Chapter 4: The Waters of Menehune

Regan walks towards the falls, pausing as he glances around.

"The imp seems to have gone off on its own."

With that, he steps into the cascading water and lets it wash away the wounds, the pain, and the fatigue.

"Aye, and I think I would have stayed there, if not for Regan," Admiral responds to Jin’s comment about ‘going through hell’, thinking of the disturbing visions he saw in the midst of his near-death-experience. Placing a hand on Reaver’s hilt, he braces himself and reluctantly steps into the falls. He stumbles out a few moments later, waterlogged and miserable about it, but feeling significantly stronger than he had minutes prior. He shakes himself dry as the fey children swarm out of the underbrush and surround the fossergrim.

He is busy wringing out the tattered tails of his coat when Regan points out that the imp is missing. He looks around, startled. "The ungrateful little wretch must have gone to find the treasure on his own!" he says, annoyed. "We should hurry and go after him."

Admiral, Regan, and Cordey are soon met with jubilant cheers of the fey children. After surrounding the fossergrim, they swarm the heroes in a gleeful frenzy, their small, webbed hands tugging gently at cloaks, weapons, and armor. On many of them, in their excitement, seaweed-like hair shimmers with a bioluminescent glow.

"You saved him!" squealed one child, her large, fish-like eyes sparkling with delight. Another darted around Admiral, practically dancing on the mossy floor. "The hag is gone! The hag is gone! The fossergrim is safe!"

The one with the red-tinted hair leaps atop a rock, her melodic voice rising above the noise. "Listen, listen up, everyone! We should thank our heroes properly!" At her declaration, the fey children erupt into cheers and claps, and several immediately begin to perform.

One child creates shimmering, watery orbs that float into the air and burst into tiny rainbows. Another twirls with hypnotic grace, her movements causing bioluminescent patterns to ripple across her seaweed hair.

The one with the headband steps forward, balancing delicately on a raised rock and whistles a clear, haunting tune that echoes beautifully in the cave and brings out a pattern of rhythm in the rushing falls.

The red tint-haired fey, however, hops up next to her whistling friend, interupting her and standing confidently. "No, no! This is not enough!" she declares, placing her small hands on her hips and addressing the adventurers directly. "You must stay in our sleepover hall tonight! We’ll have a big feast with all the best berries from our garden! You'll love, love, love them!"

The headband-wearing fey chimes in, nodding enthusiastically. "Yes! We’ll make sure you’re comfortable. And the berries we grow are the best ever!—they’ll fill you with energy for days!"

The children buzz with excitement, some trying to pull the adventurers toward the tunnels leading to their garden. Admiral finds himself surrounded by a gaggle of tiny hands patting his coat and tail, their cheerful laughter drowning out any protests he might try to make. Regan, meanwhile, is cornered by three small fey showing off acrobatics, trying to outdo each other in somersaults and cartwheels.

The fossergrim, now fully restored, watches the scene with a gentle smile, his serene presence seeming to amplify the joy. "They mean well," he says warmly to Cordey. "You have given them back their home and their freedom. Their gratitude knows no bounds. And," he adds with a faint chuckle, "the berries truly are excellent."

One small voice pipes up, saying to Cordey with big eyes llooking directly at the half sea-elf, "You’ll love it! You have to stay!"

Admiral frowns at the discussion of the berries. He isn’t sure accepting food from the fey is such a good idea, however benevolent or well-intentioned they seem. He lifts his tail up out of reach and tries to shake off the children clinging to his coat. "Er, maybe later. There’s an imp on the loose in there right now and we need to go find him before he starts any trouble. Right, Regan? Cordey?"

Regan had turned to be able to watch the displays of gratitude, a smile creeping onto his face -- not that anyone could likely see it through the downpour of the falls. When Admiral mentions the imp, the man closes his eyes and sighs before stepping out of the water, absolutely drenched.

"Unfortunately, you aren't wrong Admiral. I know you kids have your spot back, but as long as that imp is running around I can't consider you all safe."

Stepping back up onto the stone with a slosh, he looks to big Cordey. "Maybe one of us stays here, in case the imp doubles back? No disrespect to our new friend here --" with that, Regan nods to the Fossergrim "-- but I'd feel better if there were two people in fighting shape, since we don't actually know much about the imp or what it can do."

Cordey looks at Regan and then down at the little fey who stares at him with large pleading eyes. He suddenly realizes that he is holding the little fey's hand. It is an amusing sight to see such a large elf towering over the tiny adorable creature and yet still managing to hold her webbed hand. Slightly embarrassed in front of his companions, but without the heart to say no to the little one Cordey, instead repies, "Yes Regan. I should stay and maje sure it is safe here."

...Admiral and Regan head cautiously to the hag’s chamber. As they get close they hear the sound of curses and muffled crashes echoing through the damp tunnel. Making to the hag's chamber they see it in disarray, a chaotic mess in fact. Broken trinkets and shards of fragile objects litter the floor, glittering in the faint candlelight. A faint smell of burnt seaweed hangs in the air, likely the result of an overzealous blast of the imp's infernal magic in frustration.

