Check In Question: If you could instantly learn a new skill, what skill would you learn?
- Miranda: The ability to draw hands and clothing. Lysithea would learn people skills.
- Hannah: I would love to learn guitar. Alba would love to get rid of her stutter.
- Kevin: I would like to learn how to art. Gobbles would like the trade skill of turning into animals.
- Justice: I would like to learn how to draw, especially things that happen in game. Dirs would like to be able to use the skill of extremely high level magic, not just high level magic.
- Liz: I would like to learn how to properly focus on something because I have no focus anymore. Octavia would like to improve her dancing skills.
- Cordelia: I have two. Jumping off the swing and landing on my feet, not my head. And to get better at drawing. Surina wants to be braver talking to people.
- Victor: Cartwheels. Blobby wants to get good at balloon tag.
When we last left they party, they had delved into a very weird dungeon in the caves under Pupbaatt. In the final room of the dungeon they encountered and defeated an elder, evil blob that was clogging the water system. The room is slowly starting to fill with pure, clean water.
Lysithea: Well, I think we fixed the water problem. We should leave now.
Gobbles takes a look around at the clean water, then takes a lick of his new “lollipop”, the Slime Sword.
Lysithea: Gobbles… Let’s leave this place. ‘Tis a silly place.
As the party makes their way out of the dungeon they notice that the caves around the dungeon are beginning to crumble. The party quickens their pace so that they do not get trapped. Their trot goes into a run as the caves are now filling with water, becoming a well once again. The Tabaxi townsfolk begin to gather outside the cave entrance, wondering what is going on.
Alba Mooneye has been traveling the lands, making her way towards Pupbaatt. She narrowly dodges combat with Kobold warbands by flying, keeping her heavy Cleric armor tucked away. The flies over the farmlands and comes to land near the entrance of the heavily fortified city. Upon landing she sees a giant, clockwork, tank-like vehicle, with a giant dragon head on the front, and flames with “Surina and the Crystal Gems” painted on the side. She gives the vehicle a sideways glance, then approaches the city entrance gate and the two bored looking guards standing watch.
Alba: E-e-e-excuse me, my name is A-A-Alba and I am here to right any w-w-wrongs that may have occurred.
The guards nod at each other. One of them licks his lips a little, looking at the little bird.
Guard: We have a party here who did just that. They went down into the caves, we haven’t seen them in a bit, though. The entrance fee is… 2 gold.
Alba: E-e-entrance fee?
Guard: Yes, you need to pay an entrance fee. Do you have a day ticket?
Alba: Day ticket?
Guard: Yeah, to enter.
The completely spineless Alba pays the 2 gold.
Guard: Dang, should have asked for more… You can enter.
Entering the town Alba sees the giant temple to Bastet and the arena, but she here’s quite a big commotion and all of the townsfolk running to the back of the city. Normally she would visit the temple first, or check in with the administration of the town, but Alba decides to follow the mob of Tabaxi to see what the commotion is. She arrives in time to see a band of adventurers running up from a cave as it fills with water.
Lysithea: I hate this city…
Octavia: I’m starting to hate running.
Gobbles: We did it! Everyone, convert to Bahamut, we did it!
Lysithea: Nope, nope, nope, Gobbles, I get to do it. WE HAVE JUST CURED YOUR CURSE! There was a giant blob clogging your well.
Octavia: What she said.
Lysithea: It’s gone now. You have water again.
Alba takes in the sight of a Goblin wearing orange armor, a purple Tiefling with white hair who is constantly phasing in and out, an Elf Ranger with red hair standing with a panther, and a rather large gold Dragonborn with a shield of Bahamut and a flaming sword. Standing just behind the strange adventurers is a strange, jiggling, purple blob-like creature. The adventurers seem unaware of its presence, but slowly turn around when they hear it jiggle.
Lysithea: AH!
Octavia: Wait, wait, wait, the blob came with us?
Lysithea: No, that is a different blob.
Gobbles starts looking back and forth between this blob creature and his slime blade. The blob makes a big gushing sound, as if it is trying to communicate. Lysithea pokes it, and it jiggles happily. Looking inside the blob they can see Gobbles’s warhammer that he dropped when he picked up his new slime sword.
Lysithea: Surina, what do you think of this blob thing?
Surina: I like it!
Octavia: I don’t know if I like it…
The townsfolk begin thanking the adventurers for everything they have done for the town. The temple priest steps forward.
