This is some sort of giant viper, but you've never seen one with a metallic rattle before. The sheer amount of venom injected by a giant viper can cause severe blood clotting and leave a victim utterly drained of vitality. Given it's crackling with electricity, it might be immune or resistant to lightning attacks.
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Pepper scurries over to the back of the cave-- hoping something is not hiding behind a pillar here.
She passes Deerslicer-- "Excuse me..."
And Gracie-- ruffling her fur: "Nice bear!"
Then she turns to face the trio of water snakes.
"Thanks, Kunsheng!"
Thinking that an electric arc is a bad idea, she assesses the situation and chooses to go with-- acid!
Thus she invokes the Primal Elements and calling out the words of power, she weaves her little branches in the air-- tossing a blob of acid at the snake in the middle, with the light blue scales.
The acid splatters and splashes all around...
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The snakes hiss in pain as the blob of acid hits the big one's blue scales, smaller droplets splashing against the skin of the others. Enraged, the larger snake rattles it's tail and unleashes a bolt of lightning at Pepper before coiling itself tightly, ready to strike.
The other two snakes shake their rattles at Deerslicer and Gracie, one hissing at Pepper for good measure.
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Pepper mutters: [b][smalller]"If only I just had a coin and a scrap of paper... I could've ended this already--
--as she manages to somehow avoid something of lightning.
With his scimitar, Dawn's Light, still ablaze from Valor's spell, Sinan strides forward into the stalagmites to deal with the monsters throwing lightning at his friends.
"Lays hdha alyawma!" he says in kelish- not a spell, just an oath. But as he approaches the pool, he points Dawn's Light at the north snake and his holy symbol at the southern one. His eyes glow with fire from within and a cascade of flame pours from between his arms to bathe the creatures. In an otherworldly voice, Sinan calls out "Jamyeukum , ahtarq!"
"Look alive! These serpents are casting thunderbolts," Gamble says with power in his words. "We've defeated worse! Remember how we sent those acid spitting wolves running?"
He steps into the shimmering cave and whacks at the nearest snake with his staff.
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Pepper, while not having the secret and ancient druid weapon of scrap paper and coins, shrugs off most of the crackling electricity, given her experience using it herself, perhaps. She feels a slight tingling as the lightning traverses her lithe frame, with most of the electricity difussed and grounded.
Meanwhile, Valor gets ready to attack, as Sinan moves forth in front of everyone and unleashes searing fire from his hands! The large one ducks under the water, but the other two are too slow to react! Flames burst out of the Dawnflower's servant and burn through their scales, the creatures hissing in pain while their rattles generate bright blue sparks in anger.
Sadly, Sinan's victory is short lived. Focused and blinded by his own fire, he doesn't see how the large snake uncoils, stretching its tout muscles as electricity cackling fangs bite into his leg! The pain of fangs ripping into his muscles nearly blocking out the electricity that courses through his body. The rattle of the creature dulls momentarily, but begins humming almost immediately, as the smell of ozone permeates the stale air of the cavern.
Gamble, whose perhaps stentorious voice rises above the crackling and hissing, reminds you of your own experiences and inspires you just as the ulfen brings down his staff on the closest snake, which still rattled by the flames of the Qadiran, doesn't see the staff come down straight to its head!
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The arrow flies and thanks to Deerslicer's uncanny aim, almost hits a vital spot in the exposed burnt flesh! The snakes hiss and shake their rattles, blue arcs and sparks appearing briefly with each movement.
The serpent unleashes a bolt of lightning in response to Sinan's fire. As the light burns their retinas , the snake coils itself ready to strike. While the snake attacks Gamble recklessly, the sharp fangs finding purchase on his leg as they rip through ulfen muscle and deliver an electric shock! . It slinks away, shaking its head before coiling itself.
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This time Pepper will conjure a small ball of flame in her wooden hand-- and, without burning herself, toss it at the yellow snake...
Pepper will then move further in.
The smell of ozone grows powerful as lightning is called forth from the metallic rattle. Sinan, perhaps his muscles remembering his younger days as a street urchin, dodges to the left, the arc lightning striking his scimitar and giving him a powerful, but non-deadly jolt!
Pepper, not missing a beat, takes advantage of the opening Sinan creates with his dodge and despite being made of wood and leaves, calls upon a ball of fire that strikes the snake. The flame engulfs it as the fire burns away scales and muscle and it collapses in the pool of water, the smell of cooked meat in the air.
