Tag: DnD

Gambling with Lives

On By ravonlockeIn Journal, ReveliaLeave a comment

Back from their trip outside, a bunch of them looking a bit more excited than warranted, headed over to the Mystery Mine. Looked like they had a good time inside, only one of them looked a little rattled. Then off to the Big Top and the Orchard for their afternoon entertainment, or ours, really. They really would be great additions to the Carnival.

Meanwhile, back with the sneaky pair. Dispara and Kentaro headed over to the Snail Races. Everyone was distracted with the races, so they easily snuck back to the stables. There’s not a lot stopping folks, except the pixies. Seemed, they took the latter seriously. Didn’t try to bully them or sneak in and steal. They talked with the delightful folk, convinced them to trade cabbages for candy.

Over at the Big Top, between shows. Valara’s bag of popcorn exploded and started attacking her. They others tried to help, but the big lady managed to eat more of it than it did of her. I guess fiends don’t mind the poisonous stuff.

While the next set of shows began, the troublesome duo set their sights on the Flophouse Casino. Their first foray ended in retreat as they stumbled over some mangy thralls in the forest. Their second attempt got them through, and even though they got ripped off at the door, they headed inside after grabbing a couple steaks from the Sweatmeats. The beautiful Dispara headed upstairs pretty quickly. Not sure if The Countess is more interested in her, or visa versa. The big guy stayed downstairs to play the simple slots.

After the shows and gambling were all done, they headed back to the Hostel to take a rest. It’s the next morning when things get really crazy, even for the Carnival.

Pinky straight up attacked Heckna. Everyone crowded around and the new guys even showed up to watch. But Heckna just teleported off, and took them all with him. Everyone else knew better than to give into that magic. Most don’t come back from that. Not long after, though, they came tumbling back down into the Casino, but this time, it was all of them.

What no one expected, especially them, was that Jim took off running and the lady, Valara, chased him. The bouncers grabbed him, and she didn’t kill him, but it certainly looked like she wanted to. They got him out of the building and she started asking The Countess about him and some deck he might have had. Outside, the poor man was spilling his guts. He found a Deck of Many Things of all insanity, and he pulled cards. First pulling her to him, and then sending them both spiraling through the multiverse. He gambled it away to some random fey who took off before Heckna locked things down. That little riffler had been around for a little while, maybe that was what he had been waiting for. Sharpeye told him to find a costume and figure out any information he could so they could all get out of there and save his life.

Then they all got into a fight with Maphew. Who argues with a map, even a sentient one? But Scooter popped by, almost got Maphew away from them, and then distracted them off to the Tunnel of Love. That went about as well as you might expect. Heckna loves taunting Mister Light whenever someone meets him for the first time. He threw such a fit that the group couldn’t even ride the ride. Freckles and Dimples are going to have a job sorting it all out. Better watch what they say, too, the moon is already waning.

Players – you know the deal.

I was so stressed about this game, knowing what was coming, and hating how railroady it felt. Pinky attacking Heckna is a direct result of a quest the players completed earlier, but the teleport and then shooing them out of the resulting location felt so forced. I did give them a chance to opt-out of the teleport, though was grateful they all agreed to go. They met Sophie, sort of, and saw her horrible lab. And also learned The Toymaker has a table in the same place, but they didn’t have a chance to really talk to them about it, yet. Then dragging them off to the Tunnel of Love for another fairly “scripted” scene between Heckna and Mister Light. I had to make it all up, but the conclusion was pretty much set for both these scenes. The group could have attacked Heckna in either place, but they’re all too scared of him killing them that they haven’t even tried once.

I was so stressed about those two scenes, even after the game was over that I barely slept. Ugh!

The group got more information, got into a few conversations that gave them even more information. They have a couple big catalysts to move them into the plot proper. We’ve had the set-up: getting to know the carnival. Now we’re into free reign of everything but the Fun House, with a couple pathways into learning how to escape or defeat Heckna. We ran into one backstory, which gave me another chance to seed the second half – the fey realm they’re heading for. Or at least that some of them have reason to head towards.

As I type this, I realize I missed a chance to seed an NPC into a dream for one of my PCs. Elian’s worst fear was the loss of his friend, which is really his worst memory not an ever present fear, but I didn’t want to quibble. And it gave him back a bit of his memory about the event. I could have put the NPC in there that stole his friend, but I missed the chance. Then let them all rest without dreams. I love dreams, I need to use that more to start giving folks their memories back. But it’ll be a bit before they get back to sleep, so maybe seed some stuff in their waking hours, too.

My rogue pair are really sticking to the Casino, and now they will have less trouble moving around, but still no good reason to hook up with the group. Hoping to change that a bit today. See if we can get into how they want to solve the trouble with Heckna.

