RQG 184 - Monster Mash

## Content Warnings

Physical violence, body horror, gore, tentacles (including sound effects), zombies and undead (including sound effects). Mentions: body horror, gore, putrefaction, snakes. Sound effects: roaring, continuous humming and bells

## Summary

Join Alex, Helen, Bryn, Lydia, and Ben as they face more denizens of the Blight. This week Zolf looks up, Azu sticks with what works, Hamid causes respectable explosions, and Cel notices some absences.

## Synopsis

Having just dispatched the shark sausage tentacle monster, everyone looks around for more enemies as Wilde continues to sustain his bardic performance. Zolf notices a possible enemy off to the side, where they had heard the roar, and also that immediately above him a significantly larger portal than before (10 x 20ft) is opening. Hamid additionally notices that the creature off to the side is charging towards the party. It looks like a monstrous humanoid sprinting aggressively towards the party, but the glimpse is fleeting. Cel notices a scent from that aggressive creature, of acrid, meaty putrefaction mixed with chemical plant, and an unnatural chemical twang. Azu notices that there is subtle movement all around in the dead leaf litter, approaching.

Readying themselves for more enemies, Hamid floats 5 ft backwards, and casts greater invisibility on himself while Zolf channels positive energy to heal Hamid and Skraak.

The charging, invisible being suddenly materialises right by Zolf, as if it's teleported. *CW gore & rot* It appears to be a horrifying, warped, mashed, stinking, shambling, undead, putrefied corpse. Cel is certain this was a teleportation effect rather than invisibility, and it may be manipulating space and time in a way unusual for undead beings. The creature attacks Zolf, its flesh falling from its hands and its bones slashing at Zolf. The first slash misses, and the second misses very narrowly.

Cel throws four frost bombs at the undead being. Three miss, but one deals significant damage and more flesh falls from the being.

The double-sized portal resolves itself into two identical normal-sized portals, and more tentacles come through.

Skraak, hidden in the tree, observes the tentacles and readies their stalking dagger (holding actual action for later).

The movements on the ground resolve themselves as four plant vines to Azu, coming from all directions, and are now within 20ft although it's hard to see their source. The plants smell of rotting vegetation. The bell-ringing seems to be coming from the vines.

Sumutnyerl takes a swing at the tentacles as a dire polar bear, and deals damage to them.

Azu uses smite evil on the evil tentacles, and in the first attack slices off multiple tentacles; ichor pours everywhere. On the second hit, more ichor flies off as she ploughs her axe through more tentacles, and distressed sounds come from beyond the portal.

Skraak (inserting his action) pops open his gliding wings, jumps from the tree, and lands, knife-first on the tentacles, folding the wings back in, dealing further damage.

Wilde continues to sustain his bardic performance.

**Break**

Hamid, invisible, casts scorching ray on another tentacle, dealing significant damage. Chunks of tentacle fly off.

Zolf takes a 5 ft step back, and tries to cast, but the tentacles opportunistically attack him with their mouths, injuring him. Zolf does manage to throw off a simultaneous charm effect against him though, potentially intended to be passed on to him via bite. He tries to cast searing light despite his injuries, but loses concentration.

The undead being takes a 5 ft step back, and swipes twice at Zolf, missing, then stares at Zolf, throws its arm up, and starts screaming. *CW gore* Lurid purple light emits from the bones, and the remaining flesh is flayed off. All the party members manage to resist the draw to be teleported except Wilde. Seeing Wilde is in distress, at the last moment Zolf activates unity, giving Wilde the strength to fight off the horrifying effect. In fact, Zolf's spell gives everyone such strength. Raw energy surges from the figure, then it is gone, exploding into pieces. Purple flame licks areound the party, and thunder cracks. Zolf, Hamid and Cel are horribly aware of how awful that teleportation effect would have been, teleporting party members in random directions an unknown distance. Zolf quips that this sort of thing is just a Monday for the party.

Cel checks that everyone's there (Hamid is still invisible, however). Cel notices that there seem to be fewer bell-vines around though- looks like *those* got teleported! They throw four bombs at the tentacle that Hamid has damaged, hitting with two and causing huge damage; extradimensional ichor pours everywhere.

Every single tentacle from both portals attacks Hamid despite his invisibility, hitting him seven times (at least that confirms to the party that he didn't get teleported, though!), and injuring him badly. The whole party is beset by a wave of fear, but all except Cel shrug it off. Cel is shaken, although the effect is currently suppressed by freedom's call. The tentacles then withdraw back through the portals, which close. The ringing is still coming from the two remaining vines.

Skraak delays their action and vines to the left and right of the party snake in towards the party. They suddenly rear up and seem to have bright silver flowers and large flower heads. They have a slight metallic sheen to them like the tentacle beast. They spray silver dust or pollen at the party. Wilde passes a hand in front of his face and the silver dust flashes away. Sumutnyerl, however, gets it in their face and starts shaking, breathing heavily, and drops to one knee (still as a bear).

## Quotes

"Alright mate, that's just a Monday for us!"
―**Zolf, After the horrifying teleport zombie fails to decimate the party.**

**Alex**: "It does, however, mean that you've been hit six times normally, plus a crit"
**Players**: (*General groans and noises of ooo, oof from the players*)
**Ben**: (*gasps*) "Ooof, you might get- does that mean you're gonna get Grizzoped?!"
**Players**: "*oh no*"
**Bryn**: "I would like to state, for the record, that I do *not* have loadsa hitpoints!"
―The players are worried when the tentacle beast hits Hamid with all the tentacles at once.

