Looking about, the group is undecided as to whether to take advantage of the shadow's absence and enter the tomb, or head for the hills.
Ullar, Rhune, and Tag's curiosity, however, win the day over Asif, Forte, and Dakath's caution. Hoping the shadows do not return quickly, the group progresses between the no-longer-glowing pillars around the entrance. It is a decent sized tunnel for once, and the weakened warriors lead the way, hoisting their greatswords, though knowing that they both could not wield them at once.
Following Tag's advice, the group brings forth whatever torches they have and hold them aloft. Augustus has three, which are given out to the first rank of warriors (probably Forte, Ullar, and Asif). Forte has a couple of candles, which probably won't be terribly effective, but might be better than nothing, and Taglio has three more. He hands them out to the rest while holding his lantern. Thus well-lit (or as well as can be under the situation), the group slowly progresses into the tunnel.
After securing their horses as best they can, Forte gratefully accepts the torch from Augustus. Holding the lit torch in his left hand, and sword in his right, Forte heads down the corridor, in front with Ullar and Asif.
"I've got two torches," says Ullar when the light is being discussed. He hands them over to anyone who wants one.
Rhune follows closely behind Asif, her bow over her shoulder, holding the candle in one hand and her long sword in the other. She looks around alert to anything odd as they walk.
Dakath positions himself at the rear of the group and ensures that he has a torch, as he moves through the tomb he checks the walls for secret passages.
Quiet for once in the uneasy silence, Rhune seems intent on being alert to subtle hints of danger, as she looks around.
Inside the portal, a tunnel slopes downwards into darkness. On either side, frescoes of ancient priests in jackal-headed masks stare out from the walls. Although the passage is icy cold, it is not this which chills you to the marrow, but the feeling of impending doom which hangs in the air.
"I really don't like this," Xania murmurs, shivering.
Shivering at the feeling the frescoes cause, Rhune whispers, "I have never seen priests with such...no wait didn't the man at the meeting were such a headdress?" she asks suddenly remembering that she has seen something similar.
As Asif travels down the corridor he makes some effort to study the pictures upon the walls of the tomb.
"Forte this pictures are most strange, they remind me much of the pictures in our temples and tombs, but the style is much different. These Jackal headed priests, here and here (Asif points to two figures on the left) bear close resemblance if not in style but symbolically to the dark god of our pantheon, Set the Jackal Lord. I never seen any mention of my people's gods in this land of the merchant. But this does intrigue me much".
Dakath stops at the frescoes and gives them an especially detailed inspection. Once done he hurriedly catches up with the rest of the group.
As he does so, he notices that there is something odd about them. Tapping the first one he comes to, he realizes that there is a hollow space behind it. Checking another, he comes to the same conclusion. It appears that the frescoes have been painted on some type of plaster thinly walled over openings.
"Hmmm," he muses to himself "What have we here?" Dakath moves back to the first fresco he discovered and taps the wall again. He tries to determine if he could crack the plaster so he could see what was behind it. He makes a small hole in the first thinly walled plaster and tries to determine what is beyond. "Hmmm," he says again to himself before catching up with the group.
Shaking off the feeling of doom, the group boldly marches on, cautious as ever. The tunnel is fairly long, going deep into the hill, and then ends in a round chamber. In the center of the chamber, enshrouded by the gloom and coated by the dust of ages is a crystal coffin on a black stone plinth. Inside the coffin, a recumbent figure in blue robes clutches a jewel-encrusted mace to it's breast.
Peeking around Asif's shoulder, "Such a beautiful coffin. Before we go inside we should check for traps. Dakath, my abilities with traps are not all that good. But perhaps together we could find out and perhaps disarm them," Rhune whispers seeming uneasy in speaking any louder.
Ullar gazes at the figure in blue robes, the mace making quite some impression on the warrior. Even the eerie feelings this place brings to him, he can hardly control his urge to take the jewel-encrusted mace.
"I...eh...I think it would not be wise of me to take that mace, would it?" he says.
Dakath looks at Ullar and grins, "You're correct, I don't think it would be wise to touch the coffin never mind taking the mace."
Ullar returns the grin. "Well..." he says ,"...let's figure out some way to get the mace, and the robe, for that matter. Cause we're already grave-digging here," he adds, somewhat sarcastic.
"Ullar is right..." Augustus interjects. "This is desecration in the most direct sense of the word."
"Believe me I've no qualms about Grave Robbing, after all," Forte indicates the figure in the coffin, "I don't think he needs the mace or the robes."
"Nope...I don't think so either," says Ullar, while glancing over at Rhune and Asif.
Asif listens to these words with with obvious shock written all over his face. In a terse tone he speaks:
"Give thanks Dakath that you live not in Egypt. The penalty for those who steal from tombs of the Pharaohs is death. No trial, no discussion, your head struck from your shoulders by the soldiers of the Vizier in charge of guarding the tombs and other holy sites."
