quest/src/epistolary/00030.md

---
title: 00030
created: Sat, 05 Nov 2022 12:51:43 -0600
updated: Sat, 05 Nov 2022 12:51:49 -0600
public: yes
syndicated: yes
---
### 00030 {#00030}

> Inky flips backwards and up, narrowly avoiding the tentacles'
> grasp. From their courier bag they shake out an inflatable
> bubblebee[1] of the sort made for aquatic camping. It is one of the
> fancier models provided to each member of their party courtesy of
> the well-endowed Benefactor. They yank on one of the cords and
> scramble inside, hastily closing the flap as the bubblebee rapidly
> draws in water and fills out to its full size.
> 
> The bubblebee rises as Inky pulls on the flippers and allows the
> drifter to buoy the bubble upwards, a bat from the end of one
> tentacle sending the bubblebee forward a short distance before it
> slows above the flailing tentacles. Inky switches on the lights to
> try to get a clearer view of the source of the tentacles.
> 
> [1] Specific features of bubblebees vary among makers, but they
> generally have a transparent or translucent spherical body, a pair
> of small translucent wings that act as flippers, an opening flap at
> the back with a short rudder attached, and two cords inside at the
> front near the top which when pulled inflate the bubble with the
> surrounding air or water. Premium versions might also include
> headlights, a buzzer, built-in filtration, improved insulation, a
> drifter and thruster. Like tents they come in various sizes, from
> small ones that can fit one or two people at average elven height,
> to larger ones for group outings. Their portability and rugged
> durability make them very popular among tourists and campers who
> can enjoy a range of water sports, such as water walking on the
> surface, riding the bubble down river rapids, or bobbing along
> underwater to watch the sea life wander by.

Inky climbs into the inflatable bubblebee just in the nick of time. A
tentacle bats them a short distance away, and then the apparatus's
lights cut on and illuminate the murky water.

You see the tentacles recede into the depths into, from this
distance, what looks like the outline of a shipwreck.

At the moment, you are out of reach of the tentacles. And the
bubblebee affords you some extra maneuverability.

> Corraidhin eyes inky as they drift away in their bubblebee. "hmm a
> wonderful idea, that seems safe, but I need to get in closer."
> 
> While Inky drifts away Corraidhin swims down and towards the
> tentacles to get a better view of whatever creature stole his new
> found bear friends. "I simply cannot bear any harm to come to my
> bears!" As he approaches the creature he prepares a spell should he
> need to vanquish the monster.
> 
> ```
> (fn vanquish [target]
>   (match target.state
>    [:living] (searing-bolt {target target
>                             radius "narrow"
>                             intensity "high"})
>    [:undead] (smite {target target
>                      deity "Larani"}))) 
> ```

Corraidhin charges up a spell!

The tentacles pull your dear bear friends downward, and you struggle
to get a view of whatever creature is abducting them.

The long, slender tentacles appear to originate from within or behind
a large sunken ship!

Could it be the SS RSS?

> Gabs was stunned by the majesty of the two bears, and upon seeing
> these two beautiful creatures be pulled down, got unreasonably
> angry. She made sure that the breathing bell was properly attached
> to her head (a marvelous thing, she thought. She had always
> wondered what it would be like to have a jellyfish on her head). 
> 
> Gabs bundled and tied up her skirt, as she started to bolt toward
> the edge of the ship. She reached into her purse and moved away all
> the loose candy and pulled out two long stiletto daggers. She
> begins stabbing with unusual precision at the tentacles reaching up
> on the ship. 
> 
> She yells, “Come’on y’all! We gotta save those babies!”
> 
> She dives in.

Prior to the incident, Gabs would have noticed that there was a very
slight, wobbly weight to the jellyfish. Kind of like getting a gentle
hug from a helmet of warm spaghetti.

Some loose candy floats up and away as you rummage through your
purse, the brightly colored wrappers attracting the attention of a
curious passing manta ray. It glides over and has a nibble.

