Chapter 13: Sea Queen Escapes part 2

    The Dragon boat sailed away from Modron under a gloomy sky. Chi waved goodbye to those who chose

to stay behind. Emily decided at the last minute to stay with Alan, as he could not shake his new found fear of sea creatures. Also Ruby did not join her cousins for this leg of the quest. Under the directions of James Hook, first mate Gilligan and sailor Farhoud, the rest of the Heroes of Eros settled in for the days journey to deep waters and the sounding of the strange horn they were now in possession of.

    Moep was able to keep 3rd breakfast down as he prepared a hot lunch for his companions. Tarek remarked on the new studded leather worn by his friend Tyrrian. "I did not want to sink like an anvil should I find myself in the water!" replied the young Warrior as he stowed his breastplate with the other ships gear.

   At last Captain James felt that with land out of sight they should try the sounding. Chauncey brought out the
waterproofed sack and handed it to Lars. Drawing the horn out of the sack Lars ran through what type of note he should try to sound. After a few moments of silence as the others looked on, Lars raised the horn drew a breath and blew......

   A bass primordial roar seemed to reverberate through the collected adventurers. It caused even the calm water to ripple in time with the blast. Instantly followed by an infinite moment of utter silence, each of the heroes could hear his own heartbeat. Then the sea began to churn.......

    The ocean darkened as something began to rise from the depths, Moep white knuckling the gunwale as the boat rocked in the churning water. Something was coming to the surface, something very very large. Then white spray bursts into the air like a geyser drenching everyone in the boat.  The party then found itself gazing into the eyes of a sea turtle the size of a small island. At the apex of his shell a barnacle encrusted capstan could be seen. Also indentations upon the shell itself formed a sort of natural staircase leading to the mysterious protrusion.


    The boat is quickly brought alongside the giant sea creature and loosely moored by the bronze cleats at the shells edge.
    "Everyone be careful, and watch your footing. I'll go first." Nimbly leaping from ship to shell Tarek began to ascend the turtle.
    Moep began to proclaim that someone should stay behind and guard the boat, he was quickly ushered up the shell by Sally much to his dismay. Lars bent down and whispered to the halfling, "Rumor has it that treasures of the deep await us. I don't think you'd want to miss out on that."
    Pointing to the three barrels stowed in the ship Moep proclaims, "Treasures you say! Well I do like collecting odds and ends. Maybe I should wear one of those jelly suits we brought."
    Picking the halfling up by his belt and tossing him onto the turtle Sally says, "No need for that now, and if the turtle goes under we'll all need more than a jelly suit anyway."

    At the top of the shell the capstan is twisted open to reveal a hatchway descending into the creature itself. Tarek drops down into the circular chamber, about an ankle deep worth of sea water sloshes back in forth with the natural roll of the ocean. Two dark tunnels are the only exits from the room. A rope is tied off on the capstan and the rest of the party descends to join the thief. Alexander causes his staff to glow with a soft blueish-white light allowing the others to arrange themselves and draw weapons. "Well which way my friends?" inquires the young Mage.
    "Let us take this tunnel to my right, then we will come back and check the other way." says Tarek taking the lead with Tyrrian. They are in turn followed in pairs by Max and Chauncey, then Chi and Moep, then Sally and Alexander. Lars glances about as the party splashes off down the corridor. One last tug on the rope to confirm its set well he follows his friends into darkness.

     The tunnel opened into a long chamber, the walls encrusted with thick growths of coral, barnacles and kelp. The far side of the chamber was still cloaked in darkness as the light from Alexanders staff could not illuminate the room fully from the hall. The group moves into the chamber as a whole waiting to see what is revealed as the staff now begins to chase away the darkness. Stopping together midway the party marvels at the scalloped shell door that blocks any exit from the chamber. The glint of gold from the two massive interlocked lobster claws that seem to be a sort of lock or brace draws the attention of both Tarek and Moep.
 "Solid gold lobster claws?" asks Moep tugging eagerly on Tarek's sleeve.
 Winking at his diminutive companion Tarek steps closer, "They deserve a closer inspection I think."

     Suddenly the room itself seems to spring to life as man-sized chunks of coral seem come alive and surround the bewildered adventurers. Seven terribly malformed and twisted creatures take the party by surprise attacking with rusted cutlass, knife, swordfish bill and various other barnacle encrusted weapons of sea-going make!  The first Sea-Cursed looks to be a barnacle encrusted skeleton wielding a cutlass and

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hammer. He delivers a deadly blow to Chauncey with the hammed and slashes Tarek with cutlass! The second is a bloated elf thickened by waterlogged skin, he wields a pair rusty fighting knives and slashes Chi the Elf-child to the bone! The third is a woman covered entirely in a reddish coral, with wicked cutlass and a large sea urchin spike she wounds Sally the Cleric. The fourth is a pair of conjoined sailors with fish eyes each wielding a cutlass, their chest heaves as if something lives inside! The fifth is a sailor melded with a shark using a boarding axe, his left hand a mass of urchin spines! The sixth is a sodden fish eaten sailor using a pair of iron bolos he hurls with deadly accuracy. Lastly the seventh Sea-Cursed uses a swordfish bill as a sword and a sail pulley on a short bit of rope to inflict terrible damage!

