The goblin snake shakes its head, "Lesssss riddlesss, more sssomething elsssse. Like you ssscratch my ssscales, I ssscratch yoursss."
A shudder seems to travel along the entire length of goblin snake. "I don't need to eat the dead. Inssstead how about I let you pass unmolesssted and without raisssing the alarm, and in exchange you bring me the head of a hobgoblin from upssstairsss. Fethi Ken-Ssshakkasss, a hobgoblin that uses her fissstsss isss what I want."
Cyrene looks at Dissa and shrugs, the price seems small enough and ties in well with their current goals...
"One more thing, Mr Snake. Do you know how many people there are upstairs? Will it be easy to find this Fethi?"
The goblin snake bristles a little, "That'sss Misss Assseri to you!" Her lisp seems stronger with her angry, but she calms and answers the other questions. "Probably a half dozen hobgoblinsss, plusss the angry human. Fethi will be in an offissse sssomewhere."
"I'm veyr sorry Miss Asseri." Cyrene apologises with a bow. "I've not met any of your species before and my knowledge is woefully thin. Please forgive me."
The Goblin snake settles, coiling tighter around the railing. "Try not to die up there," is all she says, letting you pass.
Low bookshelves line the northern wall of this library. Two freestanding bookshelves fill the center of the room, but nearly all of the books have been taken off the shelves and are strewn haphazardly over the floor, along with dozens of pages of notes. In the southern part of the room, a double staircase leads down to the first floor , while double doors allow exit to the south.
Someone has obviously been conducting chaotic research here—the floor and shelves are covered with papers and books filled with hastily scrawled notes.
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"Dax. You are a very tiny flaming invisible flying person. Could you scout ahead and tell us which room has the most people? I think a little preparation would help. I would use a few wands, recommend a few options, and then kick in the door. Could you help us in your grieved state?" Dissa asks the Mephit.
A look of panic sets in, and he quickly turns to Cyrene. "I'm sorry. I should have asked you first. I just was thinking about the mission without considering your emotions first. I get confused easily..." the paladin trails off at the end of his excuse.
Seltyiel looks around and says, "It'll take some time, at least 10 minutes, probably closer to 30, but I could look at it."
He says all of the research is about the Keep's history. Seems Voss is looking for an 'arcane engine' supposed to be under the Keep. Voss's notes reference a powerful magical artifact, which Seltyiel thinks is the spellbook you found below.
Cyrene sets to with Seltyiel to examine the evidence they've found.
Seltyiel just shrugs, it doesn't make much difference to him.
Cyrene looks vaguely disappointed but shuts the books and nods her readiness.
You start making your way forward, opening the nearest door. Two hobgoblins, in the middle of playing with their goblin dogs stop and stare before grabbing their weapons.
The first goblin grabs its horn from its side and blows into it, three sharp notes that reverberate through the Keep. The other grabs its blade and shield and rushes around the large pillar in the center of the room to attack Seltyiel.
The half-elf is able to block and begins casting with his other hand.
The hobgoblin's continued assault causes Seltyiel to fumble the spell. Akre fires a shot from way in the back, trying to drive the hob off.
The arrow slips into the hobgoblins shoulder, causing it to growl and stop pressing its assault.
The goblin dogs advance, nipping at Seltyiel and Kontha in the front.
Neither is able to get a good grip on their opponent.
Kontha is here :)
Dulomak and Kontha work in tandem attacking the hobgoblin and its dog before moving out of each other's way. Kontha distracts the hobgoblin and Dulomak kills the goblin dog. Dissa comes in afterward to finish the hobgoblin entirely.
Hooray for Kontha!
"Dax over there!" Cyrene yells, trying to help her 'little' friend.
Dax scratches her head and begins focusing her abilities inward.
The Hobgoblin drops its horn and rushes Kontha with its longsword out.
The T-Rex has learned a lot from her time as a Pathfinder and the hobgoblins sloppy attack is no match for her speed.
Seltyiel rushes to the side of the goblin dog, blade leading the way.
He drops it with a single slice. Akre hangs back, waiting to see what comes of the horn.
Kontha will bite at the hobgoblin who dared attack her
Cyrene flashes her lights at the approaching goblins, hoping to help Dissa land another blow.
Dax finishes her concentration, attempting to pull another of her kind into this plane.
Sadly her call does not receive a response. Akre snaps out of his stupor, pulling one of the doors closed. Before he can do more the doors to the east and the west smash open, hobgoblins and large man in golden armor striding out. Seeing him Akre's face darkens. "Traitor! You will pay for the men under your command!" Saying this he drops his bow and shield, pulling out his sword for combat. Advancing on the man who once commanded his unit Akre swings with all of his might, rage blinding him to safety.
Vos barely pushes Akre's blade aside, clearly not feeling threatened at all. Seltyiel sees a lightly armed and armored female hobgoblin come from the opposite side of the chamber. "I've got this one!" He casts another spell as he moves forward.
Cyrene actually smiles when a man dressed up as a lighthouse appears. She taps her staff on the floor twice and the mans helmet glows brightly, although the light appears to be coming from inside the helmet.
Cyrene's spell goes off, causing a small explosion of glitter in Vos' face, hitting his hobgoblin sergeants with him. They all curse and reach for their eyes, allowing Dissa to hit Vos with his fauchard. Unfortunately the man is incredibly fast and after he feels the initial cut is able to duck behind Akre without getting injured deeper. Dax takes the opportunity to fly forward and uses one of the spells inherent in her ancestry to start making Vos' armor red hot.
Dax seems to be having trouble because Vos is able to will away her spell.
Vos curses and swings at Akre, "You fools were doing nothing to find the source of power underneath the Keep!"
Despite being blinded, despite the frantic assault from everyone around him, despite his sneering demeanor, Vos is actually a halfway decent warrior. This is proven when he cuts down Akre without a second thought.
Akre's body seems to recover, slowing his bleeding to a manageable level. Seltyiel is dealing with his own combat at the moment, continuing to swing at the hobgoblin commander. He recalls the knowledge of the spell he just cast and focuses on attacking.
The hobgoblin curses about 'dirty elf magic', causing Seltyiel to smirk as she dodges the slash aimed at her throat. "Gotcha," he says, quietly caressing her skin with the lightning charge on his sword. It rushes through the hobgoblin, cooking her from the inside out.
The hobgoblin sergeant near Vos swings its blade at Kontha, only remembering where the dinosaur was last.
Its blindness stops it from being effective. The other hobgoblin can't find any targets within reach and tries to defend itself.
Both of the hobgoblins manage to blink the sparkles out of their eyes, snarling at your party.
Kontha will bite at the hobgoblin in front of her
hopefully it being blind will allow her to bite :)
The hobgoblin barely manages to lunge out of the way of Kontha as her teeth come down, scant inches from where its face was moments before.
With Akre no longer in the way Dissa's strike rings true, seriously injuring Vos.
Cyrene thumps her staff again, striking Vos with glowing bolts of force.
Cyrene's bolts drop Vos to the ground, unconscious and bloody. Seltyiel swings around, moving to attack the hobgoblins still up.
He can't seem to get a good strike in.
The hobgoblins each swing out with their swords, attacking the half-elf that struck down their commander.
Seltyiel pulls up a magic shield blocking one attack, but taking the brunt of the second.
Did her bite hit?