Abyssal Waters (Session 239)

SESSION 239: The Source -- Getting Wet Beneath the Brine Lord's Tomb

The blood red waters await. At the end of the journey is Abyzou, demon lieutenant of the Sanguine Fathoms.

 

Day 162 (Continued 12.20/0605): It was finally time. The hobos were ready to make the plunge and it would be done via the flooded chamber east of the mess hall. The hike was smooth and easy. Readied with potions, kelp bladders and magic. They descended the steps into the chamber until the front line stood before the waters edge. Here goes nothing.

They dropped into the hazy red waters. Most certainly Abyzou’s zone of influence. It was in fact the lair of a magnatha, a gross amalgam of octopus and spider infused with a healthy demonic influence. The thing was currently elsewhere, not far but keenly aware of the murderhobo presence. Our goobers were having a tough time seeing mush in the hazy waters. They did notice something wiggling in the back of the chamber but decided to investigate the larger of two corridors behind them instead. All surfaces of this aquatic world were treacherous. Covered in Abyssal barnacles secreting their vile shellac entombing all other life, it was a marine graveyard. Travel was painfully slow. About 30 minutes later it attacked. Resembling an 8’ long, part spider/part octopus creatures from the Sanguine Fathoms dimension with a heard covered in transparent skin, revealing sparkly veins and flashes of synapses, like a mini-universe. Eight spindly, 3’ long legs near its head spin a sticky gelatinous cord that is dragged by it’s legs. The magnatha attacked. 

The aquatic realm was clearly its home and our gang were at a disadvantage, at least they had a numeric advantage. The demonoid worked from the shadows just beyond observation and reach of the hobos. Tossing sticky threads and blood hungry barnacles. Steve eventually used his free movement to engage the abomination and entangled it in a melee that it would not survive.

 

The hazy waters of the Sanguine Fathoms had waned so they turned around to return to the original chamber. Returning, this time they actually investigated the chamber. The movement had been caused by a Histrix that had been embedded into the wall with spider-thing webbing and barnacle shellac. It used telepathy to plead for its life, “Release me. Kill demon. Revenge. Kill demon. Help you. Free me!”. Lucky for the evil seahorse-man, Chorda, the mob suspected they needed as much help as they could raise. “Deeper into the blood waters. Must go”, Chorda gestured to the two corridors going southward. The gang choose the southwesterly one. No comment came from the Histrix whom fell into the back of the line. The tunnel went aways until forking they turned hard south and came to a larger barnacle laden chamber. Dead and dying creatures affixed in cruor barnacle cementation. “Close now. Go deeper”, was Chorda’s contribution. The waters were good and hazy now. Another passage at the back of the chamber led closer to the final destination. It was absolutely choked with abyssal barnacles slowing movement even further to avoid setting the things off. It took a half hour before they successfully navigated the passage. It opened into a large chamber, they had to take Chorda’s word for this because visibility was markedly limited,red barnacles cling to every rock surface, expelling their gooey slime across bones of their victims (sea life and several histrix bones) and releasing their bloody concoction into the water

. A cacophony of clicks and muted growls reverberated through the waters of the chamber. “We here. It here too. Maybe others”, Chorda readied his spear. 

They moved closer. 

A string of bubbles appears ahead, generated by hundreds of tiny limbs rapidly molding the slimy barnacle goo into some sort of translucent giant-sized skin suit. The tiny limbs were just a portion of the abomination that was Abyzou. It was like a cross between clam- worm, seahorse, with spider-like components haphazardly affixed. The limbs seemed to grow larger, smaller, increase in number or decrease as the creature worked. Two histrix worked beside it, and beyond them, was a great mirror (10’ tall) strongly radiating whirling colours of light blues, purples, and dappled with yellows and angry oranges. 

The she-demon reared up with the interruption making an unnerving trumpeting noise revealing a mouth on a long snout and a second maw of jagged death that exploded from her torso. The Histrix brought forth tridents and moved to attack. There would be no negotiation. Ding-We had a trick or two up his sleeve. The first was to haste mighty Dolec as Steve largely unimpeded due to his armor of free action. The Histrix swung in along the sides looking to pierce the softer hobos behind the tanks as Abyzou fell back committing to Abyssal magics to call forth what was presumed to be three portals of glowing blood red. Steve’s advance was slowed by the treacherous rough terrain of the barnacle encrusted floor. Rhags and Dolec did their best to keep up (10’ behind). The demon continued its ritualistic magic allowing Ding-We to pull his second trick – part water. Producing a water free channel straight to the demon. This allowed the three tanks, and Chorda whom had swum behind the enemy, to get into melee with Abyzou. The Histrix servants were not faring well as Bunny and Captain Alamend provided support for the clerics. Abyzou opened up like hell (or a bloody abyssal abyss) came to earth. Clawed arms exploded from its body buffeting her four attackers and then followed up with a paralyzing bite upon the hasty Dolec and then attempted to swallow Rhags with its colossal torso mouth. Dolec was dropped but Rhags was able to keep his shield in pace to prevent being consumed. Following this Evelyn the Lure made her presence known as she sang an enchanting rhythmic diddy. 

A shapely dark-haired woman wearing a sea shell crown and a flowing pure white nightgown. Only when angry does her face contort to rage revealing pointy sharp teeth, long nails, and flesh rot. Her hair sways wildly about her face as if it has a mind of its own. Sha was clearly angry and very ugly. 

                         

Bimbles and the Captain complied with the mesmerizing and dropped to the ground. Carla and Bunny turned to deal with Evelyn. Her timing was not perfect if she wanted to support her team as Steve and Rhags to sacrifice defence to deal as much damage as possible to the demoness. The gambit worked Abyzou dissolved into reddish black cloud before simply disappearing. Steve turned around and charged the rotting lady known as the Lure. She gave him a potent punch in the throat draining him of vitality before his counter sundered the wretched creature.

