it takes a while get everyone use to posting in sync.[/ooc]
perhaps, if during combat encounters it would be simplier if we all posted according to our Initiative count? including when creatures act as well?
Darie kept hacking at the snake frantically, wielding the dagger as little more than an extension of her fists. She clearly didn't really know what she was doing. Yet the cunning reptile moved out of the way, so her dagger only send a spark to her face - and she dared not target closer to Tobin, for fear of hurting the halfling.
Kells hits the snake quite solidly but it doesn't stop it wrapping around the paladin it's long body slowly starting to constrict the young man.
Tobin managed to hit his snake before falling unconscious. Unfortunately for the halfling the starving snake is ignoring the threats around it and it's mouth yawns open widely and it starts to consume the small man.
Khadath strikes at the snake trying to eat his companion and manages to damage it well but the snake continues to try to feast, obviously driven by it's hunger.
Unfortunatley Zereta's and Darie's attacks miss.
Darie tries to free the poor halfling but unfortunately her attack misses.
Kells roars in anger and pain as the snake squeezes around his chest. He desparately tries to slip his hand between the snake and his torso. He fights to break the grapple with the beast, but as he feels a rib crack and sees the world dimming at the edges, he begins to think that it's a loosing battle.
Having crawled through the gap in the rubble brief seconds ago Jeny lets out an angry yell at seeing the snakes crushing her newfound companions and accurately attacks the snake trying to eat the halfling cutting it in half.
The remaining snake continues to squeeze Kells, squeezing the breath out of him.
Kessel continues playing, but he does move beside the entrance(not in front) to see if he can aid in some way
Zereta attack remaining snake 1d20 4=12+1 =13 for kessel singing (forgot to add it in when I did the dice roller)
if it hits
Weapon dmg (2d8 8=10)
Seeing as the snake that was trying to eat Tobin has been slain, Khadath rushes over to the halflings side.
He kneels down and drops his mace near arms reach. He places his hand on the halfling and gives prayer to Lathander as he cast his spell.
Unfortunately Zereta's attack misses the snake that has crushed the breath out of your paladin. At least your halfling friend appears to be stable now thanks to Khadath.
As the snake trying to swallow Tobin went limp, and Kardath worked his divine miracles on the halfling, Darie seemed all too ready to relax and catch a breath - but stopped when she saw what had happened to Kells. "Oh... damn. Zeretha! Do something! Somebody!" She gripped the blade of her dagger so tightly her knucklebones turned white, and hacked at the reptile - again without actually doing any appreciable amount of damage.
Kells, unconcious, coughs as the snake squeezes harder, a large blood bubble popping on his lips.
Jeny swings her axe at the remaining snake, hitting it solidly and causing it to go limp. Exhaling a sigh of relief the young woman drops her axe and watches Tobin and Kells with scared eyes.
after seeing Jeny dispense with the remaining snake that had been coiling itself about Kells, Khadath rushes over to his side.
"hold still my friend" he says to the unconscious paladin, not that the man could reply, but Khadath says it mostly out of habit
”keep an eye out for anymore of them while I heal Kells of his injuries” he says aloud, though to no one in particular
”Ms Billown, please help in uncoiling this monstrosity” he adds as he places his hand on Kells chest, then he cast Cure Light Wounds
Cure Light Wounds = 6
Kessel allows the song to die.
"Good work everyone," he says glancing over the party, "we've survived our first scrap I guess."
Kessel is clearly still very nervous. The prospect of nearly loosing two party members so soon into the expedition clearly bothers him. He silently wonders what he might could have done to have been a greater aid.
Darie gripped the snakes head without a second thought, after plunging her dagger below its neck to make sure it was very dead indeed, and pulled. She didn't seem to mind the blood or cold reptilian skin too much, instead working hard at freeing her new friend. "If that was good work, Lathander preserve us ever doing a bad job"
Zereta stops raging and takes a knee while awaiting Kells healing.
The glow of Khadath's spell covers Kells for a moment and the bite on his arm closes somewhat. Inside, Kells' ribs start to reknit...weakly, but the cracks running through the smooth over. With a ragged gasp Kells sits up and coughs blasting some magically congealed blood across the floor and breathing in sob-like bursts of air.
