The Rambling Cleric – Page 10 – Digressive Musings on Old-School D&D

The Long Night

On September 17, 2021

During this year a most dread portent took place. For the sun gave forth its light without brightness . . . and it seemed exceedingly like the sun in eclipse, for the beams it shed were not clear.
Procupius of Caesarea, 536 AD, the Year after the Consulship of Belisarius

A failure of bread in the year 536 AD.
The Annals of Ulster

[It was] a winter without storms, a spring without mildness, and a summer without heat.
Cassiodorus, Praetorian Prefect of Italy

First of all that a winter will come called Fimbulwinter (“Mighty Winter”). Then snow will drift from all directions. There will then be great frosts and keen winds. The sun will do no good. There will be three of these winters together and no summer between.
The Younger Edda

A Violent End

By The Rambling Cleric

On September 17, 2021

In Campaigns

Well, it’s been awhile since the last post; however, a lot has happened in our gaming group. Three members of the party were attempting negotiations with a mysterious winged creature inhabiting a vast chamber accessed via a magical portal. Unfortunately, the so-called negotiations (really just a lot of hemming and hawing by the players) ended in a terrible battle that cost the cleric, Euland, his life. Two beloved retainers, Marculus and Tasha, were also slain by the creature and its minions. The magic-user fled and survived, but this was only possible because of the fighter, Dagnit the Fingerless, who bravely remained behind to cover his escape. Dagnit barely survived and the portal was destroyed.

Unfortunately, this was not to be the end of terrible events. When two other players in the party that were away on a short excursion returned to hear about the death of the cleric and others, they resorted to chastising the surviving magic-user and fighter for what they perceived as reckless and poor decision making. Threats were made and offense was taken on both sides. Eventually, swords were drawn and more blood was shed as the surviving party members split into two opposing groups. The evening ended with the death of the magic-user and the fighter fleeing for his life.

This is all rather abbreviated. Still, with the surviving party members disbanded and others slain, this signaled the end (at least temporarily) of the campaign that has been running for the last couple of years. Our group had a debriefing session after things had simmered down a bit. After all, it was a pretty suspenseful and tense evening.

In the end, we all decided to step away from the megadungeon for awhile to start a new campaign that will be set in 6th-century Anglo-Saxon “England.” Specifically, the game will begin in 536, a year described by medieval historian Michael McCormick as the “worst year to be alive.” There were three other ideas, but this is the one that got the most votes. I am tentatively calling the campaign The Long Night, and it will begin this October.

Peace

Subgrouping in D&D: Part II

By The Rambling Cleric

On August 14, 2021

In Theory

This post continues my exploration of subgrouping in D&D by offering a few straightforward suggestions for handling and avoiding disruptive forms of subgrouping. I’m going to keep this short and sweet. For those of you that missed my first post on the topic, you can find it here.