A secret chamber behind the seaweed headboard of the hag’s bed has been torn open, its once-hidden treasures now strewn haphazardly across the room. Jewelry glints among the debris, shattered glass catches the light, and strange artifacts. Among the wreckage, the party hears a high-pitched, frantic voice—switching between common and a hellish guttural language—punctuated by the sharp sound of metal striking stone.

"Where is it!? Where is it!? That ugly-faced wretch—she must’ve stashed it here!" the imp snarls stepping momentarily out from the hidden chamber and back into the bed chamber, his tail lashing in agitation as he tosses another item over his shoulder. A delicate porcelain figurine shatters against the floor. He seems oblivious to the approaching heroes. "If I don’t find it, I swear by the Nine Hells, I’ll—" His tirade cuts off as he dives back into the hidden chamber, disappearing from view.

As the party steps further in, their attention is drawn to the grotesque statue resembling the hag herself. Standing at the edge of the room, it is carved from dark stone, its seaweed-like hair frozen in flowing tendrils and its gnarled fingers twisted into a menacing pose. At first glance, it appears to be just another eerie decoration left behind by the hag.

But then, the statue moves.

The sound of grinding stone can be heard in the chamber as the statue lurches forward, its joints creaking with unnatural life. A mossy glow from the walls along with dim candlelight shift shadows across its rough surface, making its grotesque features even more terrifying. Its hollow eyes seem to burn with faint green light.

The imp, still engrossed in his frantic search, remains oblivious to the looming threat. Its voice drifts out from the hidden chamber, shrill with frustration. "Where is it? I’ll rip this entire lair apart if I have to!" Another object—a gilded comb—sails out of the hidden chamber, narrowly missing Admiral’s ear.

The statue inches closer to the secret chamber, its heavy footsteps move slowly but with deliberate intent. The party sees the impending danger clearly, the animated golem-like guardian closing in on the unaware imp. Its stone fingers flex, ready to strike. It is fixed on the secret chamber and is either unaware of Admiral and Regan's presense or does not care.

"Want to let it deal with our imp problem first?" Regan asks quietly, drawing his warhammer from the ethereal into his hand.

Admiral draws his swords. "It’s tempting, but I think we’d better step in," he answers Regan. He whistles to get the imp’s attention and simultaneously darts forward to strike the hideous statue in the back of the head with Reaver.

"Okay but why though?"

"Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to be rid of the damn imp too, but I can’t just stand by and watch him get murdered by this ugly statue," Admiral answers Regan, taking another swing at the statue. "I mean, he’s exceptionally annoying, but I don’t think that’s a crime that ought to be punishable by death."

The statue steps up onto the bed, which is becoming engulfing in flames, likely from a former flaming tantrum of the imp. The ugly stone guardian heads toward the flaming opening in the seaweed headboard, behind which the imp curses and tosses items into the bed chamber from the secret chamber.



Admiral's whistling draws the attention of the statue, but its alert comes just as Reaver slams into its stone frame chipping away a piece of the thing's shoulder. (Statue takes 14 damage)



The imp's head pokes out of the hole in the headboard. "Huh!?", it says in surprise.

The statue retaliates and heaves itself off the bed directly into Admiral. (Admiral: 15 damage) After it heaves its form into Admiral it lands and slams a stone arm into Admiral's torso. (Admiral: 14 + 7 = 21 damage)

"Oh...Really now!?" huffs the imp in frustration. A blast of flame emits from the imp's claw. The flame flies over the bed and engulfs the statue. The demon then becomes invisible.

The flame quickly dissipates and seems to have not hindered the statue.
Stats

Intitiative:
Admiral
Statue
Imp
Regan


Admiral--Current HP: 23, Temp HP: 0, PP: 0/4, Pact Tally: 170/400. HD: (5d8, 1d8)

Regan--Current HP: 78, Temp HP: 0, Pact Tally: 0/150, HD: (3d10, 3d8)

Imp -- HP: 12
Statue -- HP: 66

"It's an imp." Regan's comment comes in a way implying his meaning is self-explanatory.

Nevertheless, he steps forward and swings his eldritch warhammer at the statue.

Regan's warhammer hits the statue just after the statue slams into Admiral. Upon his warhammer's impact, a deafening boom shakes the cave chamber, causing rubble to fall from the ceiling and walls as well as causing the scattered treasures to rattle on the floor. The statue flies backward from the impact of Regan's crushing blow. Its heavy stone form lands on the flaming bed and the burning bed collapses under the weight of the statues forceful impact.


Stats

Intitiative:
Admiral
Statue
Imp
Regan


Admiral--Current HP: 23, Temp HP: 0, PP: 0/4, Pact Tally: 170/400. HD: (5d8, 1d8)

Regan--Current HP: 78, Temp HP: 0, Pact Tally: 0/150, HD: (3d10, 3d8)

Imp -- HP: 12
Statue -- HP: 23

Still winded from the heavy impacts to his chest and torso, Admiral staggers back a few steps, clutching his bruised ribs, and targets the statue with a pair of eldritch blasts laced with necrotic energy.