Pakk looks at the viper ahead and shrugs. "I don't suppose any of you is secretly a druid or otherwise good with animals, mm? I'm better with my words."
"No the only animals we dealt with at the commandery were horses. Let's see if this snake is what it appears to be..."
Zeno looked up as the lichen began to shimmer like starlight. That was a lovely prayer, and I don't seem to be the only one who thinks that. Zeno had never seen anything quite like this before, he keeps marveling at the new illumination until he notices Anthiol looking through the scales scattered on the ground.
Zeno moves next to Anthiol and picks up one scale and turns it over in his hands, examining it. He sets it back down and picks up another scale. A resurrection would be miraculous, I've never heard of such a titan being brought back but I'm not exactly a historian. Zeno holds up the levitate scale, I think I'll hold onto this one if no one else minds...?
Careful, thats a...
From its perspective we are the invaders, it feels wrong to just kill it hmm
He first checks if anything there pings as magical, then he gets a funny plan.
Mr. Pakk, I have an idea, but it would require both of us. Do you know the mage hand cantrip? If yes, we could do the following thing: I take one of my rations, this meat here is roughly the size of a rat, although I do hope it isnt made from rat meat, and make it sound, via ghost sound like a rat. If you could use mage hand to move it as if it was a rat, we can probably make the snake eat it. Vipers tend to swallow smaller prey, which should make it chill, particulary if I throw that a bit further away from the tunnel we wish to proceed through.
Ominous trumpets play in Arrius' head, ending in a muffled trombone noise as the paladin stares at the viper. Eyes, a glassy black in the dim light, stare back at him was it flicks its tongue every few seconds. No evil is emanating from the creature.
\
"It appears to be only a natural threat; it hasn't been corrupted by abyssal energy. Which leaves me no closer to know how to deal with..."
After hearing about the bait-and-switch plan, Constantine agrees it's worth a try.
Huh...Askold hadn't even seen him cast any spells, and yet he suspected Pakk of not just spellcasting, but specific spellcasting? He was more insightful than the half-orc had initially suspected.
"I do," he says, though he wouldn't necessarily call it a cantrip. "And if someone is adept in the ways of prestidigitation, perhaps we can even change the color and flavor somewhat? Just to make the ruse more convincing."
Pakk will wait for Askold to produce the ration before casting, but the others will note that when the ration begins to move that Pakk has not produced any of the verbal or somatic components typical of spellcasting. Instead, the half-orc is concentrating, focusing his attention on a memory of rats behind glass cages in a lab in Lepidstadt, trying to imagine their emotional state--a mix of curiosity and fear perhaps--as he helps the ration scurry over towards the snake.
"Now Prestidigitation is something I can help with!"
Guessed correctly, spellcaster.
Probably more powerful then me because I think he did something akin to the speak with the dead spell, but without components, like a Shamen or speaker for the dead maybe? He is too calm to not be a spellcaster is this situation.
Askold thinks as he produces his ration to have it prestigiated into a rat.
Ill have it star squeaking when you mage hand it to where we want the snake to be.
Noth having the right kind of magic to help, Anathiel merely watches.
"Interesting choice. Very nice to pull the animal away so we can pass without making them feel challenged."
As they reach the Y in the road . . ..
"Now, who would have built something like that down here? It seems like there hasn't been much traffic down here in quite a while."
"Hunh. MIGHT be a House of Torag?"
Constantine tries to look around but, as usual, doesn't spot anything...
"Torag? At least it's a temple to a good deity. I wonder if our camper has been here as well?"
Hmm, shrine to Torag? Bunker like structure? likely inhabited, if no then there is probably a good reason for that as well.
Careful, these ruins should be prime real estate for what counts as the local wildlife, the we dont see any may well just means that its stealthy.
Askold checks the area.
Pakk is relieved that the magical ruse worked as well as it did. While wiping out the Abyssal taint where they saw it was a good idea, not everything down here was afflicted. And while a snake wasn't necessarily a friend, it didn't have to be an enemy either.
Following along, the alchemist is curious about the underground house of Torag. "It won't be too long of a detour to check it out, and there could be useful supplies inside." He smiles over towards Anthiol. "I know he's not your god, but this has to be a happy sight for most dwarves."
Pakk maintains his position and moves ahead with the others towards the temple.
Constantine looks unsure of Pakk's plan, "I don't feel right commandeering supplies from a temple; for all we know they were offerings and we risk angering the Gods by removing them."
