Bruendor's relief from being pulled from the surf turns into dread as the moonlight bridge buckles from the orca's added weight. Another curse is cut short as he's plunged back into the blood-and-ink infused water.
For a moment, he struggles to reach the surface - his limbs burn, and he's keenly aware that the thrashing will bring the orca's attention. But dwarves are a stubborn race, and he refuses to be chum without making the orca work for its dinner, and a few seconds later, breaks the surface of the water again.
Her divine favors nearly spent, Kel again calls upon her god to create another shimmering span of moonlight, this one arching gracefully from the rock beside her to the shore beside Calla. Grabbing the goblin, Kel lunges up the stable surface wondering how high killer whales can jump from the water. "Go, Anklebiter, climb! We can arch above the beast to safely reach the far shore!"
Provided he still can, Anklebiter clambers up onto the bridge and scurries along -- ever making sure to keep his barrier between Kelendra and the water, the better to stop the killer whale if it surfaces again...
Kelendra's spell sent another translucent bridge arcing over the water. She and Anklebiter got onto it, with the little goblin scurrying for the safety of the shore. Lefrik tried to bloody the orca again, but the creature knocked aside his axe and bit the barbarian heavily on the side. Then, it thrashed in the water once more as Calla's spell sent waves of agony through its head.
Anklebiter scurries into the side, uncoils his rope, tries to tie one end off on something heavy, and throws one end to Bruendor. "Be hurrying and climb up!" he yells. "Giant friend Lefrik Olegson also, while Calla keeps busy! Healer-girl, please to hurry and come over!"
AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 18
Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +9
CMD 14
HP 29/29
Divine retribution (DC 13) 6/6; Judgments 1/2
Arrows: 0/18; cold iron arrows 0/20; bolts 5/20
Spells: 3/4 (first-level); 1/2 (second level)
Effects: bless
"Just die already, you stupid beast!" Calla growls as she casts the spell for the last time.
"Lefrik, get out of the water, it's not safe!" Kel bounces across the bridge after imparting her crucial wisdom, but does not step off the far side of the span, instead opting to keep the bridge in existence as she keeps her feet upon it and her morningstar at the ready.
"Is Brue safe yet?" Lefrik said grunting in pain
As Anklebiter moved to tie off the rope, Bruendor grabbed the trailing end and pulled himself along and out of the water. Gasping at the effort and bleeding from a dozen small wounds, the dwarf lay there and didn't seem to want to re-enter the fight. Not so, lefrik, who brought his axe around in a sweeping cut that took out one of the orca's eyes and left a deep gash in the side of its head. The orca screamed in pain, a scream that was drowned out by Calla's spell. For a moment, the orca fixed its remaining eye on the inquisitor, before that eye filled with blood and the light of life disappeared. The orca settled back into the water to float with a lifeless limpness.
Everyone gets 1440 XP, which puts you at 10760 and that means LEVEL 5!
Unfortunately, the drow is at the bottom of the pool, which is fairly deep.
Anklebiter falls onto his skinny bottom, toastrack chest heaving after the gruelling battle.
"That's," he squeaks, before having to pause to breathe deeply for a minute or two. "That's dinner sorted for the next few days. So. Do we scout around here some now, or do we just drag the corpses back to camp and prove there are Drow working here, maybe shock crimeboss enough so he blabs?"
Bruendor lays upon the bridge for a few moments as the orca's thrashing subsides, panting for breath. He gestures to Anklebiter to give him another minute before replying. Once his breath has returned, he sits up, still resting heavily upon his hands.
"I'd like some paperwork," Bruendor says, his voice gravelly from the shouting. "Reports. Orders. Something that suggests what they were doing here in the first place, what they were holding over Zincher, why he decided to play turncoat against the people responsible for Skyfall. A few indigo heads thrown at his feet will get his tongue to wag for certain, especially that of the priestess that's now breathing seawater. But Zincher's just the symptom of the disease - the drow are the root. Are they just looking for skymetal? Or is it something bigger than that?" He breathes in, but his lungs ache from nearly inhaling seawater, and a hacking cough doubles him over for a bit. "Damn. The answers always lead to more questions, don't they?"
"Beats having no more questions or answers for ever and ever," Anklebiter sighs as he lies down on his back. "It's a crowded life, but it beats having to show up in front of Pharasma already and going off wherever." The Goblin makes a gruesome face. "I know we talked about meeting our ancestors one day, giant friend Lefrik Olegson, but I'm really not keen on going to Basalfeyst," he confesses.
