Griffin O'Callahan (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
icastsword) wrote2022-11-13 08:39 pm
icastsword) wrote2022-11-13 08:39 pm
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Session 117: Centipedes & Ooze
Serra starts us off with a Mass Healing Word. Griffin is back up to full HP. We march onward. There is a very large hole bored through the dwarven stonework of the ruin floor towards the eastern corner of the room. Serra peeks down the hole. She rolls a 24 to Perceive. As she gets close to the edge of the hole, she realizes it goes down a pretty long way. She sees what looks like large things writhing around in the hole. It looks like a pile of living intestines just writing and undulating down there.
Do we want to throw a familiar down the hole? We do have one that can fly. Serra calls Duke. He appears in a flash of light and perches on Serra's forearm. He asks what he can do for her. Serra just looks at the hole. Duke looks at the hole, and looks back at Serra. "You've got to be kidding me." Duke suggests Serra go down in the hole, since she also has wings. Serra explains that she can't because she has a sudden and intense fear of confined spaces.
Serra is required to roll Deception because she KNOWS what's down there. She rolls a 19. But Duke rolls an 18 Perception and he can also see what's down there. He sees something large and undulating. Serra asks if he sees any shinies down there? She rolls Persuasion with Disadvantage. She rolls a Nat 1.
While this negotiation takes place, Griffin wanders off further into the caverns. This hole is really boring, you guys.
Duke is finally convinced to fly into the hole. He gets maybe about 15 feet down. Is Serra watching? Yes. One of those undulating coils rises up the entire length of the pit and snatches Duke out of the air. She realizes it's a massive centipede. Duke squawks in alarm. As soon as the enormous mandibles close in on Duke's soft bird flesh, Duke poofs out of existence. Serra pops him back into existence on her arm. Or at least she tries to. He refuses to land. He's leaving. He flies down the corridor in the other direction.
The centipede slithers up the hole, and Serra realizes that the big undulating mass of coils wasn't one centipede. It was four.
We proceed onward. As we go up the corridor, it splits off - there's a 30-ft hole to our left that looks like it's blocking off another cavern. Serra can see what looks like a room with running water. Duke dubiously looks at the hole, and says "very well." He flies over the hole. Nothing launches up and catches him. He comes back and informs us there are stairs leading up. Serra gives him a Dukie snack. Duke asks if she's alright. She rolls a 7 Deception. Duke can tell Serra is a little rattled, but he's not going to push.
We proceed up the non-hole path. It opens up into a large cavern containing a pool of water. Griffin offers to throw Sekilos into the pool from a safe distance. Crimeny rolls a 23 to Investigate for traps. It doesn't look like anything has been through here in a long time. There are some very old blood stains and some bones, but whether they're from people or animals, Crimeny would have to roll Nature. They do find an old necklace, and an old decanter with some liquid in it.
Crimeny gives the necklace and bottle to Nellie. She rolls a Nat 20 on Arcana.
While Shane is hanging out in the hall, he rolls Perception. He hears what sounds like the grinding of metal coming from that pit. He peeks. He sees, deep in the hole, what look like sparks of metal grinding on metal.
Griffin rolls a 27 Athletics to fling the frog into the water. Sekilos lands with a plop. Nellie tunes in to frog-o-vision. At the bottom of the pool are a lot of rusted, decayed armor and lots and lots of bones. She Investigates to see if there's anything worth salvaging. She rolls a 17 with the help of her Guidance cantrip. Sekilos spies a large, metal shield that has been corroded so thoroughly, it looks like molten slag. There is a large diamond the size of Nellie's fist within the shield that looks like it could easily come loose.
We take a short rest.
Near the end of the short rest, Nellie starts to cast a ritual:
This diamond was socketed into a wooden shield. The melted slag is actually a huge Grey Ooze. It's clinging on to Griffin now. Luckily Griffin can breathe underwater for the next 24 hours! Not that he's going to be down here for that long. Probably.
Do we want to throw a familiar down the hole? We do have one that can fly. Serra calls Duke. He appears in a flash of light and perches on Serra's forearm. He asks what he can do for her. Serra just looks at the hole. Duke looks at the hole, and looks back at Serra. "You've got to be kidding me." Duke suggests Serra go down in the hole, since she also has wings. Serra explains that she can't because she has a sudden and intense fear of confined spaces.
Serra is required to roll Deception because she KNOWS what's down there. She rolls a 19. But Duke rolls an 18 Perception and he can also see what's down there. He sees something large and undulating. Serra asks if he sees any shinies down there? She rolls Persuasion with Disadvantage. She rolls a Nat 1.
