(S103) Battle of Bullywug Falls

Emerging onto a sunlit fey road, the party receives a cryptic visit from The Dungeon Master before pressing into a forest dominated by a bullywug portal. As Shadow scouts from her broom, Barlo channels a surge of lightning to empower his allies, Sas transforms into a giant eagle, and Calliope becomes a towering giant ape. Together, they crush the bullywug swarm and secure the portal path.

📝 Session Summary

The Wild Cards were called The Menagerie by some until they came up with the name The Wild Cards.

• Barlo: A grizzled tabaxi barbarian who has been doing some work for a network that one should be wary of.
• Bastion: An orphan human who spent his life studying magic and blades, even though his elder pushed him away from the sword. He replaced Reginald.
• Calliope: This bardic faun joined the party late when she needed to find help to save her homeland.
• Reginald: A leonin cleric who was off to show his family's royal background and would later find out there were secrets leading to him becoming a king.
• Sas: A tortle hermit was given an item of power and a quest.
• Shadow in the Snow: This tabaxi got a coin, and her curiosity set her on a path.

🎬 Scenes

• Scene 1: Barlo's Backstory — From The Bronze Canyon in Kampos. Gave up Tabaxi name, "Smiles". Help move people. On way to Eushia to help Black Road with a client. Currently on ship near Carrune.
• Scene 2: Bastion's Backstory — When Bastion Bladesinger was very young he lost both of his parents to a plague. He took care of himself as he taught himself how to use the rapier his father once wore. He lived in Dyrt and watched all of the great knights. He also had an interest in the ways of magic and he wished he could do both – use swords and excel in magic – like many elves he had heard about.
• Scene 3: Calliope's Backstory — Calliope was born into the nestled highlands of the Oraniad Mountains. The Skola Vale, wild and free, blessed by the gods and inhabited by whimsical Satyr and Faun. Deep within it among the lush valley, reside the Dawngreets, a long generational line of storytellers and lore keepers.
• Scene 4: Reginald's Backstory — He was born at home, a modest-sized mansion where his family lived a modest means – even though his father could never stop talking about how they were royalty and yet this was the only lands they currently possess. His childhood was generally a happy one full of several friends. He was an only child.
• Scene 5: Sas' Backstory — Sas was born on the continent of Oth'Mar – a content mostly inhabited by Tortles and is far to the south of the Carrune Isles.
• Scene 6: Shadow's Backstory — Deep in the snowy mountains high in the north, there lived a large group of Tabaxi, The Blinding Wild Clan.

📜 Missions & Quests

• Completed:
  • Established individual party origins and initial connections to the world of Dierde.
• Active / Discovered Threads:
  • Barlo's ties to the smuggling rings and the Black Road.
  • Bastion's mysterious past and fallout with Grognard.
  • Calliope's quest to save the Skola Vale.
  • Reginald's pursuit of his family's royal mint commission and claim in Neyer.
  • Sas's vision of the Cat Goddess Bast and journey to find her lost lands.
  • Shadow's golden coin and mystical calling from her clan shaman.

NPCs

S103: Battle of Bullywug Falls

Date: 2026-03-28

Short

After emerging from the lizardfolk tunnels onto a strange, unnaturally lit road, the party paused to recover their strength while Calliope's restorative melody mended their wounds. Their rest was briefly interrupted by the enigmatic The Dungeon Master, who urged them to seek an exit toward Barlo and hinted at deeper conversations to come regarding Calliope's dreams and destiny before vanishing as suddenly as he had appeared.

Pressing onward into the dense forest, the party was alerted by Shadow — scouting from above on her broom — to a massive swarm of bullywugs pouring through a shimmering magical portal near a waterfall. Battle erupted immediately: Barlo charged in with crackling electrical energy, Calliope transformed into a giant ape, Sas took to the skies as a giant eagle, and Shadow turned invisible to pick off enemies from above. A well-placed arrow from Shadow struck the glowing bullywug leader in the forehead, throwing the enemy ranks into chaos. The party fought fiercely through spear strikes and spore attacks, with Bastion and his simulacrum cutting through the horde in a blur of steel and freezing light, until the last bullywug fell and the clearing went silent — leaving the party victorious before the hard-won portal.

