Mummy's Mask (OOC)

[Farmerbink]

Agreed. I would certainly like to see this get going more consistently. I know I've been a factor, but thinking back on it, I had neither dogs nor a child when we started this game. That's not an excuse so much as it is exemplary of my realization of how long we've been going! Kinda cool, really.

[Gwynfrid]

RE-recruitment thread posted here.

[Gwynfrid]

Service announcement: No Discord for me until I'm back. But I should be able to post at 2 points during the day.

[Gwynfrid]

Turns out it was more tricky for me to post than I thought after first arriving here. For my next post, I need access to Google Photos, which is very dicey. So, I'll have to ask you to wait until Saturday. Also: Still no reliable Discord access.

[Gwynfrid]

@ DarkOne

Looks like you lack Discord access, so I'll respond here instead.

Handy Haversack:
"A backpack of this sort appears to be well made, well used, and quite ordinary. It has two side pouches, each of which appears large enough to hold about a quart of material. In fact, each is like a bag of holding and can actually hold material of as much as 2 cubic feet in volume or 20 pounds in weight. The large central portion of the pack can contain up to 8 cubic feet or 80 pounds of material."

Each stone tablet is 50 pounds. Therefore, you can fit one in the central part of the pack.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Yeah, I'm at work, so no Discord.

So...I can carry one of these, but because they are so high level I am not going to be able to use them for quite some time...hmmm...

These are valuable enough to be worth it. We just need to figure out how to manage this. I will post more when I have a good idea what to do.

[Gwynfrid]

Welcome to our 2 new players! Can you guys please pick a speech color. I'll start working with you over Discord PM in order to come up with the best introductions in the narrative. This may take a couple of days, and also, I'm not sure I want the introduction for both to be at the same time. This is open for discussion.

Starbin, here are some remarks to your character sheet:
- It's cosmetic since your attack and damage calculations are accurate, but I would record that the ancestral weapons are +1.
- If I were you I would have one backup weapon: Being armed for all of 7 min/day doesn't strike me as the safest thing to do when crossing the desert.
- You should have cure serious wounds and heroism as level 3 spells. At the bottom of the sheet, your "extra spells" list has the spell levels and class levels mixed up.
- I think you forgot traits. You didn't, but please list them in the main section of the sheet, along with class/race features and feats. This always trips me up.
- Linguistics should be marked as a class skill.

Valin, some remarks for you:
- You mean Manyshot, not Multishot.
- Not even a dagger? I'm not going to force you...
- Your wealth is just a little bit over budget, if I'm not mistaken you end up about 1000gp over. My bad!
- Looks like you picked Bluff and Diplomacy for Social Grace, right?
- Please indicate your favored class bonus choice explicitly.

[Inspector Valin]

Okay, edits made! I'll double check my calculations on Wealth, I went over it a few times, mucking up's plausible (though 1000gp less will sting.) And I do have a dagger - that's included in the Pathfinder's Kit. I should really note what bits of that Tabiry carries openly though.

[Starbin]

Heyo and thanks! Made the changes requested, and picked up a longspear and sling for everyday shenanigans. Looks like this is available.

PS - With Natala’s tie to the old goods, and the vagueness associated with Ancestral Weapon’ I envisioned she could use any favored weapon of the Osirion dirties. That list is: flail, light mace, hunga munga, quarterstaff, sling, shirt bow, shirt sword, scorpion whip, khopoesh, starknife, spear, sickle, cat’s claws, light mace, battleaxe, falchion, dagger.

Now if that’s too much/cheesy of a list, maybe only weapons associated with Gods with War domain? (Short bow, battleaxe, falchion).

Natala al Akmet, the Dune Walker, mostly human warsighted oracle.

Spoiler: Image

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Spoiler: Background

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The pale-skinned witch stood outside the tent, gazing across the steps towards the drifting dunes beyond. The moonlight shined brightly on the shifting sands, the night clear enough to see for miles. The evening air was cold against her skin, but she refused to return for a blanket. Behind her, she sensed rather than saw Allasal stir; her guardian spirit was never more than a few feet away, invisible to all unless otherwise desired.

A rustling at the entrance to the tent brought a sudden stirring from Allasa , as power began to gather momentarily and was as quickly released. The witch turned her gaze to the muscled, tanned man who emerged, his eyes searching for signs of the spirit before returning to alabaster beauty. He walked with a rolling gate, as one more comfortable in a saddle than on foot ... or used to long treks across the desert. She bowed her head slightly at his approach before speaking, her voice husky with promise and power.