He winces and lowers himself back down onto the grownd, his face and hair wet with the sweat of the confrontation. He takes a long moment to get his breathing back to a comfortable level... still shallow out of deference to his brutalized ribs.
His arm flops over exhaustedly and pats Khadaths leg. "Thank you, friends," he rasps out "I would be tomorrows snake leavings if it weren't for your timely assistance." Another silence stretches out, he closes his eyes and says "But you must admit...I did hear something. Is Tobin alright?"
Tobin moans softly, and his eyes flutter open. "What...happened?" he murmurs, his hand rising to his throat. He tries to sit up, but doesn't seem to have the strength, and slumps back down. His eyes flick around the room, trying to take in the scene. Seeing his friends gathered around him, he relaxes, and smiles slightly. "It was a frightened animal, then," he observes, wryly.
His arm flops over exhaustedly and pats Khadaths leg. "Thank you, friends," he rasps out "I would be tomorrows snake leavings if it weren't for your timely assistance." Another silence stretches out, he closes his eyes and says "But you must admit...I did hear something. Is Tobin alright?"
Kessel is tempted to inform Kells that snakes have an extremely long digestive process and Kells might not have been left as a snake droppings for over a month . . . but he thinks the better of it.
Kessel does take the time to search the cave though, mainly looking for the alternative exit, and any other possible goodies that a snake might have regurgitated.
It takes him a while of scrabbling through rubble and the old bones of the previous meals of the constrictors but eventually Kessel unearths a few interesting items.
He finds an old leather backpack, the bag contains an elaborate lantern of indigo metal inset with indigo panes.
Elsewhere he discovers an intricately carved golden armband of unmistakable elven craftmanship, a beautiful repeating leaf motif covering it's surface.
Finally and most curiously he finds amongst the more rough rubble a piece of smooth marble, on closer inspection it appears to be the finger off of a statue.
"you'll be fine now my friend. Lets get the rest of you patched up so we can move out of this room."
Khadath then proceeds to cast two Cure Minor Wounds into Kells.
"We'll all have to be much more careful if we come across any other creatures such as these. I've already nearly exhausted my allotment of spells.”
”I dare say we better start working on covering each others backside a bit harder. My abilities do not overly extent much into combat, and yet I was left little choice to be the first to rush in to help Kells when he called out.” he says after he finishes healing Kells, then makes his way back through the tunnel when the group is ready
Cure Minor Wounds = 4 (x2), total 8hps
"I am just glad you are both ok. We should have figured some critters take up residence here." She offered Kells a hand as he stood up, and looked the priest over. "Do you think we can push on a little further? I don't want to endanger anyone, but truth be told, we haven't found anything valuable yet, right?"
"Don't be so sure about that Darie," Kessel says, holding up the newly found trinkets, "nothing to retire on, but it's something."
Kells takes Darie's hand hand lets himself be assisted in getting up. The healing magics that Khadath worked made him feel almost perfect. Only the twin stipple punctures of the snake's bite remain on his arm. He moves a bit stiffly, but no longer with the pain of cracked ribs and ruptured internal organs. He smiles calmly at the halfling. "Whatever you think, Tobin. I think we can look around a bit more. I'm pretty refreshed. But I'll be happy not to run into any more snakes."
"As long as it keeps me fed for a few more days, i have no complaints. Retirement can come once we get to the really good stuff" Darie replied, taking the elven ring into her hands. "Hmm, this one is beautiful. I guess some of the spoiled city girls would pay a lot for it. Elven metalworks are not that common, right?"
"Whatever you think, Tobin. I think we can look around a bit more. I'm pretty refreshed. But I'll be happy not to run into any more snakes."
"Well, that certainly wasn't what I was hoping to find when we came in here," Tobin replies. "But I can feel my strength returning - I take it that this is some power of yours, Khadath? Thank you, my friend." Tobin clambers to his feet, a little gingerly. He straightens himself up a bit, brushing the masonry dust off, and eyes the snake carcasses uncomfortably.
