Colonial Caerdia: Blossom Fall is a story being told through a 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign I'm running at a local hobby shop called the Devil's Bench. If you aren't already familiar with this series, you can find the beginning over here.
You can find the previous episode here.
10th-17th of Waning Spring, 0 AL
Having barely survived the nighttime attack on them, our group of adventurers are determined to get through the rest on the night unscathed. John carefully leads the way up into the half-collapsed stone hut up the ladder and determines that there are no more enemies up there - and no exits other than the hatch in the floor. The others follow and they bed down, managing to complete their rest with no further complications.
After they wake up, they make their way back down to the lower areas and I'Un nearly dies from the mold spores as they pass through the mold-filled room. They spend some time considering ways to get into the flooded lower levels, but eventually decide it isn't worth the trouble and they head back to the settlement.
On the second day out, as they are following the river across the plains, they hear a lion roar from up in the air. Within moments, they are set upon by a chimera. After the beast's dragon head breathes fire on them, they seek refuge in the shallows of the river while fighting it. They take a decent beating, but eventually the beast is brought down by John. They hack various parts off the chimera and finish the journey home, arriving ton the 16th of Waning Spring.
They spend some time around the growing settlement, learning that not much has been going on since they left apart from the government being officially put together. They arrange to get some tanning done and I'Un talks to Glavel about getting a position as one of his advisers - something Glavel is willing to accept, however he points out that I'Un would no longer be able to go out on his excursions with the rest of the group since he could hardly advise if he wasn't around to do so. I'Un is surprised and disappointed by this. He goes off to ponder his religion, his goals, and his place in this world.
Vala, wanting to get her leather armor studded, goes to see Norra the blacksmith. When she discovers that the forge isn't ready yet, she tries to bully Norra into providing her with metal that doesn't exist - and finds herself carried off to see Glavel, who warns her that such behavior in the future will get her into considerable trouble.
As night falls, Jojen is looking to stir up some trouble. He uses his magic to disguise himself as John and skulks around the general shop, looking for a good place to start a fire. However, the shop's guards spot him and tell him to leave - and, when he doesn't, begin to beat him up. Jojen doesn't care, as he knows that John is set to take the blame, until one of the guards makes a comment about him being a tricky bard, and Jojen realizes that his illusion has been seen through. He calls for them to stop, explaining that he was just trying to cause some trouble for John, and says he'll be willing to go and asks them to pass on that John was lurking around. They agree to let him go, but won't blame someone who wasn't there. They add that if he leaves immediately, with no more trouble, they won't mention that he was there. Not fully believing them, Jojen wanders off out of the settlement.
The next day, Luna heads out and offers to help Norra with building the forge, while John heads out looking to help people around the settlement. Vala apologizes to Norra, and also signs up to help with the construction. Jojen finds himself at the grave of his lost love, praying for guidance.
And that brings this week's game session to an end. Check back next week to find out what happens in Episode 20.
Saturday, June 01, 2019
Friday, May 31, 2019
Lark's Landing, Episode 69
Colonial Caerdia: Lark's Landing is a story being told through a 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign I'm running at a local hobby shop called the Devil's Bench. If you aren't familiar with this ongoing story, you can follow this link to Once Upon a Tabletop on YouTube to hear the start of it or read the brief summary I wrote when I switched from video to blog.
You can find the previous episode here.
7th of Waning Fall, 1AL
Spurred onward by the bold knowledge that orcs were fleeing from them, the 3rd Watch decide to press on into the castle. The first descend the stairs they found into the lower regions of the castle, where they're surprised to find a number of dead orc not killed by them - and killed before they ever found the castle, as far as they can tell. They press on down the corridors, finding a room full of barred cells that Extang and Quib recognize. Something about this place fills Logan with dread and he begins looking everywhere for brains on legs.
They know that there's an entrance into a secret room on the far side, but they can't find a way to open it. Extang teleports through to open it, and they retrieve their immovable rod that has been holding the hatch shut. They head back out, exploring down a tunnel, finding another room with a summoning circle, then a room with statues of dueling wizards in opposite corners. While some of the others attempt to figure out what's going on, Logan gets bored and blunders through the room, dragging along Patrick who tries to stop him. As he crosses between the stone wizards, a blast of fire fills the room, spilling out into the halls and burning everyone.
After this, they advance with far more caution. Extang is able to mar the runes enchanting the statues, allowing them to pass through into the passages in beyond. After a little more exploring, they come across the corpses of some monsters that they did kill, and they realize they're close to the area where they were first transported down into these dungeons. They decide that they want to go back to the upper levels, but they need to rest and treat their wounds first, so they retreat to the secret room to do that. Then they head back up and quietly head across the wide hall in the direction they had seen orcs fleeing. They progress through two rooms and out into a hallway with multiple branches and more rooms. They find a room that looks like it had some kind of meal that had been interrupted, then progress down a hall towards a door in a curved wall, with a stone circle containing the image of a flame above the door.
