Grugga slays two of the remaining monsters, taking advantage of the acid wounds in this hides to find openings for his magically infused sword.

The last three creatures still desperately try to catch a meal.  The one gripping Leelan is still struggling with the fact that it cannot pull Leelan through the bodies of Raqisat and Zap.

The second monster makes another attack on Leelan [assuming Zap acts to provide disadvantage on the first attack again].

• Tentacle Attack: 15  Piercing Damage: 7  If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the choker can’t use this tentacle on another target. The choker has two tentacles. If this attack is a critical hit, the target also can’t breathe or speak until the grapple ends.
• Tentacle Attack: 24  Piercing Damage: 4  If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the choker can’t use this tentacle on another target. The choker has two tentacles. If this attack is a critical hit, the target also can’t breathe or speak until the grapple ends.

It gets a good grip on him... but like the other, has nowhere to go.  It can't drag Leelan through Raqisat and Zap, so instead it just hisses at them in annoyance.

The last remaining Choker attacks Grugga.

• Tentacle Attack: 14  (Miss)
• Tentacle Attack: 22  Piercing Damage: 6  If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the choker can’t use this tentacle on another target. The choker has two tentacles. If this attack is a critical hit, the target also can’t breathe or speak until the grapple ends.

Unlike the others, this one is not bogged down with obstacles or competing Chokers.  It hisses happily as it begins to drag Grugga off to the northeast.

The party is up!

"One alive!" The young noble calls out to remind the others and sends two more golden beams of eldritch crackling force streaking towards the remaining aberrations.

Eldritch Blast: 10 Force: 12
Eldritch Blast: 17 Force: 9

Grugga had been holding up well, dodging the (relatively few) attacks that had come his way, but he thought the smoke from his shield spell would be effective for longer than it was. A tentacle ripped through the purple smoke and latched onto him, and suddenly Grugga found himself on his back, being dragged off away from his companions.

Remembering Aubrey's words that they should keep one alive, Grugga reverses the grip of his sword, holding it two-handed by the blade in gauntleted fists. He awkwardly strikes out behind him with the pommel and cross guard, hoping to strike the strange creature abducting him.

Action: attack nonlethally with disadvantage (restrained)

Attack 1: 17; 11 magical... bludgeoning? slashing?
Attack 2: 11; 9 ^

Bonus action: Zap attacks the green dot holding Leelan. If it dies, it takes its place so it can better intercept attacks.

Attack: Attack: 19 Damage: 7

     Alive? Raqisat thinks to himself.  I'm still worried about us coming out of the fight that way!

     Aloud he says nothing, however.  Happily freed from the beasts by the others in his party, Raqisat tries to return the favor by attacking those still grappling Leelan, feeling safe to attack recklessly now that the number of foes has dwindled (adv on attacks, foes have advantage vs him til his next turn.)   (North-most attacker first, if it happens to fall the western one...)

Radiant Whip Attack:  (10 or 7)+7 for 17 to hit and 5 slashing damage
Bonus Action Attack: (1 or 9)+6 for 15 to hit and for 6 slashing damage...

Aubrey, Raqisat and Zap batter and blast the two easternmost Chokers, until both succumb at last.  A bruised Leelan, feeling a little like a strangled cat, is finally released.

Meanwhile, Grugga clubs his assailant with the pommel of his flamberge.  The Choker's eyes go cross for a moment and it nearly stumbles but it shakes off the blow and continues its retreat with the Orc Artificer.  

Cosette is still up.

(Sorry >.< )

"Aye! Go cling elsewhere ya crawling snot bubble!" They were words that could cut.

(Reaction if I may: Cutting Words vs first attack on Leelan -4 )

Out of the corner of Cosette's eye, she sees Grugga being clung and drug. Striding forward a bit more to get a better line of sight and to close the gap between her and her companions. "An' you sneaky booger, shame on you! Runnin' off like a bad cold on yer friends." She viciously mocks the one attempting to run off with Grugga.

(Action: Vicious Mockery Wis DC15 Damage: 5 and d/a on next attack on success.)

Wis:  7

The last Choker turns to look at Cosette… then slowly tips over backward and slumps to the ground, releasing Grugga.

That’s it!  The entry chamber of the Praetorium is now quiet.  
And yes, that reaction is fine.  The subject attack on Leelan now fails.

The young noble draws a breath of relief as the last aberrations fall, walking closer to the others again. "Excellent, well done everyone. This is a type of aberration that should be catalogued for the Emperor, I think we have deserved a rest here, and maybe it is even best to leave the exploring of the University to tomorrow?" He says in an encouraging tone, checking the team over to determine their remaning strength.

