Bramble led the others through the narrow pipe. It was a tight squeeze but even Argent was able to make their way. The pipe ahead was sealed. Bramble pushed on it and the seal popped off. Within was another tomb. A sarcophagus adorned with carvings of frog-men known as grung sat atop a pedestal in the center of a large pentagram drawn with salt. Five waist-high pedestals, each topped with a magically burning candle flame. A pile of bones sat near one corner of the room. The pipe opened near the ceiling in the corner near the bones.
Bramble climbed out of the pipe head fist and fell to the floor. She rolled to the side to get out of the way and stood up. Zeynap tumbled out after her. Bramble pointed at the salt, "Don't touch that!"
"Got it," said the warlock.
The bones began to move and assembled themselves into an animated skeleton. A large bony growth shaped like a key protruded from the back of the skeleton's skull. The skeleton began shambling towards the sarcophagus. Its shuffling feet would soon violate the circle of salt!
CHAPTER 33
"THE SKELETON KEY"
"THE SKELETON KEY"
THE EXPEDITION
- Bramble Wolf - a theran barbarian wise-man (Wildhunt Shifter Druid) searching for the legendary origin of his tribe, recently transformed into a woman by a magic fountain.
- Apparently Jones - a blue-skinned demijin caravan guide and animal trainer (Air Genasi Ranger) from Akasa, the land of sky mountains. Having failed to find work in Port Nyanzaru as an animal handler, she has joined the expedition to the interior as a scout.
- Xoc-Wik - a b'alam warrior (Tabaxi Fighter) from the jungles of Bres, searching for those responsible for the destruction of his tribe.
- Zeynap Shiravadakar - a Eusebean smuggler (Human Warlock) bearing the spirit of a celestial unicorn.
- Argent Truth-Sayer - a golden azi knight errant of Bhamut (Dragonborn Paladin) in the service of Bhamut, sent on a holy mission to join the expedition to destroy the Soul Monger.
NPCs
- Orvex Ocrammas - translator and guide for hire; rescued from the Fane of the Night Serpent.
Stop the Skeleton
Zeynap rolled to the right. He came up and loosed an eldritch blast at the shambling skeleton.
There was a flash of light within the tunnel and Apparently was magically transposed with Xoc-Wik! The feline b'alam rolled out of the pipe and quickly stood up with arrow drawn, "What's happening? I have no idea where I am!"
"Shoot that thing!" shouted Zeynap.
Xoc-Wik loosed a magical arrow at the skeleton. It exploded, sending fragments of bone flying throughout the room. The key-shaped skull fell to the ground.
Zeynap picked up the skull to examine it while Argent pushed himself out of the pipe. The key was as large as a man's arm. It did not appear to fit anything in the room.
Bramble explored the perimeter of the room, running her hand along the wall and closely examining every detail. She found a section of wall on the far right that popped open revealing a hidden passage.
Bramble looked into the dark hallway. Bramble's bestial night vision saw a twenty-five foot long corridor. There was a niche carved into the left wall about halfway down the corridor. The passage was filled with draping cobwebs, indicating lack of use.
She turned to the others, "No one touch anything! Argent, come take a look a this!"
Zeynap rolled to the right. He came up and loosed an eldritch blast at the shambling skeleton.
There was a flash of light within the tunnel and Apparently was magically transposed with Xoc-Wik! The feline b'alam rolled out of the pipe and quickly stood up with arrow drawn, "What's happening? I have no idea where I am!"
"Shoot that thing!" shouted Zeynap.
Xoc-Wik loosed a magical arrow at the skeleton. It exploded, sending fragments of bone flying throughout the room. The key-shaped skull fell to the ground.
Zeynap picked up the skull to examine it while Argent pushed himself out of the pipe. The key was as large as a man's arm. It did not appear to fit anything in the room.
Bramble explored the perimeter of the room, running her hand along the wall and closely examining every detail. She found a section of wall on the far right that popped open revealing a hidden passage.
Bramble looked into the dark hallway. Bramble's bestial night vision saw a twenty-five foot long corridor. There was a niche carved into the left wall about halfway down the corridor. The passage was filled with draping cobwebs, indicating lack of use.
She turned to the others, "No one touch anything! Argent, come take a look a this!"
