Tales from the Basement

Curse of Strahd: Session 1: Welcome to Murder House

     This was my first real Dungeon & Dragons adventurers League game. I had just moved back to my hometown and couldn't find a game in town. Until I found a game show that was two hours away on Wednesdays nights from 7pm-10pm. Three hours sessions with a small group of players and a DM. There were two groups running Tomb of Annihilation and a little group running Curse of Strahd. Now if you don't these modules. They are based off old modules from old campaigns. Strahd is based on Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (2nd Edition): Ravenloft.  In this campaign, the main focuses are on Strahd von Zarovich, a vampire who rules over the land. In Curse of Strahd in you are transported and trapped in Barovia. It's up to the party to survive the night against Strahd in his kingdom. For Halloween times I recommend this module or If you want to be a monster hunter.

       Tomb of Annihilation is based on Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (2nd Edition): Tomb of Horrors where the party must survive traps and undead as they make their way to Acererak a lich basically. In my opinion, since I haven't played this module yet.

My girlfriend and I joined two sessions in. We signed in and were placed in our group. We join the smallest table there. As only three players were there verse the table of nine for Annihilation. I did not care since this was my first legit adventurers League game. I had found a game before about one hour away. That I only went to once because It wasn't adventurers League. To sum up the event. The DM held games every two weeks and carried everyone's characters. It was homebrew in 3.5 edition rules. The party was trapped in a Coliseum. On the only day, I was in. We were traveling a dangerous maze. Traps and creatures. However, I wasn't really having fun playing someone else character. I did not know what the hell I was doing. Since this wasn't my first legit game, that's a story for another time, I just winged it.

      However, this was a game I would enjoy.  

Warlock human (Tancrid) who was a reckless, teenager but deal the most damage. Played by a friend now who is a bit older than me.

Druid (Praug) the crazy funny guy of the group, who was our main healer. Also a friend now.

Rogue halfling (Chris because You'll see) I'm not even going to ruin this just read. foreshadowing. Who was played by a young kid. Because that how Adventurers League works

Human monk Sun soul (Takeshi) played by me. I was a hermit monk seeking enlightenment, but also had a dark blood lust that I couldn't control. So I adventured out of my monastery who praised the sun god Amauntor; which I know is not legal but that wasn't something I was walking around doing. I was just a monk with fire fists. To seek my enlightenment in curing my blood lust.

Wood elf cleric (Brina)Cleric Sage/Professor who didn't care about money, had the honor to her and her clan and had trust issues.

       Each of us started at level 5 which was fine. This was more or less a homebrew AL since our DM was brought on at the game shop to fill another table. So he hasn't DM'ed Curse of Strahd but has played in it. So far so good.

I never ran a Monk nor Have I ever played Adventurers League. When I was in Columbus I was slowly making my way into 5e. The only time I ever played was 3.5 college but that's another story. When I moved back home. I found no groups in the area nor game shops willing to host or hold one for free. Yes, I asked Wizards of the Coast and it isn't illegal for AL to be pay to play. As long as its store credit you should be fine. Nevertheless, I drove 2 hours out to play this group and camping. Brina was something my girlfriend wanted to play as since she likes healer classes. So I told her this would be fun to do on a Wednesday night. So let's dive in

Murder House

The Warlock, Druid, and The Rogue spent the night before us. As we walked into the door. The Warlock was hoping to be free from the house, sadly he was not as a fog pushed us towards the estate. The druid informed us of what had happened last night before with them.

If you don't know murder house.  Thorn and Rosavalda ghost lure you into the house. They just stand there and talk, but once you're in the house; you're trapped. They were neglected by their parents and locked in the Children's room. You try to put their souls to rest while discovering the secret inside the house. And that doesn't count the dungeon in the basement.

This took 2 sessions to do and we started to learn each other. Tancrid was more of a lone wolf but could handle himself. In fights, I should try to tag team with Tancrid to wipe a room. Praug was more of the jouster type of the group however was smarter. See during the escape of the house, Black smoke poured into the house causing a DC Con save (Skill check on constitution aka life.) Which he held his breath at the beginning before we lost air so He skipped 2 DC saves because the room didn't fill up that quickly.

Then we come to Chris. Before we joined; the group was in the attic where a broom, yes a broom, attacked. Chris now forever stabs EVERYTHING with a dagger. So much so that our DM put a durability clause on him because it was slowing down the story. We had only 2 to 3 hours to play. But wait... it gets better. This kid couldn't be any more chaotic evil if he could. So much so that I'll wait to tell you all... in time.

During the Dark lord shrine, we hear chanting "ONE MUST DIE"...Chris....wants to kill one of us. Our Dm looks at him and says "why I haven't finished the shrine..." BUT NOPE CHRIS jumps on the shrine. Our Dm informs us of what is going on. Tancrid tries to trick the Cultist However it doesn't work. To appease the cultist, blood must be spilled. I say the mouse Chris is carrying so we can skip this part of the story. Because We already know what is in this room. A small pool of water. Because Chris leaped on the Shrine. And no blood was spilled. Lorghoth the Decayer comes to spill our blood.

       Chris nearly dies after charging this beast.

After that, we run into the black smoke escape.