DDAL Jasper DMS Wild Beyond the Witchlight

[jasper]

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight Session 1

Day 1 Twilight to Midnight.

Magic Item None. Story Items None.

DM NOTE. Both the DM and Players MUST take notes. Next week put you background in the Notes column if from the Feywild or may affect what will happen. I am not pushing the time frame so take your time. Also, this is a Milestone adventure. You level when entering a new chapter or meet certain people.

Player note. If you switch out pcs, you can keep the lost thing and transfer it to your new pc. Your pc can not be over the level of the chapter.

Props. Hole punch, costume with butterfly wings, pull out map in a frame, circus tent, crown, and lost things. Any other suggestions for props?

I had an average group of five. Two which are running different characters under someone else. This is helping because they do explain some things I missed. Kerick Durant Rogue 1. Glenfill Danzinford Bard 1. Glenfill first Adventure League session, first session in town, but has played since 2E. Art fighter1. Thrivin Warlock fairy. Dawson Paladin 1.

Glenfill rolled d8 to help with the plot line. The Unicorn horn is THE DM IS NOT TELLING.

Years ago, the PCs visited the carnival as a child, or worked in the Witchlight Carnival. The lost something. Some of them know what they lost. They were also cursed. (Other DMs are not using this option. I am. You play the curse well I will used inspiration and ignore the limits of inspiration.)

The members enter the carnival from various ways. Thrivin has his hammock cut and drops out the fey wild onto a huge baseball glove. Art has heard faint set up sounds for two days before he hears the calliope music and sees the booth, he is a former Witchlight hand.

Nikolas Midnight, “Tickets are 8 silver pieces. You lose you ticket, you have to buy a new one. The Big Top is free but most other venues are one ticket punch. After 8 punches, the ticket becomes a keepsake and you have to buy a new one. You lose you ticket, you have to buy a new one. The Rules.”

BE POLITE.

PAY ATTENTION WHEN SPOKEN TO.

LAUGH AT THE JOKES.

JOIN IN WITH THE SINGING AND GAMES.

BE HAPPY. A HAPPY WITCHLIGHT CARNIVAL KEEPS THE VAMPIRES AWAY. (Psst wrong game night.)

The group gather together at Nikolas suggestion. They don’t have to keep together but it will help. (YEAH, MAINELY THE DM.) Glenfill knows he is missing something and Art suggests the Lost property.

Lost Property is manned by a huge kitten with two extra black pipe cleaner arms. Dirlagraun has some huge butterfly wings clipped to their backside. They are rough housing with two kids. Dirlagraun wonders how Glenfill knows he lost something. Glenfill lost thing will be found before the end of the carnival but not the end of the night and it is not in the carnival.

Art and Kerick want to try out the dragonfly ride. On the way, Dawson sees two girls trying to get on their mom’s last nerve. Dawson suggests she loses them at the lost property. For this he gets the Achievement PETER ONE.

The dragonfly ride is very exciting because as they about to take their rides, someone insults a dragonfly in the queue and it takes off. Kerick tries to save the passage who is not belted in but knocks them out their sled. Lucky Art is able to make a midair rescue.

The carousel is manned by Diana Cloppington a Centaur with Blue Butterfly wings. She punches their tickets and they approach the wooden unicorns. Thrivin fey presence causes some of the glamour to fade. Some of the unicorns are missing letters from their names. As the carousel starts all of them hear “We have lost our names. You have lost something too. Name us. And we name who stole your lost thing and where whom stole from you live. Your curse can not be broken until you recover your lost thing.” As they get off the ride Art bazooka barfs Skittles. Glenfill scoops them up and puts them into his backpack, “I will taste the rainbow later.” Taking to Diana the group gets some paint from inside the ride. The group names the unicorns which are (SPOILERS DM IS NOT DOING SPOILERS AT THIS TIME). And they learn who has their lost things and where the live. HINT IS NOT IN THE WITCHLIGHT CARNIVAL.

“On to the snail races”, proclaims Art, “I am feeling lucky tonight.” Glenfill is not happy he can’t bet on the races. Art comes in first. Thrivin second and Kerick third. Art wins a potion of advantage. Just outside the race is a souvenir shop,

BOOK, “THERE IS NO SOUVENIR SHOP DM”.

DM, “THERE IS NOW. I HAVE SCISSORS AND WRITE OUT! SNIP. SNIP.”

