DND Blog

A place to keep DND session recaps, from various campaigns.

The Forty-Seventh Session

June 26, 2021, Campaign: As the ground quakes, evil wakes

Bugfood disappears to take care of Remmy the Squirrel. The Party leaves Quadroads with a send-off from the Ascendants, and with a small party of escorts for the trip. After many days' hike, and a battle through the spiderwebs, the Party enters a cave.

Table of Contents

  1. Last session
  2. Shopping, continued
    1. Ryltar's dream
  3. Bugfood's vanishment
  4. Departing Quadroads
  5. Into the forest
  6. To the south-southwest

Last session

The Party has been hired by the Ascendants, rulers of Quadroads, to find the source of the dread spiders and solve the problem. We were advanced 10,000 gold out of our 20,000 gold payment to allow us buy supplies for the expedition.

Our escort on this mission is the Goliath named Thrai Razorleaf.

Shopping, continued

In Glassmore's Tinctures, there are still 10 basic healing potions, climbing potions, potion of Stone Giant strength, and potion of resistance to fire. We buy many of the basic healing potions.

At Goodbarrel's Goodmagics, the random magic-item shop, there's slide grease (Oil of Slipperiness), A Wind Fan, Ring of Raman, a Withertouch Staff, and a Handy Haversack. When we ask about ways of disposing of things, Goodbarrel brings out a clear-faced copper dodecahedron, which "May dispose of things. I don't know. Last person who touched this got a nasty shock. They didn't want it after."

"And that's what it does? Gives a nasty shock?"

"Well, that's one side. Don't know about the other sides."

Ryltar buys the Handy Haversack, and puts all his stuff into it. Goodbarrel puts the dodecahedron away, gingerly.

We're done shopping at this time, and so we leave the market district of Quadroads.

We agree to meet up in the morning. Tomorrow is the Fall Equinox, and Thrai tells us that our departure will be celebrated. We're heading along the eastern road to the West Haven.

Ryltar wonders why people can walk into the Temple of Ioun and "Lolth about". Something has changed there. Our speculation as we walk turns up some interesting questions.

We elect to stay at the Regular Inn that night. It's very small, basically someone's house. 3 silver apiece for dinner and beds and breakfast; Ryltar pays the barkeep 5 gold for silence if anyone's looking for us.

Two rooms, two beds each: Bugfood sleeps on the floor, after casting the Hearth of Moonlight and Shadow to hide the Party (and, by extension, the Inn).

Ryltar's dream

That night, Ryltar has a dream in his trance. His nerves are at the breaking point, his mind is full of every iteration of "what could happen? is this where I die? are they going to come for me?"

The morning comes.

Bugfood's vanishment

Ryltar awakes to an empty room; he thinks Bugfood and Vurguron went downstairs for food. Downstairs, there is Vurguron, but no Bugfood.

The barkeep tells us that Bugfood left behind a big sack for whomever comes down looking for him: it's a clanging sack. And there's a note:

My home calls me. I have to protect the squirrel, Remmy. My travels have been far reaching, and deeply enriching. Be safe, don’t die. See me when you can. Have these things that I’ll have little need for.

Ryltar is not surprised that Bugfood needed to leave to protect Remmy.

In the bag are:

After some discussion, Vurguron takes the Ring of Feather Falling. Jerry takes the Folding Boat and potions. Ryltar takes the scrolls.

Departing Quadroads

Thrai finds the Party at the Regular Inn, eating breakfast.

Outside, the city sounds like it's gearing up for a festival. There's temporary construction happening in the middle of town. Thrai is dressed for adventure, carrying a huge maul. There are 10 horses, four with extra saddlebags.

The square is covered with people, and to the north side is a prepared stage for "Morenzo's Magical Mists", not yet started in performance. Ribbons cross the courtyard from a maypole in the middle.

We talk with them a little bit; they're not surprised about last-minute changes in our Party's number. We decide to leave the spare horse that Bugfood would ride with the Quadroads' guards, at the gate. Chelrey tells us that we're waiting for the Ascendants to give us a send-off from the stage.

And at that point, the major heads of the Ascendancy step out from the stage's curtain, gathering the crowd's attention.

