Doug's Strength of Thousands Campaign

Game Master Doug Hahn

Akoril scratches their chin "Interesting... interesting..." they muse to themself out loud.

"Before we conclude, over the years that you were forced to serve Habu, how many others did you kill besides Gerru?" Chimwemwe asks.

He shakes his head; a tear falls into the broth. Only him. I have even paid back everyone I robbed. My only true friend is the one I cannot ever repay.

Well if that is all, I have work to do. You can leave the man to his misery if you want.

You can try to force output to this convo, like making him go apologize to Gerru with a diplomacy check, reporting him to the Chime Ringers, etc. Otherwise, we can move on.

"We will not take any more of your time, then. If you hear anything regarding this grippli, please contact us at the university."

I don't really feel the need to do anything further with this guy. I'd rather not send him to go rile up the ghost again (since we just made it safe for the building's new occupant, at least for a while). Not opposed to reporting him to the Chime Ringers, if someone else feels strongly about that, but my preference is to leave him to his misery.

"So, she freed the zoo animals too. This Froglegs is stirring up all kinds of problems."

I agree we don't want to take Gerru to the ghost, but I've no opinion on taking him to the Chime Ringers.

You report back to Tokku with good news and bad news. The good news is that the poltergeist will be calm for a while… the bad news is that you will need some time to find the figurine.

Tokku moves back into his house, and you hear nothing for several weeks. it seems for now, the spirit is quiet.

Starting the next mission

Several weeks pass quietly. You look for Froiglegs but you know the crime lord has already gone to ground thanks to your efforts with the chime-ringers and fellow students. You don;t make progress.

Things at the dorm are pretty quiet for a while. The semester is coming to a close.

You hear Root and Esi are working with someone from the carnivorous gardens on an experimental and ethical food source, but they're rather secretive about it as its in the prototyping stages.

☀☀☀

One morning you're in Zuma's classroom. He's talking out a confusing yet fascinating lecture titled Architectural parallax: spandrels, finials, and other phenomena of class struggle in the Nantambu social blueprint.

After class he flaps his arms at you, calling you over to his desk. He whispers as if afraid of eavesdroppers: Meet me in my office tomorrow; I have a job for the conversants.

☀☀☀

The next morning you find Zuma behind his stacks of paper, wearing his special hat. He peers at you. Huh? What do you want? Did the demons finally hatch their plot?

"Didn't you ask us to meet you? Something about a job?"

Chimwemwe struggles to stop--or at least hide--gritting his teeth.

Zuma is oblivious to teeth-gritting. He adjusts his shiny hat. Oh. That. It's hard to keep track with all the interference. Listen. I have called you here so that you can help preserve one of my favorite places: the Carnivorous Gardens. I love to go there and collect my thoughts. Also, it’s hard for the celestials to hear your thoughts when you’re around meat-eating plants.

They’ve closed the garden because the fool caretaker decided to experiment with how they feed the flora. I think some other students are involved too. Anyway, her name is Natofo, and though I appreciate her willingness to experiment, I wish she’d done her experiments somewhere other than in one of my few peaceful places.

I need you to go help her clean up so I can reclaim my place to escape. For the celestials hear all... He looks at the ceiling.

Akoril adjusts his hat, nervous that Zuma was trying to send him a signal about his hat being off kilter.

Akoril looks to his allies "Don't we know somebody who was doing some research there?" suggests Akoril trying not to accidently incriminate Root and friends.

"We do, and hopefully they're safe."

"I enjoy the Carnivorous Gardens for, hmm, different reasons," Chimwemwe says. "But we can see if we can help."

You make your way to the Carnivorous Gardens. A rather bookish female half-orc interrupts her work on a gigantic succulent plant to shrug and say, “Are you here to help Esi, Root, and haibram? Well, I suppose I need all the help I can get with the "Impossible Meats" project. Come over here and let me show you the problem.”

Natofo brings you over to a collection of small oozes in containers. Some students and I have been trying to find humane food sources to feed the meat-eating plants. We think we can make “meat” by combining alchemical reagents with samples of oozes of different types. With the right synergy, we've managed to create a variety of savory flavors and nutritional balances."

Initial tests were promising, but when we scaled it up we started to run into problems. The "Impossible Chicken Nuggets" were too tasty, and the plants started attacking my assistants to get more… and the oozes they were getting samples from escaped! The "Impossible Burgers" had a strange reaction and grew inside the plants that ate them, mutating into a dangerous and belligerent impossible-meat-ooze hybrid.

