In either fight:
If Grog'tial acts while more than half the enemies are still alive, or
If Grog'tial acts while more than 4 enemies are still alive, but 4 or fewer crew members still have to act after him:

In the first fight he'll blow his shell
In the second fight he'll play his flute (only if no enemies are directly engaging him).

Afterward (for the second fight, only if the flute playing doesn't seem to have effect, or if he can stop playing without the calming effect wearing off), or otherwise:

If the snake create is alive and not mesmerized, he'll fire an explosive bolt at its face if he can do so without endangering other crew.
If there's a cluster of at least 4 enemies not mesmerized/calmed or otherwise not actively threatening, and 5 or fewer crew members still have to act after him, he'll fire a stun bolt in such a way as to stun the largest number of enemies without endangering other crew.
He'll fire regular bolts at any enemies where he has the opportunity for a back-shot, and otherwise at any enemies threatening defenseless crew, and otherwise at the closest enemies.

He'll use his dirk if it comes to close-up fighting, but won't break rank other than if necessary to dispatch a final enemy or if he sees he can directly save the live of a crew member by doing so. He'll get back in rank immediately afterward.

Seeing incoming enemy, Count Karnstein sticks to the corridor's wall and slowly moves forward. If the snake monster ignores him and passes by, Count will attack its legs, trying to cut them. Right after, he will move away from it, trying to avoid its attack back. If monster will be distracted, Count will attack again, aiming at the "torso" this time. If by then frog creatures are close, he will fight them.

If snake monster will attack him right away, he will defend by going backward and trying to slash tentacles aimed at hm.

On the sinking island, Count moves to the center and recommends his companions to form a compact circle, one next to the other, so they can defend in the highest place until the temple is rebuild. If someone gets too weakened - could be then enclosed in the circle. In any case, he stands in the middle of the island, ready to fend off creatures and pull anyone if seems very weakened or is taken away by creatures.

After fight, Count will continue going further down the corridor.

Aylar will apply Acid Oil to his cutlass and target the snake creature, seeking to cripple it by slashing at its spidery joints with both blade and axe. If a tentacle happens to come his way, he will seek to dodge or parry, and retaliate if he spies a good chance to slice it off or leave a good, deep wound. Frogs will only dealt with if any happens to reach him.

Once the snake, deemed the main obstacle to the swift progress down the corridor, is dead, he will press on, warning the Crew that now it be important to make it as far down the Corridor as be possible while they still be there. If they spy a chance to get even a step further, they ought to take it! If any frog creatures be still standing by then and actively trying to interfere in Crew's progress, he will cut down any in his way.

In the second fight, he be nae coming towards water, but if these squid really do fly, as Durik says, he be on a lookout for any that do attempt to fly out the water and attack Crew, aiming to slice them out of the air if they come too close. He be likewise on a lookout physically and magickally to determine their conditions, wanting them be in a good state to move on as soon as the plane-shifting ends fer that moment and there be another opportunity to rush towards the Chamber. If he figures any way fer him to mitigate the harmful hexing of the environment, he be trying it.

If the Crew returns to the Corridor, he will check the area fer anything nefarious. If something is spotted, he will attempt to deal with it, if it be within striking distance to him, or alert the Crew closest to it. If/once all be well (as it can be), he will press on.

Bellandra shivered at the thought of the fire all around them in that realm of fire. She had no wish to be kindling. But the next vision, that of the ship's graveyard with herself still attached to her old ship, had not shaken her. "'Tis not real, me own thoughts show it to be a lie, for here I be, still among the living," she thought.

As the illusions faded and the snakelike creature and its Grung-like companions were revealed, Bellandra prepared for battle against them, but then another change occurred and she found herself in a sinking island amid a purple-hued sea with some sort of hungering jellysquids swirling around. "So mateys, we fight two battles at once," she said.

In both battles, Bellandra would use the mirror to look around during the battle, hoping to see what the aboleth might be hiding from them, or some tactical advantage. In particular, in the island battle she would hope to discover a path to move forward from the sinking island, and she would also try to use her puzzle knowledge for this purpose.

In the corridor battle, she planned to shoot a stun bolt at the snakelike creature, hoping to catch it and some of its grunglike defenders in the effect. She would then follow up with her cutlass attacking in particular any stunned foes. Against the snakelike creature, she would try to cut its limbs off, or if it seemed possible, to sever its neck. If she noticed any allies falling asleep she would try to nudge them awake.

In the island battle, she planned to shoot a regular bolt at one of the purple monsters in the water with a regular bolt, aiming for its eye. She would also be ready to defend herself and the party with bolts and with her cutlass if they arose from the water.

