yep, here we go again. it's dragonbane time.
GM Elle: Okay, I'm assuming right off the bat not everybody went back and reread all Claire's blog entries of all our play sessions in this campaign.
Ariel: I'm not sure I'd assume anybody went back and read it all! Holy smokes, it's like Warrin' Petes or something.
Sasha: Like what?
Ariel: Warrin' Petes. It's some book about a hillbilly feud or something? By that guy who wrote Toy Story, only it's super-long instead of just 90 minutes worth of story like the movies. I keep hearing about it every so often.
Hettie: Is it conceivable, at least as an outside chance, that you're referring to War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy? That's a famously long literary work that takes place during the Napoleonic wars.
Ariel: Maybe? I mean, my main point is, the whole campaign story is crazy long. I wasn't trying to start a book club or something. And definitely not by recommending a book with more than one character named "Pete." That sounds really confusing, in addition to being too long to make you want to read it.
GM Elle: Well, now that my point seems pretty completely proven ... I was going to go on to say that some of us might not have even gone back and skimmed or read the summary MSG put together.
Ariel: I started to, but even that summary was way long. Like 12 pages or something. I mean, thanks for doing it and all, MSG, but I think I'm just gonna see if it all comes back to me when we start playing or something.
MSG: No problem.
Heddy: I did skim the whole collection of posts -- which were extremely entertaining, I'll say. But it was a lot. I might have done better to read the summary instead.
GM Elle: Don't worry about it. I'm going to do a super-short summary in just a minute here. But first why doesn't everyone re-introduce their characters for Heddy's benefit -- and for anybody else who's lost track of things in the months and months since we last played?
MSG: Sure. My character is Dour Dolora, a young dwarven bard who craves knowledge above all else. She's very strong and agile --
Claire: And charismatic and intelligent.
Ariel: And constitutionish!
Akane: Also Willpowerly, remember. Such good rolls on all stats! I remember the jealousy of all other players.
MSG: Sorry, I don't usually roll that well, but I had a pretty freakishly good run when I was making the character. Anyway, under 'appearance,' I wrote that she's stout but shapely, square-jawed, with thick black braids, and dark skin and eyes.
Heddy: I'm drooling.
Claire: My character's an elf named Filvius Factsnacker. He's in kind of a craving-knowledge competition with Dolora, but he's a mage, not a bard. Super-agile, okay-smart, mostly average otherwise except that he's got a kind of abrasive personality. Silver eyes, short, messy silver hair, and a long, thin silver moustache. He's the party's healing spellcaster.
Heddy: So I'll want to get on his good side.
MSG: Dolora wouldn't really say he has a good side.
Claire: Yeah, but she's a grumpus.
Ariel: My character is Fidu Greymane! He's a wolfkin merchant who's really old and has a weakness of "slothful." He's pretty good in Agility and Intelligence and Charisma, plus he's got this Insight ability so he can tell when people are lying. Oh, and plus, he has a great nose for finding treasure! Um, says here his appearance is "Distinguished with dark grey fur that's shaggy around the edges." Probably because he's too slothful to brush it much.
Sasha: When you look at me, Heddy, you see a mallard knight with sleek emerald headfeathers. He's very nicely preened and dashing. Sir Quackenscrump's the name. Not the brightest, but he's pretty awesome at everything else, and his big strength is, he's a Monster Slayer. Just even mention monsters around him, and pow! He's ready to get some slaying on.
Akane: I am next? The character I play is Zedeja of Mind. Human, and very old. So old and cantankerous! Some say she is overbearing, but she demands them not to say that. Exceptional with Intelligence and Willpower! This willful mage -- you will observe her power. Oh, in appearance, it says, "Wild white hair. Extreme of Reediness. Eyes: so squinty!"
Hettie: My character is Zedeja's nemesis, Dilfriida Sidewise. She's a young halfling of larcenous bent, with a weakness of "thin-skinned." She's slim, with long black hair tied back in two tails, a swarthy complexion, and a face set in a constant grimace. She can't stand Zedeja's overbearing manner and constantly butts heads with her.