While this negotiation takes place, Griffin wanders off further into the caverns. This hole is really boring, you guys.
Duke is finally convinced to fly into the hole. He gets maybe about 15 feet down. Is Serra watching? Yes. One of those undulating coils rises up the entire length of the pit and snatches Duke out of the air. She realizes it's a massive centipede. Duke squawks in alarm. As soon as the enormous mandibles close in on Duke's soft bird flesh, Duke poofs out of existence. Serra pops him back into existence on her arm. Or at least she tries to. He refuses to land. He's leaving. He flies down the corridor in the other direction.
The centipede slithers up the hole, and Serra realizes that the big undulating mass of coils wasn't one centipede. It was four.
ROUND 1
Crimeny has this can of Raid. They can either poison someone's weapon with the Raid or they can hurl it into the air and pop it with a crossbow bolt. These bugs are REALLY big, and there are four of them. One can of Raid dispersed in the air probably isn't going to do much good. Crimeny wanders up to Griffin and coats his sword with a healthy dose of Raid. Griffin's attacks will do an extra 1d10 poison to these centipedes. Crimeny uses a bonus action to hide behind Griffin.
Griffin is up. He Leroy Jenkins' up to the closest centipede, casts Wrathful Smite as a bonus action
Hit 1 does 8 Slashing, 8 Cold, 2 Psychic, and 9 Poison, Hit 2 does 11 Slashing, 2 Cold, and 1 poison for a grand total of 41 damage. The Centipede must make a Wisdom Save. It fails with a 4. It is afeared of Griffin. The Centipede recoils back and hisses because of the poison. A stream of jet black, tarry ichor sprays from its wound and hits Griffin for 13 Necrotic damage. The Centipede begins to retreat down the hole.
Wrathful Smite (1st Level Evocation)
The next time you hit with a melee weapon attack during this spell’s duration, your attack deals an extra 1d6 psychic damage. Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the spell ends. As an action, the creature can make a Wisdom check against your spell save DC to steel its resolve and end this spell.
He hits with a 26 and a 27.The next time you hit with a melee weapon attack during this spell’s duration, your attack deals an extra 1d6 psychic damage. Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the spell ends. As an action, the creature can make a Wisdom check against your spell save DC to steel its resolve and end this spell.
Hit 1 does 8 Slashing, 8 Cold, 2 Psychic, and 9 Poison, Hit 2 does 11 Slashing, 2 Cold, and 1 poison for a grand total of 41 damage. The Centipede must make a Wisdom Save. It fails with a 4. It is afeared of Griffin. The Centipede recoils back and hisses because of the poison. A stream of jet black, tarry ichor sprays from its wound and hits Griffin for 13 Necrotic damage. The Centipede begins to retreat down the hole.
Shane requires all of the bugs to make a Charisma save. NC3 fails with a 16, NC4 fails with a 13, NC2 fails with an 11, and NC1 fails with a -1. All four Centipedes are Baned. Shane tells Serra she should back away from the Centipedes, and Shane is also going to back away from the Centipedes.
Jericho rolls a Nature Check before he starts spamming Fireballs. He rolls an Unnatural 20 on Centipedes. He doesn't know what kind of massive Centipedes these are, but there's a solid chance they might have resistance or immunity to fire. Okay. FINE! Be that way. Jericho will cast a DIFFERENT spell, then. One with cocaine, and hookers. Jericho is going to cast a NEW spell. The Centipede closest to Griffin has taken some damage and is retreating into the hole. Jericho stays where he's at, and casts his spell at Centipede #3.
Raulothim's Psychic Lance (4th Level Enchantment)
You unleash a shimmering lance of psychic power from your forehead at a creature that you can see within range. Alternatively, you can utter a creature’s name. If the named target is within range, it becomes the spell’s target even if you can’t see it. If the named target isn’t within range, the lance dissipates without effect.
The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 7d6 psychic damage and is incapacitated until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t incapacitated.
It has to make an INT save. It is Baned. It rolls a grand total of -3. It's going to take 7d6 Psychic damage and will be incapacitated until the end of Jericho's next turn. Because it failed so badly, Inky is allowed to double the damage dice. Alas that she decided to use Roll20's dice roller - it only takes 46 Psychic damage. It starts screaming and spasming out. He finishes his turn by flinging Bardic Inspiration at Griffin.You unleash a shimmering lance of psychic power from your forehead at a creature that you can see within range. Alternatively, you can utter a creature’s name. If the named target is within range, it becomes the spell’s target even if you can’t see it. If the named target isn’t within range, the lance dissipates without effect.
