Hello, everyone! WaterDragonMaverick here with the newest chapter of my Owl House D&D fic, "Your Turn To Roll". When we last left off, the party made their way off Kuugaw Island with the help of Captain Marsh and the Luminous Gull. But thanks to a surprise attack by a Giant Shark and Percival Deveraux Scalnoir, a bounty hunter from Merlot, the boat had to make a stop at the island of Helhemichi for repairs. When our heroes got there, they could tell that something wasn't right with the island and decided to visit a nearby village to get some answers. What awaits them on this new island?
Before we begin, I have new character stats to share as the characters are now at Level 4. As such, here are the team's main details.
Luz Noceda: "Carmen Valentina" - Level 4 Human Fighter/Rogue (Level 2 Fighter/Level 2 Rogue)
Strength - 11 (+0)
Dexterity - 18 (+4)
Constitution - 15 (+2)
Intelligence - 13 (+1)
Wisdom - 12 (+1)
Charisma - 17 (+3)
Weaponry: Cutlass (uses scimitar stats) and Picaro Pepperbox (uses pistol stats, but can hold six shots before needing to be reloaded)
Armor: Leather Armor
Fighting Style: Dueling
—
Amity Blight: "Philomena Yolande" - Level 4 Custom Lineage Elf Wizard (School of Bladesinging)
Strength - 11 (+0)
Dexterity - 16 (+3)
Constitution - 12 (+1)
Intelligence - 20 (+5)
Wisdom - 15 (+2)
Charisma - 14 (+2)
Weaponry: +1 Rapier
Armor: None
Spellcasting Method: Arcane Focus Crystal Amulet
Feats: Keen Mind and Fighting Initiate (Dueling Fighting Style)
—
Willow Park: "Sariel Belladonna" - Level 4 Eladrin Druid (Circle of the Moon)
Strength - 16 (+3)
Dexterity - 12 (+1)
Constitution - 16 (+3)
Intelligence - 13 (+1)
Wisdom - 20 (+5)
Charisma - 15 (+2)
Weaponry: Wooden Staff
Armor: Leather Armor and Wooden Shield
Spellcasting Method: Druidic Focus Wooden Staff
Feats: Chef
—
Gus Porter: "Wrenn Shadowcloak" - Level 4 Gnome Wizard (School of Illusion)
Strength - 10 (+0)
Dexterity - 18 (+4)
Constitution - 14 (+2)
Intelligence - 20 (+5)
Wisdom - 13 (+1)
Charisma - 12 (+1)
Weaponry: Dagger
Armor: None
Spellcasting Method: Arcane Focus Orb
Feats: War Caster
—
Hunter Noceda: "Caleb Xiloscient" - Level 4 Half-Elf Paladin
Strength - 16 (+3)
Dexterity - 11 (+0)
Constitution - 14 (+2)
Intelligence - 14 (+2)
Wisdom - 12 (+1)
Charisma - 16 (+3)
Weaponry: Longsword
Armor: Chain Mail and Shield
Fighting Style: Interception
Spellcasting Method: Holy Symbol on the shield
Feats: Fighting Initiate (Defense Fighting Style)
—
King Clawthorne: "Reverence" - Level 4 Dispater Tiefling Rogue
Strength - 11 (+0)
Dexterity - 16 (+3)
Constitution - 14 (+2)
Intelligence - 11 (+0)
Wisdom - 11 (+0)
Charisma - 12 (+1)
Weaponry: Shortsword, Daggers, and Hand Crossbow
Armor: Studded Leather Armor
Feats: Alert
—
Lot of stuff to share before the actual story, I know. But I had to get them out of the way so that we can get to the good parts. With all these stats and feats with their new levels, the heroes are ready to explore Helhemichi. Also, I'll explain how these feats are acquired in the story itself as a way to make it fun and something natural for the characters. Luz probably suggested the idea to her friends and they figured them out for how they fit. In any case, time to begin.
The Owl House is owned by Disney and was created by Dana Terrace
Dungeons and Dragons is published by Wizards of the Coast and was created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson
After another week of preparations and stuff between campaign sessions, the teenagers and King all found themselves back in the basement of Luz's home. Because Eda had plans for the weekend and had to go out of town, she asked Luz to babysit King. Luz happily accepted and suggested playing more Dungeons and Dragons to help pass the time, making sure to invite the others to join. "Everyone ready for the game," the girl said with a smile.
"Let's see what this new island has in store for us," Willow said, getting the attention of Camila when she came down to check on everyone.
"New island? What happened last time," the mother asked with a smile, knowing her children and their friends enjoyed the game.
"We left the last place to continue the story, we got attacked by a bounty hunter who was paid to catch Amity's character. During that battle, a giant shark attacked and King got to pull off the ending of Jaws by using a candle and a bag of gunpowder," Hunter explained.
"Then because of the shark's attack on the boat, we had to get to an island that seems to give off this creepy vibe. Like when it's cloudy in autumn," King added.
"It's a mystery as to why it's like this, but we're going to find out," Amity said.
"Then let's begin," Vee said as she took the role of Dungeon Master again. "After telling Captain Marsh that you're going to find more supplies to bring onto the ship while they make repairs, you make your way deeper into the island of Helhemichi. During your trek through the woods, you notice that the path feels lifeless and dreary. With the gloomy gray skies covering the sunset, you see it's getting dark sooner than you'd want and you feel that it would be safer to find a place to sleep in the village you're walking toward."
"Is there anything we'd notice about the village as we get there," asked Willow.
"Roll me a Perception check, if you would," Vee requested.
"This'll be a lot easier since we've got some stat boosts from being Level 4 now," Luz said.
"You got stronger in the game? That's interesting. What changed," Camila asked.
