:
As his companions engage the beast, Maxim recalls some nagging hearth lore and bellows a warning to all;
"Hell's Teeth! Damned thing is a Cryohydra! Frost breath and bad attitude... Fire an' acid'll hurt it, but darn thing'll heal normal wounds fast. Chop the heads an' sear the stumps! Only way to be sure o' its death!"
Marigold raises her voice bathing the party with a prayer.
The hydra seems unaffected.
Kikinnin heals the frost injuries and jumps down the grate, peacefully descending to the bottom while the hydra tries to catch him in the air.
The teeth only find the dwarven armor.
JJ tries to tumble through the grate, he is not able to win the numerous heads of the hydra that try to snap at him.
The hydra bites at his right shoulder, but he does reach the southwest landing, sitting himself at 15' over the pit bottom, and just at the height of the top heads.
Juraan conjures a ball of fire over the hydra's body, but the creature is able to cunningly avoid it.
Some of the heads attack JJ.
Two of the heads got at JJ's arms tearing the skin of the young boy.
While others attempt to bite Kikinnin.
But the noble dwarven armor and his shield help him stop head after head without being unharmed.
The beast steps back closer to the fissure from where it most probably came.
AC = 23
HP = 74/74
Weapon Equipped = +1 Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = Prayer
Kikinnin looks up at the beast, and the number of heads lashing out in his general direction, and debates his course of attack. I can try and get lucky by snicking the heads, and hope we can get it down quickly, or I can keep pummeling its gut, and get it to stop thrashing so we can takes its heads in peace...
"Suppose it won't do us any good to try and shoo it off, eh? How'd it end up here, anyways? Did the fish folk set it to guard, like a watchdog?"
Blue light spills from JJs wounds, as they start to slowly heal themselves.
Then stepping forward, he does his best to bury his swords in the creatures back.
His blades blur, making a wall of steel as he trusts into the creatures body again and again.
"I hope it can't take much more of this, as I certainly can't" he calls to Kikinnin.
Forgot prayer, add +1 to all the to hits and +1 to all the damage
Maxim draws Smaug and levels the double barreled pistol. He again calls upon his arcane abilities, this time channeling one of his spells to enchant weapons barrels;
He pulls the trigger and the gun roars firing bullet and fire;
:
:
:
The dwur then reloads the glowing barrel with an alchemical cartridge
Not sure if Maxim's pistol is within range (20ft touch) - if needbe he can burn a grit point to extend the range touch by 1 increment for a -2 penalty hit.
With Kikinnin and JJ now amid the tangle of heads, Marigold attempts to move further down the stairs to better reach them with her magic if need be. Once she reaches the lower landing, she stops and attempts to fling a small orb of fire down at the hydra!
______
Juraan keeps the flaming sphere on top of the cryohydra.
"Thanks, Maxim! I'll give it a wee bit of acid"
And then casts an acid spell at the cryohydra
« זויער אָנכאַפּן » . .
Ryan spots the creature coming out from below and knowing his friends needed help.
stand tall, for the worms of the earth and the wryms of the air have both fallen to the Cauldron Watchers.
Kikinnin swings bravely at the hydra opening gashes in two heads.
JJ defends himself from the multiple heads swinging his swords bleeding them multiple times thanks to the inspiring word of Abadar risen by Ryan.
Maxim shots his new gun after loading it with magic. The bullets break the tough skin of the multiple headed creature.
Marigold uses her inner magic calling a bath of fiery stars over the hydra. The heads yell in pain despite the creature manages to avoid part of the damage. It seems to not like at all the fire.
The creature collapses under the sustained punishment of the party.
Unconscious, the hydra cannot avoid Juraan's sphere. The fire stops the hydra regeneration and outright ends killing the beast.
In an alcove in the northeast corner of the pit bottom is the flash-frozen corpse of a drow. He wears a +1 elven chain, and carries two masterwork scimitars, a masterwork composite longbow (+3 Str), five arrows and 25 gp.
The fissure at the bottom of the Pit of Seven Jaws where the hydra was hiding leads downward gradually.
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Kikinnin backs up as the flaming sphere finishes off the hydra. He watches the creature's strange ability to regenerate fight, and lose, to the power of fire.
He waits for the others to descend the stairs, taking the time to pull the elven chain off the corpse, laying it out for one of the others to consider, before packing it up, should no one care to sport it.
