The Eye of Anubis: Book Ten

Rock of the Fraternity · Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:01 pm

"Suit yourselves," Lia replies acidly. With a contemptuous gesture, she sets the box down on the table, and walks to the back of the group. "After you berated me about thinking I know everything to expect, it is refreshing to see you two already know everything that can possibly go wrong."

Nathan of the FoS · Post by **Nathan of the FoS** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:11 pm

"Well. Places, everyone. Before we listen to this little message, let's group the bodies together so as to be surrounding them, rather than the reverse? The message may also be that we are about to be attacked by a mad Akiri mob who believes us to be temple defilers and necromancers, so perhaps a review of any method of entrance they may have is in order. And then...let the music play? Are we agreeable?"

yalenusveler · Post by **yalenusveler** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:11 pm

Andre just rolled his eyes, and sighed. Ordinarily, this wouldn't accomplish much but showing disapproval, but in this case, it caused the music box key to begin to turn as the lid opened.

OOC:having my unseen servant trigger the thing

Kaitou Kage · Post by **Kaitou Kage** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:15 pm

Kuzan very pointedly ignored Lia and walked over to Charles. He put a hand on the man's shoulder and intoned a prayer. No lights surrounded them, no sounds echoed through the chamber. It seemed like nothing happened.

"If the corpses do stand up sometime, we'll be hidden," Kuzan informed Charles, "As long as you don't attack or touch the undead, the spell should hold."

Hide from undead on myself and Chaz. Save DC 17 for intelligent undead. Unintelligent undead get no save.

lostboy · Post by **lostboy** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:11 pm

Sascha winces as the wound opens on the boy, he hadnt meant to prod that hard, but then what exactly did you expect to happen? Always acting before thinking, and where did that get you? a voice of conscience in his mind chastises the knight.

Sascha blinks, ignoring the arguement from the outer room, somehting touched him about the corpse, its age perhaps, the manner of its death, it all seemed horribly familiar, and well his conscionse had a point afterall .

"Dammit" he mutters and dropping to one knee closes his eyes and intones a brief prayer of forgiveness over the body.

NeoTiamat · Post by **NeoTiamat** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:16 pm

Beneath the Temple of Osiris, Muhar, Har'Akir
August 27th, 761, 1:04 PM; Day 163 of the Menetnashte Expedition
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

YalenusVeler wrote:Andre just rolled his eyes, and sighed. Ordinarily, this wouldn't accomplish much but showing disapproval, but in this case, it caused the music box key to begin to turn as the lid opened.

It took a few turns of the key before the old gears began to work. Cylinders inside the lime-green music box began to rotate, and a magnificent sound began to emerge from the box. A band that no box could possibly produce, a kind of march that filled the room with paradoxically cheery notes. Then as the prepared spell began to truly enter into gear, a familiar voice began to sing.

A deep, mellow voice, a distinctive one that you had heard time, and time, and time again. In Barovia, and in Phiraz, and in the Jackal's Ruse, a good singing voice, were it not also used for periodic murder, mayhem, and necromancy. Cavendish could've had a place in the Dementlieuse Opera House, given the right temperament. As it was...

- - Goodbye so soon
    And isn't this a crime?
    We know by now that time knows how to fly
    So here's goodbye so soon
    You'll find your separate way
    With time so short I'll say so long
    And go
    So soon
    Goodbye

As you listened to the music, a deep and abiding chill nestled in your hearts, despair in its bleakest, most real form. You had fought Cavendish before, and you had lost, or barely broken even. In Ravnika, he had nearly destroyed a village. In Phiraz, he had corrupted a government. In the Ruse, he had learned to unleash a demon. Every time you had fought Cavendish, you came off the worse. And really, what more could be expected? You were weak, you were divided, you couldn't even agree on what to do about a box. What were such squabbling children as yourselves doing fighting a monster such as Cavendish?

Aura of Despair: DC 24 Will Save, or else a -4 Morale Penalty to Attack Rolls, Skill Checks, Ability Checks, and Saves

"Intruder..." The grave-chilled voice hissed in your ears, a voice that was beyond language, that you just understood. "Vile... Desecrator..."

