He was quiet as he searched, cocking his head to the side when he noticed a dagger, beautifully made and just as sharp too. While he wasn't typically one for weapons outside of his own claws, he didn't see why he would just leave it. Besides he had already found quite a few coins as well, a bonus on top of the dagger. Good.

He picked up a easily carriable container and put his dagger along with his coins in it before turning to head to the next area. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he walked through the tunnel, cautious and careful as he searched through the shadows for anything that could attack them.

The area was small, not big enough for giant creatures to feel comfortable, or flying creatures to take liftoff, but he didn't seem to mind, at least not outwardly.

It was still exhausted as it entered the next room, but the sight of shiny treasure was an energy boost that sent it scrambling for the nearest chest, snapping defensively at anyone who DARED to get near. This was ITS treasure! Go find another chest!

The Agate wasn't exactly looking for anything in particular, except maybe something cool to hold over the head of it's sister. Something COOL, with lots of spikes for stabbing, and maybe bones or the gemstones of slain enemies or something. The agate's idea of 'cool' aligns mostly with your average middleschooler's idea of cool. Too bad it'll never get to visit a hot topic.

[Catchup post. Agate is searching for anything that looks particularly cool, spiky, and deadly. Probably some kind of weapon, or maybe a piece of armor.]

Agate, the like the (not-quite) weasel it was, was absolutely not bothered by the claustrophobia of the tunnel. It was bothered by the way its paws couldn't quite grip the volcanic glass properly, and the way the obsidian seemed to absorb all light as it made its way further inside.

Its ears twitched as it strained its hearing, listening for any signs of danger ahead. Likewise, it's numerous green eyes squinted into the dark, looking for anything that seemed suspicious.

It'd be inaccurate to say confidence swelled in Fahl's chest as he proceeded into the next dark space ahead. Rather a dull ache had settled within, courtesy of the smoke that twisted through his lungs. Inhaling fresh air was a relief, but regardless of its soothing presence, preexisting damage couldn't be repaired. Coughs rattled his frame as he pressed onward; an odd boon, it suppressed the myriad cusses desperately seeking to climb up his throat while claws scrabbled for purchase on the impossibly slick surface underfoot. How this tunnel somehow managed to rival ice-covered slopes in slipperiness couldn't quite be grasped, but every moment he struggled to keep his legs beneath him and not sliding into an abyss amplified his irritation. Teeth ground against the durable fabric of the newfound pouch carried within his jaws, and he huffed as yet again an unsteady paw threatened to drag him into a collapse.

One step after the other. The blackness stretching on forever, he didn't know how long he could maintain this without eventually making a joke of himself. Focus on his footing would have to take precedence for the duration of the journey down. Hopefully it wouldn't leave him vulnerable to other environmental hazards.

After a moment's fumbling with loosely securing it to her hide, another blade joined Hargrave's growing collection. Dandy as it is, perhaps it would suit her best as a bartering item; its blade seeming a little too thin for the somewhat imprecise slashing of her telekinesis.

Once her companions have uncovered their own spoils of travel, there is little left to do but to press ever onward.

And ever onward, does the dungeon seem to slope down, down, down and leave the Gray Hare wondering what should lie at the very bottom of it all. A reason for this amassing of treasures and weaponry— (Like a grand, monstrous encounter?)— and one to perhaps exercise caution as she traverses the narrow walk, letting her wings fade so that she can shine a smoldering light from within.

There wasn't a guarantee she'd find anything too interesting, but she wanted something. That something should be easy to carry, something usable; but the brush of a cold coin startles her, leaving her with brief shock as she blinks down at the offender. "Wuh?" Even being near it is refreshing in this hot air. It's definitely coming with her.

Snatching it (and the coin, might as well), Surgis settled first into holding it with a hand before putting the cold metal between her teeth to lap at the sharp temperature. It hurt, but... it's better.

That meant it's in her mouth while the group continued on. If she stayed behind to loot, they'll know... but moving on meant leaving goodies behind..! Hissing, Surgis tore herself away to bound after the rest of them, slinking in at their heels to confront the obsidian dark.

It's dark. Surgis grumbled to that, gnawing on the spoon while trying to look for anything. Reflections consumed themselves in the glass. She had to strain for sight. She should've stayed behind. Ah, but she couldn't go back, and there could be some other falling bridge and--

Best not to think about it and instead focus on the hall, clicking her teeth against the metal in her mouth. The others were navigating well enough, while Surgis stood up a little taller, clicked harder, strained for the echo of claws tapping along the thin glass. Avoiding the noise of crackling obsidian (which struck her heart with alertness) was easy enough if she just focused.

