Ninnic's telekinetically infused stone shoots forward but misses wildly, clattering off of the cavern walls. Zu's aim is almost true, but firing through his allies skews his shot just barely over the skeleton's shoulder!
Skeleton C approaches, shoving aside Skeleton B in a violent attempt to reach Reckum who's still bravely holding the line!
This skeleton has more luck, it's sharp and bony claws finding their way into Reckum's flesh and tearing viciously, spraying blood across the glowing fungus that covers the cave walls.
Folwin mixes together a volatile explosive and hurls it over the group towards the group of Skeletons!
The bomb explodes in a fiery blast, blasting apart two of the skeletons and leaving the final skeleton with several pieces missing!
What should have been a spot on shot just barely zings past the skeletons body when Ninnic tries to weave the attack through the crowd of his allies, clattering off the back wall.
Zu's arrow just manages to catch the skeleton, but unfortunately the arrowhead sticks harmlessly between two bones in the undead beasts arm. It reels from the attack, offering one last chance before counter attacking!
Taking advantage of Reckum's reckless attack, the final battered skeleton rends forward with both claws!
Both attacks miss though, air whistling as it passes between its bony fingers!
Reckum's mighty hammer smashes forward so hard that the skeleton flies back across the cavern, impacting the wall with such force that it explodes into hundreds of bony bits!
The cavern room now lies quiet with various bits and baubles scattered across the floor. In the back of the room a corpse still lies face down, motionless.
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"Ooh, nice job! Is that what 'bowling' is? If so, it looks like a lot of fun," Zu cheers, giving Reckum a friendly pat on the shoulder.
Though the cavern grows quiet Zu is sure to advance into the chamber carefully, keeping his bow drawn and ready as he looks around for anything that might be amiss...
"Sometimes there're creepers up on the ceilings in these places," the leshy remarks as he does indeed look up towards the cavern ceiling. "Or at least that's what I've been told. And it makes sense, I mean if bugs and spiders and things can be on the ceiling there're probably other things that can too!"
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Reckum pants, leaning heavily on his hammer. "Woo! That was a blast! Do ya' think we can find more of these thin's? Oh, could someone use this stick? It always makes me feel better." After half a minute or so, he recovers and starts looking around the room eagerly. "Did the skelies have anythin' interestin' hidin' in their ribcages?"
When Khari takes the time to glance over the Dhampir, she finds a note in the inner pockets of his robe. Its hasty scrawlings suggest he was planning on creating an undead army using the corpses of the "fish people" here. It's final line reads, "these rituals have proven to be child's play so far, and I can waste no more time. My master's advice be damned, I will begin raising them in batches of four. This will be the beginning of a glorious new world of undeath!"
Besides his robes, he's wearing what appears to be some form of magic amulet. Also tucked inside his robes is a quiver of beautifully crafted arrows, more likely something he plundered from the corpses he raised.
Returning to the cavern's main chamber, Uori is standing apprehensively at the water's edge. "Is it done then? I heard a blast..." He looks over the members of the party, his eyes widening and his gills twitching involuntarily when he sees Reckum's wounds.
"Please, you have provided me with help in preserving something precious to me, allow me to heal your wounds Reckum."
With that the gillman soaks himself back into the pool, his face drooping. "I pray for all of us that our battles will end soon. My old bones cannot take much more."
When Uori's eyes scan the party, they fall distinctly onto Khari, and he rushes forward, speaking excitedly in Aboleth.
"By divine grace, I had not known there was one of my own taking refuge, I swear it. I would not have stood idly by while you hid."
With that he turns to the group, fear and worry present on his face. "The girl who called herself Khari, where is she, is she safe? And Reckum, you're wounded!"
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Crap, I didn't think he'd be here. And uh... what the heck is he saying?
Khari spends some of her Inspiration Pool to try to make the basic meaning of his words.
Alright Khari, keep cool.
"My apologies." "Khari" speaks in a slow, broken common. "They found me underneath the other fallen bodies. I had not... passed yet, and they healed my wounds. But my memories are still fuzzy. I can barely speak."
"The one called Khari? She was very nice. She asked me to guide them south from these caves while she looked for the halfling guide. She is safe."
