Marty waves the others on. If they don't want to go for a ride down deep they better let go! Gonna be lotta treasure down here, I can feel it!
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As Morvena stares down into the depths she feels a strange calmness creep over her. All this swimming really wasn't so bad; the water slipping past her fingers, hair and clothes billowing out around her body...with the aid of the potion she can even pretend that she actually belongs in the water, just like the sea elves.
Safe. It was perfectly safe. And there was no telling just what sort of wonders might lie at the bottom.
She rises to her feet and dives over the side of the boat, fingers outstretched towards the inky blackness below her...
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The call of the Drowned Eye is almost as compelling as a siren's song might be. Marty dives right in, Morvena and Issil following him through the dark murkiness, the pressure of the water quickly building as the manta ray dives deep. He passes a seabed containing a few sunken ships and continues to where the sea floor drops into a vertiginous black pit. The water above the shaft seems colder and darker than that around it, while the smooth-sided walls drop straight down into the depths, almost as if something had melted through the earth long ago.
As the three approach a depth of above 100 feet, the pressure of the water presses and squeezes against their internals.
The group's descent is suddenly halted when an immense shark whose tissue is rotting away snaps through the water, blocking their path.
Geoffrey
Padraig (Heroism)
Rosebud (Heroism)
Issil
Shark
Marty
Morvena (Mage Armor)
Party Buffs: Water Breathing
Environmental Conditions: Aquatic Terrain, Water Pressure (1d6 damage/minute below 100 feet), Darkness (Marty, Morvena, and Issil)
"We need to hurry!" Geoffrey exclaims as he dives towards the bottom, gripping the trident tightly.
Its hard to squash a fish flatter than a Manta already is. Good thing for Marty.
Once the urge to swim deep finally wears off Marty looks into the blackness and can't see a thing. He's got a pretty bad feeling though and uses an old magic trick to call in three dancing globes of light.. right in the face of an old giant shark! "Dude... Not good." He mutters in standard Marty style before swimming back away from the fish shaped eating machine and drawing his best dagger.
It's kind of beautiful. It's also hard to breathe down here, even with the magic making it possible in the first place. "Thanks for the trip, er, Marty?"
"This is pretty deep, huh?" Issil takes a look around.
"And that... is one creepy shark." Issil wastes no time trying to cast Angelic Aspect, Lesser. She then swims ahead and draws her dagger of venom.
"You know... maybe we shouldn't have swam down here ahead of everyone else."
Rosebud, adopting a more graceful breaststroke, keeps pace with Pádraig Henry.
"Ugh..." Morvena groans as the increased water pressure begins to take a toll on her weak, fleshy form. Her head pounds and her ears ache; she instinctively knows that she needs to equalize the pressure in her ears but can't seem to manage it.
When the rotting shark looms up out of the darkness she blinks.
"Oh...this is bad, isn't it?"
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Geoffrey, Padraig, and Rosebud dive in, hoping to find out just what happened to their companions.
Issil looks back, grasping the rope Marty tows her on, and sees the undead eyes of the giant white shark just as it chomps into her side!
With the compulsion having faded, Marty spins back upwards to quickly ascend sixty feet, though the shark reaches out to nab him as he does so...
After evading its deadly chomp, Marty tows the bloodied Issil and Morvena with him through the darkness of the deep water. He doesn't have enough time to illuminate the area just yet, unfortunately, but it's clear where the surface is.
Geoffrey (15 feet)
Padraig (15 feet, Heroism)
Rosebud (15 feet, Heroism)
Issil (40 feet, -40 HP, Lesser Angelic Aspect)
Shark (100 feet)
Marty (40 feet)
Morvena (40 feet, -1 HP, Mage Armor)
Party Buffs: Water Breathing
Environmental Conditions: Aquatic Terrain, Darkness
Monster Lore: Kn. Religion DC 17
Geoffrey struggles to reach them in time...
...diving another 15' closer to the action.
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Marty illuminates the area with dancing lights.
Geoffrey (30 feet)
Padraig (15 feet, Heroism)
Rosebud (30 feet, Heroism)
Issil (40 feet, -40 HP, Lesser Angelic Aspect)
Shark (100 feet)
Marty (40 feet)
Morvena (40 feet, -1 HP, Mage Armor)
Party Buffs: Water Breathing, Dancing Lights
Environmental Conditions: Aquatic Terrain
Monster Lore: Kn. Religion DC 17
Rosebud peers into the deep, trying to see what's down there.
"OW." Issil holds fast to Marty's tow rope as she tries to heal off some of the damage.
"Well then. Rotting sharks still bite hard." She takes a deep breath. "Marty, get us back to the surface."
Morvena hadn't gotten a real good look at the shark before Marty had whipped around and sped them back towards the surface but she was pretty sure it had looked decidedly rotten.
"Zombie shark! I am certain of it!" she gasps, one hand still tightly grasping the rope. "That creature was surely not truly alive!"