"The question is: whose grave are we digging?" Xania remarks.
Dakath grins, "Well that depends on who runs the slowest, surely?"
"It is said that when running from something that is chasing you, one only needs to outrun one person...unfortunately, I think that person is me," Augustus says.
Xania pats Augustus on the cheek. "I think you're safe. I couldn't outrun a one-legged kobold right now."
"Well, at least I'll make a pretty corpse. You can have the gem, assuming you haven't taken it from me already," Xania laughs.
"Thanks, everyone here will bear witness to that comment. Whether we hoist this mace or not I've had a good day, You've given me your magical dagger and promised me your gem," he grins. "Is there anything else you'd be offering me today?"
"Ah, but you only get that if I die. And, since death is rather final, I won't be needing it then," Xania sighs, "And I'm too tired to offer you anything else."
"An attractive corpse you'd make but I think you wear that living quality well, gives your skin a kinda healthy glow, it'd be a shame for you to lose it," Dakath rejoinders.
"If I do," Xania is suddenly serious, "would you burn my corpse? I don't want to think of it coming back as something...nasty."
Dakath frowns, "Whatever you wish, but as you said before I have your magic dagger, so it's not going to happen."
Xania shakes her head. "You never know what is going to happen, Dakath. That's part of the fun of life."
Dakath looks at her and indicates the tomb. "If that's the case, are you willing to go get that mace? Because if we stay here much longer those shadows will be back trapping us inside, as I said before if the worst comes to the worst, I'm gonna snatch it and run." He grins, "Life would be dull without any fun."
"Sure, what the hell," Xania replies. "Do you want me to touch the casket?" Her eyes gleam wickedly.
To make sure that he is no longer drawn towards the mace, Ullar starts examining the walls and the ceiling above the coffin.
As Dakath moves into the chamber, he begins to circles the chamber looking for more secret passages. Once done he begins checking the floor for irregularities before moving closer to the plinth, without touching it he checks for gaps between the plinth and the floor indicating a hidden alcove or something. At this point he stands up and peers into the coffin at the recumbent figure trying to glean more information about it (male or female?) careful not to touch the plinth or the coffin.
Asif looks upon the coffin with great suspicion.
"I like not this place. The living should never walk where the dead do. He who invades the tombs of the dead is prone to suffer the curse of Anubis. I pray that we do not suffer that fate."
Forte sneezes, bothered by the dust the group has disturbed while violating the tomb. He manages to hold his torch over his head while he does so, to prevent extinguishing its comforting light.
Rhune is unable to detect any traps, nor is Dakath, on or around the door, near the coffin or it's plinth, or anywhere else in the room. It is impossible to tell whether the corpse was male or female, or even human, as it has a mask over it's head and has apparently been here for a very long time, hundreds of years. It is decayed, though not as much as the dust around it would indicate. Some sort of mummification process has kept it fairly well intact.
Tag adds his eyes and ears to the detection of hidden and secret things in the chamber and around the casket. He also has no luck in detecting any such things.
"Do you know what order this priest in the coffin was from Brother Augustus? It may not be wise to disturb such an eminent figure. Perhaps he is only sleeping, Si?"
Augustus looks up from his examination of the frescoes, "I am not certain, but I have a strong feeling that this person's god is not Jebohah."
"Dakath, no matter how good that mace looks to you, I would seriously recommend not robbing this corpse," Xania says.
Dakath smiles "Perhaps you'd change your mind if you knew how much it would probably fetch if sold? Let's just say we could all retire for a while.
"Why not?" asks Forte. "He won't be using that stuff anymore. Is it - uh, was it - somebody important?"
Xania laughs, "Nope, wrong reason. I was thinking more that it looked a bit dangerous. And I really don't want to run into any more of the wandering unliving types."
Dakath lying on the floor from inspecting the plinth turns to her, "While I'm sorely tempted by that mace I tend to find that an unguarded tomb with no traps and a unmolested coffin, immediately sends alarm bells off in my head."
Xania bites her lip in a conscious effort to suppress a rejoinder.
He checks the coffin and tries to determine what it is made out of and how it opens (again without touching it), he also tries to determine just how much a mace of that kind of value would fetch.
The mace is very old and very beautiful, with some type of runic inscriptions on it. It looks to be worth around six hundred gold pieces. The coffin is standard make except for the lid, which is some sort of crystalline glass. It looks rather heavy, but would easily break.
He begins to rub his chin thoughtfully trying to figure a way to relive the figure of it's burdensome bauble
Xania wishes her strength had returned. She has a strong urge to smack Dakath, for some odd reason.
As she and Dakath find no traps, Rhune joins him in looking for secret doors or anything else. Exhausting all possibilities Rhune finds herself once again next to Dakath looking at the coffin, "It is indeed a beautiful weapon and the robes are just as beautiful," she says in a low voice.
"And how much might that mask be worth?" Forte asks Dakath. "Or maybe it's just some cheap burial cloth?" he adds, turning to Augustus.
