4d: Gladys Centipedes

The party is flying on broomsticks in an asteroid field. It is an older field in a stable configuration. All surfaces of the asteroids are fully covered with moss and lichen, and in most places a layer of loamy soil has developed. Grasses and flowers are growing in this soil, their roots holding it in place in the absence of gravity. In some places the soil is thick enough to support vines and shrubs. We see birds and butterflies flying around.

Marching order: Tsinta and Sofonisba in front, Mary and Mabellyne behind them, Ra fal and Gladys in rear. Sofonisba navigating, Tsinta and Mary on lookout, Mabellyne mapping, Gladys looking at plants. Ra fal coordinating.

Suddenly, six giant centipedes burst from burrows in the asteroids. They are evolved for zero gravity; long, light, and thin, with most of their legs transformed into flat thin membranes like dragonfly wings. Their mandibles click and their leg-wings buzz as approach the party from all directions, hungry for protein.

We react and take the initiative.

Sofonisba shoots one with an arrow, killing it.
Mary steadies herself and readies to attack anything that comes next to her.
Ra fal casts Vicious Mockery on a centipede and it dies. Still not sure how exactly that works.
Mabellyne scores a critical hit with a crossbow bolt. Three down.
Move forward and attack. Critical hit slices centipede head off.
Tsinta casts Eldritch Blast. Hit and kill.

Final centipede moves in to attack Ra fal. Mary reacts with a scimitar attack. Another critical hit, another clean kill.

That was easy.

'Loot' bodies. Inject with preservative. Four of them will be edible, the others already ruined. Strip off legs, add to backpack.

Continue exploring, same marching order.

Another brood pops out of rocks to attack. Nine of them this time. Five in a cluster, four coming from other directions. We have worse initiative reactions this time. Could be trouble.

Sofonisba reacting quickly again. Shoots one with an arrow, killing it.
Move to protect Mary and Mabellyne from the cluster, ready action to attack.
Mary readies an attack.
Eight Centipedes move in. Kill one with readied action. Mary crits and kills her centipede with her readied action. Nice.

Get targeted by four remaining centipedes in the cluster. Two of them flank for advantage on their attacks. One bites through armor joint, but the venom does not penetrate tough skin. The other three miss, their jaws scraping harmlessly off armor.
One attacks Mabellyne. Miss, she dodged away.
One attacks Ra fal, bites only armor.

Tsinta casts Eldritch Blast at the one next to Mabellyne, misses.
Ra fal casts Vicious Mockery at the one next to Mabellyne, it dies.
Mabellyne shoots and kills the one next to Ra Fal.

Party has killed all centipedes except the four attempting to eat face. Do not know if should be annoyed or flattered.

Sofonisba shoots and kills one.
Attack another one. Critical miss, overextend, fall off broom. Broom still on wrist strap, scramble to regain saddle, succeed. Still surrounded by three bugs.
Mary flies in, flanking and attacking one of the bugs. Just barely hits it and does enough damage to kill it.
Am attacked by remaining two, with flank. Get bit twice. Still no effect from poison, thanks to drug-enhanced resilience. Have suffered enough damage from bites to make most civilians or rookie adventurers pass out or even die, but not even feeling bloodied.
Tsinta's eldritch blast kills one, Ra Fal's Vicious Mockery kills the other.

We win. More looting. Five more bodies in pack.

Go back to ship for feast and short rest.

Go to sleep to sound of Ra Fal's Song of Rest pounded out on orcish war drums. Wake up mostly healed, find that party (minus Mary, who guarded ship while resting) has killed remaining small brood using fly-and-shoot kiting tactics, taking no damage.

Party has finished off half a dozen Level 1 encounters and a Level 2, without using up any spell slots and only costing about 1/3rd of tank's natural healing ability. Lots of practice developing tactics and teamwork. Good start to the adventure.

Next (Ra fal)
Next Gladys