Paradise Upon the Barrow

Blurb, Eamon, Gorlock, Greeba and Nathia, accompanied by Arnor, decide to keep investigating the Barrowmaze. It was a hot, dry day and the sun was unrelenting as they made their way to a sealed barrow marked 43 on the map. Five wavy lines were carved into the door, but no one was able to ascertain what they meant. They managed to get the door open and descended inside. They could hear the sound of water dripping, even though it had not rained in some time. 

Blue tiled walls gave the area a peaceful aspect, though the ankle-deep water was concerning. A fountain was in the centre of the room and the water looked perfectly clear and refreshing. Two pools of water lay to the sides. A bronze door was set into the western wall, with more of the same wavy symbols on it. 

Eamon tries to drink from the fountain. A water weird rose from it and attacked before he could even get a sip. They were able to subdue it without much trouble, Arnor taking the killing blow. Unconcerned, Eamon gets his drink. Cool and refreshing, it didn't seem to have an effect on him. So he drank from the pools as well, even as the others looked askance. The water was...muddy.

Greeba, who was not thirsty, strikes the bronze door. It seemed to almost knock her back. Having a sudden epiphany and unable to drink any more, Eamon pours some water on the rune. The door opens smoothly (Inspiration to Eamon).

A short corridor opens into a hexagonal chamber with two more doors. A pedestal in the chamber seemed full of aquamarine gems (+900 gp). Eamon poured water over them, to no effect. Meanwhile, Greeba examined the two doors and is able to make out the Nar-ish script: Here lies Glassmira, thrice cursed bitch of the Deep. She recalls that Glassmira was an evil water witch who could control water.

Both doors were locked, but Gorlock loans Eamon the lock picks he had bought to practice with. Though untrained, Eamon is able to use the tools to...LOCK the door. He then managed to unlock it. 

Inside the room was a glass sarcophagus with a pale figure laid to rest inside it. Water continuously poured out, though it never raised more than ankle-high. A treasure chest sat near the coffin (Inspiration to Nathia for providing a glass casket). On the wall behind it hung a trident and the walls were decorated otherwise with gods of the waters, in a manner that seemed both Nar and Elvish.

Greeba examines the chest and finds it full of electrum pieces (+6960 ep). She prodded at the coins with her sword. A ghostly voice demanded, "Who disturbs my rest??" And Glassmira's spectre rises from the coffin. 

Greeba, ever logical, answered her back, "Well, you don't need this anymore, anyway."

Glassmira turned her frightful visage upon them, though only Nathia, who could see the figure from the door, was affected. Gorlock, sensing something amiss, covered himself in shadows. Nathia, terrified, tries to leave the room the way they had come in, though Blurb tries to stop her. However, she is too strong. The others, meanwhile, attack Glassmira, with Eamon taking the killing blow. He takes the trident from the wall (Trident of Wounding).

+200 XP

Eamon gets the other door open and inside they see a wondrous sight. After just a few feet, a cascade of water falls and on the other side is what appears to be the ocean. They can see giant crabs and more of the water rune. One of the blue flagstones that make up the floor is slightly raised and Greeba and Nathia try to pry it up unsuccessfully. Attracted by the noise, ten giant crabs suddenly surround them. Blurb casts confusion upon them and manages to catch one crab. Nathia kills one and wounds another, already thinking in her head that they would make a lovely lunch. Gorlock casts wall of fire behind the crabs and kills many of them. Steam rises from the water cascade and the smell of cooked crab fills the air.

One very angry crab manages to grapple Greeba and dents her boot. Arnor manages to kill the last one. They quickly gather the perfectly cooked crab meat and have a feast. 

+100 XP

They manage to pry the flagstone up and Eamon pulls out a coral and jade ring (Ring of Water Breathing). As soon as he grabs it, he floats above the water. He decides to investigate the ocean and enters the wall of water. Swimming up to the surface, he sees and island with a beach and a forbidding fortress in the distance. Parakeets chirp happily from the trees, but large depressions in the sand show that the island is definitely inhabited. Feet, much larger than an ogre, but without claws. He climbs a tree to get a better view. Besides the grim fortress, he sees a brackish lake and smoke trails that likely mark camps or settlements.

He goes back and tells the rest and they decide to investigate further. Gorlock, though Nathia attempted to assist him, gets exhausted on the swim there. Once on the beach, they are met by four very large stone giants. Nathia greets them in Giant. The leader is Conna the Wise. She informs them that the island is called Nalt's Island by humanoids. It was named after a smuggler/pirate lord who had built the fortress, which is perched atop a 200 foot tall cliff that looks like an eel skull. 

She cautions them against entering it; only two humans had ever returned and one of those committed suicide not long after. It was rumoured that they were searching for the throne of the Goddess of Pirates but what they found instead were leathery demons. She said if they did seek to enter it, to go through the eye sockets of the eel skull; the main entrance was impassable after a rock slide.

