Session 45 - The Mind Gobbler: Difference between revisions

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Complete rewrite: Added missing Derro encounter, corrected Mind Gobbler outcome to RETREAT (not defeat), enhanced battle descriptions with back-and-forth action, added full chronological narrative flow
Correct twin dragon's name: WaveRender → Waervaerendor (2 occurrences)
 
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=== Summary ===
=== Summary ===
'''Rested and Ready'''


The session begins with the party waking in the ancient dwarven barracks deep within [[Garmok's Mine]]. Having defeated [[Voaraghamanthar]], the black dragon, and cleared the mine of devils and cultists in the previous session, the party takes stock of their situation. Most party members wake well-rested, though [[Karma]] finds the stone beds uncomfortably hard despite the party's familiarity with dwarven accommodations.
'''Garmok's Final Charge'''


The party reviews their treasure haul from the previous session, including the Tome of Leadership and Influence, which allows attribute increases beyond the normal maximum of 20.
The party woke from a long rest in the dwarven barracks of [[Garmok's Mine]], the black dragon [[Voaraghamanthar]] slain the day before and the [[Bronze Blades]] departing to report to Baldur's Gate. Before they left the mine, the spirit of [[Garmok the Chainbearer]] appeared one last time to [[Xanphina]]. He confessed he had failed his vigil — the infernal rift he died to seal remains open, "a wound carved not by steel, but by hungers older than breath" — and charged her to seek the '''[[The Ashtongue|Ash-Tongue]]''', the last shaman of the old clans, exiled from the Firepeaks, who keeps the '''Rite of Sundering''' that could finally close it. Then he faded into motes of jade light. (See [[Garmok the Chainbearer]] and [[The Ashtongue]] for the full message.)


'''Scouting with the Warlock's Eye'''
'''The Cult Temple and the Vanished Corpse'''


Before venturing deeper into the mine, [[Shade]] uses her Warlock Eye ability to scout ahead. The disembodied eye travels through dark passages until it discovers a vast cavern filled with bioluminescent fungi and strange mushroom-like creatures. The party is initially wary, unsure if these fungal beings are hostile.
Finishing their exploration, the party found a [[Cult of the Dragon|Cult]] temple of [[Tiamat]] within the mine — two obsidian black-dragon statues over an altar strewn with sacrificial dead — and took an Infernal-dialect ritual book (read via the [[Eye of Gilbraxis]]'s ''Comprehend Languages''). At the water's edge they discovered that [[Voaraghamanthar]]'s corpse had '''vanished''' overnight. Beyond the worked dwarven passages they found older natural caves leading down into the [[Underdark]].


'''The Cloaker Attack'''
'''The Myconid Grove'''


As the party moves cautiously through the tunnels, they encounter their first threat of the day. A [[Cloaker]]—a predatory aberration resembling a large manta ray or living cloak—drops from the ceiling to attack [[Keyleth]]. The creature uses its camouflage to blend perfectly with the stone, surprising the party when it suddenly unfurls and swoops down.
Early in their exploration beneath [[Garmok's Mine]], the party came upon a vast bioluminescent cavern filled with glowing fungi and strange mushroom-like creatures. What [[Shade]]'s Warlock Eye had initially scouted revealed itself to be home to a colony of [[Myconid|Myconids]]—intelligent, peaceful fungal beings who tend their groves in the deep places of the world. The chamber was bathed in gentle, colorful light from countless bioluminescent mushrooms, with large fungi of various types growing throughout the space, including shriekers (alarm fungi) and violet fungus.


[[Alexios]] and [[Xanphina]] rush forward to protect the ranger, while [[Shade]] unleashes eldritch blasts and [[Karma]] shifts into combat form. The battle is brief but tense, as the Cloaker's moaning ability creates phantasmal duplicates to confuse attackers. The party's coordinated strikes bring down the aberration before it can do significant harm, though the encounter serves as an ominous warning of what lurks in these depths.
The [[Myconid Sovereign]], leader of the colony, approached the party and released a cloud of rapport spores that settled over them, granting temporary telepathy. Through this telepathic link, the party could sense the Myconid's thoughts, feelings, and intentions as intuitive concepts rather than language. The Sovereign asked who they were and why they had come. When [[Karma]] explained they were [[Deez Nuts]], on a quest to stop the dragon cult from raising [[Tiamat]], and mentioned slaying the black dragon [[Voaraghamanthar]], the Sovereign shuddered visibly. Through the telepathic connection, the party experienced the Myconid's traumatic memory—[[Voaraghamanthar]] had previously attacked their grove, destroying much of it and killing many adults and children.


'''The Myconid Colony'''
The news that the dragon was dead filled the Sovereign with overwhelming joy and relief, emotions the party felt directly through the spore link. He released more spores throughout the cavern to share the news with his colony, then proudly presented his young sprouts (Myconid children) to the party as a gesture of trust and gratitude. The [[Myconid|Myconids]] explained their ongoing problem: their cavern served as a major thoroughfare between the surface and the deeper [[Underdark]], and creatures from below—raiders, traders, and worse—constantly passed through their peaceful grove. They wished for a way to be left alone but didn't know how to reroute the traffic or close off their cave. The party promised to investigate and see if they could help. The Myconids mentioned that others deeper in the tunnels might know more about the dragon and had helped repel it in the past, though the Myconids themselves didn't know what lay beyond their cave system.


The party proceeds into the fungal cavern that [[Shade]]'s Warlock Eye had discovered. They find it is home to a colony of [[Myconid|Myconids]]—intelligent, peaceful fungal creatures who tend to their mushroom groves in the deep places of the world. The chamber is filled with large fungi of various types, including shriekers (alarm fungi) and violet fungus, all bathed in the gentle, colorful glow of bioluminescent mushrooms.
Bidding farewell to the Sovereign and his colony, with a young Myconid sprout excitedly following them to the edge of the grove before being called back by its parent, the party ventured deeper into the tunnels. As they left the glowing fungal cavern behind, the tunnels grew darker, colder, and more oppressive. The carved dwarven passages gave way to natural caves—ancient formations untouched by tools, existing since time immemorial.


The [[Myconid Sovereign]], the leader of the colony, approaches the party. Rather than speaking with words, the Sovereign releases a cloud of rapport spores that settle over the party, granting them all temporary telepathy. Through this telepathic link, the party can sense the Myconid's thoughts, feelings, and intentions as intuitive concepts rather than language.
'''Battle with the Cloaker'''


The Sovereign asks who they are and why they have come. [[Karma]] explains that they are [[Deez Nuts]], on a quest to stop the dragon cult from raising [[Tiamat]]. When the party mentions the black dragon [[Voaraghamanthar]], the Sovereign shudders visibly. Through the telepathic link, the party experiences the Myconid's traumatic memory of the dragon's previous attack—[[Voaraghamanthar]] had come through their grove, destroying much of it and killing many Myconid adults and children.
As the party moved cautiously through the increasingly natural tunnels, danger struck from above. A [[Cloaker]]—a predatory aberration resembling a large manta ray or living cloak—dropped from the ceiling to attack [[Keyleth]]. The creature had been using its natural camouflage to blend perfectly with the stone ceiling, surprising the party when it suddenly unfurled and swooped down on the ranger.


The party shares the good news: they have slain [[Voaraghamanthar]]. The Sovereign is overcome with joy and relief, and the party can feel his happiness through the spore link. He releases more spores throughout the cavern to share the news with his colony, then proudly presents his young sprouts (Myconid children) to the party. The Sovereign warns the party about the shrieker fungi, explaining that they serve as an alarm system when hostile creatures enter their domain.
[[Alexios]] and [[Xanphina]] rushed forward to protect [[Keyleth]], while [[Shade]] unleashed eldritch blasts from the rear and [[Karma]] shifted into a more aggressive form. The Cloaker's moaning ability created phantasmal duplicates that confused the party's attacks, making it difficult to discern which image was the real creature. Despite this deception, the party's coordinated strikes brought down the aberration before it could inflict significant harm. [[Xanphina]] landed powerful blows with [[Garmok's Flail]], while [[Alexios]]'s radiant smites burned through the creature's unnatural hide.


The [[Myconid|Myconids]] share their problem with the party: their cavern serves as a major thoroughfare between the surface and the deeper [[Underdark]]. Creatures from below—raiders, traders, and worse—constantly pass through their peaceful grove, forcing the Myconids to defend themselves. They wish for a way to be left alone but don't know how to reroute traffic or close off their cave. The party promises to investigate and see if they can help.
The battle was brief but tense, and the encounter served as an ominous warning of what lurked in these depths. The deeper they went, the more aberrations they would face—creatures that didn't belong in the natural world, twisted by dark magic or ancient experiments.


The Myconids mention that there are others deeper in the tunnels who may know more about the dragon and have helped repel it in the past, though the Myconids themselves don't know what lies beyond their cave system.
'''Hook Horrors in the Dark'''


'''Into the Underdark'''
Pressing on through the natural caverns, the party was set upon by three [[Hook Horror|hook horrors]] — big armored brutes with beaks and hooks for hands, navigating the black tunnels by echolocation. The company cut all three down without serious loss and continued toward the deep rumble echoing up from below.


