Rikar digests all that Misha relates, then quickly concurs with Josef's suggestion, "Yep, no rush to let that thing loose again. Let's go for a swim."
”I have never swum through flooded caverns at the base of a mountain filled with hostile humanoids and giant sharks before. Should be fun!”
Therena does the afore-mentioned casting and prepares to dive in, checking the tightness of her scroll case.
Misha nods at the group, then ensures the tablet is in her haversack's main compartment. When they get ready to enter the water, she casts good hope on the party, and freedom of movement on herself. She also gratefully accepts the water breathing from Therena.
She also casts alter self to turn herself into an undine or aquatic elf or similarly swimming-efficient humanoid.
Mishas tale holds telmans attention and curiousity as he tries to wrap his mind around the power she is describing. "Agree, an easy choice to stay far away from such an evil. Let sleeping dragons lie."
Still nervous about the next leg of their adventure he prepares to enter the waters with his companions.
Deciding to not open the sealed tomb, Misha puts the tablet back into her haversack, and the group returns to the watery area that you left a day ago. Crossing the first area of water is just as easy as the last time since the water elementals have left the area. Preparing for the water crossings to come, Misha changes into an aquatic elf, and others cast spells on the group.
Now that you have crossed into the central area, you see that the bodies of the sahuagin are no longer there. Rikar investigates, and finds tracks of other sahuagin came and retrieved the bodies. You now have a choice, go into the "temple" area and try and swing thru the tunnel which seems to go to the larger central area. Go into the central area directly and it looks like there is an exit to the east from there. Or finally go to the nearest watery area, where there also seems to be an exit to the east.
"Makes sense to me, Josef," Rikar concurs. "Let's cut the head off first if we can."
"Sounds like a plan. Maybe Therena can use her summon spells to help block them from flanking us."
+2 Underground
+12 Underground
vs Touch AC R19, M13, L18
Moving to the area where the structure is below the water, spells are cast, and the group moves into the water, and moves towards the structure. The structure is a simple one, open and with an altar. You see three of the sahuagin there. As the water covers your heads, and you round a bend, the three creatures see you and react.
Casting a spell, and holding hands ready, the three clerics move up and reach out to touch Rikar, Misha and Latys. Both Rikar and Latys are touched, while the one on Misha misses.
Therena touches Rikar, granting him a bit of luck, waiting to see how the battle goes before committing further resources.
Rikar resists much of the damaging effects of the spell, then deals some mighty damage in return!
Latys also resists the sahuagin's spell, then claws and bites at the nearest foe!
Misha, free to move as she likes with her spell and swimming as well as an aquatic elf, tumbles through the water to try to get to the other side of the yellow-wearing sahuagin, issuing a under-water-burbled "Tally-ho!"
If she gets to the other side safely, she whips out her swords and jabs at the priest with Super Slice.
vs AC 30 Rikar
vs AC 32 Latys
vs AC 24 Misha
Even though both of the sahuagin managed to touch Rikar and Latys, their tough constitution was able to shrug off most of the damage.
In return, Rikar swings at the sahuagin in front of him, damaging it it severely, and Latys obliges the creature in front of it, however he just manages to not trip the creature. Josef holds his weapon ready, and reads a spell from a scroll, and is surrounded by a shimmering globe that makes him harder to hit. Therena provides Rikar with a bit of luck on his attacks and then stands back as she sees the ranger and his cat shred the opposition. Misha tumbles thru the sahuagin space in front of Rikar and then stabs it in the back. Telman watches in amusement as he knows his bow skills are not as potent underwater, and besides Rikar, Latys and Misha are handling it quite nicely.
The three sahuagin continue to attack the three they tried to touch, one hitting Rikar with a claw, one hitting Latys with a rear claw rake, and the middle one clawing and biting Misha hard.
Rikar cuts down the closest sahuagin in a blast of flame, then switches his attacks to the next foe!
Latys continues to claw and bite at her scaly opponent!
Therena casts a spell, and everybody finds themselves moving much more quickly.
Misha turns and swings both blades at the sahuagin that bit her, infusing her blades with mystic power.
vs AC 30 Rikar
vs AC 32 Latys
Rikar's first swing, critically kills the sahuagin in front of him, and he switches to the middle one, and severely wounds it. Latys continues to bite the one on the left flank, even trying to trip it, but the creature seems to be untrippable while underwater. Josef stands and watches the rest of the group bring down the sahuagin. Therena casts haste on the group. Misha uses the haste to good effect as she turns on the same one Rikar swung at and almost brings it down. Telman holds up with arrows, knowing that underwater is not his best area to be firing them.
The two remaining sahuagin attack Rikar and Latys, with only one of the rear claw rakes scratching Rikar. Josef and Telman just smile while waiting for the front line to finish off the creatures.