The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 7d6 psychic damage and is incapacitated until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t incapacitated.
NC2 is unaffected by anything but Bane, and is going to attack Serra. It hits with a 24. Ant needs a dice roller. This centipede rises up out of the hole and bites Serra with its giant mandibles for a total of 35 Piercing damage. As the mandibles sink in she takes another 8 Necrotic damage, and she is Grappled and Restrained. The centipede takes 9 Clanggedin damage from Serra's armor.
Serra screams hysterically. She casts a 4th Level Guiding Bolt at point blank. Ant lets her auto-hit because she's point blank. She rolls a d20 just to see whether she rolls a 1. She rolls a 9, so nothing terrible happens, probably. She does 25 Radiant damage, and the next attack against NC2 has Advantage.
NC3 is dealing with the world's worst migraine.
Nellie rolls Nature to see how well these things do in the cold. She rolls a 15 Nature. Most insects don't do well in the cold, so it likely doesn't have resistance or immunity. She casts Snilloc's Snowball Swarm. Centipedes 2, 3, and 4 need to roll a Dex save. NC3 auto-fails because it's incapacitated. NC2 rolls an 18 to save, and it will take half damage. NC4 rolls a 2. Nellie casts the spell at the 3rd level for some extra Pow. Full damage is 19, and 10 halved. Nellie retreats back into the tunnel.
NC1 is running away from Griffin. It rolls a 7 Wisdom save, and is still afraid.
NC4 rushes out of the hole. It's going to make an attack on Jericho. It still hits with a 22, even though it's Baned. Booo. It bites at Jericho and does 42 Piercing damage and 9 Necrotic. He is grappled and restrained.
ROUND 2
It's Crimeny's turn. The only one they have a clear shot at is NC4, so they shoot it. They hit with a 25. Their sneak-attack damage is 30.
Griffin hits NC4 - first roll to hit is a 19. Second roll to hit is a dirty 20. Swipe 1 does 10 Slashing, 1 Poison, and 7 Cold, Swipe 2 does 10 Slashing, 4 poison, 5 cold. He does a total of 37 damage on this Centipede. He gets his sword into its undercarriage, and that awful necrotic black ichor sprays out at him and does 14 Necrotic damage. He saves on Concentration on Wrathful smite. He uses a bonus action to cast Blade Ward upon himself using his enchanted soldier trinket.
That big ol' centipede just bit Shane's boss. He doesn't give too much of a fuck. He rolls a 17 Nature and knows these things aren't immune to being charmed. He's going to bust out a new spell.
Mental Prison (6th Level Illusion)
You attempt to bind a creature within an illusory cell that only it perceives. One creature you can see within range must make an Intelligence saving throw. The target succeeds automatically if it is immune to being charmed. On a successful save, the target takes 5d10 psychic damage, and the spell ends. On a failed save, the target takes 5d10 psychic damage, and you make the area immediately around the target’s space appear dangerous to it in some way. You might cause the target to perceive itself as being surrounded by fire, floating razors, or hideous maws filled with dripping teeth. Whatever form the illusion takes, the target can’t see or hear anything beyond it and is restrained for the spell’s duration. If the target is moved out of the illusion, makes a melee attack through it, or reaches any part of its body through it, the target takes 10d10 psychic damage, and the spell ends.
He's going to target NC2, the bug that has his good friend Serra in its mouth, to roll an INT save. It is Baned. It rolls a 3 with Bane. It is now surrounded by giant illusory domestic chickens, and it takes 5d10 Psychic damage. And it is restrained. So now it can't go anywhere with Serra, which is important. The Centipede takes 30 Psychic damage. Shane moves further away from the CentipedesYou attempt to bind a creature within an illusory cell that only it perceives. One creature you can see within range must make an Intelligence saving throw. The target succeeds automatically if it is immune to being charmed. On a successful save, the target takes 5d10 psychic damage, and the spell ends. On a failed save, the target takes 5d10 psychic damage, and you make the area immediately around the target’s space appear dangerous to it in some way. You might cause the target to perceive itself as being surrounded by fire, floating razors, or hideous maws filled with dripping teeth. Whatever form the illusion takes, the target can’t see or hear anything beyond it and is restrained for the spell’s duration. If the target is moved out of the illusion, makes a melee attack through it, or reaches any part of its body through it, the target takes 10d10 psychic damage, and the spell ends.
