Session 4: Snakes Report

General Summary

Session 4 – Wednesday July the 27th 2022 – Snakes.

4.5 Hour session 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Party of 6 (The Stone Bearers):

It is the 2nd day of the month of Marpenoth (Leaffall) in the 50th year of the Age of Enialis (Early October.)

• Abrash – Wood (Dessert) Elf L2 Druid – Jacob Munson
• Ajani– High Elf L2 Wizard – Nathan Gioconda
• Gazlowe – Goblin L2 Artificer – Josh Pozsonyi
• Thomas – Human L2 Blood hunter – Ryan Armstrong (Remote)
• Gurthen – Dwarf L2 Paladin – Spencer Armstrong
• Isabella – Forest Gnome L2 Barbarian – Jackie Armstrong

Goals:

• Find out why the snakes are reproducing and put an end to it. Bring Proof to Lord Blackmoor and he will pay 75gp + do the deed research for Firestone Keep.

Centaurs

The Elf Falel’ continued to point the party in the direction while Gurthen and Isabella lead the way through the forest. A group of Centaurs galloped down the forest trail and quickly surrounded the party asking them what business they have in the forest. Falel’ backed up the party and told the Centaurs that the Stone Bearers are Friends of the Tribe of the Bear and quickly listed off all their valorous deeds. Falel’ explained how they had once killed a Bear with a single stone, and they are here to quell the Snake infestation.

The Centaur’s asked if those in the party are treasure seekers and the party responded with mixed messages. The leader of the Centaurs, Talas, explained the only thing worse than Treasure Seekers are slave traders, sport hunters, loggers and those who wish to tame or conquer the forest. He asked the Elves in the party if they are of the Lady Red or the Lady White. Ajani and Abrash had never heard of those names and asked who they were. They learned that they are the Elf Queens competing for rule of the Elves of the forest. In the end, Talas permitted the party to pass to the snake temple, but to leave the forest once they have completed their task.

Cliff Side

Falel’ led the party to the base of the mountain and pointed out the trail. Gurthen lead the party as the trail meandered around and up the side of the mountain. As they went higher and higher, (with no pretense of caution or stealth) they eventually came to a very narrow and precarious ledge. Gurthen, being so wide realized he would not be able to easily pass. Gazlowe offered to spread honey on him so he could stick to the mountain.

Rather than using honey, Isabella offered to go across the narrow passage and hammered some pitons into the cliff face. She passed a rope through the piton and continued across setting up a safety rope for the others to hold onto as she crossed. As she made it to the other side of the narrow ledge she yelled out “We got this! It’s going to be Great!” Her voice echoed off the face of the mountain and down into the caves below. Disturbed by the loud shout, a flock of flying snakes flew out from below the ledge and began to swarm Isabella and a giant poisonous snake began to slither up towards her.

Flying Snakes

Isabella pulled out her flail and started swinging at the snakes and struck one. Gurthen dashed across the edge of the cliff to help and he and Isabella were both bitten. Thomas shot and killed the Giant poisonous snake with his heavy crossbow from a great distance, pinning it to the cliffside, as Abrash came about ½ way across the ledge and killed one of the flying snakes with his poison spray. Both Abrash and Gurthen were then bit by snakes as they continued to slither towards them and attack. Gazlowe used the mountain side flint to hit one the snakes with a fire bolt from a distance, but didn’t kill it, and Ajani followed up with a ice cold ray of frost, but missed as the snake coiled to the side. That snake uncoiled and then bit Abrash and the poison knocked him unconscious as he went a pale white, nearly falling off the cliffside.