Argent carefully explored the dead-end hallway. When he reached the niche he saw a dusty glass bottle sitting atop a low table. He picked up the bottle and brushed away the dust. Inside he saw a tiny portly man wearing a white turban, loose silk pantaloons, and a short vest. He had dark black skin, pointed ears, and thick red lips. The little man was waving and gesticulating wildly.
Argent held up the bottle and said, "Hello?"
The little man replied in a language Argent did not understand. He appeared to be pleading. Argent shrugged, tied the bottle to his belt, and rejoined his companions.
"What is it?" asked Bramble.
"Nothing important." was his reply.
Argent held up the bottle and said, "Hello?"
The little man replied in a language Argent did not understand. He appeared to be pleading. Argent shrugged, tied the bottle to his belt, and rejoined his companions.
"What is it?" asked Bramble.
"Nothing important." was his reply.
Awakening
While Bramble, Argent, and Zeynap stood by the secret door Xoc-Wik, standing on the other side of the room, asked if he could open the sarcophagus. Bramble told him to go ahead.
Xoc-Wik carefully stepped over the outer perimeter of salt.
A large creature appeared out of nowhere. It was seven feet tall with a bloated batrachian body and long muscular limbs, each terminating in wickedly sharp talons. It had lumpy gray skin and small fish-like fins on its back and elbows.
The creature looked elated, its thick rubbery lips smiled revealing rows of sharp triangular teeth. Everyone in the room heard a voice in their heads as if broadcast telepathically.
DM Commentary- I don't know why, I just wanted to play the grey slaad as a self-aware wise-ass foul-mouthed trash-talking douche-bag. Be warned, the following section contains some pretty graphic profanity.
"Thank you I was so bored! You have no idea how long I've been sitting in there with nothing to do." The creature pointed at Xoc-Wik, "I'll be with you in just a second. You're very important to me so please hold on." It turned towards the others across the room and pointed, "Fireball on them!" The far corner of the room erupted in a fiery explosion. The creature turned back to the stunned Xoc-Wik and smiled, "Now, for you," It reached above its head, "I summon the great sword of FUCK YOU!" A red crystalline blade formed out of mid-air, he thrust it at Xoc-Wik and shouted, "Stab! Stab Bite!"
Xoc-Wik wailed in pain and retreated to the far side of the room. He quickly loosed an arrow at the monster. The arrow exploded into a thicket of thorny vines that quickly took root into the floor and ceiling.
Argent took a defensive position and said a prayer of blessing for Bramble and Zeynap. Bramble called upon the spirits of the forest to attack the griseous creature with no effect. Zeynap's eldritch blast found its target and its magnetic effect pushed the creature away, breaking the line of salt.
The grey monster roared in laughter, "Oh yeah! I'm out! Now I can leave this shit hole!" It pointed at Xoc-Wik and shouted, "But I'm not done with you, baby! I got a tattoo on my back that says SUCK MY DICK with an arrow that says SEE OTHER SIDE FOR MORE INFORMATION!"
Xoc-Wik carefully stepped over the outer perimeter of salt.
A large creature appeared out of nowhere. It was seven feet tall with a bloated batrachian body and long muscular limbs, each terminating in wickedly sharp talons. It had lumpy gray skin and small fish-like fins on its back and elbows.
The creature looked elated, its thick rubbery lips smiled revealing rows of sharp triangular teeth. Everyone in the room heard a voice in their heads as if broadcast telepathically.
DM Commentary- I don't know why, I just wanted to play the grey slaad as a self-aware wise-ass foul-mouthed trash-talking douche-bag. Be warned, the following section contains some pretty graphic profanity.
"Thank you I was so bored! You have no idea how long I've been sitting in there with nothing to do." The creature pointed at Xoc-Wik, "I'll be with you in just a second. You're very important to me so please hold on." It turned towards the others across the room and pointed, "Fireball on them!" The far corner of the room erupted in a fiery explosion. The creature turned back to the stunned Xoc-Wik and smiled, "Now, for you," It reached above its head, "I summon the great sword of FUCK YOU!" A red crystalline blade formed out of mid-air, he thrust it at Xoc-Wik and shouted, "Stab! Stab Bite!"
Xoc-Wik wailed in pain and retreated to the far side of the room. He quickly loosed an arrow at the monster. The arrow exploded into a thicket of thorny vines that quickly took root into the floor and ceiling.
