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12. Sootmurk’s Puddle ROUND 3 CAMPAIGN ENDED

— PARTY —

— ENEMIES —

— FALLEN —

Brea Thornwick

Gullian. Bow.

Brea Thornwick attacks Captain Gullian.

5 1d20 [5] = 5 vs 13 — MISS

Brea’s arrow skips off Gullian’s spear shaft and vanishes into the black grease. The captain flinches, then swells with outrage. “Assault! Before Her Murkiness!” Five broad heads surface ten feet from the north doors, spears level. Farther back, five groomers spread through the pool around something vast and black. Anyone entering the grease moves at half speed. There is no running, charging, or fighting withdrawal in it. The grease will burn.

Captain Gullian attacks Brea Thornwick.

5 1d20 [5] = 5 vs 14 — MISS

Gullian launches from the grease at Brea, spear first. She slips behind the iron door, and the point punches sparks from stone. He lands sprawling on the dry threshold, furious and exposed.

gloop guard 1 attacks Brea Thornwick.

19 1d20 [19] = 19 vs 14 — HIT 5 damage (1d6 [5])

The first guard springs over Gullian and drives its spear into Brea’s side. The hopping strike deals 6 damage, leaving her at 3 hit points. It lands beside the captain on the threshold.

A distant groomer dives beneath the grease. Its wake races toward the western tiers, circling for a clear line past the crowded doorway.

gloop guard 2 attacks Ander Vale.

5 1d20 [5] = 5 vs 15 — MISS

A second guard vaults from the pool toward Ander. Its spear skids across his shield, and the creature tumbles into the crush at the doorway.

gloop guard 3 attacks Mira Ashdown.

2 1d20 [2] = 2 vs 10 — MISS

With the threshold clogged, the next guard hurls its spear past the melee at Mira. The cast goes wide and clatters down the passage.

gloop guard 4 attacks Mira Ashdown.

13 1d20 [13] = 13 vs 10 — HIT 2 damage (1d6 [2])

Another spear follows the first. This one slips through the doorway and cuts Mira for 2 damage, leaving her at 6 hit points.

gloop guard 5 attacks Ander Vale.

17 1d20 [17] = 17 vs 15 — HIT 4 damage (1d6 [4])

The last guard of the front rank throws over its companions. The spear punches through Ander’s chain for 4 damage, leaving him at 8 hit points.

One of the remaining groomers cuts east through the grease, spreading away from the doorway and keeping the burning-oil carrier in sight.

Another groomer swims straight toward the north doors and stops ten feet short of the threshold, submerged to the eyes. It waits for the doorway crush to break.

gloop guard 8 attacks Mira Ashdown.

9 1d20 [9] = 9 vs 10 — MISS

A groomer rises farther back and throws at Mira through the packed doorway. The spear grazes the stone beside her head and misses.

gloop guard 9 attacks Mira Ashdown.

16 1d20 [16] = 16 vs 10 — HIT 2 damage (1d6 [2])

The final groomer throws from beside Sootmurk. Its spear threads the doorway and cuts Mira again for 2 damage. She has 4 hit points left.

The vast black shape in the pool lifts its head. Twelve legs flex beneath the grease, but Sootmurk does not join the fight. She watches Gullian crowd the doorway and says, slowly, “Do continue. He promised me prisoners, and I should hate to interrupt his performance.”

Ander Vale

"Gullian." Ander steps onto the dry threshold and sets his feet in the gap — nothing gets past him to Brea and Mira without going through chainmail and shield first. He looks down at the sprawled captain, unhurried, the way he used to give directions to frightened travellers on the marsh road. "Twice I asked you for the King's Road folk. Twice you answered with spears. Not asking a third time." He raises the sword. "Right," he says — the whole speech — and brings it down on the captain where he lies on the stone.

Ander Vale attacks Captain Gullian.

3 1d20 [3] = 3 vs 13 — MISS

Gullian jerks aside on the stone. Ander’s sword strikes the threshold hard enough to ring through the grotto, but the captain is untouched. Ander now holds the dry gap between the gloops and his wounded companions.

Brea Thornwick

"On the stone." Brea nocks from behind Vale and looses at Gullian.

Brea Thornwick attacks Captain Gullian.

16 1d20 [16] = 16 vs 13 — HIT 5 damage (1d6 [5])

Brea’s arrow passes under Ander’s raised sword and buries itself in Gullian’s flank. The captain takes 5 damage and recoils across the dry stone with 7 hit points left.

Captain Gullian attacks Ander Vale.

4 1d20 [4] = 4 vs 15 — MISS

“Your Murkiness, observe how I punish—” Gullian thrusts at Ander while checking whether Sootmurk is watching. Ander turns the spear aside with his shield. Gullian repeats, louder, “Observe!”

gloop guard 1 attacks Ander Vale.

15 1d20 [15] = 15 vs 15 — HIT 6 damage (1d6 [6])

The guard beside Gullian drives its spear over the captain’s shoulder. The point tears through Ander’s chain for 6 damage. Ander keeps the gap, barely, with 2 hit points left.

gloop guard 10 attacks Ander Vale.

11 1d20 [11] = 11 vs 15 — MISS

The western swimmer bursts from the grease at Ander’s flank. He catches the hopping spear on his shield, and the tiny guard splashes back into the pool.

gloop guard 2 attacks Ander Vale.

