"Arrrrrrr.. spears from the water! attack."
Jord smashes down with all his might at his attacker
The doctor focuses on evading the creatures' spears as he pulls out an extract and quaffs it.
As he uses the hand holding the wall to drink the extract, he slips into the water, but an instant later seems to be paddling expertly.
Slashing down with his cutlass, whilst still gripping the wall tightly with his other hand, Morgan manages to land a solid blow. Being back amongst his favoured terrain seeming to relax him and allow his skills to shine.
After their ambush Sejanus reacts quickly but in his haste misses his target. Water boils and hisses as the fireball hits it instead of the creature.
The 3 surrounding Reinald are the first to retreat in this ambush hit and run. They are too fast to hit as they use their tentacles to jet away. As you all slash at them before they can get away, only Morgan kills one with his cutlass. The body goes limp and sinks. Where its new grave is you see a hat caught in the seaweed. You recognise it as Sanadara's Tricorne hat. This must be where the creatures have taken your friend and crew.
These creatures are quite weak but intelligent and are using their home terrain for surprise and their ability to jet away quickly to avoid extended combat in guerrill hit and run tactics.
Reinald amazed at their speed as they jet away picks up Sandara's hat and hans it to Jerieth and nods solemnly. "We need to keep pressing count on alert enemies."
"Let's try the passage to the north. They all look equally cramped and soggy."
"Hold ya horses there, they be using hit an' run tactics on us. Bit like those natives on... hmm now where was it. Anyway they will continue to strike from cover and run, just chipping away at us, wearing us down. We need to get them on terrain that suits us, but not so much they won't attack. I say at the next attack we don't try and fight 'em off. Instead we try and grab one, then we make him squeal on territory that suits us, maybe a cave with no weed. Hopefully they will come for their mate and wallop. Alternatively we tuck our wounded and weaker members in the middle and try to charge on through."
"Hard to move swiftly through terrain where some of us can barely move at all." the doctor says as he puts away the extract he was about to drink before the attackers vanished.
"I don't disagree tactically Morgan. But they have bait we need and we seem to be lacking such bait."
Responding to Dr Genade with a wicked grin that exposes the teeth that have given him his nickname and an exaggerated wink, Morgan says "And that means we should go with my first plan!" as Reinald responds, Morgan ponders for a brief moment. "Ok Cap'n you 'ave a point, but if we make it our plan to grab one when they next attack rather than fight them off, then we will have bait."
"This implies that they care for their own." Reinald looks at Jerieth, "Do you have means to swim invisible. Thus risking a scouting mission. How bout you Doc. We are walking blind. If fish lay a thousand eggs how bout squid-goblins?"
Jord checks and sees a few are injured.. "I'm going to do a healing blast looks like all are close enough."
"That did fer me and not much else.."
He then casts cure light wounds on Morgan and Genade
"These creatures are outside of my area of expertise. I am in favor of catching one, if only so I can study it." the doctor says, "I don't have anything for invisibility, sadly. I do have an extract that should help one swim for a few minutes. Ahh, thank you, Jord."
"If it be scoutin' ye be wantin' I can turn a hand to that, an' water be my home, so I knows me way around it. Which way would ya like me to look?"
Once Reinald points out their route, Morgan moves forward. Even struggling to adjust to the odd currents within the caves, Morgan is able to stay quiet and alert due to his natural abilities.
"I was hoping our girl who can breath the brine might be able to cast a spell that would hide her from sight. Its one thing to sneak its another to be invisible. Especially after they know we are here."
Reinald raises an eyebrow at the freebooter's skill. He looks to the others and quietly mentions "We will give him a lead but keep back 20 paces or so. Lets all make an attempt at the quiet."
Jerieth takes Sandara's hat from Reinald. "She has to be down here. We keep finding traps like they want us here. I just hope she is still alive."
Jerieth is able to scout ahead too but she does not have any spells to help her stay hidden. She doesn't see anything hidden in the next large room. There does appear to be some lost treasures on the bottom 10ft. down among the seaweed. Among the countless smaller skeletal fetishes here are a scrimshawed hammerhead shark skull with a piece of driftwood thrust through it. There is also an ivory walrus tusk set with gold with a scrimshawed map of the Shackles and a curious harp made from the jaw of an orca set with pearls. Many victims have fallen prey to these creatures over time.
You don't see any of the creatures.
"Good work. Not what we sought." He frowns not willing to equate this haul with the lives of the crew missing. "But . . .its shiny.
"But in the event of their untimely demise, it will provide comfort to assuage our bereavement. Northward, ho."
Yes.. North.. as he looks around trying to figure out North.. and then moves forward delaying to make sure a fightery type is leading or at least beside him.
Reinald nods to Jord offering the reassurance he seeks and continues on with the search.