Deerslicer calls out about their poison, as the two remaining snakes shake their rattles in warning once more.
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The large blue serpent swims forward, bared fangs ready as it strikes the Qadiran.
Sinan, nerves still raw from his last experience with lightning, dodges the bite!
Angry, the creature's metallic rattle glows a brilliant white-blue as a loud hum fills the air and another electrical arc bursts forth towards the servant of the Everlight!
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"Argh!" Gamble shouts as the giant blue viper sinks its fangs into his leg. Almost as quickly, it burns away. "Thank you, tree spirit!"
He limps over the slick rocks and, grabbing his staff in two hands swings it at the head of the near serpent
Standing his ground, Sinan mutters and angry oath at the serpent and his eyes glow with light mirroring the shimmering shield of light that appears near his holy symbol. "Sayidat , ahmini."
With fire in his eyes, the priest lashes out with Dawn's Light at the offending creature.
Sinan, once again, his muscle memory sharp, dodges most of the lightning heading his way, stray strands of electricity coiling around his body, seeking to envelop pain but only bringing some pain as his muscles contract. , still this doesn't stop him from taking a swing at his enemy.
Just a few feet from the cleric, Gracie swipes at the serpent once, the cavern floor raked by her claws as the snake flicks back. The second swipe comes, and the serpent dodges, its eyes focused fully on the bear as it shakes it metallic rattle at her. That distraction is all Deerslicer needs. Knocking an arrow, he draws and releases fluidly, and the arrow goes through the snake , who tumbles back, incredibly injured, but alive.
Meanwhile; Sinan is now aided by Gamble and Simon as they all surround the large snake. The animal more agile than its brethren. It dodges Sinan's scimitar, its rattle slapping the ground; it dances around Gamble's blows and is finally struck by Simon's rapier, who manages to hit a vital organ of the creature. It trashes about in pain as the its sibling slithers forward to strike the small bear in retaliation!
Enraged, it bites at Gracie's foreleg, the fangs ripping through her fur and releasing an electrical jolt through her muscles! It then rears its head back a jabs its fangs at her again and utterly misses the second strike!
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Thus did Kunsheng's bullet fly, whizzing past Pepper and Simon, nearly grazing Gracie; the Tien putting into practice his learnings from his previous experiences with his sling...
...and with a mighty blow from the propelled bullet, he punished the creature's audacity to harm his allies, sending it back as it smashes the serpent's skull, the creature twitching briefly before dying.
Pepper now scurries back-- "This is a tiring battle!"
--to get a better line of site, as she conjures another ball of fire that does not set her on flame.
Filled with courage, she tosses the ball at the last snake-- "Sorry, big eel!"
The sphere of fire rips through the serpent's scales, causing serious damage to it! Burnt and bleeding, it lunges at Pepper, wedge shaped head crashing through her branches and leaves, fangs snapping savagely as they snap and break through bark and sap, dealing painful electrical discharges throughout. Not satisfied, it goes at her again ravaging poor Pepper's physical frame!
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"Well I'm happy I was not made out of willow...", Pepper mutters as branches fall to the floor, cracks appear in her trunk, and a pile of singed leaves drops to the floor.
Sinan turns as the remaining snake slithers past to attack Pepper. Maintaining his Shield spell, he gives an oath as he continues his attack on the creature
Sinan keeps hacking away at the snake, but his lack of concentration is wanting, as the strikes go wide and the serpent easily dodges them. Mouth open and baring its fangs, the monstrosity readies itself to strike its enemies.
Gamble steps down off of the slick rocks, limping slightly, to pin the remaining snake between himself and Sinan. He swings twice at the snake in rapid succession.
Surprisingly, it appears that everyone's adrenaline levels are too jacked up as they fail to hit the serpent multiple times. The rattling increases as the creature is visibly annoyed.
In the turmoil of things, Simon manages to quickly tend to Sinan, easing some of his pain and burns.
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Pepper raises her shield--
--lashes out with her limb.. and nearly pokes her own eye out!
And then--
--just flails about uselessly.
As the poor battered creature dodges and swerves to avoid being hit, it's had enough and strikes out at Gamble, yet misses as it tries to avoid a blow! Finally, it sees an opening and strikes at Simon, fangs sinking in painfully with a big electrical jolt! Fearing getting ganged up again, it pulls back, and hits the water, its rattle humming with pent up energy.
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