As Ankhef pulls out a scroll, Dwizzle's curiousity takes hold and he rushes over.
"Ooh! Ooh! What's on the scroll? A map to the source of some ancient artifact creating the undead army? Or perhaps a sketching from an ancient tomb? Oh, I know it's a..."
Dwizzle's face twists as he quickly surveys the page.
"Restorative magicks? Someone needs Ra-Tor's administrations? Wait, wait...!"
Dwizzle puts his hand on the scroll just before Ankhef can read it, grips his holy symbol which hangs around his neck and resembles a sun that hangs next to yet another token resembling a dwarven warhammer.
"Behold! The power of Ra-Tor and his love for his dwarven children!"
Dwizzle comes this close to winking at Hogan, but simply smiles at this time.
Teos smiles, renewed, and embraces the gnome in thanks. He lifts the little gnomoid right off his feet in his enthusiasm.
Ankhef will nod and hand Dwizzle the scroll "I can never keep track of these things anyway."
Seherab signs a few things to Teos to introduce the new guests. He then explains to the newcomers, "Our brother Teos here has taken a vow of silence. We've all been learning the DSL to accommodate. That's the Dwarven Sign Language, I should say. It's also handy when we need to be quiet."
Dwizzle's legs pump in surprise as he's lifted by Teos.
"Ohh!! Hee hee! No thanks needed, fellow dwarf-friend!"
As Ankhef attempts to hand him the scroll, Dwizzle shakes his head.
"Oh no, good sir! You should keep that. You never know, I may walk into the cold embrace of a shadow-creature and find myself completely drained of strength! It would best for you to keep one handy just in case one decides I'm just the tasty treat he hungers for! My organization system for scrolls is rather... unusual."
Ankhef shrugs, and puts the scroll away.
It promptly floats out and changes pockets.
With the snakes destroyed, the group has time to analyze the elegaic compass, determining that it is not suitable to locate the undead's origination point.
After convincing the followers of Torag to join, the group pushes onward moving to find the next compass on the map, moving towards the Centaph of the Cynic.
An unsettling and ominous structure, the round, fortress-like building called the Cenotaph of the Cynic stands apart from the other tombs in Wati’s necropolis, separated by 100 feet of flattened rubble on all sides.
Ankhef explains "I have read of this place, the Cenotaph was originally built in honor of those who had fallen to the Plague of Madness. The worshipers of Pharasma added the atheistic dead when they created the necropolis."
"That was nice of her. Still don't see any undead, brother."
Dwizzle rubs his eyes as he looks up at the Cenotaph and tries to catch up with the plans of his newfound best friends.
"So we're looking for a compass? Do we know if it's a big compass, or a small compass? Or maybe a metaphoric compass, like all along what we were looking for was compassion or good karma?"
Dwizzle blinks a few times.
"We're going inside, right? Who usually goes first? Teos? I bet Hogan would be good going in first. Or second. Or first."
Dwizzle shakes his longspear, the dwarven heraldry jostling as he does so.
"I can go third. Or fourth. Or third on Toildays, but fourth on Freedays. Whateveryouallthinkisbest."
Ankhef responds "Teos has never voiced an objection to leading the way."
Ankhef grins, the gnome clearly wearing off on him slightly.
"Judging by Stonebrother's armor, I suspect he would appreciate standing shoulder to shoulder with Teos."
Hogan nods to Ankhef.
Teos smiles broadly at Ankhefs comments. He steps delicately (for a dwarf) ahead, mindful of defenses to keep looters out - or the mad and dead in.
"It may have started as a Pharasmin resting place for atheists," Seherab adds, "but in the years since the Cenotaph’s construction, an atheist sect of lamias called the Amushet claimed the building. They were originally part of the Lamashtu cult that spread the Plague of Madness. The Amushet fared poorly in the plot. The survivors pledged to shun the capriciousness of the gods and offer sanctuary to anyone with the same common sense. So the undead are of course still a likely threat but we should also be ready in case the lamia cult has somehow still maintained a presence despite the rise of the undead recently." Seherab unsheathes his short-sword and falls into position as the party heads in.