"I agree with Beardless. We need to know more about these damned drow. Once Blondie's ready for a swim again, he can dive down there and retrieve the priestess.
"That said, we may want to head back and check in with Zincher's camp, and rest and recover ourselves. That was a bloody fight."
Lefrik seems to lose all his energy, and must quite literally drag himself out on the shore, "I need... I need a few moments. Never had the berserk on me that long before. Then I'll go get the priestess"
As the group gets its wits back together, Calla stashes her bow and looks around the bodies that she can get to, as well as the rest of the cave.
"Maybe we'll get lucky and find some of that paperwork for you, Maser Treasurer, she says, her voice dripping with scorn on the one word.
After a few minutes of wheezing, Anklebiter sits up and knuckles his eyes.
"I'll help," he offers. "I'll help. Let's see what the dead have on them..."
Minky, who has just finished shaking herself dry, also starts searching the dead Drow. Just monkey-see, monkey-do, surely.
Surely...
From the middle platform, Calla stoops to search the bodies of the drow guards, while waiting for Lefrik to recover enough to dive for the drow female's corpse. She looks down to see the dark cloud of ink and blood in the water slowly dissipating, as the currents wash it away. A red smear still leaks from the gashes in the orca's body, and it is drawing smaller fish to feed on the great hunter.
She doesn't find much on the drow guards' bodies, other than their armor, weapons, and personal possessions. If there is any more evidence around, it is likely on the female's person, or stashed away somewhere.
Looking around, she sees a pile of supplies for building and maintaining a shelter, and maybe a few other things (M5 on the round 11 map). It is about 10' below the middle platform, and there is a net attached to a block and tackle that allows someone to move the supplies up to the other platforms.
On the highest platform (I8), Calla found a small chest, unlocked, containing six potion vials, three of which are the medium blue associated with cure moderate wounds potions. Looking up, she saw a hammock on a ledge by the waterfall (C6), about 50 feet above the water's surface. Below the hammock, she can just make out the curved wooden surface of a trunk lid.
each drow guard (4 here) has
"Looks like we've got some nice supplies," Calla says. "But that chest may have what we're really looking for. Anyone want to see if they can get up there?"
She'll try to identify the three potions that don't seem to be curatives, at the same time replenishing her supply of bolts .
After recovering, Lefrik goes back into the water, and looks about for the priestess
Kel stumbles to keep up with the whir of activity around her. Just moments ago the barbarian and dwarf were gasping for life, now the group was abuzz with climbing and swimming and searching. Not sure where to help, Kel keeps her eyes and ears open for any other threats approaching the party.
After Anklebiter calls her close and mutters something to her, Minky chitters, then gradually makes her way over to the hammock (if she can), clambering along the wall until she gets to the designated spot. Before leaping onto the box, though, the monkey gives it a suspicious look.
Bruendor starts walking up the side of the wall next to the waterfall on the side opposite Minky using his magic slippers. "Well, well, a sea chest. Bet this is where their leader bunked. Let's see what you've got for me..." He kneels down next to the trunk, carefully searching it for security.
"Is waiting moment for Minky to finish!" Anklebiter yells. "Let her look for magic traps, please!"
Lefrik finds swimming easy enough, though he hopes he hasn't lost the body as it IS pretty deep.
The water is cold and deep, but Lefrik had no real problems finding the body of the drow female in the fairly clear water. However, the salt stung his eyes, and as he grabbed the armored body, he realized that the swim to the surface was going to be difficult. The barbarian's lungs were straining with the need for air as he broke the surface and slung the drow's body up onto the shore. It was immediately apparent that the drow would be an excellent source of loot, as she was loaded with valuables.
Meanwhile, Minky and Bruendor raced up the far wall of the cavern, towards the ledge with the hammock. It was a close race, with the monkey just barely beating out the dwarf on the climb. She sat there staring at the sea chest with very much the same manner as Bruendor, as the dwarf tried to discern if there were any traps on the chest. Seeing none, Bruendor reached to open it, and was halted by Anklebiter's shout. Cautiously, he moved his hand back and looked at the monkey.
Minky answered by jumping up on the sea chest, and back off again. Satisfied, Bruendor checked the lock and was surprised to find it open. Inside was a set of nice looking clothing, atop which sat a silver scroll tube and a set of ostentatious jewelry. Beside that was a bundle of three books, wrapped in silk. underneath all of this, creating a think layer on the bottom of the chest, are many fist-sized chunks of noqual.