Argent took a defensive position and said a prayer of blessing for Bramble and Zeynap. Bramble called upon the spirits of the forest to attack the griseous creature with no effect. Zeynap's eldritch blast found its target and its magnetic effect pushed the creature away, breaking the line of salt.
The grey monster roared in laughter, "Oh yeah! I'm out! Now I can leave this shit hole!" It pointed at Xoc-Wik and shouted, "But I'm not done with you, baby! I got a tattoo on my back that says SUCK MY DICK with an arrow that says SEE OTHER SIDE FOR MORE INFORMATION!"
Xoc-Wik winced.
The grey creature became invisible!
Bramble glowered at Zeynap. Zeynap sheepishly shrugged, "It tricked me!"
Bramble glowered at Zeynap. Zeynap sheepishly shrugged, "It tricked me!"
The party scanned the room but could locate no hint or clue to the monster's whereabouts.
The creature suddenly appeared next to Xoc-Wik and bellowed, "First I'm going to stab you, then stab you again, then wrap my mouth around your fat head because it looks SO MUCH like a BIG DICK! I might bite a little!"
Xoc-Wik whimpered a little as the large grey monstrosity continued its relentless attacks.
Bramble closed her eyes and called upon a nature spirit to illuminate the grey foe with glittery dust. The grey monster became illuminated with a sparkly aura.
Surrounded as it was by the shining aura, the creature realized that it was pointless to try to become invisible or create an illusion. So, frustrated, it began ripping apart the vines and thorns impeding its movement. Xoc-Wik loosed an explosive arrow into it and Zeynap injured it with an eldritch blast. It looked around, becoming increasingly desperate. This wasn't any fun anymore.
It held up its hands, "Okay! Okay! I know we got off on the wrong foot. There was a misunderstanding. A miscommunication, whatever, it was my fault! Let's just pause for a minute and talk about this."
The others hesitated.
"Look, I don't want to be here, right? I was imprisoned here by that ASSHOLE Acererak! He kidnapped me and forced me to be the guardian of some stupid frog god. Except I'm a Slaad! I am NOT a frog! We just LOOK like frogs! That right there is what you call racial profiling!"
They continued to hear his offer.
"So, here's what I propose. I don't want to be here. You look like YOU don't want to be here. I say we get the fuck out, right? I can open a dimensional gate and take us all to my home- Slaad-land. No, wait, listen! It'll work! You can't go like that, obviously. For this to work I'll first have to transform you into tiny Slaad young. You'll have to crawl in mouth. Don't worry! During the journey you might experience some mild mastication followed by some moderate swallowing. It's perfectly natural, all a part of the plan! Do we have a deal?"
Everyone looked at Bramble for guidance. Bramble shook her head, "No deal."
Xoc-Wik terminated the slaad with a magical arrow. It exploded into glittery motes, leaving no body.
DM Commentary - The players LOVED the foul-mouthed slaad! He was very fun to play and the players hope he'll be able to return. Slaad can regenerate, so you never know. Maybe he isn't really dead! By the way, in my head-canon, his name is Chaad. Chaad the Slaad.
NangNang
Once the grey slaad had been defeated, the party gathered around the sarcophagus. Argent removed the lid revealing an earthenware jar. He opened the jar and found ashes. Zeynap noticed Argent was tapping his foot. The tapping turned into head bobbing. The head bobbing turned into shoulder shrugging.
Zeynap asked, "Are you dancing?"
Argent stopped moving and clenched his fists, "No! Azi do not dance!"
Zeynap said, "Oh, I could have sworn-".
An ethereal green mist formed before Argent. The mist coalesced into the visage of an older humanoid frog. The grung smiled and did a little dance with its shoulders. Argent accepted the spirit into his body.
Argent now possessed the spirit of NangNang, the trickster god of the grung. He could hear loud boisterous music and felt a compulsion to dance. He also felt greedy and selfish. He looked into the jar and found a petrified egg slightly smaller than his fist. He put it in the pouch on his belt.
"What was that?" inquired Zeynap.
"Nothing. It's mine." replied Argent, uncharacteristically.
"What's that jar?" asked Bramble.
"Also nothing. Also mine." was his reply.
Zeynap distracted Argent while Bramble deftly and surreptitiously removed the jar from Argent's belt. She held it up and examined the little man within.
