Thug Muggers in the Caves 8/12/23
Table Talk:
Just as a little treat, i made Brooke a ‘Talkie Rockie’ for the one Ari got sentimental over and kept after her concussion. Our games are usually pretty good, so hopefully things don’t get bad enough that i have to have her take it out.
I asked the group this time to help me be better at remembering conditions (on fire, poisoned, feared, etc.). I’m not trying to cheat or make the fights harder, there’s just a lot for me to keep in my head at one time especially in bigger fights, so everyone, please help to keep me honest.
For the last fight i gave out 1725 XP. This took some decision and calculation since the party did not ‘finish’ the fight. I decided 800 for the unmodified XP of the whole fight + the full modified XP for the creatures killed (800) + half the difference of the creatures that were injured but not vanquished.
A decision on running and attacking, per the question from Sarah: I’ve come to the decision that this is basically a Charge attack (from e3.5), but without the proficiency of actually having the Charge feat (5e). As such i think if someone wants to do this they still get the Charge bonus (+5 damage, or push the target up to 10 feet) on the damage roll, but they get disadvantage on the attack roll. We talked it over and everyone agreed that’s a fair way of rewarding a creative action while still balancing the attack. (see the “Charger Feat on page 165 of the Player’s Handbook)
“Sometimes there aren't RIGHT decisions, sometimes there's just decisions.”
-Taako —Justin McElroy, “The Adventure Zone (Balance)”
🎲🗡️🔔✨🌿
Chapter 10: Between the Cradle and the Grave
🎲🗡️🔔✨🌿 Chapter 10: Between the Cradle and the Grave
Sorin dashes over the Black Pudding beneath him, and skids down a pillar of stone.
Rae’s staff twirls and rips the bloodied Gray Ooze apart.
Cypress dashes, running the remaining length of the cave.
Ari flings open the door.
And…
And…
And Sorin comes sprinting straight down the pillar, his worn boot soles skidding as he changes gravity in his head. He slides onto the floor of the cave, still standing.
Rae sees him coming down and dashes into the new room. She charges up the short hallway to examine this new space and make sure nothing is waiting for them.
Sorin rushes in behind her, not knowing what this new chamber will bring, but desperate to flee from the Oozes, Puddings, Ooblex, and Jellys behind them in The Cradle.
Ari clutches at her wounds. With her rapier up in a classic first point guard, ready to parry, she backs into the doorway.
Cypress is the last into the little Thug hallway and as he reaches a hand up to close the door he hears Rae’s distressed voice. Not from behind him, but from deeper in the darkness of the cave, Rae cries out, “Wait! Keep the door open, I’m almost there!”
Ari and Cypress both fail the check, but Sorin is standing right next to Rae, and looks confused at her. They both shrug at each other. Then a light bulb clicks in his head and he moves towards the others. “Quick, Close the door! Close it before one of those things gets in here!”
Ari turns on her back heel in a pirouette defense, changing from a thrusting parry stance, to a high guard cross in the small space. “My best friend is still out there, and I will NOT leave here!” Ari’s fangs glint in time with the edge of her blade and Sorin swallows back his response.
“Ari, I’m right here.” Rae says, stepping around the corner from the hallway and waving. “Thanks though I appreciate it.”
Cypress looks at Rae, then peers out at the dark cavern to make sure there isn’t a second Rae. He slams the door. We all take a deep calming breath as Cypress breathes light into some moss, and hangs it atop his staff to illuminate our surroundings.
This new Thug room is little more than a wider part of a zig-zagging hallway. It’s just a small rectangle with exits on either catty-corner. Right in front of us, next to an open empty barrel is a makeshift table or maybe a desk. On it, is a cutting board with some animal viscera. A long thin knife is still inside the meat and there are some rough surgery tools spread out nearby. On the two back corners of the desk are two clay cauldrons, like big urns full of water… or liquid at least, one is a dull green and the other is a deep blue.
