We will talk to you later, Yrix. For now, the chase is on!
Init:
Detressa gives chase, though her reaction is far slower than Badang’s is. She’ll pull out her coin with the light spell on it as she goes.
Mara whirls at the sound of the voice of 'Yrix the Great' emanating from the northern end of the room. Loaded crossbow raised, she watches silently as Kua inspects the table along the northern wall.
Chase-
Rag man: 22
Badang: 19
Detressa: 2
The rag swaddled figure runs off with surprising speed into the darkness, disappearing from immediate sight.
DM Screen:
Kua pulls back the cloth to reveal a long, coiled snake with a wide, hairless humanoid face. Yrix's tail twitches as it speaks indignantly.
"Uncouth biped! No respect for privacy! If you won't do business with the great Yrix you had best leave the way you came!"
"I am in no way able to chase a man. So I stay and chat." As Kua rips off the cloth, Yang starts in surprise. He may recognize the creature ...
knowledge dungeoneering
"I may do business with the great Yrix. What sort of donation is required to access the door?"
Dungeoneering DC 13:
classified as an aberration. Like it's ophidian cousins, it can lunge to attack foes normally beyond it's reach and its noxious breath can sicken all nearby. It also possesses the ability to influence snakes of all kinds.
Dungeoneering DC 15:
Knowledge Local DC 10:
their "hands" in all kinds of things. Could this be one of them?
Successful Dungeoneering check after Know- Local:
The great Yrix turns to the Tien Bloatmage.
"The tax is 5 gold coins each for Yrix to disable the deadly trap."
DM Screen:
+2 if aberration
Kua gives the creature an inquisitive look after hearing it's demands. He has heard of worm like monsters living in Kaer Maga but knows nothing of them.
Glancing over to Yang: "Well, I suppose we could pay the 5 gold each, or we could just promise not to tie it's stringy little neck in a knot in exchange for the information. What do you think?"
Slippery little rag! Badang strains his eyes as the ragman disappears into the darkness.
Perception:
Mara gives the serpentine creature a quizzical look, trying to determine what the creature is.
"Well, I suppose we could pay the 5 gold each, or we could just promise not to tie it's stringy little neck in a knot in exchange for the information. What do you think?"
"Careful, Kua, that's a really large goblin snake," Mara warns. "It can lunge great distances and breath a noxious cloud to sicken all nearby."
Badang advances through the darkness with torch held aloft, the priestess behind him, but can find no sign of the rag-clad figure. He could have either taken a left and gone down the corridor toward that cathedral or hidden himself further ahead in the darkness.
Mara:
Yrix slinks back slightly at Kua's words, fangs bared.
"Don't be stupid, brutish biped! Yrix knows far more about this Ossuary than all of you put together! If you're smarter than you look (and Yrix the Great doubts that highly) you will at the very least pay for my information! Special rate for smelly bipeds today: one gold per question!"
DM Screen:
Knowing it for what it is (and not the naga he at first thought it might be) Yang asks the creature, "Why would we pay? Perhaps if you answer our questions, we let you keep your life."
Uwais gives a growl to Waya, ordering her to track the fleeing creatures. He follows behind as quickly as he can, though falling behind on his shorter legs.
Curses!
Mara struggles to keep a straight face as she listens to Yrix's attempt to bluff the party out of their money. While certain that there is no trap on the door, the inquisitor acknowledges to herself that the creature may possess useful information regarding the long-abandoned Ossuary.
Yang asks the creature, "Why would we pay? Perhaps if you answer our questions, we let you keep your life."
"Let's not be so hasty, Master Chen," Mara interrupts. "Yrix the Great may have information that would be of use to us. Perhaps for one silver per question?" the inquisitor offers the goblin snake, removing her money pouch from her pack and shaking it meaningfully.
Mara struggles to keep a straight face as she listens to Yrix's attempt to bluff the party out of their money. While certain that there is no trap on the door, the inquisitor acknowledges to herself that the creature may possess useful information regarding the long-abandoned Ossuary.
Yang asks the creature, "Why would we pay? Perhaps if you answer our questions, we let you keep your life.""Let's not be so hasty, Master Chen," Mara interrupts. "Yrix the Great may have information that would be of use to us. Perhaps for one silver per question?" the inquisitor offers the goblin snake, removing her money pouch from her pack and shaking it meaningfully.
DM Screen:
Yrix glances furtively between Yang and Kua, its serpentine tongue flicking through greasy goblin lips.
"An insult!", Yrix almost squeaks,"The Great Yrix's information is worth at least... eight silver per question! Where else will ignorant bipeds find such wisdom without stepping in it squishily with their strange limbs and digits!"
Uwais gives a growl to Waya, ordering her to track the fleeing creatures. He follows behind as quickly as he can, though falling behind on his shorter legs.
