Session 04: The Fall of Sloobludop

🎵 Music

Placeholder for session music, theme track, or recap audio.

🖼️ Images

Placeholder image links for future session art.

Image Placeholder 1
Image Placeholder 2
Image Placeholder 3
Image Placeholder 4

🪐 Campaign Arc

Campaign: Out of the Abyss
Dungeon Master: Reuben / Rewrock
Session Number: 4
Session Title: The Fall of Sloobludop
Date: 2026-06-17
Setting: Sloobludop, the Darklake shore, and the Underdark around the kuo-toa settlement

The party entered Sloobludop after days of danger in the Underdark, hoping the kuo-toa settlement might offer trade, food, shelter, boats, and guidance. Instead, they found a village split between the faithful of the Sea Mother and the rising cult of the Deep Father. What began as cautious diplomacy and supply gathering collapsed into religious violence, ritual sacrifice, and the catastrophic emergence of Demogorgon from the Darklake.

🎬 Previously On...

After escaping Velkynvelve, the party and their fellow fugitives travelled through the Underdark under constant pressure from hunger, exhaustion, hostile creatures, strange fungi, faerzress, and drow pursuit. Aeris received a vision from the Circle of Root and Star warning of a blackening disease connected to something below. The group survived fire beetles, a deadly crevasse chase, ancient spiral-carved ruins, and an umber hulk ambush before finally reaching the outskirts of Sloobludop, guided by Shuushar the Awakened.

By the time they reached the kuo-toa settlement, the party carried a strange collection of useful and questionable survival assets: the recovered chest from Velkynvelve, an ornate key, an Elvish diary, fungus wine, umber hulk parts, fire beetle glow sacks, and the burden of a large group of former prisoners still trying to survive the dark.

🧭 Overview

The session opened not in Sloobludop, but in memory. Varang dreamed of the Cinderborn, the hidden tiefling enclave of ash, heat, basalt halls, and hard healing. In the vision, Varang was shown learning that healing was not gentle mercy but violent discipline: pressure, heat, bone, ash, and the refusal to let death take what still had work to do. Varang recited a ritual over a dying elder and watched life return. Later, faced with a fevered child whose healing carried risk, Varang chose to push the rite further rather than let the child pass. The vision ended with broken death marks, black sap, and strange fungal growth seeping into the ashen tunnels near home.

Back in the Underdark, the party rested near Sloobludop before making the final approach. Shuushar warned that he had not returned to his people in a long time and that his welcome was uncertain. Vorgrath had also noticed that Shuushar tended to step away from danger rather than toward it, a detail that would become painfully relevant before the night was done.

At the settlement’s edge, the party was met by kuo-toa guards and required to surrender their weapons. Most complied, though Vorgrath successfully concealed his great axe with the kind of subtlety only a giant orc and half-blind fish guards could make possible. The group entered Sloobludop and saw a crowded settlement along the Darklake shore: fishnet fences, mud-brick huts, dim lanterns, canoe-like boats, packed docks, and a powerful smell of rotting shellfish.

At the shrine of the Sea Mother, the party saw a grotesque nine-foot idol: a wooden female body fitted with the severed head and claws of a giant albino crayfish, lashed together with gut and surrounded by shells, colourful stones, mushrooms, rotting fish, and offerings. Edric placed one of the umber hulk eyes as an offering. Glooglugogg, son of Ploopploopeen, recognised Shuushar and helped guide the party toward trade and a meeting with his parent, the archpriest of the Sea Mother.

The party traded weapons and armour at the smithy, receiving gold marked mostly with the Sea Mother’s symbol, though a handful bore an unfamiliar sign. They then navigated Sloobludop’s clam-based economy, buying dried fish, waterskins, cloth, fishing supplies, and a wooden “hand table” shield while learning that gold meant little where food was the real currency. At the general store, the merchant treated the umber hulk eyes less like rare monster parts and more like snacks, which was unsettling but efficient.

The group then met Ploopploopeen, archpriest of Blibdoolpoolp, the Sea Mother. Ploop explained that Sloobludop was divided: Ploop’s daughter, Bloppblippodd, had declared herself archpriest of Leemooggoogoon, the Deep Father. Blopp had stolen several valuable objects, including a vital Darklake map built up over generations of Sea Mother archpriests. That map could mark safe routes, dangerous waters, and places to avoid. For a party trying not to die underground, it was exactly the kind of thing worth chasing.

