"He said, he is the Lord of the mud pits, Florrb, and wants to know who we are," explained Kairu, who, at first did not even realize the creature was talking to the group in a different tongue. 

"Definitely not turtles," it is very hard to look presentable when you are taking a mud-bath, but Kairus did his best, and continued his conversation in Mud Lord's tongue. "We are... not sure what we are as a group. Adventurers? Explorers? Something like that. We came from the turtle's village here by their recommendation - to see the mud-pits and to check if a persona we are looking for is here. Have you happened to see a human recently?" (If Hun ever described Volo, Kairus would repeat the description, if not - will ask Hun to do it now.)

Krodhen, who had decided to take a seat in the nearest shady spot, keeps an eye on the surrounding, far too uncomfortable with the casual approach of the group.

Perception: 3 - to see if he sees the mud creature forming...??

(@Ori: Since you are trying to recall book knowledge, let's call that a history check.)

@Hun: The existence of a creature made of mud does not surprise you. You recall reading about at least two of them in Volo's previous publications. The details of those specific pages, however, escape you at this very moment. You do recall Volo's writing describing one of them as considerably more dangerous than the other, and you are hoping this is a specimen representing the latter.

@Krodhen: Despite your alert posture, you do not immediately notice the mud-being. It is only after some of the members of the group start talking to it that you turn and notice the winged creature. The physics behind a creature being able to fly while its wings are covered in mud escape you.

Having to pause his blood-hawk-field-dressing task, Rhogal looks at Hun and confirms the kobold is not the only one having trouble understanding the winged clump of mud. Kairus comes to the group's rescue by translating the conversation. This is Florrb, a name the tortles had mentioned and even attached to the epithet "Lord," though those types of respectful terms seem to have little sway in island living.

Kairus sort of introduces the group but does not share any names. Florrb does not seem to like that very much. The mud-being ignores the bard's follow-up question for now, asking one of his own. While talking, he makes sure to gesticulate purposefully as to increase the chances the humanoids better understand his words.

(OOC: I'll post Florrb's speech out in the open now under the assumption that Kairus is playing the role of interpreter for the group.)

"Do you bring any offerings to Florrb, the Lord of the Mud Pits?" He asks giving himself a puffed chest. "That is the least one would expect if strangers were to enter their house and immediately begin to bathe themselves." 

Not particularly relishing another confrontation with another flying enemy quite so soon after the blood hawks, Yumiath adopts a non-threatening posture and kneels before Florrb, hoping to show some reverence to the flying mud monster.  It already seems to think quite highly of itself and although Yul has already christened it 'Florrb, Lord of the Flaming Berks' in his mind, he hopes this might show a bit of reverence.  Yul is also careful to make sure that Florrb is within range of his throwing axes, should he need to become 'Florrb, Lord of Having Your Wings Clipped' or 'Florrb, Lord of the Terminally Stupid'.

Kairus definitely worked as an interpreter here and rectified his mistake at the first opportunity. "Forgive my manners. I am Kairus, this is Hun, Rhogal, Krodhen and Yulmiath. I am afraid we did not expect to meet the master of those pits, otherwise, we would approach with the gifts. If you need us gone, we can leave. But may I ask what kind of offerings you lordship prefers?"

Not particularly liking the idea of leaving any of his meagre belongings with 'Florrb, Lord of the Choosy Beggars', Yulmiath calls across to Karius, "Would it consider services rendered sufficient? Or maybe some free lunch?" He suggests looking towards the blood hawks.

Kairus nodded and translated the offers too. "We can not offer much of material possessions - though that birds would make a lovely dinner, but we are quite skilled in... many things. Maybe we can do something for you?"

After receiving the details, Hun looks just about as nonplussed (Or perhaps better yet, disbelieving) at Florb's claims as Yulmiath. But in a condition to fight, they were not. And with that nugget of uncertainty about the full capabilities of the muddy imp....

Suppressing a sigh, the kobold waded his way back to shore and climbed out saying, "I'll be back in just a moment. Keep him distracted." Without so much a glance back, he heads off just a short ways to dig out a lockpick of all things from his bottomless satchel, along with pouch of dust and some other tools before plopping down and beginning the process of making a Dorodango: Mud dumpling. A small-ish ball of mud polished and peppered with some special polishing powder and minute sigils to help hasten the process of making and slightly reinforcing the stone.

He'd all but tuned out the other conversation within seconds of starting the project. But once it's done, he take a moment to examine his work, nod in approval, and then return and hold out the stone/mudball to Kairus. "Here. You can give him this as well as tribute if you think it'll help. If not, I can probably whip up a couple other things, but that MIGHT be pushing it a bit."

