Thursday Knights

Episode 100: The Hundredth Episode

Miresse — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:15:31 +0000

The heroes face one of the toughest challenges yet when past, present and future collide in a world more twisted than any of them imagined possible.

Episode 99: The Croaker

Miresse — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:10:43 +0000

The Quorum struggles to remain united as the truth revealed and desperation forces them into a ritual they will not soon forget.

Episode 98: Diplomacy

Miresse — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:23:40 +0000

Thunderstrike hosts the diplomatic envoy from Estagund with hopes of gaining new military allies, but discover that the price may be further reaching than they first realized. Tensions rise, but when someone decides to solve the issue their own way, will Arora’s efforts be for naught before the ink is even dry?

Episode 97: Something Wicked

Miresse — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:48:26 +0000

A scramble for the crimson stone rod leaves the heroes’ heads spinning as they are once again thrust into the present… and a diplomatic crisis. Meanwhile, the consequences of possessing the crimson stone rod begin rise to the surface.

Episode 96: Madness

Miresse — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:52:38 +0000

The heroes are drawn deeper into their host’s deranged fantasy world while struggling to combat the dementia threatening to consume them.

Episode 95: A Walk in the Park

Miresse — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:34:05 +0000

The expedition to retrieve the Crimson Stone Rod leads the heroes into the savage overgrowth of a country garden, which proves to be much more lethal than first expected. Undaunted, they press onward ever aware of the peculiar presence observing their progress…

Episode 94: An Empty Vessel

Miresse — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:13:17 +0000

In which tables turn, treacherous deals are struck, and Brandis makes his choice.

Episode 93: Undying

Miresse — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:54:02 +0000

Zahar and Brandis finally face off, but the Raven Queen has her own idea of what is a fair fight, and she has no intentions of allowing Brandis’ allies to help him.

Episode 92: The Duel

Miresse — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:25:52 +0000

Arora leads the heroes to Ulgarth with good intentions, but quickly realizes there’s no such thing as a “quick fix” when it comes to politics. Meanwhile, the call of the Raven Queen continues to beckon Brandis to the shadowy land of Letherna where an unknown fate awaits.

Episode 91: This Means War

Miresse — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:23:19 +0000

Tension runs ever higher as the heroes face several equally urgent decisions. One thing seems clear, however; whichever path they take will result in serious repercussions… some of which threaten to pit the heroes against each-other and tear them apart from within before they have a chance to face their enemies.

Episode 90: Bazim-Gorag

Miresse — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:11:37 +0000

The heroes use their time to choose the most strategical plan to take down the Slaad Lord, knowing that the fate of the Valdai depends on their success, but even the best laid plans can fall prey to the unexpected…

Episode 89: Pandemonium

Miresse — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 19:05:35 +0000

Spurred on by Deomin’s drive to rescue his people, the heroes of Thunderstrike take on the perils of the Pandemonium Stone before it vanishes beyond their reach.

Episode 88: The Valdai

Miresse — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:54:18 +0000

The heroes leave Wheloon (And Hugh’s past) behind, and turn their attentions towards the fate of Deomin’s people in the elemental chaos. But are they truly ready for what’s waiting on the path they’ve chosen?

Episode 87: Arrows in the Dark

Miresse — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:14:26 +0000

Getting into Wheloon was the easy part, but when Hugh’s “homecoming” threatens to become than just a walk down memory lane the heroes must fight to uncover just what it is that Legs has been keeping from them before its too late.

Episode 86: A Favor for Legs

Miresse — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:47:26 +0000

The heroes return to Thunderstrike and find a multitude of problems and issues demanding their attention, each seemingly more urgent than the last. A research trip to Cormyr leads to the unexpected reappearance of someone one of the heroes would rather stayed buried in the past.

Roundtable #3

Greg Laabs — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 22:58:36 +0000

Description will go here

Roundtable #2

Greg Laabs — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 22:58:09 +0000

Description will go here

Episode 85: The Oracle

Miresse — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:49:08 +0000

Our heroes valiantly fight their way to the oracle, but the price he demands forces one hero to give up something quite unexpected.

Episode 84: The Crystal Flame Caverns

Miresse — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 01:59:09 +0000

The Quorum jumps back to the “Dark world”, but not before laying some plans of their own. They seek out their fortune and meet up with a familiar wanderer who guides them to what is left of civilization… but it’s hardly the sort of civilization they were expecting.

