More DMing at Work

Over in my Adventure Games elective class, after students finished their reflective writing, one group ran a game of Settlers of Catan on one side of the room, while a knock-down, drag-out game of RISK moved into its fourth hour on the other side.


Meanwhile, as one of my veteran players ran a re-skinned, lite version of 5th Edition D&D, I GMed my latest group through their third session exploring The Great Library in the multi-dungeon complex of Shebberoth: The Cavern Endless.

pic by solidtom at deviantart.com

Two Bhatvian rogues, two Markland fighters, and a pair of Walvian wizards composed a wonderfully balanced party.  Last time I ran a session, the explorers penetrated a new section of the mysterious library, discovered a magical silver door which they couldn't pass, and tracked a trio of living glass mice before finding themselves cornered by a massive grayish ooze that shrugged off blows from their swords.

Flaming oil, hurled torches, Ray of Frost, and Thunderwave spells finally meant the horror's undoing, but not before it crushed one of the group's wizards with a massive, acid-weeping pseudo-pod.

Having bested a small flock of blood-drinking stirges and carrying the glass mice, some gems, and a bulky lectern with engraved ivory panels, the explorers wisely chose to retreat from the dungeon once their first level spells, second wind healing surges, the majority of their torches, their healing potions, and a fair number of their hit points had been exhausted.

Woe to them, however, when returning to the library foyer, they discovered a second, even larger ooze blocking the exit!  While the surviving wizard used a scroll to teleport to safety, the fighters hatched a plan to heave some of the heavy remnants of a living statue that they had defeated earlier into the ooze to make a series of crude stepping stones.  Some ridiculous dice luck saved the remainder of the group as they dashed to safety.


The cheers and shouts around the table as the last character leaped free of the library told me that these guys were clearly hooked and will be champing at the bit to explore further --

I can't imagine having a better job than this!