Unable to see the shark and uncertain of whether it would pursue them all the way to the surface or not, Morvena draws out her wand of Lightning Bolt and anxiously stares at the depths below.
______________
"Undead? So if I heal it I hurt it?" Issil holds fast onto the rope. "I have trouble producing fire while underwater."
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Morvena got a quick glimpse of the shark, and indeed, recognized it as a zombified great white shark, though she couldn't quite recall much more about it.
Issil's tending of wounds is soon interrupted by a large rush of water. The shark soon reappears, swimming directly up towards Marty!
The dancing lights illuminate its rotten maw, each of its lyrakien-sized teeth bloodstained from Issil's flesh, but at least Pádraig and Rosebud can now see the creature in ordinary light, and one of them recalls hearing of such sharks before...
"There it is!"
Morvena takes aim with her wand and fires an bolt of electricity, hoping that it will prove effective without frying her or anyone else nearby!
______________
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Seeing as the whole party can breathe normally, they're also able to speak underwater. Pádraig recalls that the shark's bite would normally cause bleeding, but because this is a zombie-shark, it will not. It also has no special abilities to be concerned of.
Morvena holds her wand out, releasing a lightning bolt, the bright blast nearly blinding as it scatters in the water. The shark whips its tail to avoid it partially, and then the bolt disappears into the depths.
Afterwards, the shark snaps at Marty's tail.
... But the manta ray easily twists and avoids it.
Now 30 feet deep, Geoffrey gets a look at the wide trench that scars the seabed. Along its slope is a wrecked sailing ship, and he's sure he just saw unnatural movement of humanoid-sized forms within the wreckage.
Geoffrey (30 feet)
Padraig (15 feet, Heroism)
Rosebud (30 feet, Heroism)
Issil (40 feet, Lesser Angelic Aspect)
Shark (40 feet, -8 HP)
Marty (40 feet)
Morvena (40 feet, -1 HP, Mage Armor)
Party Buffs: Water Breathing, Dancing Lights
Environmental Conditions: Aquatic Terrain
Monster Lore: Kn. Religion DC 17
Geoffrey motions frantically for the ladies to move back while he covers their retreat. "I see more of...the drowned around that wreck," pointing towards the shipwreck.
Seeing everyone is close by Marty turns to confront the shark, dagger and tail barb in hand? "Don't let this thing eat me!" He hollers before stabbing and stabbing again. Doing his best to keep the teeth off his fins.
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"Okay, okay. Let me try something." She focuses.
She takes a deep breath, spits some seaweed out of her mouth, and releases a stream of bubbles that burst near the shark.
Provided Issil's fireball doesn't finish the enormous shark off, Morvena takes aim with her wand and fires off another blast!
______________
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Pádraig and Rosebud struggle to descend further, but forgot their flippers at home. Seeing his charge in potential danger of being eaten, Geoffrey doggie paddles his way towards the ladies.
Issil holds her hands out, and the water becomes suddenly filled with bubbles as it boils around the shark, burning through its rotten fins. Through the cloud of bubbles comes another bright strike of lightning which finds its mark, the shark writhing in pain as the static discharges across its flesh.
Marty pokes another big hole through the undead shark, which still hangs on to undeath...
And then the shark snaps back!
Another glance over at the shipwreck in the landing reveals more movement, and in fact, Geoffrey can make out five zombie-like, human-sized figures emerging from the wreckage.
Geoffrey (40 feet)
Padraig (15 feet, Heroism)
Rosebud (30 feet, Heroism)
Issil (40 feet, Lesser Angelic Aspect)
Shark (40 feet, -54 HP)
Marty (40 feet, -18 HP)
Morvena (40 feet, -1 HP, Mage Armor)
Party Buffs: Water Breathing, Dancing Lights
Environmental Conditions: Aquatic Terrain
Seeing the shark closing in Geoffrey paddles closer, readying to strike at the shark should it get closer.
Ally gains +2 to AC and Reflex saves.
Marty slashes and stabs before drifting back out of reach once more.
Expelling a cloud of bubbles, Rosebud calls upon her goddess, "Milani, bestow your divine favor on your servant!"
Deciding to let go of the rope, Morvena attempts to swim back from the shark but only manages to flail about and not go anywhere. Unsurprising, given her general lack of swimming experience.
Raising the wand she fires off one more blast, aware that she'll need to change her tactics now that Geoffrey has almost managed to catch up to them.
"Just die already - again!"
______________
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Issil conjures up an ally made of force to aid in the fight against the undead shark... though both strikes only push water rather than shark. Marty has similar luck, flailing about in the water wildly.
While Geoffrey prepares to fend off any attacks with his trident, Morvena taps her wand to release another bolt of lightning. This time, the shark is completely still after the bolt fries its insides.
The shark begins to float away. Towards the shipwreck, the movement Geoffrey had seen is now clear, as five barnacle-encrusted walking corpses similar to zombies lurch their way forward, armed only with their bare fists...
