#Therak the Crux

[we-are-a-dragon]

Godric (fairy warlock): Damaris, have you ever thought about trying to find your family?

DM: "Seraph and I talked about it a little, but I don’t know where to start. I don’t know where the cult took me from, or even where Therak rescued me from. My memories are all misty."

Godric: I’m sorry I’ve never asked before.

Billie (gnome ardent): Ooh, we could be from the same town! How weird would that be?

DM: She says, "I don’t think I’m from a town. I remember a farm. There were mountains in the distance, I think. Maybe a stream."

Billie: Well, there are farms near my town, and mountains in the distance for sure.

Godric: Maybe after we’ve gotten this book for Maria we can try to work things out for you.

DM: She gives a sad little smile. "Maybe."

Seraph (siren sorcerer): I’d like to go back to my village too. I think it’s time. I want to see what’s there now. If people ever rebuilt.

Una (genasi artificer): Two birds with one stone.

Kjell (half-elf barbarian): *scandalized look*

Seraph: *flinches*

DM: You have no idea how accurate that is.

Billie: I really do need to go see my mums. Give them money. Tell them I’m sorry.

Godric: It’s time we took some time to go see some of our families and settle important things.

#funny #dnd #family #trauma #Godric #Billie #Seraph #Una #Kjell #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #NPCs #Damaris #Maria Cleaves #Heron's Fall #backstory #Therak the Crux #cults #memory #history #the gand #quests #oof #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

Kjell (half-elf barbarian): Did I ever tell you how I joined TTC?

Seraph (siren sorcerer): No, I don’t think so.

Kjell: I was walking one day – to or from Holden, I don’t remember – and I saw these horrible creatures in the middle of the road.

Seraph: *wan smile* Travelling Trauma Centre?

Kjell: *laughs* No, but they were fighting TTC. And I asked “What the fuck are those?” and Hanako yelled, “I don’t know, kill them!” and... I never left, I guess. We’ve had so many adventures. I still miss Erlathan.

Seraph: He owned your shop, right?

Kjell: Yeah. He was so kind. I hope he’s at peace now.

Seraph: He was involved with the Oasis of Riddles, right?

Kjell: Yeah.

Seraph: I believe he's at peace.

Kjell: I hope so. Oh, I’ve been meaning to mention. Don’t bring up the cult stuff around Damaris, okay?

Seraph: Okay?

Kjell: She’s had… a lot of shit. Just, don’t.

Seraph: Thank you for telling me.

Kjell: No problem. God, I’ve put my foot in my mouth far too many times with that woman.

Seraph: I didn’t know you knew her that well.

Kjell: I don’t. It’s complicated. I... once killed someone she knew. In front of her. Really violently.

Seraph: For the right reasons, right?

Kjell: I think so. I hope so. He was going to turn us in to Therak. I hunted him through the woods and hacked him to pieces.

Seraph: Oh.

Kjell: Sometimes when I get that angry, I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing anymore.

Seraph: I believe you were. I’ve never seen you do anything but try to help people. You’re one of the kindest people I’ve ever met.

Kjell: Thanks, ‘Raph. Right now I just have to focus on this J thing.

Seraph: Once we fix that, we can fix everything else.

Kjell: What do you want to fix? If you could fix any one thing, what would it be?

Seraph: *thinks* The way I lived before I met you was terrible.

Kjell: Yeah, nobody should live like that.

Seraph: The witch hunters killed hundreds of people here in Suda, and now there are going to be a lot of kids left in the same kind of position I was in. That’s not right. I want to fix that.

Kjell: *genuinely moved* Wow. You’ll be like Suda’s mother.

Seraph: That is a horrible thought.

Kjell: C'mere. *hugs*

#funny #dnd #backstory #wholesome #Kjell #Seraph #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #Erlathan #Rarth #Therak the Crux #Damaris Miter #history #Holden #oasis of riddles #Suda #witch hunters #orphan #feelings #death #cults #killing #rage #barbarians #J #bbeg #hugs #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

Adam (playing Billie): Okay, we have balaclavas and full-body coverings. The plan is to ambush the witch hunters and intimidate them into giving up the payload as if we're bandits.

Hamish (playing Thaddeus): And if they don't submit? Seraph?

Tati (playing Seraph): In a subdued voice I say, "I'll fight them if they fight us. I just won't kill them in cold blood."

Hamish: "Alright. I can respect that." They'll be coming through this tunnel. There are no houses, just a dead-end alley here. I cast silence over the area including the mouth of the alley.

