Aboard the Mind Flayer’s ship
Live session 19 August 2023
We descend into the depths of Undermountain, my heart pounding with excitement as we venture into the unknown. As we arrive at the base, we’re given a guided tour of the area.
Our journey continues deeper into the underground labyrinth, and finally, we reach the dreaded ooze level. My breath catches at the thought of what we might encounter here.
The white mage provides an explanation about his manifest mind, and I listen intently, trying to absorb every detail. Then, we spot traces of blood and a mind flayer ship – this adds an extra layer of intrigue to our mission.
Stealthily, we make our way towards the mind flayer ship, and as we approach, I catch sight of the massive vessel. “Holy smokes,” I whisper in awe, trying to keep up with the pace of our group.
My keen eyes spot a ballista, and I can’t resist the urge to investigate and sabotage it. I take flight with my winged boots, examining the contraption before skillfully sabotaging it, it will explode if anyone tries to fire it. With a sense of accomplishment, I return to the group.
Amid our exploration, the mage spots an altar with his manifest mind. Suddenly, a black ooze attacks the manifest mind, and I watch in fascination as the two entities clash. The black pudding’s resistance to acid and cold makes me realize that we need to approach this situation with caution. Patience hurls a fiery explosion into the chamber, engulfing the altar and the menacing black pudding. It’s a spectacular sight.
Xenji leaps into action, showcasing his celestial powers, while I draw my bow and take careful aim. My arrow flies true, adding to our collective effort to defeat the dark forces. The white mage unleashes a fiery assault, and Farryn, with his diadem, emits three radiant rays that strike our adversaries. The statues that guard the room begin to crumble after two fiery onslaughts. With swift and precise strokes, I eliminate the last two statues.
Our party approaches the mysterious statue with caution. Upon closer inspection, we notice a meticulously painted eye on the statue’s surface, hinting at hidden secrets. As we carefully investigate further, we discover a surprising cache of 2000 copper pieces concealed within the statue.
Farryn, ever the resourceful one, suggests using grenades to breach the mind flayer ship. I ponder the options, considering whether to enter the ship and attempt a stealthy snipe from within. The looming presence of slaads, mind flayers, and even a red dragon within the ship gives me pause.
Then, a new creature appears in our midst. The party seems to know it, but I don’t. I extend my hand to greet the creature, feeling the muddy texture as I shake it. My sense of wonder is palpable as I exclaim, “Wow, I haven’t seen anything quite like you before. Sorry, what are you?”
The creature responds, his voice tinged with melancholy, “I’m depressed.”
I gently inquire, “No, no, apart from your mental state, what are you?”
He answers, “Mud mephit.”
Farryn, ever the pragmatist, asks, “Urm, have you died in the past 24 hours?”
Urm sighs, “No, unfortunately not.”
With a glimmer of hope, we ask if he can open the latch to the mind flayer ship. His muddy face brightens as he responds, “Oh, I can even go and get him.”
I offer some advice, “Yeah, first check if you can open it, and then you can get him.”
We take flight toward the ship. I position myself next to Farryn, ready for whatever lies ahead. The moment arrives when the manifest mind enters the ship and disappears, leaving us perplexed.
Urm, our trusty companion, bravely ventures inside, but miraculously, he emerges unharmed. Xenji, struggling to hear, expresses his concern, “WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?”
I share a word of caution, “Don’t ever go in there if you don’t know what’s waiting inside.”
In the midst of the oppressive darkness, a glimmer of light pierces through, emanating from a minor illusion that somehow remains there. We find ourselves perched atop the ship, uncertainty filling the air.
The party’s collective desire to explore the vessel clashes with Xenji’s reservations, but he reluctantly yields to the group’s pressure. Meanwhile, I opt to be the last to descend, maintaining my invisibility for as long as possible.
As we venture inside the ship, an unexpected turn of events ensues. Panic washes over us when the latch above me suddenly slams shut, trapping us within. An ominous realization dawns upon us: “It was the mind flayer. He closed the trapdoor.”
Inside the ship, the world seems to warp and shift, evoking bizarre and disorienting visions. We’re caught in a surreal dreamscape, our senses playing tricks on us. A haunting voice in the distance utters foreboding words, “Like lambs to slaughter…”
I ready myself for the impending conflict, but my first shot goes astray when a gray slaad appears before us. A fireball erupts within the party’s ranks, but I manage to remain at a safe distance.
Fear gnaws at me as I spot another slaad, the one responsible for the fiery onslaught. Suddenly, I feel a searing pain as a slaad’s attack finds its mark. Chaos ensues as the white mage and Farryn engage in a fierce battle, with Urm joining the fray, unleashing his own projectile vomit upon the slaad near Farryn. Xenji, encircled by angelic spirits, casts spirit guardians to protect himself.
Amid the chaos, a maddening image assaults our senses. Patience becomes frozen in place, leaving me no choice but to sprint away and fire my arrows from a distance. Farryn hurls a hammer at a slaad with precision.
As I release an arrow, it inexplicably rebounds in mid air. Perplexed, I cautiously advance and investigate, but I’m held back by an invisible wall, and then I discover a wooden barrier obstructing my view of the party. I hide, concealing myself from the slaads, my anxiety mounting.
Suddenly, the mind flayer materializes before me, attempting to seize me. It has a wooden leg, and a pirate hat. I barely manage to slip away in the nick of time as he tries to latch on to me with his tentacle face. In an instant decision, I attempt to ascend and escape the invisible barrier, but I just hit my head and am forced to back down, leaving me in a precarious position.
I’m completely absorbed in my battle with the mind flayer, with Farryn’s voice echoing in the background, saying he cannot come to my aid. My attention is locked on my opponent, leaving no room for distraction. I need to get out.
Urm, takes a devastating blow that seems to nearly cleave him in two, but miraculously, he stitches himself back together, defying death itself.
Then, a ray of hope shines through as the manifest mind of the white mage intervenes. I’m left awestruck by the sheer power it wields. A chain lightning attack crackles from the manifest mind, and I can only exclaim, “O my god!”
Xenji rushes toward me, his wings now sprouting from his back, and he unleashes his fury upon the mind flayer. The invisible barrier dissipates, and Xenji’s smite proves fatal as he slays the mind flayer.
We find ourselves back on the ship, and the familiar wooden panels beneath my feet reassure me that we’re safe once more. The spirit guardians surrounding the mind flayer continue to wreak havoc, tearing at its clothes.
I take aim at one of the slaads to the right. Luckily, there are two out of four left now. Urm takes a hit but quickly rebounds, regenerating himself completely. He then attacks, but he seems less effective. “Only loose blows today, I’m afraid.” he grunts.
Then, something within the mind flayer snaps after I attack one of the remaining slaads. Farryn takes charge, eliminating the remaining slaads. With the danger quelled, he investigates the mind flayer and discovers control gems of the slaads embedded in its leg, now shattered.
Relief washes over us, and we cautiously assess the situation. Farryn, however, suddenly collapses, sending me running to his side in a panic. “Are you okay?!” I implore.
After a moment, Farryn stirs and comes to, the repercussions of his haste apparent. We collectively decide to investigate the ship further, eager to uncover its secrets and potential dangers that lie within its confines.
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