C2 E32

Selene and Screech have been missing for too long. Let’s discover what they have been up to.

## **Story**

### Long Story

Screech and Selene wake up on slabs! No, wait, not on slabs. Not on anything, in fact. They are hanging from the air, upside-down. And what's worse, they're completely nude! They appear to be in a cavern, somewhere in the tunnel system. In the corner of the room is a large empty cauldron. They aren't alone, either. 3 Knockers are also hanging from the ceiling nearby. There are bones scattered all around the room, and Selene notices their equipment in a pile on the ground, too far to reach. Not long after waking, they begin to hear a "wet" sound, which is revealed to be the wall melting away as a terrifying creature emerges! It has a beak, and hooks for hands! Sounds like a Hook Horror to me. It clacks its hooks together, making sparks, and, much like the controversial film *The Last Jedi*, the spark lights a fire that will burn the resistance down. Or in this case, just heats the cauldron. The Hook Horror then leaves.

This is a bad situation, and one our heroes must get themselves out of. Selene sees that Lucee's bag is among their effects, so she uses a *Mage Hand* to grab it. She also grabs Screech's utility belt (Why does Screech have a utility belt? That's more the kind of thing a masked vigilante would use), and hands it to him. He begins chiseling himself out slowly, and loudly. Selene looks through Lucee's bag and finds a bunch of stuff: black lipstick, a vape, a pink pony, and a small jackhammer. This could, presumably, be used to get herself out, but she doesn't do that. Instead, she casts *Fire Bolt*, freeing herself, and falling to the ground to bonk her head. Ouch. She finds her clothes, puts them on, and then uses another *Fire Bolt* to free Screech. He also clothes himself, so that situation has been resolved. Nice work, everyone!

The next situation will be a little harder to resolve; they can hear the footsteps of the Hook Horror returning. Believing they will be no match for a creature such as this, Screech and Selene decide to hide in a pile of bones. The creature returns and begins poking the Knockers still hanging from the wall. Two of them remain silent, but the third makes a small sound. This makes him the loser, so the Hook Horror plucks him out of the ceiling, and tosses him into the cauldron. Selene and Screech discuss their next move. The creature is distracted, so they could make a break for it. This seems to be the best idea, so they do that, but not before Selene casts *Darkness* on the Hook Horror. That's good! Unfortunately, the creature can "see" with its hearing, so it can still detect them. That's bad! It steps out of the darkness to attack them!

The creature slashes at them, and Screech slashes back with his Bear Claws. He aims for its ears, and is able to deafen it. Now it can't see or hear! With the Hook Horror unable to find them easily, Selene and Screech decide to run, booking it down the tunnels. Screech finds a little storage area, with some food and bedding. There's also a hole in the floor, that he avoids falling into. Selene ignores this storage area, going on ahead instead. She comes to a three-pronged fork in the road, and decides to take the left-most one, hoping Screech will do the same when he gets here. She notices that the tunnels here are beginning to look more like mines, meaning they're on the right track! Unfortunately, there's a 15 ft gap in the ground before her, and between her and the gap, is another Hook Horror. This one's smaller, maybe a child of the other one? She attacks it.

Screech does take the left tunnel, hearing the commotion up ahead. Together, they try to shove the creature into the pit, but are unable. Selene decides to search through Lucee's bag again, and finds a small fuzzy object. She throws it, and it expands, transforming into something that resembles a dog, but with many eye stalks sticking out from its head. It's a Beholder-Doodle! It attacks the Hook Horror, which runs off!

Hurray, they're saved! Now, the only issue is how to get across this chasm safely. Screech forgets that he has a grappling hook for a while, but then he remembers. They're able to swing across to safety, and soon find tunnels that they recognize. They are no longer lost.

### Short

After getting separated from the party, Selene and Screech find themselves suspended in the air. Selene frees them, and they encounter a Hook Horror, which is eating the Knockers. They run away from it. That's about it, really. There's also another, smaller Hook Horror, suggesting a family of them.

