DDAL Jasper Dms Season 8 spoilers

[jasper]

DDAL 08-03 Dock Ward Double-Cross session

AP 2 TP 2 Downtime 5 Candy Corn 2 Renown 1 due to playing 2 two-hour mods back to back. I had a 5-person APL 3 group
PC Killed 0 Monster kills 58 Captured 11 Villains Escaped 4

The group are now loyal minions of the Baron of Blood. He ordered them to buy him 5 gallons of lavender semigloss paint and get to the bottom of the fake maps. The only clue the had was the paper smelled of sea water. (Note to dms add an extra clue to get them to paper makers).
The paper maker was able to remember a red-haired bar maid bought the paper and gave a list of bars on the dock side of the dock ward. How ever no red hair maid was to be fought. The group did find another group of adventurers who got their map from a cobbler. The cobbler was not much help. But the city watch was able to direct them to the ship’s prow. Again, bad editing leaves this clue misplaced.
The group was able to get into the Ship’s Prow with no problem are being notice by the drow smugglers. The barbarian Ankan say something naughty to the red-haired bar maid. She got offended and shot him between the eyes, in the belly button, and took off part of his ear lobe with a hand cross bow which went BANG. This started the bar brawl. The group was able to take down five of the bar maid allies but she fled into the sewers. (yes, the module calls for you to remove the sewer access during a two-hour run but I thought it was a good plot escape.)

 

[jasper]

Waterdeep Heist Chapter 4 Part 1 Session
AP 4 TP 4 Candy Corn 4 Renown 1 Downtime – 10 that negative 10.
PC Killed 0 Monsters Killed 76 Villains Captured 12 Villains Escape 4
APL 5 strong group with 5 players. Bonus all the pcs were owners of Trollskull Manor.
THE LAW SUCKS
The group decide to meet with a MS Istrid Horn a beardless dwarf in the City of Dead. It seems Horn needed a resting place as the City Watch found out about her unauthorized duplicates of dragons. And her loan Bulette operation. The 10 pp up just for meet up came in handy later that night. They agreed to put her up in the attic bed room. As a ten day has pass they got to roll on the business table. They rolled a 28 which caused them to lose money.
Roll a d100 add 10 and consult the chart.
01-20 Lose 90 Gp
21-30 Lose 60 GP
31-40 Lose 30 GP
41-60 Yea! You broke even. Lose 0 GP Gain 0 GP
61-80 Roll 1d6 * 5 = Profit.
81-90 Roll 2d8*5 = Profit
91 or higher 3d10 *5 = profit. Cousin Quark would be proud.
End of Chart.
The next morning as Joseph and Aukan were walking down to breakfast, Aukan suddenly stopped. In the hall they saw Milo the barber cutting a well dress if out of fashion suit gentleman’s hair. Lif had set a mismatch pure silverware set in front of the gentleman. Joseph had to push Aukan forward to get moving. Joseph was not comfortable when the gentleman call Aukan a minion and demand he be called Mr. Morlin. A couple of the other owners were not happy to be woken up by Lif and made to come downstairs. The group will great reluctance agreed to let Baron Blood Morlin stay in the spare second floor bedroom. They also would leave his luggage in the beer cellar alone. Rick the wizard got a little mouthy but finally bit his tongue. Or did the Baron suggest he would bite Rick’s tongue.
As the lavender paint and the painting crew arrived, word came to the group about the location the Nimblewright. They found the Nimblewright in one of the Dock Ward alleys. They destroy it in under two rounds. As they were investigating the remains, Officer Bobby arrive with 5 other city watch. Just as Bobby was suggesting the group come down to the ward station for questioning; Drew’s Angry Ally Cat attack which let the group flee. The bard was able to snack a map. (I love this the player threw down the certificate like it was a trump card. She got the cert last week the local con.) The group escaped into the heavy rain and read the map.
The map took them too Grinda Garloth place. As they approach, four bandits led by a Norska who left forearm had been replaced by heavy crossbow were trying to break into Grinda’s house. 3 different leveled Sleep spells made short work of the bandits. The barbarian was making short work Norska when the merrow sprang from the water harpoon Rick and dragged into the water. From the Kraken’s Folly sprang 10 bandits to back up Norska. Joseph stuck his head in the water to call for Zelifarn a young brass dragon.
Ok did they fire off two shatter spells and fireball spell. Or one shatter spell and one fireball spell. When Zelifarn appear after the combat was over 14 bandits were dead, a merrow was dead, Grinda’s house was on fire, which was being put out by the heavy rain. The stern of Kraken’s Folly was in ruins and had to collapse on the docks. Office Bobby with fresh cat scratches on his face arrived having heard the shatter and alarm bells ringing. Seeing 14 citizens floating in harbor, the charges were filed.
14 Counts of murdering a citizen with justification.
Arson of Grinda’s house.
This would be all but Rick had to open his mouth and offer the watch free beers at Trollskull Manor. When the Bobby reminded attempted bribery was illegal. Rick kept talking. And digging himself deeper. It did not help the widow and child were crying about daddy not coming home to the watch.
Addition Charge against Rick Attempted Bribery.
Judgement was immediate. 14 Counts of murdering a citizen with justification. Guilty. Fine 250 GP paid to the families. Exile of 1 year suspended for Joseph, Aukan, NOx, Drew, and Rick.
Arson charge dropped.
Attempted Bribery 12 Gp for the beer. But. Rick. Exile for 1 year. 3 days to settle outstanding debts before exile. Before Rick could be taken back to the mansion to pack, suddenly Joseph’s ally cat attacked the watch! Again, toss on the table like the Ace of Spades.
Which let group flee with the key to Grinda’s family crypt. They discover a silver key by a dead rat and were attacked by some Duergar. The key belongs to Volkarr Kibbens who lives in an old windmill in the South Ward.
Ok the group only hit two of the encounters out ten but we all had fun. They have disguised Rick with makeup and other stuff. The check is 16 perception to beat. The whole group is making up various plans to hide or get around the exile. We shall see.

