Quillin just shakes his head at the pair that continue to ignore his warnings about traveling off alone or in small numbers. Well, more loot for him if they end up chum. He returns to inspecting the locked spell book and wondering where the key may have been mislaid.
Anyone got anything else going on before making your way to Grindytown?
Anyone got anything else going on before making your way to Grindytown?
With Mel in the lead due to her enhanced swimming abilities the group moves out into the water and approaches the narrow indention in the massive cliff face that you saw the Grindy's move to earlier. From a safe vantage point the lot of you can see that the entrance beyond, even at low tide remains, submerged in water. Despite the swirling mass of particles that seem to whip and whirl from the area, clear shafts of sunlight can be seen coming through to your, revealing that there is most likely open air beyond the hole in the cliff face.
4 grindylows are poised outside the entrance standing watch for threats.
Quillin treads water as he assesses the situation. "Four of them on guard. I've got something that might knock them all out if I could get close enough. I could also maybe send in something to beat them up some first, say a little water elemental or demon horse. I know that would freak a goblin out anyway."
"Given the environment, I would imagine an elemental would be a better bet."
"That's true, monkey, unless I could get a handle on a sea horse..." he grimaces at the rest of the party with some consternation. "What say you, flotsam? or else... we could half the distance and then I'll send a convocation of eagles to distract them while we move in the rest of the way."
Mel pats her crossbow.."This might be less effective underwater but we can still take them at range"
Edging along the cliff face the group gets a decent distance. It almost seems that the grindy's have spotted you but it proves too little too late as Quillin's "convocation of eagles" swoop in. The eagles prove too much for the grindy and they quickly perish unable to stage an effective attack "out" of the water and up at the eagles as they thunder in the arvin swoops with talons and beaks. A few seconds later and the entrance to the grindy cave features four, now dead, guards.
Quillin watches the havoc wrought by his black and crimson, iron-taloned fiendish eagles with amusement. "Well, that went better than expected. Shall we move in?"
Mel raises an eyebrow.."With that much chum in the water we had best watch out for sharks as well now " she states before kicking off and diving for the bottom heading towards the opening.
"Sharks, eh?" Quillin adds with a slight trepidation. He quickly paddles over to the sea cave to inspect the pile o' dead grindies.
Hugging the cliffs the group makes it to the narrowed face but is then forced to swim past the half floating grindys that guarded the entrance beyond.
Quillin finds little of interest save for a grime and seaweed encrusted key, all other items on these creature being of crude or poor make.
about 5 feet below the water a cave leads "in" to the island. The fast and stead churning of the coming and going water, even at low tide, makes the passage less than exciting to swim as sharp rock outcroppings and barnacled protrusions threaten to rough anyone not able to take the cave at their own pace with the in and out of the water.
Each of you holds your breath and quickly moves through roughly 100 feet p before emerging into a deep pool whose surface breaks from out of the rock and leaves you surrounded by the tall cliffs above. Shafts of light pour into the area and you can see a muddy cave entrance half filled with water beyond.
It appears from here, thanks to the low tide, you may have semi decent footing, the tallest of you wading water at knee length while Quillin slogs through almost chest high water. The pull of the cave has little affect on your movement though it is easy to imagine the cave not having a uniform height, which adds to the sense of unease.
The light from the pool does little to penetrate the mouth of the cave, the rush of water and sounds of dripping and birds doing little to make it easy to hear what might lie beyond. There is enough space in the shallows up to the cave for the group to stand but not much before being forced into the mouth of the grindy lair.
Hassan focuses his arcane power, and muttering a few words casts Light on the butt end of one of his crossbow bolts, which he loads into the crossbow.
"Let us not tarry overlong, my friends."
Quillin carefully pockets the key meaning to try it on the locked tome when he gets a chance. "Fjori, you want me to light something up for you? I'd carry a light, but I think I'll need both hands to keep my head above water."
"How about one of my swords. Might scare the grindies into believing that it is magic..which it is of course!"
Quillin digs through his collection of tiny pouches until he finds the one with dried fireflies. With an arcane word he rekindles its yellow-green glowing tail and rubs it on the proffered sword which absorbs the light and radiates it once again with torch-like intensity. He then splashes back by Hassan glad to let the tall folk lead the way.
Mel coughs as she finds fresh air somewhat heavy on her current mode of breathing..She resorts to slithering through the shallows allowing her gill to remain underwater.
