"Yes, that must have been it..." Min remarks after a moment's hesitation.
Rab-rab shrugs. "Never heard of it!"
"I don't know of any 'gholl', but it does sound similar to 'ghul.' That would be... horrible. Ghuls are the ghoul version of undead geniekin. They often command ghouls and ghasts - but only when they're well-sated with fresh living flesh. When hungry, they are vicious, feral, and abominable. Let us hope the 'gholl' was just a slip of the tongue..."
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With the concord reached, the nixie leads you all around the splash pool towards the falls. Seemingly unaffected by the deafening noise or the deluge of falling water, the nixie dives directly into the pool under the falls, disappearing a moment later.
As if further demonstrating her mastery and familiarity with these falls, the nixie sticks her head directly out through the waterfalls to locate you all. She points to the side of the falls to signal you, then retreats behind the curtain of water once more. The nixie's gesture highlights a very narrow (i.e. the gnomes find it cramped) passage through the boulders that snakes just behind the falls. Ferreting your way in between the cliff wall and the falls does nothing to decrease the volume of the falls, and the slick rocks make for slow going. Indeed, a dark gash in the stone obscured by the falls awaits you, as does the nixie.
"I'll await your return in my pool. Good luck." And with that abrupt farewell, the nixie dives straight out from under the falls back into her pool with nary a splash, leaving you all to contemplate the pitch-black entrance.
Layaali activates her halo, while Min casts dancing lights and sends his bobbing lanterns ahead so the group can see what's coming.
Rab-rab is at then very back of the line, then Min in front of her and Layaali in the middle of the group.
Drael shudders as he looks at the gap in the rocks, I don't even know if I can fit in there, are we sure there's no other way in?
Razif frowns in agreement with Drael. [b]"Unfortunately, I don't expect we'll find a nice double-door entrance.
Just in case, he looks around, though.
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There's nothing of interest to the entrance apart from the crevice-like opening. With the help of Min's glowing orbs, Drael and Razif can see a winding, cramped passage with a height of only five feet. Taking a deep breath and stooping over, the suli, followed by the dunewalker, enter the cave. Layaali follows, with Min and then Rab-rab bringing up the rear.
The echoes of the falls prevent much in the way of auditory perception as the team slowly make their way through the tight passage in the rock. After about 100 feet of twisting, the rocks open up into a larger chamber as the five foot ceiling soars to a full twenty-five feet. The roar of the waterfall sounds distantly now, but nothing else seems to elicit much attention from your ears apart from a persistent dripping noise. The chamber appears to be well over fifty feet in diameter. With a bit of concentration, Min sends out his dancing lights to reconnoiter the area, mapping the chamber at 80 feet in diameter with a single exit in the far left corner. Natural rock formations - stalactites and stalagmites - grow organically from the ceiling and floor. In the centre of the room, a trio of stalagmites cradle a small, five foot diameter pool of water that appears to have been created by the source of the dripping noise - a monstrous stalactite from above stretching down ten feet and dripping run-off water from, likely, the waterway above the rock.
"I hear something over there." Razif whispers, pointing at the exit. "We should try to be stealthy, see if we can get the upper hand."
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Suddenly, from the far end of the cavern, where Razif pointed out detected noise, a familiar voice cries out:
"Friends! Help, oh help! I escaped those evil Three Jaws gnolls and now I've been trapped in this cave by the nixie! I wish to return to the embrace of New Kelmarane! Please!"
Uzma Mahdi al Khadi's pleas echo across the cavern, a cry from your past, chilling your soul. Your fallen friend lives!
Drael tilts his head to the side, speaking quietly to the others. Are leucrottas known for their impersonations?
Razif ignores Drael, and steps forward excitedly. "Uzma! Uzma, is that you? You live?!"
Then, he pauses, already too late, but...
"...Uzma never got to see New Kelmarane."
"Don't!" Min calls out to his companions. "Whatever you think you see or hear, STOP!"
Hearing Razif's words, Min shrieks in a panic, "Nope! Uzma's dead! Don't forget it!" He quickly moves his arms and shouts, "Sumpeery koo kala," casting mage armor on himself.
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Min calls out to his colleagues as they rush forward to the dark passage on the far side of the cavern, but his words fall on deaf ears. Even his sister seems keen to see their friend Uzma again, convinced she is of his voice.
And that's when the massive badger-headed behemoth acts, pouncing onto Rab-rab!
The gnome kineticist takes two swift and painful kicks to the torso, but a massive jaw bites down on air as Rab-rab dodges to the side. It's after King Jack-jack!
"Rab-rab, no!" Min scowls at the creature. "GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER!!"
Deciding his friends were better off blind than lining up to be eaten, Min sings a series of long notes. As he chants, his body glows with a bright, brilliant light. Then he claps his hands together! The light from Min extinguishes and a bright ball of light surrounds the monster .
"OWW!" Rab-rab shrieks at the monster that just bit her. "OW, OW, OW!!!"
Rab-rab blinks really fast. "Watch it, Min, that stings my eyes!"
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With a yelping howl, the massive creature attacking Rab-rab gives a tittering laugh, and launches right back at the purple-haired gnome, somehow more intent to sink its teeth into flesh.
The creature savages Rab-rab, its bite and both hooves hitting the rag doll of a kineticist.
Drael cries out in frustration as his vision goes dark, he hears thuds coming from somewhere nearby but his focus on finding Uzma makes it difficult to pay attention to anything else.
Rab-rab shrieks, "Ack! I'm dying! Save me!"
Rab-rab takes a five-foot step back to safety, then drinks a potion.
