Hrodlan attempts to break the feeling of unease following the campsite rummaging with a just as awkward attempt at small talk. He has a somewhat irritating habit of swiveling the torch in his left hand to whomever does the speaking.
"If I might risk intrusion, might I ask what brought each of you to Kenabres? Your professions?" His eyes gleam with curiosity, though the fact that the discussion is a means of distraction from their grim surroundings is worn plainly elsewhere on his face.
There still appears to be only way forward through the cave, past where the snake lies,where the passage begins to turn and the floor rises.
In trying to move without the snake realizing, you accidentally kick over some rocks, which alerts it to your presence. It shoots upward, hissing loudly and lashing out in your direction. You can see blood on its scales; it was injured when the cave opened from the sky, and is extra defensive.
Victrix turns to Hrodlan.
"Me? I kill demons fer a livin'. I s'pose yeh could call this a homecoming, of sorts." She says. She shifts from foot to foot.
"I grew up 'ere. Not a pleasant childhood, mind yeh."
"No need to be a hero here, better get reinforcements. I aint an expert but it is probably poisonous."
Konny backs slowly trying to leave the cavern and get back to inform his companions without provoking the snake into attack.
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Quinn makes a swirling motion with his spear, unfurling the banner that had become tangled in the fall and ensuing fight. "Ha! I would love to say it should be obvious. But, I doubt I can keep my commission much longer. They didn't actually throw me out of barracks. But, they weren't making it easy to stay."
"Funny," Quinn clacks his teeth together, making a shower of small sparks, "I used to be the popular one."
The snake continues to threateningly regard Konny, but doesn't give chase.
Konny waits for the main group in front of the entrance to the snake cavern.
"There is an angry snake waitin' inside this cave. It is more or less blocking our way so we have to deal with it. I am no expert but as it tried to bite me, I guess it is poisonous. I propose to attack it from several sides at the same time and deal with it quickly. It looked like it was hurt, so hopefully it will not stand long against our combined effort. If it is all the same to you, I will take the right side." Konny whispers to the group's most able looking warriors.
Than he addresses only Quinn. "Thank you for taking my backpack. I would appreciate if you could carry it outside combat. If the need arises do not hesitate to ditch it. I can always come back for it." At least I hope so. "It seems to me there is gonna be a lot of fightin' today, and with me scoutin' ahead so I better take Biggie" Konny tucks the warhammer in his belt and unstraps a mighty looking Earth breaker from the backpack.
"No problem," he nods to Konny. "In a pinch, my shoulders also serve as a step ladder, and my head makes a passable battering ram!" Quinn gives a grin and a wink to show the joke for what it is.
Quinn approaches the yawning mouth to the next chamber. He hands the spear off to Horgus. "Most civilians can use such a weapon. If the snake charges you, brace the butt against your back foot, and put the pointy end into the snake."
"Let's try to soften him up a bit more, shall we?" Quinn asks as he pulls a shortbow and a bundle of arrows.
He waits as everyone works into position before unloading his first barrage.
Victrix grins. "Dibs on takin' it 'ead on."
Before she moves out, she turns to Brighton. "Yeh got a weapon?"
"I...had a weapon. My prayer-hammer's shaft was broken in this cursed fall. I'm not without some protection from Father Torag though."
"Perhaps...
A less...
lethal means of bypassing the creature might be attempted?" Belledonna interjects. as she eases her way towards the ophidian obstacle.
Victrix unlimbers her club and tosses it to Brighton.
"'Ere. It's not a hammer, but it'll do 'till we get to safety."
She looks over at Belledonna. "Yeh've got somethin' that'll get us past the thing?" She asks.
"Oh, I must have been blind. You may have my warhammer as long as you need, Brighton. I will stick to Biggie here" Konny offers his weapon.
"If you know a better way to dispose of the threat, you are welcome to it, kiddo. But we might be here quit a while so maybe we should be careful with our resources, whatever they are."
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Brighton looks at the club but politely refuses.
He looks over the warhammer appreciatvely, "This is fine work. A skilled craftsman although not to standard Father Torag would approve of. Thank you, I will endeavor to return this to you as soon as I can repair my prayer-hammer."
Victrix shrugs. "Alroight, then. Jus' don't like it when someone can't defend 'imself properly." She takes the club back.
"For all we know, the serpent is familiar to some vile cultists further in. Better to put the thing down and be done with it. Should the worst be realized, it might provide sustenance in desperate hours. There may be others trapped down here elsewhere, too, who are not so well armed and trained as we," Hrodlan considers aloud. Best to take no chances down here until we get our bearings.
