Francis sees the weird things. The mask tells him....
+5 Bard +2 Luck +2 resistance +2 Morale (heroism)
Devin makes light of his enemies "Pansy little s~@%s can't hit for crap!", as he takes a step back, buying him enough room to bring his lonspear into play...
+5 bab +2 heroism +1 enhancement +2 inspire courage
+2 heroism +1 enhancement+2inspire courage
Nevitash steps forward and thinks for a moment.
Elliander is surprised when the strange creatures seem to just glide through the air against him without being hindered by his arcane-made grease. It’s not enough to scare him yet though, and he attacks the nearest creature with his sword.
5’-step closer. Full Attack on Green
Channeling: Shocking Grasp
The Biter: (flagbearer, inspire) additional +3 if metal
(Arcane Strike, flagbearer, inspire) additional +3 if metal
The Biter: (flagbearer, inspire) additional +3 if metal
(Arcane Strike, flagbearer, inspire) additional +3 if metal
, electricity damage, no DR
Charge is kept until hit is achieved.
Saving Throw: none
Spell Resistance: yes
(Spell Penetration)
Nevitash calls upon Pharasma to banish these foul creatures, and as his greataxe glows with divine power he swings!
Sunday, the 20th day of Desnus, 4714 AR
Weather clear and hot and with little to no wind.
One hour before sunset.
----------------------------------------------
Devin fights back against the overwhelming emotions and centers himself before taunting the creatres - not quite sure if they can even understand him, but rallying his allies in any case. He stabs with the spear, but it dodges the blow easily. Francis casts a spell to bless the party, and the mask he wears does tell him these creatures are alive in every sense of the term, however alien they might look in their appearance. Nevitash studies the Aeon as he calls on Pharasma to imbue his greataxe to cause great harm to these aeon outsiders, then steps up and swings his weapon in a powerful arc, the heavy blade smashing into the creature's body (35 damage) with tremendous force! Elliander is also able to resist the terrible magical effect that the strange creatures wield, and though Biter finds the mark each time he strikes (27 damage), the Shocking Grasp spell fizzles harmlessly, shed by the outsider's magical resistance. Still, the creature has been badly wounded when Amenhep moves next to Elliander, wielding his magical spear - and though the paladin finds it a bit difficult to thrust the weapon past the corner of the wall, he finds the mark with his first jab (16 damage), the spear tip penetrating through its glowing body and out the back! The jointed arms spasm, and it falls to the ground unmoving. The other fights on, focusing on Nevitash, its fists battering and tentacles flailing (15 damage, roll Will save vs DC 17) to take down the half-orc.
= Hit!
= Miss!
vs Nevitash's AC = Miss!
vs Nevitash's AC = Hit!
vs Nevitash's AC = Hit!
damage + Will Save (DC 17) or take CHA damage
vs Nevitash's AC = Miss!
Player Handout - Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh
Player Handout - Scrolls of Inquiry Excerpt
--------------------------------------------
Elliander 63/63 [Armor Crystal - DR 1, has absorbed 4 (of 10) damage this day; Inspire Courage/Flagbearer/Bless (+3 attack/damage rolls, +2 charm/fear saves) during current combat]
Amenhep 58/58 [Tears to Wine (+2 to INT & WIS skill checks) for 40 minutes; Inspire Courage/Flagbearer/Bless (+3 attack/damage rolls, +2 charm/fear saves) during current combat]
Theletos Aeons Red (Unwounded)
Devin 55/59 [Heroism (+2 morale bonuses on most d20 rolls) for 110 minutes; Tears to Wine (+2 to INT & WIS skill checks) for 40 minutes; Heroism (+2 morale bonus to attack rolls/saves and skill checks) for 40 minutes; Heightened Awareness (+2 competence bonus to Perception checks) for 40 minutes; Inspire Courage/Flagbearer/Bless (+2 attack/damage rolls) during current combat]
Francis 53/53 [Tears to Wine (+2 to INT & WIS skill checks) for 40 minutes; Inspire Courage/Flagbearer/Bless (+3 attack/damage rolls, +2 charm/fear saves) during current combat]
Nevitash 56/71 [Will Save vs DC 17 Pending; Tears to Wine (+2 to INT & WIS skill checks) for 40 minutes; Inspire Courage/Flagbearer/Bless (+3 attack/damage rolls, +2 charm/fear saves) during current combat]
Nevitash turns his attention to the remaining foe and calls upon his divinely granted powers as he swings again!
