Well, things could not have looked more grim when we left our heroes engaged in a pitched battle with an enormous, fearsome otyugh. This creature’s bulbous body is mostly mouth, filled with needle-sharp teeth. It has three massive and deadly tentacles that can slam its unlucky opponents. Not only does the mouth roar loudly, but the creature also has rudimentary telepathy! Yikes! All of this is balanced atop three warty, pillar-thick legs that bring the creature closer and closer to friends…in fact, the otyugh seems almost…tentative…about sticking close to the narrow ledge around the manatee pool.
This has not gone unnoticed by our brave adventurers. Rallying to meet the challenge after realizing there wasn’t too much to be afraid of, Calista valiantly turns to help his group, when he notices yet another adventurer approaching at speed from the southwest. He spies the dragonborn paladin, Pandjed Yarjerit, who has been drawn to the sounds of combat. With no time for lengthy introductions, Calista and Pandjed rush towards scrum.
With no time to spare, Pandjed looses a javelin at the otyugh and, unfortunately, misses. The otyugh responds with fury by bashing the stone walls with its monstrous tentacles.
Thinking quickly, Jakama yet again casts Disguise Self to become a Water Genasi, a spirit made out of the very liquid the group believes the otyugh fears. The otyugh does not seem discomfited in the least by Jakama’s disguise, and it sends the psychic message to Jakama: “I’ve changed my mind again. I WILL eat you first, after all!”
Galadin cranks back his crossbow and lets go a deadly bolt of steel, which appears to have no affect on the beast, nor does his Fire Bolt spell, which dissipates harmlessly in the lagoon’s murky depths. Disappointed, Fenmyar scoops up some of the stray rock on the path and uses his sling to attack the otyugh while his guardian drake, Little Bud, breathes poison on the beast. In an effort to avoid the noxious stream, the otyugh overbalances and tumbles tentacles first into the lagoon.
Now, what neither Jakama nor the others know is that while a mere splash of water does not harm the otyugh, an entire pool of it will. The otyugh does not know how to swim.
Obsidian blasts it effectively with a Witch Bolt spell, making the creature bellow in pain. However Galiden’s Mold Earth spell scoops mud and manatee waste from the bottom of the pool, dropping a load of it into the otyugh’s gaping maw. Unbelievably, the creature smiles: Yum! Obsidian explains the otyugh is an eater of carrion, and Galiden just fed it a snack.
With renewed energy, the group works as one to relentlessly pound at the struggling otyugh, Pradjed breathes a stream of acid at the flagging beast until the massive body sinks to the bottom of the lagoon and is still. The eyes of the friends turn to regard the new adventurer. This is someone they’d like to have on their team.
Blog for Mondays' 4 PM D&D Game 