|
D's sand bullet goes off prematurely and falls onto the ground in front of him. Oops.
The yellow mass of bones shambles forward into the super cramped corridor, and Gallix solidly kicks the snake in the underside, opening up a bloody wound. Mr. Peppers' magic missile flies into the wound and deepens it, exposing the snake's nasty innards.
|
|
Sirettis' hair lashes around chaotically but can't quite reach the skeleton.
The large cobra stretches its mouth open and chomps at Uesugi with its sharp fangs.
The bite lands, and as its fangs sink in, it swings its body around Uesugi and squeezes him tightly in its grip, cracking several bones and rendering him disabled.
|
Gallix ducks as the skeleton swings its blade. He manages to avoid the worst of the attack, but still suffers a crushing blow as he sees a tuft of his flaxen hair drift down in front of him. He looks at the skeleton and his eyes carry nothing but death in them. "You boney son of a...! I just got that cut, you piece of filth! Now I must look like a total idiot. I'm gonna grind you into dust!"
Before he can make good on his promise, however, Gallix hears Uesugi cry out in pain next to him as the snake latches onto his leg and begins crushing the noble warrior. Inspired by the samurai's refined style and might as a warrior, Gallix refuses to let Uesugi fall. He shoots the skeleton one more glance, then strikes at the snake that is quickly crushing the life out of his new companion. "Get off of him, you slimy little worm!"
|
Mr Peppers quickly hustles up to the front of the narrow cavern weaving past most of his teammates next to the noble Tian man who's currently being crushed by a hungry constrictor. I hope this goes as planned, this isn't a good place for me to be..
Once in position Mr Peppers begins casting a spell,
Mr Peppers puts forth a burst of extra arcane power, welling up from his decades of study and enhancing his spell to levels well beyond his normal ability.
|
|
The narrowness of the corridor and the distraction of the serpent cleric's magic combined cause D to miss another shot at the skeleton. The yellow one stays put, not seeing a clear path through, and as flames jet forward out of Mr. Peppers' palms,
The snake slides its body towards the cavern wall, bringing Uesugi with him and avoiding most of the damage, and the skeleton holds its sword up to block its frail body from the heat.
The green one isn't as lucky and the jet of flames turn it into a pile of ash and bits of bone.
|
|
Shall this be how history records my life? Lord Ishida Takamori. I have done your task and willingly die if this is how the fates choose for me, but know this I AM NOT DONE YET
With the little air remaining in his body he grips his blade in one hand and stabs down on the serpent aiming to split its body into two pieces. With the lack of air he cannot focus enough to make a strong enough strike but even as he begins to pass out he lets out, "Kiiiiii YAAA!" and somehow stays conscious.
|
|
Uesugi forms his resolve, and with one hand still tied up by the snake's long body, he unleashes a desperate slash with his katana from the top of the snake's head alongside the front of its body. Guts and blood spray from the red and black cobra, covering Uesugi as both halves of it go limp and fall to the ground.
The serpent cleric looks over at her fallen minions, angrily says what sound like a few draconic swear words, and then speaks a single word calmly afterwards. Seconds later, she disappears into the air, leaving the captive behind still bound to the altar.
|
|
Sirettis is glad the combat has ended. "Uesugi, you should recover from your wounds." Her hair pulls her potion of sacred water and offers it to him.
Afterwards, Sirettis begins to check Ydersius's servants and the wounds, possibly self-inflicted that they made. While her arm movement is cold and calculated, her hair seems to jump around excitedly, moving arms, legs and flipping bodies as necessary.
Eventually most of her hair tears off under the weight of the bodies she inspects. She sighs, disappointed and moves bodies using her arms - much slower than her previous rate of work.
"We should ensure the sacrifice at the altar is mostly unhurt."
|
|
Mr Peppers tries to get a grasp on how the snake cleric disappeared
Once the remaining skeleton is destroyed by D's rocket propelled sand he will stuff his wand into his belt and do his best to help Uesugi. "Are you ok? Does he have any broken bones Sirettis? Those constrictors move fast, it had your wrapped up before we could stop it, you're lucky to be alive!"
Once he's sure that Uesugi is in good working order, Mr Peppers will agree with Sirettis. "Lets check on the wounded quickly, we can come back and take notes on this stuff afterwards, I doubt its going anywhere."
On the way up the stairs he'll detect magic to be sure there aren't any surprises along the way.
|
|
Uesugi drops to the ground gasping for air even as the others continue the fight with the last skeleton.
When the battle comes to and end he picks himself up and thankfully takes the potion offered by spirit.
[Dice=clw potion]1d8+1
"Thank you spirit."
Sirettis nods and continues her inspection of the bodies.
Isa begins chirping again as Sirettis puts the potion away.
|
|
Mr. Peppers recognizes the magic as high-level conjuration, likely a Teleport spell.
Sirettis uses her hair, and then her arms, to have a look at the biology of the dead cobra and skeletons, and is successful in her analysis, learning enough about the servants to provide to the Society. Mr. Peppers takes notes as usual and has quite the complete journal at this point.
Mr. Peppers doesn't detect anything magical about the altar, or at least whatever foul magic was there seems to have vanished with the serpent cleric.
