SSA: The Introduction Session

Shadami: Welcome! Come on in, so glad you found the house all right. A couple people said they would be a little late so make yourself comfortable. We’ve got food cooking, and I just put a pot of water on to boil for tea.

Cathy: Oh that sounds wonderful, do you mind if I make cookies than?

Shadami: *laughs* No, not at all Cathy. There should be plenty of supplies in the kitchen to make some, just shout if you can’t find something for them. Did anyone have any questions on their character sheets before we get started?

Divan: Yeah pretty much all of it, but at least it’s filled out now.

Yvonne: I am super excited to play my *giggles* “fighter”, Maggie! Where are we going to be starting off? Will she just be getting off on a ship, or is she heading back towards her ship after a night of drinking?

Shadami: We will be starting in the town of Bangralah, which is a port town, so you will likely be in town somewhere. Squall may even be with you. Are you two planning to stop in a bar and get in a fist fight before the adventure even begins? *grins*

Munter: It might be a good idea to wait until more people get here before we decide I think. That way they don’t miss the story if we do get into a fight.

Shadami: Probably a wise decision, some of the characters may run into each other earlier than others, Nella, that’s Xane’s character, would probably be one of them you run into if you head to a tavern. So it would be a good idea to wait. Depending on how late she is though I may just be able to wrangle her character in to the story a different way.

Cathy: Is everyone okay with sugar cookies?

*Various replies of yes*

Shadami: So I’ve talked with all of you a bit as we worked out characters, but you’re welcome to continue to develop your character as we go. I’ll be running mainly 5e rules, but there are many things that I like to homebrew.

Yvonne: Homebrew? That sounds like something Maggie would drink!

Shadami: *laughs* Yes, I suppose it would be. It just means that it’s rules that aren’t in any official rule book. So even though some of you are new players you’re all going to be on pretty even grounds because you haven’t played with my homebrew rules. Even Aranthal hasn’t because he hasn’t had a chance to play with me as DM before.

Cathy: *walking through as cookies are baking* DM?

Shadami: Dungeon Master. In other systems it might be known as the game master or the storyteller.

Cathy: Got it, thank you. Oh hello there.

Aranthal: Sorry. The girls got excited when they heard voices down here and the word cookies. I had to get them redressed after their baths.

Shadami: Want me to grab Marsha?

Aranthal: Please.

Shadami: I’ll be right back. Munter, Aranthal, can you two take over if there’s any more mechanics questions for a bit while I grab the other squirmy child?

Munter: Sure no problem.

Munter: Okay, so the main dice you will be using is this one. It’s a d20. It’ll be used when you try to attack, when you make saves, or even if you’re just checking to see if you know something. It’s also used when you’re rolling for initiative. That’s turn order.

Cathy: And the pyramid one is pretty much useless unless I have an attack that needs it. Do I have an attack that needs it?

Munter: Well let’s look at your character sheet really quick. *papers shuffling* No it looks like you should be fine, unless you use an improvised weapon that Shadami decides does 1-4 damage you’re not likely to need a d4 at all.

Cathy: D4, the pyramid shaped dice, got it. Oh look! That weather reporter looks just like Divan!

Munter: Wow you’re right. I’m sure glad it’s not snowing here though.

Cathy: Oh. I need to check on the cookies now.

Shadami: Sorry about that everyone. Marsha was being shy. She needed some mommy time and is coming down soon to greet everyone.

Lily: Hey Aunty Cathy, cookies done now?

Cathy: Just about.

Shadami: Sorry, they call just about everyone aunt and uncle if they’re our friends. I hope you don’t mind.

Lily: Yay! Cookies! nom nom nom! Mommy can I eat outside?

Shadami: Sure, stay in the garden where we can see you and put your jacket on, it’s cold out tonight.

Lily: Okie Mommy.

*text message sound*

Shadami: Oh no, it looks like Xane may not make it at all tonight. If she can’t I’ll let you all know a bit about her character and we can catch her up to speed on what’s happened so far.

Divan: Hannah and Lizzie should be on their way soon though. I believe they were car pooling tonight.

Shadami: In typical dungeons and dragons fashion. Someone always has to cancel, and someone always shows up late.

Munter: *nods agreement* The scheduling simulator.

Aranthal: Isn’t that the truth.

Lily: Thank you for the cookie!

Cathy: You’re welcome.

Marsha: I’m going outside with Lily!

Shadami: And than straight to bed after for both of you.

