D&D Next playtest review

I’ve already reported on my first playtest session for Dungeons & Dragons “Next” (Fifth Edition). Stepping back from the Player Characters and the events within that tabletop role-playing game, here are some thoughts about the rules.

The Keep on the Borderlands and the Caves of Chaos

First, let’s take a look at the participants. Jason E.R., Bruce K., and Rich C.G., the newest members of the face-to-face, Boston-area groups, sat out the D&D Next playtest, but we had some returning and new gamers to round out our face-to-face adventuring party.

-Beruk A.: Our font of pop culture references, Beruk is one of the first gamers I met in the Boston area, and all of his characters have strong personalities and terrible luck. Since Josh had already claimed the pregenerated Half-Elf Wizard, Beruk played a human Mage.

-Brian W.: Like me, Brian is a 40-something grognard who has fond memories of games from the early 1980s. He likes lighter rules sets such as Savage Worlds more than recent editions of D&D. Brian is a proponent of Dungeon Crawl Classics, which is part of the retro–clone movement and the so-called Old School Renaissance. He has been hosting our face-to-face gatherings since I moved from Needham to Waltham, Mass.

-Sara F.: Sara is the youngest person in my current groups (under 30) and an experienced role-player, with a preference for non-human characters — we “reskinned” her Halfling as an intelligent raccoon — and simpler systems such as Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment (FATE 3e).

-Josh C.: Sara’s boyfriend is a Game Master who came of age during the 1990s, when White Wolf’s Storyteller: the World of Darkness was dominant. Josh has played and run AD&D2, D&D3.x, and Pathfinder, among other systems. His “Spelljammer: the Show Must Go On” miniseries, using FATE 3e Legends of Anglerre, is just winding down on Sunday nights.

-Thomas K.Y.: Primarily a player of video games and massively multiplayer online (MMO) games such as City of Heroes, Thomas did play D&D3.0 and D20 Mutants & Masterminds 2nd Ed. with us a few years ago.

-Kai-Yin H.: A novice to tabletop role-playing games, Thomas’ girlfriend is a good sport and has attended several genre movies with us. Of the pregenerated characters, I gave Kai-Yin the Dwarf Fighter because it was the simplest.

How did D&D Next play? As Dungeon Master, I was glad to be able to use flavor and statistics from the oD&D (BECMI), AD&D2, and D&D3.x versions of the classic Keep on the Borderlands module. I had no difficulty combining Non-Player Characters, maps and scene descriptions, or monsters from the different editions of the “Caves of Chaos.”

We used mostly pregenerated characters, with the notable exceptions of Sara’s raccoon Rogue and Beruk’s human Wizard. I didn’t make any mechanical adjustments to their statistics — we just described and role-played them differently. Since we had two Wizards and two Clerics, more example spells would have been helpful for distinguishing and developing them.

I would have liked more guidance in the playtest PDFs of how to create or customize P.C.s in the event of a larger group or to avoid duplication. If I continue this playtest with my Sunday night telecom fantasy group, we’ll have more tweaking to do.

I thought that D&D Next‘s backgrounds (similar to “aspects” in FATE) and themes (similar to combat roles in D&D4e) added a decent layer to character’s origins and abilities without too much complication. It looks like feats from D&D3.x/D20 will come in here. I wanted to see Bard, Ranger and Paladin options, whether as backgrounds/themes or as full occupational classes.

I liked using D&D5e/Next‘s ability score checks and simplified skill list, but Thomas and Josh said it would have been nice to know the math behind some of the playtest‘s precalculated bonuses.

The Player Character record sheets could have been clearer for novices like Kai-Yin, and Wizards of the Coast (WotC) could have provided more guidance for alignment/motivation. Josh noted that Pathfinder‘s alignment descriptions are particularly clear. Equipment and weapon descriptions could have been more specific or interesting for modern players unfamiliar with fantasy tropes, such as different types of armor and weapons.

Combat ran reasonably smoothly and faster in D&D Next than for any edition past AD&D1. Smaller stat blocks for opponents were definitely a plus. Hit points and damage seemed initially high — 100+ for an Owlbear — but if the advancement curve is flatter, that might be OK. Thomas mentioned that simple D20-derived rules for firing into melee/friendly fire and certain conditions would have been helpful.

We liked D&D Next‘s advantage/disadvantage method of rolling 2d20, but we didn’t care for its healing, which was almost as easy as in D&D4e. Thomas also pointed out that more of the rules should have been in natural language with more explanatory sidebars.

