DDAL Jasper DMS Season 9 & Descent into Avernus Adventure League

[jasper]

DDAL09-11 Session

Losing Fai Or the Lemonade Gang Tent Revival.

Day 18

PC Killed 6 Monsters Killed 202 Villains Captured 9 Villains Escaped 0

Gain A Level. 240 GP. 20 Down time days. If you want.

Magic Items. Potion of Poison, Potion of Superior Healing, 2 soul coins, potion of growth. Demon Ichor from Elliach was 100 gp per dose.

NO Staff of Charming. It would be awarded if you saved a Fai-chen.

Story Award ALL. I SAY AGAIN ALL. Fai-nal Purchase. OOPS. You help murder all the Fai-Chens. There are no Fai-Chens left. If you see a Fai-Chen he is a fake. You can NEVER trade with Fai-Chen EVER. Not at con. Not at the emporium. Not at the store. Not online. To remove this your pc has to pony up a raise dead. That is every pc that played.

Start time was 6:20 PM end time was 11:10 PM. We went long for two reasons. One I made dinner so there were food breaks. Two I threw in Bonus Objective A. Next week will be 09-12 Tier 3.

I had a strong group of five. Night Bane Paladin 5. (New to me player still running his first PC). Wenek Monk 10. Markov Wizard necromancer 10. Brandy Cleric 10. Sukua wizard 10.

The group had been partying hard for the last three days after their epic battle with the ice devil Ice Ice Baby Devil Gee. The last thing they remember is Fai-Chen 13 tucking them into bed. Sukua is woken up with a groin stomped as Dara accidently steps on him climbing into the tent. The Avernus’ sun light is burning holes in their heads as they suddenly discover they have massive hangovers. Dara explains all the Fai-Chens have disappeared while they were partying. Just as this is sinking in Sukua is again groin stomped as the imp Dilbert delivers a COD letter from Fai-chen 216. The letter asks the group to investigate 216 disappearance. The letter offers a reward. And tells them to trust no one.

The imp bows after Markov pays him, and groin bounces off Sukua and dashes out the tent. Dara tells the group she has talked to Fhet’Ahla (Mahadi’s secretary) about the disappearances. Fhet’Ahla has deigned knowing anything about the disappearances but Dara think he is lying. And Dara has notices Mahadi’s imp spies are following her. Burney the Barber may have seen Fai-Chen 13 or 216 in the last three days. Elliach the faceless may know something. Or if they are smart and cunning, they may be able to trick Fhet’Ahla into revealing something.

While they are deciding on what to do, Markov makes a food run. (Yes, he did. I forgot to get crackers and cheese for the chili dinner.) While waiting on the food to arrive the boots and saddles called is heard. Being reminded by Dilbert that part of their contract with Mahadi is to provide a quick reaction force, they hurry to fight of the attack. (BS. If this was mention in any of the other tier 2 modules, I missed it.) The group fights off a group of shadow demons, some quasits, and vrocks. (this fight had some issues as written.) After a short rest Markov finally shows up with breakfast. After eating they decide to confront Fhet’Ahla.

Being neither cunning, smart, wise, (nor did they listen to the dm) Sukua lets drop they are investigating the disappearances of all the Fai-Chens. (Groan. Not thirty minutes into the game and they are telling on themselves.) Getting no where they decide to check out Burney the Barber.

Ignoring the close sign Markov barges in. Markov is a license trader and dealer in the Emporium and he going to find out why Fai-Chen 216 has not delivered his beer, and other goods to the Troll Skull Manor # 1313 location. Now Markov has not dealt with Burney. Brandy, Wenek, and Sukua have. Brandy hair is a rat nest. She is pale. Tick off. Short tempered. She has been trying to save the child Zal Furden, who has acquired a hellish disease. Could one of the good people help her? (Ok this where specific beats general. Or where we say beep over ruled by box text. The disease is not named, not curable by anything the party has access to. Just a plot device.)

Markov ticks off Burney by demanding to know where Fai-chen 216 is. Then licking a soul coin, he offers her the coin to pay her for information. She jams the coin between his teeth, grabbing him by his throat and tosses him out the open door. Then slams the close sign through the window. The party has now stepped on her last nerve. Her eyes flash copper. Brandy offers to help but. Wait a minute. Why yes Brandy can transfer two levels of exhaustion to Brandy from the kid. (Note module says only good non-paladins can do the transfer. Hack to module 2). Brandy mentions a Susan. Um Sun Zhen Kang was asking about the Fai-chens about two days ago. She sent him over to Elliach. (I had fun playing up Burney being at her wits end. Every time the group would offer a suggestion, I got to shoot it down, and insult the pc in the bargain.)

As the group approaches Elliach’s Ichor Aweigh shop front, two human ears fly pass them. Looks like Elliach has been experimenting again. (Ok. Elliach is deft and mute now. While roleplaying him the first two time was fun, it is now boring. I just told the players to ask questions and I would say they were either writing it down, etc.) Elliach remembers talking to a Sun Zhen Kang but (stealing from Harry Potter) being fearful of Fhet’Ahla he downloaded his memory into a potion. He will sell the memory potion for a soul coin. Markov swaps the coin for the memory potion. STORY AWARD Markov A Stain upon your Soul. Keep track of the number of charges you use or sell.

The memory reveals the location and pass word to Sun Zhen Kang tent. Leaving his skeletons guarding the front of the tent, Markov and the party barge in. They keep going to the main room. (I didn’t get time to describe the front room before the group was happy moving into the main room.) The tent is curiously silent. Well not really the tent does cut out the outside noises. However, the rants, warnings, and ticked off voices of six flameskulls and four wraiths awaken the party that they are not welcome. Six fire balls, six flaming bowling balls of death. Lots of wraith attacks later. Markov is Dead and Sukua’s little displacer beast is too. The cleric is able to keep Markov’s soul from leaving. The group takes a long rest and then loots the tent.

The next morning, they get on the road to Asmodeus Temple. On the way they pick up Fai-Chen 79. No Fai-chen 77. No Fai-chen 50. No. WHY ARE THE NUMBERS ON FAI-CHEN’s neck counting down. BOOM! Oh, he was a bomb. After cleaning Fai-chen off the window, the group continues on. Sukua in the lead war machine picks up the kid father and tell him to wait in the vechile while they are on the mission.

We will not mention them trying to run over the innocent Auntie Mouthrot.

They get to temple of Asmodeus. Speaking infernal Sukua says his name. (Kept on asking the player what was key to Asmodeus temple. He rolled lots of dice before he clued on to the fact, I want him to say a certain word out loud in character.)

