Chapter 9: A Primitive Sea

[Joe]

Streko watches Kal go down in swirl of red.

"NO!!!!"

Without thinking, the cleric of Olladra spreads his arms wide and calls out Olladra's name.

His holy symbol explodes in a truly blinding pulse of light. The shockwave surrounds the giant Sahuagin and makes him seem smaller, weaker, less of a threat.

Gentle pulses of healing energy continue to emeante from Streko's holy symbol, entering into the bodies of all his allies nearby, giving them strength to continue.

"You've angered the wrong Halfling!!"

Streko moves to Kal and calls out Olladra's name again, followed by Kal's. A golden radiance suffuses his limp body...providing yet more healing energy to him.
____________________________________________________

STANDARD ACTION: Streko casts BEACON OF HOPE:

ATTACK: 1d20+7=27

HIT: (Not sure how a natural 20 affects this, but each enemy in the 3 square burst is weakened until the end of his next turn. - Figures I'd get a natural on a spell that doesn' do damage...sigh...)

EFFECT: All allies in the burst regain 5 hit points and any healing powers Streko uses restore +5 hit points until the end of the encounter.

MINOR ACTION: Streko casts HEALING WORD on Kal.

Kalarian gains 2d6+4=13 hit points plus an additional +5 for a total of 18 recovered

[Brian]

Condign sees Kal fall. His friend's collapse is slow, as if he were falling through water. The seconds stretch out, incomprehensibly, unbelievably. Blood, too much blood--it runs from Kal's wounds, seeping into the ground, staining it red.

Moments after Streko calls upon his god, Condign rushes to place his body between Kal and Sarquaa. He glares at the sahuagin.

"You bastard son of a jellyfish!" Condign is shouting, spittle flying from his thin lips. "Coward! You want a fight? Come down here. Meet me! Fight me! I swear I will rip your gills out through traitorous mouth!"

________________________

Okay, change of plans. Out with the attack, in with the heals. Scrap both earlier offensive actions.

Movement Action: Condign moves to stand between Kal and Sarquaa.
Minor Action: Inspiring Word on Kal. (Let's say his speech got to Kal.)
Standard Action: Full defensive mode

[Jeff]

Okay, here's what really happened....

Round 6

22 = Adamant
16 = Kal (delay)
15 = Sarquaa
14 = Kal
13 = Shorak
13 = Belarin
12 = Streko
12 = Condign
12 = Hras'Ka and his crew

______________________

Adamant, feeling worlds better about his condition, turns and strides across the air bubble, splashing with his feet as he goes...then stabs up at Sarquaa. The sahuagin swats the spear tip aside with ease.

Kal, forming a plan, stalls for a moment...

Sarquaa does not remain still. With a mighty kick that sends a storm of small bubbles swirling around him, he glides to the side, beyond the reach of Condign's weapon. Even as he settles into place, one of his tridents stabs out at Kal—!

Which the dragonmarked anticipates...and realizes two late that it was a feint. The sahuagin's second trident flashes at him through the bubbles and catches him across the arm and shoulder, almost impaling him. Kal cries out from the sudden and unbelievable pain. He sees blood spitting out of his own mouth. It isn't enough to bring him down, though! Kal is a warrior and sorcerer of House Deneith. The Mark of Sentinel will not falter—

And just as quick, multiple sahuagin claws reach out at him. One of them seems to rebound off an invisible shield—Streko's shield of prayer! The other, however, flashes in and quickly away..and Kal feels something warm and wet gushing down his shirt beneath his armor. Beside him, Condign's eyes widen to see the large wound the sahuagin's claws have torn across Kal's collar. But for the human's armor, it might have torn right down through his chest. For one brief and panicked moment, Kal sees himself falling to the sea floor and dying there. But he's still alive!

"You're just meat now, human!" Sarquaa roars out. Condign feels the broadsword in his hands pulse with anger in response to his wounded ally.