Seeing Abrash go down, Isabella raged and recklessly killed one of the snakes with her greataxe! Gurthen slashed at and killed another snake with his greatsword standing by her side, and Thomas severely wounded one with his crossbow. The remaining snakes knew they couldn’t win and flew away, as Gurthen and Isabella both swiped at them and missed. Gazlowe used the rope and pitons and came across the ledge, found Abrash’s potion of healing and brought him back to life. With Thomas’ help, Gazlowe then was able to get one vial standard poison from the large snake Thomas pinned to the mountainside. The party then moved more stealthily along the rest of the trail, Ajani realizing they were alerted by sound. They came to the temple and took a short rest before they went in. Isabella confessed to the party of her fear of Heffalumps, creatures unbeknownst to the rest of the party that dwell in the hundred acre-wood. While most of the party inquired about what they were, Gazlowe openly mocked her for this, assuming her people lied to her to get her out of her home village.

Entry Hall.

Proving her bravery (after the rest) the party lead by Isabella walked into the Entry Hall. The floor of the twenty-by-twenty-foot chamber was covered with dried leaves blown in from outside and dozens of long, translucent husks. A worn stone statue of a humanoid with snake-like eyes, a forked tongue, and scales covering her exposed skin stood in the middle of the room, hands held wide in greetings. Beneath the debris covering the floor, they saw a motif made from painted green glass arranged in the form of a thick, curling green line. The motif extended toward two large double doors that stood to the north. A smaller door stood to the west, and four torches burned from sconces on the walls, filling the chamber with sooty smoke. The party suddenly decided to be stealthy (as if that would help now after they’d been talking outside for an hour), as Gurthen went quietly through the smaller western door.

Art Gallery.

On the walls of the chamber hung eight paintings that appear to have once been valuable works of art. However, their canvased surfaces had all been sliced apart by knife or claws, and bright blue paint had been thrown across them to further ruin them. Speckles of this same paint covered the floor all about, as well. Two burning torches hung from scones in the room, shedding flicking light across the surfaces of the defaced paintings, and two doors stand in the walls, one to the west and the other to the east. Lying on the floor in the center of the room is a small doll.

The party tried to examine the painting but all they could determine was that they were perhaps once very nice. Gurthen picked up the doll and examined it. Abrash wanted to look at it and Gurthen handed it to Abrash just as the door in the West burst open and 2 cultists entered the room.

Hello fellow Snake Worshipers!

Abrash protected the doll. Gurthen sheathed his sword and Gazlowe called out, “Greetings Fellow snake worshipers!” The Cultists, brandishing their scimitars, forcibly inquired, “What is your reason for being here?” Gurthen said, “We love Thythys!” Ajani added: “We’re the new guys, where do we get our robes?” Two more cultists ran in inquiring “Who set off the alarm?” Gurthen again replied, “Sorry it was us, we’re new, we’re looking for robes. We want to support Thythys, we love Thythys.” He was so convincing that even Gazlowe started to believe him. Two more entered, but one was wearing a different robe and was clearly the leader and clearly annoyed.

The leader, Thekla, asked “Who set off the alarm?” and the other cultists replied, “They’re here to worship Thythys. Thekla offered to take them to the head of the order, Polyxeni. He praised Thythys and led the party through the temple. Thomas successfully hid and stealthily followed the party from behind. The party passed through an antechamber where Abrash found a harmless Gardner snake and coaxed it onto his arm to prove his love for snakes, but the cultists called back, “Leave the snakes and come with us.”

They went into a large chapel where bright light spilled through a hole in the eastern wall shedding dim light about the chamber. A massive pool of water covered the western half of the room with marble columns lining its edges. There was an obsidian double-headed snake statue at the far end of the pool. A desk stood in the northeast corner, and two stone benches flanked either side of the breach in the eastern wall. Urns were scattered all about the chamber and doors were in the northern and southern walls.

Thomas remained hidden and followed behind as the party continued into the great hall. The hall had a vaulted ceiling of plaster covered with carvings of flying snakes soaring overhead, and green-colored glass depicting a motif of a snake’s body flowing across the floor. Three tall, fluted marble columns stood along the sides of a worn, red carpet that ran down the center of the hall, and a fourth column had collapsed and fallen to block double doors leading to the south. Three stone statues of serpentine humanoids stood among the columns.