(Note due to time I had to hack the rest of module. I added some Sun Zhen Kangs, move some monsters around, and went with the theme of monster. AKA DM is a cheater. DM is cheating.)

They enter the temple. No on is home. They approach the locked door of the inner chamber when Sun Zhen Kang walks out of the lava pit. Sukua retells the group travels to temple. Wenek does catch the vocal slip. Sun Zhen Kang was surprised a Fai-chen escape. As Wenek is pointing this out. Sukua knocks the inner chamber open.

Where six Sun Zhen Kang are lowering some Fai-Chens into a second pit of lava. Five of the six Kangs turn toward the party. And it is on. The group wisely casts Dawn and Cloudkill into the chamber covering most or all the Fai-chens and Sun Zhen Kangs. Sukua closes it off with a wall of force. This will kill everyone in the chamber.

In the outer chamber two more Kangs climb out of the lava and a five headed Sun Zhen Kang teleport in. Sun Zhen Kang has discovered the duplication secret. And they are not big on sharing. After a good fight they kill off everyone including the kid’s dad who was a plant from someone.

Mahadi is sad that his former employee is totally dead. He gives them discount buffet tickets to the Infernal Rapture. He sells Sun Zhen Kang.

ALL DEALS WITH FAI-CHEN are null and void.

PS. The kid survived. I had some people asking about this.

(Ok. The module has some issues especially on how some information is given out. The maps need work as they are on the small side for the boss battle.)

 

[jasper]

DDAL09-12 Session

The Breath of Life Or the Lemonade Gang Parties On

Day 19 - 20

PC Killed 6 Monsters Killed 204 Villains Captured 9 Villains Escaped 0

Gain A Level. 1,600 GP. 20 Down time days. If you want.

Magic Item Potions of Fire Giant Strength * 3, Cloak of Arachnida.

No Story Award as you did not mess up.

Start time 6:22 PM End Time 9:42 PM

I had a weak group of five. Arborn ranger, rogue, warlock. Night Bane paladin. Markov necromancer. Brandy cleric. Sukua wizard.

Dara woke up the party with an unearthly scream like Oozy Osborne singing Wagner Opera in a J pop Wilhelm scream style. Illmater send her a dream about the hound-headed angel Verwyyr. Verwyyr was summon to the nine hells egos ago by a party of adventurers to defeat the Archduchess Qirozz (Queenie). The angel and party lost. Queenie stripped the flesh from the skull of the dog and made the Fetid Chalice. The hair of the dog mug pours out holy water every 666 days. Queenie throws a party during this time. It is a great honor or great bore to be invited to these parties. And there going to be a party TONIGHT.

Dara, “This is a mission of thief. You are going to steal the mug um chalice back. I don’t want to hear about your so-called mortals’ objections. You are on a mission from a gawd. No, you can’t wear sunglasses. Go NOW and talk to Mahadi. He always gets an invitation to go. Get into his entourage and steal the mug, um chalice. “

Sukua, Markov, and Arborn wake up Mahadi. He opens the second story window of his tent.

Mahadi, “What’s up dudes. I was asleep.” He yawns and kneads his neck looking down on the two.

Markov, “we are inviting you to Duchess Queenie’s party tonight.”

Mahadi, “what was that. YOU. YOU are inviting ME. To the archdevil Queenie party tonight?”

Sukua, “What your merchant friend meant is we heard about a party tonight. Could you come down and we discuss this.”

Mahadi slams the second-floor window close and the group hears him stub his toe on way down the stairs. A few minutes pass. Mahadi has taken time to change into his business clothes.

Mahadi, “So YOU. You have an invitation to Queenie’s party tonight. No. Don’t say anything. I know that is lie. I have not been the last two times. They have gotten boring. But since you must have a reason to attend. What is in for me?”

Markov, “We arrive in my war….”

Mahadi laughs,” You war machine is a silver-plated ford pinto hatch back. Please, I would be caught with your dead bodies riding it.”

Sukua, “What my party member means….”

Mahadi, “Just shut it. I have not had my Starbucks Mocha yet. Markov according to your contract 26 B section 5 sub part B (the plot requires it) is activated. You are going on a collection job. (this the bonus A objective). Mr. Giles French take their measurements.” An overweight imp starts taking their measurements. “Mr. French fetch the rest of the group. Take their measurements too. Markov Lady Gag Gag owes me a bag of soul coins. She is over due with her payment. She is a powerful night hag. Collect my payment. I don’t care how. Here are the directions. And the rest of your party and your piece of junk war machine. Go. Your finery will be done when you get back. If all of you get back. Bye Bye don’t let the door hit on the way out.”

The group drives to Lady Gag Gag cave and only get lost once since Brandy was driving. The plan is Sukua, Night Bane, and Arborn will enter the cave. Night Bane will ask nicely for the pouch of soul coins. The others will be the reserve. They enter the cave and as their eyes get use to the candle light, they notice some of them are standing on pit traps. A few quick shuffling of feet later.

Night Bane, “Lady Gag Gag your dear friend Mahadi ask for his payment. You forgot to send in your monthly service fee.”

Lady Gag Gag is a cute night hag. She is guard by six rough looking devils. She starts flirting with the paladin. “Such a fine man. I wonder how your lips would taste?” The flirting does make the paladin uncomfortable.

Lady Gag Gag, “I could pay it today. But it would require two of your souls. You are such a nice group.”

Night Bane, “No deal.” He is sweating either due to the heat or Lady Gag Gag undressing him with her eyes.

Lady Gag Gag, “My boys’ toys haven’t had any fun lately. They love new magic items to play with. Or new flesh bags to play with. Two magic items and I give you the bag.”

Markov, “I will give up my Rod of the war mage.”

Sukua, “I will give up my Ring of Free Action.”

Lady Gag Gag, “Deal!”

The deal is made and the party returns to the Emporium. (Who are these people and what have they done with my normal group?) They change into their new finery latter that day. Brandy casts Heroes Feast. The rest put on their makeup and game faces. They take off in Mahadi’s war machine it is a 1958 Ford Plymouth Fury name Christine Maine. The trip takes three hours. It is evening as they pull up.

Mahadi smiles and presents the invite. Whispering to the party, “Good Luck but don’t get my name involved. “A blue light flashes as he passes through the portal. The party discovers the blue light is a dispel magic. Some of them lose the heroes feast. Markov loses three of his skeletons. They are ticked off to discover a weapon check exists too. All the paladin’s weapons are locked up. All the magical staves are locked up. Most of the wands are locked up. Some of the group are able to palm a weapon, or wand. (Yes, a script depowering.)

