The Tenth Session

July 27, 2019, Campaign: As the ground quakes, evil wakes

It is now Suon, the second day of the sixth week of Tarsakh. It is four days until the solstice.

Today is the Battle of the Beasts competition in the competition.

Morning activities

Salris talks to his spoon, while spooning the spoon.

We have breakfast at The Forest Floor. Ryltar tries to teach Bugfood how to eat using wooden forks and spoons and knives.

The Arena

The Battle of the Beasts will happen around noon. Salris, Ryltar, Bugfood go to the arena to try to see the beasts beforehand, and Jerry, Vurguron, and Tula go with.

Again they visit the betting board. There's not many identifying things of what's being fought; just lists of who's being fought.

Bugfood looks for signs of where the beasts would be being brought into the arena, but only sees pedestrian entrances.

The betting board

The bets are based on how many rounds each team makes. You're betting on whether the team will pass that round.

We, the Knights of the Summer Court, are as unknown as the Rough Bunch. Bets are placed on whether the group will survive a round and drop out after that round. If a group wins on the first and second rounds, bets placed on the first round will be lost. So we don't place any bets.

Ryltar asks about bets on us; it seems that someone has bet that we'll go all the way. And someone bet that we'll drop out on the first round.

We've got about two hours of prep. We discuss what we captured last night. We have two chains for kuthriks.

Jerry asks whether Bugfood can take the form of a mare in heat, to distract the warhorses. She asks this rather over-loud; the bar room of the Forest Floor erupts in laughter.

In the market

Jerry heads to the market to buy a hunk of meat for baiting the Kuthrik. She heads past the central city square, which has been decorated. It's festooned in ribbons, full of vendors' carts. It's a cacophonous scene, full of yelling and haggling over pies, baked goods, sweetmeats, small animals, cinnamon and smoked meats. Jerry walks past it all, looking for butchers.

Tula, following Jerry, is drawn by a bell-ringing game. There's a small one and a large one. She goes for the large one, pays a gold, loses the first round. She pays another gold, rings the bell with a 19 on the second go and wins three. That's net profit one gold.

Jerry walks past games and gamers, and is distracted by a group of dicegoers. Being proficient at dice, her instincts are aroused, and she shoulders in. The players are playing Blind Man's Bluff, trying to guess the highest number of dice matched among the players. It's 5d6, trying to guess who has the highest number. Vurguron and Salris also buy in.Their players know their characters have high Deception stats.

There's a half-elf running the game. She guesses four threes. Jerry raises with five threes. Vurguron says five fives. Salris says seven threes. Human female says five fours. The half-elf says eight threes. Jerry says four ones. Vurguron says six fives. Salris says 9 threes. Vurguron thinks everyone's stupid. The human female looks at Salris; with an 11 on some roll he made she looks back at her dice. "You said nine threes? I can't do that." The half-elf running the game likewise can't do that. Jerry can't do that; she likes four ones. Vurguron can't do that; he likes 6 fives.

The dice on the table: 8x3, hands the win to the half-elf.

Another round.

Half-elf says four twos. Jerry says four fours. Vurguron says four fives. Salris says five fives. Human woman says seven fives. Half-elf says eight ones. Jerry says eight fives. Vurguron says five threes. Salris tips two of his dice with a 21 on sleight-of-hand, and says nine fives. The half-elf misses that. The human female sees him do it, and doesn't see anything happening. Ryltar, watching nearby, sees nothing. The human says 10 fives. Jerry doesn't think she's lying. Salris flips his last die over to a five. The human nods at him. The half-elf can't with that. He sticks by eight ones. Jerry says 11 fives, with a 1 on deception or persuasion. The human asks, "you sure about that?" but Jerry is sticking by it. Vurguron is done. Salris says 12 fives. Human female calls for reveal.

1,1,1, 2,2, 3,3, 4,4,4,4, 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5, 6,6,6

Jerry wins 5 gold. Jerry stands up and says, "well, that was fun." After they leave, Salris leans over to Jerry and asks for one of those gold, which she gives him.

Tula, while the dice players play, racks up 8 gold in profit. "Have you tried being stronger?" she asks a farmhand.

