"Seems like a dead-end. I suppose we should see how the others are faring." Lucian says heading back toward the others.
"Sounds good" and he follows Lucian.
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As I finish tieing the last knot in the rope, I look to our friends coming down the hall. Hey, long time no see! Any trouble? He pulls a grabbling hook out of the sack and attaches it to edge of the floor, letting the rope fall to the ground beneth them. Alright, everyone climb on down. I'll go last and retrieve the hook so we can throw it up to the other side when we are ready to cross.
"We had to deal with some rats bigger than most dogs, but they weren't much trouble. "
Then he will climb down the rope into the lower area.
Natalie glances around nervously, flinching back when she spies the strange speaking serpent and its master. Deciding that it would be particularly safer farther away from it, the young woman goes and grabs onto the rope, slowly sliding down to the fungus covered floor.
She keeps one edge of her cloak up to her mouth, her other hand occupied with her sunrod, looking at the surroundings of the pit in more detail.
"Like Lucuis said, just a few rather large rats. How about you? From the looks of things heading down here, you had a minor issue with some big spiders?" Lucian says, climbing down the rope.
Reaching the bottom, the ranger looks around.
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As Lucuis, Lucian, and Natalie drop into the room, they find that two small tunnels exit the pit beneath the entry passage to either side. The tunnels are hidden by the overhang, so as not to be noticeable until one is in the room proper. From the tunnel to the east comes a sound like something scraping on stone. Then, a giant serpent emerges into the room!
The giant snake is black in color, but spreads a hood when it rears up.
What was that sound? Like stone scraping against stone...and then Hagnar sees the giant snake emerge from across the room. He quickly whispers a plea to the Master Craftsman, "Master, guide our hands in this test!"
Hagnar's plea fails to reach his patron's ear...or if it does he does not deem the situation worthy and punishes his cleric for wasting his time. Hagnar becomes fatigued from the effort!
The wizardess shrieks as she backs up swiftly from the giant snake, before thrusting her hand forward, an invisible bolt of telekinetic force launches from her ring to strike at the creature's nose. She tries to think and identify the actual species of it.
"Bloody Hell!" Lucian yells with the appearance of the rather large snake.
Quickly, Lucian regains his composure enough to hack at the serpent with his blade.
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Reigar was waiting behind the group to cover the path behind them from any unwanted guests when he hears the distressed voices of his companions. He looks closely and spots the reason. Quickly he takes aim and readies himself to shoot.
Reigar uses his higher positioning to take a shot. Squinting his eyes and relaxing his breath he softly squeezes the trigger. A small cloud of score emits from the musket with a loud crack.
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Lucian
Natalie
Fergor
Hagnar
Sequin
Reigar
Snake
Sudara/Kama
Lucuis
Lucian's attack opens a broad cut on the snake's underbelly, drawing a reddish-black ichor, only seconds before Natalie's attack bops it on the nose. The snake reels back in confusion, unaccustomed to prey who fight back. Fergor descends the rope, bastard sword in hand and shouts, "Quickly, get behind me!"
Back in the corridor, Hagnar tries to cast a blessing, but the spell fizzles. Sequin take up his shortbow and launches an arrow at the snake, but the agile creature dodges the attack. Reigar lines up his shot and fires, hitting the snake squarely. The blast takes away a good-sized chunk of flesh, sending the giant creature to the ground. The snake shudders twice, then expires.
"Aye - glad that's done and over!" Hagnar says as he prepares to lower himself over the edge and down to the floor so far away!
"Glad that beast went down faster than I thought it would." Lucian says while glancing around the area and cleaning the black blood from his blade.
"Umm, nice work guys. That thing really had the drop on me. "
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In the light of Natalie's sunrod, Lucian spots a glimmer of metal in the snake's bolt-hole beneath the far corridor. Closer examination reveals a nest of mud, mold, and excrement. Within the nest you spot the glint of silver!
It takes a little work to dig it all out, but you are able to recover a total of 52 pieces of silver, 11 pieces of gold, two shortswords, and a crystal vial that contains an amber liquid.
Thinking back on the brief combat, Lucian quizically looks over at and asks Natalie, "What was that thing you did? You acted like you were going to punch it, but you came up real short. Yet the snake reacted like you connected."
"Not a bad bit of coin." the rangers says with a smile.
"Hagnar, you want to have a look at these blades to see if they are anything special? At least I assume that is something you can do, given your patron. Anyone have a clue about what the vial of liquid is?"