Episode 83: A Devilish Plan

Miresse — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:41:28 +0000

The Quorum of Thunderstrike seeks the truth in Zuggtmoy’s hidden chamber, but find that with every question answered, the mystery only deepens further. Meanwhile, Wrenn’s choices begin to bear unexpected world-changing consequences.

Episode 82: Unraveled

Miresse — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 02:16:51 +0000

The party faces down the Demon Queen of Rot only to find that the mystery winds deeper than they first suspected, as the strange voice within the orb soon reveals much more has been going on beyond the cult’s doors.

Episode 81: The Black Fountain

Miresse — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 02:59:37 +0000

Having penetrated the outer defense of the temple, our heroes face a puzzling obstacle and a blast from the past.

Episode 80: Meet the Artifact Recovery Squad

Miresse — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:41:45 +0000

First-time guest DM Lincoln takes charge and leads a group of adventurers into the mysterious Purple Desert in search of untold riches and glory. But when things go from puzzling to deadly, what will become of a lecherous eladrin, a pickled dwarf, a dark paladin dragonborn, and a dwarf with his eye on the prize?

Episode 79: Blood and Snow

Miresse — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:58:24 +0000

The Quorum of Thunderstrike continue their trek through the frozen wasteland and find themselves in the company of unexpected allies. Together they plan an assault that the Temple of Elemental Evil won’t soon forget.

Roundtable #1: Episode 78

Greg Laabs — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 23:58:27 +0000

A longer description will eventually go here

Episode 78: A Cold Reception

Miresse — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 00:34:25 +0000

The party returns to Hommlet in hopes of decoding the mystery of the omens. What they find is a town teetering on the edge of chaos, and their plan to repair the damage is only a snag away from completely unraveling at their feet.

Episode 77: All that is Left

Miresse — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 23:47:13 +0000

As our heroes struggle to resist the unending onslaught of enemies aboard Thunderstrike they realize that Stoyla’s new defense systems are more useful than they first appeared. But is it too little, too late?

Episode 76: Lockdown

Miresse — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:08:40 +0000

When the ship’s portal jump drive breaks down suspicions of sabotage run rampant. Someone now has the Thunderstrike right where they want them, but who… and why?

Episode 75: Buried in the Past

Miresse — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:31:11 +0000

As more of the dreamer’s world is uncovered, our heroes are suddenly faced with the dilemma of finding and exit in this dreamworld and waking the only one who has the key.

Episode 74: The Mind of Victor Blackwood

Miresse — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 21:07:09 +0000

The heroes’ mysterious new informant offers them an opportunity to unlock the secrets of his nightly visions. But when Victor’s dreamworld turns out to be more dangerous than they’d first imagined, they find it may be their own minds which will turn on them in the end.

Episode 73: Defying Judgement

Miresse — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 02:11:12 +0000

Judgement from divine sources have deemed that the party is guilty of an unforgivable crime, now the heroes must fight to survive the sentence.

Episode 72: More Than Meets the Eye

Miresse — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 06:32:41 +0000

The heroes’ investigation turns up a new lead, but just before they’re finally able to get some answers a new sort of trouble comes to call.

Episode 71: The White Keep

Miresse — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 23:28:29 +0000

Our heroes meet a mysterious angel and his strange ward, and discover no one is safe from the turmoil the cataclysm has created.

Episode 70: In the Land of the Wandering Sun

Miresse — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 06:29:56 +0000

Hurtled into a parched wasteland, our heroes find themselves in a place where nothing is as it should be. Worse still, there seems to be either no way home, or no home to go back to. And all the while the mystery remains… where are they?

Episode 69: The End of All Things

Miresse — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:49:29 +0000

Here begins the Epic Tier Campaign: The End of All Things

A lost companion returns with a mysterious warning. Curiosity piqued, our heroes seek to learn more…

Episode 68: The Last Stand

Miresse — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 07:26:13 +0000

The heroes pursue a bloodied and beaten Arath to his hiding place in the Arcane Academy, where he proves just what desperation can drive a man to do.

Episode 67: Battle of the Broken Soul, Part II

Miresse — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:47:20 +0000

Part 2 of the epic final battle in which our heroes face danger and death, risking everything to stop the man who was once their ally from destroying everything. Those closest to the heroes offer their aid, but if the heroes choose to take it, who knows what the final toll may be?