Kal feels dizziness wash over him, but he keeps his feet. Concentrating only briefly on the pearl in his hand, he shifts the Sphere of Life toward the sahuagin, submerging Belarin in seawater behind him as it goes. When Sarquaa reaches the air, gravity claims him, and the large sahuagin suddenly splashes to the ground, back on the sea floor. He lands on both legs and steadies himself easily with his extra arms. He doesn't look happy about this unexpected shift.

Then Kal stabs out with Skyfang, delivering a spell, but Sarquaa weaves out of the way before it impacts, and the spell fizzles away.

• Adamant's bolstering strike misses Sarquaa.
• Sarquaa takes 5 poison damage.
• Sarquaa shifts 1 square diagonally up and west (placing him for the moment out of Condign's reach, 2 spaces from Kal and Adamant)
• Sarquaa's attack (trident) vs. Kal's AC: 26 +2 (Kal is bloodied) -2 (marked) = 26 (hit) / 8 +5 (Kal is bloodied) = 13 ÷ 2 (mithral chain) = 6 damage to Kal
• 7 radiant damage to Sarquaa from Divine Challenge.
• Sarquaa's attack (claw) vs. Kal's AC: 21 +2 (Kal is bloodied) -2 (marked) = 21 (miss)
• Sarquaa's attack (claw) vs. Kal's AC: 26 +2 (Kal is bloodied) -2 (marked) = 26 (hit) / 8 +5 (Kal is bloodied) = 13 damage to Kal and Kal will take 5 ongoing damage (save ends)
• Kal's move action: shift bubble 3 squares
• Kal's second minor action: shift bubble 3 squares back
• Kal's lightning orb made through Sorcerous Channeling misses Sarquaa.

Shorak kicks through the water, hurrying to join his allies, drawing his short sword as he does. When he reaches he bubble, he takes a breath, turns, and points his blade at Sarquaa as dark acid spurts from it. But his aim is off, and the acid is instantly diluted by the seawater.

Belarin relies to Larest, then has an idea. He sees that to reach Sarquaa, who is now on the ground level, he'll need to venture into the water willingly. He speaks his rhyme, takes a breath, then leaps into the water's embrace, stabbing at the air with his pact dagger and loosing a spell. Fire and lightning spew from his warlock's blade; where the fire seems diminished by the water, the lightning seems to heighten. It tears into Sarquaa with unexpected fury. You can hear him howling under the assault. Then the spell washes away, leaving the four-armed sahuagin swaying...and fixing his eyes on Belarin.

Streko fires another Olladran lance of light toward Sarquaa, but he's still moving fast and easily evades it. Ignoring the results, he speaks words of healing and Kal feels a measure of his strength returning. He knows how close he was to death, and that it may not be so far off yet.

Condign, seeing his enemy once again right before him, reaches a two-handed strike through the water. Sarquaa's trident swats the blade away before it punctures him.

• Shorak swims 3 squares to the Sphere. (2 wouldn't have been enough, Dave!)
• Shorak's basic melee attack misses Sarquaa.
• Belarin's Athletics check: 15 (success)
• Belarin's crackling fire hits Sarquaa / 27 fire and lightning damage to Sarquaa, and Sarquaa gains vulnerable 5 fire and vulnerable 5 lightning (save ends both).
• Sarquaa is bloodied.
• Streko's lance of faith misses Sarquaa.
• Streko uses healing word and Kal heals 25 hit points.
• Condign's viper's strike misses.

______________________

Dave, I don't think Adamant needed to take any ongoing damage this round. He saved from last round.

Ken, with Sarquaa down on ground level again, I couldn't see another way for Belarin to reach him with a blast effect without him going into the water.

Dice roller's down again, so if it's not working when you try it, leave the rolls to me.

[Darren]

Okay, here's what really happened....

That reminded me of Clue.

