Raiders of the Lost Tomb Part 4
<OOC> Telamon says, "BTW, you have had time to lick your wounds and replenish spells, if needed." GAME: Irshya refreshes spells. <OOC> Irshya says, "Don't mind if I do!" <OOC> Slixvah says, "oh, okay!" GAME: Aimarra refreshes spells. <OOC> Slixvah kept their spells slots spent from last time <OOC> Irshya had also. GAME: Fidget refreshes spells. GAME: Slixvah refreshes spells.
Tomb of the Gray King, Veyshan
With the outer guardians vanquished, soon the entry hall is swarmed by sages and archaeologists. A few bemoan the destruction of the cephalophore, but the majority are happy to point out said construct was not going to let the expedition into the tomb just because someone asked nicely and offered a cup of coffee.
With the workers taking rubbings, making sketches, and generally being underfoot, it's clear the next stage of the tomb awaits. The two priests of Vardama have invoked the Harpist's guidance and wisdom, before carefully undoing the seal on the inner doors of the entry hall. With great reverence, they lift the seal away from the handles -- an elaborately designed scarab made of gold with shimmering ruby eyes, its legs wrapped around the door handles. "It shall be used to seal Ahlatos's new resting place," they assure you.
Once Aimarra has seen to her own bruises as best she might, and has had something of a rest, she surveys the work of the thundering, scholarly horde dispassionately, saying nothing until the Vardamen lift the seal away from the doors. "Glad we didn't have to try to get through that," she observes.
Irshya spent some time checking to make sure everyone is in good shape, tending to wounds if people allow. She also offers to mend Aelwyn's glaive, eyeing the chips and crack with worry. "I can make it like new."
She eyes the work on the scarab dubiously. "I have grave reservations about this, still.", she says quietly to the others. "Whatever magic is has, the value of the materials alone that went into it's construction are vast. It doesn't sit right with me."
The Goblin grins at Aimarra, "I agree, the guardians we more than enough of a fight. Who knows what magics that thing would unleash if someone were to mess with it. Hopefully the priests are well versed in what they are doing."
Slixvah rolls her shoulders, rejoining the group after a very long nap. A shrug is offered to the scholars and their annoyances, as well as several 'you shoulda been there' and 'ok, you do it next time then'.
She shoves a tiny sleeping bird into her robes, watching the minor ceremony with interest. "Biiiig same," she murmurs to Aimarra. "Tha' last bit was enough. Hopefully thi' place is jus' cobwebs!" Slix holds up crossed fingers.
When one of the archeologists complains about them destroying one of the guardians, Fidget helpfully offers, "I can try to put it back together, and then leave you alone in the room with it for 5 minutes to see if you still want it fixed. No?" Fidget says the whole thing with her most innocent happy-to-help smile, "Guess it'll have to stay broke for now then."
As an aside, she adds, "Didn't try the coffee idea though. Probably wouldn't work, but some people reeaaally like coffee."
She's eager to see what deathtraps await them in the next room, so she's drawn back as soon as the scarab is removed, "It's never just cobwebs, Slixvah. There's always giant spiders hiding among them."
Carver actually had time to have coffee, and as pointed out, does not have to share it. She sips from the now lukewarm mug as she observes the busy scholars with the bored affectation of someone who is far more educated on the historical values of these sights. It comes with a great deal of "mhmms," or the classic "Ah, yes, indubitably."
Oh and one last,
"Holy shit look't the girth of that scarab, probably worth more than all our lives together, innit?"
Despite his injuries, Aelwyn entertained elation for a moment as the team started to arrive - and then slowly turned sour as they were more interested in chiding them for their efforts. "Tch," Is all he suffices to say to them. "Attempt not to enjoy the death too much."
Having wrapped bandages around himself and his fists, he pauses when Irshya nears. "This one would be in debt, Sharkie," He replies as he offers his inert glaive to her. "And most likely will have to work it soon." A flash of his teeth.
