Rabid Return (Episode 2x71)

Rabid Return (Campaign 2 - Episode 71)
R'Oarc {left}, and The Jokester {right}
Information
Release Date:	September 4, 2023
Recording Date:	August 29, 2023
Episode Length:	1:01:38
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:
Bridge Tussle	Spore Buddies

Now that the minotaur has been recovered from the maze, it is time to get back to Mineford. This should be a piece of cake!

Story

Long Story

The party has just rescued their new friend Grimshaw Shadowhoof from his labyrinthine prison. He thanks them, not knowing how long he's been in there, but knowing he's been alone this whole time, nothing but his shoes to keep him company. The party offers to bring him back to Mineford with them, where he can continue his farrieing (cobbling [shoe-making]) for the town. But, they warn, he'll have to be careful not to actually nail any shoes to people feet. Non-hoofed individuals tend not to take too kindly to that kind of thing. Grimshaw is hesitant, until R'Oarc gives him the idea to make a foot-to-hoof attachment, which his shoes can then be nailed to, thus avoiding nailing anyones feet! It's genius!

Anyway, everyone's a little weary, so they find a nice spot to rest nearby. During the break, Screech finds a gem on the ground worth 5 gold peices, which will absolutely never be forgotten about. Speaking of forgetting about things, where's Gertie? Not two episodes prior, in Episode 69 (nice), Gertie was mentioned as being brought along to rescue Grimshaw, so she should totally be here. Also, Stephanie.

Alright, well, rest's over. Time to keep pressing on. Ratma's map proves useful, as they navigate the dark and treacherous tunnel. That is, until they come to a fork in the road that doesn't appear on the map. In fact, there appears to be a newly branching path to the right. It seems roughly hewn (is that the right word?), either made by an amateur miner, or some kind of burrowing creature. Probably no need to go investigating, so they continue on the correct path to the left. But before they go, something inexplicable happens. T'Chucks suggest that R'Oarc use some chalk to make "Something that says 'This way to Mineford'", so, like, a sign or something? And then R'Oarc crafts a "beautiful chalk drawing", so I'm guessing a map of some kind, indicating which way Mineford is? It's unclear. I also don't super know why they did this. Whatever made this tunnel could be hostile. Oh well.

They continue to press on, but soon feel as though they are being following. R'Oarc and T'Chuck use their special bonding signals to communicate to each other that they're being hunted (clever girl). Screech takes to the shadows, and finds three bipedal quadrupedal creatures stalking them from the darkness! He attempts to throw something behind the creatures, maybe to distract them and make them go away. However, this just causes them to Screech, and alert two other creatures!

The beasts (which we later learn are called Kruthiks) attack! Selene is able to take out three of these creatures at once with a single Fire Ball. R'Oarc finishes off another with Vicious Mockery, and T'Chuck ends the fight by killing the last creature with Toll the Dead. It was a hard-fought battle, and T'Chuck rewards himself by cutting off the heads of these creatures, taking them with him.

The party is able to make it back to Mineford and take a long rest before the episode ends.

Short

Having rescued Grimshaw Shadowhoof from the labyrinth, the party takes a short rest. They continue on, and soon encounter a group of Kruthiks. There's a brief, but terrifying battle, and the Kruthiks are defeated. And, of course, T'Chuck takes their heads.

Trivia

• Grimshaw Shadowhoof knows Ratma Ritmo. They've crossed paths before, a few times.
• Ratma's toenails are "hoof-like".
• Screech calls out that he has the Darkvision Goggles. He's technically had them this whole time, but he just re-iterates it here, so that it's not up in the air.
• Screech is viewing this outing as a "trial by fire" for Gertie. If she survives, she'll be promoted from the lowest tier of ward-dome, to the second lowest tier.

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 - Beholder-doodle (Screech Echo)

Non-Player Characters

• Grimshaw Shadowhoof
• Gertie???

Locations

• The Underground
  • Mineford
    • The Goblin Pit Too

Inventory

T'Chuck	Selene von Esper	R'Oarc	Screech Echo	General Inventory
648 gold Hunting Knife Heavy Armor[2x06] +1 Mace of Regnier[2x31] Diamond worth 300 gp[2x34] Breast-plate armor[2x34] Backpack full of various useful things, such as "a tent or two", jerky, bread, cheese, etc.[2x38] 36 Boner Pills[2x61] 5 dead Phase Spiders[2x63] A pair of disembodied lips, cured for preservation[2x65] [NEW] 5 Kruthik heads	Theonite Collar Various Books Devin Decacog's ring from The Farhold Trumpeter[2x14] Bag of 50 gp[2x22] 7 Boner Pills[2x66]	Torture Knife[2x05] D20-sized rock of Theonite[2x16] Theonite Sending Stone[2x17] Theonite Ring of Protection[2x19] 5 Potions of Greater Healing[2x23] Homemade "Resuscitation Kit"[2x38] Crudely copied map of the tunnels around Mineford[2x55] Handful of different mushrooms from the tunnel walls[2x55] Penny candies from the Mineford General Store[2x55] A ton of Screech Bucks, as carnival currency[2x62] Several Hand-drawn Screech Bucks[2x63] Single Hand-drawn R'Oarc Buck, worth 100 dollars[2x63] 7 Boner Pills[2x66]	+1 Battle Claws[2x05] Grappling Hook[2x01?] Torch[2x16] Darkvision Goggles[2x59] Drider's Scimitar[2x66] 7 Boner Pills[2x66] "Please and Thank You" Amulet from Grimmly Tumbletoes[2x69] [NEW] Gem worth 5 gold	Map of the tunnels around Mineford[2x55] Crystal that shows some glowing mushrooms[2x55] 200 gp worth of an unknown "silky smooth, highly valuable substance" from the Brain Collector[2x57] Drider's Longbow[2x58] Drider's Chain Mail[2x58] Drider's Leg Meat[2x58] Map to Grimshaw Shadowhoof's maze[2x67]

