Reset Era Players Present: Reign of Fear -- A D&D 5e Play-By-Post Campaign

[Claire Delune]

((Monster makes reflex attack against Ludwig))

Claws vs. Ludwig

To hit: 1d20 + 11 = 21

Damage: 4d8 + 6 = 31

((Monster bites Ludwig before moving forward to use Claws on Thosar and Keranos))

Bite vs Ludwig

To hit: 1d20 + 11 = 30

Damage: 4d10 + 6 = 29

((If Ludwig's still standing, he gets an AoO))

Claw vs Thosar

To hit: 1d20 + 11 = 25

Damage: 4d8 + 6 = 16

Claw vs. Keranos

To hit: 13

The creature seemingly composed of the stitched together fragments of nightmares about spiders is ambushed practically as soon as it arrives into this plane of existence. Keranos serves up thunderous, punishing blows of divine might that tear pulpy masses of malformed tissue from the central mass, leaving them to melt into a puddle of foulness even as the horrific thing is pushed backwards beneath the relentless assault. Its inhuman shriek raises in timber as it is enveloped in flames as Thosar lends a pyroclastic encore to Keranos's own display.

Sagishi, Fhiess, and Galen each find success in landing their own attacks, the pointed ends of their projectiles burying deep into the charred and pulverized exoskeleton of the horrific aberration ((Because yes, it is an aberration)) as Ludwig makes a daring attempt to draw the creature's attention. He quickly finds that the creature is not so wounded that it cannot defend itself, as it lashes out with one of its serrated appendages as the J'raffa passes, and quickly whips what passes for its head toward Ludwig's exposed neck to sink its maw into Ludwig's throat.

Apparently having enough intellect to recognize Thosar and Keranos as the primary cause of its suffering, it skitters forward on undulating legs and lashes out wildly at his tormentors, a venomous froth foaming at its multi-part jaws. Its claw only lands a glancing blow on Keranos, but it scores a far more solid hit on Thosar.

Though frenzied and deadly, it is clearly seriously wounded.

((Map))
((It's not actually venomous for the purposes of its bite attack))

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

"I got this! You can back up with this opening and ... Ow."

The raging spider monstrosity claws and bites with more force than Ludwig expected, nearly dropping him outright. He teeters back before stomping his hind legs and regaining balance. "Ok, new plan. We tear this motherfucker to pieces before she gouges us harder than a wise merchant gouges water prices in a disaster."

Ludwig charges back in, setting up an angle with Keranos and swinging like a desperate beast himself. The first blow lands particularly viciously as he tries to rip and tear his way out of another likely collapse in battle.
((Moving to I9 in way that will set up flanking, can't update map on mobile. Nat 20 on first hit for 28 damage. 24 on second attack for 14 damage. 26 on third hit for 12 damage))

 

[Claire Delune]

((That's enough to kill. You guys did a number on it the previous round, very impressive.))

 

[Claire Delune]

The failure of Arach's abominable offspring to ensure that Ludwig was well and truly defeated before moving on to its next targets proves to be its undoing. The edge of the paladin warrior's enormous sword hacks through the putrid flesh of the beast like a knife through a pie; there some initial resistance at the surface, but then the blade passes through with sickening ease as the J'Raffa hacks the monster into nearly even thirds. Helpless, it thrashes for a disturbing amount of time in its death throes, reaching in vain to take at least one of the Endowed with it even as its insides seep out like a pudding made of corpses.

The remains of the creature continue to ooze and collapse in on itself, though paradoxically the pile of spider flesh and the surrounding puddle are growing smaller, not larger, like an ice cube melting on a porous surface. Eventually, all that remains is a strange bundle that seems to have lain at the monster's core: There is a small carving of a spider hewn from black onyx, as well as a wand of ebony tipped by a sculpture of a silver spider with an abdomen of faceted amethyst, both wrapped in fabric of black silk interwoven with faint threads of silver that turns out to be a finely made cloak.

The bull mastiff emerges from behind the altar to paw and sniff at the bundle in curiosity. There is an uncanny quality to the scene, now devoid of any signs of violence. Even the webs appear to be covered in a layer of dust, as though nothing has occupied this space for a very long time. It is like waking from a nightmare the very room where the nightmare was set, only to find that none of it had ever happened.