Jerry follows her nose to a butcher. "What are you selling today?" she asks. He's got beef and pork and chicken. After some discussion with Ryltar, Jerry asks for five bags of organ meat. The butcher says he doesn't keep any around, but he runs back into the shop and assembles three basketball-sized bags of organ meat, which, after some haggling, the party buys for 1 gold, 2 silver.

And then we all head to the arena, to meet up with Bugfood.

Bugfood alone

Bugfood is having a minor anxiety attack about going into the arena alone.

An elderly elf walks up to him and asks if he's okay; Bugfood asks why his friends have betrayed him and laments over him having to fight the hordes alone. But then the Party rejoins him, and he stops panicking.

Before Battle

There's a stand by the entrance that's selling spyglasses for 50gp. And then we're noticed by a guard, who asks us if we're contestants, and we're subsequently escorted to the staging area.

The Staunch Defenders are already there; they're lead by Jalar and are mostly city guard. They're armed with many holy symbols and magic items. Jalar has a briach or necklace that's abjuration magical, according to Salris' Detect Magic. There's a paladin with a magical ecovation mace, and a bowman has many several transmutation or evocation arrows. Salris keeps that knowledge to himself.

Ryltar wishes Jalar luck, and they shake amicably. The Staunch Defenders are favorites. Jalar tells us how things will go: We'll be called up, with monsters either already on the field, or released onto the field with the combatants already on the field. Jerry asks Jalar what the hardest combatant he's ever seen upon the field; it was an Umber Hulk, a large insectoid aberration/monstrosity that has has a confusing glare. Like an ogre, but made of bug. A giant pincer beetle walking on two legs. It gave the guards trouble, and the guards general never beat the fourth round.

Jalar is being oddly friendly; Jerry's insight is that Jalar's mood towards the group hasn't changed but he has recently gotten over a recent event.

Over the next half-hour the rest of the combatants enter.

The Starlights:

• Halfling in embroidered leather and Robes of Billowing. The cloak is magical.
• Half-elf in leather armor that almost resembles starlight, glinting in starbursts, holding a scimitar.
• Taller humanoid in greyish skin and black hair, with layers of white leather armor in the shape of feathers, which trail back into almost wings. He wields another scimitar. The armor is a transmutation element to its enchantments.
• Another half-elf with light green and blue clothing, with an intricately-carved staff covered in animals, with the head of a bear. Several magical trinkets on his belt.
• A stark contrast to the rest, a Tortle wearing a quarterstaff with pouches across his body. He and Bugfood whistle at each other in Sylvan.
• A human wearing a longbow and pink robes over leather armor.

At fifteen minutes to go, the Rough Bunch walk in:

• A half-elf in nice presentation robes, who was angry at the signup booth who disagreed with the draconic rules on the Spell-Slinging Spectacle.
• A wood elf in scale mail, with a dagger and a wand and a longsword.
• A hill dwarf, in leather armor and an intricately-bound sword at his hip, under a soft robe and carrying a book.
• A walking mass of robes, hiding everything except the eyes of the person underneath.
• A paladin in half-plate, which Jerry and Tula recognize was once a set of full plate. It's been corroded and pieced down into half-plate. Half-full plate. The wearer looks at Vurguron and asks the room, "has anyone seen a green dragonborn around here?" Ryltar asks if he's missing a member. "Not missing, just not here." He's sweaty and pacing around, looking back at the ramp he entered from. Bugfood tells him that he's familiar with the emotion.

Vurguron casts Prestidigitation to make his face green. He turns to the guy and asks, "Do I know you from somewhere?"

The paladin looks at Vurguron. "Weren't you on the trial for the — I saw that. Everyone's seen one other dragonborn on the city." He's trying to understand why this Dragonborn is here. Vurguron has seen the green dragonborn before, at the bar outside town.

And then there's a commotion coming down the ramp, and the green Dragonborn enters, protesting that he needed a morning nip. Salris walks over and congratulates him on being here, and Prestidigitates the flavor of the bottle he's drinking from to be even tastier booze.

The various groups talk strategy. The guards are reviewing strategy. The Starlights prep. The Rough Bunch aren't speaking with each other.

