OD&D Session 20 - Angus Again

written by the brave and blogless gaming peepaw

It was different without the Stingrays. It was shocking to Angus, himself not an overly worldly creature, he couldn’t understand why creatures of the sea were so hostile towards them. But he noticed it immediately as they met the red Axolotls in the sunken container. They were aloof and standoffish but they did not have the same bitter dismissiveness about them.

Angus was glad to have tagged along with this new group of companions. The two clownfish and axolotl were bubbly and social which made for nice travelling. He was also grateful to travel with another crab, even if it highlighted his own slowness on account of his missing limbs.

They had made out for the Haxolotl Tower new territory for Angus but well trodden for many of his companions. Floating with the currents they had easily arrived at the sunken wreck. Upon entering they were greeted by the red skinned Axolotls who brimmed with nanite power. The party began to parlay in a tongue Angus did not speak so he merely watched. Soon they were dismissed. Lots of Little Stripes had presented his weapon and it seemed the Axolotls offered something in exchange that was not to par. From there the party moved to deeper ocean, there was a great deal of discussion of where to find nanites as they travelled.

Serendipitously they seemed to wander on top of them, as the water began to deepen and the party debated returning home they found a lump of sand that sent silver glitters spiraling upwards. The Axolotl excitedly dug at the sand with his newly made sword and uncovered a giant nanite. Angus had seen larger when the whale was felled, but was still amazed. The weather began to turn and the party hunkered down, aware that the cargo was precious. They debated whether it should go to the Axolotls who sought to parlay or the threatening stingrays Angus had encountered. The currents changed and they began the journey back by were caught in the middle of a Typhoon! In the open sand there was little to do but burrow and hope as they were thrown wildly around by the roll of the currents!

Sea wolf the Crab and Mikélé the clownfish were thrown across the sea. Angus, Jimmy, and Lots of Little Stripes managed to avoid the worst of it. They moved on toward the reef, hoping their companions would do the same.

Fortune smiled upon them again! Upon their return to the reef they found their companions safe, their journey through the typhoon resulting in a turned stomach and a wonderfully quick return trip. Reunited they moved to the Axolotl lair nanite in tow hoping to bargain and learn the secrets of the wreckage.

Seeing the nanite under their arms the attitude of the Axolotls seemed to melt away, suddenly they were eager and excitable ushering the party into their secret cave, trading information for the power they coveted. Inside the Axolotl nest was like nothing Angus had ever seen. Shimmering silver barriers protected all the entrances, seeming to disappear at the wave of an Axolotls hand. It was filled with surfaces that did not feel natural to the touch. Smooth, unblemished, and translucent. In these see through boxes the axolotls had captured several fish their boxes arranged neatly around a container for a creature Angus had never seen. It had claws like a crustacean but two fewer legs (and still one more leg than he Angus noted begrudgingly).

Then they were shown the machine of immortality. It glowed a bright green illuminating the water around it in a sickening hue. Angus shuddered at the thought of raising the dead but the rest of his party remained enchanted with the thought talking of fallen comrades whose strength could save the reef.

They left the Axolotl lair having collected a powerful IOU, a one time use of their pod and returned to the reef again. Their Axolotl companion departed content with the days adventuring. The currents changed in a favourable direction and the party was reapproached by the creatures who sought to populate the new reef. The health of the new biome was of huge importance to the clownfish who were always plagued by thoughts of their inevitable turn to matriarchy. Angus himself was fascinated with the thought of watching reef life blossom anew. He loved his reef, but the thought of bringing that largely restful life to other creatures spoke to him.

The set out with Surgeonfish and Red Crabs in tow and whisked by the current arrived in the new reef with little interruptions. The buffalo sculpin were grateful and immediately set to work accommodating the new creatures. As a whole the creatures knew very little about starting a reef but they all met the problem with an earnestness that inspired optimism.

Resting in the new reef overnight they felt the weather turn. They awoke to giant drifts of algae swirling about in the ocean. Amazed by their good fortune the party spent 2 days alongside the new reef dwellers gathering as best they could, all of them understanding the importance of food to their new collective.