 

[ThLunarian]

Keranos dusts himself off, then walks to Ludwig. "Well done, old friend!" he says, hovering one hand just above the paladin's wounds. Divine healing magic helps to close them and soothe whatever pain Ludwig may be experiencing. "It looks as though we've some spoils of war to claim. Thosar, perhaps you could help us determine just what, exactly, they are?"

((Giving Ludwig a level 2 heal, which gives him +18, and then let's call it five L1 heals, restoring 50 more. Then I guess we're doing a short rest?))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

After getting a moment to breathe and appreciate that none of his companions have almost died this time, Thosar gives a nod to Keranos. "Agreed, if the rest of you will check our surroundings I can see what we have here. Perhaps see if there is our Crystal has anything to indicate."

Once the others set to their tasks, Thosar sits to meditate on the items left behind by the corpse of the monster they just defeated.

((Identify on all the items at hand.))

 

[Claire Delune]

Thosar's examination is quick to identify a Wand of Web and Cloak of Arachnida for what they are, but the spider is a bit more of a puzzle. It is almost certainly a Figurine of Wondrous Power, but one that has never before been documented, making its abilities a mystery.

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

"Hmm, this one is interesting. A new type of figurine?" Thosar muses on possibility of what they've found. With no apparent danger present, he sets to patching his wounds in the light of Galen's spirit and recovering his magical power.

((Walk through healing spirit 4 times to heal 24 hp, short rest and Arcane recovery for a level 3 spell slot.))

 

[Eternal Song]

((Just a heads up, but at the end of combat, Healing Spirit, still has 24 seconds (4 rounds) remaining if someone wanted to grab healing from it real quick.

Beyond that, can Galen try to have our dog friend (who I am very pleased to see made it) help investigate for hidden goodies or passages and keep watch now that we seem to be resting? Also, is the crescent blade still in the location it hit the floor?))

 

[Claire Delune]

((Arach's weapon sank into the spiders with him))

 

[Eternal Song]

((Cool. That's one less thing to worry about corrupting us.))

 

[MoonlitBow]

Fhiess takes a deep breath, though his relaxation may come from a place of emotional respite than an expression of exhaustion. The renewed battle had ended just as it had begun, as seemingly most of the creature's life is spent in its last dying moments after a flash of Ludwig's movements.

He shakes his head, "A real father would not send a daughter to die like this." He winces at a tragedy unfolding in his mind, "Crullus! How could you have allowed yourself to be swayed by someone so dishonorable! Is it because you're no different from this monster, allowing your own warriors to succumb to death just to empower you further?"

He approaches the variety of magic items. He looks at the figurine in particular, and asks, "Thosar, it seems as though you might know what this does. What is it, exactly?"

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

The scholar gestures toward the spider statuette. "There are a variety of magical Figurines that can be used to summon creatures which will heed your commands every few days. The shape of the figurine determines what is summoned, but I haven't heard of a spider figurine before. I can't say for sure, but I suspect it summons either a giant spider or perhaps a swarm of smaller ones."


((Arcana check 19))

 

[MoonlitBow]

"You mean we can bring something else into this world much like Muffy?" He scratches his cheek, "This is certainly an odd souvenir."

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

"You mean we can bring something else into this world much like Muffy?" He scratches his cheek, "This is certainly an odd souvenir."

Click to shrink...

"Temporarily, generally these things are active for a few hours at a time and need a day or several to be used again."

 

[Eternal Song]

Galen holds an arrow ready as the creature thrashes about in the throes of death, the dangerous shaft trained carefully upon the monster's head should it regain some semblance of health. Once it begins to melt away, he cautiously returns the arrow to its place in his quiver.

Hearing Fhiess' lament, the archer approaches and waits for the conversation regarding the arachnidian representation to come to a close before speaking in answer.

"I would think this not so much the daughter of our now-departed foe," Galen offers, "but rather a creation of his own design, a machination of the terror that now besets our world so to help consume it. Arach would have had no care for this beast; it was but a tool to be used by his master.

