NT's Mummy's Mask: The Half Dead City

[Kagari1605]

Ilepy studies the mirror from across the room. As she studies she grunts before screaming slightly as the feeling of a searing pain in the middle of her forehead, almost as if someone was cutting into her forehead. She turns to Anai before asking What just happened to my forehead? It feels like something cut into it

[MesiDoomstalker]

After examining the mirror for a second, she cut the spell as the strange tingling of foreign magic tickled the back of her brain. Illepy are you ok? Are you- Anai's eyes bulge as she holds back a snicker. Oh. OH! Uh... Illepy. You've... you've got a little thing. On your forehead. She breaks down, laughing uncontrollably. Well. Pharasma and Anubis don't take kindly to thieves. It inscribed the Ancinet Osirian hieroglyph for 'thief' on your forehead.

[SwordChucks]

Amused, but trying to act professional Vic says "Let me see if I can help you Illepysis." She touches Illepy gently near the mark and chants for a moment.

Spoiler

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Using a standard action to Invigorate, granting 1 temp HP for 1 hour.

"I have a blanket we could put over the mirror for now so the rest of us don't get marked."

[NikolaTesla]

The incantation causes the bleeding to stop, though a scab in the shape of the hieroglyph remains.

As soon as you enter the room, you notice something additionally odd about the mirror. Your reflection is there yes, but it's not exactly 'mirroring you'. Instead, each of your reflections has it's arms folded and is glaring at you. In addition, a muscular and well bronzed Osirian man holding that scarab shield glares at you from the mirror, though there is no such man to reflect.

[digiman619]

Boru glares back at his own reflection. He then turns to Anai."I get the feeling Ahkentepi is less than thrilled to have guests. Let's give the man some privacy". He then gestures back the way they came suggesting they head the other direction.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Anai furrowed her brow at Boru. Well of course he didn't want people invading his tomb! I don't want to invade his tomb. But someone was going to, so we're here to make sure his burial sight is treated with proper respect. She took a deep breath, taking a strong dislike to the stale subterranean air, trying to calm herself. Lets move onwards. Either this will lead to his primary burial chamber or its a dead end to fool thieves. Either way, we'll explore it in its entirety. No point in back tracking only to come back once again. Anai moves into the room, heading to the right (west) for the door there.

[NikolaTesla]

Anai walks over to the slightly ajar stone door, the reflections glaring at her the whole way over. The door opens easily, and her torchlight illuminates a 30ft x 10ft staircase gradually descending to the west. Halfway down the stairs, small holes and burrowed tunnels riddle what remains of the passage's southern wall. Earth and sand have spilled over the collapsed masonry, covering the stairs with dirt and rubble. Stone doors engraved with a golden scarab, its wings open beneath a golden sun, stand at either end of the stairs.

Terrain note: The middle 10ft of the stairs and the is considered difficult terrain because of the sand and rubble.

Spoiler: GM Stuffs.

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(1d20+7)[14]

[MesiDoomstalker]

Watch your step. Looks like we found how the vermin got in. Anai pulled out a piece of chalk, marking the entrance of this staircase as well as the one they just entered from, ensuring they knew which way led back to the entrance.

Spoiler: More traps?

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(1d20+6)[24]

[Kagari1605]

Ilepy looked around the passage and room, taking note of the sand on the stairs as it seemed somewhat out of place. She was then reminded of a creature she has dealt with in the past, but just couldn't remember the name of it. Hey, be careful of the stairs. I just remembered that there are sometimes creatures that look like piles of sand. And they absolutely hate water. But for the life of me right now I can't remember their name

[SwordChucks]

"Sand that hates water? Well I've got a canteen here if someone wants to check. If it runs out I guess I'll have to drink my wine instead." Vic says with feigned disappointment.

[MesiDoomstalker]

No need. Anai had already uncorked her canteen, dumping its contents onto the pile of sand. Just a bit of magic and the thing will be full again. No worries.

[digiman619]

Bour looked at his teammates. "As interesting as this is, we should press on." He then head onward.

[NikolaTesla]

Bour looked at his teammates. "As interesting as this is, we should press on." He then head onward.

Spoiler: Reflex Save

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(1d20+2)[6]

See Next Post.

[NikolaTesla]

As Anai begins pouring out her canteen, the mound of sand instantaneously forms into coils. It might not have been obvious what they were, except splashing through the water comes the head of snake made of sand, large fangs protruding from it's gaping maw!

Bite: (1d20+5)[21]
Damage: (1d8+4)[7]

The snake smashes it's fangs right into Anai's midriff, it's upper fangs penetrating deep into her armor.

Initiative:

Anai
Boru
Ilepsy
Victoria
Snake

See Discord for combat map.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Anai half screamed, half yelped as the thing lunged for her, its 'fangs' sinking into her soft flesh. The pain was excruciating. She knew there would be dangers but she thought it be old construction or decayed traps. Not... this. With effort, she pulled out the long curved blade she preferred to practice with it. This thing was dangerous and she wasn't going to let it kill her or her friends. Or the foreigner. Not that she'd let her know that. She swung with all her might, putting her everything into the single attack. If it didn't fall quickly, it was likely her last.

Spoiler

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Move Action, draw Falchion
Standard Action, Attack with Power Attack
(1d20+3)[18]
(2d4+9)[13]

[SwordChucks]

(Assuming there's still room when Vic's turn comes around) Victoria hustles over to Anai and begins a louder version of the chant she said when she touched Illepy. She gently touches Anai and commands her wounds to seal.

Spoiler: combat

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Move action: move adjacent to Anai, keeping her between Vic and the snake if possible.
Standard action: Spend an SP and heal Anai.

