Chapter 118: B2: C18: Dealing with Zealots
The paladins didn’t attempt to kill Zarian.
They had their swords drawn. They had their magic charged. But they stayed put and did nothing as the kobolds suffered very gruesome deaths.
The paladins chose to not throw their lives away to strike at the most evil creature they had ever seen, the Madness Wizard.
Maybe that was a consequence of Zarian riding on a shifted gnoll elder who was about thirty feet tall at the shoulders. Her drooling, blood-coated maw could snap up a whole man. Her extended belly had plenty of room for more after feasting on dozens of kobolds.
Or maybe the paladins didn’t want to mess with the wavering tentacles that were sprouted from the saddle. Unfortunately for them, Para was the type to test their patience. She formed smaller tendrils and feelers that prodded at the paladins playfully, almost tempting them to attack.
They refused to take direct action, which was smart of them. However, that didn’t stop them from acting out in other ways.
Zarian felt a familiar zing against his aura, like someone scanning over him. That was the telltale sign of Identify being used.
Chuckling darkly, Zarian jumped off of Ezda’s back. Para returned to her monstrous cloak form before he hit the ground, his boots splashing in puddles of gore inside the giant paw prints left by Ezda’s stomping.
He reached up with one hand, and Ezda lowered her bloody snout down for scratches. She made happy hyena noises, sounding cute to his ears. The paladins didn’t seem to share his appreciation of Ezda being adorable.