Mad Raven's Rambling

[madravensrambling]

Quest for the Stolen Dawn

A 5E dungeon crawl for celebrating the new year. Set in an ancient Greek time or plane.

At the height of the winter solstice, cultists of the Hecate beseeched her to take the sun and hide it. The Gods had a talk and the Goddess slipped away the sun.

The pantheon sent omens of a quest that night. Call for heroes of all sizes and creeds.

In a week a new temple arose from the Plains of Endymion. A lone priest stands outside the marble doors. Oracles have said that at the appointed hour the priest will let the doors open and the questers may try.

Blessings of the Gods: Each player gets 1 blessing when they solve a puzzle or defeat a room.

Aphrodite: Mirror Blade: Magical blade of mysterious metal that perfectly reflects on every surface. +3 to Attack and Damage. Short Sword, Attunement. Attuned character can use their reaction to reflect a spell or ability, if they succeed a CHA Save DC 15.

Apollo: Lyre of Radiance: Magical instrument that produces light when played. Attunement. Attuned character learns Light, Dancing Lights, Faerie Fire, Daylight, and Dawn.

Ares: Wand of Fuck You: Doubles radius of AOE spells. +2 to DC and Damage. (Thanks to RRoleplaying)

Artemis: Hunter’s Bless: +3 to Attack and Damage of ranged attacks and learns Hunter’s Mark.

Athena: Bastion Aegis: +5 to AC and +10 to HP Max. Attunement.

Demeter: Season’s Blessing: Resistance to Cold, and all damage deals additional 2d8 Cold Damage.

Dionysus: Mirthful Cup: Whenever a character drinks alcohol from this cup, they are immune from Charm and Fear for 2hrs, but have DIS on WIS Saves for the same time. A character may chug an alcoholic drink the cup and remove a poison and/or disease condition.

Eros: Bashful Aura: At the end of the character’s turn, Sanctuary is cast on them.

Hades: Helm of Invisibility: A dull golden helm with eagle wings. Medium Armor, Attunement. +3 to AC. When adorned, the character is instantly under the Greater Invisibility spell without concentration.

Hebe: Ambrosia Decanter: Character uses their Action to activate the decanter and pour out Potion of Supreme Healing (10d4 + 20 HP).

Hecate: Moonbow: A silvery gossamer veil. Attunement. The veil can become a shield that grants +3 to AC and ADV to Stealth.

Hephaestus: Crafter’s Blessing: Any check that uses artisan’s tools rolls an additional 3d4.

Hera: Rings of Alliance: Two gold bands with peacock feathers. Attunement. An attuned character may use their Action or Reaction to teleport to the other, as long as they are both on the same plane. Or use their Bonus Action to roll Hit Dice and the other regains that much HP.

Hercules: Belt of Stone Giant Strength: STR score is 23.

Hermes: Slide Whistle of Comedic Timing: 3 Charges. Creature within 60ft makes STR Save DC 16. On fail, creature falls prone as if slipping on a banana peel. Regains charges after a long rest.

Hestia: Spirit of the Hearth: Whenever character rolls to heal themselves or an ally, roll additional 2d8. Reaction, grant an ally within 5ft +3 to AC.

Hypnos: Super Comfy Blanket: A big quilted comfy blanket that can cover 4 people. (Thanks to RRoleplaying)

When taken a long rest, while attuned, roll 1d6. On 5 or 6, each person sleeping under it gains Temp HP = attuned character’s Lvl + Prof Bonus for the next 8hrs.

Alternatively, can be used to cast Tiny Hut, with an increased radius of 15ft.

Nike: Ambitious Zeal: Any Ability checks are made with ADV, if they are contesting rolls, roll additional 2d4.

Nyx: Sheltering Darkness: A shawl of dark material with small crystals sewn in. Attunement. Attuned character may use their reaction to cast Darkness.

Pan: Wild Zeal: Character may give themselves ADV or hostile creature DIS on an Attack or Saving throw. They can’t use this until they finish a long rest or roll on the Wild Surge table.

Persephone: Spring’s Promise: Character learns Druidcraft, Spike Growth, and Entangle.

Poseidon: Ocean Surge: Whenever character hits with a weapon attack, the target must make a STR Save DC 14 or be pushed back 5 x 1d3 feet.

Tyche: Gains Lucky feat.

Zeus: Storm Cloak: When the character is hit by an attack within 40ft, the cloak deals 3d8 Lightning damage to the attacker.

The Fates: A hollow d20 made of spun gold, silver, and adamantine. The character learns Fortune’s Favor, Gift of Alacrity, and Arcane Eye. 

Temple of Hecate’s Game

Temple Exterior: Marble like texture, but silvery appearance. Much like Athena’s Temple. The doors open at the first starlight on the night of the waxing crescent.

Temple Entrance: 40x25x30. Seven gold statues are placed around the room. The faces are featureless. Each is holding a different weapon. “Complete me for I have been broken. Seek the lost and the fame will be found.”

Statue 1: Unstrung bow, in a pulled back, ready to loose an arrow. In the hair of the statue is the spear head of #3.

Statue 2: Wielding a gladius, with a missing pommel. Stabbing in the back is the missing blade of #4.

Statue 3: Swinging around a staff that is actually a trident without the spear head. Hidden in the folds of cloth at the base is the other half of the broken scythe from #5.

Statue 4: Holding a club that is actually an axe without the blade. Once the other statues are made whole, the axe lowers, opening a secret door.

