Kemet - [IC]

[Sen isSaqqara]

The wind rolled into the city of Kinmet from the west. It approached over the lake, causing ripples that couldn't quite be called waves to reflect the last light of twilight. The wind moved through the docks and into the marketplace, catching the scent of every stall as it moved towards the city's central square. There it met with another wind, a dry gust coming in from the east, carrying the taste of warm desert air, faintly tinged with the acid smell of something distinctly wrong. Rushing together, the winds flowed north, into the grand temples. Snaking between obelisks and statues, the wind finally met a barrier in the high walls of the main temple-yard. As it hit the walls, it rushed up and over, catching in the hair of a lone sentinel lying atop the walls. She lay watching the courtyard below, paved with great sandstone tiles, and surrounded by the great walls except where they opened into entrances to each cardinal direction. She watched as three figures emerged into the yard: three fated souls meeting for the first time.

The one she thought of as the fighter arrived first. Punctual, efficient. He sat on the edge of a small fountain in the center of the courtyard and waited for the others to arrive. Next came the priest, but he held back, staying in the shadow of the western wall, as if waiting. Reasonable enough, thought the watcher. There was supposed to be a meeting here, but only one other has shown up so far... Last came the one who wore a smile. Even when he was facing away, she could see it in her mind's eye. He arrived fashionably late, strolling unhurriedly into the square. At his appearance, the priest wavered too, then turned and walked towards the fountain.



On the wall, the watcher smiles. The winds of fate are blowing, but this time they are not blowing for her. Instead, she finds herself drawn to watch the first meeting of those gathered below. Who, she wonders, will speak up first?

[3SecondCultist]

It appears as though the others have beaten him. Excellent; always better to be fashionably late to these sorts of things, that way if something terrible should happen, one isn't caught up in it. Khai Kept-Rem's long legs brush up against his tan cloak as he walks, the light armour beneath the outer layers visible for just a moment as the 'clack-step' of his quarterstaff and boots ring across the sandstone slabs of the open square. Beneath a hooded robe, the man's dark features and white smile are plainly visible, as are his unusual green-gold eyes. At his side lopes a savannah beast with similar colouring, although it's unclear whether the large cat is accompanying him or the other way around.

"So..." the charlatan says with false aplomb as he arrives in the middle of the largely empty marketplace, near the fountain that was the agreed-upon meeting place, "how does this work? Do you talk first, do I talk first, what?" The particulars of the job itself seemed fairly boring, but the summons had piqued Khai's interests enough, and a cursory look at his companions to be is enough to maintain that interest. A priest, a fighter, and a liar walk into a tavern. I've heard that joke somewhere before...

[Varus]

The shadow from the western wall provided little relief from the heat, but that did not matter for heat did not bother Nakht. This location had been select as a point of observation, one should not approach potentially armed individuals without analyzing the persons in questions. He observe the fighter sitting at the fountain, he notes that the other companion is late. As a gust of wind catches his priest robes and swirls the sand around his feet. As he watch the sand swirl, he wonders, Thoth what have we gotten ourselves into this time. He then notices the arrival of what appears to be the other companion, he watching this person walks up the the fountain. That must be our queue, he fiddles with his pendant then strolls toward the fountain.

[nwestninja]

Awal looked at the two who had arrived ,armed or unarmed, they would be easy pickings, but fighting his companions upon first meeting them, would not be wise.
At the back of his mind, a constant itch that could not easily be scratched began picking at him. It will be satisfied soon.

He stands up with conviction and steps slowly and heavily towards the others.

"Attendance is important my friends. Do not be late again." he said firmly. Perhaps, I should be warmer. Oh well.... That's not what I'm here for.
Looking at the watcher, he puts his hand in his pocket and ushers a quick prayer under his breath and waits for his instructions.

[Sen isSaqqara]

In the moment after Awal's response, there is a brief second of seeming silence. In his mind, the fighter can almost hear the comforting whisper of Ma'at responding to his prayer. Then, the moment is gone, shattered by approaching footsteps turning a corner, and voices muttering loudly but incomprehensibly at one another.

Three figures approach down the passageway extending to the north of the temple-square. In the back walk the two high priests who called this meeting, and in the front walks an old man. Despite his age, he seems to be almost outpacing them.

Behind him and to the right walks Amiw. She is a compact individual, short and strong, but moves nonetheless with the grace of her patron goddess, Bast. Her loose white robes flutter around her, occasionally giving way to the dark blue skirt she wears underneath, the color indicating her allegiance. On her face she wears an unusual scowl around which she seems to be muttering at her compatriot, and on her hands she wears sacred claw-blades belonging to her temple, as though she expects some kind of fight.

To the left of Amiw is Tasim, the high priest of Set. He is her opposite in many ways, tall and thin, as though stretched. He wears sand-colored robes, as only priests of Set do, with dark red trim giving away his position as high-priest. His eyes are wary, but his face seems more comfortable than Amiw's, or at least more composed. The overall impression he gives with his body language is that of a friendly dog who is unnerved by something it cannot place, and wishes to protect you without letting on that there is anything to worry about.

The older individual who leads the way is almost the definition of the average old man, at least at first glance. Perhaps he is a bit more fit than most elders, from days spent on the road. His hair and beard are white, but his eyes are hard and focused, and his grip on his walking-staff seems sure. Looking closely, you can see a tattoo on his forehead, mostly obscured by hanging hair, depicting the Eye of Ra.

When they arrive at the square, Amiw rushes forward to address you, but the old man stops her with a gesture. It is odd to see the usually boisterous high priestess stopped by such a casual and almost comforting movement of the hand. The old man speaks instead, looking over each of you as he speaks.

"Well met, new friends. I apologize for our lateness. There was some argument from my two friends here about whether or not they would be accompanying us. They have been bickering the whole way here, almost as though they are still the children I trained twenty years ago." He cuts off briefly here to glare back at them. Both shrink away from his gaze, but Amiw somehow incorporates a feeling of exasperation into the movement. "Regardless, now that I see you three, I think I can say for certain that it will not be necessary. I see potential in you three, and I think that between us we should have no trouble making our escape. Besides, I know a shortcut." A smile grows on his face, his general expression turning from slightly annoyed to friendly and almost enthusiastic. "So, why don't we begin with introductions? I'll start. My name is Sen, and I am, almost by nature as well as by unfortunate physical reality, an old man. I've also been a prophet of sorts, and a great many other things as well over the years. I'm sure you already know, or know of, Amiw and Tasim here. If not, I'm sure they'll take the opportunity to introduce themselves more fully before we leave, doubtless under the guise of blessing us or somesuch." Behind him, Amiw transitions to full exasperation, while Tasim merely grins, perhaps acknowledging the truth of Sen's words. "So, how about you? Why don't we go in order to make things easier?" He gestures to each of you around the fountain, Awal first, then Khai, then Nakht.

