Main / TTT-SUM

Third Time is Tradition - Summaries

After Court of Thanes

During and After the final encounter

Session: 20190329c

This was a night of many little things, both in and out of character, but it the lead in to this story arc so here it goes.

Experience for the last of the building and encounters during that time caused about half a dozen PCs to level up. The beginning of the night was spent rolling and updating character sheets for the training completed.

We get some updates on the ages of our children. They grow up so fast, don’t they?

Branwyn agreed to write Brother Foto a letter in support of his promotion as Foto would now be running a shrine in the estate.

Miranda reminds Branwyn that Hoffman was looking for a ring for her and asks Branwyn to cantrip something up to give to Hoffman so he could finally marry Miranda. Branwyn, thinking a cantrip wouldn’t possibly good enough to make a splashy gift presentation, heads to the lab. In the process of trying to make a pretty colorful cloud of smoke to go along with the ring, there was a small explosion and entirely too much smoke. Result: 20% of Branwyn’s lab was destroyed and had to be rebuilt.

In the end, Branwyn puts a little magical shine on a gold and sapphire ring and gives it to Hoffman so hopefully he will finally seal the deal with Miranda.

Skarp (whose character was being filled in for by BOB since Ryan was out for the night) called a meeting of the group at Branwyn’s house. It seems our new gnome friends have been quite helpful. They were able to tell Skarp that one of his companions had been killed but the other two had been taken to Skull Church. So who will go and help Skarp recover his friends and make the area safe from the undead once again?? Because everyone knows Third Time is a Tradition!

Thistle!! Nope. Can’t go. Too much training to do. Much teenage angst arises when she learns she can’t go out and play until she has done all her homework.

Branwyn and Indigo!! Nope. Can’t go. The Queen’s coming tomorrow and staying for a month.

So who exactly is going?

Mara attempts to make a necklace out of the tiger’s eye agate that Branwyn gave Thistle. Mara makes a functional necklace but it has to be said, this was not her best effort. It’s the thought that counts and nothing was destroyed in the process of making said necklace so all is well … at least until Thistle is running around training and the gem falls out.

Michael discussed having a permanent light source for Neith and so the group engages in an in-depth analysis of the Continual Light spell. Less hardy sources, like Kel’s light boot, will only last through a typical adventure or so, while expensive and/or strong items can last 100s if not 1000 years. Unless … the item is smashed or otherwise destroyed. Dispelled by magic or is competing with a Continual Dark object.

Quotes of the Night

[MarioHome] this is why we don’t stay in one place too long. Kids magically appear
[MarioHome] This wouldn't have happened if we were adventuring
[mharm-15549] Gotta keep the adventurers busy or you know...
[MarioHome] right on. they didn't have cable back then
[TMO] Adventuring: Nature's Contraceptive

[Lisa] so the light boot will not last forever
[Lisa] it's one spell - even if the boot say dies in a year, you just pull out another boot and cast again
[MarioHome] (that's why they come in pairs)

Session: 20190405c

Quotes of the Night:

Ryan] Gnomes are creatures who didn't quite have the potential to evolve into dorfs
[Ryan] They should be pitied for their weakness, not hated

[Kel (MarioHome)] I heard someone say one you all grow beards so you know which end to put the diaper on, any truth to that
Kel (MarioHome) secretly smirks
Skarphedin (Ryan) chuckles despite himself.
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] Hmph, your words only betray your jealousy at the silken beauty of my beard.
Skarphedin (Ryan) strokes his luxurious beard as he speaks.
Kel (MarioHome) tries to not look jealous

[Shi'Nynze (Carissa)] And please help keep Thistle out of trouble...wherever she currently is.
[Jilly (Master)] OH I told Thistle to take some cakes to the lighthouse
[Jilly (Master)] I told her she could heat them up on the light
Shi'Nynze (Carissa) obviously relieved

[Master] just sleeping in the gnome housing
[Shi'Nynze (Carissa)] (Gnome away from gnome)

[Onaldkelrad Trueblood (TMO)] (different dwarf. :D)
[Shi'Nynze (Carissa)] (You're all the same!)
[Onaldkelrad Trueblood (TMO)] (that's dwarfist!)

Session: 20190412c

Well, we started off the evening thinking we had a plan. The plan didn’t exactly go as planned however. Details to follow.

We start where the week before ended. A griffon holding Mara in the air on one side of the wagon and another griffon taking Shi away on the other.

Round 1:

  • Wu Sen Cho runs after Mara’s griffon to hopefully catch her
  • Neith casts Command on Shi’s griffon and orders it to land. The griffon laughs and ignores the command (Yes, griffons can laugh. They just don’t do it often)
  • Tiberius runs after Shi’s griffon to hopefully catch her
  • Howard casts a big cloud of glitter at Shi’s griffon which makes it all glittery but the only reaction from the griffon is a small sneeze. It is not blinded and does not drop Shi. (Yes, griffons can sneeze. Anything with a nose can sneeze)
  • Johan casts a Lightning Bug spell at Mara’s griffon which hits and light wounds the griffon, but causes no other effects.
  • Hoffman runs in the Mara griffon direction
  • Mara’s griffon takes off flying 200 ft. then turns north and keeps on flying. This leaves Wu Sen standing by himself looking confused and lonely.
  • Mara casts Command on her griffon and orders it to land. The griffon laughs and ignores the command.
  • Shi casts Animal Friendship on her griffon. The griffon ignores her friend invite and blocks her advances.
  • Shi’s griffon also flies 200 ft. then turns left and keeps flying.
  • Kel shoots 2 arrows at Shi’s griffon. One hits and lightly wounds the griffon but causes no other effects.

Round 2:

  • Kel shoots 2 more arrows at Shi’s griffon. One hits and the griffon is still only lightly wounded and about 400 ft. away now.
  • Ilero runs over and unhitches a horse from the wagon.
  • Wu Sen changes direction and returns to following Mara’s griffon, but a bit more slowly.
  • Johan and Howard run as far as they can in the direction of Mara’s griffon.
  • Mara casts Command on her griffon and orders it to land. This time it listens but glides another 150 forward as it lands.
  • Tiberius keeps running under the griffon flying with Shi.
  • Neith casts a Call Lightning spell on the griffon carrying Shi. The magic takes its full effect and both Shi and the griffon die.

Round 3:

  • Kel runs as fast and as far as he can to get to Shi.
  • Ilero jumps on the horse and rides toward Mara’s griffon.
  • Hoffman runs up and grabs hold of Mara.
  • Mara casts Command on her griffon and orders it to release her and the griffon obeys and flies away.

Kel carries Shi back to the wagon sobbing and whispering to her. Neith rushes to get the Rod of Resurrection, but Howard restrains her in order to give Kel time with her. The group decides to go back home instead of staying or moving forward.

Session: 20190419c

Rule Clarification from BOB: One Round Behind means just that. No more fudging that around and we will move to other things even if it means a player is excluded if it would affect a missing player that drastically.

As the group arrives back at the Manor, most of the group finds quiet places to go and deal with what had happened to Shi the day before. Ilero brings Shi’s body to Branwyn’s tower and then he and Tiberius slip into the library to tell her the news.

Branwyn feels that since Kel was brought back for Shi then naturally Shi should be brought back for Kel and since Kel was so upset, Branwyn would make the arrangements. Branwyn gets Jenn from the Manor and after a typical conversation with Jennivive, they arrive at Shi’s place of rest.

Jennivive uses the Rod of Resurrection on Shi, upon which time the rod crumbles to dust in her hand. Apparently elves need quite a bit of charges to get themselves resurrected. More than your average human. So yes, between Kel, Shi and Penelope, the Rod of Resurrection is literally dust.

Shi wakes up to the conclusion that Branwyn is not her brother and Jennivive is not her grandmother. Huge disappointment! Jennivive makes a quick exit, which leaves the explaining to Branwyn, Ilero and Tiberius.

Branwyn and Ilero explain what they were thinking and apologize. I mean if it was good enough for Kel, why not Shi? There’s so much to live for! Lots of Tiberius rambling. We didn’t know! Ilero offers to kill Shi right there and then, thereby putting her out of her missing afterlife misery. Now there’s an offer that Shi ultimately refuses. Shi just wants to find Kel and get out of there. She opens the door and runs right into Hoffman, who escorts her home and to Kel.

Meanwhile, we still have Skull Church to deal with whether we like it or not. So in the morning we re-hitch up the wagon and retrace our steps with a slightly different group. We are missing Kel, Shi and Neith this time around, but we have gained Siffress Wildwander, Female Gnome Fighter/Thief from the Tieran Guild.

The way back is full of surprises and non-surprises.

Non-surprise: We meet a badger out on patrol. Non-surprise: He’s hungry. Surprise: Siffress speaks fluent badger. Siffress assures the group’s safe passage past gnome territory, looks to see if we have ingredients for carrot grub cake and tells the badger he’s welcome to find food on the farms.

Non-surprise: We run into goblins next. Surprise: There’s only 4 of them and they are in plain sight and not popping out of the ground like some whack a mole game. The group kills 3 but one very injured goblin limps off to fight another day.

Non-surprise: We end the session at the very same spot that the griffons paid us a visit. Surprise: No one got picked up by them as a session ender.

See what happens next on Griffon Landing.

Quotes of the Night:

[Branwyn (Lisa)] From what you told me, she didn't die in battle. She died from a magical miscalculation.
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] It was a battle
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] just not a good one

[Ilero]] (TMO) sighs. "Want hye to kill you again? Kel not need to know."
Shi'Nynze (Carissa) looks at Ilero, opens her mouth, then stops.
[Ilero]] (TMO) rests his hand on his knife hilt.
[Ilero]] (TMO) looks upset, "Once Kel knows you alive, hye cannot kill you again wit'out cause him more pain."

Shi'Nynze (Carissa) turns back to Tiberius, "Not everything is a grand adventure. This certainly is not."
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] We can make it one

[Shi'Nynze (Carissa)] Coming back is more punishment than what awaits me after death.
Ilero (TMO)] T'en you have only good t'ings waiting.
Ilero (TMO)] Worst is over.
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] See how smart Ilero is
[Shi'Nynze (Carissa)] (Who knew?)

[Lord Tiberius (Master)] So someone should decide who is going with us in the morning
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] Ilero who else do you want with you?
Ilero (TMO)] We gots anybody who can't die?

Session: 20190426c

Not feeling very creative this week, but since we were missing so many people, I wanted to write up something to recap last Friday.

When last we left off, we were standing at the tragic site of the last griffon encounter. This time a very alert Snee sees a dark form circling over our heads hidden in the Mist. She tells the group and everyone becomes alert to the fact that we seem to have a griffon stalker and Ilero has become invisible.

Siffress wonders if in Ilero’s absence that makes her the boss. But then Hoffman becomes the Other Boss even though later Siffress reminds Hoffman that he isn’t the boss of her.

Tiberius decides to take a horse and ride away to distract the shadowy what we think is a griffon thing flying in circles over our heads. After some feeble protests, away goes Branadarus and the rest of us head to the barn next to the old farmhouse for shelter for the night. On the way, Wu Sen Cho tells Mara of his wife, his adventures, what he has thinks of some of his travelling companions. Mara shares her desire for bringing light to others and of Kel’s sorrow, death and other things.

Snee notices that although the barn itself is old and rundown, the barrels are newer and there are dried blood stains on the stalls. We set up for watches and Mara and Snee’s watch is uneventful.

Hoffman and Siffress take the second watch at which they are greeted by about half a dozen zombies. The zombies don’t stand a chance. They are quickly killed and pushed into a pile on the side of the barn for a morning bonfire.

Hoffman stays up for 3rd watch along with Howard and Johan. Howard, who has been increasingly worried over the missing Branadarus, starts whistling in the dark. Suddenly, they hear a whistle back and Branadarus is back. Without the horse. He tells them that it is tied up over by a hill where it is safe, unlike this place that everyone decided to sleep.

Morning breaks, Snee tells us of disturbing dreams and zombies are burned. Next stop, what is under the trap door. Siffress heads below with ultravision and explores. Three crates are opened.

Snee makes the very wise suggestion that we burn these evil items so that we can interfere with the plans of their owners.

While we are looking at crates we hear the horse Branadarus took screaming in pain in the distance. We can assume the horse is dead and whoever killed it knows we are close by.

Small note: Tiberius mentions his sister took over the kingdom. Relevant to this arc? Likely no, but raises lots of questions and possibly important later hence the reason for this note to refer to later. - Carissa

Quotes of the Night:

[Mara (MarioHome)] I am a font of good, for all to partake

[Lord Tiberius (Master)] I thought you were going to camp someplace safe
[Howard Plum (Lisa)] This place has been relatively safe
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] There is a pile of zombies there

[Snezana (SpringyDew)] so we could interfere by destroying these then?
[Snezana (SpringyDew)] it's not every day I get to destroy things and not get in trouble

Session: 20190503c

We pick up this week exactly where we left off last week. Opening crates of evil stuff. Howard and Tiberius pass all 15 crates up from the cellar for opening. In the end, we have 1 crate of parchment, 1 crate of tools, 11 crates of evil sticks and tubes and 2 crates to go.

Snee opens the crate to find … 12 creepy skeleton hands leaping from the crate onto her viciously clawing and attacking her until she is heavily wounded. Hoffman whacks at them with his axes and Mara turns the rest of the hands away. Snee sinks to the floor to recuperate and get some healing from Mara.

That leaves the last chest. Johan suggests burning it, but then we think about it. What are the odds we get more grabby hands? What if we burn valuable loot? Maybe we should just open it. Hoffman suggests a cautious approach but not before Johan’s hammer comes down on the crate. And yes, it’s more skeletal hands and they’re all over Johan. Again, Hoffman and Mara come to the rescue, but not before Johan is disabled. Onald binds Johan’s wounds and Snee heals him back to full strength. Good thing that was the last one!

Meanwhile, while these crate things were going on, Skarp and Siffress continue exploring the cellar. Skarp opens a barrel of ale and Siffress finds the secret door. The two start exploring the dark passage using their special see in the dark talents.

They make it down the passage and find a very large pool of water that takes up most of the chamber. The water flows into a much smaller one and the two follow into this smaller chamber. Howard rallies the rest of the troops to follow and make sure we stick together. Well, everyone but Hoffman, who stays above ground guarding the horse and wagon and making sure there is someone left alive to come to the rescue if needed.