Heddy: Okay, then. I'm not sure how I end up joining the party, but my character is Brandywise Blithedale, a satyr scholar who's faint of heart and possesses full lips, sharp eyebrows, rose red hair, tawny fur, and pale lavender horns and eyes. In build I've written that she's slender with very modest breasts, but now I'm feeling a bit awkward about that, since no one else seems to have detailed out their breast endowment.
Akane: No details to be spoken of for Zedeja -- if she had them, I would have written it. Too skinny and old for breast commentary about her.
Claire: MSG did say that Dolora was "shapely." I don't think "very modest breasts" seems any more lurid than that.
Heddy: Well, I didn't exactly mean it was lurid. More like ...
Hettie: Titillating.
Heddy: Hush! I think we should just get on with the game.
GM Elle: We're off and running, then. Here's my lightning-fast summary. Cut off from the outside world by the Kummer Mountains is a strange land called the Misty Vale. The group ventured here because they heard that the place was full of treasure and excitement --
Ariel: Mostly it was about the treasure for Fidu.
GM Elle: -- and in recent times it's become at least somewhat less dangerous because of the withdrawal of some fierce orc tribes that overran the place after the fall of the ancient Dragon Empire. As they traveled the pass from the outside world, the group found a dying man with a map and a piece of a small statue. His last words set them on a quest to use the map and find the other three pieces to complete the statue. As they made it deeper into the Vale, they found the town of Outskirt and learned that the statue, when complete, would allow entrance to an ancient crypt beneath some ruins at the center of the settlement. A barmaid named Annabella gave them some of this information and said she belongs to an organization that seeks the statue and will pay handsomely for any pieces they find. So far, they've explored the Temple of the Purple Flame, Dead Eyes Cave, the hollow, haunted statue of King Hanhgrav the Great, and most recently the Road's End Inn. They have two pieces of the Dragon Emperor statue, and currently employ a former cultist named Glinssa, whom they enticed away from the sect of Sathmog.
MSG: I think we also learned that Annabella is secretly known as Leannara, an operative of the cult.
GM Elle: Correct. Now, as the group has just broken the curse that had fallen on the Road's End Inn, dawn is breaking over the Misty Vale, bringing its feeble light through the thick mists that give the valley its name. What does the group do?
Hettie: Before we get to that, has Brandywise already joined us?
GM Elle: No, but I have a plan for her to show up soon, so don't worry too much about it.
Hettie: Just wanting to know so that I can roleplay accordingly. With that information in hand and some rations in her belly, Dilfriida votes for a shift rest. She's down a lot of willpower points and a couple of hit points as well.
Claire: Filvius is a bit short on WP too.
Ariel: I don't even need to check my character sheet to know Fidu is ready to nap!
Sasha: I'm okay to stand watch. In case any monsters show up.
Akane: Stop! These opinions are premature because Zedeja has not been consulted.
Hettie: Don't tell me she's going to argue against resting just because Dilfriida wants to.
Akane: Zedeja would never admit such a thing -- even if true. Which of course it is not! Although the reason for its untruth is, Dilfriida remains outside gobbling rations from our cart, where a dubious cultist is slumbering, remember? So she is not present inside the inn to vote.
Heddy: I think that's true, based on my skim of the notes. I was making sure I paid a bit more attention toward the end.
Akane: So the conversation is lacking Dilfriida. Thus, it starts from the complaint of Filvius and continues with the nap-desiring of Fidu. Zedeja can agree to these sentiments. Obviously, a junior mage must have rest even though probably he used fewer WP than the mighty Zedeja, who possesses still half her total. Before any such resting, though, someone must go check on our thievish halfling and untrustably cultish donkey-minder. Why is the halfling not returning already? Suspicious!
MSG: Dolora will go, but more to check on Glinssa than because she's worried. Dilfriida would probably call out or come running at any trouble.
Claire: Will we be camping out here inside the inn? Or does it look like it might fall down around our ears?
GM Elle: It's a solidly made place, if somewhat worse for wear and overdue for maintenance.
