The Public Dungeon Master: Encounters at the Red Castle

This Encounters season has been humming along.  I'm proud to say I've  had a majority of returning players for the last couple months.  We  must be having fun!

At the end of Chapter 2 the heroes have been  investigating the Curse of Evard that has been laid upon the town and now the must defend the populace from the depredations of a second night in the  netherworld known as the Shadowfell.  This night the townsfolk have barricaded themselves into the Armory, and other safehouses, but rumour stirs (confirmed by the interrogation of a grey goblin with cloven  hoofs) that an army of the dead is marching upon the town.

The  group for the last few weeks has consisted of Miranna, a Shade Binder(Warlock); Belgos, a  Drow Hunter (Ranger); Brandis, a Paladin (who has willingly been corrupted by a devil's sword to become a Blackguard); Valinnae, a Cleric of Pelor; and Keira, an Elven  Thief.

During their patrols the heroes felt a malaise and deep  despondency drag at them, and though they shook it off, they were  obliged to help prop up the moral of the local militia, who seemed ready  to pack it in.  The Cleric showed them the light of Pelor, while the  Blackguard, Drow and Warlock told of much worse tales than theirs, and  that combined with a whiff of rum perked them and they had a small army of their own to command!  Each player received a small card with  Militia Minion stats and got to choose a mini fig.  I suggested they name them but nobody did.

The band of defenders returned to the  Armory to discover it was under attack!  Swarms of skeletons with spears  battered the Armory doors, and two blazing pyrotechnic skeletons  orchestrated the events.  A lurking shadow stalker waited for an opportunity to strike.

The ranged abilities of the monsters  combined with the big building made for a different sort of fight.  The  heroes were hurt and very vulnerable to being in a fire corridor,  especially when the fire skeletons started lobbing mortars.  However, the army was mostly minions and the militia's firepower was quite effective against them.  The thief ended up defeating the shadow stalker upon the roof, while the Cleric unleashed Aspect of Wrath to slay all  skeletons who approached, and take down both Blazing Bones as well (I  think).  The Blackguard caught on fire and jumped in the river.

The army was defeated, no heroes died, and dawn broke over the town.  Just another night in the Shadowfell.  Everyone made 3rd level and everyone got a random Fortune Card.

The Public Dungeon Master: Return to Red Castle

Once again into the breach, a Dungeon Master braves the wilderlands of the public gaming table, welcoming all who come to play at 6:30pm on Wednesdays at Red Castle Games of PDX, OR.

This Wednesday we played our second belated session of D&D 4e Encounters: Dark Legacy of Evard.
In the first session I had had a full table of six, and ran through the first two encounters in three hours, using all the pregenerated character cards.
We established the scene, couriers stuck in a backwater down waiting for the river to ease its furious flood. The players roleplayed a bit in the tavern, and then were woken up at the stroke of midnight by the town of Duponde's sudden transport to the dark dimension known as the Shadowfell. Dark beasts were bested, and the party ventured into the street to find the town in chaos. The captain of the guard asked for help and the heroes obliged, making the Armory safe, and battling spiders and shadows to do so.
A wonderful time was had by all. Three of the players were new to this iteration of D&D, but they seemed to enjoy the show. The maps were great and I provided some hand painted miniatures.

This week I had only four players, all returns from the week before. This is fine. I consider four players to be the ideal number for rp games. Once again, we played two encounters in three hours. I finished my beer halfway through and found myself losing my voice. The players were concerned about their survival at first, but the managed their final encounter of the chapter quite well.
They began with a quick skill challenge aimed at interacting with the town, quelling panic in the streets and guiding townsfolk to safe houses at the Armory and Chapel. I went around the table and had them describe their actions, then went round again and had them roll the dice for whatever skill I considered relevant. They achieved four successes in a row and rolled into an encounter with two headed shadow beasts, with a plan, and great coincidence. Even so the monsters managed to put the hurt on the party a bit, though they prevailed in the end. I brought the monsters out in waves, which helped a bit.
I made two mistakes. In both fights I rolled well for initiative and attacked immediately. This had the effect of bunching the battle into a small area and did not encourage much tactical movement. I need to wait a bit and use artillery first.
The second encounter was in the graveyard, a classic encounter full of undead. The heroes were able to destroy the undead and then retreated to the Old Owl at daybreak to recuperate as the sun rose and the town of Duponde faded back into the mortal world. The players are now at level 2 and I will need to provide characters next session, for my players do not seem to own any Essentials book.

