<h3>Outside Mad Markham's Home</h3>
As soon as Elna's foosteps fade away, you hear the slither of something much larger than a normal snake.
A creature emerges from the forest. She is a tall, scaled humanoid with a snake tail instead of legs. Green and tan markings helped camouflage her amongst the trees.
"Greetings, surfacers. I am Anixssa. If you want to save that town, you should listen." (link-replace: "Voice notes")[//Like many evil snake characters, she elongates her `"s"` sounds. This line is typical of her: offer a bargain and try to maintain control.//]
[[Who is in my party?->Party]]
[[Start talking, monster.->Hear Anixssa]]
(set: $AnixssaAway to 0)
(set: $AnixssaTaken to 0)
(set: $GeasExplained to 0)
(set: $GeasOn to 0)
**Justicar**, the protagonist and player character of the game. They are tasked with restoring order to the region.
**Gansha**, a female Dwarven warlock. She believes in the Justicar's work, but is more interested in the coin that comes with it than the philosophy. She is dry and straightforward when she speaks.
**Thava**, a female Dragonborn druid. She has read the weather and knows her destiny and the Justicar's are tied together. She is in touch with the spiritual realm while remaining very pragmatic. Her voice is husky and dark.
**Tevuc**, a male Tiefling ranger. He plays up his devilish heritage in looks and attitude, but this is only because he finds it useful. His true concern is making the region safe again.
**Garreth**, a male Human paladin. Garreth's order has sent him with the Justicar as penance for a mysterious transgression. He is trying to discover what path, if any, his goddess intends him to take. He has a short-temper and tends to be loud.
//Click the Undo button on the top-left to return.//
"Very smart. The great snake coming for your settlement is the work of Tabuss, the arch-priest of our temple. I know where this temple is. Go there, kill Tabuss, and the snake will return to its nest."
All I ask is your guarantee I will not be harmed."
[[Thava->Party]] snorts and puffs of steam escape her draconic nostrils. "I sense the favor of the corrupt Yuan-Ti gods on her. Why would she help us take down one of their temples?"
[[What happened to Markham?->Markham]]
[[Did you take an amulet?->Amulet]]
[[We defeat the priest, you go free. Fine.->Accepted First]]
[[Why don't we just kill you and then kill this Tabuss?->Explain]]
"This man may have known where our temple is. Killing him ensures the town's destruction. Unless you agree to my terms, of course."
[[Tevuc->Party]] puts a hand to his weapon, "And what if we repay your ill-considered violence with some of our own?"
[[Garreth->Party]], the human paladin, looks warily at Tevuc.
Anixssa sways slightly on her snake tail, though you're not sure what that signifies.
(unless: (history:) contains "Amulet")[[[Did you take an amulet, too?->Amulet]]]
[[We can't risk the town, Tevuc. Anixssa, tell us where we can find this temple.->Accepted First]]
[[Tevuc has the right idea. We'll take out all the Yuan-Ti, starting with you.->Attack]]
"Ah, you're after the amulet. I sent it back to the temple with the others. Tabuss intends to use it for himself once Secomber is out of the way. Yet another reason you should agree to my plan."
(unless: (history:) contains "Markham")[[[What happened to Markham?->Markham]]]
[[We defeat the priest, you go free. Fine.->Accepted First]]
[[Why don't we just kill you and then kill this Tabuss?->Explain]]
"Wisdom amongst the surfacers. How surprising.
"I will require more than your word, however. You must accept a //geas//, a magical pact that binds you to your promise. After it's in place, I will tell you where to find arch-priest Tabuss."
"Ever hear of a devil's bargain?" [[Tevuc->Party]] says to you. "I consider myself an expert, and this is definitely one of those."
"Tevuc is right, Justicar." says [[Thava->Party]]. "She wouldn't risk speaking to us if she didn't have a lot to gain."
[[A //geas// is out of the question.->Deal Refused]]
[[What happens if we break the //geas?//->GeasBreak]]
[[If it means finding the one controlling the giant snake, then fine.->Deal Accepted]]
(set: $GeasExplained to 1)
Anixssa conjures a poisonous cloud and tries to flee. The party leaps in to stop her from getting away.
Does the player succeed in capturing her?
[[Yes->Captured]]
(link:"No")[(set: $AnixssaAway to 1)(goto:"Secomber Lost")]
Now bound and helpless, Anixssa again attempts to bargain with you.
"You'd be better off saving your strength for Tabuss. The only hope you have of saving Secomber and recovering that amulet is my deal."
[[Tevuc->Party]] steps forward. "You think? Because I think we're going to put you down for the murder of Markham, and then find this mad priest of yours."
"Do not threaten me. I know you warm-bloods lack the will to follow through. Feel free to spout empty words; the villagers will still be devoured."
Tevuc shakes his head dismissively, but [[Gansha->Party]] comes close to Anixssa. "There is another option, snake. I burn you, slowly, until you give us what we need or die. Either would be fine."
At this, Anixssa shivers then composes herself and stares into Gansha's eyes. "Make me believe you."
