posted by Kaurophon
Pain. Searing pain, centered in my chest. Looking down, I see a six-fingered hand erupt through my chest holding a bright sphere of white light.
Gasping, I awake and look around the safe hemisphere Myntilly cast before we went to sleep. Indira, Myntilly, Sadi, all asleep. Alek on watch outside, Acgar heading to bed after her watch, Cinder wrapping her listening coin in layers of cloth and burying it in her pack. Rolling over, I try again to sleep.
posted by Springlatch Hammertacker
Yes, this is the question that should haunt you.
A brief replay. (This is as I remember, apologies if I have it incorrect.)
Round -2
Ragnara and Cinder approach a door and it slides open. Surprised, they both jump back and the door slides shut. Ragnara approaches again, and the door opens again. As she steps back, the door closes.
Round -1
Cinder searches the floor, but finds no pressure plate trigger. She also tries spot around the area to see if there are motion sensors of some kind. Even with a high roll, she sees nothing.
Meanwhile, Ragnara continues to test the door. Approaching slowly door opens. Approaching quickly, door opens. Retreating slowly door opens, retreating quickly, door opens.
Surprise Round
A red hot piece of metal burst through the door while it is open, hitting Ragnara for some major damage.
All players must roll for initiative.
Looking back, what would you have done differently?
Round 1
Ragnara is not very wise, and when attacked will run toward the attacker. Thus, she runs into the room.
Acgar – uses a ranged weapon
Cinder – uses a ranged weapon
Sadi – holds action, guarding the rear
Myntilly – uses a spell to deal damage
Indira – uses a ranged weapon
Submeera – sings to inspire courage
And…
Fire Giant – has only Ragnara as a target, so attacks her
Round 2
Ragnara – uses a melee weapon against the giant
Acgar – uses a ranged weapon
Cinder – uses a ranged weapon
Sadi – holds action, guarding the rear
Myntilly – uses a spell to deal damage
Indira – uses a ranged weapon
Submeera – runs into the room as a double move
And…
Fire Giant – still has only Ragnara as a target, so makes a full attack on her
Ragnara dies.
What do you notice? How would you play this differently?
posted by Dyskko
An Excerpt from the Explorers’ Society Pages
Volume XVII, Number 6
Letters From the Field
There’s something happening here. What it is ain’t exactly clear. It started as a simple demonstration. Citizens proclaiming their right to free assembly and right to free speech. What a field-day for the heat. A thousand people in the street. Young people speaking their minds. Singing songs and carrying signs. Mostly say, hooray for our side.
The high taxes imposed by the mayor upon the citizens of Cauldron created an unstable situation. How many years can some people exist before they’re allowed to be free? The citizens were tired of taxation without seeing results. And Maavu the caravan trader announced corruption in the mayor’s office. How many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn’t see? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. The answer is blowing in the wind.
When Maavu announced Alek’s challenge by the Order of Peers, the people reacted with celebrations. When Maavu announced that the mayor was illegally silencing this news, the people reacted with whistles and scorn. All the world over, so easy to see, people everywhere just wanna be free. Listen, please listen, that’s the way it should be. Deep in the Cauldron, people got to be free.
The angry crowd swarmed the stage where Maavu was standing. What’s that sound? Everybody look what’s going down. If you feel so empty, so used, so let down. If you feel so angry, so ripped off, so stepped on. You’re not the only one refusing to back down. You’re not the only one. So get up, Let’s start a riot, a riot. Let’s start a riot. Let’s start a riot, a riot Let’s start a riot.
As the riot stormed the town hall, the Divas went into action. Sadi empowered small weeds in the cobblestones to entangle the crowd. Elvis climbed atop the stage to call the people to him. “One thing I can tell you is you got to be free. Come together right now over me.”
Kiriana on Kimber raced to St. Cuthbert to get support from the clerics. Cinder found a Yin Yang member hidden in the crowd and made short work of him. Myntilly used tanglefoot bags to stop another group who had escaped the entanglement vegetation. Acgar summoned support from the city guard.
