Opening the door, you see a brief flight of stairs that open into an immense cavern. The floor of the cavern is flat and long, and heaped in rows upon it are piles of darker soil that smells like some sort of animal waste. Shriveled plants grow out of these rows. Along the sides and far end of the cavern are individual caves, about the height of a human and ranging from 10-30 feet wide. They're deep enough you can't see most of their backs. There are at least five stories of caves, with ramps and stairs carved out of the stone itself leading to them. At the far end of this cavern a massive single cave opening dominates, at least fifty feet tall and twice that wide. The wind seems to be coming from there.
In some of the caves you can see remains of fungus like the ones in the last chamber, and in others you can see actual furniture made from stone, wood or bone. Pale lights illuminate the entire place, save for the massive windy cave, seeming to come from glowing lichen that grows in thick patches everywhere.
Several caves along the bottom level are open at ground level and catch your eye. They seem to be filled with bones. Hundreds or maybe thousands of bones.
"This place looks deserted alright!
Lena stoops to examine the ground, looking for tracks or clues
Lena examines the ground, but can see that the floor, at least on the bottom floor, has been curiously swept clean of dust, mostly. From what remains she can tell that a large long object was used to sweep the floor. A partial track reveals only a large clawed foot, one that looks distinctly reptilian.
Can I recognise the track?
Definitely looks reptilian. And big. Definitely big.
"Let me guess, trouble?" Krupt asks, as he fiddles with a few things on his belt and apron.
EDIT
"Something big was here, reptillian by the look of its' tracks. Beyond that not sure. Something or someone was careful to sweep away most of the tracks though"
Getting back to her feet, Lena squints off into the darkness.
"I wonder what is down that cavern at the end. Dr. Krupt, how deep into the complex did you come last time?"
Leralt takes a look at the tracks himself as well as into the gloom, his eyes not needing light.
"Not terribly far. Once we reached this main area, or what was left of it, and witnessed the devastation wrought here, we deemed it reasonable to return to the colony. Everything was destroyed, some of it reduced to nothing. There are areas of rock that were melted from the heat," Krupt replies. "Mevakh, of course, was the lone dissenting vote."
"And you saw nothing which would leave such a track?" Lena indicates the reptillian clawed footprint in the dirt, the image of Dr. Krupt's monstrous transformation during the battle with the Brain Crabs fresh in her mind.
What else has changed since we've been away? she thinks to herself.
"I wonder whether this is some creature which has moved in since the last residents were evicted? Or whether it had something to do with the eviction itself.."
The cavern is silent, save for the wind. From the depths of the large cavern in front of you comes a slow slip-slap of clawed feet on the stone. It sounds somewhat distant, but is getting closer.
"Sounds like we're about to find out.. everyone find somewhere to hide!"
Lena ducks behind some rubble or into one of the shadowy doorways and attempts to remain as still as possible while peering around the corner, crossbow in hand
"And you saw nothing which would leave such a track?" Lena indicates the reptillian clawed footprint in the dirt, the image of Dr. Krupt's monstrous transformation during the battle with the Brain Crabs fresh in her mind.
What else has changed since we've been away? she thinks to herself.
"I wonder whether this is some creature which has moved in since the last residents were evicted? Or whether it had something to do with the eviction itself.."
"Most definitely a more recent arrival. Had we seen whatever left that track, we'd have left all the sooner."
At Lena's warning, Krupt gulps down an extract and looks for some cover to hide behind.
Leralt knows what it is the moment he see's the tracks and lets the others know before backing up and away, finding something to hide behind. He would trust Tulos to be his eyes, as the little construct would be immune to the creatures stone transforming gaze.
As the party dives for cover, a creature comes into view. The creature is easily the size of a small hut, but thin and long. It looks dragon-like at first glance, but has six legs and a long forked tongue that tests the air, snakelike. Its eyes are huge and faintly luminous and it has wings, but they seem to be too small to support its body. The scales are midnight black in the glow of the fungus of the cave.
It stops a few feet into the large chamber, and its tongue tests the air.
Sensing something on the air, it begins to lumber toward your hiding places, still moving slowly but inexorably closer to you...
Lena's eyes go wide when she sees the lumbering beast heading down the cavern towards them. She studies its' form, colouration and size attempting to judge what type of dragon it is descended from and any other traits.
She also looks around the cavern, getting a feel for where the others are and trying to judge the best time to strike.
Dr. Krupt puts a hand on one of his mutagens, fearing the worst. He flicks a glance in Lena's direction, hoping for some cue on how to react.
