Initiative (1d20+1=16)
At the top of the cliff, Qadim-sul readies his crossbow and fires at the closest drake, cursing as his bolt flies off into the darkness. Attack (1d20+3=4), Dmg 1d6=2
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Qadim-sul agrees to take the last position, scanning the floor below for danger.
"Of course." Qadim-sul hands his climbing kit to Lafiel and helps prepare the ropes for her descent. "I can fly down with you, if you like, unless you prefer to do more stealthy scouting on your own."
"It's cursed, so it's going to follow you around regardless. I'm just suggesting wearing it on a thong around your neck or something, to avoid the constant surprise of finding it in your pack. Clearly it has something to do with greed, the only question is whether the curse is temporary or permanent. Personally, I'd rather have it close at hand-" -Qadim-sul flashes a wry smile- "-if we find a way to break the curse, than have to look for it at the time. If it can appear when we don't want it, who can say it won't disappear when we do?"
Qadim-sul attempts to add his own expertise. Arcana (1d20+10=27), History (1d20+10=27)
"Maybe it's just me, but shouldn't ape-men be worshiping ape-gods instead of dragons?"
Qadim-sul sighs. "I should think it's clear that those pots are some kind of trap, divine magic or not. Holy snakes probably jump out of them, or something." He shrugs. "But it's your funeral." Qadim-sul steps back to the entrance of the chamber, as far from the pots as possible, but holds his khopesh at the ready.
"Here's an idea! There's three pots that aren't broken. Let's open them!" Qadim-sul's voice drips with sarcasm.
"Your funeral," Qadim-sul mutters as he watches Lafiel disappear down the tunnel. He stays where he is, within sight of the rest of the group.
Qadim-sul makes hos way down the corridor as quietly as he can.
"I'll come too. I don't like sitting here in the dragon's mouth."
"Some exploration first, then. If they're no longer scrying on us, we should be able to remain out of sight until we found a safe way down and into the city." Qadim-sul frowns as he thinks of something else. "As long as we don't run into any ape-man patrols in the tunnels, of course. They may post guards at the approaches to their city."
Qadim-sul stares for a few minutes, then finally finds his voice. "Wonderful. An entire city of ape-men for us to fight. Then again, that's the stuff legends are made of! Although I have to admit that our current perch seems like an ill omen..."
"I'm not sensing any more magical scrying. Either the caves block are blocking it, or they've decided we're not worth the trouble."
Qadim-sul tries to see if he can detect any scrying. Arcana (1d20+10=27)
"Death and destruction, no doubt!" Qadim-sul mutters. "Which is what we're here for, after all. I say enough of this sneaking around. If they're scrying on us, it's a lost cause anyways. Who's with me?"
"I'll watch after Rin, if he can wake me."
"Mind you, if I start acting oddly, just do me the favour of concussing me and taking it away." He shrugs. "It might happen - after all, anything strong enough to take over Barshevy's will is hardly going to have a problem overcoming mine." "Happy to oblige," Qadim-sul says with a grin. "Father, if you don't find anything on the altar, I suggest we continue our explorations." He gestures down the tunnel with his sword.
Qadim-sul finally joins the party in the room. "I'll take a look at the staff if I may, Father," he says. The genasi studies the staff, turning it over in his hands.
Once everyone is down, Qadim-sul will follow behind, looking out for snakes or other bitey-things.
Qadim-sul claps Drivish on the shoulder. "What's the matter, old son, don't want to jump in there on your own again? I don't blame you - I believe I'll take up the rear. Perhaps Lafiel would like to go back down first? Or the priest, so he can heal whoever's next if more snakes come out."
"Come back up!" Qadim-sul calls. "There's no reason to die down there, Drivish. Lafiel can tell us if there's anything worth going back down there for."
Qadim-sul will wait until his companions have dealt with as many snakes as possible before climbing down last.
"Maybe they're just illusions, if the snake itself isn't real. But perhaps the priest should test that for us, just in case. And what of the staff Fargrim spoke of?"
Qadim-sul hops impatiently from foot to foot. "I'm about to jump down there myself, just so that something will happen," he growls. He walks over to the edge of the hole and peers down, trying to resist the urge to shout down to Drivish.
"Curse or no, I find any living hands going through my pack, they're getting cut off. That goes for all of you." "I don't know if that will help," Qadim-sul tells Drivish as he attacks the tree. "We lost the hand before we found the tree. Which means our priest got greedy before we came through the portal. Maybe the imp?"
"Hmmm, hypnotic snakes, now hypnotic coins. 'The ecstasy of gold...' Careful, Father, those coins might be cursed." Qadim-sul turns away, focusing on manifesting his stormsoul.
Qadim-sul cries out as the snake bites him, lashing out with his khopesh amid a crash of thunder.
As the snake digests more of Fargrim, Qadim-sul disappears, only to reappear a moment later behind the snake. He lashes out with his khopesh.
Qadim-sul tries again to lasso the snake with a leash of lightning from his blade, cursing colorfully as he misses the mark again.
"This will at least keep it from running off with the dwarf in its gullet," Qadim-sul says, attempting to throw a lasso of lightning to pull the snake closer.
Qadim-sul stares at the snake with his mouth open, fascinated, but wrenches his mind free. "Now it's starting to annoy me," he growls.
Qadim-sul steps forward and strikes at the snake with a crash of thunder.
"Hmmmm," Qadim-sul muses, "I'm beginning to wonder if the coffer may have held something that would help us on this side of the portal. Wading boots, for example," he says, looking down at the muck on his boots with a grimace. "Well, they do say hindsight gives you perfect vision. Onward, indeed."
Qadim-sul moves after the closest skeleton, bringing down his khopesh on its bony body.
Attack vs. AC (1d20+6=18), Damage (1d8+4=6)
Qadim-sul strikes at the rats, his khopesh cutting into them with a boom of thunder. Booming Blade vs AC (1d20+6=19), Damage (1d8+4=5)
Qadim-sul heaves on the rope, trying to pull Fargrim out of the cube. (1d20+7=13)
"By the storm clouds of Ashelon!" Qadim-sul exclaims as Fargrim falls into the gelatinous cube. He immediately jumps off the arch, floating to the ground next to the sinking dwarf. Fumbling for his rope, he extends his arm. "Fargrim, grab my hand!"
The falling globe crashes into Qadim-sul, knocking him down and off the edge. (1d20=7) Luckily, he manages to grab on to the side of the arch before he falls. (1d20=17) Qadim-sul watches in pity as Fargrim falls to the floor below. Clinging to the arch, Qadim-sul hears Rin yell "Duck!" and so stays on the side until after his companions have fired their spells before climbing back up.
Qadim-sul drops into a bow with a flourish. "By all means, Master Dwarf. 'Tis your funeral," he adds with a grin.
Qadim-sul draws his hand crossbow and moves out slightly onto the arch, here he can hopefully cover Lafiel and anyone else descending into the room.
"Welcome back," Qadim-sul tells Fargrim. "Now what are we standing around for? There's doors standing invitingly open. Last one in is ape-bait!" Without waiting for a response, Qadim-sul ducks inside.
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