I will have my bow along just in case but will take my dagger as well. It is not magical and am afraid that I will not be much help in many combats underwater. Still we must explore this area so let us not linger to find what Torag has set before us.
Sven has learned quite a bit the last few days. He will point out deep, dark shadows toward the middle of the lake where the sunken ruins of the ancient temple lie. The lake’s overall depth is about 40 feet, and the uppermost stones of the ruins rest no more than a yard below the surface. The lakeshore is rocky and shallow, extending about 4 yards out before steeply dropping off to the lake bottom.
Before goin in, Sven prayed...
Ondek casts a few spells of protection before looking into the water with a frown.
"I suppose it's just a little dip, in and out. Let's be on our way, then, eh?"
Great blocks hedge in the walls of this room, sealing it from the outside. Lake minnows dart briskly through cracks in the walls. The floor is covered with small indentations filled with silt, detritus, and pebbles.
+2 vs unusual stonework
"Hey, those are ancient giant bones lying there among the silt." He points.
Know nature
Those depressions in the rock are fish nests. Not sure if there would weaken the stones themselves but we are better off swimming above them and not disturbing them if possible. Also not sure what type of fish they are.
Take on swim checks for 14
If those are giant’s bones down here we need to be on the watch for what could take on a giant in the first place. Something that big might just swallow one of us before we realize it.
"Wouldn't be a good joke on Torag's part to send us all the way here just to get ate up by a fish." Sven remarked.
"I doubt it would be that simple, Sven. More likely, something with tentacles and beaks and all sorts of ugly stuff will show up."
After being assured that he can breathe underwater, Rask quips "onward we go" and with Kiln heads off into the lake.
As you contemplate the fish nests, a huge gar swims out of one and attacks Kurag!
Sven felt ashamed that, despite his best efforts, he had not seen the creature approach. Hastily he made the motions needed to summon an ethereal spear, covered in runes holy to Torag. With a thought he sent it stabbing out at the gar.
Without much else to do Kurag maintains his position and hopes that the others are able to attack the fish quickly. He tries to inflict some damage in return but knows that it is paltry compared to what the fish does.
Dagger flank for
Iterative for
Swinging Agrimmosh twice at the creature, Rask looks positively upset with the slowness and clumsiness of his attack.
"I really should have paid better attention during Evocation classes. These monsters just don't care about my charming demeanor."
Ondek casts a spell, causing a swirl of runes to form around the giant fish, turning counterclockwise in a spiral as it seems to slow and tick down like a clock running out of spring.
Sven damages the creature and so does Kurag! Rask, despite being underwater, still delivers a blow!
The Gar seems slowed.
The gar will try to bite Kurag again.
It misses.
Amazed that he actually hit the creature last time, Rask tries harder and manages to connect both times, although Agrimmosh does not do as much damage as it normally would.
Sven swam into a position to provide a flank to his companions and willed his spiritual weapon to attack once more.
Thanking the dwarven gods for the fact that the gar missed Kurag attacks twice hoping that enough little puncture wounds will drive it away.
dagger flank for
iterative for
The assault guts the fish into pieces!
Holding his shield in front of him and shouldering Agrimmosh, Rask looks at Kurag and mouths, "which way?"
Kiln smiles,"We dwarves do not usually eat much of fish, but I will make an exception if someone knows how to cook the stupid thing."
Thanks for taking that fish out so soon. I will definitely gut this and we can eat it. First though I need to heal up.
Kurag pulls his wand of healing out and activates it.
Cure light
Survival to gut fish
Much better. Ok now where to next?
Perception as they move onward
"Onward together. We explore these waters until we find the entrance to the warrens that we have been tasked with purging." Sven said. It felt odd to talk under water. While clearly a blessing from Torag, it still felt unnatural.
An odd stone structure that looks like a set of terraced rings, stacked from largest to smallest, stands in the center of this room. Inside the rings lies a pile of smooth, polished stones covered with dead leaves and sticks.
Kurag takes a quick look around for any traps or foes before entering further in.
perception
If it is all clear then he moves in with the others. Any idea why all these rings are stacked like this? The round pebbles make sense as they are eroded from the water till they are smooth. Still doesn't explain their positioning though.
"A trap to catch curious dwarves!"
Rask also looks at the stones and tries to figure out what the stones are also.
"Could be the best of that big fish, I know some smaller swimmers build little pebble nests to protect their eggs. As for the rings, I have no idea."
Ondek casts detect magic and moves up closer behind the others.
Once Ondek gives the reason for it Kurag accepts it as fact and leaves it alone. No need to disturb it further after being attacked by 1 fish already. If that is the case then let’s keep moving then.
”Odd. Certainly not Dwarven work. The quality is too low. But it seems intentional. Let’s push forward.”
Ondek detects a slight aura of evocation.
"There's an aura of evocation, could be a trap, or some kind of light source. Gimme a second and I'll examine further."
Ondek swims towards the aura and spends the time to identify it, if possible.
?
"Good eyes." Sven said. "Does any here have the training to disable traps, mundane or otherwise?"
"I do, but it's a bit of a brute force method."
Yes I can but I did not detect any traps when I first looked. I can check again though to be safe.
Perception
"Fascinating. I would wager the stones can be useful, if we can only figure out how to use them. Perhaps there is a key or talisman to initiate the magic? Or some runes or trigger somewhere? Keep your eyes open, there must be something around here."
"It's a fountain, you have to drink from it," Kiln says with a smile.
Rask looks around the room to see if he can find anything that might trigger whatever it is that the stones do.
Kurag starts to laugh at the stoic dwarf’s words. You do realize a fountain underwater isn’t that useful. Perhaps if we haul it up to the surface then you can drink from it.
"We're getting distracted. If we don't know how to use it, we don't know. Let's push on."