Priest: Thank you again. You gave us entertainment, you brought us riches, and now you have brought us water! We will throw a celebration for you!
Gobbles: Yay!
Octavia: Do we have to…
Lysithea: Pay?
Octavia: … work this celebration for no reward whatsoever?
Priest: No, no, no! We’ll throw the party at The Cat’s Paw…
Octavia: I do like The Cat’s Paw.
It is at this moment that the party realizes they are still wearing their cat ears and tails from their first dining experience at The Cat’s Paw. Lysithea and Surina quickly take off their cat ears and toss them.
Priest: So, we will throw the celebration at The Cat’s Paw! We will meet you there!
Surina: Oh no, the “meow meow”. It drove me coo-coo like a cuckoo clock.
The crowd begins to disperse. Having encountered adventuring parties before, and seeing this group looking a little roughed up, Alba decides to approach.
The party sees a 3ft tall Owlin, very uncomfortable in chain mail, holding a standard made for a full grown human approach them. Her face is that of a barn owl, her feathers a creamy white, and she has a crest of feathers that are shiny silver, almost platinum, in color.
Alba: E-e-excuse me, brave adventurers, are you in n-need of healing?
Octavia: Oh, it’s so cute! It’s so cute! Look at its little owl face!
Lysithea: Healing would actually be nice.
Octavia: Yes, yes, yes, but it’s cute!
Abla: Oh… *little concerned sounds*
Lysithea: You don’t work in this town, do you?
Alba: I-I am on a j-j-j-journey to become, well, I am on a journey to… to… sort of… well I’m here to heal! That’s what I do.
Lysithea: Do you heal headaches? I have the worst headache from… being in this town.
Surina and Gobbles see Alba’s standard flying the flag of Bahamut.
Gobbles: Woooaaaah… Hi, I’m Gobbles the Goblin. It worked! I already have a convert to Bahamut. Cool. *licks slime sword*
Surina: What happened to “nice to meet you”?
Alba: Uh…
The multi-colored fairy dragon perched on top of Gobbles’s head, wearing a top hat and monocle, suddenly becomes visible and sticks his face at Alba’s.
Thistle: Oh, a new friend! Hi new friend!
Gobbles: I…
Octavia: Nonono, my turn. She’s cute, I hug. *picks up Alba and hugs*
Alba: I… uh… *panicked, exasperated breathing*
Thistle: Oh, another new friend!
Thistle flies over to the blob creature and tries to land on it.
Gobbles: I don’t know if that’s a good idea.
Octavia: No, don’t get attached to that one.
The blob jiggles.
Alba: Have I introduced myself? I can’t remember. My n-n-name is A-A-Alba. If you need healing I can do that several ways.
Lysithea: We just came out of a terrible place. Yes please.
Alba Channels Divinity. She plants her standard in the ground and 2 snaking waves of sparkling silver energy swirl around the staff, racing to the top, then pop in a crackling firework. The party is suddenly cured of all their woes and feel fully refreshed.
Octavia: Cuuuuuute!
Lysithea: Thank you. That was very helpful. Do you happen to have any idea what that thing is? *points to the blob*
Alba: (Arcana 21) H-he appears to b-be a h-humanoid plasmoid.
Lysithea: Uh huh. Gobbles, did you do that?
Gobbles: I think so.
The blob begins to shift into different forms, from spider to human, then back to its blobby-original state.
Gobbles: I can communicate telepathically with ooze things!
Lysithea: Because of your sword! Give me that thing. I want to inspect it real quick to make sure you aren’t going to die from licking it.
Gobbles: It’s delicious!
Lysithea: You think everything is delicious! (Arcana 17 – he is immune to the sword poison) Gobbles, I can’t believe it, but you finally found an ooze that’s actually safe for you to drink.
Gobbles: All of them are. They’re just a lot spicier.
Surina: Gobbles…
Alba begins to slowly back away from the strange Goblin.
Lysithea: Well, uh, blob-thing… Does the blob-thing have a name?
Gobbles telepathically to blob: Hi, I’m Gobbles the Goblin, nice to meet you.
Blob: I don’t know. You can call me anything you want.
Gobbles relays the blob’s response to the party.
Octavia: That’s cute, it doesn’t have a name. We should give it one.
Lysithea: What if we call you Blobby?
The blob transforms into a cube, showing that it likes the name.
Gobbles: Where is Professor?
