Something is amiss in the overgrown, nearly impassable mangrove swamp. Rumors tell of increased raids by powerful reptilian assailants and their lizardfolk masters. The Baron’s court wizard Kolas sends the Dungeon Knights to deal with the trouble before it becomes a danger the lives of the villagers. Has their killing of lizardfolk bands ignited a feud or has it only slowed the deadly assaults? Will information from an untested source lead to certain death or fortuitous victory? (Part Three of the Foul Waters series)
A few days after the Dungeon Knights returned from the sunken ship, a well-dressed courtier arrives at a dilapidated house recently lent to the heroes. The courtier calls to the Knights, ‟Dungeon Knights! Your presence is requested with the court wizard Kolas. Do you wish to accept the invitation?”
Bandric slides the curtain to the side, ‟I guess we do. When and where, sir?”
‟Here and now.” The courtier summons the servants and guards. The servants clear a spot for the wizard’s chair and a portable table. After Kolas sits, the servants bring six other chairs and put them around the table. The Knights find seats and listen attentively.
Kolas drinks a sip of tea from his cup and puts it down on the table. “I’ve interrogated your pet sahuagin Coral. She has agreed to provide information we request in exchange for her rescue and continued protection from the lizardfolk. The Baron has approved her request for sanctuary.”
“One bit of information Coral provided is the possible location of a lizardfolk training facility. I’d like your team to investigate it. We’ll learn if Coral is telling us the truth and learn more about our new enemy, the lizardfolk. Here is a map of the location.” Kolas has his guard hand the map to Bandric. “Coral said her people couldn’t reach the hatchery because it’s too far inland for them to send a strike force. The sahuagin can’t remain out of the water for extended periods of time. We on the other hand, like the lizardfolk, can breathe air.”
Chalándril asks, “Is our mission to confirm its location? Or is there something more you’d like us to do?”
Kolas sips his warm tea. “It is the wish of the Baron to show strength at this time to both his people and his enemies. Therefore he has authorized you to confirm the facility location and gather as much information as possible. Then destroy the facility and its inhabitants, if possible. He wants to weaken this new threat before it becomes a large threat.”
“Understood Lord Kolas. We will do our best.”
“Excellent. Also, after some investigation and research, I have learned the nature of the necklace. It provides a dampening field for the mind magic used by these lizardfolk. The Baron has graciously loaned you the device for your continued service. He feels it will aid you in this mission more than decorate his treasure vault. I have tried to bolster its effects but my skills in this strange magic are limited.”
-
Using their trusty dinghy, the Dungeon Knights row out to another outlying island off the coast. Lord Kolas’ directions match location enough that Bandric feels confident they are on the right trail. Beaching and securing the dinghy, the heroes venture into the thick woods and heavy underbrush. The rising tide leaves nearly a foot of water on the ground. Moving carefully, they reach a strange fish-motif carved Akluni stone shrine. Much of the outer rim buildings and pillars are in ruin, while the sturdier main building remains intact. Bandric and Merimonwë spot a small group of lizardfolk guards around the entrance of the main shrine building.
Merimonwë casts a sleep spell forcing the guards into a magical slumber. Kotyka and Gûltar sneak up to the guards and kill them. Gûltar whispers to Kotyka, “Takes all the fun out of a good fight.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You’re wearing armor while I have little to protect me from lucky shots.”
The heroes sneak into the ancient building and find a make-shift living quarter of lizardfolk. The main fire and cooking area occupy the center of the room. Several bundles of leaves and branches cluster along the walls, serving as some sort of sleeping nest for the lizards. There are two main corridors branching out from the first main room. The left corridor leads to a small nursery of young lizardfolk. These newly hatched babies are held in nicely crafted nests. Some of the baby nests are completely underwater. A lone caretaker walks the room feeding the younglings. Bandric nocks an arrow to cover Kotyka as she sneaks silently into the room. Like a predator, she seizes the lizard woman and kills her with a single deadly blow.