The black-beard takes a casual look at the fissure, biding time before they all descend.
"The hydra didn't present as much of a problem as I would have thought. You think there's more than one of them lurking about?" Kikinnin sizes up the size of the fissure, and compares it to the size of the monster, and wonders.
"They're gonna have to rename the Pit, now."
JJ eyes up the elven chain.
"That looks much easier to run around in than this breastplate. "
He toes the drow.
"Not that it looks like it did him much good."
"Y-Yeah, th-that was a l-lot easier than I th-thought it'd be," Marigold agrees as they take stock of their surroundings and relieve the unfortunate drow of his belongings. "B-But after the w-worm and that d-dragon, I'll take it!"
She pauses for a moment to mend some of JJ's wounds before they proceed.
______
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JJ gives Marigold a hug. "Thanks Marigold. I think I'd be splatted over half the underdark if it were not for you and Ryan."
Juraan comes down into the pit to join the others.
"They should probably rename this the pit of fire and ice."
Juraan searches the rest of the pit to see if there is any other ways in or out than the stairs they came down.
Maxim feels the quality of the chain with a nod to JJ;
"Nice... Will protect you well Surabar... an' be a darn sight less encumbering should you claim it..."
The dwur eyes the fissure;
"Reckon we go deeper?"
"Think we have time for me to try it on?" asks the lad.
Kikinnin, can you give me a hand with these straps...
A few minutes later the magic breastplate is removed, and JJ emerges clad fully in elven splendor.
"Oh this is nice...I feel like I could just about dance in this."
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"P-please no d-dancing," Marigold groans. "N-not right n-now. Knowing our l-luck it'd l-lure every critter around here for m-miles..."
Once JJ has changed his armor and Juraan finishes inspecting the pit bottom to no result, the group starts descending through the only viable opening.
The fissure leads downward gradually, descending about 100 vertical feet over the course of a quarter-mile. A stalactite-studded ceiling is 20 feet to 5O feet overhead, and the fissure itself is wide. After ten miles of walking through the passage, which is branched off by several short dead-end passageways, the Darklands passage opens out into an immense rift cavern at least a half-mile across and several hundred feet deep. Faintly glowing with phosphorescence at the bottom of the rift is a massive stone structure shaped like a prehistoric spined fish. A wide stairway can be dimly seen leading up into the fish's mouth.
A narrow ledge slopes down, hugging the side of the cavern as it descends in a series of switchbacks.
The ledge heading downward is fairly smooth and well-traveled, although there aren't any discernible tracks on it. You do find out a path to easily walk down to the shore.
"O-o-ohhh...okay, um...th-that's...th-that's a really b-big fish b-building," Marigold whispers as they reach the massive cavern. "S-Seems like we're g-going the right w-way at least..."
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"Water, water everywhere. But not a drop I'd drink!" points out JJ.
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Ryan studies the area below them, looking for any of the Kou Toa that were rumored to hold their charge.
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Kikinnin helps JJ out of his breastplate and into the chain, noting the inferior quality of the elven craftsmanship, but understanding its superiority to the breastplate make. He nods his approval, as the boy enjoys his new protections.
"Oh this is nice...I feel like I could just about dance in this."
"P-please no d-dancing. N-not right n-now. Knowing our l-luck it'd l-lure every critter around here for m-miles..."
Kikinnin snorts. "Not surprising. The boy only seems to understand mating dances. We don't have time to pry the moths off our chain flame, er, Catnip." The black-beard cuffs the boy on the shoulder.
Kikinnin waits for the others to plot an entry, though the path that avoids the water will be the one that suits him best.
As they descend, Juraan has his bow ready to use.
"Plenty of water; can't see if it's deep or shallow, though."
"Looks like we're on the right track, as Marigold said."
Maxim offers a hard smile at the group's banter, then scowls as keen eyes draw attention to the city's liquid carpet;
"Aw skit. Ain't we had enough o' water during the darned Flood season..? 'Sides water ain't no friend o' my black powder..."
The dwur hunkers for a moment, suggesting caution;
"Reckon this is most likely home o' them fish folk. Kuo-Toa... Iffen it is, then most likely its also hostile territory. Reckon some scoutin' might be in order to glean the lay o' the land?"
