"Very droll Reinnwulf. I am glad you are amused."
Weyland looks over the remains sadly, "I hate to leave a body unburied, but I see little recourse at the moment. I hope that his soul is at peace."
Kneeling again beside the remains, Weyland says a quiet benediction.
Standing up he says, "Let us continue on."
Continuing back the way you came, you easily reach the fork in the road in quicker time. Heading down the singular open path, you come to a small chamber. Several mounds of rock lie in heaps in this cavern, recently fallen from the walls and ceiling. Now and then, bits of dust settle from cracks in the stone above.
Drawing his scimitar slowly, Enshi moves to interpose himself between the NPCs and the viper. "Be careful. There's a rather large snake there, probably venomous, and it doesn't look happy."
Reinnwulf lowered his spear to a ready position and advanced. "Here now little snake. Lets not be hasty.". He stopped about 15 feet away, and looked more carefully around, readying a strike should the snake attack.
Vaelor stepped in front of his foster father, spear once again poised to strike the nearest threat.
Barundar growls at the sight of the viper, again hefting his dorn dergar and slowly spinning the iron ball to build some momentum in the swing.
"We shuid murdurr it 'ere. It doesn't maiter if we cuid pass it...anyone else wha happens doon 'ere wid be endangered by th' thing. "
Kayla cleans the bug slime from her blade and sheathes it.
Kayla cannot notice the snake but realizes, based on the actions of others that there is one there.
Kayla once again draws her blade and tries to maneuver around to catch the snake from its "blind side"
"If there is a snake, kill it and be done with it, we have little time for delay."
The aggravated snake sees Kayla as she tries to sneak up on it. Hissing loudly, the sound echoes off the walls of the cavern. The viper lunges at Kayla.
The snake bites at Kayla...
The fangs of the snake dig deep into Kayla's shoulder, but don't seem to cause any real damage to her, at least not directly.
Seeing Kayla bitten by the snake, Barundar gives a cry of battle and bounds into the fray, his dorn dergar whirling above his head just before he brings the weapon down, aiming for the viper's head! He also hopes his actions draw the snake's attention to bite him next, if it should survive the next few seconds, since dwarves are naturally resistant to poisons.
Enshi moves toward Kayla, keeping his scimitar ready in case the snake tries to bite him.
From enough distance that the large viper couldn't strike at him directly, Reinnwulf lashed out at the snake.
move to within 10 feet and attack!
And some AoOs if they are needed.
Weyland moves to dispatch the snake, but the creature proves too nimble for him to land a solid blow.
freaked out by the sudden attack kayla attempts to slice the snake.
The snake hisses in pain as it slumps on the ground, dead of its wounds. A bit of dust and rock debris showers down from the roof. You are quite certain the roof won't come down on top of you.
Kayla, you suddenly feel a little weak from the fight, which is not usual for you.
"Is the little one alright?"
"She was bitten by the snake. It's venom likely had hold of her."
Kayla finishes off the snake and as the body of the serpent drops to the ground. she drops her sword and falls to her knees.
Apparently she looks quite fatigued.
I don't feel so good...
Kayla, your blood burns, but you finally start to feel a little better. Your head swims for a moment but quickly clears.
Barundar searches the rubble before the group departs the area.
"Little one...Kayla, was it? Are you able to continue on? We should probably keep moving."
"Onwards and upwards. There is little be gained from tarrying here."
If everyone is ready to depart, Weyland lifts his sunrod high and starts to lead on.
"Little one...Kayla, was it? Are you able to continue on? We should probably keep moving."
Kayla wearily stands. she stumbles a bit but with the grace of an acrobat she regains her footing rather quickly. Yes, it is Kayla. and I think I will be alright for now. thanks for asking.
she brushes herself off and sheathes her sword.
as they start to head off do you still want me to scout ahead or anything?
"If you are skilled at such, I, for one, would be grateful if you would. How are you feeling? Did the serpent harm you?" Enshi sheathes his scimitar, and does a quick examination of Kayla to see if there's anything he can do.
With a sigh of relief, Vaelor was back at his Father's side. "We should probably get moving, the sooner the better."
it isn't much, I think I'll be alright for now I don't want to be any burden on you guys
Kayla looks off in the direction they want to go. I'll scout ahead a bit. keep the light source with you guys, I can see pretty good in the dark.
Kayla heads off, ahead of the party by about 30-40 feet scouting for signs of trouble ahead.
You take about twenty-five minutes to navigate down a long winding corridor. You finally come to a very large cavern.
Kayla, from your scouting vantage point, you can see a single sizable 20-foot-tall building in the center of this cave. A bunker like structure with no windows and walls of worked stone blocks. A 10-foot-long carving of a hammer decorates the building’s facade. The ruins of collapsed outbuildings stand to either side.