The Eye of Ra is generally seen as a deity unto itself. It is the instrument of Ra's will on earth, a manifestation of his power, and the feminine side of his aspect.

When the Eye manifests, it is said to take on the form of a mortal, possessing them. The symbol of the Eye blazes in fire on the forehead of the host, eventually leaving a mark or scar like that on Sen. If he has had the symbol tattooed there on his own initiative, then it is an act of great hubris, and an affront to the gods. If, on the other hand, it is a result of many interactions with the Eye, then it is a mark of great honor and prestige, made even more so by the fact that he does not seem to be a priest.

[nwestninja]

Awal straightens and adjusts himself quickly. Squaring his shoulders and relaxing his body, both in respect for those before him and in preparation for any events. After all, Amiw seems ready for a fight.

"My name is Awal. It is my pleasure to meet you all." Awal proceeds to make a small bow.

He redresses himself and motions Khai to proceed. Always making sure every move he makes is precise.

First impressions matter after all

[3SecondCultist]

Upon the arrival of Sen and his acolytes, Khai's face splits into an open grin. Finally, some clarity. He takes the time to tune out some of the old man's speech to examine all three of the figures, if only to make sure that he could impersonate one of them at any point in the future. It could come in handy. When the prophet has finished speaking, he is already adopting a pose of humility by falling to his knees before Sen.

"Oh great servant of the gods," he begins, his voice taking on a deeper, solemn tone, "it would be my greatest honour to introduce myself. My name is Kamose, and I am an acolyte of Bast. The Lord of Cats has seen fit to bless travellers on their journeys before, and so it is with me. She has sent me a boon, an omen of her good favor!" He makes a sweeping gesture towards Ankh. Beside him, the serval purrs absentmindedly, as she is wont to do. No help there. "I believe I have divined her latest intent, and it would appear as such that I am to accompany you on this trek out of the valley."

Let's make my first Bluff roll of the game, shall we?

Bluff: [roll0]

Edit: of course, it's a 2. :smallbiggrin:

[Sen isSaqqara]

In response to Khai's introduction, Tasim begins to frown. He folds his arms across his chest, and perhaps grumbles a syllable or two to himself. Sen, on the other hand, grins. He makes a few grand gesturing motions of his own in return, before capping them off with a simple "Sounds good. I like this one." Amiw, of course, just bends down and offers her hand to Ankh. Looking up at it, the desert cat moves forward to receive a single pet on the head, before turning tale and returning to Khai. Amiw straightens, looking back to Khai with what might be interest.

Sen also gets back to his feet, directing his gaze at last to Nakht. His eyes seem to question: what are you going to show me?

[Varus]

Nakht wait a moment prior to speaking, then in a calming voice says "Greetings, it's an honor to be in presence of such knowledgeable and wise priests". He pauses, "I am Nakht a priest of Thoth, may my knowledge help us with our travels" He nodes respectively to Sen

[Sen isSaqqara]

Sen takes a moment to look closely at Nakht's face and eyes before giving a satisfied nod.

"Alright, then. Let's get started, shall we? I'll fill you in as we walk. Tasim and Amiw will come with us to the city's edge, as they'll want to take one last shot at coming with us before we go." Sen turns to the south path and starts walking. After a moment, the priests join him.

It is Tasim who speaks up first. "Hmn, perhaps someone should take the time to give you a more proper introduction, Sen." He turns to speak to you, walking sideways to keep up while facing his audience. "Do not underestimate the old man, he was our teacher back in the day. He taught Amiw to fight, and taught me to find water in the sand. He taught Amiw the trick to not falling asleep in our lectures, and taught me the way to sneak over to the women's dormitories after dar-" Here, he is cut off by Amiw giving him a light (for her) punch in the ribs. She takes over his speech while he recovers: "What hes tryna say is that the old man's pretty good at just about everything. Still, he's gettin old, so you keep a good eye or two on him, alright?" Sen chuckles at this description, but doesn't deny it. For a few more minutes, the party walks in peace through the temple district, and then through the markets in the center of town. The last of the day-merchants are packing up, and a few others are beginning to take their places for the night. From there, you walk through rough blocks of houses to the edge of town, where Sen stops.

"Well, am I going to get one last protest from you?" He addresses the priests, but to his surprise neither insists. Amiw says a quick word of blessing to Bast, which Tasim mirrors in the words of Set, and Amiw moves forward at the last moment to give Sen a hug before they part ways, but almost before you know it you are being led into the sands by the old man.

"So, here's how it is. There's a rough line of scouts circling the town. I've had some of Amiw's kits scout it out, and there doesn't seem to be a weak point in their perimeter. However, I happen to know of an old ruined temple that their line should pass almost directly over. It's been buried over by dunes in the last twenty years or so, and with a bit of luck they won't have found it yet. If I recall the layout right, we should be able to find one entrance on this side of the line, and another on the other. Past that, it should (at least in theory) be smooth sailing. Any questions?"

[Varus]

Nakht listens thoroughly, as Tasim furthers his introduction of Sen. Sen must be very wise and knowledgeable. I can improve my mind vastly in his presence, Thoth you have gifted me a beautiful gift .

When the reach the town Nakht turns around to observe for one last time the city. He pauses as if committing its appearance to memory. After Sen briefs the group on the plan Nakht asks "To whom is was the temple built? We must ensure we are being respectful will passing throw such grounds. It would be difficult to show respect without knowing whose realm we are entering."

[Sen isSaqqara]

"You know, I'm not actually sure." The question stops Sen in his tracks, at least for a moment. He gathers his thoughts, then continues both to walk and to speak. "I discovered the place as a young kid, growing up in Kinmet. Only one person knew about it besides me, we thought of it as our private place. It'd been ruined for ages before even we got there, and we never made it in past the great stone doors. I don't even really know if it's a temple, I'm just used to thinking of it as one. Looks like one, anyways. Or, it did back when you could see most of it above the sands..." He trails off, thinking for another moment. "Anyways, I haven't been there since I was barely an adult. I'm sure between us we'll find a way in, and maybe you'll be able to figure out whose temple it used to be. Anything else?"

