The Obsidian Web: Session 5 - The Bloodied Crucible & The Whispering Spire

 

Session 5: The Bloodied Crucible & The Whispering Spire - The Tavern Challenge 

Setting the Scene: The Blood & Bet

The air in The Blood & Bet, the raucous tavern directly adjacent to The Bloodied Crucible (Area 15), is thick with the smell of cheap fungus-brew, stale sweat, and the electric anticipation of impending violence. Even within these grimy walls, the distant roar of the arena crowd is a constant, thrumming backdrop. Hard-carved tables are scarred with centuries of blade marks, and the dim, flickering glow of fungi lamps illuminates boisterous Drow, off-duty guards, and grizzled gladiators swapping boasts and coin.

Amidst the din, the hulking, one-eyed figure of Brak "Spinebreaker" dominates a section of the tavern. He's near a heavily used betting slab, his massive, scarred hands sifting through piles of coin and precious stones. He's clearly the master of these illicit gambits, his keen eye assessing every potential wager. He sees you, and a predatory smile stretches across his face.

The Rival Encounter & The Duel Proposed - With Stakes Attached

Suddenly, a shift in the tavern's energy. A palpable tension descends as the rival faction's champions stride in. Their presence chills the room, their eyes sweeping over the patrons with disdain or cold assessment.

(DM's Note: Choose the appropriate faction's entrance based on PC alignment, as previously discussed.)

A pointed remark, a sneering challenge, or a deliberate provocation cuts through the tavern's din, aimed directly at your group. The verbal jabs escalate rapidly, insults flying back and forth, until the leader of the rival champions steps forward, their gaze fixed on your party.

• Rival Leader: (Valen'ra Mizzrym for Vrael PCs; Thalin for Mizzrym PCs) Their voice cuts through the rising tension, clear and commanding. "Words are wind in this city. True power is demonstrated in blood, in the roar of the crowd! Your faction [or your kind] makes bold claims. Let us settle this not with petty squabbles, but with a display worthy of the Spider Queen's notice! A duel, here, in the Crucible itself!"

Brak "Spinebreaker" barrels forward, his single eye gleaming with opportunistic delight. "A duel, eh? Now that's what I call entertainment! But no fight of champions goes unwagered! What stakes, worthy of such a contest, shall we see placed on this arena floor?"

The Wager: Your First Test, Their Hidden Hand

The challenge isn't just to fight; it's to wager. This is your immediate opportunity to define not just the fight, but the very nature of your current mission. The wager is a negotiation, a test of your cunning and nerve as much as the duel itself.

• Proposing the Stakes (Player Agency): Brak eyes both parties, waiting for the first offer. What are you willing to put on the line? What do you demand if you win? This is where your earlier discoveries come into play.
  • (For Vrael Path PCs): Driven by the horrors subtly hinted at (gnomes as "cattle," Mizzrym's dark rituals), you might demand: "If we win, you reveal the location of the eastern lower pens and allow safe passage for any there!" or "If we win, you cease this abomination of feeding the innocent to beasts for sport!" (This is a dangerous, direct challenge). Or perhaps, more subtly: "If we win, you provide full access to your House records regarding your 'unforeseen complications' and 'deliveries' to the arena!" (Connecting to the Rogue's hook).
  • (For Mizzrym Path PCs): Tasked with asserting dominance and crushing dissent, you might propose: "If we win, you guarantee no further interference with the arena's scheduled events, and surrender any 'problematic' elements you've harbored!" (Subtly aiming at Mouse's network). Or: "If we win, you forfeit a significant sum that will be used to reinforce security around the holding pens!"
• The Rival's Counter-Offer / Accepted Terms: The rival leader will either accept your proposed wager or counter with their own, equally significant terms. They might try to bait you, offering a high-value item, or demand something that would severely cripple your own faction's plans.
  • A DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) check might influence their acceptance or rejection of your terms, or lead them to reveal a more telling counter-offer.
  • A DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check could discern their true intentions behind their proposed wager, or identify a tell if they are hiding something about the conditions or true stakes.