Therena also floats back and lets the warriors do their thing.
In a flash of steel and fire - mostly visible as steam boiling off his scythe's blade here in the sahuagin's watery lair - Rikar kills the remaining foes with a single cut to each!
With two simple swings of his scythe, Rikar kills the last two sahuagin.
Searching the altar area, you find a small room, that contains:
an incredibly old ivory scepter, probably of Athan origin but a bit primitive (135 gp); an obsidian short sword with some silver encrustations (200 gp); a silver and gold burial mask, with the moon carved on its cheeks (460 gp); a great pearl necklace (1,050 gp); and a single, disembodied hand made of pure jade (600 gp), obviously broken off from a larger statue; the hand is not quite humanoid so the nature of the statue is a mystery.
There is an underwater tunnel that you believe leads to the next area on your map.
Misha searches the area carefully to be sure they got everything.
She examines the items they did find with detect magic and tries to identify them if they are magic, as well as uses her bardic training () to see if any of the items have any historic or mission-based significance (like the scepter).
Misha searches the area thoroughly, but other than the small room containing what you have already found, there is nothing else on the platform / altar to find.
Telman does his best to help with the search, trying to make up for how ineffective he was in the fight. I hope we get out of this gods-forsaken water soon...
After confirming no magical properties, Misha assembles the items after being examined into Josef's bag of holding.
She suggests they go northeast.
Rikar gives Josef a grin and a nod, then goes before Misha to the northeast.
Therena casts some healing spells.
That should put all three at full health.
Only because Rikar is going out of his way to stay ahead of Misha, rather than move forward at point because he always does, Misha responds to such paternalistic nonsense by casting invisibility on herself with her wand and then using her acrobatic skill and finned arms and legs to get ahead of him. He can distinctly feel the ripples as she blows a raspberry at him as she passes. Of course anyone can roughly make out her outline as her movements cause the water to vibrate, but she hopes she makes her point.
On an entirely different note, by the way Misha took time before entering the water to pin her hat to her head so of course she could continue to wear it without losing it while swimming.
Rikar notes the presence of something rippling past him in the water, and figures it must be the recently-vanished Misha. I hope Mishinika doesn't lose her hat, he thinks to himself, she'd never find it down here. I wonder what that little buzzing, rippling sound was?
Therena swims after Rikar, thoroughly enjoy By these new sensations...though secretly quite glad to have the endure elements spell going, as she suspects this water is only just above freezing.
Therena provides some needed healing to the three wounded warriors, and everyone is enjoying full health after the battle. Misha stows everything in the haversack, and all begin to move thru the underground tunnel that leads them into the next area, which they discover is one of the areas reachable via the small strip of land in this waterery area.
Rikar starts out ahead of Misha, but the bard makes herself invisible and using the abilities of the aquatic elf that she has turned into, moves ahead of Rikar.
Once thru the tunnel, you find that you have some choices of where to go next. The northern most exit on the east wall goes into an area that you have not seen before, while either via another underwater tunnel or via the short land area, you can move to the next underwater area, which you remember then has a water exit also to the east.
"Well, I'm thinking we try the unexplored area through that northern exit," Rikar says. "I sure hope the invisible presence that brushed ahead of me earlier went that direction."
Hating the idea of "doubling back" but saying nothing, Telman nods his agreement.
Misha is stopped at the "crossroads" with everyone else, as is evident from the transparent blob in the water with a vaguely hat-shaped appendage treading water nearby. Being a brat does not include completely separating herself from the party.
One way or the other, you decide that it makes no difference, so Rikar leads you thru the northern exit of the watery cavern. Moving forward, you come to another watery cavern, and at the far end, is another tunnel going deeper into the area, as well as a large sahuagin, who upon seeing you, speaks, "why are you disturbing me?"
Misha whispers to the group via message, "Therena, think some of your charm might be in order..."
Therena swims forward. ”Greetings. We have no wish to disturb your peace, nor do we have quarrel with you or yours. We merely seek safe passage through your territories on our way to the old Athan City we believe lies beyond these watery tunnels. Perhaps you would be able to guide us to the shortest path and help minimize our disturbance.”
"I speak for the sahuagin god, and he does not want you to go this way. You will leave now, or you will be destroyed" and he tenses up, as if ready to attack at the slightest provocation.
Misha lets her invisibility fade away. "Is 'this way' to the Athan City? We mean no disrespect to your god. We seek out a threat that endangers both your and our people so we may end it."
"No. There were some men and their half-dragon leader that came thru here also looking for the way to the city, but it is not thru here. After god killed a few they left, and found another way, or left as they have not come back yet."