[3SecondCultist]

"Bast preserve us, but you are a marvel sirrah!", Khai proclaims to Sen as they walk. His virtues have been extolled at some length by his colleagues, and it seems that he himself validates at least some of the praise. So despite any false modesty, he can be flattered. That might come in handy later.

Or you know, now. Whatever.

"Do Isis and Ra themselves guide your steps? They must, for to have such passage out of the valley - and through a temple, no less - is naught but divine providence itself! I feel blessed to have one such as you as my companion on this journey." Not too far away, Ankh makes a noise that sounds suspiciously like a sharp laugh. Khai hushes the serval before continuing. Something else has just occurred to him.

"You'll forgive me for asking, oh Blessed One, but I couldn't help but notice that you mentioned another person with you when you found the temple. May I inquire as to the identity of said individual?"

Okay, so I'm going to make a Diplomacy check here, for Khai's praise. He knows he's laying it on rather thick; the check is to make Sen like Khai despite what he already knows.

Diplomacy: [roll0]

[Sen isSaqqara]

As he is walking in front of him, Khai can't see his face to judge the effect his words have had on the old man. A slight mutter is all that can be heard in response to the praise, a quiet "Perhaps..."

When you ask about his companion, however, he perks back up from whatever contemplation had snared him. "A childhood friend, and then my traveling companion for a great many years. A woman named Mitanahi. We parted ways some ten years back, as she had urgent business to attend to in the North, and I in the South. Haven't heard from her in a while, but I am certain that she is fine." There is a great deal of respect in his voice as he speaks. "Maybe if we make it through this journey, I'll get the chance to introduce you to her some day. She would be a great mentor if any of you want to become mages. One of the most powerful spellweavers I have ever known."

He turns and looks back to you, pausing for a moment. "Anyways, do you have any more questions? We have almost arrived." Indeed, beyond him, you see what looks like a cavern in the side of a dune of sand. A gaping black hole, dark in the late twilight, perhaps eight feet tall and ten wide.

[nwestninja]

Awal is interested by this series of questioning but what interests him most are the fighters awaiting his encounter.

Ma'at bless me.

"I only have two questions sir. How structurally sound is the Temple? Do we expect the whole thing to crumble if a disturbance should arise or has it weathered the sands of time more eloquently?"
Heh, sands of time. Awal smiles to himself before pressing on with the next question.
"And these fighters? Are they strong? are they receiving help from beyond?"
Awal hopes these answers can be given, but if not, such is the way of Ma'at.

[Sen isSaqqara]

Sen thinks carefully before answering Awal. "Not sure about the architecture. The entryway always seemed pretty robust to me, but the core of the ruins could be another story entirely. Still, it's been here so long that nobody even remembers it, and it still stands, so it's probably fairly safe to assume it'll keep on standing. As for fighters, with any luck we'll avoid them entirely. Worst comes to worst, they'll notice us on the other side and give chase, but we should have enough of a head-start to make it out. Or, perhaps, we might stumble on one of their lookouts. If we do, it might be best to finish them off before they can raise the alarm on us. They're mostly untrained, various scraps assembled from wherever the bandits have been, or so I'd assume. The real threats are threefold: their numbers (there are a lot of them); their leader, Saytep, who has an ancient and corrupt artifact; and his second in command, Pirit, who is a fairly accomplished priest of Set. Unfortunately, not all of that priesthood is like Tasim. The desert that Set represents can be harsh and merciless, a force of nature unaligned with what we think of as good and evil. Ah! But, I am rambling. Back to the topic at hand!"

Sen leads the way into the opening in the dune. As you get close, you can see that it is outlined in the beige-red stone common to the region. Great blocks shape walls and a roof above a floor covered in sand. The walls are painted with crumbling murals, reaching back in bits and pieces into the darkness. Once you move through the entrance, Sen mutters a prayer to Ra, and his staff begins to glow with a soft light, illuminating the hallway. Every five feet, slim columns reach up along the walls, dividing the murals into scenes.

As you move forward, you see that the passage widens into an entrance hall proper after about fifteen feet. The walls of the chamber are painted with depictions of the gods and of humans, but the paintings are fragmented, and few survive well enough to put together the story they were meant to convey. Two in particular survive well enough to be considered whole, both at the end of the hallway: one on the left-hand wall, the other on the right, and both about five feet from the far wall.

Centered in that far wall is a pair of great stone doors. They are intricately carved with collections of triangles like broken glass. Dust and sand collect along the top edges of each shape, unmoving in the ancient air.

Sen walks forward and reaches out to touch the door lightly, perhaps remembering events a long time ago. Then he turns to you. "Well, anyone know how to open a locked door?"

Triple dots mark complete murals
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j398/dreamingmage/Kemet/Akassis%20Pass%201_zpsq2y3dlmd.jpg

[3SecondCultist]

Outwardly cheerful, if slightly irritated that Sen is proving such a hard book to read, Khai and Ankh follow behind the priest as they approach the entrance to the temple. He listens to the names of the bandit leaders, filing them away for later should they get captured on the other side. I wonder how much I'd get for Sen? He dismisses that particular train of thought for now - it's not worth worrying over unless it happens.

When they step inside, Khai is careful not to touch any of the murals. The serval sniffs the stale air, while the imposter's quarterstaff taps lightly on the stone with each step. Not that he actually needs it, but when he feels like disguising himself as an old man for sympathy - which comes up more often than you might think - having a good walking stick adds an air of authenticity to the role. "I really hope this isn't the part of the story where we all get eaten by forgotten temple guardians, or some such," he says as he looks over Sen's shoulder at the locked door. "There aren't any sacred statues behind here, right?"

[Sen isSaqqara]

"Not sure..." admits Sen. "Probably not, though. You tend to get those more in tombs than temples, and I'm fairly sure this is a temple. What tomb has two entrances, after all? No, in the temples and shrines, the idea is generally that the priests do the guarding, and I think any priests here have been dead for a long time." As he talks, he walks back along the left wall a bit, looking at the bits and pieces of crumbling imagery. "Actually, that reminds me. A lot of temples have hidden side-doors for the priests. Makes it easier to look like you came magically out of nowhere. Might be one around here if we look for it..."

