[AU] Stone Bones

[Erekose13]

Phaern watches as Kelthet and Dak contemplate tossing the poor little snail into those toxic vats. "Up to you guys, I wouldn't but he certainly looks like he wants in. On another note, I think we should head onwards to find that Shadow Serpent soon, like before the other Vallorians figure out that we have taken their armory."

 

[dead_radish]

*Kelthet shrugs.* "It seems to be what he wants." *He sets the snail on the edge of the vat, and steps back, while nodding to Phaern.*

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

*Kelthet shrugs.* "It seems to be what he wants." *He sets the snail on the edge of the vat, and steps back, while nodding to Phaern.*

*The little snail dives into the first of the vats, disappearing with a ploop! For several long minutes nothing happens. Then the level in the vat begins to go down, beginning to form a whirlpool. In a few more minutes, you can look into the bottom of the now-empty vat. The snail, now much larger, is finishing crunching up the last of the half-formed weapons and stone shards. Climbing out, it repeats the process with the other two vats, each time growing larger. By the time it has slurped up the last of the ooze from the last vat, it is as large as its mother, at least as big as a horse. Its shells swirls and glimmers with a hundred different colors. It oozes back over to Kelthet, it's flail-like tentacles waving gently. It pats him on the head.*

*During this rather bizarre scene, Leesea can manhandle a few more weapons into Phaern's bag of holding, for proof for the Shadow Serpent.*

 

[dead_radish]

*Kelthet blinks, and looks the snail over. He tentatively scratches it on the flail, wondering if that's a pleasant thing for the snail. He then grins at the rest of the group.* "So, uh, anyone have a bigger lantern?"

 

[Erekose13]

"Haha not that big." Phaern says as he flits over the vats before returning to the group. He flies over towards the giant snail and pats it on the flail too.

 

[Ashy]

Darthallys snarls, "Just what the hells we need down here, a giant glowing slug that eats acidic perversion slime!" The sibeccai shakes his head back and forth...

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

*The snail seems to enjoy the attention, and slides next to Kelthet for the journey. The group takes off again, traveling many days deeper underground. The snail will even allow Kelthet to cling to its back as it travels, occasionally sideways or upside down on the walls. A couple times they duck vallorian patrols, and a few other times they silence them. The walls darken from blue to indigo to purple, and they pass small colonies of grayfolk, nestled deep within nigh-invisible little caverns. The shelf fungus that they harvest glows a faint yellow and protrudes thickly from the walls. You see occasional deep scratches on the walls, and a couple times find pieces of dark scales as large as Atlas' palm. As you go deeper, you encounter strange pictographs.*

*Finally, your sense taut, waiting for the inevitable axe to fall, you finally hear, far in the distance, a faint scraping of scales against stone. A caverns lies in front of you, and darkness is thick all around, save for your lanterns and glowglobes. You wait, hidden, to try to determine where it is. Suddenly before you light flares, revealing, at last, the Shadow Serpent.*

 

[Rybaer]

Leesea gasps at the sight of the serpent. She had expected it to be something grand and powerful, but one's imagination can only go so far.

Trying to keep her wits about her, she bows low before the serpent. In draconic, she says, "Guardian of the Bones of the Earth, we beg audience with you. The Earth has guided us here."

 

[dead_radish]

*Kelthet steps up to stand beside her protectively, making sure that Darkwish is visible on his belt as he does so. He'll definately leave the talking to the more accomplished folks.*

 

[Erekose13]

Flitting in awe, Phaern will stick close to Leesea, but he lets her be the spokesperson for the group. He wll keep an eye out for any more Vallorians who should be nearby, ready to smash them with his magic if they try to interfere.