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Whoever blocked the staircase did so for a reason. What were they keeping out? Or— what were they keeping in?

It's Your Turn

NOTE: This puzzle has been altered to make it accessible for postsolvers. During the hunt, only the Action subpuzzle was initially available. Upon solving it, Bonus Action and Movement were unlocked; upon solving one of those, Reaction was unlocked. Once any three of the first four subpuzzles were solved, Action Surge unlocked.

Action

DMAs you delve deeper into the forest, you hear rustling in the undergrowth ahead of you... suddenly, a giant eight-legged shape emerges into the clearing just ahead of you! Its black eyes glimmer in the forest shade as it chitters at you. [DM making menacing spider noises] It's large, bigger than any of you...
WizardHell yes, giant spider encounter. This one is traditional.
DMEverybody roll initiative!
Ranger23.
BardHm, I got a--
WizardWait, we're all level two now, and initiative is an ability check. Don't forget to add half of your proficiency from Jack of All Trades.
BardRight. In that case, I got a 13.
WizardI'm going to use one of my Portent rolls to get a 12. I rolled the die for it before we started, so if you're keeping track of those for whatever reason, this one doesn't count.
DMThe giant spider got a 4, so the order is Ranger, Bard, Wizard, Spider. Ranger, as the spider starts advancing on you, what's your action?
RangerIt hasn't reached me yet, right? I'm going to fire my longbow at it.
DMCool, give me an attack roll.
RangerFactoring in my bonus from my Archery fighting style...does a 27 hit?
DMSure does. Roll your damage.
RangerOoh, max damage on the die! That's a total of 12.
DMYour arrow lodges itself deep in one of the spider's many eyes. It's hurt, but not out.
DMBard, you're up.
BardSo, this is going to sound crazy.
DM...go on.
BardI'm going to step out in front of the group--
DMOkay...
Bard--and use my incredible 20 Charisma on a Persuasion check, to try and convince it to leave us alone.
DMAccording to its stats, the spider doesn't speak any languages,, so you can't really talk to it.
BardOh.
DMI guess you could make a Performance check--play it some calming music? But it'll be a Hard DC--you'll have to hit a 20.
BardI don't have proficiency in Performance, so this'll be a little bit worse. But I might as well, right?
DMYou know what, sure. Go for it.
BardThat's only a 15.
DMYou play some sweet, melodic music from your lute. Unfortunately, your friend has just shot an arrow through the spider's eyes, so it isn't very inclined to trust you.
BardAww.
DMWizard, that's you.
WizardIs the spider less than 15 feet from us?
DMIt's exactly 15 feet from you.
WizardCool. I duck out from behind the bard, cast Color Spray, and retreat again.
BardHey!
WizardLook, at least you're wearing armor! You've got that fancy studded leather and I'm out here in nobles' clothes.
DMYeah, yeah. Roll your Color Spray.
[large clatter of dice]
WizardOh, that's a really bad roll.
DMBut it's exactly enough to affect the spider! Color flashes from the tips of your fingers, splintering into many beams against the spider's countless eyes. It's blinded until the end of your next turn.
WizardHell yeah!
DMJust in time for the spider's turn, too. It won't move, but it'll take a Web attack against the Bard, since they're out in front.
BardOops.
DMLet's see, that's a 12...
DM...and an 18. Even with disadvantage, that's exactly enough to hit.
RangerThat hits? But they're wearing armor!
DMHey, that's what the numbers say. Bard, the spider spits a mass of sticky webbing at you. You don't take damage, but you're restrained by the web. You can attack the web or try to break out on your turn.
BardThis isn't too bad, actually.
WizardYou can't just say things like that...
DMRanger, that's you again.
RangerI'm going to try to free the Bard. What can I do?
DMSince you're not trapped in it, all you can do is attack the web.
RangerHmm. On second thought, I'll cast Entangle on the spider. Maybe I can keep the Bard out of reach of its mandibles.
DMWhat's your Wisdom modifier, again?
RangerA flat 0.
DMWell, the spider still fails its save--but only by 3. Vines erupt from the forest floor, pinning its body in place.
RangerCool!
DMBard, your turn.
BardOkay. No one's in front of me, right?
DMNo one except the spider.
BardIf I cast a Thunderwave, can I hit both the spider and the web?
DMThe web is in your space, so no. Best you could do is just the spider.
BardFine, I'll do that.
DMOkay, the spider gets a 13 on its save. That's a failure--the spider is blasted backward by a terrible crack of thunder.
BardAwesome! I'll roll damage...that's a 1 and a 4, for a total of...not a lot.
DMWell, you still manage to injure it. Wizard, you're up.
WizardAs much as I want to take advantage of the blindness, we need to get the Bard out of that web. I don't trust the Entangle to hold it for long.
WizardI'm going to roll a Witch Bolt against the web...oh, that's under the table.
DMJust reroll it.
Wizard[from under the table] Oh, good, because that was only a...what's my Int mod again?
Bard[peering over at their character sheet] +3.
WizardYeah, that's only a 10.
DMWell, reroll it, then.
WizardOkay, you know what--I'm not going to risk this. I'll use my last Portent roll to get a natural 20. Again, I rolled this die before we started, so it doesn't count as a roll.
DMA critical hit from the portent! Roll your damage.
WizardOh, that's really good--1 away from max!
DMIn a crackle of greenish-yellow lightning, the web sizzles and blows apart, freeing the Bard. That's the spider...
DMIts web attack recharges.
RangerWait, I thought special attacks only recharged on a 6?
DMNope, not this one. It's no longer blinded, but it's still restrained, so it still has disadvantage. Instead of attacking, it'll try to break out of the Entangle.
DMAnd that's a critical failure. The spider strains against the vines and chitters pitifully. [DM making sad spider noises]
RangerHa! My turn, right? And it's still restrained?
DMYeah, so you have advantage.
RangerCool. I'm shooting my Arrow of Spider Slaying. And...that's a 24--.
Ranger--and a 23.
DMThat's a hit! Roll your damage.
RangerOh, that's really bad. 6 on the longbow attack, plus the Arrow of Slaying...wow, there's literally a 0.05% chance of getting exactly this total from the Arrow of Slaying dice. Uh, I think the total is...
DMThat's still enough to kill it! It would be enough even if the spider made it save, so I won't bother rolling.
DMYour Arrow of Spider Slaying rips through its abdomen, leaving the spider swaying on its spindly legs for a brief moment before it collapses. It makes one last, desperate noise [DM making spider death noises], and falls silent.

