Session Note 4: Dealing with Kuo-Toa

    Rushan acted as a water taxi to quickly swim a pair of air-breathers from the prison, through the Lair of the Lev'necks, and finally to the edge of the Kuo-toa Dry Village cave. He did not mind at all, but many of the party members muttered that they needed to come up with a better solution, as it took 4 trips and there was some worry that mischief might happen while the party was seperated.

    However, there were no unexpected encounters. Squart watched the back-and-forth with an air of bemusment, making tsk-tsk noises and commenting about how blessed he was to be a Kuo-toa and not so sadly limited in breathing options. 

    The edge of the water had some small amount of sand, but was mostly gravel and bare rock. The huge cavern roof that housed the Dry Village was covered in splotches of glowing fungus, which gave the entire area about as much light as dusk - it was quite forboding and smelled terrible.

    There was a huge forest of what looked like giant, woody mushrooms, each one at least thirty feet tall, before the damp group. There were strange echoes and sounds on the gentle breeze that flowed consistantly in their faces.

    "Let us po," Squart said, and began to walk into the mushroom woods.

    Squart explained quietly as they walked that they would have no trouble getting to the smithy run by Croat. "His shop is on this side of the villape, behind a berb to dabpen the noise of his forpe. It's still pretty loud thouph, even with the dirt wall," he explained.

    Ozzy nodded as he listened for it, but nobody else could hear the distant forge. "There's a group ahead of us. Sounds like lumberjacks," Ozzy cautioned.

    Sure enough, after a few more minutes, they came upon 6 people working with axes and saws amoung the tree-like mushrooms. The group was a good 100 feet away, but easily discernable in the twilight. The workers were all Vinci wearing rags. Two Kuo-toa with weapons in-hand watched the Vinci work and hailed Squart with raised weapons.

    Squart waved to the other Kuo-toa, while speaking quietly to the group, "I will just act like you are by slaves, like theb, and no one will bother us." He seemed quite pleased with his idea.

    Looking at the slaves, slowing working, with misery writ large on their faces, the party members began to speak furiously in whispers with one another.

    "This is not cool," Zafirah said angrily. "We must take care of this later."

    Rushan sounded very sad and yet hopeful at the same time as he said, "I want to free them."

    "Bullies," hissed Zarek. "These Kuo-toa are nothing but bullies." He looked thoughful after a moment and added: "Or do you think this is all the Mistresses work and not that of the Kuo-toa?"

    Alba shrugged. "This is their land and their culture. Theirs is not the same morality as ours."

    "It's still wrong," Zarek said with heat.

    Garrison tried to calm some of the anger being expressed in the group. "The Mistress is the goal right now. We must remember that. We could be jumped by two villages of Kuo-toa and her magic if we act now."

    Ozzy nodded. "Yeah, I'd like to free the slaves, but not if doing so gets us killed. That helps nobody. And how would we do it?"

    "Perhaps subtefurge?" offered Alba.

    "Yeah, we might be able to smuggle them out," Ozzy said thoughfully.

    "All of them? I don't see how that would work," Uruk said with a frown. "We need a better plan than that. One that ends this very dishonorable practice for all of the slaves, not just a few."

    "Maybe we can blow the caves up and let them out that way," Min said hopefully, rubbing his hands in anticipation. 

    "No," several of the party answered him at once.

    Verdi was quite flippant, and not a little grumpy from being towed unceremoniously underwater. "Who cares about the slaves? They look humble, at least. Now, this Mistress? She sound like she has too much polish."

    Tundor grunted. "The situation of these folks is sad, but not our concern. I am paying you to get me and Bianca down to the Lung of Krill'thak. That is all." Bianca nodded in agreement to his words.

    Squart listened to their conversation with an amused expression. "You dry-landers are funny," he said. "These slaves can not be freed! We saved each one from drowninp in the ocean, so they owe us a life-debt." He shrugged. "So that is that. Sibple lopic."

    Uruk glared at the Kuo-toa. "Keep your dishonorable opinions to yourself and continue being our escort," he growled.

    Verdi laughed. "Squart is an es-squart! Squart is an es-squart!" he chanted in a sing-song voice.

