A pool in the cavern to the south glows with pale gray light.

The peculiar girl goes to the glowing pool, smells it, and drinks again. (She has heard something about his area) 

Trisk follows after Piccolo, not wanting to be too far away if anything happens.

He makes his permanent illusion into a copy of himself.

Quote from shimshon123 >>

The peculiar girl goes to the glowing pool, smells it, and drinks again. (She has heard something about his area) 

 Picollo takes 22 necrotic damage (split as usual with Trisk)

To the south, the rock wall opens to reveal another cavern. Broken and gnawed bones are strewn across the turf in this forested cavern. Against the eastern ledge is a black gate. On the wall southwest of the gate is a contact stone.  Something moves. They've spotted you.

Three trolls live in this area, two males that fight constantly and one immense, dominant female that lazes near the black gate. They wait to be fed or given prisoners to play with.

What do you do?

The trolls are right in the middle, by the Grey circle, with the female near the black gate.

https://www.owlbear.rodeo/room/V64TuMcUPJi8/TheAridCatch

As soon as Randy sees Piccolo drink the water and get poisoned by it, he covers his nose. "Uh, you might wanna stop. Not everything here is drinkable you know. Even a guy as reckless as me knows that." He bluntly says, ignoring the reason why Piccolo did so. Eyeing the trolls, it seems like they needs to do something to convince them to either leave or let the group pass. Sure they could try and take them on in combat but that's just like that beholder; No point wasting energy 

"I don't even know if our rations will be enough. Much to my irony, I don't want to start another unnecessary conflict." He mutters to the group. "Something tells me we should trick them into thinking that there is food in another section. That way once they move out of the way and go somewhere else where they can 'eat', we can get towards the black gate without a fuss. I just don't know how, though. Any suggestions?"

On drinking the toxic water, Piccolo spits it out, but not before taking 5 necrotic damage (Trisk takes 5 damage)

She shrugs, seeming to get more and more frustrated, and goes and stands next to Trisk, like a petulant child. Then, she notes the Trolls.

She pulls out her instrument and plays a few tentative notes to the trolls

"Hello" in musical telepathy. (Playing a few friendly notes).

(OOC: My PC can use Hypnotic Pattern to charm and incapacitate the three Trolls, we should be able to do our attunements, black gate, and leave?)

Trisk notices Piccolo didn't seem to like the water and offers her some from his waterskin, "Here, this should taste much better."

Piccolo grabs the waterskin and washes out the horrid taste of the pool. Then she smiles at Trisk in thanks, and looks back at the Trolls, hoping they are friendly.

The trolls respond to the music with whT surely must be broad smiles.  Speaking to one another, the males muse in their own particular dialect, "food?" "toys." The pair quarrel briefly, each staying his position with more emphasis and adding little to the nuance of the discussion, until the female resolves the debate, declaring "first toys, then food." At this the two trolls cease their quarrel and dash toward the group.

Suspecting that the trolls would not be friendly, moves Toward the incoming Trolls and Piccolo changes her tune: (Initiative: 18)

Party:
You see floating lights of her spell and the Trolls looking dazed. You see one among you going to the gate and getting the key attuned. (Don't attack them while you do this or you'll break the charm)

Then she plays a slow melodic melody, attempting to lull the Trolls with her magic.
(Hypnotic Pattern: 30foot cube, centered to get all three: DC wisdom save 21 or charmed and incapacitated, speed 0 unless take damage)

She will also glance back several times at the sleeping creature in the other room

Held action: Bonus action: cunning action: If Trolls move to within 10 feet of her, she will dash away from them.

2 trolls fit in the cube. Too spread out for all three. Both males or one plus the female?

(One male, one female), Then she plays, a quick tune communicating

"The party sees an image of the unaffected male troll continuing to advance, and them attacking it."

And goes back to her hypnotic pattern spell.

(I'm back. But only for this brief moment. I'll be gone again for a while)

"Wait... Hey new guy. When she dived into the water, did she see anything in there?" If Piccolo did perhap see something hidden in the lake, Ethan is hoping they can use that as a distraction for the three trolls. "I was thinking: Instead of fighting them... when they approach, we retreat and show them where their "toy" is. That's my idea. Thing is I don't know where you both spotted it. You'll need to guide them towards that... critter." 

The PCs, even if they don't speak giant, can expect tat whatever the trolls have in store for them, it won't be pleasant.

Wis saves: M: 5, F: 3

The two trolls in tbe pattern are motionless, but one male continues to advance. 

Players are up (probably)

Initiative:

Picollo 18 ✅️

Trisk 18 ✅️

Trolls 16 ⏸️ (2 charmed)

Ethan❓️

Randy❓️

Tetrevess ❓️

Sam❓️

"Trolls!" yells Trisk as a warning when they all start rushing toward the party, "And they think we're toys or food... or both."

Trisk's Initiative: 11 

Targeting the troll that's still advancing on them Trisk will cast Chill Touch during his turn.

Attack: 19 Damage: 8 necrotic damage, and it can't regain hit points until the start of my next turn. Until then, the ghostly, skeletal hand clings to the target.

If you hit an undead target, it also has disadvantage on attack rolls against you until the end of your next turn.

 Tr8sk's spectral hand grabs ahold of the troll's 🧌 gangly arm as it runs toward the group, yanking it back as it propels itself forward, the arm grotesquely stretching a bit behind the creature before yanking the hand along with it, lime a taught rubber band.

Randy, Ethan, Sam and Tetrevess are up.

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Ethan, Randy, Sam and Tetrevess are up.