Admittedly, this was the first session in a while or ever for some gamers, but money, movement, and some spell descriptions caused confusion even though they were on the character sheets or in the rules packets. I agree with Josh that a one-page “cheat sheet” of rules summaries would have been helpful, and should in fact be all that’s required (with page references) for a fully playable game.

Overall, as other reviews have noted, this playtest of D&D Next feels a lot like stripped-down D&D3.x/D20, with bits from D&D4e. It ran smoothly, allowing for some player creativity and D.M. discretion, but as a mostly combat-oriented module, we haven’t gotten very far with character development or problem solving yet.

I know I’m a little late to the party with these observations, but readers and fellow role-players may find them helpful as we compare notes on the D&D Next playtest.

We’ll see whether WotC can live up to its promises for more online support, easy session prep, rules modularity, and the ability to appeal both to nostalgia and the desire for novelty among gamers of all ages. D&D5e/Next still has a ways to go before it can be more than a Hasbro brand, compete with Pathfinder and other games, and dominate our now-shrinking hobby as its predecessors did.

D&D Next playtest, Session 1

Fellow role-players, here’s part one of a report on my playtest session for Dungeons & Dragons “Next” (Fifth Edition). As I’ve mentioned previously, my regular Pathfinder: “the Vanished Lands” telecom fantasy and FATE 3e “Vortex” space opera campaigns are on hiatus while we try other games for the summer.

It was nice to be back in the Game Master’s chair to run this retro/preview scenario. Brian W. hosted the group in Newton on Monday, 11 June 2012. My next post will discuss our observations about D&D5e/Next.

>>Player Characters for the “Caves of Chaos,” playtest scenario for “Dungeons & Dragons Next” (5e), June 2012:

-“Salami” [Brian W.]-male Mountain Dwarf Cleric of Moradin, god of smiths (background: Knight, theme: Guardian); Alignment: Lawful Neutral; at Experience Level 1

-“Gerald” [Beruk A.]-male Human Wizard (Sage, Magic User) and student with a mongoose familiar; Chaotic Good, Lvl. 1

-“Uldor” [Thomas K.Y.]-male Human Cleric of Pelor, sun deity (Priest, Healer); Neutral Good, Lvl. 1

-“Gug” [Kai-Yin H.]-male Hill Dwarf Fighter (Soldier, Slayer), mercenary; Chaotic Neutral, Lvl. 1

-“Kada Theron” [Sara F.]-female Raccoon-folk Rogue (as Lightfoot Halfling; Commoner, Lurker); Chaotic Good, Lvl. 1

-“Pergamoy” [Josh C.]-male High Elf Wizard (Sage, Magic User) with time to spare; Chaotic Good, Lvl. 1

The Caves of Chaos — Player map of the Caves of Chaos

Six would-be adventurers seeking fortune and glory found their way from disparate origins to a keep on the borderlands. Kendall Castle sits along a road between the human-dominated plains and a dark forest and high mountains.

A gruff Dwarf nicknamed “Salami” heads straight for the inn, where he orders an ale from barkeep Will. Wandering student Gerald browses in the market, while wily thief Kada Theron sticks to the shadows and looks for easy prey.

Blond priest Uldor pays his respects at the local chapel, and taciturn mercenary Gug notices the keep‘s stonework on his way to the tavern. Patient Pergamoy sees posters advertising “coin” in return for monster-fighting and exploration services.

Will complains to Salami that the distant king hasn’t sent reinforcements to the castle, which has resorted to hiring freelancers after some farm lads went missing. Barmaid Calista brings more food and drink for Gug and Gerald, and Pergamoy negotiates for a free night’s room and board, plus some provisions.

Uldor finds Abercrombie asleep in the dusty chapel. The older Cleric tells the newcomer that he is glad for any help and will offer blessings on any expedition. Stealthy Kada eventually follows Uldor to the inn after deciding that he’s not worth pickpocketing.

Will tells the six travelers that he is also a member of the militia and that with no men to spare, all of the castle’s regular inhabitants must keep an eye on the roads after nearby farms were attacked. Livestock was taken, and no survivors have been left to describe the humanoid raiders. Anyone who defeats the bandits can keep whatever booty they find, he says.

Dwarves Salami and Gug readily agree, especially once Will says that the attackers are likely coming from a nearby cave complex. Uldar feels obliged to protect the human peasants, since he is from a nearby village, and Kada is curious about rumors of monsters in the woods.

Wizards Gerald and Pergamoy need money to continue their arcane research, so the adventuring party agrees after some discussion to set out early the next morning. Will provides a sketchy map of the area. Uldar returns to the chapel for a quick blessing.

