Loose threads Flooded cave might still hold some secrets, Where is Juriel?
Participants Hakuto Aabria Hildegard Toma Toy the Toymaker Stanelin Shazorwyn
Locations Sea of Stone
Short summary:
Upon finishing up researching the place where supposed locked laboratory is, as well as the person who seemed set to interrupt us, we set out for the Sea of Stone.
On the way there, we encountered a party of Faceless Stalkers and Ahuizotls, which while formidable, have been quickly taken care of, and their bodies disposed.
Once the ocean has been reached, a search begun. It took two days to locate an object of interest - a stone imbued with strong magic. It has been tampered with, and a completely irrelevant remote location has been pointed out as a meeting point, but seeing through the deception a real place has been uncovered. Though several minions has been involved in the deception as well, including some kind of merman wielding mental magic.
Following day, we moved to the uncovered spot, where we found a strange, illusory cave. Illusion that makes it appear the cave is filled with breathable air, despite it being flooded completely. In there, another illusion, one created by an Algholthu Master.
Aberration was a relatively difficult creature to deal with underwater, given its superior mobility, but it was nothing a few well placed lead bullets and arrows couldn't deal with.
In the room we found several vats containing Faceless Stalkers and other hybrid aberrations, but without its master, they begun drowning. With one more, unawakened creature, we decided to search the place, in the process uncovering a secret connection between it and an artifact one of us carried, as well as awakening the creature
Full Report
We begin in the Blinking Pug. Tradition demands first meeting be held around a table, with a drink in hand, with map strewn across the table.
Or at least it has been this for me.
Once all the members of the gathered party have reached the meeting spot, we held a strategy meeting, when we discussed our approach to the issue. Aided in the research by a book pertaining certain old researcher, [Hakuto] wanted to investigate the place where a supposed prison is located. Once mistaken for the Underwater Pyramid to the west, turns out there is another one, near the shore of the Sea of Stone.
Sharing the research done so far, a few more things have been discovered, regarding the location as well as the way it is being protected.
Concerningly, walls had ears. An old friend, elf by the name of Juriel, has been eavesdropping on the conversation.
Really, I wouldn't mind sharing in the research, maybe even ask him to join us, but it seems he still holds a grudge over me sicing a huge owl-like beast on him, and in anger removed himself from the room immediately.
The day to embark has come, and the way to one of the two possible locations is, luckily, relatively short.
We acquired two Rowboats, as well as horses to haul them to the ocean, but on the way there we encountered a party of Faceless Stalkers and Ahuizotls. After defeating the stalkers, Ahuizotl claimed he doesn't need to fight us anymore, so long as we let it go, and offered information in exchange for sparing it. However, not expecting it to become peaceful, we declined the deal and buried its body so that hopefully nothing eats its tainted flesh.
Once we reached the ocean, we immediately begun to search it. It took two days to locate an object of interest - a small stone imbued with powerful magic. An additional, simple spell has been used on it - a message rune signed by one "Ilgollshr", that told us of "assistants" that were to arrive shortly to conduct an interview.
Perhaps not surprisingly, an interview was nothing more or less than a combat to the death, finished by the one merman saying something along the lines of "they are worthy".
On this creature there was also a bunch of different things, including a map and and amulet.
All the clues left by Ilgollshr pointed us towards a spot three miles out into the ocean, with instructions to meet him there in two days time.
Sensing a trap, we apprehensively decided to scout the place immediately using magic. Once near the spot, we used divination to predict if there is any benefit to us going there. Receiving a mixed answer, we decided to end the for the day, and return tomorrow.
Seeing how the previous night our camp has been discovered, we decided to relocate our camp.
With time to spare the effort, this new camp has grown expansive and defensive enough that it should provide shelter and defense for any future parties traveling those parts.
It was not, however, a hidden camp.
At night, we were ambushed by a bunch of critters trying to kidnap us.
How they found us, well, my suspicion is the stone, or the amulet we found.
Thankfully, it was not an issue.
Before we settled for the night, a certain nagging concern has become apparent.
After gathering all the information found so far, we discovered that many of them contradict each other. The meeting place where we could discuss a beneficial exchange, as well as the threats of violence if we fail to meet this Ilgollshr there, we determined to be a ruse to get us away from the real place, and the real prison. After investigating the message stone again, we discovered that a flat side, seemingly scratched beyond recognition, was in fact merely disguised with illusion, and the markings provided us with a true location of the prison.
The following day, we embarked for the place immediately, and for the fear of being spotted in our rowboats in the open ocean, we immediately rushed to the cave. Seemingly holding a bubble of air, it seemed like the cave is possible to breathe in, however it turned out to be an elaborate illusion. Luckily, we had long-lasting water-breathing magic in place. Further into the cavern, it changed into an elaborate throne room, with several experimental vats.
All of it guarded by a fish-like creature known as Algholthu Master and a merman minion. Fish seemed quite flabbergasted and angry that we approached this place ahead of time, but its movement betrayed its sense of concern about our presence.
With the concern for the mixed signals we received, it seems there was little space for Diplomacy, as simply approaching few feet closer has caused the creature to become hostile.
Using many illusions and its superior mobility in this expansive, flooded cavern, it was quite a dangerous enemy, but with a little bit of support and preceisly placed lead and arrows, the creature, as well as its minion, fell.
Once the Master has been slain, the creatures locked in the experimental vats (mostly containing Faceless Stalkers) rushed out, but not being creatures adapted to underwater environment, they soon drowned.
Only one vat remained - glowing faintly, filled with green liquid, containing unknown creature that remains unawakened.
Or at least it did, at first.
Sensing the resemblence to one of the mysteries of the island, I presented it with one of the crystal figurines I have in my possession, which seems to have awakened the creature. There was an immense sense of dread when magic was used to reveal the consequences of destroying its prison, so for the time being it remains locked away.
However, it doesn't seem to be expecting, nor anticipating, to be freed anytime soon.