" So we have a bridge to fix, fisherman to save from a siren possibly... and whatever other dangers there are? What can you tell us about the siren exactly? How long has she been here, and has anyone else went missing?"
After Coraline checks for a moment, she answers Vasaam "I do have it today, so we shall be good for now. We should make way there."
"Siren?", the man looks confused. "Is that your word for a mermaid?"
The man clearly isn't as knowledgeable about there being a difference, as Vasaam is.
"I think the fishermen have been taking the extra rations for, oh perhaps a decade. Though there hadn't been mention of the mermaid until about 4 years ago. And yes, the lad's father had gone missing 2 years ago, when they briefly split up. Some blood drops were found near one of the underground pools."
Vasaam nods at the man's mention of a mermaid. "A siren could be mistaken for a mermaid if one didn't know the differences. How long has your 'mermaid' been living there?"
He adds to the group, "So there's one more thing to check out."
"So this isn't the first person missing, and there was blood. Now the lad's gone whose father went... I think it is not a mermaid, but a siren. We sea folk do not normally find the taste of land dwellers nice. You have too much fat. But on to the actual task, we may have to dive the pools. You all are good with the swimming yes?"
She said this with a serious tone, but most everyone would know her people do not eat people. Not at least with a regular schedule like a siren or other evil creatures might.
Leona adds with a bit of a concerned look
"Kinda not liking what I'm thinking, worse case what is bad in the caves has started multiplying...."
The man looks in surprise at Coraline speaking as though she too had eaten people in the past.
Even more worried at what Leona implies.
Regardless, he offers you the bunks on the haystack attic, for any nights you'd need to stay here.
We shouldnt be jumping to conclusions, what if the Sirens/Mermaids ex boyfriend showed up, viewed the humans as competition and started a jealous rage? Aletha offers
From what Cyndane told me, her demonic ancestor, grandmother if I recall correclty, is fairly chill, surprisingly honest for a demoness and reasonable, which of course makes that demoness very desireable as these are rare qualities. So she had a bunch of suitors, who are of course in a competition to kill the progeny of other suitors because demons are gonna demon.
Not a great swimmer myself but in pretty good physical shape.
Leona adds with a face of worry
"Well... I suck at both swimming and climbing....."
Vasaam grins at Leona's comment. "Worse than a mage? I doubt that. Let's go and see what needs to be done."
Taking your leave from the elder, you move through Cliffside.
Its houses are simple but functional in design, stone walls and wooden roofs.
The basic necessity shops are present, though. A blacksmith working on tools, a small stables, a general supply store.
In the northeast section, towards the exit towards the caverns, you see an artificially crafted scene of a cavern with a body of water, illuminated by a lantern. Were it dark, one could envision themselves in a serene place far away from the troubles of the surface.
A young woman has just finished looking into the scene, seated on a bench opposite its wall. She makes the slightest bow with folded hands, then turns to move away.
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Leona observes
hmm, it could be a shrine of some sort to the local spirit.
Everyone got some rope? Aletha produces some from her swashbucklers kit
If we got 3 ropes, we can make a rope bridge once one guy or girl manages to make it over the cliff
Aletha purchases some nails as well, nails are really useful.
Leona figures that this is indeed most likely a form of shrine to the local spirit, that resides nearby.
Spirits, while rarely appearing in a manifested form, do seem aware of the tributes and prayers of the people done at their shrines.
Or so claim people who have had their prayers answered in some form or another.
"Hmm, seem there is a shrine here.."
Making your way out of the village, the lack of walls once again brings forth the sea breeze blowing from below.
The entrance wouldn't be obvious from the sea, but a natural entrance is found upwards towards the edge of the cliff, some 30ft away.
At the entrance, a miniature carved out scene, similar to the shrine in the village. Including some water filling the bowl. A couple of fresh berries still remain in what might be a bowl for an offering.
When you enter, the wind disappears, and the dark greets you up ahead.
As you proceed further inwards, the walls gradually turn moist, and the floor does too. After 10 minutes in, the tunnel widens, into what looks like a corner to take a break in or get additional materials if needed.
You find some barrels, one with fish that has not been treated with salt, which has started to stink. Others empty. The makeshift bookcase holds fishing materials, small hooks and such, but no lines or nets, that appropriate spot is vacant as is.
There are 2 paths you can take here. Left, from which you hear some water dripping, and right, which is silent as can be.
Leona tries to hear if there are anything else she can hear.
As she is also aware of tunnel echo which can mislead others into thinking the sound came one way, when it really came the other.
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Aletha deposits a ration in the offering box, before continueing.
Right hand right wall? She offers, being ready to go in front. And prefering to go right for now.
Leona replies to Aletha
"Before we just walk down one path, let's hear what we can make out before going.
and make a choice based on that."
Lariel takes a careful look to see any details that might reveal the route the missing fishermen had taken last.
There isn't much to go by, with the hard ground not leaving boot prints.
Beyond the sound of dripping water, no odd sounds are heard.
Yet, one minor detail is spotted, discoloration on the lower wall in the left tunnel, as if some metal object was briefly scraping it.
Leona sees the srape
"I think we'll need to head left....."
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Lariel makes sure to point out what he finds to the others. He agrees with Leona and says [b]"Left seems to be where things happen. We should proceed with caution. Moving forward, he walks silently.
His idea of moving silently seems to be scraping his bow on the wall and bumping his toe.
Aletha stealths along, clearly having the beginners luck on her side, to the left.
Once the scrape was pointed out Vasaam agrees. "It's as good a sign as anything. Someone or something made that mark."
" Here, you can not see in the dark can you? Let me help you out."
