Dungeon Bastard Saves (My) Gamehole Con!

Yesterday, I took the day off of work to run some games at Gamehole Con in Madison, WI. I had planned since June to run a 13th Age/Crucible of the Gods (which I posted about previously) and also a D&D 4E Fourthcore run of Fane of the Heresiarch. I was pumped up, it was going to be EPIC! How could it not - these adventures (found for FREE at svdpress.com) are incredible examples of excitement in a one-shot game.

The day didn't go anywhere near there I thought it would, but in the end it was incredible.

Waking up, 5:20am, a good hour drive from Milwaukee to Madison, and I got myself settled in at my table, all set up and ready to run. I even tweeted a pic of my setup.
 

Ready to rock 13th Age!
Just need players... Bueller? Bueller?

The Game that WASN'T
Then it all deflated horribly. No players came. I didn't have any pre-registered players, but I thought, "Hey, there will be some looking for a game that will give me a shot, right?"

I was wrong, and even attempts to sell my game in the hallway were pointless. I sat from 8:00 to 10:00am, trying my best to not take it personally. But I did. When I saw the many Pathfinder Society tables - ALL FULL - I felt like the biggest LOSER. 

I ran into Chris Perkins of WOTC, and that helped my spirits. He's a cool guy, a great DM. I already thought to myself, "Well, my day sucks hard, but at least I got to meet Chris Perkins!"
 

Watching Chris Perkins work his DM Magic

I packed up my game, stuck it all in the car and wandered the small con looking for something to do. I ended up watching Chris Perkins D&D Next game, which had Bill Cavalier, the Dungeon Bastard himself, standing nearby and making funny comments as the game progressed. If you don't know who Bill Cavalier is, do yourself a big favor and watch the videos here: dungeonbastard.com

When you see Chris Perkins DM, he's clearly excited about D&D. It shows. He does an excellent job of setting up a scene and describing what's going on to the players. He allows players to try things "outside the box". To me, D&D is not a spectator sport, so enjoying myself watching his game and enjoying it is saying something!

Pathfinder Society, Meh.
My spirits were raised a little more by watching the D&D Next game, but I wanted to be in a game. I couldn't take the possibility of my afternoon Fane of the Heresiarch/4E game going the same route as my morning Crucible failure, so I cancelled it and jumped in a Pathfinder Society seventh level adventure: The Ungodly Lands.

Pathfinder Society was merely OK. Boring combats where everyone kinda stands around and beats up on some monsters until they drop, and everyone argues about what bonuses stack on what, and how far you can move in a round. No puzzles, nothing to interact with really. No chance of character death. Apparently in Pathfinder Society, character death is frowned upon heavily?

The Insurmountable Guantlet of Doom
After my Pathfinder game was done, I ate dinner and thought to at least watch the Dungeon Bastard run his 7pm dungeon crawl game using hybrid old school D&D rules. I had to leave at 9:30 anyway (previous commitment!), so I thought, "Hey, I can enjoy watching him DM his game for a bit before I have to go."

But my luck would suddenly change immensely. There was an opening in his game! I jumped in and found myself in the best game ever. I can now put down Bill Cavalier on a list along with Sersa Victory and Dr. Davy Jones as people who have a finger on the pulse of the kinds of games I like. 
 

That's right, my DM was THIS GUY.
(pictured with Jen Page)

IGoD has a great mix. Combat, puzzles, tormented, epic environments... (What? The river Styx can't flow through here? Screw you pal and your 'dungeon has to make sense' crap!) and the house rules Bill employed threw away the nit picky (whoa, did I move five feet or ten?!?!) crap and focus on being BADASS. He rewarded players for actions/descriptions that kick ass, and penalized players for being less-than-awesome - which included a possibility of being ejected from the game!

Player character death is NOTHING compared to the thought of being shame-ejected out of the game. And we all ate it up. That's right - ejected from the game in SHAME!