From the chasm before the platform, from somewhere in the murkey, dark depths of that pit, a spectral form rose. Her body had a ghostly radiance, a kind of queer, hard light that filled the underground chamber. She was beautiful, distinguished, clad in the robes of office, the holy amulet on her chest crafted of exquisite silver. She floated up from the abyss like a queen, surveying the chamber that once was hers. It was only on close inspection that one could realize that the holy symbol was not of a living Osiris, but of the god dismembered, with bloody-handed Set standing over his body.

"Come... taunt me... again...?" Snefru said coldly, her beautiful, alien features faintly transparents. Then the ghost's eyes focused, unnatural eyes like twin voids of darkness. The wraith smiled. "The traitor-king is not here... but he has brought guests..."

Suddenly, the spectre's features melted away, the ethereally beautiful face turning into a picture of horror, a charred, decayed, hideous visage. It was unholy, unwholesome, something so absolutely macabre that your gorge rose in your throat to witness it.

[Horrific Appearance: Fort DC 24, or 3 Strength damage, 6 Dexterity damage, and 3 Constitution damage. This is resolved after the Aura of Despair]

"Rise... and sate... your hatred..." The former priestess commanded. Then she laughed, a bone-chilling sound of its own. Snefru turned to the columns holding up the Temple of Osiris and held up a single decayed, charred hand. She spoke a word.

The columns melted, the stone flowing like it was so much wet clay. The roof of the chamber began to sag visibly, and bits of dirt and rock start to fall to the floor.

In response to the ghost's commands, the dead began to rise. Not all of them, certainly, but about every third corpse. The got up as if from a sleep, blinking drowsily in their new awakening. Their wounds vanished, and for all the world, they looked like normal men and women, no different from any as would be found walking the streets of Muhar. Still sleepy, the undead reached into little alcoves in their chambers and drew weapons, swords, axes, maces, all the hideous implements of the warrior's trade.

All the while, Cavendish's voice continued to serenade you, even as the dead rose and the Temple slowly collapsed.

- - You followed me, I followed you
    We were like each other's shadows for a while
    Now as you see, this game is through
    So although it hurts, I'll try to smile
    As I say

We are now on Combat Footing. Snefru uses her actions to bring down the Temple supports, and unleashes her Aura of Despair and Horrific Appearance on you. The zombies stand up and get their weapons as their actions.

PC's move now.

Objective: Survive Snefru, the zombie minions, and the collapsing Temple of Osiris

[Few notes: First, the entire area is under a Forbiddance Spell (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/forbiddance.htm), with all that entails.

Secondly, the black platform is about waist-heigh, and you can jump off the edge with a DC 10 Jump check. Failure means you take 1d6 points of damage. You can jump on it with a DC 10 Jump check and 10 extra feet of movement. Failure means you don't jump on and waste the 10 feet of movement.

Lastly, the pit is about 15 feet deep, and requires a DC 15 Climb check to get out of if you happen to fall in.

Rock of the Fraternity · Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:06 pm

Lia's body quakes and quivers under the twin assault coming from the horrific specter of undeath before her. Her will rallies itself easily enough to shake off the first assault, but her body quails under the second one. She can feel the strength running out of her form ... and at the same time, it feels as if her blood has caught fire.

"No!" she shrieks, incensed. "No! I am not going to be Cavendish's blood offering to whatever beings he has managed to annoy again! You fools! Jackals! Why do you never listen to me? Why am I the only one who tries to stay out of the obvious traps?"

The mage sweeps her arms out, then folds them in, encompassing herself in a complicated-looking gesture while she chants words of arcane power - "E visu abscindo" - and then she's just gone from sight.

(OOC: Will save: 26. Fortitude save: 17. Greater Invisibility is up. Moving to O16 on a wide swerve; standing still after going invisible seems stupid.)

Nathan of the FoS · Post by **Nathan of the FoS** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:29 pm

Why do we always do this? Charles wonders as Andre ignores his good advice and just cranks the thing.

Given that he is not in a very positive frame of mind, perhaps it is not too surprising that Snefru's appearance catches Charles at a low ebb in morale. Or that he should subsequently be in no frame of mind to throw off the horror of Snefru's ghastly appearance.

