SoloDark: Pelor's Quest ep61

--/-- Welcome to SoloBickering! It's a solo rpg, which means I roll dice generate a story and decide outcomes, and lose arguments with myself as I portray the exploits of my adventurers. 

--/-- Join me on a journey into the game world I play face to face in, and it may sound vaguely familiar to you. Like many another DM I stitch my world together from any bits and pieces I fancy, adding them into a standard setting, Faerun's Sword Coast.  

--/-- AI and NSFW: For this possibly brief adventure the stars are young and moderately hot, and I'll be using CoPilot AI to buff my romance bar, because I'm useless at romance, and for side situations that need social interactions. Some of the situations the young protagonists find themselves in may turn out to be NSFW. I won't be deliberately aiming for that, but oracles are what they are. So if on either account you take an ethical stand against those, skip this episode and listen in to Rollohi, my other SoloBickering output. 

--/-- And having said that, let's get the game started. 

 --/--Music from Pixabay with thanks to: daynightmorning, Good_B-Music, JefWakeUp, LudoSoundX, makesoundmusic, Playsound, teodholina, and White_Records

--/--The adventure *the Lurker Beneath Red Larch* by MT Black: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/184581/the-lurker-beneath-red-larch-adventure
--/--MT Black's 5e Vol i collection: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/198501/complete-adventures-of-m-t-black-vol-i

https://larrymannplayssolobickering.blogspot.com

Transcript

Speaker 0:00

Two days. Yes, that is reasonable. The breach will not widen in that time. And now that I have the scroll, I can't really afford to linger here myself. Every hour I delay is an hour the valley loses. But two days? Two days is the time I would have spent traveling with the survivors. I can give you that. If you strike at the threat beneath the red light and return in two days, I'll be ready waiting for you gladly. But no more than that. After two days, I will ride to Beliard with you or without you.

Speaker 1 0:45

Join me on a journey into the game world I play face to face in. May sound vaguely familiar to you. Like many another DM, I stitch my world together from any bits and pieces I fancy, adding them into a standard setting, Faerun's Sword Coast. For this venture, the stars are young and moderately hot, and I'll be using Copilot AI here and there to buff my romance bar because I'm useless at romance, and for side situations that don't really need tools. Some of the situations the young protags find themselves in may turn out to be NSFW. And if you're uncomfortable on either of those two scores, skip this and head over to the world of Rollohi. Otherwise, having said that, let's get on with this show.

Recap

Speaker 1 1:41

Last episode, our four heroes progressed their exploration of the tunnels beneath Red Larch. They engaged in an explosive ambush of a party of goblins and dealt with them without any trouble or loss to the party. They then decided that they had to explore the area marked Do Not Go on the crude sketch map they're working from. But what they didn't know is that the tremors of their battle against the goblins have put them on a timer, and two ankhegs explode out of the ground and rush the party before they can get ready. This is a much harder battle. Both Saqib and Drum fighting in the front line take some damage. Saqib has 18 of 26 hit points, and Drum has 23 of 31 hit points when we rejoin the party.

Exploration

Speaker 1 2:53

Locinda has disappeared under an ankheg while killing it, but is presumed safe, and Nat has stabbed an Ankheg and is still on top of its dead body. The Ankheg's death shifts the whole tone of the tunnel. There's a sudden stillness once the last twitch and scrabble is over. The stink of acid fills the air. Locinda rolls clear with difficulty as Saqib pushes on the side of the first dead Ankheg and comes up coping but unhurt. The tunnel goes quiet as the four consider whether or not to follow up to where the ankhegs came from and dig for loot. They think about it. Locinda grabs the torch from the wall and walks forward about 80 feet and holds the torch over the erupted area.

Speaker 3 3:52

I have a nasty feeling that we might find more.

Speaker 4 3:56

We could dig, Natalie says, sliding up beside the larger woman.

Speaker 5 4:02

We've got tools back at the stable, Saqib muses. But let's wait till the ground is a little more stable.

Speaker 3 4:14

We're on a clock. Garrick gave us two days. I feel like the morning's ticking away.

Speaker 2 4:22

I'm also getting a little bit worried about whatever dealt with those fleeing goblins.

Speaker 4 4:28

Alright, we'll come back to it.

Speaker 3 4:31

Look! If we keep to the side. Like I said before, we should be able to get through this area. Go south. Away from the scree. Or at least not having to try the scree.

Speaker 2 4:49

Sounds good to me. But hey. Uh Saqib, how's that shoulder?

Speaker 5 4:56

Uh it's quite sore, thanks, Sakib says, testing it, moving his shield around.

Speaker 2 5:03

Yeah, I got a little chewed up too. Uh I think I might try that potion. We've got another potion, haven't we?