Please say he calms down. Please say he calms down. Please say...
The gillman watches Khari's lips closely, his eyes welling with tears before wrapping her in a hug.
He returns to speaking in common, saying his own words slowly. "You are in good company child, they will protect you while you guide them. Please before you go, dip yourselves in these sacred waters. Their blessing too will keep you safe."
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Khari returns the hug - a bit guilty, but it's clear this Uori guy is good. "Yes, these waters will protect me? Thank you."
The water is pretty cool and refreshing. And with these webbed hands and feet it's like a refreshing jog. Also, she doesn't feel as dry anymore. Still, best to make the swim brief before the divine waters suss her out.
"I will guide them. These Pathfinders are good people. I may even join them afterwards." With that, Khari bids the man goodbye. Quickly.
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Zu says nothing but does whistle innocently as Khari proves herself to be very effective at disguises.
Hee...I bet she forgot she'd done that. But I can't blame her, it's a handy talent to have!
He waits patiently until Uori calms down a little bit and then waves to get his attention. "We're happy to help! If there're any other things lurking around down here that shouldn't be here we'll try and take care of them too!"
Hey wait a minute...how did he hear a blast...? Oh! I bet he felt the vibrations!
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Zu says nothing but does whistle innocently as Khari proves herself to be very effective at disguises.
Hee...I bet she forgot she'd done that. But I can't blame her, it's a handy talent to have!
He waits patiently until Uori calms down a little bit and then waves to get his attention. "We're happy to help! If there're any other things lurking around down here that shouldn't be here we'll try and take care of them too!"
Hey wait a minute... Oh! I bet he felt the vibrations!
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Imrahil looks on, a bit confused. He thanks Uori in return (despite his small role against the skeletons) and agrees when Nic wants to leave quickly.
"I'm not sure what that was for. But it was commendable," he adds when out of eye-earshot. "Still, you might hope not to see him again, just in case."
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"Swimming is cool when you have webbed feet and gills." Khari pants as she runs. "Normally no one pays attention to me, but sometimes I gotta think fast and talk fast." She rubs some of the water around her gills.
"But yeah, this will last for about an hour. And then tomorrow I'll think about another form." She smiles. "It's a great way to get an interview without people asking 'are you a goat?' "
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"I think I kinda know what you mean," Zu replies once the group is, indeed, out of eye-shot. "Even though leshies are popping up more and more out in the world and in the Pathfinder Society I still get all kinds of people who are like, 'Oh my god a talking plant' and sometimes I just want to turn into a vine and go hide in someone's garden for awhile."
He pauses for a second and then adds, more cheerfully, "So I usually do. And I gotta tell ya, it amazes me the things fleshies get up to in their gardens when they don't think anyone is looking!"
As the group scurries down the southern tunnel, the passages narrow, thankfully still illuminated by the ever-present glowing fungi. Though at times the tunnels branch off and split down different paths, all paths either branch back into the main tunnel or are blocked by cave-ins. After approximately a half-hour of travel, the tunnel broadens and connects to a larger cavern. A shallow river that bisects an immense tunnel stretching to the north and south, fading into blackness. To the east a small passage exits the chamber at a steep incline, and the river that has carved itself through the tunnel moves at a languid pace, flowing at an almost imperceptibly slow speed.
Once the group makes it clear they've spotted the enemies, both enemies throw off their cloaks and stand up, revealing themselves as kobolds and screeching at the party with a warcry!
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Reckum sadly twirls his sling and lets the stone within fly. The other Pathfinders aren't certain if he was trying to hit the kobolds or see how many times he could skip a stone across the surface of the water (the answer apparently is none) as the pellet strikes the far wall of the cavern. The gnome sighs heavily again and reloads his sling.
Reckum's stone clatters harmlessly across the cave, which the kobold's take as an invitation to return fire! One takes a short step to the left, then they both load their slings and each hurl a stone at Reckum!
The first stone misses, falling into the shallow stream that separates the parties.
But the second stone finds its target, hitting Reckum in the side of the head with a *crack!*
The miniature dragon cackles victoriously, whooping in place as it prepares to reload its sling.