Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures
Frozen Sick
D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Basic Rules (2014)
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Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer CreaturesFrozen SickD&D Beyond Basic RulesBasic Rules (2014)Sign in to view your library & saved favorites.
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<Hmmm.>
Realizing their predicament, the riders move excruciatingly slowly to higher geound, then dismount their spectral steeds and shove the chariots near the spot where they diamounted toward the first living soul they see. The carts careen down the ramp toward Trisk and Sam. The carts move at normal speed.
Players: what do you do?
<still feeling this out. Just trying to make a cinematic description of a scene. I thonk the first one, i expect o be rough, but soon we'll just fly through them and hopefully enjoy it.>
Sam takes leviathan Gaze and waits to make a strike and attacks the horses the main blade slices through the first then the force energy rips the other one apart
<Nice. I'm reading this as the horses that pull the wagon, not the other two who had riders, but you can twll.me if I'm wrong.>
The wagon comes to a halt as the Dam mows down the horses.
The wraiths on foot engage with the overgrown lozard, slashing skillfully, while guarsimg themselves with their heavy steel shields. Sam defends himself expertly, lookoog for an opening, but these champions have seen many battles and land some devastating hits on the Fang kd the World Serpent's scaly hide.
<is anyone else engaging with the ones on foot, or the charioteer, or doing anything else?>
Triskelion will cast Animate Objects on 10 silver coins and have them swarm the wraiths, all targeting one first until destroyed and then moving on to another.
He will also use Blessing of the Raven Queen to teleport 30 feet away to relative safety, gaining resistance to all damage until the start of his next turn. During that time, he appears ghostly and translucent.
<just because this is non-mechanical and totally narrative, I'm just making things up. I feel like a wraith woukd still see a ghostly translucent person just fine (possibly becasue I've been playing Wraith: the Oblivion). There are no mechanical consequences here>
The wraiths don't seem to notice Trisk's. new ephemeral nature, as the one perched atop the now motionless cart leaps down from the charriot and spins once before releasing hia shield, which he flings like a discus direcrlt at the wizard.
The cloud of coins harries one of the ghostly gladiators as he continues swinging. It woll take hom down but something needs to be done to deal with the others before they take someone out.
<ok, im calling it.>
The battle is over. You win.
I think im noticing how much more abstract 5e is from 3.5's more simulationist approach. They have in the adventure all these rules for bonues or penalties to various things you might want to do like climbing on the charriot, moving to higher ground, attacking the wheels, etc. and because all of these things in 5e are not awarded small bonuses, just AD or DA, the adventures rarely detail these things. But when you're reading them, it just feels like a cinematic scene that could unfold in different ways.
Using a bunch of cantrips may mathematically work, but it's hardly cinematic and has no benefit since we know the outcome and resources are long rest replenished before a real fight. If it's true to the character, then fine, but they'd probably learn soon that the slow chipping away at hp is fatal, or die before they do. Animate coons is fine, but while they chip away the wraiths are still attacking.
I want to keep trying this for a bit, because i think it can be fast and fun. I think i need to work on my descriptions and prompts, though. >
After a harrowing battle, the wraiths are dispersed to the aether, their swords and armor litter the floor. Chariots lay about the room, little worse for wear. The tra ka that brough you here lead to a descending staircase at rhe far side of the room.
<feel free to grab or inspect anything before heading down, but im continuing>
As you descend the stairs. You notice the tracks stop abruptly before the steps reach any landing. You suspect there may be a hidden passage set in the stonrwork of the wall. <if you want to find and open it, just say so, no roll required. Alternatively, you could ignore it and continue to descend the stairs.>
Triskelion would be very interested in finding and opening the secret door. Being a practitioner of illusions and deceptions himself, Trisk knows that people usually only go to such extremes when there is something worth protecting.
"What do you think is in here?" asked just before entering by Triskelion.
With a bit of examination yoi see the edges of the concealed stone door. Pushing it half open with relative ease, you find, within the space beyond, a small chamber that looks like an unused den, with a mound of moldering hay pushed into one corner. The door leading out of the cell stands wide open.
