Well....they at least gave you an opportunity to tell a Stargate: Universe plot where they have to try and find their way back home?
Yeah, they are in a mess right now. One character got de-aged more years than he was old, so he was like -7 years old, and just ceased to exist. He then got sent back in time 10,000 years, and fell to Toril, where he eventually grew up again, during the 2nd Crown War.
Another one was sent back in time 95 years, to the time of the Spellplague.
Another was sent 58 years into the future, so he is the most likely one to reunite everyone, as he has the time-crystals, and encountered an Artificer that can possibly help him.
The game broke, they have to put it back together.
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Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Well....they at least gave you an opportunity to tell a Stargate: Universe plot where they have to try and find their way back home?
Yeah, they are in a mess right now. One character got de-aged more years than he was old, so he was like -7 years old, and just ceased to exist. He then got sent back in time 10,000 years, and fell to Toril, where he eventually grew up again, during the 2nd Crown War.
Another one was sent back in time 95 years, to the time of the Spellplague.
Another was sent 58 years into the future, so he is the most likely one to reunite everyone, as he has the time-crystals, and encountered an Artificer that can possibly help him.
The game broke, they have to put it back together.
They're doing a Avengers: Endgame then of sorts? Still sounds like a good idea to start off with.
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Hadgar Greystone, Lv 10 Duergar Death Cleric. Call of Cantraxis campaign, Moonshae.
DM: Imperia Regnum Ancient Rome Theros Homebrew.
Gri'im the Red, LV 7 Orc Druid Rime of the Frost Maiden Campaign.
It all started with our party arriving at Neverwinter in the aftermath of a dragon attack. Half the town in ruins, guards stretched thin, supplies dangerously low and crime running rampant. Our characters did what they could to help the town, but pretty soon we learned the situation is even worse than it looked - a cult of dragon worshipers threatening from within, and bandits and a gnoll war band assaulting supply caravans from without.
Our elderly half-orc shaman, being the half-demented man that he is, decided to try to talk to the gnolls. My character, a cleric of Eilistraee, tried to talk him down, but quickly gave up. Right up until he realized there are DOZENS of gnolls in that war band.
Our party barely managed to catch up with the shaman, but in the process of yelling at each other the war band noticed us. It took them all of 12 seconds for the fastest of their ranks to be in our face, and seeing that, my cleric, who realized they're too fast to outrun, decided to stand his ground and die a hero. He tried to bless his comrades, but it took just one arrow to break his concentration, and in the next round while he frantically tried to fight off the gnolls all around them with his 2 warrior companions while the orc shaman obliterated a few of them with fireballs, a volley of arrows critically hit him, and then he was skewered by a spear. 2 rounds in, and my cleric was unconscious on the ground, with one of the warriors bravely stepping in to fight the gnolls and take their attention off the extremely vulnerable ally. In the next round, the shaman fell to a trio of gnawlers.
But the Goddess was on our side this day. The warrior protecting my cleric decided to spare his turn to force a health potion down his throat and lift the cleric off the ground. And then another volley of arrows hit. 3 of them would've hit the cleric and dropped him right back down if the warrior didn't block them. My cleric barely had enough time to call forth his spiritual weapon to aid in the fight before the warrior that revived him got overwhelmed by gnolls and fell. For a brief moment, until the cleric reached for him and stood him up with cure wounds.
And then it happened.
My cleric, Goddess bless his soul, got an attack of opportunity. He hit the target. For 0 damage.
The sheer absurdity of the situation, aided by the Goddess, caused the gnolls to mercilessly laugh at his blunder. Which gave our dire situation a much needed breathing room while they were rolling on the ground laughing their asses off. From there the cleric managed to bring the warriors back to fighting condition, and the party managed to kill 40 gnolls that day. And it was worth it. The loot the war band was carrying was worth thousands of gold pieces, including several magic items.
Our party barely survived that fight, but we retrieved a huge amount of resources for the town and for ourselves. A little humiliation is a small price to pay for salvation.
It was pretty damn serious until that fateful attack. When the DM saw that 1d6(1)-1=0 damage roll I got, everyone present died laughing. And then he decided to give me a break and force all the gnolls who saw that attack to make a wisdom save against my spell DC. They all failed. If that's not divine intervention, I don't know what is.
Also, always protect your support, people. If that warrior didn't take those hits for me while I was down and then got me up at the right time, I wouldn't be there to pick him up when he fell seconds later. And then it would've been 1 against ~20 at this point.
Me and that brave fighter did little damage, the other two got almost all of them, but our contribution was still crucial to survive that fight.
It was pretty damn serious until that fateful attack. When the DM saw that 1d6(1)-1=0 damage roll I got, everyone present died laughing. And then he decided to give me a break and force all the gnolls who saw that attack to make a wisdom save against my spell DC. They all failed. If that's not divine intervention, I don't know what is.
Also, always protect your support, people. If that warrior didn't take those hits for me while I was down and then got me up at the right time, I wouldn't be there to pick him up when he fell seconds later. And then it would've been 1 against ~20 at this point.
Me and that brave fighter did little damage, the other two got almost all of them, but our contribution was still crucial to survive that fight.
Try explaining that to my Sorceress, lady think she's a tank. Always rushing forward to cast heat ray. Still got no clue why she isn't dead yet, my duergar cleric made it a point not to heal her.
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Hadgar Greystone, Lv 10 Duergar Death Cleric. Call of Cantraxis campaign, Moonshae.
DM: Imperia Regnum Ancient Rome Theros Homebrew.
Gri'im the Red, LV 7 Orc Druid Rime of the Frost Maiden Campaign.
Our party ventured to a mountain that had a white dragon sleeping upon it's peak.
So naturally, our dragon-obsessed kobold immediately rushed into the tunnels to declare his fealty.
Thankfully, our newly-added Psionic Wizard delayed him with a "Telekinesis" spell.
