The final Nothic was out cold before Ebele's foot made connection for the final blow. It's body slams to the ground with a loud thud, kicking up dust in it's wake. The room falls silent once again.

Initiative Over!

Kerric:

Moving quickly to the northern door, Kerric reopens it and looks inside for more foes, as that is where he thinks the nothics came from.

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker glares down at the bodies, "That's what you get when you mess with my contracts!!"  When Ebele's foot connects with the already downed Nothic, he says, "Yay!!"  and then kicks the one at his feet as well.  Then he stands there for a few moments huffing after the exertion of the combat.  

Anya moves with Kerric towards the other door, reloading her crossbow and making sure she's able to cover him. 

Opening the northern door, Kerric was met with eerie darkness. Arid, deep and dark, the tunnel went on for a good while. The being that went through could not be heard ahead. It was believable that they got enough time to get far enough away while the battle ensued. However, it was safe to say that the warriors assumptions were correct, the nothics must be coming from there. And much like before, it lead to somewhere away from the dampness of the Crushing Wave Temple to somewhere much different.

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker wanders over and looks past Kerric's shoulder.  "Hmmm.  Well, I think we need a rest, so let's block this door somehow, and then settle in for the night. It seems unlikely we'll be bothered.  We just have to carry this Nothic body back to the troll to fulfill our contractual agreements, then we can settle in." 

Hoping someone will help him carry the Nothic (or by bossing Anya into it), the plan is to take the Nothic body to the troll, then head back here and settle in for a long rest.....

Kerric:

Looking down the king hallway, Kerric asks, “Is this the hallway to the water cultist lair we were seeking, or is it somewhere else?”

(OOC—remember something about being north off a fountain)

Ebele leans back against a pillar, wiping her staff clean of Nothic juices. “Aren’t we already in the lair of the water cultists? This is the Temple of the Crushing Wave.” She responds, noting Xalkas’ hypothesis upon their initial arrival on the boats in this underground area. “That,” The monk gestures towards the northern hallway where she feels the arid air come. “Goes to somewhere completely different, away from the element of water.” It’s the second time they’ve inspected that hallway now. 

“Although I agree with barricading the door here,” Ebele would start to add, not rushing to assist with the body. “The room Reghys and Kerric investigated further down the other hallway appeared better suited for a long term rest. Lest likely to be inspected by patrolling guards.” She reminds.

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker, "Yes, yes, excellent then, we shall rest there. Just as soon as we get the troll his part of the bargain.  We all...um....going together to avoid any unsightly squid ambushes like last time? Then we can retreat to that room and rest." 

Ebele pulls away from the wall after a long pause of silence. She walks up to the stone pillar, reaches up to feel around for a moment. The monk plucks the bolt, freeing T'chal'fronack'zcinicker‘s hat from it’s post. Dusting it off, she steps through the room. “Alright. Best carry on then.” Passing the tiefling, she pops it onto his head with a little pat and carries on towards the door. 

Crooking a finger towards Nayreen, Ebele directs her and Lathna to barricade the northern door. There was enough rocks and rubble to pile in front of it. Anya was then expected to assist T'chal'fronack'zcinicker with dragging the bodies back to the troll.

Once the group was ready to move on, they begin the trek back. South, then west over the first bridge, passed the inky mess and towards the next area. As you pass by the first two trolls room, into the mermaid fountain area Ebele pauses abruptly. Taking a moment to orient herself in the space without sight, she eventually points to the northern door just before the north hallway. “This is the place that cultist guy told us to go to talk to the woman.” She reminds them of the Crushing Wave man that ushered them out of the brewery.

(North of this Mermaid Fountain, not to be confused with the healing Gargoyle Fountain in the North East ‘Nothic’ corner of this dungeon.)

Assuming they want to continue to complete T'chal'fronack'zcinicker‘s promise to the bridge troll, Ebele gestures for him and Anya to lead the rest of the way down the hallway (South of this fountain) towards the second bridge where they would find Gorgebelly waiting. 

Kerric:

”Yes, let’s feed the troll and rest if we must—though if the woman we defeated was the one in charge of the Crashing Wave in the lair to the north of the mermaid fountain, it may be more lightly defended,” responds Kerric.

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker nods, and sends a concerned look towards Ebele, "I think we best rest. Even with reduced guards, we're not in much of a state to fight after that squid situation." 

He leads the way towards the troll, with intention to lead the group back to the other fountain room to rest. 

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker leads the way back to Gorgebelly on the bridge. The large troll sits on the bridge as expected, drumming his fingers with loud thumps as he 'patiently' waits the return of his meal. He lifts his chin out of his other hand, visibly perking at the sight of the incoming group.

