Dark clouds covered the sky, and thick fog spilled up from the sea.
The ocean seemed diseased. One oily black tentacle after another rose from the water, while black stains of decay appeared across its surface, spreading in twisting, serpentine trails and staining the already dim ocean pitch-black.
The colossal creature in the depths slowly raised its head. Even the tiny portion that emerged revealed how enormous it was. Its wings unfurled to either side, stretching into the heavens, and its head drove up waves over ten meters high, blocking every line of sight.
"Roooar~ woooooo~"
The beast let out a terrifying shriek that pierced the souls of every mortal creature nearby.
"Ugh!"
Aaron clutched his head. It felt as though his skull would split apart. A maddened will warped his thoughts, and the resentment filling the air made every muscle tense, his hands and feet twitching uncontrollably.
An unknowable power, a power from a higher dimension.
An indescribable terror.
The sahuagin on the beach were prostrating themselves before the colossal being. They were no longer the vicious, bloodthirsty butchers they had been, but lambs awaiting slaughter. Kneeling with blank expressions, they solemnly repeated the Great One's name, begging for its forgiveness.
Worship of the Great One had a long history, even in the Realms.
The practice of worshipping the Great Old Ones had arisen in the deep seas of the Realms thousands of years earlier. Legend said that many deep-sea races, in their continual exploration of the depths, had reached the boundaries established by the gods. Some chose to abandon their exploration and return to their own domains, but others ignored the gods' warnings and insisted on venturing deeper.
Most explorers vanished. A handful returned successfully, having gained immense power, unparalleled wealth, or access to a new world.
Among