The mage hand spells fails to grasp the object as well.
From the path you took, the only entrance here seemed to be through the carved opening, and the miniscule tunnels the small crabs seem to be taking. Even for you Piella, that might be a tad hard to squeeze into.
The Captain paces the cavern alongside you, occasionally shifting the creature to another shoulder with a heft "whumph".
"Well, the creature sure seemed to know you. I wouldn't put it past someone to try and bait you or get to you. Been some strange things happening all around Yuanzi lately. People vanishing in plain daylight, even. Don't know if you'd heard."
"We did hear. I wonder if this is the one causing such disturbances...I wonder if the other people who've gone missing are people from the tournament!" she exclaims as they exit the tunnels toward the longboat. Her little cute voice echoes impressively well before she clasps a tiny hand over her mouth.
"Could be. I don't remember any big names being thrown about the port, though."
You reach the longboat and without any time wasted, the unconscious fiend is rowed back to the ship, to be locked up in the ship's brig.
With strict orders not to let it out of their sights, the captain's crew assures you they won't let it get anywhere.
"So, do we retread our steps, explore that odd cavern? Or try and find where the other passages lead?"
"We can give that cavern one more look, although it was very strange indeed," says Lung.
"Be careful," she warns the crew who are taking the prisoner. Something about him being in the cave already made her suspicious. "He may be a caster. Best to leave him bound, gagged and unconscious for now too."
Once they are on their way, she answers the Captain and Lung.
"I say that given the nature of the twists and turns of the caverns, I'd imagine perhaps another one might drop down into that cavern. It seems purposed to me. You know? I'm wondering if whoever made the doorway, wanted us to see the prize, but not reach it. Now that we know where the object is hidden in that room, if we ever reach it again in our realm, we'll know where to look for that item. We can check it again on the way out if we don't find anything else."
With that, Piella will limp into the cavern with a purpose to find that big blue crab. This time, she will point questioningly to the other direction for one of the more robust party members to take the lead.
Lung bows to Piella with a smile and leads the way, after nodding in agreement.
Shiro had not sheathed his weapons since leaving the cave, he was ready to return once more for their true prize.
The captain nods in acquiescence. The four of you make your way back down, carefully. You reach the fork in the path, and this time head down, following the trail of chum.
The trail winds into and out of smaller cavern pockets, but beyond more of the unsettling ghostly white crabs and their own tiny tunnels, no other creature disturbs your progress.
Soon, a stench of salt and rotting fish overpowers your senses as you approach a large cavern mouth, the tunnel widening as you go. Dried remains of previous meals mar the entrance.
The captain pauses, clutching her nose.
"Whatever's in there, it won't likely be pretty," she whispers.
Piella may be able to smell more acutely than all of them. Her gnomish nose is rapidly covered and she pulls up her crossbow to load it as fast as she can. As they get down to where the Captain covers her nose, Piella will nod.
"Let us see our enemy here."
With some chanting and waving of her hands, four orbs of light in the shapes of fairies with wings spring forth in her palm. They then begin to dance and do ballet through the air as they rapidly move through the room.
Lung Detects Evil in an invisible cone ahead of them, one hand out for the spell, the other gripping his Iron Scroll.
He listens carefully, trying to ignore the stink and the distant sound of the waves.
Shiro unpacked a small hooded lantern and ignited the oil within, lighting the way forward. He prepared to close the lanterns shutter, should they come across anything they didn't want to be seen by.
As the four of you reach the cavern mouth, Piella motions for you to be discreet as she casts a spell, sending the balls of light dancing ahead of you.
The four luminous motes soon illuminate the interior of the cavern itself.
Salt-crusted stalactites, mounds of decomposing sea creatures, and briny pools make of this cavern a veritable lair.
To top it off, two hulking, human-sized crabs scrabble languidly around, occasionally stopping to pinch a morsel off one of the vertiginous piles.
"Think that's what we're here for? I thought there was only one.," the captain whispers.
