There are few things in the life of a brand new GM that can rattle the nerves as much as Combat.
Why?
Well, perhaps, because it is one of the few times in the game that they must apply so many rules at one time. Additionally, since most RPGs are, lets be honest, based around combat, it is also when some of the most critical and complicated rules can come into play.
My suggestions? Well… I have a few:
Understand That You’re Not Going To Be Perfect.
As a matter of fact, until you get the hang of it, you’re probably going to miss some rules here or there.
If your players pick up on it, admit you missed it, correct yourself, and move on. If they didn’t, and they still seem to be having fun, let it go and make sure to cover it in the next session.
With various desires to return to Telse, as well as a discovery that the people of Qin may have a couple Scholars hiding in their midst, the group flies the working airxip from the Temple of Wisdom over the Western Wildes. The crew is a mix of goblins, rescued pirates and player characters. Together, they will head towards the mountains just to the east of Telse.
Session Notes: Mansaray, Samul, Doceo, Aamar were present as active PCs.
Mo, Behn, Saffron and Ixnyx travel via the airxip, but are crew, not PCs. The remaining characters are in Sheljar. Ajhenas and Kuda are on the Tower Island creating a military, while Telley is on the settled island with the Temple of Wisdom (where the goblins hid) helping the people make a life there. Braaz, and Els are working on restoring the two homes on the south end of the Island Inn.
Shonie is retired and remains in Telse. She features in this story as an NPC, barely.
The session began with a sharing of information.There is great concern for Telse. Firbas, the ale drake, let’s them all know that the Proctors declared war on the Scholars that remain, as well as any caster that has escaped the normal bonds placed on Kin. Aamar and Saffron are targets due to their Lorebooks. Behn is a target as well. Combating the Proctors with their fleet of dragons is not yet practical.
But the present PCs learn that the Scholars are a mixed group of potential allies, definite enemies and aloof erudite knowledge seekers. Those that cannot be convinced to side against the Proctors have Lorebooks or similar devices. Those can help in a battle of mighty magic backed by dragons against the scrappy Kin, who are defined by their beloved companions.
Qin seems to have one or two of those Scholars. Parun, or his boss, is probably one as well. There is also Chorl, who they will need to finish off at some point. But for now, south to Telse and eventually Qin is their direction.
The group gets a few volunteers from their rescued allies and borrows the working airxip, a small two-master with one heat room, and two huge props to help it travel. They head out.
Just a day into their journey they notice a camp with a central holding facility, four tents and a few dozen dogs. This is in the territory where they know that Parun’s Azsel forces roam.
They will attempt to rescue the captives, and if Parun is present end his service to Azsel.
It is a harsh battle. There is a warlord, mage, two archers and two scouts in opposition. Plus, as Azsel-ites most have dogs that come in a latter wave. That wave is almost entirely wiped out by a single fireball from Doceo.
Mansaray versus the warlord is almost like a kaiju battle. The two trade blow and blow and blow as the fight rages around them. Samul focuses on the archers. Doceo tries to end the threat from the scouts. Aamar and the mage trade spells and blows.
The victory leaves them bloodied, wounded, drawn down and exhausted. Unfortunately, Parun is not at this camp. His raiders are working the West unhindered. The group attempts to convince those rescued to head to Sheljar for safety.
After another couple days of travel they arrive above Upper Telse. The xip settles into a mountain valley. Doceo visits Shonie to collect the rest of his cash from the merchant-seeker. There they find out that the Everflow isn’t flowing.
Aamar attempts to visit Sealm, the wizened leaders of the Faithful. Sealm has passed away. His grand-nephew Nils is not around Upper Telse. Sealm’s passing happened on the same day that the Everflow stopped.
Bishop Ollium and the rest of Quar’s church have some Everflow bottled and saved, but they will run out. The two rivers will stop flowing shortly after the locks on the pool let out their remaining water. The economy of Telse, Ooshar, Mira, Qin and others count on that river traffic and/or the magical, healing waters of the Everflow.
And there are dragons seeking to destroy the city.
Over these two sessions the goal was to gain a few clues to the larger arcs around the Scholars and Proctors, while also exploring the place that the group now calls home. Those in the second session also got to used “downtime” of a couple weeks with some player agency.
