"Which way do we want to go?" The elf woman almost instinctively reaches for her bow, eyeing the grindylows.
Tobias sneered at the thought of climbing down again.
"I'm jumping." Drawing a rapier, the godling makes a running dive to the waters below.
"He doesn't like climbing, does he? Did you notice the hat?" Earthsong says conversationally to Rosanne as she whips out her bow with practiced ease, nocks an arrow, and lets fly at the grindylow with the hat.
Tobias dives right into the water. It is indeed deep, perhaps 50ft. or more to the bottom, though it is hard to properly tell. Looking up he can see beady insect eyes looking down at him, disturbed by his passing. They don't seem too inclined to leave their holes in the wall yet which are high up, away from where even high tide could reach. Anyone climbing could quite possibly disturb them though. Perhaps staying in the water is the safest way to keep them away in case they are hungry. Judging by the holes in the cliff wall there could be a dozen or more.
The insects are Stirges, found in temperate and warm swamps. Their barbed legs allow them to securely attach onto their prey as they then insert a long, needle-sharp proboscis to drain the prey's blood. If the prey survives, the danger of disease is likely and on this island is likely to be more ghoul fever.
As Tobias jumps into the water, Earthsong fires and seriously wounds one of the grindylow. It drops the hat and they both look around. They spot her and point, screaming something in their language.
"I think these are just the lookouts. Probably expecting us and luring us with that hat. They're going to run into their lair and activate some sort of trap for us as we follow." Jacques reveals and Amuro nods.
Perhaps stopping them will delay their planning." Amuro says and jumps in with Tobias, hitting the water with a slap.
Jacques decides to head down towards them if they run.
"Yes I saw the hat. Toby doesn't like not being the best and anything." Rosanne adds with a smirk.
"In this case I believe diving is the best option. The cliff seems to be home to Stirges, nasty bloodsuckers!"
She takes a shot at the Grindylow Earthsong wounded.
.
An arrow from Rosanne strikes the grindylow right where the hat used to sit and the creature drops dead. The remaining grindylow cries out and swims inside the the cove, unknowingly towards Tobias.
"I'll worry about getting down once our lookout is dealt with." Earthsong replies to Rosanne.
Tobias swims toward the grindlows he saw on the cliff.
Using his Seaborn I (Ex) godling divine trait, Tobias may always take 10 on a Swim check, even if threats and distractions would normally prevent him from doing so.
Rosanne joins in targeting the remaining Grindylow. She will make her way down when the waters are less occupied.
2 well-aimed arrows hit the grindylow as it tries to retreat, slowing it and causing it to stumble. Jacques chases behind it.
Amuro and Tobias block its way so it tries to trip Amuro with its tentacles to get past. It fails and shouts something in its language.
Amuro cuts it down with a smooth stroke of his katana.
The beady eyes of the stirges are peering out of their holes.
"We best get down before more trouble comes swarming out. Shall we?" The elf woman stows her bow, smiling mischievously at Rosanne as she holds out her hand for the other woman to join her in the jump.
Rosanne takes her hand and grins as she jumps into the waters with her.
Jacques joins up with the rest of you in the neck of the cavern, having retrieved Sandara's Tricorne from the sand. The narrow tunnel you find past the deep cove is only knee deep water. You do not need swim checks but movement is still limited, you can not run or withdraw. As you group up to leave the cove the stirges start to come out of their holes, their wings humming in the air. If you quickly leave, they do not pursue you, instead feasting on the blood of the dying grindylows instead.
Deeper into the tunnel you soon come to a split. To your left and right are two separate tunnels, both rooms are too deep to walk through and also full of seaweed that could possibly hide any number of threats. Lying on the seaweed at the entrance of both caverns are spiked metal grates. The spikes point downward, indicating these traps have not yet been set since you managed to stop the alarm being raised.
The tunnel leading into this natural tidal cavern is decorated with the jawbones of numerous frightful-looking fish, resembling the throat of some hideous aquatic creature.
This cavern has been carved to resemble the interior of some great sea creature, its ribs towering over and around the chamber.
"He sits to the left where none so deft..." Rosanne mutters a fragment of a long forgotten poem.
"Which way should we take?" She asks the crew.
"Are those jawbones an alarm of sorts?" Earthsong wonders. "Tobias, any thoughts as to the direction?"
"Left looks best", Tobias agreed.
"Shall we then?" The elf keeps her bow ready in case of more trouble as they started moving down the left tunnel.
This cavern has been carved to resemble the interior of some great sea creature, its ribs towering over and around the chamber. The chamber is also deep, to cross you must swim or hold onto the wall to cross it. The water is also filled with tall seaweed, hindering visibility.
You notice that there are several grindylow hiding below the water, waiting for you to begin crossing the cavern. Though they didn't have time to raise the spike traps they heard you entering and are ready to fight.
"We're not alone!" The elf woman backs away, trying not to distance herself from the others as she points downward.
Rosanne loads her crossbow and steps back behind the martial types.
.
When Earthsong shouts out, three grindylows at the far end of the cavern surface and have spears ready. They seem to be waiting and taunting.
