Check In Question: What is your favorite type of candy?
- Miranda: I love Almond Joys and right now I’m really into Peanut M&Ms. Lysithea loves cinnamon gummy owlbears and lava rock candy.
- Ian: If I had to pick a favorite candy, probably Sour Patch Kids. Professor’s favorite is candied ginger root, the kind of candy that sticks to the bottom of the dish at your grandma’s house.
- Kevin: Hershey’s Cookies and Creme. Gobbles loves chocolate grasshoppers, the chocolate is optional.
- Justice: Sweet Tarts. Alenia Silversong the Fey’s favorite is spirit honey drops.
- Cordelia: I like Sour Patch Kids, gummy worms, Caramel M&Ms. Surina loves gummy snakes.
- Liz: My favorite candy is candy. No but, Reese’s. Chocolate and peanut butter is the best. Octavia loves honey covered fruit. Something she definitely can’t get in the desert at all.
When we last left the party they had finally retrieved one of Rhu’s magical items, a seed, from a temple in the Jorra’be Jungle. Professor heard a mighty roar and ran off to investigate, followed by Octavia. Shortly after their departure, the rest of the party found a mysterious flyer to a “Circus at the Mystery Fair”, which transported them to a mystery carnival. After fun and adventure, they solved the mystery of the Ghost Clown haunting the fair and prepared to take their leave.
Lysithea: Before we leave, I would like to talk to Slogoth, which are words that you would never expect to hear me say.
Slogoth: What do you want to talk about?
Lysithea: We would like an update on what The Vigilance is up to and the people on board it, including the knights..
Slogoth: Well, they’re definitely pirates.
Lysithea: Who are pirates? The Vigilance or the knights?
Slogoth: The Vigilance.
Lysithea: Well yeah, you work for them.
Slogoth: But, uh, we sailed around, stopped at this nice little resort…
Gobbles: Resort?
Slogoth: Yeah, it’s on the other side of the jungle.
Gobbles: A resort!
Lysithea: Must have been the path we didn’t take. We fought an undead dragon instead…
Slogoth: As we were getting in a little rowboat to sail across to the jungle we saw this flyer and decided to come have fun instead.
Lysithea: Okay, so, how long ago was that?
Slogoth: We got here a day before you.
Lysithea: So The Vigilance is still at the resort.
Slogoth: Yup.
Lysithea: Are the knights still aboard The Vigilance?
Slogoth: Yes. They’re just about to sail into the jungle.
Lysithea: With all of the events that have happened since we set out to the jungle, we still managed to keep our head start. Great! Does anyone else have any questions for Slogoth?
Gobbles: Did you have any luck tracking down the gem eyes from the manatee statue? (see Sessions 27 and 28)
Slogoth: Mmm… We asked and no, these guys didn’t take them.
Lysithea: Did you hear anything about it as you sailed?
Slogoth: No.
Lysithea: Are you going to keep to your word and keep an eye out for them…
Slogoth: Yes.
Lysithea: … and not sell them to anybody?
Slogoth: *sigh* Yes…
Lysithea: Alright. So what are you planning to do now?
Slogoth: Hopefully we’ve been here long enough to let the Vigilance sail across. We don’t plan on going to that jungle.
Surina: Aren’t we in the jungle?
Gobbles: If all the people on the Vigilance are planning on going into the jungle, why don’t you just take The Vigilance?
Slogoth: Heeeyyy…
Lysithea: Well, it’s been swell…
Slogoth: It has been. Nothing weird has happened to us since we last met, and I’m glad to see that you all still bring the weird.
Lysithea: Yes, it’s us that brings the weird. *sarcasm*
Gobbles: Totally.
Slogoth, Mateen, and Sable walk out of the fair, being handed a little bag as they depart. They disappear as they step through the gate. On the way out of the fair, the party is presented with a “Thank you for coming” goodie bag filled with treats, which they immediately inspect. Inside the bag is a gummy spider, a piece of wrapped up taffy, something that looks like bacon, a bag of chocolate espresso beans, a bee-shaped candy, and a wafer cookie.
Lysithea: Nice. Let’s leave this horrible place.
Draggy: No.
Lysithea: We want to try to get out of the jungle, Draggy.
Mr. Mystery: See you later, kids!
Draggy sticks his tongue out at Mr. Mystery as they walk through the gate to exit the mystery fair/circus/carnival.
They find themselves back in the jungle, right next to Octavia and Professor.
Octavia: AH!
Lysithea: Aw man, we’re back in the jungle.
Octavia: Well that’s good. Now we don’t have to find you.
Lysithea: So, whatcha been up to?
It seems like almost no time has passed for Octavia and Professor. To them, they had just started to run off after the roar.