"I leave on the morrow, my debt paid. The daughter I bore you last moon will survive the storm season - she will bring much greatness to your tribes, as you have wished. "

The man rubbed his chin absently, his muscled chest flexing inadvertently. "You have **seen** this?" Even with his thick accent, she could hear the emphasis. She rolled her eyes, replying. "She **is** the only daughter of the son of the great Gaja - how could she not bear mighty sons to your people?" She smiled to soften her sarcasm, one hand reaching out to gently touch his nearly perfect profile as she stared into the chieftain's intense green eyes. While his body was attractive, it was those piercing eyes that had melted her heart ... and led her to acquiesce to a request that went far beyond her honor-bound obligations.

For centuries their two tribes had made these exchanges. It harkened back to a time when elementals were numerous, and the djinn sought ways to bind the ever growing human tribes to their will. But over the years, the elementals retreated to the inhospitable lands, and the geniekin grew fewer. For those still remaining, they grew less and less pronounced, blending into the human tribes. Eventually the Children of the Fiery Star and the Sand Stalkers forgot about the roots of their agreements - only that they exchanged blood and seed once every five years. Sometimes it was a maiden from one tribe; others it was a buck from the other. So it had been for hundreds of years. This year, it was an actual geniekin ...

The chieftain returned the smile, taking her hand in his own and stepping closer. “"Must you leave now? Silver Daughter has many leagues to go before she hides from Golden Mother. Come ... let me warm you by the fire." She laughed at his words, leaning down slightly to kiss him. “"I suppose I could use a bit of warming."
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Moving through the tent by the light of the embers from the fire pit, the witch approached the small swaddled child. The girl had his father's eyes, but her mother's coloring. The reddish hue to her skin had all but faded, something the witch had hidden from those around. For all the tales of ifrits and djinns, most humans feared outsiders ... even geniekin. It was best for all that no one know exactly what the small baby was.

Gazing down on a daughter she would never raise, she thought back to her words to Gaja. She had not lied when she told him his - their - daughter would bring greatness. What she had not said was the greatness would not come from bearing children like some breeder, but from her own actions and choices. There was a divinity about the child that even the witch had not foreseen.

She also did not mention that the girl might not survive to live beyond greatness - in her visions, she had seen a dark cloud, foul and decaying, hanging over the crux of two mighty water serpents, slowly swirling as small insects disturbed the air. The swirling continued to grow, becoming something tumultuous and destructive ... a cyclone that threatened everything nearby. A shining light of many colors stood before the coming storm, and the young girl stood in the middle of it all. But before the witch could see if the girl survived, she awoke, the future hidden from her.

Leaning over the girls's crib, she began to trace sigils in the air and whisper words of power as thunderclouds rolled in the distance and far off lightning shook the skies. She might not be able to save her, but perhaps she could give her a helping hand ...
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Natala al Akmet grew to womanhood amongst her father's people. They knew she was different - marked - by the strange events surrounding her. She could move around perfectly in a darkened room. She had the reflexes of a sand serpent. Nearby objects moved in odd ways around her. But for all the strangeness that surrounded Natala, she possessed a presence that drew others to her. As she matured, Natala began to hear whispers, voices of the ancient ones. Where many tribesmen sought blessings from Abadar, Nethys and Pharasma, Natala learned the names of the old gods, and the wonders of past civilizations. Early on, Natala gained the gift of healing, growing swiftly in mystical power. But what surprised her tribe was her affinity for combat. During her first dusk hunt of the new year, Natala was surprised by a giant desert scorpion that narrowly missed stinging her, but managed to snap her spear in two. Stumbling back, the young woman raised her hands to block the beast’s stinger when an axe appeared from nowhere. Stunned, she retreated to a rock formation. As she waited for the others to flank the scorpion, she glanced down and saw her axe was now a bow.

Over the next two years, Natala grew more accomplished in the art of war. She could copy almost any style or form, mirroring them with ease. As her prowess grew, so did her popularity in the tribe. She could heal and bolster others with magic untaught, hunt with skill and weapons unlearned, recite the histories of times unknown. It was obvious she was touched by the gods - she had become a prophet of Ra and Osiris, a harbinger for Set and Apep, devout champion of Neith. With her growing power, so grew the worship of the tribe, joining her faith in the ancient ones ... or perhaps it was the other way around. Regardless, she brought devotion to the old gods, her people's faith restoring power and glory to the pantheon.