The tension in The Blood & Bet is palpable as the wager is debated and ultimately agreed upon. Brak "Spinebreaker" grins, stamping his approval on the betting slab. The arena's gates stand open, ready for the main event.

The Arena Combat

The roar of the crowd is deafening as you step into the vast, open-air arena. The Drow spectators fill the tiered seating, a sea of dark forms illuminated by the eerie glow of bioluminescent banners. The air vibrates with their bloodlust, their shouts for pain and spectacle. The opposing champions stand ready, their expressions a mix of grim determination and eager cruelty, mirroring your own faction's chosen path.

(DM Note: Before initiating combat, remind yourself of the Mizzrym and Vrael Champion stat blocks you'll be using, and the detailed combat tactics. This is where your preparations from earlier will shine!)

The match begins.

The champions immediately employ their precise, coordinated tactics:

• The casters (Succubus and Bone Naga, reskinned for either side) focus their spells, attempting to charm or hold your party's melee fighters, neutralizing your frontline.
• Simultaneously, the strikers (Gladiator and Gnoll Fang of Yeenoghu, reskinned for either side) bypass the controlled combatants. They charge your vulnerable casters and squishier characters, unleashing a torrent of focused attacks to take them down quickly.
• The casters then re-apply control, heal their melee allies, and continue to eliminate your party one by one.

This is a brutal, high-stakes fight. The opposing champions are cunning and relentless, showcasing superior teamwork and a clear strategy. They fight to defeat, to incapacitate, to put on a terrifying show of dominance. The Drow crowd roars its approval, jeering at every stumble and cheering every devastating blow.

• If you are House Vrael (Good Path): You fight with grim determination, witnessing firsthand the brutality your enemies embody. Every blow you land is for the freedom of the gnomes, every spell a defiant spark against the darkness. The fight itself is a necessary diversion, a distraction designed to draw all eyes away from Mouse's clandestine operation in the lower pens.
• If you are House Mizzrym (Evil Path): You fight with cold precision, seeking to assert your faction's power and crush any perceived weakness. Your victory in this match will send a clear message: Mizzrym's will is absolute. You revel in the efficiency of your champions, ensuring the arena's grim spectacle proceeds as planned.

The battle rages, a whirlwind of blades, spells, and desperate maneuvers. You push yourselves to the limit, facing some of the most skilled and ruthless combatants Narathzul has to offer. Eventually, through sheer force of will, tactical brilliance, or perhaps a stroke of luck, the arena combat concludes.

Hooks for Active Discovery

For the Fighters (or any combat-focused PC) - "The Opponent's Arrogance"

As the rival champions posture and the duel is proposed, your gaze is drawn to their primary frontline warrior (whether it's Valen'ra for good PCs, or Thalin for evil PCs). This warrior radiates a chilling confidence, their eyes sweeping over the tavern with disdain. They might let slip a boast: "These pits will soon be cleansed of weakness. We have... assets... that will ensure the glory of [Mizzrym / the Resistance] is etched in blood today. Some creatures are simply born to be broken, and the masses here love a good breaking." There's a casual cruelty in their tone, a subtle hint that the arena's upcoming spectacles are designed to demoralize or destroy specific "undesirables" beyond mere entertainment.

• Lure: A direct challenge to their combat prowess and an implied threat to the vulnerable, sparking a fighter's protective instinct or competitive drive.
• Discovery: This boast might subtly reference the Deep Gnome spectacle or the specific "assets" (afflicted Drow, or captured gnomes) that the opposing faction controls. A successful DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check might pick up on the specific target of their veiled contempt, or the chilling implication of "creatures born to be broken."

For the Clerics (or any faith-focused PC) - "The Doctrine of Dominance"

Amidst the tension of the duel's challenge, one of the rival faction's spellcasters (Kaelen'thar for good PCs, or Priestess Xyris for evil PCs) speaks with an unnerving, almost ritualistic certainty. They might intone, "The Spider Queen's will guides our hand in these sacred games! She demands purity, and all filth—be it weakness, heresy, or the very essence of the unfaithful—shall be consumed. The arena is merely Her chosen altar. Such blessed rites ensure Narathzul's rightful dominion, and soon, nothing will defy Her." Their words, though seemingly generic Lolthite dogma, are delivered with a pointed, specific intensity.