Statue 5: Wielding a scythe with a broken blade. 

Statue 6: Cracking a whip. Woven in the braid is the bowstring to #1.

Statue 7: Winding up a sling. Inside the sling, is the pommel of #2.

Temple Room 1: 20x40x25. Strands of gold hang from every corner. Three mirrors hang on one wall. “From the ground I seek your aid, raise me up and I’ll obey.”

Left Mirror: Copper. Etched around the rim are runes in Giant. “Breath onto me the glory of the forge so my true colors show.” 50 Fire Damage. 10 gold strands fall. 

Middle Mirror: Silver. Etched across the surface are runes in Dwarvish. “You may think me ice, but it is the sun I seek.” 50 Radiant Damage. 10 gold strands fall. 

Right Mirror: Platinum. No runes found on it. Players bring the fallen strands to the mirror. Runes appear in Celestial. “Break me with the might of song and storm.” 50 Thunder Damage. The mirror rises up the wall and a doorway appears. 

Temple Room 2: 80x100x30. 5 Suits of armor stand in a line. Behind them are 10 nude statues of marble. Each statue has a plague that reads “Grant me armor against the waking world, so I may slumber still.” Whichever statue isn’t given armor becomes animated. “Heed my words and gather your foes.” When the last animated statue falls, a stairway passage appears in the left wall.

Statue 1: Greatsword. Fighter, 60 HP

Statue 2: Greataxe. Fighter, 80 HP

Statue 3: Staff. Wizard, 50 HP

Statue 4: Sickle. Rogue, 50 HP

Statue 5: Dagger. Monk, 100 HP

Statue 6: Shield. Fighter, 60 HP

Statue 7: Spear. Barbarian, 80 HP

Statue 8: Longbow. Fighter, 60 HP

Statue 9: Morningstar. Barbarian, 80 HP

Statue 10: Warhammer. Barbarian, 40 HP

Temple Room 3: 60x100x25. Torch lit room with 4in of water. “Serpent of old, snake of gold, find me in the light, lose me in the night.”

Three Swarms of Undead Snakes. After defeating them, Investigation DC 15 to find the gold snake idol.

Perception DC 16/Investigation DC 19, find the painting of a night sky with a full moon. Without light, the moon fades way into an alcove. Placing the idol in there, all characters are teleported out.

Temple Room 4: 40x80x40. Grand hearth stands ablaze at the end of the hall. A wooden table (15x5) sits close to the front, where they teleported to. On the table are 6 keys. “Unlock the hearth to find the light. Only one choice, be wise and right.” Hearth fire parts and becomes heatless.

Key 1: Cast Iron, simple, two prongs. Instant pass. 

Key 2: Wooden, painted like a rose, three prongs. 2 Druids, 45 HP. 

Key 3: Gold, five interlocking rings, four prongs. 3 Golems, 25 HP.

Key 4: Gold, bat wings, two prongs. 2 Vampires, 40 HP.

Key 5: Silver, eagle wings, four prongs. 4 Harpies, 50 HP.

Key 6: Brass, shaped like a lizard mouth, five prongs. 1 Red Dragon Wyrmling, 90 HP. 

Temple Room 5: 80x40x50. Wooden room with open windows that show an idyllic summer day. Ten piles of brooms. “Flight is held in the wood, dust is chained in the straw. Free them and you’ll be free.” Once the 1oth is free, the characters are teleported to another room.

Investigation DC 18, Find the broom with the most dust. STR check DC 15 to clear the dust off. Broom of Flight flies out the window.

Get within 5 ft of a pile, 2 Brooms of Animated Attack, 40 HP.

10th Broom Pile has 2 brooms of flight, character may keep it.

Temple Room 6: 100x100x100. Dark grey stone room. A multilayered moving lattice cage over the sun. It illuminates the room in strobe and flashes. Standing beneath the caged sun is an 8ft tall hooded figure, with a featureless face, symbol of Hecate shimmering across their chest. The Avatar of Hecate. They stand poised with a greatsword waiting. Avatar of Hecate, Hexblade, 120 HP.

Once the players have defeated the Avatar of Hecate, the actual Goddess Hecate shows up, along with those who gifted boons to the players. The sun is released and the heroes go on to live full lives with many songs and myths about them.

If the game runs too long, but the players get to the final room, the DM can choose to end the party with one unseen stroke of the Avatar's greatsword. They awake in a luxurious pool, free of equipment and injury. Plates full of food and full chalices set nearby to each character. They were sent to Elysium.

[madravensrambling]

Fiddle of Festive Zeal

Legendary Artifact - Attunement, Cursed

A brilliantly varnished redwood fiddle. Silvery runes shimmer across the surface. Pearly white strings glow faintly. It is paired with a bow made of pine, decorated with holly and mistletoe. Crafted from woods of the magical north, by ancient artistic elves, and imbued with the spirit of merriment. Many ancients can strum a dandy tune, spreading jolly. But a lesser lifeform can be overwhelmed by the spirit.

When a character attempts to play the Fiddle for the first time, each other creature within 40ft is affected by the Haste spell for as long as the Fiddle is played. The character playing the Fiddle must make a CHA Saving Throw DC 17. On a success, the character can stop playing whenever they want. On a fail, the character is cursed to keep playing the Fiddle, their speed is halved, can only take the Dodge Action, and gets +3 to AC and Saving Throws (except against this curse). At the end of each of the character’s turn, they may make another CHA Saving Throw. After the fifth turn of being cursed, the character gains 1 level of exhaustion, and another at end the tenth turn, so on for every five turns.