Bill's style of DMing combines great descriptions told in dramatic voice. He doesn't shy away from gory scenes, and his Dungeon Bastard humor sprinkles in throughout the game. I found myself laughing so hard at times, and then intensely focused on some obscure deathtrap puzzle with the other players. The tension of crusader death was all about us, and we loved it. He doesn't mind pulling in strange game mechanics - pulling from a strange deck of cards, or fast 'n loose saving throws designed to keep things moving.

Leaving the Con Revitalized
I only got to play 2.5 hours in Bill's game, before I bowed out. That was more than enough to revitalize my faith in epic fantasy dungeon crawls. Any of the day's disappointments were banished forever. Now my only regret is not backing his kickstarter for the World's Worst Dungeon Crawl! If only I knew.

I hope Bill doesn't mind if I steal some of his game concepts to run myself. I'd tell you what they are... nah, screw it... If you want to know, play in my game. 

Or better yet, play in the Dungeon Bastard's game!

Crucible of the Gods: 13th Age Style

Today Fourthcore turns four years old, and in honor of it, I will be running Crucible of the Gods at Gamehole Con tomorrow... but this time using the 13th Age system!

In this version of Crucible, four of the world's Icons have been secretly plotting together... the Crusader, the Prince of Shadows, the High Druid and the Diabloist. Together, in a secluded location, they have created secret races that are better and stronger than their worldly counterparts. Perhaps they intend to dominate over the other Icons? No one knows for certain. 

The players play crusaders of these secret super races... and they must prove to their iconic masters that the experiment is worth continuing.



Should they fail to light the divine brazier of the Crucible of the Gods, the four Icons will terminate their experiment and eradicate them all!

Gauntlet of the Fallen Godkings: Teaser 2

Imagine a party of all this guy,
wrecking havoc in a deathtrap dungeon!

Designing a tournament module allows me to go places that I couldn't go in a campaign. I can have players try a different kind of crusader, and in the previous teaser I made reference to the players taking on the role of godkings.

Godkings have abilities and powers beyond that of mortals. These skills (and those of the player!) will be tested to the fullest as the players take on the gauntlet... a deathtrap dungeon the godkings themselves created ages ago as a means to torture and execute their enemies.

Gauntlet of the Fallen Godkings: Teaser 1

When summer began, I took a break from all play-by-post gaming to attend to some personal family matters. When those matters were more under control, I began to write my own fourthcore adventure.

When it is finished, I will provide it for free download, just like the excellent adventures that you can find at svdpress.com, dungeonoracle.com, and rpg.brainclouds.net.

To the right is the first of many semi-weekly teasers that I'll post as I write the module. Enjoy!

This year could be great for fourthcore. I hear of other adventures coming out too... Pit of the Void Locust, for example. Exciting times!!!

Crucible of the Kids: The Next Generation (SPOILERS)

LOTS OF SPOILERS ON CRUCIBLE OF THE GODS. DON'T READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU WANT TO PLAY!

Last night I ran Crucible of the Gods for my brother and his kids, and his kids' cousins. It was a blast! Most were new to D&D and 4E, but had poured over the books already. My nephew's ability to quickly look up a rule in the hardcover was incredible. Only one was well versed in the adventure, and she was sworn to secrecy.

Game Highlights
In the Puzzle of Faces chamber, they were sooo close to getting it right. Down to a 50/50 chance between Insect and Lizard... and they picked the wrong one. That killed four of them right there. The last crusader limped out with 1 hp left!

In the Kishar battle, one crusader was petrified. His cousin turns to me and asks, "Now that he's a statue, can I pick him up and throw him like a weapon at the Dracolisk?" I think he was joking, but I quickly look at him and go, "Why yes, of course! Roll those dice!" 

His face lit up as he saw the potential of a table-top RPG. This is Dungeons & Dragons!

In the Lyth chamber, they failed the quiz on Catoblepas... Even though they had the rumor about it and I had recently said what a Catoblepas was. They also missed Owlbear, and then realized there's an Owlbear on the cover of the Essentials book! D'oh! However, after the battle against the Mummy Naga, they returned and I allowed them to figure a way past the slimy portcullis, but at great risk. It made for a great RP scene.