BOOK, “Oh I see now. Shutting up.”

Kerick buys a little string-controlled puppet. Dawson buys a toy balloon dog which follows them. (I forgot to take notes for the others. So, you guys tell me.”

After the shopping, they enter the pixie kingdom for a game of hide and seek which Glenfill wins and is awarded a pack of pixie dust.

As the bell tolls 13, and the happy Calliope plays the group enters the big top.

The end.

 

[jasper]

A fellow DM made me the Big Top. Be careful when removing the map from the book as it will try to tear. Suggestions for props and extra scenes welcomed.

 

[jasper]

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight Session 2

Day 1 Midnight to Day 2 0300.

100 GP. Take a level. 10 Downtime days.

PC Killed 0 Monster Killed 0 Villains Captured 1 Villains Escaped 0.

I had an average group of five. Mando Fighter 1. Nap Retep Ranger 1. Art Fighter 1. Kerrick Durant Rogue 1. Thrivin Warlock 1.

Magic Item Advantage Balloon in your favorite shape. Gives advantage to your next roll when you pop it.

Mando and Nap were both visited by a slightly tipsy stork name Fed who delivered tickets from a friend to the carnival. They did the snail races and Hide and Seek attractions before meeting up with the rest of the group.

The group thought the Mystery Mine was bogus. The Silversong Lake Mermaid act was nearly trashed by Kettlesteam a Kenku with shape shifting abilities. Fortune Art remember the disturbance call and called Witchlight Hands to corral and capture the Kenku. Question Kettlesteam on the way to office the group leaned she made a pact with Zybilna the archfey of Prismeer. Her patron is not answering her emails and Kettle can’t enter the demiplane. She thinks the owners Mr. Light and Mr. Witch are up to something shady. She pays the group 100 GP each to find out what happens to Zybilna. They drop her off at the office for the owners to deal with.

Only Kerrick and Thrivin recognize Tasha the mannequin is alias for the Iggwilv the Fey Queen in the hall of mirror illusion attraction. The group gains a couple of prizes playing the various games of Almiraj ring toss, Gnome poetry, Cyclops stares and other games. Thrivin wins the cup cake eating contest with 17 cup cakes. The others, well they tasted the rainbow colors both ways and Kerrick bazooka barfed 13 feet 3 inches into the air. Everyone except for the newcomers discover the Stork Fed had been keeping their tickets underneath his hat for delivery before the carnival arrive. Ellywick fires him making him Fed Ex.

0300 struck and everyone gathered at Big Top to see Mando crown Witchlight Monarch and he got a cool take home prize. After celebrational tea at the office the owners open a portal to the Feywild.

Mr. Witch, “Mind the Rule of Three: Future, Present, Past.”
Mr. Light, “Find the Alicorn and free the dormant queen at last.”

The group passes through the portal.

 

[jasper]

Lots of stuff to do in this chapter. Great for the theatre types who play. My group was more passive and did not pick up some my hints or suggestions. But Art and Mando had lots of fun.

 

[jasper]

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight Session 3

Day 2 0300 to Day 2 2200

100 GP.

PC Killed 0 Monster Killed 2 Villains Captured 1 Villains Escaped 0.

Story Award Branded and Blued. Thrivin, Draken. The Prince of Brigands beat you black and blue.

Story Award Rude One. Draken. You were rude, cruel, and socially unacceptable to Innkeeper Tsu Harabax. The Feywild took notice.

Story Award Found it. You are in the realm where your lost thing can be recovered. Mando, Art, Glenfell, Thrivin, and Draken. Note if you auto recover your lost thing, if you don’t play but at least one player did recover their lost thing.

Story Award Everyone but Draken, Queen Fan. You promised Tsu to free Queen Zybilna. You got a trinket for your trouble.

Story Award Everyone. Queen’s Gift. You rescued Sir Talavar. Summer Queen has put a gift on layaway for you. Palace of Heart’s desire front porch in Chapter 5.

Story Award. King Mando. Being Crowned Monarch of the Carnival, every one addresses Mando as king. Could come in useful.

Note. Take notes and remember them. Also, the trinkets you have can come in handy if you use them.

I had a strong group of seven. Mando Fighter 1 Wizard 1 with blaster. Nap Retep Ranger 2. Craz Hermit Druid 1. Kerrick Durrant rogue 2. Art fighter 2. Thrivin Warlock 2.

