1/
This week's #DCC #session was a comedy of fumbles.
The party are in the undercity and have just arrived at the shore of the bricked-over and forgotten River Flēot.
Lurking in the depths is the water hag Peg Powler. As Powler's hideous visage emerges from the waters, the party move to defend themselves.
/cont'd
2/
Barney the Enchanter's usual parlour trick is Summon Animals, and he already has a swarm of sewer rats squirming around his feet. He sends the rats into the water and summons an octopus as an encore.
However, Powler has power over aquatic and river creatures. A battle of wills ensues. Barney retains control of the rats but loses the octopus. Powler starts tearing the rats to shreds with her long talons, and the octopus reaches its tentacles to the wizard who summoned it...
3/
The octopus winds its tentacle around Barney's waist. He does not succeed in breaking free and is dragged into the water. He stabs at the octopus as he is inexorably drawn into its beak. It bites. His body goes limp.
Meanwhile, Barnaby the Barnacle Scaper, servant of Chondri, god of the ocean deep, launches an attack on Powler.
(You may note that this group like to choose confusing names. One player has the same name as another player's character. This displeases the gods.)
4/
Barnaby lunges at Peg Powler with his trident (rolls a 1, Fumble table says roll an attack on closest comrade).
As he draws the trident back, the shaft strikes the brick wall behind him and bounces off, angling towards Baruch the Smuggler (rolls another 1). Barnaby twists around and loses his footing, falling into the river.
Weighed down by his armour, he struggles to keep his head above water (fails check). He starts to drown.
5/
"No! As a follower of Chondri, I can breathe water once a day!"
OK, he doesn't drown. He is just swept helplessly downstream.
"I flow in the current of Chondri's will."
6/
At this point, Sam the Apprentice decides to slip back and out of sight in the shadows.
Baruch decides he's not going to fight Powler on his own. He jumps in the water and swims after Barney and Barnaby.
7/
The octopus is swimming downstream, clutching its prey. Barney is at death's door. There is just one chance he might survive. Once the octopus leaves the vicinity of Powler, it may decide to aid the one who summoned it.
This calls for a Luck check. On a success, the octopus will try to save the life of its summoner. On a failure, it will eat him. Barney's player rolls the die...
8/
*Dramatic tension*. The die rolls across the table. A success!
The octopus lifts Barney's limp body onto the stone walkway at the river's shore, before disappearing back to the nether realms from whence it was summoned.
Barnaby bumps into a rotting wooden pier jutting into the river and hauls himself out of the water, followed by Baruch.
9/
Barnaby lays his hands on Barney, causing a layer of barnacles to form on the wound from the beak. Barney coughs fœtid river water from his lungs and splutters back to life.
Peeling off the barnacles reveals freshly grown skin beneath. But his torso now bears a scar of studded tentacle marks that will stay as a reminder of his brush with death.
And somewhere in the dark waters of the river, Peg Powler still lurks.
Strange Quark
PresGas - RPG and Left Nerd