Polyxeni

The cultists opened the double doors and the party walked into the Audience Chamber. A red carpet traveled the center of the large chamber and ascended a dais where stood a cushioned, golden throne formed from intertwined snakes. Fluted marble columns lined either side of the carpet, and huge golden serpents wrapped around the columns, reaching up and over to twist around an adjacent serpent to form a gateway of sorts out of each pair of columns. Two half-circular braziers sat in the two northern corners of the room, casting flicking light throughout the area, and a doorway in the southwest led to a small side chamber.

Sitting on the throne was a very pale looking older female. Her hair was snakes who also looked old and slightly withered. She looked up and said, “New Recruits, you worship Thythys?” Gurthen replied, “Yes at all costs!” Polyxeni turned to the cultists and said, prepare the pool, let’s see how they do.” Two of the cultists left and headed back to the room with the pool. Thomas quickly hid behind a pillar in the great hall.

The Trial

Polyxeni briefly questioned the party on why they wish to devote their lives to Thythys, and Abrash gave a convincing reply on why snakes were so fascinating. Gazlowe then asked, “What is involved in this test?” Polyxeni replied, “Your survival. If you survive the poison, your initiation is complete.” Polyxeni began waxing on about Lord Thythys returning to power and the snake’s repopulation being a sign. The party asked if she knew why the snakes were reproducing so much and she said that she believed it is due to the devotion and prayers of the devoted followers of Thythys, noting that their favorite ssalm in the ssalter is about snake reproduction and they’ve been singing it often. The cultists quickly returned letting everyone know the pool has been prepared. Three of the cultists and the cult fanatic Thekla took them to pool and two of the other cultists returned to their chambers.

Attack!

Gurthen called out, “On the count of 3, we all jump in!” Abrash was standing next to Thekla and Thekla said, “This is how it is done” as she went to push Abrash into the water. Gurthen saw this and rapidly said “1-2-3 we love snakes!” The party pulled out their weapons and attacked!

Isabella swiped at one of the cultists with her greataxe but missed, Gurthen quietly said “Target the leader!” As he struck Tekla with his sword and channeled his divine smite. The blow cut Tekla in half and her body fell into the pool. He yelled out loudly for all to hear, “That’s the first one of us in!” From the hallway, Thomas fired his crossbow and killed one of the cultists. Abrash cast poison spray and hit one of the cultists, but unfortunately it didn’t hurt him liked he would’ve expected it to. The last cultist screamed out to alert the others as he hit Gurthen with a glancing blow.

Isabella recklessly decapitated one of the cultists as the last cultist yelled out “Could use some help here!” Gurthen carefully stabbed the last cultist in the room so that the robe could be saved. Then two cultists ran towards the pool room, as Gurthen ran into the hall and taunted one of the cultists and ran back to lure him to Abrash and him. The cultist ran into the room and Abrash and Gurthen worked together to take him down. Thomas hid in the hallway and saw Polyxeni squirming in her chair and looking down the hall. She then spotted Thomas as he fired his crossbow at the last cultist in the pool room and killed it.

Searching the remaining rooms.

Gazlowe took a robe and a scimitar from one of the dead cultists. Isabella wanted to get Thomas’s attention. Gurthen ate some berries and laid hands on himself. Gurthen went out into the hallway and saw that the medusa, Polyxeni was gone. He brought Thomas back to the group and the party went into the Cultist’s quarters. Abrash found a plant with 5 berries and discovered they were poisonous. He took a seed from each of the berries and put them in a pouch of dirt that he had so that he could grow it as he travels, as he does with many of his plants.