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

### **Cast and Player Characters**

* Michael DiMauro - *Dungeon Master*
* Jennifer Cheek - Selene von Esper
* Mike Bachmann - Screech Echo

### **Locations**

* Drunkeros
	+ Whispering Peaks
		- Rimeford
			* The Mines

### **Quest Log Updates**

* [Active] - Investigate the mysterious goings-on in Rimeford
	+ [Active] - Escape the mines

### **Quotes**

* **"I use my mage hand to hold my tits up!"** ~ *Selene/Jennifer*

## **Rolls**

* The party has to make Constitution Saving Throws upon looking at the strange symbols on the walls
	+ **Selene** - 18
	+ **Screech** - 17
		- They both wake up with fuzzy memories

* **Selene** rolls *Perception* to see how they are dangling - Nat 1
	+ She sees nothing

* **Screech** rolls *Perception* to see how they are dangling (with disadvantage) - 5
	+ Their feet appear to be set into the stone

* **Selene** rolls *Nature* to see if she recognizes the hooked creature - 7
	+ She doesn't know

* They both roll *Perception* again now that the fire is going
	+ **Screech** - 8
		- He sees nothing
	+ **Selene** - 13
		- She sees their pile of effects, with Lucee's bag included

* **Selene** rolls a d20 to see she finds anything useful in Lucee's bag - 9
	+ There is a little jackhammer, which might be used to free herself

* **Selene** casts *Fireball* on the ceiling, requiring an attack roll - 16
	+ Hit - She frees herself, and falls to the ground

* **Selene** rolls *Acrobatics* to avoid hurting herself on the way down - 8
	+ She takes 1 HP falling damage

* **Selene** casts *Fireball* on the ceiling again to free Screech, requiring an attack roll - 10
	+ Hit - She loosens it, so Screech can free himself.

* **Screech** rolls *Acrobatics/Athletics* to avoid hurting himself on the way down - 13
	+ He takes no falling damage

* They both roll *Stealth* to hide from the creature
	+ **Screech** - 17
	+ **Selene** - 12
		- They both hide successfully

*Combat Begins with Hook Horror*

* Initiative
	+ **Selene** - 16
	+ **Screech** - Nat 1 + 1

*Round One*

* **Selene**
	+ Casts *Fire Bolt* on the Hook Horror - 14
		- Hit - 7 Fire damage
	+ Uses a Bonus action to *Telekinetic Shove* it 5 ft back

* **Screech**
	+ Melee Attack (Claws) vs Hook Horror (Ears, specifically) - 20, 22
		- Hit, Hit - 13 + 5 damage - *Deafens it*

* **Hook Horror**
	+ Melee Attack (Hooks) vs Selene (with Disadvantage) - 13
		- Hit - 11 Piercing damage
	+ Melee Attack (Hooks) vs Screech (with Disadvantage) - 14
		- Hit - 11 Piercing damage

*Round Two*

* **Selene**
	+ Runs for it, provoking an Opportunity Attack (with Disadvantage) - Nat 1
		- Miss
	+ Casts *Mage Armor* on herself, giving her +3 AC

* **Screech**
	+ Runs for it, using the Dash action
	+ Rolls *Perception* upon escaping the Hook Horror (with Disadvantage) - 11
		- He catches up to Selene, finds another fork in the road, and goes left
	+ Rolls *Investigation* to search the storage room - 17
		- He finds that the southern floor has a hole in it
	+ Rolls *Acrobatics* to avoid falling in the hole - 21
		- He is able to roll out of the way of the pit

* **Hook Horror**
	+ Follows behind them

*Round Three*

* **Selene**
	+ Goes to the east, away from Screech
	+ Finds another branching path, takes the left tunnel (north-east), and comes across another, smaller Hook Horror
	+ Casts *Fire Bolt* on the Small Hook Horror - 14
		- Hit - 10 Fire damage

* **Screech**
	+ Lights a torch, then leaves
	+ Takes the north-east path to follow Selene's battle

* **Small Hook Horror**
	+ Melee Attack (Hook) vs Selene {x2} - 7, 13
		- Miss, Miss

*Round Four*

* **Selene**
	+ Casts *Fire Bolt* on the Small Hook Horror - 15
		- Hit - 6 Fire damage
	+ Uses a Bonus action to *Telekinetic Shove* it 5 ft back, into the 15-ft hole

* **Screech**
	+ Melee Attack (Shove) vs Small Hook Horror - Nat 1
		- Fail - Not shoved
	+ Uses a Bonus Action to Disengage and move back

* **Small Hook Horror**
	+ Melee Attack (Hook) vs Screech {x2} - 8, 20
		- Miss, Hit - 5 Piercing damage

*Round Five*

* **Selene**
	+ Casts *Fire Bolt* on the Small Hook Horror - 12
		- Miss
	+ Rolls a d20 to see what's in Lucee's bag - 6
		- She feels something slimy, and another thing that's fuzzy and wiggling

*Combat Ends*

* The two of them roll *Acrobatics/Athletics* to swing across the gap
	+ **Screech** - 11
	+ **Selene** - 20
		- She picks up Screech and swings him across