#ttc b

[we-are-a-dragon]

Teams of the Tournament: Wrap Up

The tournament arc "The Third Season" that we played a little while ago was huge for all of our characters and the NPCs we met impacted our party enormously, so I wanted to do one final post in the tournament format to show where each of them are now that we are off to new adventures without them.

HERON'S FALL

Members (left-right): Maria Cleaves (human 'bard'), Dragonkiller (goliath bard), Esmel Banksi (goblin artificer), Rowan Woodleaf (half-elf cleric), Lehkraskol (dragonborn fighter).

Leader: Esmel.

Level: 6.

Relationship to TTC: Friends and proteges.

Status: Safe, adventuring at their own pace in Suda.

Notes: Maria is not a level 6 bard. She is secretly an immortal who has probably gained high levels in most classes, and also founded the ancient empire of Gandarall and ruled it for 200 years. She's also helplessly in love with Dragonkiller.

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TRAVELLING TRAUMA CENTRE [B]

Members (left-right): Elinor Farlight (deva druid), Gibthorn Tallest (halfling cleric), Talwyn Brook (elf ranger).

Leader: Gibthorn.

Level: 10.

Relationship to TTC: Lower level party affiliated with our own guild.

Status: Safe, adventuring in hometown of Shibanah.

Notes: The fourth member, Damaris, has left TTC B to join our party.

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THE IRON CIRCLE (formerly Servants of the Sun)

Members: Mirror Carthryn (tiefling psion), Halfire Chilly (halfling monk), Diana Morningfall (human fighter).

Leader: Halfire (formerly Mirror).

Level: 19.

Relationship to TTC: Once enemies, now friends and allies.

Status: Safe, adventuring together in Suda for now.

Notes: They changed their party name after we finally helped them kill Destrian, their sociopathic fourth member. Mirror is currently on poor terms with TTC after accidentally taking Seraph time travelling and getting her stuck in the past for four years.

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THE CRAFTSMEN

Members: Telchal Forgemail (dwarf rogue), Alwel Mithanmyr (eladrin avenger), Glatur Forgemail (dwarf warden).

Leader: Alwel.

Level: 21.

Relationship to TTC: Friends and allies.

Status: Safe, essentially holidaying in Suda for a while.

Notes: Alwel and Seraph have recently started dating.

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TTC

Members: Seraph Vencaryn (siren sorcerer), Galwyn Til'athrin (elf monk), Kjell Michaels (half-elf barbarian), Billie Dusencank (gnome ardent), Thaddeus Goldmane (khajiit paladin), Una (genasi artificer), Godric Oakenleaf (fairy warlock), Damaris Miter (human sorcerer).

Leader: Thaddeus.

Level: 17.

Notes: Galwyn (level 27) and Damaris (level 18) are NPCs who have joined our party after the tournament; they are dating Kjell and Godric, respectively. TTC also has a retired member, Hanako (kitsune bard), who lives in Shibanah as the guildmaster.

[we-are-a-dragon]

"What the hell is going on?" - Damaris and TTC B arrive via Galwyn's room in the middle of the night.

[we-are-a-dragon]

Tati (playing Seraph): I also bring up that Heron's Fall wants to become a junior party of the TTC guild.

M (playing Kjell): Does that make them TTC C? D?

Marijn (playing Godric): They'd be TTC Heron's Fall.

Tati: Yeah, I think we can do away with letters, it starts to feel a bit mean. Like we're TTC Guardians of the Sun-

M: We are not.

Hamish (playing Thaddeus): That's what people are calling us.

M: People can call us that, but it's not our name. Kjell's not religious.

Adam (playing Billie): Yeah, Billie feels the same.

M: Why do they even need to have TTC in their name?

Tati: It's kind of what you do when you join a larger guild.

Andy (playing Una): They can be TTC-whatever and we're The Travelling Trauma Centre, OG.

Adam: Yeah, I like that.

Hamish: We just need to come up with a proper name for TTC B.

[we-are-a-dragon]

Thaddeus (khajiit paladin): Okay, the ritual is complete and the room is silenced for 24 hours.

Seraph (siren sorcerer): I borrow scraps of fabric from Una's bag and use them to mask our lips.

Ben (halfling swordmage): Alright, what did you want to talk about that's so secretive?

Seraph: *hesitates* I'm not sure we should do Round Five of the tournament.

Thaddeus: Right. Why?

Seraph: We keep getting told that the tournament must be completed, and they'll mind-control us before they'll let us leave. I have this terrible feeling that we're all playing into their hands. Maybe Galwyn was on the right track, but I'm not sure it was enough.

Thaddeus: *non-committal* What do you suggest we do instead?

Seraph: *twisting hands* I don't know. We don't have enough information. We need to work out how the tournament fits into everything else happening in Suda, and if disrupting it will make things worse.

Thaddeus: Alright, let's make a list of things we could do. I don't think we can avoid the tournament, but we can start by asking TTC B to take as long as possible with their adventure.

DM: TTC B are very stressed that they're up tomorrow as they thought they'd have at least another day, but they promise they'll use their full allotted time.

