The Kraken and The Key
The heroes made their way down the wet staircase, and as they reached the platform at the bottom, they saw that the entire room was flooded. In the center of the room, appearing above the water, was a large stone spider idol.
“What’s a kraken, anyhow?” asked Lox. “Does it live in the water?”
“Yes, Lox,” said Arden. “I have heard stories of these giant sea monsters dragging ships under the water and wiping out entire island populations. They are very deadly foes.”
Lox looked down at the murky water, then looked up at the stone idol.
“How do we get over to the statue?” asked Lox.
“Swim!” said Inmir as he plunged into the water.
Arden shrugged and followed the forsaker’s example. As they were making their way across, Avangel grabbed Lox and flew him over to the idol, while Dent used his Slippers of Spiderclimb to walk onto the ceiling and drop down to them.
Just as Inmir and Arden climbed onto the spider idol, the tentacles of the kraken began to rise from the water. Dent and Arden both knocked arrows, while Inmir pulled forth his double-bladed sword and leapt back into the water.
“What is he doing?” asked Avangel.
“I think he underestimates the kraken,” said Arden waiting for a clear shot.
The monstrous, squid-looking creature erupted from the water and grappled Inmir. Arden and Dent began firing their bows and scored on the kraken again and again.
Meanwhile, Lox decided to have a look at the mandibles on the spider statue. Noticing a key hole under one of the spidery eyes, Lox took out his lockpicks and began to work on the idol. He felt the lock click, but before he could put his picks away, the mandibles closed in on the halfling, causing him to cry out in pain.
Avangel, hearing the halfling’s cry, flew over and took the halfling out of the spider’s grasp. He sat Lox on top of the idol where he would be away from the mandibles, and hopefully, out of trouble.
However, the kraken lashed out with two of it’s fifty-foot-long tentacles and struck both Arden and Lox, knocking them to the floor. Two additional arms reached out and constricted both Dent and Avangel.
As Lox stood up from his tentacle slap, something came to mind. The halfling looked over at Arden and said, “I have magic in my pocket.”
In the meantime, Dent had managed to unsheathe his sword and chopped at the arm that held him in the air. By the time the ranger made his fourth strike, he had sliced the arm to pieces and it went limp.
Avangel used First Light to cut into the tentacle that held him in it’s grasp, while Inmir continued to attack with his double-bladed sword.
“I know it’s in one of these pockets,” said Lox in frustration. “Ah, here it is…ROD OF WONDER!”
Lox and Arden watched as a tiny bead flew from the rod and erupted into a massive Fireball. Inmir avoided the ball of flame by plunging into the water when the kraken dropped him.
“Damn halfling!” cursed Inmir as his head bobbed out of the water.
Arden cast Haste on herself, then began firing her bow again, while the kraken constricted on Avangel, and reached out to grapple Inmir again.
Before Dent knew it, another arm reached out and grappled him as well. But the ranger had a strategy now, and was victorious in slicing off another of the kraken’s tentacles.
Avangel, pointing First Light towards the heavens and muttering a silent prayer, looked up at the kraken and cast Holy Smite! The kraken began thrashing around as it was suddenly blinded.
The excited halfling, who stood poised on top of the spider idol next to Arden, pointed the rod at the kraken again, and shouted his command…
“ROD OF WONDER!”
Again the rod emitted a tiny bead that burst into flame upon contact. Lox was ecstatic with the results of his attacks, and began jumping and skipping around the idol, until two large tentacles reached out of the water and raked both the halfling and the elf. At the same time, Dent was struck and fell to one knee. Arden made her way over to the ranger in time to heal him before the kraken struck again.
As the bard stood up to resume her attacks with her bow, the kraken lashed out and raked her once more, knocking her to the ground bleeding.
Avangel, having sliced off the arm that held him, flew to Arden’s side and carried her back to the platform at the bottom of the stairs where Haley and Viday waited. The celestial elf healed the bard, then flew back into battle.
Still fighting the behemoth in the water, Inmir sliced apart the tentacle that had him within it’s grasp, while mumbling angrily to himself about the rod the halfling possessed.
Lox, feeling as though he were really getting the hang of the rod, called out once again, and caused something very different to happen. Instead of flames pouring out of the Rod of Wonder, six hundred butterflies shot out of the rod and began filling up the watery room. Lox laughed uncontrollably while the rest of the party struggled to see though the colorful fog of butterflies.
Lox’s laughter came to an end, however, when the kraken’s flailing arm came tearing through a cloud of fluttering wings and knocked the halfling to the ground. Dent, seeing only that the halfling had fallen, made his way over to his small friend and administered a potion to him, bringing him back to consciousness.
Dent continued his assault of arrows from his spot on the idol although it was difficult to see due to the flurry of butterflies. However, when the water around them became an inky black with the kraken’s blood, he knew it was okay to stop firing.
Inmir crawled onto the back of the spider idol, and Lox quickly put the rod into one of his pockets. The forsaker reached into the face of the spider and began assaulting the magical device that set off the trap earlier on Lox. Cursing and shouting, Inmir crushed the face of the spider and felt renewed once he was finished.
Dent just shook his head, not understanding what Inmir’s motivation for destruction was.
After Avangel healed those in need, Lox plunged into the inky water and began searching about for the key. The halfling spotted gold sticking out from under a door, and immediately swam in the door’s direction. To eager to check for traps, the halfling felt a needle lodge into his finger. Suddenly feeling ill, Lox swam back up to the surface with a moan.
“Lox, what’s wrong?” asked Dent.
“There’s a door, and something pricked me, and I don’t feel so well…but there’s lots of gold and treasure behind the door,” rambled the halfling.
“Treasure, eh? I say we inspect this treasure,” said Inmir.
“Not so fast,” warned Dent. “We’ll check it out together. We don’t need you mindlessly destroying things. The key could be concealed in anything down there, and if you destroy the key we need, I’m going to do some destroying myself.”
“I will do what is required of me, whether you think it’s fitting or not, Dent Masterson,” shouted Inmir.
“You will do what is best for the party,” warned Dent, “or you’re on your own.”
“Settle down, both of you,” interrupted Arden. “We’re here to find a key, not to treasure hunt. Think of your companions and the fate of Faerun before you start fist fighting.”
“Arden is right,” said Avangel, after casting Neutralize Poison on Lox. “There are greater things at stake here than treasure. Still, you must refrain from destroying anything you see fit, Inmir. You must consider the consequences of your actions, and realize that you have an affect on those around you. Selfishness is not a good thing.”
Before Inmir could respond, Viday began shouting.
“I think your friend Gnettles is back…and it sounds like he needs help!”
The companions began running up the stairs, weapons in hand, none of them waiting for Lox or Inmir.
“Oooh…but there is so much gold down there,” said Lox with disappointment.
“You should show me where the gold is Lox,” said Inmir. “Just in case something is lurking around there that needs to be…destroyed.”
“You wanna see the gold? Okay!” cried Lox. The halfling plunged into the water, and Inmir followed behind him.
Above them, their companions made their way to the top of the stairs to find a beholder waiting for them…
The Adventure Continues…
