Session 87 - Back Down the Fish Hole - Campaign Day 1009

Dark and damp, what's not to love?

Both the Stormbringers and Nighthawks (the StormHawks? NightBringers?) returned to the ruined village where they routed the heyena-men and then delved into the water maze beneath. This time the players decided to descend into one of the 5 additional wells nearby.

In each foray, Charles the thief was dangled by rope into the dark, his lantern in hand or on a belt hook. Once fully down, he was either hip or chest high in the dark water. He cast about and found exists leading further in and also found scores of undead emerging from the muddy water. In all cases Charles was able to return to the rope and make his way back up, hauled away by teams of men. The players decided to use lots and lots of burning oil, hurling flasks into the first hole, then later allowing Charles to dangle just below the ceiling where he could throw from relative safety and increased accuracy.

Some of the undead were burned, others not so much. The players then regrouped and returned to the first well, the one the priestess jumped into. Maximus the Minotaur's player was present for the first time after a 6 month overseas engagement and was one of the first to go down into the well, followed by Ove, the cleric henchman Tasso, and then Gerolt and some men at arms. As they moved down the eastern cavern they soon meet a dozen more undead. Tasso attempted to turn the undead but failed. A melee started after a volley of flaming oil was thrown. The hand-to-hand fighting was difficult but Maximus, Ove, and Gerolt were victorious.

Fishfreak or zombie?

The group began an expedition to explore the caverns. Eventually they discovered some of the same well chambers that Charles descended into where they destroyed the remaining undead. Gerolt used wood chips and twigs to occasionally check for currents in the water. Ove noted that a mark of ash he left last time was no longer present.

The player discovered a squarish room with iron stands holding ceramic pots. In each pot was a boiling mass of slimy, eel-like creatures! The players are disgusted by this and proceed to dump burning oil into the pots. The creatures squeal and try to wriggle out of the fire but most are burned up.

What are these things?

The players also discover a 7' wide hole in the floor of the room, under the water. They toss the iron stands down the hole. They hear it bang its way downward. A few moments later a face appears just beneath the water.

A face in the murk.

Attempts to parlay are not met with success and a men at arms is attacked by something in the water. All hell breaks loose! Maximus player refers to the emerging fishfreaks as "some kinda horriific f--- off things" and they are now popping up from the hole. Again the fight is hard, but the fishfreaks withdraw back down into the water, leaving a a few dead and wounded men at arms.

Carrying wounded men back out they return to try another route from the main cavern, this time heading east from the first intersection instead of west. They find a room filled with mounds of rubble that peak above the water, and there are, curiously, cobwebs in the far corner of the ceiling. The players decide to turn the place over, and they are rewarded with an immense, corroded iron chest. it must weigh 300 lbs, but Maximus can easily tote this.

While they are working out how to transport this chest, more men at arms are attacked by something else in the water. The water is churning with bubbles and bloody froth as the man at arms dies as several oil flasks are lit and hurled near him, his legs completely devoured by a swarm of carnivorous fish.

Fish from hell.

Msny men try to climb the piles of rocks, and more oil is lit and thrown, making flaming slicks. The players now decide to retreat as fast as possible. More men are killed as the group moves as fast as they can in the hip high water, back to nearest well chamber. Soon, the men and the PCs are back topside. Inside the chest they find 3000 sp. It's not what they hoped for, but it's a start. It is decided to give most of this to the hirelings for their hard work that day. There is much rejoicing.

The players now contemplate if they have fully cleaned the fish cult here. Eventually they decide they have not. They plan to return.