"I think he wants out," said the theran wise woman.
She uncorked the bottle and poured its contents onto the ground. Black sand poured out.
Black sand continued to pour - more sand than could possibly fit within the bottle. Bramble poured out a three-foot tall pile of black sand on to the ground.
The sand then began to swirl as if blown by a dust devil. It whirled and coalesced into a man-sized figure like the little one they saw in the bottle. The man had smooth glassy black skin like jet. Its clothing seemed to be made of colored glass but it moved as if alive.
The portly black man said, "Mekka-Lekka-Hi, Mekka-Hiney-Ho!" He then forced an exaggerated blink which made a cartoonish "Bloink!" noise.
"Can you understand me now?" he said. His voice was squeaky and friendly, like a charming uncle.
Bramble nodded.
"Ah, excellent! Thank you, good madam! Salaam to you! I am Mister Popo! I have been trapped within yonder bottle for who knows how long! In fact, do you know what year it is?"
Zeynap told Mister Popo the year by Eusebean reckoning. Argent corrected him and told him the year by Xanian reckoning. Bramble and Xoc-Wik, hailing from forest tribes, both shrugged.
Mister Popo looked momentarily confused, "No, no, that doesn't help at all. Oh well. If you don't mind, I will take my leave of this dreadful place and return to my home in the realm of Geos. As a reward, I will point out that there is another secret door at the end of that hall there. Now if you will excuse me."
Mister Popo raised his arms and a portal opened up above him. The portal was a black sphere that radiated a whirlwind of purple lightning. Mister Popo looked worried, "No! Wait! That's not right! That's not supposed to-" He was cut off as he was sucked, spinning, into the dark sphere and disappeared. The sphere of dark energy vanished.
Bramble shrugged, "Well, okay then. I am tired! Who else is tired? Anyone else up for some rest? This place seems perfect."
The party decided to rest for several hours to regain their strength and vitality.
Zeynap asked, "Are you dancing?"
Argent stopped moving and clenched his fists, "No! Azi do not dance!"
Zeynap said, "Oh, I could have sworn-".
An ethereal green mist formed before Argent. The mist coalesced into the visage of an older humanoid frog. The grung smiled and did a little dance with its shoulders. Argent accepted the spirit into his body.
Argent now possessed the spirit of NangNang, the trickster god of the grung. He could hear loud boisterous music and felt a compulsion to dance. He also felt greedy and selfish. He looked into the jar and found a petrified egg slightly smaller than his fist. He put it in the pouch on his belt.
"What was that?" inquired Zeynap.
"Nothing. It's mine." replied Argent, uncharacteristically.
"What's that jar?" asked Bramble.
"Also nothing. Also mine." was his reply.
Zeynap distracted Argent while Bramble deftly and surreptitiously removed the jar from Argent's belt. She held it up and examined the little man within.
"I think he wants out," said the theran wise woman.
She uncorked the bottle and poured its contents onto the ground. Black sand poured out.
Black sand continued to pour - more sand than could possibly fit within the bottle. Bramble poured out a three-foot tall pile of black sand on to the ground.
The sand then began to swirl as if blown by a dust devil. It whirled and coalesced into a man-sized figure like the little one they saw in the bottle. The man had smooth glassy black skin like jet. Its clothing seemed to be made of colored glass but it moved as if alive.
The portly black man said, "Mekka-Lekka-Hi, Mekka-Hiney-Ho!" He then forced an exaggerated blink which made a cartoonish "Bloink!" noise.
"Can you understand me now?" he said. His voice was squeaky and friendly, like a charming uncle.
Bramble nodded.
"Ah, excellent! Thank you, good madam! Salaam to you! I am Mister Popo! I have been trapped within yonder bottle for who knows how long! In fact, do you know what year it is?"
Zeynap told Mister Popo the year by Eusebean reckoning. Argent corrected him and told him the year by Xanian reckoning. Bramble and Xoc-Wik, hailing from forest tribes, both shrugged.
Mister Popo looked momentarily confused, "No, no, that doesn't help at all. Oh well. If you don't mind, I will take my leave of this dreadful place and return to my home in the realm of Geos. As a reward, I will point out that there is another secret door at the end of that hall there. Now if you will excuse me."
