Session 4 – Shallow Graves and a Manticore Hunt!

Simon Kingaby1 Comment

After uncovering the Believers, defeating the earth cultists and letting Larrakh escape, the party returns to the inn for some well-deserved rest and recuperation.  There, they meet Brother Eardon, an itinerant priest of Lathander staying in town, who says the missing Mirabarans passed through Beliard on their way to Summit Hall a couple of ten-days ago.

***

The party also remembered that the shopkeeper, Endrith Vallivoe, a Harper contact, recently came by a beautiful book in Dwarvish and has been showing it off. It looks old and important.  It was one of a dozen beautiful old books written in Dwarvish that showed up in the cargo of a shady keelboat skipper in Womford.  Vallivoe bought one of the books from a merchant recently arrived from Womford.  The Mirabaran delegation included a renowned shield dwarf historian named Bruldenthar, who was transporting his collection of manuscripts to Waterdeep. The Harpers don’t want the sage or his books to fall into the wrong hands.  Upon reviewing the book, the party told Vallivoe that it was likely the book belonged to Bruldenthar.  Vallivoe was happy to sell them the book at a discount so they could return it.

***

At the temple, one of the priests of Tempus, an Order of the Gauntlet contact, laments that the missing Mirabarans were escorting the body of Sir Rodimus who was killed fighting orcs in the Spine of the World. The knight was to be interred with honor at Summit Hall, the chapter house of an order called the Knights of Samular. It lies in the southeast Sumber Hills.

***

At Gaelkur’s store/barbershop/drinking hole, the party is approached by Larmon Greenboot, a shepherd, who says he found strange new graves out in the Sumber Hills and offers to show the adventurers the way so he can stop worrying about what is going on.

***

map

Deciding to help out the shepherd and solve the most pressing mystery, the party accompanies Greenboot to the check out the graves.  After some investigation, they determine that there was a scuffle nearby and that the graves are little more than rock cairns.  Needing to solve the mystery of who lies here, and wanting to consecrate the bodies so they cannot rise again, Telfid leads the exhumation.  The graves contain a male dwarf dressed in artisan robes, a female human warrior dressed in a black surcoat with a red axe (the symbol of Mirabar’s army), a male human warrior dressed in a black cloak with strange stony armor, and a male human in a white robe with black feathers at the shoulders with this symbol airstitched into it.  All died from arrow wounds or crushing blows.

From the hilltop, the party could see Red Larch to the west and a tall spire to the northwest.  Greenboot identified the latter as Feathergale Spire. All he knows about the place is that “knights out of Waterdeep come up here sometimes, riding on flying monsters.” Adding, “They usually keep to themselves.”

***

Mistakenly identifying the symbol as that of the Water Cult, Sytarii suggests they check out the tower.  Rayroris, excited at the prospect of gaining a hippogriff mount, and Taban, who correctly names the Air Cult, agree that the tower should be their goal.

After traveling a mile or two, the party is attacked from the air by a knight and two initiates on giant vultures.  The ensuing battle is brutal, with one of the giant vultures shredding poor Sytarii.  But in short order, the adventurers have slain their attackers.  After enjoying Giant Turkey Vulture Bacon for dinner, the party has an uneventful sleep and finishes the journey to the tower.

***

At the Feathergale Spire, the party slogs up a steep trail to gain access to the portcullis bridge into the tower.   Taban dons the uniform of the slain knight and approaches the gate.204feather

Not impressed at all by the stolen vestments, the guard at the gate denies him entry and calls out the rest of the party.  Sytarii explains that they were accosted by the wearer of the uniform and that they, unfortunately, killed him.  The guard seems somewhat mollified by this, lowers the drawbridge and invites the party into the tower with a fairly warm welcome.

