Chapter 4: The Waters of Menehune

"Indeed!" agrees Admiral, eager to get going too. He counts out eight gold pieces for Martin and gestures to the catamaran. "Is this the skiff?"

"This is the one," replies Martin. "Cordey has done a good job keeping it in top shape. You all should fit nicely. You can raise the sail or four of you could row from the pontoons. Two on each side."

He sees Admiral counting gold. "Let's not worry about that considering the nature of your journey. After all, Cordey is accompanying you. Let's hope you return successful and then you can have Hideaway take care of the needs of that splendid brig of yours."

He pauses in contemplation. "I imagine it could take you 12 hours to get up that river. I wish I could tell you more about what you may find, but I cannot. Just remember fey are cunning."

Admiral beams when Martin calls the Whisker ‘splendid’. "Aye, she is splendid, isn’t she? The prettiest ship on the whole Sea of Dread! If you’d like to get started on repairs and such while we’re gone, you can talk to Sherwood— he’s the ship’s carpenter— and ask him what maintenance he thinks the ship needs."

Martin happily agrees with conferring with Sherwood on any repairs The Whisker may need.

It's noon by the time the party gets on way. Taking the skiff out of Martin's shipyard, everyone feels the warm noontime sun shines brightly on the beautiful river. A gentle peaceful mist cradles lush tropical vegetation. Ancient stone structures can be seen under the clear green blue waters, revealing that some of the structures in the Hideaway shipyard were built around and utilize these similar ancient structures that are still above the waters.

Traveling further up the river, the river winds frequently and occasionally smaller brooks extend from the main river way. The river varies from wide areas to more narrow and the water depth varies as well. There doesn't seem like there is anyway the circus ship could navigate this river...by natural means.



A one point a colorful school of fish surround the skiff. As the fish follow the boat a few make arcing leaps out of the water. Everyone is convinced that the fish, although briefly, turned their heads and said a quick "hello!" as they leapt through the air.

Not long after the encounter with the talking fish the river makes another bend ahead and the party hears some commotion echoing off the water. It sounds like playing children laughing and taunting each other.

Cordey says to the party, "This river is fey magical we need to be on our best of guard." as he keeps the lantern up and handy.

Admiral leans over the side of the skiff to peer into the water, fascinated by the fish darting around below the surface. The tip of his tail twitches as he resists the feline instinct to swipe at them with his claws. He looks up at the sound of laughter up ahead and narrows his eyes. "…Aye, let’s proceed carefully."

The skiff rounds the bend in the river. Up ahead a group of what looks like small children splash on the river bank in a playful manner. Others climb trees and dive into the water. Still others swim in the river, submerging and then rising above the waterline. Though they resemble humanoid children, none of these creatures are much taller than two feet tall. As the boat gets close enough everyone can make out that their faces have round cheeks and large fish-like eyes; their hair is the colors and texture of seaweed. Gills are visible on their necks. Their skin is slick and varies between the colors of blue and green. Many have webbed fingers and toes. There is at least 20 of them.

One in a tree with bright red tints in seaweed like hair points in the direction of the skiff and shouts to the others, "Look! Look! A boat! Disappear we should!"

Another wearing a head band looks in the pointed direction and exclaims, "Boat? No disappear. Maybe a boat knows how to get our play spot back."

The skiff at its present speed will be surrounded by these swimming aquatic fey in less than 5 minutes.

"Well aren't you rugrats delightful," Regan interjects. "Now what's this about a play spot that needs gettin' back?"

As the boat pulls near the water fey many disappear by diving under the water. Others who are in trees lithely climb higher and peer apprehensively from behind large tropical leaves. Only the two that spoke when the skiff approached remain in plain sight. The red haired fey is still in a tree while the hairband wearing fey remains in the water. The later is the one who responds to Regan.

"You are not a boat. You are a human." She looks around the skiff. "Lot's of humans."

She stops on Admiral, "Not you...Hi kitty." She waves at Admiral.

"Our play spot? It's the most wonderful place in the babbling brook falls." She nearly dances on the water as she says wonderful. Her voice chirps the words like a melody woven with laughter. "And Aldrin the Fossergrim plays music for us there. He's our friend and protects us and the falls." She says proudly.

Then her tone turns somber and is pained as she continues, "But the hag captured him and forces him to play for her. She chased us out and took our play spot. Now the nasty nasty Sahuagin protect her and guard the entrance to the brook up the river. She doesn't let anyone in to the brook."

Regan sits silently in contemplation for a few long moments. His eyes flit to Cordey, then to Admiral. "Maybe we should go say hi."

The red seaweed haired fey jumps into the water from the tree, swims next to the one who spoke, nudges her, and points at the lantern.

"Oh..." says the other fey as she looks up at the lantern in response to the nudge.

Cordey says after hearing so much, "I can't see anything other than that myself. Something needs to be done."

Admiral waves back at the water fey, amused.

He shrugs to Regan and Cordey. "I don’t see any harm in diverting course a little to help a few fish-kids."

He says to the water fey, "Looks like we’ll help you get your spot and your friend back. So where’s this brook of yours?"

The the hairband wearing fey's eyes go even wider than they were previously. She beams with joy. "So you will help us!?"

Without waiting for a response the fey exclaims to the others hiding. "They will help us, the humans, the boat, and the kitty! They will help!!"

Many fey suddenly surface from under the water. Others dive from trees into the river. They surround the boat cheering and laughing. There are numerous thank yous, yays, and chants about our play space heard.

Over the clamorous sounds of the happy fey, the hairband wearing one relates the location of the brook, "The entrance to our babbling brook is more up the river. Not far. But the mean ugly Sahuagin are there. They're watching the river for the hag."

Then she says as an aside with a grimace on her face, "She likes to eat humans."

"Well, that's great news since I for one absolutely hate being eaten," Regan laughs. "Makes sure I'm extra motivated to put a stop to that hag's troublemaking."

With a flick of his wrist, Regan will summon his warhammer. Taking a more serious tone, he addresses the children. "Alright, it's settled. We're going to try to get your play spot back. We may fail, but it won't be for lack of effort. That being said... you all stay here for now. You need to stay safe, and stay out of the way of the fighting. Is that understood?"

There is a hint of exasperation on Admiral’s face as the water fey refers to him as ‘the kitty’ again, but his annoyance is quickly replaced by curiosity as he watches Regan summon his warhammer out of thin air. He’s never seen anyone else do something like that before except for himself and Ebzer...

Big Cordey looks to be agreeing and looks on to the rest of the crew.

At Regan's command the water fey children nod eagerly, their eyes wide with excitement. "Yes. We understand." says the hairband wearing fey, "Nola and me, Falli, we make sure no one gets in the fighting." she adds earnestly.

The rest of the fey mutter amongst themselves in hushed voices of a mixture of excitement and awe regarding the party that is to be their rescuers.

With that the party gets the boat moving again up the river.

...

It's not long before three Sahuagin are visible resting on rocks and sun bathing in the shallows near the entrance of the brook off the river's right bank. They see the boat (that's about 100 yards away from them) and hasten to grab their jagged multi blade spears.

"They seem friendly," Admiral remarks cheerfully as he leans on the rudder, steering the skiff closer to the Sahuagin.

Cordey says. "Yeah. Probably play with their victims." as he readies himself for combat.