(G417 04/07/2020 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) WA68

(G417 04/07/2020 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) WA68

[And now to go back to the fellows delving into the Lost Shrine of Tamoachan ]

DAY 488 (4th Flamerule) (July) cont...

Further on and into the upper areas if the Temple they went.

The next chamber they entered was large and high ceilinged. It was derelict and covered in rubble.

As they entered a massive two-headed snake emerged from the rubble and attacked them. It had a head at each end and I believe such creatures are called Amphisbaena. I would have loved to have seen it, as I was told it was over 60 feet long. Two heads or not  though, it was no match for the brave companions who dispatched it after a brief fight amongst the fallen masonry and broken pots.

After this the came to another set of stairs leading upwards and once again Dorette was sent  forward and once again she triggered an unseen trap. This time a stone dragon lurched over at the  top of the stairs and breathed out a cloud of hot steam that badly hurt her.

And once again, she came back to the group, tears of pain in her eyes, to get healed up by the  clerics.

How such a building as the Shrine of Tamoachan came to be, I can only guess at, but if all  the stories I have now heard about it are true it is a strange, magical place, full of wonders and deadly dangers.

They next encountered a stack of gold coins that turned out to be a pile of poisonous mould with an illusion on it, then a magical Olman warrior that leapt out of a mirror and attacked only Fenrir until it was dispatched.

Finally they arrived at a large chamber with a tall altar in the middle. The altar had four sets of stairs on it, one on each side. By the door was a jade mask. Barendd advanced and cautiously lifted  the mask from it's hook.

As he did so another giant snake appeared from behind the altar and spoke.

It said;

''

Interlopers, you have trespassed on a sacred place. For this affront, judgement has already begun.  The air is now toxic ,and you breathe in death. But perhaps your actions were not out of malice or weed, 

only curiosity. You will live if you can join me upon the dais by solving this riddle: "Start where the mask stares, down sinister stairs. and then up opposite."

''

Barendd shrugged and went to the altar and went up and down them as indicated by the riddle. Fenrir insists that they got the right answer, but the snake attacked anyway.

(It appeared later that the toxic air was merely a ruse)

Barendd was then trapped in the doorway by iron bars that fell into place around him. Fenrir fired at the snake while Raz started battering the bars. Once the bars were broken they surged into the room and battled the snake, but by then Barendd was badly injured.

They were not quick enough to save him though, as the snake went down under their attack it managed one last blow on Barendd, that killed him.

Perhaps he might have survived if he had not been such an unpleasant, angry fellow and had been more likeable. I don't know, but I don't think his death upset anyone overly much.

I suspect he was some horrible villain that had been dominated or coerced in some way to join them so perhaps they were all correct about him. 

I wonder what old Mrs Barendd would have made of end of her wayward son if she had known?