After disarming them, she escorts the party all the way up 3 tall flights of circular stairs to the pinnacle of the tower where there are two knights with giant vultures. As the party emerges from the stairs, one of the guards flies out to patrol the area and a well-built male human in his early fifties with embossed feather patterns ornamenting the plates of his armor, and his kingly cloak boasting a feathered mantle smooths his white-blond hair into place, then bows low before them.  “Well met, travelers, I am Thurl Merosska, Lord Commander of the Knights of Feathergale.”  Savra, the guard from the front gate, explains the situation.  After a moment, Merosska smiles endearingly and apologizes for any misunderstanding, “There is much evil in these hills and it seems you were mistaken as such.”  At one point in the ensuing conversation, Taban says, “We’re also looking for the Air Cultists.”  At this point Merosska’s face darkens for a moment, then he smiles and says, “As I said, there is much evil in these hills.  Now, let us not talk of cultists until after the feast tonight celebrating the Knights of Feathergale’s tenth anniversary.”

The feast is a fancy occasion, and the food is top notch.  However, during the meal, one of the guards from the Pinnacle bursts in shouting, “Manticore, on the move!”  Pushing back chairs, several knights, and Rayroris, turn to head downstairs to the stable.  Before they leave, Merosska holds up a ruby ring and says, “A prize to the one who brings me its head.  Please, my guests, won’t you join in the hunt?”

Needing no prodding, the party heads to the stables as well.  There, they are mounted on hippogriffs who launch into the sky, following four knights on giant vultures.  The hunt is on!

***

The hunting party splits into two groups, the knights in one, the adventurers in another, searching the sky over the valley for the manticore.  It is the knights who catch up to the beast first!  The adventurers are close though and come quickly when the knights sound their hunting horns, arriving to find that one knight is already winging back to the tower after being skewered by the manticore’s tail spike.manticore

An aerial battle ensues.  As the manticore hurls volley after volley of tail spikes, the hunters pepper it full of arrows and bolts.  Rayroris swoops low, coming right up beside the creature and swings his mighty sword sending the once powerful manticore spiraling to the rocky earth below.  Returning the manticore’s head to the spire, Rayroris receives both the accolades and the prize!  “This will look good on the wall, next to this bigger head that I slew last year,” says Merosska.

Merosska also gives the party a tip, “I can tell you the location of the Sacred Stone Monastery.   I suspect the reclusive monks could be harboring evil and want them investigated.”

Savra, impressed by, and attracted to, Taban, whispers to him that the Feathergale Knights have a secret mission to master elemental air to annihilate Waterdeep’s enemies and offers to meet with Merosska to request he recruit Taban into the Feathergale Knights.  Taban quickly agrees.  The next morning, before they leave for the monastery, Merosska invites him to pledge to the Feathergale Knights and prove his valor.  Taban so pledges and promises to prove himself forthwith.

***

After walking a few miles up and down through the Sumber Hills, the ground starts to rumble and two hungry Ankhegs emerge to eat the party.ankheg

A battle ensues.  Telfid and Rayraris take one Ankheg, Sytarii and Taban the other.  Telfid is nearly eaten.  After finishing off the Ankheg, Telfid heals Sytarii who immediately cuts the pincers off the remaining Ankheg, setting it up for Rayraris’ final blow to smite the creature.

Alas, our tale pauses here, to be continued next week.

Character XP / XP So Far Level / To Advance Treasure
Ildon Ganus 0 / 652 2 (900) Wand of Magic Missiles
Fenvalur Reyraris 612 / 1101 3 (2700) 250 gp gold ruby ring
Telfid 612 / 1076 3 (2700) N/A
Olive 0 / 75 1 (300) N/A
Sytarii 612 / 1264 3 (2700) +1 Dagger, “Reszur”
Taban 612 / 1038 3 (2700) N/A
Keeley 0 / 464 2 (900) N/A
Defortune 0 / 163 1 (300) N/A
Rainar 0 / 226 1 (300) N/A
Noctavia 0 / 548 2 (900) N/A
Nastane 0 / 3160 4 (6500) N/A

 

 

Factions and Allegiances

Simon Kingaby5 Comments

Now that your character has demonstrated their worth as an adventurer and ally, you are approached by a representative of the faction you wish to join.  You choose the faction, and you choose to join, or not to join.  There are five Factions in the north, described below.

