Role playing... there's an app for that!

Today I'd like to talk about a new app we created specifically for our role playing campaigns.  It's called Dungeon Whisper, and just went live at the app store.

As a GameMaster, you get passed a lot of notes in the course of a night of gaming.  The rogue is always pickpocketing or out right stealing from NPCs and/or players.  Or he might have missed his Disable Device roll and doesn't want to admit it, so he tells the tank to open the trapped chest.  Or players may want to plan some actions in private, like killing the rogue in his sleep.

The most often written note is to explain Listen or Spot checks to players who made their roll so you can keep the players that missed their roll in the dark.  The list goes on, and quite frankly, as a GameMaster, I tire of all the correspondence.

So, we decided to create an app for that.  Gone are the days of note writing, note passing, cheaters listening to explanations when they missed their rolls.  Gone are the days of explaining a spot check when a picture is worth a thousand words.  Gone are the days of asking for secret rolls aloud...

Dungeon Whisper fixes all of this.  And you don't even need wifi or an internet connection to use it.

Dungeon Whisper connects a group of players via the bluetooth connection on their iPhone/iPad/iTouch and creates a chat room specifically tailored to accommodate a complete gaming session.  Here are a few of its features:

1)  Create a profile and customize it to fit your character.  Stats, alignment, even upload a picture from your phone that will represent you graphically in the app.

2)  By selecting CHAT from the main menu you can either start a new chat or join an existing one. Connect up to sixteen players.  Talk to your teammate(s), plan strategy with the entire group, or even plot against an unruly player.  By selecting the player's profile name from the top of the menu, you can talk to them privately, or talk to the group in general chat.

3)  Upload pics from your iPhone/iPad/iTouch and send them to whomever you desire.  To do this, select the 'pic graphic' at the left of your chat window.  You will be prompted to select the file you wish to share and then fire away.  This is extremely useful for GamMasters as they can simple take pics of the dungeons, treasure maps, monsters the party will face, etc. and send them to the party as a whole or to whoever made their specific spot roll.  It's also nice to prepare pics of the geography the players will come across so they can 'see' where they're adventuring as you describe it.  The files sent ingame are automatically stored in the app's library which is easily accessed from the main menu.  Great for saving maps, town locations, names of pesky NPCs...

4)  We've also created macros to use in the app for often used requests.  For example, I ask for Spot Checks and Listen Checks quite often in the course of an evening of gaming.  You have the option of setting up a macro so you no longer need to type this out every single time.  DOUBLE TAP and TRIPLE TAP can be set to do this for you.  Simply go to the settings from the main menu, type in what you want for DOUBLE TAP, and every time you 'double tap' your screen, the text will always send.  EXAMPLE:  I set DOUBLE TAP to "Spot check please..."  Whenever I 'double tap' my chat window, the party or selected player will receive the text, "Spot check please..."

Dungeon Whisper was created because we wanted to revolutionize role playing and bring it into the modern age.  It's a lot of fun and greatly enhances our own campaigns.  In our current campaign, my favorite application of Dungeon Whisper is the ability to have Nightbringer talk to its owner so they can make the decision to obey its whims or not without being pressured by the party.  A close second is using it to allow the demon, Raysiel, to talk with Eric's wizard, Azazel, when he wants out or simply wants to give his 'advice'.  There's no better feeling for a GameMaster than to watch a player receive dire information--such as Raysiel demanding Azazel kill an enemy of his that might actually be currently helping the party--and then see them consider exactly how they are going to proceed without pressure from his companions.  It makes the game more cinematic.

And isn't that why we love role playing?  We all wish our lives were movies...

So check out Dungeon Whisper at www.dungeonwhisper.com or directly here.

Due to scheduling conflicts, we're not having a session this week, so the next few posts will center around the beginning of The Demon Queen Enclave, or I might just throw in an especially humorous Cthulhu session we all shared a few years ago.  If you have a preference, feel free to post your thoughts!

Ignore Nightbringer at your own peril...

So our party of adventurers entered the drow temple and gained an audience with the drow priestess and ruler of the city of Phaervorul, Matriarch Urlvrain....

