Schectady-Glenville Gamers Beginning Jan 2015

I can probably come up with a dozen different reasons that I've been putting the
write-up of this off - a GM created world with little resources for me to plund
er for cut-n-paste being the big one - but it really boils down to me being lazy
. So that stops today as I crack open the Star Wars journal that I've been takin
g notes in to bring you a tale of the Schenectady-Glenville Gamers:
[b][size=18]"The Longest Day, Part I"[/size][/b]
(Begun Jan 30)
We are playing by-the-book D&D 5th, and according to our GM, K, it is a human-ce
ntric world.
Naturally, there is only one pureblood human in the party.
Speaking of which, the party is comprised of:
[i][floatright]As my last go around with a group was the first time in a looooon
g
time that I'd gotten to game with women (as well as new players in
general), this is my first time in...possibly forever playing with
someone as young as AN. So far the only noticeable effect on our sessions
is that we're keeping more to the PG side of various humorous bits - but
it also then makes for extra hilarity when certain euphemistic phrases
start getting bandied about that AN isn't really catching on to.[/floatright][/i
]
* Raphellion "Rafe" Silvos - Half-Elf Warlock, Guild Merchant, played by me
* Axel Rockseeker - Dwarven Bard, Entertainer and storyteller, played by TJ (IRL
married to Am)
* Ghm - Half-Orc Fighter, Outlander, played by AN (K's 13 year-old son)
* Ivor - Human Paladin of "sort of Tear," Folk Hero, played by C
* Banan - Tiefling Fighter, played by AM (IRL married to TJ; additionally, not p
resent for the first session, so that's why she doesn't get mentioned immediatel
y)
We begin with the party in the employ of a man named Hembrundt, one of the Lords
Thirtween on the Isle of Penance. The Isles are controlled by merchant families
, and the feel is that of tropical-ish islands that have been settled by a cultu
re reminiscent of the Dutch. There is an active volcano on the island surrounded
by thick jungles.
Also on the Isle of Penance there is a contingent of aquatic Elves, who live in
a lagoon on the island and contribute to trade.
In addition to being the party's form of employment, Hembrundt is also a friend
to the party members individually and is a Generally All-Around Nice Guy - tries
to use his fortunes to help those less fortunate, is attmepting to come up with
this concept of "insurance" to alleviate distasters that might befall folks, et
c.
There's a bunch of stuff I took notes on in terms of what Hembrundt meant to eac
h party member that isn't really going to be applicable in a couple of paragraph
s, but I can elaborate if you're really interested in the comments.
That brings us to Hembrundt being called to an emergency meeting of the availabl
e (eight present) merchant Lords to discuss an Event - namely, the disovery of a
largish number (maybe 100) drow that have sort of appeared near the volcano.

Along with some Diviner exposition to bring everyone up to speed, it's divulged
that the goddess Lolth appears to have been defeated and supplanted by a new pan
ther-goddess, Padma. Evidently this has caused some schism in the drow community
, but the drow that have shown up on the island seem to have some sort of infern
al protection or connection - it's unclear at the moment. However, it seems that
this infernal presence is providing some limited protection from the drow in te
rms of divine influence. The drow do not appear to be warriors, and so the initi
al talk is how to slay or drive them away.
This appears to be the result of the ending of one of K's other campaigns - a 4t
h edition campaign - and I get the impression that Padma was a PC that ascended.
The discussion changes to how this might be possibly dangerous to the merchants,
then how the drow might be able to provide some sort of benefit, then how the d
row might be able to provide the easiest benefit of all - slave labor.
Hembrundt is the first voice to speak out about using the drow in this matter, a
nd demands a full convergence of the Lords 13 as he knows that his other friends
will not stand for such actions.
After yelling at some of the more slavery-minded Lords, one of the others cautio
ns Hembrundt not to pit the council against itself, possibly risking his life an
d position, and then implores the party to, "Protect this man, and get MORE prot
ection."
Hey, we're on the job - what can go wrong?
Night has fallen, and the party is escorting Hembrundt back to his manor; upon r
eaching a T-intersection we discover we're being surrounded by ruffians, and the
y rush us.
Battle is joined, and in short order the ruffians manage to elude us enough to s
lip in and fell Hembrundt - who is then finished off by a tougher looking thug.
That thug was also on the receiving end of a couple of Eldritch Blasts, but when
stabbed by Ghm his wound instantly closes; as he steps away we notice that his a
ppearance flickers from human to something less so:
[o][IMG]http://th07.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2013/247/0/7/wereshark_pirate_by_w
ill_e_h-d6l0xml.png[/IMG][/o]
Glaring at Rafe, he announces that, "It's good for you that I've only been paid
for the one kill."
He rapidly departs and the party makes short work of the rest of the rest of the
thugs, leaving us with someone to question and a dead employer.
[i]It was noted by K at this point that he envisioned this as a movie, going for
the feel of [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Guns_%28film%29]Young Guns[
/url]. However, the party seemed to have the path of a different film in mind:[/
i]
[youtube=YCTgcZ6ImsQ]
As we attempt to then make it back to Hembrundt's manor to sort out exactly what
the hell we're going to do, we encounter a couple of town guards. Axel and Rafe
try to put on a drunken argument performance to distract from the fact that Ivo
r and Ghm are carrying bodies (one unconscious, one dead). This doesn't seem to b
e working particularly well, and so Rafe uses his Awakened Mind feature to reall
y get the attention of the guard who was starting to look elsewhere.
Things ended up with us trying to figure out how we might try to raise Hembrundt
, and at the very least keep his death under wraps lest his Lords 13 foes feel a

s though they have gained the upper hand and move on the drow most swiftly...