Quote from Mingofaust >>

Quillary as badger sniffs ahead. Perception (with Adv!): 17 

(I need more help about what Quillary is checking out, and where she is doing it.)

LOL!  I even have the right entry in my inventory, but i failed to comprehend that it didn't float...just like my character.  Yes, i like Jorin continually throwing the ball being like, wtf why is this sorcerous things not working???

Jorin relates to the group the bit about the irony walls.

The badger has nosed up to the muck (but not into it), and is smelling for anything that isn't the party or the iron-laced muck.

Quote from Mingofaust >>

The badger has nosed up to the muck (but not into it), and is smelling for anything that isn't the party or the iron-laced muck.

Q-Badger doesn't step in the rust-colored muck, but as she approaches it to sniff it (3' away), the muck sprays a puff of spores at her.

CON save vs. DC 13 poison, or disease if that is better.
(What happens next depends if that is a failure. You can decide if you want to use the Game Log or forum die roller script.) 

(I am guessing this is the badger's save, not Quillary's, which is too bad because she has advantage on saves vs disease and poison because she's dead. Sorry, "deathless." I'm also not sure if her Cloak of Protection works in her Wild Shape, but I'm going to say no.)

Badger Con save! 12 

Noooo... so close.

Quote from Mingofaust >>

(I am guessing this is the badger's save, not Quillary's, which is too bad because she has advantage on saves vs disease and poison because she's dead. Sorry, "deathless." I'm also not sure if her Cloak of Protection works in her Wild Shape, but I'm going to say no.)

Badger Con save! 12 

(This is why I was pushing for Quillary to wear the cape when wild shaped, like Underdog.

According to the PHB for Wild Shape:
"You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so."
So Quillary-Badger does have advantage.
Drusk also has a CON save with a +2 bonus, so I just rolled it in the Game Log to get the result for Q-Badger's advantage. The roll was... 13 !!)

The giant badger gets a face full of spores, which start growing into a moldy film. Quillary thrashes about wildly, scraping the badger's face against the dirt ground.
Perhaps due to her unusual physiology, she is able to scrape off the mold before it can become firmly attached to the badger's skin.
The badger quickly backs away from that spot, continuing to swat at her face to make sure there are no spores remaining.

(It is a DC 15 Nature or Survival check to identify this threat.
Quillary has the best chance with a Survival check.
If more than one person rolls, it becomes a group check.
Even if you don't know what it is, you can still brainstorm for how to get the party past it.)

Before setting off again, Hildigrim found two arrows that are still usable and adds them back to his quiver.

Realizing that Quillary is under duress, Hildigrim hurries forward (but not close enough to be in danger). "Are you OK?" he asks the badger. When she makes it clear that she'll be OK, he tries to figure out what is ahead of them.

Maybe he's read about this muck? Let's roll for nature: 23. If needed, he'll direct his orb lights over it to see better.

OOC: I'm heading north tomorrow and won't be home again until the evening of the 19th. Bot me, whoever would like to. Mingo can adjust my inventory as needed.

Quillary snuffles and snorts, doing that thing dogs do when they put their muzzle to the ground and push along with their hind legs, rubbing it along. Sheepishly, she comes back to sit with the others and listen to Hildi's long and erudite explanation.

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

Maybe he's read about this muck? Let's roll for nature: 23. If needed, he'll direct his orb lights over it to see better.

After Hildigrim is certain that Quillary-Badger is okay, his face brightens.
He remembers reading a book written by Volothamp titled "Finding Fungal Friends: Mistaking Moldies For Myconids".

Besides describing myconids (mushroom creatures), Volothamp also discusses vegepygmies ("moldies"), tribes of fungus creatures.
One way they are created is when a Russet Mold (Hildigrim gestures at the rust colored "mud" in front of the party) infects a humanoid with a spore cloud. The infected are weakened from the poison. If an infected humanoid dies, a vegepygmy will grow out of the body. The mold is found only in places that are dark, warm, and wet. Russet mold that spreads out across a metal object can be mistaken for rust. Any creature that comes within 5 feet of russet mold will be sprayed by a puff of spores.

Russet mold can be hard to kill, since weapons and most types of damage do it no harm. Effects that deal acid, necrotic, or radiant damage kill a small area of the mold. A pound of salt, a gallon of alcohol, or magic that cures disease kills russet mold in a larger area. Sunlight also works.

(You could try running through it as fast as you can, and hope you don't fail any of the multiple CON saving throws.
Or if you take the time to kill a patch 10' wide by 30' long, there is no risk of spores.)

(Quillary has lots of free access to necrotic damage with her spores and/or Chill Touch, but not as a badger.)

The badger listens carefully, then gets excited, galloping in a small circle, then stops and looks dejected, then sits and points to itself, its claws and snout and fur and little ears and shrugs.

Jorin's face slumps a little as yet another use use for alcohol has come up only to remind him that he didn't bring any.

Spar watches the odd interactions with the party and the mold. She had meant to scout ahead in the dark but Jorin kept throwing that orb over and over again. Which was a delight. As she listens to Hiligrim’s explanation of the mold she fiddles into her pack and pulls out a one foot long pole. She focuses on the end and casts daylight on it, after shielding one eye. Bright light floods the area and she holds it over the muck and mold. She utters a command word (“Sproing”) and the pole of collapsing extends out to ten feet. She holds it over the goop, and cocks an eyebrow at the party as she goes mold fishing.