"...um...j-just, um, a telekinetic strike...I, um, s-stored a small amount of kinetic potential to be delivered as an offensive projectile...i-it's a trick I develop with no magical fail rate..." The wizard murmurs out an explanation, looking at the giant snake. Now that her life wasn't in further danger, she could understand why a snake like this was here. Giant snake to eat giant rats. What she didn't know was how it got here in the first place.
Glancing at the vial, she tilts her head curiously. "...U-um, it could be...a magic potion, b-but...I would, um, need to analyze it later...when I, um, have the proper spell prepared..."
Thinking about it further, the young woman pales. "...Um...I think that the snake must have...digested the person all that belonged to, and then disgorged what it couldn't..." She shudders a bit at that.
She glances up at the other edge. Hopefully they would be moving on soon...
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Reigar lets out a loud whoop as he watches the snake die. Being the first critter he's killed, he's pretty excited. He quickly slides down the rope and goes to stand near it's carcass and his companions. "Wooh! Did you all see that?! Haha, foul beast never stood a chance! None of you came to harm? Well, where to next?" While waiting for a response Reigar takes the chance to reload his musket. Everready for a challenge.
Hearing the young wizard stammer through her explanation, Lucian says, "Tele-what strike? A bit over my head, but a damned fine trick at any rate." followed by a grin and nod of appreciation.
"Well if there is nothing else down here, how about we move up to the other side?"
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The vial is quite ornate, but otherwise unexceptional. The liquid could be a magical potion, but might also be cheap perfume (it has a flowery scent). The contents notwithstanding, you estimate the value of the vial to be about 10 sp.
The noblewoman glances over the blades and the potion. "...Um, that one..." She points to one of the short swords, fancier than the others. "Its, um, very valuable, so...be careful with it..."
She waits for someone to throw their rope up on the other side, hoping that they'll finish the job soon enough - hopefully there's not much left to clear out.
Lucian climbs up the opposite side of the chamber. After reaching the top, he lowers a rope to aid the others's assent.
Hagnar looks at the rope hesitantly...he isn't made for climbing with his armor on! But, he grabs the rope, plants his feet against the wall, and tries to walk up the wall, step by step, hand over hand.
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Fergor climbs back down and retrives his rope, then tosses it up to the other edge, securing it with the grappling hook.
After making up the other side, he will draw his shield and light his torch, placing it back in its sconce. He looks back at the party, Lucian, once everyone is up, go ahead and put my rope and hook back in this sack.As he throws a sack on the ground, it makes a metal clinking sound and what could be pitons press against its walls. Once done you can hand it back over. I'll stand guard over here until everyone is back up.
Coming down wasn't so hard...but going up the next side looks higher. Well, he has to try!
He makes it a few feet, and then his hands start to slip. So he comes back down, dries his hands off, and tries again...
His second attempt failed before he started!
Like the fat kid in gym class, Hagnar is shamed and embarrassed on the rope, until with help from the others, he finally makes it to the top of the other side.
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Reigar straps his musket in his back holster and walks up to the rope. Inclining his head to see the ledge, "That's a climb for my size. One of you best catch me." With that he rubs his hands together and tries.
The little gnome manages to hoist himself to the top. He pulls his body up and over and proceeds to brush himself off and fix his hat. Looking down at the rest of the party Reigar quips, "Come now, don't lollygag. We any finished yet."
Sudara doesn't have much trouble with the climb. Neither does, Kami, who has a natural climb speed. When they are through he sets up his spear and recasts his light cantrip, just in case it's necessary.
The wizardess scrambles up the rope, glancing back and forth between the fork. Seemed like it was a good idea to split up again. "...Um...s-same groups?" She asks, figuring that would work out well enough like last time.
Hagnar nods his head at Natalie. "Sounds good to me. Shall we go left this time?"
Lucius shimmies up the rope to follow along.
"Sounds like a reasonable plan." Lucian says, heading off to the right.
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Natalie, Reigar, Hagnar, and Fergor
The left passage leads into a small chamber about 20 feet square, with a column partially blocking the entrance, making it a bit tight to get inside.
Lucuis, Lucian, Sudara, and Sequin
The passage to the right leads into a small chamber that is taken up largely by a pool of water. Stairs lead down into the water from the passage, and the water enters by means of a pipe along the west wall of the room. A drain keeps it from filling the room. There appears to be nothing in the water, which is relatively clear.
"Wha...Where?" Hagnar stutters. Lifting his warhammer and readying his shield, he follows the human fighter into the room, ready for whatever foe awaited them.
Lucius will go a bit closer to the water to get a better look in it.
Seeing Lucius move forward, Lucian follows along with his weapon drawn.