Jericho casts Raulothim's Psychic Lance again, this time on NC2. The Baned Centipede has to make an INT save, which it fails with a 4. It is incapacitated, which means it drops Jericho. It takes 32 Psychic Damage. It drops Jericho. He fucks off a bit. He needs a hot second and would like to not be fucking eaten. He slides around the edge of the chamber and positions himself near the corridor we used to enter this shitshow cavern. He gives Bardic Inspiration to Serra
NC2 tries to swallow Serra. It hits with a 21, but Serra has Combat Inspiration, and she rolls an 8 on the Bardic Inspo dice to bump up her AC well past 21. She is not swallowed. The Centipede tries to go down into the hole. It's going to take its chance with the 10d10 Psychic damage. It tanks the 76 damage and moves 30 feet down the hole.
Serra is down in this hole. She is still grappled. First she's going to Healing Word herself, because she's in a bad way here. She heals herself for 22 HP. She's going to try to escape using Dex. She fails with a 13. Good luck everyone else!
NC3 is no longer incapacitated by Jericho's spell. It crawls out of the hole and attacks Shane. It rolls a 27 after Bane. He takes 11 Necrotic damage and 44 Piercing halved to 22. Shane takes 33 total damage. He is grappled. No, he's not. He's a warlock, he has a thing called Misty Escape. He BAMPHs to the other side of the hole. He takes the damage but he is not grappled.
Unfortunately some of Nellie's best options to deal with the Centipedes in the hole say, "Creature that you can SEE" within range. Sorry, Serra, try not to die a little bit longer! NC4 must make a Wisdom Save - it fails with a 15 thanks to Bane. Nellie is using Mind Spike at the 4th level. It's going to take 5d8 Psychic damage. It takes 21 Psychic damage. It screeches again. Don't die, Serra.
NC1 rolls another Wis save against Griffin. It rolls a -3. It's so scared it burrows into another tunnel and leaves the fight entirely. Nice!
NC4 is dealing with its Jericho hangover.
ROUND 3
Crimeny rolls a 29 to hit NC4, and does 36 Piercing damage. It writhes in agony, but it's still alive.
Griffin casts another bonus action Wrathful Smite, since his first target is gone. Then he rolls a 28 and a Nat 20 to hit! Hit 1 does 14 slashing, 1 poison, 1 cold, 6 Psychic. The CRIT does 14 Slashing, 10 Poison, and 6 Cold for a grand total of 52 hurt points! Griffin takes 12 Necrotic splash damage after damaging the bug. He plunges his sword in deep and uses its weight as a fulcrum point, and slashes up, snapping the head clear off. The headless body falls back down the hole, and the centipede's head lands at Griffin's feet. Griffin kicks the head down after its body. Heck you, Centipede.
Shane walks up to the edge of the hole and stares at the Centipede that stole Serra. He casts Mental Prison on it again. It fails its INT save, and takes 44 damage. It's incapacitated. It is surrounded by honey badgers and cute toads. The honey badgers don't give a fuck. It's so terrified, it starts to froth at the mouth and it falls over, releasing Serra. It dies of fright. Shane stands by the hole and watches and makes sure Serra can get out of the hole.
Centipede 3 is still doing shit. Serra is unfortunate in the hole, though. Can Jericho go over to the hole to dive in and retrieve Serra? He rolls an 18 Dex Save. He reaches Serra just as the centipede's jaws go slack. He's able to grab her and unfurl his wings to catch the updraft. He's got Serra grasped by the arm. Serra looks up with puppy dog eyes and cries, "Thank you!" While they're in the hole, they both roll Nat 20 Perceptions. Now Ant has to make a quick roll. Jericho and Serra look down to the bodies of the two falling, deceased centipedes. The bodies fall, and something below them writhes and grabs the carcasses. These tentacles look like they're covered by old dwarven machinery and other bits and bobs of carcasses, rock, and crystal. These tentacles withdraw into the dark with the large bodies.
Serra is dangling over this doom pit, held up by Jericho. She gets out her aasimar wings and flies out of the hole. She rolls a 23 to hit the remaining Centipede, and does 12 Radiant damage with Guiding Bolt. The next attack on NC3 has Advantage.
NC3 goes after Griffin, but whiffs a big fat one with a 17 to hit the good good beef boy.
Nellie requests an INT save. It fails with a 17. Thank you, Bane! It's time for Nellie's new Cantrip, Mind Sliver!
Mind Sliver (Enchantment Cantrip)
You drive a disorienting spike of psychic energy into the mind of one creature you can see within range. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or take 1d6 psychic damage and subtract 1d4 from the next saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn.
It only takes 5 damage, but it's double-Baned.You drive a disorienting spike of psychic energy into the mind of one creature you can see within range. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or take 1d6 psychic damage and subtract 1d4 from the next saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn.
