Justin keeps his armor on and drops into the water. He is grateful the magic doesn't take effect until he become buoyant.
Last time I met a sea ghoul and almost died. Iomedae bless me.
Justin uses his wand to go even faster in the water. He has his rope wrapped around himself and throws it back to Kilthan. Enlarged and fast he heads out in the water.
"You may want to follow the rope too."
"Perhaps you will want to wait on the enlarge, considering you are going into a confined underwater space. What if it narrows?" The cleric suggest to Justin before he starts out.
"Thanks Ana, but I want to be the biggest fish in the water. Size has its own advantage. I'll squeeze if necessary."
Justin heads out disappointed that his wand did not add to his swimming speed.
Justin pushes the barrel out of the way as he swims down 40' before the shaft turns to the south and extends some ways. Unfortunately it is too dark down there so Justin swims back up.
Aarakess casts light on Justin and he heads back down with some light and longer rope/rope tied to each other.
After swimming down to the bottom 40' (double move) you swim to the south another 40' (Another double Move). You swim into a larger room 40x40. Ahead of you in the middle of the room is a 10' wide pillar of rock that reaches up above the water. You can also see that there is lighting above the water.
Before you can move, however you are surprised by a storm of tentacles, each twenty feet in length, flailing with deadly precision from the leathery body of this gigantic octopus.
*Hit*
+ Poison if hit
The Octopus follows up with his tentacles and bite attack.
*Hit*
+ Poison if hit
+ Grab if Hit
vs CMD 22
+ Grab if Hit
vs CMD 22
+ Grab if Hit
vs CMD 22
+ Grab if Hit
vs CMD 22
+ Grab if Hit
vs CMD 22
*Hit*
+ Grab if Hit
vs CMD 22
*Hit*
+ Grab if Hit
vs CMD 22
+ Grab if Hit
vs CMD 22
Justin is unable to hold his trident effectively and desperately pulls on the rope with his tail as he attacks the tentacled beast. He screams in rage as he is grabbed and responds with a natural flurry.
After about a half minute you rope goes tight. You try and pull him back, but you seem to be unable to.
One claw and one bite connects. The Giant Octopus continues to wrap its tentacle around you and crush you
vs CMD 22
*Constrict plus Damage from successful grapple*
You are up!
Justin, should that last damage only be +4?
Blood flowing from a number of wounds, the octopus continues to squeeze the life out of you, but your attacks seem to have had an affect.
vs CMD 22
Somehow the massive creature is unable to maintain the grapple!
You are up!
Justin heals with a touch and strikes. His trident lost in the fight.
After your claws caused it to lost its grip of you, your are able to last lash out freely, killing the octopus! Combat Over
Justin drags an octopus corpse out of the water sputtering and somewhat bloodied. He throws it back on land for the group to evaluate.
"At least it was not a &^*) ghoul and I got to fight back this time! If you could slap a little healing on me, I'll head back and see if there is anything worth pursuing up ahead."
Nasty circular pucker marks still cover part of the reptilian skin, as hard as it is.
"I hear that they can be worth eating, if you are into that sort of thing." Anala says with some amusement.
"Of course. Let the Everlight see to this warrior's wounds." she places a hand on Justin and casts a healing spell and then uses one of her scrolls, "Worry not, it is a simple enough to replace. And look, your wounds have healed up nicely."
Seeing Justin reappear all puckered up, Aarakess reaches up and lays her fat dwarven hand on hit shoulder allowing healing to flow into him.
Healing Hex(Justin):
Be careful, eventually even we may run out of healing there big boy.
Justin explains:
"I saw a light above water before the octopus attacked me. How about I quickly move you all to the light? I can pull you all behind me on a tow rope?"
Dryn comes up to the octopus and investigates it, curious. "Hmm, I wonder what octopus would taste like?"
As you are about to go back through the water you hear some movement behind you. Readying your weapons you see a woman with a dwarf. Kilthan recognizes the dwarf as a clansman from back home, and everyone else (except Anala) recognizes the woman as Rohara!