"As for the fate of Crullus, it is tragedy. It was no desire for power that swayed him, no hubris or need for personal gain; it was a twisted sacrifice in a misguided attempt to protect his people, the desperate grasping of a despairing man. He was simply trying to do right, but even the greatest among us can be brought low." Galen releases a quick sigh as he surveys the scene.

"While he was wrong, his actions dictated by fear, today has proven his loss to not be in vain. His folly, and its result, will certainly be felt in the days to come, but today... today light continues to pierce the dark, the embers are kindled anew, and the fire lives on. Through these dark times, hope still prevails."

 

[ThLunarian]

Once Ludwig has been properly sutured and the loot has been identified, Keranos's mind wanders.

He recalls what happened the last time they destroyed a Phobic Animus.

Specifically, he remembers the fate of the ice tower in the forsaken northern reaches of the world. In his mind's eye he can clearly see it collapsing into a pile of nothing.

And here they stand, several stories underground, in the thick of this tower...

"We need to get out of here," he says with some urgency. "If this tower is anything like the clown's, it could implode at any moment. And we're not likely to be safe until we've properly ascended to ground level."

He makes strides toward the exit, expecting the others to follow.

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

With the fight concluded, the haste spell on Ludwig subsides, leaving him dizzy and stumbling to stay in his hooves as healing is administered. "Thanks! We gave those spiders what for."

The magic items aren't in his wheelhouse, but when he hears Fheiss and Galen talking about Crullus, he jumps in and says "Oh, him? I made the mistake of giving him some benefit because paladin, but the shittiness of being a government official won out. He may well have been trying to protect his constituants instead of clinging to power, but when you to around making unilateral decisions for everyone it turns into putting spiders in the water supply, sacking everyone's free will, and reigning through fear in some kind of eight legged hellscape. Wouldn't have happened if everyone just had swords and freedom to do what they wanted, but even with the state taking a good man and things going from there, we're still doing this endowed thing pretty well, score another win against evil!"

At Keranos's observation, he goes "Oh shit! Uhh yeah, we should go." He begins quickly trotting to the exit.

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

Looking at his companions taking their leave, Thosar is about to follow but hesitates. He weaves a short divination in an attempt to locate the sword Arach was weilding earlier, hoping to ensure it is either gone or can be dealt with. He retains some of the excess spell energy to save for later

((Locate object on Arach's sword, expert divination to regain a level 1 spell slot.))

 

[MoonlitBow]

Keranos' warning gives little time for Fhiess to think over the answers given about Crullus. Understandably, he nods with a confirming 'hm' and joins the others in hurry to escape the tower.

 

[Claire Delune]

Thosar's examination of the carving is enough to identify that it most resembles a huntsman spider, which is a fairly large species as far as mundane spiders go, and a voracious predator. They're also solitary creatures, so if one had to guess, this object would be more likely to produce a giant spider as opposed to a swarm, but one of a distinctly different character than the commonly observed ambush predator, Araneidae giganticus.

Attempts to divine the location of Arach's weapon are fruitless; if it is still in play, it's nowhere that it can currently be found. And time to search for it is short indeed, as no sooner does Keranos speculate on the fate of the tower rising atop the space than do the webs descending from the darkness above begin to quiver, sending a rain of debris enshrouded in spider silk falling down around them.

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

"Right then, off we go!" Thosar rushes to catch up with the others and leave this place before it crumbles further.

 

[MoonlitBow]

Fhiess, already leaving, only briefly hesitates to look behind him as if confirming everyone's suspicion of the crumbling tower before resuming flight.

 

[Claire Delune]

As Arach's tower collapses around them, the hazard seems to be less the masses of webbing and what improvised structural elements that were caught within them, and more the fact that they are dissolving to sand and buffeting the Endowed with a blinding, gritty fury that smells of desiccated dust as they climb the narrow stairway to the surface. Even when the surface is gained, the sand does not relent, the shrouds of web blanketing the forest and their eight-legged architects dissolving and unveiling the trees and plants beneath, weakened and wan from the lack of sunlight these past weeks.