So as Siffress and Skarp advance, the rest of the group follows at a distance. Seeing a small entrance to another passage, the pair easily slip inside in the darkness. The taller followers start to round the corner with their light. This light alerts the occupants of the hidden chamber. Namely a giant spider and at least a dozen stirges. Though the spider seems to be biding its time, the stirges quickly latch onto Skarp and Siffress. The two quickly run back into the other room bringing their new friends with them. The group kills the stirges that come out, including a rolling maneuver by Skarp.

BOB reminds us that it is only 10 am and we have already been using a nice quantity of spells.

So now the decision to be made for next week: Where do we go next?

Quotes of the Night:

[Lisa] Parchment is harmless all by itself
[Ryan] You have obviously never fought a parchment golem
[Carissa (LP)] Or gotten a papercut.

[Ryan] My Pa always told me that the only good crate is a flaming crate
[Carissa (LP)] What a crate saying.
[Master] as long as you are crateful
[MarioHome] crate puns? you gotta be shipping me...
[Master] don't worry Mario you will get it the next day

[Mara (MarioHome)] can blank parchment be evil?
[Snezana (SpringyDew)] anything can be evil if you curse it hard enough
[Snezana (SpringyDew)] @%$$@# parchment!
[Snezana (SpringyDew)] city orphan
[Snezana (SpringyDew)] i get to be crude, my life is tragic
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] If I was a bone-worshipping wizard, I would curse paper. People never suspect blank paper of anything.

Session: 20190510c

Another session at Skull Church. Another victim loses their life.

We start the session at 9:19 am and decide to press forward. Before we go in, we do find out that Tiberius has an Immunity to Poison ring – in his pocket! Because why wear such a ring? People might notice! Side note: We find out that this is the ring that Branadarus offered every eligible woman in Dryads Lair as an engagement ring on his quest to find a bride. That’s not strange at all. But I digress. Eventually Skarp takes the ring as a precaution.

We go one in the stirge/spider room one at a time with Skarp in the lead. Although Skarp took the most damage, it was a quick and most manageable battle.

With all the stirges dead but one lone straggler, we take a look around. No exits and no spider. We try to lure the spider out by decorating its web with dead stirges and Mara’s boot light, but the spider still doesn’t come out to play.

But there is a 10 ft. wall leading to a ledge above us. Our choices are to go back to where we came from or climb it. Who can climb it? Siffress is eager to scout and can climb, well, not the first time, but can with a little boost. Mara wonders where the spider went… Siffress gets up onto the ledge. Spider attack! It hits her twice. The others below hear a little gnomish yelp and then … silence. The spider venom takes full effect and Siffress Wildwander is no longer among the living.

Tiberius boosts Skarp up onto the ledge. The spider tries to take a swipe at him but misses. Skarp quickly grabs Siffress out from under the spider and tosses an axe at him to drive him back. Skarp tosses Siffress over the ledge to Tiberius, who misses and Siffress’ body falls to the bottom. Johan grabs Siffress and brings her to the feet of Snee in the hopes that something could be done to still save her. Snee casts a hold poison spell, but to no effect.

Tiberius boosts Onald up onto the edge and he and Skarp battle and kill the spider as it tries to flees the dwarven onslaught against it. The spider does manage to bite Skarp in the battle, but because he was wearing Tiberius’ ring, all the bite does is hurt a little bit.

As Skarp hacks up the giant spider in grief and anger, the group finds out it is only 9:40 AM. We have a long day ahead of us. What do we do now?

We move forward. The dwarves take a rope and help us all up the ledge and we start travelling the tunnel in a single file line. Johan carries Siffress’ body. We walk and we walk. We walk through the tunnel for a full 30 minutes until we get to a point where the tunnels narrows considerably. Skarp and Howard push forward a little to see what lies beyond. They don’t see much, but Skarp hears the sounds of drums up ahead. It could be a goblin lair. And we would have to enter said lair, likely in a single file line.

So we decide to go back to the barn. Maybe Ilero and Hoffman will be done doing whatever they’ve been doing. We leave off with the same question we left off last week. Where do we go next?

Quotes of the Night:

[Carissa (LP)] Hoffman gave his opinion online if you haven't read it yet.
[Carissa (LP)] But Hoffman isn't here to tell us we made a bad decision if we don't do as he suggests so...
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] Sorry what did Hoffman say? I was not listening

[Skarphedin (Ryan)] We also wanted to check on those who were left by themselves to make sure that we didn't return to half-gnawed on bones?
[MarioHome] They know better than to chew on bones
[MarioHome] oh, you mean their bones being chewed on...right.
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] I mean, either is possible

Another example of Lisa being bad at maths. Maybe that should be 4 choices.
[Johan the Apprentice (Lisa)] (so we pull everyone up or go to the farmhouse/barn and have our bonfire, or go to the caves or go to the front of the church)
[Johan the Apprentice (Lisa)] (3 choices)

Session: 20190517c

We start back up where we left off at the barn when we are greeted by the sneaking up of one of Ilero’s dynamic duos, Michel and Guiote. Surprise? Not for Tiberius who notices and tells Guiote that maybe she should try again. In any event, the more the merrier.

After some conversation, Michel builds a fire and we toss the 11 crates of wooden evilness onto it. Suddenly alarm bells sound in the distance. As Mara asks – for whom does the bell toll? Spoiler Alert: It tolls for thee. (Hemmingway) Or us. So we think. Maybe we should get a move on. We certainly wouldn’t want to be ambushed. Even if we are expecting it.

We decide to hang out in the farmhouse in case anyone shows up. We look around and don’t find a whole lot. Skarp suggests covering the windows so the ambushers can’t see us. Not a lot to use around here. Johan decides to help by picking up this rug. Bleh!!! Putrid, nasty, moldy rug! He starts to become sick, drops the rug, and races outside to vomit. Well, that was unexpected. Mara kindly hold Johan’s hair back and the two are too busy to notice a mysterious hand waving a canteen in front of them.

Michel and Guiote take up the rug in Johan’s stead and very shortly Michel find himself outside bent over, retching away with Johan. Michel, though, more familiar with the hand, gratefully accepts the canteen and thanks Ilero. Ilero? Yes, Ilero. He’s back and he’s on the roof of the farmhouse scouting. Or something.

So after some welcome back and trainee status reports, we have to decide again what we’re going to do next. Maybe instead of looking for a goblin horde, we just check out the church instead. My, look at all those graves around the church! Let’s take a closer … Skeletons! Skeletons in graves. Surprise? Not to worry, though. Mara turns not only the two skeletons attacking, but three more skeletons begin turning in their graves. Nice trick!

Ilero checks for traps in the church and doesn’t find any … so far. Things are nice and quiet. Someone has replaced all the old pews with new ones. Expecting a congregation perhaps? The icons lining the east and west alcoves in the church are familiar to Ilero. They are the Suomi saints that have been there for years. Except, wait … is that … Saint Branwyn? That’s new. This pleases Mara to know that Branwyn has a religious side.

There are some raised flagstones under the carpet in the middle of the aisle, but other than a bruised shoulder (don’t ask) nothing has been determined about it yet.

We get to the altar area when suddenly Skarp rises from the altar and takes a swing at Ilero and hits him with his axe! Mara casts a hold person spell upon him before Skarp can cause more damage and Michel ties him up rather ineptly, but ropes do go around the angry dwarf nonetheless.

Mara then casts a dispel magic spell, which dispels the recently cast hold spell, but also seems to brought back a rational, and pleading Skarp for his freedom. But the rest of the group isn’t buying it and the group decided to leave Skarp tied up for the time being. Skarp explains that he climbed onto the altar because he saw this channel with semi-fresh dwarf blood in it. Ilero verified the blood, but no one knows at this point how you tell dwarf blood from other kinds of blood. But if this is true, as Skarp believes, this means that maybe one of his dwarven companions may still be alive.

Ilero takes a look at the office (used to be Red Cloak’s office) at the back of the altar and calls Howard over to look at the books. Howard finds a book on using blood magic to charm people. Intrigued, Howard returns to the office and casts a detect magic spell. Three books and a ring begin to glow. Howard quickly pulls out his handkerchief and uses it to pick up the magical ring.

In the meantime Ilero goes to the room at the other side of the altar and teaches Michel to pick locks. They open the door to find a burned out funeral pyre with bones in it. Both scouts observe the room and wonder what could this mean. Both of them come up with nothing.

So we end the night with different people in different places.

Quotes of the Night:

[Master] no one should ever go too far out of their comfort zone
[Ryan] I've always felt the same, but they keep telling me, "You are interviewing for a job. You should have at least worn something other than sweatpants for this interview."
[Master] sweatpants are by definition pants
[Ryan] That is usually my follow-up. "I'm wearing pants, okay! How much more do you want from me?!?!"

[Mara (MarioHome)] eww, those crates are repulsive. I can help with the zombie parts

[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (Hmm... potato chips or manflesh... hard decisions....)

Ilero (TMO)] What else you call group who summon giant fire elemental and get t'emselves killed by it?
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] trying too hard?

Ilero (TMO)] And once hundreds of goblins outside, t'en what?
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] What can they do then!
Ilero (TMO)] ... kill us?
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] nah
[Ilero]] (TMO) sighs.
Ilero (TMO)] Look, hye already lose two trainees. Mind if hye keep t'ese a while longer?

Session: 20190524c

5-24 Mario

This week's session started with the team realizing there is one-too-many Skarps; fake Skarp is known as the Face Stealer, while the real Skarp is known as, well, just Skarp. The face stealer pleads to be released, then proceeds to use his Dwarven talent to both break free from his bindings and also resist a Hold Person spell (read more about this in Player Communication). As the players come to their senses, the Face Stealer disappears through a secret door under the altar.

Howard displays the magic books and ring from the back office, reminding the team to NOT open the books until any traps are removed. Beware the magic frost! His Detect Magic makes the altar glow, which Snee points out means that that a priest must have used it recently and active worshippers use it. Howard notices the burn pit radiates a bit of magic, but Skarp is too distracted to identify the bones as Dwarven.

The team decides to descend down the stairs under the altar. With Skarp leading the way, he and Ilero come across two unlabeled coffins. One appears open. As Skarp and Ilero wait for the team to descend, Skarp is attacked! A ghoul tries his (or her??) mightiest to drag Skarp into the coffin, but Skarp has other plans. The ghoul retreats to the safety of the coffin and covers up...so Skarp opens the lid. To continue the battle. That was over. (Wow, dwarves sure do have undying loyalty to each other, but I'm pretty sure the other dwarves aren’t in this coffin...) The ghoul quickly grabs Skarp's legs, while the rest of the team grab any dwarf part they can hold. A tug-of-war ensues, with the team victorious, and Skarp wounded further. Ilero ponders if this is the same Ghoul-in-the-Box he faced years ago. Could be, ghouls can live forever.

Ilero passes out of exertion trying to move the heavy coffin lid of the second coffin onto the first. Or is it? Snee puts on her best House hat and expertly diagnoses (??) Ilero as being poisoned. Or paralyzed. From the Ghoul. Or it's from PTSD. Either way, he's broke. Snee changes to her Psychiatrist hat and talks Ilero down, just as, surprise, another Ghoul attack! This time it's Onald. But not a Ghoul, ghouls have a silent H. It's a Ghast (Ironically, also with a silent H...). Ilero wakes from his daze, whether from the positive words of Snee, or the excitement of Onald losing three levels. Ilero makes sure the Ghast is dead, dead, dead (which he technically was before the battle, so.)

Onald's triple level drain leads to the killing of the Ghast, which leads to loot. Lots of it: 2 scrolls, 3 potions, 13 gems of various and sundry value, and a small miscellaneous magic item TBD. The crew discusses carrying on quickly or backing off, the new marching order bookended by Dwarves, and the perils of losing levels to level-draining undead. They continue peering into coffins ("Let's don't peer") as Ilero remembers these coffins housed high level priests from the Suomi sect. That explains a lot.

Well, as expected, peering leads to combat, as another Ghoul (the kind with the silent H) tries to recruit for his Undead army, while a vermintide of rats decide it's Moving Day, passing through the catacombs, nibbling at the oft ill-armored ankles of the team. The team quickly scurry onto the coffins. Tyberius has been watching the NBA Playoffs, as he and Ilero execute the perfect Flaming Alley-Oop, slamming the flask into the middle of the vermin. Burnt flesh fills the air; (shakes head) poor rodents just wanted to get to their new home.

Oh, and the Ghoul rages on, repeatedly clawing and biting Skarp. The ghoul must have been covered in some of the oil, as he seems to slip away from all attacks. Until its last breaths (??), the ghoul continues to wound Skarp, until the Hand of Ilero puts the kill in Kill Shot. So combat is over.

Ha! The oily rats continue to squeek all over the floors, which is too much for Michel to take. So he (he? she? it would explain a lot...) builds a fire to ignite the last of the nibblers. But the vermintide squirm away, probably super pissed, looking for the cheese someone moved. On Moving Day.

Tune in next week to see if:

Skarp survives the next sixty feet of catacombs
Onald finds his lost levels
Ilero opts for hypnotherapy
Howard learns to swing a Kopesh
Snee finds her holy water

Quotes of the Night:

[Skarphedin (Ryan)] Wizards....
[Mara (Mario-yoga)] why don't they stick with cursing parchment and such

[Lord Tiberius (Master)] SO what is happening here?
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] there seems to be a lot of blood and very little yelling
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] having fun without me?

[Master] Onald was level 4 is now level 1
[Onaldkelrad Trueblood (mharm-95433)] Yikes
[Onaldkelrad Trueblood (mharm-95433)] Is it permanent?
[Master] Yeap
Ilero (TMO)] (why do I put the effort into those folks again? :P)

[Master] Skarp peers inside and it is empty
[Snezana (SpringyDew)] (why are we peering?!?! let's don't peer!)
Skarphedin (Ryan) cautiously peers inside.
Skarphedin (Ryan) cautiously looks inside the open coffin to his left.
[Snezana (SpringyDew)] no peering!

Ilero (TMO)] (can he also get a swat in with the Hand?)
[Master] swatting with the hand will do no good
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (It will probably make him feel better)
Ilero (TMO)] (but he'll feel better for trying)
[Ilero]] (TMO) fist bumps Ryan
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (And it is always important to feel good about what you do)

[Howard Plum (Lisa)] (I have faith Skarp will kill it next round - and the rats are slippery now)
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] Skarphedin: Attack: Hrotti: ((15-(d20+0))+1) [1d20=8] 8 [MODIFIED (+1)]. MISSES Ghoul #20 (AC FINAL: 6).
[Howard Plum (Lisa)] (dex check for running over oily rats)
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (Much like every other person in my life, Lisa's faith in me was misplaced)

Session: 20190531c

5-31 Mario

Hoffman starts the night being very observant; he notices the statue at the altar has been melted down to a slumped mess. While mystified, he and Mara descend into the crypts. Hoffman notices some walls that led to other parts of the crypts and caverns have been walled up. And the smell of Ghast fills the corridors. And a squeaky pack of rats, oil-covered yet still squeeky. Odd. Hmm. As the pack charges past the pair, Mara recalls the vermin have nowhere to go, as Hoffman closed the trap door under the altar. They quickly move up the corridor to join the rest of the team to prepare for the inevitable return of the rats.