• Lure: A direct, chilling assertion of religious power and justification for brutality, challenging their own faith (if Eilistraee) or inspiring them to join the cause (if Lolth).
• Discovery: A DC 14 Intelligence (Religion) check might reveal the specific, twisted nature of their "blessed rites"—implying sacrifices or transformative magic rather than mere execution. For an Eilistraee Cleric, this is a direct call to action, perhaps even triggering a subtle divine sense of wrongness. For a Lolth Cleric, this is an opportunity to prove their own zeal, and they might gain specific insight into the ritualistic importance of the upcoming events.

For the Wizards (or any arcane/intellect-focused PC) - "The Subtle Anomaly"

As the duel's stakes are being negotiated, your attention is drawn to the rival faction's arcane user (Kaelen'thar for good PCs, or Fizzlebop for evil PCs). You notice a faint, almost imperceptible shimmer around their equipment, or perhaps a subtle distortion in the air near them – a transient magical effect. This isn't just their personal magic; it feels like the lingering residue of a larger, more complex ritual or ongoing arcane manipulation. It hints at a deeper, unseen arcane operation connected to the arena.

• Lure: An intriguing and unsettling arcane mystery that suggests a hidden magical agenda beneath the spectacle.
• Discovery: A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check allows you to pinpoint the type of magic: perhaps a faint aura of Transmutation, Necromancy, or powerful Enchantment that indicates not just individual spells, but a systemic magical influence within the arena. This might also suggest that the arena's "victims" are being prepared or augmented in some unnatural way. This could lead to questions about hidden labs or arcane connections between the arena and other Mizzrym facilities (like the Spire of Whispers, which is the session's secondary location for Vrael PCs).

For the Rogues/Thieves (or any stealth/perception-focused PC) - "The Whispered Exchange"

Amidst the tavern's din and the rising tension, you spot a furtive exchange near a shadowed archway leading deeper into the Coliseum complex. A nervous-looking Drow Arena Attendant is receiving a small, heavy coin purse from a cloaked figure (a representative of the rival faction, not one of the main champions). Their hushed conversation is barely audible, but words like "delivery," "unforeseen complication," and "lower pens" drift on the air. The attendant glances nervously towards the arena entrance.

• Lure: A classic covert exchange that promises illicit dealings and hidden agendas.
• Discovery: A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) or DC 14 Dexterity (Stealth) to get closer might allow you to overhear more specifics:
  • The Gnome Plot: "The latest shipment of assets arrived later than expected; some are proving... difficult. Keep them isolated in the eastern lower pens, away from the usual traffic, until the spectacle." (Directly confirming the gnome prisoners and their location.)
  • Mouse's Plan (if PCs are Evil): "Keep an eye on the vents, too. There are whispers of a distraction, and some of the unwanted elements might try to leverage the chaos." (Hinting at Mouse's planned breakout.)
  • Security Flaws: "The main gate is fine, but the service tunnels to the south are always a mess during peak hours. No one will notice anything there." (Revealing a potential weak point for infiltration or escape.)
• A successful DC 14 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) could even snatch the coin purse, which might contain a small, coded manifest or a crudely drawn map of the lower pens.

House Vrael Champions (Opponents for House Mizzrym / Evil Path PCs)

These courageous individuals fight for the liberation of Narathzul and its oppressed. They might be publicly known, but their true allegiance to the resistance is a guarded secret.