"I think you're right, Khadath - we should be a little more organised in our approach," Tobin concurs. "But we were a little unlucky that these creatures were lurking beyond a narrow passage. I'm sure we wouldn't have had quite the same problem if we'd encountered them in the open." He pauses, flexing his arms and legs experimentally, and picking his bow up from the floor. "I'm happy to explore a little further - that domed chamber looks fascinating - but I think we should be ready to retreat and repair to the mine house if things get dangerous again. Do you mind if I have a look at that lantern, KC? It looks like one of those hanging in that chamber." As he speaks, Tobin heads towards the arch and the stairway leading down.
"By all means have a look," Kessel says handing the lantern off to the halfling, "and I agree with your assessment of the battle. That fight wasn't too our advantage. When Kells first discovered the serpents I yelled for him to draw them out, but I guess my suggestion was lost in all the excitement. Perhaps next time I shouldn't be so quick to assume that others hear my words."
Zereta smiles and places a hand on Kells shoulder "I am glad you are well friend, fear of yours and Tobin's death made my anger rise to the surface." Turns to her other friends and the latern "that looks like one of the lantern from the alcove painting"
Kells smile back at Zereta "My thanks, Zereta! This could have turned out much worse if I didn't have freinds like you to rely on." After getting is bearings and giving a little prayer to both his and Khadath's gods, he gets the torch and goes back out into the corridor to back up Tobin.
"Thanks, Kells," Tobin says, as the big man approaches with the torch, "I don't know what I'd do without you!" Holding the indigo lantern up, he looks between it, the fresco, and the domed chamber down the stairs. "Yes, this is definitely one of those lanterns - you see how in the fresco there's a lantern this colour next to the blue one, but in the room below there's nothing at the end of the same passage? This must have come from there." As he speaks, Tobin gestures with his free hand to emphasise his point. "Shall we go down?"
Tobin steps forward and examines the stairway to make that it's safe for use. He then proceeds carefully to the bottom of the stairs and walks towards the centre of the room. He pauses for a moment, turning back to the others, and looks up at the sparkling reflections from the ceiling, smiling. "I like this place," he comments. "It's nice to get some peace from that constant whispering." Gently setting the indigo lantern down on the floor, Tobin sets about thoroughly searching the dais and sarcophagus.
The stairs are perfectly safe and you can all easily make your way into the large domed chamber. All the lanterns are in place save the indigo and the red and the light of the green lantern reflecting off of the ceiling lights the entire room well.
The lid of the srcophagus bears a white stone relief of a tall figure cloaked in a simple garnment of flowing cloth. The figure looks human at first but on closer inspection the figure is 7 feet tall, completely hairless and of indertinate gender. It's arms and hands rest at it's side and it's missing a finger from it's right hand (Like so)
The sarcophagus rests on a raised platform carved in the shape of a stylistic arrow, the tip aligned with the head of the relief figure upon the lid and a "shaft" extending from the foot of the sarcophagus. The arrow is currently pointed at the corridor that contains an orange lantern (the sencond one in a clockwise direction from the entrance.)
Tobin spends quite some time searching the sarcophagus and becomes quite certain there is some sort of magical trap on the lid.
Stepping away from the sarcophagus, Tobin addresses the group. "This is an interesting-looking fellow," he says, pointing at the sarcophagus. "Do you suppose he's one of the Wind People? Don't touch the sarcophagus, though - I'm pretty sure there's some sort of magical trap on the lid. I suppose whoever made it didn't want anyone poking around inside - quite sensibly, I guess!"
Tobin steps off the dais and picks up the indigo lantern, then walks over to the passage between those holding the blue and the violet lanterns. He hangs the lantern from the chain, then turns back to the main chamber with a satisfied smile on his face. "There!" he says. "Now we just need a red lantern to complete the set."
Kells wanders around the room waving the torch gently to burn back some of the accrued cobwebs (if any). When Tobin starts talking about the sarcophagus the young paladin ables over to look at the figure on the top. "Huh, he looks big, but really kind of agile, doesn't he. If this is suppose to be a representation of the folks who built this place, they might be the Jinn folk that Darie suggested."
After looking at the figure for a moment, Kells walks over to the green lantern with the torch inside. "So, it looks like this was what I saw glinting from back near that alcove. Wierd that it was left like this." He holds his hand over the lantern and touches the surface hesitantly, testing it for heat.
