D&D - Why
Why do we play D&D? I had this conversation a few weeks ago with someone. She said that for her D&D was more just an excuse to get together and hang out. An excuse to drink and order pizza and see people.
I shook my head.
Showing posts with label Dungeons and Dragons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dungeons and Dragons. Show all posts
Monday, March 9, 2015
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Writing - Incognita: Flip, Interrogation of a Prisoner
Writing - Incognita: Flip, Interrogation of a Prisoner
If anyone noted one more Halfling hedge wizard than usual in the docks of The Maw, it was unlikely they would’ve spoken on it. After all, the flood of refugees had thrown the usually ordered, rocky harbour into a sense of disarray in the past few months. Flip was adept at navigating the crowds, utilizing his mage hand and subtle applications of freezing winds around him, he managed to craft a bubble of space which pushed the press of bodies. Somewhere behind Fyarr had been distracted by giving healing blessings to the rabble, but Flip pushed forward unhindered.
Instructions that had been given to him were clear, and he abruptly turned down an alleyway between buildings. Another turn and the stone walls pressed ever closer, until he came upon a nondescript wooden door, carefully set. He approached and rapped once upon the wall alongside it, careful to not trip the magical markings on the step.
“What’s the password?” a muffled voice from within.
If anyone noted one more Halfling hedge wizard than usual in the docks of The Maw, it was unlikely they would’ve spoken on it. After all, the flood of refugees had thrown the usually ordered, rocky harbour into a sense of disarray in the past few months. Flip was adept at navigating the crowds, utilizing his mage hand and subtle applications of freezing winds around him, he managed to craft a bubble of space which pushed the press of bodies. Somewhere behind Fyarr had been distracted by giving healing blessings to the rabble, but Flip pushed forward unhindered.
Instructions that had been given to him were clear, and he abruptly turned down an alleyway between buildings. Another turn and the stone walls pressed ever closer, until he came upon a nondescript wooden door, carefully set. He approached and rapped once upon the wall alongside it, careful to not trip the magical markings on the step.
“What’s the password?” a muffled voice from within.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Incognita - 301A Interlude
Incognita - 301A Interlude
There was no sound made save the rustle of leather and cloth. No halfling feet pittered over the stone, and no voices carried in the desolate dungeon rooms. Above somewhere, the din of the refugee mob could be heard, the stamping of feet and the shouted voices. The air above was jubilant, now that the plague had been solved and it looked like the Refugees would be shortly on their way. The mage had drifted away, slipping silently down the twisting passages, he passed by underfoot unnoticed, subtle machinations of his magic weaved a safe course that ensured he'd never be trod upon or bumped into accidentally.
The door to the dungeons was still half open, and the application of some magical force crafted him a round invisible disc which he rode the stairs down on, leaving no trace of bootprint or otherwise in the dust. The soldier in him was stoic, but some other part of him, oft forgotten, retched a little. The stench of old blood was present, if muted.
The room was an array of cells and shackles, rotten straw lay about, refuse and dirt had been swept into corners but never scooped up, and the efflua of the living coalesced in the sewer troughs beneath, never being washed away into the sea for lack of caring. The disc carried him soundlessly as he appraised the surroundings. There were no prisoners here now, had not been in some time, except for the now shattered cage at the far end. But the signs were telling. Splatters of blood had stained the stone forever, would likely be impossible to clean.
He raised a hand, and a ball of flame formed between his fingers as he continued to drift around. In his minds eye he could see the people that were once held in these cages, that were shackled to the ground.
Finally the disc came to a rest, half a foot off the ground where he had stood hours ago. His arms crossed, and he waited, feeling the ebb and pull of magic as it swirled around. It was difficult to describe to those not in tune with the weavings, but it was a living, if languid thing that pushed and pulled. He just occasionally reached in and pulled what he wanted from it.
The lightning he had summoned had been draining. It was still a spell new to him, and perhaps in many ways still outside his expertise. Any skilled mage would be able to see the lancings which had scored much of the pathway between him and the abberation woman. It had been a merciful and powerful spell, and he took no pride in its use.
He drifted closer to where she had stood. There was nothing left of her. Turned to dust and ash, any chitinous remains had been put to torch, not that there had been more than a handful to begin with. She had hardly been defenseless, indeed, had she gotten loose there might have been a sense of true chaos for the group. But he relived those scant moments before the fight over and over, the others had been quick to attack the source of the problem, but he had been unable to bring his magic to bear against the creature.
She had just been protecting her child.
So quickly had she turned to magic as the method of her revenge.
Just like him.
And in her haste, her magic had consumed her. Her methods just slightly imperfect, her plan undone ever so slightly.
It was a strange thing to think on too deeply.
It would be some hours later when he emerged. When asked in the dusklight of where he'd been, he would only shrug and point at his spellbook. If anyone had noticed the stones of the Keep of Watcher's Crag warmed that day, they would not comment on it. For surely the bluster of many people, rushing to and fro as they made haste to get off the island was the reason for the stifling air and unseasonable warmth.
