Miry's Mummy's Mask IC

[Miry]

Snips's arrow fly over and hit the ground. All can here the sound of the arrow ricocheting once inside.

Spoiler: Description and map

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The stairs are 10 foot high, so you can't see the ground inside. The first room seem to be large and the ceiling are 15 feet high.

[Hazuki]

Snips reaches into her pack as her arrow doesn't immediately reveal anything, where she grabs a perfectly spherical stone and tosses it into the air. It pauses there, then starts to orbit her forehead and cast a bright light.

"I'll get a view from above." She tells the group, then steps onto Jakku's back for a boost as she starts to climb the nearest statue.

Spoiler: Climb

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I figure these statues count as "Any surface with adequate handholds and footholds (natural or artifical), such as a very rough natural rock surface or a tree, or an unknotted rope, or pulling yourself up when danging by your hands", so Snips should be able to beat DC 15 by taking 10, for 17.

[Miry]

Snips climb the statue with little trouble.

Spoiler: Snips

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From up there, you see a couple columns.

Spoiler: Map

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Normal light up to the line, than dim light

[Hazuki]

"The entrance seems safe." Snips announces, then climbs down the statue and pulls out her longspear.

[Rofltrollcopter]

When he hears Snips call out, Xerxes braces his shield and climbs up the steps.

Spoiler: OOC:

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Move 1 right 3 Up

[DaOldeWolf]

Ron grabs his sword and starts walking forward. "We could use some light." He casts his dancing lights spell and places the lights in front of the group.

Spoiler: OOC

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Moving up 30 feet and casting dancing lights.

[Miry]

Ron walk foward and illuminate the dark room. The magical lights reveal two rows of columns leading toward an archway in the north wall. Two smaller passages open to the east and west.

Spoiler: Map

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For the sake of simplicity i'll show you the whole room now that you have some dancing lights floating around.

Spoiler: Snips, Zhanyae, Nyrius, Ron

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(Ron notice this now, the 3 others will notice once they walk in the room.)

You notice that the building appears to be in remarkably good condition for its age, especially compared to the other structures in the necropolis.

[Bale Fire]

As the team approached the building, Zhanyae raised a hand to her holy symbol. With a short prayer to Pharasma, the tengu casted the spell known as Deathwatch, so that she might more easily monitor the vitality of her allies and enemies.

Drawing her short sword and checking the straps on her buckler, Zhanyae moved forward, standing just a little bit behind Ron. Hearing the words of Xerxes and 'Snips', she couldn't help but think on the many dangers they would soon face within these empty halls. The paladin was correct, today they would be battling a team of experienced adventurers, people who could think, plan, and reason. If the five of them continued into this building, they would undoubtedly be crossing blades with the Scorched Hand.

For a single moment Zhanyae Chakk hesitated. Clearing out a few monsters and undead was one thing, but actively seeking out conflict with fellow denizens of the city? It was not at all what she had envisioned when first joining the Scribes of the Ashen Crown.

But then the cleric thought of Velriana. She thought of how the woman had ranted and raved against the rulings of the church. She thought of how the follower of Nethys had behaved like a child, surrounded by dozens of other adventurers at the tavern. She thought of how the leader of the Scorched Hand had hired mercenaries with the express purpose of capturing or killing others who might interfere in her work.

And just like that Zhanyae's doubts dissipated. There could only be one possible response to such despicable actions.

"I disagree." The tengu said to Xerxes and 'Snips' as they advanced into the building. "Remember that this woman was more than willing to exchange money for blood, even when offered an alternative solution to her goal." She said, referring to 'Snips' offer to bring them any treasure they found. "If we happen to see our adversaries, I will not hesitate to strike first."

Spoiler: OOC: Actions

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Zhanyae will cast the First Level Spell: Deathwatch.

After drawing her weapon, Zhanyae will move forward 20 feet, standing directly behind Ron, looking around for signs of their foes.

[Hazuki]

"So you see a wrong and your first instinct is to kill to fix it?" Snips asks, as she skulks towards the front of the group with longspear in hand. "That's what Velriana's gotta be thinking, about the corpse-huggers and their stupid lottery. Barely any of us care about Nethys, or even the treasures here, so who cares if they take all the Nethys stuff? They can have my share for all I care."

