"You capture my thoughts fairly well, Aakif, though I also agree with Elsa. Siding with the dead against the living does not feel right.
It is rather frustrating. We had what seemed a fairly straightforward mission to find one man. We now seem to be getting roped into religious feuds.
I can be mercenary enough, but I do have some scruples, and would rather avoid any unnecessary massacres of reasonable living people."
Lanatir waits for Kristleifur to proceed as the scout. He is nowhere near as stealthy as the Deep Gnome.
"Of course." Aakif answers. "But so too does he approve unity, and that is my concern. We are a team of people from many different backgrounds and beliefs. If I understand correctly, Lanatir is hesitant to attack humans who seem unarmed, although as an aside, I suspect they were plenty capable of defending themselves with magic. Elsa feels justified in killing undead, naturally, but attacking humans after speaking with them would have been a bad decision. Kristleifur seems to enjoy diplomacy, and Armanus is pragmatic." He grins slightly at this remark. "I'm unsure where Zyrel stands. For myself, I am mostly concerned with profit and the paying of dues, though I have limits when it comes to the innocent and the poor. As long as it isn't a terrible expense, I prefer the innocent and the poor to live, maybe with some bruises, but live. Mercenary work is so treacherous. It is all too easy to be swayed by the Reaper. We must remain resolute and unified."
"I've always followed the Akaraneriel philosophy." Zyrel shrugs "Non eleven philosophy always seems to end up so..." he looks to Lanatir "What's the word?"
Lanatir waits for Kristleifur to proceed as the scout. He is nowhere near as stealthy as the Deep Gnome.
"Do you want company, Kristleifur?" Zyrel asks politely.
"My apologies, I know nothing of your deity." Aakif replies
Lanatir looks back to Zyrel. "Facile? Jejune? Well, to be fair, when one only has a decade or two to study philosophy, one must necessarily take some shortcuts."
"Though at the other end, those who can truly live forever, such as the fey of the First World, have a very different way of viewing their world than even we elves do. It is not merely the time to study that matters, but the effect of mortality on one's perception.
That is part of what I find so fascinating about Magdh; she is of the First World, but it is we of this world who often seek her knowledge of what is to come. Most of the fey I met were unconcerned with Fate and Prophecy."
From her vantage point, Sapphire looked at the newcomers. Now, this was an interesting development. Ever since she had taken the commission to find the mystic known as Suradesh. This job had been a normal lost person one, until now.
Yes, the wheelboats trip from Niswan to small dump of a town Chehenya has been simple of long. Then the locals, she had paid them no mind, she was used to looks. The climb up the cliffs to the old. A chat with some undead guardian who said the living where not to be let in. Until she pointed out she was not living. To which he left her alone to carry on to here. Looking on as scene that until just was very dull. Now well she waited to see what Deveulupt.
She is hidden behind some books but seems to be taking great note of what is being said here.
She is a very odd-looking woman, Very Tall and very thin, she has a number of geometric tattoos over her body. Ones that glow oddly at times. Her face seems ridged like stone, unblinking or moving. Her Clothing an Odd uniform, well kept and simple, long coat, trousers, good boots, with gloves. On her back a complex but well made back-pack of unknown design. her boot holds a large cold Iron combat blade and on her hip is anUgly looking gun-like weapon.
Her slightly blue glowing eyes are fixed on the group.
The hallway is unguarded, though a heavy stone door lies at the end of it.
Though a knocker in the shape of a spider sits in the center of the door, with no other means of opening it visible.
"Hmm, how odd. Khristleifur, do you spy anything hidden with this door? Perhaps a hidden lock or something?"
Philosophy and religion are all fine (I don't mind Abador, I come from a city after all), but killing someone who isn't a threat or dangerous, or for free seems wrong, that's all
Arriving at the temple, Elsa moves to hide
"Thank you all for your thoughts. I will attempt to take them all into consideration before acting. Abadar grant me such wisdom." Aakif answers.
Try as Kris might, he can't seem to find a way to open up the door save for the knocker on it.