The Harpers

A scattered network of spellcasters and spies, the Harpers advocate equality and covertly oppose the abuse of power, magical or otherwise. Agents operate in secret and emphasize stealth and subtlety, or at the very least discretion. Bards and wizards are their most prominent members.

Harpers operate in small cells throughout the North.

The Order of the Gauntlet

This faction is primarily a military organization made up of paladins, clerics, and monks. Members of the order are faithful and vigilant seekers of justice who protect others from the depredations of evildoers. They exact swift retribution against those who violate the law.

Atop a high crest in the Sumber Hills stands Summit Hall, home to the Knights of Samular. This venerable order of paladins of Tyr strives to promote justice in the savage North.

The Emerald Enclave

This widespread group of wilderness survivalists preserves the natural order while rooting out unnatural threats. Many of the Enclave’s members are barbarians, druids, and rangers. Some wander the untamed lands while others make their homes on the outskirts of towns and villages, where they help to protect travelers from the dangers of the wild.

The Lords’ Alliance

The Lords’ Alliance is a shaky compact of aggressive political powers concerned with mutual security and prosperity. Fighters and sorcerers are prevalent among alliance agents, and they are often glory hounds seeking personal recognition. Most agents are lawful or neutral; in the courtly circles of the lords, those who don’t follow the rules seldom last long.

Trade along rivers and roads links the cities of the Lords’ Alliance, so its operatives eliminate threats to that trade as soon as they appear.

The Zhentarim

This shadow network seeks to expand its influence and power base throughout Faerûn. Its members coerce, persuade, or buy their way into every major area of influence. Rogues and warlocks fill the Zhentarim’s ranks, but the faction recruits any who can conduct its business without too many moral reservations.

Zhentarim operatives might be found in any settlement.

Minor Factions

There are several minor factions operating in the Sumber Hills.  While not being members of these factions, it is likely that some or all of the party has heard of at least these two:

The Knights of Samular

This order of paladins dedicated to Tyr has pursued justice across the North for over five hundred years. Its founder, Samular Caradoon, built Summit Hall in the Sumber Hills as a training monastery for the order. Young men and women across the North travel to Summit Hall so that they might learn from its aging heroes.

Elves of the High Forest

The High Forest once sheltered three great elven realms beneath its boughs. Many tribes of wood elves — and a few moon elves — still protect the ruined monuments to their golden age. Few beyond the borders of the High Forest know much about these elves; they have no single leader and make little contact with the outside world.

The wood elf Morgwais, known as the Red Lady or the Lady of the Wood, seeks to unite the disparate tribes through the Caerilcarn (“Council of the Wood”). Her aim is to resurrect the ancient kingdom of Eaerlann, and she has made steps in that direction by allying various elven settlements. As yet, though, only a few elves believe in her vision, and they are spread far apart over the eastern reaches of the forest.

More Alexa Skills for D & D

Simon KingabyLeave a comment

My second through fifth Alexa skills are now live.  Woohoo!

Two of them are D & D skills, two are Age of Sigmar.  All four were created with Voice Apps.  None of them do much, but they do work and they are Live at Amazon Skills.

The My D & D Flash Briefing reviews the most recent blog entry on this site.   The two Fact skills have a handful of facts about the games, the Podcasts skill plays a small set of AoS podcasts from Stormcast and GarageHammer.

Voice Apps makes creating simple Alexa Skills a SNAP!  It is so easy to use.  They are also responsive when things don’t work as planned.  My Simon’s Simple Dice Roller skill is one I did the hard way.  It’s an Alexa Skills Kit front end with an AWS Lambda function backend written in JavaScript using Microsoft Code to edit the Json and JavaScript and using the Microsoft Code Alexa Skills Kit plug-in to publish the project.  I will be documenting the Dice Roller fully on my One Man Went to Mow blog in the coming weeks.

My First Alexa Skill is Live!!!

