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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 2262846" data-attributes="member: 1210">The Tadpole PoolAdmittedly it's a little short, but here's another update before we start playing the high-level party today...***Our heroes stand over the crumpled form of the hideous, mauve-skinned monster that had seized control of the dwarven miners deep beneath the Bloody Fist.  They have overcome the threat and rescued most of the dwarven captives. But their job is not yet done.  Beneath a trap door they discover a horrible pool of brine, thriving with little ochre four-tailed tadpoles.  On the shore are a pair of huddled forms, somewhere in between lizard folk and the half-mind flayer abominations that had guarded the illithid above.  They slay the slowly transforming creatures, then turn their attention to the pool.  After resting and recovering spells, Hortense lowers the water level enough that the party can slog through it, killing all the tadpoles they can.  Dozens, then hundreds, of the little things are squished, slashed or stabbed.  For hours the party works at their grim task, finally stopping when Hortense’s spell wears off.  By then they are sure that they have killed most of the tadpoles, but as the little buggers move, it’s not hard to realize that some of them might have slipped through the party’s grasp.  Nonetheless, they adjudge that they have done all they can; and soon they are marching back up the laborious passages leading to the great elevator.  Within another hour they have reached the upper halls of the Bloody Fist, and an hour after that- having had baths, a change of clothes and a quick snack- our mighty band of halflings comes before Hilge Urnskurm.  She is more than pleased at their success and announces her intention to send an embassy back to Sritivara in order to ascertain how best the Bloody Fist can aid the cause.***The party is awarded medals by the dwarves.  Then the group makes their farewells.  They are still nervous about Sritivara falling apart again in their absence.  They head north to a town on the coast called Methwo, and from there they charter a boat back to Sritivara.  They keep a low profile in Methwo, as they do not wish to alienate yet another community.***10/22/369 O.L.G., 7 a.m., the Sea SnakeThe merchant ship pulls smoothly away from the harbor.  The morning sun has emerged from its sleep beneath the waves in the east, continuing its revolution around faraway Forinthia.  Our heroes are safely aboard.  Sailors hustle about, hoisting this or tying that, and there is much friendly cursing.  The day is overcast but warm, and it spits drops of rain for a few moments once.  The Sea Snake sails out about three miles, then turns to the west and begins following the coastline as it gradually curves towards the south.  Our heroes mostly stay below, out of the way, but Humphrey prefers to be outside, on deck if not flying about as a seagull.Evening finally comes, and is rapidly followed by night.  The stars draw across the sky like a curtain.  Most of the crew rests, with a few men awake on watch or simply up drinking.  Several of our heroes sleep on deck.As the ship’s lanterns are extinguished, no one has a clue as to how dangerous the night will prove.***10/23/369 O.L.G., around 4 a.m. Martini’s eyes open, from the depths of sleep.What was that?He remains where he is: on deck, against a netted-down pallet of some kind of cargo.  He opens his senses.  Something woke him, some preternatural sound...There it is, he thinks.  It’s so faint I can barely hear it.  It’s almost like... singing.  He springs silently up and walks to the forecastle of the ship.  One man is on watch at the wheel, another in the crow’s nest.  Softly, he calls up to the man in the ‘nest.  “Do you hear that?”But it is too faint.  Neither of the sailors hears anything at first.  But the sound slowly grows louder, and the man at the wheel finally exclaims, “He’s right- I hear it now!  Just barely, but it’s there... it’s beautiful, too.”“Be careful- try not to get too close to it,” cautions Martini, moving to wake his companions on the deck.  He knows trouble when he comes across it.  And soon the sound is loud enough that they can all hear it plainly.  “Maybe you should change course,” suggests Beau to the helmsman.  ”So... beautiful,” the man gasps. “Aw, crap,” moans Beau.Then suddenly, there is a terrible lurch as something in the water grabs the ship!  Great blue-green tentacles wrap around the vessel, and just about everyone on deck is thrown from their feet; only Martini maintains his balance.  And then the great deadly battle of the feyipus begins.Next Time: Oh no, a grappling monster!  You know what that means, right?  If there’s climbing or grappling, halflings die!</blockquote>

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