Everyone else backs off while Extang begins ritually casting his detect magic spell, but before he finishes it, the door opens. The orcs inside seem a little surprised to find them, but several of them charge out of the room to attack anyway - and someone in the room sounds a horn that echos through the hallway and brings more orcs charging in from behind, surrounding them and trapping the 3rd Watch in the hallway.
The first wave of orcs is cleared fairly quickly, giving the group a bit of maneuvering room and opening a path for retreat, but more monsters come rushing in to replace the fallen. The battle is getting rough, but doesn't seem to be going too badly, until more orcs arrive from their retreat route - riding dire wolves, on one on the back of a large white wolf with a painful icy breath. Quib manages to stun some of the orcs and wolves, and T'Zaric is able to take out a number of them with a fireball, but it doesn't seem to be enough. Patrick falls unconscious, and the 3rd Watch decide that it is once again time to retreat. Extang calls this out and gets himself to Quib's side, and Quib teleports them out of the castle. Logan revives Patrick, who, seeing T'Zaric grab Fieaorri and teleporting away, uses his magic cape to teleport himself and Logan out into the dark of night.
And that brings an end to this week's game session. Come back next week to find out what happens in Episode 70.
You can find the previous episode here.
7th of Waning Fall, 1AL
Spurred onward by the bold knowledge that orcs were fleeing from them, the 3rd Watch decide to press on into the castle. The first descend the stairs they found into the lower regions of the castle, where they're surprised to find a number of dead orc not killed by them - and killed before they ever found the castle, as far as they can tell. They press on down the corridors, finding a room full of barred cells that Extang and Quib recognize. Something about this place fills Logan with dread and he begins looking everywhere for brains on legs.
They know that there's an entrance into a secret room on the far side, but they can't find a way to open it. Extang teleports through to open it, and they retrieve their immovable rod that has been holding the hatch shut. They head back out, exploring down a tunnel, finding another room with a summoning circle, then a room with statues of dueling wizards in opposite corners. While some of the others attempt to figure out what's going on, Logan gets bored and blunders through the room, dragging along Patrick who tries to stop him. As he crosses between the stone wizards, a blast of fire fills the room, spilling out into the halls and burning everyone.
After this, they advance with far more caution. Extang is able to mar the runes enchanting the statues, allowing them to pass through into the passages in beyond. After a little more exploring, they come across the corpses of some monsters that they did kill, and they realize they're close to the area where they were first transported down into these dungeons. They decide that they want to go back to the upper levels, but they need to rest and treat their wounds first, so they retreat to the secret room to do that. Then they head back up and quietly head across the wide hall in the direction they had seen orcs fleeing. They progress through two rooms and out into a hallway with multiple branches and more rooms. They find a room that looks like it had some kind of meal that had been interrupted, then progress down a hall towards a door in a curved wall, with a stone circle containing the image of a flame above the door.
Everyone else backs off while Extang begins ritually casting his detect magic spell, but before he finishes it, the door opens. The orcs inside seem a little surprised to find them, but several of them charge out of the room to attack anyway - and someone in the room sounds a horn that echos through the hallway and brings more orcs charging in from behind, surrounding them and trapping the 3rd Watch in the hallway.
The first wave of orcs is cleared fairly quickly, giving the group a bit of maneuvering room and opening a path for retreat, but more monsters come rushing in to replace the fallen. The battle is getting rough, but doesn't seem to be going too badly, until more orcs arrive from their retreat route - riding dire wolves, on one on the back of a large white wolf with a painful icy breath. Quib manages to stun some of the orcs and wolves, and T'Zaric is able to take out a number of them with a fireball, but it doesn't seem to be enough. Patrick falls unconscious, and the 3rd Watch decide that it is once again time to retreat. Extang calls this out and gets himself to Quib's side, and Quib teleports them out of the castle. Logan revives Patrick, who, seeing T'Zaric grab Fieaorri and teleporting away, uses his magic cape to teleport himself and Logan out into the dark of night.
And that brings an end to this week's game session. Come back next week to find out what happens in Episode 70.
Friday, May 24, 2019
Blossom Fall, Episode 18
Colonial Caerdia: Blossom Fall is a story being told through a 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign I'm running at a local hobby shop called the Devil's Bench. If you aren't already familiar with this series, you can find the beginning over here.
You can find the previous episode here.
10th of Waning Spring, 0 AL
Our group of adventurers have just rescued a goblin, who introduces herself as Gyaka. Upon questioning, she tells them that she and her tribe came from the mountains and used to live in the lower regions of this place, but they flooded them when they were attacked by these strange plant creatures. As far as she knows, she's the last one left. The group decides to bring her along, and I'Un is considering taking her on as a disciple. She seems very happy to follow them, after their display of strength. However, the only shiny things she knows about were collected by her chief and are in the lower levels.