Summary

The party emerged from the lizardfolk tunnels and found themselves on a strange road bathed in an unsettling daylight despite their bodies telling them it was well into the evening. Willowbrush and Hex Coda accompanied them as they paused to catch their breath, tending to their wounds while Calliope wove a gentle, restorative melody that seemed to breathe new life into her battered companions. Their rest was interrupted by the sudden appearance of The Dungeon Master, who stepped from the shadows with a quiet gravity, urging them to seek an exit toward Barlo and hinting at future conversations about Calliope's dreams and the destiny that awaited her. Then, just as abruptly as he had appeared, he was gone, leaving only the weight of his words behind.

With renewed strength and more questions than answers, the party pressed forward into the dense forest. Shadow mounted her broom and rose above the towering canopy to scout ahead, and what she saw made her stomach drop — beyond the tree line, near a small waterfall, a swarm of bullywugs was pouring through a shimmering magical portal in numbers that seemed almost impossible to count. She called down a warning to her allies before a bullywug hurled a spear at her, the weapon whistling past her ear as the forest below erupted into motion. Barlo let out a guttural roar, an electrical surge crackling from his body and jolting into Calliope, Hex Coda, and the Bastions, filling each of them with a fierce, crackling energy before he charged headlong into the tree line and crashed into the nearest bullywugs with his claws.

Shadow conjured a treacherous field of razor-sharp spikes across the ground near the portal, then vanished into invisibility and repositioned silently above the trees. Sas transformed into a massive giant eagle and took to the skies, while Calliope spoke a word of power and reshaped herself entirely into a towering giant ape, brachiating through the forest canopy with a thunderous roar that drew the bullywugs' attention. From high above, Shadow spotted the bullywug leader — a creature radiating an orange glow as it strained to hold the portal open — and loosed two arrows at him in quick succession. The second struck him squarely in the forehead, and the enemy ranks fell into immediate disarray. Sas, in her eagle form, attempted to snatch a bullywug from the ground and carry it aloft to drop it on its allies, but the creature wriggled free, forcing her to improvise with her talons instead.

The battle raged on as Bastion flickered between multiple enemies in a blur of steel, and his simulacrum hurled beams of freezing light into the bullywug ranks. Calliope, still in her ape form, smashed her massive fists into the creatures around her while Sas's fungal spores drifted through the air, sapping the strength of any bullywug that wandered too close. Shadow fired a lightning-charged arrow at a bullywug near the remaining portal, killing it instantly, and used the moment to capture the creature's departing soul for later questioning. The bullywugs fought back fiercely, driving spears into Barlo and Sas and launching a spore attack at Bastion's simulacrum, but it was not enough — one by one, the frog-like warriors fell, until the last of them lay still and the clearing finally went quiet, leaving the party standing victorious before the portal they had fought so hard to reach.

Scenes

A Brief Respite on the Road

The party emerges from the tunnels and takes a short rest on the road while receiving cryptic advice from The Dungeon Master.

• The party exits the tunnels and finds themselves on a road where the lighting suggests evening, despite it still being daylight outside.
• Willowbrush and Hex Coda accompany the group as they assess their surroundings.
• The party discusses taking a short rest to recover resources and health before pressing on.
• Calliope uses her musical talents to perform a song of rest, helping her wounded allies recover their strength as party members spend hit dice to heal.
• The Dungeon Master appears and addresses the party, offering cryptic advice about looking for an exit toward Barlo and hinting at future discussions regarding dreams and destiny before vanishing.

Scouting the Bullywug Threat

Shadow flies above the tree line on her broom and discovers a massive swarm of bullywugs emerging from magical portals near a waterfall.

• Shadow mounts her broom of flying and ascends roughly twenty feet above the trees to scout the area ahead.
• From above, Shadow spots a small waterfall on the other side of the tree line, with a swarm of bullywugs pouring out of a portal.
• Two portals are identified: one where bullywugs are emerging and another to the northeast that the party needs to reach.
• A bullywug hurls a spear at Shadow, narrowly missing her.
• Shadow calls down to her allies, warning them that there are roughly three dozen or more bullywugs ahead.
• Initiative is rolled and combat begins.