If we keep to this playing pace, we will catch up to the season's regular schedule by playing two encounters next week as well. After that we can go back to single encounter sessions. So far the players have been very enthusiastic. I am pleased.

Revenge of the Iron Lich Play Report

Last month I ran some friends through the Revenge of the Iron Lich module from savevsdeath.com. I thought I'd write a bit of a report for posterity.

The module is a very deadly "Tomb of Horrors" style dungeon full of traps and puzzles, instant death effects and random effects. It is not a standard 4e playstyle. It went really well. They scored 410 points, slain by the Lich as soon as he appeared. I was pretty impressed they made it that far, but Power Word Kill got the best of them all. No, it was not fair.

I told the players this in advance and they showed up with 16th level characters. The PCs were a Shifter Monk, a Deva Wizard, a Human Warlord, a Human Rogue and a human Paladin. I handed out the random gear cards and the rumour cards and pre-drew a couple of the rooms. I ended up using dungeon tiles for quite a lot of the dungeon. Pre selecting these would have helped. Or better yet pre drawing each map on grid paper.

The cards were a hit. Between the short intro reading about the Iron Lich trying to take over the universe and the rumors, the players were instantly comparing notes and establishing a bit of the story of the dungeon.

I tried to emphasize a sort of looming backstory of epic inter dimensional travel that lead to the party's arrival at the gates of the dungeon. I described the entrance as a house sized horned skull rising from an endless plain of ash.

The players were very very wary. In the first room they were afraid to touch anything. They did not pick up the skull, nor approach the throne.

In the Cobblestone Hall the monk flew directly to the other end of the room. The spectral skull began to appear as he approached so he landed in front of it, luckily and unknowingly avoiding the last pit trap. The skull demanded the password, but the unreliable rumour the Deva had heard about the password was not correct and the Monk was blasted with fire. As I looked at the encounter later I wondered if I should have waited for the party to tinker with the door before triggering the trap. It was an ambush for the monk, but probably saved them in the long run because he was the only one to be hurt. Then he walked back and danced around the pit traps that opened up. The party discovered the secret door at the bottom of the first pit and followed that path. The Wizard cast Comprehend languages to read the prayer written on the wall, but "Hesiarch" wasn't much of a clue. Next time I would write out a prayer to the Honor and Martrydom of the Blackguards of Stormhold or some such.
More hints and more back story are good.
They found themselves in the triangular room of purple eyes. The rogue entered alone and placed an old lantern on the pedestal. He was blasted with psychic energy. They later discovered a hollow sounding panel in the room, but were not tempted to try the pedestal again.

The party then tried the other fork in the dungeon and came to the room of the 8 Statues of Kings. A player had the Scroll of Heraldry and he immediately asked if he could figure out who the kings were. I read the stories of the kings and how they died and it was pretty rad. I brought out a bowl full of Scrabble pieces for the letter puzzle. I felt the need to clarify that the pieces should be arranged one per king. The premise of this puzzle is a little vague. They started going on about spelling various names of the kings and such, and finally I gave what turned out to be a big hint. I reminded the paladin that the Lich was known for his hubris and great ego (I had previously allowed the paladin history checks to know some of the Lich's history as a paladin of Stormhold.). Thus resulted in one player immediately solving the puzzle. Too much help? I'm not sure. Unfortunately they failed to arrange the pieces so that the kings could read them and therefore failed anyway. The Cloudkill sucked 5 surges from everybody. However, because they partially solved the puzzle and started in order, I had the secret door open and offer another way out. They took this route and skirted carefully around the Book on the Altar.

I asked the Wizard if he wanted to open the book. He had previously cast Comprehend Languages so I ruled that he could read the cover which I said was called "The Book of Laughter and Forgetting". He did not touch it.

