The Caverns of Purutoa; Easter Encounter
Apr 18, 2017 14:01:51 GMT
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Post by DM Exitium on Apr 18, 2017 14:01:51 GMT
DM's Log: Encounter number 18 entitled "The Secrets of the Lake"; Adventuring year 2; PCs level 13; April, 15th 2017
Phase 1: Travel
As the adventuring party formed their camp that night on the lake shore, they watched the gathering storm clouds while simultaneously debating the best way to cross the lake's dark waters cautiously. The human shaman Kalim seemed to listen contently, knowing that his hippogryph Cenarius would get him across the lake in the morning. But Cenarius could only carry 1 other person besides Kalim.
That left the 350 lb dragonborn Onyxia, the thin elf wizard Aaelar, half-orc warchief Thokk'gar, and dwarvish High King John Deere Gondson III.
"Well, I can just fly us across the lake, but I'm not sure how far 10 minutes of flight will get us. How did you get to the island last time you were there Thokk?" asks Aaelar
"Tribal shaman's that praise the water spirits came with me last time. We water-walked our way to the island, but it took most of the day. I don't think you're flight will get us there." says Thokk.
"Who says the flight needs to get us there? The fall would do just as well!" exclaims Aaelar.
Thokk gives the wizard an incredulous look, "The fall would do just as well!? We're talking about getting to the island elf not killing ourselves!"
"He has a point though!" Says Kalim, sitting up from his reclining position. "Why don't you use your flight to fly towards the island, but up at an angle. When the flight wears off, I can use the storm's winds to push you in the direction of the island."
Thokk looks back and forth between the shaman and the wizard, "That doesn't solve the problem Kalim. With or without your winds we'll still-"
Aaelar cuts Thokk off, "You forget Thokk, that I know the spell Feather Fall and we will gently float down to the ground. With Kalim on Cenarius, he can guide our fall by controlling the winds and pushing us towards the island as we fall."
Thokk grumbles and agrees. Onyxia, rarely concerning herself with strategy and magic, continues to char meats over the fire, blissfully unaware. John Deere's snores could be heard, as he had dozed off trying to listen to Thokk and Aaelar argue, as it has become a common-place occurrence on their travels.
Phase 2: The Puzzle
The next evening found our heroes landing none-too-gently on the beach, as the gale force winds generated by the storm blew them forcefully into the wet sands. The storm had grown in shear size and intensity with deluges of water making it difficult to see most of their flight, but here on the island appeared to be the eye of the storm...calm...almost peaceful.
Thokk spits a glob of wet sand out of his mouth with a scowl saying, "I thought your feather fall would guarantee us a soft landing wizard!"
Aaelar shrugs and retorts, "Feather's blow in the wind too. I'm not sure what you were expecting in a storm of potentially unnatural origins? That reminds me, was this storm here on your last visit Thokk?"
A grim look suddenly sets on Thokk's brow, "No. I fear that this storm is brought by the very monstrosity that carved out the caves beneath this island. Based on the contents of the caves, I would have guessed it was a dragon. But that can't be possible..." Thokk drifts off in thought. It's a well known fact in all of Ragnogov, that the chromatic and metallic dragons have been extinct for centuries.
"So then, what monster calls this island home?" Aaelar says with a look of excitement. The elf was once a librarian, and having grown up reading about dragons he gets unreasonably excited at the prospect of meeting one...regardless of the circumstances....
"On my last visit here, I met some fish people living down in the caves. They were worshiping the Demogorgon as far as I knew, but also appeared to worship something that resembled an eel with a sharks head." Thokk lectured as he led the party towards a side of the island where he had swam down and met the Kuo-toa.
Thokk and the others scaled down a small cliff side and went under water. They found the upper smaller Kuo-Toa caves abandoned, and a new statue that Thokk did not remember. It resembled the previous demogorgon statue, or at least the arms looked the same. However the 2 heads were now replaced with one blocky looking head with tusks. Thokk groaned.
"Hmmm, the inscription here roughly translates to 'Block Blar' - announces Aaelar.
"I wonder who that might be?" Kalim asks with a thick air of sarcasm and a gesture to Thokk.
"I may have convinced one of their priests to bow to me, forcing a large number of them to worship me as their new deity," Thokk admits.
"How did you manage that?" Aaelar says with his mouth agape.
"I sang a song of Geas and made them bow, harharhar!" Thokk proudly exclaims.