In the corner far from us is a crate with some small sack piled on top, and next to it, is a true oddity. The trough is about the size and shape of a modern bathtub, but made all out of wood. Even the bands holding it closed are wood, with reed lathes held together with dowels instead of nails. Submerged in the cold water are some oddly shaped jars, and when we look at them a strange thought wriggles into our brains, “they’re buried in there, that water is their grave.”
Ari is the first to investigate the Jars and notices that each of these, otherwise normal looking jars is sealed over on top with a dollop of wax.
Sorin peers into this little water tank and notices that the jars all have a row of holes along the bottom where occasional little streams of bubbles pop up to the surface.
Cautiously, Cypress picks up one of the jars. The wax seal is moist and clammy against his palms, he looks at it under the moss light and in a moment of disgust, he almost drops the jar. The top isn’t sealed with wax, but with soft wet flesh. On a hunch, Cypress turns the jar and reads the label etched into the clay “Fleshworms”.
Here i want to take a second and explain this new item: though it might seem very disgusting to us in our world, in a fantasy land of dragons and zombies; Fleshworms are actually a regular tool, used commonly in hospitals and medicine tents. Similar to their cousin, the Silkworm, Fleshworms excrete a thin gauzy substance as they eat. The only real differences are that they eat dead flesh and excrete a sort of fleshy scar tissue that can bond with the living flesh of their host. The upshot from this is: put a few of the little maggot-like grubs around an open wound, and they will sterilize the opening with their natural oils, eat the decaying skin and muscle around the wound, and cover it in a natural soft tissue patch made from those same cells. It jumpstarts and aids the healing process, building a foundation for new skin to grow naturally. (Mechanically they can be used during a short rest to give an extra Hit Dice to any single character). These little worms do require feeding. So if they aren’t used, then at least once a week (10 days) you will need to supply them with some fresh decaying meat. If this still seems gross to you, just remember that in our world, we used to put leeches on people because we thought they had too much blood. And we did that for hundreds of years.
Sorin and Cypress explain the Fleshworms to Ari, who grew up in a land without them (and therefore thinks of them as a symbiotic animal but not a ‘people’ thing, like apes grooming each other for bugs). With that taken care of, we all decide to take a long rest.
“WAIT!” Rae and Ari shout as Sorin lays down.
“Huh!?”
“The boy!” Rae says, pointing at Sorin
“What?”
“Summon the boy!” Ari adds and points to Sorin’s fancy brazier.
“What?”
“They mean Akris,” Cypress sighs and stands up. He's mostly out of his adventuring gear now and is just in his simple loose tunic and britches. “I’m taking the first watch,” They say and turn their back to the others.
Grumbling about “That’s all you even keep me around for”, Sorin summons the Flying Snake familiar, and then passes out.
Ari and Rae start dishing out the latest drama to the snake. The summoning bond is still fresh though, and as Sorin begins to snore, Akris’s eyes close. Soon he is making little tongue flickering hisses in rhythm with his wizard, and he curls up on top of Sorin’s forehead to sleep.
The night is full of troubled and uneven sleep. Cypress takes the first watch, alternating between the little hall leading back to The Cradle, and the little hall leading away from it. By the time they get Rae up for her turn at the watch, she has managed to roll under the table that has the animal gut cutting board, using it as a kind of awkward bunk bed.
Maybe she had been dreaming about a bunk bed and an old friend asleep overhead, who knows.
Everyone takes a turn watching, but it’s not just the interruptions that keep us from truly restful sleep. The floor here is rocky and hard, with pointy bits jabbing and poking us through our bed rolls. The room is dark, but instead of a calming quiet darkness, we can all still hear the sounds of shuffling puddings, slurping slimes, and dripping jellies just a door away. At one point everyone wakes up and looks back at the door. That had definitely sounded like a voice, but what did it say? Hopefully it was just an Ooblex forgetting how to talk again… hopefully. So the light sleep we get is troubled, with shaky dreams and anxieties of what's going to come next. Eventually, while Ari is on watch, everyone gives up on sleep and decides to start the day.
