Episode 173 - A Guttural Reaction

The first episode after the 2016 Live Show, Michael DiMauro has the party face a Skill Challenge with a twist. A failed Skill Check will remove that player from the challenge. The failures are then also accompanied with a story twist as the characters discover an ecosystem inside of the purple worm's stomach.

## **Story**

King Titus Harper sees Kipper being knocked over into the acid of the Purple Worm's stomach and casts Telekinesis to keep him from falling in. Kipper thanks him and tells him that the mushroom people nearby are kind and had offered him food. But before much else, the party has to fight off four more of the flying creatures, while the mushroom people cower in fear. Jaela handles two of the creatures quite easily on her own, while Harper defends Kipper, and Aludra defends Harper. As Aludra's *Crackle* ability chars two of the creatures, an amorphous blob bursts up out of the acid and lands on the platform. Jett has successfully traversed his way inside the purple worm to find the party. As he recovers Jaela kills the last creature.

The party is happy to see Jett, but not smell him, so Harper uses *Prestidigitation* to eject the poop particles in his body and get dispose of it. Then Harper attempts to speak to the mushroom people in Undercommon, and in response one of the mushrooms puffs up and releases spores which allow it to speak directly into their minds. It it's slow method of speaking, it welcomes the party to their home and offers up some portobello mushroom sandwhiches to eat. From inside the hut the familiar voice of Old Man Weck calls out telling Harper to ask if it knows a way out. Harper is surprised to see him, and Old Man Weck tells him that he was on his way to the wedding when he found his way in the purple worm.

## **Trivia**

* Every time Aludra casts *Crackle*, she uses fur from the traitor Wiggins as one of the reagents.
* Nika Howard hates when people talk very slowly, as the mushroom folk do. It stresses her out and it's very funny.

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

### **Cast and Player Characters**

* Michael DiMauro - *Dungeon Master*
* Tim Lanning - King Titus Harper
* Jennifer Cheek - Aludra Wyrmsbane
* Mike Bachmann - Jett Razor
* Nika Howard - Jaela

### **Non-Player Characters**

* Kipper
* Mushroom Person
* Old Man Weck

## **Creatures**

* Mynoc
* Purple Worm

### **Locations**

* Underdark
	+ Purple Worm
		- Mushroom Hut

### **Quest Log Updates**

* [Active] - Kipper, foe or friend?
* [Active] - Prevent the impending dwarven civil war
	+ [Active] - Clear Jaela's name
* [Active] - What are birds?

### **Quotes**

**"I entered through butt. It... is safe to say, given my gelatinous form, that... a measurable percentage of my body is now poop."** ~ *Jett Razor*

## **Rolls**

* **Recap**
	+ Nika - Nat20
	+ Bachmann - 8
	+ Jennifer - 6
	+ Tim - 3
	+ Michael - Bapped

* Jett - *Animal Handling Check* to get into the purple worm butt hole
	+ Nat20 - He slides right up into the butt hole.

* Jett - *Investigation Check* to see if he happens upon any purple worm eggs vs a 16 DC
	+ 3 - No butt hole worm
		- Just for fun "What if I used Inspiration?" Roll - Nat20

*Combat Begins*

* **Initiative** vs 4 Mynocs
	+ Harper - 17
	+ Aludra - 16
	+ Jaela - 7

*Round 1*

* Harper - **Perception Check** to study trajectories of the mynocs
	+ 11 - The mushroom people are in mushroom mode and are scrunched up and hiding. Each of the four mynocs are going for different targets. Harper, Aludra, Jaela, and Kipper.
* **Harper** vs 2 Mynocs
	+ Thunderwave with 17 Con DC
		- 4 & 17 - Success & Success - 12 damage (thunder) + 6 *Heart of the Storm* damage and they're pushed 10 feet, while Harper flies away 10 feet.

* **Aludra** vs mynoc
	+ *Stonestrike* for 2d8 extra damage - 20
		- Hit - 3d8 - 10 damage (bludgeoning) - It goes rawr!
			* Must make Str Saving Throw vs 15 Spell Save DC or get pushed
				+ 16 - Failed

* **Mynoc** vs Harper
	+ Grab - 12
		- Miss

* **Mynoc** vs Aludra
	+ Grab - 16
		- Miss

* **Jaela** vs Mynoc
	+ Melee Attack - Nat20 & 19
		- 19+5 & 18 damage - It dies

* **Mynoc** vs Kipper
	+ Grab - (?)
		- Grabs Kipper and lifts him into the air

* **Mynoc** vs Jaela
	+ Jaela - Polearm Mastery Opportunity Attack - 19+9
		- Hits - 18 - It looks at Jaela and spits and continues its attack
	+ 19+4 & 17+4 with Disadvantage - Hits - Jaela is grappled and is lifted off the ground

*Round 2*

* **Harper** vs Mynoc holding Kipper
	+ Fire Bolt 14 vs AC
		- Hits - 22 damage (fire) - Harper burns a hole through one of its wings
	+ Pulls back on Kipper

* **Aludra** vs Mynocs attacking Harper and Kipper
	+ *Crackle* at 3rd level with a Dex Saving Throw vs Spell Save DC
		- 11 & 9 - Hits & Hits - 3+3+3+6+1 damage (lightning) - Both become charred and crispy and fall into the acid

*An amorphous blob bursts out of the acid and shoots up and lands onto the platform. Jett Razor has joined combat.*

* **Jett** vs Mynoc holding Jaela
	+ Melee Attack - Nat1
		- Miss

* **Jaela** vs Mynoc holding her
	+ Melee Attack - 16+9 & 16
		- Hits - 16 + 19 damage - Jaela slices and then kicks it. The body slides down one side of the bridge and the Jaela kicks the head and it falls off the other side.

*Combat Ends*