DCC Recap #5

Gamemastering is not without its responsibilities. Notably, a gamemaster needs to remember things. For example, remembering the cliff hanger at the end of a session. This is the reason why there is a notable delay between this recap and the promptly-released one’s that came before it. My recollection is a bit fuzzy, and I am sure this has nothing to do with the post-game cocktails I had with David. Power Word: Negroni had been cast, and I clearly failed my save. But we shall forge on, because I am pretty sure now, with the help of David, that I know enough to recap. I know, David is a bit of a dubious source given he cast that spell on himself as well as me. But since Jim and Rolland didn’t respond to the group text, I can only assume they suffered a similar form of amnesia.

Dramatis Personae

active PCs

* Calvert, a dwarf with a man-sized leg and is all right.
* Stacia, cleric of Mitra. In spite of the narrative making her seem like Mitra's chosen, the dice tell a complicated story of disapproval.
* Chandler, the kender of the party, except instead of denying that he's a thief, he's denying he's an assassin. "I'm a handler!" BACKSTAB. The sole representative of the Knaves 3.
* Nicklas. Nickelaus? Nickleback? Nick. Nick is a wizard and an ostler. I perhaps judged him too harshly before, but he's proven to be more than just the Gob Bluth of the gang. 

inactive PCs (aka "sand diarrhea")

* Poundfoolish "Pogo" Underhill, who is actually the most Kender-like of the party, being a halfling. He is missing most of his right leg. And come to think of it, a hoopak is probably really useful when you're missing a leg.

monsters

A surprising lack of those, actually. Except for Birmzy the Trickster, whose introduction may have been wiped from all known memory. Which is good, because I could use a mulligan on this one. 

Instead of monsters, the party encountered more traps! Oh, and dog-sized spiders. But only because of traps.

In the previous session, the party had wiped out the Arachneans and now found themselves confronted with two paths to explore. Chandler investigated the southern path, which was a room with a lever that said “up” on it. While there appeared to be visible sky at the top of the ceiling 50′ above, the adventurers were dubious. And this is the problem with a blatantly trap-based dungeon- you nearly decapitate or impale someone enough, they start to become suspicious.

The trap was sprung after pulling the lever from the relative safety of the hallway via Chandler’s grappling hook. The floor shot upwards, revealing a giant spring Wile E. Coyote would’ve appreciated. Sure, no one was harmed, but will the party ever stop wondering what that floor could’ve shot them into?

The party then proceeded down a hallway into another room. This one had a pit that occupied the center of it filled with the aforementioned dog-sized spiders. While they were content to spin their webs within the confines of the pit, the narrow walkway around it made it clear that this trap had something to do with dumping foolish adventurers into it.

After a number of experiments with the flammability of the webbing (turns out, not terribly flammable) and realizing there was no way to get across it with a rope, the party began the precarious walk around the pit. Chandler checked for traps along the way. When he ascended the winding stairway at the end, he dutifully checked the stairs. When he got to the top of the stairs, he checked for traps on the door. I think this may have been where he failed? Maybe. This is definitely where my memory begins to fail. Suffice it to say, the trap door beneath his feet opened and sent him down a chute into the spider pit.

I want to say Nick used his rope handling powers to help get Chandler out. That certainly makes sense. I do know Chandler got out, and he escaped the worst of the spider bites. Which is all that really matters, I suppose. At least if you are a PC anyway.

And this is where the story gets hella blurry. The party passed out of the spider pit room into a final room. In it, they found the item they entered this trap and spider-goblin filled dungeon in the first place for: the missing circlet. Grappling hook maneuvers soon followed. And then the boss emerged, although I don’t really know what he said. Something terrifying, I hope. Or at least somewhat threatening. I don’t know. But David remembered the name Birmzy, which is the name I gave that boss. So they did get that far. Power Word: Negroni!

Next week I will take better notes, and the party will get a proper introduction to Birmzy. Or at least one I can remember.