INGAME:

The doors to the temple open to reveal a large statue, blackened and dripping with putrid ooze. Beyond it, the chamber expands into a circular dome, a huge black pillar ringed with a spiral staircase at its far end.  Two columns of pale blue flame burn before the pillar.  A mosaic at the height of the dome shows a leering drow face, the ceiling around it strung with cocooned bodies that twist between two large cave spiders prowling there.




At the top of the pillar stands a masked drow female in chainmail.  Matriarch Urlvrain turns to see the adventurers enter.  She stands regally at the top of her three-story altar dedicated to the spider-queen, Lloth.  She takes a step from her altar and watches as--

Kel carries the sentient sword, Nightbringer, before him like a talisman as he leads his companions into the dreaded temple of Matricarch Urlvrain.  Chrysanth marches beside her friend, keeping the guards at bay with her steely gaze and magical throwing axe in hand.

Kit has opted to use her ring of invisibility and stealthily padded with the group unseen.  Having hunted drow her whole life, she knows they can never be trusted, so she simply waits for the fight to begin.  Like the sociopath she is.

The wizard, Azazel, brings up the rear.  New to the group, he knows not what to expect from this audience with Matriarch Urlvrain.  He tries to pay attention, but it's difficult as the demon, Raysiel, trapped in his body, yearns to be free and claim Nightbringer as his own.

                                                         MATRIARCH URLVRAIN
                                      I see you've returned from the Shadowfell
                                      victorious!  Virithian's demons have been
                                      fleeing my fair city like the vermin they are.
                                      You have my thanks, humans.

Kel steps forward.  Nightbringer in hand.  The demon, Draegloth (the Matriarch's muscle), watches the group from the corner of the room.

Kit looks up and spots two cave spiders nestled in the webs of the ceiling feeding on the myriad cocooned corpses hanging around them. Behind the group a Venomscorched Eidolon--a golem-like construct--silently gazes, toxic venom dripping from its massive hands as...






                                                           KEL
                                      We are honored, Matriarch, and wish to re-
                                      establish trade with your city and that of the
                                      surface world.  As agreed.

The Matriarch smiles.  Her eyes lingering on Nightbringer.  She then takes a sealed SCROLL from her altar and tosses it down at Kel's feet.
                           
                                                          MATRIARCH URLVRAIN
                                      Carry that to your people.  A signed treaty
                                      and offer for trade.  The surface world and its
                                      denizens will have safe passage to and from
                                      my city from this day forth...

Kel bends down to grab the scroll.  Halts when--

                                                          MATRIARCH URLVRAIN
                                      After you release Nightbringer to me.

                                                          KEL
                                      That was not part of our bargain--

                                                          MATRIARCH URLVRAIN
                                      It is now.  With Nightbringer, I can defeat
                                      Orcus, and gain Lloth's favor as no other
                                      Matriarch before me--

The Matriarch's words are cut short as Kit suddenly appears within the group.  Her invisibility gone, she nocks THREE ARROWS and pulls her bow string taught to shoot--

OUT OF GAME:


Around the table, all heads turn to Beth, who simply grins.

                     SAM / KEL
       Are you fucking serious, Beth?!  I
       was trying to negotiate with her.

                     BETH / KIT
       C'mon, you know she was just
       about to attack--

                     ERIC / AZAZEL
       But we could've waited for it.  Now
       none of us are ready.

                                                                                                                     BETH / KIT
                                       Sociopath, remember?

The group all shake their heads in disgust.  The GameMaster watches, amused--

                                                          GAMEMASTER
                                       Roll initiative everyone.

INGAME:

                                                          KIT
                                        Kill them all!

Kit lets her arrows fly, each of them sinking into the Eidolon's shoulder drawing its attention.  The Eidolon stomps her way trying to pound the little human into the ground as she deftly dodges.

                                                          MATRIARCH URLVRAIN

                                       You dare desecrate a Temple of Lloth?  In 

                                       her name I rebuke you! 