"No...they don't seem like 'ship wreckers', but definitely a challenge. I hope they are full from eating. It looks like they have been snacking. Maybe they'll leave us alone. I could try to talk to them? I can speak to animals."
"That could work. How close do you need to be to those things for that to work? I don't like the look of those pincers."
"This could work to our advantage. They might want to fill the power vacuum left behind...er...if that makes sense,"
Lung taps his index fingers together, uncertain if his explanation explained anything.
"Mhmm," she replies to Lung. "I can do it from here. I just speak. Maybe all of you should remain hidden?"
"What do you want me to say to them? I don't have much time with the spell."
"Tell them if they step aside and don't warn the big crab, they will have access to better food."
She casts her spell from the depths of her being, as if it was natural within her to do so, and in a moment she feels she is ready.
Stepping into her motes of light, she calls out just loud enough to the crabs, "Listen up, crabs. We are here looking for a massively large crab. Where is it? Tell us and we'll let you go."
She will cast a prestidigitation spell of vibrating magical intensity of many colors on her crossbow to make herself seem a bit more intimidating.
The two crabs skitter forward upon hearing your voice, but stop a few dozen feet from you.
"Kuijia brings us food. Why should we help you?"
They clack their pincers loudly.
"I'm sure, from the looks of things here, Kuijia brings you measly scraps. Little bits of what it doesn't eat. If you tell us where Kuijia is right now, and scuttle away for a while, we'll do what we came here to do and capture Kuijia. Then you won't have to share! How about it? But if you stay here and fight, my friends and I will have to do what we do."
She tries to play nice now and convince them that this is the best course of action for their health and welfare.
Out of his element, Shiro simply prepares a smokestick for if they need a quick getaway.
Piella attempts to parley once more with the crabs while Lung recalls the kind of food these crabs eat: primarily on algae, molluscs, worms, other crustaceans, fish, etc. They are far from picky.
The two crabs click and clack (hem and haw) before scuttling back into the recesses of the grotto, whispering as they go.
"We will allow you to pass for now. Perhaps we will change our minds later..."
Calling out, she replies, "If you do, I have some magic that will turn you inside out, and Lung here, his iron scroll is designed especially for cracking crab skulls...You sit down there in your holes until we are gone."
She almost seems forceful in her last remark. Hopefully having already intimidated them into retreat, she will just nod to the Captain and the others.
"Do any of you see it in here?"
She will move her motes of light around the room until the massive creature is beheld.
"You can turn things inside-...oh."
"You know, the presence of giant crabs implies an even larger fish somewhere out there," says Lung thoughtfully. He thumps the Iron Scroll against his palm. "Anyhow, onward."
Shiro inspects the crabs as they walk past. "The one we seek must be even larger than those, I hope we do not have to resort to fighting such a beast." The ninja moves carefully in the cavern, taking care not to slip.
The cavern goes on for quite some distance. The mounds of morbid remains and rock stretch on for quite some time, until, at the very end, a truly spectacular specimen lies half-buried in one of the refuse piles. Its shell seems pitted and cracked, but it still shines like new. Occasionally, it shifts ever so slightly, sending a small landslide of fish parts cascading down the pile, only to be grabbed in its pincer and shoved voraciously into its mouth. It is hard to tell just how big it is amid the pile, however.
Lung, as far as you know, the crabs are probably not going to interfere.
As for bigger fishes, it's Yuanzi. It's highly likely.
"I am hoping not either, Shiro. But I think you are right that it's larger if it is hunting for these..."
She moves her motes of light to the back of the cavern and sees the mound of flesh.
"LOOK!" she exclaims in a whispery voice. "There! Oh my...it's massive..."
Her little hand grasps Lung's pant leg in fear, but still, she hobbles forward with her nose plugged in the crook of her elbow.
"Should I just start shooting it from way back here? We might get it hurt enough to weaken before it gets to us."
"Sounds like a plan, Piella," whispers Lung.
The crab doesn't notice your presence, continuing to rummage through the food-piles.
Piella protects herself with a bevy of spells, and Lung follows up by attempting to induce pain, panic, and confusion with a mere glance.