Episode 66: Battle of the Broken Soul, Part I

Miresse — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 05:41:08 +0000

Our Heroes make their stand against Arath and his forces. But are they prepared to face their long-lost friend at last?

Episode 65: Buying Time

Miresse — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 20:53:40 +0000

Five unique individuals make this special episode their moment to shine. Listen in as they pave the way for our heroes in a feat of story telling that won’t soon be forgotten! Featuring “DM Eric”!

Episode 64: The Calm Before the Storm

Miresse — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:14:59 +0000

As an epic confrontation looms on the horizon, our heroes make a last ditch effort to prepare themselves and their allies for what is to come.

Episode 63: Deal with the Devil

Miresse — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:41:47 +0000

Our heroes learn that not every confrontation can end in victory, and not every consequence can be avoided when the past catches up with one of them in a very big way.

Episode 62: A Cure for Chaos

Miresse — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:51:18 +0000

The chaotic elemental forces of the Shadow face off against our heroes, who quickly discover that the war is just beginning. What they have yet to realize is that victory will require someone to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Episode 61: An Oath, a Promise

Miresse — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:12:36 +0000

With their final dedication to the primordial Queen of Air, our heroes are prepared to face whatever villainy holds their friend hostage… or are they?

Episode 60: A Life for a Life

Miresse — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 22:49:30 +0000

The heroes are given a chance to regain what they’ve lost when a mysterious stranger appears just in time, but the price for this aid takes them by surprise.

Episode 59: For the Fallen

Miresse — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 03:32:32 +0000

The search for a source of draconic magic leads our heroes into dire straits.

Episode 58: Awakening

Miresse — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:55:15 +0000

Our heroes’ adventure takes an unusual turn at the feet of the beastly hydra.

Episode 57: Thunderhammer

Miresse — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:47:38 +0000

The crew of the Thunderstrike meets their match while our heroes are away in chronological limbo.

Episode 56: A Race Against Time

Miresse — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:21:03 +0000

Time quickly becomes a precious commodity as our heroes face the daunting task of finding where Arath will strike and saving Kalla’s fading spirit before it’s too late.

Episode 55: Saving Deep Imaskar

Miresse — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 19:54:44 +0000

Our heroes’ dedication is put to the test as they struggle to balance justice, peace, and the ever-present threat of Arath’s machinations.

Episode 54: The Order of Blue Fire

Miresse — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:00:49 +0000

The investigation comes to a head as our heroes follow the clues to their inevitable and potentially lethal conclusion.

Episode 53: The Truth

Miresse — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 22:16:45 +0000

An interrogation leads to disturbing new revelations regarding events in Deep Imaskar.

Episode 52: Bad to Worse

Greg Laabs — Mon, 23 May 2011 23:46:42 +0000

Deep in the dangerous plaguelands, our heroes find themselves in the middle of an ambush!

Episode 51: Rumbling from Below

Greg Laabs — Thu, 19 May 2011 00:55:52 +0000

Episode 51 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

Our heroes venture deep in to the treacherous plaguelands to find and confront an elusive order of spellscarred individuals.

Episode 50: Into the Plaguelands

Greg Laabs — Thu, 05 May 2011 03:41:32 +0000

Episode 50 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

The information gathered from the assassins in the glade lead our heroes to seek guidance from the Order of the Blue Fire.

Episode 49: Spellfire

Greg Laabs — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 02:20:21 +0000

Episode 49 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

While investigating the crime scene in Deep Imaskar, our heroes came under attack by a group of assassins! This episode starts in the middle of the fight.

Episode 48: The Investigation Begins

Greg Laabs — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 18:27:42 +0000

Episode 48 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

Our heroes have been assigned the task of investigating the murder of the would-be king of Deep Imaskar.

Episode 47: In The City of the Great Seal

Greg Laabs — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:41:32 +0000

Episode 47 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

With the Mind Flayer defeated, our heroes rush to Deep Imaskar to seek help for their fallen friend.

Episode 46: The Mindflayer

Greg Laabs — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 23:20:16 +0000

Episode 46 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

Our heroes battle a Mindflayer and its thralls. Have they bit off more than they can chew?

Episode 45: The Dark Way Forward

Greg Laabs — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 03:07:42 +0000

Episode 45 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

Having finally escaped from the past, our heroes find themselves with no time to spare. Deep Imaskar awaits.