Onyxia pops her head above the water saying, "Further down I hear a chanting noise. I can't make it out though." The rest of the party jumped back into the water and swam deeper. Rary's Telepathic Bond has kept them all mentally bonded since they had landed at the island. While the necessity of tactical decisions required their mental bonding, Thokk despised having to share his thoughts with the wizard.
As they delved deeper into the waters, Onyxia's thoughts drifted across the Bond.
Why can I not see the bottom yet? These drop-offs are sheer rock walls with no end, Onyxia's apprehension was thick which unsettled the group. Her eyes could see further than the others and her sense for danger was typically on point.
The lake apparently has no bottom. These caves are periodically carved into the island rock face. If we go deeper we will find the large cavern filled with treasure, Thokk thought.
Treasure!!!! Onyxia's one crux was her lust for treasure. At the mere mention her thoughts changed from skeptical to thrilled as she swims downward.
As the party surfaces in the large cavern, they instantly hear the chanting of "Block Blar! Block Blar! Block Blar!"
Well we found the Kuo-Toa, thought John Deere.
Within minutes, the Kuo-toa noticed the arrival of our heroes and a priest strode forward with his staff, rather familiar to Thokk. Thokk groaned, Oh for the love of --- not now!
"Block Blar! The Gods have smiled upon us! We have offered one of our own in supplication each day for the past 30 days to try to call you forth! Today, you have finally arrived! As well as other Gods?" asks the Priest Raglurl.
Their unblinking eyes unsettle me, Kalim openly thinks.
Are they edible? thinks Onyxia.
They're idiots! thinks Aaelar.
They're annoying, but easily manipulated. Watch, "Raglurl, I'm here to tell you that the official day to offer up supplication isn't today....It's tomorrow!"
The Kuo-toa stare in disbelief, then drop to their knees in a bow.
"Forgive us Block Blar! We are forever ashamed of our not knowing your holiday! But today? Today, we must drink! Come! Come! There will be a hatching!" Raglurl proclaims, walking deeper into the cave.
A hatching? Aaelar's thoughts resonated throughout the bond.
Guys, Onyxia thought pointing to a massive egg nearly 6 feet tall and glowing a fluorescent red, what are these eggs?
For now I don't sense any iminent threat to our lives, Kalim shares, although I have had a bad feeling ever since we entered the eye of the storm.
You're senses of the 'beyond' are useless human, Thokk scoffs. The party follows Raglurl to an alter, were upon 7 flasks of various fluids were placed. Some colored, some bubbling, but only 6 of them radiated some sort of power that the 5 heroes could sense.
(Image of the 7 potions; What they are in real life from left to right; cranberry redbull, white rum, miller lite, berry-lemon vodka, tonic water, sour green apple vodka, water. Read further to find out what they did in the game!)
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"Each of you choose a flask, and I shall choose with you!" announces the priest Raglurl.
What do you think these do Aaelar? several of them thought.
Hmm, perhaps we should ask? Aaelar responded.
Oh real brilliant, retorted Thokk.
"What do you suggest we choose priest?" asked Onyxia bluntly aloud.
"Ah yes! Choose wisely, as 1 of these beverages is for the supplicant," says Raglurl.
"Hey! I told you supplication is tomorrow!" Yells Thokk.
Raglurl falls to his knees, "Supplication to Block Blar tomorrow, yes. Supplication to Purutoa today, yes! Drink Yes! And now the truths!"
Damn these things and their ridiculous beliefs! Scoffs Aaelar throughout the bond. The Kuo-toa begin chanting as the archpriest begins to awkwardly bow and tip his staff around the alter of the beverages.
"Red is for the runners" the Kuo-toa echo the priest as he proclaims these truths. These 'truths' must be our clues, Aaelar thought to the rest.
"Clear is for the Faithful!" echoed once more by the unblinking fish hoard.
"The bubbly is safe, while next to bubbly is for the supplicant!" confused mutters from the fish peanut gallery.
"Two from the Blue for the supplicant!" the Kuo-toa kept chanting and repeating these clues and dancing for several minutes while the deciding was made.
(Image of the PC's thinking through the riddle: DM Exitium - Front and center with a terrible need for a haircut. From Left to Right: Onyxia, John Deere, Kalim, Aaelar and Thokk.)
Easy, thought Thokk, the green is poison. Don't drink it.
However it could also be the clear one between the red and straw colored potions, Aaelar interjected.
