ZEITGEIST Cultsbane's bizarre D&D adventure: Zeitgeist - 5Eish

[Cultsbane]

Total session time: 3:17:00

Shameless Twitch plug: Come join the streams on twitch: . You might find entertainment at some point or at least background noise with shenanigans and everyone breaking everything. Audio is messed up for the first one but that'll be fixed here for the next session..... probably

Note that this isn't actually the Zeitgeist campaign yet (in fact it's appropriately entitled "Do RHC agents dream of polymorphed sheep"), though it does borrow elements from the AP and events in this one shot will eventually bleed over.

I'll organize these notes into a more comprehensive story at some point, but I'm just really excited to share my first DMing experience with EN World & Reddit (getting those good job responses after meant so much, please thank your players and your DM even if they did have hiccups. Constructive criticism & feedback is always welcomed).

Yes I am in fact completely new to DMing and biting off something with this much scope, it is a bit daunting but fits my personality, but I've got excellent players that I've been playing with for over 2 years and watched enough YouTube DM content that I'm not totally unfamiliar with the concepts

Although they're definitely going to set an holy hand grenade to the campaigns intended path, which I love, because the best way to honour such a wonderfully constructed campaign as Zeitgeist is the players setting fire to it and doing a completely unique path. Note to self include the holy hand grenade in the campaign



Player Characters

??? (Still building character) - Gnome Druid - Skyseer
Hops - Haragon/Dragonborn Bard, Sorcerer, & Monk - Eschatologist
Anael - Aasimar Paladin - Vekeshi Mystic
Ferrous - Gnome Artificer - Technologist
Kelik - Tabaxi Ranger/Rogue - bounty hunter
Isabelle - Tiefling Druid/warlock - Docker

A lot of this is done via theater of mind, with visualization kept to a minimum. Just a way we've ran Tyranny of Dragons and Curse of Strahd

Pre game discussion

• Really bad connection issues and audio issues because of rain, some of us live out in the boonies so it's to be expected
• Post the rule & lord changes such as Deva are Aasimar, Tieflings are fiends, Ber far more divided history, Flint independence movement, bloodied condition, Scarlet rot mechanic, lingering damage and system shock, 4E mechanics like healing surge & epic destinies, Golden wind as second wind, expanded monsters similar to 3.5, Malenia from Elden Ring replacing the Eldarian goddess, more brutal criticals, chaos tables for nat 1, less save or suck, more conditions/status effects, drugs, weapon and armour conditions, legendary resistance consequences, improved/more AOE, meets it beats it, rule of cool, & others. No varied encumbrance lol
• Our group prefers intelligence over Con (insane right?)
• Mention that the Risur monarchy is not decided by hereditary but prestige and recommendations, so they've all instantly got ideas of taking over
• Hops says "if War breaks out between the dreaming and Risur would I support Risur? Probably not, but I would like to rise normally and become king"
• Anael dropping hints about killing the king at some point
• I was going to drop a hint about Tinker for Ferrous but that didn't come up
• Risur is basically desperate for recruits and that is why they keep hiring terrible candidates or sending engineers to the Frontlines
• Everyone is completely overwhelmed by the scope of the players guide (but they're very excited!)
• Risur is the British (collective audible groans & agreement that they're definitely the worst faction)
• Kelik will be mostly neutral to everyone besides Anael (for now)
• Ber has a complicated relationship with the Eldarian empire
• Ber really dislikes the clergy
• Anael has a helmet on at all times
• Kelik goal is to wake up every morning
• Hops wants to spread the word of eschatology
• Anael & Isabelle are definitely not going to sink the coaltongue
• Mystics are keenly aware of each other
• Confirmed they all have a random wand of prestidigitation that only allows people to smell and look like they bathe randomly (bathing was a big thing in our COS campaign)
• They like lingering injuries and actually went for a more brutal interpretation than I had intended, so criticals can make or break fights
• Sorcerer can cast two spells with metamagic (going with Jeremy Crawford on this one)
• Gotta work more on saying uhh during descriptions and conversation
• Roland is hundreds of years in age
• They think I might be over prepared (I'm still thinking under prepared, since I'm only starting on reading module 2 now)
• Skyseer academy is a thing
• I started the idea of Flint governor elections & might do Risur or somewhere else monarchical elections at some point as well
• Feyster is coming to Flint & flint right now is like 1916 easter Dublin
• Workers & unionists are getting tired of Ronald as the governor of Flint but he has support from the lumpen and bourgeois
• The story of King Adohan during the Yeezus wars

It begins

• Skyseer Druid isn't there but is currently getting Skyseer visions (which will be the start of the beginning of the next module and we will go over rules again, well unless something wacky happens with the wand and sheep)
• They all begin in a tavern, an older tavern on the outskirts of the Ber-Risur mountain ranges, it's mostly an unoccupied tavern besides besides a few people hanging out from the early morning ( I've always wanted to do this stereotypical entrance)
• A moderately financials wealthy man sits at a table, drinking a cup of coffee, writing notes, and taping on the desk
• First character introduction: hops - asks the bartender for their darkest brew, casts mage hand to wait for the drink, and begins to attempt read this weird book with many foreign symbols
• Hops - roughly 3 feet tall, orange and brown hair, clothes are casket and not very well laundered. Attire appears to be that of a bard, including a chest around them. Carries modified spear to throw into the ground or person to after kick people in the face as well. Has a smell around them that is that of fey pepper
• Ferrous - the door opens and you see a large hooded something wearing a black top hat making mechanical noises. Behind him pops out a person half its size wearing an oversized blue engineering cap & uniform. "Finally room and board, I've been outside for hours''
• Ferrous asks the bartender for soups. The bartender mentions classic tomato soup, Danor style clam chowder, & a Ber special of corn and tortilla
• Ferrous orders Danor clam chowder, think of your typical New England style clam chowder which it and French onion soup & lobster bisque Danor is very well known for
• Danor is a very cultural blend of New England but just more French than Irish & Italian
• The bartender slides the drink to Hops who catches it with mage hand
• Anael - enters the bar. You see a fairly tall woman with reddish goldish hair, adorned in white & gold armour

