View source for Do They Have Packrats Here? Raccoons?

{{encounter
|name=Do They Have Packrats Here? Raccoons?
|image=cave-crystal1.gif
|desc=Finding the third piece of crystal is dreadfully anticlimactic. The back of the cave is made up of a granite shelf, littered with a collection of pieces of shiny rock, as if something had put them there. Amongst the pile of rock is a single glowing shard. You pick it up and toss it in your backpack.

What's less than anticlimactic is the burst of heat and light that comes from your backpack as soon as the three pieces of crystal come in close proximity to each other. Yikes! Fearing some cosmic radioactive meltdown is imminent, you yank two of the crystals back out of your backpack and get them as far apart as the cave will allow. The light from the crystals fades quickly, but during that brief exposure you could feel waves of energy suffusing your body. An unpleasant tingling traverses the expanse of your skin, and is much slower to fade. When it's all over you can sense that you have been toughened, making you both deadlier and more durable.

You have acquired a new skill:

'''[[Nostronomically Hardened]]'''

That's all well and good it didn't kill you and thus made you stronger, but you have no intention of taking that risk again. Instead you rig up a long train of rope, tie the pieces of crystal on at a large distance from each other, and let them trail behind you as you return to Elco Hoist Labs.

''If you did not already save all the scientists:''

Back at the lab, the first thing the scientists do is pop one of the crystals into a radio transmitter and place it just ouside{{typo|corrected}} the portal. They insist the stronger signal will allow the remaining team members to track their way home based only on their personal transmitter, and indeed within half an hour lost scientists start straggling in, telling their stories and relaying tales of fallen comrades.

The next thing they do is set up a machine outside the portal and connect it to a Nostronomium crystal. Susan explains it's a force field of sorts, technology they had been working on, but which wasn't feasible on Earth without the power of the crystal. With it, they can keep a shield up around the portal, preventing any transdimensional creatures from coming through to Earth, and also letting them stage a better prepared expedition back to the caves to more aggressively start collecting Nostronomium. 

''or, if you already saved all the scientists:''

Back at the lab, the scientists immediately set up a machine outside the portal and connect it to a Nostronomium crystal. Susan explains it's a force field of sorts, technology they had been working on, but which wasn't feasible on Earth without the power of the crystal. With it, they can keep a shield up around the portal, preventing any transdimensional creatures from coming through to Earth, and also letting them stage a better prepared expedition back to the caves to more aggressively start collecting Nostronomium. 
|loc1=Mouths of Darkness Cave}}
==Notes==
* One time adventure.
* Occurs as the fifth and final adventure in one of the 12 "clock" caves.
* Only occurs after [[Mother's Milk]].