The group prepares for combat and, as they approach the Cenotaph, the keen eyes of Teos see a snake-like tail unwind from a spire.
About 30' up you see an ivory serpent with a human female torso uncoil and face you while maintaining her perch.
"What brings-sh delicious-s-sh mors-shels here?" The creature posits, almost rhetorically.
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Dwizzle nods at Seherab as the investigator completes the historical picture of the Cenotaph.
"So keep an eye out for these atheist lamias... what exactly do those look like ag---?"
Dwizzle's attention is snapped immediately upward to the snakelike woman as his mouth forms an "o" shape..
"Ahhhh! Nevermind!"
Swallowing hard, Dwizzle worries that he might be appearing like the easiest-to-swallow of the morsels.
"Greetings, magnificent, uhh, lamia! I am Dwizzle and these are my friends! We, uhhh..."
Dwizzle looks around at his fellow dwarfs while continuing to speak loud enough for the lamia to hear.
"Uhh, heard about the Amushet, and have some, uhh... questions, if you've seen anything? We're, you see, looking for something that might be here?"
Dwizzle coughs into his sleeve.
"Can you come down and talk?"
Ankhef speaks
"I assure you that we're more pointy than tasty, that said you may have noticed more of an undead problem than normal. We're here to help."
"I will maintain my perch-s-s-s, gnome and dwarves." the lamia says.
"I have noticed the undead, but I care not for the goings-s-on outs-side of the Cenotaph, s-s-save for the loss-s-s of the beautiful men that roam the city. Their death is a travesty..." she says, trailing off.
"As it so happens," Seherab speaks up, "we came across some folks missing their eyes and if I'm not mistaken that's often a pastime of yours. So I'm warning you that you're under direct suspicion for these undead attacks. You would be wise to cooperate and prove that you're not responsible or we'll have to make our own investigations by force, with the power of the Church of Pharasma behind us."
"Not to mention the Hammer of Torag, sister."
The monk nods deeply, affirming the statements of Honored Seherab and Mighty Hogan.
"Ssshhh-surely ones as respectful as yourselves have some proof of this, but ssshhh-sadly I care not to be interrogated." The snake lamia says as her lips coil up in a vicious smile. "If you can find me, perhaps, jusssssht maybe I will talk." she says before the creature disappears with a puff.
Before you lay the doors to the Cenotaph. They slowly creak open revealing a foyer that is seriously disused. Three columns support the domed ceiling of this chamber, and a fourth lies broken across the floor. A mosaic of gods and the afterlife decorates the walls, marred by centuries of graffiti. A pungent musk fills the air.
Teos shrugs. Good friends with the sphinxes he signs to the others. He proceeds into the foyer, sniffing the air in a loud and distrustful manner.
Ankhef nods to his companions "I feel like that's the first creature we've met in here that hasn't tried to kill us. Must be a good omen."
Ankhef's words are cut short as Hogan and Teos enters and a large cobra rises up from the middle of the room. Thousands of piercings adorn its hood, replete with gems, gold, platinum and mithril (from the keen eyes of the dwarves).
Initiative:
The fiesty cobra lashes out with a frightening speed as it spits a fiery bolt of poison from its mouth at the invaders, targeting Teos. It's piercings jingle as the poison flies through the air.
As the venom flies across the room, the creature is quick to act, choosing to slither rapidly across the ground and partially over the fallen column, biting into Hogan and injecting its venom into the dwarf's blood.
Initiative:
1st: Cobra
2nd: Seherab; Dwizzle; Hogan; Teos; Ankhef
Status
Hogan @ 42/59 HP
Pending
Hogan - Two Fortitude Saves (Poison)
Teos - Two Fortitude Saves (Poison)
Hogan's dwarven body shrugs off the poison. He steps forward, drawing his hammer and attempts to smash the snake.
---
Seherab follows inside at sign of trouble, his short sword leaping into his hand. Damn, that's a big snake. Clearly that lamia doesn't have the best doorman. He takes a moment to size the snake up.
