Combat Encounters Log

Start-class article · First seen: s02 · Last seen: s17

The Combat Encounters Log is the structured record of every recorded combat from session 2 onwards, capturing round counts, monsters faced, hit rates against the party, save rates, damage-type effectiveness, and party resources spent. It exists to support empirical analysis of whether monsters at this table over-perform their stat blocks. Where a recap leaves a field blank, the field is blank here too — not guessed. New encounters are appended per session.

About this log

One row per recorded combat encounter. Fields per pipeline.md:

  • Session, encounter name, round count
  • Monsters faced (with CR if known/inferable)
  • Party HP at start and end (where derivable)
  • Monster to-hit results: total attacks, total hits, computed hit rate vs party AC
  • Saving throw results: total saves vs party DCs, total successes
  • Damage type effectiveness: what we threw, what worked, what got resisted/immune
  • Party resources spent: slots, abilities, items
  • Outcome
  • Notable rolls: crits, fails, swings

Empty fields are intentional. The recap-source format is dense in flavour and thin on bookkeeping for the early sessions; later sessions are slightly denser. The empirical aggregate is what answers Chris’s open question about whether monsters over-perform their stat blocks.

CR notation: where the recap or canon lists a CR, it is given; where the recap says “homebrew, CR unknown” it is left blank with a note.

Session 2 (Wyrmbough Grove and the Corrupted Grove)

s2-E1: Zombie bandits at the burnt camp

  • Rounds: ~5
  • Monsters: 3 zombies (CR 1/4 each, presumed)
  • Party HP start: full
  • Party HP end: full, slightly bruised
  • Monster to-hit: 1 critical on Vazquez (he had taken Dodge; double-nat-20 on the disadvantaged roll, no damage by chance)
  • Saves: none required
  • Damage types thrown: fire (firebolt), shillelagh-booming-blade bludgeoning, slashing (longsword/handaxe/spear)
  • Resources: Hugo’s rage; Cholmondeley’s Bless; Caelumn’s Mind Sliver; bonus-action Shillelagh
  • Outcome: All 3 zombies killed
  • Notable: Vazquez double-nat-20 evade; Vazquez critical decapitation of zombie 1

s2-E2: The Dryad

  • Rounds: ~7
  • Monsters: 1 male Corrupted Dryad (CR ~3, fey)
  • Party HP start: full
  • Party HP end: Cholmondeley dropped to 0 then stabilised on first death save; Caelumn dropped to 0 then revived (potion + cure wounds)
  • Monster to-hit: 5 hits including a nat-20 critical on Cholmondeley for max-rolled 20 damage
  • Saves: 1 Wisdom save vs Charm by Cholmondeley (failed; charmed for one round)
  • Damage types thrown: party — fire (firebolt), holy bludgeoning (shillelagh + booming blade), slashing (handaxe). Dryad threw slashing and forced charm.
  • Resources: Cholmondeley’s Bless slot, Searing Smite slot, all Lay on Hands; Caelumn’s Cure Wounds slot, Innate Sorcery; Hugo’s rage
  • Outcome: Dryad killed (Hugo decapitation after nat-20 escape)
  • Notable: Hugo nat-20 escape (24 athletics); Hugo nat-20 attack of opportunity finisher; Dryad’s recurring high CON saves (17, 18, 20)

s2-E3: Giant Centipede + Insect Swarm

  • Rounds: ~2
  • Monsters: 1 giant centipede (CR 1/4); 1 swarm of insects (CR 1/2)
  • Party HP start: bruised
  • Party HP end: Hugo poisoned 5 dmg, otherwise stable
  • Resources: Cholmondeley’s Mind Sliver
  • Outcome: both killed
  • Notable: Vazquez one-shot kill on centipede (15 damage with great-weapon-fighting)

s2-E4: Three Mud Mosquitoes

  • Rounds: ~2
  • Monsters: 3 mosquito-creatures, mud-bodied, winged, with a death-burst Dex-save mechanic
  • Party HP start: bruised
  • Party HP end: Vazquez at 3 HP after 6 bludgeoning + first-round slam
  • Monster to-hit: 2 hits on Vazquez (slam)
  • Saves: 2 Dex saves by Vazquez to avoid death-bursts (both succeeded)
  • Outcome: all 3 killed
  • Notable: Caelumn perfect-crit firebolt for 15 damage; Vazquez Second Wind rolled minimum (2 HP)

Session 3 (Sunset is Nigh’s Lair / Cholmondeley’s death)

s3-E1: Cultist elves at the cave mouth

  • Rounds: ~3
  • Monsters: 4 broken elf cultists with spears
  • Party HP start: fresh
  • Party HP end: Hugo at -7 HP (one spear hit); fight ended via intimidation/retreat
  • Monster to-hit: 1 hit (spear vs Hugo, 7 piercing). Saves: none required.
  • Damage types thrown: shillelagh (Cholmondeley), shocking grasp (Harvo, missed), unarmed (Vazquez), handaxe slashing (Hugo, decapitation)
  • Resources: Hugo’s first rage; Cholmondeley’s bonus-action shillelagh
  • Outcome: 1 killed; 3 routed/fled
  • Notable: Hugo nat-20-then-decapitation; Vazquez +1 Intimidation succeeded at advantage to drive retreat

s3-E2: Sunset is Nigh + the yuan-ti woman + small snakes (Cholmondeley dies)

  • Rounds: ~5
  • Monsters: 1 wyrmling (CR 2 — Sunset is Nigh), 1 yuan-ti woman with two-bite multiattack (CR 1+ humanoid), 1+ small venomous snake, baby snake “Nagini”
  • Party HP start: full
  • Party HP end: Cholmondeley dead; Caelumn at low HP; Hugo charm-suggested to leave the cave
  • Monster to-hit: yuan-ti double-bite critical on Cholmondeley (9 + 21 = 30 effective with poison resistance halving); Sunset is Nigh’s bite on Vazquez (8 piercing + 3 poison ≈ 9.5); Sunset’s poison breath (CON saves both made — half of 21 each).
  • Saves: Hugo failed Wisdom save vs Suggestion (“you should leave”, made him leave the cave). Both poison-breath CON saves succeeded for half. Cholmondeley failed first death save (broke his neck stabilising attempt).
  • Damage types: party — fire (firebolt, perfect-crit), thunder (Witch Bolt 3rd-level twin-quickened, 25 thunder), bludgeoning (shillelagh + booming blade — Cholmondeley’s last attack), slashing (gunless longsword from Vazquez), holy bonus damage
  • Resources: Caelumn’s Innate Sorcery + Font of Magic + 3rd-level Witch Bolt + multiple firebolts + Shield (twice); Cholmondeley’s Bless / Shillelagh / booming blade / death
  • Outcome: yuan-ti woman dead; Sunset is Nigh decapitated (Vazquez); Cholmondeley dead
  • Notable: Caelumn nat-20 firebolt revealing Sunset’s small size; Vazquez perfect-crit opportunity attack mutilating Sunset’s hindquarters; yuan-ti nat-20 first-bite critical killing Cholmondeley

s3-E3: Plant creatures in side passage

  • Rounds: ~1
  • Monsters: 1 small twig creature, 1 vine creature, 1 unknown
  • Party HP start: post-fight, partly healed
  • Party HP end: full or near-full
  • Outcome: all 3 killed
  • Notable: Hugo nat-20 to one-shot the twig; Caelumn 7-damage fire firebolt finishing the vine creature

Session 4 (Mirestrand to Umbrafall)

s4-E1: Two sabretooth tigers on the road south of Mirestrand

  • Rounds: ~3
  • Monsters: 2 sabretooth tigers (CR 2 each, presumed)
  • Party HP start: full
  • Party HP end: Vazquez at 6 HP (down from 19); Caelumn at 5 HP after a 14-damage swing
  • Monster to-hit: Vazquez took an 8-slash + 14-slash combo (22 across two hits); Caelumn took 14 slashing on a 17. Saves: 0 forced.
  • Damage types thrown: slashing+fire (Vazquez gunblade 9 + 9 fire = 18 first hit), slashing (Hugo perfect-crit longsword 26), force (Caelumn twinned 3rd-level Chromatic Orb 18 + 34 = 52), force (Harvo Eldritch Cannon 22 + firebolt finishing)
  • Resources: Caelumn’s font of magic + 3rd-level Chromatic Orb + Faerie Fire (concentration); Hugo’s rage; Vazquez’s gunblade primer (1 charge); Harvo’s Eldritch Cannon and turret action; Vazquez’s Second Wind (max 19 → restored to ~19, healed 13 HP)
  • Outcome: both killed
  • Notable: Caelumn nat-20 + Faerie Fire opener; Hugo perfect-crit 26-damage slam; Caelumn’s 52-damage twinned-then-bouncing Chromatic Orb; Harvo Eldritch Cannon 22; Caelumn’s Shield reaction successfully blocking a 17

(s4 had the Black Mask audience but no second combat encounter.)