The group very much wants to go after these treasures, but Jojen convinces them that they should finish searching this level first. They proceed to do so, finding various patches of dangerous mold and a battered old wooden chest that bites back. Jojen goes off alone in a couple places, finding some silver that he pockets, as well as a magical golden ring that he keeps to himself.
They pause in their exploration to sleep and recover from some of their wounds, and wake up to find Gyaka gone. They can't find any trace of her, so they carry on. They find a room full of the dangerous mold, but, following Jojen's lead, go through anyway to access a hole on the other side, a few of them getting briefly sick. The room they find beyond the hole has a ladder going up to a trapdoor - but when John opens it, he closes it again immediately when he sees more of the plant creatures there up above. Not wanting a fight, they tie the handle of the trapdoor to the ladder with some rope and head back out, with a bit more sickness happening because of the mold.
They take a short rest by the fountain to recover from the harm of the mold while Jojen and Vala check out another set of rooms through another hole, where they find a fair amount of gold coins. Vala, who is holding all the group's money, goes to put it in her pouch - and finds the pouch missing. Jojen suggests that Gyaka may have taken it, but Vala believes John may have stolen back the coins that were stolen from him in the first place. John shows that he doesn't have the coins, which convinces Vala that the goblin was responsible, but stabs John in the foot when he proceeds to insult her about letting the money get stolen.
Frustrated, they decide that they do want a fight after all. However, the stairwell to the lower levels a flooded to the ceiling with a murky water that they decide they want nothing to do with, so they go back through the moldy room. However, they're now feeling so weak from the mold spores that infected a number of them that they want a nap before engaging the enemy. The bed down to sleep, setting watches. Unfortunately, Vala isn't paying much attention on the second watch - being distracted by her lack of wealth - and doesn't notice the rope fall as it is cut, or the plant-creatures that come silently into the room and attack everyone.
With almost the entire group groggily waking up, it is a desperate fight. They very quickly decide to retreat, but I'Un gets taken down and Jojen has to decide to save himself or save the monk - and he chooses the monk. They still begin moving towards the way out, but the tide of battle turns when Luna sends fire spraying across the creatures. Jojen, affected my spores breathed out by one of the creatures, passes out, but the rest are able to clean up the battle and Luna rushes to his side to treat his wounds and keep him from dying.
And that's this week's game session ends. Come back next week to find out what happens in Episode 19.
You can find the previous episode here.
10th of Waning Spring, 0 AL
Our group of adventurers have just rescued a goblin, who introduces herself as Gyaka. Upon questioning, she tells them that she and her tribe came from the mountains and used to live in the lower regions of this place, but they flooded them when they were attacked by these strange plant creatures. As far as she knows, she's the last one left. The group decides to bring her along, and I'Un is considering taking her on as a disciple. She seems very happy to follow them, after their display of strength. However, the only shiny things she knows about were collected by her chief and are in the lower levels.
The group very much wants to go after these treasures, but Jojen convinces them that they should finish searching this level first. They proceed to do so, finding various patches of dangerous mold and a battered old wooden chest that bites back. Jojen goes off alone in a couple places, finding some silver that he pockets, as well as a magical golden ring that he keeps to himself.
They pause in their exploration to sleep and recover from some of their wounds, and wake up to find Gyaka gone. They can't find any trace of her, so they carry on. They find a room full of the dangerous mold, but, following Jojen's lead, go through anyway to access a hole on the other side, a few of them getting briefly sick. The room they find beyond the hole has a ladder going up to a trapdoor - but when John opens it, he closes it again immediately when he sees more of the plant creatures there up above. Not wanting a fight, they tie the handle of the trapdoor to the ladder with some rope and head back out, with a bit more sickness happening because of the mold.
They take a short rest by the fountain to recover from the harm of the mold while Jojen and Vala check out another set of rooms through another hole, where they find a fair amount of gold coins. Vala, who is holding all the group's money, goes to put it in her pouch - and finds the pouch missing. Jojen suggests that Gyaka may have taken it, but Vala believes John may have stolen back the coins that were stolen from him in the first place. John shows that he doesn't have the coins, which convinces Vala that the goblin was responsible, but stabs John in the foot when he proceeds to insult her about letting the money get stolen.
Frustrated, they decide that they do want a fight after all. However, the stairwell to the lower levels a flooded to the ceiling with a murky water that they decide they want nothing to do with, so they go back through the moldy room. However, they're now feeling so weak from the mold spores that infected a number of them that they want a nap before engaging the enemy. The bed down to sleep, setting watches. Unfortunately, Vala isn't paying much attention on the second watch - being distracted by her lack of wealth - and doesn't notice the rope fall as it is cut, or the plant-creatures that come silently into the room and attack everyone.