Anyway, we encountered a group of Goliath barbarians in a cave, feasting upon meat from giant carcasses by a bonfire.
Now...the Psionic Wizard could not have joined our party at a better time, because psychic powers against low-Intelligence goliaths is just unfair.
It's like a cleric in a graveyard.
Like a barbarian in a gym.
Like a bard in a brothel.
The Psionic Wizard leveled a "Synaptic Static" at the poor goliaths, and soon, they could not hit anything...especially this Sword Bard kobold who pumped their AC to ungodly levels.
...well, except for one Natural 20 that took about 40 hit points from the kobold. Didn't kill him, though, which was swell.
While these stupified goliaths tried desperately to hit our party, our dwarf paladin critically hits a goliath wielding a fancy-looking greataxe...the blinding flash of light that emits from the subsequent smite instantly disintegrates the goliath...and when the light dissipates, all that's left is the greataxe twirling in the empty air until it flatters comically to the cave floor. The dwarf then claims the axe as her own.
We ended at that skirmish, but man...sometimes combat just goes your way.
Our party ventured to a mountain that had a white dragon sleeping upon it's peak.
So naturally, our dragon-obsessed kobold immediately rushed into the tunnels to declare his fealty.
Thankfully, our newly-added Psionic Wizard delayed him with a "Telekinesis" spell.
Anyway, we encountered a group of Goliath barbarians in a cave, feasting upon meat from giant carcasses by a bonfire.
Now...the Psionic Wizard could not have joined our party at a better time, because psychic powers against low-Intelligence goliaths is just unfair.
It's like a cleric in a graveyard.
Like a barbarian in a gym.
Like a bard in a brothel.
The Psionic Wizard leveled a "Synaptic Static" at the poor goliaths, and soon, they could not hit anything...especially this Sword Bard kobold who pumped their AC to ungodly levels.
...well, except for one Natural 20 that took about 40 hit points from the kobold. Didn't kill him, though, which was swell.
While these stupified goliaths tried desperately to hit our party, our dwarf paladin critically hits a goliath wielding a fancy-looking greataxe...the blinding flash of light that emits from the subsequent smite instantly disintegrates the goliath...and when the light dissipates, all that's left is the greataxe twirling in the empty air until it flatters comically to the cave floor. The dwarf then claims the axe as her own.
We ended at that skirmish, but man...sometimes combat just goes your way.
Your party must make an offering to whatever god your wizard worships. That guy/gal was at the perfect place and time!
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Hadgar Greystone, Lv 10 Duergar Death Cleric. Call of Cantraxis campaign, Moonshae.
DM: Imperia Regnum Ancient Rome Theros Homebrew.
Gri'im the Red, LV 7 Orc Druid Rime of the Frost Maiden Campaign.
After a loooooong delay, Three-Axe Johnson and Xanster the Chainlock are back in action! With special guest: my house-bound, stir-crazy nephew's lizardman druid! Worlds collide!
The session begins slowly as we kick the rust off with one of those weird, hour-long, logjams where the players shop for camping equipment. Chekhov's Gun Alert: One of them bought a bear trap!
After successfully coordinating the city's defenses against the armies of Gathor the Dracolich, our heroes are dispatched to the town of Brixton, several days upriver. Gathor's orc minions are raiding the countryside as they retreat. Brixton's militia has repelled their assault, but at a devastating cost. With resources dwindling, the Duchy turns to bounty-hunting soldiers of fortune. It's a good old-fashioned orc hunt! After finding one band holed up in a ruined temple complex, the group sends half-orc Three-Axe in to infiltrate the gang and try to draw the leader into a trap (from this, I infer that For A Few Dollars More must have been on TV recently).
How will all this play out? What is the secret objective of War Chieftain Tzu'ukuu? What does any of it have to do with the impending Drow Civil War? Stay tuned!
Honestly, it was a little frustrating. I was thinking that since we haven't played in a while and we're starting a new campaign, throwing them at some low-level mobs and just rolling dice for a while would be a good idea. But between the shopping trip, videoconference table-talk about current events, and being so out-of-practice, nothing much got done. These guys are level 8, they should be mowing through orcs ten at a time. But since it's been so long, there's a little hesitation, and then the Good Idea Fairy pays a visit...
The Good Idea Fairy, for those who don't know, is a fairy who visits you when you're coming up with a plan and gives you good ideas. What most people don't know is that she's a mischievous trickster fairy who keeps giving you good idea after good idea until your perfectly workable, simple, original, plan is a baroque Rube Goldberg device that crashes under its own weight before it gets off the ground. She is a time thief and a deadly enemy of DMs everywhere.
There were a few times when I could have stepped in and gotten things back on track, but I'm out of practice, too. So, I guess we just try again next time.
Meanwhile, I am going to start thinking about bear trap opportunities.
It was another session where my wife and I sat there for literally half the session waiting for "our turn". Granted, big things were happening on both sides of the split party, but it could have been handled better than 90 minutes straight of one side.
Anyway, we rescued an NPC from a dungeon and carried her to our safehouse. She woke up after fainting and is fully prepared to help us defeat the BBEG. Our rogue is upheaving ANOTHER government, this one he is not prepared to rule. My monk wishes the other half of the party would just tell him what's going on instead of vague statements.
To quote the DM last night: "We're in the endgame, folks!"
The good thing about this whole outbreak is my group got to play almost every night in the past week and got through a lot of content. Last night the party of 3 level 6 PCs Goliath fighter, Half-Elf Pirate Captian, and Human Monk/Warlock pact of the fiend got a very high paying quest to stop a horde of zombies that keep coming from a nearby cave every night. after some decent planing and making a kill box by bottlenecking the horde they killed a few hundred then moved into the cave where they found a massive undead army being teleported from Avernus led by a Skull Lord.