Huffing along with one hand on the long chain wrapped around him the dwarf appears to be finishing up a tale with "... and that is why the Trollfist clan of orcs avoid the Shadevale to this day.#
Looking up and seeing the group he exclaims, "Aye! There is the lad! I was starting to think that half-man set us chasing a wisp trail into the Netherlands, but by the Bones of Stone there he is! And ye weren't lying lass, he's with a lizard man! And a pretty dwarven maid as well, though I've always approved of a bit more beard... Kilthan, are ye settling down lad?!?"
"That is quite a tale Skorald." the woman compliments the dwarf on his story with a smile.
The woman takes a deep breath as she looks upon her former companions. The woman before you fully removes the hood of her cloak to show a familiar and striking woman of Varisian blood in her late twenties. She has dusky skin and large grey colored eyes that show she is both quite pleased and worried. Her long dark hair now has a silver streak through the left side is currently tied back and show several star tatoos going down the side of her neck. She is wearing her armor, a well worth breastplate, a crease across the left side where some blade must of struck some time ago. She is wearing heavy leather gloves in one hand is a morningstar and the other is holding a large shield that has been washed in white and also has butterfly painted a vibrant blue with yellow in the wings. There is also a silver holy symbol about the woman's neck that is a butterfly.
"Merry meet. It is wonderful to see, most of you, well once again," she says in making a note she does not recognize the dwarven woman nor the human cleric. "This," she motions to the dwarf to whom she is accompanying, "Is Skorhald Warsong. A clanmate of our good friend Kilthan and a wonderful teller of tales."
She looks to all present nervously...
Kilthan spins around quickly, axe in hand, and then freezes for a moment in shock. "By the stone...", he whispers, but then the memories of the last few hours come back to him and he tightens the grip on his weapon once again.
"Skorhald?", he asks, his voice somewhat tentative. I thought I was the last, and yet.... it cannot be.... and Rohara!
"Skorhald!", this time an exclamation of joy as he steps forward, torn between a desire to embrace his lost clansman and fill the room with questions about the rest of the clan, and a wariness that the dead seem to walk once more. He pauses for only a second, the warring emotions clear on his face before it seems that the happiness to overtakes him. But how would the shifters even know these forms? Convinced, he rushes forward and scoops each of them into a hug, lifting them both off their feet, exclaiming, "Torag's burnt beard, I thought you both dead!"
He laughs, especially as Skorhald begins to curse being lifted off the stone and sets them both down gently, explaining, "Apologies, but this is a lair of doppelgangers, and we're all a mite on edge.... But then, it occurs to me that it's unlikely that any of these would think it wise to take the shape of two that I thought dead..... even if they knew the shapes to start with."
Justin smiles showing some bloody teeth:
"Everyone knows dopplegangers don't try to pass for dwarves. They can't drink enough ale to pass the obvious test!!. Well met Skorhald! We were just deciding if octopus was any good to eat."
Justin puts out a gauntleted hand in greeting.
Aarakess looks confused as to who these strange people are. She recalls Anala, but is sure that the woman would not recognize her. All kinds of alarms are going off so, she prepares to hex Justin to give him extra skills if needed. .
Who are you and why are you here? Explain yourselves or you will soon resemble the other infernal dopplegangers we have left dead to this point.
The cleric of Sarenrae watches the interactions wondering just what is happening... She tries to look to see the motives of the newcomers, as she watches the acceptance of Kilthan and Justin, but the skepticism of Aarakess seems warranted.
"Whomever these two might be, they appear to be telling the truth." Anala adds in after look the pair over.
"Dopplegangers you say. Are they not creatures that take on... Oooooh." and she seems to understand why those that knew her might suspect something.
I assure you, that I am Rohara, a traveler blessed with Densa's gifts." the woman says lowering her weapon to her side.
"It is a story that might be better explained in a more relaxed setting. That said, the gist as you might say, of what has happened is that Skorhald's people came to Diamond point to take over the mines from Ragnolin Dourstone at Allustan's request. I am still unclear myself why, but the Clan's leader chose to bring me back from the dead, but at the same time seems right." She pauses to let the news absorb.
"Once alive again, I felt that there was a need... a pull if you will. That I must seek out those I was with when I... well, died. Allustan pointed me in the right direction. Skorhald voiced a desire to see Kilthan and has joined me. We followed you to Magnimar and after many inns, taverns, and stops for drinking... we found a halfling in the Crooked Inn who knew were we might find you. And here we are." the woman tells her tale.