Session 5 (Warrens entry)

s5-E1: Fungal-Zombie Giant

  • Rounds: ~12
  • Monsters: 1 fungal-zombie giant (Huge; CR unknown — homebrew); regenerated via three fungal nodes on first death
  • Party HP start: full HP after recent rest
  • Party HP end: ~70%, several spell slots burnt, one healing potion expended
  • Monster to-hit: numerous; key hits — bludgeoning 16 + 9 to Hugo (round 4), 14 to Vazquez, 20 fire to Vazquez (Caelumn’s Witch Bolt detonating the alchemist fire shoved into the chest cavity)
  • Saves: Vazquez Dex save vs self-inflicted alchemist-fire explosion; succeeded with bardic inspiration
  • Damage types thrown: lightning (Vazquez gunblade), force (Harvo Eldritch Cannon), slashing (Hugo handaxes), radiant (Terry true-strike crossbow — notably effective), thunder/lightning (Caelumn Sorcerous Burst, Witch Bolt 3rd-level for 25), fire (Vazquez alchemist’s fire). Resistant/regenerating until the three nodes were brought below threshold.
  • Resources: Hugo 2 rages; Vazquez Action Surge + alchemist’s fire + most charges; Caelumn 1 sorcery point + 3rd-level slot + Innate Sorcery; Harvo cannon + 1 spell slot; Terry 2nd-level Command slot
  • Outcome: killed
  • Notable: Hugo crit (nat 20) for 24; Terry’s Cure Wounds for 22 reviving Caelumn pre-combat

s5-E2: The Hollow Guardians

  • Rounds: ~10
  • Monsters: 2 Hollow Guardians (Medium humanoid-type; CR unknown — homebrew). Touch attack: necrotic + max-HP reduction on failed CON save.
  • Party HP start: post fungal-zombie giant, no short rest
  • Party HP end: 50%-60% across party; multiple party members at reduced max HP
  • Monster to-hit: ~6 attacks. Hits — Caelumn (10 necrotic, max -10), Vazquez (7 necrotic, max -7; later an additional crit for 21 slashing+necrotic), Hugo (9 slashing + 8 necrotic).
  • Saves: 2 CON saves attempted by Caelumn and Vazquez; both failed
  • Damage types: lightning (Caelumn Chromatic Orb twin-spell upcast 3rd — 20+24 in one action, key turning point), force (Harvo Eldritch Cannon 12, knockback 5’), radiant (Terry true-strike crossbow), slashing (Hugo handaxes incl. final nat-20), fire (Harvo Eldritch Cannon firebolt — partially effective)
  • Resources: Caelumn — last Innate Sorcery + 1 sorcery point; Hugo continued raging across encounters; Terry 2nd-level Command slot (failed both saves first try, both made saves second try)
  • Outcome: both killed
  • Notable: Hugo nat 20 with handaxe; Caelumn Chromatic Orb bounce 20→24; Caelumn’s 12 Deception (with inspiration) failed — triggered the fight

s5-E3: Sludge-Pit Fungal-Zombies (incomplete; ends session)

  • Rounds: ~3 (partial; continues into s6)
  • Monsters: 3 fungal-zombies (Medium; CR unknown — homebrew). Touch + bite: slashing/necrotic + CON save vs paralysis (auto-crit if bitten while paralysed) and poisoning.
  • Party HP start: post-short-rest; some max-HP loss carried from E2
  • Party HP end: Vazquez down at 0, then stabilised at 7 HP; Hugo poisoned; Caelumn took a self-inflicted Burning Hands AoE
  • Monster to-hit: Terry hit for 7 slashing; Hugo hit for 9 necrotic + poisoned (failed CON); Vazquez hit for 5 + paralysed (failed CON), then auto-crit-bitten for 15 piercing + 13 necrotic = downed
  • Saves: ~5 attempted, ~2 succeeded
  • Damage types: fire (Caelumn Burning Hands — all three failed but rolled poorly at 1st-level), force (Harvo cannon — significant), slashing (Hugo handaxes — kills), radiant (Terry true-strike crossbow), lightning (Vazquez gunblade primer)
  • Resources: Hugo 2nd rage starting; Vazquez Bardic Inspiration (wasted on 1); Terry true-strike + cantrip late
  • Outcome: ends session mid-combat; resolves in s6
  • Notable: Vazquez death save nat 20 for stabilisation; Hugo nat 20 (handaxe); Harvo’s 2 hit dice rolled 5+9=16 healing into Vazquez via Battle Medic + healer’s kit

Session 6 (Maze of the Minotaur, Titan boss begins)

s6-E1: Phase Spider

  • Rounds: ~5
  • Monsters: 1 phase spider (Medium aberration, blink mechanic; CR ~3-5 estimated)
  • Party HP start: full HP from prior short rest
  • Party HP end: Caelumn and Harvo down + paralysed for an hour; Hugo at 4/full (saved by his pact ring); Vazquez at half-HP; Terry uninjured
  • Monster to-hit: 4 attacks, 4 hits (including 3 nat 20s within rounds 1-3)
  • Saves: 4 CON saves attempted, 1 succeeded (Hugo’s first save; failed second, was poisoned and paralysed)
  • Damage types: piercing + poison from spider bite; party — slashing (Hugo handaxes), crossbow + true-strike (Terry), force (Harvo ballista), Tasha’s Hideous Laughter (Terry, no effect — saved 16)
  • Resources: Hugo’s onyx ring (Black Mask pact) triggered demonic-blade self-revive (1d8 necrotic to attacker, restored Hugo from 0 to 4 HP); Caelumn used Heroic Inspiration on his death-save Wisdom; Terry 1st-level slot
  • Outcome: spider killed
  • Notable: Hugo nat 20 first hit (16 damage); spider 3 nat 20s in first 3 rounds (Caelumn down, Harvo down, Hugo down to 4 then back up via ring); Terry held action true-strike to kill it on its return

s6-E2: Long Rest, Cleanup, Mind-Control Bookshelf (no combat)

  • Long rest: Caelumn fails Wisdom save vs fungus tendrils (nat 1) → 1 level exhaustion
  • Bookshelf: Caelumn fails Wisdom save (12) → grovels. Hugo nat 20 Strength check pulls him out. No combat resolution; bookshelf abandoned, not destroyed.

s6-E3: The Titan + Maelis Dirn (begins, ends session incomplete; continues s7)