Before further discussion takes place, Thokk grabs the red potion and downs it. He feels himself swell with an intense and familiar speed, as if the world around him was slightly slower. It's a haste potion. I'm safe.
Onyxia grabs the blue one from the middle and downs it. Suddenly she feels a crackle of energy around her, but she is unable to harness it. Aaelar could see that arcane energies started crackling around her after she imbibed the potion, but she seemed safe for now. Tingly, she thinks to the rest.
Aaelar then grabs the bubbling clear potion next to the green. As he drinks it he begins to float, as if by levitate. The kuo-toa all stop their chanting and stare at Aaelar saying "oooooohhhh Aaaaaaahhhhh!"
While the Kuo-toa were distracted, John Deere grabbed the straw colored potion and thought I think it's beer?
Kalim grabbed the clear potion next to the green and downed it. I think mine is just water, we're all safe.
The Kuo-toa look back to the alter and the Archpriest Raglurl stares at the clear and green potions. He grabs the clear one and turns to the hoard of unblinking eyes. "The Gods have made their will known! I am to be offered up in supplication to Purutoa! And then, the hatching ceremony!" A clamor of 'bloops' and other wet sounds arose as the Kuo-toa cheered and Raglurl drank the potion. His body went stiff, as if paralyzed and the rest of the Kuo-toa rushed him. Several larger kuo-toa with large pincher contraptions restrained Raglurls arms and legs and began to take him further down the cave to a bloody alter.
"STOP THIS MADNESS!" Shouts Aaelar. Are we really doing this you guys? thinks Kalim to the rest of the group. As if his bad feeling jinxed the situation, a gargantuan eel with the head of a shark and eel-like wings burst from the waters surface. It flew right up into the air of the massive cavern, and looked to be nearly 50 feet long.
Suddenly, both aloud and across their telepathic bond, a roar of "The False Gods!! I am Purutoa, the one true God of these blibbering fools!"
Phase 3: Combat
***And folks, I need you to roll initiative and give me a second to set up terrain and minis.***
(Jabba appearing as Purutoa the Ancient Sea Dragon)
(Our heroes from left to right; Onyxia custom Hero-forge mini painted and based by yours truly! Thokk'gar the orc warrior mini from the old WoW board game custom painted and given a maul. Genasi representing Wind Shaman human Kalim. Jace Belerun from the Magic; The Gathering board game representing Aaelar the elvish transmuter. Oldschool dwarf mini from I'm not sure how long ago representing High King John Deere Gondson III)
Onyxia jumped into the Kuo-toa, slashing them down left and right while Aaelar thought, PREPARE YOURSELVES! and said some words of power in Draconic while taking out a lodestone and a handful of iron filings. In a moment, it was as if the room flipped for Thokk, Onyxia and Kalim. But Aaelar cast Feather Fall as soon as the Reverse Gravity took effect and the hoards of Kuo-toa went hurtling towards the ceiling along with several of the large eggs. Most of the Kuo toa died instantly with a splat, but several of the more hardy Kuo-toa with the pincher weapons survived as well as the archpriests. Kalim thought to the group, Get ready again then muttered a prayer to the wind spirits in Auran and a powerful downwind began to push the Kuo-toa back towards the ground as Kalim controlled winds.
Nearly all the Kuo-toa that had surrounded the heroes in worship were dead now, and several others could be seen elsewhere in the cave, surrounding the large 6 ft tall eggs and chanting a ritual. Several eggs began to hatch and eel-like dragon wyrmlings took flight and followed in Purutoa's wake. The glare of he dragon met Kalim's eye, but the presence of John Deere gave him courage enough to stand and face the dragon. Purutoa flew right up to the party and unleashed a powerful breath attack of crushing cold water. John, Onyxia, Thokk and Kalim each found a way to avoid the brunt of the breath attack but the blow hit Aaelar dead center. The wizard reacted instantly and a Globe of Invulnerability appeared as he slammed into the wall behind him unharmed.
Hahaha, foolish wyrm! thought Aaelar. Onyxia went into a rage at seeing her beloved engulfed crushed by cold water and began slashing away at Purutoa, but her potion she drank flared and suddenly she was a sheep! However, the dragon beat it's wings to distanced itself from our heroes, returning Onyxia to herself again while knocking Kalim prone. Thokk choked up on his maul and beat the head against his war-drum. A resounded Crack! echoed through the caverns as the dragon's wing twinged under Thokk's Shatter spell.