Session Notes: This took place over two sessions. Doceo, Saffron, Samul, and Behn were in the first session.
Aamar joins them for the second one. The remaining characters are in Sheljar with Ajhenas on the Tower Island, while Telley is on the settled island with the Temple of Wisdom (where the goblins hid) helping the people make a life there. Maurice, Mansaray, Els and Kuda are working on restoring the two homes on the south end of the Island Inn. Ixnyx cannot shed Brazz as she established a taut-line message system between the three occupied islands.
Shonie is retired and remains in Telse.
Halfing Slums of Sheljar
Behn, Doceo, and Saffron took one of the mulgoblins that committed to their aspirations and the rowboat down to the isle south of the broken bridge. Here they encounter two occupied buildings. One is a small alehouse with a covered dock area, but there are huge reptilian creatures on those docks. The group ignores them and circles the full isle. There’s a field, and a platform, and abandoned hovels.
Except for one home, with its low roof, unwelcoming for the humans, and the poor mulgob NPC, the hearth has a fire and creepy laughter. It turns out to be from a goblin, who has made this place her home. She never stops laughing, and in fact, cripples their NPC with Hideous Laughter. Her continuing attempt to charm others results in a small conflict.
When the group manages to defeat the little one, which takes a bit as she heals herself rather than taking some damage, a small pastel mote flies into the mulgob. That mul then behaves exactly as the little gobkon, but with big fists too. They dispel the magic infecting the mul and then cast Gust of Wind to blow the mote into the sky. There is a nilbog somewhere else in Sheljar now. A problem that could turn up later.
Downtime
With drop in sessions that rarely require the same PCs two times in a row players can collect downtime between sessions. I opened up our final session of 2016 by asking those present how they used the days or weeks that passed. This will now be an off-table discussion, but will be carried forward.
Aamar – The Cleric of Quar has a month of time. This is split between two activities. The first is the granting the blessings of Quar to the lands that will now be farms. These actions mean that when winter comes to the bog-city the few dozen living there will not have to trade for food. He also took an overland trip to the Glass Tower (we will play this as a 1on1 session or through chat).
Behn – He chose to explore a few of the unexplored islands and “kill another one of those creepy ground beasts.” Asked who joins him in slaying the tunneling nightmare he answers. A few players get 1,000 xp for off-camera action.
Doceo – Unloads his cart, and starts making plans for future trade routes. He also works the various crowds and factions to learn what exactly he’s now involved with and how this can help him in the future.
Saffron – The Bard sends a message to her childhood mentor Teegan. There she discovers that Teegan’s brother Rohan is almost certainly The Necromancer, a scholar that Saffron helped kill. Saffron is also worried about how she’s become a killer.
Samul – He needs a boat in order to some day rescue or purchase the freedom of his beloved – Fairuza. So, despite not educated in shipbuilding or piloting he collects a few hulls, about a dozen sails and other supplies. From all of that he gets one barely-able-to-sail seafaring sloop (crew 3, holds 7 others, 1 small covered area, no cabin, moves 20′ under normal conditions).
Gathered and recapping their various activities the group is at the Sheljar Inn (Samul’s palace, just ask him). There, as they chat the clang of Ixnyx taut-line system interrupts. It is the line from the Tower Island where Ajhenas is working with a few muls, a hob, sometimes Kuda, towards building a working defense. The highest tower has noticed ships in Sheljar Bay between the Statue and the shore. In the past the trade ships stay well on the outside of the Statue, with Sheljar still being presumed haunted by the rest of the Western Wildes.
There are two galleons and three ketches. Two of the ketches are firing Firebolts on another ketch. Samul mobilizes his navy. It’s a single sloop. He asks a couple mulgobs to man the sails and Aamar, Behn, Doceo and Saffron join the excursion.
The sloop rushes out past the two galleons, getting close enough that Doceo welcomes them to the protected waters of New Sheljar using Message. The galleons ask for help, their escort is under fire. Their flags declare that they are from the trading family of Qin. The Qin to Mira route was once prosperous, but is now risky. The galleons call the opposition pirates.
Taking one of the pirate ships by surprise, appearing from behind the galleons the sloop has the wind at its back. Saffron casts Walk On Water for the crew of the sloop. Aamar is at the rudder with Saffron besides him. Samul rides the bow while Doceo and Behn are in the center ready to fire on the enemy.