    Squart jerked at the intense tone and expression on the Ogre's face, and the mockery in that of the Pixie, and hurried along the path. "Erp! This way! This way!"

    "How did you say you captured all these slaves?" Zafirah asked.

    Squart grew thoughtful at the question and began talking about it - almost to himself. "Durinp rough seas, bany ships wreck on the reefs. Durinp calb seas, the Bistress orders us to sink the ships. In any case, the dry-landers end up in the water and then we save their lives. That beans they owe us their lives, so they are not really slaves, exactly. You see? Besides, it's not like they are that ipportant. They are not really people like Kuo-toa are, you know? Again, it's just sibple lopic." 

    "You are disgusting supremi-fish," Uruk muttered darkly.

    "Something fishy about your simple logic, Squart," laughed Verdi. "Don't think too hard, now! You might pop!"

    "I don't understand," Zafirah complained, "You say you save them, but how do they not drown on their trip down to these caves?"

    Squart waved a webbed hand in unconcern. "Oh, sobe of theb do drown. But that's okay. There are always bore of theb up there and they all look alike anyway. But we use air plants to keep most of theb alive."

    "Air plants?"

    "Sure. Here," Squart said, while reaching down and grabbing a handful of a mossy-looking plant that was everywhere on the forest floor. He pulled a bit apart, wadded it into a small ball, and popped it in his mouth. "You see?" he said with his mouth full, "You can breathe for babye four binutes with a bit of air plant in your bouth. Lots of time to get rescued dry-landers down to our nice caves for theb to work off their life-debts."

    Ozzy began stuffing the stuff into his pockets in great handfuls. "Why didn't you tell us about these air plants earlier?" He was joined by many others in gathering the valuable moss.

    "You no ask. Besides, everyone knows about air plants! It grows like a weed!" Squart shook his head. "Dry-landers are very ipnorant. Be bet you don't even know that we bake four kinds of ale and beer using bushrooms! Fine drinkinp for relaxing after a hard day of attackinp dry-landers and rackinp up their life-debts!"

    Luckily, Squart was facing away from the group so he didn't see the glares of anger and menace fired in his direction.

    "Remember, we need him," Garrison whispered to the group. A few hands loosened from the grips of weapons at the reminder. Squart was blissfully unaware...

Blacksmith Croat

    It took several long minutes to get to the edge of the village. Nobody talked to Squart anymore and he offered no further discussion or unknowing insults. That was lucky all the way around, as many of the party saw it.

    "Here we are!" Squart said as they climbed over a little earthen berm. And indeed, the smithy stood before them.

    The building looked decidedly odd. It was open on two walls on the bottom floor and had two upper stories with windows, but fully enclosed on the other sides with solid stone. On each of the solid walls was a huge, turning, wooden wheel - easily 25-feet in diameter each. Both looked like the waterwheels from a saw mill, but there was no river turning it, nor were they powered by wind. The wheels turned at different speeds.

    Looking inside the open portion of the smithy, it was clear that the wheels were providing power for some kind of automatic hammers. There were two of the large contraptions, one being worked by a trio of smaller Kuo-toa, and one being worked by a truely massive specimin.

    "Croat!" Squart hollered with a raised hand.

    The huge Kuo-toa paused in working with a bit of glowing, yellow metal and laughed. "Squart! What are you doinp here? And with that sorry-looking bunch of slaves?"

    Many of the party members growled and grunted at that assumption. Across the room, they could see into a large workshop and past that into one of the wheels. A group of four sweating slaves were walking along the inside of the wheel while holding onto a wooden bar for support.

    "We bust talk privately, Croat. This is ibportant," Squart said with a conspiratorial tone.

    "Fine, fine, cobe to my study then," the blacksmith said. He led the whole group up some steps and into a large, locked room. The first thing seen inside was the inside of the other wheel. Instead of multiple slaves, this one held a single occupant - a black dog the size of a small pony. It was covered in chains and had a crude metal muzzle attached to it's face. 

    "Is that a Padonian combat rottwieler? How in the world did one of those animals get here?" whispered Ozzy to nobody in particular.