From here they came to the Dark Descent. The Wraith Captain attacked and nearly drank the soul of the paladin. The wizard cast a spell that rendered the party resistant to 11 points of necrotic damage which nullified the spectral minions, though not before they did some damage. nobody was knocked into the abyss, though a couple heroes were crushed trying to jump through the blocks cages that kept popping out of the walls. Nobody jumped to the iron spikes. The party slew the Captain and then picked the last medallion at their leisure, slotting them in their places and then making their way into the mouth of the Lich's Wife.

Next came the Test of the Chests. This they solved after some discussion. I handed out all kinds of treasure cards. Great stuff. This was all they had for their attack on the Lich. It was now too late to turn back.

The party made their way to the Balcony of the Stairs. They used the Ask the Dungeon scroll and I had the ghost Embecar appear and mock them for not having the Sunsteel amulet but he emphasized the power of the radiant light of the amulet so the paladin suggested casting bless weapon to make the stairs passable. I allowed this to go forward and the party rigged a long tight rope to the entrance to the tomb of the Lich.

In the final battle nobody explored much, but jumped in on the Necrolith and had it dazed for most of the rounds it was active. Some good rolls for them and some weak saves from me had the rust bucket down for the count fairly quick. The 4 hr buzzer rang at this point, but since we were in the final battle i let it ride. It didn't matter anyways. The little tiny Lich head appeared and spoke the Power Word Kill. This is a crazy deadly and strangely worded power, but it makes sense to me in that it just mops up everyone who would be close to death anyways. Only one character had more than one surge at that point, the Warlord. She survived another round managed to get to the sarcophagus. I told her the Bride lay in the coffin. She threatened to decapitate her with one hand while she unfurled the Scroll of Imprisonment with her other hand. I told her that the Lich paused in a moment of indecision. She respond that she was going to decapitate the bride and imprison herself in the Demiplane of the Bahamas, safe from the Iron Lich!

Result!

On reflection, great dungeon. We could play it again and it would be very different depending on random elements (rumours and gear) and route selection. I was surprised by the path they took. The dungeon has a nice suggestive backstory and I think it could be brought forward even more.
As for the 4thcore playstyle, i dug it alot. I think I could have been more ruthless, but I didn't need to be. The Lich held his own. I was impressed with the challenge but do-ability of the puzzles. One thing I think I would do next time is emphasize that in the style of play, exploring the surrounding can yield boons as well as curses and traps. The party missed a few opportunities to strengthen themselves. On the other hand, being less curious was good for beating the clock.

All in all, awesome. I recommend this.


Here is a timelapse video of the session:

My First Red Box

It was on the back of a Captain America comic books that I first saw the horn helmed fighter warrior raising his sword against the red dragon in that cavern of infinite treasure.  I must have told my parents how neat it was because soon enough a battered red box appeared.  It was a hand me down from my older cousin.  The books had been drawn in, the dice were long gone, and the character sheet filled out, but the first foray into the lair of Bargle was as fresh as ever.  This was 1987. I was 10 years old.

I have a distinct memory of sitting on the sidelines of a basketball game at the high school gym, where I would line up for P.E. four years later, reading the solo adventure for the first time. I still have a fondness for the blacksmith who told me knew me as a small boy as he prepared my first set of platemail.  Then it was off to battle snakes in the lair of Bargle and mourn the tragedy of Ahleena.  I didn't watch the sports being played that night.  I am not sure if it was basketball or indoor soccer.  It was far less exciting than the game I held in my hand. 

The Dungeon Master Cut His Hand Off

Amongst Goblins and Trolls

I arrived promptly for the event. I was directed to the wall-eyed referee. Two was not a quorum. The ref explained that few came to this game and he had not prepared. The pirates' din drowned his mumbled monotone. He told how he had severed his hand in a stump-splitter. He named the price of repair.

(This 300 character story was submitted to Matchbookstory.com)

The Saga of the Seventh Wanderer: Wolverhampton

What twisted skeins the looms of Fate have lain
Across my path! They haul me hinterland
Far from bloody duty, but never doth
Hammer rest. Here bathed in ghostly froth
I stand, last breath of ancient squire
Abjures me now to serve an eldritch ire.
Forgotten enmity 'twixt green and red,
Does gird my limbs to pass through flames inspired.