Waya advances through the corridors behind Badang and Detressa. She sniffs the floor at a quick and certain clip- clearly whatever that was had a strong odor. She pauses at the left turn back toward the cathedral, her hackles raised, growling. It must be down that way somewhere...
DM Screen:
Our quarry is a slippery one, is it wise to pursue our current course of action?
“Yes, perhaps its not wise to split up, especially since our companions seem to be dealing with something in the other room. We could be being led into an ambush here. Shall we return?” She looks over to Uwais for confirmation.
Yrix glances furtively between Yang and Kua, its serpentine tongue flicking through greasy goblin lips.
"An insult!", Yrix almost squeaks,"The Great Yrix's information is worth at least... eight silver per question! Where else will ignorant bipeds find such wisdom without stepping in it squishily with their strange limbs and digits!"
Mara stifles a grin, the goblin snake strangely reminding the young woman of her great-aunt Zendra with its haggling.
"Come now, Great Yrix! Two silvers a question and no more. Best accept this deal before our other companions arrive and you are greatly outnumbered. Deal with us fairly and we will leave you in peace," Mara counter-offers.
Yang watches the bargaining with amusement, and adds in, "I still see no reason to bargain. Hmm, he even may be good-tasting, yes? I have eaten regular snake before. But as you see best, Sister Mara."
“Yes, perhaps its not wise to split up, especially since our companions seem to be dealing with something in the other room. We could be being led into an ambush here. Shall we return?” She looks over to Uwais for confirmation.
Uwais nods and calls off Waya. "Better to hunt with the full pack," he says quietly in agreement.
Yrix glances furtively between Yang and Kua, its serpentine tongue flicking through greasy goblin lips.
"An insult!", Yrix almost squeaks,"The Great Yrix's information is worth at least... eight silver per question! Where else will ignorant bipeds find such wisdom without stepping in it squishily with their strange limbs and digits!"Mara stifles a grin, the goblin snake strangely reminding the young woman of her great-aunt Zendra with its haggling.
"Come now, Great Yrix! Two silvers a question and no more. Best accept this deal before our other companions arrive and you are greatly outnumbered. Deal with us fairly and we will leave you in peace," Mara counter-offers.
"FAIR?!", Yrix practically shrieks,"You're not content to threaten Great Yrix in her home, you must make a beggar or her?!"
Yrix's tail twitches in agitation.
"Today's special for filthy, rude bipeds: five silvers per question! That's fifty percent of the normal rate! You won't find another price anywhere in the Ossuary!"
Yrix grins crookedly.
"And if you won't pay, perhaps the other surface biped will..."
Badang moves, back to rejoin his comrades. He arrives in the midst of a bargaining session with an abnormal looking creature.
More creatures to smash?
Kua smiles at Badang's entrance. "Finally, a voice of reason!"
I need to scrape off the pulped mash these other creatures were making on my flail here first. I hope that thing is easy to come off.
"Alright. Five silvers per question. The bargain is struck. Here's my money and my questions," Mara says, removing one gold coin and five silver coins from her pouch and placing them on the ground in front of Yrix.
"Exactly how many other creatures inhabit this ossuary?"
"What types of creatures are each of them?"
"Where EXACTLY are each of them located?"
The inquisitor studies the goblin snake carefully, praying to Sarenrae for holy guidance, wary of any dissembling or move of betrayal on the part of the creature.
What other surface biped is this snake talking about?
DM Screen:
Without a pause, Yrix begins rattling off answers.
"To the west, is an ancient archive- a long oval room filled with stone tablets and carvings. Closer to our position are two rooms with walls covered in mirrors. There is no opposition in those rooms. North is the hallway leading west to east- on the west is a door descending lower into the plateau where smaller, even filthier bipeds draped in rags dwell in the darkness. East of that is the great pit, which descends straight down deep below. Sometimes some more undead arise from within. Beyond the great pit is a black monolith with two dog-ghouls. Beyond even that is the other filthy biped and his undead minions- about twenty in all."
Yrix coils around the coins, pulling them under her.
"South of the western chambers dwell the insane albino dwarves from deep below. There are at least fifteen of them, along with their tamed spiders. Watch out for the one with the bushy eyebrows- it's a mad spellcaster!
Sister Mara:
"And what other 'surface biped' do you speak of? Has another come this way recently?"
"And what other 'surface biped' do you speak of? Has another come this way recently?"
The goblin snake jingles her coins.
"That sounded like another question, fat one..."
"And what other 'surface biped' do you speak of? Has another come this way recently?"The goblin snake jingles her coins.
"That sounded like another question, fat one..."
Yang reaches into his pouch, and pulls out two gold coins. "New arrangement. I give you this, and you answer all questions. We will call it a discount for your insult to me."