    "I don't know," fumed Zafirah, "But the poor thing can't even pant with that muzzle on it's face!"

    As if he had heard her, Croat took a ladle and poured some water onto the dog's muzzle, absentmindedly. The beast tilted it's head up to try and get some of the water to dribble into its mouth with a whine.

    "What's this all about, Squart?" Croat asked. "Did you brinp be some new slave-stock for the wheels? A few of theb look bip enouph, but sobe are pretty sball and look weak." He sniffed and shook his head.

    "No! These are not slaves, Croat. They say they will help us to be free of the Bistress. They say they have power."

    "Not slaves? What? This is badness! And you think they can fight the Bistress? I don't believe it."

    "We are strong enough to have earned a life-debt from Squart here. We could have killed him, but instead we spared his life," Uruk growled, while placing a huge hand on the fish-man's shoulder posessively. Squart jerked as if he had not considered that.

    "That's not how it works at all. Only not-Kuo-toas can have a life-debt. Dry-landers like you don't even have souls, you know," scoffed Croat.

    "Really?" said Min. "Well, we do have... these!" And he whipped out one of his homemade stunner bombs.

    "A rock?" laughed Croat. "Oh, Squart, you fool! You believed these lyinp dry-lnders had power? That's just a rock!"

    Min activated the bomb, it started ticking, and he tossed it to the blacksmith. "Hold it and you will see it's power."

    The party backed away while looking at Min like he was crazy. Squart came close to Croat. They both looked at the bomb curiously.

    "This is just a rock! A metal rock, but still it has no pow-"

    The explosion was deafening in the enclosed room. It blew both Kuo-toa into the wall, senseless.

    Min giggled.

    Zafirah dusted herself off. "Are they out?" she asked.

    Zarek and Alba checked the downed fish-men.

    "Absolutely," Zarek said with a grin.

    Zafirah marched over to the chained dog and unclasped it's muzzle, bringing the bucket of water to it's mouth for a real drink. "There you go," she said kindly.

    After slopping water noisily and energeticly all over, the dog turned it's eyes to the party while opening it's mouth wide to stretch it out.

    Amazingly, the dog then began to speak!

    "Oh, thank you so much!"

    The party was stunned for a moment. 

    "How can you talk?" Ozzy asked. "Padonian combat dogs are smart, but they can't talk! How did this happen?"

    The dog shrugged. "I don't know. It's new for me. After I almost drowned when my master's ship broke apart and I was rescued by these fishes, it started to happpen. I haven't seen or smelled my master, so I have nobody to ask about it. These fishes saved me, so I thought they were good, but they are not. They are BAD." The dog growled deep in her throat.

    "Amazing," Rushan said. "Now I have meet two of you!"

    "Two of what?"

    "Talking dogs," Rushan said while gesturing to Garrison.

    "What?" Garrison sputtered. "I am not a dog! I am a Lupin!"

    Rushan tilted his head. "But you both look sort-of the same. And you smell sort-of the same, too."

    "Nonsense!" yelped Garrison indignantly. "We are totally different!"

    "If you say so," Rushan said doubtfuly.

    "What is your name?" Zafirah asked the rottweiler.

    "My name is Natasha."

    "Well, Natasha, would you like to get out of here?" Zafirah asked.

    "Yes! Yes, yes, yes!"

    "Well, it might take a bit, but be patient and we will take care of it. But not right away, because we need to work with these Kuo-toa and come up with a plan or a deal first. Can you be patient and not bite anyone until we come back?"

    Natasha growled, then snorted. "It will be hard, but I will try."

    "Good girl!" Zafirah scratched behind the huge dog's ears.

    Natasha panted happily at the attention.

    "Let's leave the muzzle off and see if we can keep Croat looking elsewhere. Then Natasha can bite them if she needs to," Garrison said. He nodded in respect and understanding to Natasha.

    It wasn't but seconds before they needed to stand in front of the still chained dog. The Kuo-toa stirred. 

    "Oh, my head," Croat graoned as he awoke. He reached over and shook Squart until he woke up as well.

    "So!" Min crowed, "Now you have seen some of our power! Just a small amount of it, too!"