The water begins about a hundred yards from the base of the stairway that leads into the structure. It is murky, silty water-obviously only a few inches deep at first, but it is impossible to tell by looking how deep it gets. A thin mist floats a few feet over the surface of the water.
A few moments after you arrive, a long canoe emerges from the mist, drifting slowly towards you. Crouched in the stern is a froglike creature the size of a human, holding a paddle in one hand and a shortspear in the other. The canoe stops about 20 feet from the water's edge, and the creature looks in your direction.
"Anyone speak undercommon?"
Ryan ask in common loud enough for the boatman to hear.....
Kikinnin looks over the creature, then regards the canoe, noting the distance to shore. Creature's right to be wary of us. We are intruders, and they have one of us in their possession. The first thing the black-beard does is sheathe his Axe. Second thing he does is approach the shore, his hands raised.
"I don't know if your kind understands the Common Speech. I'm hoping you do, otherwise my words are meaningless here." Kikinnin gives the frog-man some time to ponder his introduction, before continuing. Only if the creature shows signs of understanding.
"We've traveled a long ways, ferry-frog. We're here, looking for one of my kind. A dwarf by the name of Zenith Splintershield. I don't know if you know who you keep, but we have it on good authority your pond is the place to look. If you have a leader, we would speak to him, uh, or her. We don't want to fight. We just want to find Zenith."
Kikinnin speaks plain, to see where it leads them. The civilized approach, he thinks.
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JJ tries Sylvan. "Hello there...."
He gives the dwarf a nudge. "Dwarves dance too you know. Mr and Mrs Rouradon't didn't make you in the forge you know."
"ઉમ્ ... અમે શાંતિમાં આવીએ છીએ?" Marigold tries, peeping at the frog-creature from behind JJ.
"Um...we c-come in p-peace?"
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Maxim grits his teeth in frustration as the group eye the frogman;
"Did have a spell available that allowed me to speak languages, but I burned it to enchant my pistol against the darned Cryohydra..."
His eyes narrow as his companions start to chime in with a variety of tongues, the dwur whispers his thoughts;
"Mind these creatures are slavers... Makes sense we have come to buy slaves no..? Firgit finding Zenith... We need an' in that don't end up with us in shackles..."
The Kuo-toa listens attentive to your words, it only seems to react when he listens the name "Zenith Splintershield" from Kikinnin's lips. He then looks at Kikinnin then at Maxim "Rapua koe i te Kanohi Pao? Ka arahina koe e ahau i roto i te maw"
The frog-like slowly putts his spear down, then he beckons you into the canoe.
"Apparently he wants us to come with him, perhaps we should." Ryan suggest as the frog man lowers his spear and waves them towards the canoe.
JJ eyes the canoe suspiciously.
"Why would a water creature use a canoe? What is the bet he tips it up when we are half way across."
Kikinnin moves forward, not trusting, not untrusting, and gets in the canoe. Slowly. He positions himself as best he can to allow the others to board the vessel. "One of him, six of us. If we all keep our eyes on him, we shouldn't have too much trouble. Besides, we're heavy. He looks scrawny." The black-beard looks uneasily over the side of the canoe, but does his best not to rock it.
The froglike looks without expressing any feeling as Kikinnin gets into the canoe. He remains silent while the rest of the group decides if getting into the canoe is a good idea or not.
As Kikinnin goes into the canoe it moves a bit, but otherwise appears stable. Ryan thinks it is in good state and somehow stable.
Seeing only a slight movement from the boat, Ryan joins Kikinnin in the canoe.
"One way to find out his intentions..."
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JJ, not one to have Kikinnin set an example he can't follow (except perhaps when it comes to dwarven ladies), quickly climbs into the canoe too.
"Perhaps they're expecting someone to come pay a ransom?"
"Doubtless a ferryman for less watery people."
Juraan just gets into the canoe and then says to their frog-like ferryman:
« შეგიძლიათ გაიგოთ მე? »
"W-well...b-boat ride it is, I g-guess..." Marigold sighs and carefully climbs into the canoe as well. Once situated she eyes the creature cautiously, trying to get a sense of its disposition and intentions.
Once the party is in the canoe, the ferry man goes in as well. He looks clue-less at Juraan's Draconic words. Then pushes the stone of the shore with his paddle and the canoe slightly swings while it starts moving far from the land.
