"Have we gathered 500 gold? Or we're going to have to find another way around....or I suppose we could try fighting that thing!" Ehrendil's voice makes it clear the last option does not sound like a good plan.

---

How deep is the 'canal' that runs on the east side of the cavern? We could use it to access room 24 if it's wading depth.

Faith looked at the group as they spoke with a frown. "uumm...what are we walking into here? Maybe i have something that may help."

"The dragon turtle is too big and rigid for small corridors, so I think we can safely go back towards the bridge and then sneak north." Morg whispers to the party.

Faith's eyes opened wide as she looked at the dwarf. "Dragon turtle?"

She sighed, but had a smile on her face. "You befriend a lich, piss of a dragon turtle and seek to destroy a cult. What's next? Goona find a dragon and play a game of chance with it?"

"Do you know any metalic dragons who like to gamble?" Morg whispers.

"I don't think the turtle is particularly hostile. Yet."

Zeb's face turned green when Ehrendil mentioned the canal. "Who knows what those cultists have done to the water? Besides, some of us would be in a bit more over our heads than others, wouldn't we? Perhaps we can pick our way through the rubble and skirt our way around Bronzefume unnoticed?"

Ehrendil gives a little laugh. "No fear, Zeb, the water looks too deep for any of us. I'm just looking for anyway to avoid Bronzefume. Maybe we could distract him, so we can slip past? Create some kind of splashing in his pond?" the ranger looks to the spellcasters with his question.
"I have a spell that will let everyone of us become quieter and difficult to be seen. We could try to sneak from here to the corridor leading to the altar. Of course, we would be walking right in front of him."

---

Going with the DM's slight retcon from the OOC thread that puts the party in Room 23.
Ehrendil can cast Pass Without Trace that will give everyone +10 to their Stealth check. It's about 40 ft from the west door of room 23 to the corridor heading north to the altar room. ** What could go wrong? **  :-)

To Ehrendil, Makari thought for a moment. "I mean...I'm not itching to just give away treasure we've kind of earned but..." He gave a small shrug of his shoulders even while frowning, "If worse comes to worse...there was that silver ring with the rubies. It's not straight-up gold but...it seemed like it might be worth enough."

Nevertheless, he followed along.

OOCL Referencing the "silver ring set with small rubies (600 gp)" from the loot thread.

"Should we wait for the turtle to fall asleep, and then try to slip past?" Morg whispers.

While not particularly well suited for stealth Gorm does have an uncanny ability to sit silently and watch people, in this case Morg, with a level of intensity unlikely to be found in regular bears.

"Gorm suggests we honor our deal with the turtle, and not try to sneak past it - which might have to happen several times." Morg whispers.

Faith stood with arms crossed. "What was teh deal exactly? Was it gold per say or some treasure of worth?" she looked around. "...because if it's down to trying to sneak past or fight a dragon turtle and giving it something shiny, then - well, give it a damned ring!"

Ehrendil smiles and nods at the bear, acknowledging her opinion and accepting the decision of the majority. "I can't say I trust the beast to let us pass back and forth for one payment, but perhaps it will be for the best. I hope that it is aware that a piece of jewellery has value!

Morg, pass me the ring, and I will try to deal with him as I did before. The rest of you follow behind and prepare to dash to the north if things go awry."

[If everyone agrees with the plan:]
Ehrendil takes the ring and opens the door into the cultists' dining hall, stepping out, he calls out to the turtle, [Language unknown: His Tosaeknori. A somee encherdering.] He slowly moves toward the massive turtle, stopping when he is directly south of the corridor leading north to the altar room. [Language unknown: O allainreanti, di osast iteither roec ersur an eili ncany ivou ioutof urera Evteioanas toai ck. Ai ave outwherat t ousbution ic mihissio whdinthi re na trseck m trtius ek ect adilar.] Ehrendil holds the ring up for the turtle to see.

Zeb shrugged. "It's only money. Not even money, in fact."

Ehrendil finds Bronzefume rooting around in boxes of supplies, a cloud of steam around her scaly head. Her body appears iridescent in the dim light of the chamber, and seeing her out of the water for the first time she appears smaller than the group might have imagined.

As Ehrendil proffers her the ring, the dragon turtle approaches, squinting its large reptilian eyes at the rubies sparkling in the elf's hand. [Language unknown: "Caisri i ri,"] the dragon begins, sounding surprised. [Language unknown: "Ithratica i i the uttin ou omentiort."] The creature indicates a wooden box composed of sopping wet wood, with a puddle of water underneath it. Inside, a number of valuables sit among a smattering of gold and platinum.

She muses at Ehrendil and the others behind him. [Language unknown: "Airo mi nimifoli lat ma ureillrom ent larterera it ati virwitven. Osent leday, herromset icwhte, heatic erawiloul poofpe thres ntenotred pr sa. Mo usac derkorera en ouure ho preurewhe si shetervenred whilncmi k eenlarour. O dersonugh it lanc si isfo-utdi. Ous aimousfo, acne ekarai wi siaiat ntlenc acer menbuttra. Acntth eenen ictho unlent alle, inetioill ce hadin stringion atro starutnte evhoel... ion u"]

Faith looks at the huge form of the dragon turtle with wide eyes. "You guys make teh strangest friends."

Ehrendil, gives the giant turtle a shallow bow and moves to the box, lifts the lid, and drops the ring into it. [Language unknown: Ad n orewiless il astre ichro ratherreabut paisncto t ou ainsheave ce ter wh moei o cant pl a ndnd setstaenc. Peday ditifo Ratncearetraard.]

Ehrendil then calls to the others, "We may pass freely," he then leads the way north.

At the northern bridge, Morg asks "Are we allowed to return freely? Are there allies of the turtle beyond?"

Makari didn't understand the language being spoken so just stood there, waiting and trying to remain calm as things were said. He watched the ring be handed over, hoping that was a good thing. He relaxed visibly when Ehrendil mentioned they could pass freely. That was something at least.

He gave a respectful nod to the dragon turtle.

"I've no idea, Morg. There's a human saying, Don't cross the bridge till you come to it, we'll have to deal with the turtle on our return."

As they crossed the bridge to the altar, Ehrendil remarks to Faith, "This is where we fought Thuluna the hag and her trolls," pointing to the east, he adds, "I recall seeing a hole in the wall, under the water, that might be a submerged culvert. We didn't have to time to investigate at the time..."

Resuming the role of a simple bear Gorm accompanies Ehrendil across the bridge as quietly and carefully as a bear can, sticking to the center of the bridge and trying not to accidentally knock anyone else off.

Faith walked by, smiling and waving at the dragon turtle, and raised her eyebrows at the thought of needing to return. When Ehrendil spoke of a hidden passage, she winced. "Swimming.....I just got warm and dry too." She sighed and looked at them. "Anyone have any magic that will, i dunno, stop us drowning?"

Ehrendil smiled at the bard, "It can wait until we return from below. The portal is most important. Besides, at that point I'm confident we'll be sweaty and covered in cultist gore, so a dip in the water will be welcome!"

Makari shook his head at Faith. "No, sorry. Not something I have pursued magically."

He nodded at Ehrendil. "Yes, portal first, I agree. Let's get to it, shall we?"

"Even better not to build the bridge in the first place. Not every river is meant to be crossed. I wish more humans understood that.

But good job, there. With the ring."