1. Champion/Protector: Thalin

   • Representation: Use the Gladiator (CR 5) stat block.
   • Description: A hulking Duergar (Grey Dwarf) with a grim, determined expression. Thalin is a veteran of countless underground skirmishes, his armor scarred but meticulously maintained. He wields a massive dwarven greataxe and a sturdy shield, acting as an immovable bulwark against tyranny. His movements are precise, his blows devastating, always aimed at protecting the innocent and breaking the chains of oppression. He embodies the unyielding spirit of the oppressed races.
   • Role: The primary frontline anchor, capable of taking immense punishment and dishing out heavy damage, drawing enemy attention.

2. Swift Blade/Disruptor: Talon

   • Representation: Use the Gnoll Fang of Yeenoghu (CR 4) stat block.
   • Description: A lithe Drow male, exceptionally agile and swift, Talon moves like a shadow across the arena floor. He fights with two wicked shortswords, a blur of strikes and evasions. His style is characterized by a savage, almost animalistic intensity and relentless pursuit of his target, tearing through defenses with brutal precision. Though seemingly chaotic, his attacks are calculated to overwhelm and incapacitate the foe. He represents the precision and ferocity of those fighting for true freedom.
   • Role: An aggressive melee combatant, focusing on flanking and quickly eliminating key targets alongside Thalin.

3. Controller/Illusionist: Fizzlebop

   • Representation: Use the Bone Naga (CR 4) stat block. (Re-flavor the appearance: instead of skeletal, imagine him as a wiry, wild-haired goblin, perhaps magically floating or using illusions to create a "serpentine" aura. His spells are bardic magic and illusions.)
   • Description: An eccentric Goblin Bard whose presence is a whirlwind of chaotic energy and surreal illusions. Fizzlebop floats or flits across the battlefield, his ancient, rusty harmonica producing unsettling melodies. He uses his magic to sow confusion, charm, and paralysis, turning the tide of battle with mind-bending tricks and delightful chaos. He aims to disorient foes and make them question reality, opening opportunities for his allies.
   • Role: Primary controller, focusing on charming and incapacitating enemy PCs, disrupting their focus and battlefield presence.

4. Charismatic Duelist/Support: Cynthia

   • Representation: Use the Succubus (CR 4) stat block. (Re-flavor the appearance: a strikingly beautiful Drow female, her charm and allure are natural gifts, used for tactical distraction and misdirection rather than malice. Her combat style is elegant and deadly.)
   • Description: Cynthia moves with an uncanny grace, her striking beauty and piercing gaze a weapon in themselves. She is a master of distraction and charming presence, capable of subtly influencing the minds of her opponents, drawing them closer only to unleash precise, debilitating attacks. She uses her presence to sow internal discord among foes, making them hesitate or even turn on each other, while her allies exploit the opening. Her touch might not drain souls, but it can drain resolve and focus, allowing her to exploit openings or subtly heal her allies.
   • Role: Support caster, providing crucial control (Charm), distracting high-priority targets, and subtly aiding her allies from a distance or up close.

Mizzrym Champions (Opponents for House Vrael / Good Path PCs)

These Drow are the pinnacle of House Mizzrym's might and cruelty, embodying their dedication to Lolth and their sinister experiments.

1. Tank/Melee DPS: Commander Valen'ra Mizzrym

   • Representation: Use the Gladiator (CR 5) stat block.
   • Description: Matron Malice's most trusted and brutal enforcer, Valen'ra is a towering Drow warrior. Her movements in the arena are a terrifying ballet of precision and raw power. Her armor is of the darkest obsidian, emblazoned with Mizzrym's stylized spider sigil. She wields a massive silver greatsword, each strike meant to break body and spirit. She fights with cold, tactical efficiency, leading the charge and crushing the opposition.
   • Role: The primary frontline threat, soaking damage and delivering devastating strikes.

