Chebucto Regional Softball Club

this is a fantastic point. well put.

one, show up, please, on time please, but not like 3 hours early... two, if you want food, bring food you want. if my snack supplies don't suit your palette.... that's not my problem to solve. three, for gygax's sake remember, it's a game, a game, it's got chutes and ladders yo, it's not the instant gratification machine some think it is.

this is where dm'ing is much more about storytelling and less about direct mechanics. for example, in this case I'd let them attack the kraken, only for them to realize as the crossbow bolt sails up towards the eye, then down, into the sea... "Your weapon doesn't have the range, for shit's sake, the arms are hundreds of feet long, it's much larger and further away than you assumed." Block out a disengagement - it grabs a few villagers and smashes some stuff (roll for athletics to dodge flying debris) and is gone leaving a trail of slime and destruction to the sea before you know what's happened. Now, when they follow the fucker to it's lair.... then it's on like donkey kong lol, stupidity can only survive so many attempts.