The Tortle Package (DM Lerus)

Yulmiath continues his show back away from the giant snail making no sudden moves.

"Ah... Anyone have any bright ideas about how we go about getting round this thing? Can it talk maybe? Or is it like of those light creatures from the deep?"

"Unfortunately, I would have to concur on that point. The creature... is dangerous, if not already obvious from those stalks. Though, I imagine we can severe at least some in a pinch to even the odds." Hun whispered in a somewhat frustrated tone. "This island though... That's thrice now that we've come across some of the more extraordinaire specimens of the Plane of Earth, confirming it to be a nexus for it. So, we may wish to mind our course, least we find ourselves walking through the planes endless corridors of likely shifting tunnels." 

Hun rubs at his chin in consideration for a few moments before adding quietly, "Regardless, we need to confirm if what we seek is on that pile. So, if it has to go, it has to go... Not that I mind as that shell would go for a pretty copper to say the least.... And no, Mr. Yully. I very much doubt this creature can talk... though it might recognize the more elemental languages well enough to be lured. As I doubt it collected all those things and piled it by itself. We just need sufficient bait to at least get it away from those holes." He looks then to Kairus, and a slow smile spreads across his features. "What say you, Young Blue? You like to chatter. While the rest of us back away a bit and maybe around a bend, you spin a few words like you did with those pebble heads to get its attention and wave this light chisel I got." 

Krodhen takes the scene in front of him in warily, like always, gripping tighter on his shield strap he adds "Do what you gotta do to see what it's got - but we can't fight everything this place throws at us!"

Krodhen will follow any general action/direction of the group as it tries to gauge what treasure that critter has..

(On mobile)

“Something’s up… Everythin’ down here is in easy reach o’ that thing. Like it’s a pet or th’ like,” Rhogal says out loud. “I’m afraid ta ask, but does anyone know what it eats?”

As ideas begins to form in Hun's mind and out his mouth, both Yulmiath and Krodhen show some enhanced sense of caution. The half-orc even supports Kairus' suggestion of not necessarily engaging the creature in combat, if they can manage it.

Speaking of the bard, any replies from him will have to wait a bit. Kairus is now at the ceiling, using the stalactites to direct his levitating body around the room. Pushing away from the ceiling on the other side, the bard floats down just to confirm his suspicions: a serpent figurine carved from obsidian is poking out of a mound of golden and silvery coins on the other side of the snail (Kairus can make this determination without having to get super close to the elemental beast.)

The group continues to discuss their alternatives as Kairus begins to make his way back to the ceiling and back around. As Rhogal asks a question about the creature's diet, coincidentally, it takes a break from "staring" at Yulmiath and allows its mouth protrusions to reach for another snack. It consumes some of the coins, as well as some rubble and chunks of earth that were near the coins. You all notice that when the mouth-protrusions slather fresh goo on the protective "glass" encasing the coins, the "glass" becomes malleable again, regaining most of its original slime consistency and allowing the slime-maker to reach through the "glass" and pull out a tasty metallic and earthen morsel or two.

Kairus sighed. Of course, their target had to be here! Well, at least the group was spared the trip back to the intersection. He floated up, climbed back to the group and descended to explain the situation.

"The statue of the snake is there. We want to keep our promise and save Hun's human - we have to get the thing. Question is - how? The statue is under the glass and at the moment we do not know if we can break the substance without breaking the statue with it. Saw how the thing feeds? It makes the glass liquid again. So, that is one way - to lure thing over there and snatch the statue once it's free".

"Or we can try to break a big piece of glass-covered treasure and run with it. Surely, there are other ways to remove it too. But we would have to deal with the creature in both cases somehow. I truly doubt it can communicate but I can try, of course. Except, it will make the creature fully aware of our presence and intentions. And if we are about to negotiate, we have to offer something in return. What would it be?"

Feeling like he's now at safe distance from the snail, Yulmiath stops backing up and looks to Krodhen. If it comes to it the dragonborn will be up there with the half-orc, although he hopes it doesn't come to it.

Sticking with a non-violent solution, he has an idea...

"Uh, I'm going to regret saying this. Really regret it, but this thing eats metal could we leave a trail of coins heading towards the statue? Give the thing a snack?"

