D&D Session 31 (12/29/21): Pool Party

 

Text by Paul O'Connor, Dungeon Master 

Ha! Ho! There's the Kua-Toa done with. This is easy!

Whaddya mean there's a "thing" in the pool?

OH MY GOD!

So we've got a swirling mass of tentacles and teeth, along with a whale-tail that promised instant death (but never quite connected). And maybe the worst part was the thing was psychic, and malevolent. It got into our heroes' heads. Sarkagan was driven half mad, blubbering about a solipsistic crisis. And Arthur was transported back to his childhood halfling hole, where he saw his dear old mum again (who was definitely not his mum).

How did they handle it? Like heroes, of course! Arthur took it to the creature, leaping into the pool and stabbing again at those three ancient, intelligent, evil eyes, all lined up one atop the other like some chaotic traffic light. Blah jumped into the fray, cutting at every tentacle that came his way, pounding his chest and bellowing for more. (Oops, there goes his vorpal sword, lost in the pool). Sompher lifted spirits, restored HP, and comically wielded his spiritual weapon. Even Sarkagan returned from his earlier existential exit to lob magic missiles from the top of the stair.

Running short on spells, weapons lost, health failing, it looked bad for our boys ... but then, just like that, The Thing (an Aboleth, for those of you scoring at home) decided it had had enough, and retreated into the murky depths, but not before
trying (and failing) to drag Arthur down with him.

Eerie silence, in the aftermath of battle ... and then tempered celebration, with Farrah rescued at last, and a nice little treasure to divide. Blah dove a time or two to recover his lost sword, then shrugged it off with barbarian fatalism. "Good thing I never gave it a name!" Dee Dah gave up munching on a fallen Kua-Toa to comfort his master.

But Arthur ... oh, Arthur ... what is this strange disease that has taken root in your halfling heart? Your skin is turning translucent, your black veins seem closer to the surface, your eyes are growing wide and luminous, and you find that to be separated from water feels like acid is being poured on your skin. Uh oh.

Long rest! At last!

(And congrats to our group for playing 30+ times in 50-ish weeks this year. Achievement Unlocked! It's a good thing we are all married already).