Glig

The town of Glig is an odd place. Smaller than Akin's Throat, the town is carved from coral and stone and set at a confluence of ancient tunnels. Armed kuo-toa guards keep the peace at each of the seven barred entrances and exits. This place seems untouched by ghoulish depredations; while most of the inhabitants and visitors are kuo-toa, a handful are traders from other underdark races as well, and the Defenders of Daybreak and their dwarven entourage are admitted by the gate guards without comment. The entire town is knee-deep in cold, dark water, and the lighting is... wrong. Grayish luminescent slugs crawl slowly across the walls, giving the place a feel like the bottom of the ocean. Shapes seem strange to the Defenders, and the ripples in the oily water scatter the grayish light at odd angles. The smell of the town is intense, an odor redolent of rotting seafood that is slightly reminiscent of Lord Griggan's basement in Eversink, and even conversation echoes unexpectedly off the water and walls. One thing that seems strange to Priggle and Velendo is that there is almost no decoration or ornamentation at all on any the buildings, not even carvings or sculptures. Only Burr-Lipp the bullywug gladiator seems entirely at ease.

As the group splits up to look around, Shaw bids them farewell. "They're allowing me to head down to the city of Glubyal this evening," he says as he gestures towards a particular gate with a calloused hand. "I'm to meet with the Sea King Blel-Plibbit. It ought to be quite an experience."

"What are you going to say to him?" asks Velendo curiously.

"I'm not sure," admits Shaw huskily. "I just want to meet him and learn about his kingdom. Maybe I'll see you there?"

Nolin thinks of the fact that the kuo-toa Sea King is allied with the ghouls, and hides a frown. "Maybe. Be careful."

Shaw laughs, showing his prominent tusks. "I always am. Not to worry, I'm a survivor." He smiles and hefts his pack onto his broad shoulders as he turns to leave. His voice trails back. "I'll speak to them about your passage as well." Malachite gazes after him.

"I hope he's not going to betray us."

Mara laughs. "Not a chance. He was a nice guy. You worry too much."

As the group splashes and wades from stall to stall, they subtly begin to gather rumors about the city of Glubyal. Nolin has just finished purchasing a lobster woman souvenier for his daughter when he meets up with the others. "Hey, you guys want some raw fish?" He has a fish-on-a-stick as a snack, flopping back and forth with dead eyes every time Nolin moves his hands.

"Eww, no!" Mara looks at it suspiciously as Stone Bear reaches forward to try a bite. Nolin has eaten about half of it.

"You don't know what you're missing," the bard assures her. He flicks a speck of fish off of his golden battlecloak and takes it back from Stone Bear. "You should try new things, Mara. It's got eel paste on it and everything, and it's really tasty."

Stone Bear raises his head, and Mara shivers as she looks into his eye sockets. "Nolin's right," the shaman agrees. "It's quite good."

Galthia catches Nolin's eye and changes the subject. "What did you learn?"

"It's like this," Nolin explains. He raises his right hand, palm up. "They're in the middle of an uprising. On one side is the Sea King Blel-Plibbit, the rightful ruler and supposed chosen mate of the Sea Mother, the Goddess Blibdoolpoolp herself. That's probably just propaganda and part of the title, but we shouldn't take chances. He's been aiding and supplying the ghouls, giving them slaves and supplies and free passage in exchange for wealth and gifts."

Mara snorts prettily. "Slaves and supplies are probably the same thing."

"Exactly." He raises his left hand, palm up, letting the fish-on-a-stick dangle. "Opposed to him is someone named Monitor Thoobel. As far as I can tell Thoobel was someone powerful in the hierarchy until he went completely insane. Now he's claiming that the Sea King has betrayed Blibdoolpoolp by working with the ghouls. He's led about a third of the city up in revolt, and wants to take the throne and crown for himself."

Tao wrinkles her nose as an especially odiferous kuo-toa splashes past. "Sounds like that's our man. Fish. Whatever."

"I think you may be right, although he's supposed to be less than stable."

