Es unsstable. Mussst shut down!
"Why don't you want to let us out? What do you mean 'unstable'?"
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I need to clossse the portal! Thinkss come and go. Sometimesssd not controllable.
Hurry!
If our host is concerned that strange beings may pass through the portal, it seems wise to do so. I presume that it can be used to reopen it at some future time.
Ibrah rolls the orb out of his pack and across the ground to the stranger. In a blink his Longbow is in his hands with an arrow directed at the stranger. "If you use that to hurt my companions you will regret it instantly."
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Graalen scoops up the orb quickly without even a nod towards Ibrah, sits down and gets still. His purple, peculiar eyes close as he begins to softly chant while gripping the orb tightly. This continues for about 10 minutes, until the hum and glow of the portal subsides. After the portal closes, he takes it into the back room and returns with a locked box made of some strange alloy that no one present has ever seen before, likewise its inscriptions.
He hands the chrome box back to Ibrah and says
Here, thisssz boxss neutralizessss the orb while it Es inssside.
My apologies for our caution. Little we've faced since being forced into this tunnel complex has been other than duplicitous and life-threatening. Please, tell us how you come to be here and what you know of the community above you.
Ibrah lowers his bow and returns it to its quiver, then accepts the box.
Es undersstandable. You did not know. Veenu and I are from a planet called Guantha. Veenu'ssss father is a renown chemist and diviner on Guantha. This portal wass usssed to frantically ssssearch for a cure for a devassstating plague on our planet. We we young. We played around and fell into the portal. It brought uss here. We tried to reconstruct the device, but it has not connected yet. Other places...accidents...let's eat.
Graalen scoops out bowls of stew and offers them to everyone.
After everyone settles down Graalen asks
Do you have any interesting items to trade?
Looking around, Graalen is frustrated a bit with the lack of initiative from his guests and forthrightness.
I ssssuposse that I will go firsssst then....
He sets his bowl of gruel down and stands up next to a chest and says, Veenu and I collect things to keep usss sssane. I have a wand that shoots arcs of electricity like lightning. What would you trade me for it? He looks around towards the guests waiting for an offer from anyone.
Gorrim clutches his bag and staff tightly and pretends to be pre=occupied with eating.
We did not intend to enter this place when we did so we have few items for trade. Are you familiar with firearms? We have a pair of dwarven-forged rifles. We also have a magical stone that I believe would be invaluable to you if you plan to stay in these lands. It allows the user to alter their appearance to match those you interact with. Though it is also of great use to us do to our exotic natures.
Khartelosch carefully samples the bowl of soup. Born among orcs, he has a hardy stomach, so little upsets it. Trade? Yes, Verrin has named the few items we've collected since we got down here. There are also a few large carapaces we left behind; they might be good for shelter, plates and whatnot.
Don't trade the muskets. Gorrim advises.
He could probably use the stone though.
Yesss.I have tisss wand or this magical masterwork chain shirt. I would trade either for the stone.
And carapaces? I would need both of those though.
Ibrah looks up from eating the stew. Wand?
Verrin is still uncertain of what the intricate silver-thread bag does.
Yes. Wand of lightning.
Thaane is busy eating his disgusting porridge and rudely rummaging through Graalen's things looking for bread to help stomach the gruel.
Ibrah nods and resumes eating.
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Sssooo, it is a trade then. The wand for the stone.
Graalen hands the wand to Verrin.
"May I take another look at the bag please?"Silvash then examines the bag to see what it does.
An acceptable trade. If you are interested in the carapaces, i fear we will need a different way to get to them, the path we took is i believe to small for their great size.
The bag does nothing for Silvash either. Everyone who opens it does feel a sense of anxiety.
Graalen hands the wand to Verrin. Perhaps some other time on the carapaces. Let'sss get some ressst. We will have to take watchessssince the Sentry ess broken.
No we won't. mutters Gorrim as he places an enchantment on Thaane's rotting orc head on a spear.
Graalen, have you spotted a young red-haired dwarf women in armor?
I have not.
Can you tell us where to begin looking for the blue keystone?
Frustrated at his own slow speech, Graalen places a circlet upon his head and quietly closes his eyes.
Without speaking, the conscripts begin to hear and understand him clearly in their minds.
Many strangers have entered the caverns in the last couple of months.They have either died or disappeared. I have not seen this stone myself, but have heard many conversations about it.I can show you the direction most of them travel. I must warn you however that as you descend, you may cross paths with the drow, a wicked race of dark elves. You have already met the greys. I have heard mentioned some bizarre necrocromancy cult as well, not too mention the obvious hazards of underground fauna. Refresh yourselves in this cavern's pool and you will see why i chose it. We will leave tomorrow after breakfast.
Kin we leave before breakfast?
Graalen gives Gorrim a sideways glance and then produces one last item before heading off to bed.
How much would you pay for this?
He says as he produces a repeating heavy crossbow.
Oh well then, good ressst.
Having no takers, Graalen gets his guests what they need to be comfortable for the evening and retires to slumber for the night.
In the morning, the heroes are up early preparing themselves and their gear, all except for Thaane who finally awakens and spends his breakfast meditating before the group is lead to the back of the cavern, behind the now defunct portal, to a secret door that leads to a makeshift tunnel that is somewhat narrow. Graalen points to the right after this small tunnel opens up through another hidden door into a slightly larger tunnel. Graalen hands Verrin a white oil stick and tells him to mark the way back, but to start down the tunnel about 100 feet away. He warns of drow patrols, duergar patrols and an abandoned village as well.
Keep to the right. Good luck.
Alright then, let's get to it.
I will lead.
Let me see that bag, Verrin.
Gorrim takes the bag from Verrin and a bright light flashes as the bag begins to grow and shake violently.
With Verrin and Gorrim in the front, Ibrah, Khartelosch and Silvash are immediately behind Gorrim as the bag spews forth its disgusting contents. Barely fitting in the corridor is a horrendous abberation that resembles a large spider, but with the hideous mashed humanoid torso melded into it. As usual, Thaane brings up the rear.
Surprise Round
Thaane
Verrin
Ibrah
Silvash
Gorrim
Khartelosch
You may begin.
Frightened, Thaane draws his pistol and unloads both barrels at the horrid creature.
Both bullets nick the torso of the beast.
When he's up, Khartelosch steps forward in a rage and brings his Lucerne hammer down on the creature, catching a good chunk of its exoskeleton.