  • Rounds: ~12 (this session; continues 10+ more rounds in s7)
  • Monsters: The Titan (Huge construct, soul-bound to 5 fungal nodes; CR unknown — homebrew); Maelis Dirn (Medium humanoid arcane caster, shimmering barrier giving disadvantage to hit and damage resistance; CR unknown — homebrew)
  • Party HP start: full HP, full slots (post long rest plus minor expenditure)
  • Party HP end (this session): Vazquez down (round 11); Caelumn at 5/29 HP; Harvo at low health; Terry at half HP after 30-damage hit; Hugo running the maze hunting fungal nodes
  • Monster to-hit: ~10 attacks; key hits — Hugo for 13+18 (boulders, Wisdom save → vision-stun); Caelumn 42 (boulder; Terry silvery-barbs’d for re-roll, Caelumn shielded the re-roll); Terry 30 force (Maelis); Vazquez 26+0 (Titan slam crit + 12 graze, downed); Harvo 17+16 (boulders, downed and stabilised by Caelumn’s healing potion as reaction)
  • Saves: many. Hugo’s Wisdom save against vision-stun failed but reward was a 10-minute 80’-movement buff. Caelumn’s Shield re-roll defence held against Maelis ranged attacks twice. Vazquez death save nat 20 to recover.
  • Damage types: lightning (Vazquez gunblade primer, Caelumn Sorcerous Burst, Caelumn Witch Bolt at 3rd → 25), force (Caelumn Sorcerous Burst, Harvo cannon, Terry Jim’s Magic Missile), thunder (Caelumn Sorcerous Burst), fire (Vazquez primer charges, Harvo Eldritch Cannon firebolt, Caelumn — accidentally set the Web on fire), radiant (Terry true-strike crossbow), bludgeoning (Hugo handaxes, Vazquez gunblade, Titan boulders). Maelis’s barrier shaved significant damage; Titan regen was per-fungal-node.
  • Resources: Hugo 2 rages; Caelumn ALL sorcery points + many slots; Vazquez Action Surge + last primer + Second Wind 2x; Terry 2nd-level slot for Jim’s Magic Missile, Web (Caelumn at 2nd level), 1st-level Cure Wounds; Harvo ~3 Eldritch Cannon summons (one destroyed mid-fight by a 21-bludgeoning boulder)
  • Outcome: ends session mid-combat; resolves in s7
  • Notable: Caelumn nat 20 Witch Bolt at 3rd → 25; Hugo nat 20 multiple times; Maelis nat 20 ice-knife at Vazquez (saved 21); Vazquez death save nat 20 for self-revive; Hugo destroyed 2 of the 5 fungal nodes

Session 7 (Titan + Maelis end; Nightwatch street fight)

s7-E1: Titan + Maelis Dirn (continuation; ends fight)

  • Rounds: ~10 more (total fight ~22 rounds across s6 + s7)
  • Monsters: Titan + Maelis (continued)
  • Party HP start: depleted from s6 — multiple downs, slots burning
  • Party HP end: Maelis dead (Titan crit + nat 20); Titan dispelled; Vazquez bleeding repeatedly; Caelumn nearly one-shot but saved by Shield/Silvery Barbs combo; Harvo crushed under 2 boulders
  • Monster to-hit: ~12-15 attacks; key hits — Maelis crit Vazquez chest-cave-in 18 force; Titan boulders 13+18 Hugo, 20+15 Vazquez (paralysed-crit-killed), 17 force-damage Terry; Maelis crit Caelumn 42 (re-rolled via Silvery Barbs + Shield)
  • Saves: many. Vazquez 2x death save nat 20 (revived from each). Hugo passed CON saves on poison/contagion. Caelumn used Shield twice and Silvery Barbs.
  • Damage types: lightning (Caelumn Witch Bolt 3rd 2x; Vazquez gunblade primer; Caelumn Chromatic Orb upcast); force (Caelumn Sorcerous Burst, Harvo Eldritch Cannon, Terry Jim’s Magic Missile); fire (Vazquez primer last charge — 7); radiant (Terry true-strike); thunder (Caelumn Sorcerous Burst); slashing/bludgeoning from Hugo handaxes & Vazquez gunblade; mostly resisted by Maelis’s barrier
  • Resources: full burn — Caelumn used last sorcery point + Wither and Bloom scroll + Cure Wounds + Shield (twice); Hugo Reckless Attacks; Vazquez Second Wind 2x and Action Surge; Terry Greater Healing potion + 1st-level slots for Magic Missile + Tasha’s Hideous Laughter; Harvo all spell slots
  • Outcome: Maelis killed by her own Titan; Titan looked at Hugo before disappearing
  • Notable: Titan’s nat 20 + 19 vs Maelis (15+34=49 bludgeoning; one-shot kill); Vazquez 2x death save nat 20; Maelis nat 20 crit on Caelumn for 42

s7-E2: Nightwatch Street Confrontation (incomplete; ends session — Vazquez arrested)

  • Rounds: ~5
  • Monsters: 2 Nightwatch guards (Medium humanoid, swords, CR ~3-5)
  • Party HP start: full from long rest, bubbly Vazquez (bio-gloom potion), healing potions restocked
  • Party HP end: Vazquez DOWNED twice (revived once by Caelumn’s Cure Wounds spell scroll for 14; killed again before the second healing landed; final state: stable, dragged off to jail); rest of party fled
  • Monster to-hit: ~5 attacks; Vazquez hit for 19 (downed); Hugo took 0; Terry untouched; Caelumn untouched
  • Saves: Tasha’s Hideous Laughter — 1 succeeded (DC 13 Wisdom; rolled 8 fail, then 19 save next round to recover)
  • Damage types: lightning (Caelumn Chromatic Orb upcast 3rd, twin-spell, bouncing for 21+17), slashing (Hugo handaxes, Vazquez gunblade, Nightwatch swords), enchantment (Terry Tasha’s Hideous Laughter), radiant (Terry true-strike crossbow)
  • Resources: Caelumn 1x Innate Sorcery + 3rd-level slot + 1 sorcery point; Hugo 3 handaxes; Terry Tasha’s + 1st-level slot; Vazquez gunblade primer + Action Surge unused
  • Outcome: ends session — flare summoned reinforcements; Vazquez arrested; rest fled

Session 8 (Bruise + succubus + quarry)

s8-E1: The Succubus + 2 Thief-Archers (forest clearing camp)

  • Rounds: ~7
  • Monsters: 1 Succubus (Medium fiend; charm/dominate-person 8th-level upcast / drain kiss); 2 thief-archers (Medium humanoid, sniper crossbow bolts with poison; CR ~3 each)
  • Party HP start: 8 hours of travel, mid-camp, Terry mid-ritual-casting Find Familiar
  • Party HP end: succubus dead, both archers dead. Caelumn down at 0; Harvo at 5/full with -6 max HP; Vazquez at 5 HP (revived 9 from Harvo Battle Medic); Terry on half HP
  • Monster to-hit: ~10 attacks; key — Caelumn took 17 piercing+poison Round 1 (failed save); Harvo crit Round 4 for 13 psychic + 6 necrotic-drain; Hugo took 5+12 poison = 17 dmg Round 5; Vazquez took 12 piercing + 6 necrotic-drain crit Round 5 (downed)
  • Saves: 5+ saves; Caelumn shielded 1 ranged hit; Terry shielded 1; Hugo passed 1 vision-stun save; Caelumn saved 1 Wisdom dominate; Harvo failed dominate Charisma save (had advantage as elf, still failed)
  • Damage types: lightning (Caelumn Chromatic Orb twin-spell upcast; Vazquez gunblade), psychic (succubus claw), force (Harvo Eldritch Cannon, Terry Jim’s Magic Missile / Magic Missile), poison (archer bolts), necrotic (succubus drain), slashing (Hugo handaxes, Vazquez gunblade)
  • Resources: Caelumn 1 sorcery point + 3rd-level slot + Innate Sorcery + Cure Wounds 1st (5 to Harvo); Hugo 1 rage; Vazquez 1 Second Wind; Terry Magic Missile + true-strike + Shield (twice) + Heroic Inspiration; Harvo Eldritch Cannon (Protector mode then Force Ballista)
  • Outcome: all enemies killed; Charlatan’s Die looted from succubus; Terry’s Find Familiar interrupted at “an hour and nine minutes” then completed post-combat
  • Notable: Caelumn nat 20 Chromatic Orb crit → 48 damage on archer + 21 bounce on succubus

s8-E2: Quarry Ghosts (incomplete; ends session — Christmas cliffhanger)