[we-are-a-dragon]

Party recap:

After a frustrating conversation with the Divinity of Conflict (affectionately known as Steve), Travelling Trauma Centre spent a day in Suda catching up with old friends, pursuing personal quests, and secretively planning a birthday party for Seraph. TTC's guild grew as Damaris joined TTC A as a permanent follower and Heron's Fall requested to join the guild as a junior party.

[we-are-a-dragon]

DM: Godric, anything else today? It's after lunchtime now.

Marijn (playing Godric): I want to find Damaris.

DM: Excellent. TTC B are actually preparing to leave Suda in the next few days. She's pleased to see you.

Marijn: I tell her about our adventure in the Bucket Realm.

DM: She's very intrigued and a little concerned.

Marijn: I say, "Hey... You said a few days ago that when we go on to this next bit, you'd come with us. Were you serious about that?"

DM: She looks at the rest of TTC B and they leave the room. She says, "Yes, I was serious. If you're going to run around doing stupid things like jumping into bucket realms, I want to be there to help out. I've really enjoyed my time with TTC B, but... Do you think I can join your party again?"

Marijn: "I'll talk to them, but I don't think they'll have any problem with that." I hesitate. "I... I really like you, and any chance to hang out with you is super cool. It's just... I don't know how to say this... If you're going to travel with us, you'll probably need to use your magic again. I know that's a huge source of trauma for you and I'm not going to pressure you. But if you try to face the people we're going to face as a fighter, I don't think it's going to go well for you."

DM: She says, "No, I agree, that time is past. If I travel with you I'll need to pull my weight."

Marijn: "I don't mean that you don't pull your weight. You've been doing great."

DM: "But I need to be at my strongest when it counts. And I've been thinking. When we first met, you were getting your magic from a source that wasn't exactly good for you."

Marijn: "It's not a time I'm proud of."

DM: She goes on, "But you always stepped up to protect your party. You never let it stop you from doing what you needed to do. And if you can, I can. I'll own my magic. It's part of me and there's no point in running from it."

Marijn: I say, "I think you can do anything you put your mind to. Look, I know you hate your magic, though I think it's the most beautiful thing out of all the beautiful things about you. I think you should talk to Seraph. Her magic is wonderful and it comes to her naturally like yours does. I'll always be here for you, but my magic is different so I can't answer those questions."

DM: She smiles. "Okay, I will."

Marijn: "Okay. Then, I'm really excited to party up with you." Ahhhh, I've wanted this for so long!

M (playing Kjell): Awww. #TeamWizards is too cute!

Marijn: *outraged* M! How could you!! This was such a special moment!

[we-are-a-dragon]

DM: Alright, so you've got two days in-game before you have to take Duke Farlaing on an adventure for Round Five. We're going to run through the things you wanted to check out from last session real quickly, which will take up most of those two days. First up, you talked to Dr Eidel, the cult professor. Who wants that?

Adam (playing Billie): Hit me.

DM: *passes note*

Adam: "It's extremely hard to study Vecna as the god of secrets. His cults are top-down, and always run by one with the title 'Thought of Vecna'. The groups and their members are named after organs: teeth, fingers, blood. It's a common practice to remove the left eye and/or hand, as his were. Splinter groups rarely collaborate, and may not even know of each others' existence." That's really not a lot.

Hamish (playing Thaddeus): I think that's pretty much lifted from the wiki page on Vecna.

DM: Pretty much, yeah. There's next to no lore. Next, you wanted to break into Farlaing's office while he's out with TTC B.

Tati (playing Seraph): Godric and I go the first night of their round.

DM: You don't find anything that seems to relate to the tournament or any correspondence, but instead there are papers everywhere written in ciphers and multiple languages. Godric, you can work out enough that you realise it's the same message over and over: 'I am not the mastermind.' There's also a hidden message among them that you can't deduce.

Tati: We copy everything down and take it back to the others.

DM: Ben, you work out that the hidden message is two words repeated throughout: 'revenge' and 'Jaril'.

Noelani (playing Ben): Jaril, like a name?

DM: Yes.

Tati: As in, "Watch out for the mindflayer -J"?

Adam: *eyes widening* Oh.

[we-are-a-dragon]

DM: Is there anything else you want to try and get done tonight?

Adam (playing Billie): I don't think so, but tomorrow we have a bunch more research we want to do. We should ask our allies if they think we should attack Vethiver before or after the tournament.

M (playing Kjell): I want to ask the cult professor about Vecna cults in the Suda region.

Hamish (playing Thaddeus): When are we meeting the priest of Ioun?

DM: TTC B have two days for their round, which they've promised to use the entirety of. Conflict says you can meet the priest midday of the second day.

Hamish: Okay, so we've got time before then.

DM: We've had a few sessions of research now, so do you want me to put together everything those people can tell you and give it to you in bullet format at the start of next session?

Adam: Yes, that's a really good idea.

Tati (playing Seraph): We keep researching because it's scary making a decision when we have no information!

DM: You're going to have to make a decision sooner or later.

Tati: Later is good. After we meet that priest.