Chronicles of Toth Nekamek
Room 13 - Chronicles of Toth Nekamek Created by Craig stone “Ferret”
Door: The door that blocks the passageway to the room is inscribed with Hieratic, a decipher script check of 20 will reveal that the phrase is “A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing”. Otherwise the door swings freely outward.
Features:
The walls of the room are lined with book selves, each full of books as thick as a fist, and smothered in a thick shroud of dust. The book’s chronicle Toth Nekameks life in astounding and pointless detail; what’s more is that each is written in Hieroglyphics and requires a Decipher script check of 30. A single book sticks out; it looks as though it has been recently read and it’s gold adorned cover is clear of any dust. If you can read the hieroglyphs (DC 30) on the cover, you tell that this is The Book of the Dead, or you could recognise with a knowledge: religion check (DC 18). Otherwise you can blindly open it, either way when you crack open this tome you see that the first page is made out of gold and reads,
Chained no more he will arise
His sarcophagus behind the sarcophagus
And there he shall lay, the desert at his feet
Oh, whence the animals flock to him he shall awaken,
Soon with the Jackal at his feet.
And His six loyal guards will rise with him
While the two traitors suffer in eternal torment
And he will reclaim his throne in the hall of celebrants,
In songs and laughter the people will feast his return,
The Ram and Horse will await him,
Soon he will arise anew.
You find many other, unrelated passages and indecipherable scribbles between margins on the following papyrus pages. One phrase that sticks out in particular, once the players succeed a search check (DC 15) is that whoever added the extra messages believed that “things do not bode well for the Pharaoh”.
Also an observant adventurer would notice that the first book shelf on the right is in fact a cleverly disguised slab of rock, this however requires a spot check 20 to discover.
Encounter (EL 3-4):
On the second square in is a pressure plate that triggers the first book shelf on your right to fall. Rock slab: CR 1; mechanical; location; manual reset; Reflex dc 15(3d6, stone); on square; Search DC 15; Disable Device DC 20.
A lone human figure stands in the room; he seems shy and wants to be lead out of the tomb. If the party can defeat the characters bluff check (See stat block) they can tell that he is lying. If the Librarian is ‘persuaded’ he may reveal that he is in fact a doppelganger paid by one of Toth Nekamek’s enemies to be a spy inside the Kings tomb after it had been opened, however the doppelganger was taken by surprise when the Gnolls trapped it behind the Wight. If all enemies are defeated it may venture further to gain more information on the dead pharaoh, how it is unlikely that it will be co-operatve.
Doppelganger CR 3;Medium Shapechanger ; HD 4d8+4 (Shapechanger); hp 22; Init +1; Spd 30; AC 15; Atk +4 base melee, +4 base ranged; +4 (1d6+1, 2 Slam); SA: Detect thoughts (Su); SQ: Alter self (Su), Immunity: Charm (Ex), Immunity: Sleep (Ex); AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6; STR 12, DEX 13, CON 12, INT 13, WIS 14, CHA 13.
Skills and feats: Bluff+12, Disguise+12, Listen+11, Sense Motive+6, Spot+8, Alertness, Dodge.
Description/Combat:
The Doppelganger first assumes a human male with flowing yellow black robes that suggests some one of high status perhaps a ritual researcher or official chronicler. Given the chance he may negotiate with the Gnolls for his safe return.
If the doppelganger enters combat it will assume the largest and most scary form it can to better intimidate the party, however it has no weapons or armour so does not make much of an opponent. If it realises certain defeat it may change into a gnoll and run off to alert the others.
Notes:
If the doppelganger is allowed to leave it may lead on to a new adventure. Also note that some of Toth Nekameks enemies may be goodly.
