Hoard of the Dragon Queen, Play Report #3

Here’s the news from Greenest! There were mercenaries, cultists and fire! Lots and lots of fire! Unfortunately, some of that fire wasn’t set by only the cultists…

SPOILERS BE HERE! PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Monster: Cher'fer

Cher’fer

Large monstrosity, neutral

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)

Hit Points 75 (10d10+25)

Speed 30ft; Swim 30 ft; Burrow 10ft (earth)

STR           DEX          CON         INT           WIS          CHA

18 (+4)    16(+3)     15 (+2)    4(-3)        10(0)        9(-1)

Damage Resistance: bludgeoning, piercing and slashing

Immunities: Fire

Condition Immunities: Blind, prone

Senses: Tremorsense (60ft), passive perception 13

Languages –

Challenge 7 (2900xp)

Hoard of the Dragon Queen, Play Report #2

The first actual play session of our Hoard of the Dragon Queen went well; no one died! There were some casualties, injuries and we’re not out of danger, but everyone is still standing upright. A fun and exciting start to what’s sure to be a great adventure!

SPOILERS BE HERE! PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Magic Item: Bone Ward

Bone Ward

This six inch, human femur bone is sharpened to points on the ends and covered with etchings of primitive designs. When the septum of the nose is pierced with the Bone Ward, a level of protection from jungle diseases is provided.

The procedure causes 1d4 piercing damage. It provides a +2 for all saves against diseases and natural poisons, as long as the Bone Ward is worn. 

Kobold Press Has Taken My Monster!

I've don't have a new monster this week that I can post. Kobold Press' Monarch of the Monster 5 has been taking up my time. You can still get in on the fun. Create a 5e monster and submit it by 23 Feb.

It's a little disappointing that Kobold is retaining all rights. They promise to pay for anything published, but I'd like to see non-published material released at some point. Don't let that deter you from entering. You can get some nice loot if you win. (Like signed books and such...not to mention a commission!)

River Encounter Generator, Part 2

This is part two of my jungle river generator. This can be used with the river section table or on its own.  It's a simple random encounter table that uses creatures mostly found in the 5e Monster Manual, a few of my own creations that can be found in my blog (follow the links) and a few extras.

Encounters:

Roll 2d20 at least once per day for random encounters or whenever you think the party needs some excitement. Many encounters are not meant for the players to engage.  Some may be too strong for the party and are intended to be avoided. Luckily a number of river sections provide enough room to go around the monster (like a lake where a hydra has made home on one of its far banks…enticing, but probably safer just taking the long way around the other side of the lake). A few monsters will be on a bank just watching the party (a congress of baboons in the trees). As long as the party is in a part of the river that is wide enough or doesn't try to land near these monsters, then they’ll typically pass safely. A lot of monsters swarm as a survival tactic. Some have evolved unique characteristics to increase their chances in the dangerous jungle.

If a party attempts to fight on vessels that hold less than three people (like a rowboat), then attacks gain disadvantage due to the instability of the vessel. If a player or creature is hit on small vessels, they must make a save to stay in the boat (DEX DC 12).

Not all rolls will result in a creature appropriate for the section of the river. Treat these rolls as a no encounter or roll again, if it’s been too quiet. Don’t forget to give a good description of the surrounding bank, some creatures are protecting their lairs or territories and some are trying to lure prey to the shore.

2 – 1d4 Cockatrice (p. 42) – attacks from the air; found in open sections of the river

3 – Displacer Beast (p. 81) – seen along the bank; 2d4 per day chance it will follow the boats

4 – Plesiosaurus (p. 80) – found in deep water, like a lake or middle of a large river

5 – 1d4 Dryads (p. 121) – protecting exceptionally large trees on the bank; sometimes protecting an entire island in a braided section or an overgrown section may be a protected tree

6 – Ettercap (p. 131) – the surrounding trees become covered in thick spider webs that is the nest of the ettercap; if this creature is found in an overgrown or underground section of the river, the party may be forced to engage the creature.