  • Rounds: 3+
  • Monsters: ~3 ghosts/spectres (incorporeal undead, can pass through walls, hand-touch necrotic + max-HP drain; CR unknown)
  • Party HP start: full HP from long rest plus replenished slots
  • Party HP end: Caelumn down at 0 (-9 max HP); Harvo down at 0 (-11 max HP); Hugo at full minus 10 (rage active); Vazquez and Terry untouched
  • Monster to-hit: ~5 attacks; Caelumn took 9 necrotic + 9 max-HP loss; Harvo took 11 necrotic + 11 max-HP loss; Hugo took 10 partial
  • Saves: ~3 attempted; mostly failed (Constitution drain, no save)
  • Damage types: radiant (Terry true-strike silver short sword), force (Harvo Eldritch Cannon — passes through), slashing (Hugo handaxes; magical weapon = full damage on the ghosts per s9 ruling)
  • Resources: Hugo 1 rage; Caelumn cast Firebolt at one ghost to start (missed, 11); Caelumn used Shield to block; Terry cast Blade Ward (verbal/somatic — aggro’d them); Harvo Eldritch Cannon
  • Outcome: ends session mid-combat; resolves in s9
  • Notable: Earthwing the owl killed by stealthed sniper with 20 stealth (6 piercing + 8 necrotic, 1 HP owl); Hugo nat 20 within combat

Session 9 (Quarry continues; succubus #2; Harvo dies)

s9-E1: Specters of the Quarry (continued)

  • Rounds: final 2-3 rounds
  • Monsters: 4-5 specters (CR ~1 each)
  • Party HP start: Caelumn nearly downed, Vasquez and Hugo bloodied
  • Party HP end: combat over, all alive, Vasquez transformed (Mharos bond)
  • Resources: Caelumn cast Magic Missile; Vasquez used the new “soul-drag” implicit feature from the transformation; Hugo’s Force Ballista; Terry’s Silvered Shortsword + True Strike
  • Damage types: necrotic (resisted by Vasquez post-transformation per [1], radiant (effective)
  • Notable: Vasquez’s first attack post-transformation, soul-draining absorption animation

s9-E2: Skeletal Snipers + CR3 Wight (Upper Quarry)

  • Rounds: ~12
  • Monsters: 2 skeletal archers; 1 CR3 wight (taunting Vasquez “What makes you so special? Why did it succeed with you?” [1]
  • Party HP start: full HP after long rest
  • Party HP end: Hugo bloodied (heavy slashing); Caelumn and Terry largely intact
  • Monster to-hit: skeletons used 25-foot-high cover, prone-and-pop; wight had radiant-glow short sword
  • Saves: CON save by Caelumn vs life-drain (16, succeeded)
  • Resources: Hugo raged; Vasquez used Action Surge twice in the session; Caelumn used Mirror Image
  • Outcome: all killed
  • Notable: Hugo climbed and dropped the ladder; Caelumn missed the soul-bind attempt at second level (CR3 vs fourth-level needed)
  • Table ruling: shoving with magical bludgeoning works at elevation; 2024 magical-resistance change — undead are no longer flat-resistant to non-magical [2]

s9-E3: The Succubus (Harvo dies)

  • Rounds: ~6
  • Monsters: 1 succubus (CR4) — Dominate Person on Hugo and Terry, Fiendish Touch, fly speed
  • Party HP start: bloodied from previous fight; Terry Frightened; all wisdom-save survivors except Caelumn (failed) and Terry (failed at disadvantage)
  • Party HP end: succubus dead; Harvo killed by friendly fire from a dominated Hugo
  • Monster to-hit: Hugo’s hand-axe natural 20 crit vs Harvo (23 damage on a reduced-max-HP target, decapitation)
  • Saves: Wisdom saves vs Dominate — Hugo failed (15 DC), Terry failed, Caelumn passed via Shield + draconic-ancestor reroll (Bloodwell Vial). Terry on Wisdom save during failure-vision: failed at disadvantage; took Frightened condition.
  • Resources: Caelumn cast Witch Bolt, Quickened Magic Missile (broke concentration on Dominate), Shield twice, used Heroic Inspiration; Hugo raged, two-axe attack; Terry threw a healing potion at flat DC15 (hit) reviving Vasquez; Vasquez Action Surge’d a fire-then-lightning charge combo
  • Damage types: party threw fire (resisted), lightning (even less effective), force (Magic Missile broke concentration), slashing (Hugo’s killing blow on Harvo); succubus dealt psychic, necrotic-drain, charm
  • Outcome: succubus killed (Hugo 29 damage on a re-roll, “tomahawk” to the neck); Harvo dead; Caelumn’s Soulbinder bind attempt at 2nd-level slot fizzled (CR3 vs 4th-level needed per [3]
  • Notable: Hugo nat 20 crit kills Harvo; Last words: “Well, fuck.”

Session 10 (Aurelian Paladin + 3 bandits)

s10-E1: Aurelian Paladin + 3 Bandits

  • Rounds: ~10
  • Monsters: 1 Paladin (~CR3-4, AC 18, two-attack greatsword with radiant rider, has riposte reaction); 3 mid-tier bandits with paired daggers and Charm-on-hit ability
  • Party HP start: full HP, well-rested
  • Party HP end: Hugo at 1 HP twice; Vasquez down twice (his pattern); Caelumn nearly downed; Terry largely untouched in dodge stance; Ruin moderate damage
  • Monster to-hit: heavy hits — Paladin landed multiple 22s and 24s on Hugo and Vasquez; Hugo blocked one bandit attack with Buckler
  • Saves: Wisdom save vs Paladin’s Charm/Convert (“Why don’t you come join the winning side?”) — Caelumn 18, succeeded; Vasquez took 4 radiant per Paladin hit on top of slashing — the radiant bypassed Mharos’s necrotic resistance, burning the demon at full damage [4], L931)
  • Damage types: bandits dealt slashing/piercing; Paladin dealt slashing + radiant. Caelumn’s twin-spelled Chromatic Orb at 2nd dealt fire (less effective vs Paladin’s plate, but worked vs the bandits — 27, 26, 26).
  • Resources: Caelumn — twin-spelled Chromatic Orb at 2nd, Shield ×2, Burning Hands at 2nd, Heroic Inspiration; Hugo — raged twice, two-axe attacks, reckless attack; Vasquez — Action Surge twice, Second Wind once; Ruin — Witch Bolt (1st), Hellish Rebuke (1st), Eldritch Blast, subclass healing on Vasquez (11 HP); Terry — withdrew into shell once for AC23-with-disadvantage, used silvered shortsword + True Strike, fired hand-crossbow
  • Outcome: Paladin killed by Ruin’s Eldritch Blast; all 3 bandits killed
  • Notable: Caelumn’s three-nat-20 Intimidation streak in the Drew interrogation continued through the start of this combat; Mharos is weak to radiant

Session 11 (Owlbears)

s11-E1: Three Owlbears

  • Rounds: ~10
  • Monsters: 3 owlbears (CR2-3 each, with claws for ~14-19 slashing per turn, “bigger and beefier than the players expected”)
  • Party HP start: full HP after long rest; Caelumn separated from camp by 120 ft; no Vasquez (Polar absent)
  • Party HP end: Caelumn knocked unconscious twice (revived by Ruin’s potion-pour and Hugo’s airlift); Hugo bloodied (~35 HP absorbed); Terry largely intact in shell stance; Ruin moderately bloodied (38 dmg incl. Hellish Rebuke counter); one owlbear soul-captured
  • Monster to-hit: heavy. Multiple 22-25s on Hugo, Caelumn, Ruin
  • Saves: Dex 14 saves vs Caelumn’s level-2 Burning Hands — all three failed; Caelumn hit them for 27 damage each effectively (split 45 across 3, all-fail = full damage on a fail per phrasing)
  • Damage types: slashing (claws); Caelumn dealt fire (Burning Hands at 2nd, Chromatic Orb at 1st fire); Ruin dealt fire (Hellish Rebuke), force/Eldritch (Eldritch Blast), lightning (Witch Bolt); Hugo dealt slashing/force (his Void-Touched subclass dealt force damage on missed-attack-end-of-turn explosion); Terry dealt force/radiant (Magic Missile, hand crossbow + True Strike)
  • Resources: Caelumn spent two 2nd-level slots (Burning Hands), Chromatic Orb at L1, Mirror Image, Shield ×3; Hugo activated Winged Boots, raged twice; Ruin used Witch Bolt at 1st (with new buff), Hellish Rebuke, Eldritch Blast, Sacred Flame; Terry Magic Missile (3 missiles, killed one owlbear), withdrew into shell, hand crossbow + True Strike, alarm ritual after combat
  • Outcome: 2 killed; 1 soul captured in Soulbinder’s Packed Ring at 4th-level slot (succeeded; CR3 needs 2 levels above for guaranteed bind)
  • Notable: Hugo’s airlift of Caelumn [5]; Caelumn’s owlbear-soul capture [6]

