May 17th, 2021

Our brave adventurers listen to the rough voices of those on the floor below.  They are grateful that quick-thinking Fenmyar has rolled the barrel to block the hole, although the stench of these creatures rises up to nearly sicken them. Intrepid Galadin and brave Lexomel peek down and spy at least two troglodytes. The troglodytes have no easy way to climb up to where the heroes are because the stairs have burned to ashes. And thankfully the trogs currently seem unaware of the presence of our heroes.

Clever Fenmyar casts Thaumaturgy, making his voice boom a command to leave, and his magic flickers the torches carried by the reeking creatures. Our heroes can hear the panic from below, followed by distant splashes as they throw themselves into the canal in an effort to escape. Victory!

Our brave group members swing down carefully. Obsidian’s keen hearing picks up a distant moan, and the group is able to use their new gifts from the sea god, Talos, to track its source. Fenmyar, wearing his Ring of Water Walking, strides atop the water above the shadowy Jakama, who has plunged beneath the water wrapped in his Cloak of the Manta Ray. Recall: it grants him the ability to breath underwater and he no longer worries about drowning. Obsidian and Calista each whisper their individual words of control, and their Brooms of Flying rise into the air and travel to the mysterious sound’s source. Lexomel is able to balance on the narrow edge of the canal and makes it to the locked gate that holds the sad captive behind thick iron bars. Galadin is not so lucky! He tumbles into the canal, but fortunately he is able to swim. While at the canal’s bottom, however, he opens his new Bag of Holding and allows it to fill with 500 gallons of storm sewer water.

There behind the thick iron bars, the group spies good King Dugong’s subjects, the missing manatees! These brave but weepy creatures have been held captive by the evil troglodytes. They are thin and hungry. Fenmyar remembers he gathered some of the weeds he found on the island, and these he gladly shares with the grateful manatees.

Our heroes carefully examine the gate, and they discover a keyhole. No one in the group has thieves tools, so picking the lock is too great a challenge. Dripping, nimble Galadin climbs the bars to examine the top of the impeding gate while Jakama examines the submerged lower spikes.

Curses! Stuck fast top and bottom! The gate is too heavy to lift and its bars are too strong to bend. Drat! Each brave adventurer tries his best, but to no avail. Grrrr! What can be done to free the captives? Will the adventurers be able to save these poor manatees?