Kal feels pain. Unbelievable pain, but he's felt pain before. Many of his enemies have tried to knock him down, and he's always gotten up again. A quick glance at his companions around him and he realizes, I've gotten up again because of them. He grins.

Kalarian takes a step away from Sarquaa as he raises Skyfang defensively in front of him. He flicks the blade towards Sarquaa, unleashing lightning with a boom of thunder.

_____________________
Kal will shift one square away from Sarquaa (wherever he ends up).

With apologies to those standing next to Sarquaa....Kal will use Dancing Lightning. It's going to cause 4 thunder damage to everyone adjacent to him if it hits, but it also has the potential to do twice as much damage as Kal's standard lightning attack, and I don't want to waste the bonus from Belarin, especially since we finally have him bloodied.

Jeff, the dice roller isn't working, so I'll have to trust you to roll.

If Kal gets hit again, he'll use Dragonflame Mantle. Hopefully he won't be dead before he gets a turn....

[Brian]

Condign watches in surprise as Kalarian survives the vicious attack from the sahuagin. With a brief shakes of his head, he calls out, "You are full of surprises, my friend. Many surprises."

He faces Sarquaa. "Now for you, you bastard son of a jellyfish!" *

Gripping the broadsword in both hands, he brings the blade under and around in a tight arc, turning his shoulders at the last possible moment to help the sword bite deeply into Sarquaa's body.

_______________________

I will delay Condign's action until after Streko's
Free Action: Use Vengeance Sword of Galifar Encounter Power
Movement Action: none
Minor Action: Invoke Flame Bracers daily power
Standard Action: Attack using Viper's Strike. If Sarquaa shifts, Adamant gets the opportunity attack

Attack Roll vs AC (1d20+14=23)

Damage Roll: (2d10+5=21)

Fire Damage from Flame Bracers: (1d6=4)

I've missed by one. Please, if anyone can give Condign a +1 to hit bonus before his turn in initiative, I would be very happy!! A flanking bonus would be super. ;D

*never waste a good line.

[Dave W.]

"Sarquaa the Exile," Adamant, not needing breath, continues to badger the sahaugin with words and spear, "you can not avoid me; my Lady has made me Her spear. If you do not face me She will give you Her gentle corrections."

"But Exile and Criminal, you have options, if you confess your crimes and swear repentance we could end this." The warforged maneuvers trying to stretch Sarguaa's defenses while not exposing himself to counter-attack, "Why make your eventual Judgement worse? You have an opportunity here, be wise enough to seize it. I ask you to consider also the good of your men -- the ones remaining."

-------------------------

Beginning of round:
Challenged: Sarquaa

Move Action: Attempt to shift 1 sq North
Move Check vs DC 10 (1d20+2=14) Passed.

Minor Action:

Standard Action: Bolstering Strike vs AC (1d20+11=26)
If that hits, damage (1d10+6=13) and Adamant gains 3 temp hp.

end of round:
Challenged: Sarquaa

Again, Adamant will use Martyr's Blessing if an adjacent ally (party member or Hras'Ka) gets hit.

[Dave B.]

Shorak keeps an eye on Sarquaa. Once he sees where he goes, he acts.


1d20=9

Using the above d20 roll - If Sarquaa stays in the bubble and Shorak is in or can easily move into a flanking position he will use Trickster's Blade with the short sword +13 to hit = 22 or more if there are other plusses I've missed.

If that hits damage (2d6+5=10)Sneak Attack damage (2d8=3) and +3 AC to Shorak until the start of his next turn.

If he swims out of the bubble and Shorak can get off a close blast without hitting anyone else he'll use Blinding Barrage with his crossbow and miss with an 18.

Anything else will warrant the usual Sly Flourish with the crossbow with the usual miss. Which would make 7 misses in a row. Lovely.

[Ken]

Previously, in Round 6:

He speaks his rhyme, takes a breath, then leaps into the water's embrace, stabbing at the air with his pact dagger and loosing a spell.