Gazlowe found a footlocker and took the 150cp and 50sp from it. He also took the pillows and a couple robes, but realizing he could not carry the pillows, he gave them to Gurthen who put them under his chainmail for extra protection. The party went back into the pool room and opened the remaining doors they had not opened before. The room seemed to be Polyxeni’s quarters. A massive bed dominated the bedchamber which also contained a smashed table, a cushioned chair, a wardrobe, and a low wooden bench. Three jewelry display cases stood in one corner, but their glass tops had been smashed and broken glass covered that area of the floor. Next to the wardrobe was a sad looking, neglected fern, and a large recess to the north held a massive brazier carved from stone in the form of a huge serpent.

That’s a real snake!

The party searched the room. Abrash watered the Fern. Gazlowe took the pillowcases and filled them with glass shards. The party didn’t find anything of great value. Isabella went over to examine the broken table next to the stone snake brazier and discovered that was actually a huge grey snake wrapped around the brazier and it surprised her by biting her and wounding her badly.

Gurthen quickly struck the snake with his sword. The snake then grappled Isabella and began crushing her. Abrash shot a guiding bolt at it and made a glancing blow. Gazlowe cast catapult using the pillowcase of glass and struck the snake, as Bitey shot out a bolt of force at the snake. Ajani cast chromatic orb as the barometric pressure dropped around him and hit the snake with it. Finally Gurthen held aloft his great sword and chopped off the snake’s head, and Abrash gave Isabella 10 of his remaining 13 berries to heal her. The party searched for a secret entrance and found none.

Well in the Throne room.

Gazlowe showed a keen interest in the golden throne. Ajani examined the throne for any secret passages but found none. Isabella examined the ceiling for a secret passageway but didn’t find anything. Thomas pointed out small room to the side. The back half of the small room dropped away abruptly, forming a stone chute that led down into blackness. Looking down, they could just barely see the bottom but couldn’t see if there were passages at the bottom.

Gazlowe asked for the pillows from Gurthen and threw them down into the well and then jumped down on them. He landed very gracefully and only took 9 points of fall damage. Gazlowe persuaded Gurthen to jump also. Gazlowe jumped down and landed poorly on his leg and broke it and took 9 points of fall damage. They found no passages at the bottom of the well. Isabella got the long red carpet and lowered it into the well for Gazlowe and Gurthen to climb out.

Polyxeni.

Abrash gave Gurthen the last 3 of his berries. Thomas splinted the leg and Abrash gave him a crutch. The party went back into the throne room and tried hard to find where the Medusa could have gone. Thomas examined a section of wall and found a secret passage. Thomas pushed open the secret passage. Polyxeni rushed forward and attacked Thomas. As Polyxeni ran forward two of the stone statues in the room came to life and moved toward the party.

Polyxeni’s snake hair bit Thomas and badly wounded him. Thomas and Isabella attacked but both missed. Gurthen hobbled toward her and smited her with his great sword. Abrash closed his eyes and shot a guiding bolt at Polyxeni but missed. He then turned into his Archer Stary form and hit her with a radiant bolt. One of the stone statues moved to Ajani slammed him. Gazlowe saw the 2 stone statues in the doorway, and he cast grease on the floor, knocking them both prone. Ajani cast Silent Image and created a mirror. The mirror scared Polyxeni, and she moved into the corner of the room.

Polyxeni hit Gurthen hard with her snakes. Thomas hit her with his whip. Gurthen looked at her and felt himself start to stiffen but he was able to Hit Polyxeni with his great axe. Abrash used his 2nd wild shape to turn into a giant lizard to protect the party. Gazlowe shot a firebolt at the grease and it ignited starting to burn the statutes. Bitey shot a cog at Polyxeni and hit her, but he too began to petrify.

Ajani shot a chromatic orb at Polyxeni with thunder damage and blew off her clothes. She looked very badly wounded and hideously ugly. The stone statues began to burn. One of them stood up and started pounding on Abrash the giant lizard. Thomas finished off Polyxeni with his whip and cut her head off. He closed her eyes. The stone statues became inanimate and continued to burn. Gazlowe was able to stop the fire and became very interested in the way the statues were animated. Bitey then turned to stone but Gurthen was able to overcome it.