[DaOldeWolf]

"I agree Zhanyae. These people really seem dangerous. I doubt they will not do the same upon seeing us anyway." Ron adds as he keeps walking forward carefully.

[Bale Fire]

Acknowledging Ron's support with a grateful nod, Zhanyae then gave 'Snips' a long hard glare. Her repeated use of the word "corpse-hugger" was becoming very irritating very quickly.

"If Velriana chooses to surrender, then I will certainly not harm her." The tengu replied. "But all of her actions so far speak of a woman who will do whatever it takes to get what she wants. I doubt she will submit until she has literally no other choice."

Choosing to power straight through the girl's remarks on the sense and purpose of the lottery, Zhanyae turned things back on 'Snips'. "I find it interesting that you continue to defend what Velriana has done here today. She ordered men to kill you. Does that not make you angry? Does that not make you hate her?"

[Hazuki]

"She didn't send thugs to kill me. She sent them to kill who was going to their temple." Snips corrects. "If she sent them to kill me, I'd be mad. But I'm not. It's bad that she did it, and she should not to do it again, but it wasn't personal." She taps her longspear against the ground in front of her. "Besides. Those ones we just handed in were holding the blades. But we still had to go out of our way to save them, and deliver them to the lazy guards."

[Miry]

Ron continu to advance, and stop at the archway.

The next chamber seem huge, bigger than the first. Space and elevation lend a sense of past grandeur and majesty to this large space. A large, star-shaped fountain with a circular pool in the center sits in the middle of the chamber. Two rows of columns support the ceiling overhead, which continues to rise to a domed ceiling in the northern portion of the chamber. North, on the other side of the fountain, stairs goes up a platform, but it's still too dark to see what is on top. East and west of the fountain, two sets of stone double doors exit the chamber.

Spoiler: Map

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Spoiler: If anyone inspect the fountain

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The fountain is still full with clean water. The bottom of the pool is decorated with a great mosaic eye made from tiny colored tiles, and hieroglyphs are carved into the paving stones ringing the fountain.

Spoiler: If anyone knowing Ancient Osiriani inspect the fountain

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The Ancient Osiriani hieroglyphs ringing the fountain identify it as the "Pool of Protection."

[DaOldeWolf]

Ron wonders why there could be a fountain in this part of the pyramid. Maybe it was some kind of artifact. Whatever the case, he decided to see if he could find anything.

Spoiler: OOC

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Casting detect magic on fountain.

[Bale Fire]

Zhanyae just shook her head. "Then I am afraid we will have to agree to disagree." She said in response to 'Snips' statement. "For I cannot stand by while the Scorched Hand endangers innocent lives and brings such violence into this holy place. If I must put an end to her myself, then I will not hesitate to do so." Shaking out her feathers, the tengu began to advance further into building. "Velriana might claim to be a follower of Nethys, but all I see is a long list of blasphemies committed against the great goddess Pharasma."

Walking past the fountain that the bard was so busy inspecting, Zhanyae carefully opened up the doors on the left, still holding her short sword.

Spoiler: OOC: Actions

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Zhanyae will advance forward into the room with the fountain, she will then open up the double door to the left, and see what she can see.

[Hazuki]

"It's a blasphemy to the stupid priests who set this up. This didn't become a temple of Pharasma just because your friends said so, and I don't think Pharasma," Snips manages to say the name without too much venom. "Was asked whether the lottery was a good idea. Just a bunch of people who wear clothes with her symbol on." Snips says, as she climbs over to the fountain and then stands herself up on its edge. "These hieroglyphs say Pool of Protection." She announces to the group.

[Miry]

With Zhanyae superior vision, the Tengu can see all the room while walking to the door.

North of the hall, the ceiling rises to a high dome 40 feet above the main floor, forming the primary cathedral. Three flights of short, steep steps climb up to a large platform elevated 5 feet above the floor. At the rear of this platform, a 15-foot-tall statue of Nethys, half white and half black, stands atop a raised octagonal dais. The statue is incredibly well sculpted, and unusual in that it appears to have been fabricated from two differently colored types of stone fused together with magic to create one solid statue.