Mister Popo raised his arms and a portal opened up above him. The portal was a black sphere that radiated a whirlwind of purple lightning. Mister Popo looked worried, "No! Wait! That's not right! That's not supposed to-" He was cut off as he was sucked, spinning, into the dark sphere and disappeared. The sphere of dark energy vanished.
Bramble shrugged, "Well, okay then. I am tired! Who else is tired? Anyone else up for some rest? This place seems perfect."
The party decided to rest for several hours to regain their strength and vitality.
Argent's Nightmare
Argent closed his eyes to get some rest. He was soon dreaming of standing on a dark lake of still water. He could see his arms and body illuminated as if by moonlight but no source of light could be seen. The gentle ripples in the water below reflected indistinct light. Ahead of him he saw a young human girl with long stringy wet black hair. She wore a wet night shift and water dripped from her pale skin. She held a red ball.
She spoke with a disturbing voice that echoed through Argent's mind, "You do not belong here. You will fail in your mission. You are doomed to die like the others."
"Who are you?" inquired Argent, cautiously.
"I am what lurks beneath. I will devour you, eventually. You will become - part of me."
"Are you the soul-monger?" He asked.
"No, though as I am tasked to defend it we shall come into conflict. So that I know what it is that I shall destroy, tell me your name."
"Argent" said the paladin.
The girl smiled, "Excellent."
Argent woke from his nightmare, his heart racing. He was drenched.
After their rest, Argent would tell the other members of the party of his dream. Zeynap recounted a similar dream he had experienced the last time he slept. However, unlike Zeynap's restless experience, Argent was able to slumber after his nightmare.
Papozotl's Tomb
She spoke with a disturbing voice that echoed through Argent's mind, "You do not belong here. You will fail in your mission. You are doomed to die like the others."
"Who are you?" inquired Argent, cautiously.
"I am what lurks beneath. I will devour you, eventually. You will become - part of me."
"Are you the soul-monger?" He asked.
"No, though as I am tasked to defend it we shall come into conflict. So that I know what it is that I shall destroy, tell me your name."
"Argent" said the paladin.
The girl smiled, "Excellent."
Argent woke from his nightmare, his heart racing. He was drenched.
After their rest, Argent would tell the other members of the party of his dream. Zeynap recounted a similar dream he had experienced the last time he slept. However, unlike Zeynap's restless experience, Argent was able to slumber after his nightmare.
Papozotl's Tomb
There was no sense of day or night in the small room, so when the party felt sufficiently rested they prepared themselves for the next chamber.
They opened the secret door at the end of the short corridor and entered into a large dark room. At the center of the room was a tall platform atop which was a gilt chariot piled with gold and treasures. Atop the chariot was a medium sized sarcophagus decorated with images of long-legged birds known as iblises. The platform was surrounded by four pillars supporting bronze statues of warriors, each carrying different weapons. The face of one of the statues was featureless.
Along the perimeter of the room were six large cylinders made of thick glass. Each of the cylinders was filled with bones and weapons.
Zeynap replied, "Bow as the dead god intoned. We should bow to the statue with no face."
Bramble looked incredulously at Zeynap, "Duh!"
Argent said, "I should go collect that gold."
Zeynap and Bramble both shot back, "No!"
Argent regained his normally stoic composure and sheepishly looked away.
Zeynap entered the room and climbed onto the dais before the shield. He solemnly bowed to the statue with no face. He then climbed the platform and onto the chariot and carefully opened the sarcophagus.
Strange shadows played against the walls, forming the silhouette of a long-legged bird with a long sharp beak. The silhouette spread its wings and collapsed back into Zeynap. Zeynap didn't get a choice as the iblis-god Papozotl took control.
Papozotl was a strident warrior. He demanded obedience and discipline. He encouraged Zeynap to take more command of the party and took umbrage at the "insubordination" of his "underlings". Still, he saw potential and pledged to mold Zeynap into a proper commander and tactician.
Xoc-Wik, seeing the effect Papozotl had on Zeynap, wailed, "I don't know that I want a spirit!"
Further examination of the room revealed three animated zombies chained to a system of pullies at the door. There were holes in the door that allowed the zombies to see what was on the other side. If the zombies saw someone outside the door, their movement towards their victim would keep the door closed. The zombies were currently straining against their chains in an attempt to move towards their victims inside the room. This action caused the doors to swing open, revealing a passage to the atrium beyond.