The restless night leaves everyone feeling a little off kilter (with disadvantage on whatever their next roll is). We all eat up a serving of rations, trying not to look at the cutting board of tiny red and gray organs. With our packs back on, and our weapons close at hand, Ari opens the far door and we step out to the new day.
The door lets out into another cave tunnel. You know, grayish-brown walls, stalactites, puddles, cave stuff, you remember. This time we’re entering the tunnel from the middle of a ‘U’ shaped bend and it takes a bit of thinking to decide which way to go. With some quick back of the napkin mapping, Sorin figures that we should head east, so we set off to the right side of the ‘U’.
At the top of the ‘U’ we see two more tunnels. One going straight east to an unfamiliar door, and one going straight south to a very familiar door. It’s a door Ari saw last night. Only last night, she was inside. In the dark. And clawing for a way out before the Black Wave found her.
We’re standing there in the intersection shuddering at the memories of The Cradle, when two Wretched Sorrowsworn bumble and hop their way toward us. Each one is dancing on its stubby legs, barely keeping themselves balanced upright. They bite at the cool cave air.
Sorin lifts a hand, “Get baked, potato”, and looses a Firebolt at the first one.
Ari draws her rapier and misses the second beast. Ari, don’t you know, that’s not the right knife for chopping potatoes.
The Sorrowsworn jumps and bites back at Ari, but she knees its wobbly chin and it bounces back shivering.
The second one bounces at Rae, but she ducks low and lets the Wretched thing land on the other side of her.
Cypress swings their staff at one. Its teeth snap at the staff, but before they pull it back out of reach before the monster bites it away.
Rae chokes up on her staff, “It looks like it’s time,” and brings it down double-handed over the little monster, killing it, “for mashed potato!”
The remaining Sorrown jumps at Ari again, but she dodges to the side.
Sorin readies his hand a second time and lowers his goggles. “You know my favorite campfire food?” He sends out another Firebolt at the creature. “Roast potatoes - YEOOOW!”
Not to be out done, Ari raises her own hand. “But, Sorin, didn’t you see?” A toxic green spray shoots from her palm, “This is a poisoned potato.”
At that the second Wretch Sorrowsworn falls dead on its back… as much to escape the bad puns as from any of the attack damage.
After the fight, we make our way up the east tunnel to the unfamiliar door.
Ari puts a hand out and stops the party. Like the other cave-to-sewer doors, this one has a leather flap around it to form a seal around the door jam when it’s closed. Ari looks carefully at the seal and confirms her suspicion. There is light in the crack between the door and the frame, furthermore, there is a small but steady hiss of air passing through. This door is not fully closed. With a quick eye at the handle, Ari can see that something has gone wrong with the latch.
She holds a finger to her lips and nods at the others. Then she slowly opens the door.
That is… slowly until she sees the Thug standing there. Then she flings the door wide, ready to rush into the fight.
Before we roll initiative, here is roughly the lay out. We are coming from a cave tunnel running east to a sewer hallway running east. The Sewer hallway has a small offshoot about half way down that goes south to a set of wooden doors. At the other end from us is an ironwork gate with a sturdy lock built into it. In front of that gate (and yet to notice us) is a second Thug trying to pick the lock. Directly in front of us at this end. The first Thug is pulling a very large scimitar from behind his back. It has some kind of ball weight affixed to the end of it that i very much doubt is legal. Okay, ready? Annnddd… GO!
The scimitar rushes down at Ari! Instinctively she raises her arm in front of her face! The sword's heavy edge digs into her arm and drags a long cut across the forearm almost from wrist to elbow. Ari’s nostrils flare at the scent of her own blood. Kneeling, she flings out her arm and barks a single demonic word in a harsh bark. The blood spraying from her arm turns to lava in the air. It lands on the face and chest of the looming Thug, burning into his skin and armor.
Right behind Ari, Soin puts his hands flat out in front of him with his thumb and forefinger together in a triangle. He casts. The first Magic Missile sparks against the fresh burns of the Thug with the sword, knocking him back against the wall. The next two fly down the hall and land in the back of the second Thug, singeing his brick-camo cloak.