2. Tank/Melee DPS: Groknar "The Spinebreaker"

   • Representation: Use the Gnoll Fang of Yeenoghu (CR 4) stat block. (While a Gnoll, we're reskinning the abilities onto a Mizzrym-aligned Drow or perhaps a monstrous Drow hybrid if you prefer a more warped aesthetic, fitting the "experiments" theme.)
   • Description: A hulking Drow, perhaps unnaturally large and heavily muscled, with a feral gleam in his eyes and a chilling, guttural snarl that hints at something more than just Drow blood. He moves with a bestial ferocity, tearing at opponents with a jagged, tooth-like blade or even his bare hands, driven by a sadistic hunger for pain. He might even have subtle, chitinous growths or hardened skin, a hint of Mizzrym's dark work.
   • Role: A secondary, aggressive frontline combatant, designed to overwhelm a single target alongside Valen'ra, focusing on taking down key threats.

3. Caster/Controller: High Sorcerer Kaelen'thar Mizzrym

   • Representation: Use the Succubus (CR 4) stat block. (Re-flavor the physical appearance from traditional Succubus to a malevolent, seductive Drow Sorcerer/Mage with a focus on charm and mind manipulation.)
   • Description: A lithe Drow, draped in dark silks, whose true power lies in the insidious manipulation of the mind. Kaelen'thar uses subtle gestures and soft, hypnotic whispers that are almost as dangerous as any spell. Their charm is undeniable, their touch a draining caress. They delight in turning foes against their allies, causing chaos and despair.
   • Role: Primary controller, focusing on charming enemy PCs, turning them into temporary allies or draining their will.

4. Caster/Support ("Cleric"): Priestess Xyris Mizzrym

• Representation: Use the Bone Naga (CR 4) stat block. (Re-flavor this as a Drow Priestess of Lolth, perhaps with a serpentine familiar or a staff carved like a coiled snake, using the Naga's spell list to represent Lolth's insidious magic.)
• Description: A zealous Drow Priestess, Xyris moves with a cold, serpentine grace. Her pronouncements are chilling prayers to the Spider Queen, and her spells are dark blessings of venom and decay, aimed at debilitating foes and bolstering her allies. She is utterly devoted to Lolth's will and House Mizzrym's rise. While the Bone Naga's spell list isn't strictly cleric, its focus on Hold Person, blighting effects, and some re-flavored damage spells can represent Lolth's divine influence (poison, fear, paralysis).
• Role: Support caster, providing control (Hold Person), debuffs, and potentially some offensive spells, while maintaining battlefield presence and potentially minor healing for her allies (re-flavoring of features if needed).

Revised Arena Combat Tactics: Calculated Disruption & Focused Elimination

The champions fight as a highly coordinated unit, employing a brutal and efficient strategy aimed at isolating frontline threats while quickly incapacitating vulnerable backline targets.

Overall Goal: Control the enemy's melee combatants while simultaneously eliminating their squishier, high-value targets (like spellcasters or rogues). The aim is defeat and incapacitation, not necessarily death, but the methods are merciless.

Round 1: Control the Frontline, Engage the Backline

1. Controllers Lead (Targeting Melee PCs):

   • Cynthia (Succubus) / Kaelen'thar (Succubus): The Succubus will use its Charm ability immediately, primarily targeting the PCs' melee classes (e.g., Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin, Monk) who are most likely to pose a direct physical threat. This aims to neutralize their frontline.
   • Fizzlebop (Bone Naga) / Xyris (Bone Naga): The Bone Naga will cast Hold Person, also prioritizing the PCs' melee classes or other strong frontline combatants, to prevent them from reaching their vulnerable backline allies.
   • Priority: Lock down the enemy's primary tanks and melee damage dealers to prevent them from protecting their squishier companions.

2. Strikers Engage (Targeting Unheld, Vulnerable PCs):

   • Thalin (Gladiator) / Valen'ra (Gladiator): The Gladiator will immediately bypass any held or charmed opponents and move directly towards an uncharmed, unheld PC, preferably a spellcaster or other low-HP character. They will use their Multiattack to deliver maximum damage to this vulnerable target.
   • Talon (Gnoll Fang) / Groknar (Gnoll Fang): The Gnoll Fang will coordinate with the Gladiator, also bypassing controlled targets and moving to engage the same low-HP PC as the Gladiator. Their goal is to unleash their Multiattack and combine their damage to rapidly incapacitate the chosen PC.
   • Priority: Overwhelm and eliminate a single, vulnerable backline threat immediately.