Octavia: Nothing. We heard a roar and just ran off to follow it.
(Nature Gobbles 6, Octavia 11, Professor 19, Lysithea Nat 1, Draggy 13, Surina 5) The plant life in the area, which was one vibrant and filled with magic, looks like it’s turning back to “normal”. The vines are shrinking back down and the terrain doesn’t look as confusing looking. (Arcana Professor 14) The chaos magic is leaving the jungle, but the Fey-like magic remains. The sun is starting to show through the treetops.
Professor: Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Not seeming to care, Gobbles reaches for the bag of treats and pulls out the little bag of espresso beans.
Lysithea: Oh no, Gobbles is having coffee!
Seeing the yummy treats, Draggy rushes in and grabs the candy honey bee. Surina takes wafer and Lysithea grabs the gummy spider. They offer the remaining treats to Octavia, who takes the bacon, and Professor, who takes the Gnome Salt Taffy. Draggy and Surina eat theirs immediately. Draggy enjoys the sweet honey treat, then suddenly feels like he is royal and can talk to anyone (Charisma increases to 20 for 8 hrs). Surina eats the wafer in one bite. It feels warm, like it just came out of the oven (resistant to cold damage for 8 hrs, and can tolerate temperatures up to -50 F). The rest of the party decides to save their treats for later. (Gobbles’s espresso beans will give advantage on initiative and saving throws against being knocked unconscious and increases speed by 10ft for 8hrs; Octavia’s candied bacon will grant advantage on athletics checks for 8hrs, and if damage equal to 10 or less knocks HP to 0 it will be reduced to 1 instead; Professor’s Gnome Salt Taffy will increase range by 5ft and any weapon that has range gets +1 to attack and damage rolls for 8hrs; Lysithea’s gummy spider will grant a climbing speed up to walking speed and can walk up, down, across vertical surfaces and upside along ceilings while leaving hands free, plus advantage on saving throws against poison for 8hrs).
While the party is standing around dividing up the candy, they begin to hear a very pleasant melody through the jungle. Thistle immediately perks up, taps Gobbles on the head, and flies off in the direction of the music.
Gobbles: Where’re you going, buddy?
Thistle: Following the song!
Gobbles: Uhh… okay…
Octavia: Should we follow Thistle?
Gobbles: Probably.
Gobbles begins to trot along after Thistle, followed by the rest of the party. As they travel they realize they are following a path made by mushrooms, who are singing along with the music. They lead the party to a nice little spring filled with rainbow water. The colors of the water do not mix, even though they are swirling in the spring. Sitting at the edge of the spring, relaxing her feet in the water, is Alenia Silversong (see Session 33).
Gobbles: Hello there.
Alenia: Oh! Greetings. I’ve been waiting.
Gobbles: What are you doing here? Is this your house?
Alenia: No, no, no, no. I’m taking a vacation of sorts. I see you all have progressed very far.
Lysithea: Really? It seems like we’ve accomplished one thing.
Octavia: Zero. Zero things.
Alenia: Well, you have 2 of the items I sense.
Lysithea: We do have 2.
Alenia: Have you destroyed them?
Lysithea: No. I wanted to destroy the seed, but Professor wanted to keep it.
Alenia: Oh. That can be good and bad.
Surina: It’s just bad! We need to destroy it now!
Lysithea reaches into her bag and pulls out the orb she received at Gomaxee’s. Alenia looks it over and shakes it a bit.
Alenia: It’s a decision maker.
Lysithea: A decision maker? It’s a Magic 8 Ball?
Alenia: You ask it a question and you shake it and it will guide you.
Lysithea: But this is one of Rhu’s items. How trustworthy is it?
Alenia: Oh, probably not at all. It will probably lead you to the most chaotic of solutions, which could be fun.
Lysithea: I think I’ve had enough fun.
Alenia: You can stab it.
Lysithea: I can?
Alenia: You have a dagger, I think.
Lysithea takes out the magic dagger she pulled from the troll in Ryphyet and stabs the Magic 8 Ball. The glass cracks and shatters, and the multicolored chaotic energy that they have encountered so many times before swirls around the dagger, but the darkness of the dagger overwhelms it and absorbs all of it. All that remains is a cracked glass ball. Lysithea can feel the dagger pulsing.
Lysithea: I still don’t know what would happen if I stab a person with this…
Alenia: That would be so fun to watch!
Lysithea: Right… but now I know how to destroy Rhu’s objects.
Gobbles: Excuse me, how do we destroy the dagger?
Alenia: *thinking* How do you destroy the dagger… Melt it?
Gobbles: In a particular volcano?
Lysithea: I know of a volcano!