While attuned, and not cursed by the Fiddle, the character may use it as a spellcasting focus, replacing Somatic and Verbal components by playing it. Character gets +3 to Spell Attack and Damage. As long as the character is playing the Fiddle, they have +3 to their AC and Saving Throws.

The character may use their Action to target any number of ally creatures within 60ft, that can hear the Fiddle, up to their CHA modifier (minimum 1). Until the end of your next turn, whenever those creatures make an Ability check, Attack, or Saving Throw, they roll an additional d8 to the roll. The character can use this ability 4 times, regaining all uses after a long rest.

[madravensrambling]

5 Strangers Concerned About Goats

Gonna write down what happened at my Tal'Dorei campaign. So I don't forget what happened and to share it with people.

I had set up a DM PC to help the three players I knew I had. They're all quite new to 5E. And it was to give the group a Patron, so they'd have money and missions if there wasn't any consensus to a direction. I show up at our meeting place to find a new player that wanted to join. As I was helping finish him flush out his character, another new player showed up. Now I just needed the three I knew.

The Party:

Player A: Human, Circle of the Moon Druid, Male.

Player B: Halfling, Pact of the Blade Great Old One Warlock, Female.

Player C: Human, Evocation Wizard, Male.

Player D: Mixed (stat'd as Bugbear), Divine Sorc/Rogue, Female.

Player E: Silver Dragonborn, Storm Herald Barbarian, Non-binary.

One inconsequential day, 5 guests at the Ponytail Ryde Inn were awoken by the town crier. "Caravan needing security, meet at Crinkle Tavern to inquire. 7 horses slain in the night. 2 goats kidnapped." The guests made way to the tavern area at their various speeds. Proceeded to have breakfast and converse with each other. First inquiring guesses at what the breakfast meat was. Suggesting it could be horse or goat. Player A rolled high, observing it was chicken. In agreement of the growing concern for the slain horses the strangers head toward the Hall of the Lawbearer.

At the Hall, the players were greeted by an indifferent clerk still working on his morning coffee. The players asked for more info on the news the town crier recited. The clerk messaged the one handling those cases. While waiting, Player A joked about becoming a goat, having the others turn him into the ones that lost their goats, and potential get some reward money. Out of the blue some guards brought in the one who killed the horses. When the case handler showed up, she gave the group some details, but didn't have confidence in their earnestness or ability. The clerk had written down the joking conversation about the Druid turning into a goat, and the case handler warned that should something similar to what was discussed to happen, this would be their confession. With the name of the operation that owned the kidnapped goats, Keystone Pastures, the group hurriedly heads off.

They had a false start as the one leading the group rolled a 9 Survival. They made it there without incident. A simple fence, unbarred gate, and long driveway. The first building has no signage. Entering the unlocked door, they are greeted by a frazzled clerk. It's earlier than most guests arrive. Players B & E start asking question over question, not really letting the clerk explain things fully. The clerk didn't even know about the recent kidnapping. In fact he knew very little of anything.

While B & E were working on the clerk, Players A & C were walking to the back to try and find other workers. The wizard was stopped by a guard. He proceeded to cast Web, simply walking around the trapped guard. The druid tried to call out to the other players, but couldn't pass their Passive Perceptions. Players B & D went outside to give the clerk some time to breath as he was looking for yesterday's log book. The Sorc/Rogue became curious about the grass as it was slightly different shaded than the grass beyond the fence. Failing a Nature check, they went to find the druid. Going inside they ask the Dragonborn if they knew where the other two went. The clerk offered the log book. The three went outside, guessed the right direction and found the Druid next to the webbed guard.

By this time the Wizard reached the next closest building. Not being able to see inside, he tries to go around. Another guard appears. Web is cast again. The group sees the Wizard cast a spell and walk around the guard. Trying to apologize for the Wizard the Druid, Warlock, and Sorc/Rogue debate the best course of action. The Barbarian goes to collect the lone Wizard. The first trapped guard sends up a smoke signal. The three rush off to follow the barbarian.

Inside the second building the Wizard finds a chamber with three doors, three lit hanging lanterns, and three bedrolls. Door 1 (left): A bathing room with three claw-foot tubs, lit candles and incense. Closes door. Door 2 (right): stacks of mismatched chairs. Closes door. Door 3 (middle): Everything is completely dark except for dying embers in a fireplace about 30 feet out. Closes door.

Barbarian catches up and asks what the Wizard is up to. Group hears alarm bells and thundering footsteps. They rush into the building. The alarmed guards are closing in. The party thinks it's too close to make a run for it, so they try to hide in the building. The party checks door 1. In a panic, the Warlock slips their staff into the door handle, hoping to buy some time. The Warlock opens the door to the darkened room. The barbarian grabs them and walks right in. Druid and Sorc/Rogue slip in before the door closes. The Wizard stands alone against the impending force.

The room is enshrouded in magical darkness. The only light being the embers if you face them directly. The barbarian, warlock, and sorc/rogue find each other. Sorc/rogue holding onto warlock, as warlock holds onto barbarian. Barbarian turns right and finds a chest. The chest is filled with silk that doesn't seem to end. The druid, unaware of the others, walks to the embers as that's all he can see.

On the other side of the door, the wizard stands against five guards that have broken through the door. He casts Thunderwave. Only one guard failed their Saves. Only two hit him. He casts Magic Missile. 2 fall, but more guards pour in.

