A: Altar of Set

“Snakes. Why does it always have to be snakes? Why aren’t they ever pony cults?” Rathgar sighed as he surveyed the large chamber. Columns Intricately carved with coiled serpents supported the ribbed ceiling, while the walls were decorated with murals depicting every manner of snake, most of which were eating something.

Nimble arched his eyebrow “Do you really want to go hunt down a pony cult? Seriously, how horrific would that be as compared to this?”

Feris snickered while Alianora secured a rope to the banister railing. “The ceremony is due to start soon. We need to get down there and get the book.” She pointed to the altar at the far end of the chamber. Between four pillars, on a raised platform, the altar stood as the centerpiece of the chamber. Behind the altar, between the back two pillars hung a great bronze gong. While the altar was carved as a great coiled serpent, the gong was cast in scales covering it’s entire surface. “Come on.”

“Me first” Nimble said as he took the rope and hopped over the railing. With the skill implied by his name, he made it to the ground, and had the rope secure before he slipped into the deep shadows of the chamber. Allianora went next, followed quickly by Feris and Rathgar.

Keeping to the edge of the chamber the three of them hustled toward the altar. Halfway there they noticed two things: Nimble at the altar, and a cultist behind him, dagger raised. Before they could yell a warning, Nimble spun around, blocking the knife with the book they were after. He and the cultist struggled until finally Nimble shoved the cultist back, releasing his hold on the book.

Rathgar, Alianora and Feris were in a full run as they saw the cultist stumble back directly toward the gong. Feris spat off a spell as quickly as he could, releasing the final sound as the cultist hit the gong, the sound cutting off almost instantly. But it was enough, and the coiled serpent of the altar shimmered as it came to life, silently lifting it’s head and fixing Nimble in it’s gaze.