The meeting deteriorated when Blopp and her followers arrived. After Blopp spat at Edric, Edric responded with Web. The spell missed its intended target, and the kuo-toa guards answered by beating him with spear hafts. The settlement’s religious schism turned openly violent. The party was surrounded, pushed, dragged, and swept into the heart of a ritual gathering where hundreds of kuo-toa chanted around a horrific altar: two flayed octopuses spread across a flayed manta ray, bleeding into a bowl, with three duergar bound before it as sacrifices.

Blopp proclaimed the coming of the Deep Father. The Darklake answered.

Oily tentacles rose from the black water, followed by two monstrous heads, tusks, red eyes, and a towering body shedding lake water as it emerged. Demogorgon roared, and the village broke. Heads burst among the gathered kuo-toa. Madness and bloodlust tore through the crowd. Shuushar the Awakened died in the roar, killed in the very village he had hoped might offer refuge. Glooglugogg was also killed in the rampage, leaving Ploop stunned and weeping over the loss of both child and village.

In the chaos, the party fought to survive rather than win. Ront smashed through a hovel wall to open an escape route. Iragon fought with his pact weapon and offered enemies the chance to flee rather than die. Dose and Nettle struck where needed, but Dose chose not to cut down fleeing guards. Edric used magic amid the panic, including Shatter against part of the Deep Father altar. Aeris used Longstrider to get away and Healing Word to keep allies moving. Varang used booming intimidation, Bless, and grim battlefield command while helping drag Ploop from the ruin of the ritual.

Dose also recovered Blopp’s corpse, hoping the stolen map might still be on her body. At the end of the session, the map itself had not yet been confirmed recovered. The party escaped the immediate slaughter with their former prisoner allies still alive except for Shuushar, but their surrendered weapons remained at the entrance, Sloobludop was collapsing behind them, and Demogorgon’s madness had turned the Darklake into something far worse than a travel problem.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Party Members

Character	Player	Class / Role	Status	Notable Actions
Aeris Naïlo	Justin	Druid / Circle of the Land	Alive	Made an Arcana check around the Sea Mother shrine, used Longstrider during the chaos, cast Healing Word, and focused on escaping the collapsing settlement rather than getting trapped in the mob.
Sarix “Dose” Jorasco	Artemis	Dragonborn Ranger / Drakewarden	Alive	Used poison breath and Jump, fought alongside Nettle, chose not to attack fleeing guards, and dragged Bloppblippodd’s corpse away in the hope that the stolen Darklake map might be on her.
Edric Faustin Valemont	BaconBuff / Rob	Wizard / Abjurer	Alive; battered	Offered an umber hulk eye at the Sea Mother shrine, cast Web at Blopp after being spat on, took 12 bludgeoning damage from guards, used Magic Missile, and damaged part of the Deep Father altar with Shatter.
Iragon Midsommar	Sicareus	Warlock / Paladin	Alive	Maintained his courtly composure through peak fish cult nonsense, fought with his pact weapon, worked with Nettle’s Infused Strikes, and gave enemies the option to flee rather than slaughtering them outright.
Varang the Ash-Mender	Moose	Cleric / Life Domain	Alive; MVP inspiration	Was the focus of the opening Cinderborn vision, bought white cloth strips, hired a lookout, used Thaumaturgy to amplify threats against the chanting mob, cast Bless, helped drag Ploop from the devastation, and received session MVP inspiration.
Vorgrath Kael	Mike	Orc Barbarian / Path of the World Tree	Alive	Successfully hid his great axe when entering Sloobludop, kept the weapon through the settlement, raged during the chaos, helped protect the escape, and remained one of the party’s main physical anchors while everything went aggressively fish-shaped.