After a couple of seconds, the frog points with a hand into his chest "Aabhaca" he says. Then, he starts slowly paddling towards the mist. Once the canoe is within the aery water he speaks once again "He aha koe e rapu ai i te Kanohi Pao?"
The ferry kuo-toa seems a bit gone, barely doing unneeded movements, and performing always very slow. It keeps looking at you, and when he does it is like if he looks far away past your body. You do not perceive immediate danger on his attitude, but his presence is perhaps unnerving.
Maxim flashes a hard smile at Kikinnin's comment that they have the spindly frogman outnumbered;
"Reckon there's a passel o' wyrms an' worms that reckon Surabar was too scrawny to do them harm... Our boatman could be as good a dancer as our Catnip... So let's be ware..."
Cursing that he no longer had the enchantment of communication available, the mage enters the boat with the nod to their guide.
The gun-mage trusts the others to keep an eye on the boatman, the dwur turns his gaze toward theor surroundings;
:
JJ points to his own chest. "JJ" he says.
Then he points to the frog man "Aabhaca"
"Kikinnin, you don't think this guy has evil in his heart?"
Kikinnin maintains a stoic face, while addressing JJ. "Aside from some fey and Crazy Jared, we've dealt mostly with creatures who seem by their nature 'evil'. I wouldn't doubt it if the ferry-frog was, but I'm not going to make a big to-do with a lookie-loo right now. His boat, his terms. That is, unless you want to upset him right now, and get ourselves into deeper waters..." The black-beard's look doesn't change, but the tone of his voice is meant to discourage any rash activity, now that they're in the boat.
"Play nice JJ, at least until otherwise proven a need to test your mettle."
Turning his head towards the frogman, Ryan touches his own chest "Ryan"
muttering his own aside to Maxim "Lousy day not to have prepared at least one copy of Comprehend Languages"
Aabhaca nods at JJ and looks at him, but past him, like if he was looking at someone behind the young man.
Slowly, the canoe emerges from the mist and arrives at the stairs at the other side. There Aabhaca let's the party jump into the stairs. Once everybody is out of the canoe the kuo-toa looks in between the party and talks like at someone in there who no one else can see "I kite ahau i a Zenith i roto i te pouri nui, engari kei te kite ia i nga mea i tua atu o te pouri, kei te pouri tonu. Pouri atu i te pouri, ae. A ka kite ahau i te mea iti e kite ana a Zenith, i roto i te pouri. Ko te makariri, ma te pouri. He pouri, pouri kei kite ahau ia Zenith. Kei roto koe i te pouri?"
He then suddenly turns to Marigold, the froglike unexpectedly touch her front with her index finger and says with great difficulty in a terrible Dwarven "Smoking Eye"
Without answering any further question, and unless violence is used against him, the ferry frog-man paddles then off back into the mist leaving the group alone in the stairs.
An immense structure of rough, wet stone in the shape of a fishlike creature stands here. Its eye sockets are empty, revealing darkness beyond, and its slick surface is dotted with patches of faintly phosphorescent moss, giving the entire structure a faint purple glow. A steep but wide stone stairway emerges from the water and leads to the open mouth of the fish, and from within sound faint, sporadic, froglike croaks.
"Maxim, I think he was talking about the end of your pistol." smiles JJ. "Maybe he thinks Marigold should have one to protect her?"
He slowly mounts the steps, looking carefully for traps or ambushes.
Ryan nods his thanks to the frogman leaving a silver on the bench where he passed the trip, "Thank you, go with Abadar's peace" if allowed he places his hand on the ferryman's shoulder and cast guidance on him.
Moving to the stairs, Ryan follows Kikinnin and JJ up the stairs. Letting their scout do what he does best. "Hopefully there are no worms or dragons here, he'll get us all killed."
"Uh-uhm...okay?" Marigold responds, looking a little unnerved at Aabhaca as he delivers his message and then climbs back into his boat and paddles away. "He d-didn't seem hostile, j-just...odd, k-kinda like C-Crazy Jared. M-Maybe Aabhaca is c-crazy too. B-but I don't think he m-meant I needed a g-gun..."
"Maybe 'smoking eye' was some sort of cryptic reference?"
"Either to you or your powers, Marigold."
"Didn't seem too interested in the rest of us."
"Guess we should carry on up the stairs."
"Carefully, mind."
Juraan will proceed with bow at the ready and keeping alert