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<blockquote data-quote="Tolamaker" data-source="post: 8647839" data-attributes="member: 7031495"><p><strong>Session 33: Northward Travels</strong></p><p></p><p>The party collects themselves, and goes to the Lyceum to meet with Simeon. There, they find Kiernan, Katrina, Simeon, and a halfling man that is introduced as Balan Bastrom, a diplomat. Simeon explains that Balan helped negotiate Seaquen’s independence from Dassen decades ago, and will hopefully be of some help with a new trouble: The Ragesians are entreating King Steppengard of Dassen for permission to march through Dassen in order to crush Seaquen. Simeon and Balan hope to be able to convince Steppengard that Ragesia can’t be trusted. Simeon also hopes they may be able to find an ally in Steppengard.</p><p></p><p>Mishka, unsure of the intricacies of Dasseni politics, asks if Steppengard is a wise ruler. Balan says that Steppengard won his throne through military might, so he is a fine leader, but he also has a head for politics, as he married the sister of one of his greatest rivals. However, Queen Izabella recently died. Details are fuzzy, but the royals seemed to truly love one another, so Balan isn’t sure that Steppengard will in be in the best state of mind. Gruz is saddened at the news of the loss of his queen, and also immediately suspicious. “With all of the subterfuge that has been going on, I don’t think we can rule out assassination,” he says.</p><p></p><p>When Mishka asks about the route the Ragesians would take, Balan believes they would come through the Alydi Gap, through Duke Gallo’s land. Gruz remembers the Alydi Gap as the naughty word detail every grunt in the Nasham military had to take.</p><p></p><p>Mishka asks, “What role are we supposed to play in this expedition?”</p><p></p><p>“You have had the most first-hand knowledge of Ragesia’s willness to deal with devils and the like to conduct their… foreign policy,” Simeon says. “Even if Steppengard will not take up the cause with us, it might at least give him pause to allow an army through his lands.”</p><p></p><p>Balan nods. “The best time to leave was yesterday. However, I know you may all have preparations to make, so let’s leave at first light tomorrow. We’ll meet at the gate of the Lyceum.”</p><p></p><p>As they begin to leave, Simeon reveals that the Lyceum’s gift is ready for them. Kiernan reveals an intricately woven bag, depicting the skyline of Seaquen, with a hurricane swirling above. When he lifts the cover, it reveals a clear sky. It is a bag of holding. “I remember what it was like to be an adventurer,” Simeon says, smiling. “I’m sure you’ll make use of it.”</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>That day, everyone makes ready for travel. Eluriah meets with her new spouse, and they agree to stay together for now. Eluriah promises to write, and lets Lurog stay in the tree house she has been shaping. Gruz goes to make sure they’ll have warm clothing, as he knows how cold Dasseni winters can get. Mishka hocks the treasure that they’ve won over the past few weeks, and stocks up on health potions. Aripos pickpockets a few passersby. Orwin visits his parents, and says goodbye.</p><p></p><p>The next morning, they make their way to the gate. There, they meet Balan, a silent hobgoblin warrior named Touka, and Jineer, Balan’s apprentice. Crystin is talking with him, and Jineer looks distressed. Crystin comes up to the group, and says “I had a dream, and in it, Jineer’s dad was caged by madness.” She shakes her head. “I wish I could explain more, but that’s all I know.”</p><p></p><p>Balan waves of the warning, and they set off. With the help of Mishka’s pathfinding skills, they are able to leave the marshes and reach Vidor in a single day. There, they purchase a sleigh, pulled by Clydesdales, and begin sledding up alongside the Nasham River. Balan marvels at the speed, as the horses are spurred on by Mishka’s Elk totem.</p><p></p><p>While they pass several groups of refugees, Gruz notices one that is beginning to cross the river in haste. They are chased by a Bukavac, a large woody looking frog. Leaping out, the party unleashes spells and weapons, blasting into the creature as it slashes and bites into refugees. Gruz commands the beast through spells, first frightening it into submission with visions of creatures eating tadpoles, and then by polymorphing it into a true frog. The party surrounds the poor amphibian, and attack the creature with a fervor, killing it in a shared blow. As it dies, the body reverts back to its original size, and knocks them back. They search within, but unfortunately, those caught in the stomach have already been chewed and killed.