Bidding farewell to the Sovereign and his colony, the party ventures deeper into the tunnels. A young Myconid sprout excitedly follows them to the edge of the grove, but the Sovereign keeps the child from going further into danger. As the party leaves the glowing fungal cavern, the tunnels grow darker, colder, and more oppressive. The carved dwarven passages give way to natural caves—ancient formations untouched by tools, existing since time immemorial. The party can feel the weight of mountains above them as they descend.
'''The Mind Gobbler Appears'''


The passages lead them to a chamber with a sharp drop-off—an enormous chasm that descends into darkness. Even with darkvision, the party cannot see the bottom. Along the wall, they discover the remains of an old winch system, broken down and abandoned long ago.
Shortly after the Cloaker battle, continuing deeper into the winding passages, the party caught their first glimpse of the creature they had come to find. In a distant chamber, illuminated by [[Shade]]'s dancing lights and visible through the party's darkvision, stood the Mind Gobbler.
 
It was a horrifying sight: a massive, dragon-sized aberration with the body of an enormous turkey grafted with writhing tentacles, pulsing with visible psychic energy. The creature appeared to be the result of [[Illithids|mind flayer]] experiments—combining a mundane beast with aberrant physiology and psionic abilities. Surrounding it were smaller creatures, gobble thralls enslaved by its psychic powers, moving in eerie synchronization with their master.
 
The party observed from a distance, taking in the full scope of the threat. The creature's tentacles twitched and coiled, its eyes glowed with unnatural light, and even from this range they could feel a faint pressure against their minds—the creature's passive psionic aura. They didn't engage yet, instead withdrawing quietly to gather more information and search for any advantage they could find before confronting such a formidable foe.
 
'''Ilyra the Drow Researcher'''
 
Before confronting the Mind Gobbler directly, the party discovered a side passage that led to a magically warded chamber. Here they met [[Ilyra]], a drow woman who had been studying the aberrations in these tunnels for roughly four and a half centuries. She had sensed their presence through her magical wards and came to investigate, quickly realizing they were not hostile.
 
[[Ilyra]]'s study was filled with books, scrolls, and arcane equipment, the walls humming with protective magic that kept out even the Mind Gobbler's psychic intrusions. She invited the party inside and offered them sanctuary, recognizing that they intended to face the creature she had been studying from a safe distance. The drow researcher explained that the Mind Gobbler was the result of [[Illithids|mind flayer]] experiments—an ordinary creature transformed into a psionic aberration. She was unsure what the original creature had been, though she noted it was "certainly not a common turkey."
 
At the party's request, [[Ilyra]] scried after the vanished dragon and delivered an unwelcome answer: [[Voaraghamanthar]] is dead, but he has an '''identical twin, [[Waervaerendor]]''', who had recovered the corpse and is likely working to revive him — the two black dragons being obsessive seekers of immortality who keep several distant lairs. She also examined and '''upgraded [[Alexios]]'s [[Gauntlet of Gem Forged Will]]''', linking it to her ward to add ''Reincarnate'' and ''Resurrection''.
 
Most importantly, [[Ilyra]] offered the party a weapon specifically designed to combat psionic creatures: a magical knife that disrupts psionic connections. If they could lodge the blade in the Mind Gobbler during combat, it would disrupt the creature's psychic abilities and potentially prevent its regeneration. The knife had been forged specifically for this purpose, though [[Ilyra]] herself had never dared to use it. She explained its mechanism in detail—the blade would sever the psionic threads the creature used to control its thralls and sustain itself, giving the party a critical advantage in battle.
 
[[Ilyra]] also shared information about the tunnel network. The passages to the south were closest to the surface, and deep gnomes (svirfneblin) were rumored to live in this network. The gnomes were masters of stonework and could potentially create a new exit—which would help the party escape and solve the [[Myconid|Myconids]]' problem by creating an alternate route through the [[Underdark]]. She offered to create a *Scroll of Featherfall* for them, anticipating they would need to navigate vertical passages like the great chasm with the broken winch they had passed earlier.


'''Encounter with the Derro'''
'''Encounter with the Derro'''


As the party examines the chasm and the broken winch, they hear footsteps echoing through the tunnel. Rounding a corner, riding their phantom steeds, the party nearly collides with a group of [[Derro]]—dark dwarves native to the deep [[Underdark]]. The Derro merchants halt and turn to face the party warily.
Continuing their exploration with [[Ilyra]]'s knife safely secured and armed with new intelligence about their foe, the party navigated deeper into the tunnel system. The passages led them to a chamber with a sharp drop-off—an enormous chasm descending into darkness. Even with darkvision, the party could not see the bottom. Along the wall, they discovered the remains of an old winch system, broken down and abandoned long ago.
 
As the party examined the chasm and the broken winch, they heard footsteps echoing through the tunnel. Rounding a corner on their phantom steeds, the party nearly collided with a group of [[Derro]]—dark dwarves native to the deep [[Underdark]]. The Derro merchants halted and turned to face the party warily.


The lead Derro, a gruff but businesslike trader, greets them cautiously. "Well met. Where are you off to?"
The lead Derro, a gruff but businesslike trader, greeted them cautiously. "Well met. Where are you off to?" [[Alexios]] boldly declared they were heading to fight the Mind Gobbler. The Derro shook their heads at the foolishness of surface dwellers. The dark dwarves explained they were searching for a trade route from their city in the [[Underdark]] to the surface, hoping to establish commerce with surface dwellers. They noted they could not go through the [[Myconid]] territory—past conflicts had made that path too dangerous.


[[Alexios]] boldly declares they're heading to fight the Mind Gobbler. The Derro shake their heads at the foolishness of surface dwellers. The dark dwarves explain they're searching for a trade route from their city in the [[Underdark]] to the surface, hoping to establish commerce with surface dwellers. They note they cannot go through the [[Myconid]] territory—past conflicts have made that path too dangerous.
The [[Derro]] offered their wares for trade: mechanical goods including gears, chains, and oil. They mentioned they could repair the broken winch system if the party was interested. In exchange, they sought unique weapons or tools that would help them either find a new path to the surface or make it easier to navigate the dangerous routes they knew. [[Keyleth]] and [[Karma]] quietly expressed concern about helping the Derro find a route through the Myconid grove, not wanting to endanger their new fungal friends.


The [[Derro]] offer their wares for trade: mechanical goods including gears, chains, and oil. They mention they could repair the broken winch system if the party is interested. In exchange, they seek unique weapons or tools that would help them either find a new path to the surface or make it easier to navigate the dangerous routes they know. The lead Derro explains they've encountered [[Myconid|Myconids]] before and prefer to avoid them, seeking an alternate route instead.
[[Gootcha]] suggested they could trick the Derro by giving them a fake magical item. [[Shade]], with her high persuasion skill, offered to sell the deception. The party settled on offering a plain gold bracelet, claiming it helped locate gnomes—even when they turned invisible. This would theoretically help the Derro find the deep gnomes (svirfneblin) rumored to live in these tunnels, who could show them alternate routes.


[[Keyleth]] and [[Karma]] quietly express concern about helping the Derro find a route through the Myconid grove, not wanting to endanger their new fungal friends. The party debates their options in hushed tones.
But the Derro leader was no fool. He took the bracelet and cast *Identify* on it, the spell revealing its mundane nature. "It appears this bracelet doesn't do what you say it does," he said gravely, his eyes narrowing. [[Shade]] quickly covered, claiming they were swindled by merchants called "the Bronze Blades" (a name she invented on the spot). [[Keyleth]] and [[Karma]] nodded along, feigning embarrassment. [[Alexios]], true to his oath of honesty, looked uncomfortable but didn't contradict the deception.


[[Gootcha]] suggests they could trick the Derro by giving them a fake magical item. [[Shade]], with her high persuasion skill, offers to sell the deception. The party settles on offering a plain gold bracelet, claiming it helps locate gnomes—even when they turn invisible. This would theoretically help the Derro find the deep gnomes (svirfneblin) rumored to live in these tunnels, who could show them alternate routes.
The Derro leader studied them for a long moment. "Since we just met, I am going to assume that you did not know this," he said slowly, handing the bracelet back. "It happens to the best of us. But it's a dangerous game you're playing." The party apologized profusely, and the Derro seemed bemused rather than angry. They hadn't heard of these Bronze Blades, but noted they sounded like dwarves worth trading with.


But the Derro leader is no fool. He takes the bracelet and casts *Identify* on it, the spell revealing its mundane nature. "It appears this bracelet doesn't do what you say it does," he says gravely, his eyes narrowing.
As the conversation wound down, [[Alexios]]—unable to let the Derro walk into danger—warned them that the direction they were heading led to certain death: the Mind Gobbler's lair. The Derro thanked him for the warning and agreed to go a different direction. [[Alexios]] tried one last gambit: "How about a little tit-for-tat? I give you that information. Can we trade for some of that equipment?" The Derro leader responded simply: "No." With that, the merchants shouldered past the party, not aggressively but firmly, and disappeared into the darkness of the [[Underdark]] tunnels.