This is insanity! What am I doing? I'm going to die. I swim like a mountain goat! HAHAHAHAHA! That was funny.

Fire and lightning spew from his warlock's blade; where the fire seems diminished by the water, the lightning seems to heighten. It tears into Sarquaa with unexpected fury. You can hear him howling under the assault.

Fry, fish! Huh, maybe I won't die after all....

Then the spell washes away, leaving the four-armed sahuagin swaying...and fixing his eyes on Belarin.

OHHHH, I am going to die! WeKnewIt! WeKnewIt! Shut up back there!

Belarin atttempts to use the shadows around him to further conceal his presence.
Minor action as part of Round 6 move: Use shrouding gloom. Stealth check (Shrouding Gloom) (1d20+11=30). Even with modifiers for being underwater, that should work.

Now in Round 7:

Still underwater, Belarin makes a mental note to commend Adamant on the warforged's use of insults, but then he resolves to talk to his friend after Adamant follows that up with a more rational argument to surrender. No, no, keep insulting him!

The warlock swims back several feet, but cautiously, not wanting to surrender any concealment he has gained. Then he points his dagger at Sarquaa. Shorak, Streko, and Kal, who are closest to him, can hear a faint "Mffly kawillum daURM! Yussh pehquah un da BURM!"

_______________________
If all went well above, then Belarin should be invisible to Sarquaa right now.
Move: Belarin swims 1 square SW and 1 square S. Athletics check (swim) (1d20+3=16). Success.
Standard: Attack Sarquaa with witchfire vs. Reflex. If Belarin is invisible, he has combat advantage against Sarquaa, which cancels the penalty for this being a fire attack: Witchfire attack (1d20+7=25)
Damage: 2d6+6=9, plus 1d6=2 for warlock's curse = 11 fire damage, plus 5 more if Sarquaa failed his save this round, and Sarquaa takes a -4 penalty to attack rolls until the end of Belarin's next turn.
Belarin is no longer invisible. Concealment from Shadow Walk fades. Phew!

[Jeff]

Round 7

22 = Adamant
15 = Sarquaa
14 = Kal
13 = Shorak
13 = Belarin
12 = Streko
12 = Condign
12 = Hras'Ka and his crew

______________________

Adamant strides into the wall of water again then stabs Sarquaa in the side with his spear, demanding his attention with actions if not with Dol Arrah's reminder. The sahuagin immediate slides away from the warforged, burning eyes fixed on Belarin as he rushes directly at him. The mutant's actions in this fight seem...ill-tempered and emotional.

His trident leads the way and slashes Belarin, drawing bloody lines across his ribs and clouding the air with blood. But the sahuagin's flurry of claws are almost clumsy, distracted, thwarted by your party's magic defenses!

Kal steps back and stabs the air with Skyfang. Instantly, a bolt of lightning flashes from its tip and spears through Sarquaa. The sahuagin hisses as a loud thundering CRACK! flares outward, rattling both Belarin and Condign with its fury.

Seeing a fleeting opportunity, Shorak takes a breath and plunges back into the water, swims around Belarin so Condign stands in a flanking position. He stabs into the sahuagin's leg, then swipes at Sarquaa's throat. The sahuagin falls for the feint and retreats from it, drifting closer to Adamant again.

• Adamant's bolstering strike hits Sarquaa / 13 damage to Sarquaa and Adamant gains 3 temporary hit points
• Sarquaa's attack (trident) vs. Belarin's AC: 31 -2 (marked) = 29 (hit) / 8 damage to Belarin
• Sarquaa takes 7 radiant damage from Divine Challenge.
• Sarquaa's attack (claw) vs. Belarin's AC: 14 -2 (marked) = 12 (miss)
• Sarquaa's attack (claw) vs. Belarin's AC: 18 -2 (marked) = 16 (miss)
• Sarquaa's save to end vulnerabilities: 9 (failure)
• Dancing Lightning (1d20+8=26)
• Kal's Dancing Lightning (1d20+8=26) hits Sarquaa / 2d10+5=24 lightning damage to Sarquaa
• Belarin and Condign take 4 thunder damage.
• Shorak's Athletics check (1d20+5=18) (success)
• Shorak's positioning strike* with flanking bonus hits Sarquaa / damage (1d6+5=11) + 3 (sneak attack) = 14 damage to Sarquaa and Sarquaa slides 1 square