The team updates the pair about the fake Skarp and his sudden disappearance (both Skarp's!), Ilero's violent outburst towards Snee while suffering a trigger incident, and Howard's discovery of a Blood Magic book. Hoffman knows the party is but a third of the way through the crypts, with secret doors abound. Snee points out how weary the party is becoming, and questions if the better route is to return back upstairs to the church for rest. As the party discusses, Guiote hears the rats returning. The Fire Brigade in Reverse assembles; Michel strikes two stones in hopes of a spark, none appear. Johan cantrips but a tiny flame; deep down he knows one match can make an explosion.

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

The vermintide never stood a chance.

Plans flourish: Toss rats into open coffins, hoping to fulsh out the Face Stealer. But what what else will emerge? Smoke the chamber to flush out the Face Stealer. Like bees on the farm. And like bees, probably get stung. Continue to follow the Two Skarp's, deeper into the crypts. Somewhere. Until the party either finds them, dies, or decides to go back. As the discussions continue, Johan notices the lack of dust; someone has been cleaning the crypts. Yes, the crypts. Why? and Who?

The crew decides they are too wounded to continue, and return to the church above. Mara is super sleepy, but she is constantly poked awake (it's too early to sleep...sheesh!). Howard returns to the loose stone in the middle of the aisle (where Ilero previously took a beating from a pew, yes, a pew.) and puts his Khopesh to good use. A bit of lever-action, and POP, the stone pulls away, revealing a small hole. Howard removes a wrapped package, exposing a piece of paper tucked in the wrappings. It is a Family Tree, with names crossed off. Howard immediately recognizes Ilero's name. Of the six names on the line, his is the only one not crossed off. The crew tries to decipher the meaning: it IS a Suomi church, and of course Ilero follows the Suomi faith. It could be a target assassination list, and guess who's next? Howard decides to not open the package, which closely resembles a wrapped book, but to give it to Ilero to open (in case it's trapped) since it probably pertains to him (or in case it's trapped).

The plan for safe harbor for the evening continues. The farmhouse had but one entrance. But so does the church, and no risk in griffon attacks if we stay indoors. The team stacks pews in front of the church door opening (HODOR). While construction takes place, Johan wonders if the Goblins were war-drumming for battle, who are they confronting? The team struggles to remember who they told that the goblins were restless. Is the intended foe the priests, who live in churches? Or the Gnome village just a ways off (quite a ways)? Could they be incited to make war against the undead? How could the party make that happen? Goblins like to just stay underground and loot stuff. Sound familiar? But if we caught a goblin, we could get answers. Vee have vays.

The team assembles the magic items on the dais for Mara to cast Find Traps. The magic ring glows (maybe Undead Control?). The carpet in the office glows. As does both passageways to the stairs leading up to the mezzanine. Feeling a bit safer, Howard determines the three books to be priest books, from the Suomi Religion, on controlling undead, charm and honoring the dead, or maybe raising the dead. Not quite sure. The scrolls contained one Priest spell: Create Undead. Mara wants to safeguard the spells, to learn more of the undead; Howard points out the scrolls serve one purpose: to cast the evil spell. They decide to burn the scrolls in the burn pit.

We leave the team discussing where to sleep. To Be Continued...

In OOC discussions during the church barricade building session, topics included:

Goblins - who will they attack? we saw goblin pits on the walk to the church, maybe the gnomes are on to something. Have they been charmed? Coerced into fighting for someone? Or battling for themselves? And against who? Undead zombies? Gnomes? Dragon Fen? Probably the undead.
Priest vs Mage - who is revamping the church? Collecting crates of undead supplies? Making Branwyn statues? Wholeheartedly decided it's a priest.
Zombies - do they self replicate? What do they do if left alone? How far do they wander? Do they seek out food?
Griffons - what do they eat? Who do they hate? Alexa, what do griffons eat? Griffons eat horses or horse like animals. Could that explain the lack of unicorns? Dog and Pony Shows? We last saw a unicorn in dreamland - is that significant? Griffons will devour hippogryffs, hmmm. Imari had one. Is he (she?) close by? That would explain a lot.

Lots to think about and explain, and we all have our opinions. Hit up the TTT-OOC page for your responses!

Quotes of the Night:

[Johan the Apprentice (Lisa)] (I miss Wu)
[Johan the Apprentice (Lisa)] (sigh)
[Guiote (Carissa)] (Who?)
[Johan the Apprentice (Lisa)] (you know Wu)

[Guiote (Carissa)] Zis is why I did not become ze priestess.
[Mara (MarioHome)] don’t lose faith dear
[Mara (MarioHome)] your time may come
[Mara (MarioHome)] and do I have a God for you!
Guiote (Carissa) winces

[Mara (MarioHome)] (not when we sleep? even if we sleep for eight hours continuously?)
[Master] and you cannot sleep until you have been up for a while
[Master] it has only been 6 to 7 hours so far
[Mara (MarioHome)] (wow, who knew sleeping had so many rules? here, I just doze off whenever)

[Johan the Apprentice (Lisa)] I don't know what goblins like to do other than stay underground
[Johan the Apprentice (Lisa)] And loot things
[Johan the Apprentice (Lisa)] (kinda like us?)

Session: 20190607c

6-13 Mario

The team has gathered in the church, deciding on arrangements for the evening. Howard hands Ilero the wrapped package found in the hole in the floor of the church, along with the slip of paper found in the wrappings. Ilero's siblings' names are all present, and all are crossed out except Ilero's. The information has disturbed Ilero so much he forgets he hasn't opened the wrapped package. The enclosed book sports the Sauscha family crest on the cover; the first page is torn in half; and the rest are bloodied. The note in the front cover suggests it was written in Blackwater: "The sad ending of the Noble Line of Sauscha, dead from fire, flood, and The Mist". Moreso, it implies the Sauscha family is eradicated, including Ilero. He looks for a high location to process the devastating news, and perches on the balcony overhang railing. (Note from TMO: it was just earlier that day that he collapsed in the crypt just from the PTSD from the ghoul attack years before. Ilero has not had a good day.)

Howard mentions the trap in the office, and Guiote and Michel decide to investigate. The rogues are stumped as they find none. Mara insists one is there, maybe a trap door under the rug. Pyro Michel starts by tossing a book at the rug, then gleefully grabs a stick to set it ablaze, but is quickly dissuaded. Guiote grabs the corner of the rug to draw it back, and the rug immediately wraps her like a burrito, constricting and squeezing the life from her! The team, slightly embarrassed to be in combat with a rug, take positions, trying to slice through the floor covering without harming Guiote. Some are successful, while others, not so much. Just as Guiote exhales her final breath, the rug is cut loose.

The rogues' inexperience does nothing to quell Ilero's salty mood. Like a true master, he quickly uses this situation as a training opportunity to point out how the real world employs traps: Lodging a dagger upwards through a pillow for an unsuspecting slumberer (poison optional), filling a mattress with glass shards, rigging the bed to drop something sinister on the sleeper, such as a "pillow shapeshifted devil" or a "blanket could have same magic t'at rug did" or even "whole bed is mimic". But not just a regular blanket, regardless how lazy the sleeper is. As a last lesson, Ilero checks the chest in the corner and finds blankets and pillows. But the blankets are dusty, unlike any other part of the church or even catacombs. Hmmm, weird.

The new-found blankets and sheets are distributed as the team can finally sleep. Yay! After some limited healing, Mara, Snezana, and Howard snuggle closely under an Invisibility spell for the night. First shift is uneventful for Skarp and Johan, but Ilero cannot sleep. That book and letter really shook him hard. He starts second watch with the rogue twins and Wu. Wu quickly addresses Ilero's mood, and the two speak of the letter, what it means, it's authenticity, and it's implications. None of this comforts Ilero who pledges blood and screams to those involved. Tiberius and Onald take over for third shift, and discuss Onald's naming convention and the immediate future adventures. Ty tells his version of a Bugbear battle with Branwyn, while Onald expresses his opinion of the fire hell that should rain down on this church and crypts. Ty sees the humor of the smoke emanating from the eyes and nose of Skull Church. After detailing a plan for the conflagration, their shift ends uneventfully. And a new day begins!

Quotes of the Night:

[mharm-95433] Who’s ready for death and dismemberment today???

[Master] so you have a rolled up rug with someone in it, Michel trying to tackle it Onad trying to tackle it
Ilero (TMO)] (just when, exactly, did we become the Three Stooges?)
[Snezana (SpringyDew)] (am I the only one a little embarrassed to be in combat with a rug?)

[Mara (MarioHome)] (why does she get to nap? get it, nap?!)
[Mara (MarioHome)] (just lying around)
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] keep weaving those puns in there

[Mara (MarioHome)] "All the world's a trap, and we merely victims", hmm?

[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (....I see the trap, but I am springing it.... Yes....?)
Ilero (TMO)] (that seems to be our pattern tonight Ryan)
Ilero (TMO)] (oh look a trap! What happens if I stick my foot in it?)
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (Someone went through a lot of effort to set up these traps. Not springing them would be rude)

[Master] have you decided to sleep here for the night?
[Master] in the room with the traps?
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (You know... when you say it like that, it makes what sounded like a good idea sound really dumb)

Ilero (TMO) Hif my brot'ers gone by someone's hand, t'ere will be blood. Hif somet'ing happen to my daughter, t'ere will be screams.

Session: 20190614c

6-19 Ryan

While discussing what to do in their barricaded sleeping quarters, the group was hailed by a Carpenter named Many, who called out to them from the main hall. Deciding to go talk to him, the group unbarricaded the door and went out. Many explained that his group of carpenters had been contracted to repair the church, and they were currently there to fix the doors.

Many was confused at the sight of the dwarf Skarphedin, and annoyed that the pews had been moved, insisting that the group help him move them back. Ilero snuck up to Many while the carpenter was talking to Skarphedin and Lord Tiberius, who helped him move the pews. When Many noticed Ilero, he passed out in shock.

Many's crew came up at that time, but the four carpenters were also shocked at the sight of a dwarf,as well as the unconscious body of Many. One fled in fright upon realizing that Skarphedin was a dwarf, while the others insisted that he must have been transformed by a wizard. When asked questions, they informed the group that their leader was Many, and that Many had told them that the person in charge was a person named Pete.

The carpenters shrugged off the group's claims that their employers were evil, explaining that they worked for Many, rather than the priests, although some expressed an interest in working for Branwyn, whom they admired.

Many, waking up, explained that they were told to wear a helmet and a blue tabard whenever they went out by Pete, a priest in dark robes that smelled of incense. The blue tabard and helmet protected them from the griffins, who ate one of Many's workers when he went without them.

Pete often was by the altar while the carpenters worked, chipping away at it. Many was one of three carpenters who answered Pete's call for workers a year ago. He met the priest at Red Ferm Lake with the other two, although the other carpenters argued and were dismissed.

Studying the altar, Mara was able to determine that it was used for blood sacrifices. Howard studies the book that they found, determining that it was on how to use blood magic to control the undead.

Going back to study the fireplace once more, Skarphedin believes that the bones there are those of his dwarven friends. He threatens Many and attempts to appeal to him to stop the work, but Many refuses, stating that they have a contract and he is supporting his family. He does agree to Ilero's request to borrow two of the workers' tabards, which the group hopes will also protect against the undead.

Wearing the borrowed tabards, Skarphedin and Ilero go down to crypts along with Snezana and Mara. Seeing a ghoul flee at the sight of them, they continue onward, but are ambushed by a large group of ghouls, who paralyze first Ilero, then Skarphedin. Snezana screams, bringing the rest of the party. Mara turns the undead, and the group drags the paralyzed team members up to the main level.

Many tells the returned party that Pete should be at the church that evening. The group makes plans on how to capture him.

Quotes of the Night:

[Carissa] Summary: Ryan made a joke. No one laughed. Other stuff happened. The end.

[Mara (MarioHome)] if a god would allow his priests to worship with dart arts, then I suppose it is entirely possible
[Mara (MarioHome)] (they worship in pubs!)

[Mara (MarioHome)] ( the calendar changes!)
[Master] and so
[Mara (MarioHome)] (...soo,...she's a witch!)

Session: 20190621c

6-27 Mario

The crew is safely in the church after their encounter with the carpenters. They learned that Pete would be returning to the church to check on the work. Many possibilities for the initial meeting with Pete. But who is he anyway? Some speculate he is the Grand Evil Priest, who raised all the undead encountered so far. More realistically, he's a middleman, the site super if you will. In either case, preparations are necessary! What is the plan?

The team assesses the carpenter crew. Andre (and/or Brian, can't be so sure) had wandered off at the sight of Skarp, and are still out there, somewhere (underneath that same Mist sky?). Many is looking forward to a great sup, so he is determined to get home to his workers camp before dark, about an hour west. Pete is to come to check the repairs, and then go to Many's home (tent?) to pay for said repairs. Many mentions Pete is concerned with the altar, and maybe something beneath. Hmm. So do we ask Many to introduce us to Pete? Do we lure Pete into the church with carpenter bait, or maybe a fire (a la pyro Michel), then pounce before he has a chance to undead us? Do we wait patiently and just say Hi? So many possibilities!

Many has keys for the newly erected church doors, and is hell bent on locking them before he goes. What what about the team? they would need to wait outside, without blue talberds, ripe for griffon feeding... Ilero does his best to get the keys through persuasion, and the rest of the team pleads for Many to either leave the church unlocked, or leave the keys, or stay with them until Pete arrives. In the end, Many locks the team inside with a single click. No problem. Ilero, the great master thief of Dragon Fen can pick it blindfolded, right? Um, right? And alas, he does! Phew!

Safely tucked inside the church (!!), the team begins the ambush planning. Pete is surely going to want to visit the altar, but will he enter through the front doors, which are now unlocked, or through the secret door under the altar? In either case, he will approach the altar, where the team will be waiting. As final preparations are made, Ilero and a high-flying Snee (thanks, Tiberius!) scope out the upper deck. They notice the windows are shuttered from the outside, which would let in sunshine, because sunburn is a rampant health concern in the the Mist. They speculate the church must have been built before the Mist rolled in. They also notice no way to open the shutters from the inside. So weird.

