Expedition: Golgarth/Bogling Ruins - October 12th 2021

[Spearmint]

Dawg Dann

Standing on the rocking prow, the logger dodges the flailing tentacles of the giant squid (just how big is it?) and with his logging weapon in hand stabs at the creature arms constricting his boat.

Dawg Dann peavey (polearm) [1d20] = 16 [1d10] = 3

"Calamari on the menu tonight lads!" he says hopefully.

[GreyWolfVT]

Galmit attempts to break free of the slimy squids grasp "Let go a me ya damned calamari!"

Strength (14) [3d6] = 9

[Jernau35]

Tollander quickly slips the Blessed Knuckles of Holy Fury onto his fists. He takes a knee for better leverage and delivers a strong blow to one of the tentacles gripping the boat.

Blessed Knuckles of Holy Fury (vs Living). To Hit: [1d20] = 18 (THACO:16) Damage: [1d4+3] = 3+3 = 6

[Paul]

Sten readies a healing spell knowing his comrades will be diving into the fray

[Stirling]

The adventurers aboard the 'Crocodawg' barge are sharply reminded the tranquil quietness of the shadowy creek holds deadly dangers. Grasped in the encircling tentacles of the giant squid, the barge stalls in the creek deep waters. Some of the group spring into martial action, grasping weapons and fighting the beast. Logger Dawg Dann protects his craft, pinning a muscled flailing limb to the barge as pugilist Tollander uppercuts a grasping limb. They are the only telling blows. Griswold breaks a flask of oil which is poured over the squids carapace. It is wet and slick though with much of it dripping to float on the surface of the river.

Golgarth and Galmit wrestle with being constricted. They free themselves but the squid attacks again. Three sicker lined tentacles fail to find a morsel to latch onto. The last one critically catches the dwarf, throttling him and pulling the warrior overboard. A loud splash and churning of waters. Galmit sinks without trace, still held by the squid and pulled towards the snapping maw.

If the dwarf can be rescued in time, Sten Danilmaga's healing prayer may not be intoned in vain.

Ole Beaky

'Ole Beaky' [1d20] = 8 [1d20] = 5 [1d20] = 5 [1d20] = 20

The squid has one victim, still grasped in tentacles. He still has other tentacles wrapped around the boat and his carapace body is to the rear of the barge. The squids body is about man sized with 10 -15ft' tentacles so a similar length to the barge. Next actions please. The oil needs lighting, a thrown candle may light it, make a successful range to hit roll vs ac 10.

[rossik]

Griswold tries to fire that squid up!

[1d20] = 15
(-1 for attack penalty, i believe)

[GreyWolfVT]

unsure I can do this but going to attempt it anyway

Galmit out of desperation tries to bite the squid's tentacle that has him.

[Jernau35]

Tollander resorts to magical means to drive off the creature, hoping it will release Galmit as it flees.

"Gwanwen! Strike this beast with fears from the bottom of the darkest pits and blackest nights!"

Casts Cause Fear

[Paul]

Sten Danilmaga

The cleric stares helplessly at the churning water where his comrade disappeared.
If he doesn't see any sign of him, he will draw his flail and join the attack.

[Spearmint]

Dawg Dann

Has some crazy idea. The anchor chain is a simple rope with grapple hook. I am going to grab it, jump off the rear of the boat onto the squid carapace and hook the grapple through the waist belt of the dwarf as the squid bites him. Then he will jump off and swim away.

"Row, into the creek shallows. The beast won't be able to follow us there."

Hopefully we can win a tug of d'war'f. Dawg Dann grapple to hit [1d20] = 14

[Bluetongue]

Golgarth

Disappointed that his first stile went awry, the warrior mutters a mantra to Baudh for courage and strength of arms in battle. It seems to pay off as he hacks a grasping tentacle.

Not sure if any plan but hearing the 'captain' of the ship demand rowers, he will take the oars and put his weight into some back breaking strokes.

[Stirling]

Up the creek without a tentacle.

Golgarth severs a tentacle with a powerful axe blow.

Griswold looks for a means to light up the lantern oil. Inside the cooking stove are some warmed faggots of charcoal, still hot and glowing. He grabs a handful in his mailed fist and throws them onto the squid which ignite a small pool of flaming oil. The squid carapace blisters with the flames. Dawg Dann dodges tentacles and tongues of fire , grappling with a grapnel to hook the dwarf as Ole' Beaky pulls in the wet and drowning morsel for a juicy bite.
Ole Beaky bite [2d6] = 5 Galmit -5 hp.