"Mostly our stats increased. Some of us got our maximum of 20 in a stat, giving a plus 5 to rolls that need that stat. But everyone else managed to get a feat to give them some extra stuff to do in battle," Luz explained. "I didn't because you need to reach certain levels in a single class and I'm playing as two at once for my character. But on the bright side, I can run or hide from enemies as a bonus action and still attack."
"Now that Mom knows some of what we got, everyone please roll a Perception check for me," Vee requested.
Everyone gathered their dice and rolled their d20s to see what they could find in the game. "I got a 16. That gives me a 17 for my total," Hunter said.
"14 for me," King told the others.
"I have a total of 13," Amity says.
"Ugh, natural 1 on my check," Gus groaned as he saw his 20-sided die.
"8 for a 15 total," Willow remarked.
"12 to make 17," Luz told the table.
"Wrenn is distracted as he walks down the path and hits a low branch from a fallen tree, blocking his view because of all the leaves," Vee said, getting a laugh from the players. "But as for Caleb and Carmen, you notice something while Wrenn tries to pull himself out of the tree branches."
"What is it," Hunter asked.
"The two of you hear thudding footsteps going away from the village you're walking toward," Vee states. "Thankfully, it's not toward you. Instead, you can see three large figures heading in the other direction, going to the northwest. Give me a History check to know what these creatures are, you two."
Rolling their dice in new dice towers they bought from Eda's store, the siblings checked to see what their characters could know of the creatures. "I got a 9 on my die. Plus my Intelligence and History proficiency, that's 13," Hunter says.
"I got a 5, so that's only 6," Luz said.
"Caleb, you recognize these sorts of creatures from studies you've done while back at Gigantesco. These three figures are a type of giant and from what you recall about their appearance, you figure out that these are ogres," Vee explains.
"What are those," Luz asked as Carmen.
"Ogres. You find them in a lot of places. I'm sure we can handle them, but they seem to be going away from the village we saw," Hunter answered as his Paladin. "We need to get over there now," he exclaimed before speaking as himself. "And then, I'll have Caleb lead the way as he begins to dash toward the village."
Nodding at that, Vee then began to narrate what happened next. "As all of you rush to follow Caleb, the forest path gets thicker with dense foliage before it clears and you see the damaged gate of the village. The settlement looks damaged, but everyone seems unhurt. However, the people of the village seem to be… off somehow. Please roll an Investigation or an Insight check if any of you want to see what happened," Vee told everyone.
The clattering of d20s filled the room as the teenagers and King looked at what they got. "I have an 8, so that gives me a 15 total on my Investigation check," Gus said.
"I got a 3. That's a total of 8 on Investigation and a 7 on Insight," Amity added.
"I have a 16. Plus my Investigation skill, I have an 18," King told the others.
"Ugh, I got a 2. That's only 5 on Insight and 4 on Investigation," Hunter groaned.
"13 for me. That's a 14 total for either one," Luz said.
"I got a 15. That's a modified 20 on Insight and a 16 on Investigation," Willow voiced.
"With those rolls, Philomena and Caleb are confused as to what happened as they can't get any responses out of the people they're trying to talk with," Vee explained, giving a reason as to why the lower rolls failed. "As for the rest of you, you look around and see several structures smashed to pieces. You're able to figure out that something big must have been swung into various things around town to cause the damage. As for the people, most of them seem to be in a dreary and depressed state. They're walking around like they're in a trance, but Sariel is able to tell that the reason is because they're in despair about something," the DM added.
"I'm getting some Kamen Rider Wizard vibes here," Luz says. "I feel like we need to give these people hope."
"How? Are we supposed to bring the best versions of Superman here," Hunter retorted with a smirk.
"I want to talk to somebody about what happened," Willow says.
"You look around to find somebody that seems coherent enough to speak to and eventually find the village elder muttering to himself," Vee tells the party. "When you get close, he sees you all and is surprised by the group."
"Hello. Can we ask what happened here," Willow asked in Sariel's voice.
"Oh, my apologies. We don't get visitors here in Kachidoki Village that much lately," Vee said as the elder before continuing. "Not ever since the Gloom."
"The Gloom? What do you mean by that," Gus questioned in Wrenn's voice.
"A curse of misfortune has afflicted us for the last month. It's affected many places on the island for the last year, but only reached us several weeks ago," Vee explained in her role as the elder. "Everyone's been calling it the Gloom of Helhemichi. There have been a number of unfortunate events since it first occurred at the Southern Swamp villages. Crops being affected by blight, villagers becoming sick, monster attacks, and trading vessels arriving less often. At first, we thought it was just isolated incidents and the island's people did what they could to assist. However, the monster attacks have kept us from helping as much as we wanted. If it wasn't for a traveling medicine woman, we would have been dead long ago."
"That doesn't sound good. Why hasn't the Empire heard about this," Hunter asked with Caleb's voice.
"The Alexandrian Empire? They're a vast power, but not everyone can have help given to them. Especially if it's a small place like ours. I doubt that the Emperor or the guard has caught wind of our plight," Vee said in a forlorn tone to capture the elder's waning hope.
"We can help you," Hunter declared as Caleb. "If you give us a place to rest for the night, we can help you now and in the morning."
"Give me a Persuasion check," Vee requested.
Rolling his die, Hunter looked at the result. "5 for a total of 8."
"Hearing this and seeing the state his village is in, the elder sighs before he speaks again," Vee said before getting back into character. "Very well. If you're offering, I'll go speak to the owner of the Calabash Tavern. If you can help with repairs for today, we'll give you lodging for the night."
"Thank you, sir," Willow said as Sariel.
"Well, we might as well get to it," Luz says as Carmen.
"Since I have a new cantrip in my list of spells, I could probably use Mending to help repair things," Gus suggested.
"So do I," Willow said. "That'll help us out."
