Here it is! The first session of the World of Corde! After all the fun we had building the world we were so excited to start. Before the session officially started, we (Justice and Miranda) taught Cordelia and Victor the basics of the game. This included how to make checks with d20, how certain numbers cause fails, and how they can earn bonuses by using their imaginations when role playing. To that last one Cordelia responded, “Yee-hee!” Victor just kept rolling his dice. Justice told them to imagine this as a big story book they are playing. I told them to always close doors, close windows, check everything, ask questions, ask specific questions, and listen carefully when the DM is speaking.
The Characters for this session:
- Dungeon Master – Justice/Dad
- Surina (Cordelia) – a gold Dragonborn Paladin with a noble background, lawful good alignment
- Draco “Draggy” (Victor) – a blue Dragonborn Fighter with a soldier background, chaotic good alignment
- Lysithea (Miranda/Mom) – a Tiefling Sorcerer with a sage background, neutral good alignment
- “Professor” (Uncle Ian) – a Dwarf Artificer with a hermit background, chaotic good alignment
The DM began with the setting and history.
DM: The starting town that everyone in is in the major city of Dalvok. Dalvok is one of the largest cities on the continent, sitting in the Rooja Desert. The city came to fame because of the gold. They found gold in the Apogaz Mountains and it took off from there. Dalvok is currently sequestered because of its situation on the North Sea, Western Sea, and on the east side there is the Lylomi Chasm. The people of Dalvok are not allowed to build anything along or across the chasm.
DM: A brief history of Dalvok – It was founded by a Dragonborn called the “Wise One,” and it is still led by someone named The Wise One. Thanks to the Dragonborn and other inhabitants the city grew larger. No one knows how the chasm was formed. The only way in to the city is through the giant front gates, or through the sea ports. They maintain a standing defense force, but have never fought in any wars. Their main concerns are bandit tribes from the desert and creatures. They maintain trade, mostly to the yet-to-be-named town on the top of the river on the other side of the chasm. Recently, archeologists have discovered ancient ruins in the desert. This has caused a great stir because there’s no known history of other beings in the desert besides the wise one.
The story begins with Uncle Ian coming to town. His character is a miserly dwarf. Imagine a cartoon character with a huge mustache and beard, and when he speaks the only thing you see moving is his mustache. His goggles make his eyes look disproportionally huge. He speaks in a gruffly voice, and mumbles in nonsense half the time. His character was not yet named.
DM: You approach the main front gates and you see 2 giant golden griffins standing on each side of the main gate. Guards are at the gate, most of them being Dragonborn.
Guard: “Ah, a trader. Coming to set up in the bazaar?”
Ian: Yes, yes, yes.
Guard: Do you have a permit?
Ian: I don’t need to permit, just let me through. (Rolls 13 persuasion)
Guard: You don’t need a permit, just register your wares at Town Hall.
Ian: Fine, fine, fine. Yes, yes, yes.
DM: There are booths are far as you can see, all the way to the center of town. Tons of trade. Town Hall is past the center of town. *Ian heads straight to Town Hall* You notice normal bazaar behavior. As you approach town center, you see a giant fountain somehow getting water, which is strange for the desert, and a giant gold griffin in the center of the fountain. The main Town Hall is a temple of Bahamut, with guards and a moderate defense force. Do you go in to Town Hall?
Ian: Nah, I’m just going to set my stuff up in front of the fountain. *Sets his stuff up in front of the fountain*
Enter Miranda’s character, Lysithea. She is a Tiefling from the tribes by the Ocan’queb Volcano. Tieflings are not common in Dalvok, so she sticks out a little.
DM: You enter from the docks since your tribe paid for you to travel here. You see traders coming, supplies, fishers, and a big booth with big recruitment sign searching for adventurers promising knowledge, wealth, and fame.
Lysithea: *Goes to the booth* Excuse me, where is the temple?
