Gulp is an old fish. He would give the potion to any youngster that is left without help (he is sure the potion works) and subject himself to Amble's care.
(@MB: Thanks for clarifying. Two doses it is then, and it looks like you are about to run out.)
Following Undertow's example, Bubbles reached into the ointment vat and spends the next several minutes lathering up. the barbarian then also makes a point of remaining quiet for the next several hours, so that the substance can take effect.
Gulp offers his magical potion to the only other untreated infected. Shanty uncorks it and drinks the potion. It tastes sweet and could pass for fig juice were it not for its thick consistency. The bardlock feels a bit drowsy after ingesting the potion and goes back to sleep.
The monk himself then volunteers for Amble's treatment. The tortle prepares their cleansing spell and tells Gulp: "brace yourself."
(@Blue: Please roll a CON saving throw {DC 12}. I usually roll saving throws for players but I would rather have you roll this one.)
(@MB: Thanks for clarifying. Two doses it is then, and it looks like you are about to run out.
@Lerus: NP. Happy to help.)
Satisfied that his ointment seems to be doing the trick for at least two of the party, Barnacle tosses the empty jar back into his pack but not before giving the empty jar a good sniff first.
Once all are more or less seen to for the time being, Sandlot snuggles back into his makeshift nest, assuming it wasn't his shift yet. But in either case, it is with some relief he looks to the rest, and is once again thankful to his goddess -- his true goddess, the one and only Eldath -- for having seen them safely through what he hoped was the roughest part of the venture. And while the coming days promised yet more compounding exhaustive work for the aged Locathah... he smiled, not minding it nearly as much as he might've in his impeteous youth.
"Rest well, all... We will need it for what is to come after."And on those final words to all, Sandlot finishes settling back in for the "night".
(@Blue: Because Gulp currently has a -3penalty to his CON score, his HP goes from 47 down to 29.)
Amble spends some time with Gulp as he slowly casts his spell. All seems to be going well but, at some point during this short ritual, the monk's body begins to react badly to the intervention. It is as if the disease itself was losing the battle but was intent on going down swinging.
-> Bluerot damage roll: 21
Before things get better, they get worse. Most of the boils on Gulp's back burst, releasing pus on the water. The monk feels excruciating pain. (Gulp takes 21 necrotic damage.)
Eventually the sudden pain subsides, although Gulp's body looks worse for wear. Amble says: "At least you are... still lucid... This is a good sign... I'll survive... Rest now." The tortle helps the monk find a comfortable position to sleep in and then calls it a night themselves.
Barnacle does the same, but not before sneaking a sniff at his empty jar. Sandlot makes sure all are settled down before closing his own eyes. The rest of the night passes by more calmly. No watches pick up any other dangers.
(OOC: Your long rest was disturbed enough that I'll call for it to be restarted. That means you guys need to sleep in this morning. Overall, your rest takes twelve hours instead of the usual eight. You now have the green light to go ahead and click the "Long Rest" and "Confirm" buttons. If you had plugged in the CON and CHA score penalties from the disease into your character sheets, make 'sure that those are now removed. Also note that the effects of the Aid spell have subsided. This is automatically taken care of when you "confirm" your long rest as long as you have checked the box "Reset Maximum HP changes during this rest".)
By the time the group wakes up the next morning and is ready to start roaming again, if it is indeed morning, they realize they must have slept in. The good news is that no one sports any more blue boils on their bodies. Barnacle's ointment worked wonders on Bubbles and Undertow; the magical potion that Shanty drank not only cured him but it also temporarily revitalized his immunologic system; and Amble's cleansing spell did the trick for Gulp, eventually. The bad news is that Gulp will pay the price for his weakeaned constitution for a while longer (Gulp gains two points of exhaustion.)
At this point, Amble also says their goodbyes. They are very thankful for being woken up from their uncertain slumber and giving them the means to breath underwater. However, they explain that they feel the debt is now repaid as they helped the party in cleaning this corrupted coral mountain from its main source of corruption. The tortle shows some remorse concerning the group's inability to save Gar and admits they will have much cleansing to do on their own so that they can pay the penance for participating in the death of at least one salvageable soul: the image of a partially digested water genasi suddenly reappearing when the whale reduced its form back into a locathah will haunt the tortle for a long time. Amble takes one last deep breath, returns the magical cap to Undertow, transforms into a sun fish, and swims away toward the exit which the group points out to him.