Tobias draws his dagger, having weapons in both hands.
"Alright, crew. Stay on land and finish them off at a distance. I will engage in melee", Acting-Captain Tobias said over his shoulder to the others.
Taking a dramatic step forward, the young sailor roared in the cavern. "Alright, you slimy sea-devils! Now you face The Son of Besmara himself! Your Doom is Sealed!"
The godling then jumps into the water and swims 15 ft. if allowed.
The druidess takes aim and cuts loose with a shot at the northernmost grindylow, striking him solidly in the chest.
Tobias and Amuro jump into the water and swim through the seaweed towards the grindylows.
An arrow from earthsong almost kills one of them. It throws a spear back at her and misses. Another throws a spear at Amuro. The third thrusts its spear right at him.
Two more that had evaded detection surface from among the seaweed next to Tobias and Amuro.
Jacques grabs his rapier and moves forward but before he can enter the water another Grindylow stabs a spear at him from the narrow passage on the left.
Jacques turns and fight back with his rapier.
Rosanne shoots at the Grindylow attacking Jacques.
The young sailor counterattacks the grindlylow that attacked him.
Rosanne almost kills the grindylow next to Jacques. It tries to move back into the darkness of the narrow passage but is stabbed through as it turns around.
Jacques turns back to the fight and swims out to help Tobias with not much success.
The first grindylow wounded by Rosanne retreats through a narrow side passage to the north. These are dark and hard to see into. The one to the east of Amuro holds its last spear and waits.
The two next to Amuro stab, catching only seaweed or armour.
The fourth in the water strikes Jacques now and scratches him.
The elf woman fires off another arrow, but it skips off the water and has no power behind it.
Round 3
Undeterred, Tobias assists his big friend, Jacques, in felling the attacking grindylow.
Rosanne again shoots at the Grindylow attacking Jacques.
Her shot deflected by the water.
round 2
Amuro wounds one of the grindylow fighting him, thought his weapon is not nearly as effective while in the water.
-------------------------------
Toby stabs and stabs again, killing the grindylow, which then sinks into the seaweed.
Arrows and crossbow bolts zip through the air and disappear into the depths hidden by the seaweed.
Jacques nods to Tobias, thanking him for the save and swims towards another enemy and stabbing it with his rapier.
Amuro also strikes again through the difficulty of the water and a second blow kills the grindylow this time.
Only 2 remain in the cavern with you and both decide it is time to retreat, quickly moving through the passageway deeper into the caves.
You have the cavern to yourselves, who knows what treasures may lie hidden below. Perhaps there will be time later to search after you rescue your captured crewmates.
The grindylows aren't fighting very fiercely. Unlike when they attacked the ship and took your crew mates. They are retreating quickly too, as soon as wounded or outnumbered. They are trying to draw you in. Wearing Sandara's hat on the beach in plain view. They wanted you to find them here.
"Perhaps I'm being paranoid, but they don't seem to be fighting particularly fiercely. Most creatures defend their lairs with more vigor. These are retreating. Perhaps they are luring us into an ambush?" The elf woman notes.
"That sounds about right", Tobias answered grimly. "It's what I'd do, I guess. Which way did they go?"
They have retreated to the north.
"They want us to follow. Perhaps we should try the other passage? I wouldn't like more to come up behind us while we're dealing with these."
"Aye", Tobias agrees. "And if it is a trap..well, the trap ain't going nowhere. Let's take that side passage on the right."
"Lead the way, captain."
The godling, with the other in tow, enters the far right cavern.
Earthsong keeps an arrow loosely nocked on her bow and warily watches ahead and now behind in case the other sea goblins try to come up behind then again.
Rosanne follows along, straining to hear any change in the sounds of water on the walls to would signal danger.
.
The traps directly in front of you have still not been raised and you notice no other traps.
Earthsong proves the sharpness of her sight by detecting 2 more grindylows in the water.
A dark, narrow passageway splits off to the side similar to the other large cavern (which hid a grindylow that tried to stab Jacques earlier).
The elf woman raises a hand for the group to halt and then points out the grindylows.
"Good eye, Earthsong", Tobias thanks his druid companion. The godling gets slowing in the water and advances 10 feet past the traps toward the grindylows.
Amuro and Jacques grab their weapons and follow right beside Tobias into the water.
Two grindylows surface at the far end of the cavern and each throw one of their spears. One of them scratches Amuro who grunts. The two in the water with the brave rescuers stab forward.
Round 2
Battle Map
The elf woman snaps off a shot at the creatures to the rear, but the chaotic melee erupting in the cavern spoils her aim.
.
Rosanne snaps off a shot but it glances off the water and misses.
Round 2 Tobias stabs at the grindylow harassing Jacques.
With a single stab Jacques finishes off the grindylow that Toby wounded.
Amuro fights back and wounds the grindylow near him. It decides to flee from its wound but another grindylow surfaces from being hidden in the water and attacks.
Another grindylow emerges from the narrow, dark passageway next to Earthsong and attacks.
The two at the other end of the cavern hold their last spear ready.