They breezed through the Asar-Segt chamber pretty easily. They had their third skull.

They were defeated via TPK in the final chamber by the Ruach (Kishar). Total of 10 deaths overall. Let's just say that despite a negative score, they still found the game to be great fun.
  

Kudos to DrDavyJones
My brother gave big compliments to the pregens created by @DrDavyJones at dungeonoracle.com. He said the one-page crusaders looked great, and it was easy to get to the information quickly. He played Facetaker, which he renamed "Face T'Kar".

Kudos to Sersa Victory
Many said that the Puzzle of Faces was their favorite, having to figure it which button was the right one with the clues at hand. No rolls to save them there! All in all, they really liked the adventure. The mix of combat, puzzles and mental challenges is fantastic.


How I Adapt Crucible of the Gods for Kids

I thought I would detail how I adapt the adventure for kids. There are a few elements that are a little too dark for my liking, and others I change up for adventure flow. I wouldn't do this for adults, as they can handle more of these elements.

• In the Kishar battle, I find the thought of carving into a chest to get a black heart a little too grisly for the kind of D&D I want to run for their age. Each guardian wears a black-heart amulet instead.
• In the Puzzle of Faces, I switch up the trapped humanoids to be snarling beasts instead.
• I remove the Exarch encounter if it will kill the flow of the adventure.
• In the battle against the Mummy Naga, I removed the stirges. The players were excited to take her down... having the stirges there would have simply killed the mood and wasted the time.
• I allow Action Points to be used to reroll anything. Takes the edge off of missing with a Daily power, or a Saving Throw vs Death. If you roll bad twice, well, tough luck!

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: VICTORY!

The Wyrm Prince’s body bursts into
hellflames and is reduced to ash, leaving only the Soulstone within him unharmed.

You claim the Soulstone, and the souls of all has been saved from a gruesome fate!

You have won D&D (and it was Advanced Fourthcore)!

Crusaders, congratulations on your victory in the Vault of the Wyrm Prince! This is the second time I have run this, and you are the first to win. I did not think you would pull this out at the last second, but you did. I was prepped to say, "Sorry, you lose, too bad.." but I was so wrong. 

I'm enjoying your victory immensely!

Special Thanks

I would like to thank @DrDavyJones for creating this fantastic adventure, and putting it out there for free! I've enjoyed this game both in table-top form and now in play-by-blog form.
  
Feedback
If you have a few moments, I'd love to pick your brain about what you liked and disliked about the Vault of the Wyrm Prince run. This feedback is open to lurkers to post to as well, not just players. 

What did you like the most about the game?
What did you like the least about the game?
What one thing would you change if you could?
What one thing can I change to make myself a better DM? 

What's next?

I felt a bit of DM burnout towards the end, and I worry that the game suffered. Addictions to Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad did not help that. And some personal stuff I won't get into... But, those sound like excuses. Really, a DM just have to keep things going regardless. It's the DM creed.

Therefore, I'd like to take a hiatus from Grind4e for the summer. I'm not even going to think about what I'm running next; I'll just let it flow to me and get fired up when the time is right. There are a lot of options, from Night at Seyvoth Manor, Pit of the Void Locust, Crown of Charon, Tower of the Ascendants, etc. I won't worry about it right now.

In the meantime, I may blog about table-top runs... such as the upcoming July run of Fane of the Heresiarch at the Milwaukee Meetup!

Thanks! 
MilwaukeeJoe

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Cavernous Throne

Returning to the Ghost Council, you take the Crown of Nine Stars and coronate the dragon statue. Instantly, a skeletal ferryman appears on a boat floating within the fiery river beyond! It beckons you to enter.

OOC: Assuming you do, but feel free to interact with this if you wish. Talk, do something, etc.

The ferryman takes you down the river and drops you off at a section of dry cavernous ground. Beyond an already open door, you spy your final challenge!