Lysithea: The dungeon got too weird for him, so he’s probably with the car. Where’s Draggy?
Surina freaks out for a second, but then remembers that she shares a special bond with her brother and knows that he is safe. He probably ran out to either defeat some monsters or to help Professor. The Priest approaches the party, finding them still at the entrance to the cave.
Priest: Well, it was short notice, but we have a celebration ready for you at The Cat’s Paw.
Lysithea: Great…
Octavia: THE CAT’S PAW! I’m excited.
Surina: Please, not with the “meow meow”. I will turn into a cuckoo clock!
Gobbles readjusts his cat ears, which he still wears, and trots off towards The Cat’s Paw. Octavia quickly runs ahead, excited to visit her new favorite place. Lysithea and Surina reluctantly follow. Seeing that the invitation is all inclusive, Alba and Blobby follow their new acquaintances.
Octavia leaves Onza outside so that she will not eat the cats. As they approach the neon-rainbow music can be heard blasting from the inside.
Lysithea: Ugh, I just got rid of my headache…
The Tabaxi hostess greets the party and offers them complimentary cat ears and tails. Gobbles happily accepts and is now wearing two sets of each. Lysithea takes the ears, but once again declines the tail, showing them her own. Octavia giggles happily as she puts on her cat accessories, then turns to the window and gives Onza two big thumbs up. Abla puts the ears on and, not knowing how to wear the tail, puts it on and shoves it into her tail feathers. The hostess, who is wearing her own set of ears and tail on top of her natural ones, hands a set to Blobby. Blobby eats the accessories, which begin to float around in his blob form.
Lysithea: I like this blob.
Surina: Me too.
Surina does not want the ears or tail and feeds hers to Blobby. The group is seated at a large table, where a large, orange tabby cat is waiting to dine with them.
Waitress: Here is Sir Lord Kitty Meowstick.
Octavia: A rotisserie chicken!
Alba, having just met the group, doesn’t know where to sit so she stands awkwardly in a corner.
Waitress: So, meow meow, we have a great feast for you all, meow meow.
Surina begins to stutter and stumble, trying to contain her annoyance at all of the meowing. Servers bring a massive spread of Kitty Kats in a wide assortment of flavors to the table. Lysithea orders giant milk teas for the table. They are brought comically oversized drinks with straws long enough to accommodate.
Waitress: Here are our finest meow meow milk teas, meow meow.
Octavia: Oh, meow meow, thank you, meow meow.
Lysithea: Oh no, they’ve gotten Octavia…
Octavia: You knew this was coming!
Gobbles picks up Sir Lord Kitty Meowstick, which is about the size of Gobbles, and brings it over and shoves it into Alba’s face
Gobbles: Here! Did you meet this cat?
Alba: Ahh!
Octavia: Gobbles, meow meow, I think you should leave the owl alone, meow meow…
Surina: Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Octavia: … because it’s a cat, meow meow, and a bird, meow meow.
Gobbles: Owl do that.
Lysithea pulls up a chair in between herself and Surina and offers Alba a seat. The little Owlin graciously accepts and joins the party at the table.
Lysithea: Let me explain. This is a Gobbles.
Octavia: Meow meow.
Lysithea: And he… just, don’t let him eat things he shouldn’t and just… go with it.
Octavia: It’s like having a really, really smart toddler. How old is he really?
Lysithea: We actually don’t know… But if anything happens to him I will murder and light things on fire. He is very dear to us.
Octavia: Yes, we protect.
Lysithea: He’s very useful. It’s shocking. But he’s… Gobbles.
Octavia: He’s very useful!
Lysithea: He is! He does this thing where he hits things with his hammer and they just explode.
Gobbles: I got a lollipop now. It’s not a hammer. My hammer’s in that guy. *points to Blobby*
Lysithea: He collects oozes and then drinks them. He was raised on Hydra-Meat burgers and I think that has a lot to do with it.
(Alba intelligence 10) Alba had not yet come across any of the greasy fast-food chain franchises in her travels.
Alba: We h-had nothing like that at the t-t-temple.
Lysithea: I hadn’t heard of it, either, until I met Gobbles. It’s his favorite food, and I think it’s all he ate as a baby.
Gobbles, hearing the magic words, breaks out into the Hydra-Meat jingle.
Gobbles: Hydra-Meat, Hydra-Meat! Hydra-Meat’s not made of meat! Hydra-Meat, Hydra-Meat! Victory and not defeat! Eat the meat! It’s real meat!
Lysithea: Anyway… he’s a Gobbles and just go with it.
Alba: Well, as a follower of Bahamut he can’t be a-a-all bad.
Gobbles: I’m a Paladin of Bahamut!
Alba: A-are you?
Gobbles: Yes!
Lysithea: He actually is…
Alba: H-h-how many years have you s-studied?
Gobbles: What are years?
Alba double face-palms, because she has spent her entire life studying.
Lysithea: He actually converted some Kobolds in another terrible city to follow Bahamut. Surina, here, is a… a… *tries not to insult Gobbles* PALADIN of Bahamut. But, um… yes. We have actually all received a blessing from Bahamut.
Alba, face in palms, is completely mortified that this Goblin that has not studied in the ritual ways of Bahamut has already had more conversions than she has, which is none.
Gobbles: My village had a vast library. It had two whole books!
Alba sinks further into her hands.
Gobbles: Real books! With words and everything!
Lysithea: He believes in the power of Bahamut with his entire being. Show her your shield Gobbles.
Gobbles proudly holds up his shield of Bahamut, which shows the image of Bahamut and Gobbles holding a shield with the image of Bahamut and Gobbles holding a shield with the image of Bahamut and Gobbles holding a shield… into infinity. The image, and envy, slightly breaks Alba’s brain.
Lysithea: Like I said, he is… a Paladin of Bahamut. But Surina is a Paladin of Bahamut.
Alba: I see.
Gobbles: Should I give this cat… *offers cat his sword as if it’s a popsicle*
Lysithea: No Gobbles! It will… The cat has its own food.
Suddenly, Lysithea can feel the map pulsing from her bag.
Lysithea: We gotta wrap up the party… Hey guys!
Surina: What?
Octavia: What’s up Lysithea?
Lysithea: We need to go check our map.
Octavia: It’s making a vibrating thing?
Lysithea: Yeah.
Surina: It’s time to do our job!
Octavia: Where should we go to check the map?
Lysithea: I don’t know. We didn’t sleep in the hotel because they were trying to rip us off, so we slept in the caves, which are now under water. But we need to leave. *stands up* WHAT A LOVELY PARTY THIS WAS. THANK YOU. *chugs the rest of her giant milk tea* I’M GOING TO TAKE SOME KITTY KATS TO GO. Blobby, come with us.
Lysithea feeds her cat ears to Blobby. Gobbles happily keeps his. The party quickly, and somewhat awkwardly, gets up and leaves The Cat’s Paw. In their rush, Alba is swept in and is forced out with them. They decide to head to the temple, where they can hopefully check the map in peace.
In the quiet sanctum of the temple, Lysithea pulls out the magic map that alerts the party to the whereabouts of Rhu’s artifacts. The blip on the map over the Moford Mountains is now pulsing bigger and brighter than it was before.
Lysithea: Guys, we gotta go.
Octavia: But kittens!
Lysithea: But bad, bad map.
Octavia: I know…
Lysithea suddenly sees Alba sitting with them, looking at the map.
Lysithea: Oh, hi… Um…
Octavia: We kept the cute one!
Lysithea: You seem competent, and like you want to do good things, right?
Alba: That-that is my purpose in life.
Lysithea: Uh, hey, you wanna go help us find and destroy something from an evil chaos god before it comes back and tries to murder the planet?
Alba: That is, perhaps, w-what I am d-destined to do!
Lysithea: Great! You’re coming with us! Let’s go.
Gobbles: Yay! To the Truckasaurus!
The party, joined with Professor, is now on their way to the Moford Mountains via Truckasaurus. Gobbles takes some time to properly introduce Alba to Thistle.
Gobbles: This is Thistle.
Thistle: Thistle Winkle Frost! *bows and tips his tophat*
Gobbles: Thistle’s a dragon, too. I think he’s, like, a second cousin to Bahamut. Or maybe not. I don’t know.
Lysithea: *whispers to Alba* Gobbles thinks Thistle is his patron. It’s actually this Fey woman that Thistle is friends with. Just go along with it. Gobbles is a warlock, too.
Alba: He’s a warlock, too?!
Lysithea: Yes, that is part of Gobbles. This is why he is a Gobbles. I don’t think even Gobbles can keep track of what he can do at this point.*
*I don’t think even Kevin can keep track of Gobbles at this point. Kevin: My Gobbles document is 3,866 words at this point. He’s a simple rogue/bard/paladin/sorcerer/warlock/cleric/druid.
