Players are Playing in module DA4, and are distracted by an old enemy, a former Player Character named Rahl, who has turned evil, rides an old Red Wyrm[1], and has joined forces with the Barbarians. (a.k.a. Afridhi. I avoided some module specific terms to obfuscate the Players.)

[1] Red Dragon, age type 11.

Not surprising is the fact that the Player who plays Elefus does not read his eMail, thus he is always surprised by this.

For those unfamiliar with my campaign I need to explain a minor detail in procedures:

1) Elefus has a Tooth of Matea Kar which allows him to Teleport twice a day.
2) A limited number of characters can accompany within Teleport weight standards by entering into a Bag of Holding (on loan from Weasel) that Elefus carries.
3) All other extra-dimensional items that characters hold are handed over to Elefus to hand-carry before characters enter this Bag.
4) Sometimes the number of characters entering the Bag can be increased, after they take a Potion of Diminution.

End of explanation.

- + - + - + - + - + - + -

Tuesday Evening began with a sausage pizza, beer and a few shots of brandy. Then Players made preparations for the confrontation with Rahl, which was put off last week due to time constraints.

After an hour of preparations, including a field test of Teleporting into a simulated oncoming Dragon and his rider, (which would have been Rahl). At this point one of our Players had to leave, so we were faced with needing something else to do. (Rahl was still several hundred miles away, it was intended to teleport the party to his location, then teleport again for the above tactic.)

Therefore:

Elefus, our LAWFUL GOOD cleric, gets a call over one of the alien communicators somehow reconstructed from module DA3. (Rebuilt by the only alien survivor, now in Blackmoor's employ, Willis Stom from module DA2. It is also noted the call BROKE RADIO SILENCE, since the players were supposed to be on a rather secretive mission in module DA4. (They could have been sneaking up on the enemy lair and it would have difficult to disguise the ringtone.)

So anyway in the field, just before the attack team were to teleport into harm's way, Elefus gets a call from Blackmoor's spymaster, Fletcher William (The Fetch).

[The following is in dialog mode.]

The Fetch: "Elefus, we have a problem, we need to talk."

Elefus: "What is it? We're about to go into battle, can it wait?"

The Fetch: "No, I have a visitor in my office and he has a letter. This is a personnel and internal security issue, I can't have agents out in the field with these kinds of problems. I need you in my office right away. Teleport to the usual spot in my office."

Elefus takes Junkbot Jackson (the party's new Ranger) in the usual manner and Teleports. Upon arrival at the Fetch's office, there is also present a private Solicitor.

The Solicitor hands Elefus a letter and says: "Congratulations, you have been served."

[Out of dialog mode.]

Upon reading the letter, Elefus is discovers that his wife has filed for divorce, and is demanding 50 percent of everything. Elefus takes his leave from The Fetch, and having just used one of his two allotted Teleport spells for the day uses his second, and takes Junkbot to his Clerical Stronghold in the North. Arriving outside his personal residence, Elefus and Junkbot find his household door wide open.

Elefus calls, "Honey? I'm home!" -- No answer. A casual search of the place reveals that everything is gone, including the furniture. Elefus goes out into the compound of his Religious Stronghold and asks one his Loyal Followers: "What direction did my wife go?"

"South, Deacon." was the overly respectful reply.

The trail being cold and having used all his Teleports for the day, Elefus follows the road south to the next town, taking Ranger Junkbot Jackson with him.

GM's Note: At NO time along the road, was Junkbot's Tracking skill requested or used. The road South was followed, bypassing Elefus' stronghold obvious dock facilities (previously used in an earlier adventure) also South just a half mile off the main road.

Arriving at the next village South along the road the next day, the local Innkeeper was asked if a female following the description of Elefus' wife had come this way? Putting down his hammer as he was repairing some drywall, "No your Holiness." was the Innkeeper's reply, "We haven't had any visitor's come from up North since the great Troll migration last year. We are still repairing the place after they trashed it. At least they paid up. Something about their gawd's deal with some nearby Priest, and the Cooters to the South haven't come up to collect any taxes this year."

Meanwhile back in the Duchy of Ten just outside of Starmorgan, Weasel and the rest of the attack team delays the attack without Elefus. Gerry Castagere pines in her heart for Elefus. Rahl rides his dragon 24 miles closer to Weasel and the attack team.

Since the trail had gone cold and it was the next day, Elefus and Junkbot decide to Teleport back to Blackmoor and asks Jallapierie to scry out his wife and fails the first day.

As a side note while in Blackmoor, Junkbot Jackson meets with his old friend Fundisha. (This brings in Junkbot's HackMaster sidekick.)

Weasel and the attack team are still waiting. Again, Rahl rides his dragon 24 miles closer to Weasel and the attack team.

