Recap 6- Out on a Ledge

Season 1: Golden Oak

Episode 6: Out on a Ledge

Scene: The Underground Lake

The scene opens on the Fearsome Four standing on the rocky shore of an underground lake. They have discovered (by way of flaming javelin) that it is about 300 ft across to the other shore and that the Cultist they have been chasing seemed to have been on the other shore but has since disappeared. DJ Saul gets a call from his Shroom Guy (surprised he gets reception down here)  The lake of trash and sewage smells so bad, everyone can taste it on their tongue. On either side of the lake is a ledge about 15 ft above the water and just wide enough for a single person to pass. 50 ft out from the shore the Four are standing on, something is moving in the water... Sandro hears a voice in his head that says "hungry." Suddenly, the Hooded Cultist appears above the doorway the Four entered through, flips a hidden switch, and a grate slams down over the doorway, locking the Four in the chamber. She telepathically screams at the Four, "YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!! NOW I'M GOING TO KILL ALL OF YOU!" and disappears again.

Silyana is quick to action and throws an Acid Splash in the lake for cover as she ushers the other three up on to the right/east ledge. Sandro once again hears the voice in his head say, "hungry" but this time it sounds a little shocked and angry (probably from being Acid Splashed). Sandro, of course, connects this telepathic voice with whatever is in the water. As the Four file out on to the ledge, the Cultist appears in the air out over the water about 30 ft away from the ledge and begins Eldritch Blasting the Four like its a warlock shooting gallery. Saxon tosses a javelin in her direction, clipping her shoulder but really only succeeding in further angering the Cultist. She is attempting to use the knockback from her Eldritch Blast to send the Four into the lake below. Silyana nearly goes down but manages to catch herself at the last moment. Sily returns the Cultist's fire with Ray of Frost, using her own Misty Step to put her at a better firing angle. Sandro continues to be contacted by the thing in the water, which curiously takes little action but seems to expect Sandro to feed it like a duck at a public park. The Cultist takes a shot at Sandro but his quick reflexes allow him to dodge, keep his balance, and return fire with a rock that he bounces off of her hood.

The Cultist has taken quite a few hits and is herself in danger of plummeting into the fetid, stagnant water below. She and Silyana trade a few more cantrips as Sandro and Saxon make their way along the ledge, discovering an opening in the rock wall about halfway to the other shore. As Sandro and Saxon reach the opening, the Cultist Shatters the ledge behind them, hitting Silyana and trapping her and Saul on the other side of an 8 ft gap in the walkway. Silyana Misty Steps across the gap and reaches the opening with Saxon and Sandro, leaving Saul behind (classic Sily). As Saxon, Sandro, and Sily reach the opening they see it leads to another tunnel about 10 ft in diameter but they are faced with two very elderly-looking Albacans who both seem to be horrified by what is going on here.

Cut to Credits

That's it! A short one and we end on a literal cliffhanger!

I will save meta-judgements for the next recap since this session was short and we only got about halfway into the fight (my bad). I liked Sily's take charge attitude this session and the fact that an Inspiration re-roll may have saved her life (it took Advantage and Inspiration for her not to fall into the lake when she was hit by the Cultist!  Phil, don't ever let your dice know you're rolling a Dex check, they seem to underperform in those situations.)  The Cultist has really put herself at a tactical advantage by bringing the fight to this specific place but you all are still holding your own, how are you going to finish her off?? Oh yeah, and someone should probably save DJ Saul. Does he know how to Misty Step?

I gues we'll find out...

-back to The Golden Oak Campaign