Devin concentrates on harrassing the enemy with his spear, while continuing to inspire his allies...
vs DC 10
+5 bab +2 heroism +1 enhancement +2 inspire courage
Sensing that his spell didn’t really have an effect on the strange creatures, Elliander is glad the first one fell down anyway. He takes a short step trying to get a flanking maneuver while swinging his sword.
5’-step closer. Full Attack
The Biter:
(Arcane Strike, flagbearer, inspire)
The Biter:
(Arcane Strike, flagbearer, inspire))
Sunday, the 20th day of Desnus, 4714 AR
Weather clear and hot and with little to no wind.
One hour before sunset.
----------------------------------------------
Devin continues to inspire, while trying to distract the thing and protect his half-orc friend (+2 AC for Nevitash this round) while Francis steps a bit away and grabs another wand, using this one to grant a bit of healing to Nevitash. The Inquisitor of Pharasma easily shakes off the troubling images that threaten to overwhelm his mind, and focuses on the battle. Again, his axe bites deeply into the creature's bulbous side (38 damage), but it stays on its feet... err... hands... whatever! Elliander strikes with perfect poise, his blade slashing one dreadful wound, and then another (36 damage), but still the monster does not fall! A moment later, it does, as Amenhep steps forward and drives his spear through its head, killing the strange monster instantly. The short, fierce battle is done and Francis uses another charge of the wand to finish healing Nevitash before the party moves on.
The rest of the place seems to be empty, with nothing of note - save for the rotunda with the domed roof that seems a bit off somehow. All that is otherwise left to do is spend time studying and researching the vast collection of tomes, scrolls, books and tablets that fill this hidden library.
(CLW wand now has -6 charges, on your CS notes)
= Hit!
(CLW wand now has -7 charges, on your CS notes)
Player Handout - Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh
Player Handout - Scrolls of Inquiry Excerpt
--------------------------------------------
Elliander 63/63 [Tears to Wine (+2 to INT & WIS skill checks) for 30 minutes; Armor Crystal - DR 1, has absorbed 4 (of 10) damage this day]
Amenhep 58/58 [Tears to Wine (+2 to INT & WIS skill checks) for 30 minutes]
Devin 55/59 [Heroism (+2 morale bonuses on most d20 rolls) for 100 minutes; Tears to Wine (+2 to INT & WIS skill checks) for 30 minutes; Heroism (+2 morale bonus to attack rolls/saves and skill checks) for 30 minutes; Heightened Awareness (+2 competence bonus to Perception checks) for 30 minutes]
Francis 53/53 [Tears to Wine (+2 to INT & WIS skill checks) for 30 minutes]
Nevitash 70/71 [Will Save vs DC 17 Pending; Tears to Wine (+2 to INT & WIS skill checks) for 30 minutes]
Francis starts looking through the books.
Devin, unimpressed with all the bookworm work, turns his attention to the puzzle of the rotunda ceiling. He start off by thoroughly searching the rotunda itself...
7 ranks+3 trained +5 eyes of the eagle+2 dimdweller +2 tears to wine +2 heroism +2 Heightened Awareness
With the enemies down, Elliander gets a feeling his sword is almost savoring the blood-like fluid it has tasted, like it has never encountered this type of strange creatures before. As he is about to clean the weapon, there is no longer any trace of the substance, but the sword just seems to have absorbed it. Not really knowing what to believe or feel about it, Elliander shrugs and sheaths it again. The Biter feels ‘smug’ somehow though.
He then starts to look around in the old archive to see what he can find out that can help them get more clues.
Francis tucks the healing wand away again. "Seeing these things almost makes me wish for the earlier days where we were fighting undead. At least they were monsters from another dimension!"
Devin takes several long moments to inspect the ceiling visually, and concludes that based on the strange configuration of angles, the true ceiling has been sealed over with stone. Perhaps magic was used to do so, it is impossible to be sure after the deed is done, but it doesn't look like an illusion - at least not from the floor. But with the ceiling some 30' above his head, the half-orc must consider how to reach it in order to find a way to get through the false ceiling and reveal the one it seems to be hiding away.
Elliander: 24 (History, includes the +5 for having ranks in the relevant Knowledge type)
Francis: 14 (Nobility, includes the +5 for having ranks in the relevant Knowledge type)
Well, their purpose here is to find more of the info they are looking for, not necessarily running around fighting additional monsters or traps. If Elliander believes he can still find out more in the rooms they have already visited, he will continue to research any scroll, tablets, mural paintings etc, rather than advancing deeper. Once convinced there isn’t anything more to find, he’ll have to decide to go deeper or return back out.
Moonday, the 21st day of Desnus, 4714 AR
Weather is overcast with high clouds, hot and a bit humid with little to no wind.
Hour of Sunrise.
