At the bottom of the well, just above the waterline, a narrow break in the wall leads to the north. Beyond the hole, the walls are rough and uneven, while stalactites hang from the stone ceiling of a cave. The air is cool in contrast to the warmth of the island's surface. A natural tunnel meanders in a northerly direction.
"I even have a spell for this.... Didn't prep it, though. Catch me if I fall, okay?" Tessa wrinkles her nose at the idea of climbing down, but does regardless. She stays in the back of the group, crossbow loaded and mindful of keeping her chin down, "Okay. Let's hope this goes better than the last time, yeah?"
Relia climbs down, and looks around. She casts light on a buckle, and moves forward down the cave. "My boots never stay dry around this place."
You squeeze through the opening in the well and head down the tunnel beyond. It wind northeast for 100 feet or so. Stalactites and stalagmites are common, as are fallen rocks, but the tunnel is passable. The ceiling height varies but remains within 10 to 15 feet.
The passage splits into two tunnels. The faint dripping of water into small pools echoes softly down the cave tunnels. The walls in this chamber show signs of being rich in crystalline rock.
As they begin to venture down the tunnels, Tessa casts a quick spell to help her process information, react quicker, and protect her.
She chuckles to herself after studying the crystals, "Hey Azil, it's your cousins. I wonder if any part of you was mined from this cavern?"
Relia continues down the pathway.
"Those are pretty. I wonder if they'd make nice jewelry. This dripping is getting on my nerves."
"I'm always one to go left first. Is that alright with everyone?" Relia heads that way if no one objects.
Hearing no objections, Relia points the way down the left tunnel. The cramped tunnels open up into a larger cavern. Its irregular walls open to dark spaces. A suspicious-looking pile of bones sits in the center of the floor, while the faint scent of blood and viscera has almost—but not quite—faded away.
Four young chokers are in this cavern, each one not even two-feet-tall. They seem to be taking turns trying to lob a small rock into a hole in the cavern wall. When they see you, though, they shriek out in alarm before rushing towards you!
They are on you before you can react, whipping their tentacles at Abigail and Arma. One lashes the ranger, but fails to grab a hold of her.
At the choker's attack, Arma draws and drinks her mutagen to enhance her strength. After drawing her weapons she stands her ground to try and keep the chokers from getting eyes for Tessa.
Relia moves around Abigail, and stabs at the choker with her trident.
Tessa starts an incantation, ready to double Abigail's size, but mindful to stay out of reach from the choker's rubbery arms.
Relia moves around and stabs one of the chokers, grievously injuring it. As Tessa begins her incantation, Arma drinks her mutagen, feeling her muscles swell with enhanced strength. Abigail draws her greataxe and cuts down the wounded choker.
One choker attacks Abigail again while the other two try to grab Arma. Each choker hits the alchemist once, and the second one gets a good grip around her neck, squeezing her with its spiked appendage!
Relia stabs out with her trident again. "Kill them quickly."
Tessa steps aside as she finishes her incantation and Abigail grows to the size of a giant. Meanwhile, Tessa aims her crossbow at the choker strangling Arma and fires through the tangle, but her shot goes wide, clattering against the wall on the far side of the chamber.
With a great burst of strength, Arma wrenches herself free of the choker's hold and takes a step around them.
Relia stabs another choker with her trident, injuring the little monster. Tessa finishes her spell and as Abigail swells in size, she fires a crossbow bolt that goes wide.
Arma grabs the tentacle around her neck and wrenches herself free, stepping away from them. Abigail cleaves clean through the injured choker, slicing it in half!
The remaining chokers shriek in surprise at the giant ranger and try to beat her with their tentacles, though they can't reach her neck to grab her! Only one manages a light hit.
Relia steps up and stabs at one of the small chokers with her trident.
Relia steps up to impale one of the remaining chokers with her trident. As it falls to the ground, Abigail cuts down the last one with another powerful slice of her axe! All of the monsters lie bleeding on the cavern floor.
There don't seem to be any hidden passages around, but there are tunnels leading to more caves to the west and to the south.
There don't seem to be any tracks leading to the west. However, there are numerous choker tracks leading to and from the southern passage--both the tiny prints of the young chokers as well as some full-sized adult tracks.
"Let me help you." Relia channels Positive Energy for her companions.
Abigail leads the way through the southern passage. The walls of this cave are slick with moisture, and the smell of rotten meat fills the air.
Azil trills a warning, alerting Tessa to the pair of full-grown chokers lurking on the ceiling on either side of the tunnel opening! The elf is able to react before the creatures can attack.
"Look out! Chokers!" Tessa hefts her crossbow and fires at the monstrosity she has the clearest shot at.
Tessa's crossbow bolt strikes the choker square in the chest. It shrieks in pain, but is undeterred as it and its partner both lash out at Abigail. Her ring of protection helps to deflect their attacks away.
Tessa moves to reload her crossbow and fires again, aiming for the same choker.
Arma pulls out an acid flask and lobs it overhead, aiming to get one of the chokers with the splash.
Tessa shoots the same choker again, badly wounding it with her crossbow bolt.
Abigail slashes at the monster, but it dodges away from her axe.
Arma hurls a flask of acid between the chokers, splattering both with the viscous substance. The injured one shrieks and goes down, the acid bubbling and burning its flesh.
The remaining one snarls and attacks Abigail again. This time it manages to hit, but fails to grab a hold of her.
Tessa aims at the remaining choker, hoping for a headshot but instead narrowly avoids hitting Abigail, "Sorry!"
Arma pulls out a knife but fumbles trying to throw it at the choker.
Relia switches out one of her spells and touches Abigail on the back. She casts Cure Light Wounds.
Relia channels healing energy into Abigail as the ranger chops the remaining choker with her axe. It reels, badly wounded, but Arma and Tessa are unable to finish it off with their attacks.
The monster lashes out at Abigail again. This time, it hits with both tentacles, the second one grabbing the ranger by the throat and squeezing until she is on the verge of passing out!
Relia reaches out and casts Cure Light Wounds again.
Tessa does her best to finish off the choker, looking into a pair of possible futures to best line up her shot.
Unfortunately, neither were very good, and the bolt once again goes wide.
Relia heals Abigail again as the ranger tries to chop at the choker with her machete. Her blade scrapes against its rubbery hide.
Tessa's shot goes wide, but Arma draws another dagger and hurls it into the choker's chest. It releases Abigail as it falls backward, thrashing on the ground for several moments before lying still.
When you take the time to search this cave, you find a burlap sack stashed in a nook in the wall. The sack contains a porcelain tea set, haphazardly thrown into the sack such that three of the teacups now have broken handles. There is also a steel flask full of whiskey etched with an elaborate "R," a silver mirror with a rose motif worth 150 gp, a set of dice in a wooden cup capped with leather, two vials of defoliant, four star candle fireworks, a thunderstone, a magic belt, and a wadded-up magic cloak.
Tessa nods distractedly at Abigail's bemoaning of the chokers, instead intent on identifying the magic items.
Relia channels Positive Energy, and then touches Abi on the arm again to cast cure light wounds.
There doesn't seem to be anything else of interest in this cave. You can go down the he northwest, or double back and go down the tunnel to the east.