"I could probably do the same, but we'll need to tell the ship about what we found," Amity stated. "I'll have Specter go and deliver a message I write down on some paper. I also tell them that when the message is delivered, they should come back to me."
"Good to know," Vee remarked with a smile before narrating the events that began. "As Philomena takes the time to write a message to Captain Marsh and send it off with her familiar delivering it, you all begin to help with fixing the village. Thanks to knowing how you use your magic to make small repairs with time, you're able to fix up materials to use or even fully mend the minor damages dealt to buildings."
"How nice of you to help these people in your game," Camila remarked with a proud smile.
"It's part of my character's personality to help towns," Hunter said. "But it's still good to do a little community service to help people anyway."
"Good to know," Camila smiled.
"Over the next hour or two, you work your way into the night and Specter returns to Philomena while the repairs are mostly completed thanks to liberal use of Mending," Vee explained. "With that finished, the Calabash Tavern is willing to give you some rooms to sleep for the night."
"What does 'calabash' mean," King asked.
"A calabash is a type of gourd that can be dried and hollowed out to act like a drink container, musical instrument, or other tools," Willow explained, knowing plenty about plants normally. "The typical bottle-like shape is why it's commonly used for holding drinks."
"Neat," King replied.
"As you're given a small meal for the night and sleep peacefully, you wake up with your long rest successful. After making sure you have your spells for the day prepared and have a meager meal that the establishment can spare, you head out to find the village elder and ask what else should be done since you agreed to help in the morning," Vee states, getting everyone back on track again.
"We'll go and speak with him," Hunter said as he took charge of the group.
"Might as well," Luz shrugged.
"Finding the elder's home, you see him stepping out and closing the door behind him. As he turns around, he smiles at you," Vee said before speaking as the elder. "Ah, travelers. Thank you once again for your assistance. The repairs have come along nicely. Now if only the ill can get some help," Vee said in an old and raspy voice.
"The ill? Who's sick," Gus questioned as Wrenn.
"Follow me. I'll show you," Vee said as the elder before she began to narrate. "The elder then leads you to a medium-sized hut that says it's the town doctor. As you enter, you see a few beds that have patients in them. As soon as you see them, you can tell look terribly sick."
"What are their symptoms," Amity asked.
"How many are there specifically," Hunter questioned.
Rolling a die to determine the answer, Vee responded after checking the result. "There are three children all afflicted by some sort of sickness."
"I'd like to make a Medicine check to see what they've got," Willow says before rolling her die. "I got a 10 on my die, but my bonuses make it into a 17."
"Sariel gets a better look at all these young children and sees that their symptoms of a high fever, bad hives, and shaking hands. As she looks under the covers, she notices that all of them are wrapped in vines that grow from scratches they've received. All of these indicate an illness you're familiar with back home," Vee explains.
"This is bad. They've all come down with Blood Inves," Willow improvised as Sariel. "We need to treat them as soon as we can."
"But the medicine woman that visits us hasn't stopped by lately. We don't have enough medicinal plants to use either because of the blight affecting the island," Vee states as the elder.
"Hearing all of this, Caleb will step forward and use Lay on Hands to treat the children. Using five points of health in my available pool I can use, I can cure them of one disease," Hunter says. "And because of my own immunity to disease at Level 3, I'm perfectly okay to help heal them."
"Excellent. As Caleb steps forward, he places his hands on the head of a young girl with white hair. With a warm and gentle light coming from his palm, the Paladin is able to heal the girl of her symptoms. Her fever fades away, her skin returns to normal, and her shaking stops. You even watch as the vines growing from her scratch start to shrivel and drop off her arm," Vee describes. "She then looks up to you and smiles before she falls asleep to keep recovering. As she does, the village elder and the doctor are surprised at what happened before they watch you repeat the process with the other two children. With the children all healed, the doctor checks over them all and is relieved that they're becoming healthier."
"I've helped treat them, but they'll still need rest," Hunter voiced as Caleb. "Where were they all before they first got sick?"
"Th-they were out in the forest close to the swamp. But I'd be careful if I were you. Those ogres that attacked us last night before you arrived went in that direction," Vee says as the elder.
"Then we know what to follow," Luz remarked as Carmen. "With that, I say we head off to follow the tracks that the ogres left behind. Big guys like them would definitely leave an obvious trail," she said.
"Fair enough. I'll follow after Carmen too," Willow says.
"We might as well investigate everything," Amity declared.
"There's no telling if this will spread to other islands if we don't deal with it," Hunter remarked.
"Yeah. Plus, we might be able to find some other things that could help us out," Gus added.
"Yeah! Time to keep adventuring," King exclaimed.
"Very well. As you all leave town to help investigate the cause of the Gloom of Helhemichi, you begin to follow the path that the ogres left last night. Everyone, please roll me a Survival check," Vee requested.
The rolling of dice filled the basement as the teenagers made their newest ability check. "I have an 18. That gives me a total of 19," Luz says with a smile.
"I have a 9 to make 11," Amity told the others.
"I rolled a 3, so that gives me a total of 10," Willow stated.
"Mine's a 5 to make 6," Gus answered.
"11 plus my new Wisdom modifier gives me 12," Hunter said.
"13," King told the others.
"Does that mean Gus doesn't get to help," Camila asked.
"Let me explain," Vee said to Camila before narrating the scene. "Because the ogres are big and heavy, they leave behind an obvious trail for all of you to follow. Everyone's able to follow the sunken footprints in the soil of the forest and the broken branches to track down the giants. You spend the next hour following the tracks, which then change direction from the northwest to a southern path halfway through. Soon enough, Carmen is able to see the three ogres getting a drink of water from a clean stream that flows between trees in the forest. Currently, you're unseen by them and they're about 30 feet away from you. The trees are giving you excellent cover for the moment."
