I’m going to tell you of my campaign that I play with my monday night group.
I’m Lee, and its called, “Heroes of the Trinity”. This is my 2nd attempt of me being a DM, and thus far my group is enjoying it since their is lore, role play, and combat. Like that of telling a story from the pages of any fantasy storybook.
Session zero was to get everyone’s character classes, races and how each individual worked within this world of “Thleamsann si faerûn”. Since this was a homebrew, I was going to be flexible. But I made one rule, if 5e printed it… its legal. Homebrew classes and such has to be approved by me. Standard array for stats (15,14,13,12,10,8)… However 2 players wanted a 7 score so I said that they could put a plus one in 13, 12, or 10.
What I got was
Inara, A Female Tiefling Hexblade Warlock, Patron to the Raven Queen
Annee, A Female Shifter Barbarian, going the totem warrior route.
Farbin, A Male Firbolg Ranger multi-classing into druid.
Timmy, A Male Dwarven Light Cleric, with an injury to his head that made it impossible for him to speak clearly (unless he willingly Upped his Intelligence score)
& Eddie, a Male Aasimar Bard, School of Metal (Homebrew that I accepted) that was pretty much eddie riggs from the video game, HEAVY METAL.
I approved their back stories and how each one of them became a group. Now I start session, telling them the beginning of the world.
Pretty much this Evil, Storm giant, Overlord was destroying or subjugating many people. And these heroes had to stop him because, based on the past, he was killed and now was resurrected.
The party comes from the north, past the mountains and the dessert, to a village nearly completely destitute. Their guide a black hooded figure shows them to the village. “As promised… safe passage.”
Everyone looks around the village in shock at how must destruction was done. Houses being held up mostly by hay or sticks. Farming tools broken beyond repair. And children afraid to come out of their house.
Roll Perception.
Inara rolled the highest, mod 19.
You turn back to the guide and see, he is gone… Like he was never there. No tracks, nothing.
Inara the Tiefling, tells the party this and everyone is very weary. The party walks into the village and only 1 old man sitting outside looking at whatever birds were out, barely even a flock I explain.
“Excuse me… do you have a tavern or lodging?” Farbin the firbolg asked.
“Yes… Head to the center of this place. The only building that has not yet been destroyed or run down. You’ll find it.” said the old man npc.
“What happened here?” Eddie asked.
“Dhumra’s (Doom-RAH) cult. They took most of our strong ones as payment to keep us in line. We barely have enough to eat now. Our child come first. But still… our village has had better days.” the old man npc said.
After some more conversations they make their way to the only tavern. They walk in, mostly because their bellies were growling. Out comes a Woman, blonde hair holding what looks to be hard boiled eggs. “Oh hello, I’m Malkyn Glorybluff, pleasure to meet you. I’m the owner of this place and mayor. I can get you… water and eggs. I’m sorry.” she said with a disappointed look.
Annee’s ears perk up hearing eggs. Now Annee’s stats are good, but her intelligence was a 7. I accepted it for storyline purposes. She could barely speak but she did sign and her expressions were priceless.
After the party at a little they learned of what happened to the town… the village now no longer had a name. And since she stopped adventuring to protect what was left of the village, she was petitioning for any help. The party was eager to help and she said to seek out the ‘wondering merchant.’ Farbin was the only one outside looking around and about, before seeing a bald headed man putting up a tent. He went to investigate and approached. Then the party noticed later and went to join him.
“Hello, Gunthar O’dimm at your service. Pleasure to meet the lot of you, since this place doesn’t get many visitors. Who might you all be?” he said bowing to them. This guy would become one of my favorite npc’s since he always show up at the opportune times.
“Inara, roll another perception check.” I asked.
Inara, 15
You notice the back of your hand, the mark given to you by your patron is glowing. Its subtle.
“Hmmm?” Inara thought.
O’dimm I based off of The witcher 3 wild hunt. Only my npc wasn’t an evil demon. More of a retired wizard now turned merchant of magical wears.
After some interaction O’dimm lets them know he yes was looking for adventures to help this village. “In fact I have a mission for you… the cultists that have be ransacking this village… If you recover the items they stole, I’ll give you a reward.”
Eddie looked a bit disgusted. “Okay… but the reward… we want an adequate cut.”
O’dimm looked puzzled. “Will 100 gold pieces each be enough?”
Eddie, “Oh… yes… but… will it be more?”
O’dimm looked at the bard shaking his head. “Tell you what… If anything you find is worth more I’ll compensate you.”