Making Friends

On By ravonlockeIn Journal, ReveliaLeave a comment

The new folks are making friends. Tossed Pinky a spell without knowing it and sent her into a spiral. They followed for a bit, but no one tried to chat with her to find out what was wrong, or didn’t try too hard anyway. The Toymaker was quite happy, the heartless puppet. This isn’t going to end well for someone.

The sneaky crew found their way to the Junkyard and met crazy old Olga. She got them to go collect stuff for her, she still working on that crazy ice cream coaster. One step closer to flavorful screams to add to the mix. They even gave her a punny name for it – Gelat-Oh-No.

A bunch of them took a fetch quest from Candy to head out to visit Gertrude at her Grove. Got attacked by some thralls for their trouble, wonder who sent those? But they brought granny the basket of goodies and got her delivery for Candy in return. Some of them even seemed interested in her strange garden.

They headed over to visit Security then. Sean wasn’t too keen on the big crowd, and took Valara aside to give her a bag of popcorn. Wonder what she’s going to do with that?

The jester and the janitor broke off before that, though. Headed to the Misery Go Round. Took pity on poor Calliope and Diana. Chased away some of the Children. The young man even gave some of them a puppet show over by the Big Top. He could get some tickets out of folk if he did that on a stage. The Children are just chaos.

My Players: Stop Reading

We had a conversation before the game, some folks are still on rations, afraid of the carnival fare. They all organized their money making rolls to do at the beginning of the day. Only a couple of them playing games that require my involvement for dangers or prizes. It allowed for a lot more quests to be accomplished. They also spent a bit of time exploring the schnozling/clown problem.

A couple moving parts will come to a head now. Pinky and the trust of the resistance should propel them into the next act. Getting them invited to the carnival as a whole. Getting them into bigger discussions of Heckna and escape. And getting them to meet the folks placed around from their backgrounds. Lots of moving parts could come together at the next game.

I need to go review how it all works and what options are going to open up. I still don’t want to force them in a particular direction, but I do want them to be all together for the next big event. Will have to see how I can organize that. Once they start on the bigger plans, it should be less splitting up to play games. I have to remember Dr. Stella, as well, she needs to check back in, though the group hasn’t really tried to find her again, either. Thoughts and thoughts and thoughts. I don’t think the popcorn is going to be delivered in time. She wants to check in with Zephram first.

I’m a bit scattered today, as I write this right before the next game. I have some planning to do.

Double Feature

On By ravonlockeIn Journal, ReveliaLeave a comment

These new folks are trouble, I tell ya. Turning tents inside out, not even trying to pet the poor monkeys in sweaters. That Dispara lady even smashed the head of that hapless Helper in the Hostel. The big fellow, Kentaro, is doing a number on the Sweet Suite, but you can’t blame a fellow like that, I’d be hungry, too if I was that tall. Looks like Babs’s takin’ a liken to the bloke, offering to cook him up anything he brings her. They even picked a fight with some Blimps in the party room. Best and worst place to do that, I guess. Had to take a big rest, they did, after that.

Then they all split up into twos to check out the midway. Better’n ones, I suppose, but a dangerous thing, still. Dispara’s going to make Swoleston go tickets up at the Dead Ringer, but she don’t care. Rather be off at the food court. That strange elf turned the Dunk’n Do Not into a Bubble Bath! Poor Arms’s gotta muck it up again if Puddles wants to get anyone to play.

The strange young man with a gnarly stick and old Mr Tazrin, who come back to us finally, went shopping. Looking for things in Locke’s old trailer, and gettin’ an old poison shirt at the Big Nose. Helped the kitty with her kiddos, too. Awful nice of them. Needs to work on his jokes, musta got rusty out in the real.

Got all back together at the Court, writin’ all over McNally like he ain’t even alive. Maybe he liked it, didn’t hear no complaints. They’ll be wanting to make some Red, wanting to keep eating. It’s important to keep your strength up. Most people get played by the midway, but these folks are lookin to play it themselves.

First they run off back to Lost & Found and disappear in there awhile. Big ol’ Kentaro can’t fit though, so he goes and gets more to eat. Then the Dispara lady heads out for Felix’s place, causing a ruckus and slipping away again ‘fore the gumballers show up. Bunch of the rest of them head off to talk to The Toymaker, give him a silly little note, but it makes him happy. Strange ol’ contraption.

The Cleaning Lady and the fancy dwarf head off to the Big Top and interview with Arachne. She wants to clean even more things, ruining the atmosphere, I tell ya. He lets her go to it as she will. The other one, Tormirr he calls himself, the Sharpeyed, wants to join the show. I’ll grant him some fancy shooting, but I bet he regrets bouncin’ one off the mask of a Child. No one wants to see what’s behind there.

