A brief, terse discussion later, and the two of you decide you are indeed on the right track, and the wider, deeper part where you were attacked must outflow through this chamber you're in currently. The rest of you party, assuming the KTs were taking them to Slobludop, would likely have passed through here on their way.
You aren't sure who the KT you saw was, might have just been a random citizen out for a stroll, they all kind of look similar, though you've traveled enough with Shuushar to have been able to tell him from others.
You give the KT time to get well ahead, and move onward, staying alert in case he decided to make a stand... or found friends to bolster his courage to do so.
As you emerge from a twisting passageway, you see a wide cavern with a low ceiling, the flowing river expanding and becoming more shallow here, the expanse of water dotted with the Darklake equivalent of sandbars, deposits of sediment washed down that settled out once the flow lessened. Many of the sandbars are illuminated by low growths of bioluminescent bluish fungi, and a different species of green glowing fungus festoons the ceiling, draping in long clusters.
Aground on one of the sandbars maybe 300 ft away, is a dugout zurhkwood canoe, very much like the ones your party were loaded into. It's too far and too dim to make out details from here, but you see a fishy form skulking around it... the silhouette matches that of a kuo-toa. He has not yet noticed you, but from his jerky movements, he seems to be checking his surroundings regularly, and if you were to approach, he would certainly see you.
Thom and Lia:
The Archpriest Ploopploopeen explains that you're about an hour from the village, and that you're certainly welcome to rest and have some refreshments on the way.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Lia touches the bite and scratch marks on her neck. And she looks around at the others. “I don’t know about all of you, but I could do.. with.. a sleep!…”.
”Mr Ploop’… refreshments would be very welcome, and if we might sleep when we get to your house that would be ideal. I’m sure we’ll all be more help to you once we’ve had a chance to recover our energies…”.
Well, there's water, so if you were to submerge, that would give you partial cover, and if you were to position a sandbar between yourself and it, that might provide total cover, but the fungi growing on the sandbars is sparse and none more than a foot or so tall.
Lia and Thom:
"Ah, yes, yes. We shall get our boats as well, we beached them around the way."
A handful of his followers peel off and dive into the water and out of sight, while others pile some waterskins and a dried fungal 'jerky' on the rock near the archpriest. He waves for you to help yourselves, and Derendil in particular wastes no time, but does show restraint and attempt to cram his mouth full in a more princely manner.
After ten minutes or so, the underlings return with their four vessels, and they finish stripping anything of value from the dead kuo-toa followers of Ploopploopeen's daughter, piling the shields, spears and baubles into the zurhkwood canoes.
The archpriest stands up and starts a rather meandering, long winded speech, the gist of which seems to be thanking the Sea Mother for hatching them, and offering her themselves in return, the culmination of which is the kuo-toa carrying all of the bodies into the water and letting the cold dark waters close over them.
That task finished, he turns and cheerfully gestures for you all to board.
((There are seven canoes total now, each can hold 6 passengers, if you wish to just ride, then two KT paddlers will be provided, and you can fit max 4 party members in one.))
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Thom takes note of both his senses about Ploopp as well as Lia's lack of energy. He doesn't necessarily relate it to her lacking magical energy though.. to him she just looks tired.
He would definitely take some of the jerky as well, shrug his shoulders at Lia and say "down the hatch, yeah?!"and he eats it.
Thom would ideally not want to row, but he'd kind of 'read the room'... if the KT's seem odd or offended that we aren't helping to row, then Thom would help. But ultimately he wants to just chill in the boat. "Lia madam, take a rest and then maybe once we get to 'town'" (he does air quotes again) you can take a proper nap, yeah?"
"We ready then? Prince, you good to go? The fungus jerky's not half bad, yeah?"
What's Sarith doing/saying?
Thom's suggestion for a boat = Lia, Thom, Sarith, Prince, KT rower1, KT rower2
The KTs don't seem at all put out if you don't offer to row, you get the sense they aren't expecting you to. Their archpriest said they are taking you back to town, so they're taking you back to town.
