Following their short rest, the party discussed what options they had regarding the newly-found tunnel. From what they could see, it was impossible to tell how far it went, if they were being led into an ambush by the fish monsters or if there was any breathable air along the way. Lilvari finally decided to head into the tunnel and take a better look. 

She ducked beneath the surface and made her way forward. The water was freezing and murky, and it didn’t take long for her fingers, which were gliding along the rock ceiling of the tunnel, to go numb. In her head, she tried to keep an estimate on how far she’d gone, knowing that some of her fellow adventurers couldn’t hold their breath quite as long as her. At about the ninety-foot mark, she stopped. Ahead was nothing but more of the same — endless tunnel with no pockets of air. Afraid of going too far, she turned back.

She suggested to the others that they perhaps take a longer rest in hopes that Droop might be able to invent some sort of breathing apparatus that they could all use to advance further along the tunnel. The thief they rescued looked concerned at this idea. Eyes wide he asked,  “What about Tasha? You… you have to hurry. If she’s still alive, who knows what horrible things they’re doing to her.”

Lilvari tried calming him down. She told him that they must rest if there’s any chance of saving her… and keeping themselves alive in the process. The thief nodded in understanding though it was easy to tell that this news upset him. 

Over the next several hours, Droop toiled over how to create something that could help them all breathe underwater. Given the materials he had on hand and his skill level, he wasn’t able to come up with anything. Fortunately, the group came up with several other options. Ultorin mentioned the stoppered glass bottles. Perhaps they’d be able to hold an extra breath of air that they could inhale while heading through the tunnel. Mystic mentioned the rope from the fish monster’s harpoon. Tying it together with her own rope and Ultorin’s rope, maybe they’d be able to pull themselves through the tunnel at a quicker pace. This idea, while accepted, had one catch: Someone would have to go first and attach the rope to something on the other side. Again, Lilvari offered. Ultorin used his psychic abilities to open up Lilvari’s mind to telepathy. This way he could communicate with her should she run into trouble.

Preparations made, Lilvari tied the rope around her waist and cast Darkness on herself. She burst through the tunnel as fast as she could, while Dare held onto the other end of the rope. The tunnel seemed to go on forever. After more than a minute, she finally saw ahead of her the slightest pulse of glowing green light, marking the end of the tunnel. She followed it to the surface. She was in a large, dark cavern — dark except for the pulsing green light, which seemed to be coming from somewhere to her right. A deep, gutteral chant echoed around her. The source seemed to be in the same direction. Though hard to make out from where she tred water, she could see the silhouettes of three fish monsters standing on a high ridge about seventy feet away. They seemed to be performing a ritual. In front of them, half hidden from Lilvari’s view was the source of the green glow — a stone statue.

The creatures were occupied. Good. It gave her time to search out the area, which proved extremely useful because not far ahead of her, she saw four more fish monsters. They were mostly submerged in the water, keeping watch in a semi-circle. She might have been seen if not for her darkness.

Suddenly, there was a quick tug on the rope. Lilvari was pulled back towards the tunnel, her head slamming into its rocky surface.

Fucking Dare. One of these times, his jokes were going to get one of them killed. She looked back in the tunnel’s direction, hoping Dare could feel her icy stare. That’s when she noticed a small nub of rock above the tunnel. She untied the rope  from around her waist and affixed it to the nub. She remembered that there was a similar piece of rock jutting above the tunnel’s entrance on the other side. Through telepathy she told Ultorin to tie the rope to it. Then she told them to make their way forward. She had a plan.

Everyone swam through to the cavern, using the rope to pull themselves along quickly enough to not run out of air. Those who needed additional breath made use of the glass jars. One by one they surfaced quietly. Lilvari pointed in the direction of the creatures keeping watch. Mercarri noticed the way the creatures were positioned: A semi-circle — as if they were guarding or protecting something of importance.

The party readied themselves to attack. All at once, they sprang into action. Though at a disadvantage in the twenty-feet deep water, stealth allowed them to surprise their foes and level the playing field. Nazzeth floated out of the water and hovered thirty feet above, surprising not only the enemies, but the rest of the adventurers as well. 

While everyone attacked the fish monsters, Mystic transformed into a crocodile and swam towards the stone ridge that led up to the statue. As she did, Droop quickly constructed a small cannon with spiderly legs and had it grip onto her for the ride — creating a sight not only to behold but strike fear into the hearts of her enemies: A crocodile with a freakin’ cannon strapped to its back. 

Lilvari’s darkness was dispelled by one of the fish monsters performing the ritual. This one in particular seemed slightly larger than the others, was adorned in jewelry and seemed to be wearing strange dark bluish, purple gloves that emitted a soft glow. Lilvari headed towards the ridge and towards the magic-casting fish monster. Dare, using his Boots of Striding and Springing, leapt from the water to the ledge and followed Lilvari. Meanwhile, the others continued to assault the fish monsters. Nazzeth attacked the magic-casting fish monster from thirty feet above, while Ultorin delivered devastating attacks with his psychic blades. In all four fish monsters were slain. The remaining three stood in front of the stone statue as the adventurers started to close in.