(OOC: Is the next point of order exploring the so far unexplored wreck in search of Sandlot's bag of holding? What else would the group like to do?)
Barnacle spends a little time waving Amble off. The Tortle is likely right about Gar's soul being capable of being saved, but only to a degree. At the end it didn't feel like Gar wanted to be saved; he was more intent on snuffing Sandlot's candle permanently and he seemed consumed by his rage. Barnacle guesses that Gar's preference was to kill Sandlot and the rest of the group, Amble included. Starting down that path likely meant Gar had considered the potential of his own ultimate failure.
Still, Barnacle had liked the Tortle and he liked to think that the flapping of the sunfish's fins was him waving back.
Turning back to the matter at hand, Barnacle offers to help in the search of the area, suggesting they head to an area previously unsearched since that was likely where Gar had hidden himself.
(OOC Saving Barnacle's roll for three previously unsearched areas, trying to sort anything hidden where Gar might have hidden or tossed Sandlot's bag.)
It was hardly so long ago that Sandlot completed his "morning" reflections and prayers to Eldath before it came time for Amble's goodbyes. But though the words spoken had been expected to some extent, the old locathah still could not help but bow his head and place a hand over his chest. And he would do nothing to forestall the Tortle's departure, knowing no word -- no argument however passionately delivered would dissaude them. Nor had he not the heart to try anyways as some part of him knew well some of what troubled them beyond just the death of Gar.
While Sandlot could've blamed the fatigue of the fight easily enough for not having done or reacted more to the 'expulsion' of the scholar and the other undead devoured by Gulp, wisdom would not allow such self delusion. The fact that Umberlee's voice could still reach him at all had been proof enough that.... he still had a long way to go before being truly free of the past, and the callus that was his disensitization to violence.
"... A moment, my friends... Shorten our course, our Lady Eldath has.... but a bit of time needed, this one does... to Commune with her... Stay on your guard, but... move if must..... Long, this one will not be." If allotted the time, Sandlot settles into place on the ground, legs crossed and music box holy symbol held set gently by hands at rest on his legs. And gradually as he chants, a small current builds up and circles about him, keeping the area clear of debris.
After 11 minutes(from ritual casting), barring any suggested questions/inquiries from the others, the following 3 questions are asked as part of the spell:
Has what are people called the 'Darkening' come to an end? Are the Kraken Priestess we learned of here remain alive? (3rd Question reserved to see what comes the 1st two)
Somehow Gulp did not feel rested at all. Not sick either - that was good! - but the body refused to move as nimble as he used to and that was annoying. No need to say, tiredness did not improve his mood. He tried to keep (most of the) grumpiness to himself which ended up with him not talking at all. He only nodded to Amble's departure and silently prepared to wait for Sandlot to finish his prayers or whatever those clerics need to do! (Not that he did not appreciate their abilities - he survived because of them, but old bones did hurt and the taste of undead was still way too fresh on his tong).
He was ready to move - where ever the group was going to move - at the first sign.
On waking, Bubbles feels his face and looks himself over looking for any signs of the disease and breathes a very big sigh of happiness "Well - I don't care to repeat that.....rules to live by....don't get stabbed by disease infested undead sailors!!!"
After stretching out his tired body, he turns his attention to the search for the missing bag and heads into the cavern with the others to sweep the area, using Last Rites light source to illuminate the search area.
Perception: 14 (have assumed Perception, if Investigation will need to drop the +6 modifier)
(OOC: I noticed that Undertow would have fallen unconscious to the disease because of the CON penalty. Hence, let's say that Undertow is also suffering from two points of exhaustion.)
After Sandlot finishes his morning routine and Amble says their farewells, the party gets ready to move even though Gulp seems a bit more silent than usual. Barnacle and Bubbles agree that the next point of order is to go looking for the missing bag, but the group's cleric asks for a moment to commune with Eldath.