The druid reaches the fireplace. Standing 3 feet from it, the fireplace is actually a large bonfire. He saves on a Wisdom save. He calls for the others to come to the fire. A quick Nature check tells him this is not a natural fire. On the way over, the warlock walks into a tall stone bed frame. Spending 15 irl minutes discussing how to use the unending silk to mark the bed, the warlock and barbarian finally make it to the fire.

The Wizard makes one more attempt at Magic Missile before ducking into the dark room. Almost getting to the fire, he is hit from behind. Another quick attack, the guard falls dead. Makes his way to the fire.

Only the Druid and Sorc/Rogue are unaffected by the unnatural flame that came from the Feywild.

And that is where we ended the session.

[madravensrambling]

Return to Sunmeadow

Like most days, I was rolling my trusted four Stat Dice. 1 Critical Role d6, 2 Chessex d6, and 1 d6 from I don’t know where. And I roll until I get a good spread of stats. Then I write up a race-class-archetype-background I am curious about. Well, this one was a fun one. Get ready:

Halfling

Barbarian

Zealot

Noble

Yes. A zealot noble barbarian Halfling. Isn’t that an interesting combination. I got a few questionable looks when I posted about it.

“How does a noble become a barbarian?”

“Zealot? Why not just a paladin?”

Well, I already have an idea for a paladin. But right now this Halfling is more engrossing. One of my inspirations was Sandry from The Circle of Magic series, the Circle Universe, by Tamora Pierce. Sandry is a noblewoman, who doesn’t concern herself with her nobility until it is questioned. She connects with people easily, being polite, and sometimes her temper gets the best of her. 

Who is this fine being I created? His name is Garret Sunmeadow. He is 3′3 and 42lbs; his skin is like the perfectly toasted marshmallow; his hair is a dirty/sandy blond, shaggy and not well-kept; his eyes are a vibrant green with gold flecks; his upper body is hairless, even under the armpits and his arms, but his legs and feet are real hairy. He only wears a kilt and a fur cloak. This is my basic clothing style for my male Halflings, based on my first one. Kilt, cloak, wild hair, and optional goggles.

Here is his back story. And here is his character sheet. Hopefully some day I can pull him out and go on adventures with him.

[madravensrambling]

The Sour of Sweets

Xenophi ‘Sweets’ Brossin is a tiefling rogue bard. He is about halfway through his eighteenth year. Stands at six feet tall, with skin of crimson and hair of a darker red. Uniquely, he has a pronged tail and is winged.

Batsy Sins Val’Cazz is the daughter of a human man and tiefling woman. Her mother was an adventurer. A traveling fighter, who favored the rapier and whip. One day she stopped at a tavern, met a charming man, had some fun. Next thing she knew, a few months later she was pregnant. Batsy’s mom never did go look for her baby daddy, and Batsy wasn’t all that interested. She had her badass mom, who taught swordplay to the local kids who could afford it.

Vassago Dreamy Brossin is the son of a tiefling couple. His parents were part of a traveling troupe. They did some magic tricks and acrobatics. One day, while their troupe was doing a show, someone spoiled the fun and unleashed powerful dark magic. About a third of the audience and several members of the troupe were killed. Luckily some adventurers were there watching the show. Managed to kill the one responsible. But that incident killed the troupe and their reputation. So his parents went back home, took up small jobs in the bigger merchant families’ businesses.

Batsy was taking some time to adventure like her mom. She stopped in the port of Vanezzi. She was shopping for a gift for her mother, when she saw the most charming street magician. He was just doing a few small time things, earning a couple copper pieces. They flirted, smoothed talked, and battled wits. She stayed, they moved in together, got married, and had Xenophi Sweets Brossin. Batsy wanted something funky like her name.

When Sweets was born, neither his parents nor grandparents knew what to make of his supple wings or that his tail seemed split down the tip. By five years old, he could flap his wings and lift himself. Around ten years old his fangs grew more pronounced. All of his tiefling relatives were more of a blue skin tone, which led to Sweets standing out with his striking red skin and hair. Being an only child and with former performing grandparents, he was constantly the center of attention. He was watched over by his grandmother, who taught him a love of dance. Though his wings and pronged tail took some time to find a balance. She also taught him how to use his voice. While still a child, his voice echoed with innocence.

During his puberty years, his grandfather retired. Drinking away nightmares, the elder tiefling would teach the impressionable child how to cheat at street games. While his grandfather favored dragonchess games, Sweets became skilled at card games. One day he and his grandmother visited the shop his father worked at. A small-time enchanter selling basic items to tourists and supplies to other stores that ran low. While his grandmother and father chatted up the store owner about a custom idem, Sweets looked over the shelves. He picked up a wooden pipe. It was carved into the shape of a draconic claw holding a cauldron. He took the pipe over to the adults. But they didn’t pay him any mind, still deep in their talk. And that was when he first stole something. Accidentally of course. His grandmother rushed him out of the shop after the adults finished their conversation.

Around thirteen years old, his skin started becoming leathery. It was also when he pulled his first hustle. After hearing how his dad did street tricks and games, Sweets decided to try one out. There was a half-wall that lined one of the streets near his house that he could use for a table. With the advice from his grandfather, he threw the first few games. Losing seven copper to some of the kids that gathered around him. When a cocky human boy of about fifteen threw down three silver, Sweets started playing for real. The boy ended up throwing down almost the amount of one gold. As Sweets was packing up shop, the boy had brought over a few of his friends. They chased him down a few streets before he remembered he had wings. Sweets sat on the roof of a building until sundown. His first brush with danger.

