbols for subjugation, desert and fealty. I can describe those three for you - their image is burned forever in my memories..." he breaks off again for a moment, before returning to his recounting. "Each rune resembled an esoteric symbol inside a circle - typical wizard mumbo-jumbo. The first was a double-ended arrow flanked by two arching lines. The second resembled an unblinking eye and the third was a pyramid above a half-circle. I have no idea as to what the fourth rune looks like."
Everyone but Garai:
Douena pokes at the fabric of the tent wall to draw attention to her presence on the other side. The canvas trembles, and tremors ripple through the web of string. Her muffled voice asks, "But what were the symbols made of? Were they physical or magical? Can they be destroyed or defaced ... or, at the very least, covered up? And the ones you saw, were there only one of each of them, or were the symbols everywhere?"
Mounty:
"Well, you don't seem to be trying to escape yet." He mutters into Neferet's obvious boredom. "You may as well start copying the texts."
Everyone but Garai:
Garai:
Idly watching, you can see it is very slow going. You think it will take her many hours to produce both a copy as well as the translation she promised you. The translation she is making appear to be regarding the Four Pharaohs of Ascension, although it is too early to glean much from her preliminary notes.
All but Garai:
Douena pokes at the fabric of the tent wall to draw attention to her presence on the other side. The canvas trembles, and tremors ripple through the web of string. Her muffled voice asks, "But what were the symbols made of? Were they physical or magical? Can they be destroyed or defaced ... or, at the very least, covered up? And the ones you saw, were there only one of each of them, or were the symbols everywhere?"
"Most of them were carved, although one was part of a mural," answers the blindfolded old man. "The pyramid was full of symbols of all sorts. Most of them were just that - symbols. As far as Imivus's sage told us, there were only four runes which were a part of the curse. The rest were harmless. We only discovered one of each kind....I suppose you could cover them up," he muses in answer to Douena's barrage of questions. "The trouble is, that by the time you see it to cover it...it's too late."
"If you want my advice...just stay away." he grunts finally. "Fame, wealth...it's not worth it. You'd know what I mean if you'd seen Seraton transform. It was horrible. For all you know, he's still there - wandering the tomb and waiting for you or any other fools to try and plunder the pharaohs' tomb.
Everyone but Garai:
Kimu chuckles at the tenacity and energy of his gnome companion. He appears to be enjoying himself in the old sage's eccentric quarters. As Allovin and Douena parlay with the elderly man, the bard slips over to the Mithral Scarab's side. "How ever did you meet this man?" he whispers. "What a fascinating person! If only he weren't such a curmudgeon," he mumbles to the Scarab, trying to keep his voice low enough that their host doesn't catch this last bit.
Raegos sniffs derisively, his hearing clearly keen as anyone you've met. "You'll see how useful your fancy words are once you're lost in that dark tomb," he chuckles with no humour, shaking his head as he turns to the Mithril Scarab.
"We're done here, madam," he announces. "I trust my debt is now repaid? You've brought your twittering friends to annoy me with their questions and I've given them their answers. I'm tired - all this talk...I begin to wonder if you didnt get a bargain."
The Mithril Scarab indicates to you that it's probably best to wind up your discussion, however she doesnt make any move to hustle you out of Raegos's tent if you had further questions for the old man.
All but Garai:
"If you want my advice...just stay away." he grunts finally. "Fame, wealth...it's not worth it. You'd know what I mean if you'd seen Seraton transform. It was horrible. For all you know, he's still there - wandering the tomb and waiting for you or any other fools to try and plunder the pharaohs' tomb.
Douena pops her head back in the tent and looks at the old man with compassion and determination. "If your friend is still there, we will release him from his servitude to those awful pharoahs and free him to find his rest."
All but Garai:
Douena pops her head back in the tent and looks at the old man with compassion and determination. "If your friend is still there, we will release him from his servitude to those awful pharoahs and free him to find his rest."
Raegos turns his face towards Douena for a moment, then with an almost imperceptible shrug, resumes his stance slumped in his chair, lost in his memories. The Mithral Scarab begins to leave quietly, ushering your group outside.
"I think it might be best to leave him to his thoughts," she murmurs softly. "He rarely leaves his tent - you can always return if you need more information later." Lifting the flap for you all, she waits until you are all outside before inclining her head slightly.
"Good luck to you all," says the mysterious veiled woman. "I hope this information stands you in good stead in the race to discover the Pharaohs' tomb. I'll ask around with my contacts regarding the mask Raegos spoke of. If I hear anything I'll pass word through the Pathfinders.." with that she leaves, disappearing into the night through the crowded bazaar.
The four of you make your way back through Sothis, heading towards the Pathfinder Lodge. When you arrive, an attendant indicates that Garai and Neferet have been back for some time and that they are waiting for you in a meeting room. When you arrive, you feel a certain air of tension between them. Neferet is bent over the charcoal rubbings you bought at the auction scrutinising them intently as she makes copious notes on a pile of loose paper beside her.
