SESSION 241: I Put Jelly on My Steak.
Away, away from the island get all this the hell behind us and then something came from below.
Day 162 (Continued III -12.20/0605): At the last moment they decide against climbing out of the drink. It would not be long before the Histrix discover the destruction of their demonic deity and things would likely get nutty quick. Instead they dropped back down and took the presumed crab-lined (but red barnacle light) exit tunnel. They figured that this would be the fastest way back to the ship and it would end up that way.
The tunnel twisted about for a couple hundred yards before arching upwards and terminating at the foot of a small shark ringed island. Ding-We figured this was the seal island north-west of the main island and where they were anchored. The mob of sharks showed little interest in our armour clad hobos as they trudged along the rocky ocean floor. Once getting to the main island it did not take long to find the anchored galleon. Bunny sent up the rope of climbing and the gang loaded up. Anchor was pulled, the main sail unfurled and oars were manned. All efforts were made to get some distance from this damnable place. The subterranean wind agreed.
Day 163 (12.20/0605): The escape seemed to have worked the breeze maintained and residents of the briny deep were unobserved.
Day 164 (12.20/0605): The wind broke today and travel was greatly reduced. Not even the sea termites were biting.
Day 165 (12.20/0605): It was a gusty day along with Bimbles utilizing a water propulsion system (decanter endless water set on full blast) along with a summoned large sea-horse strapped to the prow the S.S. Albatross they were making good time back to the beach.
Well until they came to an abrupt halt.
They were beached! What? How?
What luck, an island sized jelly-fish has dry-docked the expedition.
What to do, what to do?
An immense, pink-tinged, translucent mound of jelly-like substance abruptly creates an instant island from its emergence from the turquoise seawater, grounding all three ships. Hissing air and bubbles erupt from the water and massive, hairy tentacles float to the surface briefly before sinking once more into the sea. Water geysers jet 30’ high from craters spewing a salty spray that drenches most of the ship before briefly residing and revealing three cave-like entrances. The ‘caves’ on the surface of the monstrous jellyfish’s umbrella-shaped bell lead within the gelatinous mass (Malrex, along with the other italicized stuff below).
Time to explore. The gang disembarked and made their way to a random crater hole. The surface of the jellyfish’s bell was spongy, rubbery, and squished underfoot. The deeper indentations, or craters, held an ominous cave- like openings near the bottom that descended inside the gargantuan jellyfish. Remnants of seaweed floated just inside the cave’s surface as briny water flooded the tunnel. Things would get wet again. The first inspected crater appeared to drop nearly straight down the second had a more pleasant slide like appearance. Bunny once more brought forth her special rope and after quaffing water breathing doses they began the descent. The tunnel extended beyond the ropes reach so they did end up sliding their way into the first jelly-chamber. They slid into a nook, and bounced off the far “gelatinous wall”. There was a narrow passage to the SW and a more spacious passage to the NE that appeared to lead to a softly glowing chamber. The glowing chamber was selected over the narrow dark passage.
They came to the Sea Squirt Garden: Bio-luminescent water reveals an erupting palette of color from hundreds of sea squirts mixed with starfish attached to floors, walls, and ceiling. Fluorescent colors, electric blues, deep reds, and every other color of the rainbow creates a mesmerizing texture.
A pale, gaunt humanoid creature exploded suddenly from a cluster of sea squirts, it’s sudden movement releasing a cloud from the squirts which created a hazy effect through the bio-luminescence. This thing was weird beyond being 7’ tall. It was a starfish head with starfish at the end of its creepy extended limbs. Let’s call it Gimpo.
Carla stepped forward and attempted to communicate with Gimpo. Gimpo did not attack but it did wave about its creepy limbs. Carla kept talking and Gimpo kept having paroxysms until Steve realized that he was kinda getting the things point. Gimpo was using its neutral ‘alignment language’ and Stevie understood that lingo. Being fed questions from Carla our fighter was able to get have a broken conversation with Gimpo and come to the conclusion that resolution of their beached galleon would be found beyond the stomach which was that way and not through the gross flappy sphincter portal over there. Gimpo folded itself back into the sea squirt garden and our gang entered the stomach proper.
The waters were slightly hazy with particles of partially digested things leisurely floating about. The stomach was lit by faltering bio-luminescent clouds that sporadically light up portions of the huge cavern that appeared to likely be roughly circular with a big black pit in the middle. The ceiling was 25’-40’ above. The throat area (center) was completely dark, its interior descending downwards into an inky black abyss and lined with thousands of tiny, paralytic tentacles. There was an alcove of sorts to the left and seemed a good enough place to check out.
Stomach Lord: Numerous sponges and chunks of coral form a colorful kaleidoscope effect. The vibrant floor appears to be moving as hundreds of tiny crabs march across the brilliant landscape, hunting for food and flashing their minuscule claws.
Hidden in this mess of sea life was the gardener and lord of this place a gargantuan spider crab. It watched our hobos with its cold crustacean eyes. It’s pincher arms were over 30’ long and shot out attempting to grab a hobo meal. Dolec and Steve were able to raise their shields and deflect the attacks in the nick of time. The behemoth scuttled out of its lair and fell back into the darkness. Hobos pursued. Once more the pinchers shot out this time grabbing Steve in the vice like grip. He was able to break out using his impressive strength and the Rod of Lordly Might as a pry. The crab then scuttled into the tentacle laden throat of the jellyfish and attacked from the black hole. Steve had enough of this rubbish he an upcoming duke and wilderlands leader of the gourmandian arts he leapt into the black pit transforming the rod into a spear that he buried deep into the monster’s dorsal ganglion just after puncturing its thick shell between the eyestalks.
That did the job.
Now he was falling into the tentacle filled abyss atop a dead gargantuan crab, “How can I make a meal of this?” was his only words.
They should have been “yikes, need a hand here”.
See ya later Stevie!
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
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
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
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)
Dolec Da the Hero (F5) 43871 xp +10% <64000> CRT 1d20/IV
Missing five teeth
Captain Alamend Strender the Swashbuckler (F5) 25020 <32000> +5% CRTXXX
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-Two when we ask the questions:
Where is Steve falling to?
How do we get the ship off this damned thing?
What was up with the creepy starfish dude thing?
Will we ever see Gimpo again?
Tale of the Tape
Exploration Below the Blighted Sub-Hex
Location hex: 12.20
KILLS
Gargantuan Spider Crab 900
LOOT
Not yet.
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