Quest Board

• [Active] - Restore Mineford to it's true potential
  • [Complete] - Rescue Grimshaw Shadowhoof
  • [Optional] - Mushroom Gathering
  • [Optional] - Reforge the Path to Morendarith
  • [Optional] - Bring a load of ale to the newly opened Goblin city of Thornhaven
• [On-hold] - Investigate "Bill, the Necromancer", in the far off city by the coast
• [On-hold] - Take the disembodied lips to the oceanfront, for a burial at sea

Quotes

• "Our penal system is almost exclusively maze based." ~ Grimshaw Shadowhoof

• "You neg it so hard, it dies." ~ Michael DiMauro

• "I'm becoming evil, actually. You guys might need to stop me." ~ Jennifer Cheek

Rolls

• T'Chuck and Screech roll Survival to find a good spot to take a break
  • T'Chuck - 16
  • Screech - 15
    • Together, they are able to find a great spot to relax

---

• Screech rolls Perception while taking their break - 26
  • He is able to keep watch during the break, nothing exciting happens

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• T'Chuck rolls Survival upon finding the fork on the road - 21
  • The fork on the right is a newly dug tunnel

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• Selene roll Nature to see how the tunnel was dug - 13
  • It's definitely roughly dug

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• Everyone rolls Perception while walking down the tunnels
  • T'Chuck - 15
  • R'Oarc - 21
  • Selene - 14
  • Screech - 23
    • Screech and R'Oarc feel like they're being followed

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• Screech rolls Stealth upon noticing that they are being followed - 23
  • He is stealthed

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• T'Chuck rolls Perception - 22
  • He sees three sets of glowing eyes

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• Screech rolls Deception to distract the strange creatures - 25
  • They get startled and cry out, alerting some other nearby creatures

---

Combat Begins vs 5 Big Kruthiks

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• Initiative
  • Kruthik 1
  • Screech - 16
  • Kruthik 2
  • Kruthik 3
  • R'Oarc - 9
• Kruthik 4
  • T'Chuck - 5
  • Selene - 5

---

Round One

---

• Kruthik 1
  • Melee Attack (Pincers) vs Selene {x2} - 7, 12
    • Miss, Miss

---

• Screech
  • Melee Attack vs Kruthik 2 {x2} - 21, 22
    • Hit, Hit - 17 + 10 damage

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• Kruthik 2
  • Melee Attack (Pincers) vs Screech - 16, 10
    • Hit, Miss - 6 Piercing damage

---

• Kruthik 3
  • Melee Attack (Pincers) vs T'Chuck - 13, 17
    • Miss, Miss

---

• R'Oarc
  • Casts Cure Wounds on Screech, healing him for - 6 HP

---

• Kruthik 4
  • Melee Attack (Pincers) vs R'Oarc - 22, 16
    • Hit, Hit - 12 Piercing damage

---

• Selene
  • Casts Fire Ball on Kruthiks 2, 3, and 4, requiring Dexterity Saving Throws
    • Kruthik 2 - 17
      • Success - 17 Fire damage - Kills it
    • Kruthik 3 - 8
      • Fail - 34 Fire damage - Kills it
    • Kruthik 5 - 9
      • Fail - 34 Fire damage - Kills it
  • Uses a Bonus Action to Telekinetic Shove one of the remaining Kruthiks, requiring a Strength Saving Throw - 11
  • Fail - It is shoved 5 ft away from T'Chuck

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• T'Chuck
  • Casts Inflict Wounds (at 2nd level) on Kruthik 4 - 21
    • Hit - 30 Necrotic damage

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Round Two

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• Screech
  • Melee Attack vs Kruthik ? {x2 + Action Surge} - 24, 20, 17
    • Hit, Hit, Miss - 12 + 9 damage

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• Kruthik ?
  • Melee Attack vs T'Chuck {x2} - 19, 8
    • Hit, Miss - 6 Piercing damage

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• R'Oarc
  • Casts Vicious Mockery on Kruthik ?, requiring a DC 14 Wisdom Saving Throw - 13
    • Fail - 8 damage - Kills it

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• Selene
  • Casts Fire Bolt on the last Kruthik - 11
    • Miss
  • Uses a Bonus Action to Telekinetic Shove it, requiring a Strength Saving Throw - 9
  • Fail - It is shoved 5 ft back

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• T'Chuck
  • Casts Toll the Dead on the last Kruthik, requiring a Wisdom Saving Throw - 7
    • Fail - 15 Necrotic damage - Kills it

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Combat Ends

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