The dwarf raises his red eyebrows and looks at his younger kin in amusement. "Oy lad, ye found a firey one for sure! Ready to have at it with your old uncle on a whim, she is."
Turning to the dwarven witch he adds, "Alright lass, you tell me how I can convince ye, and I'll do my best to see it so. I'll warn ye now, that I can spin a tale as well as most any, so ye best be sure its a good, strong test. Ye can never be too careful, aye?"
Dryn stands there and feels tears well up in her eyes a bit at seeing Rohara. "If this is a trap, it's a really mean one. Rohara, is that really you?" When Anala confirms she believe they are not lying, Dryn runs up and embraces Rohara. "I'm so glad you're alive! I wished I could have saved you. Are you going to travel with us now?"
Aarakess continues to look at the cleric she knows, but who does not know her, and then back at the dwarf bard.
Tell a story of an experience that only you and Kilthan would know.
She then turns to Rohara:
And for you, what was the name of the Bralani Wind Duke, Icosiol's general whose glyphs were found in the Whispering Cairn?
The dwarf grins widely beneath his fiery beard, and nods. "Well let me tell ye the story of when a certain young dwarf borrowed Pappy Warsong's Door-knocker here," the dwarf says as he loosens the dorn-derger he wears around himself with a gesture indicating that he is speaking of the adamantite weapon itself.
"This particular dwarf was still shorter than I was, back then, and remarkably skinny for his height as well. A bean-pole at that age, and barely able to carry a weapon such as this. However, some of his stouter kinsmen and friends had been teasing him about not under standing what it meant to be a "real" dwarf. This skinny little runt of a dwarf decided that he would learn to use the most dwarven of the dwearven weapons, and decided to set about practicing. The only dorn-derger he knew about was still on the wall of my da's home at the time, as I hadn't yet started breaking in doors on my own yet and my da wasn't quite so adventurous as our little bean-pole and thought of the ole door-knocker as a decoration more than the grand weapon it is... Anyhow, the little bean-pole snuck into my da's home and practically dragged the heavy ball and chain away into a side-cavern where he didn't think anyone would see him "practice." This was a good idea in that he must have looked quite silly trying to get the door-knocker swinging properly, but not such a good idea because he actually did get it swinging just enough to do some damage. Unfortunately, the damage was solely to his own right foot which squished right nicely when the door-knocker swung over-head and straight down. The bean-pole had hidden himself well-enough that it took the better part of a day before anyone knew he was missing and tracked him down, unable to walk and half-buried under the weighted chain. Since that day, the bean-pole has grown up something fierce to be the tallest dwarf in his clan and, while he is a might-bit stronger, he's still far to skinny to wield the old door-knocker right-a-ways. He's gotten to be a mite skilled with the second most dwarven weapon he could find though, in that war axe he's got ready to hand there..." the dwarf concludes nodding at Kilthan's readied weapon of choice.
Kilthan chuckles as he absently rubs his right foot with his left and says, "It didn't help that I'd knocked over the lantern in my first swing. That so-called 'weapon' is even less wieldly in the dark.... and despite what certain people may have promised, my darkvision never did 'grow in'."
The woman returns Dryn's embrace happily and replies, "It is good to see again too Dryn. That is the feeling I have had, a heavenly push if you will."
Rohara listens to Skorhald's tale with amusement as she waits for him to finish before she answers the female dwarf's question. At the end of the tale she looks Kilthan with a smile.
She seems to think on it a moment, "It seems like those events happened but a few days ago, yet much has taken place since then. To your query, the general's name was Zosiel. The circlet that the follower of Sarenrae," she motions to Anala, "Now wears, also bears his personal glyph."
She seems to look about the small room making sure to stay away form the lengthy tentacles of the large octopus on the floor. "I have to ask, where is Aarakess? Allustan mentioned that something had occurred to her, but it was best I see her for the answers to any of my questions."
Aarakess looks up at the cleric:
Have I really changed that much?
"Oh my." Rohara says as she as quick to put it together, "Well... you are a dwarf now?" She says as both a statement and a question. "Last I recall you were an elf. Allustan should have said... more."