[[Shade]] quickly covers, claiming they were swindled by merchants called "the Bronze Blades" (a name she invents on the spot). [[Keyleth]] and [[Karma]] nod along, feigning embarrassment. [[Alexios]], true to his oath of honesty, looks uncomfortable but doesn't contradict the deception.
'''The Mind Gobbler - Combat Begins'''


The Derro leader studies them for a long moment. "Since we just met, I am going to assume that you did not know this," he says slowly, handing the bracelet back. "It happens to the best of us. But it's a dangerous game you're playing."
Armed with [[Ilyra]]'s psionic disruption knife and prepared with intelligence about their foe, the party approached the Mind Gobbler's lair. The vast cavern opened before them, and in the center waited the massive aberration, surrounded by its gobble thralls. The party attempted to use [[Shade]]'s *Pass Without Trace* spell to sneak closer, but the Mind Gobbler had heard the echoes of their conversation with the Derro or perhaps sensed their minds approaching. It turned to face them, tentacles writhing, and combat began.


The party apologizes profusely. [[Shade]] blames the fictional Bronze Blades. The Derro seem bemused rather than angry—they haven't heard of these Bronze Blades, but note they sound like dwarves worth trading with.
[[Alexios]] charged forward, channeling [[Athena]]'s divine fury and swearing his Vow of Enmity against the aberration. His flaming sword struck true, cutting deep into the creature's flank. [[Xanphina]] raged and followed, her ancestral spirits manifesting around her to protect her from psychic assault. She swung [[Garmok's Flail]] in devastating arcs, each hit reverberating through the cavern.


[[Shanna Harper|Karma]] asks how they could find the Derro again if they encounter the gnomes and learn about surface routes. The Derro explain they'll be wandering and mapping these tunnels, so the party should just keep an eye out for them.
[[Keyleth]] and [[Karma]] unleashed ranged attacks from the cavern's edge—arrows and magical thorns striking the Mind Gobbler's thick hide. [[Gootcha]] positioned herself in shadows, her [[Raven Queen]]-blessed crossbow singing as phantom ravens swirled around her bolts. [[Shade]] stood back, her Bagpipes of Zariel's Lament wailing infernal music across the battlefield, weaving eldritch magic and bardic inspiration into a devastating combination that disrupted the Mind Gobbler's concentration while empowering her allies.


As the conversation winds down, [[Alexios]]—unable to let the Derro walk into danger—warns them that the direction they were heading leads to certain death: the Mind Gobbler's lair. The Derro thank him for the warning and agree to go a different direction.
The Mind Gobbler responded with a *Psychic Gobble Burst*—a wave of psionic energy that slammed into [[Alexios]] and [[Xanphina]]. The paladin gritted his teeth against the mental assault, but [[Xanphina]]'s ancestral spirits shielded her mind, her rage making her resistant to the psychic damage. The gobble thralls surged forward, tentacles lashing at the front line.


[[Alexios]] tries one last gambit: "How about a little tit-for-tat? I give you that information. Can we trade for some of that equipment?"
[[Alexios]] and [[Xanphina]] cut down the first wave of thralls, but more kept coming. The Mind Gobbler teleported across the chamber, appearing behind [[Karma]] and [[Keyleth]]. [[Gootcha]] wheeled and fired, her crossbow bolt striking the creature in its bulbous eye. It shrieked—a terrible sound mixing turkey gobble with psionic screaming—and teleported again, evading their attempts to pin it down.


The Derro leader responds simply: "No."
'''The Mind Gobbler - Mythic Transformation'''


With that, the Derro merchants shoulder past the party, not aggressively but firmly, and disappear into the darkness of the [[Underdark]] tunnels. The party continues toward the Mind Gobbler's lair.
As the battle raged and the party pressed their advantage, [[Alexios]]'s sword found what seemed to be a vital spot—the creature's heart, or where its heart should be. The Mind Gobbler staggered, wounded deeply, and for a moment the party believed victory was at hand. They were wrong.


'''The Mind Gobbler's Lair'''
The creature's body began to crack and pop, expanding grotesquely. Its tentacles multiplied before their eyes, its eyes glowed with intensified psychic power, and the grievous wounds began to close. The Mind Gobbler had entered its mythic phase—a second life granted by whatever dark experiments had created it. This was not a creature that could be killed easily.


Following the tunnels deeper, the party eventually reaches a vast cavern. In the dim light of [[Shade]]'s dancing lights and the party's darkvision, they spot movement ahead. The Mind Gobbler—a massive, dragon-sized aberration—waits in the center of the chamber, surrounded by gobble thralls, lesser creatures enslaved by its psionic powers.
The transformed aberration unleashed a *Mythic Gobble Quake*—a massive psychic shockwave that rippled through the cavern. [[Keyleth]] dropped unconscious instantly, the ranger's mind overwhelmed by the psionic assault. [[Karma]] rushed to her side, desperately feeding her a healing potion as the Mind Gobbler summoned fresh gobble thralls from the shadows of the cavern. The thralls seemed endless, rising from the darkness in waves.


The creature is a horrifying sight: the body of an enormous turkey grafted with tentacles, pulsing with psychic energy. It appears to be the result of [[Illithids|mind flayer]] experiments, combining a mundane beast with aberrant physiology and psionic abilities.
[[Alexios]] found himself surrounded by thralls, their tentacles wrapping around his armor and trying to drag him down. [[Xanphina]] cleaved through them with [[Garmok's Flail]], but more kept coming—the Mind Gobbler could apparently create them endlessly, spawning new servants as quickly as the old ones fell. [[Shade]] cast *Hypnotic Pattern*, trying to disable multiple thralls at once, but the Mind Gobbler's advantage on saving throws against magic allowed it to shrug off her spell with contemptuous ease.


The party attempts to sneak closer, using [[Shade]]'s *Pass Without Trace* spell to mask their approach. But the Mind Gobbler has heard the echoes of their conversation with the Derro, or perhaps sensed their minds approaching. It turns to face them, tentacles writhing, as combat begins.
[[Gootcha]] managed to lodge a crossbow bolt deep in the creature's skull, causing it to stumble. But even this grievous wound began to regenerate before their eyes, flesh knitting back together with disturbing speed. The Mind Gobbler's connection to this cavern seemed to sustain it—the very walls pulsed with aberrant energy, feeding power to their monstrous foe. [[Keyleth]] fell unconscious a second time despite [[Karma]]'s healing, the repeated psychic assaults proving too much for the ranger's mind to withstand.


'''Battle with the Mind Gobbler - Opening Assault'''
Through it all, the [[Eye of Gilbraxis]] lodged in [[Shade]]'s skull recoiled in open terror. Taking its own place in the initiative order, the infernal artifact pressed an insistent, wordless warning onto her again and again — a visceral ''get out of here… you don't know what you're doing, that thing is terrifying'' — the first time the Eye had ever made its own will so plainly felt to its bearer. Its dread helped harden the party's resolve to flee. (See [[Eye of Gilbraxis]].)


[[Alexios]] charges forward, channeling [[Athena]]'s divine fury and swearing his Vow of Enmity against the aberration. His flaming sword strikes true, cutting deep into the creature's flank. [[Xanphina]] rages and follows, her ancestral spirits manifesting around her to protect her from psychic assault. She swings Garmok's massive flail in devastating arcs, each hit reverberating through the cavern.
'''Xanphina Dominated'''


[[Keyleth]] and [[Karma]] unleash ranged attacks from the relative safety of the cavern's edge—arrows and magical thorns striking the Mind Gobbler's thick hide. [[Gootcha]] positions herself in shadows, her [[Raven Queen]]-blessed crossbow singing as phantom ravens swirl around her bolts.
As the battle reached its most desperate moment, the Mind Gobbler turned its full psionic attention toward [[Xanphina]]. The creature's eyes glowed with malevolent psychic power as it unleashed its *Psionic Domination* ability directly at the barbarian. Despite her ancestral spirits' protection and her advantage on the Wisdom saving throw, [[Xanphina]]'s dice betrayed her—she rolled a natural 1 and a 2. Her eyes glazed over as the Mind Gobbler's telepathic voice echoed in her mind with a simple command: "Protect me."


[[Shade]] stands back, her Bagpipes of Zariel's Lament wailing infernal music across the battlefield. She weaves eldritch magic and bardic inspiration into a devastating combination, disrupting the Mind Gobbler's concentration while empowering her allies.
[[Xanphina]] turned toward her companions, [[Garmok's Flail]] still in hand, now under the aberration's control. The Mind Gobbler teleported 30 feet away from the front line, positioning [[Xanphina]] between itself and [[Alexios]]. The party faced a horrifying dilemma: their powerful barbarian ally was now their enemy, and they couldn't harm her without risking killing their friend.


