Slime Cube Rat Grenade
| "Slime Cube Rat Grenade" | |||
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| Campaign 1 session | |||
| Session no. | Session 31 | ||
| Session date | July 9, 2022 | ||
| Timeline | |||
| Start date | January 9, 354 WSK | ||
| End date | January 10, 354 WSK | ||
| Starring | |||
| Bean – Pine DMarty – Ricoril GuardianAngel – Gael Nixup – Versa and Bunnies as the Dungeon Master | |||
| Narrative chronology | |||
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| Session order | |||
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| List of Campaign 1 sessions | |||
"Slime Cube Rat Grenade" (1x31) is the 31st session of the first campaign of Itora. Following their allies' heroic entrance, the party race to escape the crumbling devil complex and rescue their stolen mounts. Arriving back at Digford, they find things quite a bit more chaotic than they remember.
Synopsis
Fresh off their defeat of the devils, the party rejoin with Sela and Warble. Sela explains that the group doesn't have a lot of time, as more guards will likely arrive. The ground trembles slightly, as she adds that the complex may not be structurally stable for long due to Warble's explosives, to which Warble simply shrugs and smiles. Versa pats them on the head and moves past Sela as she continues, suggesting that the party should make their way down the entrance Warble just opened up, and that their mounts are safe and sound at the end. Versa saunters over to the magically locked door that previously ate her lock pick and unleashes one of her Knock spell scrolls upon it, echoing through the halls and unlocking the door. She opens the door to see several Merregon guards turn to stare at her and take up combat positions. Versa promptly closes the door and Sela recommends a quick exit down the recently opened no-longer-secret hallway.
The group dash down the corridor, as Sela explains that the way they came in has collapsed due in part to Warble's explosives, so unless the group have a way through the rubble, they have to find another way. Sela and Warble offer to cover the party's flank as they clear the way ahead towards the exit.
The Escape
The party decide to traverse the corridors quickly, rather than cautiously, as to lessen the burden on their allies. Versa takes point, followed by Ricoril and Pine, as Gael covers their flank. The crumbling structure gives way slightly, trapping Ricoril and Gael under some rubble. Pine applies an abrupt volley of Eldritch Blasts to the rubble, startling their comrades but weakening the debris enough for Ricoril to break himself and Gael free. Pine successfully directs the group through an intersection. Versa notices a beam crumbling and attempts to push Ricoril out of the way, however her poor strength proved ineffective as both became trapped under the beam. Ricoril once again frees himself with the aid of Pine and saves Versa.
A set of flame jets surprise the party as Versa activates the pressure plate, but only Pine is majorly affected by them. On the lookout, Versa notices another set of flame jets and heroically takes the flame head-on for her less dexterous allies, taking advantage of the resistance to flame granted by her infernal heritage. At the next fork, Gael hears the echoing of stomping, and correctly assumes the direction of the exit.
The party race ahead, Gael notices a residue on the walls; they stop to investigate it and determine that it is a recently dried ooze. As they turn to tell the group that something may be ahead, Versa turns the corner - directly into a Gelatinous Cube. Gael uses his telekinesis to pull Versa to safety and Pine successfully casts Polymorph on the ooze, turning it into a small rat. Versa picks up the rat to take it along - a plan already brewing in her mind. Versa chooses the wrong direction at the next fork, finding herself at the entrance to a bathroom. They backtrack to the crossroads and run into their allies. Sela tells them at they've bought some space and that they don't expect it to last long. As they group turns the corner, they hear the march of clanking footsteps; the path ahead is blocked by a group of Merregon. Sela recognizes the path; as shes announces that their destination is just past the guards, Versa unleashes the rat at the advancing group of enemies. Pine ends concentration on Polymorph as the rat balloons in size, returning to its normal Gelatinous Cube form. Over the next minute, the guards and the cube fight a war of attrition - a battle neither side wins. The cube breaks apart and covers the floor in the bodies of countless devils coated in a fine sticky ooze.
The group triumphantly step through the ooze towards the stables. Through the hole blown in the wall, they can see mammoth-form Comet engaged with guards outside. Sela moves to assist him as the rest of the group are left to free the mounts before more guards arrive. Rainbow Dash jumps gracefully out of her enclosure, Versa frees Horf and points out the keys, and the rest of the mounts are quickly freed. The stables contained three additional horses, which the party also bring along. As the guards arrive through the ooze, the Gael and Warble flip them the bird, and the mounted party successfully exit the complex.
Trekking Back
On their travel back to Digford, the group take a moment to decompress and discuss the stressful few hours they just endured. Warble asserts that they were happy to help but did not want to see Versa in trouble so much. Gael notices Warble had been putting on a tough face and was exhausted, so they healed them. Rejuvinated, Warble thanks him and rummages through their bag to find a trinket - a broken compass - to give to Gael as a thank you. Gael is touched by this gesture as, unknown to the party, a compass was one of the symbols representing a member of their old adventuring group.
Pine is still in denial that he died earlier, though recognizing that Versa did in fact die. Versa offers to have Sela determine what's what when they get back to the village.
Sela asks Ricoril why he felt the need to rescue Rainbow Dash, as they are a magically conjured mount. Ricoril simply replies that of course she's magical. She gestures to the rest of the party, making motions indicative of a Dispel Magic spell, implying that if an intervention is needed, she could end the effect. The party shake their heads, believing that it would be more traumatizing than illuminating for him.
Return to Digford
The sun has set as the party approaches Digford, noticing illumination in the distance. They soon realize that several yurts and structures have been set ablaze. They come upon an unconscious Krystl, who they pick up. Versa eyes a figure running with a flaming log, who she snipes with a Magic Missile. The group walk into the center of town, noticing the abundance of burning buildings, hand to hand fights, and cowering individuals - chaos has taken over this previously docile community.