Episode 44: Szass Tam

Greg Laabs — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:36:24 +0000

Episode 44 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

The assault on the keep has begun. Trapped in unfamiliar bodies, our heroes prepare for their imminent confrontation with Szass Tam.

Episode 43: Memories of Blood and Death

Greg Laabs — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 21:44:32 +0000

Episode 43 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

While Brandis desperately struggles to remember the details of this memory, our heroes make plans to defend the keep from the upcoming assault.

Episode 42: Marc Maddock

Greg Laabs — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:38:30 +0000

Episode 42 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

Timeline coming soon.

Video

There have been some technical difficulties getting this episode up on Vimeo. It’ll be up soon.

Episode 23: Rescuing Keeper

Greg Laabs — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 05:45:34 +0000

Episode 23 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

For those of you that would like to skip to specific parts, here is a timeline of events.

0:00.36 Nightmares Encounter
1:57.54 Hippogriff Encounter
3:37.48 The End is Near

Philosopher's Temple Map

Episode 15: The Philosopher’s Temple

Greg Laabs — Thu, 13 May 2010 15:03:40 +0000

Episode 15 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

In this episode, the PCs have finally reached the Philosopher’s Temple, but the answers they get there are unsettling.

Timeline

For those of you that would like to skip to specific parts, here is a timeline of events.

0:00.36 The Philosopher’s Temple
0:34.33 Speaking with Heptos
1:04.23 The Next Morning
1:51.01 A Mysterious Visitor
2:24.16 Roll Initiative!

Episode 14: Snowflake Mountains

Greg Laabs — Thu, 06 May 2010 22:50:12 +0000

Episode 14 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

In this episode, the PCs continue their trek through the deadly Snowflake Mountains, in search of the mythical Philosopher’s Temple.

Timeline

For those of you that would like to skip to specific parts, here is a timeline of events.

0:00.36 Beholder Cave
0:22.24 Brandis’s Past
0:45.23 Chat Choice: Rampede!
1:10.38 Wrenn’s Past
1:29.07 Tower Ruins
1:40.36 Roll Initiative!
2:44.55 Combat Finished
3:01.38 Arora’s Past

Episode 13: Land Ho!

Greg Laabs — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:43:51 +0000

Episode 13 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

In this episode, the PCs’ long journey across the Sea of Fallen Stars comes to an end. Now the hard part begins…

Lincoln (Wrenn) is missing from this episode due to a prior engagement.

Timeline

For those of you that would like to skip to specific parts, here is a timeline of events.

0:00.36 Repairing the Ship
0:27.32 Land Ho!
0:35.23 Caradoon
1:28.55 Traveling to Gelid
2:08.53 Climbing the Snowflake Mountains
2:26.16 Deomin’s Past
2:48.01 Hugh’s Past
3:15.37 A Strange Cave
3:43.02 Roll Initiative!

Live Video Stream

We broadcast our episodes live as we play. We have two cameras in the stream, allowing viewers to see the tactical map in addition to the regular angle of the entire table.

For information on how to tune-in and see us live, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

We may offer a download of the recorded video sometime in the future as well.

Episode 12: Doom Island

Greg Laabs — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:56:20 +0000

Episode 12 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

In this episode, the PCs continue their journey at sea. The captain teaches them a few new tricks, they meet some new friends, and then they find a mysterious shipwreck…

Kevin joins us once again, this time as a co-DM. Lincoln (Wrenn) also returns from his absence.

Timeline

For those of you that would like to skip to specific parts, here is a timeline of events.

0:00.36 Character Thoughts
0:16.07 Grandmaster Training
0:34.03 Discussing Some Changes
0:43.23 Half-Giants
1:28.40 Sailing Once Again
1:42.00 All Hands To Deck!

Live Video Stream

We broadcast our episodes live as we play. We have two cameras in the stream, allowing viewers to see the tactical map in addition to the regular angle of the entire table.

For information on how to tune-in and see us live, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

We may offer a download of the recorded video sometime in the future as well.

Episode 11: Company Yargo

Greg Laabs — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:58:49 +0000

Episode 11 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

This episode opens in the middle of combat! The encounter our heroes started last week is finally concluded.

Lincoln (Wrenn) is missing from this episode. Special guest Kevin reprises his role as Lorekeeper Kalla.

Timeline

For those of you that would like to skip to specific parts, here is a timeline of events.

0:00.00 Continuing Combat
2:25.47 Free Fall!
2:55.38 Back on the Boat

Live Video Stream

We broadcast our episodes live as we play. We have two cameras in the stream, allowing viewers to see the tactical map in addition to the regular angle of the entire table.