After that his mother started teaching him how to use the rapier, a family favorite. His grandfather taught him about the versatility of daggers. While his grandmother got him back into dance. Meanwhile his father was working nearly all day at the shop. During dinner, he’d be told of all the adventures the older tieflings had before settling down.

At fifteen he constantly smelt like brimstone, no matter how hard he washed or how much perfume he used. While his turned away most girls he tried talking to, something about it drew the interest of males. He heard that a very prominent merchant was coming into port, with his daughter and her betrothed. The rumors were that the man engaged to the daughter was a very handsome half-elf, of little means. The only reason the merchant allowed the half-elf to have his daughter’s hand was because he saved her from a kidnapping. The name of the young man always changed depending on who you talked to.

Well, the merchant was celebrating a partnership with the family Sweets’ grandfather used to work for. There was to be a big gala, invite only, at the family’s house. Sweets really pushed his grandfather to use some of those old contacts to steal him an invite. After thinking over it for an hour, smoking the dragon arm pipe Sweets gave him a couple years ago, the elder tiefling agreed. When his grandmother heard he was going to the party, she fished out her husband’s old performance costumes. She spent the day in a sewing and cutting frenzy. After dinner, they brought out the finished suit. It was a clean white dress shirt, with slits to fit his wings through, a red vest that could unbuckle in the back to easily slip past his wings, and a black jacket, with silver embroidered flames, that had buttons to hold the panels together between his wings. Finished with sleek slacks and black shoes. He was a vision of temptation and mystery.

At the doors, he present the stolen invitation. Thankfully the family didn’t think to have a list, so he entered with ease. He was walking through a fantasy. The brilliant attire, mingling of powerful families, and all the beauty that encompassed the rooms. He somehow found himself talking to the couple of the evening, Misses Violet von Tussle, the daughter of Victor von Tussle, and her betrothed, Säde Lumoava. The three started talking. Throughout the conversation, Säde and Sweets kept looking each other over. The six foot-two half-elf with platinum blond hair crop short, piercing pale blue eyes, and alabaster skin, wearing a fine tunic and kilt. A medallion of a crystal that looked like ice hung from his neck on a silver chain. Sweets found himself absentmindedly patting the older male on the back, shoulder, arm. His tail constricting around his right leg. Around them the party was in full swing.

Into the night Säde and Sweets made their way to a quieter part of the house, the rooftop. The house was only two stories, but thankfully there was a canopied area with plush blankets to lie upon. Säde spoke of traveling for years with his family’s ships and what remained of their company. He grew up on the open waters, couldn’t think of life without going out to sea. Sweets spoke of the dreams he had to adventure like his mother and her mother. Through the layers of structure, they could still hear the music from below. Säde begged Sweets to show him his dancing skills. The young tiefling caved and the two danced under the stars. Winter white against hellfire red. The turns, spins, steps, all of it getting their blood pumping. In the warmth of their compressed heat, the two males stared into each other’s eyes before sharing a passionate kiss. In a flurry of flying clothes, the pair made their way to the blankets and ravaged each other. For his first experience, Sweets swore he heard the gods. As the two males lay in each other’s arms, Säde confided that he didn’t want to marry Violet. He wasn’t even into females. The half-elf asked if Sweets was willing to help him escape. They donned their clothes and Sweets carried the fleeing fiancé off the roof. Though he could only get about two buildings over before having to land. Together they ran through the streets towards the docks. Säde told Sweets he could come with him. But Sweets wasn’t as ready as he thought he was. The half-elf gave the tiefling one last, long, passionate kiss. He told him he’d be back to see him someday. As a parting gift, Säde gave Sweets the crystal medallion. Then the wintry lover headed off, looking for a ship to sail away on.

Sweets dreams of Säde occasionally. But now he was eighteen. He had to go do work and support his family. His grandparents passed away. His father smoked from the stolen pipe. His mother became stricter. He picked up a lyre and started busking, as his card games drew more ire than copper. His parents knew his voice was well trained, but were surprised how quickly he adapted to musical instruments. His unique physical traits got him modeling jobs for painters and carvers. Those jobs also came with pleasurable benefits.

At one of the jobs he was invited to play cards with the artist and a few of their friends. He shows up just as everyone’s settling down. He throws in a few silver for the starting ante. He loses a few games, wins some others. Before he knows it, everyone is drunk, and throwing in larger bets. It slipped his hearing, but one of the guys threw in all their money. All Sweets saw as a sack of gold spilled onto the ante pile. Well, he used all the tricks he learned, winning him the ante. He stumbled home, grinning the whole way. In the morning he returned to the job, for the artist to finish. When he got there, the artist told him that the man who anted all that gold, it was the man’s life savings. Also the man had betted the month’s rent. Which was overdue. His family was getting evicted and the family left him. His wife had been hiding money away to buy passage for her and her kids away from him.

Sweets had already given the money to his parents that morning, and spent some on adventuring gear. He was completely distraught that he ruined someone’s life. Well, the next day the artist ran into Sweets at a shop and told him that the man had sworn vengeance on the poor tiefling boy. Sweets hurried home, packed his things, wrote a letter to his parents about it was time to go adventuring, and headed to the docks. After picking up some information, he found a ship he could lie his way on. Becoming the ship’s entertainment. Though, he only knew one song. But it was better than nothing. 

