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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Richards" data-source="post: 2279136" data-attributes="member: 508">Javorik and Federico ran headlong through the underground tunnels, the everburning torch in Javorik's hand making their shadows bob and weave along the rough stone walls.  They made good speed, not only because of their familiarity with these particular cavern passageways, but also because Federico had eschewed the use of his normal plate mail armor.  Instead, he wore a new set of gnome-sized leather armor, choosing speed and agility over protection, for this particular mission at least.  His trusty short sword was belted at his side and his metal helm sat upon his head; he was ready for whatever the Underdark could throw his way.Javorik's heavy breathing was the loudest sound made as the two gnomes ran through the empty corridors.  He wasn't as fit as his fighter cousin and he knew it, but he refused to slow down even as the pain in his side increased with every stride.  There'll be time to catch my breath once we get to the pool, he told himself.  Right now, they couldn't spare the time; it had taken long enough - too long, in Javorik's estimation - limping back to the surface with the wounded dwarves, dealing with their injuries, and obtaining the blasted potions for him to waste any more time than he had to for a little thing like his own comfort.  Strengthened by the thought that every moment counted, he raced a few scant paces behind his cousin through twisting passageways and connected caverns.As he ran, though, the recent battle played over and over in his head.  They had been taken unawares by the armored beast when it rose up out of the pool like some forgotten lobster god, and though Federico and the three dwarven warriors put up a good fight they were outmatched by the creature's crushing claws and paralytic tentacles.  It was those tentacles that caught Shandrilla's eye; thinking to immobilize the chuul the same way she had that carrion crawler, she had Javorik load up her leather backpack with rocks and leapt willingly into the tentacles' embrace.Only things didn't quite work out as planned.  Sure, the little thief became paralyzed, but unlike the carrion crawler the chuul had no trouble carrying the extra load, and it started dragging Shandrilla and the three dwarves deeper into the pool, toward the swiftly-running stream that fed its dark waters, hoping no doubt to drown them and win an easy victory.  Javorik, in desperation, managed to kill the chuul by launching a fireball at the cavern's ceiling and blasting loose a number of low-hanging stalactites which pierced the creature's armored hide, but when he and Federico went to pull their paralyzed comrades from the waters of the pool only the dwarves could be found.  Hours of frantic searching produced only Shandrilla's backpack, its straps severed by the chuul's wicked pincers.  Shandrilla herself was gone, no doubt washed away down the underground stream.  Javorik hoped and prayed - something he didn't do often - that she was somehow still alive; he might frequently tease her for being a "silly human girl," but she was his best friend and he didn't know what he'd do if she were truly gone.Javorik snapped out of his reverie as the two gnomes finally reached the vast cavern with its darkened pool and rushing stream, part of the underground spring that wound throughout this part of the subterranean caverns.  At the far edge of the pool, near the invisible boundary where pool met stream, lay the corpse of the chuul, half-buried by fallen stalactites and hunks of rock that had been blasted from the ceiling by Javorik's fireball spell; the extra weight prevented the current from sweeping the beast away.Federico stopped at the edge of the water and bent over, hands on knees, catching his breath.  Even with his fighter's training, that had been quite a run!  Javorik caught up to him moments later and unfolded Little Biggie, his bag of holding, and pulled a drawstring bag from its extradimensional interior.  Folding Little Biggie back up and securing it in his belt, he passed one of the newly-purchased potion vials to Federico."Bottoms up," said the illusionist, still panting from the long run.  The two clinked vials and downed their contents, then waded into the pool, toward the dead chuul."We gonna try to swim for it, or just let the currents take us where they will?" asked Federico."Better leave it to the currents," answered Javorik.  "With any luck, we'll all end up in the same place."The two gnomes submerged, Javorik's everburning torch illuminating the murk of the underwater world.  The illusionist's first breath of water was tentative; he half expected the potion dealer's wares to be as phony as his asking price.  Fortunately, the potions of water breathing worked as expected, and the two cousins had no difficulty breathing as the currents swept them away downstream past the dead chuul and on the ride of their lives.</blockquote>

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