Brian slid the key into its lock and turned. A soft clicking noise indicated that the door had unlocked. Looking up from the pit, he watched his two companions, Khan and Amos circle around getting the attention of the animals that occupied the large terraced steps leading down to the pit. Giving them a thumbs up and a wave to his friends he opens the door and seeing a short corridor beyond, he enters and follows it to its end and peers cautiously into the room beyond.

The room was lavishly decorated. Thick rugs covered the floors. Heavy curtains covered most walls and those that were not had bookshelves or statues of strange creatures Brian did not recognise.

“This is pwetty fwash compared to the west of this pwace,” he thought. It was then his eyes fell upon a large creature sprawling across a large mound of plush pillows. Reading, the creature had not yet seen him.

He took it all in. Before him was what could only be a demon. Its large green snakelike body curled around itself, the tail slowly moving side to side. The snake body ended where a very humanoid like body took over. With skin tinged green the demon’s body was that of a voluptuous women. The head was also very feminine. Brian thought if it wasn’t for the snake lower half, she would be one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. If a beautiful snake lady was the last thing Brian expected to see the six arms were an added bonus. Over the two days Brian and his friends had encountered a giant crab, in an air bubble enclosed in a heated lake in the middle of a volcano. Gained a golem who Brian named Gary. Faced a vampire, a hydra, an oni and now this, snake lady demon thing.

Fancying his chances with the snake lady, Brian steps into the room. It does not glance up. Appearing to be oblivious to Brian’s presence. Taking another step forward and placing his Cloaker’s Cloak over his shoulders, ensuring his snakeskin marked areas can be seen, Brian kneels on one knee before it.

“Greetings, Great Lady,” Brian says in Parseltongue. Looking up in languid surprise the demon looks at him curiously. Its eyes as Brian can see now are slitted like a snake. Slowly its body sways side to side in a gentle motion.

“What do we have here?” it asks. Its voice a guttural sibilance.

“I am Sir Brian Dulce De Azucar. Adventurer, gentleman, explorer. Whom may you be?”

“What are you doing here?”

Seeing no reason yet to lie Brian answers, “We are here looking for a sword called the Black Razor. Would you know where it may be?”

“We?” It rose slightly. Its senses heightening. “We? Are there more of you?”

“No. I am Sir Brian a noble and we always talk of ourselves as such,” cringing on the inside, Brian hoped that his bluff worked.

Swaying more fiercely side to side and now her tail flicking agitatedly, Brian decided it didn’t believe him.

“You lie. Where are they? Bring them to me.”

Still trying to pass his bluff, Brian kept it up for a moment more before he conceded.

“Yes. You have me. Hang on, I’ll be back.” Quickly turning he rushes up the corridor and sticks his head out and calls to Khan and Amos.

“Hey you guys, come down. There’s a big snake wady. She’s got six arms and big bewbs!”

Looking at each other, perched on the edge of the upper terrace, they voiced their doubts.

“No, you got to come down and see. There’s bewbs! Bewbs! A snake wady with bewbs!” His enthusiasm finally coaxed Amos from his perch and he floated down. The animals by now had decided that it was time to rest and at the very least not bother with the companions anymore. Their presence was accepted just as they accepted each others.

“Ok. Show me this snake lady,” he says as he lands. Meanwhile Khan sat above still unsure if he even wants to see a snake lady. Boobs or no boobs.

As he followed Brian, Amos took in his surroundings but as with Brian before him, the large creature seated on the pile of cushions was enough to have any thought of anything else in this room swept from his mind.

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Before him in all its evil glory was a Marilith! A demon out of his nightmares. These demonic fiends are tactical masters. Advisors for demonic royalty! Leaders of battles! What is this fiend doing here? Locked in this room? Reading … books?

The snake eyes narrowed as it looked from Amos to Brian.

“So there is only two of you.”

“This is Amos,” introduced Brian dodging the question.

It said something to Amos in Parseltongue but seeing he did not understand it changed to the common tongue. “Why are you here? Why are you disturbing me?”

Answering Amos said, “We are exploring this mountain and looking for certain weapons. A trident and warhammer, which we had found and now we are looking for the last. It is we believe a sword named Black Razor.”

At saying that name, the Marilith, hissed and shifted its weight on the cushions.