After Tiberius totally forgets to catch Snee on her descent from the mezzanine (ouch!), the team takes up their positions around the altar. The spell casters are camped in front of the door to the fire pit room, cloaked in an Invisibility spell, while the brave warrior types are sequestered on or around the altar.

In the meantime, Ilero discusses with Howard the meaning of the Family Book of Sauschas found in the small hole. Howard speculates that the book was carried away from Blackwater to get it to Ilero, wherever he was, to either kill Ilero, warn him, or bring him back home. Probably one of the last two options. The book is only up to date until three years ago, so it could have been sitting in this church for a while. And the list of crossed off names? Looks like a hit list, but it could be something entirely different as well. Could be that Rama carried the tome and needed to hand it off to someone else, and when all looked grim, the book was hid so as to not lose it. So many questions, so few answers. Ilero calls for the safe capture of Pete, as he's got some 'splainin' to do.

With lines of sight checked and decisions on spells and actions, the team sits and waits. Oh, Pete, you have no idea what's in store for you...

[Pete (Master] Oh, Dragonslayers, you have no idea what's in store for you...



Quotes of the Night:

[Many (Master)] But I cannot lock you inside the church
[Ilero]] (TMO) bows. "Wit' all due respect, Craftsman, hye did not ask for copy of key. Hye can lock door just fine, on hye word of honor."
[Many (Master)] OK guys
[Many (Master)] Lets lock up and head home
Many (Master) CLICK
[Ilero]] (TMO) snaps his finger. "Before we get too far, hye unlock door. Guiote, Michel, come wit'."
[Ilero]] (TMO) (does bless increase thief roll chances, by the by? I may have oversold Ilero's talents earlier... ;) )
[Ilero]] (TMO) [Ilero]]: Thief ability - Open locks* check:(d100) [1d100=7] 7 - ROLL SUCCEEDED against 45!!
[Mara (MarioHome)] (woop!)
[Ilero]] (TMO) (now we *know* something's wrong)
[Guiote (Carissa)] (Shh don't question things)
[Ilero]] (TMO) (Ilero succeeding at rolls?)

[Master] Ryan did Spring explain what a Birthday Game is?
[MarioHome] not Pin the Tail on the Donkey or Musical Chairs
[Ryan] The one where they make you drink a number of shots equal to years of life you have?
[TMO] nor is it birthday suits
[MarioHome] kinda hard to play either remotely
[TMO] that would be death for some of us Ryan
[MarioHome] better to play " shots for year of life left in you", I may survive

Session: 20190628c

Since this was a pretty big combat, I’m going to go through it in more detail that I normally would.

Time for the big showdown with Pete. All of the characters that are in are in their assigned places. For lack of extra holding power, Ilero and Snee discuss sucker punching or sapping Pete when he comes up from the catacombs. At the last moment, Howard decides to give the evil or cursed ring a try. What could that hurt? It might even help. After slipping it on, Howard feels a sense of power, but although it’s kind of a rush, he doesn’t get a sense of what he can do with this feeling inside him. So, he waits.

Suddenly the lock turns on the church main door and it opens. In comes a young girl and her faithful dog, Digger. The girl is impressed with the work on the doors, but then wants to inspect the altar. She turns to close the doors and spots Guiote standing there motionless. She calls for Digger to assist. Digger tries to bite Guiote and misses so instead lets loose at a burst of flame right at her. Hellhound!! And Digger shoots some more flame at Guiote.

Ilero demands the girl and her dog surrender and punches Digger with The Hand.

Michel throws some daggers at the girl, but misses.

The girl pulls out a wand casts at Ilero’s Hand. It glows, begins to melt, and then falls to the floor. (Given what happened next, proper attention was not paid to the death of The Hand of Ilero, which he had carried and used in a multitude of ways for years and years. All of us have been touched in one way or another by Ilero’s Hand and I ask that all who read this take a moment of silence to mourn its loss. Seriously. This was awful and I am so very sorry this happened.)

Meanwhile Guiote tries to club the hellhound but misses.

The casters react and Johan hits the girl twice and Howard hits Digger once with spells.

Digger is still in action and this time is able to both bite and shoot fire at Guiote which renders her unconscious and dying on the floor. Johan blasts Digger, but this hellhound takes a lot to kill.

Howard wonders why Tiberius is standing around doing nothing and shouts at him to help them.

Ilero leaps off his perch to assist and as he lands, fails to tumble correctly, hurts himself a bit and isn’t able to advance to the door.

Howard casts on Digger leaving him massively wounds but still among the living. Michel tries to stab Digger but fails.

The girls screams and tries to cast another spell, but having been injured, her spell falls flat and fails. Tiberius rushes up the aisle and strikes the girl with his sword. Over and over and over again. The girl is dead beyond any hope of binding her wounds and reviving her for questioning.

Digger turns away from Guiote and bites and shoots fire at Tiberius. Ilero who has recovered from his fall uses a conventional weapon and issues the death blow to Digger.

Snee goes to the back of the church to examine the bodies and see what she can do when a man in a Black Cloak enters and screams “Carley!!!”

Howard runs halfway up the aisle yelling that he has The Ring and holds up his hand. This confuses just about everyone in the room.

Black Cloak immediately casts a fireball hitting Tiberius, Ilero, Snee, Michel and Guiote. Michel and Guiote are dead beyond saving. Tiberius and Ilero are rendered unconscious and dying and Snee is massively wounded.

Johan immediate casts a missile spell on Black Cloak to keep him from being able to cast again.

Snee withdraws from the combat in order to heal herself.

Black Cloak takes his daughter in his arms and holds her then looks at Howard scowling.

Howard runs to the man pleading that the killing must stop. He says Branwyn can bring the girl back. There’s been a mistake …

Onald runs up and binds Ilero’s wounds and then those of Tiberius.

At hearing Branwyn’s name, Black Cloak exclaims “That BITCH?” (yes that bitch. How many do you know?) He orders everyone to drop their weapons and get down on the floor or he will kill us all.

Wavering, Howard does drop his Khopesh, but sits on a pew and doesn’t fully get on the ground.

Johan decides not to cooperate and sends another missile at Black Cloak.

Black Cloak picks up Howard’s Khopesh, takes Tiberius by the hair and decapitates him. He hands the head to Howard telling him the give it to Branwyn the Lost. He then tells us to get out of his church.

At which point Pete arrives. Johan tells Black Cloak we will deliver the message and the group gathers its belongings and slowly leaves the church. As they walk out the door, Pete informs us we have angered the Master (You think?) and that he was kind to let us leave. Never come back.

Johan cantrips everyone’s clothes blue so we don’t get eaten by the griffon and we go get the wagon and leave. Snee brings Ilero to walking wounded and we decide to put some distance between us and the church.

We leave off the night a few hours away looking for a safe place to camp for the night.

Session: 20190705c

Setting: Entering Branwyn's Manor, time has been clicked off:

TMO and Spring vow to break the news to Branwyn so that Lisa doesn't have to do it by talking to herself.

Everyone limps into the Lounge, and we manage to straight up give her the bad news, but then we falter in the face of her anger and sadness and it falls to Howard (Lisa) to explain to Branwyn (Lisa) what actually happened.

Ilero apparently tries to drag Branwyn into a drunken stupor as a distraction by way of providing an example for her to copy, but this also fails.

After Branwyn manages to drag all the details painstakingly out of us, it's over to Skarphedrin and Mara to explain the bones, the altar, and the underground stores that were found. This is done considerably quicker and less painfully.

Roleplay for the night ends with a 7.1 Earthquake in California distracting everyone completely off topic.

Quotes of the Night:

[Howard Plum (Lisa)] I dropped the Khopesh ...
Ilero (TMO)] Tib wasn't conscious t'en hye t'ink. He not able to fight back or even move much.
Ilero (TMO)] So he not feel no pain.
[Branwyn (Lisa)] LET HIM FINISH!
[Branwyn (Lisa)] Go on Howard
[Ilero]] (TMO) shrugs and drains half of his third cup.

[Howard Plum (Lisa)] (we'll just have to ask him next time :) )
[Shi'Nynze (Carissa)] (Lost because she hasn't accepted Kiptutto as her goddess?)
Ilero (TMO)] (we have a few questions we can ask, eventually, after the initial torture)
Ilero (TMO)] (and the secondary torture)
[Howard Plum (Lisa)] (this was a mage not a priest)
[Shi'Nynze (Carissa)] (If we napalm, there won't be time for questions)
Ilero (TMO)] (and maybe even the tertiary torture)
[Shi'Nynze (Carissa)] (Mages can't be religious?:) )
Ilero (TMO)] (but definitely before the quaternary torture)

[Branwyn (Lisa)] Take that ring off Howard.
[Branwyn (Lisa)] Give it to me.
[Branwyn (Lisa)] Never put on an evil item!

Session: 20190712c

We start with Indigo and Wu (who?) chatting, and Wu admitting that he's thinking about heading home again. Someday. Maybe.

Onward to Branwyn interviewing Skarphedrin over his findings at the church and his future plans. He agrees to stay and help purge the church of the plotting evil schemers who dwell therein and sacrificed his friends for their dastardly plans.

Jennivive joins the group and has the situation explained to her. Upon mention of a necromancer dwelling and scheming within Skull Church, she name-drops him casually. Lord Charles Witherbane the Fourth (aka Charlie). She is married to another necromancer after all. It's probably a small community, well aware of the others within it.

Also, Witherbane?? What, did he get to pick his own name? ;) Witherbane is like a detective taking the name "Rick Steele".

... anyways, back on topic...

Branwyn has the pure joy of telling Jennevive to 'SHUT UP', to the immense satisfaction of every PC in the room who's spent a lot of time around her.

Jenn also identifies the ring as a Ring of Undead Control. A wearer who has the command word can control armies of the undead.

Further discussion of Skull Church results in Branwyn declaring an interest in adding it to her lands, a goal Jenn supports and says the Queen will accept as well. The Church was Quellcon territory, and the Quellcon Head has recently died, and while Charley is an heir, he hasn't officially claimed the Church for himself, so it's ownership is still legally undecided. Red would also be happy to see Charley taken down a few pegs. Apparently Necromancers are not big on Brotherhood and Camaraderie. Branwyn asks Jenn to send Red a message about coming to help us smack Charley down. *blink* Branwyn and Red working together... Is this one of the signs of the apocolypse? Or merely of a great fun time to be had by all? Or both?

Next up are Thistle and Shi talking with Branwyn and Skarphedrin, discussing, among other things, berries, beards, sleep, and if the talk with Ancien was useful, or like beating your head against a tree trunk.

And, finally, we have the introduction of Michael's new character: Talwin the Magnificent (translated from the Elvish word for Pretentious). He's a Master Swordsman, Smith, and Artillerist all rolled into one awesome package! And he can count to three!

After a short conversation between Branwyn and Ilero about visiting Regor the Mad for information.

Quotes of the Night:

[Branwyn (Lisa)] You can't raise him
Skarphedin (Ryan) looks away uncomfortably.
Jennivive (Master) raised eyebrow
[Branwyn (Lisa)] My husband was decapitated by a necromancer in Skull Church
[Jennivive (Master)] Charlie?
record scratch
[Branwyn (Lisa)] Who?

[Jennivive (Master)] then you have my full support
[Branwyn (Lisa)] The church was supposed to be in Kayugan control
[Jennivive (Master)] We shall erase the Greeks from the earth above and below
[Branwyn (Lisa)] SHUT UP!
Jennivive (Master) blinks at Branwyn
Skarphedin (Ryan) stares in concern.
[Branwyn (Lisa)] I don't care about you priests and your I hate them and all must die rubbish

Thistle (Carissa) frowns, "How could I find berries? I was too busy spying on, er, I mean, waiting, for Shi to come back from her visit to Ancien!"

[Steward Nevin (Master)] Countess Branwyn the Mysterious and Lord of Dragon Fen
[Steward Nevin (Master)] I present Talwin the Magnificent
[Branwyn (Lisa)] A mage?
[Steward Nevin (Master)] A warrior of.... renown?
[Steward Nevin (Master)] He is here to swear allegiance to your lands
Steward Nevin (Master) glances back at Talwin
[Branwyn (Lisa)] Step forward Talwin the ... Magnificent?
Talwin (mharm-95433) Flourishes in

Talwin (mharm-95433) Anyways!
[Talwin (mharm-95433)] to the Practice Yard!
Talwin (mharm-95433) Strides out the door without a backward glance
Skarphedin (Ryan) follows a step behind.
Branwyn (Lisa) waves at Indigo "Don't hurt him"

[Lisa] Indigo: Attack: Goblin Sword: (+13-(d20+1)) [1d20=9] 3. HITS Talwin (AC FINAL: 6)!!!
[Lisa] Indigo: Attack: Short Sword: (+13-(d20+1)) [1d20=5] 7. MISSES Talwin (AC FINAL: 6).
[Lisa] Indigo: Attack: Goblin Sword: (+13-(d20+1)) [1d20=13] -1. HITS Talwin (AC FINAL: 6)!!! [Talwin (mharm-95433)] Talwin: Attack: Two-Handed Sword: ((13-(d20+2))-3) [1d20=12] -4 [MODIFIED (-3)]. HITS Indigo (AC FINAL: 4)!!!
[Talwin (mharm-95433)] Talwin: Attack: Two-Handed Sword: ((13-(d20+2))-3) [1d20=7] 1 [MODIFIED (-3)]. HITS Indigo (AC FINAL: 4)!!!
[Talwin (mharm-95433)] Talwin: Damage v SM: Two-Handed Sword: ((1d10)+3+3) [1d10=7] 13 [MODIFIED (+3)] added to: Indigo
[Talwin (mharm-95433)] Talwin: Damage v SM: Two-Handed Sword: ((1d10)+3+3) [1d10=6] 12 [MODIFIED (+3)] added to: Indigo
[TMO] (I'm not sure why, but Michael wanted somebody who could do a lot of damage. ;) )
[Lisa] lol
[TMO] to each their own
[Talwin (mharm-95433)] lol

Sessions: 20190719c, 20190802, 20190809, 20190816

Apparently a lack of summaries is enough to spur me to start doing at least a quick recap. And so, for the last four sessions combined, the main happenings are:

Quote of Running Joke:

[Rhibosi (MarioHome)] so you have heard of the Indelible Disciples of Insight. we are few, and those who know if us are fear
[Thistle (Carissa)] Inedible?
[Rhibosi (MarioHome)] (indelible!!!! lolol)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (Thistle hears what Thistle wants)
[Rhibosi (MarioHome)] (I spelled it right!! :0P)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (So yes, that was IC ;) )
[Kenna Westfoot (SpringyDew)] (inedible would be a wonderful attribute!)
[Talwin (Michael)] *especially in our group)

After Court of Thanes. Summaries from between the two arcs can be found here.