Wait, so we be at the Corridor already, just in another time instance of it?

Yes, exactly.

Aylar hears the Guardian. *Ye must get to the mechanism as it rebuilds, Aylar. Input the coordinates from your broken compass. I will translate the stars and align them. Go now, let the Crew finish the battle.*

Mighty

Mighty uses the Fire Oil on his Cudgel and special ability, increasing the size of his crab claw, he then advances close to Durik, shielding himself and other half-orc with extended claw.

-Mighty heard that snakes do not like fire, so is they are attacked while advancing directly or by tentacles, he will try to counter the attack with while not break formation and passing the attacks past the front line. Once/if snake is dealt with he will press forward trough frog-fish monsters by making wide swings with his Cudgel.
-If any squid-jellyfish monster during the second phase will try to fly above the group, he will try grab it with the claw and cut it in half.

Mighty remains vigilant and keeps an open mind in those strange dimensions (for Mighty it is quite easy to have an open mind, as there is a lot of free space there).

Och, in that case, as the realization sets in and information is received, Aylar will do his best to reach the Chamber as fast as he be able. He nae would want to shout his discovery out in the open, but he will attempt to pass along the feeling of realization, idea, confidence, anything that would keep the Crew motivated to keep the good fight and assure them that he be up to another trick that ought to be very good.

Pugwash looks at the creature in disbelief. How can his music box possibly be working if he sees the snakelike creature. Is it real? Is it a hallucination?

Given the reaction of the rest of the crew, Pugwash decides it is real.

Ordinarily the creature would be quite intimidating, but Pugwash is mounted on Rocky and meets the creature at eye level.

Pugwash urges Rocky onwards towards the monster, rapier at the ready to strike the monster in the head.


Holding on to rocky gives pugwash limited means to defend himself, so should the tentacles reach for him he will likely fall off. If he does, he will move back to the middle of the party and ready his crossbow, firing bolts at snakelike creature.

If he doesn't fall off in the first battle, he will definitely lose his grip when the temple transforms and he feels like he is floating. This time the fall will be gentler. After recovering, Pugwash will shoot at the jellyfish/squid hybrids, aiming for the eyes with ordinary bolts. Explosive bolts may not work when there is 'water' about.

After this battle is complete, Pugwash realises the urgency of gaining control of the central chamber and loads a stun bolt bomb into his crossbow. Pugwash will be one of the first people into the room and should there be any enemies present, he will fire his stun bolt bomb to neutralise the threats and make them easy for the rest of the crew to handle.

Mission 4 - Temple Turn 4
*Next turn starts 3 AM UTC, 9 December

NOTE: 1 turn after this until the Gillyweed stops working.

-----
Clíodhna feels an energy building near Aylar. The temple, it must be. She tries to hold the link steady and then it shifts. Far now, very far, but somehow still there. The Guardian, it must be. It is holding to and powering the link. She bolsters the link and sends Aylar her confidence in him and the Crew. She's about to send her gratitude for the Guardian as well when the enemy attacks at last.

-----
(roll dice) All resist the Sleep effect, but Grog'tial is slowed by tiredness.

(roll dice) Seeing Grog'tial is a bit groggy, Argy helps him come fully awake by banging her pan against his bum, creating sufficient surprise and sound to startle him back into awareness. She had thought about applying the fire oil first, but decided to do it afterwards. Argy waits for the biggies to take care of the snake-thing while she is ready to sear and freeze some frog-fish!

Pugwash looks at the creature in disbelief. How can his music box possibly be working if he sees the snakelike creature. Is it real? Is it a hallucination? Given the reaction of the rest of the crew, Pugwash decides it is real. (roll dice) Luckily Pugwash had not had time through all the illusions to try to climb back on Rocky, as the stone elemental does not do well with the drops and spins of the temple as it is forced through these dimensional alterations, and the elemental once more tumbles to the floor. (roll dice) Pugwash is getting his feet under him when the snake-monster seems to fly over him and disappears. Instead Pugwash shoots a frog-fish and heads back of the front and second lines to reload.

Durik was confused by the temple changing around him. Was that an illusion or was it real? One way to find out , "Dakka pls try to eat snake this time!" (roll dice) Dakka quickly takes a long slurp. Compared to the previous stone elemental, the snake is nice and soft, if a bit tickly. (roll dice) Durik uses his cudgel to knock back a frog-fish into the others (roll dice) knocking another four to the floor before they can get out of the way. He proceeds down the corridor, careful not to separate too much from the frontline.

Aylar applies Acid Oil to his cutlass. Now that Dakka has dealt with the snake creature, he warns the Crew that it be important to make it as far down the Corridor as be possible while they still be there. If they spy a chance to get even a step further, they ought to take it!