As the group set through the portal, they hear the rules once again.

Rule of Hospitality. When a friend, an enemy, or a stranger enters your home, you are expected to be gracious and accommodating to them until such time as they prove, by their words or actions, undeserving of such hospitality.

Rule of Ownership. You must not steal from a friend, an enemy, or a stranger. To take something that doesn’t belong to you without the rightful owner’s permission is a crime and an unforgivable breach of etiquette.

Rule of Reciprocity. When a friend, an enemy, or a stranger offers you a gift, you are obliged to accept it and offer something of comparable value (be it a gift or a service) in return. Such reciprocation need not happen immediately.

This was repeated 5 times and the voice said it would be on your final. As the portal close a be red balloon flies by very fast due to a pegacorn popping it. Pegasus and Unicorn which was discovered in the wild during the 1970s. They hear the screams of the passengers as the balloon crashes in the distance on top of Slanty Tower.

The group come to rest on a broken bridge which is 120 feet above a swamp and the other dimensions don’t count. Nap and Art are able to fly the others down as some people lost the rope trying to tie it off. On the way to rescue the balloon people they come across a battle field and defeat two empty suits of armour which morph into duplicates of people they are attacking. They are robbed by the Triple Bs. Bugs Bunny Brigands. Most of the group just give up an article of clothing. But Hermit has his favorite Christmas memory stolen. Kerrick has his head beaten with a drum which makes a cool beat so the Bugs Bunny Brigands accept his beats as a good trade. Hermit can talk with Agdon Longscarf to get back.

At the Slanty Tower Art flies up and rescues Sir Talavar. Talavar is a noble fairy dragon serving as an Emissary of the Summer Queen. The Summer Queen seeks an alliance with Zybilna. Talavar tells the group the Feywild is the hands of three hags of the Hourglass Coven. He is locked in a silver cage with can not be picked but thinks Jingle Jangle has the key. He also offers the following information.

Bavlorna Blightstraw lives in a spooky cottage on stilts at the heart of Downfall, a bullywug settlement. The bullywugs of Downfall are quite courteous and welcoming, provided one does not offend them.

Bavlorna has the ability to conjure minions that look like tiny versions of herself.

Bavlorna has two sisters whom she loathes. Together, the three hags form the Hourglass Coven. Using an artifact called Iggwilv’s Cauldron, the coven has frozen time in Zybilna’s palace, trapping the archfey inside.

On the trip to Telemy Hill the group spies on hobgoblins on silts collecting Easter Eggs. Arriving at the hill and speaking to the Willow Not Whopping tree, they discover Jingle Jangle is sad because the Bugs Bunny Brigands have stolen her truffles. The group goes out their whey to collect some truffles for her. They trade her the truffles and some manacle keys to open the cage to free Sir Talavar. Once freed he gifts Art with is rapier which morphs into a +1 dagger.

Jingle Jangle likes the manacle key but does not want the universal crowbar as it is not a crow. Nor a bar. Nor a key.

The group starts to travel to the Bugs Bunny Brigand Basement but spy an inn on the way. Draken ticks off the owner by shooting her open for business sign with an arrow. He is forced to stay on the front porch as the inn takes the rest of group in comfort to the front porch of the Bugs Bunny Brigand Basement. She gives the nice people trinkets to accept her quest. Draken gets a rock.

Arriving at Bugs Bunny Brigand Basement, Agdon Longscarf takes offense at Monarch Mando Minion Thrivin not bowing quick enough. He starts to beat him black and blue but Nap, Draken, and Art jump in to help their friend. The Bunnies are hopping mad and kick some of the rude ones unconscious, others are beaten until they surrender.

Agdon, “Now that the beatings have improved my moral. What’s up Doc?”

We will continue next session at page 74. Remember the rules. And I did reskin the attacks.

 

[jasper]

No more nice dm. I have told my players to take notes and use them. Going forward I am not reminding them of things they should know and use.

 

[jasper]

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight Session 4

Burning Froggy

Day 2 2200 to Day 3 1300

Gain 2 levels. 50 GP. 20 Downtime Days

PC Killed 0 Monster Killed 5 Villains Captured 2 Villains Escaped 6.

