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Darkmantle Delve: A Sticky Situation (Ch 4)

During their final push to find the ancient library rumoured to lie within Darkmantle Mine, our quartet of daring dungeon delvers were ambushed by two of the mine's namesakes.

A tense battle against the darkmantles tested the party's resolve to the limit. Caelum was nearly crushed to death as they fought in magical darkness. The emergence of a rust monster added to the chaos, but Caelum's magical assault sent it scurrying away, which allowed the party to focus on and defeat the darkmantles.

Now in search of a place to rest, Caelum, Kara, Tillo, and Vulkar head towards the guardroom they found earlier...

Scene Premise: The party retreats to the guardroom where they plan to rest and recover after their battles so far.

Chaos Factor: 4

  • Modify Scene?
    ✅ 1, Yes. Altered Scene.

The next most logical setup is that they encounter something in the Silent Mining Chamber that came out the door they have yet to explore.

  • Creature: Gray Ooze. Condition: Rabid / diseased, Adult. Goal: Avoid danger. Activity: Searching.
    • Encounter Difficulty: Easy.

I'll give the oozes one level of variant exhaustion to simulate them being diseased (denoted with 😓).

"Oh no," Caelum says as the party enters the large mining chamber once more.

"What?" Kara asks.

"Ooze."

  • Roll Initiative
    🎲 This is a sticky situation.
    • Kara — 17
      😯Surprised.
    • Caelum — 14
      😯Surprised.
    • Tillo — 10
      😯Surprised.
    • Sloppy Ooze — 10
    • Vulkar — 8
      😯Surprised.
    • Sticky Ooze — 8

Round 1

  • Kara — Ends
    😯Surprised.
  • Caelum — Ends
    😯Surprised.
  • Tillo — Ends
    😯Surprised.
  • Sloppy Ooze — A: Pseudopod vs Caelum
    😓Exhaustion, -1.
    ,
    ❌13, miss.
  • Vulkar — Ends
    😯Surprised.
  • Sticky Ooze — Move.
    • A: Pseudopod vs Caelum
      😓Exhaustion, -1.
      ,
      ✅✅Natural 20.
      , 9
      🔨Bludgeoning Damage.
      9
      🧪Acid Damage.

A pseudopod flashes out of the puddle that Caelum had stepped into. He just manages to dodge it but is so caught off guard that he doesn't see the pseudopod coming from the other side. The acid glob wraps around his neck. He tears it off, but not before it has throttled him and burned deep marks into his skin.

"Ahhh, it BURNS!"

Round 2

  • Kara — Move.
    • Sloppy Ooze — R: Pseudopod vs Kara
      😓Exhaustion, -1.
      ,
      ❌13, miss.
    • Sticky Ooze — R: Pseudopod vs Kara
      😓Exhaustion, -1.
      ,
      ❌6, miss.
    • A: Longbow vs Sticky Ooze,
      ✅✅Natural 20.
      , 11
      🏹Piercing Damage.

Kara jumps and tumbles between the two oozes, dodging their lashing pseudopods. She comes up with an arrow nocked and drawn. She releases and the arrow pierces through the pseudopod that throttled Caelum.

  • Does Caelum know that these Oozes are corrosive?
    🎲 Arcana, 15.
    (Nearly Certain, it burned him.)
    ❌❌ 97, Exceptional No.
  • Caelum — Move.
    • A: Rapier vs Sticky Ooze,
      ✅13, hit.
      , 6
      🗡Piercing Damage.
    • Caelum's Rapier corrodes (
      🧪-1 damage.
      )
    • Move.

Caelum summons his blade to his hand and stabs into the ooze. The metal of his blade begins to fizzle.

"My sword!" he wails, distraught over his marred blade. "Don't touch them, they're corrosive!"

  • Tillo — Move.
    • A: Vicious Mockery, 1
      🧠Psychic damage.
      , DC 9 WIS Save for Sticky Ooze
      😓Exhaustion, -1.
      ,
      ❌6, failure.
  • Sloppy Ooze — Move.
    • A: Dash.
  • Vulkar — Skip turn.
  • Sticky Ooze — Move.
    • A: Dash.

"Well shit, guess I'll just have to taunt it then," Tillo mutters. "Hey, black pudding, over here!"

Vulkar sits down heavily. "Count me out."

One ooze converges surprisingly quickly on Kara as the other follows the sound of Tillo's voice.