The Mind Gobbler responds with a *Psychic Gobble Burst*—a wave of psionic energy that slams into [[Alexios]] and [[Xanphina]]. The paladin grits his teeth against the mental assault, but [[Xanphina]]'s ancestral spirits shield her mind, her rage making her resistant to the psychic damage. The gobble thralls surge forward, tentacles lashing at the front line.
[[Alexios]] desperately asked if breaking the creature's concentration could free her. The answer was yes—damage to the Mind Gobbler might force it to fail a Constitution save and release its hold. But with [[Xanphina]] now standing guard over the creature, getting close enough to strike would mean fighting through her first.


[[Alexios]] and [[Xanphina]] cut down the first wave of thralls, but more keep coming. The Mind Gobbler teleports across the chamber, appearing behind [[Karma]] and [[Keyleth]]. [[Gootcha]] wheels and fires, her crossbow bolt striking the creature in its bulbous eye. It shrieks—a terrible sound mixing turkey gobble with psionic screaming—and teleports again.
[[Karma]] had a brilliant idea: they had a *Bead of Force* from [[Garmok's Hoard]]. The bead would create an impenetrable sphere around [[Xanphina]], trapping her safely inside where she couldn't hurt anyone—and couldn't protect the Mind Gobbler. Even better, the sphere would only weigh one pound regardless of what was inside it, meaning they could pick it up and carry [[Xanphina]] away from the battle entirely.


'''The Mythic Transformation'''
The party agreed this was their best chance. [[Karma]] threw the bead at [[Xanphina]]'s feet. It exploded into a shimmering force sphere, encasing the dominated barbarian in what the party immediately dubbed the "hamster ball." [[Xanphina]], still under the Mind Gobbler's control, pounded futilely against the inside of the sphere, unable to break through or fulfill her command to protect her master. The distance between her and the Mind Gobbler immediately broke the domination effect, and [[Xanphina]]'s consciousness returned—though she remained trapped in the sphere, confused and demanding to know why she was in "this little ball."


As the battle rages, [[Alexios]]'s sword finds the creature's heart—or where its heart should be. The Mind Gobbler staggers, wounded deeply, and for a moment the party thinks victory is at hand.
"You were under the control of the giant turkey," [[Shade]] explained as they began their retreat. "It's for your protection as well as ours," [[Karma]] added apologetically.


Then the creature's body begins to crack and pop, expanding grotesquely. Its tentacles multiply, its eyes glow with intensified psychic power, and wounds begin to close. The Mind Gobbler has entered its mythic phase—a second life granted by whatever dark experiments created it.
'''Desperate Retreat to Ilyra's Study'''


The creature unleashes a *Mythic Gobble Quake*—a massive psychic shockwave that drops [[Keyleth]] unconscious instantly. [[Karma]] rushes to her side, desperately feeding her a healing potion as the Mind Gobbler summons fresh gobble thralls from the shadows of the cavern.
With [[Xanphina]] safely contained in the force sphere and the Mind Gobbler's regeneration making victory impossible, the party made the call to retreat. [[Shade]] cast *Fog Cloud*, filling the cavern with thick, obscuring mist that broke line of sight with the Mind Gobbler. The party grabbed the lightweight sphere containing [[Xanphina]] and fled, rolling the "hamster ball" ahead of them as they sprinted through the tunnels.


[[Alexios]] is surrounded by thralls, their tentacles wrapping around his armor and trying to drag him down. [[Xanphina]] cleaves through them, but more keep coming—the Mind Gobbler can apparently create them endlessly. [[Shade]] casts *Hypnotic Pattern*, trying to disable multiple thralls at once, but the Mind Gobbler's advantage on saving throws against magic allows it to shrug off her spell.
Behind them, they heard the Mind Gobbler shrieking in fury, its gobbles mixing with psionic screams that echoed through the cavern. Its psychic presence hammered at their minds even as they fled, but the fog cloud broke line of sight long enough for them to reach the tunnel. The gobble thralls pursued, tentacles scraping against stone as they gave chase, but the party's speed advantage let them pull ahead.


[[Gootcha]] manages to lodge a crossbow bolt deep in the creature's skull, causing it to stumble. But even this grievous wound begins to regenerate before their eyes. The Mind Gobbler's connection to this cavern seems to sustain it—the very walls pulse with aberrant energy.
They raced through the darkness, [[Alexios]] now carrying the unconscious [[Keyleth]], while others took turns pushing or carrying the force sphere containing [[Xanphina]]. The Mind Gobbler's psychic gobbles echoed through the tunnels behind them, growing fainter as they put distance between themselves and the creature.


'''The Desperate Retreat'''
As they reached the area where the domination's range limit broke, [[Xanphina]]'s wits fully returned to her inside the sphere. "What happened?" she demanded, still trapped inside the shimmering ball. "Why am I in this little ball?" The party explained as they continued their retreat, promising to release her once they reached safety.


[[Keyleth]] falls unconscious a second time. [[Alexios]] is grappled by three thralls, unable to escape their tentacles despite his strength. [[Xanphina]] is bloodied and burning through her rage. [[Karma]] has exhausted most of her spell slots keeping people alive.
[[Alexios]] used his *Jaunty Boots* to teleport back and retrieve his valuable *Psychic Disruption Knife* that had been lodged in the Mind Gobbler, not wanting to lose the weapon. He then teleported back to the front of the fleeing party.


[[Shade]] makes the call: "We need to go! Now!"
The party didn't stop running until they reached [[Ilyra]]'s study. They pounded on the magically warded door, and it melted away to reveal the drow researcher. "Come in, come in!" she called, gesturing them inside urgently. Once everyone was through—including the force sphere containing [[Xanphina]], which DM Wes humorously "accidentally deleted" from the digital map to represent releasing her from the sphere—the door reformed behind them. The magical ward sealed completely, and they could feel the oppressive psychic presence of the Mind Gobbler disappear, blocked by [[Ilyra]]'s powerful protective magic.


She casts *Fog Cloud*, filling the cavern with thick, obscuring mist. [[Xanphina]] breaks the grapples on [[Alexios]] with a mighty blow, freeing him. [[Karma]] grabs the unconscious [[Keyleth]] and wild shapes into a giant spider, scuttling up the cavern wall with the ranger on her back.
'''The Experiment Revealed'''


[[Gootcha]] uses her Cunning Action to disengage and sprint for the exit. [[Alexios]] pulls back, shield raised to cover the retreat. [[Shade]] casts *Expeditious Retreat* on herself, using her bonus action to dash away while maintaining the fog cloud with concentration.
Safe within [[Ilyra]]'s study, battered and exhausted, the party collapsed. [[Keyleth]] regained consciousness, stabilized by [[Karma]]'s healing magic. But as they caught their breath, [[Ilyra]]'s first words made them realize something disturbing about their harrowing battle.


Behind them, they hear the Mind Gobbler shrieking in fury. Its psychic presence hammers at their minds even as they flee, but the fog cloud breaks line of sight long enough for them to reach the tunnel. The gobble thralls pursue, but the party's speed advantage lets them pull ahead.
"That was quite the display," [[Ilyra]] said with academic interest. "You made it much further against the Mind Gobbler than the previous party did."


They race through the darkness, [[Alexios]] carrying the still-unconscious [[Keyleth]] now, [[Xanphina]] guarding the rear. They can hear the Mind Gobbler's psychic gobbles echoing through the tunnels behind them, growing fainter as they put distance between themselves and the creature.
The party froze. "The previous party?" [[Xanphina]] asked, her voice dangerous.


'''Escape Through the Myconid Grove'''
[[Ilyra]] continued, oblivious to their growing anger: "So, what did it feel like when it was unleashing its psychic energy on you? And please, as many details as possible—these observations are key to understanding this creature."


The party bursts back through the [[Myconid]] grove, startling the peaceful fungal creatures. The [[Myconid Sovereign]] senses their terror through his spores and quickly directs them to keep running—he can sense the Mind Gobbler's rage even from here.
"What the hell?" [[Xanphina]] exclaimed. [[Gootcha]] demanded, "You couldn't tell us about the fact that it turns into a bigger one?"


The party doesn't stop until they reach the upper levels of [[Garmok's Mine]], collapsing in the relative safety of the dwarven corridors. [[Keyleth]] regains consciousness, stabilized by [[Karma]]'s healing magic. They take stock of their situation: battered, exhausted, spell slots depleted, but alive.
"That is actually new," [[Ilyra]] admitted. "We had not witnessed that phenomenon before."


'''The Drow Researcher Ilra'''
"Or about the fact that we were your research?" [[Xanphina]] accused. "That's kind of shitty, man."


As the party catches their breath, a drow woman emerges from a side passage. She introduces herself as [[Ilra]], a researcher who has been studying the aberrations in these tunnels for decades. She sensed the psychic disturbance of their battle and came to investigate.
[[Ilyra]] seemed genuinely confused by their anger. "I thought I was pretty clear that I was researching the creatures in this cave system. I thought it was obvious that going to fight the Mind Gobbler was part of the observations."