"Citizens of the Quadroads, our best efforts to combat the arachnids that besieged these lands are in the hands of these brave knights," says the Cleric of Pellor.

We get on our horses, and follow Thrai across the plaza.

"Give them your prayers, that they may return, and celebrate this harvest day."

The crowd is somewhere between cheering and mourning.

We exit town, leaving Bugfood's horse behind.

Into the forest

The forest greets us, free of spiders. But the trunks of trees are singed and blackened, and the undergrowth has been burnt away. Thrai pats the saddlebags: "That's half of our mission. We burn away the road, to see if we can get to some normalcy there. We spread out where we can, but they keep encroaching on the road."

The turns of the road and the forest dampen the sounds of the city behind us.

We spend much time spraying webs with oil and setting them on fire.

"We have no emissaries from the Temple of Ioun," says Ryltar. "Do you have much interactions with them?" Chelrey replies that he meets with them off and on. Thrai, no. Nichye: no response. Suse: spends most of her time there.

At Jerry's question, Thrai says that the worship of Lolth is not barred in Quadroads, but she doesn't know of any temples there. She says it's not impossible. Jerry intimates that perhaps it might be hidden or cloaked by another temple; Thrai says it's not illegal but would definitely be investigated.

The guards all wear their personal attire over sanctioned, Quadroads-branded armor.

Ryltar asks about whether they're all from the Quadroads. Chelrey explains how to get from the East Haven by boat to the north to his hometown, the sprawling metropolis of Ciderlan, north of the Red Wastes.

These guards don't usually work together. Thrai lost her usual group; she picked the rest for their skills in protecting themselves against corruption. Their mission is to keep the road clean of webs, and to take our horses back.

Ryltar asks why were were chosen; Jerry said that Thrai said it was because we're good at what we do. Thrai heard of us from the Ascendants; Ryltar is leery of people talking about him as it usually leads to stabbings. But Thrai says that we were praised for saving the West Haven. Ryltar credits the professor, but we also remember Bugfood's wish upon his feather.

The sun sets and we clear a clearing among the webs for our campsite. Thrai sits in the center, and prays. In the early moonlight, a beam of moonlight illuminates her with a feminine, powerful presence, which stands behind her. The moonlight fades, but the presence stays: she has cast Guardian of Faith.

Thrai takes first watch with Ryltar, Jerry and Chelrey second, Vurguron and Nichye, Suse and Ryltar on fourth. We spend the night talking about stuff.

As the night comes to a close, Suse scouts forward, passing quickly out of sight. Suse returns with the dawn, bearing news with tracks a day or two old.

The second and third days pass similarly, without incident. We come to a fork in the road, and settle down at the end of the third day to unload the saddlebags.

That night, Ryltar presses Thrai about the stones in the spiders, how they've gone from being rough rocks to cut stones, hewn with care. Someone or something is shaping them.

Thrai mutters: "So that's why they took… I wonder if there's a reason why… Would that coincide with why the spiders took my party instead of slaughtering them? They were not killed."

"I can think of two things: They could take them because of spider instinct, or worse." Ryltar speculates that whatever force is shaping the stones may decide to start placing them in other creatures.

Thrai explains that she hasn't told anyone else that her party was taken.

On her watch, Jerry notices that Chelrey is less optimistic than before. But he does talk her ear off, none the less. Talking about whittling, and wood, and metal or stone tools as they are applied woodcarving. She asks about stonecarving; he talks about how wood has shapes within it, to reveal stuff. She asks how he'd go about carving the obsidian pumice found in the spiders. He doesn't know.

Nichye and Salris still don't talk to each other.

Suse and Ryltar and Vurguron: after a while Suse says, "I can't sit still this long," and goes off to scout for the second half of her watch.

To the south-southwest

The Party follows Thrai to the south-southwest, off the road, into the webbed woods.

Jerry's 27 Survival roll guides us deep into the forest, taking the "back roads" of the spider highways. Thrai directs us through the woods, into the lair. Thrai casts Shield of Faith on herself, and advances into the lair. She sees a blue-white spider advancing towards her. And then Jerry sees it.

