The Lazarus Expedition: Episode 12

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==Synopsis==
The party enters the ogre cave and try to discover its secret, but get ambushed by surviving ogres and several Grell - brain-y creatures with tentacles. and a sharp beak. A hard-fought battle ensues from which the party emerges victorious. They continue their journey through the badlands, arriving in Blup where they make a strange discovery. 
==Recap==
=== Aftermath ===
The party stands over the corpses of the ogres they have slain last episode, making preparations to take a short rest. Drolvrazorz Irongrip starts collecting the ogres' teeth as trophies, as does Ethan, under the disapproving looks of Maat. Styrmir yells at Irongrip to put down Tiny Hut so the party can recover from the battle and rest the night, to which he obliges. In addition, the Hobgoblin sets up two alarms near the entrance to the cave.
Cassian suggests to roll the corpses into the small lava pit near them as to avoid attracting other predators such as the flying snakes they avoided previously in this area, but has to leave the cyclops where he is due to its size.
After two to three hours of sleep, Irongrip gets awoken by one of the alarms having otten triggered, but he fails to spot anything in the darkness. With the help of his raven familiar he spies out an ogre crawling out of the cave. As it spots the Tiny Hut, it turns around and attempts to return to its hideout. Irongrip and Cassian, awoken by the wizard, decide to leave it be for the time being and decide on further action in the morning.
Next morning comes, and after a short discussion the decision is made - to clear out the cave and see what is inside. Only shortly after entering it, Cassian finds himself the target of two javelins flying at him from the inner darkness, and combat ensues.
== Combat ==
: Party vs ogres and grell
=== Initiative ===
Character	Initiative		
Irongrip 	19.14 		
Cassian 	13.13 		
Styrmir 	5.08 		
Cypher 	4.14 		
==== Round 1 ====
* Irongrip dashes into the cave yelling "CHEATERS" as he considers ranged weapons dishonorable
* Ogre 1 moves
* Ogre 2 throws a javelin at Cyhper: 11 to hit, misses
* Ethan moves, taking the dodge action
* Cassian swaps positions with Mitts
* Styrmir moves further in
* Cypher dashes forward
* Ogre 3 throws a javelin at Styrmir: 21 to hit, deals 10 damage
==== Round 2 ====
* Irongrip moves further in towards an ogre, takes the dodge action
* Mitts hides behind a corner
* Ogre throws a javelin at Cypher: 11 to hit, misses
* Ethan moves further in and takes the dodge action
* Cassian dashes into the cave and picks up a rock
* A Grell jumps from the ceiling, attacking Styrmir: 24 to hit, crits for 2+3 damage - Styrmir is now grappled by the Grell
* Grell Beak Attack: 18 to hit, deals 5 damage
* Styrmir rebukes him with Wrath of the Storm: deals 16 damage with Channel Divinity, pushing it 10 feet away, ending the grapple
* Cypher attacks the Grell with a jump-attack: 13 to hit, deals 6 damage
* Cypher Attack 2: 22 to hit, deals 4 damage
* Ogre throws a javelin at Cassian: 16 to hit, misse
* Grell attacks Styrmir: 24 to hit, crits for 16 damage, knocking out Styrmir
* Styrmir rolls a constitution-saving throw against the poison, fails with a 9 - he is now paralyzed
* Grell 1 Attack 2: 18 to hit, auto-crits for 2 failed death saves.