Simon KingabyLeave a comment

If you have an Alexa-enabled device, you can now run my first official Alexa skill.  It passed certification and is now Live!!!alexa

Tell Alexa to Launch Simon’s Simple Dice Roller and then tell her to Roll a d 20, or Roll 2 d 6.  Or Roll a d percent.  She’ll roll the dice you ask for and give you a total.

diceIt’s not much, but it paves the way for Simon’s Smarter Dice Roller which will let you add modifiers and roll advantage and more.  Stay tuned for more info on that skill.  Wanna be a beta tester?  Just let me know in the comments.

I’ve also submitted a D & D Facts skill, but that’s still pending approval.  I’ll let you know when it’s live too.  Thanks!

 

Session 3 – Believers, Cultists and a Sorcerer named Larrakh

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Please don’t forget to put your characters in DnD Beyond and to add them to the campaign:  https://ddb.ac/campaigns/join/2038241466181279

Oh, and don’t forget to level up if you have more than 300XP.  Woohoo!

It was a pretty day.  The party was enjoying a well-earned day off.  Most were at the inn, but Keeley had gone looking for her sister while Telfid was on an errand for the temple.

The peaceful afternoon was suddenly broken by cries for “Help”, “My baby”, “Get some rope”, and “Quickly, bring a ladder”.  As the party emerged from the inn, they saw that a large sinkhole had opened in the middle of the roadway.  Sytarii rushed to the edge to help and promptly fell in as the ground crumbled beneath him.  Thankfully, the dirt was soft and he took no damage.

After ignoring the town elders’ (including Albaeri Mellikho (Mellikho Stoneworks) and Ilmeth Waelvur (Waelvur’s Wagonworks)), requests to leave well enough alone, the party all went into the hole, where they found doors and tunnels leading to the east and north, respectively.  The north passage opened into the quarry.  To the east, they came upon some dwarven statues that turned out to be doors.Black Earth Symbol  To the south was a long-abandoned privy.  To the north, the tunnel led to a charnel house where giant rats feasted upon some travelers’ corpses marked with the sign of the Cult of the Black Earth.  Flame magic destroyed the rats and the party moved on, but not before several were overcome by the stench.

In the next chamber, they discovered a large black rock, floating in mid-air.  After some experimentation and judicious use of Detect Magic, they discovered a column of magic was floating the rock.  Later, they would place an unwilling cultist in the column, spinning him just so until his nausea got the better of him and he found himself spinning in his own vomit as it floated around him.

In the next chamber, they found a petrified dwarf and a wishing circle of offerings that included a good sum of coin, and a +1 magic dagger named “Reszur”, which Sytarii now holds.  While collecting the coin, a group of 8 cultists  — the so-called Bringers of Woe — and a half-orc Thug named Grund came running into the room, attacking the party with scimitars, mace, and crossbows.  In a well-fought battle, the party dispatched the interlopers, knocking one out cold for questioning.

Taban heard a plaintive cry for help from the room to the west, and, upon investigation, discovered a young boy, age10-12, pinned beneath some large rocks as punishment for not delivering a message from his father, Rotharr Hatherhand, to Ilmeth Waelvur.  The young Braelen explained that the elders of the town council were a secret organization of Believers who guard the moving stones, and make sure no one disturbs the Delvers, who are entombed here.  They believe that the moving stones are a sign and can be interpreted, often foretelling of trouble.  After feeding him and much discussion, Braelen, scampered off down the tunnel to the west while the party proceeded to the east, where they found an old man, one Baragustas Harbuckler, a Believer, sitting on a stool, whittling a stick.

Baragustas begged the party not to move the stones or disturb the Delvers, and was black earth priestpromptly ignored.  Larrakh, a Black Earth priest, cast Spider Climb to hide among the moving stones, only to be dislodged from the ceiling by Noctavia’s Thunderwave.   A protracted battle ensued as Larrakh managed to hold his own against the party until Nastane shut him down with a well-placed globe of Silence.  This sent Larrakh running through a secret door to the southeast.  A few moments later, the party heard a loud crash as he triggered a cave-in to block the tunnel he was running down.