7 – Stone Golem (p. 170) – single statue is seen standing near the bank with vines and moss growing on it; the ruins of a temple surround the golem; should only be approached with caution

8 – Green Hag (p.177) – a hag’s lair may be seen on the bank or it may be hidden in the shadows; she may attempt to lure the party deep into the jungle before attacking

9-10 – Something large moves through the jungle; trees shake and breaking branches can be heard, but no one can see what’s causing the activity

11 – Hydra (p. 190) – this is a very powerful creature and should only be attempted by experienced or foolhardy parties; enough room should be given to allow the party to go around, if desired.

12 – 4 to 10 Lizardfolk (p. 204) – one of the humanoid tribes of the jungle; they’ll attack with their javelins from the bank or attempt to lure the party to the shore

13 – 5 to 10 Stirge (p. 284) – living in the shadows of the canopy or a large, hollow trunk, these creatures will attack the party as they pass

14 – Water Weird (p. 299) – this elemental is a remnant from a wizard that has been lost to time; the creature is in a pool and protects a ruined tower

15 – Awakened Tree (p. 317) – the fey touched tree sits still until prey gets close enough to attack; its branches may reach over the river

16-17 – 10 Baboons (p. 318) – the troop sits in the trees watching the party pass; if the party lands the boat close to the troop, they may attack; poop throwing is optional

18-19 – Crocodile (p. 320) – a common creature found along the banks or in the water of calmer waters; sometimes groups of crocodiles will be found

20 – 4 to 8 Flying Snakes (p. 322) – groups of flying snakes will launch themselves across rivers to attack passing prey

21-22 – Giant Constrictor Snake (p. 324) – a giant snake can be seen hanging in a tree; if this creature is encountered in an over grown area, avoiding the snake may be impossible

23-24 – Giant Frog (p. 325) – found sitting in the shadows or muddy areas along the banks; may take to the water, if provoked

25-26 – Giant Wolf Spider (p. 330) – hides in burrows along the bank; will ambush if the party lands their boat on a bank near the burrow

27-28 – Drums are heard in the distance. There source or purpose are unknown.

29-30 – Swarm of Bats (p. 337) – found in nearly every area of the river living inside trunks of large trees, but will usually only emerge during late dusk; the exception is swarms found in caves.

31-32 – Swarm of Poisonous Snakes (p. 338) – large nest of poisonous snakes can be found living in the low hanging branches of trees or exposed roots at the base of large trees

33 – Swarm of Quippers (p. 338) 1 in 4 chance they are flying; they may not be noticed unless something enters the water (Flying Quippers)

34 – Panther  (p. 333) – prowls the banks and may follow the party for sometime; tracking the group until the land their boat

35 – Band of Chu’Mwarg (4 to 10) – small headhunters of the jungles; they will track the party until they can attack

36 – Crazed Jungle Druid (p. 346) – watches from the shadows; may attack if the party notices the druid or attempts to land on the bank.

37-40 – Oddly quiet; the jungle seems to be still, almost as if it’s watching and waiting.

River Encounter Generator, Part 1

This is the first of two tables for a river encounter generator. It is tailored for a jungle environment, but can be easily modified for forest. Once the series is complete, you will be able to easily create a quick river encounter for a 5e adventure. 

River Encounter:

These tables are intended to assist in creating a jungle river environment. Players will need to obtain a vessel; either a keelboat that will require a captain (a player with the sailor background or proficiency in vessels (water) or hire a captain; a minimum of four crew will be needed for larger keelboats which can be manned by the party or hired) or a suitably sized rowboat(s). The stats for these boats are outlined in the DMG (p. 119), but they can be reskinned for whatever appropriate setting.

Distance between shores is typically 25-75 yards across, but can be wider or narrower. The exceptions are lake, overgrown and braided sections. The banks are thick with jungle undergrowth and heavily shadowed by the dense canopy, not to mention the occasional ancient ruins overgrown with vegetation.

River Section:

Roll a 1d12 once per day (unless otherwise noted or needed) to determine what part of the river the party will attempt. Skill checks are needed to navigate the vessel successfully. Its assumed that all passengers have a rudimentary idea of how to navigate the vessel. Proficiency with water vessels is ideal, but a successful DEX or INT check may be enough (although, the DM may want to apply a disadvantage if the player attempting the roll doesn't have the proficiency in the skill) If the section takes more than one day to complete, reroll the applicable skill check.