As you near the captive tied to the altar, you recognize that he must be the Azlanti General, Krahnaliara Lac Suhn, based on the earlier description Uszanriar had given you.
As you approach, he slowly opens his eyes and begins saying a few words in a variety of languages, from Azlanti, to Cyclops, to Aklo, before finally stopping in Elven as he notes the confused look on your faces indicating that you probably can't understand him. His wrists and ankles have deep blue bruises from the ropes still tied around him, but otherwise, he's well aware of what's happened.
"I am Azlanti General Krahnaliara Lac Suhn, and I am indebted to you for your assistance here. I know not what the foul creature intended for me, but surely it was in service to their wretched god."
"Given your actions, it would seem that I can trust you... You've defeated several of our enemies, after all. I apologize for rushing, but if you'll untie me, I really must reassemble my army."
|
|
At first, Lac Suhn is put off by D's strange appearance and odd body movements, but with the combined efforts of Uesugi, Blaster, and Gallix, he answers the Elven-speaker with a firm handshake and a nod. "I see you speak the noble tongue. My thanks for your eagerness to help, and for scaring that serpent warlock Xassvissec off. You are not one of those serpents nor their guardians. Strange rescuers, from where do you arrive? Have you seen any of my troops?" He seems parched, and you catch him giving Gallix's waterskin a quick glance as he speaks.
|
|
Mr Peppers bows to the General as a sign of respect while listening to his requests. He will do his best to be polite as well as translate for anyone that does not know the Elven language to help them get their points across. He nods along with Corsac showing his understanding of the language.
Mostly however he seems concerned for Uszanriar and searches her out as well as any others that may be here and injured.
|
|
After Blaster's request to learn what's going on here, Lac Suhn looks down for a moment, deep in thought, and reminisces:
"I have always loved my grandmother's ittho bread. Only used the honey from her own bees, and only fed them blossoms her grandmother brought back from the Western Colonies. Nothing ever tastes the same now..." He pauses for a moment, and looks back up at Mr. Peppers.
"Sorry," he shakes his head. "I start to get nostalgic around Peacock's Dusk. These damn family holidays. They always remind me I still haven't taken my boys to the Western Colonies. They love their little-folk nanny, and I thought they’d like to see one of the cities her people built." He looks up at the ceiling of the cavern for a moment before continuing.
"It has also been many years since we heard from my great-grandmother's descendants, but I sometimes imagine that when I gaze into the sky and see the red planet, they can hear my prayers for the health of them and our empire’s colony."
"My wife is always trying to tie my chiton like an imperator, not like a general. See how it goes over, around, then under? I ask if she wants her husband flogged, and she just says she’d rather have her husband sit on the senate. Not a... Not a subtle lady. Gods, I miss her..."
Lac Suhn stands up. "But enough of listening to me rambling on when there are much more important things to do..."
--
Mr. Peppers finds Uszanriar in one of the corners of the Rectory, injured and unconscious, but her heart still beating. Several troops are near her, slain, while others cling to life.
|
|
Mr Peppers will kneel beside Uszanriar after checking her vitals to be sure she still lives. He'll reach into his belt pouch and pull out a small stoppered vial and open it and waft it under her nose.
|
|
Uesugi listens as the Azlanti's words are translated for him.
He speaks like we are his daily recorders. This must stop.
Turning to the kitsune "Translate this for me and be sure he understands my words. General Lac Suhn. We saved you because your people needed you. For whatever unknown reason you were to be sacrificed to appease the serpent deity. The people down there threw their lives down for you. It is time for you to be the man they died for. Rally your army now and we shall be your personal guard. The question is are you worthy enough to have us follow you? Or would you have the blood of your people mean nothing more than a new offering for the serpents to sip upon?"
|
|
Her nose filling with the pungent smell of Mr. Pepper's vial of salts, Uszanriar rouses from her rest and slowly opens her eyes, looking over at the altar in alarm as she remembers what happened.
"The serpent. Where is she?!" As she sees the General standing unharmed, a look of relief washes over her face further amplified by the sight of the cobra's corpse. "It would seem you've saved us... Again." She slowly makes her way to the altar and bows before Lac Suhn. "My General, it is good to see you still alive. These people defeated the guards and released the others. We owe them our gratitude."
Lac Suhn nods and waves his hand, ordering Uszanriar to rise to her feet. "Indeed we do, strange as they may be." He drinks from the waterskin provided by Sirettis before continuing, now with more focus as he looks at Uesugi. "Worthy?! My men were no cowards! Although many are slain, they didn't surrender in the field, and if these snakes hadn't taken their sikkar - their coiled knives - they never would've been taken alive." He points to the altar and tells Uszanriar to take a seat and regain her strength.
Blaster doesn't find any head wounds on Lac Suhn, and he gets a really confused look as Lac Suhn watches him examine his skull. He then continues explaining his tactics to Blaster, "We had separated into two regiments, with shield walls, and I sent the left flank wide to take the serpentfolk from behind. We'd been clashing near the mouth of the Ilssele for years, trying to push the colonies' eastern borders."
"The key to battling serpent-men is the night battle, or making your main thrust at dusk. Then the fatigue of battle hits the same time as the cold reaches their hearts. Slows them down. That was General Akorian’s secret to victory at Esrogas, when they tried to land on the homeland itself, and it still works all these years later."