The cavernous chamber below is supported by four sculpted columns. The very air roils and swirls with geothermal drafts. Massive stalactites cling to the rocky ceiling far above, teetering over a many-leveled natural cave. Suits of jet black armor stand at attention in ranks before an immense throne, posed as though ready for combat.

Sitting on the throne is the Wyrm Prince himself, a red-scaled, four-horned abomination, with fifty legs of steely sinew. Behind the throne, a wide, black portal ripples as though a stone has been cast into a pool of fathomless water. 

He sees you instantly and rising up on his many legs, prepares to annihilate you!

OOC: Crusaders, place yourselves near the northwest door. The final combat begins! You have won initiative. Make it count! Some notes about the chamber:

• The hatches on the map represents a five-foot drop in elevation. The center of the chamber is the lowest point in the chamber.
• (S) are the soldiers, (T) is Thran on throne
• When you cross an elevation change, you must make an Athletics or Acrobatics check (DC 13 for going down, DC 18 for going up) or fall prone.
• The grey circles are massive stalactites. You can easily go underneath them.
• Massive portal in the south wall... another door in the east wall.

Fane of the Heresiarch Play Report (SPOILERS)

It's like someone dropped a big bomb of Fane
all over the table.

A few days ago, I ran Fane of the Heresiarch for five players. None of them had played Fane before.

Instead of giving a play-by-play analysis, I'll jump into what made the game really fun for the players.

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Forsaken Labyrinth

Covering the floor of this small chamber is a thick coating of gray ash. More ash floats in the air, stirred by a softly howling breeze emanating from nowhere.

Two statues of grinning demons wearing thick iron shackles and holding unlit torches stand opposite each other in the center of the room.

Four archways filled with a shimmering silver mist are set into the walls.

OOC: Which way, crusaders?

Uncle Leo? Running a game for my teen daughter and her friends.

Uncle Leo left you a grand inheritance,
IF you can get it from his vault.

A few weeks ago, I ran Crucible of the Gods for my kids and they really liked it. Being revved up by it, my oldest daughter (just turned 14!) wanted to bring her two best friends in and have me run a game for them. I was told by my daughter to keep it down to just 2 hours of gameplay.

Last Friday night, we ran that game. I used some level 1 pregens from the D&D Encounters. I borrowed rooms from Fane of the Heresiarch (FotH) and Tower of the Ascendants Level 1 (TotA).

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Shadow Sanctuary

Almost drowned out by their own light, six silver torches are mounted on the east and west walls.

An unnatural, perfect darkness fills most of the sanctuary, save for six small pools of light afforded by torches of silver flame placed into holders on the east and west walls.

The six torches create a pool of light that extends 20 feet before being abruptly swallowed by darkness. The darkness is like a wall, blocking your view of the rest of the chamber.

The stench of sulfur hangs on the stale air, and the sound of dripping emanates from the darkness.

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: OOC #2

A fresh OOC tab for all of your scheming purposes. 

All the typical OOC stuff applies from the first tab found here.

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Clockwork Guard

Music: Atrium Carceri | Seishinbyouin | Hidden Crimes

Towering over the room is a colossal 40-foot tall clockwork steel construct of an ancient red dragon. Its eyes burn faintly red with malice. 

You enter from the north door.

You hear the sound of spinning gears coming from within its rusted iron plates and scales, and can clearly see a large closed hatch on the beast's stomach. The enormous dragon stands motionless, completely blocking the hallway behind it, the only other obvious exit to the chamber.

At four other places in the room stand much smaller clockwork versions of the other chromatic dragons—white, blue, green, and black. Each of the lesser clockwork dragons holds a rusted steel egg in its claws. The mouths of each of these lesser dragons are open
and tilted back, as if waiting to be fed by a mother.

The light of the everburning torches mounted on the walls bathes the chamber in an eerie glow and gives you pause... you feel you are one step away from an early grave...

Crucible of the Kids: Playtest Report Part 2 (SPOILERS)

Playing Crucible of the Gods with my kids was awesome! Don't read this if you want to play, as there are many spoilers.

