Battle of Wraith

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"Finally arriving at Wraith the heroes are greeted by quite the horrifying sight... and the battle for the soul of the city begins."

## Overview

The adventurer's are now only an hour away from the City of Wraith but they wander into an ambush. Surrounded by jackels they go straight into attack mode but the group are left a little blind when Zaza casts a fog cloud and some painful mistakes are almost made. Before being dispatched with, one of the jackels mentions the name Thalia, a mysterious woman who is collecting strong people for a yet unknown purpose.

After "rushing" to the City of Wraith, the adventurers find a near smouldering ruin and its citizens succumbing to the plague of debauchery and hedonism that Peter warned them about and Prince Zaza receives a message from his father via the family raven Zenith.

Inside the City of Wraith, the group cross paths with the guards of Alderkeep who are just as flummoxed as they are and so head deeper into the city where they find it's not just the residents and guards of Wraith who have been affected by this unknown sickness.

A beautiful woman makes herself known to the adventurers and as Barb realises she recognises her, a lost memory resurfaces.

Thalia asks Barb about an amulet she is wearing before she tries to work her charm on the rest of the group.

More of Barb's memories resurface when a man named James is mentioned and she starts to piece together her past.

Both Alfie and Taurok come to an eerie conclusion regarding their strange dreams as Barb transforms and the rest of the group are left wandering whose side she is really on.

Not wanting to hurt any of the innocent citizens under Thalia's influence, Taurok warns away anyone he can as the Lamia starts her attack.

After telling Prince Zaza he needs to find some new jokes, Alfie transforms into a panther as Number 14 and Taurok fall under the city's seductive charm.

Alfie comes to the realisation that Barb came to him in his dream asking for help just as she turns on Zaza.

Prince Zaza snaps Taurok out of his enchanted state with a thunderous wave and Alfie makes an attack on Thalia.

Number 14 chases down Thalia's right hand man Tima and Barb tries to attack Taurok.

Thalia knocks Alfie down to 1hp in his panther form and we're left to see those under the Lamia's influence closing in on the adventurers once again.

## Trivia (contains spoilers!)

* Jackels are small creatures with two traits which are Keen Hearing and Smell: The jackal has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell and Pack Tactics: The jackal has advantage on an Attack roll against a creature if at least one of the jackal's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't Incapacitated.
* The jackalwere can use its action to polymorph into a specific Medium human or a jackal-humanoid hybrid, or back into its true form, that of a Small jackal.
* The Homer Simpson meme Adam refers to was from the 1994 episode of The Simpsons "Homer Loves Flanders".
* Thalia is a Lamia, a cruel and seductive being with a human torso and the body of a lion.
* A howler, which Britt refers to, is an enchanted letter in the Harry Potter series which will read out the message in a very loud voice and then tear iself up or burst into flames.
* ***Duke Derek's letter to his son Zaza:***  Zaza, how dare you speak to me in such an insolent manner. You have no right to speak to me with such baste langauage, nor make such demands of my time. If I hadn't seen your letter with mine own eyes, I would have scarcely believed that someone of my own blood and an Earl of the court of Eneg Thilivern no less could be acting like such a petulant child at merely being asked to give something back to his people. You have severely disappointed me this day and I've held much higher expectations for you. Perhaps your tutelage has been a waste of resources up to this point if you're still so lacking in your ability to convey your intentions as to revert to peasant speak. I'm none the wiser as to the meaning of your message but I expect your apology at your earliest convenience. Duke Derek of House Fantazmo.

Spells and Features used in this episode:

* **Action Surge**: Starting at 2nd level, you can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a moment. On your turn, you can take one additional action. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. Starting at 17th level, you can use it twice before a rest, but only once on the same turn.
* **Fog Cloud**: You create a 20-foot-radius sphere of fog centered on a point within range. The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. It lasts for the duration or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it. At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the radius of the fog increases by 20 feet for each slot level above 1st.
* **Divine Smite**: Starting at 2nd level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot to deal radiant damage to the target, in addition to the weapon’s damage.
* **Magic Missiles**: You create three glowing darts of magical force. Each dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range. The darts all strike simultaneously and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.
* **Hideous Laughter**: A creature of your choice that you can see within range perceives everything as hilariously funny and falls into fits of laughter if this spell affects it. The target must succeed on a wisdom saving throw or fall prone, becoming incapacitated and unable to stand up for the duration. A creature with an intelligence score of 4 or less isn't affected. At the end of each of it's turns and each time it takes damage, the target can make another wisdom saving throw. The target has advantage on the saving throw if it's triggered by damage. On a success, the spell ends.
* **Spirit Totem**: Starting at 2nd level, you gain the ability to call forth nature spirits and use them to influence the world around you. As a bonus action, you can magically summon an incorporeal spirit to a point you can see within 60 feet of you. The spirit creates an aura in a 30-foot radius around that point. It counts as neither a creature nor an object, though it has the spectral appearance of the creature it represents. As a bonus action, you can move the spirit up to 60 feet to a point you can see. The spirit persists for 1 minute. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. The effect of the spirit’s aura depends on the type of spirit you summon from the options below.