**Ben**: (*Laughs*) 46 [Will save]
**Alex**: (*Bursts into laughter*) Really!?
**Ben**: "Yeah, cause all of the bonuses bumped my Will up to 27 and I rolled a 19."
**Alex**: (*Wheezes with laughter*)
―Zolf had loads of Will.
## Combat breakdown

**Combat continued from previous episode, ongoing effects:**

* Cel: -2 to charisma, +4 to constitution, +2 AC, wings, and Scent
* Hamid: +4 AC from mage armor and flying for the next 9 minutes.
* Skraak: +2 to saving throws, +2 to skill checks from heroism.
* Sumutnyerl: -2 to attack rolls, -2 to saving throws, -2 to skill checks, and -2 to ability checks from being shaken.
* Whole party:
	+ +3 to will saves (against charm and fear effects), +3 to attack rolls, and +3 to damage rolls from Wilde's bardic performance.
	+ +4 on saving throws against fear effects from Azu's aura of courage and (excluding Skraak) +2 to AC, +2 to saving throws, an extra saving throw against mind control from her casting of protection from evil
	+ Zolf's freedom's call makes everyone in a 30ft radius not affected by the confused, grappled, frightened, panicked, paralysed, pinned, or shaken conditions for the next 8 more rounds. If they leave the aura these effects, if active, would take hold, however.
* Hamid has taken 8 damage and Skraak has taken 7.

**Initiative:** Hamid (Nat 20; 26), Zolf (Nat 20; 25), Undead being, Cel (23), New tentacles, Skraak, Vines, Sumutnyerl, Azu (6), Wilde

**Round 2, continued**

* Skraak: Inserts their delayed action. They hide in the tree and make a Perception check for new enemies, 20. Everyone else also makes a Perception check, Zolf (19), Azu (25), Cel (25), Hamid (22). They spot a portal opening above them and a figure is sprinting toward them from the direction where they heard the roar. Cel catches their scent and it’s one of acrid pestilence and putrefaction. Azu notices movement all around them in the leaf litter.

**Round 3**

* Hamid: Casts greater invisibility on himself and will remain invisible for the next 9 rounds regardless of which actions he takes.
* Zolf: Channels positive energy and heals Hamid and Skraak back to full.
* Undead being: Materialises in front of Zolf. People roll Knowledge checks. Knowledge (arcana): Hamid (24), Cel (33). Knowledge (religion): Azu (16), Zolf (Nat 1). Cel can tell it moved via a teleportation effect. The undead being attacks Zolf twice and misses both times.
* Cel: Throws bombs at the undead being: First: 10 (miss); Second: 12 (miss); Third: 27 (29 frost damage); Fourth: 10 (miss).
* New tentacles: The portal above the party resolves into two 10x10 feet portals with new tentacles.
* Skraak: Still hidden and activates the stalking dagger as he observes the tentacles. (He also acts later in the round as everyone forgot about his new position in the initiative order.)
* Vines: Four vines approach the party from different directions, the sound of bells appears to emanate from the vines. They are still 20 feet away but will reach the party next turn. Cel catches their scent, which is of rotting vegetation.
* Sumutnyerl: Hits and damages the tentacles.
* Azu: Uses smite evil on the tentacles: 21 (28 damage); 24 (19 damage).
* Skraak: Leaps from the tree and makes a Fly check, 22, to reach the tentacles. Skraak attacks them with the stalking dagger: 21 (29 damage).

**Round 4**

* Hamid: Casts scorching ray on the tentacles and rolls to cast defensively, 26 (pass) [This roll was actually not necessary due to Hamid's greater invisibility] First ray: 23 (22 fire damage); Second ray: 18 (21 fire damage).
* Zolf: Casts searing light and rolls to cast defensively: 22 (fail; provokes 2 attacks of opportunity). Both portal monsters bite Zolf: 16 damage total. Zolf makes two Will saves against a charm effect: 29 and 34 (pass) (Bryn adds that Ben probably didn't even add Wilde's bardic performance or Azu's protection from evil, which would add 5 to each roll- but he passes the saves anyway.) Zolf makes a concentration check to cast whilst injured but fails and the spell slot is wasted.
* Undead being: Attacks Zolf twice, 16 (miss), 17 (miss). The creature then screams and explodes with a wave of energy, everyone makes a DC 16 Will save against a teleportation effect: Cel (25), Zolf (28), Skraak (24), Hamid (16),  Azu (21), Sumutnyerl (14 + at least 2), Wilde (8 + modifiers). Zolf activates unity as an immediate action to allow Wilde use his saving throw to avoid the teleportation. Wilde's roll is now 26. Sumutnyerl's roll is now 32. People make Knowledge (arcana) checks to identify the teleportation effect: 25 (Zolf), 32 (Cel), 29 (Hamid). They identify it as a potent teleporting burst which would have teleported people in a random direction. The burst also hit the approaching vines and two of them fail their save.
* Cel: Throws four bombs at the tentacle that Hamid has hit. First: 19 (miss), second: 23 (37 damage), third: 25 (32 damage), fourth: 8 (miss).
* New tentacles: Hit Hamid with 6 normal attacks and a crit: 32 damage. Everyone makes a Will save against a fear effect: Zolf (46!), Azu (36), Cel (14), Hamid (21), Skraak (21). Cel is now shaken, although the effect is suppressed by Zolf's freedom's call. The tentacles recede and the portals close.
* Skraak: Delays his action.
* Vines: Reach the party and spray everyone who is grouped together. Everyone makes two Fortitude saves: Azu (25, 18); Cel (25, 13); Zolf (29, 18); Skraak (22, 18). Wilde casts some sort of spell on himself, Sumutnyerl fails at least one save.

## Trivia

* The undead being is most likely a Crypt Thing.