Posts

@Cerebrate19  
”Hm…interesting. It looks like the doors can only be opened from the inside.
 
@Jinx  
(Not really)

(So, uh, are paragraphs every post still required?

@neutralgrey  
“incurring the wrath of the pharaoh, who might for all we know actually have bound his spirit to this place… remember the part about powerful ancient magic? curses are no joke.”
 
their earth mages could theoretically break through of course, but he decided to look for a key of sorts instead.

@Cerebrate19  
“A bit odd seeing as how they weren’t unicorns. Though I guess we’ll have to figure that mystery out for ourselves.”
 
The Party advances into the ruins, occasionally taking treasures along the way…for research purposes of course! They were then stopped by a large stone door with various inscriptions carved into it
 
”Hm…I might be able to translate this. Give me a second…”
 
After a few minutes she managed to give a rough translation
 
”Whosover shall disturb this tomb shall incur the wrath of the Pharoh. Hm, nothing to worry about I guess. Just an old warning, but we do have to find a way through this wall…”

he takes it with a nod.
 
“sandstone’s words worry me. The zebras of old knew powerful magic.”

“Right.”
 
Citrine then spoke up
 
Keep going further inside, if my hunch is correct the scroll we’re looking for should be with the head priest of this temple. Judging from where you all are you shouldn’t be far.
 
One the mages used his magic to light all the old torches and provide them with some light. The torches seemingly illuminated a path, where it led to was anyone’s guess. One of the mages handed Fireshine an old torch
 
“Here you are sir.”

@neutralgrey  
“we travel light ourselves for a reason, soldier. With this find we can afford to send a more suited expedition to generate wells and build waystations later. Now we have a task to finish.”

@Cerebrate19  
(Fashionably late response)
 
An Earth mage picks up a coin and starts to examine it before whistling
 
“These coins are solid gold and are pretty thick. You sure we need to find an ancient tome? There’s enough valuables here we can buy an army.”
 
Another mage spoke
 
“Magic is worth more than coin, if we can unlock their secrets we won’t need a mercenary army.”
 
“Suit yourself, I’m still taking a few. Who knows? Might even be able to fund my own expedition!”

@neutralgrey  
“i heard about their belief of what happens after death, but seeing as most everything is still here i’d guess the souls of the departed prefer to travel light.”

They enter into a large chamber with countless rooms that contained vast treasures
 
I read that these ancient Zebras would be buried with their treasures. Apparently they believed that they’d be needed for the afterlife…I think. All the scrolls I read on this topic never called it the afterlife, just the next life.

@neutralgrey  
Earth mage: “should we try smashing them now?”
 
“let’s just find that artifact and the wall those things in as we leave.”
 
Air mage: “no ranged weapons we can see, we can beat them.”

@neutralgrey  
“at this point i’d be severely disappointed if those rockheads didn’t come to life and attack us… probably waiting until we try to get out.”

@Cerebrate19  
There were smaller statues inside that looked like jackals standing on two legs and with two arms with scythe like swords held to their chests
 
”This is so fascinating! I wish we had more time to search!”

@neutralgrey  
assembling another firebird, fireshine sent to construct in to act as a flying torch.
 
the air mages made sure to circulate the outflowing air around them and the group had tailwind from the air they brought in.

@Cerebrate19  
(Lol! Good to know you know that you can get sick opening up old tombs!)
 
Upon opening the doors, it sounds like someone groaning as the thousands year old air escapes the tomb. Before them was inky blackness

@neutralgrey  
“somehow this feels like a warning… that or skulls had a more noble significance to these people.”
 
he was done wasting time though, an air mage surrounded them in infection shields, not that they’d share the fate of other archeologists that opened these without preparation, and two earth mages got to work enhancing their strength to pull it open.

@Cerebrate19  
Before them stood two massive doors leading into the black pyramid, all along the door were signs of skulls and bones

@neutralgrey  
(it’s fine, really.)
 
“so long as they don’t attack us.”

@Cerebrate19  
No, these are guardians by the looks of it. Whatever is inside must be important!
 
(Sorry for the wait, had a rough couple of days)

“now i’m not an expert on ancient culture, but the eagle is a pretty big deal to the desert folk… is the scorpion his sworn enemy?”
 
they coninued on regardless, significance aside, they had a job to do.

@Cerebrate19  
(Got it)
 
As they made their way to the pyramid they could see large objects that looked like monuments. One looked like a giant scorpion, the other looked like a giant eagle.

@neutralgrey  
(elite mages are mainly elementalists of varying mastery, he basically left nearly the whole rank and file behind, except a few nightmares that aid him on polaris’ orders.)

@Cerebrate19  
(How many troops does he have? And what type are they?)

@neutralgrey  
he confirms this as the elite mage force enters the ruined city, heading to the black pyramid.