| A Slight Cult Problem (Campaign 2 - Episode 5) |
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| Information | |
| Release Date: | February 21, 2022 |
| Recording Date: | February 17, 2022 |
| Episode Length: | 1:05:30 |
| Cast & Characters | |
| Michael DiMauro: | Dungeon Master |
| Tim Lanning: | T'Chuck |
| Jennifer Cheek: | Selene von Esper |
| Nika Howard: | R'Oarc |
| Mike Bachmann: | Screech Echo |
| Guide | |
| Previous Episode: | Next Episode: |
| Horrible and Familiar | Checking In |
Our level 1 heroes must journey into the mine located just outside of Rimeford hoping to find R'Oarc who has gone missing. Stranger sounds emanate from abandoned, dangerous shafts. This is the worst day ever.
Story[]
Long Story[]
The party stands at the entrance of the mines, in search of their missing friend, R'Oarc. T'Chuck finds some nearby mining equipment, and takes some of it for himself, having left his own gear back in Rimeford. He uses a helmet as a shield, and a hammer as a weapon. Screech appears, still in Squirrel Form, and together, they begin to search through the mines for R'Oarc. A little ways in, they find a tunnel that's been out of commission for a while, in danger of collapsing in on itself, but that's where they hear the sounds of activity. There's a strange, mechanical grinding sound. T'Chuck leads the others into the tunnel. Soon, they turn a corner, and find what they've come here for.
Standing in the middle of the room is Hanlan Four Fingers. A stone table lies in front of him in the shape of an eye. And sitting on that table, tied up, is R'Oarc. There's a large spike descending from the ceiling, and slowly lowering toward the table, and to R'Oarc. It seems to be controlled by a slowly turning wheel next to Four Fingers. The spike will pierce R'Oarc's heart in about 18 seconds, so T'Chuck bursts into the room and call out to Four Fingers, blowing their cover. They fight.
Screech and T'Chuck attack Four Fingers, but Selene instead focuses on freeing R'Oarc. She is able to do so by using a Mage Hand to cut the ropes binding her. Now free, R'Oarc picks up one of Four Fingers' torture knives, and stabs him through the eye with it, killing him. This was a mistake; they had intended to question the man, but R'Oarc misjudged her stab. Oh well. Screech appears, now in Screech Form, and everyone plays catch-up. R'Oarc had run off to go to the bathroom, to find Hanlan Four Fingers waiting outside for her. He bonked her in the head, and ran off with her. That explained, they search the room for clues.
Screech notices that the room has been styled after the Insignia of Ugnos: the table is the eye, and above it, the spike descends toward it, representing the dagger. Neat! In a corner of the room, they find a bag with some battle claws in it, which Screech takes. Searching Four Fingers' pockets, they find 15 silver pieces, which T'Chuck and R'Oarc take. Selene fins a book withe the Insignia of Ugnos on the cover, but that's all they have time to grab. This is because the spike hits the table, cracking it, and making a big booming sound. This is Not GoodTM, because the tunnel was in danger of collapsing anyway. They GTFO, but not before grabbing one last thing: Hanlan's body.
They make it out of the mines without injury, and after checking on R'Oarc (who's un-harmed physically, but will likely need to go and visit Doctor Frownsmasher), the party heads back toward the town. We later learn that the light in the White Spire window is still on. Along the way, T'Chuck picks up another dead body, one of the Elwin Trantor zombie creatures. It turns out that the book they found contains the instructions for a ritual on how to create such undead minions, so that explains that.
Back in town, they are met with a strange sight. New visitors have arrived, and their vehicle is being loaded into the stables. It's got large wheels, and a smokestack on the top. The vehicle is pulled by a large group of big, burly horses. And on the side of the vehicle is written the words "The Farhold Trumpeter". The party makes note of this, and then goes to see Captain Clint in the keep. They explain everything: Hanlan Four Fingers was behind the death of Elwin Trantor, and the disappearance of R'Oarc. They also give him the book, and show him the Elwin body. Clint questions how a dummy like Four Fingers could have pulled off this intricate magic, but no one knows. Selene asks what else weird has been going on, and Clint reveals that there's been a recent anonymous order of a large number of crimson wax candles, a banned commodity in the empire of Beauregard. T'Chuck theorizes that Ugnos and his followers might have been behind the recent loss of returns in the Theonite mines. This concerns Screech, who requests (bribes) Clint into keeping all of this under the rug. Clint refuses. He balks at the idea of bribery. Screech then changes tactics, asking Clint to sign a waiver, absolving the company of all wrongdoing. Despite T'Chuck's misgivings (and Clint's inability to write), he does sign his signature mark, and that's good enough for Screech. The business side of things dealt with, Clint asks them to leave the bodies with him, they'll be brought later to the temple. He also says that he'll come visit them tomorrow for more questions, unless he forgets. But surely that would never happen. T'Chuck also mentions the light in the White Spire they saw, so Clint sends "all of his men" (five) over there to investigate, lead by Morna. They then leave.
Well, now what? It's getting late, so T'Chuck suggests they head back to the Goblin Pit for a drink. Along the way, Screech tosses out the Squirrel costume, though not because he's giving up the detective life. He's just had a better idea, is all.