“Why should I help insignificant bugs such as you? Is it because you believe you have the right to go where you please? Do what you want? No…. I think it is for another reason……” Slowly its body began to uncoil as its humanoid body stopped still and watched as Khan walked into the room.

“What is this? More? How many are you?”

“We have this pwace suwounded by a cwack team of wangers and cwewics. Weady to move into this woom the moment we give the word.” Bluffing again, Brian crossed his fingers.

Giving Brian a withering look he blanched and said, “Would you beweive, ten appwentice wizards? … No? How about one angwy junior pawadin? No, huh?” Shrugging his shoulders Brian looked to Amos. Taking his cue, Amos speaks up.

“We are here to cause no trouble. We are only searching for a sword.”

Angrily the Marilith, spat back, “Why should I not kill you now? You have entered my prison of solitude and interrupted my peace and quiet!” It’s voice calming down, it almost purred, “And you come in here demanding to know where Black Razor is.”

Leaning forwards towards the three it says, “You will find it in the chest behind me but you will never live to see it. Oh yes, I shall relish the opportunity to carve the flesh from your bones and eat it.” Looking at them it soliloquised, “Yes the flesh of an elf, so tender and sweet but the taste of an arakocra is such a rare delicacy. Humans. Everywhere, bland and boring…. I think I’ll just leave him for the beasts outside.”

Knowing that their demise could be very soon, Amos began to think quickly.

“You said you were imprisoned here? How are you imprisoned?”

Pulling back but still clearly very agitated the Marilith said, “I made a bet with Keraptis. Even though for me, Qesneh, tactically the odds were in my favour, Keraptis still won. For losing the bet I was imprisoned here to guard Black Razor for one thousand and one years.”

“What if we came to an agreement that resulted with you escaping this prison?”

Eyes fixed on Amos, Qesneh chuckled slightly to itself. “Why would I want to leave here? I have everything I need. To pass the time, even the occasional adventurer.” The last was said with pure disdain.

While Khan stood riveted to the spot, not knowing whether to run or not move at all in the hope he would not be noticed, Brian, flicking his Cloaker’s Cloak around his shoulders slips away unnoticed and slowly makes his way around behind Qesneh. The cloak was made from the hide of a Cloaker Beast Brian had killed and skinned. The cloak fashioned by one of the best clothes makers in Waterdeep had magical abilities that helped Brian become unnoticed when he is not being directly looked at. Seeing the chest against the wall, Brian considers investigating it first.

Deciding not to just yet, he turns to the back of the demon menacing his two friends. Drawing his greatsword, Dawn Slayer, Brian takes a deep breathe, says a small prayer to Hestia to guide his blade and using his winged boots, lifted off the floor and glided undetected towards the demon. Lifting his blade for a decapitating blow, Brian waits for the moment to strike.

“….yes, the time has come. Kneel before me and your death will be swift but please do not, I want you to fight, to struggle to beg for your life. I want to enjoy this.” It’s body beginning to rise higher in preparation to attack stopped. Qesneh finally realised Brian was missing. “Where is the other one? Sir Br-…”

As Amos and Khan stared in horror at their impending doom, there was a silver flash and across the demons neck a black line suddenly appeared. The Marilith eyes opened wide with a look of surprise and as they watched, blood began to spill from its neck. The head started to tilt backwards, blood now gushing down the body as it flopped towards them. It’s headless body falling not two feet from Khan and Amos.

Stunned watching the body fall, they saw Brian surfing the body to the ground, somehow catching the head on his way. Jumping off the body and slipping slightly in the pooling blood, Brian smiled at his two friends.

“That was wucky,” he said. “Oh and watch the bwood. It’s swippewy.” Turning, sheathing his sword and tossing the head onto a pile of cushions, Brian approached the chest. Reaching down he opened it and sitting there on a pile of rich red velvet was Black Razor. It’s black blade glistened in the light looking as if you were staring at a night sky full of stars. It’s obsidian layered scabbard lying next to it. Reaching in, Brian took hold of its hilt and lifted it from resting place.

“Bravo! That was well played, even if I must say so myself.” Brian looked at the sword and then to his friends.

“Did you hear that? The sword talked!”

“Of course I talk, you red headed ninny.” Sounding very much like Mat Berry. “I am Black Razor, Eater of Souls and together we shall slay the world!”

Looking at Khan and Amos, Brian said, “My word!”