Lysithea: But he thinks the dragon is his patron, even though we’ve met his actual patron, so just go with it.
The party gets about halfway from Pupbaatt when the Truckasaurus begins to sputter and comes to a stop.
Gobbles: What’s going on?
Professor: I think it’s over heated.
Lysithea: Professor, can you fix it?
Professor: It will take some time.
Lysithea: That’s time we don’t have.
Octavia: Time to go on foot.
Lysithea: I guess we’ll meet you back here, then. At least it’s not the jungle.
On their trek to the Moford Mountains the party begins to fill in Alba with the history of their adventures, from the purple comet and Queen Themaphila, to the Battle of the Bands, to the scout and how he unleashed Rhu unto the world and their adventures to destroy Rhu’s artifacts.
After walking about a mile the party feels a sudden surge of power. (Arcana Lysithea 25, Surina 11, Gobbles 26, Blobby 9, Octavia 5) The power feels very familiar, other worldly in nature. Lysithea immediately casts Mage Armor. Ahead of them a form appears – the form of an Aeorian Absorber, just like the one the party fought in the exhibition match in Pupbaatt. 2 more absorbers soon form behind the first one. Gobbles and Lysithea quickly inform Alba what they learned from their previous fight with an absorber and how it can throw magic spells back at them.
Gobbles: Alba, these cats are slightly different from the ones in town.
Alba: Uh huh…
(Initiative Surina 17, Gobbles 13, Alba 12, Blobby 19, Lysithea Ns1at20 + 2, Octavia 20)
Begin Absorber Fight
The absorbers are surging with rainbow, chaotic energy, staring the party down as if they were summoned here for the purpose of fighting the party. Lysithea prepares to cast Cone of Cold, but when she unleashes the spell something happens. Instead of cold bursting forth, a small ball appears between the absorbers, which quickly erupts and expands in a burst of crackling purple and black psychic energy. The absorbers are hit with 36 damage of psychic energy from the Synaptic Static spell. They absorb some of the damage, but Lysithea is too far away for them to hit her back with it. The absorbers also look slightly dazed, as if their thoughts have become muddled.
Lysithea: Oh, that was different. That was cool!
Gobbles: Woooooow. *takes a lick of “lollipop”*
A ball of energy begins to collect out of the eyeball of one of the absorber’s tails. With a quick flick and a hiss the absorber hurls the energy at Lysithea, hitting her for 19 psychic damage. It tries to throw another one at her, but the ball of chaotic energy bounces at Lysithea’s feet and flies straight up into the sky. Octavia sends Onza forward before casting Hunter’s Mark on and releasing an arrow at the center absorber (attack 28). The arrow pierces the absorber for 19 damage. Octavia quickly fires another arrow (attack 29), which grazes across the absorber’s back for 11 damage. Blobby sloshes forward and slurps up one of the absorbers (attack 24). Blobby spits it out for 11 damage, then swallows it (attack 28) and punches it from inside himself for 10 more damage before spitting it back out. Surina charges forward but cannot get into melee range with the absorbers yet. She points her new Dragonsword at one of the absorbers and shoots from it a Firebolt (attack 17). The first Firebolt hits for 6 fire damage, then Surina shoots another one from her sword (attack 13) but the bolt goes wide and misses. The absorber, covered in slime from being inside a blob, takes several swipes at Blobby; however, the absorber’s thoughts are muddled and its attacks land nowhere near the purple blob.
Gobbles: Suck on the slime of Bahamut!
Gobbles throws his Slime Sword towards one of the absorbers, then Misty Steps. He catches the sword in mid-air, then stabs the absorber in its tail eyeball (attack 23). Gobbles does what he does best and ignites all of his spells upon hitting, dealing 11 slashing, 4 sneak attack, 4 Fury of the Small, 9 radiant Divine Smite, and 5 fire damage from Green Flame Blade. The radiant damage does not appear to affect the absorber like Gobbles was hoping it would. In fact, it seems to heal it a bit.
Gobbles: No! It’s eating Bahamut’s glory!
As he removes his blade from the eyeball, Gobbles makes a face of disgust from having eyeball juice on his slime sword. Octavia gags from the site and tries not to hurl. With a pop of silvery fireworks, Alba summons her Spiritual Weapon, which looks exactly like her standard.
Octavia: CUTE!