He then gave them the details and they went to a location called Rock Foot Ridge. Cultists and cult fanatics were their with a cart of mundane items. “Our great lord will reward us. Soon all of the western side will bow to him.” said the cult fanatic.
Inara’s was shaking with anger… her backstory was she was orphaned by that exact cult that attacked her caravan and killed her parents. Combat ensued. Annee getting paralyzed from the ‘hold person’ spell then hit with inflict wounds, nearly brought her down, still they were able to succeed and bring back the items.
Eddie looked and saw dolls, blankets, maybe a few dishes. He realized… “Yeah… 100 gp is much better.”
Getting back they were considered heroes of the town. More missions ensued. One from a female dwarf with red hair named Alya, that her and her brother Valus came to help with restoring the village. She was the one that would get them better armors and weapons. While also getting this town back on its feet. She also flirted with Eddie… from time to time. She came from the dwarven mountains on Tyrna on the eastern continent.
She sent them on missions to retrieve ore from goblins, undo a dam to help with their aqueduct system, and dealing with other bandits. This was making the party become powerful heroes in the eyes of the village that was slowly coming back to life.
However the first mission they came back from angry. Alya told them about the ore and said that O’dimm’s contacts only saw 15 goblins, according to his information. There was 20 goblins, 3 hobgoblins and 3 worgs. Coming back Annee tried to tackle him into the water since he was nearby the docks not by his tent. In comedic fashion it looked like she went through him and into the water. He casted blur so she could not get him on her first attempt. 2nd attempt she succeed after Inara and Farbin let him know about the goblins and Hobgoblins. He was currious about the hobgoblins. “They never come this far east.” O’dimm said worried.
After getting out of the water and casting prestidigitation on himself to get fully dry. He introduced them to Mama Minma. The female halfling smuggler of the seas. Everyone called her Mama Minma since Dhumra and his cult made a lot of orphaned children. She took them in and they became her information network all on the western and eastern continent.
Farbin also handed him a parchment that he took off one of the dead cultists that ambushed them. The rest of the party went back to the tavern to rest up.
Farbin also that night went out on a scouting mission and found a cult summoning near the mountains were the ore was, thanks to another ranger that lived in the village as he took care of his grand children. Seeing the summons and staying hidden he saw the leader of the cult raise a skeletal Minotaur. Upon a ring that was the same he saw at the dam.
Things got more intense the next day in game. O’dimm was having the village evacuate via the boats to the sea. Telling the adventuring company that the village was going to be attacked and orders were… no one lives, thanks the the parchment that Farbin found.
True to heroic fashion they get a mission by O’dimm and he lets them know to check the graveyard and the sacred burial grounds. At the graveyard they were ambushed by skeletons. but because of the sacred ground they would fail all magic abilities that required a save. Entangle, sacred flame and thunderclap magic combos later, the skeletons are all down. Saving also one of the runners of Mama Minma.
“You have to get to the sacred grounds…” said the weakened npc. “Death scythe… is there…”
Inara gasped and Farbins eyes narrowed. Death scythe… the murderer of Inara’s parents, and the one Farbin tried to stop all those years ago.
They get to the sacred burial grounds and fight against the first wave. skeletons and the skeletal Minotaur. Annee in true barbaric fashion goes into her rage and fights the thing one on one. the other’s take out the skeletons but Farbin tried to get to Death Scythe and his cult minions. Prior to this, he casted a barrier that increased their AC by 10 as long as they were inside. Meaning if they weren’t in the 20s nothing gets through. And all party members are still tier 1, highest level was level 3 at this point. All of Farbin’s attacks did not get through as the others were left to their combats.
They win on the first wave thus dropping the barrier. The second fight commenced and Death Scythe was on Inara’s mind as well as Farbin. They were able to take down everyone and froced Death Scythe to use a lot of spell slots to misty step away, he then used a fireball as a last ditch effort to kill them… everyone made their dex saves only taking half damage. Inara and Annee… only a quarter.
“You… You’ll never get away… NEVER!” Death scythe yelled weakened as Inara got closer holding up her hand to cast a deadly eldritch blast at him. Since it was her turn and the attack barely hurt her.
“Don’t forget… who… holds… your… leash!” Death Scythe said in defiance as Inara killed him shooting at his face at point blank range.
O’dimm then came to see what was done and saw the heroes succeeded. guiding them back to the village and soon people were allowed back thanks to O’dimm casting a spell like a signal flare.