It wouldn't be for a long time, weeks or months, when finally they forced the heavy wooden door of the dungeon open, it having been inexplicably barred from the inside, that soldiers would discover the dungeon had been completely wasted. All the iron cages, the shackles, the soot and detritus had been scoured clean and melted to slag. A rusted, flat iron floor left in its place in the dungeon. It would be completely unusable, even the sewer drains had been plugged by slag metals, even the bolts that once held restraints had been melted from the walls.
They would stare in wonder then, at the whole floor which while rusted, was covered in unreadable arcane sigils.
And on the walls, they would murmur and speculate as they watched out over the sea. What the sigils meant, and if they were indeed the work of that strange little halfling, feisty and boisterous who always proclaimed himself "Right".
There was no sound made save the rustle of leather and cloth. No halfling feet pittered over the stone, and no voices carried in the desolate dungeon rooms. Above somewhere, the din of the refugee mob could be heard, the stamping of feet and the shouted voices. The air above was jubilant, now that the plague had been solved and it looked like the Refugees would be shortly on their way. The mage had drifted away, slipping silently down the twisting passages, he passed by underfoot unnoticed, subtle machinations of his magic weaved a safe course that ensured he'd never be trod upon or bumped into accidentally.
The door to the dungeons was still half open, and the application of some magical force crafted him a round invisible disc which he rode the stairs down on, leaving no trace of bootprint or otherwise in the dust. The soldier in him was stoic, but some other part of him, oft forgotten, retched a little. The stench of old blood was present, if muted.
The room was an array of cells and shackles, rotten straw lay about, refuse and dirt had been swept into corners but never scooped up, and the efflua of the living coalesced in the sewer troughs beneath, never being washed away into the sea for lack of caring. The disc carried him soundlessly as he appraised the surroundings. There were no prisoners here now, had not been in some time, except for the now shattered cage at the far end. But the signs were telling. Splatters of blood had stained the stone forever, would likely be impossible to clean.
He raised a hand, and a ball of flame formed between his fingers as he continued to drift around. In his minds eye he could see the people that were once held in these cages, that were shackled to the ground.
Finally the disc came to a rest, half a foot off the ground where he had stood hours ago. His arms crossed, and he waited, feeling the ebb and pull of magic as it swirled around. It was difficult to describe to those not in tune with the weavings, but it was a living, if languid thing that pushed and pulled. He just occasionally reached in and pulled what he wanted from it.
The lightning he had summoned had been draining. It was still a spell new to him, and perhaps in many ways still outside his expertise. Any skilled mage would be able to see the lancings which had scored much of the pathway between him and the abberation woman. It had been a merciful and powerful spell, and he took no pride in its use.
He drifted closer to where she had stood. There was nothing left of her. Turned to dust and ash, any chitinous remains had been put to torch, not that there had been more than a handful to begin with. She had hardly been defenseless, indeed, had she gotten loose there might have been a sense of true chaos for the group. But he relived those scant moments before the fight over and over, the others had been quick to attack the source of the problem, but he had been unable to bring his magic to bear against the creature.
She had just been protecting her child.
So quickly had she turned to magic as the method of her revenge.
Just like him.
And in her haste, her magic had consumed her. Her methods just slightly imperfect, her plan undone ever so slightly.
It was a strange thing to think on too deeply.
It would be some hours later when he emerged. When asked in the dusklight of where he'd been, he would only shrug and point at his spellbook. If anyone had noticed the stones of the Keep of Watcher's Crag warmed that day, they would not comment on it. For surely the bluster of many people, rushing to and fro as they made haste to get off the island was the reason for the stifling air and unseasonable warmth.
It wouldn't be for a long time, weeks or months, when finally they forced the heavy wooden door of the dungeon open, it having been inexplicably barred from the inside, that soldiers would discover the dungeon had been completely wasted. All the iron cages, the shackles, the soot and detritus had been scoured clean and melted to slag. A rusted, flat iron floor left in its place in the dungeon. It would be completely unusable, even the sewer drains had been plugged by slag metals, even the bolts that once held restraints had been melted from the walls.
They would stare in wonder then, at the whole floor which while rusted, was covered in unreadable arcane sigils.
And on the walls, they would murmur and speculate as they watched out over the sea. What the sigils meant, and if they were indeed the work of that strange little halfling, feisty and boisterous who always proclaimed himself "Right".
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Charity - Extra Life
Charity - Extra Life
For most of the day I've been on and off watching the Wizards of the Coast DnD Extra Life Marathon. Basically a large cast of rotating players, with DM Greg Bilsland are playing a 25 hour game or Hoard of the Dragon Queen. As of the time of this writing, some...I guess 15 hours in? We've raised almost 75 000 dollars for Extra Life just through Wizards of the Coast. Extra Life is a large, charity streaming event of gamers all across the world playing to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
Across the entire Extra Life program, we've raised 4.2 million dollars this year so far.
For most of the day I've been on and off watching the Wizards of the Coast DnD Extra Life Marathon. Basically a large cast of rotating players, with DM Greg Bilsland are playing a 25 hour game or Hoard of the Dragon Queen. As of the time of this writing, some...I guess 15 hours in? We've raised almost 75 000 dollars for Extra Life just through Wizards of the Coast. Extra Life is a large, charity streaming event of gamers all across the world playing to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
Across the entire Extra Life program, we've raised 4.2 million dollars this year so far.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Writing - A Lighthouse Interlude
Writing - A Lighthouse Interlude
Darkness stole around the coast and the fog rolled low. Out amongst the crashing of waves, silence had fallen in the abandoned lighthouse, with embers glimmering in the pit. The stewpot was cooling, and sleep which had been a long time coming to the weary adventuring party had finally seemed to fall.
In the darkness, there was a flicking motion, as though a match had been struck, but no accompanying scent of sulfur. The mage, Flip rose to his feet, finger held out while what could’ve been a wickless candle cast soft glows around the room. Around his bedroll lay belts and pouches filled with various magical components, haphazardly bundled or strewn. His vellum spellbook sat clasped shut still, while the halfling stretched. Reaching for his black leather robes, he donned them in silence and pulled the hood up. Stepping lightly around the other adventurers, he ascended the stairs long and creaking, his flickering magic held before him like a lantern.
He sat among the ruined balcony of the lighthouse for a long while, staring out at the restless tides. Other halflings might have pulled out a pipe and had a pinch of greyweed then, but Flip was not like other halflings. Instead he reached into a pouch in his cloak and pulled free the strange stone mask that the slave had worn.
It was a curious thing, slightly heavy to the touch, emotionless in a slightly strange way, hewn from a single block of stone. The fixings on the side of the mask, where it had once attached to the face of the slave were messed and bloody still, but the past nights work had seen him clear any flesh from the thing. He sat there in the dark, with careful hands applying a steady bit of flame to clean the thing, burning what was left of gore from the fixings. It took an hour while he worked, absent-mindedly reciting spell cantrips and gesturing arcane symbology over and over in his mind while he focused.
Before the moon reached its zenith he was done, a small stream of water from a magically cupped hand erased any ash, sending it cascading into the ocean. For a long while, the mage stared into the mask, for a time he imagined he could see all the slaves whose faces it had adorned through the ages, men and women, faceless and nameless now. It was a kind of falsehood, he had little skill in necromancy or communing with the dead, the mask could have been brand new for all he knew. But it didn’t dilute the rage he felt when he held it.
There was no recourse for it at the moment though but he did hold out his hand and collect a handful of smoking sparks, magically conjured. With a solemn breath, he exhaled and sent them spiraling upwards into the night stars.
I will kill those who did this to you...
Then he padded silently back down the stairs, the mask once again safely concealed somewhere in his robes, lay down and went back to sleep.
Darkness stole around the coast and the fog rolled low. Out amongst the crashing of waves, silence had fallen in the abandoned lighthouse, with embers glimmering in the pit. The stewpot was cooling, and sleep which had been a long time coming to the weary adventuring party had finally seemed to fall.
In the darkness, there was a flicking motion, as though a match had been struck, but no accompanying scent of sulfur. The mage, Flip rose to his feet, finger held out while what could’ve been a wickless candle cast soft glows around the room. Around his bedroll lay belts and pouches filled with various magical components, haphazardly bundled or strewn. His vellum spellbook sat clasped shut still, while the halfling stretched. Reaching for his black leather robes, he donned them in silence and pulled the hood up. Stepping lightly around the other adventurers, he ascended the stairs long and creaking, his flickering magic held before him like a lantern.
He sat among the ruined balcony of the lighthouse for a long while, staring out at the restless tides. Other halflings might have pulled out a pipe and had a pinch of greyweed then, but Flip was not like other halflings. Instead he reached into a pouch in his cloak and pulled free the strange stone mask that the slave had worn.
It was a curious thing, slightly heavy to the touch, emotionless in a slightly strange way, hewn from a single block of stone. The fixings on the side of the mask, where it had once attached to the face of the slave were messed and bloody still, but the past nights work had seen him clear any flesh from the thing. He sat there in the dark, with careful hands applying a steady bit of flame to clean the thing, burning what was left of gore from the fixings. It took an hour while he worked, absent-mindedly reciting spell cantrips and gesturing arcane symbology over and over in his mind while he focused.
Before the moon reached its zenith he was done, a small stream of water from a magically cupped hand erased any ash, sending it cascading into the ocean. For a long while, the mage stared into the mask, for a time he imagined he could see all the slaves whose faces it had adorned through the ages, men and women, faceless and nameless now. It was a kind of falsehood, he had little skill in necromancy or communing with the dead, the mask could have been brand new for all he knew. But it didn’t dilute the rage he felt when he held it.
There was no recourse for it at the moment though but he did hold out his hand and collect a handful of smoking sparks, magically conjured. With a solemn breath, he exhaled and sent them spiraling upwards into the night stars.
I will kill those who did this to you...
Then he padded silently back down the stairs, the mask once again safely concealed somewhere in his robes, lay down and went back to sleep.
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