For information on how to tune-in and see us live, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

We may offer a download of the recorded video sometime in the future as well.

Episode 10: Unnatural Fog

Greg Laabs — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 20:42:14 +0000

Episode 10 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

This week, the PCs continue their journey across the Sea of Fallen Stars. They stop in the city of Airspur where Deomin shows his friends around. When the party sets off once again, they find themselves sailing in to an unnatural fog…

Lincoln (Wrenn) is missing from this episode due to his wife having a baby! We have a special guest, Kevin, join us half-way through. He plays Lorekeeper Kalla.

Timeline

For those of you that would like to skip to specific parts, here is a timeline of events.

0:46.49 Arrival in Airspur
1:19.25 Departing Airspur
1:39.30 Special Guest Kevin Arrives
1:45.59 Roll Initiative!

Live Video Stream

We broadcast our episodes live as we play. We have two cameras in the stream, allowing viewers to see the tactical map in addition to the regular angle of the entire table.

For information on how to tune-in and see us live, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

We may offer a download of the recorded video sometime in the future as well.

Episode 9: Adventure on the High Seas

Greg Laabs — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:00:03 +0000

Episode 9 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

This week, the PCs finish up their business in Skyclave and take to the seas!

Timeline

For those of you that would like to skip to specific parts, here is a timeline of events.

0:00.36 Lurd’s Mansion
0:25.18 Visiting Skyclave’s Academy
0:32.11 Speaking to Baydin’s Wife
0:49.57 Discussing Where to Go
1:05.49 Checking on the Potion Shop
1:23.02 Procuring a Ship
1:46.43 The Open Sea!
1:57.50 A Pirate Tale
2:15.53 Danger!

Session Materials

From time to time, we will include downloads of materials the DM prepared for the episode.

Kuo Toa on the High Seas (html)

Encounter Review

Encounter Review: Kuo-Toa on the High Seas

Live Video Stream

We broadcast our episodes live as we play. We have two cameras in the stream, allowing viewers to see the tactical map in addition to the regular angle of the entire table.

For information on how to tune-in and see us live, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

We may offer a download of the recorded video sometime in the future as well.

Encounter Review: Kuo-Toa on the High Seas

Greg Laabs — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:43:10 +0000

This is the first entry in a new series I am writing called “Encounter Reviews.” In them I will detail the more elaborate encounters that I design, explain the philosophy behind the designs, and then explain how well they actually worked in the game. I hope that other DMs can use this information to both get ideas and avoid making the same mistakes as I. Enjoy!

In Episode 9, the PCs paid the crew of a large galleon-sized ship to take them on a 20-day journey to the other side of the continent. Needless to say, this was a perfect time for some unusual “Adventure on the High Seas” encounters.

I wanted the first encounter they would face on the journey to be a relatively straight-forward one. After looking through a lot of options I settled on the ship coming under attack by Kuo-Toa. The Kuo-Toa Leviathan could serve as a pretty cool sea monster attacking the ship itself while the rest of the Kuo-Toa could attack the players from the water.

I decided early on that I wanted the Kuo-Toa to stay in the water. I thought it would be an interesting challenge for the players to have to figure out how best to take these monsters down if they never came on board. I also wanted there to be a way for the Kuo-Toa to pull the ranged characters in to the water. The Kuo-Toa Harpooner would be perfect for that. I also decided that when the Leviathan rammed the ship, it would cause it to rock hard to one side, causing everyone on board to slide if they failed an Acrobatics check.

The last major element designed was a way for the players to pull the Kuo-Toa on board. I put mounted harpoon guns on the deck of the ship. Two guns on each side. I designed these as a sort of “terrain power” such that a character could use a harpoon gun to shoot a Kuo-Toa and then reel it on deck.

With the basic elements figured out I thought about each of my players to make sure that none of them would be put in a situation where they felt they couldn’t contribute. The only major issue I found was the Arora the paladin. She is a completely melee-focused paladin with low strength and no athletics training. She would definitely not want to go in the water; as her lack of athletics would risk her drowning. She also did not have the dexterity to effectively man the harpoon guns. To solve this, I added a new monster that would be on the deck of the ship for her to fight. One of the Kuo-Toa would throw a couple nets of creepy-crawlies from the deepest depths of the sea on to the deck of the ship. The swarms would target the harpoon guns, causing significant damage to anyone that tried to use the harpoon while the swarm was attacking it. This would give Arora targets to mark. And it would be an important job considering how important I wanted the harpoon guns to be.