Sword is sheathed with shield on her back

• The bartender mentions they're not surprised to see them "the wandering warrior" in the area with all the orc rebellions, especially after Minotaur got unexpectedly more power in the Ber government. Though he suspects it'll be put down pretty fast as most orcs oppose this
• Anael hears a slight sneeze from a Patreon. Who is a human girl leaned up against the bar support beam, tattered Dockers clothes repaired by someone with a druid upbringing, her pants are relatively clean to her shirt and green. Drinks and sneezes as you approach
• Hops puts out several gold to have the people have the next few drinks on him
• The mysterious figures leaves with dark raven hair, green eyes, and beret who leaves and return revealing themselves as a Tabaxi
• Tabaxi got basically massacred & enslaved by the dragons and other allies (dragonborn, kobolds, lizard folks, that snake race I'm too high to remember), to almost extinction
• The Tabaxi has graphite grey hair, green eyes, black beret, black leather jacket that is also his armour, 3 quarter length trousers dark blue
• Anael knows Kelik is a bounty hunter and Kelik has heard about the bounty hunter known as the wandering warrior
• Kelik is sent her by assistance chief inspector Stover to do evaluations of new potential RHC recruits and his own ability at leadership, something Kelik was reluctant to do until his handler Triana Rodrigue recommended that he does. The RHC who has a connection with Finethir Shinebright wants him and his wand back
• After this introduction they hear the frantic belting of a sheep as one charges through the front room with a scroll in it's mask, sensing the magical ability of Ferrous it runs to him dropping the scroll and trying to communicate desperately that it needs help
• Isabelle responds with "with what?"
• Seeing through the window you see people being thrown around and pushed aside, the reason being a half orc
• Guz, a large half orc enters the bar, as well as two wolves and a large figure scrounged down in a hood
• Guz with one hand on his great sword introduced himself as "Guz the brother of the warlord Gutz and that he is here for Master Nokes sheep's"
• Is distantly related to Kelik's half orc husband Sebastian
• Ferrous instantly betrays the sheep saying they're over there
• Anael knowing Gutz & Guz reputation draws her sword and shield at Guz
• The stocky half-orc Guz gets tricked by hops to check his shoes before realizing Guz doesn't wear any shoes, made you look
• Anael says "bartender I hope you have insurance" and meanwhile Ferrous is trying to hear the orc out about trading him the sheep
• The sheep is pleading to Isabelle to tell them that he is Finethir Shinebright, an ally of the RHC that they've been sent to find him & his wand of true polymorph, explaining his apprentice turned him into a sheep for no good reason
• Hops casts charm person, which Guz fails, and is convinced by Hops that he an friend
• Anael not knowing this bashes Guz in his head with her shield beginning to drive him out of the bar, he tries pushing back
• Rolling opposing athletics check, which he rolls a nat 1, and he trembles at her superior intimidating presence falling down but still managing to grab Anael down with him (failed an acrobatics check)
• Ferrous takes out a camera to photograph this (apparently portable cameras are a thing)
• The wolves flank around to capture the sheep
• Hops asks Guz to call off his sheep, who responded with "why should I?"
• Ferrous has invar pick up the sheep before running through the wall "we're having mutton tonight" getting chased by the wolves
• Ferrous "don't worry I can repair this at any point, I'm an engineer"
• Guz is enraged seeing his master's precious sheep get stolen and screams out for an attack, saying that fighting is the only possibility now. He chooses violence
• The figure in the cloak stands on its hind legs revealing itself to be a black bear, roaring loudly
• I tried asking for agility check, because of playing a lot of Fallout New Vegas (stereotypes right)
• Hops goes first and uses mind silver on the orc. The half-orc takes 10 damage
• Hops "can we please try to resolve this peacefully?"
• Guz "violence is the only option"
• Hops attempts to grapple the orc by tying him up, although the job isn't well done (9 on slight of hand)
• Kelik writes something down in his notebook, takes out a cigarette and smokes
• The bear goes after Anael with advantage (prone) for attacking Guz with her shield and massively misses with his teeth, going with his claw on the rebound he manages to hit but it isn't enough to cause damage through Anael's armour (just missed the AC)
• Ferrous gets on top of this platform of Ivar's back, takes out a crossbow, and aims it at the first wolf. Who instantly launches the bolt perfectly into the forehead of the first wolf killing it instantly. It keeps running on instincts alone for a few feet but it's already dead and falls over
• "Headshot!"
• The other wolf begins crying for it's lost packmate but is left in the dust by Ivar's dash ability
• Isabelle fires a eldritch blast shot at the bear, causing a massive lingering damage charing up and ripping a large chunk of flesh and fur (should've been system shock) resulting in the bear losing any feeling in its arm. Thus resulting in disadvantage on attack rolls
• The bear makes a bloodied opportunity attack against Anael
• Anael screams "bring it" at the bear & in it's rage misses her again
• Anael stands back up. Attacks the bear with her longsword with a searing smite, killing it
• The bear roars in pain, it's singed by fire as it lumps over dead as it body begins wasting away
• Guz screams "Lamar my Bear, Noooooooo" and breaks through the terribly constructed ropes
• Guz enters into reckless rage mode. Bulging eyes, necks, and veins are demonstrations of this. He stomps his foot and swings his mighty greatsword in an sweeping motion hitting Anael and isabelle
• Guz deals massive damage but Anael being in a more direct position with better armour taking the blunt of the blow (which could've been really bad for Isabelle)
• Hops tried using silvery barbs, but it is unsuccessful
• Anael chuckles at Guz who gets even angrier who begins losing concentration from this
• Hops goes up to both Guz and Anael tapping them "once again you should stop fighting", Anael "what?", Before saying that he'll return the bear to life
• Using his Eschatologist feat he revives the bear before asking that Guz stops fighting
• Guz begins to cry recalling the joy he has had with his bear Lamar. "funny bunny man, I knew i liked you. You have ways. We talk now" before sitting down
• Ferrous is still being chased by the other wolf taunting it
• Ferrous aims his crossbow (meets it beats it) and headshots the wolf instantly killing it, it's body rolling down a hill and being carried down a river
• Ferrous "damn that means only one pelt to collect"
• Hops casts a healing spell on it (using a healing surge)
• Isabelle also heals herself with a healing surge
• Isabelle compliments Anael for taking that great sword attack handing her over a drink
• Hops asks Guz why he wants the sheep
• "Master Noke wants his sheep back"
• Ferrous returns back with the sheep and begins fixing the wall with mending
• The sheep now back and communicates to Isabelle who he is and that he was completely innocent before his apprentice who he treated like his own child just for no reason attacked him turning him into sheep with his wand of true polymorph. Which is perfect and has no problems. That he has direct line of communication with Harkover Lee
• Ferrous picks up the scroll of speak to plants and animals
• Kelik putting 10 gold on the Bar table tells the bartender that they will be taking everyone to another room to discuss this
• "You should have seen last Tuesday's party I had to replace three walls"
• The bartender mentions knowing both Kelik and Anael reputation in the area
• Ferrous begins teasing the sheep
• Shinebright says he'll give a good word with his friend Harkover Lee to get favours with the RHC but all the party wants is gold
• Kelik "does anyone know dispel magic" and turns out no one does
• Hops "how much are you willing to pay for the sheep Orc"
• "30 gold"
• Hops "and you?" (Turning back to the sheep)
• "40, 50, whichever is good, 60?"
• Half Orc "I'm going to go back to my master"
• Kelik communicates to the half orc that he needs to forget everything that has happened
• Ferrous suggests starting a new profession, which they successfully persuade him to start a circus with his bear
• His bear walks away while juggling with him riding on his back
• Isabelle asks the sheep what he thinks about squirrels and nearly kills him when he says he hates them
• The sheep explains that master Noke is likely ready for them in his tower, but he's observed people transforming people helping him into apes
• Hops asks if he is hiring right now
• Kelik calls Shinebright "shiny" which was coincidentally his childhood bully nickname and he begins to cry about being polymorphed, being attacked, and now this
• Hops "pity gets you nowhere"
• Anael and Ferrous both agree to storm the tower to beat him up, before she uses lay on hands/healing surge
• Kelik "I want to explore all our options"
• Ferrous "I want to build a trebuchet & siege his house"
• Hops "I can get transformed into an ape and you could send me through a window"
• Ferrous "sounds like the slow boring route, the faster we go back to flint the better"
• Kelik "how powerful is your apprentice, I suspect less than you?"
• "Of course, barely anyone is better than the great wizard of transmutation magic, Shinebright"
• Kelik "we could put the sheep on the trebuchet"
• Shinebright is asked in how the polymorph wand is broken, who tries deflecting by putting the blame on his apprentice, Hops responds that he should get to the point
• He explains it can cause you or the user to be exploded or turned into a gibbering mouther
• Anael, Isabelle, and Ferrous all agree to storming the tower
• They all head to the tower, with Kelik reforming as an ape by taking off a gold ring saying that he could go in
• Ferrous "that changes things"
• Kalik "yeah I don't like being an ape"
• Hops "yeah but without being recruited they'll know, maybe they'll be able to see that with some sort of magic"
• Anael "let's just kill the apprentice and take the wand off his corpse "
• Isabelle tries to high 5 Anael who doesn't understand high 5s, so she has to be taught so both Isabelle and Ferrous teach her
• Ferrous doesn't like being up at night despite being very able to see
• I describe the tower
• "You see two apes throwing D20 dice, one of which throws one into the eye of the other (was supposed to cause disadvantage), another sleeping against a tree, and a final one howling and making loud screaming from an outhouse. Next to each ape is a large great sword
• Hops "I'm going to go lock the door of the one inside the out house" (he does)
• Eventually they decided that Kelik as an ape and hops will approach directly while the others flank fron the side, first asking to be taken to master Noke but prepared for a fight
• Anael suggests using the RHC influence but they're out of the jurisdiction of Risur. Eventually agreed to wait to see how things go with more polite negations
• Ferrous starts taking out the parts to his trebuchet from his bag of holding
• Kelik "we're from the Royal Homeland Constabulary, take us to your master Noke, we would like to speak to him"
• "You have no jurisdiction here"
• Anael "take me there now" (she rolls for intimidation and the ape with the hurt eye agree to let them talk to master Noke, who brings him outside)
• Noke is in misfitting purple robes who is puzzled by the arrival of the RHC (he does not know about the connections shiney had to the RHC)
• Kelik "you are in possession of property of the RHC, we will take what is rightfully ours and you'll be let along your business"
• Noke explains how master shiney mistreated him, showing him abuse scars, and basically enslaved him so he'll never go back
• Kelik convinced Noke that the RHC is only interested in returning the wand and the sheep back, which noke agrees to this request after some rolls
• Hops begins smoking fey pepper and passing it along, before convincing noke that his shoes are untied
• Shinebright is screaming that he wants his tower back but everyone is hearing bahhh or pretending that they are hearing that
• Ferrous "you are going to make the best lamb"
• Shinebright "I want my tower back"
• Ferrous "and I want lunch in a tower"
• Noke hands over the really messed up true polymorph wand that has been further abused
• Hops looks over the wand with arcana concluding that this wand is beyond messed up but still decides to attempt to un polymorph the apes who want it. Which is two, one of whom stays at the tower and the other one runs off to the circus because he's gone insane being allergic to his own skin for so long
• The sheep keeps crying out that it needs to be first before it's too late
• Ferrous "dinner shouldn't speak"
• Sheep keeps pleading each time that he transforms him next instead of an ape
• Before they leave the castle, Master Noke pleads that they get rid of shiney
• Hops*was it that baaaaaaaaad"
• Noke begins showing that he has been abused by shiney
• Hops in a saddened voice "I guess it was that baaaaaaaaad"
• Kelik agrees to report Shinebright yo the RHC and everyone else starts discussing if they're going to eat the sheep
• Anael suggests using searing smite to cook him up and eat him
• Shinebright screams that he'll pull any favour of the RHC
• Isabelle translates this as "he is saying that he would make the best mutton"