Salris pulls out his wooden spoon and has us all touch it. Bugfood talks to the spoon for ten minutes, about why he doesn't like metal and how he likes the spoon because it's wood. During the conversation, Bugfood unlocks its connection with nature, and the spoon understands him. He doesn't want to park with the spoon. Salris wants the beans bag in exchange for the spoon, or he wants the spoon back. Ryltar suggests sharing joint custody of the spoon. The spoon ends back in Salris' hand.

The Battle of the Beasts

A speaker in the green-and-gold robes of the Woven Council enters, carrying with him two bags. "The leaders amongst you, step forward, and know your rank."

Jalar steps forward for the Staunch Defenders, and draws from one bag a stone with a single black bag. Tula draws from the bag a stone with four marks. The Starlight representative draws a stone with three marks. And the Rogues will go second.

The emcee pulls out the second sack, shakes it a little, and Jalar pulls out a Gemini symbol. The Rough Bunch leader pulls out a stone with lots of beveled edges, almost like a cloud. The Starlights pick up a stone with an X. And Tula pulls out a smooth dome of a rock.

First to go, the Starlights leave the staging room through a ramp leading up to the arena door. We hear a big cheer as they walk into the arena, before the doors close.

Through the doors we hear the muffled noises of the announcer and the crowd cheering and oohing and aahing. There's one final scream of the audience, and doors open to reveal the Staunch Defenders, with one being carried down by the other. They're all covered in bits of green slime and cuts. They start to bandage each other and heal each other.

The Rough Bunch leave, with the green dragonborn lollygagging behind the group, drinking extra. There's the cheering and the doors, and eventually they return, all equally scratched up. Jerry asks if it was the baby kuthriks. The Rough Bunch reply that the attackers looked almost like demons, but weren't. They bit harder when they got attacked.

The Starlights leave, cheered on by Bugfood's "Light Brights, go!"

Meanwhile, Jerry talks to the spoon about all the things that Majorie has told her she's been doing. The spoon replies, encouraging her to let her children grow light and tall, just not shatter them. And Jerry gains the spoon's effect. It goes unused during the battle.

The Starlights' fight involves a lot of impacts against the walls and doors, with lots of anticipatory cheering that fall off in disappointment. The upper doors open, and the Tortle's clothes are in disarray. Ryltar mends his clothes in passing.

And then we enter the ring.

The first round.

We enter from gate 2, facing an empty rectangular arena, which has some pillars and 10' walls and 4' walls in the middle.

We prepare our spells.

From doors 3 and 6 are two large mustard-colored oozes. They're referred to as Ooze 3 and Ooze 6, respectively.

1. Prepared spells
   1. Salris Eldritch Blasts Ooze 3, for 8.
2. Round 1
   1. Vurguron casts Firebolt on Ooze 3.
   2. Bugfood casts Frostbite on an ooze, to no effect.
   3. Jerry advances to within 20 feet of Ooze 3, and yeeta a dart at it for 7 piercing plus Ensnaring Strike, which fails to ensnare it. Then she retreats.
   4. Ooze 3 advances to a door within the walls.
   5. Salris runs across the walls, and Eldritch Blasts Ooze 3 for 3 damage.
   6. Ooze 6 advances to a door within the walls. He Ray of Frosts it with disadvantage, reducing its move speed and dealing damage to it.
   7. Tula walks over to Ooze 3 and hits it with her maul, smiting it for 23 damage. It dies. Tula runs to where she can see Ooze 6, and yeets a javelin at it for 7 damage.
3. Round 2.
   1. Vurguron walks over to Ooze 6 and slashes at it for 12. The Large Ooze splits into two Medium Oozes.
   2. Bugfood Produces Flame and throws it at the left Ooze, doing 3 fire damage. Then he runs away.
   3. Jerry advances to within 10 of the left ooze, hits the left ooze for 12 and the right ooze for 5, splitting each. There are now four small Oozes.
   4. Salris advances, and uses his khopesh of magical slashing to slash one of the small oozes for 13. It splits further for two Tiny Oozes.
   5. Two Small Oozes move to attack Jerry. One moves past Vurguron, and he fails to damage it but does separate it.
      • Salris is attacked by two tiny oozes, for 6 bludgeoning and 2 acid.
      • Vurguron takes 4 bludgeoning and 2 acid.
      • Jerry is attacked by one small and two tiny oozes, for 5 bludgeoning and 2 acid.
   6. Rytar attacks the nearby oozes; one tiny dies.
   7. Tula advances and mauls a small ooze for no damage, the moves around the side.
4. Round 3.
   1. Vurguron decides to cast Thunder Wave within the swarm of slimes, a 15' cube near him. He hits himself, Jerry, one tiny, and two smalls. The tiny fails, the smalls succeed their con saves. Vurguron and Jerry save. All save the small Ooze take 4 damage; the tiny takes 8 and is destroyed. The crowd cheers.
   2. Bugfood casts Frostbite on the tiny behind Jerry, which passes the save.
   3. Jerry uses the blunt end of her glaive to hit the two small oozes, scattering each into puffs of ooze.
   4. Ryltar slashes the Tiny ooze beside him, and splits into two tiny oozes.
   5. The two tiniest tiny oozes attack Ryltar, who's not affected by them. The larger tiny ooze attacks Jerry, and misses.
   6. Ryltar misses the tiny Ooze attacking Jerry with his Ray of Frost.
   7. Jerry smashes the tiny oozes near Salris, then moves over to Jerry to splatter it.