Surina: *unintelligible stammering*
Lysithea: However, I think we shouldn’t destroy these until we’ve bested Rhu…
Gobbles: I’m just terrified the dagger is just going to suck up and consolidate all the evil energy and then someone is going to take it from us.
Lysithea: What would happen if I stab Rhu with it?
Alenia: I mean, it can’t hurt.
Lysithea: I’m hoping that it can.
Gobbles: Yeah, and then it sucks him in and then he takes possession of it and then he’s a magical dagger for all time.
Lysithea: And then we throw it into a volcano! But no, it will probably suck him up and then that stupid scout will be there and then we can throw them all into the volcano.
Alenia: Again, this is so fascinating to watch.
Surina: What do you mean by that?
Lysithea: I am now very eager to try stabbing Rhu with this thing.
Alenia: It would be so fascinating to watch. Like I have been saying, it’s great. This has been wonderful.
Lysithea: Yes, wonderful. Such a pleasure. Um…
Alenia: We have a problem, though.
Lysithea: On top of the ones we already have?
Alenia: Well, you know…
Professor: Explain yourself!
Alenia: You might have stopped it, I’m not entirely sure the spell got finished.
Lysithea: What?
Alenia: Let me explain a little. We created Rhu for fun. He was fun! But then, he got a little too chaotic and so we banished him. And then he came back.. With more power… He found something somewhere, another God to worship.
Lysithea: Is this thing triangle shaped?
Alenia: Yes.
Surina: IT’S BILL!
Alenia: It just so happens that we took care of it. We sealed him up, we sealed Rhu up, it was all great.
Lysithea: But now Rhu’s out and so is that triangle thing!
Alenia: Yes. He’s not fully powerful yet, but he’s strengthening Rhu.
Lysithea: Who’s also not fully powerful, yet.
Alenia: Right. And so we don’t want them to get together. We don’t want a reunion tour.
Lysithea: Right… So now not only do we need to find Rhu’s things before he does but we need to stop these guys from meeting.
Alenia: Both may have a similar path.
Lysithea: Does this triangle thing have a name?
Surina: Bill.
Lysithea: Cause we encountered him momentarily.
Alenia: Yes.
Professor: Is it William?
Alenia: We lost vision of you all for a bit.
Lysithea: Does he have a name?
Alenia: I don’t know. I’ll ask.
Surina: IT’S BILL!
Alenia: No, that’s copyrighted. But, there is one other issue. As you noticed, our great, wonderful jungle has gotten worse because of Rhu, but thanks to you it’s going back to normal. The plane between the caves you were in and the jungle are getting weaker because of what you did. We do have a small issue here. So, I have a deal to give you all.
The party reacts with cautious hesitation.
Alenia: You help me with this one little problem we have here, and I’ll teleport you out.
Surina: What’s the problem?
Alenia: *nonchalant* One of our favorite creatures who has been sleeping here, she’s been perfectly fine giving dreams and spreading knowledge, the spring she’s been sleeping in has been poisoned and corrupted. So, we need you to go kill what’s been corrupting the waters, and if it’s too corrupted you may have to kill her, too.
Octavia: Oh my…
Lysithea: And how would we tell if it’s too corrupted?
Alenia: If she starts attacking you.
Gobbles: Lots of things attack us.
Professor: It’s true. Makes sense. Logical.
Alenia: If she starts attacking you, I mean if you could just knock her out, that would be great, too.
Lysithea: Do you have any idea what’s been corrupting it?
Alenia: The things around it.
Lysithea: The things around it. I see. That is not helpful in any way whatsoever.
Octavia: Can you describe the things?
Alenia: They’re.. Disgusting?
Octavia: That is on par for the course.
Alenia: Things that belong in a swamp.
Octavia: Disgusting swamp things. Got it.
Lysithea: Is there anything you can tell us about these things before we… *whispers to Octavia* I’m uncomfortable making a deal with a Fey.
Octavia: Yes ma’am.
(Insight Professor 16, Lysithea Nat 20, Octavia adjusted 20, Surina 9, Gobbles 26) They can tell that Alenia fully knows what’s going on but is not telling. She feels as trustworthy as a Fey can be, but her deal is 100% honest.
Gobbles: Hey Lysithea, if she’ll teleport us anywhere we want to go, how much did you want to get into the inner safe of that Dwarf guy?
Lysithea: That’s a thought…
Gobbles: Can you teleport us twice anywhere we want to go?
Alenia: Oh, you’re bargaining.
Gobbles: I like bargains.
Professor: Can you teleport us to the end of the game?
Gobbles: See, this will help you, too, because there’s some of the Jackal’s stuff in there and we can get it.