The smarter explorers chivvy away (and in one case, dope-slap) their less-wise brethren, leaving the party alone for now. One of the foremen approaches instead, carrying a bit of bone from the destroyed golems. "Makes sense," he remarks. "Ahlatos wouldn't have stood for undead in his tomb. Bone golems were probably pushing their luck as is."
The man inclines his head towards the inner doors. "When you're ready, you should push on. We'll be here for a bit, taking notes. Once you've cleared each chamber, the priests will make sure there's no lingering surprises."
Aimarra snorts her amusement at the Radan cleric, a smile bursting through the brownness of her face as she grins. "I daresay Ahlatos had grave reservations as well, or we wouldn't be here." She gets to her feet with a groan, and stretches luxuriantly, nearly clotheslining a nearby scholar who, in taking rubbings of a particular line, is not watching where he is going. "Ai. Careful." Her sleeve pulls up to show the wrappings around her left arm, and she quickly pulls it down and checks belt, bow, and pack to ensure that all is where it should be. "I s'pose I'm ready to continue."
GAME: Fidget casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 7 DC: 17
The Goblin takes the glaive in hand, bringing it up close to her face as she inspects the damage more closely. "You might consider a blunt weapon as backup when facing creatures made from marble and other hard materials, Aelwyn.", she says quietly, chuckling. "And don't worry about that, there's plenty of work in your future."
At the mention of cobwebs, and giant spiders, Irshya frowns. "Full of good news, aren't you, Fidget?" Her smile returns, complete with missing tooth, and she nods to Aimarra. "Ahaah, indeed. He had grave reservations about his grave reservations." The pool-shark cackles then.
"Whatever is ahead, let's hope for the best and prepare for the worst." The Goblin follows Aimarra's example and checks to make sure her belongings are still with her. "Last chance to own up to any aches, pains and profuse bleeding before we get a move on." With a few gestures, and a quick prayer, Aelwyn's glaive is repaired, and offers back to the Sith handle-first. "Good work on that glove-carrying guardian, by the by, Aelwyn."
Carver's arm suddenly drops around Aimarra's shoulder, and her big gap-toothed grin is leveraged in greeting. "Great job gettin' whalloped by the way, real brave-like. Me, nah, no-no-no way am I e'er gettin' that close with somethin' that nasty. You? Jus' made different, I guess. Holdin' the line like a proper soldier."
Slix can't help but snort at Irshya before shaking her head. "Yeah, be worth tons mo' than us," she hums, flicking a wand from her robes. An energy crackles about her. "Mmmm. Yuh," she murmurs to the foreman. "Pushin' it fo' sho'."
Another spells is about to be put about, fingers half drawn in motion before she pauses. Stares at Aimarra, then cackles quietly as she finishes the magics. "Sorr' Vardama," she murmurs. Green magics suffice her.
"Aelwyn did a bang up job fo' sho'." She preens now. "All ready!"
GAME: Slixvah used a Wand of Mage Armor. GAME: Slixvah casts False Life. Caster Level: 9 DC: 17 GAME: Slixvah rolls 1d10+witch: (7)+9: 16
"Yeah, might as well go explore some more, find the spiders, burn the spiders. Hopefully whatever's next isn't quite so magic resistant." She also quickly renews her magical defenses, and slips another bullet into the dragonspitter. "Shame this thing takes so long to reload, and isn't nearly as fun as a fireball." she muses as she re-hides the bullets and powder bottle among her frills. To Irshya, she points out, "I do have a stiff neck because I fell asleep in the shop and spent the night napping on a breastplate. Can you fix that?"
<OOC> Slixvah says, "buh, I also re-up the hex ward, forgot to do that" <OOC> Slixvah says, "on carver" <OOC> Telamon noddles.
Aelwyn clicks his tongue, "Not unless Sharkie insists on wrapping a hammer upon this one's glaive." The ruddy and bandaged sith-makar rumbles, accepting his glaive with a bow of his head. He runs his finger nearly carelessly across its sharp edge. "Like new." He flashes his teeth.