Claire: In that case, I'll get out my sleeping pelt and --
Akane: This is hasty! Who gave such permission or did such deciding? It was not Zedeja!
Claire: Yeah, well, Zedeja can stay up and stand guard with Quackenscrump, then. I'm going to go ahead and get some shuteye.
Ariel: YAWWNNNN! Oh gosh, sorry, Zedeja. Fidu's going to get out his furs and go to sleep too.
Akane: Impertinence! Such unruly behavior taxes an old mage with severity. Zedeja will therefore sleep also. But first, she demands that our duck knight stand watch and prevent a noisy return by Dilfriida. Don't allow any spoilage of rest by that halfling!
Sasha: Sure thing. I'll go out front to keep an eye on things. Maybe I'll invite that dwarf we found trapped in the inn to hang with me. He was an adventurer, right?
GM Elle: Yes, and he's not eager to spend any more time in the inn, either. Nor is the shepherd woman.
MSG: I'll let Dilfriida know everyone's bedding down inside. Any sign of Glinssa waking up?
GM Elle: She might be stirring a little with the rising light of morning peeking into the stables.
MSG: Then I'll let her know the scoop too and say I'm heading in to rest with the others.
GM Elle: She says she'll have some breakfast and tend to the donkeys.
Hettie: Upon seeing the cart left vacant, Dilfriida will take Glinssa's place and sleep there, considering it a superior alternative to returning to the common room where Zedeja's snoring or complaints might keep her up.
GM Elle: In that case, the shift rest goes off without a hitch. You can all regain your missing hit points, willpower points, and recover from any conditions. After everyone has rested up, Sir Quackenscrump notices a group of some sort coming along the road that leads to Outskirt.
Sasha: I jump up and put my hand on my sword hilt in case it's a group of monsters.
GM Elle: No, it looks like a couple of wagons and maybe a dozen or so people -- some of them ordinary civilian types, along with a few who are armed and look a lot tougher.
Sasha: I'll tell the shepherd to go in and let everybody know we've got company. Hang on -- does this chick have a name? If I just spent a couple hours talking with her and the dwarf, I'd probably have gotten their names. I mean, I do have a 14 charisma, so my people skills aren't total crap.
GM Elle: Her name is Antelia, and the dwarf is Stig Stonehilt.
Sasha: Great. Antelia, huh? I tell her if the scrawny old chick is still asleep inside, don't wake her up just yet. We don't need these new folks getting bossed around before we even find out what they're up to.
Akane: I roll Awareness. Does the entrance of a shepherd awaken the sleeping Zedeja? Dragon!
Sasha: Terrific.
GM Elle: With that roll, Zedeja either wakes up at the sound of wagon wheels even before Quackenscrump spots the travelers, or she was already awake and hears them. Either way, she also hears Sir Q telling Antelia not to wake her up.
Akane: Outrage! Zedeja stomps doorward.
GM Elle: Draw an initiative card to see whether she reaches the door before Antelia.
Akane: 2!
GM Elle: Antelia draws the 10. You open the door and find her reaching for the door handle.
Akane: Duck! You are not authorized to greet these travelers! They may be the suspect sort!
Sasha: I kinda think I was authorized when everyone let me stand watch.
Akane: Presumptuous! Game master, what does Zedeja see upon viewing the road?
GM Elle: Two wagons and about a dozen people. The ones in front might be adventurers or guards.
Akane: Or bandits! I chastise our duck knight for casualness. "Dealing with them alone is forbidden! What if they are tricksters?"
Sasha: I think I've got a pretty good beak for trouble.
Akane: Oh? And what if they say, "Look! There in the woods! Is it a monster? Hurry and pursue it!" Suddenly, we are unguarded and our cart and donkeys are stolen!
Hettie: And Dilfriida, since she's asleep in the cart.
Akane: Hush. Do not provide positives when Zedeja is listing negatives.
Hettie: Ah. Sorry about that.
Sasha: So can we tell anything more about these approaching travelers yet? I'd really like some evidence that Zedeja's wrong.
Akane: Improbable.
GM Elle: Go ahead and make an Awareness roll. That goes for Dilfriida too, since Zedeja's probably being loud enough to be heard in the stables.