It is a complex fight. Samul, nominally the captain, he thinks, leaps from the ship and sprints across the low waves. Behn and Doceo throw Fireballs at it. Aamar prevents the other two vessels from sinking, though they still burn, by casting Plant Growth on the kelp and seaweed. Later, Doceo leaps from the stern, walking on water as his own vessel provides cover from the attacker.
But the vessel which our Lorebook Hunters are fighting is well armed, and protected by casters. One of those spellmen keeps throws a Fireball at them. Later it casts an Ice Storm. She is not dedicated to an element, just the death of those on the sloop. (Spoiler: it doesn’t work).
That ketch also bombards the sloop with its catapult. And there is a dazzling display of lights that charms half the crew (Hypnotic Pattern). It’s two Archers (Volo’s Guide) also provide additional, deadly, long range support.
Behn goes unconscious shortly after throwing a Fireball back at the damaging caster. A sorcerer should not take two arrows, a fireball and an ice storm. Saffron eventually heals him.
Remember when Samul ran across the waves? Enraged and Frenzied he enters the opposing boats with his chain whipping through the pathetic crew quickly and easily. Even the Archers and mages have little defense, especially when they are bothered from afar by Saffron and Aamar.
Eventually our heroes, though they be a bit grey, take the ship with two of the pirates promising loyalty rather than dying. Doceo searched the captain’s quarters and discovers that they are part of Willan’s group of bandits, thieves and pirates.
Six of the two entrapped and burning vessels are saved as well. The group captures a larger ship, armaments and maybe can take the two ketches trapped in kelp and get something savable from their burning hulks.
The two galleons have sailed off to safety over the horizon. Maybe they’ve made it clear that the inner passage is no longer haunted, certainly protected and now safer than the open seas.
Maybe they’ve also let Willan know that two of his pirate ships are gone.
In this session our heroes discover that Chorl did not die in Cortez’ volcano blast. Instead he’s captured other Lorebook Hunters and is also turning people into monstrous combinations of human and animal. Prior to Chorl’s dark arts centaurs, minotaurs, satyrs, aarakocra, and various werebeasts did not exist. Now they do, and they will plague the Western Wildes. They are accompanied by owlbears, cockatrices, perytons, and who knows what else wanders the world now.
Session Notes: This took place over two sessions. Doceo, Mansaray, Saffron, and Samul are the participants. Most of the remaining characters remain at the Island Inn, or as Samul calls it “His Palace.”
Shonie is still retired and in Telse.
Brazz, Els and Kuda are rescued from the evils of Chorl.
After a few words the escapee from Azsel asks to see his falcon, who has shadowed Aamar. Mansaray explains that he’s been to the Cliffs of Gallinor and back to the Glass Tower. In both locations dragons fly, ridden by fey creatures of myth. Saffron gasps in fear. When he headed north to avoid the fiery breath and piercing eyes he discovered that Chorl still lives. The wizard controls fierce army, and holds three Lorebook Hunters captive, under torture. They are likely the group that Mayor Kellamon sent north when he hired The Five.
Doceo, Samul and Saffron volunteer to join him in rescuing these souls from Chorl’s grasp.
If the group is successful all PCs but Shonie will be united at Sheljar. If they fail, there will be new characters created.
Bridge to Chorl’s Camp
Leaving Sheljar’s formerly rich neighborhood the group heads out over a narrow stone bridge from the height of the far northwest island to the mainland. Crossing this bridge they are set upon by several cockatrices and an odd minotaur-like creature with horns coming from its knees. Saffron casts stink cloud and Doceo blasts a fireball. Combined those do quick work of the petrifying bird-lizard creatures. Mansaray and Samul finish off the deyong quickly.
After a few more miles they are in the forest edge near Chorl’s camp. A mix of giant eagles and aarocrocka attack. It takes a bit for the missile weapons and spells to prevent those allies of Chorl from warning the camp, but they are finished quickly. A magic user that rode one of the eagles causes a bit of trouble, but not much.
The group is slightly weakened, and their goal is nearby.