Mighty uses the Fire Oil on his Cudgel and increases the size of his crab claw. He then advances close to Durik, shielding himself and other half-orc with extended claw. Hearing Captain Aylar's order he advances quickly with Durik, pressing forward trough the frog-fish monsters by making wide swings with his Cudgel. (roll dice) He bashes one into another one by smashing it in the face sending it tumbling into the other. The smell of fried amphibian reaches Captain Baldbeard's nostrils.

(roll dice) The boyz are not leaving much, but Aylar cuts down one of the stunned frog-fish Durik had smacked back into the wall, and urges them on.

Seeing the incoming enemy, Count Karnstein sticks to the corridor's wall and slowly moves forward. (roll dice) He uses Frostbite to behead any frog-fish the half-orcs leave with skulls still intact, which isn't many.

Bellandra shivers at the thought of the fire all around them in that realm of fire. She has no wish to be kindling. But the next vision, that of the ship's graveyard with herself still attached to her old ship, does not shake her. Tis not real, me own thoughts show it to be a lie, for here I be, still among the living, she thinks to herself. As the illusions fade and the snakelike creature and its Grung-like companions are revealed, Bellandra prepares for battle against them. She uses the mirror to look around during, hoping to see what the aboleth might be hiding from them, or some tactical advantage. (roll dice) She keeps an eye to behind them and the alcove with a door to the side rooms as they pass, but risks falling behind if she truly investigates it as the Captain is pushing the pace. At the door to the Secret Door room she spots a tumbler lock with some sort of ancient symbols on it and wonders if either Bhrigu or Clíodhna might have been able to understand them.

Captain Baldbeard, hoping that his sharks, being all spectralish might be immune to all these reality-bending shenanigans, yells to them to sic the snake and the froglings, again making sure to chomp heads where possible. (roll dice) The sharks surge forward past the second and front lines and take on the frog-fish not being already dealt with by the front and second line.

Grog'tial is startled back to full awareness by the application of Argy's pan but the last of the frog-fish are slain and the energy surges again.

The temple drops away and spins once more. This time when they stop the temple is seemingly floating on a purple sea with only darkness above them like a giant cavern.

(roll dice) Grog.tial, Gilius, Argy, Aeshma, Durik and Rocky tumble. (roll dice) Luckily the stone elemental had been still getting itself up behind the Crew and did not hurt anyone as Pugwash had not gotten back on yet. Argy's lantern gives the only light except for the slight glowing of what look like a cross between squid and jellyfish with one horn and one eye In the 'water.' She turns it up to maximum, a 5' radius of bright cold light around herself with an additional 10' of dim light. Aylar (half-elf), Count Karnstein, the half-orcs and dwarves adjust to dark vision and Grog'tial has partial dark vision. The Crew can already sense the hunger and the pushing at their minds.

(roll dice) Gilius dismisses the whispers at the edge of his mind.
(roll dice) Grog'tial sees his dirk start to glow as he feels enticements to go to the edge of the water. (roll dice) He barely resists.
(roll dice) Seeing the glowing creatures in the water, Durik switches to harpoon and then can almost swear he hears his mum's old lullaby. "Me tinks me know those purple squids, beware they can fly!"

Their island is sinking and the temple's walls have vanished, but are reforming and aging as if it is being rebuilt and they feel as if they are aging along with it, but in different ways.
(roll dice) Captain Baldbeard's beard begins to turn silvery, but otherwise he seems unaffected.
(roll dice) Pugwash develops a bit more of a belly and a cranky knee.
(roll dice) Gilius' beard gets longer and also has more of a belly.
(roll dice) Grog'tial's eyesight isn't as clear and his hands begin to ache (arthritis).
(roll dice) Argy's feet grow and her top gets heavier.
(roll dice) No apparent reaction appears yet on Bellandra, but her joints do feel a bit more worn.
(roll dice) Durik and Mighty both grow a bit more hair overall and Durik feels a bit more of Dakka's weight but not enough to really matter.
(roll dice) Aeshma shows the tiniest bit of white in her hair.
(roll dice) Aylar and Count Karnstein both seem unaffected.

(roll dice) As Argy becomes more certain this isn't another illusion, she throws a cupcake at the evil jellyfish in the water. (roll dice) The cupcake explodes, scattering jellyfish parts and setting the water on fire. There is now plenty of light to see by in that area at least! A jelly leaps out of the water and attempts to stab Argy with it's horn, but she bangs it away with her pan, delighted to find they bounce off it very well!

Another jelly leaps from the water to fly towards the Crew, but Pugwash shoots it down with a regular bolt and begins to reload.