"I am Block Blar," announces Thokk, "your quarrel is with me!"
"False God! Your bones will litter these caves!" Purutoa roared, and began to chase Thokk deeper into the cavern. I'll lead him away for a moment, take care of the eggs and wyrmlings before we are overrun!
(Thokk scratching his head as he telepathically shares his strategy; Aaelar standing, ready to cast some more spells; Onyxia's beer and character sheet in the foreground)
Thokk's thoughts thundered as he Dimension Door'd further into the cave where Purutoa could not reach. As the dragon started searching for Thokk, another resounded Crack! echoed throughout the cavern. This time, the crackle of Chain Lightning had shot from a glass rod that Aaelar was wielding, in the other hand he had a rabbit fur. The lightning arced and hit several of the dragon wyrmlings. While a couple screeched in agony and fell to the ground in a crisp, two managed to survive and turned to use their breath attacks on the wizard.
Enraged at the loss of the wyrmlings, Purutoa left Thokk alone and charged Aaelar, unleashing another tide of crushing cold water. The wizard wasn't prepared this time, between the wyrmlings breath attacks and the attack of their mother, he hit the ground and the Telepathic bond had severed. Onyxia, enraged at seeing her beloved fall, charged the dragon again, unleashing all her fury. She shouted for Kalim to make her fly, he muttered a prayer to the wind spirits and Onyxia took off. With a roar she slashes her sword across Purutoa's eyes, slashing both of them to a jellied mess. Purutoa roared in agony, but her nose still worked, and she could sense the heartbeats of all living things in this cavern, she attacked back.
As Onyxia and Purutoa dueled, teeth, sword, claws, wings and roars shook the cavern. Thokk dimension door'd back to the front of the cave, but found himself surrounded by Kuo-toa whips and they began to restrain him. A wave of exhaustion hit Thokk, as his potion wore off and suddenly his movements felt sluggish and he could barely move. Thokk struggled to shake the Kuo-toa off 1 at a time and made his way towards Aaelar slumped on the ground. Kalim began to fight off 2 wyrmlings that had begun biting at him the moment he tried to head towards Aaelar. Both Kalim and Thokk fought every step of the way to make it back to their friend. John Deere in the meantime had been throwing his dwarven thrower left and right, smashing eggs and any kuo-toa that dared to try to hatch more of them.
As Kalim and Thokk neared Aaelar, Thokk beat his drum singing "Praise the warchief for he will not let anyone fall this day!" casts Mass Cure Wounds.
Kalim helps Aaelar up, wyrmlings begin to surround them again and Kuo-toa begin to circle in. Aaelar throws a small stone of phosphorous into the air and suddenly a great wall of fire sprouts up, burning the Kuo-toa and keeping them at bay.
As the wyrmlings and Kuo-toa continue to hamper Thokk, Kalim and Aaelar, John Deere joins Onyxia in challenging Purutoa. The king throws his hammer at the dragon several times as Onyxia continues slashing away. Then, a sound of tides and a rush of cold water as Purutoa let loose another breath attack. This time, Onyxia was not ready and were blasted away and knocked to the ground. Having temporarily disposed of the troublesome dragonborn, Purutoa turns to John Deere and chases him back to where the wyrmlings gather around Thokk, Kalim and Aaelar. Suddenly, walls of poisonous coral had started to rapidly grow and box them in. Aaelar said, "Kalim, get ready to attack the dragon!"
"Are you mad? I can barely stand!" Shouts back Kalim. Aaelar then pulls out a catapillar's cacoon and casts polymorph. Kalim had transformed into a massive behemoth, the king, the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
(John Deere makes it back to Thokk and Aaelar while Kalim has suddenly become a T-rex!)
Now confronted with a foe of comparable size, Purutoa let loose another wave of crushing cold water. Kalim, Aaelar, Thokk and John all caught in the blast were pushed away and knocked prone. Aaelar lay in a heap again, and as he did not get up Kalim began to shrink back to his normal form and size.
"Uh oh," Says Kalim.
"Have faith lads! Gond save us!" John Deere shouts as he uses his last, and greatest smite. His dwarven hammer struck Purutoa square in the eel-butt, breaking her eel-tailbone. Purutoa went limp, and her slithery form came to a rest on the stone cavern floor. She could no longer move, and was at death's door, but had just enough life left in her for our heroes to ask her a few important questions....
Onyxia grumbles from the floor further up the cave, "That was my kill John!"