Alenia: You want to bargain twice with me! Two teleports… it’s a possibility. What can you give me?
Gobbles: This will directly help taking out the Jackal.
Alenia: So can a lot of other things. I’m not worried about that.
Octavia: So why don’t you.. Okay… okay… *getting frustrated* I don’t like the runaround.
Gobbles: It’s like a collection place. It’s beneath a palace. There’s this Dwarf that owns it.
Alenia: Uh huh. I’ve never been there.
Octavia: She doesn’t seem impressed.
Lysithea: I’m not sure if we’re prepared to go there just yet.
Gobbles: That’s what the second teleport is for. We grab whatever we can and poke it with that dagger, I guess, and we immediately pop out before anyone finds us.
Lysithea: And on the odd chance that we are popped down there the same time the Lord Commander is there we all die.
Gobbles: No, we just leave a lot quicker.
Alenia: We’ll discuss that after you finish my job.
Gobbles: Okay…
Alenia: Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! So you’ll go take care of this problem for us, and then come meet back here when you’re done.
Lysithea: How do we know how to get there?
Alenia picks up some of the water from the spring and throws it into the air. The water begins to sprinkle through the air through the jungle, creating a path that the party can follow.
Alenia: Follow that until it stops. To get back, follow my song. As you see, these cute little beings *points to campestris* can imitate it now.
Octavia: Do you have any more important information than what you’ve given us?
Alenia: Lots.
Professor: Great.
Octavia: See, this is why my hair is falling out.
Lysithea: Well, time to go. Who would like to lead the way?
Draggy runs up front, ready to lead (survival 17). Draggy expertly leads the party through the jungle, following the path of magical sprinkle rain. Surina feels both a sense of pride at how well her brother is leading, but also envy because she wanted to lead the way. After a couple of hours of travel the party begins to hear a loud argument between two beings. The beings are arguing in Giant, which no one in the party speaks or understands. Gobbles pops on his Helm of Comprehend Languages and begins to translate for the party.
Creature 1: Where did this rain come from?
Creature 2: I don’t know, Jabber. I don’t know where this rain came from. It just started.
Jabber: Well, Jibber, it must have come from somewhere. We don’t like it.
Jibber: No, we haven’t been rained on in quite a while. We like our smell.
Gobbles :*whispering* There’s some jibber jabber up ahead.
Lysithea: What are they saying?
Gobbles: Mmmmmmmmmmmm… It’s a Jibber and a Jabber.
Lysithea: What does that mean?
Gobbles: Those are their names.
Lysithea: And what are they fighting about?
Gobbles: The wet stuff coming down.
Octavia: I wonder if I can stealth closer and listen.
Lysithea: Do you speak giant?
Gobbles: Here, take this.
Gobbles hands Octavia his Helm of Comprehend Languages.
Octavia: Too bad I can’t go invisible…
Professor: Hi. Hi. It’s me, the Professor. *boops Octavia’s snoot*
Professor casts Invisibility on Octavia. He then immediately bumps into Octavia.
Professor: Where did you go?
Octavia: I haven’t moved yet…
With the Invisibility herself, Octavia sneaks forward into a clearing. She sees a large, giant like creature with two heads arguing with itself about the rain.
Jibber: The river has been tasting funny.
Jabber: Yes. This water doesn’t taste as funny, but we can’t collect it.
Jibber: But what if we get a skull and just… hold it out.
Jabber: But where will we find the skulls to collect it?
Octavia stifles a laugh at the two-headed giant figuring out how to make a cup. Octavia telepathically communicates to the party the sight that she sees. She also relays that the path they need to follow goes straight through this giant’s territory. The party was specifically told to follow the path, so they all silently agree that they must go through. Gobbles tries to creep up to where Octavia is (Gobbles stealth 28, Octavia stealth Nat20, Gobbles investigation Nat1), but can’t seem to find the invisible Ranger. He does, however, find some bear tracks.
Gobbles: These must be Octavia’s.
He assumes that she found some way to disguise her tracks.
Gobbles: Wow, she’s really good.
Octavia, knowing that she is in a safe spot, telepathically lets the party know her exact location so that they can join her. Surina decides to approach first (stealth 7). The Paladin tiptoes as gracefully as she can, but her armor makes quite a bit of sound. Professor (stealth 6) trips on the invisible Octavia, and Lysithea (stealth 9) then trips over Professor. They all look at the to see if either head has heard commotion, but they are too busy arguing to notice.
Jabber: I think I may have heard something, Jibber.
Jibber: No you didn’t. It’s just the rain.
Surina: I wonder what would happen if we got one step closer…
Octavia: We have to stay on the path. We have no choice but to approach. I’ll stay invisible, just in case we need an extra surprise.
