Episode 77: Viscous Ooze

Plot
In the large cavernous space the noxious stench of death, burns at all but Enkara’s lungs, but they figure that as long as they don’t exert themselves they should be fine to breath in the cavern. Curious about the natural and organic nature of the cavern Sarrek realises that they are in a large body of some long dead being, but nothing that he knows could be this large, and that the stench is not due to rot. Sarrek suggests investigating the corpse of the priest and staying stealthy heads over on his own to investigate, and crouches behind a nearby stalagmite while the others watch on from the spear. He identifies the preist as a follower of Azi Dahaka, and notices strange burns on their arms and a foam at their mouth. The strange oozes,(Necrophages) near the body move on Sarrek, one dips into a pool of liquid and its speed increases as it makes a beeline for Sarrek and hits him with a oozy necrotic pseudopod. The other avoids the pool and spits acid in his direction that goes wide. The others react, seeing Sarrek under threat and start in his direction.

Sarrek disengages and flees back to the others while crushing a moon shard to heal himself. Even at long range Enkara looses an arrow at a Necrophage as Kairos dashes toward Sarrek. Aya fires both her Eldritch Blasts at one of the Necrophages and knocks it back. However, the same creature throws itself into the air and floats the distance between them and Sarrek and drops atop him. Sarrek takes the hit from its pseudopod and feels it’s necrotic energies burn away at his life force. Sarrek fires point blank into the Necrophage while the second crawls over spitting acid at him. Enkara focuses fires on the weaker ooze and Kairos running at full speed makes it to his friend’s side as Aya’s Eldritch Blasts fire past him into the weakest ooze knocking it near a pool. Juiced by the substance in the pool it’s enhance speed allows it to hit Kairos.

Sarrek fires at the ooze attacking Kairos and reduces it to a collapsed puddle on the floor and he continues his escape, avoiding taking in too much of the toxic fumes. The remaining Necrophage spits at Sarrek burning his back as he runs. Enkara nails the ooze with another arrow and casts Healing Word on Sarrek. Kairos runs toward the priest’s body but his exertions cause the toxic gases to burn his lungs and he falls to the ground. Aya, seeing what Kairos was after heads in his direction and experiments with one of the ooze pools, but discovers that it doesn’t make her faster. Sarrek fires once more at the Necrophage, careful not to breath too heavily and runs toward Enkara. However, like before it jumps and floats to catch up and hits him viciously with it’s necrotic pseudopod, his life force eaten away once more. Enkara continues her arrow assault while Aya continues her experiments, tasting the substance in the pool and discovers it’s corrosive properties before firing off her eldritch blasts that knock the Necrophage away from Sarrek who ends the creature with his own arrow.

Enkara rushes over to help Kairos, healing him to consciousness, while the others investigate the dead priest, discussing Aya’s experiment with the goop. The priest corpse holds a valuable looking bag which Sarrek takes and opens, finding gold and a scintillating red vial and heads over to Enkara and Kairos while Aya loots the corpse’s pockets. Enkara identifies the contents of the Vial as a healing potion which he takes immediately. Though Aya doesn’t find anything else she identifies him as a victim of the Necrophages and takes his clothes as a disguise. Sarrek uses the glamour on his armour to change it to match the priest’s clothing. The group discuss their next move and decide to head up the spear into the room of the cathedral above and come up with a plan to take care of the four Necrophages position in their way. During their planning Sarrek identifies that the oozes are like the Shadow-touched and will revive if they die or return to the moon.

The group head back to the spear, Aya moving into range ahead of them and casts Eobard’s Black Tentacles among the Necrophages. Staying at range she fires off her Eldritch blasts blasting one into the tentacles and Sarrek follows her lead up with an arrow into the same ooze. All but one Necrophage is restrained from the tentacles and throws itself into the air and floats, clearing a considerable distance between itself and the group. Enkara casts a Gust of wind, to keep the Necrophage in place while Karios begins his climb atop the spear. Aya keeps calm as the toxic gases in the chamber swirl, and her next salvo of Eldritch Blasts knock the loose Necrophage back up the spear, letting Sarrek take a clear shot at it. The Necrophages continue to get pummelled by Aya’s spell and the loose ooze now free from the Gust of Wind goes after Kairos but his armour proves sufficient to weather the blow. Enkara rushes to Kairos’ side, striking the ooze with her staff before blasting it away with the spell. Kairos returns the attack the free Necrophage tried to do to him, while another finally manages to escape and heads toward Kairos and Enkara.

Note:
Steven named the anemone creatures from last episode as, Psionic Coral.