-/-/- Tomb of Annihilation -\-\-

"You mean.... becoming a Yuan-ti ?
I think I'll pass, but I'm curious on how do you proceed. Is that divine magic, arcane magic, a potion ? I've never heard of that..."

"You can't comprehend, Tortle. Maybe... the human with a mask can? Can you understand the Gift I am granting you?"

Brunella attempts to recall what situations Dragonbait emanated an odor of baked bread in the past.

"Hahaha... you had my curiosity but now you have attention. What would I have to do?" Felix mentions as he lowers his bow and puts his quivers on the ground. He takes his rapier and slivered dagger off leaving his masks.

Quote from Thordain >>

Brunella attempts to recall what situations Dragonbait emanated an odor of baked bread in the past.

Brunella Wildheart makes an Intelligence check!

1d20 (6) - 1 = 5

 Dragonbait emanated an odour of baked bread several times since he joined the party, in situations of anger and danger.

Quote from BeastyC >>

"Hahaha... you had my curiosity but now you have attention. What would I have to do?" Felix mentions as he lowers his bow and puts his quivers on the ground. He takes his rapier and slivered dagger off leaving his masks.

 "You have to willingly give your soul to the night serpent. There will be torment, but torment is just a path to betterment. I will perform the ritual myself and after that... you won't need to hide behind a mask anymore."

"As long as you dont make me hurt my friends... I don't care...Well guys what's it going to be?"

"Vey well, then," Fenthaza says with a smile.

All the party members leave the weapons here. Drabonbait does so very reluctantly but he forces himself to think that this is for the best. Artus, on the other hand, tries to conceal his dagger (Sleight of hand: 9, Fenthaza Perception check: 11).

But Fenthaza notices this, takes the dagger and slaps Artus in the face.

Fenthaza, together with two snake-headed Yuan-ti and four Broodguards, takes the party to her private prisoners' pits. The room contains four pits, each one a bell-shaped chamber 10 feet deep and 10 feet in diameter. The pits are flooded to a depth of 3 feet. Covering each pit is a 600-pound circular iron grate. All the prisoners are bounded with manacles at the wrists.

The stench of sweat fills the humid air. The party members are chained to the wall of a dank, partially flooded pit. Other prisoners whimper nearby, lit by faint torchlight from the hole above.

PIT 1 (top left): Artus, Dragonbait and Musharib.

PIT 2 (top right): Gertrude, Irommek, Felix.

PIT 3 (bottom left): Kurma, Inete, an unknown tabaxi.

PIT 4 (bottom right): Brunella, Oniss, an unknown dark-skinned female human.

This is the path you saw from the temple entrance to Fenthaza's prisoner pits.

Disable the weapons on your sheet.

Arcana Check to know what is the green circle: 17

Kurma tries to get as much information as he can while he is pushed toward his pit. Interestingly, he recognises a teleportation circle in the room, but has no idea where it would lead.
As he is trying to reassure Inete, Kurma notice a tabaxi in the pit. 
"Hello my friend, I see we are sharing the same fate. My name is Kurma and this is Inete. Who are you and how did you end up here ?"

As he is discussing, Kurma is trying to weaken the manacles: Strength 4

Quote from RonanKP >>

Arcana Check to know what is the green circle: 17

 Kurma needs just a quick look at the circle to understand that that is a teleportation circle. But, a much closer look would be needed to discern how it can be activated.

"Well... I'm beginning to regret this but I have a plan. Just need to slip out and reach my bag..." Felix pulls on them testing them out.

Quote from RonanKP >>

Arcana Check to know what is the green circle: 17

Kurma tries to get as much information as he can while he is pushed toward his pit. Interestingly, he recognises a teleportation circle in the room, but has no idea where it would lead.
As he is trying to reassure Inete, Kurma notice a tabaxi in the pit. 
"Hello my friend, I see we are sharing the same fate. My name is Kurma and this is Inete. Who are you and how did you end up here ?"

As he is discussing, Kurma is trying to weaken the manacles: Strength 4

 "Well, my friends, I am Pottery Shard. That's me. Singer, a great one. Was kidnapped outside Fort Beluarian. That was unfortunate. Our tale will finish here, it seems. No place to sing 'cause there no ears to hear."

"We are not here to die. If we have the opportunity, would you fight with us ?"
"What can you tell me about this place?"

Kurma will ask Inete to investigate the water to see if there are anything under the surface.
Kurma will try to read the emotion of the Tabaxi to see if he is really what he says. Insight: 19 + guidance 1

Pottery Shard seems an honest fellow, although he has lost hope, it seems.

"Fight. Well, I 'pose we have to die, one way or the other. But we will die here. So, whatevs."

After a very long day staring at each other, the portcullis of the prisoner pits opens up. Two gongs are heard throughout the temple. Fenthaza has come with her entourage.