Bart's eyes continue to dart behind the group, ever wary of an ambush from behind, as a brief feeling of claustrophobia washes over him.
The cave extends into the cliffs for another 30 feet or so taking a wide curve as it goes. The uneven nature of the cave and its depths lead to much tromping and scrabbling to adjust to the various pools and slick rock faces covered in seaweed and grime that mark to the passages's length.
As Fjori leads the group he sees a fork ahead with one passage leading right and another left. A growing sound of churning and crashing water fills the passage and Fjori can tell that the sound is coming from the left.
The occasional guttural exchange of what is surely the grindy language can be hear amongst the rushing water as well as a few barked exchanges coming from the right fork. A sort of bioluminescence begins at the fork, covering the walls and some in the water. The light is not as strong as a torch though if there was enough in the enclosed space it would light a room well enough.
"I can hear some of them buggers down the right-side fork. Should we head in, or scout?"
"If we send a scout in, I will be glad to sacrifice a spell to summon a dolphin that can spy them out. In these tropical climes, I doubt it would attract much attention."
"A dolphin, monkey? What's he going to do, dance for them? Just move in. Give me a little space and I'll blast their slippery brains and knock 'em out."
Quillin girds himself for battle by rubbing a bit of old leather between thumb and forefinger with a couple of arcane phrases.
Mel moves forward stealthily
Seeing Mel slip past quiet as death itself, Fjori whispers, "Let the lass try first. She seems to know how to take a look without being seen."
Nonetheless, Fjori still readies his sword and ax, just in case.
The right fork splits again after 5 feet. At this second fork the right most channel seems to be a narrower winding passage that goes on for a while into darkness. More immediately there is a short passage that leads to a larger room that features overgrown seaweed that hangs from the walls and fills the center of the space. The glowing algae present elsewhere is quite abusndandt here and lights the space well.
It would appear at high tide the room might fill most of the way and the seaweed might be almost labyrinth like to traverse the space but for now it appears as nothing more than a slime riddled mass featured in the center. 8 grindys move about the room; some in the shallow pool, pulling at cutting at the seaweed while others will about the exterior edges of the space on ledges about 5 feet up from the center. An exit can be seen on the other side of the room.
From the main fork Mel also catches the sounds of moving water and an occasional grindy voice but that seem farther away than the group in the room of the right fork.
Mel slithers back to the party..
"This place is a maze gentlemen. I found three passages two I cannot tell where they lead for now but the third goes to a room where there are 8 grindy's. I think we can take them if we hit hard and fast."
"Looks like calamari is on the menu for today's lunch. Show us where Mel."
Quillin's exaggerated features twist in a broad smile, "Yeah, let's get the little tentacled bastards."
"Just be careful where you swing. Who can say where Quinn might be found in this dark morass, and an errant spell or bolt might cause grievous harm."
Bart punches his palm. "Heh! Soun's like my kine a fight."
Mel waves them down the passage and moves ahead again..she takes careful aim at one of the Grindys and lets fly
Initiative
Light Crossbow Damage
Mel leads the group to the fork and you see in clearer detail the complexity of the cavern. The simple fork branches once more to the right and as Mel mentioned there is a long winding cave but also, closer off of a much shorter branch, a large room that features overgrown seaweed that hangs from the walls and fills the center of the space.
It would appear at high tide the room might fill most of the way and the seaweed might be almost labyrinth like to traverse the space but for now it appears as nothing more than a slime riddled mass featured in the center. 8 grindys move about the room; some in the shallow pool, pulling and cutting at the seaweed while others will about the exterior edges of the space on ledges about 5 feet up from the center. An exit can be seen on the other side of the room.
Init:
Quillin
Ajani
Bart
Hassan
Mel
Fjori
Grindy's
Current marching order:
Mel
Fjori
Ajani
Quillin
Hassan
Bart
Hassan looks for an opportunity to let loose his Light enhanced crossbow bolt, hoping to both hit a grindy and light up the room.
Quillin pushes through the legs of his companions to the front of the line at the first sound of grindies. With a manic cackle, he lets lose a burst of scintillating colors!
Ajani will draw his club to have at the ready, just in case it should be needed, and then move into the chamber, stepping off to one side as soon as he has gone into it to let the other more capable fighters move past him.
Fjori wades in, striking at the nearest grindy with sword and ax
Attack-Melee (Cutlass):
Crit Cofirm:
Damage:
Crit Damage:
Attack-Melee (ax):
Damage: