Paul Kidd - Descent into the Depths of the Earth

Polk looked at Jus, who looked at Henry. Cinders looked happy, and the sword lacked the ability to show much of an expression at all. With a mutual shrug, the party walked down the harsh gravel beach and waited by the shore.

A shape swiftly materialized out of the gloom. A large, flat barge drifted across the current. Standing at the rear and plying a single oar loomed a titanic, vicious looking creature that set the whole party on guard.

Fully eight feet tall, the creature was a monstrous humanoid fish. A huge jaw crammed with fangs gleamed sickly yellow in the light. The creature stared at its passengers out of eyes the size of dinner plates. The scaled horror was powerful enough to shove its boat across the river without the slightest show of strain.

The boat grounded against the gravel with a crash. Hovering well out of reach of the fish man, Escalla gave her friends a gleeful wave.

“Guys, this is Thoopshib the ferryman!” The faerie gave anamazingly false smile. “Thoopshib, these are the guys. Guys, keep smiling andjust start putting money in the box until he looks happy.” The faerie wavered.“Well, happier, at least.”

A money box was presented. Digging into the loot gathered from the lich, Polk produced a handful of money. The fish man walked awkwardly over to the shore, its whole massive frame alive with an impression of carnivorous strength. A clawed hand held out a money box, and Polk fussily counted platinum coins into the box one by one until the monster seemed satisfied.

The sum offered was probably sufficient to buy a boat of their own. Thankfully, no one saw fit to mention the fact. Jus stepped onto the barge-watched closely by the creature, who recognized a being at least as deadlyas itself-then helped Polk and Henry climb aboard.

Cinders sniffed the reek of fish and seemed gloriously happy. Kuo-toa fish! The dog’s manic grin gleamed as little flames wisped fromhis nose. Big stink! Very tasty! Fish scream when burn!

There had been very little arson in Cinders’ life of late.He wagged his tail in anticipation. Fish live in school. One fish, two fish, red fish, burn fish! Burn-burn-burn-burn-burn!

“Let’s not burn any boats while we’re still on them.” Juskept his voice low, his face calm and his hand near his sword. “Just get readyto blast it if it tries to rock the boat.”

With Escalla flying cover overhead, the ferryman would hardly dare. Henry shot a glance at the faerie, then looked back at the savage ferryman and tried not to stare.

“What is it?” the boy asked.

“Cinders says it’s a kuo-toa,” Jus replied.

“A kuo-toa?” The boy swallowed. “How does he know?”

“Cinders is a hell hound. He’s been around.”

Private Henry shot a nervous glance toward the grinning Cinders. “I thought hell hounds were evil?”

“He’s not evil. He just needed a good home.” Jus gave one ofCinders’ forelegs a pat. “But he’s right. Fish fear creatures that use flame.”

The barge surged forward through the water, heading toward the far bank.

Private Henry looked about nervously and cleared his throat. “Sir?”

“Yes.”

“What’s a kuo-toa?”

The Justicar carefully avoided looking at the ferryman, while keeping the creature very clearly in the corner of his eye. “That is.They’re often assassins-very, very dangerous.”

From above the boat, Escalla gave a snort. “Assassins, huh?Masters of poison? Like cone shells?”

Jus looked up at Escalla with a shared smile. “Exactly.”

The barge grounded at the far bank, and the passengers hastily removed themselves onto the shore. Escalla thoughtfully watched the kuo-toa and raised her hand to give it a friendly wave. The creature actually seemed to like her. It spoke-its voice huge and guttural-and nodded its head ather in apparent approval.

Jus was kneeling in the river gravel, looking at a broad swathe of footprints trailing up from the ferry and into the tunnel mouth. Escalla, Polk, and Henry immediately came over to watch the ranger at his work.

“Tracks?”

“Human-two hundred or more, probably chained at the ankles.See the short steps?” Jus touched the gravel and watched it slide. “This is onlyabout three hours old.”

Trying to emulate the Justicar, Henry inspected a footprint of his own-this time the mark of a slim drow boot. “Is it the hostages from SourPatch?”

“Has to be.” Moving two hundred captives along the maintunnels had left constant spoor. “No troglodytes with them anymore. They’rebeing driven by drow.”

Escalla knelt beside Jus and pulled out the locator needle, which still pointed resolutely to the northwest. The girl shrugged then put the magic trinket away.

“Well, I gather there’s more like Mister Thoopshib here justa ways along the tunnel.” The girl returned another wave from the ferryman. “Youknow, he seems pretty happy for a carnivorous assassin.”

“He likes you.”

“Yeah. How about that?” Escalla frowned. “Matter of fact, Ithink he thinks he knows me.”

The party turned and regarded the kuo-toa, who stood staring at them with his unwinking fish eyes.

The light dawned somewhere deep inside Polk’s skull.

“You mean he’s seen another faerie? He’s met the murderer ashe passed this way?”

“Got it, Polk!” Escalla tapped her chin in thought. “Heobviously thinks we’re one and the same.”

“Guess you all look the same to him, huh?”

“No accounting for eyesight.” Escalla brushed back hershimmering blonde hair. “This is getting interesting. Come on. Let’s see if I’vegot any other friends just down the lane.”

The long passageway continued, now chilled by the breeze thatflowed from the icy river. Other paths joined the main tunnel, and the air took on a distinctly fishy smell. Only Cinders seemed pleased. The rest of the party wrinkled their noses and tried not to gag as the reek thickened until it almost brought tears to the eyes.

Flying cautiously beside Jus, Escalla’s tall ears pricked upat the same moment that Cinders gave a warning growl. Far down the passageway, lurching shapes began to appear. Escalla turned invisible as the remainder of the party faded into hiding against the tunnel walls. Looking over her companions, the faerie moved carefully down the tunnel to investigate the oncoming shadows.

A dozen fish men walked along the passageway in a weird hopping gait. They were led by a vast, powerful kuo-toa, its skin a ghastly white, and its hide covered in thousands of knotted scars. The creatures’ hugeeyes flickered to stare at the invisible faerie, and the fish creatures instantly readied their harpoons.

With her cover somehow blown, Escalla dropped her invisibility. Hiding behind a stalactite, she poked her head out and examined the kuo-toa, then cautiously waved her hand.

“Um, hello.”

She had a fireball spell ready to make instant fish fry, but much to her surprise, the kuo-toa leader gave a croak of something almost like relief. The creature lowered its weapon-almost certainly defusing a spell of itsown-and lifted a hand toward Escalla in a grave gesture. The beast held out itshand with its middle fingers separated into a v-shape.

Always affable when allowed, Escalla copied the gesture with her own small fingers and repeated, “Hello.”

Eight feet tall, fanged and clawed, an eater of human flesh and a drinker of blood, the kuo-toa leader bobbed its head in deference. The girl tried to make a placatory gesture, and the other fish men sank down in ritual obeisance.

From the corridor behind Escalla, Jus’ voice called outcalmly and quietly, “Are you all right?”

“Yeah. It’s more kuo-toa.” Escalla kept her face affable,motioning to the fish creatures in what she hoped was a friendly way. “There’sabout a dozen of them, and they’re getting along with me just dandy. Everyonecome out and be perfectly calm.”