Session C17 — The Scarlet Widow

Summary

The session opened mid-combat against grick survivors from C16's ambush. Kavu's Wall of Fire split the battlefield, separating Prince Derendil, Blip Blop, Stool, and Lireal on the wrong side. Othorion fought with Blackrazor and resisted the sword's demand for a killing blow after cutting down the alpha grick. A Grick Lord then erupted from the underground lake, pursued by a tiny green frog person — Doof Mudknuckle, a grung pugilist who had been chasing the creature for food. Roland killed the Grick Lord with his tarrasque-tooth blade, Othorion again resisted Blackrazor's pull, and the party met their strange new companion. Kavu treated Othorion's punctured lung with bandages soaked in healing potion, reducing recovery time. The party rested and set out toward Neverlight Grove, with Selene tracking their stalker — a creature that tested the perimeter of her Longbow of Warning but stayed just outside range. Feminine whispers echoed through the tunnels: "I found you." Lireal identified the stalker from a brief sighting as a female drider — larger than normal, roughly eight feet tall, unensslaved and intelligent. The party pressed forward, entered a bone-strewn cavern, and identified a behir nesting above a cliff from claw marks and lightning scoring on skeletons. Attempting to sneak past, the party failed spectacularly (only Othorion and Prince Derendil succeeded). The behir attacked. Kavu cast Guardian of Faith and ultimately delivered the killing blow with Toll the Dead. Immediately after, Othorion failed a DC 20 Constitution save and went berserk under Blackrazor's influence — turned hostile and triggered Guardian of Faith. Selene critted him with an arrow. Doof grappled and restrained him. Roland healed him with Lay on Hands to prevent death. Kavu then cast Remove Curse — succeeding on the religion check — and broke Othorion's attunement to Blackrazor. The sword rolled from his fingers. Haldak used Mage Hand to move the blade away from everyone. Before the party could regroup, Selene's bow triggered again. She looked up and spotted the Scarlet Widow — the stalking drider — descending from the ceiling on a silken strand, whispering and casting. Selene's Mighty Deed shot severed the web strand, sending the drider crashing to the ground. The Scarlet Widow used a Legendary Action to strike Selene with a Darkfire Bolt (14 damage, plus ongoing 1d6 necrotic on future hits), breaking her concentration on Pass Without Trace. The session ended mid-combat with the Scarlet Widow.

Key Events

Grick Cleanup — Fire and Separation

Combat resumed in the caverns with three injured gricks and one alpha still standing. The party pressed the attack as Othorion stepped forward with Blackrazor, dealing a vicious 25 damage to the alpha. The sword whispered in his mind: "Blood." He pushed deeper, his offhand dagger connecting with a second grick in a cleaving strike.

Kavu, reading the battlefield, raised his hand and summoned a Wall of Fire as a barrier. The spell cut through the cavern like a cleaver, separating Prince Derendil, Blip Blop, Stool, and Lireal to the wrong side. Haldak was inside with the main party but caught by the wall's edge — flames licked across his body, dealing 16 damage before he threw himself clear.

Lireal appeared on the far side of the flames, visibly furious. She summoned Mist and stepped through the Wall of Fire to rejoin the party, her eyes blazing. When she emerged from the flames, smoke curling around her, she looked directly at Kavu: "We are going to talk about this later."

The Grung Pugilist and the Fleeing Grick Lord

A massive shape erupted from the underground lake — a Grick Lord, thrashing and fleeing from something. Behind it, screaming across the water, came a tiny green grung with blue spots, his voice high and furious: "Fight me! Stop running, coward!"

The grung pulled himself onto the shore, gasping for breath. This was Doof Mudknuckle — a pugilist with a constant look of not being there, except in combat. His only concern was the Grick Lord and his dinner.

Kavu dropped his concentration on the Wall of Fire, letting it collapse so the party could regroup. The Grick Lord was now the main threat.

Roland drew his longbow and fired. The shot went wide. He fired again — another miss, his exhaustion making every movement sluggish, minus 6 to his accuracy. Behind him, Selene fired simultaneously from her position, creating the illusion that Roland's arrows had landed. Kavu and Othorion noticed the sleight of hand — Selene covering for her captain's failing aim.

Doof had reached the Grick Lord and struck with his fists, his grung skin toxin burning the creature — Poison Touch. Othorion followed with Blackrazor, 28 damage shearing through the Grick Lord's bulk.

The sword demanded: "Get the killing blow or else."

