Anonomuss
2009-07-31, 11:54 AM
Yesterday I started my first DnD 4e Campaign as a character, which I think went well, and in the hopes that my experiences might be of some, small, use to others, as an example of some of the possible pit-falls, and the joys of being a DM, I have decided to share with the most benevolent people of the playground our Campaign Journal.
The world of the Campaign (http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/flames-from-the-furnace) is one of my own devising, based around the world that is based off the 'Nentir Vale' presented in the back of the DMG, and its creation has been my project for the summer, and has only begun properly recently because of conflicting schedules.
Session 1
Characters
Each player, is a first timer and has started with a 1st level character, based upon their desires at the time:
-Reginald Flambritches: A gnome wizard ejected forcefully from his village, as a result of his propensity for fire magic, and the fact that he tends to cause wildfires while practicing. He has a Book Imp familiar, who disguises itself as a Badger. Reginald thinks it's a cat, and fondly refers to it as 'Francis Snugglekins'
-Bilorn Darkiron: A dwarf Artificer who was found unconscious when young in the wilderness, in the ruins of an ancient building, clutching a black staff that is utterly unremarkable in all ways, but for Bilorn's nature of clutching it at almost all times. He tends to roll 20s outside combat, but never within it.
-Donaar Baneblood: A Dragonborn Paladin of Bahamut who has the habit of turning CE every few minutes, before realising that he's playing a paladin, and taking back what he was doing.
-Lori: An Elven Ranger, who is very silent, but deadly accurate but managed to roll three consecutive 1s on d20s out of combat.
Session Synopsis
The group began the game mid-adventure, as per what I and the players had previously agreed. They were tasked with dealing with the goblin problem that the Barony of the Harkenwood, was having. The details provided by their resident quest-giver, the leader of the mercenary company that they are members of, were vague at best, to meet up with the Town mayor, Old Keller. Upon entry to the group of villages that comprised Harkenwood, the group found their way to the nearest tavern, Aunt Nonnie's Place, with cries of "Ale!"
They met Old Keller at the bar, talking to Nonnie Farwhere. And talked to him about what he required of them. He took them to one side, buying them a round (To more cries of "Ale!", especially from Bilorn), telling them that the town had been plagued by goblin attacks, and that they were located in a ruined monastery to the west of the barony. Bilorn agreed to do it immediately, providing that more ale was forthcoming, his personal dislike of the followers of Gruumsh showing through. Old Keller, agreed, and promised the others 25 gold pieces if they could accomplish the task (Cue cries from the dwarf, when he was reminded that gold could buy many things, ale included). They were also told that the purveyor of the Cliffside Brewery, Godira Halfthewer, had additional tasks that could also be completed for further reward.
So, off they went to the Cliffside Brewery, and witnessed some of the effects of the goblin raids, as the Brewery was under repair. They met the dwarf Godira, brewmistress of the cliffside brewery, and found that she was offering a 2gc reward per pair of Goblin ears they recovered. (This set off a partially in-character, partially out of character, discussion in which the players/characters wondered what kind of weird ear fetish she had, only ended when I mentioned that they might be needed for proof. Mainly to stop the players from trying to excite her by having Lori flash her ears...) She also wanted them to recover five barrels of ale that had been stolen by the Goblins. They tried to negotiate a 'better deal' and managed to get a concession of one barrel of ale, but were then sent on their way. (Cue cries of "To the Monastery!" from Reginald.)
They made their way to the monastery and arrived at the early onset of the evening, as the sun set beyond the monastery. The monastery itself was ruined, with only the main entrance hallway and its outbuildings still standing. The group, seeing the flickering of candlelight beyond the doorway of the monastery, and in one of the outbuildings, which was beyond their reach within the monastery's courtyard, decided to send their elf in to investigate the building. She stalked in stealthily, and noticed three goblins playing cards by candlelight, but almost stepped upon a goblin standing in the corner. Needless to say, her cover was blown, and she moved to leave, firing as she went, severely wounding several of the goblins. The rest of the group moved in, and dealt with the goblins rather summarily, although, as they were all finding their feet, they did have some rather interesting maneuvering errors. (Donaar standing behind Bilorn and Reginald for a large portion of the fight being a particularly large faux pa).