And we end the session

Anyways that's the recap wondering what everyone's thoughts are. We have to take a quick break for scheduling but looking forward to being back

Thank you and have a wonderful day

 

[Cultsbane]

TL;DR - 6 player team has to get contact with a transmutation wizard for the RHC and get his powerful true polymorph wand. After some scuffles in a tavern they find out he was turned into a sheep by his assistance. The party end up assisting the assistant and they are now heading back to Risur/Flint with a captured sheep and an messed up wand of true polymorph. What will happen next?

oh an half orc with his furless bear is now in the Ber circus

 

[Cultsbane]

Session 1 was 3 hours and 13 mins playtime

We ran the first part of the island of the axis of the world module 1. Realized early on that as much as I enjoy prepping and getting the most minute detail of the world itself built, especially encounters, that I much rather be a participant within the world than someone outside observing

So I traded DM positions with one of the players (Ferrous; who had previously DMed our Curse of Strahd campaign) sadly this means there's going to be a few campaign changes and changes in rules and what we're doing, so I will update that at a different time. It also means a few character changes but nothing too major

The basic summary of what happened is they stopped the Dockers from disrupting the king's arrival to the Coaltonge, we promised to deliver a message for Thamas to Governor of Flint Roland, and watched as Harkover Lee manage to kill a bunch of Danor assassins with a twin spell of chain lightning and fireball, thus at least demonstrating his power.

We will be playing again next Saturday at 4 or 5 Eastern time, if anyone would like to join us on Twitch

 

[Cultsbane]

The new agreed upon changes and rules!