Garai sits nearby, watching her in silence. You notice immediately that he has been injured. There is blood on his shirt and a cut on his exposed arm.
Garai:
Garai Stands as the others enter, wincing as he does so, and obviously deciding it wasn't a good option, he doesn't attempt to sit back down just yet...."Ahh, you are back. I do hope that your evening was less eventful than my own. I do also hope that the information you have acquired was worth it. You will remember the half-orc from the auction? He is not a very friendly chap, and had a message to deliver to us, and a rather strange fashion of delivery. Could someone help me with this small cut I appear to have acquired?"
Garai Stands as the others enter, wincing as he does so, and obviously deciding it wasn't a good option, he doesn't attempt to sit back down just yet...."Ahh, you are back. I do hope that your evening was less eventful than my own. I do also hope that the information you have acquired was worth it. You will remember the half-orc from the auction? He is not a very friendly chap, and had a message to deliver to us, and a rather strange fashion of delivery. Could someone help me with this small cut I appear to have acquired?"
"Of course my friend! My Iomedae reward you for your bravery!"
Allovin quickly walks over to Garai and stretching out his hand he touches his leg where after a brief glow of power his wounds heal up.
"The information we gained should be most useful in our venture but we were followed from the auction. Douena caught a halfling, perhaps the one who accompanied the half-orc, eavesdropping on our conversation with Raegos, the gentleman the Mithril Scarab led us to meet. I suppose the half-orc had a message relating to our venture?"
"Of course my friend! My Iomedae reward you for your bravery!"Allovin quickly walks over to Garai and stretching out his hand he touches his leg where after a brief glow of power his wounds heal up.
"The information we gained should be most useful in our venture but we were followed from the auction. Douena caught a halfling, perhaps the one who accompanied the half-orc, eavesdropping on our conversation with Raegos, the gentleman the Mithril Scarab led us to meet. I suppose the half-orc had a message relating to our venture?"
"Ahhh, that is indeed better, thank you my friend.
"The half-orc's final words were "You and your friends should watch yourselves, Her Majestrix's Expeditionary has been charged with securing access to the tomb of the four pharaohs. We will achieve that goal, no matter who gets in our way." As I said, a nice chap, he most certainly was not. Good with a blade too, I barely kept my own, although I did cause him a few wounds he won't soon forget." At this Garai grins.
"My plight was not helped by our new friend's decision to watch the sport rather than run for help. But she does not appear to be acting in any way maliciously now, and she is copying the texts faithfully as far as I can tell. Though it is slow work for her. But enough of my rambling, tell me what you have learnt!"
"My plight was not helped by our new friend's decision to watch the sport rather than run for help. But she does not appear to be acting in any way maliciously now, and she is copying the texts faithfully as far as I can tell. Though it is slow work for her. But enough of my rambling, tell me what you have learnt!"
Douna climbs up onto a chair and then flings herself back dramatically. "Well," she sighs, "it's a bad, bad place, and you have to have a mask to get in, and once you're there, there's four symbols you can't look at or the Pharoahs will enslave you as an undead protector. And we have to assume that the halfling is already looking for the mask. I guess my idea wasn't such a good one after all. If you'd stayed outside the tent holding the paper instead of coming back here, you probably would have seen the halfling, and all of us would have been there to help with the half-orc. Although," here she glowers at Neferet, "if we'd let her run off with half the scrolls, she might have taken them straight to the Majestrix people anyway."
"The man with the blindfold was really fascinating. All those strings everywhere like a spider's web. I'm sorry you had such a hard time with that mean half-orc, Garai. And I'm sorry that the lady didn't turn out to be as nice as she seemed. I wonder how we're going to keep from seeing the things. You can't exactly go exploring a tomb blindfolded. Hmm. An interesting conundrum."
She seems to slip off once more into silent contemplation.
"That is all very interesting, do we have any leads on the mask? Is it a unique item?"
"The man with the blindfold was really fascinating. All those strings everywhere like a spider's web. I'm sorry you had such a hard time with that mean half-orc, Garai. And I'm sorry that the lady didn't turn out to be as nice as she seemed. I wonder how we're going to keep from seeing the things. You can't exactly go exploring a tomb blindfolded. Hmm. An interesting conundrum."
"I have a plan," Douena announces portentously, "but I won't discuss it in present company."
"Oh, plans. I like plans. They're so much fun. Maybe we should talk about plans over some dinner. I feel hungry. Is anybody else hungry? There's a bakery nearby that makes some delicious meat pies. Oh, and a vendor with a cart selling some sort of meat on a stick, I think it's probably better not to ask to closely what kind, about half a block from here. And I think there might be a tavern not too far the other way. They might have some food too, but not all the taverns do and sometimes what they call food is just plain icky, but it's still an interesting experience to find out what kind you're going to get."
She gestures vaguely as she speaks, certain that the things that she speaks about are somewhere in the general direction she remembers them, and if not there's sure to be something else interesting to find.