Move 163:  Looking in the Water

The Blue Garl Cavern--Morning, 4 Eleint 1374 DR

Jana and Arachne walked up the slight slope until the point where the path ended.  The rest of the group could see the them standing on the rock ledge, peering into the water.  Jana crouched down and held the light closer.  She poked at the water with her sword.

A large head attached to a long serpentine body rose swiftly out of the water and snapped at Jana, giving her a close look at its sharp teeth.  It did not manage to catch her in its bite, which was fortunate since the creature looked capable of easily dragging her into the water if it caught her.

Azrun screamed at Jana and Arachne, "You guys get the hell out of there!"  He then started casting a spell watching the serpent intently.

Aloysius cast a spell at the beastie.

Arachne rocked back as the serpent-thing appeared.  She retreated a few steps down the slight slope, hoping that Jana would do the same.

Jana made a high-pitch "Eeep!" noise and swung at the creature with her sword.

"Damn!" Arachne muttered, now a couple of paces behind Jana.  More loudly, she shouted, "Couldn't we just retreat?"

Echo followed Azrun and Aloysius' lead and cast a spell.

Blacky rushed toward the beastie, axe in hand.

Renn hoisted his longbow, with an arrow nocked and on the watery foe.

Aloysius, Azrun, and Echo unleashed a barrage of magic missiles on the water creature.  Jana hacked into it with her sword.  Renn's arrow shot flew wide, but the damage inflicted by the others was enough to dissuade the monster. The neck and head splashed back into the water and disappeared from view well before Blacky could reach the spot where Jana and Arachne stood.

"C'mon back, y'sumbitch!" Jana growled.  She remained in a half-crouch, sword ready, for a moment.  When nothing happened, she crouched down once more to look for whatever it was that had drawn her attention in the first place.

"Move away, Janathell!" called Aloysius.  "Mystra knows what else may reside in yon pool."

"How about instead of goading the huge sea monster into a fight, we just toss a corpse or two into the pool an kill two proverbial birds with one stone?" Daelen suggested.

Echo headed after Blacky to make sure Jana and Arachne were okay.

"It's a ring," Arachne told her.  "A golden (or brass) ring that is still on the last hand that wore it.  It may not even be magical..."

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