"No!" Layaali exclaims as Rab-rab falls. She hurries to Rab-Rab's side then casts a healing spell on her.
Unable to make sense of Uzma's appearance but nonetheless convinced it's true, Razif is entirely unprepared when Min's blinding spell hits his eyes.
Min is furious at the monster! He throws out his hands a fires a super cold line of ice at it!
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Her blinded eyes uniquely resistant to Min's blinding effects, Layaali is able to keep her visual wits about her enough to save Rab-rab's life. Razif doesn't fare nearly as well, losing his sight in similar fashion to Drael.
Rab-rab
Min
Layaali
Drael
Razif
Annoyed by the pesky spells coming from the wee spellcaster, Jawcracker breaks off from the prone, pink-haired gnome, racing past the aasimar on its way to maul Min!
The enraged Jawcracker underestimates just how short Min is, its savage jaws clamping down on air a good six inches above Min's head. It is clearly on top of the gnomish sorcerer, however.
Rab-rab quickly drinks her potion and leaps to her feet!
As the creature leaves his sister alone, Min looks relieved. Then terrified! "Ack!" He takes a five-foot step away to draw it further from his sister, then tries to cast a spell defensively.
Layaali casts another healing spell on Rab-rab.
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The massive canine-esque fiend growls as Min's divine blast washes over it. It shakes its head irritably.
The dazzling effect leaves Rab-rab and Layaali's vision as Drael and Razif's eyes are restored to sight. At that very moment, Jawcracker launches a full attack on the pesky gnome sorcerer.
Jawcracker crunches down on Min with its hideous, bone-lined jaw, then propels the small sorcerer into a crumpled heap with a stiff hoof. The leucrotta turns to the rest of you.
"Beware!" Jawcracker calls out, a hoof poised over Min's prone and unconscious form. "I have your ally and friend at my mercy, much in the same way as I have this person," here, Jawcracker glances at Min's form, "at the door to oblivion. Choose your next actions carefully, lest you kill your friend! I would parlay."
Rab-rab says to the monster, "If you give back my brother, we will all leave nicely and you will be left alone." She smiles brightly. "Sound good?"
"If not, I blow you to smithereens." Rab-rab gathers power, causing a powerful tornado of wind to swirl around her.
Layaali releases a burst of gentle healing light, but makes no move to attack.
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Outside of Layaali's healing nimbus, Razif and Drael fumble around in the darkness of the far chamber, hopelessly trying to find their friend Uzma. Rab-rab delivers her promise just as the aasimar heals the gnome sorcerer. Min coughs gently and comes back to consciousness, prone on the ground in front of the leucrotta.
"Healer, are you?" Jawcracker posits at Layaali. "I'll expect that Beshvi ensorcelled you easily - the nixie always had a knack for those with sympathetic tendencies." You all realise that the nixie never told you her name.
"I am not stupid," Jawcracker veritably spits at Rab-rab. "I see your power; you could rend me hoof from limb. I want nothing but my cavern and peace. I have seen enough of warfare and death. I want to be left alone. You want your brother - fine." Jawcracker withdraws the threatening hoof. "Give me my due. Drive the nixie from here. She is my enemy; not you."
Rab-rab nods. "Come on, Min, let's go!"
She walks right over to her brother, not even bothering to fetch Drael and Razif. She trusted Layaali to do that. She helps Min get up, then walks back toward the entrance to the cave.
"Why are you and the nixie so at odds?" Layaali asks Jawcracker as she moves back into the cavern. She gives Razif and Drael a shake to rouse them back to their senses.
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"Hmmmm..." the leucrotta leers at Rab-rab as the pink-haired gnome bravely marches up to fetch her brother. "Perhaps you could ask her yourself, when you see her in the Abyss!" With a sudden violent pounce, Jawcracker bites down on Rab-rab!
Just as swiftly as it attacked, Jawcracker flees the front cavern for the dark entrance to the rear cavern where Drael and Razif fumble about blindly.
Drael keeps stumbling forward into the darkness, his hands outstretched to hopefully avoid hitting a wall. Uzma? We can't see you down here, you need to help us find you!
Uzma! Come on, buddy! Just give us a yell!"
Razif has absolutely no idea where he is or what's around him, and simply feels around hoping to find anything.
Layaali would sigh if she weren't so worried—that would teach her to trust a gnome's instincts....
She hurries over to Rab-rab and Min and quickly heals their wounds.
"We've got to hurry," Layaali remarks, "I worry over Uzma."
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Drael and Razif hear something enter the dark cavern in which they fumble - a large something.
It quickly silences. After a few more moments, a familiar glow illuminates the room as Layaali and the gnomes enter cautiously. Drael and Razif can look around, spotting the signs of something nesting in the room, but no familiar desert druid within sight.
And then...
...from a perch on the wall, Jawcracker pounces down onto Min!
Layaali hurries closer to Min than casts another healing spell, releasing a burst of healing magic that ignores Jawcracker.
Still searching for Uzma, Razif finds himself threatened by something. He's unsure what exactly it is, but he does know it's hindering him in his search.
"Out of my way, beast! I need to find Uzma!"
Drael moves towards Razif's voice, What is it, did you find him?
Min attempts to cast a spell carefully!
Min barely gasps out some magic words. "Santy rabbanty!" A burst of rainbow colours shoots into the creatures eyes. (Color spray DC 14).
Rab-rab gathers power in her hands, causing a whirlwind to spin around her, then shoots a blast of wind at the monster beside her brother. "GET AWAY FROM HIM!"
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