Speaker 4 5:13

Actually we've got two more, Nat says proudly, showing off her numeric skills. I'll light up another torch and go back and get the other potion from the packs. Nat pulls a reserve torch from out her belt as Locinda notes how far through her first torch has been burned, and lights it from that one, and then scampers back to the safety of the packs. From there, she picks out one of the two low grade potions, a better quality one, and hurries back hoping that Drum has not used the goblin one in the meantime. Has Drum used the low quality one in the meantime? No, he has politely offered it to the priest. Saqib considers asking for healing blessings, but he's kind of wishing to preserve that blessing, and it's just a heavily bruised shoulder. He decides to use the existing potion that Drum has just given him. He recovers one health back of the eight suffered.

Speaker 5 6:15

Well, I gotta say I'm not feeling much difference.

Speaker 2 6:20

Sorry. Goblin potion, I guess. Oh thanks, Nat.

Speaker 1 6:24

Drum consumes the normal grade basic healing potion. He recovers six of the eight health he needed.

Speaker 2 6:33

Yeah, that's great. Excellent.

Speaker 1 6:36

He can't do much about the ragged tear in his armor. But for now, that will do. The four turn their attention to the tunnel south of the Ankheg ecosystem. For here, a completely different ecosystem has evolved. This is an area populated by giant rats, which is exactly the kind of prey that these four are very used to dealing with. It's an area rich in edible fungi with what appears to be a filthy but natural pool of water just to the south of it. Large insects prey on the fungus, and rats prey on both the fungus and the large insects, and that up till now the goblins have been enjoying this natural resource and trapping and eating the rats. The party moves forward. Locinda has dropped the last stub of the first torch and now carries the second one that Nat lit. The sulfur smell fades into something damp and fungal. The tunnel narrows. The air feels somehow warmer. And there's a chittering, and they can see reflected eyes, several pairs of little eyes. Drum looks around at his party. He feels slightly guilty having used the best potion and decides to push himself forward, whether it be because he feels like Locinda's nerves are getting frayed, or because Saqib is still fairly battered in health. Either way, he offers to steal forward.

Speaker 2 8:35

Let me check the ground before we blunder into something hungry.

Speaker 1 8:40

Drum is going to use his ranger skills to see if he can sneak forward and get a real headcount on what's in there. Terrible and terrible. The rats immediately hear the intruder. They know the difference between a man-sized man and a goblin. I get a 10, a high roll, which means that the rats are at first simply curious. So I think we can move straight to init rolls on D6, but add DEX. Drum has plus three DEX these days, and rats get plus one. Here we go. Drum gets a total of 9, rats get 5. And I'll roll the rest of the party while I'm here, but at a flat d6. Oh, it's a 6. Not a good day to be a rat then. The area setting aside hummocks of fungus and the odd jutting stalagmite is fairly broad, and I'm gonna say the puddle to the south is unknown at this stage, it could be potentially deadly. We'll say stalagmites are three-quarter cover for rats, and growth the fungus are concealment. Drum slips ahead into the faint green glow of the phosphorescent lichen, and immediately steps on something that makes a wet crunch. He freezes. The rat eyes, illumined in the dim, far-off torch, swivel toward him in eery unison. He mutters to himself, low, annoyed.

Speaker 2 10:22

Alright then. Come on, you furry bastards, he says, lining an arrow up on the first rat.

Speaker 1 10:29

Drums longbow at plus one, and with his dEX for a total of plus five. It's a 19 hit, and the damage is six. The rat is pinned to the stone with a soft thwack. The party, realizing that there is a fight going on, advances using the light, and Nat uses her bow. It's a miss. The rat too badly concealed behind fungus.

Speaker 4 10:59

Just stayed back.

Speaker 1 11:00

She curses herself. Locinda keeps the torch high, guarding Nat's flank. She's ready to intercept any rat that charges, but she's not going to throw away her hand axe.

Speaker 3 11:12

Come on then. Try me, she snarls.

Speaker 1 11:16

Saqib too is in a defensive stance. Stay behind me, he urges, advancing with shield high and sword ready. The rats are split into three groups. There's a couple behind the stalagmites in three-quarter cover. There are three behind fungi, and one rat is cowering near the puddle, uncertain as to whether it should simply flee. As Saqib presses in close, the closest rat launches itself at him from cover. At the end of round one, the heroes are steadying up with Drum still in the front, but Saqib quickly advancing to his side, and on the other side the rats have one dead and six remaining. One of those rats will reach Saqib next round. Two are in heavy cover and three are in concealment. I think I'll try a rat morale check. And again, I'm just going to use OSE rules. Rat morale is eight. A very low roll will be taken to mean frenzied charge, while on a 9 plus the rats flee south regardless of danger from the puddle. And I've rolled an 8 exactly. Exactly on the break point. Some are in the fight, others are hanging back. Now, we're going to switch to side initiative with flat D6s. Party 4, Rats 2. The heroes are still acting first. Drum picks another rat not in cover, the one headed quickly towards Saqib. It's a 16 for a hit. And damage, of course, means dead. Two for two.

