Entering the Snakes Den

Expedition

The party enters the snakes den at the request of the bastion.

After the party was orientated at the Bastion by Brother Mathias, they were given a task as part of the apprentices to the Seven Seal. Travel to Mystwall and investigate the lands around the Barrier. There has been reports of slate scaled snakes attacking locals and potentially dragging them down into the nearby forests. They party boarded the Arctrain from The Metropolis of Epoch and went to investigate. The locals pointed them to a spot near the some farm land on the outskirts where they suspected the snakes were coming from.   The hole was deep, and fearing that villagers could still be alive down there, Sir Adien Mioneth requested they inspect closer before burning the the hole. So, the party travelled down the claustrophobic snake hole. As they did, tiny vipers began poking their heads from holes in the earthen walls, striking at the partys. Their eyes were red and scales slate, and they were hyper aggressive, pushing the party down the hole.   Once down in the hole, the vipers breaking though the walls caused a collapse in the hole. Making travel back through that way impossible with the tools at your disposal. That's when the party was ambushed by snakes the size of small dogs, the same colorations as the vipers. This brought the attention of hooded figures, checking to see the commotion. Before long, the dungeon was alive with combat as cultists from all around joined in the fight. Undead zombies shambled in as well. They seem to be the very commoners that the snakes had been taking. Their bellies and chest broken open, their organs devoured.   The party, though it did look like they weren't going to make it, came out on top and travelled deeper into the dungeon. Tama had been bitten by the snake, and weakened by the venom. As they travelled south, they were met with more cultists who blocked their path. Then a riddle in front of a massive stone snake statue. The riddle had an owl, snake, mouse, and bear. By pushing the buttons on the posts depicting these animals, in order of the food chain, a door opened under the snake revealing a hewn stone path.   The party, deciding there was work to be done in the eastern halls, ignored the doors and headed east.   The party moved into the quarters of the cultists, finding them in their rooms. Opening the doors, the cultists began to pour into the hallway. They party, aside from one fearing Rosemary, made short work of the cultists. There was one room in this hallway that was boarded. Rosemary and Otto, working together, tore the boards loose and entered.   Inside the room seemed hastily evacuated. Thick webbing filled the room, and two cocooned desicated bodies hung from the ceilings. Spiders the size of small children leapt from the darkness and began to attack. The party dispatched them and found a magical whip inside the cocoon.   With their spoils, they searched the hallway to the east, it leading to a room of torturers equipment. A woman on a rack seemed to have a roiling creature in her stomach. Otto took it upon himself to perform emergency surgery as Quinn played her a song from her wedding to soothe her. The surgery was rushed, and the woman lost consciousness but they removed a slate scaled viper from her stomach, and rid the world of it.   Stowing the woman and the treasure, the went to the mistresses quarters under the statue. Two guards told them the mistress was waiting for them. Otto feigned not being able to hear what they said, and as they moved closer, he brained one of them instantly killing it. The other attempted to run, only to have his skull crushed.   Inside the room, the spoke to a man in black armor. His face obscured by a helmet. He told her that their deal was still on and if she were to break it, it was at her own peril. He then dimension doored from the room as the mistress pleaded not to be left alone. Quinn began to stall, charming the snake woman, only to have her request his cock for dinner. Her black cat vanished from sight, only to return as an imp behind the party. The battle was hard fought and Tama almost perished but the party was victorious.   Gathering the loot, Otto found a black writ on the table. As he touched it, he saw the lone image of his mother standing in darkness. He stowed the writ and the party gathered their 12 1ft chests of gold and set off to return to Mystwall.