Eventually the blizzard of sand relents, and only the forest remains, albeit one devoid of the ambient noise of birds, insects, and the other incidental noises of a forest. The spider infestation seems to have swept the area clean of anything but plant and fungal matter. Or so it seems, as the uncanny silence is broken by the sound of something enormous crashing through the trees ahead, coming straight for the party.

 

[ThLunarian]

Keranos sighs dramatically and with some exasperation. "Well then," he says, turning to face the direction from which they're being approached, "Once more unto the breach."

 

[MoonlitBow]

Somehow, the deadened forest stripped of even the false life it was given and soon blanketed by the coarse, rough sand that is irritating them the recent sandstorm almost seems more dreadful than it had appeared before. It seems likely now that the many spiders that could have attacked them were just some kind of creation with no interest in them and with the utmost irony, there was not much to fear from them. But now it is all blown away and now there is a haunting emptiness.

Fhiess is once again given no time to be preoccupied with his feelings. He hoists his crossbow once more, using a strap to help support the weight but keeps it pointed downward away from anyone. "I sincerely hope that that's a welcome back party celebrating our heroic deeds," he remarks with more concern than hope in his voice.

 

[Eternal Song]

((I was actually planning to claim making sure we brought the dog with us. Are we able to assume we do, in fact, have the dog?

Also, Galen is quickly looking for a good place to hide out of sight of whatever approaches and, should he find something suitable, will try to get people there, starting with Fhiess. Should there be a roll?))

 

[Claire Delune]

((You guys do have the dog, but it's a lot of responsibility, you know. You'll have to walk it and feed it yourself.

If you want to hide, you can make a Stealth check))

 

[Eternal Song]

((I'm actually looking for a location Galen can direct people for hiding. Given we do have trees, Galen can slip behind one of them and try to hide if there there isn't room at another location he might find, but he's looking for somewhere for other people first.))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

"Not again, ugh." Thosar hides near a boulder and disappears under the visage of an extension of it.

((Cast minor image, hide. Stealth roll of 16.))

 

[Eternal Song]

((Noisy Ninj4 , if I may ask, how much does Thosar extend the boulder?))

 

[MoonlitBow]

When everyone begins to disappear, Fhiess hesitates while thinking where they have gone before realizing that he also must disappear. He decides to take advantage of the conditions that the collapsed tower had created to disappear into the calming mist before finding natural forest terrain to hide in as quietly as he can manage.

<Rolled 22 on stealth>

 

[Nezumi]

Sagishi hasn't much time to think much of anything before apparently the next hazard is upon them.
He sighs, annoyed and turns invisible on the spot too lazy to run away. He also pulls out his crossbow and directs it towards the noise.

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((Noisy Ninj4 , if I may ask, how much does Thosar extend the boulder?))

Click to shrink...

((About five feet.))

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

As the concept of Ludwig hiding is an exercise in futility, he sighs in frustration along with his companions and begins to reach for his weapon. "Welp, guess rest is overrated. Fuck it let's see where this goes."

 

[Claire Delune]

As the Endowed make ready to ambush, hide, or do battle, the crashing noise approaching through the trees grows nearer. An enormous columnar foot covered with dark brown scales and topped with webbed claws. It glistens wetly as it sweeps the plants in its path to the side as its twin emerges to do the same on the other side. Into the clearing heaves...

...Ryder atop the river barge. Emerging from the boat's base is what appears to be a life-size carving of a dragon turtle's limbs, though the wood has clearly been deeply enchanted to animate it and give it freedom of movement to mimic its flesh and blood counterpart. With appendages such as these to propel the boat, it is no wonder Ryder seemed to navigate the churning river with such ease. It looks to be fairly effective at tearing a path through a forest as well.

"You're alive!" he exclaims in jubilant surprise. "I saw the tower fall and feared the worst. I'm... I'm not sure what exactly I planned to do with the boat, but I couldn't stand by and do nothing, you know?"

