“If you give me a day, I can meditate on the nature of language and attempt to communicate with it via spellcraft...?” Orubis shrugs. “Otherwise, I think this will be a fight. It’s clearly a guardian, yeah?”

Quote from nschrock >>

“If you give me a day, I can meditate on the nature of language and attempt to communicate with it via spellcraft...?” Orubis shrugs. “Otherwise, I think this will be a fight. It’s clearly a guardian, yeah?”

Beegred: "I'm fine with you getting that day. If we step back and it doesn't follow, we should find a place to camp. Maybe check the area if there is anything else besides this special tunnel."

Rodolfo says, "I agree with that. We can circle around this area for a bit to look for other markers, making sure we can make our way back here."

(btw, in case of (long) resting, Rodolfo will always ritually cast tiny hut and set up alarm nearby as well)

With the marker found, Beegred takes the lead and you all undertake exploring the surrounding tunnels near the Galeb Duhr guardian.  Satisfied that there is nothing of note to find, you set up your camp.

During your rest, Rodolfo's alarm is triggered, waking him up.  Outside of the tiny hut is a large rocktopus that seems to be tracking your party by scent.  Unable to understand or perceive the tiny hut, it leaves after a few hours.

The next day you return to the marker, and the Galeb Duhr has once again melded into the wall, 'closing' the door to the tunnel.  It looks like just another splotch of colored stone in a tunnel filled with such splotches.  Only the torn moss and fungi lying on the tunnel floor gives this spot away as something more than just a wall.

It only takes a touch to make the Galeb Durh change forms to once again stand guard, barring the way.  It speaks (assuming Orubis has cast Tongues?) and asks, "What do you seek and for what purpose?"

“We seek passage to strengthen a bond of elementals and protect the village of blingdenstone.”

Orubis tumbles over his words a little..

The Galeb Duhr ponders for moments before responding, "Using Entremoch's essence for the protection of Blingdenstone is allowed."  The Galeb Duhr steps aside, no longer barring the way.

As exciting as the recent success in finding the new tunnel and gaining access was, your party realizes it only unlocked access to another sprawling network of caves and tunnels.

Orubis turns back to the Galeb Dur:

“Which way do we go?” 

The Galeb Durh doesn't respond once you have passed the threshold into the new tunnel network.

Orubis kicks the dirt and turns back to find the way without the help. 

Quote from nschrock >>

Orubis kicks the dirt

Beegred: "Careful... Don't want to hurt its kid nephew or something."

Beegred concentrates on navigating the party through these tunnels (Natural Explorer), while Rodolfo and Orubis look for more signs.

After 8 hours of searching branching tunnels and caves, Orubis and Rodolfo both notice a tunnel entrance flanked by two carved faces of deep gnomes.  Their visages are carved to convey a sense of peace or deep meditation.

Your party enters the tunnel flanked by the gnome visages and continues searching.  During your search, you round a corner and within 15 feet of you stands a bipedal creature covered in fungi, standing next to a patch of mold growing on the wall of the tunnel.  Underneath the fungi growing on the creature, areas of armor and clothing can be spotted.  The lead party members can feel a very slight dip in the ambient temperature.

Beegred: "Orubis, fungus is just like mushrooms, right? You know what this is? I should've studied mold more, but those scholar names are too long to remember.

"I'm worried it might be a dangerous one. Like it can put spores so it grows out of your lungs, or maybe the one that eats flame and heat.
I want to keep my distance while we deal with it."

Orubis shrugs. “The Mushroom Prince works in many ways. Some are dangerous. Some only seem to be dangerous.” 
nature? 5 

Orubis sees a creature that appears to be consumed by fungus, standing next to 'natural' mold growing on the tunnel wall.  The fact the temperature has dropped is also not a good indication that the situation is 'safe'.

Rodolfo whispers, "Is it alive? Are we facing another medusa area here? I'll be back here.."

( is the tunnel high enough where it would be possible to "walk on walls" over the obstacle? )

Orubis scratches his face and starts backing away slowly. “It’s getting colder. Not a good sign. I’m thinking this is an invader of my lord’s domain. We need to kill it. Fast and from a distance.” 

Rodolfo says, "I'll try to clean it a bit to see what we're dealing with."

He proceeds to cast prestidigitation (cleaning effect) at the creature and the wall protrusion as well.

Rodolfo approaches the creature cautiously and casts Prestidigitation with the intent to 'clean' the fungi off the creature.  The spell has the effect of cleaning the fungi, but the fungi appears to be part of the creature.  Casting Prestidigitation a second time at the patch of mold has the same effect.

Beegred: "Do you guys want to clean it off? I think one of you has Heavenly Hearth Heaters, or maybe it was Sacred Flame?
After Rodolfo steps back, you could try drying it up, unless there is some safe non-combat way to get by it."

(Any signs that the creature is alive? I was assuming it was a motionless body.)