Hearing Durik, Aylar is on a lookout for any that do attempt to fly out the water and attack Crew, aiming to slice them out of the air if they come too close. He monitors the Crew physically and magickally to determine their conditions, wanting them be in a good state to move on as soon as the plane-shifting ends for that moment there is another opportunity to rush towards the Chamber. He tries to figure any way for him to mitigate the harmful hexing of the environment. (roll dice) Aylar feels his Fey Charm activating and realizes the aging is a draining magick. (roll dice) He concentrates his intent through the weave and the warding of the Crew and the Banshee responds within. Soon the Crew feel a relief and Aylar can only hope the Aboleth might be feeling the pressure.

Aylar hears the Guardian. *Ye must get to the mechanism as it rebuilds, Aylar. Input the coordinates from your broken compass. I will translate the stars and align them. Go now, let the Crew finish the battle.*

(roll dice) Aylar notices the critical mistake the eel has made. While the walls are not rebuilt yet, they can see the whole temple layout and don't need to stay to the corridor. (roll dice) Wanting to reach the Chamber as fast as he be able, Aylar cuts through the alcove area where the Secret Door is hidden and dashes straight into the Chamber, then waits for the mechanism to be rebuilt. He doesn't want to shout his discovery out in the open, but he tries to pass along to the Crew through his actions and intent the feeling of realization, idea, confidence, anything that would keep the Crew motivated to keep the good fight and assure them that he be up to another trick that ought to be very good.

(continued below ...)

(... continued from above)

As another jelly flies out of the water from another direction, Mighty grabs it and crushes it with his claw.

Count Karnstein moves to the center of the rebuilding temple (that isn't a wall) and recommends his companions to form a compact circle, one next to the other, so they can defend in the highest place until the temple is rebuilt. He stands in the middle of the island, ready to fend off creatures and pull anyone away who seems very weakened or is taken away by creatures.

Bellandra is ready to shoot at any jellies with a regular crossbow bolt. (roll dice) However she also notices that she can now see all areas of the temple and while remaining alert, she takes the mirror and tries to watch while it rebuilds, looking for anything hidden, magickal (everything), or trapped. (roll dice) Bellandra memorizes especially what she sees in the side rooms Clíodhna had warned her of and also watches the base and looks to the mechanism Aylar is waiting on, her new puzzle knowledge assisting her.

Captain Baldbeard huffs as his beard is once more assaulted, this time by magic. At least it turns to a fine silvery pelt color. He instructs the sharks to assist in attacking the monsters and the pack responds. (roll dice) However they find they can only attack and hit just as the jellies leap from the water, as they seem on and off insubstantial or not really there while they are in the 'water', except for where it is burning.

Grog'tial takes out his flute and begins to play, sighing in relief as the ache in his hands starts to abate after a short time. (roll dice) The jellies don't seem to respond at all, as if they have no ears. His dirk continues to glow as he still gets occasional urges to go to the water. (roll dice) Grog'tial continues to concentrate on his flute and ignore the urgings.

Gilius picks himself up off the floor and sees Rocky has tumbled again also. He dismisses the whispers at the edge of his mind. While the walls of the temple are not yet rebuilt he joins Count in the center and tries to see what's so special about this floor and the wall as it rebuilds. (Based on prior post intent.)

(roll dice) Durik, Mighty and Count continue to fight off the flying jellies as Pugwash shoots another one down and Captain Baldbeard directs his sharks. Those cut down by Count's saber are almost instantly turned to snow. (roll dice) Durik cuts through one with a harpoon and a piece falls on him, where it creates a burn. (roll dice) More pieces are falling, and Baldbeard. Grog'tial and Pugwash are also affected. (Durik, Baldbeard, Grog'tial and Pugwash will need Heal Wounds bandages to stop the acidic burn..) (roll dice) Argy uses her pan to bat away any more pieces and sends several back into the fiery liquid. More bits are falling over the floor and sizzle into puddles, then the ground beneath them changes and inside the circular area where the puddle once was a different dimension crops up. In one there is now a column of water with strange floating eyes of many colors. In another it is autumn-like, but the plants grow in the air with flowers that dance and shoot thorns at the Crew.

(roll dice) Aylar strikes down a jelly that comes to close, dodging the cut pieces and sees more puddles and odd circles forming. They are running out of time. As he watches the mechanism finally forms, three concentric rings with a large bowl in the middle. (roll dice) He takes out his broken compass, seeing again the same stuck coordinates he has seen since his Bloody Mary and himself and his crew were taken. Using the rings, he dials in the coordinates. As he inputs each one, he feels an energy from the Guardian nearby and stars begin to appear where the ceiling is yet to be finished. As the last coordinate and star are input, the temple suddenly completely finishes itself.