Octavia climbs a tree to act as back up and to scout ahead (perception 22). In two of the other trees she sees two large, sleeping Owlbears. She immediately telepathically tells the rest of the party to stay as quiet as possible so as to not awaken the sleeping Owlbears. She also continues to translate for the party.
Jabber: So, Jibber, we find little beings…
Jibber: Maybe big beings, Jabber?
Jabber: Well, if we can. And we kill them for their skulls.
Surina: Oh no…
Jibber: Yes. Yes, the skulls. And we catch the rain water.
Gobbles: I like my skull…
Professor: You do have a very nice skull.
Surina: We’re the closest things where they are!
Jibber: We get Tweedle and Twaddle to go hunt people down.
Jabber: Yes!
Octavia: That answers that question. I’m glad I got in the trees…
(Arcana Lysithea 21, Professor 13; Nature Octavia 17) This creature is an Ettin, a 2 headed giant. They know that when one head sleeps the other is awake. On the ground behind it are a Battleaxe and a Morning Star. The party doesn’t know how long the path of magical rain water will last, so they decide to attack while they still have the element of surprise. Not wanting to make noise, Lysithea starts with Tasha’s Mind Whip. Somehow the Ettin is able to save from the attack, but Jabber still takes 5 psychic damage.
Jabber: Rargh, I got a headache!
Jibber: What type of headache, Jabber?
Jabber: Well, Jibber, it’s like when you eat something cold!
Surina casts Hunter’s Mark on the Ettin, and from the shadows throws a javelin (attack 13). The javelin sails through the air and strikes the Ettin in the chest for 12 damage.
Jibber: OH, OW! Where did this come from?!
Surina throws another javelin (attack 14), landing in Jabber’s arm for 6 more damage.
Jabber: OW! OW!
Gobbles, being incredibly sneaky (stealth 22), dashes behind the Ettin, skitters up to their weapons and picks up the comically-too-big-for-him Battleaxe. With a tight grip, Gobbles Misty Steps 30ft up into a vacant tree. He looks around quickly to make sure there’s not a third Owlbear, then snickers to himself victoriously as he hugs the giant weapon.
Jibber: WHAT WAS THAT?!
Professor: Draw their attention!
From the cover of the trees and Invisibility, Octavia fires at the Ettin using her Whisper Bow (attack 24, 26). Her psychic arrows pierce Jibber and Jabber for 8 and 7 psychic damage, and Octavia maintains her invisibility. As they get hit, Professor unleashes Spider Bro and has him fire at Jibber and Jabber (attack 12), striking for 15 force damage and pushing them 5ft back. (Initiative Professor 13, Lysithea 20, Gobbles 18, Surina 19, Octavia 19)
Begin Ettin Battle
Lysithea casts Ray of Sickness at the Ettin (attack 27). The ray deals 7 poison damage, and Jibber and Jabber are now poisoned.
Octavia: *whispering to herself* See what happens when you threaten to take my skull and make it a cup.
Surina charges from her hiding spot, then Misty Steps to appear right in front of the Ettin.
Surina: GOODBYE FOREVER!
Her Flametongue sword ignites, and she swings it fiercely at her target (attack 10), but she didn’t quite have her aim ready after Misty Stepping. She swings again (attack 14) and her strike lands true, dealing 8 slashing and 8 fire damage. Octavia releases 2 more arrows at the Ettin (attack 11, 28). Her first arrow goes high, but the second hits for 5 psychic damage. Her frustration at missing causes her to lose invisibility (constitution save 8).
Gobbles: Maybe you guys should try to put your heads together to find a solution for this!
Gobbles casts Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, but the Ettin seems unphased.
Jibber: Put our heads together? That was a bad joke.
Jabber: We’ve heard that one already!
From the trees the party can hear Octavia’s fake laughter. The Ettin picks up his Morning Star and swings at Surina, but she ducks and dodges the attack. They scramble for the Battleaxe but cannot find it, so instead they take a swinging punch at Surina, but the fist just crashes against her armor.
Jibber: HEY! TWEEDLE AND TWADDLE GET DOWN HERE!
