(G62 - BG 11/09/09)
DAY 110 cont...
The first thing that happened was that Zalazar was taken over the side of the ship's rail
by a giant tentacle and the cracking of his spine signaled his grizzly end.
The ship was also being assaulted at the stern by a sea hag that cackled as she fought
off the blows of Shlump and some of the others. The hag put up a good fight but was soon
felled by arrows from Meree and others and the blows of Shlump. The captain was totally dazed
though and was cured later by Nobby.
Meanwhile, the giant octopus that was attacking over the port rail was doing a lot of
damage to the ship and lashing out at people as the came on to the deck.
Shifty manned the ballista and started to load it. Ducking behind the forward stairs
I summoned four crocodiles that held the monster off for a while and did it
some damage but did not last long. Next I cast a Rogue Wave spell that swept it back
and turned it over.
It then came for the ship again, angrier than ever. Shifty shot it with a ballista
bolt and other joined the fight, including Mathmoss and Eriss. Moss got a few bolts into
it and Erris ravaged it with Burning Hands and Ray of Enfeeblement spells.
Eventually, with the stink of burnt calamari in the air it slipped below the waves once
more.
Nobby healed everyone up and we set about repairing the ship once more. I went to the
forward rail and hallooed, 'Ahoy the Nixie!' until I got a reply that called back
'Lavina is dying!'. Immediately I turned into an eagle and followed the voice through
the mist and landed on our sister ship.
Cascus had used all his magic defending the Nixie from their own attackers and had nothing
left over for healing, so it was luckily I got there to use my own power to rescue
Lavina. Once she was brought back from the brink of death I stayed on board for
the rest of the day.
In the evening the wind blew up again and the mist began to clear.
DAY 111
I decided to set about the reincarnation of Kelech and Solomon (I persuaded Nobby to
do a 'Speak with the Dead' spell beforehand.). After some discussion with the chaps
and a bit of meditation for inspiration I decided to turn into an octopus and use
Shifty's chest (taken from the Flotsam ooze the night before!) to take the two
thousand gold coins required to be sacrificed down to the sea bed.
I found a suitable clear spot and using my tentacles set the chest gently down. The
sand moved and sucked in, then a giant purple worm came out of the sand and gulped up
the chest before swimming off.
I examined the resultant hole and searching around found five black pearls. Holding them
in my tentacles I then went over to where the giant octopus' remains lay hoping to find
the body of Zalazar but unfortunately the sharks had been at it and their was very little
left.
Surfacing and hailing the Wyvern I climbed back on board and dried myself off. I then
prepared some salves from four of the black pearls and cast the spell.
Well... lets start with Solomon. He came back as a shield dwarf and he was not too
put out by the transformation. He even gave me pendant as a thank you later on that day.
But... Kelech was less than happy with his new form. To beat about the bush no longer
- he came back as a goblin.
The poor chap, I feel so sorry for him. I'm sure if he had but known this would be the
result he would have chosen to stay in what ever heavenly realm he had been inhabiting
rather than return to the material world as such a universally hated creature.
The end result is that we now have a near suicidal goblin lurking around in the ships
hold. It was probably just as well I didn't find Zalazar as Silvanus only knows what
he would have come back as - a bugbear maybe.
I admit I don't always understand the randomness of nature, so it was no great surprise
that a few people remarked to me today that if anything should ever happen to them on
this journey - just let them rest in peace, they would rather not take the chance!
I feel awful about Kelech, I was just trying to help but I suppose this is an
important lesson for a druid - we have great power, but it can not always be controlled.
DAY 112
Good sailing today. We have a slight change to the crew roster, but I have managed to
remain as a passenger so I got in a little tuition with Molly and a bit more of
the opera done.
Nobby is hiding from the captain and Moss is up to something sinister while Shifty
endlessly tinkers with the ballisatas.
DAY 113
In the small hours of the morning, again in the middle watch when Shifty, Kelech
and Solomon were on deck, we were attacked by another giant octopus!
