Dante shakes his head. "Just another stupid poem about the weak being contemptible and the strong being worthy or something. I thought it might be some monster behind the door, and I was right. Go me."
Geborah surveys the winding hall leading to the next door. "Hmph. If it weren't so tight, we could throw this door open and let the snakes come to us, but it looks like we'll have to charge in at them."
"Since Jezabel's basic healing spells don't relieve the effects of their venom, we should send our best armored person in first, to draw their attacks. I believe that's Balam. I can weave Asmodeus's protection around him and make him nigh invulnerable. Once the snakes have gone for him, the rest of us can rush in and destroy them one by one--everyone focuses on the same one until it stops moving, then switch targets to the other."
Sniveling the whole while, Timeon is bound and leashed, and Balam moves down the hall with, treating him none too gently all the while. Jezabel leads the remainder of the group to the doors leading to the metal cobras, and the inscription, “The chosen are revealed by their might. The weak deserve no sympathy.”
Geborah casts her spell on Balam and the dark knight opens the door to again reveal the cobras.
"Cruelty is a tool, not a pastime. Be ruthless to thy enemy, but reward those who serve thee well."
Wraith quickly moves into the room and has his skeleton guard in front of him. After a quick casting, Wraith has wrapped his skeleton in Mage Armor. Telling it to attack any snake that get close.
Now prepared Wraith takes a good look at these snakes.
You don't know what these cobras are, but you can tell that the metal on them is Mithral.
Balam charges into the room, swinging his longsword at the metal cobra.
Balam's powerful swing bites deep into the cobra, although it does not impact as far as it should.
Wraith quickly moves into the room and has his skeleton guard in front of him. After a quick casting, Wraith has wrapped his skeleton in Mage Armor. Telling it to attack any snake that get close.
The cobra retaliates by biting at Balam, but its teeth fail to pierce the dark warrior's armor.
Cobra 2 - 7/20
Geborah - 14/16, 2 Con Damage
Dante - 17/17, 2 Con Damage, 6 Dex Damage
Geborah hauls the squire with her into a corner of the room. "Ever been in battle, squire?" she asks him. She hurls a gout of flame at the serpent further from Balam. "Here's some advice you might not have gotten from your former master: Don't get bitten." She thrusts the prisoner between her and the cobras like a living shield.
Geborah hauls the squire with her into a corner of the room. "Ever been in battle, squire?" she asks him. She hurls a gout of flame at the serpent further from Balam. "Here's some advice you might not have gotten from your former master: Don't get bitten." She thrusts the prisoner between her and the cobras like a living shield. Timeon whimpers slightly. Her fire bolt speeds towards the cobra, but seems to unravel upon reaching it instead of making contact.
The other cobra, viewing Wraith and Geborah, plus their shields, as being nonthreatening, moves to join its fellow and strike at Balam.
Fortunately, it is also unable to penetrate the dark warrior's armor.
Jezabel pulls out her sling and loads it.
These cobras appear to be a construct of some kind, and are made of mithral. They are resistant to magic, and reduce all types of physical damage dealt to them. You know from experience that these particular constructs have a paralytic poison they can deliver through their bite attack. You suspect they are not resistant to any particular type of elemental damage - though they also aren't weak to any, either.
You know that as constructs, they do not need to eat, drink, breathe or sleep, and follow the commands of their creator to the letter. They are mindless and not affected by such, nor are they affected by any sort of necromantic power or ability drain.
"The snakes are resistant to magic and physical damage. They have a paralytic poison." Jezabel informs the others in song.
With her vial of acid in hand, Jezabel sings to Balam, "After you attack take a step back. Unless you want to sizzle, too."
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There were, in the Elnora the Explorer books, tales of daring Elnora raiding her fair share of tombs, though wracking her brain, Tatienne could not recall any instance of her facing mechanical snakes. Better safe than sorry.
Thinking of stout shield walls, Tatienne closed her eyes conjured a bit of magic; a disk of force that would blunt the strikes of the snakes. Stepping forward, she readied herself for the combat to come...