A trio head off to fight a donkey, and they put on quite the show, not one actually trying to use the carrots they were given. Nah, they just wrassle the poor beast around the ring and back into the cage. Ol’ Tazrin don’t even fight, he just hypes up the crowd to cheer folk on. Gets his prize anyway though.

Big Fellow and Sneaky Lady head on over to the Cloud Maze. Thinking they can just cheat and fly up, but cheaters don’t prosper or whatever. The lady takes to the game, but I think the big fellow’s still flying. But they land on the clouds and that’s enough. Supposed to be fun friends. Laugh, smile, and jump for joy ya rubes!

They get the idea better over at the mudwrestling. Kentaro and the sexy demon lady give the boys a good old go. Actin’ like they got a chance before they crush ’em in the muck. The boys don’t care though, they just wanna play all day. As long as the crowds, and Heckna, stay happy.

Then they make their first mistake, cobarooed plum gumballers. Got right in the way of the clown car n made ’em crash. Boy the look on er faces when he didn’t go down. Made ’em turn tail and run though they had to drag the big one away. Gotta get loads more coppers ‘for you go heading past the big tent.

Players stop reading here.

Was out for a week so I have combined the second and third session into one post.

After the initial heavy handedness of the first session, I gave them free rein to explore. They poke through all the rooms of the Hostel, and ended up picking the ones without people or creatures inside. They did get to learn about Blimps though, by virtue of throwing a dagger at one and then getting several to explode all over the party. First real danger of the carnival, but they did learn to retreat. I probably put too many in the room, but it was less a fight and more a trap.

Our rogue has already decided the Handy Helpers are fair game, completely destroying the one in the Hostel to get a single healing potion, when she figured out the tickets weren’t actually staying in the machine. The Toymaker may have to finally go fix it.

They we did the time old tradition of Split the Party, but because we are so many, it was a four-way split. I could have handled this better, going between the groups, but they were mapping out the sections, so it didn’t make sense to skip around. Only the folks who found the shops really took too long, getting into conversations and a mini quest. But they’re started to get a feel for some of the fun and some of the horror of this place.

This week they took on a more divide and conquer, deciding they need to eat and drink, so they need to make sure they’re making tickets. Going for the games they think they’ll get the best returns off of, and some they just really wanted to try. Zephram continues trying to get folk to pay him to clean, and Tormirr has secured a spot in the small acts show in the Big Top.

We also started finding the plot again, or at least allies, in actually talking to Locke and doing a couple of his Tasks. Meeting The Toymaker, and having a second conversation with Dr. Stella. We have a few more steps before they really get to the heart of several matters.

Then they decided to “go find trouble.” And trouble they did find, in the form of a car of four Jawbreakers. Who beat the crap out of the party, but only put Kentaro down, before even one of them fell. They believe me now, when I say the top of the carnival is a dangerous place to go. I think it’s time for them to meet Heckna to kick of the next game, as they retreat from the fray.

Strange Travelers

On By ravonlockeIn Journal, ReveliaLeave a comment

The tickets were sent, the players called,
and I with my carriage went to fetch them all.

A hungover Duergar outside of a tavern.
A young monk praying outside of a cavern.
And an old janitor breaking his pattern.

A demon running from cops. An ogre from slavers.
And a strange running man without any manners.

Lastly, two finely dressed folks,
One with a sword, and one with jokes.

Off to the carnival, quick as a whip,
And gone again, into the ether I slip.


Oh good, they’re gone. You don’t care how they got there, do ya? You wanna know what they did inside, right?

That Kentaro fellow, he ate so many cupcakes, that Mina almost forgot to end the contest! 30 cupcakes in one minute! The nearest competitor didn’t even eat half that! You should have seen her face when he wandered back in to talk to Ellie, fortunately he was still full and she told him he wasn’t allowed to enter again today. Wait until he finds out there’s no tomorrow, just tonight! Hah! Elllywick better watch her mouth though, grumbling about all the changes around here. It’s a great place to be alive!

Better watch out for that red lady, though, Pretty sure I saw her snag some tickets right outa some rubes’ pocket. Nothing saying ya can’t do that, but if the Jawbreakers catch her, gonna be a bad day for somebody.

At least these new folks did some good. Scooter has stop wailing and pounding on the walls in the Hostile. Excuse me, Hostel, Ramona gets very picky when folks call it that. You ever been interviewed in there? I’ve been attacked by Schnoozlings! I think one of the new guys was, too, got those telltale scratches on his face.

Can’t wait to have them all join the clown brigade!

My Players: Stop Reading

I think it was a successful first game.

All the players met and got to know about each other. With such a large group, many were having side conversations at the table when others were acting elsewhere. While this made my job a little harder as my voice is soft and ears are old, I’m glad they’re getting to know each others’ characters. Something I’ll have to manage and balance with their help.

