With Mohok's twist, a clicking sound is heard somewhere within the wall, then a rush of hot air bursts from the wall as a secret door opens!
In the eastern half of the long hallway you notice jagged grooves in the otherwise smooth flagstones, running the length of the hallway.
These grooves are scratch marks from incredibly sharp and bestial claws, as if giant talons had been raked down the center of the hall.
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"Huh, that could have gone worse," Mohok mutters, before adding, "Oh, what's this?" He points out a series of jagged grooves in the otherwise smooth flagstones, running the length of the hallway. Studying them a moment he explains, "Them grooves are scratch marks, from some very sharp claws, as if the giant talons of some beast raked down the center of the hall. Let's be careful."
Mohok can't tell how old the scratches are, but it looks like whatever it is was resisting something pulling it down the hall.
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Pip gladly hands Mohok the lamp. "Oh, that's clever. I assume it's a message left by the Toragdan priest. He probably knew someone was going to come after the lamp sooner or later. Maybe this is his way to make it feel like a wild goose-chase?"
She watches as Mohok twists the lamp. "Well, at least it's a chase I'm enjoying so far." Ah Mohok's observation, she becomes more cautious. "A beast? Locked in there, after so long?"
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Mohok grins at Pip's observation, replying, "Yeah, if this Ahmad guy wanted to make this feel like we're chasin' wild geese, he hit the mark."
At Svetlana's casual insistence that they press forward, Mohok glances at the tiefling warrior, then at the deep scratches in the floor, before muttering, "I guess that's one way to look at it." He taps his blade with a broad hand, then looks over his shoulder to be sure the others are ready.
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"Well, when you put it that way, it does sound better," Mohok concedes, his brow creasing and his small eyes looking off to one side thoughtfully. "Still, can't help but wonder what dragged...hey, wait, maybe it wasn't dragged! Maybe it was sliding! Could this hallway maybe tip and turn into a chute or something? Pip, would you take a look at this thing?"
Indeed! Pip tests out the floor a bit, and the subtlest of movement confirms the worst.... The entire floor is on a pivot; too much weight and someone is getting dropped into the lava. The good news is, it looks like the floor won't pivot unless there's more than 100 kg on the far side. One at a time across, and everything should be okay.
The party carefully works their way over, which isn't hard now that the trap is revealed.
The worked walls of the vault quickly fall away, revealing an underground river of molten magma. The biting smell of burning sulfur hangs heavy in the air. The smooth obsidian walls of this natural cavern reflect the soft glow of the burning magma flow below, casting the chamber in a red haze that highlights another grand mosaic. A natural obsidian path connects this chamber’s dock to a series of caves on its north and south shores.
You can see 3 voids in the dust, where a trio of tasseled carpets likely used to be.
Looking down, about three feet below the level of the landing and 2 feet above the magma stand a dozen solid stone pillars—fallen chunks of obsidian—creating a path to reach several cave openings on the river’s molten banks. These magma-free pillars look wide and stable.
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Ooh, a giant river of lava, best be careful people. Digging out a scroll from his pack he hands it to Mohok. Could you cast this on my please just in case, I may be able to fly but I wouldn't want a stray burst of lava to singe me!
With Resist Energy in place he will fly out over the river to have a look around.
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"Hold on, Garam,?" Pip calls out. "Not all of us can fly so easily, and you don't want to be caught out there alone." She points at the ground. "See the dust marks? There used to be carpets here. That's a pretty big coincidence. Someone wouldn't just take the carpets away, right? Unless they could be used to fly, maybe?"
She hands Mohok a scroll of resist energy as well, and with the comfort of that safenet jumps from pillar to pillar to land on the northern shore.
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Garam and Pip both do a little reconnoitering The passages on the left seem to lead nowhere, but the passages on the right form a chamber of sorts. The sound of something being devoured is easily heard from the hall....
"Guys, I think we'd better hurry. With caution..."
I'm assuming there are no negative Acrobatics modifiers for those who can't fly?
The magically charged party moves through the caverns, winding through some twists and turns. The obsidian passage quickly leads to a large vaulted cavern where a series of jet glass stairs rise ten feet to a round platform. Thick mucus coat the chamber’s floor, on which lie several broken shells. A large mass of coils lies motionless at the stair’s base next to several rolled up, elaborately patterned rugs.
Within the room is a serpent, but not any serpent. A contemplative humanoid face framed by a cobra-like hood adorns the body of this long, brightly colored creature. The expression is juxtaposed with the destroyed clutch of eggs that look as if they've been feasted upon...