 

[MoonlitBow]

Once the coast is clear and there is no apparent danger to consider, Fhiess moves from the brush to present himself to the visitor. He scratches the back of his head and admits embarrassingly, "Ah! I was nearly the one to catch you by surprise this time.. Uhm, we haven't found out anything about your friend's whereabouts here." Whether that is genuine lack of appreciation for the party's victory in defeating a great evil, or a way to deny Arach his importance in the world can seem uncertain.

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

Thosar gives a laugh when he realizes who it is. He walks out of the apparently solid rock as he laughs. "Well met Ryder! I'm glad to see you instead of another monster, I expect things will quiet down here now that we've managed to clear out that pit."

 

[ThLunarian]

Keranos relaxes and waves to Ryder. "Impressive boat, now that we've seen the whole thing," he says. "We thank you for coming to get us. The spiders should no longer pose a threat, and these woods are clear and ready to be repopulated - though it may take some time for the game reserves to replenish."

He turns to the others. "Where do we want to go now? Shall we return to the kingdom and debrief with the Lady Stonecipher, or would we prefer to continue onward to our next destination?"

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

Ludwig relaxes and puts his sword away once it's apparent that it is Ryder approaching them.

"Oh that's a relief. At first I thought you were another prong of the spider gauntlet, here to avenge the tower for falling because of the death of that giant freaky-ass spider amalgam woman who tried to avenge us merking Arach who tried to... nevermind, it was a whole thing. Glad to see you!"

As the others discuss what to do next, he says "I don't see any need to go back. We have no more obligations to Hulna, the danger to everyone there is passed, and it's still too harrowed from recent disaster for us to offload our new goods at a solid profit there. Let's head on towards the next spire."

He gets ready to walk away, only to stop in his tracks and perk up. "Unless! One of the spires is out at sea or something, right? This is a real nice boat that can also walk on land here. Maybe I can enhance it up so we can take it out to sea! It would be really hard: I know wood, but not so much boats. It would probably be the hardest carpentry job I ever took a go at. But with some good aid, and if there's enough wood to get ahold of, I could maybe pull this thing up by its horseshoes and get it seaworthy. And hopefully we can walk it to the coast from there. Maybe not our best option, but an option if we want to keep the spires on their toes and not hit the obvious choice."

 

[Claire Delune]

Ryder can only shrug at Ludwig's question. "It's Crullus's boat, it's not as though he's going to be needing it anymore," he says. "But we're river folk, you're not like to find any around here who would have the know-how to make this old goat seaworthy. The legs are good for crawling upstream against the current, but I don't know how good they'd be at swimming in open water. To even get to the sea, you'd probably have to follow the river all the way north until it meets the ocean then come back down south along the western side of the mountains. I don't know, it could work, maybe? If you stuck close to shore and shallow water? It'd be slow going, though, boats like these aren't built for speed. Maybe you could get it to a drydock somewhere for modifications, but I've never left the valley and wouldn't know which way to point you to get that kind of work done."

 

[MoonlitBow]

Fhiess frowns when the idea to immediately leave for their next destination is suggested. Fhiess had left his fox in the city, but now won't be able to return to collect it, if ever.

He doesn't think anyone would agree to return just for a pet. He can only interject, "Still, a land traveling boat such as this one would hurt my- our legs far less even if we must rent access to a ship eventually."

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

"I think we should just go back over the mountains again. With Barrow on the way we'l have that wagon waiting for us with no need to wait on any ship modifications. We'll have to go through Stonegate anyway, so we can rest and supply if needed. Naturally, taking the river back to Stonegate would be a good idea, of course." Thosar looks to try clambering up onto the turtle boat.

 

[MoonlitBow]

Fhiess perks up when he hears a different suggestion. He quickly speaks up with excitement, "Ah! That would allow me to see my pet fox again! I wonder how she is doing at the kennel."

 

[Claire Delune]

((Gonna write up going back to town unless anyone has any other ideas/wants to press the boat issue some more.))

 

[Claire Delune]

After a little bit of problem solving on how to board Ryder's riverboat when the deck is so high off the ground, the Free Peoples elf mans the rudder to have the enchanted vessel reverse course. Even though the trees and foliage have already been cleared by the boat's initial passing, it's a slow and ponderous affair. The enchanted boats, Ryder explains, typically are only brought ashore for repair concerns. Taking them overland as he did is very much an emergency measure, he explains as the deck pitches and yaws beneath his feet. When the boat reaches the river and slips into the water, it almost comes as a blessed release to those who were teetering on the brink of motion sickness.