Lily and Marsha: Yes mommy.

Shadami: *once they’re outside* They’ll both be upstairs playing since it’s the weekend and they don’t have school tomorrow. But at least they’ll be in their bedroom pretending that they’re sleeping. We meant to have them asleep before everyone got here, but they were a little rambunctious tonight. Sorry if I have to get up and take care of them and interrupt the game.

Aranthal: That’s the doorbell, Lizzie and Hannah must be here. I’ll grab it, you all get set up. We’re just about ready.

Shadami: Hey Lizzie, hey Hannah! Sorry I wasn’t downstairs to greet you, I had to tuck the girls into bed. Not that they’ll stay that way for long, but the thought counts right? Anyways everyone, please get comfortable, take off your coats and shoes if you want to. Relax. In case I haven’t said it already or you haven’t been over here before the bathroom is through the door behind me and off to the left.

*glances around*

Shadami: Oh no. I think I forgot to count myself. We’re probably going to move upstairs where there are more seats when Xane gets here if they can make it tonight. I’m afraid it’s not a very finished part of the house yet, we’re still working on it. For now, once everyone is settled I’d like you all to share a bit about your characters with each other. I already know quite a bit because of character creation with each of you, but I’m sure you’d appreciate to know a little bit about your party.

Shadami: Sadly since Xan isn’t here right now and I’m not a hundred percent sure what they would like known by the party I’ll start with their character and keep it pretty brief. They will be playing Nella, a Chondathan Human. Your typical green eyed, slender but tall, tawny skinned human with brown hair that comes from the area surrounding the ocean tropics where you will be starting your adventure in this campaign.

Shadami: Nella is a monk who has left her temple for personal reasons and instead is following the path of a paladin in the name of their chosen God. Right now their path has led them to Bangralah where I will have them encounter your party when you decide where you would like to start. I’ll let you know the choices in a little bit. Divan, would you tell us a bit about your character?

Divan: Uhhh, sure. Where do I start?

Shadami: You can just describe the appearance, and a bit about your background if you would like to. There is a difference between player and character knowledge, but you’re welcome to keep certain things about your character secret if you would like to until he gets to know the other characters better.

Divan: Okay. So my character Davion is also a Chondothan human, except he doesn’t have a typical appearance of one. He’s in his mid twenties and is actually muscular and has purple eyes. His eyes are because he has draconic blood which means he has some basic magic powers. Ummmm, what was the name of the Duchess who rules this city again?

Shadami: Bangralah is ruled by the Duchess Scarlet Karmaiko. I made sure to jot it down in the character backstory section in your character sheet for future reference.

Divan: Oh thanks! So Davion is a folk hero who got famous because he killed a dragon, and the Duchess Scarlet *looks at character sheet* Karmaiko has been hiring him as one of her personal knights to slay monsters to raise her reputation, but also because she can’t stand him being in court. He’s a little bit arrogant and gets on her nerves.

Aranthal: Geez, he slayed a dragon at a low level? What was it, a baby dragon?

Divan: Er, well actually, he didn’t really kill it, the dragon and its wyrmling are perfectly healthy. Actually… the wyrmling is about the size of a horse, so it’s actually Davion’s mount. Oh yeah and his full name is Davion Nightingale.

Yvonne: How in the world are you going to get a dragon onto a ship?

Lizzie: A ship?

Shadami: Oh right, sorry Lizzie, you probably missed that because we were talking about it before you joined the group. Shortly the party will discover a map that could lead to treasure and you have to take a ship of some kind to get to it. You will have to figure out as a party how you get that ship, weather it is purchasing one, catching a free ride on a ship that is willing to do so or some other option.

Lizzie: Oh great, let’s stick a cat out in the middle of the ocean.

Aranthal: Hey I’m fine with this, I’m playing a giant turtle!

Shadami: It’s okay Lizzie, you won’t be alone, Nella is also claustrophobic as I’m sure the other characters will figure out fairly quickly once you get on board the ship.

Lizzie: Yeah I can see this all going really well.

Munter: At least we’re going to have some sailors on board to help out. Squall, my character, and Maggie are both experienced sailors.

Yvonne: Maggie is my character!

Shadami: Would you like to go once Divan is finished Yvonne?

Yvonne: Oh… maybe someone else should go before me. I have to come up with what to say still.