The creature looks up and gives a toothy smile, "Can I .... help you?"
“I am the protector of Koor, descended from a long line of guardians; it is my duty to see to it that no one releases Moukadeem from his imprisonment.”
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Pip follows behind the others, and is quite surprised to see the snake-like creature. It looks like nothing she's seen before. She also notices the eggs, and subtly pokes Mohok to draw his attention to them. Protector of Koor? Is this a naga? A snake lays eggs, doesn't it? If those are its eggs, why did it eat them? She keeps looking, trying to figure out what the scene should mean. Are those the rugs from the room earlier on? Who moved them here?
She nods emphatically to add her support for Garam's words. "No, sir. We've heard some stories about Maukadeem, and releasing him sounds like a bad idea." She can't ignore her curiosity and motions towards the rugs with a nod of her head. "Did those rugs come from the room beyond the lava? We came from that way. Do you come up there as well?"
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Mohok takes in the eggs that Pip has pointed out and considers them a moment. He can't hear the questions running through the the bard's mind, but he has a few of his own: Wonder how big an omelet an egg like that would make? Where would you get a pan that big? Would it taste like a regular omelet? I had a turtle egg omelet once, maybe it'd be a bit more like that.
His ponderous, slightly hungry thoughts are interrupted by a new one, and he directs another question at the naga, "Did you see anyone else come this way?"
“He ravaged this area over 700 years ago, and his evil knows no bounds. He offers no mercy, and often torments his prey. Luckily he rots within an extra-dimensional prison that takes the form of an iron lamp. You do well to leave him there. I have seen no one come through here though...”
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By now, instinct has learned to fight instinct in Boom, and her hand makes for her mouth with haste before the conversation starts. There it remains, keeping her questions in, until her curiosity can take it no longer, and a veritable torrent of questions pours forth.
"HI! What's your name? I'm Boom!"
"That's a lot of scales! Is that position comfortable? What do you eat?"
"You're a "naga," right? Can you cast spells? Can you show me?! Please?! Pretty please?!"
"Are those eggs yours?"
"Can you make those carpets fly?"
"What do you do for exercise? Do you need exercise?"
"Have you spoken to the genie? Do you chat?"
"What do you know about Koor?"
"Were you here when Koor was abandoned?"
"Do you worship Torag? Do you have a god?"
"Did you animate the treasure horde?"
"Is it your treasure hoard?"
"Do you have any siblings?"
"How do you..."
Guardian Naga's are accomplished spell casters with a wide mix of spells. They also have a poisonous bite and can spit the poison over distance. They aren't particularly resistant to anything.
Garam and Boom both recognize a guardian naga when they see one. The dead body is another naga.
There's something.... wrong with this naga, though you can't put your finger on it.
The naga's head bobs and moves at the barrage of questions. It's as if it's trying to literally dodge the words. The ones it doesn't dodge, it answers, "I am Alfashti. I am eating my meal." (Garam knows that she's eating guardian naga eggs.)
"These eggs were mine, yes. It pains me greatly, but the binding seals on Moukadeem’s lamp have weakened, and his distraught psyche infects the Forbidden Furnace with his madness. Moukadeem’s taint has contaminated these eggs, so they are spoiled. These eggs are contaminated by Moukadeem’s insanity and must be destroyed; I hope that ingesting his foul essence may prevent it from harming anyone else."
The rest of questions seem to overwhelm the naga.
The Hellion's wayfinder doesn't point at the naga, but rather points down the river of molten rock.
The naga twitches at the question, "No. Not I. I am the guardian. I am fine."
Garam knows she is not.
Indeed, insanity is a scary thing. It's an illness beyond lesser restoratives. It would take a powerful spell to undo the insanity that has taken hold of the guardian; Restoration, Heal, Limited Wish, etc.
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Garam makes shushing motions with his hand at Mohok. I would ask you to think carefully Guardian, as everyone knows Genies are dangerous and wily creatures, prone to undermining even the most honourable and devoted beings. I fear that Moukadeen's presence has afflicted you and while I cannot currently help there are ways it can be achieved. Its presence may have clouded your vision. I ask that you leave the eggs alone for a little while until we can help you.
Once we complete our exploration and find our lost companion I can teleport to the nearest city and secure a resotorative scroll to help you if you would agree?
The naga thinks, and nods solemnly. "I think you're wrong, I am fine. I will, however, grant you the request since you asked so nicely."
The naga nods and looks at the eggs, but refrains from eating them.