Once they gathered up the resulting loot, and seeing that the intact hallway continued onwards into a further, intact, part of the building, Reginald sent Snugglekins, his faithful familiar to investigate it, seeing as there was a subtly ominous chanting from beyond a turn in the hallway. While Reginald was instructing his Badger, Bilorn was investigating the room itself. It was much better preserved within these rooms than the exterior would suggest. Every few feet, the structure was propped up with wooden struts. The adjacent rooms were boarded off, but Bilorn and Donaar didn't let it stop them. Bilorn made his way in to one of the two rooms, and discovered an ancient spear before the "ceiling" gave way, and he was forced to leave. Donaar was even less fortunate, he didn't see a thing before he fell through the floor, into what was the foundations of the room. Meanwhile, Snugglekins had made his way back and informed Reginald that there were about 5 goblins, and a lot of vermin in the room, and that one of the goblins was performing some form of ritual. The group realised that because of their method of gaining access to the boarded up rooms (I believe swords were involved), that the goblins were most likely aware of their presence. As such Reginald sent the recently returned Snugglekins to alert them when the goblins were coming.
Snugglekins however, had an unfortunate run in with some giant rats, but as it was still within Reginald's eyesight, they were burnt to cinders, as he shouted "YOU KILLED SNUGGLEKINS, YOU B-", shortly before Snugglekins reappeared on his person. A short while later a tide of goblins, rats and fire beetles swarmed into their room. They made good use of burst powers, and enjoyed their first encounter with minions, but Donaar was brought down to 1 hit point, due to suffering a two critical hits from fire beetles (Who are fully the most dangerous first level creatures, IMO). The goblin hexer leading the group, however, fled back into the next room.
They healed up, and found him hammering on a locked, and very intact door , in a room filled with piles of rubble and a single flaming brazier. They "interviewed" him. He told them his name was Chulg. He had been happily hexer of a small goblin clan in the Windrise forest, before he had been recruited by a prophet of Tiamat two years earlier during Evenfall. His purpose in the Prophet of Tiamat's plan was to prepare a location for a meeting that he had arranged. He told them that it was currently in progress, that there were Human, Orc, Goblin, Kobold and Hobgoblin delegations were present. When pressed for details, he simply said that they were all situated in different rooms, through two sets of doors and down into a hidden, and rather extensive dungeon. He also said that there were four creatures in the next room, two handlers and two mounts. He tried to flee, but was tackled by the dwarf, and knocked unconscious. He was shortly thereafter liberated of his ears. They searched the room and found a gem left in the base of the brazier.
Lori picked the lock of the door leading into the next room, and cautious because of the noise the lock opening, moved away from the door. Nothing emerged from the other door, although the group heard growling coming from the next room. They took up positions as Reginald mage hand-ed the door open, revealing the room, containing a hobgoblin, and a wolf crouching behind a pit, which itself lay in front of a statue. Over to one side Reginald could see a level, and a set of iron bars, behind which something was slavering. The group began to whisper, debating whether to open the cage doors (reasoning that they could hide behind the door as whatever was in the cage savaged it's handler and the other lesser wolf, or to do their best to prevent it from being released. As they were discussing it, the hobgoblin standing inside the door happened to look in their direction, through the mysteriously open doors. He let out a cry, and the group's decision was made for them.
They took the fight to the goblins, the elf dropping her bow to valiantly charge into the room to bar the path of a kobold who had run out from behind the statue to prevent it from pulling the lever. The others closed with their enemies, and although the Hobgoblin caused serious wounds upon Donaar (Scoring yet another crit on the unfortunate Dragonborn). Donaar, and Reginald's Flaming Sphere managed to wear the hobgoblin down. The creatures fell, one by one, as the Dire Wolf gnashed at the cage bars in vain.
The session ended, as the group discovered an Altar to Tiamat (Actually a desecrated, Temple of Bahamut.). As Donaar clered it and re-consecrated it, he and his companions were shrowded in divine light.
Thoughts
Reaction
As my first session as DM, I thought it went well, although at times I struggled in the areas that I hadn't fully prepared. The brewmistress' and the Hexer's names was pulled from the depths of my mind, some kind of last resort (I believe I first called the Goblin 'Chuck').
I think it helped that I had a first dungeon prepared that the players could walk into as they learned how to play both their characters and the game. As things go, I spent much less of the game teaching the players than I had expected, as they've all played Rpgs of some sort or another before. I think it helps that the DnD 4e system is quite receptive of new players.
The players all seemed to enjoy it. From talking to them about it, I think that they enjoyed the co-operation of the experience, coming from a mainly table-top wargaming background. And thankfully, they're all willing to continue, so I hope to continue this Journal, as long as people enjoy it.
The world of the Campaign (http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/flames-from-the-furnace) is one of my own devising, based around the world that is based off the 'Nentir Vale' presented in the back of the DMG, and its creation has been my project for the summer, and has only begun properly recently because of conflicting schedules.
Session 1
Characters
Each player, is a first timer and has started with a 1st level character, based upon their desires at the time:
-Reginald Flambritches: A gnome wizard ejected forcefully from his village, as a result of his propensity for fire magic, and the fact that he tends to cause wildfires while practicing. He has a Book Imp familiar, who disguises itself as a Badger. Reginald thinks it's a cat, and fondly refers to it as 'Francis Snugglekins'
-Bilorn Darkiron: A dwarf Artificer who was found unconscious when young in the wilderness, in the ruins of an ancient building, clutching a black staff that is utterly unremarkable in all ways, but for Bilorn's nature of clutching it at almost all times. He tends to roll 20s outside combat, but never within it.
-Donaar Baneblood: A Dragonborn Paladin of Bahamut who has the habit of turning CE every few minutes, before realising that he's playing a paladin, and taking back what he was doing.
-Lori: An Elven Ranger, who is very silent, but deadly accurate but managed to roll three consecutive 1s on d20s out of combat.
Session Synopsis
The group began the game mid-adventure, as per what I and the players had previously agreed. They were tasked with dealing with the goblin problem that the Barony of the Harkenwood, was having. The details provided by their resident quest-giver, the leader of the mercenary company that they are members of, were vague at best, to meet up with the Town mayor, Old Keller. Upon entry to the group of villages that comprised Harkenwood, the group found their way to the nearest tavern, Aunt Nonnie's Place, with cries of "Ale!"
They met Old Keller at the bar, talking to Nonnie Farwhere. And talked to him about what he required of them. He took them to one side, buying them a round (To more cries of "Ale!", especially from Bilorn), telling them that the town had been plagued by goblin attacks, and that they were located in a ruined monastery to the west of the barony. Bilorn agreed to do it immediately, providing that more ale was forthcoming, his personal dislike of the followers of Gruumsh showing through. Old Keller, agreed, and promised the others 25 gold pieces if they could accomplish the task (Cue cries from the dwarf, when he was reminded that gold could buy many things, ale included). They were also told that the purveyor of the Cliffside Brewery, Godira Halfthewer, had additional tasks that could also be completed for further reward.
So, off they went to the Cliffside Brewery, and witnessed some of the effects of the goblin raids, as the Brewery was under repair. They met the dwarf Godira, brewmistress of the cliffside brewery, and found that she was offering a 2gc reward per pair of Goblin ears they recovered. (This set off a partially in-character, partially out of character, discussion in which the players/characters wondered what kind of weird ear fetish she had, only ended when I mentioned that they might be needed for proof. Mainly to stop the players from trying to excite her by having Lori flash her ears...) She also wanted them to recover five barrels of ale that had been stolen by the Goblins. They tried to negotiate a 'better deal' and managed to get a concession of one barrel of ale, but were then sent on their way. (Cue cries of "To the Monastery!" from Reginald.)
They made their way to the monastery and arrived at the early onset of the evening, as the sun set beyond the monastery. The monastery itself was ruined, with only the main entrance hallway and its outbuildings still standing. The group, seeing the flickering of candlelight beyond the doorway of the monastery, and in one of the outbuildings, which was beyond their reach within the monastery's courtyard, decided to send their elf in to investigate the building. She stalked in stealthily, and noticed three goblins playing cards by candlelight, but almost stepped upon a goblin standing in the corner. Needless to say, her cover was blown, and she moved to leave, firing as she went, severely wounding several of the goblins. The rest of the group moved in, and dealt with the goblins rather summarily, although, as they were all finding their feet, they did have some rather interesting maneuvering errors. (Donaar standing behind Bilorn and Reginald for a large portion of the fight being a particularly large faux pa).
Once they gathered up the resulting loot, and seeing that the intact hallway continued onwards into a further, intact, part of the building, Reginald sent Snugglekins, his faithful familiar to investigate it, seeing as there was a subtly ominous chanting from beyond a turn in the hallway. While Reginald was instructing his Badger, Bilorn was investigating the room itself. It was much better preserved within these rooms than the exterior would suggest. Every few feet, the structure was propped up with wooden struts. The adjacent rooms were boarded off, but Bilorn and Donaar didn't let it stop them. Bilorn made his way in to one of the two rooms, and discovered an ancient spear before the "ceiling" gave way, and he was forced to leave. Donaar was even less fortunate, he didn't see a thing before he fell through the floor, into what was the foundations of the room. Meanwhile, Snugglekins had made his way back and informed Reginald that there were about 5 goblins, and a lot of vermin in the room, and that one of the goblins was performing some form of ritual. The group realised that because of their method of gaining access to the boarded up rooms (I believe swords were involved), that the goblins were most likely aware of their presence. As such Reginald sent the recently returned Snugglekins to alert them when the goblins were coming.
Snugglekins however, had an unfortunate run in with some giant rats, but as it was still within Reginald's eyesight, they were burnt to cinders, as he shouted "YOU KILLED SNUGGLEKINS, YOU B-", shortly before Snugglekins reappeared on his person. A short while later a tide of goblins, rats and fire beetles swarmed into their room. They made good use of burst powers, and enjoyed their first encounter with minions, but Donaar was brought down to 1 hit point, due to suffering a two critical hits from fire beetles (Who are fully the most dangerous first level creatures, IMO). The goblin hexer leading the group, however, fled back into the next room.
They healed up, and found him hammering on a locked, and very intact door , in a room filled with piles of rubble and a single flaming brazier. They "interviewed" him. He told them his name was Chulg. He had been happily hexer of a small goblin clan in the Windrise forest, before he had been recruited by a prophet of Tiamat two years earlier during Evenfall. His purpose in the Prophet of Tiamat's plan was to prepare a location for a meeting that he had arranged. He told them that it was currently in progress, that there were Human, Orc, Goblin, Kobold and Hobgoblin delegations were present. When pressed for details, he simply said that they were all situated in different rooms, through two sets of doors and down into a hidden, and rather extensive dungeon. He also said that there were four creatures in the next room, two handlers and two mounts. He tried to flee, but was tackled by the dwarf, and knocked unconscious. He was shortly thereafter liberated of his ears. They searched the room and found a gem left in the base of the brazier.
Lori picked the lock of the door leading into the next room, and cautious because of the noise the lock opening, moved away from the door. Nothing emerged from the other door, although the group heard growling coming from the next room. They took up positions as Reginald mage hand-ed the door open, revealing the room, containing a hobgoblin, and a wolf crouching behind a pit, which itself lay in front of a statue. Over to one side Reginald could see a level, and a set of iron bars, behind which something was slavering. The group began to whisper, debating whether to open the cage doors (reasoning that they could hide behind the door as whatever was in the cage savaged it's handler and the other lesser wolf, or to do their best to prevent it from being released. As they were discussing it, the hobgoblin standing inside the door happened to look in their direction, through the mysteriously open doors. He let out a cry, and the group's decision was made for them.
They took the fight to the goblins, the elf dropping her bow to valiantly charge into the room to bar the path of a kobold who had run out from behind the statue to prevent it from pulling the lever. The others closed with their enemies, and although the Hobgoblin caused serious wounds upon Donaar (Scoring yet another crit on the unfortunate Dragonborn). Donaar, and Reginald's Flaming Sphere managed to wear the hobgoblin down. The creatures fell, one by one, as the Dire Wolf gnashed at the cage bars in vain.
The session ended, as the group discovered an Altar to Tiamat (Actually a desecrated, Temple of Bahamut.). As Donaar clered it and re-consecrated it, he and his companions were shrowded in divine light.
Thoughts
Reaction
As my first session as DM, I thought it went well, although at times I struggled in the areas that I hadn't fully prepared. The brewmistress' and the Hexer's names was pulled from the depths of my mind, some kind of last resort (I believe I first called the Goblin 'Chuck').
I think it helped that I had a first dungeon prepared that the players could walk into as they learned how to play both their characters and the game. As things go, I spent much less of the game teaching the players than I had expected, as they've all played Rpgs of some sort or another before. I think it helps that the DnD 4e system is quite receptive of new players.
The players all seemed to enjoy it. From talking to them about it, I think that they enjoyed the co-operation of the experience, coming from a mainly table-top wargaming background. And thankfully, they're all willing to continue, so I hope to continue this Journal, as long as people enjoy it.