C2 E71

Now that the minotaur has been recovered from the maze, it is time to get back to Mineford. This should be a piece of cake!

## **Story**

### Long Story

The party has just rescued their new friend Grimshaw Shadowhoof from his labyrinthine prison. He thanks them, not knowing how long he's been in there, but knowing he's been alone this whole time, nothing but his shoes to keep him company. The party offers to bring him back to Mineford with them, where he can continue his farrieing (cobbling [shoe-making]) for the town. But, they warn, he'll have to be careful not to actually nail any shoes to people feet. Non-hoofed individuals tend not to take too kindly to that kind of thing. Grimshaw is hesitant, until R'Oarc gives him the idea to make a foot-to-hoof attachment, which his shoes can then be nailed to, thus avoiding nailing anyones feet! It's genius!

Anyway, everyone's a little weary, so they find a nice spot to rest nearby. During the break, Screech finds a gem on the ground worth 5 gold peices, which will absolutely never be forgotten about. Speaking of forgetting about things, where's Gertie? Not two episodes prior, in Episode 69 (nice), Gertie was mentioned as being brought along to rescue Grimshaw, so she should totally be here. Also, Stephanie.

Alright, well, rest's over. Time to keep pressing on. Ratma's map proves useful, as they navigate the dark and treacherous tunnel. That is, until they come to a fork in the road that doesn't appear on the map. In fact, there appears to be a newly branching path to the right. It seems roughly hewn (is that the right word?), either made by an amateur miner, or some kind of burrowing creature. Probably no need to go investigating, so they continue on the correct path to the left. But before they go, something inexplicable happens. T'Chucks suggest that R'Oarc use some chalk to make "Something that says 'This way to Mineford'", so, like, a sign or something? And then R'Oarc crafts a "beautiful chalk drawing", so I'm guessing a map of some kind, indicating which way Mineford is? It's unclear. I also don't super know why they did this. Whatever made this tunnel could be hostile. Oh well.

They continue to press on, but soon feel as though they are being following. R'Oarc and T'Chuck use their special bonding signals to communicate to each other that they're being hunted (clever girl). Screech takes to the shadows, and finds three ~~bipedal~~ quadrupedal creatures stalking them from the darkness! He attempts to throw something behind the creatures, maybe to distract them and make them go away. However, this just causes them to Screech, and alert two other creatures!

The beasts (which we later learn are called Kruthiks) attack! Selene is able to take out three of these creatures at once with a single *Fire Ball*. R'Oarc finishes off another with *Vicious Mockery*, and T'Chuck ends the fight by killing the last creature with *Toll the Dead*. It was a hard-fought battle, and T'Chuck rewards himself by cutting off the heads of these creatures, taking them with him.

The party is able to make it back to Mineford and take a long rest before the episode ends.

### Short

Having rescued Grimshaw Shadowhoof from the labyrinth, the party takes a short rest. They continue on, and soon encounter a group of Kruthiks. There's a brief, but terrifying battle, and the Kruthiks are defeated. And, of course, T'Chuck takes their heads.

## **Trivia**

* Grimshaw Shadowhoof knows Ratma Ritmo. They've crossed paths before, a few times.
* Ratma's toenails are "hoof-like".
* Screech calls out that he has the Darkvision Goggles. He's technically had them this whole time, but he just re-iterates it here, so that it's not up in the air.
* Screech is viewing this outing as a "trial by fire" for Gertie. If she survives, she'll be promoted from the lowest tier of ward-dome, to the second lowest tier.

## **In This Episode...**

### **Cast and Player Characters**

* Michael DiMauro - *Dungeon Master*
* Tim Lanning - T'Chuck
* Jennifer Cheek - Selene von Esper
* Nika Howard - R'Oarc
* Mike Bachmann - Beholder-doodle (Screech Echo)

### **Non-Player Characters**

* Grimshaw Shadowhoof
* Gertie???