To be completely honest, Dante has no wish to engage in combat with these snakes. His reflexes are dulled, and he was injured grievously by them just a moment ago. He scoffs as his "allies" rush into combat with them.
He just stays back, stepping behind even Geborah to ensure that he doesn't have to feel the fangs of such creatures again. He feels no special loyalty for any of these people. Especially not enough to go die for them.
"Just resistant right?" Wraith asks before casting a low level spell at them to test the waters.
Seeing the spell fail, Wraith shrug. "Figures, I'll leave them to you fighter types, my skeleton here wouldn't get past the scales."
There were, in the Elnora the Explorer books, tales of daring Elnora raiding her fair share of tombs, though wracking her brain, Tatienne could not recall any instance of her facing mechanical snakes. Better safe than sorry. Thinking of stout shield walls, Tatienne closed her eyes conjured a bit of magic; a disk of force that would blunt the strikes of the snakes. Stepping forward, she readied herself for the combat to come...
To be completely honest, Dante has no wish to engage in combat with these snakes. His reflexes are dulled, and he was injured grievously by them just a moment ago. He scoffs as his "allies" rush into combat with them. He just stays back, stepping behind even Geborah to ensure that he doesn't have to feel the fangs of such creatures again. He feels no special loyalty for any of these people. Especially not enough to go die for them.
"The snakes are resistant to magic and physical damage. They have a paralytic poison." Jezabel informs the others in song. With her vial of acid in hand, Jezabel sings to Balam, "After you attack take a step back. Unless you want to sizzle, too."
Grumblejack steps into the room, saying, "Stupid metal snakes easily squashed by Grumblejack." He then swings his massive greatclub at one.
He wallops one of the snakes quite easily, although the dent isn't as big as it normally would be.
Balam again swings his sword at the Cobra
Unfortunately, he misses the target, and then takes a step back as Jezabel suggested.
With Balam clear, Jezabel throws her vial of acid.
It flies over the head of the snake, shattering on the wall. A little bit drips down onto the snake, but not much.
"Just resistant right?" Wraith asks before casting a low level spell at them to test the waters. His icy ray seems to unravel just as it would hit the cobra. Seeing the spell fail, Wraith shrugs. "Figures, I'll leave them to you fighter types, my skeleton here wouldn't get past the scales."
The Cobra follows Balam and again lashes out at him, this time getting past his defenses and piercing his leg with its fangs.
Cobra 1 - 9/20
Cobra 2 - 6/20
Geborah - 14/16, 2 Con Damage
Dante - 17/17, 2 Con Damage, 6 Dex Damage
Balam - 18/25
Shoving Timeon ahead of her, Geborah moves closer to the cobras, but instead of engaging them directly, she directs Grumblejack's next blow at Cobra 1. "There, that one--hit it quickly, now, before it can strike again, and don't hold back! You'll need all your strength to break its metal back."
Shoving Timeon ahead of her, Geborah moves closer to the cobras, but instead of engaging them directly, she directs Grumblejack's next blow at Cobra 1. "There, that one--hit it quickly, now, before it can strike again, and don't hold back! You'll need all your strength to break its metal back."
The Cobra, much quicker than she thought, snaps at Grumblejack. Fortunately, Jezabel's purchase of armor for Grumblejack keeps the cobra from finding purchase with its fangs.
Humming to herself, Jezabel draws another vial of acid. "Make some roooooom!" she sings to the others.
Taty lashes out with her bardiche, hoping to destroy the nearest snake.
Shield: 19 rounds
AC: 19
Balam grimly stalks forward, longsword ready. Without a word, he sswings.
Grumblejack says, "Stupid snake!" and swings his greatclub at it.
Grumblejack obliterates the snake, sending it to the ground. He then steps back, listening to Jezabel
Taty lashes out with her bardiche, hoping to destroy the nearest snake. Unfortunately, she only scrapes the mithral.
Dante continues standing in the back, annoyed at the whole thing.
Balam grimly stalks forward, longsword ready. Without a word, he swings. His sword also scrapes along the mithral. He also steps back to allow Jezabel room.
Humming to herself, Jezabel draws another vial of acid. "Make some roooooom!" she sings to the others. She throws the vial of acid at the snake once the others are clear.
