Drowner from the Deep

There has been only one known instance of a Drowner of the Deep walking upon the streets of Lankhmar. Here is the tale (as told by Barrius, sailor for The Dark Oak Trading Company):
  "The night was cold and the started out with a fog that was so thick you could scarcely see your hand before your face. One of those mystical fogs that you knew was goin' to bring you trouble, whether it be by supernatural means or just causin' your joints to ache the next morn.   I was sittin' right in that there corner in this here building. I was playin' five finger fillet with me mates when she walked in. This girl, looked to be about oh... 18 or so. Not really sure. Anyways, she had this expression, like she was excited and nervous all at once. Her face beamed in delight! Sunshine shone from her face despite the darkness of the pub!  
Drowner of the Deep that attacked Otis by Chad Watson via Midjourney
  Anyways, she comes right up to me mate Otis, you know, from the Dark Oak. He was lookin' at her like a lamb chop.. this lass was not hard on the eyes, I'll tell you that! So again, over she comes and grabs him right by the hands, which he gives to her straight away. She leans over to him and says "Can you help me my love? I need your strong arms." She says this all seductive-like and all, you know how dames can do.   So off he goes, all 200 pounds of him being tugged off by a little girl who weighed no more than 95 pounds soakin' wet and wearin' boots! I says to meself... "Meself! There's something goin' on here I think. Otis is dark, tall, and rugged but I've seen prettier faces on walrus pups, I have! She must be up to somethin' no good!" So I walk out and follows em. Not too close, mind. But you know, close enough to not lose track. The fog's lifted a bit by then so I could see 'em a lot clearer by now.   This wee lass walks Otis like a dog to the dockside over by the warehouses right here in the River District just around the corner. She stops just by the dock's edge and turns around and pulls her finger at him, with that "come here" gesture.. you know the one. So Otis leans down, like she's goin' to whisper something in his ear, see. As he does, she grabs of his forearms with each of her hands and plants one right on his mouth! I'm thinking, this girl must have some sort of mental disease, thinking Otis is a dish! Again, face like a pair of tits, he has!  
  Now at first, he's enjoyin' it. You can see it right on his stupid face just how much, like he's eatin' a meaty burger or somethin'. Then just a few seconds later his eyes fly right open, like she's bit 'is tongue! So he tries to shove her away right? But no, he can't! This tiny waft of air somehow has got him locked where he can't move away! So I wait for a few seconds to see if this is some sort of, you know, lover's game or somethin', but damn it, I should have gone up to help him straight away, because in just that few seconds, Otis fell down to the ground like a sack of fish heads. This gal then wipes her mouth, turns her head and stares right at me, and blows me a kiss! But she didn't mean it, see? She did it all .. mean-like, you know what I mean? Anway, she then turns and dives right into the water. So I ran over to the edge, I did, and waited for her to come back up for air. She never did! I never did see nary a ripple of water to give her spot away!   So then I run over to Otis and all I can see is his dumb stupid eyes starin' at the stars right? And this trickle of water just flowin' outta his mouth, formin' a little pool right next to him. So I goes back into the Tap Room, right? And I yells out for a cleric or medic or somethin'. One comes over straight away, and I take 'im right to Otis. And after lookin' at poor ole Otis for a few minutes, he says to me "This here is the work of one of the Drowners... Drowners of the Deep, they're called", says he. "I'm sorry, yer friend is dead", says he!   So I tell you this now, don't ever go with no pretty little dame that is in a place that she ought not be, tuggin' at you to follow her when you right know you're no catch for a gal like her! Don't flatter ye'self or ye end up dead!!   Now someone get me an ale!"
Drowner of the Deep
Drowner from the Deep by Chad Watson via Midjourney
Drowner of the Deep


Cover image: Moon Phases by Unknown

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