Malachite raises an eyebrow. "So? These creatures are evil and cruel. While we can't wipe them out entirely, we can leave them destabilized. Even better, with Thoobel in charge they will be a bulwark against further ghoulish expansion."

Velendo coughs. "Well, let's see what happens. Maybe the Sea King will be a kind and reasonable individual, and he'll gladly stop dealing with the White Kingdom." Everyone laughs quietly. "Everyone remember why we're going here in the first place?"

Nolin's eyes glaze as he lowers his arms. "I hate stupid prophecies. I've decided that they don't apply to me any more."

Agar looks up at his friend. "Umm, I don't think that's your decision to make. When the earth spirit Silissa helped us, we effectively agreed to help rescue her sister from the Shrine of the Glass Pool, remember? Is that in Glubyal some place?"

Splinder the dwarf snorts. "It damn well better be," he rumbles.

Nolin nods. "I believe it is, although I don't have details yet. I think it's in the middle of the city someplace. We'll find the building, do what we need to do, and get the heck out of here."

"So whadda we need to do there?"

"Remember? I'm not listening to prophecy, so I have no idea. Someone else can figure it out."

Velendo sighs.

"We have to find and free Silissa's sister. Maybe we can just ask the King for her, but I doubt it. We don't know how she's trapped or what she looks like; maybe she's a slave, or chained up, or something. But Silissa was extremely powerful, so anything that can contain her sister probably isn't going to be a pushover."

Agar tugs on Galthia's sleeve. "Err.. is it just me, or are we being watched by those kuo-toa?" Galthia glances over, and sees one of the kuo-toa guards staring at them with huge, unblinking fish eyes. The slime on its skin glistens in the rippling gray light.

"Yes, it's watching us. Just ignore it."

Agar gestures briefly, squints, and concentrates. "It doesn't seem to be reading our minds, at least."

"Let's keep moving." The group keeps moving as the stroll from stall to stall, splashing through the cold water. At a stall selling pearls, Priggle's wrinkles become more pronounced as he frowns deeply. "Now there are two of them watching us. They probably hate deep gnomes. Or perhaps they love them, and want a change from a fish diet."

Agar contradicts him. "Three. See that one over there?" As they talk, a fourth kuo-toa stops what it is doing and starts staring at the surface dwellers.

"I've had enough of this." Malachite strides over towards them, but they turn and slowly move away. Malachite cuts one off and questions it in undercommon, but it says nothing, just staring at him unblinkingly. Frustrated, Malachite allows it to move on, but in a few minutes five or six kuo-toa have focused their attention on the group.

"That's really annoying," complains the Hunter of the Dead.

Nolin nods in agreement. "I tried to question a shop keeper. I think he suggested that we were strangers, so they don't trust us. I don't think it's anything more sinister than that."

Stone Bear lifts a sopping wet boot. "Let's get out of their sight. What do you say we find a place to sleep for the night?"

* * *

There is no place to set up the Flickering Needle, their Daern's Instant Fortress, and interdimensional spells like Calphas' Comfortable Castle still don't work. Thus, a half hour later finds the group dickering for lodging in one of the three cave-riddled inns that line the outer walls of Glig. Finally they slog up an upwards-sloping passageway and enter a dry stone room with not a bit of furniture in it. The grumbling dwarves head to their own rooms next door, and the Defenders of Daybreak sit down heavily on the hard floor once Velendo and Agar cast some wards on the open doorways. Nolin's flaming hair and several magical items provide the only light. The flame quickly warms the cold and clammy air.

"You know," says Velendo contemplatively as he looks looks briefly out into space, "I'd never have guessed I'd be here." He empties the water out of one sodden boot, and starts wringing out his dripping socks.

"What do you mean?" asks Malachite as he loosens his armor. "Ahh, that's better. Mara, let me help you with yours."