Anyway, we closed the garden down for the safety of the community. I asked my fellow Impossible Meat Scientists for help and they went inside a while ago to try and get things under control. But they haven't been out in a while. I suppose they need a hand.

Alrinkiri looks to their companions, then to the greenhouse. "I think we'd better get in there quick and make sure everyone is ok."

Akoril nodsand draws his bow "If it's us or an ooze, I choose us even if the ooze is for science."

"Oh, dear. We will see what we can do."

"Lets hope these oozes have a plant based diet. That'll make things easier for us."

The Carnivorous Gardens are less like their namesake and more like a small, lush jungle. Plants and vines of all sorts writhe and rustle, insatiable for impossible meat.

A stone path winds through the park. Natofo opens the gate and says sheepishly, “Uh… it’s not normally this loud.” She waits at the gate.

You walk along the path. Though they are agitated, few of the Garden’s carnivorous plants pose a direct threat to you.

--

Following the stone path, you hear angry squawking ahead… BUK-BUK-BUK B-B-B-WAAAK! You know that squawk… it's lucky bones! Oh no!

Rushing forward you find Lucky Bones darting back and forth, caught between agitated vines and two flytraps. Every time she darts forward the flytraps lunge, forcing her to dark back. She's trapped.

Wisps notices thorny razorvines hidden at your feet — it looks like these vines have slithered out into the path, and are waiting to grab anyone who steps on them. Traps marked on map. You can make a Perception check in combat to Seek too.

There is also something strange about the flytraps… but you need to pause and look closely…

DC 20 nature check as an action, or Plant Lore DC 18

☀☀☀
Chicken Nuggets

Terrain: Tree foliage off path impassible
Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Alrinkiri (44/44 HP)
➤ Akoril (48/48 HP)
Flytrap 1 (-0 HP)
Soomdevi (36/36 HP)
⠀⠀Blinks (32/32 HP)
Chimwemwe (48/48 HP)
Wisps (44/44 HP)
Flytrap 2 (-0 HP)

Alrinkiri has seen many plants in their long life. Something seems odd about these ones....

◆ Nature to examine plants: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

Pausing to see the result before spending remaining actions.

Something is inside each of the flytraps and struggling to get free!

"There's people inside them!" Alrinkiri shouts, darting forward to position themselves in front of Lucky Bones.

◆Stride, ◆Stride

Reflex vs. trap: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

As the vines reach up and ensnare them, Alrinkiri tries to wriggle free. Since their grabbed, third action changes to an Escape attempt instead of a second Stride.

Acrobatics to Escape: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16

As alrinkiri

Gnawing Plants!: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (4) + 17 = 21
P: 4d4 + 6 ⇒ (4, 4, 2, 3) + 6 = 19

You can disable too: DC 25 Survival (trained) to distract or trick the plants or DC 22 Nature (expert) to calm the plants. 2 actions.

☀☀☀
Chicken Nuggets

Terrain: Tree foliage off path impassible
Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Alrinkiri (25/44 HP) │ Grabbed
➤ Akoril (48/48 HP)
Flytrap 1 (-0 HP)
Soomdevi (36/36 HP)
⠀⠀Blinks (32/32 HP)
Chimwemwe (48/48 HP)
Wisps (44/44 HP)
Flytrap 2 (-0 HP)

Akoril panics for a moment, seeing Lucky Bones but not Anchor Root.

He takes half a step forward too, before seeing Alrinkiri getting caught up in a vine, worried about what other vines might be in the way and desperately trying to remember how to calm an angry plant he decides to go for a powerful shot in hopes the plan spits up whatever it's got.

Gathering his thoughts for just a moment Akoril sees the arrow and the plant as one and fires a powerful electric arrow.

arrow vs #2: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26
true strike vs #2: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18

piercing + Electricity: 2d8 + 1 + 4d12 ⇒ (8, 3) + 1 + (3, 5, 5, 10) = 35

True Strike, Spellstrike(Shocking Grasp(3))

The arrow slices open the flytrap! something oozes out… and splits…

They look like liquefied hunks of meat… these must be the rampaging Impossible Nuggets. Tendrils wave around in the air, then they slough out from the wound… Secret init rolls, double 17's… they come out fast it seems, but they will need an action to get out.

The first Impossible Nugget moves straight into the remaining vine trap.

The thorny plants pierce the Nugget… which takes no damage and splits into two identical oozes! It seems the food scientists were serious about quickly SCALING their operation.