----------------------------------------------
It's getting late anyway, and the party camps for the night, finding themselves to be quite alone in this hidden library. Still, they post a watch through the night and are undisturbed until the morning.
Those who are engaging in research begin to do so, while Devin takes another look at the dome rotunda, trying to determine if anything more can be done there or if he should join the 'bookworms'...
Elliander: 24 (History, includes the +5 for having ranks in the relevant Knowledge type)
Francis: 14 (Nobility, includes the +5 for having ranks in the relevant Knowledge type)
Nevitash: Failed the 'Aid Another' Check
Player Handout - Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh
Player Handout - Scrolls of Inquiry Excerpt
--------------------------------------------
Elliander 63/63 [Armor Crystal - DR 1, has absorbed 0 (of 10) damage this day]
Amenhep 58/58
Devin 59/59
Francis 53/53
Nevitash 71/71
Moonday, the 21st day of Desnus, 4714 AR
Weather is overcast with high clouds, hot and a bit humid with little to no wind.
Hour of Sunset.
----------------------------------------------
vs DC 10 = Failure!
Unfortunately, a long day doesn't result in much information. Perhaps tomorrow will be better? It's difficult to know, but this library is definitely a tough nut to crack and it may take weeks to learn anything of value. Of course, the party knows the general area where Chisiek's tomb is located if they decide to leave this place behind them without any further searching...
The funerary mask they recovered in Wati, known only to them as the Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh actually belonged to Sky Pharaoh Hakotep I, who ruled Osirion during the Second Age over six thousand years ago. References to Hakotep as the Sky Pharaoh recounted his ability to 'ride the stars by night'. Thanks to a few other obscure clues in the library, combined with their knowledge of history and the arcane, the party suspected this might refer to magic once possessed by the Shory, an ancient people said to have created great cities that flew through the skies thousands of years ago.
The hidden Spiral Archive library revealed that Hakotep was involved in some ancient war, and he was convinced that an attack was coming from enemies who 'lived in cities in the clouds' - further solidifying the idea of Shory involvement. Apparently the Sky Pharaoh was seeking to find a powerful weapon to defeat his enemy, and there was evidence that he actually found this weapon - but the only details the party found were the remains of papyrus scraps depicting confusing geometrical patterns.
A scroll was found describing Hakotep's tomb as 'having wings', part of the confession of a member of a group called the Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather, which also claimed that the Sky Pharaoh's heart and funerary mask were stolen from his tomb before it was 'lost to the skies'. This document indicated that these two items possessed pieces of Hakotep's soul, which were separated from his physical body. Hakotep's successor, Pharaoh Djederet II, ordered that members of this order were to be rounded up and questioned - but those scrolls were to be found in yet another secret library known as the Dark Depository.
Having now found this second library, the adventurers have yet to find these Scrolls of Inquiry as they were called, but they located the journal of a Priest of Nethys who was either a member of the Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather or doing very similar research. The priest's name was Khnenti, and he was apparently obsessed with the mystery of the Sky Pharaoh. Khnenti wrote extensively about the funerary mask of Hakotep I, and that it also contains a portion of the Sky Pharaoh's soul, specifically his ka, which apparently fuels the magical abilities of the mask. It was also noted during their search of the room that all of the sarcophagi in the chamber they're resting in contain the remains of those that were being punished by being embalmed and mummified while still alive for various crimes involving the search for knowledge that had been deemed as protected by order of the pharaoh. And, in fact, the occupant of one of these sarcophagi was none other than Khnenti himself - a contemporary of Pharaoh Djederet II and apparently during the time period when the Scrolls of Inquiry were purportedly written.
It is apparent to the party that these scrolls, and perhaps more information, are still to be found somewhere in the Dark Depository - perhaps in one of the other rooms they've yet to explore. As well, they hope to find the location of this Vault of Hidden Wisdom, where Khnenti indicated he stored his most precious research on Hakotep, including the Sky Pharaoh's 'darkest secrets'...
It takes several hours to go through everything, and truly the adventurers have no clue as to what time it us in the world outside of this ancient library by the time they've gleaned everything available. In fact, they're fairly certain that there isn't any more to learn in this particular place. Their research has finally revealed the Scrolls of Inquiry, found in this very chamber. The scrolls are cumbersome and difficult to read, and most of the confessions recorded upon them are of no use to them. One transcript, however, does contain some useful information (OOC - see Player Handout #2 in the Google Slides below for details). After hearing the others tell of this, Devin realizes he may have heard something about that. The half-orc bard recalls he heard some months earlier. The story went that an important and high-ranking priestess of Nethys was said to have discovered an artifact of some kind beneath Azghaad's Spire in Sothis. Her name, as he recalls, was Serethet - and soon after the discovery that had all the treasure hunters and nobility in the capital city of Osirion buzzing with excitement, the priestess disappeared. There were rumors that she had fled Sothis after being summoned to an audience with the Ruby Prince himself.