"Naturally," The Dragoon stretches to his feet, arms going above his head. "This one is being paid good coin to be the one who bangs." He flicks his tongue at Irshya and Slixvah at the compliments; tail flicking behind him. "This one is ready."
The doors creak open, the dust of millennia spilling down on the floor. A few of the braver archaeologists creep up to look over the party's shoulders, but make no attempt to advance in behind them -- except one who puts an everburning lantern down near the opened doors, helping illuminate the passage beyond.
And what a passage it is! It slopes downward slightly, both walls elaborately engraved and painted, the pigments only slightly faded by time. The art depicting a man's life -- presumably Ahlatos's -- his birth, childhood, devotion to the Harpist, then his ascension to the throne. The features depicted in the images are not those of the cephalothorax, but of a somewhat ascetic, severe-faced man, wearing the classic serpent-headed circlet and headdress. The kind of man who probably delights in building laws and civilizations -- if he'd been born in a later era he might've been a devotee of Serriel.
At the far end of the corridor, it takes a hard left, continuing downward.
Aimarra freezes at the arm on her, and quietly, carefully steeeeeeps away from it, gently removing it from her shoulder and letting it fall. "It didn't give me a choice," she points out. "There wasn't much of anywhere else to go. I was hoping it wouldn't spot me, but no such luck." The grin had dissipated as she spoke, but she looks over at the egalrin witch, and it blooms back into being. "Ai. Judging by the look of his weapon afterwards, _bang up job_ is a bit close for comfort. Let's go."
With that, she starts towards the opened double doors.
On seeing the hallway beyond, though, she looks at Carver not far from her. "Want to go first?"
Irshya grins broadly at Slixvah, and shrugs at what she says. "Monetarily, perhaps, but I put my self-worth at much, much higher." She side-eyes Fidget a moment. "I can look at it, maybe work out the kink?" She moves to the frilled-one, "If I may?", making as if to apply some pressure with her thumbs.
"You know, you are allowed to have more than one weapon, right Aelwyn? And uh... I think you mean 'the one who knocks'? The... one who bangs has a very different connotation than you think it does." Irsh squints and frowns again.
She quickly follows along behind Aimarra. "You did well though. You didn't get too roughed up, and you held it's attention. Those things were resistant to both spells and weaponry, so well done. That cage thing, though, was highly annoying. Thanks for the help getting me out."
The Gobbo slows and stops, to see which of the two rangers will go first. "We could flip a coin."
Slix raises a feathered brow at Aelwyn, her quirking an amused smirk at him before looking on and- she hacks and coughs at the dust. She lowers her shielding arm. "Oh my." She looks further on the mural. "... man this guy is borin'."
Seeing as the others were assembling, she pulls pulls her knife out. "Yeah yeah, that too, Rishrish," she snorts before getting in the center of the group. "Or we go together! Come on now! We ain't got millenea like thi' guy!"
"Nope." Carver says, "Know'm where I work bes'. Have a Sith-Makar whose thighs 'bout the width of my wee waist, why the pisser woul' I walk in first."
She turns to Aelwyn, "Go get 'em, big guy!"
Aelwyn continues to expose his teeth at Irshya, tilting his head. "Perhaps this one will be informed in due time." The glaive is hoisted up on his shoulder and he tilts his head with a low rumble. "Javelins and glaives; being blunt has never been this one's style."
"Probably why nobody bothered to loot this place before, Ribbon." The draconian comments to Slixvah in passing and walks forward, before pausing when he is mentioned by Carver. He stops, leans back as if to measure something, then straightens. "Now there is a lady who speaks of this one's language, how could this one ever refuse?" Aelwyn's mirth at being called 'big' was obvious. Even if it meant walking head first into dark tombs with giant spiders.
Fidget positively melts at the brief neckrub, before they have to move along, "Much better, thanks!" Fidget chirps as they head into the now unsealed chamber, tilting her neck to either side to test it out.
