Tess follows along as well. When she notices Posh lag behind, she slows her pace a bit to make sure the old gnome can catch up.
Jader silently recasts the Message spell with Kar and Posh as the targets. He then states were the last choker is hiding and points with his finger
It is over there
Kar readies himself for action.
Jader approaches well out of reach but easily within hearing of the creature and attempts to speak again
Jader tried to relate to the creature but the language and his lack knowledge hinder his progress
Posh is able to determine that these stones are indeed precious. More interesting to him, though is the fact that many of them would be useful in creating ioun stones. What you see here on the cavern floor is easily a thousand gold worth, and more no doubt can be found by mining.
Jader approaches, thinking he has the creature pinned. However, as he gets further into the northern cavern, warm air and light greets him....this cavern opens out from the side of a small hill. The fleeing young choker is currently lurching towards a small wooded area to the east.
Give chase? Set a trap? Collapse the tunnel and leave well enough alone?
Posh's eyes light up. "Ooooo make Aeon stones we could...."
The old gnome, engrossed in the gems begins trying to collect them. "These things here are craftable. I could make things for our protection" he announces to no one in particular.
"I'm tempted to go with the latter option, but at this point I'm not so sure the chokers won't sneak back into town some other time."
Posh seems to be undisturbed as he begins to gather the stones; of course, it will yield much more than he can carry.
Lets finish exploring down here then decide what to do
This large chamber ends at the southern tip at a stone wall; nothing besides the gemstones can be found here.
Kar looks around.
Kar takes a look around the room, but sees nothing out of the ordinary save for the piles of gems and miscellaneous smaller piles of stone scattered about the room. It looks as if whomever was mining was looking for particular stones in different areas
Dropping a gem, he quickly picks it up...dropping another. Quickly picking it up, he drops another.... Pockets and pack bulging, he glances over his shoulder.
"Uh...could yall help me pick these things up? Everything good, yeah? I could do soooo much with these guys to help us in the long run...."
Tess picks up a few, and reassures Posh. "The well isn't going anywhere, grandfather, we can easily come back here to mine some more. What did you say these were?"
Jader has one final look around noting what he sees. A small chuckle escapes his mouth upon seeing Posh try to overfill his pockets with the semi-precious gems. Enjoy those gemstones gnome, mayhaps you could make me one of those magical stones you mentioned one day with one of them.
Back to business Jader does one final search of the cavern, but this time he uses magic to discover anything magically hidden
Jader makes his scan of the large cavern, confident that anything out of the ordinary would have been found already. However, as his divining cone passes over the far western wall, he senses two magical auras there.
Suddenly, as if sensing they'd been found, two small figures pop out of the stone, where a magical image had kept each of them hidden. The two creatures look like large scorpions, but are made entirely of faceted gemstones. They skitter forward a few paces, then think better of it and stay still, nervously clacking their claws as Jader views them.
Moving between Posh and the new creatures, Kar takes a defensive stance before asking. "What manner of creature are these?"
"Quite peculiar beasts." mumbles to old gnome, squinting over Kar's stout shoulder. "Lemme think...hmm..."
Tess follows Kar's example and blocks off any access to the others.
Posh recognizes these creatures as Crysmals - outsiders of the earth elemental family. They treasure gemstones, but only because they use them to reproduce. These creatures are most susceptible to bludgeoning damage, but are immune to cold and fire, and somewhat resistant to others, like electricity.
They can slam with their spiked appendages, but can also propel their shards quite a distance to skewer an enemy, and have some basic spell abilities. You can see from these ones that they've been gathering these gemstones for reproduction. The amount of gemstones currently "in" them for reproduction would sell for between 500 - 1,000 gold each
The creatures seem to be holding steady, not attacking.
"Right! They are called Crysmals." snaps Posh.
"So they collect gemstones for reproduction. Not as much fun as how we do it, but functional none the less. They've got some magics of their own and are incapable of being harmed by cold and fire. Best way to hurt them is with something bit and blunt."
"Seems they aren't upset by us at the moment. I'd reckon they are just a bit concerned about our proximity to them. After all, they did just watch us kill a group cohabitation in the cave."
