Session 25 — ‘Ello Beastie

In the morning, the party feasted on bacon provided by Durgeddin and owlbear jerky remaining from a previous kill. They departed for the clearing where Zin and Jelsi stashed their gear but found the darklings had stolen most of it. They recovered a few important items, including the bag of holding and some armor and weapons, but Qeew was devastated by the loss of her shinies.

Durgeddin asked about Blumf’s strange behavior, and the others explained that he had been stupefied by a magical curse. Durgeddin slapped his fellow dwarf across the face in an attempt to snap Blumf to his senses, but the barbarian was only hurt and confused and so began to run. The others had previously fastened a rope around Blumf’s neck to keep him from wandering too far, and Durgeddin yanked it hard, knocking him to his feet. Some of the others were upset by this and decided to refasten the rope as a harness around Blumf’s waist. Durgeddin explained there was nothing he could do for Blumf. Kerath attempted to teach Blumf his name, but instead of understanding the dwarf gleefully hugged Kerath, pressing his spiked armor into the ranger and hurting him.

As the party continued south toward the orc stronghold where they believed Xavier’s family was held captive, Durgeddin explained that the area was known as Stone Crest. Hundreds of years ago, before he founded Khundrukai at Stone Tooth, he had considered Stone Crest as a permanent residence but decided to settle to the north instead. They asked if he knew of the diseased orcs that Lyra referred to as the “Nurtured Ones”, and he explained that these were individuals forced to live apart from the others by their illness and who, consequently, were well-positioned as a first line of defense against invading enemies.

The party approached the large outcrop of Stone Crest where they saw several orc guards stationed outside a cave. After scouting around the outcrop and finding no other entrances, they launched a surprise attack and killed all but one orc who ran inside. They were then ambushed by several unnoticed orcs sentries. Blumf hurled his flail at one, and Keeva later fetched it for him. Soon reinforcements emerged from the cave, but the party ultimately won the battle after slaying nearly a dozen orcs in total.

A little bruised by the encounter but encouraged by their victory, the party ventured into the cave. In the first room they found a pile of garbage, which Blumf promptly hopped into. Some party members sifted through the refuse in search of valuables. Qeew found a pinky ring which she gestured to Kerath to put in the bag of holding, but when she noticed the former owner’s pinky was still attached she hurled her breakfast into the bag along with the ring. After Blumf was done playing in the trash, Charlie grabbed a nearby bucket, cast Ray of Frost then Fire Bolt into it to conjure some water, and dumped it over the dwarf’s head to clean him off. However, the bucket was a piss pail that had been recently used, so Blumf’s smell did not improve.

The party continued to the next room after finding little of value other than a few weapons. They entered an expansive dark cavern containing a small lake. Those with darkvision could see a small island heaped high with treasure and a sleeping kraken covered in scars and recent injuries. They saw no exits but one and would have to sneak along the cavern wall near the water’s edge to reach it. Jade and Keeva went first and reached the exit without incident. When Qeew attempted to pass, she made a noise that woke the kraken. It roared loudly and lunged at her, stopping short near the shore. Qeew attempted to speak to the monstrosity in Primordial, and others in the party readied their weapons. When the kraken responded only with more violent growling, Argora hurled a javelin at it, initiating combat.

The kraken cried out in pain and turned towards Argora, grappling him with one of its many tentacles and summoning a storm of lightning around the lake. Some of the ranged attackers–Jade, Kerath, and Charlie–joined the fight from a safe distance, and Blumf rushed in to tenderize this big fish and save his paladin friend. Soon two orcs approached from the exit tunnel, forcing Jade and Keeva to divert their attention to them, and Qeew ran to help.

Before long they all knew they were in way over their heads. Argora was flung into the cavern wall and took massive damage. Kerath hurried after Blumf to grab his harness and pull him away from the beast, but both were snatched up by tentacles that squeezed until Blumf passed out. Argora tried to help but was grappled yet again. Kerath tossed the bag of holding to the shore, shouting “Spend the gold!”, before the kraken hurled him against a distant stone wall, knocking him out. The monster tossed Blumf a short distance, and he plunged into the water unconscious. The kraken threw its last victim towards the exit where Argora landed unconscious near Qeew, who healed him. The kraken cast one last lightning storm near the exit, and this time Qeew fell. Charlie cast Haste on himself, rushed to Kerath’s unconscious body, and rapidly dragged him and the bag of holding back towards the entrance where Durgeddin waited.

At that moment, with the two orcs defeated, Jade and Keeva hurried into the exit tunnel to distance themselves from the beast, with Qeew unconscious a few feet away and Argora conscious but prone at the nearby shore. Similarly, Charlie, Durgeddin, and an unconscious but stable Kerath took cover in the entrance tunnel. And simple Blumf remained unconscious but stable, floating in the lake near the furious kraken…