Using a use of Magical Trinket Feature to imbue the Dorodango with the following option:
A static visual effect appears on one of the object’s surfaces. This effect can be a picture, up to 25 words of text, lines and shapes, or a mixture of these elements, as you like.
--> In this particular instance, Hun will go with a visual  of Florrb's Visage, only maybe shinier and more resplendent. Because of the normal lengthiness to make a proper one, then with DM's permission/handwaiving, Hun spends the next minute instead of the normal action to make the Trinket. But if not alloted, Hun will find a fair sized stone for the same purpose.

(@Ori: If I understood it correctly, you are asking if you can spend a minute doing something that would normally take you six seconds to accomplish. If that is the question, the answer is: yes, I don't see why not.)

Kairus continues to act as the group's interpreter, but Yulmiath's gesture needs no translation. Florrb is visibly pleased with the dragonborn's show of respect. He even raises a muddy hand upward, akin to a gesture a member of royalty might respond with when similarly reverenced by a courtier or knight.

Kairus then properly introduces the group, which earns him a nod of delayed approval. Between the bard and the barbarian, Florrb is asked if he prefers any specific types of offerings or if rendered services would suffice. Perhaps freshly cooked dinner could also be suitable? Before Florrb can respond, Hun returns to the pool with a trinket in hand. The kobold had sequestered himself as soon as talks of an offering started in order to craft a small trinket on the spot. The delicate mud ball magically produces Florrb's own visage, and the creature is very pleased: "This is fantastic. Quite the handy work: a personalized magical mud mirror." He stares at it for several seconds before turning to Kairus again so the triton can continue translating: "I accept your offerings: the magical mud mirror, the poultry dinner, and one more which I'll propose myself. You'll keep me company while we all take a relaxing mud bath." He looks around once more and begins to add one more item to his list: "And perhaps..." but stops himself for at least another second.

(OOC: Florrb's continued answer will depend on Kairus' pending persuasion check, as requested in the OOC Chat.)

Persuasion: 20

"Thank you for the invitation, your pits are a pleasure to visit." When one sits neck-deep in the mud, one has to be polite.

"I won't say no to a dip. 'Specially after the day we've had..." Rhogal says, while looking at the wounds from the hawks. He'll way until he gets the go-ahead.

(@Lerus: Its moreso the fact that a mud dumpling can take hours to make to get it naturally shiny)

Hun clenches his jaw when Kairus translates the part about 'one more thing' being expected of the groups. But wiser than most other kobolds, he knew when to keep his trap shut, and merely go along with the flow. Still, if only to assure himself, a look is spared up at Yulmiath to confirm the rightness of 'playing along', before the artificer eventually put away his tools and got back in the mud. Though this time he was gonna make sure to keep at least his bag on hand in case things went south.

DM's Screen:

(@Ori: Got it. We can say that an artificer can make a mud-dumpling in a minute when he has to 😀.)

Florrb does a curtsy mid-air is response to Kairus' polite comment, but doesn't finish the last sentence he had started, at least not yet. Instead, he goes silent for a while. With an agreement reached, Florrb indicates that the entire party is welcome into the pools by gesturing in each of the adventurers' direction and then pointing to the pool below him. Rhogal does not wait long to join Kairus into the pool after the invitation, and Hun also reclaims a spot within.

Soon enough, the mud creatures descend into the pool himself, enjoying its bubbly smoothness in silent for several minutes. For the next hour-and-a-half, the party enjoys a mud bath, a plentiful roasted hawk dinner (a whole bird per individual!), and each others' company. Perhaps this island is not so bad after all.

As more and more time passes during the rest, the more dour or gloomy Florrb becomes. He begins sighing in frustration and even slaps the mud occasionally. He grunts but does not volunteer any information.

(OOC: This is your chance to take your Short Rest. Those of you who have already rolled your Hit Dice a few posts back should use those rolls. This is also a chance to RP during the rest as well. Are there any questions you want to pose to the Lord of the Mud Pits?)

Having finished his portion of blood hawk, Yulmiath eventually slipped into the mud pits and has to admit this Florrb keeps a fairly tight ship. Ok, it's covered in mud, but as mud press go, this one is pretty nice. He feels aches in his muscles unwind and unknot and almost unbidden lets out a contented sigh.

Unfortunately it is not to long before his relaxation is broken by Florrb's huffing and puffing. Opening his eye, he looks to Karius;

"Best ask him what the matter is, not sure we have much else to offer his lordship if he demands it."

"Eh. Probably just eager for us to do whatever it was he had in mind for that last thing." Hun commented just prior to going chewing on bird bone; a fair sized piece, and the only one the Kobold hadn't stuffed into his bag for some later purpose. "Why don't you tell him some stories, Kairus? He'll probably be more interested in hearing those over the usual stuff the Tortles probably tell him all the time." With that little bit of "helpful" advice given, Hun had been about ready to settle more into the mud while chewing his bone.

