Dragons Claw D&D Blog

27th November 2022 In-game timeline: DR1489 Eleint 27 - Marpenoth 5 Our Heroes stand in a covered walkway over a lake, planning their next moves and the plan for attack on what they hope to be the final room. Wanting to avoid their usual "Storm the room!" approach, a combined approach with allocated roles was agreed upon. Step 1. TC uses Mage Hand to open the door to the room from a distance. Unfortunately the door is too heavy to open any significant amount. So TC needs to manually pull the door open. Step 2. With nothing obvious moving in the room, though TC does detect an undead around the corner, currently out of sight, the second step is put into action. Using Mage Hand once more, TC puts a cloak over the body on the altar, cutting down the smoke emerging from it, and also casts some caltrops on the floor in front of one of the winged, dark coloured, crystal statues standing each side of the altar. Step 3. This was originally planned to be Mahtis using Hold Person on the

29th October & 6th November 2022 In-game timeline: DR1489 Eleint 27 - Eleint 27 Our Heroes awake after a long rest just after midnight on the day their ship home is due to arrive. They decide to attempt to enter the temple at the abbey in the hope that they may discover what happened to Clarice and possibly even dispose of some evil clerics and/or gain some rare but much desired loot in the process. They are acutely aware, especially Carro, that time is somewhat against them, and some plans for quick escapes are rapidly discussed. Under cover of night, and of Carro's Pass Without Trace spell, they enter the abbey ruins once more and approach the tower. The distant sound of harpies atop the tower worry them, and the flickering light from a room within the tower gives them cause to rethink their usual "Storm the Room" plan of approach, Mahtis volunteers to scout ahead, and turns into a spider to spend almost two valuable hours running around the evil temple to see what

23rd October 2022 In-game timeline: DR1489 Eleint 26 - Eleint 27 Our "Heroes" engaged in a difficult battle with Bayleaf (the guard), Ogmund, Braydol and Sophia (the clerics). The party (eventually!) decided to attack the temple building directly, even though they had no idea how many people were In there, but were met with 2 spiritual weapons that attacked them as they closed in on the building. Bayleaf then ran out and engaged Kandi, who was loitering quite close to the door. Two clerics were hiding behind the doors, looking out only to control their Spiritual Warhammers that were clobbering TC. TC engaged Bayleaf to try to help Kandi - but he ended up quite battered, especially when Ogmund managed to paralyse him for a turn. Mahtis heated up Bayleaf's spear, but he held on to it, and Ogmund dispelled the magic before it could do too much harm. TC threw off his paralysis and got some well-needed hits on Bayleaf, who seemed remarkably resilient and strong. TC eventually

11th September 2022 In-game timeline: DR1489 Eleint 26 - Eleint 26 Our "Heroes" consider their options, taking in to account the rescued, slaves, the pirates, the supposed loot at the abbey, the harpies and the missing child, plus the time pressure to reach the beach when the ship returns to collect them. They decide to ask Tamara to create a strong sleeping draught and then, on the way back to the large rock, discuss how to best administer it without making it obvious to the pirates. They eventually settle upon using Kandi's antbrew ale, some of which will be poisoned and some not, with some form of disturbance as a distraction. They tie up the slaves, in pretence that they are bringing them back in order to re-sell them later in true "pirate" fashion. They reach the large rock and no one is there, so they continue on towards the wood and greet Blue and his pirates. Blue is surprised to see the trail of slaves behind them but the group persuades him that they c

21st & 28th August 2022 In-game timeline: DR1489 Eleint 25 - Eleint 26 Our "Heroes" have managed to frighten off two of the attacking harpies, and TC and Kandi are keen to talk to the woman apparently crying over the dead body.  Unfortunately it turned out that the woman was not a young, elvish female as initially appeared, but, upon approaching her, she turned into a grotesque hag-like woman, sprouting large, black wings that showed she was another of the harpies! Her tearful lament turned into a harpy song, which resulted in TC becoming quite infatuated, albeit only briefly. With Mahtis and Carro still in the distance, the harpy attacks TC and Kandi, and their situation worsens when the two harpies that they had assumed had fled, seemed to return from around the hills, perhaps called by their matriarch. As the fight progresses, Kandi falls to the ground, unconscious. TC throws off his charmed state and lays into the harpy matriarch, though she seems more resilient than

6th August 2022 In-game timeline: DR1489 Eleint 25 - Eleint 25 Our "Heroes" have awoken to find their weapons have once again been taken from them, and, after some searching, have come upon a camp with a rather jovial chap welcoming them and inviting them for breakfast. They somewhat sensibly decide to go along with the invite, and they join the owner of the voice, who turns out to be a large human with long, flowing hair and a booming, friendly voice. He greets them all and after some discussion it turns out that he, Blue, is the "leader" of the last remaining band of pirates on the Isle. He and his companions had spotted the party the previous night and had luckily spotted the tattoo on TC's arm - hence "only" stealing their weapons. During breakfast, Blue introduces the group to the rest of the pirate band - at least, the ones that Blue is admitting are around. They are introduced to a dwarf and a half-elf, and a little while later an elderly human

28th May & 30th July 2022 In-game timeline: DR1489 Eleint 24 - Eleint 25 Our "Heroes" recover from a battle with crystal skeletons. Having used Mahtis' super-smell as a dog to track the path taken by the dead halfling, she manages to lose the trail, which is, after all, some days old in the shifting sands of the desert. And so our "Heroes" wander aimlessly. Before long, they discover something. Unfortunately it is more crystal skeletons. Let battle re-commence! Somewhat more battered and bruised, especially Kandi, they emerge from that battle with some more red crystal hearts from the skeletons. They press on, though without much of a plan. After another 300 yards or so they encounter even more crystal skeletons. This is starting to get a little repetitive. Carro seems to favour his sharpshooter ability, TC switches between swishing his sword and using Eldritch Blast. Mahtis calls upon her entire range of abilities and spells, and Kandi likes to insult as mu

6th May 2022 In-game timeline: DR1489 Eleint 20 - Eleint 24 Our "Heroes" stay the night in Whitewater and head back to Neverwinter the following morning. Carro is a little quiet on the journey, having had a slightly restless and dream-filled night. Upon arrival at the large city, Mahtis heads off to find Devon, TC visits Togruk and Kandi manages to find passage for them all on a ship heading close to Abbey Isle the following morning. In the afternoon they all meet up again and share their recent experiences and information with each other.  Carro heads with Kandi to a local library and looks up information on legends based around the area of the elven High Forest. Surrounded by hundreds of books, and having very little time, Carro just picks out the first book that seems relevant to the area, which seems to relate to a legend concerning a Siren named Angelica and the village of Mistloch. It was all very interesting and Carro took copious notes. Kandi, meanwhile, sat outside t

27th Mar, 1st Apr and 17th Apr 2022 In-game timeline: DR1489 Eleint 20 - Eleint 20 Our "Heroes" leave Neverwinter in the early morning, hoping to arrive in the nearby town of Whitewater by lunchtime. The journey is an easy one and they arrive without incident. Crossing the bridge into the town of Whitewater, they see a very pretty town, very basic as befits its reputation as a puritanical town. The outskirts of the town seem quite empty, and they see people, presumably inhabitants of the town, walking quickly towards the centre of the town. Our "heroes" follow the general trend, and walk towards the town centre. TC stops a middle aged lady heading in the same general direction, and asks what the fuss is all about. He is told that there is a hanging about to take place in the town of a suspected witch, or maybe multiple hangings of multiple witches. The group continues on and reaches the town square, that indeed seems to be set up for a hanging, with three gallows se

5th Mar 2022 19:00 - 22:30 In-game timeline: DR1489 Eleint 10 - Eleint 20 Our "Heroes" continue planning. And re-planning. Bryn gets bored and goes to bed. Eventually, after some further discussion about the plan, our dynamic "Heroes" go to sleep too. Things will be clearer in the morning. In the morning, things were no clearer. Except that Bree's ship left in the early morning, so at least that part of the plan happened without our "Heroes" needing to do anything. And they didn't even say goodbye to Wilhelm. The slavers galley arrives. Walls and Wussy-Boy ask around at the docks and find out that the galley is only staying a couple of hours. Their time is limited, they must act fast! Unfortunately acting fast is not something that this group of "Heroes" are proficient at. Bryn and Brighton help make the decision for them. Bryn says he will gather his rebel crew and jump into the water, using some water breathing potions provided by Brigh

19th Feb 2022 19:00 - 22:30 In-game timeline: DR1489 Eleint 9 - Eleint 10 Our "Heroes" are discussing. At length. Followed by more discussion. It's a wonder our "Heroes" ever left their respective home towns at all. They have a plan. They spend a day talking and finding out more information. And end up with pretty much the same plan as they started with. But they are more confident of its success. Fools. The "Heroes" are keen to find out more information about when the slave galley ship will arrive and how long it will stay for before leaving. They believe the best way of finding out this information is to talk to the Dockmaster, Jorell. So they head to his office under the pretence of Wussy-Boy and Walls looking for work on the docks. They get very short shrift from the half-elf, who simply directs them to the chief Dock-hand. They do note that Jorell seemed a little "interested" in Walls, however - something which they ignore - for now at l

11th Feb 2022 19:00 - 22:30 In-game timeline: DR1489 Eleint 5 - Eleint 9 Our "Heroes" are desperate to rest, though Carro is wakened by the sound of shouts and screams as someone seems to be being dragged outside their door. He bravely ignores this. In the morning they submit to having their arms tattooed by Midge, with the Radiant Sisters symbol. They are offered the choice to also have their new pirate names tattooed too, but Pig and Wussy-Boy are not keen. Minstrel and Walls (as Mahtis has been christened) are tempted, but decline. Wussy-Boy is especially annoyed that Midge is a gnome. He grits his teeth. The following few days are spent training with Brighton. They each gain a proficiency in a particular skill relating to pirate activities -  Walls: Row a boat silently Pig: Climb a rope Wussy-Boy: Climb a rope Minstrel: Climb wooden structures After training, they are led back to the Dock area and spend the next day or so looking around and finding their way in this new e