Has what people called the 'Darkening' come to an end?
Sandlot feels the water about him rise in temperature a little bit, to a comforting level. He feels Eldath's embrace and an affirmative answer reach his consciousness.
Do the Kraken Priestess we learned of here remain alive?
Sandlot feels a sudden shift in the temperature of the water. He knows this to mean that Eldath confirms the loss of the priestesses' life forms.
Sandlot bowed his head in a moment of silence for the Priestess. A part of him knew that it was unlikely that things would not have been favorably different had they intervened in the priestess demise. Another part -- The part more devoted to the ways of Eldath -- believed otherwise. A sad smile crosses his face as he was again reminded of just how much further he had to go before fully being at peace with himself...
Such concerns aside however, he still found himself hesitant to speak the last question, as soon many others drifted to mind. Some meant to assuage the needle of guilt still in his chest over the partial cause of Amble's quick departure. Some that would only add to the burden to the weary soul. And there was even one simply meant to check up on his goddess like a friend.
In the end, he smiled softly in defeat and spoke his last question, realizing just how weary others were of the venture. "Are there any other living souls here beneath the coral mountain besides the ones... I ventured here with that... are in need of saving?" The question asked (devoid of his usual idiosyncrasies), he waits patiently for the answer before the spell's natural conclusion. After which, he would share what news there was to share with the rest, before calling upon one final miracle: A spell meant to help divine the location of his missing Bag of Holding.
"A final look, this one asks... And then we depart... no more delays."He promised all, but would more pointedly look to G'ulp, hoping the words might be assuring enough. Undertow, who looked just as exhausted, if not only slightly less so being younger than Gulp, scoffs at the request. Yet for all of his apparent impetuousness, he voiced no real complaint, and merely just readied both himself and riptide for more venturing.
(@Lerus: Would it be alright in hindsight to say that Sandlot was at least able to retrieve his shield before the long rest? If not, that's fine.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
(@Ori: I'll interpret the timing of the specific actions Sandlot is taking a little differently from what you posted so that I can make it work with other players' posts. Also, yes, retrieving the shield is fine.)
Are there any other living souls here beneath the coral mountain besides the ones I ventured here with that are in need of saving?
The answer Sandlot receives is more complicated than the ones for the earlier questions. The water is neither hot or cold, and the cleric receives neither Eldath's embrace or sorrow. To the best of his interpretive abilities, Sandlot can only guess that there are indeed still other living beings within the coral mountain but that they may not need or want any saving.
Once the messages are delivered to the rest of the group, they follow through with the previously agreed plan. The six locathah and an octopus swim over the the fairly central wreck within the mountain that remains unexplored. They remember spotting a couple of bodies within and are now ready to return to them. Bubbles is the first to enter the wreck, holding his Candle of the Deep. He notices that the group is entering through the front of the ship. The inside of this front cabin is fitted with hammock-style bunks affixed to the interior hull of the ship. Each hammock is a web of ropes and knot-work, lined with canvas. Nearby, there are several footlockers that have been broken open, their contents strewn about the floor of the cabin. Bubbles also spots three unmoving undead in this chamber. They look better preserved than the ones found outside... with more muscle on them but seemingly more lithe as well. There are signs of a fight in here, and these three clearly participated in it.
Barnacle is the second one to enter the ship. Swimming over to a different part of the same chamber, the fighter locates two additional bodies. One is a tall, lanky human woman with a too-wide a mouth filled with rows and rows of sharp teeth, like a shark. Her hands and feet are both webbed and, again like a shark, she has an angular dorsal fin that protrudes from the middle of her back. The second body is a shorter woman with broad shoulders. Her legs have been replaced with tentacles, and her upper torso is covered in some kind of tough, conical shell. It's easy to see that she was once able to tuck in her head and pull her tentacles up into the shell protectively, like a strange hermit crab.