  1. Round 1.
    1. Jerry casts Hunter's Mark upon the spider, then stabs twice for 26 and 21 damage.

We're at an intersection in the road, and we hear the chittering of spiders approaching. They hear us.

Thrai advances around a corner to see a Large Splitcaster Spider, and casts Guiding Bolt on it before attacking it.

  1. Round 1: Jerry gains the ability to see through everyone's clothes and armor. The Splitcaster webs Vurguron and Thrai.
    1. Salris advances to the spider casts Hexblade's Curse and follows it with Eldritch Blast twice, for 15 force damage before ducking out of the way.
    2. A small Phase Spider attacks Salris, and misses its attack. Then it disappears to the Ethereal Plane.
    3. Vurguron walks through the space formerly occupied by the Phase Spider to attack the large Splitcaster Spider, missing one attack with his sword and attacking again for 16 radiant damage.
    4. Ryltar casts Ray of Frost at the Splitcaster, doing a little damage to it, and
    5. Jerry activates the lightning-struck staff to determine if its effect of "see through clothing and armor" will let her see through the spiderwebs. It doesn't. The Party appear butt-ass naked. She moves to where she can see the Splitcaster, and then moves Hunter's Mark onto it.
    6. The Splitcaster raises its two-pronged butt and shoots web at Vurguron and Thrai. They both succeed on a Charisma save and are restrained by webs. Then it bites and tentacles at Vurguron, for 14 piercing damage and a Constitution save, which he fails. He takes 18 poison damage.
    7. Thrai casts Freedom of Movement on herself.
  2. Round 2: The Phase Spider is smashed; the Splitcaster damages Vurguron some more. A swarm of little spiders appears.
    1. Salris moves into the room with the Splitcaster and holds a weapon attack until he can see the Phase Spider.
    2. The Phase Spider appears behind Ryltar and attacks him, but misses.
    3. Vurguron tries to escape the web, and fails.
    4. Ryltar Mind Spikes the Phase Spider, knowing where it is at all times.
    5. Jerry stabulates the Phase Spider, killing it.
    6. The Splitcaster recharges. It attacks Vurguron with a bite, and is warded off by his Shield. Then it tentacles the webbed Vurguron for 20 damage, and another bite which is similarly Shielded.
    7. Thrai makes two maul attacks against the Splitcaster for 25 nonmagical bludgeoning.
    8. A whirling swarm of little spiders appears uptunnel from Jerry.
  3. The Splitcaster retreats and the swarm is killed.
    1. Salris makes a bunch of slashing attacks at the Splitcaster.
    2. Vurguron attacks the Splitcaster, and fails.
    3. Ryltar casts Chilling Hands at the swarm; Jerry takes half because she's in the cone and he's careful. He retreats; the swarm's attack of opportunity does 19 damage to him.
    4. Jerry kills the weaker half of the swarm and wounds the second half, before retreating.
    5. The Splitcaster disengages from the Party, and tunnels down into the underfloor.
    6. Thrai Guiding Bolts the swarm into oblivion.

Thrai advances down the tunnel, and sees a Phase Spider in a cul-de-sac.

  1. Round 1
    1. Salris casts Eldritch Blast twice for 22 damage.
    2. The Phase Spider bites Thrai twice and vanishes to the Ethereal Plane.
    3. Vurguron again tries to break out of his web, and fails.
    4. Ryltar tries to break Vurguron out of the mysteriously-stronger web, and fails.
    5. Jerry tries to cut Vurguron free, and with a 29, succeeds.
    6. Thrai advances past the web where the Phase Spider lurked, coming to another bend in the tunnel.
  2. Round 2
    1. Salris prepares two Eldritch Blasts in case the Phase Spider reappears.
    2. The Phase Spider reappears, and takes 9 force damage. Then it bites him twice,
    3. Vurguron toasts those who broke him free with a healing potion, healing for 5, and he advances to the Phase Spider to attack it. It splatters.

Thrai charges ahead; the Party follows at a distance. She's well out of range when she comes across another swarm. "Slow down!" yells Ryltar. Thrai holds an attack.

The swarm moves into Thrai's space with a double move, and then she attacks it.

Vurguron and Salris catch up with her; Vurguron drinks another healing potion. Ryltar dashes after them and takes a healing potion. Jerry dashes to catch up.