With almost the entire group groggily waking up, it is a desperate fight. They very quickly decide to retreat, but I'Un gets taken down and Jojen has to decide to save himself or save the monk - and he chooses the monk. They still begin moving towards the way out, but the tide of battle turns when Luna sends fire spraying across the creatures. Jojen, affected my spores breathed out by one of the creatures, passes out, but the rest are able to clean up the battle and Luna rushes to his side to treat his wounds and keep him from dying.
And that's this week's game session ends. Come back next week to find out what happens in Episode 19.
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Lark's Landing, Episode 68
Colonial Caerdia: Lark's Landing is a story being told through a 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign I'm running at a local hobby shop called the Devil's Bench. If you aren't familiar with this ongoing story, you can follow this link to Once Upon a Tabletop on YouTube to hear the start of it or read the brief summary I wrote when I switched from video to blog.
You can find the previous episode here.
6th-7th of Waning Fall, 1AL
After stealing Raim's Book of Secrets, T'Zaric makes his way north until he reunites with Patrick, Fiaeorri, and Logan. They are a bit concerned that he has the book, and admits to taking it without permission, but he assures them that he's just checking it out while everyone is resting.
They wait until the middle of the afternoon when two giant eagles suddenly start bearing down on them. They begin attacking them, but then the birds arrive and turn out to be Extang and Quib. Quib is very angry about the book having been taken from him, but T'Zaric happily and willingly hands it back.
The 3rd Watch then form a plan to head back to the white house of rock and wait while Logan and Quib recover from their lasting injuries while T'Zaric flies out every day to keep an eye on the doings of the orcs in the castle. They set out, only travelling until evening before making camp for the night, hoping to get back onto a more regular sleep routine. However, while Logan - his mind still functioning at a fraction of what it once was - is standing guard on the second watch, he suddenly notices a castle about 100 feet away from their camp that wasn't there before. It certainly looks a lot like the castle the group was in before.
Curious about the castle and the warm light emitting from the open drawbridge, he goes to investigate. He arrives and looks inside, seeing four orcs - who also see him and rush in to attack. Logan responds by imbuing his weapon with thunderous power to do as much damage as he can to his assailants, as well as making a loud noise that wakes up all of his allies.
Startled into wakefulness, and confused by the nearness of the castle, the rest of the 3rd Watch quickly determine that Logan is missing - and that he's most likely one of the figures fighting in the castle entrance. They charge in, Patrick and and Fiaeorri in the lead aided by a haste spell from Extang. While the battle begins outside the gate, it soon flows into the hallway inside as more orcs arrive. It's a hard battle, and even the heavily-armored Logan takes some severe hits, but eventually the battle seems to die down - though not for too long, as Extang - the only one left outside - takes some hits from above - either the wall or one of the towers. He alerts the others and T'Zaric flies out, drawing fire and, in doing so, learning the location of the assailants. He launches a fireball through an arrow slit in one of the towers, seeming to end the fight for now.
He returns to the others, where they spend their brief respite collecting coins from the dead using their magic to heal their wounds - but they don't believe this is over yet. Patrick wants to flee, but most of the others want to press on. Fiaeorri begins setting traps to hinder those chasing them should they choose to flee.
Then they spot a group of furtive orcs dashing across the far end of the hall. They head up to investigate, Fiaeorri in the lead, but the orcs are out of sight by the time they get there. Fiaeorri scouts down the route the orcs came from, finding a hall, a room with smashed bed frames and chests, and a room filled with tables and benches with a door leading to stairs heading downwards.
And that is where this week's game session ended. Check back next week for Episode 69.
You can find the previous episode here.
6th-7th of Waning Fall, 1AL
After stealing Raim's Book of Secrets, T'Zaric makes his way north until he reunites with Patrick, Fiaeorri, and Logan. They are a bit concerned that he has the book, and admits to taking it without permission, but he assures them that he's just checking it out while everyone is resting.
They wait until the middle of the afternoon when two giant eagles suddenly start bearing down on them. They begin attacking them, but then the birds arrive and turn out to be Extang and Quib. Quib is very angry about the book having been taken from him, but T'Zaric happily and willingly hands it back.
The 3rd Watch then form a plan to head back to the white house of rock and wait while Logan and Quib recover from their lasting injuries while T'Zaric flies out every day to keep an eye on the doings of the orcs in the castle. They set out, only travelling until evening before making camp for the night, hoping to get back onto a more regular sleep routine. However, while Logan - his mind still functioning at a fraction of what it once was - is standing guard on the second watch, he suddenly notices a castle about 100 feet away from their camp that wasn't there before. It certainly looks a lot like the castle the group was in before.
Curious about the castle and the warm light emitting from the open drawbridge, he goes to investigate. He arrives and looks inside, seeing four orcs - who also see him and rush in to attack. Logan responds by imbuing his weapon with thunderous power to do as much damage as he can to his assailants, as well as making a loud noise that wakes up all of his allies.
