“What in the nine hells be this nonsense?” Kildo muttered. The party had just swum through the flooded room with slippery walls and floors, which was designed to bring unsuspecting members into a spiked pit. The room was one long trap. Heading south, they opened a plain, normal wooden door into a grand room beyond. It was 100’ long and 130’ wide and looking down, was 40’ deep. There was a central, rectangular enclosure that descended 10’ into smaller, four distinct levels. The first level was filled to the brim with water with six gigantic creatures swimming around. Resembling 8’ long lobsters, they had a segmented body and were sandy in color. Their heads had a sharp snout and compound eyes on movable stalks. Covered in an exoskeleton, it appeared tough. Upon entering, the party drew their attention.
The second terrace was arid and resembled a desert with dusty rocks and water-starved plants. Moving about were three giant, black scorpions the size of horses, with a segmented tail that curved over their backs with a massive stinger on the end.
The third tier was also filled with water like an aquarium with four very unusual 12’ long creatures. They bore the head and forefront of a lion, but the body and tail of a small whale. It had a mossy green mane of silky hair running from the top of their heads and down their backs to its tail. While they appeared reptilian, they were commonly called sea lions by the sailors of the high seas.
At the very bottom and 40’ down housed three large magical beasts. They had a 10’ long body of a lion, wings of a dragon, a spiked tail like a porcupine, and a roughly shaped humanoid head. One of them yawned exposing row after row of razor-sharp teeth, similar to a great white shark. That alone told the creature ate meat and likely regardless of it being an animal or human. They were manticores.
“What are they doing?” Kai asked readying this trident Wave for an immediate attack.
“They just seem to be watching us,” Scomatch answered.
Indeed, none of the creatures were showing any offensive aggression Kildo thought. However, he’d be a goblin-loving dwarf, before he’d put one big toe into that water with them fishes.
On guard, Kai began to slowly walk west around the perimeter of the room. The crayfish all swam quickly towards him and watched.
“Scomatch, try and see if there are any leavers,” Guo Gan whispered to Scomatch pointing to the walls.
“Why are you whispering? I doubt they speak common,” Scomatch replied.
The party traversed the entire room, but there was no leaver, buttons, or anything else that seemed plausible to retract or flood the lower levels. The only constant was the crayfish swimming along with them.
“Well, there is more than one way to skin a cat,” Scomatch said as he lowered his goggles. A ball of bubbling liquid formed in the halfling’s hands. He then hurled it at the inner wall of the aquarium. It sizzled as it coated the outer shell. The crayfish didn’t react as the mage sent another into the same wall. The glass-like material shattered, as water poured down into the scorpion level. The creatures scuttled away but were soon engulfed. Without any naive frogs to carry them, the scorpions quickly drowned. As the last of the water left the first tier, the six crayfish exited and splashed into the flooded, desert area.
“I say we keep it going,” Guo Gan said nodding to Scomatch.
Rubbing his hands together, Scomatch continued to use acid splash on the flooded scorpion terrace until its side burst.
Kildo watched it gush out into the sea lion enclave and the lower level with the manticores. As the bottom filled, the three magical beasts swam up onto the now dry scorpion level. They shook their manes of excess water. He then noticed each of the manticores had their wings clipped. Seeing the multitude of sea creatures in the lowest two levels, he asked, “Oi, Kai! That fork of yers be controlling fishes?”
Kai’s eyes turned from the crayfish and sea lions to Wave and raised an eyebrow.
“No, Kai. I can not control the free creatures of the sea,” Wave spoke in a soft, calm voice. “However, I know several sea shanties. They go a little something like this.”
“Oh, we’d be alright if the wind was in our sails
“We’d be alright if the wind was in our sails
“We’d be alright if the wind was in our sails
And we’ll all hang on behind.”
Interrupting Wave shanty, Kai said, “That’s good to know, but I have something I want to test. Everyone get ready.” Following the paladin, as he moved to the west side of the room, the triton dangled a digit towards the edge. Placing a hand to his temple he said to the sea creatures, “Gather around if you want a tasty snack.”
As if on command, the six crayfish and the four sea lions swam with purpose towards Kai. However, the three manticores began to back peddled within the scorpion area. Clumped together, it presented the perfect target for Scomatch. A glowing 1’ ball of emerald acid streaked into the water. It exploded in a 20’ radius. The hissing liquid managed to catch two of the manticores, three sea lions, and four of the crayfish. Even underwater, visible burns sizzled on their flesh.