"We'll need to be careful," Gus said. "I'll cast a spell to try and help us. Let me just check my list and prepared spells."
"Go ahead," Hunter encouraged.
"Hmmm… I could use Silence as a ritual and keep them from hearing us," Gus said as he looked at the cards used to keep track of spells the magic users had prepared. "We'd still need to be hidden from sight."
"They aren't very smart anyway. I doubt they'll notice us if we're good enough," King said with confidence.
"But are we willing to risk it? What else can we do," Amity questioned.
"A full frontal assault could be trouble too," Willow remarked. "I might have the Tough feat on Sariel to give her extra health without transforming, but I'm not sure if it would be smart to go against them immediately."
"Guess we should put it to a vote," Luz remarked. "All in favor of the Silence spell and the Rogues getting Sneak Attacks in, raise your hand."
Luz, Gus, and King all lifted their arms to cast their votes. "Any for a full-on attack," Gus asked, getting Hunter to raise his hand. "If the others are impartial, then I guess we'll try using Silence and deal Sneak Attack damage to them first," he remarked.
"Good enough for me," King cheered as he was ready for a fight.
"I'll need 10 minutes to cast the spell," Gus reminded the younger boy.
"Then how about while Wrenn does that, we talk quietly for those 10 minutes," Luz says.
Vee nodded her head as she began to describe what happened in the scene. "While the ogres sit by the stream and eat what food they've stolen from the village, Wrenn Shadowcloak begins to use a ritual to cast a spell to assist in your efforts to sneak up on the ogres. While he does that, what do you all talk about," she narrated.
"What were those kids sick with? Something with blood," Amity asked as Philomena.
"Blood Inves," Willow answered as Sariel. "It's an infection from a scratch that plants a dangerous seed into the wound. The plant that grows causes the person's body to become a host for it. It feeds off the blood and causes several of the symptoms we saw while the body tries to fight back. If Caleb didn't treat them like he did, the disease would have turned their bodies into monsters that molt from their original selves like an insect. The remains of their old self would then become food for the monster."
"Wow… That's scary. Sounds like a parasite more than a typical illness," Luz remarked as Carmen.
"How do you know about this," King asked as Reverence.
"I had it once. I was cured by a Paladin from my home village and I was grateful. A little after that, I found out I had the potential for nature-based magic. Several people who were infected with it showed that capability," Willow told everyone in character.
"Interesting," Amity replied as Philomena.
Willow then turned to Hunter to have their characters speak on a more personal level. "Thank you for what you did for those kids. That was very kind of you," she said as her Druid.
"I, uh… I was just doing my duty. I can't let the future of a nation be left to die from an illness I can help treat," Hunter replied as Caleb.
"Roll a Charisma save to not pass out from the emotional overload," Luz chuckled.
"Or would that be Wisdom," Gus snickered.
"Both of you be quiet," Hunter muttered as he looked away from Willow with pink cheeks.
"As you talk for the next 10 minutes, Wrenn's ritual is complete and he casts Silence on the ogres," Vee stated, getting everyone back on track. "With everyone in the area deafened, they won't be able to hear you coming in."
"Carmen and I will go in with our swords to try and at least injure two of them enough to give us an easier time," King said.
"Let's go," Luz exclaimed.
"Both of you give me a Stealth check. Because of the Silence spell, all you need to do is beat the passive Perception of the ogres," Vee told the two.
Rolling their dice, Luz and King counted up their results and hoped they were able to get enough. "18 on my die," King said.
"Mine's a natural 15," Luz added.
"Both of you are able to stay out of sight and get right behind two of the ogres. Now, roll an attack if you want. I'll give you more of an advantage because they haven't noticed you and the Silence spell is up. If you roll a 1, I'll give you a free retry," Vee states, being generous with the moment because of creative thinking from the party.
Rolling their d20s again, King and Luz checked to see if they could hit the monsters. "First roll is an 8 and the second is a 3. That makes my first one a total of 13," King says.
"I got a natural 1 and a 6. If I can reroll since I got a 1, that'll be a 15," Luz says. "That makes my total a 21."
"Go ahead and roll damage as you both stab the ogres in front of you," Vee states with a grin as she gathers notes for the upcoming fight.
"Me first," Luz replied as she rolled her damage dice. "I got a 6 and a 4. Plus my Fighting Style and Dexterity, that's a total of 16 slashing damage," she tells the others.
"As for me, my roll is… oh, wow," King muttered as Willow and Amity looked over to the younger boy. "I got three 6s on my dice. That's 18 plus my modifier for 21 damage."
"Wow. The devil kid got the number of the beast. What are the odds," Hunter remarked with wide eyes.
"With a powerful slash and a precise stab from your swords, the two ogres yell out and find that their voices are gone. The third sees his companions jolt in pain and looks at the two smaller creatures that have injured them," Vee states. "As you all watched your teammates stab these ogres, I'd like you to roll initiative."
"And with my new Alert feat, I get a plus 5 bonus to my initiative rolls," King exclaimed with a beaming smile.
With the clattering of dice echoing in the basement, everyone checked their results to determine the turn order. "I have a natural 1 on my die, so that's 5 total," Gus said.
"I have a 2," Hunter says.
"That's a 12 for me to get a total of 16," Luz stated.
"18 to make 19," Willow tells the others.
"I have a 7. Plus my Alert and Dexterity, that's 15," King declared.
"I got 14 and my total is 17," Amity said.
"And I have the ogres rolled up," Vee says as she wrote down the turn order. "Okay. As the ogres recoil from the pain, Willow is up first."
Willow nodded as she figured out what to do for her turn. "I'll start by transforming into a Brown Bear with Wild Shape as a bonus action, then run toward the uninjured ogre to attack it with my claws and bite," she declared before rolling her dice. "That's 11 for a 17 on the bite. And the claws are a 9 for 15."