Despite the fact that it is a small, ugly talking snake, Detressa is glad that her companions are taking the time to talk to it, rather than killing it. The knowledge it has could prove invaluable.
If it accepts Chen’s proposal (if it doesn’t, Detressa gives it another gold coin for her questions), the priestess steps forward and asks her own question.
“The humanoid with the undead – what does it look like? If you cannot clearly describe it, which one of us does it most resemble if at all?
“Second question, the undead that it commands, what are they like – fleshy, walking corpses, skeletons, spirits, or something else?”
Uwais watches the goings-on impassively, taking note of what is said. Even beyond the mission at hand, some of this might be news that the Freemen could use.
Yrix flicks her forked tongue past her wide lips. Perhaps tasting the adventurers' impatience, Great Yrix accepts Yang's coin.
"The Great Yrix is reasonable.,"she says, sizing up the six adventurers,"and humbly apologizes, large biped, if she has given offense. Among Yrix' brood an insult is considered friendly."
DM Screen:
"The other biped arrived several weeks ago- it mostly keeps to its domain east of the Great Pit. Rarely does it venture from there. It has dark head growth and wears leather clothes. It always has potions. Its minions are made of bones and rotted flesh."
Sister Mara searches her memory to determine if she knows what the 'dog-ghouls' and 'filthy bipeds draped in rags dwelling in darkness' mentioned by the goblin snake are.
"Sounds like the ancient archive to the west might be something worth checking out," Mara says to her companions.
Knowledge (religion) DC 11:
Sister Mara can't remember anything about diminutive, rag covered people.
Yrix flicks her forked tongue past her wide lips. Perhaps tasting the adventurers' impatience, Great Yrix accepts Yang's coin.
"The Great Yrix is reasonable.,"she says, sizing up the six adventurers,"and humbly apologizes, large biped, if she has given offense. Among Yrix' brood an insult is considered friendly."
DM Screen: ** spoiler omitted **
"The other biped arrived several weeks ago- it mostly keeps to its domain east of the Great Pit. Rarely does it venture from there. It has dark head growth and wears leather clothes. It always has potions. Its minions are made of bones and rotted flesh."
"Ahhh. A person who uses the necromantic magic. Does this person carry a symbol, or maybe a book?"
Yang also sees if he can figure out anything about the 'albino dwarves'.
knowledge dungeoneering
Dungeoneering DC 13:
"The Great Yrix has seen the biped with a book once.", offers the goblin snake.
"The 'dog-ghouls' that the Great Yrix mentioned are a form of ghoul known as festrogs - beastial malformed corpses that resemble beasts but still possess a human intelligence. It is said they arise from the corpses of those sworn to the sin of gluttony. The diseased pustules covering its flesh often burst when struck with a weapon, spraying their attacker with pus. They can also heal themselves after a successful bite of flesh," Sister Mara informs her companions.
Anything else you might spew out, creature? Any falsehood and you will find yourself scraped off beneath my boot when we return.
"Angry biped, Great Yrix has told you all that has been asked of her. What more do the bipeds want?," says the goblin snake.
Yes, yes. "Great Yrix" better be here once I come across a shred of deceit in your ramblings.
*turns to confer with the companions*
As I see it, the presence of undead in these crypts is the most urgent. We should head towards the great pit this creature spoke of. As I understand, Pharasma abhors the undead and having them here and their cleansing should earn great favor from our employer. Is that so Priestess?
Detressa appears lost in thought.
“Hmmm? Oh, yes. Undead are an abomination – it would please my church – and holy Pharasma herself – if they were put to rest. I must say though, these festrogs sound dangerous … a test of our abilities. If only I was wise and experienced enough to channel more of the Goddesses power!” Detressa absently strokes her holy symbol and sighs. “In truth I was trained mainly as a mid-wife and healer – not an adventuring cleric. I must admit that the thought of facing dangerous ghouls, an evil necromancer and twenty – twenty! – zombies or animate skeletons daunts me …”
The priestess trails off, then looks around, contrite, as if she had not realized she was speaking her thoughts aloud. “But … yes. If there is a necromancer with undead minions, it would appear that he has something to do with the bodies vanishing, wouldn’t it?”
If there is a necromancer with undead minions, it would appear that he has something to do with the bodies vanishing, wouldn’t it?”
"That would be my guess, Priestess. You can never trust necromancers," Sister Mara says, unconsciously running her fingertip along her scarred cheek.
The inquisitor turns to the goblin snake. "Thank you, Great Yrix, for your information. May the Everlight's grace offer you illumination here in the darkness," she says respectfully with a small bow.
Yrix tastes the air.
"And if it doesn't Yrix is sure your gracious coin will!"