Head to the Lake

You decide that it is time to find that Keluwesan gem so that you can be well on your way to defeating Fushi. Making sure that you’ve packed all your items, including weapons, since you may encounter the beast that the prophet spoke of, and exit Ira. After a very brief walk, you return to the intersection you were at not too long ago, however, now that vague, iffy trail you saw before is your certain path of choice. You take the long, scenic walk to the lake, running over what you must do in your mind. It’s a relatively long walk, but doesn’t feel long before you find yourself standing near the lake.

You look around and quickly ascertain a run down, dilapidated cabin that is the only building in site, so you assume it must have belonged to Maitheanas. You quickly approach it and step inside. You can truly see a life from the past. Many of the walls are smashed up and destroyed, and the shelves, chairs, and other furniture are all thrashed around and crushed. Books are scattered around the premise, and a lone bed sits in the corner, covers still thrown to the side from that fateful night.

Determined to do justice for Maitheanas, you follow her instructions to a T. You head southeast, keeping a rough estimate of the distance in your mind. You count the number you were given and stop. The water is very clear here. You look around you and see very little other than a massive sloping hill behind you. You slowly ease your way into the water, acclimating yourself to the temperature. Once fully submerged, you decide to sink down to where the cave entrance is supposed to be. Maitheanas’ memory was not faulty, for she is correct that there is a cavernous opening beneath the water. You quickly swim up for air before returning with more direct focus and swimming into the cave.

You keep swimming for a while, and the water grows darker and murkier the farther you swim. Eventually, it grows so clouded that you couldn’t see your hand even if you were to wave it in front of your face. You close your eyes for the rest of the swim. The pressure in your lungs begins to build exponentially, when you finally hit the slope of the ground beneath you. Slowly, you rotate and begin to stand up. You can’t see very much as you rise to your feet, but you can make out that the cave is shaped similarly to a vestibule.

You begin to walk in the dark, damp cavern that is vaguely illuminated by a pale blue light that seems to be phosphorescent, you assume that the source is deep into the cavern. You continue walking, and before long, the ground beneath you starts to sound a little mushy. A bright blue object is now visible at the end, the source of the light, however, the walls look a bit strange. They too look soft and malleable.

You continue walking and the light grows brighter. The hall narrows, and as it is more illuminated, you see tentacles squirming and writhing on the walls and the floor. You take a sharp turn and finally see the gem. A large pedestal of tentacle mush supports it as tentacles attached around it leech its power. You can now see clumps on the wall. They don’t look much like the rest of the walls…

“Herynne…”

The wall seems to beckon to you…