With the way they keep shifting around and their chameleon skin, hard to get an exact count, let alone which one is a leader.

There are at least 4, and none of them looks larger or more decisive than the others. You also don't know how many are further back in the passage, or if any of them are bigger.

Quillary shakes her head. "Forget it, I was going to try to break the hold that creature has on one of them, but I can't do them all. Let's go."

(I figure Jorin is the one poling the boat around given his beefy arms)

Jorin says, "Let us float over and look into the two sets of water passages that Volo could not explore."

Quote from Mingofaust >>

Quillary shakes her head. "Forget it, I was going to try to break the hold that creature has on one of them, but I can't do them all. Let's go."

Drusk gets a mischievous grin. "Pain sometimes gets rid of mind control. I thought you were going to say we should break one of them, to break the hold."

(OOC: Checking if people want to follow Jorin's suggestion, or try something else.)

There's a glint in Quillary's eye, and she spins her cudgel. "I am not against that idea," she says. "I do still think we should free these creatures, and rid the world of their master..."

Hildigrim tries to spot any weapons the trogs could use on them from a distance.

Perception at disadvantage: 15

"I am always happy to raise the axe, though it has been quite some time since i have raised a tankard of good ale, so I am keen on getting home." He pauses for a moment and winks saying,  "But I will not protest too hard should we favor more axe before ale."

"One blow to each then, and see if they recover their wits!" Quillary says, stepping off the raft and charging, raising her shield.

(I dunno if anyone else is following her, how far away the trogs are, or if the raft is floating downstream, and thus if I should roll for anything, but she's off!)

The raft is 20' away from the shore's edge, so most of the way across the river to the north (and short of those two passages that lead into the cavern that Volo was blipped out of).
The trogs are between 30-40' away, with those going to the back passage even further away.

Pascal gives a look of disdain at the trogs. "No brains, and can't swim." (Lizardfolk and Troglodytes sometimes fight over the same territory.)

Hildigrim sees that they have 1 or 2 stone daggers or javelins, but they mostly prefer bare claws. At this distance, their ranged attacks would be at Disadvantage. And they are not making any attempts to use their limited number of weapons.

As Quillary is about to step off the raft, the troglodytes near the back passage step away from the opening and stand stiffly. There is something big, filling most of the passage width, but you can't get a good view due to the curve of the passage and the trogs standing in the way. You do see a thick tentacle grasping the side of the wall, and the top of a fish-eel head with 3 eyes poke around the corner, looking at your raft.

For Hildigrim only:

Quillary grins. "Even better," she murmurs to herself, charging across the water.

"Quillary, no! Let's go!" Hildigrim hollers, sounding a little crazed. He nocks an arrow and prepares to defend his friend. "Leave them! Don't get close! It's going to get you!"

Drusk will use a pole to keep the raft in its current position. And ready a combat cantrip for a ranged attack.

Need to hear what Jorin and Pascal want to do. (OOC: JCandD hasn't posted in 23 days, but appears to still be checking game threads.)

(Important to note, Quillary's plan is to attract all the attention, but pull up before she gets to shore, and do some magick! Just didn't want Q to think he should roll a bunch of melee combat!)

Uhhhh, with Hildi's warning and Quillary running, Jorin will follow behind Quillary and be ready to support her in combat if it comes to that, so let's say we'll keep pace with Quillary, but not go past her and when she stops, Jorin will also stop and ready an attack triggered on an enemy coming into melee range.

"Jorin, no!" Hildigrim hollers, practically screaming. He aims and fires an arrow, attempting to have it land between his friends and the trogs to try to get their (Q's and J's) attention.

11

oh dang!

Quillary steps off the raft towards the beachhead, followed closely by Jorin. An arrow from Hildigrim penetrates the rock inches away from the eye of the closest Troglodyte, who considered itself well protected before that arrow startled it.

The trogs take a half-step towards the shore, claws raised, but then stop and turn to look at the passage behind them. Without making a noise, the ogre-sized eel-fish thing pulls back its head, and the tentacle in sight slides back into the passageway. It can no longer be seen, due to the curve of the rock face. The troglodytes carefully step back backwards, using the rocks and stalagmites for cover, until they also withdraw from sight.

(OOC: The party can return to the beachhead which is now empty of troglodytes, or reassemble on the raft.)

Quillary skids to a stop on the water, then throws a glance at Hildi. “Did you make a pact with that horror?” she asks.

(Terribly sorry about missing stuff, Quasi. School has been hectic. For now, I’m placing Pascal in your hands. Don’t want to hold you guys up.)

Quote from JcAndD >>

(Terribly sorry about missing stuff, Quasi. School has been hectic. For now, I’m placing Pascal in your hands. Don’t want to hold you guys up.)

(Got it. Perfectly understandable. Good luck with school.)

Previously... When Hildigrim shot his warning arrow, Pascal prepared a Fire Bolt. You see him aim a finger towards the beachhead. At the last moment, he gives a sigh of disappointment, angles his finger slightly to the right, and fires the Bolt. A fire explodes 2 feet away from the troglodyte that Hildigrim startled.