The well is 40 feet deep and 5 feet in diameter. The rock wall sides are uneven with a few cracks and crevices that serve as usable foot- and handholds. You realize the creatures could scale the well shaft effortlessly.
At the bottom of the well, just above the waterline, a narrow break in the wall leads north.
Lara retrieves a coil of rope from her pack. "Well, looks like we're going spelunking," she says, and looks for something to which she can secure the rope.
Alerted to the possible attack Kragg gathers his few belongings necessary and hurries to the center of the colony. After hearing the story he draws the same conclusion as Kaldan about the choker. Indeed we must find this nest and take care of the problem before any further attacks take place.
Before Lara can toss the rope and star the exploration Kragg looks to Thame. Are you prepared for such an excursion or would you rather have time to study before we begin? I still have the blessings granted to me from Abadar from yesterday and that should suffice. Otherwise we can post a guard here and wait till morning if need be.
The walls are rough and uneven, while stalactites hang from the stone ceiling of this cave. The air is cool in contrast to the warmth of the island’s surface. A natural tunnel meanders in a northerly direction.
The passage winds northeast for approximately 100 feet (longer than what is depicted on the map, but ultimately arriving at area G1). 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.
Forked Tunnel
The passage splits into two tunnels. The faint dripping of water into small pools echoes softly down the cave tunnels.
"Huh. These crystals might have some potential for mining," Lara notes, running her hands lightly over one section of the wall.
"Huh." Kaldan nods, looking over the walls.
"So left or right?" He asks, keeping more of an eye on the passages than the crystals.
Thame looked at the glowing minerals with interest, their possible value as a light source alone enough to make the wizard nod in agreement with Lara's assessment. When Kaldan asks for a direction, the illusionist shrugged. "One way seems as good as another, so left?"
Trieste marvels at the pretty crystals in this tunnel. "Left seems good." She sets her caiman down on the ground to let him skulk around, and watch their backs.
Lara nods. "Left."
Kragg nods in agreement. Left sounds good to me.
Looking around him he adds after the others relate the crystal formations.. We will have to explore this place later. There could be a ton of wealth down here in semiprecious gems.
Being choked to death in a dark cave seemed like a pretty bad way to end his young adventuring career, so Thame kept nervously looking about, along the cave walls and ceilings, trying to make sure the terrible choker didn't drop down on him. And his companions, too...them being choked to death would be terrible, as well, though less so.
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. A couple of large boulders occupy this room and a number of small, dead-end caves extend from this room. Chokers like small, cramped spaces and use these opening as places to sleep and feel secure.
Four young chokers are in this cavern playing a rock-throwing game where they try to lob a small rock into a natural hole in the cavern’s wall. When you enter the caves, the chokers shriek out a warning and attack, trying to drive you out.
Chokers
Kaldan
Lara
Thame
Kragg
Trieste
The chokers rush forward and try to grab you!
Thame yells with a start as the young, disgusting chokers rush forward and brutally attack his companions. Seeing that something desperately needs to be done (or perhaps just living off the high of his heroics a couple of weeks previous), the wizard rushes past the edge of the group around Kaldan and Trieste, coming uncomfortably close to the small monster.
When he gets into a favorable position, he chants a short incantation, tossing a small handful of colorful powder into the air. As before with the shark-person-thing, three of the choker young are inundated with dazzling light.
Lara is caught off guard by the chokers' sudden attack, but succeeds at batting aside the grasping claws that were aimed at her throat. She takes a step back, nocks an arrow to her bowstring, and lets fly. Unfortunately, in her haste, she releases the string too soon and the shot goes wide. Cursing, she drops her bow and draws the magical longsword Kaldan gave her.
Kaldan curses as the ugly spawn jump him.
Driving his spear into the one that is attached to him.
Attqck d by 2 chokers Kragg can only react quick enough to prevent her first from latching on to him. Held by the second Kragg does what he can to drive it off of himself by attacking with his morningstar.
Attack for
Perhaps left was NOT so good. "Watch for the adults!" she cries as she moves to help Kaldan. Her scimitar flashes as she swings it toward the young choker (purple)...
Jobert scurries to catch up to Trieste (double move).
Round 1
Choker(Red) Hit Kragg
Choker(Purple) Hit Kaldan Grabbed and constricted
Choker(Blue) Hit Lara
Choker(Green)
Kaldan -Impales the creature grabbing him on the spean leaving it bleeding on the ground.
Lara - Fires and misses at
Thame With one bleeding on the ground and the others knocked out by the colors only one remains!
Kragg - Now free hits the remaining one.
Trieste -
Round 2
Choker(Blue)- With its companions down it tries to flee. Darting away into the shadows to the south, howling in fear.