Recruiter: Why do you need the temple? It’s right over there. Instead, you look like the type that wants adventure, seeing unknown areas.
Lysithea: Yes…
Recruiter: We can promise you that plus wealth, if you just join our guild.
Lysithea: I will need to research your guild before I decide.
Recruiter: We are the only guild in town.
Lysithea: That will make research easy.
Recruiter: Here, take this. *Gives guild card*
Lysithea: *Scoots away*
DM: As you walk you see a miserly looking dwarf. People are gathering around and staring at him just taking out his things by the fountain.
Ian: *Points and shouts at Lysithea* “You there!”
Lysithea – *Think for a minute, decides the temple isn’t going anywhere, and approaches him* May I look at your things?
Ian: Yes yes, come come.
Transition to Cordelia, a golden Dragonborn Paladin, and Victor, a blue Dragonborn Fighter.
DM: You are sitting in the main room of a giant adventuring hall with Draggy, both as newly recruited adventurers. You are approached by the guild leader, Akron, an older Dragonborn.
Akron: Surina, glad to have you join us!
This was Cordelia’s first chance to role play. She was shy and unsure of herself, so she took a little while to respond. She received some prompting from Dad, and came up with her response.
Surina: Thank you.
Akron: Good, good. I know you have been on daring crusades and adventures, but we have a simple problem for you to solve. You can take your brother. There seems to be a commotion in the town center. We want to keep things low because there are people who look promising and we want them to join us. Can you go convince them to join us?
Surina: Okay.*Heads to town center wearing her armor*
DM: You see a lot of people stopping and staring at a random dwarf setting up a cart, and an out of place Tiefling browsing his wares.
Cordelia was not quite sure what to do. Mom and Dad, in the form of questions, guided her to come up with how she was going to handle the situation. She decided to speak kindly, remaining true to her character.
Surina: Hi, my name is Surina.
DM to Ian and Miranda: You see large, gold Dragonborn wearing chain mail carrying a long sword and shield with symbol of Bahamut just come up an introduce herself.
Ian: Oh yes, hello, hello, perhaps you would like to come up and peruse my wares and spend some coin. *rough mumbling*
Lysithea: *stares*
Cordelia begins thinking how to proceed, getting suggestions from Dad.
Ian: Perhaps you would like some dog’s breath *mumbles about dog kisses*
Surina: Hey, I’m part of The Gold Griffin. Would you please come with me? (Rolls persuasion, 6)
DM: You are stumbling over your words and are soft spoken, more intimidating by appearance than by your speaking.
Lysithea: Is there something wrong officer?
Surina: We need your help.
Ian: Perhaps you would like this airless whoopee cushion. It doesn’t require any air whatsoever, creates a fart sound, and everyone within 10 feet can hear it.
Surina: *hesitates* Hey, you can get in trouble if you don’t come with me (Rolls persuasion, 9)
Draggy: (Victor really wanted to roll some dice, so he rolled intimidation. Rolls intimidation 14)
DM: You see younger blue dragon with battle ax and a sword, silently standing with her.
Ian: On second thought I’ll go along with it. Can I bring my tools with me?
Surina: Yes.
Ian: Excellent! *mumbling*
Lysithea: Yes officer…
Surina leads the company back to Golden Griffin, a large building off to the side in a section of town. The party notices an increase of military force, but the building isn’t military. Surina leads them inside.
Akron: Ah, the two people who just arrived in town! I am the leader of the Golden Griffin Adventuring Company. I want to welcome you to our good town of Dalvok, and possibly request some help from you.
Ian: Why us? I’m an old man, look at me!
Akron: I see… As you may not have heard, some of our archeologists found some ruins in our desert. There’s an increase of needs for people to explore them. Knowledge, wealth, fame, can all be yours.
Lysithea: I came to see the temple…
Akron: You can see the temple. You can see many temples if you join us.
Lysithea: *speaks eagerly* Many temples?
Ian: (Rolls insight 14)
DM: Akron seems genuine, like he really needs help, but you are not sure why.
