Wow, it’s been over a month since our last update! Things have been progressing nicely for our group (DM’d by The Hayes Code).  The last time we checked in here, we had just finished clearing out a cave full of goblins and had arrived in the town of Phandarin.  A lot has happened since then.

For one, our young Druid friend Dare Brakeborn (played by Forget_It_Jake), who had proved herself of great skill in the cave, wandered off when we entered the town.  Maybe she was distracted by a peculiar butterfly, or perhaps she stumbled into a different adventure altogether.  We were sad to see her go, but no hard feelings.  We can only hope we’ll meet again someday.

In the meanwhile, the rest of us got down to business.  We collected our rewards from the townsfolk, and did our best to learn where the goblins might be hiding with Gundren, our captured employer.  No one seemed to know much, but we did learn that a gang of red-cloaked ruffians had been harassing the townsfolk of late, and we were also given a new quest by a helpful priestess.  The priested wanted us to meet with a banshee for her, to attempt to discover the location of a certain spell book.  She gave us a silver comb with which to bargain.  We set off at once, and after a rather uneventful journey found the banshee rather easily.  The silver tongue of Colfax the Bard (played by Nope) made negotiating with the undead creature a breeze, and we were back in town before you know it.

However, as we entered a tavern for a celebratory pint or two, we were accosted by the aforementioned ruffians, who tried to rob us of our gear and loot.  Well, we were having none of that, and brief brawl ensued.  Colfax’s crossbow pinned of the Red Cloaks to the floor, while Guyryn, the dwarf fighter (played by yours truly), hopped up onto a table and laid waste with his maul. Our enemies subdued, we took a sole survivor to the town lock-up and retired for the night.

The next morning, the party met with the head of the local mining operation, who had been having particular trouble with the Redbrands.  There, we were joined by a new companion, a Monk by the name of Tashi (played by Sangamonster).  Together we traveled to the old manor house where the Redbrands made their lair, and quickly ventured down into the basement to find and take out their leader.

After a brief battle with some guards (in which Tashi took a bit of beating, but gave out an even more brutal beating in return), Guyryn found a hidden stash containing a Potion of Invisibility along with a large amount of gold.  Then we proceeded deeper into the dungeon, successfully avoiding a pit trap along the way, where we found a crypt with a few skeletal guards lying around.  After some quick grave-robbing, the skeletons (naturally) rose up and attacked, but Smilla the Cleric (our token non-Avocado player) made short work of them–using her fortuitous position, Smilla’s Turn Undead spell caused two of the 3 boneheads to run headlong into the trap we’d avoided on our way in, while Tashi crumbled the last with a well-placed fist.

Then things got really interesting. Searching through the labyrinthine cellar, we found a multitude of hidden doors and passages, and one large cave where an unseen monster tried to coax us into throwing ourselves into it’s (presumably) gaping maw. Luckily, we avoided that fate, and instead found a prison where some townsfolk were being kept for the beast’s next meal.  Two more Redbrand guards tried to ambush us, but we made short work of them.

After failing to break cell doors open to free the prisoners, we continue on our search for the leader, hoping that he’d have the keys.  The next room we searched was a wizard’s workshop, were Andraste Moonfellow (The Love Doctor Nick) pocketed some rare spell components and Tashi befriended a curious rat.  The rat’s strange behavior ignited Smilla’s suspicions, but after attempting to communicate with the rodent to no avail, the party moved on.

In the next room, we discovered the evil wizard’s sleeping chamber and a partially open secret exit sent Tashi and Guyryn rushing down the hall after the fleeing mage.  Unfortunately, the hall led right back to the cave where the hungry monster was waiting, and on the wizard’s command it emerged an engaged us in battle.  After successfully avoiding the monster’s first magical attack (I’m actually not sure what that attack was), Tashi and Guyryn set to the beast with their melee attacks, while Andraste and Colfax directed magic missiles and crossbow bolts, respectively, into the creature’s single eye.  Together, we subdued the beast rather quickly and continued chasing after the fleeing wizard.

After a brief conversation in which Andraste attempted to talk the wizard out of his magical glass staff, another battle ensued.  This was mostly a wizard’s duel, as Andraste and the bad guy traded magic missiles.  The rest of us had trouble penetrating Glasstaff’s magic shields, until finally Colfax’s rapier found an opening and pierced the wizard’s side, causing him to yield.  We bound and gagged with a pair of old dwarf socks, to keep from using any more spells, while Guyryn picked up the keys to the prison cells, and Andraste took possession of the staff.

And that’s where we left off playing last night.  Wow, that was a lot of typing.  I hope it was as enjoyable to read as it was for me to play through.  Consider this post a good place to talk other ongoing campaigns (either Avocado-filled or not), or to find other players who may be interested in starting a new game or joining in a different one.

Thanks for reading.