da gloopy RPG diary

 The journey to Krezk is long and slow. Through the woods, passing many side trails, often more worn down than the path they follow. They number 12 - four dwarves, two rangers, six hired drunkards lured by the promise of coin. When they finally arrive, the gates are closed. The guards aren't friendly. "The Burgomaster will not allow anyone to enter Krezk. Strahds enemies abound, we cannot be sure where your allegiance lies."  It's a long way back to Vallaki, and time works against the group. It will be nightfall soon. They have to enter Krezk. An argument ensues. The burgomaster is summoned to settle it. "To the south of here, along a small forest trail, is a winery that we were expecting an order from. It hasn't arrived, and our stores are low. If you can receive a cart full, we will allow you entrance into Krezk." A nobles busywork isn't ideal, but it's preferable to being eaten by wolves. One problem, the winery is too far down the road to mak...

RECAP: Dramatis Personae  Ranak, Daznit, Kuzome, Benri. All dwarves who lived a good life before being kidnapped by kobolds and worked to half-death. After losing many allies, they escaped the dragons cave. It seems, however, that fate had more in store for them. The dwarves depart from Madam Eva's camp as soon as their meeting is over. Their heads are swarming with foreboding mystery. With little solid information to hang on to, they decide a good nights rest will do them some good. The nearest village, Vallaki, is back up the road, down the other end of a fork in the road. Vallaki is made of rotted wood that houses rotten people. The dwarves get hard stares as they enter. Is it that newcomers are rare in this land, or unwelcome? The dwarves wonder if they too will be turned into greying withered folk like the denizens of this poor village. Priorities - somewhere to sleep, somewhere to resupply, and somewhere to find answers. Ranak and Kuzome head to The Blue Water Inn to exchange...

 The remaining kobolds take one of the prisoners before they're slain. After Benry turns back from an anvil, it's discovered that the remaining passage leads back to the kitchen. Every branch has been explored, and the dragons key is yet to be found. Every passage but one. The ogre lives beyond the fallen bridge. It's found grey and lifeless, clutching at its stomach, a pile of bones in the corner of its cave. It's been dead for some time. The key is fastened in a loop around its neck. The dragon, Sareesees, is in the debt of the dwarves who freed it. "If you ever need it, just call upon me. You would be surprised the worlds I can travel to." As it departs to the sky, the ragtag dwarves depart from the cave. They leave behind the corpses of innumerable fallen. Hopefully the prisoners can find peace. But before that, they have to get back to town. No warmth, no food, no idea of where they are, missing limbs and companions, the dwarves find themselves trekking a...

 The door slams open. A dwarf bursts in. Short. Ragged. He looks frightened, checks over his shoulder. "Help me!" he cries. "They're after me!" It's another prisoner, escaped from the kobolds. He speaks frantically of a kitchen, a horrid stew made of dwarven limbs. Now a conundrum: to go back and clear them out, or push forward to cut the head off the snake. Well, snakes have proven to be quite dangerous. Hopefully this one doesn't have two heads. Onwards into a room of floating isles, each with size enough for one. Each bearing a blue stone like the dragons. Keeps them aloft. Crossing them wasn't too difficult, Ranak manages it with ease. Until a kobold crosses his path on the final leap. But it wasn't expecting them. A quick stab in the gullet sends it into the abyss below. A splash betrays the presence of water at the bottom. More attacked from behind, slinging stones to knock the islands out of the air. Two fall, two flee. One of the ones tha...

The tinking tapping of their pickaxes is all the dwarves have known for a year. Ever since they were captured by Kobolds. Fed slop from the ceiling, they waste away their days gathering gold from under the hill. A presence from behind. The dwarves cower in fear. "We'll have more gold next time!" But it is not their cruel masters they see. It's a human, Theron, bearing a shield and a sword. Behind him, a dwarf, Warthog, enters holding a flaming bottle of ale. These newcomers bring liberation and fresh drink. Brothers of the mountain reunited. The old armory equips the new companions. They stay to avenge their own captures. To destroy the evil presence in the hill. Uniting with their tracker Rosie, the band of now 6 + the hound consider their next moves. Entering the final passage on this level of the cave, the band descends into a dark corridoor. Halfway down the hound stops moving. Senses something ahead. The band moves on, puzzled at the dogs fear. But the source of ...

 My boi peter started running Knave in his custom setting. I'm playing in it. It's documented here. Swag. One day in the past, the moon went out. Night was already dangerous. It's worse now. Those things that can naturally see in the dark have taken all but a small corner of the world. That's what happened to Oulwick. That's why humanity ended up in Nest. Three unlucky souls were conscripted into the militia.  They're running out of men these days, and these roads are too dangerous to travel unguarded. Captain Homer accompanies these wayward souls. His company of three. Four if you count the driver. Night falls, and it doesn't even last one watch before they came. Theron heard them in the trees first. Something small, but undoubtedly humanoid. Clumsy, they'd stumbled into branches and gave themselves away. Theron saw a lumbering doggish silhouette before the carts pulled away. The carts entered a valley, and hell broke loose. From up on the ridge, three ...