Shadami: That’s fine. Getting back to Davion. He is currently in Bangralah because he has finished his most recent quest for the Duchess and has returned for some rest at the Quard’s Quarrel. A local tavern by the walls of the city that rents out rooms for weary guards that need to rest. Normal citizens can not actually rent rooms there, but a Knight in the Duchess’ employ could if he wanted to.

Divan: Do I want to?

Shadami: Probably not since it’s early morning and you’ve just rested up on one of their.. ah… comfortable beds. You’re going to be on the lookout for something quest worthy that meets your desire for glory as you wait for another summons from the Duchess. Is there anything else that you would like to share about your character before we move forward?

Divan: I think I’m good for now then. I’ll think about what I want Davion to do while everyone else describes their characters.

Shadami: Fair enough.

Aranthal: I’ll go next to help out some of the newer players. Let them think for a bit longer.

Shadami: Sure, go ahead!

Aranthal: I am playing a tortle monk. For those of you who don’t know, a tortle is a humanoid turtle that walks on two legs. Specifically, I’m playing a softshell tortle, and so sadly I don’t get all the bonuses from having a hard shell like being able to retreat inside my shell for protection. But as a softshell I’m one of the more friendly races of tortles. I’m also not green, I am more tan in color, and I love the water so this is going to be a great adventure for me.

Shadami: And the girls think you’re just a ninja turtle because you’re a turtle that punches things.

Aranthal: *groans* Yes, but my monk is cooler than that. He has healing powers and he spits on people to do damage with ki.

Cathy: That’s … interesting. Did you all see that Empress Leila fly past the window? I would really like to go outside and check out your garden.

Shadami: Oh sure Cathy. I’ll open the window so that you can at least hear what’s going on and you can still learn about the characters. We can always catch you up on whatever you miss.

Aranthal: Not going to lie, I didn’t take a regular monk, I took a sendo monk, which is a homebrew class I found, and I’m loving it! I’m so excited to play it. Kirtien Tango, or Kirt for short, my tortle, has trained hard in the ways of ki movements. So I can control liquids to do damage, and I can heal people by slapping them on the back.

Aranthal: I also get to add my Dex, wisdom, and Con modifier to my base AC of 13 because I’m a tortle Sendo monk so I have an amazing AC of 25, no one is going to hit me.

Shadami: I can if I stick you in armor and put a shield in your hand.

Aranthal: Not if I refuse to wear anything!

Yvonne: So you’re a naked turtle.

Munter: Sure sounds like it.

Aranthal: *cheerfully* Yup!

Shadami: *forcefully contains laughter* So is there anything else that you would like to add?

Aranthal: I’d like to be on the docks somewhere so that Kirt can be fishing for food. Fish are his favorite meal.

Shadami: Absolutely. You’re on the southern side of the city along the docks, outside of the local dock tavern and eatery known only as “The Biting Cage,” hoping to catch yourself a bite to eat.

Lizzie: I will be in cat form getting ready to steal whatever he catches.

Aranthal: Hey!

Shadami: *chokes back laughter* Okay Lizzie, how about you tell us about your character next.

Lizzie: Sure. Cadence Crescent, known to most as Cade, is a Domestic Tibbit. She is a free spirit, so sneaking up to swipe some fresh fish isn’t something she’d be opposed to.

Aranthal: Is she a thief?

Lizzie: Not exactly. She’s a ninja.

Yvonne: So we have a ninja who’s not a turtle, and a turtle who’s not a ninja?

Shadami: Pretty much, yeah.

Lizzie: Cadence has to have a solid reason to assassinate, like only taking out true evil, like an assassin who takes out other assassins, or a vigilante of sorts. So the party should be safe as long as they don’t do something horrendously evil.

Yvonne: Do bar fights count?

Munter: Pretty sure they’re a normal every day occurrence and not evil. We’re safe to fight away to our hearts content.

Lizzie: That’s about it for my introduction though. I can’t give to many secrets about my ninja away, that wouldn’t be very sneaky.

Shadami: *grins* Okay, so Cade is on the docks in her cat form watching over Kirt as he fishes.

Aranthal: Can I roll a perception check please? To see if I realize someone is about to steal my lunch?

Shadami: *laughs* I mean sure, go ahead, but not everyone has been introduced yet.

Aranthal: Hey I don’t want my breakfast stolen before I even get to start!

Shadami: Lizzie, is Cadence going to be trying to hide? Or hiding in plain sight since she’s in cat from?

Lizzie: I’m going to be sitting right behind him waiting to dart forward and grab the fish as soon as it’s out of the water.