After calling an NPC friend of The Monk/Warlock to help the party realizes that he is a level 20 magic-user when he casts Wish to fully heal the Monk/Warlock, and took a finger of death and took very little damage ( A completely normal thing and not at all important plot point the party should have been very concerned about) After the party killed the Skull Lord they are now level 7 and the NPC only asked he be allowed to keep the Bone Staff that I explained looks a full spinal column with a demon skull still attached ( Again not at all something they should care about) and they give it to him.
After taking a break to get better armor from the city's Blood, Bath, and Beyond and ordering pastries for their voyage. Tonight the party sets out to have a relaxing time at A massive tower on a different continent called The Gold Sauser 7 floors of "Fun" like a D&D version of Disneyland.
As for my Descent Into Avernus game, the group spent 2.5 hours investigating whether or not they should kill the owner of the Wandering Emporium after one person there said he was not as he seemed. They didn't kill him, because he was so charming and nice, even though the owner invited them to try.
First, a Tier 3 one-shot I ran. The premise was that the players were mercenaries that were helping a group of scholars locate a mystical library. It would be pretty simple with an optional encounter on the way there, a puzzle to solve to gain entrance, and finally once inside a final encounter. The last encounter could go two ways depending on whether they side with the scholars seeking the library or the sphinx that guards it.
PC group consisted of a Dragonborn Bard, Changeling Monk, Human Ranger, Gnome Wizard, and a Tortle Barbarian. Of particular note the player of the Changeling was interested in trying out the shapeshifting features and wound up annoying one of the NPCs they were introduced to in the beginning. He took the NPCs form and I had reason for the NPC to be annoyed at seeing that face.
The Player then took the opportunity to annoy the NPC at every possible moment. And he was unintentionally making a planned moment all the better.
The optional encounter is based on the Hippogriff Hunter Encounter of the Week from D&D Beyond, scaled up so it is 5 Wyverns, 5 winged Kobolds, and a Young Blue Dragon. It was wonderful with 2 of the players using the dimension door spell to get onto the back of the retreating wounded dragon, only for a player on the ground to cast Hold Monster on it and send it falling to the ground with his allies still on its back.
The Gnome wizard, necromancer subclass, then turned three of the kobolds into zombies that were annoying to deal with later
The puzzle was so-so. They were able to figure out half, but I had difficulty conveying to them that it was only half done.
Then the final encounter. The party enters the Library with 5 NPCs. A little back and forth between Sphinx and party where its revealed that the head scholar is an Arcanoloth and her body guards are low ranked yugaloths. The decision. Abide their contract with the Arcanoloth and be rewarded greatly or side with the sphinx for no promise of reward.
They side with the Sphinx. I was happy with this because It allowed me to then reveal that the NPC that the Changeling had been annoying was in fact a magically disguised Fog Giant. The looks on their faces as they put together the reason the NPC was annoyed at seeing “his face” was priceless.
I’ll say the MVPs of that fight was the bard who animated some books in a fun book “golem” and the wizard who actually tanked a lot of damage from the Acanoloth’s high necrotic damage spells.
Now for the 2.
In a regular campaign game I play in, our DM had set everything up to bring one of our player’s story arcs to a close. Our monk would be dueling his deranged bother in their clan’s training ground to save his wife and possibly gain control of the clan.
It was meant to be a one on one pit fight of 2 high level monks. Through NPCs the DM warned that interference would have severe consequences. However one of our players, a Chaos Sorcerer, is an instigator. Regardless of what class or race he plays this guy finds some way to throw the DM’s plans out the window.
Needless to say 2 polymorph spells later (one counter spelled, the other succeeding) and chaos breaks out where it is the 5 of us against a dozen monk NPCs, one of whom was specially created to fight on par with us in a one-on-one match.
However there is something to be said for the strength of a sorcerer that can call fireballs and cast greater invisibility, a cleric that summons locusts and blinds people, a bard with swashbuckling background, a Ranger that knows how to use his spells, and a shadow monk that can out rouge a rouge.
We mowed down the mobs, killed the arc’s Boss, saved the hostage, and brought the chaos to a temporary close with a well-timed Thaumaturgy-enhanced should of “Enough, We’ve killed enough of you, there is no need for more blood”.
The monk ended his travels, out of game the player just wanted to switch to a different character.
And then the Ranger punched the sorcerer because his actions forced the ranger into a needless fight going against the ranger's code. Both players laughed about that
Session is not happening. Library where we played is closed, we are all social distancing. We discussed various ways of getting together online, but one wants to use a platform that does not have an app for my computer, one wants to use Discord, and one doesn't have a computer, just a phone, so not being a phone person myself have no idea if we can get it together.
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Edeleth Treesong (Aldalire) WoodElf Druid lvl 8 Talaveroth Sub 2 Last Tree StandingTabaxi Ranger, Chef and Hoardsperson lvl 5, Company of the Dragon Team 1 Choir Kenku Cleric, Tempest Domain, lvl 11, Descent Into Avernus Test Drive Poinki Goblin Paladin, Redemption, lvl 5, Tales from Talaveroth Lyrika Nyx Satyr Bard lvl 1, The Six Kingdoms of Talia
Session is not happening. Library where we played is closed, we are all social distancing. We discussed various ways of getting together online, but one wants to use a platform that does not have an app for my computer, one wants to use Discord, and one doesn't have a computer, just a phone, so not being a phone person myself have no idea if we can get it together.
Discord has a phone app as well as a computer app.
Session is not happening. Library where we played is closed, we are all social distancing. We discussed various ways of getting together online, but one wants to use a platform that does not have an app for my computer, one wants to use Discord, and one doesn't have a computer, just a phone, so not being a phone person myself have no idea if we can get it together.
I feel your pain, man. My session might be cancelled soon as well.
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Hadgar Greystone, Lv 10 Duergar Death Cleric. Call of Cantraxis campaign, Moonshae.