🎭 NPC Tracker

NPC	Role	Location	Status	Notes
Ploopploopeen “Ploop”	Archpriest of Blibdoolpoolp, the Sea Mother	Sloobludop	Alive; stunned and grieving	Parent of Bloppblippodd and Glooglugogg. Asked the party for help recovering items stolen by Blopp, including an important Darklake map. Survived the ritual disaster but was left weeping over the destruction of the village and the deaths of both children.
Bloppblippodd “Blopp”	Ploop’s daughter; self-declared archpriest of Leemooggoogoon, the Deep Father	Ritual site	Dead	Led the Deep Father cult faction, stole Ploop’s valuables and the Darklake map, spat at Edric, and presided over the ritual before being killed when Demogorgon rampaged through the gathering. Dose recovered her corpse, but the map has not yet been confirmed found.
Glooglugogg “Gloog”	Ploop’s son; kuo-toa whip and loyal Sea Mother worshipper	Sloobludop	Dead	Recognised Shuushar, helped the party reach the smith and Ploop, and remained loyal to the Sea Mother. Killed during Demogorgon’s rampage.
Gloogor / Gloogurg	Kuo-toa guard who held the party’s weapons	Sloobludop entrance	Unknown	Held the surrendered weapons at the entrance. The party’s surrendered weapons remain there at the end of the session.
Margan	Sloobludop smith	Smithy	Alive / not seen after chaos	Handled the trade of scavenged weapons and armour, offering 300 gold or 600 clams. The party chose gold.
General Store Merchant	Kuo-toa merchant	General store	Alive / not seen after chaos	Sold dried fish, waterskins, fishing supplies, and cloth. Refused gold because gold does not fill the stomach. Bought the umber hulk eyes for clams and treated them like food.
Kuo-toa Lookout	Local lookout hired by Varang	Sloobludop outskirts	Unknown	Hired to watch for threats. Final fate after the Demogorgon disaster is unresolved.
Shuushar the Awakened	Kuo-toa former prisoner and guide	Sloobludop	Dead	Guided the party to his home settlement after the escape from Velkynvelve. Died when Demogorgon roared and the gathered kuo-toa began dying in waves.
Stool	Myconid sprout; former prisoner ally	With the fugitives	Alive	Remains with the party and former prisoners. His rapport spores remain important for communication and group cohesion.
Jimjar	Deep gnome gambler; former prisoner ally	Sloobludop / with fugitives	Alive	Helped the party navigate local trade, including exchanging gold and clams. Still alive after the chaos.
Ront	Orc former prisoner ally	Sloobludop	Alive	Smashed through a hovel wall during the escape, opening a route for the party and allies to flee the mob and Demogorgon’s rampage.
Eldeth Feldrun	Shield dwarf former prisoner ally	With the fugitives	Alive	Remains alive with the escaped group. Her request regarding Gauntlgrym remains unresolved.
Buppido	Derro former prisoner ally	With the fugitives	Alive	Still alive with the former prisoner group after Sloobludop’s collapse.
Sarith Kzekarit	Drow former prisoner and guide	With the fugitives	Alive	Still alive with the group. His headaches and uncertain condition remain ongoing concerns.
Prince Derendil	Quaggoth who claims to be an elven prince	With the fugitives	Alive	Survived the disaster along with the other former prisoners. His curse and identity remain unresolved.
Topsy & Turvy	Deep gnome twins; former prisoner allies	With the fugitives	Alive	Still alive after the destruction of Sloobludop.
Nettle	Dose’s drake companion	With Dose	Alive	Fought beside Dose and contributed through Infused Strikes during the chaos.
Three Duergar Prisoners	Ritual sacrifices	Deep Father altar	Dead	Bound before the flayed manta-and-octopus altar and sacrificed during Blopp’s ritual.
Demogorgon	Demonic horror from the Darklake	Darklake / Sloobludop	Alive	Emerged from the Darklake after the Deep Father ritual, causing mass death, madness, bloodlust, and the collapse of Sloobludop.

📍 Key Locations

Cinderborn Enclave: Seen in Varang’s dream. A hidden volcanic settlement of basalt halls, ash rites, and harsh healing traditions. The vision ended with broken death marks, black sap, and fungal growth near Varang’s home.
Sloobludop Outskirts: The party approached after a long rest and a final two-to-three-hour journey around the Darklake shore.
Sloobludop Entrance: The party surrendered most weapons here before entering. Their surrendered weapons remain at the entrance, with Vorgrath’s hidden great axe as the major exception.
Sea Mother Shrine: A nine-foot idol with a carved wooden female body and the head and claws of a giant albino crayfish lashed on with gut. Surrounded by shells, stones, mushrooms, rotting fish, and offerings.
Smithy: Where the party traded scavenged armour and weapons for gold rather than clams.
General Store: A practical kuo-toa shop selling food and supplies. The party learned that clams function as food-currency and that gold has limited local appeal.
Ploop’s Quarters: The meeting place where Ploopploopeen explained the schism, Blopp’s theft, and the missing Darklake map.
Deep Father Ritual Site: The centre of Blopp’s ritual, marked by a flayed manta ray, flayed octopuses, a blood bowl, and bound duergar sacrifices.
Darklake: The black underground water from which Demogorgon emerged, turning the settlement’s religious crisis into a catastrophe.
Hovels and Escape Route: Ront smashed through a hovel wall during the chaos, opening a route for the party and allies to escape the mob.