And so concludes this story-telling from our adventures in my homebrew setting of Ragnogov!
These are the DM's notes for how many Kuo-toa they killed and how the staged fight went with fresh baked Almond Butter cookies in the background.
Phase 1: Travel
As the adventuring party formed their camp that night on the lake shore, they watched the gathering storm clouds while simultaneously debating the best way to cross the lake's dark waters cautiously. The human shaman Kalim seemed to listen contently, knowing that his hippogryph Cenarius would get him across the lake in the morning. But Cenarius could only carry 1 other person besides Kalim.
That left the 350 lb dragonborn Onyxia, the thin elf wizard Aaelar, half-orc warchief Thokk'gar, and dwarvish High King John Deere Gondson III.
"Well, I can just fly us across the lake, but I'm not sure how far 10 minutes of flight will get us. How did you get to the island last time you were there Thokk?" asks Aaelar
"Tribal shaman's that praise the water spirits came with me last time. We water-walked our way to the island, but it took most of the day. I don't think you're flight will get us there." says Thokk.
"Who says the flight needs to get us there? The fall would do just as well!" exclaims Aaelar.
Thokk gives the wizard an incredulous look, "The fall would do just as well!? We're talking about getting to the island elf not killing ourselves!"
"He has a point though!" Says Kalim, sitting up from his reclining position. "Why don't you use your flight to fly towards the island, but up at an angle. When the flight wears off, I can use the storm's winds to push you in the direction of the island."
Thokk looks back and forth between the shaman and the wizard, "That doesn't solve the problem Kalim. With or without your winds we'll still-"
Aaelar cuts Thokk off, "You forget Thokk, that I know the spell Feather Fall and we will gently float down to the ground. With Kalim on Cenarius, he can guide our fall by controlling the winds and pushing us towards the island as we fall."
Thokk grumbles and agrees. Onyxia, rarely concerning herself with strategy and magic, continues to char meats over the fire, blissfully unaware. John Deere's snores could be heard, as he had dozed off trying to listen to Thokk and Aaelar argue, as it has become a common-place occurrence on their travels.
Phase 2: The Puzzle
The next evening found our heroes landing none-too-gently on the beach, as the gale force winds generated by the storm blew them forcefully into the wet sands. The storm had grown in shear size and intensity with deluges of water making it difficult to see most of their flight, but here on the island appeared to be the eye of the storm...calm...almost peaceful.
Thokk spits a glob of wet sand out of his mouth with a scowl saying, "I thought your feather fall would guarantee us a soft landing wizard!"
Aaelar shrugs and retorts, "Feather's blow in the wind too. I'm not sure what you were expecting in a storm of potentially unnatural origins? That reminds me, was this storm here on your last visit Thokk?"
A grim look suddenly sets on Thokk's brow, "No. I fear that this storm is brought by the very monstrosity that carved out the caves beneath this island. Based on the contents of the caves, I would have guessed it was a dragon. But that can't be possible..." Thokk drifts off in thought. It's a well known fact in all of Ragnogov, that the chromatic and metallic dragons have been extinct for centuries.
"So then, what monster calls this island home?" Aaelar says with a look of excitement. The elf was once a librarian, and having grown up reading about dragons he gets unreasonably excited at the prospect of meeting one...regardless of the circumstances....
"On my last visit here, I met some fish people living down in the caves. They were worshiping the Demogorgon as far as I knew, but also appeared to worship something that resembled an eel with a sharks head." Thokk lectured as he led the party towards a side of the island where he had swam down and met the Kuo-toa.
Thokk and the others scaled down a small cliff side and went under water. They found the upper smaller Kuo-Toa caves abandoned, and a new statue that Thokk did not remember. It resembled the previous demogorgon statue, or at least the arms looked the same. However the 2 heads were now replaced with one blocky looking head with tusks. Thokk groaned.
"Hmmm, the inscription here roughly translates to 'Block Blar' - announces Aaelar.
"I wonder who that might be?" Kalim asks with a thick air of sarcasm and a gesture to Thokk.
"I may have convinced one of their priests to bow to me, forcing a large number of them to worship me as their new deity," Thokk admits.
"How did you manage that?" Aaelar says with his mouth agape.
"I sang a song of Geas and made them bow, harharhar!" Thokk proudly exclaims.