I had an average group of five. Kerrick Durant Rogue 2. Art fighter 2. Majesty Mando Fighter 1 wizard 1. Nap Retep Ranger 2. Thrivin Warlock 2.

Note double check on Mando build heavy armour and a wizard.

The group wakes in a bunny hutch. Prince Longscarf and the current group make peace. The group finds out Prince Longscarf no relation to Long Shanks is deadly afraid of Bavlorna Blightstraw. And Agdon made a pact with Slack-jawed Lorna by which he is obligated to give her one item he steals from each victim. Though Agdon would never admit such a thing, the harengons suspect that their leader is terrified of Slack-jawed Lorna, who moves about on a crawling lily pad. Downfall is home to the Soggy Court, a society of bullywugs that clings to strange, noble customs and rules of etiquette. Agdon has Harvey and Roger pole them to Downfall.

Downfall is a series of seven or eight islands rising from the swamp surrounding a center island where it growing out a huge tree. Exploring the island clockwise they have some fun encounters. Kerrick helps the bullywug balloon team repair a blimp. He then gets in trouble with a submarine rock. The group does help put out a fire in the mostly on fire and mostly destroyed balloon factory. They meet the Kingsford trio and the Royal Oak Trio a hot rock group who are having fun burning down the house and falling into a burning ring of fire. His Majesty Mando gets the Animated Coals to chill out and go see Johnny about some Cash. Duke Ickrind thanks the party and tells them to go meet the king and tell him about their good deeds.

Crossing the next bridge, they are confused as a line of a dozen or more Bullywug heads are talking and yelling at each other. More confusing each head is called King Gullop. Some are King Gullop the Eye. Others are King Gullop Vee. The last one is King Gullop X Vee Eye Eye Eye. The group gets dragged into a long conversation with the talking heads. During this they met a Gord Gone Scarecrow. Actually, they meet Clapperclaw the Scarecrow who has lost his head and uses a bird gourd in replacement. He asking them to a Stag.

Mando, “I never been to Stag party what is that?”

Clapperclaw, “I need my stag head to really see. An evil rabbit took it.”

The group remembers Prince Longscarf having a stag head but he passed on to Bavlorna. The Gullop mentions Hag Bavlorna hates her twin sisters and has a beauty spa in her basement. And point out the huge tree in the center of the circle of island is her lair. The group moves with the scarecrow in toe. (I had fun with this bit and wasn’t until I was doing that, I notice the Roman Numerals for the current king was wrong.)

King Bullywug, “I am King Gullop the X Eye X. I see you have been a service to my people. I name you True Fruit Flies Emissaries to Her most Beautiful Bavlorna. And please present her with this nice book call “The Big Book of Bad Blood”. The group needing no more encouragement return to their swamp skiff and pole over to the center island. (This scene took about twenty minutes. And they ignored two plot points.)

They enter Bavlorna’s Cottage through the basement stairwell into her spa.

Book, “But I don’t have a basement stairwell and the closest thing is B 4 Rickety Stairs.”

DM, “Shut it. I wasn’t expecting them to get this far. The lily pad looked like a circular stairway due to the bad light. And I don’t see an entrance that does not require a cat being in the way of the screen or flying to her house.” DM removes cat from book and in front the screen.

While in the spa the group kills a huge jelly mold, some insects, and a dangerous hat. They also loot the beep out each room. They then take the stairway to.

Group, “Heaven.”

Sigh. The stairway to second floor. Majesty Mando chooses the first door and there in a tea room so filthy that college dorms bow down in awl, is Bavlorna Blightstraw having tea with Charm a darkling elder. Kerrick pulls out his STOLEN Chipped tea and invites himself to tea. Mando quiets down the witch but.

They have all broke the rule of ownership repeatedly. After some fast talking, (And not there is no rolling to get yourself out this mess.) They find out they have helped the witch out twice. So, the only two rule breakers Art and Nap Retep need to pole across the swamp to FeyEx to pick up a package for her.

While picking up the package, and due to amazing deals. Art and Nap lose all color in their eyes. Kerrick loses his rhythm. When they get back, the witch as another fetch quest for them.

For the ones who she holds their lost things they need to fetch a painting of her elder sister Skabatha and get back her before the end of eight days. Loomlurch is a giant, hollowed-out tree located deep in the forest of Thither. Skabatha uses it as a lair. Skabatha’s portrait is displayed in a circular room in the heart of Loomlurch, alongside portraits of her three sisters: Bavlorna, Endelyn, and Tasha. She gives the scarecrow his stag head as payment for the him being a guide to the group.