Subsequent Rounds: Relentless Focus & Strategic Support

1. Maintain & Reapply Control (Controllers):

   • The Succubus will continue to use its Charm on any uncharmed enemy melee PCs, or use its Draining Kiss on a successfully charmed target, to deal necrotic damage and heal themselves, furthering the incapacitation or elimination of frontline threats.
   • The Bone Naga will maintain Hold Person or reapply it on key melee PCs. If targets are already controlled, they will focus on other control spells, debuffs, or direct damage spells against vulnerable PCs already being targeted by the Strikers.
   • Healing: The Bone Naga will use its spell slots to cast healing spells (such as Cure Wounds) on their melee allies (Gladiator and Gnoll Fang), ensuring they can sustain their focused assault on the PCs' backline.

2. Focused Elimination (Strikers):

   • Both the Gladiator and the Gnoll Fang will continue to focus all their attacks on the single, most vulnerable PC (likely a caster or rogue). They will only switch targets if their current one is incapacitated or if a more vulnerable, unheld PC presents itself.
   • They prioritize finishing off incapacitated PCs to reduce the number of active threats.

3. Adaptation:

• If all melee PCs are controlled, the Strikers will then focus on the next most threatening, unheld PC.
• If their control spells are resisted, the casters will shift to offensive spells or debuffs against the most threatening PCs.
• They will always prioritize the rapid elimination of single targets to gain action economy advantage.

DM Note for Combat Preparation:

When we reach a point where player characters (PCs) are about to engage in combat, and you are running the encounter independently (i.e., you are not asking me to simulate or resolve the combat turns):

• I will provide you with the monster types/stat blocks that represent the opposing characters (e.g., the Mizzrym Champions or the Vrael Champions).
• Simultaneously, I will clearly explain their combat tactics and target priorities to you, so you have all the necessary information to run the encounter effectively at your table.

The Chaos Unleashed

As the final blow is struck, and one side stands victorious (or utterly defeated, but not dead), the planned chaos erupts.

From the service tunnels and the grim holding pens beneath the arena, a wave of desperate Deep Gnomes surges forth! They are not unarmed; some clutch crude tools, others scavenged weapons, and a few even wield desperate, untrained magic. They are led not by Mouse (who executed the liberation from the shadows), but by brave, if untrained, Deep Gnome zealots who have been waiting for this moment.

• If you are House Vrael (Good Path): The arena combat was your diversion. Now, with the enemy champions defeated (or at least incapacitated), you see the gnomes surge forward. Your immediate objective shifts from fighting champions to fighting alongside the gnomes. You must help them battle their way through the now-alerted arena guards and chaotic Drow spectators who are scrambling to react. This is the moment the "resistance" begins in earnest, and you are at its forefront.
• If you are House Mizzrym (Evil Path): Your hard-won victory against the "good" champions is immediately overshadowed by this unexpected, infuriating development. The gnomes, these "assets" meant for spectacle, are escaping! Arena guards (Drow Guard CR 1/4) immediately scramble to contain them, but their numbers are overwhelming. Your new objective is to crush this rebellion, to stop Mouse's success. You must cut down the escaping gnomes and their desperate leaders, showing no mercy.

The arena, moments ago a stage for a grand duel, descends into utter pandemonium. The crowd is a mix of shock and rage, the guards are overwhelmed, and the gnomes, fueled by desperation and a glimmer of hope, fight for their lives.

Most of the gnomes will escape. Regardless of the PCs' efforts (whether fighting for or against them), Mouse's meticulously planned diversion and coordinated breakout succeed in allowing the vast majority of the Deep Gnome prisoners to flee into Narathzul's labyrinthine underworld. Some will fall, but many will find their freedom.

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The roar of the crowd shifts from bloodlust to chaos. The smell of fear is now mixed with the bitter tang of rebellion. Your involvement in the arena has irrevocably set in motion a larger conflict. What will you do amidst the pandemonium?