Sarith is quiet and reserved, while healed fully, he's just worn out by the days and days of hard travel culminating in getting knocked out and nearly dying multiple times recently. You get the sense that drow and kuo-toa have a somewhat tense relationship... the drow with superior equipment and organization, but the kuo-toa having superior numbers, at least in terms of the drow stationed at the outposts. For now, he's playing the role of a subordinate to Prince Derendil, fetching him a waterskin while the Prince eats. When you get a quiet moment aside, Sarith share that he thinks its unlikely that if you're still being pursued, that any drow would attempt to enter the kuo-toa city to lay claim to you, so being under Ploopp's care may afford protection from drow pursuit.
That'd leave Jimjar, Lex and Stool to be conveyed in the other boat, so that sounds just fine to me.
If you're able to get to the town without the need to exert yourselves, you'd be able to short rest, but hold off for now.
If you do decide to go with the direct approach, will you be trying to stealth, or heading right for it?
There are likely deeper channels, as the boat seems to have been navigated or carried to where it ran aground, but there are likely some shallower places as well.
The cavern itself isn't well lit, its just clumps of glowing fungi here and there, you're able to spot the boat and KT well beyond your darkvision because it's illuminated by the fungi nearby, and your eyes were drawn to the movement. If you stealth, it'd be a combination of moving carefully and quietly, and keeping yourself positioned so you aren't being backlit noticeably by fungi. Once you get within its darkvision, it'll have more of a chance of spotting you as you approach.
I'll say if you go stealthy, give me Stealth checks, if the straight on approach, then Athletics to not get bogged down on your way.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Thom does indeed sit back then and tries to 'enjoy' the ride as he watches Sarith and reflects on the drow / KT relationship and the pursuing drow and all of it. Thom is oddly amused in the moment as well with Sarith taking the subordinate role to the so-called (in Thom's mind) Prince, and ultimately at the end of it would feel slightly reassured given Sarith's final words about being in Ploopp's care and likely avoiding another attack by the pursuing drow.
Afterwards, Thom would say to Sarith "So mate. How you feeling about this sacrifice, yeah?"
Sarith glances at Ploopp in the middle of his own canoe before speaking softly in elvish.
"I don't intend to be anyone's sacrifice, that's the whole reason we broke out of Velknyeve, yeah? But... a willing participant in a scheme to backstab a family member? That's just another day in drow politics... our savior there could probably teach a thing or two to some of the great houses. For now we aren't bound, and they've not tried to take our weapons and gear from us... so long as the food and water wasn't poisoned, I'd say we are in better shape than we were an hour ago, wouldn't you agree?"
Derendil nods in agreement, munching on another fistful of fungus jerky.
From the other boat with party members in it, you can hear Jimjar laughing and chatting with the kuo-toa in Undercommon. From your travels with him, you've learned to recognize the Undercommon phrase for 'bet', and sure enough he and a KT are soon throwing pebbles at a passing stalagmite, the deep gnome crowing in victory as he's the first one to hit it. Something is exchanged, and Jimjar tries to get others involved. Lex shakes her head but smiles tolerantly.
Judging from the flourescent lumps of sandbar, if it were to able to shove off in the boat, it wouldn't have a direct path to flee from you, there's a chance that you'd be able to keep it in range a fair bit longer than if it had a straight run to flee directly away from you.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Thom takes a deep sigh, considers everything they've already been through including dying multiple times and responds to Sarith "Hmmmm. Yeah. I'd agree with all of that, mate."and he nods his head in agreement. He grins at the sight of the Prince chowing down, and then sits back in the canoe for the jaunt to the village.
"My dear Thom, you've not eaten nearly enough! You must keep your strength up! We're so close to actually getting out of here!", Derendil offers Thom some jerky.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
DM & Stena
Galingal nods at Stena's assessment and starts moving as quietly as the sand and water allows, keeping to the shadows, and cover. But his muscles stay tense, ready to sprint if the kuo-toa notices them.
Galingal and Stena:
A brief, terse discussion later, and the two of you decide you are indeed on the right track, and the wider, deeper part where you were attacked must outflow through this chamber you're in currently. The rest of you party, assuming the KTs were taking them to Slobludop, would likely have passed through here on their way.
You aren't sure who the KT you saw was, might have just been a random citizen out for a stroll, they all kind of look similar, though you've traveled enough with Shuushar to have been able to tell him from others.
You give the KT time to get well ahead, and move onward, staying alert in case he decided to make a stand... or found friends to bolster his courage to do so.
