Having proven quite clumsy the first time around, Bolt opts to just stay as still as she can and trust Keller and Grandpa.

It's hard to tell if they never had lips to begin with, or if they were peeled or cut off, but the rictus grins are no less unsettling in death. They are small and mostly humanoid, but seem to have moved in skittering manner that used their hands as well as their feet rather than being truly bipedal. Sharp needle-like teeth protrude from their mouths below large uniform grey eyes. Short spines protrude through their skin that seem to be some sort of bony outgrowth, tearing through what sparse clothing decorates their slender forms.

Keller looks to the others with an “ew” expression on his face. He then looks to the boss creature, trying to see if it seems interested or suspicious. He looks to the others like, “well, might as well take it down?” and looks for a good ambush opportunity. 

The boss seems to be occupied with directing the other underlings in the distance.

Does any part of these creatures look like the material that we got when we went for our mission to the tower?

The spikiness is somewhat reminiscent, but with how quickly they went down under a pair of bolts, and given Grandpa's study of the recovered materials before, he'd likely be able to deduce that the investment of resources and magic that went into creating the monstrosities the Foundry had been putting down was not something to be wasted on these grunts.

After quick investigations of the creatures grandpa expectedly waits for Keller's orders.

BB plays tic-tac-toe with himself in the dust. He manages to regularly beat himself.

Keller looks for a good time for an ambush of the boss. What are the approaches like? How close can we get?

He asks the others if they are ready for an attack. He doesn't see much hope in diplomacy here, and the creatures will find them eventually.

The boss and remaining underlings are in and around the ruins of the complex the half a mountain and tower landed on/phased into. If you wanted to lay an ambush, it would seem most possible if they were to fully move into the ruins or even up into the caverns below the tower, and you were able to approach. Either that or slipping around the left and finding some place along the route they took to get here. Currently, you're nestled in the rocky terrain with a fair span of open plain between you and the complex, it seems certain that any straight forward approach now would betray your presence, either visually, or through disturbance of the fine dust.

Near edge of the ruins we'll say are roughly 300-400 feet way, and stretch back to where the base of the tower sits another couple hundred.

"If someone wants to try to see if they'll talk, your chance is now. I personally don't have a lot of confidence in that working, so I'll get close enough to put a bead on them and fire if they're not interested in talking," Keller says. "I'll go invisible. I can make someone else disappear too. But whoever wants to talk, now's your chance."

"I suppose since I have the magic to understand them I should try that.  Don't mind being closer if they start a fight either."  Once whoever may be joining Keller as invisible is decided, Bolt will cast Comprehend Languages, then approach the creatures.

Gramps would like to be invisible and will send Black with Bolt.

Keller casts invisibility on himself (and Gramps, with a sorcery point for Twinned Spell). He creeps forward.

Stealth: 24

Grandpa moves to the side and forward as well.

14

((2 SP, since it's second level, yes?))

Keller and Grandpa vanish, and slip forward, taking care to move slowly and with minimal disturbance of the dust. After giving them time to get in place, Bolt casts her spell and strides forward, Black at her side.

She makes it about half the distance when she's noticed, and one of the skitterers darts into the ruins and returns with the rotund leader and one of the hulking creatures, with more of the little ones milling about.

The leader calls out, and Bolt is able to understand the meaning of their inquiry.

Bolt bows her head to the leader slightly, still standing tall, when she replies, hoping that it will have some way to understand her own words, "I am a lost traveler, who had been seeking to fight against the force that caused this."  With her statement complete, after a brief pause, she repeats it in Draconic, hoping perhaps the language will be at least a little bit closer to theirs.

((Or as tall as a part dragonborn/part elf/part halfling amalgam can.))

The leader regards her, before speaking in its guttural, buzzing drone.

BB yawns and scratches his neck absently wondering what they are doing. They didn't yell for him so they're probably fine.

((I'm presuming the dragonborn and elf parts can offset the halfling part XD))

Holding her axe off to one side, not exactly a threat but still at the ready, Bolt shakes her head, all but growling, "Don't even try it."