>>6302946You lingered for half an hour, while Saramda walked around, admiring the mosaics and marble statues that adorned the streets. While you sifted through the thoughts of those who had soiled their souls with their evil practices. Most of the light stuff – thievery, swindle and deceit – you brushed aside. But occasionally you caught a glimpse of something darker, something that made you quiver with delight. They were here, and you would but need to direct Samarda to them.
To begin with, you should direct her away from the central plaza and into the dark alleyways. Then into the backstreets away from the eyes of the priests, further still, into an unremarkable side street where ordinary labourers lived. Enter the apartment on the right, take the stairs down, brush past the fake carpet hiding a hole in the basement hall, and descend even further underground. There, hidden from prying eyes, you would find the entrance to the secret underground chamber where they conducted their rituals.
She followed on down and crept through the darkness as though it was second nature to her. She was away from the open desert, and Samarda reverted to the mannerisms she had learnt on the streets.
The only real thing between her and the cult was the brass coiled-up snake that kept the doors closed. Though you told her how to open it, she pulled the tail, petted the body and jammed her finger in the opened mouth. The doors creaked open, revealing a dimly lit chamber filled with flickering candles and eerie symbols painted on the walls.
She stepped inside and continued on, past symmetrical depictions of snakes, their scales shimmering in the candlelight. As she walked further into the chamber, a sense of unease crept over her, but she pushed it aside, for you continued to assure her that all would be well.
Though her training began to kick in as four masked figures emerged from the shadows, their eyes glinting with malice. This was a dark place, so your powers were strong enough to keep them from killing on the spot.
<span class="mu-i"> "How in the name of the great coiling one did you get here? These meetings are for the initiated only.'' </span> One of them hissed.
<span class="mu-i"> ''I-I-I am here, because…. <span class="mu-r"> Because I have something of interest to your masters. </span> </span> Her stammering was unfortunate and would jeopardise the plan, so you had to take a more direct form of control.
They now seemed unsure of what to do; your voice had partially pacified them, it would seem.
<span class="mu-i"> ''What is going on here? Who's that? Why haven't you killed her?'' </span> An older male voice demanded. Belong to a long-nosed, pale, frail old man.
<span class="mu-s"> Roll a 1d100, bo3, [DC75]; the lower, the better (medium difficulty of 60, +15 for being their rightful lord). </span>