"No," he mutters, rising from his knees (when had he fallen?). "Rally and cut them down. Velocitas!"

Failing both saves, rolls are 12 and 18. Casting haste and getting...let's see...Kuzan, Charles, Tomas, Sascha, Sarari, and Andre. And Lia, cuz she's now in O16.

DocBeard · Post by **DocBeard** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:32 pm

Drawing his sword, Tomas scowls at the spirit of the one time leader of this place. On one hand, kind of a bitch. On the other hand, murdered to make things a little more convenient for Falkovnian goosesteppers. No, Tomas can't bring himself to enjoy this. Drawing his sword, the Lamordian runs forward, kicking off of the platform and struggling mid-air for a few seconds...

...before landing in the ground with a crunch! Dust is kicked up all around Eisenwald, even as he turns on the woman. "We don't mean you any harm, lady." Tomas calls out, sending a feinting strike at Snefru's side. "Well, okay, I mean you a little harm, but that's for dropping a building on me. But we don't work for that guy! He sent us an ominous message in a music box celebrating our deaths, I thought that'd make it a little obvious, ja?"

(OOC: Tomas makes his jump check and makes his way to I17. I hit but then I miss whee.)

lostboy · Post by **lostboy** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:22 pm

Sascha eyes fly open at the sounds form the larger room, surely no-one was stupid enough to open it..? Unfortunatley the reality of a host of less than departed dead returning to life blows that thought right out of his head.

The knight leaps to his feet as the columns crack, just in time to be hit by the tide of despair and horror rolling around the room. ",ashen, konservieren mich!" he whispers as he watches the horror unfold, it laps at the corners of his mind but melts before his resolve.

[OOC: will Save: 33 using true believer , Fort Save: 24 *does a jig*]

With that moment past, the dead rising and the walls falling, there is only one action uppermost in Sascha's mind. Raising his sword in a salute he unelashes a bloodcurdling cry and plunges forward at the spectral shape pushing his way past Andre as he does.

[OOC: Rage on, moving to K17 and attacking ??? if I hit (pm on its way to you NT)]

yalenusveler · Post by **yalenusveler** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:36 pm

Andre tried to convince himself that the thudding in his chest wasn't something leading up to a massive coronary. He was far too young for something so undignified. Or dying due to malevolent set worshiping priestess' restless shades. So with that, he extended a hand and called out "Clamo", a lance of sound flying from his outstretched hand and impacting the shade, managing somehow to hit the proper frequency to resonate in the material and ethereal sides of reality.

He then made a decently hurried retreat away from the angry ghost, as was only proper.

OOC:Sound lance on Miss H'ar Akir 761 for 27, DC 19 fort for half, made the incorporeal miss chance, then moving to L9 on a scenic route. Moofed both "Ghosts are spooooky!" saves

The Whistler · Post by **The Whistler** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 11:56 am

Otto dropped to one knee at Snefru's appearance, clutching his head--

--No--

Buck up, kid. Let me help you.

--the Falkovnian--

Will be more pissed at everyone dying than at you going predator. Desperate times, buddy.

--Ah--all--r--

The gunsmith sprinted across the edge of the pit, screeching to a halt next to Lia--and bearing more of a resemblance to the wizardess' jackal-masked self than was usual.

Get your gun.

OOC: Flubbing both saves, then casting "Bite of the Werewolf" to recoup some of the ability damage: I'm now at -1 to Strength, -2 to Dex, +1 to Con, and +4 to AC. Booking it to O15 shortly thereafter.

Kaitou Kage · Post by **Kaitou Kage** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:37 pm

Kuzan reflexively steeled mind, body, and soul against the ghost's presence. He gritted his teeth and hardened his gaze as the undead fear washed over him like a wave. The priest came out of it no worse for wear and shook his head to shrug off the lingering terror. One major advantage of being a holy man, beyond all the prayers and spells, was that your spirit more readily handled the horrific when it appeared.

"Luther!" Kuzan shouted, "Fall back! Guard the spellcasters from the zombies!"