DM: Imperia Regnum Ancient Rome Theros Homebrew.
Gri'im the Red, LV 7 Orc Druid Rime of the Frost Maiden Campaign.
So we just finished tonight's Game. The party went found out the Pirate's mother was wanted by an enemy so they decided to travel across the sea to the Monklock ( Monk/warlock) home and set up an ambush after a month of downtime where various plots come to ahead
The rival/childhood friend of the monklock tells them about how things are going downhill in the city and he is trying to save people as the player keeps running off to go on adventures but agrees to help the party after a heated argument where they ask him what he would have done in the others place, once the other party members leave the NPC tells the PC if it was the other way He would have said goodbye before he left ( this was a very powerful moment and gave inside into the relationship these two have
The Pirate's father and his crew show up a few days early to help and end up throwing a house party in the Monkock's home
The Fighter trains all day and spends all every night with one of the Pirate PC's crew ( an Elvin Druid who is the lookout of the ship)
The party and friendly NPCs get ready for their plan, unfortunately, the Evil Pirate Captian Darkwater has a plan too as he shows up with a massive fleet.
The army of the city they are in arrive to help led by General Chaos a fully armored knight and hero to the kingdom they are in
The party freak out as I describe how they hear a bunch of loud popping sounds coming from the fleet as the sun is blocked out by the size of hundreds of cannonballs being fired into the sky
And that is where we ended to pick up tomorrow with a massive battle that if the party can't hold the line by the docks the fighting can spill into the city
So we just finished tonight's Game. The party went found out the Pirate's mother was wanted by an enemy so they decided to travel across the sea to the Monklock ( Monk/warlock) home and set up an ambush after a month of downtime where various plots come to ahead
The rival/childhood friend of the monklock tells them about how things are going downhill in the city and he is trying to save people as the player keeps running off to go on adventures but agrees to help the party after a heated argument where they ask him what he would have done in the others place, once the other party members leave the NPC tells the PC if it was the other way He would have said goodbye before he left ( this was a very powerful moment and gave inside into the relationship these two have
The Pirate's father and his crew show up a few days early to help and end up throwing a house party in the Monkock's home
The Fighter trains all day and spends all every night with one of the Pirate PC's crew ( an Elvin Druid who is the lookout of the ship)
The party and friendly NPCs get ready for their plan, unfortunately, the Evil Pirate Captian Darkwater has a plan too as he shows up with a massive fleet.
The army of the city they are in arrive to help led by General Chaos a fully armored knight and hero to the kingdom they are in
The party freak out as I describe how they hear a bunch of loud popping sounds coming from the fleet as the sun is blocked out by the size of hundreds of cannonballs being fired into the sky
And that is where we ended to pick up tomorrow with a massive battle that if the party can't hold the line by the docks the fighting can spill into the city
Dude that's the best hook to end a game on! You gotta tell us what happens next!
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Hadgar Greystone, Lv 10 Duergar Death Cleric. Call of Cantraxis campaign, Moonshae.
DM: Imperia Regnum Ancient Rome Theros Homebrew.
Gri'im the Red, LV 7 Orc Druid Rime of the Frost Maiden Campaign.
Running a small campaign online while we're all under quarantine (putting our major campaign on pause).
This means new characters starting at Level 1!
Our party consists of my Warlock, a Fighter, a Druid, and a Monk.
We arrive at a town currently smoking and on fire, as a dragon circles overhead. We spot a family defending themselves from kobolds ransacking the place, and intervene, taking down the kobolds.
The family states that they must get to the keep at the center of town, a sturdy-looking structure on a hill. The town is filled with the sound of screaming and burning. We agree to escort the family to the keep, opting to go along a small stream using tree for cover, instead of the main road.
Good thing, too; a group of kobolds, led by strange mercenaries with curved swords, one in a gray robe, are binding a group of captured townsfolk.
Our monk and druid approach, passing themselves off as fellow invaders.
These humans must be mercenaries, as a successful Deception check convinces them that the Druid and Monk are allies. The gray-robed man seems suspicious, however.
One of the mercenaries approaches the part of the party that is hidden by the stream; my Warlock blasts them from cover with Eldritch Blast, beginning combat.
Our Monk breaks the jaw of one of the invaders; our Druid Shilleleigh's another, but they are outnumbered.
Our Fighter rushes forward, knocking a kobold into the stream.
My Warlock turns and tells the family we're escorting to hide I'm safety, and uses their Noble Genie feature to tether themselves to the Fighter, and they Hex the nearest enemy.
The fight becomes chaos; our party successfully kills one or two; but kobold pack tactics results in our Monk and Druid going down in about two or three turns.
Our Fighter, meanwhile, chases down several who seem to be running to alert more invaders...not good.
Thankfully, my Warlock is able to Eldritch Blast two of them THROUGH the Fighter with their mystical tether, while the Fighter smashes the final one. The Fighter is confused by this power surging through them.
We manage to stabilize our two fallen party members, and the remaining kobolds hold daggers to the throats of the tied up townsfolk.
Our stand-off ends with one of the villagers getting their throat cut; but we kill the last kobolds and save the others. Sad, but not the worst outcome.
Little time to grieve, however; more invaders are coming, and we desperately flee to the keep with our party escorting the townsfolk.
Villagers are sprinting from all directions of the burning town to where we are running; we gallop through the keep doors as they shut behind us. We're safe...for now.
But the sound of the dragon occassionally soars overhead, reminding us of eminent doom.
We talk to the governor, who asks us to inspect a possible escape tunnel below to see if we can start smuggling townsfolk slowly out of the village. After a brief combat with a swarm or rats and a locked door, we clear the tunnel.
It becomes dark, as the fires burning up the town makes it clear how had the devastation is.
Our party must rest, as much as we wish to aid the town defense...we took heavy damage.
