[Gameplay] 3. The Sanctum

Tabat point his sword to the lone remaining attacker on the rooftop. "Return to your masters with your life, if you'll choose to keep it, so they may know they will find no purchase here. The Destined Delvers are here by right and will defend our claim, by the will and grace of the Gods, old and new!"

Iseret, Khadi, and Tabat have acted. Archibald and Skarab still have actions.

Skarab will ready an action. If the remaining combatant goes to act hostily (i.e. drawing his weapon, lunging towards one of Skarab's allies, etc.), Skarab will fire a crossbow bolt at the enemy.

We'll skip Archibald then.

The thug on the roof, knowing he's outmanned at this point, slides down a rope on the side facing you, down to the ground level. He then runs to the (map left) and is out of sight.

Skarab can fire off a shot if he wants, as a readied action.

What do the rest of you do?

'Should we stop him? I assume they just meant to rob lottery goers...' Even as she speaks she touches her amulet and healing flows through the group.

She will glance to see if any of the downed ones are still breathing.

Tabat relaxes visibly, but keeps his weapon drawn just in case. "There could be more of them waiting ahead. Let's be vigilant and press on."

Skarab keeps his crossbow loaded, he stands up, and he walks, looking around for signs of other ambushes.

Do you spend time to recover anything from their bodies? Three are easily accessible on the ground, but two will require someone to climb up onto the roofs (there are ropes hanging down, so not very difficult).

'I am hesitant to just leave these bodies here. The Necropolis is a well of necromantic energy. Even if they tried to harm us in life, I have no wish for them to be tormented with unlife.' Khadi starts to go to each, speaking prayers to both Khepri and Pharasma over them. 'If we run into a member of the guard we should alert them as to what happened here. If not not I will inform my father when home. They can search for the one who ran away.'

As she says her prayers she will also look for any indication why they may have chosen to attack the group.

"That is well," Tabat says to Khadi. While she is prayer over the dead, Tabat will search them over - things of beneficial value would never be harmful, but primarily he hopes to find something that might indicate who they were or what they were doing here.

The three thugs on the ground have khopeshs and masterwork longbows. Unfortunately, they have no notes or employment contract scrolls indicating their intentions.

Tabat takes up one of the longbows and straps a quiver of arrows over his body, just in case more enemies attack from the rooftops. He helps Khadi care for the bodies of the dead as is appropriate given the circumstances.

"Ready to move on when you all are," he suggests when all is complete.

Skarab nods and continues walking forward cautiously, crossbow loaded and ready.

Kadi will ask Tabat for help reaching those on the rooftops to say her prayers there, and check them, then will hold ready to continue.

The two on the rooves have nets, their armor, rope, and fine blades.

Ooohh! Skarab will trade his scimitar for a masterwork one! He would like a tanglefoot bag, too!

With your sketched map, you easily find the Sanctum of the Erudite Eye.

Although the Sanctum’s central nave is symmetrical, the rest of the structure does not conform to traditional architecture, with wings and extensions on both sides that, except for the uniformity of the stonework, appear to have been haphazard additions. A large dome over the apse tops the roof at the north end of the temple. The Sanctum is windowless, and the temple’s exterior walls are carved with likenesses of the Nethys and other celestial figures.

No doors block the grand entrance to this building—a wide flight of steps leads directly up into the temple’s interior. Two humanoid statues flank the stairs, wearing black-and-white masks and holding quarterstaves. Just inside the entry, two rows of columns lead toward an archway in the north wall. Two smaller passages open to the east and west.

'I can see why our friends from the Inn wanted this site. They may be greatful if we offer them any relics. There was that jewel they were looking for wasn't there? We should keep an eye out for it.' Khadi muses as she looks up at the structure before remembering the newer members of the group.

' One of the other groups.. The scorched Hand I think they called themselves wanted this site. Well a jewl called the Erudite eye. Seeing as they share a name... She shrugs. ' We have had good luck in this lottery, it makes sense to offer it to them first of we find it. Anyway, trap finders first..' She suddenly claps her hands together and then gestures to Tabat and Iseret, ready to get started.

Tabat nods in agreement. Letting the more observant members of their group go first, he otherwise leads them forward into the Sanctum.