Chalándril whispers, “We should move on to the next room after a quick check here. We can deal with the newborns later.”
The next hall leads to a nest-filled room with strange eggs. One group of eggs lies on warm, plush nests while another group is submerged under the water. Bandric questions, “I though lizardfolk were amphibious. Normally amphibious creatures breathe air but some of these eggs and hatchlings are completely submerged in the water. How can they breathe?”
Tolok answers, “I believe these eggs are somehow special. Recall our dealings with the goblins. They were breeding specialized goblins. I suspect that these lizardfolk are hatching a new breed of lizardfolk. Perhaps water-breathers with gills.”
Bandric says, “You ever get the feeling we’re really just a bunch of egg smashers and mutant baby killers?”
“No. However we should bring some samples to Kolas for his research. If Tolok is right, he’ll need as much information as possible about these new lizards.” Chalándril takes a few eggs as specimens for Baron Mhelkar and Kolas. “These eggs are heavy and difficult to carry. I hope they don’t break on the trip back.”
“Oh, arg!” Kotyka grabs her head, screams and falls unconscious.
Chalándril shouts, “Kotyka!”
Several blue lizardfolk enter the room. Tolok goes invisible using his Beetle Cloak as Bandric begins shooting arrows at the attackers. Merimonwë blasts them with her fire spell but they resist. “Damn! They have some sort of protection up against my fire.”
“Let’s see if these Blues can resist ax damage!” Gûltar charges forward and kills one with a single swing.
Gûltar’s mind is stunned. He falls to one knee.
Another Blue turns and projects its arm. Kotyka is pushed back by some invisible force into the far wall. A fourth Blue touches Gûltar on the head.
Tolok exclaims, “This is not typical magic. It is their mind magic. Merimonwë, you must destroy the eggs!”
Chalándril positions herself so she’ll be protected from attacks. “It’ll be too dangerous for me to fight in melee while I hold these eggs.”
“Leave our dwarf alone!” Bandric shoots the fourth Blue with his arrows. Bleeding wounds appear on Gûltar while Bandric’s arrows don’t seem to do much damage to the lizard man. “It did something to Gûltar, sharing his damage or something. Be careful with that Blue.”
“Which one?”
Badgers arrive out of thin air and attack the two other Blues. Their savage claws and sharp teeth tear into the scaly skin of the lizardfolk. Merimonwë casts her Lesser Black Tentacle spell, wrapping the fourth Blue in mystical bondage. “He won’t be able to share damage if we restrain him.”
The second Blue unleashes a psionic blast sending the badgers and Gûltar reeling. Chalándril seems surprised that she is unharmed. The third Blue hurls a badger across the room into a wall. With a spine breaking crack, the dead badger vanishes in a puff.
Chalándril helps Gûltar with a healing spell. Gûltar shakes off his mild stun and steps into melee with the lizards. His ax hits but doesn’t kill the Blue. Bandric shoots the second Blue. It falls to the ground clutching the arrow wounds. “Merimonwë, destroy the eggs!”
The lithe elf casts a fireball into the egg nests. A huge explosion engulfs the eggs. Sounds of eggs cracking and sizzling fluids fill the room. The conscious lizardfolk cry out in anguish. Merimonwë says, “I think I only made them angrier.”
Kotyka tumbles closer to the third Blue and stabs it from behind. The blade wound spills blood onto the floor as the Blue falls and dies. “Let’s get out of here,” exclaims Chalándril.
Outside, Bandric unloads more arrows at the approaching lizardfolk reinforcements. Tolok appears as he finishes casting a spell of Black Tentacles. Large black tentacles emerge from the ground grabbing and entangling most of the lizardfolk.
Kotyka stops running, “We need to loot the bodies and search for treasure!”
Bandric grabs her by the arm, “Forget it girl. It may be our bodies being looted if we don’t move.”
The Dungeon Knights race through the woods. As they approach the beach Merimonwë hears something.
