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Janira looks at the carvings closely. She rummages in her bag for a notebook and pen. She scribbles down some notes furiously. Very good, Mindy. These are exquisite depictions. I hope everyone has brought something to take notes or take shadings of carvings here.
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Through the wide tunnel you can see the soft light of the surrounding fungus mixing with the flickering glow of the nearby torches that reveal a grand chamber.
A large pool of water along the chamber’s southern edge reflects the blue and green radiance to illuminate the massive stalactites that cling to the ceiling overhead. Two other tunnels branch off from this area, leading to the east and west.
Rising up from the pool is a column of rock with steeply sloped sides and a flat top, as if someone had sawn off the top of a massive stalagmite. A miniature city carved from this same stone occupies nearly the entire surface. Tiny trinkets such as ancient coins, polished semi-precious stones, and ornately braided loops of string are scattered throughout the diorama, and pale cave frogs clamber atop it. The smooth cavern floor is covered in gravel and pebbles along the edge of the pool, and several foot-long centipedes prowl among the gravel in their search for prey.
Kneeling in the pool of water, back toward you, you see what appears to match the description of a Gillmen.
Damiel looks at the Gillman and then to his companions.
"I assume you guys do not want me to throw a bomb at him, right? So please somebody talk to him!" he says with a sly smile!
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"Ok I will!"
Mindy removes her footwear, steps in front to the gillman and wait patiently until she has his attention. When the gillman looks up to her, she respectfully bows to him and says, "Greetings. My name is Princess Mindy, from the Inner Sea south of Kortos. We seek shelter for the night and I was wondering if we could also share your pool of water?"
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”The waters of this place are holy to my people, and many of us make pilgrimages here. It was once a place holy to humanity as well. It is not my pool to grant permission. It belongs to all.”
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"Anthelea, would you please return the cloak you found to our kind host. It belongs to his people."
Princess Mindy then bows to the gillman respectfully, then proceeds to disrobe and pile her folded clothes near the gillman's. She then lowers her naked form into the pool, and swims leisurely, relaxing. You notice that her skin begins to adopt a vibrant, almost glowing blue-green color (as opposed to the pale, almost grey shade of blue you've seen in the last few days of travel with her). She also disappears underwater for several minutes at a time, and you start noticing a glow underwater. As she momentarily resurface at times, her gills (now plainly visible along her neck) close down and she resumes breathing normally. You see the jewels on her forehead glowing with a light spell, which she apparently used to inspect the cave floor underwater.
”I just hope that the lady doesn’t drown down there! I do not want to bring back a corpse to the venture captain! But this Gillman guy over there looks really harmless so no need for my bombs!“ he says with a sly smile!
*SPLOOSH!*
"Dölph!"
{swim, swim, swim, swim, swim, swim....}
"Dölph!" agrees the happy Dolphosaur.
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Now that Mindy closer, she can see more clearly the most unique feature of the cavern: Rising up from the pool is a column of rock with steeply sloped sides and a flat top, as if someone had sawn off the top of a massive stalagmite. A miniature city carved from this same stone occupies nearly the entire surface. Tiny trinkets such as ancient coins, polished semiprecious stones, and ornately braided loops of string are scattered throughout the diorama, and pale cave frogs clamber atop it. The smooth cavern floor is covered in gravel and pebbles along the edge of the pool, and several foot-long centipedes prowl among the gravel in their search for prey.
”You seem like kind and respectful travelers. Feel free to explore or to perform whatever rites you would like in this holy place. Be wary, though, if you plan to explore deeper down these paths. Other creatures you find in these caves may not be so welcoming.”
Dolphosaur seems to stand up in the water. The prehistoric-looking sea mammal chortles and claps with his flippers.
"Dölph-ölph-ölph-ölph-ölph!"
Dolphosaur does a back-flip that splashes the first few rows of audience.
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After about 20 minutes of travel, past many branching passageways that either narrow to be too small to pass or obviously loop back toward the main cavern, the tunnel broadens to reveal a shallow river that bisects an immense tunnel stretching to the north and south. To the east a small passage exits the chamber at a steep incline. The river through this part of the cavern ranges from 10 to 15 feet wide but is only 1 foot deep, and it flows languidly at an almost imperceptibly slow speed.
You come upon 2 creatures inspecting the cave across the river. The turn toward you and screech.
Anthelea
Nenette
Kobolds
Jimmothy
Princess Mindy
Damiel
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Jimmothy allows Dolphosaur to lapse after taking a few more of them around the pool. Then he takes a minute to re-summon Katachu, before proceeding down the western passage to eventually find the kobolds.
"Gee, I wonder what the doing here? HEY! OVER HERE! ARE YOU TRYING TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE GILLMEN TOO!?" Jimmothy shouts and waves at them just as Bellsprout kills them with the sinister power of its mind. "HEY! They might be Screeches--if that's a thing." he finishes uncertainly.
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Eagle tank appears out of nowhere and eviscerates the remaining kobold.
You approach the river and most of you detect a crudely constructed poison trap by the water. Presumably left by the creatures you just encountered.
Janira, still sore from the minotaur encounter, speaks up. Well done, recruits. Master Kreighton will be most pleased with your work today. Come, let's follow the water to the surface. The route to the surface leads through a maze of tight passages that include steep ascents and short climbs as they wind from west to east.
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After an uneventful journey back, you're greeted by an enthusiastic Kreighton Shaine.**"Oh my, that's wonderful! I'm glad to see you all back in one piece, though from what Janira has told me, that was a near thing. Wonderful job guiding and protecting them, Janira! I knew I could count on you."**
Shaine spends some time reading over your notes, pausing to ask questions and to theorize on the meaning and history of the things you've found.
"Well done recording your experiences while fresh in your mind. It’s difficult enough to remember what one had for breakfast the day before, let alone to recall exactly what one was thinking while reading an inscription. Make sure to write up your report thoroughly. After all, at this moment you are the world's foremost authority on those caves. It's only fitting, then, that you should name them! So, what shall we call the place?"