Coraline does in fact cast Light on the staff so everyone can see, and it may even give some benefits for others to stealth. After listening to her companions words, she comes to the same idea that going left will lead to more adventure, and probably an issue with something else. So she offers "We can go right first and ensure nothing is there to sneak up on us, then come back left. I think securing our backs is wise, as anything can swim behind and stab you."
" Here, you can not see in the dark can you? Let me help you out."
Coraline does in fact cast Light on the staff so everyone can see, and it may even give some benefits for others to stealth. After listening to her companions words, she comes to the same idea that going left will lead to more adventure, and probably an issue with something else. So she offers "We can go right first and ensure nothing is there to sneak up on us, then come back left. I think securing our backs is wise, as anything can swim behind and stab you."
Leona thinks on it
"True we could go right, but are back are still turned an unexplored pathway.
Would be nice to know if something was coming through or we had a way to block it off for a time.
But we know there likely is something down the left path."
"Hmm, someone could scout out say 200 ft ahead to get an idea of what is down both paths, and then make a choice.
Likely it should be a scout that won't give away they are there."
Leona then asks
"Ok, then let's figure things out,
Who can see in the dark"
She raises her hand
looks at the results and after a pause then asks
" Who can easily hold their own in a fight if needed, not really needed, but a good to have."
She does not raise her hand
looks at the results and after a pause then asks
"And who can move about quietly"
She raises her hand
looks at the results and after a pause then says
"Crap baskets.....I'm high on the scout list..."
Alethas hand goes up twice, she is dark sighted, and can fight, yet her stealth capabilities are... not actively bad, but thats it.
Not particularly stealthy, but I can see in the dark and can fight pretty well. I could also shapshift into something that can move quicker, or into something smol. Only lasts a minute though, and I dont like using it too much.
I can probably treck like, 40-50 feet behind the scout? So he or she has some backup if things go wrong.
Leona replies
So we have effectively two scouts, one good for absolute stealth, the other who could hold out or remove single threats....
So depending on conditions, it'll change who gets scouting....
"I do like the idea of someone hanging back some with the scout, but it does come with both pros and cons."
Leona replies
So we have effectively two scouts, one good for absolute stealth, the other who could hold out or remove single threats....
So depending on conditions, it'll change who gets scouting...."I do like the idea of someone hanging back some with the scout, but it does come with both pros and cons."
The plan is to have 2 people stay here, and the other three check the right path?
Coraline looks back and forth between her new companions and sighs, knowing she could not help outside of healing them when they come back "I am not the one who can move without making a sound. They should be back within a few time period though correct? Maybe a minute?"
She does get ready to watch the pathway they knew something could possibly come from, and keeps an eye on it by reading her weapons
Then Lariel and Vasaam stay put, while the ladies take the tunnel to the right.
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Leaving the boys put in the break corner, you proceed ahead.
A few minutes in, a draft is felt. In your black and white vision, a grey-ish area shows a few small holes in the wall.
Looking through one, there is the sound of 'something', some 50 feet below. Two shapes slowly wander a passage, with the more distant sound of water further below.
Humanoid in shape, yet clearly not something you'd normally see above the water. Are those fins you see?
Sahuagin, territorial fish folk, occassional raiders of shores. Unfortunately they have a yet undiscovered (to Pruolus that is) home in these waters.
by Hekatys padded melons the f#+~ are these?
Aletha whispers to Nausicaa as she observes the strangers
Hekatys is a minor demonlord or such of Succubi and seduction, implying her breasts are padded is not something a believer of her would do.
Leona whispers in a low voice
"Sahuagin"
Aside from the knowledge gained from this vantage point, only stains on the wall is found.
Bat droppings. Given no odor comes from it, the bats must have left since long.
Gathering together again, you take the left passage.
It starts to go downwards, and the increasing moist makes this part slippery.
Leona has no problem walking along.
Aletha walks so lightly, she barely notices the slickness.
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Holding the staff with the light Vasaam keeps watch and listens for any movement from the other direction.
"My father was in the guild. Sorcerer. I understand that he was a pretty good spell slinger, but not very good at much of anything else. I'm more like my mother, except for her tendency toward deceit. She conned him and got what good life he could afford until she was able to hook up with anyone else with more coin. He was dedicated, a good man. Taught me right and wrong. I haven't seen him in too long and hope he's still good. If we do good here I might ask about him with the guild...."
"How about you? If we get a chance we all should probably tell a bit more about our backgrounds. I think the guild usually keeps teams together if they work out. My dad mentioned something like that when I was younger and asked about his work. He had some regular friends in the guild."
Keeping her voice low, and watching the hated creatures before her, she tells the others " Sahuagin all need to die. But they are evil creatures, not what the men prayed to."
Of course, with her talking and hatred blinding her, she completely misjudged a step, and slipped.
Leona goes to grab Coraline as she slips so she does not injure herself in her fall.
"Watch it, and don't lose focus on our task before us,
negative emotions can cloud one's focus."
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Lariel listens attentively to Vasaam's story and is a bit embarrassed he asked him to tell such a story. He says "I'm sorry about that. I hope you find your.. father. Mine was also the reason why I joined, just for a different reason. He was a simple man in the country, but I wanted to make friends in the city. One such friends turned out to be in the guild, and when I went to introduce my friendships to my father to show him how likable they were... Well, the short version is that it caused my to do something stupid. Trying to save me from my own stupidity, I caused both my friend and my father to be killed." His voice falters for a moment.
He is silent for a while as he recomposes himself. He continues "I'll make my father proud." Looking Vasaam playfully he adds "wherever he is..."
Vasaam is surprised when he hears Lariel's story. At first he wants to ask more detail, but decides to curb his curiosity. "You'll make him proud. I'm sure we'll be able to figure out what is happening here and help the town's people."