 

[Cultsbane]

Session 02 - 2 hours, 40 mins, and 45 seconds

Tragically I didn't write a summary for this one, but the gist of it is we almost got TPKed by the duchess bodyguards and we lost the Coaltongue

At least we managed to save the king

 

[Cultsbane]

Session 03 - 3 hours, 20 mins, 58 seconds

Summary of what happened

* Kelik was absent from this session. Georgen also doesn't believe in combat???, so it was basically just 4 of us engaged.

* Talks of war are everywhere in the media after the Coaltongue was sunk.

* Risur vs Danor a possibility, the fey are looking to launch an war on technology

* The Duchess has retreaded to an island on the Yeezus islands, known for it's intense paranormal and weird weather activity. It's also a Danor Island, so failure to remove her would lead to war with Danor if things aren't handled quickly

* We're basically the backups group for an elite group of infiltrators, though something goes wrong pretty quickly

* We go to investigate this cave. Finding 3/4 of them dead under a 1,000 pound Boulder, the other a goblin trapped under it but still alive

* Freya uses "adjust density" to make the boulder at half weight, which gives everyone the ability to lift it, freeing the goblin

* Exploring further Freya finds a nice golden coin of the God of the Sky, Freya of course grabs it.

* Later down the line a clay golem comes out of the wall to attack Freya, she sidesteps it, but ends up getting hit by a paralyzing crossbow from someone in the shadows

* Combat goes on for a bit, couple firebolts here and there from Hops and Freya.

* Anael manages to do some heavy damage with her thunderous smite on the clay golem, but it collapses the cave partially around her.

* Out from the clay golem comes out an air elemental & behind us a shadow, that attacks Greorgen

* At this point things basically start to get south completely. Freya gets knocked unconscious by the clay golem, Isabelle eventually goes down afterwards as well

* Hops gets thrown into the air by the air elemental, but uses feather falls so there's not a full set of damage. Thankfully because his eschatology feature comes in handy

* We retreat back to the entrance of the cave where the goblin is to get into a defensive position and heal the down party members. At this point basically everyone is down to 5-8 health, besides Anael

* who almost instantly after Anael takes some serious damage from the 3, but at least she manages to land bane on them

* But thankfully the tide begins to reverse. Freya uses Magnify Gravity to deal some intense damage to them

Isabelle later lands a natural 20 with her scimitar on the clay golem, she also using eldritch blast and takes out the Shadow (her first D&D kill!)

* Hops destroys the air elemental with firebolt, igniting the entire thing in this big blaze that just engulfs it and destroys it

* Freya lands a natural 20 on the clay golem, breaking it down into little pieces

* The shadowy figure turns invisible and tries stealing the coin back. Hops using his bloodied ability literally lands this perfect natural 20 kick and just face plants him down for so much damage. We restrain him

* Now we're taking a long rest. Isabelle will not be joining us next session

 

[Cultsbane]

Session 04 - 2 hours, 57 mins, 02 seconds

Notes are a bit rushed

* Planar Shift sends Isabelle into a yellow swamp of red sky and a pale blue moon, while summoning Kelik back from the ship (how we are explaining the players absences) this also might've disrupted his ring of disguise self so that'll be interesting once Isabelle is back (being a Tiefling)

* we find a fresh shallow graveyard of miners, understandable why that one guy attacked us now

* Kelik and Anael have a discussion about the Fey involvement and express sympathies towards them

* Freya asks hops to check out the magic of the coins, who responds with maybe later

* Kelik and Georgen discuss the prisoner and what to do with him

* Freya plugs his ears with her fingers and sings until they find something else to plug his ears with

* Georgen transforms into a Mastiff or horse to carry Burton the goblin around, got a bit confused by that ngl.

* Kelik mastery of mountain terrain helps the party traverse through them instead of taking the long way around

* Although Freya does briefly fall off them, luckily she is saved by a well placed feather fall and arrow shot with rope by Hops, on the way down Freya sees a large headless iron golem crashing through the trees

* They see an abandoned factory in the distance of the forest

* Stealth into the fort, Georgen cast silence on Anael so she'll be able to sneak with that big armour

* Freya gets distracted looking into the trash for anything useful for her arcana studying, but Anael pulls her away

• Georgen gets caught by a guard, tries to pass it off as giving alms to the poor. Instead of believing his story he gets put into handcuffs and dragged away, as hops follows in the shadows
• Kelik, Anael, and Freya all proceed further along. They later come across two guards. Kelik the bounty Hunter starts strangling one Hitman style with piano wire & Anael not to be outdone beheads the other quickly with a beautiful divine smite with her longsword. They do not hesitate to kill agents of Risur (despite being RHC gotta love it)

* Hops tries to help Georgen with minor illusions of someone calling the guard for help. Later after georgen escapes by becoming a ferret, Hops creates little ferret feet prints to throw off the guards

* The trio persuade, deceive, and intimidate six guards into abandoning post to look for the Intruders.

