Last week's Star Wars session was cancelled due to illness, but fortunately, I kept a quote log of our recent Skype game, so here's that to tie you over until we're back in space.
In this session, the group went to Baldur's Gate and tried to flog some uncut gems, with the cunning use of haggling. Well, other stuff happened as well, such as saying hello to Fagin and his street urchins.
Showing posts with label Dungeons and Dragons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dungeons and Dragons. Show all posts
Life is too short to remove safely
Finishing off the Rivergard Keep, the party came out victorious. Lo-Kag, being a noble paladin, decided to dig graves for all the slain cultists as a penance for having killed them. When Kyla and Aial tried to help (using magic instead of shovels), he got a bit upset at their blatant disregard for honour that he'd rather they not help at all.
This worked out well for the rest of the party, who went to check out the rest of the castle in case anything had been missed off. They went back to the hidden boats and found that going in one of them and rowing into the darkness meant some kind of creatures trying to capsise them.
When the creatures in question were eventually returned to death and the whole party were assembled, they rowed all the way to the main water cultist temple, because this is what roleplayers do. That's not what the adventure book thinks should be done for another couple of levels ...
This worked out well for the rest of the party, who went to check out the rest of the castle in case anything had been missed off. They went back to the hidden boats and found that going in one of them and rowing into the darkness meant some kind of creatures trying to capsise them.
When the creatures in question were eventually returned to death and the whole party were assembled, they rowed all the way to the main water cultist temple, because this is what roleplayers do. That's not what the adventure book thinks should be done for another couple of levels ...
Making your own gunpowder sounds way too methodical
This is short, but let's face it, it was a continuation of clearing out Rivergard Keep of a bunch of water cultists.
The party stormed the main keep, killed a wereboar, found a secret staircase and a hidden room, and really went to town on those cultists. They should now be considered a threatened species, soon to be extinct. As a GM, I'm very proud of them, of course.
The party stormed the main keep, killed a wereboar, found a secret staircase and a hidden room, and really went to town on those cultists. They should now be considered a threatened species, soon to be extinct. As a GM, I'm very proud of them, of course.
This is completely unrealistic!
A player couldn't make the session last week, and instead of continuing the raid on the water cultists, we decided to play some boardgames instead. However, I didn't bring the quote pad, so here's a little something we prepared earlier.
Still D&D, just a different group and a different adventure. This group is doing the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, and while most of the players are different, the GM is the original D&D GM in our regular group, and contrary to popular stereotype, I'm not playing the Cleric: I'm a Forest Gnome Wizard! The GM described a Forest Gnome Wizard as "a little like Radagast" and went on explaining further. My comment was "YOU HAD ME AT RADAGAST". :D
I think these two session excerpts are the very first two sessions of the campaign.
Still D&D, just a different group and a different adventure. This group is doing the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, and while most of the players are different, the GM is the original D&D GM in our regular group, and contrary to popular stereotype, I'm not playing the Cleric: I'm a Forest Gnome Wizard! The GM described a Forest Gnome Wizard as "a little like Radagast" and went on explaining further. My comment was "YOU HAD ME AT RADAGAST". :D
I think these two session excerpts are the very first two sessions of the campaign.
Can we loot now?
There's not that much to say about this session, aside from that the party got busy attacking the water cultists in the keep.
Aial did his thing in one of the towers while the others attacked the people in the harbour area.
Hearing a female chanting in the chapel, Schnick had a Trauma Flashback and attacked the chapel with fire. He was quite successful.
Kyla stabberised a guide, and even the noble Lo-Kag got in on the murderising.
It was like watching a gory hoover in slow motion.
Aial did his thing in one of the towers while the others attacked the people in the harbour area.
Hearing a female chanting in the chapel, Schnick had a Trauma Flashback and attacked the chapel with fire. He was quite successful.
Kyla stabberised a guide, and even the noble Lo-Kag got in on the murderising.
It was like watching a gory hoover in slow motion.