Raiding Camp
The heroes see an access point to the camp along the ridge to the north. Mansaray knows that it rapidly descends to the sea, and there may be an escape route along the shore of Gilkey Bay back into the bog-city of Sheljar. There is one tent between them and a forge-cottage.
Saffron, the normally non-violent bard, sneaks into a tent along the northern ridge. Inside is a a sleeping bear-man. She stabs it through the heart. Thankfully the group fits in the tent. They see they can into the forge and hide, looking for a better opportunity to attack or to sneak into camp, rescue the prisoners and flee.
Again the bard has to lead the way. She’s small enough to crawl through a window. Daylight is still an hour or two away.
Mansaray and Samul come in the door while the rat-man is dealing with Doceo and Saffron. The giant rat and wererat are dead, quietly and quickly.
But, Chorl, in his shimmering green-gold robe, heads to the camp’s main fire. He asks a minotaur named Dustin to check on Yacoob at the forge. A new supply of arms is necessary for the war.
Doceo sends his dogs out to distract the minotaur. The rest come up with a plan. Mansaray and Doceo will create a distraction by burning down the main building. Saffron, Samul and Boo will rescue the captives. Then they will all run.
Saffron keeps watch on the fire-pit where Chorl is speechifying to most of the followers he has present.
Chorl’s speech
Saffron overhears Chorl tell his gathered fiends the following.
Rohan’s Book of the Dead has disappeared. Cortez’ Tome of Enlightenment is still within Sheljar. We must capture both in order to take the Glass Tower from the Proctors of Grace. Our forces in Crinth will return. The River Tribes fell to Azsel and Briarwall will likely be next. Azsel control the entire north. We of Ritual and Blood must Awaken the Everflow or Kin will fall to slavery and ignorance.
He mentions a few other Scholars that have ignored his appeal, instead trusting in Cortez and the Scholars’ Oath of Kinship- the Comedienne, the Composer. He awaits word from the Aegis Guard, Cannon of Qin and Eldritch Knight. The Trickster refuse to join him as he focuses on profit.
Menagerie Barn
Just outside the barn is a man and horse. The man is wearing the tunic of a Shield of Kirtin. Both man and horse have suffered. Samul and Boo free them from their bonds, telling them to hide behind the barn. Saffron hides behind the corner. Inside the barn they see a centaur, a panther with human, a minotaur, an aarocrocka, another aarocrocka, a goliath with a chicken and a werebear. They are guarded by an aarocrocka and a centaur.
Saffron, Samul and Boo take out the guards.
At the same time Doceo and Mansaray set fire to the main house. At one point Mansaray tackles Chorl and throws him in the fire. Doceo pelts him with sling bullets. Eventually Saffron casts dissonant whispers, which forces Chorl to flee north and east, towards the large statue in Sheljar Bay.
Samul, Mansaray, Doceo finish off Dustin, the blond minotaur, when he returns as the rest of Chorl’s creatures flee. A werebear that Boo released is angry, but is also scared away as Boo hides in the safety of the forge-cottage. The other occupants of the barn are left tied up after the werebear shows that not all are friendly.
Boo and Saffron also released Brazz, his chicken and Els and her panther. They hid with Kuda and only rejoined the rest when it was clearly safe. They have horror stories to tell
Searching the Forge
After the various centaur-like creatures fled south and the bird-like peoples flew out northwest the group is alone in the camp, with maybe an hour before a metals delivery is to come. That delivery is from a mine to the north and west.
They search the forge finding a letter in Crinthian, the chest for a suit of plate armor, a few blades, javelins and arrows. There’s a smattering of gold and silver about the area as well.
All seven and their companions return to Sheljar. They have news of the extent of the Scholars influence and control throughout the Kin and the Land of the Everflow.
With a dozen or so PCs at the island inn and more than a dozen rescued civilians the island is crowded. They need to find arable land within the city, as well as ruins that can be quickly rebuilt by the caravansary families. These two session start as a tale of exploration, include some violence, and then ends with a meeting between the rebels from the Expeditionary Fleet and our heroes.
Session Notes: This took place over two sessions. In the first one Behn, Ixynx, Saffron, and Samul investigated the Tower Island and a Temple of Torq.
In the second one Ajhenas, Behn, and Doceo traveled to meet the goblin rebels. Most of the remaining characters remain at the Island Inn, or as Samul calls it “His Palace.”