The Bullywug Ambush

The party engages a massive swarm of bullywugs near a magical portal at the edge of a forested area.

• Shadow casts Spike Growth, causing a field of hard spikes and thorns to erupt from the ground to hinder the bullywugs' movement.
• Shadow then uses Nature's Veil to turn invisible and repositions above the trees.
• Sas wild shapes into a giant eagle to prepare for aerial combat.
• Barlo enters a rage, his claws transforming as an electrical surge jolts out to his allies — Calliope, Hex Coda, and the two Bastions — granting them an extra die of damage on their attacks.
• Barlo charges out of the woods and strikes two bullywugs in melee, dealing acid and piercing damage.
• Calliope polymorphs into a giant ape, lets out a roar, and brachiates through the trees toward the bullywugs to draw their attention.
• Shadow flies to within range of the bullywug leader who is maintaining the portal with an orange glowing energy, and fires two arrows at him. The second arrow strikes him in the forehead, causing him to collapse and disrupting the enemy's coordination.
• Shadow then ducks back into the tree line and hides.
• Sas, in giant eagle form, attempts to grapple a bullywug and fly it high into the air to drop it on its allies. Though the grapple fails, she still manages to deal damage.
• Barlo continues his reckless assault, tearing through the bullywug ranks with claw attacks.
• Calliope, as a giant ape, smashes multiple bullywugs with her fists using a multi-attack.
• Bastion executes a rapid series of strikes with Steel Wind Strike, flickering between multiple targets.
• Bastion's simulacrum assists by casting Ray of Frost at the bullywugs.
• Shadow fires a lightning-charged arrow at a bullywug near the portal, killing it instantly, and uses her reaction to capture the creature's soul.
• Sas's fungal spores deal necrotic damage to bullywugs as they move through the area, and her spores continue to damage enemies throughout the fight.
• The bullywugs retaliate with spears, successfully striking Barlo and Sas, and one bullywug uses a puff ball spore attack against Bastion's simulacrum.
• The party connects with the Silver Flame during the battle, earning points toward a permanent divine boon.
• The party coordinates their final attacks to clear the area, with Shadow picking off the last remaining bullywugs from the tree line.
• The battle ends as the last of the bullywug attackers are defeated, leaving the party victorious near the portal.

Memorable Moments

Shadow fires two arrows at the bullywug portal-keeper from above the trees. The second arrow strikes him directly in the forehead, dropping him and causing the entire enemy force to fall into disarray.

A precise long-range shot that disrupted the enemy's portal and broke their coordination mid-battle

Sas, transformed into a giant eagle, attempts to grapple a bullywug and drop it from seventy feet in the air onto its allies — but fails the grapple and has to improvise.

A bold and creative aerial maneuver that didn't quite go as planned, earning laughs from the table

The Dungeon Master appears from the shadows, offers the party cryptic advice about their future and Calliope's dreams, then vanishes just as suddenly as he arrived.

A brief but ominous appearance that left the party with more questions than answers about what lies ahead

Barlo rages and sends an electrical surge to five allies simultaneously, granting them all a bonus damage die before charging headlong into a crowd of bullywugs.

A roaring entrance into battle that energized the entire party at once

NPCs

Hex Coda

A six-armed spell weaver assistant automaton traveling with the party. He received a magical rage gift from Barlo to aid in the upcoming combat.

Venger

A paladin ally who is currently in a weakened state. He appears briefly to offer the party cryptic advice about looking for an exit toward Barlo and hints at future discussions regarding dreams and destiny before vanishing.

Willowbrush

A small pixie companion traveling with the party who provides guidance and warns the party to be careful as they approach the bullywug-held area.

Bullywugs

Frog-like humanoid creatures armed with spears and hide armor that emerged from a magical portal in large numbers to confront the party. They are capable of long jumps, can swim, and some have specialized roles such as portal-keepers and champions. One leader-type wore a crocodile-skin helmet and was directing the others before being taken down.