 

[jasper]

CCC-Tarot-01-07 Seat of Ruler Session
PC Killed 1 Monsters Killed 89 Villains Captured 12 Villains Escaped 4
Candy Corn 4 Treasure Points 4 Advancement Points 4 Renown 1 Downtime 10
I had a 7 person table which was a strong group. For a hook, all the pcs had been naughty in Waterdeep and their sentence was to solve the problem in Thentia. The group decides to take on the Keilo (2B) and Joanna (2a) mission. Ok, reread the module I did make multiple mistakes with the armbands but my players broke the rules to begin with.
They decide it is easier to pick up the winery folks and warders in one get go. I added 2 extra thugs instead of a spy due it being a spy. The group split into two. Four causing a distraction and three rushing the door. It kind of work. The group pulls all the bandits into combat and discover thug pack tactics hurt. However the evil smart Druid Bambi has Healing Spirit in his spell list. The three want a be thieves fail their stealth rolls rather badly which pull two of thugs off the distraction team. Smiling Jack grinned as he popped the lock on the doors. But suddenly discovered he was bleeding out from four dagger (really mace damage) holes. The Soothsayer and Mongo protect Jack until the combat team finish of the bandits. Grim pulls out his first potion of healing to save Jack. I missed the fact that Kielo was a noble. But I gave the couple AC 12 HP 15. Thumper the face of group talks her into going to pick the Warder Sir Joanna first. Ok combination of good rolls and me rolling with it. This causes the group to skip one combat encounter. With healing spirit the group was up to almost full on hit points.
They get to Warder party house but discover they have to win a contest before Sir Gaston (oops name change). Since the module need not talk into account of those pc who cannot be poisoned, I talked with the player. It was decide he rolled with advantage on the constitution bouts and got one free pass if he failed. This is a skill check and lot of dice rolling encounter. I even started cutting some bouts short to save time which did not help. I suggest in the interest of time if you have five or more players, choose the best three or four. While the various conditions it a fun set up for later but this is a time waster. Phase 4 the dice game I allowed players to use a DC 15 sleight of hand to change a die roll once. I think only two players took me up on it.
The group groaned, whimpered, whine, and stagger back to their horse. Soothsayer had been poisoned by all the drinking but the Yuan-ti Thumper used his paladin abilities to remove the condition. They quickly killed the blue arm banded bandits in the street attack blocking the gate. (Ok now back to 2b encounters). The priests of the Great Python (No not Yuan-ti) shook the group down for some gold. They picked up 6 thugs (again adjust the encounter) but could not lose them. The drunken Soothsayer fell through a bar’s window when he missed a turn and started a bar room brawl which flowed out into the streets. However he was able to use drunk logic to keep the party out of it.
As they neared the Golden Balance 8 thugs in Orange stop them. The group decided to charge through them. (Yea! I got to use all 12 of my tact tiles) the win condition was to move about 180 forward to end the fight, this basically turning the corner into plaza. The lose condition was if was a dead npc at the end of it. Now we Orange team up in front with 8 thugs who were attacking Kielo and 6 thugs in blue in the far back attacking Sir Joanna. Soothsayer and another pc charge forward around the outside of the ambush. The air is filled with crossbow bolts. Keilo drops, her husband Arno is wounded, and Sir Joanna laughs as the bolts bounce off her armour. Grim potions up Keilo. Thumper and Bambi make a hole up the front. The group tries to move forward some fleeing for their lives, others just advancing forward while keeping a look out on the VIPs. Sir Joanna laughs as she breaks thru her line of thugs. Keilo flanks the thugs, and Arno goes up the middle. Both are nearly killed. Soothsayer is able to cure Keilo and she turns the corner to safety. Grim doubles back and potions up Arno as Sir Joanna turns the corner. Arno dashes for safety as Grim tries to protect him with his horse and body. Just as Arno reaches safety Grim is shot out of shot out the saddle. I don’t remember who healed Grim. But as he climbs back into the saddle and tries to get away, more crossbow bolts knock out the saddle. As he tries to crawl to safety, the last thing he sees is a boot to the face. (Ok the player had some amazing luck before he die. Some of the thugs were a long distance with disadvantage. Some were at short range. The player agreed since he was the only one left in combat and the group had ticked off all the thugs. The thugs were going to get back at the party. Grim died in just forty feet from safety.)
However Soothsayer was able to use his acolyte background to raise dead at half price.
I had to call the game at this point as we had hit the three and half hour point and the store would close before we did movement 3 ( the final act). Healing spirit spell really help the party. But sometimes the dice when against them. If a DM plays this with a time limit I suggest not adjusting for party strength and shorting any skill challenges.