Geoffrey (40 feet)
Padraig (30 feet, Heroism)
Rosebud (30 feet, Heroism)
Issil (40 feet, Lesser Angelic Aspect, Spiritual Ally)
Marty (40 feet, -18 HP)
Morvena (40 feet, -1 HP, Mage Armor)
Red, Pink, Orange, Yellow, Black
Party Buffs: Water Breathing, Dancing Lights
Environmental Conditions: Aquatic Terrain
Monster Lore: DC 12 Religion
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"They're __________! Their special attacks, special defenses, and resistances include __________," Pádraig Henry warns his friends.
The bard starts singing and brandishes his rapier, ready to pierce any undead that gets close.
You're dancin' at the Zombie Zoo
Dancin' at the Zombie Zoo
Painted in a corner
And all you wanna do
Dance down at the Zombie Zoo
"PH is right!" Rosebud agrees. "Their best saves are _________, and their worst saves are __________."
She invokes her inquisitor's judgment of destruction and readies her borrowed trident.
"So I can burn 'em, right?" Issil laughs.
"Yeah, I can burn 'em!"
Assuming no one told her they were immune to fire, Issil lets loose another Fireball on as many zombies she can catch.
The superheated water deals fire damage.
Then she directs her Spiritual Ally to move 20 feet forward and 10 feet up.
Deciding to simply maintain her position - as best as she can anyway - Morvena also takes aim at some of the incoming zombies and conjures a burst of radiance right in their midst!
rounds
rounds
3rd - Water Breathing x4
2nd -
1st - Adhesive Spittle, Enlarge Person, Grease,
Cantrips - Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Flare, Mage Hand, Message, Prestidigitation, Read Magic
______________
Geoffrey on seeing the casters dealing with the zombies decides to hold his ground here, ready to protect the ladies should any of the zombies manage to survive.
While using Vanguard Style, when an adjacent ally is attacked or required to make a Reflex saving throw, you can expend a use of an attack of opportunity to use both Bodyguard and Vanguard Style to protect that ally.
Marty waits for the sparks to finish flying before he swoops in to pick off any stragglers.
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These are all draugr, as Padraig recalls, and they don't have any special attacks or defenses of note. Their bony construction allows them to resist bludgeoning and slashing weapons, and they have some fire resistance.
Rosebud recalls their Will saves being best, and their Reflex their worst.
Issil watches as the superheated water burns through the bones of many of the zombies. As the bubbles fade, a beam of shimmering light rises up around the draugr, and when it fades, three of draugr are reduced to a cloud of ash.
Geoffrey (40 feet)
Padraig (30 feet, Heroism)
Rosebud (30 feet, Heroism, Divine Favor)
Issil (40 feet, Lesser Angelic Aspect, Spiritual Ally)
Marty (40 feet, -18 HP)
Morvena (40 feet, -1 HP, Mage Armor)
Pink (-12) Draugr
Orange Draugr
Party Buffs: Water Breathing, Dancing Lights
Environmental Conditions: Aquatic Terrain
Marty drifts in closer and sends a gob of acid at the pink fluffy Draugr, then is ready to stab any that tries to get past his reach. These don't seem so tough!
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Marty burns up another draugr, leaving only one. The lone creature swims towards Marty, allowing him to stab opportunely with his dagger before the draugr punches back at the manta ray.
.. Or tries to, anyway, as Marty easily avoids the attack!
Geoffrey (40 feet)
Padraig (30 feet, Heroism)
Rosebud (30 feet, Heroism, Divine Favor)
Issil (40 feet, Lesser Angelic Aspect, Spiritual Ally)
Marty (40 feet, -18 HP)
Morvena (40 feet, -1 HP, Mage Armor)
Orange Draugr (-9)
Party Buffs: Water Breathing, Dancing Lights
Environmental Conditions: Aquatic Terrain
Not willing to let the ladies be unprotected here Geoffrey instead treads water and scans for any other threats....but gets caught looking up Morv's dress instead.
Marty wastes no time in slashing and poking holes in the dead creatures. He really wants to focus his attention at the other trying to swim down. "You're doing great. Left foot, right foot, left hand, right hand..." It oozes underwater sarcasm.
Caught unawares that swimming underwater has some unfortunate complications when it comes to open, billowy clothing, Morvena sniffs disdainfully at the remaining draugr and draws out a different wand - this one still looks shiny and new.
"Hmph. I'll not waste any further resources on trifles such as these," she remarks as she takes aim and fires a single dart of magical energy at the creature.
Issil commands her Spiritual Ally to advance. "Why swim when my mystical best friend can do it for me?"
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Marty easily defeats the final draugr, stabbing a hole through its head and whacking it through the water with a swipe of his tail barb.
The area is once more silent, and you're able to get a better look at the trench where a wrecked sailing ship lies. The ship lies in a seaweed-filled gully. A search of the hold reveals that much of its cargo—fine silks and clothing—has been destroyed by its apparently long immersion. With a little more time, you might be able to get a closer look at the wreckage.
You locate a strongbox underneath a slime-covered table. It isn't locked.