Borderland of Adventure #51: Tentacles in the Deep

At the end of last session, we left the party deep in peril as they battled the foul denizens of the ruined Tumbledown manor. (Sadly, however the week break seemed to have refreshed their dice).

As the battle raged on, Hemgor stirred himself from his lethargy and started moving toward his companions. At the same time, Squinty cut down two of the remaining zombies and Krorz managed to kill one. The red-haired man demanded his tentacled minion come and aid him – as he was severely injured. However, his minion had other plans and smashed his master to the ground screaming, “You have failed!” After killing his master he began to drag the crushed body toward the sacrificial pool. As he was doing this, the last zombies fell and the party surged into the room. With them came the cowled individual who had so suddenly arrived moments before. He dived for the black book and tried to flee, but Oreal and Adoven blocked his escape. Even though the figure blasted them with negative energy, they both remained resolute and Oreal put two arrows through the figure’s heart. (The person was later revealed to be Baron Tumbledown’s supposed widow!)

In the sacrificial chamber proper, the rest of the party stopped the tentacled minion throwing his master’s body into the pool and battled the foul beast – their only remaining foe. A fierce battle developed around the sacrificial pool. Although horribly outnumbered, the creature fought on and twice unleashed powerful magic at the party. Luckily, most of the party (except Squinty who was badly injured) resisted these effects and finally the creature fell.

After the inevitable beheading, the party rested and healed what wounds they could, but their magic was almost completely expended. After a brief discussion and a quick looting of the many corpses littering the chambers, they decided to rest in one of the smaller rooms to the south and clear the rest of the complex after Adoven had healed their remaining injuries.

Their rest was uneventful and magically fortified they completed their sweep of the cellars. They discovered some more treasures – some magical – and found no other living creatures. However, something yet lurked in the sacrificial pool. The pool’s bottom was covered in bone and several large tentacles rested within the pile. Retreating from the pool, the party decided to throw rocks in the pool to awaken whatever beast lurked within! In this they were successful, but they were dismayed to see that the abomination that emerged could leave the pool! However, after a brief fight, the creature was defeated and the last denizen of the cellars fell dead at their feet.

Now all that remained was to return to the village above and unravel the mystery of the Tumbledowns…