They set out once more with full stomachs and light hearts thanks to their recent fortune. As they charted a course Angus spoke of what he had encountered in deep water. Tales of whales, sawfish, and the hammerhead shark dissuaded any thought of movement to further depths. Fortunately, the clownfish knew of a sandbar to the north, its shallows promising more docile creatures.

As they crossed the small channel between the kelp forests and the sandbar shadows flitted overhead. At first the party scrambled, worried their luck had run out. Then they heard a familiar relaxed accent, the slow intonations of flying fish. Though their knowledge of reef was still in its infancy it was clear the flyers bore them no animosity. They were like most flying fish, focused on doing sweet tricks and telling tales about the surface.

So the journey continued...

They crossed paths with a horde of krill, thousands upon thousands that spun around one another moving almost as its own super creature. They seemed to Angus almost like a pattern of weather. Like a cloud. He thought of the mountainous whale and realized his own smallness. The party made an attempt to parlay with the krill, thinking to mention the beasts they had fell but the krill scattered at the first mention of the word Whale. Each anxious gasp in their collective furthering their desire to flee the potential predator. As the krill scattered they came upon a sandbar. Blue Surgeonfish circled around the middle of the sand where shrimp rode massive nudibranchs.

The Nudibranchs mesmerized Angus, their tails a flurry of red and yellow that spun hypnotically as they skirted the sand. The shrimp astride them appeared at moments to steer the larger creatures guiding their course, in other moments they seemed to be merely holding on trusting their giant companion to lead them astray. Approaching the riding shrimp, it was apparent they were agitated. They rode towards the party and explained their plight. The Surgeonfish had arrived a few days ago and insisted on circling the shrimp eager to find direction to a forest of kelp. The shrimp did not feel the same and wanted to be left in peace to ride the waves of the sandbar. With the quick work of the party members who spoke fish we achieved an easy compromise. We would show the surgeonfish our new reef, along with the kelp forests beside it, and leave the shrimp be. Should we return we promised it would only to be pass through. Satisfied with this compromise and eager to return to their libertarian ways the shrimp agreed and we began our return trip with 32 surgeonfish in tow.

Crossing the depths we were immediately faced with danger. A gigantic octopod crossed paths with us and began flashing a deep crimson with sharp black shapes strewn across it. Sensing the need, Sea Wolf sprung into action. Although unable to flash the colours the brave crab was able to communicate our mission and in turn learn of Hannah (Arendt) the Octopod’s. Hannah sought other octopods and was willing to fight anything that wanted to stop her. Angus then relayed the story of Octopolis to Sea Wolf who quickly translated and Hannah seemed to calm. Through a game of broken telephone Hannah was able to learn of the large gathering of male octopods who lived together and debated the nature of the world. She was upset at the way they lived but pleased with the party sharing information. As she departed Angus silently hoped that she would smarten up the residents of Octopolis.

The rest of the journey through the kelp forest to the northern reef was uneventful and the party was grateful the seahorses gave them passage so willingly. The surgeonfish already at the reef were overjoyed at the arrival of the newcomers and the buffalo sculpin beamed with pride that they had finally begun to build the community they desired. The party rested, ate, and prepared to journey back to their home, the southern reef.

Almost immediately their journey south was interrupted by Hannah who had gotten a little lost. Without the cardinal directions, any notable landmarks, and instructions relayed from a low int crab to a high int crab speaking their second language the confusion was reasonable. Hoping to further their goodwill with the large Octopod they agreed to detour to Octopolis for Hannah.

Hannah’s arrival was fascinating. The presence of a woman immediately sent the Octo-Polis into a frenzy, they appeared giddy as schoolboys to finally be talking to a woman but also on the verge of cracking into anxious tears. Tense flashes were exchanged and the clam piles, which were the subject of endless debate, were rearranged. Hannah sat atop a dragon’s cache of clams surrounded by her loyal subjects who themselves now only had a clam or two. Hannah beamed, and proudly shared that she had taught the Octo-Polis a great lesson: to respect women. She had also brought their budding republic a new system of government: the monarchy. With that square and away the party rode the current swiftly home. Secretly they wondered if the octopods would learn good politics from Hannah or if she herself would become a woman republican.

Safe in the southern reef after more than 2 weeks of travel. The party finally rested.