*Dave B., you mentioned Will in the discussions thread, and I wasn't sure what you were referring to. So I'm interpreting that (whether you approve or not!) to mean Shorak's choosing positioning strike instead (his one attack that targets Will, not AC). At the time of this attack, Shorak and Condign were flanking Sarquaa. Not that you can tell that now.

So how's that?

Belarin gathers the shadows around him, and even the distant sunlight filtering down from the surface seem to evade him; it's as if he drifted into murky water...and despite the water, white flame seems to erupt around and within Sarquaa. How he rages!

And Condign sees the opportunity Shorak's given him. He pushes through the wall of water, squaring the sahuagin between himself and Adamant, then drives his broadsword—with a vengeance—into Sarquaa's massive torso. The tiefling's bracers flare with fire and suddenly erupt along the blade. He feels the blade stab out through the other side of the sahuagin's body.

Sarquaa screams, then his eyes widen and grow glassy. His body relaxes and the fight goes out him. His trident drifts from his hand, and he begins to thrash in his death throes....

• Belarin uses shrouding gloom.
• Belarin's witchfire hits Sarquaa / 16 fire damage to Sarquaa and Sarquaa takes a -4 penalty to attack rolls until the end of Belarin's next turn
• Streko's lance of faith (per Joe's post in this thread!) misses Sarquaa
• Condign's Athletics check (1d20+6=21) (success)
• Condign's viper's strike with flanking bonus hits Sarquaa / 21 damage and 9 fire damage to Sarquaa
• Sarquaa is defeated!

______________________

The battle has ended!

[Darren]

Kal's shoulders slump with the exertion of the fight, then a wide grin spreads over his face. It was hard fought, but an excellent victory. Still, he realizes, the battle might not be over yet. He grasps the pearl tightly in his left hand and moves closer to his companions, bringing the bubble of air with him. "Well fought, my friends. Well fought!" Then he turns and surveys the remaining sahuagin to see if anyone still has any fight left in them.

[Ken]

Belarin happily steps into the sphere of air and takes a deep breath -- then immediately winces as the gashes on his chest burn in protest. Gently touching the wounds, he says, "Yes! That was exciting and painful. Superbly handled by all!" He looks at Kal. "You've looked better, my friend. Nice move with the bubble, by the way." Then he addresses Condign with a wicked smile: "And remember, I warned Sarquaa not to provoke you!"

He glances over at Sarquaa's floating corpse and then at the remaining sahuagin. "Perhaps his defeat foreshadows his followers' forfeit. A dead Four-Arms forewarns, as they say." He shrugs apologetically. "I had that bottled up inside me for the past two minutes."

[Jeff]

But Sarquaa isn't a corpse quite yet.

Looking outside the sphere of air, you see the water is murky with blood and swirling bubbles. You can't see the fate of most of the others....yet. Then Hras'Ka comes gliding out of the bloody currents, small wounds streaming red behind him.

He seizes Sarquaa, who does not—cannot—resist.

"Finish...it, Hras'Ka," Sarquaa gurgles, though only Streko can understand him.

"The Devourer has condemned you," Hras'Ka says with a hiss.

"I...was...mistaken." Sarquaa's eyes wander, aimlessly. Dimming. "Finish it, please."

"Best if you rot, Sarquaa. Untouched. You deserve it. The baron would not disagree."

