Does anyone want to talk about D&D?

[Dungeoneer]

Last Sunday I ran a Dark Sun session that wound up being entirely RP, no combat. Not sure how the players felt about that. I had fun. It certainly wasn't drama free!

The PCs were looking for an NPC halfling who had disappeared. This halfling supposedly had critical information that they needed. Rumor was that he had been taken by slavers. The PCs eventually uncovered an underground slave market - with an auction in full swing!

As their halfling came up for bid, they hatched an idea - dispersed throughout the crowd they would make disparaging comments about the quality of the slave to discourage people from bidding on him, and then they'd snatch him up at a bargain price. This wound up working very well - the PCs (level 1) were keeping the price low (around 200 cp) until one of the PCs, who was drunk, biffed his diplomacy roll and called out "1,000 cp!"

The auctioneer looked his way and said, "Sold!"

In sullen silence the party shelled out pretty much every copper they had. But hey, they got their halfling.

In other news, I was impressed with their approach. Right up until the drunken PC's unfortunate gaffe, the players had basically improvised their own skill challenge! I just rolled with it.

 

[Imperialus]

My druid (Jansen Greensleeves) died last session

He got nailed by an Ogremage's iceblast and bombed his saving throw taking him down to -11 HP. I rocked the dice on statrolling for his replacement though so I'm putting the finishing touches on a Paladin to take his place. He's a temporary member of the party for now since we're playing 1st ed and there are a lot of neutrals in the party but I'm hoping I can walk that line and not have him turn into one of 'those' paladins. I'm most impressed with how I managed to work him into the campaign's backstory though.

You see the party is currently adventuring in Drearyland (seat of the Unseely court) on a mission to recover a holy avenger from a paladin who had been dead and trapped in drearyland for 300 years for a druidic circle back on the prime material plane. The whole reason for the mission was actually because Jansen couldn't afford the training costs to level up so he agreed to take on a mission instead.

My DM suggested that the be an escaped slave who was also on a mission to recover the same sword. I suggested that because one of the side effects of eating the local food was that it mucked with the way time passes the Paladin wasn't actually on a recovery mission, but a rescue mission. He entered drearyland hoping to rescue the other paladin and doesn't realize that 300+ years have passed on the prime material plane while only a year or so has passed for him.

 

[Tamlyn]

In my 3.5 game, my players made their way through the Underdark to an ancient dwarven city. Many undetected traps later (the rogue burns very well) they came to the city and discovered it was completely inhabited by dwarf-sized shadows. Most of them ignored/couldn't see the PC's. Once they discovered the city itself was actually a massive holy symbol and started disrupting rituals in the temples, then the Cleric 3/Rogue 3 Cultist Shadows started noticing them. They had a hard fight against two of them but the game ended before they could discover whether the rest of the thousands of shadows in the city will attack them.

 

[Mercurius]

Sure, let's talk about D&D - but only if its 5th edition.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

I'm running my players through Paizo's Curse of the Crimson Throne. We're near the end of the first adventure EDGE OF ANARCHY. I'm using Pathfinder with some house rules (mostly Action Points and starting HP at CON score + Hit Die).

The last two sessions have been role play and no combat but this one, where the PC's are trying to find the body of a murdered tribal boy in the city before a conflict breaks out, was pretty much all exploration and combat.

My favorite part of this session was when the PC's engaged three Derro in a room killing two of them but the third one escaped down a narrow foul smelling corridor. I mean I played up how foul and rank it smelled (like feces, rotting flesh, stale urine, vomit and hot garbage) but still the tiefling Inquisitor of Abadar (dont ask...) perused the Derro regardless. When she got into the room I told her that the smell was over powering and there was a massive shape at the other end of the room that stood up and uttered : "FOOD?!?"

I guess it was my voice and and the way I hunched down that gave the player and her PC pause. At that point I just decided to go for it and started with it screaming: "YOU FEED NOW!!! FOOD!!! EAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!"

The PC took off BACK down where she had come. I desscribed the crashing sound behind her and the walls reverbrating as the thing chased after her. When she turned around to see what it was as she was running I just described to her that what ever it was couldnt fit through the corridor and that it's bulging mass strained against the walls. She couldnt make out what it was. She came back into the room where the other PC's were screaming "It's a S**T DEMON!!! We cant go in there!!"

The rest of the PC's agreed and decided to take another route around.

They had no idea what it was (it was an Otyugh) but with just the vague description and the voice they were scared enough to not even think about going back into that room. We're talking about 5 4th level PC's who probably could have taken that Otyugh out. BUt they didn't know what it was and didn't want to risk it.

I really have a good group of players.

 

[Dedekind]

Revenge of the Giants online. Greyhawk in person.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

This Friday we're taking a break from our normal D&D game (because one player is absent) to play a low level one-shot to introduce a friend who is back in town to 4E. Us regular players were given the okay to make our own characters so in an effort to bug our Salvatore-hating GM we're going to show up with a dwarven warlord, a human barbarian, a halfling rogue, and a drow ranger. I can't wait!

 

[Mark CMG]

Our group is currently tackling the PF Legacy of Fire Adventure Path. We are mercenaries for hire with some odd loyalties toward one another and our employers.

 

[FreeXenon]

I am playing a 9th level female Kalashtar Pacifist Cleric who did not die this weekend! I was sooo happy, but I have a Tiefling Hybrid Paladin/Warlock (Chaladlock) and a Githzerai Seeker in the wings waiting to be played.

I was so very surprised to see how much support Tiefling Paladin/Warlocks get! It is almost sick!

 

[kristoaster]

In the mean time, this week I have a flock of assassin-controlled pigeons swooping in to try and slay a particular PC. I have another PC who just learned that she's a famously blood-thirsty inquisitor who conquered a province, although she remembers nothing of it. And the group is currently in the cultural heart of the entire empire -- I play my cards right, and they'll be having running fights across national landmarks!

I'm kicking off a new campaign tonight! Not D&D but still fantasy Savage Worlds.

I'm really stoked about how the first session is coming together. A couple days ago I really only had much of an idea for the opening encounter (which is going to be a doozie!) and was going to pretty much wing it from there. But now I've got so many ideas I may not be able to cram them all into the session. I can say for certain that no matter which way the PC's turn they'll step in a big pile of awesome!

That stuff really sticks to your shoes too.

I've been following both of your campaigns (well, development of yours, Rel, but I did read the last Story Hour type thread you did too), looking forward to more

Sure, let's talk about D&D - but only if its 5th edition.

AAGGHHKDSBSBGFNSGMMPM

I running my players through Paizo's Curse of the Crimson Throne. We're near the end of the first adventure EDGE OF ANARCHY. I'm using Pathfinder with some house rules (mostly Action Points and starting HP at CON score + Hit Die).

That is something about Pathfinder... my Inquisitor got all of his 11 HP taken out in a single alligator bite last encounter : -/ great.