They all grabbed one breath before the portal things started strobing and releasing deep rhythmic notes. Things were coming forth and they have tentacles and spider-like legs – more magnatha were coming. 

And they thought the first one was bad enough, here comes a whole bunch…

 

                                    

ROLECALL 

Carla the Green High Priestess of TMB (C10) 313941 xp +10% <400001> CRT 1d12/III

            Scars: permanent loss left index finger and scarring on arm

Bimbles the High Priest of GSS (C9) 276643 xp +5% <300001> CRT 1d12/III

            +2 save to poison and internal body things; Double eat (gotta feed my baybay)

Hobo Steve the Lord (F9) 289416 xp +5% <360,001> CRT 1d24/V

            Brain Damaged: reduced mental capacity (tough night on the town)

Rahgnar the Dwarven Superhero (D8) 210405 xp <280001> CRT 1d20/IV

            Serious wound: permanent loss of an eye (-1 to missile fire)

            Critical Wound: disembowelled less able to process poison (-1 penalty)

            Missing thirteen teeth  

Raul the Voyager (MD9) 254664 xp +10% <360000> CRT 1d12/III

            Fezzi-Gig (Neut: XXXX) Sword

Serious wound: permanent loss of CHA -4, 

Removed one of his own nostrils.

Boris the Dwarven Lord (D9) 356589 xp +10% <400001> CRT 1d20/IV

Serious wound: permanent loss of CHA -3, carved up face

            Wound: Bad leg (-5’ MV)

            Multiple Injuries: lost 25 teeth (7 remaining), drools a lot CHA -1

            Serious Injury: Brain Drain -2 INT

            Serious wound: permanent loss of an eye (-1 to missile fire)                         

Ding-We the Peg-Legged Sorcerer (W9) 463664 xp +10% <470001> CRT 1d10/I

            Critical Wound: Left leg obliterated, runs at ½ rate (peg required)

Bunny the Thief! (T9) 257448 xp <280001> +10% CRT 1d20/II

            Light wound: permanent loss of pinky finger, off hand

Ramrod the Cloned Magsman (T8) 157770 xp +5% <160001> CRT 1d20/II

             Serious wound: Bad Back (-1 stone CC)

            Scars: Neurological damage to hip, noticeable limp (-5’ mve)

            Missing eight teeth talks with a lisp

 

            The Henchmen

Saffron the Mad Fairy Queen of Ribbits (FY7) 176755 xp <200001> CRT 1d10/III

            Moderate wound: Scar on abdomen

            Lasting injury: -1 STR, mashed guts

Sloth the Bopper (L7) 173249 xp +10% <178800> CRT 1d20/IV or 1d6/G (vs. s, m)

            Missing ten teeth

Nara the Nearly Naked Purple Swami Girl (PS7) 109599 xp +5% <125000> CRT 1d16/II

Wraith Drained: -1 CON

Biff Bartley the Half-Orc Blackguard (HO7) 101166 <120000> +5% CRT 1d12/II

Sasha Plasha the Warden (R8) 119078 xp +10% <200000> CRT 1d10/III

‘BOB’ the Deadly Shade (N7) 64817 <90000> +5% CRT 1d16/II

Felix Ignatius Hemlock the once skeletal Sleuth (I7) 47017 <80001> +5% CRT 1d16/II

Mason the Lama of Yrrrg. (C7) 60920 <100001> CRT 1d10/III

Charles in Charge the Myrmidon (F6) 59051 <64000> +10% CRT 1d16/IV

            Franz the Grave Return (Lawful; XXXX) Sword

Critical Wound: Punctured lung (-2 CON) 

            Mostly DEAD. (-1 CON)

Gurn Hammerhand the Dwarven Swashbuckler (D4) 23766 <36000> +5% CRT 1d12/III

Wendul the Magician (W6) 45514 <80000> 5% CRT 1d8/I

Dolec Da the Hero (F5) 43871 xp +10% <64000> CRT 1d20/IV

            Missing five teeth

Camillus the Myrmidon (F7)  83695 <120001> +5% CRT 1d20/IV

Willy the Reformed Burglar (T6)  23902<40000>10% CRT 1d14/II

            Agolloch the Eye of Purity (Lawful; XXXX) Sword

Chung-Li the Myrmidon Warlock (E6) 103411 xp <120000> +10% CRT 1d8/II

Captain Alamend Strender the Swashbuckler (F5) 25020 <32000> +5% CRTXXX

Ike the Duck (DF6) – AVATAR form.

Brett & Jermaine Kobold Cooks & Eavesdroppers Extraordinaire 

 

RESERVES

BoB is the lone lawn ornament for the Basilisk Knights.

Chung Li needs 12 weeks (74 days) and a stack of coin to rewrite his lost spell book.  

            Elapsed: 32 days (from day 600)

Elapsed Campaign Time

604 (630) days at beginning of session (also applies to recuperation) 

Join us for session Two-Hundred-and-Forty when we ask the questions:

Will the octo-spiders actually be the death of us?

What/ how do we deal with the mirror?

If we somehow survive the above challenges do we just run as fast as fucking possible back to the surface?

Tale of the Tape

Exploration Below the Blighted Sub-Hex

Location hex: 12.20

 

KILLS

Barnacles (19) 

Mananthra 

Histrix Servants of the Blood Demon (2) 

The Lure 

Abyzou Demon Lieutenant Third rank of the Sanguine Fathoms

LOOT

None aside from dead fish