Pakk purses his lips at the paladin's concerns. "I'm sure your gods would rather have the living survive to thwart demons than worry about something so frivolous as offerings."
A temple to a god of the crusades is a most welcome sight here. We may find temporary shelter, and/or incredibly useful supplies.
Askold assents as he is investigating the area for threats.
Maybe even beer! A cool crisp Dwarfen Lager would be great about now! But I cant use my remaining spell for the day on a frivolity, although, if we can secure the temple, Torag may well appreciate me casting tears to wine in such a fashion, to provide a suitabe votary gift. Could be risky though, my tears to wine isnt up to truely good standards yet, and if Torag is famous for one thing its a high expectation of quality.
He thinks.
"Torag is a practical god. I suspect that offerings used to defend a community will be considered as well used." He says.
He will quietly whisper a pleas for forgiveness as he enters.
"Given the state of that camp we found, I'm doubting any offerings are left. I figure they should have long since been plundered, or repurposed if you prefer that verb."
More at ease after hearing what Anthiol and Anathiel have to say on the matter, Constantine will escort whomever enters the temple first.
Even though they hadn't precisely come down on a side, Pakk feels validated by the comments that the others made. He provides a couple of "mhmms" in response as he settles in, his sword at the ready in case there was anything like what Askold warned about.
Well gentlemen, we cannot assume that there are no hostiles in the temple itself, as such.
Askold redons his Scizzore, hefts his shield and cautiously approaches the door, occassionally looking upwards and also back, waving at Constantine to do likewise.
You quickly notice that he has both hands full, and thus could only kick in a door, he is also clearly intending to be the "breacher", likely prefering you to open the door and him moving through first.
Even though they hadn't precisely come down on a side, Pakk feels validated by the comments that the others made. He provides a couple of "mhmms" in response as he settles in, his sword at the ready in case there was anything like what Askold warned about.
Well gentlemen, we cannot assume that there are no hostiles in the temple itself, as such.
Askold redons his Scizzore, hefts his shield and cautiously approaches the door, occassionally looking upwards and also back, waving at Constantine to do likewise.
** spoiler omitted **
Nodachi in one hand, Constantine opens the door with the other and tries to keep an eye on Askold.
Askold seems tense, having shield and Scizzore at the ready, seems ready to pounce at possible hostiles inside.
Should I have consumed my Mutagen? Ah well, no clear sign of hostiles observed so far, and it only lasts 10 minutes.
Anathiel follows once the front line has made it in.
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Looks like this door will resist the exploratory efforts, thankfully I am relatively strong so
Perhaps overloaded, Askolds first kick does absoluetly nothing.
Damnit, lets try again
Askold tries to ram the door open with his shield, to no avail!
Nobody saw that! I think I need to use my head now think Askold!
Struck with inspirations, Askold headbuts the door an it finally gives way
Askold Beerfiend, super genius! He chuckles at his own antics.
Hmm, another door and what could be holy water?
He positions himself in front of the next door, weapons at the ready.
"What made that odd sound when the door opened?"
Something killed that fly, something with claws, and it is still inside. The water looks weird as well!
Askold whispers as he adds 2 and 2, the fly was blocking the entrance, so whatever killed it is still there, unless its capable of teleportation.
He consumes his mutagen, having lowered his shield (quicker then removing the scizzore) assuming that claws mean something hostile, and that the thoroughly pulverized giant fly strongly indicates something strong, before moving back to the inner door.
Constantine, watching Askold prepare for battle, moves into the temple with his nodachi in hand.
When Askold informs the group what's in the basin, Constantine will agree it could be put to good use against fiends.
"Holy water? That could be useful," Pakk says, reaching for a handful of empty vials at his bandolier as he tries to jostle into the doorway behind Constantine and Askold. He seems either unaware of or unconcerned by something having killed the fly as he reaches to will up the vials with blessed water.
He might not follow the gods, but energy was energy.
"So, what's going on in there? Why'd you stop just inside the door? Holy Water shouldn't have stopped anyone here, should it?"
Ready, expect a fight. Something pulverized that fly and is still here, so it probably doesnt eat, which means it probably isnt mortal.
Askold opens the door, obviously after leaving time for others to declare readied actions.
Ready, expect a fight. Something pulverized that fly and is still here, so it probably doesnt eat, which means it probably isnt mortal.
Askold opens the door, obviously after leaving time for others to declare readied actions.
Beerfiend moves inside, ready to be attacked by whatever must be hiding! (Right? Right?)