Map Update
(A basic visual representation of your recent path(s) back and forth through the dungeon)

Start: Nothic Splatters & Arid North Passage
- Gargoyle Fountain (Nothics) C10

Path Start: Lighter Orange
- Gargoyle Fountain (Nothics) C10 to Mermaid Fountain C11
  (Carrying Nothic bodies back after pick up)

Pass Through: Ink Splatters
- North West corner of C6 Bridge
(Squid Battle)

Marked Door: Blue Arrow
- Mermaid Fountain C11 North Eastern Door
  (Where C17 Cultists told you where to go that Ebele Pointed out.)

Path Continued: Lighter Orange
- Mermaid Fountain C11 to Troll Bridge C15
   (Where T'chal'fronack'zcinicker is lead you too. Gorgebelly.)
   (***YOU ARE HERE***)
   (***NOTE*** Contrary to the image, you are in front of C15. I just plopped your markers at your end area for later. And you all fit better.)

Planned Path: Darker Orange
- Troll Bridge C15 to Abandoned Storage Room C8
   (Path back to safe room. Previously scouted room that guarantees a long rest)
   (***Where your markers end up should you successfully make it back after interaction with Gorgebelly. This is in case I don't get an update until later. Hope this helps situate everyone.***)

Quote from ixi >>

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker leads the way back to Gorgebelly on the bridge. The large troll sits on the bridge as expected, drumming his fingers with loud thumps as he 'patiently' waits the return of his meal. He lifts his chin out of his other hand, visibly perking at the sight of the incoming group. 

(Guess it was missed)

“Tease.” Gorgebelly grumbles, crossing his arms with a humph while he waits, clearly unimpressed. 

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker has the bodies of the Nothics tossed over to the troll.  He then nods to the beast, "Our accord is now complete. Thank you." 

Eyeing the troll, he presumes the beast will get busy eating, and leads the others away, and back to the fountain room.  "Well...let's open this door here then and see what's inside?"  He slips over, and presses his ear against the door, listening for anything from the other side. 

Perception: 9

The troll grabs hold of a Nothic corpse, holding it in his open palm. He leans in to inspect it closer, huffing it. His nose boops against a bolt pierced into the centre of the eye. Looking at it curiously he takes hold of the end of it and pulls, plucking the large eye from it's socket with a suctioning pop. "Fancy." Gorgebelly mutters admiring the presentation before biting the delicacy off the 'toothpick', tossing the meatless (to him) body behind him as he chewed. Ploop. Into the river it went. He nods when T'chal'fronack'zcinicker addresses him, stabbing the bolt into the eye of the second nothic to pop into his mouth. He chews, watching the tiefling carry on back to the other room with his companion. "A little under seasoned." He grumbles, proceeding to pick his teeth and lobbing the other body into the river with a splash, not moving from his spot.

Back in the fountain room, T'chal'fronack'zcinicker cracks open the door to take a peek inside. Fine wooden furniture, tapestries of green and gold, and a bearskin carpet decorate this richly appointed room — but the furniture has been scratched up, the tapestries badly torn, and the carpet rent with foot-long holes. To the northwest, a tattered green curtain screens off a large alcove. Two large heaps of dank pelts lie in the southern part of the chamber. A wet reek like rotten seaweed hangs in the air, and small crabs scuttle around the room. Two ogres stand 'watch' in the outer portion of the room. They were leaning against the wall snoring. Though, the tiefling also hears a slow creek. Something else lurks behind the curtain in the northwest alcove, which appears to be a personal bedchamber.

Kerric:

His elven blade already drawn, Kerric waits patiently and silently for the Tiefling to indicate what he has found.

Back at Gorgebelly, T'chal'fronack'zcinicker, lets out a surprising and large grin as he eats one of the eyes.  Grinning still, he replies to Gorgebelly's criticism... "Fair enough. I'll try harder next time."  With a tip of his hat he departs. 

------------

Back now at the room, he slips away and to the group, and whispers, "Two ogres..and presumably...whatever thing is their master....behind a curtain. Don't see any other exits.  Shall we antagonize them, or just head onwards?"

Kerric:

Backing off to have the conversation, Kerric says, "Well, we don't want the water cultists to keep kidnapping members of the town, and we also need to find out what happened to the Dwarven delegation...I say we go in hot."

Anya looks pointedly at T'chal'fronack'zcinicker and says, “Ya, we go in hot!”  

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker eyes her then makes a disgruntled face before looking at Kerric and then Ebele. “Fine. Let’s ‘go in hot’.”

He pulls his crossbow off his side and quietly tries to set and load it. Anya pulls out her sword, watching kerric for queues of how best to prep. 

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker  makes an “after you” gesture to kerric then raises his crossbow, ready to fight.