Shonie is still retired and in Telse.
Brazz, Els and Kuda remain MIA, though in the next sessions they reappear.
Tower Island
Moving through the islands in the bog city the group of Behn, Ixynx, Saffron, and Samul travel via their row boat. Their original plan is to head towards a flame they see at night. Seeing two giant crocodiles trailing them they pull ashore on an island with three towers, it looks to be the urban military headquarters of the Empire of Sheljar.
Among the towers they saw that various gobkon had been there recently, likely hob and mul – the muscle. They also learned that a Kon were likely based one more island over a long bridge with a high arc. They clear the rest of the towers, three of them. There is a barn, an arena, and an armory-forge.
Then they decide to cross the bridge. It is daylight, a mix of hobgoblins and mulgoblins (bugbears) crest the arc. Five faces trudging towards their outpost in one of the towers.
Behn whips out a fireball. Five Kon are blasted overboard, mere bones and ash. There’s a large hole in the bridge now too.
The party then makes its way to the island.
Torq’s Temple
Telling this tale nearly six weeks later isn’t fair to the group. This was entirely roleplayed, no combat at all. I think there were only a couple d20s rolled, one of them was a nat 20, which was played as a critical success. The group will probably fact check me, but this is how I remember it.
Entering Torq’s Temple the group see one of the largest airxips from the expedition. There is smaller ship as well. The bay that holds the airxips is a natural cave that provides protection for ships and is finished in the back. Just one guard is at the stairs that descend from the island down to the shore.
Quick thinking the group, probably Samul, intimidates the hobgoblin. The pit-fighter is a massive human, prone to threats. This hobgob is scared, knowing that several of his friends in rebellion have disappeared to tunneling nightmares, the undead and magic. Magic scares him.
Samul and the rest convince this hob to lead them to a leader. Several other hobs and a mul or two join in escort, but are unwilling to have their companion killed just to battle these four.
Ixnyx recognizes the first mate of the larger ship. This must be the leader of this rebellion. Together Behn, Ixynx, Saffron, and Samul convince that they come hoping to restore Sheljar as vibrant city, but now as one that recognizes that all genders, races are free to be what they desire. They also mention that they killed the Necromancer.
Ooooohs and aaaaaahs echo through the dungeon halls.
Ixnyx asks about the Captain. The first mate mentions that the captain is safe, but not longer in charge. Ixnyx, knows of this captain and asks to meet her.
The group is taken to an office, probably where the old vicar of Torq ran his temple from. There they meet the captain, who though under guard, is well off. The captain acts as if she still rules this ship’s crew. The first mate acts as if he is in charge.
Each agrees that they will meet with more of those that control Sheljar, that’s how Samul’s group presents it, in the next day during mid morning. The group of Lorebook Hunters return to their sanctuary.
A Tunneling Nightmare among Towers
Ajhenas, Behn, and Doceo travel to the tower island to prevent an ambush. While setting camp in the northern tower they are ambushed by a tunneling nightmare. Ajhenas and Behn are on top of the tower. Doceo is on level ground with Vondal and Delg, his loyal mastiffs.
When the noxious cloud of the tunneling nightmare issues warning the group is immediately weakened. Ajhenas throws a rope over the backside of the tower so that Doceo can escape, but the two dogs are left on the ground level. The smaller burrowing tentacles bursts through the ground, slaps Vondal to the turf and a few seconds later flips him towards the gaping maw. A more massive tentacle bludgeons Vondal, smashing the poor mastiff’s face. Delg, immediately leaps forth and drags Vondal back to the safety of Aamar at the inn. With mere seconds to spare Aamar casts revivify saving poor Vondal. Vondal will always show the wound from that massive tentacle.
While the dogs attempt to stay away from the various tentacles Behn and Ajehenas are fighting from the top of the tower. Behn is blasting it with fireball while Ajehenas uses his bow. Behn is a bit less mobile than the Kirtin-born human. He takes a few blasts from the bone vomit (the tunneling nightmare exhales shards of bone as a breath weapon).
When all three men are blasting the nightmare it is slamming the walls of the tower, trying to knock it to the ground. Its last blow weakens the tower, but that is the final effort from the tunneling nightmare.
