Field Research Journal Entry 8: Water Filtration

Griters Pebblefinger journal entry 8:

Part 1-

Upon hearing of another farm in need the group decided to move quickly to their aid. We traveled north up the road from Ruined Oak and saw the farmers speaking to merchants on the road. When we questioned them about their problem it was explained to us that the water had this weird algea look to it and it was not helping in crop growth. I cast detect magic on the bucket of water they had collected and got a sense of conjuration magic from the substaqnce. We headed west to the northern part of the Lake of Songs and investigate. 

Part 2-

We traveled west and found a pillar and a temple about a hundred feet apart and decided to investigate the pillar and then go to the temple. The pillar had carving of waves in it and had Aquan language written on it stating this is wasa checkpoint for some group of smugglers and is possibly the pillar Abel spoke of in his log about a short cut. We headed to the temple and outside was a group of four humanoids… a Human named Danford, an Orc, a Dwarf and a Half-Orc. We spoke to the human and and he told us he was standing gaurd for his boss and mentioned the Enclave. I then told him we were sent from Guldin and were looking for Gahzel. The Orc remained weary of us but Danford was willing to believe we were indeed recruits. We told them there was Halflings behind the pillar they could capture for sacrafices and as they left we entered the temple.

             Danford                                                       Untrusting Orc          

Inside the temple we saw more of the aquan writing and a some creatures not seen before. I think they were Deep Ones from my studies and they had steam and ice mephits with them. Ander charged in and Roshi follwed as we sent spells up at the five. The mephits dropped rather quickly while the Deep Ones stood and fought slightly longer. After downing the Deep Ones we started to search the temple.

Part 3 –

As we searched the altar of this temple a Sphinx appeared from behind it and asked usa riddle to enter the upper laevel of the temple. The riddle read as follows:

First is the sound one makes when in pain.

Next give me what is at the beginning of the last

At the bottom of a pool.

Last is a choice one can make when faced with a burden

That cannot be avoided or escaped.

Now take those together and tell me this,

What creature paws the trees and pecks the mice?

It took us a good while and multiple guesses to figure out the answer. Sven spoke to the Sphinx and each wrong answer he gave his hair got grayer and his face more wrinkled. Eventually we figrued out it was three parts and the answer was in two parts. Answer to part one is “Ow” and the answer to part two is “l” making “Owl and the answer to part three is “bare”. Putting those together we got Owlbear. With that the Spinx let us pass and Sven got slightly less wrinkled and grey.

As we entered the upper level we heard an argument and screaming. We rushed forward to see an Arrow Demon eating an Elf dressed like other members of the Gilgori Enclave. The man he was arguing with was a Deep One and it sounded like the Deep One sacraficed the elf to wrestle control over the demon. We did not wait long and started to take down the duo. The Demon was pretty accurate with a bow and had the ability ti misty step. We killed the Deep One Priest and then we took down demon.

We took the body of the Gilgori Enclave Elf with us to possibly get more information from later.

Part 4-

As we left the temple the four recruits were back at the temple and said they found no halflings behind the pillar. We showed them the body and told them he was eaten by the demon and we killed the demon. Danford decided to return home and find his status elsewhere. We started to take the body and the Orc wanted to take it back to the enclave. We left him get a decent distance before we decided to kill this devoted Gilgori Enclave member and keep the Elf’s body for intel. We surprised the Orc and quickly took him down and then returned to the farm to explain to them why the water was polluted and that we took care of the issue. Soon after we headed back to Ruined Oak to get a few drinks at the Bitter Dwarf.