Rikar nods decisively after the creature falls, giving Latys an appreciative pat and causing her to emit a deep, rumbling purr for a moment. He watches Misha investigate the creature's remains and listens to the many questions her curious mind presents. He ponders a moment and says, "It's true, deeper in the mountain is where our journey lies...but don't forget that getting there is half the fun. I'd have to agree, though, there are all manner of things living cheek by jowl down here, it's a wonder they haven't all done each other to death already."
Once they've finished a search of the creature and the room, Rikar suggests they move on, "Looks like this is as far as we go in this direction. Let's check out the end of the hall and then head north again."
"It does seem strange. What do these creatures do down here, sit alone in a cavern twiddling what passes for thumbs, waiting for a band of heroes to come along and slaughter them?"
"I agree, Rikar, let's finish this leg of the caves, then head back up. And I don't know Therena. I doubt they're waiting for heroes per se, but maybe they're waiting for something..."
Rikar leads the way back to the main tunnel and takes a right, then left into the passage that branches off it to the north.
Therena follows along quietly, still managing to keep a spring in her step, despite the gloomy tunnels and disgusting plant monsters.
"It depends on how much you value compost right now. And yes, who needs healing?" Misha pulls out her wand of cure light wounds and waits for the response, as she knows Borris might prefer to heal himself.
Kreig grins and chuckles, "Heh, right as rain, Legs. I didn't even get my sword dirty...but I'll never get this plant mess offa my boots, I reckon." He puts his blade away and reclaims his bow, knocking an arrow. "Shame we're not back in Kaer Maga, I know a certain gnome who'd pay some pretty coin fer this mess. Ole Darby'd whip it up into some fangled concoction n' sell it ta an idjit passin' through town. Tell 'em it's a medicine r' somethin'.." He laughs to himself. "Amazing what folk'll believe..."
As Rikar moves off, the dwarf falls in step as he heads to the north branch.
...
As Misha brings out the wand to cure folks after the battle with the plant creature, Borris says "wait a moment on me" and using the power of Iomedae, causes most of his wounds to be healed. "I am fine now, shall we continue?"
Misha seeing that Latys is still wounded uses a charge from the wand to heal the cat of some of its wounds also.
While Misha and Borris are curing the group, the rest of you spend a minute or two searching the area and other than partially swamped side alcoves, and an old abandoned dig face, you find nothing of interest, including nothing magical that Josef's spell can find.
Rikar, Latys and Kreig leading the way, you continue to follow the south tunnel, and the gallery you see for some eerie, inexplicable reason, seems darker, gloomier and more sinister than the rest of the mine. Half of it is completely swamped, and the other half is mud . You can see the there is a rock dig face just beyond the gallery and the passage looks blocked. (Map here)
As the southern tunnel has dead ended, the scouts, head back to the main tunnel, go right and take the first left, keeping away from where Gorge and the Aboleth are so you can ensure that all other threats are eliminated before tackling those two creatures, and also perhaps hoping to find Ground. Heading up the tunnel, Rikar and Kreig see a cavern to the left , another opening in the tunnel further north, and just at the limit of Kreig's vision a tunnel that looks like it heads back to the main entrance area as well as also to the south east and the other side of the completely flooded area. Looking into the cavern to the left, you come to an abandoned digging site, filled with trashed mining tools from picks and shovels to wagons and rails. There is a big, muddy pool at the far end of the cave. An itching, undefined sensation grows stronger as you remain
in the cave.
"Guys, something occurred to me... the mines flooded while the dwarves were here, yes? I wonder if that was the work of Gorge. If everything really is as it appears, if we got rid of Gorge... would that solve the flooding issue? And thus would the aboleth and its slaves be found high and dry? I realize it's largely wishful thinking... and a lot of unfounded speculation... but perhaps we should consider the order in which we do things nonetheless. Still, the first item is to seek out Ground and see what other surprises are here."
As they go through, Misha scratches herself, then notices the growing feeling of faint agitation. Is it something physical or mental?
"Hmm, I like the thought." Kreig agrees. "Hells, we can try n' cut a deal with Ground ta rub out Gorge...mebbe even our friend Abby. Or, ifn' Gorge is buyin', mebbe he can help us pull the water or from under Abby's fins if we make him top tuna....Like putting two fish mongers at odds back..."
Kreig is about to add more but he feels a shudder up his spine. He looks about and narrows one of his eyes making him look like a suspicious jewelry salesman. "Anybody suddenly got a case o' tha evil eyes? Somethin's got my whiskers twitchin'..."
The dwarf pats Boris on the shoulder. "Anything gettin' under yer skin. Somethin' evil fixin' ta say hi? "
The dwarf wonders in his own mind if he'd ever come across something like this feeling... maybe a mushroom or a mold...Torag help them if it was a slime mold...
... scanning around for movement.
... anything like a fungus or something that could cause the itching feeling?
Therena will cast detect magic and scan the cave for a possible magical source to this itching.
"It is most unpleasant," Therena says, only half cheerfully.
"That's a good thought, Misha," offers Rikar, "and might be a way to solve a big problem. So taking out Gorge before the aboleth seems like a good way to go, just in case you're right." As he finishes speaking, his shoulders hunch up slightly and he wiggles them a bit as if they're sore, or covered in crawling bugs.
Instantly, his attention focuses on finding the source of this strange sensation, and he lays a hand on Latys' flank to alert her as well.
Standing outside the room, you all feel the itching sensation, and everyone tries to think of what this could possibly be.