[Varus]

Nakt walks slowing into the entrance hall. He approaches the painting with a sense of awe. Getting as close can, while maintaining a respectful distance. He observes the fragments trying to decipher the scene they depict.

[Sen isSaqqara]

The mural on the left depicts the goddess Sekmet. She is goddess of war and soldiers, the warrior aspect of Bast's protective tendencies. The mural shows her surrounded by followers, some of whom are marked as priests. A drop of blood falls from her hand, and a spring of water is created where it lands. Around it, the priests build a temple, tall in the middle, with two arms reaching out in opposite directions. Worshipers come to the temple and talk to the priests, bringing with them many gifts and donations, and Sekmet is happy, but she longs for a fight.

The mural on the right also depicts Sekmet. She is shown in a fighting pose, but her enemy is only shown as crude depictions of human-shapes. There are many of them, but she shows no fear. Her priests arrive to tell her that reinforcements will be there soon, and in the next part of the mural, another figure arrives. This part of the mural is disfigured, the place where her reinforcement should be is broken away, but an aura painted around it is still clear, and given the size it was likely the depiction of another god. Next, Sekmet is betrayed. This part too is broken, but you can tell from context that she fought back against her betrayer, taking a wound in the process. Blood gushes from her side, and where it lands it forms a great well of water, which you think is most likely the Kharga region. Then, other gods arrive. The Eye of Ra is prominent among them, and they defeat the weakened enemies, and the betrayer (whose form is again erased from the wall).

[nwestninja]

Awal approaches the locked door, looks around the door for the keyhole and says aloud "I know my way around one or two locked doors, however I could perform much better with a lockpick, do any of you have one I might borrow....".

Awal looks around at the group, hoping one of them may have a lockpick.

[Varus]

Nakht turns his attention away from the mural and to Awal. I unfortunately do not have a lock pick on me, but I would advise checking for traps first. One can never be to careful around old temples. Its previous caretakers may not have left it defenceless

[Sen isSaqqara]

"Good point," says Sen to Nakht, "Hadn't thought of that. I do have an old set of lockpicks somewhere, though..." He spends a few seconds fishing through his pockets before finding a small roll of fine fabric. Unrolling it exposes several bits of metal. "So, who wants to give it the first try? I bought these way back, but I was never any good with them."

[3SecondCultist]

"Not me," Khai says with a little laugh. "I am no thief, I'm afraid. Nimble fingers were ever beyond my reach, even as a child. If somebody else would do the honours..." He gestures for Awal to try his hand at the temple mechanism.

[Sen isSaqqara]

Perhaps more through luck than skill, Awal makes quick work of the lock. With a groan, great stone tumblers rotate deep within the thick rock doors. Then, after a moment of silence, they swing open, almost taking the lockpick out of Awal's hand. Beyond lies chamber, with another smaller chamber lying slightly further on. both have doorways to the left, leading to two more rooms.

The first room is decorated in a deteriorating splendor. Wooden statues of Sekmet stand in each corner, long-decayed and desiccated. What is left of a fine carpet lies on the floor. The walls are painted with many images of Sekmet's glory, in gold. The further room is decorated in a similar fashion, equally decayed, and at the end is another pair of great doors like those you just opened. The first room to the left has a fountain at the center. Water still flows through it, slowly but surely, and it seems to be pure. The stone fountain is growing thin near the edges, the rock having been worn away by hundreds of years of gentle flow. At the bottom of the fountain, several small coins lie scattered. The second room on the left is longer, stretching back from the main rooms. It is more sparsely decorated, a stark difference emphasized by the remains of a wooden door long rotted off its hinges between this room and the smaller main room. To either sides are what is left of ancient wooden beds and shelves, both seemingly stripped of anything of any real interest, at least at first glance.

As you pass into these newly-revealed rooms, Ankh the cat stays behind, sniffing carefully at the left mural in the entrance hall.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j398/dreamingmage/Kemet/Akassis%20Pass%202_zps8gl2ijud.jpg

[3SecondCultist]

Stepping past the lock, Khai's mask cannot help but slip, giving way to a genuine wonder at the sight of Sekmet's temple. Now there's an eye opener and no mistake. He isn't sure exactly what he was expecting - a few dusty rooms, maybe a few altars and some hieroglyphic depictions of inane myths - but the level of detail given to the space is nothing less than exquisite. Sure, it's not a huge vaulting chamber with pillars or anything, but it's more than he thought he was walking into. As the others step into the rooms beyond, Khai looks at Sen for a long, appraising moment. He's never been all that good at reading people, and yet he gets the sense that the old man knows more than he's letting on.

"Glorious, simply glorious!" Khai the priest's falsetto rings out higher than he'd anticipated, echoing off the distant stone. "I must say, for a mere servant of Bast, this journey is already quite humbling. Quite humbling indeed. I only hope that this is but a taste of the splendor we will see in this place! Come along now, Ankh. We mustn't tarry on the doorstep, but step into the foyer of the gods." He prods the serval gently, as though to demonstrate some degree of control over the cat. Inwardly, Khai only hopes that Ankh will listen; like most felines, she's proven remarkably unpredictable in the past.

[Varus]

Nakht steps through the door after Khai, his eyes are painting on the wall. Marvelous, truly marvelous. I am bless to be granted the opportunity to see this forgotten temple.. After taking in the temple's glory he turns his attention to his colleagues. When this temple was at it peak people would have come to this temple to worship or consult a prist of Sekmet. It appears as if the template was build around this fountain. I would assume that it represents her blood from the scene depicted outside. I would note that the fountain is most likely sacred and reserved for a select few. It is also important to note that there is most likely screen passages and room for the priest. If time permits it would be an interests of mine to see what information and relics may be hidden inside.
Nakht turns to Sen to see if the priest disagrees with his analysis.

[Sen isSaqqara]

While you explore the newly-revealed rooms, Sen does the same. When Nakht addresses him, he takes a moment to realize that he is being spoken to. He seems distracted, as though listening for something just beyond the range of hearing. "Oh, ah, yes. Of course. Who knows, there may be something lying around here that could help up. Take a look around!" With that, Sen makes his way to the doors at the far end of the room and gives them a try. Bars of inlaid stone extend out from where to doors meet, likely levers to open the locking mechanisms. "Awal, could I get your help? We should be able to open this door freely from this side, but I can't seem to move the lever..."