But then a thought occurs to him that eventually lead to Hun lazily turning to look in Rhogal's direction. "Hey dwarf! Rhogal, wasn't it? Seeing as you lot tend to hang out underground about as much as we Kobold do, do you know anything about Geonids?"

"About sailor's life? Unlikely. He is some kind of elemental. I saw enough water elementals and they had quite... original view of life. But that reminds me..." Kairus enjoyed the bath, watching his scratches closing and feeling pain leaving the body. Eventually, natural curiosity and young impatience pushed him to ask his questions.

"Illustrious Lord Flobb," (water elemental despite their principal difference from creatures of flesh and blood, liked some flattery no less than said creatures) "It is clear that you are a being of the other worlds. What brought you here, to this plane? And have you ever been during your undoubtedly many travels on the Plane of Water? My people came from there but I was born in this world and only heard stories. Don't know if this is the call of the soul, but can never get enough of those tales. Would you share some?"

In this warm pit, after a good dinner, Kairus really was not in the mood to talk himself about constant battles of the deep. And life on the surface? That "Lord of the Mud" most likely lived here for a longer time than Kairus existed even. But the sailor guessed that not so many people were coming here to listen. And despite his young age, that was the thing Kairus could do well - just let the person talk about themselves. Most love it, and the listener gets the chance for a good story.

All the talk of sailor life puts Yul in mind of a couple of choice stories from a number of previous ships. After smiling and chuckling to himself for a few moments, he looks over to Hun;

"Do you remember the time that Gnomish bosun came back from shore leave stinking drunk and sure he had bought himself a baby black dragon? Convinced he had bought himself a way to terrorise merchant ships all along the Sword Coast!"

Wiping away a tear from his eye and then from under his eye patch, Yul's speech becomes interspersed with laughter then in full knee slapping guffaws.

"Except he must have had enough of a skinful to fill a couple of Goliaths... Because when he woke up... There was nothing in the sack... But an unhappy piglet and a very angry rooster!"

Following Rhogal's answer (or incidental snubbing, as the case may be), Hun perked up fairly quick at the question from Yul. Though whereas Yul had been plainly amused, Hun is a mix of that and exasparated by the end. "Oh vie vey! Yea... I remember that. I'm still... Mn... I guess still mad at him for that one. 'cause I wound up staying late for nuthin' trying to figure out how I was gonna free the dragon 'fore the idjit melted the ship. Or worse!" Hun admits, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration.

Then with a sigh and shake of the head, Hun laid his head back against the edge of the pit. "Still... we were low on breakfast supplies, so it didn't turn out all too bad. And boy was that a fine rooster he brought." Hun licks his chops as well as some mud in the process, but hadn't seemed to mind the mistake. "Though if I remember correctly, I think the captain did take a liking to the piglet, and named it his first mate as a joke for a while there."

DM's Screen:

(OOC: Alright, I'll assume everyone has accounted for their Short Rest.)

As time goes on, the silent relaxation period in the mud pools begins to be interrupted by Florrb's tantrun, which gradually escalates. Having had enough of it, Yulmiath asks Kairus to prod the mud creature for whatever is bothering him but Hun has a different suggestion. The kobold's idea is one that seems more favorable to the triton, though he prefers to listen to fantastical tales instead of telling them this time around.

Florrb seems hesitant to volunteer any tales, so Yulmiath takes the cue to tell tales of his own. The dragonborn and the kobold form a story-telling duet there for a moment (aided by Kairus' translation service), and the comical tale they spin ends up serving as the catalyst needed for Florrb to eventually build up enough courage. The winged creature finally responds to the bard's request for information about the Elemental Planes, and ultimately himself.

He begins, speaking in high-pitched Aquan: "Earth," he says dourly. "I come from the Elemental Plane of Earth, from an area which is influenced by the Elemental Plane of Water called the Mud Hills. That is where we, the mud mephits, manifest" He looks down at the mud. "Two companions and I were suddenly transported to this plane over a hundred years ago. We appeared right here, in these mud pools. We were happy at first and claimed the wild pools for ourselves. Three pools for three mephits, each a lord of their own." He slaps the pool's surface again. "Now it is only poor old Florrb all by his lonesome. The other two mephits found a way to get back to our home plane, but Florrb was left behind." He looks at Kairus: "I want to go home. Do you know how to send me home?"

"Whoosh! That's harsh!" Kairus translated the said story of the Mud Lord to others along with the request for help. "Don't know if we can send you home but we can certainly try. At least I hope so. But how did they manage to return? Is there some direct connection to the plain of Earth around? Or a powerful wizard that can open portals? The place has more wanders than I could hope!"

"Did they even tell you they were about to go?"