The waters of the Darklake stirred ominously beneath a cavernous sky of stone, its surface rippling gently under an unseen force that lurked in the depths. The companions stood upon the crude wooden dock of Sloobludop, an alien settlement of the Kua-Toa, fish-folk whose divided worship had cast their village into chaos. Bound but not beaten, Maledurk felt the ropes press against his wrists, a comforting reminder of his own strength, a reassurance that at any moment he could rend his bindings asunder. Beside him, Elora whispered an incantation softly under her breath, her eyes scanning the ripples in the lake, sensing the shifting balance between threat and salvation. Tempest’s chaotic energy crackled quietly around her fingertips, her eyes wide with anticipation, eager for the next act in this farcical tragedy. Thorn’s calculating gaze was locked upon the growing frenzy ashore, his mind already weaving plans for a swift and tactical escape.

Ploopploopeen, high priest of the Seamother, had devised a precarious gambit: offer the outsiders as sacrifices to appease his daughter, Bloppblippodd, the prophetess of the Deepfather, whose dark rites now threatened the very soul of the Kua-Toa. A delicate ruse, intended to disguise his true intentions of undermining the ritual from within. And so, with reluctant trust, the adventurers found themselves bound and presented at the altar of false reconciliation.

Beside them, another captive, a grey-skinned Duergar whose gruff demeanor barely concealed his fear, muttered curses of his ill fortune. Elora, ever the diplomat even amidst peril, engaged him quietly, discovering his origins from the great subterranean city of Gracklestug. Her mind began to turn; perhaps this dour dwarf would serve as an unexpected ally in their desperate bid for freedom.

The chanting began—haunting, discordant notes filling the air as Bloppblippodd, eyes burning with a feverish, possessed zeal, commenced the rite. Her voice rose and fell like stormy waves, invoking the name of Limogugun, the Deepfather, demanding blood and submission. Yet the companions remained unshaken, each silently preparing for the moment when fate would pivot.

The moment arrived swiftly, carried by whispered plans and subtle nods. Tempest, ever unpredictable, shifted reality around her with a whispered incantation, pulling Thorn along with her through a rift of space, leaving their bindings dangling emptily on wooden stakes. Simultaneously, Maledurk surged forward, roaring as ropes snapped effortlessly beneath his draconic might. Elora melted away, her form swelling and twisting until a massive brown bear stood in her place, claws tearing through the bindings of the bewildered Duergar prisoner, setting him free.

Chaos erupted like wildfire. Tempest, her eyes alight with wild exhilaration, conjured a swarm of biting insects that enveloped the nearby Kua-Toa, their cries lost amidst the angry hum of countless wings. Thorn, free from his restraints, took to the air, rising gracefully to survey the battlefield, his keen eyes assessing friend from foe, a task made impossible by the indistinguishable factions now locked in brutal conflict.

Amidst the turmoil, Maledurk let his rage guide him, claws slashing furiously, flinging foes aside like ragdolls, their bodies tumbling helplessly into the dark waters below. Elora, now fiercely protective, charged along the dock, her powerful paws smashing enemies into the roiling lake.

Yet victory was short-lived. As Maledurk and Thorn ascended to gain vantage, their attention was inexorably drawn to the lake. A profound, primal dread rippled through their very bones. The lake boiled and churned violently, as though disturbed by an entity whose size and wrath defied comprehension. Suddenly, from the depths arose a massive, monstrous form, twin heads breaching the water’s surface, each crowned by blazing, malevolent eyes. Great tentacles unfurled from the murky depths, slamming into the water and sending thunderous waves rolling toward the shore.

The companions’ hearts caught in their throats. Maledurk hovered in stunned awe, his wings beating erratically. Thorn’s mind raced to recognize the terrible visage now fully revealed: Leemooggoogoon, Prince of Demons, risen from the abyssal heart of the Darklake, summoned by misguided prayers and bloody rites.

Tempest, hands now blazing uncontrollably with eldritch fire, turned her gaze toward the towering horror. Her wild laughter mingled eerily with the terrified screams echoing from the shore. Nearby, Elora bellowed a warning to her companions, her voice thick with the guttural tones of her bear form. Urgency gripped her as she sprinted toward land, signaling the others to flee the monstrous terror now steadily advancing toward the helpless settlement.

Amidst the mounting panic, the adventurers regrouped upon the shore, their resolve hardened by shared peril. Thorn and Maledurk descended swiftly, rejoining their companions. They watched, horrified yet fascinated, as Leemooggoogoon waded closer, its bellow shaking the very cavern walls, splintering docks, and scattering both factions of fishfolk into terrified flight.

“We must leave, now!” Thorn shouted, his usually steady voice edged with a rare urgency. “This creature is beyond us.”

Maledurk growled agreement, his clawed fists clenched in helpless frustration. He had faced beasts and demons before, but never had such an embodiment of primordial terror confronted him. Beside them, Elora, once again in her elven form, began weaving spells of guidance and protection, her calm voice restoring a fragile composure to the group. Tempest, still glittering with chaotic energy, gestured toward the fleeing Duergar.

“Lead us!” she commanded, her eyes flashing with authority born from the storm within. “We go to Gracklestug!”