Akron: We’ll make sure you’re set up and can sell when you’re not with us.
Lysithea: I had told your recruiters that I needed to research you first.
Akron: Well, you won’t be able to do much research, we are a brand new guild!
Lysithea: They failed to mention that…
Ian: *interrupting* What do we get?
Akron: You may keep any artifacts that our scholars do not need.
Ian: Well I do quite like stuff…
Lysithea: And I guess I am curious… okay fine.
Akron: Wonderful! You’ve met Surina and Draggy here it seems.
Ian: I guess just for now you can call me The Professor.
Lysithea: Professor?
Professor: Yes, Professor.
Lysithea: Professor of what?
Professor: Professing! What about you, who are you?
Lysithea: My name is Lysithea.
Akron: *cuts in* Wonderful! You see we already have a problem. One of the merchants that has gone to the ruins has gone missing. We do not know if he actually went to the ruins, which is why we formed this guild. He went somewhere, we don’t know where.
Lysithea: So you want us to find him?
Akron: Yes. His crew came back, but he did not. His name is Mathistos, a goblin sort of fellow. He likes to hang out at the Succulent Snake Restaurant. I suggest you start there. I’ll leave you to it! *leaves*
Professor: So my Dragonborn friend, where should we go?
Lysithea: Yes, where is this place?
DM: Between the soldier area and the bazaar.
Surina: I’ll lead you there! *starts walking*
DM: Cordelia, roll perception. (Rolls a 13) You hear someone shout, “Stop! Thief!” Someone is running towards you.
Cordelia stops to think. She initially thinks that someone is accusing her of being a thief. After some guidance from Mom she realizes that the person running towards her is the thief, and chooses to attack the runner.
Surina: (Rolls 16 to attack, hits and does 4 damage)
DM: You swing and hit the bandit. He stops and says, “Hey! What was that for?”
Draggy: (Rolls 11 to attack with battle ax, misses)
Lysithea: (Rolls 11 to hit with quarter staff, misses)
Professor: (Delays) *Starts rummaging his cart to look for something*
Bandit: Hey, need some help here! (Swings sword at Surina, hits for 4 damage)
Professor: I do believe I have found what I’m looking for. *Proceeds to grab his right hand, twist it, and pop it off. He then takes a hammer and twists it on to lock it. He takes a bonus action to cast arcane weapon on it with fire damage.* (Rolls to attack, rolls 9 and misses)
Surina: (Swings sword again, rolls a natural 20! The first in the game, and her first ever! Rolls damage twice (1+7) and gets the option to either cripple or slay the bandit. Cordelia blurts out, “Make him dead.” She stays true to her lawful good paladin by following the law, which states theft is punishable by death. She rolls intimidation 18.)
DM: The other bandits that were coming to help ran away after seeing Surina’s hit. A merchant runs forward and thanks the party. He grabs a bag that’s filled with apples and says “I’ll send payment to the guild for this help.”
Lysithea: *Assertively begins inspecting Professor’s magic hammer arm*
Merchant: Thank you! Thank you!
Surina: You’re welcome.
Draggy: (Victor begins climbing on the table to help. He wants to chase the other bandits and the party agrees.) Hey, do you know where the bandits’ secret hide out is? (Rolls intimidation, 18+2)
DM: You stand up and shout at the top of your lungs asking where the hideout it. A guy steps forward and, having seen everything, says, “Go to The Grey Asp! It’s below the bar!” and runs away in terror.
Professor: Good show!
Surina: (Rolls investigation 16, knows where The Grey Asp is located)
Lysithea: We should do our best to sneak, or at least not be boisterously loud…
DM: Everyone roll deception. (Surina – 11, Lysithea – 15, Draggy – 13, Professor – 8). The Professor sticks out a bit, drawing attention to himself, not a lot, but enough to make people suspicious. He does have a hammer arm and has a cart full of mysterious objects.