As you emerge from a twisting passageway, you see a wide cavern with a low ceiling, the flowing river expanding and becoming more shallow here, the expanse of water dotted with the Darklake equivalent of sandbars, deposits of sediment washed down that settled out once the flow lessened. Many of the sandbars are illuminated by low growths of bioluminescent bluish fungi, and a different species of green glowing fungus festoons the ceiling, draping in long clusters.
Aground on one of the sandbars maybe 300 ft away, is a dugout zurhkwood canoe, very much like the ones your party were loaded into. It's too far and too dim to make out details from here, but you see a fishy form skulking around it... the silhouette matches that of a kuo-toa. He has not yet noticed you, but from his jerky movements, he seems to be checking his surroundings regularly, and if you were to approach, he would certainly see you.
Thom and Lia:
The Archpriest Ploopploopeen explains that you're about an hour from the village, and that you're certainly welcome to rest and have some refreshments on the way.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
((So no cover between us and it?))
Lia touches the bite and scratch marks on her neck. And she looks around at the others. “I don’t know about all of you, but I could do.. with.. a sleep!…”.
”Mr Ploop’… refreshments would be very welcome, and if we might sleep when we get to your house that would be ideal. I’m sure we’ll all be more help to you once we’ve had a chance to recover our energies…”.
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
Galingal and Stena:
Well, there's water, so if you were to submerge, that would give you partial cover, and if you were to position a sandbar between yourself and it, that might provide total cover, but the fungi growing on the sandbars is sparse and none more than a foot or so tall.
Lia and Thom:
"Ah, yes, yes. We shall get our boats as well, we beached them around the way."
A handful of his followers peel off and dive into the water and out of sight, while others pile some waterskins and a dried fungal 'jerky' on the rock near the archpriest. He waves for you to help yourselves, and Derendil in particular wastes no time, but does show restraint and attempt to cram his mouth full in a more princely manner.
After ten minutes or so, the underlings return with their four vessels, and they finish stripping anything of value from the dead kuo-toa followers of Ploopploopeen's daughter, piling the shields, spears and baubles into the zurhkwood canoes.
The archpriest stands up and starts a rather meandering, long winded speech, the gist of which seems to be thanking the Sea Mother for hatching them, and offering her themselves in return, the culmination of which is the kuo-toa carrying all of the bodies into the water and letting the cold dark waters close over them.
That task finished, he turns and cheerfully gestures for you all to board.
((There are seven canoes total now, each can hold 6 passengers, if you wish to just ride, then two KT paddlers will be provided, and you can fit max 4 party members in one.))
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Thom takes note of both his senses about Ploopp as well as Lia's lack of energy. He doesn't necessarily relate it to her lacking magical energy though.. to him she just looks tired.
He would definitely take some of the jerky as well, shrug his shoulders at Lia and say "down the hatch, yeah?!" and he eats it.
Thom would ideally not want to row, but he'd kind of 'read the room'... if the KT's seem odd or offended that we aren't helping to row, then Thom would help. But ultimately he wants to just chill in the boat. "Lia madam, take a rest and then maybe once we get to 'town'" (he does air quotes again) you can take a proper nap, yeah?"
"We ready then? Prince, you good to go? The fungus jerky's not half bad, yeah?"
What's Sarith doing/saying?
Thom's suggestion for a boat = Lia, Thom, Sarith, Prince, KT rower1, KT rower2
(short rest on the way?)
Thom and Lia:
The KTs don't seem at all put out if you don't offer to row, you get the sense they aren't expecting you to. Their archpriest said they are taking you back to town, so they're taking you back to town.
Sarith is quiet and reserved, while healed fully, he's just worn out by the days and days of hard travel culminating in getting knocked out and nearly dying multiple times recently. You get the sense that drow and kuo-toa have a somewhat tense relationship... the drow with superior equipment and organization, but the kuo-toa having superior numbers, at least in terms of the drow stationed at the outposts. For now, he's playing the role of a subordinate to Prince Derendil, fetching him a waterskin while the Prince eats. When you get a quiet moment aside, Sarith share that he thinks its unlikely that if you're still being pursued, that any drow would attempt to enter the kuo-toa city to lay claim to you, so being under Ploopp's care may afford protection from drow pursuit.
That'd leave Jimjar, Lex and Stool to be conveyed in the other boat, so that sounds just fine to me.