Detailed Design

Encounter Level 16

x6 Kuo-Toa Warder (level 11 minion)
x1 Kuo-Toa Piranha Shaman (level 13 artillery)
x1 Kuo-Toa Leviathan (level 13 elite brute)
x2 Dire Piranha Swarm (level 12 skirmisher) (used as the creepy-crawlies on deck)
x3 Kuo-Toa Harpooner (level 12 soldier)

Features of the Area:

Unstable Surface: The ship is stable enough that a creature moving across it doesn’t normally need to make an Acrobatics check to balance. However, a creature standing on the vessel might fall when it turns or hits rough water. At the end of each round, roll 1d6. If you roll a 5 or 6, each creature standing on the ship must make an Acrobatics check (DC 16 if you rolled a 5, DC 21 if you rolled a 6) or take 1d10 damage and fall prone.
Character in Water: Should a character enter the water, a few considerations must be made.

Swimming: A character needs to use a move action to swim (Athletics DC 18) to avoid sinking on each of his turns.
Weapons and Fire: Crossbows and spears function normally, but all other weapons suffer a -2 to attack rolls, as do Fire attacks.
Aquatic Advantage: All creatures with the Aquatic keywords (all of the enemies in this fight) gain a +2 bonus to their attacks against creatures in the water who lack the Aquatic keyword.

DM Review

Overall, I was not satisfied with this encounter. There were many things I had completely forgotten to consider, such as the crew of the ship and how line-of-sight would work from the surface of the water. These led to clumsy and sometimes downright awful in-the-moment decisions.

What Worked

The Kuo-Toa Harpooners were awesome. They only managed to pull one PC in to the water (which was devastating to that character!) but every single attack from them was exciting. Most of their attacks were against a human ranger in one of the ship’s “crow’s nests” which added extra excitement due to the potential long fall. Every time they hit, he managed to roll his saving throw to avoid going over the edge. One time it was a roll of 9 and he was saved by the human saving throw feat!

What Didn’t Work

The crew was useless. I completely forgot to consider the NPC crew of the ship! When combat started I decided that I would treat them as friendly minions, and that they would not explicitly fight. I said that they were scrambling around the ship trying to keep the ship sailing (it requires a large crew to avoid losing control.) Many of them died to Kuo-Toa harpoons and javelins. This was a big problem because I had made the crew of this ship out to be badasses when they hired them. And that’s what I wanted them to be. In an effort to not complicate the fight and get bogged down in the minutia of controlling 40 crew members, I accidentally made them a big disappointment to the players.
There was no incentive to use the harpoon guns. My original idea was that the players would want to use the harpoons to pull Kuo-Toa on board. The first problem with this was that I didn’t actually make the harpoons pull them on board. The stat card I gave them said that it pulled them 5 squares, but the gun was on the edge of the ship so it wouldn’t really have that effect. The second problem was that I made shooting the harpoons a dex-based attack. The only two players with good dex were far more useful doing their own things, as they could both attack the Kuo-Toa from range.
The swarms on board were not interesting. I had specifically put these on board to give the paladin something to focus on, but that was pretty dissatisfying to her. First of all, they only take half damage from most of her attacks, and second of all, they weren’t nearly as big a threat as the Kuo-Toa in the water. She wanted to mark the leviathan more than anything (in an effort to make it stop ramming the ship,) but the logistics didn’t really allow her to.
The Leviathan wasn’t bad-ass enough. While I feel that the ramming of the ship was a fun mechanic, it didn’t end up being enough of an effect of the encounter for an elite monster. He should have been doing damage each round, and he was not.
The third dimension. I forgot to consider all of the vertical elements on the ship. How high up does the deck of the ship sit in the water? What squares on the deck can a creature that is treading water hit? How tall are the crow’s nests? Is there cover in the crow’s nests? How about the railing on the edge of the ship? Coming up with answers to all of these on the fly was clumsy at best and definitely slowed things down.