Constable Harburk is livid, appalled and frustrated by the tale told by the party members of the dead bodies, the rats, the Believers, the Bringers of Woe, and the priest, Larrakh.   Livid because he knew nothing of the criminal activity of the town’s elders.  Appalled by the history of the Believers.  And, frustrated by Larrakh’s escape and the lack of evidence – the dead travelers’ bodies were missing!

Alas, our tale pauses here, to be continued next week.

Character XP / XP So Far Level / To Advance Treasure
Ildon Ganus 188 / 652 2 (900) Wand of Magic Missiles
Fenvalur Reyraris 188 / 489 2 (900) N/A
Telfid 0 / 464 2 (900) N/A
Olive 0 / 75 1 (300) N/A
Sytarii 188 / 652 2 (900) +1 Dagger, “Reszur”
Taban 188 / 426 2 (900) N/A
Keeley 0 / 464 2 (900) N/A
Defortune 0 / 163 1 (300) N/A
Rainar 0 / 226 1 (300) N/A
Noctavia 188 / 548 2 (900) N/A
Nastane 188 / 3160 4 (6500) N/A

“Reszur” is a +1 dagger decorated with star motifs and a grip of night-blue leather.  The name “Reszur” is graven on the dagger’s pommel.  If the wielder speaks the name, the blade gives off a faint, cold glow, shedding dim light in a 10-foot radius until the wielder speaks the name again.

Session 2 – A Good Day to Die

Simon KingabyLeave a comment

Please don’t forget to put your characters in DnD Beyond and to add them to the campaign:  https://ddb.ac/campaigns/join/2038241466181279

Oh, and don’t forget to level up if you have more than 300XP.  Woohoo!

Back in Lance Rock, the party, short a few members, turned right – into a room full of corpses and bones.  Upon contact, some of the bones rose up and four skeletons attacked.  They struck with vigor and before the party knew what hit them, Fenvalur had fallen, Ildon had fallen, and Sytarii and Telfid were unconscious.

Oreioth

After a short rest on the large stone slab in the main chamber, Telfid and Sytarii were able to slyly look around. After seeing the thin man with the black mustache and goatee, cutting open Fenvalur’s torso and playing with the innards, Telfid blasted him with sacred flame.  The necromancer turned around and with a “Tsk, tsk, we’ll have none of that,” touched Telfid’s shoulder, sending a chill through him and rendering him unconscious again.

Noticing his gear in a pile over there, Sytarii planned to get a weapon.  With catlike swiftness, he scooped up Ildon’s light crossbow and lodged a bolt in the shoulder of the nasty necromancer.

At that moment, Keeley returned from the town with reinforcements.  A dwarf wandered into the chamber, a strange, quizzical, unknowing look on his face.  Then a tiefling rushed at the necromancer yelling, “For Fenvalur,” and swiped at him with both scimitars.  Keeley followed, stabbing the necromancer from behind, while a gnome strode up and started casting spells this way and that.

pv_590

A moment later, the necromancer disappeared, only to reappear a short distance away.  However, this evasion was for naught as he was cut down, dying in a puff of black smoke.

Unfortunately, poor Ildon and Fenvalur were beyond saving.

Telfid and Sytarii recovered in short order.  The party then executed the two remaining skeletons, hunted down some zombie actors in a danse macabre, and destroyed a zombie doctor, a handful of crawling claws, and a few more skeletons.  Scouring the necromancer’s living quarters, they found some money, some jet gems, a driftglobe and a wand of magic missiles.

After returning to town and healing up, the party finally decided to put Vallivoe’s ghost to rest.  They went to the graveyard and because they wouldn’t leave, the ghost (actually a Specter) attacked.  Rainar, the barbarian, decided to open the coffin in the Vallivoe tomb and was immediately attacked by a Flying Sword.  Both the specter and the sword were dispatched forthwith.  Upon investigation, the coffin turned out to have a false bottom, concealing a little treasure.

Alas, our tale pauses here, to be continued next week.

