#campaign diary

[sabrinahawthorne]

CLASH! Playtest Campaign Diary, April 14, 2024

Preamble 1: CLASH! is currently crowdfunding! If you're interested in supporting my work, check it out here.

Preamble 2: Truth be told, I'm bragging here. I don't usually do campaign diaries; but this session was special. I'd just finished a huge rework of the system, and I was terrified about whether it'd work as intended, or if I'd need to go back to the drawing board and further delay development. I needn't have worried; we played an episode of anime.

It's time for the first official round of the Battle of the Bands. After qualifying against DJ twins Oskaar and Byrna, classic rock & roll band Nail in the Coffin is up for their first real opponent; TOEJAM, noise music duo and technical masters.

Kenshin (The Analyst), the protege of the band's missing sponsor Ian Sachs, needs to win big to follow the clues about his missing teacher. Princess Moonbeam (The Specialist), frontwoman and mysterious European weirdo, has just been informed that her favorite glam-rock band, Xenon, will be performing in town in a few days. She needs to look good if she's going to impress her idols. And Kit Tripod (The Vessel), the band's drummer, knows that winning this contest means an official meeting with Beatrice Boxer - the woman she thinks killed her father.

The battle begins without much unusual; two Contests, one win and one loss for an even score of 1-1 against TOEJAM. It's at this point that Kit's player remembers to play with the new rules and activates a Tech: Shadow on the Wall.

Raising her drumsticks above her head, TOEJAM's guitarist momentarily thinks that he sees the image of a fiend - Tom Snare, the Demon of Drums, glimpsed through stage lights. The guitarist gains the Hopeless Condition, hampering his ability to gain Potential.

With this, the floodgates open. Kenshin opens his next turn with Look Out!, giving Moonbeam useful intel on the duo for her next turn.

Meanwhile, his own turn goes to a CLASH!, Insight versus Insight, against TOEJAM's masterful DJ. Everyone at the table stands up and cheers as his four dice come up with two 6's, while the DJ's five dice land with only one.

With one uneventful turn on the part of Kit, it's 2-2. Whoever wins the next Contest goes on to the next round of the Battle of the Bands, and it's Princess Moonbeam's turn.

The Bidding phase begins slowly; tension filling the room. Moonbeam has five Insight, but no other Pool to speak of. If she lets it slip, she's doomed against the Powerhouse DJ. But we know that TOEJAM has almost no Potential left; they don't have much bluffing power.

Moonbeam ups her bid. At the table, the GM looks at her player thoughtfully.

The DJ activates his Super.

We start to get excited; having spent all of his Potential, the DJ is left with four Force dice against Moonbeam's five Insight and 2 Potential, which she turns into 4 more dice.

We all hold our breath as the DJ makes his roll - one 6. There's a breath of relief at the table - we can do this. We just need a single 6 from a pool of nine dice.

Then, Moonbeam rolls.

No 6's. Not a single one from her entire pool.

It is dead silent at the table. We just lost our first fight. We just lost our first fight, and it got us disqualified us from the Battle of the Bands. Everyone is flabbergasted.

How could this happen? How did Nail in the Coffin lose in their second match? How will Kit get to Beatrice Boxer now? Will Princess Moonbeam embarrass herself in front of her favorite band? And where is Ian Sachs?

Find out next time, on Battle of the Bands!

It was honestly perfect. We knew the stakes of the fight;

Every character had a clear goal, and a lot of drive to achieve it;

And at the end of the day? We lost the tournament arc.

Because of course we did! The heroes can never win the tournament - they have to learn from their losses and find a new way to chase their dreams.

#indie ttrpg #ttrpg #jump! shonen battle roleplay #clash! shonen battle roleplay #campaign diary #gamedev #indie game #playtesting

[liveoverdrive]

Dragon Age Origins : the ttrpg : the Animatic

A couple weeks ago I ran the first session of my gaming group's new campaign (my first as a GM) - a homebrew Savage Worlds rendition of Dragon Age Origins. It was a pretty railroady session that just introduced the characters with their own little intro sections.

Then I discovered procreate dreams and decided to make an Animatic summary of the campaign. It took a long time but it was really fun and I'm very happy how it came out.

#savage worlds #dragon age fanart #dragon age #procreate dreams #ttrpg #my animation #my art #campaign diary #Animatic #Youtube

[cosmosoracle]

I finally was able to visualize the right shapes and colors for the VU. I'm gonna cry. It's just a colored sketch, but it's enough for me to get an image, after four months, finally! I'm gonna cry.

#black tears crossed the world #ooc #cosmos gallery #evangelia vu #campaign diary #session 93+ #headcanon

[nothingrpgzone]

Goodbye Gloryhole

Once the mourning had ceased the party decided to investigate the room that geometric entity had been sitting in.

