Val does not see or hear anything of note except for the clinging fog. 

Spike flies up and looks around Downfall and sees a Dim candlelight at a window in D 11 the Sinking Palace. 

"Do ye think he got in trouble then? Ah hope Spike can find something, well except fer th' hag." Finley watches them fly, "ah got some time left, so let's see where Octavian could be. Unless ye think she may 'ave him up with 'er?"

Quote from Snievan >>

"Do ye think he got in trouble then? Ah hope Spike can find something, well except fer th' hag." Finley watches them fly, "ah got some time left, so let's see where Octavian could be. Unless ye think she may 'ave him up with 'er?"

Valrieth says, "The hag might have taken him, but she seemed content to wait for people to come to her.  I don't think that Octavian would be foolish enough to seek her help again.  Maybe he just offended one of the bullywugs.  I hope that they didn't throw him in their jail."  She tries not to think of the spikes with the talking severed heads.  She suggests, "I guess we'll just have to go around Downfall to see whether we can find him...or someone who knows what happened to him."

Val sniffs the air and looks again nervously.  She's on high-alert.  Val takes a deep breath and continues, a bit pensively, "I wonder about this fog: it's much thicker than the last time we were here.  Almost like it's trying to hide Downfall and especially the hag's hut.  It might mean that she knows about Granny Nightshade, and that could make her much less welcoming. And why haven't we seen any bullywugs?!  Are they hiding from us?  Or from her?  Or are they just in the middle of another 'revolution' and hiding from each other?"

Once Ilifir shares that there's candlelight in the window at the so-called palace, Val says, "So...should we go see who's over there?  Or would you rather stay on the south side of the lake for now to see whether we can find anyone who can tall us what's going on?"

(OOC: The party is currently at D14 on the map. What does everyone want to try first?  Val can keep us on track and on schedule, but she's at a loss here.  Note that Val did not prepare Augury today because she thought that we knew exactly what we were going to be doing today: get Octavian, go to Bavlorna's hut, deliver the portrait, and get Octavian his heart back.  And maybe kill Bavlorna if she tries to double-cross us.  It did not occur to me / her that we might have trouble finding Octavian!

We're on the south side of the lake.  The last time Val and Finley visited D15, it was an empty hut with some supplies in it.  That's where the party found the desiccated lizard of darkness.  We have never visited D13, D16, D17, or D18. 

If we cross the water over to the north side of the lake, the bullywug king's "sinking palace" is D11, where Spike saw the candlelight.  It was guarded last time, and only the king's guests could enter.  IIRC, one of the rooms is a "pool" that's partially flooded or maybe open to the lake underneath.  The jail cells are at D8: we released a bullywug prisoner from there last time we were here.  If D10 is still there, that's where the fey store was where you could make a bargain to buy common and even unusual gear.)

"That way" ilifir offers, gesturing with one small hand "there's a light at least, so likely something alive, want to check it out?" He frowns slightly and looks back down at his hand "probably best to change this, im unlikely to be taken seriously, what do we know about the bullywugs prejudices?"

Aoife stands guard while the others are searching around, watching for anything threatening. She sniffs the fog once Val tells them it seems thicker than normal. Does it seem natural? (Nature 19)

Quote from willow_ivyleaf >>

"That way" ilifir offers, gesturing with one small hand "there's a light at least, so likely something alive, want to check it out?" He frowns slightly and looks back down at his hand "probably best to change this, im unlikely to be taken seriously, what do we know about the bullywugs prejudices?"

Valrieth giggles and says, "Ah, yes, it's probably better not to look like a child."  But she shrugs and says, "Take whichever form you fancy.  These bullywugs were friendly enough to us last time.  Just be sure to be polite when you talk to them and use their correct titles: we were told that they take offense easily."

Val agrees to head toward the palace (D11) to find out who's there.  As they head back to their boat at the docks (north of D14), she says, "I'm more concerned that they've figured out that we were the ones who stole the balloon and who released the king's prisoner last week.  We did a favor for King Gullop XIX -- returning a book to Bavlorna -- so that should count for something.  On the other hand, if King Gullop XIX has been overthrown, I guess it'll depend who's in charge." 

Val suggests, "Until we know more about what's happened in Downfall recently, let's just not reveal too much, agreed?  We're here to do business with hag, Bavlorna, and we're looking for an elf named Octavian, whom we need to take with us to her hut."

The fog does not seem natural as it clings to the budlings of Downfall. 

The party rows over to D 11 The Sinking Palace and ties off their boat at the dock.