Character XP / XP So Far Level Treasure
Ildon Ganus 226 / 464 2 Wand of Magic Missiles
Fenvalur Reyraris 226 / 301 2 N/A
Telfid 226 / 464 2 N/A
Olive 0 / 75 1 N/A
Sytarii 226 / 464 2 N/A
Taban 0 / 238 1 N/A
Keeley 226 / 464 2 N/A
Defortune 0 / 163 1 N/A
Rainar 226 / 226 1 N/A

Session 1 – Who is Vallivoe Anyway?

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Rogue with Hand Crossbow

In the bar, the party members overheard several good leads.

  1. A little girl came in and spoke to the barmaid, “Mommy, mommy, Billy says there’s a ghost in the graveyard and I’m scared.”
  2. One of the patrons boasted about there being a great treasure in Tricklerock Cave.
  3. Another patron was overheard whispering, “I seen a skull in the woods with a big black arrow sticking through it.”

In the bar was a certain naked dwarf with a jester’s hat, attempting to entertain the crowd.  Unfortunately, he mocked Ildon, who then turned things around on the dwarf.  In the commotion, Sytarii snagged the jester hat, and the dwarf ran away, certain in the knowledge that no good would come from a confrontation with Ildon.

The party assembled and headed to the graveyard. As they were entering through the side gate, Sytarii saw a rustling in the trees opposite. He blindly shot his crossbow at the rustling leaves, only to hear a cry of surprise and pain, followed by a dull thud. Almost immediately, there was a loud crashing as something big took off, running away from the scene. Approaching the woods, the party engaged 4, now 3, goblins. After slaughtering the goblins, Telfid led the party, following some big-booted tracks in the direction of the noisy creature that ran. Finding a clearing in the forest strewn about with boulders, they came upon a very angry, very confused half-ogre. Keeley immediately took to the trees, sneaking up on Jester Hatthe ogre from behind, tearing it a new one. Meanwhile, Sytarii lined up the perfect shot, only to have the ogre duck out of the way so that his crossbow bolt tore through the chest of poor Keeley. Luckily, Sytarii was able to use the healing potion to bring her back from the brink of death.  However, as a reward for his perfect marksmanship, Ildon insisted that Sytarii wear the jester’s hat.

In the Graveyard

Tabin sensed undead in the graveyard, and as they approached one old tomb, the ghostly form of a soldier with a longsword appeared and commanded them to leave this place.  After some hemming and hawing, they decided to leave and find out more about the occupant of the tomb.  One Lord Vallivoe.

Tricklerock Cave

On the way back to town, the party stopped by Tricklerock Cave.  Upon entering the cave, they were attacked by some nasty bloodsucking Stirges. Stirge

The Stirges weren’t much of a threat, but one managed to dig its proboscis into Ildon.  Sytarii lined up another great shot with his crossbow.  He knew the moment he loosed that this was going to be a problem…  The quarrel flew straight and true, right into the neck of the unsuspecting Ildon, severing an artery and shattering his vertebrae.  Ildon dropped to the ground, dead.

Sytarii cast off the accursed crossbow, vowing to never touch the thing again.  He then picked up Ildon’s body and carried it back to town.  The jester hat was destined to become a permanent part of Sytarii’s head.  The clerics at the Temple of Tempus were willing to help, for a fee.  It turns out the constable was a big fan of Ildon and was convinced by the monk, Defortune, to cover the expenses.

Chasing Down Leads

After some investigation, and tidbits of information from a variety of sources, the party identified Lord Vallivoe’s descendant as a local thug.  Following one of the leads, Sytarii was able to locate him in a hideaway in the woods.  After stripping and trussing theSkullWithArrow sleeping hobo, Sytarii woke him, interrogated him, and after much back-n-forth, gave him 5gp and sent him on his way.  One thing the thug was good for, he led Sytarii to the skull with the black arrow stuck through it.  Sytarii read the note attached to the arrow:  “The Last Laugh, You’ll be next!  Valklondar”  Now, who was Valklondar?