Entering the room primarily to look for his Bag of Holding, Sandlot fails to locate his item amidst the fight scene. Remembering he has a blessing for just such an occasion, the cleric settles in for a casting of the Locate Object spell. After a few seconds of concentration, Sandlot gets a mental ping toward the northeast portion of the coral mountain, close to where the Kraken Pristesses' quarters are.
Before the group can leave, Undertow points out a robust closed door on the far wall, which presumably would lead into the mid and back portions of this wrecked ship. It does not look like the door was opened during the fight that occurred in this front portion of the wreck.
(OOC: Assuming Bubbles points out the three undead to the rest of the party, anyone can roll a history check on them. Assuming that Barnacle shows the two bodies he found to the rest of the group, anyone can roll a medicine check on them.)
Barnacle for sure points out the bodies of the two Kraken priests too the others; weird shark face and hermit crab back? Come and see!
Waiting on any others who might be interested, Barnacle uses the time to pat down their bodies going to find anything that might give a little more detail on whatever was going on here.
For completeness, upon seeing the bodies Bubbles will turn to the group "We got some more bodies over here, come take a look" and with that he grips Last Rites a little tighter, just in case they decide to rise once more.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Bubbles the Barbarian" (Locathah - Lvl 9) - Locathah Rising; Shai'ere Delatete (Githyanki Monk - Lvl 9) Rrakkma (deceased - MindFlayer); Saros Rockfoot (Deep Gnome Diviner - Lvl 5) - The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above; Tagret (Goliath Barbarian - Lvl 2) - Tales of Faerun;
"But done it must still..." Sandlot murmured while rejoining the others for the search. Later on and in following after Bubbles, Sandlot whispered absentmindedly,"Now how in the world...", before noting Bubble's request. After one last glance back to where he felt the pull towards his bag, he drifts over to examine the bodies, murmuring a prayer to both send them off and beseech his goddess for guidance along the way to them.
"Desperate, he was... to betray them so wantonly... *clicks tongue*... But such was his way..." Sandlot says, presuming things at least before concluding his examination. As far as the undead, that is something he'd acknowledge at least, but choose instead to focus his attention elsewhere. Namely back on securing his bag of holding, which if not too far away, he'd drift on that way asking Undertow and Riptide at least to follow while the others continue any further investigations.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Bubbles calls the group's attention to the bodies that used to be undead but the party seems more interested in the priestesses. Both Barnacle and Sandlot spend a few minutes going over their body parts and wounds. The hybridization of human and sea life is somewhat foreign to what the locathah are used too. These monstrous priestesses don't look natural at all, and yet they seemed familiar enough with their own bodies to engage in a fight using only their natural weapons, protections, and whatever innate spellcasting they may have had. Unfortunately, they are simply beyond any help at this point. The fighter and cleric pair do pick up one one useful point though: both priestesses have puncture wounds on them which seem to be clustered in groups of three. There is no doubt they were causes by a trident (possibly while the party was taking their first long rest.)
Sandlot then asks Undertow and RIptide to accompany him over to the priestesses' chambers while the rest of the party investigates this wreck further. Upon arrival, Sandlot has no trouble locating his bag with the help of the previously cast spell. Unfortunately, the bag has been torn apart and its contents spilled in a pile on the ground. Changing subjects, Undertow reminds Sandlot that they are now close to the Kraken's enclosure, which they could not reach before.
Back at the wreck, Barnacle, Shanty, Bubbles, and Gulp notice little more of interest, apart from the closed door leading further into the ship.
Bubbles does not care what remedy he is offerred "Just give me anything that might work"
If there is enough of the ointment Bubbles will start smearing it on the worst of the outbreaks
"Bubbles the Barbarian" (Locathah - Lvl 9) - Locathah Rising; Shai'ere Delatete (Githyanki Monk - Lvl 9) Rrakkma (deceased - MindFlayer); Saros Rockfoot (Deep Gnome Diviner - Lvl 5) - The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above; Tagret (Goliath Barbarian - Lvl 2) - Tales of Faerun;
Gulp is an old fish. He would give the potion to any youngster that is left without help (he is sure the potion works) and subject himself to Amble's care.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
(@MB: Thanks for clarifying. Two doses it is then, and it looks like you are about to run out.)