What I Would Change

The crew mans the harpoon guns. This solution is so simple I am disappointed I hadn’t thought of it earlier. It solves 3 of the problems I listed above in one simple change. The crew should have been firing the harpoon guns each round, reeling in the Kuo-Toa for the PCs to kill. This makes the crew interesting, the harpoon guns useful and interesting, and makes the swarms more of a fun threat because they will kill the crew manning the harpoon guns.
The Leviathan attacks people on deck. I really liked the leviathan tipping the ship, but he needed to do more. I would change it so that instead of ramming the ship, the leviathan is actually grabbing the side of the ship, pulling it downwards while swiping at people on deck with his huge claws. This would maintain the dangerous rocking of the ship and also make the leviathan a lot more vicious.

Episode 8: Lurd

Greg Laabs — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:24:33 +0000

Episode 8 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

This week, the PCs investigate what they found at Arath’s shop, find themselves in a dance contest, and confront Lurd, the gangster boss of Skyclave.

Timeline

For those of you that would like to skip to specific parts, here is a timeline of events.

0:19.42 Kalla’s Vision
1:16.23 Dance Contest!
1:41.04 Speaking to Buddy
1:55.06 Exploring Refuge
2:24.43 Combat!
3:58.59 Wrap-up

Session Materials

From time to time, we will include downloads of materials the DM prepared for the episode.

Lurd Combat (html)

Live Video Stream

We are now broadcasting our episodes live as we play. We have two cameras in the stream, allowing viewers to see the tactical map in addition to the regular angle of the entire table.

For information on how to tune-in and see us live, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

We may offer a download of the recorded video sometime in the future as well.

Episode 7: Arath’s Shop

Greg Laabs — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:48:33 +0000

Episode 7 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

This week, the group does some investigating, including talking to some new friends and checking out Arath’s old shop in Skyclave.

Timeline

For those of you that would like to skip to specific parts, here is a timeline of events.

0:37.24 Speaking to a linguist
0:46.36 Speaking to the bard
0:58.43 Speaking to the shopkeep
1:08.23 Mother and lost child
1:22.35 Arath’s Shop
1:46.09 Combat!
3:41.52 Combat finished

DM Materials

From time to time, we will include downloads of materials the DM prepared for the episode.

The Academics Ambush (html)

Live Video Stream

We are now broadcasting our episodes live as we play. We have two cameras in the stream, allowing viewers to see the tactical map in addition to the regular angle of the entire table.

For information on how to tune-in and see us live, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

We may offer a download of the recorded video sometime in the future as well.

Episode 6: Skyclave

Greg Laabs — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:36:40 +0000

Episode 6 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

This week, the group explores the city of Skyclave, finding lots of small adventure in the process. This episode contains no combat!

Timeline

No timeline is available this week.

Live Video Stream

We are now broadcasting our episodes live as we play. We have two cameras in the stream, allowing viewers to see the tactical map in addition to the regular angle of the entire table.

For information on how to tune-in and see us live, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

We may offer a download of the recorded video sometime in the future as well.

Episode 5: The Lorekeeper

Greg Laabs — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:38:56 +0000

Episode 5 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

This week, the group seeks out Lorekeeper Kalla in a mysterious grove, hoping to get some answers.

Timeline

For those of you that would like to skip to specific parts, here is a timeline of events.

0:46.36 Arrived at the grove
1:00.02 Wolves!
2:27.38 The Lorekeeper
3:11.27 A vision

DM Materials

From time to time, we will include downloads of materials the DM prepared for the episode.

Ambush Encounter (html)

Live Video Stream

As mentioned last week, we are now broadcasting our episodes live as we play. Last week we added a second camera in the stream, allowing viewers to see the tactical map in addition to the regular angle of the entire table.

For information on how to tune-in and see us live, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

We may offer a download of the recorded video sometime in the future as well.

Episode 4: Arath’s Request

Greg Laabs — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:45:52 +0000

Episode 4 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

This is the first gameplay episode of the Paragon tier. Last week, their old friend Arath reunited the characters for one last job together. A year has passed since they last fought side-by-side.

Their task is seemingly simple: Enter an ancient temple now occupied by a cult and destroy the artifact, a crown, within. But all is not as it seems…

Timeline

For those of you that would like to skip to specific parts, here is a timeline of events.

0:57.53 First combat!
2:17.44 Descending in to the Temple
2:35.01 Temple Hazard 1 – electricity room
3:38.20 Temple Hazard 2 – crushing walls
3:53.58 Temple Hazard 3 – giant chasm
4:13.57 Inside the Crown Room
4:32.41 Finishing the job
5:23.18 Character reflections on recent events

Live Video Stream

This week we tried something new: We broadcast a live video stream of the entire session. Many people tuned in, some for a short while, and some for the entire length. We considered it a great success and will make this a regular thing from now on.

