Atilius found a secret door, but Moula was the only other person who could see the outline of the discolored stones, and none of them could figure out how to open the door. Eventually they decided to move on.
As they were bringing the suits of armor and treasure downstairs, Albrecht entered, feeling somewhat better. They decided they would bring their findings back to Gundren and figure out what to do next from there.
The raft trip back to Wave Echo Cavern was uneventful until they were about 200 feet from shore, when Pippin heard something splash in the waters behind them. They quickly rowed to shore and prepared for an attack, but none came.
Gundren, fearful that they had led the kuo-toa to them, promised to take care of their things, and urged them to preempt any assault, so they could focus on getting the mine fully operational as soon as possible.
The group agreed and quickly were back on the raft, heading back towards the island, in hopes of finding their stalker.
Rowing for hours, they passed the point where they had originally encountered the kuo-toa, and Atilius guided them, in the dark, in the direction the kuo-toa had tried to flee. Albrecht cast Leomund's Tiny Hut on the raft.
Many hours later they heard the sound of water lapping up against a shore. Soon, Albrecht saw a line of kuo-toa standing guard on a landing. They backed up a few hundred feet to discuss their next steps without being overheard.
Pippin wanted to scale the walls with his slippers and scope the area out, but he couldn't see in the dark. Albrecht offered to go, but he wasn't as stealthy, and Pippin wouldn't give up his slippers or cloak. Meanwhile, the group was down on spells, so they ultimately decided to row out a little farther, renew Leomund's Tiny Hut, and rest.
A few hours later Pippin alerted them to a noise from outside the hut on the lake, and Albrecht saw six kuo-toa riding a giant crocodile coming towards them. They kept quiet while the kuo-toa approached. Only Albrecht could see them, as they circled around the dome.
"Bonk!" they all heard as one of the kuo-toa knocked his pincer against the side of the opaque black dome of the tiny hut's exterior. Albrecht cast prestidigitation, creating faint melodic music. The kuo-toa were startled and backed up, briefly. Then they approached again and knocked their pincers against the dome. This happened a few more times.
"Can you understand us?" Turenim asked, aloud.
The kuo-toa began to speak among themselves in a language none of them could understand.
"Ribbit, ribbit!" Pippin called out to them.
"Do not anger your overlords! Back away or you shall be punished." Atilius commanded in Abyssal and then Celestial. The kuo-toa didn't respond. They just circled a few more times, before moving away and out of sight.
After the group completed their rest and replenished their spells, they returned to the kuo-toa landing without the protection of the tiny hut.
Albrecht saw at least a dozen kuo-toa lined up against the far wall of the 20 foot wide landing.
When they got close enough for Turenim to see them within the sphere of Lightbringer he cast tongues and announced, "We come in peace. Put down your weapons and we can negotiate."
They all looked around, startled, but none of them put down their various pole-arms.
"We don't want to hurt you," Turenim continued. "I'm the messenger of Lathander and we came here to spread peace. What do you say? Can we negotiate?"
The kuo-toa looked around nervously, but didn't respond otherwise.
"Can you contact your leader so we can negotiate?" Turenim continued.
Suddenly a wave came up from behind them and washed over the raft, propelling it closer to the landing.
Nets shot out from the edge of the landing falling over the raft, and ensnaring Lee, Atilius, Moriarty, and Turenim.
Pippin, Moula, and Albrecht managed to jump over the shooting nets and onto the landing.
Lee rushed forward with Talon and dropped one of the kuo-toa. Pippin continued to stab at a pincer wielding kuo-toa. Moula continued to take necrotic damage as she whacked at the archpriest with her staff. She turned to throw a kick at the archpriest, and her staff got stuck on one of the kuo-toa's shields. She tried to pull it away, but the shield and her staff went flying. Pippin was grappled by a pincer and stabbed at with a spear. Albrecht was also stabbed at with a spear. The archpriest cast hold person, paralyzing Moula. Atilius freed himself from the nets. Albrecht stabbed the pincer wielding kuo-toa. Turenim, still trapped in the nets, cast spirit guardians around himself and spiritual weapon, smashing one of the kuo-toa attacking Pippin.
Lee dropped a second kuo-toa with Talon. Pippin freed himself from the restraining pincer. Moula, still taking necrotic damage, but unable to move, used wholeness of body to heal herself. Albrecht, Pippin, and Lee continued to get stabbed at with spears.The archpriest bashed Moula with its scepter. Atilius cast scorching ray on the archpriest and the two pincer wielding kuo-toa. Albrecht cast hellish rebuke at the pincer wielding kuo-toa and continued to stab it with his rapier. Moriarty finally freed himself from the nets. Turenim, still trapped, continued to use his spiritual weapon against a kuo-toa attacking Pippin.
Lee dropped a third kuo-toa with Talon and slashed at the pincer wielding one attacking Pippin. Pippin stabbed at it twice, dropping it. Moula struggled but could not free herself from the archpriest's hold as it bashed her with its scepter, two kuo-stabbed her with spears, and necrotic damage continued to burn her. The remaining pincer wielding kuo-toa grabbed Albrecht, while two others stabbed at him with their spears. Two other kuo-toa stabbed at Lee and Pippin. Atilius cast scorching ray again on the archpriest and the remaining pincer wielding kuo-toa. Moriarty activated the flames of his warhammer, Fiendburn. Turenim attacked the archpriest with his spiritual weapon, and used preserve life on Moula, Lee, and Pippin.
Lee, slashing with Talon, dropped a fourth kuo-toa and the remaining pincer wielding one, freeing Albrecht. Pippin dropped his third kuo-toa. Moula continued to burn from the guardian's necromancy, but finally freed herself from the archpriest's hold. The archpriest cast mass cure wounds, reviving five of the fallen kuo-toa. Atilius cast scorching ray on the archpriest. Albrecht stabbed at the archpriest with his rapier. Moriarty smashed a kuo-toa with Fiendburn.
Lee and Pippin each dropped one of the risen pincer wielding kuo-toa again, and slashed two others. Moula continued to take necrotic damage, but resumed her assault on the archpriest. Kuo-toa stabbed their spears at Albrecht, Pippin, and Moriarty. Atilius cast magic missile at the archpriest. Albrecht stabbed a kuo-toa with his rapier. Moriarty dropped one with his warhammer. Turenim, still trapped in the nets, continued to attack the archpriest with his spiritual weapon.
Lee and Pippin dropped two more kuo-toa. Moula fell from the archpriest's necrotic attack. One of the kuo-toa grabbed her and began dragging her towards the double doors at one end of the landing. The archpriest cast mass cure wounds again, reviving four kuo-toa. Atilius cast web, blocking the double doors. Albrecht stabbed one of the kuo-toa with his rapier. Turenim cast life transference, taking damage himself to revive Moula.
Lee struck down the archpriest with Talon, and slashed at another kuo-toa. Pippin dropped a kuo-toa with Yig, and stabbed another with Yag. Moula kicked two of the kuo-toa. A kuo-toa stabbed and Pippin, and another caught Moriarty in its pincers. Atilius cast lightning bolt, killing three kuo-toa, including the two wielding pincers. Albrecht dropped one with his rapier, and Turenim finished the last with his spiritual weapon.
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