Tag: role-playing

D&D 5E “Storm King’s Thunder” Session 51 Recap

We reach level 10 and successfully infiltrate the flying Cloud Giant castle of Lyn Armaal.

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PROGRAMMING NOTE: Due to multiple scheduling conflicts over the next two weeks, our next D&D session will stream on Sunday, May 6.

Previously on “Storm King’s Thunder”

It took both our sorcerers deploying their Mage Hands to turn the latch and pull open the massive giant-size wooden door as the cold winds buffeted our faces.

As the doors slowly opened we caught movement on the ramparts. The arrakocra statues had sprung to life, turning toward us as if controlled by one mind.

We saw their mouths begin to open in unison and we quickly lurched into action. Halfred fired off a bola-shot from his new bow, completely destroying the nearest statue when the ropes attempted to wrap around it. I charged my hippogriff at a third, blasting it apart with a pair of telekinetic strikes. Bryseis launched a Magic Missile, shattering another.

The statues held spears but they were more interested in squawking then attacking. Just as the last two were about to screech out a warning to the whole castle, Korinn held up her hands as lighting crackled between them. She muttered a phrase as the electrified orb became two orbs, and set them flying at them both, destroying them in a static cloud.

The area lay still again. For now we remained undetected, hundreds of feet in the air atop a flying castle full of giants.

After the action-packed dungeon-clearing session last week we settled in for a more expository and logistical session this week. We also officially leveled up to 10! Continue reading “D&D 5E “Storm King’s Thunder” Session 51 Recap”

D&D 5E “Storm King’s Thunder” Session 50 Recap

We mop up the rest of the pirate and cultist-filled cove, culminating in an epic boss fight with a tentacled monstrosity.

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Previously on “Storm King’s Thunder”

I saw her give a startled scream, then drop to the floor as Korinn’s electrified orb slammed into her. Despite all the evil she had caused my instant reaction was to run to her side.

Atalia’s face was mangled and burned, and her eyes, once full of haughty confidence that I had fallen in love with, now showed nothing but fear. She tried to speak but could only cough up blood.

I saw the nearby cultists charging me. I called back to T.I.M. to save her life, and he nodded. 

I stood up, lashed out my Phantom pike, and beheaded the cultist who had just come into my range, his face contorted in both anger and shock as it rolled down the beach into the water.

I didn’t stop. I could feel the rage building inside like a thundering herd. The Mind-Zei had warned us about losing ourselves, and to always remain in control of our psychic abilities. But I had just seen my own people, former friends and lover, enthralled because of a great evil. And that evil was here.

I turned just as a second cultist of the K Society crept up, his sword raised. I whipped outward, impaling the man through the chest and flinging him into the water like a doll. His body slowly floated outward to join the others.

That’s when I noticed the tentacles.

Giant tentacles had begun pulling the bodies downward, and now more tentacles were appearing. A surge of water poured forth as a monstrous form rose from the depths.

A keening wail echoed from an unseen mouth as it shuffled onto the beach like a giant deformed octopus. At astonishing speed it flung a tentacle around me, and I could barely gasp as it lifted me up into the air.

The rage was subsiding.

We survived another epic, session-long combat encounter this week as we cleared out the second half of the Pirate Cove dungeon, culminating in an epic boss fight. Continue reading “D&D 5E “Storm King’s Thunder” Session 50 Recap”

D&D 5E “Storm King’s Thunder” Session 49 Recap

We make a deal in Waterdeep, get a new quest in Everlund, and assault a pirate base on an island.

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Previously on “Storm King’s Thunder”

We had a brief respite in Waterdeep after the battle at Goldenfields. I was planning on resting for much of the day, but curiosity got the better of me when I noticed Korinn and Bryseis slinking out the tavern door, giggling and whispering.

I followed them to the North Ward, my curiosity turning to nervous dread as Bryseis applied a disguise to Korinn, transforming our blue dragonborn white. When Korinn subtlety cast her Creation spell, a diamond appeared in her hand, and I knew exactly what they were up to.

I glanced around nervously but Korinn deftly played the part of the bubbly noblewoman, going so far as to drop the gem near the feet of her mark. To his credit the young man was unperturbed at the sight of a noble dragonborn. Korinn had picked her target well.

The two exchanged pleasantries, and Korinn laid her charm on thick. I caught myself nearly laughing out loud when she mentioned donating the gem to an orphanage.

The fool offered to buy it off her using all the money he had on him. Korinn tried to hide her anxiety as we both felt the clock ticking on her illusion spell. Bryseis waltzed up, her magical hood held up high, playing the part of her secretary or handmaiden. It was getting more difficult to stifle my laughter.

Astonishingly the man paid out hundreds of gold pieces right there in the middle of the street, and the women comically fast-walked out of there. Just as they turned the corner I could hear the young man began to shout, and I ran after them.

This week was more of a logistical episode as we finally returned to the main quest. Or what I thought was the main quest path, only to receive what looks like a very major side quest involving the Weevil, some pirates, and the K Society. Continue reading “D&D 5E “Storm King’s Thunder” Session 49 Recap”

D&D 5E “Storm King’s Thunder” Session 48 Recap

We engage the massive hill giant army and help defend the town of Goldenfields.