Sasha: 3. Pretty easy even for my skill of 9.
Akane: 9, which is easy for my skill of 16!
Hettie: I barely make it with an 11.
GM Elle: That's good enough for Dilfriida to rouse. Meanwhile, Zedeja and Quackers pick out some familiar figures in the approaching group. It looks like Gualmond, Hengrik, and Fleetclaw are near the front. You also notice, farther back, an unusual kin -- a satyr with very modest breasts.
Heddy: Now that's just mean.
GM Elle: You can have a free experience mark to make up for GM misbehavior.
Heddy: Is that standard practice? If it is, be my guest at making fun of my character whenever you like.
GM Elle: One time deal, sorry.
Heddy: I'm marking "Bartering," then. Maybe I'll be more convincing at negotiations next time.
Sasha: I'll point out the adventurers we know and tell Zedeja, "See? Nothing to worry about at all. It's our pals from way back when."
Akane: We have only met them twice! Possibly they observed us for later shenaniganing.
Sasha: Whatever. I wave at them.
GM Elle: Gualmond waves back.
MSG: If the rest of us are up by this point, I'll come out to see what's happening.
Claire: Me too. No way is Filvius going to let Dolora get the scoop on what's up before he does.
Ariel: I make my Awareness roll, so I guess I wake up too. But I'm not ready to get out of bed yet, so I'll just keep one ear out in case there's sounds of trouble.
Hettie: I'll quietly quit my place in the cart and proceed to whatever corner's available for viewing the goings-on without being viewed myself.
GM Elle: Make a Sneaking check.
Hettie: Easily, with an 11.
GM Elle: The bulk of the inn is blocking you from line of sight to your companions, but you're able to see the approaching wagons through the open door of the stables.
Hettie: I'll remain still and watch for now, then.
GM Elle: Stop me at any point if someone wants to roleplay through this, but the leader of the group asks who you are and introduces himself and the purpose of their mission, which is to rid the Road's End Inn of whatever curse has hung over it all these years and refurbish it into a working establishment once more.
Akane: "Very rude of you not to accomplish this yesterday!" These are Zedeja's chastisements. "Our stay here -- very inconvenient!"
GM Elle: He seems pretty thrown off by that and says you are lucky if it was only inconvenient. Many people have apparently disappeared in the vicinity of the inn since its abandonment years ago. Around this time, a man in peasant's clothing steps out from the rest of the group and calls Antelia by name. The two of them rush together for a tearful reunion. If you reveal that you've already broken the curse on the inn, the leader gives you his thanks. Gualmond's companions seem disappointed that they didn't get to earn their keep by de-haunting the place, but the mallard himself is in high spirits at seeing you all again, and points out to his crew that their pay is the same whether they had to fight ghosts or not, and now all they have to worry about is guarding the place as the workers do their thing.
Heddy: Am I along as a ghost-buster or as one of the redecorators? I'd be a little surprised at the second one of those, because my Crafting skill is miserable.
GM Elle: Actually, it's not either one of those. You're a scholar, right? So your reason for coming along is that you've read stories of a place in the Haunted Marshes where a magic fountain once existed -- the Tower of Sighs. Supposedly, the waters of the fountain, when drunk, made it temporarily impossible for one to tell a lie. You're hoping to hang out at the inn and do what you can to help as it's being rebuilt, and see if there's more to be learned from people in the area -- possibly even see if anyone shows up who's headed in the direction of the tower and might let you join them.
MSG: This sounds like a nudge from the GM for us to head toward the tower instead of going back to Outskirt to rest up.
Ariel: I'm okay letting the GM nudge me!
Akane: Zedeja would resist most nudging, but it's allowable for the Game Master to do this.
GM Elle: The fellow in charge is grateful that you've saved them the effort of undoing the curse, so he says you're welcome to stay a while as they get the work underway. Or he can mark down in his ledger that you're owed a few free nights at the inn once it's ready to re-open.
Akane: We have needs that are more immediate!
Sasha: We do?