"Ten years ago, I was the cleric of some little tiny village you've never heard of, and I'd never cast a miracle in my life. But Calphas had different plans for me." He gazes up through miles of rock towards what must be the sky. "You did, didn't you? Ha ha, very funny." His guardian angel Cruciel materializes silently behind him as he continues. "And now, look where I am! Deep below the earth in a kuo-toa hotel, on my way to overthrow a city before continuing on to stop some horrible ghoulish empire." The old man shakes his head. "It's hard to credit. And stupidly enough, everyone thinks I'm some sort of saint."

Silence, save for the crackling of the fire and the distant dripping of water. Then Tao says what everyone else is thinking. "Velendo? You are some kind of saint."

"No I'm not! Stop saying that. You have to be dead to be a Saint."

"You were a proxy of Calphas years ago, when the comet came and we stopped Imbindarla's plan the first time," points out Nolin in a reasonable tone of voice. "You were your God's representative made flesh. I kind of think that counts." The paladins nod in agreement.

"Oh yeah?" Velendo glares at them as he cracks his arthritic knuckles. He looks back up at the ceiling and addresses his God. "Well, what do You think? I know what You think. You think You're pretty funny, that's what."

"You know," says Cruciel from behind him, "we can hear you when you do that." Velendo rounds on her with a panicked look on his face.

"You mean 'we' us, right?" he asks. "Those of us right here."

Cruciel looks amused beneath her beatific expression. "No, 'we' the celestial host. When you pray or talk to your God, we can all hear." Velendo's eyes bulge.

"So every time.."

Clariel nods, with no trace of a smile. Her wings rustle against the stone. "Every time. Everyone quite enjoys you." Velendo looks appalled.

"I didn't think that... I hope that..." He swallows. "EVERY time?" He swallows again. "Ummm," he begins uncomfortably. "Look, God, I hope that I haven't been too... you know, frivolous or disrespectful. When I complain I'm not really..." He glances over at Cruciel, ignoring his fellow party members, all of whom are in silent hysterics on the stone floor. "Really?" There is a shred of disbelief in his query.

Cruciel cocks her head and spreads her wings. "Really, but don't worry. Calphas loves you because of who you are, and in His way he keeps up his part of the conversation. If he disliked your talks with him, I'm sure he'd let you know." Velendo begins to relax. "And the angels hardly gossip about you at all." The old cleric's head snaps back up, but Cruciel is staring idly into the fire of Nolin's hair.

"Gossip?" His tone is plaintive. Velendo turns to glare at his friends, rolling back and forth with laughter. "Oh, shut up."

* * *

The next day the group gets an early start, and is passed through a gate and sent towards Glubyal with remarkably little bureaucracy or trouble. They trot down a smooth and sloping tunnel, and talk about what challenges they might find ahead. Early on they pass a backwards and upwards-sloping side tunnel, but with some discussion and some trepidation they decide not to investigate... especially when Tao confirms that there aren't any tracks near it. In fact, the only tracks she finds in the main tunnel are probably Shaw's.

Hours into the trek, always traveling downwards, Nolin stops the group with an upraised hand. "Shhh!" he cautions and turns around to face the tunnel they've descended. A sharp breeze has risen, blowing back his burning hair, and a dull rumble can be felt. "What's that?"

"Treachery," mouths Malachite in disappointment, but he doesn't sound surprised. Beside him Stone Bear vanishes into the stone floor of the tunnel, even as other members of the group brace themselves for whatever monster or trap may appear down the long tunnel. Velendo peers into the darkness with his 60' of darkvision, a prayer on his lips, ready to cast as soon as he sees what approaches.

Really, he doesn't expect it to be a solid wall of water moving at almost 70 miles an hour. That's something of a surprise, because it's moving far faster than he had anticipated.

"Flash flood!" someone shouts, but Velendo has already begun his prayer.

"Calphas, help me bring forth a Wall of Forbltht! Blb! Achblblthbthblthhggablthbthlbth!" Before he can finish the spell, the water smashes into him – into everyone – and he is thrown backwards and swept along, the breath crushed from his lungs.