The Maiden in the Mirror

This is another adventure with Tom as the Dungeon Master. Typically, we have a standing rule that if you're the DM, you can not play as your own character too (as it sort of ruins the experience if the DM's character reveals hidden secrets, passages, riddles, et cetera). However, we made a small exeption to this rule this time around as there were only two other players (Steve and myself) available. We are still working on the timeline as to when these events actually transpired seeing as it was a memorable experience and that it doesn't quite fit into Tom's fully-fleshed out campaign yet. We were thinking that this would happen AFTER certain events. This is a part of the "official" timeline though. (I'll make a diagram of the timeline in the near future because of these multiple "branching" storylines).

This is actually one of my favorite exploits thus far. (These are basically just highlights of the adventure. I don't remember too much of the finer details, but most of the story here is intact.)

Dungeon Master: Tom
Characters Involved:

1. Paalk the Minotaur (Steve)
2. Valcrith Fletcher (Me, Dave)
3. Delgryn (Tom playing as himself despite being the DM)

So we are sent to look for the whereabouts of this wizard/mage guy because he had not been heard from in quite a while. At the entrance to this cave/dungeon are a bunch of big monsters. I had completely forgotten that Tom had said that they were orcs. I had imagined larger man-eating giants/trolls and saw an immediate threat, one in which we would have no shot taking head-on. (This is why it's best to pay close attention to details). Luckily, they were all asleep.

Unfortunately, there were a bunch of twigs and other things strewn about that could wake them up at any given moment so we had to be extremely cautious. So, at the risk of getting turned into a new form of hero paste all across the floor, we decide to tiptoe around them to the next door. Then meta-game, we realize that it would probably be better to tie up these orcs so that we could live to see another day (this was especially true considering that I'm wearing heavy armor). So, we decide to make an elaborate plan. Valcrith would get into his swordsman's stance (just in case something went awry) while Paalk would work on the door. All the while Delgryn, using his agility and assassin's repertoire of skills would bind up the orc's limbs so that they'd have little chance to catch us. The plan was fail proof. However...we ran into a bit of a dilemma. Our CHARACTERS didn't know the plan!!!

One of the Greatest Stories Never Told

So, this is one of the "alternate" storylines that happened with Tom's campaign. The reason I say "alternate" is because after playing in it for a while, the party (and the DM) decided that it was sort of a bad start and we wanted a "re-do" if you will. So now this entire story shall be forever archived as "one of the greatest stories never told".

What happens here is that some of our players wanted to change or modify their characters (ever since Steve went from a Half-Orc to a Minotaur). It was still early in the campaign so we were cool with it. Plus, Dave was able to help us pick better weapons and abilities. All the events that occur however were wiped from our memories and it has been left to speculation as to what actually occured in the timeline. Alternate dimension? The Twilight Zone? Nobody truly knows...

So anyway, here's what happened (as best as I can recall):

Alex became a VoidSoul Genasi named Quintis Fabius.

Delgryn the Drow (Tom), Valcrith Fletcher the Half-Elf (Myself), and Igneel the Dragonborne (Matt) remained the same characters as before.

Steve changed from a Half-Orc into a Minotaur named Paalk in the last campaign. Thus far, he has remained as such, but as of recently he wants to be a human that can turn into a Titan by the use of magic or meeting certain conditions...we're strongly discouraging that notion. (There are a LOT of balancing issues with that idea...)

Jeff's character was to be properly introduced into the campaign. He chose to be a Warforged named Cog. (Upon reading what a Warforged was, my jaw hit the floor. He's basically Iron Man without Tony Stark. Just Jarvis. FREAKIN' AWESOME.)

I think this is where our friend Deven came into the D&D sessions, but I'm not quite certain. He used his own pre-made character (a Halfling ranger I think) and his loyal pet "Wolfy".

So after Valcrith Fletcher's most humiliating and irresponsible fumble, the group is permitted to wander about this town we are in for a little while. I decide to hang with Igneel and get totally wasted at the local bar/tavern (because I brought shame upon myself, Bahamut and my compatriots). I try to get a bit more backstory out of Matt as to how his character and mine met (maybe having a nostalgic moment by creating one on the spot since we've just been playing it all by ear at this point...), but to no avail. I felt like I nearly bought the whole place out in alcohol before I'm FINALLY drunk and I take Igneel with me and we go to the local church to pray to Bahamut for forgiveness and a time travelling power so I could go back in time & stop the petty theft before it happened. Unfortunately, my prayers fall on deaf ears (I did a roll, but it failed). Just my luck...

No Hero is Complete Without a Weakness...

Ok, so this was my first D&D adventure with the guys (we're playing 3.5e with a few elements of 4th edition. No lightsabers or modern technology have been permitted though...at least not thus far...) and we were all a bit unfamiliar with how to play (I had NO idea what I was doing but the guys had a bit of experience reading the rules from what I gathered.) We had about six guys total that first night with one of us, Jeff, acting as the Dungeon Master (DM). We all created our characters that night and immediately hopped into a campaign. I chose to be a Half-Elf Paladin named Valcrith Fletcher. The full party consisted of two Dragonbornes (If I recall correctly. That's Alex & Matthew), a Drow named Delgryn (That's my buddy Tom. More on him in a minute...), and a Half-Orc named Orent (Steve, Tom's younger brother). We had been sent to explore a mysterious dungeon and draw a map for our client while clearing it out, so that it would be safe for exploration. As we were all level one characters, I figured that it wasn't going to be too difficult to complete the mission and save the day. Well, I was in for a surprise...