They enter the main ball room. Think of any fancy movie ball room dance party with two hundred plus extras and a few “A” list stars. (Ok this a mostly social encounters only module. As there is a lot of verbal role play, I just going to sum up. I do suggest DMs use some props to make the named npcs differ.) The party has been going on for a while and the following are gone. No plates. No chicken wings. No pizza. No more infernal delights (Queenie’s specially candy) so quit asking about it. The party goers are holding their snackage with napkins on one hand. Talking and drinking with the other. (Note this is a heist module)

The dog face mug um chalice is in the center of the room. A flying bone devil is circling in a ten-foot pattern. It is protected by velvet ropes dripping blood.

The group splits up for information. The paladin is confused when the spell nerd Hastings will not talk to him. Markov and Sukua calm him down. They do get the information that after a good dance Queenie takes a 20-minute nap. He still has not eat his infernal delight.

Lexi the prancing Minotaur just flirts with everyone who takes with him. No information recovered.

Arborn flits with Queenie. He gets a dance card. And notices she has one infernal delight left. He also notices an invisible imp peaks out of the chalice.

Pingle wants an infernal delight cause eating two is not enough. His ego is so big the room is too small.

Zaralais is a very grumpy Androsphinx he hates the food, the beer, and the party.

Sukua using his imp discovers the following. Alarm spell on the chalice. Forbiddance on the pedestal it on. Glyph of warding on the chalice. Symbol of something on the chalice.

The group goes outside for a smoke break. And make plans. (They did. I was half listening in to it. After about ten real minutes the comeback with the plan.)

(I told them to position themselves and their marks and we do the plan one piece at a time. Everything before hand is happening at the same time. Action!)

Arborn is dancing with Queenie and fliting with her. He tires her out. She gives him her hat and her last infernal delights.

Brandy is chatting up the tray servant and getting nowhere.

Night Bane chatting with Zaralais discovering the sphinx wants to leave ASAP.

Lexi the Minotaur is not covered.

Markov and Sukua are chatting up both Pingle and Hastings. Pingle starts having a sneezing fit. After sneezing on the two he leaves to get his allergy meds. They discover Hasting is called Hasting because he always hastes away from a fight.

The dancing stops. Heralds announce Queenie will be taking twenty minutes to rest and recover from they fine dancing. Give Arborn a hand and smoke them if you got them. (note some magic rings were being used and I forgot who exactly took down what.)

Markov and Brandy start moving toward each other. Night Bane leaves the sphinx and move to the center of the room. Arborn moves withing twenty feet of the chalice and dispels the symbol spell. Using his imp Sukua dispels the glyph.

Markov and Brandy gets into a fight. Markov fires a fireball into the ceiling. And the fighting has begun. Night Bane moves to break up the fight. Arborn throws invisibility on the chalice and is noticed by the horned devil. But the devil does not leave his post. Using his imp Sukua takes down the forbiddance spell.

Markov grabs Night Bane and dimensions door out. Brandy turns and holds monster the horned devil, then runs toward Sukua. Sukua telekinesis the chalice to Arborn and runs toward Brandy.

Arborn not caring he is carrying the chalice with two imps in dashes toward the front door. Brandy and Sukua meet and dimension door out. An imp gives Arborn a black eye.

Arborn hits the door. Dumps the imps out of the chalice and curb stomps them. The group has made their escape.

Successfully! Well not really the cops talk to witnesses and they are identified as the group which came with Mahadi. Mahadi is not happy. No one know what fine he paid. No one has seen any wanted posters for the group.

YET.

(DM Notes this is heist module which bends itself over backward to let the players win. I did copy the archduchess and other monsters from elsewhere as they are not listed in the module. The module says if they go to a combat method of grabbing the prize is, they fail. Just that they fail. My group loved this module and I enjoyed hamming the npcs up. But the success of the module really depends on the tone of players.)

Arborn with Queenies hat. Night bane with the mug um chalice

 

[jasper]

DDAL09-13 Session

The Swarmed Heart or The Lemonade Gang gets Punch

Day 21

PC Killed 6 Monsters Killed 235 Villains Captured 9 Villains Escaped 0

Gain A Level. 1,600 GP. 20 Down time days. If you want.

Magic Items a +3 quarterstaff, a broom of flying, two potions of greater healing, two potions of climbing, and 10 soul coins.

No story award.

Start Time 6:35 PM End Time 10:05 PM

I had a weak group of three Night Bane Paladin. Cretin Paladin Warlock. Markov Necromancer. Markov had five skeletons and one simulacrum. Due to simulacrum and Cretin AC 25 I started treating the group as average after the first two combats.

The party is having bad dreams. The dream is a flash back of when Zariel’s friend was telling her not to go to hell. Zariel’s friend RASKAMEDIES was one her sergeants. Once Zariel and the Hellriders lost, Raskamedies retreated from the battle field. Heart pounding in sorry and angry. Raskamedies was kill by a horde of Hellwasps, who eat her body leaving the skeleton and beating heart behind. Loving the beat, the Hellwasps build a nest around it. The heart still beats today. It is getting louder. Louder. LOUNDER! The group wakes up in a warm sweat. All have experienced the dream. (OK it was a flash back or vision for those who don’t sleep.)

Having not have a good sleep. (And Will reminding about it.) The rolled a wisdom save vs the hell effect. Night Bane Failed. He is slowly turning evil. During their smoke break outside the tent after breakfast, they hear the heart in the back of their heads. They hear the buzzing of the Hellwasps. It is getting louder. Louder. LOUDER.

Cretin, “That sounds like they are actually nearby. It is loud. Almost real.”

Night Bane, “It is real idiot.” He points to three hellwasps crossing the red line and entering the Emporium.

RED ALERT. ALL OFFENSIVE SPELLS ARE ALLOWED. RED ALERT. ALL OFFENSIVE SPELLS ARE ALLOWED. BUT ONLY ON THE HELLWASPS.

Markov, “Dammit.”

The group take down the hellwasps near the red line which outlines the emporium. About 300 feet on the other side of line is a group of adventurers fighting some more hellwasps.

STAND DOWN. STAND DOWN. NO EXCEPTION RULE IS BACK IN EFFECT. THE NO EXCEPTION RULE IS BACK IN EFFECT.

(The writer gave no guidance on how to handle the first encounter which takes place inside emporium. I have previous ruled no offensive spells. Healing spells okay. Other spells I call by ear.)

Markov and party dimensions door the adventuring party. Telling his skeletons to close and target the hellwasps. (I think you can use a free action to command them but they would be 300 feet from the combat. I think I was cheated.)

