Chum flings lightning at Eleuterio's original target again.
This was desperate indeed. We weren't fighting with nearly the aplomb of our usual mettle, likely because of the cramped and unfamiliar environs. I had eliminated one, but I needed to do better.
Finally, fate seems to swing to my side, as my rapier finds tenuous purchase in my foe's slippery hide.
Despite the way the water pulls at his cutlass, Eleuterio manages to cut through the belly of one of the grindylows, sending it drifting down into the dark seaweed. Artevious and Evril find they have no such difficulties as their rapiers stab out, Artevious running his blade straight through the skull of a second victim and Evril catching a third on its shoulder.
Although the tide of battle might be shifting, the grindylows show no signs of realizing it, continuing their frenzied assault.
The wounds taken by the paladin and simple-minded warrior overcome them, and they sink down into the deeps.
"No!" Chum dives for the nearer of the two unconscious men, dragging him up to the surface.
I say again, No! I chimed in with Chum as two of our number succumbed to the grindylows. Conchobar! See to our comrades! I yelled as I surged ahead to give him space to help our fallen allies by attacking the grindylow that beset him.
Chum's lightning fries another sea-goblin, while Artevious' merciless rapier continues its winnowing of the grindylows.
No longer threatened by spear or tooth, Conchobhar chants a quick incantation and his hand begins to glitter with a healing light. Taking a deep breath, he dives beneath the water and touches Eleuterio, just as Chum begins dragging the paladin toward the surface.
The paladin's wounds close a little, but his eyes do not open.
I see the two men sink beneath the surface, and my brief feeling of karmic balance is replaced once more with rage.
"NO! You will not take these men! I will not allow it!" I shout, lashing out at the creature keeping me from helping my crewmates.
As quick as death, Evril's rapier stabs through the heart of his foe, and another grindylow sinks into the deeps.
Seeing Chum trying to rescue Eleuterio, one of the two grindylows swims over to stab at him, while the other tries to end Artevious' relentless slaughter.
Neither attack has a chance of landing, however, as the two men knock the weak blows easily aside.
Chum retreats slightly again before throwing another handful of electricity at his attacker.
We were down to one attacker, and though I worried desperately for my first mate and the owlbear, my skill was with steel. I thrust again with my rapier, hoping to finish this fight.
Unfortunately, while Chum's lightning sears the penultimate goblin's life away, the final survivor manages to barely block Artevious' blade with its spear.
Desperately, Conchobhar thrashes through the water until he can also stab at the last grindylow with his rapier.
He manages to cut the sea-goblin in one of its tentacles, but the wound is not deep.
"Chum!" I shout as I take hold of the unconscious paladin. "I can get Leu moving again, but is there anything you can do to keep the big guy from bleeding out?"
"Non licet mori!"
With a start, Eleuterio rejoins the waking world. He notes he's in Evril's arms, and that his head is still underwater. He swims to the surface, his lungs screaming for air.
Breaking the surface, his first realization is that the group had finally begun to turn the tide against the grindylow. His second realization is that he's lost his sword somewhere below him. His third, however, is more pressing - the man-mountain Owlbear was unconscious and underwater. "We need to get out of here, Captain! Quickly, before they can swarm us and overwhelm us!" He dives under the water again, swimming towards the massive man to bring him above water.
Eleuterio pulls Owlbear back above the water - water dribbles from his mouth and nothing seems to indicate in this chaotic setting whether the brave simpleton yet lives.
The last grindylow defender, either too stupid or too spiteful to realize the desperate nature of its situation, bites at Conchbhar and stabs at Artevious, its fury driving its attacks and churning the water around it.
Artevious blocks the spear but Conchobhar is not so fortunate against the teeth.
The little creature continued its savagery, and I would almost be willing to commend him his bravery, but that he was still harming my crew! I thrust again with my trusty weapon, hoping to this time end him and the battle.
