Even over the din of the battle, Rhayna's prayer sends a divine hum shimmering through the air, bolstering her companions, while Kastix's thunder sends a wave of fear through ALL the kuo-toa (who've probably never heard such a noise). With the same movement used to snatch the sword, Sekkar swings it back on the kuo-toa and guts it like a fish(!) then picks up his confiscated shield. Joetaro and Kaylyn both leap out of the gully into the helping hands of the small throng of fish-folk.

The kuo-toa below surge like a wave up the side of the gully, but Kaylyn's blasts and the spears of the newcomers push them back down where Sekkar, Sarith and Derendil lay into them with blade and claw. More bolts fire into the gully from the darkness behind, and Jimjar darts in and out of the the fray stabbing with his shortsword. Joetaro casts his spell of sleep, and just like before (shameless ret-con here) two kuo-toa start walking in circles, eyes wide open but no longer participating in the battle. And amongst the chaos, Shuushar the kuo-toa hermit simply crouches on the ground, closes his eyes, and chants a meditative mantra.

The tide of the battle turns, and the newer smaller army aided by the heroes overpowers the original group. The last half-dozen attempt to flee, but nets are cast to capture them, and they finally fall under spear and sword, with no apparent attempt by the newcomers to take any prisoner, including the two 'sleeping' soldiers.

"Here," Sekkar finally cut bindings off Kastix's hands. "Crazy ... cultists" (he found the least offensive definition and glanced at the newcomers. Then add in Undercommon: "Eskerrik asko erreskateagatik. Zer nahi zenuen haiekin eta zergatik lagundu diguzu?" //Thank you for rescue. What did you want with them and why did you help us?//

The archpriest approaches Sekkar, but looks around at all as he answers the ranger's question: Your help we need. Defeat the cultists we wish to. Then, seeing Stool's head poke out of Rhayna's pack, he says to the myconid Zure esporak gurekin partekatu nahiko zenuke, modu askeagoan komunikatzeko? //Would you share your spores with us that we may communicate more freely?// but Stool seems reluctant without assurance from Rhayna that all is safe...

“Blaasrrrrgghh!!!!” The group watches in horror as one of the seemingly dead kuo-toa rises from where it lay near Rhayna, Stool, and the archpriest, spear raised to strike a heavy blow, when a crossbow bolt emerged from its eye and it let out a “Gurk,” collapsing to the ground in a fishy heap.  Zeno emerged from the darkness, holstering his crossbow.  “Sorry I’m late.”

“Mutil hauek zurrupatzen dute. Nola lagundu dezakegu?  // These guys suck. How can we help?,” Zeno says, motioning to the fallen kuo-toa.

Joetaro steps forward. "Yes, how can we help?" He is also going to search for any abandoned weapons.

Kastix will cautious move up with the group casting Cure Wounds on himself, "If I could not be imprison very few days, I may consider myself fortunate at this rate. Could you ask them what's the deal with them and other ones?"

Heal: 6

"They are at war with them, call them "cultists" and want our help to defeat them," explained Sekkar to anyone needed translation. "Seems like an offer we can not refuse."

Eventually getting her hands free Kaylyn looks around at the captors for what kind of equipment they may carry.  She'll take a couple daggers if she can find them.  If they took her rod she retrieves it.

"So much for my plan to not get involved.  But we owe them and if the cultists are sacrificing strangers to their god then it might be best that we do get involved."

Rhayna gets closer to the archpriest and slightly nod with her head. "Please Stool, we need your help now my friend. I believe the archpriest's intentions are true."

(Rhayna keeps concentrating on her Bless spell)

Receiving a nod of approval from Rhayna, Stool puffs a barely-discernable cloud of spores in the air, soon after which the voice of the kuo-toa leader can be heard in everyone's mind, free of the awkwardness inherent in the kuo-toa speech.

