LFG: Squid Happens

Game Date: 9/7/2013
Location: The Game Keep
Campaign: Looking For A Group, Session 10
System: D&D Next / 5e Playtest
DM: Rusty

Players:
Barad (Jeremy) - Dwarf Paladin
Demethius (James) - Human Cleric
Flip (Eddie, subbing for Trevor) - Halfling Rogue
Halfbeard (Cliff) - Dwarf Fighter
Keyleth (Matt) - Elf Druid
Steve (Daniel, subbing for Thomas) - Human Monk
Woil (Daniel) - Gnome Wizard
Zuul (Graham) - Half-Orc Paladin

The Session:
I missed session 9, in which they cleared out a few more rooms in the Lost Temple. They encountered a powerful Wight who gave them clues to complete the dungeon.  They fought a grey ooze, which damaged Halfbeard's weapon.  They also fought some rats, Zuul collected some tapestries, and they kept hearing a ghostly xylophone sound.

This week began with us barely avoiding a blade trap.  We entered one room and found the body of a dead Dwarf, reaching toward a pool of water in the center of the room.  The room also contained a giant toad statue, which came to life and attacked Barad.  Once we killed the toad, we looted the Dwarf and found a map, along with some notes about a mysterious island.  More on that later.

Another room contained six statues of female warriors.  On the opposite side of the room was a bricked-up doorway.  As we entered the room, the statues requested that we identify ourselves.  Since it was his church, Zuul took the lead and told them of his mission.  The statues parted, and a speaker over the doorway asked Zuul a history question.  He gave the correct answer, and the bricks opened up to allow us to proceed.

In the next room was a giant statue of a dragon, holding a book.  While Zuul read the book, the rest of us explored the room until we found a secret door.  The secret room held the shield we had been sent to find.  One final puzzle requested that we "prove that you are Halav's friend."  Since Halav was cremated, the correct answer was to produce flames.  Out-of-character, none of us figured it out, but the DM gave it to us due to some high religion checks.  Our Cleric used a flame spell, and the shield was ours.

But wait - Zuul and Barad each wanted this artifact for their own church.  We had a neutral party member carry the shield until we got back to town, then we voted on whether to give the shield to Barad or Zuul.  Although it meant a much smaller monetary reward, we gave it to Zuul because it was more closely related to his religion.  He took it to his church, and they requested he hold on to it a bit longer.  They asked us to take it to their main church in the capital city.

We were smuggled on board a Gnome-run riverboat called the "Prancing Queen".  It was a four-day voyage, with stops at a few towns along the way.   On board we met the Gnome Wizard Woil, who joined our party.  It was a relaxing cruise filled with fun and gambling.

Release the Kraken!

One night, while Halfbeard, Flip, and Barad were up on deck, several giant tentacles burst out of the water.  The paddle boat was being attacked by a giant squid.  Tentacles grabbed several passengers and crew members, dragging them beneath the waves to their deaths.  As the party members above decks attacked the tendrils, the rest of us made our way past the fleeing passengers to join the fight.

It was an exciting battle.  Several party members were grappled at various points during the battle, some getting dragged underwater to fight the squid itself.  Flip was brought very near death, at one point getting accosted by two tentacles at once.  Woil managed to push the monster away from the boat using a Thunderwave spell, while other party members used automated Gnomish rescue boats to retrieve some of the overboard party members.

Battling underwater, it was Barad who dealt the final death blow, using some fancy shmancy Paladin power.  The ship's captain was very appreciative of our service, and invited us to a fine dinner featuring calamari.  Our ship was detained a bit to assess the need for repairs, so we didn't reach the capital city until after midnight.  Nevertheless, we headed straight to the church and woke up the staff.  They were a little bit miffed until they saw the shield.  Then we were heroes.

We were given rooms at the best inn in town, and invited to a conference the following morning.  Reasoning that this shield should be used for heroic deeds rather than sit in some cathedral gathering dust, they decided that Zuul should keep it to protect him in battle.  During the debriefing, Zuul gave them the map and notes we'd found on the dead Dwarf.  They looked over the notes and gave us a new quest.

We've been tasked with finding a black pearl hidden on an island.  They gave us 3500 gold to buy supplies for the mission.  We debated a bit on whether to rent a boat or buy one, finally deciding to buy it.  We'll be ready to set sail next session.  Hopefully we won't see any more squid.