    "How did you bake that rock do that?"

    Min grinned. "It's a secret."

    "Tiny slaves inside the rock, huh?"

    "What? Of course not!"

    Croat nodded sagely and put a finger next to his fishy nose. "Your secret is safe with me, birdman."

    Squart held his head with both hands while talking to Croat with only one eye open. "You see? That was just a rock. Ibagine what they can do to the Bistress with bore advanced weapons?"

    Croat nodded eagerly, "Yes, be am convinced. We need to get Chief Boop to approve of this attack plan, though."

    Squart nodded. "And Nastra."

    "Ooh! Good idea!"

    Neither of the Kuo-toa looked at Natasha as they left the room. The big dog winked at the party as the door shut and started sloppily drinking some more out of the water bucket. 

Cleric Nastra

    With both Squart and Croat walking with them, most of the Kuo-toa in the midst of the wide streets of the Dry Village proper didn't look at the slaves twice. A few stared at the obviously armed 'slaves', but shrugged and went about their business.

    The home of the outcast cleric of Bibliobloop looked quite rustic and finely decorated with many wind chimes made of shell and bone. She was sitting on a rocking chair made of scarred wood, smoking a bong. Huge, thick clouds of smoke surrounded her head and her eyes were more than half-closed. Despite her inital appearance, she was quick to recognize the Kuo-toa coming to see her.

    "Croat? Squart? What are you doinp? This looks bost irregular - with arbed slaves behind you? Or are they slaves at all?" She coughed for a few moments, waving away some of the thick smoke.

    "Having a personal meeting with Blibliobloop, are we?" Uruk said with a smile.

    She glared at the Ogre. "This is purely pedicinal, I'll have you know. By whole house is filled with herbs for healinp and wellness."

    "I'd love to learn more about your wise and respectable Kuo-toa alchemy and healing," Zafirah said diplomatically.

    The cleric sniffed. "Perhaps later. First: What is this, Croat? Squart? Explain yourselves."

    The two Kuo-toa slipped into their native language - a series of bubbling, popping, wet noises. The conversation was very animated and it was fairly easy for the party to follow along with must be being said by tone and facial expressions. At the end of the display, Nastra turned to the party.

    "So!" the cleric said with her hands on her hips, "You think you can tackle the Bistress, do you? Well, we shall see. And what bight you be expectinp in return for this service to the Kuo-toa? Huh?"

    Having spoken of some of their ideas quietly as they walked, Garrison is quick to list their demands: "Wr need to explore the Lung of Krill'thak - possibly for several weeks. We'd like some help from your people. And once we rid these caves of the Mistress, we will expect you to free all of your slaves."

    "And take them to the surface and let them go," Zafirah added severely.

    All three of the Kuo-toa began laughing with wet, popping sounds.

    "Free the slaves? That will never happen!"

    "They owe us a life-debt!"

    "Ridiculous!"

    The party stood silent and grave during their objections.

    Uruk spoke in a deep, threatening voice. "It will happen or you Kou-toas will remain slaves with them. You will owe us a life-debt once we rid you of this sea hag, and it is not ridiculous in the least - it the bare minimum you should do to regain a smigin of honor."

    The three Kuo-toa stopped laughing and frowned in thought.

    "This will be a thinp to work out with Chief Boop. If it is to be worked out at all," Nastra said. "If, I say! I will not take this matter to the Chief based on foolish stories of bagic rocks with tiny slaves ebbedded within them. We will need real proof of your power."

    "And what of our request for aid? Will any of the Kuo-toa fight for their own freedom?" Garrison asked.

    Croat scoffed. "Of course not. If you fail, we need to be able to tell the Bistress that we had nothinp to do with your affronty."

    Nastra tapped her chin and spoke slowly, "Althouph, we could let you use some slaves, if any of them bight be of use."

    "How about the dog that is chained up in your study?" Zafirah asked innocently of the blacksmith.

    "That horrid beast?" Croat said, agast. "It would rend you to bits if it was allowed to roab free! Why, I only got that buzzle and chains on it because it was bostly drowned!"

    "If I can tame the beast, will you allow it?"