That night the village celebrated and Inara sang and danced. Eddie rocking on his lute. annee banging the drums as timmy was adding to the music his own way… as was farbin trying to sing with Inara as a disguised human. He rolled a 5 on performance but Inara rolled a 23. she was the center of attention. Even beating Eddie the bard’s 19 on performance. All except the female dwarf Alya noticing him .
And yes… Eddie got lucky with Alya after some comedic rolls.
However, Malkyn Glorybluff went to Inara after her performance to thank her… and since she and crew were the reason for their salvation that she and her friends could give the village a name. “Lets call it Raven’s Grove. In honor of the Raven Queen.” said Inara
They all agreed and took a long deserved rest. O’dimm however was not at party and left a gift for Eddie. It was a keystone to a tower farther south. Once they all rested and felt the place was safe they continued south to the tower. There they saw what was the Trinity Tower. One of many in history. Upon investigating it they see the only way inside was via the keystone that O’dimm gave to Eddie.
Inside was nothing more the a scene from horrors of war. Many knights wearing the armor and symbols of the trinity were dead… levels of the fortress destroyed, scorch marks, slashes and devastation all around. A reminder of what the BBEG Dhumra does to those that oppose him.
All but a single room looked to still be intact.
The walls in this room had each stone cut and painted upon, then individually chosen and placed inside this room to create a mural. The mural shows from the left-hand side first, an attack on what looks like a caravan of wagons set ablaze and a firbolg holding a teifling child in his arms running away.
The next image of the firbolg petting a teifling child. The child having a tail and horns as the child weeps.
Next image, the child has grown a little and meets the depiction of a woman with raven like wings, handing her a violin while runes trail to the child’s hand. The child’s hair tips are white.
Next image, depicts the firbolg and a teenaged Teifling with white hair coming across what looks like child yet beast. Spots down its back with wild hair, and in the background seems to be a large dragon’s eye laced with brownish gold trim focused on the spotted girl. (end of the left hand side.)
Right hand side starts with a black haired man with markings caring a lute with a group of people. Then shows them gathered in a spot performing while he watches.
Next image is a giant crimson figure bursting through a portal from the ground holding a Golden Axe. People scattering about as the man with markings escapes before those that were at the gathering seems to be killed or submitting.
Next image the crimson figure heads to a dwarven city to attack. It shows the giant crimson figure hitting a dwarven man in the head with his Golden Axe then continuing his assault. The man with markings comes to the aid of the dwarf moments later to heal him and save his life.
Next image shows the two meeting a Firbolg, a wild lady with spots down her back and matured female teifling with white hair, holding what appears to be a violin. (end of the right side)
The image directly in the front shows the 5 standing a the foot of an ivory tree, the tree seemed to be coiled by a blue like serpent, and the serpent head staring back at them at the top of the tree.
Inara was in shock, the memory of the attack etched into this place made of stone and the other party members were in utter confusion. Eddie by the door worried to come inside only saying. “This place is so metal.”
Timmy examined the walls and with his stone sense (stone cunning) made him know it was 200 years old. Yet… its them. Some were not even born during that time…
Timmy also saw a book being held by a dead soldier yet preserved somehow… maybe by magic. He saw it was a log book… it wrote:
Day 102
Days before we have been living peacefully and keeping order. That all changed when the skies split and that fortress appeared in the skies. Now we have learned that the oracles have been telling us the truth but the mural is still a mystery to us. Do these 5 even exist? Whatever the case we are to hold this place as long as possible.
Day 137
Wave after wave of enemies comes at us. That Fortress is like a breeding ground for monsters and evil things. Luckily we were able to get word out to the other locations. We used paper birds given to us by our friend O’dimm. He was also the one that lead the civilians out the underground passage. We sealed it so the enemy cannot follow. Only ones here are volunteers to keep the enemy occupied. May the gods and goddesses watch over us.
Day 152
Supplies are getting low, and the waves are not stopping. We just lost over a third of our forces… the winds of destruction, ‘his’ generals are now leading the charge. We will continue to fight… the more they fight here the better the chances the other kingdoms have… gods be willing.
Day 191
All who can fight are here with me now in this room.
We cannot get out. Its either life or death…
We cannot get out… ‘HE’ is coming! *blood and burned stains follow the end of the last entry*
Timmy with his injury, which made it impossible for him to talk… he tried to draw and explain best he could till Inara was able to calm down and read the book. (mostly because I kept saying out loud, HE’S HOLDING THE BOOK!)
Once they were able to truly focus and fight a magical test inside that had them fight with earth like elementals they then heard a voice say to them after they reexamined the murals… a woman saying, “Find the tree…”
END CHAPTER 1
[zombify_post]
0 Comments