Next day the scrying succeeds. Elefus' wife was found nearby in Blackmoor renting a room in the law offices of Weasel, Inc. Storming into the building, Elefus demands to see his wife, and the receptionist replies with, "Do you have an appointment? Ah, I see you don't. We can sign you up for a 2 o'clock Tomorrow." Elefus makes the appointment and leaves.

Weasel and the attack team are still waiting. Yet again, Rahl rides his dragon 24 miles closer to Weasel and the attack team.

At the appointed hour, Elefus is sitting at a table across from his wife and counsel. Elefus wants to know the basis for her case. She tells him: "IN YOUR LUGGAGE, I found this drawing of You and that hussy Gerry in a compromising position. Besides, you're never around unless you want something, otherwise you're always off 'adventuring' with your 'friends' and those 'other women'. This isn't a marriage! Besides, you haven't even rolled up my stats nor given me a Character name!" Bottom line, she wants half of Elefus' stuff.

Elefus ponders this a moment. He thinks to himself, "I can't lie about my assets and all their hiding places. Well I could, but my Gawd would know. And I can't kill her, I'm Lawful Good."

Net effect, Divorce court date is set in 7 weeks game time.

Elefus wants to discover who put a compromising drawing of Elefus and Gerry in his luggage. Elefus with Junkbot and his new sidekick Teleport to Weasel's location (and Gerry's delight), and wants to borrow Weasel's Ring of Scrying.

Weasel not being present as a Player, could not be contacted for comment. We decided to call it a night.

Rahl, will probably arrive at the party's location the next game day, so there may no need to Teleport the whole party.

++++ OUT OF CHEESE ERROR ++++


Participants:
- Weasel, Human Male, Guild Soldier, Magician, & Myrmidon. (Multi-class. How'd a human get that way? Don't ask.)
- Snizzlephish, Gnome Male, Visionist & Footpad (Multi-class.)
- Elefus, Human Male Deacon
- Numrendir, Human Male Demander. (Recently raised from the dead.)
- Junkbot Jackson - Layman-Courser. (The new guy, assigned by the Blackmoor government.)
- Fundisha - Fighter/Infiltrator (Junkbot's sidekick just introduced.)

Non-Player characters:
- Jallapierie, a 17th level Wizard, (taken offline for defensive scrying against Rahl).
- Hieronymous Castagere, a 13th level Fighter and ship's navigator, assigned to them by the Royal Blackmoor government. (Captured by Barbarians)
- Gerry Castagere, a Filcher, daughter to the ship's navigator who has fallen in love with Elefus.
- Bosero the Drunkard, a 14th level Wizard, seconded in to replace Jallapierie in the party since Jallapierie is busy.
- Seamus MacLopez, a Tenian Deacon, assigned to them by the Royal Blackmoor government. (The Players don't remember what NPC names I tell them, but for the record, this was just a cover name for Gregor Mendicamp, he's supposed to be the leader of Tenian underground and needs his anonymity.)

Non Participants:
- Aeon, Half-Elf Male Veteran (Captured by Barbarians.)
- Mysery Reigns, Halfling Female Killer. (On maternity leave, just gave birth to twins, Halfling Half-Orcs.)
- D'Vine_Justice, Elf Female Initiate of the 5th Circle. (Semi-Retirement)

I love the fact that this game deals with both a fight with a dragon and a divorce case. Do you ever find it difficult to jump between combat and more roleplaying heavy scenes?


As I pointed out to you earlier via emails, it is a cool coincidence that some of the character names are very similar to names from the FFC. I was referring to Rahl <-> Ran of Ah Foo, and Weasel <-> David "The Weasel" Wesely.


BTW, what is a "Tooth of Matea Kar"? 8)

:)

-Havard

Love the use of the Bag of Holding to transport characters.

My PC James once saved the Emperor of Thonia from an attack by shoving him into a Bag of Holding. :)

"You're welcome." on the bag comment. It was a Player crafted idea. I periodically have to audit how much they carry so they stay withing weight limits.

To Havard,

Yes it is quite difficult to switch between strict combat and role play. Combat actually takes a lot of tactical prep especially if it is a non-campaign encounter. For regular encounters I need a spreadsheet and a mailmerge program to print monster "hit sheets" on label forms (actually plain paper, but labels so I can get more than one monster on a page). Labels contain HD, Hits (on little check boxes so I can mark them off), spells weapons, etc.

I also use an assistant GM to help run the monsters.

When it comes strict role play, it is actually easier, because I can "wing it" off the top of my head and just make the stuff up as I go along.

A tooth of Matea-Kar is exactly the same as a tooth of Dahlver-Nar in the 1st Edition GM's Guide. While Hackmaster had a license for 1st Edition AD&D, they did not have naming rights to all contents, and changed the names to avoid trademark or copyright violations, not sure which. Usually for named items that were repeated in later products they had no license for such as 2nd, d20, 3.0, 3.5, etc. For example, "Queen Ehlissa's Marvelous Nightengale" became "Princess Kristina's Marvelous Nightengale".