After the Falkovnian moved into position, Kuzan raised his hands in supplication to the gods of life. Healing energy flowed outward from the priest, rebuilding their fortitude and strengthening their resolve.

Holding action until after Luther moves. The call is to have him move toward Andre and protect him from zombies or whatever since our other squishy is invisible.

Moving to L15 and casting mass cure light wounds. I believe I can get everyone post-move except Lia because she's invisible. Spell does 1d8+12+10. 15 points of that will be dedicated to healing Con at a rate of 1 Con per 5 hp of healing. The rest pretty much comes out in the wash since nobody's taken hp damage yet.

As a reminder, Charles and I are under hide from undead. This means undead must make a save or cannot detect us by any means, including scent, hearing, and extraordinary or supernatural senses like blindsense. Unintelligent undead do not get a save against this effect. Intelligent undead must make a single Will save (DC 17) to be able to detect either of us.

NeoTiamat · Post by **NeoTiamat** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:56 pm

Beneath the Temple of Osiris, Muhar, Har'Akir
August 27th, 761, 1:04 PM; Day 163 of the Menetnashte Expedition
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PC Actions
Lia casts Greater Invis and scoots.
Charles casts Haste
Tomas attacks Snefru and misses.
Sascha attacks Snefru and misses.
Andre casts Sound Lance at Snefru for 27 damage, she fails her save.
Otto casts Bite of the Werewolf and scoots.
Kuzan heals everyone's Con damage (but Lia's)

"Please..." Luther whispered, even as the grave-chill assailed his soul. The Falkovnian veteran quailed, a thousand memories of old campaigns surfacing. Legions of the dead, of generals who drained the blood of their troops, of such horrors as the civilized folk of Dementlieu could never believe.

"No..." He shook his head, drawing his bastard-sword even as he hears Kuzan's words, running towards the others, to provide defenses. "If Azalin did not best me, you miserable sacks of flesh won't!"

Sarari, on the other hand, did not break down. In Kamarn-Quse she had been broken and reforged, and the elf was not about to let any ghost stand in her way. She took a step closer to Charles, exchanging a single, swift glance, golden eyes locking with blue.

Then with a business-like nod, the elf-maid began to fire her arrows. The air filled with the sharp sounds of her bow, even as despair and debilitation weakened her fingers. But she hit, the arrows hitting two of the zombies, and a third scratching the ghost.

Luther double-moves towards Andre.

Sarari uses Arrow Storm, though she's got an outrageous penalty to attacks just now. She hits Minion 4, 5, and Snefru for 4, 6, and 2 HP respectively (bad time to be a Ranger without a Favored Enemy: Undead).

The zombies did not move like zombies. They moved like people. They were fast and quick, rushing in to stab and slash with their weapons like a pack of trained guerilla fighters. They ducked and wove, and they used good strategy, trying to get into and amongst the enemy.

One of them rushed forward, slashing at Andre with a huge, double-handed sword, a blow that nearly eviscerated the archivist in one fell swoop. Nearby, Luther roared, but barely did he get a chance to help as two more of the zombies fell upon them, one of them stabbing a long knife in under the armor, the other landing a crushing blow with an axe.

These things... fought like people. But not entirely. For their faces were calm as they went about their butchery, merely placid, impassive expressions.

DocBeard wrote:"We don't mean you any harm, lady." Tomas calls out, sending a feinting strike at Snefru's side. "Well, okay, I mean you a little harm, but that's for dropping a building on me. But we don't work for that guy! He sent us an ominous message in a music box celebrating our deaths, I thought that'd make it a little obvious, ja?"

Snefru laughed, a bone-chilling sound, and made a twitching gesture with her decayed, burned hands. From up above, a piece of the ceiling tore itself from the collapsing roof and threw itself at Sascha, clattering off his armor in a spray of rubble. The unwholesome spectre did not appear to be amenable to sweet reason.

Minion 1: Moves to and attacks Tomas, hits, deals 16 damage.
Minion 2: Moves to and attacks Andre, gets a critical, deals 43 damage.
Minion 3: Moves to and attacks Sascha, hits, deals 13 damage
Minion 4: Moves to and Flanks Luther, hits, deals 32 damage.
Minion 5: Moves to and attacks Sarari, misses.
Minion 6: Moves to and attacks Tomas, misses.
Minion 7: Moves to and attacks Luther, hits, deals 13 damage

Snefru: Uses Telekinesis to throw a rock at Sascha, rolls a 3 and misses. Takes a five-foot step back.

