==== Summary 77: Tentacles from the Deep (2012-09-20) ====
[[Giraine]] [[summaries-2012|Summaries]]
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You left the strange one-eyed Accountant smirking in the Blue Dock's main hall, as the other patrons and staff got back to their usual business, but in a dazed state. You slept uneasily, especially the Captain who had a vivid dream of battling Bar'ran and slipping on some algae, falling down, and being mercilessly pierced by the monster-killer's harpoon; then he awoke with a fresh sense of paranoia.

Morning brought not just a few varieties of breakfast soups and gruels in the Blue Dock (on the house!), but also soon a new spectacle and panic, as the remaining townsfolk on the dark, foggy streets began to run inland, away from the shores, in a fright. You split up; the Baronet wanted to head to find his contact Bradde Mukkh and the others headed for the Seamen's Guildhall down on the Inner Jetty. Both groups found the same thing by the shore: a darkness had pervaded the sea waters surrounding Mooring Isle, and with the gloom and fog you could see nothing beyond the island.

Worse yet, lumpy outpockets of darkness were sliding from the ocean onto the shore, and soon they gave rise to twisting, sluggish, blind tentacles of pure darkness that grasped whatever they could and left it cold, waterlogged and sucked of energy (luckily none of you befell this fate). You dodged and weaved your way through them onto the Inner Jetty and raced toward the Guildhall, finding that the tentacles were spiritual entities and hard to harm without magic or strong wills. You forced your way through the barred doorway, finding three guildsmen huddling in terror inside, and forced the doors shut against the probing tentacles that were covering the rectangular building, slowly seeking things to grab and twist and fumble with, or entrance to the hall.

The guildsmen informed you, after an imposing speech by the Captain that convinced them to help you with what tidbits of guild secrets they knew (including that the emerald slab bearing Handra's trade treaty with the Ludoch mermen), that there was a basement exit with a boat below. You inspected, and found that the dark tendrils had ripped the boat away from the below-jetty hidden dock there. The Captain proclaimed that the dark waters there must be the route into your heroquest to stop the evil menace. Despite the guildsmen's pleas to stay with them and help them escape the jetty, you gathered to enter the waters, water-breathing magics invoked. But with one step into the seawater, the Captain dropped unconscious and cold. You hauled him out and decided to wait for him to awaken.

A couple hours later, as the Captain stirred slightly, moaning and struggling for wakefulness, you saw light breaking from beneath the doorway's cracks, then a knock came at the door. Opening it, you found that the Handra guard had fought their way through the tentacles from the deep with the help of the Magician's Guild (especially a dwarf you'd seen before, whose face was lost in wiry hair and beard; and held aloft some spherical implement that he deactivated when he saw you). They had recovered what survivors they could, and the tentacles had receded somewhat, but survivors on Mooring Isle were gathering on higher ground near the middle of the island (not far from the Blue Dock, incidentally). You returned there with them, helping the Captain hobble/be carried along, and met up with the Baronet, who had found his contact nearby (and heard that the Elandra contact was probably on other isles) after giving up hope when he saw the great, sturdy, arched bridge to Yard Isle had been grabbed by tentacles and then ripped down into the ebony seas (!).

Now you realized that Mooring Isle was truly isolated- local ships had been smashed and dragged to the sea floor, a black void and fog surrounded it, and no bridges were left connecting it to the other seven isles. Even the local newtlings had either fled into the swamps or moved inland. You decided that it was time to seek insight from the Magician's Guild, especially Stormswallower. The Captain had roused himself, complaining of a pounding headache and the sounds of a great sinister heartbeat echoing still from his nightmares that tormented him during his fainting spell. You headed toward the Guild, then heard alarm trumpets issuing from the guard towers near the shore and spreading around Mooring Isle. Something had changed- the dark ring around the isle had begun to take shape, and form something more physical. Faces fell (but the Captain felt new excited energy) as its monstrous scale became clear...

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