The adventurers cautiously entered a large, circular room with sparse walls and two peculiar foot-shaped indentations. In the center, a massive stone foot hung suspended by chains, casting an ominous presence. Scattered across the floor were severed feet, a macabre sight that sent shivers down their spines.
Suddenly, the stone foot twitched, and the severed appendages began to move, attacking with hostile intent. As if materializing from thin air, another foot dropped from above, adding to the chaos. The party sprang into action, with Pebblesong striking a foot with her staff, causing it to disintegrate into a vile substance. Bartholemeow skillfully deflected an attacking foot with his shield, while another narrowly missed him.
Hat, caught off guard, was struck by a sneaky foot, enduring a painful blow. Thalmiir, too, fell victim to an emerging foot, wincing as it connected with his sturdy dwarven frame. Waer’dara, calling upon her eldritch powers, unleashed a blast that obliterated a foot between Hat and Thalmiir.
Hat found himself flanked by aggressive feet, narrowly dodging an attack. With quick thinking, he disengaged and employed his toxic brew ability, dousing three feet in corrosive acid and vanquishing two of them. The giant stone foot, seemingly possessed, began moving erratically, nearly crushing Waer’dara, who barely escaped its wrath with a nimble dodge.
Pebblesong, determined to aid her companions, moved beside Bartholemeow and destroyed another foot. The shapeshifter bard continued to evade the relentless attacks with feline grace. Waer’dara, undeterred, unleashed another eldritch blast at the colossal stone foot, while Bhakris fell victim to a foot’s strike. Retaliating with his sword, the earth genasi paladin vanquished his assailant.
Seeking respite from the giant foot’s wrath, Hat attempted to conceal himself. Bartholemeow, with a deft thrust of his rapier, eliminated yet another foot, leaving only one regular-sized adversary remaining.
As the battle raged on, the party noticed the giant stone foot seemed magically repelled from stomping them directly, eventually returning to its original position. Pebblesong, ever observant, spotted a familiar religious symbol carved on the foot’s underside—the same symbol they had encountered in a previous room filled with pools.
Waer’dara, narrowly avoiding another crushing blow from the foot, called out to her companions to retreat. Hat, battered and bruised, struggled to find his way amidst the chaos. The party urgently urged everyone to evacuate the treacherous room.
Gorka, their NPC companion, cautiously emerged as the commotion subsided. Without hesitation, the group hastily departed, the echoes of another falling foot reverberating in the distance. Pebblesong, curiosity piqued, attempted to tickle the foot with her Mage Hand, but to no avail.
Relying on their survival instincts, Pebblesong and Bhakris realized they had likely circled back to a familiar part of the cave system. They reached a crudely walled-off tunnel section with a narrow gap, an unpleasant sewage odor wafting from beyond.
Thalmiir, ever vigilant, listened at the gap, detecting the sound of flowing liquid ahead. Squeezing through, he signaled the others to follow upon confirming no immediate threats. Beyond the gap, they discovered a large, mostly-full pool fed by several sewer pipes, a whirlpool swirling at its center. A narrow walkway hugged the perimeter.
The party carefully navigated the southern side of the pool, with Pebblesong and Hat employing magic to mask the stench. Suddenly, a slimy tentacle burst from the pool, catching most of them by surprise. Bhakris, however, recalled a Waterdeep legend about a sewage-related scheme gone terribly awry.
Steeling themselves for the impending confrontation, the adventurers approached the hostile tentacle creature. Bhakris, taking the lead, hurled a javelin at the appendage, but it deftly dodged the attack. The party marveled at the tentacle’s uncanny agility, surpassing even that of a child.
The tentacle lashed out, its reach extending an astonishing 35 feet, and attempted to constrict Bhakris. The attack connected, and the earth genasi paladin found himself grappled and restrained by the slimy appendage.
Pebblesong, thinking quickly, cast Guidance on Bhakris to aid his escape, then retreated, urging the others to flee. Hat, still reeling from the shock, watched as Waer’dara recovered and blasted the tentacle with an Eldritch Blast, inflicting some damage.
Bhakris, mustering his strength, broke free from the tentacle’s grasp. He moved closer to the door but refused to leave, taunting the creature with Vicious Mockery, which ultimately proved fatal to the appendage.
Thalmiir, consumed by rage, positioned himself in front of the tentacle, hacking at it with his axe. The tentacle, however, shifted its focus to Pebblesong, ensnaring her in its slimy grip.
Pebblesong managed to escape the grapple, while Hat and Waer’dara retreated further, the latter unleashing another damaging blast at the tentacle. Bhakris, armed with his longsword, landed a solid hit on the creature. Bartholemeow, ever supportive, inspired Thalmiir while mocking the tentacle, imposing disadvantage on its attacks.
The tentacle, flailing in frustration, targeted Waer’dara, grappling her and pulling her towards the murky water. Pebblesong, in an attempt to aid her companion, conjured an Ice Knife, striking the tentacle but inadvertently harming Waer’dara in the process. Hat, prioritizing survival, disengaged and fled.
Waer’dara struggled to break free from the tentacle’s grasp as it dragged her closer to the pool. Bhakris, determined to end the threat, hurled another javelin, nearly defeating the creature.
Bartholemeow’s attempts to further mock the tentacle proved ineffective, but Thalmiir, inspired by the bard’s earlier words, delivered the killing blow, severing the appendage. As the tentacle released Waer’dara and withdrew into the pool, the party emerged victorious, albeit battered and exhausted.
The adventurers caught their breath, realizing the immense danger they had faced. The creature, even with its reduced strength, had proven to be a formidable foe for their current level of experience. Yet, through teamwork, quick thinking, and sheer determination, they had overcome the challenge, ready to face whatever lay ahead in their quest.
Notes