Stopping for a moment to regard the infirm of their number, Hrodlan takes visual stock of what manner of weapons are available to them before asking formally, "Are any others without means of self defense? I've a spare hammer myself, as well as a shortbow and full quiver. I favor my blades, and would not miss my other armaments overmuch, so long as it is a temporary affair."
"I might." Belledonna replies to Victrix's query. As the others, particularly the heretic, argue in favor of force of arms she continues. "If unsuccessful, we are lessened no more than we were; however if successful, not only will we have dealt with an obstacle without the clash of arms warning a possible further threat, you," indicating the rest of those present, "will have a better answer to your earlier question."
Victrix steps aside to let Belledonna do her thing.
"After yeh, then."
She remains close to Belledonna, ready to act in case whatever she has planned goes wrong.
Nodding in acknowledgement, Belledonna edges forward until she can see the serpent, then begins murmuring arcane syllables as she directs her will towards the beast.
The snake's hissing slowly ebbs, and its defensive stance ends as its head drops to the floor and it goes silent.
With the snake asleep, the path lies ahead of you, beginning to twist but, you can vaguely see an incline in the cavern floor, hopefully leading up to something closer to the surface.
Victrix grins and claps Belledonna on the back. Doing so makes her skin crawl, but she ignores it.
"Noice one!"
She turns to the rest of the team.
"C'mon, let's get a move on before it wakes back up."
Not really waiting for an answer, she moves down the tunnel.
Inclining her head in acknowledgement, Belledonna offers her assistance to those individuals presently hindered by injury or circumstances from moving as quickly as they are normally able.
"Well enough," Quinn chirps, "assuming it doesn't follow in our wake." He waves off the return of his spear. "Keep it. No telling what we'll face ahead, and I'm well enough armed," he nudges the hilt of his sword without lowering the bow. "Besides, it's a comfort to me for you not to be totally defenseless."
Hrodlan affords a moment's consideration towards removing the snake's head as they pass by, but thinks better of it. Given the creature's state, it is likely merely a more distant victim of the madness that transpired above. There is likely yet much danger ahead, so he attempts to dispel any lingering thoughts of paranoia regarding the serpent, instead turning his eyes and ears to the path ahead. He worries their dwarf-scout might get in over his head, while hoping it is not the case.
The path continues for Konny a far way up, beginning to curve for what seems quite a ways forward.
Horgus regards the spear with indignation, almost wanting to return it to the tiefling, but one more look at the snake and he decides to hold onto it. "Thank you," he says. [ooc]Horgus has been Diplomacy'd to being Helpful. "You have all been rather kind to me, given the circumstances. Should we make it out alive, your reward will be doubled."
Alone with his thoughts Konny continues upward trying to stay approximately 200 feet in front of the group.
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After traveling the winding route for about twenty five minutes, you reach the tunnel's end at a junction. TO the north, a five foot-wide opening in the wall leads to a cave filled with soft but nasty-looking light, while the tunnel itself continues onward south.
"Hold, please. Something is not right about that...light. It offends my sensibilities in some way but I can't say exactly how that is."
Victrix pauses. "What d'ya mean? 'S it from cultists doin' cultist-y things?" She says, pointing her axe at the light.
Konny looks at Brighton "That means you wanna go in to investigate or keep out to be safe?"
Quinn approaches the odd radiance. "We've got no choice but to keep going forward. I, for one, wouldn't like to leave behind us something that discomfits our Toragian."
"A moment, please." Brighton closes his eyes and whispers a prayer to Torag, "Father, please construct in me the knowledge of this evil feeling light."
"Agreed," Hrodlan offers to Quinn. "Our being stranded below the city is taxing enough. Being outmaneuvered and flanked by unknowns more familiar with these tunnels would be troublesome, indeed."
"I agree, let's investigate." Konny says looking toward the strange light.
Victrix readies her axe and points it at the light.
Ok, the party has arrived at a doorway spilling uncomfortable Green Light into the area.
Perception Checks please
The map is updated.
Brighton stops immediately as he notices the thing. He puts his hands out and tries to silently get everyone's attention, pointing towards the creature crawling on the wall.
Victrix's eyes follow where Brighton is pointing.
She grins and readies her axe.
Konny searches the wall for the source of cleric's excitement, his earthbreaker ready for action.
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As Brighton directs their attention, Belledonna arches her brows questioningly.
I wonder, should I attempt to deal with this as I dealt with the serpent?
Combat Round 1
Konny
Brighton
Fly
Victrix
Belladonna
Victrix lifts her axe up to shoulder height and moves over to the giant fly. When she gets there, she chops at it.
Really, someone should've swatted this thing long ago. Victrix is just the one to do it!
Konny moves swiftly toward the fly and strikes it with his earthbreaker.
"Take this you overgrown vermin!"