Kildo began casting, Spirit Guardians. A low, rhythmic pulsing began to emanate from the ground. A white light came from cracks in the stone. Fog rolled out approximately 15’ from the cleric. Small fey wisps of air arched out. Longer tendrils began to form.
Three mighty roars blasted from the wounded manticores. They were not pleased with being attacked. Bending their heads low, their quilled tails whipped around in the air. Long, thin spikes shot out from each at frightening speed. Two of the missile weapons struck Scomatch. Another barrage sailed towards Guo Gan. The agile monk deflected the first. It embedded into the wall next to the elf. However, he was immediately struck by another.
Dropping down 10’ to where the manticores were on the desert terrace, Kai ran towards the nearest manticore to shut down their ranged attack. As the paladin ran, he chanted as Wave began to glow with magical energy and emitted a bright light extending out 20’.
On the heels of the paladin, a crawfish moved out of the water ahead of him and advanced. Kildo’s spirit guardian’s tendrils blasted into and latched onto the creature. Kai thrust with Wave. The triton points pierced through the shell and into the soft innards. Frost emanated from the crayfish as it slumped to the ground. As the paladin pulled Wave free, a second crawdad emerged from the water and snapped its pincer around his leg. Kai cried out in pain.
Distracted from the triton’s shout, Kildo failed to notice as a third crayfish entered dry land. It snapped at Kildo’s foot from below as it dangled over the edge. At the last second, the cleric managed to pull it back as its pincers snapped empty air.
Sprinting along the top, Guo Gan made an incredible leap flipping into the air and landing on the back side of the first manticore. Stabbing with his spear in quick succession, he hit its right hind quarters.
Pulling the thin spikes from his robes, Scomatch began casting, Shatter. A sudden loud ringing noise that was painfully intense erupted in the middle of the crayfish. Two of the creature’s carapaces reverberated and burst out from within sending innards spraying outwards.
Kildo then began casting; Toll the Dead. The sound of a dolorous bell filled the air around the manticore Kai and Guo Gan were attacking. The creature began to whimper and shook his head as its sensitive ears took the full impact, as blood seeped from both. The spell also disoriented the creatures, as he lashed out trying to rake and bite the monk, but the elusive elf dodged both. The dwarf then heard whistling, as a barrage of tail spiked sped past him. Whipping his head following their trajectory, at least three of the missiles struck Scomatch. The mage looked down at the embedded spikes and slumped slowly to the ground and fell over.
“Scomatch!” Kai called out at seeing the small, fallen body of the halfling. Snarling in anger, he thrust Wave and it blew into another crawfish. Then like a farmer bailing hay, he brought it over his head and flung the carcass back into the water.
Kildo reached for his holy symbol of Rigga to heal Scomatch, he felt immense, sharp pain. Glancing down, another crayfish had scurried out of the water, reached up, and snapped his big toe. It chittered with excitement as if it preferred its prey to be alive as it ate. Snarling through the pain, he cast, Healing Word. The magical, healing energy raced from his holy symbol to Scomatch. Blood began to be drawn back into him and he saw the halfling’s eyes begin to flutter open. Turning back to his attacker, the cleric’s spirit guardian converged on the crayfish blasting several holes into its hard shell. The pincer relaxed, as it fell back down dead. “That’ll teach ya mud bug.”
On the other side of the battlefield, Guo Gan continued to face off with the first manticore. The monk thrust with his spear, but the magical beast batted each attack away, like a cat swatting at a toy. Knocking the monk’s weapon away, the manticore slashed with his paw, raking his leg.
Kai moved towards Guo Gan, when a second manticore pounced, tore, and bit into the armored paladin. More than one of its shark-like teeth broke off on the metal plate. Then out of the darkness from the south, a series of spiked slammed into the wall right in front of the triton, missing my inches. Snarling, the paladin thrust Wave into the side of the first manticore. All three spikes went deep into the creature’s side and into its lungs. It whimpered as it fell over. Then using its body as a stepping stone, Kai stood on the corpse and thrust with Wave striking the second manticore’s right forearm.
Moving to protect Scomatch, the last two crayfish followed looking for an easy meal. Kildo moved with him, along with his spirit guardians. The tendrils wrapped themselves around the sea creatures and began to burrow into their hard shell. The last two crayfish were then quickly torn to shreds.
