"Tik'Klik"
Tik's arm reconfigures back into a casting appendage, with bits of wood chip whirlling around in precise patterns. He points the arm at Amadeen's hand, and a warm dry air blows out of the arm, sending all the nasty stuff splattering to the floor. After a few seconds, her hand and arm are warm and dry and clean.
"Cheers Tik! How about we push on to the east and north a little? I suspect that there is a mad alchemist lurking around here nearby, judging by the things we just killed."
Heading through the closest exit to the east this area has a lot of debris and from your experiences above you recognise as unstable, similarly requiring ye to thread lightly if you are to use this way.
"Tik'Klik."
The small golem trundles up to the opening, and then delicately capers forward, scouting for the group so the big muscle bound types don't cause a cavein.
Tik'klik has no issue walking through the tunnel, it branches off further to the north and to the east.
Amadeen whispers, guessing that the small golem will hear her.
"Be careful Tik. Return at once if you find dangerous foes."
Jorin will keep pace with Tik as they move through, staying one step behind.
Johund waits with Amadeen, knowing that his heavier armor and bulkier form will do the others no favors.
Tik, quiet for once, points north, then at himself. The points east, and points at Jorin.
Then Tik again moves north slowly, using his dark vision to let him see what is ahead.
Jorin nods and moves east slowly, keeping a careful watch for dangers.
Part of this chamber is in total ruin. The western half of this room appears to have mostly collapsed, though jagged openings peer to into a dark cavern. The east half of the chamber is filled with small chests and barrels. Most are covered in dust, but some appear to have been recently disturbed.
Much of what remains in this room is worthless or broken, there are several items of note. One of the small chests has capacity for twenty vials of liquid, but now only four vials of alchemist’s fire remain. A similar chest holds six vials of acid. Finally, inside a large chest lies a small coffer containing a bag filled with diamond dust worth 500 gp.
Corridors lead to the north and south of here but you leave your allies further and further behind as you venture forward.
"I'll go back and get them" Jorin whispers to Tik.
Barek heals Mong first, then drops Summon Natures ally1 and casts the same on himself.
At Jorin's silent beckon, Johund joins him in the room ahead.
"Tik'Klik."
Tik shakes his head at Jorin, then carefully moves the acid flasks to the other small chest, and takes the cask. Then with both, the bot follows Jorin back, handing the chest and cask to the others. "Tik'Klik? Tik tak Mak Mak Mak E Mak E Tik Trik Tray Tray L Tray L. Mak E Tray L." The golem's finger withdraws, and chalk extends out.
When word comes back, Amadeen will try to make her way through the damaged area.
After testing the feel of his new axe Barek stores it where he can reach it and carefully steps on the path Tik'Klik has marked.
"Tik'Klik."
Tik comes back after marking things, and follows along after Johund, figuring the giant brute has no chance of succeeding, and will poke/prod/pull his mass to keep him away from the worst areas.
Johund kisses his blade and utteres a prayer. The eyes of his rat tattoo flash red, and he's off, nimbly bounding through the tricky tunnel as though it were a simple dirt road.
You make it through to the storage room unharmed, there is a way to the north and south from here.
Amadeen points a finger, and waves it back and forth, eventually leaving it pointing north.
The perceptive may hear her muttering under her breath:
"One petal, two petal, three petal, four, which, will, be, the, open, door?"
And then out loud cheerfully:
"That a-way!"
This chamber might have once been some sort of study, but it has fallen into ruin. The entire northeast corner of the chamber has collapsed, apparently because of some sort of drilling machine that emerged from the southwest corner and is now half-buried under the rubble to the northeast. The debris-choked tunnel from which it emerged is plainly visible. It will take some effort to search the rubble and ruin for anything of value. Wooden doors lie to both the south and west.
"Tik'Klik!"
Tik seems excited by the digging machine, and the study, and begins to take time to examine everything.
Amadeen looks over the machine, fascinated by the oddity.
And then glances over the ruins for magical signatures.
An earth elemental the size of a man explodes from the rubble enraged ready to attack you.
Jorin
Barek
Johund
Tik'klik
Amadeen
Elemental
Amadeen is surprised by the creature and reacts a little more slowly than usual.
"Aaaaah! NO!"
She begins her magical assaults once more, and resumes cackling.
