IV - The Lower Cavern
Searching diligently, Wandreck does not locate any manner of trap on or around the cylinders. The thief does notice that each of the cylinders has a single long black tube that extends from the metal ring at its base and connects to a panel on the nearby wall.
With Trisvyre accompanying him, Azad poses his question to the dark glass on the closest of the cylinders, but it gives no response, leaving the wizard with the impression that, unlike its fellows, it is somehow unable to respond to a voice. The glass continues to display patterns of green and red light which are apparently not any form of written communication.
However, both the wizard and the elven scout find that they do not require help in recognizing the creature inside the glass construct. It is humanoid, tall and quite wide. Much of its body is black, save for its chest and a portion of its head, which are yellowish gray. Its head has an insect like appearance and bears four eyes along with a pair of curving ivory mandibles. The beast is unmistakably an umber hulk, a formidable underground predator.
The cylinder to the immediate right holds a tall, column like creature with a single eye and a wide, fanged mouth. Six tentacles extend from its dark brown trunk. The monster is easily identifiable as a roper. In the left hand cylinder floats a snake like beast with a vaguely human head, stringy hair floating within the fluid the strange reptile is immersed in. Its scales are black, accentuated by evenly spaced crimson bands. Both adventurers know it to be a spirit naga.
With some brief experimentation, Ella finds that by sliding a latching mechanism on a crate’s lid, it can be opened. The first such container that the ranger priestess examines contains several square packets, each one wrapped in reflective metal which is as thin as paper and easily removed. Within the packet, Ella discovers a dozen palm sized squares with the consistency of hard bread and the scent of roasted fowl. She is almost certain that what she has found are some odd manner of food ration.