Kanzen strikes out for the raft, attempting to climb out of the water and away from the strange magical creature.
Kanzen moves back to within arm's reach of the raft.
With the whirlpool and the water wierd, Galenus fears the worst. Someone must make it to the alter! Tiberius would be the best bet, that draconic paladin is one of the bravest he's ever seen - but he's been unresponsive since they got on the water. Perhaps his bravery in battle doesn't extend to the waters, and he cannot voice it like dear Eldeth.
Kanzen would also be a good choice, but he has already done in. And poor Galinndan just seems exhausted today - maybe the touch of magic is what he needs to get a boost.
But someone must do it while he tries his best to keep the raft under control.
Galenus pauses his rowing to cast Jump on a brave volunteer.
Tiberius steps up. "I'll do it." Upon receiving the magic, the big dragon man drops his longbow on the raft and dashes the length of the raft, hurling through the air and landing with a crash on the altar. He barely manages to stop himself. He then draws his trusty pipe and holds it in the flames.
After the Tiberius leaps from the raft Eddrikk shouts, "Hey, wheres da fookin rope?"
Cyrus growls and continues to slash at the watery creature. "Why won't you die already!"
Check Cyrus' bag! Galenus calls out over the roar of water.
Cyrus's attacks splash in frustration as the water's grip on him makes it difficult for him to strike it. But the goblin is soon released as the water shifts rapidly when Tiberius' lands on the altar. It rushes toward him.
But for once the water fails to overwhelm a mortal humanoid. Tiberius stands strong as the waves crash into him.
Kanzen slashes at the creature as it moves away from him, unsure if he's damaging it or just slashing at water.
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Kanzen! Quit splashing in the water and hit that damn thing!
Irdril continues her spell flinging..
Bonus action Magic Stone.
But she just can't seem to get right while holding on..
Galinndan maintains his rate of fire, too drained to think of anything else right now.
Eddrikk searches the bags looking for the rope, finally pulling it from Cyrus's bag. Working as quickly as he can he ties one end to the raft and one to his wrist, then dives into the water trying to swim around a rock to anchor the raft.
Eddrikk hands off one end of the rope to Derendil and dives into the water, tying the rope to a nearby stalactite. Tiberius raises his pipe high and swings it at the monster in front of him.
Tiberius' glowing pipe smashes into the crazed guardian, ending it.
Even having the raft tied off, Galenus rows it just to get it closer to the alter so people can more easily more it around.
On the altar is a stone statue of a sea serpent with black pearl eyes as well as the bluish flame burning next to it.
The black pearls look like they are worth quite a lot.
Hey, would you look at that, Galenus says with a gleam in his eye.
Those pearls looks like they'd be worth a pretty penny. Before we take anything, though, let's get a better look at this alter.
Galenus detects transmutation magic on the flame and necromancy magic on the pearls.
Galenus will expend a spell slot to cast Detect Magic.
I'll need all the help I can get with this thing, he says. After looking at it some more in a less stressful situation, it's not as similar as I originally thought.
Irdril makes her way over to the altar area for a look as well..
"Here, let me have a look. I've seen a fancy pearl or two in my previous line of work."
"I agree they are quite valuable, but being magical takes them to another area entirely. This being an altar it is quite possibly a shrine to a deity or something."
She stops and seems to ponder a bit on that..
Irdril believes this is an altar to Dagon, the demon prince of the sea.
"I knew it! This is an altar to the demon price of the sea, Dagon! This could very well be a sacrifical altar of some sort."
Kanzen's mouth twists in distaste at Irdril's words. "A sacrificial altar? I've seen enough of those in Menzoberranzan. What god worth our worship would demand the death in trade for power?" He seems to want to say more, but words fail him as dark memories flash across his mind's eye.
As Idril's words fill the mind of Galenus, a spark of insight blooms within him.
Yes! You're right! Dagon! Of course! And look here.... Galenus points out arcane descriptions etched along the alter.
I was right that touching the flame with your weapon can imbue it with magic, but if you touch the waters at the same time, it will make the magic permanent!
And then under his breath, he adds on, And extinguish the alter.
Quickly, he says, It'll have to be a metal weapon - something that can take the heat. A sword, or maybe that pipe. And it has to be long enough to reach the water, so at least a foot long. Those daggers won't do. What do we have that we can use?
"We could use this Glaive," Eddrikk says holding up the gnoll chief's polearm.
"Well I'm just speculating on the sacrifice part.. And alter to a demon lord that can make a weapon magical seems to fit the bill though. Wonder what's up with the pearls. Necromantic magic is not normally something you want to mess with, well besides healing spells.. I'm not sure we should mess with them unless we can figure out what what they are for."
Galinndan pauses to think for a moment.
Dagon? Sacrifice?
And then steels himself.
"I would take the risk." he says, putting his short sword in front of him.
Come, come, Galenus calls Galinndan to come forward. Place your place here, like this. Yes, yes. Now put the handle in the water, just there. Perfect. Now hold it. When the flame is extinguished, it will be complete. Do not move the blade from the flame or the water. Good, yes. Just like that.
Unless challenged, Galinndan will do as Galenus instructs.
Kanzen watches Galenus and Galinndan with trepidation. "Are you sure you know what you're about, Galenus?" he asks in a murmur. "Sometimes the magic of the gods has... a price."
Hey, without a little risk, you'll never see any gains, Galenus says with a half smile.
After nearly a hundred hushed heartbeats of holding the weapon in the flame, the blue fire extinguisher. Galinndan lifts his blade. It feels remarkably well balanced.
Galenus grabs the black pearls from the extinguished alter and puts them in his bag.
I think we've extracted all the value from this place as we can reasonably expect. Shall we? he asks gesturing to the raft.
"Aye." says Galinndan, half-listening as he stares at his blade, examining it. "We should leave."
An angry maelstrom swirls in your mind, full of rotting fish and images of agressive sea monsters.
You begin paddling on into the Darklake through twisting watery channels and passages.
Galenus begins bleeding slowly from every orifice on his body.
Galenus failed to resist a contagion spell that has given him slimy Doom for 7 days.
Slimy Doom: The creature begins to bleed uncontrollably. The creature has disadvantage on Constitution Checks and Constitution Saving Throws. In addition, whenever the creature takes damage, it is Stunned until the end of its next turn.
Galinndan gazes in growing horror at the sight of Galenus bleeding.
What? Why are you looking at me like that?
"Galenus...you are bleeding. From many places. Do you not feel it?"
I told you not to mess with them pearls! You’ve been infected with slimy doom! Pitch them overboard now!