Bonus Action

Healing Word

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Bandages can start anywhere in the row, travel in either direction, and wrap around.

Limbs

  1. ??? / ???
  2. Cookie of crossword fame / Undergarment
  3. Decay
  4. Corner piece? / Carpark

Bandages

  1. Shrek, for instance
  2. Inventor Rubik
  3. Bag type
  4. Their Richard gave battle in vain
  5. Charon's coin
  6. Rain heavily
  7. Platter

Grasping Vine

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Vines start at a 🌱, end at a 🍃, and never self-intersect.

Vines

  1. Part of a network / Arrange in a tower
  2. Label / Antlered animal
  3. Cow sound / Sky feature during the day / Sky feature during always / To turn a boat
  4. Rhythm game with a pink logo / Wet nymphs
  5. Excellent resource for 5e creatures
  6. Walker / Do drugs

Misty Step

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Misty cells (🌀s) are paired; when a clue lands on a misty cell, it teleports to a misty cell on the opposite corner of a different quadrant and continues in the same direction.

Across

  1. Creator
  2. The devil's clothing? / Fowl offal / Largest city in Norfolk

Down

  1. Funny phrase, with "us" / Allow or confess / A contemporary saga
  2. Hide (2 wds)

Movement

The Area

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The Characters

  • The RANGER has a favored environment of forests. Their speed is 30 ft, and they ignore the movement penalty imposed by trees (but not by tents).
  • The BARD has made friends with a horse. Their speed is 40 ft, and they can dash once during the encounter, allowing them to move twice on that turn.
  • As long as they maintain concentration, the WIZARD can fly. Their speed while flying is 60 ft, and while flying, they ignore the movement penalty imposed by tents and trees. Their speed while not flying is 30 ft.

The Rules

  • Moving into a tile (whether orthogonally or diagonally) costs 5 feet of movement. However, tiles containing tents and trees cost 10 feet of movement to enter instead of 5. Tiles containing another player can be moved into as normal.
  • All movement is made in straight lines, and each player uses all possible movement each turn. If a player has leftover movement at the end of the turn (for instance, if they reach the edge of the grid, or they do not have 10 feet of movement left to enter a square with a movement penalty), they remain where they are and forfeit the unused movement.
  • All players begin in the upper left corner.

The Encounter

  • The RANGER moves east. They end their turn directly north of a tree.
  • The BARD moves south. They end their turn diagonally adjacent to two trees.
  • The WIZARD starts concentrating, then moves east.
  • The RANGER moves south.
  • The BARD moves south. They end their turn adjacent to only one edge of the grid.
  • The WIZARD stops concentrating, then moves south.
  • The RANGER moves west. They end their turn adjacent to the edge of the grid.
  • The BARD moves east. They end their turn without any unused movement.
  • The WIZARD moves southwest. They end their turn directly between two trees.
  • The RANGER moves southeast. They travel a distance of 6 tiles.
  • The BARD moves east.
  • The WIZARD moves southeast.
  • The RANGER moves north.
  • The BARD moves north. They pass through two tiles that inflict movement penalties.
  • The WIZARD starts concentrating, then moves north. They end their turn on a tile that would inflict a movement penalty if they weren't flying.
  • The RANGER moves north. They end their turn diagonally adjacent to a tree and at least one tent.
  • The BARD moves southeast.
  • The WIZARD moves.
  • The RANGER moves southwest.
  • The BARD moves south. They pause, having no leftover movement...
  • ...then decide to dash.
  • The WIZARD stops concentrating. Noting a tile that would impose a movement penalty directly to their south, and an empty tile directly to their north, they move north.
  • The RANGER moves north. They travel a distance of 5 tiles.
  • The BARD moves northeast. They do not encounter the edge of the grid.
  • The WIZARD moves southeast.

The ???

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Reaction

Using your Reaction, you prepare to take a right turn.
Entrance >effecttunneltahitiempire
corpusribbongrowthcastle
forestedgierdigitshorror
likelygalaxyparodybunker
replaydancercurvednobody
I react if...

  • Bard: the word I'm on contains the next note in the A minor pentatonic scale (starting and ending with A)
  • Ranger: the word I'm on contains the letter of the current direction I am traveling (U for up, D for down, L for left, R for right)
  • Wizard: there is an ascender or descender in the position of the number of turns I have taken so far (or, if I have taken no turns, as the first letter)

Action Surge

The Fighter might be missing, but you can still use their extra action.

What an aircraft might be doing
Showing injury
Vehicular encampment
Thin-sounding