Tati: I activate my familiar and place Branwen just past the alley mouth with half a sandwich. Then join Thaddeus in the alley and use prestidigitation to turn his fur black.

Adam: I loiter just around the next bend.

Hamish: I put on the cloak I made from the Therak crests I collected.

Tati: I love it. Sow chaos on the board with an imaginary new player.

#funny #dnd #plans #ambush #Billie #Thaddeus #Seraph #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #ooc #resistance #witch hunters #intimidate #money #killing #silence #familiar #Branwen #prestidigitation #Therak the Crux #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

DM: You also find Therak’s healing potion on Sybil’s body.

Billie (gnome ardent): Yes!

DM: It’s a level 30 Potion of Life. It’s worth 125,000 gold, and it can raise a person from dead or acts as a greater healing potion if they’re still alive.

Hanako (kitsune bard): We should sell it.

Godric (fairy warlock): Uh, we should keep it in case one of us dies.

Hanako: How much is a raise dead ritual?

DM: 5000 gold.

Hanako: And how much can Thaddeus sell this potion for?

DM: 45,000 gold.

#funny #dnd #healing #money #Billie #Hanako #Godric #Thaddeus #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #gold #Therak the Crux #Sybil Hatman #raise dead #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

DM: The dwarf beckons you in, but shakes his head at Seraph. “The bird girl can stay outside.”

Seraph (siren sorcerer): Fair enough.

DM: Inside the house is extremely clean, neat and military, very different from the exterior.

Thaddeus (khajiit paladin): *delicate* We heard you had an… escapee… and we want to help.

DM: “Yes, that is a problem. What makes you think you’re up to the task?”

Billie (gnome ardent): You remember Therak the Crux?

DM: He’s surprised. “That was you?”

Godric (fairy warlock): Yep.

#funny #dnd #boast #guards #Seraph #Thaddeus #Billie #Godric #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #kids #Therak the Crux #NPCs #reputation #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

DM: The bandit laughs without humour. “You can threaten to kill me, but I am more afraid of Therak.”

Hanako (kitsune bard): Tell me where the other generals are, and I’ll make this quick.

DM: He hesitates.

Thaddeus (undead khajiit paladin): If you don’t tell her, I’ll take over the interrogation. And I won’t make it quick.

DM: He goes pale. “You wouldn’t let him.”

Hanako: You can talk to me now, or you can talk to the mean zombie kitty.

DM: Una, as a lawful good character, you must intervene.

Una (genasi artificer): Stop this. *spray bottle*

DM: Jesus.

#funny #dnd #threats #interrogation #Hanako #Thaddeus #Una #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #Therak the Crux #torture #undead #lawful good #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

Godric (fairy warlock): I run to find Damaris.

DM: She looks at you numbly. “He’s dead, isn’t he?”

Godric: Yeah. I’m sorry.

DM: “Are you?”

Godric: I’m sorry it turned out this way. I’m sorry you never got to talk to him. I’m sorry you’re hurting.

DM: She walks out past you.

#funny #dnd #feels #sorry #Godric #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #NPCs #Damaris Miter #Therak the Crux #aftermath #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

Godric (fairy warlock): I want to find Damaris.

DM: She’s gone back to Panmarell’s place and has indeed gone to bed. Panmarell and Remeir are all questions.

Billie (gnome ardent): I do my best to answer them.

Godric: I sit with Damaris.

DM: She wakes up after a few hours. She’s still very flat.

Godric: Damaris? What would help?

DM: She shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe... I know he has a lot to answer for, but could we give him a decent burial? Maybe then we can all move on.”

Thaddeus (khajiit paladin): We kind of need his body to hand in to the guards.

Hanako (kitsune bard): Of course we can, Damaris. Right away.

#funny #dnd #burial #grieving #Godric #Billie #Thaddeus #Hanako #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #NPCs #Damaris Miter #Therak the Crux #Remeir #Panmarell #aftermath #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

DM: Therak teleports over to Beetleman and picks up a random sword. He looks pained for a moment after reappearing.

Tati (playing Hanako): Arcana check, why did teleporting hurt him?

DM: He’s using Deathstrider Boots. They allow you to teleport through the Shadowfell on an at-will, but doing so damages and ages you.

Tati: That explains why he looks so much older than we expected based on his timeline. Ouch.

#funny #dnd #magic items #teleport #Hanako #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #ooc #combat #NPCs #Therak the Crux #Stratford Beetleman #arcana #shadowfell #age #bbeg #boss fight #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

Tati (playing Hanako): So what was Therak’s big play going to be, right before Thaddeus smooshed his head?

DM: He was going to shadow-walk inside Thaddeus.

Hamish (playing Thaddeus): ...Define inside.

DM: He was going to use the other power of his Deathstrider Boots to teleport inside you, destroying your body instantly.

Hamish: ...Is there a save for that?

DM: Maybe.

Hamish: ...

#funny #dnd #teleport #death #Hanako #Thaddeus #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #Therak the Crux #magic items #evil #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

DM: Damaris walks slowly to where Therak’s body is lying. She looks down at him for a moment. “I was safe with you, I guess. You made me feel protected when I thought nobody would. But you didn’t let me have any friends and you told me there were no nice people in the world and I’d never be accepted. But you were wrong. I’m going to find more nice people. Goodbye.”

Thaddeus (khajiit paladin): I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

Billie (gnome ardent): I take my hand off my sword hilt.

Hanako (kitsune bard): I put my hand on her shoulder.

DM: She sags into your arms. “I think I’m going to go and sleep.”

Godric (fairy warlock): *awkwardly* Yeah. We’ll clean up here.

#funny #dnd #goodbye #feels #Thaddeus #Billie #Hanako #Godric #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #NPCs #Damaris Miter #Therak the Crux #aftermath #tension #bbeg #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

Adam (playing Billie): Everyone adjacent to me is weakened.

DM: Therak glares down at you. “You. You will stop sapping my power.” He slashes you with his sword.

Adam: Ow.

DM: Then he punches you in the face.

Adam: Ow.

DM: And then he choke-slams you, leaving you unconscious, save ends.

Tati (playing Hanako): So, not dying-unconscious, magically unconscious?

DM: Yup.

Tati: ...Does that mean she can be coup de graced?

DM: Yup.

#funny #dnd #coup de grace #ouch #Billie #Hanako #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #ooc #combat #Therak the Crux #NPCs #bbeg #boss fight #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

DM: There’s a blur of movement. Before your attack can land, Godric, the shrouded figure who came in with Therak tosses aside its cloak, revealing itself to be a thri-kreen. It throws itself between you and Therak and takes the hit instead.

Marijn (playing Godric): What? How?

Tati (playing Hanako): There are a lot of tank powers like that.

Marijn: That’s so rude.

#funny #dnd #rude #tanks #Godric #Hanako #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #ooc #NPCs #Therak the Crux #Stratford Beetleman #bbeg #boss fight #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

DM: Therak - for you do recognise him from his wanted posters - looks around and surveys the carnage. He suddenly barks out, “Thaddeus, Billie, Hanako, Godric. Where are you? Front and center.”

Hamish (playing Thaddeus): Fuck.

Adam (playing Billie): Oh no.

Hamish: I throw back my hood defiantly.

Tati (playing Hanako): I shrink against the wall.

DM: He smiles lazily. “Two of you. Where are the other members of the Travelling Trauma Centre?”

Tati: Hanako’s trying not to cry.

Adam: Wait, he knows our group’s name? Guys, we’re famous!

#funny #dnd #scary #bbeg #Thaddeus #Billie #Hanako #Godric #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #ooc #bandits #NPCs #Therak the Crux #endgame #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

DM: At about a quarter to midday, two last hooded figures enter the Court.

Hamish (playing Thaddeus): *hisses between teeth*

DM: One is very tall and bulky. The other is completely shrouded and you can’t tell anything about them.

Adam (playing Billie): Oh man, oh man.

DM: The tall one pushes back his hood and claps once. 25 bandits unsheath weapons and rush forward. 50 or more thieves meet them in a melee that centers around the dais the Rat King is sitting on.

Adam: I try to make my way through the crowd without getting engaged.

DM: Eight bandits succeed in climbing onto the dais and put their swords to the Rat King’s throats.

Hamish: ...What was that? We expected them to have better defences!

#funny #dnd #oops #combat #Thaddeus #Billie #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #ooc #Therak the Crux #bandits #rat king #endgame #bbeg #travelling trauma centre

[we-are-a-dragon]

DM: The last owlbear dies and Damaris sinks to her knees and lies on her back, blinking. “I got him.”

Godric (fairy warlock): You’re so strong... are you really who you say you are?

DM: She sighs. “Well, okay, I’m the Damaris Miter from the wanted posters. But I really do review taverns.”

#funny #dnd #wanted #owlbear #Godric #Lyra DM #just little d&d things #Damaris Miter #NPCs #Therak the Crux #confession #lonely planet #travelling trauma centre