”Can we even hurt this thing?” Darius asks as he draws his curved blades...unsure if they will even hurt this thing.
"Yeeeeacch!!!" Cica shudders as she backs away, shaking her arms off.
Those watching carefully may notice that the acid on her skin--rather than burning her--actually heals her slightly.
”Can we even hurt this thing?” Darius asks as he draws his curved blades...unsure if they will even hurt this thing.
"Darius, don't get too close to that thing. Lets see if we can destroy it from afar."
As she speaks, Cica steps back and fires an arrow into the thing. "...And I guess we're about to find out if arrows can hurt it!"
Cica's arrow causes the ooze to solidify where it strikes, chipping off what appears to be a chunk of crystal that shatters when it hits the cave floor, melting back into liquid.
"Fall back, Luna!" Garland said as he drew his awesome scythe. After all, the masked legionnaire didn't want his trusted ally to bite a blob of living acid! As Luna retreated, Garland marched forward and took a swing at the creature!
Unable to effectively get to the thing, Darius simply moves up and draws his daggers, looking for some sort of opening against it...
Placidus threads his way through his companions and wades into the water, trying to get at the ooze from the other side.
"Yeeeeacch!!!" Cica shudders as she backs away, shaking her arms off. Those watching carefully may notice that the acid on her skin--rather than burning her--actually heals her slightly.
Ilistra gasps as the crystal puddle comes to life and attacks. She gathers power in a showy display, and then flings a ball of fire at it. Ilistra's blast hits the ooze, but seems to have no effect on it whatsoever.
”Can we even hurt this thing?” Darius asks as he draws his curved blades.
"Darius, don't get too close to that thing. Lets see if we can destroy it from afar." As she speaks, Cica steps back and fires an arrow into the thing. "...And I guess we're about to find out if arrows can hurt it!" Cica's arrow causes the ooze to solidify where it strikes, chipping off what appears to be a chunk of crystal that shatters when it hits the cave floor, melting back into liquid.
"Fall back, Luna!" Garland said as he drew his awesome scythe. After all, the masked legionnaire didn't want his trusted ally to bite a blob of living acid! As Luna retreated, Garland marched forward and took a swing at the creature! His curved blade slices another slab off the slow-moving ooze with ease.
Darius moves up into the position Luna was in slashing at it.
Placidus threads his way through his companions and wades into the water, trying to get at the ooze from the other side.
The ooze strikes out at Garland with a psuedopod, trying to engulf the masked hero!
Fortunately for him, he is too fast for the ooze to hit.
================================
Darius continues slashing at the thing.
Cica aims carefully and shoots again.
Garland took another mighty swing at the ooze!
Cica's arrow is enough to finish the ooze off. It shatters into little bits which then melt into the water.
The three to five foot deep water continues to dominate the center of the mine shaft ahead. A series of narrow ledges and rope bridges connect to form a path deeper into the mine.
Cica takes a moment to regain her focus.
"See, that wasn't so bad." she smiles, and begins leading the way again.
Cica leads the group along the narrow pathway, deeper into the mine. The cross one bridge and follow the left hand curve of the wall around to a narrow opening. The scattered remnants of a small campsite lie in a small alcove across another bridge, just above the water line. The campsite appears to contain mining equipment, three mine carts, the desiccated remains of three mules, and a rusted iron strongbox.
Ilistra picks up a rock and it catches fire in her hand, shedding light like a torch.
Cica blinks twice--feeling her senses heighten like a falcons--and then approaches cautiously, listening and looking around for signs of activity.
If all appears safe, she takes a look at the strongbox.
As she approaches the bridge, the falcon-eyed Cica sees two dark forms hidden in the water under the bridge. It's near impossible to make out any details, but they look like standing humanoids.
"Ahoy!" Cica waves to the underwater humanoids. "I'm Cica Sabuleum. We're only passing through and mean no harm. Who are you?"