The party is griping about who stole what. They have stolen a tourist hat. Some toilet paper. And a map. Between the skeletons, the party, and the npcs they take down three hellwasps, and Hellwasp swarm. But the npc lose one member of their party. (In the script.) While they are introducing themselves, some devils and imps show up to reclaim the toilet paper. The monsters go down quick. (This is when I just started to run the module with an average group.) After a brief thank you, the npcs plane shift out with their dead fellow.

Dara asks the group to find the Hellwasp nest and bring back the heart. It takes fours hours. (Um no. They have a war machine.) It takes two hours to find the wasp nest. They get in a short rest while doing so.

Arriving at the nest, Markov and his mini Markov dimension doors the group to the first chamber. Killing one Hellwasp quickly. Markov then cast various invisibility spells on the group. (The group would be mostly invisible the rest of session except during combat.) They also find a quarter piece of paper with some infernal writing on it. They have the choice of three exits which lead up into the nest. Or one block exit leading to something on this first level. They quietly dig out the second chamber to find a part of a halfling cloak and another quarter of the sheet of paper.

The group goes up. It is now dim light. They are invisible and hear the buzzing of three wasps. Cretin charges the wasps and kills one out right. The rest of part joins in. With only Night Bane taking damage. (Between tactics and high AC Night Bane was about the only one I could tag once combat started.)

Entering the fourth chamber Cretin slips down a tunnel into the nursery. Killing four innocent baby hellwasps. After climbing out the nursery, he kills the nanny Hellwasp.

They enter the final chamber 60 feet by 80 feet. (OH, freaking come on this boss fight and it is the second smallest of the chambers. With the high perception of Markov, they see the queen bee um wasp.) Between limited room, good tactics, invisibility, cloak of displacement, and okay rolls by me the monsters are cleared in four rounds.

They recover Raskamedies’ skeleton, heart, cloak and the last piece of paper. They drive home. Using wasp spit and his own Cretin pieces together the paper. They also have all the nice loot. Including ten soul coins. They give the body to Dara who starts working her magic on it. They clean up. Because.

The paper is Redeemable for one meal for your party at the Infernal Rapture and is signed by Mahadi. The waiter reads the meal of the day which sea hag crumbled cheese with pickled purple worm eggs, a main dish of two fried merfolk fillets with garlic butter potato fries, and yeti sorbet with a sweet infernal sauce for dessert. And girl scout cookies from real girl scouts. The waiter offers beer, wine, water, or bar drinks. They do have 100-year-old scotch made from real Scotchmen. Markov order three for table, but Cretin being a snob passes on his. So, Markov has two shots. The group passes most extras but Night Bane and Markov do take some wacky tobacco. The meal is loving like a hero’s feast.

(Everyone who ate is now at permanent disadvantage on social checks with Mahadi.)

The bill comes due.

Night Bane, “What bill? The paper said a free meal for us. I didn’t eat it. I just had a shot of booze and wacky tobacco.”

Cretin, “BEEP BEEP. It just said a FREE MEAL. Everything else is going to be extra.!”

Waiter, “How dare you sir. The water was free.”

Waiter, “Night Bane you owe us 11 soul coins. Markov you owe us 12 soul coins. You can pay can’t you. Or should I get Ms. Fluffy Bun Bun to come discuss the matter with you.”

HAAHAHAAA. It worked. Cretin did see through my lack of poker face. They others had to give up all their soul coins. Some gold pieces. And down time days. This time I did not let anyone off the hook with just soft choices.

Cretin has JohnC, Brandy, and Mimi’s Soul Coins. These are pcs who died during the season. And players have been paying cash money to get the coins back.

This module is seriously under powered even with Cretin being level sixteen and having an AC 25. I only hit the spellcaster and mini spell caster for damage using lair actions. I need two Nat 20s to even touch Cretin. The boss monster is weak, only has a +11 and in a small chamber. The light effects are easy cancelled by a cantrip. I would either add more wasps, or more monsters or both.


PS. While I was preparing snackage during the afternoon for the game, I got notice one my friends had die of Covid 19. His last pc was John Jacob. So as see some of the gamers didn't show. The ones who did were off their game.

 

[jasper]

DDAL09-14 Session

The Vast Empire of Grace

Day 22 -24

PC Killed 6 Monsters Killed 263 Villains Captured 9 Villains Escaped 0

Gain A Level. 1,600 GP. 20 Down time days. If you want.

Magic Items Belt of Stone Giant Strength, Wand of Secrets, Soul Coins 2, Scroll of Power Word Pan, Potion of Superior Healing 2.

Story Award Wards Got. You recover the Wards of Suffering. Dara and you can now enter the Canyon of Screams.

Start Time 6:30 PM End Time 10:45 PM

I had a strong group of five which I should counted as very strong due the necromancer and builds. Cretin Paladin Warlock. Markov Necromancer. Markov had five skeletons and one simulacrum. Botticelli Monk fighter. Brandy cleric. Terra Rouge Ranger. Terra could not fail some checks.

As Dara, Raskamedies, and Verwyyr are discussing the up coming mission Markov gets a summons to Mahadi’s office.

Mahadi summons Markov into his office, he is talking to two imps’ names Pabst and Bud. He speaks, “Boys take a bath,” He shoves the imps into a barrel of beer each. As they are sending up bubbles. “Take a deep breath merchant of mine! Tell me what you smell!”

Markov, “Flat beer, brimstone, …”

Mahadi, “I smell clean, fresh, GOOD air. You brought two angles into my mall. You are ruining my rep. I want them gone. I don’t care how! I don’t want to know. I will not fill out that statement you writing out. Get them out my Emporium.” The imps have quit sending up bubbles. Mahadi closes the lid on the barrels. “Let is rest for a week then the beer will be ready. Gone you hear me. Fresh air sucks!”

As Markov is leaving the office, he encounters Tara, “Tara we got a mission. Kill two angels. You get everyone out of Dara’s tent and across the red line then we mug them.”

Tara, “what does the red line mean? What is my cut of the mugging?”

Markov, “Red Line is the official end of Emporium. Any happens out there is legal. Forge me some eviction papers. I get Cretin to throw those bumps out.”

The papers are forged. The evil plans are laid. Cretin Markov enter Dara’s tent.

Markov, “Dara it is time to go.”

Dara, “Yes on your mission for my gawd. Where you stop only Illmater knows!” Dara starts chanting.

Raskamedies, “Dara they are not together you don’t know…”

A big blue box sweeps through the tent and Emporium. Sweeping up the party. TRADEMARK TRADEMARK THEIF. SUE SUE SUE. Um the teleport spell has a little problem. It sends them forward in time six months to Elturel. It is 0100. No moonlight. The stars are extra dim as if the dark was darky dark or extra dark. Elturel has been return to the Realms. But it too quiet. Too dark. No patrols. Almost no people.