Following Undertow's example, Bubbles reached into the ointment vat and spends the next several minutes lathering up. the barbarian then also makes a point of remaining quiet for the next several hours, so that the substance can take effect.
Gulp offers his magical potion to the only other untreated infected. Shanty uncorks it and drinks the potion. It tastes sweet and could pass for fig juice were it not for its thick consistency. The bardlock feels a bit drowsy after ingesting the potion and goes back to sleep.
The monk himself then volunteers for Amble's treatment. The tortle prepares their cleansing spell and tells Gulp: "brace yourself."
(@Blue: Please roll a CON saving throw {DC 12}. I usually roll saving throws for players but I would rather have you roll this one.)
(Np! I can perfectly kill Gulp myself)
CON saving throw {DC 12}: 5 (Btw, if this is poison, I think locatah have the advantage for saves)
The spell did not work, or the disease proved to be too stubborn but the swelling continued to consume Gulp.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
(@MB: Thanks for clarifying. Two doses it is then, and it looks like you are about to run out.
@Lerus: NP. Happy to help.)
Satisfied that his ointment seems to be doing the trick for at least two of the party, Barnacle tosses the empty jar back into his pack but not before giving the empty jar a good sniff first.
Once all are more or less seen to for the time being, Sandlot snuggles back into his makeshift nest, assuming it wasn't his shift yet. But in either case, it is with some relief he looks to the rest, and is once again thankful to his goddess -- his true goddess, the one and only Eldath -- for having seen them safely through what he hoped was the roughest part of the venture. And while the coming days promised yet more compounding exhaustive work for the aged Locathah... he smiled, not minding it nearly as much as he might've in his impeteous youth.
"Rest well, all... We will need it for what is to come after." And on those final words to all, Sandlot finishes settling back in for the "night".
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
(@Blue: Because Gulp currently has a -3 penalty to his CON score, his HP goes from 47 down to 29.)
Amble spends some time with Gulp as he slowly casts his spell. All seems to be going well but, at some point during this short ritual, the monk's body begins to react badly to the intervention. It is as if the disease itself was losing the battle but was intent on going down swinging.
-> Bluerot damage roll: 21
Before things get better, they get worse. Most of the boils on Gulp's back burst, releasing pus on the water. The monk feels excruciating pain. (Gulp takes 21 necrotic damage.)
Eventually the sudden pain subsides, although Gulp's body looks worse for wear. Amble says: "At least you are... still lucid... This is a good sign... I'll survive... Rest now." The tortle helps the monk find a comfortable position to sleep in and then calls it a night themselves.
Barnacle does the same, but not before sneaking a sniff at his empty jar. Sandlot makes sure all are settled down before closing his own eyes. The rest of the night passes by more calmly. No watches pick up any other dangers.
(OOC: Your long rest was disturbed enough that I'll call for it to be restarted. That means you guys need to sleep in this morning. Overall, your rest takes twelve hours instead of the usual eight. You now have the green light to go ahead and click the "Long Rest" and "Confirm" buttons. If you had plugged in the CON and CHA score penalties from the disease into your character sheets, make 'sure that those are now removed. Also note that the effects of the Aid spell have subsided. This is automatically taken care of when you "confirm" your long rest as long as you have checked the box "Reset Maximum HP changes during this rest".)
By the time the group wakes up the next morning and is ready to start roaming again, if it is indeed morning, they realize they must have slept in. The good news is that no one sports any more blue boils on their bodies. Barnacle's ointment worked wonders on Bubbles and Undertow; the magical potion that Shanty drank not only cured him but it also temporarily revitalized his immunologic system; and Amble's cleansing spell did the trick for Gulp, eventually. The bad news is that Gulp will pay the price for his weakeaned constitution for a while longer (Gulp gains two points of exhaustion.)