[madravensrambling]

Time to write some notes about last week’s game.

So the group, minus two, went to the local orphanage in the town I forget the name of.... I’m usually better than this. Anyways. At the orphanage they met an old man who told them to get them off his lawn. After a second attempt, they got Jakob. Gakob is a guy who used to live in the orphanage and now works there. Jacob also does a side job of tours of two unique houses in the village. One house is a burnt remains, the other is the haunted house. Now the village has a thing about the haunted house. If a villager were to go into the house and come out, they’d be shunned and exiled. But more likely, they’ll die in the house.

The group went to the burnt remains. Two story house. Relatively big. The stairs are mostly intact. Most of the walls are still standing. This house was burned down about 20-35 years ago. I forget how long ago I originally said. There were seven secret doors in the standing walls. 1) Lead to the outside as a secondary exit. 2) A floor safe. 3 & 4) Wall safes. 5) A closet under the stairs. 6) A hidden portrait of a Mistress Brossin. 7) Cellar trapdoor.

In the closet under the stairs was a safe. The safe had a pouch of platinum, a will, and a deed to the house. The floor safe had scrolls. The rogue took one that was Mage Hand. I forget the other scroll. Then there was a blood ritual, that no one could read at the moment. I honestly forget what was in the wall safes.

Two found a door that led down to the cellar. They went and tried to figure out what was down there. They really rolled poorly. There were obvious markings that something in there was the start of the fire. Explosion scorch marks, the walls caked in soot and ash. One of the players was set on trying to see if there was Infernal writing on the walls. There is no writing.

The two other players went down, found nothing as well, came back up. The group, finished with the first floor goes up the stairs. The stairs are burnt, but still usable. The tiefling samurai goes up, checking each step slowly. Followed by the water genasi druid, who used druidcraft to reinforce the stairs with plant growth. The samurai’s sister was really energetic with going up the stairs. And because I think the Wild Magic table isn’t used as often as it should be, I have her roll occasionally to see if her wild magic flares up. It did, and it cast Levitation on her, lasting for about 4 minutes.

The half-elf wild sorceress holds onto her sister’s tail to ensure she doesn’t float too far up and can be pulled around. Once upstairs, they insist on Jaccob come up with them. He does, only when offered 5 gold. He has a fear of heights. It is a wide balcony. The furthest door was the only door untouched by smoke or fire damage. The drow rogue doesn’t see any traps, but the sorceress looks and finds faint magical glyphs. Since she doesn’t know the language, she writes them on the wall, which is coated in soot, dust, and general scum from being wood open and exposed to the elements. The rogue knew the language and it vaguely translated to “Enter unharmed only when invited”. Though by completely rewriting it on the wall, she inadvertently spelled the wall. So they stay clear of the wall. They try having various members saying “I invite (character’s name) in!” It doesn’t work. Two members were electrocuted. Then one of the members knocks on the door. There is a small click. A player tries the door again. It opens, without shocking them, to reveal a room undamaged.

Two walls were bookshelves, completely packed. There’s a fireplace. A heavy wooden desk, with a plush chair behind it and two moderate chairs before it. Players scan the bookshelf, finding misc. books. One player wanted to go through the draws in the desk. In one draw they find a neverending file tray, like from Bruce Almighty. They rolled good enough and found a file that seemed interesting. Turns out it was a file about them, with complete detail of their life. They take another file. Then they explore the other draws. They find a locked one that holds toys and a few other items. The player picks up a stuffed rabbit/bear toy. It speaks to her mind, telling her “You want to go to sleep”. There were a few toys, I can’t remember them. There was a lead yo-yo that fell slowly and snapped back in the blink of an eye. A nutcracker that screams when you push the head down. That’s all I remember.

A few players, after hearing what the sorceress found, wanted to go through the files. They are big on roleplaying and have a habit of metagaming. I believe two others find their files and a couple of the others. Meanwhile the sorceress goes off to sleep, as suggested by the plushie. Her sister watched over her for a bit then went off to search the last room. The middle room was a dusty, ashen bedroom. The last room was just storage.

When the sorceress fell asleep. Her consciousness was taken to the Feywild. She met a fey. They chatted a bit. The fey was just a bit lonely, having being trapped in seclusion for unnamed reasons. She gave some details about the previous residents. It belonged to a reincarnated deity. Also said the woman in the portrait was a vampire.

Anyways, they left the house without getting into a fight, losing an HP, and didn’t break the remains of the house. 

[madravensrambling]

So I just got some D&D books for Christmas. Yay! And now I find myself starting to bubble up some creativity.

So for my homebrew campaign, which is on holiday for two weeks, they are about to enter a haunted house. (Read previous posts for more detail.) And I now know some of the layout.

First floor: Entrance hall. Red walls with lit sconces. The bottom half of the walls is mortar and stone. Like a second owner’s addition to the house. Opens to a central hall. A stone staircase heads up to the second floor. The rest of the first floor is wooden. One door to the right of the entrance leads to the parlor. Another door connects it to the dinning hall. A door leads to the hallway off of the central hall, and the furthest one goes to the kitchen. A secret door within the stone staircase hides the another stone staircase, heading down to the basement. In the hallway, beyond the dinning hall door is another door that leads to the kitchen. Through the kitchen is a large double door entrance that leads to the back, with a garden and driveway, and a pair of outhouses.