Locations

The Road

A path outside the lizardfolk tunnels where the party regroups after their escape. Despite the party's internal clocks suggesting evening, the area remains strangely illuminated by daylight.

Bullywug Falls

A forested area near a small waterfall containing two magical portals and a body of water. It became a battlefield as bullywugs emerged in a swarm to confront the party. The terrain is difficult, with tall trees providing cover and water offering a place for the frog-like creatures to submerge.

Items

Broom of Flying

A magical broom used by Shadow to hover roughly twenty feet above the battlefield, providing a clear line of sight for scouting and archery while allowing her to duck into the tree line for cover.

Unicorn Horn

An item containing the spirit of Uni the unicorn, which Pradam requires before he heads back to his homeworld. Retrieving it is the party's current objective.

Spells

Song of Rest

Calliope performed a soothing musical piece during the party's short rest, allowing her allies to recover additional hit points when spending their hit dice to heal.

Spike Growth

Cast to cause the ground near the bullywug portal to erupt with hard spikes and thorns, creating a hazardous zone that made movement through the area painful and difficult for the bullywugs.

Nature's Veil

Used by Shadow to vanish from sight after scouting and casting Spike Growth, allowing her to reposition invisibly above the trees and avoid enemy retaliation.

Wild Shape

Sas used this druidic ability to transform into a giant eagle, gaining flight and powerful talons to engage the bullywugs from the air.

Polymorph

Calliope cast this concentration spell to transform herself into a giant ape, gaining immense strength and the ability to brachiate through the forest canopy to engage the bullywugs directly.

Steel Wind Strike

Bastion used this powerful combat spell to vanish and reappear next to multiple bullywug targets, striking several of them in a single fluid series of motions.

Ray of Frost

Cast by Bastion's simulacrum multiple times throughout the battle, sending beams of blue-white freezing light into the bullywug ranks to damage and slow them.

Lightning Arrow

Shadow transformed one of her arrows into a bolt of lightning, firing it at a bullywug near the portal and killing it instantly with the surge of electrical energy.

True Strike

Used to ensure a precise and devastating follow-up attack against a bullywug, resulting in a critical hit.

Classic

Last we left off, our intrepid band of adventurers emerged from the winding depths of the lizardfolk tunnels, stepping out onto a strange road bathed in an eerie, unnatural daylight — a light that felt deeply at odds with the exhaustion weighing on their bones. Willowbrush and Hex Coda stood alongside them as they paused to tend their wounds, and Calliope wove a gentle, restorative melody through the air, breathing new life into her battered companions. But their rest was short-lived. From the shadows stepped The Dungeon Master, quiet and grave, urging the party to seek passage toward Barlo and hinting at deeper conversations yet to come — conversations about Calliope's dreams, and the destiny that seems to be pulling at her from just beyond the veil. And then, as suddenly as he had appeared, he was gone, leaving only the weight of his words and the silence of the road behind him.

Pressing onward into the dense forest with renewed strength and more questions than answers, Shadow took to the skies on her broom to scout ahead — and what she saw chilled her to the bone. Beyond the tree line, near a shimmering waterfall, a swarm of bullywugs was pouring through a magical portal in numbers that seemed almost impossible to count. Her warning cry had barely reached her allies before a spear whistled past her ear, and the forest below erupted into chaos. Barlo answered with a guttural roar, an electrical surge crackling from his body and surging into Calliope, Hex Coda, and the Bastions before he hurled himself headlong into the fray. Shadow conjured a field of razor-sharp spikes near the portal and vanished into invisibility. Sas took to the skies as a massive giant eagle, and Calliope — speaking a word of ancient power — reshaped herself into a towering giant ape, crashing through the canopy with a thunderous roar that shook the very trees.