"Both hit. As Sariel gets on all fours and her body changes to that of a bear covered in bark-like fur, she rushes at the third ogre to scratch and bite at the giant. Go ahead and roll damage," Vee says.
"That'll be 10 piercing damage with the bite and 8 total slashing damage with the claws," Willow tells the others. "18 damage total."
"Philomena's up next," Vee says.
"Okay, I'll show what I can do by activating my Bladesong and getting up close to the ogre that Carmen attacked, then strike at it with my +1 rapier," Amity stated before rolling her d20 for an attack. "That's a 9 on my die. That makes it a total of 15 thanks to my Dexterity, proficiency, and weapon," she said.
"That hits. Thanks to your training with Carmen, you're able to hone your swordsmanship well enough that you can deal heavier damage. Roll your damage die and add an extra 2 thanks to your Dueling fighting style," Vee said.
"How did Amity get that? I thought she was a Wizard," Camila asked.
"I took the Fighting Initiate feat, which gives me a Fighting Style. I chose Dueling to deal more damage with my sword to save my spells for later," Amity explained before rolling her d8. "That'll be 2. Plus my Dexterity, plus 1 from the weapon, and plus 2 from Dueling, that makes it 8 damage total."
"With your elven battle style of the Bladesong in use, you spin and twirl before thrusting your sword into the thick hide of the ogre, making it recoil in pain as you join Carmen by her side. While you do this, the bubble of silence is still up and nothing is heard," Vee stated. "Luz, it's Carmen's turn and the second ogre acts at the same time. Because of your superior Dexterity stat, you'll choose what you do first."
"Okay, I'll start by using my Cunning Action to Disengage as a bonus action and run around to hit the third ogre as it's fighting Sariel. That would be a Sneak Attack, right," Luz asked, getting a nod from Vee. "Then I'll go ahead and take advantage of the Silence spell and pull out my pepperbox and take aim with it," she said before rolling her 20-sided die. "That's a natural 17. I know it'll be a hit and that it deals… 6 on the d10, 2 on the Sneak Attack, plus my Dexterity… 12 piercing damage."
"With the bear attacking it, the third ogre is in pain before it feels something suddenly hit it in the side and it clutches at the wound," Vee states. "But as you fired your shot, the second ogre watches you and lifts its club up to strike at you," she says while rolling behind her screen. "Your armor class is still 15, right?"
"Yeah," Luz said.
"The club hits into your shoulder for 13 points of bludgeoning damage after you ran to where you needed to be for a clear shot," Vee states.
"I'm down to 31 now," Luz says as she marked down her health.
"King, you and the first ogre are acting at the same time, but you can say your move first as the second ogre leaves your side," Vee states.
"Don't I get an attack of opportunity," the boy asked.
"Actually, yes. Go ahead and use your reaction to make an attack," Vee says after being reminded of the move.
"I got a 19 on my die. I'll use my shortsword again and stab him for… 5 piercing damage total," King said.
"As the ogre moved to attack Carmen, you got the chance to stab it in the leg as it went to attack the pirate girl. What do you do now," Vee asked.
"I'll use my Cunning Action to hide behind a tree with a… 16 on my die for a 21 Stealth check. After that, I'll throw a dagger into the back of one of the ogres, right where you can't reach," King declares. "You know when you get an itch and can't scratch at it whenever you need to? Like right between the shoulders."
"Go ahead and give me a ranged attack roll. But which are you going to attack," Vee said as she asked King for specifics.
"I guess I'll attack ogre #2 in order to try and get the dagger wedged into his body," King says as he rolls his die. "Ugh, that's a 3 to make 8. And the second from advantage is a 2. Not any better," he mutters as he checked the roll.
"As you hide successfully, the dagger is thrown and only gets into a tree trunk. At the same time, the ogre that goes at the same time as you is going to try searching for you," Vee states before rolling her own die. "The ogre has no clue where you are, so he'll go after the bear that's attacking his companion. What's your armor class now, Willow?"
"I'm a bear, so that's 11 for my armor," Willow replied.
Rolling her dice, Vee checked to see what the ogre managed to get. "The ogre swings its giant club at you and just barely made contact, but he did hit you in a sensitive area. He managed to hit you for 16 points of bludgeoning damage," she stated before rolling her dice once again. "Now the third ogre tries to do the same and hits you with his own club for 8 damage."
"I have less than half of my bear form's hit points now," Willow stated.
"Gus, it's time for Wrenn's turn," Vee told the younger teen.
"Alright, let's see… I think I'll just cast Fire Bolt on the first ogre since I'm not in the Silence bubble," Gus says as he rolls his d20. "That's a 7 for a total of 14."
"That hits. Roll damage," Vee says.
Rolling his d10, Gus checked how much damage he was able to do to the ogre. "Dang it. Just a 1 on my die," Gus groaned.
"Better luck next time, Augustus," Willow consoled.
"As you twirl your finger and shoot the mote of flame, you hit the ogre in its arm, but it was only a grazing shot and the burns are minor," Vee states. "Hunter, it's now Caleb's turn. What shall our Paladin do?"
"Hmm… I'll have Caleb run up to the closest ogre and swing his sword at the giant. If it hits, I'll use a Divine Smite," Hunter declares as he rolls his die. "I got a natural 13, so that'll hit it. For damage, I have a 2, a 4, and another 2. Plus my Strength, that's 11 points of damage total."
"With a swing of your blade, the cut you inflict on the ogre that Wrenn shot with Fire Bolt roars in pain as you slash at the burn. The holy energy sent through the weapon and wound harm the ogre more and it glares at you," Vee described. "Top of the round, it's Willow's turn as Sariel."