The weapon tries to stab at one of the absorbers (attack Nat1), but Alba misjudges the height and it goes clear over the absorber’s head. She then casts Toll the Dead on the same absorber, but it is unphased by the spell. The absorbers now have Gobbles surrounded. One of them takes a bite out of Gobbles, crunching down hard on his leg for 9 piercing and 6 force damage. It turns its tail eyeball towards Lysithea and throws an energy ball at her, but it misses. It throws another energy ball at Gobbles, but he ducks out of the way.
Lysithea knows that her magic will not be of much help in this fight, so she summons her Hound of Ill Omen on the absorber that just took a bit out of Gobbles. Alba, for the first time, takes in the sight of shadows appearing out of nowhere, and a demon dog emerging from another place. The Hound immediately leaps and bites at the absorber (attack 24) for 5 piercing damage.
Lysithea: I hate this so much because everything I do is magic…
Lysithea begins to concentrate really hard, trying to figure out what she can do to help that won’t harm her friends. Out of nowhere appears a giant, necrotic, vampiric hand…
Gobbles: Uhhh…
… that forms into a giant fist and smashes down on one of the absorbers (attack 19). Bigby’s Hand crashes down on the absorber for 29 force damage.
Octavia: Aye-cheemama!
Gobbles: Hi, I’m Gobbles the Goblin. Nice to meet you.
The hand waves back at Gobbles, who looks at Lysithea who is also waving at Gobbles.
Lysithea: I didn’t know I could do that…
One of the absorbers sends an energy bolt at Lysithea, hitting her for 27 damage (concentration 15). Lysithea is looking hurt, but she’s able to maintain concentration on Bigby’s Hand. The absorber then sinks its teeth into Gobbles for 17 piercing and 17 force damage.
Gobbles: Ow…
It tries to send an energy bolt at Gobbles, but he doubles over in pain and the bolt misses. Onza pounces at the closest absorber (attack 16). She knocks the absorber prone, then sinks her teeth into its side for 11 damage. Simultaneously Octavia fires two arrows at the same absorber, but Onza’s epic pounce causes the arrows to just miss their target. Blobby forms the limb in the shape of a sword and stabs at an absorber (attack 21) for 11 slashing damage. The sword quickly forms into a foot and Blobby uses Blob Kick (attack 25), kicking the absorber in the rear for 10 bludgeoning damage. Surina runs up to the closest absorber and slices at it with her Dragonsword (attack 21) for 11 slashing and 5 fire damage. She slices again (attack 25) for an additional 7 slashing and 9 fire damage. The prone absorber stands up, then sends a bolt of energy towards Lysithea; however, the effects of Synaptic Static and Lysithea’s Displacer Cloak are doing their jobs and the bolt misses. The frustrated absorber turns to bite Gobbles (absorber attack Nat1-1), but Thistle appears and squirts water in its face, causing the absorber to turn his and turn away.
Thistle: Bad kitty!
Gobbles: That’s my patron, y’all!
The absorber tries to send an energy bolt at Gobbles, but its muddled thoughts throw off its aim. Gobbles swings his slimy sword at the same absorber, who is crippled and limping from Onza’s pounce (attack 13), but it dodges the attack.
Gobbles: Uh oh…
The still surrounded Gobbles casts Shield of Faith on himself in anticipation. Seeing the strangest Goblin she’s ever encountered surrounded by these horrifying creatures, Alba begins to rush forward and call out in an attempt to heal him.
Alba: E-E-E-ENDURE!
As Alba calls out her healing word a silver firework pops over Gobble’s head, and sparkly crackles rain down on him, healing him for 17 hp.
Gobbles: Thank you, Alba!
She then turns to the absorber and casts Toll the Dead. Two loud fireworks pop right in its ears, hitting it for 11 necrotic damage. The absorber screams in pain, then falls over dead. Lysithea’s Hound bites at the ankle of its targeted absorber (attack adjusted 20). The Hound sinks its teeth in for 9 piercing damage, then pulls down with its jaws and knocks the absorber prone. Lysithea’s Hand forms another giant fist and smashes down on the absorber (attack 24). The fist crushes the absorber for 25 force damage. The other absorber sends another mind bolt at Lysithea, getting its mind just clear enough to aim. The bolt hits Lysithea for 18 damage, and breaks Lysithea’s concentration on Bigby’s Hand.
Gobbles: Thanks for lending a hand!
