The lizardman thinks for a long moment, taking in what Molly told him. Finally, he speaks in low tones, "Theesss iss ssstrange, no? All thee men gone, and only thee young and old remain...? What could cause ssuch a theeeng?"
Kasshyk seeks out the priestly woman.
"I don't know... Maybe... Someone or something must be forcing them to fight or work. Why else would they leave only children and elders?" says Molly with a worried look on her face. "They didn't seem o like me much... Maybe some sort of aquatic creatures?"
Kasshyk comes upon the Village Shrine and unless he is taking care to not be seen, a priestly woman and her followers block the way to the church up the stairs. The woman is rather plain, but her eyes hold a sharp focus.
"...You are?" She asks after perhaps a slightly too long of a stare before turning her eyes to the sea.
Kasshyk stops when the villagers block his path, and attempts to summon his rather meager tact. He bows slightly when he reaches the group, and does his best to appear non-threatening.
"Greetingsss. I am called Kasshyk. Please, do not be alarmed. I only sseek to ssspeak with one who might know of the troublesss here. I come with othersss, and we wissh to help. We have ssspoken to Nicolaius, but he would not tell usss much."
"We are humble travelers visiting town..." says Molly with a soft voice. "Where is everyone???"
"Yeah, it seems kind of fishy there's so few people here."
"That's racist." Molly replies, jokingly.
"Speciesist, at worst."
Kristeva takes a step forward the rest of the group, showing proudly the symbols of the hellknights.
A more important question is who you are and what do you know about the situation?, the sooner I get the information I need the sooner I will take care of the troubles
"The sea nurtures but is a jealous mother not to be refused when the debt comes due. Most folks have already gathered at the lighthouse for the meeting...I recommend you all to do the same."
She pauses at Kristeva's question before continuing. A flicker of emotion passing over an impassive face.
"I go by Lira and serve this town as it's pastor. All we know will be presented at the congregation. Till then I see no reason to speak further of the subject."
"Why are only able-bodied adults at the gathering? From what I've seen in the past, humans value the council of their elders as much as merfolk do."
"All the remaining residents are gathering for the congregation. With everyone's approval we shall decide this matter. In fact, I'm heading there right now. Feel free to join me."
Kristeva silently join him.
As darkness descends on Blackcove, previously unseen villagers scurry from wrecked cottages toward the lighthouse, some slowly picking their way over the slippery rocks and rising tide, while the lighthouse keeper ferries others to the structure.
When Lira leads you inside you are confronted with the remnants of Blackcove.
Tightly packed into the cramped quarters of the lighthouse are all of the villagers who remain in Blackcove. Numbering less than forty, the bedraggled assembly exudes anxiety and dismay. Their kinship is obvious, and most display the same waxy and weathered skin, thinning hair that recedes sharply to either side of a pronounced widow’s peak, and disarmingly dark purple eyes. Phlegmatic coughs echo throughout the damp, crowded room and it seems as if the community members’ constitutions have grown weak because of degeneration following too many years of isolation.
A hush falls over those assembled when you all enter and the first to break the silence appears to be the Lighthouse's keeper.
"Well, it looks like Adler found help, and here's hoping they'll be our salvation. I suppose we should tell them our troubles." He says with an nervous laugh.
Kasshyk looks about him at the sickly villagers, then ponders how to proceed for a moment. "These people do not seem to be too forthcoming, even though the lighthouse keeper just basically announced that we are here to help. Should I try and talk to them and assure them we really are here to help, or appeal to their more...basic instincts...?"
In the end, he decides to try and reason with the people before resorting to scaley intimidation. He puts on what he hopes is his least offensive expression and begins.
"Greetingsss, people of dee Black Cove. I am Kasshyk, and my companionss and I have heard of yooor troublesss. We wish to help, but theesss require eenformation. Please, allow the otherss with me to elaboorate."
Kristeva was not quick enough and The lizard spoke first.
I'm here to take care of the threats that stalk this community. That's my mission and nothing will stop me for completing it - Kristeva moves so the resolution in her face is visible for everyone nothing. Speak quickly. -Intimidate 10 for 23
The folk clearly fear the Hellknight's demands and speak quickly...
"The attacks come by Nal'Kashel, the island nearby...After Gerlach started pokin around."
"That one shouldn't have kept goin there. Dark things lurk in the ruins there. Stirring up trouble is all he did!"
"He hasn't been back in weeks..."
"To hells with him! We'd never have been in this stink if not for him!"
It is somewhat difficult to keep up with all the chatter, but Kristeva's threat has them all talking over each other.
Outside a storm has quickly formed and heavy rain pelts the lighthouse.
Kasshyk listens to the conflicting explanations of the villagers, but cannot make out their individual statements with the sheer number of them speaking coupled with his own tenuous grasp of their language. He decides to look around the lighthouse while his companions gather the information they all need.
"This storm..." Molly mutters to herself.
"Guys, can you try to calm them down and get'em to speak anythign coherent? I'll keep watch."
Molly goes to a nearby window and tries to quietly take a peek outside.
"People, people, please. The way you're squawking over one another makes you all sound like you're part seagull. Though hey, living on the coast, all those lonely nights...who knows?"
Kasshyk takes a stroll around the Lighthouse and learns that for the most part it appears the remaining villagers which are approximately three dozen have been shacking up in the admittedly huge lighthouse. The second floor is strewn with blankets, cots and other makeshift beds.