If you're able to get to the town without the need to exert yourselves, you'd be able to short rest, but hold off for now.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
@ DM & Stena
About how far away is the boat and the kuo-toa from Galingal and Stena?
Galingal and Stena:
About 300 ft across water and sandbars as a straight shot. To navigate there either all on land or all in the water would about double that.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Galingal and Stena
Galingal watches the kuo-toa or a moment or two.
"It looks afraid," Galingal says quietly to Stena. "We approach direct. May just run. Then have boat. Good to have boat."
Galingal turns back and watches the kuo-toa as he waits for Stena to respond.
Galingal and Stena:
If you do decide to go with the direct approach, will you be trying to stealth, or heading right for it?
There are likely deeper channels, as the boat seems to have been navigated or carried to where it ran aground, but there are likely some shallower places as well.
The cavern itself isn't well lit, its just clumps of glowing fungi here and there, you're able to spot the boat and KT well beyond your darkvision because it's illuminated by the fungi nearby, and your eyes were drawn to the movement. If you stealth, it'd be a combination of moving carefully and quietly, and keeping yourself positioned so you aren't being backlit noticeably by fungi. Once you get within its darkvision, it'll have more of a chance of spotting you as you approach.
I'll say if you go stealthy, give me Stealth checks, if the straight on approach, then Athletics to not get bogged down on your way.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
@DM & Lia
Thom does indeed sit back then and tries to 'enjoy' the ride as he watches Sarith and reflects on the drow / KT relationship and the pursuing drow and all of it. Thom is oddly amused in the moment as well with Sarith taking the subordinate role to the so-called (in Thom's mind) Prince, and ultimately at the end of it would feel slightly reassured given Sarith's final words about being in Ploopp's care and likely avoiding another attack by the pursuing drow.
Afterwards, Thom would say to Sarith "So mate. How you feeling about this sacrifice, yeah?"
(sounds good about the short rest - holding off!)
Thom and Lia:
Sarith glances at Ploopp in the middle of his own canoe before speaking softly in elvish.
"I don't intend to be anyone's sacrifice, that's the whole reason we broke out of Velknyeve, yeah? But... a willing participant in a scheme to backstab a family member? That's just another day in drow politics... our savior there could probably teach a thing or two to some of the great houses. For now we aren't bound, and they've not tried to take our weapons and gear from us... so long as the food and water wasn't poisoned, I'd say we are in better shape than we were an hour ago, wouldn't you agree?"
Derendil nods in agreement, munching on another fistful of fungus jerky.
From the other boat with party members in it, you can hear Jimjar laughing and chatting with the kuo-toa in Undercommon. From your travels with him, you've learned to recognize the Undercommon phrase for 'bet', and sure enough he and a KT are soon throwing pebbles at a passing stalagmite, the deep gnome crowing in victory as he's the first one to hit it. Something is exchanged, and Jimjar tries to get others involved. Lex shakes her head but smiles tolerantly.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
@DM and Gal
Stena watches the creature fiddle about before responding.
"Aye could probably hit it from here. Question is if I'd be able to do enough to kill it before it pushes away. We do want that boat."
She judges the distance again.
"We can try to sneak as close as we can and then rush it if it makes us early."
Galingal and Stena
Judging from the flourescent lumps of sandbar, if it were to able to shove off in the boat, it wouldn't have a direct path to flee from you, there's a chance that you'd be able to keep it in range a fair bit longer than if it had a straight run to flee directly away from you.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
@DM and Lia
Thom takes a deep sigh, considers everything they've already been through including dying multiple times and responds to Sarith "Hmmmm. Yeah. I'd agree with all of that, mate." and he nods his head in agreement. He grins at the sight of the Prince chowing down, and then sits back in the canoe for the jaunt to the village.
Thom and Lia
"My dear Thom, you've not eaten nearly enough! You must keep your strength up! We're so close to actually getting out of here!", Derendil offers Thom some jerky.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
@DM & Lia
Thom feels satiated after a few pieces he'd already eaten, but decides to go with it and eats as much as be possibly can to appease the Prince.
DM and Gal
Stena starts sneaking forward as best she can expecting Galingal to follow.
16
DM & Stena
Galingal nods at Stena's assessment and starts moving as quietly as the sand and water allows, keeping to the shadows, and cover. But his muscles stay tense, ready to sprint if the kuo-toa notices them.
Stealth: 18