Session 12 (Eldwythe + Candy Cottage entry)

s12-E1: Animate Flying Rug

  • Rounds: 3
  • Monsters: 1 animate fruit-leather rug, low HP, attempts to wrap/grapple
  • Party HP start: full HP after long rest, Terry in the doorway
  • Party HP end: rug killed
  • Monster to-hit: 22 against Terry on the first attack — blocked by Shield
  • Resources: Terry cast Shield (1st-level slot); Ruin cast Eldritch Blast; Vasquez gunblade-slash for 14; Hugo hand-axe throw for 7
  • Outcome: killed
  • Notable: Terry very nearly tried to “tame” it as a flying carpet

s12-E2: Three Candy Goblins

  • Rounds: ~6
  • Monsters: 3 candy goblins (CR1-2 each; DC 12 escape grapple; spike-club melee; one had a “push” or “shove” trait)
  • Party HP start: minor HP loss from rug fight
  • Party HP end: Vasquez in taffy form, all three goblins dead
  • Monster to-hit: heavy. Multiple 18-25 hits on Vasquez and Terry.
  • Saves: Vasquez DC 12 grapple escape (failed); Strength save vs taffy puller (failed); Dex save vs taffy restraint on the ground (failed but only took 13 bludgeoning)
  • Damage types: slashing/piercing (goblin spike-clubs); Caelumn fire (Burning Hands, Chromatic Orb); Vasquez lightning (gunblade charge); Vasquez transformation (bludgeoning)
  • Resources: Caelumn — Innate Sorcery + Burning Hands 1st, Chromatic Orb L1 fire (advantage from Innate Sorcery); Hugo — raged, two-axe attack with reckless; Vasquez — gunblade with prime-charge fire then lightning, Action Surge crit on the second-attack re-roll (36 damage); Terry — Shield (last slot), Hand Crossbow + True Strike, refused to enter the shell; Ruin — Sacred Flame, Firebolt, Witch Bolt
  • Outcome: all 3 killed
  • Notable: Vasquez forcibly transformed into taffy form [7]. Armour and body soft and slightly elastic, retains dimensions. Reverted s14 by Nibblecheek’s surrender.

Session 13 (Candy Cottage continues)

s13-E1: Bubba Walker

  • Rounds: ~6
  • Monsters: Bubba Walker x1 (CR unknown — homebrew, very high HP, AC 17, “made of wood” per Vasquez chopping a “wood” femur [8]
  • Party HP start: full HP minus pin-roll trap (-7 each, gingerbread on Terry/Hugo/Ruin)
  • Party HP end: Bubba bloodied, fight resolved by persuasion-bribe (three kinds of candy)
  • Monster to-hit: ~3 hits out of ~5 attacks against the owlbear; one hit on Vasquez (6 bludgeoning)
  • Saves: Dex saves vs pin-roll trap — 2 successes (Caelumn, Vasquez), 3 fails (Terry, Hugo, Ruin); a second pin-roll trap caught Ruin again
  • Damage types: piercing (Terry crossbow), eldritch blast force (Ruin), chromatic orb fire/cold (Caelumn), slashing fire (Vasquez gunblade), claws/bite (owlbear). Bubba unaffected by being lit on fire (“does not seem to be put on fire, though. Magic and stuff.” [9]. Hellish Rebuke fire (Ruin) was the single biggest hit at 21 damage [10].
  • Resources: Caelumn — Innate Sorcery (used + recovered + re-used), 2 sorcery points → 1 spell slot conversion, multiple Chromatic Orbs (2nd and 3rd), 1 Witch Bolt, 1 Cure Wounds (3rd, on self after combat). Ruin — owlbear soul from Soulbinder’s Packed Ring (expended; soul torn apart in 3 rounds), 1 Hex, 1 Hellish Rebuke (1st free), multiple Eldritch Blasts. Hugo — Rage, 1 healing potion, action surge to throw a barrel of taffy as improvised weapon. Terry — Second Wind x2 (poor rolls), Blade Ward, True Strike crossbow shots
  • Outcome: bargain accepted (3 candies); Bubba alive
  • Notable: Bubba’s nat 20 attack on the owlbear [11]; Caelumn’s Twin-Spell Chromatic Orb dual-tagging tested as table house-rule

s13-E2: Pin-roll trap (1 round)

  • Magical hallway trap, Dex save DC unknown. 5/5 party in hallway exposed; 3 transformed into gingerbread (Terry, Hugo, Ruin). Re-fired once when Hugo entered (caught Ruin again).

s13-E3: Tree-spirit orchard ambush

  • Rounds: ~3
  • Monsters: 3 tree-spirits with Vine Whip and Charm Monster
  • Monster to-hit: 3 hits out of ~5 attacks; Caelumn took 12 slashing, Terry took 12 slashing
  • Saves: Terry failed Wisdom save vs Charm Monster (used Heroic Inspiration to no effect); Hugo failed CON save in the same encounter vs another effect
  • Resources: Caelumn — Burning Hands (1st), Cure Wounds x2 on self; Ruin — Eldritch Blast misses, healing potion; Hugo — Bardic Inspiration ring re-roll (failed); Terry — Shocking Grasp on the tree, Heroic Inspiration
  • Outcome: party retreated and shut the door; tree-spirits chose to “shuffle and become one with the trees again” [12]

s13-E4: Three Gingerbread Steves

  • Rounds: ~5
  • Monsters: 3 Gingerbread Steves (six-foot animated gingerbread guards with rolling pins)
  • Monster to-hit: ~7 hits out of ~14 attacks. Vasquez was downed once (recovered with greater healing potion); Terry took multiple rolling-pin hits but was repeatedly saved by his shell action
  • Saves: Caelumn’s Burning Hands DC 14 — 3 fail, 1 succeed across the Steves
  • Resources: Caelumn — Burning Hands; Hugo — Reckless Attack (nat 20, 18 damage); Vasquez — Action Surge, charge + greataxe-strike attempts (none connected as advertised). Greater Healing Potion identified mid-combat (4d4+4) and consumed.
  • Outcome: all 3 killed; Bubblegum halfling rescued from cage
  • Notable: Hugo killed the surrendering Steve mid-plea [13], losing potential information

