Lapis notes that some of the scars have long since healed over while some look like more recent injuries.
Raia isn't sure.
The sermon continues on the topics of loss and pain, but nothing else stands out as unusual. Unfortunately for Charli, there is no audience participation, although none of the morlamaws seem bored.
After about twenty minutes, the sermon comes to an end. The morlamaws begin filing into the other half of the room for dinner, while Oshessa leaves the stage and moves back toward A8.
As soon as Oshessa leaves the stage, Iseph quickly gets onto his feet. Letting himself get lost among the crowd of morlamaws moving around, he follows behind the prophet as she enters the room, hoping to catch a good view of what is inside.
Keskodai listens intently throughout the whole sermon hoping to have a chance to ask some questions, but a bit disappointed there wasn't one. He does note the particular focus on pain and the scars which causes his worry to deepen. When the conversation turns to Joyous things his mandibles start flexing slightly. Connecting with everyone he can reach, he quickly relates the insight. <Joyous things could possibly mean 'Joyful Things,' High ranking members of the Zon-Kuthon religion... I really hope that doesn't mean what I think it does!>
Disappointed by the lack of a chance to engage in theological discussion and the lack of concrete tenents and beliefs to instead focus on the story of their people, Keskodai goes over and knocks on Oshessa's door. before clearing his throat and getting out. "I had... some questions... about your sermon... May I... talk things... over with you?"
She pauses, before entering the airlock. "Yes? I hope you enjoyed the sermon."
"Yes, Keskodai, I would love to tell you more about the Weeping Knight. I could show you the reliquary in a little while, but for now I am quite tired. Perhaps after dinner?"
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"Come on keskodai, let her get her rest, I'm sure those flippers are hurting her." he says off handedly while standing up from his seat and enjoying a long stretch. he then heads to the back fo the pews to the rest of the party and ask quietly, but with sarcasm,"Sooo... How'd you guys like the sermon?
Keskodai gives Oshessa a look that conveys 'If I had lips, I'd be pouting right now,' before giving a small sigh. <I guess the sermon took a lot out of you! I'd love to see the reliquary later and learn more, but I guess dinner would be best!"
He follows Lapis over to everyone else and jokingly responds to his question. <I'd give it a 7.8 out of 10. Too much history!>
Keskodai then glances at everyone headed to the kitchen and suggests <Seems like it's dinner time. They tried so hard to make us dinner, it would be rude to not at least try some of the food.>
Iseph peeks in as Oshessa enters the airlock. He sees a metal chest on the western wall and a pile of soft materials serving as a bed on the northern wall, with a folded privacy screen in front. He can't make out what's on the eastern or southern walls.
Frustrated that he did not see anything particularly incriminating, he nonetheless discreetly walks past the rest of his team and whispers what he saw. He then takes his seat, positioning himself, as usual, with his back against the wall commanding a view of most of the room.
Teltham, the teal morlamaw from the beginning, sits down at a table and gives the blessing for the meal. The food is mostly fish. It seems perhaps somewhat undercooked and underseasoned, but reasonably good.
As the prayer is being read off, Keskodai's eyes widen for just a second. He quickly and quietly messages everyone else. <Teltham just fumbled his prayer... He said 'We, the Servants of Midnight,' not 'Servants of the Knight.' That's a term that priests of Zon-Kuthon use for themselves. That almost settles it, I think this is a cult! We could try talking to Teltham and see if he slips up again!>
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Lapis thinks back,<I don't thing jumping outright to violence is the best approach here, although it would definitely be the easiest,>he adds,<but its entirely possible that the majority of these beings don't realize they are worshiping Zon-Kuthon. Perhaps we can request a private audience with Teltham and/or Oshessa??>
Keskodai, almost assured that there's some link to Zon-Kuthon here and afraid that they might be trying to poison the group, takes a very small amount of the food and tries to covertly run it through a program he uses to make sure Chk Chk doesn't get feed anything dangerous.
Hearing Keskodai's words actually calmed Iseph down considerably. Finally, incontrovertible proof that the morlamaw can't be trusted, at least their supposed leader. Without a change in rhythm, he continues digging into the food, but in reality is simply pushing them around and giving the impression of eating.
He keeps his eyes and ears open, ready for further treachery to reveal itself.
Keskodai is pretty sure that the meal was not heated to regulation food safety temperatures, but there does not seem to be anything poisonous added to the food.
Just as the meal is nearing an end, there is a loud alarm from the library. Irtrine shouts, "Something has breached the exterior of the building! Something is in the reliquary!"
Is this a trap? Whatever the case, Iseph grabs his weapons and moves together with the rest, staying ever alert from threats both without and within.
The group rushes in to the airlock. There is time to seal your armor as the airlock fills with water. An airtight semicylinder of glass reaching twenty feet high to the ceiling protects various decrepit tomes, a handheld computer, and a blood-encrusted, rusty spiked chain from the water that fills this chamber. An airlock exits to the east, while a steel door goes on to the west. A noticeable crack, almost the size of a human child, mars the northern wall here.
Several snakes have made it in through the large crack, although the largest one seems to be stuck tight! They look mean.
Iseph
Raia
Keskodai
Lapis
Green snake
Big Yellow Snake
Choppy
Blue Snake
Lapis swims in to the flooded room!
Iseph does a quick feint to briefly take cover behind Lapis as he moves past, then trains his pistol at the approaching green snake. He takes a brief moment to line up the attack before squeezing the trigger.
Keskodai rushes into the room, before enabling his and Chk Chk's environmental protections. When the room floods and the other door opens he takes a look around. Seeing the snakes, he gives a slight gasp and then tries to swim closer to start using his spells.
He flounders some though, not making any progress. <I never had to swim in Verces, alright!" Stuck in the same area as Iseph, Keskodai tries to get closer one more time.
This time he gets the timing right!
Iseph unfortunately misses, having difficulty with his usual stealth underwater. Raia's unerring magic missiles strike the green one!
Green swims up to Lapis and attacks!
The big yellow snake thrashes around wildly, trying to free itself, and smacks hard into the glass case. You see small cracks start to appear in the glass, and you're not sure how many more hits like that it can handle.
Iseph
Raia
Keskodai
Lapis
Green snake
Big Yellow Snake
Choppy
Blue Snake
Looking through the glass case, Keskodai catches sight of something on the yellow snakes mouth. <Wait does that snake have some... armor? in it's teeth? Wait yes! Yes, it does! the thing's been chomping on armor and possibly people!>
Choppy's shot goes wide!
The blue snake moves up to Keskodai and bites.
Iseph
Raia
Keskodai
Lapis
Green snake
Big Yellow Snake
Choppy
Blue Snake
Iseph glares at his target, and again ducks to keep the snake briefly out of view, before firing another shot at the same creature.
Lapis takes down Green! I will redirect Iseph's attack to blue, which hits, and makes it flat-footed.
Iseph
Raia
Keskodai
Lapis
Green snake
Big Yellow Snake
Choppy
Blue Snake
Blue is at -17 hp! Keskodai is up!