At the suggestion to write, the figure in blue makes broad gestures of assent, but then shows his empty hands, perplexed...

Zevriel scabbards the twin-blade and hunkers down, he lays a flat palm against a clear patch of stone floor, and traces slow, sweeping lines in the water:

H … E … L … P

After each letter, he waits for a heartbeat before the next. He taps the ghost-letters with a callused finger, then points at the blue man, head tipped in mute question.

“ Help? ” he mouths, brows knit—simple, direct, hoping the stranger will nod, shake his head, or draw the next word himself.

Excited, the man in blue smiles at Zevriel and tries to replicate his technique.

The letters he traces in response are:

P ... L ... E ... A ... S ... E ... D ... T ... O ... M ... E ... E ... T ... Y ... O ... U ... I ... A ... M ... K ... H ... E ... L ... B ... L ... U ... E ... N ... C ... O ... U ... R ... T ... M ... A ... G ... I ... C ... I ... A ... N ... T ... O ... L ... O ... R ... D ... R ... A ... S ... S ... A ... L ... A ... N ... T ... A ... R ... W ... H ... A ... T ... H ... E ... L ... P ... D ... O ... Y ... O ... U ... N ... E ... E ... D ... ?

Zevriel dips his head, hand over heart. “Kel… Kelben Blue?” (the name comes out a bit tangled)

“I’m Zevriel. Knight of the Moonblade. Me and my friends look for what killed Lord Rassalantar, and for beasts from… far away. We’re fine—do you need help? Need to get out? Need your voice?” He speaks slowly, each idea given a moment of thought before voicing it, hoping the mage understands even if he cannot answer aloud.

Khelbluen seems to feel sad and what he slowly writes explains why:

S ... O ... T ... H ... E ... L ... O ... R ... D ... W ... A ... S ... K ... I ... L ... L ... E ... D ... I ... F ... E ... A ... R ... E ... D ... I ... T ... S ... I ... N ... C ... E ... H ... E ... H ... A ... D ... N ... T ... C ... O ... M ... E ... H ... E ... R ... E ... T ... O ... J ... O ... K ... E ... W ... I ... T ... H ... M ... E ... F ... O ... R ... A ... L ... O ... N ... G ... T ... I ... M ... E ... T ... H ... E ... L ... O ... R ... D ... L ... O ... V ... E ... D ... T ... O ... J ... O ... K ... E ... I ... T ... W ... A ... S ... N ... I ... C ... E ... T ... O ... B ... E ... H ... I ... S ... C ... O ... U ... R ... T ... M ... A ... G ... I ... C ... I ... A ... N ... H ... E ... G ... A ... V ... E ... M ... E ... T ... H ... E ... N ... A ... M ... E ... K ... H ... E ... L ... B ... L ... U ... E ... N ... B ... E ... C ... A ... U ... S ... E ... T ... H ... A ... T ... N ... A ... M ... E ... W ... A ... S ... A ... L ... S ... O ... A ... J ... O ... K ... E ... K ... H ... E ... L ... B ... E ... N ... T ... H ... E ... F ... A ... M ... O ... U ... S ... B ... L ... A ... C ... K ... S ... T ... A ... F ... F ... C ... R ... E ... A ... T ... E ... D ... M ... E ... A ... N ... D ... I ... L ... O ... O ... K ... J ... U ... S ... T ... L ... I ... K ... E ... H ... I ... M ... B ... U ... T ... I ... M ... B ... L ... U ... E ... S ... O ... K ... H ... E ... L ... B ... L ... U ... E ... N ... B ... U ... T ... I ... K ... N ... O ... W ... N ... O ... T ... H ... I ... N ... G ... O ... F ... R ... A ... J ... M ... U ... N ... D ... S ... F ... A ... T ... E ... W ... H ... E ... N ... I ... D ... O ... N ... T ... H ... A ... V ... E ... O ... R ... D ... E ... R ... S ... F ... R ... O ... M ... H ... I ... M ... O ... R ... H ... I ... S ... F ... A ... M ... I ... L ... Y ... I ... S ... T ... A ... Y ... H ... E ... R ... E ... I ... W ... A ... S ... P ... R ... O ... B ... A ... B ... L ... Y ... H ... E ... R ... E ... W ... H ... E ... N ... H ... E ... D ... I ... E ... D ... T ... O ... O

Tarysaa ponders what is being spelled out as she racks her memory over whether she studies any of this or recalls some snippet of history.

