The Rescue

As I mentioned previously, I had been sucked into a maelstrom and pulled into another world, along with a kraken!

I now stood upon a makeshift raft in the middle of a wide lake. The beast had surfaced near me and was approaching. At first, I crouched down and used my scout skills to hide from the monster. It was no use; it spotted me and lashed out its tentacles, trying to grab me and pull me into its maw. I readied my shield and the Flame of Justice, prepared to fight to the end. Tentacles lashed at me but I blocked and parried them away. There were too many! Soon I would be overcome.

Then over the roar of the creature I heard the steady voice of command. "Row, row, row!" I chanced a look behind me and saw two ships, laden with well-armed warriors, approaching me. Hope! If only I could hold out a little longer. Then a tentacles lashed out. Smash! My shield dissolved into splinters. I held the Flame before me.

"Hurry! Jump to our ship!" I turned and leaped, just as another tentacles came smashing into my raft, pulverizing it. With one hand I gripped the gunwales. I felt myself sliding down into the lake. A strong hand grasped me and yanked me into the ship. I tumbled to the deck then scrambled to my feet, expressing my thanks as I did so. My rescuers had no opportunity to reply for a slew of tentacles lashed at the ship. I took my place in the battle line and struck at the beast. We would wound it but more tentacles would appear.

The second ship pulled alongside us. Together, we began battling the kraken. Some valiant heroes perished, yanked overboard and pulled into the snapping beak. Yet we began to take out some of the tentacles. Perhaps we could prevail!

Then from behind me a tentacle lashed out, smacking me in the back of the head. I tumbled over the side and landed into the lake, unconscious.

The next thing I remember was waking up on shore, dripping wet.

"Where am I?" was the first thing I said.

The warrior responded, "The answer to your question is a hell of a story."

POSTSCRIPT
I would learn later that I was rescued by a band of heroes from many companies. As the chronicle of Caligo records:

Those within the Sentinels of Gothix aided the paladin [this is how they refer to me, Rufus], while warriors from the Guardians of the Bay, Keepers of the Obsidian Stag, Uncharted Waters, and Triune Shores distracted the monstrous creature. After much effort, the battle had been won. The Kraken drifted beneath the waves with wounds that could rid any creature into silence, and uproar of glee escaped all survivors.

OOC Notes

• Designed as a way to explain how I got to Caligo, we played this out as a scenario at last Sunday's practice. We actually ran it multiple times. I was rescued the first time but then "killed" when we decided to return to the lake to kill the kraken. I actually had to leave before I was officially rescued so I don't know exactly how the scenario proceeded. I explain this by writing that I got knocked unconscious.

The Kraken

My trip to Neverwinter failed to reap the benefit I sought. The kingdom's officials were loath to take on the Faedwyr, especially if it meant that the pirates of Ember Shoals would once again have a safe haven from the Royal Navy. Yet I now had the Horn of the Hurricane. It was with mixed feelings that I boarded a smuggler's ship en route to Ember Shoals.

We were cruising peacefully along when suddenly an unusual wake began to pursue us. Then a giant tentacle surged from the sea and smashed into our ship. Several more followed, grabbing the masts and rocking the ship.

"KRAKEN!"

The crew grabbed any weapons at hand and began battling the beast. Its rubbery hide was as tough as armor and its strength was unbelievable. it yanked the masts down. Falling spars struck down sailors while the tentacles would occasionally grab an unfortunate soul, pulling him down into the briny deep.

I struck at the tentacles with my sword but could nary make a dent. Frustrated, I charged one of the tentacles with my sword point leveled. It penetrated, then got stuck. The tentacle lashed away, taking my sword with it!

I rushed below decks to my sea chest. I grabbed the Horn of Hurricane and my magical mace known as the Flame of Justice. I then returned to the fight. I blasted a note from the Horn and called upon the power of the Flame. It erupted in holy fire. I was ready for battle!

At that moment, a storm brewed up and quickly overtook us. The swirling clouds were colored purple and black and rotated like a maelstrom in the sky.

Heavy winds began to pummel the ship. Between that and the kraken, our little ship was splintered. The crew was tossed into the sea. Somehow I managed to scramble upon a piece of flotsam. The kraken surfaced, its giant beak clicking in anticipation. It rushed towards me. I stood, readied my shield and the Flame of Justice, and called defiance to the beast.

By now, the maelstrom was circling overhead. The seas themselves began to spin. Suddenly a massive undertow gripped my makeshift vessel, pulling it under. As my head plunged below the surface, I could see that the kraken was also caught in the whirpool.

Down and down I went. I held my breath until my lungs felt like they were on fire. Then I passed out. I'm not sure how long I was out but it only seemed like seconds later I broke the surface of the water. At first I thought that the planking that I gripped and brought me back up. Then I noticed that I was no longer in my world. The sky, sun, and sea pulsated in indescribable colors.

"The Other World," I thought. "Have the Faedwyr kidnapped me again?"

I did not have much time to ponder this question. With a mighty splash, the kraken surfaced!

(To be continued)

OOC Notes

• I am undertaking a new phase in my foam-fighting career. I'm fighting with Caligo, a new cross-gaming realm being formed by Kage (a unit in the Way of the Sword organization). This story explains my presence in their setting.
• According to their lore (IIRC) Caligo is a land on the continent of Mu. Mysterious forces have pulled it out of the material world into a strange void. Thus, another portal seems to be the best explanation. I worked out the details with Amaru of the Sentinels (one of the units of Caligo)
• Have no worries - the quest for the druid's artifacts shall continue!