Our long rest through the night is periodically interrupted by the sounds of combat, a mill being obliterated by the dragon, and screaming in the distance.
As we finish resting, our party sees that the invaders, kobolds, and dragon are now perched outside the keep. A large blue Dragonborn wielding a massive greatsword approaches the gate, and demands one-on-one combat, or they will kill hostages. He also hints that they are the Cult of the Dragon. If we agree to duel, they will pull back their forces.
Our party is...reluctant...to offer aid, considering our near-deaths earlier that day.
After a guard belittles us for our inaction, though, my Warlock agrees to fight the blue Dragonborn.
The Dragonborn laughs at my puny spellcaster, but begins combat.
The Dragonborn breathes lightning-breathe at my Warlock, taking a decent chunk of HP even with a good save. My aasimar Warlock activates their racial flying ability, rising into the air with glowing eyes and wind swirling beneath their feet.
The Dragonborn hurls a spear, knocking my Warlock back to the ground...almost unconcious.
"THIS was your champion?!" the Dragonborn scoffs, looking down at my injured Warlock.
The Dragonborn turns to the survivors hiding inside the keep. "Still, he was the only one of your people to challenge me...I will reward this meager bravery."
The Dragonborn proceeds to press a taloned hand into my Warlock's face just below their eye, causing my warlock to scream in agony.
"There!" the Dragonborn declares, pulling their claw from my Warlock's face and letting them drop to the ground. "Your feeble champion keeps their life...with a mark to show my Master's superiority."
The Dragonborn snaps their fingers; and the hostages are released, frantically running to the keep, grabbing and carefully dragging my broken Warlock with them.
"Remember what has happened to your town this night," the Dragonborn calls. "All hail the Dragon".
Their forces leave, and our session ends with a humbling defeat.
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Yeah, they are in a mess right now. One character got de-aged more years than he was old, so he was like -7 years old, and just ceased to exist. He then got sent back in time 10,000 years, and fell to Toril, where he eventually grew up again, during the 2nd Crown War.
Another one was sent back in time 95 years, to the time of the Spellplague.
Another was sent 58 years into the future, so he is the most likely one to reunite everyone, as he has the time-crystals, and encountered an Artificer that can possibly help him.
The game broke, they have to put it back together.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
They're doing a Avengers: Endgame then of sorts?
Still sounds like a good idea to start off with.
Hadgar Greystone, Lv 10 Duergar Death Cleric.
Call of Cantraxis campaign, Moonshae.
DM: Imperia Regnum
Ancient Rome Theros Homebrew.
Gri'im the Red, LV 7 Orc Druid
Rime of the Frost Maiden Campaign.
It all started with our party arriving at Neverwinter in the aftermath of a dragon attack. Half the town in ruins, guards stretched thin, supplies dangerously low and crime running rampant. Our characters did what they could to help the town, but pretty soon we learned the situation is even worse than it looked - a cult of dragon worshipers threatening from within, and bandits and a gnoll war band assaulting supply caravans from without.
Our elderly half-orc shaman, being the half-demented man that he is, decided to try to talk to the gnolls. My character, a cleric of Eilistraee, tried to talk him down, but quickly gave up. Right up until he realized there are DOZENS of gnolls in that war band.
Our party barely managed to catch up with the shaman, but in the process of yelling at each other the war band noticed us. It took them all of 12 seconds for the fastest of their ranks to be in our face, and seeing that, my cleric, who realized they're too fast to outrun, decided to stand his ground and die a hero. He tried to bless his comrades, but it took just one arrow to break his concentration, and in the next round while he frantically tried to fight off the gnolls all around them with his 2 warrior companions while the orc shaman obliterated a few of them with fireballs, a volley of arrows critically hit him, and then he was skewered by a spear. 2 rounds in, and my cleric was unconscious on the ground, with one of the warriors bravely stepping in to fight the gnolls and take their attention off the extremely vulnerable ally. In the next round, the shaman fell to a trio of gnawlers.
But the Goddess was on our side this day. The warrior protecting my cleric decided to spare his turn to force a health potion down his throat and lift the cleric off the ground. And then another volley of arrows hit. 3 of them would've hit the cleric and dropped him right back down if the warrior didn't block them. My cleric barely had enough time to call forth his spiritual weapon to aid in the fight before the warrior that revived him got overwhelmed by gnolls and fell. For a brief moment, until the cleric reached for him and stood him up with cure wounds.
And then it happened.
My cleric, Goddess bless his soul, got an attack of opportunity. He hit the target. For 0 damage.
The sheer absurdity of the situation, aided by the Goddess, caused the gnolls to mercilessly laugh at his blunder. Which gave our dire situation a much needed breathing room while they were rolling on the ground laughing their asses off. From there the cleric managed to bring the warriors back to fighting condition, and the party managed to kill 40 gnolls that day. And it was worth it. The loot the war band was carrying was worth thousands of gold pieces, including several magic items.
Our party barely survived that fight, but we retrieved a huge amount of resources for the town and for ourselves. A little humiliation is a small price to pay for salvation.
Methinks you should've worshipped a different god u.u
Real talk that session sounds like it was hilarious.
Hadgar Greystone, Lv 10 Duergar Death Cleric.
Call of Cantraxis campaign, Moonshae.
DM: Imperia Regnum
Ancient Rome Theros Homebrew.
Gri'im the Red, LV 7 Orc Druid
Rime of the Frost Maiden Campaign.
It was pretty damn serious until that fateful attack. When the DM saw that 1d6(1)-1=0 damage roll I got, everyone present died laughing. And then he decided to give me a break and force all the gnolls who saw that attack to make a wisdom save against my spell DC. They all failed. If that's not divine intervention, I don't know what is.
Also, always protect your support, people. If that warrior didn't take those hits for me while I was down and then got me up at the right time, I wouldn't be there to pick him up when he fell seconds later. And then it would've been 1 against ~20 at this point.