* Afterwards they open up the seagate and give out the flare signal for the Risur navy to launch a full invasion

* Hops and Georgen see a magic circle being set up. They set off to destroy it, distract the guard by making mini sparkles, and save the day from whatever that ritual is doing

* The trio set up defense positions. The defenses are a combination of Freya's gravity magic to extra barricade things around the doors, kelik setting up his shotgun, and Anael in a flanking position. The guards decide it isn't worth the risk and retreat before the full force of Risur navy arrives

* Which Risur navy has arrived at the island. Though now the party has to push further into the fort to find the Duchess and the kidnapped cousin of the Danor Tiefling woman

 

[Cultsbane]

3 hours, 10 mins, 50 seconds

This was a completely combat focused episode. The 6 of us managed to fight & win against Asrabey who had 20+ AC & 171HP according to the DM.

The dice loved us last night although I'm not even sure we were supposed to win and it might have negative consequences.

It is worth mentioning that the DM did lower his multiattack by 2 and made his armour & shield non enchanted.

Cloak was changed from smoke (dodge bonus) to fire (wall of fire)

In exchange for losing his enchanted items, he got full HP

In the end. Probably would've lost if he kept the enchanted equipment and more importantly that multi attack. Action economy & great rolls wins everytime

 

[Cultsbane]

One of the players got his character commissioned (check the cool af art out at Instagram @burrito.mcgee or Reddit u/Vikunga) a few of us are getting our characters commissioned next as well (I definitely am)

 

[Cultsbane]

2 hours, 44 mins, 44 seconds


Note: I'll have the link to the YouTube playlist soon so everyone can listen into the episodes after they air

Today's session was very focused on backstory, roleplay, & lore than the previous combat heavy episodes. Especially since we're beginning the second module (the amount of detail in this adventure is insane btw!)

We concluded the end of module 1 by trying to find a way for the Duchess to escape, since we actually agree with the Fey criticisms of Risur. If it wasn't for Georgen successfully destroying the teleportation circle, we would have an perfect escape route (oh well lol!)

Instead we just settled on installing the seeds of discord within the proposed Risur-Danor alliances by renegotiating the island surrender terms, leaking said information of the preposterous absurd treaty, getting the fey more involved, and spreading the rumour Danor/Risur agents was going to use the Coaltongue for nefarious purpose such as attacking flint

The Risur Dockers & workers are especially made to be agitated & mad at the proposals with the long-term enemy Danor, even provoking strikes that cripple the Risur economy. Especially after the death of the female docker thief who was stealing from the Danor embassy.

Ngl we did find it entertaining watching Risur soldiers get largely killed by the veins of the hedges of the Axis islands, however without the strength or spell slots we got forced to turn over the Duchess to Risur and just take the end of our probation, we tried though. Everyone was completely shocked we stopped Asrabey from taking duchess

On the way to Flint's port, Anael went to the bar to drawn out her sorrows from being defeated so easily by Asrabey (since this was her first major ass kicking).

Isabelle being revealed to be a Tiefling & just went about flirting with the Tiefling nephew who leaked information about the Axis islands experiments

Freya later discussed with the Tiefling nephew about his research into the stars and star theory. Which tied into her research at Crisillyir academies, she is so close to discovering the mysteries behind the stars and graviturgy magic

Hops got all the stones & things they picked up analyzed. Which he found out through these he can summon a golem on occasion or temporarily fly (which is a big deal because flight hasn't been an option for centuries)

We get an assignment about this woman who tried stealing from the Danor embassy, but ended up getting shot and impaled to death on the gates below.

Anael & Hops investigate the embassy. Talking to and harassing the local police, they determine that they have to find and talk to the thief's boyfriend who worked at the embassy but didn't report to work that day

Freya is unable to tap into her family spirit medium energy to talk to the decreased about the events that occurred. She makes her way behind an alleyway to look for clues, but ends up going to the bar to reflect on how estranged she's become from her family upbringing among the Eldarian refugees camps and her spirit medium family. While there she overhears some important information about the boyfriend of the thief

Kelik not being used to working in groups uses the solo time to go reach out to his connections with his husband in the Ber Embassy to see if they know anything, they point him in the direction of the thief's boyfriend

Isabelle really uses her Docker connections to find out information about the woman who tried stealing from the Danor embassy. They point her in the direction of the thief's boyfriend

All roads eventually lead to the thief's boyfriend and that is where we ended the session

Anael was instructed as a Vekeshi Mystic to not hurt Gael and give them a mirror

 

[Cultsbane]

Session length: 2 hours and 8 seconds (short session sadly)

The DM informs Anael (VM) about giving the mirror to Gael & the rest of the party about this person who can defy the laws of the land and fly while commiting acts of terrorism against the nation of Risur. As though more complications are needed in Risur and especially Flint
I
Investigation of the body continues with the party arguing with the Danor staff about if they can take the body home for further investigation by the RHC, they're very adamant that they will not let that happen.