Ryltar and Salris pump up the crowd. Bugfood waves his snake overhead in the style of a Tusken Raider. The party is mostly covered in mustard.

We go back into the waiting chamber, and Salris and Ryltar clean us off.

The second beast

The groups are presented with a bag.

Jalar pulls out a rock that looks like a small metallic sea urchin. The Rogues pulls out a small chest. The Starlights get a foot. Tula pulls out a hacky-sack.

The guards leave and return, wheezing.

The Rough bunch return from their battle. One is gibberingly utterly horrified of chests.

The Starlights are cheered, followed by an "ooh" and an "ugh" and an awkward silence. There's people running through the halls.

We enter the arena, and find our places. Gate 5 opens and a Dogmole Juggernaught enters.

1. Surprise Round
   1. Salris hits with an Eldritch Blast for 3.
   2. Ryltar casts Mind Spike for 6 damage.
   3. The Dogmole Juggernaught approaches the walls in the center of the room, biting and clawing at Tula, who's behind a chest-high wall. The claws hit her for a little damage.
   4. Bugfood casts Fairy Fire on the Dogmole, but it isn't affected. Bugfood moves within the walls.
   5. Vurguron shoots at it with a crossbow; the bolt bounces off.
   6. Salris advances to near it, and throws a flask of acid at it, but the throw lands short
   7. Jerry casts Hunter's Mark on the Dogmole, slices it with her glaive for 11, and withdraws a step.
   8. Tula swings at it with her maul, which bounces. She withdraws a step.
2. Round 1
   1. Ryltar casts Ray of Frost on the thing.
   2. The Dogmole attacks with its claws and bite, hitting Jerry for a third of her HP and Tula for a quarter of hers.
   3. Bugfood casts Fairy Fire on the Dogmole; the party gains advantage on attacks against it.
   4. Vurguron channels the power of his god, Bahamut, and sprints to the Dogmole, and he with advantage misses the Dogmole. Then he Action Surges and hits for 11.
   5. Salris attacks the Dogmole with slashes, for 8. It looks about a third damage. He Hexblade's Curses it.
   6. Jerry just barely hits it, doing 9, and then withdraws behind a pillar that the Dogmole shouldn't be able to climb over.
3. Round 2.
   1. Tula activates Great Weapon Master with two natural 1s, and she feels shame as an action. Her greatsword misses, a 1 in 400 chance.
   2. Rylar fires Chilling Hands at the Dogmole, for 8 cold damage.
   3. The Dogmole claws Salris for 17 damage, and claws Vurguron, who Shields himself.
   4. Bugfood Produces Flame for a critical 4 flame damage to the Dogmole, and he Balm of the Summer Courts on Salris for 7 hit point bonus to him.
   5. Vurguron swords the Dogmole for 13 damage, taking it below half damage.
   6. Salris slashes the Dogmole, missing with two 3 rolls.
   7. Jerry does 12 with her glaive, and then re-retreats behind the pillar.
4. Round 3
   1. Tula tries again with Great Weapon Mastery for 24 damage. The Dogmole winces and catches her blade before it can cleave too deeply into its neck.
   2. Ryltar Chilling Hands the Dogmole for 8 cold damage.
   3. The Dogmole claws Vurguron for some damage, and bites Tula for 11, leaving her at 3 HP.
   4. Bugfood Produces Flame again and deals 2 flame damage.
   5. Vurguron swords the Dogmole for 10. The Dogmole winces, and flexes, and is still standing. It's willing itself to stand up.
   6. Salris slashes the Dogmole for 10 damage, still not killing it.
   7. Jerry swings with her glaive. The critical hit triggers her Savage Attack character trait, and she cuts off the Dogmole Juggernaught's head off with 31 damage.