Session: 20200306c

Count Drake of Ghostwood Domain (not to be confused with the Drake Estates, the northern family line) is a vampire. In BOB's world, vampires are sometimes determined by the parent vampire gender meaning if mom is a vampire, daughter is a vampire (Tiberius's mother and sister, for example). With the Drakes, it follows the fatherly line, but poor old Stanley Drake somehow did not inherit the vampire gene which made him very, very sad. In the process of finding the kidnapped Queen Presumptive during Blood Trail, Stanley Drake helps the group out (I presume), and the soon-to-be Queen decides to reward him for his help and fulfill some promise she made with him. Unbeknownst to Branwyn, the dagger that Missus Mosskin (Queen Presumptive) has her enchant ends up turning Stanley Drake into a vampire (after the Queen Presumptive Branwyn stabs him with it during May1013). (Currently in debate, but feel free to read the linked chat). This is why our Chat Arcive is so valuable. Read that session for what actually happened. The story that 'everyone knows' is that Branwyn did the stabbing with her dagger. The Queen gets a dagger's edge distance between herself and vampires that way.
Now with all that said, not everyone was there when it originally happened. Since then, others have found out the truth during Bebbux as to Count Stanley Drake's undead secret. This likely includes the gypsies who live near his castle (Thistle's clan), especially as Wisewoman Sunflower seems to know everything about everyone. There are rumors, too, because why would there not be, but the full truth is limited to very few. Note: Because Everyone Knows was partially about how everyone knew that Count Drake was a vampire when the group showed up. And then they.... It could be argued that Shi'Nynze may have told Thistle the truth, as she did stay in the castle and Branwyn warned the group before they arrive in Ghostwood Domain, but Thistle (who was not yet part of the group) ran off to the wedding. There is also a decent chance Shi'Nynze did not tell Thistle because Bebbux was a very traumatic adventure.
So in conclusion, caves suck, and not just because of vampires.

Quotes of the Night

[JohnA] tell me my fortune if I drink this potion
[Carissa] You will feel less thirsty. Talk to your doctor if you think this potion is right for you. Side effects may include...

[Fritz] Bob told me you needed a straight fighter ...Bad Bob...Bad Bob
[Master] apparently you actually needed a dog
[Thistle (Carissa)] (Most important thing, as I said)

Skarphedin (Ryan) smiles slightly, chuckling as he ruffles her hair.
[Spring] (wouldn't he have to reach up to ruffle her hair?)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (She's sitting and petting the dog I'm imagining)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (but lol)
[Spring] (that's a comical mental picture)
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (He ruffles the tips of her hair if he can't reach the top of her head)

Drayven Starmantle (Fritz) looks over at dog
Drayven Starmantle (Fritz) looks away quickly
[TMO] (is... is he trying to flirt with my dog???)
Drayven Starmantle (Fritz) looks around to make sure no one sees him looking at the dog
[JohnA] it's ok to love your dog, just not ok to LOVE your dog
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (Fritz giggles coyly behind his hand.)

Thistle (Carissa) shrugs, "I'm just going because no one is here to stop me this time."
Brer Necholas (TMO)] Do we need to stop you?
Hoffman (JohnA)] Thistle, you are not invited
[Snezana (Spring)] kids don't get to go to slaughters. it's a thing

[Drayven Starmantle (Fritz)] Oh and one more thing "For Fritz"...You have to help me protect Thistle there...
[Drayven Starmantle (Fritz)] Well I was going to ask her to help me protect YOU....but I was afraid of how you might take it....
[For Fritz (Fritz)] That's low dude...really really low...
[Thistle (Carissa)] Oh! I can help protect him!
[Thistle (Carissa)] BUT I do listen to Ilero so that means we can't run off and you have to stay in the middle. Got that?
[Ilero]] (TMO) blinks in surprise. "You listen to ... ME?"
Ilero (TMO)] Since when?
[Thistle (Carissa)] Huh, I dunno... but yeah, I guess I do now.
Ilero (TMO)] And.. hif hye say 'Stay here'?
Thistle (Carissa) covers her ears and starts humming, "Sorry what? Can't hear you!"
[Ilero]] (TMO) nods. "T'at's more like it."

Session: 20200313c

Quotes of the Night

Skarphedin (Ryan) glares at the building.
Skarphedin (Ryan) glares at the building.
Skarphedin (Ryan) glares at the building.
Skarphedin (Ryan) glares at the building.
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (he *really* doesn't like that building)

[Sundown (Master)] WHy did you not try to help them?
[Sundown (Master)] All of the other men rushed forward to help
Lanek (Spring) shrugs
[Lanek (Spring)] what use would i be?
[Lanek (Spring)] you want me to pick the horse's pockets, princess, i'm your guy
Sundown (Master) points to Talwin he was not any use but he tried to help
[mharm-95433] (Uh. Thanks?)
[Sundown (Master)] (Sundown is a male)
[Lanek (Spring)] (ane princess is a slur)
[Sundown (Master)] (grins)

[Drayven Starmantle (Fritz)] When I get back I 'm going to put out a reward for the capture of any gopher bandits in this area!!! How dare they harm my horse!!! THEY SHALL RUE THE DAY!!!!
Brer Necholas (TMO) murmurs to Sun, ""Rue the day"?"
[Sundown (Master)] I think it is a color
Brer Necholas (TMO) looks even more confused now.

[Grolduk Groundsearcher (Fritz)] /ME wonders how the HELL he lost a trivia question bet to Drayven!!!
[Grolduk Groundsearcher (Fritz)] .me wonders how the HELL he lost a trivia question bet to Drayven!!!
Grolduk Groundsearcher (Fritz) wonders how the HELL he lost a trivia question bet to Drayven!!!
[Grolduk Groundsearcher (Fritz)] (yay...finally)
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (/me applauds! )
[Uncle Fotopoulos (JohnA)] (Third times a charm)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (except with Skull church)

Thistle (Carissa) quietly, "It's so tiny here! I like it!"
Skarphedin (Ryan) glares. "It's not tiny.... welll, too tiny. You are just abnormally large."
[Thistle (Carissa)] Abnormally? I was told I was growing normally...
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (I read that as abominally large)
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (Trying to stay body-positive.)
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (abdominably large? did you just call her fat?)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (She seems to be calling everyone fat lately)
[Master] or old
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (hey that was Ryan this time!)
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (Don't lie, you can't prove that it was me)

[Thistle (Carissa)] (That's fine. We're going to have a nice, peaceful sleep no troubles, wake up and be happy in just a minute or two)
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (she is descended from a fortune teller. I believe her)
[Thistle (Carissa)] Thistle: Fortune Telling check: (d20) [1d20=16] 16 - ROLL FAILED against 13!!
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (nevermind - she's lying)

Session: 20200320c

Quotes of the Night

Hoffman (JohnA)] we will see if I get to confront the new cloak, you know I just see red

[Howard Plum (Lisa)] (man! poisoned zombies?)
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (I must be more tired than I thought. I read that as mani pedied zombies?)

[Sundown (Master)] (if someone had the skill to know what type of poison yes, you would know that the save is half damage)
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (yeah but Shi is off joining a cult at the moment)
As summary writer, I get to choose quotes that make me laugh. Also ones where I can squeeze in a shameless plug so, you know, I did.

Session: 20200327c

Quotes of the Night

[Howard Plum (Lisa)] Ummm ... goblins!
[Howard Plum (Lisa)] I certainly hope these aren't poisonous

[Master] so 6 are there
[Master] they can now try to overwhelm Hoffman
[Master] before he gets to go
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (like how many 5 year olds can you beat up )

[Talwin (Michael)] Bob, I understand if not, but with that many goblins, I feel they should have to make a save against hitting themselves instead of Talwin. We do that for PC do we not?
[Master] nope
[Talwin (Michael)] Really?
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (I also agree that whenever an enemy tries to hit us, they should have to roll a natural 20 not to hit themselves.)

[Thistle (Carissa)] UGH! WHY ARE YOU TWO USELESS???
[Howard Plum (Lisa)] Howard Plum casts a spell against Goblin #8: Magic Missile: Magical bolts shoot forth, each doing 1d4+1 points of damage. The caster fires forth 1 at first level and an additional one for every second level after that until he fires 5 at 9th level. So assuming they are all going at one character for now, they deal (3d4+3) [3d4=2,3,4] 12 damage
[Thistle (Carissa)] SEE? EVEN HOWARD IS DOING SOMETHING!
[Howard Plum (Lisa)] ("Even Howard?" LOL)

[Indigo (Lisa)] (I asked if that was it and you said he gets to choose what to do)
[Indigo (Lisa)] (just wait til I format this chat Bob)

Session: 20200403c

Quotes of the Night

[Indigo (Lisa)] I just think centipedes got food on their minds
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] Do they have minds?
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] Don't tell Shi
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] if she thinks they are thinking
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] then she will want some for pets
[Indigo (Lisa)] I don't think Shi thinks she wants everything that thinks

[Sundown (Master)] What is a good gypsy doing with this group?
[Indigo (Lisa)] (someone kill this guy?)
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (I can tell we're winning over Lisa with our helpful ways)

[Thistle (Carissa)] OH! And if you don't stop telling things to give up evil WHILE you should be freeing someone, I'm gonna be judging you REALLY hard. Got that?
[Sundown (Master)] Freeing who?
[Sundown (Master)] Evil should never be free
[Thistle (Carissa)] Hoffman isn't evil!
[Thistle (Carissa)] He's boring, sure, but that's not evil.

[Master] want you all to have what you need
[Master] when you are swarmed from the front by Zombies the rear by Goblins then the Griffons start dive bombing you
[Master] and the necromancer watches and laughs
[Master] waiting for his moment
[Lisa] meanwhile Branwyn has dimensioned door behind him drinks the globe potion and then polymorphs him permanently into a leech
[Master] grins SEE there is planning
[Lisa] I always have a plan
[Lisa] just a plan I can make in 30 seconds

[Lisa] Ryan what did you want?
Skarphedin (Ryan) shrugs when asked about potions. "I wouldn't want to take away any potions or such that could help another."
[Thistle (Carissa)] hands Skarp a Potion of Enlarged Muscles.
[Thistle (Carissa)] This one looks fun!
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (Those are all scams... not, that I know...)

Session: 20200410c

"Can I point out to everyone you are going into a space that has been preparing for you to invade them for a month, if you just blunder along like you are doing in the first room we can all roll up new characters next week."
"so far you have found A - a griffon on top of the church watching you, B - the upper windows of the church that nave never been open before open now C - Dark inside an open window so you cannot see what is inside of a room D - a wagon that has launched directly at you when you walked into the barn, E - all the barrels and crates you destroyed last time have been replaced"

Quotes of the Night

[Grolduk Groundsearcher (Fritz)] I remember in the pack a vial with a lable...uhm...Oil of Armor...Maybe if we put that on his lordship before a major battle he won't get so "easily" pounded when he has one of his...uhm..."Spells"
[Branwyn (Lisa)] I have done that before. Perhaps we can do that again
[Branwyn (Lisa)] My husband does not like armor
[Snezana (Spring)] but it's an oil
[Snezana (Spring)] so spell it differently and call it an oil of amour
[Snezana (Spring)] you're in love, it'll work

[Drayven Starmantle (Fritz)] (hOFFMAN SAVED bob)
[Master] Yes to Fritz that is why he only took 1 d instead of 2 d
Hoffman (JohnA)] (he rolled half, just lucky)
[Drayven Starmantle (Fritz)] (ahh didn't notice the number of die...)
[Talwin (mharm-95433)] (It's been nice. Hope you find your paradise)
Hoffman (JohnA)] (Pair of Dice, everyone gets that wrong Michael)

[Indigo (Lisa)] That was a really bad barrel
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] If this is the quality of Upland vintages, I will stick with my mushroom wine.

Session: 20200417c

* Side note clarification needed: the black ooze is susceptible to fire hence why it is surrounded by water, but there's was still debate about tossing fire into the moat. Did I miss some understanding here? Possibly won't matter until/unless we need to cross again, but something I still don't quite get (as well as the black ooze/grey ooze thing).

Quotes of the Night:

[Ryan] I am leery of going through the front door as BOB, for some reason, has his villains act as people like a brain rather than the XP banks that they actually are.

[Ryan] I always have these great comments, and then I remember that these logs are recorded for posterity, and I have to bite my tongue \\ [Drayven Starmantle (Fritz)] (Uhm as you all may have noticed I "never" bite my tongue"...Posterity can kiss my posterior)

[Spring] Snee just doesn't have any sock and awe
[Spring] *shock
[Master] Kenna is more the sock person
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (Do you have a sandal? That might work)
[Spring] hahahahaha
[Spring] Kenna is more sock and awwwwww

[Skarphedin (Ryan)] The dirt is very brown today.
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] It is a very sunny day.
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (false! - MIST)
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (CO-COMBO BREAKER)

[Drayven Starmantle (Fritz)] (Do we need to re-blue Skarp?)
[Master] boooooo Fritz
[Thistle (Carissa)] (LOL you ruined BOB's plan)
[Talwin (Michael-14198)] Did bob just boo someone for being intelligent?
[Thistle (Carissa)] (Hmm technically we also have to reblue Sundown, too, yes?)
[Master] OH man Carissa
[Thistle (Carissa)] (Oh damn there we go thinking)
[Talwin (Michael-14198)] Hate that don't we
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (You get blue! And you get blue! And you get blue!)
[Drayven Starmantle (Fritz)] Nice to keep the brain cells functioning

Session: 20200424c

Quotes of the Night

[Master] and Lanek can make a Save versus poison please
[Lanek (Spring)] Lanek: Paralysis, Poison or Death save: (d20) [1d20=8] 8 - ROLL FAILED against 12!!
[Omen (Fritz)] (Like a said...A really shitty move)
[Lanek (Spring)] (poor Lanek)
[Lanek (Spring)] (he thought it was regular sewage)

[Master] the weight of Brer
[Master] is more than one man should bear

Session: 20200501c

Quotes of the Night:

[Lisa] Indigo is blocking Bran
[Lisa] and half a pillar
[Carissa] The pillar is... holding you up?