Besides the grim contents of the scrolls, the party also discovered a collection of architectural plans detailing a series of tomb designs of incredible complexity. Each plan is labeled with a double hieroglyph of an owl inside a house. It didn't take long to cross reference the hieroglyph as the signature of a very famous architect from the First Age of Osirion, a talented man called Chisisek. There is also a note mentioning a meeting between Chisisek and the Sky Pharaoh, but nothing more is found on this topic here. It appears that the interred priest Khnenti possessed further research on Hakotep and the architect both, but these can only be found in the Vault of Hidden Wisdom. The location of the Vault is secret, but there is a notable clue that "worthy scholars can find the entrance by casting their eyes from the summit of the Tower of Ra’s Glory at dawn on midsummer’s day." Of course, it seems likely to Francis that casting Speak with Dead might make their efforts much easier than that...
Getting ready for his attempt to communicate with Khenti, Francis firsts casts Comprehend Languages, then casts Speak with Dead. "How would I find the Vault of Hidden Wisdom?" The corpse rises in response to Francis' spellcasting, gazing at the cleric with empty eyes as he asks his question. The voice of the corpse is like the fetid stench released from a deep grave as it responds. "Seek the Vault of Hidden Wisdom where the shadow's tip of the Tower of Ra's Glory touches the land as the sun rises on midsummer's day."
He considers the other things that they wanted to know. Maybe.... "Why is the Temple of Nethys hiding information about Hakotep?" Again, the sepulchral voice speaks its answer to Francis' query. "The Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather, a sect of the Temple of Nethys, sought to learn the secrets held by Sky Pharaoh Hakotep I, where he lay interred in his tomb. But the knowledge they gleaned was deemed too dangerous by Pharaoh Djederet II and the Order was charged with keeping it secret from all except themselves. For not even the Pharaoh, himself a worshipper of Nethys, would see valuable knowledge destroyed."
Francis asks "Where is Chisiek buried?" Again the raspy voice of the long-dead scholar speaks in answer to Francis' question. "Chisiek's tomb lies in the Parched Dunes, north of the source of the Crook River in the foothills of the Barrier Wall within a steep-sided ravine at the western edge of a valley hidden from those that are not seeking it carefully." The cleric is struck by the preciseness of the answer, and is not surprised when the corpse's empty eyes seem to bore into his own as it surprisingly continues to speak briefly, apparently in an addendum to its final answer. "Find the tomb of the architect who built the Sky Pharaoh's sacred pyramid. Finish my work!" And then the corpse seems to groan as it falls back into its crypt.
Player Handout - Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh
Player Handout - Scrolls of Inquiry Excerpt
--------------------------------------------
Elliander 63/63 [Armor Crystal - DR 1, has absorbed 0 (of 10) damage this day]
Amenhep 58/58
Devin 59/59
Francis 53/53
Nevitash 71/71
After playing amateur historian for a day (and getting nowhere...), Devin has a brainwave. (Either that or he's just bored...)
"You know, that clockwork statue thing we found, it's probably here as a librarian. I think the funny rod we found is probably the key needed to wind it. Let's try it and see if it can help us... Also, it might know how to get into the false ceiling above the rotunda."
On that note, he turns to Francis "Can Pharasma's blessings provide me with some ability to get up close and examine what is going on with the false ceiling in the rotunda?"
Devin uses the found key to wind up the clockwork servant, which immediately turns to the half-orc and speaks in a strange metallic tone utterly devoid of emotion. "Greetings, scholar. How may I assist you?" It becomes quickly apparent that the construct doesn't act of its own accord, nor does it offer advice or the like. But it will certainly be of some assistance in retrieving tomes or scrolls referenced, as it seems to know where everything is located by memory.
Does the clockwork servant seem to be in good shape? If not I could prepare Make Whole to repair it. ??
Devin uses the found key to wind up the clockwork servant, which immediately turns to the half-orc and speaks in a strange metallic tone utterly devoid of emotion. "Greetings, scholar. How may I assist you?" It becomes quickly apparent that the construct doesn't act of its own accord, nor does it offer advice or the like. But it will certainly be of some assistance in retrieving tomes or scrolls referenced, as it seems to know where everything is located by memory.
"To begin, please recognize my companions as scholars as well; they are also researching here and could use your assistance. Also, what do you know, if anything about the false ceiling in the rotunda?"