🎞️ Key Scenes

The Ash-Borne Dream: Varang stood once more among the Cinderborn, where healing was taught as pressure, heat, pain, and command rather than comfort. Over a dying elder, Varang recited the rite: flesh and bone were not ash, breath was not spent, death could wait because the living still had work to do.

The Crayfish Shrine: Beneath the dim lights of Sloobludop, the party stood before the Sea Mother’s idol: a wooden female body with an albino crayfish head and claws lashed on with gut, surrounded by rotting fish, shells, stones, and offerings. Edric placed an umber hulk eye before it, which was either piety, pragmatism, or wizard impulse control failing in public.

Gold, Clams, and the Hand Table: The party learned that Sloobludop’s economy cared less for shiny coins than edible barter. Weapons became gold, gold became clams, clams became food, and a wooden shield became a “hand table,” because every settlement needs one phrase that refuses to leave the campaign.

The Map That Started the Trouble: In Ploop’s quarters, the party learned that Blopp had stolen a map of the Darklake, a precious record of safe waters, dangers, and routes built across generations. For a party stranded in the Underdark, the map was not just loot. It was a possible way forward.

Edric Gets Spat On: Blopp’s insult pushed Edric into action. His Web spell erupted toward her but missed, and the guards immediately surrounded him and beat him with spear hafts. It was not diplomacy’s finest hour, though to be fair, diplomacy was already face-down in a bucket of fish.

The Deep Father’s Altar: Hundreds of kuo-toa gathered around the flayed manta ray and octopus altar while three duergar waited bound before the blood bowl. Blopp proclaimed the coming of Leemooggoogoon, and the Darklake began to answer in shapes too large to be prayer.

The Roar That Killed Shuushar: Demogorgon rose from the Darklake and roared. Kuo-toa died in waves, heads bursting amid the crowd. Shuushar the Awakened, the party’s peaceful guide back to his people, died in that roar as Sloobludop collapsed around him.

The Corpse and the Escape: As Demogorgon rampaged and the mob dissolved into terror and madness, Dose grabbed Blopp’s corpse and dragged it away in hopes of recovering the stolen map. Ront smashed an escape path through a hovel wall, and the party fled with Ploop and their surviving allies while the village tore itself apart behind them.

🧵 Ongoing Threads & Plot Hooks

The Stolen Darklake Map: Blopp’s corpse has been recovered, but the map itself has not yet been confirmed found. This remains one of the party’s most important practical leads.
Weapons at the Entrance: Most of the party’s surrendered weapons are still at Sloobludop’s entrance with Gloogor / Gloogurg or wherever the chaos left them. Vorgrath’s hidden great axe is the major exception.
Shuushar’s Death: Shuushar died in the destruction of his own home settlement. This removes the party’s kuo-toa guide and marks the first major former-prisoner ally death since the escape.
Ploop’s Survival: Ploop survived but lost both Blopp and Gloog as Sloobludop collapsed. Whether Ploop remains useful, broken, or both is unresolved.
Demogorgon’s Madness: The party has now witnessed a demon lord’s manifestation and the mass madness that followed. Psychological and supernatural consequences may not be finished with them.
Sloobludop’s Fate: The settlement has been torn apart by cult violence and Demogorgon’s emergence. Survivors, factions, and usable supplies remain uncertain.
The Deep Father Cult: Blopp is dead, but the cult’s influence, symbols, and corruption may not have ended cleanly. Cults rarely have the decency to stay solved.
The Unknown Gold Symbol: Some of the gold coins received from the smith bore a symbol the party did not recognise.
Varang’s Cinderborn Vision: The broken death marks, black sap, and fungus near Varang’s home suggest a personal threat or omen connected to the deeper Underdark.
Aeris and the Blackening Disease: Aeris’s earlier vision of blackened roots and pale fungus remains active, and the repeated fungal corruption imagery around multiple character threads may matter later.
Former Prisoner Allies: Stool, Jimjar, Ront, Eldeth, Buppido, Sarith, Prince Derendil, Topsy, Turvy, and Nettle all survived Sloobludop, but keeping them alive remains an ongoing problem.
Ilvara’s Pursuit: The drow pursuit remains a background threat, even if Sloobludop’s disaster has created more immediate concerns.
The Recovered Chest: The party continues carrying the chest from Velkynvelve. It has served as a water vessel, but its larger significance is still unresolved.
Prince Derendil’s Curse: Derendil remains alive, but his dreams, fears, and claimed royal identity still need answers.
Sarith’s Headaches: Sarith remains alive, but his condition and headaches remain concerning.