The men survive, but Vondal, Delg and Doceo are scarred. Doceo does manage to discover how Behn throws balls of fire.
Peace in Sheljar
Most of the rest of the PCs come to the tower island for the meeting (they are present in story, but not played) and the final negotiations for peace are made. Impressed by the carcass of the tunneling nightmare, and knowing that this group has magic the goblins decide to join forces in Sheljar.
Ajhenas, Behn and Doceo ride on the smaller airxip back to the inn. Behn and Doceo tell the Kon to not slow down as they pick up Ajhenas from the top of the tower. His leap to from the tower to the airxip barely succeeds. A few of the Kon are impressed. Others get a chuckle at the near failure.
Two mulgobs decided to stay on the island with the inn, as two of the caravansary families traveled to the island with the Temple to settle that land. The remaining family is working the orchard and field south of the inn. The captain and first mate both return to the temple, both still thinking that they rule that island. Both are wrong.
A few islands are safe. At least two tunneling nightmares are destroyed. Up to a dozen may still exist.
With the possibility of many drop in players I wanted to have a PC ready, just in case. As a gimmick, I decided that said character would be made via the crowd of followers on Twitter. The character is genderless and nameless at this time, but besides that has flaws, ideals, skills, attributes, etc and should be playable after a quick leveling exercise.
Combining Twitter polls and Narrative Character Creation lead to some interesting choices, ones that would not have been done without the two methods.
Let’s use Twitter Polls to do a narrative character in my World of the Everflow. This character’s parents are …
Since the two leading answers were so close I decided that the character would have both human and halfling origins with them being raised by just one parent, the father.
You grew up with a single halfing parent that loved you. Where was that? https://t.co/H3ea3ZQh8W
That’s another split decision. Spending time in Crinth (since there is a halfling parent) and the Western Wildes (Telse, Mira, Qin, the Ferments, etc) leads to the next question with a bit more focus. What type of person travels between Crinth and the West?
You spent time in both Crinth and the Wildes. You and your parent were …
More split decisions, in this case leading to a charlatan family that travels with merchants. You though, weren’t purely a criminal, you also studied books.
A follow-up since again these are really close. Which is more interesting?
You acquired Prestidigitation and a Wolfhound during your Forming Years. As a human with halfling influences you are nearly the same height as your trusty hound. They are a bit heavier than you.
Over the years you learned two rituals studying studying the words of the wandering clerics of Glight. You are able to Detect Magic. Yes, Magic in the lands of the Everflow is quite rare, but you are able to cast this ritual and see even the old lines scarring the world, and the new that nearly burnt it down. You also know how to summon a servant. They do menial tasks around camp, so you can focus on learning and the rest of the journeyman can finally relax.
Since we have a student of sorts, that is willing to take from the wealthy, that influenced weapon choices. Rather than the usual martial weapons for a rogue you instead know a “baton.” It has the same stats as a short sword, but is bludgeoning. You have a short bow with quiver, a burglar’s pack, leather armor, two daggers, thieves tools and your baton. Those rare times you fight, rather than hunt, you tend to knock people out.
Helping your father with his schemes means you learned skills like Deception (expertise) and Sleight of Hand (expertise). You also know a dice game, which you cheat at, how to forge documents and how to use thieves tools. You understand people (Insight, Persuasion) and are quite aware of your surroundings (Perception, Stealth).
You’ve picked up the faith of the peoples, despite your non-believing father, and carry many holy symbols. You give your extra earnings to urchins and those in need, which in the West means refugees from Sheljar and in Crinth are those escaping Azsel. You once stole from someone you thought was rich, but they weren’t. Their life destroyed you hope to find a way to pay restitution to either they or their tribe. This happened along the River Crinth.
But you know that none can fool you like you fool them. You are the sly trickster, the knower of things.
This is technically a recap of two sessions, but it’s also a lesson in play-style as well as how to react to your players’ desires. The Five have become a bit more than I intended. There is this overarching plot around Lorebooks and Scholars and Proctors. But one of the things that they’ve really enjoyed is exploration. Sure, a few d20s and damage dice once in a while are fun, but tonight’s session was much more about discovering the World of the Everflow.
That’s what they wanted and needed. They boldly went where no player has gone before. They discovered parts of Sheljar long abandoned.