At this point, Amble also says their goodbyes. They are very thankful for being woken up from their uncertain slumber and giving them the means to breath underwater. However, they explain that they feel the debt is now repaid as they helped the party in cleaning this corrupted coral mountain from its main source of corruption. The tortle shows some remorse concerning the group's inability to save Gar and admits they will have much cleansing to do on their own so that they can pay the penance for participating in the death of at least one salvageable soul: the image of a partially digested water genasi suddenly reappearing when the whale reduced its form back into a locathah will haunt the tortle for a long time. Amble takes one last deep breath, returns the magical cap to Undertow, transforms into a sun fish, and swims away toward the exit which the group points out to him.
(OOC: Is the next point of order exploring the so far unexplored wreck in search of Sandlot's bag of holding? What else would the group like to do?)
Barnacle spends a little time waving Amble off. The Tortle is likely right about Gar's soul being capable of being saved, but only to a degree. At the end it didn't feel like Gar wanted to be saved; he was more intent on snuffing Sandlot's candle permanently and he seemed consumed by his rage. Barnacle guesses that Gar's preference was to kill Sandlot and the rest of the group, Amble included. Starting down that path likely meant Gar had considered the potential of his own ultimate failure.
Still, Barnacle had liked the Tortle and he liked to think that the flapping of the sunfish's fins was him waving back.
Turning back to the matter at hand, Barnacle offers to help in the search of the area, suggesting they head to an area previously unsearched since that was likely where Gar had hidden himself.
Perception 13
(OOC Saving Barnacle's roll for three previously unsearched areas, trying to sort anything hidden where Gar might have hidden or tossed Sandlot's bag.)
It was hardly so long ago that Sandlot completed his "morning" reflections and prayers to Eldath before it came time for Amble's goodbyes. But though the words spoken had been expected to some extent, the old locathah still could not help but bow his head and place a hand over his chest. And he would do nothing to forestall the Tortle's departure, knowing no word -- no argument however passionately delivered would dissaude them. Nor had he not the heart to try anyways as some part of him knew well some of what troubled them beyond just the death of Gar.
While Sandlot could've blamed the fatigue of the fight easily enough for not having done or reacted more to the 'expulsion' of the scholar and the other undead devoured by Gulp, wisdom would not allow such self delusion. The fact that Umberlee's voice could still reach him at all had been proof enough that.... he still had a long way to go before being truly free of the past, and the callus that was his disensitization to violence.
"... A moment, my friends... Shorten our course, our Lady Eldath has.... but a bit of time needed, this one does... to Commune with her... Stay on your guard, but... move if must..... Long, this one will not be." If allotted the time, Sandlot settles into place on the ground, legs crossed and music box holy symbol held set gently by hands at rest on his legs. And gradually as he chants, a small current builds up and circles about him, keeping the area clear of debris.
After 11 minutes(from ritual casting), barring any suggested questions/inquiries from the others, the following 3 questions are asked as part of the spell:
Has what are people called the 'Darkening' come to an end?
Are the Kraken Priestess we learned of here remain alive?
(3rd Question reserved to see what comes the 1st two)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Somehow Gulp did not feel rested at all. Not sick either - that was good! - but the body refused to move as nimble as he used to and that was annoying. No need to say, tiredness did not improve his mood. He tried to keep (most of the) grumpiness to himself which ended up with him not talking at all. He only nodded to Amble's departure and silently prepared to wait for Sandlot to finish his prayers or whatever those clerics need to do! (Not that he did not appreciate their abilities - he survived because of them, but old bones did hurt and the taste of undead was still way too fresh on his tong).
He was ready to move - where ever the group was going to move - at the first sign.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
On waking, Bubbles feels his face and looks himself over looking for any signs of the disease and breathes a very big sigh of happiness "Well - I don't care to repeat that.....rules to live by....don't get stabbed by disease infested undead sailors!!!"
After stretching out his tired body, he turns his attention to the search for the missing bag and heads into the cavern with the others to sweep the area, using Last Rites light source to illuminate the search area.
