Journal entry 3.2023.11.12

25 Hurog 527
The party advanced to the 4th level, passing by a phalanx of non-hostile hobgoblins. An ettin the party had met before and left alive was found, hacked to death, several days dead. A cove that had contained a fungus grove and alchemist with lab has been ruined, and the alchemist is gone. We advanced to the river, and on the beach they discover ~60 (40 adult, 20 children) dead fish people who have also been hacked and killed with fire spells. They find graffiti “DEMON HUNTERS RULE!” in charcoal-like substance. We recognize them as a talented adventuring group (Brock says they are at the top of the leader board). Looting ensues, along with some attempts to treat the bodies with respect.
 
We make it to level 5, using water walk on the river. We got to the area of the pixies they have met before, and use the name of their leader (Wyllow the Druid). After some fumbling, we are reminded of her name, use it, get laughed at by pixies, and make it through. We find a safe room to camp in for a long rest; an elk named Adorz is summoned by Rilitar. In the morning (1 Uvork) we woke to find the infestation of pixies has played annoying pranks on us. Wyllow the pixie queen is depressed, and her followers unhappy as a result. The reason for her sadness is unclear (apparently because no one listened to her?), something about a husband who is no longer there. She has a displacer beast companion named after someone else she knew (loved?).
We encountered a group of hostile fire newts, and Rilitar parleys. Rilitar and I offer ourselves as unarmed hostages while the party crosses their territory. Success. We encounter a portcullis. In the room beyond, we find locked doors and an invisible imp. They determined on their last trip here that locked doors in this room are only unlocked by the touch of an imp. Rilitar tried to grab the invisible imp to make it unlock doors – hilarity ensued, because wrestling with an imp is something like wrestling with a rabid squirrel. J’aboc helped once Rilitar got badly injured. A voice said, “Oh, just let them in,” the imp placed it hands on the last door, and then it vanished. We proceeded, entering a room with skeletons, a minotaur skeleton, and an imp or two. We finished them all off, then poked at a loot chest, which spawned another skeleton. Ping Pong peeked into the next door after unlocking it, and found a dragon-head ballista, which tossed a fireball into the room, hitting almost everyone. Our fearless leader Hergatz fell unconscious. Many were badly injured. I deftly dodged then absorbed the fire elemental damage. Grasshopper went into the small room to attack the ballista and Vectis and I followed. I fruitlessly whacked it with my silver longsword, and then found myself standing right in front of a magical ballista, probably doomed.
 
Who said, 'Oh, let them in already?'