Shrine To The Sea Mother

Descending the narrow stairs, the group finds a chamber ahead filled with stinking, murky water. Along the walls of the chamber are various torture devices. Using detection spells, Salla determines that something "evil" is in the water. The general location is noted and Morgan and Snake approach the area. Sure enough, out of the water leaps a fish-man whose skin has turned a mixture of gray and white with scales dangling or missing. The creatures stench is nauseating and Morgan and Snake find themselves retching uncontrollably while they attempt to melee with it. After eating quite a few hits from the group the creature manages to paralyze Snake with claw attacks. But it is too little too late and the rest of the group quickly finishes off the disgusting creature.

Salla and the other dwarves search through the skank water for anything valuable, but only have the stink soaked into them as a reward.

They continue to follow the hallway until it dead ends. Salla uses a handy wand to determine that a hidden door is before them. Jonl check its out and can hear rhythmic croaking from the other side. Using a silence spell on Jonl's arrow, Jonl leads the way through the door and into a vast chamber with double balconies, and a platform to a huge statue of some perverse lobster-headed goddess. Standing before the platform are four fish-men chanting. Jonl wastes no time in sneaking to position and firing his silenced arrow into the gut of one of the fish-men. Snake follows with a charge into the line of fish-men, and uses his magical shield to bring forth a bright flash of light blinding them all. The rest of the party follows into the chamber and begins to make short work of the deaf and blind fish-men. As the battle begins, on the top balcony four more fish-men poke their heads over the railing and being to fire bolts at the party. A couple of sleep spells takes care of them before they can do much damage.

As the last fish-man falls the party takes a minute to investigate their surroundings, and finds an odd spiraling column of red smoke on the platform in front of the giant statue. The group quickly prepares for a surprise visitor. The smoke thickens on the platform then suddenly peels away to reveal a beautiful woman with feathered wings, red-glowing eyes, and a flaming bow. She greets them as infidels and suggests that death is their punishment. Morgan, not letting this chance pass him up, grapples the voluptuous woman attempting to "hold her down". While the winged lady is definitely quick, she has trouble escaping from the larger and stronger Morgan. What was an inanimate rope at her side comes to life and attempts to wrap itself around Morgan and entangle him, but his strength prevails. While Morgan keeps her in a hold, the rest of the party begins to take shots at her, Chul getting in the most effective shots (breaking bones and such). Modisto shoots a continuous stream of acid arrows at her, but they seem to not have the full effect he was hoping for. But the damage accumulates and finally she goes limp in Morgan's arms.

As the party attempts to catch their breath, one of the back doors on the platform opens. Standing in the doorway is another fish-man, this one dressed in plate armor and carrying a long pole with a claw-like device on the end of it. The creature croaks out a short chant and gestures at Morgan with his webbed claws. Morgan feels his body tense up and finds himself paralyzed. Snake charges at the creature blocking him into the room on the other side of the door. The fish-man and Snake trade blows, Snake dodging a number of attempts by the creature to catch him in the claw. The fish-man finally succeeds and begins to pull Snake into the room. But during the battle between the two, the rest of the party has managed to knock down the other door on the platform leading to this room, and they press the battle from this side as well. Outnumbered, and seriously injured, the fish-man makes one last feeble attempt to stall the inevitable with a sound burst catching Modisto and Salla, but they both remain unstunned from the loud bang. With a snicker, Modisto shoots one last magic missile into the creature, killing it.

Finally able to catch their breath, the party searches the back room the last fish-man came out of. They discover small side rooms with moldy scrolls and books on shelves, and a large cistern with a four foot tall clay pot next to it. Morgan opens one of the clay pots and eats a glyph trap. Modisto uses an open spell on the other clay pot to detonate the glyph from a distance. They find some shinies amidst the rubble of the pots, only losing what appears to have been a valuable mirror to the destructive glyphs.

Now the party must decide to press on, or attempt to rest in this dangerous shrine...