Second floor: The stairs lead up to a gallery landing. There are three doors along the gallery. Two of the doors lead to bedrooms. The third room is a storage/supply closet. Within are five brooms of animated attack. Why? Because I love me some brooms of animated attack. Also, inside this room is a pull-down ladder to the attic. In the left bedroom is a master suite, with a four post bed, a curtained two door terrace. The right room has two twin size beds and a crib.

Attic: Is 20x20 room, with walls that taper to a vortex about 30 up. Each wall has a guardian portrait in the right corner. On the southern wall is a circle of teleportation. On the northern wall are abyssal runes that lead to the ethereal plane. On the west wall are draconic runes that can cause things to happen in the house. On the east wall is a single phrase in halfling that when read aloud, summons a fey creature.

Basement: Two coffins rest on a stone dais. Each coffin has a plaque. The left one reads “Here lies Father Brossin, Master artificer and grand wizard, Infernal Warden of the Firemount Academy, husband, father, and teacher.” The right one reads “Here sleeps Mistress Brossin, Mother of Night Children, Elder Vampress of the Firemount Coven, wife, mother, and empress.”

So, the story of the Brossin family. Father Reinhart Brossin was a tiefling warlock and wizard. He studied artifice and arcane arts since he was 9 years old. This propelled him to earning credentials for wizardry at a young age of 15, and he entered a pact with a being, though he never said with what or whom. Soon after he was married to a Strellai von Marsell O’Brayn, a human warlock of the same patron. He was 45, she just 18. By this time he was awarded the title Father by the Firemount Academy. An institute of magical studies and religious examinations. Strellai had just given birth to their third child when their patron came calling. Strellai performed a ritual and it turned her into a vampire. She then started a coven within the institute, under the order of her patron. After a crusade was lead over the campus, the Brossins escaped to a hideaway home, far from the mountains that housed Firemount. They lived their for about four years. With limited resources, and not wanting to draw suspicion, their baby died. Later learning it was the price of the lady’s vampirism. The children were sent away, to take different names. Years later Father Brossin died, and Mistress Brossin embalmed and set her husband to rest. Afterwards, she put herself into a comatose state to avoid the grief of being alone and widowed. A couple of the students and faculty of Firemount came looking. When they couldn’t find the family, they left some items at the house. Set up protective measures. Many adventurers have tried to discover the secrets of the house, but have died trying. 

[madravensrambling]

A couple days ago I fell down on some ice and hurt my already damaged ankle. I’ve been walking around with my walking stick. And I was suddenly struck with an idea. A war veteran with a gimp leg, due to not being set right after it was broken. He’s an Eldritch Knight. (Of course this is for 5E.) Then his story just start evolving. Now he’s like a 60 year old human Eldritch Knight/War Mage (War Magic school from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything). After being discharged, he came home to find that his wife left him and took the kids. So with the vivid hauntings of war and being alone, he delved into the arcane studies. Eventually finding solace in smithing and artifice. And has opened a shop to sell the things he makes. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wJQAHxxEevScARUyNg0yYYfyYIWx6wc3JcdetoXWZsw/edit?usp=sharing Here is his character sheet. The really great thing, is that he has a staff that can change into a greatsword and back. It is his arcane focus, and his main bonded weapon. So when he’s tired of wacking idiots and doesn’t want to use all his spells, he just turns it into a sword and starts swinging. Also, his granddaughter came and found him. Sometimes she works for him and handles the customers. 

[madravensrambling]

I was told I’m a numbers player by someone. The context of what they heard me discussing was for a 3.5 character. I was playing a Sorcerer Rogue. My first prostitute character. She was raised in a brothel. Anyways, I discovered there was a way to build her to essentially be a dominatrix. There were feats and such for becoming a master with a whip. We had an artificer in the party, and I was going to have him attach a battle fan to the end of my bladed whip. Then I could snap it open and close, dealing either slashing damage or slashing and bludgeoning damage. To do so, I’d had have to be very precise in how I progressed my character. And that is apparently how I am a numbers player. Because I had a vision of what my character would ultimately become and figured out how to do it within the system.

She started off as a child thrown out of her home, because the village magic user told her family she was cursed. It was just her innate magic abilities showing. She wandered into a city, lived on the streets for a couple weeks. Was taken in by a prostitute while she was doing some shopping for the brothel. The brothel had a small orphanage attached. The children would do most of the chores: cleaning floors, walls; doing laundry; sewing; polishing; cooking; etc. When they would reach adulthood, some would go into sex work, some would become body guards of the brothel, and the rest would go become craftsmen with the skills they learned. My character started the training for being a prostitute. She had a fondness for learning the art of domination. It’s where she learned to use the whip. She also took up sewing and leatherworks, so she could create her own costumes. But after a while she decided to explore the world. The brothel didn’t have much in teaching her about her magical abilities. Thus she met the party and the campaign only lasted a couple of months before falling apart.

I look forward at the abilities of classes when creating a character. I come up with an idea of who the character is, what they do, and what they would become. I know most campaigns don’t live to have parties with characters over level 15. But why build a character without thinking of they’re most likely future? I don’t know. I was just going through books, got excited when I saw whips and fans, and brewed up this shit. It was purely for flavor reasons.

[madravensrambling]

Okay. I am still not used to a Chromebook. I miss working on a PC. It is just so much extra effort to do things on apps and Google Docs. I miss Word. Ugh. I have sat around with Docs open for over 3 hours and I couldn’t be arsed to type a single word. So here are some of my notes since it’s easier to write on here than in Docs.

