The next day Rhayna visits the fungal garden. She kneels to a larger patch, and try to use her senses to try to detect if they all have been truly turned to stone.

(OCC: To what deity does the shrine belongs to?)

The area where the traders ply their wares is the place where the fungal growths have turned to stone. None of them have any knowledge of the story of how it happened, but it is likely an interesting tale. The growths all appear to have been wild and natural in their time, but Rhayna feels absolutely nothing from them when she reaches out with her spore-like senses. The fungal cavern nearby is a different story. It is full of living fungus and mushrooms, all arranged in neatly cultivated rows, with a few gnomes picking their way among the stalks and tending them. Although it's a slightly different feel from the wild growths Rhayna is used to, and nowhere remotely like the Neverlight Grove, still Rhayna feels their vitality. There are no spore servants or myconids anywhere to be seen in the city.

The 'shrine' area contains a circle of stone menhirs. Gurnik, the priest that the group met outside is here meditating, but arises when Rhayna pokes her head in the cavern entrance. Happy to have an outsider show interest, Gurnik tells Rhayna about the Speaking Stones. Predating Blingdenstone's founding, Gurnik believes this henge is a cluster of truly ancient galeb duhr. Gurnik himself uses the henge to cast augury spells within the circle, interpreting the responses to his entreaties as guidance from his deity, Callarduran Smoothhands, manifested through subtle changes in the vibrations in the bedrock below. It isn't a shrine to his god as such, and he says that the city's actual temple to Callarduran Smoothhands lays desecrated inside a closed-off area of the city they call 'Rockblight'. Gurnik laments that he isn't as young as he once was and dare not venture into the Rockblight alone, and that the leaders of the city do not consider the reclamation and re-sanctification of the temple a current priority...

It is almost impossible to cross the city without passing through the central temple district known as the 'Ruby in the Rough', dedicated to Segojan Earthcaller, the gnome deity of deep earth and nature. Lacking any particular features like that of the shrine, the area is nonetheless a busy hive of activity, with several acolytes bustling about performing various mundane tasks of a religious nature for the city's inhabitants. These tasks are overseen by a young novice priest who introduces himself briefly as Glyphic Shroomlight when Rhayna stops on her way through. Apparently Gurnik also helps out here, but as it is not his diety's temple, he spends equal time at the Speaking Stones, leaving Glyphic to shoulder the temple burdens. While he is talking, Rhayna notices a young gnome guard slip into a passage on the east side of the temple area leading down and presumably underneath the temple. When Rhayna casually asks Glyphic about the tunnel he says it leads to the catacombs where the city's honoured dead are buried, and that no-one ever goes down there...

As others move around the city, there is a noticeable concentration of guards in the mid-eastern area by a large adamantine gate. There is also a noticeable absence of elementals in the eastern area of the city. When asked, the guards frankly relate that the gates block off the city from the Rockblight. A malevolent influence known as Ogremoch's Bane, which somehow takes control of rock elementals, has been trapped inside. But even at close proximity it still manages to have a detrimental effect on the elementals, driving them mad, and so they are kept away from the area. Other large adamantine gates block various tunnels around the city, while yet other tunnels are occluded by rockfalls.

Pax is happy to have some downtime to invest in her studies, reading her books, and refocusing her mind. That said however, she also wants to keep tabs on her companions who seem prone to wandering into trouble alone. She most carefully watches Rhayna, making sure to keep tabs on her when she decides to 'wander' off. Not sure what to make of this strange girl who has so eagerly let her body become one with the underdark, she makes sure she doesn't lose track of her. The lizard does a good job of making smart decisions...for a lizard, and both the tiefling and the Kaylyn seemed to be pretty solid.  Rhayna though. She needs tending. 

While here, for the time behind, Pax leaves her armor off and in a safe place, asking Sekkar to watch it for her.  She follows Rhayna her...doing her best not to make herself obvious. 21.   But if Rhayna happens to notice Pax will just catch up and mutter under her breath about being bored and wanting a walk. 

While she does so, she tries to remember the things the gnomes had asked for help with....listing them in her head.  Something bad in the southern burrows driving their elementals insane. Regular incursions of oozes. Plagued by several ghosts. And a large group of wererats in the northern burrows. 