[[Ilra]] explains that the Mind Gobbler is the result of [[Illithids|mind flayer]] experiments—an ordinary creature transformed into a psionic aberration. She's unsure what the original creature was, though "certainly not a common turkey." She has been studying the Mind Gobbler from a distance, avoiding direct confrontation.
Then [[Karma]] revealed the most damning detail: "We saw you watching with a mind flayer. What is the story there?"


The drow offers them sanctuary in her warded study, a magically protected chamber deeper in the mine where her wards can keep out even the Mind Gobbler's psychic intrusions. She leads them to a room filled with books, scrolls, and arcane equipment, the walls humming with protective magic.
[[Ilyra]] explained without hesitation: "Oh, of course! The Mind Flayers are also curious about how this creature was created. It appears that soon after its creation was complete, it immediately destroyed and consumed the brains of all the other Mind Flayers around it. So the Mind Flayers in the area would like to better understand how this creature has become so powerful."


[[Ilra]] shares what she knows:
The truth was clear: [[Ilyra]] had been observing the party's battle from a safe distance alongside an [[Illithids|Illithid]] observer, both watching as the party risked their lives against the Mind Gobbler. It was an experiment—adventurers sent to fight a dangerous aberration while researchers watched and took notes. The party had been lab rats, and they'd nearly died for [[Ilyra]]'s research.
* The Mind Gobbler has existed in these tunnels for years, possibly decades, growing stronger over time
* It was created by [[Illithids|mind flayers]] as part of experiments in the deep [[Underdark]]
* The creature seems bound to its cavern—she's never seen it venture far from its lair
* An aboleth may also lurk somewhere deeper in the mine, and there could be a connection between aboleths and mind flayer activity
* She has a magical knife that disrupts psionic connections—if they can lodge it in the Mind Gobbler, it might give them an advantage in a future battle


The party asks about other routes. [[Ilra]] mentions that the tunnels to the south are closest to the surface, and deep gnomes (svirfneblin) are rumored to live in this network. The gnomes are masters of stonework and could potentially create a new exit—which would help both the party escape and solve the [[Myconid|Myconids]]' problem by creating an alternate route through the [[Underdark]].
Some party members acknowledged that [[Ilyra]] had technically been clear about researching the creatures, and she had given them the knife as a tool. [[Patty]] noted, "If she puts it like that, she kinda did warn us." [[Alexios]] admitted, "I don't think she's technically wrong, but I'm still pissed, and the rats are mad as hell."


'''Plans and Next Steps'''
[[Ilyra]] apologized if she hadn't properly prepared them, but maintained that her intentions weren't malicious. She even suggested that if they would go back and fight the Mind Gobbler again, it would be valuable to see if the creature had learned new abilities from their encounter—because she believed it could adapt and learn from the magic used against it, much as it had learned from her own spells in the past.


The party accepts [[Ilra]]'s hospitality, resting in her warded study. Over a meal, they discuss their options:
The party unanimously declined. "I don't think we're really interested in fighting it again," [[Karma]] said firmly. "We barely made it out of that one."
* They need to find the deep gnomes and learn if there's a path to the surface
* The Mind Gobbler remains a threat—wounded but alive, still lurking in its cavern
* They could return to face it again, better prepared with [[Ilra]]'s knife and knowledge
* Or they could find another way out and leave the aberration to the [[Underdark]]


[[Ilra]] offers to create a *Scroll of Featherfall* for them, anticipating they'll need to navigate vertical passages like the great chasm with the broken winch. She also shares more details about the knife: if they can successfully lodge it in the Mind Gobbler, it will disrupt the creature's psionic abilities and potentially prevent it from regenerating.
[[Ilyra]] offered them sanctuary for a long rest in her study, promising the wards would keep them absolutely safe. She also offered to create a *Scroll of Featherfall* for them while they rested, which would help them navigate the great chasm. The party, too exhausted to continue and needing the safety of the warded room, reluctantly accepted. They settled in for a long rest, knowing they would need to find another way out of these tunnels—one that didn't involve going past the Mind Gobbler again. Before sleeping, they asked [[Ilyra]] about alternate routes, and she mentioned the deep gnomes (svirfneblin) who lived somewhere in this tunnel network and were masters of stonework—they might be able to help create a new exit.


The session ends with the party resting in [[Ilra]]'s study, recovering from their harrowing battle. The Mind Gobbler survived their assault and remains in the depths, a threat yet to be overcome. But they have gained valuable information, a potential ally in [[Ilra]], and new leads to follow—whether that means finding the gnomes, seeking another path to the surface, or preparing for a rematch with the aberration that nearly destroyed them.
The session ended with the party resting in [[Ilyra]]'s study, alive but humbled by their encounter with the Mind Gobbler, and newly aware that they had been observed and studied like specimens in an experiment. The Mind Gobbler remained in the depths, a threat yet to be overcome—and now it had learned from their tactics, making any future confrontation even more dangerous.


=== XP Awards ===
=== XP Awards ===
Line 163: Line 171:
* [[Shade]] - Tiefling Warlock/Bard
* [[Shade]] - Tiefling Warlock/Bard
* [[Gootcha]] - Half-Elf Rogue, blessed by the [[Raven Queen]]
* [[Gootcha]] - Half-Elf Rogue, blessed by the [[Raven Queen]]
* [[Xanphina]] - Half-Orc Barbarian, Path of the Ancestral Guardian
* [[Xanphina]] - Half-Orc Barbarian, Path of the Ancestral Guardian (dominated by Mind Gobbler, trapped in force sphere)
* [[Garmok the Chainbearer]] - Ancestral spirit; delivered his final charge to Xanphina (the [[The Ashtongue|Ash-Tongue]] quest)
* [[The Ashtongue]] - Exiled orc shaman the party must seek to seal the rift (named, not yet met)
* [[Myconid Sovereign]] - Leader of the peaceful Myconid colony
* [[Myconid Sovereign]] - Leader of the peaceful Myconid colony
* [[Ilra]] - Drow researcher studying Underdark aberrations
* [[Ilyra]] - Drow researcher studying Underdark aberrations (revealed to be observing party's battle as experiment with Illithid observer)
* [[Waervaerendor]] - Voaraghamanthar's twin black dragon (revealed via Ilyra's scrying to have taken the corpse)
* [[Derro]] Leader - Dark dwarf merchant seeking surface trade routes
* [[Derro]] Leader - Dark dwarf merchant seeking surface trade routes
* Mind Gobbler - Psionic aberration created by [[Illithids]] (survived encounter, remains in the depths)
* Mind Gobbler - Psionic aberration created by [[Illithids]] (survived encounter, remains in the depths, learned from party's tactics)
* Gobble Thralls - Mind-controlled servants of the Mind Gobbler
* Gobble Thralls - Mind-controlled servants of the Mind Gobbler
* [[Illithids|Illithid]] Observer - Mind flayer watching the experiment with [[Ilyra]] (observed from safe distance)


=== Locations ===
=== Locations ===
* [[Garmok's Mine]] - Dwarven barracks and upper corridors
* [[Garmok's Mine]] - Dwarven barracks, the Cult temple of Tiamat, and upper corridors
* [[Myconid Grove]] - Bioluminescent fungal cavern in the [[Underdark]]
* [[Myconid Grove]] - Bioluminescent fungal cavern in the [[Underdark]]
* [[Underdark]] - Deep natural caves beneath [[Garmok's Mine]]
* [[Underdark]] - Deep natural caves beneath [[Garmok's Mine]]
* Mind Gobbler's Lair - Vast cavern deep in the [[Underdark]]
* Mind Gobbler's Lair - Vast cavern deep in the [[Underdark]]
* [[Ilra]]'s Study - Magically warded research chamber
* [[Ilyra]]'s Study - Magically warded research chamber (party retreated here after Mind Gobbler battle, took long rest)
* The Great Chasm - 1500-foot vertical shaft with broken winch system
* The Great Chasm - Deep vertical shaft with broken winch system


=== Factions Involved ===
=== Factions Involved ===
* [[Myconid|Myconids]] - Peaceful fungal colony seeking safety from Underdark traffic
* [[Myconid|Myconids]] - Peaceful fungal colony seeking safety from Underdark traffic
* [[Derro]] - Dark dwarf merchants seeking surface trade routes
* [[Derro]] - Dark dwarf merchants seeking surface trade routes
* [[Illithids]] - Mind flayers who created the Mind Gobbler (background presence)
* [[Illithids]] - Mind flayers who created the Mind Gobbler (one observed the battle alongside [[Ilyra]])
* [[Cult of the Dragon]] - Maintained a temple of Tiamat within the mine