Sarquaa convulsed and grasps at the smaller sahuagin with the last of his strength. "Meat is...meat! I will...make you...grow stronger. The...Dev...ourer...lives....in my heart still."

Hras'Ka makes a spitting sound, then drives his trident through Sarquaa's throat. Another fume of blood erupts from the mortal wound, and the four-armed sahuagin finally goes still. Hras'Ka shouts out some sort of cry or exclamation that Streko can't understand. Two of his allies—the only sahuagin to have survived the battle, one of which is Hras'Ka's shaman—swim out from the bloody water. You see no others. They are either slain or have fled.

"Meat is meat," Hras'Ka says. "Let his death strengthen the tribe."

And then Hras'Ka and his allies fall upon Sarquaa, tearing chunks of flesh from his body and swallowing it down. The water seems to make it look cleaner, but somehow it's still nauseating to watch. Where Condign's sword cut a massive hole, the shaman wrenches out Sarquaa's heart and devours it whole.

For a moment you're left to watch, not watch, or talk with one another.

You are...well? Larest asks Belarin.

[Brian]

Back in the bubble, Condign breathes the air. How easily one forgets the water when you are fighting for your life . . . .

Hearing Belarin's comments, he smiles. "Not just me, my friend." He looks to Kal. "Whatever you did, it was marvelous. Though I still have some ringing in my ears."

He frowns when the shaman eats Sarquaa's heart whole. "I have heard that some cultures consider raw fish a delicacy, but that is carrying it to an extreme."

Then, quietly, he takes a moment to look down at the hair woven around his belt. Again, he thumbs the strands. In a low voice, he says, "Not today, my dear. One day we will be together, but not today."

When he looks up, his eyes are wet, though from the water or maybe something else, no one can tell.

[Ken]

Belarin watches with a mix of shock and fascination as the sahuagin devour Sarquaa's body. He's reminded of childhood tales of hungry ogres.

Sept 28, 2011 13:52:57 GMT -4 Jeff said:

You are...well? Larest asks Belarin.

Belarin responds, Yes, we are fine now, if a little battered. The four-armed troublemaker is dead, and his body ritualistically eaten by the surviving sahuagin for his strength. Academically fascinating, but not so enjoyable to witness, Professor. Their table manners are atrocious. Still, I believe our aid against their foe has raised our stature a few notches. Please tell Histra she missed quite the show. "And that reminds me..." he mutters.

Once the gruesome proceedings are over, Belarin looks for an intact piece of bone from what's left of Sarquaa's corpse, preferably one of the mutant's extra arms. If he spots something suitable, he waits to get Hras'Ka's attention.

[Darren]

Kal clears his throat as he watches the spectacle. "Well, that's interesting," he says, an eyebrow arching. He looks over at Belarin and sees the distant look in his eyes. "Talking to the voices in your head again?"

Again Kal clears his throat. "H'raska? H'raska! It seems we have done you an extra favor this day, and I hope that shall not be forgotten, but for now we have a mission to complete. Can we move on now?"

[Dave W.]

Adamant, still invigorated, sees Sarquaa fall and looks around to find another opponent. He's a little shocked to sense disappointment.

"Hmmm, have to watch that," he mutters to himself.

He allows his spear to return to it's sword form, cleans it (while still standing in the water) and sheathes it. 

He watches H'raska's ritualized eating. Adamant leans close to Condign and whispers "An interesting way to worship, don't you think? What do you suppose it says about me that I am glad I was introduced to religion by the ritual of music than by the ritual of eating?"

[Dave B.]

Shorak, back in the air-filled bubble takes a look out at the feeding frenzy. He squats down to examine the ocean floor, looking for anything interesting that may fall from Sarquaa's body as it's being devoured.

Obviously, Shorak is doing the rogue thing. Looking for sparklies or any other trinkets that might catch his eye.

[Joe]

Streko moves over to Kal.

"For a moment, I thought you were finished."

