C2 E16

I guess you could say that our group is going full adventure mode and going deeper into the cave…which is probably a bad idea. They are pushed to their limits and must make a choice that could break the whole group apart!

## **Story**

### Long Story

Screech is suspicious of T'Chuck, having noticed his *Spiritual Weapon* last episode. R'Oarc discovers a drawing of an ant, with Theonite all over it. The ant, not the drawing. I mean, it's a drawing of a Theonite-covered ant, not a Theonite-covered drawing-- you understand. It's got a vaguely Da Vinci vibe coming from it, a phrase I'm extremely proud of. The drawing looks studious, like it was drawn by a scholar. T'Chuck sneaks off for 10 minutes while casts *Detect Magic* as a ritual. It draws him to veins of Theonite around the cavern. The magic appears to be shimmering, changing colors rapidly. It's unlike anything he's seen before. It's drawing him deeper into the caves, where more magic is emanating from.

Meanwhile, the others are just chilling, short rest-style. Selene touches some of the Theonite on the walls, which buzzes, not unpleasantly. She asks R'Oarc how the medical facilities back in Rimeford are. Will Decacog be okay? R'Oarc posits that he'd be better off dead. Screech finds his new favorite toy: a torch.

After everyone's had a chance to catch their collective breaths, it's time to move forward. Selene and Screech take the rear (lol) while T'Chuck stays out front, with scorpion goop on his shield to ward off predators. As they go, they occasionally see things that weren't brought in from the insects. Things like apple cores, and some charcoal. There's also a faint light coming from up ahead, so R'Oarc (in an extremely Lahni-like fashion) runs ahead to check it out. She sees an old oil lantern flickering in a dimly lit laboratory. She waits until the lantern goes out completely (which takes 3 minutes and 45 seconds), before returning to tell the others.

The laboratory is crude, makeshift. It's empty of people, but not empty of drawings of ants. Some are dissected, some have Theonite drawn onto them. There's a crudely made circlet of Theonite laying amongst other chunks of Theonite of various sizes. There's also scalpels and syringes, and notes in a language none of them recognize. R'Oarc begins pocketing things, and the other follow suit; they don't want to come back down here later to investigate.

One of the drawings (really more of a poster on the wall) seems to be fluttering lightly, so Screech takes his new torch to it. It goes up in flames, revealing a hole in the wall! I don't mean like a diner, I mean like *Shawshank Redemption*. Eerily, a buzzing sound is coming from this tunnel, getting closer and closer to them. Screech goes to light the lantern, but oh no! It's out of oil. But, hurray! There's some oil laying next to it. But oh no! As he's picking up, they get attacked by the thing in the tunnel, which is actually 3 things. 3 giant dragonflies with sharp pointy teeth! But hurray! Screech is able to T'Chuck the oil at two of them, dowsing them. But oh no! That's his turn!

After some skirmishing, Screech is able to hit them with his torch, burning them up. Just when they think the battle is won, three more bugs show up. Oh no! These are atlas beetles, and they're big and pissed. Things aren't going well, and that's when they hear a hollering sound, getting louder and louder. And then, an ant comes into the lab. Riding atop this and is a small figure wearing a helmet and goggles. The ant seems to be skittering all around, and the figure reaches down, and lift up a canister. They throw it to the ground, and it explodes! Everyone, except T'Chuck, passes out...

### Short

Following the party's defeat of a scary scorpion last episode, they all chill out and rest up. T'Chuck secretly *Detects Magic*, and learns that the Theonite is magical, and there's a lot more of it up ahead. They go further into the mines, and eventually find a laboratory. There, they are attacked by 3 large dragonflies, and 3 large atlas beetles! They are "rescued" by a figure wearing goggles, and riding atop one of the ants, when they throw a canister on the ground, knocking them out. I don't know what all that's about.

## **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 - Screech Echo

### **Locations**

* Drunkeros
	+ Whispering Peaks
		- Rimeford
			* The caves outside of town

### **Quest Log Updates**

* [Active] - Investigate the mysterious goings-on in Rimeford
	+ [Active?] - Investigate the mines, eliminate the Knocker threat
* [Selene] - Investigate the light in the window of the White Spire
* [Selene] - Kill Professor Devin Decacog

### **Quotes**

* **"Listen, my company, we make a lot of things. Gaslights is one of 'em. So, you're not gonna really be able to pull that on me."** ~ *Screech Echo*

* **"I'm definitely listening to the conversation, but I thus far haven't had anything to add. That's just a description of myself, not necessarily Screech."** ~ *The relatable Mike Bachmann*