Lena slowly shakes her head at Gellius, trying to impress her meaning. She still grips her crossbow tightly and prepares herself to use it
Leralt cast an invisibility spell on himself. He would be damned if he was going to be turned to stone. His form vanishes.
|
Songan reacts in much the same way as the others: unsurely. The maintains his hiding place, knowing that the creature's senses are probably strong enough that they will be found out regardless. He combs his memory for any mention of a beast similar to this, hoping to recall any weakness or chink in its' armor. For the moment, he looks for the smelliest piece of fungus he can find without revealing visually himself. If the creature's primary sense was olfactory in nature, getting a schnoz full of rank, burnt fungus would likely be an unpleasant experience. If he can't find one, he simply waits like the others are doing.
As the party prepares and Leralt disappears, the creature halts about twenty feet from their hiding place and hisses in a low voice. It raises its head, its tongue tasting the air. "פירורים! מי מפריע לנו במאורה שלנו? מה שהגנבים באו לגנוב מהמטמון שלנו? מה הם טעם, אנחנו תוהים."
Judging from the way the creature tastes the air, its eyesight is poor, but its sense of smell is acute. Its great claws rake the stone and its posture seems to indicate a readiness for battle.
Leralt understands the creature, strange as their kind are not normally that smart. He puts more distance between it and himself while counting on his invisibility and clockwork to save him should things go wrong. Whispering to the others before he makes his move.
"I am going to try and reason with it. But be prepared."
"We have not come to steal from your hoard. We have come to see what became of the plant men who dwelled here. May I know the name of the great one before me?"
He keeps a spell ready should things turn ugly.
First Dungeoneering roll entering cave:
Quiet as she takes in the cave and tries to piece together in her mind all that had occurred her before, Catila swiftly hides along with the others when Lena gives her warning.
As she peeks out the the interesting creature, the Detective blinks in surprise when it speaks, speaks a language she knows and understands.
Nodding her head in silent approval of Leralt's first attempt at communication, she prepares to either join in on the diplomacy or join in on the combat.
The draconic creature preens under Leralt's flattery. "אנו נקראים Rykks'vykk. יש לנו טענו מאורה זה. ידועים לנו על שום אחרים שיעזו מחלוקת הטענה שלנו. לא מצאנו-men צמח, רק פטריות מרקיבות ועשבי תיבול מסריחים. אנו מטילים את הביצים שלנו במאורה הזו ולגדל את הילדים שלנו. אם אתה לא מטמון-גנב, אז אתה חייב להיות ביצת גנב!" The creature puffs up and lets out a long hissing rattle in its throat. It seems angry!
Leralt nearly brought his spell to bear but held it none the less. He could still reason with it. He also thought their may be a way they could be allowed to move about with the half dragon's blessing.
"We would never threaten the young of one such as Rykks'vykk. I would agree only your eggs would have more value then your hoard but I assure you I have not come for them. It seems you laid claim after the fall of the plant-men. We came to inspect their former home, their was a disease. As plants they were immune but the same could not be said of others. We found a cure for it among our own, yet it may still linger. Rykks'vykk is mighty without a doubt, but what of her eggs and would be young. If such a disease yet lingers and we are not allowed to find it, others may fall prey to it. At best you would suffer us for but a small time, at worst we would help you prevent some foul illness from coming upon your children. Would wise Rykks'vykk allow us to perform this service, it would be a great honor I would think."
Lena watches the exchange between Leralt and the beast with interest, but as cannot speak the language.
Sensing that Leralt was getting stressed, Lena retrieves a scroll from her case and casts a quick spell
cast comprehend languages
Ready action to step out and shoot the creature if it makes a threatening move towards Leralt or any of us
Diplomacy:
As Leralt continues to smooth talk the unusual dragon kin, Catila begins to hum and quiet, inspiring tune, aiding the compelling qualities of her ally's speech.
However upon seeing Leralt's attempt at diplomacy begin to fail as he mispronounces a key phrase, Catila steps out to attempt to aid him "Oh yes great one, this other speaks true. We only seek to destroy the disease, which will only serve to help the most glorious Rykks'vykk become even greater. Surely your young will grow great and powerful and come to rule this land, as is only right and proper. Even more, there is no danger whatsoever to Rykks'vykk, for if this one understands correctly, great Rykks'vykk has not yet even laid her eggs. Yes? So with your permission most beautiful of creatures, may we do our humble work in your home for but a short time?"