You can definitely feel the d4
Carrying on up the river, the threat of having his li'l Captain forcibly removed made the keelboat captain sing like a canary. Not that he had that much to say that the party didn't already know, but still.
The unconscious crew were set ashore a few hours upriver, while the party then moved on. After stopping off at Summit Hall to rest up, have a meal and dump the keelboat captain in a dungeon, they continued further upstream to where the people from whom Shoalar obtained a certain set of books had been ferried across. They then found the place of the ambush and made their way to the suspected hideout of the water cult.
The unconscious crew were set ashore a few hours upriver, while the party then moved on. After stopping off at Summit Hall to rest up, have a meal and dump the keelboat captain in a dungeon, they continued further upstream to where the people from whom Shoalar obtained a certain set of books had been ferried across. They then found the place of the ambush and made their way to the suspected hideout of the water cult.
It’s a very entertaining scene
The party respectfully relieved the slain cultists of their earthly possessions before moving on down to Womford.
When investigating the village, they came across villagers who wanted to be left alone, a number of ruffians, and a jolly sea captain who had some interesting books to sell. Later that night, Kyla entertained the people from the ships which gave the other party members time to search one of the keelboats for clues. It seemed very likely that at least one of the boats was water cult-related.
After all the sailors having gone to bed drunk, an attack was made. The crew summarily slaughtered, the party tried to interrogate the captain ... by promising that Aial would do very bad things to him indeed. Then they stole the boat and headed upriver, horses and all.
When investigating the village, they came across villagers who wanted to be left alone, a number of ruffians, and a jolly sea captain who had some interesting books to sell. Later that night, Kyla entertained the people from the ships which gave the other party members time to search one of the keelboats for clues. It seemed very likely that at least one of the boats was water cult-related.
After all the sailors having gone to bed drunk, an attack was made. The crew summarily slaughtered, the party tried to interrogate the captain ... by promising that Aial would do very bad things to him indeed. Then they stole the boat and headed upriver, horses and all.
I’m making my own rules
Having come across reviews of the Princes of the Apocalypse campaign, the GM (i.e. me, who has never really run a pre-written adventure before) was happy to conclude that feeling like a shit GM was less about actually being a shit GM and a lot more to do with a poorly edited and very confusingly laid out adventure book where the reason you can't find something is because it's spread out all over the place, and not necessarily in chronological or alphabetical order, or any other kind of order you would expect.
Anyway. The characters continued the partying at Feathergale Spire. Aial decided to check out the commander's private quarters while no one was looking, and then set it on fire to hide evidence. The order lost all of their initiates in the ensuing fire ... but of course the party wasn't present at the time the fire went off. Kyla, who earned a gold star with the order for killing the manticore last session, was taken aside and got the "hello, my name is Elder Knight and I would like to share with you this most amazing cult" talk. She later helped out with healing the wounded to show that yes, she's definitely initiate material. (As if.)
After a night when the party was randomly attacked by jackalweres (why they're not called "werejackals" we have no idea), the party headed down the road toward Womford. Stopping for a bio break, they came across some water themed soldiers that were suitably skewered by Lo-Kag and then turned into kebabs by Schnicktick.
You know, it's like there's some sort of elemental theme going on here ...
Anyway. The characters continued the partying at Feathergale Spire. Aial decided to check out the commander's private quarters while no one was looking, and then set it on fire to hide evidence. The order lost all of their initiates in the ensuing fire ... but of course the party wasn't present at the time the fire went off. Kyla, who earned a gold star with the order for killing the manticore last session, was taken aside and got the "hello, my name is Elder Knight and I would like to share with you this most amazing cult" talk. She later helped out with healing the wounded to show that yes, she's definitely initiate material. (As if.)
After a night when the party was randomly attacked by jackalweres (why they're not called "werejackals" we have no idea), the party headed down the road toward Womford. Stopping for a bio break, they came across some water themed soldiers that were suitably skewered by Lo-Kag and then turned into kebabs by Schnicktick.