You fetch your stiletto daggers and start stabbing at the long,
slender tentacles. Your unusual precision causes the tentacles to
coil and retreat, releasing the merbear in the process. It shouts
through its tears, "My brother!" and dives back into the fray,
fighting to free the tardigrade.

From here, you can see that the tentacles seem to come from the
wreckage of a large ship lying on its side on ocean floor.

**META**: Gabs rolls a 6 on "Do Anything 1" and gains a new skill:
Stabbing 2

> Seeing his new comrade enter the fray heroically Corraidhin gathers
> himself. "I suppose this is no time for errant curiosity, can't
> have anyone getting hurt after all."
> 
> Ensuring that he doesn't hit either Inky nor Gabs as they near the
> creature, Corraidhin throws the spell he prepared in the direction
> of the center of the tentacles. (vanquish "tentacles") And releases
> a pinpoint thread of searing energy from his palm, guiding it
> through the mass of tentacles in a random and chaotic pattern,
> attempting to sever as many tentacles as possible.
> 
> As that goes on the sysercoerr calculates his retreat plan, he
> won't be able to prepare another spell like that on the fly, far
> too meticulous work to do mid combat. As soon as the spell runs
> out, best case will be to retreat somewhere out of reach, or as far
> away as is possible there.

Corraidhín takes careful aim fires off a searing bolt into the center
of the mass of squirming, reaching tentacles. The bolt of energy
bounces from tentacle to tentacle creating a chaotic web of energy.

One of the final bolts of energy pierces the tentacle that happens to
be gripping the tardigrade. It releases the water bear, but not
before the tardigrade takes the full brunt of the final blast of the
dying searing bolt. It cries out and curls up into a ball.
Motionless, it starts sinking downward. "BROTHER!" the merbear swims
after it heedless of any nearby danger.

A wayward crackle of energy blasts outward toward a giant manta ray
happily crunching on a piece of hard candy. It flaps out of the way
at the last minute and continues to angrily enjoy its candy, glaring
at you quite indignantly.

**META**: Corraidhín rolls a 2 for "Do Anything 1", which means
things go bad, and gains 1 xp for a total of 1 xp. You can spend xp
to turn any die into a six for the purpose of advancement.

> While Master Corraidhín and Gabs confront the tentacles to rescue
> the bears, Inky looks around the sea floor. Maybe if they found
> suitable replacements for the bears, the tentacles might be
> distracted long enough to release the bears, or provide an opening
> advantage for one of their party?
> 
> A small distance from the fray, Inky finds a load of discarded
> bottles among a large pile of other trash carried there by the push
> and pull between the water currents and a hot spring. Gathering up
> some bottles, Inky ties them together with twine in singles and
> small clusters until they resemble two large, crudely-made
> multi-coloured tanokuma[1].
> 
> With some difficulty due to the additional weight, Inky attaches
> the tanokuma to the back of their bubblebee and drags them back
> above the tentacles, roughly near the spot where the previous bears
> were taken. When the valiant members of their party dive to one
> side for another strike, Inky loosens the rope around the "bears"
> and lets them sink down within reach of the tentacles.
> 
> [1] First featured in the garden play *Teatime with Tanokuma*, the
> fluffy purple, jam-grabbing, tea-guzzling bear became an overnight
> hit among children as well as the fashion-conscious youth who
> frequent the trendy "Shin-ku" district of Vay'Nullar.

The decoy tanokuma float above the tentacles as they retreat from
Gabs's stabbses and Corraidhin's bolts. They grope about weakly, wrap
themselves around the tanokuma, and finally withdraw.

You can now clearly see the wreckage of the SS RSS. The
tentacles---and whatever beast they belong to---is either within,
behind, or below the ship. It is definitely *ship adjacent* wherever
and whatever it is. The large double-masted ship is lying on its
side, teetering precariously on the edge of a large, deep ocean
trench. There is a large hole in its hull providing unfettered access
to its insides.

The tardigrade is sinking inertly toward the ship deck, and the
merbear is swimming blindly after it.

WHAT DO YOU DO

[www](https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-11/msg00043.html)