Spears come at you from out of the seaweed again and from the other underwater tunnels. 2 flank Morgan and hit him, others hit Reinald and Sejanus.
Sejanus tries his best to hit the creatures with a ball of fire.
Attack 9 vs touch AC
Fire damage 8
Slashing his cutlass in a heavy blow, Morgan is distracted by the second enemy at the last minute and his blow misses it's mark.
"Again!" Genade slashes at the nearest goblin-thing. "We need to find their nest, force a final confrontation."
Reinald slices out toward one of the squid things and follows with a slam from his buckler.
Jerieth, Jord and Genade each kill one of the creatures as the remaining 4 jet away again. Their hit and run tactics don't seem to be slowing you down. Their number is now halved and they don't seem to want to ambush you again. The space you are in narrows slightly before widening into a second area, narrowing again and widening into another area and still the creatures stay away from you.
Jord will use a channel energy when he can make sure it'll hit only his people
"Are they falling back or drawing us in? Not sure if it matters. Keep ready. Jerieth keep track of what's going underwater."
"They will give up. They are stupid, but not terminally stupid. They are losing members and we are still whole. Press on! We cannot let their mewling slow us down."
Morgan nods at Jord as he feels the healing energy wash over him. "Aye, well as the Cap'n says, unless they are lulling us into a false sense of security. But let's get goin' an' find out."
Jord will follow after Morgan..at a distance.. letting anyone who wishes go infront of him, he is not stealthy so he will just keep an eye out and attempt to not stymie Morgans stealthiness.
"Lets keep up the pressure on em and bash skulls til they break." he says with a sweep of his morning star
Reinald keeps moving as before.
On entering the next area, Morgan notices a heavy spiked iron grille, cleverly disguised with barnacles and aquatic plants, hanging from the ceiling of the chamber, poised to fall on intruders and trap them beneath the water. Whatever triggers it is likely hidden in the seaweed below the water.
"Clever little monsters." thew doctor mutters, "I believe I could take that down. Shall I?"
Reinald keeps watch for enemies while the Dr opperates.
"I can 'elp. Let me get my tools."
Morgan pokes around in the seaweed until he spots the release mechanism.
Jord stands guard as they work ready to intercept any attackers
"All right then, everyone stand out of the way."
With Morgan's assistance, he finds and disables the tripwire, then eases the heavy grate down from the ceiling.
With Morgan's help Genade deactivates the grate and it sinks to the bottom. The creatures will have to go to great effort to set it back up again. Now you can safely cross the room and continue your search. As you come to the end of the room Sejanus happens to look back and see 2 of the creatures looking towards you. Possibly they wished to see if their trap had had any effect. They don't advance and look ready to flee at the first sign of aggression. Have they learnt their lesson or are they waiting for something else.
The tunnel ahead of you opens into a wider cavern decorated with hundreds of leering skeletal parts, wriggling with worms. Four dark circular openings exit the chamber.
"Well done, good doctor. I suggest we go to the left. No particular reason, but we have to go somewhere."
"Thanks." Genade replies. "Let's get moving. I want out of this hole."
"Good job and worms.. gah.. .. which way do you want to go." says Jord peering about
"Are we sure that was a trap for us comin' this way and not to stop something else coming the other way? I'm telling you this place is cursed against us, but if movin' on will get us out of here. Let's go left"
Morgan heads forward, blade in hand and trying to stay quiet stepping over the bones.
As you wade through the tunnel into the worm covered cave, Morgan sees a shape in the water move. It is some sort of large tentacled creature like an octopus but with only 7 tentacles and it seems more savage and cruel. You can definitely detect intelligence in its eyes.
This is a Devilfish. A fiendish creature thought to have originally inhabited the Abyss. It likes to grapple its prey in its long barbed tentacles and then bite them to inject its strength sapping poison to further weaken its prey. It can also emit a black cloud of liquid that only it can see through. It is resistant to cold and can see in darkness. Its only weakness is that it will start to suffocate after a couple hours out of water.
Reinald moves to the opening (just in front of Sharky). He draws his crossbow as he moves and fires a bolt at the evil looking fish.
"I believe that's a devilfish!" the doctor remarks in wonder, "It will try to grab you, and it's bite is venomous!"
He takes out a vial and drinks it. A subtle transformation takes over his body. His muscles tighten like a line holding a sail against a storm, and his eyes take on a feral gleam. He then wades out out in front of Morgan, beside Reinald, drawing his dagger.
DEX 21, WIS 6, AC22 T17 FF16 CMD19, Reflex +9, Will 0
Seeing the beast, Morgan stops to sheathe his cutlass. " That foul beast isn't even one of Besmara's, fill it full of holes. Gang up on it and carve it into calamari."
Jord will cast Divine Favour on himself (+2 th and dmg)
"Mighty Kurgess aid me in my impending struggle against this big fish o doom!."