Session 14 (Gummy Mummy + Nibblecheek; level 4)

s14-E1: Gummy Mummy + 2 frosting-imps

  • Rounds: ~7 (party retreating)
  • Monsters: Gummy Mummy x1 (CR unknown — glass cannon, cursed-on-hit, 60-foot dash, fly speed for the imps); 2 frosting-imps (CR unknown)
  • Party HP start: full, with Caelumn isolated behind the door, Vasquez/Hugo/Ruin/Terry across the door
  • Party HP end: Caelumn down + cursed (16 dmg, max -13); Vasquez down + cursed (23 dmg, max -11); one frosting-imp killed via fire
  • Monster to-hit: ~3 hits across the encounter, but the hits that landed were brutal — Caelumn 16 dmg + cursed; Vasquez 23 dmg + cursed; Caelumn 1 HP after stabilisation
  • Saves: Vasquez frost-cone CON saves, mostly succeeded at half damage. Vasquez d100 demon-curse roll vs the mummy’s curse: no effect [14]
  • Damage types: necrotic + bludgeoning (mummy fist), cold (frosting cone), force (party Eldritch Blast / Sorcerer’s Burst), fire (Caelumn Chromatic Orb fire), piercing (Terry crossbow). Frosting-imps had a fire-vulnerability the party stumbled onto (Ruin’s Sorcerer’s Burst dealt minimum but the imps were “vastly more effective” than expected, [15].
  • Resources: Caelumn — Chromatic Orb x1, Innate Sorcery, Cure Wounds (later), Misty Step. Ruin — Sorcerer’s Burst x1, Hex, Eldritch Blast x2, healing potion expended on Caelumn (stabilised), Identify (later). Hugo — Winged Boots flight (airlifted both unconscious bodies up the basement-tunnel stairs), Rage, axe-throw + axe-strikes, healing potion. Vasquez — Action Surge, Second Wind, healing potions x2, Mage Slayer once-a-day fail-to-succeed (held, not consumed)
  • Outcome: Mummy retreats to its sarcophagus when the threats leave; frosting-imps killed
  • Notable: Mummy’s nat-1 attack roll on Vasquez and nat-1 on Brioche later in the chained fight; Vasquez’s nat-20 grapple later vs Nibblecheek; Caelumn’s nat-20 CON save in the run-back to Eldwythe. Mummy’s curse mechanics: 3d6 max-HP loss every 24 hours until death [16].

s14-E2: Uncle Nibblecheek confrontation

  • Rounds: ~6
  • Monsters: Uncle Nibblecheek x1 (CR unknown, multi-attack 2x melee per round, chocolate-cockatrice summon, mass-charm spell); Charmed Caelumn (mind-controlled, hostile, attempted to grapple Brioche); 3+ chocolate cockatrices summoned from the barn
  • Monster to-hit: Nibblecheek hit Caelumn (mind-controlled) once in the back as he disengaged (Caelumn AC 17, Nibblecheek’s 25 connected via opportunity attack); chocolate-cockatrice connected on Hugo and Terry once each
  • Saves: Mass-charm Wisdom DC unknown, with disadvantage on Vasquez, Caelumn, etc. — Vasquez succeeded (also held Mage Slayer, not used); Caelumn failed (became eternal servant)
  • Damage types: slashing (party melee), force (Terry’s Magic Missile — 2 missiles missed, 1 hit; “I could have just used the cantrip” [17]. Brioche’s breath weapon (fire/poison?) for 23 dmg with half on save [18].
  • Resources: Vasquez — Action Surge, Second Wind, grapple (vs 13, succeeded). Hugo — multiple longsword swings, Rage. Brioche — breath weapon, two melee attacks (advantage from grappled state denied per DM [19]. Ruin — Eldritch Blast x1, Hex
  • Outcome: Nibblecheek surrenders, lifts all curses and transformations; party leaves with Brioche
  • Notable: Vasquez maintained the grapple while Brioche tore at Nibblecheek’s chest

s14-E3: Frosting-cone breath weapon (recurring inside Mummy fight)

  • Cold damage in a cone, CON save for half. Damage range observed: 4-9.

Session 15 (Aurelian patrol + Kuatoa + needle-blight)

s15-E1: Aurelian patrol ambush (Ruin executed)

  • Rounds: ~5 (ended by Phil’s smoke bomb)
  • Monsters: knight, archer, recruit, elite chain-master (anti-magic aura, scripted-execute on Ruin), anti-magic-shouter, standard-bearer (signal flare)
  • Party HP start: long-rest full HP
  • Party HP end: Ruin DECAPITATED (scripted execution, no save); Althea took 9 slashing + 3 radiant; Hugo at -12 HP from archer barrage; party fled into the woods
  • Monster to-hit: ~6 hits in 5 rounds (high quality)
  • Saves: Althea Concentration (failed via 9-radiant force damage, lost Bless mid-fight); Vasquez Wisdom (succeeded vs Mharos); Terry’s Bladesong-protected CON saves all succeeded
  • Damage types: arrows (piercing + radiant), great-sword (slashing + radiant), chain (force damage in aura), spear (piercing + cold). Ruin’s death was by chain — pure mechanical decapitation, not damage rolls.
  • Resources: Caelumn — Held-Action Chromatic Orb (force/fire), Innate Sorcery, Shield x2, Misty Step, sorcery-points-to-spell-slot conversion. Hugo — Rage, Reckless Attack, longsword strikes (killed an Aurelian with 11 damage). Vasquez — Action Surge, Second Wind, gunblade strike (missed), Mage Slayer once-a-day fail-to-succeed (used vs Mharos [20]. Terry — Bladesong (debut), Shield x2, scimitar melee (nat 20 + crit decapitation), Silvery Barbs. Althea — Bless (2nd), Draconic Cry, Sacred Flame, Cure Wounds, Channel Divinity Turn Undead (missed early). Brioche — flyby breath weapon (target made save, half damage)
  • Outcome: Phil’s smoke bomb arrived; Egg stolen by unseen chain pulling Caelumn’s backpack into the smoke [21]; party fled into the Eldwythe sewers
  • Notable: Terry’s nat 20 scimitar; Hugo’s nat 20 longsword [22] retcon-fix); Ruin scripted-decapitated; Mharos’s Mage Slayer save

s15-E2: Kuatoa ambush

  • Rounds: ~6
  • Monsters: 4 Kuatoa fish-folk (CR 3 with true sight per DM tabletop), bone-whip weapons dealing slashing + lightning damage at 10-foot reach
  • Party HP start: post-fight HP
  • Party HP end: all four Kuatoa dead; Caelumn ~50%; Vasquez ~50%; Terry full
  • Monster to-hit: ~5 hits in 6 rounds
  • Saves: Caelumn CON save vs lightning-conducting water (failed nat 1, took 7 lightning); Terry CON save vs same (succeeded, declared on walkway). Caelumn proficiency-fix moment — DM realised Caelumn had been clicking save-buttons that rolled as checks for the entire campaign [23].
  • Damage types: bone whip slashing + lightning, fish-fin slashing
  • Resources: Caelumn — Cure Wounds (free once-a-day), 2 sorcery points to recover spell slot, multiple firebolts. Hugo — Rage, Reckless Attack longsword. Vasquez — gunblade strikes, Action Surge held. Terry — Bladesong (re-cast), Shadow Blade (2nd-level spell, FIRST USE EVER — instant-killed via “soul cut” DM ruling [24], Silvery Barbs, Second Wind x2, scimitar attacks. Althea — Bless (2nd), Sacred Flame, Toll the Dead (multiple wisdom-failed), Channel Divinity charge.
  • Outcome: all 4 killed
  • Notable: Terry’s Shadow Blade soul-cut for instant kill (DM ruling); Hugo’s nat-20 longsword on the wounded Kuatoa; Vasquez electrified the sewer water via Rule of Cool (Caelumn took 7 lightning as friendly fire; Terry on walkway)

s15-E3: Needle-blight + 2 rat-swarms + 2 flame-skull casters

  • Rounds: ~12
  • Monsters: needle-blight x1 (Ent-style spore-tree-creature), rat-swarm x2, flame-skull/needle-blight caster x2
  • Party HP start: post-rest
  • Party HP end: all destroyed; party survived
  • Monster to-hit: ~10 hits in 12 rounds
  • Saves: CON saves vs spores (DC ~12-14), repeated; Caelumn was stunned for 3 rounds; Hugo and Vasquez each stunned at least once. Althea was downed once and revived by Vasquez with the Greater Healing Potion (recovered 17).
  • Damage types: bludgeoning + poison (needle-blight spore claws), needle (piercing), fire (flame-skull), magic missile (force, level 2 cast targeted Althea for 20 damage [25]
  • Resources: Caelumn — Innate Sorcery x2, multiple chromatic orbs, Burning Hands, Shield x4, Cure Wounds (free), Misty Step, sorcery points → spell slot conversion. Hugo — Rage, Reckless Attack, longsword strikes, inspiration. Vasquez — gunblade strikes, Second Wind, healing potion administered to Althea, intimidation check (advantage from horns). Terry — Bladesong, Shadow Blade x2 (re-cast and yeeted as a thrown improvised weapon, returns at next turn — Throne property, novel ruling), Silvery Barbs, Second Wind. Althea — Bless x2, Sacred Flame, Toll the Dead, Channel Divinity Turn Undead (failed once, succeeded on a 17), Cure Wounds (used on Caelumn).
  • Outcome: all destroyed
  • Notable: Caelumn nat-1 CON save; Caelumn’s nat-20 firebolt for 11 damage; Althea’s Turn Undead 17 save; Brioche absent for this fight

