Kid Charlemagne's Story Hour, Pt II

[Lazybones]

Great! Looking forward to the continuation of the story, in 3e (I don't have to wear those funny glasses, right?)

I think I've said it before, but your world seems very well realized, and it's easy for the reader to be drawn into the epic sweep of events that you describe. Plus your player-DM dynamic is great (with just the perfect touch of wry bitterness on the part of the players ).

Game on!

 

[Matchstick]

Gavin fumbles through his backpack, and pulls out a small bottle of greenish liquid.

“I’ve been saving this,” he says, and drinks it down, suddenly growing in size to about sixteen feet tall. He turns and charges the Dragon, getting a swipe in on the creature. Sharat does not think much of these odds, and turns and dives into the hole in the floor, slinking quickly away into the shadows.

Brennen, Jalea, and Reana jump down into the hole. Gavin looks in, and realizes the ceilings down there are only about nine feet tall.

“Aaargghhh!” he yells.

You know, that was almost cruel. He had probably been waiting forever for just the right moment! I'd love to hear what he was thinking at that point!

Aris has no time to react. He is still badly injured from the fight at the Song-Ling Monastery, and he is unarmored and weaponless. He reacts with the only spell he has that doesn’t require his still unlocated component bag, burning hands.

Batista goes down in a heap. Aris runs over to his side, and checks his pulse.

There is none.

“Oh no,” the elf wails. Just then, Sharat returns, with a quick hit and run attack on Brennen, on the other side of the area just under the entry hole. He hits, and retreats into the darkness. Reana, Brennen, and Jovah move over to join Aris to face off against the beast, staying spread wide enough to avoid his debilitating breath. Aris recovers his flameblade, and hears the Dragon mockingly whispering another incantation.

“He’s casting a … oh no…” The Bladesinger’s heart sinks.

“…Aris,” an emotionless voice intones from behind them. Aris turns, as Batista pulls himself up to his feet. He is badly burned, and he shuffles towards his old protector, scimitar in hand. Aris’ flameblade burns brighter, like it only does when the Bladesinger is facing the undead.

“I’m sorry, Batista,” the elf says, as he strikes down his friend yet again.

Hello, and welcome to Guilt, IL. Population: Aris. Jeez, that guy's got so much guilt I'm surprised he hasn't had a total breakdown!

Just as it crosses beneath the entry hole, they hear a cry from above them. Gavin has been waiting for seemingly forever to see what is going on below, and when the Dragon charges under the hole, he takes his sword, holds the point down, and leaps into the hole, and right onto Sharat’s back, plunging his twelve foot long sword into the Dragon’s sinewy neck, pinning it to the floor like a hundred foot long butterfly.

Sharat twitches once, then twice, and then dies.

Oh HELL yeah. Great idea, great execution, great description here in the story hour (LOVE the butterfly thing), and a great moment. How did you handle this in game? There's no wrong answer as far as I'm concerned, as a DM I would have just seen the inherent coolness of the move and let it happen with maybe one roll to hit or something. Wow wow wow!

But really, this next portion is going to be very open-ended. The players will drive the direction of the game for at least the first several months, and I'll see where things seem headed and work in the directions that the characters point me.

Most times, I think that's the best way to go, though the players have to be pretty self motivated.

I wish you all the best of times on Sunday. Don't worry about the Story Hour, just have a good time and post it when you get a chance.

I'd be interested in hearing from the players whether or not they feel their play style is affected by them knowing they're going to be in a story hour.

Have a great time!

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Oh HELL yeah. Great idea, great execution, great description here in the story hour (LOVE the butterfly thing), and a great moment. How did you handle this in game? There's no wrong answer as far as I'm concerned, as a DM I would have just seen the inherent coolness of the move and let it happen with maybe one roll to hit or something. Wow wow wow!

Gavin had been waiting up there for his chance to do ANYTHING, so when Sharat went under him, he just jumped on it, so to speak. He rolled a good hit (tough in itsefl, as Sharat's AC was -10 in 2e terms), and then near max damage. I think it was something like 30 or more points.

 

[Jovah]

poer batista...sniff

…Meanwhile…

Batista is stirred from fitful sleep by the sounds of a fight somewhere nearby. He’s been locked up in a cell with about thirty other folk for the past day or two. He lightly touches the two bite marks on his neck, and shudders.

The prisoner looks up, and slowly shuffles over to the half-elf. Batista suddenly grabs him by the collar and drives his head into the cage door! The cage breaks open, and the prisoner falls to the floor, blood gushing from where his skull hit the lock.

Batista was sure he was a "vamp waiting to happen. He also thought the other prisoners were "unsave-able".

The Dragon smiles, wickedly, and whispers a swift incantation. Batista find himself unable to look away from the creature’s eyes, it’s hypnotizing, mesmerizing eyes…
Batista is running towards the party, and he has Aris’ flameblade in his hand, lit. “Yaaaaahhhh!”

Aris has no time to react. He is still badly injured -burning hands.

Batista goes down in a heap.

I did not know how many hit points Batista had after his incarceration. When he crumpled there was both agony and relief.

It still was pretty shocking- we had not had a character die in quite a while.
BTW- in Crystalmarch there are only a two Priesthoods that can cast Raise Dead so Batista is not coming back. Unless Kid C has some nefarious plan -- Loraxite Batista ... shudder.

 

[Jovah]

Just in case the readers did not catch it....

The last Loraxite was not staked. We zapped him pretty good, but then Sharat came and took all our attention. We never found the last Loraxite.
Plus Loraxus is still around in her grave somewhere.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Just in case the readers did not catch it....

The last Loraxite was not staked. We zapped him pretty good, but then Sharat came and took all our attention. We never found the last Loraxite.

Yikes! I had forgotten that - I just went back and edited the Story to reflect this... Thats what I get for waiting two years to write this stuff down...!

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

I've started the new Story Hour on a new thread! Fell free to keep responding in either one; I'll check them both regularly until this one drops away...

Anyway,here it is.