Streko kicks him in the shin.

"Don't EVER do that again!!"

He grins and shakes his head.

"There are times you simply amaze me, Kalarian d'Deneith."

He takes in a deep breath and smiles up at his friend.

"How are you feeling? Will you be able to control the bubble the rest of the way or may I relieve you of that burden....on second thought, I could barely walk the streets of Sharn without getting lost. Better you should keep us safe. I am glad you are well...and that we are all alive to tell the tale."

[Jeff]

The grisly feast goes on for another half minute.

All that remains of Sarquaa are a few drifting chunks of flesh and a large but diluted cloud of pink water. His tridents rest on the ground, discarded, and you fail to spot anything shiny or interesting in what you can see beneath him. Hras'Ka and his two surviving sahuagin turn away and approach you.

For a moment, the frenzy is still in their eyes. They look upon you almost hungrily, intensely. But then Hras'Ka slumps a bit. He bobs his head. "You do well...did not....fight need." He does something like a bow. "You did...not listen." Then he holds up what appears to be one of Sarquaa's forearms, one end ragged and bleeding. "Yours." He tosses it into the bubble and it splashes to the ground right at your feet. This gives you a good look at the mutant's massive claws, which still appear to have traces of flesh clinging to the talons.

By now you see a disturbing number of sharks of various sizes are circling the area. They keep their distance—the sahuagin seem to be the top predators here, and they obviously know it. You're fairly certain that when you do leave the battlefield, it'll become quite a

"We go on."

[Darren]

Kal smiles at Streko's rebuke. "Thank you, Streko, but I will be fine."

As the bloody arm splashes to the ground, Kal pauses for a moment to look at it. "I guess that's their way of saying 'Thank you'," he mutters. He grins as he looks up at Condign. "Well, care for a snack?" Kal lets out a bit of a laugh.

[Ken]

Belarin grits his teeth and mutters to Kal. "NO. MORE. SMILING. Remember?"

He looks at the bloody arm. "Well, I don't want us to appear, um, rude...." He bends over and picks it up by the hand, surprised at its weight. He holds it up; at first, he tries to avoid letting any of the blood drip on his clothes, but he realizes the pointlessness of that as he's already bleeding from his own wounds.

He looks back at Hras'Ka. "Thank you. We shall always remember Sarquaa's strength."

As they begin to move again, he says, "Adamant, could you provide some light, please? My cloak will be busy serving as a butcher's blanket." He then removes his cloak, dismissing the fey motes of light as he does so, and he begins wrapping it around the forearm.

Staring at the sharp talons, he says, "Is that you or me underneath the fingernails, Kal? Probably both. I think he broke a nail on Adamant."

[Brian]

Kalarian:

He grins as he looks up at Condign. "Well, care for a snack?"

"Ha ha," says Condign. "At least I am not the one bleeding all over his nice clothes."

"Come on, everyone. We should finish this. I long for the surface."

[Dave W.]

Sept 29, 2011 10:51:45 GMT -4 Ken said:

[Belarin] says, "Adamant, could you provide some light, please? My cloak will be busy serving as a butcher's blanket."

"Of course, Belarin" Adamant activates the Delver's Light, filling the dark sea with daylight.

"I don't know, Condign," Adamant relies to the tiefling's longing for fresh air, "I still feel a surprising affection for this experience. There's a primal energy with the waters pressing against my wood and steel. I should probably takes some practice at swimming though."

As they start to move along, Adamant calls back, "Kal, you have another fine tale to tell to that woman who records your story in the Chronicle... you must be pleased."

[Darren]

The corners of Kal's mouth turn up. He looks down at the condition of his clothing and frowns. "Well, we'll have to do something about this before anyone paints a portrait. But otherwise, yes, I believe we made a fine showing, didn't we?" Twirling Skyfang through his finger, Kal returns the dagger to its sheath, nestled within the many leather straps surrounding his leg. He grins as he begins to following H'raska, moving the bubble with him and not looking back to make sure everyone is following.

