Split Galleon Dungeon (Patreon)

Before Neoma and Newlyn descend the stairs deeper into the broken galleon, they take a moment to look around the top story. It appears people continued to resided here after the ship sunk, for there is a kitchen on the East end of the structure that has seen recent use. Not recent enough, however; the stench of rotten fish permeates the kitchen thanks to several large salmon, which have been forgotten in a fishing basket. Whoever lived here, they have been gone for at least a week. 

 When Neoma and Newlyn at last descend the stairs, it does not take long for them to leave the hull and enter a natural cave that continues down into the depths.  As the pair descend, they find more signs of habitation - and combat. The crusted stains of long-dried morph cover the walls, alongside the rusty hues of blood.  

Suddenly Neoma pushes Newlyn out of the way, as a grotesque barnacle growing on one of the walls sprays a deadly jet of pressurized fluid at him. There's more than just one, for as the pair stagger back, dozens of what they'd assumed to be rocks on the walls opened up, and revealed their true, horrible nature. The morph barnacles had formed on any cavern wall where a great amount of morph had been allowed to dry, and while they are easily disposed of, the deadly stream of pressurized morph they spit out can be rather unpleasant.  

Worse, the barnacles aren't the only threat. Lesser Fae Knights fill the lower levels of the cave, and whenever they are found, they surge forward to attack the Morphlings with blades that seem to be crafted from water. They are unlike the knights they saw in the port town, for these wield a mix of gothic and primal magic when fought, rather than gothic and bimbo.

Eventually, they reach a major split in the cave's tunnels that forces the duo to make a choice. One tunnel is poorly lit and seems to be infested with Morph barnacles, but continues to descend deeper into the earth. The other path leads to a large, well-lit chamber, which a quick sneak peak reveals is occupied by a group of fae knights. The knights appear to be worshiping the statue of an even larger, unknown fae knight.

Current status of the Morphlings;

• Level: 44
• Classes : Himbarian and Goth Sea Witch
• Location: Tunnels below the Split Galleon
• Status: Both Newlyn and Neoma are fresh and ready.

Challenge;

The Dark Tunnel - This tunnel has poor visibility and a great number of Morph Barnacles along its walls. Individually these creatures do not pose much of a threat, but in the numbers present here, one wrong move could result in both morphlings dying in a barrage of spit. Even the fae knights who inhabit the caves seem to have completely avoided this particular tunnel, and for good reason.

Fae Knight Shrine Tunnel - This tunnel leads to a rather large open area, which the fae knights have converted into a shrine to some higher form of their race. The gathered fae acolytes kneel in prayer around the statue in the middle of the room, their heads and hands raised high as they sing to it in dulcet tones. The statue depicts a figure similar to the Sun-Taker, though less heavily armored. Rings of glowing water magically orbit the statue, hinting at some magical property contained within it.

Just the number of fae knights gathered here alone would be difficult for the Morphlings to overcome, but the statue's unknown power could make things even more arduous should the Morphlings attack. Fighting could result in a hard-won victory, or a disastrous defeat.

Choices;

• Just run through the dark tunnel! The barnacles are slow to react, so speed is our ally! 
• Slow and steady through the dark tunnel, killing each barnacle one at a time to avoid unnecessary damage. 
• Take on the Fae Knights with Neoma taking the lead. 
• Take on the Fae Knights with Newlyn taking the lead.

Remember to discuss options below in the comments or on the darkest Fandom discord channel on my discord. I might even drop hints if people guess something right.