The floor of the Praetorium entry hall is littered with Choker corpses, as are the NW, NE and E stairs.  At least 30 altogether.

Aubrey:

 The battle was over as quickly as it started.  Despite the ordeal, little time has passed since you left the forested gardens.  It is still only a little after midday, though the party may be feeling bruised and spent after the defeat of the Vrocks and then this melee against the Chokers.

"There is still much to explore upstairs, but also more hidden aberrations, although they seem dormant for now. I would suggest we don't take any risks now, these have been some really rough battles we've had this morning." Aubrey continues as he moves around the team, giving encouraging pats as he passes. "Perhaps we take a lunch break here and decide after that how we proceed?" He suggests after making his round, trying to find somewhere reasonably comfortable to sit down and rest, awaiting further reports from Furvus.

     A short rest will help but Raqisat is a bit chagrined it is not later in the day, he feels he really won't be able to get his rage on again until he's able to get some sleep.  But things are as they are and he's probably not tired enough to get any sleep yet anyway.

     "There's the tents to rest in, if you want.  Perhaps a little more comfortable than the ground, if you need that.  Shade from the sun if you want..." Raqisat points out.  "May as well make this a working lunch - Set a bit of a watch schedule so others can truly relax or study these beasts or whatever.  Shift off once they can so everyone gets to take a load off for a bit.  The critters in the dark may seem to be hibernating right now but we want to stay on guard in case that changes."

     "What is the situation upstairs anyway?" he asks Aubrey specifically.  "Multiple rooms?  Sealed off from each other or no?  If there's a lot of closed doors and such we could go room by room and pick them off more easily than if it's wide open and they could swarm again..."

Having been properly trashed around by these long limbed aberrations, the old gnome takes a moment to stretch out and catch his breath. There were a couple of close calls in this battle. More than he was used to. 

"Taking a break sounds most agreeable.", Leelan says. "I’ll need some time anyway to recuperate and take notes about these creatures. Thought dead, they may yet reveal to us some precious information."

"That is good Leelan, at least we have an extensive first hand close up study on how they perform in battle." The young noble says with a wink. "I have the impression they were not resistant to our weapons which is good news, also while quick they possess no ranged attacks. We were unfortunate to be surrounded but when we proceed upstairs I'm confident we can more easily find choke points were we can use our ranged fire superiority." He continues with a confident tone, then turning to Raqisat. "I will let Furvus continue to explore upstairs while we rest here, we won't go up there until we feel ready and have as much information as possible about what we will face and find up there." He says to the anthropologist with a reassuring smile. Aubrey would then instruct his weird familiar to continue to explore upstairs and deliver a full report by the end of the hour as well as warn him if any of the aberrations hidden upstairs start moving.

[So a short rest here in the main entryway?  Do you plan to take two hours, so a watch can be posted/Leelan can study the monsters and everyone gets to take an hour short rest?]

(Sounds good, we are in no real hurry :-)

Cosette too would require a full rest in order to recuperate what reserves she's lost, however she's got some emergency reserves she's been specifically keeping should there have been some life threatening situations. She's also unscathed, therefore could take up a front line position for others to fall back should they be under threat before, during, or even after a short rest. Of course Cos would agree to a short rest for her companions who suffered much worse to catch their breath and mend their wounds. She'd also be stepping up to assist with that, and watch. A short rest would also replenish some of her inspiration.

Coming up to Raq's side, Cos shares some thoughts out loud. "I'm thinking them critters are dormant now because the sun is up." They were warned of the things that go bump in the night around here, right? She hands him some water and rations.

Starting with a soft hum first, then Cos would start to sing softly as she'd go around to assist with bandages, fresh water and some rations.

     "Hmm?  Could be... I for one am always up to go bump day or night," Raqisat replies to Cosette with a smirk and a wink.  "Perhaps we did just wake these ones up and the others were far enough away not to be disturbed."  Raqisat then accepts the water and rations with a smile of thanks and partakes...

((Raqisat will take a second wind before the short rest and regains 10 HP that way.  Short rest use of 1 hit die puts him back up to full.  (First rolled a straight d10 then accidentally rolled also through Short Rest button, but either way it replenished Raq to full...)))

Rolled 4 hit dice for short rest (in dice log): total of 29 (+1 for song of rest) bringing me back to almost full.

Not being wounded himself, the young noble gives Cosette an warm appreciative smile for her somber but soothing song and the care she shows for the others. He would offer to spend the first hour staying vigilant and in contact with Furvus as it continues to explore the upper levels of the Praetorium, even tuning in to use it's senses to get a first hand view. The second hour he would spend resting and replenishing his strength to continue to use the powers of his talisman. 

Perception if needed: 24