Startled into wakefulness, and confused by the nearness of the castle, the rest of the 3rd Watch quickly determine that Logan is missing - and that he's most likely one of the figures fighting in the castle entrance. They charge in, Patrick and and Fiaeorri in the lead aided by a haste spell from Extang. While the battle begins outside the gate, it soon flows into the hallway inside as more orcs arrive. It's a hard battle, and even the heavily-armored Logan takes some severe hits, but eventually the battle seems to die down - though not for too long, as Extang - the only one left outside - takes some hits from above - either the wall or one of the towers. He alerts the others and T'Zaric flies out, drawing fire and, in doing so, learning the location of the assailants. He launches a fireball through an arrow slit in one of the towers, seeming to end the fight for now.
He returns to the others, where they spend their brief respite collecting coins from the dead using their magic to heal their wounds - but they don't believe this is over yet. Patrick wants to flee, but most of the others want to press on. Fiaeorri begins setting traps to hinder those chasing them should they choose to flee.
Then they spot a group of furtive orcs dashing across the far end of the hall. They head up to investigate, Fiaeorri in the lead, but the orcs are out of sight by the time they get there. Fiaeorri scouts down the route the orcs came from, finding a hall, a room with smashed bed frames and chests, and a room filled with tables and benches with a door leading to stairs heading downwards.
And that is where this week's game session ended. Check back next week for Episode 69.
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Blossom Fall, Episode 17
Colonial Caerdia: Blossom Fall is a story being told through a 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign I'm running at a local hobby shop called the Devil's Bench. If you aren't already familiar with this series, you can find the beginning over here.
You can find the previous episode here.
9th-10th of Waning Spring, 0 AL
Having defeated the plant-creatures below the ruined stone-hut village, our group of adventurers sets out to explore this strange underground locale they've found themselves in. They start by following the wide corridor to the left, pausing when they come to a four-way intersection with a sputtering, scummy fountain that's leaking into a stairwell leading down. Something appears to be splashing in the fountain, but what it is can't be seen. After seeing an indent in the water with nothing in it, Luna casts a spell allowing her to see invisible things - and there is Salmon, the tiny dragon, playing in the disgusting water.
While Luna retrieves Salmon and begins fashioning a collar, the others turn their attention to the one door leading off of the intersection. After determining it isn't trapped, Jojen charges right in, with I'Un on his tail, and begins finds himself infected by some sort of mold growing in the room, which also contains a stone desk and chair. I'Un drags Jojen out, then goes back in himself, also getting infected by the mold, but he emerges with an ancient book that was in the desk - that none of them can read. Luckily, he and Jojen both kick the infection fairly quickly.
The group now splits up, with most of the group heading back the way they came to explore the other direction of this wide corridor. Jojen, however, is more interested in to one branch of the intersection that isn't collapsed, so he heads that way - with Luna following after him. They find a door, and the rest of the corridor collapsed, so turn back to join the others. As they walk, they have a heart-to-heart about why Jojen hates tieflings, and they find that Luna has many of the same issues with her own people.
They rejoin the others, who went through one door to find a room with a collapsed rubble, and are now investigating a hole in the wall further down the corridor. They all make their way through the hole, into what may have once been a bedroom. they proceed through the door, make their way down a hall, and find themselves in a room half filled with rubble and a door leading to another room beyond - where there are more of those moldy plant creatures. They fight and kill them, and take a nap in the room beyond - after I'Un finds an interesting amulet.
They then move on, returning to the wide corridor and taking the right branch at a T intersection where the way forward is blocked. They find another door, going through to find what may have once been a shop, where Vala finds a collection of strange triangular coins. They continue on, finding the next doorway blocked by a pile of rubble, and going through the next one into another shop-like place. This one doesn't appear to have any treasure in it, but there is a hole in one of the walls - from which distressed sounds are coming.
The group squeezes their way through, finding another shop-like room with four of the plant humanoids on their mold mounts attacking a goblin woman who is fending them off with a club-like walking stick. The group rushes in to help, slaughtering the mold-creatures and rescuing the goblin, who is very grateful and thanks them for their help.
And that brings an end to this week's game session. Check back in a week to learn more of this tale in Episode 18.
You can find the previous episode here.
9th-10th of Waning Spring, 0 AL
Having defeated the plant-creatures below the ruined stone-hut village, our group of adventurers sets out to explore this strange underground locale they've found themselves in. They start by following the wide corridor to the left, pausing when they come to a four-way intersection with a sputtering, scummy fountain that's leaking into a stairwell leading down. Something appears to be splashing in the fountain, but what it is can't be seen. After seeing an indent in the water with nothing in it, Luna casts a spell allowing her to see invisible things - and there is Salmon, the tiny dragon, playing in the disgusting water.