Impossible Nugget 1a Reflex: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Impossible Nugget 1b Reflex: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Impossible Nugget 1a escape, Athletics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12
Impossible Nugget 1b escape, Athletics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19

The other Impossible Chicken Nugget moves toward Alrinkiri and lashes at them with a gross meaty tendril!

McPseudopod: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

Lucky bones runs around in circles and flaps her wings angrily at Akoril. Maybe her friend is in the other plant?

☀☀☀
Buckets of Nuggets

Terrain: Tree foliage off path impassible. Traps are essentially disabled if no longer granbbing a creature or disabled with a check (DC 25 Survival / 22 Nature)
Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Alrinkiri (25/44 HP) │ Grabbed
➤ Akoril (48/48 HP)
Flytrap 1 (-35 HP) │ Dying 1 (DC 22 Medicine / Nature to Stabilise, or Stabilize cantrip)
Impossible Nuggets 1a (-0 HP) │ Grabbed (DC 22 Escape)
Impossible Nuggets 1b (-0 HP) │ Grabbed (DC 22 Escape)
Impossible Nuggets 2 (-0 HP)
➤ Soomdevi (36/36 HP)
⠀⠀➤ Blinks (32/32 HP)
➤ Chimwemwe (48/48 HP)
➤ Wisps (44/44 HP)
Flytrap 2 (-0 HP) │ Does nothing this turn

──────────
RECALL KNOWLEDGE:
──────────

"Wha-?" Chimwemwe finally regains his nerves after the yellow chicken-substitute oozes emerge from the plant and divide on their way toward him. "I heard them say it, but I never imagined this!" He traces the invisible pattern on the inside of his shield arm. His hidden tattoos and the runes painted on his armor flare with blue light.

He slams his shield down toward the closest ooze and then raises it to defend himself.

◆ Overdrive (manipulate) vs. DC 20: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28
◆ Strike vs. 1B: +1 Striking Shield Boss (E): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29 Pre-flanking, I believe
Magic, Bludgeoning, Overdrive: 2d6 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (6, 2) + 4 + 3 = 15
◆ Raise a Shield

AC 24

↺ Shield Block 5

Akoril listens to the chicken and fires a shooting star at the far plant.

star pew: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (9) + 14 = 23
piercing: 2d8 + 1 ⇒ (1, 6) + 1 = 8

ignoring the target's concealment and reducing the target's cover by one degree for this Strike only (greater to standard, standard to lesser, and lesser to none). If the Strike hits, the meteor trail hangs in the air. This gives the benefits of concealment negation and cover reduction to any attacks made against the creature (by anyone) until the start of your next turn. (Also recharges spell strike.

Akoril makes use of his recent Attendant lessons and casts stabilize on the plant he tried to kill moments ago.

The flytrap wriggles… out falls… Anchor Root! She is dazed and covered in slimy bits of Impossible Chicken, but otherwise okay. BUK BUK BUK! Lucky Bones flaps a wing at Akoril and hops protectively atop her master's head.

Akoril stabilizes the other flytrap… Removed from tracker, to keep things less cluttered.

--

Chim finds it's rather easy to land what might be a telling. blow,… but Impossible Nuggets don't have organs and are therefor impossible to crit. However, the bludgeoning damage doesn't cause it to split.

☀☀☀
Buckets of Nuggets

Terrain: Tree foliage off path impassible. Traps are essentially disabled if no longer granbbing a creature or disabled with a check (DC 25 Survival / 22 Nature). Plants removed from map for clarity.
Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Alrinkiri (25/44 HP) │ Grabbed
Akoril (48/48 HP)
Impossible Nuggets 1a (-0 HP) │ Grabbed (DC 22 Escape)
Impossible Nuggets 1b (-15 HP) │ Grabbed (DC 22 Escape)
Impossible Nuggets 2 (-0 HP)
➤ Soomdevi (36/36 HP)
⠀⠀➤ Blinks (32/32 HP)
Chimwemwe (48/48 HP)
➤ Wisps (44/44 HP)
Flytrap 2 (-0 HP) │ Dying 1

──────────
RECALL KNOWLEDGE:
──────────

Soomdevi tries to bludgeon blob 1b with rocks, and tells Blinks to get back.

Telekinetic Projectile: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (1, 6) + 4 = 11

He then tries to recall any knowledge on the nuggets.

Occultism: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20

Wisps studies the Impossible Nuggets.