 

[jasper]

Waterdeep Heist Chapter 4 Part 2 of 2
AP 3 TP Downtime 3 days 2 Pm Tarsahk 10 to 8 AM Tarsahk 12 4 hours before Rick has to leave town.
PC Killed 1 Monsters Killed 107 Villains Captured 13 Villains Escaped 4
I had four players Joseph Bard 5, NOx Wizard 6, Aukan Barbarian 5 and Yaar Druid 1. Average group but still over powered.
After getting out their quick sentencing from destroying low income housing, setting some docks on fire, murder with a good excuse; our heroes pick up Yaar. One of Baron Morlin’s street urchin shows the group where the Stone of Golorr was last seen. In the sewers again. NOx makes a quick shopping trip to a buy a scroll and away the group goes.
In the sewer they find the Necromancer Losser Mirklav’s lair. They make short work of twelve of his skeletons but Yaar is injured to TKO twice. First level druids should not lead the charge. The group then slowly and quietly enters the main lair to hear Mirklav being shaken down by some Kenku. The group does something smart. They turn Aukan invisible and he sneaks up to mage. The whole group watches as a fight breaks out between Kenku, Skeletons, and a Mage. Aukan gets majorly upset twice when a Kenku stomps on his toes twice. (Ok I made him rolled an opposed check not to be discovered since he did not want to leave the square the Kenku wanted to be in.) The mage wins only to be nearly killed by Aukan. He surrenders only to have Yaar try to stone him to death. One fireball later by the mage, most the party is hurt. The mage is out cold and placed in the beer keg that was suppose to be for Rick. The group returns to Trollskull Manor.
Yaar is not to happy staying inside and Aukan gets him to sleep on the roof. Yaar notices he did not get the full tour and knows someone is sleeping in the attic. Aukan turns Mirklav over to Baron Blood. One afternoon snack later the Baron tells the group the Kenku got away with the stone but his people will look for it. He also requests room service pick up his empty and deposit it in the cellar. Aukan waits to closing to do so. As he explores the cellar he notices a six-inch hole leading to the sewer. Rats pour out the sewer, dismember the body of Mirklav. They both dine on him and take parts away for second snackage. Yaar does learn of this.
Tarsahk 11 8 AM in the morning Yaar has a nice breakfast with Baron Blood and the rest of awake adventures. A blind man could see something is up with the Baron. Morlin informs the group the current location of the stone is in Old Mage Tower. As the group approaches two street urchins (who the group beat up before and stole their candy) go to approach the group but are scared. Yaar calms them and discover that Squiddly was snatched by a Kenku, who fled up the tower. (Ok, they broke the DM during the next part). Yaar discovers a potion of Healing Flight on the second landing.
The group confronts the Kenku who is holding Squiddly out the window with a 40-foot drop. The group trades the potion for the kid, but as the kid reaches for the potion. The group attacks. Aukan snags the stone out of Kenku’s hand. NOx whips out his spell scroll of FINGER OF DEATH. It fails. The Kenku dodges the next series of the attacks. His back up arrives. Three Gazers. The Barbarian misses his attacks. NOx casts FIREBALL! Fireball in an old wooden tower. The good part only the bad guys and barbarian are in the blast area. Bad part. Tower is on fire. And the group knows if the cops catch them, they are done for. (yes, there was some out of character discussion about the scroll and fireball. So, I just kept initial going. I picked two different dice shapes which were a blue d12 and purple d10. No one saw the dice I chosen. The die result would be the watch response time. NOx chose blue.)
Joseph turn invisible and started for the window. Aukan fled downstairs and out the tower, yelling Squiddly was safe. Yaar drunk the Healing Flight potion and flew out the window. The top of the tower was in flames. Joseph casted fly and flew away toward the manor. NOx jumped out the window and casted feather fall. The whole group escaped in four different directions. NOx fled out the South Gate of Waterdeep. (Told the player he could sneak in and do the Mad Mage which I got last night).
The keys to the vault are. A brass dragon scale. Zelifarn wants twenty percent of the haul. Istrid Horn a female dwarf wants ten percent of haul. I let the guy playing NOx choose the other key, which was a Drunken Elf. Yaar an elf stated he is not getting drunk. So next chapter they going to kidnap someone from their bar.

