Lost Lab of Kwalish

Tetrevess says “if you give me a few minutes, it might be useful for us to breathe water.”  He ritual casts water breathing on the group.  He will continue to walk though, single file, in the middle of the group.

Ana keeps to the back of the line and keeps her attention to the rear in case of ambush.

You find you can continue south or head west.  The water seems to be flowing to the south, so thst is where most flotsam coming downriver from the north would travel, but you would have to cross the water to continue south if you're walking on the west bank. Alternatively, you can continue following the west wall into the west branch of the underground river.

"At first, let's take the path that's rarely taken by adventurers. The infernal machine components might be found there."

Gravity suggests that they should follow the western branch of the river while pulling out a small can of spray paint and sprays its contents on the wall of the passage to mark the intersection (Prestidigitation). She's been finding herself unable to lead the group properly since she doesn't possess the necessary information regarding the course of the river. 

Continuing down the west corridor, you come to a point where the far wall opens to allow the water to flow south (option 1), but the river also flows onward to the west a bit farther, before likewise turning south (option 2).

Gravity dives into the shallow water of the river flow and reappears behind Sam, looming over the swimming figure of the calf. She will remove the replica of Dark Shard Amulet from her back pocket and spill some kind of ointment on it (Magical Tinkering). Finally, she puts the magical mundane item around the neck of the little guy and brags about the effectiveness of 'Counterscent Powder':

"Sam, can you hold him still so that I can secure the item around his neck? It emits neutral odor that's going to conceal the stink. The effect is permanent but it's going to cost me more than a hundred gold pieces."

She will take the southern route.

(They both go south, but as option 2 would have you move a bit further west, I'm given to understand this is turning immediately south here.)

Quote from InkedBee >>

Gravity dives into the shallow water of the river flow and reappears behind Sam, looming over the swimming figure of the calf. She will remove the replica of Dark Shard Amulet from her back pocket and spill some kind of ointment on it (Magical Tinkering). Finally, she puts the magical mundane item around the neck of the little guy and brags about the effectiveness of 'Counterscent Powder':

"Sam, can you hold him still so that I can secure the item around his neck? It emits neutral odor that's going to conceal the stink. The effect is permanent but it's going to cost me more than a hundred gold pieces."

She will take the southern route.

Sam looks to gravity “ok but I have a better plan” then turns to the calf “go to the end of the tunnel for treat”

(this is are cannery in the coal mine) 

The wind rushes past Sam, Gravity, Tettrevess and Ana make their way through the dark damp corridor.  The grey stone walls are smooth, carved over centuries of water eating away at the bedrock beneath the fens.  The air is chilly and dank.  Thanks to Gravity's ingenuity, the smell has abated along with the stench of the calf. The catoblepas pushes ahead, perhaps anticipating a treat for being such a good boy.  He paddles ahead, into the darkness, the sound of his splashing mixing with the rush of water, before quickly becoming inaudible over the sound of the subterranean river.  Far down the corridor, you see a bright flash of light that's gone in an instant.

<How are Sam and Tetrevess doing, visually? It's both wet and dark, so...>

Tetrevess will be using his staff which has a continual flame cast on it (with a removable cover) to see.  

<cool.  Are you guys going to follow the catoblepas?>

Quote from Wile_E_Coyote >>

The wind rushes past Sam, Gravity, Tettrevess and Ana make their way through the dark damp corridor.  The grey stone walls are smooth, carved over centuries of water eating away at the bedrock beneath the fens.  The air is chilly and dank.  Thanks to Gravity's ingenuity, the smell has abated along with the stench of the calf. The catoblepas pushes ahead, perhaps anticipating a treat for being such a good boy.  He paddles ahead, into the darkness, the sound of his splashing mixing with the rush of water, before quickly becoming inaudible over the sound of the subterranean river.  Far down the corridor, you see a bright flash of light that's gone in an instant.

<How are Sam and Tetrevess doing, visually? It's both wet and dark, so...>

 I have dark vision 

"Haha, good riddance!"- Gravity blurts out without giving a second thought to the gravity of the situation and chuckles lightly. Suddenly, she recalls something, then her facial expression changes and she dashes towards the source of the bright flash of light.

"My components! Why did you do that, Sam? I was using the calf to smuggle...err...safe-keep the components of Lum, the little guy swallowed the gems. These are fake, you see?"

She lifts up a pair of blue gems, one of the gems is still shedding light while the other one has lost magical effect because of the latest action of magical tinkering.

(Yes, tetrevess follows along with the group, warily) 

(@Legion4: right, umbral sight from the gloom stalker. Forgot about that)

Following the calf leads you further into the water-carved tunnel.  The ceiling drips with moisture, plubking upon your brow as you progress along the widening silt edge of the tunnel, perceiving the water becoming shallower as yiu move further south.  In the mud that now emerges to unite the silt banks against either wall, you see the petite hooved tracks of the calf leading out if the water, and on southward to what looks like a nest. An empty circle of mud and reeds, within which lies the remains of several eggshells.

Make a perception check (sight) <smells and sounds of the environment overpower anything else you'd get from these senses>

<I'm putting Sam at the point position based in everything so far, so he's closest to whatever lies ahead, but anyone could try ro make a perception check, with DCs increasing the farther back you are: highest for Ana, middling for Gravity and Tetrevess.>

Perception 10

Perception 21  

Perception 25

Perception 8