"I am guessing that whatever occurred, is yet another tale we can share once out of old warehouses."
The woman says with a smile, "So... doppelgangers? The halfling, Tobar, seemed to have his hands full with a woman at the Crooked Inn. She was running down the stairs going on in a frantic state. He pointed us in the direction of this warehouse but could say little else as he tried to get back to calming her."
Aarakess puts her hands on her hips:
I am not a dwarf despite what my current appearance might indicate. I am an elf and will always be and elf.
As she says this, the small butterfly winged dragon on her shoulder sticks its tongue out. A moment later colorful lights suddenly appear around Rohara's head and a sound sort of like Tbtbtbtbtbtb can be heard just behind the clerics ear.
At this point Aarakess is trying to maintain her straight face, but eventually starts giggling.
Oh, and I do not think that you have met Cieslx yet.
Justin smiles: "A dwarf by any other name would smell as sweet."
He runs up and hugs Rohara and lifts her off her feet. "Glad to have you back. We missed you so much. I thought of finding you and taking you to the tribal shamans to bring you back."
He looks at Kilthan and smiles: "We both need to find this darksight trick. Maybe Dryn can whip us up some potions to do it!"
The dwarf sputters a moment, rubs his hands vigorously up and down his face, cracks his neck and says, "So yer saying that I should be tested for honesty because I might be a doppleganger, but this lass is supposed to be an elf?" He shakes his head then walks up, puts his arm around Kilthan and says conspiratorially, "Kilthan m'lad, I know there have been some viscous rumors spread about yer ancestry, but yer my clan and anyone who says otherwise can talk to Ole Pappy's Door Knocker for a rude retort. Ye don't need this pretty beardless thing to be talking all elvish when Torag himself can see she's pure breed beard or no. Don't ye be ashamed to be who you are, ye don't need some batty lass trying to convince ye of anything, ye understand?"
Turing back to the group, the dwarf says loudly, "Alright then, we're all finely introduced. Now I came here 'cause Allustan said ye all needed some assistance and I'm happy to oblige. Just let me know what we're doing and be sure that I'm along for the fun."
When Zosiel's name is spoken, Anala has a sense from his circlet that should hand over the circlet to Rohara. She also feels an intuition that she needs to seek out Tobar and help him while the others continue on their investigation of the warehouse and whatever lies below.
Anala removes the circlet and comments, "If I did not know any better I would swear this small crown has a mind of it's own." she holds it out to Rohara, "as strange as it might sound I think it wants to be with you."
Rohara looks at the circlet strangley but accepts it from Anala with a smile.
"I am not usually one to leave a task unfinished, but it would seem Tobar needs more help than he might ask for. There are also leads I think the Pathfinders might help with. I will speak to those here in the city."
Anala says her goodbyes to each of her companions before departing.
"Well... you look dwarven... I will accept that within, is a very proud elf." she says with a smile and nod.
Rohara looks to the small draconic creature, "No, I have not." she switches to Draconic and says with genuine reverence, "Merry meet Cieslx. It is a pleasure to meet a dragon, even a small one such as yourself."
She looks to the circlet in her hand and wonders about it... and if there is is more to it than the insights it seems to grant.
Kilthan says to Skorhald, "'Tain't madness or deception... She was born an elf and has an elven soul.... This isn't the body she was born with.. Surely you've heard tales of such magic?"
He then says in Dwarven, "You should hear her accent when she speaks our language. Trust me. She's an elf."
Still looking skeptical, the flame-haired dwarf nods his head sagely. "Well, farewell lass... and tell the half-man Tobar good luck and thank him again for his assistance."
The small dragon sits up on Aarakess' shoulder and crosses its arms. And once more sticks its tongue out at Rohara.
All the sudden in your head you hear.
If you have any sweets, I will stop sticking my tongue out at you.
Justin shrugs:
"I guess we need to ask questions only the real you knows. Rohara, what happened the first time you saw me go swimming? Skorhag, what is Kilthan's favorite Elven pastry?"
Skorhald raises an eyebrow at the lizardman and says, "No self respecting dwarf has a favorite elven pastry, especially not any kin of mine."