FF/ASW: The Golden Spiral, Episode 103

Cast

• Asheal (level 3 ishim wizard)
• Hordac (level 3 tarchon battlemind)
• Waive (level 3 scion nomad)

Summary

Not wanting to return to the chamber with the rocket snail and slowly-moving and talking snail cultist, the party had two ways to go. They initially chose the left passage, but after coming across a snail patrol and a membrane-like barrier they quickly backtracked and tried the other route.

It lead to a storage room that, near as they could tell, was only inhabited by a handful of snail cultists. But, while they rested and bandaged their wounds near the ceiling a pair of snail knights stumbled upon them. Fortunately they were able to slay them without attracting further attention, and they now had a few sets of snail shell armor that they could use as disguises.

Since there were only two suits, the plan was for Asheal and Waive to don them, and pretend to be escorting Hordac to the prison. They weren't sure if
there was a prison, or if they were even going in the right direction, but the plan worked...mostly because the other cultists seemed reluctant to even gaze upon the "snail knights".

As with the first chamber there were a number of exits. They chose the north one, which brought them to an armory of sorts: a number of shell-capped maces and flails were stuck to the walls, along with devices that looked like bulky conductors attached to metal tanks. Waive cracked one of the tanks open and saw that it was filled with pale slime, and he figured that what he thought were conductors were used to spray it.

Uncertain as to what the slime would do, but not wanting to be on the receiving end, Waive proceeded to open all of the other tanks and light the slime on fire before they continued on.

The party next came across another fleshy membrane concealing a side-passage. This time Waive decided to burn it, and as Hordac theorized a loud scream echoed throughout the halls. Assuming that someone would be on their way to investigate the noise, the party quickly rushed inside to examine the chamber.

Four large, golden snail shells were placed along the walls. Waive peeled away dried mucus covering the opening on one to find that it was filled with smaller golden shells, the same as those they'd found on the cultists and knights. At the back of the room was a large stone cylinder. Its only feature was a symbol that looked like a circle bisected by a single horizontal line, with a small hole at the center.

Asheal inserted the radiant core they received from Kloros. It fit perfectly. The symbol began to glow as the cylinder shuddered to life, and arms and legs folded out: it was another cthon. He introduced himself as Iodes, a member of the Halite Order and keeper of the last known crystal of celestial salt. When Waive asked for the salt, Iodes explained that it was his duty to destroy the reincarnation of the First Snail, and that he needed the salt to do that.

Waive protested, explaining that a cthon named Kloros had asked them to retrieve it, but Iodes assured them that this is what Kloros, also a member of the Halite Order, would have wanted. Hordac tried convincing Iodes to pay them extra to help him out, but Iodes didn't seem to know what money was, and their "negotiations" were soon interrupted by a rubbery, vaguely humanoid creature that flowed out of a resinous tube jutting forth from the ceiling.

Innumerable spikes sprouted along its fibrous limbs, and it flailed them wildly about as it awkwardly sprinted towards the party. While Waive and Hordac tried hacking it part Iodes opened his body, retrieving a stone shaft with a white crystalline blade affixed to the end. He hurled it at the creature, and despite its expressionless face it was clear that it feared the weapon. It managed to evade the attack, but in its haste left itself open to Asheal's fiery magic.

Once the creature was reduced to a charred husk Hordac retrieved the spear, and the party reluctantly agreed to help Iodes slay the snail god. After all, how hard could it be?

Design & Development

From the previous play report:

I've been doing some snail art for Inktober, which will be used for this adventure when it comes time to publish it. Definitely doing it for Dungeon World and FrankenFourth (by default it will be for A Sundered World, with notes on how to use it in something not A Sundered World), maybe even Dungeons & Delvers and 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons (which was almost voted the system of choice).

The short rest thing came up again: Adam thinks 30 minutes is too long, I think 5-10 minutes is too easy, but then I might be changing cleric Favor and other resources so that it's really only useful by the day anyway. Curious what others think, keeping in mind that magical healing isn't assumed, and you can only get a small portion of your "hit points" back this way.

I was surprised that the character didn't try using the slime tanks. I envision them looking like the slime blowers from the second Ghsotbusters movie, except they normally restrain creatures (but you can load them with corrosive slime to deal acid damage and restrain). Oh well, Hordac took one of the organic spike launchers (which apparently reminds Adam and/or Shane of the spike weapon thing from Halo).

Announcements

If you're curious about FrankenFourth and/or Dungeons & Delvers, you can find public alpha documents here and here respectively.

A Sundered World: Player Fragments, the first supplement for A Sundered World, is finally out!

The Blackguard is out, so if you want to play a dark reflection of The Paladin that isn't just a lazy flip, check it out!

By fan demand, we've mashed all of our 10+ Treasure volumes into one big magic item book, making it cheaper and more convenient to buy in print (which you can now do).