While Luna retrieves Salmon and begins fashioning a collar, the others turn their attention to the one door leading off of the intersection. After determining it isn't trapped, Jojen charges right in, with I'Un on his tail, and begins finds himself infected by some sort of mold growing in the room, which also contains a stone desk and chair. I'Un drags Jojen out, then goes back in himself, also getting infected by the mold, but he emerges with an ancient book that was in the desk - that none of them can read. Luckily, he and Jojen both kick the infection fairly quickly.
The group now splits up, with most of the group heading back the way they came to explore the other direction of this wide corridor. Jojen, however, is more interested in to one branch of the intersection that isn't collapsed, so he heads that way - with Luna following after him. They find a door, and the rest of the corridor collapsed, so turn back to join the others. As they walk, they have a heart-to-heart about why Jojen hates tieflings, and they find that Luna has many of the same issues with her own people.
They rejoin the others, who went through one door to find a room with a collapsed rubble, and are now investigating a hole in the wall further down the corridor. They all make their way through the hole, into what may have once been a bedroom. they proceed through the door, make their way down a hall, and find themselves in a room half filled with rubble and a door leading to another room beyond - where there are more of those moldy plant creatures. They fight and kill them, and take a nap in the room beyond - after I'Un finds an interesting amulet.
They then move on, returning to the wide corridor and taking the right branch at a T intersection where the way forward is blocked. They find another door, going through to find what may have once been a shop, where Vala finds a collection of strange triangular coins. They continue on, finding the next doorway blocked by a pile of rubble, and going through the next one into another shop-like place. This one doesn't appear to have any treasure in it, but there is a hole in one of the walls - from which distressed sounds are coming.
The group squeezes their way through, finding another shop-like room with four of the plant humanoids on their mold mounts attacking a goblin woman who is fending them off with a club-like walking stick. The group rushes in to help, slaughtering the mold-creatures and rescuing the goblin, who is very grateful and thanks them for their help.
And that brings an end to this week's game session. Check back in a week to learn more of this tale in Episode 18.
Saturday, May 18, 2019
Lark's Landing, Episode 67
Colonial Caerdia: Lark's Landing is a story being told through a 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign I'm running at a local hobby shop called the Devil's Bench. If you aren't familiar with this ongoing story, you can follow this link to Once Upon a Tabletop on YouTube to hear the start of it or read the brief summary I wrote when I switched from video to blog.
You can find the previous episode here.
6th of Waning Fall, 1AL
Having taken a rest in their secret room down below the castle, after Patrick having alerted the entire building to their presence, the group that has gone out tell T'Zaric and Fiaeorri about their findings. T'Zaric is very interested in the Book of Raim that Quib has bonded with, but he accepts the group's decision to not give it to him as they don't know what's going on with him right now. It doesn't help when he briefly becomes his smoky self in an attempt to negotiate for the book to be given to "the vessel", but even that part of him accepts no as an answer.
The talk turns to safely getting out of the castle. Between T'Zaric, Quib, and a magical cloak Patrick found, they believe they are able to teleport everyone out of the castle, but first they need to know where the ground is so they don't accidentally teleport themselves into the ground. The best solution they have is to go back to the library - which had windows - and they want to do that anyway to retrieve more books.
T'Zaric gets sent ahead to stealthily scout the way, with Quib going with him up into the circular room to point the way. However, when they open the door, they discover that there are orcs already waiting for them - and orcs begin pouring down the stairs and into the room from the other door as well.
Hearing the ruckus up above, Patrick grabs Logan and tries to teleport out - but he miscalculates the height and merely injures them, which means it is now impossible to get everyone out. Extang and Logan rush up to join the fight, and Extang turns them both into giant apes to hold off the orcs. They whittle down the numbers, but there are so very many of them, and more coming.
T'Zaric flies back down the trapdoor, grabs Fiaeorri, and teleports out - aiming high in the air to make certain they make it safely. He lowers her to the ground, then begins flying back towards the castle, guessing from positioning that his friends are in the central tower - but he isn't certain he'll arrive in time to be of any help.
Patrick and Quib work towards keeping everyone alive, and Patrick comes up to join the fray - but the ape forms are whittled down, and the group is starting to get hurt. Desperate for an escape, Quib pulls out one of the spell scrolls they found and makes a passage out the north wall of the tower. Beyond appears to be some sort of overgrown greenhouse - but there are still orcs between them and the hole. So he casts a spell, dazzling nearly all the orcs in the room, and Patrick as well, before running out - followed by Logan and Extang pushing the dazed Patrick ahead of him while hitting the room with a fireball as he reaches the exit, incinerating most of the remaining orcs - but not all. Those that remain close in on him - with more rushing in from the door - and take him down to unconsciousness.
T'Zaric arrives back at the castle just in time to see his friends emerging through the wall into the space below the glass dome - and to see a gigantic bird rising from the overgrown foliage below the broken glass covering the greenhouse area. He hits it with some magic missiles, drawing his friends' attention to his presence, but the bird doesn't even seem to care. It shuffles over to the group, unable to spread its wings in the space, and takes Partick down with a snap of its beak while slashing a talon across Logan's armor.