Tevuc and [[Garreth->Party]] make disgusted faces and turn to you. Gansha has conjured green flame in her hand.
[[Gansha, do what you must.->Tortured]]
(link:"We can't sink to this level. Leave her with Elna and we'll search for the temple.")[(set: $AnixssaTaken to 1)(goto:"Secomber Lost")]
{(if: $GeasExplained is 0)[[[We know we can beat her. Let's allow her to go free in exchange for this town.->Accepted First]]]
(if: $GeasExplained is 1)[[[I'm not willing to risk torture. We accept your //geas//, creature.->Deal Accepted]]]}
<h3>Secomber Destroyed</h3>
Without the location of the temple, the adventurers were unable to stop the monstrous serpent from devouring most of Secomber.
(if: $AnixssaTaken is 1)[(display: "Anixssa Taken")]
(if: $AnixssaAway is 1)[(display: "Anixssa Away")]
Both the town and the amulet were lost. With the emboldened Yuan-Ti plaguing the area, it may remain that way for a long time.
As Gansha begins torturing Anixssa, the paladin and ranger erupt in anger.
Garreth jabs a finger in your face. "You are to bring //peace// to the land."
Tevuc grimaces, showing pointed teeth. "You're just another monster hiding in a pretty form. I'm done with this."
Tevuc walks away. Garreth considers following him, then turns back to you. "The order commanded me to follow through with your mission, so I will. But you should ask yourself, does my goddess condone your actions? Or has she she sent me to destroy you when you become a tyrant?"
After a brief but terrible time, Gansha returns. "It's done. I know where the temple is, and the amulet is there too. Leave Anixssa with Elna in Secomber and lets move."
(link: "Head to the temple.")[(set: $AnixssaTaken to 1)(goto: "Secomber Saved")]
<h3>Secomber Saved</h3>
The party used the information from Anixssa to find the Yuan-Ti temple and defeat Tabuss, the arch-priest. The snake, no longer under Tabuss' thrall, returned to its home with little damage to the town of Secomber.
The town honoured the heroes, providing them with everything they could spare and promising to keep their memory alive through the generations.
The Justicar also recovered the Shattered Heart amulet, a powerful item that will help forge peace in the land.
(if: $GeasOn is 1)[(display: "Anixssa Enacts Plan")]
(if: $AnixssaTaken is 1)[(display: "Anixssa Taken")]
Elna Starfinch survived the battle, and vowed to help the Justicar as much as she could.
It seems Anixssa wasn't as weak as she seemed. She was able to charm Elna Starfinch, escape her bonds, and kill the woman before fleeing underground.
She left a note on Elna's corpse for the Justicar. It said simply, "Your death will be much worse."
"Attack me, and you'll never find the temple."
"This man," she gestures to the body of the scholar, "only found it after years of careful observation. Though... not careful enough.
"I might be lying. But will you leave the fate of the village to a roll of the dice?"
[[I feel lucky.->Attack]]
[[I don't like it, but I accept your deal.->Accepted First]]
"Excellent," Anixssa says as she reaches into a pouch and brings out some sharpened bones."
[[Gansha->Party]] mutters under her breath, "You better be right on this one, Justicar."
Anixssa calls out in a voice potent with magic, "Repeat after me: I shall not harm nor oppose Anixssa."
(link-replace: "I shall not harm nor oppose Anixxsa.")[As you say the words, Anixssa plunges bone needles into your arms.
She then recites, "I shall give them the location of Tabuss." and plunges a needle into her own arm.
You feel a surge of magic, and then the spell is complete.
Anixssa tells you the location of the Yuan-Ti temple where both the arch-priest and the amulet are. She then slithers back into the forest.
[[Garreth->Party]] is first to move. "Let's go. We just made a deal with an evil subterranean snake lady. I'd like to make it count for something."
[[Follow Garreth->Secomber Saved]]
(set: $GeasOn to 1)]
"I won't waste my time with you, then."
Anixssa goes to leave.
[[Garreth->Party]] grabs your arm, "Don't let her go! If we don't find that temple, the people of Secomber could be killed."
[[You're right. She can't escape!->Attack]]
(link:"We can't trust her. We'll search for the amulet and the temple on our own.")[(set: $AnixssaAway to 1)(goto:"Secomber Lost")]
"Well, you'd die, of course," Anixssa says. Her reptilian eyes betray nothing.
"Poison would well up in your body and consume from the inside. As I said, I need a guarantee."
[[Thava->Party]] leans in to whisper to you, "It's true. The pacts are deadly when they're backed by a god's power."
[[I won't risk our lives on the possibility of your help. We're done.->Deal Refused]]
[[Our options don't leave me a choice. We accept your deal.->Deal Accepted]]
Anixssa quickly took control of the Yuan-Ti cult after Tabuss was removed. Her twisted god bestowed great power on her for the betrayal she had ochestrated.
She was able to teleport the entire temple to a new location. From there, she plots against the surface-dwellers. The Justicar must find a way to break the //geas// or be powerless to stop the next attack.