DM: You enter the bar. It’s your standard bar/tavern. It’s pretty empty inside, except for a sketchy looking guy standing behind the bar. He’s missing a few teeth, and looks like he hasn’t showered in month. “Can I help you?”
Professor: I was just wondering if I could perhaps wet my whistle.
Bartender: We got something, come on up.
DM: You walk up to bar. The man pulls out a mug that looks really dirty. Roll Perception (8). The mug is filled with brownish liquid.
Bartender: 2 silver.
Professor: Perhaps I could offer you a trade.
Bartender: What sort of trade?
Professor: Take a look at this necklace. *Incoherent mumbling about the necklace*
Bartender: No, money.
Professor: What about this airless whoopee cushion? It doesn’t require any air whatsoever, creates a fart sound, and everyone within 10 feet can hear it.
Bartender: No. Money.
Professor: (Rolls persuasion, 6). Fine, fine, fine. *pays 2 silver, drinks the drink*
DM: Roll a constitution saving throw (23). It has a terrible flavor. Mostly head, the brown liquid has a foul taste, but you drink it down just fine.
Professor: I do live in the hills alone. I eat a lot of dirt.
DM: The bartender just stares at you as you drink it. Everyone roll perception (Draggy got highest at 13). Everyone roll initiative (Draggy 6, Surina 5, Lysithea 21, Professor 6) A dagger flies at Ian’s head. 15 hits for 1 damage.
Professor: Oh, ow, owie! Who throws a dagger?
Lysithea: (Casts magic missile for 5, 4, and 4 damage, killing the barkeep)
DM: The bar is now seemingly empty. (The party begins looking for secret opening, since the scared man said the hideout was behind the bar.) Everyone roll investigation.
(Lysithea rolls a 19 and finds a trap door. The Professor searches the bartender’s body and finds his 2 silver and a key, but there’s no keyhole to the trap door. There seems to be no way to open the door.)
Professor: I don’t know what to do with this. Here, Dragonborn, take this key. *gives key to Surina*
(Party rolls investigation to find key hole. Professor rolls Natural 1.)
DM: You start bumping in to everything. You start flailing about, knocking everything over in domino effect.
(Since the element of surprise has now been ruined, Surina decides to punch the trap door to break it. Draggy and Surina both roll 20s.)
DM: You take you weapons and smash the trap door, and find a ladder going down.
Surina decides to go down the ladder first, followed by the Professor, Lysithea, and Draggy bringing up the rear. The battle map is now out, with the hideout drawn on it. Each square represents 5 feet.
(Surina checks to see if the door is locked. The door is unlocked, but she decides to knock anyway.)
Bandit: “Who is it?”
Lysithea: *uses Thaumatergy to change her voice to the bartender’s* It’s me, let me in.
Bandit: Why are you here? What was all that noise?
Lysithea: I found this idiot, and I need assistance.
Bandit: We told you to poison him!
Lysithea: I did! He drank it and he’s fine, hence my need for assistance.
Professor: *making grumbly noises about being captured*
Bandit: The boss won’t be happy about this. *opens door and sees Surina*
Begin Bandit Battle
Surina begins by rolling to attack with her sword. She rolls a 22, deals 11 damage, and kills the bandit. The three remaining bandits in the room each shoot their crossbow at Surina. All 3 miss. Lysithea then casts Magic Missile, with one missile attacking each bandit. She does 5, 3, and 3 damage respectively. Draggy moves to the middle bandit, rolls a 19 to attack with his sword, and slays the bandit. Professor’s arcane weapon is still active at this point, so he casts fire bolt, deals 8 damage, and kills another bandit. He chooses to keep his arcane weapon. Surina moves towards the last bandit, but is not close enough to attack. The final bandit then attacks Lysithea and hits for 2 damage. Lysithea (Mom) chooses to delay her turn so that Draggy (Victor) can get the final hit (because he really wanted to defeat the bad guys) and defeat the last bandit. Draggy rolls a 19 to attack with his sword, does 11 damage, and defeats the final bandit.