Cure: (3d8+1)[11]

[digiman619]

Boru had been turning to leave when Anai emptied her canteen onto the snake, so he was out of position to respond to its first attack. He rushed into position and began his defensive stance.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move action to get behind Anai
Standard to Set up Patrol. This will give everyone +1 AC and I can switch places with them and take the hit if they would be struck. On the off chance it does something that triggers an AoO, I will roll my attack here.
(1d20+5)[13] (1d10+1)[6]

[NikolaTesla]

The snakes fang's break off as Anai jerks away and slices through the snake's body lengthwise, sending sand spraying everywhere! It rears and and shrieks, its voice the sound of a harsh desert wind echoing through the staircase. It plunges into the ground, its sandy scales effortlessly passing into the stone. As Victoria touches Anai there's a puff of sand as the broken fangs are expelled from the puncture wounds, but there's no time to catch her breath as the snake's head busts out from the stone to her right, a fresh pair of fangs in it's mouth!

Bite vs Anai: (1d20+4)[10]
Damage:(1d8+4)[12]

[MesiDoomstalker]

Anai dances around the snake-sand-thing, keeping her stance guarded. She raises her falchion for another full-force strike.

Spoiler

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(1d20+3)[11]
(2d4+9)[16]

[SwordChucks]

Vic drops her quarterstaff and picks up the torch. She enunciates an arcane phrase and throws a ball of kinetic force at the snake-thing.

Spoiler: combat

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Free action: drop the quarterstaff
Move action: pick up the torch
Standard action: cast a destructive blast at the snake (ranged touch attack, bludgeoning damage).

Blast: (1d20-2)[17] vs touch AC, firing into melee penalty included.
Damage: (1d6+1)[7]

[digiman619]

Boru knocked the snakes attack aside, deciding to focus on offense for the moment, slashing it across the face.

Spoiler: Attack

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(1d20+5)[11]
(1d10+1)[3]

[Kagari1605]

Ilepy rushes forward drawing her khopesh. As she got in front of Anai, she swung her weapon as fast as possible, not wanting to see her friend get hurt any further.

Spoiler

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Move action: Move in front of Anai and draw weapon
Standard Action: Attack with Khopsesh
(1d20+3)[8]
[roll]1d8+3

[Kagari1605]

Ilepy missing the snake with her first attack, rotates it in her hand so that the blade changes directions and swings again at it

Spoiler: Combat

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(1d20+3)[7]
(1d8+3)[10]

[NikolaTesla]

Anai catches the snake's mouth on her sword, deflecting it aside as she steps a little down the stair case. Meanwhile, Victoria swings at the still exposed back half of the snake, but it simply melds into the floor and her Khopesh harmlessly bounces off the floor. Just as the snake is rearing for another strike, it's head is blown apart by Victoria's spell. The begins reforming into a new head, but it's structure and tone is poor, like a young child's sculpture. It backs back into the wall, a forked sandy tongue the last thing to disappear. There's a rustling in the walls, then the floor, and then silence.

Combat over, each of you gains 150 XP. The door at the bottom of the rubble covered stairs stands ajar...

[digiman619]

"Is anyone hurt?" Boru said, talking a quick glance to his compatriots. Once he gives them a once-over, he turns to Anai. "Next time, wait until I'm in position before you kick the hive. I might not be in position to help you." Having vented, he then turned to the open door. "Now follow me. Hopefully we can avoid such complications."

[SwordChucks]

Victoria takes a deep breath. "This is what I signed up for. Sand snakes, traps, and the ancient dead. I must be going crazy."

She picks up her quarterstaff and smiles as she takes her place at the back of the line. "After you."

[NikolaTesla]

A tapestry hangs from a frame against the south wall o f this large chamber; it depicts an otherworldly vista where the souls of the dead, shepherded by strange beings, enter an ethereal river ambling through space toward a landscape dominated by an impossibly tall spire. Columns sculpted in the shape of Osirian warriors wielding khopeshes stand in all four corners of the room. The floor is tiled in a white spiral pattern on a black background, and this spiral pattern is repeated on the stone double doors to the north, east, and west.

The room is 20ft by 30ft with double doors to the north and west.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Before fully entering the next chamber, Anai stopped. She looked sheepishly at Boru. Your right. I was being careless. Though, thinking of it, we should probably make sure to map this place. We could easily get lost with all these branching pathways.

[digiman619]

Boru sighed, his spear at his side. "Listen, I shouldn't have snapped at you. I know that this is something you've wanted to do for a long time and it's exciting, but you've gotta stop rushing in like that. I don't want to seem dismissive, but I can't protect you if you go running ahead; my whole fighting style is about keeping the people behind me safe and I can't do that from the back lines." He signed again, getting his spear back into position "So which door do we choose? I'm thinking that one". he said, pointing at the northern door, "but you're the archeologist. Which way do you think we should go?"

[MesiDoomstalker]

Anai put the finishing touches on the map and then began rifling through her pack. She looked up at Boru, a wry smile on her face. I do appreciate you looking out for me. But I can't do anything from the backlines either. You've got that spear, I've got a blade. One of us can poke over the others shoulder and its not me. We can fight side by side ya'know? As she spoke, she retrieves a series of small, segmented rods and began screwing them together to form a lengthy pole. Anyways, before we even think about doors, lets me try something. Carefully, she began systematically tapping flagstones inside the room apply pressure to see if any depress. I don't see anything that looks like a trap, but I have a gut feeling if there is one and I'm not seeing it, the pillars will be the source. So watch them.