The dwarf nodded hurriedly, his eyes wide with desperate gratitude, motioning for them to follow. And as the companions fled the collapsing village behind their unexpected guide, they cast final glances over their shoulders, watching helplessly as Leemooggoogoon’s colossal form loomed above the burning settlement, its twin heads roaring triumphantly into the void.

Though they had narrowly escaped sacrifice, the companions knew their ordeal was far from over. Darker trials awaited in the shadowed corridors of the Underdark, where madness itself now walked among them.

Session Notes

  • Arrival at Sloobludop

    • The party (Elora the Majestic, Maledurk, Grestkrendreghk Elassayl “Thorn”, and Tempest) sail the Darklake after escaping the ooze temple and encounter a Kuo-toa fishing boat.

    • Shuushar (the calm, Common-speaking Kuo-toa) guides them to his home village.

    • The village is split between two cults:

      • Worshippers of Blibdoolpoolp — “The Sea Mother” led by arch-priest Ploopploopeen.
      • Worshippers of Leemooggoogoon — “The Deep Father” led by priestess Bloppblippodd (Ploopploopeen’s daughter).

  • Meeting with Ploopploopeen

    • Takes place in his hut beside the Sea Mother shrine.
    • Explains the recent schism and that Bloppblippodd gained sudden magical power after a vision of Leemooggoogoon.
    • Requests the heroes’ help: they will be “gifted” as sacrifices to Bloppblippodd to create a distraction while loyalists attack.
    • Promises guidance to the surface in return.
    • Ten spear-armed Kuo-toa guards escort the party toward the Deep Father shrine.

  • Delivery to Bloppblippodd

    • Bloppblippodd addresses the heroes in Common, pleased with her father’s “offering”.
    • Guards tie each character to wooden blocks on a pier used for blood-letting sacrifices; the party’s weapons remain strapped on, unnoticed.
    • A captured duergar fisherman from Gracklstugh is already bound to one block. He has been held for “three tides”.
    • Crowd chants in Kuo-toan; Bloppblippodd begins the sacrificial liturgy.

  • Initial Assessments

    • Insight checks:

      • Tempest & Maledurk: cannot read Bloppblippodd’s demeanor.
      • Elora sees that Bloppblippodd looks ″possessed″ and hostile toward her father.

    • Party notes roughly half the 400–500 villagers back Leemooggoogoon.

    • Perception checks: some armed villagers (loyal to Ploopploopeen) creep toward the ritual area, waiting for the signal.

  • Breaking Free

    • Tempest casts Dimension Door (careful spell) and teleports five feet aside, bringing Thorn with her; both slip their bonds.

    • Maledurk (Path of the Beast) strains against his ropes; after a brief struggle he snaps them.

    • Elora wild-shapes into a brown bear, shredding her bindings and instantly mauling a pier guard into the Darklake.

      • Second claw frees the duergar.

  • Combat on the Pier

    • Tempest maintains Insect Plague centered on the pier:

      • Swarming wasps/locusts obscure vision, sting all nearby Kuo-toa (excluding party via Careful Spell).
      • Wild-magic surge (d100 = 11) causes no additional effect.

    • Maledurk enters Rage and sprouts beastial claws:

      • First swipe knocks a Kuo-toa off the dock.
      • Moves and claws a second guard into the lake.

    • Thorn attempts to shove a distracted Kuo-toa into the water but misses; the freed duergar mimics the shove and also fails.

    • Insect Plague continues; remaining pier guards are nearly incapacitated.

  • Village-Wide Skirmish Ignites

    • Armed factions of Kuo-toa clash along the shoreline and in shallow water; no uniforms distinguish sides.
    • Piers shake with chaotic fighting; spell effects and fleeing civilians cause confusion.

  • Second Wave of Actions

    • Elora/Bear mauls a third pier guard into the lake, then spots violent churning 100 ft offshore and warns the party to retreat landward.

    • Tempest drops Insect Plague and hurls a Lightning Bolt up the shore:

      • Fries a line of Deep-Father zealots; wild-magic surge (d100 = 99, d6 = 5) fully restores her sorcery points.
      • A following surge enchants her hands with continual flame: anything she touches (not worn by allies) ignites.

    • Maledurk and Thorn fly upward (dragon wings / Levitate) to scout the disturbance in the lake.

  • Approach of the Demon Prince

    • Both airborne heroes witness twin fiery eyes breaking the surface—then a second identical pair beside it.

    • Water erupts as a colossal, two-headed, tentacled monstrosity strides toward shore (recognizable as Leemooggoogoon):

      • Tentacles whip, piers splinter, the creature’s bellow collapses a dock section.
      • Size estimate: heads 10–15 ft across; stride unhindered by lake depth.

    • Maledurk and Thorn hover ~40 ft above water but realize they will soon be within reach.

  • Session Cliff-hanger

    • Leemooggoogoon advances toward the battling Kuo-toa and the heroes.
    • Chaos onshore intensifies; loyalist and cultist Kuo-toa fight with no clear front line.
    • Scene ends with the towering demon entering the village waters while the party braces for the new threat.