The automaton is willing to help any who ask it to, so long as it is given directions (find this book, or locate a book about 'x', etc.) but it offers no other guidance about the library itself nor anything that lies outside of the library.
Current Rolls for Today
Francis: 19 (Nobility, includes the +5 for having ranks in the relevant Knowledge type AND +2 from the clockwork servant)
-------------------------------
Current Rolls for Tomorrow (if needed)
Francis: 34 [Possible Crit! Please confirm with another roll!] (Nobility, includes the +5 for having ranks in the relevant Knowledge type AND +2 from the clockwork servant)
Devin cast several buffing spells (extended Heroism, Tears to Wine, Heightened Awareness), then with the assistance of Francis's airwalk spell, Devin closely investigates the false ceiling in the Rotunda, looking for some sort of secret door or somesuch...
7 ranks+3 trained +5 eyes of the eagle+2 dimdweller +2 tears to wine +2 heroism +2 Heightened Awareness
Nevitash watches as Devin moves up and waits to see what happens.
Moonday, the 21st day of Desnus, 4714 AR
Weather is overcast with high clouds, hot and a bit humid with little to no wind.
Hour of Sunset.
----------------------------------------------
Francis uses his magic to allow Devin to tread on the air just as though it were solid ground, which is quite a sight to see! Once the half-orc gets up there, he walks around the perimeter of the ceiling, looking at it closely. He finds that it is definitely a false ceiling, and that it is trapped to collapse if broken - probably by dumping something kept at bay above the stone into the chamber below. Perhaps acid? Or heavy rocks and stones? Something else? It's impossible to know for sure, but the bard figures he can bypass the trap if he's careful. He just needs the right tools, something heavy like a crowbar or hammer and piton to break through the stone at just the right angle...
Research Rolls for Tomorrow
Francis: 19 (Nobility, includes the +5 for having ranks in the relevant Knowledge type AND +2 from the clockwork servant)
Research Rolls for Following Day
Francis: 34 [Crit Confirmed! (Nobility, includes the +5 for having ranks in the relevant Knowledge type AND +2 from the clockwork servant)
The funerary mask they recovered in Wati, known only to them as the Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh actually belonged to Sky Pharaoh Hakotep I, who ruled Osirion during the Second Age over six thousand years ago. References to Hakotep as the Sky Pharaoh recounted his ability to 'ride the stars by night'. Thanks to a few other obscure clues in the library, combined with their knowledge of history and the arcane, the party suspected this might refer to magic once possessed by the Shory, an ancient people said to have created great cities that flew through the skies thousands of years ago.
The hidden Spiral Archive library revealed that Hakotep was involved in some ancient war, and he was convinced that an attack was coming from enemies who 'lived in cities in the clouds' - further solidifying the idea of Shory involvement. Apparently the Sky Pharaoh was seeking to find a powerful weapon to defeat his enemy, and there was evidence that he actually found this weapon - but the only details the party found were the remains of papyrus scraps depicting confusing geometrical patterns.
A scroll was found describing Hakotep's tomb as 'having wings', part of the confession of a member of a group called the Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather, which also claimed that the Sky Pharaoh's heart and funerary mask were stolen from his tomb before it was 'lost to the skies'. This document indicated that these two items possessed pieces of Hakotep's soul, which were separated from his physical body. Hakotep's successor, Pharaoh Djederet II, ordered that members of this order were to be rounded up and questioned - but those scrolls were to be found in yet another secret library known as the Dark Depository.
Having now found this second library, the adventurers have yet to find these Scrolls of Inquiry as they were called, but they located the journal of a Priest of Nethys who was either a member of the Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather or doing very similar research. The priest's name was Khnenti, and he was apparently obsessed with the mystery of the Sky Pharaoh. Khnenti wrote extensively about the funerary mask of Hakotep I, and that it also contains a portion of the Sky Pharaoh's soul, specifically his ka, which apparently fuels the magical abilities of the mask. It was also noted during their search of the room that all of the sarcophagi in the chamber they're resting in contain the remains of those that were being punished by being embalmed and mummified while still alive for various crimes involving the search for knowledge that had been deemed as protected by order of the pharaoh. And, in fact, the occupant of one of these sarcophagi was none other than Khnenti himself - a contemporary of Pharaoh Djederet II and apparently during the time period when the Scrolls of Inquiry were purportedly written.
It is apparent to the party that these scrolls, and perhaps more information, are still to be found somewhere in the Dark Depository - perhaps in one of the other rooms they've yet to explore. As well, they hope to find the location of this Vault of Hidden Wisdom, where Khnenti indicated he stored his most precious research on Hakotep, including the Sky Pharaoh's 'darkest secrets'...