I am Ploopploopeen, archpriest of the Sea Mother Blipdoolvpoolp. The inhabitants of Sloobludop have lived in harmonious service to the will of the Sea Mother for ages. Oh, there were occasional "visionaries" who stirred up trouble (and he casts a hard stare at Shuushar) but nothing of any great concern. A few tendays ago, my own daughter Bloppblippodd experienced a powerful vision of "Leemooggoogoon the Deep Father", proclaiming him the new god of her people. She has backed up her claims with a great increase in her magical power, and new followers have flocked to her. Now we are split in two, fighting amongst ourselves. Every day the followers of the Deep Father make more and more offerings on his altar, killing blood sacrifices then casting bloody chum into the waters of the Darklake, where it is consumed by ... something.

Their preference for sacrifices is other humanoid races, hence their interest in you ... and mine also. My daughter and I both detected your approach and saw you as valuable to our goals; hers for sacrifice, mine ... to use you as bait. At present I cannot get close enough to my daughter to strike. But if I offer you all as a token of peace and reconciliation, she will not refuse such a prize. With your help, we will disrupt her ritual and cut the cult off at its head. The Sea Mother answers my prayers by delivering you. Help us, and you will be rewarded for your service.

As the priest delivers his solicitation, the other kuo-toa gather around the group, making no menacing moves but somehow indicating by their stance that they are unwilling to entertain an answer in the negative. They are either aggressively stubborn, or simply desperate. They have also collected all the party's captured gear, and while not yet making any moves to return it, neither are they attempting to confiscate Sekkar's or Zeno's weapons.

Rhayna's eyes open wide, it looks even wider through her thick glasses, at the mention of "bait". However, she will remain silent, and wait for her companion's response. She looks towards Kaylyn for her reaction and response.

"We are not in a position to  refuse for sure but I would like to ask you tell us everything you can about what we'll encounter on this venture," Kastix ask as he eyes the surrounding men, "Like how many are on their side and any mighty among them?" 

Ploop, the kuo-toa priest, continues to pace in a circle as he speaks, which makes him difficult to listen to. But he replies to Kastix's question: 

The followers of the Deep Father number as many as those of the Sea Mother - about twelve-score and ten. The greatest among them is my own daughter, whose powers now rival my own. Conflict is constant, mostly in word and ideology, though violence is not uncommon. Daily they grow in influence, and the opportunity to act ebbs each day. I will shelter you until the time of their next sacrifice, then present you at their shrine, and then we shall strike.

"So you intend for us to kill your daughter?  Is that what you seek?  How else would we stop this and cut the cult off at the head? "

"Strike - how?" echoed Sekkar, "You do not expect us to kill all those heretics, do you? What exactly do you want us to do?" Sekkar did not like the idea one bit but so far did not see a way out. "I suspect "sacrifices" and "gifts" are coming unarmed too. What can we do there?"

Joetaro sighed. "What is your end game in all of this? Are you going to kill your child? Will that stop the violence?"

In response to Kaylyn and Joetaro's simultaneous questions, the kuo-toa priest matter-of-factly replies: Yes, I shall kill her. My slaying Bloppblippod will demonstrate the supremacy of the Sea Mother over the Deep Father. Nothing less will cause her followers to abandon the cult.

Shuushar seems to recognise how brutal this seems to outsiders, and using his broken Common (perhaps to avoid the priest listening) he explains: Common this is. Kill family, in power to stay. Other children he has. When gone he is, to the death, fight they do.

The priest continues: You shall retain your weapons, of course, for thus you will appear as more powerful and worthy offerings. But you need only protect yourselves. Your presence will permit me close access to Bloppblippod, and I shall slay her. Then the conflict will be over.

Sekkar nodded - lizardmen tribes rarely have to get rid of younglings, but if necessity dictates so, then this is what has to be done (though tribes prefer to deal with hatchlings, before they learn to defend themselves). The idea - if he got it right - became more agreeable and promised a chance for survival.

"You mean, your daughter would not be able to refuse the gift such as our group, would have to let you in and then you could publicly challenge her? And she would have to accept the challenge?"

There will be no challenge. I will strike her down the moment I am within reach, says the priest.

Aaaand they were back to the "imminent doom" square: "Would not she expect anything like that from her enemy? And what would happen if you miss or if she survives the first hit?" The answer was obvious, but Sekkar wanted to have things perfectly clear.

When the answer came, he asked one more thing bothering him: "You say this is a false god, that they worship. Say, this is indeed not a god but a creature. Would not it be more wise to go after said creature than fighting your own kind?"