So Adam and Ian don’t feel like they play enough D&D. To rectify this, they started playing a text-based adventure with a couple of friends, still using the 5th edition framework. We thought it would be fun to clean up the transcripts of this adventure and start publishing it in weekly chapters here on the site. Let us know what you think, and please share around! If you missed Chapter 1, check it out here!
Disclaimer: This is the transcript of a text-based D&D game played over a period of 6 months. Bad language included. Picture based dice rolls/media omitted. Names changed to preserve anonymity. Goblin based violence frequent. You have been warned.
DM: The biggest speaks in a guttural avian squawk
DM: “lonesome traveller, you are in our lands. The blessed wind requires payment”
Constance: From beneath my hood I mutter something quiet
DM: And…
DM: That’s where we leave it for now! I’m about to run a d&d session in the real world
Constance: Wait to see what they do
Constance: AHHHHHHH. Curse you.
Constance: Faustus. Kill all his bad guys. Kill them to fuck.
DM: The toll is simple. Half your goods, and you may continue across the red plain with our protection. We will even protect your freight from beasts and bandits.
DM: But none cross the land of the Blessed Wind without paying the toll
Faustus: (You have to pay the troll toll if you want to get this boy’s soul)
DM: (i think the rape scene could be classier)
DM: Each of the aaracokra carries a sabre, a quiver, and a short horn bow. The front one is markedly larger and tougher looking, his feathers bronze in the firelight
Bronan: (goddamnit Charlie, have you been drinking paint again?)
Bronan: Bronan hears this and readies himself
Faustus: Faustus can see all this from his vantage point?
DM: Faustus you are 30ft up so roll perception to see if you hear this?
DM: Can see, yes, but see if he can hear over the light desert breeze
Faustus: Hmm 11
DM: A few words. Demand of payment, but this far no threat
Bronan: (already have my warcry sorted, just waiting for it to kick off)
Constance: (Sorry was sleeping)
Constance: Ok. Where are these guys in relation to me/the cart/the cliff
Bronan: I’m guessing cart against the cliff, then constance then campfire, they landed other side of campfire? Was that what we had planned?
Constance: Yeah that’s what I thought.
DM: Yup
Constance: I mutter under my breath again, loud enough for them to hear, but not enough so they make out what I’m saying.
DM: They step forward. They are now about 10 ft from you
DM: Speak freely, trader. We mean you no harm. But these are our sacred lands, and none may pass without tribute
Constance: I throw back my hood and look him in the eye and say “I said….” Then shout “YOU DONE FUCKED UP!”
Constance: Then run towards him and smash him with my staff
DM: Hahaha
DM: Okay. Initiative wise, Constance you are first. Roll your attacks. Then Bronan and Faustus (whoever rolls first), then the aarakokra
DM: Aaaaand I’m going to give you a surprise round, as they had no idea this was coming
Constance: Ok. I’ll roll initiative first.
Constance: 11 + 3
Constance: Also, do I get to know the initiative order or what? It might effect my actions.
DM: Like I just said, you start, then bronan/faustus (whoever acts first), then aaracokra. But you also have a surprise round
DM: So you are up, then your guys, then you again, then your buds again, then aaracokra
Constance: Ok. So I’m going to attack and use flurry of blows on my first action which spends one of my ki points
Constance: Smash him with the staff with two hands then try and do a boss spinning double kick.
Constance: 15 + 3 to hit with staff
DM: Staff hits, roll damage and roll flurry of blows attacks
Constance: 5 + 5 with first kick and 11 + 5 to hit with second.
DM: Okay, one of your licks doesn’t land the second one does
DM: *kicks
DM: He stumbles back saying. Wait, wait, what?! As you smash into him
Constance: Ok. Damage with staff is 1d8 + 4. So 2 + 4
Constance: And kick is 1d4 + 4. So 1 + 4
Constance: A total of 11 damage.
Constance: Does the staff do anything?
DM: The end of it is congealed with thick black light. You do a lot of damage to him, he falls to one knee
DM: Bronan/faustus, one of you is next!
Bronan: Bronan rips the tarp off him, revealing the net thrower and Sir dribbles standing on a safe part of it, he is wearing flight goggles and a flying cap, “pigeon men want toll? All we brought was PAIN” I aim at the one of the birdmen with the loaded net thrower and let loose
Bronan: Guessing I am not proficient (barbarians are proficient in simple and martial weapons) I got a 17+2 on ranged attack, 19
DM: Superb, one of the birdmen is entangled in a thick net and squawks in terror!
DM: Faustus?
Faustus: Are the birds all on the ground?
DM: Yes, your attacks is happening very swiftly- within seconds bronan has netted one and Constance beat the leader down to its knees. Three more stand behind them trying to figure out what to do
Faustus: I’m going to throw down a javelin at one of them, the undamaged or captured ones, aiming for a wing. They still don’t know I’m there right?
Faustus: 19 to hit
Faustus: 8 piercing damage
Faustus: I’d then like to use my movement to cautious and quietly move position so they can’t immediately figure out where I am. And also possibly try and make it seem like there are more of us up here on our next go
DM: Stealth roll please
DM: Your javelin smashes into one of the aracokra at the back
DM: He is utterly surprised
DM: They are all yelling at each other in some avian tongue
DM: Constance, your action
Faustus: 16 on stealth
DM: Nice
DM: You edge around the cliff to a new vantage point
Constance: Is the leader still alive?
DM: Yes, very badly wounded on one knee in front of you
Constance: I’m going to smash him again with the staff and use unarmed strike as a bonus action. I’m trying to do non-lethal damage FYI.
DM: Okay
Constance: 12 + 3 to hit with staff
Constance: And 8 + 5 with unarmed strike
DM: That hits, damage?
Constance: 4 + 4. 8 damage with staff
DM: He I knocked unconscious, sprawled on the sand
DM: Can your unarmed attack be against a different target?
Constance: Yup.
Constance: It’s just a bonus action.
DM: So with your ankh staff you knock out the leader (it’s end. Throbs with black light and you feel…hunger)
DM: You turn, there are four others- one in a net, one with a javelin wound, and two more
DM: Which one do you hit with unarmed strike and what’s the damage?
Constance: The one with the javelin wound.
DM: Sure, you already rolled attack. Roll damage
Constance: 3 + 4
DM: Lethal or non lethal?
Constance: Non.
Constance: I’m trying to keep as many alive as possible.
DM: (also your sheet says +4 but you have +3 Dex how does that work? Just curious)
Constance: (I was just looking at that. See me in private chat)
DM: Constance nimbly uppercuts the aaracokra reeling from the javelin strike and knocks it out
DM: Bronan. Three aaracokra standing, one of whom is netted!
Bronan: Bronan net another pigeon man
DM: Ha
Bronan: Rolled. 17
DM: Goddam
DM: Okay, second pigeon man is netted
DM: Only one is free standing
DM: Faustus?
Faustus: Aiming at that guy, 22 to hit.
DM: Javelin at the free standing one? that hits
DM: You have advantage (in case you crit?)
Faustus: Yep. 6 piercing damage.
Faustus: Ok one sec
Faustus: Nope.
DM: Okay
DM: It’s now the birdmen
Faustus: 6 piercing.
Faustus: And I’m going to move again.
DM: Unless you are moving?
DM: Trying to stealth somewhere else?
Faustus: 19 on stealth
DM: Grand, easy stuff. It is frantic down there, you slide to a new position
DM: 3 aaracokra, 2 in nets. The two netted use their actions to try and remove the nets
DM: The first easily rips the net aside, but the second is tangled
DM: The now netless aaracokra flies 50ft up and shoots his shortbow at Constance
DM: 16 to hit?
Faustus: I thought he used his action to escape?
Constance: Yeah that hits
DM: Ah shit
DM: Yeah sorry
DM: The already free aaracokra flies up 50 ft as well and takes a shot at Constance
DM: Will reroll
DM: And he misses
DM: So. Two aaracokra are in the air 50ft above the caravan, 20ft above hidden faustus. One struggles with a net on the ground by his two unconscious compatriots
DM: Constance your move
Constance: I’m going to run over to the one who is trapped and try to knock him the fuck out with a staff and kick him in the head.
DM: Hahaha
DM: He is restrained, so you have advantage
Constance: 16 + 4 to hit
DM: That hits
Constance: 2 + 4 damage.
DM: As your staff cracks into him the ankh again is covered in strange black light, almost pulsing with energy
DM: Unarmed attack?
Constance: 11 to hit
DM: Misses
DM: He writhes away and manages to deflect your kick
DM: Bronan
Constance: Then I run to take cover behind the cart.
DM: Okay, because the two guys are flying above you the only way to get cover from them would be under the cart really
Constance: I was more thinking I could help Bronan/grab that javelin
DM: Okay sure, but that means no cover AC bonus
Constance: Fine.
DM: The birdmen are all yelling at each other in a language you don’t know
Bronan: Grab javelins and hide behind bronan
Bronan: Bronan fire net at pigeon man in air with bow
DM: Awesome, roll for it!
Bronan: 17 total again
DM: Add Dex but not proficiency
DM: Ah shit
DM: Okay
DM: Aaracokra gets slammed into by a heavy net
DM: And falls 50ft
DM: Roll 5d6 for me bronan
Bronan: 24
Bronan: (I did tell them we’d bring the pain)
DM: That aaracokra plummets like a stone and there is a sickening crack as it lands by the side of the cart, clearly dead
DM: Faustus
DM: One flying aaracokra, one netted down below
Faustus: I’m going to throw a javelin at the flying one.
DM: Awesoke
DM: Awesome, even.
Faustus: 20. Not nat.
DM: Oof
Faustus: 9 piercing damage.
DM: Yikes
DM: You spear him in the gut and he falls a few feet before righting himself
Faustus: And since I clearly just gave away my position I ready myself for action, shield out in my other hand.
DM: The aaracokra screams with rage as it surveys the situation
DM: The one on the ground struggles with the net
DM: He breaks free and flies up to 50ft
DM: The one that was already airborne recognises that the greatest danger is the net thrower, and so flies at Bronan in a dive attack!
DM: 23 to hit!
DM: And since it is moving more than 30ft, it has a lot of momentum and does an extra d6 damage
Bronan: Well shit my britches
Bronan: What’s the damage?
DM: 9 slashing damage! And it is now on the cart next to bronan and Constance. It leans forward and weaves its bloody scimitar in the air
Bronan: I guess some of my blood lands on sir dribbles
DM: Eek.
DM: Constance you are up
DM: High above an aaracokra circles, and right in front of you one readies itself to bring your end
Constance: I’m going to spend a ki point and flurry of blows the fuck out of him after nailing him with the staff.
DM: Alright, non lethal?
Constance: I’ll roll attacks then damage. It goes staff punch punch. Non lethal
DM: Sure
Constance: 11 + 5.
Constance: 7 + 5
Constance: NAT. FUCKING. TWENTY.
DM: Jeeze
DM: Okay, I mean I think even on minimum damage he is knocked out as he’d already taken a heavy javelin hit from faustus, feel free to describe how
Constance: I sweep his legs out from under him with the staff and jump up, catching his face in both hands and driving him into the cart as he falls.
DM: Your staff burns with black light as you fight and you have a vague sense of hunger again, frustrated hunger
Come back next Monday for Chapter 14 of The Cursed Tomb!
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