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The “A-Team” has been seeking a wizard’s assistance to Identify the magical nature of an onyx totem of Khurgorbaeyag. Unable to afford the Identify fee, they have agreed to fetch spell components the magic shop was low on in exchange for the service.

They traveled 3 hours east to Sochet Lake where, after they were confronted by werecrocodile guards, they entered a small, ziggurat-style structure on an island in the center of the lake.

The party has faced many dangers as they’ve explored the temple-like structure, including a gelatinous cube, wild crocodiles, rooms that transformed into magical quicksand traps, and werecrocodile guards. After finding some useful magical items in an otherwise cluttered storage room, the party discovered a secret doorway that led further on, but were exhausted from multiple encounters and nervous about encountering the giant crocodile without being at their best. They decided to set up camp in the vestibule and rest.

The party settled down for the night, with each of them taking shifts. The first shift was uneventful, but during the second shift, the party was ambushed by eight werecrocodile guards. While Rose had charmed the guards earlier in the day to not attack them, that enchantment only lasted for one minute, and those guards fled for reinforcements. The battle was fierce, with both Shadyboi and Rose being knocked unconscious and needing assistance to get back on their feet. Eventually, though, the party was victorious.

Still exhausted, with only a short rest under their belts, they decided to try another attempt at a long rest. They decided the easiest place to take shelter was in the room where they’d previously fought the gelatinous cube. They’d already examined that room and determined there were no more dangers, so it should be fairly easy to fortify. They settled in for the night again, but their rest didn’t last as they were soon ambushed for a second time. The doors were kicked open and enchanted rocks were hurled into the room from which poured a sleep inducing smoke. The party fell unconscious, and when they came to, they were in a large ceremonial room, bound with ropes to stakes. Across from them was a large body of water. All around them were stands, like a sporting arena, filled to the brim with werecrocodiles in various stages of change, all chanting, “So-bek, So-bek, So-bek, So-bek.”

The party watched as the waters across from them began to stir.

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Not much of a recap, but I’m afraid there’s not much TO recap. When I created the combat encounter, I expected it–intended it–to be a TPK. Not to actually kill them, and I planned to make that clear as they started going down. Since they were sloppy dealing with the guards — they literally only told them to go in the other room, and that was it! Haha! — I figured it was a good opportunity to give them a combat encounter, have them wake up in the room with the Giant Crocodile, and then have the big boss fight. This was also an attempt on my part to gauge just how strong they were before the big fight so I could see how to adjust their upcoming boss fight.

Instead of a TPK, a couple of folks went down once, but it otherwise wasn’t a big deal. Maybe I should’ve played the guards a bit more ruthlessly, but I was impressed by how well they did and how strong they were. I wanted them to have the POSSIBILITY to win the fight, otherwise, I’m just running them through combat for not reason and being a dick.

If they did win the fight, I figured they’d decide to press onward to avoid more guards coming — because surely if the temple owners send a whole force of troops to investigate and/or capture intruders and none of the troop comes back, they would realize something is up and send even more powerful troops, riiiiiiight??. If they did keep gong, I was going to let them continue unbothered — there were several rooms with encounters that I planned to drop the encounters, keep the puzzles, and let them learn some lore about the temple that would be important later.

If they won the fight, but decided to take another rest…well…more troops would come to find where the now missing troops went, and these more powerful troops would capture the party and take them to do with as they wished.

This might be slightly railroady, but if they were going to keep long resting and ignoring how much time that meant in game, and how much noise they’d already made as intruders into this space, then it only made sense that their actions should have consequences: the enemy knows you’re here now and is coming to get you.

Plus, I REALLY want to end the year, if I can, on a cliffhanger revealing some backstory info for the characters. Justin and Danae seem a little distracted, like they’re maybe not invested in the game anymore. I think this reveal of Shadyboi’s backstory could re-ignite some of their excitement and help them reinvest in the game.

So we plan to have one more session (the big fight with the Giant Crocodile and the big backstory stuff with Shadyboi), and then Stephanie wants to run a Christmas themed one-shot. I figure we’ll play that one week, maybe two if it bleeds into the next a little, and if we have any time left over in the last week before Christmas, we’ll just play some regular board games and re-energize a bit.

Stephanie is SUPER stoked about her one-shot. She’s been working tirelessly on it, and when she hasn’t been doing that, I’ve been preparing the game I’m running for my mom when we go down to visit for Christmas. It’s going to be so much fun.

I’m so excited for Christmas this year! It’s going to be great!

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