Onyxia pops her head above the water saying, "Further down I hear a chanting noise. I can't make it out though." The rest of the party jumped back into the water and swam deeper. Rary's Telepathic Bond has kept them all mentally bonded since they had landed at the island. While the necessity of tactical decisions required their mental bonding, Thokk despised having to share his thoughts with the wizard.
As they delved deeper into the waters, Onyxia's thoughts drifted across the Bond.
Why can I not see the bottom yet? These drop-offs are sheer rock walls with no end, Onyxia's apprehension was thick which unsettled the group. Her eyes could see further than the others and her sense for danger was typically on point.
The lake apparently has no bottom. These caves are periodically carved into the island rock face. If we go deeper we will find the large cavern filled with treasure, Thokk thought.
Treasure!!!! Onyxia's one crux was her lust for treasure. At the mere mention her thoughts changed from skeptical to thrilled as she swims downward.
As the party surfaces in the large cavern, they instantly hear the chanting of "Block Blar! Block Blar! Block Blar!"
Well we found the Kuo-Toa, thought John Deere.
Within minutes, the Kuo-toa noticed the arrival of our heroes and a priest strode forward with his staff, rather familiar to Thokk. Thokk groaned, Oh for the love of --- not now!
"Block Blar! The Gods have smiled upon us! We have offered one of our own in supplication each day for the past 30 days to try to call you forth! Today, you have finally arrived! As well as other Gods?" asks the Priest Raglurl.
Their unblinking eyes unsettle me, Kalim openly thinks.
Are they edible? thinks Onyxia.
They're idiots! thinks Aaelar.
They're annoying, but easily manipulated. Watch, "Raglurl, I'm here to tell you that the official day to offer up supplication isn't today....It's tomorrow!"
The Kuo-toa stare in disbelief, then drop to their knees in a bow.
"Forgive us Block Blar! We are forever ashamed of our not knowing your holiday! But today? Today, we must drink! Come! Come! There will be a hatching!" Raglurl proclaims, walking deeper into the cave.
A hatching? Aaelar's thoughts resonated throughout the bond.
Guys, Onyxia thought pointing to a massive egg nearly 6 feet tall and glowing a fluorescent red, what are these eggs?
For now I don't sense any iminent threat to our lives, Kalim shares, although I have had a bad feeling ever since we entered the eye of the storm.
You're senses of the 'beyond' are useless human, Thokk scoffs. The party follows Raglurl to an alter, were upon 7 flasks of various fluids were placed. Some colored, some bubbling, but only 6 of them radiated some sort of power that the 5 heroes could sense.
(Image of the 7 potions; What they are in real life from left to right; cranberry redbull, white rum, miller lite, berry-lemon vodka, tonic water, sour green apple vodka, water. Read further to find out what they did in the game!)
What do you think these do Aaelar? several of them thought.
Hmm, perhaps we should ask? Aaelar responded.
Oh real brilliant, retorted Thokk.
"What do you suggest we choose priest?" asked Onyxia bluntly aloud.
"Ah yes! Choose wisely, as 1 of these beverages is for the supplicant," says Raglurl.
"Hey! I told you supplication is tomorrow!" Yells Thokk.
Raglurl falls to his knees, "Supplication to Block Blar tomorrow, yes. Supplication to Purutoa today, yes! Drink Yes! And now the truths!"
Damn these things and their ridiculous beliefs! Scoffs Aaelar throughout the bond. The Kuo-toa begin chanting as the archpriest begins to awkwardly bow and tip his staff around the alter of the beverages.
"Red is for the runners" the Kuo-toa echo the priest as he proclaims these truths. These 'truths' must be our clues, Aaelar thought to the rest.
"Clear is for the Faithful!" echoed once more by the unblinking fish hoard.
"The bubbly is safe, while next to bubbly is for the supplicant!" confused mutters from the fish peanut gallery.
"Two from the Blue for the supplicant!" the Kuo-toa kept chanting and repeating these clues and dancing for several minutes while the deciding was made.
(Image of the PC's thinking through the riddle: DM Exitium - Front and center with a terrible need for a haircut. From Left to Right: Onyxia, John Deere, Kalim, Aaelar and Thokk.)
Easy, thought Thokk, the green is poison. Don't drink it.
However it could also be the clear one between the red and straw colored potions, Aaelar interjected.
Before further discussion takes place, Thokk grabs the red potion and downs it. He feels himself swell with an intense and familiar speed, as if the world around him was slightly slower. It's a haste potion. I'm safe.