It takes several hours to go through everything, and truly the adventurers have no clue as to what time it us in the world outside of this ancient library by the time they've gleaned everything available. In fact, they're fairly certain that there isn't any more to learn in this particular place. Their research has finally revealed the Scrolls of Inquiry, found in this very chamber. The scrolls are cumbersome and difficult to read, and most of the confessions recorded upon them are of no use to them. One transcript, however, does contain some useful information (OOC - see Player Handout #2 in the Google Slides below for details). After hearing the others tell of this, Devin realizes he may have heard something about that. The half-orc bard recalls he heard some months earlier. The story went that an important and high-ranking priestess of Nethys was said to have discovered an artifact of some kind beneath Azghaad's Spire in Sothis. Her name, as he recalls, was Serethet - and soon after the discovery that had all the treasure hunters and nobility in the capital city of Osirion buzzing with excitement, the priestess disappeared. There were rumors that she had fled Sothis after being summoned to an audience with the Ruby Prince himself.
Besides the grim contents of the scrolls, the party also discovered a collection of architectural plans detailing a series of tomb designs of incredible complexity. Each plan is labeled with a double hieroglyph of an owl inside a house. It didn't take long to cross reference the hieroglyph as the signature of a very famous architect from the First Age of Osirion, a talented man called Chisisek. There is also a note mentioning a meeting between Chisisek and the Sky Pharaoh, but nothing more is found on this topic here. It appears that the interred priest Khnenti possessed further research on Hakotep and the architect both, but these can only be found in the Vault of Hidden Wisdom. The location of the Vault is secret, but there is a notable clue that "worthy scholars can find the entrance by casting their eyes from the summit of the Tower of Ra’s Glory at dawn on midsummer’s day." Of course, it seems likely to Francis that casting Speak with Dead might make their efforts much easier than that...
Getting ready for his attempt to communicate with Khenti, Francis firsts casts Comprehend Languages, then casts Speak with Dead. "How would I find the Vault of Hidden Wisdom?" The corpse rises in response to Francis' spellcasting, gazing at the cleric with empty eyes as he asks his question. The voice of the corpse is like the fetid stench released from a deep grave as it responds. "Seek the Vault of Hidden Wisdom where the shadow's tip of the Tower of Ra's Glory touches the land as the sun rises on midsummer's day."
He considers the other things that they wanted to know. Maybe.... "Why is the Temple of Nethys hiding information about Hakotep?" Again, the sepulchral voice speaks its answer to Francis' query. "The Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather, a sect of the Temple of Nethys, sought to learn the secrets held by Sky Pharaoh Hakotep I, where he lay interred in his tomb. But the knowledge they gleaned was deemed too dangerous by Pharaoh Djederet II and the Order was charged with keeping it secret from all except themselves. For not even the Pharaoh, himself a worshipper of Nethys, would see valuable knowledge destroyed."
Francis asks "Where is Chisiek buried?" Again the raspy voice of the long-dead scholar speaks in answer to Francis' question. "Chisiek's tomb lies in the Parched Dunes, north of the source of the Crook River in the foothills of the Barrier Wall within a steep-sided ravine at the western edge of a valley hidden from those that are not seeking it carefully." The cleric is struck by the preciseness of the answer, and is not surprised when the corpse's empty eyes seem to bore into his own as it surprisingly continues to speak briefly, apparently in an addendum to its final answer. "Find the tomb of the architect who built the Sky Pharaoh's sacred pyramid. Finish my work!" And then the corpse seems to groan as it falls back into its crypt.
Player Handout - Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh
Player Handout - Scrolls of Inquiry Excerpt
--------------------------------------------
Elliander 63/63 [Armor Crystal - DR 1, has absorbed 0 (of 10) damage this day]
Amenhep 58/58
Devin 59/59
Francis 53/53
Nevitash 71/71
"I think this false ceiling is a trap - it's set up to dump whatever is behind it into the chamber below. It's a strange trap though; what's the point? Either there is some knowledge to be especially protected in this room, or there is something further hidden behind this trap."
Devin continues "I can disarm it by triggering it, but that will likely destroy the scrolls and such on the shelves around the perimeter of the room. Have you lot done all the bookworming you need to do here?"
@Devin It looks as though the trap is meant for those tampering with the ceiling and nobody has tampered with it yet. If you'd just started swinging a hammer trying to break through, the trap would have gone off. You don't believe the books, scrolls and tomes along the perimeter will be harmed, after all you consider that whoever built this trap was likely hiding something up here and wouldn't have wanted to destroy the library itself. Sure, the anytool will do fine! And yes, add the +2 just as you would for MW Thieves' Tools!