[Spring] (if i back away instead of turning and running, that should stop the partying shots, yet?)
[Spring] (*parting)
[Howard Plum (Lisa)] (I need a partying shot!)
[Spring] (hhahahaha)
[Spring] (i already had one)

Talwin (Michael-14198) Grins weekly
[Master] every week he grins
[Master] like clockwork

[Talwin (Michael-14198)] AFK. I need a stiff drink
[Indigo (Lisa)] (since when did you start drinking Michael :) )
[Thistle (Carissa)] (Since Spring started offering party shots :) )

[Talwin (Michael-14198)] Watch, I'll get horrible rolls the rest of the time.
[Indigo (Lisa)] (don't say that - made an Obs roll AND a save! You are on a ... roll)

Session: 20200508c

Quotes of the Night

[Master] so technically Hoffman would be a punching bag, you can keep hitting him and he will not move that much
[TMO] tie a rope to his waist and drop the end down the ground floor so they can drag him like a balloon
[Lisa] so better to jump off the balcony, levitate down, get in position for the window and then go up
[JohnA] real trick to see if speed crawling wall will take longer that dropping, running over and going back up
[Lisa] your body your choice

[Lanek (Spring)] well maybe I better pick the lock
[Lanek (Spring)] Lanek: Open Locks check:(d100) [1d100=24] 24 - ROLL FAILED against 15!!
[Thistle (Carissa)] Oh oh! Let me try!
[Thistle (Carissa)] Thistle: Open Locks check:(d100) [1d100=42] 42 - ROLL FAILED against 25!!
[Thistle (Carissa)] I think you jammed it, Lanek...

[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (this is the trap I'm guessing)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (nooo not everything is a trap except always)
Hoffman (JohnA)] (could be a trick)
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (what does she do for him?)
Hoffman (JohnA)] (make us think it is a trap)

Session: 20200515c (Lisa this week)

First, welcome back to Mike LaVella who will be joining us about every other week. He will be playing Phyn Thesis, an adventuring rogue who stumbled into the wrong church at the wrong time. Now he’s stuck with us. Happy to see you back, Mike!

We begin the session with Indigo trying to shut those windows. Tied to a rope and downing a potion of climbing, he scales the wall to the first window. Looking down he notices there is a very long pole with a hook. This is likely the pole that people use to close the windows from the outside (like you’re supposed to). Oh well. Next time. Other than mildly disturbing the griffon, the first window’s shutters close easily.

Indigo scales the next wall, shuts one shutter, but on the last one loses his balance and flies out the window. Good thing Sundown was holding onto the rope. Indigo stops and hangs for a second before he recovers, scrambles back up and closes the last shutter. Windows now closed.

Now that’s done, back to conversations with the naked lady, i.e., Emerald. Brer hammers a piton in one of the links to stop the chain from retracting.

Thistle is understandably worried that Emerald has cast a spell by her uttering the strange word, Athenæum. Will Brer Necholas be turned into a frog, toad or some other reptilian creature? Branwyn assures Thistle it’s not a spell or bad thing. It’s a group. But that’s all she’ll say about that. Must be a secret group. Maybe about a secret book club?

Thistle tries to read Emerald’s palm, but she’d have an easier time if it wasn’t so smoky. Howard dumps some water but it makes it all steamy. We need more water! So as buckets of water hit the sticks and coals, all we get is a nice sauna treatment.

Talwin comes in and pulls the sticks out and the smoke clears. Maybe we should leave the burning coals alone and look to free Emerald. First though, we got to knock her out. Get the spells out of her head. Talwin punches the naked lady as soft and apologetically as he can and puts her to sleep. Thistle tries to pick the lock, but it seems Lanek has jammed yet another lock. Maybe we need a key. Next door we go.

Sundown breaks down the office door with a combination of brute force and self-righteousness. We find … an elf. An elf? How did he get in here? Sundown blocks the doorway so no one gets in or out. So questioning of our guest / friend / intruder happens from the altar area. He’s just passing through apparently. Traps? What traps? After much back and forth he tells the group his name is Phyn Thesis who is an adventurer who is really good at opening things and checking for traps. Thistle politely requests a demonstration by having him get the key from the desk drawer. He does and also slips a journal into his pack.

Thistle finally gets the keys and brings them to Brer who unlocks naked lady. He wraps her up and carries her over to a pew to continue her “rest.”

Brer Necholas then goes into the office to meet and assess Phyn. It turns out this guy is okay, but he’s holding a lot of evil in his bag. Brer gets him to empty his pack which contained a couple of scrolls and the journal from the desk. Sundown takes the journal and steps on it, keeping the evil within it beneath his mighty heel.

As a parting gift, Phyn offers to check and open the chest. Yes, there is a trap. He tries to disable it but alas doesn’t manage to and the two books inside start to go up in flames. Brer takes one and puts it out by hugging it to his plate mail and Branwyn runs in and throws her cloak on the other one. She sees the one she saved is a partially burnt spell book with “Transfig” written on the front. This one must be Emerald’s.

The small fire brings more truth and another book from Phyn. He explains he was on his way to see Ilero and thought grabbing a spell book as a show of his skills would be a good idea. Maybe Phyn could go back with us to see Ilero. Only after he helps us defeat Black Cloak and whatever else is in this place.

So we leave the night with Brer trying to corral all the evil books and scrolls in the room in one place (and try to keep Branwyn from looking at them?? We’ll see how that works out). Sundown with his foot on a journal. Phyn allowed to stay and fight evil with us.

Next week? Look at the books and scrolls maybe and get into position for the incoming Black Cloak. About an hour to sundown (little s).

Quotes of the Night

Brer Necholas (TMO) lays the chain on the ground and steps down on it with one foot to hold it in place, then kneels and pulls out a piton and hammer.
[Thistle (Carissa)] Why'd everyone pack that? Was I supposed to pack that?
[Snezana (Spring)] I did not pack that
Thistle (Carissa) relieved, "Oh good it's not just me."

[Ian] poor naked lady. I feel really bad for her. this is not the rescue she was hoping for
[Talwin (Michael)] Talwin: Attack: Two-Handed Sword: ((13-(d20+2))-3) [1d20=15] -7 [MODIFIED (-3)]. HITS Emerald (AC FINAL: 10)!!!

[Thistle (Carissa)] If I don't believe a naked beat up lady that she's innocent, WHY would I believe you??

Session: 20200522c

Quotes of the Night

[Lisa] but when we take skull church you guys can go crazy with the craniate wastes
[Mike] wastes? they aren't good for anything!
[Carissa] Not with that attitude!

[Phyn Thesis (Mike)] "I've never stolen a person before. I bet it's easy. Get them drunk and tell them you're taking them to a brothel. They won't even fight you!"
[Branwyn (Lisa)] This is my 1 year old son!
[Phyn Thesis (Mike)] "Oh, well that's super ease. If you're going to do thieving, steal from kids. It's not like they can even stop you."

[Branwyn (Lisa)] What is with you paladins stepping on things?
[Thistle (Carissa)] So they can stomp out evil!
[Sundown (Master)] Nods
[Thistle (Carissa)] Right Foot of Righteousness!
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] Leaves my hands free to hit something trying to pick it up.
[Branwyn (Lisa)] You both can't stand there all night
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] And I'd like to see a thief try to pick it from my pockets when it's on the floor underneath me.
Hoffman (JohnA)] sounds like a challenge elf
[Thistle (Carissa)] Well you can't pick a pocket when there's nothing in there.
[Phyn Thesis (Mike)] "Well it isn't in your pockets."
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] That and you put it on the floor in the first place. Why go to all the effort of picking it up?
Hoffman (JohnA)] (Slight of Foot)

[Phyn Thesis (Mike)] "Hey bug and ugly, move your foot. It's dangerous."
[Sundown (Master)] I am not ugly, it is not vain to know that you are worthy of being looked upon

[Lisa] so we have a lot of things we can be doing simultaneously
[Carissa] What were the paladins doing? I missed that.
[Lisa] hiding
[TMO] this place does not have many hiding places

Session: 20200529c

Quotes of the Night

[Lara] is Bran Black Cloak's daughter?
[Lisa] That would be a really weird twist
[Lisa] Branwyn, I am your father!
[TMO] sorry, but it's not believable. Brer is Branwyn's father
[Lisa] NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

[Spring] it makes sense for the coffin to be there where she died. that's pretty sentimental
[TMO] necromancers: the world's most sentimental class
[JohnA] they never let things go, in a way they are very green
[TMO] they can't bear to part with their loved ones, so they keep them always near. And your loved ones. And the neighbor's loved ones.
[Carissa] Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

[Lara] you say discord, I say concord! you guys did great
[Thistle (Carissa)] *grape
[Thistle (Carissa)] (you meant *grape and if you didn't I am disappointed in you, Lara)
[Lara] wasn't sure if the pun would catch heehee
[Thistle (Carissa)] (puns are always intended, caught or not :) )
[Indigo (Lisa)] (Carissa will always catch a pun)

[Indigo (Lisa)] SORRY WE'RE CLOSED!
[Man in cloak #8 (Master)] Why is the door locked
[Talwin (Michael-14198)] BECAUSE WE ARE CLOSED!
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (Carissa's going to have fun summarizing this one)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (Summary: people come to the door but WE'RE CLOSED. Done)
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (well now you won't have any more fun)

Session: 20200605c

Quotes of the Night

[Lisa] Hi Ryan!! :)
[Lara] I think I forgot to eat
[Ryan] Eat... Ryan?
[Ryan] Do you have a thing for Korean BBQ?
[Lara] um. no eating people on the first date
[Lara] only if I’m in Toronto
[JohnA] what date is appropriate?
[Lara] can't get good Korean BBQ here in SoFla
[Spring] April 23
[Spring] not too hot, not too cold
[Master] and I think that was a whole Quote block Carissa
[Master] of food and dates
[Master] pun always intended
[Master] don't eat the dates
[Lara] the third, of course!
[Carissa] You can palm a few
[Lara] yes, I can fit many dates into one hand.
[Ryan] Mmm... suddenly hungry for dates

[Ryan (to Carissa only)] We were going to fight Red cloak, I think? In the skull castle

[Thistle (Carissa)] Why do you need a specific place to worship? Can't all of this be a shrine?
[Pete (Master)] This is a cathedral
[Thistle (Carissa)] Huh that's a new one but okay...
Pete (Master) looking at you dumbfounded
[Thistle (Carissa)] So what's the shrine? The statue or the skeleton?
[Thistle (Carissa)] The only shrine I know is full of trophy kills. But this doesn't look the same.
[Thistle (Carissa)] It's not a c...catrhedrool either.
[Master] (does anyone get it?)
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (yes - the glass case)
[Master] just making sure
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (like a catrhedrool)

Session: 20200612c

Quotes of the Night

[Master] and then when morning came descended into the Catacombs
[Mike] I was hoping you'd get them done last week. I am not looking forward to being down here.
[Master] if everything works out in your favor
[Master] you get through 75% of them tonight

[Lord Tiberius (Master)] Sundown do you think we should open it up just in case?
[Lord Tiberius (Master)] Now that they are gone?
Sundown (Master) DROPS his polearm to block Tiberius
[Sundown (Master) (to Lara only)] but yes if you look at previous ones people post things
[Phyn Thesis (Mike)] "I like you, mister. Him, not so much. Does he actually take orders from anyone?"
[Phyn Thesis (Mike)] "All he seems to do is stop people from going where they want to go."
[Master] Both Sundown and Tiberius look at Phyn and say "Thank you"?

[Master] so everyone understands, if the skeletons went now, or someone were to attack Brer he does not get the shield bonus now because he used it in the attack
[Master] like making the haymaker punch and leaving your ribs open
Hoffman (JohnA)] (what is this thing called Shield?)
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (also called 'flat club')
[Master] hard blanket
[Master] arrow catcher
[Master] medusa mirror
Hoffman (JohnA)] (that is what Brer is?)
[Indigo (Lisa)] (frisbee?)

[Master] and that is where we end tonight
[Master] about 1/3 of the way along the catacombs

Session: 20200619c

Quotes of the Night

[Branwyn (Lisa)] (actually I don't think Brer has light. Think it is his paladin aroma)
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (errr area of effect)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (no no aroma was correct)

[Phyn Thesis (Mike)] "The hissing and gurgling reminds me of an acid trap I ran into once. Self reloading. Clever."
[Thistle (Carissa)] Ohh that explains your face!

Branwyn (Lisa)] (is she close enough to cantrip?)
Hoffman (JohnA)] (CANRIP!?)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (Can rip the cantrip!)
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (remember, it's not a cantrip, it's a CANrip!)

Spring] (okay, if Snee casts resist acid/corrosion, she gets only half damage for touching the thing)
[Spring] (if she touches the thing, she can cast cause disease and give it something fatal)
[Snezana (Spring)] (oh, Cause Disease is way too slow, it'll take months, nvm)
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (do it, we can come back later)

Session: 20200626c

Quotes of the Night

[Master] Michael Carissa needs those sheep first
[Master] to count to sleep
[Carissa] Umm, well.... I don't normally deal with living ones. Are dead okay?
[Michael-14198] LOL. She can be sleepless one night so I don't get sacrificed.
[Master] if Carissa likes counting dead sheep who I am to say otherwise

TMO] grandpa had a headache
[Michael-14198] You have grandkids? You aren' that old

[Snezana (Spring)] (btw starving)
[Snezana (Spring)] (ordered Chinese during the birds and bees talk)

[Master] man did Thistle bring anything?
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (LOL)
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (sundown?)
[Lanek (Spring)] (not any good for torches tho)
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (he's a torch and pitchfork kinda guy)

Session: 20200703c

Quotes of the Night

[Master] Wight #22: Damage v SM: Bite: (1d6) [1d6=4] 4 added to: Brer Necholas
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (gd)
[Master] Paladins make them much more angry
[Thistle (Carissa)] (so wouldn't it go after Sundown because he makes us all angry...)

[JohnA] going to chat it to death
[Bugbear #4 (Lisa)] (if only we could inflict chat damage!)
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (pardon me, have you heard the benefits of Xenu?)
[JohnA] (hoffman plans on painting doors , maybe wight? )

Session: 20200710c

So everyone is here and ready for the big showdown. We have two groups going now.

The Corridor Group: Howard, Hoffman, Tiberius, Thistle, Phyn and Griff.

The Chamber Group: Emerald, Brer, Sundown, Indigo, Branwyn, Skarp, Foto , and Talwin

All of this below is happening simultaneously, but I broke it apart to show what was happening in each area.