The dwarf bites back, chomping on some fresh water calamari as he is being throttled. Sten Danilmaga grabs flail and oars. Tollander invokes the wrath of Gwanwen and touches the creature to invoke a divine panic.

Ole Beaky shudders, submerging to halt the flames and then ejects a large inky black cloud, releasing hold of the vessel and bursting with a spring away.

Galmit is no sucker. Hooked like a maggot on a fishing line he is suddenly jerked out of the grasp and maw of the fleeing squid as the rowers put their backs into gaining distance and shallow waters.

Dawg Dann dives off the squid carapace and swims like an otter, undulating to emerge on an algae covered sandbank.

A wake of rippling water at the head of the creek shows signs of the squid fleeing for the river deeps. The creek returns to a calm tranquillity and the strange primates eventually begin to climb down from their tree hides to graze among the reed bulbs once more.

The two drowned rat adventurers reunite with the barge.
roll for the healing spells and next actions please.

[Paul]

Sten Danilmaga

Grabbing Galmit, Sten raises a hand to the heavens and places the other on his spluttering comrade.

Cure light wounds [1d8] = 6

[rossik]

Griswold can observe his own breath now.
Relief runs his body, and a thought of how they should but a little 3 nails in blood altar here for Eruanna. Well, he will try to arrange that.

[GreyWolfVT]

Galmit spits out any bits of the squid that remain stuck in his teeth or mouth. "Bleh! Remind me ta cook it fer i go eatin it again."

[Spearmint]

Dawg Dann

signals for the barge to come up to a muddy riverbank and he climbs back on board. Dripping wet he will stoke the cooking hearth and chuck in some new logs and strip off, drying his clothes. He is used to being wet and swimming but the algae, Urgh! He checks on his pet otter, Whiskers.

"That was a close shave, but a bit of ingenuity and team work and we beat the beast and recovered the dwarf! " If the bit of tentacle of the squid that Golgarth hacked off is still flipping around the boat, well he will get out his skinning knife and trim the suckers off, pull out a frying pan and suggest we open a keg of ale.

"Only heard stories from old hand fisher folk by the great lake of the existence of 'Ole Beaky' and the like. Never seen before and don't want to see again. I suspect the stretchy apes see him all too often with them being nervous about their feeding locations."

What next, wait a while hoping the squid goes elsewhere and return to the river and row further on or punt / trek through the swamp to the outskirts of the ruins? He is happy with either choice."The Wugs were encountered before by explorers who came off the ridge of hills further eastwards. Seems they met a scouting group and got moved on. They may scout this far too, my reasoning is we are about three miles or so away."

[Jernau35]

"Perhaps that could give you an idea for your next beer, eh Galmit?" says Tollander. "Sunken Dwarf: A dark, murky, earthy-flavored brew. Chuck in a handful of bugs and perch a shrimp on the edge of the glass and there you go!" He laughs heartily and claps Galmit on the back. "Innkeeper! A pint of Sunken Dwarf for all my friends!"

[Bluetongue]

Golgarth

Dangles the section of tentacle that he amputated off. He slices it into several portions and passes them for the cooking pan. The ale is appreciated too.

He will row to a bank, preferably solid ground not silt or mud. Okay if we take a break to dry out and catch our breath, let us put a picket out to guard the barge. I'll take first watch for an hour then someone change. After that we keep moving to a suitable ruin to camp overnight or creek closer to the bogling ruins. "While in your skinnies', do you want to check the barge over? Hope the constriction didn't spring a leak. Can anyone identify these apes? Are they a likely threat?"

[rossik]

Griswold

Griswold looks to the apes, nervous. He tries to figure it out in his heart if those creatures represent any danger to him and the team.

[GreyWolfVT]

"Perhaps that could give you an idea for your next beer, eh Galmit?" says Tollander. "Sunken Dwarf: A dark, murky, earthy-flavored brew. Chuck in a handful of bugs and perch a shrimp on the edge of the glass and there you go!" He laughs heartily and claps Galmit on the back. "Innkeeper! A pint of Sunken Dwarf for all my friends!"

Galmit chuckles "Heheheh bit excotic fer my likes. Wasn't bad till ya added the bugs an shrimp."