The murals on the walls change at the turn. Scenes from Ahlatos's reign; driving fiends and dark forces from Veyshan, meeting with emissaries, making decrees, and so on. Interestingly, it seems Ahlatos was not one to overly self-aggrandize himself; he is not depicted being taller than an average mortal. The final pictures are of his passing, with many devotees of other gods bringing burial goods and gifts as their divine patrons look on. The gods of light and twilight are all represented, but the gods of darkness are, perhaps unsurprisingly, absent.
The hall ends in another double door, engraved with the cartouches now familiar to you that denote that this is a burial place.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Knowledge/Religion check, by the by, if you have it." GAME: Slixvah rolls knowledge/religion: (7)+6: 13 GAME: Irshya rolls knowledge/religion: (2)+13: 15 GAME: Carver rolls knowledge/religion: (10)+3: 13 GAME: Fidget rolls knowledge/religion: (6)+10: 16 GAME: Aimarra rolls knowledge/religion: Trained Use Only: 0 <OOC> Aimarra says, "Hee, none for me." <OOC> Aelwyn says, "Nope here too!"
Aimarra just shakes her head, but lets Aelwyn go first, drifting towards the back of the group and wandering slowly down the hall. By the everburning torchlight, she studies the images and words on the walls without real comprehension. "Why would you tell your life story inside something that is sealed so that no one will ever see it?" she wonders, voice echoing a little on the stone.
"Careful, if you stroke his ego too much, he won't be able to fit through any more of these double doors.", the pool-shark says with a snort. The Gobbo nods and smiles at Fidget. "Of course! Anything for a fellow shop-keep and Goblin. I can do more, after, and make sure it's gone for good."
Her eyes go to the depictions of Ahlatos' life, and she hmmmmmms. "Well, he seems to avoided the sin of pride at least."
Irshya pauses and gasps. "This tomb, and the king it protects, are ancient indeed. From before Animus died, and Navos fell into Twilight. No sign of Serriel here, either. I wonder what the Good King would think of that?"
Slix cackles at Carver. "There ya go hon, stoke his ego." Wavy dagger idly bared and twisting through her fingers as she follows with the group. Turning her head every which way to take in the halls. A low whistle leaves her. "I dunno, Aimarra. Perhaps someday ta tell the others of what happened, or perhaps da spirits of what passes on through these stone edifices."
She pauses to look at the Radanite, eyes wide. "Oh dear. Tha's... wow. We in th' oooold magics. Lezz be careful."
Fidget laughs, "For good, or until next time I get so lost in something I fall asleep on the floor again. So... maybe a week." she comments as they walk down the hallway, eyeing the murals. "Or it could be that this is the version of the story he wanted to tell. Can never trust these god-king types, too up themselves." she adds with a roll of her eyes. "Yeah, I wonder what he's got next ready for us, and whether that, too, goes against his supposed values."
Carver gives a smug shrug as her gambit proves at least successful. She follows the other's down the stairs, with one last look back. "I hate to leave Lambchop behin', but tombs not really the place for a horse."
"Tch, no shame in being appreciated." Aelwyn rumbles as he waves off the complaints about his ego. His step and sway of his tail did not diminish in the slightest. "Or the god-kings of the past would not have built such tombs for themselves." Yes, because he was one. Clearly.
The draconian didn't really understand - or perhaps care - about the implications of walking down such ancient halls, but he does look over the others. "This is where one says old magic is weaker and less dangerous than the new one, yes?"
The doors... are not locked. Guess Ahlatos figured if you were past the guardians he wouldn't need them.
But as they open, light shining into the vaulted chamber after centuries of silence... it seems the old king isn't -quite- done with you yet. Along the walls stand statues of the gods of light and twilight, though their depictions are different from modern sensibilities. One which is clearly supposed to be Daeus is bare-chested, carrying a sun-disk on his brow, and a dragon is coiled around his neck. The others are similarly graven in ancient Veyshanti styles, familiar and alien at the same time. Before them is a large grid of tiles, each engraved with a different symbol. The far end has a solid slab of stone for a door, with no visible hinge or key or handle -- merely an inscription in the old Veyshanti hieroglyphs.