The trip back to Stonegate counterintuitively proceeds just as quickly as it did to the tower, despite it being an upstream journey. It becomes evident that the speed of the trip is less about the strength of the current and more of the strength of the boat's enormous limbs dig into the soft mud of the river bottom and pulls itself forward. Now that much of its weight is buoyed by the water, it clearly has a much easier time of things compared to when it was foundering on land. The webbing has vanished, leaving the forest looking sickly and sun-starved from its time beneath the caul of silk, but Ryder seems confident that it will improve in short order. While no one could say that there is a silence when the river is coursing beneath their feet, there is a notable absence of bird song, animal cries, or insects for a long while. Here and there the desiccated and drained remains of some unfortunate prey can be sighted on the ground, released from its shroud when Arach and his abominable spawn were defeated and the spiders' influence unmade. How regrettable, then that the reversal did not extend to those who had fallen to their venom.

As the boat draws nearer to Stonegate, the forest grows healthier, and the occasional knot of Free Peoples enthusiastically wave to the passing heroes as they reverse their flight as refugees and return to the forest that has been newly freed from spiders. Stonegate itself seems the better for wear as well; while the land has been trampled into mud and muck and worse things, the refugee camp is half the size it was at the journey's outset, a steady trickle of forest dwellers breaking camp and setting out back to their natural surroundings. The fever of anxiety and fear has perhaps not broken entirely (there is of course still the matter of provisions and Phobetor's citadel lying atop the ruins of Castle Telmur), but things seem to be in a much improved condition. Despite having been on the job for just under a week, Hulna seems to have things well in hand.

 

[MoonlitBow]

Fhiess hides within the hull of the ship with a lamp giving a dim glow. Carefully, he flicks the bindings keeping a makeup case securely closed then lifts the lid to reveal a makeup kit and a mirror. He looks at his own face; he is a painter, he knows what tones look best against his skin, how to emphasize detail, how to add illusion of wrinkles and what kind of expression he would need to have. He quickly realizes that he can become Stonecrusher, or possibly anyone else, whenever he wants without Sagishi's help. He closes the box.

Once the ship brings everyone back to Stonegate, the Bard smiles and waves at the people greeting them. His fox had been brought out to be returned to him as well. After climbing down the ship, and with a grin, he kneels down with his arms held out to the fox running at him.

The arctic fox runs past Fhiess and stops in front of Sagishi.

 

[Claire Delune]

((Alright, while Fhiess and Sagishi have their interaction, if anyone else wants to do anything in town, now's the time, otherwise we're going to just FFWD a bit))

 

[ThLunarian]

Keranos is glad to be back around people, but he can't think of any pressing business to address. He seeks out his newest followers to provide comfort and an ear for their troubles, and he attempts to make psychic contact with the mysterious entity that visited him twice before silencing itself. He does not expect a reply, however, and if none are forthcoming, Keranos will spend the rest of the day proselytizing in a populous corner of town.

((Try to do a Sending to whoever was probing me earlier in the campaign, just like last time.

Persuasion roll for street-preaching is 26))

 

[Claire Delune]

Spoiler: Keranos

The response to your sending is immediate. In your mind's eyes, you find yourself standing among the ruined columns beneath the slowly rotating eye of an ominous cyclone. The cloaked figure is directly in front of you, though its features and limbs remain hidden beneath the folds of inky black fabric. It's taller than might be expected, looming two heads above you and exuding a sense of intense interest laced with amusement.

Though it makes no motion, it gives the impression of gesturing to what you realize is the edge of the platform you're standing on. The view is impossibly high and impossibly clear: You can see the blight of the quintessential ash spreading across the interior of the continent with Phobetor's dark tower at its epicenter, but what draws your eye is the walled city of Nodoff. A flickering shadow lingers over it as a silibant whisper slithers across your mind.

"A challenge..."

((Roll a d4 and a d12))