1 – Rapids: (Speed: 8-10 MPH) The waters thrash around and over a rocky riverbed. This is a very dangerous section of the river. Only the most skilled sailors should attempt to navigate this section of the river. (DEX DC20 or Proficiency Vessel (water) DC 17, 4d10 Damage on failed skill check, automatic full damage if the skill roll is 1; full attention must be given to navigating a rapids, anyone attempting to navigate can do nothing else, if no one navigates the boat automatically hits a rock for damage; if someone who is not navigating attempts an action, they incur a disadvantage due to violent nature of the situation)

2-3 – Calm, but fast moving current with high banks: (Speed: 6 MPH) This section of the river move smoothly, but fast. Very little effort is needed to move the boat downstream, some skill is required to keep the boat facing in the right direction. Landing the boat is difficult due to fast current and the high banks. (DEX DC15 or Proficiency Vessel (water) DC12 to keep straight or land on a low part of the bank; if the vessel begins to spin in the current, then any action taken receives a disadvantage;  if landing is attempted and skill check fails then 2d10 damage for hitting the bank)

3-4 – Overgrown, tight channel: (Speed: 1 MPH) This area is shallow and thick with the encroaching jungle. Polling, careful paddling or even walking the boat through the shallowest areas may be the only way to navigate. Masts need to be lowered to clear the jungle canopy that reaches over the river. There are no close banks as the water reaches through the jungle in what may be a flood plain or wetland, although the jungle is usually too thick navigate outside of the main river. (STR DC 10 if walking the boat is attempted)

5 – Lake: (Speed: 3-4 MPH with sails) or (2 MPH with oars and rested crew) The river opens into a large body of water. It is typically deeper in the middle compared to the shore. A slight current continues between the two mouths of the river (or predominate mouths, if there are more than two). Strong weather can make the lake treacherous. (DEX DC 8 or Proficiency Vessel (water) DC 5 to navigate by rowing, INT DC 10 to navigate by sail or Proficiency Vessel (water) DC 7; if skill check fails by more than five, no distance made; if less than five, half of the distance)

5-9 – Windless, slow moving current with meandering channel: (Speed: 3MPH with oars) The river moves slowly around large bends and turns. The jungle lines the banks which slope gently and are easy to land the vessel. The wind is blocked by the thick jungle and sails can’t be used. (DEX DC 8 or Proficiency Vessel (water) DC 5 to navigate by rowing; if skill check fails, the vessel makes only 1 MPH and spins slowly in the current)

10 – Waterfall: The water falls over a severely sloped rocky outcrop. Navigation is impossible. The vessel will need portage around the obstacle. This could be an intensive maneuver requiring more than one day to complete depending on the size of the vessel. The waterfall is not so high that the portage around is suppose to be impossible. If the vessel attempts to go over the falls, the boat is automatically destroyed and any contents (characters, gear or otherwise) are swept downstream or destroyed.

11 – Underground: (Speed: 5 MPH) The river meets a large cliff face. The current increases as the water is forced into the mouth of a cave. The vessel is swept into the cave. The cave turns and twists disorienting the crew. All natural light is quickly lost. Unless the crew has some way of seeing in the dark, navigation is impossible and the vessel is at the mercy of the current until they exit the tunnel. (DEX DC 13 or Proficiency Vessel (water) DC 10 to keep straight or land on a dry area of the cave; if landing is attempted and the check fails, then 2d10 damage; if no one attempts to navigate (by lighting a torch, darkvision or magic to see) and the boat is left to the current, the vessel has a 75% chance of hitting the side of the cave and receiving 2d10 damage)

12 – Braided: (Speed: 3 MPH with oar or 4 MPH with sail) The river splits into many smaller canals that wind back to each other or wander away from the main river. The water moves around long, thin islands and hammocks. The distance between shores is greatly reduced. It is difficult to determine between the main river bank and islands. Once the crew decides on which canal to take, a reroll of environments may be appropriate.  The DM will decide whether or not the crew’s choice of canals leads to the intended destination, back to the original river or somewhere completely new.  (DEX DC 8 or Proficiency Vessel (water) DC 5 to navigate by rowing; DC 10 (or DC 7 with proficiency) to navigate by sails (if there is wind);  if skill check fails, the vessel makes only 1 MPH and spins in the current)

Local Gaming Store and Mutual Support

Is it ever okay not to support your local gaming store?