"I'll attack the first ogre I fought again," Willow declared before making sure her character was in range, then rolling her dice. "12 on the die, so that's 18. And the second attack is 14 for a modified 20. Both hit," she said before rolling for the damage. "For the bite, that's max damage at 12. The claws are 5 and 3 to make another 12 total with my Strength modifier."
Nodding as she marked down the health of the ogre, Vee described the attack. "With the ferocity of a mother bear protecting her cubs, Sariel's teeth and claws in bear form get stained with blood from the ogre as she rips and tears through the hide of the giant. After that, the ogre is roaring in pain and looks like it could go down soon," she stated. "Amity, time for Philomena to fight."
"If that's the case, I'll cast Misty Step to get behind the third ogre and stab it with my rapier," Amity declared before rolling her die. "13 plus 3 and… that's 19 for the hit. As for damage, I have a 2 on the die, plus 1 from the rapier itself, then my Dueling fighting style and my Dexterity bonus make it a total of… 8 piercing damage."
"With your body transforming into a silvery mist, you vanish from where you stand and reappear behind the weakest-looking ogre. You thrust your magical rapier into the skull of the monster, stabbing it in the brain and causing it to fall over dead," Vee described. "With the elegance of a ballerina or a gymnast, you easily land on your feet and flourish your sword in a graceful display before getting ready to face the other ogres."
"That was amazing, Amity! Great use of the spell," Luz complimented. "Guess it's my turn now. I'll use my Cunning Action to hide behind a tree in order to prepare a Sneak Attack," she said before rolling her d20. "That's a natural 18 for 22."
"The ogre that would attack you has no clue where you went as you duck behind a tree during the chaos of the battle," Vee narrates before allowing Luz to continue her shared turn with the ogre. "You'll have advantage on your next attack."
"Since the Silence spell is still up, I'll sneak up behind the ogre that goes along with me, then slash at him with my cutlass," Luz declared as she rolled her die again. "That's a 4 on my die, so that'll be a 10. But my second roll is… Mierde! Natural 1," Luz complained, but glad she had the higher number.
"The ogre's hide is thick enough that as you misjudge the distance when you sneak up on him, it doesn't do anything to hurt it or even get its attention. The attack just misses," Vee tells her sister. "As such, it'll swing its club at Sariel's bear form with… wow, a natural 20," she remarked after checking the die, earning cries of outrage and fear from the party. With a mighty swing, it swings its club down and a sickening crack causes Sariel to change from a bear back into her regular elven form from the 26 total damage."
"I've lost 5 hit points," Willow says.
"Rev and the other ogre are up," Vee states.
King hummed to himself as he wondered what he could do for his turn. "If I'm still hidden, I want to throw a dagger into the ogre that Carmen tried to hit," he said before rolling his d20. "Another 2 on my die, so let's see if this works," he muttered before rolling once more. "Yes! 13 on my die! That's 18 to hit."
"Go ahead and roll a d4 plus your Dexterity bonus," Vee says.
Doing that, King rolled and looked at his triangular die. "That's a total of 6 damage," he says. "I also make sure to do it in the same area I originally planned where it can't reach it."
"With better aim, you throw the dagger and it lands right in the center of the ogre's shoulders, where it's unable to reach and grab at it," Vee describes. "As for the first ogre, he swings his club and tries to hurt Sariel. "That's a modified 20 to hit."
"It does," Willow voiced.
"Then for damage, that'll be 12 as it swings its club at you," Vee states.
Willow grumbled as she wrote down her current health. "Lowered by 17 points now," she says.
"Ugh, I need to stay close to my allies if I want to use what I have," Hunter groans. "What good is the Interception fighting style if I can't use it?"
"You just need to remember that you're not the only warrior fighting," Gus tells Hunter. "It's my turn, right? I'll cast another Fire Bolt and use it on the second ogre," he declared before rolling his die. "7 on my die for 14 total. That hits, so I'll be able to deal… 4 damage to it. After that, I'll make sure to end my Silence spell."
"With another swirl of your finger, you launch the flame at the ogre and it impacts on their arm, hurting them as they're confused about where it came from. But after the impact, you end concentration on the Silence spell and roars of pain fill the air," Vee narrated. "Hunter, it's Caleb's turn."
"I'll go to the one that hurt Sariel and get within 5 feet of her. After I do, I'll swing my sword at him," Hunter says before rolling her favored 20-sided die. "That's a 4 to make only 9."
"You swing your sword in a way that makes your opponent have to pull back, keeping them on their toes as the blade nearly cuts them," Vee says. "Willow, you're up."
"Since the dagger is stuck in the second ogre's back, I'll cast Heat Metal on it," Willow declared as she rolled her 2d8. "That'll be a starting hit of 8 and 6 for 14 fire damage."
"The ogre with the dagger between its shoulders suddenly roars in pain as red-hot metal sears its back, making it lose attention on you and the others," Vee says. "Philomena's turn, Amity."
"I'll go ahead and cast Magic Missile at the first ogre with a Level 1 spell slot," Amity declared as she picked up three d4s and rolled them. "That's 2, 2, and 3. Total damage of 10 on the first ogre."
"With a swing of your rapier, magical darts of energy fly through the air and they strike at the ogre's chest," Vee stated as she wrote down how much health the ogre had left. "Luz, time for Carmen's move. And the second ogre, who has a disadvantage to attack rolls because of the burning dagger between his shoulders."
Chuckling to herself as she made a plan, Luz snapped her fingers as she figured out her move. "Since I'm still hidden thanks to the earlier Silence use, I'll take aim with my Picaro pepperbox and fire it at the first ogre," she said with a roll of her d20. "17 for 23. And my second roll is 5 for an 11," she said as she remembered her hidden character had advantage on attacks. "As for the damage, I managed to get a 10 on my damage die. Sneak Attack is an extra 2. And my Dexterity makes it a total of 16 damage."