🗺️ Quest Status

Quest / Thread	Status	Relevant NPCs / PCs	Notes
Escape Sloobludop	In progress	Party, former prisoners, Ploop, Demogorgon	The party escaped the immediate ritual site and rampage, but the settlement is collapsing and the wider escape route is not yet secure.
Recover the Darklake map	In progress	Dose, Blopp, Ploop	Dose recovered Blopp’s corpse because the map may be on it. The map itself has not yet been confirmed found.
Recover surrendered weapons	Unresolved	Party, Gloogor / Gloogurg	Most weapons remain at the entrance. Vorgrath successfully kept his hidden great axe.
Survive Demogorgon’s emergence	Ongoing	Party, Demogorgon, surviving NPCs	The party survived the first disaster, but Demogorgon remains alive and nearby. “Run” remains the best tactical doctrine.
Protect the former prisoners	Ongoing	Stool, Jimjar, Ront, Eldeth, Buppido, Sarith, Prince Derendil, Topsy, Turvy, Nettle	All former prisoner allies survived except Shuushar.
Mourn / resolve Shuushar’s death	New	Shuushar, party	Shuushar died in the roar of Demogorgon after leading the party to his home settlement.
Understand the Deep Father cult	Ongoing	Blopp, Ploop, Leemooggoogoon cultists	Blopp is dead, but the cult’s influence and the meaning of its symbols may still matter.
Track Varang’s Cinderborn omen	Ongoing	Varang	Broken death marks, black sap, and fungus near Varang’s home were shown in the opening vision.
Find a safe route beyond Sloobludop	Ongoing	Party, Ploop, map if recovered	The Darklake map may be essential for navigating away from the disaster and toward safer settlements.
Maintain food and water	Ongoing	Party	The party bought supplies, but the escape chaos may complicate inventory and access to stored goods.
Investigate unknown coin symbol	Unresolved	Party	Ten to fifteen of the gold coins from the smith bore an unfamiliar symbol.

💰 Loot & Discoveries

Item / Discovery	Found By	Description / Status
300 gold pieces	Party	Received from Margan for traded armour and weapons. Most coins bore the Sea Mother symbol, but roughly ten to fifteen bore an unfamiliar symbol.
Clams	Party	Used as local food-currency. Jimjar helped with exchange. The party tracked 90 clams during the shopping sequence.
Four waterskins	Party	Purchased from the general store for 2 silver each.
Two white cloth strips	Varang	Purchased for 4 gold total, likely for spell component use.
Wooden shield / “hand table”	Dose	Bought from the smith for 5 gold. Provides 1 AC rather than the usual 2 AC.
Fishing net, bait, and tackle	Party	Purchased as practical survival gear for Darklake travel and fishing.
27 dried fish	Varang	Purchased as rations. One dried fish was treated as one day’s ration.
Bloppblippodd’s corpse	Dose	Recovered from the ritual chaos because the stolen Darklake map may be on her. The corpse has been retrieved; the map has not yet been confirmed found.
Heroic Inspiration	Varang	Awarded at the end of the session for MVP, especially the Cinderborn backstory sequence and Varang’s presence during the chaos.

Noteworthy Items

The Darklake Map: The most important unresolved object of the session. Ploop described it as a map built up by generations of Sea Mother archpriests, marking nearby Darklake routes, dangers, and places to avoid. It may be the party’s best chance of navigating the waters ahead.