Onyxia grabs the blue one from the middle and downs it. Suddenly she feels a crackle of energy around her, but she is unable to harness it. Aaelar could see that arcane energies started crackling around her after she imbibed the potion, but she seemed safe for now. Tingly, she thinks to the rest.
Aaelar then grabs the bubbling clear potion next to the green. As he drinks it he begins to float, as if by levitate. The kuo-toa all stop their chanting and stare at Aaelar saying "oooooohhhh Aaaaaaahhhhh!"
While the Kuo-toa were distracted, John Deere grabbed the straw colored potion and thought I think it's beer?
Kalim grabbed the clear potion next to the green and downed it. I think mine is just water, we're all safe.
The Kuo-toa look back to the alter and the Archpriest Raglurl stares at the clear and green potions. He grabs the clear one and turns to the hoard of unblinking eyes. "The Gods have made their will known! I am to be offered up in supplication to Purutoa! And then, the hatching ceremony!" A clamor of 'bloops' and other wet sounds arose as the Kuo-toa cheered and Raglurl drank the potion. His body went stiff, as if paralyzed and the rest of the Kuo-toa rushed him. Several larger kuo-toa with large pincher contraptions restrained Raglurls arms and legs and began to take him further down the cave to a bloody alter.
"STOP THIS MADNESS!" Shouts Aaelar. Are we really doing this you guys? thinks Kalim to the rest of the group. As if his bad feeling jinxed the situation, a gargantuan eel with the head of a shark and eel-like wings burst from the waters surface. It flew right up into the air of the massive cavern, and looked to be nearly 50 feet long.
Suddenly, both aloud and across their telepathic bond, a roar of "The False Gods!! I am Purutoa, the one true God of these blibbering fools!"
Phase 3: Combat
***And folks, I need you to roll initiative and give me a second to set up terrain and minis.***
(Jabba appearing as Purutoa the Ancient Sea Dragon)
(Our heroes from left to right; Onyxia custom Hero-forge mini painted and based by yours truly! Thokk'gar the orc warrior mini from the old WoW board game custom painted and given a maul. Genasi representing Wind Shaman human Kalim. Jace Belerun from the Magic; The Gathering board game representing Aaelar the elvish transmuter. Oldschool dwarf mini from I'm not sure how long ago representing High King John Deere Gondson III)Onyxia jumped into the Kuo-toa, slashing them down left and right while Aaelar thought, PREPARE YOURSELVES! and said some words of power in Draconic while taking out a lodestone and a handful of iron filings. In a moment, it was as if the room flipped for Thokk, Onyxia and Kalim. But Aaelar cast Feather Fall as soon as the Reverse Gravity took effect and the hoards of Kuo-toa went hurtling towards the ceiling along with several of the large eggs. Most of the Kuo toa died instantly with a splat, but several of the more hardy Kuo-toa with the pincher weapons survived as well as the archpriests. Kalim thought to the group, Get ready again then muttered a prayer to the wind spirits in Auran and a powerful downwind began to push the Kuo-toa back towards the ground as Kalim controlled winds.
Nearly all the Kuo-toa that had surrounded the heroes in worship were dead now, and several others could be seen elsewhere in the cave, surrounding the large 6 ft tall eggs and chanting a ritual. Several eggs began to hatch and eel-like dragon wyrmlings took flight and followed in Purutoa's wake. The glare of he dragon met Kalim's eye, but the presence of John Deere gave him courage enough to stand and face the dragon. Purutoa flew right up to the party and unleashed a powerful breath attack of crushing cold water. John, Onyxia, Thokk and Kalim each found a way to avoid the brunt of the breath attack but the blow hit Aaelar dead center. The wizard reacted instantly and a Globe of Invulnerability appeared as he slammed into the wall behind him unharmed.
Hahaha, foolish wyrm! thought Aaelar. Onyxia went into a rage at seeing her beloved engulfed crushed by cold water and began slashing away at Purutoa, but her potion she drank flared and suddenly she was a sheep! However, the dragon beat it's wings to distanced itself from our heroes, returning Onyxia to herself again while knocking Kalim prone. Thokk choked up on his maul and beat the head against his war-drum. A resounded Crack! echoed through the caverns as the dragon's wing twinged under Thokk's Shatter spell.
"I am Block Blar," announces Thokk, "your quarrel is with me!"
"False God! Your bones will litter these caves!" Purutoa roared, and began to chase Thokk deeper into the cavern. I'll lead him away for a moment, take care of the eggs and wyrmlings before we are overrun!