Each passing year brought an ever increasing thirst for knowledge of the past. Knowing she needed to move beyond the tribe, Natala turned to her closest followers and disciples to foster the faith in her absence. She began to travel to the other tribes, seeking history and lore of the old gods. Within each tribe, she brought the ‘new’ faith, planting the seeds of belief with a select few. She was given the name Dune Walker, as she traveled far and wide from the Brazen Peaks. In her travels, Natala heard the Necroplolis had been opened for exploration, along with tales of the dead rising up against the people of Wati. The whispers of the gods grew more urgent with these rumors and recountings, drawing her ever closer to their source. Perhaps this was a path to greater understanding of the old gods, and a way to bring the ancient pantheon back into the light of modern times.

Spoiler: Greetings

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"I am Natala al Akmet. I am the Bond-gift ... scion of the Children of the Fiery Star as well as the Daughter of the Sand Stalkers. I am a Seer of the Ancient Gods and Speaker of the Old Ways. I have danced atop the Brazen Peaks, under the sun of summer and moon of winter. I have broken bread or crossed spears with every tribe between Mount Osiki and the Salt Hills, bringing word of the Old Ones and seeking new words of their time. I have bathed where the waters of the Crook, the Asp and the Sphinx meet. I have ridden giant scorpions into battle, road a chariot in the Great Race, and plunged into the depths of dark libraries and lost temples alike. I have slain fools who wish to raise an ancient enemy and threaten to destroy our way of life. I fell in battle against cultists and a sphinx but was saved from the River by the Raging Torrent and the Green Empress. Through their graces, I have been led to you all, and given a second chance to prevent a dark future.

I am Natala al Akmet, Dune Walker, companion to the Relic Knights, and I have sworn to aid their mission against the followers of that ancient enemy. And I thank you for your hospitality." She raised her cup and drank deeply from it.

[Gwynfrid]

Heyo and thanks! Made the changes requested, and picked up a longspear and sling for everyday shenanigans. Looks like this is available.

PS - With Natala’s tie to the old goods, and the vagueness associated with Ancestral Weapon’ I envisioned she could use any favored weapon of the Osirion dirties. That list is: flail, light mace, hunga munga, quarterstaff, sling, shirt bow, shirt sword, scorpion whip, khopoesh, starknife, spear, sickle, cat’s claws, light mace, battleaxe, falchion, dagger.

Now if that’s too much/cheesy of a list, maybe only weapons associated with Gods with War domain? (Short bow, battleaxe, falchion).

It took me a while to figure out you meant Osirion deities

It's fine, I don't see this weapon list as a problem.

[Starbin]

Curse you autocorrect!

[Starbin]

Sorry for the double post ... Save vs DC16 - (1d20+8)[19] ... although given Turi’s threats, there’s probably a +5 to the save.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Knowledge (Arcana) check (1d20+15)[20]

[Starbin]

Well if she rolls high, we’ll see
Sense Motive - (1d20+8)[10]

Ah, just high enough to realize the mummy construct is down for the count.

[Gwynfrid]

A note about my description of the Speak with Dead spell and its end: Using this kind of spell is not an everyday occurrence, and using it on someone who's been dead for millennia is incredible, even in a place like Osirion. For all the characters know, it's plausible that the necromantic energies involved caused a few strange effects and that it ended when Khnenti's soul couldn't take it anymore.

In other words: my description of what happened is mostly for flavor, and doesn't imply that other magical forces were at play.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Did all three questions receives answers before it ended? It seemed so, but you didn't explicitly state that he was answering the third question (like you did the first two)...

[Gwynfrid]

Did all three questions receives answers before it ended? It seemed so, but you didn't explicitly state that he was answering the third question (like you did the first two)...

They did. The last paragraph is the answer to the 3rd question.

[Farmerbink]

They did. The last paragraph is the answer to the 3rd question.

Thanks for the clarity. (y)

[Starbin]

Yeah, sorry ... the flavor text makes sense in retrospect. I guess my natural presumption that the DM and the world are out to get us colored my response

[Gwynfrid]

Lots of knowledge checks need to be made here...starting from the beginning of the corpse's answers...

Knowledge (Religion) [roll0] to see if, outside of the boundaries of a major miracle or artifact-level magic it is possible to reunite the three portions of the Sky Pharaoh's soul, and, if possible, would it have a chance of resurrecting Hakotep...

Vershab doesn't have the slightest idea.

Knowledge (History) [roll1] regarding the name "Djederet" and anything Vershab knows or has recently read about him. I presume he is an ancient Pharaoh, perhaps the one who succeeded Hakotep...? Also, if there was a curse or plague that occurred during Djederet's reign.