The Matriarch points at the party and the air around them BOOMS with Lloth's rebuke, weakening each member and forcing them to their knees.  Chrysanth fights through the weakness and cocks back her arm to let her magical throwing axe fly when--

The Matriarch pulls her intricate spider mask down over her face and levels her gaze at Chrysanth. The legs of the spider mask flex outward as the Matriarch and Chrysanth lock eyes.  From beneath the spider mask, the Matriarch's eyes FLARE BLUE.  Chrysanth's eyes FLARE too, paralyzing her with fear just as one of the cave spiders slides down a strand of webbing and snatches her!

The cave spider climbs back up to its ceiling web, wrapping Chrysanth in webbing as it goes.  

Seeing their tank disappear into her cocoon, Kel calls for the fury of his god.  And his call is answered.  The cave spider literally IMPLODES with sudden POP, causing the still-cocooned--

Chrysanth to drop to the floor with thud.  She desperately tears herself free of the webbing when, Azazel burns up the haste spell stored in his ring and places a hand on Kel and Chrysanth's shoulders, silently casting haste on each of them.

                                                           AZAZEL
                                                     (to Kel)
                                       I don't know how we're getting out of this.

Kel feels Azazel's spell course through his body granting him speed and energy.

                                                            KEL
                                        I do.

As the Eidolon smashes Kit into the far wall, knocking her bow to the floor, Kel prays, granting the party a Holy Aura.  Golden light radiates from Kel, bathing his companions with its divine protection.  And none too soon because--

The demon, Draegloth, charges Kel.  Kel's Holy Aura FLARES, but the blow sends him careening across the room and through a column of fire that surrounds the altar.  Kel crashes down, rolling to put out the flames that threaten to consume him.  Draegloth YELLS in anger realizing his mistake too late.  Kel's Holy Aura has blinded him.

Kit scrambles for her bow as the Eidolon SMASHES the floor around her.  She manages to grab her weapon and stands, calmly staring down the charging Eidolon as it crashes her way.

                           

                                KIT
               No one touches my bow.




With lightning speed, Kit draws arrows--THREE AT A TIME--and fires away as the Eidolon STOMPS toward her.  An unstoppable force meeting an immovable sociopath.  Arrows fly as Kit precisely lands them at the joints of her foe's construct-like body.  Riddled with arrows, the Eidolon towers over Kit, reaches back to smash her when its arm breaks and clatters to the ground.  The Eidolon turns to see Kit smile, and WE SEE half her quiver of arrows sticking out at all the right places.  The Eidolon then comes apart at the seams, its head rolling to Kit's boots.

Kel gets up, ready to rejoin the battle when he sees Nightbringer's blade GLOW in his hand.  The sentient sword then speaks to him in a harsh whisper--

                                                             NIGHTBRINGER
                                         I thirst for blood.  Wield me now!  Slake my
                                         thirst, human!

ACROSS THE ROOM

The second cave spider dangles down and shoots its webbing at Azazel.  Azazel sidesteps, but not before the cave spider BITES him.  Azazel SCREAMS as the venom courses through his veins just as Chrysanth's magical axe arcs through the air severing two of the spiders legs before arcing back to Chrysanth's hand.  The cave spider hastily retreats to the safety of the ceiling.

Azazel falls to his knees.  Grabs his head, trying to keep the demon within from escaping--

OUT OF GAME:

                                                             GAMEMASTER
                                         Eric roll your Will Save.  Raysiel wants out.

                                                             BETH / KIT
                                         Let him out.  We need the help.

                                                             SAM / KEL
                                         If you set that demon free he'll kill us all.

                                                             FRAN / CHRYSANTH
                                         He didn't the last time.

                                                             SAM / KEL
                                         Because it served his purposes then.

                                                             ERIC / AZAZEL
                                         Sam's right.  The last time Raysiel was able
                                         to destroy a temple of Orcus, whom we both
                                         hate.  This time...  he'll probably take Night-
                                         bringer and kill you all.

Eric picks up his D20, as does the GameMaster.

                                                             ERIC / AZAZEL
                                         Rolling my Will Save to stop Raysiel.