-----
The temple accepts the stars as aligned, the crystalline blocks charge once more and the temple spins them again, returning to a pocket plane linking both the material plane and another. As the temple steadies and the rest of the Crew rush to the Chamber to gather, Bellandra quickly arrives and takes out the Mirror and inspects the pedestal and the ceiling. She sees the stars on the ceiling in different constellations, but only some are lit. On the pedestal base is the mechanism but there is also a puzzle to it beyond the coordinates. Bellandra looks for a moment then reaches out and connects another star pattern to match the lit constellations above and the top vanishes to reveal a dark liquid substance now in the large bowl Aylar had observed in the center before the temple finished rebuilding itself.

Seeing Captain Baldbeard's wound, Aeshma quickly runs over and takes a bandage from her pouch and says a spell over it, then bandages it for him. She smiles at him, "Leave it on for today. You shouldn't even have a scar." Then she walks over to look at the mechanism and the bowl just revealed.

"It's a Scrying bowl," Aeshma tells them. "A magickal tool for seeing things, whether past, present or future." She purses her lips and shakes her head. "It looks like the Aboleth has been playing with time and fate."

"Indeed it has," comes an elderly voice, and the Crew turns to see an old woman with long white hair confined in a single braid emerge from the Secret Door. "I am one of the three Fates. My sisters spin and cut, while I measure and weave your destiny. The creature is indeed playing with time and Fate. It has already changed the Fate allotted for each of you," she tells them. "Now each of you will have a choice to wrench it back and select your own Fate, or settle for the Death it gave you. Each of you must step up and look into the scrying bowl and see the Fate the aboleth caused for you. It will play on your fears, and show you the death you now bear, for at this moment you are all dead. You have been crewing a Spirit Ship, a ship that takes and holds the spirits of those who have a second chance at life - those who have died before their time, through a Fate not assigned, or those who have a chance at redemption. Only the Ship has kept your spirits safe from Davy Jone's Locker, and kept them out of that creature's reach. And only your Phoenix Guide can find each of your bodies, reunite it with your spirit and reincarnate each of you."

She looks at Aylar. "Do not take it poorly, Captain. You broke the geas, but not her oath. She was forbidden to tell you everything. Nobody on the Ship is told until they take an oath, are fully bound to it, or fall in service to it and the Crew and earn the Choice. "Your phoenix already broke the rules for you. Determined that one be."

The Fate then chuckles at the look on Grog'tial's face. "Oh yes, laddie. You're already dead from your own paranoid schemes and your own poison you insisted on coveting so obsessively. I was the one who put it out to see if it tempted you again after such insistence at looking for it, saying it was promised to you when it was not. And you took it, and refused to let it go no matter what you were told. Then you went and tried to plot mutiny, subvert the Bruja's protections, actively persuade magickal oath-breaking and to threaten the only creature in this world that even cared enough to try to help you overcome what killed you in the first place ... and coincidentally the only one who could bring you back to life again. That Ship should have terminated your spirit already for even thinking of moving against her that way, but she went to great lengths to fight for your chance. My sisters now wonder if maybe she shouldn't have. We shall see. Don't give me that look. I am the sister of Destiny, I know you were warned, several times. You wanted to play for your own advantage? Your only advantage was entirely in being a part of the Crew, and believing in the one who was fighting to help you instead of pining after the one who was trying to use you. But that is out of my hands now."

"Mighty the Mighty Matey," the old woman turns to him. "You have already met your test, conquered your weakness and made your choice by fulfilling your oath in service to the Ship and Crew. Your Fate has been redeemed and confirmed by the Monkey God through his Son. You may continue with the Ship, or return to Monkey Island, although I know your mateys, and I believe Captain Aylar, would prefer for you to see the rest of this Voyage through.

(continued below ...)

(... continued from above.)

"The rest of you, look into the bowl, each of you, but do not believe it is final, for you have adhered to the Code and your oaths and thus can this Fate be changed now based on your choices." She looks to Aylar. Captain Aylar, take out your compass. As each event begins, take down the coordinates it gives you. They are vital to retrieve what each needs to thwart the Fate shown." Then she turns to Bellandra, "Bellandra, look at the ceiling, as each event changes one star will be added. Note down that star for each event, it is a key. With those and the choices you make, you can change the path of your Fate."

As each look into the scrying bowl Aylar's compass gives a coordinate, five of which are identical, and Bellandra sees a star on the ceiling light up for each. [The Crew can see the start of each scene, but once it goes to PM, only that particular crew member can see the rest of it in their mind like a dream with themselves being like ghosts.]