This sensation is from a Centipede Swarm – Diminutive Vermin (Swarm)
A Centipede Swarm consists of 1,500 diminutive and voracious centipedes
Centipede Swarms cannot be damaged by weapons
Rikar holds up a warning hand, in case anyone is thinking of venturing in to the small chamber they're standing near. "I've heard of folk experiencing this itchy feel - from a swarm of centipedes. There'll be hundreds of them, and they're so tiny our weapons won't do a thing to 'em. So we can walk on, or we can destroy them with things that affect an area instead of one enemy - like a spell or alchemist's fire."
Misha pulls out one of her acid flasks. "Will this do? I've only got four though."
Rikar smiles at Misha's answer, "Well, I guess I know which approach you prefer. As to whether that will do, it'll surely hurt them, but I don't know how much it'll take to finish them off." He rummages through his pack in some frustration, then says, "Anyone else got alchemical stuff we can use on the centipedes?"
"Well, I like to not leave a threat at our backs even if they're just bugs, but if we leave them alone--or draw something else into them--and they aren't an immediate threat, we can certainly save our resources for later."
Kreig shakes his head. "I say leave well enough alone. Prospect of a horde o' bugs gnawin' on my keester don't put a dwarf in tha right mood." He scratches at his beard and shivers. "Bleh, no sirree...but I like where your head's at, Legs. We draw something down this way...mebbee bluff 'em into chargin' in there... Nasty surprise..."
Therena is also fine with backing away and leaving them be.
Going thru your area of affect equipment and spells, you come to the decision that perhaps now is not the best time to destroy the vermin swarm, and continue down the hallway. As you head further north you pass by a small dark, stifling room; that has containers scattered all over the ground. A quick search finds a few loose gold nuggets, but nothing else of importance.
You continue on and come to an intersection. Off to the right is the initial room that you came down to this level from the morlocks above. Some of the dwarves should be a level or two up from there, waiting at the hidden room on the main goblin level. Off to the left, it seems that you would have by passed the deeply flooded area.
After puzzling out the complicated mesh of hallways and realizing where they are in relation to where they've been, Rikar points northwest and says, "We've not seen that end of things, let's take a look." He leads the group in that direction, passing by the deeply flooded area en route.
Misha nods in agreement and follows.
+1 Trapfinding, +2 Unusual Stonework, +2 Checks related to metals, jewels, gemstones
+2 Underground
+2 Underground
Deciding to further explore to the north and west of where you are, Rikar and Kreig set off. First heading southwest and passing a flooded cave, then north and west in hopes of finding Ground and figuring out exactly what is occurring in flooded mines. Passing by some dead ends, which must be unfinished digs, as the corridor comes to an abrupt halt. There are no signs of either life or death here. You continue on to the north and come to a larger cave. This must have been the site of a large mineral vein, judging from the scattered mining tools and wagons, as well as the great number of rails leading to this point.
As Kreig and Rikar step around and peer into the cave, a large hulking, roughly humanoid creature of dirt and stone explodes up from the earth, faceless save for two glowing gemstone eyes, and you hear "Vidim da si patuljak"
The creature is simply standing there, and not approaching.
Sword in hand, Rikar stands ready to engage the giant of stone. He's heard enough Dwarven to recognize it, but not enough to understand it. He turns his eyes to Kreig and Misha, one eyebrow lifted, as if to say, Well, what's he saying?
Therena lets out a short, high-pitched shriek as the stone creature appears in front of them out of nowhere.
Kreig is taken aback, but attempts to cover over his surprise and focus on who the entity could represent. Might get an ally outta this feller...mebbe...
He straightens his posture and signals his friends to remain calm and lower their weapons. Then he raises a hand slowly in greeting to the creature before him. He bows slightly and speaks in dwarvish his reply. "In jaz te vidim, vladar tleh. Lahko iskre Torag kdaj pregreti kosti. In lahko mesta mojega sorodnika kdaj po vaših željah. Bomo lahko pogovarjati in barter?"
"And I see you, ruler of the ground. May the sparks of Torag ever warm your bones. And may the cities of my kin ever be to your liking.
May we converse and barter in the trade tongue of the humans? This to gift them in sharing a conversation with you."
Misha slowly walks up beside Rikar and speaks quietly, not to be secretive but not to interrupt the other conversation. "He just said he saw the dwarf. Kreig is asking him if he can speak Common."
"Good. My bones warm. Ground like dwarf. Me help with mine. Gorge hate dwarf and flood mine. You kill Gorge?" replies the elemental. His common is very broken and barely understandable.
Misha steps forward and asks in Common and then translates into Dwarven in case he understands better, "Honored to meet you, Ground. If we kill Gorge, will the flooding subside?"
Therena steps forward, about to address the elemental, when Misha beats her to it. Therena steps back and flushes with embarrassment.
Responding to Misha's question, "kill Gorge, no more water come. Take long time all go away."
And to Josef, "Gorge water creature, like me stone creature."
Misha gives an encouraging smile to Therena--she felt anyone should talk who wanted to.
She also of course can't help but ask another question of her own, again in both languages: "I think we certainly have mutual interests. Does Gorge have any friends?"
Rikar grins and nods appreciatively as the parley continues, stepping out of the way of those doing the talking. I like how this is going...
Kreig shares a look with Rikar. I'm likin' the way this is unfurlin'. Yessiree, bub.
"Gorge hate all. Maybe other water creature like Gorge. Other water creature bad."
"Well, it sounds like we have some of the same ideas about Gorge, and the other water creature," says Rikar, keeping his sentences very simple. "Can we work together to fight them? It will help the dwarves."