DM: There are lots of boxes and crates in the room, and lots of stolen goods.
Professor: *searches the bodies, takes 1 gold from each*
DM: There is a door at other end. You check the door and find that it is locked.
Professor: Who has that key?
Surina: *uses the key on the door*
DM: The door opens to reveal a dexterity roll! (Surina fails her roll) An arrow hits you for 4 damage. You know the hallway that may be trapped, but you don’t know how.
Lysithea: *casts Mage Hand, and sends the hand down the hallway to disable the arrow trap*
Professor is the first down hallway, followed by Draggy, Surina, and Lysithea in the back. After a turn they find another door at end of the hallway. Professor rolls investigation (22) to check for traps and finds none. He opens the door slowly and finds a well-lit room. There is one more bandit surrounded by 2 dogs.
Professor: Well hello there! Pardon me, I was just looking for the restroom, yes.
Bandit: Attack!
Begin Bandit Boss Battle – The Battle of Low Rolls (aka Everyone Misses)
The party rolls new initiative (Lysithea 11, Draggy 21, Professor Nat 20, Surina 17)
Professor walks up to the bandit and attacks him, but first the wolves take an attack of opportunity. Luckily both miss. Professor rolls to attack the bandit, and misses with a 4. Draggy tries to hit the wolf on the right and misses. Surina rolls to hit the other wolf, and misses with a 9. The bandit tries to attack Professor and misses. The bandit attacks Professor again with dagger, and misses again. The left wolf attempts to bite Surina and misses. The other hound attacks Draggy. It hits him with a 22, dealing 4 damage, and knocks Draggy prone. Lysithea casts Fire Bolt on Draggy’s wolf, but misses. Professor uses Thunderclap. All 3 enemies must make constitution roll. Both wolves fail, but the bandit succeeds. The wolves take 3 points of damage each. Draggy stands up, giving his wolf an attack of opportunity, but it misses. Draggy attacks and kills the wolf. Surina hits her wolf again, and rolls a Nat 20! She gets to roll 2d8s, dealing 11 damage, which kills the wolf. Only the bandit remains. The bandit swings at Professor with a scimitar, and hits for 8 damage. Professor is starting to hurt bad. The bandit throws a dagger at Lysithea and misses. Lysithea tries Fire Bolt again, and misses again. Professor attacks, rolls low and misses, but moves adjacent to Surina. Draggy tries to hit the bandit, but misses. Surina uses Lay On Hands on Professor to heal him 5 HP. The bandit attacks Draggy with the scimitar and the dagger and misses with both. Lysithea hits the bandit with Chill Touch, doing 2 necrotic damage. Professor misses his Fire Bolt attack. Draggy hits the bandit for 4 damage. Surina rolls a Nat. 1 to hit, misses, and ends up getting her sword stuck in the wall. The bandit attacks Draggy with both weapons again, hitting with the dagger and doing 5 damage. Draggy is hurting at this point. Lysithea hits the bandit with Fire Bolt and deals 7 fire damage. Professor also casts Fire Bolt and hits the bandit for 6 fire damage. The bandit looks really hurt (finally). Draggy swings his sword and hits for 6 damage. Surina pulls her sword out of the wall, swings it at the bandit, and hits him for 7 damage. The bandit has fallen! Huzzah!
End of Session 1. The party is 1/3 of the way to level 2.
Analysis: Everyone had a lot of fun in this session. Even though Cordelia was hesitant and shy she could not contain how excited she was to play again the next week. One of the reasons we are starting this game with her is to boost her confidence. She is a smart, creative child who knows what she likes and doesn’t care if other people don’t get it; however, she has a lot of self doubt, and she often holds back in fear of making a mistake. By creating an open world in a safe space we hope to give her opportunities to think critically, gain confidence, learn how to mistakes and how to grow from them instead of fearing them.