Speaker 2 13:11

Better. Drum congratulates himself.

Speaker 1 13:14

Natalie is still trying for a rat in concealment. And it's another miss. The arrow vanishes into the fronds with a soft waff of spores.

Speaker 4 13:26

I swear they're dodging on purpose, she says to herself quietly but crossly.

Speaker 1 13:31

Locinda will reply as the rats get closer. She'll attack with short sword plus one. It's a 19, that's an easy hit. Her damage with a D6 plus one is easily enough to cleave the rat. Rat number three is dead. Her torch flickers dangerously, but she hasn't been bitten and hasn't had to use it to defend herself, so it stays lit. Another rat will dart in from the side and Saqib will meet that with a shield and a clean strike. Not a great roll, but on the other hand, Saqib has plus five, so it's a total of 17 for a hit. And not surprisingly, six damage, rat number four is dead. There are three remaining rats. The rats in cover peek out and hiss but don't charge. They still have a way to go. Except for one. Feeling desperate, feeling that the puddle or something behind it to the south is too dangerous. Like a cornered rat, it leaps forward towards Locinda. With a total of 11, that's a miss. Locinda kicks it away with her boot and a curse. Her torch stays lit. At 50% casualties, the rats will check again next round. This time they're likely to break. I also need to check whether or not any of them noticed the effect when Nat's arrow went into a puffball. First of all, let's check the rat morale. Oh I roll a three. There's something they fear so much in that puddle or beyond it, that it is cornered rat time. We'll complicate the party's rat hunt by checking if Drum registers the puffball fungus. He'd normally have advantage, but the distraction of loosing back towards his friends took his eye off Nat's arrow strike, so I'm just gonna make a flat WIS check. It is a miss. He doesn't see the puffball, and as he shifts to get a clearer shot, his boot brushes a pale swollen fungus bowl. It's a con save DC 10. Or cough violently for one round. Here we go. Just success with an 11. He spits out any spores that might have got close to his mouth, and no penalty. Now let's go to side initiative for round three. Party five, rats three. Once again, the heroes act first. Carefully. Using Saqib's shield and armor as best they can, they crowd in to the two remaining rats. One rat is in melee with Locinda. We'll start with that one. As mentioned, Drum is swinging around to take that one, and it's an 18 a hit. And 5 damage, it's dead. Locinda gives him a quick nod. Natalie shifts position to get a clearer angle on those rats in cover. Finally, a hit, rat number 6, is dead. Only one rat remains. Locinda is not going to be able to get it in melee this round. And she's holding position with torch high. Saqib steps forward.

Speaker 5 16:57

Drum! Nat, finish it!

Speaker 1 16:59

The puddle, as mentioned, terrifies this lone rat much more than the party. It makes a desperate charge at the nearest target, Saqib. It's a hit. The rat sinks its teeth into Saqib's boot leather and draws blood. One damage. Saqib uses a squire's technique with Goblin Grief to strike safely down at his own leg to finish the rat. Although the rat has its teeth clamped into his boot leather, Saqib doesn't flinch. He shifts his weight, lifts his heel just enough to expose the creature's spine, and brings Goblin Grief down on a tight controlled arc. His squire's training makes a difference. Chuck! The rat goes limp instantly. And stay down, he mutters. Meanwhile, Drum warns Nat and therefore Locinda about poison puffballs. He's beginning to focus on the puddle.

Speaker 2 17:49

Watch the ground. Puffballs, nasty ones.

Speaker 1 17:53

Locinda, hearing that tone, immediately lifts her torch higher and scans the floor. They clustered just over there. Drum warns further. Don't brush him. There's something about that water. He drops his head low so that he can study it, and then lifts himself up again, trying to see what might be beyond. Now, as it turns out, the puddle is safe enough. Goblins and wildlife alike were using it. But the area to its south is truly deadly. The original writer of this scenario, MT Black, set a gibbering mouther there, and that feels right for this kind of between planes aberrant ground. So we are going to stick with that and go to our next confrontation, the Aberrant Ground and the Gibbering Mother. Shadow Dark often changes monsters in minor ways. Here's the rules for gibbering mouthers. Crawling masses of slime with dozens of screeching lipless mouths and wet eyeballs. It has AC8, in other words, it's incredibly easy to hit, 21 hit points, it attacks with 2 bites at 3, and each bite will do a D8 damage and latches on. It can move to Near by climbing or swimming, and creatures within Near will have to make a DC12 wisdom save or take a random action. So we shall see next episode how that combines together to make life very difficult for our party.

Acknowledgement

Speaker 1 19:55

I hope you are enjoying this dungeon crawl. It is adapted from MT Black's DnD 5E Adventure, The Lurker Beneath Red Larch. There's a link to where you can purchase the full adventure in the show notes.