Argy looks into the scrying bowl and sees again her drowned body floating beside a King's ship, in a Ship Graveyard not far away from Bellandra's figurehead. (The rest in PM.)

Captain Baldbeard looks into the scrying bowl and sees himself and his ship stuck run upon an ice field, which slowly grows over many days, until the ship is completely locked tight and slowly being crushed by the ice as they run out of supplies and any way to heat, besides burning the ship itself. His frozen body is illuminated on occasion by a lighthouse they could never reach. (The rest in PM)

Count Karnstein looks into the scrying bowl and sees himself partying away inside a tomb full of bats with a beautiful, mysterious woman with long dark hair. She is mesmerizing and seductive. He stumbles out the next night, not remembering too much, but he cannot eat without getting sick, nor stand to be in the sun too long, and his body is wasting away until he passes out and ends up in doctor's care and consumes the leeches put on him in an attempt to 'get rid of the bad blood'. The townsfolk think he's lost his mind and he is put into a mental hospital where the doctor that keeps giving him shock therapy reeks of garlic. The shocks stop his heart and they bury him alive, thinking he is dead. (The rest in PM)

Durik looks into the scrying bowl and sees himself taken off a ship he is crewing and put in chains, while the ship is sunk into a Sea Hag's collection. Durik cannot move in the chains, and he sees his drowned body floating not far from Argy's. (The rest in PM.)

Pugwash looks into the scrying bowl and sees himself being plucked off the deck of his ship by a huge tentacle of a Kraken as it crushes and tears at the rest of the ship. He is dropped into the sea, and manages to grab onto a barrel, however the barrel is a barrel of salt. The Kraken returns, crushing him into the barrel and dragging him down with it into the briny deep. (The rest in PM)

Gilius looks into the scrying bowl and sees himself aboard a ship sickening under a black magic voodoo curse that strips him of his magics as it also turns his stone elemental into melted slag. He sees the Kraken attack the ship, and himself lost at sea clinging to the last pieces left afloat of the ship. (The rest in PM)

Bellandra looks into the scrying bowl and sees her ship broken on the bottom of the sea with her figurehead still attached. She is in a Ship graveyard and looking around she sees the bodies of Argy and Durik floating not too far away. She could also swear she sees Count Karnstein pinned to the mast of a ship by another splintered mast running him through the heart. Turning, she sees Captain Aylar's ghost floating near the entrance to a sea cavern. (The rest in PM)

Aylar is the last to look. Aylar steps up and stares into the scrying pool, seeing a Fate unfold. He realizes he knows this place ... he was back in Her hold again, in a deep-sea cavern where the sun never shone. There be the door, there be the undersea lake, there be the stalagmite three paces from the lake shore he had named Long John Limestone. And there, dangling from the chains, be a skeleton with blood red hair. Dead. In this Fate he had never made it out. Tendrils of fear tried to entangle his mind, but he hushed them. This Fate was not set, was not his.

The old woman looks at the Crew and shoos them out. "Go, Investigate the temple and clear the areas you have not while you can. Make sure none of its spies remain for when the temple comes out from this temporary protection. I need to talk to Captain Aylar." (The rest in PM)

-----
Aylar stays behind with the sister of Fate while the rest of the Crew go to check out the rest of the temple. (roll dice) Above their heads, as they exit the chamber, is the hairy spider that had been following Grog'tial. The door to the alcove with the Secret Door into the Chamber does not open or unlock, but Bellandra remembers the look of the three rooms off to the side and where it looks like there are traps.

(You may investigate this room and the others while you can.)

-----
"... Fair winds to you, Captain. My time here is now done and this place will return to where it must." The old woman turns and exits through the Secret Door.

As the sister of Fate leaves, Aylar finds he can once again feel the link to Clíodhna. It feels strained, as does the Ship. They are being attacked and he can sense the intensity of battle as the eel throws its forces brutally at the Ship. So far it seems to be holding its own, but he has no idea for how long.

Moments later the temple shudders and there is a gong that rings. The Crew are teleported back into Chamber. The three alcoves each now hold an active portal, and from them is a humming sound, then a shifting.

*Time shift,* the Guardian tells Aylar. *It knows ye are here. It is done playing.*

Before the Guardian can finish the portals flare and the Crew find themselves in a cavernous opening to a large chamber. In front of them is a large expanse of water that they cannot tell whether it is a lake, or open to the sea somewhere into the distance. On that water they see the Denuvo, and eight vampirates stand on the shore while Merrow swim around the ship. There is an iron barred and locked doorway to the left and a tunnel that runs downward from it. Further ahead to the right is a wooden door that stands open to a winding cave path and another chamber they cannot see. Behind them is yet another passageway to another cavern, and standing there are eight Chuul and a dozen Drowned Ones..