***Bear Spirit:*** The bear spirit grants you and your allies its might and endurance. Each creature of your choice in the aura when the spirit appears gains temporary hit points equal to 5 + your druid level. In addition, you and your allies gain advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws while in the aura.

***Hawk Spirit:*** The hawk spirit is a consummate hunter, aiding you and your allies with its keen sight. When a creature makes an attack roll against a target in the spirit’s aura, you can use your reaction to grant advantage to that attack roll. In addition, you and your allies have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks while in the aura.

***Unicorn Spirit:*** The unicorn spirit lends its protection to those nearby. You and your allies gain advantage on all ability checks made to detect creatures in the spirit’s aura. In addition, if you cast a spell using a spell slot that restores hit points to any creature inside or outside the aura, each creature of your choice in the aura also regains hit points equal to your druid level.

* **Command**: You speak a one-word command to a creature you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or follow the command on its next turn. The spell has no effect if the target is undead, if it doesn't understand your language, or if your command is directly harmful to it. Some typical commands and their effects follow. You might issue a command other than one described here. If you do so, the GM determines how the target behaves. If the target can't follow your command, the spell ends.
* **Thunderous Smite**: The first time you hit with a melee weapon attack during this spell's duration, your weapon rings with thunder that is audible within 300ft of you and the attack deals an extra 2d6 thunder damage to the target. Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must succeed on a strength saving throw or be pushed 10ft away from you and knocked prone.
* **Guiding Bolt**: A flash of light streaks toward a creature of your choice within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 4d6 radiant damage and the next attack roll made against this target before the end of your next turn has advantage thanks to the mystical dim light glittering on the target until then. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.
* **Cloud of Daggers**: You fill the air with spinning daggers in a cube 5 feet on each side, centered on a point you choose within range. A creature takes 4d4 slashing damage when it enters the spell’s area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there.
* **Crown of Madness**: One humanoid of your choice that you can see within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by you for the duration. While the target is charmed in this way, a twisted crown of jagged iron appears on its head, and a madness glows in its eyes.
* **Shield of Faith**: A shimmering field appears and surrounds a creature of your choice within range, granting it a +2 bonus to AC for the Duration.
* **Thunderwave**: A wave of thunderous force sweeps out from you. Each creature in a 15-foot cube originating from you must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d8 thunder damage and is pushed 10 feet away from you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn't pushed. In addition, unsecured Objects that are completely within the area of Effect are automatically pushed 10 feet away from you by the spell's Effect, and the spell emits a thunderous boom audible out to 300 feet.
* **Pounce**: If the panther moves at least 20 ft. straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw Attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the panther can make one bite Attack against it as a bonus Action.
* **Stone's Endurance**: As a Goliath, you can focus yourself to occasionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled, and reduce the damage by that total. After you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
* **Disarming Attack**: When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to disarm the target, forcing it to drop one item of your choice that it’s holding. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object you choose. The object lands at its feet.
* **Spiritual Weapon**: You create a floating, spectral weapon within range that lasts for the Duration or until you cast this spell again. When you cast the spell, you can make a melee spell Attack against a creature within 5 feet of the weapon.
* **Acid Splash**: You hurl a bubble of acid. Choose one creature within range, or choose two Creatures within range that are within 5 feet of each other.

Spells and Features mentioned in this episode:

* **Pass Without Trace**: A veil of shadows and silence radiates from you, masking you and your companions from detection. For the duration, each creature you choose within 30 feet of you (including you) has a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks and can't be tracked except by magical means. A creature that receives this bonus leaves behind no tracks or other traces of its passage.
* **Silent Image**: You create the image of an object, a creature, or some other visible phenomenon that is no larger than a 15-foot cube. The image appears at a spot within range and lasts for the duration. The image is purely visual; it isn't accompanied by sound, smell, or other sensory effects. You can use your action to cause the image to move to any spot within range. As the image changes location, you can alter its appearance so that its movements appear natural for the image. For example, if you create an image of a creature and move it, you can alter the image so that it appears to be walking. Physical interaction with the image reveals it to be an illusion, because things can pass through it.
* **Shillelagh**: The wood of a club or quarterstaff you are holding is imbued with nature's power. For the duration, you can use your spellcasting ability instead of strength for the attack and damage rolls of melee attacks using that weapon and the weapon's damage die becomes a d8. The weapon also becomes magical if it isn't already. The spell ends if you cast it again or if you let go of the weapon.

All spell and feature descriptions are from D&D Beyond and Roll20