Chest
Drow
"Little help here..." Lefrik coughs and slaps the drow female's body onto the shore. Before sitting down and taking another breather.
"Use rope, do!" Anklebiter replies, swinging the rope, still secured to shore, in Lefrik's direction. "I can't pull you out, but this should help."
It's amazing how welcoming a Goblin grin can bem once you're used to it. Once Lefrik is safely on shore, Anklebiter re-stows the rope, and mutters a quick cantrip over the dead Drow woman and all the found items.
wand of CLW, 32 charges
scroll - could not id
+1 banded mail
+1 buckler
+1 flail
cloak of resistance +1
Calla takes a close look at the potions and, when Anklebiter can't figure it out, the scroll.
Frustrated at her inability to recognize the spells on her own, Calla resorts to a quick prayer, asking her goddess for a little help.
"My thanks anklebiter."
The barbarian eyes the gems, "These are pretty enough to impress... and lighter than coin to boot. Handy." He also admires the weapons, "I'm no smith, but magic aside, much of this is fine quality. Are all dark elves so well outfitted? My people need to hear of this so we can raid them."
Anklebiter duly shares his findings with the others. Of course. ^^
As soon as Bruendor has (somehow) managed to get the seaman's chest down to the ground and Anklebiter spots the book, his eyes go as wide as they can and he gently, almost reverently takes one out (after scanning them with Detect Magic for runic traps and such, of course).
"This probably proof what we need," he says, confidently, as he starts to scan the pages.
"Let us move quickly and leave this place before more indigos return. Time is still slipping away and the ship will not wait for us." Though her eyes keep going to the treasure, Kel is eager to return to the mainland.
Of the three books in the silk wrappings, Anklebiter can tell that one is written in common, one in standard undercommon, and one is the strange dialect of undercommon that Depora's journal was written in.
The book in common was titled Thoughts on Varisian Customs and was very well-read. The bent corners and tattered binding spoke of hard use and frequent re-readings. It was also fairly common. Anklebiter had seen several copies of this book in various libraries, including one at the Cyphermage Guild during his visit there.
The first undercommon book was easy enough to puzzle out. From the sketches and descriptions, it was a bestiary on underdark creatures, titled Tsalkaena's Bestiary. Many different forms of abberations and oozes were detailed in the book.
The third book was more difficult to read, largely because of the spidery handwriting and the strange dialect. Like Depora's journal, it had entries of one to several paragraphs, each fronted by a date. The first dated back to a time decades ago, and the most recent only yesterday. Skimming through the journal, Anklebiter learned the name of their latest foe, Shindiira. The journal told of Shindiira's acceptance into House Azrinae, and her mentorship, close relationship with, and finally burning hatred toward Depora.
A wizard by the name of Nolveniss is named, a leader of the drow at a base in Celwynvian, and her desire to have him as her consort. Her plan appeared to be to return to Celwynvian with noqual and akatas - the drow name for the purple not-lions, apparently - and use the wealth and influence to garner his favor. Ankjlebiter's eye catches the word Shin'Rakorath - the group that their friend and occasional patron Kwava belongs to - in the midst of a tirade on interlopers and surface elf meddlers.
Towards the end of the journal, the tone changes from a personal record to a scientific one, detailing the scientific observations of the strange meteorological events preceding the falling star, the impact itself, and the developments afterward. Her gloating tone when writing of bewitching Clegg Zincher to use his merry band of cutthroats for her ends was almost dripping from the pages of the journal. More importantly, Shindiira wrote of something called the Armageddon Echo, but ominously left out any description or details.
There are more pages than Anklebiter can reasonably read in the flickering light in the cave, however. Still, the bits of information he picked up would be useful to piece together what is happening.
"Okay," the Goblin says after his speed-reading session, "okay." He does not look okay, however. If anything, he looks queasy and uncomfortable. "This is what I've read so far..."
In accentless Common, the little Wizard outlines everything he's read for the others. "So, the first book means they're infiltrating," he says, "learning local custom so they can fit in, somehow. The stupid Drow were planning to move those not-lions, the 'akatas', off-island. If we haven't gotten all of them, we need to find the remaining ones and stop them. Or possibly they were planning to use Zincher to transport the horrible beasts? That would make her bewitching him make more sense.
