"I ain't got any use fer any baubles," Rhogal says. "Though, the dark an' damp conditions o' this place looks like a good place fer fungus. My actual interest on this island, I should add."

As he says the second part of his piece, his looks around taking note of any mushrooms or mold he might see.

Nature: 2

Kairus and Hun improvise some theatrical deceit in order to respond to the snakes' initial pondering. They don't seem particularly interested on which member of the party is speaking, so the little performance might have worked. Neither do they give any obvious indication that they are aware of the bard's invisibility. The snakes are more focused on the content of the reply. In fact, they seem to react to specific phrases or prompts. When Kairus/Hun says "curious explorers", the serpents wiggle forward a bit, their long rib-cage bones nearest to their cranium vibrating slightly.

In response to the "Who would you be" question, they vocalize their names. Hissing sounds are part of this vocalization, so it is a bit hard to separate them from the pronounced syllables, if in fact they should be separated. To the party's ears, their names sound like "Ssura" and "Y'zleth".

However, it is when the kobold proposes offering the snakes some help in locating something they've lost that they seem to react the most. It is not the wall gems that they seem to be concerned about, however. "Yes. Yes. Explorers recover stolen shrine artifact, yes?" One says moving a bit closer. The other backtracks to the altar, seemingly pointing at the empty nook at its base with their cranium and adding: "An icon of the deity worshiped in this shrine. Stolen. Taken. Pilfered by creatures with a boulder-like shell." The one named Ssura continues: "The icon is a serpent figurine carved from obsidian." Then Y'zleth speaks again: "The thief and its kind live in caves that riddle the mountains to the east and south east." In unison, they ask: "You recover the icon, yes?"

Not liking the general feel of the shrine, Yulmiath and Krodhen remain quiet for now and focused on keeping the way out of the chamber clear. Rhogal shares a few words but seems more interested in using the conversation as a distraction so he can search for mushrooms in the chamber. To his dismay, the druid finds not a spec of a fungus, and has to conclude that nothing grows within this shrine.

Whilst he watches what is ensuing in the room, a strange feeling washes over him, urging him to reach out beyond himself and as he does so he starts to gain a sense as to the nature of the creatures in the room, and with that Krodhen uses Divine Sense to assess the skeleton creatures in front of him.

Kairus was close enough for Hun's pantomime to work and was glad the old kobold got the hint and made the trick believable. He continued, now, in turn, trying to sound (9) more like Hun. "We can sure try to recover what was stolen, dear Ssura and Y'zleth." (He was trying to be polite. No need to be rude even if you talk to the skeleton. Or especially in that case.) "Um... A bit more information about the thieves? "Bolder-like shell" - are they turtles? How tall are they? How many can we expect to find in that tunnels?" A simple business-like approach can defuse even the most hostile conversation and here it was not even that bad. As for recovering something - if there were caves nearby, the group would wonder there anyway. Why not help the lovely neighbour on the way?

Yul continues his guard act at the entrance to the room.

Boulder-like shells?  Sounds like a tortle, but hiding in caves doesn't exactly sound like the ones they met at Ahoyhoy.  Best to ask Eeyal if they make it out of this place maybe?

Given he has little to do other than stand there looking pretty, he spends a little time pondering what these mysterious thief creatures might be?

Nature - 21

(OOC - I think we've been heading north and north-west from Ahoyhoy, so the boulder-like shelled thief could be a tortle? But cave-dwelling? No idea.  Also, hooray for Yul's new proficiency!)

Slightly conflicted, Rhogalfolds his arms and contemplates for a moment.

"Ta be honest, I don' know what ta make of the two of you... But, theivin' is one thing that leaves a sour taste. I can an' will help."

"Not them." Hun stated while cupping the chin. "I believe they are referring to the Geonids from the Geonid caves scattered about the islands. I asked the locals about it, but wasn't able to glean too much admittedly. But clearly they aren't want to stay in those caves." He adds, before looking away and thoughtful for a moment. "Obsidian though... perhaps they are attracted to certain minerals?" He muttered absently and with full trust of Mr. Thicc staying on guard and ready to defend him. "But yes, if you could tell us more about these thieves, it would certainly help us find them for you." He said as much, if albeit warily so.