Akane: Yes! If there's a tower in the swamp to visit, how will our cart get there? Unless this is a swamp of very solid ground, Zedeja foresees difficulty! Also, donkeys might become stuck in quicksand. If this inn-fixer wishes to repay his debt to us, a good trade will be allowing the storage of our cart here while we seek a fountain-ful tower.
GM Elle: He's amenable to that.
MSG: Pretty good idea, actually ... except ...
Claire: Except what?
MSG: Glinssa is our donkey minder, so wouldn't it make sense for her to stay behind with them? But I'm thinking Zedeja wouldn't go for that.
Hettie: There's an easy solution. Dilfriida will volunteer to hang out at the inn with the cart and donkeys and all our goods while everyone else including Glinssa goes to the tower.
Akane: Absolutely not! Even a dubious ex-cultist can be trusted more than a thievish halfling. Zedeja insists, it's Glinssa's job to watch the cart. Dilfriida must stay where we can observe her.
Hettie: Mission accomplished. Almost too easily, in fact.
Akane: Zedeja does also demand that Gualmond and his adventurers keep their eyes on our goods and our donkey minder. They owe us too, for saving them de-cursing labor.
GM Elle: Gualmond accepts good-naturedly. Hengrik and Fleetclaw are less chipper, but don't argue. So ... if it isn't railroading you too quickly along, does the group want to head out into the Haunted Marshes now?
Heddy: Brandywise is a bit nervous about it, to tell the truth. She expected to hang around the inn and maybe learn some local legendry before eventually, possibly, finding someone to tag along with to the tower. Now that she's faced with an immediate trip into the swamps, her faint heart is giving her some jitters.
MSG: Well, if the Flip This Haunted Inn guy doesn't object, we could root around inside and see if there's any hooch left in there to bolster her spirits.
GM Elle: He'll allow it, and you do find several bottles.
Heddy: I'm a bit of a lightweight, so it won't take much to turn me into a bit of a silly goose. Or goat, I suppose, since I'm a satyr.
MSG: Before we leave, I'll try to impress upon Glinssa that we're depending on her to keep a good eye on the goats and the cart. I want her to feel valued and trusted.
Akane: By Zedeja, she is not!
MSG: Which is why I'm not saying this with Zedeja around. I'll also let her know that if we come back with any loot, I'll see to it that she gets at least a share.
Akane: These promises -- illicit and objectionable! It is good I am not there.
GM Elle: Glinssa appears pleased to have your trust and promises to do a good job while you're gone. Everyone make sure you mark on your character sheets what you're taking from the wagon.
MSG: I'll top off my stash of rations.
Claire: Me too!
Ariel: We should all do that!
Heddy: I only have 2 rations from my starting equipment. Is that enough?
GM Elle: 4 rations is one unit of weight, so you could carry another two without adding to your encumbrance.
MSG: I'm sure the group is willing to spare some.
Heddy: Thank you!
GM Elle: So ... just to the east of the inn, the road from Outskirt peters off into a patchy landscape of rank weeds and spongy ground. If you try to keep to places that are safe and solid, it will give you a bane on your rolls to keep on track ... but if you cut as straight through as you can, it will mean going through some nasty bogs where there might be unpleasant stuff lurking.
MSG: My Bushcraft skill is pretty good, so I'm happy to stay out of the muck. Especially since I'm not all that tall, you know?
Claire: Filvius points out that avoiding murky, lurky places means you probably won't pick up as much knowledge about what you can find in these kinds of marshes.
MSG: Damn you. Dolora thinks that's a really good argument in favor of the direct approach.
Heddy: Um ... my Bushcraft isn't bad, actually, and I'm pretty nervous about hoofing it through icky bogs. So, if the group overall would like to stay on drier land, I'd be happy to be our pathfinder.
Akane: Zedeja insists against seeking swamp knowledge in foolhardy ways. "Ow! Something is biting me! Oh, but now I know more about poison bites." Or "Hmm, filthy water getting into my pores. But! Now I know more about marsh disease, so it's okay." Poor thinking!