Professor strategically places himself between the two Owlbears, still in the trees, and casts Bane. Spider Bro then moves up 15 feet and fires at the Ettin (attack 23), dealing 6 damage and pushing Jibber-Jabber back 5 feet. Tweedle jumps down from the tree and starts to peck at Surina, but Bane is doing its job and the pecks do not make contact. Twaddle jumps down and surrounds Surina, but she is able to avoid any and all pecks from the Owlbear. Lysithea steps out from the trees, but still keeps her distance, and casts Scorching Ray at Tweedle (attack 18, Nat20, 15). All three rays strike Tweedle in the hide for 7, 17, and 5 fire damage, respectively. Surina squeezes through the Owlbears to strike at Jibber-Jabber. Tweedle takes a swing at her, but she is too fast! Surina swings her sword at the Etting (attack 11), but she swings wide. Frustrated, she lunges at Jibber-Jabber (attack adjusted 20) and stabs him for 8 slashing, 8 fire, and 9 Hunter’s Mark damage (we forgot about it the first time so DM/dad let her roll it this time). Octavia, no longer invisible, casts Hunter’s Mark on Jibber-Jabber, then fires at him (attack Nat1); however, the arrow releases and falls straight down, like a dead weight. She stares confused at the fallen arrow for a second, then fires again (17). This time her arrow strikes, dealing 12 piercing damage. Gobbles shoots some celebratory fireworks and shoots some Magic Missiles into the Ettin’s back. The first missile hits for 5 damage, and Jibber-Jabber falls over dead. Octavia looks around excitedly, hoping that Tweedle and Twaddle would flee after their “master” fell, but let out a disappointed, “Awwww,” when they continued to attack. Gobbles then fires the remaining two arrows at one of the Owlbears for 8 more damage. Professor keeps his distance and fires his crossbow at one of the Owlbears, but both of his arrows go wide. He then has Spider-Bro move forward, perfectly positioning itself between the two owlbears, then fires (attack 16). The blast hits for 20 force damage, defeating Tweedle.
Octavia: Bye, hoot-hoot-bear!
Only Twaddle remains. Twaddle continues to attack its closest target, Surina, but no matter how hard it tries it cannot hit Surina, thanks to Professor’s Bane.
Professor: TAKE IT DOWN!
Lysithea casts Firebolt as a Twinned Spell at Twaddle (attack 13, adjusted 20). Both bolts hit for a combined total of 31 fire damage. Octavia quickly transfers her Hunter’s Mark to Twaddle, then shoots her longbow at him (attack 18). The arrow pierces Twaddles side for 18 damage, then quickly fires again (attack 21), hitting for 12 more damage. Twaddle is still hanging on to life! Surina rushes forward swinging her sword (attack 26), and with one mighty stab of 11 damage, slays Twaddle.
Octavia: WOOOO! No more hoot-hoot-bear.
End Ettin Battle
All that was left behind by Jibber, Jabber, Tweedle, and Twaddle was a collection of bones, but no skulls. Gobbles hops down out of the tree carrying the giant battleaxe.
Gobbles: Hey guys, can we do anything with this?
Lysithea: That depends. Can Draggy carry it?
Surina: I can carry it, maybe.
While digging through the bones, collecting various sized phalanges, Octavia finds a small vial filled with a silverish liquid. Professor grabs the potion and inspects it (arcana 25) and immediately recognizes it as Hardening Polish. Coating a weapon in this polish causes the weapon to count as adamantium, which can bypass most resistances, for one hour. Amongst the bones they also find an Explorer’s League badge.
Lysithea: It’s not a High Explorer badge. A scout probably died here because they jump first and ask questions as they fall. Gobbles, you wanted to be an explorer? Here you go.
Gobbles: Yes! This counts!
Surina: What now?
Lysithea: Well, we magically seemed to have stayed on this rain path as we attacked those things, which is fascinating. We need to keep following it.
The party continues to follow the magical path of rain. As they press further on the smell gradually gets worse and worse. They eventually come across a clearing with a giant pond. The water, that should be clear, is bubbling green with black streaks running through it.
Surina: Eeewwwww…
Lysithea: I think we found it.
On a small island in the middle of the bond they see a husk of a dragon, breathing heavily and barely clinging to life. (Perception Gobbles 4, Lysithea Nat 20, Professor 17, Octavia adjusted 20, Surina 22) The colors of the dragon are strange, constantly shifting between blue and green. They’ve never seen a dragon or scales like this. Thistle lets out a gasp.
Gobbles: What’s happening?
Thistle: *whispering* That’s a moonstone dragon! But it looks sick.
Lysithea starts scanning the area for whatever is causing the ick. She sees swimming around in the corrupted water Venom Trolls, and another troll-like creature off to the side drinking from it. (Arcana/nature Lysithea 17, Octavia 23, Surina 18) They know that Venom Trolls can regenerate unless hit with certain things, usually fire. The other troll-like creature is a Rot Troll, its flesh sloshing off of its body.
Lysithea: If you have fire spells, use them.
Surina: I have fire breath and a fire sword!
The trolls notice the party immediately as they approach.
Begin Troll Battle (Ew)
Lysithea: FIREBALL!
Surina: Hey, save one for me!
