Chapter 3.2 - Return to the Golden Grain Inn

Hearing no strong objection, Myrtha continues to lead the way, feeling along the left wall, her shadow stretching far in front of her from the torches that both Chase and Arya hold behind her. As Lyrel teases Chase, the tunnel widens into another chamber, large enough to admit the whole party. However, this chamber appears empty, and is noteworthy only for the fact that the timbers at the far end have collapsed, leaving a pile of loose earth against the wall.

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Aanbo (27/27)
Arya (10/10)
Chase (14/14)
Ember (9/9)
Lyrel (9/9)
Morton (9/9)
Myrtha (17/18)
Theran (18/18)

"Is this really it?" Lyrel wonders, disappointed at finding another dead end. "Those cultists must have gone somewhere...?" She quirks a smile. "...unless that ugly statue is what drew them..." Lyrel steps away from the others and begins to trace symbols into the hard-packed dirt floor as the first part of a magical ritual. "Allow me to sense for magical traces..."

When it becomes clear that Lyrel is going to take a while, the party is content to take a break to wait. Morton sits back against the wall and observes, and kindred-spirit Ember joins him. Myrtha goes to stand guard at the cave mouth, with Arya following dutifully behind to provide light for the warrior in the darkness. Chase, holding the other torch, goes to talk to Theran off to one side. "Makes you wonder if they really even use these much anymore. They might have such a strong handle on the town that they don't think they need to hide."
"A disturbing possibility" is the elf's characteristically taciturn response.

Meanwhile, Aanbo, the expert on excavations, caves, and burrows, goes to inspect the place where the wall has collapsed. After a bit of poking and prodding, he satisfies himself that there wasn't another tunnel here, just part of the wall that collapsed when water seeped down into the supports and rotted them. But in doing this, Aanbo has disturbed a resident of the dirt pile. A territorial snake, the same color as the dirt which is groggy from the cold down here, strikes at Aanbo! By contrast, Aanbo's reactions are like a mongoose's, and he pulls away from the piercing fangs. Aanbo is not quite sure what kind of snake likes to lurk in dirt deep under the surface, but he's reasonably sure it is venomous.

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20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Large venomous snake
19 - Ember (9/9)
17 - Myrtha (17/18)
6 - Aanbo (27/27)
6 - Arya (10/10)
4 - Chase (14/14)

Lyrel (9/9) (started a ritual)
Theran (18/18)

Round one
(this is followed by round two)

Morton leaps to his feet as he reaches out for the power granted to him by his demonic patron...the connection to the Abyss comes a little bit easier every time. As he does so, Morton dispassionately recognizes that this snake is a mudviper, a variety of venomous reptile that grows to more than 4 paces in length and has been known to eat medium-sized creatures like dogs, cats, even young children. The elf's eyes glow red, the heat of the nether plane is reflected in Morton's body, and this generates a shockwave of force that blasts across the chamber into the snake.
The mudviper takes 3 force damage!

The mudviper, for its part, is still focused on its intended prey: Aanbo. It strikes out at the dwarf again, and again the monk's long years of training helps him anticipate where the snake will strike...and to not be there when it does.



Lyrel continues her ritual, casting Detect Magic.
Ember whips out her rapier as she leaps to her feet and misses the twisting snake.
Myrtha pushes past the others to attack with the spear over Aanbo's shoulder and misses the snake.
"You think it's a coincidence to have a big snake in a place with a big snake statue?" Aanbo says to her over his shoulder, missing his strikes with both staff and palm.
"Strike it down with sacred flame!" Arya implores Pelor, but the snake dodges the column of light that beams down into the collapsed mound!
Chase moves past Myrtha to stand between Ember and Aanbo, but his flashing stabs with the shortsword do not manage to connect with the undulating reptile.
Theran watches sardonically. It's just a snake.

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22 - Lyrel (9/9) (performing her ritual)
20 - Morton (9/9)
20 - Mudviper (-3)
19 - Ember (9/9)
17 - Myrtha (17/18)
6 - Aanbo (27/27)
6 - Arya (10/10)
4 - Chase (14/14)