The draconic beast's angry hisses fades as it considers the nightmare scenario that Leralt and Catila spin. It finally lets out a low cough, and speaks, "בעניין של הביצים שלנו, אתה יכול לחפש. מפריע לא מעבר למערה שלנו! אנו נאפשר לך גישה לשאר של המקום הזה." With that said, it turns and slowly retreats into the dark cave it emerged from, its footsteps echoing as it goes.
Krupt releases the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Well played. Let's get on with this and see what we can see, before it gets hungry and changes its mind."
Leralt is glad things went well.
"Well we are allowed anywhere but their personal cave. I suggest we look around quickly."
"In case things don't go as planned, would someone enlighten me as to what that is? I know the tongue, but that thing has more legs than I'd expect a dragon to have."
Dr Krupt begins to examine the piles of fungus left over and scrapes some of it away to reveal a sudden sweet smell. Digging through the pile reveals a crushed blossom, seemingly growing in the fungus before it began to rot.
Leralt looks around with the others. He was not going to be found alone as he did not trust his social skills. It was a wonder the draconic creature went along with it.
"I already told you Gellius. It's not a true dragon, but granted more intelligent then a average dracolisk should be."
Leralt cast a spell to detect magic. Just in case their were any surprises of a magical nature still lying about. Beside the strange plants.
"Cordberry? It would seem someone is cultivating this plant magically. This growth is completely unprecedented."
Krupt will take the time to harvest a sample for later study, assuming it is safe to do so.
Leralt shakes his head.
"It's reacting to the air exposure. Cover it back up and that may stop it. I would think its something from the plant men. The way our enemy burned everything to ash and such I doubt they would bother putting such things in their place. Nether do I think anyone would want to deal with Rykks'vykk and her stone gaze regularly. The plants may be reacting with the remains of the plant men in some sort of manner to create this effect is another theory."
Having Tulos grab one with some fungus, it is put into a vial which is sealed.
"I would rather study it later, when we are not imposing on draconic host. Can we look at some of the other caves."
He keeps scanning with his detection spell, once they move to another part of the cave system.
Lena searches the area, looking for clues or anything out of the ordinary
Combing through the caves is much like exploring a honeycomb: each room seems much like the ones around it, but subtle differences soon emerge. Although every room is full of rotting fungus, some contain other objects. One room contains stacks of books, bound in leather and printed on some sort of skin. The books are written in an arcane tongue and contain spells of some sort. Other books are written in an odd hieroglyphic language and seem to be diaries or record books, judging by the regularity of the entries. Another room contains racks of weapons, mostly made of bone, stone and wood, but some worked metals as well. One room contains glass bubble-jars, containing herbs, powders and liquids. One room, which must have been nearly enclosed by the fungus, contains ores and gems. The last one of interest contains piles of what appears to be discarded humanoid clothing. In fact you find several Abadarian holy symbols and even older holy symbols, including one of a being with several hydra's heads, an insectile body and three rat tails, as well as several with a ram's skull on them.
Leralt claims every book they find.
"Given enough time I think I can decode all of this. I would also like to study what is in those jars. I am sure between me and Gellius they should all have a use."
When they get to ores and gems he looks them over. Wealth did not mean much to them.
"The ore could be useful but the gems less so."
He thinks for a moment.
"Well I could use them for magical creations. The collective showed me how to use just about anything as source material."
Catila's fast hands snatch the diaries and record books before Leralt can stow them away, quipping "I'm sure you'll have your hands full enough with all the rest of it, so I'd like to take a crack at these myself, if you don't mind."
She also looks with interest at the holy symbols and detects magic on everything she sees.
Leralt gives Catila a narrow eyed look.
"I do mind. Do you have both the spells and skills to decipher unknown languages. The most qualified person should do the job. It would only add to my work not having all the tomes in my passion."
He had not forgotten or forgiven the gnome detective's outburst not so long ago. The blatant show of distrust, was now intruding upon his work. Something that did stir his long dormant anger.
Krupt raises an eyebrow. "Well, the worm has turned, I see. Now it's 'Gellius and me' and Catila becomes the target of Leralt's scorn. Will wonders never cease? Honestly, I don't know how I managed all on my own without all this social interaction. At the risk of incurring his warth once again, Catila, you're welcome to look at whatever books he deems fit to share with me," the Doctor says, looking sidelong at Leralt and lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper easily heard by anyone nearby. "Just don't tell Leralt I said so."