The party has rolled into town. They found a local tavern and did a few things. Some tried to gain info, a few ate, and others drank. There is a magical wine that looks like milk. If the player makes a DC 16 CON save, and is instantly drunk if failed. On a success, the player can see magical auras emanating from persons of spell casting capability and magical items/glyphs. I forget if I named it. I also forget the name of the town. This is what happens when a mentally exhausted person, DMing two campaigns, can’t focus beyond the moment.

The info learned is that the supposedly haunted house was once the home of a family of tieflings. On the day they moved in, another house on the other side of the town caught fire. What the players don’t know is that the fire is completely another mission. Now this haunted house has been apparently vacant for about 45 years. The mission has been unfulfilled for 10 years. I still haven’t decided if the haunted house is going to be actually haunted. The tiefling family disappeared within a couple years. The family actually was part of a mafia and had stockpiled most of the treasures there. I know I want Animated Brooms of Attack, because I love those bloody things. Also Guardian Portraits. Because magical item thieves/users like unassuming defensive mechanisms. Now, I’ve been thinking of the house actually holding some oozes. Everyone loves Gelatinous Cubes.

Kenku Ranger - Bag of stolen trinkets. Deities: Hermes. Missed a message from deity.

Drow Rogue - No noteworthy items. Deities: Minor Drow Goddess. No message from deity.

Wood Elf Druid - No noteworthy items. Deities: Sahanine Moonbow. No message from deity.

Half-Elf Sorcerer - No noteworthy items. Deities: Glittergold. Missed a message from deity.

Tiefling Samurai - No noteworthy items. Deities: Heironeous. Had a chat, but forgot most of it.

Water Genasi Druid - Amulet of Deep Shelasesha. Deities: Deep Shelaseaseas. Had an audience and given item.

New member:

Tiefling Warlock - No noteworthy items. Deities: Fey Patron. No message from deity.

[madravensrambling]

I just feel so guilty. I stole the kill shot from one of the players. Thing is, this is the third time I stole the kill shot, and the third time it was from that player. So the first time, this NPC bitch known as The Mistress killed that player’s in-game girlfriend. We’ll call him Player Krian. Player Krian was playing a paladin, thus his character swore to kill The Mistress. We chase some clues to a warehouse and start tearing up the place. Eventually The Mistress starts a three-way tango with Player Krian and one of her minions. Me, being the ill-ly combat equipped sorcerer, hit her with a cantrip. She failed the save and was frozen solid. So not only did I steal the kill shot, I stole a revenge killing.

The second time, Player Krian was playing a cleric in a one shot. I was a swashbuckling rogue/bard. He was attuning a Sun Blade to an NPC so it can do actual damage against the vampires we were facing. Well, the attunement failed as we were jumped by swarms of rats, then by vampire spawns. As the spawns were nearly dead, the head vampire came and killed the NPC. Player Krian cast Daylight on his warhammer and started swinging. She fled, we chased, nearly caught her but vanished in the stairs. Player Krian resurrected the NPC. Head to the basement, she was actually upstairs. We go up, Player Krian and the NPC search the room with Daylight on their weapons. Vampire is found, and Player Krian tried to kill her. She fled and charmed the NPC. Player Krian chased, but NPC tackled him. They were wrestling while the rest of the party got into the room she fled to, started hitting her. Player Krian showed up, and could only make it to the door. I got the final hit and dealt lethal damage, because sneak attack.

Third time was just this weekend. Our current main campaign, Player Krian is an eldritch knight and I’m a warlock. Well, we were hunting a big space dino beastie. All combat my spells missed and it made the saves. Meanwhile everyone else managed to deal some amount of damage to it. We were also on limited time as a party member had to leave for work... and it was snowing. It could have been mostly to deal with we were just over the time limit. Though our DM doesn’t normally fudge rolls or HP. But I finally rolled high enough to hit the damn thing. Deal 7 Acid damage. It dead, Jim. By the way, I was the lowest on the initiative order, and Player Krian was at the top. So if I didn’t kill it, he would’ve.

And it is that third time I just feel so guilty about. As much as I love being a bad ass, it was just a fluke of the die. I also prefer enabling other players than stealing kills. Stealing kills is never intentional. But it’s eating me up. Ugh.

[madravensrambling]

I am going to admit, I have done absolutely no planning for any of the campaigns I am currently Dungeon Mastering for about a month. It is crazily mentally exhausting running two games a week and then playing in another game. Thankfully one campaign I run will be on hiatus since it is comprised of college kids. Sadly the campaign I play in will be on hiatus, as everyone except me is a college kid.

The first campaign I am running was a Curse of Strahd 5E campaign. Started around October. But after Oct. passed, the horror setting was just suffocating and couldn’t provide the interactions and adventures the players were looking for. As well as the players didn’t fully grasp what their characters could do or really cohesively role play together. So I scrapped that setting, had the players roll new characters, and started a Tal’Dorei campaign. I am an avid Critter. Starting at first level is probably the best thing to do with new players. For CoS, they were level 3+. Being level one, the players can get used to their class and settle into their characters without going bat-shit crazy. As it stands, two of the players are playing a variant of their CoS characters. While the other two are doing two completely different characters. Player Anna was a Half-Elf Bard and is now a Tiefling Phoenix Sorcerer/Bard. Player Brad was a Drow Cleric and is now a Human Gunslinger. Player Mark was a Human Rogue and is now a Human Rogue. Player Tom was a Black Dragonborn Paladin and is now a Brass Dragonborn Barbarian.