Drusk mentions that Lesser Restoration cures diseases, but thet wouldn't kill all the mold, and has a range of touch so would risk a fateful of spores.
He also muses that holy microwaves (Sacred Flame) would do radiant cleansing, kind of like what he did for when the group first worked together underneath that farm house. But given the size of the mold patch, it might take the better part of an hour to cast the cantrip enough times to clear a path.

Spar taps her pole on the ground until she has everyone's attention. Using the Daylight on her 10' pole withers away the Russet Mold, without the risk of spore exposure.
Although a 3rd level spell slot is a valuable resource, all agree this was the quickest, safest way to get through this area.

The spell will continue operating for the better part of an hour.
Drusk is concerned that it is so bright that it will draw attention.
(I assume Spar retracts the pole to 1', and puts it in an opaque pouch?)

While moving though the path of dried-out mold, you discover more sparklies.
A pair of diamonds (250 gp in value each) are claimed.
Unless someone wants them (for spell components maybe), Drusk will add them to the party funds.

(Was actually not a spell slot - it’s a racial ability that resets on long rest! And Spar does have 3rd level slots that reset in short rest, if it was.)

She does indeed reduce the pole and then stow it in her pack, and then opens her other eye to see in the dark. “That worked well. I’ll keep it handy in case we need it in the next hour. Shall we keep going?”

(Does anyone have revivify and could use diamonds?)

Quote from rkmobius >>

(Does anyone have revivify and could use diamonds?)

(Drusk does not currently have Revivify on his list, so I'll have to consider that for the future.
Let's make the diamonds 300 gp and 200 gp, so that the first one could potentially be used in the spell in some future adventure.)

In less than a minute, the party enters another cavern, 60 foot long oblong with the entrance and exit at the points opposite each other on the long axis. The short axis is 40 feet, though the cavern is only 20 feet high. The entry and exit corridors are 15 feet in diameter. It is dark, except for the pale light from Jorin's moon-touched sword. The cavern is filled with 5 and 10 foot diameter stalactites, stalagmites, and columns.

There is movement deeper in the cavern. Drow soldiers aim their crossbows at the party!
Everyone roll Initiative and Perception (WIS).

Drusk - Init: 19  Perception: 23

(I'm going to need this weekend to create a proper map, so it might take a few days to get everything organized.
The Drow were hiding in ambush, as the Daylight and marching noises reflected off the walls deeper into the caves, alerting them of surface dwellers approaching.
The Perception check determines if anyone loses the first round to Surprise, and if they get advantage from attacking from the shadows.)

Badger’s rolls:

Initiative: 13 

Perception: 11 

Jorin would have hucked the driftglobe into the room as they approached the entrance, so there should be a 40 ft sphere of bright light within hucking range of the entrance-way.  Just as he is about to, once again, grumble about the orb not floating like its supposed to, he catches sight of the Drow and readies his weapons!

Initiative: 13

Perception:11

Spar initiative: 17
Spar perception: 11

(Sorry about the delay.
I used the game log to roll Hildi's init and perception, using Drusk but I added Hildi's modifiers. Halfling luck changed his init from 5 to a 22.
There are some unusual terrain rules, which I'll describe here. Read carefully, and ask questions if anything is unclear.)

The Situation

Drusk, Jorin, and Spar are surprised (cannot act first round).
Each member of the party is fired at by a Drow foot soldier (numbers 1-5 on the map), wearing chain shirts and firing poisoned bolts from hand crossbows.

Normally, attacks against them would be with advantage, but hand crossbows have a normal range of 30'. The two who are close enough are attacking Hildigrim and Quillary-Badger. The others have advantage and range disadvantage cancel out.

Quillary notices something else, but has trouble communicating it to the party.
Fortunately, Hildigrim is able to notice what the badger is pointing out. There are two other beings, who were going to ambush from hiding, but were exposed.

Lurking behind a pillar of rock is an ogre-sized, four-armed humanoid with the purple-black skin and yellow-white hair of a Drow. Two of its arms are huge and muscular, tipped with sharp claws; the other two are the size and shape of drow arms, capable of delicate movements. The creature is heavily muscled, but moves gracefully. Its face is clearly demonic, with bestial features, glowing red eyes, an elongated doglike snout, and a mouth full of sharp teeth. ("DR" on the map, link to image on DDB.)

Almost by the exit is a slender Drow ("M"), not wearing armor, but her body has the sheen of Mage Armor .

Terrain Rules

The squares with a red "X" are pillars of rock, floor to ceiling, which cannot be passed through.

The squares with a green "+" are flattish stalagmites that are 4-5 ft high. They are high enough to provide cover, if someone is behind them (like shooting over a desk).

• Any one directly behind the stalagmites have partial cover (+2 AC) from attacks. Don't make me use a protractor. You can avoid the partial cover by attacking from the side or the rear.
• You can move on and through the stalagmites. To climb up to the top of a stalagmite takes another 5' of movement. If you are melee attacking someone at ground level, you get advantage.
• If you are not making a direct attack (ranged or melee), you can take half-cover (+4 AC) behind the pillars and stalagmites. This might be useful for drinking potions or activities that don't require you to expose yourself.

The demon drow can move through 5' openings, but it will count as difficult terrain. It cannot end its move overlapping the pillars.

(Hopefully this will make map movement more interesting.)