"A few coins against a fight with that....no regrets from me" hand immediately going to his coin pouch if needed

Apart from a dry look at Krodhen and an offended gesturing to the snail's nibbling of loot, Hun had been content to wait that little longer for Kairus' return. "Figured as much." He'd grumble at one point. Then just as he's about to speak, Yulmiath's suggestion gives him pause. "Hmm... There's is that option.... Perhaps not a very effective one, when it has plenty there. T'is why I suggest using my 'light chisel' before as something both shiny AND metallic AND a touch magic for that extra zing its probably looking for." He directs largely at 'Mr. Yully', prior to then turning on Kairus and the rest. "Also, it's not as if its not at least acutely aware of there being more than one intruders in its domain." He gestures to Yulmiath and Mr. Thick. 

"So if its that insightful, don't see why I wouldn't suspect more. I. E, not really an issue itself. And if by some reason actual negotiations are a possibility, again, that's what the chisel is for as far as substance. I also got a few other metallic tools to throw in if need be. But if not, well, hopefully the luring it away part works. Then if need be, we kill it and I can harvest whatever glands and so forth are responsible for dissolving its gunk. Simple. And at worse, aside from again whatever geonids or other critters being playing house with it showing up, we can always chip away large enough chunk to free the statue as a block. Not like we promised to bring it in pristine condition or whatever... You guys following so far?" 

(OOC: I am enjoying seeing all these different ideas being thrown about. There is not much for me to add at the moment while the group decides what to do. I will confirm, however, that the creature is aware of most, if not all, of you.)

Here are some checks you may have to roll depending on your selected plan. Perhaps this will help in making a decision:

• Speaking with the creature via magic, if at all possible, would likely necessitate a CHA-based check (persuasion, intimidation, etc.)
• Performing surgery to extract only the snake statuette from its "glass" prison would be delicate work. Let's call is a sleight of hand check. If somehow using the snail juices, we can lower the DC.
• Breaking off a whole chunk of "glass" with treasure inside would most likely require attack rolls or spells.
• The Hansel and Gretel bread-crumbing approach will need an accompanying animal handling check.
• The shiny carrot (chisel) approach could be a persuasion or deception check, or perhaps it could also be animal handling.
• Extracting a gland from the thing will require a medicine or survival check.

To be clear, the checks I am putting on the table are necessary but not sufficient for the plan(s) to succeed. You may want to enhance any/all of them with spell, RPing, creative uses of your abilities and inventory, etc. Unless you can explain how you'd do it otherwise, extracting a gland requires killing the snail first, as noted by you yourselves.

In the wake of any hesitance to speak or act, Hun crosses his arms and shakes his head. "Well, I've said my piece. Whoever is taking point on this, I have a little pick me up that aughta help ya a bit. In fact, if you two of you want to 'combine' efforts, all the better. But we have to get that statue. Me and Mr. Thicc will hang off to the sides and in what shadows we can until the critter is sufficiently distracted. Then, uh..." He frowns.

"... Shoot... Hmm... Well... Frick, it seems I'll have to do the hard part of getting the darn thing once some of you lead it away... Fudgewiddle -- alright. Uh.. Okay, assuming operation carrot on a stick' and or 'Ooh! Piece of Candy works', I'll sneak on over, see if any dribble from the creature that's left on the pile can be used on the statue. Get it, and then get the f'out. Agreed?" Hun looks over the others, half-hopefully either Rhogal or Krodhen might volunteer for the extraction mission. If neither do, he lets out a defeated sigh, pass over the promise tools along with the promised pick me up in the form of some small tonic, and then quietly began the trek to try and hide behind some stalagmites along with Mr. Thicc until the time was right to make a move. 

(For if/when Hun needs to make the appropriate moves:)

Just as soon as Hun finishes communicating his favorite plan to the others, you can all feel/hear a very faint rumbling deep in the earth. Without much time to spare, the kobold sets things in motion by handing over the promised luring tool (if needed) and a vial of tonic to the volunteers.

(OOC: Who is volunteering to roll the luring check? Please choose between the forth or fifth bullet point in my previous post.)