"Are you sure you want to risk that? I could cast Spiritual Weapon and have it attack the ceiling. ?? It would look like a dagger, but it's a force weapon."
@Francis That could work, though you wouldn't be 'disarming' the trap, you could attack the ceiling with your Spiritual Weapon from just outside the room as you can see the ceiling standing just outside.
Francis explains the spell to Devin. "It wouldn't be disarming the trap, just attacking it. Want me to try? Or would you rather risk it? My attempt could also permanently jam it...."
"I'm lazy enough to let you do the work, sure. But let's get everyone together here in case there's an unexpected surprise up there, like more constructs..."
Nevitash will back out of the room and let Francis see what the can do.
Once everyone is clear Francis casts the spiritual weapon and has it attack the ceiling area where directed.
Amenhep gives Francis a thumbs-up of encouragement, sure that his trusted ally can handle himself.
Moonday, the 21st day of Desnus, 4714 AR
Weather is overcast with high clouds, hot and a bit humid with little to no wind.
Hour of Sunset.
----------------------------------------------
Again, Francis' magic allows for direct interaction with the trapped ceiling, and after making sure the party is out of the way, the cleric uses the dagger to chip away at the ceiling, and though he finds that it is extremely thick stone, Devin spotting the fracture line makes the job much easier than it otherwise would have been. After several hard strikes, the dagger finds the right angle and the entire ceiling collapses - raining heavy debris into the center of the room while leaving the perimeter fairly untouched so as to protect the contents of the library room.
But among the debris are what appear to be a pair of mummified corpses of very large cats - though when they strike the ground they roll onto their legs, snarling and hissing as they spot the party! Fortunately for the adventurers, most of them spot the danger in time to react - though Nevitash has dust in his eyes and is trying to regain his eyesight...
Research Rolls for Tomorrow:
Francis: 19 (Nobility, includes the +5 for having ranks in the relevant Knowledge type AND +2 from the clockwork servant)
Research Rolls for Following Day:
Francis: 34 [Crit Confirmed! (Nobility, includes the +5 for having ranks in the relevant Knowledge type AND +2 from the clockwork servant)
The funerary mask they recovered in Wati, known only to them as the Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh actually belonged to Sky Pharaoh Hakotep I, who ruled Osirion during the Second Age over six thousand years ago. References to Hakotep as the Sky Pharaoh recounted his ability to 'ride the stars by night'. Thanks to a few other obscure clues in the library, combined with their knowledge of history and the arcane, the party suspected this might refer to magic once possessed by the Shory, an ancient people said to have created great cities that flew through the skies thousands of years ago.
The hidden Spiral Archive library revealed that Hakotep was involved in some ancient war, and he was convinced that an attack was coming from enemies who 'lived in cities in the clouds' - further solidifying the idea of Shory involvement. Apparently the Sky Pharaoh was seeking to find a powerful weapon to defeat his enemy, and there was evidence that he actually found this weapon - but the only details the party found were the remains of papyrus scraps depicting confusing geometrical patterns.
A scroll was found describing Hakotep's tomb as 'having wings', part of the confession of a member of a group called the Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather, which also claimed that the Sky Pharaoh's heart and funerary mask were stolen from his tomb before it was 'lost to the skies'. This document indicated that these two items possessed pieces of Hakotep's soul, which were separated from his physical body. Hakotep's successor, Pharaoh Djederet II, ordered that members of this order were to be rounded up and questioned - but those scrolls were to be found in yet another secret library known as the Dark Depository.
Having now found this second library, the adventurers have yet to find these Scrolls of Inquiry as they were called, but they located the journal of a Priest of Nethys who was either a member of the Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather or doing very similar research. The priest's name was Khnenti, and he was apparently obsessed with the mystery of the Sky Pharaoh. Khnenti wrote extensively about the funerary mask of Hakotep I, and that it also contains a portion of the Sky Pharaoh's soul, specifically his ka, which apparently fuels the magical abilities of the mask. It was also noted during their search of the room that all of the sarcophagi in the chamber they're resting in contain the remains of those that were being punished by being embalmed and mummified while still alive for various crimes involving the search for knowledge that had been deemed as protected by order of the pharaoh. And, in fact, the occupant of one of these sarcophagi was none other than Khnenti himself - a contemporary of Pharaoh Djederet II and apparently during the time period when the Scrolls of Inquiry were purportedly written.