Loremaster's Etude

"These are ochre jellies! They are immune to acid, critical hits, electricity, mental, piercing, precision, slashing, unconscious, and visual effects. We should avoid using slashing, piercing, or electricity damage because they will split into two idential jellies!"

She sighs at her now useless bow.

"Don't worry, friends, we'll take them down!"

She spreads out a little.

Loremaster's Etude, Recall Knowledge, Inspire Courage, Stride

Soomdevi knows they can grab and constrict!

"And don't let 'em grab you. They'll try to choke you!"

Alrinkiri tries again to wriggle out of the vines.

Acrobatics to Escape: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

Just managing to wriggle free, the scramble out of the vines. Hearing Wisp's warning, they close their fist, punching the nugget beside them instead of slashing.

+1 striking fist vs. grabbed 1b, 2nd MAP: 1d20 + 14 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 14 - 4 = 16
Nonlethal bludgeoning: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 4) + 3 = 10
Sneak Attack: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 1) = 6

◆Escape, ◆Step, ◆Strike.

Luckily Alrinkiri finds that Nuggets are easy to hit. However, since they are made of Impossible meat, they lack organs to do precision damage to. Think they forgot Inspire, so +1 damage

Soomdevi sends a rock at it too! Wisps says inspiring words.

______
Nugget 1a

Nugget 1a tries to escape…

Impossible Nugget 1a escape, Athletics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28

It glops forward and lashes an Impossible Tendril at Chim!

McPseudopod: 1d20 + 13 - 5 ⇒ (16) + 13 - 5 = 24
B: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 | Block 5
Acid, Chim resists 7: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2

Chim blocks most of the damage, and the acid rolls off his armor like beads of dew.

______
Nugget 1b

Impossible Nugget 1b escape, Athletics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20
Impossible Nugget 1b escape, Athletics: 1d20 + 11 - 5 ⇒ (15) + 11 - 5 = 21
Impossible Nugget 1b Impossible to escape, Athletics: 1d20 + 11 - 10 ⇒ (3) + 11 - 10 = 4

Impossible Nugget B oozes and flexes in the vine trap… to no avail.

______
Nugget 2

Nugget 2 moves forward, waving its tendrils around as it seeks food…

McPseudopod, Lovin' It: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33
B: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 | Doubles to 14
Acid, Alrinkiri resists 5: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4 |8 - 5 -> 3

The chicken tendril smacks Alrinkiri in their collarbone; something cracks. Ouch!

______
Flytrap 2

Stabilize DC 11: 1d20 ⇒ 20

Adid from the flytrap's stomach seeps out and seals it closed. NPC Flytrap stable; removing from tracker.

☀☀☀
Buckets of Nuggets

Party Conditions: Inspired!
Terrain: Tree foliage off path impassible. Traps are essentially disabled if no longer granbbing a creature or disabled with a check (DC 25 Survival / 22 Nature). Plants removed from map for clarity.
Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Alrinkiri (8/44 HP)
➤ Akoril (48/48 HP)
Impossible Nuggets 1a (-0 HP)
Impossible Nuggets 1b (-37 HP) │ Grabbed (DC 22 Escape)
Impossible Nuggets 2 (-0 HP)
➤ Soomdevi (36/36 HP)
⠀⠀➤ Blinks (32/32 HP)
➤ Chimwemwe (46/48 HP) │ Overdrive (resist Acid 7), shield -2
➤ Wisps (44/44 HP)

Alrinkiri staggers after the ooze's powerful blow. Seeing that there are no weak spots to be exploited, the sigil on their chest flares and a rain of rocks and gravel fills an area overlapping two of the nuggets. The automaton then scrabbles away from the creatures.

◆◆Cast scatter scree overlapping 1a and 1b (area marked on map), ◆Stride.

Magical Bludgeoning, IC: 3d4 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1, 1, 2) + 3 + 1 = 8 DC 20 basic Reflex, squares are difficult terrain.

"No electricity! I spent months learning how to generate electricity!" Chimwemwe slams his shield into the ooze over and over before withdrawing. "Try to keep them moving."