Back on Summer 16 a few of them (Mo, Saffron, Behn and Samul) freed some captives from Parun’s strike on the caravansary. It took a lot of effort and Parun and his two primary henchman escaped.
More importantly a few NPCs which treated The Five well escaped slavery and decided to settle into the no-longer haunted Sheljar. But the tiny island where The Five took over an inn is not large enough for a dozen commoners and nearly a dozen heroes.
Tonight’s session focused on exploring the bog-city. Aamar, Behn and Samul (with Boo) needed to find another relatively safe island in Sheljar for their loyalists. So they explored.
There was only one combat. It was swift. A mulgob fired a huge crossbow at Samul’s head and Behn tossed a fireball their way. The bridge was nearly destroyed, but the gobs (five of them) were all tossed aside like bowling pins.
But that isn’t what the session fun. What made it fun was island hopping and creating a space together. The PCs and DMs worked to build the city. It wasn’t procedural like a video game, or preplanned as store-bought settings are, it was built together.
Together they found an island that looks like it could be a secondary base – defensible and spacious. There is access to the sea, without large ships being able to pull along side.
Sure, there is the small problem of a gobkin encampment nearby, but no DM isn’t going to toss a problem or two (there are also tunneling nightmares on nearby isles) towards their players.
But it was the discovery and fellowship that made the session enjoyable. Not combat, just the pleasure of finding something new.
My goal to have drop-in sessions is slightly thrown off because there are a total of 12 PCs in two parts of Sheljar, on the road to Sheljar, in Telse and wandering the West. This session attempts to reconnect a couple of the plots.
Session Notes: Doceo is the Uncommoner/Factotum Merchant who recently played their first ever session, a solo.
Telly is a Cleric of Light following Selley, the goddess of moons. This experienced RPGer is in their 1st 5th edition game.
Ajhenas joins this session. He’d missed the last one, but there’s a simple way to introduce him to the adventure and to get nearly every PC at the Inn.
Burning the Caravansary
Continuing on his journey towards the bog-city of Sheljar with its foul stench and haunted nights Doceo thinks he’s escaped the slaving group. After a couple more days he passes a bend around another abandoned orchard. There are flames on the horizon. He cautiously approaches a tiny settlement of three buildings (the caravansary). A few hours earlier Ajhenas heard a Kirtin horn sounding a unit’s call for help. He rushed away from the inn, through the stench and up the hillside. As a scout he moved quickly through the lands. Telly was a guest in the stables. He’d been journeying back towards Telse after a visit to Fort Ooshar.
The three are not yet allies, but the conflict is clear. Slavers have slain bonded companions – three ponies to the South that Doceo passes, Ajhenas sees a few dead retrieving dogs. Telley leaps from his room to see an axe beak run towards freedom and one of the resident goliaths fighting off a few humans with whips.
It is a fierce battle. Only the blessings of Selley and a few draughts of the Everflow keep the three PCs alive. They could not save the resident goliath. They are victorious – a slaving scout, three slaving guards and their leader are no longer. Some camp nearby is alerted as the companions of these evil souls wail and perish.
Rescuing Refugees
After laying the dead to rest in funeral pyres, one of honor for the animals slain by the slavers and one for the sake of sanitation for those that attempted to enslave the group, the three with their five dogs and heron search the grounds. There are two trails. One is where the axe beak ran and the other seems to be back to the southeast where the slaving group came from, and had taken their prizes.
They follow the axe beak with those that are alive and free. The two sides converse. The horn is found, as Ajhenas is disappointed it is from ages ago rather than a current unit. He is still out of touch of the Army to which he swore service.
Together the group goes back to their former caravansary home. Doceo’s isn’t the only cart, but both are loaded full. These adventurers and refugees head towards a place where slavers will not go – the haunted city of Sheljar.
Entering the Inn
Now, with a half dozen rescued humans and goliaths following them the group heads towards Sheljar and the inn. A smattering of skeletons try to stop them, but Telley’s goddess turns the inhuman creatures away.
The island-inn has ground that need not be fallow, and experts who can work it. Other nearby islands may also be rescued from the taint of the Necromancer and those tunneling nightmares. If Samul wants a kingdom he now has peasants, not just royalty.