Just as the riot was breaking up, “Fire! Fire!” I heard the cry from every breeze that passed us by. All the world was one sad cry of “Pity!” The town guard barracks were on fire. Half-orcs were fighting the flames and fighting for their lives. Strong men in anguish prayed, calling loud to Heaven for aid, while the fire in ruin was laying fair Cauldron, the beautiful city.
As this disaster unfolded, some unsympathetic citizens snickered and sneered.
The barracks, the barracks, the barracks are on fire. We don’t need no water let the motherfucker burn. Burn motherfucker burn.
Elvis was still on the stage, but now he used his speaking position to call the crowd together in a new direction. “C’mon people now, smile on your brother. Everybody get together, try to love one another right now.” The people lined up to form bucket brigades. The flames danced all over the barracks, I fell into a burning ring of fire. I went down, down, down, and the flames went higher. And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire. The ring of fire.
Indira recognized something unnatural about the fire. Using dismissal, she sent these fire elementals back to their native plane.
And now it is quiet in the streets of Cauldron. Where have all the half-orcs gone, long time passing? Where have all the half-orcs gone, long time ago? Where have all the half-orcs gone?
The Blue Duke took them out of town, every one. When will they ever learn, oh when will they ever learn?
Credits:
Buffalo Springfield – For What it’s Worth
Bob Dylan – Blowin’ in the Wind
Young Rascals – People Got to be Free
Three Days Grace – Riot
The Beatles – Come Together
Traditional- Baltimore Fire
The Roof is on Fire – Bloodhound Gang
Youngbloods – Get Together Written by Dino Valenti
Johnny Cash – Ring of Fire
Pete Seeger – Where Have all the Flowers Gone?
posted by Dyskko
An Excerpt from the Explorers’ Society Pages
Volume XVII, Number 3
Letters From the Field
I write you from the City of Cauldron. Recently, I have gained the employ of Mayor Severen Navalant, who wishes me to report on the happenings in his fair city. He connected me with an adventuring group, the Dungeon Divas. Together we will roam the area, seeking adventure and fame.
Tea in the Mayor’s garden was a lovely affair as I made the aquaintance of the Divas.
Myntilly is a tall woman with auburn hair, and a cloak that has seen many battles. I am sure this sorceress has many tales to tell. Indira, the Pelorian Cleric of the group, shows true leadership evidenced by her actions as well as her faithfull protege Buzz. Her stature and mace are a commanding presence. Cinder is secretive as is typical of an elfish rogue; quiet, and usually adding to the conversation after much contemplation. Sadi is a dark-skinned, dark-haired, and dark-eyed ranger. Her cloak surrounds her and she carries a haunted look about her. These are the original members of the Divas. Two other members have been added during their adventures. Acgar, a half-dragon, manages to hide her bulk. It is rare to see such half-humanoids in the City. It is a tribute to the Divas how fully they have incorporated her to their team. The last member is Elvis Krylscar, a former militia man and womanizer, cleaning up his act as he has joined the Divas.
The fame and importance of the Divas can be evidenced by the presence of Lord Vhalantru at the tea. This benefactor is in the habit of creating stone likenesses of adventurers and gifting such statues to the Mayor for his garden. Lord Vhalantru studied the figures of the Divas in preparation for such work.
But enough of such trivialities.
After tea, we walked the streets of Cauldron in search of the Captain of the City Guard, Quinlan Ghelve. It wasn’t long before adventure found us.
Two women stood in the street waiting our approach. They were armed, and stood ready for action. The Divas showed no fear and walked directly up to them. These women, Annah and Cora, were ready for a fight. The Divas showed great restraint parrying the verbal thrusts from these upstarts.
Suddenly I heard an arrow whistle past my ear. I quickly used my wand of mage armor to ready myself for the coming battle. A man behind us was attacking with ranged weapons, while the women used more direct means. Cora’s rapier flashed in the sun, and Annah created a greasy slick under our feet forcing team members to scramble for balance. Another man weilded two knives against Krylscar. The heroic Myntilly cast from the ground while being peppered with holes from Cora. Cinder and Acgar kept the sniper at bay while Indira called on the power of Pelor. When silence surrouned us, I was ready with my joyful noise and Indira was able to cast heal spells. The upstarts quickly realized they were no match for the Divas and ran off.