Me and that brave fighter did little damage, the other two got almost all of them, but our contribution was still crucial to survive that fight.
Try explaining that to my Sorceress, lady think she's a tank. Always rushing forward to cast heat ray. Still got no clue why she isn't dead yet, my duergar cleric made it a point not to heal her.
Hadgar Greystone, Lv 10 Duergar Death Cleric.
Call of Cantraxis campaign, Moonshae.
DM: Imperia Regnum
Ancient Rome Theros Homebrew.
Gri'im the Red, LV 7 Orc Druid
Rime of the Frost Maiden Campaign.
Our party ventured to a mountain that had a white dragon sleeping upon it's peak.
So naturally, our dragon-obsessed kobold immediately rushed into the tunnels to declare his fealty.
Thankfully, our newly-added Psionic Wizard delayed him with a "Telekinesis" spell.
Anyway, we encountered a group of Goliath barbarians in a cave, feasting upon meat from giant carcasses by a bonfire.
Now...the Psionic Wizard could not have joined our party at a better time, because psychic powers against low-Intelligence goliaths is just unfair.
It's like a cleric in a graveyard.
Like a barbarian in a gym.
Like a bard in a brothel.
The Psionic Wizard leveled a "Synaptic Static" at the poor goliaths, and soon, they could not hit anything...especially this Sword Bard kobold who pumped their AC to ungodly levels.
...well, except for one Natural 20 that took about 40 hit points from the kobold. Didn't kill him, though, which was swell.
While these stupified goliaths tried desperately to hit our party, our dwarf paladin critically hits a goliath wielding a fancy-looking greataxe...the blinding flash of light that emits from the subsequent smite instantly disintegrates the goliath...and when the light dissipates, all that's left is the greataxe twirling in the empty air until it flatters comically to the cave floor. The dwarf then claims the axe as her own.
We ended at that skirmish, but man...sometimes combat just goes your way.
Your party must make an offering to whatever god your wizard worships. That guy/gal was at the perfect place and time!
Hadgar Greystone, Lv 10 Duergar Death Cleric.
Call of Cantraxis campaign, Moonshae.
DM: Imperia Regnum
Ancient Rome Theros Homebrew.
Gri'im the Red, LV 7 Orc Druid
Rime of the Frost Maiden Campaign.
After a loooooong delay, Three-Axe Johnson and Xanster the Chainlock are back in action! With special guest: my house-bound, stir-crazy nephew's lizardman druid! Worlds collide!
The session begins slowly as we kick the rust off with one of those weird, hour-long, logjams where the players shop for camping equipment. Chekhov's Gun Alert: One of them bought a bear trap!
After successfully coordinating the city's defenses against the armies of Gathor the Dracolich, our heroes are dispatched to the town of Brixton, several days upriver. Gathor's orc minions are raiding the countryside as they retreat. Brixton's militia has repelled their assault, but at a devastating cost. With resources dwindling, the Duchy turns to bounty-hunting soldiers of fortune. It's a good old-fashioned orc hunt! After finding one band holed up in a ruined temple complex, the group sends half-orc Three-Axe in to infiltrate the gang and try to draw the leader into a trap (from this, I infer that For A Few Dollars More must have been on TV recently).
How will all this play out? What is the secret objective of War Chieftain Tzu'ukuu? What does any of it have to do with the impending Drow Civil War? Stay tuned!
Honestly, it was a little frustrating. I was thinking that since we haven't played in a while and we're starting a new campaign, throwing them at some low-level mobs and just rolling dice for a while would be a good idea. But between the shopping trip, videoconference table-talk about current events, and being so out-of-practice, nothing much got done. These guys are level 8, they should be mowing through orcs ten at a time. But since it's been so long, there's a little hesitation, and then the Good Idea Fairy pays a visit...
The Good Idea Fairy, for those who don't know, is a fairy who visits you when you're coming up with a plan and gives you good ideas. What most people don't know is that she's a mischievous trickster fairy who keeps giving you good idea after good idea until your perfectly workable, simple, original, plan is a baroque Rube Goldberg device that crashes under its own weight before it gets off the ground. She is a time thief and a deadly enemy of DMs everywhere.
There were a few times when I could have stepped in and gotten things back on track, but I'm out of practice, too. So, I guess we just try again next time.
Meanwhile, I am going to start thinking about bear trap opportunities.
Keep us posted, buddy!
I know the feel of long hiatus's between games.
Hadgar Greystone, Lv 10 Duergar Death Cleric.
Call of Cantraxis campaign, Moonshae.
DM: Imperia Regnum
Ancient Rome Theros Homebrew.
Gri'im the Red, LV 7 Orc Druid
Rime of the Frost Maiden Campaign.
It was another session where my wife and I sat there for literally half the session waiting for "our turn". Granted, big things were happening on both sides of the split party, but it could have been handled better than 90 minutes straight of one side.
Anyway, we rescued an NPC from a dungeon and carried her to our safehouse. She woke up after fainting and is fully prepared to help us defeat the BBEG. Our rogue is upheaving ANOTHER government, this one he is not prepared to rule. My monk wishes the other half of the party would just tell him what's going on instead of vague statements.
To quote the DM last night: "We're in the endgame, folks!"
The good thing about this whole outbreak is my group got to play almost every night in the past week and got through a lot of content. Last night the party of 3 level 6 PCs
Goliath fighter, Half-Elf Pirate Captian, and Human Monk/Warlock pact of the fiend got a very high paying quest to stop a horde of zombies that keep coming from a nearby cave every night. after some decent planing and making a kill box by bottlenecking the horde they killed a few hundred then moved into the cave where they found a massive undead army being teleported from Avernus led by a Skull Lord.