"Why don't we let them be for now? They aren't hurting anyone. Just everyone, slowly back out. We'll have to find a way to communicate and see if an arrangement can be made regarding our gem desires and theirs."
"With them being interested in rocks, I'd suspect they may understand the word of stones...anyone speak Terran? I've not quite got it figured out myself...but I'm close, I think."
Kar nods his head in agreement with Posh, but waits for the others to start withdrawing first before moving.
Tess relaxes her stance. "Live and let live."
Jader's question seems to stop the little creatures in their tracks, and they clack at each other with their claws in some sort of strange gestures that even a spell won't help to understand. The turn to Jader and communicate in a strange language of grinding and squealing.
Gemstones for young. Walkers eat flesh, leave our young be. Walkers wait in dark for flesh
Jader turns to his companions and asks Well anything else I should try to ask them. I told them we wouldn’t hurt them and asked about the chokers
What did they say about the chokers?
Gemstones for young. Walkers eat flesh, leave our young be. Walkers wait in dark for flesh
Jader quotes what the creatures said about what he believes to be the chokers
I see no reason to harm these creatures. They seem to pose no threat to us or our resources.
"I agree. Meanwhile, we still have some chokers on the loose, I believe. Should we resume the chase?"
"Ah, good! Something going right finally." beams Posh. "Back to town or after the choker, I'm good either way."
Dropping another gem, he stoops and picks it up. "May be a tad slower though...these rocks are heavy."
You continue back into the main chamber and proceed to the south, out the other exit out of the main room. You enter into a southern antechamber that ends in small alcoves to the south. There doesn't seem to be anything of interest in that direction, but the route continues to the west and then winds to the south. The corridor beyond is pitch black and silent.
Jader doesn’t want to provoke the crystal-like creatures despite the allure of the gems so he leaves the stones where they lie and continues on
You advance to the south, and come to an opening into a large chamber to the south. There's only a small entryway into the chamber, but you could squeeze through one at a time into it. The walls here are slick with moisture and the stench of rotten meet hangs in the air.
Jader slowly proceeds through the narrow opening being careful not to touch the moist walls fearful of what toxins or nasty things might be in it. He whispers this to his companions Be careful not to touch anything including the walls of this cavern. It may just be water but it could be something worse so let’s not find out
"See anything? Is there a creature coming up ahead?"
Jader quotes what the creatures said about what he believes to be the chokersGemstones for young. Walkers eat flesh, leave our young be. Walkers wait in dark for flesh
Kar follows Jader into the cavern. He is, indeed, carrying a torch as he is one of the few that doesn't need to have his hands free to do things.
Jader moves into the room, squeezing through the passageway, and immediately is beset upon by two chokers - these ones much larger then the youths they had encountered before. The creatures lash out with their long, whiplike tentacles.
The first misses, but the second lands a hit, and tries to grab Jader around the throat with its tentacle.
Jader attempts to cut the chokers tentacle around his neck before it’s lights out permanently
The struggle is to great and he is to distracted. Jader misses the attack with his magic sword
"Jader! You ok? Can you get whatever foe there is stand in front of the opening for us?"
With a quick whisper of arcanic phrases, an icicle appears in his hand.
Kal, seeing nothing in the room beyond, hears the commotion, but delays any action until an enemy presents itself.
The choker on the left sees another victim in Kar, and lashes out. Kar easily swats aside the attack with a practiced ridge-hand block.
The other choker tightens its grip on Jader, further cutting off his air.
Jader now fighting for his life attempts again to cut the chokers tentacle from around his neck
Failing again to connect and severe the tentacle. Jader makes unintelligible gurgling sounds gasping for any air possible to enter his lungs
Seeing Jader's troubles, Kar quickly steps up to the one choking him and calls out "Jader is in trouble. Weapons out." As he moves up, his fists and feet light up with lightning crackling along them and begin to drip acid in his wake. He moves in quick, torch still in hand, and delivers a sound blow to the creatures neck, missing the follow up kick to the legs as it staggers back a few inches from the energy of the hit.
&
&
12 total damage across the three types. Hopefully that drops it.