Lysithea hurls a mighty, purple Fireball at the two Venom Trolls.
Lysithea: *singing* Purple fire from me!
Surina: Lysithea is all about fire.
The trolls may have seen the party, but they did not expect a Fireball, and take 31 fire damage each. When the Fireball hits their bodies secret more venom, which oozes into the water, causing the party to simultaneously gag. Surina casts her Hunter’s Mark on the Rot Troll and charges forward, hurling 2 javelins as she runs (attack 14, 16). The first javelin goes wide, but the second hits for 9 damage and some of its skin falls off. Octavia sets her gaze on the Rot Trolls as well, casting Hunter’s Mark on it before firing 2 arrows at it (attack 22, 23). Both arrows pierce its side for a combined total of 15 damage. Gobbles moves to the edge of the water and follows Surina and Octavia’s lead, casting Hunter’s Mark on one of the Venom Trolls. He then casts Compelled Duel, which the troll immediately falls for.
Gobbles: I GOT THIS GUY! *points to troll* You, me, we’re gonna punch each other to death!
Professor: Safely, if possible, I would also like to cast Fireball.
Professor makes some quick calculations, and aims where he can hit the Rot Troll and the Venom Troll not currently in a duel. This time the Rot Troll saw it coming and took only 21 damage, but the Venom Troll still had no idea and took the full 42 fire damage. Spider-Bro then attacks the same Venom Troll (attack 14), but the attack goes wide. The compelled troll starts making its way towards Gobbles, staying in the water. Gobbles bashes his warhammer on his shield.
Gobbles: BRING IT!
The venom that has been excreted gets absorbed back into the troll, who then takes a slice out of its own arm with its jagged claw (Gobbles Constitution saving throw 8). The troll then hurls the poison coming out of the wound at Gobbles, who takes 18 poison damage and becomes poisoned. The troll then bursts more poison from being “hit” causing Gobbles to take 11 more damage. Gobbles reacts with Hellish Rebuke, upcast at 3rd level, dealing 14 fire damage to the troll. The other Venom Troll approaches Gobbles, also staying in the water. It swings its claw at Gobbles, hitting him for 16 slashing and 2 poison damage. The troll swings its other claw at Gobbles (attack Nat20) for 19 slashing and 1 poison damage. On a scale from okay to dead, Gobbles has 1HP left. The troll then bites at Gobbles, but he luckily dodges out of the way.
Gobbles: Gobbles getting ganked! I need an adult! This was a mistake!
The Rot Troll starts moving towards Surina.
Surina: YES!
The Rot Troll takes a huge bite out of Surina, dealing 10 piercing and 18 necrotic damage. The troll then swings its claws at Surina, but she uses her shield to block both attacks. Lysithea sees Gobbles in danger and knows that if she attacks, the trolls will splash and further hurt her Goblin friend, so she decides to hold her action until he gets healed or is a safe distance away. She begins to cast a spell, but holds it just before it finishes. Surina lunges at the Rot Troll with her sword (attack 22), dealing 5 slashing, 9 fire, and 6 Hunter’s Mark damage. The attack cuts off part of the troll, but the flames sear it, so it cannot regenerate. She swings again (attack 10), but the troll ducks out of the way. Octavia continues to volley arrows into the Rot Troll (attack 18, 15). One arrow pierces the troll for 15 damage, but the other lands in the sludge by its feet. Gobbles disengages with the Venom Trolls and slow motion jumps away as he nods to Lysithea, who releases her Wall of Fire. She sends the 20ft high wall straight through the trolls, who cannot dodge out of the way, just in front of Surina so that she does not take damage. Gobbles ends the compelled duel and casts Lay on Hands on himself to heal for 20HP as all three trolls take 35 fire damage from the wall of purple flame. Professor can no longer see the trolls thanks to the wall, so he prepares a bombardment for when they step through the wall. The Rot Troll steps through the wall and tries to hit Surina. The bite and first claw attack scrape off her armor, but the second claw attack hits her for 11 slashing and 4 necrotic damage. The first of 2 Venom Trolls steps through the wall, and Professor releases his crossbow bolts. The first one misses, disappearing into the flames, but the second one hits (attack 16) for 4 piercing damage and knocks the troll back 15 feet through the Wall of Fire, causing it to take 33 more fire damage. The Venom Troll goes up in flames, dead with no chance of regeneration. Spider-Bro then fires at the Rot Troll (attack 18) for 16 points of force damage, also knocking it back 5 feet. The remaining Venom Troll wants to munch on the spider and tries to bite Spider-Bro, but its teeth break on the metal legs. Frustrated, it claws at Spider-Bro, hitting for 18 slashing damage. It becomes more frustrated when it realizes that the “spider” is immune to its poison.
