BIG Trouble!

Level 4, Grrw, Badger
Large Badger, NPC, Explicit, Microboss

SHIT! It’s a Boss, in its lair! Level 4 at that. A TPK was not out of the question.

It knocks your pipe away, so you get the two bits of mop handle from your inventory.

When you get the opening as it tried ramming Jonis down as the clearest threat, you jump on its back and stab down.

Failure!

The skin and fur are too thick and strong for that to work.

Getting an idea you get closer to its head and holding the wood closer to the sharp points, try to stab it in the eyes. That fails but it tries to shake you off.

While it is distracted Jonis managed to shove his sword down its throat. A couple more minutes of thrashing latter and the Badger finally died.

Then entire party can finally relax a bit and gather the loot bag.

You tell them as Alizin and Jonis heal the rest of you “It was a microboss, level 4. This means it has already killed at least a level 3 Player and used their Claimant Crystal. It will only get stronger, and stronger. It will also recruit others. That badger is a threat to the town of Highbreeze!

They look in the loot bag and find another Claimant Crystal, which was a grim sign, as it meant it had killed two level 3’s already. They gave it to you as you would not get one at level 3 like them.

They were about to split the rest up, but you tell them “We need to leave before it respawns!”

Going to one of the tunnels heading up, they get close enough to the surface to find grass roots and dig their way out. They were on the other side of the whole.

You tell them “We can finish our quest and head around using the tree line as a safe area, rush across this area now, and possibly trigger other traps, or use the tree line now and warn people. The choice is yours.”