Kaldan -
Lara -
Thame -
Kragg -
Trieste -
Making sure to retreat to the relative safety behind the others, Thame yells out, "Tell the rest of them what happens when you mess with us and the colony!" The wizard looked at the disgusting remains of the dead choker young with distaste. The illusionist was getting pretty good at this adventuring thing...he'd have never thought himself capable of the stunt he just pulled a couple of weeks ago. He grinned at Trieste and Lara, but it came off as more of a creepy leer, so after a few seconds he just goes back to his normal demeanor.
With a grunt of effort Kaldan lofted his spear and hurled at the chokers back.
Kragg leaves the fleeing choker alone as he takes out his frustrations on the unconscious choker.
Coup de gras
Lara retrieves her bow and sheathes her sword again, scowling in response to Thame's grin/leer.
5-20 feet: no penalty
25-40 feet: -2
45-60 feet: -4
65-80 feet: -6
85-100 feet: -8
past 100 feet: out of range
The spear misses and bounces along the smooth stone of the cavern floor. As you work to finish off the young chokers the final one disappears deeper into the tunnel... Hissing something at Kaldan and his spear.
Once the young are taken care of Kragg looks to see how the others are doing. Those creatures and quick and mean. they were upon us before we were ready. Gather round and let Abadar heal our wounds before we proceed further into this complex to end this scourge.
channel
As the healing energy courses through them Kragg feels a bit better but his shoulder and neck still smart from where the second choker got a hold of him. IF you are all ready though I think we should move on. clearly they know we are coming and will be prepared.
Putting a hand on Thame's shoulder Kragg lowers his voice. ]b]Thanks for taking them out there Thame. That would have been quite serious if you had not put them to sleep so quickly like you did.[/b]
Thame frowns as Lara scowls at him, not knowing what the issue was. Perhaps she was jealous of his battle acumen! Or maybe playing hard to get, hmmmmm.
As Kragg lowers his voice and offers praise, the wizard beams. "Of course. I'm sure any of you would have done the same, were the situation different and I under attack." Of course, Thame wasn't built for false modesty, but he tried his best.
Ready to proceed, the wizard took his place and continued deeper into the complex with the others.
"We should follow that little creep. I'm assuming he'll be looking for backup."
Thame nodded his agreement at Trieste's logic, wanting all the abnormal things dead. Being choked to death in his sleep seemed a poor way to go for the island's residents.
By all means let us rid ourselves of the known threat before adventuring into other areas. Them do you have another on of those spells prepared good sir? I would hate to have it get the drop on me again.
Kragg readies his shield and Morningstar as the proceed onward.
Pressing on deeper after the young choker....
The walls of this cave are slick with moisture, and the smell of rotted meat fills the air.
Tha chamber ahead is a dead end and appears to be empty and silent in the darkness.
The chokers are clinging to the walls and ceiling of this chamber setting up an ambush!
Perception +2 more if stonework applies.
Kragg sees...nothing unusual in the darkness as his mind is filled with thoughts of all of the different ales he is going to make in a month. However he does cast light again on his shield to illuminate the area for the others who can't see in the darkness.
"Above us!" Kaldan yells a warning, alerting the party to the Chokers on the walls and ceiling.
Thame nodded in affirmation to Kragg's question. "I think I can come up with something..." It would be pushing his magical limits, but he also had the scroll he had prepared, just in case.
As Kaldan called out a warning the wizard looked up, swallowing the scream of horror that was threatening to escape.
Having some familiarity now with choker tactics, Trieste also notices their ambush, but Kaldan beats her to the warning. She raises her longspear in anticipation of the fight.
As soon as Kaldan shouts out warning Kragg tries to summon Abadar's blessing by casting shield upon himself.
Lara likewise notices the chokers' ambush, and quickly snaps her bow into position to fire off a shot.
Choker (kid)- Seeing that you've spotted them and already cried out the little one tenses and waits for now... (Readied action)
Kragg-
Kaldan-
Trieste-
Chokers (Yellow)-
Chokers (pink)-
Thame-
Lara-
Kragg casts shield on himself before darting through the chokers to the other side of yellow to give Lara flank.
Kaldan grumbles under his breath as Kragg moves into the wrong position, he steps up between the two adult chokers, trying to draw their attention onto him so the others can pick them off.
Seeing the choker dodge Kaldan's spear, Trieste tries to give him some needed backup. "Pardon me," she says to Thame as she scoots past him. She hefts her longspear and tries to stab the choker to Kaldan's east...
but the choker bats the tip aside derisively.
Round 1
Choker (kid)- Seeing that you've spotted them and already cried out the little one tenses and waits for now... (Readied action)
Kragg-
Kaldan-
Trieste-
Chokers (Yellow)-
Chokers (Pink)-
Thame-
Lara-
Lara snaps off a shot from her bow at the nearest choker ().
Thame cursed as he saw Trieste get into the area of effect of his most potent spell. For a brief moment he considered casting it anyway, but discarded the idea, knowing it could definitely backfire. Instead he chants some words from the necromantic school of magic, his hands starting to glow with a faint, cold blue light.