Deader's lacedon companion tears at another grindylow...
Fort:
...taint carried upon it's claw enough to cause it's muscles to stiffen and seize, letting the beast re-direct it's bite unto the larger foe...
Fort:
...who suffers some degree of intestinal discomfort from Obisyth's presence in his gut and also falls foul of the lacedon's soporific venom. He manages to groan "...Mother..." before his muscles and limbs become strained by the restrictive venom and cease to function at his command.
Nachni slays the wounded grindylow before her as Cedrick and Tindalos struggle to make an impact upon their opponents.
The witch wails with an agonized cry as her beloved son appears to die and begins to sink below the surface of the chum strewn pool. She seethes at you with hate stained eyes, singling out Deader in particular before sinking below the surface of the water and you feel a swish of motion as the witch makes a swift and direct escape from the chamber.
The few remaining grindylow put up a mockery of resistance, but are easily dealt with once their grotesquely oversize messiah has it's fattened throat slit and Obisyth cut out from it's innards. The swirling maelstrom of water is freed from enemies...
"Bye!" Deader waves cheerily.
"Ok you three, go ahead. You earned it."
The three monsters converge on the witch's massive son, dragging it's bloated carcass beneath the waves. The water churns as they pull their meal to the bottom and feed. Soon the blackened water is entirely a dark and dirty red.
"You ok, Obi?" Deader asks, genuinely concerned and apparently oblivious to the horror occurring just beneath them all.
Dozens of scrimshaw objects litter the chamber in various nooks and crannies carved into the walls. Although many of these items are merely curious, repulsive, or both, among them are the jawbone of a shark carved with scrimshaw images of a vast octopus eating whales and containing a dozen silver and gold rings hammered into it (worth 250 gp), a huge hooked tooth from some colossal sea creature with a seaweed plugged cavity containing six pearls worth 75 gp each, and a whale skull weighing 25 pounds whose scrimshaw carvings function as arcane scrolls of alter self, black tentacles, blur, color spray, daylight, enlarge person, hypnotism, slow, touch of idiocy, and vampiric touch.
In addition, eight 4-pound silver ingots each worth 20 gp. There is also four +1 heavy crossbow bolts, a silver spearhead, an iron bracelet (lesser bracer of archery), 211 sp, and 136 gp in assorted coins.
Going back through the rest of the caves you add the following to your haul: a scrimshawed hammerhead shark skull with a piece of driftwood thrust through it. The skull is worth 250 gp, while the driftwood is a wand of mirror image (23 charges). There is also an ivory walrus tusk set with gold with a scrimshawed map of the Shackles worth 400 gp, and a curious harp made from the jaw of an orca set with pearls worth 500 gp.
Sandara is suitably appreciative of your act in rescue, and freely offers her hat to you as reward. "I'd be eaten if it weren't for you... and that's enough for me to think the Drowner's blessings on ye"
Aura faint transmutation; CL 5th
Slot head; Price 2,600 gp; Weight 1 lb.
DESCRIPTION
This black leather tricorne hat is weather-beaten and saltstained. It grants its wearer a +2 competence bonus on Profession (sailor) and Swim checks.
If Besmara is your patron, once per day you can speak a command word to transform the hat into a small ship’s boat such as a cutter, jolly boat, or longboat. The boat is 20 feet long, has two pairs of oars and a single mast with a square sail, and can carry up to 12 passengers and crew. Upon command, or after 8 hours, the boat returns to hat form, dumping out any occupants.
"Yes, and here I thought this was a rescue and water-fetching mission. Not bad at all. What do you want to bet Scourge and Plugg will try to claim it? Maybe some of these things would be useful in finishing them once and for all. Shall we divvy up this loot and then see about some water?"
"There would be no reason to even make such a bet," Joneth says softly as he sheathes his daggers. "It will surprise me to no end if they do not."
The tiefling rogue moves about the place, taking a better look at this item and that, noting with some interest the general value of it all. "I see no item that really interests me, if that helps you with diving it all up."
"That's a really nice map..." Deader says appreciatively , running his fingers over the walrus tusk. "I like maps."
Obi gasps as she is cut loose from the giant aberration's gut. After she brushes the guts and other unnamable things that were in the creature's stomach.
Thank you Deader. Your friends are most useful.
When the objects are found, Obi does not see much that appears very useful to her. However, when the discussion returns to water, she speaks up.
I can both create water, and make otherwise undrinkable water safe. Thus, we should not worry about the water. More important is that we need to figure out how to get back to the boat. And we should try to find the grindylow shaman so that she is not given a chance to follow and attack us.
Obi sticks 4 goodberries into her mouth to help heal a few wounds.
If she has a chance, Obi will then dive down and try to see if the witch can be found.