She also warned them not to drink of the Lake of Dead Dreams and to avoid it completely if they could, as there were lamias about. And to avoid the hill giants that also lived in the area, as they were not so kind. Nathia asked after some names, just in case, and learned that Cragbrow was reasonable but Deepgut was not. 

Not heeding any of her advice (other than to watch out for hill giants on the way), they approach the fortress the long way around in an effort to avoid the lake. They make camp at sunset and Gorlock summons Tiff so she can keep watch. She wakes him at one point during the night to show him the flying terrasaurs; Gorlock in turn wakes up Blurb so the druid can get a good look at the strange creatures.

After they break camp, they continue on, though they soon hear an unearthly singing from the nearby trees. Arnor, immune to any charms other than Nathias, does not at first notice that she has fallen under the spell. Blurb, however, sees the goliath wander off and follows her. Nathia stumbles over to a "beautiful lady" with long fingernails, who is accompanied by two hideous shrub creatures (hereinafter referred to in my head as Shrubberies!!). The lady approaches and slashes Blurb across the face, cursing him. Then he is hit by the shambling mounds as Nathia looks on in bewilderment. To save himself from all the damage, he transforms into a bear.

Eamon appears and attacks one of the shambling mounds and manages to stun one, while Nathia wanders off with the lamia. The other mound engulfs the poor druid and to save himself he once again transforms -- this time into a termite. While he did not cause much damage to the shambling mound, every bite he took was satisfying. 

Meanwhile, the lamia suggests to Nathia that she "needs to bleed" as she's looking peaky. Arnor misty steps as close as he can get and yells at her, but she is too charmed by the woman. She sticks her sword in her toe, causing some blood. The lamia glares at Arnor's interference and attacks him. Very confused, Nathia takes the sword out of her toe but does not know what to do or who to trust.

Gorlock casts wall of fire while Eamon kills another and the lamia continues to attack Arnor. Meanwhile, Blurb, fearing the shrubbery might get immolated, burrows out and goes to ground just in time as Greeba manages to kill the last mound. 

Arnor attacks the lamia and she decides to run. Nathia tries to grab onto her new friend to keep here there, but she talks her way out of it and disappears into the dense woods.

+800 XP

The group took a short rest to recover, Nathia feeling very dazed. They finally reach the bottom of the cliff and Tiff attaches a rope to the eel's tooth. Gorlock flies down to it with Blurb while the rest use the rope. The floor has obvious bloodstains, but they look unnatural somehow. They make their way downstairs and see an area with green radiance. Greeba hears something large. Rather than heading towards the green glow (perhaps someone had read Tommyknockers), Greeba leads the way through a door with lots of rubble. Arnor senses something. A hulking toad-like form appears, it's stench preceding it. A hezrou! Two of them, and approaching from the other side, the terrifying sight of a Nalfeshnee!

Blurb conjures a giant constrictor snake to slow down the Nalfeshnee, but the demon manages to take out the snake in three well-placed attacks (that he druid was glad the snake was there to take). Gorlock tries to polymorph the demon into a rat, but it withstood the change. As Eamon attacks the Nalfeshnee, Blurb conjures another giant constrictor snake, hoping this one will be luckier.

Greeba savagely wounds one of the toad demons and Nathia manages to kill it (she earlier withstood the stench; possibly the only thing she had managed successfully). Eamon, Greeba, Nathia, and Arnor, who uses his protect ability, continue to battle the toad demons while Gorlock finds himself basically locked into a room with the very large Nalfeshnee. As they kill the last of the toad demons, Gorlock surrounds the demon with a ring of fire. Though it only takes partial damage from it, it does damage it and also allows him a moment to polymorph himself into a fly and get away.

Blurb, not wanting to be left out, attacks it with his sling. Nathia rushes in and manages -- just! -- to kill it before it teleports away (Inspiration to Nathia).

+3000 XP 

When they finally investigate the eerie green glow, they find a trove of pirate treasure and are then able to make their way out, leaving the strange island behind them. They collect:

• 15000 gold and1800 platinum pieces for a total of 33,000 GP
• A potion of supreme healing
• Items worth a total of 5250 GP:
• 2 ornate carved harps worth 750 gp each (1500 GP)
• A ceremonial electrum dagger worth 750 gp
• A gold dragon comb set with red garnets (Greeba) worth 750 GP
• Painted Gold War Mask (750 GP)
• Silver and Gold Brooch (750 GP)
• Small Gold Idol (750 GP)

Assuming treasure is all sold, it's 33,000 (coin) + 5250 (items) + 900 (gems) + 3480 (electrum converted to gold) = 42,630 gold / 5 = 8,526 GP each (Nathia will share with Arnor; he doesn't care much for money anyway)

XP total = 4,100 XP each

Outstanding: Does anyone want the Trident of Wounding?