Quill cries out in surprise, but recovers quickly. Pushing himself in front of the boy, he mutters under his breath as a beam of fire descends upon the closest snakes.

(Sacred Flame: DC 14 dex save or 5 radiant damage)

The woodsman needs more immediate attention, though. Quill mutters again, as a beam of energy flies from his hand towards the snakes attacking the woodsman.

(Spiritual Weapon: First Attack: 18 Damage: 9 force damage)

Esvaris

I will cast charm person on Fassil. Wisdom save DC 13.

Korlan: Examining the small bell that you have, you see that it is thin and designed to make a small tinkling sound.  This brass bell is heavier and designed for a heavier clapper.  You also remember that the mending spell repairs a broken item to its original state, rather than connecting two different items to each other.

Esvaris: 

Fassil is charmed by Esvaris.

 Quill: 

The beam of energy bursts into the swarm of snakes and they recoil from the woodsman.  His eyes go wide.  Then he reaches down into his homespun wool pants, grabs something that thrashes near the crotch, and pulls a six inch long writhing snake out.  Holding it out at arm's length with a sickened expression, he drops it, looks at his blood slimed fingers in horror, and feints to the ground.  His son rushes to him, grabbing up a stick to swing wildly at the snakes as he crouches next to his father.  Friar Bernard looks over at the commotion from his position near the front steps of the veranda, unsure what's going on.

Esvaris

As my spell takes effect, I smile. I walk after Fassil and ask, "Sorry, I didn't catch an answer to my question. Do you know what has become of the sixth bell?"

Quill doesn't have time to call to him. He grabs the woodsman by the shoulder, muttering a prayer to Usoara for his protection.

(Protection from poison)

Then, Quill focuses as he mentally maneuvers the beam of energy, again cutting through the nearby swarm of snakes.

Attack: 12 Damage: 7 force

Quill:  The snakes closest to you and the boy avoid your radiant flame and attack in a hissing mass. 

The other snakes attack the boy. 7 Edit:  He manages to chase them away with his stick.  They slither off into the woods.

Save: 11

(Oh, my bad. Thought the snakes went already.)

Quill grunts in pain, but the poison barely affects him.

Esvaris:  The old man gives you a smug look, "Course I know what happened to it.  I hid it, didn't I?"  He smiles with satisfaction, revealing several missing teeth.  "If folks go gettin' into things best left in the past, who knows what kinda evil vileness would come of it?"  Shaking his head as if that should be obvious, he heads past the pool area and into the open doors into the room below the bell tower, to see what "that durn halfling is up to and make sure he ain't breakin' anything else."

Korlan: You hear the voices of Esvaris and Fassil in the next room.

Demoiselle: (bit of a time jump, since finding the hole under the missing tiles happens before the events with Esvaris and Fassil, but speaking to Bernard happens at about that time)

Quill: As soon as the poison is neutralized, the father comes to, scrambling backwards and away with his son's help.  You miss the snakes with your spiritual weapon.  They rush to fill the area around your feet, biting at your legs. (attack: 25 same damage and con save as before if hit)

Esvaris

I continue to follow after him into the bell tower. My first impulse is to ask where he hid the bell, but then I think better of it; it seems beyond the power of the spell to force this man to reveal a secret. So instead I ask "What happened in the past? What evil do the bells bring?"

Do I hear any noise from Quill's snake fight? (Passive perception=15)

Demoiselle smiled wryly and replied. "Well, only one way to find out. in any case, I meant a bucket in a tool shed or something so I can carry the water back into the pool."

Esvaris: You hear the boy yell, "Watch out!" to Quill, but you don't know who yelled or why or to whom.  Fassil stops and looks at you like you said something not so bright.  "Ya know this temple was originally built by a cult.  Course, some might say that your religion is a cult, too." He shakes his head. "I got no time for religion, myself.  I just work here. But I don't want to see anyone gettin' ideas about startin' that first one back up.  They caused all kinds of evil back in my granddaddy's day."

Quill:  As the snakes attack you the boy yells, "Watch out!"  Friar Bernard looks over and starts moving in your direction.

Korlan

I start toward Esvaris. I come through the door as Fassil comes looking for me. “Halflings huh? They’re sneaky folk if I’ve ever known any,” I say to Fassil jokingly. I’ll look over at Esvaris trying to get a feel of what he’s been up to. 

once we’re alone, I’ll ask Esvaris what he’s got up to with the old man. 

Esvaris

"Hey Korlan. I've just been talking to this temple's capable and talented caretaker. I think he finds me a quite charming person." I wink at Korlan. "He says he hid the bell that's missing from in here," and that this temple was built by a cult." then I turn to Fassil and ask, "just curious, did this great evil have anything to do with snakes, Yuan-Ti, or people that can change shape?" 

Save against poison: 21

DC 10 Save for concentration: 17

Grunting in pain but not poisoned, Quill disengages from the snakes, trying to shoo the boy and his father away as, behind him, the glowing blade sputters out.

Korlan

”a bell huh? You don’t say..... and a cult? What was the name of the cult?” I hide the bell in my hand for the time being. I turn away from Fassil to avoid making eye contact. 

 Esvaris: The old man's face shuts down. "Best to let dead dogs lie. No use dredgin' that up." Then he shoots a suspicious look at Korlan, clearly annoyed that you shared what he'd told you with the halfling.

Korlan: Fassil is eyeing you with distrust. "How long're you 'holy' folk plannin' to stay? Meb'be best if you head on back tonight."

Korlan

Still turned away but speaking to Fassil. I’m looking at the tiles on the wall pretending to have interest in the wall instead of Fassil. “Well Friar Bernard didn’t quite say. Seems like if you have any concerns, he’s the one you should speak with on those manners. We’re mere follows of Usoara. I hope you understand.”

Esvaris

I say to Fassil, "Don't worry, we'll be off first thing in the morning." Now, if you would excuse us, I will teach this durn halfling his place. I take Quill out of earshot and update him on what I learned.

Korlan 

I will motion Esvaris to a dark corner and reveal the bell I found. "Think this is the bell that rude old man hid? Think we should put the bell back where it belongs? Hard to take anything Fassil says seriously...... Maybe he's spent too much time out here alone and it's starting to take a toll on his mind......"