    The blacksmith laughed, "I suppose I can catch it again once it has finished bauling you to death. Help yourself." He tossed Zafirah an iron loop with a key on it.

    "Be right back," she said flippantly.

    "Very sad," Squart said, "Now we will have one less of you to try to fipht the Bistress."

Natasha's Freedom

    Natasha was so excited to see the nice ebony lady that smelled of biscuits again. She tried to wag her tail, but the chains got in the way. They rattled anyway. There had been so little to wag about since she had been here in the smelly dark.

    "You came back!" she cried.

    "Uh-huh! And I get to let you out!" Zafirah said, showng the keys off.

    It only took moments to get free. The nice lady made sad and angry sounds when she saw the sores the chains had left, but Natasha didn't care about the small hurts. She was free! She gave herself a good shake and felt much better. Maybe she would get to eat more than just mushrooms and fish now? Perhaps some beef, bacon, or even cheese? Oh, boy!

    "Now, Natasha. Listen carefully. We have a chance to not only free you, but everyone else in the dark with you who doesn't want to be here. Can you help us do that?" Zafirah asked.

    "Will I get to bite some of the BAD fishes?" growled Natasha.

    "That might not happen. Not if we want to free everyone."

    Natasha wasn't sure she liked the sound of that.

    "But, there will be monsters to bite. And then we can be back in the sun, with good food, good things to smell, and maybe a chance to look for your master. How does that sound?"

    Natasha tilted her head. "Will the ones I get to bite deserve it? Are they BAD?"

    Zafirah nodded. "Very bad."

    Natasha let out a little chuff. "That sounds good. I can show you want a good girl I am. I know tricks. I can hold my temper. You will see!"

    "Good! Now, let's go show these bad fishes how scary you are and how good you are, too. Feel free to growl at whoever you want, but only bite when I tell you it's safe to do so, okay."

    "Yes. I will growl and bark and pee where I like! Let's go!"

Cleansing the Temple of Bibliobloop

    When Natasha and Zafirah came back to the others at Nastra's house, there was much commotion. Everywhere they went, the Kuo-toa made frightened noises, ran around (making noises like children wearing wet crocs on pavement), and hid in their homes - fearfully peering out.

    Natasha struted proudly, enjoying the fear of the BAD fishes, sniffing things she cared to, and marking places that smelled like they needed her touch. She did growl at a few of the Kuo-toa, but she was careful to show how safe she was, too.

    Croat goggled at the sight.

    "How... But... Wha..." he blubbered.

    Nastra nodded. "Good. You have taped a sball beast. Now you will show us your power in cobbat or we will not go to the chief. You must slay the puardian Lev'neck that keeps be and by flock away from the Tebple of Bibliobloop."

    "Fine," Zarek said, "Where is it?"

    "It is located in a corner of the Wet Villape. We will show you, but you will need to walk down to it via the Twistinp Way. Squart? You will guide theb. Croat and I will swim as is proper and natural for Kuo-toa who are not fools." She and the  blacksmith walked away with her muttering about fools who bring those who want to free slaves to her house.

    Squart looked after them sadly. He sighed  heavily. "Well, let's po," he said.

    As they walked, Squart talked about how the Twisting Way was a punishment duty for Kuo-toa and the slaves that worked in the mines and trash heaps there.

    It smelled terrible. The only one who enjoyed it was Natasha who darted everywhere and sniffed everything. She growled at the Kuo-toa guards and enjoyed them squeaking and fleeing.

    Everyone else in the party was amazed at the mess of scaffolding, bridges, ladders, and hewn tunnels that formed the maze of the Twisting Way. Many slaves were seen working and they gladly took a break and sat on the ground when their guards ran off at the sight of Natasha. Seeing the sad state of them hardened the party's resolve to see them freed.

    It took several hours to make their way through the warren of paths and passages. Squart seemed to know the paths well, which said interesting things about his status amoung the Kuo-toa. A fact that Uruk commented on freely.

    At the end of the Twisting Way was a series of small fresh-water lakes.

    "Filled via condensation," muttered Min. "Yes, clearly."