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Previously on “Storm King’s Thunder”

The hill giant army advanced up the walls in front of us. It was now or never.

I glanced at Halfred as a foggy cloud descended upon half the army, blanketing them in darkness.

Just as the cries of surprise rang out, T.I.M. spurred his horse forward at break-neck speed, leaping of it in the middle of a pack of giants, bugbears and goblins.

I could see him in the distance lifting his warhammer, the embedded jewel glinting off the morning sun.

When he slammed it into the ground I could feel the shockwave from over 20 yards away. The ground tore apart and kicked up dust and debris all around him. When I looked up again I saw one of the hill giants topple over, along with an ogre and several goblins.

Hell of a way to start a fight. I charged into the fray.

We’ve had sessions without any combat at all, but rarely do we have a week with nothing but one single combat encounter. That definitely happens this week as we engage a massive hill giant army assaulting the walled farming town of Goldenfields.

We began right were we left off last week – having ridden all night from recruiting Dinayla the Giant-Slayer to reach Goldenfields, at exactly the same moment Gnasher’s army approached the walls.

I don’t have the exact numbers but there were a lot of foes on the battlefield, including five hill giants and at least as many ogres and bugbears, and probably like twenty goblins. Continue reading “D&D 5E “Storm King’s Thunder” Session 48 Recap”

D&D 5E “Storm King’s Thunder” Session 47 Recap

We find the legendary giant-slayer and beseech her to aid us in the epic giant siege at Goldenfields.

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Previously on “Storm King’s Thunder”

The sun was peeking over the horizon, and we were dead tired. We’d rode all night to reach Dinayla and back to Goldenfields, and I feared we were as liable to keel over as our poor horses.

Seeing the massive army gathered outside Goldenfields gave us all a jolt of adrenaline.

Five Hill Giants towered over the rest. The figure in the middle was taller still, his body covered with what looked like human-size shields welded together for armor.

Among the scattered troops of bugbears and goblins were half a dozen ogres, each with what looked like miniature catapults strapped to their backs. Walking siege weapons.

“You ever seen anything like this?” I whispered to Dinayla, despite still being several hundred feet away.

“Gods,” she breathed, awe-stricken. “I’ve never seen them this organized before.” She quickly composed herself, and her voice became confident again. “Let’s wait for them to start attacking, then move in. If we charge in now they’ll all turn and murder us.”

We held back for the moment, casting spells and discussing a plan that wouldn’t get us all killed. The army began to advance on the walls. We were in for a hell of a fight.

This week we took another detour to tackle a much older side quest, one we’ve had since we left Bryn Shander: seek out a giant slayer near Goldenfields. Continue reading “D&D 5E “Storm King’s Thunder” Session 47 Recap”

Roll20 Review: Crownfall (War for the Crown 1)

A press review copy of the module was provided. Find more Roll20 Reviews on my website and YouTube channel.

Every new edition of Dungeons & Dragons has its naysayers, but in the mid 2000s Fourth Edition’s announcement was especially volatile compared to the widely beloved 3.5 edition. So much so that one company split off and created their own RPG system heavily based on 3.5 edition. Pathfinder did the unthinkable and proved more popular than Dungeons & Dragons for several years, until Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition arrived in 2014.

My own experience with Pathfinder is quite limited. When we first got into doing role-playing games online via Roll20, we actually started with Pathfinder, playing for several months. That game was cancelled when our GM abruptly left, and it would be several months before we got bit by the RPG bug again, first with Shadowrun and then with D&D 5E.

Now, finally, Pathfinder has officially come to Roll20. Roll20 is completely open, meaning you could always play Pathfinder, but with official licensing support comes Roll20-created character sheets, as well as professionally adapted modules, the likes of which we’ve been seeing (and I’ve been reviewing) for D&D over the last several months. Continue reading “Roll20 Review: Crownfall (War for the Crown 1)”

D&D 5E “Storm King’s Thunder” Session 46 Recap

T.I.M.’s journal leads us to a long-buried magical sword guarded by bullywugs and their monstrous, tentacled god.

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Previously on “Storm King’s Thunder”

The incessant croaking from the surrounding bullywugs had reached a fever pitch as the monstrous creature lurched toward us, tentacles writhing, maw gaping. Halfred threw our last batch of food into its mouth, and it rolled forward again, making little indication that it had any intention to stop feeding.

I motioned to T.I.M. He nodded, and raced back to the cave where Korinn had gone. The monster’s three eye stalks swiveled around to each of us, and the croaking began to take on a nervous quality. We were out of food.

Suddenly a blast erupted from the cave as an explosion rocked the ground around us. The cave rumbled, and T.I.M. and Korinn came running out. T.I.M. was proudly carrying a glowing yellow sword, and he held it aloft as the situation around us began collapsing.

“Let’s get out of here!” I yelled. We ran as the giant monster roared out in agitation. We fled, and rounded a corner of trees. As we disappeared from view I glanced back to see a massive tentacle wrap around the nearest screaming bullywug, and pull it toward the monster’s hungry mouth.

This week we defend T.I.M.’s old home (and our lives) against warforged agents, then diplomatically deal with a nearby bullywug tribe to retrieve his magic sword. Continue reading “D&D 5E “Storm King’s Thunder” Session 46 Recap”