After calling an NPC friend of The Monk/Warlock to help the party realizes that he is a level 20 magic-user when he casts Wish to fully heal the Monk/Warlock, and took a finger of death and took very little damage ( A completely normal thing and not at all important plot point the party should have been very concerned about) After the party killed the Skull Lord they are now level 7 and the NPC only asked he be allowed to keep the Bone Staff that I explained looks a full spinal column with a demon skull still attached ( Again not at all something they should care about) and they give it to him.
After taking a break to get better armor from the city's Blood, Bath, and Beyond and ordering pastries for their voyage. Tonight the party sets out to have a relaxing time at A massive tower on a different continent called The Gold Sauser 7 floors of "Fun" like a D&D version of Disneyland.
As for my Descent Into Avernus game, the group spent 2.5 hours investigating whether or not they should kill the owner of the Wandering Emporium after one person there said he was not as he seemed. They didn't kill him, because he was so charming and nice, even though the owner invited them to try.
Off to the unicorn!
Several of my last few sessions in a single post.
First, a Tier 3 one-shot I ran. The premise was that the players were mercenaries that were helping a group of scholars locate a mystical library. It would be pretty simple with an optional encounter on the way there, a puzzle to solve to gain entrance, and finally once inside a final encounter. The last encounter could go two ways depending on whether they side with the scholars seeking the library or the sphinx that guards it.
PC group consisted of a Dragonborn Bard, Changeling Monk, Human Ranger, Gnome Wizard, and a Tortle Barbarian. Of particular note the player of the Changeling was interested in trying out the shapeshifting features and wound up annoying one of the NPCs they were introduced to in the beginning. He took the NPCs form and I had reason for the NPC to be annoyed at seeing that face.
The Player then took the opportunity to annoy the NPC at every possible moment. And he was unintentionally making a planned moment all the better.
The optional encounter is based on the Hippogriff Hunter Encounter of the Week from D&D Beyond, scaled up so it is 5 Wyverns, 5 winged Kobolds, and a Young Blue Dragon. It was wonderful with 2 of the players using the dimension door spell to get onto the back of the retreating wounded dragon, only for a player on the ground to cast Hold Monster on it and send it falling to the ground with his allies still on its back.
The Gnome wizard, necromancer subclass, then turned three of the kobolds into zombies that were annoying to deal with later
The puzzle was so-so. They were able to figure out half, but I had difficulty conveying to them that it was only half done.
Then the final encounter. The party enters the Library with 5 NPCs. A little back and forth between Sphinx and party where its revealed that the head scholar is an Arcanoloth and her body guards are low ranked yugaloths. The decision. Abide their contract with the Arcanoloth and be rewarded greatly or side with the sphinx for no promise of reward.
They side with the Sphinx. I was happy with this because It allowed me to then reveal that the NPC that the Changeling had been annoying was in fact a magically disguised Fog Giant. The looks on their faces as they put together the reason the NPC was annoyed at seeing “his face” was priceless.
I’ll say the MVPs of that fight was the bard who animated some books in a fun book “golem” and the wizard who actually tanked a lot of damage from the Acanoloth’s high necrotic damage spells.
Now for the 2.
In a regular campaign game I play in, our DM had set everything up to bring one of our player’s story arcs to a close. Our monk would be dueling his deranged bother in their clan’s training ground to save his wife and possibly gain control of the clan.
It was meant to be a one on one pit fight of 2 high level monks. Through NPCs the DM warned that interference would have severe consequences. However one of our players, a Chaos Sorcerer, is an instigator. Regardless of what class or race he plays this guy finds some way to throw the DM’s plans out the window.
Needless to say 2 polymorph spells later (one counter spelled, the other succeeding) and chaos breaks out where it is the 5 of us against a dozen monk NPCs, one of whom was specially created to fight on par with us in a one-on-one match.
However there is something to be said for the strength of a sorcerer that can call fireballs and cast greater invisibility, a cleric that summons locusts and blinds people, a bard with swashbuckling background, a Ranger that knows how to use his spells, and a shadow monk that can out rouge a rouge.
We mowed down the mobs, killed the arc’s Boss, saved the hostage, and brought the chaos to a temporary close with a well-timed Thaumaturgy-enhanced should of “Enough, We’ve killed enough of you, there is no need for more blood”.
The monk ended his travels, out of game the player just wanted to switch to a different character.
And then the Ranger punched the sorcerer because his actions forced the ranger into a needless fight going against the ranger's code. Both players laughed about that
Session is not happening. Library where we played is closed, we are all social distancing. We discussed various ways of getting together online, but one wants to use a platform that does not have an app for my computer, one wants to use Discord, and one doesn't have a computer, just a phone, so not being a phone person myself have no idea if we can get it together.
Edeleth Treesong (Aldalire) Wood Elf Druid lvl 8 Talaveroth Sub 2
Last Tree Standing Tabaxi Ranger, Chef and Hoardsperson lvl 5, Company of the Dragon Team 1
Choir Kenku Cleric, Tempest Domain, lvl 11, Descent Into Avernus Test Drive
Poinki Goblin Paladin, Redemption, lvl 5, Tales from Talaveroth
Lyrika Nyx Satyr Bard lvl 1, The Six Kingdoms of Talia
Discord has a phone app as well as a computer app.
I feel your pain, man. My session might be cancelled soon as well.
Hadgar Greystone, Lv 10 Duergar Death Cleric.
Call of Cantraxis campaign, Moonshae.
DM: Imperia Regnum
Ancient Rome Theros Homebrew.
Gri'im the Red, LV 7 Orc Druid
Rime of the Frost Maiden Campaign.