Searching for a second Lorebook has consumed much of The Five’s resources. During this search, with a goal of more power and the elimination of the Stench of Sheljar, they have acquired property in the abandoned bog city. They have earned the enmity of the Necromancer, a group calling itself the Proctors of Grace and maybe more of the GobKon. In session 21 one of those enemies dies. Spoiler alert: you already saw the headline.
Session Notes: Aamar starts at the Inn. His player is present. Mo and Ajhenas start at the Temple. Their players are not present.
Shonie is still in Telse, they think. Mansaray’s whereabouts are unknown. His falcon is remains at the inn, but seems aggravated lately.
Ghost Dog on the Bridge
As night falls Aamar is worried. His group is caught away from their inn, their safehaven, where no tunneling nightmares have appeared and no undead have come. He decides to leave the inn at night, with the blessing of Quar bringing daylight down from above.
He walks surrounded in the bright light of noon, something foreign in Sheljar with its fog and stench. On the long bridge to the central city island he sees a spectral dog. That dog sees him and runs. The guard at the temple, Ajhenas, also notices the dog as it runs through the wall of the Library of Glight.
Aamar, with the wisdom of Quar behind him, suggests that he join the group as they attempt to corner the Necromancer and take another Lorebook. This will also mean that The Five can use magic effectively, rather than sporadically. Ajhenas and Maurice, with their companions, head back to the inn to assure that none approach across the bridge.
Canceled Repairs
Samul is on the last guard. Up in the bell tower he watches. In the faint light of dawn, through the fogs he sees a couple goliath-sized skeletons approaching with wood, axes and a huge hammer on shoulder. They are accompanied by two human sized skeletons, one with a bow. They are walking towards the collapsed vestibule. They may be merely repairing the trap he’d sprung a few days prior, but they are also armed.
“Waken,” he shouts in his Mehmd accent. “More skeletons come to the entry.”
As the rest of the group rises, not bothering with armor, but grabbing their arms he leaps off the tower to the roof of the nave. He then leaps again attempting to chain-whip the largest skeleton. That attack hits, but throws off his balance and he falls prone, twisting an ankle.
Prior to his allies coming he takes out one of the large walking dead. As they come the little repair crew is ravaged. They cannot stand against the combined group of mystical powers, melee and teknology. Even without their armor they are hardly wounded. Only Samul’s fall is the significant injury.
Death of the Necromancer
It is dawn. A few moments to eat and prepare their armor. Then the group heads back to the Library of Glight. From the ghost dog to the sealing off of other exits they know that the Necromancer is there, though he’d somehow hidden from their previous search. Now they are healed. The power of the Lorebook of Cortez is with them. Aamar’s prayers to Quar continue to gain strength.
This portion of their quest will end for either Sheljar’s master of death, or for our heroes.
They take a frontal assault, but upon entering the Library split up. Behn leaps upon the tops of the bookshelves. Ixnyx, Aamar and Bernie take the hall along the wall closest to Temple. Samul and Boo (in skeletal ripper form) take the center aisle. Saffron turns herself invisible, with a devious plot in mind.
Spotted the Necromancer starts casting spells. Aamar responds. Bernie rushes the man in rather normal robes (the group already has his nicer robes and dagger from when they raided his temple-home). Ixnyx and Behn start shooting with their missile weapons.
Samul and Boo face the spectral dog. That ghost dog charges Samul and disappears into his body. Our Mehmdian Pit Fighter is possessed. Boo runs out of range.
Many blows are traded, some fighting the possessed body of their friend, others fighting the spell-caster, who is still weakened. Eventually Bernie, the bear, Boo, the skeletal ripper lizard, and Samul are down and out. Saffron slipped her Crown of Forgetfulness on the Necromancer as he took more blows from the rest. She also stole his folio sized Lorebook of Rohan.
Aamar, Behn and goblin Ixnyx finish off the Necromancer in a mix of sorcery, prayer and teknology. Much healing is needed. Betwixt vials of the Everflow, Quar’s gift, and Aamar’s prayers the group heals. They flee back to their inn – as conquerors. Four zombies try to stop them and fail.
It is over. They’ve acquired a second Lorebook and one set of robes they have yet to identify. Victory is theirs, just maybe they can control all of Sheljar soon.
Understand That You’re Not Going To Be Perfect.