"Oh, no, move, MOVE!"

Round 3

  • Kara — Move.
    • Sloppy Ooze — R: Pseudopod vs Kara
      😓Exhaustion, -1.
      ,
      ✅21, hit.
      , 2
      🔨Bludgeoning Damage.
      6
      🧪Acid Damage.
    • A: Longbow vs Sloppy Ooze,
      ✅26, hit
      , 12
      🏹Piercing Damage.

Kara tries the tumble again but this time the ooze catches her and leaves an acid burn across her calf. Running past Caelum, she turns and sinks an arrow into it.

"Caelum, you're gonna have to keep it busy. I'll pincushion it, but I can't do that if I'm running around the whole time!"

  • Caelum — Move.
    • A: Dodge.
  • Tillo — Dodge.
    • Move.
    • Sticky Ooze — R: Pseudopod vs Tillo
      ⬇️😓Disadvantage, Dodge. Exhaustion, -1.
      ,
      ❌❌Natural 1.

"Grrrr.... fine ok, just do it quick," he says and, stowing his blade, prepares to dodge a pseudopod.

"You heard the lady, move!" Tillo yells at Vulkar as he tumbles past the other ooze in the hopes of leading it towards Kara.

  • Sloppy Ooze — Move.
    • A: Pseudopod vs Caelum
      ⬇️😓Disadvantage, Dodge. Exhaustion, -1.
      ,
      ❌5, miss.
  • Vulkar — Slip turn.
  • Sticky Ooze — Move.
    • A: Dash.

Vulkar settles in to watch the show.

The first ooze slides towards Caelum. He dodges its pseudopod with ease. The other follows Tillo, lashing out, but hte kender is far too quick for it.

"The plan is working... for now..."

Round 4

  • Kara — FA: Marksman's Focus.
    • A: Longbow vs Sloppy Ooze
      ⬆️ Advantage, Marksman's Focus.
      ,
      ✅ 25, hit.
      , 11
      🏹Piercing Damage.
    • Sloppy Ooze
      💔Creature is in Desperation.
  • Caelum — Move.
    • A: Dodge.
  • Tillo — Dodge.
    • Move.
    • Sticky Ooze — R: Pseudopod vs Tillo
      ⬇️😓Disadvantage, Dodge. Exhaustion, -1.
      ,
      ❌15, miss.

Kara pierces the ooze slithering after Caelum with another arrow. The feyling dances around to the other side of the ooze to clear Kara's next shot.

Tillo also keeps moving. The ooze tries to catch him again, and this time he is only just quick enough to escape.

  • Sloppy Ooze — Desperation Save,
    ✅ 14, success.
    , 3
    ❤️HP gained.
    (💔🔚)Creature is no longer in Desperation.
    • A: Pseudopod vs Caelum
      ⬇️😓2Disadvantage, Dodge. Exhaustion, -2.
      ,
      ❌15, miss.
  • Vulkar — Skip turn.
  • Sticky Ooze — A: Pseudopod vs Tillo
    ⬇️😓Disadvantage, Dodge. Exhaustion, -1.
    ,
    ❌15, miss.

The ooze after Caelum seems to recover somewhat, but is still too slow to catch him.

"Hey look at that, you really are dancing," Vulkar mocks.

Kara shoots a glare at him. "Shut up you idiot, at least we can get the job done."

Tillo seems to have got the hang of the dance and is keeping well out of the ooze's reach.

The tactic is indeed working, but resolving this could take forever. So, I'm going to roll a series of hits and then narrate the final result. I'll assume Kara gets her Marksman's Focus every turn. Similarly, the oozes are at disadvantage for every attack.

Round 5

  • Kara — A: Longbow vs Sloppy Ooze
    ⬆️ Advantage, Marksman's Focus.
    ,
    ✅ 21, hit.
    , 10
    🏹Piercing Damage.
    • Sloppy Ooze
      💔Creature is in Desperation.
  • Sloppy Ooze — Desperation Save,
    ❌ 5, one failed save: half speed, Disadvantage on checks, loses Bonus Action.
    • A: Pseudopod vs Caelum
      ⬇️😓3Disadvantage, Dodge. Exhaustion, -3.
      ,
      ❌11, miss.
  • Sticky Ooze — A: Pseudopod vs Tillo
    ⬇️😓Disadvantage, Dodge. Exhaustion, -1.
    ,
    ✅19, hit.
    , 7
    🔨Bludgeoning Damage.
    8
    🧪Acid Damage.

