Introduction
This is the first of what I hope to be an ongoing blog of the mishaps of my campaign. To start things off I want to state the objectives of my campaign. The first and foremost, to have a good time with friends and family. Secondly, I would like to have each participating individual to have a "hand in the pot" so to speak. By that I mean I would like the world to grow from a single area through the exploration of the adventuring party and when others of the group want to try their hand at being a Dungeon Master, they can add a piece of themselves to the world. Finally, I would like to have an enjoyable outlet for my creative and sometimes random mind.
With the above being stated I hope to remain true to those three objectives. To achieve them I sent out an email to friends and family and received more than I bargained for. As a newbie DM I am beginning with a group of 8 members. Oh the joys! And thus begins their tale.
Adventure 1.0 - 03/10/2012
- Casey Hutchison - Triffn't Vadu - Tiefling Rogue
- Derrick Nisley - Bolrak Amberbrew - Dwarf Cleric
- Jeremy Pate - Grom'Jar Darkbeard - Dwarf Ranger
- Jessica Moran - Talashandy - Longtooth Shifter Druid
- John Hutchison - Oukan Baine - Goliath Fighter
- Josh Moran - Sayek Riveroak - Dragonborn Wizard
- Kris Young - Kolrock Giantborn - Goliath Fighter
- Sarah Young - Ravarath Dragonsbane - Half-Elf Ranger
All of the characters (excluding Sayek) had one thing in common... they were all travelling through the Misty Woods, a deep rooted forest that has grown around the Darinian River. As they were travelling through the woods, they each heard the breaking of limbs on the ground only to black out as a result of some magical influence. Unbeknownst to the party, they had trespassed onto the lands of Neokhosia, a kingdom of Dragonborn trying to recover from the War of Ruin. The party awakens to find themselves in the center of the "Trials of Io", an arena with a large statue of Io looking down upon them from above the structure. Standing atop the 30 foot wall at even intervals are 10 robe-clad Dragonborn with arms upraised and quietly chanting. From their fingertips and out across from them just below the statue of Io is a translucent shield. Awakening with the other members of the party is a Dragonborn wizard by name of Sayek who had unintentionally set fire to a section of the city's arcane library while researching a new spell.
As the party is collecting their wits about them, a portcullis across the arena begins to creak open. Before it reaches the top of the entrance, six hyenas come stalking out of the shadows. The characters find themselves fully armored but unarmed and locate some weapon racks behind them along the wall. Equipping themselves fully, the party goes to quick work in dismantling this would-be threat and pleasing the crowd of cheering Dragonborn. Just as the final killing blow is swung, the party again blacks out.
Unaware of the amount of time that has passed, the party again wakes up in the arena. This time their weapons lay in front of them, and as they stand, another party of humanoids are awaking in a similar fashion. As they begin to ready themselves, they find that they are shackled together with a five foot length of chain spanning between them limiting their movement. The other group, as mismatched as them, were also shackled together. The first to react is the orc berserker. Lifting it's greataxe, it turned to the would be ally, a goblin minion, and cleaves the goblin in two (the first natural 20 of the night). Then, it began moving toward the adventurers dragging along part of the once living goblin. Arranged against them aside from the orc in left to right order is a halfling thief, an elf archer, a kobold dragonshield, a human guard, and a hobgoblin archer.
Combat then ensued with the party doing their best to maneuver and focusing damage on the orc berserker as the hobgoblin archer and the human guard pelted them with arrows and bolts respectfully. The halfling thief freed himself from his shackles as did the elf archer. Seeing this Triffn't went to work and freeing all of his allies. As the battle continued, the orc berserker had been dealt with and the elf archer had still not joined the fray. As a result, the kobold dragonshield went to smack its uncooperative ally with its short sword only to trigger it's Not So Close ability and being rewarded an arrow to the shoulder. The party continued its press on the hobgoblin archer and the human guard with deadly efficiency as the elf archer and the kobold dragonshield duked it out. Away from the fighting groups the halfling thief tries to move along the western wall only to be smacked by a swinging claw hidden in the wall. At this time the party has dealt with the other enemies. As Kolrock goes to engage the halfling , the halfling inadvertently sets off another trap, this time in the form of a dragon breathing fire in a close burst 3. The halfling nimbly dodges but Kolrock doesn't quite make it. Seeing this as it's last and final hope to live, he continues to jump up and down on the switch causing Kolrock to be burned several more times before Grom'Jar can pull him to safety from the flames. Between Oukan charging into the flames with abandon and Sayek spouting magic missiles, the poor halfling has no chance and dies a glorious and memorable death.
Once the battle stops, Sayek then turns to casting another spell finish off the elf fully believing that to appease the "Trials of Io" all opposing enemies must die. The elf deftly dodged to the side and before he could counter, Grom'Jar tackled Sayek to the ground. Before the conflict could resolved the party again blacked out.
What will happen to the party next? Will these black outs ever stop? Find out next time!