"All right, let's do it!" Kairus (quite excited, actually, about the risky endeavour ahead) picked up the slightly magical lure and tonic, gulped the latter, fully trusting Hun's abilities to concoct the right thing and propelled himself to the ceiling to climb and descend by the statue.

There, in full view of the snail, he began his short and, as he hoped, passionate speech (in Primordial). "Mightiest owner of these wast treasure! We cam here seeking just one timy item that - we sure - ended up in the pile by the mistake of the small creatures, that, I have no doubts, faithfully serve you." Whether geonids did serve the snail or not was not that important at the moment. "In exchange to the tiny trinket we would like to retrieve, we offre this shimy magical object, much tastier than the raw stone of the little statue we need to take back. Let me offer you that magnificent dish in full believe you find it to your liking!" (Persuasion: 27 )

The lure was then left behind the statue and Kairus raised up a bit, in case the animal will prove to be just the animal and a wild one with that. Should that be the case and it will be necessary to move the snail futher, he would not hesitate to add silver (or even golden) "crambs" leading the thing away from the statue after the lure was eaten up. (Animal handling: 8 + 3)

Backing up a little more and waiting until the creature's attention is firmly on Karius, he skirts around the edge of the treasure vault, trying to get out of sight of the snail and give himself the freedom to help the group later, however, they might need it.

Stealth - 23

"Hold on quick..." Rhogal says before he touches Kairus with a hand, leaving a gently glowing palmprint of spores on his shoulder.

"Ya should be go ta go now." He finishes with a pat on his back, kicking of some unrelated, inert spores.

"I reckon it best I just wait until things go FUBAR and then come in a swingin'" leaving those better equipped for stealth to attempt this plan

(OOC: I'll resolve the posts/rolls above only partially, as there is still some good discussion/clarification going on in the OOC chat. I don't want to jump the gun here.)

Getting the shiny tool from Hun, Kairus moves down and closer to the large snail and attempts to catch its attention. The bard succeeds in redirection the snail's 'gaze' away from Yulmiath and onto himself. Whether there is some exchange in Primordial seems to make little difference to the snail, who seems incapable of responding. The dragonborn takes advantage of the focus shift and begins to walk around the edge of the chamber looking for a better vantage point.

Before anything else happens, Rhogal is sure to magically inspire Kairus to move onward (we can count this as the help action, as Hun had already provided Kairus with guidance for this animal handling check. @Blue can reroll the check once.)

Krodhen remains ready to act should things go south. It is up to Kairus now to decide which way to move. Hopefully, the snail will follow.

(OOC: Here's a token-less map to help visualize things a bit better.)

MAP:

(Second roll before guidance: 15)

Hun, much to his chagrin and initial thought, recalculated the size of the entryway in comparison to the mace wielding menace, and had quickly made what he hoped to be a smooth transition into the darken alcove within the chamber(EQ-27(Hun)/28(For Mr. Thicc). In this way, if Kairus once more outwitted or better eyeballed the area than the Kobold, and thus opted to avoid the risk of closing the exit by leading the creature along the outer ring of the chamber, then he would be in a better position to still commit to the plan of absconding with the statue.

Of course... there was still the issue of the holes and the worrying rumble of much movement from within them that had begun not to long ago. But for Volo and the secrets the Kobold yet hoped to pry from the witty writer, it was gamble could not hesitate to make in the moment!

Hun and the rest of the group get into position while Kairus, with some help from Rhogal, continues to entice the large and shimmering snail away from its 'nest' of treasure. The bright whitish light emitting from the kobold's magical tool is something new to the snail, different enough for the other sources of light down here (including itself, sorta) to get its attention. It begin moving toward Kairus at a slow pace, though you gather it is quite fast for a snail.

Not sure about how long a period he'll be able to fool the creature, Kairus lures it toward the back of the chamber (around {DZ-37}?). Some of the creature's slime is left behind on the central platform, adding a fresh layer of more malleable stuff on top. This is the opening the rest of the group was waiting for!

(OOC: Are you going to brute-force a chunk of the "glassy" treasure out of there or are you takign a more surgical approach? Please refer to post #1672.)