Ari steps forward, at the same time drawing her blade. The draw is fast and clean. She carries it out full in a long sweeping arc, cutting the rapier across the gut and chest of the Thug. Bloodying them with a deep open wound.
Ari, make a Constitution saving roll.
Brooke: “What!? Uh, 8.”
What’s your Con?
“12”
Make an unarmed attack roll, with advantage.
Brooke: “I don’t like where this is going.. 18. And 2 damage.”
Okay, and make another unarmed attack roll with advantage.
Brooke laughing nervously: “Uh oh, who did I hit?”
As the Thug's blood sprays over her face, and her own hellish blood drips over her arm, Ari’s nostrils flare and something inside her awakens. Deep inside she can feel the rushing roar of the ancient demons. In less than a blink, Ari drops her sword and her claws dig into the open wound of the Thug. With a wet tearing rip she claws the wound open in a hideous bloody gash! Then without a thought, the demon takes hold again. Ari rams he head forward. Her horns pierce the Thugs organs. One lodges between their ribs for a moment, but Ari plants her feet and pushes against the wall. With a crack, her horn breaks the ribs apart and the Thug coughs, streaks of blood now dribbling blood from their open mouth and eyes.
Ari raises her bloody face up and roars in triumph, her fangs gleaming red in the torchlight.
Silence around the whole table as the players just stare at me.
So who’s next, (checking notes) Cypress, you’re up.
Players: “What the HELL WAS THAT!?”
Me: *Grins in silence*
Cypress keeps an eye on Ari, and lets out a burst of Sacred Flame at the far Thug. The Thug is still dazed from the unexpected Magic Missiles and fails their Dex save, taking the holy blast directly.
Rae looks at Ari with concern and not a little fear. She steps past her to attack the other Thug when Ari’s victim begs for help. “P-please” they say, coughing up blood, “h-h-help me.. wu-hat is.. nnot like…. hhHeeelp..” Then the life is gone from their eyes and their body falls limp before sliding down the wall with a sound like sandpaper.
Ari, make one last Con save for me.
Rae staggers past, and charges the other Thug thinking, ‘I need to end this fight and figure out what’s wrong with Ari’. With Max damage, she drives her staff into the Thug and bloodies them. The Thug tries to retaliate, but staggers back from the blow.
Sorin shoots out another round of Magic Missiles at the distant Thug, taking a step back from Ari.
Ari… Ari you finally come back to yourself. Your face is dripping with blood and just barely a foot away from the ragged hole you tore in your victim. Your mouth has the distinct iron-copper taste of blood, and you’re terrified to realize it tastes good. But another realization hits you and you fall to the ground Prone and rocking with your legs up. The blood tasted good… but the scream, the plea for help, their dying gasp begging for mercy… that… that tasted so much better. It was just sooo… satisfying!
Ari curls up against the wall.
Cypress lets off another Sacred Flame on the remaining Thug, ending the fight. Then immediately they go to their knees in front of Ari and ask in the voice of a gentle nurse, “Ari?” They gently repeat her name trying to slowly coax her back to herself.
Ari sits there, terrified and ashamed. She hears Cypress' voice like a fuzzy distortion in the distance. She keeps thinking of how those dying words made her feel. Not happy or victorious. That… that would be one thing. Even if it felt, filling like a good meal, that would make some sense. But this feeling of cozy satisfaction, like watching Tik Toks of things just barely fitting in containers, or machines lining things up just right. It’s a feeling of deep purpose and RIGHTness. And everything about it is terrifying and wrong.
Ari jumps with a small start when Cypress’s gentle hand touches her arm.
“Ssshhh… It’s okay. It’s just me.” He says, taking out a thin strip of bandage, "I'm just gonna stop the bleeding.”