I used two of the music tracks, and they did alright at low volume, turning up or down as needed. Even hitting exactly the right beat when I turned it up for the oncoming parade. I think we’ll keep it for now.

We met two out of three NPC instigators and found the plot. The Heckna and Witchlight modules are very upfront about what is going on here. I gave some of the PCs invitations to actually join the carnival, but they quickly discovered that might not be a good idea. Maybe a little too quickly, really, but I wasn’t sure how else to handle it. Dr. Stella was a little vague, but clear enough about the dangers. Ellywick was very upfront about the danger and changes, but not as blatant as the book suggests. I think they’re meant to find her later in that first chapter, but it was only one chapter in Witchlight at the carnival. I think maybe Dr. Stella could have been waiting for them in a different place, or the parade could have interrupted her earlier, but some of the information is important up front.

Meeting Pinky was a bit of a scattered scene, but I think that’s alright. They really enjoyed Maphew, and have already cottoned on to keeping him put away for important conversations. I need to make sure I track that.

Kentaro had a good time at the eating contest, but they haven’t really dug into any of the regular foods yet, other than reading the menus. Looking forward to that, though he wants to stay in the Suite Sweet so he has constant food. Did mention he wants something other than sugar, big guys need protein. He’ll have to check out occasionally though, to let it refresh, I think.

Dispara is already picking tickets out of pockets. I think I’m going with nearest die, round up and roll to see the number of tickets gained. That’s a thing I think can be opposed by Observation maybe? I’ll check that out.

And they took my repeated bait to go do the first quest – find Scooter in the Hostile Hostel. They went at it a bit more skill focused than exploratory, so they didn’t ask Ramona questions or check for a guest book. They also didn’t check out any of the first floor rooms, nor the second floor – just did listen checks until they found the room it was coming from. It’s supposed to be echo-y all over, but I didn’t want to No their skill checks on their first challenge.

Dispara started checking rooms after they figured it out, and folks started finding cards. Which has Valara able to put her knowledge to bear. Though they haven’t let her check anything out, mostly just drawing the cards they find. We’ve found a Healer’s Kit, a Light Hammer, a +1 to attack/damage, and a quick heal if Dispara goes to zero HP – but that hasn’t happened, yet so.

We also had our first little fight, I got a Schnoozling onto Killjoy, but Kentaro cut it off before he made his first save. A simple and quick fight, but I wanted to practice the mechanics, and it was more of a trap than a real combat – they don’t even do damage. I figured out how to roll attacks by the end of it.

Looking forward to more exploring of the carnival next week – meeting Locke, checking out their shopping options, maybe getting to play a few games and some simple quests to get to know the area and people.

And find Water – Kentaro realized he needs to find easier and cheaper things to drink than Felix’s elixirs. Might have to make friends with Puddles or Capt’n Groggstache.

See you next week, Adventurers!

Welcome to the Revelia!

On By ravonlockeIn ReveliaLeave a comment

Last time I ran a campaign, I kept separate blogs for the game session summaries written by a wide cast of NPCs and my DM musings. If you’re a follower of this blog, you’ll have noticed a distinct falloff of posts in the last couple years, and for that, I do apologize <waves at the state of the world>. That said, I don’t want to overpromise by saying I will, again, keep two blogs, so I will endeavor to divide up these posts to hold both session recaps and DM musings, with a heavier emphasis on getting back into the habit of session blogging, and maybe DM musings in footnotes or something. Or maybe it will be chaos to match the campaign itself, only time will tell.

All that rambling aside, let me introduce you to the Revelia.

This campaign will combine Heckna! – a kickstarted horror campaign setting entirely within a carnival, The Wild Beyond the Witchlight – an official WotC product that begins in a carnival and ends in the feywild, and The Book of Many Things – an official WotC product describing the Deck of Many things, as well as many other available decks and chaos in the multiverse (and I may have added a few of my own). To top this all off, we are playing in 2nd Edition ADnD, so after turning on the blender of WorldAnvil to combine the books, I also had to do my best to convert it all to 2nd Ed mechanics. This also means that instead of the feywild, our backdrop is going to be Ravenloft in the second half of the game, depending on what the players choose to do. Success TBD.

Now, a campaign is nothing without the players, so let me introduce to you, in general terms, who will be attending this chaotic carnival:

  • A multiversal janitor
  • A Tiefling rogue from Sigil
  • A Dark Sun jester
  • A blind Ogre Mage gladiator
  • A Dwarven sharpshooter
  • A wandering monk
  • A forgetful pyromaniac pyromancer
  • And a Knight of the Solar Bastion

That’s right, we’re back up to eight players, plus the DM, at the table once again. Exciting and terrifying, but really, once you’re already up to 7, what’s one more?

First game is June 2nd so stay tuned for what happens when all these folks meet and enter Heckna’s Revelia!