Winged catfish

Stub-class article · First seen: s18 · Last seen: s18
Winged catfish
the giant winged catfish · the catfish · the monkfish (DM joke)
Portrait of Winged catfish.
Character
StatusAlive (Fled)
First seens18
Last seens18
FactionSapphire Sea fauna, Aquatic predators

The winged catfish is a giant blue catfish with wings that ambushed the party’s skiff a couple of hours out from the Aurelian coast in session 18, after stalking the boat as a shadow in the dark water [1][7][8]. It breathed acid across the skiff three times, which the DM ruled to be a biological breath rather than magic, unlike a dragon’s draconic breath [9][27][10]. Its last breath dealt 42 acid damage to Mike, who fell through the dissolving boat and was revived by Caelumn [30][41], and the catfish dived away alive, leaving the skiff cut in two [11]. Status: alive, fled.

Overview

The winged catfish is a giant, winged, blue catfish that ambushed the party’s skiff in session 18 on the southbound sail towards the Aurelian coast. It had been stalking the boat, a shadow that flowed under the hull and was gone [1], before it surfaced a couple of hours out from land [7][8]. The DM introduced it as “not as big as the worm”, the Brinemaw Wyrm of the reef line [7]. It fought for three rounds, destroyed the skiff with its acid and fled alive [9][10][11].

Appearance and demeanour

“A giant catfish with wings about the size of Steven for them on each side” [7], blue-scaled, and Large, which the DM corrected from huge [12][13]. It looks at its prey “with blank pale eyes” [14]. Terry called it Magikarp and “a Gyarados” and said “only a Magikarp, it’s not a Gyarados yet” [15][16][17]; the DM called it a “monkfish” once as a joke [18].

Abilities as played

What happened in play, not a stat block. It hovered just above the water to breathe a line of acid, which caught Terry and Hugo for half of 45 [9][19]; the DM said it did not catch more of the party “because I didn’t want a TPK in one ability” [20]. The acid ate into the boat along the line of the breath [21]. In round 2 the DM said it saw “an easy target” in the failing boat, and it dived under the skiff to bite Mike for 10 slashing and 3 acid, dragging at his leg as flavour rather than as a grapple [22][23]. Its last breath, aimed at the boat and Mike, did 42 acid on a failed Dexterity save [24][25]. It was too big for Caelumn’s Witch Bolt to hold: “it is so ginormous that you can’t actually keep it under control with your witch bolt” [26]. The DM ruled its breath biological, not magical, so Elminster’s Elusion would not apply: “dragon breath would be draconic magic. However, this is biological.” [27]; Terry withdrew the spell as “a slight retcon” [28].

Relationships

  • Mike: its victim, bitten and then dropped by the 42-point breath; revived by Caelumn [29][30][31].
  • Hugo: flew up on his Winged Boots to fight it and cut it for 17 with an opportunity attack as it dived [32][33].
  • Terry: cut the first breath down to 11 with Absorb Elements, and withdrew Elminster’s Elusion after the DM’s ruling [34][28].
  • Steven: tried to clean the acid off the hull and slow the damage [35].
  • Caelumn: Witch Bolt and a Chromatic Orb, and the Cure Wounds that got Mike back up [26][36][31].

Disposition towards the party

Predatory. It circled the skiff for hours, took the party for easy prey, and broke off only when the skiff was in pieces [1][37][11].

Notable quotes

“However, it looks like a giant catfish with wings about the size of Steven for them on each side as it dives over your boat and turns around in the water, ready to strike.” — Nick (DM), [7]

“Magikarp you splash!” — Terry, [15]

“But dragon breath would be draconic magic. However, this is biological.” — Nick (DM), [27]

“Because I didn’t want a TPK in one ability.” — Nick (DM), [20]

“It might be a monkfish. Who knows?” — Nick (DM), [18]

History in the campaign

Session 18: The Wyrm Falls, the Catfish Escapes, and Mike Dies on the Road

Main article: Session 18

A shadow slid under the skiff in the dark and vanished [1]. Later, a couple of hours from land, the catfish leapt from the water and dived over the boat [7][8]. Its acid breath, from just above the water, caught Terry and Hugo for half of 45, and the boat began to dissolve along the line of the breath [38][21]. It dived under the boat to bite Mike, and Hugo’s opportunity attack cut it for 17 [22]. Its last breath, aimed at the boat and Mike, did 42 acid damage to Mike despite a Luck point and his Inspiration [24]. The catfish then dived away alive, the skiff was cut in two, and Caelumn’s Cure Wounds brought Mike back up [39].

Status

As of session 23. Alive; it fled underwater in session 18 and has not been seen since. Afterwards the party’s own verdict was “We didn’t even kill that thing, did we?” and “It fucked off.” [40]. Nothing is known of where it lives or whether it hunts alone.

See also

References

  1. ^ Session 18, line 414: First sighting: "a shadow in the dark water flow underneath your boat"; it disappears.
  2. ^ Session 18, line 574-632: It surfaces: "a giant catfish with wings about the size of Steven for them on each side"; blue, Large; round 1 acid breath over Terry and Hugo.
  3. ^ Session 18, line 660-692: The DM: "dragon breath would be draconic magic. However, this is biological."; Terry withdraws Elminster's Elusion; pale eyes.
  4. ^ Session 18, line 743-799: The boat begins to dissolve along the line of the breath; round 2: it dives, takes 17 from Hugo's opportunity attack and bites Mike in the water.
  5. ^ Session 18, line 925-993: Round 3: a second breath at the boat; Mike fails the save and takes 42 acid damage; the catfish flees and the boat is cut in two; Caelumn revives Mike.
  6. ^ Session 18, line 1223-1229: The party: "We didn't even kill that thing, did we?"; "It fucked off.".
  7. ^ Session 18, line 574: Inline citation.
  8. ^ Session 18, line 747: Inline citation.
  9. ^ Session 18, line 632: Inline citation.
  10. ^ Session 18, line 925: Inline citation.
  11. ^ Session 18, line 975-981: Inline citation.
  12. ^ Session 18, line 583-588: Inline citation.
  13. ^ Session 18, line 622: Inline citation.
  14. ^ Session 18, line 692: Inline citation.
  15. ^ Session 18, line 575: Inline citation.
  16. ^ Session 18, line 579: Inline citation.
  17. ^ Session 18, line 611: Inline citation.
  18. ^ Session 18, line 785: Inline citation.
  19. ^ Session 18, line 642: Inline citation.
  20. ^ Session 18, line 657: Inline citation.
  21. ^ Session 18, line 744: Inline citation.
  22. ^ Session 18, line 771-783: Inline citation.
  23. ^ Session 18, line 798-799: Inline citation.
  24. ^ Session 18, line 925-953: Inline citation.
  25. ^ Session 18, line 967-971: Inline citation.
  26. ^ Session 18, line 620: Inline citation.
  27. ^ Session 18, line 678: Inline citation.
  28. ^ Session 18, line 687: Inline citation.
  29. ^ Session 18, line 783: Inline citation.
  30. ^ Session 18, line 953: Inline citation.
  31. ^ Session 18, line 989-993: Inline citation.
  32. ^ Session 18, line 710-731: Inline citation.
  33. ^ Session 18, line 778: Inline citation.
  34. ^ Session 18, line 644-649: Inline citation.
  35. ^ Session 18, line 754-758: Inline citation.
  36. ^ Session 18, line 743: Inline citation.
  37. ^ Session 18, line 769-771: Inline citation.
  38. ^ Session 18, line 632-644: Inline citation.
  39. ^ Session 18, line 975-993: Inline citation.
  40. ^ Session 18, line 1223-1225: Inline citation.
  41. ^ Session 18, line 979-993: Inline citation.
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