From The Dark Of The Forest

"**From The Dark Of The Forest** " (1x33) is the 33rd episode of Dun-Johns and Dragons.

## **Synopsis**

### **Previously on *Dun-Johns and Dragons***

After arriving on the isle of Skip, the party split into two groups. Zander, Magpie, and Stone joined a mercenary crew to search for the kidnapped Prince Durrian and collect the bounty, but due to growing distrust, the other mercenaries turned on them. With the help of Barakas Creed, another crew member who turned out to be a guard sent by Magpie’s family to protect her, they defeated the attackers, killing them all apart from Kelpie, a friendly but timid Water Genasi, who fled. They then continued their search for the prince, but along the way ended up escorting an elderly woman, Ira Marsh, to the town of Coldwall.

Meanwhile on Skip, Dugluss had been simultaneously working with the Mechanists’ Guild and investigating rumors of shady goings-on there with Yoolna’s assistance. After a few days’ absence, Dugluss received a note summoning him to the Guild for news regarding his membership application; he returned to the Guild and after several hours with no communication, Yoolna went in search of him, but as she tried to gain entry, was set upon by a giant mechanical creature, which overpowered her and dragged her into the darkness below to an unknown fate.

### **Part I**

After receiving the note summoning him to the Mechanists’ Guild, Dugluss proceeds there and goes to Head Mechanist Warren Tana’s office. He notices a clockwork object on the wall, but can’t tell what it is. Tana says in Dugluss’ absence, they have reconsidered his application to join the guild and would like to offer him full membership. Dugluss examines the proffered contract *very* carefully; in one section, there is some rather vague language saying that anything created under the auspices of the guild becomes their property; he brings it up, but Tana says it is nonnegotiable. Dugluss says in that case he’s happy to continue their partnership as it stands, but will not sign the contract. Tana expresses regret, but says Dugluss leaves him no option. The mechanical object on the wall begins whirring and a mechanical arm unfolds, blocking the exit. Tana says, “You could have been such a valuable asset. I guess we’ll have to make do with what assets you bring anyway. If you will not willingly surrender them, I’m afraid we’ll have to introduce you to one of our more popular mechanical items.” The object has unfolded even more and is taking the shape of a large, humanoid construction.

Dugluss casts Magic Missile at Tana, knocking him off his chair, and says, “We can still both walk away from this.” Tana stands up and gestures at the construct, which attacks Dugluss, landing a heavy blow and grappling him. Dugluss tries casting Heat Metal, but instead of damaging the construct, it seems in fact to help it. It wraps its other arm around Dugluss, restraining him completely. Tana has gathered several items from his desk and walks toward them, saying, “Such a disappointment. Very well, we shall settle for reverse-engineering.” He affixes a small gem to the front of Dugluss’ armor; Dugluss feels a small pulse of magical energy, but isn’t sure what it’s done. Tana also places a hessian bag over Dugluss’ head and he is taken to another area some floors below and chained spread-eagled to some kind of flat surface. Despite several attempts, he cannot break free.

After about 30 minutes, he hears sounds overhead, then the sound of something heavy being dragged over a stone floor. Then several people arrive and try to relieve him of his armor, with increasingly aggressive methods, but to no avail; he takes a bit of enjoyment in taunting them. When they finally leave him alone, he remembers the crystal still secured in his armor; he tries consulting Arcanist Fiddlefen for advice, but Fiddlefen says he has no knowledge of the current goings-on in the mortal realm. After awhile, Tana enters the room; he acknolwedges they will not be able to remove the armor while Dugluss lives, and implies they’ll leave him to starve. Dugluss feigns nonchalance. Tana says if he’s counting on his friend to save him, it’s too late; she already tried and met one of their other, more aggressive creations. Dugluss, visibly incensed, says, “*You did what*?”