Crucible of the Kids: Playtest Report Part 1 (SPOILERS)

Today I ran my three kids (pre-teen to teen) through Crucible of the Gods. What follows is a playtest report, containing many spoilers of the adventure. Do not read if you want to play it!

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Prison of Ice

From the chamber of the crown, you open the doors in the north wall. Beyond, a hallway lined with unlit torches leads north then bends to turn east.

You follow the hallway east, up a short flight of stairs, and eventually arrive at the one-way secret door where Grelloc once peered out (leads to the hallway with the dripping holy water).

Continuing on, you spy an alcove to your left (north). At the center of the alcove, a ten-foot diameter sphere of ice rests on the floor, perfectly steady. Despite the sweltering heat in the hallway, the ice remains completely solid.

Contained within the sphere, obscured by the ice, is the amorphous form of an infernal spirit. The sphere of ice is flanked by a pair of cracked porcelain statues of white dragons.

The hallway continues, bending to the right (south).

Actions, crusaders!

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Ghost Council

Opening the center mirror, you discover a secret hallway beyond that quickly turns to head south. Searching your way forward, you come upon a most peculiar chamber.

A ten-foot tall statue of an ancient red dragon coated in a thick layer of dust dominates the center of the room. Placed in a circle around the statue are eight beautiful, gilded chairs. They are adorned with delicately crafted gold.


High on each of the four walls are sculpted the looming faces of crowned snakefolk. Three faces adorn each wall (12 total), and their eyes give off a soft ghostly glow. An inscription written in draconic above each, the same inscription that reads, "WHAT TOUCHES THIS WALL, WE THREE POSSESS."

At the far end, obscured by the dragon statue is another hallway exit that continues south. However, what you see there gives you pause. The hallway is covered by what appears to be some kind of translucent wall (a wall of force, possibly?), that holds back a intensely-hot, fiery river!

Should that river pour into this chamber, you would surely all perish.

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: The Golden Crown

From the hallway that contains the succubus painting, you head west through the demon-faced doors. Your torchlight shines upon illuminates a large chamber. You stand on a balcony, looking into the chamber beneath you.

Your eye is immediately drawn to the four central, elevated platforms. These platforms are connected by wooden bridges, and flank a pit in the middle that you can barely see. You hear faint wails of pain from this pit, and licks of hot flame.

Two of the platforms support stone chests, another holds a pedestal bearing an open tome, and above the final platform levitates a nine-pointed golden crown. Floating above the points of the crown are spheres of white light, like miniature stars, that pulse rhythmically. 

Towards the rear, behind massive columns of sandy stone, you spy three huge gilded mirrors hung at even intervals against the west wall.

Last but not least, hanging form the railing of your very balcony - just 10 feet from you - is a desiccated body of a partially mummified humanoid. It clutches something in its hand; it looks like a scroll tube, perhaps?

OOC: Some notes. You came through the door at T6/T7. The line at R1 is not a wall, but a ledge.  The tome is at I4, crown at O4, treasure chests at I9 and O9. Pit at K6. Mirrors at A4, A6, A9. The hanging mummy is at R9, just beneath you. 

If any questions, just ask.

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Hidden Halls III

OOC: No video or audio narrative today. Trying a new picture presentation style instead.

Beyond the succubus secret door, you find yourself in a corridor dripping with boiling drops of water. The far end is a section of wall with two iron pull rings set into it. 

To your left, an enormous sarcophagus is set into an alcove. Carved into the face of the sarcophagus are a number of demonic heads.

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Hidden Halls II

Music: O'Donnell & Salvatori | Myth II: Soulblighter Soundtrack | The Summoner Video Version: YouTube

This long, narrow corridor is book-ended by two huge sets of rusted iron doors. Embossed on the doors are a trio of laughing demons' faces; when you aren't looking directly, you could swear they were moving. The doors you came through are also like this, and they want to close if you leave them unattended. 

Small fires burn within niches along the walls, bathing the hallway a soft flickering glow.

