Blind Spot

"Blind Spot" is the fifth episode of the Materia D&D Crass Menagerie campaign. The adventuring party has learned of the influence that seemingly has taken over Simon and set into motion this plan to convert the southern ranches of Vulpine into an engine producing foul creatures.

## Synopsis

### Level 3 Overview

After the previous session, the group has hit the milestone for level 3 but will need a long rest to hit that level. But at the beginning of this episode the players went through their each of the changes to their character with this level. There are no HP rolls because everyone got max HP due to the house rules for this campaign.

#### Al: 3rd Level in Bard, College of Valor

Now has access to 2nd level spells, learned *Shatter*. With his College of Valor choice, he gets *Combat Inspiration*.

#### Davis: 3rd Level in Warlord

Got access to an older version of *Respite*. Note: This has since changed and is not offered at this level

#### Grant: 3rd Level in Cleric

Now has access to 2nd level spells. Always has *Spiritual Weapon* and *Magic Weapon* prepared.

#### Gustav: 3rd Level in Fighter, Battle Master

Chose *Tripping Attack*, *Precision Attack*, and *Riposte* for battle maneuvers. Got proficiency with smith's tools.

#### Marb: 3rd Level in Ranger, Hunter

Gets *Expeditious Retreat* (always prepared), Chose *Colossal Slayer* as Hunter's Prey option (d8 extra damage for any target below max HP once per turn). Gets access to *Thrill of the Hunt* (+WIS to attack or damage roll once per turn).

#### Roque: 2nd Level in Wizard, School of Divination

Now has access to 2nd level spells. Gains *Portent*.

### Recap

Last session, recovering from a fight against a mutated ogre-like creature at Simon's ranch south of Vulpine, Roque explored Simon's house and had fantastic visions of Simon's past.

### Session

*32nd Schema, 268 PBT, evening*

The party members at the barracks (Al, Davis, Gustav, Roque) looks over the mutilated plainscow corpse and notices similarities to the fleshy material encountered in the "corkscrew" barns before. The Verdant Cause reports that they couldn't find any reports of a satchel matching Roque's description having gone missing in the past few months. As they depart the barracks, they can hear one of the villagers-turned-swinefolk fighting against his incarceration.

The party members remaining at the Fox Den (Grant and Marb) are in the main dining area as they are mostly shutting down the tavern portion, and Marb asks to speak with Gryssa to show his findings from the flesh farm. Jeanetta uses her ability to speak with animals to send a messenger to go ask Gryssa to visit but is uncertain if or when she will show. The rest of the group shows up and they book up a few rooms to rest in, which the Weatherbys provide keys for. Davis goes back immediately and crashes. Roque follows shortly thereafter muttering to himself about the satchel and book, dissatisfied with no new information having been learned about them. Grant decides to retire as Roque goes back as well. The rest wait in the dining area and chat while awaiting Gryssa's arrival, with Marb planning to rest in a pile of hay in the dining area.

Within about 45 minutes or so, Gryssa emerges from the roots and vines along the wall of the Fox Den. Marb shows Gryssa the evidence of what the party found in the barns: the worm and the spawn pool water. With surprising quickness, Gryssa grabs the worm and immediately rips it open and declares that it is not natural and ponders that it might be the source of the corruption. She elaborates that she and her companions somehow were not only unable to traverse the southern part of the Foxwoods but that something had essentially obscure their awareness of its existence from their mind. Al produces the map that they found and show Gryssa and she confirms that the portion of the map that was muddied by hand on it were blocked for them, and Al recognizes it as some sort of magical warding that the group seems to have disrupted or broken. Gryssa asks the group if they plan to return, and wishes to go with them. The party says they will go tomorrow and she may accompany them. Gryssa flings the remains of the worm into the fire to destroy it, and then tells the group she will return tomorrow morning before traveling back through the vines in the wall to where she came from. Marb seeks out connections in Vulpine by asking Jango who the shadiest people in town are. He proposes Baxter, who runs the General Store in Vulpine. The rest of the group turns in for the evening.