With a mighty heave, he wrenches one of his arms free, breaking the chain completely out of the stone; he feels the metallic hand of the construct clasp over his arm but he shakes it off and casts Blink, removing himself to the Ethereal Plane. Tana shrieks, “What? No! *Find him!*”

Still in the Ethereal Plane, Dugluss dashes into the passageway and checks the adjacent cells; one contains a camel, and the other is empty. He reappears in the empty cell and casts Catapult to hurl a giant ball of poop from the camel at Tana, knocking him down. Dugluss Blinks out again, then pops back into the room next to Tana, who is on the floor, unconscious. Dugluss tells the two guild members who have rushed in to leave and forget they were ever here. When he Blinks out again, the guild members start trying to drag Tana’s away, but Dugluss reappears in the room and again thunders at them to leave Tana and go. One of the gnomes runs out; the other is frightened, but says, “I can’t leave him to die!” Dugluss snarls, “He won’t die. He’ll want to though.” The gnome flees.

Dugluss pops off the crystal Tana had attached to his armor before; he doesn’t know what it does, but he sticks it on Tana instead. He checks on the mechanical construct, but it’s just standing in the cell where Dugluss had been shackled, staring straight ahead, and doesn’t react to him at all. He drags Tana into the empty cell and shackles him, then works out the levers in the center of the room that control the cell doors and opens them all, freeing the imprisoned creatures; the frog-like creature and the drider Dugluss saw before are no longer there, but the camel, diregoose, death dog, owlbear, and giant bat all begin milling about, looking for an exit.

He locks himself into the cell with Tana, intending to interrogate him to find out where Yoolna is; he slaps him, thinking to wake him up, but instead just does more damage. Dugluss decides he can find Yoolna on his own; still homicidally angry, he makes an attack with his lightning launcher and finishes Tana off. He begins searching the body; meanwhile, the camel walks over and sticks its head through the bars, then lets out a horrifying scream as it is pierced with a metal spike, and the horrifying mechanical spider that attacked Yoolna appears behind it.

[To be continued]

### **Part II**

Meanwhile back on the continent, Stone, Magpie, Zander [played by Trelawney in Andy’s absence], and Barakas are traveling on the road toward Steepoint, accompanying Ira Marsh. Magpie makes some small talk with Ms. Marsh, learning that the woman is unsure of her exact age, but she’s at least 80, and that she’s very proud of her son, though she says not to tell him that. They find a clearing and set up camp for the evening. Magpie notices Barakas standing apart, looking apprehensively at the surrounding woods; he tells her they should find somewhere else to camp, but not to make any loud noises or sudden moves. Magpie sidles back to the others to pass along the message, and Ira asks if they’re going without her “tall friend”; Magpie looks back and sees that Barakas has disappeared. Magpie messages him, “Are you ok?” and gets an immediate response: “FLEE! RUN!” Magpie runs back over to where she last saw Barakas and there’s a flurry of movement as a dark creature descends from the trees toward her. The group rolls initiative.

Magpie brandishes the Wand of Wonder at the creature, which appears to be a giant spider, though something is off about it that they can’t make out in the dim light. The Wand casts Stinking Cloud, surrounding it with opaque gas, and Magpie retreats back to the others as two more spiders come crawling down from the trees. As they approach, the party sees that they have the heads of sharks, complete with multiple rows of jagged teeth.

As the fight continues, more spider-sharks appear, bringing the total to six. Barakas, still out of sight of the others, finally manages to free himself from where he’s been stuck in a tree by a spider web. Back in the fray, Magpie lands a hit with her crossbow, Zander makes good use of Eldritch Blast, and Stone does some damage with the scimitar they took from Shomp Vala. They also cast Moonbeam at a spider-shark menacing Ira Marsh, but before it has a chance to do any damage, Ira, moving with stunning speed, has killed the creature herself with multiple blows from her staff, and started after another.

Just then a satyr appears; she has red hair and green clothing, is wielding a spear and shield, and riding on the back of a giant ladybug. She shouts, “We must rid the forest of these abominations!” and casts Poison Spray at one of the spider-sharks.

[To be continued]

## **Featured Characters**

### **Player Characters**

* Dugluss Deep-Forge
* Magpie
* Stone
* Zander Brushspark