There's strong grassroots opinions to support your friendly, local, game store (FLGS). I agree that its great to have a local store for your hobby; somewhere to congregate with like minded individuals and peruse the latest and older products. These stores should be supported, otherwise we'll lose them.

But, what happens if the store doesn't support you? Or at least doesn't support you enough?

A little background, I recently moved to a new town with the one and only FLGS is right down the road. I was thrilled to finally have a store that wasn't an hour drive away. I quickly came to realize this store was not interested in supporting RPGs.

When I say "not interested" I specifically mean, he's not running games in store. I never even got a chance to offer to run the games. The idea seems to be a non-starter. Magic and Warhammer are no problem, but table top RPGs don't make enough money...end of discussion.

I hear what he's saying. The big money is in cards and miniatures. He does maintain a modest selection of RPG products, about a shelf worth of books, some minis and dice. No problem ordering anything I want, as well. But, we're not going to take an evening to try and bring RPG players (new and old) into the store.

It's his store, he can promote what he wants.

I want to support local stores, but I don't feel particularly drawn to going down the street and entering his brick-and-mortar to just order something, when I could just order it from an online store that a lot of times is just as much of a small business as the FLGS and much more interested in supporting my interests.

Should I feel guilty for not supporting my local FLGS that doesn't directly support my hobby?

Poisoned vs. Nauseated

I had a discussion over at a few of the Google+ groups this weekend. It concerned the lack of Nauseated in the 5e conditions rules. Presently, if you have a character that might be nauseated you do a CON save. If they fail, they get the Poisoned condition.

I have a couple issues with using Poisoned.

•  It’s not very fun to play. All Poisoned does is apply a Disadvantage to the character. That’s it? You roll twice while puking your guts out. We can do better than that, right?

•  A character becoming nauseated is not clearly explained in the rules. The only RAW concerning nauseated is a round-about mention in the Troglodyte’s Stench ability or the Stinking Cloud spell. Stench doesn't come out and say nausea, it’s just implied that you smell something bad and roll for Poisoned. Stinking Cloud does say nauseated, but the results are different than Poisoned.

• I simply don’t like using Poisoned for Nausea. Prior editions didn’t use it. They used Nausea.  For some reason they changed it for 5e. You can be nauseated due to poisoning, but you can’t be poisoned because of nausea. It doesn’t make sense to me.

I think nausea should be in a lot more adventures. There’s a lot of reasons heroes and adventurers might become nauseated, from dropping into a fetid sewer, seeing rotted corpses or eating bad food just to name a few. It should be a condition that creates a significant enough obstacle that the player needs to deal with before moving on, not just an increase to failure chances.

Here’s an idea for a house rule to deal with the Nauseated condition, I think it’s a little closer to the how a player would react if she was overcome with nausea.

Nauseated:
-  Apply three levels of exhaustion while being affected or around the cause of the nausea

-  Unable to consume enough food and drink to complete a long rest

-  a level of exhaustion per day+CON mod is obtained while nauseated

Tell me what you think!

Monster Monday! The Jungle Sludge

Jungle Sludge

Large Ooze; Unaligned

Armor Class 8

Hit Points 42 (6d10+12)

Speed 10ft, climb 10ft

STR                    DEX                    CON                    INT                      WIS                     CHA

15(+2)               6(-2)                  14(+2)                2(-4)                  6(-2)                   1(-5)

Skills Stealth +2

Damage Resistance lightning, slashing

Damage Immunities Fire, acid

Condition Immunities Poisoned, blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, prone

Senses blindsight 60ft (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 8

Languages –

Challenge 2 (450 hp)

Amorphous – The sludge can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Spider Climb – The sludge can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on branches, without needing to make an ability check.

Camouflage – The sludge can collect fallen material from the ground and coat itself to appear like a pile of debris. The sludge gains an advantage at stealth when it stays still while camouflaged.  An observant adventure may notice the surrounding area of the pile clean of any leaves or branches.

Actions:

Pseudopod – Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) acid damage.

Sticky – When the sludge is hit by a melee weapon, it can use its reaction to attempt to hold the weapon with a sticky substance that covers its body. The creature must make a DEX DC 12 save or become grappled (or must let go of the weapon). The sludge has advantage on attacks against the creature. The stuck creature receives 3 (1d6) acid damage while a body part is in the sludge.