 

[jasper]

DDAL 08-04 A Wrinkle in the Weave
AP 3 TP 3 Downtime 5 days
Pc Killed 1 Monsters Killed 109 Villains Captured 5 Villains Escaped 4 4 hours completed in 1 hour 50 minutes.
I had a weak party. Three first level, Tiny a third level assassin and Three dots a mute Eldritch Knight who was the most talking mute I have ever met.
I told the group to think about Quantum Leap tv show. I also told they could change time or not. If you die back then you may die in the present. The group leaps into various nobles’ bodies. They are next in line to talk with Shoon III and are hearing grumblings about trouble between the King and the Prince. They meet Hilather a strange Mage thinking about building a strange building called a cloud scraper. It would have seven levels for elves, seven levels for gnomes, seven levels for humans, seven levels for halflings, and seven levels for dwarves. Since the players are all nobles and people, he has to get permission from for various parts of building supplies, he wants to meet them in the library in an hour. But wander around the garden till then.
In the garden Tiny notices, the Captain Mercenary Artor Morlin looks the great whatever father of Baron Blood. The whole group feels the strange Quantum Leap affect as Yaar leaps into the body of one the King’s guard. The group talks with Captain Morlin and finds out the Prince maybe trying to assassinate the King. Also, it appears a higher number of the Prince’s guard are wandering the grounds. Anwin does find two secret doors in different parts of the garden.
The group talks to the mad Hilather about various parts of construction. Anwin Lord of bricks thinks he can not supply all the bricks need for the cloud scraper. Mute Three Dots uses message a lot to talk with Hilather giving the appearance of a mad man talking to the air. The library is still a mess as the King and people are still unpacking crates of books and stuff. Yaar discovers in one of the Prince’s shipping boxes a lock box which has been partially pulled out. No one in the group could open it. So Hilather Knocks it open alerting everyone in the house and grounds.
They discover the note from Memp the seneschal of the Prince. The group decides to split the party. Tiny and Yaar will find Captain Morlin and then get Memp into the library for questioning. Three dots will hit the throne room to talk with the King. Flint and Alwin will go upstairs to find the Prince or King.
Ok I just had each group rolled a group initiative. Captain Morlin is found and gets Memp and two of the Prince’s guards to follow him to the library. Yaar is not to happy with the Private who suddenly needs to hit the bathroom. Anwin and Flint have trouble with the stair guard and can not talk their way pass him. Three dots are be given the shifty eye by two guards in the throne room.
The questioning of Memp does not go well resulting in a fight breaking out. The two guards are killed by the group and Captain Morlin. Some of the King’s guard are either put to sleep or hit with subdual damage. The group turns Memp over to the King, and change the time line.
Okay, the time travel and not changing history plot seem to put the group off its game. I could think of no logically reason to not change the time line. Once I told the group about the cook book in the library, they all agreed it was stupid idea. Going back to kitchen for a favorite sauce pan was thought to be more reasonable.