### **Locations**

* The Underground
	+ Mineford
		- The Goblin Pit Too

### **Quest Board**

* [Active] - Restore Mineford to it's true potential
	+ [Complete] - ~~Rescue Grimshaw Shadowhoof~~
	+ [Optional] - Mushroom Gathering
	+ [Optional] - Reforge the Path to Morendarith
	+ [Optional] - Bring a load of ale to the newly opened Goblin city of Thornhaven
* [On-hold] - Investigate "Bill, the Necromancer", in the far off city by the coast
* [On-hold] - Take the disembodied lips to the oceanfront, for a burial at sea

### **Quotes**

* **"Our penal system is almost exclusively maze based."** ~ *Grimshaw Shadowhoof*

* **"You neg it so hard, it dies."** ~ *Michael DiMauro*

* **"I'm becoming evil, actually. You guys might need to stop me."** ~ *Jennifer Cheek*

## **Rolls**

* T'Chuck and Screech roll *Survival* to find a good spot to take a break
	+ **T'Chuck** - 16
	+ **Screech** - 15
		- Together, they are able to find a *great* spot to relax

* **Screech** rolls *Perception* while taking their break - 26
	+ He is able to keep watch during the break, nothing exciting happens

* **T'Chuck** rolls *Survival* upon finding the fork on the road - 21
	+ The fork on the right is a newly dug tunnel

* **Selene** roll *Nature* to see how the tunnel was dug - 13
	+ It's definitely roughly dug

* Everyone rolls *Perception* while walking down the tunnels
	+ **T'Chuck** - 15
	+ **R'Oarc** - 21
	+ **Selene** - 14
	+ **Screech** - 23
		- Screech and R'Oarc feel like they're being followed

* **Screech** rolls *Stealth* upon noticing that they are being followed - 23
	+ He is stealthed

* **T'Chuck** rolls *Perception* - 22
	+ He sees three sets of glowing eyes

* **Screech** rolls *Deception* to distract the strange creatures - 25
	+ They get startled and cry out, alerting some other nearby creatures

*Combat Begins vs 5 Big Kruthiks*

* *Initiative*
	+ Kruthik 1
	+ **Screech** - 16
	+ Kruthik 2
	+ Kruthik 3
	+ **R'Oarc** - 9
* Kruthik 4
	+ **T'Chuck** - 5
	+ **Selene** - 5

*Round One*

* **Kruthik 1**
	+ Melee Attack (Pincers) vs Selene {x2} - 7, 12
		- Miss, Miss

* **Screech**
	+ Melee Attack vs Kruthik 2 {x2} - 21, 22
		- Hit, Hit - 17 + 10 damage

* **Kruthik 2**
	+ Melee Attack (Pincers) vs Screech - 16, 10
		- Hit, Miss - 6 Piercing damage

* **Kruthik 3**
	+ Melee Attack (Pincers) vs T'Chuck - 13, 17
		- Miss, Miss

* **R'Oarc**
	+ Casts *Cure Wounds* on Screech, healing him for - 6 HP

* **Kruthik 4**
	+ Melee Attack (Pincers) vs R'Oarc - 22, 16
		- Hit, Hit - 12 Piercing damage

* **Selene**
	+ Casts *Fire Ball* on Kruthiks 2, 3, and 4, requiring *Dexterity Saving Throws*
		- Kruthik 2 - 17
			* Success - 17 Fire damage - *Kills it*
		- Kruthik 3 - 8
			* Fail - 34 Fire damage - *Kills it*
		- Kruthik 5 - 9
			* Fail - 34 Fire damage - *Kills it*
	+ Uses a Bonus Action to *Telekinetic Shove* one of the remaining Kruthiks, requiring a *Strength Saving Throw* - 11
	+ Fail - It is shoved 5 ft away from T'Chuck

* **T'Chuck**
	+ Casts *Inflict Wounds* (at 2nd level) on Kruthik 4 - 21
		- Hit - 30 Necrotic damage

*Round Two*

* **Screech**
	+ Melee Attack vs Kruthik ? {x2 + Action Surge} - 24, 20, 17
		- Hit, Hit, Miss - 12 + 9 damage

* **Kruthik ?**
	+ Melee Attack vs T'Chuck {x2} - 19, 8
		- Hit, Miss - 6 Piercing damage

* **R'Oarc**
	+ Casts *Vicious Mockery* on Kruthik ?, requiring a DC 14 *Wisdom Saving Throw* - 13
		- Fail - 8 damage - *Kills it*

* **Selene**
	+ Casts *Fire Bolt* on the last Kruthik - 11
		- Miss
	+ Uses a Bonus Action to *Telekinetic Shove* it, requiring a *Strength Saving Throw* - 9
	+ Fail - It is shoved 5 ft back

* **T'Chuck**
	+ Casts *Toll the Dead* on the last Kruthik, requiring a *Wisdom Saving Throw* - 7
		- Fail - 15 Necrotic damage - *Kills it*

*Combat Ends*