What You Know
The immediate threat is cleared: both halves of the black pudding are dead, the stalagmite that hid it is quiet, and the goblins guarding the outer chambers — nursery included — are gone. The party barricaded one of the two tunnels leading out of the dead-end chamber with goblin corpses, kept the other clear as their exit, set watches, and took a long rest. Everyone comes into the next session at full HP and full spell slots.
A few things are still sitting unresolved from this session:
- The barricaded tunnel. It's blocked with bodies, not destroyed — a couple of turns' work to clear from either side. It was sealed because it led toward the more open area the fleeing goblins had been retreating through, which means whatever else is back there hasn't been dealt with, just delayed.
- The stalagmite chamber itself. Nobody searched it once the pudding was dead. If it was guarding something worth hiding a black pudding inside a rock for, it hasn't been found yet.
- The distant "soup" and the silver lake. Spotted from a distance through the tunnel before the stalagmite fight, neither has been approached or investigated up close.
- The goblin explosion's noise. A chain of barrel explosions and a room full of screaming goblins is not a quiet way to clear a nursery. Anything else in the dungeon within earshot knows something happened.
The Level 4 Toolkit
What this party has available, fully refreshed after the long rest:
- Theren Vale — Hunter Ranger, Archery style. Hunter's Mark and a longbow that's been landing consistently; also carries Detect Magic as a 1st-level spell if the party wants a read on anything unusual before advancing.
- Barzer — War Magic Wizard, INT 20. Fire Bolt at range, Misty Step for a quick escape, Mirror Image and Shield in reserve, and a familiar from Find Familiar that can scout a hole, a hallway, or a stalagmite before anyone sticks a hand in it — a lesson this session just taught the hard way.
- Nysera — Forest Druid. Wild Shape twice per short rest, plus a control-spell kit (Moonbeam, Flaming Sphere, Spike Growth) and the demonstrated willingness to use telekinesis on her own party when she's annoyed enough.
- Elaris Moonveil — Lore Bard, CHA 20. Bardic Inspiration, Healing Word as a bonus action, Misty Step, and Cutting Words to undercut an enemy roll — she's already proven she can attack and heal in the same turn when it matters.
- Selena — Life Cleric, the party's most fragile member by HP but with Healing Word, Sacred Flame, Guiding Bolt, and Augury if the party wants a "weal or woe" read on a path before committing to it.
What Gets You Killed
- Assuming a hole, hollow, or dark space is empty. The stalagmite fight started because nobody scouted before Barzer lit it up. Send the familiar first from now on.
- Splitting the party between the barricaded tunnel and the open one. With one exit and one dead end, getting caught between two directions again means fighting with your back against a wall of bodies.
- Underestimating what heard the nursery. That explosion was loud, and something in this dungeon already speaks in a low, amused Infernal voice. It knows the party is here.
- Barzer testing things with Fire Bolt before anyone confirms what's inside. It worked out against a barrel and a pudding this time. It won't always.