ROUND 4
Crimeny take us home!! They roll up a little closer and hit with an Unnatural 20. Their attack does 31 damage. The Centipede is not looking happy. Can Crimeny use a bonus action to throw the can of Raid at the Centipede? Yeah, Ant will allow it. Crimeny rolls a Nat 20 to hit. They take aim at the thrashing centipede. They let fly at the perfect time. As the centipede's head comes up, it crunches the can in its mouth. There is a hissing sound as the poison eats away at its mandibles and jaw. The centipede begins to thrash violently, until the poison eats away at it, and kills it.
We proceed onward. As we go up the corridor, it splits off - there's a 30-ft hole to our left that looks like it's blocking off another cavern. Serra can see what looks like a room with running water. Duke dubiously looks at the hole, and says "very well." He flies over the hole. Nothing launches up and catches him. He comes back and informs us there are stairs leading up. Serra gives him a Dukie snack. Duke asks if she's alright. She rolls a 7 Deception. Duke can tell Serra is a little rattled, but he's not going to push.
We proceed up the non-hole path. It opens up into a large cavern containing a pool of water. Griffin offers to throw Sekilos into the pool from a safe distance. Crimeny rolls a 23 to Investigate for traps. It doesn't look like anything has been through here in a long time. There are some very old blood stains and some bones, but whether they're from people or animals, Crimeny would have to roll Nature. They do find an old necklace, and an old decanter with some liquid in it.
Crimeny gives the necklace and bottle to Nellie. She rolls a Nat 20 on Arcana.
Necklace of Adaptation
While wearing this necklace, you can breathe normally in any environment, and you have advantage on saving throws made against harmful gases and vapors (such as cloudkill and stinking cloud effects, inhaled poisons, and the breath weapons of some dragons).
While wearing this necklace, you can breathe normally in any environment, and you have advantage on saving throws made against harmful gases and vapors (such as cloudkill and stinking cloud effects, inhaled poisons, and the breath weapons of some dragons).
Potion of Hill Giant Strength
When you drink this potion, your Strength score changes to 21 for 1 hour. The potion has no effect on you if your Strength is equal to or greater than that score.
Griffin is given the potion. He now has Sekilos in one hand and the potion in the other. He does some quick mental calculations. How awesome would it be to use this on the toad? Then he'd have a battletoad! He puts the potion away, though. This should be useful later.When you drink this potion, your Strength score changes to 21 for 1 hour. The potion has no effect on you if your Strength is equal to or greater than that score.
While Shane is hanging out in the hall, he rolls Perception. He hears what sounds like the grinding of metal coming from that pit. He peeks. He sees, deep in the hole, what look like sparks of metal grinding on metal.
Griffin rolls a 27 Athletics to fling the frog into the water. Sekilos lands with a plop. Nellie tunes in to frog-o-vision. At the bottom of the pool are a lot of rusted, decayed armor and lots and lots of bones. She Investigates to see if there's anything worth salvaging. She rolls a 17 with the help of her Guidance cantrip. Sekilos spies a large, metal shield that has been corroded so thoroughly, it looks like molten slag. There is a large diamond the size of Nellie's fist within the shield that looks like it could easily come loose.
We take a short rest.
Near the end of the short rest, Nellie starts to cast a ritual:
Water Breathing (3rd Level Transmutation)
This spell grants up to ten willing creatures you can see within range the ability to breathe underwater until the spell ends (Duration 24 hours). Affected creatures also retain their normal mode of respiration.
Griffin cannonballs into the pool. Scott suggests Shane look into the pool before Griffin touches the diamond to make sure it's not cursed. Shane finally enters the cavern with the rest of the crew and bitches at Griffin to get out of the water. Griffin doesn't want to, he's having a nice time. Shane casts Detect Magic. He doesn't sense anything magical down there. The diamond is a normal diamond. Griffin rolls a 19 to find the diamond. He swims down and grabs the diamond. When he does, he feels something touching his leg. He looks back, and he doesn't see anything. He rolls a dirty 20 Athletics. He grabs this large diamond with both hands and starts to work it out of its setting. The melted slag shield suddenly springs to life and seizes Griffin's wrists. This spell grants up to ten willing creatures you can see within range the ability to breathe underwater until the spell ends (Duration 24 hours). Affected creatures also retain their normal mode of respiration.
This diamond was socketed into a wooden shield. The melted slag is actually a huge Grey Ooze. It's clinging on to Griffin now. Luckily Griffin can breathe underwater for the next 24 hours! Not that he's going to be down here for that long. Probably.