Halfway down the hall on your right, you spy a painting of a beautiful woman in dark robes. Small horns protrude from her forehead, suggesting demonic heritage.

The impish laughter is once again heard, but this time the source is from the east, from where you had come. 

An illusionary trick, perhaps?

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Hidden Halls I

Music: O'Donnell & Salvatori | Myth II: Soulblighter Soundtrack | Walls Of Muirthemne Video Version: YouTube

Upon proving yourself worthy to the Three-River Paladin, the great seal opens revealing a spiraling staircase, leading down into the depths. With great excitement, you descend. Torches upon the walls burst forth into flame, as if to welcome you.

At the bottom of the stairs, you find yourself in a small, bare chamber. The west wall holds a single, closed, rusted iron door. From somewhere beyond it, the sounds of impish laughter fall upon your ears.

Near the door is a short pillar of gleaming crystal. Plunged into this pillar is a beautiful, long, blue steel sword marked with a series of searing, white-hot runes.

If your hunch is correct, this very sword was the property of the Three-River Paladin. An artifact - SOLFANG - it once defeated the Wyrm Prince...

You are extremely close to obtaining a very powerful magic item... Be careful, crusaders...

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Three River Crypt

Music: O'Donnel & Salvatori | Myth II: Soulblighter Soundtrack | Gonen's Bridge

(NEW) Optional Video Version: Download or YouTube Version

A deadly cyclone, a horrid skull-lock, and an illusionary wall; surely these things have been placed to hide something important. You search your way northward, wondering what treasures might be awaiting you.

You find yourself at the top of a steep stairs leading down into an ancient crypt. Four pillars of polished black stone support a domed ceiling above. Three identical large stone sarcophagi stand in triangular alcoves, each depicting a knight in repose; each has a powerful gauntlet clutching a sword across his chest. 

A great seal in the center of the crypt reads, "Here rests the only foe worthy the Wyrm Prince. He who names the honored dead may wield the blade again." 

The image upon the seal shows three swords; two are broken and worthless, but the third is true and sharp. Alas, they are but painted images, even though the swords look real enough to pick up and wield.

You know in your hearts that you stand in the tomb of the sole warrior who once vanquished the Wyrm Prince. Indeed, you stand upon reverent, holy ground...

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Sentry of Shields

Music: Atrium Carceri | Ptahil | Reincarnation Chamber

Guest Narrator: @DrDavyJones

Doomed crusaders... You enter a chamber awash with a searing light. A cyclone of flame slowly revolves in the center of the room. The heat peeling off the cyclone is intense, drenching you instantly with sweat!

Floating within the flames is a multitude of charred, blackened skeletons, tossed about slowly - gracefully even - as though through water. You also catch the flash of light on metal from something around one of the skeleton's necks, but what it is exactly is difficult to discern. 
 

Colors: northwest(green), southwest(white),
southeast(red), northeast(black)

Four pedestals fashioned as great dragon's claws surround the cyclone, atop which rests stone basins. Each of these basins gives off a different, faint glow - green, white, red, and black.

Six statues of dragonspawn brandishing shields are set into alcoves along the wall. They look quite lifelike, but are perfectly motionless.

Surely you have chosen incorrectly, and surely you will all soon be DEAD.

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: OOC #1

Crusaders,

Feel free to post out-of-character stuff here. Strategize all you want! It's highly encouraged.

I will not use anything you state here against you.

(A little secret. I'm actually pulling FOR you. I want you to succeed. It's the adventure itself that is the killer!)

MilwaukeeJoe

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Entering The Vault

Music: Atrium Carceri | Ptahil | A Place to Call Home

A ghoulish yellow moon peeks over the broken spires of Zhaldanis as you journey to the Wyrm Prince's lair. At the base of a shattered watchtower, a jagged wide hole in the flagstone leads down into a pentagonal chamber, 30 feet below. The only light comes the glowing moon above you, and your torches and sunrods. You ready your ropes, peer intensely for hidden dangers, and carefully descend.