=== Items Found ===
=== Items Found/Used ===
* Tome of Leadership and Influence (from previous session, reviewed this session)
* Psionic Disruption Knife (given by [[Ilyra]], used but retrieved during retreat)
* Psionic Disruption Knife (offered by [[Ilra]], not yet used)
* Upgrade to [[Alexios]]'s [[Gauntlet of Gem Forged Will]] (Ilyra added Reincarnate & Resurrection)
* *Scroll of Featherfall* (promised by [[Ilra]])
* [[Eye of Gilbraxis]] (Shade's implanted artifact) — began making its own will and warnings felt this session, recoiling from the Mind Gobbler
* Infernal-dialect ritual book (taken from the Cult temple of Tiamat)
* *Bead of Force* (from [[Garmok's Hoard]]) - Used to trap dominated [[Xanphina]] in force sphere during retreat
* *Scroll of Featherfall* (promised by [[Ilyra]], to be created during long rest)


=== Creatures Encountered ===
=== Creatures Encountered ===
* [[Cloaker]] - Aberration defeated in early tunnels
* [[Cloaker]] - Aberration defeated in tunnels
* Mind Gobbler - Psionic turkey aberration, mythic creature (party retreated, creature survived)
* [[Hook Horror]] - Three slain in the natural caverns
* Mind Gobbler - Psionic turkey aberration, mythic creature (dominated [[Xanphina]], party retreated, creature survived and learned from encounter)
* Gobble Thralls - Psionic servants
* Gobble Thralls - Psionic servants


Latest revision as of 15:28, 27 June 2026

Session 45 - The Mind Gobbler

Date: 11/30/25

DM: Wes

Summary

Garmok's Final Charge

The party woke from a long rest in the dwarven barracks of Garmok's Mine, the black dragon Voaraghamanthar slain the day before and the Bronze Blades departing to report to Baldur's Gate. Before they left the mine, the spirit of Garmok the Chainbearer appeared one last time to Xanphina. He confessed he had failed his vigil — the infernal rift he died to seal remains open, "a wound carved not by steel, but by hungers older than breath" — and charged her to seek the Ash-Tongue, the last shaman of the old clans, exiled from the Firepeaks, who keeps the Rite of Sundering that could finally close it. Then he faded into motes of jade light. (See Garmok the Chainbearer and The Ashtongue for the full message.)

The Cult Temple and the Vanished Corpse

Finishing their exploration, the party found a Cult temple of Tiamat within the mine — two obsidian black-dragon statues over an altar strewn with sacrificial dead — and took an Infernal-dialect ritual book (read via the Eye of Gilbraxis's Comprehend Languages). At the water's edge they discovered that Voaraghamanthar's corpse had vanished overnight. Beyond the worked dwarven passages they found older natural caves leading down into the Underdark.

The Myconid Grove

Early in their exploration beneath Garmok's Mine, the party came upon a vast bioluminescent cavern filled with glowing fungi and strange mushroom-like creatures. What Shade's Warlock Eye had initially scouted revealed itself to be home to a colony of Myconids—intelligent, peaceful fungal beings who tend their groves in the deep places of the world. The chamber was bathed in gentle, colorful light from countless bioluminescent mushrooms, with large fungi of various types growing throughout the space, including shriekers (alarm fungi) and violet fungus.

The Myconid Sovereign, leader of the colony, approached the party and released a cloud of rapport spores that settled over them, granting temporary telepathy. Through this telepathic link, the party could sense the Myconid's thoughts, feelings, and intentions as intuitive concepts rather than language. The Sovereign asked who they were and why they had come. When Karma explained they were Deez Nuts, on a quest to stop the dragon cult from raising Tiamat, and mentioned slaying the black dragon Voaraghamanthar, the Sovereign shuddered visibly. Through the telepathic connection, the party experienced the Myconid's traumatic memory—Voaraghamanthar had previously attacked their grove, destroying much of it and killing many adults and children.

The news that the dragon was dead filled the Sovereign with overwhelming joy and relief, emotions the party felt directly through the spore link. He released more spores throughout the cavern to share the news with his colony, then proudly presented his young sprouts (Myconid children) to the party as a gesture of trust and gratitude. The Myconids explained their ongoing problem: their cavern served as a major thoroughfare between the surface and the deeper Underdark, and creatures from below—raiders, traders, and worse—constantly passed through their peaceful grove. They wished for a way to be left alone but didn't know how to reroute the traffic or close off their cave. The party promised to investigate and see if they could help. The Myconids mentioned that others deeper in the tunnels might know more about the dragon and had helped repel it in the past, though the Myconids themselves didn't know what lay beyond their cave system.

Bidding farewell to the Sovereign and his colony, with a young Myconid sprout excitedly following them to the edge of the grove before being called back by its parent, the party ventured deeper into the tunnels. As they left the glowing fungal cavern behind, the tunnels grew darker, colder, and more oppressive. The carved dwarven passages gave way to natural caves—ancient formations untouched by tools, existing since time immemorial.

Battle with the Cloaker

As the party moved cautiously through the increasingly natural tunnels, danger struck from above. A Cloaker—a predatory aberration resembling a large manta ray or living cloak—dropped from the ceiling to attack Keyleth. The creature had been using its natural camouflage to blend perfectly with the stone ceiling, surprising the party when it suddenly unfurled and swooped down on the ranger.

Alexios and Xanphina rushed forward to protect Keyleth, while Shade unleashed eldritch blasts from the rear and Karma shifted into a more aggressive form. The Cloaker's moaning ability created phantasmal duplicates that confused the party's attacks, making it difficult to discern which image was the real creature. Despite this deception, the party's coordinated strikes brought down the aberration before it could inflict significant harm. Xanphina landed powerful blows with Garmok's Flail, while Alexios's radiant smites burned through the creature's unnatural hide.

The battle was brief but tense, and the encounter served as an ominous warning of what lurked in these depths. The deeper they went, the more aberrations they would face—creatures that didn't belong in the natural world, twisted by dark magic or ancient experiments.

Hook Horrors in the Dark

Pressing on through the natural caverns, the party was set upon by three hook horrors — big armored brutes with beaks and hooks for hands, navigating the black tunnels by echolocation. The company cut all three down without serious loss and continued toward the deep rumble echoing up from below.

The Mind Gobbler Appears

Shortly after the Cloaker battle, continuing deeper into the winding passages, the party caught their first glimpse of the creature they had come to find. In a distant chamber, illuminated by Shade's dancing lights and visible through the party's darkvision, stood the Mind Gobbler.

It was a horrifying sight: a massive, dragon-sized aberration with the body of an enormous turkey grafted with writhing tentacles, pulsing with visible psychic energy. The creature appeared to be the result of mind flayer experiments—combining a mundane beast with aberrant physiology and psionic abilities. Surrounding it were smaller creatures, gobble thralls enslaved by its psychic powers, moving in eerie synchronization with their master.

The party observed from a distance, taking in the full scope of the threat. The creature's tentacles twitched and coiled, its eyes glowed with unnatural light, and even from this range they could feel a faint pressure against their minds—the creature's passive psionic aura. They didn't engage yet, instead withdrawing quietly to gather more information and search for any advantage they could find before confronting such a formidable foe.

Ilyra the Drow Researcher

Before confronting the Mind Gobbler directly, the party discovered a side passage that led to a magically warded chamber. Here they met Ilyra, a drow woman who had been studying the aberrations in these tunnels for roughly four and a half centuries. She had sensed their presence through her magical wards and came to investigate, quickly realizing they were not hostile.

Ilyra's study was filled with books, scrolls, and arcane equipment, the walls humming with protective magic that kept out even the Mind Gobbler's psychic intrusions. She invited the party inside and offered them sanctuary, recognizing that they intended to face the creature she had been studying from a safe distance. The drow researcher explained that the Mind Gobbler was the result of mind flayer experiments—an ordinary creature transformed into a psionic aberration. She was unsure what the original creature had been, though she noted it was "certainly not a common turkey."

At the party's request, Ilyra scried after the vanished dragon and delivered an unwelcome answer: Voaraghamanthar is dead, but he has an identical twin, Waervaerendor, who had recovered the corpse and is likely working to revive him — the two black dragons being obsessive seekers of immortality who keep several distant lairs. She also examined and upgraded Alexios's Gauntlet of Gem Forged Will, linking it to her ward to add Reincarnate and Resurrection.

Most importantly, Ilyra offered the party a weapon specifically designed to combat psionic creatures: a magical knife that disrupts psionic connections. If they could lodge the blade in the Mind Gobbler during combat, it would disrupt the creature's psychic abilities and potentially prevent its regeneration. The knife had been forged specifically for this purpose, though Ilyra herself had never dared to use it. She explained its mechanism in detail—the blade would sever the psionic threads the creature used to control its thralls and sustain itself, giving the party a critical advantage in battle.

Ilyra also shared information about the tunnel network. The passages to the south were closest to the surface, and deep gnomes (svirfneblin) were rumored to live in this network. The gnomes were masters of stonework and could potentially create a new exit—which would help the party escape and solve the Myconids' problem by creating an alternate route through the Underdark. She offered to create a *Scroll of Featherfall* for them, anticipating they would need to navigate vertical passages like the great chasm with the broken winch they had passed earlier.

