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[Jon Potter]

"My exterior. Damn right I am not just a pretty face," Huzair said loudly, purposely jostling Morier so that he nearly collided with Shamalin as the two conferred in whispers. "I am going to be one of the greatest wizards of the next decade or two."

"If I let you live that long," Morier said under his breath, scowling at the wizard. Huzair scowled right back, pointing a thin finger at the albino's pale face.

"Also I do really want to save the world. Too many beautiful women in it to let some rot queen destroy it." Huzair smiled, looking lustfully at Anania, but the elf maid did not notice, she was splitting her attention between checking the walls for secret doors and keeping her eye on Ahlear. Morier caught the look and shook his head.

"See, Huzair, that's exactly why I-" the eldritch warrior began, but Huzair waved him off.

"I could be more agreeable, Morier, but who else would keep you on your toes?" he smirked.

"We could hire someone," Shamalin deadpanned. "Apparently we're taking on all sorts of mercenaries now."

"My people are not mercenaries, little knight," Noxin said, turning from his work to regard Shamalin plainly. "We are skilled craftsman... only our craft is war. I don't take on any fight I don't want to, and money is not the only criteria... usually treasure helps though." He added a wink with that last and favored the half-elf with a smile.

"Fair enough, Noxin," Morier said. "But I do not think that Shamalin's words referred solely to you and your fellows." The big man shrugged and pitched the butt of his cigar down the stairwell.

"Lets go meet your friends, Noxin," Huzair suggested and Noxin shouldered his greathammer with a nod.

"I don't mind leading the way here, if you all don't want to," he said, looking around at the group. "I got a pretty thick skin and most things turn the other way when they see me comin'." Huzair barked laughter at that.

"Hell! I do not blame them for going the other way!" the mage chuckled. "A thick skin and a big freaking hammer would make me think you would be skilled in battle."

"I am at that." The man smiled down at Huzair.

"Out of curiousity, what race are you?" the wizard asked. "Or did you just mean your tribe of people earlier?"

"I am a giant, my friend... Well, I am a human and a giant, I guess... So maybe you could call me a huma-giant... or a giant-human," Noxin speculated, pondering and scratching head. "I don't know, I guess. I just know I got kin of both types." Huzair nodded sagely despite the fact that he'd never before heard of a human-giant hybrid race.

"Are you from around here?" the mage asked. "Do you know the area well? Any large cities close by?" Noxin sniffed and shook his great head.

"Not too familiar with the area," he said, moving towards the exit. "I have been wandering really, looking for a particular horde of treasure, but have not had any luck finding it."

"We have something in common. I like treasure too," Huzair ginned, whacking the half-giant's arm again with equally painful results. "Actually let's cut the small talk and get the heck out of here and find your friends."



Noxin lead them out through the only unexplored exit in the chamber: the door in the corner. It opened onto a set of stone steps that curved back and up to the right. The half-giant turned and grinned down at Anania who was ready behind him.

"Up," he said cheerfully. "Up is good." She nodded non-committally and they pressed on to the top of the stairs.

It opened into the side of a chamber. For a moment, the shape of the chamber was baffling, but then they realized the makers' intent; the place had been fashioned into the form of a serpent's head. To the right, at what would have been the snake's neck a dark passageway sloped upward. To the left, the floor dropped away into a chill darkness from which rose a cold wind and the dull roar of falling water.

In the center of the chamber was a worn altar of some kind around which was coiled a vast ashen serpent with scales yellowed and cracked with age. Beyond the altar, in the far wall was a set a familiar arch of stone filled with a curtain of luminous green mist. Unlike the others that the group had seen, this arch was surrounded by a riot of magical glyphs and symbols drawn in what looked like dried blood.

"Well that's something ya don't see every-" Noxin started to say when a sibilant voice spoke from the empty air somewhere ahead.

"Ssspeak the name of the one I ssserve or die," it hissed, a sound full of malice..