==== Round 3 ====
* Irongrip casts magic missile at the Grell next to Cypher: deals 17 damage
* Irongrip moves back slightly
* Maat casts Healing Word on Styrmir: heals him for 7 hp
* Ogre hurls a javelin at Cypher: 19 to hit, deals 14 damage
* Ethan attacks the Grell next to Cypher: 9 to hit, misses
* Grell attacks Ethan: 17 to hit, deals 4 damage. Ethan is now grappled
* Grell Attack 2: 8 to hit, misses
* Cassian attacks the Grell holding Styrmir: 4 to hit, misses
* Cassian Attack 2: 20 to hit, deals 21 damage
* Cassian uses Action Surge
* Cassian Attack 3: 6 to hit, misses
* Cassian Attack 4: 13 to hit, deals 21 damage
* Cypher Attacks the Grell holding Styrmir, 7 to hit, misses
* Cypher Attack 2: 18 to hit, deals 7 damage
* Cypher Attack 3: 26 to hit, crits for 13 damage, killing it
* Styrmir succeeds on his constitution-save, ending the paralysis
* Ogre hurls a javelin at Styrmir: 23 to hit, deals 15 damage, knocking out Styrmir
==== Round 4 ====
* Irongrip stabilizes Styrmir, picks him up and carries him a bit
* Mitts runs
* Maat casts Channel Divinity: Word of Life, healing Styrmir for 8 hp and Cypher for 7
* Ogre hurls a javelin at Maat: 19 to hit, deals 7 damage
* Ethan drops his bow, attacks the Grell with his sword: 14 to hit, 5 damage
* Grell floats up into the air, dragging Ethan upwards
* Cassian Attacks a grell: 6 to hit, misses
* Cassian Attack 2: 19 to hit, deals 18 damage
* Styrmir casts Sacred Flame at a Grell - gets resisted
* Cypher attempts to free herself, fails with an 11
* Cypher uses second wind: heals for 12 hp
* Cypher uses Action Surge and attempts to free herself, fails with a 9
* Ogre throws a javelin at Cypher: 8 to hit, misses
* Grell drags Cypher up into the air
==== Round 5 ====
* Irongrip summons his raven: Initiative 18.14
* The Raven flies up to Cypher and uses the Help action
* Mitts walks towards an ogre
* Maat casts Shield of Faith on Cypher
* Ogre throws a javelin at Cassian: 22 to hit, deals 11 damage
* Ethan struggles himself free, taking 23 falling damage. Bonus action dashes away
* Grell moves over Irongrip
* Cassian attacks Grell: 4 to hit, misses
* Cassian Attack 2: 8 to hit, misses
* Styrmir casts Sacred Flame on the grell, deals 5 damage
* Cypher struggles herself free, taking 19 falling damage. 
* Cypher runs towards the cave exit
* Ogre moves in on the party
==== Round 6 ====
* Irongrip casts shocking grasp: 10 to hit, misses
* The Raven positions itself above a grell
* Mitts attacks the ogre: 20 to hit, deals 7 damage
* Ogre hurls a javelin at Maat: 11 to hit, deals 11 damage.
* Ethan runs out of the cave
* Grell attacks Cassian: 6 to hit, misses
* Grell Attack 2: 9 to hit, misses
* Cassian attacks the ogre: 20 to hit, deals 24 damage
* Cassian Attack 2: 21 to hit, crits for 28 damage, killing the ogre
* Cassian Attack 3 on the Grell: 12 to hit, deals 25 damage
* Styrmir takes the dodge action
* Cypher drinks a healing potion, healing for 16
* Grell attacks Irongrip, 9 to hit, misses
* Grell attack 2: 16 to hit, misses
==== Round 7 ====
* Irongrip bites a tentacle: 15 to hit, deals 11 damage
* Mitts attacks a grell: 19 to hit, deals 2 damage
* Maat leaves the cave
* Ogre hurls a javelin at Mitts: 21 to hit, deals 11 damage, knocking him out
* Grell misses both attacks
* Cassian attacks the grell: 15 to hit, deals 16 damage
* Cassian attack 2 misses
* Styrmir stabilizes Mitts
* Cypher attacks the grell: 9 to hit, misses
* Cypher attack 2: 15 to hit, deals 8 damage, killing it
* Cypher Attack 3 on the other grell: 7 to hit, misses
* Cassian behaves like a clown Cassian tells the ogres to stand down
* Grell ascends to the ceiling
==== Round 8 ====
* Irongrip casts magic missle at the fleeing grell: deals 13 damage
* Ogre hurls a javelin at Styrmir: 10 to hit, misses
* Cassian picks up Ethan's bow, shoots the grell: 17 to hit, deals 5 damage, killing it
* Cassian Shot 2 on the ogre: 12 to hit, deals 2 damage
* Styrmir casts Sacred Flame - gets resisted
* Cypher dashes in front of the ogre
==== Round 9 ====
* Irongrip casts shocking grasp at the ogre: 16 to hit, deals 10 damage
* Raven converges on the ogres position