What twisted skeins have brought me here,
In flight from port-town's existential fear,
I've fallen in with travelers passing strange,
Deliverance of living statue's grange.
We walked the shadowed forest path,
Soon to find crime's bloody aftermath.
A reaving horde burdened with plundered fare,
We gave chase at a glimpse of golden hair.
A sprint! then heady row, a hammer's blow,
A reaver shorn of plunder's glorious share.

By twisted trails, and forest byways,
Sent our lady's vengeance astray.
The poisonous doom that bloomed in messhall pot
Gave silent sigh from leaves that shadow brought.
So the incarcerated wights went free,
To wreak fell carnage through the Banyon tree;
When savage champions begged forfiet 
Red Wanderer turned to face the fiery lea.

Emboldened knights, like gods of ancient song
Came charging forth to face the monster's throng.
With lassos' loop of eldritch rope he's bound
His flight suppressed, they pulled the beast to ground.
My Lady's saviors hurled themselves unto
The burning wing -the lizard's tail askew-
Though dirty birds hurled clods of filth and fire,
Those fearless knights cast spell and sword of virtue.

Oh, what twisted runes are carved upon the tree of life
That takes this wayward king from strife to strife!


(This poem is the retelling of the last four sessions in a campaign in which I am playing a Paladin called Wolverhampton the Wanderer)

The Castle of Dreams

(This will be an occasional series wherein I will take a bit of classic fantasy literature and extract some bit of gaming goodness from it. The descriptions that follow the poem are meant to be evocative and vague. I leave the stats to you.)

It lies beyond the farthest sea,

This castle whereonto I flee
When life and time hang wearily.
Yet though so far, 'tis strangely nigh:
Within the breathing of a sigh
One gains the walls secure and high
Of the castle of dreams.

Divinely beautiful and great,
Of pearl each dome and tower, and gate,
It stands, a hold of kingly state.
There gyving Time and Space are not,
And cares of Life are all forgot.
No breath of restless change is brought
To the Castle of Dreams.

I walk each wondrous court and hall,
Their varied treasures mine at call,
For there I am the lord of all.
If gold and gems of land and sea,
And broad estates were offered me,
I would not take them for the key
Of the Castle of Dreams.

Castle of Dreams
Suggested Monsters for level 15 D&D4e: Dream Hag, Fading Dream Fearmonger, Countess Tesyn ir'Lantar, Water Archon Waveshaper, Dire Shark, Sea Kraken, Peryton(Runic Gargoyle), Emerald Claw, Object Mimic, Thieves Curse trap, winter nymph, Oblivion Moss, Mossling, Banderhobb, Catoblepus, Prismatic Dragon, Secret of Vecna, etc


It lies beyond the farthest sea...The adventure begins with the heroes sailing the Seas of Fate. They may be literally sailing upon the ocean, gliding upon the Astral Sea, or even experiencing a collective dream. In any case they find themselves approaching the Isle of Dreams.

Yet though so far, 'tis strangely nigh...
Question #1: Will they moor at the dock or circle around and land on the leeward side? A lone figure can be seen standing upon the old greenstone quay.

At the Emerald Dock the heroes encounter an Insane Noblewoman, Zuleikha Carvalho, whose entire crew and retainers have been shorn from her by the enticements of the Castle. She docked her ship her two weeks ago and her retinue disapeared into the Castle. She waits at the dock and demands to be taken back to civilization immediately. If denied, her histrionics are deadly. She yet commands a pair of Storm Archons. Reasoning with Zuleikha is possible, but must be undertaken delicately.

Landing on the leeward side requires special skill to navigate the rocky shoals and avoid a fight with a Kraken. There are sharks in the water. The ship must be anchored and a rowboat sent ashore.


And broad estates were offered me...
To approach the Castle of Dreams one must pass through the Enchanted Forest, avoiding lions, tigers, bears, catoblepus, banderhobbs, and boars. Strange and delightful flowers such as the black lotus, the vampire rose and the oblivion moss may be a danger or boon. Any amount of exploring in the woods outside the castle initiates an encounter with the Dream Hag in her Scampering Hut, who holds the veritable key to the Castle (Her name, Queen Rosaria), but who exacts a terrible price.