Perception: 14 (have assumed Perception, if Investigation will need to drop the +6 modifier)
"Bubbles the Barbarian" (Locathah - Lvl 9) - Locathah Rising; Shai'ere Delatete (Githyanki Monk - Lvl 9) Rrakkma (deceased - MindFlayer); Saros Rockfoot (Deep Gnome Diviner - Lvl 5) - The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above; Tagret (Goliath Barbarian - Lvl 2) - Tales of Faerun;
(OOC: I noticed that Undertow would have fallen unconscious to the disease because of the CON penalty. Hence, let's say that Undertow is also suffering from two points of exhaustion.)
After Sandlot finishes his morning routine and Amble says their farewells, the party gets ready to move even though Gulp seems a bit more silent than usual. Barnacle and Bubbles agree that the next point of order is to go looking for the missing bag, but the group's cleric asks for a moment to commune with Eldath.
Sandlot feels the water about him rise in temperature a little bit, to a comforting level. He feels Eldath's embrace and an affirmative answer reach his consciousness.
Sandlot feels a sudden shift in the temperature of the water. He knows this to mean that Eldath confirms the loss of the priestesses' life forms.
(@Ori: What is the third question?)
Sandlot bowed his head in a moment of silence for the Priestess. A part of him knew that it was unlikely that things would not have been favorably different had they intervened in the priestess demise. Another part -- The part more devoted to the ways of Eldath -- believed otherwise. A sad smile crosses his face as he was again reminded of just how much further he had to go before fully being at peace with himself...
Such concerns aside however, he still found himself hesitant to speak the last question, as soon many others drifted to mind. Some meant to assuage the needle of guilt still in his chest over the partial cause of Amble's quick departure. Some that would only add to the burden to the weary soul. And there was even one simply meant to check up on his goddess like a friend.
In the end, he smiled softly in defeat and spoke his last question, realizing just how weary others were of the venture. "Are there any other living souls here beneath the coral mountain besides the ones... I ventured here with that... are in need of saving?" The question asked (devoid of his usual idiosyncrasies), he waits patiently for the answer before the spell's natural conclusion. After which, he would share what news there was to share with the rest, before calling upon one final miracle: A spell meant to help divine the location of his missing Bag of Holding.
"A final look, this one asks... And then we depart... no more delays." He promised all, but would more pointedly look to G'ulp, hoping the words might be assuring enough. Undertow, who looked just as exhausted, if not only slightly less so being younger than Gulp, scoffs at the request. Yet for all of his apparent impetuousness, he voiced no real complaint, and merely just readied both himself and riptide for more venturing.
(@Lerus: Would it be alright in hindsight to say that Sandlot was at least able to retrieve his shield before the long rest? If not, that's fine.)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
(@Ori: I'll interpret the timing of the specific actions Sandlot is taking a little differently from what you posted so that I can make it work with other players' posts. Also, yes, retrieving the shield is fine.)
The answer Sandlot receives is more complicated than the ones for the earlier questions. The water is neither hot or cold, and the cleric receives neither Eldath's embrace or sorrow. To the best of his interpretive abilities, Sandlot can only guess that there are indeed still other living beings within the coral mountain but that they may not need or want any saving.
Once the messages are delivered to the rest of the group, they follow through with the previously agreed plan. The six locathah and an octopus swim over the the fairly central wreck within the mountain that remains unexplored. They remember spotting a couple of bodies within and are now ready to return to them. Bubbles is the first to enter the wreck, holding his Candle of the Deep. He notices that the group is entering through the front of the ship. The inside of this front cabin is fitted with hammock-style bunks affixed to the interior hull of the ship. Each hammock is a web of ropes and knot-work, lined with canvas. Nearby, there are several footlockers that have been broken open, their contents strewn about the floor of the cabin. Bubbles also spots three unmoving undead in this chamber. They look better preserved than the ones found outside... with more muscle on them but seemingly more lithe as well. There are signs of a fight in here, and these three clearly participated in it.
Barnacle is the second one to enter the ship. Swimming over to a different part of the same chamber, the fighter locates two additional bodies. One is a tall, lanky human woman with a too-wide a mouth filled with rows and rows of sharp teeth, like a shark. Her hands and feet are both webbed and, again like a shark, she has an angular dorsal fin that protrudes from the middle of her back. The second body is a shorter woman with broad shoulders. Her legs have been replaced with tentacles, and her upper torso is covered in some kind of tough, conical shell. It's easy to see that she was once able to tuck in her head and pull her tentacles up into the shell protectively, like a strange hermit crab.