Encounter with the Derro

Continuing their exploration with Ilyra's knife safely secured and armed with new intelligence about their foe, the party navigated deeper into the tunnel system. The passages led them to a chamber with a sharp drop-off—an enormous chasm descending into darkness. Even with darkvision, the party could not see the bottom. Along the wall, they discovered the remains of an old winch system, broken down and abandoned long ago.

As the party examined the chasm and the broken winch, they heard footsteps echoing through the tunnel. Rounding a corner on their phantom steeds, the party nearly collided with a group of Derro—dark dwarves native to the deep Underdark. The Derro merchants halted and turned to face the party warily.

The lead Derro, a gruff but businesslike trader, greeted them cautiously. "Well met. Where are you off to?" Alexios boldly declared they were heading to fight the Mind Gobbler. The Derro shook their heads at the foolishness of surface dwellers. The dark dwarves explained they were searching for a trade route from their city in the Underdark to the surface, hoping to establish commerce with surface dwellers. They noted they could not go through the Myconid territory—past conflicts had made that path too dangerous.

The Derro offered their wares for trade: mechanical goods including gears, chains, and oil. They mentioned they could repair the broken winch system if the party was interested. In exchange, they sought unique weapons or tools that would help them either find a new path to the surface or make it easier to navigate the dangerous routes they knew. Keyleth and Karma quietly expressed concern about helping the Derro find a route through the Myconid grove, not wanting to endanger their new fungal friends.

Gootcha suggested they could trick the Derro by giving them a fake magical item. Shade, with her high persuasion skill, offered to sell the deception. The party settled on offering a plain gold bracelet, claiming it helped locate gnomes—even when they turned invisible. This would theoretically help the Derro find the deep gnomes (svirfneblin) rumored to live in these tunnels, who could show them alternate routes.

But the Derro leader was no fool. He took the bracelet and cast *Identify* on it, the spell revealing its mundane nature. "It appears this bracelet doesn't do what you say it does," he said gravely, his eyes narrowing. Shade quickly covered, claiming they were swindled by merchants called "the Bronze Blades" (a name she invented on the spot). Keyleth and Karma nodded along, feigning embarrassment. Alexios, true to his oath of honesty, looked uncomfortable but didn't contradict the deception.

The Derro leader studied them for a long moment. "Since we just met, I am going to assume that you did not know this," he said slowly, handing the bracelet back. "It happens to the best of us. But it's a dangerous game you're playing." The party apologized profusely, and the Derro seemed bemused rather than angry. They hadn't heard of these Bronze Blades, but noted they sounded like dwarves worth trading with.

As the conversation wound down, Alexios—unable to let the Derro walk into danger—warned them that the direction they were heading led to certain death: the Mind Gobbler's lair. The Derro thanked him for the warning and agreed to go a different direction. Alexios tried one last gambit: "How about a little tit-for-tat? I give you that information. Can we trade for some of that equipment?" The Derro leader responded simply: "No." With that, the merchants shouldered past the party, not aggressively but firmly, and disappeared into the darkness of the Underdark tunnels.

The Mind Gobbler - Combat Begins

Armed with Ilyra's psionic disruption knife and prepared with intelligence about their foe, the party approached the Mind Gobbler's lair. The vast cavern opened before them, and in the center waited the massive aberration, surrounded by its gobble thralls. The party attempted to use Shade's *Pass Without Trace* spell to sneak closer, but the Mind Gobbler had heard the echoes of their conversation with the Derro or perhaps sensed their minds approaching. It turned to face them, tentacles writhing, and combat began.

Alexios charged forward, channeling Athena's divine fury and swearing his Vow of Enmity against the aberration. His flaming sword struck true, cutting deep into the creature's flank. Xanphina raged and followed, her ancestral spirits manifesting around her to protect her from psychic assault. She swung Garmok's Flail in devastating arcs, each hit reverberating through the cavern.

Keyleth and Karma unleashed ranged attacks from the cavern's edge—arrows and magical thorns striking the Mind Gobbler's thick hide. Gootcha positioned herself in shadows, her Raven Queen-blessed crossbow singing as phantom ravens swirled around her bolts. Shade stood back, her Bagpipes of Zariel's Lament wailing infernal music across the battlefield, weaving eldritch magic and bardic inspiration into a devastating combination that disrupted the Mind Gobbler's concentration while empowering her allies.

The Mind Gobbler responded with a *Psychic Gobble Burst*—a wave of psionic energy that slammed into Alexios and Xanphina. The paladin gritted his teeth against the mental assault, but Xanphina's ancestral spirits shielded her mind, her rage making her resistant to the psychic damage. The gobble thralls surged forward, tentacles lashing at the front line.

Alexios and Xanphina cut down the first wave of thralls, but more kept coming. The Mind Gobbler teleported across the chamber, appearing behind Karma and Keyleth. Gootcha wheeled and fired, her crossbow bolt striking the creature in its bulbous eye. It shrieked—a terrible sound mixing turkey gobble with psionic screaming—and teleported again, evading their attempts to pin it down.

The Mind Gobbler - Mythic Transformation

As the battle raged and the party pressed their advantage, Alexios's sword found what seemed to be a vital spot—the creature's heart, or where its heart should be. The Mind Gobbler staggered, wounded deeply, and for a moment the party believed victory was at hand. They were wrong.

The creature's body began to crack and pop, expanding grotesquely. Its tentacles multiplied before their eyes, its eyes glowed with intensified psychic power, and the grievous wounds began to close. The Mind Gobbler had entered its mythic phase—a second life granted by whatever dark experiments had created it. This was not a creature that could be killed easily.

The transformed aberration unleashed a *Mythic Gobble Quake*—a massive psychic shockwave that rippled through the cavern. Keyleth dropped unconscious instantly, the ranger's mind overwhelmed by the psionic assault. Karma rushed to her side, desperately feeding her a healing potion as the Mind Gobbler summoned fresh gobble thralls from the shadows of the cavern. The thralls seemed endless, rising from the darkness in waves.

Alexios found himself surrounded by thralls, their tentacles wrapping around his armor and trying to drag him down. Xanphina cleaved through them with Garmok's Flail, but more kept coming—the Mind Gobbler could apparently create them endlessly, spawning new servants as quickly as the old ones fell. Shade cast *Hypnotic Pattern*, trying to disable multiple thralls at once, but the Mind Gobbler's advantage on saving throws against magic allowed it to shrug off her spell with contemptuous ease.

Gootcha managed to lodge a crossbow bolt deep in the creature's skull, causing it to stumble. But even this grievous wound began to regenerate before their eyes, flesh knitting back together with disturbing speed. The Mind Gobbler's connection to this cavern seemed to sustain it—the very walls pulsed with aberrant energy, feeding power to their monstrous foe. Keyleth fell unconscious a second time despite Karma's healing, the repeated psychic assaults proving too much for the ranger's mind to withstand.

Through it all, the Eye of Gilbraxis lodged in Shade's skull recoiled in open terror. Taking its own place in the initiative order, the infernal artifact pressed an insistent, wordless warning onto her again and again — a visceral get out of here… you don't know what you're doing, that thing is terrifying — the first time the Eye had ever made its own will so plainly felt to its bearer. Its dread helped harden the party's resolve to flee. (See Eye of Gilbraxis.)

Xanphina Dominated

As the battle reached its most desperate moment, the Mind Gobbler turned its full psionic attention toward Xanphina. The creature's eyes glowed with malevolent psychic power as it unleashed its *Psionic Domination* ability directly at the barbarian. Despite her ancestral spirits' protection and her advantage on the Wisdom saving throw, Xanphina's dice betrayed her—she rolled a natural 1 and a 2. Her eyes glazed over as the Mind Gobbler's telepathic voice echoed in her mind with a simple command: "Protect me."

Xanphina turned toward her companions, Garmok's Flail still in hand, now under the aberration's control. The Mind Gobbler teleported 30 feet away from the front line, positioning Xanphina between itself and Alexios. The party faced a horrifying dilemma: their powerful barbarian ally was now their enemy, and they couldn't harm her without risking killing their friend.

Alexios desperately asked if breaking the creature's concentration could free her. The answer was yes—damage to the Mind Gobbler might force it to fail a Constitution save and release its hold. But with Xanphina now standing guard over the creature, getting close enough to strike would mean fighting through her first.

Karma had a brilliant idea: they had a *Bead of Force* from Garmok's Hoard. The bead would create an impenetrable sphere around Xanphina, trapping her safely inside where she couldn't hurt anyone—and couldn't protect the Mind Gobbler. Even better, the sphere would only weigh one pound regardless of what was inside it, meaning they could pick it up and carry Xanphina away from the battle entirely.