* Ogre attacks Cypher: 9 to hit, misses
* Cassian throws his greataxe: 13 to hit, deals 10 damage
* Styrmir casts Sacred Flame - gets resisted
* Cypher attacks: 9 to hit, deals 8 damage
* Cypher attack 2: 24 to hit, deals 10 damage
* Cypher attack 3: 22 to hit, deals 10 damage
==== Round 10 ====
* Irongrip attempts to grapple the ogre, wins with a 19
* Ogre attacks Irongrip, 9 to hit, misses
* Cassian pulls out his axe
* Styrmir casts Sacred Flame, deals 7 radiant damage
* Cypher attacks the ogre: 22 to hit, deals 6 damage, killing it
=== The Cave ===
After a hard-fought battle, the party re-enters the cave, only to find a single remaining Grell that fled earlier. Cassian and Cypher both shoot at it, bringing it down. Just like with the ogres, Irongrip proceeds to take a trophy in the form of a beak from the grells. Having cleared out all visible threats, the group scours the cave, finding only rotten food and plumb wine in some crates. Additionally, 632 silver and 32 gold are collected.
In one corner of the cave they discover some crevice with several deep cracks in it. Sending down the raven familiar with a lightstone in its beak reveals a vein of colorful rocks, shimmering in the dark. Dropping further down, the lightstone breaks upon some light-reflecting surface and ceases to be. As there is no short-term solution to access this area, they take a mental note of this and move on to another point of interest.
The cave harbors a small pond which seems to contain some sort of underwater passageway. Several diving attempts by Cassian and Irongrip lead to the discovery of what is hiding on the other side - several baby-ogres, but without many resources at their disposal, the group agrees to move on and focus on their mission instead of wasting more time here.
=== A Strange Trip ===
Their journey towards Blup resumes, only interrupted by Repentance Day - a holiday to celebrate the rise of Astair. During this holiday Styrmir offers the possibility of confession to the group, allowing them to confess their sins to him in the name of Astair. 
Cassian shares that he regrets going for his sword during the shipwreck instead of helping others, admitting to cowardice.
Cypher tells a tale before she even met Irongrip, from when she lived with her tribe. She was out scouting the land, finding a badle wounded man bleeding to death on the ground. It was customary to consult the group before taking action, both out of caution and self-preservation. She picked him up, carrying him back to their campfire, where he promptly vanishes. The next day, the group gets attacked, half getting killed, the other half taking hostage. In her mind, Cypher blames herself for this and believes that if she did not foolishly fall prey to this trap, she might still be out there. Styrmir commends her for showing empathy and forgives her her sins.
Ostagen, their guide, also offers a confession of his own. He recalls a time where money was tighter, and times different with him in massive debt. A group of heroes hires him to go through the badlands to blup, where he leads them to a remote cave, asking them for their water skins to refill them in a secret water hole. In truth, he leaves them there for dead to plunder their bodies once they succumed to the thirst. When Styrmir says that Astair forgives him, Ostagen declines and says that no, he did not. His family got killed by his debtors, rendering his crime pointless.
=== Blup ===
A week later, the party makes it to the edge of the everglades, a swampy jungle-like area bordering the badlands. When arriving in Blup, they immediately notice strange things going on. Everyone they see seems to have some sort of stalk grow out of their head, ending in a little brown, dusty ballcap. After much deliberation, Ethan gets sent into Blup, instructed to return after an hour and report his findings, but fails to return. When nightfall arrives, a citizen yells to the waiting party if they have heard about the good word of "Uud".
==Experience==
No experience given this episode
Category:The Lazarus Expedition Episodes
Category:Episodes
Category:Save Or Die Episodes