9 July 2022
[[Coyra]] and [[Gammy]] have swum down to the depths and found Tal. A huge crab attacks the three of them, in a room at the base of the tower. The crab knocks out [[Gammy]], and then [[Coyra]] fails her attacks and accidentally hits [[Gammy]] with a psychic dagger. Tal revives [[Gammy]], but the crab knocks her out again and then drags her away into the lobby of the tower. [[Coyra]] attacks the crab and manages to get it to drop [[Gammy]]’s body. Tal heals her again. Fight continues. Summon quipper familiar to attack the crab! Kill it, eventually.
During the battle, Tal noticies another door nearby, this one seemingly made of gold! The large double-door has no visible handle or lock, but does have some kind of ancient elvish writing on it, mixed with some kind of alchemical script. They swim up onto the balcony and find another golden door, this time with a handle. It leads to another door, and then a split hallway with beautiful golden elven statues. The ladies convince Tal to only explore one more hallway before they head back to the surface. They explore down a hallway and find some beautiful stone statues carved with gems in them. The branched side passage with those statues is enchanted with some kind of magic that causes disorientation.
Tal and the ladies swim back to the surface, find [[Camden]]. Tal uses the Wand of Dispel to cure them of the magical disease. Group joins back up. Climb to the top of the tunnel. The naga stands guard while the group takes a short rest. He tells [[Coyra]] a story about two ancient powers. One old; one (female) loving beauty. The female found an ancient evil, taught it in her naeivety. When she larned how evil it was, she locked it up and put the key in the castle that they had been exploring underwater.
The naga says that High Cleric [[Yundar]] has been replaced by [[Kalina]]! She is the one who has been collecting magic items to keep them out of the hands of the actual clerics.
With the help of the naga, the party gets back to the entrance to Level 1, which has been completely corrupted.
Plan for next session: find [[Kalina]] and expose her as [[Yundar]]? Find the [[Cult of Juiblex]], who have been keeping Phil captive?
(According to the naga, speaking to [[Ishtar]]/[[Pip]]/[[Jaezred]], this underground place is where Vecrum came into existence. He said he came to this plane as an explorer, and found it to be beutiful two ancient powers came to war here, about 1000 years ago, and that war continues to this day. He claims to be a “blessing” for Vecrum. He then takes them to [[Kalina]]’s old lab.)