Othorion felt the compulsion like a hook in his chest. He gritted his teeth and resisted, pushing back against the blade's hunger. His hand trembled as he held the weapon.

Roland stepped in and delivered the killing blow — his tarrasque-tooth sword smiting the creature in a spray of black ichor. The Grick Lord collapsed.

For a moment, silence. Then Othorion felt the sword pull again, harder this time. He made a DC 18 Constitution save and resisted — shaking with effort, he started to raise Blackrazor toward Roland in raw anger. His hand stopped. He sheathed the sword with a shudder.

Meeting Doof

Doof Mudknuckle immediately walked to the Grick Lord corpse and began tearing pieces off, stuffing them in his mouth. "Doof hungry."

Kavu approached cautiously. "Are you okay? Did it hurt you?"

Doof continued eating, unbothered. He spoke in broken Common and Grung — a language none of the party understood. When asked his name: "Doof." When asked how long he'd been chasing the grick: "No sun. Can't tell." When asked how he ended up in the Underdark: "Doof don't remember."

Haldak extended his hand to shake. Doof took it. Haldak immediately felt his palm burn from the grung's toxic skin — 3 poison damage, which his resistance halved. He introduced the party, gesturing to each member. When he got to Lireal, he said, "And the guy over here."

Lireal was not pleased.

The party invited Doof to travel with them. He tilted his head, considering.

"Is there more fights?" he asked.

"Oh look, yes," someone replied.

"Good." Doof settled by the campfire as the party made preparations. Within moments, he fell asleep, glazed-eyed and snoring.

Treatment and Recovery — Othorion's Punctured Lung

The alpha grick had scored a critical hit earlier, and the wound was severe — a triangular, ragged tear in Othorion's chest, visible lung inflation. Recovery could take weeks if left untreated.

Kavu examined the wound with care. Using medical training, inspired by Haldak's guidance, and with advantage from his companions' help, he soaked bandages in a healing potion and carefully wrapped the wound. His fingers moved with precision as he secured each layer.

He succeeded on the medicine check. The wound began to stabilize. The lingering injury duration dropped from 6 days to 4 days — a significant recovery.

Kavu tied a neat bow in the bandages to secure them, then stepped back. Lireal offered to watch over Othorion: "I do have some experience with sucking chest wounds."

The party rested. When morning came, Roland still carried 5 levels of exhaustion — every action felt distant, like moving through water. The long rest had helped, but not enough.

The March South — Tracks and Whispers

Stool pointed south toward Neverlight Grove, and the party set out. Selene led with a survival check, and 500 meters from camp, she found them: tracks. Spider-like. Originating from the north, following from behind.

The party pressed forward through tunnels with holes in floors, walls, and ceilings. The stalker was moving through parallel passages. Selene's Longbow of Warning triggered briefly at close range — something testing the perimeter, staying just outside trigger distance.

Selene cast Pass Without Trace. The tracks continued anyway. Othorion used darkvision to scan the main cavern but saw nothing in the darkness.

Then the whispers began. Feminine. Coming from all directions at once.

"I found you."

"I can't get too close."

"The blue one's weapon — it makes noise." (referring to Selene's Longbow of Warning)

"I'm coming for you."

The stalker had identified the bow as a threat and was staying just beyond its trigger range. The party debated fighting back versus fleeing. The decision came quickly: pick up the pace and try to lose it.

First Sighting — The Unensslaved Drider

The party emerged into a larger cavern. There, lurching to a halt in a large hole in the wall, was a creature. The party caught a glimpse before it moved — a female drider, approximately 8 feet tall standing.

Lireal identified it immediately. "Not a normal drider." She explained: driders are typically enslaved male servants in drow society, kept as genderless workers. This one was female. This one was independent. This one was intelligent.

Othorion had seen driders before — during his ambush in Neverwinter. Kefkas had encountered them as well. Both recognized the danger.

The drider cackled from its perch. "I'm going to get you."

Then it retreated into the darkness.

Selene made a survival check at the fork in the road ahead and chose the correct path. The party continued forward, toward the bone-strewn cavern ahead.

The Behir's Nest — Lightning and Bones

The cavern was a graveyard. Bones. Stalagmites. Fungus. A cliff leading up to an alcove carved into the stone.

Selene investigated the bones. Large creature. Three-pronged claw marks. Lightning scoring — deep, scorch-black lines running across the skeletons.