    Nastra and Croat were waiting for them at the edge of the large expanse of salt water that was the surface of the Wet Village. There were many complaints at how long Squart and the party had taken, but they soon gave them instructions and directions.

    "The Lev'neck stays inside the tebple area. The Bistress wears a bagic abulet she calls the Abulet of Whispers that she uses to control the Lev'necks and this big one stays there to eat any who disobey the Bistresses cobband that none may worship Bibliobloop," Nastra said.

    Tundor and Bianca sat on some stones. "This is adventurer work," Tundor sad. "It's time to earn your pay." The Kuo-toa were a bit confused by this, but said nothing.

    Squart made sure everyone had a mouthful of air plant and the party left the Kuo-toa, Tundor, and Bianca behind. They swam past the far edges of the Wet Village towards the seaweed-cordoned off area of the Temple.

    Once they got close, Rushan went ahead to scout things out and find out where the creature was. He returned quickly.

    "The temple is like an inverted dome, with a lip around the inside, dry edge. The creature is  lounging on this ledge. If we are swift and quiet, we can sneak up on it and attack before it knows we are here. I think it is a large, swimming dinosaur. It is dipping it's long neck into the water and grabing fish with it's toothy mouth."

    "Ah," Zarek said. "A Leviathan with a long neck. Lev'neck. Funny."

    "I fail to see the humor about a creature that can gobble me up in one bite!" squeaked Ozzy.

    "I will do the biting," growled Natasha.

    The party made a quick plan to swim under the temple and leap out of the water to surprise the huge monster. Uruk was the only one who disagreed with the plan - on priniciple.

    "I will will challenge the beast and wait for it to respond before I strike," he declared righteously.

    "It's an animal. It doesn't understand the concept of honor," Garrison said with a heavy sigh.

    "Ah! But I do," Uruk said with a smirk. "I will participate in slaying the beast - never fear! But I will do it my way."

    Each person except Rashan took a mouthful of air plant and they slipped into the water. They had extra air plant balls, so they could swap them out as they got depleted. With great care and not a little trepidation, the party swam to the Temple of Bibliobloop.

    Natasha was the first to leap out of the water and take a huge bite out of the beast. She was very excited to discover that dinosaur tasted delicious! It roared and turned to see what had hurt it, but the others were swarming out of the water and stabbing, slicing, and shooting it by then. Min even tossed a stunning bomb right into it's open mouth.

    "Clearly, this creature thinks it''s the biggest and baddest thing in the water," Verdi complained. "Let's take care of that polish!"

    Verdi used a magic spell to confuse the creature and it spent several seconds looking dully from one person who was hurting to to the next, while snapping it's jaws and roaring ineffectually.

    "It's a plesiosaur!" yelled Garrison, who seemed to have a wealth of trivia and lore in his brain.

    The fighting was very one sided with the surprise attack and the magic of the Pixie, which confused the small-brained creature. It did half-heartedly try to counter-attack, but by the time it did that, it was losing blood at an amazing rate.

    Just as it lay on it's side, it looked over at Uruk who had his sword raised, ready to strike.

    "I challenge you, Lev'neck!" Uruk cried.

    The dinosaur died.

    Uruk maintained his ready pose.

    "You can cut off the head," offered Zafirah. "We'll need the trophy to convince the Kuo-toa what we did here."

    Grumbling, Uruk brought his sword down and decapitated the creature.

    Natasha was literally drenched in blood. She was licking it off the floor, the creature, and her new friends in order to get differnt flavors mixed in. 

    "It's so good! After nothing but mushrooms and fish, fresh Lev'neck tastes great!" she murmured happily between licks.

     "That's disgusting," Verdi sniffed.

    In reply, Natasha shook herself - spraying the entire party and the inside of the temple with gore.

     Uruk held the head in both hands. "Now we just need to find the others and have them arrange for the chief to talk to us. Oh, there they are." He motioned with the dripping head out towards the water at the other end of the temple.

    There were six bulbous eyes looking at them - just above the surface. Slowly Squart, Croat, and Nastra lifted their full faces above the water. All three were gaping at the scene. Uruk lifted the head of the dead dinosaur above his head to show it off.

    "I can't believe it," whispered Nastra.