Tara knocks on a nearby house. Not caring the windows of all the houses, the group can see have been boarded up. “I hear you in there lady. Open up.”

Lady, “No. You may be one of them. Go away. It is dark outside.”

Tara, “Just look out through the mail slot. We are peaceful we need to know some information.”

The mail slot opens. The lady sees a group of mix races and…. “SKELETONS. EVIL VAMPIRES. EVIL VAMPIRES. RUN!” The party hears her running away. They kick the door open just to see the lady dive into a trap door. Tara runs up to the second floor to stop the kids from fleeing. Markov has one of skeletons dump a bookcase on top of the trap door.

Tara, “But lady we just want information. We need to know where we are. What we need to do. We are not vampires.” A cloud of fog on the second-floor forms into a tall hillbilly.

Jethro, “Jethro Bow Dean. You are in Elturel. You need to be our lunch. And we are vampires. Jethro Bow Dean super genius vampire at your service. Shall we have a bite. Jed, Granny, Elly Mae, Mr. Drysdale get them.” Four vampire spawns form outside the house trying to surround the party. (What that combat went quick.)

As they are sweeping up the last dust of the vampires, a rat with a scroll approaches. Brandy takes the scroll and the rat turns into a skeleton. The scroll is from Dara. It is a map to the entrance to the Sorrowful Monastery. Their mission is to recover the Wards aka bracers of suffering and rescue if possible, the angel Yuriial.

The group follows the map with a minor setup of a couple of devils and buildings not falling on them. (gripe gripe. High AC. Pass without a trace.)

The group gets to alley to Sorrowful Monastery. No key. No door. Just a glowing wall. Which glows radiant damage. Summoning swarms of skeleton rats. Summoning vampire spawn. Tara is not happy the evil radiant light is hurting. She starts pressing bricks at random. The door is not opening.

Tara, “This beep hurts. “

A vampire spawn in a bad Irish accent. “Ah no naughty word Tara. Lucky is my name. Coin tossing is my game. You should try it.”

The whole group see a spawn sixty feet up flipping a coin. (Don’t ask how everyone can see him when I told them it was darky dark and you had to have darkvision to see pass thirty feet.) After a good battle of five rounds. The wall opens with the help of three skeletons punching in the combination.

(Made some changes here. To find the coin which has the clue the perception check is so low Tier 1 PCs would have no problem. I increased the range of the radiant damage. Add in a swarm of undead rats for each group. The rats were supposed to do static damage each round. But had hit points and ac so they didn’t last to the bottom of the first round. I did like each vampire is a different race and has a bonus action.)

The group enters the first room of the dungeon only to find out it’s stinky. Lots and lots of bat poo on the floor. They move to prison cells. Um Monk cells to take a short rest. After the rest they enter common area where they are set upon two vampire spawn, and two zombie hordes.

Markov, “1 zombie horde!’

Dm, “What?” (Whine, necromancer can take control on one of the zombie hordes.”

Defeating the minor encounter, the group crosses the pillars of Absolution. Where Botticelli and Brandy fall to their deaths. Um Feather fall to the bottom but gain a level of exhaustion. Climbing up the other side they laugh as a skeleton blade trap. (the dice gawds love the pcs as a freaky skeleton pass a dex check that high.)

The enter the Chamber of Sorrow where five vampire spawn are eating on a live angel who is chained down by four chains covered in blood. With all the bones of their pass meals the floor is littered with it is difficult terrain. Five rounds later with Tara not even getting into combat, the vampires are dead. The angel is release and.

Vampire Krolfh Rorgur, “What about me! You forgot about me. You stupid human. What type of Dungeon Master forgets the boss monster?”

DM, “Listen Goblin Guts. Even if I include you in the room at the beginning, you may have lasted three rounds.”

Goblin Vampire Krolfh Rorgur,” but I had lair actions, a +11 to hit, over a hundred hit points. “

DM, “Shut it. It was about 10:40 and I wanted to go to bed.”

WHAT THE HECK. I FORGOT THE BOSS MONSTER. OOPS.

DM Note Vampires and Spawn still regenerate after chill touch. The Monster Manual write up is specific over the general PHB.

I would suggest DMs add hit points or change some monsters. I had some pc nuking a spawn per round and then getting a piece of another monster.

 

[FarBeyondC]

DM Note Vampires and Spawn still regenerate after chill touch. The Monster Manual write up is specific over the general PHB.

Specific vs general does not apply here unless the adventure/mod itself makes a note that it does for its versions of the Vampire and Spawn, or gives them immunity to the spell (or cantrips in general). Not even the dire troll (which probably has the strongest form of regeneration I've seen in this edition) can ignore chill touch.

 

[jasper]

DDAL09-15 Session

Maddening Screams Or the Lemonade Gang Screams for Ice Scream.

Day 25-27

PC Killed 7 Monsters Killed 331 Villains Captured 9 Villains Escaped 0

Gain A Level. 1,600 GP. 20 Down time days. If you want.

Magic Items Red Dragon Scale Mail, Helm of Telepathy.

Story Award Faith and Trust You recovered the wards of Faithfulness for the Resting Place of Bloody Hooves.

NOTE. NO DISCOUNT TO YOU. BUT YOU HAVE A SHOPPER. You lose the 25% discount from the emporium but Yuriial the dieting angel can do your shopping on the prime material plane. Any from the Players Handbook price list, or AL shopping list can be bought at normal price.

Start Time 6:38 PM End Time 11:10 PM

I had a group of four which I counted as very strong due the builds. Cretin Paladin warlock. Markov Necromancer. Markov had five skeletons and one simulacrum. Brandy cleric. Sukua Wizard with simulacrum. Note Brandy was the only at APL, everyone else over.

The group was discussing the events of their forward travel in time, when the Emporium went into lockdown. Markov did not know what lockdown. The Emporium goes into lockdown 4 hours before they move out. No one can leave. Close your cash registers. Close your business. Strike your bands. Strike up the band. (Which plays badly, off key, and does not quit until you leave. This is motivation music.) Dara has recently been ordered to stay inside the emporium. But she has to lead the party to lost Bloody Hooves platoon which is inside the Canyon of Screams. (Dara being locked into the Emporiums was supposedly hinted out in 09-06 but the opening scene was garbage.)

Markov, “WHAT. Dara is going outside the wire!”

Cretin, “BEEP. She is a wimp. A fireball could kill here. I hate escort missions.”

DM, “Just for that your running Dara.”

