Blossom Fall, Episode 16

Colonial Caerdia: Blossom Fall is a story being told through a 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign I'm running at a local hobby shop called the Devil's Bench. If you aren't already familiar with this series, you can find the beginning over here.

You can find the previous episode here.

9th of Waning Spring, 0 AL

Having recently tussled with gnolls, our band of adventurers - while searching for treasure - find in one of the only fully-intact stone huts that remains a hatch leading down into... somewhere. They head down into a dark, angular stone room with a door, an exit into another room, and a hallway leading up to more doors. John and Vala are interested in exploring up the hallway, but before they can get very far, Jojen and I'Un open the door, discovering a very wide corridor running to the left and right, with another door on the far side. And strange, hissing little green humanoids with animals as big green animals.

At the sight of these strangers, the creatures charge in to attack. I'Un and Jojen immediately retreat, back up the stairs to the surface, feeling that the group isn't ready for a fight. The other three, however, decide to stay and fight. Vala finds that the small plant-like creatures go down fairly easily, but is surprised when they get back up, their wounds closing. Luckily, with Luna's magic, they discover that the creatures wounds stay open if they've been burned.

Though this discovery gives them an edge, they are still carrying wounds from the last battle. When Luna goes down, they decide it's time to retreat, pulling her up the stairs with them, leaving two enemies behind. They make it out, slamming the hatch shut and putting a heavy rock atop it. Vala and John then both assault Jojen, angry that he left them to die and didn't help in the battle. I'Un had at least come to help with the retreat, and he was heavily wounded.

The group, irritable and beat-up, settle down for a good long rest that takes them into the night, during which Jojen makes a brief prayer that he be delivered from this group that so readily turns on him without any provocation whatsoever.

When they are all up an about again, Luna cries out in alarm - Salmon, the tiny dragon that hatched from her egg, is missing! The last time she saw it was before the battle. Wanting to find the little lost dragon, and interested in killing the last two of those green creatures so they can explore the region more, the group once again descends below ground.

Call though they might, there is no sign of Salmon. What's worse is that when they head out into the wide corridor, they find another group of those green creatures - and these ones have been waiting for them. They attempt to strategically funnel the creatures through the doorway, but they don't fall for it - and one of them releases a cloud of spores that poisons Vala and Luna. So, they charge into battle - luckily, this time they know to use fire and, after a tough battle, they come out victorious.


And that's where this week's game session comes to an end. Come back week to find out what happens next in Episode 17.