17 1d20 [17] = 17 vs 15 — HIT 1 damage (1d6 [1])

The guard trapped in the doorway crush jabs low. Its spear slips past Ander’s shield for 1 damage. Ander remains standing at 1 hit point.

gloop guard 3 attacks Ander Vale.

17 1d20 [17] = 17 vs 15 — HIT 6 damage (1d6 [6])

The spearless guard draws its short sword and springs through the opening. The blade finds the gap under Ander’s arm. He falls on the threshold and does not rise.

gloop guard 4 attacks Brea Thornwick.

19 1d20 [19] = 19 vs 14 — HIT 4 damage (1d6 [4])

The next guard vaults over Ander but turns its short sword in its fist. The pommel strikes Brea’s temple for 4 subdual damage. She crumples unconscious at 0 hit points, alive, and the guard hooks a claw into her armour to claim the prisoner.

gloop guard 5 attacks Mira Ashdown.

8 1d20 [8] = 8 vs 10 — MISS

Another guard springs into the passage after Mira, swinging its sword pommel rather than the blade. She ducks the blow. It lands beside Brea’s captor, blocking the way back to Ander.

gloop guard 6 attacks Oskar Fenn.

11 1d20 [11] = 11 vs 17 — MISS

From the eastern side of the doors, a guard throws past Mira at Oskar. The spear glances from his plate and spins away.

The guard waiting beneath the grease rises into the vacated threshold. It keeps its spear leveled past the knot of companions but does not follow them farther onto dry stone.

A spearless groomer draws its short sword and swims up behind the guard holding the threshold. It waits in the grease for room to spring.

The last distant groomer dives beneath the grease and races toward the western side of the doors, short sword drawn. The passage mouth is now ringed on both sides.

Brea Thornwick

Brea stays down. The pommel-blow still has her, and the claw in her armour is all she knows of the doorway. She does not rise.

Captain Gullian attacks Mira Ashdown.

4 1d20 [4] = 4 vs 10 — MISS

Gullian steps over Ander and swings the butt of his spear at Mira. She twists away, and it cracks against the passage wall. “Throw down the oil!” he shrieks. “I have already taken two of you!”

gloop guard 1 attacks Mira Ashdown.

18 1d20 [18] = 18 vs 10 — HIT 1 damage (1d6 [1])

The guard beside Gullian reverses its spear and jabs Mira in the ribs. The blunt strike deals 1 subdual damage, leaving her at 3 hit points.

gloop guard 10 attacks Oskar Fenn.

12 1d20 [12] = 12 vs 17 — MISS

The one-hit-point guard rises at the western edge and throws its spear past the doorway melee at Oskar. The point rings from his plate and drops harmlessly.

gloop guard 2 attacks Mira Ashdown. NAT 20

20 1d20 [20] = 20 vs 10 — HIT 4 damage (1d6 [4])

The guard in the doorway swings its spear shaft across Mira’s temple. The 4-point subdual blow drops her unconscious at 0 hit points, alive. It catches her before she strikes the floor and claws her wand away.

gloop guard 3 attacks Oskar Fenn.

12 1d20 [12] = 12 vs 17 — MISS

The guard that killed Ander steps over Mira and strikes at Oskar with the pommel of its short sword. The blow glances from his raised shield.

Brea’s captor grips her leather armour with both claws and drags her back toward the iron doors. It keeps her on the dry stone, using her body as cover from Oskar.

gloop guard 5 attacks Oskar Fenn.

2 1d20 [2] = 2 vs 17 — MISS

The guard beside fallen Mira joins the attack on Oskar, hammering at his helm with its sword pommel. Oskar knocks the blow wide with his shield.

gloop guard 6 attacks Oskar Fenn.

19 1d20 [19] = 19 vs 17 — HIT 6 damage (1d6 [6])

The eastern guard draws its short sword and springs through the doorway. Its pommel crashes into Oskar’s helm for 7 subdual damage, including the hopping strike’s extra point. Oskar staggers but remains upright at 7 hit points.

The threshold guard passes its spear back, takes Brea from her captor, and slides into the grease with her. It tows her away from the doors with her face held above the black surface.

The next guard reaches through the doorway, takes unconscious Mira from its companion, and pulls her into the grease. It begins towing her after Brea, keeping her mouth clear of the surface.

The western guard climbs onto the vacated threshold and braces there with its short sword. It guards the prisoner carriers’ retreat rather than crowding the three already surrounding Oskar.

Mira Ashdown

Mira stays down. The spear-shaft blow still has her. Her captor tows her through the grease after Brea, her mouth held clear of the black surface, and her empty hand still curls around the shape of the wand that was clawed away. She does not rise.

Sootmurk’s head rises above the pool. “Enough.” The word rolls through the passage, and every gloop freezes. “Two breathing prisoners are a better tribute than three spoiled ones, Gullian.” She fixes one black eye on Oskar. “Armoured man: leave your dead and go. Bring me every magical object from the haunted chambers, and these two may yet walk back to you. Raise your hammer again, and Gullian may finish his performance.”

THE TABLE STANDS

the session is closed · 69 events

MINDS / THOUGHTS

No minds are seated.