Salris Tolls the Dead on that swarm, for 14 necrotic damage on the swarm. It's still alive.

Vurguron advances down the corridor to see the mangled Splitcaster emerging from a trapdoor, and drinks a healing potion. Ryltar advances and holds a Ray of Frost until something attacks him.

  1. Round 1: Jerry attacks the Splitcaster, but is webbed by it. The webs take her to the Ethereal Plane. There, she is attacked by two Phase Spiders. The Splitcaster is killed by the Party.
    1. Jerry advances past everyone, heading towards the ping she got from Hunter's Mark, and stabs it for 40 piercing.
    2. The Splitcaster webs Jerry. With a 2 Charisma, she and the web phase into the Ethereal Realm. Two Phase Spiders are in the Ethereal Plane, and she's there with them. The Splitcaster makes two tentacle attacks against Vurguron, now that Jerry no longer blocks its attack, and misses both.
    3. Thrai advances to behind Vurguron and casts Guiding Bolt on the Splitcaster, bloodying it a bit more.
    4. Salris advances to where he can see the Splitcaster with 3/4 cover, and Tolls the Dead, but it makes the save to prevent damage.
    5. The two Phase Spiders advance on Jerry, each biting her. With advantage because she is restrained, one is unable to pierce her armor. Her Heartkeeper Breastplate turns the second attack, a crit, into a normal attack, dealing only 7 piercing, and she passes a constitution save to avoid being poisoned.
    6. Vurguron advances on the Splitcaster, and attacks twice, slicing the Splitcaster in twain. Dust sprouts from its wounds, and it falls. The dust is purplish-orange.

Ryltar saw Jerry phase out of existence, and she didn't come back when the creature died. He tries to think of anything that can be done to help her, and comes up blank: he can't Polymorph into a Splitcaster; his spirit hound can't see in to the Ethereal Plane. All he can do is walk into the room in which she disappeared, and to look like a juicy target.

Over on the Ethereal Plane, Jerry stares at the two Phase Spiders, silhouetted against the grey, shadowy, misty Ethereal Plane. She passes a Strength save and breaks the web —

— Jerry reappears on the Material plane.

"Oh thank the gods, I thought they were going to eat you," says Ryltar.

"There were two Phase Spiders, and they did try to eat me. They're here and here," says Jerry, pointing. And then she advances into the room.

  1. The Phase Spiders appear, and attack Ryltar, before dying to Vurguron.
    1. The Party advances into the room a little, and one Phase Spider appears behind Ryltar. Thrai's Guiding Bolt hits it, but doesn't pop it. The other Phase Spider appears on his other side, and attacks Ryltar for 8 piercing and 7 poison.
    2. Vurguron pulls out his Shadow Blade, which gains some bonus from the spider webs' shadows, and with his first attack he slices off three of the spider's legs. His second attack cuts off three more legs, leaving it as a squishy pebble which he steps on. Then he Action Surges and turns to attack the other Phase Spider, and kills it.

We examine the spiders. The smaller Phase Spiders' obsidian pumice crystals are seen to be emitting a little wispy magical vapor, kinda like dry ice. We decide not to put them inside the extradimensional storage we have.

Jerry and Thrai advance into the new room. A spider swarm sees Thrai, and advances upon her.

Vurguron takes an empty potion jar and collects the dust from the Splitcaster, and moves into the room. He and Salris see deep into the room where the swarm came from: there are a number of human-sized cocoons on the floor of the room, next to an unwebbed hole leading into the ground.

Ryltar casts Chilling Hands on the swarm and Thrai, killing the swarm.

A chittering comes from behind us.

Thrai advances through the cocoon room, telling the Party to get into the hole.

Salris grabs a cocoon and gets it into the hole. Vurguron follows with another cocoon.

Jerry sees the webbing flex, and feels the air pressure increase: a wall of spiders approaches from the direction we came, pushing the air in front of them. She grabs the third and final cocoon, and dives into the tunnel, preceded by Ryltar (who had held a sprint into the cave to wait to make sure Jerry made it). Thrai follows, leaping into the hole.

Next session

We have three cocoons, and we're in a cave in the ground under the Spider Forest.

Other stuff: