Session 45: Janey’s report

General Summary

Ok, so, we have not had the best of nights. No problem. We still all managed to get some sleep, and had saved some people, so it was still a good outcome, right?   Anyway, it was time to move on. After attuning the stones correctly, we went to the gate to the south of the fighting pit room. It lead to a small hallway before ending in a room with a pool in it. Surrounding the pool were a bunch of fish people – I think they’re called kuo-toa? – and they seemed surprised to see us.   They said something, but nobody in our group knew what they were talking about, so Duldar cast this handy-dandy spell that made Valstrax speak and understand all languages. It’s a very neat spell! Like a better version of my darling Comprehend Languages! Oh, I did cast that one too, so I could understand what was being said. But I couldn’t talk with them.   In any case, we were talking with them, but they wouldn’t let us through if we weren’t with the guardians of the place. We quickly went back to fetch some of the uniforms of the guys that had disturbed us last night, but the kuo-toa didn’t buy us dressing up. We were about to restart negotiations when Skrik got impatient, and shot one of them. I’m still cross with you for that, Skrik!   The kuo-toa attacked, but more importantly, the thing they had been feeding in the pool also woke up and attacked. It was like a strange, malformed, small kraken, I think. But it did hurt when it attacked. I quickly summoned some Dust Mephit Bunnies to help out, and they quickly put some of the kuo-toa to sleep so we could focus on fighting the big monster. This actually almost went very wrong, but like always, we prevailed, and the monster was slain! Two kuo-toa still survived at the end of the fight. Skrik wanted to kill them, but I was firmly against this. They were basically harmless! They couldn’t help they had been trapped here as well, they probably didn’t know any better! We offered them a chance to join our caravan if they so wished, and I think we can really make them happy there. Everybody gets a second chance in our caravan! So off they went.   We took a short breather and continued on our way. Another hallway, another room with a large pool – although this one was a lot larger than the previous one, covering half of the large circular room. There were some chains attached to pillars in the middle of the room, and apparently something large at the end of them. Well, everybody was already hurrying up the stairs while I stayed put, wondering what it could be. And boy, did I find out, and I immediately got why everybody had run up the stairs. An honest-to-gods small dragonturtle had appeared, and sprayed scolding hot water all over me! I swear, if I wasn’t so good with handling heat, that would have been the end for me. But I am, and with the dragonturtle blocking the way to follow my friends, I ran and teleported to the other side of the chamber where there was another staircase. I heard some sounds of fighting coming from the room upstairs, but by the time I got there, the rest had already finished fighting whatever had been waiting in that room. Only some black sludge remained, and a whole bunch of people that were casually sitting in pools, as if nothing had happened. I quickly watched for signs of magic and of course these people were under some kind of charm or enchantment, and they wouldn’t get out of the pools.   And that’s where we are now. We’re taking a short break before moving on, and we’re attuning the key stones to the contact stone we found in this room. I hope we can avoid more needless violence, and I’ve suggested we go and talk to the dragon turtle. I was faced with… mixed reactions. Still! I need to try and make friends everywhere, even here, and even with dragon turtles and others. It’s not like they chose to be here, anyway. I’m sure if we all just calmly talk, we can get everything sorted without having to fight. Wouldn’t that be swell?