(written by Jacob, player of Sesel, regarding a recent delve into the Tel, earning him 100 xp per level)
We set about planning our next adventure, and one of our own provided a hook! Strange dreams leading to godhood! Well, it probably isn’t that, but we’re adventurers, let’s do it!
Torkol had some objections, but they died on his lips when he had no other specific options for us to investigate instead.
Taking the trusty Pallbearers' Way up we made our way to the area as depicted by these night-visions. Knowing the area somewhat, and having heard a description of these dreams, I was able to guide us through fairly directly.
As we approached the first of the visual cues provided us our dream-guide got rather excited, indicating that we were indeed approaching the right place. At that point they took over, guiding the party through a short series of passages.
It was here where things got interesting. For we had walked ourselves straight into the lair of strange Snake-people. Though they had the bodies of men with heads of serpents, instead of the more traditional reverse. Some were even of a cobra style, with a large hood.
They set about us, all hissing and angry, weapons drawn aggressively. Being the reasonable person that I am, I offered to parley. Perhaps we could come to some accord, we needed to traverse their lands, surely they needed something. Apparently what they needed was to fight us, for they refused any interaction beyond hissing and forming up to attack.
We were outnumbered, with nearly 15 of them forming up, archers in back with swords and pikes in front ready to assault us. Not willing to accept threats, even hissed ones, against my friends I joined with Barabajagle, our minds mingling and sending out a wave of psionic force against these beings unwilling to negotiate. This laid low all but 2, who were swiftly dispatched with sword and bow.
Ravna set about ‘milking’ the fallen creatures, after discovering that their fangs had openings that seemed to excrete a kind of venom. And so even more glad I was that Barabajagle and I could dispatch so many, so quickly. Unfortunately, the two that withstood the blast made enough clamor to awaken the small group in the next chamber. We discovered these, and moved to quickly block their flight deeper into the caverns to warn yet further of their allies.
We dispatched them quickly, the creatures holding bravely to the last. Ravna having milked enough for testing and experimentation, we continued deeper into the caves. As we did we heard countless more of these snake creatures hissing and gathering, obviously having heard the commotion. Fortunately for us, we were able to divert down another passage.
Ultimately we came upon a strange sarcophagus. Obviously the creature that lay within must have been born of the depths, for the coffin was in the shape of exaggerated drill ends on either side. Though it seemed the creature was perhaps not so deceased, as the strange glass-top of the thing seemed to have been burst from the inside.
Approaching cautiously, our guide moved up towards the tomb. As they did a bizarre fungus creature burst up from the top! Shocking the group of us back further, though our guide seemed entranced. They moved with the strange mushrooms swaying back and forth slowly to a rhythm. Fortunately, our friend was not fully enraptured yet by these things, and they were able to speak with us. They were confident of this being the destination of their prophetic dreams, and that it would result in some kind of godhood, though their convictions wavered briefly they chose to continue.
Singing a strange song, one I’ll save your ears and not repeat for it’s sounds were far from what my chords would be capable of, the two became synchronized. Shortly after our once-guide was not blazzed out of their mind. We tied a rope around them, and began our trek out of the dungeon.
Unfortunately, the snake-people were not done with us yet. They had setup an ambush. Anticipating this, I observed them discreetly, seeing a truly massive force, nearly 20 strong, waiting around a corner ready to strike us as we retreated across a bridge towards the exit.
So again Barabajagle and I focused our minds together. At the last moment I stepped out, with my gleaming plate and shield, and projected the wave that would drop them to their knees. And so it did, bringing down all but 3, a leader in a strange headdress, a guardsman, and someone in a full body suit of armor, no face exposed. Except, that suit of armor had a strangeness about it, for instead of a right hand wielding a sword the right hand was a sword. The armor had been built with the sword attached! Quite a novel way to prevent being disarmed mid fight, at least without being disarmed at any rate.
While the leader and guard retreated the fellow in the armor advanced. I prepared my training, wielding my shield and sword in a flurry of strikes to keep them at bay. All the while waving for my comrades to abscond towards the exit. I took the opportunity to try and chat up this fellow, but they remind silent except for the metal-on-metal strikes of their strange blade-arm. Fortunately they were rather harmless against my defenses, never landing a single blow.
Ultimately, as we moved to their outer guard post in which we previously fought, the silent armor thing stopped advancing, taking up a defensive stance and leaving us be.
Beyond that we returned from whence we came, not significantly richer, but with much greater knowledge, and our companion having achieved their goals.
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