<OOC> Telamon says, "If you wanna make some skill checks, lemme know ;)" GAME: Fidget casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 7 DC: 16 <OOC> Fidget will scan for any magics she can see without stepping on the tile grid. <OOC> Telamon says, "To give you an idea of what you're looking at: https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=m0bw0iise28" <OOC> Irshya says, "..." <OOC> Irshya says, "Which statue is missing?" <OOC> Telamon says, "None of them. It's all the gods of light and twilight as depicted in the prior hall -- so no Serriel, and there's one of Animus." <OOC> Irshya says, "Okay, was just some artefacts, there were black squares at 13 of the 14 positions... :P" <OOC> Aimarra says, "Would knowledge/dungeoneering and perception be useful here?" <OOC> Telamon says, "Possibly. Make some rolls." GAME: Aimarra rolls perception: (10)+14: 24 GAME: Aimarra rolls knowledge/dungeoneering: (20)+9: 29 <OOC> Irshya says, "Perception and know/religion for me, if that's good?" <OOC> Telamon says, "Go for it." GAME: Fidget rolls spellcraft+2: (6)+18+2: 26 GAME: Irshya rolls perception: (8)+13: 21 GAME: Irshya rolls knowledge/relition: (9)+knowledge/relition: 9 <OOC> Slixvah says, "i think I'll do a history and perception" <OOC> Aelwyn 'll also be a dungeoneer and perceptioner GAME: Irshya rolls knowledge/religion: (9)+13: 22 GAME: Slixvah rolls alertness: aliased to perception+2: (2)+15+2: 19 GAME: Aelwyn rolls perception: (2)+1: 3 GAME: Aelwyn rolls knowledge/dungeoneer: (3)+knowledge/dungeoneer: 3 GAME: Slixvah rolls knowledge/history: (14)+9: 23 GAME: Aelwyn rolls knowledge/dungeoneering: (5)+6: 11 <OOC> Telamon says, "Carver, wanna take a crack at anything?" <OOC> Carver says, "Nah, I am good."
Casting a detection spell, Fidget bounces up to the edge of the tiled floor, and scans over the tiles and the nearby area, "Some kind of conjuration magic. Infused into the whole grid, so I can't identify specific dangerous tiles easily..." she kneels down in front of the tiles and stares intently at it, trying to identify the magical connections between this tile and the one next to it. She shakes her head, "Nah, can't solve the puzzle this way - but it is a summoning spell - so if we mess up, we'll get attacked by something."
"It is likely trapped," Aimarra muses, surveying the entire floor. "I think these were common in old Veyshanti burial chambers, and the only way to open the door is to solve the puzzle. I'm no religious expert, but fourteen gods and fourteen different images - I'd guess it's something religious." She crosses her arms across her chest and carefully stays off the tiles for the moment.
"Yes, horsing around in here could go poorly.", Irshya deadpans. "I'm glad you said neigh-neigh to that."
Her eyes narrow at Slixvah. "Look, if he goes floating off, I'm leaving it t'you to burst his bubble."
The pool-shark looks to Fidget then and chuckles. "Oh, well, I can't guarantee how long it will remain unkinked, if you're inclined to fall asleep in odd positions, with hard or lumpy surfaces for a bed." She snorts at what Aelwyn says. "If anything, it is probably stronger. But also, there's a big possibility that the magics here are completely unknown to us, so we may have some uhm... difficulty in dealing with them. They could also be so old that they may fail spectacularly or behave in unexpected ways. It is one of the bigger dangers one faces in ancient places like this."
As they reach the next room, she slows once more, squinting at the statues. "We may be looking at the original forms of the gods of today, minus Serriel of course. Uhm... be careful here. Does anyone see a way out? We should be extra cautious." Irshya looks back, at the doors... "If there isn't a hidden way out... this could very well be our tomb."
The Goblin slowly advances inward, tapping the ground ahead of her with the butt of her trident, her ears standing up, straining to listen. Halting before the tiles, she squints at the tiles. "Hmmmmm."