History Check:  16

Arcana  Check:  Dirty 20

Tarysaa remembers well Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun, the stern archmage who was the Lord Mage of Waterdeep and a masked Lord of Waterdeep. He was one of the few spellcasters to become one of Mystra's Chosen. Khelben was a serious, imposing wizard and a grim proponent of law and order whose methods of achieving the ultimate good were often highly questionable in the eyes of the righteous. It is the same wizard to whom Keeo owes its Permanent Teleportation Circle. It is therefore entirely plausible that Khelben created this 'Khelbluen' as Rajmund's 'court wizard'.

As for what Khelbluen is... after some measured elven meditation, it occurs to Tarysaa that, given his demonstrated affinity with electricity, he might be a Galvan Magen, a construct the Harpells' envoy has heard little about, but which apparently can be created by a wizard and is capable of casting certain lightning-based spells.

Of course, it could never replace a true mage, but as mere arcane support for a humble Keep, it might have served its purpose.

Tarysaa will relay what she recalls to her companions.  "If this Khelbluen is something similar to a Galvan Magen, he might be 'stuck' in this room.  In fact, the room might be the only thing that has kept him alive all this time.  Since Rajmund 'likes a good joke', I wonder if he also arranged that Khelbluen can not speak in this life supporting room so his magic is, at least, mostly neutralized."

Khelbluen listens and nods as Tarysaa recounts what she remembers of Khelben, but when she begins to speculate about his nature, the nods turn to denial.

He writes:

I ... C ... A ... N ... L ... I ... V ... E ... O ... U ... T ... S ... I ... D ... E ... T ... H ... I ... S ... R ... O ... O ... M ... V ... E ... R ... Y ... W ... E ... L ... L ... B ... U ... T ... I ... C ... A ... N ... N ... E ... V ... E ... R ... S ... P ... E ... A ... K ... T ... H ... A ... T ... S ... J ... U ... S ... T ... H ... O ... W ... I ... A ... M ... B ... U ... T ... I ... C ... A ... N ... U ... S ... E ... M ... A ... G ... I ... C ... A ... N ... Y ... W ... A ... Y

And, to demonstrate, he once again covers his hand in crackling electrical energy - then lets it dissipate.

I ... R ... E ... M ... A ... I ... N ... I ... N ... T ... H ... I ... S ... R ... O ... O ... M ... B ... E ... C ... A ... U ... S ... E ... T ... H ... I ... S ... I ... S ... W ... H ... E ... R ... E ... I ... R ... E ... M ... A ... I ... N ... A ... W ... A ... I ... T ... I ... N ... G ... O ... R ... D ... E ... R ... S ... F ... R ... O ... M ... R ... A ... J ... M ... U ... N ... D ... O ... R ... R ... E ... P ... H ... I ... S ... B ... U ... T ... I ... C ... O ... U ... L ... D ... G ... O ... O ... U ... T ... I ... F ... I ... W ... A ... N ... T ... E ... D ... N ... O ... W ... T ... H ... A ... T ... R ... A ... J ... M ... U ... N ... D ... I ... S ... D ... E ... A ... D ... P ... E ... R ... H ... A ... P ... S ... I ... S ... H ... O ... U ... L ... D ... O ... B ... E ... Y ... R ... E ... P ... H ... I ... S ... H ... I ... S ... W ... I ... F ... E ... O ... R ... I ... S ... S ... H ... E ... D ... E ... A ... D ... T ... O ... O

Zevriel scratches his helm and gives Khelbluen a half-apologetic grin. “Letters lose me after the first two lines, friend. But I caught the part about Rephis. She’s not alive, aye – but she’s still here, a spirit. One room west o’ the glowing-rune circle. Spoke with us clear enough. Mival there”—he thumbs toward the shapeshifter—“looks like her Rajmund round the eyes. She trusts him. Might be best if you two go to her together. She’s wanting her lord’s ring before she’ll rest, so there’s talk to be had. If you can travel, come along with us. We’ll see you to her chamber and let the two of you sort what orders are left. Sound fair?”

Feeling called to action, Mival approaches, and as Khelbluen stares in disbelief, the Doppelganger reads his mind: "Yes, Khelbluen, that's right! rajmund was my ancestor! You see, Rocksaucers has also placed himself at my service!"