House Azrinae again... Must be a Drow House. This Armageddon Echo... I really don't like the sound of it. I need more time to study this book, but... Barghests' bowels, what do we do now? Where is Celwynian? I don't think I ever heard of it. If Zincher's a victim of the Drow, we need to break the spell on him. I don't like him being alive, but killing him might cause too much chaos in camp. Only I'm not sure I can break the effect. I mean, I've been studying towards a Dispelling incantation, but what was put on Zincher might be beyond my power. Or it might need a stronger spell. Ugh..."
The Goblin's ears droop. "Might be enough to get right hand-man infilitrator on our side, though, this book." He somehow manages to look even more hangdog. "I thought there were supposed to be clues about how they called down the stone from space here that we could use to stop them from doing it again," he mumbles.
"Akatas... so that's the damned name for those twisted abominations," Lefrik listens to Anklebiter. While not an idiot, Lefrik is well aware the goblin has a mind quick to grasp. However, this time, while his friend comprehends, even he sounds stumped.
"Your idea of hunting the Akatas, the not-lions, is good. I hate those things and worry about becoming a monster, but it's a good idea to stop them all. As for this Celwynian.... if we know not where it is, Maybe other older races would be of help. Elves surely know more of their dark cousins than we. With the evidence we have, they'd certainly believe us and perhaps share some lore? If not them, the dwarves?" He glances cautiously at Bruendor on that, knowing that might bring up some pain for him. "Or the 'right hand infiltrator' might know more if we do get him. Hopefully, whatever the source, we'll find more answers and I can get back to hitting things."
"If he's ensorcelled at all," Bruendor replies. "There are ways to entrance a man that have nothing to do with matters arcane. Wealth. Sex. Power. A skilled puppet master needs only find the right string, and they'll dance to whatever tune you wish."
He places a hand upon the dejected goblin's shoulder. "It's not a total loss, AB. It would have been disastrous if the indigos got the notlions off the island. Also, we've spoiled their work here. Apparently, her job was to research everything about Skyfall - before, during, and after. That means that while the drow know how to do this, this was just a test run. They're not even sure what would happen. And now we've denied them these reports. We can get that back to Riddleport and work with the Ciphermages to figure out the warning signs, maybe even figure out what this Armageddon Echo is. We may have bought some time before they can do this again."
"But the next step is Zincher. Do we trust Erix? He says he's a Sable Marine, but he also claims he bashed a little girl's head in. He's playing Zincher for sure, but is he playing us as well?"
"I meant we should hunt any remaining Drow, giant friend Lefrik Olegson," Anklebiter says, his ears perking up a bit as Bruendor puts a hand on his shoulder. "The Akatas are bad, but they're not scheming to crash stars into the world. We just need to make sure no one comes to this accursed island unless they're properly armed for the hunt; then they'll keep until later."
The Goblin slowly nods at Bruendor's words. "Yeah. Yeah, we did something good. Okay. Alright. We should go home with this stuff and work further. Except... dare we trust the Cyphermages? The Drow were in Riddleport for a long time. If I'd been running that operation -- and here I'm not thinking like a Goblin, but someone who's smart about conquest -- I'd have tried to get agents everywhere, so I'd know if anyone was close to mucking up my plans.
We should definitely tell Kwava, though. The Drow hate his outfit, I could see that in these writings. That's as good a character reference as we're going to get right now.
As for telling right-hand infiltraitor... Why not? Whatever he's playing, he'll take Zincher out of the equation once he has this evidence. If sneak-thieves see him doing it, then we get less backlash. Hopefully."
Anklebiter scratches himself behind an ear.
"Hrmmm... Calla? Is that right? You're better at thinking sneakily than I."
"Seems more likely the drow may be hunting us before long. They'll want back what we've taken and they know this island better than us. Everyone on this star blasted rock is here for money or power, let's haul as much star metal as possible out of here and find Kwava. We need allies and we need more information before we take on foes from the underdark or mercenaries trying to capture akata for them." Kel starts to pout, then remembers her manners and composes herself, "Though, to be fair, I would like to see Zincher dealt with before we leave, he is a bad man regardless of whatever drow enchanted him here on this island and it would be a service to Riddleport to prevent his return to the city."
"I think the first thing is to find Zincher, and try to break whatever spell is on him. While Beardless is right -- there are lots of ways to subvert someone -- hopefully 'bewitching' means she did use magic. We can break that. And then maybe Zincher will be of some use to us, if he escapes the Sable Guard -- the enemy of my enemy is my friend. If he doesn't escape them, maybe they'll turn out to be of some help to us.
"I think we need to make sure we've wiped out the whole drow infestation here before we leave the island, though."