Chamber Group: Lots o’ ghoul fighting with some other stuff in between

Talwin takes the lead and heads down the left side of the staircase. A very large fire is moving around burning books and papers. Branwyn decides it might be nicer to go down the staircase without the fire so she goes to the other side and runs into a dozen ghouls.

A few of the ghouls start to come up the stairs to attack those higher up the stairs (almost exclusively Brer since he is extraordinarily offensive to ghoul sensibilities) and the fighting begins.

Snee decides to enlist the help of the local insects, making them very large and willing to do her bidding. She casts but much to her dismay, the chamber is surprisingly bug free. Oh well, it was a nice thought.

Talwin starts to notice the large sarcophagus beginning to open and an arm comes out to wave hello. The fire is burning desks (who puts a desk in front of a sarcophagus?) and books as well. He goes down the stairs to take a closer look, but ultimately decides fighting ghouls is a much more pleasant prospect and goes over to help the others. Especially after he notices that nice pool at the bottom of the stairs is full of grey ooze instead of water.

Note Talwin thought he saw movement and did see an arm outside of the sarcophagus but there is not confirmation of the lid or arm in action

Skarp takes the fighting down the staircase and gets paralyzed by a ghoul. Branwyn wraps herself around Skarp while holding the basket to keep the ghouls from eating him.

Howard casts a mass of glittery dust over the center of the fire to smother the flames and extinguish it.

Meanwhile, during the ghoul fight Sundown gets paralyzed shortly followed by Brer Necholas.

The rest of the group kills the remaining ghouls and can finally take a breath and look around. That will start next week.

Corridor Group:

This group discusses who is watching whose rear, while Howard wakes Branadarus by dousing him with water. Should they go into the large chamber and help with the fighting? Nah! Too much yelling down there.

Suddenly three giant fleas leap off of Griff! How did that happen? Everyone pretty much notices but ignores the fleas except Griff who spends the afternoon’s combat biting their heads off.

Howard decides he’d rather take his chances in the big room and ditches the Corridor Group.

Suddenly a man in a Black Cloak appears. Quick thinking Thistle throws a dagger at him and tells him to go away. Hoffman throws himself at him but doesn’t manage to get a grip on the slippery black cloak. Tiberius shoves Thistle out of the way and heavily wounds Black Cloak with his sword.

Black Cloak and Thistle both damn each other and then Black Cloak takes off down the corridor. Hoffman follows, unaware that Black Cloak must have flipped open a coffin lid because suddenly a wight appears. The wight hits Hoffman twice. Hoffman ignores the wight and kills the man in the Black Cloak. Tiberius heavily wounds the wight but cannot kill it all at once, so the wight is able to turn back at Hoffman and hit him two more times. Together Hoffman and Tiberius kill the wight.

Is it the real Black Cloak that got killed or just another guy in a Black Cloak? No one in the corridor knows. We’ll have to see next week.

Quotes of the Night

[Spring] (well I can move I guess)
[Spring] Snezana moved 28'11".
[Thistle (Carissa)] (The ghouls don't see Branwyn but they might see you now, but I couldn't type fast enough)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (Food for thought, anyways)
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (food for ghouls)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (Ehh, pedantics)

[Mike] this is the most deadly dungeon in dragonslayer history
[Mike] fireball them all and let the gods sort them out

[Man in cloak (Master)] Damn YOU!
[Thistle (Carissa)] No Damn YOU!

[Brer Necholas (TMO)] Brer Necholas: Paralysis Immunity: (1d100) [1d100=99] 99 95% Immunity to Paralysis.
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (it finally came up!)
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (had to happen eventually)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (right but you had... 90 more times before it should have happened)
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (95% is 1 in 20 chance of failing. I've been hit more than 19 times, I bet)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (ehh I was rough-timating)
[Thistle (Carissa)] (which is like estimating but badly)

Session: 20200717c

Skarp, Brer, and Sundown are still paralyzed from being touched by ghouls.

Hoffman and Tiberius need rest after killing the Man in the Cloak. Thistle checks the body. Lil' puddings are about and extinguished with a torch. Hoffman carries dead Man in Cloak's body and keeps it with him as if guarding it with his life. The Corridor group opens the door and joins the rest of the secret section group. Thistle yells out to the other adventurers but is too far away for them to hear her.

Branwyn and Talwin are with Skarp, Brer, and Sundown in the secret section, on the first landing, when the paralysis wears off. Thistle is still checking out the dead Man in Cloak and jokes that she should tell his fortune. Oh, right---he's dead. Or is he...?

Talwin and Brer head to main floor. Phyn, Emerald, and Howard are already there. Brer sees the sarcophagus, determines there is no evil intent, and realizes it is a holy Suomi relic containing Tiera, Ilero's patron. There are four small blocks holding the lid up, allowing an arm to stick out. There is discussion about putting the arm back in its rightful place and closing the lid. No one present can perform the proper ceremony to re-consecrate. Howard states when the Kiputytto people return, they can perform the ceremony. Brer begins to pray. (And pray. And pray. And pray.) Phyn believes there are treasures with the body. He wants to look and loot. Talwin explains that looting the sarcophagus, that contains a dead patron of Ilero, might be a bad idea.

Thistle finds Branwyn and tells her, quite animatedly, about the showdown and that a man in a black cloak is dead. Sundown is cutting the heads off of ghouls and piling up their bodies. Branwyn follows Thistle to see the man-in- black-cloak's dead body. She is shocked at her fellows' injuries and ensures them that she will put them in healing dream. Foto cures some of Hoffman's moderate wounds.

Phyn decides to look in the sarcophagus. He sees many nice things but decides he can't use any of it. He expresses the stupidity of burying the dead with such valuable things. He pokes the dead patron's arm, making fun, while Talwin and Emerald admonish him. Brer feels a disturbance after the poke.

The Master reveals that the dead man is, in fact, Black Cloak who has a ring on, pocketed items, and a wand. Branwyn laments. She wanted to hurt him before he died.

Phyn moves on from the sarcophagus to the work table where he can see there is paper, a set of ink bottles, and writing quills. Emerald joins Phyn to investigate the work table. Brer finishes praying. He requests to speak with Phyn. They bicker. Phyn leaves in a huff. Talwin is busy making a small cairn in front of the sarcophagus candles.

Talwin and Brer head up to join Branwyn, Thistle and the others. Emerald follows them after burning herself on one of the work table quills. The quills were used for necromantic spells, which Emerald is allergic to. Emerald asks Sundown to get her dagger from the pile of dead bodies. Sundown indicates there are plans to burn the bodies. Indigo and Sundown discuss the chopping of the heads and someone throws a dead ghoul's head into the ooze.

The group heads back down and joins Howard by the sarcophagus. There is discussion about Talwin's indiscriminate cairn pile. Branwyn expresses gratitude that it didn't summon anything by accident. Group visits the work table. Emerald relays the burning story and Phyn's observations. Branwyn drops the quills into the ooze. She asks Tiberius to bring the packs and the potion chest. She states that she will take responsibility for returning Black Cloak's body to his Quelcon family.

The group seeks a way out via secret door. Griff intends on relieving himself on one of the pillars. Emerald touches each of the eight pilths to see if they trigger the opening of a secret door and is unsuccessful.

Quotes of the Night

[Thistle (Carissa)] Look! We killed him!
[Thistle (Carissa)] Umm... hopefully he's a bad guy.

[Talwin (Michael-14198)] "Tiera...Any idea who that is Howard?"
[JohnA] (just one name, like Cher)

[Emerald (Lara)] "Sundown, would you be willing to get my dagger out of the pile of dead ghouls?"
[Sundown (Master)] What?
[Sundown (Master)] You left a dagger in there?
[Sundown (Master)] Do you know which one?
[Emerald (Lara)] "yes, um...#22"

Session: 20200724c

Branwyn and Howard sift through the ashes cause by the earlier fire elemental and find nothing of value. Thistle implores Lanek to open the drawers of the desk that has the dangerous ink and quills. They banter. Branwyn joins them and floats the dangerous ink bottle into the ooze. The ink bottle dissolves. Branwyn unlocks the desk drawers. Inside there are 12 quills for writing spells, 2 bottles of ink suitable for spells, a wand, a smelly box and a bag of dust. Emerald takes four of the quills (and forgets to grab any ink).

Snezana heals the wounded: Emerald, Lanek, and Brer. Branwyn invites Thistle to open the smelly box. It has guano inside. There's a discussion if the group should keep the smelly box. Thistle brings Snezana up to date on the fleas that appeared during the showdown.

Branwyn opens one of the pouches and finds diamond dust. Emerald searches the rest of the pouches and there is nothing else of value. Brer determines that the wand is not evil so the group will keep it and later determine its use. Indigo successfully retrieves Emerald's dagger from the pile of dead ghouls.

Another discussion ensues about whether or not to put the arm back in the sarcophagus. The decision, again, is to leave it alone. Howard calculates the angle and distance for fireballing the room but not the dais. Brer hypothesizes about where Black Cloak stayed, ate, and worked.

Emerald looks around all of the pillars and finds nothing of importance. Thistle is staring at the sarcophagus so Emerald sneaks up and teasingly spooks her. Branwyn orders everyone upstairs so she can fireball the room. Fireball is successful and does not disturb the sarcophagus or its inhabitant.

Branwyn suggests Emerald mark the location of all the doors leading out the current room. Emerald turns the pool water into red wine and uses it to mark the doors. Banter starts around the topic of eating raw meat and vampires. Emerald urges Thistle to chew peppermint to "make her teeth sharper." Brer's eye patch itches him throughout the night (minor correction: it's not wearing it for too long that bothers him).

Indigo piles scarecrow scraps on the dead wights and Emerald burns them. Brer admits that when he usually fights he must scramble afterwards. He and Indigo chat about this. Brer teaches Emerald about marshmallows and Thistle comments. Thistle discovers that "everyone is SO old" (Brer especially) and eventually chews the peppermint. Snezana cures the moderate wounds of Brer, Skarphedin, and Talwin.

There's a third (short) discussion on closing the sarcophagus and putting the arm back. Again, the group decides against it and heads back up to the catacombs. Brer and Tiberius begin to slowly lead the group back through the catacombs. They read and catalog the names on each crypt as well as identify which ones are empty.

Session: 20200731c

Quotes of the Night

[Master] How are things there for you Ryan?
[Master] does the state feel empty without Spring?
[Ryan] Every day begins and ends with weeping in this desolate wasteland
[TMO] oh, you're in Texas too?
[Ryan] Close. Utah is Texas' obnoxious younger sibling.

[Indigo (Lisa)] So wanna call it a day with the coffins? We did a whole row!
[Thistle (Carissa)] Yeah! Can we eat?
[Thistle (Carissa)] You know, something besides stones?
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] There are plenty of coffins if you would prefer that instead.
[Thistle (Carissa)] I can hear grandma now: "If you try to eat another coffin, you'll end up in one, girl!"

[Sundown (Master)] Somethings just Are, they are not Good or Evil
[Uncle Fotopoulos (JohnA)] it is what you do with it that makes YOU good or evil
[Thistle (Carissa)] Didn't I say that? Love is love!
Sundown (Master) nods in agreement with Foto
[Thistle (Carissa)] Maybe I should lend you both some of my books. You need to read more.
[Thistle (Carissa)] OH! I just finished one where the guy was running a inn and this lady travel shows up, right? And thennnn....
Thistle (Carissa) babbles on about some goofy cliché love story that I'm too tired to write out
Uncle Fotopoulos (JohnA) fains interest, trying to figure out why she is telling him this

[Lisa] or one of these days we will bring the stupid magical hinges and make our own door
[Lisa] the handy magic item we never bring anywhere
[Carissa] Oh the doors it could open for us....

[Ryan] It would be nice if each session summary for the rest of the year went: "We looked at some more coffins. We found nothing."

Session: 20200807c

Quotes of the Night

[Master] Left Right Left right Left right left
[Master] I don't know but I've been told
[Master] Count Drakes plates are gold
[Master] Left Right Left Right Left right Left
[Carissa] (you need another word in there for that to work)
[TMO] (made of)
[Master] Count drakes plates are made of gold
[Carissa] (better)
[Carissa] (not great, though)
[Master] Let me know when you get home
[Master] I'll make sure to hide the gnome
[Master] Left right Left Right Left right Left
[Master] and Quote for Carissa
[Carissa] (Are you sure? I'm questioning your drill sergeant skills here)
[Indigo (Lisa)] (Penelope's rowing cheers were better)

Thistle (Carissa) whispers, "Psst, Howard, did you just fart??"
Howard Plum (Lisa) bristles "Of course not!"
Thistle (Carissa) clearly doesn't believe him, "Uh huh. Okay..."
[Branwyn (Lisa)] Thistle, can you please mark this coffin so we can remove these bodies?
Thistle (Carissa) holds nose as she walks past Howard, nodding
[Emerald (Lara)] (does NO one smell the honeysuckle in the air? lol)
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (Howard's farts smell of honeysuckle)

[Master] Think higher level concepts, who would do what and why with that grease
[Lanek (Spring)] (when two people love each other very much...)

Session: 20200814c

This does not end the story arc - still need glass case, pool of crap, moat of slime and griffon from hell - Lisa

Quotes of the Night

Brer Necholas (TMO) looks at the body.
[Master] A male laying in a state of rictus with a wooden stake through his heart, seems obvious it is a vampire, as far as you can tell it is dead
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] If this weren't such a dangerous situation, I'd ask why you weren't ready to elect it to your local council to impose order.

[Master] and yes there is a dead wight laying on the ground there in front of you too
[Talwin (Michael-14198)] (Not to sound like ajackass bob because I don't mean to be. But is the version of 'dead" you are talking about in the coffin *really* dead, or just theoretically dead
[Branwyn (Lisa)] (really dead)
[Master] not moving
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (dead, not undead)
[Talwin (Michael-14198)] ...
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (dead again)
[Master] pining for the fjords
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (stages of life: birth, alive, dead, undead, redead, retired to Florida)

Session: 20200828c

Quotes of the Night

(And this is where the quotes would go...)

Session: 20200904c Lisa

Many things were discussed and a few things were done. Many people were afk throughout the evening and we really only had a full group at the end of the night.