The Snack Packers react largely in an agreeable manner to the snakes' request, but fall short of fully agreeing to the mission. Well, Rhogal seems already convinced, but the others prefer to check their bases, asks a couple of questions, and consult their memories first.

@Krodhen: Letting your spirit intermingle with those in the chamber, you detect two undeniable truths about Ssura and Y'zleth. First, as you might have already guessed, they are indeed undead creatures. You wonder for how long they must have slithered within this chamber. Second, they ooze evil. Nothing about this place or the snake duo implies they have benevolent intentions. Thankfully, they seem to be only asking for the retrieval of their lost icon for now.

@Yulmiath: Although your mind goes to the tortles at first, once Hun mentions these geonids, you are sure the kobold must have the right of it. You remember the inhabitants of Ahoyhoy describing these strange creatures as "boulders with legs", which matches the snakes' descriptions quite well. As Hun also said, they seem to call the many caves in the east, southeast, and south of the island their home.

@Hun: Your conclusion also delivers one additional realization. As the keeper of the map, you would also notice that traveling to these caves could take quite some time. The map shows nine of these caves but who's to know if there aren't more.

@Kairus: Your theatrical rue continues to be effective. The snakes don't seem to notice the difference in your voice and the artificer's.

Although Kairus and Hun ask for more details on the thieves, Ssura and Y'zleth don't seem able to provide much more that would help you identify a specific creature or cave. One says: "Rock dwellers, boulder shifters. Each is small in size, but dwell in packs." The other adds: "Rocklings, rock hermits with skinny arms and legs." Thinking of any knowledge that might lead the group to succeed in this mission, they throw random factoids at the group. Ssura says: "They feed on lizards, rats, slugs, and other vermin." Y'zleth adds: "And cave lichen and moss." Ssura continues: "They collect coins and gemstones." As does Y'zleth: "And don't mind robbing." Ssura closes with something it has already mentioned, just for good measure: "They live southeast of here, in the caves, yes?"

Somewhat concerned by his apparent rede on the creatures he looks nervously at the others as they seem to want to help retrieve their lost items but bites his tongue and waits for them to be away from the skeletal snakes for informing the group of his discovery.

"Small, with long legs and arms, and a bolder on the back? Like some kind of rock-spiders? Hope they don't spin the web." The creatures sounded even cute but Kairus did not like webs (or nets of any kind. Underwater thing.) The above was said very quietly only for standing nearby to hear. In louder Hun's voice, he added: "Always for returning things that can grunt restless their rest." It was also the reminder of the ship with an undead captain. "We shall be on our way then."

"So... we'll be on our way. If we see these rock dwellers we'll rip your statue from their skinny arms and bring it right back here, agreed? Best get moving and start the search right away."

Even if the group finds this statue, Yulmiath cannot think what would drag him back here. But if he can get out a little quicker that would be great...

Hun narrows his eyes a bit at all the agreement, but held his tongue. "Yes, we'll be off then. Good fortunes on that whole being, uh..." He squints at the bone snakes, seeming as if trying to dissect them with his eyes and discern more of what they were... beyond the obvious on several layers.

Arcana: 11. (if nature or religion would be more appriopriate, subtract 2 from current total)

"... Watching over this place, I suppose." With that, Hun scrabbled onto the back of Mr. Thicc and start to head out without waiting for much permission for the bone snakes. But almost as soon as he was out, he'd be back to finishing whatever train of thought might lead to answers on their would be good Samaritan beneficiaries. 

Backing out of the room with the others, Krodhen keeps his eyes on the snakes, and as soon as he feels they are out of earshot he whispers to the others "We definitely can't trust them, I sensed they are evil to the core, but at least we can prepare for treachery if we return this way"

Some answers gathered, the Snack Pack switches gear to conclude the conversation quickly. Krodhen and Hun keep their separate concerns to themselves for now, while Yulmiath and an invisible Kairus (still pretending to be Hun's second voice, or perhaps Mr. Thicc's) agree to the snakes' requests and signal the group's departure.

Ssura: "Yes, find the rock dwellers and retrieve what was stolen."

Y'zleth: "Watch your step on the way out."

As the group leaves the chamber, Krodhen speaks his mind in the form of a warning. Hun only half-hears the half-orc's concern, lost in his own thought. Rhogal follows silently, perhaps thinking of the chunk of bloody altar in his bag.