You know, it's like there's some sort of elemental theme going on here ...
This conversation has ceased to make sense
After examining some shallow graves, the party headed over to some kind of tower that they could see in the distance. We were intercepted by ginormous insects that tried to eat us. Adventurers, like we are prone to do, dispatched of them. Kyla took some of the meat with her, because it seemed a good idea at the time.
The tower was full of knights and things. They had a kitchen full of new recruits trying to make dinner, and Kyla wanted to cook the insect meat. There was only one initiate who didn't consider the underground-dwelling ankhegs to be too "spiritually dirty" to eat, but he was probably just starving.
The party was invited to stay for dinner, and the entertainment of the evening turned out to be manticore hunting. Again, the monster was dispatched. There's clearly nothing odd about this order of so-called knights. Nothing at all ...
The tower was full of knights and things. They had a kitchen full of new recruits trying to make dinner, and Kyla wanted to cook the insect meat. There was only one initiate who didn't consider the underground-dwelling ankhegs to be too "spiritually dirty" to eat, but he was probably just starving.
The party was invited to stay for dinner, and the entertainment of the evening turned out to be manticore hunting. Again, the monster was dispatched. There's clearly nothing odd about this order of so-called knights. Nothing at all ...
Whoever dies first makes a tank
The new party lineup for taking on the Princes of the Apocalypse (Elemental Evil) campaign are as follows:
The party started out looking around the town of Red Larch, trying to find out more about a party from Mirabar who were supposed to have passed through the area recently, but never made it to their destination. Investigations eventually led them to some shallow graves.
- Aial, Aarakocra Rogue
- Kyla Therian, Asamar Bard
- Lo-Kag Skywatcher Katho-Olavi, Goliath Paladin of Tyr
- Schnicktick of the Crystal Fist, Deep Gnome Wizard
The party started out looking around the town of Red Larch, trying to find out more about a party from Mirabar who were supposed to have passed through the area recently, but never made it to their destination. Investigations eventually led them to some shallow graves.
I like my character but I don’t like my dice
One player down, we had a session where we couldn't start the Hell on Earth adventure, but instead of doing a boardgame like we'd normally do, we had a one-shot Dungeons & Dragons adventure. Or part of one, at any rate.
Our usual D&D GM would like to get to play the game as well as GM it, so I volunteered to do it, but having never run an adventure from a printed book we thought maybe I should give it a try first and see if I was comfortable doing it. Turns out I was so comfortable that I nearly wiped the party on their very first encounter. ;)
The players rolled up new level one characters to use going forward (that way they could get to try them out as well) and then we did as far as we had time for of part one of the 5th Edition starter pack adventure - being ambushed by goblins, finding a cave and so on.
Our usual D&D GM would like to get to play the game as well as GM it, so I volunteered to do it, but having never run an adventure from a printed book we thought maybe I should give it a try first and see if I was comfortable doing it. Turns out I was so comfortable that I nearly wiped the party on their very first encounter. ;)
The players rolled up new level one characters to use going forward (that way they could get to try them out as well) and then we did as far as we had time for of part one of the 5th Edition starter pack adventure - being ambushed by goblins, finding a cave and so on.
One die-roll at a time, we will kill everyone in the room
As we settled down with a couple of freshly baked Bakewell tarts and fudge and tins of candy and a box of After Eights (you think we're kidding), a Scottish Dwarf was rolled up in preparation for Rifts, and we were well excited by the prospect of playing that game again in the new year, as you can see by the quotes below.
In D&D, we went further into Wave Echo Cave and got to a room where we then spent the rest of the session killing things. (You think we're kidding.)
Having dispatched a number of bugbears, spiders, a doppelganger and a couple of wizards, we found a room in which we in turn found Nundro Rockseeker - the last of Hematite's missing cousins. Alive, luckily.