Kuijia blinks groggily as it shambles out of the mound of remains, but it is now fascinated.
A fascinated creature is entranced by a supernatural or spell effect. The creature stands or sits quietly, taking no actions other than to pay attention to the fascinating effect, for as long as the effect lasts. It takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat, such as a hostile creature approaching, allows the fascinated creature a new saving throw against the fascinating effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the fascinated creature, automatically breaks the effect. A fascinated creature’s ally may shake it free of the spell as a standard action.
Round 1
With the go-ahead from Lung, she will pull up her crossbow and take aim. Then, inspiration strikes her. Is there a stalactite above Kuijia that she could strike into while he is fascinated there? With some strongly shot bolts into the rock, it may dislodge it and come down, knocking out the beast. If not, she'll just shoot it.
Surprise
Round 1
"What happened? I thought we were going to talk to Kuijia, not kill it!" Shiro is surprised by the sudden violence his companions displayed.
Confused but active, the ninja attempts to take cover near one of refuse piles.
His steps are caught in particularly rank and slippery fish leftovers, and the ninja slides into the refuse, knocking the trash pile over with a racket.
"I'm communicating," growls Lung.
"I wanted to Shiro, but with those irritating younger crabs, I used up my spell. I cannot cast it again. I am trying to knock Kuijia out instead!" she whispers to him. As he can see, she is trying to dislodge a stalactite far above its head.
Surprise Round
Lung's stare and Piella's well-placed crossbow bolt dish out some damage to the monstrous crab. The crab shudders ominously as Piella's bolt finds its mark, and it breaks free from the fascination.
Nonlethal: 4
Lethal: 5
Status: None
Shiro attempts to make for cover, but only ends up covered in fish guts for his troubles.
Round 1 so far...
Lung and Shiro still need to act. Lung, I'm assuming you are 30 ft. away from it given the stare's range. The crab lurches slowly forward, clearly indicating it means to close the distance as best it can once its turn rolls around.
"KUIJIA! Stand DOWN!" shouts Lung, brandishing his Iron Scroll.
He zaps Kuijia again with his stare.
Round 1
Doubting that there is something that can be said to an animal that it'd understand, she stands in front of the boys and holds her moment until it is just right to hit Kuijia with a spell.
Shiro once more to took cover, hoping to conceal himself from the crab.
Despite Lung's clearly aggressive tone, the large crab continues to plod forward, even as it takes additional damage.
Shiro ducks for cover and manages (as far as he knows) to conceal himself.
Piella's color spray blasts forth and...
... reels back, unconscious, blinded, and stunned for rounds.
It teeters one way, then the other, before crashing in a massive heap of fish guts, shuddering one final time before completely passing out.
"Quickly now! Bind his claws, then bind up his legs. We'll have the crew drag him out!"
She doesn't even seem to realize that she just knocked out Kuijia in one beautifully colored swirling blow.
Captain Qiaolian moves forward, spooling out as much rope as she can.
"Are you sure it's out for good? I'd hate to have it snap me apart half way through."
She motions for the others to join her.
"..."
Lung thinks.
"On its underside, near the swimming feet. There should be gills. If we pack them with mud maybe it will have trouble breathing."
Lung looks for enough mud to pack up on Kuijia, and some cloth to wrap over the gills and mud.
Piella will produce the metal bands she had them pack for the claws. The plan? Pack his gills mostly with mud so he will struggle to breathe (but not enough to kill him), bind his claws with the metallic bands and rope, and bind the claws to his legs with the rope.
Lung and Piella move to pin down the giant crab, grabbing mud from the cavern floor and the captain provides the spare tarp.
Lung does his best to wrestle with a somewhat stupefied crab.
His brawn is prodigious, but the mud, ah, the mud proves rather slippery.
Lung surges with strength and easily shackles the crab. However, he seems to be having trouble getting the last remaining odds and ends to connect and latch together what with all the mud.
Piella will help too. She can't just sit by and with the quickness of her race, she tries to move as best as able.