Arianda studies the people laying in wait closely before slipping away and heading back to the others well before they come within sight of the ambushers.
”Looks like you surface dwellers have yet another welcoming party ahead. A siyokoy and five galvos. Is there something you lot need to tell me? I’m not fond of helping land-walkers as it is...and the fact that multiple times aquatic-born folk have felt the need to try and waylay you...well...it’s making me wonder...”
Tobar shrugs. "I dunno, are the folks lying in wait for us nice people? Did I do something to deserve being ambushed?"
"Could it be something to do with the crime lord that wanted to speak to us?" Terana asks. "Waiting for us to take what they wanted and then ambushing us for them, is exactly the kind of underhand tactics I'd expect."
Gideon snorts quietly at Arianda's question.
"I think we've just stepped on the seedy underbelly of this place, honestly. You saw what happened when you first joined up with us, the ambush by those cecaelia. Like Terana said, whoever runs the black market is just pissed off that we didn't wanna play ball with 'em, if you ask me. Figures if they can't have us in their pocket, we're better off in nobody's pocket." he says.
"I'd just as soon take the long way and leave them waiting, but if y'all wanna fight, I'll jump in with ya."
"I would prefer not to fight if we can avoid it." Terana says. "I am sworn to protect the oceans from aberrations, not to kill street thugs, no matter how tempting it is on occasion."
You take the long way around, eventually making your way back to Talasantri. When you return to Talasantri's city hall, Rillikimatai welcomes you and congratulates you on your success. “I cannot express our gratitude enough,” the oracle says. His words sound genuine, but puzzlement creases his brow. “I fear, though, that your heroic actions may have been, for the moment, unnecessary. When I learned of the plankta’s awakening, I sent scouts to assess the situation. They have just returned, and while it’s true that the creature is stirring, it is in fact miles away in a deep rift, and shows no intention of moving in this direction. I sought out the deep merfolk delegation to ask for more details, but they seem to have disappeared.”
”Sounds like we better find the menfolk,” drawls Tovar.
"Could it have been deliberate?" Terana asks, "A plan to cause strife in your city? Why would the merfolk desire such a thing?"
"It is certainly within reason. I will dispatch the guard at once to look out for deep merfolk activity and protect the more vulnerable areas of town. I believe you should find try to find them as soon as possible! In the meantime, I believe you should keep the spear you worked so hard for. It belongs in the hands of heroes, especially ones that will come to our aid should we need it."
The elf presents you with a scroll case. "This contains all the information I have of Ochymua and his race, including the results of several divination spells. May it help you on your quest."
Inside the case are a number of waterproof parchments detailing general information about veiled masters.
There are also several pages with notes on the empire of Azlant. Most of the information is dry and historical, and some of it is inaccurate, but it might be of help.
A page contains specific information about Ochymua: “Ochymua was a spy who infiltrated the Azlanti people. For its masters, it sought the location of a secret military base and the weapons it contained. The weapons were intended for use against the serpentfolk, but as the Azlanti became aware of the alghollthu threat to the empire, they sought to turn the weapons against this new threat. This never came to fruition in any way, as Earthfall occurred and laid the empire low. However, I’ve discovered records that indicate that prior to Earthfall the Azlanti imprisoned this Ochymua you seek, and the divinations I’ve performed indicate that Ochymua still lives to this day and has resumed its old mission."
The last page contains the same excerpt on Auberon the Drowned as Naqualia had in the safehouse. Rillikamatai has added a handwritten note: "The lich creates endless undead forces to guard his tower. Though the way is perilous, there is none other who might know what Ochymua seeks and where it can be found. He lived prior to Earthfall and knows more history than we have forgotten." Rillkimatai has included a map showing the way to Auberon’s tower as well.
As you leave the city hall, a merfolk swims up to you with an urgent look on his face. "Surfacers, I bring news. Someone has attacked a member of your gracious host’s family. She asks that you come at once."
When you arrive at Anemora's house, you find the mermaid with a coldly furious look on her face. "Drecissa is gone. You have to find my daughter!" she declares. "She was so inspired by your example that she set off to investigate the strange incidents happening in Talasantri on her own. She left this morning while everybody was sleeping, and she hasn't been seen since!"
"Welp, that solves our issue of figgerin' out what we were gonna do next."
"No kiddin'. Drecissa first, then we can deal with these deep merfolk and the red herring they sent us after. They have a lot to answer for." Gideon says.
Terana nods her agreement, speechless with anger at the prospect of the sweet girl they met being hurt by some random Undertow thugs.
"So uh... anyone got a spell to find people? I dunno how to track a mermaid who's swimmin' underwater," says Tobar sheepishly.
Gideon turns his attention to the distraught mother. "Did she say anything about where she was going? Anything that might give us a clue as to where to start looking would be helpful."
Anemora shakes her head in frustration. "No. But I hope that she did not get too far!"
Heading out into the city, you spend some time at the markets to buy and sell equipment while asking around about the missing mermaid. While you get no leads on Drecissa, several citizens report seeing several deep merfolk coming and going from a vacant home in the western end of the Threadfin District.