Opening the door, a short hallway connects a shallow, empty pool to the west to two curtained cubicles to the east. A set of stone doors marked with hieroglyphs stands to the north.

Spoiler: Hieroglyphs on the door, in ancient Osiriani

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"High Priest Only-All Others Forbidden."

Spoiler: Detect Magic

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The pool has a faint aura of abjuration and transmutation.

Spoiler: Map

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[Hazuki]

Snips, seeing no alternative, takes a drink from the Pool of Protection.

[Miry]

Spoiler: Snips

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The water is cool and refreshing.

For 24 hour, you can cast one spell of the abjuration school at +1 caster level and with a +1 bonus to the saving throw DC. The effect lasts for 24 hours or until used.

[Hazuki]

Snips licks her lips as a red pattern briefly crosses over her eyes, and she slinks back to the group. "You should drink the water. I think it helps with magic." She says, then pauses to look over the door. "High Priest Only-All Others Forbidden."

[DaOldeWolf]

"I dont know. It really doesn't sound like we should be doing this especially if such a warning is to be considered." Ron debates about the situation. "Wouldn't that be disrespectful to the creators of such an object?"

[Bale Fire]

Ignoring her allies for the moment, Zhanyae carefully advanced down the hallway, ready to stop immediately if she detected any danger. She stops for a moment to look behind the curtains, and then moves up the empty pool and looks around for anything interesting.

[Hazuki]

"I'm going to see if anybody else passed through here." Snips announces, as she starts to cover the floor for tracks.

Spoiler: Survival

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Taking 10 for 20, to look for any tracks in the big ol' room.

[Rofltrollcopter]

Xerxes moves further into the room to cover his allies, but doesn't press on any further by himself.

[Miry]

Zhanyae open the northern curtain and reveal a sinister display. Two corpses on the ground, one is a pile of bare bones kicked unceremoniously out of the way, and the other is a rotting, but still intact, cadaver. An old, broken scimitar lies nearby.

The bathing pool is a simple tiled affair with a drain in the floor.

Spoiler: Snips

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You find no tracks in the main room, but notice that for an old temple inhabited for thousands of years, there is nearly no dust or sand on the ground.

If you check for tracks in the west room where Zhanyae is, you found mark of combat, and that the 2 corpse in the northern cubicle have been dragged there.

Spoiler: Map

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[Hazuki]

Snips looks up at Zhanyae as she finishes her investigation. "The bodies were dragged here, and there was fighting." She helpfully informs the tengu. Jakku glances around cautiously.

[DaOldeWolf]

"Should we keep moving forward?" Ron decides to ask wondering if the rest were ready to keep going deeper into this place.

[Bale Fire]

Offering a small prayer to the dead as she stepped back from the bodies, Zhanyae did not doubt that 'Snips' was correct. The bodies being hidden like this –with one of them still decomposing– raised many uncomfortable questions. Perhaps a guardian still dwelled within this temple?

Turning towards Ron and 'Snips', Zhanyae pointed in the direction of the remaining corridors to either side of the main hall. "I think we should do a quick sweep of these side rooms before we advance further." She said. Looking around cautiously, the tengu then lowered her voice. "I also think we should be careful about making too much noise from here onward. If the Scorched Hand are here, then we do not want to alert them to our presence."

Stopping for a moment to thank 'Snips' for her assistance, Zhanyae then knelt down in front of the bodies. She began to check them for any more items that might offer clues to their identity. She moved carefully, so as not to disturb the remains.

Spoiler: OOC: Actions

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Zhanyae will roll a Perception Check to see if there is anything noteworthy about the two bodies. She will also scan them with her Deathwatch Spell to make sure that these are actually corpses, and not some form of vile undead.

(1d20+6)[10]

[Miry]

Spoiler: Zhanyae

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The bones are scorched and still warm to the touch, and the corpse has suffered a number of recent injuries.

They are obviously undead, and recently destroyed. A skeleton and a zombie.

Nothing of interest on them.

[Hazuki]

Snips looks at the more heavily armored member of their group, then back at Zhanyae.