Hettie: I'm even shorter than Dolora, so dry land is my pick too ... but I don't want to agree with Zedeja, so I'll just kind of stew over the dwarf being so quick to throw me under the swamp-bus for some knowledge. Actually, I'll stew so much I get Angry as a condition.
Sasha: I'm good either way since I've got webbed feet, but can we just get going? I'm itching to find any monsters that might be out in these marshes.
MSG: I guess with Zedeja screeching at me and Dilfriida giving me the stink-eye, I'll try to guide us through the drier spots. With a bane, I roll 11 and 12, both of which are below my Bushcraft of 16.
GM Elle: You make decent progress then, but my roll for encounters this shift says you've entered the "haunted" part of the Haunted Marshes. Through the trees and mist, you see ghostly, spectral figures. They look like a band of orcs, and you hear them making gutteral wails as they wander the swampland. Everyone needs to make a WIL roll to avoid fear.
MSG: 9 succeeds for me.
Claire: 12 does for me.
Ariel: I roll a 4, so I just yawn at the spirits!
Sasha: Not that we can tell that's why you're yawning. Quackers rolls a 19, but I'm going to say he's ticked off at being spooked by spirits, so I push the roll by getting Angry. That's better ... 4.
Akane: A Dragon for Zedeja's roll! What weakling spirits! So unfrightful!
GM Elle: With that Dragon, I'll say Zedeja's mockery of the specters gives a boon to whoever still hasn't rolled.
Hettie: Even with a boon, I roll 13 and 19, bot failures against my WIL of 10. If I push the roll, do I re-roll with the boon also?
GM Elle: Yes.
Hettie: I'll attempt that, then. Since Zedeja is so bold and I'm feeling daunted, I become Disheartened at the prospect of her mocking me ... but I blow it again, 14 and 17.
GM Elle: Roll d8 on the Fear table, then.
Hettie: Peachy. What does a 3 do?
GM Elle: Panting. The intense fear leaves you out of breath and Exhausted.
Hettie: Oof. That's half my conditions marked already.
Heddy: Can I roll Awareness to see if I notice Dilfriida in a funk? As a satyr, I can buoy a companion's spirits by singing or reciting poetry for 10 minutes to remove a condition.
GM Elle: Certainly.
Hettie: Can she get a boon for the fact that Dilfriida is not in the least facile at keeping her emotions concealed?
GM Elle: Sure.
Heddy: In that case, one of my two dice comes up 6, so I succeed. Oh, and I also succeed on my WIL check against the fear. I'll spend 10 minutes reciting an epic poem about valiant heroes defeating a band of orcs to bolster our halfling's spirits.
Hettie: Thank you. I'll remove the Exhausted condition.
Sasha: Quackers tells Brandywise he likes her poem, even if orcs aren't technically monsters.
Heddy: I thank him very much.
Hettie: Might we also take a stretch rest so that I could shake off another of my conditions? I'd rather not get into more trouble with two of them still hanging around my neck.
Akane: Zedeja objects. The rest of us always have a halfling condition hanging around our necks, and it is never solved by resting!
Sasha: Sir Q is still cheesed off about those spirits spooking him, so I wouldn't mind a stretch rest. But if it's just going to make Zedeja bitch and moan, he'll probably still be cheesed off at the end of it, so he doesn't see a point in voting for a stop.
Ariel: Fidu doesn't need to fix any conditions or get any HP or WP back, but he'll still raise his hand in favor of a rest. If nobody else wants to, though, I won't make a stink about it.
GM Elle: Sounds like the group is continuing on, then. Dolora should make her next Bushcraft check, still with a bane for the route being so indirect.
MSG: Well, fudge. The worse of my two rolls is 19, so I fail.
GM Elle: It seems like no matter which way you turn, you keep coming across stretches of brackish water. If you're going to make any progress at all this shift, you'll have to cross through some of it -- and it's closing in on night by this time,
MSG: Does that mean that either way, we're not going to make it to the tower before dark?
GM Elle: Basically, yes.
MSG: In that case, I say we set up camp and see if we can find a clearer way through in the morning.
Akane: Zedeja approves of this suggestion and orders everyone to make camp.