All except one. The knife-weilder, Zack, had been captured. There was quick deliberation and questioning of the captive. By this time, the noise had alerted the guards, and Quinlan Ghelve himself had been alterted to the scene. The Divas’ magnanamous nature proved true. Instead of relinquishing Zack to the guard, or killing him on the spot, they turned him over to the cleric of his choice — the half-orc Asfelkir Hranleurt at the Church of Kord. Zack was humbled by the mercy of these powerful Divas.
We headed toward the Slippery Eel for some well deserved refreshment. Unfortunately, this was not to be.
A loud, rhythmic banging could be heard from a far off building. The masonry exploded in a shower of talus, and a large creature emerged from the dust. A monstrous insectoid, its mandibles clacking, stood on the street. Citizens stood frozen in dismay and fear. The creature used its four arms to continue its methodical ruin of the warehouse.
Suddenly the air crackled with energy and smelled of ozone. A lightning bolt sliced the air from Myntilly’s fingers and jolted the insect to attention. As he turned toward us, the Divas prepared for action. Cinder climbed a nearby building to gain vantage. The arrows from her bow met their mark. Acgar maneuvered for position to use her acid breath weapon. Krylscar and Indira began to gather the citizens toward safety. I began to compose a wondrous recital to fascinate the creature.
But, alas, there was no time for our actions. Half-orcs garbed as city guard methodically marched toward the creature, banging a babel of chacophonous metallic music.
The creature paused and gazed upon Krylscar. As their eyes met, I could feel the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Drool formed from the corner of Krylscar’s mouth, and his eyes glazed over.
And then the creature was gone. A circle of fresh dirt remained where the creature had burrowed under the street.
Noise. A woman screaming about her baby. More rhythmic rumblings from her building. Yelling, calling, and confusion as we re-oriented ourselves toward this new threat. I quickly put myself in position where the creature would likely emerge, readying my fascinating oration. Myntilly levitated toward the woman with ther baby. Cinder espied an innocent with a cart, calmly approaching the scene. Acgar readied her breath weapon, but seemed nervous about harming passers-by. Indira’s concentration was evident and the palpable power of Pelor gathered strength around us. Krylscar shook off the creature’s spell and approached the guard.
Again, the creature burst from the building. And I was ready with my recitation:
Oh mighty insect with multifaceted eyes,
Your reflective surface gleams brightly
in the afternoon light.
Oh enormous beetle with multijointed arms
your rhythmic beat shakes,
rattles and rolls all around us.
Will you crush us
or muster us
or push us asunder?
Will you burrow
in furrows to
disappear down under?
The creature paused in its destruction. I had its attention! Quickly, I tried another two verses.
Oh buggy bug man, with multitalented mind
your awesome actions are destructive and a
challenge us us mere mortals.
Oh wondrous winged creature with unclear motive
your massive body gives pause to
creatures great and small.
Then I averted my eyes to avoid its mesmerizing glare. When I looked around, the creature was gone again. Another fresh mound of dirt appeared in the creature’s former location. The woman and her baby were safely away. Cinder was helping the man with the cart avoid harm. Krylscar stood with the half-orc guards who had stopped their banging.
And there were rhythmic sounds of destruction several buildings behind me.
As I turned to look, Indira swooped into the building. Expeditious retreat sent me to her side almost immediately. As I entered the building, I saw the creature prostrate and dying and Indira with a determined look about her.
What was this creature? Who had summoned it? And for what purpose?
Respecfully submitted,
Dyskko
 | kaurophon on Near Death Experience |
 | Myntilly on Bebolith Encounter |
| Myntilly on Bebolith Encounter |
| Michelle (the DM) on New Spells |
 | dungeondiva on In the Cathedral of Feath… |
|