Round 6

  • Kara — A: Longbow vs Sloppy Ooze
    ⬆️ Advantage, Marksman's Focus.
    ,
    ✅ 22, hit.
    , 5
    🏹Piercing Damage.
    , DC 10
    💔 Desperation
    Save,
    ❌2 4, two failed saves: half speed, -2 AC,
    Disadvantage on all checks, rolls, and saves,
    loses Bonus Action.
  • Tillo — BA: Second Wind, 13
    ❤️ HP gained.
  • Sloppy Ooze — Desperation Save,
    ✅ 14, success.
    , 6
    ❤️HP gained.
    (❌2) Still in Desperation with two failed saves.
    • A: Pseudopod vs Caelum
      ⬇️😓3Disadvantage, Dodge. Exhaustion, -3.
      ,
      ❌4, miss.
  • Sticky Ooze — A: Pseudopod vs Tillo
    ⬇️😓Disadvantage, Dodge. Exhaustion, -1.
    ,
    ❌12, miss.

Round 7

  • Kara — A: Longbow vs Sloppy Ooze
    ⬆️ Advantage, Marksman's Focus.
    ,
    ✅✅ Natural 20.
    , 9
    🏹Piercing Damage.
    , DC 10
    💔 Desperation
    Save,
    ✅ 13, success.
  • Sloppy Ooze — Desperation Save,
    ❌3 (😵) 7, three failed saves: Unconscious.
  • Sticky Ooze — A: Pseudopod vs Tillo
    ⬇️😓Disadvantage, Dodge. Exhaustion, -1.
    ,
    ❌7, miss.

Round 8

  • Kara — A: Longbow vs Sloppy Ooze
    ⬆️ Advantage, Marksman's Focus.
    ,
    ✅ 18, hit.
    , 10
    🏹Piercing Damage.
    , DC 10
    💔 Desperation
    Save,
    ❌4 (🩸) 9, four failed saves: Bleeding out.
  • Sloppy Ooze — 4
    🩸Bleeds 4 HP.
    ,
    ⚰️Creature is dead.
  • Sticky Ooze — A: Pseudopod vs Tillo
    ⬇️😓Disadvantage, Dodge. Exhaustion, -1.
    ,
    ❌11, miss.

Round 9

  • Kara — A: Longbow vs Sticky Ooze
    ⬆️ Advantage, Marksman's Focus.
    ,
    ✅ 17, hit.
    , 5
    🏹Piercing Damage.
  • Sticky Ooze — A: Pseudopod vs Tillo
    ⬇️😓Disadvantage, Dodge. Exhaustion, -1.
    ,
    ❌11, miss.

Round 10

  • Kara — A: Longbow vs Sticky Ooze
    ⬆️ Advantage, Marksman's Focus.
    ,
    ✅✅ Natural 20.
    , 9
    🏹Piercing Damage.
    • Sticky Ooze
      💔Creature is in Desperation.
  • Sticky Ooze — Desperation Save,
    ❌ 2, one failed save: half speed, Disadvantage on checks, loses Bonus Action.
    • A: Pseudopod vs Tillo
      ⬇️😓2Disadvantage, Dodge. Exhaustion, -2.
      ,
      ❌3, miss.

Round 11

  • Kara — A: Longbow vs Sticky Ooze
    ⬆️ Advantage, Marksman's Focus.
    ,
    ✅ 20, hit.
    , 8
    🏹Piercing Damage.
    , DC 10
    💔 Desperation
    Save,
    ❌2 4, two failed saves: half speed, -2 AC,
    Disadvantage on all checks, rolls, and saves,
    loses Bonus Action.
  • Sticky Ooze — Desperation Save,
    ✅ 11, success.
    , 6
    ❤️HP gained.
    (❌2) Still in Desperation with two failed saves.
    • A: Pseudopod vs Tillo
      ⬇️😓2Disadvantage, Dodge. Exhaustion, -2.
      ,
      ❌10, miss.

Round 12

  • Kara — A: Longbow vs Sloppy Ooze
    ⬆️ Advantage, Marksman's Focus.
    ,
    ✅ 23, hit
    , 11
    🏹Piercing Damage.
    , DC 10
    💔 Desperation
    Save,
    ❌3 (😵) 9, three failed saves: Unconscious.
  • Sticky Ooze — Desperation Save,
    ❌4 (🩸) 5, four failed saves: Bleeding out.