Aakif looks to the two arcane people in the group. "Do you happen to detect any magic on this door? I'm concerned about curses on the door knocker. After that, we might as well just knock. I don't believe even with Abadar's blessings could we break through."
Elsa looks at the door uncertainly.
I could zap it. But why don't you just knock? Even undead monsters might answer the door
"From what I know of this cult, while they may not be undead, they are extremely likely to be hostile.
If we can't find a other way in, then we should knock I suppose. But I don't expect a warm welcome."
"I just wanted someone to detect magic." Aakif groans. He grabs the knocker and slams it down hard.
Armanus snaps out of his daydream. "OH! Terribly sorry, Aakif."
"I understand. May Abadar have mercy on me for my short temper." Aakif replies
The knocker is magical, and it seems like it'd replicate the effects of the knock spell.
The door swings open when the knocker is struck to reveal a dimly lit room. The center is obscured by a large, angular pillar carved with stylized depictions of a spider with a man’s face devouring humans, genies, and angels. Two bronze statues of the same man-faced spider stand in alcoves of the pillar.
Elsa grins
Yeah nice people here. Does anyone know who spider face is?
"I think we can agree that violence is the preferred choice of action." Aakif says. He looks over what he assumes to be a depiction of their deity.
Lanatir recalls some vague information about Unixi, or rather, the incomprehensible beliefs they fanatically defend, resulting in a legendarily poor reputation for diplomacy.
"I only know a little bit about them... they are reputed to be insane and not much for negotiation."
Lanatir has his sword ready.
Simplifies things
"Finally. So simplication", Armanus sighed in relief.
Though still unsure of the specifics of the faith, Aakif belives that Unuxi is what's known as a Sahkil Tormentor, corrupted psychopomp demigods that seek to spread terror through the cosmos.
"Corrupted psychopomps. These people will believe in nothing but horror, darkness, and death." Aakif says as he puts a light on Lanatir's shield. "Kristleifur, you are a good scout, but I recommend we all travel together here. Let us stay in the light of Abadar and let Him protect us."
If Lanatir is ready, Aakif follows.
Lanatir moves into the room and looks around. He keeps to the left wall, moving towards one of the alcoves while keeping an eye on the pillar.
He tries to be at least halfway quiet.
Elsa slides in after Lanatir, moving quietly and keeping an eye out. Unfortunately, the stealth side was not too successful
Two more statues stand in alcoves on the pillar. Two doors are across from them, carved with similar inscriptions of spiders.
Zyrel slips through, his moves mirroring Lanatir. "Anything?' he whispers.
"Nothing yet, Zyrel," Lanatir whispers back.
"Let's search this room before opening any doors."
Lanatir continues moving around the perimeter of the room.
"Miss Elsa, would you please look over the statues and the door for magic? Thank you."
Aakif will search the statues and door for traps
"I will see to the door", Armanus interrupts as he casts detect magic on the door.
Elsa detects magic and checks the statues.
The doors and statue are nonmagical, and they seem clear of traps.
"Thank you. Lanatir, would you please open the door and we may proceed?"
Lanatir opens the northern of the two doors.
The doors swing open to reveal a man standing on a single leg, eyes closed and fists together.
His head is shaven and a set of carved prayer beads hangs around his neck, along with tattoos covering much of his body.
His voice is raspy, as if unused in a long time, "This place is holy. Leave now. I will not ask twice."
Aakif is a little thrown off, and squints closely to figure out if this one-legged man is undead or living.
Elsa looks in admiration at the man.
Cor, mister. Nice tats. But isn't being on one foot uncomfortable. Or can't you use the other one?
The man is fully alive.
He sighs and shakes his head, "The faithless do not listen. All will be devoured in time. Your time is now!"
The monk stomps his other foot to the ground and four long, hairy spider's legs grow out of his back as he assumes a fighting stance.
Zyrel and Armanus, with the former naturally on edge and the latter fairly perceptive, are able to get the drop on the arachnoid monk.
As the spider-monk leaps, Armanus's infernal reflexes allows him to shoot off two magic missiles into the aggressor's chest.
Zyrel's arrow flicks through the air, arcing into the same path as Armanus' occult bolts.
"Looks like you're up, Lanatir."