Best Moments

Here's a place to list some of our favorite moments and characterizations from the campaign, stickied for convenience and ease of access!

In session 3, I thought it was adorable when Sigrun forcibly cuddled Droop, the cowardly goblin, despite his clearly not being into it. Also, Zaradur's double leap across the chasm during the hostage fight with the Redbrands was one of those "I wish I could punish him a little for pushing the envelope like that, but it's totally in character and the dice are backing him up" moments for me. :D

Well, Zaradur did finally tumble into the pit when he charged at Glass-staff, so I guess he paid in the end? xD Also, Naeris: so salty Zaradur ignored her order when he was charmed and even thought her voice was annoying. But Glass-staff paid for messing with her stuff in the end. And she might eventually forgive Zaradur since he did save the glass staff for her. Best part had to be when the group charged at the Redbrands like they don't even care about the hostages. And still managed to save them all in the end!

Shavix said: Best part had to be when the group charged at the Redbrands like they don't even care about the hostages. And still managed to save them all in the end! DM confession time: that encounter isn't in the adventure, but I figured that since you had left the hideout to take a long rest, they'd be prepared for you. That being said, my first thought was to have the villagers already dead, strung up to posts like the bugbear was. But then I thought: "no, this is a heroic game. They need to at least have the chance to save them." And y'all did! I'm happy I made that choice -- I feel like it made for a better encounter and was ultimately far more satisfying for you guys.

Yeah, I was tempted to try to talk to them about it, but Zarador already challenged them to fight like Warriors without human shields, and then didn't listen, plus we already started initiative so when charging in I definitely tried to make sure Raynor did what he could to save the prisoners.

RJ M. said: Yeah, I was tempted to try to talk to them about it, but Zarador already challenged them to fight like Warriors without human shields, and then didn't listen, plus we already started initiative so when charging in I definitely tried to make sure Raynor did what he could to save the prisoners. Sorry, I didn't hear anyone say anything so Zaradur just stepped in and tried his best, his main priority was the safety and survival of the hostages by taking out the ones with a knife on their necks.

Fuzzus said: Also, Zaradur's double leap across the chasm during the hostage fight with the Redbrands was one of those "I wish I could punish him a little for pushing the envelope like that, but it's totally in character and the dice are backing him up" moments for me. :D Zaradur's middle name is reckless. :)

Oh I wasn't tryingoing to say that was bad choice, Zaradur tried to do what he could to get them away from the hostages, it was the right call, we kicked ass and Zaradur was damn impressive... at least until he accidentally kicked a wall instead of a door hurtingot himself lol... but really everyone kicked ass today

I think all the three of us that rushed in had in mind the survival of the hostages, because Elvalur just rushed to the third one after seeing Zaradur and Raynor trying to help the other two. And just to let you guys know, I was really afraid Zaradur would start leaping after me and Raynor to hit both when he was possesed.

RJ M. said: Oh I wasn't tryingoing to say that was bad choice, Zaradur tried to do what he could to get them away from the hostages, it was the right call, we kicked ass and Zaradur was damn impressive... at least until he accidentally kicked a wall instead of a door hurtingot himself lol... but really everyone kicked ass today I agree everyone did an awesome job and this was really a fun session! MatB said: I think all the three of us that rushed in had in mind the survival of the hostages, because Elvalur just rushed to the third one after seeing Zaradur and Raynor trying to help the other two. And just to let you guys know, I was really afraid Zaradur would start leaping after me and Raynor to hit both when he was possesed. That's true and I'm glad everyone had that mind set. That would of been hilarious in our end, but terrifying for our PCs hahaha

I think everyone was very happy with your choice, Chuck. It definitely lead to some awesome heroics and so much fun! I considered having Naeris laugh in the Redbrands' faces and intimidate them into giving up on their hostages. But Zaradur's, Raynor's and Elvalur's actions all demonstrated the point she would have tried to make so beautifully. Oh, yes. I also loved how Raynor heroically tried to save the older woman from falling into the pit only to eventually have to drop her on her face. Probably on top of a pile of corpses at the bottom of the pit too. xD Zaradur leaping back and forth over the pit to beat up his friends would've been so funny! I'm rather glad he didn't though. Somehow I don't think Elvalur would have taken a Problem Solver to the chest nearly as well as Raynor did. Ah, and something else I really enjoyed last session was the group getting all friendly with Droop, the cowardly goblin and tried to talk him into helping them lure out enemies for them as if they thought he could actually be of help to them. I imagine Naeris just standing in the background shaking her head at them all as they got all buddy-buddy with it.