Shadami: Okay, go ahead and roll a stealth check to set the DC for Kirt’s Perception check. Aranthal, go ahead and roll your perception check.

Aranthal: How can she hide if she’s right behind me? That’s unfair.

Shadami: She has a feline knack for hiding under foot.

*dice rolling heard*

Lizzie: I got a 12, plus my 10 to stealth for a total of 22.

Aranthal: I rolled a 19 plus my 4 for perception so HAH. I see you with my total of 23.

Shadami: Yes hunny. Kirt sees a cat at his feet that is obviously just as interested in your fishing as you are. So next character, Yvonne! Why don’t you introduce Maggie now.

Yvonne: Sure i’m ready now. Maggie’s full name is Margaret Seaworth, but she has many nicknames including Maggie the Dagger, Maggie the seadog, and just Maggie. She is a “fighter” to everyone that doesn’t know her, and will do whatever is needed to get gold and booze. The only person she is truly loyal to is Squall who saved her from drowning after a heavy night of drinking where she fell into the water.

Munter: Squall is my character. She is a water genasi druid.

Aranthal: Oh awesome. Shadami’s brother was playing a water genasi druid recently in his campaign.

Munter: Was?

Shadami: *groans* yeah. His party member critically missed and hit him with a super attack. They revived him, and then he got hit by a door and died completely. I wasn’t there so I don’t know the full story.

Munter: A door? *looks on the verge of laughter*

Shadami: Hey listen. Doors can be super dangerous! I’ve walked into many in my lifetime!

Yvonne: Will they be dangerous in this campaign?

Shadami: As my brother’s story indicates, you never know what will happen. But I can say I don’t have any attack doors planned. Especially since this will be a wilderness campaign.

Hannah: A wilderness campaign?

Cathy: Oh?! Will we be studying wildlife?

Shadami: Eh, not exactly. More like trying to survive in untamed lands where you never know what kind of creatures you might find. So it’s not a typical dungeon crawler campaign.

Hannah: Oh okay, that’s interesting.

Shadami: I hope it will be anyways. *smiles* Okay, so Squall and Maggie, are they at the water side tavern the Biting Cage? Where we happen to have a couple other characters just outside it fishing?

Munter: Sounds like a good plan to me.

Yvonne: Are there any free drinks?

Shadami: Free drinks aren’t on the menu, but that doesn’t mean that you couldn’t… ‘find’ some free drinks.

Yvonne: Huh…? Oh! I get it. Can I see if there are any super drunk people that I could swipe one of their drinks without them noticing?

Divon: I thought Maggie was a fighter?

Yvonne: Maggie is a “fighter,” at least that’s what she tells everyone that she meets. She is actually a rogue. But she disguises herself to look like a fighter.

Divon: Okay, that makes sense.

Shadami: You’re going to roll a perception check to see if you notice anyone drunk enough to steal from.

Yvonne: Which was what again?

Shadami: You roll your twenty sided die and add your perception bonus from the skills section on your character sheet.

Yvonne: Okay dice, find Maggie a drink! *dice clatters on table* I got a 12.

Shadami: Then you add 6, from your sheet for 18 total. Not a bad perception check, and to be fair it shouldn’t be that hard to find someone drunk enough to steal from even though it’s early morning in the tavern. When sailors are on shore leave they tend to drink through the morning. *rolls a dice behind a screen* With that 18 I say you spot one rugged sailor at the bar who is swaying back and forth quite a bit. He definitely has the look about him of having spent the entire night there drinking. His clothes are disheveled and even some of his hair is matted to his face like he slept on a wet bar for a couple of hours. There is a tankard next to him, but he is awake now.

Yvonne: Perfect! I’m going to swipe his drink. How do I do that?

Shadami: Basically the same way, you’re going to roll a d20 again, but this time you will add your sleight of hand bonus to your roll for your total score.

Yvonne: *rolls excitedly* … oh no… I rolled a 1. Does my plus 10 help by making it an 11?

Munter: Squall rolls a perception check because she knows Maggie’s antics! *rolls dice quickly and cringes* I’ve got a total of 14 on the check.

Shadami: Luckily you will notice the failed attempt at swiping the tankard, but so does most everyone else in the bar as Maggie manages to not only fail at grabbing the drink for free, but knocks it over into the lap of the very person she was trying to steal it from, absolutely soaking his front side. He jumps up with an angry shout… “Whaddid ya do thatfer!” and a bit of a stagger because of how much he has had to drink and throws a wild swing at Maggie.