As they approach the Goblin Pit, they are met by another strange sight. A group of gnomes is nailing a picture to a post. It's a crudely drawn sketch of the Squirrel Man, with the text "Wanted: For crimes against humanity." T'Chuck tears the sign down, and demands to know the meaning of this. Out steps the leader of this group, a fancily dressed, bespectacled gnome, introducing himself as Professor Devin Decacog. He tells the party that he is the owner of The Farhold Trumpeter, the realm's only traveling printing press/periodical. They have heard rumors of the Squirrel Man's appearance in Rimeford, and are here to apprehend him, and bring him to justice. The Professor seems to have an intense hatred of vigilantes, and the Squirrel especially. He turns his attention to Screech, for some reason recognizing him as an exceptional sketch artist. He needs a sketch artist, you see, for his paper. He offers Screech a job, sketching pictures of the Squirrel Man for the paper. He won't be paid in money, but in an ongoing subscription. T'Chuck finds this whole thing ridiculous, especially since Screech has (ostensibly) never seen the Squirrel, while T'Chuck has. Decacog asks Screech to draw him a picture of the Squirrel Man killing someone, which he does. Screech is not a good artist, but the professor loves it, anyway. The figure in the costume looks a lot like Ratma Ritmo...
Professor Devin Decacog tells the other gnomes to get started printing the morning edition, this sketch will be the front cover. One of the gnomes, named Bertie, says they need his help, so they all take their leave. Decacog is excited to go put on his suit. It's a remarkable gnomish invention. It's got 10 arms...
Short[]
The party searches the mines and finds R'Oarc being held captive by Hanlan Four Fingers. They free her and she's able to kill him. The group brings his body back to Captain Clint, along with one of the Elwin shaped creatures. They then head to the Goblin Pit for a drink, but along the way, they meet Professor Devin Decacog, owner of The Farhold Trumpeter. He offers Screech a job as their official sketch artist, which he maybe accepts.
Trivia[]
- Day 2 of the campaign.
- T'Chuck and Selene have Darkvision.
- Selene's Mage Hand is made of a silvery light blue shimmer, and has some rings on it.
- Screech's new Battle Claws have the same stats as a +1 short sword.
- The Rimeford stables are worked by two stable boys, Gertie and Little Petey.
- Each issue of The Farhold Trumpeter is worth one gold piece.
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 / Squirrel Man (Screech)
Non-Player Characters[]
Locations[]
- Drunkeros
- Whispering Peaks
- Rimeford
- The Mines
- The Keep
- The Goblin Pit
- Rimeford
- Whispering Peaks
Inventory[]
| T'Chuck | Selene von Esper | R'Oarc | Screech Echo | General Inventory | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Quest Log Updates[]
- [Active] - Investigate the Rimeford mines
- [Active] - Investigate the death of Elwin Trantor
- [On-Hold] - Speak with Mistress Alandra Thorne
[Complete] - Find Hanlan Four Fingers- [Selene] - Speak with Sir Rex Yalos
- [Screech] - Speak with Granona Flintbeard
- [NEW] [Captain Clint] - Speak with the party
Quotes[]
- "Ouch, I hurt my pussy!" ~ Tim Lanning
- "Of course, my company will pay for all pussy damages." ~ Mike Bachmann
- "Look at your wrists. These are the wrists of an artist!" ~ Professor Devin Decacog
- "We love a kissy in the back end..." ~ Jennifer Cheek
Rolls[]
- Screech rolls Investigation to look around the mines for any fur - 16
- He doesn't see any fur, but he does see some footprints
- Screech rolls Stealth to hide in the shadows - 17
- He feels very well hidden
- Everyone rolls Perception while going through the mines
- Screech - 8
- Selene - 7
- T'Chuck - 25
- He's the only one who sees Hanlan and R'Oarc up ahead
Combat Begins vs Hanlan Four Fingers
- Initiative
- Screech - Nat 20
- Hanlan Four Fingers
- T'Chuck - 13
- Selene - 11
- R'Oarc - 11
Round One
- Screech
- Melee Attack vs Hanlan Four Fingers {x2} - 18, Nat 20
- Hit, Hit - 11 + 11 damage
- Melee Attack vs Hanlan Four Fingers {x2} - 18, Nat 20
- Four Fingers
- Does something to Screech, requiring a Wisdom Saving Throw - 4
- Fail - Screech begins to grovel before Four Fingers
- Does something to Screech, requiring a Wisdom Saving Throw - 4
- T'Chuck
- Melee Attack (Hammer) vs Four Fingers - 22
- Hit - 7 damage
- Uses a Bonus Action to Help the next person who attacks Four Fingers
- Melee Attack (Hammer) vs Four Fingers - 22
- Selene
- Casts Mage Hand to use a dagger to cut the ropes, so R'Oarc is free
- R'Oarc
- Melee Attack (Knife) vs Four Fingers - 18
- Hit - 4 damage - Kills Him
- Melee Attack (Knife) vs Four Fingers - 18
Combat Ends
- They all roll Investigation to look for clues
- Selene - 10
- Finds nothing
- Screech - 19
- The room has been set up as an alter to Ugnos
- T'Chuck - 3
- Finds nothing, but pokes his finger on a needle
- R'Oarc - 14
- Finds nothing
- Selene - 10
- Selene rolls Investigation to look for clues - 10
- She finds nothing of note
- T'Chuck rolls Investigation to search Four Fingers' pockets - 3
- She finds nothing of note
- They all roll History upon seeing the vehicle with big wheels and big horses
- R'Oarc - 6
- Screech - 12
- T'Chuck - 7
- Selene - 8
- None of them know what vehicle this is