The party agreed this was their best chance. Karma threw the bead at Xanphina's feet. It exploded into a shimmering force sphere, encasing the dominated barbarian in what the party immediately dubbed the "hamster ball." Xanphina, still under the Mind Gobbler's control, pounded futilely against the inside of the sphere, unable to break through or fulfill her command to protect her master. The distance between her and the Mind Gobbler immediately broke the domination effect, and Xanphina's consciousness returned—though she remained trapped in the sphere, confused and demanding to know why she was in "this little ball."

"You were under the control of the giant turkey," Shade explained as they began their retreat. "It's for your protection as well as ours," Karma added apologetically.

Desperate Retreat to Ilyra's Study

With Xanphina safely contained in the force sphere and the Mind Gobbler's regeneration making victory impossible, the party made the call to retreat. Shade cast *Fog Cloud*, filling the cavern with thick, obscuring mist that broke line of sight with the Mind Gobbler. The party grabbed the lightweight sphere containing Xanphina and fled, rolling the "hamster ball" ahead of them as they sprinted through the tunnels.

Behind them, they heard the Mind Gobbler shrieking in fury, its gobbles mixing with psionic screams that echoed through the cavern. Its psychic presence hammered at their minds even as they fled, but the fog cloud broke line of sight long enough for them to reach the tunnel. The gobble thralls pursued, tentacles scraping against stone as they gave chase, but the party's speed advantage let them pull ahead.

They raced through the darkness, Alexios now carrying the unconscious Keyleth, while others took turns pushing or carrying the force sphere containing Xanphina. The Mind Gobbler's psychic gobbles echoed through the tunnels behind them, growing fainter as they put distance between themselves and the creature.

As they reached the area where the domination's range limit broke, Xanphina's wits fully returned to her inside the sphere. "What happened?" she demanded, still trapped inside the shimmering ball. "Why am I in this little ball?" The party explained as they continued their retreat, promising to release her once they reached safety.

Alexios used his *Jaunty Boots* to teleport back and retrieve his valuable *Psychic Disruption Knife* that had been lodged in the Mind Gobbler, not wanting to lose the weapon. He then teleported back to the front of the fleeing party.

The party didn't stop running until they reached Ilyra's study. They pounded on the magically warded door, and it melted away to reveal the drow researcher. "Come in, come in!" she called, gesturing them inside urgently. Once everyone was through—including the force sphere containing Xanphina, which DM Wes humorously "accidentally deleted" from the digital map to represent releasing her from the sphere—the door reformed behind them. The magical ward sealed completely, and they could feel the oppressive psychic presence of the Mind Gobbler disappear, blocked by Ilyra's powerful protective magic.

The Experiment Revealed

Safe within Ilyra's study, battered and exhausted, the party collapsed. Keyleth regained consciousness, stabilized by Karma's healing magic. But as they caught their breath, Ilyra's first words made them realize something disturbing about their harrowing battle.

"That was quite the display," Ilyra said with academic interest. "You made it much further against the Mind Gobbler than the previous party did."

The party froze. "The previous party?" Xanphina asked, her voice dangerous.

Ilyra continued, oblivious to their growing anger: "So, what did it feel like when it was unleashing its psychic energy on you? And please, as many details as possible—these observations are key to understanding this creature."

"What the hell?" Xanphina exclaimed. Gootcha demanded, "You couldn't tell us about the fact that it turns into a bigger one?"

"That is actually new," Ilyra admitted. "We had not witnessed that phenomenon before."

"Or about the fact that we were your research?" Xanphina accused. "That's kind of shitty, man."

Ilyra seemed genuinely confused by their anger. "I thought I was pretty clear that I was researching the creatures in this cave system. I thought it was obvious that going to fight the Mind Gobbler was part of the observations."

Then Karma revealed the most damning detail: "We saw you watching with a mind flayer. What is the story there?"

Ilyra explained without hesitation: "Oh, of course! The Mind Flayers are also curious about how this creature was created. It appears that soon after its creation was complete, it immediately destroyed and consumed the brains of all the other Mind Flayers around it. So the Mind Flayers in the area would like to better understand how this creature has become so powerful."

The truth was clear: Ilyra had been observing the party's battle from a safe distance alongside an Illithid observer, both watching as the party risked their lives against the Mind Gobbler. It was an experiment—adventurers sent to fight a dangerous aberration while researchers watched and took notes. The party had been lab rats, and they'd nearly died for Ilyra's research.

Some party members acknowledged that Ilyra had technically been clear about researching the creatures, and she had given them the knife as a tool. Patty noted, "If she puts it like that, she kinda did warn us." Alexios admitted, "I don't think she's technically wrong, but I'm still pissed, and the rats are mad as hell."

Ilyra apologized if she hadn't properly prepared them, but maintained that her intentions weren't malicious. She even suggested that if they would go back and fight the Mind Gobbler again, it would be valuable to see if the creature had learned new abilities from their encounter—because she believed it could adapt and learn from the magic used against it, much as it had learned from her own spells in the past.

The party unanimously declined. "I don't think we're really interested in fighting it again," Karma said firmly. "We barely made it out of that one."

Ilyra offered them sanctuary for a long rest in her study, promising the wards would keep them absolutely safe. She also offered to create a *Scroll of Featherfall* for them while they rested, which would help them navigate the great chasm. The party, too exhausted to continue and needing the safety of the warded room, reluctantly accepted. They settled in for a long rest, knowing they would need to find another way out of these tunnels—one that didn't involve going past the Mind Gobbler again. Before sleeping, they asked Ilyra about alternate routes, and she mentioned the deep gnomes (svirfneblin) who lived somewhere in this tunnel network and were masters of stonework—they might be able to help create a new exit.

The session ended with the party resting in Ilyra's study, alive but humbled by their encounter with the Mind Gobbler, and newly aware that they had been observed and studied like specimens in an experiment. The Mind Gobbler remained in the depths, a threat yet to be overcome—and now it had learned from their tactics, making any future confrontation even more dangerous.

XP Awards

To be added by DM

Notable Characters

  • Alexios - Human Paladin, Oath of Vengeance, devoted to Athena
  • Karma - Tabaxi Druid, Circle of the Moon
  • Keyleth - Wood Elf Ranger, Swarmkeeper
  • Shade - Tiefling Warlock/Bard
  • Gootcha - Half-Elf Rogue, blessed by the Raven Queen
  • Xanphina - Half-Orc Barbarian, Path of the Ancestral Guardian (dominated by Mind Gobbler, trapped in force sphere)
  • Garmok the Chainbearer - Ancestral spirit; delivered his final charge to Xanphina (the Ash-Tongue quest)
  • The Ashtongue - Exiled orc shaman the party must seek to seal the rift (named, not yet met)
  • Myconid Sovereign - Leader of the peaceful Myconid colony
  • Ilyra - Drow researcher studying Underdark aberrations (revealed to be observing party's battle as experiment with Illithid observer)
  • Waervaerendor - Voaraghamanthar's twin black dragon (revealed via Ilyra's scrying to have taken the corpse)
  • Derro Leader - Dark dwarf merchant seeking surface trade routes
  • Mind Gobbler - Psionic aberration created by Illithids (survived encounter, remains in the depths, learned from party's tactics)
  • Gobble Thralls - Mind-controlled servants of the Mind Gobbler
  • Illithid Observer - Mind flayer watching the experiment with Ilyra (observed from safe distance)

Locations

  • Garmok's Mine - Dwarven barracks, the Cult temple of Tiamat, and upper corridors
  • Myconid Grove - Bioluminescent fungal cavern in the Underdark
  • Underdark - Deep natural caves beneath Garmok's Mine
  • Mind Gobbler's Lair - Vast cavern deep in the Underdark
  • Ilyra's Study - Magically warded research chamber (party retreated here after Mind Gobbler battle, took long rest)
  • The Great Chasm - Deep vertical shaft with broken winch system

Factions Involved

  • Myconids - Peaceful fungal colony seeking safety from Underdark traffic
  • Derro - Dark dwarf merchants seeking surface trade routes
  • Illithids - Mind flayers who created the Mind Gobbler (one observed the battle alongside Ilyra)
  • Cult of the Dragon - Maintained a temple of Tiamat within the mine

Items Found/Used

  • Psionic Disruption Knife (given by Ilyra, used but retrieved during retreat)
  • Upgrade to Alexios's Gauntlet of Gem Forged Will (Ilyra added Reincarnate & Resurrection)
  • Eye of Gilbraxis (Shade's implanted artifact) — began making its own will and warnings felt this session, recoiling from the Mind Gobbler
  • Infernal-dialect ritual book (taken from the Cult temple of Tiamat)
  • *Bead of Force* (from Garmok's Hoard) - Used to trap dominated Xanphina in force sphere during retreat
  • *Scroll of Featherfall* (promised by Ilyra, to be created during long rest)

Creatures Encountered

  • Cloaker - Aberration defeated in tunnels
  • Hook Horror - Three slain in the natural caverns
  • Mind Gobbler - Psionic turkey aberration, mythic creature (dominated Xanphina, party retreated, creature survived and learned from encounter)
  • Gobble Thralls - Psionic servants
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