The crowd roars. Jerry lifts the head up for the crowd.

We return to the chamber. Bugfood casts Healing Spirit for everyone for a total 36 health, which gets Tula back to 39/45 HP. She doesn't spend a healing die. While Bugfood is maintaining Healing Spirit, the green dragonborn approaches; we ask him if he wants to spend 50gp to take the healing offered by Bugfood. He's not willing to pay.

The third beast

The guards go out and return.

The Rough Bunch leaves, and the crowd "oohs" painfully.

We enter the arena, and prepare our spells. The doors open, and from doors 3 and 4 come two sprinting Owlbears. They are angry and fast.

1. Surprise Round.
   1. Black Owlbear sprints to Tula.
   2. Blue Owlbear sprints towards Jerry.
   3. Tula casts.
2. The real round.
   1. Ryltar casts Fairy Fire hitting both Owlbears, missing both.
   2. Salris advances to the black Owlbear, dealing 14 slashing.
   3. Bugfood casts Balm of the Summer Court on Tula for 4 HP, then casts Fairy Fire on the Owlbears, hitting the black one.
   4. The black Owlbear claws Tula and Salris, hitting Tula to bring her down to 6 HP and then beaking Salris.
   5. Tula uses Great Weapon Mastery and Smite to run 2d8+2d6+15 = 35 damage, leaving it up.
   6. Jerry transfers her still-running Hunter's Mark to the black Owlbear, and with its additional 1d6 she deals 12 damage. It's got 1 HP remaining.
   7. Vurguron runs over to the Owlbear and hits it with his sword, stabbing it straight between the eyes.
3. Round 2.
   1. Blue Owlbear beaks Vurguron for 7 and claws Jerry for 19.
   2. Ryltar Ray of Frosts the blue Owlbear, missing.
   3. Salris runs over to the blue Owlbear and stabs it for 11.
   4. Bugfood casts Frostbite on the Owlbear, but the Owlbear saves.
   5. Tula, with 6 HP, advances to the Owlbear and attacks it, hitting with her longsword and Smite for 14.
   6. Jerry transfers Hunter's Mark to the Owlbear, critically hits the Owlbear with her glaive, triggering Savage Attacks for 34.
   7. Vurguron hits the Owlbear with his breath weapon for 5.
4. Round 3.
   1. The Owlbear swipes at Jerry but misses, bites at Vurguron but misses, claws at Salris for a bit of damage.
   2. Ryltar Ray of Frosts the Owlbear for 2 cold damage.
   3. Salris slashes for 14.
   4. Bugfood casts something on it, but it passes.
   5. Tula misses.
   6. Jerry slashes the Owlbear for 15 and then retreats half her move.
   7. Vurguron takes Second Wind and attacks for a little bit.
5. Round 5.
   1. The Owlbear swipes at Salris but misses, downs Tula with a bite, and slashes Vurguron down as well.
   2. Ryltar Ray of Frosts the bugbear but misses.
   3. Salris casts Armor of Agathys for 10 temporary HP
   4. Bugfood casts Cure Wounds on Tula as a second-level spell for 12 HP. Vurguron receives Balm of the Summer Court for 5 HP and one temporary health.
   5. Tula rises, and with bloodshot eyes attacks the Owlbear with Great Weapon Mastery for 20 damage, killing it. The crowd goes wild.

Bugfood runs Healing Spirit for 40 apiece.

The fourth beast

The Staunch Defenders go out. There's some oohing and ouching. Tula, who is closest to the door, can hear the kuthrik crying in pain. They fought the kuthrik, and do not return to the waiting room.