◆ Strike vs. 1B: +1 Striking Shield Boss (E), IC: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 14 + 1 = 29
Magic, Bludgeoning, Overdrive, IC: 2d6 + 4 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2, 3) + 4 + 3 + 1 = 13

◆ Strike vs. 1B if up (else 1A): +1 Striking Shield Boss (E), IC: 1d20 + 14 - 5 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 14 - 5 + 1 = 14
Magic, Bludgeoning, Overdrive, IC: 2d6 + 4 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6, 5) + 4 + 3 + 1 = 19

◆ Stride

AC 22

Ref 1a: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Ref 1b: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Alrinkiri's scree basts away Nugget — there's barely anything left of one of them. Chim's shield hurls through the screen and bashes apart the remnants of his first target, then he damages the other one.

☀☀☀
Buckets of Nuggets

Party Conditions: Inspired!
Terrain: Tree foliage off path impassible. Traps are essentially disabled if no longer granbbing a creature or disabled with a check (DC 25 Survival / 22 Nature). Plants removed from map for clarity.
Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Alrinkiri (8/44 HP)
➤ Akoril (48/48 HP)
Impossible Nuggets 1a (-27 HP)
Impossible Nuggets 2 (-0 HP)
➤ Soomdevi (36/36 HP)
⠀⠀➤ Blinks (32/32 HP)
Chimwemwe (46/48 HP) │ Overdrive (resist Acid 7), shield -2
➤ Wisps (44/44 HP)

Akoril holds their ground and tries to smash the nearby nuggets with some loose branches.

telekinetic projectile vs 1a: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 11 + 1 = 28
b damage: 3d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6, 6, 1) + 4 + 1 = 18

Akoril then protects themself with a shield.

AC 23 , will block(10)

"See, friends? We're winning!"

Wisps sends a burst of fire at 1a.

Produce Flame: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 10 + 1 = 25
Fire!: 3d4 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2, 2, 2) + 3 + 1 = 10

Inspire Courage, Produce Flame

The projectile tenderizes the nuggets, then Wisps fries 'em!

☀☀☀
Buckets of Nuggets

Party Conditions: Inspired!
Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Alrinkiri (22/58 HP)
Akoril (65/65 HP)
Impossible Nuggets 2 (-0 HP)
➤ Soomdevi (48/48 HP)
⠀⠀➤ Blinks (32/32 HP)
Chimwemwe (61/63 HP) │ Overdrive (resist Acid 7), shield -2
Wisps (58/58 HP)

Soomdevi also sends a blast of blunt rocks at blob 2, and then casts shield.

Telekinetic Projectile: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (5, 5) + 4 = 14

Doesn;t Blinks have independent? He should get out of the way. Either way I'm not interested in attacking a noncombatant AC

Soomdevi draws first Nugget-blood!

Impossible Nuggets 2 moves forward through the difficult terrain made by the scatter scree.

It attacks 1d2 ⇒ 1 Akoril!

I'm Lovin It: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27
B: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Acid: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2

Acid and splattered Imposssible Chicked are smeared on their shield of force, then drip onto the ground. Block all damage

☀☀☀
Buckets of Nuggets

Party Conditions: Inspired!
Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Alrinkiri (22/58 HP)
➤ Akoril (65/65 HP) │ Shield Reaction Used
Impossible Nuggets 2 (-15 HP)
➤ Soomdevi (48/48 HP)
⠀⠀➤ Blinks (32/32 HP)
➤ Chimwemwe (61/63 HP) │ Overdrive (resist Acid 7), shield -2
➤ Wisps (58/58 HP)

Chimwemwe hustles past Akoril and slams his shield toward the ooze as he passes. He turns around to face the ooze.

◆ Stride
◆ Strike vs. 2: +1 Striking Shield Boss (E), IC: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 14 + 1 = 32
Magic, Bludgeoning, Overdrive, IC: 2d6 + 4 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5, 6) + 4 + 3 + 1 = 19
◆ Stride

Seeing how effective it was last time, Alrinkiri repeats their spell, then weaves a defensive ward.

◆◆Cast scatter scree (area marked on map), ◆Cast shield.

Magical Bludgeoning, IC: 3d4 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1, 4, 4) + 3 + 1 = 13 DC 20 basic Reflex, squares are difficult terrain.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

More nuggets are torn away!

"Where is Esi?" Chimwemwe calls out while the others continue to battle the chicken-meat-ooze.

"Esi!"

Soomdevi moves back and tries again to bludgeon the blob with rocks.

Telekinetic Projectile: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (4, 5) + 4 = 13

Akoril hustles back, raising up paving stones from under the rampaging "nuggets", hoping that they work just as well as from below.

telekenetic projectile: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 11 + 1 = 17
b damage: 3d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (4, 2, 4) + 4 + 1 = 15