Bronx sniffs.

"But is'all the same, innit. All this walkin' an walkin'. Weren' hardly much foitin', I reckons. Oi wants sumtin to whack."

He observes the long stain on the wall seriously. "Dis. I likes dis. It do speaka to me." 

With thumping steps, he catches up to Shift and places himself squarely behind, ready to spring forward with his one-eyed shield.

"Yeah, well dis, would be better if it wasn't protected by dam magic."

Shift gives his hulking companion a friendly smirk.

"But I agree, lets hope for a little more excitement, and maybe a little mischief as well."

Shifts smirk broadens into a mischievous smile.

"What say we find something for you to hit, a Bronx?"

Kaltent shakes his head at Shift's antics, then starts trailing his own fingers along the wall, casting a Silent Image to make it appear as if acid is etching gouges into it, adding a Minor Illusion as well giving off the sound of sizzling rock.  "I don't know what your problem is, Shift."  He tells the other man.  "Maybe you're just losing your....'touch'," he adds dryly.  

At the end of the long corridor, the party has the option to go towards the Goblin Market or in the general direction of the "Mage Lab"...

Shift gives Kaltent a death gaze,

"You!"

Shift's death gaze, turns into a sinister smirk.

"I could always test the potency of my touch on your skin if you think its so harmless."

Shift holds up his clawed hand, a clear liquid dripping from the claws.

The liquid looks harmless, but there is a sizzle as the drops burn the dust on the ground, leaving clean unharmed floor beneath.

Shift looks down at the cleaned spots and lets out another sigh of defeat.

"So are we going to the market? Maybe we can still have some fun before we move on."

L’ouvature Zinn shudders as Shift pats him on the back. The Kobold growled a bit and adjusted his bright red robes around his shoulders. He was already bristling from the harsh words of Krennic and his companions meager reassurances did little to lighten his mood. He stows the map, and quietly broods in a shadowy part of the cave as the others rattle. He loudly speaks up once the Goblins are mentioned.

“Ugh, filthy creatures… why would we waste our precious time wallowing around with that foul lot. Those disgusting things will just as soon slit our throats to take our coin, what could you possibly hope to gain from mingling with that rabble?” His sharp and punctuated sentences cut through the dark tunnels and echoed a bit. After a moment he dryly answered his own question. “A disease and nothing more… Certainly the lab is a better use of our time.”

At Zinn's outburst, Shift rolls his eyes, and waits for his diminutive, but powerful, friend to finish his emotionally charged rant.

Shift waits a moment before taking in a breath to answer, when Zinn answers for him.

Waiting another moment, to be sure Zinn has finished, Shift gives his answer.

"Well, actually, I was hoping maybe to take their coin and maybe have some fun at their expense."

Shift looks over at Kaltent,

"We could try a recycling play, maybe with some value adding in the mix?"

Shift looks back among the others ending with Krennic.

"But if you would rather we avoid the market, well, I will just have to find some fun, some other way."

Shift shrugs, seeming not to care one way or the other.

Kaltent waves a hand as Shift holds his hand in the air and the claws suddenly appear to be covered in bright pink nail polish and glitter.  “You have to catch me first, Sparkles,” he says with a wicked grin. 

His grin shifts to something more eager at Shift's suggestion.  "You know how much I like recycling," he says.

Shift holds his hand up, admiring the bright pink claws.

A moment later, Inara, one of Shift regular persona's stand there instead.

Inara is a voluptuous human female, with blonde hair, curvy hips and ample chest.

She smiles excitedly at her bright pink, sparkly claws.

"Oh they're fantastic sweety, thank you! Your so thoughtful."

Inara drops her hand, her energetic face replaced with one of sombre disinterest. A moment later Shift's normal bloodless, all white form, replaces her.

"So, what's the decision on the market then, yay or nay?"

"Mage lab sounds like fings tuh break. Goblins can be fun - nice splats, but they runs quick and likes arrows."

“Bah! What coin could these wretches have that is worth taking... indulge your self if you must, but make it quick so we can get on to the lab and do something useful with our time.”