Click for a larger version.

Dominating the center of the chamber is a large, ten-foot wide, rune-scribed pedestal. Upon it rests an obsidian sculpture of an perched, open-mouthed dragon.

Five thrones made from large ribcages and skulls surround and face the pedestal. Kneeling before each throne in supplication are sculpted snakefolk, arms raised, their fingertips nearly touching as if holding some unseen object.

At the center of each of the five walls is a closed iron door. Each is embossed with the image of a different creature... a hydra, a knight, a minotaur, a wraith, and a dragon.

Vault of the Wyrm Prince - Del-Kai the Melted (Genasi Wizard)

Del-Kai the Melted

"You want to know what I do, yes?" The small man in front of you takes a moment to push his face back into place where it had started to slide. "I endure where others falter. I survive where most would give up and die. I do not look it, yes?" The timid humanoid pushes up on his wired spectacles with a wheezing, gurgling laugh, small pieces of skin dripping off of his face.

"Let me tell you a story. I will try and be brief, yes? Once there was a small boy, a boy of immense power and intellect, but small in stature. The strong ones of the town feared what this boy might become should he continue on his path to unlock the mysteries of the universe. They called him a blasphemer for claiming his own power instead of the power of the gods." 

The man pauses to spit on the ground at the word - gods.

"Like they would with any blasphemer, they bound his hands and his feet and threw him into the sacred pit filled with an acid so foul that if you dipped in your sword you'd have nothing left but the hilt, yes? But the boy did not die. He was too clever, too powerful for such a mundane death. He took the acid into himself. He became the melted one, yes? And he returned to that town where the strong ones thought themselves so clever for dealing with the blasphemer, and the boy showed them what true power looked like. Now that village is gone, with nothing but a piece of blackened salted earth in its place."

The small man with a face like a melting candle leans forward. "I am Del-Kai the Melted. I survive, I endure, and I show the powerful their folly."

Vault of the Wyrm Prince - Motir (Elf Avenger)

Motir

"You know when they talk about unstoppable force versus immovable object? I'm the former. Sure, some have stepped up against me and tried to claim to be the latter. Even come close every now and then. I'm humble enough to admit that."

"But the reason you're talking here is because you've heard of me and not them. Because they always move out of my way. Because falling is technically moving. I have my blade to thank for that. It's just as unstoppable as I am."

"My point is, no obstacle has stopped me before, and this is no different. We'll see how this target of yours stacks on the immovable scale."

Vault of the Wyrm Prince - Vengeance (Tiefling Bard)

Vengeance

Vengeance smirks as he finishes playing his song and strides through the crowd of admirers to the table, pulling up a stool and sizing the others up. He cuts a striking picture, large horns sweeping back from his forehead, crimson skin studded with further small horns around his jawline, long black hair and an air of cockiness. He wears fashionable, well-cut clothing that seems a tad foppish and a wide-brimmed hat worn at a rakish angle shades his forehead.

"Well. I hear this is dangerous. And a bad idea. Oh, and that we're all going to die. Of course, I hear this from idiot peasants. Foolish rabble, afraid for their precious little souls. Well, they're safe for now. I'm the best Bard there is. Stop that blasted snickering. Do you even know what a Bard does, or do you think all we do is seduce women? No, we control the minds of our foes. We fill them with doubt and fear. 

We make them dance to our tune. We leave them so lost in their own minds that they leave themselves open to attack, even leave them so lost it's nothing to steal their life essence." He grins a grin that makes you think far too much of the devils his ancestors dealt with. "We also patch up your wounds when you find yourself injured. You lot need that, I think." He leans forward, his grin widening. "So, do we have a deal? We would seem to not have much time. Tick, tick."

To himself he thinks that yes, this lot will do. Useful tools for the time being. He might even keep a few of them alive to serve him after this was over. People were so very malleable. Save them and they'll throw themselves at you. Ruling at least this kingdom should be easy afterwards, and he'd easily be able to go from there. Quite easily.