Since Kerrick has helped fix the balloon, the witch gives them a ticket which allows them free use of the balloon. The balloon takes off with the scarecrow, bullywug sergeant Morgort, and the group.

And ill wind springs up.

DM Note. I will have a copy of the scarecrow available. He goes last during combat and players can megagame with him.

 

[jasper]

Mando has Medium Armour Master so that is why his armor is AC 18. And it looks like Beyond has no problem with him being a wizard fighter.

 

[jasper]

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight Session 5

Art Steals Art

Day 3 1300 to Day 5 0700

50 GP

PC Killed 0 Monster Killed 5 Villains Captured 2 Villains Escaped 3.

Time 630 PM to 850 PM

I had a very weak group of three Majesty Mando Fighter 1 Wizard 3. Nap Retep Ranger 4. Art Fighter 2 Ranger 2.

Story Award. I Found One. If your lost thing was in possession of Bavlorna Blightstraw it has been regain. Even if you did not play this session.

Magic Item Nap. Rufio Board. You have gotten Rufio’s skateboard. Moves at your speed or you can use as a club. You look cool.

Our wayward three take the balloon Burg piloted by Henny. On the way to Loomlurch you accidently had a pegacorn deflate your blimp. Landing near Nip’s Cave you discovered some wanted posters for Willie of the Feywild and his lost children. Nip aka Ebenezer Scrooge told you his tale of woe and you believe him. And by keeping your hands in the pocket you were some nice departing gifts. (Note any magical gift does count toward your limit. And I will allow you to swap out during short rests or between sessions.)

On the way to Loomlurch you talked with Portabella Campestri who was stewing in his Port Spa with butter and briefly chatted with his trainer Kro’ah. Some evil Scottish Toadstools did not let you play in their fairy ring. The Wayward Pool was protected by forcefield you could not pass.

The Smurf village got your goats and theirs and you wisely went your way.

Coming to Little Oak which was short and only 70 feet short you met Willi and his lost boys. The Get away gang dressed you up in a good disguise which allow you to pass the forcefield of the pool. Meeting Lady of the Lake Lamorna she gave the following information dump.

The domain of Prismeer once belonged to the archfey Zybilna, but was usurped by her cruel hag stepsisters: Skabatha Nightshade, Bavlorna Blightstraw, and Endelyn Moongrave.

Zybilna was vainglorious and deceitful at times, but her magic kept Prismeer safe and isolated. That situation ended when the hags of the Hourglass Coven captured Lamorna’s mate, Elidon; stole his horn; and used its magic to imprison Zybilna in her stronghold, the Palace of Heart’s Desire.

Elidon’s horn might be needed to free Zybilna, but Lamorna doesn’t know the whereabouts of Elidon or his horn. She tells the characters that she believes Elidon is the hags’ prisoner. (If Elidon had died, Lamorna believes she would’ve sensed it.

When Zybilna ruled Prismeer, no one could enter her palace without an invitation. It’s unlikely that the Hourglass Coven is capable of enforcing similar restrictions on the palace.

A library on the second floor of the palace contains Zybilna’s most treasured tomes.

A dragon-like creature called a Jabberwock lives in Zybilna’s palace and frequently prowls the forest. The Jabberwock tries to reach Wayward Pool but is always turned away by the lake’s protective magic. Lamorna emphasizes that the characters would be wise to avoid the Jabberwock, for once it sets its fiery eyes on prey, it rarely gives up the hunt.

Granny Nightshade Schedule is 0700-1000 wake up and work in garden. 1000 to 1700 work in kitchen or study. 1700 to 1800 Inspection of Sewing Room. 1800 to 1900 Inspection of textile mill. 1900 to 2000 Inspection of toy workshop. 2002 Lights out in the Dollhouse.

The next day the group sneaks into Granny Nightshade tree house. They scare some kids and Boggles away. And steal four family paintings from the house. Clapperclaw the Scarecrow is able to summon a blimp back to Hither where you trade the pictures for some of your lost items.

Next session will begin on Unicorn Isle at 0700. NPCs will be determined then.

 

[jasper]

Forgot to thank Mando for taking notes and using them.