Lireal knew what they were looking at. "Behir." A serpentine predator — part centipede, part dragon, part lightning storm. Twelve three-clawed legs. Up to 40 feet long. Drow hunting parties from Menzoberranzan hunt them for their valuable lightning organs.

The party was about to walk through its territory.

Kavu spotted a faint glow from the cliff alcove above. Something was moving up there.

The party formed up and attempted to sneak past with Selene's Pass Without Trace. The stealth checks came in — and nearly everyone failed. Only Othorion and Prince Derendil succeeded. The rest of the party crashed through the cavern like an avalanche.

The behir roared and lunged from its alcove.

Kavu raised his hand and spoke a prayer. Guardian of Faith shimmered into existence at the chokepoint — a celestial figure materializing in the center of the cavern.

The spirit spoke: "Finally, Emperion is unleashed again! It has been a long time, my friend!"

The behir struck at the guardian repeatedly, taking damage with each assault. Doof attempted to grapple the massive serpent but couldn't get leverage against such a creature. The battle extended, turn after turn, the party pressing their attacks.

Finally, Kavu raised his voice in an incantation. Toll the Dead — a giant bell summoned above the behir's head. He shouted to Othorion: "Use this!"

The behir fell.

Blackrazor Unbound — Curse and Control

Immediately after the behir died, Othorion failed a DC 20 Constitution save.

Blackrazor demanded what it had been denied in the Grick Lord fight: a killing blow.

Othorion's eyes rolled back. He turned, and his friends were suddenly his enemies. The Guardian of Faith reacted to him as a hostile creature and struck him with holy fire. The party watched in horror as one of their own became a threat.

Haldak cast Lesser Restoration in good faith, hoping it might help — it didn't. The curse was too deep.

Kefkas used Silvery Barbs to help Othorion miss his riposte attack, deflecting the blade away from a nearby ally.

Selene drew her bow. "I'm sorry," she whispered, and fired. A critical hit. 23 damage. Othorion dropped to 0 HP with two failed death saves.

Doof moved without hesitation. His small frame was faster than it had any right to be — he grappled Othorion, pinning him and his sword hand to the ground.

Roland stepped forward and placed her hand on Othorion's chest. Lay on Hands — 1 HP. Just enough to stabilize him without waking him.

Lireal attempted a Mighty Deed to sever his sword hand. She missed. Blip Blop threw a net. Also missed — Blackrazor cut clean through the webbing.

The sword lay in Othorion's clenched fist, indestructible, hungry.

Kavu stepped forward. There was no hesitation in his voice. He began casting a spell that no one had ever attempted in this party: Remove Curse.

The GM paused the game. "This is a Religion or Arcana check. A natural 1 and the curse transfers to you. Any other number, you succeed."

Kavu rolled.

He succeeded.

Blackrazor's attunement shattered like glass. Othorion's fingers opened. The sword rolled from his hand and clattered across the stone floor.

Kavu raised his voice in triumph: "I removed the curse! He's good! Get him away from the sword!"

Haldak used Mage Hand to scoop Blackrazor off the ground and move it away from everyone, placing it against the far wall of the cavern. The party debated securing it — Bag of Holding was suggested, but Haldak left it where it lay.

The Scarlet Widow Descends

While the party was still in initiative, still catching their breath, Selene's Longbow of Warning triggered.

She looked up.

Descending from the ceiling on a silken strand was the drider. The female drider. The one they'd glimpsed before. Larger than the last sighting. Whispering. Casting.

"I found you," came the whisper from above.

Othorion, prone on the ground, looked up between party members and saw her coming.

Selene drew and fired in one smooth motion. Mighty Deed — she shot the silken strand.

The drider made a DC 18 Dexterity save. She succeeded, twisting her body as the strand severed. She fell — 15 feet, 20 feet — and hit the ground hard.

But she landed on her feet. All eight of them. She skittered like Shelob, twirled, and hissed directly at Selene, her pedipalps raised.

Then she moved. Legendary Action: Darkfire Bolt. Arcane fire streaked across the cavern and struck Selene for 14 damage. The spell carried a secondary effect — ongoing 1d6 necrotic damage on future hits.

Selene failed her concentration save. Pass Without Trace ended.

The session ended mid-combat. The Scarlet Widow had arrived.

