That Fumbling Feeling
Bomilcar's Narrative
We go down the stairs to the middle level of the Lizardmen's former home. According to the rather rough and ready map they gave us, we can either go straight towards the main area of the complex, or check behind us to make sure nothing nasty is lurking there. We choose the latter course, and indeed are relieved to find nothing that could come from behind. This does, though, show us how much care and attention the Sahuagin have been lavishing on the place - everywhere has dressed stone or tiles, and many of the rooms have nice beds of seaweed which will make fine resting places for weary fish men when the tide comes in and floods this central level. Many of the rooms have been massively enlarged, with others being built from scratch - this was obviously intended to become a full blown colony.
We move forward, and find a large set of double doors, Destiny and Sir Blanque see a serious amount of witchery coming from behind those doors, and we hear somebody screaming imprecations in a variety of languages, in a peculiarly high-pitched voice: "Don't sacrifice me!"
We burst in, and are somewhat bemused by the scale of this place. We have indeed found the Temple of Pyaray, which is something like eighty feet long and twenty feet wide. We have arrived in the middle of one of the shorter walls, and at the far end of the room is a bizarre sight: four priestesses are chanting around a wriggling little blue demon man who is chained to an altar. In the middle of the chamber is a very large pool, in which swims an enormous shark, obviously waiting to eat the sacrifice. I'd hate to have to fight that thing when this area is entirely flooded; it's going to be bad enough trying to get around the pool to engage the priestesses.
They look up as we interrupt their chant, and then start to move towards us, casting spells or whatever it is that Sahuagin priestesses of Pyaray do. One of them is wielding a rather nasty looking heavy mace, while the other three have lighter versions of the same weapon. All crackle with some sort of energy. The little blue man screams more abuse.
We start to edge our way around the pool to engage the priestesses, who are mostly having a bad time trying to damage us with spells. At one point the shark leaps out of the water at Jorthan and misses spectacularly, allowing us to shred it rather easily. Two of the priestesses run to attack me, and there is another comical moment as their two maces clash together. One of them is knocked out immediately, while the other sways on the spot. This doesn't stop her really hurting me, though, and the combination of mace and shock puts me out of action. The others finish off the priestesses, whose blood now decorates (and desecrates) their own temple - first objective achieved. Sir Blanque manages to wake me up, and I stay behind with the weird little blue guy as the others move further into the fortress in search of the leader and the high priestess of the Sahuagin.
According to what they told me later, there was a second epic boss fight as they took on the leader, the high priestess, and a couple of guards. It took a while, but our lot came through, although not entirely unscathed. Sir Blanque in particular is looking a bit peaky - apparently the high priestess put some sort of poison curse on him. Fortunately, it was automatically lifted when she died under his Virtuous blade.
A little while later we hear a great cheer as the Lizardmen arrive in force from the underwater entrance to the island. The sheer numbers of Sahuagin were about to overwhelm the crews of our two ships when the fish men lost heart. The Lizardmen had been waiting for just this moment and hit the disorganised enemy from behind, massacring them. One or two might have escaped the slaughter, but this is a major victory.
As we start to recover, the little blue weirdo introduces himself as "Oremergrinroul, one of the Silume." I nod sagely along with the others - I have no idea what he is talking about. Or maybe I'm still groggy from being shocked. Anyway, he continues. "I was on my way plane-hopping in search of my destined mate when I arrived in the Young Kingdoms. I was captured by Pan Tang slavers, but managed to escape by stealing one of the boats from their rather ungainly attempt at a battle barge. They'll be here soon; they might be a bit thick, but they don't give up easily. Don't worry, though, I have a cunning plan."
I've heard that before. Sir Blanque wonders aloud if it involves more gates to other planes. "Yes" is the answer.
Umpire's Notes
My bad guys were pants, at least in the first of the two main fights. The shark fumbled its attack, followed by two of the priestesses - hence the title for this diary entry. The big bad guys were much tougher, but eventually went down. The Lizardmen shaman will be able to help heal least some of the party, and then it's straight onto the next adventure...