Using their cunning, extra skeletons, and the three angels covering for Dara, the group escapes the Emporium. Two hours later with the slightly the happy sounds coming from the Canyon of Screams, they see the border patrol.

Bone Devil, “Halt in the name of General Everbleed. Stand too for inspection at the intersection for a little interrogation and possible vivisections. “

30 seconds later.

Markov, “A piece of well chewed bubble gum, a silver piece, three copper pieces and naughty postcard. They weren’t worth the cost of the material components. Let get us get inside. Out the wind. So, it will be quieter. “

DM, “As you enter the tunnel, the wind grows louder, the quieter, then very loud.” (Sounds of players booing the DM. Note. During part one of the adventure six madness checks are needed but not needed depending on text. I went with the wind being always present.)

They have entered a maze complex with a mass of tunnels broken up occasionally by square rooms which are 25 feet. Occasionally the tunnels close off the rear. A wall appears twenty feet behind the last party member. All the rooms come up empty. But the tunnels are dangerous with rocks falling, bad evil religious tracts giving the party headaches, or spine devils popping out of side tunnels. Just enough to bleed the party of resources.

The come to a quiet room which explodes into an evil radiant ball of light. Markov is blinded until Brandy cures him. (Grr Rooms are 25-foot square with glyph trigger if you come within 10 feet. I just had the first two ranks do the saves. The auto triggers continue for rest of module.)

Dara finds two arm slots a wall which opens the wall to second part of canyon dungeon. They travel a hundred feet when the wall collapses! Cretin disappears down a pit. A Dao appears and uses a wall of stone to split the party. Markov is killed, so is his simulacrum. (This bonus objective A the only second hard fight in the module. And yes, I was pill as much as possible.)

The party brings Markov back to life before he was dead dead. They enter a clean nice room which has four exits including the one they just use. In front of each exit is a symbol. Either shield, sword, mountain, or horns. They choose the shield. (Module has it random, or guess. Players asked good questions so I shorten the trip.) Now the tunnels and rooms are shifting while they are in them. They can feel the shifting and see rooms turn while they are trying to read room number. They take some damage in the tunnels and two glyph rooms. After the second glyph room they take a short rest. In the final small room Sukua makes friends with a Tressym.

They laugh at the next four glyph rooms. Taking some damage but not a lot.

They enter the Hall of Lost Platoon of the Bloody Hooves. It is ninety-foot square (I made it bigger.) With a ten-foot hall way at the center of each wall. Twenty-four stone tables are evenly space out in the room next to the walls. Dara has to perform a ritual to release the bodies from the tablets. She releases the female halfling Sir Gofer Beer. Um Sir Gidor. The knight is surprise at the news of the time which has pass and she cast a magic circle to protect herself and Dara. Dara takes a coffee break (Okay smoke and bathroom break while the dm sets up the boss fight.)

When we last saw our adventures. They were in ninety-foot square room. With equally space stone tablets AC 17 HP 10 which are holding members of the Bloody Hooves. Dara has started the second ritual. Lose condition Dara dead. Stalemate Condition twelve tablets destroyed. Ready Fight.

Seven Rounds. Three Tablets destroyed the final devil is killed. The party takes a deep breath.

Markov, “We can home now.”

“hahahaa”. The walls move covering the exits. The room twists in three dimensions dropping everyone to the floor.

General Everbleed, “Fools. Thank you for leading my minions to the lost platoon. Enjoyed being buried alive. Buried Alive. Buried Alive.”

To be continued. Next Week. Two-day long rest. I will update on what you can do when I full read the next module.

DMs Note. Including the Bonus A objective there two hard fights. Two medium fights and the rest are easy. The notes on the madness which has DC 10 says 6 checks if you outside but puts you inside after the first battle. I just did 6 checks. My players said the checks should have increase by 2 with each roll. The DC checks for the random trap like rolls were DC 16+ but the average damage is low for a tier three party. I bumped the damage up to max on a fail. The final battle before I change it is 60 feet square with one exit. All the party has too do is protect Dara from getting hit. The module highly hints the devils will all close to melee. I like the random rolls for various encounters but they were either light setbacks or very easy fights. The lockdown is bogus. DDAL09-06 does hint in the call to action the party is being watched but I must have missed Dara being a prisoner.

 

[jasper]

Descent into Avernus Session 11

Chapter 4 Sword of Zariel

Or Memories Will Kill You

Or Changes.

Day 19

PC Killed 4 Monsters Killed 231 Villains Captured 19 Villains Escaped 6

Monsters victories a dog, a commoner,

Advance to level 13. 1,600 gp per level. Downtime 20 per level. For those who were over 13, 4 hours play. 800 gp. No downtime.

Free Resurrection on Shade.

I think my group took the shortest route. Most monsters were rolling with advantage. Monsters were given higher than average hit points. Added some monsters. And one cheated flat out. Read to find out who. Also, the city was under curfew so time was called early and I made a decision.

I had a very strong group of five. Rondell Cleric Wizard with simulacrum. (I count a simulacrum as a pc due to experience.) Lilly Rogue. Bar Steelwind Monk. Shade bard. Rauf Druid. AC range from 15 to 21 before buffs.

The group parked their war machine and saw a huge quarter mile wide by three hundred feet high scab. It is oozing pus and blood. As they walk, climb, and slip up to the entrance the ground gets more difficult and spongier making it difficult terrain for the pcs. (Mom the DM is Cheating already.) Entering the scab, it goes dark. But Steelwind abilities allow him to glow like a firebug. So Light is thirty bright and thirty dim light. (DADDY. The PCS are cheating. Signed Friendly Fiends.)

Enter the second chamber they see a combination of stone walls and scabby walls. A clean, totally clean fifteen foot high stain glass window is present. The group having no good people in it leave the hell alone. Traveling deeper into the scab they come to the decomposing room. All sort of dead bodies are here. From player races, demons, devils, inert undead making it difficult terrain. (PC you already said that.) Six swarms of killer flies annoy the party. (I did about 20 damage all including a crit.)

Nearing the next chamber, they hear voices that (Steelwind excuse me.) They hear a shadow demon urging a lot of dretches to claw out a doorway to Crokek’toeck tomb. Lulu orders the party to stomp them which they do. (DMs I suggest you start the clock when the players enter the scab. Have the dretches remove five of wall per room the party explores.)

A little bit on, they hear pounding on a chamber door. Pounding on a huge chamber door. The door is twenty feet wide by ninety feet high (PCs you said 60 last night. DM. Shut it.) Trantolox a nalfeshnee and six Bulezaus are trying to battering ram the doors down. After a quick discussion where everyone agrees to make nice, have an alliance to get the doors open, and the decide who gets the sword later (PC those fools. Fiends. Those Fools.) Lilly opens the door.

