The War of Bugs and Rats is the sixth episode of season 3, The Unsleeping City.
Recap[]
"Last we left off, our brave adventurers had been scattered around the city. Some in a lovely penthouse, some at the Clinton Hill Chantry, some in the sewers, some all the way in Staten Island in a bar."
"As you guys rush through the Steinway Street subway entrance, you guys are, by the way, all the way out in Astoria, Queens. You're rushing up to the subway. You guys can feel, specifically Kugrash, Misty, and Kingston, you guys can feel the Umbral Arcana is rent here. There is nothing keeping people from seeing the horrors of the dream world entering this place, and you see that all of the tears in the Umbral Arcana here are connected as though by strings to their puppet master, Pete. Pete, your body is just pulsating with magic that appears to be keeping this place open, keeping this like-- this place opens. As you guys leap up the steps, you guys see that you sort of all congregate here and meet at the same. Perhaps some of Kingston's city magic as the train rushes, you get all off the thing. All of you look well-rested except for Sofia."
"You guys rush up out of the subway. You hear muffled screams and chittering. You feel the presence. Insides of the buildings are covered in horrifying, gross webs. You look around you and you see a horrifying wasp centaur woman rise up into the air."
Synopsis[]
The episode starts with the group scattered across New York, each facing challenges. Kugrash, Misty, and Kingston sense unstable magic in the subway and regroup with Pete, Sofia, and Ricky. They encounter a wasp centaur, Becky, who thanks Pete for inviting her insect friends and reveals an insect takeover that she claims improves property values. Becky, a sorceress, uses Pete's magic to control the bugs, while a giant beetle threatens to destroy buildings before she vanishes.
Kingston casts Bless on Pete, Ricky, Sofia, and Kugrash. Pete resists the smoke but fails an Arcana check. Sofia plans to climb while Pete dodges smoke, thanks to Kingston. Misty urges him to use Dispel Magic, leading Pete to recall a memory with his father. As the smoke clears, Pete avoids a Wild Magic surge. Ricky climbs a roof to confront a charging beetle, and Kugrash teleports to help by summoning rat swarms. Misty casts Bardic Inspiration for Pete, who avoids further danger. Ricky wants to pursue Becky; Sofia kills a bug and sprints to a bodega, sensing a cat inside. Surprisingly, she sustains damage from Becky, who mocks her.
Kingston heals her amidst banter. Pete casts Fireball inside the bodega, triggering panic in the deli owner, and a Wild Magic surge triggers that renders him weightless. Misty fails to cast Crown of Madness, and Kugrash causes chaos with a Flaming Sphere. Sofia leaps, avoiding a mantis, then frees a creature from a cocoon, transforming the bodega into a magical space where La Gran Gata, the guardian cat, appears. She gifts Sofia speed and aids the team against pests.
Kugrash and Misty face overwhelming locusts while Kingston, mistaken for zoning personnel, commands a bug to retreat and gets injured. He impressively rolls a nat 20, gaining respect from La Gran Gata, who clears the way for him. Pete hovers uncertainly but moves towards a webbed area, dodging attacks thanks to La Gran Gata. He casts Fear, scattering the bugs but leaving Becky unaffected. Kingston takes 14 damage but remains standing. Pete suffers more damage in a bug swarm but avoids Wild Magic surges.
Misty uses Thunderwave to destroy an enemy, then pockets a magical mirror before casting Bardic Inspiration on Kingston. Ricky prepares a shield spell to protect his team. A giant beetle crushes Kugrash’s rat swarms as the animals dramatically declare their sacrifice. Kugrash heals Pete, then summons a giant cockroach while dodging insects. Inspired by Misty's trickery, Sofia searches for a magical item, finds a golden ring with a fist emblem, and then leaves to free locals from cocoons.
Becky confronts Ricky, forcing a failed Wisdom save that causes him to transform into an insect. Pete alters the magic, turning Ricky into a dog instead. With Kugrash's help, Ricky starts to regain his identity. Despite minimal damage, Ricky bites Becky, halting her. Kingston casts *Guiding Bolt*, eliminating an enemy and turning the tide. Ricky, now a large Akita, aids in the fight against Becky. Sofia attacks a giant wasp with rapid strikes. The rat swarms are defeated, and Becky disappears into the mist. The group debates Becky's escape method while Ricky, as a dog, sniffs around.
Pete casts Scorching Ray, damaging a cockroach, while Becky misses her shot due to Pete's Shield— Misty attempts to Dispel Magic on Ricky. Misty uses Dispel Magic, returning Ricky to human form with a natural 20, enhanced with dog-like abilities and ready for battle. He kills a bugster, while Kugrash follows with a fireball against a cockroach. The team gains momentum, summoning creatures for support. Ricky strikes a second bugster but gets hurt; failing to maintain concentration—the summoned spider and dog retreat. Sofia searches for Becky, dodging attacks and defeating two roaches with Flurry of Blows. After sliding through a pub and getting slimed, she finds Becky but suffers damage.
Kingston casts Sacred Flame while Pete moves to Misty, who takes hits but survives. Misty conjures a distraction for Kingston. Ricky advances but is obstructed. A beetle fails to break through shelves, meeting La Gran Gata's wrath. Kugrash dashes to join his allies and shifts his aura for support. Sofia survives roach attacks, using Patient Defense to evade them. Sofia confronts Becky, defeating her despite her drunken state.
The remaining bugs disappear, and the Umbral Arcana fades. Bystanders, confused, laugh it off as a prank. The group reassembles at a bodega, finding the "Key to the City" missing. La Gran Gata acknowledges its significance, and Sofia asks for changed eye colours. The cat complies, giving her striking blue and green eyes. Ricky uses Locate Object and determines that the missing key is racing towards Manhattan. La Gran Gata, exhausted, bids the adventurers farewell, setting the stage for their next challenge.
Locations[]
Featured Characters[]
The Dream Team[]
New[]
Mentioned[]
Trivia[]
- Before being posted in-full on YouTube, this episode was initially posted in two parts, on September 17th and September 24th 2019. It was previously named "Battle of the Bugged Bodega".