Telfid paid an acolyte in the Temple to do some research into the long-dead Vallivoe.  They couldn’t find much, but they did say that Vallivoe was a friend to the dwarves of Mirabar and that his name appeared in a book that a local merchant, himself a descendant of the ancient Lord, had recently acquired.  This found Telfid leading a trip to Vallivoe’s Sundries, where Eldrith Vallivoe denied any knowledge of his good-for-nothing half-brother.

Lance Rock

At the insistence of the barmaid, Kaylessa, the party heads over to Lance Rock to investigate the “evil influence emanating” from it.  Following a trail through the brush, and ignoring the dire warning neatly painted on a sign nearby, the party proceeds to a cave mouth, similarly signposted.

ZombieWhile rifling through the pockets of a corpse in the cave, Ildon expertly ducked out of the way of its left jab as the zombie reacted violently to his touch.  The party dealt with not one, but two zombies, and proceeded into the cave.  Defortune took the lead and narrowly missed getting his head smashed in by a box of rocks that fell from above, followed by the two zombies that had been holding it.  In short order, the adventurers dispatched those two zombies and a third that came from the other side of the cave.

Alas, our tale pauses here, to be continued next week.

Character XP / XP So Far Treasure
Ildon 163 / 238 N/A
Fenvalur 0 / 75 N/A
Telfid 163 / 238 N/A
Olive 0 / 75 N/A
Sytarii 163 / 238 N/A
Taban 163 / 238 N/A
Keeley 163 / 238 N/A
Defortune 163 / 163 N/A

 

Initiative Tracker

Simon KingabyLeave a comment

Posted here for your use is my character log and initiative tracker.

player-list-and-initiative-worksheet

Initiative Tracker

snip_20170215054209

Before each session, I will read through the upcoming adventure and write in the stats for the bad guys at the rolled initiative order.  I pre-roll this because it will just add wasted time to the encounter if I say, “You face 6 goblins, 2 hobgoblins and an orc with a warg, hang on while I sort them out.”

For the initiative, don’t forget to add their modifier(s) to the roll.

When filling in the right side of the initiative sheet, put in the following stats:

  • AC – Armor Class
  • Ht – Net to hit modifier for each attack
  • Dmg – Net damage roll, or for more speed, just use the average damage amount for the enemy
  • Spcl – Memory joggers for the special skills a monster might have

Session 0: And They Met in a Bar…

Simon Kingaby3 Comments

Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/Murfreesboro-Board-Games-Meetup

DnD Beyond Campaign: https://ddb.ac/campaigns/join/2038241466181279

How cliche is that?  But it worked, and the party assembled to take down some bandits on the South road.  With the rogue’s serving as killing machines, the party was victorious, though the cleric did have to heal some of the adventurers who thought of themselves as pincushions.

Character XP Treasure
Ildon 75
Fenvalur 75
Telfid 75
Olive 75
Sytarii 75 Potion of Healing
Taban 75
Keeley 75
Brawn 75

Let’s meet the motley crew:

In counter-clockwise order from my right, I introduce:

Ildon

Human (variant) Bard.
Ildon claims to be a World Renowned Actor. Exiled from his troupe for certain unnamed indiscretions, he is now a traveling performer, and, judging by his performance of Ildon Defeats the Dragon this evening, is quite good at it.

  • Bonus:  Advantage on Performance Skill Rolls
  • Bonus:  Earnings at one level higher when performing in a tavern

Fenvalur

Aasimar Warlock.
Fenvalur grew up as an outsider.  His only childhood friend was a Tiefling named ______________.  They got up to all sorts of mischief.  Fenvalur learned magic quickly and early, finding he had a knack for using Mage Hand to cause, or get out of, trouble.  As soon as they reached the age of independence they set out on a bold adventure.  [What happened next?  Where is the friend now?  How did they separate? – DM]

  • Bonus:  Advantage on Persuasion Skill checks
  • Bonus:  Mage Hand, Range: 60 feet, Capacity: 25#