They do permiss an investigation into the body, which involves Anael basically digging throughout the corps checking everything including inside and out. The boyfriend watching in horror as she does this without much concern or respect

Freya and Isabelle watch in a different types of fascination, Anael find an used invisibility potion (illegal, with an etching Dansica Waryeye) & finds out they're connected to The Family (Crisillyir mafia, Freya is familiar enough to say it's unusual they're in Flint) and the boyfriend of the deceased leaves in disgust upon seeing his girlfriend corpse desecrated so carelessly


Kelik disguises himself as a Risur guard to talk to the boyfriend, Brendan, and that goes poorly with them again leaving in disgust. Kelik later talks to the Danor staff and has to listen to them badmouthing Ber without showing any signs of agitation about this offense to his homeland. More & more leads are revealed

Anael eats a cookie from the Danor staff and notices they're edibles full of Fey Pepper but she keeps her composer, she also finds out about the doctor

Hops talks with more Danor guards as distraction as everyone investigates. The Danor guard rants about how Risur living standards are inferior, they've got worse working conditions, and how they need to have an election or revolution to take out the governor Roland or Flint will never really prosper

Freya and Isabelle go to the Dockers for leads, finding out that someone stole sometimes from the body and left before engaging in a fight later, that something was supposedly a deed to docks stamped owned by Danor

* Isabelle goes to follow the boyfriend to the bar (The Thinking Man), see what they can find out, since Anael is certainly out with talking to him

* Hops stays behind with the body because the party really wants to take the corpse for more investigation (as the guard story isn't matching forensic investigation)

* Anael is going to investigate the dock deed lead, but that'll be in the morning

* Kelik is going to check with the doctor at his hotel

* Freya is going to the Sechim Alkahest and Etchings factory to find more about the etching, Dansica, who bought the potion, et cetera

We first start off going to the bar. Isabelle boys Brenden a drink. The flirtation isn't going the best but she manages to decept him into continue the conversation until he just leaves. A bartender bard calls her out for being too desperate and everyone starts laughing

Isabelle talks to the bartender & orders a drink. The DM has to go & we'll pickup next session!

I guess we're going to steal the body too eventually lol.

 

[Cultsbane]

One of our players, Georgen, has left the campaign for the foreseeable future. Not for any bad reasons but just being overwhelmed by that college grindset.

 

[RangerWickett]

That's always a sad development. I hope you're able to keep the game going and keep it fun for everyone still in it.

 

[Cultsbane]

That's always a sad development. I hope you're able to keep the game going and keep it fun for everyone still in it.

We're Still planning on playing weekly if we can. Next session looking to be this Saturday either 3 or 4 Eastern Standard Time and we'll end around 7. I feel so bad for the DM because they're going through have to prepare for the party splitting in 5 different directions and we're a handful together let alone well alone.

 

[Cultsbane]

Campaign time: 2 hours, 36 mins, 42 seconds

Isabelle gets completely s-faced drunk and falls asleep at the thinking man tavern after striking out on the third date this campaign, we'll return to her later next episode (in actuality she had some medical concerns and needed an absence for the episode, sucks, but understandable and easy to work in)

Freya goes through the industrial zone of flint, watching several appalling working conditions while touring factories, 30-50% of these factories are employing majority minors, and Freya is giving direct sympathy to the worker's protesting (though distinguishing that this is unofficial support and not a reflection of the RHC). Go James Connolly! (yes that is a reference to Black 47 & the Dublin Irish revolution)

Freya arrives at the industrial strength acid factory to find out about the death of the Tiefling Nellisa, talking to the boss head Herald Sechim about the factory conditions being better than any other in Flint, Freya asks about the attacks on the factories for any specific information, and eventually Nellisa involvement in the Danor consult and the family (mafia) before investigating her room and finding out about a meeting with the house elf in a few days

Eventually they settle on an agreement that Freya will pursue a Skyseer lead to find about Gael and that in exchange for a peaceful settlement between the proletariat revolutionaries protesting, factory owner bourgeois business practice interest, and the Gael supporting terrorist organizations who are burning down the factories without any rhyme or reason

Freya also buys a campaign worth of industrial strength acid! I'm sure that'll come in handy eventually lol.

Kelik goes investigating the Doctor at the Bluebird inn. Wolfgang Von Recklinghausen, finding out that someone is impersonating a police officer (Roger) and is in pursuit of a few leads and the doctor himself, though the impersonating officer is severely injured, as though by acid burn attacks. Which matches some of the information Freya found out

Meanwhile at the consult, Freya and Kelik show up to steal the Tiefling body to give it to the RHC for forensic investigation before leaving. Anael & Hops stay behind to basically take a bit of punishment for the situation, while also convincing them otherwise. Anael discovers that without a sword she isn't that skilled, which turns her to depression from inadequacy for the first time in her life. Hops gets a reputation among Danor as an annoying chatterbox

In the morning the inspector head of the RHC Stover Delft is pissed about the missing body wanting to avoid an international incident, but he gives the team a bit of time to look through the body and find out more details before finding out a solution to this incident before it potentially causes a war