The GameMaster and Eric both roll--

INGAME:


Azazel fights for control, clawing at the ground to deal with the pain of the cave spider's venom. Smoke begins to waft from his body which makes Azazel strain all the more.  So much so that BLOOD trickles from his nose, but he's in control.  And Raysiel is kept at bay for now...

ATOP THE ALTAR

Matriarch Urlvrain casts and sends DARK FIRE straight at Kel.  Kel looks up just as the DARK FIRE washes over him, his Holy Aura warding off the flames.  And then Nightbringer speaks--

                                                             NIGHTBRINGER
                                          Sink me in the drow bitch!  Let me drink
                                          deep.

                                                             KEL
                                          Soon.

                                                             NIGHTBRINGER
                                          Now human!

Kel rushes to Azazel and prays to his god to cleanse him of the cave spider's venom.  The color returns to Azazel's face, and Kel turns and teleports to stand right behind--

Matriarch Urlvrain.  Nightbringer, tiring of its good-hearted wielder, ignites its hilt making it flash WHITE HOT.  With a yelp, Kel drops the sentient sword.

Nightbringer clatters on the stairs of the altar, landing right between Kel and Matriarch Urlvrain.  The drow priestess and Kel lock as eyes as--

                                                             NIGHTBRINGER
                                          Wield me Matriarch, and I will grant you
                                          power the likes you have never seen nor
                                          will see again!

Kel grabs for Nightbringer as the Matriarch begins casting a vile spell of darkness.

                                                             MATRIARCH URLVRAIN
                                          A gift from Lloth, an eternity of torture!

The Matriarch finishes her spell, throwing a mock kiss to Kel--

OUT OF GAME:

Sam and the group look at the GameMaster.

                                                             GAMEMASTER
                                          Fortitude save, Sam.

                                                             SAM / KEL
                                          What spell is she casting?  Can I spellcraft it?

                                                             GAMEMASTER
                                          Sure, roll.

Sam rolls his D20, checks his character sheet, and--

                                                             SAM / KEL
                                          29.

                                                             GAMEMASTER
                                          The spell's called Eternity of Torture.  And
                                          it does exactly what you think it does.
                                                      (reads from book)
                                          "The subject's body is twisted and warped,
                                          wracked forever in excruciating pain.  You
                                          will no longer need to eat, drink, or breath,
                                          and you no longer age.  You will take a point
                                          of ability damage every day until they are all
                                          reduced to zero, except for constitution, which
                                          forever remain at one."

                                                             SAM / KEL
                                          To keep me alive--

                                                             GAMEMASTER
                                          And in eternal pain.

                                                             BETH / KIT
                                          I told you not to ignore Nightbringer.  You
                                          should have used the sword.

                                                             SAM / KEL
                                          I was going to, I had to heal Azazel first.
                                          Besides, I can make the Fortitude Save.

Sam grabs his D20.  Takes a D6 too.
                     
                                                             SAM / KEL
                                          I'm using an action point.

The GameMaster nods and everyone watches Sam chuck his dice.  They roll, the D6 rolling a "6", which is the maximum.  Then they see his D20.  It landed on a "2".  Beth and Eric LAUGH, Fran just shakes her head.

                                                             SAM / KEL
                                          Well that was Captain Poo Pants.

                                                            FRAN / CHRYSANTH
                                           Use your luck to reroll.

                                                            SAM / KEL                                            
                                                  (to GameMaster)
                                          Do I have any luck points left?  
                                                  (off GameMaster's nod)
                                          Using it.

Sam picks up his D20.  Rolls it around in his hands to warm it up.  Then tosses it.  It rolls across the table and comes spinning to a stop on the exact same number.  "2".

                                                            SAM / KEL    
                                           Shit.  I can't believe you're going to finally
                                           kill me.

                                                            GAMEMASTER
                                           Not kill.  Eternity of Torture.  "The subject's
                                           body is twisted and warped, wracked forever--

                                                            SAM / KEL
                                           I heard you the first time.
                                                       (to group)
                                           You guys have no healer now.  Good luck.

Eric, Beth, and Fran share a concerned look.  Shit, they hadn't thought of that.  