Hettie: I'm still Angry but I'm also tired, so I won't argue.
Ariel: Oh no!
Sasha: What?
Ariel: I didn't write down that I took my tent from the cart! Did anyone else?
Akane: Hound! It is your tent! How did you fail in this responsibility?
Ariel: Well, it's so heavy it didn't even occur to me I'd want to carry it myself, and since we didn't sleep in it last night, I guess I just sort of forgot.
GM Elle: With no tent, every character has to roll separately for finding a spot to unroll their sleeping furs -- and if you don't have sleeping furs, you get a bane on your roll.
MSG: Can we get a boon by using the "Helping Others" rule?
GM Elle: Yes, but I'm going to say each character can only help one other character.
Sasha: Uh ... can someone else find a spot for you and your character just help them? Because my Bushcraft is terrible and I've got a bane from being Angry. I'll never get any sleep if I have to roll myself.
GM Elle: Hmm. I mean, I guess it makes no logical sense that a more skilled person couldn't do the spot-finding for you. But it's going to count as your turn helping them and vice versa, but you won't give them a boon. Basically, you'll be telling them what kinds of things help make it a good spot for you, and then it's up to them to make it work.
MSG: I'll set up my own spot first, then. Oof. 19. Looks like I put my fur down on a rock. Okay, when I try it out I'll say I notice myself getting poked by the rock and get Disheartened by making such a rookie mistake.
Claire: Or rocky mistake.
MSG: Second roll is ... 11. Much better. Want me to roll for you now, Sash?
Sasha: Quackers doesn't have a lot of confidence in the noise you made when you sat on that rock, but I guess beggars can't be choosers.
MSG: 11 again. You're good.
Claire: Yikes. 18 for me. Anybody want to say you were helping so I can roll a die for a boon?
Heddy: I'll help.
Claire: Ah, that's better. 9. Thanks for pointing out that mushy wet spot I almost put my furs down in, Brandywise. I can help somebody else out now.
Ariel: Ooh, I could use help -- my Bushcraft is kinda so-so.
Claire: Boon away, then.
Ariel: Yay! Dragon!
GM Elle: I'll say that means Fidu finds a perfect second spot while looking for his own, and you can point that spot out for someone else without them rolling.
Ariel: Woohoo! I'll offer it to Zedeja. Us old folks need to stick together.
Akane: Zedeja accepts -- her own Bushcraft skill is inferior.
Hettie: I'll swallow my pride and ask Fidu if he can find a spot for me, considering how well he did while looking for his own.
Ariel: Sure thing! It's a 4, so you're good.
Heddy: That just leaves me, and if I was counting right, there's no one left to give me a boon by helping, so I just do a straight roll? A 9 succeeds. Wow, I have to say, I like this system where you don't have to add any bonuses or modifiers to your roll the way it works in D&D and DCC.
MSG: Dragonbane's a really elegant system as far as that goes.
GM Elle: All right. Seems like a good place to end the session then, so let's ask the Experience questions. Did everyone participate? Yes. Did you explore a new location? Check. Defeat any dangerous adversaries. That one's a no. Overcome an obstacle without using force? Hmm ...
MSG: I'm not coming up with anything.
Ariel: Me neither.
GM Elle: Yeah, I think all the obstacles were just dealt with by way of standard rolls, and none of them particularly blocked you anyway. That just leaves giving in to your weakness.
MSG: Filvius goaded me into saying we should truck right through the gooey spots. I think that counts even if Zedeja argued us back out of it.
Claire: I think I'll count that one for myself too.
Ariel: I was super-lazy about bringing the tent along.
Sasha: I don't think I did much more than blab about monsters, so I'm not counting that.
Akane: Zedeja's overbearingness speaks on its own.
Hettie: That's for sure. I voluntarily gave myself the Angry condition based on my weakness, so I think I've qualified.
Heddy: I feel like I was pretty faint-hearted, right? At least for my first session.
GM Elle: Definitely. All right, then, everyone mark your marks and make your advancement rolls, and we'll see what happens with this tower next session!
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