It is apparent to the party that these scrolls, and perhaps more information, are still to be found somewhere in the Dark Depository - perhaps in one of the other rooms they've yet to explore. As well, they hope to find the location of this Vault of Hidden Wisdom, where Khnenti indicated he stored his most precious research on Hakotep, including the Sky Pharaoh's 'darkest secrets'...
It takes several hours to go through everything, and truly the adventurers have no clue as to what time it us in the world outside of this ancient library by the time they've gleaned everything available. In fact, they're fairly certain that there isn't any more to learn in this particular place. Their research has finally revealed the Scrolls of Inquiry, found in this very chamber. The scrolls are cumbersome and difficult to read, and most of the confessions recorded upon them are of no use to them. One transcript, however, does contain some useful information (OOC - see Player Handout #2 in the Google Slides below for details). After hearing the others tell of this, Devin realizes he may have heard something about that. The half-orc bard recalls he heard some months earlier. The story went that an important and high-ranking priestess of Nethys was said to have discovered an artifact of some kind beneath Azghaad's Spire in Sothis. Her name, as he recalls, was Serethet - and soon after the discovery that had all the treasure hunters and nobility in the capital city of Osirion buzzing with excitement, the priestess disappeared. There were rumors that she had fled Sothis after being summoned to an audience with the Ruby Prince himself.
Besides the grim contents of the scrolls, the party also discovered a collection of architectural plans detailing a series of tomb designs of incredible complexity. Each plan is labeled with a double hieroglyph of an owl inside a house. It didn't take long to cross reference the hieroglyph as the signature of a very famous architect from the First Age of Osirion, a talented man called Chisisek. There is also a note mentioning a meeting between Chisisek and the Sky Pharaoh, but nothing more is found on this topic here. It appears that the interred priest Khnenti possessed further research on Hakotep and the architect both, but these can only be found in the Vault of Hidden Wisdom. The location of the Vault is secret, but there is a notable clue that "worthy scholars can find the entrance by casting their eyes from the summit of the Tower of Ra’s Glory at dawn on midsummer’s day." Of course, it seems likely to Francis that casting Speak with Dead might make their efforts much easier than that...
Getting ready for his attempt to communicate with Khenti, Francis firsts casts Comprehend Languages, then casts Speak with Dead. "How would I find the Vault of Hidden Wisdom?" The corpse rises in response to Francis' spellcasting, gazing at the cleric with empty eyes as he asks his question. The voice of the corpse is like the fetid stench released from a deep grave as it responds. "Seek the Vault of Hidden Wisdom where the shadow's tip of the Tower of Ra's Glory touches the land as the sun rises on midsummer's day."
He considers the other things that they wanted to know. Maybe.... "Why is the Temple of Nethys hiding information about Hakotep?" Again, the sepulchral voice speaks its answer to Francis' query. "The Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather, a sect of the Temple of Nethys, sought to learn the secrets held by Sky Pharaoh Hakotep I, where he lay interred in his tomb. But the knowledge they gleaned was deemed too dangerous by Pharaoh Djederet II and the Order was charged with keeping it secret from all except themselves. For not even the Pharaoh, himself a worshipper of Nethys, would see valuable knowledge destroyed."
Francis asks "Where is Chisiek buried?" Again the raspy voice of the long-dead scholar speaks in answer to Francis' question. "Chisiek's tomb lies in the Parched Dunes, north of the source of the Crook River in the foothills of the Barrier Wall within a steep-sided ravine at the western edge of a valley hidden from those that are not seeking it carefully." The cleric is struck by the preciseness of the answer, and is not surprised when the corpse's empty eyes seem to bore into his own as it surprisingly continues to speak briefly, apparently in an addendum to its final answer. "Find the tomb of the architect who built the Sky Pharaoh's sacred pyramid. Finish my work!" And then the corpse seems to groan as it falls back into its crypt.
Player Handout - Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh
Player Handout - Scrolls of Inquiry Excerpt
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Amenhep 58/58 [Tears to Wine (+2 to INT & WIS skill checks) for 110 minutes]
Devin 59/59 [Tears to Wine (+2 to INT & WIS skill checks) for 110 minutes]
Elliander 63/63 [Armor Crystal - DR 1, has absorbed 0 (of 10) damage this day; Tears to Wine (+2 to INT & WIS skill checks) for 110 minutes]
Francis 53/53 [Heroism (+2 morale bonuses on most d20 rolls) for 220 minutes; Tears to Wine (+2 to INT & WIS skill checks) for 110 minutes; Heightened Awareness (+2 competence bonus to Perception checks) for 110 minutes]
Big Mummy Cats Red (Unwounded); Blue (Unwounded)
Nevitash 71/71 [Tears to Wine (+2 to INT & WIS skill checks) for 110 minutes]