"The Monstrous Mine" (RT2x04) is the sixteenth episode of The Re-Slayer's Take. The Re-Slayers and their reluctant ally, Xella Blacktongue, find themselves trapped between a rock and a hard place: deep within an abandoned mine with a ghostly behemoth looming.
Synopsis[]
Poogs is alarmed by the disadvantage that the lack of water gives them (since the mines are a vulnerable place for them against the landshark), and when Frog analyzes the mushrooms and confirms their connection with Putridius, Timpani comments that Osysa had compared the dark druid to spreading mycelium. However, the firbolg can't tell if the purple fungus is what has remained of the Timberblight or a recent creation because he is still alive. Listening to Poogs and his concerns, Farah suggests that they unclog the river's flow, and Xella agrees, so Heera shows her confidence by releasing him from her Comand spell. The artificer uses his armor to fire his lightning cannon, determining that the mushroom plug is thick. Heera gives Farah her crossbow, but she is still unable to take solid form; she, however, asks Poogs to put her sleep-inducing cupcakes inside her jelly form, and starts moving in the direction of the monster's screams, telling the goblin to stay with the rest when he starts following her.
Frog and Xella hit the fungus, covered by Timpani's Fog Cloud, and water starts flowing slowly. Heera is hidden and prepared to attack the landshark the moment it appears, although she feels observed; when the creature emerges, it bites Farah's oozy form, and the marionettes inside it fail to pull her in. Xella attacks the monster with acid, although he gets burned by its lava breath, while Sasha screams inside its body, where the spectral vines are draining her; Heera attacks one of the marionette bulbs outside the creature's body, destroying it with Booming Blade; after locating Sasha, Farah, with some effort, manages to regain her physical body and activates her Rite of the Dawn. Poogs checks on Frog, who finally manages to destroy enough fungus to restore the river, although she is taken away by the current (which extinguishes the flames that burn Xella). The landshark tries to burrow through the ceiling to avoid the water, while Xella (after being healed by Timpani) attacks it again; Heera, replicating the sound of water with Thaumaturgy, tricks the monster into coming back, although it falls on top of her. Farah tries to free Sasha from the vines, unsuccessfully, Frog Extracts Aspects to confirm the landshark's resistances, and Xella casts Faerie Fire on it; the creature, in response, uses its lava breath again, burning Frog and Timpani. Heera, after receiving a protective ward from Poogs and a Healing Word from Timpani, tells the goblin to move away to stay safe (he obeys, although somewhat hurt), after which she leaps and attacks the last marionette bulb, destroying the monster and its vines, freeing Sasha, and absorbing the spectral energy thanks to her Dark One's Blessing, which causes her chain marks to become more visible.
Sasha can't get healed at first, and when Frog helps examine her, using her new piece, she determines that she is being affected by a Contagion spell, so Timpani casts Lesser Restoration. The half-orc wakes up, alarmed and hungry, but relieved to be free and see that Xella is okay. As they leave, Sasha (protected by a cautious Xella) explains how she was captured and how while she was inside the monster, serving as fuel, she felt furious but at the same time very weak; Farah comments that she remembers seeing a similar phenomenon with a captain affected by his own ship. Xella, grateful for the Re-Slayers' help, rewards them with items from the workshop: a golden wand for Heera, Graviturgy Boots for Farah, and the Scrapfinding Compass for Frog (who Identifies it she realizes it will help her find any Aeorian piece that isn't being carried like her own). Xella's bat returns to give Heera her egg back and then it examines Sasha to make sure she is ok; Frog, remembering her conversation with Sasha, tells him that if he still wants to examine her he can, but he says he has other priorities at the moment (Sasha blushes when Frog asks if she is the priority). The artificer decides to tell the adventurers about a gnomish village nearby in which something strange is going on, and before they leave, he gives them one final piece of advice: not to keep secrets from each other for too long. They assure they don't know what he means, but as they are leaving Heera looks at a mirror and for a moment she sees her mother in the reflection, looking at her; when it is over she joins the conversation about how there are no secrets in the group. Xella, for his part, leaves with Sasha, declaring that he wants them to go somewhere nice.
Epilogue[]
In his swamp, Gurt returns to his cabin with his green lantern, but Heldwell is waiting for him inside, paralyzing him with Hold Person, and declaring he has found him thanks to the Spectral Hand. He approaches the light, showing his physically corrupted appearance, as well as his strange shadow, and after teasing the dwarf about the place where he lives, he throws him against the wall and runs away, taking the lantern with him. Gurt tries to follow the wizard, shouting that he doesn't know anything about the item, although Grimm disagrees. After the intruder crosses the portal in the tree it closes, and when Gurt tries to open it again it catches fire, causing him to panic, since it is his only way out of there. Back in the Vesper Timberland, the Timberblight, satisfied with Heldwell's newest acquisition, laughs.
Featured characters[]
Re-Slayers[]
Returning[]
- Gurt Stumpstuck
- Grimm Heldwell
- Putridius Festerkin (voice only)
- Xella Blacktongue
- Micah, his mechanical bat
New[]
- Sasha, Xella's bodyguard and friend, a half-orc warrior
Mentioned[]
- Idrin Shadowstep (unnamed)
- Janet
- Osysa
- Spectral Hand
Quotations[]
Trivia[]
References[]
Art:
- ↑ Re-Slayer's Take S2 promotional art, by Elaine Tipping (source). Used with permission.
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