So we just finished tonight's Game. The party went found out the Pirate's mother was wanted by an enemy so they decided to travel across the sea to the Monklock ( Monk/warlock) home and set up an ambush after a month of downtime where various plots come to ahead
The rival/childhood friend of the monklock tells them about how things are going downhill in the city and he is trying to save people as the player keeps running off to go on adventures but agrees to help the party after a heated argument where they ask him what he would have done in the others place, once the other party members leave the NPC tells the PC if it was the other way He would have said goodbye before he left ( this was a very powerful moment and gave inside into the relationship these two have
The Pirate's father and his crew show up a few days early to help and end up throwing a house party in the Monkock's home
The Fighter trains all day and spends all every night with one of the Pirate PC's crew ( an Elvin Druid who is the lookout of the ship)
The party and friendly NPCs get ready for their plan, unfortunately, the Evil Pirate Captian Darkwater has a plan too as he shows up with a massive fleet.
The army of the city they are in arrive to help led by General Chaos a fully armored knight and hero to the kingdom they are in
The party freak out as I describe how they hear a bunch of loud popping sounds coming from the fleet as the sun is blocked out by the size of hundreds of cannonballs being fired into the sky
And that is where we ended to pick up tomorrow with a massive battle that if the party can't hold the line by the docks the fighting can spill into the city
Dude that's the best hook to end a game on! You gotta tell us what happens next!
Hadgar Greystone, Lv 10 Duergar Death Cleric.
Call of Cantraxis campaign, Moonshae.
DM: Imperia Regnum
Ancient Rome Theros Homebrew.
Gri'im the Red, LV 7 Orc Druid
Rime of the Frost Maiden Campaign.
Running a small campaign online while we're all under quarantine (putting our major campaign on pause).
This means new characters starting at Level 1!
Our party consists of my Warlock, a Fighter, a Druid, and a Monk.
We arrive at a town currently smoking and on fire, as a dragon circles overhead. We spot a family defending themselves from kobolds ransacking the place, and intervene, taking down the kobolds.
The family states that they must get to the keep at the center of town, a sturdy-looking structure on a hill. The town is filled with the sound of screaming and burning. We agree to escort the family to the keep, opting to go along a small stream using tree for cover, instead of the main road.
Good thing, too; a group of kobolds, led by strange mercenaries with curved swords, one in a gray robe, are binding a group of captured townsfolk.
Our monk and druid approach, passing themselves off as fellow invaders.
These humans must be mercenaries, as a successful Deception check convinces them that the Druid and Monk are allies. The gray-robed man seems suspicious, however.
One of the mercenaries approaches the part of the party that is hidden by the stream; my Warlock blasts them from cover with Eldritch Blast, beginning combat.
Our Monk breaks the jaw of one of the invaders; our Druid Shilleleigh's another, but they are outnumbered.
Our Fighter rushes forward, knocking a kobold into the stream.
My Warlock turns and tells the family we're escorting to hide I'm safety, and uses their Noble Genie feature to tether themselves to the Fighter, and they Hex the nearest enemy.
The fight becomes chaos; our party successfully kills one or two; but kobold pack tactics results in our Monk and Druid going down in about two or three turns.
Our Fighter, meanwhile, chases down several who seem to be running to alert more invaders...not good.
Thankfully, my Warlock is able to Eldritch Blast two of them THROUGH the Fighter with their mystical tether, while the Fighter smashes the final one. The Fighter is confused by this power surging through them.
We manage to stabilize our two fallen party members, and the remaining kobolds hold daggers to the throats of the tied up townsfolk.
Our stand-off ends with one of the villagers getting their throat cut; but we kill the last kobolds and save the others. Sad, but not the worst outcome.
Little time to grieve, however; more invaders are coming, and we desperately flee to the keep with our party escorting the townsfolk.
Villagers are sprinting from all directions of the burning town to where we are running; we gallop through the keep doors as they shut behind us. We're safe...for now.
But the sound of the dragon occassionally soars overhead, reminding us of eminent doom.
We talk to the governor, who asks us to inspect a possible escape tunnel below to see if we can start smuggling townsfolk slowly out of the village. After a brief combat with a swarm or rats and a locked door, we clear the tunnel.
It becomes dark, as the fires burning up the town makes it clear how had the devastation is.
Our party must rest, as much as we wish to aid the town defense...we took heavy damage.
Our long rest through the night is periodically interrupted by the sounds of combat, a mill being obliterated by the dragon, and screaming in the distance.
As we finish resting, our party sees that the invaders, kobolds, and dragon are now perched outside the keep. A large blue Dragonborn wielding a massive greatsword approaches the gate, and demands one-on-one combat, or they will kill hostages. He also hints that they are the Cult of the Dragon. If we agree to duel, they will pull back their forces.
Our party is...reluctant...to offer aid, considering our near-deaths earlier that day.
After a guard belittles us for our inaction, though, my Warlock agrees to fight the blue Dragonborn.
The Dragonborn laughs at my puny spellcaster, but begins combat.
The Dragonborn breathes lightning-breathe at my Warlock, taking a decent chunk of HP even with a good save. My aasimar Warlock activates their racial flying ability, rising into the air with glowing eyes and wind swirling beneath their feet.
The Dragonborn hurls a spear, knocking my Warlock back to the ground...almost unconcious.
"THIS was your champion?!" the Dragonborn scoffs, looking down at my injured Warlock.
The Dragonborn turns to the survivors hiding inside the keep. "Still, he was the only one of your people to challenge me...I will reward this meager bravery."
The Dragonborn proceeds to press a taloned hand into my Warlock's face just below their eye, causing my warlock to scream in agony.
"There!" the Dragonborn declares, pulling their claw from my Warlock's face and letting them drop to the ground. "Your feeble champion keeps their life...with a mark to show my Master's superiority."
The Dragonborn snaps their fingers; and the hostages are released, frantically running to the keep, grabbing and carefully dragging my broken Warlock with them.
"Remember what has happened to your town this night," the Dragonborn calls. "All hail the Dragon".
Their forces leave, and our session ends with a humbling defeat.