Session 6: Festival and Fire (2011-11-26)

[Corsario]

For five years, the faithful of Sandpoint have attended church in smaller wooden structures rebuilt after fire destroyed the previous temple, and while their new pastor Abstalar was helpful, kind, and wise, church wasn’t the same. Now, the new cathedral is finally done. All that remains is for the Swallowtail Festival to renew the site’s blessings from the gods and it will be as if the Sandpoint Fire had never occurred.

The Swallowtail Festival

The Swallowtail Festival begins promptly, as scheduled, on the first day of autumn. The square before the church quickly becomes crowded as locals and travelers arrive, and several merchant tents featuring food, clothes, local crafts, and souvenirs are there to meet them.

The turnout for the opening speeches is quite respectable, and the four keynote speakers each deliver short but well-received welcomes to the festival. Mayor Deverin’s friendly attitude and excitement prove contagious as she welcomes visitors to town and jokes about how even Larz Rovanky, the local tanner (and notorious workaholic) managed to tear himself away from the tannery to attend, much to everyone’s but Larz’s amusement. Sheriff Hemlock brings the crowd down a bit with his dour mood, his reminder to be safe around the evening’s bonfire, and his request for a moment of silence to remember those who lost their lives in the fire that claimed the town’s previous church five years ago. Fortunately, Cyrdak Drokkus is more than up to the challenge of bringing the crowd’s mood back up with his rousing anecdotes as he delivers a not-completely-irreverent recap of the long process the town went through to finance and construct the new cathedral. He throws in a bit of self-promotion at the end, as is his wont, inviting everyone to stop by the Sandpoint Theater the following evening to check out his new production of “The Harpy’s Curse,” revealing that the lead role of Avisera the harpy queen will be played by none other than the famous Magnimarian diva Allishanda! Finally, Father Zantus steps up give a short speech thanking everyone for coming before declaring the Swallowtail Festival underway.

At noon, Father Zantus and his acolytes wheel a large covered wagon into the square, and after recounting the short parable of how Desna first fell to earth and was nursed back to health by a blind child who she transformed into an immortal butterfly as a reward for her aid, they pull aside the wagon’s cover, releasing the thousand children of Desna—a furious storm of a thousand swallowtail butterflies that swarm into the air in a spiraling riot of color to a great cheer from the crowd. Throughout the rest of the day, children futilely chase butterflies, never quite quick enough to catch them.

Lunch is provided free, at the expense of Sandpoint’s taverns. Each brings its best dishes—this event is a marketing push by the taverns as much to win new customers as it is to feed a hungry crowd. It soon becomes apparent that the darling of the lunch is, once again, Ameiko Kaijitsu, whose remarkable curry-spiced salmon and early winterdrop mead easily overshadow the other offerings, such as the Hagfish’s lobster chowder or the White Deer’s peppercorn venison.

Finally, as the sun begins to set, Father Zantus takes the central podium, uses a thunderstone to attract everyone’s attention, and clears his throat as he prepares to recite the Prayer of First Dreaming.

Unfortunately, the thunderstone’s detonation is also the prearranged trigger for the goblins, who have slowly been infiltrating the town while its citizens are merrily distracted.

[Corsario]

Dramatis Personae

* Gorum Followers Caravan
- Kealm, Inquisitor, Caravan Captain. Played by Tyrs13
- Grummsh, Half-Orc Cleric, Caravan Lieutenant. Played by Patrick
- Lucron, Synthesis Summoner, Caravan Warrior. Played by Mark
- Dave, Human NPC, Caravan Warrior
- Bob, Human NPC, Caravan Warrior
- John, Human NPC, Caravan Warrior
- Grumpy, Small donkey, very aggressive, pulling a small cart

* Other characters that join them for protection and company
- Grift, Gunslinger, adventurer. Played by James
- Magu, Chelaxian Half-Elf nun, only female PC. Played by Bolo Lacertus
- Aranel Arcamenel, Elven Wizard, Played by Viceran

* Sandpoint NPC's
- Even more than usual

* Characters whose player didn't arrive, and where on "auto-pilot"
- Falk, Elven Wizard, explorer. Played by Elio
- Maelx, Dwarf Summoner, Professor. Played by Louis
- Revan, Variasian Half-Elf Rogue, hired caravan guide. Played by Abracadaver

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Grift has a secret meeting with Theodosia, the Scarnetti party showcases Grummsh dancing, and the festival gets interrupted by a goblin attack.

Combat time!

[Corsario]

I will use this post to talk about my choices as DM. I hope it will help me to get better as GM, and I hope it can help you understand some of the decisions I do, and give you ideas how to use them with your characters.

I'm having trouble keeping up with the logs and everything. Hope some player or players can help me! (wink wink)
First time we play on Saturday. While it worked nicely, I feel I have very little time to prepare. I think we will play only once a week. Maybe try to do some "offline" RP.
I started one hour earlier having a special "one-on-one" session for Grift, and a nice RP scene ensued. But it was nothing compared to the party, when Grummsh stole the spotlight in one of the best RP scenes I have been part of. Nice moves!
After that the festival, and Goblin attack, started. Fighting everywhere. Magu almost died, but the other players help her nicely. Good to know I don't need to pull punches.
I'm worried about Abracadaver, Elio and Louis... two sessions without them...

[Corsario]

Please, all the feedback or opinions of this session put in as replies in this threads.

If any of you even does a character "diary" or something like that, I promise to give some kind of reward "in-game" (I have to motivate it somehow, right?).

You can also give private feedback by mail ([email protected]) or skype (corsario_mexico).

[Corsario]

The beginning is Grift's one-on-one.