*33rd Schema, 268 PBT, morning*

Roque had a somewhat sleepless night, worried about the wealth that was left behind. The group wakes up and trickles into the dining area. Marb sees Corny and offers him a knife, which Corny turns down and tells him to let the rest of the adventuring party know that he will return shortly as he heads off to Baxter's General Store. Davis emerges and asks Jango if Navori would be in soon, and he confirm she should be here shortly. The group eats and discusses plans for the day. Roque is obsessed with finding Simon and recovering the gems that were left at the house. He asks for the map from Al, but Davis intercepts not wanting him to go running off on his own again and gives Gustav the map for safe-keeping. Roque asks Gustav for the map, saying he will study it to attempt to find Simon. Gustav lays it out on a table. Roque spends time ritual-casting *Detect Magic* on the map. Eventually, Navori does show up for her usual morning meal. Davis approaches and lets her know that the party lit a few things on fire down south in an attempt to take care of the troubles they've been having. She joins the group at the table with the map, and they tell her more details about what they found. Roque determines that the map has nothing magical about it, but does notice that the chain for Navori's amulet does have some abjuration magic on it.

Elsewhere, Marb finds his way to the Vulpine General Store, and begins to inspect it, looking for anything out of place to no avail. He finds an employee and asks for the "bomb-making aisle", and is met with disbelief which is only compounded when Marb attempts to name-drop Simon (intending to instead mention Meeker). He is asked to leave the store instead, and he attempts to intentionally be noticed stealing on his way out but then thinks better of it. On his way back to the Fox Den, he sees Gryssa emerge from a nearby tree and acknowledge him with a wave. She tells Marb she was following him to make sure nothing bad happened, and then she grabs his wrist and pulls him into the tree with her.

They step out into the Fox Den, with Gryssa and Navori sharing a hearty greeting. Gryssa insists that they go now, but Davis insists that Navori make good on her promise to provide the group with some equipment before they do so. Navori confirms with Gryssa that the party does seem to be helping out, and so Navori agrees to hold up her end of the agreement first. She asks what the group needs, and she gets a set of mixed answers and though frustrated, determines we should go to a depot on the southern edge of town. Gryssa, uncomfortable in town, decides to meet the group there instead.

At the supply depot, the group is able to replenish some supplies and make a few adjustments to their equipment. Davis finds a glaive to use in place of his spear and shield, as well as some scale mail. The glaive appears to be a very nice glaive, probably of dwarven make. Al takes Davis's shield and he gets a hand crossbow. Roque gets the shovel and bag that he had been muttering about. Marb refills his quiver with arrows and gets a ton of lamp oil as well as flammable material, and two daggers. Gryssa meets up with the group and they begin heading south. As they proceed, Gryssa starts showing signs of slowing and disorientation, though it does seem better because while she is forgetful she at least remembers that ranches exist where they are going which was not the case before. After a little more travel, the group hears women screaming and pig sounds again, which Gryssa takes off running toward and the group follows after. They crest a hill and see three of the "double-bear pigs" assaulting a woman.

## Featured Characters

### Adventuring Party

* Allegretto
* Davis Cantrell
* Gustav
* Grant Frostmason
* Marb
* Roque
	+ Pebble

### Returning

* The Weatherbys
* Sam
* Gryssa

### Mentioned

* Navori
* Meeker
* Baxter
* Simon

## Quotations

* **Marb**: "Fuuuu-- I break my legs"  (when he rolled a natural one while investigating Baxter's General Store)

## Trivia

* This is the first time (in-campaign) that Marb offers a child a knife. There will be more.
* This is the episode that Davis finds Hearthguard, though he is unaware of what it is at the time other than it's a very nice glaive.
* This episode is named not just in reference to the dryads' compromised vision of the southern Foxwoods but also as a reference to "Blindspot" the TV series starring Critical Role's Ashley Johnson, which had several D&D jokes and references to her role on the series.

## Notes

* This episode does confirm part of the Calendar of Materia's structure: 24 hour days, 7 day weeks.

## References

1. ↑ See "Blind Spot" at 1:30:28
2. ↑ See "Blind Spot" at 1:11:58
3. ↑ See "Blind Spot" at 1:51:38
4. ↑ See "Blind Spot" at 1:16:26