Swim: <-- swim speed 15
When Obisyth emerges from the blubbery carcass, Fish rushes forward to embrace her. I'm sorry I couldn't stop it from eating you, but there is something I can do now. As Deader's minions tear the carcass apart, Fish begins to chant and sing. A moment later an fiendish creature, little more than an orb with ever-gnashing maw, appears over the bloody water. Opening it's mouth wide, the creature appears be drinking something in. Flying over to Fish, it reluctantly spits out a palm sized crystal. Handing the gem to Obisyth, Its soul.
Sensing the hat is for those of another faith, Fish accepts the hat gratefully, but asks around, Who serves the Pirate Queen? To Sandra, Fish smiles We're friends, of course we'd come for you. Do you know where you symbol is?
As the treasure is found, Fish expresses most interest in the carved skull. There's a spell on here that could handle Plugg, Scourge, and all their crew. We just need to get them together.
At Nachni's suggestion, Yes, let's get out of here.
Obi smiles as Fish hands her the soul. Unsure what exactly it is, she quickly places it into her pouch for further investigation.
Smiling back to Fish as she brushes the entrails off of her: Thank you. Clearly he did not have the guts to handle me. Guess he just could not stomach it.
Making a face, Fish laughs. That's terrible.
For the first time in hours, Deader stopped giggling. He shook his head in disappointment.
"I can wake up what's left of him so he can eat you again, you know."
About the only class that does not have it is druid. Does anyone have it as the default Tiefling spell-like power?
Having ransacked the lair of the grindylows and rescued Sandara from their grasp, you make your way back out of the sea caves and make landfall again. You rest up and despite keeping a watch are untroubled by the ship's whores that restlessly wander the isle. Trekking across the island you cast your mind back to but a couple of days ago and recall the disposition of both your jolly boat and the Man's Promise.
Sneaking to the shore where you put the vessel in you find it sitting idle upon the sand. From the tree line you gaze at the Promise and find it still at anchor in the shallows. The hole rent in it's side looks to be patched up reasonably well, but you'd wager the vessel is only middling seaworthy until it reaches drydock. From this distance you can't pick out much of what transpires on deck, but there are flitters and flecks of motion. Sails remain furled though and there is no indication that they plan to be underway imminently.
Obi looks at the others:
I believe that resting would be a wise choice. Then Fish and I can swim out. You all can follow later. We can all see quite well in the dark due to our heritage.
Obi squints as she looks out to the boat.
I can ask the powers of nature for a spell that will help fix that hole. Maybe not perfectly, but it should help.
She looks to the others:
If I ask for the spell with which I can fix the boat, then I will not be able to ask for a spell to help with out assault on the ship.
"Obi, I think we should worry about the assault first and the repairs second. As long as we don't run into another storm, we can hopefully get the ship someplace where you or someone we hire can fix it. Let's have you concentrate on spells for the attack. I do like the idea of you and Fish scouting this out. The jolly boat will be too obvious."
Fish's eyes gleam as the discussion turns to the impending death, and worse, of those who wronged her. I can make a magical armor for those that need it. Obi and I can scout the ship if that is best, or we can all head out there together, no need to worry about breathing. Up to you. Regardless, I want Scourge and Plugg alive, so at next sundown I can tear out their living souls! This is probably the most intense you've seen Fish get about anything.
"That armor sounds like a good idea Fish. I could use a little more between their pointy sticks and my precious skin." She smiles wickedly at the thought of finishing Plugg and Scourge. "Sounds like a delightful plan for Plugg and Scourge Fish. I can't wait to see them squirm on your hook."
Obi looks to the other women: We could feed them to the fish. But, I would hate to poison to poor fish.
Smiling at her friend, Fish turn to Deader, Can ghouls rise without a soul?
Looking to Fish:
If you can use your armor magic on me, I can leave my wooden armor in the boat. This will enable me to swim better and help the rest of you along.
When we get close, I shall change into a different form. Perhaps I should look like the Captain, that would probably cause Plugg and Scourge to wet their pants. Then Fish can cast Enlarge Person on me just as the boat arrives. When the jetty arrives, Nanchi can announce that we found water and able to rescue Sandra. But that Fish and I were lost in the fight with the grindylows. While you all are helping unload/load the water, I can climb up and attack from behind. Once you hear me roar, you all can attack from the front.
If you arrive after dark, some of the sailors will be asleep or drunk, which should make our job easier. Fish can hit some of them with sleep or something else to disable a few of them at the start.
"I like it. Don't forget that we have friends on board as well. I'll see if the opportunity allows me to give them a brief warning of what's up so they can help us. Not if it would endanger our plan of course."
After hearing from Nanchi, Obi looks at Fish again:
If you have that spell that allows you to speak with people from a distance, perhaps you could contact one or more of our on board friends. We know that most of them do not particularly like Plugg and his cronies.
"I have a spell like that Obi, but I would have to see them first."