Smash and Grab – Recap episodes 178-183

The group makes their way through the once thriving city, now unrecognizable as its streets are barren. Cautiously it makes its way through, careful not to draw any attention. A formation is called out, and they proceed. Unfortunately, their caution was met with curiosity, and when Arguile investigates a gargoyle, that curiosity is then met with flame. Most of the group is hit, and immediately the party realizes that a fight is underway. Shanks unloads a volley of arrows at the gargoyle responsible, its overkill but he’s trying to buy the team some time. Chasme buzz, scavengers approach, and they can hear the sounds of hooves in the distance growing louder.

In the exchange, Shanks is hit by a highly unfamiliar, large arrow that comes from an unidentified assailant. Salix turns into a cave bear, and Zechs pulls a black bear out of his bag of tricks to join the fray. Two gargoyles join the fray to take on Galahad and the team. While making quick work of enemies, they are realizing the position that they’re in. This is going to be a resource challenge and a numbers game. With more enemies than they have resources available; every decision they make is crucial. Zechs uses his Tabaxi speed to run for some better cover and vantage point while yelling to Shanks in their coms, “What the fuck is hitting us, and PLEASE tell me you have eyes on that!”

In the distance, the group sees what has been making the galloping noises, a small army of Armanites, demonic centaur-like creatures. Once they enter the field of battle, things start to get out of hand. It’s a stressful and taxing fight on every level. As time passes and resources are exhausted, the group begins to make some headway, but their brief moment of reprieve is met with even more opposition. It’s a numbers game, and the enemy has them in spades. 

Eventually, they finally see the end of this wave of assault and can stop, regroup, and assess their next movements. As Galahad gathers materials to bring back in exchange for his new belt and the group begins looting, Shanks heads to the sniper tower to investigate further and see what he can make of their assailant, and relays his findings to Zechs via the Spies Murmur. He heads off to follow the mystery sniper, hoping to give the party an edge, announcing his intentions over the comms. 

When the group is ready to go, thanks to the help of Yurik’s sentient blade, they begin heading deeper into the city. The once-bustling streets and seemingly thriving city look nothing like what was described before the invasion took place. They come upon a marketplace now in ruins, the group splits to cover more ground and look for clues as to where Enich can be. Thankfully, Arguile knows Thieves’ Cant and can make out some messages that help clue him into a possible location for his brother, a shop. The party makes their way inside to investigate further.

As this is happening, Zechs is getting information relayed to him via Shanks. He’s in pursuit of the sniper, and he suspects the group is being tracked somehow, again. Zechs relays the information to the group, and Arguile begins to ritually cast identify until they hear something significant approaching them outside. Glad, Yurik, and Galahad immediately go outside, with the rest following soon after. They find themselves face-to-face with a large iron golem, and another fight commences.

It’s not much later that they hear even more enemies approaching them, and the party braces itself for another long and arduous fight. Meanwhile, at the sniper’s last known location, Shanks is making a tactical assessment of how to approach and what out of his bag of goodies he can use to bring the house down. After some time, a lot of triple-checking his work, and a lot of second-guessing himself, he decides how he’s going to make quite the explosive display and not get himself caught in the blast. The pieces are set, the match is lit, and a fuse is ready to go boom!

Shanks brings the house down, and in a way, sets the stage for this next fight to take place. As he scales down while avoiding debris, he also takes note that he didn’t kill his intended target, but at the very least, he’s immobilized from what he can tell. Keeping communication going with Zechs, trying his best to maintain a line of sight, and scaling down the rugged terrain is taking every bit of mental energy from the demolition elf. 

Meanwhile, the party faces off against an iron golem, multiple Chasme, scavengers, and has Armenites incoming. While they aren’t taking heavy damage by any means, they are already feeling the fatigue, mental drain, and dwindling resources as they face off against another seemingly endless wave of enemies. The once quiet streets of Ors Themar now grow louder with the clanging of metal, buzzing of chasime, hoofs in the distance nearing closer, and spells being shot off from the spell casters. 

As the battle continues, resources dwindle, and there seems to be no end to the enemy in sight, it becomes clear that the party needs to regroup. Shanks is still making his way down and back to the group when Zechs hears him go down through their comms. His target exacted revenge on him, but it’s not the first time Shanks has knocked on Death’s door. Time begins to slow down as Yurik grabs Arguile and heads off to pick up their fallen ally.

Meanwhile, injured and starting to feel the need for a tactical retreat, Galahad opens his wings, grabbing Turk and Glad for a chase down the streets of Ors Themar, keeping himself below the height of the buildings that surround them. While taking a significant hit, he drops his passengers, but with some speed and teamwork, and mostly the help of a certain Bubblegum Wand, the three are back together and continue their exit.

Yurik is finally able to grab Shanks and uses Dimension Door to get himself near the group, now making their escape. With some quick thinking from Zechs, being carried by a giant eagle version of Salix and his Hole Thrower, he manages to put an 18-foot hole in the ground between them and their pursuers. He also tosses an item from his Tan Bag of Tricks, which turns out to be a baboon, that he lets loose on the enemy on their tails.

Arguile is locked in combat with a draegloth, Shanks is on the brink of death, Yurik is struggling to reconnect with the group, and Galahad, glowing and highly visible, draws relentless enemy fire while attempting evasive maneuvers. Zechs deploys an axe beak from his Tan Bag of Tricks to disrupt the draegloth, while Duo delivers Shanks’ chained alchemist fire to further weaken it, allowing Salix to extract Arguile by eagle. Meanwhile, Galahad is struck by a lightning arrow and badly injured, Turk and Glad remain stuck to him, and Salix, Zechs, and a barely lucid Arguile scramble to locate Shanks with no clear bearings.

Duo is sent ahead to search and coordinate, eventually catching up to Yurik and guiding him through the chaos of Ors Thurmar. Zechs summons additional eagles to aid the search, but they are shot down, costing the group time and momentum. Turk and Glad fend off a chasme while stuck to Galahad, and Salix creates a decoy image to draw sniper fire, giving the party a chance to regroup and escape at low altitude. Yurik contributes by unleashing a firestorm toward the area where the group fell. Through quick thinking and teamwork, Salix, Zechs, and Arguile reach Shanks in time and pull him back from death. Once reunited, Zechs uses alcohol from the Bag of Holding to dissolve the substance binding Galahad, Turk, and Glad, allowing the party to move together again.

The group is then approached by a pale man, urging them to move quickly and quietly, revealed to be Enich, Yurik’s son and Arguile’s half-brother. After brief explanations of his disappearance and how he’s survived, Enich leads them to a hidden safe spot where they can rest and recover. The brothers share a quiet moment bonding over family memories, and Enich confirms hearing rumors of Elrin topside, but nothing of Arioch. Shanks and Arguile exchange coded words in Thieves’ Cant, revealing that Arguile’s stone has grown warmer in the Underdark and that its number has dropped significantly, raising new concerns. With questions unanswered but strength regained, Enich points out a route out of the city, and the party prepares to move on.