Broderick the Profound, being familiar with dwarven history and technology along with spacecraft, unlike the rest of the party, was able to determine that this is the warp drive of a demonically fueled warp core.

After messing about with the various controls, Broderick is able to open up a portal, a shimmering repeated trace of a labyrinth in blue light.

Far away in the pits of hell Grillbar Lungskin sees a disc open in front of him, where he can see Bobos and Dungifer in a sorry state along with a dwarf he does not recognize. He can hear incredibly muffled speech so he placed his ear against the portal.

The party sees a green ear pop into existence, Broderick declares it a demon and states he is ready to attack any foul thing that comes through. Grillbar pulls out his ear and then plunges his whole face through, Bobos and Dungifer see their friend’s visage and tell Broderick to not attack.

Grillbar scrambles and scampers through the portal with the help of Broderick and the four all quickly catch up. Grillbar was unable to find Kermit but with the state everyone is in there is no use all dying to save Kermit, so they make plans to recoup in the safety of Punjar before heading back into the depths of hell.

Broderick leads them out of the mine with ease, the influence of the warp core having faded and the dungeon returning to normal. After a short elevator ride up the party finds themselves in familiar territory as they make their way towards the latrines and and around the bend when they hear heavy footsteps, the panic at first but dungifer detects no danger. Greeting his heavy stepper with no malice the party suddenly and unexpectedly finds themselves face to face with Kermit, now sporting a sigil tattooed upon his forehead, and a beard that would have obviously taken months to grow.

The party is shocked.

Kermit explains in his quest for knowledge he made a pact with the Un-Sun the demon prince of winter in exchange for more power, becoming a warlock. The party is just glad he is alive.

The party heads towards the surface and emerges into the war in the afternoon night of a spring day with the party gravely injured, but swamped down with riches. With Radcliff still in their hearts they head back to Punjar.

This is the end of this campaign. Thank you all so much for reading. That ending seemed very rosy and it was unexpected to me as well. The encounter with Kermit was a truly random encounter that wrapped things up nicely, sometimes the dice fall as they wish. I had known kermit was safe for months due to a luck check but we just had not encountered him. Wild times in the glory hole I guess.

#campaign diary #ghdm

[mordiocrow]

A doodle-recap of our first few sessions in the campaign we recently began! This time of year often has long stretches between games.

I was watching Ina play FFXVI and liked her doodle recap of the story after her long break and decided to do the same for our campaign for fun!

#ttrpg #campaign diary #oc art #homebrew setting #homebrew system

[galaxyofgover]

We head into the Arena, and face off against a purple worm! We fight strong, but Klee get poisoned. We manage to pull through and us some of our prize money to rescue Klee's family, but it ends in a bitter sweet parting between her and the party. 

#ttrpg #art #campaign diary #pathfinder 2e #campaign: what lies below

[fromthegreytavern]

Hello! Welcome to From the Grey Tavern.

I’m going to be using this blog to create campaign diaries for the games I run, as I have time to do so (woo dissertation writing!). This will include narrative summaries of each session with the addition of commentary about the process and planning of each game.

Also as a note, this is a bilingual blog! Both English and Spanish will be used, but you’ll mostly see Spanish when I’m running games that lend themselves to it like Cartel by Magpie Games or Nahual by Smoking Mirror Productions.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy these humble tales From the Grey Tavern!

#ttrpg #cartel rpg #nahual rpg #magpie games #campaign diary #english #spanish #bilingual

[viviennevivisection]

Session 29 Notes - “A New Lectern Night” - 3/19/23

 -Four offices in the Library -- one for Oran and then one for each of us? 

-The cop’s name was Bob (the one who Cass impersonated) 

-AACAB - all arcane cops are bad 

-The rose from the chalice…something happened there. The blood wasn’t absorbed -- it somehow came from myself. Alright!

-Ellie leaving the bathroom and searching for Noami -- finds her in her childhood bedroom. It’s been semi redone by Joanna since Naomi left -- guest ready. Very plain 

-Teaching Ezra and Leah magic? Teaching everyone magic? Naomi would be a good teacher! 

-Naomi and Leah trying to mend bridges

-Naomi comforting Leah -- knowing she feels different since her shadow is back 

L: “I don’t know where to put all of it. I’m sorry you had to go through it alone. I could’ve been there.” 

N: “I figured it out. I thought it would scare you.” 

-Pushing back the wedding 

-Leah laughing hysterically at the insane day we’ve all had 

-Ellie asking Cass to teach her to shoot gun :) 

-Ellie transformed the ceremonial dagger into a gun! Pointed it at Cass immediately, who turned the safety on for her. Talking about going to a shooting range to practice/learn (C: “We’ll have to find somewhere safe…for me.”)

-Give Ellie a gun! 

-Back at the library, getting Lectern Night set up. It’s like a lecture hall, very dark academia, but less dusty 

-We are bringing Cyrus in fluffy, pink handcuffs 

-Oran pulled us aside, offering advice 

-Be careful on the approach, especially considering their new…connections 

-Everyone here knows the power and value of information, be careful on what we share and how we share it 

-Checking on the populace, generally, and specially looking for Miles 

-Game planning -- whole truth? Half truths? No one wants to lie but the truth is simply so fucking nuts 

-THIS is the bridge 

-Everyone’s shadows are back 

Cass’ Mission Statement: “I want to stop these people that are just…parasites on this world. Making people sick. Just. Taking. And taking.” 

-Concerns about a vacancy -- with the Cor gone TC could potentially swoop in and reprogram everyone. It seems unlikely though considering the Pritchards do not own a TV. Despite now knowing the full story, it doesn’t seem like the Corsicans have any love for TC 

-There is a bit of buzz among the populace, people seem concerned about the lost time. Parents with children especially know something is up 

-Bethany is champion (will potentially champion Naomi’s cause) 

-Adeline could be a problem. She was on “””the path””” 

-She’s pretending to project a calm aura, but does seem worried knowing something happened, and that the Coralogia members are absent 

-Naomi is trying to snatch Adeline’s shadow 

-Finding Miles, checking his internal ley system 

-No trace of almost anything. There is nothing but a shell here. It looks like it was some version of the “devour intellect” feature, but focused on wisdom. Almost irreversible, would take a LOT of time and resources to fix 

-Naomi channeling Rebecca to see if she can help 

N to R: “I want to fix him. For you. I thought you might know how to do that.” 

-A lot of emotions coming through from Rebecca to Naomi, but she doesn’t know how to help 

-Rebecca didn’t understand what happened to her 

-Naomi is presenting 

N: “I am sorry to bother everyone. To make you all come here.” 

-Naomi has their full attention -- people noticed the lack of Coralogia 

-Something has changed 

-Some people seem scared, others seem to be rationalizing the strangeness 

N: “I wanted everyone to hear from me because I didn’t want you to have to go it alone. To do that would go against everything this community stands for. (Pause). We have been kept in the dark about a lot of things. I..I knew something was wrong. I didn't want to talk about it because I thought it was something wrong with me, not that I was being lied to. I want to apologize for not being able to do it alone. Or sooner. There were people here with certain goals FOR us that they weren’t telling us. They wanted to center themselves in our worship. The Coralogia have centered themselves and used our divinity for their own means. They wanted to keep that from you to ascend and become something worth worshiping.”

-A pause -- maybe like a full minute 

-People processing -- we cannot go back to moments ago -- before we knew we what we do now 

-Adeline is asking for proof

N: “I don’t want anyone to be scared like I was. If you’re willing to see it, everyone in this room has their divinity back. I promise that I’m not the only one here that can do magic.” 

-A kid is doing magic -- HI-YA! Did a little punch and sparks came out 

N: “Nobody here could do that this morning.”  

Adeline: “How do we know these are not gifts from them?” 

N: “If that were true…where are they?” 

N: “I don’t want there to be things we don’t all know together. I knew that would be hard to hear -- I’m thankful everyone was alright hearing it from me.” 

-Bethany has stood up -- “But…where are they?” 

N: “When everyone lost time that was because they had attempted to take Corsica where it wasn’t supposed to be. They were trying to do something I don’t fully understand…something scary. I think Corsica came back and they didn’t because what they wanted was too big of an ask.” 

-World views are being changed. Coach Cobb is going nuts, yelling, cursing. An outburst like this is almost unheard of in this context (previously) 

N: “We have not been dealing with scary, big, and stressful [feelings] for a long time. Expect heightened reactions. I tried to fix things so we could have big reactions again.”

N: “They were doing something to make themselves more important than they could be on their own. I was trying to make sure everyone came home.” 

N: “No one..is alone.” 

-What do we do…now? 

-What if they focused on themselves TRULY? Do what they want, study what they want, share the knowledge they are genuinely passionate about

-Living authentically

-You do what you like and share it with everyone else! 

N: “I don’t think a lot necessarily has to change. I think it’s better to continue the pursuit [of knowledge] and bring what you actually like and enjoy.” 

-An iconic English teacher has risen: “What we were doing wasn’t harmful in and of itself, it was the way it was being utilized.”

-A pivot in the community has been successful for now 

-Naomi being scared that everyone’s shadows are going to, for example, wake them up in the middle of the night holding them down with their faces rotting off 

Ellie: “With so much love, I think that might just be a you thing.” 

-Oran praised Naomi’s handling of everything 

-Filling job openings -- most of the Coralogia hold the important civic titles in the town. Adrien and Leah helping out? 

-Trying to keep a low profile with outsiders -- the more eyes on the community, the more needs explained. It may also be hard to explain to outside connections why half of the most important Corsicans vanished overnight 

-Ellie took notes on the current state of Mile’s condition -- hopefully to be able to study later 

-Whitmer was responsible for whatever happened to him 

-Ellie stopped the child who did magic during Naomi’s address, told him to be responsible and try not to hurt anyone, but to have fun. She gave him candy 

-On the way back to the Pritchard home and mysterious, gigantic person is walking the wrong way? 

-I cannot overemphasize how unsubtly we ran up to them to question them

-Ellie especially 

-They are extremely suspicious, have a glint in their eye like Sterling when he detects magic. Unresponsive to question. Maintain a lie that they were just out for a jog

-They want to get drinks? 

-Cass tried to get drinks with them and they refused, turned, and said: “I’m sure Molly is free, though.” → a direct threat

-Cass is channeling Saetus (?) to see where this stranger’s allegiances lie 

-This could be Alestra -- Whitmer’s TC contact. Maybe TC got wind something was wrong or different and sent them to check it out 

-They have no pacts binding them, at least not with Kirruk. There is technology at work, reminiscent of Sterling, but more advanced. This is a living, breathing individual. Cass also saw a vision, time rewinding and seeing this figure standing outside the Pritchard home, and watching. 

-This person has to contracts or viruses 

-They have a very strong, healthy magical essence about them 

-What do we do with Cyrus lol 

-There is no jail here 

-Where does VE put the dagger and chalice when they sleep? I said they just keep in on their belt, and Sarah dropped it….hmm

-Naomi following up on a promise from a while ago -- letting Dark Naomi sleep 

-Dark Naomi is more often than not trying to protect Naomi 

-Naomi has exhausted the full capacity of her power, doing this (letting DN) is good for her mortal soul 

-We’re all sleeping under Eleanor’s blanket! 

-Ellie gave the Bubble to Ezra (since we have the necklaces now) 

-Ellie drew of sketch of this mysterious jogger -- Cyrus didn’t recognize them 

-Danny Wright did -- somewhere in security, but unsure 

-Ellie texted Dr. Cunt to ask her, she said it was a conversation to be had over drinks

E: She just threatened our lives <3 can’t wait for drinks though! 

CH: And here I thought it was a more exclusive club to have you all. 

-Oran explaining the pools -- they’re very old 

-The Pool in the Halls of Innovation (on campus) is the oldest 

-They’re all connected 

-Use of the Pools

Travel using a teleportation sigil (requires seven combined spell levels to cast)

The Reflection/Baptism (knowledge about this was extremely restricted)

Scrying (five total spell levels -- if the target is near a different pool, it lowers the DC)

-It takes five total spell levels to change the mode from one to another

#dnd #campaign diary

[kingpigeon]

i have the first session of the dnd campaign i’m dming in a couple hours and i am STRESSING like what if it doesnt hit. what if its pussy doesnt pop. i cry. my babies are getting on a train to the find the ocean and i’ve gotta take them there. campaign diary to follow 

#nmtm #dnd #campaign diary #matt colville style bbyyyyy #r #pigeon scratch

[norameld]

I’m getting back into tumblr, and figured I may as well share some of my art to start. I mainly do stuff for youtube, these are all stills from my campaign diary I’m working on.

#dnd #dungeons and dragons #campaign diary #art #old west

[ttrpbri]

just documenting this insane ass motw session

for reference i'm playing cecilia

but right now she looks like this

warning for some mild gore descriptions and mention of suicide below the cut

-> so it started off with her demon son who just watched his brother die bc of a coin toss flinging her across the room

-> the vampire party member just turned like 48 hours ago so he attacked her

-> she shot his jaw off because he rolled a 1 which is a FEAT in motw

-> her boyfriend teleported her across the room and the vampire went after her again so she shoots him and intimidates his sire into getting ahold of him

-> she has to rush back across the room to help her preggo friend fight off an entire ass werewolf

-> post this one witch turning demon son's adoptive baby brother into a full demon, he rips her spine out and vampiRE BOYO TAKES A BITE SIR

-> the party tries to get the compulsion vampires to go and get the witches outside to stop shitting on god

-> jk nvm one of the vampires helped with Big Dog Boi

-> had to talk down demon sonnus from committing time suicide, we managed to with a promise of killing them all

-> evil gaston vampire kills asexual succubus lady :(

-> we are in a really tense gaston vampire vs demon son situation oh no considering that demon son tortured gaston vampire son

-> phoenix boyfriend teleported us out and tHEN GASTON GAVE HIS HAIR A CHOP

-> lol lmao lol lmao lol WE ARE ALL TRYING TO RUN

-> PHOENIX BOYFRIEND OUT WE'RE ALL OUT LFGGGG

-> HOLY SHIT MAMA BEAR TIME LFG MAMA BEAR WITCH IS GONNA FUCK UP GASTON VAMPIRE LFG

-> she reinstated sun curse which is pretty epic

-> wanna cry everyone is so sad revolution vampire died :(

-> me when demon son takes his brother's jacket :(

-> had to do big magic to save little bby demon :(( but it went pretty well

-> me when demon son is being a good big brother :((

-> "i don't want to be a demon anymore" hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

-> it was a good session and we will be returning to the present (1990s) soon hhh

#1990s census #campaign diary #motw #monster of the week #cecilia #the swan

[theberrybrigade]

Campaign Diaries: And Miles To Go Before We Sleep

The Boisterious Blunders of the Berry Brigade;D&D5e Campaign Diaries.

In the end the devil Calligus lies defeated, in a heap of flesh and tatters, and charcoal-smoking bones.

There are the hostages to deal with.

Mercurio speaks in first. His fingers clench and uncleanch around the hilt of his bloodied greatsword. The traces of bestial rage are just receding from his features.

“We… How about we let them go? No killing. Just… let it go.”

“We should kill them,” Zonk says.

“We shouldn’t kill people!”

“We just did. You just did.”

“I—We don’t have to. How about we don’t kill people if we don’t have to?”

“They fought us to death. They knew they were fighting us to death. They could have died when we fought. It is no different if we kill them now or then.”

“It is different,” Octavia cuts in, “There’s an utility to letting enemies alive. Maybe you want to send a message, spread the news, have it known that there’s the possibility of mercy. A man pressed against the wall with no hope of escape, will do everything in their desperation.”

“It’s going to be though, dragging them back with us. ”

“Is our comfort worth as much as a life?” Octavia says.

“I’ve travelled the plains on my own for years. Mercy only gets your enemies who stab you in the back.  I can’t afford that.”

“You have us now- I mean, to watch your back,” Mercurio says.

Judas Goldwell watches impassively from the side lines, his roguish smile lopsided to accommodate a freshly lit cigarette. Soon he pulls out a second one. Then he lights up a third.

After some time arguing morals, captives and motives, they take the hostages with them, intent on leaving them at the mercenaries’ judgement. The Brigade agrees to lie to the mercenary captain that the devil Calligus had managed to open a portal and throw the Phial of Eternity within it before being stricken down. Perhaps a diversion meant to lead the mercenaries on a chase through Grenara, the sight of northern snow or eastern desert sands, would be called for? They hope they might manage to still snap the promised reward without endangering the life of their friend Mossbeard and the Archive.

So, they set off back to the camp. The thousand sounds of the forest, birds chirping and grasses rustling and crickets filling the night with their love ballads, have returned to the woods with the banishment of the mists. Yet, it is still oddly calm. The Brigade finds its way back with some difficulty, so masterfully they’ve woven their way through the woods on their way to Calligus’s fortress.

Judas stops in his tracks. His face is suddenly blank, schooled into something unreadable and differential. His eyes burn like twin red-hot firecoals. His shoulders twitch and his spine creaks as if posed to break.

“I need to go, partners.”

“Go? Go where?” Octavia whips around, narrows her eyes at him.

“I have done my mission, killed the renegade devil. I need to go take care of the post mortem paperwork, now, have a little randevous with my patron.”

“Go how?”

“Magic,” he smirks, “I trust you to be fairly familiar with magic, yes, m’am?”

He is gone then, in a swirl of smoke and shadows.

They approach the clearing of the camp, only to find it abandoned, only campfire-scorched earth and trodden grass to remind of its existence. Near the black charcoal pit of the dead fire, a letter has been pinned to the ground with a dagger. Octavia is suddenly wary of the dagger – it proves harmless, however, as Lee picks it up.

The letter is sealed with a blob of plain blue wax. Within it lies a message from the captain:

I hope this message finds you alive, and devil-slayers.

I was unconvinced about your intention to deliver the Phial to us, and the stakes are high. Your wizard friends are safe with us for now. Find them in Peace Town and bring me the artefact. We will pay well for a peaceful exchange.

- Captain V.

P.S. We know of the value of your master’s heirloom necklace. Note how we could have taken it from him but didn’t. We are not outlaws. We serve the Realm, even in this.

Well, that was that is that for the Brigade’s plans.

“So,” Merc looks over Lee’s shoulder, troubled. “The Phial is keeping Mossbeard alive -“

“And the Archivist.”

“-and the Archivist. So we can’t give them the Phial, or a friend dies. We can’t not go, or a friend dies. So, we must go there.”

“They have taken hostages, there’s no use mincing words about that,” Octavia says with suspicion, “Blackmailing us. Can we trust them then that Zokel and Arinil will be waiting for us up north in the first place?”

“They are their one guarantee,” Merc says.

“We know them, yes. But we are employed by Master Kobar, our first duty is to him,” says Zonk.

“We need to find Kobar anyway, it’s not like there’s anywhere else for us to go. And he might know something,” Octavia pinches the bridge of her nose. “They can’t be that far away, yes? We can get on shortening the distance or sit around.”

The mercenaries have not bothered to cover their tracks well; about five or six horses and a cart have left their tracks weaving through the dense undergrowth, northbound.

At last, the tracks spill onto the road. There, they split: a pair of horses veer south, from where the Brigade originally made their way out of Archive. The others continue north. Both are fresh, no more than two hours old, clean pressed into the wheel-packed earth. Zonk recognises the wide tracks of Kobar’s wagon cart, older still, which has left them for the north.

They can’t let go of Zokel and Arinil, or Kobar.

All their paths lead north.

They leave the hostages for Archive and the forest for the hilly plains. Even with Darkvision, the night is dense and thick, the outlines of the world hard to parce apart. Octavia keeps the end of her cane glowing alight as a torch and Zonk stalks forward, keen to be hidden in the shadows of the night.

Sleep weighs down heavy on them, bone-deep, yet they push on for several desperate hours. At last, they come to Kobar’s wagon on the side of the road, large and still. Sangu’s keeping out watch, her eyes fire-bright and luminescent. The wagon coach and Kobar are nowhere to be seen, presumably inside sleeping.

Jubilant, Lee runs to Sangu to hug her and ruffle her up. He falls asleep cuddled close to her in the soft fur. Octavia throws up a blanket on the two of them. Zonk makes his way carefully, folding up the whole of his stature into the wagon where he falls asleep, snoring sonorously amidst the storage. The rest of them sleep on the grass in the cool clear late summer night.

Kobar has been long awake, roasting meat on the fire, by the time the first of them make their way to wakefulness.

“Morning, you, glad to have you back! I’m sorry for leaving you, I couldn’t just stay by the road.”

“No problem,” Merc helps himself to a sausage, “Did… Did the mercenaries pass you by?”

“Yes, some armed men did approach me. They didn’t take out their weapons, or threaten to take my stuff, or anything like that. But they did seem quite hostile, why?”

“They took-”

Bleary-eyed and late to wake, Zonk at last makes his way out of the wagon and gleefully descends upon the sausages. Kobar putters away.

“Can I offer you something to drink, tea?”

Merc’s brow is furrowed with guilt, his mouth pulled back in a grimace, “I might need something stronger.”

The elderly gnome smiles, “Well, I could certainly help you out with that.” He walks off the procure a bottle of pale, translucent alcohol from the depths of his wares.

“Did you see our friends the wizards with the armed people?” Asks Mercurio, throwing back a cup of the pale liquid.

“Not from what I could see. They could have been hidden in the cart.”

“They took them. They say to parley for them in Peace Town.”

“Well… Lucky you, I suppose. That was my destination anyhow.”

“And they knew about your necklace.” Mercurio takes out one of the sending stones from his pocket, “Here. So you can call us.”

He gulps down another shot, shivers, and belches with great gravitas.

They set out as dawn still breaks lazily over the west.

It’s all wilderness now, a place avoided and feared, so Kobar hurries the cart oxen’ pace. Zonk stands stuff and alert, crossbow at hand at the seat of the wagon, next to Kobar. These are dangerous wild plains, vast and mercurial, oh-so-reminiscent of the places where Zonk’s old tribe would roam and ambush passing merchants. Zonk wonders, should he be on the watch for bugbears such as erstwhile tribesmen?

In the distance, colossal beasts – boars, and lumbering mammoth-like giants, and other animals – wonder the plains. They shouldn’t be here, their kind belonging further north. None of them ever get any close to the road.

Mercurio investigates the winnings of their last fight in the back of the cart.

Lee sings.

Octavia lies back at stares at the skies with its lazy wispy and ragged clouds.

It’s late afternoon when they slow down in front of a half-ruined old tavern, its roof caved in. There are people to be seen, huddling around it.

“I stop by here, on my routes, but that’s the first time I ever see other people here,” says Kobar. “But a roof over your head is a roof over your head.”

“Not much of a roof,” quips Lee.

A soldierly high elf in full armour stands guard at the tavern door, expression impassive and dour. Across the road, a varied group – mostly humans, goblins and halflings – have set up their camp. They’re laughing and talking around a campfire, cooking food and sharing tales – a pleasant enough sort, by any account.

"Sit down, sit down, sit down, please, friends!” a blithely sitting cross-legged at the campfire invites them over. “Would you like food, drink?”

“We don’t want to bother you-" Merc mumbles.

“Nonsense, help yourselves, we’ve got plenty,” the man leans forward, “we made some to offer the people in the tavern, but they blankly refused.”

“Where are they from?”

The man shrugs.

“And where are you from, friend?” Lee asks, lowering himself down on the grass.

“Oh, from Karyn, going south to Great Molus! Not a lot of good roads out here, so we’re looping back… Good thing someone built this old place, though by the earth I haven’t an idea who’d built a tavern in this barren, place, what with the animals… No surprise it’s been abandoned for longer that anyone I know can remember living-”

The tavern’s door crashes open and a high elf guard blares, the face behind his bronze great helm twisted up in a snarl, “Quiet! Her Grace requires rest! Without proper silence she will be unable to do her work!”

As night falls, Zonk sneaks out back and scales the crumbling brick of the tavern. There’s a narrow chink in the mess of rotting beams and shingles. Someone has pulled a thick fabric screen as a makeshift roof of sorts and there’s only the glimmer and shifting shadows of candlelight from within to be perceived. He carefully tears a rip in the fabric with a dagger and peers within.

The place has been diligently cleaned, the disrepair swept fastidiously out of sight. Three high elves stand around. A desk has been set up and in the dim candlelight a high elf woman sits at it, dressed in exquisite if dusty traveling clothes, head bowed over reading. She scratches away with a quill, writing.

Zonk slips back to camp. He reports his findings, half sign language and half whispers.

Around the fireplace, the travelers have once again grown chatty.

“About the animals. Surely, someone must hunt them?” Zonk leans forward, sitting back down.

“Ah, yes! There aree hunting lodges, some time north, I think. The hunters train their whole life for this, to kill off the beasts.”

“I should get there, what a glorious hunt it would be!” Zonk gazes out dreamily, rubbing his hands with glee.

“Well, we can’t right now, we are sort of in a hurry,” Mercurio squeezes out in a tight whisper.

“-You lot ever been to the King’s Mountain? We’ll be passing by- Wild, unspoiled nature, sublime. The dwarves only care for their mountains, so they leave the woods beyond to grow to their hearts’ content. Now, that’s a sight to see! Go by it, if you ever have the chance...!”

Lee stands up, quietly. He lets his mind unfurl, the tendrils of telepathic speech reaching and grabbing at the minds of his compatriots. He rises slowly from the campfire, unnoticed

In the daytime, the guard out front had seemed oblivious. He barely noticed their own arrival, pressed to the shadows in the doorway and blinking away at the sun.  As night falls, he seems more alert, keen-eyed.

Lee strolls towards him, an easy-going expression plastered on his face.

“Heya! You referred to your lady as Your Grace, right?”

The Guard nods, minutely.

“I was just wondering,” he leans on the doorframe, “how come royalty stays in a ruin such as this?”

The guard makes to answer something, than a voice barks,

“Stop fraternizing with the commoners!”

The guard recoils. Then another, female voice, comes from within, “Let him in.”

There’s a moment of hesitation and the doors opens to Lee. He steps in.

The woman writing away at the table is dressed unassumedly if finely. Her long hair, however, is intricately braided and adorned with jewels, the only jewellery on her person. She doesn’t look up as Lee steps in, writing at her narrow desk.

“I’d like to ask our friend here a few questions. He has travelled long, I am guessing.”

“Sort of.”

“From where?”

“Eh, south.”

“Accuracy is a treasured quality in a person.”

“Archive.”

The scratching of the quill stops for a second. The next question comes at him tight and intent.

“Did you see perhaps a similar tavern on your way north?”

“No.”

She leans back in her chair, Lee all but dismissed. The quill contuse scratching away at the parchment. He gets the feeling that she has awaited something on such a tavern.

Lee stops at the door, before being rushed away.

“It was nice talking to you.”

For the first time the woman looks up from her work. She smiles, minutely, and gives him a limp wave goodbye.

Lee exits. The night takes him back in her cool breast.

Night falls. They lick their wounds. They rest. They plan.

Octavia sits silent beneath a tree, her feet bare and dug deep into the dry crumbling earth. When she rises her pockets are heavy with hundred and more berries.

#dnd #dnd5e #original writing #campaign diary #theberrybrigade #dungeons and dragons

[becquerelnoir]

god i love listening to other ppls dnd dairy stuff

im tempted to relisten to fools gold since im a ton fo eps behind

and i wish we had more cold road

anyone have some dnd dairy stuff i can listen to????

not like live plays, like retellings.

#d&d #dnd #dnd5e #dnd campaign #campaign diary

[cosmosoracle]

"When was the last time you _were truly angry_?"

"Again, very recently, and that anger costed me my life. General Roktor was summoned back to Outsea so that I could talk to him, and the bastard had every ill intention to hurt the other Generals who were involved in the situation for that. Opak's retorts would have stricken anyone's nerves at some point, but he was risking way too much, because of me. I had to step in."

#black tears crossed the world #answered #meme #accepting #campaign diary #session 92 #general roktor #general opak #outsea

[nothingrpgzone]

Fear of the Dark

The party heads towards the elevator, finding it on their level, they head down. As they round the many winding corridors Dungifer suddenly detects something baleful approaching them. Hearing this Grillbar readies his laser lance, soon they bend a corner and see it a 9 foot tall icy being of sharp corners and blank face.

Grillbar panics and throws his lance, going right through the thing it lands on the other side, the being seems unphased. Dungifer tries to bind the icy thing but is not strong enough and Radcliff throws out a flask of oil hoping to light the icy being on fire with the help of Bobos, he then moves in close. 

The party hears a voice coming from inside their own mind hissing out “turn that light off” and then they are plunged into total darkness.

Bobos attempts to cast prismatic wall to counter the darkness with radiant light, but the spell is hard to cast and nothing happens, though it is not lost.

In the dark suddenly two familiar creatures, the grey skinned tusked and fanged humanoids the party had seen the day prior, run up and attack Dungifer and Grillbar, they lash into them with horrible biting and rending. Dungifer fires off his bolt from the blue despite the fire no light is seen.

Radcliff tries to use his laser dagger to come at the icy beast, but he misses, a retaliatory attack stikes true and brutal, massive claws rip into his as he is slammed against the wall limp and dull eyed.

Kermit considers fleeing but his magical lightsaber urges him to attack this thing, it’s usual blue glow turns into a pure white as it swings but the being is too fast and escapes the blunt of the wrath.

Bobos not wishing to let the darkness continue spellburns, her body is consumed as the arcane fire surges through her taking what it needs, a wall of light bisects the party from the ice monster, revealing two more of the grey attacking creatures next to the icy one. With her spell she summons forth two layers one of white blinding light and one of red, the grey creatures are all immediately screeching in pain as they cover their eyes and pass out, the icy form is also affect and it passes out, the red layer unleashes forth a spout of flame as it blasts those on the other side of the wall.

Grillbar finishes off the two passed out grey cretins and the party rushes over to radcliff, as they go to shake him hoping against hope he is still alive they feel it once more, the shame wave they felt when their universe was forever changed, Radcliff is alive but just barely.

Dungifer attempts to lay on hands and successfully heal his wounded compatriot but he is given an ultimatum by Ildavir his healing must be used for everyone, he must go on a quest to heal the sick if he wants his healing to return to its full power.

Radcliff admires his new chest scars as they take an hour long breather to recover. They try to see if Kermit has noticed any change with the world but there is nothing changed that they can tell.

#campaign diary #ghdm

[judgetoast-blog]

Black Emperor Campaign diary, Vol 2 & 3

these are two somewhat short chapters so i'm lumping them together on this one

Session 2:

A year later most of the original mob has returned alive, no everyone was so lucky to find mentors and training out in the world. They have arrived just prior to the anniversary of the Mayor’s appointment. The Black Emperor arrives and seems to make no notice of the act of rebellion. He simply appoints a new mayor, Bator the blackhand, and leaves. Bator wastes no time, conjuring a great tower. His first act as mayor is to gather the townsfolk at the base of his tower and demand the children of the village be sent to his tower and brought into his protection. The town elder, Smelder, gathers the party and asks them to deal with the dark wizard.

The party gathers themselves and enters the wizards tower, moving through the surreal tower the party encounters a reception and waiting room, a room in the clouds, a chamber that opens to the planes of elements, and a chamber with strange portals.

Finally the party confronts the mad mage and his gargoyles on the roof, through a comical series of blunders, dropping bombs that skitter around the floor and cause a panic, and bonding Bator to one of the party’s patrons. After a life or death struggle atop the roof of the tower they triumph and free their town from oppression again.

Session 3: From a nearby village, a pair of brothers, Mug and Asp, a warrior and a wizard, join the party, they have their own agenda, searching for Dryad wood. This, along with word from the capital that the druids of the nearby woods are subject to a purge, causes the party to venture into the woods in search of the druids to support them. After some struggles against the local creatures and strange groves the goblin Colossal, gains possession of the dagger, Eversharp by turning one of the local creatures, a bladed viper, into a dagger.

The party meets with the druids finally and agree to search the mountains for a weapon to help protect the druids. They leave almost immediately and stop by the town of Pernrith on the way to the mountains.

Inside the town of Pernrith they spend a week collecting themselves and gain a small following of Goliath, from Bronzefist’s clan. Other party members gather information on the status of the empire learning that there are whispers of their defiance through many of the small villages scattered around the empire. Having gathered themselves, supplies, and a few hirelings, Merchi a retired soldier, and Jupiter, a strange human who seems unusually arrogant; the party departs for the fortress in the mountains.

#Hodas Setting #dcc rpg #the black emperor #campaign diary