 

[jasper]

DDAL 08-03 Dock Ward Double Cross Second Play through.
AP 2 TP 2 Downtime 5 days. Play time 90 minutes
Pc Killed 1 Monsters Killed 112 Villains Captured 5 Villains Escaped 4
I had the same players with one pc swap out Yaar was replaced by Geth and the group was an average.
The pcs all got engraved gold leaf invitations to me a Mr. Morlin in the lavender room of Trollskull manor. It appears due to a lot of false maps of Mr. Morlin’s rest has been disturbed. He will take the group into his service if they solve the map situation. However, Morlin is generally uneasy as he seems to remember most of their faces but can not place where he has met the group before.
The only clue they have is the paper came from some where in the Dock Wards. The group discover the paper maker. His clue is not too helpful. Just how many red-haired bar maids are in the Dock Ward, are blonde hair bar maids more common, what about brunette serving girls. (and with this comment a dm should add a very detail description of the maid.) The group is assaulted by three drow wanting the map. The fight starts after one of drow gets mad and shoots the drunken monk’s wine bottle and shatters to pieces. They take down the drow and disappear into the night to avoid the watch.
At the Hanging Man bar three thugs mention the fact they got their map from the cobbler. The cobbler gives the location of the bar maid. The Ship’s Prow.
I did set up a big bar with lots of bystanders. But the group decided to persuade the bar maid to end the con job. They did not want to be cut in. No, they would not tell the city watch. But they would tell the Baron of Blood who was behind the false maps. The drow agreed very quickly to end operations. (Ok this could be a fight but the group did not want one. So, a persuasion roll with an advantage gave them a 19. I rolled 5. I think the thought of a ticked off vampire trumped a pistol any day.)

 

[jasper]

Waterdeep Heist Chapter 5
If you are going to railroad, bring a bigger train.
AP 3 TP 3 Downtime 5. People remember you get 1 renown every 4 AP, so check your previous sessions. APL 4.
PC Killed 1 Monsters Killed 121 Villains Captured 5 Villains Escaped 4
Magic Item Unlocked Ring of Mind Shielding.
My group was having a pot luck dinner at the store (thanks Visions), so I rushed some stuff, and dropped some stuff.
The Group got a brass scale from their friend in the harbor. Istrid Horn a female beardless dwarf agreed to go along for a cut. But a drunken elf what to do. Aukan and Joseph as co-owners of the Trollskull Manor decide to post flyers. “Notice to all elves. Which of you can handle the IMP beer. Winner gets part ownership in Trollskull manor. Note must sign a waiver and contract to hold Trollskull Manor owners and operators non-liable.” Yes. They got a bunch of elves drunk. The winner Frank of Stein was happy and blurry eyed as he signed the papers. He did not notice the new paperwork said he first had to enter the vault unknown and survive.
Except for the black pudding and Brick the Kenku barbarian taking a fall the group entered the vault. The vault is actually a lair. The lair of ADULT Gold dragon Aurinax. Aukan starts to suck up to dragon. Yaar who turned in a sugar glider start dripping down the back of Joseph shirt. Frank starts talking about what big eyes the dragon has. SNAP! CHEW! CHEW! No more Frank! Aurinax thanks the party for the snackage. The party is just now worried. They discovered Lord Neverember did deposit a few, a bit, just a tiny whiny amount of gold pieces. Such beautiful, glistering, soft singing gold pieces. Um. Yes, Lord Neverember did leave the small amount of 500,000 GP in the dragon’s care. And he cares very much about it. The group does not have the correct password to release the gold. What to do? Other than to leave now or become second snackage. Aurinax was mad too. He had to paid to have the vault keys rekeyed.
What to do? What to do? The group is discussing this as they leave the vault. BOOM! Brick closes the vault door which locks with a huge CLICK. Such a huge click which covers Xanathar’s gang of 6 bugbears, a gazer, and minion dwarf thug Norska, are able to surprise the group. Five minutes later they are in ropes and shackles. Thirty minutes later the druid makes his move. Fog cloud appears covering the arrival of the cleric Salaz Soothsayer. They win the fight easily. But what to do/
They have three choices. Find the HQ of Xanathar. Wait until Xanathar attacks the manor. Go to authorities. Then they remember Renear Neverember owes some of them a favor. So they decide to talk to the dragon again. Now aided by Renear, Salaz the goblin cleric of Bahamut (who is wearing a bucket of butter on his head), and new keys they enter the dragon lair. Ok here I gave one the players an information dump on Renear, so he could play the noble. I played the dragon. The bard Joseph did the talking mostly for the party. They did talk the dragon out the deposit. But are left holding the bill to replace the walkways they broke on the way in.
The group told the authorities who recovered the gold. As a reward, they dropped all charges and all sentences against all people who help recover the gold. This include others who were not present at time. So everyone is pardoned. Well except for Rick. He has to serve out his sentence.
The bard rolled 86 on the manor money chart. So Trollskull Manor Operating Money 340 gp. Two days before the Mr. X and his boys come calling.