</p><p></p><p><strong>Post Session Thoughts</strong></p><p>This session went well! We got through what I wanted to, so we're still only half a session behind. Good job me! This session was fun, I really enjoy the chances players get to interrogate the NPCs and have actual answers for them. It really is a strength of the module and campaign as a whole. Even if I change things, there's so much stuff to work off of. I made up the Bag of Holding design on the spot, and I still feel really good about that one.</p><p></p><p>The fight was a bit of a pushover for two reasons, but I was fine with it. The first was no legendary resistances (which I'm conflicted about), and two, I remembered that as I got farther in my Curse of Strahd game, I had to bump HP up if I wanted fights to last any amount of time. I'll feel it out, but my CoS memories say I should always give solo enemies their max possible HP. I was wanting to wrap up the session, and it let the new level 7s stretch their legs out. It was also the first fight where I didn't jump in to answer every little question! I definitely had to stop myself several times, but overall, I liked it, and it kept combat moving. We'll see how it goes with more complicated fights.</p><p></p><p><strong>Changes to the module</strong></p><p>I changed the rhemorhaz to a Bukavac from Tome of Foes, because I had jokingly promised my players that their first fight wouldn't have fire resistance or immunity. Later, I checked, and oops! Rhemorhaz have fire resistance. I had been wanting to use this book since I bought it in 2019, and this was the first time I got to really break it out. I added the swallow ability from the Rhemorhaz statblock, and it looked like a really fun creature! I also changed its Croak ability, because Kobold Press really likes creatures giving permanent conditions (deafened in this case). And then it got beat down so fast, it didn't matter. Ah well.</p><p></p><p>I made Balan a halfling because I've made Ostalin more of a halfling country than a half-elf country. Then I made him from Dassen on a whim, so I don't even know anymore. Sometimes I spend days going back and forth on changes I make, and others happen just because it feels right at the time. I gave him a silent hobgoblin bodyguard, because that seemed cool. Then I realized I hadn't introduced Jineer and the Jinis plot, so I made him an apprentice, and he'll be around. I think I like this, because it will make Jinis' fate more personal when his young kid is freaking out about it.</p><p></p><p><strong>Changes to the recaps</strong></p><p>I'm trying to make the recap a little more novelly, novel-like, you know? It's hard to get out of the very report-like voice I've been giving, but I think it will make it more readable. It also takes longer to write. We'll see if it sticks.</p><p></p><p>Next week, Police Brutality!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Tolamaker, post: 8647839, member: 7031495"] [B]Session 33: Northward Travels[/B] The party collects themselves, and goes to the Lyceum to meet with Simeon. There, they find Kiernan, Katrina, Simeon, and a halfling man that is introduced as Balan Bastrom, a diplomat. Simeon explains that Balan helped negotiate Seaquen’s independence from Dassen decades ago, and will hopefully be of some help with a new trouble: The Ragesians are entreating King Steppengard of Dassen for permission to march through Dassen in order to crush Seaquen. Simeon and Balan hope to be able to convince Steppengard that Ragesia can’t be trusted. Simeon also hopes they may be able to find an ally in Steppengard. Mishka, unsure of the intricacies of Dasseni politics, asks if Steppengard is a wise ruler. Balan says that Steppengard won his throne through military might, so he is a fine leader, but he also has a head for politics, as he married the sister of one of his greatest rivals. However, Queen Izabella recently died. Details are fuzzy, but the royals seemed to truly love one another, so Balan isn’t sure that Steppengard will in be in the best state of mind. Gruz is saddened at the news of the loss of his queen, and also immediately suspicious. “With all of the subterfuge that has been going on, I don’t think we can rule out assassination,” he says. When Mishka asks about the route the Ragesians would take, Balan believes they would come through the Alydi Gap, through Duke Gallo’s land. Gruz remembers the Alydi Gap as the naughty word detail every grunt in the Nasham military had to take. Mishka asks, “What role are we supposed to play in this expedition?” “You have had the most first-hand knowledge of Ragesia’s willness to deal with devils and the like to conduct their… foreign policy,” Simeon says. “Even if Steppengard will not take up the cause with us, it might at least give him pause to allow an army through his lands.” Balan nods. “The best time to leave was yesterday. However, I know you may all have preparations to make, so let’s leave at first light tomorrow. We’ll meet at the gate of the Lyceum.” As they begin to leave, Simeon reveals that the Lyceum’s gift is ready for them. Kiernan reveals an intricately woven bag, depicting the skyline of Seaquen, with