(Hard to beat a passive perception of 22)

As Rhayna is trying to talk to Glyphic (who seems too busy for idle chatter) she gets the feeling she is being watched. Just as she is about to turn and look around, the sounds of yelling and the clatter of weapons and running footsteps is heard from the passages to the north. Both Rhayna and Pax can hear it, along with anyone else that happens to be nearby...

Pax mutters to herself....  "and me without my good armor...." and steps out of her place and says to Rhayna, "Let's go...." 

Drawing her blade, she summons forth her shadowy icy armor...now seemingly more dense then ever before...frosty steam following behind her like a wedding train as she strides down the passage.  (Armor of Agathys at 3rd level)

Not used to the cloak yet and a bit too relaxed in that big city, Sekkar did not bother to take any precautions and just run toward the noise to see what was happening.

Pax looks surprised at the sudden appearance of Sekkar.  "I thought you were watching my armor!?  Did you just leave my bag back in that cave for any old gnome to dig through?!"

Rhayna was about to follow a young gnome guard into the temple, when she hears commotions around her. Then all of a sudden, Pax comes out of nowhere, takes Rhayna by the collar of her armor, and commands "Let's go." "Wow!!" Says the surprised Cleric, as they are joined by Sekkar. Rhayna follows her companions, and readies her Zurkhwood Staff.

"I was?" Sekkar did not really had brows but managed to raise both of them in the expression of the most innocent surprise one can demonstrate. "I am pretty sure your armor is safe with others." He thought a little. "Though I admit, I would be curious to see a gnome wearing that thing you call armor. Some memories can entertain for months and I have a feeling that would be one of them." Even imagining that made him smile. "So, what happened here?"

Kaylyn continued the shopping.  She bartered and traded for the items that she though served the party best, trading the diamond and a few of her own coins for the goods.

Not sure where she is when the action starts.

Kastix has been actively involved in the shopping, so I'll place him with Kaylyn in the traders' grotto

Kaylyn and Kastix are in fact the first to witness the commotion, as it occurs right in the area where the traders are. There is a shout of alarm from the northern end of the grotto, and the deep gnomes nearby all draw weapons and retreat, as though they are expecting trouble and responding in a practiced way. Kastix looks to the north and sees a guard stumble back, then rise up in the air with a strange shimmer around him, and alerts Kaylyn to the scene. A bell starts clanging loudly somewhere and the sound of weapons and footsteps is heard. If it wasn't for their recent jaunt in the Oozing Temple, they might have thought some strange magic was at work, but looking at the floating guard, they realise that the shimmering is the light playing off the surface of a gelatinous cube, which has engulfed the guard. Rhayna, Pax and Sekkar come running up behind Kastix and Kaylyn.

Roll initiative everyone!

Gelatinous Cube: 15
Gnome Guards: 17

Pax Initiative : 11

Sekkar Initiative: 22

If you roll above 15, you can post an action

(How far are we from the cube?)

Rhayna Initiative: 10

Rhayna concentrates, and tries to communicate with the cube like she was able with Glabbagool. "Can you hear me?" She projects to the creature.

(LOL. Didn't realize there could be negative initiative...)

Kastix Initiative: 18

Kastix looks around the area, upon seeing his travel companions and points at Sekkar, "You're better at handling this," He casts Haste on him/.

Assuming we are at melee range.

To Sekkart the only language to use with gelatinous cubes was the sword language (and he did not mean telepathic communication of his sword). There was an enemy, that already attacked the guard and even was happily digesting its victim. The course of actions was clear:

BA: sword activation.

Attack: Attack 1: 18 Damage: 16

Attack 2: 21 Damage: 13

Attack 3: 28 Damage: 11 + 2

If you allow Haste to land before that - one more time: Attack 1: 18 Damage: 17

Initiative 25

Kaylyn is of the same mind as Sekkar, she's just a bit quicker than he is and unconcerned with melee range.

She quickly raises her rod and sends blasts of Eldritch energy at the ooze.

Attack: 19 Damage: 15

Attack: 26 Damage: 15