Session 16 (Sewer crawl conclusion + skiff)

s16-E1: Sarcophagus chamber ambush

  • Rounds: ~9
  • Monsters: Flame-skull x2, ghoul x1
  • Party HP start: full long-rest HP for Hugo and Vasquez; Caelumn at full from healing earlier
  • Party HP end: Caelumn revived from 2 death-save fails (Vasquez’s healing potion administered just in time); Althea downed once (Vasquez’s Greater Healing Potion); Terry took repeated fireball/magic-missile damage; Hugo took multiple ghoul claws; one flame-skull fled
  • Monster to-hit: ~7 hits across the encounter
  • Saves: Caelumn ghoul-bite incapacitation save (succeeded after some). Dex saves vs flame-skull’s Fireball (Hugo and Caelumn, took half/none).
  • Damage types: fire (flame-skull fireball — 24 in 15-foot radius; flame-skull headbutt — 18 fire), bludgeoning (ghoul claw + bite), force (flame-skull magic missile, 5 force per dart, 4 darts at level 2)
  • Resources: Caelumn — Innate Sorcery, multiple chromatic orbs (cold variant on the wounded flame-skull), Misty Step (free), 2 sorcery points → spell slot conversion. Hugo — Rage, Reckless Attack, longsword strike, Greater Healing Potion administered to Vasquez, healing potion to Caelumn. Vasquez — Action Surge, gunblade strike at advantage, Greater Healing Potion to Althea (17), multiple gunblade swings. Terry — Bladesong, Shadow Blade x2 (re-cast and yeeted), Silvery Barbs, Second Wind, scimitar attacks, hand-crossbow attack, Mirror Image (3 images), Absorb Elements (vs Fireball). Althea — Bless x2 (2nd-level), Sacred Flame, Toll the Dead (failed once), Channel Divinity Turn Undead succeeded once at 17 (scaring the second flame-skull off-field with delayed effect), Cure Wounds.
  • Outcome: 1 ghoul died (in flame-skull’s own AoE); 1 flame-skull killed (Vasquez crit [26]; 1 flame-skull fled
  • Notable: Caelumn nat-1 CON save vs biogloom [27]; Vasquez nat-25 critical attack on the second flame-skull [26]; Caelumn’s two-ones firebolt on the wounded flame-skull [28]; a flame-skull’s nat-20 magic missile on Althea with double max damage (10 force in shield-blocked attempt) — Caelumn shielded and absorbed.

s16-E2: Basin-chamber encounter

  • Restraining biogloom roots tested both Vasquez and Althea. Vasquez succeeded a Strength check 23 to pull Althea free. No formal combat, but initiative was rolled to track resolution.

s16-E3: Stealth past Aurelian patrol at sewer mouth

  • Group stealth check averaged 7 vs ~15 DC. DM allowed the sneak past based on the patrol’s prior distraction.
  • An unseen ceiling predator severed Earthwing earlier in the session [29]; Vasquez and Althea later spotted “something blended into the biogloom and the vines” on the ceiling [30]. Identity unknown.

Session 17 (Skiff voyage to Aurelia)

s17-E1: Rimeclaw Skulker + 3-4 Water Wolves (incomplete; ends session)

  • Trigger: cold-water reef line on day 2 of the sail toward the White Lantern Shrine — “thin plates of frost drift across the water and melt against the side of the skiff”, pale shapes between the rocks, “the water erupts” [31].
  • Rounds: ~2 complete (continues into s18; DM cut at end of Round 2 / start of Round 3, [32].
  • Monsters: 1 Rimeclaw Skulker / “Reef Stalker” (Large monstrosity; CR unknown — homebrew or DM-bestiary; claws, bite, ranged icicle-spit, recharge frost-breath line for 32 cold half-on-save with friendly-fire on its own allies; identified by Mike’s History 16 at [33]; 3-4 water wolves (Medium-ish quadrupeds in/on the water; ranged icicle-spit, bite; luminous purplish-blue blood explicitly echoing Hugo’s Voidforged biology [34].
  • Party HP start: rested from a full long rest on the skiff the previous night [35], L804).
  • Party HP end (this session): Hugo, Mike, Caelumn each took partial cold damage from the Round-1 frost-breath line (Hugo 16 half-damage; Mike 16 half-damage with lucky-point advantage; Caelumn implied half-saved); Terry took 8 via Absorb Elements; Steven untouched. No one downed; no death saves.
  • Initial Dex save (surprise, [36]: Terry nat-20 pass; Hugo pass; Caelumn nat-1 (rerolled to 4 with Heroic Inspiration, still failed → prone); Steven nat-1 (rerolled to 4 via halfling Lucky, still failed → prone); Mike failed → prone.
  • Monster to-hit: ~6 attacks across rounds 1-2. Notable hits: water wolf nat-20 icicle at Mike (Mike Shielded, 0); water wolf nat-20 bite on Mike (Terry Silvery Barbs → reroll itself a nat 20, ~1-in-400 event, Mike reaction-Shielded for 0; [37], L1810-1815); Skulker frost-breath line AoE catching Mike + Hugo + Caelumn + its own water-wolf ally for 32 cold half-on-save — the wolf ally took the full 32 and was significantly wounded [38]. Misses: wolf bite on Caelumn (10, [39]; Terry’s scimitar swings (Bladesong) consistently rolled short.
  • Saves: 5 initial Dex saves (3 fails). Skulker’s two Int saves vs Phantasmal Force — failed both (10 Round 1 [40], 12 Round 2 [41].
  • Damage types thrown: thunder (Caelumn 2 x 2nd-level Chromatic Orb), psychic (Mike Phantasmal Force, 2d8 per failed Skulker save), force (Mike Booming Blade cantrip, Steven Eldritch Blast — missed), slashing (Hugo thrown axe, Steven pact dagger, Terry scimitar). Frost-breath: single-line cold AoE that hits its own allies.
  • Damage dealt:
    • Hugo: 18 axe-throw kill on a wounded water wolf, Round 2 [42] — Winged-Boots hover.
    • Mike: 13 (Phantasmal Force Round 1 psychic, [43] + 2d8 Round 2 (rolled, not narrated) + 4 force (Booming Blade Round 2, [44].
    • Caelumn: 24 (Chromatic Orb hit, Round 1, [45] + 22 (bounce damage on a second wolf, Round 1, [46] + 52 (double-nat-20 Chromatic Orb bounce-kill on the smallest wolf, Round 2, [47].
    • Steven: 9 (nat-20 dagger crit on a wolf, Round 1, [48]. RAW double-dice crit; DM clarified mid-combat that the table does NOT use perfect-crits for routine crits [49].
    • Terry: 0 (all attacks missed).
  • Resources: Caelumn — Innate Sorcery (1/day), 2 x 2nd-level slots on Chromatic Orb, Heroic Inspiration (spent on initial save). Hugo — Rage, Winged Boots hover (Round 2 onwards). Mike — Shield x2 (1st-level slots), Phantasmal Force (2nd-level slot), Booming Blade (carried-over Shillelagh). Terry — Bladesong (1st-level slot), Absorb Elements (1st-level slot), Silvery Barbs (1st-level slot). Steven — pact-dagger summon (bonus, no slot), 1 Eldritch Blast (cantrip).
  • Outcome: Unresolved — session ends after Round 2 / start of Round 3. Skulker still trapped in Phantasmal Force lava-cube illusion (failed two Int saves); at least one water wolf still in play near the boat; one Rimeclaw Skulker pup alive next to Mike per the recap. Resolves in s18.
  • Notable:
    • Steven’s debut nat-20 dagger crit drawing luminous purplish-blue water-wolf blood (Round 1, [48] — first hit visibly echoes Hugo’s Voidforged biology [34].
    • Caelumn’s 52-damage double-nat-20 Chromatic Orb bounce kill (Round 2, [47] — headline mechanical moment of the session.
    • 1-in-400 double-nat-20 Silvery Barbs interaction: water wolf nat-20 bite on Mike; Terry Silvery Barbs’d the reroll; reroll itself rolled another nat 20; Mike Shield-blocked [37], L1810-1815).
    • Skulker’s frost-breath line hit its own water-wolf ally for full 32 cold [38] — set up Hugo’s Round-2 axe-throw kill.
    • Mike’s Phantasmal Force lava-cube stuck for both Round-1 and Round-2 saves (Int 10, Int 12); table debated whether Skulker counts as “blinded” — DM allowed advantage on attacks [50].
    • Wolf blood reveal: luminous purplish-blue, explicitly mirrors Hugo’s own blood — Steven: “Hey, this guy is real like you. I… some people say that purple is just a darker shade of blue” [51].
  • DM rulings of note:
    • 2024 Phantasmal Force damage is 2d8 psychic per failed save, not 1d6 [52].
    • Ranged-spell-attack 5-ft proximity rule, table variant: disadvantage only applies when the target you’re aiming at is within 5 ft, not when any enemy is within 5 ft of you [53].
    • Crit damage convention reaffirmed: double-the-dice, not max-plus-roll [49].
    • Jumping into water from melee provokes opportunity attacks [54].