"Fetch them," she says with her most authoritative tone. The Yuan-ti take all the prisoner from the pits and pull them down the temple.

An underground cathedral opens before you. At one end, a sculptured balcony perches atop five rearing stone serpents. Blood dribbling from the serpents’ jaws falls into a semicircular basin, and from there flows along a sloped trough into a wide stone bowl set into the floor. South of the bowl is a mezzanine, prominently situated atop which is a cauldron of steaming broth that exudes fleshy odours. To the west, a huge gong carved with snake patterns stands on a second balcony.

The Yuan-ti do not stop in the temple. They take everyone farther to the east, through a wide, 80-feet long hallway which leads into a throne room. And there he is.

Four pillars support the vaulted ceiling, and steps ascend to an iron throne carved in the likeness of a hydra. Painted on the wall behind it is a large blue triangle. To the south, an engraved stone disk is set into the floor of an alcove. A ten-foot-wide opening in the east wall leads to a flooded cave.

Ras Nsi sits on the throne, the upper torso, the head arms of a pallid human, while lower body resembles the one of a giant snake with red-brown and white scales. The skin and the scales are falling apart, like a corpse in decomposition. Syndra Sylvane was affected by the same illness. He and Artus stare at each other for long dramatic moment. These two are rivals, their hate coming from an ancient past. The loyal Dragonbait stares at the despicable Yuan-Ti as well, he won't speak, but anyone can easily read his feelings on the dinosaur-like face.

Beside Ras Nsi, silently stands an impossibly muscular human with snakelike scales seemingly hard as steel. 

He begins to speak, his voice somehow broken and low, a scornful smile on his decrepit face: " So, I see that you come with quite a companion. Nice to see you again, Artus Cimber. "

" Ras Nsi. " Artus does nothing to hide the disdain as he speaks the name of his ancient enemy. " I thought you already got to the bottom of decency and nobility. Looking at you now, I realize how wrong I was. First, the army of undead, now a Yuan-ti..."

The horrifying laugh of Ras Nsi interrupts Artus's speech. " You still pretend to be the steward of decency and nobility. You lie to yourself. Your believes and mines are one and the same. You, Artus, crave power and immortality as much as I do. You still wear the Ring after all these years, don't patronize me about decency and nobility. I wonder: if you have to choose between the Ring and your dear Alisandra... "

Artus, usually controlled and calm, lets anger come out with every word: " Do not speak her name, you lying snake! You are a plague who has been around for too long now. It is time to fix this long overdue mistake. "

Ras Nsi laughs again: " I fear you must wait some more. I have the last puzzle cube and I know where the entrance to the Tomb of the Nine Gods is. As many times in the past, we are bounded to work together. "

During the dialogue between the bitter rivals, Dragonbait's smell shifts constantly between baked bread and ham.

"Finally someone calling on his bullshit...Listen Ras Nsi... we can clearly see that the curse is effecting you. Why waste men or Yuanti in this case and just send us? I for one would be grateful to be rid of Artus."

Felix looks around the room for Fenthaza "She has said you can change people...for the better. I lost people dear to me along time ago and I can do with a make over. All I have to do is accept this Night Serpent right? So how about it? We start this ritual and after we kill this fool and let me and my friends go on this mission for you."

Persuasion: 10

Ras Nsi: "Well, well, well. What do we have here? You think you are worthy? Very well, let's find out. I'll enjoy either outcome..."

"As for Artus, death would be too convenient for him. I'll kill... The dwarf instead. Sekelok, if you won't mind..."

And the brute obliges, cutting Musharib's head off with a single blow.

"Now, Artus, the choice is simple. Give me the Ring, and you all walk free with the cube. Refuse, and I kill one more. Then, another. And another. You choose."

"..........." Felix will keep his mouth close staring at Musharib thinking to himself "Shit...I think we ****ed up here." 

Oniss flinches as Mushy's head rolls on the ground.  His eyes widen looking t his companion then the seriousness of it all snaps Oniss back.  

"Ras Nsi, as my companion has stated you are obviously feeling the effect of the curse we seek to end.  Let us help each other?"

Oniss cast Suggestion

"Please dismiss the guards and come free us."

**I assume we are bound in some way?**

Quote from Jcburgg >>

Oniss flinches as Mushy's head rolls on the ground.  His eyes widen looking t his companion then the seriousness of it all snaps Oniss back.  

"Ras Nsi, as my companion has stated you are obviously feeling the effect of the curse we seek to end.  Let us help each other?"

Oniss cast Suggestion

"Please dismiss the guards and come free us."

**I assume we are bound in some way?**

 Yes, you are all restrained by manacles at your wrists. Because of that, casting spells with somatic or material components is not possible. Suggestion requires material component, so Oniss can't cast it at this moment.