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    As the surprise of the attack wears off the party is still reeling from the attack and trying to get their

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bearings. Both Chi and Alexander begin to attempt to cast spells while the others wail in pain over the wounds that have been inflicted upon them! The Sea-Cursed push in on the party inflicting a few more damaging blows. Worst of all however is the "Critical" to Sally that drops her to the briny floor of the chamber. Max bravely rushes to cover the fallen Cleric and fends off the crusty woman with his blade. Tyrrian who was struck by an iron bolo is able to bash #6 with the hammer of JUSTICE. Moep is able to dodge all attempts to harm him by #7, all the while taunting the Sea-Cursed man. Chauncy moves to aid both Moep and the sorely wounded Alexander. Lars at the rear of the party has been engaged by the conjoined sailors, they have sliced him deeply and the moray eel living in their chest has also bitten the wily thief as they continue to assault him. Alexander has barely survived the onslaught of the Shark headed Sea-Cursed, head reeling from the wounds inflicted the Wizard struggles to cast his spell!

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   "If you let me cast, you DIE!" cries Alexander as two glowing blue magical hands appear. The first immediately grasps the Shark Headed cursed in an an unbreakable grip as the second hand grasps the

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conjoined sailors. Lars then takes the opportunity to stab one sailor in the fish-eye with his dagger while saying, "I just want you to know this is for what you did to me."
    Tarek begins fencing with the barnacle encrusted cursed while muttering under his breath, "I don't like this, I REALLY don't like this!"
    Chi the Elf-child mutters some strange words, her hands crackle with other-worldly energy. Life force is drained from the barnacle cursed and used to power her attack upon the dual knife wielder whom she severely wounds. "Take THAT!"
    Wielding his short swords with great ferocity Moep tears into his attacker, the swordfish weapon barely keeping the halfling at bay.
    Chauncy then uses his polearm to attack the sea-cursed the halfling is battling.

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    The Heroes of Eros are able to gain the advantage and push their foes back. Alexander concentrates and

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uses the force of the magical hands to literally squeeze the remaining life from the conjoined sailors and the Shark Headed sea-cursed. Tyrrian crushes the head of the bolo wielder then turns to allow Tarek to roll behind the barnacle encrusted skeleton and deliver a devastating spine slicing attack! Chauncey spears the spike of his polearm through the face of the swordfish wielder killing him instantly. Sally sits up, as she had been faking the effect of her earlier wound and bashes the coral woman. Max then carves his signature into the chest of the coral woman before dispatching her in his flamboyant style! Lastly, Chi drives her elven sword into the black heart of the knife wielder and kicks him off the blade into the bloody water of the chamber.  The fight over, our Heroes lick their wounds and realize how close many of them just came to death.
   
    The Sea Shell doorway is looked over and deemed not to be mechanically trapped. However the strange script upon it is deciphered and the likelihood of a curse of some type is realized. Opening the door the party sees the giant jellyfish beyond with a chest inside it. No one enters and the wizard uses his magical hands to physically squeeze the chest out of the creature. A spray of jellyfish goo hits the party but no ill effects are suffered. The magical hands then lift the chest and bring it out into the main chamber with the party. Opening it they find many coins and a large red steel key.
 "We should only take the key." states Alexander flatly, "Shadankin always carried keys with him, this is what we need."
  "Just one," remarked Tarek, " there could be another, down the other hall."
Lars slaps the hand of Moep as the halfling was reaching for the gold coins in the chest. "That stuff is cursed little one!"
Stomping off toward the hall from which the party came Moep whines, "Let's go back that other way and find something we can take!"
"Agreed!" the party cries in unison.

   Making their way back to the capstan chamber the party proceeds along the other tunnel. They soon find the way blocked by a rusted iron gate. Beyond they can make out a large chamber filled with furniture. The magical hands are used to wrench the door open and the party moves briskly through the waterlogged sitting room and out the tunnel on the opposite side. Moep is intrigued briefly by the giant manta ray skin on the wall.

    The group finds itself looking upon a giant sea Anemone perched upon half a dozen barnacle encrusted chests. The lure is too great and they approach cautiously. Tarek decides to fire an arrow into the sea creature to see if it lives without being submerged. To his surprise as well as Tyrrians the creature not only

lives but attacks! Slapping both Tarek and Tyrrian for a bit of damage. Moep is able to sever a tentacle with his swords. Deciding that melee may not be the best option with this creature the party backs up and Alexander uses the force of the magic hands to pummel the monster to death. The group scours the the chest and collects and bags many gold and silver coins. Tarek takes a braided rope bracelet for him self.
   "Should we be taking this stuff?" asks Moep as he shovels coins in a waterproof sack.
   "I suppose the warning might have only petained to the treasures behind the shell door." says the Wizard.
   "There is no other key here, perhaps we should get back to the boat." Tarek says while tying the bracelet about his wrist.
   The party returns to the capstan room and begin to climb out one by one. Lars takes the chance and returns to the chamber of the sea-cursed and kneels before the open chest of coins from the jellyfish.
   " I just can't leave this finely crafted sea chest behind." The thief softly closes the lid and lifts the chest from the floor, " So far, so good." He turns and walks from the chamber back to his friends.

   A gust of salty sea air blasts from behind the thief and passes through him with the sensation of clammy death bearing down on his soul!
    "Damn it!" Lars mutters, then runs for the capstan room.
   The gust of salty air passes through the rest of the group as well, turning they see Lars enter the room with the chest.
    "You knew I had to try." he says shrugging his shoulders at his friends, " Besides, the curse might not be that bad."

    The party rejoins the crew of the dragon boat just as the giant sea turtle begins to descend back from whence it came. "What now I wonder?" ponders Alexander examining the red steel key with Tyrrian. The Blacksmith-Warrior is quite taken with the strange red veined metal.
"What is it forged of I wonder..."
   

 
    An eerie silence falls over the party and the strange bubbly voice of the Sea Queen rises as if from the ocean itself.
    "You have the key at last, time runs short. I will guide you to us for we are near. Follow the Key to the lone Ait. Do not tarry, Shadankin and I are near death and you are our last hope to avert the cataclysm."

    The key begins to thrum with energy and everyone in the boat feels the urge to sail in the direction it points.