The corpse of the first manticore with Kai on top, like a game of King of the Hill, blocked Guo Gan. Jumping on the outer side of the aquarium, he ran along the jagged glass, like normal ground. Coming to the side, he thrust with his spear. The tip went right through the creature’s neck. Hot blood spurt out as it thrashed about in its death throws.
Recovering somewhat from his wounds, Scomatch rose and limped south. The mage formed another glowing 1’ ball of emerald acid. He aimed it at the four sea lions. Seeing the sphere arch towards them, they all dove deeper. The water seemed to have provided some protection and diluted the spell’s acid.
“Oi Scomatch! There still be one of them creatures spitting mad and spitting nails! Stay behind me!” Kildo shouted as he brought up his kite shield. The waters then swirled and burst. Two of the sea lions pounce out of the water and slashed and bit at the dwarf. The cleric barely managed to keep his protective shield up as he felt the strength of their claws and fangs rake against it.
Another sea lion leaped out at Guo Gan. Surprised by the attack, its claws raked and teeth bit into the monk.
Kai standing nearby jumped off of the manticore and plunged Wave into the sea lion. It yelped as the weapon slew the creature. Yanking Wave free, he stumbled, which was fortunate, as tail spikes from the last manticore sunk into the wall next to his skull.
The fourth sea lion erupted out of the water and snapped towards Kai. However, like a fish out of water, it failed to perceive where the paladin actually was due to the water’s distortion and landed short out of striking distance.
Guo Gan jumped in and stabbed. The first slid off its scales, but another thrust pierced its hide. The sea lion snapped its head towards the monk. The elf then executed a roundhouse kick and smacked it hard on the side of its face and snout.
In retaliation, the sea lion raked with its claws with one catching Guo Gan in the left thigh.
“Scomatch! Me spirit guardians ain’t be enough. Anything ye can be doing to get these basted catfish off of me be much appreciated!” Kildo shouted as he had his back against the wall with his kite shield in front of him. He barely kept the two sea lion’s claws and jaws from tasting his dwarven flesh.
A crack of ear-piercing thunder erupted between the two sea creatures, as Scomatch cast, Shatter.
Seeing Guo Gan holding off the sea lions with two quick stabs on one of them, Kai stepped back and closed his eyes. Healing energy coursed through his body. The paladin was better off but was still battered and bruised. Opening his eyes, the last sea lion snapped its jaws and latched onto the monk’s leg. The elf screamed in pain. Rushing in, Kai thrust with Wave. It skewered the sea lion in the neck. Its jaw opened releasing the monk, as it roared in agony. Kai drove the trident deeper until it thrashed no longer.
Across to the west, there was another boom, as Scomatch cast, Shatter. One of the sea lions’ ears burst, sending ichor and brain matter out in both directions. It slumped dead.
With only one sea lion remaining, Kildo rose from his defensive posture and bashed with his war hammer. It struck the creature’s head, as divine smite radiant damage burned its mane. The cleric’s spirit guardians, like spears, struck from multiple sides. The impaled creature was dead within moments.
Another volley of spikes flung out of the darkness with one spearing Kai’s breastplate armor. The blow caused the paladin to stumble back.
Limping southward, Scomatch, along with Charmander, illuminated the last manticore. A small sphere of acid formed in his hands, as he cast and threw the Chromatic Orb. It burst on the manticore’s tail. Several spikes melted, as well as burning damage to the appendage. It roared in anger. Winding up its tail it unleashed a volley at Kildo. However, all of the spikes went wild, damaged by Scomatch’s acid spell.
A spear from Guo Gan flew from across the room and struck its neck. The force blasted the creature back into the wall spraying blood outwards like a geyser. It didn’t rise.
All the party members slumped to the floor as the last of the threats were resolved. They took a breather as they noted the water in the lowest level began to drain. In short order, two items of note appeared from the water. A door leading south from the bottom of the room. The second was the top of a chest that became visible from within the wave in the manticore’s terrace. After draining, Guo Gan descended to the bottom and after disarming a simple trap opened the lid. It glowed brilliantly, as within was a large hoard of gold pieces.
“This room be delivering one heck of a prize,” Kildo commented.
Carousel Room:
· 9,000 gp
Party Split:
· 9,000 gp / 5 = 1,800 gp
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