The party quickly dispatched the zombies without incident and returned to the atrium.
Wanderings
Sunlight filtered down through the vine-choked ceiling into the atrium.
The party discussed their next step. Proceed to the next level? Try again to open the sarcophagus of I'Jin?
They decided on I'Jin so they returned to the room with the green face on the floor. The sarcophagus was still there.
Orvex and Apparently sat there. Orvex looked bored. He looked up and saw the return of the party and he leaped up to greet them. He told them that Apparently magically switched places with Xoc-Wik over a day ago. She had brain fever and wasn't much of a conversationalist. He had to survive off her rations and he could only hope they survived. He was very happy to see them alive and well.
"Any luck with the sarcophagus?" asked Bramble.
"None," replied Orvex.
After some additional examination and experimentation and analysis of the clues, they once again abandoned the sarcophagus.
They decided to explore the ring-shaped corridor. They turned left at the four-way intersection and continued to the next four-way intersection. They returned to the atrium. Moonlight was now filtering through the ceiling.
They went into the room with the devil face on the floor. The mouth was once again cloaked by darkness. They could not see into the tomb below. The sarcophagus was gone.
"What? How?" stammered Bramble.
"Let's explore!" said Argent.
"No," replied Bramble worriedly, "We should go back."
They retraced their steps and returned to an atrium dappled in sunlight. The sarcophagus was where they left it.
The party decided to progress down to the next mezzanine. As when they descended from the first level to the second, the mezzanine magically grew darker as they descended - as if entering a different world. Instead of the smell of rot and decay of the second level, now the air was permeated by ozone. Weird purple moss grew on the walls. Dozens of small eyes popped open within the moss and followed their movements.
They passed near a wide corridor to the left. A few feet in two bronze statues stood along the wall facing each other. A heavy chain draped between them as to say this section was currently closed.
The Death of the Yellow Derro
The party discussed their next step. Proceed to the next level? Try again to open the sarcophagus of I'Jin?
They decided on I'Jin so they returned to the room with the green face on the floor. The sarcophagus was still there.
Orvex and Apparently sat there. Orvex looked bored. He looked up and saw the return of the party and he leaped up to greet them. He told them that Apparently magically switched places with Xoc-Wik over a day ago. She had brain fever and wasn't much of a conversationalist. He had to survive off her rations and he could only hope they survived. He was very happy to see them alive and well.
"Any luck with the sarcophagus?" asked Bramble.
"None," replied Orvex.
After some additional examination and experimentation and analysis of the clues, they once again abandoned the sarcophagus.
They decided to explore the ring-shaped corridor. They turned left at the four-way intersection and continued to the next four-way intersection. They returned to the atrium. Moonlight was now filtering through the ceiling.
They went into the room with the devil face on the floor. The mouth was once again cloaked by darkness. They could not see into the tomb below. The sarcophagus was gone.
"What? How?" stammered Bramble.
"Let's explore!" said Argent.
"No," replied Bramble worriedly, "We should go back."
They retraced their steps and returned to an atrium dappled in sunlight. The sarcophagus was where they left it.
The party decided to progress down to the next mezzanine. As when they descended from the first level to the second, the mezzanine magically grew darker as they descended - as if entering a different world. Instead of the smell of rot and decay of the second level, now the air was permeated by ozone. Weird purple moss grew on the walls. Dozens of small eyes popped open within the moss and followed their movements.
They passed near a wide corridor to the left. A few feet in two bronze statues stood along the wall facing each other. A heavy chain draped between them as to say this section was currently closed.
The Death of the Yellow Derro
Their objective was the tomb of I'Jin so they passed that corridor and continued to a smaller corridor beneath the one that led to the room with the devil-face in the floor.
Seeing no other way in, they decided that the third corridor on the far side of the atrium must lead to the entrance to the tomb. They continued around.
The thirty-foot corridor ended with the statue of a man with a jackal's head facing the entrance. The jackal's mouth was open and light could be seen from the room beyond.
Argent cautiously approached the statue. He looked into the mouth of the jackal and saw I'Jin's burial chamber. The sarcophagus once more sat atop the funeral barge!
Before he could say anything he noticed that a section of wall to the right lowered. A squat derro with a yellow turban entered. He stepped onto the hieroglyph tile floor of the room. Before he could take a second step, swarms of locusts emerged from the mouths of the four sphinxes in each corner. The cloud locusts enveloped the derro, devouring him, leaving nothing but a pile of bones and clothing and a bronze shield - the same pile they saw when they first entered the tomb from above.