And then we got XP and lived happily ever after, having not died. (Except for Rhogar, rest in piece, dragon brother.) Will we return to D&D again? We might, you know, but it'll have to wait until the new year.
In D&D, we went further into Wave Echo Cave and got to a room where we then spent the rest of the session killing things. (You think we're kidding.)
Having dispatched a number of bugbears, spiders, a doppelganger and a couple of wizards, we found a room in which we in turn found Nundro Rockseeker - the last of Hematite's missing cousins. Alive, luckily.
And then we got XP and lived happily ever after, having not died. (Except for Rhogar, rest in piece, dragon brother.) Will we return to D&D again? We might, you know, but it'll have to wait until the new year.
If you haven't got the XP, it's not dead
We continued our foray into the Wave Echo Cave system. There were skeletons and bugbears and stuff in there. It's a good thing we have Malinda in the party - she whittled five bugbears down to one in one round of burning hands. Result!
We also managed to find a door that said bugbears had barricaded. Turned out there was a big, flaming skull behind there. We decided to close the door and explore one of the other directions ...
We also managed to find a door that said bugbears had barricaded. Turned out there was a big, flaming skull behind there. We decided to close the door and explore one of the other directions ...
Bacon-flavoured breakfast ale needs to be a thing
We are now in the final dungeon, a big cave system called the Wave Echo Cave, because we're still trying to find Gundren's missing brothers. So far, we've met an ochre jelly and assorted map-making.
We left this session being attacked by some ghouls. Two out of five characters are paralysed ...
We left this session being attacked by some ghouls. Two out of five characters are paralysed ...
The appropriate barbecuing of goblin chefs
Having liberated an owlbear by killing it rather than setting it free, we continued to explore Cragmaw Castle with our new friend Theren. We found the kitchen, where we basically stormed in and killed a bunch of people without warning, thus making one of us remark, "You realise this is like someone running into Chimera and gunning us all down, right?" or words to that effect.
Well, in D&D you kill first and ask questions later. It's like a rule and everything.
In one of the rooms, we came across some scrolls - one of which was Revivify, which allows you to resurrect a dead character within a minute of their demise. If only we had had one of them to hand last session ...
It would appear that we have finished exploring the castle, so can now be on our way back to Phandalin to hand in the quest and get rewarded.
Well, in D&D you kill first and ask questions later. It's like a rule and everything.
In one of the rooms, we came across some scrolls - one of which was Revivify, which allows you to resurrect a dead character within a minute of their demise. If only we had had one of them to hand last session ...
It would appear that we have finished exploring the castle, so can now be on our way back to Phandalin to hand in the quest and get rewarded.
Adventurers are the worst kind of people
After having named the goblin hostage Sooty, we continued through the woods with him (her? it?) as a guide. It took us through some dangerous bits, and in one particular place, we encountered a wolf pack.
The wolves (there were five of them) surrounded Rhogar. He went down, and failed the first Death Saving throw. As the rest of the party tried to get the wolves off him, what should have been a fairly easy "we have two rounds to heal him" didn't work out as planned, when Rhogar - after the GM prophesised he'd roll a one - rolled a one, thus instantly failing two Death Saves. As you only get three shots at not dying, Rhogar actually died. The rest of the players seemed more upset about this than Rhogar's own player, who immediately started working on rolling up a new character.
Meanwhile, the party went on to find Cragmaw Castle. We managed to find the boss room almost straight away. In it, we found the boss (King Wossname) and a few of his assistants. We also found Gundren, one of Hematite's missing cousins, and a chained-up elf.
Heroic battle win. Gundren was healed, and the elf turned out to be a rogue by the name Theren Siannodel. How fortuitous, we didn't have a rogue in the party before!
We'll miss Rhogar and his weirdly awesome Russian accent, but the adventure isn't over yet.