The goggles they find are in a sub-optimal condition, but thankfully the coins scattered adjacent will pay for any necessary repairs. They pocket the items, finding a stringed pouch to wrap around their neck. Better to keep their mouth free of the taste of ancient, ashy leather.

Thalassa's own sharp edges clicked oddly against the dark, volcanic glass. The noise bounced off the corridor, and they found themselves aware of the fact that anything down there would definitely hear the groups approach.

If anything larger than a microbe could survive here at all. They reached out to the colonies around them again, hoping they could see what Thalassa could not.

(Note: Forgot to roll the first time lol)

The Bauxite's stingers scrapde the steel of the breastplate in front of him - perhaps it wouldn't be such a loss if he relied on venom rather than teeth. Everyone had teeth. Few were blessed like he was.

The armor forced his jaw shut, and his tongue writhed inside its new prison. He wasn't sure if he could get used to this. Perhaps it'd be better suited for his -

No. It was his. Forever.

The corridor was a corridor. It closed in tightly, but Bauxite was familiar with his innate flexibility. and thus he felt no claustrophobia - just a natural caution. The floor felt fragile.

Wyrm slid the new bracelet onto her left forelimb, and turned it this way and that, peering at it. It didn't do anything just then, and so she bounded over to Fahl, instead. "Snake-?" she chirped, surprised. It wasn't something she--wait, no. She squinted. "That's not a snake," she told him, in an almost accusatory tone. Not at him--just--what was this?

They were moving on, so she kept close by him, peering into the darkness ahead. The floor here was... smooth and wavy? Dark, obsidian-black in fact. Because it was obsidian. But Wyrm didn't know that. She just knew it swallowed all the light away, and that she was struggling to see at all.

She winced a little as the heat of fire answered her magickal call--as it heated so intensely that she began to glow. Her own bioluminescence gleamed, but not enough to see by; this helped out, so that she could hopefully find where best to put her feet. And not get lost in here.

Most of the Gembounds were able to safely make their way to the gap in the dark wall, hidden behind a column up ahead. This glowed with very faint firelight. For most, the sudden downward pitch of the passageway was navigable; they could keep their footing and step through without incident. But one of them--Tourmaline--went pitching past them, tumbling down the slope and into the room ahead. She'd likely take some bruising, battering or minor cuts from the long fall, but more importantly...

...She would be the first to see it, as she picked herself up: a golem formed of moving magma, which swirled around it and glowed with searing light. Thick black obsidian bracers on its wrists seemed to be shackles, but were not chained to anything. It glowered down at her, some ten feet tall and broad. At least, it probably glowered; it had no actual face.

The rest, entering the room, might also notice the skeletons scattered about the floor--some of them blackened, along with all the loot the previous failures had left behind.

The lava golem bubbled with rage, lifting itself to stand taller, and bits of spitting, molten stone began to spray out as it prepared some sort of ability...

---

BOSS FIGHT!

A GOLEM made of MOLTEN ROCK is about to attack!

Gembounds may take any action they deem suitable. They should roll, and clarify if they had taken any preparatory steps that might help with the fight (in the preparation thread).

Any characters who didn't post last round should double-post to catch up; failures will also fall as Tourmaline did, directly to the lava golem's feet, while taking some bruising/cuts.

Catch-Up Loot: Tyrin procures a pair of huge, sturdy boots. Huge as in thick: for some reason they're steel-toed but all around, shining and embossed with a maker's mark in bright and shining gold. They sort of look like old Timberlands, but made for a Knight. They are not enchanted.

V-Agate-One finds what might've been a bracer for a giant--or a spiked collar for someone their size. Formed of black metal alloy, in the shape of a collar with a single hinge and a clasp to latch it shut, it had evenly-spaced spikes of silver jutting outward. Rather than enchanted with something defensive, the spiked collar bore an Engulf enchantment: anything striking the spikes would be struck in turn with a short burst of searing flame. The collar's spikes had a flickering aura of visible flame.

---

The next post will take place on July 5th in the afternoon/evening GMT.

@Fahl @Thalassa @Bauxite-T-One @Rajani @Tourmaline @September @Surgis @Hargrave @V-Agate-One @Tyrin @Wyrm