No need for a Knowledge check on this one, Vershab remembers. Djederet is referenced here and here (first spoiler).

Knowledge (History) [roll2] regarding the name "Chisisek" and where he worked/lived/died/is-buried.

Vershab draws a blank.

Knowledge (History or Geography, whichever makes more sense) [roll3] to remember where one might find the "Vault of Hidden Wisdom." It seems reasonable that it is part of the same series of libraries that the party has already been exploring - do we have any idea where I think might be? If not, do we have any good ideas on how to find it? Is it related to the "Tower of Ra's Glory?" Is this tower in Tephu?

Someone from Tephu could know, but Vershab doesn't.

Are we close to midsummer by chance? If not, could a successful Knowledge (Geography) check allow us to look for it by estimating where the sun would be at that specific time?

The current month is Abadius, mid-winter. Knowledge(Geography) would give you a good estimate, but not enough precision to pinpoint something on a map.

Meta-gaming here, but I suspect this encounter is meant push us in the direction of the rest of the adventure. Am I missing any other question that needs to be asked to help us get going in the right way?

Quite right, and I think you're asking the right questions.

Yeah, sorry ... the flavor text makes sense in retrospect. I guess my natural presumption that the DM and the world are out to get us colored my response

I would never

[DarkOne-Rob]

Someone from Tephu could know, but Vershab doesn't.

And we lost our guide...that could make this harder.

The current month is Abadius, mid-winter. Knowledge(Geography) would give you a good estimate, but not enough precision to pinpoint something on a map.

Diametrically the wrong time of year. Is there any way to tell if we have the sort of time necessary to wait til midsummer?

[Starbin]

For some of the key details from the questioning:
- Is there a way to bring the Sky Pharaoh’s three parts together w/o resurrecting him (I.e, laying him to rest): Religion - (1d20+9)[19]
- Who is Chisisek? KS - (1d20)[4] (+9 for History or +4 for Local or Engineering)
- What is The Vault of Hidden Wisdom? History - (1d20+9)[22]
- Who would be the ‘learned ones’? (1d20)[7] (+9 for Religion or History, +4 for all other KS)
- Where is Tower of Ra's Glory, and what is it? Religion - (1d20+9)[24]
- What are the key events in Djederet’s reign (thinking things that wouldn’t scream Sky Pharaoh but could be important ... like major construction efforts, proclamations, etc) History - (1d20+9)[12]

[Gwynfrid]

For some of the key details from the questioning:
- Is there a way to bring the Sky Pharaoh’s three parts together w/o resurrecting him (I.e, laying him to rest): [roll0]

There probably is, but Natala has no idea that such a way would be.

- Who is Chisisek? [roll1] (+9 for History or +4 for Local or Engineering)

Natala has never heard of that name.

- What is The Vault of Hidden Wisdom? [roll2]

The name sounds very much like it's one of the many libraries Tephu is famous for. A Tephu native might know more.

- Who would be the ‘learned ones’? [roll3] (+9 for Religion or History, +4 for all other KS)

It's a turn of phrase. Khnenti was speaking in Ancient Osiriani. Natala could come up with another, more litteral translation, along the lines of "those who know what to look for".

- Where is Tower of Ra's Glory, and what is it? [roll4]

No known building of a religious nature bears such a name, even though it honors a god. A Knowledge(Local - Tephu) is necessary to know more.

- What are the key events in Djederet’s reign (thinking things that wouldn’t scream Sky Pharaoh but could be important ... like major construction efforts, proclamations, etc) [roll5]

He reigned around -1600AR. Lore has it that he's the founder of both Wati and Tephu.

[Gwynfrid]

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OOC - [roll0] vs anything on this Order. [roll1] for the Tower

Natala knows nothing of either topic. Yes, the Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather is that secretive.

[Farmerbink]

reflex save vs burst of radiance: (1d20+11)[25] vs 17.

c'mooooon!

[JWallyR]

Azkin's Acrobatics check for the previous round: (1d20)[14] vs DC 15 to move at full speed, 10 to move at half.

Based on that success, I'm going to write Azkin as having made it to I10 with his half-speed movement.

[JWallyR]

Azkin's acrobatics check for the current round: (1d20)[6] (outcome of whether he can move impacts other actions)

[JWallyR]

Lehasti casting Grace to avoid AoOs. Hoping to beat the DC10 with Acrobatics: (1d20-2)[12]

[Gwynfrid]

Some burning web damage I forgot (C3): (2d4)[6]

[Gwynfrid]

Just a little roll (1d6)[2]