From high above, Shadow spotted the bullywug leader — a creature radiating an orange glow as it strained to hold the portal open — and put an arrow squarely between its eyes, sending the enemy ranks spiraling into disarray. What followed was a fierce and brutal clash: Bastion flickered between enemies in a blur of steel while his simulacrum hurled beams of freezing light into the bullywug horde. Calliope's massive ape fists thundered into the creatures below, and Sas's fungal spores drifted through the air like a quiet death, sapping the strength of any foe that wandered too close. Shadow's lightning-charged arrow claimed another life near the portal — and in that fleeting moment, she reached out and captured the creature's departing soul for later questioning. The bullywugs fought back with desperate ferocity, driving spears into Barlo and Sas and launching a spore attack at Bastion's simulacrum — but it was not enough. One by one, the frog-like warriors fell, until the last of them lay still, and the clearing finally, mercifully, went quiet. Our heroes stand victorious before the very portal they fought so hard to reach — battered, breathless, and standing on the edge of whatever comes next...

Snarky

Welcome to the most chaotic nature documentary you've ever witnessed: a swamp invasion interrupted by a giant ape, a giant eagle, and one very committed broom-rider. The party barely had time to lick their wounds after crawling out of the lizardfolk tunnels before The Dungeon Master materialized from the shadows like a cryptic life coach, dropped some ominous hints about Calliope's dreams and destiny, and then simply left. No follow-up. No FAQ. Just vibes and existential dread. Truly the most efficient mentor in the Forgotten Realms.

Then Shadow peeked above the treeline and spotted what can only be described as an all-you-can-invade bullywug buffet pouring through a magical portal near a waterfall — because of course there was a portal. The party's response was, naturally, to go absolutely feral: Barlo electrocuted his own allies as a pep talk and then charged face-first into a wall of frog-men, Calliope turned into a giant ape and started brachiating through the canopy like she had something to prove, and Sas became a giant eagle and attempted to yeet a bullywug into its friends (the bullywug had opinions about this). Shadow, ever the professional, shot the glowing portal-keeper directly in the forehead from the sky, sent the enemy ranks into full chaos, and then casually harvested his soul for later. The bullywugs never stood a chance. The portal awaits.

Middle English

From lizard tunnels dark they came,
Onto a road of eerie light;
Though evening called their weary frame,
The sun burned strange and far too bright.
Willowbrush and Hex Coda near,
Did tend their wounds with gentle care,
While Calliope's sweet song did clear
The pain that hung upon the air.

Then The Dungeon Master stepped from shadow's fold,
With quiet words of weight and fate;
Of Calliope's dreams he spoke, and told
Of destiny that dared not wait.
Seek Barlo's exit, so he said,
Then vanished like a whispered prayer,
And left his words to fill with dread
The silence hanging in the air.

With strength renewed they pressed the wood,
And Shadow rose upon her broom;
Above the canopy she stood,
And saw what filled her heart with gloom.
A swarm of bullywugs poured through
A shimmering portal, rank on rank;
A spear flew past before she knew,
And Barlo roared from wood and bank.

His lightning crackled, fierce and bright,
Through Calliope and Hex Coda's veins;
He charged the foe with savage might,
While Shadow spiked the portal's plains.
Sas soared as eagle, proud and keen,
And Calliope, a great ape grown,
Did shake the canopy's leafy screen
And made the bullywugs' courage moan.

Then Shadow's arrow, swift and true,
Did strike the glowing leader's brow;
The portal wavered, ranks withdrew,
And chaos claimed the battlefield's vow.
Bastion's steel did flash and gleam,
His simulacrum froze the foe;
Till spear and spore were but a dream,
And silence crowned the party's glow.

Limerick

From tunnels they stumbled to light,
Though evening had claimed the true night.
The Dungeon Master stepped from the shade,
With warnings he made,
Then vanished as quick as his sight!

Young Shadow soared high on her broom,
And spotted the bullywugs' doom.
A portal they poured through,
A spear nearly floored you,
As Barlo charged in with a boom!

Calliope shifted to ape,
While Shadow turned spikes to landscape.
Sas soared as an eagle,
Their teamwork was regal,
And bullywugs scrambled to escape!

The leader glowed orange with might,
But Shadow's swift arrow flew right.
It struck him dead-center,
No chaos could enter,
And foes fell apart in the fight!

With Bastion's steel flashing like flame,
And Sas spreading spores without shame,
The last frogman fell still,
By the portal and rill,
And victory sealed the party's name!

Exported from GMAssistant on 2026-08-16