Barundar whisper-shouts to Kayla,"Dae ye see anythin'?"
a quick scan of the area for underground critters appears to prove the chamber empty.
Kayla makes her way back to the group.
found a huge chamber and what appears to be some underground building possibly some sort of fortress. There was a carving of a hammer on the building. not sure what it symbolizes though. I didn't notice any doors from this side.
Barundar's eyes widen. "A hammer?? Wis it upside-down? Th' heid facing doon? Wur thare runes carved oan th' sides?! Ne'er mynd, shaw me!" he answers insistently, scrambling upward after the gnome. He very clearly thinks she may have found something significant.
As soon as he comes into view of the structure, he searches out the carving to see if he recognizes it as a symbol of his diety, Torag.
Reinnwulf moved into the chamber with Barundar, eyes scanning the darkness for signs of danger. "It is occupied? Or does it look abandoned?" The barbarian wasn't sure that finding a permanent structure down here was a good thing. Perhaps this is a home of the mutations?
You can easily tell that the building was once dedicated to Torag, but has seen no upkeep in hundreds of years and has fallen into disrepair.
Enshi looks up above the building. "Does anybody else hear that?"
Cocking one ear, Vaelor answered, "Yes. What is that?" He looked around to see what was making the noise.
I didn't pay it much mind but yes, I do hear something
Kayla duck into the shadows and moves toward the sound hoping to catch a glimpse of what is causing it with her darkvision
Barundar, excited about finding something with Torag's mark on it, suddenly stops, looking up towards the top of the building. "Aye, ah hear it tae. A buzzing sound. A' body see whit cuid be making it?"
"I'll take you word for it. Whatever it is, it might mean trouble, or it might not. No point in standing around in the dark waiting for it to jump out. Let's go see what that building is."
Weyland slides his sword free of its scabbard and makes ready to enter the chamber.
Reinnwulf stuck his finger in his ear and wiggled it around a bit, trying to hear what the others had.
You move into the building, and a stone bench lines the southern wall of this chamber. At the far side of the room, a basin of water sits atop a stone pedestal. A stone door engraves with an image of a hammer stands to the north.
Once entering, Anevia stumbles a bit, "I'm sorry, but my leg is hurting quite a bit, I need to sit down for a few moments..."
Horgus grumbles at her request "Stop slowing us down, I think it's high time to leave you behind for the greater good of the party..."
Anevia looks at Horgus with daggers in her eyes and you can see an argument is about to explode.
"We leave no one behind. I do not know why the dragon used its last efforts to shield us, but it did. I will not throw that in the face of her ancestors. It is good that you wish to move on, but a rest would be good for all of us. Fighting, walking, high levels of danger...all these things will slow us down in the long run if we do not occasionally rest."
"Besides, Anevia performs a valuable service holding the rear and assisting the blind elf. I would think he would be slowing us, but between them they have managed so far."
Enshi hurries over. "Are you in pain? Perhaps my magicks might help with that."
Weyland pulls the nobleman aside,
"Lord Gwerm, I appreciate your desire for haste to escape these dark confines, but we cannot sacrifice our humanity along the way. No one will be left behind. It could just as likely have been you who broke a leg in the fall and had that been the case, I doubt you would have the same opinion. I promise that we will return you safely to the city and then on to wherever you so choose, so please just be patient."
The noble coughs slightly from both embarrassment and from a stir of some dust. "Yes well... I see your point. I would then ask if we can get moving shortly as this whole situation has me on edge.."
Barundar seems torn, clearly wanting to investigate the mark of Torag, but at the same time not wanting to separate himself overmuch from the rest of the group.
An enormous fly, easily twice your size, clings to the ceiling, partially hidden in a crack that extends across the cavern. You'd swear that its face looked human.
No, it's fine. Just need to take the weight off it for a bit. Anevia mutters as you take a look at her leg.
There's something more going on here. She isn't really favoring her leg much more than before, and it certainly doesn't look worse than before, if anything something is distracting her from the pain, and her expression seemed more melancholy or despondent than pained. Based on her reaction to Horgus you bet there is something between them, and it connects, in some way, with this place.
Standing next to the basin and doorway, you notice the basin's water is clean and fresh. It must be refilled somehow as everything else here has a fine layer of dust over it.
The symbol above the door is nothing remarkable. A simple hammer with the runes of creation. Done with dwarven care, but no extraordinary skill.
The room beyond is a simple shrine, some twenty feet by twenty with four stone benches and a simple alter near the back wall, about fifteen feet from where you stand now.
Curiously a this room has an occupant. Seated on the forward-most bench on the left sits stocky, hooded figure.