"As long as it keeps me fed for a few more days, i have no complaints.
"Not to worry Ms. Billown. I took the libery of bringing along extra supplements of rations in the events this small excursion took longer than intended. You and any of the others are all welcome to it."
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"But I can feel my strength returning. I take it that this is some power of yours, Khadath? Thank you, my friend." Tobin clambers to his feet, a little gingerly.
[b]"you strength will indeed return gradually, but it is no power of mine but of Lathander which i am honored to serve, I am glad that i could help my friend"
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[b]
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"Shall we go down?"
[b]"by all means, lets"Khadath chimes in after having followed along quietly since they all crawled out of the small room.
He looked around this new room and watched as Tobin hung the lamp in place.
"anyone know how to disable traps so we may take a look inside? Or perhaps we should check the acloves first for any secret passages? I do have a spell prepared for it but i wouldn't want to be looking around and get caught unaware if someone were going to attempt and disarm the trap. No telling what harmful effects it may release."
Darie approached the central sarcophagous, but stopped short of actually touching it. The lit was beautiful, and probably would fetch some money as a wall decoration - if they could move it, which Darie privately doubted quite a lot. "We've got to get this open somehow. They probably would put any funeral offerings inside the sarcophagous, and this is the last room, right?"
Privately thankful not to face more monsters or animals, still it was a tiny bit disappointing. Just these three rooms...
"Anyone know how to disable traps so we may take a look inside? Or perhaps we should check the alcoves first for any secret passages? I do have a spell prepared for it but I wouldn't want to be looking around and get caught unaware if someone were going to attempt and disarm the trap. No telling what harmful effects it may release."
"If it was just a trip wire or the suchlike," Tobin replies, "I'd have a go at disarming it. But I don't know much about magic, really, and I'd be more likely to set it off than disarm it! I'm happy to search the alcoves, though - it's always good to have all the information before we decide what to do. What does your spell do, exactly, Khadath?" As good as his word, Tobin carefully searches the end of the passage he's in, then proceeds round the room clockwise, searching the end of each passage in turn.
The domed chamber is immense in size, and even the ends of each of the offshooting alcoves are large enough that they take a long time to fully search. Tobin sets to work poking at the walls and floors of each passageway.
Kells meanwhile looks at the green lantern, the flame within it burns brightly despite all evidence that nobody other than your group has been this way in a great many years. As he tests it for heat and discovers that while it looks like a flame it doesn't put out any heat.
The domed chamber is immense in size, and even the ends of each of the offshooting alcoves are large enough that they take a long time to fully search. Tobin sets to work poking at the walls and floors of each passageway.
Kells taps the lantern, leaving is fingers on the cool surface opposite the flame. "Huh, someone left an everburning torch here. No heat, just firelight. Tobin, check this lantern... this would be much more convenient to take with us than these things. Well, aside from burning away cobwebs. I can probably sew a pocket onto the side of my backpack to carry it. That way we have a hands free light sourc that's not going to ignite my head. I'm partial to that idea!"
It still takes Tobin quite a while to search and he doesn't discover any secret doors but what he does discover is a human skeleton sprawled on the floor underneath the blue lantern. With his keen eyes he also discovers that he can see the ceiling above all of the lanterns (or the empty lantern chain in the case of the red passageway) but in the blue tunnel all that can be seen above is darkness.
"That's an excellent idea, Kells," Tobin agrees, enthusiastically. "Will you bring that light over here, though - I've found the remains of some unfortunate fellow." He peers up into the darkness. "I can't see the top of the chain that this blue lantern is attached to, either." Tobin waits for Kells to approach before searching the skeleton more carefully.
Kells quickly swaps out the torches and brings the everburning torch over Tobin to light the scene. Along the way he grabs the head of the torch, the magical fire flickering painlessly between his fingers. "I can probably get a little metel cap for it too, if we ever need to 'douse' the flame that can't be doused..."
Darie looked over the Sarcophagous again, sighing. "We've got to get this thing open sooner or later." But when Tobin mentioned the chain, she moved towards the halfling. "I'll try and climb up, alright?" She was beginning to feel rather useless, and needed to prove a point here.