Aggregate notes

  • Crit clusters: nat-20s have repeatedly flipped encounters. PC nat-20 crits: Vasquez s2 zombie decapitation, Hugo s2 dryad decapitation, Caelumn s2 firebolt-kill mosquito, Caelumn s3 firebolt revealing Sunset’s size, Vasquez s3 opportunity-attack mutilating Sunset, Terry s8 nat-20 (Magic Missile), Hugo s8/s10/s11/s14 multiple, Terry s15 nat-20 scimitar decapitation (Bladesong debut), Vasquez s16 nat-25 flame-skull crit. Monster nat-20 crits that flipped a fight: yuan-ti s3 (kills Cholmondeley), phase spider s6 (3 nat-20s in 3 rounds), Maelis s7 (42 dmg on Caelumn, saved by Shield+Silvery Barbs), Hugo s9 (kills Harvo via Dominate), Aurelian Paladin s10 multiple, archer s15 (nat-20 head-shot on a bystander), Titan vs Maelis s7 (Titan’s nat-20+19 = 49 bludgeoning kills Maelis).
  • Dominate/charm/suggestion/leash failures: Hugo s3 (Suggestion vs wyrmling — left the cave), Hugo s8 (CON dom-imp poison), Harvo s8 (Charisma save vs succubus dominate WITH advantage, still failed), Hugo s9 (Wisdom save vs succubus dominate, killed Harvo), Terry s9 (Wisdom save vs succubus dominate, Frightened), Caelumn s9 (Heroic-Inspired Wisdom save vs succubus failure-vision, “rang hollow”), Caelumn s14 (Wisdom save vs Nibblecheek mass-charm, became eternal servant). Vasquez s14 + s15 (Wisdom saves; Mage Slayer once-a-day fail-to-succeed used s15 vs Mharos).
  • Damage-type effectiveness pattern: fire mostly works; necrotic resisted by Mharos-bonded Vasquez post-s9; radiant bypasses Mharos’s necrotic resistance [4]; ghosts/spectres take full damage from magical weapons per 2024 ruling [2]; the Titan and the Gummy Mummy both have damage-type vulnerabilities the party only partially identified; flame-skulls have fire vulnerability (frosting-imps too).
  • Resource burn pattern: Caelumn habitually drains all sorcery points and most slots in major boss fights; Hugo’s onyx ring saved him once (s6 phase spider); the Soulbinder’s Packed Ring has been used twice (Maelis s7, owlbear s11; owlbear soul expended s13).
  • Death save outcomes: Cholmondeley failed first death save s3 (broke neck stabilising); Vasquez nat-20’d death saves in s5, s6 (twice), s7; Caelumn 2 fails to ghoul s16 (revived in time).

References

  1. ^ Session 9, line 495 — Inline citation.
  2. ^ Session 9, line 640-644 — Inline citation.
  3. ^ Session 9, line 755-765 — Inline citation.
  4. ^ Session 10, line 827 — Inline citation.
  5. ^ Session 11, line 1409 — Inline citation.
  6. ^ Session 11, line 1572 — Inline citation.
  7. ^ Session 12, line 1325 — Inline citation.
  8. ^ Session 13, line 636 — Inline citation.
  9. ^ Session 13, line 492 — Inline citation.
  10. ^ Session 13, line 791 — Inline citation.
  11. ^ Session 13, line 685 — Inline citation.
  12. ^ Session 13, line 1152 — Inline citation.
  13. ^ Session 13, line 1829 — Inline citation.
  14. ^ Session 14, line 397-403 — Inline citation.
  15. ^ Session 14, line 245 — Inline citation.
  16. ^ Session 14, line 626 — Inline citation.
  17. ^ Session 14, line 1197 — Inline citation.
  18. ^ Session 14, line 1093 — Inline citation.
  19. ^ Session 14, line 1230 — Inline citation.
  20. ^ Session 15, line 488 — Inline citation.
  21. ^ Session 15, line 500-504 — Inline citation.
  22. ^ Session 15, line 195 — Inline citation.
  23. ^ Session 15, line 562-572 — Inline citation.
  24. ^ Session 15, line 1141 — Inline citation.
  25. ^ Session 15, line 1437 — Inline citation.
  26. ^ Session 16, line 1543 — Inline citation.
  27. ^ Session 16, line 353 — Inline citation.
  28. ^ Session 16, line 693-694 — Inline citation.
  29. ^ Session 16, line 1068-1077 — Inline citation.
  30. ^ Session 16, line 1171 — Inline citation.
  31. ^ Session 17, line 1568-1577 — Inline citation.
  32. ^ Session 17, line 1987-1993 — Inline citation.
  33. ^ Session 17, line 1597-1599 — Inline citation.
  34. ^ Session 17, line 1850-1857 — Inline citation.
  35. ^ Session 17, line 492 — Inline citation.
  36. ^ Session 17, line 1577-1591 — Inline citation.
  37. ^ Session 17, line 1786 — Inline citation.
  38. ^ Session 17, line 1638 — Inline citation.
  39. ^ Session 17, line 1865 — Inline citation.
  40. ^ Session 17, line 1707 — Inline citation.
  41. ^ Session 17, line 1877 — Inline citation.
  42. ^ Session 17, line 1872-1874 — Inline citation.
  43. ^ Session 17, line 1711-1713 — Inline citation.
  44. ^ Session 17, line 1916 — Inline citation.
  45. ^ Session 17, line 1732 — Inline citation.
  46. ^ Session 17, line 1735-1740 — Inline citation.
  47. ^ Session 17, line 1937-1944 — Inline citation.
  48. ^ Session 17, line 1840 — Inline citation.
  49. ^ Session 17, line 1846-1849 — Inline citation.
  50. ^ Session 17, line 1958-1975 — Inline citation.
  51. ^ Session 17, line 1853 — Inline citation.
  52. ^ Session 17, line 1701-1706 — Inline citation.
  53. ^ Session 17, line 1893-1900 — Inline citation.
  54. ^ Session 17, line 1922-1925 — Inline citation.