Two lizardfolk riding large reptile mounts burst through the brush. The mounts have a bony head and run on two powerful legs.
Gûltar readies for the charge. “This is one hornet’s nest we stirred up. Get to the boat, I’ll take these two out.”
Bandric unloads a stream of arrows while Tolok casts grease on the ground. The first mount slips on the grease and falls. The rider falls and gets trapped momentarily by its struggling mount. The second reptile mount is hit with arrows and is taken out by Gûltar’s ax. However, the lizardfolk rider hits Gûltar with its lance. The lizard dismounts the dying steed and continues to press Gûltar. A large wound on Gûltar’s shoulder bleeds.
Chalándril moves over to the first rider and knocks him out with her mace. Bandric turns to the fellow sizing up Gûltar and shoots him with arrows. The lizardfolk steps in and hits Gûltar with his spear. Gûltar counters with a deep ax chop to the lizardman’s shoulder. The rider falls to the ground dead. Blood spurting from the shoulder wound.
“Now you can loot Kotyka. We’ll get the boat into the water and away from the roots. Be quick.”
The Dungeon Knights return to the castle with the strange eggs. Kolas is very pleased. “These specimens will allow me to study the local lizardfolk and determine their threat level. I’ll suggest to the Baron to send some soldiers to finish off the site now that the major threats are removed. You have done well.”
-
Five sahuagin are swimming near the sea floor stalking a giant fish to bring back to their nest. The first sahuagin grabs his head and screams. The rear two sahuagin are pierced by spear points. A cloud of blood drifts out of their wounds. Through the red cloud is six gilled-lizardfolk armed with large spears. The remaining sauhagin reach for their weapons but are quickly struck down by the hulking lizardfolk. Finally, the lead sahuagin takes out a small shell, speaks a few strange words and vanishes before the aquatic lizardfolk can kill him.
Moments later, the sahuagin appears in the sea some distance from the fight. He takes the opportunity to swim towards the sea floor and towards cover. Then he travels back to his people’s lair. Arriving without food or his companions, the elders request his presence.
Inside a large cavern filled with seaweed woven beds and shells, several large sahuagin sit upon the nests. The survivor called Shellcracker swims to the center and bows to his superiors. The oldest elder speaks first, “Where are thy companions?”
“We were ambushed by the lizardfolk.”
“Where thou not in deep water outside the air-breathers’ range?”
“Yes elder, however, these were different. They had gills and were more adept in the water. Not like the others. I fear the lizardfolk are proving to be more dangerous, not just more aggressive.” Shellcracker scans the elders. “Not only can they breathe the water but they have new magic. The spell hurt my brain. It is a spell I am unfamiliar with.”
The council erupts in a cacophony of individual conversations. The chief elder grabs his speaker stone and pounds the rock. “Silence!” She looks at Shellcracker. “This new development cannot go unanswered. We must enact our preparations. The lizards must be slain to protect our hunting grounds. The lizards have desecrated our holy graveyard for the last time. Sharkspear, approach!”
A great sahuagin warrior swims into the council chambers. The chief elder commands, “Proceed with the assault as we discussed.”
The warrior bows and swims out. “Shellcracker, we thank thee for your information. Thou hast done well. Return to thy nestlings, rest and eat. We will have need of thy abilities again.”
Shellcracker bows deeply. “Yes, elders.” He turns and swims out of the chamber.
What do the Sahuagin have in store for the lizardfolk? Will the Knights’ attack on the nesting shrine bring more trouble to the fishing village? Find out next issue.
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Location: Fishing village in the Barony of Mhelkar
Dungeon Knight Roster:
Bandric (Human Ranger 7)
Chalándril (Half-human Cleric 7)
Gûltar (Dwarf Fighter 7)
Kotyka (Half-orc Rogue 7)
Merimonwë (Elf Sorcerer 7)
Tolok (Gnome Wizard/Conjurist 7)
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“Is this a reoccurring theme for us?” – Bandric
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