A holy bright light burns into the chamber, knocking most fiends down half their hit points, and giving the pcs some upset stomachs and making them reconsider their evil ways. The party tells the devils to leave or die. They leave. (First warning of store closing early. And I did not like how the book setups the encounter.)

The first chamber is empty.

Flinging open the second chamber Bar Steelwind dashes and goes to lay his hand on the sword.

LULU, “FLASHBACK. FLASHBACK.”

The group goes back in time to one of Lulu’s memories. Her town is on fire. The smoke hovers about 120 feet above the ground. Treetops are all on fire. A huge forest fire is all around the town, there is no escape. They break into a ground crew and flight crew. They slowly enter the town when towns people appear. Some of the people are real and response, others are ghosts of a past time. The ghosts settle and become real.

First wave. In the middle of town an over turn cart protects Ella Deepwell from six dretches. (Look she is important they named her.) A Hezrou appears pounding on the church door, it wants to go in. A giant hyena is fighting a pug. Six gnolls surround the monk, (mainly because he always alone.) The hyena kills the pug, and charges the party. (DM note only the rogue goes before me. She has 25. The monster’s initiative is 20,19,18,17. Everyone else is 16 or below. While this is not the first time my monsters went near the top of the round this season. We can’t remember the last time most of the party went after the monsters. AKA my dice like playing in the game store.)

The flight crew picks up the ground crew and teleport, misty steps, dimensions door, and I don’t know what all but. They appear behind the Hezrou. The Druid puts up a wall of stone between the church door and the fiend. The dretches kill the what was the npc name? After killing the fiend, hyena, dretches, and most of gnolls who were sniping the party. Garoknul a Marilith ghosts in. The monk and half to flight crew moves to range. Taking him out in two rounds. The monk goes and kills the last of gnolls.

Third wave has six humans appearing at the town edge screaming for flesh and brains. Lulu declares these people have to be subdue. (I love this only half the party has non-lethal stuff.) The monk and druid put them to beddy byes.

(Second warning of store closing. Plus, the monk is the only one needing a short rest.) Fast forward part four.

(I combine wave five and six with some changes.) The monk looks around there is no one to pound on. He sighs. Suddenly six gnolls (Init 8) surround him. A barlgura (Init 15) appears next to Rondell and his simulacrum. Yeenoghu (Init 17) appears between Shade and Lily.

Lily ties to hide, but does not. (WHAT MY MONSTER CAN SEE THE ROGUE THAT JUST COOL WITH ME.) She snips Yeenoghu ticking him off. He skips over and pounds her into the dirt. Just as he going to finish her off, Shade makes a joke about his mother. Yeenoghu charges Shade. Only to get Forcecage by Rondell.

Yeenoghu, “Foul FOUL. THE PCS ARE CHEATING. HEY YOU. DM. Look on page 139 of the hardcover of Descent into Avernus. Read it. “

DM, “Ok. So, what.”

Yeenoghu, “Look at your cheat sheet. See his level. Now go to page 243 of the players handbook. Read the spell.”

DM, “Ok. Done. He has you. “

Yeenoghu, “Look at the PHB 113 especially the chart. They are cheating. I.”

DM, “You a fiend are you not. Are not evil?”

Yeenoghu, “I a huge fiend. I have a name. Of course, I am evil.”

DM, “Well cheat back. And don’t get caught.”

Yeenoghu, “OKAY.”

DM, “Can I get back to my game.”

Yeenoghu, “By my command. Kill the PCS.”

Yeenoghu give Rondell the evil eye, closes as close to Shade as possible and spits in his eye. While Shade is blinded and with his back to Rondell, Yeenoghu pulls one the Forcecage bars out of alignment and slips his flail out the bars. Having reach he bashes the flying Shade prone.

Rondell’s simulacrum one shots the barlgura with a spell. Steelwind kills one and half gnolls. Lulu heals Lilly. Lily snipes Yeenoghu. Yeenoghu flails away at the bard. The spell casters lightning bolt and other damage spells Yeenoghu. Steelwind kills another one and half gnolls.

Lily snipes Yeenoghu. Yeenoghu prone Shade again and gives him two death fails. Steelwind kills another one and half gnolls.

(Final warning. Store is closing Stop all games.)

DM. I had to make a decision. The Forcecage cheat was not caught to the second or third round. The party is very strong. The could save Shade for a round or two. But I was in contact. I just had the player running Shade roll death saves which he agreed to. He lost.

Scenes after the store close. AKA. The wrap up. Zariel arrives. She resurrects Shade. Zariel looks over the group.

Zariel, “I have one question which each of you must answer. Were you in my place, would you risk it all to save others?”

The END of the session. Next week we pick up on page 144. Give yourselves a full night’s rest. Currently Steelwind wants the sword but that can be changed next week. Please have your answer ready. Lulu has her full stats. This maybe a short game or go to closing. Your input will decide it.

 

[jasper]

DDAAL09-16 Session

Honors Unforeseen

Day 28

PC Killed 7 Monsters Killed 351 Villains Captured 9 Villains Escaped 0

Gain A Level. 1,600 GP. 20 Down time days. If you want.

Magic Items Ioun Stone of Leadership, Fochlucan Bandore, Potion of Superior Healing, Soul Coin,

Story Award You let Dara Die Once.

Start Time 6:31 End Time 8:54

I had an average group of three. Cretin Paladin Warlock, Shade, Markov with simulacrum, 5 skeletons, and skeleton swarm.

Between Dara talking to herself, the Sir Godord cutting hundred year gas, and Sir Everbleed mocking them every hour, the group is about to kill everyone. Finally, Dara gets a mission from her gawd and finds the keys to get out the prison.

They travel for about an hour in tunnels ranging from five feet wide to thirty feet wide. Their way is lit by a scout skeleton with a light spell on it. This was smart until the skeleton trip an alarm spell in the first big chamber. The first chamber opens into the second chamber with a set of doors on the north and south side walls. Between the skeletons, and high investigation the party only trips three symbols which had been placed on the floor. Shade is the only one really affected he becomes a pill for the rest of day. Half of the party does not notice.

Sareash a chain devil, some imps and a flame skull teleport into the room. The party take out the flame skull and some imps. But Sareash targets Dara with his chain killing her. Shade is surprised as a one appears on her forehead as he is giving her a potion of healing. (DM ok the monsters are try to kill Dara and a zero HP counts as kill. This will affect the next module.) As Cretin is killing Sareash. Sareash mentions he will be back.

