A large well-dressed fish & water creature rises out of the water beside the ship. In a booming voice in Aquan (an aquatic language), he demands tribute from the invaders who interrupted his meal. The new member of the crew speaks a little of the language, and offers a partial translation.
While distracted, a female seemingly formed of fine clothing, translucent skin, and water, appears on the other side of the ship. She speaks to her brother to stand down, speak common, and to understand that they are not invaders, only lost travellers.
She explains that they are members of the royal guard of the Coral Throne, tasked with protecting the edgeland from the air dragons that would feast upon their citizens. Imminently curious about the wood, metal and different textures on the boat, they offer to help guide the ship where it wants to go with summoned water elementals. In exchange, the crew offers to go to a kelp temple to collect a tribute that is delayed from a kelp temple far below the surface.
Riding summoned giant crabs, and with a 12 hour underwater breathing spell upon them, they descend into the depths.
Trull stays on board to watch over the ship and their guests, awaiting the return of crew.
For three hours the crab and crew descend into the foreign environment of an infinite ocean. The lighting stays the same throughout, never getting darker, with vision limited to a few hundred yards. The pressure never changes, with gravity pulling in all directions.
Two curious sharks engage the party but are quickly dispatched.
As they approach the giant ball of kelp which is the temple, in the distance they can see many figures, fish-like, and humanoid, but none approach them.
Arriving at the entrance of coral and marble, suits of coral armour, block their way till the crew reveals the provided shell with a royal insignia upon it. They tie their giant crab mounts up to metal rings in the walls of the kelp temple.
Inside, the large antechamber has walls of kelp and a coral floor. Large coral columns and blocks of coral positioned in rows lead up to a large coral dias. No one is inside.
Searching through the “hallways” of areas of lesser kelp lead to other rooms of coral. Searching the empty rooms they find vestments, harnesses, and a large collection of shells with inscriptions on them.
Eventually, finding no one, they come to a massive room where three large sharks swim passively around the coral lined room. The party cautiously moves to the other end of the room, not bothering the sharks or being noticed by them. a tunnel leads down to another rooom
The hallway leads to a large antechamber that has a massive silver head of a fish at the back of it. The eyes are large green glass or possibly gigantic smooth gemstones. Two fish-like creatures guard the fish head with pearl-white tridents. Seeing the royal signet shell, they let down their guard and give the players a sharkskin bag with red kelp in it. They notice that Owyn has been slightly injured and get agitated. Inside the giant fish head are two smaller fish like beings. Underwater and unable to speak their language, the crew is unable to fathom the source of their consternation.
Trull bursts into the room. After further conversations with their ships “guests”, she has raced to find the crew. Unable to speak well to the crew underwater, she uses a minor illusion spell to illustrate the dangers they are in. Following her are several slow-moving fish-like creatures with glowing red eyes, intent on eating the crew. With lethal blows, they easily dispatch them, only to see them rise up again. Again the crew hacks at them, and this time the fish creatures stay dead.
Trull communicates with the crew that they have to leave but the hallway is now blocked with many more of the fish-creature zombies, blocking the tunnel. Lucien uses his superior speed to attack and retreat, while Zita uses his ranger spells and bow and arrows to attack from a distance.
One of the sharks from the previous room bursts down the tunnel. It’s body mangled, but still savagely moving. With glowing red eyes, it lands a savage bite on the sea ranger.
With a horde of fish-like zombies blocking their exit and a zombie shark in their midst, time is their greatest enemy as the underwater breathing spell only has eight hours remaining.