Quib revives Extang, apologizes, than grabs Patrick and teleports up onto the roof beside T'Zaric. Terrified of this enormous bird and acting purely on instinct, Logan jumps into the air and casts a spell that blips him up onto the glass above - which cracks, but doesn't break. Extang staggers to his feet, blasts the circular room with another fireball, clearing out the remaining orcs inside - though there are still more coming - and runs back down the trap door, closing it behind him and barring it with the immovable rod.
Up on the roof, Quib says he's going back for Extang and T'Zaric offers to go along. Patrick is revived and Quib casts featherfall on him and Logan, telling them to regroup with Fiaeorri and get away from the castle - which they do. Then he teleports himself and T'Zaric down into the secret room below the tower, where they need take a good long rest before they're able to teleport all of them out and join the others, who have stopped to wait a couple miles away.
While Quib and Extang are sleeping, T'Zaric stealthily swipes Raim's Book of Secrets from Quib - then vanishes.
And that's the end of this week's exciting game session. Where has T'Zaric gone and what will Quib and Extang do when they wake up to discover the missing book? Find out next week in Episode 68.
You can find the previous episode here.
6th of Waning Fall, 1AL
Having taken a rest in their secret room down below the castle, after Patrick having alerted the entire building to their presence, the group that has gone out tell T'Zaric and Fiaeorri about their findings. T'Zaric is very interested in the Book of Raim that Quib has bonded with, but he accepts the group's decision to not give it to him as they don't know what's going on with him right now. It doesn't help when he briefly becomes his smoky self in an attempt to negotiate for the book to be given to "the vessel", but even that part of him accepts no as an answer.
The talk turns to safely getting out of the castle. Between T'Zaric, Quib, and a magical cloak Patrick found, they believe they are able to teleport everyone out of the castle, but first they need to know where the ground is so they don't accidentally teleport themselves into the ground. The best solution they have is to go back to the library - which had windows - and they want to do that anyway to retrieve more books.
T'Zaric gets sent ahead to stealthily scout the way, with Quib going with him up into the circular room to point the way. However, when they open the door, they discover that there are orcs already waiting for them - and orcs begin pouring down the stairs and into the room from the other door as well.
Hearing the ruckus up above, Patrick grabs Logan and tries to teleport out - but he miscalculates the height and merely injures them, which means it is now impossible to get everyone out. Extang and Logan rush up to join the fight, and Extang turns them both into giant apes to hold off the orcs. They whittle down the numbers, but there are so very many of them, and more coming.
T'Zaric flies back down the trapdoor, grabs Fiaeorri, and teleports out - aiming high in the air to make certain they make it safely. He lowers her to the ground, then begins flying back towards the castle, guessing from positioning that his friends are in the central tower - but he isn't certain he'll arrive in time to be of any help.
Patrick and Quib work towards keeping everyone alive, and Patrick comes up to join the fray - but the ape forms are whittled down, and the group is starting to get hurt. Desperate for an escape, Quib pulls out one of the spell scrolls they found and makes a passage out the north wall of the tower. Beyond appears to be some sort of overgrown greenhouse - but there are still orcs between them and the hole. So he casts a spell, dazzling nearly all the orcs in the room, and Patrick as well, before running out - followed by Logan and Extang pushing the dazed Patrick ahead of him while hitting the room with a fireball as he reaches the exit, incinerating most of the remaining orcs - but not all. Those that remain close in on him - with more rushing in from the door - and take him down to unconsciousness.
T'Zaric arrives back at the castle just in time to see his friends emerging through the wall into the space below the glass dome - and to see a gigantic bird rising from the overgrown foliage below the broken glass covering the greenhouse area. He hits it with some magic missiles, drawing his friends' attention to his presence, but the bird doesn't even seem to care. It shuffles over to the group, unable to spread its wings in the space, and takes Partick down with a snap of its beak while slashing a talon across Logan's armor.
Quib revives Extang, apologizes, than grabs Patrick and teleports up onto the roof beside T'Zaric. Terrified of this enormous bird and acting purely on instinct, Logan jumps into the air and casts a spell that blips him up onto the glass above - which cracks, but doesn't break. Extang staggers to his feet, blasts the circular room with another fireball, clearing out the remaining orcs inside - though there are still more coming - and runs back down the trap door, closing it behind him and barring it with the immovable rod.
Up on the roof, Quib says he's going back for Extang and T'Zaric offers to go along. Patrick is revived and Quib casts featherfall on him and Logan, telling them to regroup with Fiaeorri and get away from the castle - which they do. Then he teleports himself and T'Zaric down into the secret room below the tower, where they need take a good long rest before they're able to teleport all of them out and join the others, who have stopped to wait a couple miles away.
While Quib and Extang are sleeping, T'Zaric stealthily swipes Raim's Book of Secrets from Quib - then vanishes.