*rolls dice behind screen*

Shadami: Luckily the wild swing was very wild and he misses. How do you react?

*Yvonne and Munter share a look and in unison* : Bar fight!

Shadami: *covers face shaking head and chuckles* We didn’t even manage to get all the characters introduced and we have a bar fight happening. Before we roll for initiative, let’s quickly introduce the final two characters. Cathy, would you come inside and introduce your character?

Cathy: *still through the window* Oh sure.

Hannah: I’ll give just a quick description. My character’s name is Nyx, she’s a Nocturne that is a race that can not handle the light.

Munter: Uh oh. That’s not going to go well with the phantom sparks of magic that glisten from Squall’s skin.

Hannah: No it’s not. It will be interesting to see how they get along. I would like her to be hiding in a dark corner of the Biting Cage when this spilled drink happens.

Shadami: Absolutely possible.

Cathy: *sits back down*

Shadami: Fantastic, give us a quick run down of your character, also did you catch everything from outside or did you need anything explained?

Cathy: I’m sure if I missed anything I’ll catch on later.

Cathy: I am playing Cat Littlebird, a woodelf cleric. I based her off my character in ESO so I thought the healer class cleric was perfect for her! She will probably be up at that other place you mentioned. The Guard bar.

Shadami: The Guard’s Quarrel.

Cathy: Yes. She would probably be asking at the first place she notices to see if anyone has heard about any lost children. She is still looking for her sister even though she understands now that everyone has a person that they have lost.

Shadami: Fantastic. Cat and Davion will probably run into each other than, and possibly Nella as well. She would more likely have been near the Guard’s Quarrel than on the docks where bar fights are more rampant.

Divan: When Cat comes in and asks about any kidnappings, Davion will offer his services because he’s a champion and he could definitely help find someone that needs protection.

Cathy: I don’t think he’ll be able to help with this, but Cat won’t turn down ideas of where to look.

Shadami: Go ahead and roll a history check for Davion to see if he thinks of some good locations for Cat to check.

Divan: Same as the other checks, a d20 right?

Shadami: That’s right. I’ll let you all know if you’re using a different dice, most of the time we will be using a d20.

*dice rolls heard clattering on the table*

Divan: I rolled a 10 plus… *double checks sheet* my five for my history bonus. So I have a 15 on the check.

Shadami: You’ll know that there has been rumors of slave ships in the open sea to the south lately. You don’t know where they’re getting the slaves from, or the ages, but it might be a good place to start. In fact, you’ll acquire another party member because Nella will overhear this and will absolutely want to help as she is against the mistreatment of other lives.

Cathy: Sure, the more the merrier!

Shadami: The three of you will start to head south then along the main road towards the docks. You’ll be looking to find passage on a ship.

Divan: And I’ll be trying to figure out how to bring my dragon with me without anyone noticing because I don’t want to leave them behind on the mainland.

Shadami: Now as for those that are in the Biting Cage. Please roll for initiative. Yvonne, remember that Maggie is only at a plus seven for her initiative because she hasn’t had a drink yet today.

*a bunch of dice roll on the table, including some behind a Dungeon Master Screen.*

Let the bar fight begin!

---

Shadami – as Dungeon Master
CathyTea as Cat Littlebird a woodelf Cleric
PitlordMaggie as Yvonne Greenwood as Margaret Seaworth a Half-elf Fighter/rogue
DivantheSimmer as Davion Nightingale a human knight/Sorceror
Munterbacon as Squall a water genasi druid
Xantheanmar as Nella a Human Monk/Paladin
Aranthal as Kirtien Tango a Tortle sendo Monk
Morningstar as Nyx the Nocturne rogue/druid
AdamEve1231 as a tibbit ninja

Lots created by me, with some CC help from Munterbacon. Each “author” created their own “player” and “character” for the game. Inducting me into the world of CC from a couple minor eye changes and some custom dresses and hairs to a buttload of custom content. (I likely will not list this author note stuff in every post unless there is something new that I did not create.)

The house is “Large Summer Cottage” on the gallery under MsShadami.

Also here are a couple screenshots I got that I couldn’t quite fit in, but wanted to share because they amused me.

Munter making faces at people

Martha floating because I shrunk the fountain for looks xD

“And this is our water garden!”

Finally, MunterBacon has written a pretty fantastic backstory for Squall’s people here, called “The Cerulean Conclave.” You should absolutely check it out if you want some fun background information.