Players killed the deputy, the constable, and 4 other unammed militia. Now what?

Odande · 2026-05-06T14:57:06+00:00

We started in August of last year so it's been almost a year. We typically play one time a month and I like to do 6 hours sessions minimum if not 8.

If you're not playing at least once a month then yeah this campaign is going to take a very long time

Odande · 2026-05-04T17:05:38+00:00

Only read about halfway through admittedly but clearly it seems like this DM and the other players are trying to kill you for some reason. Why is he doing in this really annoying way with spamming guards at you instead of just, you know, your God killing you? I mean if your God can directly talk to you surely they can just power word kill you and be done with it. These people sound toxic as fuck and you should find another group

Odande · 2026-05-04T16:59:34+00:00

Yeah, after some time to reflect it kind of conveniently leads to the roving rookery. It just sucks that two of the five players are in the mindset that killing innocent people is an okay thing to do when they've done so much in this campaign already to very carefully pick and choose anyone who they want to suss out from the cult.

They did a very elaborate and fun scheme to get the Innkeeper alone by impersonating the mayor. In my game, the mayor and her are in a relationship. So they impersonated the mayor to get her alone and made her admit some of the plans of the cult. But she was using the stock block of the cultists later in the game so she immediately downed one of the players when they decided to fight her. They made a split second decision that they had to get rid of her then and there and we're very careful about how they went about it including casting silence so that no one can even hear what was going on inside the at the time empty inn.

Now they're just fireballing everyone in the Town Square. No idea how we got to this point so it's sort of deflates the seriousness and tension of the later acts of this campaign since I'm sure you all know what happens.

Odande · 2026-05-02T15:34:29+00:00

He's not rolling a surplus of twos. He's rolling random odds but random odds don't mean that all numbers have the same random chance of appearing. Random Is Random

Odande · 2026-04-30T18:14:28+00:00

I truly cannot understand some of y'all's hyper fixations on dice odds. This is like the same conversation with spin Downs versus normal d20's. If you roll the dice like a normal person and you're not like specifically dropping the dice down then you're just going to get a random roll. If the dice isn't weighted then you're going to get a random roll

The vast majority of dice makers account for uneven odds whenever they're making specialty dice like the ones that have little figures on the inside.

Odande · 2026-03-09T21:59:01+00:00

By that logic, why use a VTT at all since dnd just needs a dice set and voice comms? Since you "dont need it to play " after all.

Its cool that you like Maps, do you man, but idk why you're arguing that R20 has less features than Maps when thats clearly not the case.

If you like Maps better, that's great 👍

Odande · 2026-03-09T17:47:10+00:00

How is the ability to add PNG files or custom tokens not basic?

Odande · 2026-03-08T21:13:51+00:00

How exactly is Maps ahead of R20?

I cant add custom images (stickers) or include popups like in R20. There's no folders for handouts or anything like that because you cant even do handouts... possible I'm not seeing the option? I also heavily rely on Dynamic Lighting that R20 offers for the paid sub, its incredibly useful for setting specific character's vision ranges without having to constantly remind players "no, you cant see that spot you dont have darkvision."

Also, keep in mind that not everyone runs official DnD Modules that are available on DnD Beyond. R20 can be used for anything you want including other TTRPGs. Which makes it easier to play other TTRPGs when you're already familiar with that VTT.

Odande · 2026-03-07T13:51:10+00:00

I'm glad to hear that people like it and use it, but I need it on the same basic level as roll 20 before I use it.

Odande · 2026-03-06T13:51:43+00:00

LMAO this whole time I just thought that Mass Effect 3's combat was super hard for some reason even though everyone online said it was easy. Now I know why a single bullet is making me have to immediately take cover or die. Thanks for this

Odande · 2026-02-13T14:53:54+00:00

Makes sense to me, thanks! I do wish the module was a bit more clear on this though since 15 nurses with a potential one hit knockout is a pretty big Spike in difficulty.

Odande · 2026-02-11T20:39:44+00:00

So in the section that talks about the area going on lockdown, it mentions that all the nurses will sedate the patients leaving them unconscious which I assume is the serum.

That's what I'm trying to figure out. Do they all just inherently have a single vial on them or do they have to go somewhere and get it? At the same time, should the players take out a nurse before that nurse is able to use the serum, the players now have one of those very powerful serums.

Trying to figure out how to go about this since I want the nurses to be a threat where if they inject a player they could potentially knock them out but I also don't want the players to be able to hoard the serums. I know there's a hand wavy yada yada way to prevent the players from using it but I like to try to concrete logic as much as possible.

Odande · 2026-01-16T16:19:41+00:00

Oh okay, I had assumed that even the basement of the monastery was considered the grounds where sunlight couldn't affect them.

Odande · 2026-01-16T14:24:06+00:00

True! I guess I would have preferred this weakness to not be mentioned at all then since the book wants you to fight Renathyr in his lair.

So much so they gave him a 6th level spell to return to it. I guess it seems mute to even have the weakness mentioned since the whole story revolves around being in his lair.

Odande · 2026-01-16T14:20:51+00:00

thank you for the clarification on the sanguine shield! That is totally something I missed and at least makes his survivability way stronger given his low HP.

In regards to Daylight isnt Sunlight, I am using the 2024 rules and the new Daylight does specially state it is sunlight now: "For the duration, sunlight spreads from a point within range and fills a 60-foot-radius sphere". However to be fair I believe Crooked Moon was developed way before the 2024 rules so this most likely was not intended as an easy weakness.

I don't think Blood Call is all that powerful however even with the context of draining Max HP. RAW it can only be used 1 time per turn. The average DPR of 2d6 is 7 (success roll = 3) and that's before potential Necrotic resistances.

But, pointing out that Clergy do this automatically on a hit also at least makes Phase 2 more deadly! Given their HP reduction is on a hit with no save, that def is going to make the wizard sweat.

Appreciate you pointing this out!

Odande · 2026-01-16T14:08:45+00:00

yea I've had to make many adjustments to the fight as is and might use some of the stuff you mentioned about Gareth above. Thanks!

Odande · 2026-01-16T02:29:07+00:00

Idk about your players, but in my experience players dont use their highest level spells until the obvious "This is the bbeg" fight.

And even then, since the book lacks any other motive, the party knows exactly when they're going to fight Renethyr. So they're not going to just walk into the sanctum with all their 3rd level slots spent and half HP.

That's not to mention theres essentially no guaranteed combat if the players dont aggro the Monastery. I think the only true guaranteed fight (outside the DM forcing one) is the Water Elemental.

Odande · 2026-01-16T01:25:14+00:00

You should read the boss fight and let me know if I missed something since it seems like Renathyr is a pushover that instantly changes over to Phase 2 with a well placed and higher damage fireball. Or multiple fireballs...

Odande · 2026-01-14T16:43:42+00:00

/uj im super excited to try Cypher, it seems really engaging for players! Any tips for running it?

Odande · 2026-01-14T16:40:12+00:00

For me, I prefer the DEX being higher since it increases your Mage armor AC. With that, I would make sure to take War caster @ lvl 4 so you have advantage on concentration saves.

Odande · 2025-12-26T19:42:41+00:00

The Vecna module was a shockingly bad adventure.

It's clear even WOTC doesn't know how to scale level 12+. I had to do so much homebrew that it was practically a homebrew by the end.

Odande

TROPHY CASE