a hurricane swirling above. When he lifts the cover, it reveals a clear sky. It is a bag of holding. “I remember what it was like to be an adventurer,” Simeon says, smiling. “I’m sure you’ll make use of it.” That day, everyone makes ready for travel. Eluriah meets with her new spouse, and they agree to stay together for now. Eluriah promises to write, and lets Lurog stay in the tree house she has been shaping. Gruz goes to make sure they’ll have warm clothing, as he knows how cold Dasseni winters can get. Mishka hocks the treasure that they’ve won over the past few weeks, and stocks up on health potions. Aripos pickpockets a few passersby. Orwin visits his parents, and says goodbye. The next morning, they make their way to the gate. There, they meet Balan, a silent hobgoblin warrior named Touka, and Jineer, Balan’s apprentice. Crystin is talking with him, and Jineer looks distressed. Crystin comes up to the group, and says “I had a dream, and in it, Jineer’s dad was caged by madness.” She shakes her head. “I wish I could explain more, but that’s all I know.” Balan waves of the warning, and they set off. With the help of Mishka’s pathfinding skills, they are able to leave the marshes and reach Vidor in a single day. There, they purchase a sleigh, pulled by Clydesdales, and begin sledding up alongside the Nasham River. Balan marvels at the speed, as the horses are spurred on by Mishka’s Elk totem. While they pass several groups of refugees, Gruz notices one that is beginning to cross the river in haste. They are chased by a Bukavac, a large woody looking frog. Leaping out, the party unleashes spells and weapons, blasting into the creature as it slashes and bites into refugees. Gruz commands the beast through spells, first frightening it into submission with visions of creatures eating tadpoles, and then by polymorphing it into a true frog. The party surrounds the poor amphibian, and attack the creature with a fervor, killing it in a shared blow. As it dies, the body reverts back to its original size, and knocks them back. They search within, but unfortunately, those caught in the stomach have already been chewed and killed. [B]Post Session Thoughts[/B] This session went well! We got through what I wanted to, so we're still only half a session behind. Good job me! This session was fun, I really enjoy the chances players get to interrogate the NPCs and have actual answers for them. It really is a strength of the module and campaign as a whole. Even if I change things, there's so much stuff to work off of. I made up the Bag of Holding design on the spot, and I still feel really good about that one. The fight was a bit of a pushover for two reasons, but I was fine with it. The first was no legendary resistances (which I'm conflicted about), and two, I remembered that as I got farther in my Curse of Strahd game, I had to bump HP up if I wanted fights to last any amount of time. I'll feel it out, but my CoS memories say I should always give solo enemies their max possible HP. I was wanting to wrap up the session, and it let the new level 7s stretch their legs out. It was also the first fight where I didn't jump in to answer every little question! I definitely had to stop myself several times, but overall, I liked it, and it kept combat moving. We'll see how it goes with more complicated fights. [B]Changes to the module[/B] I changed the rhemorhaz to a Bukavac from Tome of Foes, because I had jokingly promised my players that their first fight wouldn't have fire resistance or immunity. Later, I checked, and oops! Rhemorhaz have fire resistance. I had been wanting to use this book since I bought it in 2019, and this was the first time I got to really break it out. I added the swallow ability from the Rhemorhaz statblock, and it looked like a really fun creature! I also changed its Croak ability, because Kobold Press really likes creatures giving permanent conditions (deafened in this case). And then it got beat down so fast, it didn't matter. Ah well. I made Balan a halfling because I've made Ostalin more of a halfling country than a half-elf country. Then I made him from Dassen on a whim, so I don't even know anymore. Sometimes I spend days going back and forth on changes I make, and others happen just because it feels right at the time. I gave him a silent hobgoblin bodyguard, because that seemed cool. Then I realized I hadn't introduced Jineer and the Jinis plot, so I made him an apprentice, and he'll be around. I think I like this, because it will make Jinis' fate more personal when his young kid is freaking out about it. [B]Changes to the recaps[/B] I'm trying to make the recap a little more novelly, novel-like, you know? It's hard to get out of the very report-like voice I've been giving, but I think it will make it more readable. It also takes longer to write. We'll see if it sticks. Next week, Police Brutality! [/QUOTE]
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