Back at the front door, Ankh seems quite distracted. Her hackles are raised, and she's backing away from the mural. When Khai prods her, she almost nips his hand, but catches herself at the last moment. Flattening her coat to show that she is far above being afraid, she turns warily from the mural and follows you inside.

Can I get a search roll from anyone who wants to look for hidden doors? And a strength check from Awal, please.

[Varus]

Sen you seem distracted. Is there something that appears to be amis? What troubles you?

[nwestninja]

Awal is just as amazed as the others, however he holds back a little. Looking around and making sure to judge the environment best he can. Hearing Sen's request, Awal approaches the lever quickly.
"Yes of course friend. Let's all be careful now. Any turn could prove dangerous."

Awal tries to take his time looking at the lever and making sure it is not tricked, and when he is suitably sure of this fact (whether by ignorance or knowledge), he attempts to move the lever.

"Would some of you help me with this?"

[Sen isSaqqara]

Sen stands back to let Awal haul at the door, moving to talk to Nakht while he waits and watches. He smiles, forcing the look of concern away from is face as he speaks. "I am sure it is nothing, Nahkt. I feel like something is oddly wrong with this place, but I can't place why. This happens some times, tens of years of experience in my mind reminding me of some peripherally related event from my past. I just can't help but feel like something..." He trails off, looking at his feet.

Suddenly, a sharp crack interrupts your conversation. The sound of stone breaking, muffled by the walls, echoes out from the door where Awal stands. The noise sends Ankh into conniptions, and she scuttles away under a bed in the long room. The door-lever has moved through a quarter-rotation, and as Awal steps back, the door swings open towards you. With a quiet thump, a body falls back into the room with you. It must have been leaning back against the door on the other side.

It is a young woman, dressed in the ragged beige scraps common to desert bandits. A spear clatters to the ground at her side. Her legs are bloody, looking like they've been torn up significantly. Then she groans, and you realize that despite the blood-loss, she is not dead, but unconscious.

[nwestninja]

Awal is weary of this. He stands back a little and allows the others to approach her. He does however hover his hand over his dagger rather obviously.

[3SecondCultist]

"Oh my," Khai says as the woman stumbles forward and promptly collapses of what appears to be blood loss at the group's feet. He prods her gently with the end of his quarterstaff. "Well, Bast certainly did not protect her. I... don't suppose any of you know your way around a set of sutures? The Lady believes in travelers who are prepared, and preparation comes from information. The only reasonable way forward is to question our new comatose friend before she greets Anubis."

Quietly, the man's mind is reeling. He was playing a game before, but until the body appeared before them, the prospect of danger was quite far away. The con man isn't quite sure what to do here, beyond continue to play the part of the concerned priest. If I just keep talking, we can fix this.

I'm going to make another Bluff check to keep up Khai's facade as a priest, but more specifically to cover up the fact that he's sort of freaked out at what's happening and is trying to play it cool.

Bluff: [roll0]

Edit: so between that 2 before and this 5, looks like my Bluff rolls are off to a great start!

[Varus]

As the women falls to the ground Nakht peers down at the Anhk on his pendant and thinks Thoth one of knowledge, grant me the power to save this soul. This would forward to path of knowledge due to her peculiar circumstance. One would not want such information to waste.Thoth hear my pleas. As he finishes his prayer an Ibis appears in front of Nakht. Nakht bends down to the Ibis and whispers in its ear Thank-you my friend for your aid. Please assist the distress woman.

[Sen isSaqqara]

Nakht's ibis darts forward, touching its head to the forehead of the wounded woman. A light pulses quickly, and her legs scab over. She remains unconscious, however. A voice calls out into your minds, resonating as though from everywhere, and yet still clearly directed to Nakht. It is a slight, quiet voice, feminine, but with a steady strength in its depths. Would you have me wake her, priest?

However, before you can answer, the silence is broken by a rumbling creak from the entrance-way. It comes from where the eastern wall-mural in the entry hall is, and sounds like a door sliding open, though you cannot see it from where you stand. The rumbling stops abruptly, and you hear soft steps approaching the northern doorway.

[Sen isSaqqara]

Low on the wall by the entrance, a canine head rounds the corner, quickly followed by a four-legged body. It is a desert wolf, skinny and malnourished but with a desperate gleam in its eye and drying blood around its jaws. It stands just higher than waist-height, even with its loping stature. It pads into the hallway, turning to face you. It waits there, muscles bunched and ready to spring, but holding its position. Perhaps it is waiting for one of you to make the first move, or perhaps waiting for a mate or partner to follow it. It lets out a low growl, and flecks of spit and blood spray from its mouth at the sound.

[3SecondCultist]

Seeing this new creature's arrival, Khai is unbelievably quick to react. Normally, his body isn't well suited to the rigors of adventuring out on the open road, but today appears to be an exception. His eyes widening, the 'priest' stumbles backwards, doing everything he can to put his staff - and anyone else in the group - between him and this new threat.

"Ankh," he says, his voice not at all reflecting the mounting panic within, "now would be a good time to attack!"

As I have pretty much nothing to add to combat right now, Khai is just going to move back and ready an attack, and trying to order Ankh into combat. Do I need to make a Handle Animal roll? Not sure, I'll roll just in case.

Handle Animal: [roll0]

[Sen isSaqqara]

At Khai's call, Ankh comes flying out of the dormitory and hides for a moment under Khai's robes, before emerging to advance slowly towards the wolf. Sen also moves forward, brandishing his walking stick. He clearly knows what he's doing, but you have to wonder how effective the frail old man will be.

Nakht's ibis takes in the scene with a practiced precision, and moves purposefully towards Awal. It nods its head, and a golden glow suffuses the fighter. Blessings of my patron upon you, warrior.

The ibis is using Divine Favor on Awal, giving him +1 to attack and damage for the next minute. Ankh and Sen are readying attacks.

Updated map: (I've changed the summons/pets to just being smaller dots in the same color as their players.)
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j398/dreamingmage/Kemet/Akassis%20Pass%204_zpst8rxgzlk.jpg

[nwestninja]

Awal is a bit slower to react then he would have liked, but alas he was distracted. He focuses himself on the target and makes his way with haste to the enemy.

Feeling the blessings upon him and whispering a quick prayer, Awal swings his dagger at his target.