* **"I'm bein' sucked! I'm bein' tugged!"** ~ *T'Chuck*

## **Rolls**

* They roll *Investigation* while looking around the cavern
	+ **R'Oarc** - 20
		- She notices a piece of paper on it, with a drawing of an ant with bits drawn on it
	+ **Selene** - 13
		- Notices nothing
	+ **T'Chuck** - 8
		- Notices nothing
	+ **Screech** - 15
		- Notices nothing

* **Selene** rolls *History* to see if she recognizes the note R'Oarc found - 5
	+ She's got nothing

* **Selene** rolls *Arcana* to see what she feels when touching the Theonite - 21
	+ It kind of vibrates lightly, in a way that's not unpleasant

* **R'Oarc** rolls *Stealth* to go forward and investigate the light quietly - 16
	+ She feels very stealthy

* **R'Oarc** rolls *Stealth* to go into the laboratory quietly - 13
	+ It's empty anyway

* **Screech** rolls *Nature* to know about ant shit - 6
	+ He doesn't know shit

* **T'Chuck** rolls *Investigation* to search the lab - 8
	+ He doesn't find anything that hasn't already been covered

* They all roll *Perception* while clearing out the lab
	+ **T'Chuck** - 13
		- Notices nothing
	+ **Selene** - 10
		- Notices nothing
	+ **R'Oarc** - 22
		- Notices that a large drawing on the wall is lightly fluttering
	+ **Screech** - 19
		- Notices that a large drawing on the wall is lightly fluttering

*Combat Begins vs 3 large Dragonfly Creatures*

* Initiative
	+ **Screech** - 24
	+ Dragonfly 1
	+ **T'Chuck** - 18
	+ **Selene** - 15
	+ Dragonfly 2
	+ Dragonfly 3
	+ **R'Oarc** - 9

*Round One*

* **Screech**
	+ Throws the oil to hit 2 of the Dragonflies, as an improvised weapon attack - 19
		- Hit - 2 are covered in oil

* **Dragonfly 1**
	+ Melee Attack (Bite) vs Screech - 19
		- Hit - 6 Piercing damage

* **T'Chuck**
	+ Uses *Emboldening Bond* to give everyone an Emboldening Bond
	+ Uses a Bonus Action to Help R'Oarc and Screech against one of the oiled up Dragonflies

* **Selene**
	+ Casts *Chill Touch* and uses a Sorcery Point to Twin it, hitting two targets - 23
		- Hit - 7 and 8 Necrotic damage to Dragonfly 1 and 2, respectively
	+ Uses a Bonus action to *Telekinetic Shove* Dragonfly 2, requiring a DC 13 Strength Saving Throw - ??
		- Fail - It is shoved

* **Dragonfly 2**
	+ Melee Attack (Bite) vs ~~Selene~~ R'Oarc - 20
		- Hit - 6 damage

* **R'Oarc**
	+ Gives T'Chuck Bardic Inspiration
	+ Melee Attack (Rapier) vs Dragonfly 2 - 18
		- Hit - 9 damage

* **Dragonfly 3**
	+ Melee Attack (Bite) vs Screech - 15
		- Hit - 6 damage

*Round Two*

* **Screech**
	+ Melee Attack (Sword) vs Dragonfly 1 - 13
		- Miss
	+ Melee Attack (Torch) vs Dragonfly 2 - 20
		- Hit - They both burst into flames - *Kills One of Them*

* **T'Chuck**
	+ Opportunity Attack against one of the Dragonflies - 19
		- Hit - 9 damage - *Kills It*
	+ Melee Attack vs last Dragonfly - 20
		- Hit - 4 damage
	+ Does a *Perception* check to see what the rumbling sound is - 20
		- He think it may be the sound of many many footsteps coming toward them

* **Selene**
	+ Casts *Ray of Frost* - Nat 20
		- Hit - 8 Cold damage
	+ Uses a Bonus action to *Telekinetic Shove* a Dragonfly, requiring a DC 13 Strength Saving Throw - 20
		- Success - Not shoved

*3 Atlas Beetle-like creatures appear*

* **R'Oarc**
	+ Rolls *Perception* to focus on the new noise - 22
		- It sounds like someone hollering
	+ Melee Attack (Rapier) vs Dragonfly - 7
		- Fail

* Some of them roll *Intelligence* Saving Throws after the canister explodes
	+ **T'Chuck** - 16
		- Sways on his feet, but stays conscious
	+ **Selene** - 5
		- Passes out
	+ **R'Oarc** - 2
		- Passes out

*Combat, and Episode, Ends*