She receives no response.
"Who are you talking to?" Ilistra asks when Cica starts talking to the water.
Pointing, she says, "It looks like two humanoid figures, standing under the water. There.
"Shall we approach, with caution?"
"That's the only way I would suggest," Darius says as he tightens his grip on his blades.
"Says mister 'Hey, now that I'm poisoned, why don't I dip my hand in blood, touch sooner evil idol, and run off as a cloud of gas'..."
she mutters as they walk toward the watery figures.
"Are they living, or maybe they are just statues?" Ilistra asks.
Cica takes point and slowly steps into the bridge, keeping her eye on the underwater shaped.
As Cica steps onto the bridge, Ilistra begins to gather power to her. Flames start coalescing around her form in a showy display.
(+2 in jungle)
Undead 15
Party 14.4
Two horrendous dessicated corpses in rotted miner's clothing rise from the water, hissing hungrily. One of them attacks Cica, while the other one runs through the water to bash Placidus!
Halfway expecting something of the sort, the legionnaires are ready for the undeads' attacks. Cica dodges, while Placidus knocks the thing aside with his shield.
Ilistra fires off a blast at the closest undead, her fiery corona engulfing her target.
Cica groans as they race to attack.
She takes a step back, draws her longhammer, and in one smooth motion swings at both of the walking corpses.
Darius rolls, weaves, and wall-kips past the group and the first undead in order to get some room to maneuver and engage the second one.
Garland attempted to take a swing at the nearest undead, but Ilistra's incredible firepower startled the masked legionnaire and threw off his aim!
Cica strikes the first corpse to attack them with her hammer, crushing its ribcage. The dessicated corpse doesn't bleed, and her hammer misses the second creature.
Ilistra's fireball engulfs the wounded monster a moment later, melting flesh like candle wax. The monster goes up in flames, throwing eerie light across the cavern.
Darius and Garland miss their attacks. Placidus steps into the gap left by Cica and levels a hard kick at the wounded undead's head.
The skull collapses with a crunch, splattering chunks of salt encrusted grey matter everywhere. Placidus frowns.
The remaining salt wight attacks Garland with unnatural hunger.
Garland laughs heroically at the struggling former miner as it misses him completely.
================================
Cica raises her longhammer directly overhead and attempts to smash the skull of the remaining corpsewalker.
Garland's second swing proved to be far more heroic!
Crunch!
"Poor souls....Let us see what we can salvage from their camp?" Placidus suggests, pointing across the bridge.
Darius slips across the bridge carefully, trying to remain hidden once on the other side.
Looking down at the smashed, dried corpses, she says "Yeah, uh, I'm not really clear on how necromancy f&(ks with peoples' souls. Do you know? Can they get peace now, if we bury them? Or are they just screwed?"
She follows along to the camp as she talks.
The campsite contains mining equipment, three mine carts, the desiccated remains of three mules, and a rusted iron strongbox. The rusted strongbox is still locked.
The 'path' leading deeper into the mine continues past the small camp, deeper into the cavern.
Darius kneels in front of the strongbox and sets to work with his picks...
The chest holds the mine’s payroll of 500 gp and a bone scroll case with the deed to the mine. Athyra Crinhouse is named next of kin in the deed, and rightfully the mine is hers.
The fiery nimbus around Ilistra fades, causing the cavern to grow darker. She waits while Darius picks the lock on the strongbox, glancing around the shadows nervously.
When he gets the box open, she asks, "Any sign of locket?"
"I don't see one anywhere, her father must not be here. Let's come back for the money once we're cleared this place," Placidus suggests.
"A sound plan, Placidus," agreed Garland. It wasn't like they could easily spend the gold after all! Regardless, the masked legionnaire once again readied his awesome scythe and cautiously advanced forward...
Cica nods in approval and walks along behind Garland.
As the group continues on around the bend, they begin to hear a strange pounding noise.
