Devils vanquished, we are on the final trial that could kill us. We are to face a legion of undead, the curtain behind the stage raised to reveal two skeletal trolls. 'That's not how I pictured a legion', I say, and Ganelon agrees. Two more skeletal trolls appear, all of them large and mighty threatening, […]
The next trial in the play involves birthing devils from eggs, which sounds about as pleasant as it actually is. Each of us eats an egg from which a devil spews forth, prompting a fortitude save from everyone. 'Is a 9 a fail?' asks Brennan optimistically, but knowing the answer. 'Yes.' 'Is a 6?', I […]
The curtain is raised! Our first and hopefully only performance of the play is underway. Despite being present for rehearsals and understanding that an illusionist is at hand for various effects, Ganelon is still taken aback by some of the costumery. 'Is that a real bearded devil?' he whispers. 'Are you a real paladin?' is […]
Rehearsals continue. We are adventurers playing actors playing adventurers, for reasons that are even more convoluted and best not to try to think too hard about. We need to know our lines and perform them well, under the watchful eye of the director. Brennan, our bard in the protagonist's role and a bit of a […]
Auditions for the play are decided, roles are not. We may be adventurers and eminently suitable, as well as dressed and equipped, to take on the combat roles, but we are still required to read our lines well. We are all taken to the stage, where we meet an old friend of mine, Thressing Umbero […]
We are heading to Delvehaven, to unlock the mysteries of the sealed lodge and perhaps uncover the source of the shadowbeasts. Or we would be, if we weren't stopped before we could even start. Apparently we can't just walk in to Delvehaven, what with it being sealed with various magic wards. What we need is […]
The fight's not quite going in our favour. It becomes apparent that an invisible cleric is wandering around when injured and knocked-unconscious tieflings clamber back to their feet to engage us again. It becomes more apparent when his invisibility spell drops during his casting of burning hands, hitting three of our party standing conveniently in […]
Pausing in the corridor, outside a door through which the tieflings retreated, we hear voices. They are speaking in the Abyssal language, which our mage understands. 'How many are speaking?', he asks our GM. 'That depends. How good are you at differentiating tiefling accents?' A stage whisper comes from one side of our mage. 'Say […]
Having our party almost split in two at the start of the encounter gives the tieflings an early advantage, but the narrow and linear corridor offers little tactical opportunities and we are soon back on equal footing. We still need to manoeuvre somewhat so that our squishier characters aren't so unprotected. Afutavere's keen elvish senses […]
More dogs attack! The paladin charges in, slicing in to one of the dogs with his sword and cleaving with his mighty blow in to a second. The vicious hell dogs bite and tear at the paladin's legs, pulling him down to the ground. 'I'll just attack from prone, then', he sighs. 'Is being prone […]