"Tik'Klik!"
Tik steps back and his arm fires off a blast of arcane energy at the elemental!
Amadeen knows that as an earth elemental it can pass through stone as easily as a fish through water. Not having a normal body it is immune to poisons and paralysis as well as some other effects.
"Ha! Knew it'd be too easy!" Johund jumps into the creature's way, planting his hunting dagger deep into its earthen shoulder.
Jorin moves across the room pulling out a net as he goes and throwing it over the muddy critter.
Barek orders Mong to stay back and advances with his new axe. "What can go wrong, will go wrong!" He mutters optimistically.
Jorin moves across the room pulling out a net as he goes and throwing it over the muddy critter.
Barek orders Mong to stay back and advances with his new axe. "What can go wrong, will go wrong!" He mutters optimistically.
"Ha! Knew it'd be too easy!" Johund jumps into the creature's way, planting his hunting dagger deep into its earthen shoulder.
"Tik'Klik!" Tik steps back and his arm fires off a blast of arcane energy at the elemental!
Amadeen is surprised by the creature and reacts a little more slowly than usual. "Aaaaah! NO!" She begins her magical assaults once more, and resumes cackling.
The elemental hammers a blow against Johund's thick armour that will leave a dent.
Jorin
Barek
Johund
Tik'klik
Amadeen
Elemental-Netted, HP -12, Misfortune 1/2
"Tik'Klik!"
Tik fires off another blast of arcane energy at the elemental!
Barek continues his listing of helpful sayings. "If at first you don't succeed then give up and go home."
Seeing the net fall over it Jorin switches to other options.
Flurry, Deadly Aim
The first one tumbling instead of spinning it achieves nothing so Jorin sends a different gift by way of arrow.
Flying true the arrow sticks into the elemental.
Johund jerks his dagger free, sending chunks of dirt flying, then stabs viciously at the creature's "heart".
The earth elemental is quickly reduced to dirt and rubble by a withering series of blows.
Now that you can properly search the room you find:
A pair of intact tomes written in Draconic. The books concern alchemy and various bits of esoteric arcane lore. Anyone who references the texts for an hour can attempt her next Knowledge (arcana) check with a +2 circumstance bonus. The tomes are worth 50 gp each.
In addition, the remnants of a construct can be dug out of the rubble with five minutes of work. Once the construct is removed it can be opened up to scavenge for parts.
Amadeen composes herself.
"It's good that we took that thing down quickly! They can run through stone as if it were air."
She glances over the texts.
"Yeah, I'll hang onto these. Tik, no problem if you want to browse them!"
"Tik'Klik."
Tik seems ok with that arrangement, and begins to work on the construct.
Tik tik's happily as it opens up the construct, and begins pulling bits and pieces out of it. It really tik's happily when it pulls the yellow gem out, but then makes sad sounds when it turns it over and sees the crack. "Tik tak tak ack fik fack fik fik fix..."
Tik tucks the gem away.
"Tik'Klik?"
Tik examines the gem more closely, and then finally tucks it away.
Amadeen looks south.
"South? I think south."
This chamber appears to still be in use. Its floors have recently been swept, and its three tables appear to be organized and well kept. Arranged across the tables are numerous strange alchemical devices, some of which are suspended over low-burning flames and emit pale ribbons of smoke. Others simply bubble and boil of their own volition.
Three goblins huddle about the desks giggling as they spot you. They sport equipment of much greater quality than the average goblin.
The three goblins all draw vials of alchemist fire and throw them at Johund before drawing their sword. "Human's taste better when cooked longshanks!"
Tik'klik
Jorin
Barek
Amadeen
Johund
Goblins
"Tik'Klik."
The golem pushes forward, past everyone, and looks at the two goblins over the table, before lifting the edge and flipping it over, sending the boiling concoctions, unstable and probably flammable fluids, along with the burning bases over so they cascade over the two goblins.
"Tik'Klik."
Amadeen takes one glance at the goblins:
"Nope, not a human! And he's not on the menu either!"
She strikes at the fate of one of the mad goblin alchemists, cackles, and prepares to step forward.
Johund grits his teeth as his flesh burns, but just as quickly his daggers glow as he beseeches Hanspur's aid.
Then he dives into the room, aiming to return the favor.