IN GAME:

Kel falls victim to the Matriarch's spell.  He crumples to the ground, his body twisting and writhing in agony.  Matriarch Urlvrain grabs hold of Nightbringer and kicks Kel's writhing mass of a body off the spiral staircase.  She then leaps down into the middle of the chamber.

                                                           MATRIARCH URLVRAIN
                                           Now Nightbringer, you shall feast on the
                                           souls of your former owners.

Nightbringer YELLS, the frightening howl of glee reverberating throughout the temple.  Matriarch Urlvrain turns to face Azazel with Nightbringer.

                                                           MATRIARCH URLVRAIN
                                           As for you wizard, go in peace.

                                                           KIT
                                           You first.

Kit lets loose a SINGLE ARROW.  It sinks into the Matriarch's side.  Oddly, she doesn't even flinch. Instead, she simply rips the arrow free and--

The cave spider falls from the ceiling, dead.  A DEEP WOUND in its side.

Kit sees it.  Then, dawning comprehension--

                                                           KIT
                                            The Matriarch's linked to her minions.
                                            Over power her link!

Azazel stands, his arms weaving the intricate symbols of magic as he maximizes a fireball spell. Thrusting both hands forward he launches the FIREBALL into the Matriarch and Daergloth.  Both are consumed by flames, but it is only the demon, Daergloth, that SCREAMS in pain, having taken the Matriarch's wounds in addition to his own.

As Kit unloads arrows into the Matriarch, Chrysanth launches a devastating relentless assault, pummeling the Matriarch with her magical axe.  Her attack forces the Matriarach to retreat.  She runs for her altar, leaping over the smoking corpse of Daergloth.

As she runs, Kit manages to sink an arrow into her back just as the Matriarch runs to the cover of her altar.  Kit SCREAMS IN PAIN.  Turns to see a wound in her own back identical to the one she just delivered to the Matriarch.

Azazel prepares to cast another spell when he hears the door behind him open.  Emerging from the door is a horrible Maiden of Lloth, a YOCHLOL demon.  Azazel redirects his casting and sets loose FOUR LIGHTNING SPHERES to cover the door and block the demon from entering.

                                         KIT
                  Chrysanth, take the Matriarch down!





OUT OF GAME:

Fran fixes Beth with a tired expression.

                                                           FRAN
                                           Take down the Matriarch?  I just saw you
                                           wound her and take the same damage.

                                                           BETH
                                                   (sheepish grin)
                                           You have the most hit points of us all.

Sam shrugs at Fran.  Beth just grins.

                                                           SAM
                                           Beth's right.  You have to take her down.

                                                           FRAN
                                           No talking for you.  You're dead.

                                                           GAMEMASTER
                                           Actually he's not.  He's being eternally tort--

                                                           ALL BUT GAMEMASTER
                                           We know.

                                                           FRAN
                                            Fine.  I'm using my Cloak of the Bat to fly--

INGAME:

Chrysanth's cloak suddenly transforms into TWO BAT WINGS that take her up into the air.  From her vantage point she can see the Matriarch casting protective spells on herself, huddled at the back of her altar.  Chrysanth launches her magical throwing axe.  It arcs and slices through the Matriarch's left arm.  Chrysanth winces as her axe returns, blood flowing freely from the fersh wound on her own left arm.

                                                           AZAZEL
                                            Kit, Yochlol incoming!

Kit launches three arrows through the ball lightning only to see the Yochlol DISAPPEAR before the arrows hit.  She peers through the ball lightning, not hearing the tentacles of the Yochlol right behind her, as it teleported past the ball lightning barrier.

But Azazel sees it.  With a flick of his hand, FIVE GLOWING ARROWS shoot, streaming across the room and striking the Yocholol.  It YELLS in pain and Kit immediately tumbles out of its reach.

Another barrage of magic missiles arc through the air.  Each one hitting the Yochlol as--

                                                           KIT
                                            Seal the door, this demon bitch is mine!

Azazel rushes to the door and begins casting.  As he does he spots the rest of the drow running for their lives.  Azazel's stone shaping spell then seals them inside.  Safe, so to speak.

