Maze of the Blue Medusa 5E (Inactive)

Game Master TPJ

There is a definite point a-to-b-to-c flow for the prologue, but I'm keeping it really loosely scripted. I know where things need to go, but I'm leaving room to improvise and play off everyone.

Regarding Vornheim, I'm borrowing bits and pieces from the Vornheim supplement, but it's largely just a backdrop for this adventure. The supplement itself is about half city guide, half treatise for running a large city campaign with lots of random charts and tables. A lot of the book is deliberately vague to encourage GMs to make it their own.

Some tidbits like magic use in public and the white elves are lifted from the book, and fleshed out by me. Most of that stuff is throwaway lines that seemed fun.

I do recommend it. Even if you don't use the setting itself, there's a lot of cool stuff to swipe from it.

S#!+s gonna get INTENSE if this isn't even starting the module. I'm very excited.

All I can think of when I think of the heist right now is some classic 70s crook movie music, like Heist Music!

or, if you prefer newer, sabotage!

This has been haunting me fierce the past week... perhaps it's an omen?

I will be leaving the county tomorrow morning and will not be back to a regular posting schedule until Oct. 25th. Sorry for the inconvenience. I hate to be leaving during the very beginning of the campaign because this is really the crutch of character development.

Sorry we had unexpected guests over the weekend and I haven't been checking in, now there's 27 posts to read through!

I'm ready to jump to the heist anytime.

I should have a write-up tonight where we hit fast-forward.

For those of you attending the party, now would be a good time to think about cover stories. You'll probably need to make small talk. :)

Should be posting by tonight. I've been recovering from my hunting trip and am a little sick. Miss you all.

DM, your last two posts were really well executed. The buildup was great, the pacing was perfectly measured, and the characterizations were very much on point. Thank you.

Aww... thanks.

Foreal. Keep up the good work.

Anyone here familiar with Crimson King?

I am not.

Long posts. It'll take me a bit to read. Hopefully on my lunch break. Otherwise tonight after the kids go to bed.

Wanted to post more, but I'm out of time, I'll post up more later.

In the Court of the Crimson King- King Crimson

Late 60's prog. Crazy junk.

Are the guests doing the right thing just playing face or should we be doing something? I assumed we just needed to be in the right position and then at the right moment create the distraction.

Just hang tight there. I have plans for you. *evil laugh*

So, I have a belated apology. I just noticed that the rope of climbing requires an action to animate, and then a bonus action to command.

I should have never been able to use it the way I did in our first combat.

Sorry.

It's coo mayne. You's a thief- Steal that action economy!

I want to do this reaction post justice, so I'm gonna hold off on it until the morning. Sorry.

I'm really excited about these developments btw.

I decided I couldn't leave this post hanging. I'm having so much fun with this character. I'm REALLY excited to see the party's relationships develop as the chaos begins.

I played his reaction organically. When the painter tells him what he says, he immediately forgets about any point of the mission. The reason why he was invested in the mission has just dissolved. His current motive is now survival with a stretch goal of understanding how the painter learned all of that information. I'm sure that the inciting incident of the maze itself- whatever the maze actually is- will make it such that Vehemence will desire to remain throughout the adventure (assuming he will even have that choice).

In the event in which that's not the case, Vehemence will be having an existential crisis, and will choose to stay with the group because he will realize that for the time being he truly has nothing left, and his budding ties with the other PC's will keep him tethered. His long goal, if his current hope is irreversibly absconded, will be to lift the curse of his son and ascend back into godhood. (Which I would imagine, would take a long while........................)

I'm really happy we get to do this game. Thank you all so much for existing. This scene is real intense already, and I can't wait to see what happens. I haven't read the thieves' thread. I also think that you're handling the split party mechanic really flawlessly DM. Kudos on kudos.

Rock on compadres.

I agree, the game is quite good. I'm intrigued to see what happens when....*redacted* and when *redacted*....stupid wizards and their illusion spells!

Would I know kara turan? Are you speaking to me or the wizard?

Also in my last post i'm not speaking, i'm thinking loudly with my mind.

I would be speaking to you, but I mostly want to pass myself off as a bodyguard checking on the person he is protecting.

okay but would i understand what you're saying...........?

To be fair, my speaking Kara Turan was also to see if they understood me.

Okay. Thank you. I just didn't understand what was happening by reading the content of the post.

I still don't think my character knows that language.

SAVE ME BROS. PLS. I DON'T WANT TO DIE YET.

But if it happens, DM, I totally understand. No bitterness.

I tried to write that action out just so that we can pace everything out second-by-second. So maybe another PC can intervene beforeeee I provoke initiativeeee???

Going through midterm hell this week. I'll be as active as I can. I don't think I'll actually be posting irregularly, but in the event it happens, that's why. Assuming Vehemence survives this encounter of course. If you've a mind to, please pray for us both. Lol. Thanks!

It should be fine. I've given him a way to back away from you and save face doing it. This is really a situation that we want to resolve by talking, not swinging blades.

Do we still have Lys? Haven't heard anything from her since mid last week.

Wait, are we supposed to start fighting now? Or rush the guards? Or just run?

I believe that at this point every decision is a risk, and thus none are less desirable than the others.

Regardless, I would say that this time the ball is in your court my friend. Seize the helm!

This is coming from one who has no idea what's happening in the thieves' thread.

I plan to wait and see. Nothing says "I'm guilty" like running. Also, they know you you are Vehemence, so that's not helpful.

Indeed. Also A Lys said that she would be on/off for awhile I think?

I can bot A Lys for the time being to keep things moving.

Also, I hope the last post helped clarify the course of action for the guests. :)

Hmm, I checked on Friday, and it said no updates! Now it's telling there's 40! Cattching up now, I'll have to remember to click through all my games regardless of what it tells me.

Playing a vulgar halfling is a ton of fun.

If I die tonight, I'm not really sure what I'll come back with.

Perhaps something with a higher Wisdom score?

So did Alice and I make it away then? Will we meet up with them (all hopefully) later?

Perhaps something with a higher Wisdom score?

No way! Low wisdom is fun!

I need to finish a paper in an hour's time. I'll confer back here when that is finished... I have no idea how to approach this situation. I could play it from one of several genuine angles, but am baffled. The obvious one is more than suicidal. I'll confer...... soon

Be true to your character. F*@$ the consequences.

We haven't even gotten to the really horrible ways to die yet!

I ain't dead yet! Still got three death saves to make.

And unless he wants to drop that concentration, then he won't be casting other concentration spells. So now's the time! Get him, boys!

The capslock is strong.

So is the primely timed comedic crit fail.

Hey Vehemence; the teleport spell now explains why you missed so badly!

It works, it works. Lololol

Anyone read Critical Failures or the Caverns & Creatures books?

I'm pulling a lot of inspiration for this character from Tim, the halfling in that series.

I'm waiting on Aterro and the bad guys to go. Combat tends to change a lot when you go after everyone else.