"You manage to blast the ogre through the head and it falls over dead with blood dripping out the gaping wound," Vee described. "As the gunshot echoes through the forest, the remaining ogre turns and strikes at you. A total of 23 on the first roll and the lower one is a 15 total."
"That just hits me. My armor class is 15 until I get some better armor," Luz said.
"With a swing of his club, the ogre strikes at you for 12 points of bludgeoning damage," Vee states.
"That brings me down to… 19 health," Luz noted.
"King's turn," said the boy. "I know what I half to do. I'll take my shortsword and get behind the ogre, using Cunning Action to dash if I need to. With that, I'll thrust my sword into the ogre's back," King said before rolling his dice. "That's a modified 20. I'll get a Sneak Attack and the damage is… 4 and two 1s. Plus my Dexterity is 9 total."
"How do you want to do this, King," Vee asked, getting the players to cheer as the battle was over.
"I'll stab at him and slash his body to leave a crown-shaped wound on him," King declared.
"With precise skill and expert cuts, Reverence is able to slash at the final ogre and leave the mark of a crown in his back, close to where the spine reaches the hips," Vee described.
"That was awesome, King," Gus celebrated.
"Yeah, nice work," Amity said.
"After you beat the ogres, I'd like everyone to roll me a Perception check," Vee told the group, surprising everyone.
"I thought the battle was over," Camila voiced.
"It is, but this is for story reasons," Vee admitted, then watched everyone roll their 20-sided dice.
Everyone looked at their rolls before Hunter was the first to speak up. "I got a 3. That makes 4."
"Oh man, I got a natural 1," Luz complained. "Guess after that battle, I fall over in exhaustion."
"I have an 11. That makes it 13," Amity said.
"Natural 20 for me," Gus exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air.
"I have a 3," King said.
"I have an 11 of my own, so that's 18 total," Willow told everyone.
"While everyone recovers from the battle, Carmen has her eyes closed while she catches her breath. Caleb and Rev are also focused on the ogres to make sure they're truly dead, then see they don't have anything of value on them," Vee described, giving reasons for why the three don't notice what the others would see and explaining that there was no loot with the ogres. "As for the others, Wrenn is the first to notice something approaching them when he hears a branch snap behind him. Sariel is the next one to notice before Philomena also turns to see what's possibly approaching."
"Guys, I think we have more company," Gus says as Wrenn.
"If it's another ogre, I am going to scream," Luz remarked as Carmen.
"As Wrenn turned to see the figure, he could tell it wasn't an ogre. Instead, he can hear the distinct sound of plate armor clattering against itself as the figure approaches. After a few moments, you see the newcomer," Vee narrated.
"I don't think it's an ogre at all, Carmen," Willow voiced as Sariel.
"Stepping into sight, you all see a figure fully clad in emerald-green armor with a cloak that looks woven from real leaves. He holds a shield decorated with green and gold in one hand and wields a battle axe with similar colors in the other. The knight is far different from the previous one you encountered and you all look at him before he speaks," Vee described before clearing her throat and doing a voice fit for a knight. "I take it that these fell giants were defeated by your hands."
"That depends. Who are you," Hunter asked as Caleb, obviously suspicious of the new arrival.
"You shall have to earn my name. For now, I will say this," Vee said as the mysterious knight. "Things are not as they seem within Kachidoki Village or this entire island. If you want to learn the truth, find the cure that does not heal. The one that holds it can be found where green meets gray and rot takes root beneath the greatest tree."
"What does that mean," King asked as both himself and Reverance.
"I'll give you two days to solve this riddle. If you can't solve it, then the Summer's enchantment will not be in your favor," Vee said as the knight. "And with that, he begins to walk away into the woods, vanishing among the foliage.
"I'd like to try and figure out what he means by that last bit," Willow voiced.
"Same here," Amity said.
"Whoever wants to, roll me a Nature or Arcana check," Vee said, prompting the others with proficiency in those skills to grab their d20s.
Rolling their dice, everyone looked at the results and announced the totals. "Modified 20," Gus declared first.
"I have 22," Willow added.
"5 total," Luz remarked.
"23 for me," Amity declared with a grin.
"12," King voiced.
"Oh, what the heck!? I got a natural 1," Hunter groaned.
Nodding her head, Vee began to explain the details. "Wrenn, Sariel, and Philomena all know from folktales and books they've read that there are various lords and ladies of the Fey Realm, including the Queen of the Seelie Court, the Summer Court's ruler, Fairy Queen Titania," she explained, getting wide-eyed reactions from the others. "With that, you'd also realize that this knight wasn't human, but a fey. You've heard tales of Green Knights that are sent by fey nobles to test mortals in duels or other contests. With the context, it appears that you've been challenged to find the cause of the Gloom of Helhemichi."
"Guys, we've been challenged to figure out why this is going on by a fey knight," Willow says as Sariel.
"A fey? Why would a fairy man be asking for our help," King questioned as Reverance.
"It's possible that he saw most of us are of elven heritage, which are descended from fey ancestors," Amity remarked as Philomena.
"But what does he mean about this island's problems? Find the cure that doesn't heal? The one who holds it is where green meets gray and rot takes root beneath the greatest tree? What does that mean," Gus asked as himself and Wrenn.
"Hmm… I might have a theory, but I say we need to report back to the village and tell them that we dealt with those ogres," Hunter voiced as Caleb.
"Let's take their clubs back with us so they can be used for spare wood," Luz suggested as Carmen.
The others all agreed to the idea before Vee started to narrate the scene. "Taking the heavy clubs with you, you make your way back to Kachidoki Village without any other troubles. When you get there and hand over the clubs as proof you bested the ogres, the village is grateful for the extra help you've given them. But when you turn over the weapons to be used for repairs, you notice Captain Marsh enter the area," Vee states.