This type of ooze lives under thick jungle canopies, where it is heavily shaded and the ground is covered in fallen leaves and branches. The Jungle Sludge has evolved a sticky, outer layer that is used to gather this deadfall and cover its body. Using this camouflage to disguise itself to resemble a pile of leaves, the sludge waits for prey to pass.

Magic Item: Monkey Scream

Magic Item:

Monkey Scream

Weapon (mace, small), rare (requires attunement)

This mace is created from a whole skull of a charmed baboon attached by enchanted sinew to a thick branch stolen from a great tree in the jungle protected by dryads. When the weapon is swung, air rushes through the open mouth of the skull and creates a loud shriek. When a creature is hit, that creature takes an extra 2d6 necrotic damage. Any creatures within a 30’ radius of the mace and that can hear when it shrieks must make a WILL DC 13 or become frighten for one round.

Monkey Scream is created by a coven of Chu’Mwarg witches only for the most powerful Chu’Mwarg chieftains. Using dark jungle magic, they enchant and attune the weapon to the chief.

Curse:  If anyone larger than a small humanoid attempts to wield the weapon or the weapon is taken out of the jungle, Monkey Scream will randomly shriek twice an hour for 1d4 rounds affecting everyone in a 30’ radius (saves must be made each time the weapon shrieks; if the save is successful, the individual is not frightened but has disadvantage on skill or concentration checks while it is shrieking).  Being carried in a container where the weapon is buried in soil and vegetation from the jungle will prevent the shrieking. Once removed from the container, the shrieking returns.

The Flame Princess Revealed!...sort of.

File this under, "Neat stuff to know from behind the curtain."

Sara Strömmerin, pictured below singing Piece of My Heart on Finland's version of the Voice, was the model in the reference shot for the slime attack of the Flame Princess artwork. 

The artist and model seemed to have nailed the facial expression. Pretty cool!

Chris Stapleton's "Sometimes I Cry"

You may not like country music and I understand that, but this guy deserves respect. He is a songwriter that the pop country singers turn to when they want a song with soul. He's putting out a debut album of his own soon. Take a listen and I think you'll hear what I'm talking about.

Fifth Edition Foes

The Fifth Edition Foes by Necromancer Games seems to have hit the streets in limited quantity. Over at ENWorld, people are saying they are able to download the PDF. The hardcover book is to come out in April. The opinions have been overwhelmingly positive, but these are the people that backed the kickstarter. I would expect only positive response at this point.

The cover promises "5th Edition Rules, 1st Edition Feel", by the initial comments and leaked teasers, this seems to be the definite direction they've taken the book. From what I can gleam from comments, the book seems to be filled with 300 or so 1st Edition Monster Manual and Fiend Folio monsters with some new monsters to boot.

The art is very 1st Edition. Lots of black and white pencil sketches (at least from what I can see from the leaks). Some reports are saying there is good mix of scary and goofy creatures. But, its all entertaining. (again from KS backers)

It's too early for me to do a review. I didn't back the book and don't have the PDF. I will comment on the price. That seemed to a HUGE thing for people when the WotC's 5e Monster Manual was released. This is a third party publisher using a lot of rehashed/reskinned material. It's priced at $45 bucks for the hardcover or $19.99 for the PDF at Frog God Games, significantly higher than the Monster Manual. I wonder how much success (or outrage) that will garner with the public.

edit: Changed the price of the PDF to the correct listed price.

Swarm of Flying Jungle Quippers

Swarm of Flying Jungle Quippers

Armor Class 13

Hit Points 28 (8d8)

Speed: 0 ft, swim 30, fly 10 ft
Initiative: +3

 STR          DEX           CON         INT         WIS          CHA

13(+1)     16(+3)       9(-1)       1(-5)        7(-2)         2(-4)

Damage Resistances:  bludgeoning, piercing, slashing

Condition Immunities: charmed, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned

Senses:  darkvision 60ft, passive Perception 8

Languages:  -

Challenge Rating: 1

Swarm: The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny quipper. The swarm can’t regain hit points of gain temporary hit points.