"Sounds like a lead to me." Gideon says, swimming up to Terana and renewing the spell of Heroism that he typically casts on her.
"Anyone else want a shot of bravery juice?"
"Sounds like a lead to me." Gideon says, swimming up to Terana and renewing the spell of Heroism that he typically casts on her.
"Anyone else want a shot of bravery juice?"
"What's the alcohol content on that?"
Gideon gives a slight grin to his friend. "You wanna take a hit and find out?"
"High!" Terana replies, crossing her eyes and sticking her tongue out. It appears to be her impression of landwalkers getting drunk and its not very good.
Following the lead, you make your way to the west end of Threadfin. The small home doesn’t stand out from the others. A one-story residence made of white stone stands at the end of a cul-de-sac formed by homes made from arching coral, and few jellyfish lanterns float here. The residence has the ineffable air of a place abandoned.
Terana, newly equipped with useful gear, barges straight in. The thought of Drecissa being trapped in that building is anathema to her.
The door is locked, but after a few swift kicks, Terana breaks it down! The interior of the building shows a few signs of habitation. A stone table sits against one wall, its surface carved with circular patterns. Several stone niches along the walls may have been used for storage, but they currently stand empty.
However, the room is not empty. Inside waits a giant octopus, its stony body incongruously covered with sharp thorns like those of a sea urchin! It waves one tentacle in what looks like a beckoning motion as it prepares to attack!
Tobar looks a bit incredulous.
"An octopus with spikes and stoneskin? All right."
With a slight frown he goes about his usual business.
Tobar shoots the octopus several times, wounding it despite its stoneskin. The creature thrashes its tentacles and burbles as it casts a spell, attempting to transform the sniper into a harmless cuttlefish!
"None of that!" Terana says sharply, kicking forward to apply glaive-based corrections.
Gideon attempts to remove the spell of stoneskin, and perhaps any other protections, affecting the beast.
Arianda at first hoped to try and talk with this magnificent looking octopus. But then it started behaving totally wrong, she decided a more aggressive tactic...her form shifts and merges with the ocean around her, growing until she is the size of a whale! She then surges through the door like a wave towards the creature.
”Everyone may want to swim back a bit...”
Tobar does as instructed and gets out of the way in a hurry.
While Arianda transforms into a huge elemental, Gideon fails to dispel the octopus's stoneskin. Terana attacks the creature, scoring two hits. Tobar shoots it three times, chipping away at its stoneskin.
Tentacles writhing in fury, the creature lashes out at Terana! It slaps her with several thorny tentacles, grabbing and squeezing the paladin!
Arianda’ s form blends with the water around the thing, swirling into a massive vortex!
Not wanting to use up another spell that could potentially fail, Gideon opts instead for a tried and true boost to his allies.
"Ya shouldn't aughta have done that," drawls Tobar as he carefully aims his shots to avoid hitting Terana.
Grappled and annoyed Terana heals some of her wounds and tries to wrench her way clear.
Terana fails to wriggle free of the octopus's grasp. While it avoids being hurt by Arianda's vortex, it does get sucked into it, dragging Terana along with it as it whirls about! Gideon hastes the party, then Tobar fires off a crack shot that wounds the creature.
The octopus focuses on squeezing Terana, but she slips out of its grasp!
Terana takes a firm grip on her glaive and tries to make sure that Mr Grabby Tentacles doesn't get to grab anyone else!
With Terana out of the creature's grasp, Gideon casts a Glitterdust spell in an attempt to blind the beast.
"Thank you for clearing the fire lane," says Tobar as his hands blur and reload the crossbow in continuous fire.
The octopus's luck begins to run out as Arianda batters it in vortex form and it succumbs to the glitterdust! Its stoneskin finally reaches its limit as Terana and Tobar strike it several times, and its wounds are taking its toll.
The beast tries to concentrate on casting a spell defensively, but it fails!
Terana fights on, hacking at the irritating monster.
With the final few blows, the octopus finally slumps over. Its body shrinks as it transforms back into its natural shape of a deep merfolk. The druid is quite dead.
"Will that armor be any use for you Ari?" Terana asks, "Looks like it would transform with you." She flicks the scimitar towards Gideon and then starts looking around the room for signs of the kidnapped girl.
"Huh. That explains things a bit," says Tobar as he starts reflexively cleaning and checking his crossbow.
"Thought it was a little weird for an octopus. But they are pretty smart."
Arianda looks over the armor. ”Yeah, it should work out alright. Can’t believe something this potent was being used by someone for malicious ends towards our people...”
"So does this tell us that we're on the right track?" says Tobar as he finishes re-winding his crossbow and adjusting the tension. "Deep merfolk druid - now where?"
"I don't know!" Terana says in frustration. "I can't find anything here!"
The interior of the building shows a few signs of habitation. A stone table sits against one wall, its surface carved with circular patterns. Several stone niches along the walls may have been used for storage, but they currently stand empty.
Searching around, Gideon discovers a well-hidden secret trap door near the table. He also detects a magical trap warding it!
Opening his haversack and removing his tools, Gideon first asks the others to keep an eye out and step a good ten or fifteen feet back before going to work on the trap, clearly choosing caution over haste, taking his time with the trap.