Exhausted, Versa walks towards people to break up fights, and inevitably succumbs to her exhaustion and takes a nap on the ground. Pine questions a random villager, learning that the fire and fights broke out so suddenly only an hour or so before. Pine tries to intimidate two fighting villagers to end their brawl, causing one to flee and another to fall on the ground. The villager, still in the fight stage of their fight-or-flight reaction, tells Pine that he picked the fight because the other guy stole a sandwich from him a week ago. Baffled by the seemingly random nature of the chaos taking over the village, the party are unsure of how to - or whether they should - proceed to stop it.
Gael breaks the stalemate by flying up above, changing into their true form, and using Thaumaturgy to amplify their voice to address the village. Through astounding feats of persuasion, they garner the villagers' attention and - at least for a moment - the fighting stops. Asserting themselves as the new rightful leader of the village, citing the petition they had the populous sign earlier in the day, a portion of the villagers outright reject being led by someone like them and walk off. The rest acquiesce and begin efforts to put out fires and tend to wounds.
Unsure of whether the village was saved or worth saving, the group nevertheless retire to the village leader's old hut to take a well earned rest.
Astral Revelations
The next morning, the group awaken, as does a confused Krystl who thanks them for making sure she was okay. She makes her exit to a chorus of apathetic goodbyes.
As previously arranged, Sela reads Versa and Pine's souls to confirm that they had died. She explains that when people are resurrected, a thread remains that connects their soul to the Astral Sea. It doesn't adversely affect their lives, but is simply a permanent remnant of the soul's journey to the spaces in between life and death. It requires years of training and study to detect these threads, as she is capable. Even further experience is required to glean information about the thread itself, something she is as of yet incapable of. Much to his chagrin, Pine is confirmed to have died once. For Versa, however, Sela detects three threads - one more than expected. Concerned, Versa re-summons Pyre's egg in the event that their connection to her soul affected the reading, but the three threads remain.
A further probe closer to her soul reveals that this thread was previously concealed by powerful magic. Knowing the situation regarding Versa and Magpie, she deduces that Kallas may be the one responsible, or at least involved in the initial concealment. Versa tests her theory that because the thread is visible, her connection to Kallas and the boon it granted her are gone. Dunking her head into a bucket of water, she thinks back to the vision she was granted upon her previous death; as she swam away from the approaching creature, she could not breathe water. She quickly inhales the water and immediately begins to choke and wheeze - the boon is gone.
Grasping with these revelations, Gael attempts to diffuse the situation by requesting the cookie tin. Sela, this being the first time she has seen the object, is incredulous, immediately recognizing it as an artifact of great and terrible power. She inquires where the party obtained it and they explain how it was given to them by an elderly woman calling herself "Granny"[1]. Sela explains that according to the stories she's read, this "Granny" is quite possibly one of the most powerful beings in existence, capable of single-handedly toppling civilizations. The fact that the party not only encountered her but was also granted a boon leads Sela to think that the group may truly be blessed by the Gods themselves.
The concept of being chosen or blessed by the gods sits differently on each of their shoulders. Ricoril, still believing in Versa, is unphased. Pine is indifferent. Gael has committed themselves to Cordelia and scoffs at the idea of another god choosing him. Versa experiences a crisis. Gael, still determined to sate their cookie addiction, asks for a magic divination cookie, asking whether Versa has ascended to godhood. They receive a sugar cookie, though it tastes baked unevenly and partially under-cooked, as though to give the sense of incompletion; this further concerns Versa.
Gael then requests a special cookie from the Bakery of Many, drawing upon the power of The Sun. They are immediately filled with far too much energy to burn, running around the room, attempting push-ups, failing, and then running some more. As they calm down, the rest of the party discuss their next destination. Previously, they intended to travel to Cleiben in order to investigate whether a terrible fate had befallen a member of Ricoril's family as a result of drawing upon the power of The Tower. Versa, however, suggests an additional stop aboard the Avarice and update Magpie with the new information they've gathered. Versa uses her sending stone to contact Magpie. However, Ricoril stealthily convinces Sela to travel to the Avarice regardless of what the group decides. The party publicly agrees that Ricoril's mission is more time sensitive, so they set their sights to Cleiben.
Sela counts the number of creatures and, while at the maximum of the limits of Teleport, this would include counting Rainbow Dash as a creature. She nervously asks what the party wish to do, to which Ricoril tells her not to worry, as Rainbow Dash will find her way back to him on her own. Sela, unsure of how to respond, agrees to the solution, thus solving a problem that only existed in Ricoril's mind.
The Avarice
Bracing themselves for transport, they are greeted with the sensation of a cool breeze, before their other senses smell the salty sea air and realize they teleported to the Avarice after all. Versa, confused by the destination, looks to Sela who is quick to point fingers at Ricoril, blaming his persuasiveness.
The captain's door slams open, as Magpie emerges to investigate the sudden noises. She rushes forward to hug Versa. She then notices Warble and prostrates herself before them, begging forgiveness for everything she'd done. Warble confidently tells her that Versa explained everything, and that this is where they're sure they want to be. As the tearful Magpie nods in acceptance, the sound of lumbering, rapidly approaching footsteps culminate in a fully body tackle as Lure sideswipes Warble, overjoyed at their return. Magpie stands up as Versa puts her arm around her. Magpie leans her head on her shoulder, looking on at the joyful reunion and remarks optimistically that she things things are going to be alright.
Featured characters
Player characters
New
- Horse A
- Horse B
- HorC
Returning
Mentioned
Quotations
References
- ↑ See "Granny's Cookie Tin" (1x07).
Art:
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