The same absorber then moves to stand where its companion once stood and tries to bite and send an energy bolt at Gobbles, but misses both attacks. Onza moves to guard Gobbles. Octavia switches to her Ensnaring bow and releases an arrow at the absorber (attack 22). As the arrow hits the absorber for 13 damage it explodes in thorny vines that wrap around the creature, keeping its arms and legs tightly bound. The very injured Lysithea leans over to Octavia.
Lysithea: That’s a cool bow.
Octavia: Do you want me to cure you?
Lysithea: No, kill it.
Octavia: Kill it?
Lysithea: KILL IT!
Octavia fires another arrow (attack 12) but this one misses.
Octavia: Sorry. See, I could have healed you! And I missed!
Blobby seems distracted by something, and just begins to jiggle merrily. Surina flanks an absorber with Gobbles, then slashes at it (attack 15) for 6 slashing and 10 fire damage. She slashes again (attack 26) for an additional 6 slashing and 8 fire. Alba is impressed with the powerhouse that is Surina. Gobbles faces the currently prone absorber and sings a little song to himself to inspire himself.
Gobbles: Don’t miss, don’t miss, don’t miss, Kit Kat.
He takes a swing at it with his Slime Sword (attack 15) and just barely strikes the absorber for 9 slashing, 5 sneak attack, 4 Fury of the Small, and 8 fire damage from Green Flame Blade. Alba looks around, wondering if she should run back and heal Lysithea or try to take down one of the monsters. Lysithea, doubled over in the back, sees the confused Owlin and shouts at her…
Lysithea: KILL IT!
Alba: O-o-okay.
Alba rushes forward and smacks one of the absorbers with her standard (attack 19). She hits it with the pointy end for 10 piercing damage. Her matching Spiritual Weapon imitates her attack (attack 15) and hits the same absorber for 12 force damage. The prone absorber tries to get its head clear, stands up, and sends out three attacks; however, its mind is still muddled and none of its attacks hit their targets. A mind bolt bounces off of Lysithea, it smacks its face against a shield when trying to bite Gobbles, and completely overshoots a mind bolt at Gobbles.
Lysithea is woozy and angry.
Lysithea: BLIGHT!
The necrotic energy washes over one the absorbers, draining it of its life force for 54 necrotic damage. The absorber absorbs some of the damage, but cannot send it back to Lysithea as she is out of range. The Hound bites its target again (attack adjusted 20) for 8 piercing damage, and drags it back down to the prone position. The other absorber turns around and sends a mind bolt towards Lysithea, hitting her for 20 damage. Lysithea begins to fall (charisma saving throw 18) but Strength of the Grave takes hold and she goes rigid, rising back up like a vampire rises from a coffin. The absorber triumph turns to frustration seeing Lysithea rise back up, and it takes it out on Gobbles (this is now the 3rd Nat20 Justice has rolled against Gobbles). It sinks its teeth into Gobbles’s arm for 13 piercing and 8 force damage. It sends a mind bolt at Gobbles, but Shield of Faith protects him. Onza bites at the feet of the standing absorber (attack 18), but the absorber turns to hiss in Onza’s face. Instead, Onza bites its throat and, with 6 piercing damage, rips it out. Octavia fires at the remaining, prone absorber (attack 16), striking it for 8 piercing damage and ensnaring it in vines. She fires again (attack adjusted 20), striking it for 9 more damage. Surina approaches the prone, ensnared absorber and stabs her sword down into its hide (attack 16).
Octavia: *singing* Murder it Surina!
She hits for 8 slashing and 4 fire before stabbing again (attack adjusted 20)…
Lysithea and Octavia: SURINA! SURINA! SURINA!
… for an additional 4 slashing and 6 fire damage. The Hound of Ill Omen fades back into shadow as its target, the absorber, falls over dead.
End Absorber Fight
Lysithea: ALBA! I could go for some of that healing right now!
Lysithea plops down on the ground where she was standing, breathing heavily.
Gobbles: Yeah, uh, can I get some of them heals?
Alba plants her standard and Channels Divinity. Once again, silvery snakes of energy swirl up her standard and a firework pops above her head, sending healing energy of 40 to Lysithea and 10 to Gobbles.
Octavia: It’s so pretty!
Gobbles: I can do that, too!
Gobbles fires an Eldritch Blast across the battlefield, which bursts in an explosion of confetti.
Lysithea: Thank you Alba, that helps so much. Hey Surina, you wanna put your hands on me? Please?