Teos ducks under the snakes first bite, and then quickly begins circling the creature. He lunges at the snake, wrapping his arms around it's thick neck!
The monk calls upon his inner Qi moving with a keen deftness, almost as fast as the snake.
Teos moves in to grapple the snake, but finds that his hands aren't enough to grapple this large creature.
Hogan feels weakened by the poison initially, but his body bolsters against the invading substance, however it still pulses through his system.
Hogan moves in with his hammer and takes a swing, but the metal weapon glances harmlessly off the creature's rippling scales.
Seherab analyzes the creature with his keen eyes, however he finds that it appears to be an emperor cobra. They have a debilitating poison that saps the strength of its prey, but the spitting of poison seems to be a new feature not commonly found on its kin. It also appears to be enhanced somehow, likely through the same source as the new poison spitting feature.
Initiative:
1st: Cobra
2nd: Seherab; Dwizzle; Hogan; Teos; Ankhef
Status
Hogan-Poisoned (2/6) @ 42/59 HP with 2 Strength Damage
Pending
Teos - Two Fortitude Saves (Poison)
Ankhef takes a step closer and begins a summoning to aid in the fight.
Dwizzle begins orating about great dwarven deeds of the past.
Dwizzle aids the party with an inspiring sermon as to the dwarves' history, but the sudden appearance of the snake still seems to keep them from succeeding.
The snake, surrounded by Teos and Hogan with Seherab moving in as well, slithers back towards the closed doors a bit before quickly turning and biting out at Teos and Hogan.
The creature lashes out quickly, but the defensive dwarves' terrible luck seems to have transferred to the snake.
Initiative:
1st: Cobra
2nd: Seherab; Dwizzle; Hogan; Teos; Ankhef
Status
Hogan-Poisoned (2/6) @ 42/59 HP with 2 Strength Damage
Pending
Hogan - One Fortitude Saves (Poison-One Successful)
Ankhef summons a convocation of eagles.
Ankhef moves up, dropping his shield as he goes, and stabbing with his spear.
The dwarf tries once again to grab the beast, attempting to wring its poisonous neck.
He channels his qi again, attempting to balance the universe within against the dangers without.
After his companions move in, Seherab also closes in with the snake and stabs!
Round 2
Dwizzle moves in.
"That's it! Time to surrender to the insurmountable might of the mighty dwarves! No reason to fight on when the outcome is certain!"
But alas, his enthusiasm gets the better of him.
Hogan steps forward, trying to not let his lost strength impede him.
The group handily destroys the snake is a few seconds of attacks. Rattlesnake bites are quickly passed around as Hogan chops up the snake, avoiding any metal that pierces the skin.
As the group examines the pet, they find a single magical aura.
The doors in front of them appear to be locked.
Dwizzle continues to wave his banner left and right after Hogan strikes the final blow.
"That's right! That's it! Huzzah!"
After a few more sashays, he rests the end of his spear on the ground and squints at the locked door.
"This looks like a job for... Seherab!"
Ankhef's eagles snack on rattlesnakes for a few more seconds before poofing.
Ankhef examines the earing
"Curious, it allows one to poison a nearby enemy with a mere thought. It only holds enough power to work once every sun up, but against non undead foes it could be quite useful."
Teos stands up and dusts himself off. He snorts in derision at the dead ophidian beast.
Evil god's pet he signs.
Seherab motions to one of the newcomers when the earring is found. "It would look good on either of you. Consider it a entry gift for performing so well against that snake."
Seherab then leans over to inspect the door and see if he can pick it.
"Poison is the tool for cowards."
The poison from the snake quickly debilitates Hogan's strength, but it wears off before paralyzing the dwarf.
Seherab quickly and deftly opens the locked doors behind the corpse of the butchered emperor cobra after divesting it of nearly 1,500 GP in hood adornments as well as the magical jade serpent earring.
The doors open to a hallway that arcs away from the group both left and right. Another set of doors rest across the hall at the start of the bends to the left and right on the opposite wall. On the wall with the doors opened by Seherab, there are numerous amounts of closed doors.
Status
Hogan @ 42/59 HP with 6 Strength Damage
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