I have two more modules to run and post in this thread.
Problems. Ok. I did not have one player sit through the whole book. This did lead to some problems of me trying to remember details of the adventure which should been passed on to other players. I could see no legal way of making explore Chapter 5 fully after they defeated Xanathar’s goons.

As GM who does adventure league. DON'T RUN THIS BOOK! With the season 8 changes of not awarding treasure at all, the game has reverted back to my old bad habits. AKA. LISTEN YOU BEEPING PLAYERS THIS IS TONIGHT'S ADVENTURE! YOU CAN PLAY IT MY WAY! OR I CAN GO HOME EARLY! YOUR CHOICE.

 

[jasper]

DDal 08-05 The Hero of the Troll Wars
AP 4, TP 4, Downtime 10 Renown 1
PC Killed 1 Monsters Killed 122 Villains Captured 5 Villains Escaped 4
A 4 hour dungeon done in 2 hours 9 minutes. Strong APL 4 group.
This late post since I was on vacation and Red Dead Redemption 2 Bunny rabbits are evil and quick.
Ok. I used the Quantum Leap tv show bit again to drop them into Summer 940. The group meets again Malcar Gost from the last episode. How and why he is still alive is never explained. I guess becoming a vampire thrall makes you quit aging. He is only there to say go to Waterdeep young pcs. The adventure is there.
The Eladrin Tomb was interesting and we all disagree with the official solution. So I let the solution the group thought best work. Boy were they unhappy with breaking the ward.
The Gnome crypt was a waste of time. As stated in the module a wild shaping druid beats this riddle. A good roll got the group the first ward.
The harbor and wererat lair was laugh. It is just a roll to find stuff and remember stuff. The group found most of the stuff but then failed by toss all the loot into the drink. (Why was this suppose to take an hour?)
The sisters of mercy/ Mimoar's Hold was interesting and they talked to the monster instead of combat. The cleric burned all his spells healing up the unconscious to their feet. So the group got 2 wards giving them 3. The two sisters were added to the group as back up
The final episode was going to be a walk over. especially since this was the ONLY COMBAT. So I bumped the troll to max. Move the troll next to the spell caster. It was pass or fail. If the spell caster goes down, the ritual fails. The group used good tactics and spells to lock down the troll and protect the caster. In three rounds it was over.
The wrap up is silly.