One by one each of the Crew feels their minds being probed and tested as the Aboleth searches them for a new servant. (roll dice)

-----
If the Aboleth turns someone you will not necessarily know until that person reveals it. The GM will contact and direct that crew member through PM. Good Luck.

-----
Your current inventory can be found in Post 2 (loaner books are read and returned)
Argy = Cavern
Aylar = Cavern
Bellandra = Cavern
Captain Baldbeard = Cavern
Count Karnstein = Cavern
Durik = Cavern
Gilius = Cavern
Grog'tial = Cavern
Kyp = Dragon Turtle
Mighty = Cavern
Pugwash = Cavern

NPC
Aeshma = Cavern

What has happened: Remember at the start of Temple Turn 3 the Aboleth -
... made one final adjustment, turning the wheel, then withdrew. If it could not have them alive, then it would have them dead. Either way, this Crew and that Ship would belong to it.
It then took the temple back through time with the Crew inside it, thus finding each of their fates in the past and altering a crucial point. However each of you also saw the Ship being directed by the Fate to recover your spirits and thus call you to the Ship at the start of the Voyage in this time to be able to offer you a way to reclaim life and a new Fate as you complete the Voyage. This is the Curse of the Crew - their fates altered by the Aboleth's minions and their quest to now foil the enemy, restore their own fates. Mighty (our MVP) had already faced his challenge and fulfilled his oath to both the Monkey God and the Ship and was thus protected by the Son of Monkey God. Grog'tial's fate is in flux and currently out of the hands of the sister of Destiny.

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All the sleepless nights seem to finally have caught up with Grog'tial. First it's as if he's having some bizarre dreams - illusions, he recognizes - and then his mind starts drifting off for real, until Argy slaps him on the ass with more strength than he knew she possessed. What is her deal?!, he thinks to himself, It's totally fine if she's into that sort of thing - and who knows, mayhap he might like to experiment with that as well - but hasn't she ever heard of consent??

He doesn't have much time to continue that line of thought, as they shift once more into a realm with these weird jellies, which seriously sting as they fall on him. Grog'tial applies his Heal Wounds bandage. And then they're once again in some new place. He's finding it very hard to keep track of what's happening. "Bloody magic!" he mutters, as Aeshma says something about it all being the Aboleth's doing. He's starting to get really annoyed at this fish.

Suddenly there's an old woman telling him he's dead? That they're all dead? He can't be dead! He's been silently enjoying Argy's cooking on the ship far too much to be dead. Besides, he needs to be getting on with rescuing grandma and killing his half-brother. Clearly this woman must be another illusion. Grog'tial dismisses the woman's words from his active mind (though a small thread in the back of his mind keeps worrying about how well it all fits), and goes to investigate the place where they are now - this large temple chamber as it once was? He judges distances, angles, corners and hiding places. If he were to arrange an ambush here, how would he do so? How would he counter that? If he ignores all this magic, is there anything out of place? What's his exit strategy? For that matter, what's the Aboleth's exit strategy? (roll dice) Looking up, he shoots down the hairy spider just crawling through the doorway into the Chamber, shivering with distaste.

Argy's eyes are shining with tears. Memories and longings of her former life cross her mind, and now she realises she will never have such life again. "I... I... Be dead. We all be dead." She wipes her face, decided not to die again (at least not here and now) and readies for the fight. The crew is now her family, and the ship is now her home. And she will fight for them to the very end. With that determined, Argy investigates the temple, following any advice from Aylar or Bellandra since they seem to understand its secrets and traps.

"We be dead? But.." Durik breathes and sings, how could it be? "Me don't like this evil bowl. Also saw Tiny there :( Durik not accept dis, he be part of the crew and we fight together to live! " Durik bandages his hand hurt by the jellies' acid and follows the others searching for any remaining enemies in the temple.

Gilius walks away from the scrying bowl and is partially surprised of his discovery. Knowing he's dead made him feel an urge to be alive again. "I can't be dead. I be a servant o' nature. I 'ave to use me powers to defend its balance. There's no way I can do that if I be dead. I 'ave to prevent me own death. I 'ave to become alive again!"