"Yes," Krennic says. "Make it quick if you must. You have my coin in your pocket for your services thus far. Keep the bargain if you want to keep getting paid."

Kaltent shrugs his shoulders.  "You're the boss," he tells Krennic.  "Let's head to the lab."

Turning to Shift, he adds, "We can always find our way back here later on our own time for some fun."

Shift shrugs,

"Right, no problem, the lab it is then."

Shift seems unfazed by the decision.

Shift looks to Kaltent,

"Doesn't have to be this market, and like Zinn said, we'd probably get more coin, to go along with the fun, above ground."

Shift turns to Zinn,

"Remind me, what did we find at the lab last time we were here?"

“Well... it’s not that we found anything, but I was able to advanced my understanding of the intricacies of wand mechanics.”

 Zinn becomes impatient and takes a lecturing tone.”You see, magical advancement happens slowly over time not in one massive breakthrough, that’s just how the bards spin it to keep all you listening to them as they prattle on.”

He then becomes distracted and begins absentmindedly ranting. “Bards, now there’s a loathsome profession, spinning tales of heroes, but you never hear a tale with a Kobold hero, or a Draconic saving the day. No... always being slain and crushed underfoot by the arrogance of so called higher races, that’s always how the bards portray us Kobolds. Our struggle will defy them yet, my people will rise up against our oppressors..”

Bronx sniffs. "'Gainst who now? I always loiked dose bard stories - lotsa blood. Me dad's wud tell stories loik that. Wald had a lotta stories from his crusadin' days, before he turned all treeish an' lef his kinfolk for a few years. Anyways, I always likes yer stories, Zinn."

Bronx steps to the point, pausing at intersections for Shift's reassuring shoulder touches for directions.

Shift bumps into Bronx, nudging him towards the south and around the bend west towards the mage lab.

"That's the spirit Bronx, 'Blood and Glory', or is it 'Blood and Gory'...anyway, Zinn's just unhappy that the soft-skins get all the best stories."

Shift turns his head towards Zinn,

"Maybe we can help you turn that one around Zinn, get your name attached to a heroic tale, eh?"

Shift turns back to Bronx, giving him a wink and a grin, that the solidly built war cleric, probably doesn't quite follow.

Shift heads on towards the lab, interested to see what they find.

The last time the party came through the old mage laboratory, they found a few slimes and a rust monster taking up residence. There is no such sighting as they enter the pump room. Here they find in the center of this room is a rusted iron hand pump and a deep stone basin. This pump draws water from a spring somewhere below the second level of the dungeon. (Using an action to crank the pump draws 1d4 + 1 gallons of potable water into the stone basin.)

Looking into the next room (to the south), they find the laboratory, just as they left it, untouched still from their last encounter here against the rust monster. This room is filled with dusty tables and cauldrons. Its stone hearth is cold. Piled atop the tables are alchemical tools and equipment, all of it ancient to the point of being unusable.

Walking through, they find again the wizard's kitchen, which contains an oven range, a washing basin, a hearth bearing a covered cook pot, and shelves filled with pots, pans, and cooking tools. The sign on the door leading north here reads (in common): “Kalabash’s Room. Do not enter unless your name is Halaster.” The last time they were here, the Blackblades did not enter the door, mainly for being drained from the fights with the slimes and the rust monster.

(Feel free to have an interaction in any of these rooms, which we will treat as one big area.)

Bronx cranks the pump, giggling slightly as water splashes into the basin. "Tub tub."

Shift reaches down to scoop up some water, his hand changing to be webbed, allowing him to get a good cups worth of water in the one hand.

"Hmm fresh underground spring water."

Shift takes a few good gulps of water and then tosses the remainder to the side.

"Aahhh."

Shift looks around.

"Nice not to have to fight off any slimes this time."

Shift looks down at his hands.

"I can still remember the sting. It's not as fun to be the recipient of the acid."

Shift walks around into the lab, looking for anything interesting among the old decrepit alchemical equipment.