Freya using her spiritual medium connections on top of some RHC help powers to finds out more information from Nelisa about her murder, that it was actually from the person impersonating officer Roger who killed her and as well as more information on the house elf and Gael

Kelik dumps the body at the doctor's place in the bluebird inn and we blame him for stealing it in the first place before finding out more information, especially on someone referred to as the professor

4 things to investigate at this point. Doctor's professor at the university, the so called house elf, the Skyseer who knows about Gael, & the two friends of Nellisa at the correctional institute

At first we go to the University to find out about the doctor's professor and to find more information. We managed to convince him to give us more information because we know that someone is impersonating an officer (Roger) is trying to find the doctor

Hops and Freya decide to sit and listen to the good professors lecture to the university. The other two are going to find what Isabelle knows and eventually other leads.

Which this ends the session for today. Hope whoever is reading this has a wonderful day

 

[RangerWickett]

Good luck tying all the threads together.

 

[Cultsbane]

Good luck tying all the threads together.

Yeah it'll be a challenge for the DM for sure, going to be playing tomorrow and I'm so excited. Getting the module 3 for the DM as well, we're all in agreement that we wanna keep on going with the campaign

 

[Cultsbane]

Campaign time: 3 hours, 8 mins, & 39 seconds

Anael goes off to The Thinking Man Tavern to pick up Isabelle, but mostly to drown out her recent unexpected failure with the strongest alcohol they have.

The bartender gave her a drink mixing rubbing alcohol and everclear, after all she did ask for the strongest stuff they have. The bartender laughing gives her a beer on the house & plays 'wonderwall' on repeat

Isabelle was glad to finally be leaving and was tired of being treated as a intellectual chew toy, with annoying know it all college students giving out all of their theories or recent studies without taking a break. Things such as fey frog biology, how the moon is actually a star, and that there are actually two suns in the sky but one was made non functional

As this is going on Kelik is undergoing a certain task, not actually sure exactly what it is, as it was private between the DM & player. Though I've got some speculations!

Hops & Freya listen in on the lecture about the bizarre anatomical incorrectness of the Feywild frogs in the dreaming before the professor declares a pop quiz and that she needs to take care of something important. Freya follows her, while Hops tries selling the answer sheet to the tests while she is gone.

Freya observes the professor meeting with this sharp dressed man in a checkered suit and a fedora. The professor lets them know we know about the doctor and we want some sort of meeting, so be prepared. Freya gasped knowing who this was, the fedora gave it away, the incel mafia!

We meet all back up and agree it's time we look further into our leads. As we're heading to an address, the party hears a loud clash and screaming horses. A woman screams that her child is being taken away and we follow into a theater where we get surrounded by multiple members of the family with advanced firearms. Negotiations promptly began

The family was undergoing a civil war between supporters of the revolutionaries and those opposed to supplying them at all. We get information about a trade in two days, about a bunch of very important undisclosed goods. At this point one of the mafioso factions attacks the theater, setting it on fire, and we escape through the chaos of dozens of men stabbing and shooting each other.

Kelik contemplates for the first time if they actually are one of the good guys in this situation or not. We inform detective Stover of this, who recommends we check out the rehabilitation center in the next day before the meeting

We suggest allocating a significant amount of resources to the meeting. Stover informs us that a few matters have come up that might make it difficult to do much of anything, although he might be able to spare an officer or two.

Freya gets her delivery of a campaign worth of industrial grade acid.

 

[Cultsbane]

Character illustration and backstory of Anael, pronounced as (on-i-el)

 

[Cultsbane]

Extremely quick summary of the first campaign module (apologies that I didn't include this earlier) - Total play time was 15 hours, 22 mins, & 35 seconds (5 campaign episodes)

Basically a lot of planned additions got changed when we switched DMs. Although we kept things like bloodied, adrenaline rush, system shock, & the lore of the goddess Malenia

We stopped the Dockers from disrupting the Coaltongue launching by getting into a big fight, which Thamas requests we deliver a message to the Governor of Flint, Rolland (which we still haven't done yet).

Harkover Lee uses a lightning bolt & fireball combination to absolutely destroy these Danor splinter group assassins as they attempt to assassinate the king of Risur

We saved the king, but we ended up messing up against the Duchess bodyguards & losing the Coaltongue to an explosion from them. Which doesn't get the RHC to like us

Hops & Kelik observed this aquatic fey creature helping the Duchess, but they've yet to disclose anything about this

The assault on Yeezus island has some really good moments, especially combat. Especially the fight within the cave with these clay golems and air elementals, assaulting the fortress complex, & getting more magical items

Managed to fight, win, & capture Asrabey against all the odds stacked against us (which I'm sure will have no repercussions at all to the overall plot)

We're actually all in agreement as a party that the Feywild has legitimate concerns against the technological advancements of Risur

Our success on the island prevents a Risur - Danor war and puts back on the good side of the RHC