Surina: Yes.
Surina walks over to Lysithea and, using Lay On Hands, heals her for another 31 hp. Gobbles follows suit, and heals himself with Lay On Hands for 19 healing points.
Lysithea: Thank you Surina. Thank you Alba.
Gobbles: Thank yooouuuu!
Lysithea: Did you guys see that giant hand?
Octavia: I love that hand! I wanted to give it a high five.
Lysithea: I hope I remember how to do that.
As the party is resting and talking, a swirling ball of energy forms in the sky and begins to descend, landing on the ground about 50 feet away from the party. A being with insect-like legs emerges from the ball. Its masked face turns to look straight at the party.
Octavia: Aahhhh, when did you get there?! I don’t like it at all. It looks a little strong.
Not only is the being wearing the second half of the amulet the party is searching for, but it has a staff pulsing with the same chaotic energy.
Lysithea: It’s got 2 of Rhu’s things! Get him!
The being begins to constantly shift forms, from human to Elf to Tabaxi. No matter what form it takes, the mask remains the same.
Being: Ha, you have defeated one, I see.
Octavia: One? One what?
Being: … Spawn. I can just create them. It is fun.
Lysithea: Hey, I got this dagger. You wanna come here so I can test it out on you?
Octavia: Why don’t you run into it.
Gobbles: You know what else is fun?
Gobbles dashes forward, then casts Tasha’s Hideous Laughter on the being, but it is not amused. Lysithea casts Wall of Fire at the being, hoping to trap it. The being Counterspells the attack, but Lysithea reacts quickly and Counterspells the Counterspell. A 20ft high wall of purple flames encircles the being, dealing 32 fire damage to the being. After a few seconds Lysithea brings down the wall, and the being is gone. In their minds the party hears the being speak.
Being: I’ll see you at my temple.
Lysithea very angrily stomps off, heading towards the Moford Mountains where the map is still blinking. Gobbles inspects the area where the being stood and finds just a little bit of blood. The being was Blood Mage. Gobbles scoops it up into one of his tankards then chases off after Lysithea with the rest of the group. They eventually stop and find a place to camp for the night and plan for what’s to come ahead.
End Session
Check Out
Spotlight On Another Player:
- Miranda: Hannah and Victor for their new characters and the roleplay on their new characters.
- Kevin: Hannah for the character and coming in not knowing anything.
- Liz: Also Hannah. This is great, jumping in. You had your roleplaying down.
- Hannah: Lysithea for doing so much damage and denying healing just so we can get through the fight.
- Cordelia: Hannah and Victor for their new characters’ personalities.
- Justice: Liz for taking something negative that happened and recovering from it.
Challenge or Something Learned:
- Miranda: I learned to always use Synaptic Static.
- Kevin: Cats hurt when they roll 3 natural 20s.
- Liz: I learned how to use Onza’s pounce today.
- Hannah: I learned everything today! I learned the backstory, I started learning everyone’s characters, how to play a cleric.
- Cordelia: I learned to use my new sword.
- Justice: I had my booster shot today and threw me off.
Hope or Prediction for Next Session:
- Miranda: I hope we get to explore my volcano soon.
- Kevin: It’s going to be fun to see the volcano area. And to convince this cloaked figure to convert to Bahamut.
- Liz: This guy is going to continue to bother us and I think he thinks it’s a game.
- Hannah: Alba hopes she can convince her new friends that she can heal them in combat.
- Cordelia: I can’t wait for my tundra dungeon!
- Justice: I hope I feel better and can play with full focus.
Analysis: Everyone please give a warm welcome to Hannah! She is a very dear friend of ours who is going through a difficult time in her life, so we invited her to join our game. She has watched both of our children grow up and is part of the family. Cordelia had so much fun roleplaying around her! She was very much in her leadership role today and was very focused. And let’s give a round of applause to Victor and his new character, Blobby! After his dungeon he really wanted to create a blob character, so we made almost a duplicate of Draggy’s stats for him and created Blobby. He had so much fun describing what Blobby does, how he “talks”, and all of his attacks. Victor will switch back and forth between Draggy and Blobby in the future, depending on his mood.
This was great! I love the new characters, and that part about Gobble’s character sheet… I was laughing pretty hard.
Thank you so much! We are very excited about the newest additions to our party. When the campaign eventually concludes I hope the player will allow me to share Gobbles’s character sheet. It is quite the sight. I have no idea how he keeps track of it all.