Shavix said: Oh, yes. I also loved how Raynor heroically tried to save the older woman from falling into the pit only to eventually have to drop her on her face. Probably on top of a pile of corpses at the bottom of the pit too. xD Raynor deserves serious hero kudos for that encounter. He gave up actions AND advantage to his opponents for two consecutive rounds, and only gave up when he was facing two Redbrand thugs and a charmed Zaradur. He hung in there as long as possible to try to save that villager! Another thing that I should have played up (but didn't realize it until later, because I'm not the greatest DM) was that the half-eaten corpse y'all saw when you first entered the caverns? That was her husband. I'd have rather her had a soft landing in a pile of corpses next to her husband's remains, but that little detail slipped my mind until later in the encounter. Oh, well.

When Sigrun saw the scene with the hostages, she was horrified, but when she realised it was a mother and daughters...it's going to hit her hard later, after the adrenaline fades.  She's going to have a great, big cry, I think. That whole encounter was amazing.

Those redbrands were pretty messed up. I mean murdering a poor, frightened bugbear and stringing him up by the door was one thing, but a mother and her two daughters? Man, they were assholes. And man Chuck, you're messed up too! As if the poor, old woman wasn't having a bad enough day! XD But that would actually have been a pretty awesomely horrible to thing to have had in the rp. I wouldn't say you're a bad DM for not thinking of that sooner though. You're only human, like the rest of us. ;3 Oh yeah, just remembered a tiny little moment after Naeris wasted Glass-staff and they were questioning one of the redbrands about the spider and where he/she/it was hiding and the redbrand was like: "I dunno, but Glass-staff did and he's dead." And there was a moment where everyone was like: "well, crud. How we gonna find the spider now?" Then Naeris was all like: "bitch please, we don't need that dead loser. I know everything. The rest I can find out easy." And it just struck me how funny that moment actually was to me. xD

Shavix said: Oh yeah, just remembered a tiny little moment after Naeris wasted Glass-staff and they were questioning one of the redbrands about the spider and where he/she/it was hiding and the redbrand was like: "I dunno, but Glass-staff did and he's dead." And there was a moment where everyone was like: "well, crud. How we gonna find the spider now?" Then Naeris was all like: "bitch please, we don't need that dead loser. I know everything. The rest I can find out easy." And it just struck me how funny that moment actually was to me. xD Another peek behind the screen: There were other ways to find Cragmaw Castle written into the adventure, plenty of ways you guys were "supposed" to find it. But I'm a firm believer in the philosophy of "it's always better if the PCs can do it themselves." If y'all can think of creative ways to use your skills/abilities and the dice back you up, hell yes you can do it! It's far, far more awesome if a PC draws on her/his knowledge and figures it out than if a random NPC just gives you the solution. I guess what I want to say to y'all is: don't limit yourselves. Don't be afraid to try stuff: clever, wacky, outrageous, even (occasionally) stupid. Amazing feats of derring-do are what make you adventurers! ....aaaaaand sometimes you miss the large set of double doors, kick the wall, and hurt your leg. Them dice, huh? ;)

My feats have been spot on lol Zaradur is the type who like to kick in doors from time to time, but he still hasn't mastered it yet!

Another peek behind the screen: There were other ways to find Cragmaw Castle written into the adventure, plenty of ways you guys were "supposed" to find it.  Yeah, I figured. I just like the thought of Naeris just holding such a grudge against Glass-staff she doesn't even need to catch him alive to interrogate him. Nope, that guy can't possibly know anything she doesn't either already know or can easily find out without ever having to ask him.

