Making Headway
Tam:
Between yourself and Respen, you figure out that within the first 30 feet (to a distance which ends 1 square to the west of the furthermost column) there are no traps of any kind. This gives the party a bit of breathing room, and space to move around a little.
Hidden under the dust on the floor, Tam discovers that there are several, yellow-colored flagstones that form a cryptic phrase, written in an unknown language. Tam motions for Respen, who approaches and inspects the writing.
GM: | DM NOTE: Respen's Decipher Script check is sufficient to read the phrase, without needing to roll. | |
"...When the Sphinx Queen faces west, the time to enter the tomb is best."
Respen:
At this point, Respen's
Darkvision allows him to see another 60 feet, making the range that has been observed a total of 90 feet (some 35 feet past where Thallok claimed that his range of vision ended; ) and yet, an end to the corridor STILL cannot be seen!
The murals on the walls depict the history of the Sphinx Empire. They span the entire distance between where the columns begin and end. The north wall depicts the spiritual founding of the empire, with scenes of the sphinxes working hand-in-hand with the gods. As you continue to the east, the scenes show great monuments being erected by the lesser races, and the founding of medicine and knowledge. The southern murals depict the royal lineage of the Sphinx Empire and their passage to the afterlife. Several scenes depict sphinxes on reed ships traveling down a turbid river with the sun brightly illuminating the way. On the prow of the ship, another sphinx can be seen reading a scroll.
Among all the murals, Respen notices that carefully illustrated into the scenes, so as to not readily be apparent, the name of the Sphinx Queen is spelled out, in the
Common tongue:
A N K H A R E T.
Vale:
Each column has grooves carved into it at measured intervals, indicating that the columns can be rotated clockwise, with great effort. Vale says that the columns are designed to rotate in quarter turns, each turn resulting in a different rune (one of four possible runes) being placed in the primary position. Vale does
NOT know what the runes mean. One last thing of note: while moving around, inspecting the columns, you became POSITIVE, from the way the air smells, and from the temperature of the stone, that the party is at least 1300+ feet (over a quarter of a mile!) underground.
Val sputters, "Get the flower-eating Elf to come decipher this madness!"
GM: |
Respen, roll a Decipher Script check, unknown DC. Tell me the result in the group LINE chat.
| |