“Uh, yeah, s-stop the bleeding.” Ari repeats in a dazed voice. But inside she screams, ‘no, stop the PLEADING. That’s what hurts!’ With a dull numbness she watches Cypress bandage her arm, grimly thinking that he shouldn’t be doing that, that they should leave her there to just bleed out after what they saw her do.
“Hey, Cypress,” Sorin blurts out with jarring cheerfulness, “At least we have some meat to feed your worms, yeah?”
Ari seems to shrink deeper within herself.
Cypress sighs and hands the Jar to the wizard. Without looking at him, they say, “Sorin, situational awareness is a Skill. Please practice it.”
“I was just trying to help” Sorin pouts and goes off to the corner to feed the worms (Yikes that sounds like a dirty euphemism).
The next while is spent with Ari’s friends slowly bringing her back to being okay. I won’t go into details and draw it out, because this summary has already gotten pretty grim for a fun D&D blog. The important part is this: the cause of this was Ari re-activating her Hellish Rebuke during that last short rest. Calling on it like that awoke the literal demon blood in her. The ancient presence of her long ago ancestors that gives her her magical abilities came through too strong and unrestricted.
While the others are comforting Ari, Sorin walks over to the other Thug to loot the body. He finds some jewelry including a nice brass and leather bracelet with some pendant inscribed with orcish runes.
Sorin walks back and meets Ari and Rae at the archway to the door. Rae is comforting Ari, who seems to be doing better. “Remember, he was trying to attack and kill us. We were in a fight for our lives.”
“I know it’s just…”
“If you didn’t know you would do something like that, how was he to know.” Rae explains, trying a different tactic.
“You’re right.”
“Rae’s right,” Sorin says, shocking the other two, “they were trying to kill us. And there’s probably gonna be more like that in the future. Who knows what they would’ve done to us. You did what you had to, and you kept us all alive.”
Surprised at how much this helps, Ari nods. She seems to be looking much better.
Behind them, Cypress is finishing giving the Thug a small last rite. He’s closed the Thug’s eyes and mouth in a more serene pose and closed their arms across - what was - their chest. Unable to do anything about the huge wound opening, Cypress has wrapped the Thug in their own brick-camo cloak as a sort of make-shift shroud. When he did, it dislodged an envelope, and Cypress tucked it in his pocket.
Cypress walks up with the others and nods.
Together, all four Thug Muggers push open the office doors.
Inside is not the simple office of a hard-working live-in frog man. It is not the friendly, well lit atmosphere of the office above. Inside… is a disaster. The room looks as though a small war came rampaging through. All the furniture is broken and scattered around. A large desk lays in three pieces surrounded by wood chips and splinters. The two pillars are just laid out stone circles on the floor, and we can see chunks of ceiling showing In the corners are more holes where we can see the dirt showing through. An iron cauldron is knocked on its side with a thin brown liquid still inside it. There are parts of the walls and floor where thorny roots are poking out, before they were cut and smashed apart. There are a few crates surrounded by smashed debris that might have been boxes or barrels of even decorative chests, who knows from only the little bit that’s left. There are three rugs and two look to be burned to ash, with the third is cut and frayed in the middle. Several corners have spider webs in them so thick they make you wonder what spider could have made them. And, entangled in one of these webby masses are the broken remains of a gargoyle. In the center of the room, mounted in the roof is a chandelier that now hangs at a shaky angle about to fall at any time, its thick arms are bent or broken and hang at various angles, clearly not what the artist had in mind.
And there, under the chandelier, just to the side in case it falls is….
…
…
Well… i’ll wait until next time to tell you about who’s there and what happened to Pulgrok.
The door creaked open. It was a long, tortured, groaning noise: In fact there was more creak than door, and it went on just a few seconds after the door had stopped.
'That sounds dreadful,' said Nanny.
'Thank you. It took dayth to get right. Creakth like that don't jutht happen by themthelveth.’
-Igor —Terry Pratchett, “Carpe Jugulum”
Table talk:
No real table talk this time, so i'll just add that AGAIN, in this fight the players had an enemy get knocked down to just 1 hp… until they bled out from their Bleeding open wounds.