We go down the stairs to the middle level of the Lizardmen's former home. According to the rather rough and ready map they gave us, we can either go straight towards the main area of the complex, or check behind us to make sure nothing nasty is lurking there. We choose the latter course, and indeed are relieved to find nothing that could come from behind. This does, though, show us how much care and attention the Sahuagin have been lavishing on the place - everywhere has dressed stone or tiles, and many of the rooms have nice beds of seaweed which will make fine resting places for weary fish men when the tide comes in and floods this central level. Many of the rooms have been massively enlarged, with others being built from scratch - this was obviously intended to become a full blown colony.
We move forward, and find a large set of double doors, Destiny and Sir Blanque see a serious amount of witchery coming from behind those doors, and we hear somebody screaming imprecations in a variety of languages, in a peculiarly high-pitched voice: "Don't sacrifice me!"
We burst in, and are somewhat bemused by the scale of this place. We have indeed found the Temple of Pyaray, which is something like eighty feet long and twenty feet wide. We have arrived in the middle of one of the shorter walls, and at the far end of the room is a bizarre sight: four priestesses are chanting around a wriggling little blue demon man who is chained to an altar. In the middle of the chamber is a very large pool, in which swims an enormous shark, obviously waiting to eat the sacrifice. I'd hate to have to fight that thing when this area is entirely flooded; it's going to be bad enough trying to get around the pool to engage the priestesses.
Newly painted Sahuagin; figs by Otherworld. I have another four of these to do, but I'll make them blue types. If I ever feel the need for even more, they will be green. Sea colours, with gloss varnish to make them look wet.
They look up as we interrupt their chant, and then start to move towards us, casting spells or whatever it is that Sahuagin priestesses of Pyaray do. One of them is wielding a rather nasty looking heavy mace, while the other three have lighter versions of the same weapon. All crackle with some sort of energy. The little blue man screams more abuse.
We start to edge our way around the pool to engage the priestesses, who are mostly having a bad time trying to damage us with spells. At one point the shark leaps out of the water at Jorthan and misses spectacularly, allowing us to shred it rather easily. Two of the priestesses run to attack me, and there is another comical moment as their two maces clash together. One of them is knocked out immediately, while the other sways on the spot. This doesn't stop her really hurting me, though, and the combination of mace and shock puts me out of action. The others finish off the priestesses, whose blood now decorates (and desecrates) their own temple - first objective achieved. Sir Blanque manages to wake me up, and I stay behind with the weird little blue guy as the others move further into the fortress in search of the leader and the high priestess of the Sahuagin.
According to what they told me later, there was a second epic boss fight as they took on the leader, the high priestess, and a couple of guards. It took a while, but our lot came through, although not entirely unscathed. Sir Blanque in particular is looking a bit peaky - apparently the high priestess put some sort of poison curse on him. Fortunately, it was automatically lifted when she died under his Virtuous blade.
A little while later we hear a great cheer as the Lizardmen arrive in force from the underwater entrance to the island. The sheer numbers of Sahuagin were about to overwhelm the crews of our two ships when the fish men lost heart. The Lizardmen had been waiting for just this moment and hit the disorganised enemy from behind, massacring them. One or two might have escaped the slaughter, but this is a major victory.
As we start to recover, the little blue weirdo introduces himself as "Oremergrinroul, one of the Silume." I nod sagely along with the others - I have no idea what he is talking about. Or maybe I'm still groggy from being shocked. Anyway, he continues. "I was on my way plane-hopping in search of my destined mate when I arrived in the Young Kingdoms. I was captured by Pan Tang slavers, but managed to escape by stealing one of the boats from their rather ungainly attempt at a battle barge. They'll be here soon; they might be a bit thick, but they don't give up easily. Don't worry, though, I have a cunning plan."
I've heard that before. Sir Blanque wonders aloud if it involves more gates to other planes. "Yes" is the answer.
Umpire's Notes
My bad guys were pants, at least in the first of the two main fights. The shark fumbled its attack, followed by two of the priestesses - hence the title for this diary entry. The big bad guys were much tougher, but eventually went down. The Lizardmen shaman will be able to help heal least some of the party, and then it's straight onto the next adventure...
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