Telfid

Human (v) War Cleric.
As an acolyte for Tempus, Telfid was charged with performing battlefield rites for the dead and dying, occasionally having to grant mercy when healing was not an option.  Telfid developed an affinity for battle.  Eventually, he was commanded by Tempus to go out into the world and protect the recently fallen in battle from physical or verbal desecration.  “Take their boots, gold, or [whatever…] but harm them no more and speak no ill to the spirits as they pass beyond the vale of death.” Telfid figured being in the battles gave him the best chance to follow this command. So far it works! Also, his order believes special heroes that prove worthy in battle will be called upon for THE FINAL GREAT QUEST at the end of time.  He plans to be in that party…

  • Bonus:  Bless for 1d4+1 (2-5)
  • Bonus:  Ceremony, Funeral Rite – Touch 1d4 Corpses, Use once per day without using a Spell Slot

Olive

Wood-elf Druid.
After a marauding gang of Goblins tore through her village, slaughtering many, including her parents and siblings, Olive was severely wounded but survived.   [Does she have a scar?  A gimpy leg?  Any lasting effects?  – DM]  A wandering minstrel took pity on the poor orphaned elf and took her in, only to trade her to a circus when times got tough.  At the circus, Olive was enslaved.  Whipped and beaten when the circus performers felt like she wasn’t working hard enough, she grew to resent them and especially their harsh treatment of their animals. Trained on the trapeze, she was constantly berated for not meeting the trapeze master’s exacting requirements.
Determined to escape and desiring to help the animals, she developed an empathic relationship with some of them that sometimes felt like she could talk to them.  Eventually, she seized an opportunity to escape, releasing the animals and encouraging them to attack their captors, she ran away in the chaos and headed for the forests where she nurtured her relationship with nature for many years before venturing back into the cities of men.

  • Bonus:  Preferred Enemy – Goblins, Advantage on to Hit, +1 Damage
  • Bonus:  Advantage on Acrobatics Skill checks

Sytarii

Human (v) Rogue.
Born a noble in De’Arnise Hold (less than half a day’s travel to the east of Athkatla), Sytarii was rendered homeless when a small army of Hobgoblins, led by an especially nasty pair of mountain Trolls (Grubcruncher and Meathook), invaded the town and razed the Keep.
Now out in the wide world seeking his fortune, Sytarii is not above petty crime to further his ends and delights in swindling the highbrows.  One day, he hopes to defeat the trolls and take back his home.

  • Bonus:  Preferred Enemy – Hobgoblins, Advantage on to Hit, +1 Damage
  • Bonus:  Advantage on Deception Skill checks

Taban

Human (v) Paladin.
Taban is a bit of a mystery, not just to others, but to himself as well.  Son of the Earl of Sandwichburger[?] from somewhere just north of Greenest.  He’s looking for someone but has no inkling of who that might be.  He is certain that he will know when he has found the person he is looking for though.

  • Bonus:  Advantage on Perception Skill checks
  • Bonus:  Advantage on Insight Skill checks

Keeley

Wood-elf Rogue.
Keeley’s mission is simple, find her lost sister.  Along the way, she is up for adventure and larceny to finance her pursuit of her sister’s kidnappers.  Arriving in Red Larch on a tip from a guy who knew a guy who slept with a whore who talked too much but might have known something, she is following the trail of a delegation from Mirabar who passed through Beliard.

  • Bonus:  Advantage on Sleight of Hand Skill checks
  • Bonus:  Advantage on Investigation Skill checks

Brawn

Hill-dwarf Forge Cleric.
As a forge-sworn cleric of [Who?], Brawn is on a pilgrimage to find magical artifacts of interest to his order [Which is?].  He seeks to gain magical [and political?] power.

It’s Been a While Hasn’t it?

Simon KingabyLeave a comment

It’s August, 2018.  It’s been a while since I posted here.  Now, I have a new house.  And, it has a game room.

Stephanie and Sam wrangled my gaming table upstairs and I put an invite out on meetup.  Eight people showed up.  Woohoo!

We spent the evening creating characters and setting up the environment, then we played a few simple interactions and a battle.  It was loads of fun and I look forward to doing it again soon.  (Weekly, in fact.)