Knowing Dara is the main target they put her in the middle to protect her. Taking the North door, they enter a dog leg before the room opens into large chamber with Sareash, five imps, and three flame skulls teleporting in. Also 3 flameskulls appear behind the party in the first room. A wall of force blocks the rear flameskulls. Good initiative, counter spells, and good spells take out the foes with little or no damage to the party. (Back to rolling low initiative for most of the monsters. Sigh).

The third room an elf bard playing a flute puts most of the party to sleep. Cretin ticks off the elf Yalanue of the Cloakwood. Who opens an invisible door and leaves. After waking the party up, Cretin charges through the door.

Enter a country side. No, the illusion of a country side. Markov dispels the illusion. Oops. He, the simulacrum, and horde of skeletons fall into a deep chasm. Take about a third of his hit points Markov is ticked off.

Spurhund an Orthon and his five Incubus attack the party. Shade plays kissy face with one, then kisses and runs away. Making his Incubus friends cry. Cretin takes out two Incubus while protecting Dara. Markov goes to fly out the chasm only for his simulacrum to hit disrupting the fly spell. The simulacrum dies. Markov wall of forces Spurhund. The party take out the Incubi and then Spurhund.

After a short rest Markov throws Dara into a tiny hut. The group back tracks to the southern door in the first big chamber. They discover it just a trapped room with some magic items in a coffin. (Note the group now had played all but the final boss fight and that includes the two bonus objectives.)

(Note the final boss initial set up depends on if the alarm goes off. But playing the pillars suggest the group can explore the boss chamber, fight, and a hint the elf could be reason with.)

As Shade enters the chamber playing his lute, he calms down Yalanue. Not by much just enough for him and Cretin to get into melee range. He then mentions her flute playing is flat occasionally and the fight is on. The fight last a round and half. The group releases the High Priest Horst Atheraice who heals everyone to maximum. He raises Yalanue and forces her to give up her harp.

(Part 2 is mess. It can be a hard boss fight for the APL. But you can explore the chamber before the fight. Wake up the Hight Priest during the fight. Take down Yalanue. And gain or lose a magic item due to the results of the fight. Part 1 is either traps which if a high passive investigation can be step over. Or combat which is only made interesting because Dara is the main target. Dara is not even given a stat block. I had to use 09-15 block.)

 

[jasper]

The player running Markov will not be happy next week. He has been using DM Xp to upgrade his zombies and stuff. IN 09-16 he was running a simulacrum, 5 skeletons, a swarm of zombies. It has gotten to the point that he could solo the dungeon with his build. And even when he ready to go on his turn he takes more time to get through than most of the rest of the group. I told him last night he would have choose, the simulacrum, or 5 skeletons (have 30 hp, ac 18, a hell banner which makes their weapon magical or the zombie horde.

 

[jasper]

Descent Into Avernus Session 12

Final Session

End of Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 Escape from Avernus

Or Elope to Avernus

PC Killed 5 Monsters Killed 235 Villains Captured 19 Villains Escaped 7

Start Time 6:05 End Time 7:38

Gain A Level. Downtime 20 Days GP 800 if you played last week 1,600 if you only played this week.

Magic Items Helm of Devil Command. Battle Standard of Infernal Power. Charm of Vitality.

My first two-person group. Cretin Paladin 12 Warlock 4. Shade bard 14. They both wanted not to reschedule so I played on.

I had the series of questions wrote up. From Chapter 4 Would you risk it ALL to save others. Answer. Risk All, Not risk all, I don’t work for you or other answer.

Chapter 5 Questions Were Save the City of Elturel and would you return to the prime material plane. Zariel question was redeem, kill, work with. The chapter 4 gave a different reward depending on the answer. The chapter 5 questions told me how to set up the chapter. (Chapter 5 is not well laid out. READ the full chapter especially page 154-155.)

As Cretin lays hand on the sword to claim it, he is cussed out in Sunday’s Best Dress Church Lady voice. He is not worthy. Shade is not worthy. Lulu is not big enough to carry it. Zariel’s sword lances the scab for (YOU KIDDING ME. NO. That would kill people from last week right out) for no hit points. They are tossed prone about three or so miles. Waking up to the river Styx. They are in the shadow of Elturel. It is about a hundred yards from touching down. They are the middle between Demon Army and Zariel Army. They break for higher ground.

Only to be stop short by two horned devils. (I reduce on attacking monsters except Zariel hit points. And did not play nice.) Cretin makes quick work of both devils when they get tired of hurling flame at the partnership.

They try to sneak through to Zariel’s side dodging fireballs from the side. (See hell has artillery too.) They stumble on a rumble of squad of Hezrou against Lucille the pit fiend. Two Hezrou break off and attack them. Lulu helps in the battle but is dismayed when both Cretin and Shade decide to join forces with Lucille. Lulu runs away. Cretin drags the sword through the dirt by scabbard belt.

Zariel finishes off a balor. Zariel, “Have you come to join me you cute men?”

Cretin, “No.”

Zariel, “have you come to deliver the sword to me?”

Shade, “Wrong again you sweet devious girl.”

Zariel, “This I guess you are here to save me. How cute.”

Cretin, ‘Wrong three times sister. We here to kill you and take over.”

Zariel, “Gosh you are cute. DIE!” And the battle is joined. Zariel knows the stats of everybody due to her high intelligence and spies. She takes out Shade first. (GRR. She has only two legendary actions. BOO! And one the does less damage than Cretin’s static damage.) She plays with the pit fiend and Cretin. Cretin is able to revivify Shade during the battle. Teleporting in out as need. Her luck changes as she tries to dispel Cretin back to the prime. (Dispel Good/Evil. I ruled it could send pcs back to prime if they failed their save. This is 1E ruling oops.) Cretin grins as he makes his only major saving throw of the night. After a little bit more of hard flirting, Zariel grabs the sword from Cretin.

Shattering across her knee she speaks, “You are cute Cretin. Come up and see me big boy. I just a whistle away. You know how to whistle don’t you. Just pucker up and blow …”

Cretin, “Blow me.”

BEEP Wife’s in my head says BEEP.

Zariel teleports away. The city of Elturel crashes into the hell landscape. Zariel, “we call it a draw.”

Shade, “We call a win because I only bard here.”

The End.

DM Notes. I am either going have print these notes out and take to the game next season. Or keep important notes and pass them out at games. The book is great until the party is over level for most encounters. Cretin AC and magic was so high I generally needed a Nat 20 to hit. Some other builds overwhelm the book and season.

I made hats for this season. ONLY 12. Both Johns have one coming. The rest of people who regularly played (you know who you are.) have one coming. If I have any left, first come first serve. Thanks for putting up with me. Now where Have I park that war machine.