For information on how to tune-in and see us live, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

We may offer a download of the recorded video sometime in the future as well.

We are also investigating the possibility of having a second camera that is focused on the tactical map so people can follow along during combat.

Episode 3: Paragon Paths

Greg Laabs — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 04:32:25 +0000

Episode 3 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

This episode is a very unusual format. One year of in-game time has passed since the conclusion of the Heroic tier campaign last week. In this episode, each player tells a story they have prepared, detailing what their character did during the year apart, including coming in to their Paragon Path.

Timeline

For those of you that would like to skip to specific parts, here is a timeline of events.

0:01.23 Wrenn’s story, by Lincoln
0:29.42 Brandis’s story, by Dan
1:10.12 Arora’s story, by Cailin
1:54.08 Hugh’s story, by Sam
2:33.07 Deomin’s story, by Eric
3:13.59 Arath’s story, by Greg
3:26.53 Campaign begins

Story Transcripts

Some of the player swill be posting transcripts of their stories on the forum, for those interested.

Episode 2: Final Confrontation

Greg Laabs — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:45:02 +0000

Episode 2 of the Thursday Knights Actual Play podcast is now available!

This episode is the final session of a year-and-a-half adventure: The Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. Because this was such a special episode, we played much longer than we usually do, and as such the episode weighs in at a hefty 5 and a half hours.

With this finale comes the end of the Heroic tier. Next week will be the first session of a brand new campaign with the same characters, after being apart for 1 year (in-game time.)

Timeline

For those of you that would like to simply skip to the best parts, here is a timeline of events. We have italicized specific sections that we consider to be the best of the best:

0:00.00 Character introductions. Each of the players introduces themselves and gives a very quick explanation of their character.
0:07.14 First Room. The group enters the first room in the Fire Node. They spend some time trying to figure out where they are and what the nature of this place is.
0:29.50 Second Room. The group enters the second room of the Fire Node. Here they encounter an old friend who gives them a warning about the upcoming fight.
1:05.00 Final Room. They climb a staircase and see before them the site of their final confrontation.
1:06.50 Character Thoughts. Each player takes some time to explain the thoughts running through their character’s head, just before they step forward to what may be their last fight ever.
1:19.01 Their ultimate foe introduces himself.
1:20.10 Combat begins. It lasts 3.5 hours. Arath (good guy) wields the Orb of Silvery Death against Lareth (bad guy,) who wields the Orb of Oblivion. The players scramble to get the four elemental power gems that are spread around the room, fighting many challenges in the process, all the while trying desperately to avoid the devastating attacks of Imix, the Prince of Evil Elemental Fire.
4:43.44 Victory! The final gem is set in to the Orb of Silvery Death, giving Arath what he needs to defeat Lareth. Or does it?
4:48.39 Escape. The party rushes to escape the collapsing Fire Node
4:52.57 Return. The party finds themselves back on the Mortal Plane.
5:00.23 Heroes. The party returns to Hommlet, receiving a hero’s welcome.
5:04.01 Final Thoughts. Each player takes some time to give the final thoughts of their characters before they split up to follow their own individual paths.

DM Materials

When appropriate and available, we like to make available the session plans and any other materials that the DM created specifically for this session.

Fire Node Session Plans (pdf)

Bonus Video!

Cailin created a special surprise present for the group, and presented it to everybody after the session. It is a tribute to the Heroic tier that we have spent the last year and a half playing through. All of the artwork in the video is artwork that she has sketched during our sessions; oftentimes to illustrate an exciting moment that just occurred.

Episode 1: Assault on the Temple of Elemental Evil

Greg Laabs — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:00:50 +0000

Episode 1 of the Thursday Knights D&D Podcast is now available!

In this debut episode of the Thursday Knights D&D podcast, the party leads a full-scale war against the Temple of Elemental Evil. A new character, Brandis, is introduced, and an old friend returns at just the right moment. There may or may not be an extremely spectacular death scene.

Timeline

For those of you that would like to skip to specific parts, here is a timeline of events.

0:00.36 Introduction to Thursday Knights
0:41.44 Gnolls!
0:58.01 An Old Friend Returns
2:08.18 Death
2:42.12 Survivor Guilt
3:00.10 The Final Door