Round 13

  • Kara — A: Longbow vs Sticky Ooze
    ⬆️ Advantage, Marksman's Focus.
    ,
    ✅ 21, hit.
    , 8
    🏹Piercing Damage.
    • Sticky Ooze
      ⚰️Creature is dead.
  • Encounter ends.
  • 1.0 TP Earned.

After almost a minute, the dance is up. The oozes are dead and everyone—bar Vulkar—is exhausted.

"What a waste... that's a third of my arrows gone."

"I'm sorry Kar," Caelum says. "You did us proud though, without you, we'd be toast."

"He's right," Vulkar says, a look of genuine admiration on his face. Kara takes that as a win.

"To the guard room?"

"Indeed. Onwards." Kara gathers herself follows Caelum.

End Scene

That wasn't very interesting, tactically speaking, but it was a good stress test of Desperation. I really like the system!

"Monsters in the Mine" gets another entry on the Character list. Threads remains unchanged.

Characters

  1. Sir Draven Ironcrest
  2. Orm's Crossing
  3. Darkmantle Mine
  4. Goblins (3)
  5. Monsters in the Mine (2)

Threads

  1. Uncover the reason for the mine's closure
  2. Find the ancient library

After some initial surprise, Caelum and company had a good handle on the situation, so I'll raise the CF.

Chaos Factor: 5

Thank you once again for reading! I hope you've enjoyed it so far. As always, if you have any feedback, I'd love to hear it in the comments or on Reddit.

The next part of this adventure continues in Ruptured Respite. For a full list of chapters, see Darkmantle Delve.

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Comments

  1. Summer31 December 2023 at 17:57

    I wanted to bring up the desperation mechanics, actually! Do they really make sense for oozes? Aren't they like primitive single cell organisms and not really sentient enough to feel desperate? Grey oozes in particular have 1 INT and the rules explicitly state they have "no sense of tactics or self-preservation".

    Maybe I'm not understanding what desperation really means in this context.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mishandled Servitor2 January 2024 at 06:27

      Allow me a quick detour into TTRPG game theory—specifically dissociated mechanics—and then I'll explain.

      "An associated mechanic is one which has a connection to the game world. A dissociated mechanic is one which is disconnected from the game world." (For the origin of this idea and a detailed discussion, see https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/17231/roleplaying-games/dissociated-mechanics-a-brief-primer)

      While I haven't given too much critical thought to whether Desperation is an associated mechanic or not, my gut feeling is that it is. I specifically designed it to represent what I think is likely to happen as creatures take wounds and tire during combat.

      But I think what you're picking up on is that the name makes it seem disassociated, because after all, how can a non-sentient single-celled organism become desperate?

      Desperation then is probably a poor choice of name for the mechanic, but in my internal narrative, the mechanics themselves still have "a connection to the game world."

      I see positive HP more as a creature's stamina (physical and mental). While they have positive HP, they are fighting fit. Their performance does not flag. Then, as they go below 0 (into Desperation), their performance starts to wane.

      Now, whether this is because they're becoming tired, or they've suffered a grievous injury, or—as in the case of the oozes—so much of their matter has been damaged or separated from their bodily mass that they don't function as well any more, the mechanics still do a good job of representing this game world reality.

      Take a look at the effects that Desperation imposes at the different levels; how you narrate these effects can vary quite drastically depending on the creature.

      One: The creature loses its bonus action, its speed is halved, and it has disadvantage on ability checks.
      Two: The creature has disadvantage on all attack rolls and all saving throws against spells, abilities, magical effects, and conditions. It also receives a -2 penalty to AC.
      Three: The creature falls unconscious.
      Four or more: The creature starts bleeding out. It no longer makes desperation saving throws, but rather loses hit points equal to half its Hit Die value at the start of each of its turns.

      The creature is not necessarily becoming 'desperate', they're flagging in performance.

      So again, I think it's my choice of 'Desperation' as the name for the mechanic, rather than the mechanic itself making you think "This doesn't make sense."

      I'm open to suggestions for another name!

      Delete
    2. Summer2 January 2024 at 09:29

      I seeee! Now it makes much more sense. But the name *is* confusing. I spent a few minutes thinking of other possible terms for it, but it's difficult to cover all types of creatures. I'll keep thinking about it. :')

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