Even though summer is over and we finally have some blessedly cool weather, I will be calling this the Summer Games until we no longer meet. My hope is that it lasts until next summer, at least.
Earlier logs: one, two, three, four, five, six.
It has been several weeks since our last session because we're adults. Still, we finally met and it was both productive and fun.
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Covered in gore, the party wanders the first level, seeking the exit to the surface they know exists. Perhaps this gore will tempt them to bathe in whatever pools they may discover, regardless of possible consequences.
DM Note - After all, they once heard a rumor about how bathing in a pool changed someone, so odds are good one (or more) will bathe in or drink from discovered pools. I'll need to have a water feature table ready, if only for inspiration.
Orcs slain, our heroes found themselves at a four-way intersection and opted for the left-hand corridor over the double doors in front of them or the right-hand corridor. Still, they dithered enough as they scouted down the corridor that a wandering monster appeared.
The PCs heard a chittering sound heading towards them, and while some ducked into a side corridor, TruggleDave stood his ground and readied his bow. The chittering and skittering grew louder as a long greenish multi-legged horror moved towards them, its many tentacles writhing and dripping, along the ceiling! DM Note - It turns out that two of the PLAYERS are freaked out by spiders and were visibly moving away from me as I described it heading their way - I need to get with them to see if I need to not use spiders, as we meet rarely enough as it is.
Dave got off one shot, hitting and rolling max damage, but it wasn't nearly enough to slay the carrion crawler! It closed with him, hitting with multiple tentacles, paralyzing Dave (for 12 turns) in mid-shot, leaving him looking like an awkward ugly cupid!
Initiative was tied, so the other PCs responded as best they could, with Varda casting her lone spell - a Magic Missile that dealt near-max damage, and Brother Frank finishing the beast off with a crushing blow from his mace. Roro missed, Alistar missed, and Dack the Boar ran about helplessly as he couldn't reach it.
DM Note - I've been wanting to use one of Toren Atkinson's drawings for some time now, so I am thrilled that the random table brought me a hungry Carrion Crawler.
Paralyzed Dave was dragged into the side corridor, itself quickly opening into a room featuring yet more corridors and a fountain in the corner, featuring a mannish-lionish face spewing water into a shallow bowl.
The PCs then spent some time trying to unparalyze Dave, first by pouring fountain water on him, and then trying to get him to drink said water (neither worked). Enough time that wandering monsters were indicated, and the party heard what sounded like large doors opening. Bracing for the worst, they were shocked when a giant face appeared in the opening asking if they wanted the dead Carrion Crawler because "that's good eating with orc sauce." A goblin joined the ogre, bree-yarking at the party until it was realized that Roro spoke Goblin, then I dropped to English.
The Goblin wanted to verify that his friends (presumably the visible ogre and maybe another making noise in the corridor) named Smash and Grab could have the dead things for a meal. Satisfied, they dragged the bodies away, and a door was heard to close.
Combat averted, Varda began examining the fountain itself and discovered that the eyes appeared to be buttons of some sort. Pressing them both dropped a fancy jeweled key out of the fountain's mouth.
As Varda examined, and then pocketed, the key, Roro tossed a coin into the fountain and made a wish for the party to return to the surface. To everyone's amazement, smoke started billowing out of the fountain mouth, quickly taking the shape of a balding, goateed, blue man on top and smoke on bottom.
He introduced himself as Djinn Carrey (because L1's Djinn Belushi was a dated reference) and after negotiations, the wish was granted - and as the smoke cleared, the party rejoiced because it let them skip the taxman at the main entrance! At this point, they noticed the shrieks of fright and calls for the guard - Djinn Carrey had teleported them into the center of Skara Brae's market, so our heroes scampered off to the Green Dragon Inn to split loot and bathe.
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MVP for the session was TruggleDave for his bold portrayal of a cupid statue for much of the session.
As DM, I'll let the group know how much they earned and let them split it as they see fit. Some of them might level up.
Next session will be in Skara Brae, so I need to revise the rumor table, if nothing else. That said, Frankie Breakbone will likely send an emissary once word is out the PCs have returned. If they're smart, they'll pay off their debt for some more carousing to continue the cycle!