"The captain? What are they doing here," King asked.
"Maybe we were taking too long," suggested Willow.
"Possibly, but it would be best to ask them," Amity advised.
"Captain, what brings you here? I know we sent a message, but why are you here yourself," Luz asked as Carmen.
"At first, I was going to have the crew help when the ship's own repairs were finished. However, we've run into a problem," Vee says as the ship's captain. "About half of the ship is sick with some sort of illness."
Hearing this, the party immediately thought back to earlier with the children. "Did they have anything like plants growing from scratches," Willow asked as Sariel.
"You've seen this before," Vee questioned as Marsh.
"We helped some children that were sick with what Sariel called 'Blood Inves'. They apparently got it from the nearby swamp, so we were going to check it out after handling the ogres that attacked the village last night," Hunter stated as Caleb.
"If this disease is affecting my crew, I want you to do whatever is needed to help us," Vee replied in Marsh's voice.
"Have any of you gone to a swamp lately," Gus questioned as Wrenn.
"No, we've been with the ship the whole time," Vee answered.
"The disease is spreading somehow. Did anything or anyone come to the ship while you were doing repairs," Amity inquired as Philomena.
Vee rolled her die to see if the ship's captain was able to remember, then looked at the natural 1. "I was focused on the ship itself and didn't see anyone. After that, I was out like a light when I went to sleep."
"Hold on, I have an idea. Who was the first person infected," Luz asked as Carmen before explaining her reasoning to the other players. "If the captain's not sick and doesn't remember seeing anybody or anything, what if the night watch was the first to get sick?"
"That makes sense. Let's see if that's the case," Willow agreed as she watched Vee pick up her d20 again.
Rolling the die, Vee nodded as she looked at the much better result. "The sailor that was on night watch duty was the first to get sick. I think he was muttering about something he heard before he felt a scratch on his neck. He doesn't look good at the moment," Vee stated as Marsh.
"If it happened at night on the ship, then something's spreading Blood Inves and it was in the swamp before," Gus said as Wrenn. "It's mobile."
"Then we can rule out something in the mud or some plants that could have been eaten," Amity said as Philomena. "Wait a minute… Hunter, what was Caleb's theory?"
"I was thinking the riddle had to do with a map of the island. If it's shaped like a Legend of Zelda dungeon from those Oracle games, then the riddle is a clue to the location we'd have to reach," Hunter explained.
"Carmen will go and find a map of the island. Then we can check it out to see if that riddle means something," Luz said, ready to roll a die when needed.
"You manage to find one with help from the elder and begin looking at the map, which shows that the island vaguely resembles three trees of different sizes," Vee explained. "Looking it over, you see that the largest tree shape is the center part of the landmass."
"Find the cure that doesn't heal… green meets gray… rot takes root beneath greatest tree… What's in the root areas of the tree," Willow asked as she thought over the riddle.
"With the map, you're able to see that the southern half of the island is primarily swampland," Vee explains. "If your characters want to solve this riddle with the map helping, go ahead and give me a basic Intelligence check."
Rolling their dice, everyone made their ability checks and added up their totals. "I got a 16," King said.
"Natural 20! My theory's absolutely right," Hunter exclaimed.
"Modified 10," Amity said, a little upset with her roll.
"13 total," Gus added.
"8 total," Willow remarked.
"Modified 20. I'm able to pick up on the theory, too," Luz stated.
"Your group looks over the map and as you think everything over, Caleb's the first to realize the truth of the Blood Inves and how it's been spreading," Vee stated as she handed a piece of paper to Hunter to read for the scene.
After looking it over, Hunter nodded before speaking as his Paladin. "It's just as I thought. It appears that the Blood Inves, possibly even the Gloom of Helhemichi itself, originally came from somewhere in the center of the Southern Swamp. That Green Knight we met wants us to deal with something causing it because it's affecting who he serves."
"If that's the case, then I think we need to rest up and start dealing with this tomorrow," Luz stated as Carmen. "We'll keep helping with the village today and deal with that request in the morning. It'll take us some time, but we'll get that request from the knight done."
"The map says it'll be half a day to get there, so we'll be able to investigate before that deadline," Hunter added as Caleb.
"Well, let's get to it," Willow says as Sariel.
"The party then spends the rest of the day continuing to help the village, then at dusk, you turn in for a long rest and wake up before anybody else to head off. During this time, Captain Marsh also gave a helping hand before returning to the Gull for the night. With all of you rested up, we'll take a break and continue later after something to eat. I'm starving," Vee stated before pausing the campaign's session.
"Just as it was getting dramatic, too," Camila remarked. "But I could use some help in the kitchen if you all want to play more soon."
"Yeah, let's go," Luz said before the group walked out of the basement.
And with this, our game is paused and we've got a setup for the next chapter or two. With Luz and the others learning of something bigger going on for this island, just what will they encounter? Next time, we'll begin our party's trek into the Southern Swamp of Helhemichi. Who or what will find them there? You'll have to stick around to find out.
With this pirate adventure continuing, I'd like to take the time to say that I recently watched the live-action One Piece on Netflix and I freaking LOVED it! There are some practical changes to the settings, characters, and story, but it's still a really fun show that does well to tell the story of the Straw Hat Pirates. It also has amazing action scenes and ways to tie the East Blue Saga together in the time the season has. I also love the energy Luffy's actor has for the role. Check it out for yourselves.
With that, I think some later antagonists I'll have for the story will be a rival pirate crew. Captain Kuro from Usopp's intro arc would definitely be a good Rogue. Probably Assassin or Mastermind. Can adapt him into a character that uses the bladed gloves as a regular longsword stat.
Until next time, WaterDragonMaverick signing out.