The wolves (there were five of them) surrounded Rhogar. He went down, and failed the first Death Saving throw. As the rest of the party tried to get the wolves off him, what should have been a fairly easy "we have two rounds to heal him" didn't work out as planned, when Rhogar - after the GM prophesised he'd roll a one - rolled a one, thus instantly failing two Death Saves. As you only get three shots at not dying, Rhogar actually died. The rest of the players seemed more upset about this than Rhogar's own player, who immediately started working on rolling up a new character.
Meanwhile, the party went on to find Cragmaw Castle. We managed to find the boss room almost straight away. In it, we found the boss (King Wossname) and a few of his assistants. We also found Gundren, one of Hematite's missing cousins, and a chained-up elf.
Heroic battle win. Gundren was healed, and the elf turned out to be a rogue by the name Theren Siannodel. How fortuitous, we didn't have a rogue in the party before!
We'll miss Rhogar and his weirdly awesome Russian accent, but the adventure isn't over yet.
Do orcs need toes?
We nearly died in an attack - two players down, yay - but managed to get back up and win the day. We found the Wyvern Tor and a cave full of orcs and an ogre, and finally managed to take a hostage. Unfortunately, the spitting little git didn't know anything, so the "Lawful Good" Tan cut off his thumb, which Hematite dutifully bandaged. Then the party decided to dangle the orc over the side of a cliff and let him drop ... only to cast Feather Fall.
Long story short, he's now pining for the fjords.
On the way back to the Yellow Brick Trail, we encountered a group of goblins. Since goblins were the ones who actually had something to do with the Rockseeker brothers, we managed to take another prisoner who DID know stuff. He was hogtied in a very ... umm ... imaginative way. Let's just say it would appear Karak-Dag has some very exotic interests ...
Long story short, he's now pining for the fjords.
On the way back to the Yellow Brick Trail, we encountered a group of goblins. Since goblins were the ones who actually had something to do with the Rockseeker brothers, we managed to take another prisoner who DID know stuff. He was hogtied in a very ... umm ... imaginative way. Let's just say it would appear Karak-Dag has some very exotic interests ...
Can I buy that die off you and chuck it away?
After more travelling, we came to the house of Agatha the Banshee. We gave her a nice comb and she answered the question we posed. We just had to try to remember (as players) whose magic book we were supposed to ask her about. As it happened, the person who always writes everything down hadn't written that particular bit down.
The GM "helped", saying it was a funny name and it began with "Bow", because apparently, when it had been mentioned in passing many weeks out-of-game previously, the person who heard it had said "it's funny, because it sounds like Bojangle". Let's just say the clue didn't help, because the name wasn't actually funny.
Aaaaanyway. We then came across a wizard in a tent, guarded by zombies. We got rid of the zombies, and instead of sticking around and getting information from the wizard, we got rid of him too. Oh the things we do for XP ...
The GM "helped", saying it was a funny name and it began with "Bow", because apparently, when it had been mentioned in passing many weeks out-of-game previously, the person who heard it had said "it's funny, because it sounds like Bojangle". Let's just say the clue didn't help, because the name wasn't actually funny.
Aaaaanyway. We then came across a wizard in a tent, guarded by zombies. We got rid of the zombies, and instead of sticking around and getting information from the wizard, we got rid of him too. Oh the things we do for XP ...
How much XP do we get for rolling 0 on initiative?
Having solved the Redbrand problem for Phandalin, we decided it was time to get back to looking for the Rockseeker brothers. Without having really investigated what it was, we went down the Miner's Trail to look for more information.
We found some, and went to follow up on them going down another trail. And then we were attacked a couple of times in the middle of the night, because XP. The first time went pretty well for the party, and the second time ... Hematite the cleric would've died if it hadn't been for the quick-thinking of Malinda, who emptied a healing potion down her neck. "It wasnae the best night ever."
We found some, and went to follow up on them going down another trail. And then we were attacked a couple of times in the middle of the night, because XP. The first time went pretty well for the party, and the second time ... Hematite the cleric would've died if it hadn't been for the quick-thinking of Malinda, who emptied a healing potion down her neck. "It wasnae the best night ever."
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