    "This is buch bore power than the little slaves in their rocks," added Croat.

    "Is the dop... eating that head?' asked Squart.

    Natasha stopped nosing at the head for tender morsels and swallowed quickly - trying to look innocent.

    "We thoupht those horrible sounds beant that you were all being killed by the Lev'neck," the cleric said in awe. "But none of you are even hurt!"

    "So?" Garriison asked with his hands on his hips. "Will you get Chief Boop to see us now?"

    "Of course! And look! You have consecrated the altar of Bibliobloop with blood! You bay join our faith yet!" the cleric rejoiced.

    Three rapidly nodding heads caused ripples to spread in the water. They disappeared under the surface.

    Ozzy was measuring the teeth in the head of the Lev'neck and shaking his head. "We got soooooo lucky. One bite from this thing would have cut most of us in half! What is the Mistress has more of them at her beck and call, huh?"

    It was a sobering question. The party drew close to one another to make plans for future battles...

Chief Boop

    The party expected to be told when and where they could meet with the chief of the Kuo-toa, but instead they were surprised to see four pairs of bulbous eyes peeking out of the water not a half-hour later.

    Uruk lifted the head of the dead Lev'neck again, holding it away from his body this time as he was tired of shooing Natasha away from trying to lick the blood off of him.

    The three Kuo-toa they knew crawled out of the water first, followed by Chief Boop.

    He was the roundest-looking Kuo-toa any of them had ever seen - easily three times the weight of any other.

    Uruk smiled, shook the Lev'neck head meaningfully, and said, "A big catch for a big fish!"

    "You did not lie. These not-slaves have killed a Lev'neck," the chief said quietly.

    "Easily!" bragged Croat, as if he had something to do with it.

    Chief Boop grunted and put his webbed hands on his hips, glaring at the party. "Fine and pood. But now I have heard that you will fight the Bistress? Is this true?"

    "If we can come to an arrangement," Garrison said casually. "This," he gestured to the dead body of the dinosaur, "was a free gesture of goodwill and proof of our capabilities. If you want to be freed from the sea hag, you will need to bargin for our services."

    The chief let out a single, humorless laugh. "Ha! I have heard silly things that you wish. They are not possible."

    Uruk dropped the Lev'neck head to the floor of the temple with a wet thump. None of the other party members moved or said anything.

    The Kuo-toa looked quite nervous. Perhaps they began to realize that the killers of a beast that had terrorized them all were standing and staring at them. Perhaps they were uncomfortable in the silence. 

    "Erp!" the chief cleared his throat. "Let us speak of these things."

    Garrison smiled. "Lets. You will need to sign a treaty with us. I understand that none of the Kuo-toa will fight for their own freedom?"

    "Baybe we like the Bistress beinp in charpe! Baybe we are free already!"

    "Are you?" Min asked, meaningfuly.

    The Kuo-toa chief shuffled his feet wetly. "Erp! What are these demands then?"

    Garrison ticked off the items with his fingers. "You must release all of your slaves. You must assist them to the surface and let them go without re-capturing them. You must allow us to explore the Lung of Krill'thak for at least a month. And your tribe will come to our aid if we ask for it sometime in the future - which may or may not happen."

    There was much sputtering and shouting, but the Kuo-toa really did not have much to bargin with. It took several minutes, but eventually, Chief Boop agreed. The terms were written on two pieces of seaweed papyrus and signed.

    "If you kill the Bisress we will hold a hupe feast. Of Lev'neck steaks!" He pointed at the dead dinosaur.

    "And if we fail?" Uruk asked.

    "Then we will burn the treaty and hold a hupe feast of Lev'neck steaks! To celebrate the Bistress slaying the dry-landers who dared to stalk her! Kuo-toa win either way!" Chief Boop looked very pleased with himself.

    "What of our slaves?" moaned Squart.

    "These slaves will be pone, true. But there will be fool Kuo-toa to do work, like you, Squart, until the next storb brinps us new slaves. Baybe better ones, hup?" Chief Boop patted his rotund belly in a pleased way and grinned hugely. "Ah! It is fine to be a Kuo-toa! Let us prepare for a feast!"