Today the boys and I enjoyed another episode of our transcontinental Shattered Realm campaign with Matt and his daughter. The adventure takes place entirely in this world's equivalent of the Underdark, and the heroes' quest is to stop a drow faction from developing a powerful mind-control gas.
To reach an NPC with potentially vital information, the party had to pass through a temple inhabited by members of an evil cult. With some quick thinking and a couple of fortuitous Deception checks, the rogue was able to convince the villains that the party had been sent by a mutual acquaintance -- another cultist who lives in the heroes' hometown -- to provide entertainment for the temple.
And so, instead of a knock-down, drag-out fight, we rolled up an impromptu concert! The rogue and the fighter made Performance checks to play music and dance, the cleric and the warlock used cantrips to create an accompanying light show, and even the party's pet hook horror got into the act by clicking his hooks in time with the beat. Miraculously, the heroes managed to dupe the cultists and even got paid for their efforts! The crowning insult to these poor villains, however, occurred when the rogue quietly relieved the chief cultist of his magical dagger as the party prepared to depart.
Will the cultists learn the truth and seek revenge? They may never get the opportunity: Right before our session ended, the heroes also managed to avoid fighting an undead warrior by convincing him to attack the cultists instead!
To reach an NPC with potentially vital information, the party had to pass through a temple inhabited by members of an evil cult. With some quick thinking and a couple of fortuitous Deception checks, the rogue was able to convince the villains that the party had been sent by a mutual acquaintance -- another cultist who lives in the heroes' hometown -- to provide entertainment for the temple.
And so, instead of a knock-down, drag-out fight, we rolled up an impromptu concert! The rogue and the fighter made Performance checks to play music and dance, the cleric and the warlock used cantrips to create an accompanying light show, and even the party's pet hook horror got into the act by clicking his hooks in time with the beat. Miraculously, the heroes managed to dupe the cultists and even got paid for their efforts! The crowning insult to these poor villains, however, occurred when the rogue quietly relieved the chief cultist of his magical dagger as the party prepared to depart.
Will the cultists learn the truth and seek revenge? They may never get the opportunity: Right before our session ended, the heroes also managed to avoid fighting an undead warrior by convincing him to attack the cultists instead!