"These look like representations of the fourteen gods here..." The Goblin nods to Aimarra. "Now, we know they're related, but, what does it mean. The symbols appear to be randomly distributed."
Slixvah rolls her eyes at Aelwyn as they head forth into the chamber. "Mmmm. Jus' different magic, Flutter. Bu' magic is still magic, anyway ya cut it. Even mine."
Whatever else she was going to say dies away as she comes into the chamber. "... now /this/ is some right good history, thank Ceiwen," she twitters in a appreciative gasp. An academic at heart. <Auran> A glance to Fidget. "Now tha's good ta know. Thankies."
With careful steps, Slix trots around the room, eyeing the statues, and the tiles. "Mmm. Mmm. I agree wit' Aimarra. Gotta solve ta get forward. But it's got a solution fo' shure. Tha' much I know."
She rubs the underside of her beak, listening to the others. "Mmm. Mmmm. I gots a spell ta get myself an' two out, bu' I am gonna do tha' unless it's dire." A mild nod. "... mmm. Maybe we gotta... walk across 'em? Or.. hmmm... dunno if thinkin' mojo will work here, bu'... I can guess wha' each symbol means."
Carver says, “I could shoot them!”
When stepping into the area, Aelwyn takes a close look at the room. The statues, the tiles, the very existence of the room itself - well, mostly he glances at the room itself and then he is already off staring at the rest of the party with disappointment in his face. "Tch, this one would have preferred a fight than stones on a grid."
Loosening up his shoulders, the Dragoon carefully veers into the room proper and leans against a nearby wall after a moment, eyeing the room more than the party as the rest of his cohort puzzles whatever the puzzle is out. "Tch," Aelwyn grins at Carter. "Now that is a solution this one agrees with."
Aimarra only directs a look at Carver, but peers at the inscription on the far wall. "What does that say? Maybe it offers a hint?" She turns pointedly away from Carver and towards Irshya, Fidget, and Slixvah. Her eyes begin to roam the room, searching for anything that might provide a hint as to what is wanted.
GAME: Fidget casts Comprehend Languages. Caster Level: 7 DC: 17
Fidget weaves another spell, drawing symbols in the air and her eyes begin to glow for a brief moment, "I think I can read the...yes! There's a clue on the door! It says... Only those who follow my path - like a job or a religion, maybe? - may stand before me and pay their respects. Ugh. We don't want to pay respects, we want to steal your shit. For...like...archeology and science and stuff. Good reasons! Ethical graverobbing!" she then laughs a little, "Okay, so... something in the tiles must symbolize his own path? Anyone recognize the symbols?"
Carver says, “His path, like the last hallway of his life? That would make sense, I guess but he was just like the rest of us. Eat, sleep, do other things and then die.”
Slixvah groans at Carver. "Please don'." Taking another glance about things, it seems Fidget is one step ahead of Slix, her too busy looking at other features. Stopping for a beat to hear fidget out. She blinks. Glares a little at Fidget before shaking her head and grinning. "Ah! Tha's a good idea Carver, maybe th' path from earlier is da way?"
Irshya head turns so quickly that there's a cracking sound in her neck, and she glares at Carver. "Are you fucking nuts?!", she practically yells, before covering her mouth with her hand. "One, we don't know what that may do, and two, it may damage the inscription which may activate some trap, and three, it may destroy a clue..." The pool-shark grumbles, rubbing at her cheeks which have gone a pleasant lavender colour.
Letting out a lengthy sigh, she grins at what Fidget says. "Oh, nice work! Uhm. So, does he mean his path in life, a good person, practical, doing what is right and avoiding wrongs, or does he mean a follower or adherent of Vardama? Maybe both?" A noisy swallow is heard. "Do any of us even measure up to him? What happens if we're not worthy...? Perhaps we should get the priests in here?"
