Them's The Pits

"Them's The Pits" (2x02) is the second episode of the first chapter of Wildtrace. After entering Wildtrace and traversing the forest, our new friends encounter a mysterious construct...and discover that they are biting off more than they can chew.

Announcements
You can get VITE Ramen for 10% off your purchase using the promo code ATK. You can also check out ADDICE.

Also a new D&D series is coming out starring Ma'chel Martin and Micaleen "Mickey" Rodgers in a Doctor Who campaign.

Previously on Wildtrace
A group of strangers (the human cleric Mathias Erranduil, the yuan-ti monk Zhaleska, the tabaxi rogue Valkira Acoria, and the triton bard Nerida Trenchfell) meet for the first time and are given a job with very little detail about it. They traverse through the forests of Wildtrace to deliver their cargo, a large humanoid figure in chains. During an eventful night, Nerida is able to communicate with the creature, who begs her not to bring him to the monastery.

The next morning, the group traverses through the forest when their guide, Giy sets off a trap, revealing a deep pit. Mathias and Nerida discover a light in the pit and a mysterious construct appears in front of the group.

Story
The group begins to face off against the stone construct while Giy attempts to set up a ladder to get everyone out.

(Initiative Order: Nerida, Zhaleska, Valkira, Mathias, and Construct)

Nerida gets a look at the creature and cast True Strike to reveal the creature's defenses. She then relays this information to the rest of the party. (The AC for the construct is 15 and physical attacks are possible against it.) Nerida moves 10 feet away from the creature.

Zhaleska then performs her Fangs of the Fire Snake attack against the creature and deals fire and bludgeoning damage. She then burns another Ki point to do Flurry of Blows, where she performs two Unarmed Strikes. Only one of the unarmed strikes is successful.

Valkira fires her arrow at the creature and aims for the head, but misses completely. The arrow bounces off the soldier plate and projectiles off. Valkira moves slightly closer to the creature.

Mathias stares straight at the creature and scoffs, believing that the starting bell hasn't rung yet. He attempts to cast Toll the Dead; however, the creature makes the Wisdom save (DC 16) and avoids taking damage. The spell does not happen. He then uses a action to cast his Spiritual Weapon, a giant spiked morningstar in the shape of a butterfly. (However, Toll the Dead was taken back since it takes an action to cast Spiritual Weapon and a bonus action to use it.)

Giy continues to build the ladder but asks for more time. Valkira impatiently tells him to hurry up.

The footsoldier moves backwards and fires three shots. Zhaleska takes an attack of opportunity, but she missed the attack. The three shots fire at Zhaleska, Mathias, and Valkira. The shots hit Mathias, who shakes it off, and Valkira.

Hits are being exchanged and as the footsoldier is damaged further, it begins to fire more shots at the group. However, it is damaging itself due to the missed shots and for looking at the barrel of the gun. Valkira makes the final attack (the first HDYWTDT of the campaign) and destroys the footsoldier, causing it to explode. However, within the explosion, Mathias is caught in the explosion and falls unconscious.

Giy gives Zhaleska a potion to heal Mathias. As he returns to consciousness, Zhaleska and Valkira show no empathy for him while Nerida does. The group then leaves the pit and makes their way to the monastery.

As they walk, Nerida reveals the events of her shift to the rest of the group and concerns towards the creature and what the monastery would do. Valkira is colored skeptical and is more concerned about losing the reward than about the bagged creature, whose name is revealed to be Lunegar. Zhaleska and Mathias are colored skeptical as well, concerned that the creature did not speak with everybody. Nerida promptly talks to the bagged creature and asks if he could speak with the others (to which the latter complies). Valkira makes it clear to Nerida that she is getting that reward one way or another, even threatening her and the rest of the group. Mathias breaks up the argument by convincing Valkira otherwise.

As the group appears at the monastery, Nerida asks for a short rest before turning in Lunegar, but Giy shoots the idea down. As the trade begins, Valkira steals the gold ingots and dashes off. A mysterious figure in robes smiles, complimenting Valkira's idea, stabs his partner, and disappears with Lunegar. The group retreats from the monastery with Mathias creating a cloud of fog to block the monks at the monastery.

Featured Characters

 * Main
 * Mathias Erranduil
 * Zhaleska
 * Valkira Acoria
 * Nerida Trenchfell
 * Supporting
 * Giy
 * Lunegar

Trivia

 * This is the first battle of the campaign.
 * Valkira achieves the first HDYWTDT of the campaign.
 * Oddly enough, this is Robinson's first solo HDYWTDT. The previous HDYWTDT in Qualaooloo was a group one.