Chum and Eleuterio drag the senseless Owlbear back to the surface, and both are intensely relieved to see the gravely injured man's chest still rising and falling, however faintly. Meanwhile, Artevious and Conchobhar continue their struggle against the last remaining grindylow.
Artevious suffers a slash across his cheek from the sea-goblin's spearpoint, and only luck keeps it from catching him in the eye.
"I can keep his head above water. Retrieve your weapon and end that monster."
I refuse to die from this lone grindylow, after killing so many others. It hung on, fighting to the last, but so would I.
"You sure you have him, Chum?", Eleuterio asks before heading off. When Chum answers in the affirmative, the paladin takes a deep breath and dives underwater to look for his scimitar.
Artevious and Conchobhar stab and stab at the grindylow; Conchobhar cannot make contact, but Artevious deals a deadly wound. The grindylow makes one last desperate stab with its spear, then sinks into the red-swirled water alongside its fellows.
Eleuterio finds his scimitar, leaving your group alive - if only barely - and the only ones holding the field of battle.
Chum stops and pays close attention to the water level since they have entered. He surmised that it was tidal, but is it rising?
I was quite relieved that Owlbear still lived, wounded as he was. I looked about at my crew, and saw the desperation in their eyes, likely matching my own. This had been a hard-fought battle, and the grindylows had wounded us grievously. As much as I wished to press on, and reach our lost comrades, it would do little good to them if we got overwhelmed by the next batch of grindys we encountered. I could scarcely hope that what we had encountered was the lot of them.
Thus, with a heavy heart, I spoke. We can't keep going, wounded as we are. Let's look about for anything that the gridylows might have that's useful, then we should head back topside. Perhaps the small stockade would be safe to rest and heal up, if we can keep the bloody insects off of us. Chum, Mr. Cooper, and Mr. Shortstone: you have the healing magics with you. How soon will those gifts return?
My mind whirled. We've slain no fewer than eight. If these beasties truly keep their prey alive until they're ready to feast, we've cut their hungry mouths by a considerable margin, hopefully. We might have to shift our strategy to a limited number of sorties rather than a full-on invasion. I had to hope that it would be enough. Sandara and Crimson depended on it.
Eleuterio, can you handle Owlbear? We're going to have to hoist him up out of the grotto once we've climbed the rope. Let's go.
In answer regarding healing, "If the Wind and the Waves see fit to grant me the boon, I will have healing available after I pray at dawn."
You withdraw, struggling to keep Owlbear's head above the water. Although it only takes a few minutes, it feels like days before you reach the rope you left hanging in the sinkhole. One by one you scramble back up, then you finally draw Owlbear up as well.
I led the group back up the rocky steps to the abandoned stockade. It was the most defensible location we had encountered thus far, had a source of fresh water, and had shade from the oppressive sun. The first thing I set about doing was checking the perimeter for any further surprises like those choking beasts, then did what I could to keep the stinging flies at bay.
Chum, you know a bit about healing, yes? Could you tend to these folks' wounds and make sure that we can heal up as quickly as possible. Evril, Conchobar, and 'Leu, if you can do the same, so much the better. Lads, let's rest up as best we can. We need to be in fighting shape as soon as we're able. Don't forget what's at stake here.
I allowed myself to be bandaged up as well, since I had sustained a number of unpleasant cuts and jabs myself. I hunkered down, trying to think of the kind of setbacks my father had experienced, and all the times he had prevailed.
"Aye, cap'n."
Chum does his best to set up a sick bay, cleaning and bandaging wounds with what little resources are available.
The day passes uneventfully, although the heat and mosquitoes take their toll on your tempers. By the next morning, most of you feel a little better, although Chum's efforts on behalf of the rest of you deprives him of some of the rest you get.
Despite Chum's care, Conchobhar awakens the next morning looking distinctly worse for wear, his skin pale, his cheeks hollow.
Chum will prepare a lesser restoration for him, then. He will also investigate to see if he can determine what the cause is and whether he can alleviate the problem with more care/rest for Conchobhar.