Aelwyn continued to stay still, watching the others reason and mull about the clues. He instead pulls out a waterskin and takes a quiet sip; daring a glance at the corridor they arrived from. "Tch, would be a bad puzzle if one painted the solution on the walls back there." He rumbles, "To follow his path?" He gave a derisive snort. "This one's path is his own."
"He means literally," Aimarra says suddenly. "Irshya, Slixvah, which symbol would be the symbol of Vardama? I bet if you walk only on the symbols of Vardama, it'll open."
Slixvah rubs her beak, scoffing lightly at Aelwyn. "Yeah yeah, ya walk ya own path," she snorts at him, smacking the makari's arm before turning to Aimarra with a raised brow. "... harps."
She looks at the tiles. Thinks. "I can do it. Follow da path. 'less someone else is chompin' at th' bit."
Irshya snaps her fingers at what Aimarra says, and points to Slixvah. "Vardama is the Grey Harpist. It is a very old symbol for her, so you may have it, Aimarra." She eyes Slixvah a moment, glances at the others, and then runs to hop onto the first Harp symbol, the one closest to the doors they'd entered.
And waits...
"Let's not rule out shooting things just yet. You can solve many problems with violence, plus, it can be quite fun! But we'll put that as plan B in case the puzzle-solving doesn't work out." Fidget chimes in, and then watches Irshya leap into the puzzle, and tenses, waiting to see if the shooting phase of the plan is about to begin.
Irsh lets out a squeak a moment later. "It... it sank down a little." With a bit more energy, Irshya begins to hopscotch across the floor, only landing on the Harp tiles.
Aelwyn reaches out with his tail to lightly tap at Slixvah's ankles, slowly starting to get up himself. "Yes, do not try to harp on it, Ribbon." He flashes his teeth at her as he slowly pulls his glaive by him. He moves towards the door up ahead, assuming a position near the center of everyone; trying to be in a more defensive position to cover everyone.
The path Irshya takes crosses back and forth across the grid, each harp tile locking into place as she steps on it. When she reaches the last tile, there's a shivering groan of ancient mechanisms, and the door opens, swinging on heavy hinges inward. The light spills into the chamber beyond, and a sparkle and gleam of metal can be seen within, reflecting that illumination.
As the Radan moves, Aimarra sucks in a breath and waits, unlimbering her bow and balancing between the heels and balls of her feet, just in case anything untoward should happen. When the mechanisms engage and the doors swing wide, she lets out the breath she'd been holding and puts her bow away. "Someone tell those scholars we don't know what will happen if they go walking on the tiles," she observes, studying the new tableau once Irshya is finished, and making her way around the puzzle towards the doors.
Slixvah waits nervously, fingers twitching in half started arcane gestures. But then- the door clicks! She deeply sighs in relief. "Sweet! And- oh dear! Tha's shiny!" she grins. "Take it slo' now ya'll!"
She nods towards Aimarra, walking around the tiles as well.
Irshya whews, and settles down on the ground just past the tiles. "Well, that was a good idea, Aimarra." She fans at her face, her cheeks flushed. "I'm done my exercise for the week." she glances towards the doors, and her eyes widen. There a brief flash of avarice in her eyes, before she gives her head a shake.
"Okay, tell me that's just a reflection from mirrors or shiny walls and not a whole pile of riches."
"Oooor - we could let them learn the hard way this time, I bet there'll be less complaining on future expeditions that way." Fidget says with a laugh, though it's likely she's joking. Probably.
"A whole pile?" Fidget asks in curiousity, and hurries after the others, opting to go around the tiles rather than through them in case the trap is still active. She catches up to Irshya and peers into the room.
Beyond, the accoutrements of the tomb are now more ornate. An elaborate chariot, with two stone-carved horses, stands in the center, the chariot plated with gold. Shelves on the walls hold what look like platters of fresh food -- until one looks carefully and realizes the food is carved of preserved wood, so elaborately it looks real. Grave goods, for a king's journey into the Halls. A trio of passages open up away from the chariot, possibly leading to further chambers to be cleared. But for now, you have archaeologists and sages to escort around those tiles before one blunders onto the wrong one.