Surface Sight: The swarm can see when a creature is on the surface, including if the creature is on a vessel or flotsam.  The swarm is considered hidden while watching for prey.(Stealth DC 15)

Ambusher:  The swarm has the advantage on all creatures it surprises.

Flying: Jungle quippers have evolved rudimentary wings out of their pectoral fins which allow them a limited amount flying. When a creature is spotted on the surface, a part of the swarm can launch into the air and fly for a short time (1d6 rounds) to attack the creature.
Regroup: When the swarm re-enters the water, it regains 2d6 hit points as the remaining quippers regroup with the swarm. This will only happen twice after re-entering the water.

Actions:

Bites: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature in the swarm’s space. Hit: 8 (4d4) piercing damage or 4 (2d4) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.

Launching Attack: When the swarm senses a creature on the surface, some of the swarm launches into the air and can fly for a short amount of time to ambush the prey. The swarm can stay airborn for 1d6 rounds before needing to return to the water.  It can move slowly with the target, if needed.

Disorienting: Any creature that receives damage and is caught within the swarm must make a save (WIS DC 11) at the beginning of his turn or be frightened (if frightened the player will need to enter the water, if there is no where else to move on the boat).

Out of the water, the swarm will only follow injured creatures in an attempt to drive them in the water. If there is no creature to attack, the swarm will re-enter the water on its turn. In the water, the swarm will follow a creature that is bleeding. When the swarm re-enters the water, it will act as a normal swarm of quippers with 2d6 additional hit points minus the incurred hit point damage on the surface (not to exceed the swarm’s initial hit points). This will not happen more than twice when re-entering the water.

Musings on How to Increase Tension for the Player

After a read through of Diana Pharoh Francis' essay, The Importance of Tension and Raising the Stakes, in Kobold's Guide to Combat, I can't say the question of how to raise tension and player's stakes was answered...at least not in a meta sense.

I don't know if Prof. Francis has a lot of rpg background, but her essay seems to be coming from strictly a novelists perspective. She goes into detail about characters in famous stories dealing with increasingly difficult situations and how the building tension creates a better story. I can't argue with her about any of that, but she seems to discount the aspect of a death as it pertains to a table top role playing game.

"You don't want to put them in a position where they might die all the time. For one thing, death is boring. It's over with and the character is out of the story or game and what fun is that?"

I'm not sure what games she playing in, but death is rarely boring. It can be one of the most poignant parts of the entire gaming experience.

She does go on to say that death isn't always a finality with magic and magic creatures, but typically it's the end (her opinion). In her defense, a lot, if not most, rpgs are ran to be survivable. It's safe to say, most of us have not had to deal with a total party kill or at least not very often. The modern rpg seems to have conditioned the DM and player, as well as the designer to some extent, that the player's initial characters will survive and be the hero of the story.

Early editions, some rulesets and the OSR movement don't always follow this idea of "character first". Deaths ever present and a player (as well as the DM) should expect characters to die. These games do have potential "casts of thousands" and no one should ever expect their favorite character will live past the next room of the dungeon.

So, if you're in the mindset that death should be around every corner, how do you increase the tension for the player in the long view, if the expectation is that the player's character will most likely die?

I'm thinking of a few ideas:

- Appeal to the player's (not the player's character's) sense of decency.
      The player's heroic fighter may have died and the player rolls a new character, a crafty thief looking for the next bag of gold. The thief may not care about the approaching horde of orcs ready to burn down the orphanage, but the player may feel the need to save the children.

- Appeal to the player's greed.
    The dragon's lair is right around the corner and you know how dragons like their gold. I don't care if my most favorite character just died. I need to see what that wyrm has stashed away.

- Appeal to the player's sense of mystery
    The shadows hold deadly threats, just as your stalwart cleric has just found out. But, you know there is something just beyond the dungeon hallway.

As I write these ideas, I notice they are more just carrots for the players, just future rewards for more effort and not necessarily "cranking up the tension".  Maybe the question isn't so easy to answer.

Does anyone have any ideas to bring the player into the intensity of the adventure while not relying solely on the player's character as the vehicle? What do you do to maintain and develop tension for the player, even if their favorite character dies?

Hoard of the Dragon Queen, Play Report #1

Hoard of the Dragon Queen is started...with character creation, at least. I'm not DMing this one. I really want to slay some dragons! The table is pretty loaded with experienced players, as well. Most of us have DMed once or twice various systems and games.