Attack Roll: [roll0] (1d20+4 attack bonus + 1 blessed)

[Sen isSaqqara]

As Awal approaches the wolf, it keeps a steady eye on him, shifting from paw to paw and letting out a steady whine. When he lunges, the wolf sidesteps neatly, almost completely dodging the attack. Awal pulls the knife through nothing but stray fur, but in moving aside, the wolf throws itself off balance and has to take a step back rather than biting out in counter-attack.

The wolf was taking a total defense action, otherwise you would have landed a hit.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j398/dreamingmage/Kemet/Akassis%20Pass%205_zpsp6oyiahl.jpg

[Varus]

Nakt looks as the fight begins. He looks to the murals and prays Shekt we do not mean to intrude. Please protect us in our journey.[roll0]

[Sen isSaqqara]

Nakht's prayer goes unanswered for a moment. Then, in that odd way that the gods tend to speak in to one's head, he senses a grin. It's almost like hearing whatever sound a grin would make, but it is a definite sensation. The prayer has not gone unanswered, and as if guided by a divine hand, Nakht's eyes happen upon a stone cylinder lying amongst the rubble near the bottom of the wall to his left. It is covered in pictographs and an old hieratic script. It is almost certainly some kind of holy talisman, or relic. If not, it might still serve as a half-decent blunt weapon. Sekmet is nothing if not generous.

At the head of the corridor, a second sand wolf lunges into view from around the corner. It throws itself at Awal while his attention is focused on its mate. Luckily, it does not manage to land a bite on the fighter. As it ducks back, the first wolf makes a try in turn. It almost gets Awal, but dodges back early away from his knife. Neither wolf seems to want to die today, so instead they fight in tandem, looking for a good opportunity to take the fighter down while covering for one another.

Both wolves will fight defensively. They will try to make trip attempts if they hit (assuming in the second case that you're not already down). Wolf #2, our newcomer, will attack first, at the bottom of the initiative list. Then, #1 will make an attack at the top of the list.
Attack roll for Wolf #2: [roll0]
Crit confirm, if needed: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]
Strength check, to trip: [roll3]
Attack roll for Wolf #1: [roll4]
Crit confirm, if needed: [roll5]
Damage: [roll6]
Strength check, to trip: [roll7]

Edit: I forgot to factor in the wolves' flanking bonus, but it still doesn't get them to the 15 they'd need to hit Awal. Looks like you're safe for this round!

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j398/dreamingmage/Kemet/Akassis%20Pass%206_zpslay43cjh.jpg

[3SecondCultist]

Seeing the wolves close in on Awal, Khai has an idea. If Ankh listens to me... why won't the wolves? The serval is certainly responding well enough to his suggestions, and he's certainly not going to mix it up in the melee.

So Khai steps just close enough to be in plain view of the desert carnivores and slowly drops to his knees. It's a trick to calm a rabid dog, and he can only hope that the wolves will respond in a like manner.

Going for another Handle Animal check, this time to calm the wolves down a bit.

Handle Animal (vs. wolves): [roll0]

[Sen isSaqqara]

Only the second wolf sees Khai, and it seems to interpret his crouch less as a gesture of peace and more as a preparation to pounce. It focuses its attention on him, but it is too caught up in the fight with Awal to take action, at least for the moment. Ankh, on the other hand, pounces forward and swipes at the distracted wolf. She lands a hit and barely misses another, before the wolf ducks backwards away from her bite, whimpering and shaking blood from its nose. Beside her, Sen moves forward, holding his staff out in front of him in a fighter's stance. His eyes gleam with certainty: he's done this many a time before, and he isn't really thinking about how to move, instead letting the actions flow from his memory. Behind them both, the ibis of Thoth darts to the left, bringing itself up behind Awal and Sen. Its eyes dart back and forth, waiting for an opportunity to deliver the healing magic that it has begun to build up around itself.

Ankh is making a Pounce, Sen will move forward and take a total defense. He's mostly just trying to block the second wolf from getting to the ibis. The ibis will move forward and ready an action to heal whoever takes damage first of Awal and Sen.

Ankh:
Claws Attack Rolls: [roll0][roll1]
Claws Crit Confirms: [roll2][roll3]
Claws Damage Rolls: [roll4][roll5]
Bite Attack Roll: [roll6]
Bite Crit Confirm: [roll7]
Bite Damage Roll: [roll8]

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j398/dreamingmage/Kemet/Akassis%20Pass%207_zps7okaslep.jpg

[nwestninja]

Awal decides shuffle 5ft diagonally to place himself strategically behind the other wolf (5ft step).

He then attempts to slice the wolf that sits between him and Ankh.



1d20+4 bab +1 blessed + 2 flanking
Attack roll: [roll0]

[Sen isSaqqara]

As the wolf backs away from Ankh's claws Awal steps neatly behind it and catches it across the flank with a dagger. It bites in, tearing deep past fur, and the wolf howls in pain.
Alright, this wolf is definitely hurting. Nice shot!
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j398/dreamingmage/Kemet/Akassis%20Pass%208_zps4a8ryqzj.jpg

[Varus]

Nakht smiles, his prayers have been answered. He moves to pick up the relic (5 ft step). Holding it in his hands as he attempts to interpret it.D20+10 [\ROLL]


[roll]1d20+10

[Sen isSaqqara]

Upon closer inspection, the relic is a clay tube of a kind sometimes used to hold papyrus scrolls. Something rattles inside when it is picked up. The markings on it and the gold band around one end mean that it is likely sealed with magic. If it is opened improperly, and without the appropriate words of veneration to Sekmet, the document inside will consume itself in a burst of flame. While Nakht can tell all this from the first row of characters around the tube, the second prove more cryptic. They are instructions for a variation in the normal Rite of Opening for such a tube, but they are worded ambiguously, and he will have to read on and cross-reference backwards to work out the meaning.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the hall, the wolves are having a tough time of the fight. The wounded wolf draws back, snapping at the slightest movement in its direction. Blood drips from its side, and it whines in pain. The other wolf repositions itself, lunging to the side before lunging at Awal, daring him to turn his back completely to its mate. It lands a solid snap on his off-arm, but he manages to pull the arm away before it can bite down too hard.

Wolf #2 is staying put and taking a total defense action. Wolf #1 is 5-foot stepping around Awal and attacking him, taking advantage of its newfound flanking.
Wolf #1 Attack Roll: [roll0]
Crit Confirmation: [roll1]
Damage roll: [roll2]
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j398/dreamingmage/Kemet/Akassis%20Pass%209_zpsnf5rzsse.jpg

[3SecondCultist]

Khai, seeing one member of his expedition hurt, immediately calls out to Ankh from where he kneels on the ground. "Hurt the one closer to me! Use Awal's movements to harry the wolf." He makes sure to punctuate his words with clear gestures, so the cat can follow them in the heat of battle.