"Ah that jeweled mace would be the pride of any bishop, would it not. I think we should see what is in the other tombs though! What we search for is not here, Si. No Stephan, no other villagers or clues!" Tag responds.
"If we're going to take anything, I'd like us to take this mask with us as well. I just have a weak spot for things like those. We fought with masks in the Arena and this is a pretty mask I think..." says Ullar, shortly remembering the old times.
Xania stifles a chuckle as she listens to Ullar liking the mask 'because it is pretty'.
"They favor pretty things in the arena, Ullar?" she asks innocently.
Ullar, certainly uncertain if he likes a discussion about pretty things in the Arena closes one eye and looks at Xania, pondering how to respond. He finally comes up with something, 'really' spontaneous:
"Ehm...well...the audience liked pretty things I guess."
Once his examination has finished Dakath moves to a wall close to the exit and sits down resting against the cool stone. "Hmmmm, how fast can everyone run?" he says grinning he gets up and moves back through the corridor they originally came through checking for traps, spending an especially long time at the frescoes.
"Not very fast right now," Xania says, raising one eyebrow. "Could you give me a torch and a head start?"
Dakath turns to her, "I'm sorry I was just thinking out aloud. It would fetch a good price though."
Augustus, who has been very quiet since the encounter with the shadow-things, says, "Would our lives be a high enough price, Dakath?"
Rhune smiles at Dakath, "Not to worry I was thinking the same thing. Though it might be magical and therefore useful to a party member instead of selling it."
"I'm not sure 'thinking' is the right term at all," grins Xania. "But you're right, if we can figure out how to get it without killing us all, then let's do it. Or, at least, without killing me," she winks at Dakath.
As he and Rhune stand facing the tomb he looks down at her and grins, "You know we're probably going to regret this?"
"Yes, we probably are. But then there are many things I regret. We'll just add this one the list," she says with a smile.
"I never regret anything, so long as I'm still alive at the end of it," Dakath says to her.
"And if you're dead," Xania says cheerfully, "you don't really have to regret anything either."
"Precisely," he adds equally cheerfully.
Ullar turns around, looking at Dakath with his mouth open, a surprised look on his face. He is about to comment, but then starts to smile some more, looking again at the precious mace.
"As fast as I need to," Rhune replies. "Though I might need a head start," she says with a grin, her eyes sparkling.
All the while Dakath is silently working out how long it would take him to sprint from the chamber through the corridor and out onto his horse.
Assuming the coffin could be opened quickly, Dakath estimates he could make the dash within perhaps twenty to thirty seconds. He finds that there are ten frescoes, each with the same hollow sound within them.
"Grab the mace and I'll grab the robes. We can sort things out later when we get out of here," Rhune replies to Dakath.
Dakath merely nods his consent.
"Grab the robes?" Ullar ponders "And how exactly are you planning on doing that? Lift the man up, undress him and run? I think you'll need a lot of assistance there Rhune...a lot.."
Blushing, "Yes I guess I will need assistance at that. Perhaps the death mask then. Unless nothing happens and then we can take our time and get the robes as well," Rhune replies having totally misunderstood that the robes are full and not just a cloak.
"Or are you very experienced at undressing people?" Xania asks curiously. "Either way, don't tear them. I have a feeling that it would lessen their value," she grins at the elf.
Blushing even more at Xania's quip, "No. I guess we will just have to wait to see if anything happens before I attempt to take the robes," Rhune replies studiously not looking at Xania.
"That's it? Grab the sh*t and run?" Forte asks incredulously. But then, after a brief pause, he says, "Well, o.k., but let's get Xania and everyone else outside the door before you start grabbing stuff. Runners - on your mark!" Forte whispers loudly with a grin, not wanting to speak too loudly in the tomb. He gestures toward the door, expecting Asif, Xania, Rhees, Tag, Augustus, and Ullar to prepare for a rapid flight back up the tunnel. Forte keeps his sword drawn and his torch ready, holding the flickering torch high to provide light for Rhune and Dakath's plundering.
Xania turns to Dakath and Rhune, "You weren't serious were you?"
"Rhune, I know you have your preferred way of finding traps, but maybe we can wait until you try to find them in a less violent way this time?"
Dakath smiles "Do you have a better idea on how to remove the items from the tomb? It's not the most flamboyant or cunning plan but it'll get the job done."
"I thought you said you wanted to check the place out first?" Xania looks confused. "I just feel we should check out all the possible hazards before the main one that will kill us all," she smirks slightly.
Blushing, at the words, "I can try to make it less violent this time, certainly," Rhune replies remembering what happened the last time.
Xania grins, then notices Dakath eyeing the frescoes intently. "Dakath, find something?" she asks.
Dakath nods "I noticed something strange back in the tunnel, I suggest we discover what the purpose of the frescos are before we plunder this coffin," he leans down to her "They're hollow. Call me cynical but I'd suspect that it's some kind of trap."