Molly observes the raging weather outdoors and to the untrained eye, most would be unaware of the growing danger outside. The merfolk notices that the water level appears to be steadily rising.
Dorian's words have great effect on the crowd and enables him to piece through all the information the folk are giving.
- Gerlach is a gillman born with the sea's gift and is an accomplished sorcerer and alchemist who, in the past, aided the town with his brews. They say his discoveries on the island drove him mad.
- The island ruins are remnants of an ancient Azlanti outpost. The villagers claim the ruins are full of old dark magic and that they themselves are descended from those who used to dwell there.
- Many villagers are gillmen like Gerlach and live beneath the waves, but they were the first to disappear when the attacks began. Several claim that Gerlach might be manipulating his people.
- Lastly the villagers, clearly won over by Dorian's charming wit, gather a small collection of treasures they've found from the sea in hopes of buying your help. The collective value is approximately 2,000 gp.
Molly calls one of her companions, never taking her eyes from the storm outside.
"You see that? The water is rising very fast. That is usually bad news for legged-folk. We should tell the villagers to move on to higher ground. This place is not safe."
Kasshyk comes to the merfolk at her beckoning, and listens to her words. He looks out to the rising waters and nods.
"You may be right..." he says after a moment.
Kasshyk makes his way back to where the remaining villagers have gathered, and informs them and the rest of the party of Molly's discovery.
One of the villagers goes to investigate the rising waters and immediately panics.
"It's hit the nine foot mark!" The villagers whip into a panic and form a crowd difficult to pass through.
Molly spots out in the waters a massive tentacle rising up and dragging a screaming fisherman under the waves. Waves wrack the shore and lighthouse as sea spray flies through the window ports.
"Uh... Guys? says Molly. "We have a problem..."
"I'd get out of here if I were you! You know, unless you want to get real friendly with a tentacle monster! I don't judge."
Kasshyk looks to see what Molly has shot at, and lingers a moment as he struggles to grasp the implications of what he is seeing.
"Iss...isss dat...?", is all he can manage to hiss before he shakes himself back to his senses. He finds the giant tentacle terrifying and unwholesome, but steels himself once more. Then the lizardman looks for some way to block the frigid waters coming through the windows, as he can see no way of striking the thing from this distance, even with his shortbow.
Kasshyk looks about the lighthouse, but alas whatever supplies that could be used to bar the windows would take far too long to secure...
Thoom!
One of the massive tentacles slams against the lighthouse, the impact causing everyone to lose their footing.
"What manner of abomination is this?!" Kristeva yells as she regains her footing.
It's difficult to lose your footing when you have no foot.
Kasshyk reels from the impact, trying to remain on his feet and form a plan.
"Hah! It will take a much larger member than that to make me fall to my knees!"
Blackcove's citizenry cry out for absolution and the panicked crowd are thrown about.
"Seas forgive us for whatever transgression we have caused!" Lira cries out sobbing in a impromptu prayer circle, joined in arms by her acolytes.
Molly's arrows flew out across the waters but the distance makes it difficult to tell if they had any effect on whatever colossal beast still hidden beneath the waves is wreaking havoc on Blackcove.
A feeling of dread hangs in the air as the survivors cower in fear of the next attack.
"So... That thing can't be friendly..."
"You can do it! Go for it! Yeaaaaah!" Dorian yells. Everybody feels their spirits lift.
When you look back, you notice Dorian is considerably further away from the monster with bow in hand.
Suddenly, three tentacles come writhing into the Lighthouse. One from the stairwell and two from windows across from each other. The survivors break into a panic once again and might act unexpectedly.
One tentacles appears to have been previously wounded from an arrow planted in it.
One of the tentacles grabs a villager and the other tentacles attempts to snatch Kasshyk!
But the wary Lizardfolk fends it off!
Kristeva moves to try to cut free the villager grappled by the tentacle.
And cuts the tentacle apart with ease! The stump shrivels back out of the Lighthouse.
Kasshyk does crazy things:
As he falls, he is pelted by cold rain from both below and above, and his vision improves and lightens with the channeled sight of a predatory avian. More bizarre, however, are the sinewy draconic wings covered in soft green scales that sprout from between his shoulders!
He flaps several times, taking in the scene below from his new height, letting the pouring rain wash over him and drawing his massive axe.
As Kasshyk begins to move, the tentacle attempts to take advantage of his lowered guard!
But the flailing tentacle finds no purchase on the Lizardfolk.
Outside, Kasshyk sees little more than rain, lightning, and the devastation it is causing Blackcove's shore. He does see several more tentacles awaiting open entrances into the Lighthouse currently occupied by the first tentacles however.
The crowd scurries about and in their panic, attempts to push past everyone in the room.
Though our heroes are unfazed.
Molly slows her breathing, focuses her mind and lets four more arrows fly towards the arrow-sprinkled tentacle.
Dorian fires his own volley of arrows after Molly's!
Molly and Dorian's arrows fly into the remaining two tentacles and render them lifeless as whatever creature they're attached to drags them out of the lighthouse to replace them with three more.
Two of the tentacles grasp villagers who promptly scream for help.
Kristeva attempts to cut the villager free but due to the tentacle's wriggling she was unable to.
The last tentacle also grabs a villager...Lira the village priest in fact!
"H-help me!"
Outside, Kasshyk is assailed by a number of tentacles!
Three tentacles manage to penetrate his defenses and wound him by thrashing him soundly. He does avoid their deadly grip however!