The party seems to shaping up like this:

- Hafling Cleric (domain undecided at this point)
- Half-elf Lore Bard
- Wood Elf Shadow Monk
- Gnome Wizard (not sure which school)
- Dragonborn Berserker Barbarian (that is me)

No human party! It should be interesting, but as long as the cleric and bard grab some healing spells I think we cover enough of the bases to be successful.

There is some campaign specific backgrounds for dragonborn, so still trying to nail down a color. After a discussion with the DM, I'm leaning toward silver. I think there's going to be a lot of role playing opportunity with the race/class with this adventure.

Three players are new to the group which I'm happy to see. They seem to be story leaning with there approach, which I think is great.

I'm looking forward to posting updates (especially as a player!) in the future.

Boots, Beer and Steers

The Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival was a bit of a bust. I didn't even get to get to eat a frog leg due to the lines. I think its grown a little past a eccentric local fest and moved solidly into a regional event. It's just a little too big to feel like a good time.

But the Bull Frog Rodeo was a lot of fun.

Grabbed some great pics, got to wear my boots in an appropriate enviroment and introduced the kids to a pretty healthy and fun activity. Next time I might need to get a decent hat...

CHU’MWARG - 5e Jungle Trow Witch

CHU’MWARG - 5e Jungle Trow Witch

 

Small Humanoid –

AC 11(Natural Armor)

HP 7 (2d6)

Speed : 30’ (Climb: 20’)

STR: 6 DEX: 12 CON: 10 INT:8 WIS: 14 CHA: 10

Skills: Stealth +5 Medicine +6

Senses: Low-Light Vision, Passive Perception 11

Saves: DEX +3 CON +2

Damage Resistance: Poison

Language: Mwargian

Challenge: ¼

Equipment:  Quarterstaff

Attack: Quarterstaff: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning

Spellcasting: Spell save DC 12, +3 to hit with spell

Cantrips(at will): Druidcraft, Poison Spray

1^st Level(2 slots): Cure Wounds, Entangle

ACTIONS:

Jungle Senses: Chu’Mwarg’s senses are heightened while in the jungle. They receive an Advantage to Perception rolls.

Climbing Expertise: Chu’Mwarg can climb the slippery jungle trees with Advantage on STR rolls.

Natural Healers: Chu’Mwarg witches can use their knowledge of jungle remedies to heal injuries and sickness. They use their Medicine skill, instead of Nature to identify plants and substances to treat ailments and have advantage on all Medicine checks if they are not in threat of danger while performing the skill.

The Chu’Mwarg Witch is the healers and magic-users of the tribe. Their understanding of magic is limited, but their knowledge of the jungle and its secrets is great. Individuals may occasionally accompany a war party, otherwise they stay close to tribe.

The Chu’Mwarg are a small race of primitive humanoids living in the deepest parts of the jungles. They typically stay in small tribes (10-30 individuals) maintaining a hunter/gatherer, patriarchal society. Most only reach a height of three feet. They have tanned skin with sparse, thick hair covering their body. The darker body hair grows in a pattern that gives the appearance of stripes across the body. The eyes and ears seem to be too large for the Chu’Mwarg’s head. Eye color can range from pale yellow to bright gold. Their large mouths contain a set of teeth that are kept sharpened with occasional filing.

It is believed this race is a combination of goblin and some sort of gnome due to their height, body structure and hostile nature. They are believed to have fey background as their connection to the jungle is undeniable, but that has yet to be verified. The tribes are very territorial and will attack any intruders. Victorious warriors have been noted to wear the heads of their enemies tied to their waistbands. The lack of slain bodies leads some to think cannibalism is practiced, as well.

The tribal society is typically nomadic, following prey through their jungle territory. A Chu’Mwarg village is comprised of quickly built structures of branches and large leaves surrounding a cooking fire. Villages rarely last more than a few day prior to the tribe moving to a new location.  A Chu’Mwarg tribe consists of males who do most of the hunting and warring. Most of the females are the caregivers and seem to have a rudimentary understanding of nature magic. The tribe is led by the strongest Chu’Mwarg which is typically a male, but a female may take control if her magic is strong.