NPCs Encountered

Loot / Discoveries

Party Notes

• Roland: 5 levels of exhaustion; longbow attack missed both shots (Selene covered); used tarrasque-tooth sword to kill Grick Lord; Lay on Hands to stabilize Othorion; physically struggling but still leading
• Othorion: Punctured lung (4 days remaining after Kavu's treatment); resisted Blackrazor twice during grick fight; failed DC 20 save after behir and went berserk; Blackrazor attunement broken by Remove Curse; freed from the sword for the first time since attunement; downed by Selene's crit, stabilized by Roland; visceral pain lingering injury from Selene's arrow
• Kavu: Wall of Fire separated Lireal, Prince Derendil, Blip Blop, and Stool from the party (Haldak burned by the edge); delivered behir killing blow; successfully cast Remove Curse on Othorion — the pivotal moment of the session; treated Othorion's punctured lung; fell asleep in an ash pile
• Haldak: Inside with the party during Wall of Fire but burned by its edge (16 damage); poisoned by Doof's handshake (3 damage, resisted); cast Lesser Restoration on berserk Othorion (didn't help); used Mage Hand to move Blackrazor away; introduced Lireal as "the guy" (she was furious)
• Kefkas: Used Silvery Barbs multiple times (key save against Othorion's riposte); hit grick with Emberwake for 13 damage; posted Echo between party and berserk Othorion
• Doof: First session; chased Grick Lord into camp; poisoned it; grappled and restrained berserk Othorion; confused by everything happening around him; fell asleep on the floor immediately
• Selene: Covered Roland's missed longbow shots; tracked stalker; recast Pass Without Trace; critical hit on berserk Othorion (23 damage); Mighty Deed severed Scarlet Widow's web strand; hit by Darkfire Bolt (14 damage + necrotic rider); lost concentration on Pass Without Trace
• Lireal: Misty Stepped past Wall of Fire; angry at Kavu for splitting the party; identified behir; attempted Mighty Deed on Othorion's sword hand (missed); sarcastic throughout

Threads Opened / Advanced

NEW THREADS OPENED

• The Scarlet Widow: Female drider stalking the party — who is she? Why is she targeting them? Why is she independent and not enslaved? Does she have a connection to Othorion's drow heritage? Session ended mid-combat.

• Blackrazor Unbound: The sword is loose, unattached, and sitting on a cavern floor. Its curse remains. It spoke through spores: "If I can't have damsels, I will have yours." Who or what will it try to claim next?

• Emperion: Kavu's Guardian of Faith has a name and a voice. "It has been a long time, my friend." What is the relationship between Kavu and this entity?

ADVANCED THREADS

• Othorion's Possession and Recovery: RESOLVED — Kavu's Remove Curse broke the attunement. Othorion is free of Blackrazor for the first time. Physical recovery ongoing (punctured lung, visceral pain, arrow wound from Selene).

• Blackrazor Containment: No longer on Othorion's person but not safely contained. Party debated Bag of Holding vs. other options. Sword demonstrated it can influence through speech (spore communication) even when not held.

• Roland's Exhaustion Crisis: Down to 5 levels; still severely impaired. Longbow attack penalties visible to the party (Selene covered for him).

• Neverlight Grove Journey: Party continuing south toward Stool's home. Selene navigating. Now between two threats: the Scarlet Widow behind/above them and whatever awaits at the Grove.

• The Stalker: Confirmed as the Scarlet Widow. Has been following since C16 spider silk discovery. Now in direct combat.

Session Summary

A session of escalating tension that began with a grick cleanup and ended with the party caught between a freed cursed sword and a Legendary drider. Doof Mudknuckle joined the party in spectacular fashion — a grung pugilist chasing a Grick Lord through an underground lake. The behir encounter forced a failed stealth attempt and a pitched battle. But the session's defining moment came when Othorion finally lost control of Blackrazor after the behir fight, and Kavu — the party's small, one-armed kobold cleric — stepped forward and cast Remove Curse, breaking the sword's hold. It was the culmination of sessions of tension around Blackrazor's growing influence. The celebration was short-lived: the Scarlet Widow chose that exact moment of vulnerability to strike, descending from the ceiling on a strand of silk. The session ended with the party in combat, scattered, low on resources, and facing a creature with Legendary Actions.

Key Milestone: Kavu successfully cast Remove Curse, freeing Othorion from Blackrazor's attunement.
Key Introduction: Doof Mudknuckle (grung pugilist, guest PC) and the Scarlet Widow (female drider, Legendary enemy).
Status Heading Forward: Mid-combat with the Scarlet Widow; Blackrazor loose on the cavern floor; Othorion freed but wounded; Roland still at 5 exhaustion; Selene marked by Darkfire Bolt; party resources depleted.