I just have to remark: Shelly wrote a prayer. A full-length, true-to-fantasy-life godsdamn prayer, which she used to consecrate that tree as a shrine to Sune. Nothing happened immediately, but y'all can be DAMN  sure that that kind of dedication to character will be rewarded. 100% loved it. Shelly, if you would, could you please post the full prayer to the forum to be preserved for posterity?

Full disclosure: I didn't write the prayer from scratch, but adapted it from a Prayer to Venus I found online that I felt fit the theme. &nbsp;I AM A FRAUD. Seriously, though, I thought the prayer was lovely and it definitely inspired me to think up the shrine creation so I can post my version and the link to the original.&nbsp; Beloved Sune, Lady Firehair Goddess of Love and Beauty please hear my prayer. Hold my heart and soul in your loving embrace and forge them as you will in the fires of passion so that I may be a resplendent beacon of your beauty and love Lady of Beauty, Lady of Love Presiding over the Gates of the Moon giver of my most precious gift open my spirit to joy open my mind to possibility open my heart to love. Heal me of hurt and release me from fear and insecurity. Grant me the innocence of true love so that I may see the world in all its promise and beauty. Grant me the wisdom of experience so that I may choose with sense, wisdom, and good judgment. May my eyes be keen may my vision be true. May my perception of others be accurate and uninfluenced by lies and deception. Sune, I pray to you, My Lady grant me the strength of your love so that it may shine to the world through me. If this be your will then so shall it be. (ADAPTED FROM: A prayer to Venus,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wiccantogether.com/profiles/blogs/prayer-to-venus" rel="nofollow">http://www.wiccantogether.com/profiles/blogs/prayer-to-venus</a> )

Fraud! That's it -- rocks fall, everyone dies! &gt;&lt;

Nooooooo.

Well, regardless it was a really awesome prayer. I very much enjoyed hearing it :) Something else I very much enjoyed was when Helm and Zaradur, the axe-murdering duo just wasted a whole owlbear just between the two of them! Even though I feel a little sorry for you, Chuck. It sounded like you'd really looked forward to that owlbear and we barely got to see it. Lastly, anyone else really impressed by Elvalur just waltzing through the ruins, peeking through doors completely undetected like a boss?&nbsp;

Shavix said: Lastly, anyone else really impressed by Elvalur just waltzing through the ruins, peeking through doors completely undetected like a boss?&nbsp; Agreed, it's amazing how awesome it is to be able to sneak through and have Elvalur be able to lockpick everything, having a skilled Thief on your team is so good to have, especially for attacking and moving through hostile areas strategically. Also Naeris being able to just completely decimate enemy's minds till they just cower or run away, has proved so insanely helpful, immediately taking some of our biggest enemy encounters like taking on 3 hobgoblins, Naeris brought that battle down to just 2 as the last one just cowered away, which could have been a turning point considering how much of an issue we had just taking on 1 moments earlier because of their high AC. &nbsp;Also even earlier, she turned the biggest enemy in Cragmaw's Hideout into a complete non-threat cowering in the corner.

Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that guy in Cragmaw's Hideout. Naeris' been doing it more and more and I'm starting to lose count. xD Our characters are definitely all growing into serious badasses since we started out. Pulverizing enemies left and right!

Shavix said: Lastly, anyone else really impressed by Elvalur just waltzing through the ruins, peeking through doors completely undetected like a boss?&nbsp; FINALLY, I WAS USEFUL LOL There were a lot of awesome moments last session. From Sigrun's prayer to Zaradur and Helm competing to who could turn the altar over first, for me, all of them were remarkable. Really enjoying playing with you guys.

It's been a while since anyone posted anything here, so I thought I'd mention a highlight a from last session of my own. The return of the devastated Hobgoblin seriously deserves a mention here! It was so funny he was acting so tough and trying to act like a leader until he heard Naeris' voice and then he just broke. And the best part was how everyone was just watching him try to claw his way out of the arrow-slit for the longest time without even recognizing him! And then the poor thing finally just died of a heart attack on his own. Priceless! :'D