@Hun:

Once outside, the group finds its way back to camp. Oblivious to what happened within, Eeyal welcomes the group back and invites them to sit by the fire. Damu has already left. Eeyal cleans her specs and asks: "Find anything interesting?"

It is very hard, on the border of impossible to be invisible yet restrain from pranks. Kairus's willpower was only strong enough to not pull something grand. "Maaach to leeeaaaarn theeeree! But high the priiiiccce for the truuuuth!" Howled he from behind Eeyal trying to sound (16) as ghostly as possible and then with the laughter materialized again. "There are undead snakes in the caves. Talking skeletal snakes. Interestingly enough, not aggressive. They said they were robbed and asked for help to retrieve the stolen thing. Say, do you know the cave south and south east from here?"

Coming back blinking into the light, Yulmiath puts a big red cross through this part of his mental map of the island.

"My vote is that we head back into the jungle and put some distance between us and this place."

He counts off the issues with the place on his fingers, looking for Krodhen to confirm it.

"Giant, evil, undead, talking, skeletal, snakes. Blood covered altar and hook. Likely blood rituals. Very little to recommend it to travelers. Now, c'mon, let's go. Hustle, hustle, hustle!"

He claps his hands together to help chivy the group along 

"Mn? Yes, yes, yes, Mr. Yully. We aughta be getting back to Ahoyhoy. Take a bit of breather from all this mess for a bit." Hun said, if albeit somewhat absently-mindedly at first. But as he started to get back his bearings and really look about, his attention eventually zones in on Eeyul. "Don't suppose you now anything about Bone Naga would'ja as well?" He asked, and if need be would go into further detail. 

DM's Screen:

Eeyal quickly places her specs back on her face and rises. She spreads her arms in a show of attentiveness and tries to discern what type of cursed spirit the group has brought back with them from the shrine. Thankfully, Kairus does not prolong his joke, allowing the tortle to sigh in relief and even chuckle a bit. Perhaps as an apology, the bard summarizes the events from the shrine in no more than a few sentences, bringing the guide up to speed. Eeyal does not like what she hears: "I knew this place was bad news. Undead snakes who can talk intelligently? Now I'm definitely not going in there."

Yulmiath agrees with Eeyal, arguing for the group to ignore the shrine from this point out. He goes as far as to encourage the group to leave this very instant! Hun reminds the group that their next planned destination is Ahoyhoy and Eeyal plans out the route: "Well, we are not too far. It is late morning now, almost noon. We should reach Ahoyhoy in the evening if you are willing to travel a bit past sundown." Turning to face Hun directly, after getting some clarification from the kobold about what he meant by 'Bone Nagas', she then answers his question: "I'm afraid I do not know much. Ancient stories tell of sentient snake people of many sorts in the island but they are nothing but tales to scare the younglings these days. None of them were undead in the tales, though."

Eeyal then checks with everyone if they are ready to leave and, assuming that this is indeed the case, she begins to lead the Snack Pack away from the Shrine of Fangs and toward Ahoyhoy.

(OOC: Please feel free to fill in this traveling time with conversations or other RP.)

Having a guide simplifies much of the thinking that would have to otherwise go into finding the correct path through the jungle. Following Eeyal is easy as she demonstrates that she clearly knows the island well. While walking, she has a chance to reply to Kairus' question about caves: "There are many caves in the island, but most of them are located in the central, east, and south parts of it, so I guess that would cover the southeast too. The closest one of the Geonid Caves, which is what we call all of them, is not too far from where we are now. Some are by the volcanoes, others by the sea."

After some three of four hours of trekking, the group comes across a wide river of murky but slow-flowing water. Eeyal explains the next step: "If we want to save some time, we should find a way to cross the river. Otherwise, we'll have to travel alongside it until we find a narrow enough crossing. This can take some time."

Just as the tortle finishes speaking, the group hears a chirp coming from upstream. Looking in that direction, you can see a group of aquatic animals approaching. They surface momentarily to breath and then dive right back into the water. Their chips are acute, reminding you of the shrieks of joy some children are capable of emitting. Eeyal looks at the approaching creatures curiously, clearly trying to discern what they are. She has no answer for now.