To lay the night with Rosaria is to break her curse and to take it upon oneself. Rosaria becomes a beautiful Eladrin woman. Her lover becomes a hobgoblin. She begs her new lover to leave the Castle before it consumes him. A man who has lain with the queen can expect no quarter from the Feasting Army.

The Scampering Hut is a sort of creature itself, sentient and constantly picking itself up on stilt-like legs and finding a new location to settle. He hut contains many interesting items such as a crystal ball, ioun stones, and a deck of many things.

One gains the walls secure and high...
The Living Gate demands the Name of the Rose. If the Queen Rosaria is named, the gate is opened. Within the gatehouse resides a crystal knight, the Voice of the Gate. This Knight is in a daze, only vaguely aware of his surroundings, mumbling about living a dream within a dream. The guards' quarters contain a chest that is actually a Mimic. The walls are 100 feet high and made of purple marble. The battlement crenelations host the nests of 50 Perytons.

I walk each wondrous court and hall
Courtyard of Splendor is a miasma of flittering pollen, butterflies and fairy dust. Stately crystal statues walk the paths of vibrant floral arrangements, but do not respond to words nor deeds. The hedges contain vampiric roses, oblivian moss and black lotuses. It is not necessary to walk amongst them to enter the towers or the hall. There are two towers as well as the Hall. Both connect to the upper levels by slender stone causeways. To the east is the Tower of Hubris and to the west is the Tower of Humility.

The Tower of Hubris holds a Prismatic Dragon flitting about in the gossamer foliage of her silver tree. To climb the tree to the High Bridge, one must impress the dragon (Ceiliaflora). This may be done in battle, epochal entertainment, through demonstrations great magical knowledge or acts of recklessness so foolhardy as to be respectable.

There gyving Time and Space are not...
The Tower of Humility is a shrine to the mysteries of the world, a structure that seems ever more vast at each turn. It is an Eternal Library, where every book that could ever be written lurks on infinite shelves that turn in upon themselves... tended by the Thought-Eaters, parasitic Enigmas of the Lord of Secrets. Those who enter the Library lose themselves, and only through immense powers of concentration is it possible for one to navigate the 4 dimensions of space properly to exit the tower, while fending off the tender ministrations of the Cerebral Spectres). The exit location is determined randomly:
 
1-front door

2-high bridge
3-a window looking out over the west wall
4-roof of the tower where the Perytons nest
5-door into the Scuttling Hut of Rosaria
6-directly into the Dungeons of the High Hall
7-home
8-an alternate dimension such as the City of Brass, the Land of the Dead, or Fairyland

The High Hall itself has three levels, Dungeon, Festhall and Throne Room.

The Dungeon is below, and may be accessed by the staircase. It is full of wailing women who weep in the darkness for their lost menfolk, who, unbeknown to them, glut themselves in the hall above. The wailing women are Banshees who may be reasoned with.

And cares of Life are all forgot...
The Festhall is full of grand warriors at table, drinking endless flagons of ale from jeweled goblets, devouring whole roasted pigs on golden plates, and singing merry songs. They do not notice that their women are long gone. If they are reunited, they will not be available to the King in His Castle, should he grow weary of his visitors. These are Eladrin Winter Blades.

The Throne Room is where the King in His Castle resides, looking out from a high window over the Sea of Dreams. The room seems to be made entirely of mirrors. He appears to be a most ancient and lordly aspect of whomever addresses him. He sits upon a crystal throne attended by his Chamberlain, a Banderhobb. The King is a Ghaele of Winter. The King demands fealty of all who tread upon his land, and if he gets it he sends them to feast with his warriors. Dissension is met with wrath and the Chamberlain summons the feasting army. However, the King is under the sway of the Chamberlain and may be released with proper intervention. When released from the Banderhobb's enchantment, the King becomes a handsome Eladrin of ageless visage. He smiles and touches his brow in humble thanks.

For there I am the lord of all...
The defeat of the Chamberlain, who flees to the Tower of Humility if pressed, breaks the horrific enchantment over the Castle of Dreams, and turns it to a place of life and laughter once again. Rosaria returns and proclaims one of the heroes to be the new king, but he must stay on the island forevermore.  If the honor is refused, then the sitting king offers generous boons.