[Gameplay] 7. The Search for the Forgotten Pharoah

Iseret now reacts, striking with her shortsword and hoping to hit a vital spot.

Iseret's quick actions cut the remaining structural wrappings of the strange mummy. It falls to the ground in a heap. Combat is over.

Beside the golem is the body of the curator Khnenti, clearly a central figure in this research. Around you are the dark scrolls and tomes kept hidden from most of the world. Further careful checking reveals that none of the other sarcophagi contain any undead or mummy golems or even anything of note other than the bodies of lesser priests.

You can research further here, or you can attempt to gain information from the ancient priest's body.

"It was no match for our combined might!" Tabat says with a nod to the others, "Well done. Now this must be the curator that was mentioned. Let's see if this works the way I think it does..."

He summons forth the magic in the mask and directs his next words to the corpse. "Speak now, and tell us what you know."

The spirit of Khnenti answers when questioned. "I became obsessed with the mystery of the Sky Pharoah. The Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh is said to contain a portion of Hakotep's soul, his ka, which is said to give the mask its magical abilities. I sought a long quest to unravel these mysteries." He then lists those abilities, but you already know them.

"The Sacrosanct Order of the Blue Feather sought to obtain the mask in order to communicate with the Sky Pharoah to learn his darkest secrets. I do not know if they have succeeded."

"The Scrolls of Inquiry are here in this library, but in a neighbouring room."

You can also make research checks in here. Having consulted with the spirit of Khnenti gives you a +5 bonus on those checks. There are Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (local), or knowledge (religition), with an additional bonus of +9 (+4 for the organization of the library, +5 for the assistance of Khnenti). The DC (or Complexity) is 20.

Khadi listens as the curator answers Tabat's spell, before setting to work with his guidance.

Iseret also sets to work looking.

Tabat steps back from the corpse, noting his mention of the scrolls in the next room. "Hakotep's ka, in the mask," he ponders out loud, "No wonder they want it. We cannot allow them success."

He looks through the books in the room, trying to puzzle out anything further he can, any shred of information that might help them learn how to stop those seeking the mask.

While you've not yet found the Scrolls of Inquiry, you do learn:

You discover a collection of architectural plans detailing a series of tomb designs of incredible complexity. Each plan is labeled with a double hieroglyph of an owl inside a house. A character who can read Ancient Osiriani (Iseret) realizes that this hieroglyph is the "signature" of the architect, a person named Chisisek. A successful DC 30 Knowledge (engineering) or Knowledge (local) check identifies Chisisek as (TBD).There is also a note mentioning a meeting between Chisisek and the Sky Pharaoh, but nothing more in this archive.

Following up on Khnenti’s research on Hakotep, you further learn that the priest carried out further study in an archive of the Great Library called the Vault of Hidden Wisdom. The location of the Vault is secret, but worthy scholars can find the entrance by casting their eyes from the summit of the Tower of Ra’s Glory at dawn on midsummer’s day.

Knowledge (local) for Iseret.

None of you know who this Chisisek is, but perhaps you can find out by asking the right people elsewhere if you're curious.

As to the Dark Depository, you've nearly found all that you came for. The Scrolls of Inquiry must be in here somewhere, just not where you've looked.

Where do you go?

"Well, there were three halls, and from what the dead man said the Scrolls are in a nearby room. Shall we try the last hallway?"