Chrysanth lands next to Matriarch Urlvrain, her cloak returning to normal.  The Matriarch lifts up Nightbringer, she and sword SCREAMING IN RAGE!   Chrysanth blocks the strike, and then delivers a series of brutal strikes with her axe, each wound mirrored on her own body.

Kit leaps onto the column, then springs off the wall to land atop the Yochlol's Head.  THREE ARROWS aimed straight into the Yochlol's massive single eye.  The Yochlol SCREAMS and then its body melts into the floor as Kit jumps safely to the ground.

The Matriarch, bloodied and beaten, takes a step back to her altar.  She gazes upon the statue of her spider-queen god, Lloth--

                                                          MATRIARCH URLVRAIN
                                           Lloth, why have you forsaken me?

Lloth is silent.  But Nightbringer is not...

                                                          NIGHTBRINGER
                                           Weak, pitiful drow.  Lloth does not reward
                                           mediocrity.  And neither do I...

The Matriarch looks from the sentient sword in her hand to the statue of Lloth.  Then Chrysanth's shadow falls over her.  The Matriarch looks up to meet the gaze of her executioner.

Chrysanth, bloodied and beaten just like her foe, grits her teeth as she lifts up her axe.

                                                          CHRYSANTH
                                            Pray to your Spider Queen that Kel can
                                            be saved.  If not, I will travel to the realm
                                            of the dead myself to rip you from her
                                            embrace and avenge him.

Chrysanth YELLS as she brings her axe down.  Again and again and again.  Each blow tearing open a fresh wound on her own body as she does.  Her last blow ends the life of Matriarch Urlvrain, cleaving her skull in twain.  Chrysanth looks up from her work, a JAGGED FRESH SCAR bisecting her own face.  She sees Kit standing over the remain of the Yochlol.  Azazel panting by the sealed door.  The danger gone, Chrysanth then falls to the ground unconscious.

OUT OF GAME:

The group stare at one another in silence.  It's the GameMaster that breaks to spell.

                                                          GAMEMASTER
                                            Wow.  I thought you guys were dead for sure.

                                                           SAM / KEL
                                            We almost were, thanks to Beth.  In fact, I did
                                            die because of you.

                                                           BETH / KIT
                                            You died because you wouldn't wield Night-
                                            bringer.  I told you to use the damn sword.

                                                           SAM / KEL
                                            I had to heal--

                                                           ERIC / AZAZEL
                                           That's why you shouldn't be carrying it.
                                           Why do think I won't touch it?

                                                           GAMEMASTER
                                           Well, this is a good resting spot.

                                                           SAM / KEL
                                           Not for me.  There's no one who can heal me.

                                                           FRAN / CHRYSANTH
                                           I know of a town with a good healer on the
                                           surface.  He lives in a town called Vaester.

                                                           SAM
                                           You plan on dragging my tortured body all
                                           the way through the Underdark to get back?

                                                           ERIC / AZAZEL
                                           There is that.

                                                           BETH / KIT
                                           Wait a sec, I got an idea...

INGAME:

                                                            KIT
                                            Chrysanth, open up your Bag of Holding.

                                                            CHRYSANTH
                                            We're not putting Kel into my Bag of Holding.  

                                                            AZAZEL
                                           Actually, that's not a bad idea.  The Bag of
                                           Holding stores items in a pocket dimension.
                                           Like a parallel universe.  It also places whatever's
                                           inside into suspended animation.  It'll stop Kel's
                                           pain.

                                                            CHRYSANTH
                                           Maybe...

She places her Bag of Holding on the ground next to the still writhing and moaning body of Kel. The mouth of the bag is too small though.

                                                            CHRYSANTH
                                            But he won't fit.

Kit then grabs Kel's screaming body and starts to fold it, breaking several bones as she does.  She dutifully stuffs the twisted, warped body into the Bag of Holding.  Much to Chrysanth and Azazel's horror.

OUT OF GAME:

All heads turn to Beth.

                                                            GAMEMASTER
                                             500 experience points to the sociopath.