The party notices the pool of sludge creeping closer and closer to the dragon. Lysithea releases the wall, then fires 3 Scorching Rays at the hungry Venom Troll (attacked adjusted 20, 19, nat20). Each ray gets bigger and bigger as she blasts, hitting for 6, then 7, then 17 fire damage. The troll still stands.
Lysithea: Kick it! Smash it! Fuego it!
Surina stabs at the Rot Troll (attack 24), slicing for 8 slashing and 7 fire damage. The Rot Troll goes down in flame, unable to regen. Surina quickly turns and throws a javelin at the last troll (attack 11), but she turns slightly too far and the javelin goes too far left. Octavia quickly transfers her Hunter’s Mark to the Venom Troll and fires (attack 20, 11) and hits with one arrow for 12 damage. Gobbles, freshly healed, contemplates his next move.
Gobbles: Hmm, I can’t force a Hellish Rebuke without taking damage… How much damage can I take… How does the troll look…? I’m angry at this thing…
Gobbles puts his shield down and pulls out a sawed-off battleaxe, which he had taken from the Ettin and quickly shortened the hilt. He takes a big gulp, knowing that if he hits he will be splattered with poison, ignites Green Flame Blade, and charges at the troll (attack 16). He pops Fury of the Small with his hit, and cuts off the head of the troll, with enough fire damage to prevent regen. He gets splashed with 15 poison damage as the headless troll falls into the bubbling pool.
End Troll Battle
Surina rushes over to Gobbles and heals him 20 with Lay on Hands. Professor simultaneously casts Cure Wounds on Gobbles, healing him an additional 16. Octavia walks over and casts Cure Wounds on Surina, healing her for 9. The party then all begin checking each other to make sure they are okay, talking about how proud they are of each other for a job well done. After taking a collective breath, they look over and see that the corrupted water has begun to subside away from the dragon. The water is still gross, but the magical rain that led them here begins to pour harder and clears away the corruption. Gobbles wants to help and casts Purify Food and Drink on the water, which boosts the effect of the rain and speeds the process. The water slowly becomes clear, and shines like crystal. The dragon takes a deep breath, and opens one eye…
To be continued… End Session
Check Out
Spotlight on Another Player:
- Miranda: Ian for pushing the troll back into the Wall of Fire.
- Ian: Miranda for casting Wall of Fire.
- Kevin: Ian causing the things to pop in the fire for this battle and having Spider Bro do a lot of damage in the first one!
- Liz: Miranda for that fuego wall!
- Cordelia: Liz for sneaking to the Ettin and finding the owlbears in the tree.
- Justice: Kevin, and I’m thanking him, too, for moving in and actually giving me the chance to use the mechanics on the venom trolls.
Challenge or Something Learned:
- Miranda: I finally used Wall of Fire. I’ve had it for a while.
- Ian: I really need to start rolling better initiative so I can start de-buffing these monsters earlier.
- Kevin: Trolls are trolly. Trolls gonna troll.
- Liz: I need to learn how to be invisible. I was excited but didn’t know what to do with it.
- Cordelia: My dice not liking me in the beginning.
- Justice: I’m learning balance now that you’re level 9.
Hope or Prediction for Next Session:
- Miranda: I am excited to interact with the moonstone dragon.
- Ian: I just have no idea what’s gonna happen. I got nothing.
- Kevin: I’m also looking forward to the interaction with the moonstone dragon.
- Liz: I have to say the same. This is another dragon I’m excited to meet.
- Cordelia: I just can’t wait to get out of the jungle. I want to teleport, cause I really need to get out of this place.
- Justice: Getting out of the jungle! I loved making the jungle, let’s move on.
Analysis: Cordelia was on FIRE this session! Her rolls at the beginning of the session were not as high as she liked, but she took it with stride. She got really excited for the second combat, hoping to roll better. She has been doing a lot better with role play, getting into character a lot more often, but what stood out to me this session was that she was actually annunciating her words. Usually she talks in a silly, mumbled voice when she speaks as Surina (except for when she shouts her catchphrase), and we sometimes have a hard time understanding or hearing her. Today, she was still talking in that voice, but she spoke a lot more clearly. It would have made her speech teacher proud. This analysis section is here to keep track of Cordelia’s progress with confidence, anxiety, and her growth as a player and person, but I also today have to mention Liz’s growth! I mentioned a long time ago that this is her first ever experience with a TTRPG. She is still getting used to the mechanics of the game and would often hold back. But today she was in the element! She was asking questions when she didn’t understand, and roleplayed a LOT! I love watching my daughter grow and learn, but I also love seeing my friends grow and have fun with the experience, too.