The palace entrance from the docks has been walled off by mud and wood. Those that came here before remembers the dock entrance leads to the Lower Level that is covered in 3ft high swamp water.

"Hmm, it's possible news travels fast, aye. We should be prepared fer just about anythin', especially with this gate up here being closed., but ah agree tha' we should act as if we're jus' completin' our business and tha's it." Finley offers, glancing around at the wall and tries to listen for any out of places noises like footsteps, a cough or a weapon being unsheathed.

Perception: 6

Valrieth thinks for a moment and then says, "Hmmm.....  Perhaps.  I agree with Aoife: this fog does not seem natural!"  She is not whispering -- Val bargained away her ability to whisper -- but the fog weighs on her mood and makes her afraid of making loud noises.  She stands close to the others while talking so that she doesn't have to raise her voice.  Val gestures at the blocked-up entrance and says, "But this is the 'palace' of the bullywug king.  Why would they wall it off?  Nothing that happened at Loomlurch should really affect the bullywugs here.  Maybe someone else took over that band of harengon brigands and attacked Downfall?  Or perhaps one of the other bullywug 'nobles' tried to overthrow King Gullop XIX?  But we won't figure it out until we find someone we can talk to."

Val walks east along the docks so that she can peer around the palace toward D9, the area where Gan-Re sparred with the bullywug fighter.  Does she see any creatures stirring?  Or any other make-shift fortifications?  Or nothing but fog?

If Val does not see any creatures, she asks the group, "Should keep going around the palace to look for someone who could answer questions?  Or do you want to try calling out to whomever is inside?  We were on good speaking terms with the bullywugs before we...er...borrowed their balloon to go to Thither." 

"Or...", Val turns to Ilifir, "could Spike sneak in a window or something?  It would help to know whether there are any bullywugs inside the palace."

Aoife nods at Val's agreement. She scans the wall as she listens to Val's info, and tries to pick some of the daub out of the wall. She then tries to push at the wall to see how strong it is. (Athletics 18)

If it doesn't move, she turns back to Val. "Let's keep going around and see what we can find."

Finley does not hear or see anything of note. 

Val looking towards the D9 and sees none of the warriors from before. 

Aoife picks and firmly pushes against the blocked entrance which causes some of the daubing to crumble off of the hastily made wall. A wan light pierce through the cracks made by Aoife and upon peeking in sees the Lower Level crowded with Bullywugs. Most of are looking towards the Upper Level while others whisper quietly to each other. There is a sense of anticipation in the air as if they are waiting for something to happen. 

Many of the bullywugs in Downfall are rather aristocratic. 

Aoife looks through the cracks, then back at Val and the group, her eyes wide. She breaks into a delighted smile, and whispers "These are wonderful creatures! They look like frog princes! I have never seen anything quite like them."

Valrieth suddenly recalls a childhood story about a "frog prince" and a golden ball.  She suppresses a giggle, not wanting to offend the bullywugs, but she nods to Aoife and says, "Yes, bullywug lords and ladies.  Members of the king's court in Downfall." 

Val decides that it's worth the risk of revealing themselves.  She casts Produce Flame, and she holds the flame in her hand so that it's visible through the cracks in the wall if the bullywugs look that way.  She keeps the flame in front of her, hoping that it makes it difficult for the bullywugs to tell exactly who is talking to them.  She calls out to the bullywugs, "Hello?  Hello, in there!  We are travelers who have just arrived in Downfall today.  Can anyone tell us what's going on?  Where is everyone?"

Val does not want to reveal, yet, who they are and that she has been in Downfall before.  Not until they determine what's going on here.

(OOC: I don't remember.  Standing on the docks, are we at the same level as the bullywugs in the Lower Level?  Or are they several feet below us, more at the level of the water in the lake?)

Aoife adds her voice, following Val's lead. "Yoohoo!" She knocks on the wall as if it's a door, "accidentally" knocking more daub off it. 

Finley nods but says nothing just in case something could go sideways.

Stealth: 2(Nat 1, rolled a 20 too but disadvantage lol)

A bullywug comes closer to the crack and loudly whispers "Go Away urchin or dowdy vagabond. This day must not be interrupted by you and get you torch away from the palace." 

Quote from Weathervision >>

A bullywug comes closer to the crack and loudly whispers "Go Away urchin or dowdy vagabond. This day must not be interrupted by you and get you torch away from the palace." 

Valrieth asks, "Why?  What's so special about this day?  If you will tell me, then I will get rid of the flame."  Val has learned to stand her ground with the uncooperative denizens of Hither, especially when she has her friends at her back, and it she hopes that the prospect of a 'bargain' will get the bullywug to tell them more.