- Party continued trekking through Shadowfell towards the Gothic Baroque spire built into the mountainside
- The spire is surrounded by a lava-filled moat approximately 150 feet wide
- A single guarded bridge leads to the castle entrance
- Two guards stationed at the bridge: one tall and thin, one squat like a dwarf
- Lucius used the broom of flying to scout the castle from above
- Observed significant activity inside the castle
- On the back side of the spire, discovered 36 distinct camps arrayed in a circle, maintaining distance from each other
- On a second, lower pass to check for banners, took an arrow in the shoulder from castle defenders
- Camps had distinct banners, including one with a gun-shaped emblem and another that was bloody red
- Party approached the bridge on foot
- At 60 feet, guards hailed them to state their intentions
- At 40 feet, a warning arrow landed at their feet when they continued approaching
- Guards stated: “The castle is closed to 36 chamber business only”
- Party decided to investigate the camps instead
- Party attempted to approach a dark elf camp within 200 feet using stealth
- Lucius critically failed the stealth check
- Three dark elves on horseback immediately spotted the party and blew a bugle
- When questioned about which chamber they hailed from, the party claimed to be from “the Wu Chamber”
- Guards didn’t believe the defection story but decided to take them to their master, believing they must have valuable information
- Party was tied up and brought to Master Flo’s tent
- Master Flo appeared as a young, stressed dark elf (late teenager)
- Lucius decided to be completely honest, explaining:
- The party arrived from a different plane
- They found themselves near the castle and camps
- Their journey involved the Piano Man, an elevator, and traveling through different planes
- Master Flo was impressed by their honesty and stated they could be very useful
- Master Flo explained the 36 chambers are remnants of the War against Hippity Hops (aka “hip-hop”) that occurred hundreds of years ago
- Master Flo has successfully consolidated seven chambers under their leadership
- Goal: convince delegates from remaining chambers at a castle meeting to “rise up and restore the honor that was stolen”
- Master Flo planned to “invoke the mystery” at the neutral ground castle meeting
- “The mystery” is an ancient tradition among the hip-hops that calls for a binding battle with champions
- Party agreed to help Master Flo
- Master Flo brought the party into the castle as part of their entourage
- The meeting took place in a Roman Senate-style coliseum room
- Opposing faction was a mixed group: elves, dark elves, dwarves, bone creatures, and devils
- A handsome devil served as the main speaker for the opposition
- The devil argued they should live in peace and not seek war, jeering at Flo’s faction
- Feeling their words falling on deaf ears, Master Flo invoked “the mystery”
- The opposing side accepted and declared the challenge would be “chess boxing”
- Opposition’s champion: a gigantic toad creature the size of an elephant
- Two legs, four tentacles, three eye stalks, and a prehensile tongue
- Master Flo served as the party’s corner person
- Chess boxing format: Alternating rounds of physical combat and speed chess
- Chess: Party played as a team against the champion (approximately 1 minute per chess round)
- For every piece captured in chess, the team gains buffs for the next combat rounds:
- Pawn: Take a free disengage action or move 10ft without provoking opportunity attacks.
- Knight: Teleport to any unoccupied space within 30ft that is in an “L” shape from current position.
- Bishop: For 1 round, melee attacks deal an extra 1d8 Psychic damage.
- Rook: A player can swap places with an ally within 60ft. Both gain +3 AC until the start of their next turn.
- Queen: One player takes an extra action. The opponent “Tentacle” attacks have disadvantage for 1 round.
- Checking the king stuns the toad for one combat round
- Round 1 chess: Party did not capture any pieces, opponent captured one pawn
- Round 1 combat:
- Toad moved toward Lucius and attempted to grab him with its tongue
- Lucius succeeded on a Strength saving throw to resist
- Harloc cast Spiritual Weapon (missed) and Level 3 Fireball for 31 damage
- Damage seemed “not very effective” against the toad
- Louis cast Maxim Millions Earth and Grasp (failed to affect the toad)
- Round 2 chess: Party captured a knight and one more pawn, and checked the king twice, stunning the toad
- Round 2 combat:
- Harloc’s Spiritual Weapon hit for 4 damage
- Harloc cast Level 2 Guiding Bolt for 16 radiant damage (with advantage due to stun)
- Lucius attempted Suggestion to make the toad play poorly at chess (passed Wisdom save)
- Louis cast Ice Knife, dealing 10 cold damage total
- Round 3 chess: Party debated strategy for positioning and piece trades, ultimately took a pawn with the queen
- Round 3 combat:
- Toad no longer stunned (no advantage on attacks)
- Harloc’s Spiritual Weapon and Guiding Bolt both missed
- Lucius attempted another Suggestion (failed again)
- Louis cast Erupting Earth for 28 bludgeoning damage (toad failed save)
- Toad moved through difficult terrain and bit Lucius
- Lucius was swallowed whole, becoming blinded and restrained inside the toad’s stomach
- Took 16 damage from the bite
- Acid damage would occur on subsequent turns
- Round 4 chess: Party held two pawns and one knight as available buffs, executed strategy to trade pieces and check the king
- Round 4 combat:
- Lucius, while restrained and blinded inside the toad, cast Thunderwave
- Harloc’s Spiritual Weapon dealt 10 damage
- Lucius used the knight’s “leap of faith” ability to teleport out of the toad in an L-shape, moving 30 feet toward companions
- Harloc cast Level 3 Guiding Bolt for 18 radiant damage
- Louis cast Shatter (toad succeeded on Constitution 16 save with a roll of 26)
- Louis positioned himself in front of Lucius to protect him
- Round 5 chess: minor pieces traded, no checks.
- Round 5 combat:
- Toad used multi-attack with its two remaining tentacles
- Both attacks hit, grappling both Lucius and Louis
- Lucius took 14 damage and fell unconscious while grappled
- Louis took 10 damage
- Harloc’s Spiritual Weapon attacked for 10 damage
- Lucius received Level 2 Healing Word, restoring 9 hit points and regaining consciousness
- Lucius, still grappled, cast Magic Missile for 10 damage (auto-hit)
- Louis cast Erupting Earth (toad failed Dexterity 16 save)
- Dealt 20 bludgeoning damage
- Tentacles released both characters
- Both Lucius and Louis used pawns to disengage and move maximum distance away
- Final round chess:
- Party worked to develop remaining pieces
- Moved knight forward and rook to D column to force trades
- After a series of strategic moves, achieved checkmate by moving the queen diagonally to the back row
- Victory: The toad champion was defeated, Master Flo’s faction won the chess boxing challenge
Rewards
- 1250 XP per player
- Retain 1 bishop, 1 rook, and 1 queen to use in future battles