Entering the room primarily to look for his Bag of Holding, Sandlot fails to locate his item amidst the fight scene. Remembering he has a blessing for just such an occasion, the cleric settles in for a casting of the Locate Object spell. After a few seconds of concentration, Sandlot gets a mental ping toward the northeast portion of the coral mountain, close to where the Kraken Pristesses' quarters are.
Before the group can leave, Undertow points out a robust closed door on the far wall, which presumably would lead into the mid and back portions of this wrecked ship. It does not look like the door was opened during the fight that occurred in this front portion of the wreck.
(OOC: Assuming Bubbles points out the three undead to the rest of the party, anyone can roll a history check on them. Assuming that Barnacle shows the two bodies he found to the rest of the group, anyone can roll a medicine check on them.)
Medicine 21
Barnacle for sure points out the bodies of the two Kraken priests too the others; weird shark face and hermit crab back? Come and see!
Waiting on any others who might be interested, Barnacle uses the time to pat down their bodies going to find anything that might give a little more detail on whatever was going on here.
Investigation 4
For completeness, upon seeing the bodies Bubbles will turn to the group "We got some more bodies over here, come take a look" and with that he grips Last Rites a little tighter, just in case they decide to rise once more.
"Bubbles the Barbarian" (Locathah - Lvl 9) - Locathah Rising; Shai'ere Delatete (Githyanki Monk - Lvl 9) Rrakkma (deceased - MindFlayer); Saros Rockfoot (Deep Gnome Diviner - Lvl 5) - The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above; Tagret (Goliath Barbarian - Lvl 2) - Tales of Faerun;
"But done it must still..." Sandlot murmured while rejoining the others for the search. Later on and in following after Bubbles, Sandlot whispered absentmindedly,"Now how in the world...", before noting Bubble's request. After one last glance back to where he felt the pull towards his bag, he drifts over to examine the bodies, murmuring a prayer to both send them off and beseech his goddess for guidance along the way to them.
Medicine: 14.
"Desperate, he was... to betray them so wantonly... *clicks tongue*... But such was his way..." Sandlot says, presuming things at least before concluding his examination. As far as the undead, that is something he'd acknowledge at least, but choose instead to focus his attention elsewhere. Namely back on securing his bag of holding, which if not too far away, he'd drift on that way asking Undertow and Riptide at least to follow while the others continue any further investigations.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Bubbles calls the group's attention to the bodies that used to be undead but the party seems more interested in the priestesses. Both Barnacle and Sandlot spend a few minutes going over their body parts and wounds. The hybridization of human and sea life is somewhat foreign to what the locathah are used too. These monstrous priestesses don't look natural at all, and yet they seemed familiar enough with their own bodies to engage in a fight using only their natural weapons, protections, and whatever innate spellcasting they may have had. Unfortunately, they are simply beyond any help at this point. The fighter and cleric pair do pick up one one useful point though: both priestesses have puncture wounds on them which seem to be clustered in groups of three. There is no doubt they were causes by a trident (possibly while the party was taking their first long rest.)
Sandlot then asks Undertow and RIptide to accompany him over to the priestesses' chambers while the rest of the party investigates this wreck further. Upon arrival, Sandlot has no trouble locating his bag with the help of the previously cast spell. Unfortunately, the bag has been torn apart and its contents spilled in a pile on the ground. Changing subjects, Undertow reminds Sandlot that they are now close to the Kraken's enclosure, which they could not reach before.
Back at the wreck, Barnacle, Shanty, Bubbles, and Gulp notice little more of interest, apart from the closed door leading further into the ship.
MAP UPDATE:
YELLOW STAR: Barnacle, Shanty, Bubbles, and Gulp
GREEN ARROW: Sandlot, Undertow, and RIptide
Since others did not call for help and waters remained calm, Gulp shrugged and tried to open the last door on their way.
Athletics if needed: 13
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice