Hail and well-met adventurers!
This week has flown by, and I think mainly of all the excitement of the D&D action. We have our Thursday afternoon game up and running with a complete party, which is always exciting.
Speaking of games getting off the ground, I am recruiting for Monday, 5CST; let me know if you are interested. Unfortunately, all Prime Time (at least for North America) evening slots are full; although I have had several folks ask to get in on a game, those evening slots are scarce and hard to come by. Proving once more that the most challenging quest in Dungeons and Dragons is the scheduling quest! Want to play - let me know; I will do my best to squeeze you in if I can!
Before we get on to the game recaps, I wanted to shout about the new book, "Journey to the Radiant Citadel," recently released this week. It is a stunningly beautiful book full of elegant settings and adventures. I don't have any of these games planned, as I don't tend to host a lot of one-shots, but there are some tasty adventures in here that I am sure I will incorporate into some of our campaigns, especially in our Spelljammer setting games. Hat's off to the Wizards of the Coast group responsible for this book, as it was very ambitious, introducing some settings where at least a few things would be unfamiliar to most players. The book handles how to navigate those settings quite simply; let the cultures and environments reveal themselves in the journey itself. Brilliant.
Game Recaps!
Pact Mules. On Monday night, we continued to fight on level six of the Dungeon of the Mad Mage. The team quickly picked up on some sponsorship opportunities and befriended a rambunctious kobold named cheese. The beasts have been crushed, and the party smells some swamp air. It must be a good idea to keep walking down, right?
Tuesday in Thay. The party continues their descent down some caverns and uncovers a long-lost temple to an out-of-place deity in Thay, Liira. What is a temple to the goddess of feats, revelry, and joy doing in a place such as this? Perhaps not all of Thayan history is as brutal as the stories from the West would have you believe. Not that it doesn't earn its reputation for the largest undead population in the realms, the party had to earn their keep and keep undead and aberrations at bay!
Wednesday Night Mad Mage. The team continues their battle against impressive foes on the 14th floor of the mega-dungeon. Many player characters have taken some licks, and the fight is nowhere close to relenting. This is their most challenging encounter yet, I am rooting for them, but they will have to dig deep to get out of this one with everyone alive.
Ghosts of Spelljammer. After the deadly brawl last week, the party had two new faces join them at the tavern. They agreed to join forces and investigate what is going on around Timbertown. A mysterious group of misfits is not what they seem, and it will take a delicate approach to handle the infestation problem without causing problems for innocents. It was a solid afternoon of RP, but we ended just before rolling initiative for a fight against a foe with a sinister secret.
The Platoon. We had a "life happens" week, but 2 of the party members wouldn't let a minor ship repair and triage stop them from exploring the new town. They met an unconventional bartender and found out what taverns were homers for the sharks and which were rooting for the pirates. After a stroll about town and a knock on the door of a termination service, we later fought in the basement with some strange creatures and learned a bit more about the city they have found themselves in.
The Frozen Few. Saturday night was a hum-dinger of an RP session, with some party members hitting their breaking point and others happy to find the loot hidden in this fortress. The peaceful Cleric has just about had it with how much death has occurred in the everlasting rime. Considering much of it has been at their hands, he is struggling, and tensions hit a boiling point when there was controversy over what to do with the prisoners. The team agreed on a solution, largely thanks to the fighter who gave the prisoners a choice. Next week we take significant steps forward in unraveling the answer to the problems beseeching the ten towns.
Ghosts of Spelljammer PBP. The party has finished their time on the beach and stands on the precipice of a journey they will never forget; however, their characters probably don't know that just yet. A woman on the docks has convinced them to look for an old friend, and they prepare to board a ship for Thesk. What could go wrong? It should only be a Ten-day round trip.
Storm Giants Wrath PBP. Our adventurers find their destination in ruins and have to hustle to help the townspeople after a great attack. The swift went to put fires out, the strong and magically inclined tended to the wounded, and our favorite dragon flew to the skies to help survey damage. They met with a gentle, wise soul who encouraged them to find out why giants would attack the breadbasket of the north.
Wise Witches of Rashemen. We have found ourselves in an old-fashioned hex crawl after taking care of some wild chickens this week. The party navigates north and east deep into the wood to find hooded figures guarding a trail. What secrets are they protecting?
Thanks for playing; adventure in courage, friends!