The Galvan Magen's gaze goes to the other construct, who greets him. "Hello... Khelbluen... I'm glad... to see you again... in one piece."

Mival continues to read Khelbluen's mind, simplifying and speeding up the communication: "Of course, Khelbluen! I'll take you into my service too! With a bodyguard like Rocksaucers and a court magician like you, recovering the ring we're looking for should be easier. Oh, you have no idea where the ring is? Never mind... we'll search this dungeon until we find it!"

Thrilled by his further increased 'entourage', Rajmund's descendant beams at his fellow adventurers: "Where do we continue our quest, my friends?"

Zevriel nods slowly, eyes moving from the blue-skinned mage to the shield-bearing construct. “Two loyal souls already,” he says, half-admiring, half-wary. “Any more of Rajmund’s folk likely to be hiding in rooms we’ve not stepped into yet? Either of you”—he gestures at Khelbluen and Rocksaucers—“remember another court hand that might still be unaccounted for? Callers, guards, cooks, anyone?” He doesn’t wait overlong for an answer before turning to the debris-choked junction.

“Bones back there bother me,” he mutters, pacing toward the scattered remains at the northwest corner. “Could tell us who fell here—and what dropped ’em.” He crouches, beckoning with a gloved hand. “Someone give me a pair of sharp eyes? I’ll sift; you tell me if it’s worth keeping.” With that, Zevriel begins carefully pulling lengths of splintered timber aside, nudging skulls and ribs into clearer view as he searches for rings, badges, or anything that might name the dead—or point to the wedding band they still seek. (Investigation: 12, 8 if at disadvantage)

"Just be mindful, Zevriel.  Time is not in our favor as we have to keep going back to renew our underwater abilities," Tarysaa commented as Zev started picking at the jumbled pile of debris.

"Any chance Khelbluen has a magical means for duplicating a similar spell?"

Mival objects: "It's been centuries, Zevriel... the human personnel are long dead, surely. Perhaps other... 'artificial personnel'?" He then casts a doubtful glance at the two constructs.

"Apart from... Khelbluen and I..." replies Rocksaucers "there were no other... artificial personnel... at the Keep."

As the party watches Zevriel search, Mival reads Khelbluen's mind for the answer to Tarysaa's question: "No, Khelbluen is not a 'wizard' in the strict sense of the term—he has the magical ability to cast certain spells based on the power of lightning, but only those... he cannot learn any others."

The Doppelganger shrugs: "The Blackstaff obviously didn't deem the Keep worthy of hosting one of his apprentices. Or he thought Khelbluen might be more effective in a potential battle. But evidently Rajmund didn't have a chance to call him... Khelbluen was in his room on this level, but as soon as he arrived, Rajmund had to go and confront Rephis's 'kidnapper'..."

Meanwhile, Zevriel concludes his search, but the result is disappointing: only broken bones or those with large bite marks, like those of a large insectoid jaw, but nothing of value—or anything that could lead to the victims' identities. They must be the bones of three or four victims.

Zevriel rubs the sting-marks on his calf, shrugs, and lets the scattered bones lie.
“Nothing here but chewed-up folk,” he says, voice low. “Let’s keep moving while Eldath’s breath is still with us.”

He gives the blue-skinned mage and Rocksaucers a polite nod. “Either of you remember anything about these west halls? No? … Right, then I’ll nose ahead.”

Twinblade held low, Zev steps back into the broad corridor, shoulders squared and eyes working. “Stay close. Big passage means big hunters.”
With careful, steady strokes he wades west, keeping to the shallows when he can and pausing every few strides to listen for the churn of water or the click of claws.

The wide corridor continues, cluttered with ruins and debris (as usual, caused by the collapse of the ceiling—and the floor of the upper level)—to the threshold of a room... a threshold guarded by a Merrow!

The creature grins at the sight of Zevriel and the party, nods to a companion who was also in the room, and prepares to launch an attack.

Time to roll for initiative!

Skinny Merrow: 14
Broken Tooth: 9

Mival: 15
Rocksaucers: 15
Khelbluen: 7
Elias: 11
Paqen: 21

Zevriel: 24

Ardana: 13+1=14. better!

Tarysaa Initiative: 11