Argent realized he was observing an image from the past. He told the others what he saw. Bramble took Argent's place at the jackal's mouth and watched the scene replay.
Seeing no other way in, they decided that the third corridor on the far side of the atrium must lead to the entrance to the tomb. They continued around.
Reflected Hall
The party explored the passage on the far wall. The passage split left and right. The right passage ended after only fifteen feet though some kind of small ventilation duct was visible. They opted for the left.
The left passage opened at the end of a long hall. The hall was bisected by a shimmering magical curtain of water. Four pairs of statues flanked the hall along the wall, each pair of statues staring across the hall towards its counterpart. Each statue had the body of a human but each pair bore the head of some animal. Each pair bore a different type of weapons. The weapons appeared to be removable.
The stork-headed males carried handaxes. The lizard-headed females bore maces. The panther-headed males brandished blowguns. The hawk-headed females were unarmed. The goat-headed males carried sickles. The frog-headed females bore tridents.
Argent grabbed a mace from the lizard-headed statues and tried to cross through the curtain of water. The water was released in a massive torrent that slammed Argent and the others into the rear wall. The water quickly drained through gaps and cracks in the floor.
Argent held up his hand to silence the others before they could talk, "Wait, I have an idea." He took the the trident from the frog-headed statues.
"Why the trident?" asked Bramble.
"It's used in fishing and is associated with water." replied the dragonic azi.
Bramble found that he couldn't argue with that logic.
Argent walked through the re-formed curtain of water with ease. He turned and shrugged.
The hall on the other side of the curtain of water was the mirror image of the previous side. Argent grabbed two tridents from the frog-headed statues on the far side and returned through the curtain of water, again with no ill effect.
Bearing tridents, Argent, Zeynap, and Bramble effortlessly crossed through the curtain of water. They turned around and handed the tridents to Orvex, Xoc-Wik, and Apparently who followed behind.
The left passage opened at the end of a long hall. The hall was bisected by a shimmering magical curtain of water. Four pairs of statues flanked the hall along the wall, each pair of statues staring across the hall towards its counterpart. Each statue had the body of a human but each pair bore the head of some animal. Each pair bore a different type of weapons. The weapons appeared to be removable.
The stork-headed males carried handaxes. The lizard-headed females bore maces. The panther-headed males brandished blowguns. The hawk-headed females were unarmed. The goat-headed males carried sickles. The frog-headed females bore tridents.
Argent grabbed a mace from the lizard-headed statues and tried to cross through the curtain of water. The water was released in a massive torrent that slammed Argent and the others into the rear wall. The water quickly drained through gaps and cracks in the floor.
Argent held up his hand to silence the others before they could talk, "Wait, I have an idea." He took the the trident from the frog-headed statues.
"Why the trident?" asked Bramble.
"It's used in fishing and is associated with water." replied the dragonic azi.
Bramble found that he couldn't argue with that logic.
Argent walked through the re-formed curtain of water with ease. He turned and shrugged.
The hall on the other side of the curtain of water was the mirror image of the previous side. Argent grabbed two tridents from the frog-headed statues on the far side and returned through the curtain of water, again with no ill effect.
Bearing tridents, Argent, Zeynap, and Bramble effortlessly crossed through the curtain of water. They turned around and handed the tridents to Orvex, Xoc-Wik, and Apparently who followed behind.
Chamber of Opposition
The party continued down a side corridor at the end of the hall of reflection. The passage turned right. There was an alcove ahead in the middle of the corridor on the right. Argent stepped into and found a door which he opened.
Within he found a large stone cauldron filled with what appeared to be piping hot soup. The iridescent light cast by Zeynap's magic revealed a dark figure standing opposite the font. It was the silhouette of Argent, black as shadow but with form. It presented its back to the party, as if it it were a dark duplicate of Argent facing away towards the far wall.
Within he found a large stone cauldron filled with what appeared to be piping hot soup. The iridescent light cast by Zeynap's magic revealed a dark figure standing opposite the font. It was the silhouette of Argent, black as shadow but with form. It presented its back to the party, as if it it were a dark duplicate of Argent facing away towards the far wall.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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