(Follow up for the 19 religion check...)

Hildigrim and Quillary are busy with the ritual version of their spells. Drusk speaks up so everyone can hear him, but not so loud to interrupt their spells.
During this speech, the light in the cavern from the magic cantrip seems to become paler. The colors fade, and shadows become starker... The lighting hasn't actually changed, but everything feels off. The air is harder to breath, the slop of the water sounds sickly, and you can almost feel the weight of the mountain overhead pressing down on you. Even the normally mirthful half-orc is somber.

Drusk: "After meditating, I remembered some of stories told by the elvish priests. Stories so old that even the great-grandparents of the elves consider them myths. They talked of beings that existed before the gods, less than deity but mightier than mortal. Creatures called Aboleths, spawned from primordial oceans. They created twisted servants (the chuuls we fought) as slaves for their empire. The gods ended their cruel reign, but their eternal memories do not forgive or forget.

"The elder priests were reluctant to tell us about aboleths in any detail. It seemed like superstitious fear to even mention their name. They can read minds, searching for evil hearts to willingly aid them. They cast illusions, and can inhabit these illusions. Their presence fouls waters around them, and their touch corrupts flesh.

"If we are dealing with a real aboleth, and not an imposter trying to intimidate others... We should be wary. It knows we are here, and is no doubt prepared for our arrival."

Jorin listens intently, "Illusions and twisted servants.  This sounds like the Bodt legend of Zeencht, a powerful god of change.  Zeencht weaves the strands of fate together, but with cruel purpose, making things seem other than what they are to trick those in the world of men.  His throne is surrounded by nine tribes of ninety one warriors, twisted into the shape of predator birds."

"If it is indeed our fate to confront such a enemy, then a glorious fate indeed has been woven for us.  Let us wrap ourselves in it like a fine crag cat pelt.  Onward friends."

Drusk: "Anything else we can do to prepare? Or rely on our quick wits, for whatever we face?"

"The sooner we can get to the surface, the better," Hildigrim replies, sounding somewhat grouchy.

Quillary sighs. She looks apologetically to Jorin before saying, “I am afraid I am with Hildigrim, in the end. This… creature, if it is as Drusk describes, is not worth your lives. We can report on its existence to the powers of Waterdeep, and they can let it keep living here if they choose. I would see the sky again.” She doesn’t sound convinced, but she doesn’t take her words back, and moves back to the raft, as if to continue down the river.

Jorin frowns, but nods, "You are both far wiser than I when it comes to choosing battles, " then he smiles happily, "I prefer to eat whatever comes my way.  Let us continue towards the surface then."

Jorin and Drusk use the poles to push your pontoon back out of this cavern and to the river.

(The spoiler has a copy of the map from post 4731, if you would like a refresher.)

The raft is pushed 100' to the east. Despite going with the river current, the raft is moving slowly, due to the gunk and muck clogging the river. The 2 unexplored water side passages (on the east of that map) are seen at the limit of your (magic) light.

A splashing sound is heard to your west. 60' away, the head of the aboleth breaks the surface of the river, glaring at the party on the raft. Quillary tenses, as if listening to something.

For Quillary only. (She is free to paraphrase this to the party. Or if she repeats the message to the party, then Mingofaust can tell everyone to read the spoiler.)

Quillary growls deep in her throat, and says something in her guttural language, as she pulls her club. (She just cussed it out in Primordial.)

To the others, she says, “It will not let us go, in its arrogance it demands we give it Hildigrim and Drusk, and I am ready to teach it a lesson in hospitality.”

”Tell me, Hildi, is this one real?”

Quote from Mingofaust >>

”Tell me, Hildi, is this one real?”

(Detect Magic has a range of 30', and this thing is 60' away.

I will allow an Investigation check, but it will be DC 20 to get any useful info.)

Quillary peers at it herself (while hoping Hildi will do something, too). Investigation (not-proficient, so just fwiw): 19

OOC > I guess I deserve that. :D

I'd like to think Jorin tried to help Quillary by standing directly in front of her to get a close as possible a look at the creature

LOL

Hildigrim's eyes relax from their "as big as saucers" reaction, and he shakes his halfling head. "My detection spell won't reach that far, so I don't know ..." And as if reacting to a new thought, he continues, "yet." He looks up at the half-elf, causing Quillary to wonder if he's trying to communicate something to her, but just as quickly, he leaps off the raft and begins running toward the aboleth. Volo squawks, fluttering above the raft.

OOC: Hildigrim's got little legs, so his speed is only 25 feet. However, he is a rogue, so he can run triple that in six seconds. He wants to run to where his detect magic spell should cover the creature to see if it is an illusion. Either way, he will return to the raft and report what he found out.

(Let's put the aboleth at 55' away. Then Hildigrim can use his movement, an Action to glare at the aboleth with his Detect Magic, and then bonus action Dash back to the raft.)

Hildigrim determines that it is another illusion. (But one trait of an Aboleth is its ability to use telepathy through its illusory body, so a real one may be close by.)

Pascal speaks up: "If this thing doesn't want us to continue down river to escape it, then maybe that is the right thing to do.

"On the other hand, I'm not sure I want this thing and its lickspittle harassing us during our trip. Any creature that ruins perfectly edible fish and willingly works with those stinky Trogs deserves to die."

Quillary steps back on the raft. "Good idea, Drusk Pascal, let us see if this cowardly creature is all blather." Then she throws a particularly juicy curse out in Primordial.

Jorin cheers as Hildigrim leaps of the raft and runs straight at the beast, "Yes Hildi, there are your hairy toes!"

In response to Pascal, "Aye, I am not one to cow to the demands of others.  If this beast is threatening us going this way, then I say we ram this raft down its illusory throat!"

Quote from Guiltysparc >>

In response to Pascal, "Aye, I am not one to cow to the demands of others.  If this beast is threatening us going this way, then I say we ram this raft down its illusory throat!"

(On that map, the river is flowing west-to-east. Your group fought the 2 chuuls in the chamber just above "2 passages (water)" in the middle of the map image.

The raft is currently almost at the "2 passages (water)" at the eastern edge of that map. The aboleth is behind you (to the west). If you wish to continue downriver, you will be going east.)

Oh dang, sorry, got turned around in my head.  I was thinking the creature popped up in front of us

(So, to summarize, we are continuing on the raft downriver, away from the aboleth (illusion) to either escape or have it bring the fight to us.)

yes i believe so!

Sounds good to me.