(Thokk scratching his head as he telepathically shares his strategy; Aaelar standing, ready to cast some more spells; Onyxia's beer and character sheet in the foreground)
Thokk's thoughts thundered as he Dimension Door'd further into the cave where Purutoa could not reach. As the dragon started searching for Thokk, another resounded Crack! echoed throughout the cavern. This time, the crackle of Chain Lightning had shot from a glass rod that Aaelar was wielding, in the other hand he had a rabbit fur. The lightning arced and hit several of the dragon wyrmlings. While a couple screeched in agony and fell to the ground in a crisp, two managed to survive and turned to use their breath attacks on the wizard.
Enraged at the loss of the wyrmlings, Purutoa left Thokk alone and charged Aaelar, unleashing another tide of crushing cold water. The wizard wasn't prepared this time, between the wyrmlings breath attacks and the attack of their mother, he hit the ground and the Telepathic bond had severed. Onyxia, enraged at seeing her beloved fall, charged the dragon again, unleashing all her fury. She shouted for Kalim to make her fly, he muttered a prayer to the wind spirits and Onyxia took off. With a roar she slashes her sword across Purutoa's eyes, slashing both of them to a jellied mess. Purutoa roared in agony, but her nose still worked, and she could sense the heartbeats of all living things in this cavern, she attacked back.
As Onyxia and Purutoa dueled, teeth, sword, claws, wings and roars shook the cavern. Thokk dimension door'd back to the front of the cave, but found himself surrounded by Kuo-toa whips and they began to restrain him. A wave of exhaustion hit Thokk, as his potion wore off and suddenly his movements felt sluggish and he could barely move. Thokk struggled to shake the Kuo-toa off 1 at a time and made his way towards Aaelar slumped on the ground. Kalim began to fight off 2 wyrmlings that had begun biting at him the moment he tried to head towards Aaelar. Both Kalim and Thokk fought every step of the way to make it back to their friend. John Deere in the meantime had been throwing his dwarven thrower left and right, smashing eggs and any kuo-toa that dared to try to hatch more of them.
As Kalim and Thokk neared Aaelar, Thokk beat his drum singing "Praise the warchief for he will not let anyone fall this day!" casts Mass Cure Wounds.
Kalim helps Aaelar up, wyrmlings begin to surround them again and Kuo-toa begin to circle in. Aaelar throws a small stone of phosphorous into the air and suddenly a great wall of fire sprouts up, burning the Kuo-toa and keeping them at bay.
As the wyrmlings and Kuo-toa continue to hamper Thokk, Kalim and Aaelar, John Deere joins Onyxia in challenging Purutoa. The king throws his hammer at the dragon several times as Onyxia continues slashing away. Then, a sound of tides and a rush of cold water as Purutoa let loose another breath attack. This time, Onyxia was not ready and were blasted away and knocked to the ground. Having temporarily disposed of the troublesome dragonborn, Purutoa turns to John Deere and chases him back to where the wyrmlings gather around Thokk, Kalim and Aaelar. Suddenly, walls of poisonous coral had started to rapidly grow and box them in. Aaelar said, "Kalim, get ready to attack the dragon!"
"Are you mad? I can barely stand!" Shouts back Kalim. Aaelar then pulls out a catapillar's cacoon and casts polymorph. Kalim had transformed into a massive behemoth, the king, the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
(John Deere makes it back to Thokk and Aaelar while Kalim has suddenly become a T-rex!)Now confronted with a foe of comparable size, Purutoa let loose another wave of crushing cold water. Kalim, Aaelar, Thokk and John all caught in the blast were pushed away and knocked prone. Aaelar lay in a heap again, and as he did not get up Kalim began to shrink back to his normal form and size.
"Uh oh," Says Kalim.
"Have faith lads! Gond save us!" John Deere shouts as he uses his last, and greatest smite. His dwarven hammer struck Purutoa square in the eel-butt, breaking her eel-tailbone. Purutoa went limp, and her slithery form came to a rest on the stone cavern floor. She could no longer move, and was at death's door, but had just enough life left in her for our heroes to ask her a few important questions....
Onyxia grumbles from the floor further up the cave, "That was my kill John!"
And so concludes this story-telling from our adventures in my homebrew setting of Ragnogov!
These are the DM's notes for how many Kuo-toa they killed and how the staged fight went with fresh baked Almond Butter cookies in the background.