And in the background, all the while, the cheery little music box kept up it's demented song. Cavendish, at the least, sounded like he was enjoying himself:

- - - Goodbye so soon
      And isn't this a crime?
      We know by now that time knows how to fly
      So here's goodbye so soon
      You'll find your separate way
      With time so short I'll say so long
      And go
      So soon
      Goodbye
      
      You followed me, I followed you
      We were like each other's shadows for a while
      Now as you see, this game is through
      So although it hurts, I'll try to smile
      As I say

PCs:
Kuzan: 89/89 HP, Darkvision, Longstrider, Greater Resistance, Haste, Hide from Undead (DC 17)
Lia: 23/23(45) HP, Horrified (-3 Str, -6 Dex, -3 Con), False Life (+21 Temp HP), Superior Resistance, Greater Invisibility, Greater Mage Armor
Tomas: 91/107 HP, Undead Bane, Haste
Charles: 63/63 HP, Despairing (-4 AB, Skills, Saves), Horrified (-3 Str, -6 Dex), Haste, Hide from Undead (DC 17)
Otto: 62/62 HP, Despairing (-4 AB, Skills, Saves), Horrified (-3 Str, -6 Dex), Bite of the Werewolf
Andre: -8/35 HP, Despairing (-4 AB, Skills, Saves), Horrified (-3 Str, -6 Dex), Haste
Sascha: 101/101 HP, Haste, Rage (+9 Temp HP)

Luther: 35/80 HP, Despairing (-4 AB, Skills, Saves), Horrified (-3 Str, -6 Dex)
Sarari: 70/70 HP, Despairing (-4 AB, Skills, Saves), Horrified (-3 Str, -6 Dex), Haste

Enemy: Snefru's Dread Presence (All Minions gain +4 Turn Resist, +2 AB, +2 Saves)

Snefru: -29 HP

Minion 1: Affected by Hide Undead
Minion 2
Minion 3
Minion 4: -4 HP, Affected by Hide Undead
Minion 5: -6 HP, Affected by Hide Undead
Minion 6: Affected by Hide Undead
Minion 7

Objective: Survive Snefru, the zombie minions, and the collapsing Temple of Osiris

[Few notes: First, the entire area is under a Forbiddance Spell (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/forbiddance.htm), with all that entails.

Secondly, the black platform is about waist-heigh, and you can jump off the edge with a DC 10 Jump check. Failure means you take 1d6 points of damage. You can jump on it with a DC 10 Jump check and 10 extra feet of movement. Failure means you don't jump on and waste the 10 feet of movement.

Lastly, the pit is about 15 feet deep, and requires a DC 15 Climb check to get out of if you happen to fall in.

Rock of the Fraternity · Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:13 pm

Otto may hear a familiar voice speak right by his side, although he can not actually see anyone there: "Sagittae magicae, omne errore vacuae, e manu meu volete." The words are cold, tightly controlled, but there are hints of deep anger seething beneath that control ...

Five tiny darts of blue light appear in empty air, then fly away towards Snefru, howling and shrieking like fireworks. Like miniature birds of prey, they dart around obstacles to impact with their intended target, and strike the incorporeal horror without fail.

Otto may hear quiet footsteps passing by him, may even feel the hem of black robes brush him, but of the spellcaster nothing is to be seen ... but there is something to be heard, as unseen fingers briefly pluck at his collar, and a voice whispers something to his wolflike ears.

(OOC: Casting the ever-trusty Magic Missile for 16 damage, then moving to O10. It's a small room, I can keep sniping Snefru while keeping on the move, so she can't repay the compliment - provided all goes well. Once Snef is done, or if something really unfortunate happens to the rest of the team, I can lend a hand in dealing with the guerrilla corpses.)

Café de Nuit

Welcome, friends, to our establishment.

The Eye of Anubis: Book Ten

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Re: The Eye of Anubis: Book Ten