She again overthrows the snake, the flask breaking behind and to the left of it, splashing at least a bit on the snake.
Wraith fires another ray of frost, this one getting past its magical protections to frost over a part of the cobra.
The cobra continues to follow and bite at Balam, but is unable to pierce his armor.
[spoiler=Tracking]
Cobra 1 - Dead
Cobra 2 - 4/22
Geborah drags Timeon across the room with obvious delight until she has a clear view of the remaining cobra, then she blasts it with fire from her archstar.
Balam grunts his frustration. The cobra was quick, and far too well armored for his liking. Still, he had a duty to serve. Once more, he swung at the metallic serpent.
Wraith quickly moves to the other side of the room to get a better line on the snake, having his Skeleton move up next to Grumblejack just in case. Otherwise he continues with blasting his frost spell.
The snake proved more durable than she'd realized, after Taty had landed a solid blow, yet merely nicking the construct. Fully in the moment, the relic hunter doesn't talk, doesn't acknowledge her comrades, or do anything else but line the snake up for another swing from her bardiche.
Geborah drags Timeon across the room with obvious delight until she has a clear view of the remaining cobra, then she blasts it with fire from her archstar. Unfortunately, the snake's size and quickness allowed it to avoid her attack.
The snake proved more durable than she'd realized, after Taty had landed a solid blow, yet merely nicking the construct. Fully in the moment, the relic hunter doesn't talk, doesn't acknowledge her comrades, or do anything else but line the snake up for another swing from her bardiche. The snake evaded her swing, however, leaving her to hit only air.
Grumblejack brings his club down in an overhand swing, aiming for the cobra.
His club slams into the stone floor with a loud "Thunk", a mighty blow that unfortunately missed the mark.
Balam grunts his frustration. The cobra was quick, and far too well armored for his liking. Still, he had a duty to serve. Once more, he swung at the metallic serpent. He is just able to strike the Cobra, but the mithral resists the damage of his blow.
Wraith quickly moves to the other side of the room to get a better line on the snake, having his Skeleton move up next to Grumblejack just in case. Otherwise he continues with blasting his frost spell. His ray again connects, causing ice to spread across the snake. The snake yet stands, however.
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The snake yet stands, however.
Knowing she has no other way to harm the snake, Jezabel pulls out another vial of acid, humming all the while. Then she waits for a clear shot on the last snake.
Knowing she has no other way to harm the snake, Jezabel pulls out another vial of acid, humming all the while. Then she waits for a clear shot on the last snake.
The Cobra finally succeeds in biting Balam's leg, pumping poison into the dark warrior's veins.
Balam - 22/25
Cobra 1 - Dead
Cobra 2 - 2/22
Balam steps a bit to the side, opening the pat for Jezabel to strike. Then, he strikes at the cobra once again.
Geborah yanks Timeon after her as she darts behind the cobra and snatches at its tail with her nails. "Finish it," she hisses to Grumblejack on the other side, "Show the Dark Lord your strength!"
Scowling as Balam gets bitten, Tatienne steps and thrusts again. This metal snake was proving to be quite the foe.
Geborah yanks Timeon after her as she darts behind the cobra and snatches at its tail with her nails. "Finish it," she hisses to Grumblejack on the other side, "Show the Dark Lord your strength!"
Grumblejack again swings his greatclub in downward arc.
Unfortunately, the club only glances off the snake's armor.
Scowling as Balam gets bitten, Tatienne steps and thrusts again. This metal snake was proving to be quite the foe. Her attack skitters across its armor.
Balam shakes off the effects of the poison, then steps a bit to the side, opening the path for Jezabel to strike. Then, he strikes at the cobra once again. It evades his longsword's blade.
Balam will move out of the way so Jezabel can act.
Wraith fires another ray of frost, this time missing the target because of all the confusion about it.
The Cobra lashes out at Balam again.
It misses the fearsome warrior.
Balam - 22/25
Cobra 1 - Dead
Cobra 2 - 2/22
"On three, this time," Geborah instructs the others. "One, two..."