                                                             SAM / KEL
                                             Thanks, Beth.

                                                             BETH / KIT
                                             You know me, I'm a giver.

                                                              GAMEMASTER
                                              Well, I think it's time for Sam to roll up
                                              a new character.  This will actually segue
                                              nicely into our next campaign...  Assault on
                                              Nightwyrm Fortress.

                                                               ERIC / AZAZEL
                                              What are you going to roll up?

                                                               GAMEMASTER
                                              He's rolling up a paladin.  That lawful good
                                              alignment fits into the next adventure.

                                                                BETH / KIT
                                              Lawful good?  Great.

                                                                ERIC / AZAZEL
                                              Who's carrying Nightbringer?

No one volunteers.  With a sigh--

                                                                 FRAN / CHRYSANTH
                                               I'll carry the damn sword.  At least I'll use it.

                                                                 GAMEMASTER
                                               Okay, let's reward the experience points for the
                                               night.  Well, everyone except Sam.

                                                                 SAM / KEL
                                                Technically I did survive the encounter.

                                                                 GAMEMASTER
                                                Smashed into a Bag of Holding.  No xp for you.

** And that concludes this session.  Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed playing it. ** Until next time...  Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress!
                                       

Our adventure begins... ?

Ok, I realize this is the first adventure post, and that it's starting at the end of an adventure, but I am NOT to blame.  George Luca$ is.  For it was he who taught me--at a very young age-- to count funny and begin things in the middle.  Of course he also taught me that absolute power corrupts absolutely, which is the only reason I can imagine for the offal (yes, offal not awful) films known as Episodes 1-3 and Indiana Jones 4, but that's another blog entirely.

Our adventure...  or it's conclusion, to be fair is the subject of this blog.  Before we delve into it, a few things should be made clear, namely the players and their respective characters:

SAM is an experienced gamer who plays a cleric named, Kel.  Kel's a good cleric who's always ready to lend a healing hand, though sometimes he opts to summon Archons and Angels and throw the game into absolute chaos for his less-than-good-allies...

FRAN is Sam's girlfriend irl("in real life") and a relative new comer to the world of role playing.  Fran is catching on to the game nicely and her character, Chrysanth, is a fighter/rogue.  Chrysanth tends toward neutral good, and has a wonderful throwing axe that returns to her hand every round.  Unfortunately, the Dice Gods hate Fran and her character as it seems she's been banished to the realm of Rolling Eternal Single Digits.

BETH is an experienced gamer who plays a ranger named, Kit.  Kit is a dead shot with her bow, chaotic neutral, and is covered in warts.  She's also a sociopath.  Which is fun to watch.

ERIC is our last player of the group.  He's an experienced gamer who plays a cursed wizard named Azazel.  A wizard of the Red Robes (for those Dragonlance fans out there) so to speak, Azazel's true neutral, but carries a terrible secret.  In his search for power, he became possessed by a terrible and powerful demon named Raysiel.  Raysiel is a 12 foot tall, winged monstrosity that is always trying to break free (think the Hulk) of the curse that bound him to Azazel.  Azazel and Raysiel know the only way to break their curse is to defeat Orcus, the Prince of the Undead, so they share an unholy truce so that they may both be free of each other one day...

Now, to catch you up on what happened in the beginning of the campaign (We converted the 4th edition D&D adventure, Demon Queen's Enclave, to 3.5 rules as we all know 4th edition sucks).  The group went into the Underdark to explore a new drow city, Phaervorul, that was rumored to be a free trade city with the surface world.  What they found was a city in chaos.  Demons and Undead were sacking the city seemingly intent on killing all the drow there.  Our party of brave adventurers met the ruler of Phaervorul, the evil drow priestess, Matriarch Urlvrain, and after proving themselves to her, made a deal to travel deep into the realm of Shadowfell to assault the evil city of Deadhold, and defeat Orcus' rising exarch, a drow vampire lord named Zirithian thus stopping Orcus' Undead Horde from wreaking havoc al across the world.  You know, like you do.