Still not stepping closer to combat himself, the charlatan watches... and hopes that the serval will choose to heed him and go for the more distracted of the two. With any luck, they will tell it here so that the fighter can focus his energies on the last attacker.

Another Handle Animal check, this time to try and get Ankh to focus all of her attacks in one place and take advantage of that sweet, sweet +2 flanking bonus.

Handle Animal: [roll0]

[Sen isSaqqara]

Perhaps acting on Khai's command, or perhaps on her own initiative, Ankh lashes out at the wolf in front of her with all her might. Catching it in the rear flank with one claw, then another, she tears through muscle and sends the wolf sprawling, unable to stand. It collapses in a heap, breathing, but otherwise still. Its mate howls out, but Sen is close on its tail, stepping forward and lashing out guardedly at the remaining beast. Even in his old age, and even though he is paying close attention to not leaving any openings, it is a beautiful strike. Unfortunately, it fails to do much more than annoy the wolf. Excellent though his skills may still be, his body is growing old, and the strike lacks power. Behind him, the ibis darts forward with a series of precise movements, delivering a healing touch to Awal.

Ankh's attacks:
Claws Attack Rolls: [roll0][roll1]
Claws Crit Confirms: [roll2][roll3]
Claws Damage Rolls: [roll4] (whoops, only rolled one attack. Ankh takes it out regardless)
Bite Attack Roll: [roll5]
Bite Crit Confirm: [roll6]
Bite Damage Roll: [roll7]

If she hits, Sen will move forward and defensively attack the other wolf beside Awal:
Attack Roll: [roll8]
Crit Confirm: [roll9]
Damage Roll: [roll10]

If Ankh hits, the ibis will move up to heal Awal:
Cure Light Wounds: [roll11]
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j398/dreamingmage/Kemet/Akassis%20Pass%2010_zpsaurukdor.jpg

[nwestninja]

Awal feels the rush of the battle as he turns around to face the wolf who bit him, with a devilish grin he slices at the wolf fervently.


+4 bab +1 bless

Roll: [roll0]

[Sen isSaqqara]

Awal's slice opens the wolf's shoulder, and it howls its pain. It jumps backwards, backing away and keeping a low profile. It bows its head, beaten, but keeps a low eye on its mate's collapsed form.

The wolf is ready to give up, if you'll let it. If you want to finish the combat to the death, I'll post an updated map and we can keep going. If you want to spare it, we can end initiative order and move on.

[Varus]

Nakht looks at the ruins and attempts to open the tub.[roll0]

[Sen isSaqqara]

Reading farther down the tube, Nakht finds an older symbol that takes him a moment to place. Once he figures out what it is, however, he can place the exact variety of Old Heiratic used before, and it is the work of an instant to mutter a few words in the old tongue and gesture a few simple shapes above the canister. When he does, the bottom cap pops out on its own, and two things clatter to the floor. First is a sword, shining copper with a slick leather grip. It is short and broad, etched with a truly ancient variety of Heiratic Kemetian in a dialect that eludes even Nakht, at least for the moment. Second is a piece of venerable and dry papyrus. It is rolled into a stiff tube, and must be treated carefully with fresh water to be unrolled after so many years in the tube.

[3SecondCultist]

As the first wolf collapses and its pack mate starts to retreat, Khai takes a deep breath. He's relieved that ankh isn't hurt, but looks curiously at the ibis as it heals Awal's wounds. Good thing to have in a pinch. The thin man smiles broadly at the other members of their little expedition.

"Well, that went as well as could be expected. Good work on those forms there, Awal. I was starting to think that the goddess herself had sent down a champion to defend us! I'll certainly be happy to have you by my side on this adventure of ours." He makes sure to stroke Ankh's pelt for an appropriate amount of time as well, to make sure that his praise is evenly distributed.

"Now," he says looking to the old man, "where are we off to - ooh, what do we have here? Is that a sword? How delightful. I myself will not volunteer to carry such a blade, weak man that I am. Perhaps our warrior here can take up the blade?"

[Varus]

I would agree. It is a weapon suited for such a warrior but first may I try to read the markings on it

[nwestninja]

Awal will put away his daggers and grab the body of his dead foe. He will put it near the door so the other mutt can take it back with him and will turn to his allies seeing what the next steps will be.

[Sen isSaqqara]

The defeated wolf seems hesitant about you touching its mate, but once Awal drags the unconscious body over, it calms down. The body in indeed unconscious as opposed to dead, still breathing slowly. When the two are reunited, the waking wolf drags its companion by the scruff towards the wall mural from which it emerged. Touching a spot near the ground with its nose, it stands back and allows a secret door to swing open, driven by ancient mechanisms behind the wall. It drags its mate into the corridor beyond, and the door creaks shut behind it. Sen watches closely as this happens, his eyes staying locked to the spot touched by the wolf. "Did you see that? I wonder how it learned to do that... Do you think we should follow it?"

At the other end of the hall, Nakht has little luck with the stylized pictographs on the sword. Their densely-packed forms are interwoven with a curving pattern in a way that would make them difficult to read even if they were written in common Heiratic glyphs. As it is, their pattern touches at something in Nakht's mind, but it hovers just beyond memory. It will likely take some time of dedicated study to figure out the inscription. Ankh, calming down from Khai's petting, makes her way to the scroll on the floor beside the sword, nudging it with her nose.

[3SecondCultist]

"Given that they just attacked us? I'd say sure, what's the harm?" Khai replies only semi-sarcastically. The secret passage is definitely intriguing, but there are other ways through the temple. A real priest of Bast wouldn't shrink down from the challenge, right? He sighs inwardly. Looking down at his cat companion, Khai ponders the scroll for a moment before picking it up and trying to read its contents. Not out loud, of course - he's read enough horror stories to know better than that.

I know you can't make untrained Knowledge checks, but could Khai make an Intelligence check to at least understand the vagaries of the scroll? No worries if not (ignore the roll in that case).