Count Karnstein reluctantly looks into the scrying bowl. What the blazes was all that 'bout? - he wonders - An' why did it show me that wench? I remember her clearly now, it was real. Could it... Could it mean the ol' Orlok's tomb wasn't cursed after all an' I been cruelly played all along? How dreadful...ly curious. Can't help meself, always been a sucker fer wicked ones. He's expected to make a choice but he can hardly see any. Before embarking on the Ship he thought that "maybe something good come out of it", and by that he most definitely didn't mean some sentimental hogwash, "final journey" sort o' things. Nay, he didn't come all the way here just to perish. Certainly not like that. Even if this would be his plan, he'd rather choose his own terms than handing it over to some oversized lamprey pretending to be god. The last thought makes him momentarily furious and disgusted when he realizes the sheer insolence of the Aboleth playing with them like that. With that Count takes himself off to investigate the rooms left along the left side of the temple.

Bellandra stands still a moment, absorbed in the grim vision. It reveals much of where she had come from, but laces its revelation with sorrow and despair, and the cold and darkness of the sea floor. But then she lifts her head. "Nay... 'tis shall not be," she whispers. "The weaver of destinies says this be real - but 'tis not a fate I have chosen, 'tis what others would choose for me. Nay, I say. I shall not be bound - I shall not be bound! Not to the prow of a ship, and not to this fate either!"

Life where none was expected. Yearning for freedom fulfilled. These are what delight Bellandra, what fuels her. She had been gifted a chance at both, and she had thought she had seized that chance in full. But now, it seems, she was in a world where the chance had passed, and a part of her had remained behind - still there, to be rescued from this bleak end. She knows that unlike her own remembrance of her beginning, sinking alone in a dark sea, she is not alone now. The crew is with her, and she is with the crew. And she has found kin besides. "We shall find where I lie," she swears, "and restore meself, restore us all. I live, I shall live, we shall live!"

(roll dice) The first door to the three rooms along the left side of the temple is unlocked by a puzzle and Bellandra remembers the one that revealed the scrying bowl. She uses it to unlock the first door. Inside is a room with a series of threads running along the inner and outer walls which are being cut at various lengths. (roll dice) Aeshma tells you all not to touch the threads, they are the threads of Fate and are people's lives, (roll dice) and Bellandra remembers that as the temple rebuilt itself those walls are indeed trapped, as are certain places in the floor that she points out. (roll dice) They see no evidence of anyone within this room anymore.

Count Karnstein uses the spiderclimb oil to bypass the traps. (roll dice) He uses the ceiling to crawl to the next door and finds it is actually unlocked. Within it is a series of looms and weaves of many colors with a thread that runs from the room beyond in some magickal way to the looms here, and a final thread released from those looms into the room he just came from. In this room are several wolf sized spiders, picking at or webbing some of the looms, fouling the threads. Count realizes this must be how the Aboleth is having his minions ruin or reassign fates. He sees a key by the door he came through and a panel with a lock. (roll dice) Taking the key and turning the lock he heard the traps of the first room lock into place, making it safe for the Crew to cross the first room into this one.

After disabling traps, Count gives signal to the crew to get ready. He doesn't want to risk damaging threads in the room. (roll dice) The spiders watch him, but continue with their task until he guts one, opening its abdomen. (roll dice) They then move to attack, following him on both the floor and ceiling as he quickly crawls out backwards (roll dice) while using his saber to slice into the head of another.

(roll dice) Argy crosses the first room and waits to one side of the door, As one of the smaller spiders comes through she bashes it in the face, (roll dice) frying it's head with her fire oiled pan with a satisfying sizzle. (roll dice) Durik steps to the other side of the door and brings down his cudgel on top of the next spider that crawls over the first, turning it and the one Argy seared into a pair of pancakes. (roll dice) Grog'tial shoots another on the ceiling coming after the Count.

The Count proceeds into the next room under Bellandra's direction for unlocking that puzzle door. There are many spinning wheels where the threads are spun. The beginning of fate. Nothing else is found inside.

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Shortly after they are done in the three rooms the temple shudders and there is a gong that rings. The Crew are teleported back into Chamber. The portals in the alcoves activate and the Crew is ported to the large chamber facing minions of the Aboleth.

Aylar hears the Guardian. *It will realize I am here soon, there will not be much time. Vampirates use life draining, Chuuls a paralyzing poison based on a magickal draining of nerve energy. Do remember to be yer Charming self, Aylar.* He remembers the Fate telling him the Guardian was restricted from telling him certain things, but "She is allowed to guide you ... and I have no doubt she will use a Fae's word tricks, within her oath."

Argy's eyes are shining with tears. Memories and longings of her former life cross her mind, and now she realises she will never have such life again.
"I... I... Be dead. We all be dead."

She wipes her face, decided not to die again (at least not here and now) and readies for the fight. The crew is now her family, and the ship is now her home. And she will fight for them to the very end.

If there is time to do it, she'll investigate the temple following Aylar and Bellandra's advices, as they are the ones who seem to better understand the secrets and traps of this place.