Our party did indeed defeat the drow vampire lord Zirithian, and in doing so, claimed his sentient evil sword, Nightbringer.  Nightbringer has its own agenda, but for the time being, allowed Kel to wield him, as they both want to destroy Orcus, Prince of the Undead.  Besides, being wielded by a goody-two-shoes cleric is better than rotting in Deadhold, and Nightbringer is certain he can break the cleric's will if and when he chooses.

So our adventurers trekked back to Phaervorul to get their reward from the drow priestess, Matriarch Urlvrain...

I do believe introductions are in order...

Hello fellow gamers!  My wife and I created this blog to record the adventures of our little gaming group for better or worse.  Most people have a misconceived notion of gamers, role players in particular, and we decided to try and wipe the slate clean once and for all.

As for the life of this blog... we plan to simply record the adventures we play and have played in the past.  D&D, Cthulhu, a smattering of Star Wars perhaps, and maybe just maybe some of the pranks we've pulled online in The World of Warcraft.  We'll split up the prose to showcase both the out-of-game social interaction and a cinematic account of what's going on ingame.  You might enjoy it, you might not.  What matters is that we had a helluva time playing it.  And so could you...

COMMOM MISNOMERS
#1 Not all gamers are forty-year-olds living in their parents' basement.  Some are, true, but most are just regular folk like yourself who simply choose to lose themselves in their imagination once in a while.  I mean seriously, isn't reality lacking sometimes?  It's nice to pretend for an evening that you and your friends are heroes or heroines saving the day and slaying bad guys left and right.  I do draw the line at dressing up though...

#2 Not all gamers use Axe Spray as a substitute for showering.  Now I know this one can be tough to swallow, especially if you've ever been to Comic Con, Gen Con, or any Magic the Gathering pre-releases.  My wife does indeed carry Axe Spray to those events to ward off the random olfactory assaults.  But that's not all gamers.  Personal hygiene is very important.  And I can testify that myself and the group of friends we play with also consider it a priority.  If you, however, are one of the offending party that believe sweat actually bathes you clean, please, follow these instructions.  1) Strip down. 2) Enter your bath or shower.  3)  Turn those metal knobs or whatever strange device you see poking from underneath the spigot.  4)  Enter bath or streaming water, lather up with soap and wash.  And I know some of you might be grinning that grin-of-recognition about yourself right now.  Trust me, not one single person enjoys the mass funk that arises from a Magic pre-release where 100 gamers are stuck in a room with no ventilation.  Just fucking shower.

#3 When we role play we do not dress up.  Period.  If you do feel the need to garb yourself in your black cloak of resistance +2 and hold your keen longsword while you play...  stop.  Just stop.  You're ruining it for the rest of us.  I don't need to see your crappy props.  This game is about using your imagination.  So use it.  Trust me, the way I imagine how your character looks far outweighs anything you could have made or bought at last year's RenFaire.

#4 LARPing is just plain silly.  See #3.

#5 Role players DO NOT worship the satan.  Well, that might not be entirely true, I've never taken a poll and firmly believe anyone should worship whatever imaginary deity they so desire, but I do know that satan worship is not a requirement for role players in general.  Also, we DO NOT sacrifice cats, children, witches, saprolings, etc.  First off, that gets really messy.  Second, why would we?  We are playing an imaginary game so that we can use imaginary magic in an imaginary world.  If there was any real magic in the real world and sacrificing anything gave us access to it, we would not be role playing.

Forgive the plug but...
We recently wrote, produced and directed a wonderful film that attempts to capture what role playing is truly like so that the mainstream uninitiated could see we're all regular peeps.  It is called, Natural 20, hence the name of this self-promoting blog.  It recently won Best Humor Film at Comic Con 2012, and earned my wife a Best Directing Nomination at iTV/Pop Con.  It's also playing at Gen Con this year (screw you Dragon Con) and Action on Film Festival later in August.   Check it out at www.natural20thefilm.com.  Hopefully it will be released shortly (after the festivals), and if we find funding, have plans for a web series that won't look like it was shot on my uncle's VHS camcorder (cough cough nudge nudge, The Guild).