Intelligence: [roll0]

[Sen isSaqqara]

Khai picks up the scroll, which creaks with dry age. It feels like it's about to turn to dust in his hands, but he manages to uncurl it enough to see the first line of heiroglyphs. The red sun of Sekmet is inscribed next to the sitting figure that indicates priests. A series of other symbols follow, and at a guess, they would seem to indicate that this message was sent to the priests of this temple by someone who associated themselves with swords and art.
The scroll resists being opened farther, desiccated into immobility. Perhaps adding some water might make it more readily openable, but doing so would also likely destroy the inks after a short time.

Back near the hidden door, Sen grins at Khai's response. "Well, I don't think they're going to want to fight much in their current state. You're probably right, though. Perhaps we shouldn't push our luck."

[3SecondCultist]

"No, perhaps not," Khai replies, trying to contain his relief. "His scroll seems to invoke Sekhmet and her priesthood. Judging by the symbols, it would appear as though whoever wanted to get in touch with the acolytes here was either an artist or a swordsman... or both."

Reaching into his pack, the charlatan-turned adventurer produces his leather waterskin, from which he carefully squeezes a few drops of water to the parched papyrus, but not before pulling out some chalk and approaching a blank stone wall. Best to copy this out as we see it.

[Sen isSaqqara]

As the scroll unrolls, more of the text becomes readable. Below the first line, it switches from heiratic script to the more easily-readable common script. Khai's careful application of water preserves most of the script, only slightly smudging a few letters here and there. It reads roughly as follows:
Jemel,
Here is your blade. It is as close a replica as I can make. The forging process went splendidly, and in seeing the result I was almost convinced that I held in my hands the original, the legendary Fool's Blade itself. Of course, despite my best efforts, this replica has no arcane potency. Nonetheless, to an untrained observer, it should appear identical to the relic.
This brings me to an unfortunate bit of news. While transporting the Fool's Blade back from the shop, I was accosted by common bandits! The streets of fair Abydos are no longer safe to walk at night, it would seem. What sorry times we find ourselves living in, when a man cannot even make his way home without being relieved of the artifact he carries. I fear that if the thieves' leader should draw the blade, the city may be in for a fearsomly lead reign of crime. Who, after all, can resist the call of whoever holds that cursed sword?
In any event, I will endeavor to regain the original Blade and ship it to you. In the meantime, here is the finished product: I hope it is all you wished for.
Your old friend and eternal servant by the lights of Sekmet and Nekbet,
Terhit isAbydos the Craftsman

[Varus]

We should insure that there are no other secret chambers. We wouldn't want to be fought off guard again[roll0] trap finding

[Sen isSaqqara]

Searching around the rooms, Nakht quickly finds what he is looking for. The first place he looks is across from the door used by the wolves. Sure enough, now that he knows what to look for, the mural quite obviously covers another door. Within a few moments, he has it open: a panel near the bottom sets off hidden mechanisms when pushed, and the door swings wide. Behind it, a narrow passage turns left, and then descends down a set of stairs into darkness.

[nwestninja]

Awal will walk towards the hidden passageway and will say "I will go first then." . He will take out his shield and carefully/slowly walk through. If no one follows, he will continue walking through. If his eyes do not adjust to the darkness he will stop.

[3SecondCultist]

"Make sure to keep the Not-Fool's Blade close!" Khai says to Awal in a sing-song voice as the group heads for the secret passage. He's committed the better part of the message to memory, and written the most pertinent parts on the wall in chalk besides. He takes another look at it, contemplating erasing the words. Then he leaves it.

"I do love the dark, don't you? There could be anything down here... monsters, gold, golden monsters... anything at all!"

[Sen isSaqqara]

Sen moves towards doorway, then hesitates. "Perhaps one of us stay up here and watch over the girl back by the other doors?"

Nakht's summoned Ibis replies quickly: speaking without speaking, you hear it in your minds even though its mouth never moves. I shall watch over her, if you wish. Should any harm arrive, I shall notify you, priest. It steps towards Awal as it speaks, though it keeps its eyes fixed on Nakht. When it gets to the fighter, it taps his shield with its beak. The shield begins to emit a warm glow, lighting the passage ahead. Please do not hurt yourselves by tripping down darkened stairs. The process of returning myself to my master's side without a proper dismissal from you is... unpleasant.

Now that the stairs are properly illuminated. you can see that they extend some thirty feet or so horizontally. At the bottom, the passage seems to open into a chamber to the left.

[Varus]

Nakt nods in approval as the Ibis illuminates the passage. Well done, the lights will come into assitance. We shall makes sure to return in one piece. Nakt follows Awal towards the passage What an exciting turn of events, I wonder what we shall find down here.

Shall we go see what secrets have been hidden away in the temple

[Sen isSaqqara]

You descend the stairs, pushing the light down into the depths. When you reach the bottom, you see that the steps do indeed open into a room. It is tall, carved from the sandstone in a fairly simple way. Where the chambers above were lavishly engraved and painted, the walls here are bare. It is dry and sandy, the floor covered in a layer of grit.

You enter the room from the northwestern corner. Across from you, in the southwest corner, another stairwell heads back upwards. The most interesting feature of the room, however, is embedded in the eastern wall. Three huge blocks of strange gray rock form a great doorway in the wall, but through the doorway is nothing but another red-beige sandstone wall. The grey stone is carved with swirling lines and loops, seemingly abstract but precise and quite definitely purposeful in their organization. The walls to either side of the great doorway are simple and bare, chiseled sandstone.

The oddest part of the whole thing is the gray stone. You've never seen anything like it. Kemet is built mostly on sandstone in the south and sometimes on white marble in parts of the far north, and a few odd spots along the river. Gray stone is new to you, dark and harsh and cold. It sends a brief chill through Awal when he first sees it, causing him to stop for a moment and backing up the procession behind him. Something about it seems odd, unnatural, and perhaps simply wrong. It feels alien in an inexplicable way, and it causes you discomfort.

[3SecondCultist]

When they descend into the darkness, Khai is more than happy to take the back line, letting Ankh explore up ahead of him with Awal. The emergence of this chamber, with its strange stone walls, feels slightly odd to him... but then again, so does telling the truth. So he makes a conscious decision to try his best not to be bothered by it. Or at the very least, focus on other facets of the room. "Oh look, that must be a puzzle of some sort! The symbols don't look like anything I recognize, at least. Any clues as to how to get through the obvious gate, Sen?"

Not sure if there's an applicable Knowledge skill to roll, but here's an Intelligence check just in case!

Intelligence: [roll0]

Edit: at least it's not a 1! :smallbiggrin: