Wardens of Heroes Gate

Session Notes – C01.S03.16

Session Notes – C01.S03.15

What happens in this scene?

So I’m faced with either moving right into the Ice Pit Riot (skipping the day in between) or giving another quest in between…

It cannot be a mult-day thing – so very local to Easthaven or Good Mead

The hag in the Cliff Caves of Xover is still outstanding. The party does not even know much yet… just that someone was cooking people and using their bones to make magical people. Perhaps there has been more activity… perhaps a militia from Easthaven went to investigate and have not returned? Perhaps Samsam and Melthor went with them? Is it silly to run two rescue missions in the same location? Happens often enough in ESO…

Next Cycle…

Start writing these Notes as chat between Cadell and Kinney.

I could also pull another quest from the Rimemaiden…

What else?

I need to explain Hocus and Mo Ka Bu splitting ways

The Red Drakes could need some help (save this for later… show that Samsam and Melthor have joined them)

Other characters to bear in mind…

• Red Drakes (Samsam and Melthor)
• Yazga (and Pax and Axe)

• Gornrik Snowguster (in fact, perhaps I need to insert him into Skirmish somehow?)
• Saarvin and Sabyss (Roller is in Fireshear… but will be taken before the end of the Fray Games)
• Ellerika (appears in Ice Pit Riot fighting Koza)
• Nim and Norli Bragos (and Tronk)
• Hocus Ravengaze
• The Grimmantle party of adventurers might make some return

vNPCs to bear in mind…

• Maud Chiselbone (Hag in Cliffs of Xover)
• Sephek Kaltro
• Pakbak Cinderfoot
• Screaka (Vampire Owlin… she has spies)
• (Whoever) leads the ring of human traffikers

Maybe Saarvin brings news that there were thefts overnight – suspiciously similar to how the Gracks operated in Fireshear… with Hundlestone being reclaimed by the gnomes – the Gracklebacks had to go somewhere… perhaps some are in Tentowns?

for the stones skirmish, we switched up the action descriptio and used an alternate combat determination

what to do for ice pit riot?

for skirmish, you could leave the arena but not return

for riot, you cannot leave until two of three fall and fail to stand

anything goes, magic, cheating, etc…

magic affects are somehiw muted beyond the pit

I think since party only needs ome win , the riot session will involve watching many oyhers fight

First three to enter after horn sounds

Tag bearers are on deck, perhaps six of them? 9?

First three of those on deck

or maybe, three ice pits?

with the deck standing in the middle

or maybe a judge rolls a dice to choose?

but… how will combat be different?

does it need to be?

no, but maybe yes…

so table outcomes are no good, not for the PCs

NPCs can use tables, or mere story

maybe some extra boons?

temp hp equal to hp? for all?

crit on 19 & 20?

or maybe spectator interference?

or maybe random environmental threats? Darkness spells?

or maybe it is just a combat?

on ice

which helps dawndra

what if the pitfloor wasso slick that every melee attack roll required an acro check to succeed?

certain things can give advantage on the roll, like Dawndras ability to adhere to ice

ranged or magical attacks would not be affected unless character moves

but that gives them advantage…

how to remove?

ice storm? ice cyclone

nah

what then?

maybe the ground moves?

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/conditions#TOC-Flat-Footed

stand still longer that 5 seconds and you will be pinned? But will that limit magic users?

No… magic users will have the advantage here… they had none at all in the skirmish – in fact the opposite. So there should be very few magic users… although any melee fighter could be using magic

What needs to be settled is how the three contestants of any round are selected.

Maybe I need to look at logistics of numbers… skirmish had how many? 183

Anyone who survived the slaughter of Skenscarn got a free win… so how many died and could not be revived? 41 say dice – so 142 remain to fight in the Ice Pit Riots

142 / 9 = 15.7778

If each round is 9 contestants (3 rings of 3 fighters each) then 15 rounds gives everyone 1 round. 30 if everyone 2 rounds, 45 gives everyone 3 rounds

Let us say each round is less than ten minutes – including time to set next round… that means 6 rounds per hour 45 / 6 = 7.5 – it will take seven and half hours of pit fights to get thru that many contestants…

One thing I forgot… gambling…

Surely that is a big attraction of the Fray Games. Surely it is not illegal in the frontier of Icewind Dale… Contestants are not allowed to gamble? Nah… they probably are… who cares

But this means I need to go back… probably all the way to Fireshear episode – have Saarvin talk about the bookers. Then at the opening ceremony, add something about the gambling – perhaps there is a table where you can place early bets – which pay out the highest.

The games bring in a lot of money… because Bryn Shander runs the bookers – every dollar lost goes into a pocket… Easthaven gets a cut, as does Good Mead… but since Dougans Hole refuses to allow anyone into their town they get nothing – and largely they are fine with it.

Back to selection process

Two wooden platforms stand in the middle of three large ice pits, one higher than the other. When the first horn sounds, 9 tag bearers stand on the higher platform and 9 more are let in from the larger ground to the on-deck platform. There is a tray with 5 flat stones, each with a pip carved into one side. The tray goes around the upper platform, one ring at a time. Each tag-bearer scoops up the stones and then tosses them back into the tray. If 3 or more land pip-up, the tag-bearer waves their contestant into that ring. This continues until two of the three rings are full (the third being filled with the remainder)

Kildar faces off against Gornrik and… a familiar half-elf

Who is this young half-elf girl? A caster obviously… a natural caster… a sorcerer. A Stander…

Some modifications perhaps… but she can manifest her spirit as a physical being

Alyrora Neri

Koza, Ellerika, and Marsden

Somewhere I wrote notes about the existing feud between Koza and Ellerika… but I’m not finding in my notes here… nor in my email (which I really need to do a better job of transfering over to here…)

Here is what I remember… Ellerika was her fathers Tag Bearer in the fray games a year or two ago. They were on the final event – the Frost Troll Head Roll. They encountered a Yeti, or a pack of Crag Cats, or something… and her father was seriously injured. Koza was camping in a nearby cave and, hearing the conflict, came to the rescue of Ellerika and her father. But no good deed goes unpunished… somehow Ellerika got  a hold of Koza’s chain weapon and she abandoned both Koza and her father for dead. Her father did die in that cave, but Koza did not, and neither has her anger.

Dawndra

Who shall Dawndra fight against? Yazga? Pakbak? Both seem too obvious. Tronk? Nah… Roll some new NPCs? ok

2d6 = 5 & 2

Halflings… one monk, one fighter

Is the Monk male or female?

1d10 = 3 Female

Is the Fighter male?

1d10 = 7 Female

So three women in the pit – one a 7 and a half foot naked giant with polar bear fur and a 10 foot long ice needle and two others which barely stand above Dawndra’s knees. This must be a challenge and I will let the dice have their way… Dawndra only needs one win for the games to go

on for our story… and if she loses this match, I can briefly summarize a later win.

Who are these two halflings?

Names

First

Last

4 & 5

Jilzana Leafflow… Jixana Leafwhirly

Lidli Tallberry… Linli Wallberry

Is Jix the Fighter?

[()] No

Linli Wallberry – Strongheart Halfling Fighter

Jixana Leafwhirly – Lightfoot Halfling Monk

Linli

18 12 16 08 12 10

AC 16 HP 50

+5 1d8 +3 or 8  (*2)

Jix

10 18 12 10 14 14

AC 16 HP 40

+5 1d6 +3 or 6 (*3)

Linli is from the south. Possible connection to Nim Bragos? [()] Yes. She is from Memnon then… We know she was not with Nim and Norli on their travel North so she likely sailed… because she prefers it? Yes – she must then be more of a pirate than a paladin… a Swashbuckler skilled with blades… duel short swords. Any magic? [()] No

Jix is local… From the Black Raven Monastery. She fights unarmed as was the way of Valas. She is participating in the games as a cover for her real objective… to discover agents of The Knout in Tentowns (although she is rather excited about competing…). I don’t know that Dawndra and Jix will have any reason to compare notes… or the time… but I think it is possible that Jix gets herself captured by The Knout… and when the party arrives to rescue Roller, Jix is there with her. That should be fun… So then Jix must make a big impression here in the Ice Pit Riots

The Way of the Blade Hand

Masters of Force Shaping, unarmed attacks are made with force magic. A knife hand thrust can do Piercing damage, or the edge of the knife hand can be used as an ultra sharp force blade for slashing damage. Normal kicks and punches all do extra Force damage equal to proficiency bonus. These do not require ki expenditure – but only work as long as the monk has ki points to use.

Session Notes – C01.S03.14

Session Notes – C01.S03.13

What happens in this scene?

I initially had planned to go straight from Opening Ceremony to the first event of the games – The Stones Throwdown… but then I remembered the first time I wrote through this idea – a couple years back now – a trick was played on the PCs. The transport wagon taking them to Easthaven did not go to Easthaven but instead led them into a trap where they were attacked by crag cats.

I’m going to do the same, well, similar. The transport driver (along with his son) are paid (probably by Pakbak, but it could be any contestant at this point) to waylay their passengers. At this point, any tricks to remove contestants are fair game. Well… not fair… but the point is, their gold is in the pot. If they meet with unfortunate circumstances in between events they effectively lose the games and their gold goes to the winners. So the times in between the dangerous events are even more dangerous if there are any who would play dirty – and of course there are plenty this year.

I could not find a name for the forest that appears along the south of the Eastway between Bryn Shander and Easthaven… so I named it. Wayvern Silva.  It is a dark forest with a thick canopy. The ground within sees very little snow and almost no light when the canopy is frozen with snow. Occasionally chunks of frozen snow may fall into the forest, glittering its way to the forest floor as ice crystals.

My first thought was to use the Gnoll Vampires from the Rime of the Frostmaiden adventure. Having read up a bit, I decided to leave them in the glacier (Tekeli-li) but I still wanted vampires to be the threat within the forest. So I did a search on monsters by habitat/environment and at the top of that list was the Giant Owl. Then it occurred to me that we have a new playable race of owl like beings from Strixhaven – the Owlin Race (or this). I decided to create an Owlin Vampire (vNPC) and give him/her a small troop of Giant Owl Thralls

Should this vNPC be male or female? [()] Female.

What are names like for Owlin? This resource gives descriptor names like Beak, Gizzard, etc

Maybe something like Screech? Screek? Screaka? Yes, Screaka.

Screaka is not from the Realms originaly… but from the Frostfell. She was banished from the plane by magic, but found her way to Icewind Dale where she found food far more plentiful – and the competition for it weaker. She began collecting Giant Owls to make Thralls of.  She and her thralls have made Wayvern Silva home for over a year now.

Perhaps I ought to go back the first trip to Easthaven and include some rumor of dangerous owls? Maybe a warning not to travel the stretch until after first shadow – and certainly never during nhyx. And no matter how appealing the shelter of Wayvern Silva may appear – do not enter its shadow… something like that.

Screaka vNPC

Even after handicapping Screaka from the default Vampire, she is still formidable and may be too much for Level 3 (original CR was 13…)

So I have this much

Party leaves Bryn Shander via pre-arranged transport sled

The transport driver and his son bail out, sending the sled headlong into the Wayvern Syliva.

There is a combat encounter with Giant Vampire Owls (Thralls of Screaka)

Screaka enters the combat at some point

Maybe that is too simple

I don’t want this session to drag out into multiple sessions… but it needs more.

Perhaps the Giant Owls steal one or more party members and fly away into the dark of Wayvern Silva – then the rest of the party must seek them out in the dark – find the lair of Screaka.

Who is on the transport?

Dawndra & Shent

Kildar & Rivereyes

Elly Rrika & ??? Maybe her husband? Father?

How many Owl Thralls are there? 2d4

[()] 5

So then 5 of the 6 party members are nabbed – or a nab is attempted – by owl thralls

DC 13 Dex Save

If fail, give another chance to wrestle free while in the air

DC 15 Str Save

See how it plays out… if a PC is taken, it might get interesting trying to split the party. If NPC only, then obviously there is a choice to be made – and of course they will try to save them for the sake of adventure and because of their Good alignments.

The Lair of Screaka

This is what was missing before… a location to explore within Wayvern Silva. What would an Owlin Vampire Lair look like? Borrow something from nature… perhaps… or what if there is structure within the forest – long abandoned. Would it have been Frost Giants? I’ve done plenty of that so far. It would not be Redhedmen, nor human. Gnomes maybe? Or Duergar? What if there is an entrance to Underdark within the forest? Gnomes…

Within the depths of Wayvern Silva is a long-abandoned Gnomish temple to Baervan Wildwanderer. The temple looks like a massive nest of branches that encompasses a dozen or more trees – something like a beaver damn hoisted into the tree tops. Within the nest are many passage ways and small rooms – all gnome-high – with the exception of the main worship chamber which is much larger. This is where Screaka made her lair. The original altar to Baervan remains along with many valuable items ‘sacrificed’ to the deity by gnomes hundreds of years ago. Not that it matters now, but the temple was once called Fastpaws Mantle. The temple is quite old, and sections have fallen away. Climbing the structure has a risk of falling along with chunks of the ancient raised structure.

The thralls deliver food to a chamber on top of Fastpaws Mantle to await feast hour. The party will have to climb the trees to rescue captured members. Maybe set a timer here? If they can make it the rooftop of the temple within so many minutes, then Screaka does not appear?

ToDo and Ideas for Heroes Gate

4/15

When I start Cycle Two… change to “Sessions” instead of “Scenes”

Flashback memoires

Build more of these in… sometimes they are longer… a whole “Session” long. Build Session long tellings of things that took place in the past. Also use other characters – use a solo session (or something like that) to glimpse in on Marlon Emberjaw or his sister, or some other shield. Intersperse these within textplay.

Also… Terra Emberjaw – in addition to running the detective agency at Delzorin Street – also runs other such businesses. One of which is a Guide Guild… Gwynma’s Guild of Guides. Perhaps Shent will be a member. Unlike Heroes Gate (party of 5) and Delzorin Street (part of 3) Gwynma’s Guild of Guides are adventures for a party of 1. The Wardens Guild will often hire a guide (Marlon knows about this side-hustle of his sisters, though not the Delzorin Street).

Also… what about the Iron Shadows? A guild of bounty hunters… Is this also Terra Emberjaws? If not, surely it belongs to a friend of hers… or an enemy… a social enemy… perhaps not directly… perhaps a social enemy of a dear friend in Raven’s Bluff? I am a ways off from this… but keep it simmering.

Back to Gwynma’s Guild of Guides… Adventuring Parties often need to hire a guide. Someone who knows the land, and the dangers within it. A Guide is different from a Warden… A Guide may or may not protect their client – depending on the situation. They may not even delve into the depths with the party – but they can get them there to the mouth of the mines. These can be shorter too – one or two sessions rather than 15-20. Guides can also be used as teachers…

As much as possible – every skill or feat is learned from a teacher (an NPC usually). New feats require a session with a teacher – like Yisi and Valea and their Defender feat. Also, go back into the early years of the monastery more… use flashback sessions to tell the story of learning Flurry of Blows or basic unarmed attacks, or the training which led to the proficiency with blades. These are told in first person… flashback style. No rolling or tables – the outcome is set. This way I practice more normal style of writing some

4/12

Rethinking the 5th member of each shield…

I really like the basic idea of Tanala Sola – a Rune Dancer Sorcerer. She is pure support… carries only a dagger and has rarely used it. As she is dancing, runes form overhead. She can then go touch another – friend or foe – and the rune will transfer to them and will remain as long as she dances. Some runes are buffs, some are banes. She has high charisma and high dexterity.

Mynnzi is starting to form into a very similar character in my mind. She sings and plays music. So at first thought… a bard… but what if she is also a sorcerer with a gift of music. She has aspects of the harpy – illusions of small harpies form in her hand and fly overhead singing songs of charming spells (somewhat lesser than the actual harpy monster). If a creature targets or attacks Mynnzi, or one of her harpies, they instantly have disadvantage against her charm spells and the DC increases.

Shaggy… he also has field benefiting spells. He can cause flowering vines to sprout from just about anywhere (2-3 rounds of concentration) If a player eats these flowers (bonus action if within reach), they gain hp or a buff or something. He is basically a druid but with a sorcerer like gift of magic

In all three… I could either make them strictly a sorcerer class with special subclass… or use the apparent class and restrict them… I’m thinking – just use the sorcerer class with a subclass flavored towards druid, bard, runewizard.

What about other classes in the shields? Both Everwelte and Iron Aegis have 4 monks and a sorceror… Northern Towers also has a Barbarian and some fighters… should I make Rodan and Brava monks also? And Kildar? Maybe he is a barbarian-flavored monk? His monastery was a cave in the Spine and his teacher was his mother… but she taught disciple and strength and honor… so perhaps he is not a barbarian class.

Why are Hit Dice based on class and not race? Maybe it doesn’t matter… I’ve maxed the max hp anyway – but a monk at d8 is never going to have the hp of a barbarian at d12… shouldn’t a goliath have more than d8? Maybe that is where constitution comes in… All my other monks – elves, dwarves, tabaxi… d8 makes sense but with the Northern Towers these are big monks… if I +2 their con scores, that is an extra 6 hp only at lvl 3. Maybe all this does not matter. I’m not going to let them die anyway – unless I want them to.

The only other reason for not playing monks is because I want more variation. But that is easily remedied by giving them extra bonus actions… that prevents always have to say “you follow up with a punch”. Maybe add something to the three monk bonus actions? Flurry is great for an unarmed fighter like Deynn… but why would Dawndra kick or punch if she has her ice pike in hand. Occasionally… sure… but every round? That gets boring. So then… give each monk some sort of subclass specific bonus action(s) in place of the “extra punch”… like some manuever to give advantage on next attack or some weapon magic that only uses a bonus

4/11

Watching a skyrim video with music – town is Riften and it made me want to play there. Should I consider uprooting the entire guild and moving it to Tamriel? After the first few missions, Marlon will get arrested and sent to Black Rose Prison in the Mere of Dead Men. Breaking him out of Prison is only the first objective… then what to do about the council who wants him out? Maybe the Wardens Guild at Heroes Gate needs to sit borded up for some time. Terra (did  I change her name?) will be running the detective agency in Waterdeep. Perhaps the guild moves to another plane?

The Everwelte will go to Tamriel first – on a contract for Missey (7th level I said?) That same level, the Iron Aegis will go to Calimport and Nothern Towers will go to Garren Nor – all three are long term contracts

4/1

Fire silk – although perhaps quite some ways off… maybe the Roven’ris sisters travel to Tuern based on a rumor of fire worms being found in the Flame Fault.

3/24

Consider using this statblock generator to create stats for PCs? For use in ppt reference deck

3/17

Eventually… Take all of this practice and experience and build something I can publish. Move away from Faerun and Tamriel and Albion… yet be informed by them all.

Create lore books – campaign settings which can be read for entertainment rather than strictly as reference. Mimic the skyrim books and the Volo books where there are many writings by various characters in the world. Some writings are very reference-oriented but others are snippets of personal journals or other writings with character.

What to name my world?

Why does this seem an important first step? It is something to hang things on.

Zoe + Tabula

Tablet of life

Zotabuh
Zotaba

2/28/2022

Everwelte changes

Replacing Joloobo with Acoma

Should I allow Joloobo to die in the Feywild?

Or continue with him through another cycle and allow him to return to his forest? If he remains alive, he may return as NPC or even a quest giver / contract.

Acoma and Zoony are both, therefore, picked up from the feywild.

Perhaps Acoma is one of the entranced of Zoony?

Or how should I introduct Acoma? She is in the Feywild searching for her brother Chato. They could find Chato dead… find an artifact which links them and then connect the dots when they encounter Acoma

2/26/2022

Go back to scene 14… deynn should have put up more of a contest during the discussion on whether or not to kill the Red Wizard. He accepted it too easy and that does not fit with his character. I could also use the moment for a flashback… to a discussion with a teacher in the Abbey (ala Kwai Chang Caine) or maybe… maybe his insight emblem has influenced this decision… at any rate – make the decision bigger than it currently is

Also…. And I think I noted this elsewhere… but go back to Everwelte and somewhere insert a short conversation with Dawndra about her plans to travel North for the Frozenfar Fray Games. If I tack on the feywild quest to cycle one (which I am thinking I will, rather than making it a whole cycle) then I could just have a teacher tell them that Dawndra has gone north for the games… but maybe still – it would be best to have Dawndra herself express some excitement about the journey, the games, and the possibility of learning something of her kind.

2/23/2022

Delzorin Street Mysteries

Waterdeep Mysteries

Charlies Angels kind of thing… three wizards solve mysteries in the big city of Waterdeep

A wealthy mystery somebody named Charlimir (Charlie) runs a detective agency via a speaker stone and his personal assistant, Iarno (Bosley). His detectives are three beautiful women, who end up in a variety of difficult situations.

L’Khifrey Roethorn (Khi-khi) – Loremaster – Human

Ravralynn Loh’Delthos  (Loh) – Bladesinger – Sun Elf

Words on White Bones (Bonesy) – Divination – Tabaxi

Charlimir is secretly Terra (Terradryn Emberjaw) the sister of Marlonmir Emberjaw – Guild Chief of the Wardens Guild of Heroes Gate. (but not even Marlon knows she is running this agency)

I had this idea to blend Dungeons & Dragons and Charlie’s Angels… no really… hear me out…

I am using D&D lore and settings as a place to write in.

Delzorin Street is a location in Waterdeep,which is a rather famous fantasy city for D&D in the world of the Forgotten Realms.

I’m creating 3 Wizards with a penchant for solving mysteries.

• • • L’Khifrey Roethorn (Khi-khi) – Loremaster – Human
    • Ravralynn Loh’Delthos  (Loh) – Bladesinger – Sun Elf
    • Words on White Bones (Bonesy) – Divination – Tabaxi

I have a “Bosley” character – Iarno Albrek. (He happens to be the father of one of the wizarding detectives) In the official published adventure Lost Mines of Phandelver, he was portrayed as an evil villain… but in my possible world, he was simply undercover.

I also have a Charlie character – “Charlimir” which, of course, is not the person’s real name. None of you will remember, but a few of you met this character briefly when you played D&D with me a few years ago…

I will be writing in the same way that I currently write at Heroes Gate

http://heroesgate.wonderlore.quest/

It is an odd blend of roleplay, fan fiction, and fun (for me if no one else…).

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Harpers%27_Hold

Is Terra Emberjaw secretly a member of the Harpers?

Surely she has friends within the Harpers,she has friends every where

But with a Harper connection, some clients may come that way

2/22/2022

Joloobo… Not sure he really fits as a “Rogue” and as it is, he is the only character I did not homebrew a subclass for. Maybe Joloobo is really a Ranger Soulknife?

2/17/2022

For Stitch… I had a crazy idea… Stitch is a bard… and the opportunity may arise for him to sing a song. I was listening to AC/DC yesterday (She’s Got Balls) and I had this crazy idea to put those lyrics into the mouth of Stitch (credit to Aussie boys of course)

She’s got style, that woman

Makes me smile, that woman

She’s got spunk, that woman

Funk, that woman

She’s got speed, my lady

Got what I need, my baby

She’s got the ability, hey

To make a man out of me

And she’s got taste, my lady

Pace, my lady

Makes my heart race

With her pretty face

She’s got balls, my lady

Likes to crawl, my lady

Hands and knees all around the floor

No one has to tell her what a feller is for

Or perhaps a slight paraphrase to fit the time and place… but still.. This idea opens up thousands of songs and lyrics for use by bards in-game.

2/11/2022

Sunless Citadel?

Where to place it?

The top level is not kobolds but goblins with lycanthropy

Second level is the kobolds as written – but they have the relationship with the druid

Where is the spellbook? Maybe… not sunless citadel?

2/09/2022

GO back and add something to set up Dawndra for her trip to Icewind Dale and the Frozenfar Fray

1/28/2022

Lots of things to note from my walk yesterday.

Rey Ko Toh… He can enter into another space but when he does, time stops. He can pick 5-6 others  in that space which do not experience the stop of time – he basically pulls them into the space between time. He can carry them to another space in the exact same time but he must tag them magically and the tag will not “stick” if they are unwilling to be carried. He can only leap around spaces a few times before exhaustion.

Speaking of exhaustion… use this more.

Rek Ko Toh also helps IronAegis “If you help me, I help you”. He cannot move forward or back in time, but he has gotten good and prediction. He can antipate things fairly accurately

Deynn and Roonoo – they must pass thru The Darkwood Hill on the way to Phandalin. Add an encounter here. When they exit and start the downward slope into the villlage, they see a beautiful elf lady dressed in temple garb walking hurriedly uphill towards them. She smiles and greets them and continues. Roonoo, perhaps, cautions her about going alone into the wood – after what they just fought. “I am not alone, Tymora goes with me.” and off she goes. Moments later, they hear her scream. Rushing back they find nothing helpful. There are tracks in the woods but they go in several directions… perhaps they find one set and follow only to find a small group of redbrands sitting round a fire eating some small prey. The Redbrands, of course, kidnapped Garaelle. She has been far too outspoken against them and they cannot have the only local priestess bad-mouthing them – else the townsfolk may rebel. She is taken to Tresendar Manor into the cages below.

Adalissi – when she enters into Phandalin – the messenger – the bird guy Syrinx (?) finds her and recognizes her at the High Priestess of Selune – and falls to his knees to honor her before giving her a message that came earlier in the day. Reading the message, Adalissi charges the sisters to find Garaelle and complete the mission – something critical calls her back to Triboar… and she leaves. The sisters begin searching for Sister Garelle – asking around…

Now the question is… where do they meet? Deynn / Roonoo and Leely / Ileel… a couple of options

In the Inn?

In the Redbrand Hideout?

At the Stone Giant tavern?

The abduction of Garelle ties them together. The sisters ask around and learn of a connection to the redbrands… Deynn and Roonoo now have multiple pressing things… The finding of Gundren, the finding of Colt and Darsley (they did not meet on the road), the finding of Iarno (Sildar and L’Khifrey drive this pressing thing), and now the finding of the beautiful young priestess.

Stitch

Tabaxi Bard from Tethyr. Full name is Stitch in a Sock. Known to most as Stitch but his mom calls him Socks. His mom is an elder at the bards college (Wintertalon Academy) in Darromar (Capital of Tethyr). Her name is Elm Tree by a River (Elm Tree). She specializes in teaching Lore (giving her a possible connection to L’Khifrey who seeks to become a Lore Master) and she is particularly knowledgable when it comes to her own kind – the Tabaxi. She has a book called the Blessings of Jone and Jode which is a mystery to everyone. She thinks it is evidence that the Tabaxi lived also in Melabrauth – the lost jungle I the Dragon Empire – Laerakond . She has formed a theory that Jone and Jode where worshipped in Laerakond by Tabaxi and somehow they were responsible for the disappearance of Maztica for a hundred years . She does not know the truth… that Jone and Jode are from another place entirely (Tamriel) but she does know the name “Khajiit”. She suspects that is just how the Tabaxi of that land referred to themselves. Anyway… all that leads to a personal quest for Valea Syh at some point. Elm Tree will recognize the symbol of Jone and Jode which she carries around her neck – but will mislead her into thinking her homeland is actuall Laerakond.

Dawndra – How to explain a Half Giant / Half Polar Bear / Half Human? Maybe the deranged Frost Druid who created her people a century ago was experimenting with genetics after meeting a Half Giant. They magically created a Half Polar Bear child who died early but not before having a litter of children by the half giant… in fact – it makes sense that childbirth of a litter of half giants probably killed her.

Lore – Start adding my own pages for locations like Conyberry and Phandalin… whenever I make small changes – reference the FR wiki but “in this possibility” things are slightly different… Don’t talk about multiverses and their ilk… just talk about “Possibilities”. Whether all the Possibilities exist somewhere side by side somehow is pointless and beyond our need to know… but the dice rolls and in some Possibilities, characters may look quite different or have different experiences

Collaboration – What does Garaelle look like? Build a table with different pictures – roll to see which picture fits. Also write up a version where another character is active has blank lines for dialog so that someone else can join in the Adventure Txtplay… this may be difficult – but I want to find ways to include others collaboratively… voice actors may want to record an extra scene

Character Sheets – I want to start distinguishing “Player” voices. The character sheet needs to be a place where player voice can come out. Step into each player.. Spend more time speaking as the player and not just the player character. Also – give each player character some sort of journal or gazette or the like. Each “Player” will contribute to the PC Journal regularly… reflections on things that are happening or dreams of what may come… no rules… just a forum for the player to speak and reveal things about the PC that do not happen in game. Something which can be emulated at a real table.

Scene Notes – Use these as a Catch All … within Scene Notes, tag the various other things such as DM Notes, Story Notes, etc – then write those notes later – a little more formally perhaps. Then Klay and Kinney will “find” the notes and begin to study them in dialog.

1/23/2022

Restructing things…

Much of what I have been calling “DM Notes” probably belongs to another category. I deal with character backgrounds and motivations and plot arcs and other stuff which I sort of planned to write separate notes for.

Here is what… I will rename DM Notes to Scene Notes… these will include all kinds of notes – whatever it takes to prepare for and finish writing the scene. After I write the scene I extract them into specific notes (as below) and link to them from the scene note (also catalog them in a Page)

Notes will be important soon… I plan on using Klay and Kinney to study the notes… perhaps something like “Klay and Kinney Learn How To Adventure”. The idea is that these two characters will come across Heroes Gate, read it and then have chats about what they learn from it… especially from the Notes section. Then I plan on publishing their study guide. Perhaps it is all too convoluted… but I like the idea… and I have decided to implement some courage and make it happen – if only for my own sake.

But back to categories for Notes

Maybe all the entire collection “Adventure Notes” since the writing itself is called “Adventure TxtPlay” (or what should I call it?). Adventure Notes is just a top level box for all actual notes. Some notes will be writen before the scene – like planning for it… and other notes will be retrospective… what did I learn? What could I do better? What did I do that I want to be sure to do again?

Notes vs Guides

Right now I am writing notes… I am basically talking to myself, brainstorming what might be and exploring ideas… That is how I use all “Notes”.

“Guides” on the other hand, are more formal. They include Character Bios, Lore Books, Quest Guides and Design Guidance. (maybe more?) Guides are polished for public consumption whereas Notes are informal and unedited (largely). The TxtPlay itself links out to both as there are associations but the TxtPlay is its own thing.

DM Notes

(Specific & General) These should be centered around how to DM a particular scene with insights into how to DM in general. I need to separate the DM role from the Design role. DM Notes should basically answer the question “How might I run this scene or encounter at a table?” Also some general guidance for the role of DM as I discover it.

Design Notes

(General) This is the content around Adventure Design (or Engineering, or Development ) – the RPG Writer role. These notes are about how to create and write adventures generally, not about this specific adventure, nor about how to run it for a table. Yet Design Notes will be attached to scenes… as I design the specific adventure (or redesign portions of published modules) (or even… as I analyse published modules) I want to capture those learnings here in a general way.

Quest Notes

(Specific) Much of what is currently written as DM Notes really belongs here… planning out, brainstorming style, how the specific scenes and adventures will go. This is valid whether I am writing wholey from scratch or modifying a published module. I also create a lot of LGFLs (Locations, Guilds, Factions, Lore) while I am “noting”… anything Lore related should be refined in the LGFL Guide. These notes should eventually be refined into “Quest Guides” – content which other DMs can use to run the quest at their own table. I’m doing the work… I should do it well, refine it and publish it. Others publish guidance for WotC Adventures. I should do the same – except I am hesitant to actually sell anything as a product… treat it like a blog and accept gratuities. But do it well… good enough to hope for Best Seller status on DMs Guild.

RP Notes

(General) Here are learnings about how to step into a character and think their thoughts and speak their words and walk in their shoes. It is also general guidance for Role Play, not specific to the current scene… but taken out from it… Something I did with this character is something I can do with other characters – if I remember. And writing Notes is a primary way for me to remember.

Character Notes

(Specific & General) Really this is a brainstorming board for what actually goes into the character sheet. When writing Notes I have freedom to write nonsense… take my character notes and then refine them into the character sheet. But Character Notes should also include general thoughts on what makes an interesting PC / NPC. As I read books on character creation – write out notes on those within the section but do not tie it to a scene or a specific character.

1/15/2022

Each Shield has an informal leader… Yisi, Deynn, Dawndra

I almost feel like starting over… but no – no good will come from that just yet. Continue on plan and let what is be.

Each protaganist is chasing one of three transcendentals – without really knowing that they are

Yisi is chasing Beauty

Deynnis chasing Goodness

Dawndra is chasing Truth

Each will struggle with common setbacks… “How can one go sideways while seeking Beauty?” Vanity and shallowness and maybe even addiction perhaps are common setbacks on that pathway. While seeking Goodness, one can become judgemental and self-righteous and elitist (though elitism seems a setback for all three). One can also despair of ones Goodness as well, falling into a hole of self-pity and disillusionment. While seeking Truth, one can doubt everything, falling into subjectivism or go the other way of elitism and ‘know-it-all-ism”

Each will also run up against a recurring enemy… Daine and the undead (the epitemy of goodness?) Yisi and the Dragons (are they somehow contrary to beauty? Or if not… what is? Hags?) and Dawndra and the Giants (only because she is part Giant, unknowingly, and that is part of the truth she seeks. Perhaps she also has some trouble with mindflayers who are all about lies and non-reality)

The heroes will go thru many adventures, in the Realms, in Tamriel… eventually they all somehow arrive on a plane or a planet somewhere.. Perhaps they fall back in time on Tamriel to a point where there is little structure… They are seen as gods… and perhaps that is where the real story begins… They have new names and form a society based on Prophets (Truth) Priests (Goodness) and Poets (Beauty). Perhaps it is here that I begin actual fiction… having written my way into improved skills with words, sentences, paragraphs, plots and people. Too ambitious? Perhaps just ambitious enough…

Change up PC sheet – again

Top level is Bio, Roleplaying ideas, Backstory, Traits, Personal Objectives

Then link to Stat Blocs – one per level starting at 03

Duplicate in online site

Idea

Just Now

..with Shea Eugene

Idea

Use Mythic Table and Inkarnate in Heroes Gate.

[IMAGE] justs links out to an image

Or…

[ImageNEEDED] links to a Collaboration page. That page has a link to a Survey “Why do you wish to contact me?” or “Why you are contacting me?”

Anyone can submit a link to a map, an image, a sidequest txtplay, . I will consider and add it to the site. If I select more than two,  will create a page which link to a note about those two images with links

Idea

Use templates for content

Published the template but add links to articles in the example text. Article explains why the section.

Idea

User characters to explore the site. !!

ToDO

Later – Joloobo might mention he was never actually introduced  – he just hangs around the backyard and goes offf into the mountains hunting. Have a Joloobo Session where is it all Joloobo hunting a troll or something.

Idea

Work to make an underlying story about the monastaries the heroes come from.

Wardens Guild of Heroes Gate

Aka

The story of the Three Monastaries

The Abbey Ironwall

Song Moon Temple

Treyvigg Monastery

Idea

SideQuests. Write short adventures and publish under SideQuests. Some may be used by characters and some may not. Link to Collaboration page so others can run the sidequest

Idea

Surveys. For Collaboration, or anything else, I need to give people the ability to contact me. I don’t want to be contacted by people wanting to sell me shit. So maybe… use Survey’s? I link to a survey, person fills it out with the understanding that I may contact them back as a result.

ToDo:

Build out some ideas for what happens when Vetla Coin of Tymora is used. I don’t think a simple table will be enough – but it should be the least. I think the coin works with alignment. If the will of its possessor leans towards the good of others, a good table is used. If the will leans towards the ill of others, the Black Bess table is used. Other things may happen as well, just randomly when having possession, without any flip of the coin. DM determines what happens. Vetla used it while angry and it brought down the scaffolding of the new tower project in Luskan.

ToDo:

Build out a table of feats used for monsters, NPCs and PCs. Make it easy to copy/paste into sheets

Idea:

Create an explorer character to tell the lore. Perhaps even Loremaster Ool. As Volo and Elminster are used to tell about monsters and places in interesting ways, add one to my version of the world

Idea:

Open a Slack or Discord chanell where people can interact with the the Shield Heroes in character

Adventure Idea

Rehash Dagger Vulu – the prized horse which needs protecting as he changes owners. Roonoo is the obvious source of this quest – maybe it is a side quest for him…

Website

Go through and add Next links in addition to links to Appreciation page and Collaboration page. Add to every page at the bottom

Monsters

Create a generic stat block for varying CR levels… When creating a monster or vNPC… just link to the generic block unless some tweaking is needed.

Flashbacks

Go back to first shield first cycle and add in some flashbacks for each of the PCs (Yisi, Valea, Joloobo). Maybe improve the format somewhat so it is obviously a flashback and stands out from the rest of the text

Notes

I include a lot of notes in DM Notes that really belong in Character Notes or Shield Notes… it feels like a major undertaking but I knew I would have to eventually sort through all of the notes pages, organize them, toss some, refine some… As I get further into Cycle one… the mess will only get more difficult if I don’t sort it. Plus… sorting it now will probably help future cycle’s be more focused when it comes to notes.

Clay and Kinney

Wondering if my notes should be in C&K dialog… as if these two personalities were actually writing all of this stuff. It would help set Heroes Gate apart from “second-rate fan fiction” even though, truth be told… that is what it is… but by roleplaying a couple of roleplayers… I might set myself apart. It is strange to use two names as a nom-de-plume… but perhaps I am counting in it being strange enough to gain attention and then at least good enough to earn some appreciation. Maybe… differences can be added in how the Shields are written and formated so that it might appear that either Clay or Kinney are doing the heavy lifting on any given cycle. Perhaps, however, if that is the only reason to do it, the effort is not worth it. If there are other reasons then maybe so.