So we head out the doors for our round.

Bugfood wildshapes into a spider, climbs up on top of a pillar, and changes back.

1. Surprise Round.
   1. Out of gate 2 comes a large white wolf and advances to Ryltar.
   2. Ryltar fires his spell but misses.
   3. Jerry yeets a dart at the wolf for 7.
   4. The wolf deals 10 piercing to Ryltar, but he defeats the strength save.
   5. A black warg enters from door 3 and runs up to Jerry, who is knocked prone, taking 13 piercing.
   6. A blueThe blueness and blackness of the wargs is based on the minifigures that play their role on the table. warg comes from door 5, and is attacked by Tula and Ryltar, taking a little damage. It runs up to Tula, who takes 10 piercing.
   7. Two medium wolves run out of door 6, and one takes 1 damage from Bugfood's Frostbite. The frostbitten wolf runs up to the pillar Bugfood stands upon, and tries to attack him, and misses. The other wolf runs over to Vurguron and bites him for 4 damage.
2. Round 1
   1. The blue warg attacks Tula for 5 piercing.
   2. The black warg attacks Jerry but misses.
   3. Salris casts Shatter, hitting the two wargs but not Jerry, giving 3d8 = 10 thunder damage to them.
   4. Jerry pops Hunter's Mark on the black warg, but misses. Jerry stands up and then moves across the walls to behind a pillar.
   5. The wolf on Vurguron bites him for 7 piercing.
   6. Vurguron slashes the wolf for 9.
   7. The white wolf moves away from Ryltar, then uses Cold Breath at Jerry, Vurguron and Salris. Salris and Jerry take 23 cold damage.
   8. The wolf under Bugfood's pillar attacks him, but misses its jump.
   9. Bugfood stabs it with his Suosim Staff, dealing 1 damage and failing to poison it.
   10. Ryltar casts Darkness, for a 15-foot sphere encompassing him and the white wolf. He can see the wolf, but no one else can see within the magical darkness.
   11. Tula misses her attack on the blue warg.
3. Round 2
   1. The blue warg advances to Vurguron and misses an attack on it.
   2. The black warg advances to Salris and bites him, knocking him prone and dealing 2 damage as the Armor of Agathys explodes, dealing 10 to the warg.
   3. Salris stands up and disengages.
   4. Jerry advances to within range of the black warg, and attacks both wargs. She misses the blue warg, but hits the black warg for 17, killing it. She moves Hunter's Mark to the blue warg.
   5. The wolf under Bugfood attacks Salris. It hits him for 4 piercing and it knocks him prone.
   6. Vurguron attacks the wolf nearest him, for 14 damage, killing it.
   7. The white wolf moves partially out of the darkness, biting at Jerry, but missing.
   8. Bugfood attacks the wolf under him, missing as he swings it through the air.
   9. Ryltar attacks the white wolf's haunch that remains in Darkness, attacking from within the darkness at advantage for Ray of Frost to slow its move speed by 10.
   10. Tula misses the blue warg.
4. Round 3.
   1. The blue warg attacks Vurguron for 11, downing him and knocking him prone.
   2. Salris attacks the wolf under Bugfood with his khopesh for 7, killing it. Then he drinks a healing potion.
   3. Jerry moves Hunter's Mark onto the White Wolf, and attacks the white wolf and warg, dealing 15 to the wolf and 5 ot the warg, then retreats 20 feet.
   4. Vurguron fails his death save.
   5. The White Wolf breath weapons Jerry, knocking her down and bringing her to 2 HP.
   6. Bugfood poisons the white wolf with the Suosim Staff, for 7 poison and 7 piercing. Then he heals Vurguron with Balm of the Summer Court.
   7. Ryltar casts Mind Spike for 20 damage.
   8. Tula kills the blue warg, then attacks the white wolf, smiting it for 8 damage.
5. Round 4
   1. Salris attacks the white wolf for 10 damage.
   2. Jerry stands up and stabs it for 15, and retreats 20 feet.
   3. Vurguron, freshly raised from unconsciousness, springs to his feet, stabs the white wolf, and kills it.

So we win the Battle of the Beasts.

Next session

The winner's ceremony.

The note-taker will be here on August 10, but not August 24 or September 14.