[Joe]

"Belarin, if you would like, place the arm in my haversack for safe keeping. We wouldn't want the wrong eyes to see our...reward. Would we?"

[Ken]

Belarin raises an eyebrow. "The last time I was encouraged to put an arm somewhere, her half-orc boyfriend tried to beat me up. I wonder how she's doing... sad tale, that. Very well, thank you, Good Streko! I might as well leave it wrapped in my cloak -- I doubt I'll be wearing that again until the Cleaner Supreme, Lord Kalarian, can put his magic to proper use at a calmer time." He winks at Kal as he steps behind Streko and places the cloak-wrapped arm in his halfling friend's haversack.

[Jeff]

The shaman picks up one of Sarquaa's tridents and carries it like a staff.

Soon you're back in motion again, leaving behind the bloody remains of the battle. As soon as Hras'Ka and his two remaining allies leave the area, the sharks descend upon it. Kal keeps the Sphere of Life moving as you walk, wondering what's to come...

Only two minutes later, the object of your quest lies before you. Hras'Ka, in the lead, calls a halt. He swims to the edge of the bubble.

"Box," he says, pointing with this trident. "There."

You look beyond him. About sixty feet ahead, the sea floor suddenly drops off like a cliff's edge. Whether it's an undersea chasm or some vast trench, you really can't tell. You can't see far enough to know. But it looks ominous. The waters are even darker beyond the shelf.

Nestled in the turf of the sea floor only feet from the very edge is a very large metal-bound chest, seemingly well-made and holding up pretty well, considering it's been beneath the sea for a year. The wood doesn't appear to have warped, the metal isn't particularly rusty, but it is wrapped in seaweed, while barnacles and other unidentifiable crustaceans cling to it. You can see the lock clearly; it even looks like a fairly large key would be needed to open it. And the chest as a whole sure looks strong.

Then you notice something else. The sea floor surrounding the chest roughly thirty feet in all directions is darker. Some of the plant life looks wilted, some just looks changed. There's something disturbing about it. You even see what appear to be a number of sahuagin corpses, grayed and shrunken, lying on the sickly seabed.

"Us...sahuagin...cannot be close," Hras'Ka says. "Children of Blue Fin..." He points to the husk-like corpses lying amid the seaweed on the right half of the affected area. "Enemy clans....try to steal box." He points to the ones on the left half. "Only...prophecy one."

Refresh the page.

[Darren]

"What makes him so sure that won't kill us?" Kal mutters as he peers at the area around the chest.

Taking a deep breath, Kal motions his companions forward, then moves the bubble right up the edge of the infected area. "It has to be whatever is inside of that chest that's causing this," he says. Kal closes his eyes, stretching out with his other senses. It does not come naturally to him, but he can feel a certain pulse through his veins, the blood of dragons moving through his body, fueling his power.

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Can Kal have an Arcana check on the area around the chest?

[Dave B.]

Shorak follows along, quietly disappointed in not finding even a small bit of jewelry for their troubles. "Oh well," he thinks to himself, "Maybe there'll be something of value for them in the..." Just then he spots the chest as Kal brings the bubble closer.

He moves to the edge of the bubble when Kal stops, trying to get as good a look as possible at the chest. He frowns at the dead Sahuagin and the appearance of the plant life surrounding the area.

"Doesn't look very safe. How do we know we won't suffer the same fate as those Sahuagin if we get any closer?"

Is a perception/thievery check in order or do we need to get closer?

[Ken]

Belarin looks around at the ghoulish, foreboding area. "Oh yes, very inviting... there may be some trickery here..." And trickery is what you know best, isn't it, my little friends, he says silently to the never-distant voices. Let us see what we shall see.

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Belarin will take a minute to do an Arcana check as well, checking for auras, and he'll use the otherworldly whispers to boost it.