They prefer to ambush their prey with hunting packs of 4 or greater hiding in the tree canopy or underbrush of the jungle. Using their poison tipped darts, they incapacitate a target before attacking with their spears. A Chu’Mwarg hunting party will track and fight intruders to the death. They may scatter into the jungle, if the enemy is too strong, but they will do everything possible to not be taken alive. If they are captured, they quickly slip into a submissive, catatonic state. If they are removed from the jungle, they will die in 1d4 days.

In Search of Lost Dragons US Edition

I had no idea it was Appreciate a Dragon Day or such a day even existed. None the less, this looks pretty cool and would be a welcomed addition on my shelf. I hope I win a copy!

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2015/01/in-search-of-lost-dragons-sweepstakes#comments

CHU’MWARG - 5e Jungle Trow Warrior

CHU’MWARG - 5e Jungle Trow Warrior

Small Humanoid –

AC 13

HP 8 (2d6)

Speed : 30’ (Climb: 20’)

STR: 8 DEX: 14 CON: 12 INT:8 WIS: 10 CHA: 8

Skills: Stealth +6

Senses: Low-Light Vision, Passive Perception 12

Saves: DEX +4 CON +3

Damage Resistance: Poison

Language: Mwargian

Challenge: ¼

Equipment:  Leather Armor (small), Blowgun (10 Ammo) (1 piercing), Spear (1d6+1 (4) piercing, thrown (20/60), Sleeping Death Frog Poison (Injury, Paralyzed (1d4 rounds), CON DC 10)

Attack: Spear: Melee or Ranged weapon attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6+1) piercing damage

Blowgun; Ranged weapon attack: +3 to hit, range 25/100 ft, loading Hit: 1 piercing (w/o poison), Sleeping Death Frog Poison (Injury, Paralyzed (1d4 rounds immediately), CON DC 10)

ACTIONS:

Jungle Senses: Chu’Mwarg’s senses are heightened while in the jungle. They receive an Advantage to Perception rolls.

Climbing Expertise: Chu’Mwarg can climb the slippery jungle trees with Advantage on STR rolls.

Poison Tipped Darts: Each Chu’Muarg warrior carries a live, small, colorful frog in a pouch. The surface of the frog’s skin is covered with a paralyzing poison. The warrior can take a Use an Object action to carefully apply poison to the tip of a blowgun dart, but the dart must be used immediately after the application or the poison dries and becomes useless. 

The Chu’Mwarg are a small race of primitive humanoids living in the deepest parts of the jungles. They typically stay in small tribes (10-30 individuals) maintaining a hunter/gatherer, patriarchal society. Most only reach a height of three feet. They have tanned skin with sparse, thick hair covering their body. The darker body hair grows in a pattern that gives the appearance of stripes across the body. The eyes and ears seem to be too large for the Chu’Mwarg’s head. Eye color can range from pale yellow to bright gold. Their large mouths contain a set of teeth that are kept sharpened with occasional filing.

It is believed this race is a combination of goblin and some sort of gnome due to their height, body structure and hostile nature. They are believed to have fey background as their connection to the jungle is undeniable, but that has yet to be verified. The tribes are very territorial and will attack any intruders. Victorious warriors have been noted to wear the heads of their enemies tied to their waistbands. The lack of slain bodies leads some to think cannibalism is practiced, as well.

The tribal society is typically nomadic, following prey through their jungle territory. A Chu’Mwarg village is comprised of quickly built structures of branches and large leaves surrounding a cooking fire. Villages rarely last more than a few day prior to the tribe moving to a new location.  A Chu’Mwarg tribe consists of males who do most of the hunting and warring. Most of the females are the caregivers and seem to have a rudimentary understanding of nature magic. The tribe is led by the strongest Chu’Mwarg which is typically a male, but a female may take control if her magic is strong.

They prefer to ambush their prey with hunting packs of 4 or greater hiding in the tree canopy or underbrush of the jungle. Using their poison tipped darts, they incapacitate a target before attacking with their spears. A Chu’Mwarg hunting party will track and fight intruders to the death. They may scatter into the jungle, if the enemy is too strong, but they will do everything possible to not be taken alive. If they are captured, they quickly slip into a submissive, catatonic state. If they are removed from the jungle, they will die in 1d4 days.