Blopp’s Corpse: Not exactly loot, but currently treated with loot-level urgency. Dose dragged it away because the map might still be on her. If it is not, he may have hauled a dead fish cultist through a demon disaster for nothing, which would be embarrassing but very on-brand for the Underdark.

Vorgrath’s Hidden Great Axe: The only major party weapon confirmed to have bypassed the entrance surrender. This may matter immediately if the party cannot retrieve the rest of their weapons.

⚙️ Rules & Mechanics Notes

Long Rest: The party took or confirmed a long rest before entering Sloobludop, recovering key resources.
Clams: Local barter currency, but also food. Perishable, impractical, and somehow still more useful than gold in Sloobludop.
Dried Fish Rations: One dried fish was treated as one day’s ration. The party purchased 27.
Wooden Shield: The wooden shield / hand table provides 1 AC rather than a standard shield’s 2 AC.
Web: Edric cast Web at Blopp after being spat on. She avoided it, and the guards retaliated physically.
Thaumaturgy: Varang used the booming voice effect to intimidate the chanting mob.
Shatter: Edric used Shatter against the Deep Father altar, damaging part of the structure and breaking one octopus head.
Jump: Dose used Jump during the escape chaos, helping with movement and corpse retrieval.
Infused Strikes: Nettle contributed extra damage through Dose’s drake companion feature during combat.

💬 Memorable Quotes

Varang: “Flesh and bone is not ash. Breath is not spent. Seal what is torn. Burn what is foul. Death may wait. This one still has work to do.”
Vorgrath: “So you’re a coward.”
Shuushar: “I couldn’t hurt a fly. But I can hurt a fish, because they’re good, tasty.”
Edric: “I suppose I’ll put one of the umber hulk eyes. That’s a little sacrifice to the goddess of this place.”
Dungeon Master: “Clams are just food.”
Dungeon Master: “Gold doesn’t fill my tummy.”
Ploopploopeen: “My daughter... believes she has had a vision, and that she is now the archpriest of Leemooggoogoon, the Deep Father.”
Dungeon Master: “This is two octopuses flayed out on a manta ray, bleeding into a bowl of blood.”
Bloppblippodd: “He comes. He comes.”
Vorgrath: “We need to get the fuck away from the thing. He just stomped three people and killed them.”
Dose: “Dragging the priestess’s body away. Deep Father. Hopefully she’s got something on her, otherwise I’ll feel very foolish.”
Edric: “This is the response to someone spitting at me.”
Vorgrath: “Hiding my giant fucking axe at the entrance.”

🧰 Next Session Prep

Confirm whether the Darklake map is actually on Blopp’s corpse.
Resolve whether the party can recover their surrendered weapons from the entrance.
Track immediate escape positioning after fleeing the ritual site and Demogorgon’s rampage.
Update NPC roster: Shuushar dead; all other former prisoner allies alive.
Track Ploop’s condition, usefulness, and whether Ploop can still guide or advise the party.
Track food, water, clams, dried fish, spell slots, hit dice, exhaustion, and any madness effects.
Clarify the fate of the hired kuo-toa lookout.
Confirm final inventory after the chaos, especially supplies purchased in Sloobludop.
Determine whether Demogorgon remains an immediate chase threat, a background catastrophe, or both. Bad options buffet.

⏳ Cliffhanger

Sloobludop fell into screams, blood, and madness behind the party. The Deep Father’s ritual had called something far worse than a local cult victory. Demogorgon rose from the Darklake, killed with a roar, and left the kuo-toa settlement collapsing under terror, bloodlust, and grief.

Shuushar the Awakened was dead. Glooglugogg was dead. Bloppblippodd was dead. Ploopploopeen survived, but only as a shattered witness to the ruin of family, faith, and village.

Dose had Blopp’s corpse, but not yet the confirmed map. The party’s surrendered weapons remained at the entrance. Their former prisoner allies, except Shuushar, were still alive. Somewhere behind them, Demogorgon still towered over the Darklake.

The party had come to Sloobludop hoping for rest, trade, and a route forward. They left with a corpse, a grieving priest, missing weapons, one dead guide, and the sound of a demon lord’s roar chasing them into the dark.

The map might still save them. If it exists. If it is on the corpse. If they live long enough to read it.