Wirh inspection you discover the hay contains a number of old humanoid bones, scored with teeth marks. A successful DC 10 Heal check reveals them to be ...
from humans, elves, and dwarves, but all are at least twenty years old. (I'm quoting. i guess it means theyve been there 20 years, but i dont know. I first thought it meant they were adult bones, but the raves age so differently, I really dont know if a 20 year old elf is an adult in Greyhawk(?))
This chamber is well traversed, as is apparent by a trail through the dust leading from the secret passage to the door leading to an area to the south. The air is rio with a lingering stench
<DC15 nature identifies the likelt source of the odor as...>
the lingering stench of troll.
The southern half of the chamber is packed full of small crates, barrels, and other easily portable contain- ers. They are full of flour, sugar, ale, water, dried meat, and other food supplies. These supplies represent only a fraction of the goods stolen recently from caravans traveling to Greyhawk. All of them are fresh and edible. Thorough investigation will reveal that the crates also hide a wide bloodstain on the floor.
Trisk's Nature: 14
"Hey, there's a trail leading to this door in the South."
Trisk follows the trail leading to the South.
<Imgur changed something to make it harder for me to post pictures. Yay.>
Based in his skills as a tracker, Sam's study of the scene reveals that the humanoids the group are following traveled from the stairs, dumped a number of crates on the pile, and then proceeded through the doors that lead to the west. These wooden doors are closed but not locked.
All of the doors leading into the empty troll den are unlocked, covered in dust and cobwebs, and have not been used in many months.
Each of these chambers contains a mound of moldering hay, old bones, and the thick stench of troll. All of them have a bit of dust on the floor and do not look like they have been used in quite some time. The two southern dens are buried behind piles of crates and boxes, though a character climbing over them can enter the rooms easily.
Under the hay in the southernmost troll den is an old silver candelabra worth 40 gp. This small bit of treasure is the only valuable item in any of these chambers.
Opening the door to the west reveals a kitchen, with two large fireplaces in opposite corners and a pair of tables in the center of the room. One of the fireplaces is lit, and a boar roasts over a fire on a spit. Two doors lead out of this chamber, as well as a passageway heading south. The sounds of feasting can be heard coming from that direction.
The tables are covered in scraps of meat, a few knives and spoons, and a few fresh vegetables. The northernmost barrel contains water, and the other is full of ale. Both are without a lid.
The two doors in the room lead to storage pantries. Pantry A is shelved and contains all enough dry goods to feed a dmall army, including flour, sugar, salt, and rice. Pantry B contains barrels full of fresh water, ale, and a small keg of oil. All of these supplies are stolen and bear the marks of various merchant caravans.
"Well, It seems this is the center of the crime ring. We should see if we can find those responsible. And watch out for trolls..". T says. He searches the area for clues as to how many, and who, the gang are. (19 incestigation)
(Well, there is a lot of food, enough for a small army, so... how do you want to proceed?)
<mini-recap, re: "who?">
Following a fight with some orcs and half orcs, one riding a wyvern, you followed their trail from the cillage they were looting across the bridge to the tower kf war, one of three towers comprising the surface structures of Castle Greyhawk. After meeting the dwarves that nominally defends the ruins and receiving a piece of a map (the rest may be inside the castle, as it is where the first was said to be found) supposedly leading to some treasure, you fought your way rheough some gladiatot ghosts (and didn't take any of their stuff as far as I can tell). Then you followed the trail down some stairs and atopped at a secret door leading to here. So, orcs where once there were trolls seems the likely 'who'>.
Sam looks around seeing how this place was stocked for a small army
“up to you lot on how you want to proceed”
<the next room definitely has some people in it. Its not going to be the whole army, but it's more than one person. So, what's the plan? Ignore it? Charge in? Buffs first?>
(thanks for recap!). "This looks like the Orc stronghold, and I think they are nearby. We should prepare for battle". rhe wizard says. "Here, Sam- let's make you invisibile. That should be fun to watch!". He casts greater invisibility on Sam before the group enters the room.
"allow me to soften up the crowd a bit with a fireball, before we go in..." T suggests, "assuming they all seem like bad ones, of course".