 

[jasper]

DDAL 08-06 Purging the Blood
Avg group AP 4. TP 4, Downtime 10 Renown 1
5 person group with 2 first levels the rest third or higher. Runtime almost 4 hours. Lots of off topic table talk.
PC Killed 2 Monsters Killed 139 Villains Captured 11 Villains Escaped 7
cloak of protection table f unlocked.
As half the group fails through time they are join by two new people. The group means the Vampire Lord Artor Morlin and Lord Ahghairon the ruler of Waterdeep in that year. Morlin gives them orders to find rival vampires and their noble minions.
The group enters the Helmfast Estate. Head Cook Ms Miggledy thinks they are the extra day helpers and puts Murkov to work chopping onions. Miggledy tells if they want to talk to the nobles they need to go to trade ward which they do. Entering the shop they scared the nobles into fleeing. The chase was fun as the group was strung out over 150 feet. But Flint was great as he slid underneath an apple cart cutting off Mrs Helmfast escape route. Murkov and Ukbuk did upset the apple cart. The group was able to beat down and capture the Helmfast crew. After a toothpulling scene they got some information.
Joy Hulmark was the only Noble home at the time the crew investigated the Manor. Joy was flirting with Mukov why the group got clues to the Shar Temple was holding 4 "guests" in the basement. The group goes to check out the temple. Since Mukov was making the moves on Joy and did not want to tag along with the group, I said he will not be allowed in combat to round 3. Shadow Fist open palm the front door and rushes in. Then starts beating up a cultist.
As he looks around he notices 3 other cultists and a priest are visibility upset with him. All 4 cultists beat down the monk. The group panics as the priest casts marvelous magical microwave spell. Or spirit Guardians. (It is bad when the dm has never used a spell, then laughs). The fighter tries to halt his rush into the temple and can not decides to attack or save the monk. He finally attacks taking out a cultist. (Ok this where everything went south. The group could not decide where to attack or flee. The monk failed his death save on his next round. Mass confusion.) The group is finally able to defeat the villains on the first floor and a blood sucking beagle named Snoopy before they retreat with the monk's body.
The next day during the talk with Elsa Gost they go to help her sick Uncle Malcar Gost. Her Uncle Malcar Gost who is a Vampire Spawn. After shattering windows and destroying the black out curtains they defeat Gost and arrest Elsa.
The party talks to the Tespers who lead them into the Forest of the City of the Dead. They come to a strange looking tree which has a Quantum Leap vortex. But spy the ambush in time. They stay at medium range and defeat the cult and destroy the tree. (I did give the tree saving throws against spell damage.) They then leap back to the present.

 

[jasper]

DDAl08-01 Map with not names Pickup game second run thru. 2 hours.
AP 2 TP 2 Downtime 5+ days or 5- days.
I was dm with just under 40 hours of not sleeping. But I have found the holy drink from Magic City Con 2017. After keeping it in secret. It was discovered to be a Starbucks Triple Mocha Frappuccino. I was partaking of this potion while dming the Mad Mage and this session.
The group was very weak and only four players. Shawn the cleric was running his second pc and this was his second session also.
The group was given the code legal and map on same sheet. The group goes enter house near Trollskull manor. Max tries to bribe Bill the kid out with an Apple. Billy tells the group mom would have the rent at the end of the ten day. The group gets their foot in the door literally. Beats up and captures two of the thugs in the basement. They drag Andy and Opie to the officer of the Watch Barney. Joshua and Shawn admit to breaking and entering, and assaulting the fine citizens of Andy and Opie. In the spongebob narrator voice "10 downtime days later."
It was pass opening night at the Big Bird diner. After waiting an hour for a table, they were seated. While eating they notice they were not in the correct room. The Noble no name was able to get his staff (the rest of the party) into the kitchen to help with the dishes and discover the second clue and the silver daggers. They then finish up the job and gripe about not getting any tips.
Dagger Alley was done quickly. I rolled low on initiative and lightly damaged the party. Josuha the Barbarian Ranger ripped off the sewer lid and entered. The group saw the secret door. Secrets offend Joshua, he kicked in the door spring the crossbow trap. Taking a bolt in the belly button. The group starts searching the various rooms while Shaun kept look out. Max did not discover anything. Joshua was upset when he found a empty treasure chest bolted to the floor. He ripped off the floor and threw into the next room. Shattering the chest and card table in the front room. Discovering the clue the group decides to leave. They were in and out so quickly, they missed the combat part of the encounter.
The art studio was fun. No name wizard was talking up with the owner while everyone else was look over the paintings or keeping out for town watch. They notice one painting has the three landmarks in it. (Ok it does not. But it made sense to my brain at the time.) The Noble no name wizard asks to buy the painting and. I called time on the session. Hey it was 10:30 PM.