And that's the end of this week's exciting game session. Where has T'Zaric gone and what will Quib and Extang do when they wake up to discover the missing book? Find out next week in Episode 68.
Sunday, May 12, 2019
Blossom Fall, Episode 16
Colonial Caerdia: Blossom Fall is a story being told through a 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign I'm running at a local hobby shop called the Devil's Bench. If you aren't already familiar with this series, you can find the beginning over here.
You can find the previous episode here.
9th of Waning Spring, 0 AL
Having recently tussled with gnolls, our band of adventurers - while searching for treasure - find in one of the only fully-intact stone huts that remains a hatch leading down into... somewhere. They head down into a dark, angular stone room with a door, an exit into another room, and a hallway leading up to more doors. John and Vala are interested in exploring up the hallway, but before they can get very far, Jojen and I'Un open the door, discovering a very wide corridor running to the left and right, with another door on the far side. And strange, hissing little green humanoids with animals as big green animals.
At the sight of these strangers, the creatures charge in to attack. I'Un and Jojen immediately retreat, back up the stairs to the surface, feeling that the group isn't ready for a fight. The other three, however, decide to stay and fight. Vala finds that the small plant-like creatures go down fairly easily, but is surprised when they get back up, their wounds closing. Luckily, with Luna's magic, they discover that the creatures wounds stay open if they've been burned.
Though this discovery gives them an edge, they are still carrying wounds from the last battle. When Luna goes down, they decide it's time to retreat, pulling her up the stairs with them, leaving two enemies behind. They make it out, slamming the hatch shut and putting a heavy rock atop it. Vala and John then both assault Jojen, angry that he left them to die and didn't help in the battle. I'Un had at least come to help with the retreat, and he was heavily wounded.
The group, irritable and beat-up, settle down for a good long rest that takes them into the night, during which Jojen makes a brief prayer that he be delivered from this group that so readily turns on him without any provocation whatsoever.
When they are all up an about again, Luna cries out in alarm - Salmon, the tiny dragon that hatched from her egg, is missing! The last time she saw it was before the battle. Wanting to find the little lost dragon, and interested in killing the last two of those green creatures so they can explore the region more, the group once again descends below ground.
Call though they might, there is no sign of Salmon. What's worse is that when they head out into the wide corridor, they find another group of those green creatures - and these ones have been waiting for them. They attempt to strategically funnel the creatures through the doorway, but they don't fall for it - and one of them releases a cloud of spores that poisons Vala and Luna. So, they charge into battle - luckily, this time they know to use fire and, after a tough battle, they come out victorious.
And that's where this week's game session comes to an end. Come back week to find out what happens next in Episode 17.
You can find the previous episode here.
9th of Waning Spring, 0 AL
Having recently tussled with gnolls, our band of adventurers - while searching for treasure - find in one of the only fully-intact stone huts that remains a hatch leading down into... somewhere. They head down into a dark, angular stone room with a door, an exit into another room, and a hallway leading up to more doors. John and Vala are interested in exploring up the hallway, but before they can get very far, Jojen and I'Un open the door, discovering a very wide corridor running to the left and right, with another door on the far side. And strange, hissing little green humanoids with animals as big green animals.
At the sight of these strangers, the creatures charge in to attack. I'Un and Jojen immediately retreat, back up the stairs to the surface, feeling that the group isn't ready for a fight. The other three, however, decide to stay and fight. Vala finds that the small plant-like creatures go down fairly easily, but is surprised when they get back up, their wounds closing. Luckily, with Luna's magic, they discover that the creatures wounds stay open if they've been burned.
Though this discovery gives them an edge, they are still carrying wounds from the last battle. When Luna goes down, they decide it's time to retreat, pulling her up the stairs with them, leaving two enemies behind. They make it out, slamming the hatch shut and putting a heavy rock atop it. Vala and John then both assault Jojen, angry that he left them to die and didn't help in the battle. I'Un had at least come to help with the retreat, and he was heavily wounded.
The group, irritable and beat-up, settle down for a good long rest that takes them into the night, during which Jojen makes a brief prayer that he be delivered from this group that so readily turns on him without any provocation whatsoever.
When they are all up an about again, Luna cries out in alarm - Salmon, the tiny dragon that hatched from her egg, is missing! The last time she saw it was before the battle. Wanting to find the little lost dragon, and interested in killing the last two of those green creatures so they can explore the region more, the group once again descends below ground.
Call though they might, there is no sign of Salmon. What's worse is that when they head out into the wide corridor, they find another group of those green creatures - and these ones have been waiting for them. They attempt to strategically funnel the creatures through the doorway, but they don't fall for it - and one of them releases a cloud of spores that poisons Vala and Luna. So, they charge into battle - luckily, this time they know to use fire and, after a tough battle, they come out victorious.
And that's where this week's game session comes to an end. Come back week to find out what happens next in Episode 17.
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