What was done:

  • Successfully fireballed the wagon full of barrels of grey ooze
  • Cast one fireball on the moat which resulted in minimal damage and emphasized the magnitude of the task at hand
  • We checked on the horse which we found in pieces and was being eaten by the griffon.
  • We investigated the farmhouse of magical darkness
    • We found Black Cloak’s 3 spell books: Witherbane's Guide to Control, Power to Summon and The Dark Reach
    • Brer Necholas grabbed a poisonous trapped doorknob. He successfully saved versus the poison, but sustained quite a bit of damage in the process though

What was discussed:

  • Moat: After seeing the results of the lone fireball, Lisa brought up the thought of using oil as a boost to subsequent fire attempts. We’ll have to get our hands on some.
  • Pool: Still no final decision
    • We discussed having parishioners do it but that means we have to help direct them to complete the task (NPCs are not great creative thinkers if let on their own) and we don’t know how long that would take
    • We discussed bringing Kenna here and have her and Emerald to do a combination of Reduce and Remove Water spells. If Reduce doesn’t work, it would be a ton of Remove Water Spells

It seemed from the OOC discussions that Reduce was an option to help shrink the pool

[Lisa] can be cast only upon a single creature (or a symbiotic or community entity) or upon a single object that does not exceed 10 cubic feet in volume per caster level.
[TMO] what level is she?
[Lisa] 7
[TMO] 70 cubic feet is 7'x10'x1'
[Master] 30 foot by 15 feet by 4 foot deep [size of pool]

Griffon:

We discussed options and didn’t come up with anything easy and reasonable in game to drive away the griffon, so we decided to kill it per John’s wishes. However, when it came down to it, few people were at their keyboards to execute instructions, hence Branwyn going to the farmhouse. We left the session with BOB stating the griffon would be up first thing next Friday.

Quotes of the Night

[Lara] I thought tonight was a planning and discussion night for everything, big picture
[Master] planning and DOING
[Lisa] oh god I hope not
[Master] hope it is all done tonight
[Lisa] if we spend 5 hours planning I will kill myself

[Lisa] so procrastination is fun!
[Lisa] John - we will take care of the pool of crap later but look at these nice planks!
[Lisa] and sorry the glass case with skeletor girl stays put

[Branwyn (Lisa)] Sundown, how are you feeling?
[Sundown (Master)] I am feeling very good thank you Branwyn
[Sundown (Master)] it was a good chance
[Sundown (Master)] to gather my thoughts
[Branwyn (Lisa)] You look much better
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] Good to see you again, Sun
[Sundown (Master)] I feel like I can tackle the evil of the world again
[Sundown (Master)] Who shall we judge today?
[Branwyn (Lisa)] Well then everything is back to how it should be

Session: 20200911c Lisa

We have another discussion about what to do with that horse-eating griffon. In the end we decide to polymorph it and probably kill it. Branwyn turns it into a pig. Pigs, however, don’t sit well in trees and it falls out, freaks out, and runs away. No bacon for us this morning, but at least that’s one more task to cross off the list.

Snee removed Lanek and Howard’s swamp disease gotten from their foray into the pool o’ muck at the beginning of this church exploration section of the adventure.

Uncle Foto tried to dispel the glass case magical trap and Emerald tried to dispel the sleep magic on Hoffman. Apparently it is difficult to remove magical spells cast by 12th level mages if you are not 12th level yourself. Oh well.

The group takes some time to relax and waits for Hoffman to wake up by himself. He does as evening sets in, feeling healthy and refreshed. And just in time to meet Pete and Baron Ulgin, the Suomi – Kiputytto priest who has been holding the services here.

Branwyn explains that Hoffman is the man to speak with about church matters and Hoffman emphasizes the need for this church to be a peaceful place. Things discussed:

  • Branwyn states that the girl in the glass case is no saint (unlike her??)
  • Baron Ulgin likes the pool; Hoffman responds, “it will hamper efforts to fix the church, but as I said, that will be your call. Just don't expect us to deal with the effects.”
  • Everyone agrees the moat must go
  • Hoffman will take the farmhouse and barn. Baron Ulgin will take up residence in Skull Church
  • Pete doesn’t like the goblins and say they usually only come out at night but are scared off by strong shows of force, i.e., the griffon (who is now gone, so goblins will now feel empowered??)
  • Church used to have services at night but can now have them during the day
  • Pete will be returning with the church renovation plans and will be expecting cash to pay for them
  • Baron Ulgin was happy to see The Brotherhood (to TMO’s dismay)
  • Ulgin is told about Tiera and said he will set things right
  • Branwyn emphasized there are no more undead, and evil will not be tolerated. Ulgin reminded her that Kiputytto is not evil so no problem.

Quotes of the Night

[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (Wait wait wait... 12 year old son? Are.... am I.... Aren't we all teenagers?)
[TMO] (yep!)
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (I thought that was why we always ran into danger yet somehow managed to always survive.)
[TMO] (no, that's just because we're stupid)

[Indigo (Lisa)] (It should have the hps of a griffon - just can't fly away)
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (I saw that as 'hips of a griffon')
[Skarphedin (Ryan)] (I'm like, wait, we are body shaming the griffon?)

[Snezana (Spring)] (nice dsafrewgdbsfgareasgr'lgasfkhgf
[Snezana (Spring)] omg
[Snezana (Spring)] fuck whatever I was gonna say
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (yes, that was a nice dsafrewgdbsfgareasgr'lgasfkhgf. I was just about to say something about it myself)

[Baron Ulgin (Master)] It will be good to have members of the Brotherhood here
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (how does everybody know????)
[Baron Ulgin (Master)] (Sundown is standing right there, you are also in plate mail, very paladin like)
[Carissa] (and that paladin aroma is strong)
[Lanek (Spring)] (hahaha)
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (sigh - so nice being part of a secret order that everyone can tell on sight. ;) )

[TMO] so let me guess, Sundown the junior partner wears the symbols all over himself?
[Master] well he stands out.... he does Judge
[Master] so is very paladin like
[Master] but he has no armor anymore
[Master] that was all destroyed
[Master] most paladins are not part of any order
[Master] they are just holy warriors
[Spring] is the stick inserted during training or is there some ceremony?
[TMO] I'm not putting a big D on my shirt
[Master] grins at Spring
[Master] MOST Paladins are not adventurer types, they defend a particular place not roam around
[Master] the Brotherhood is sworn to defeat the Undead
[TMO] I expect him to be identified as a fighter - the armor obviously gives that away. Paladin, to the observant or very sensitive. But everyone instantly says, Hey, it's the Order! Hi there!
[Master] so far it has only been priests who recognize your aroma
[Carissa] You didn't notice? We're all wearing shirts that say, "I'm with The Order"
[Carissa] They point to you
[TMO] well, how did I miss that?
[Carissa] Eyepatch

Session: 20200918c Lisa

Branwyn checked the second wand and the spell books. See Party Pack page for spells. The wand was to Control Humanoids, e.g., goblins, orcs, kobolds, etc. She indicated that this would not be a wand she would use but that she would mention it to Hoffman in case he would want to find a way to make use of it.

Since we don’t have anything to use to burn the moat and John was not available to discuss his plans, we decided to take Black Cloak’s body to Quellcon to fill up the night.

We took off to Quellcon with the group and Apprentice No. 8 who had been working on the church (guest player JTom).

When we reach Farmers Turn we notice a tent encampment. Apprentice No. 8 says that is where he lives. The workers live in tents to avoid the ghosts who live in the burnt out buildings of the village.

Next we visit the site of the Battle of Hastilton Hill of the Third Drillian Civil War about 162 years ago. The land to this day is still scorched from the mighty wizard battle.

Finally we arrive at Quellcon and are greeted by Baron Thogood. He announces that there must be a trial by combat to avenge the death of Charles Witherbane. He gets to choose the combatants and Branwyn can choose the time and location. The Baron chooses himself to fight our Apprentice No. 8. He seems less than enthused by the whole thing and says that “If he wins, your side prevails, if I win the family honor has been revenged and all is right with the world.” Thogood agrees that the combat shall only be until first blood and not to the death.

Well then, we should get to it. Apprentice No. 8 swings his sword valiantly but misses and Baron Thogood slightly wounds the young apprentice. Quellcon has won and restored its honor. Snee quickly heals the apprentice and Branwyn bestows a gem on the lad to thank him for his bravery and effort to fight for Dragon Fen. We learn his name is Kalen Echem and the group will praise him to Pete and Hoffman when we return home.

We are then shown inside for an audience with Lady Emerald of Quellcon who was pushed into the room in a wheelchair. Conversation topics included: did we have to kill him, choices, how mistakes make you interesting, using evil for a purpose, relationships with the Queen, etc.

An agreement was set that no one would interfere with Quellcon’s mining or land north of the Battle of Hastilton Hill site. Dragon Fen will purchase 6 wagon loads of iron ore every year. We will not be interfered with by taking Skull Church or the area of the wastes from there to Dragon Fen. She did mention that the state of the road near Farmers Turn needed to be improved what with the haunted villages and ruffians and what not. We should get on that.

So we spend the night at Quellcon and in the morning return to Skull Church.

See BOB’s note in Player Communication and in the TTT-OOC page for discussions to happen on the website and next Friday’s session.

Quotes of the Night

[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (I say we leave the lowest level people here all by themselves
[Brer Necholas (TMO)] (do we have any Guild members handy?)

[Baron Thogood (Master)] I would choose someone very appropriate for how I ..... appreciated my brother in law.... points to the apprentice carpenter... perhaps him?
[Snezana (Spring)] uhm, he's a carpenter's apprentice. are you gonna race to build a bookshelf?
[Snezana (Spring)] he's a demon on the lathe
[Snezana (Spring)] you better break our your best plane
[Snezana (Spring)] (do you even sandpaper bro?)

[Lisa] what we're going to do with 6 wagon loads of iron ore I have no idea
[Spring] portcullis palace!
[Spring] where every gate is great
[Spring] and every grate is great too I guess

Session: 20200925c Michael

I'm sorry I went overboard on the quotes. Some of the stuff just really got me :) Bob feel free to delete some if you want.

Hey all! Don't usually do summary, but hope this will suffice for you all this week! :)

Looks like some "talking shop" for a bit on all sides. 9 - Inch Tablet Screen? Oh boy Bob LOL "I closed 20 tickets today without helping any of those people" I'm stealing that. Oh boy: "If it is really an issue, they will open a new ticket. Otherwise, sounds like too much work." Oh Ryan, you goof. Oh, darn. Bob says I can't use that as Quote...Hm. Well, if Bob doesn't see this it wont hurt him. We'll keep it here and not below.

Some Established Things: (Feel free to edit) 1. Brown Pool (Sewage Disease Pit) - Staying here. See Point 5. 2. Moat --Pending Task Assigned-- Going to be filled in with dirt and Pudding's goign to get some grade A Napalm. 3. Goblins - --Pending Task Assigned-- 4. Traps - Taken Care of. --Complete-- 5. Bridge - Assigned. Building. ---Pending Full Construction-- 6. Expanding Mining Operations. -- To be staffed with Branwyn's Political Dissidents /sarcasm--

A lot of this session is out of character. Mostly discussing the above tasks and about changing circumstances to "Shore" up this area and keep from having to come back.

It seems that to keep the area populated with potential immigrants a good incentive is the talk of expanding mining operations(?) in the area. This seems to be at a bare minimum a way for the area to attract some sort of industry as the farming capabilities are almost non-existent due to the rocky nature of the area.

So,

Characters:

1. Snee - Governess (Governor) of the Region. Whichever you prefer or Bob specifies as the title. 2. Baron - Represents the Churchgoers 3. Pete - Local Steward 4. Talwin - Engineering Tasks (Bridge, Farmhouse, Other Tasks as Assigned) - Knighted Skarp - 5. Brer - Sticking around :) Should I label as "Supervisor or Foreman" TMO?

Tasks: Burned Village - Haunted, task assigned. Church Area - Rebuilding Efforts, task(s) assigned [TMO] Moat = Oil + Magic + Goblin labor [TMO] Goblin = Negotiation + Intimidation + Plus eventual Relocation. [TMO] House = Talwin + Craftsmen [TMO] Pool = Bridge Over Troubling Water

Essentially, we are just working through issues and firmly wrapping up the plans before we implement them. I hope this helps!

Quotes of the Night:

I know some of these might not be everyone's <i>universal</i> favorites, but Ryan's quotes always get me so good. :) So some of these are definitely his:

Ryan Right-By-Might : "I think we can make Snee governor simply because there is no one strong enough to oppose us... Also, we just murdered the old boss, which makes us the new boss."

TMO Dry Humor: [Master] Griff (dog) moved 117'08". [Master] Griff (dog) moved 171'05". [Master] Griff (dog) moved 230'08". [Master] Griff (dog) moved 291'09". [Master] Griff (dog) moved 335'01". [Master] Griff (dog) moved 372'06". [Master] Griff (dog) moved 409'05". [Master] Griff (dog) moved 457'11". [Master] Griff (dog) moved 500'08". [Master] Griff (dog) moved 536'06". [Master] Griff (dog) moved 567'04". [TMO] my dog is traveling --

Spring being Methodical Casually listing out steps: [Spring] step 1. place the order for oil delivery [Lara] wait. BOB---please do the maths---how much dirt and rubble do we need to fill the moat? [Ryan] If we made Branwyn fill up all of her spell slots with fire spells, and forced her to stay there for six months, would there be appreciable progress? [Spring] step 2. begin backfill of moat. [Lara] 88,770 square feet of stuff? [Spring] step 3. receive oil [Spring] step 4. ask Bran for fireballs when the backfill results in surfaced pudding [Ryan] Fine, Lara..... six years? [Spring] step 5 profit -- [Spring] LOL [Master] and the group will agree or modify Spring tosses away the list she just made

---

[Spring] I am the GOVERNOR!!!! [TMO] one of the things that's kind of slipped - who among us is technically a Dragonslayer? Lara giggles [Spring] and this is the character I’ve been trying to kill off --

Ryan Thinking up some war crimes... [Ryan] Fact 1: Goblins are mammals [Ryan] Fact 2: Mammals produce oil [Ryan] Fact 3: Oil is an accelerant [Carissa] If goblins are mammals then they are animals so... [Ryan] Fact 4: We have an entire tribe full of goblins. [Carissa] Goblins are also 75% water so that'll be hard [Master] and LOL at Carissa [Ryan] ....I just want to burn some goblins, Carissa. Why do you have to bring your facts into this? Ryan] I prefer to think of it as goblicide. Sounds cuter that way. [Ryan] My husband's last name is Skullchurch, so I understand your confusion.

-- Jeeze Lara :) [Lara] you don't have a Black Moat and Slime Stone store near you? [Lara] I still want to know: what kills Black Puddings besides fire? [Lara] salt? [Lara] like slugs?

[Lara]how much is the oil going to cost us and can Pete enough back by himself?

--- Bob: 

 "your body is not Amazon Prime it does not show up in 2 days"