Kada leads the way along the rutted road, with Gug close behind. Gerald and Pergamoy are less comfortable roughing it, but Uldor and Salami note that they should be able to afford pack animals — if they survive. A few hours later, the group finds a ravine deep in the woods.

Furry Kada follows a stream to a cave mouth, one of several in the gully’s limestone walls. Gerald casts Light on his ferret’s collar so that he and Uldor can keep up with the demihumans. The spelunkers are horrified when they realize that the crunching sound underfoot isn’t from pebbles or acorns but rather bones!

A large Owlbear lumbers toward them. Uldor invokes Pelor to cast Searing Light, drawing first blood. Pergamoy recites an incantation for Ray of Frost, stopping the unnatural beast in its tracks. However, the Owlbear uses its long arms to swing at Gug, biting the Dwarf.

Salami moves up and swings his warhammer, while Kada’s first sling stones miss. Gerald also casts Ray of Frost, but Uldar’s Radiant Lance and Pergamoy’s next Rays of Frost spells miss the Owlbear, which tries to rake at Salami.

The Dwarf Cleric shouts Moradin’s name in a battle cry and again strikes the Owlbear with his warhammer. Gug coordinates with Salami, timing his great axe’s blows. Kada slings more stones at the monster and then acrobatically slides between its legs to help wounded Uldar, who leans heavily on his staff.

Gerald casts Grease on the Owlbear, which doesn’t trip but is also unable to grab anyone in a bear hug. The wise Mage steps back as Pergamoy fires Magic Missiles. Gug is caught by the Owlbear’s claws, but Uldar blasts it with another Searing Light, felling the foul beast.

The explorers quickly search the cave, claiming electrum pieces and the Owlbear’s claws and beak as trophies (mainly for the Wizards). Salami notices that a pool in one corner leads to another cavern, so he ties a rope around himself, gives the other end to his companions, and wades in.

Salami surfaces in a stench-ridden cave, and he feels something slither past his legs. He hustles to a twig-covered shore and realizes that he has found a nest with another Owlbear! The ooze in the water has eaten the Dwarf’s rope, but Salami manages to hustle back to the rest of the party before it or the second Owlbear can catch him.

The party retreats from the caves and sets up camp for the night just outside the ravine. Pergamoy wonders why Will didn’t offer tents or bedrolls as Kada builds a campfire for Salami to dry out. Gug notices movement in the brush and warns her friends.

Six small Kobolds attack. Uldor calls upon Pelor as he casts Radiant Lance, while robed Pergamoy incinerates two of the doglike reptiles — or reptile-like canids — with Burning Hands. Salami, who hates all Goblinoids, smites another Kobold.

The three remaining creatures try to flee, but Kada drops one with a well-aimed sling stone. Gerald’s Ray of Frost takes care of another Kobold, but Gug misses wildly with his crossbow. Salami interrogates the last Kobold, who mentions that there is an Orc chieftan in the Caves of Chaos.

Gug dispatches the Kobold (demihumans and humanoids tend not to expect or grant quarter). Pergamoy asks whether the Owlbear nest is somehow connected to the humanoid tribes, but Uldor thinks that it is unlikely. Gerald recommends caution before returning to the caves, and Kada asks Salami to help keep watch while the injured attend to their wounds….

I hope that everyone who participated in this playtest enjoyed it, and I look forward to discussing and posting more feedback regarding the D&D Next rules. Depending on scheduling, we may continue with this scenario and these characters, either face to face or online. Don’t forget Free RPG Day, and take it easy, -Gene

“Glassworks” Update 2: Devil in the details

Fellow role-players, here are Jason‘s and my notes for Session 2 of our superhero game, which Rich C.G. hosted at his apartment in Waltham, Mass., on Monday, 4 June 2012:

>>Player Character roster for Jason E.R.‘s “Glassworks” Bronze Age/noir superhero scenario, using the “Marvel Heroic Roleplaying” game (based on Margaret Weis Productions Ltd.’s “Cortex” system, originally using DarkPages), as of spring 2012:

-“Kyle Martins/The Cloaked Quarrel” [Gene D.]-male human college student and legacy crime fighter with mystical crossbows

-“Rain Tomotowa/Thunderbird” [Sara F.]-female Native American metahuman park ranger, able to change into an eagle

-“Matthew Shanks/Merlin” [Josh C.]-male incubus sorcerer and occultist with an ancient family legacy

-“Tim Gray/DarkStorm” [Bruce K.]-female metahuman super soldier, experimented upon by the government, amnesiac weapons designer for Oryx Industries, and dark vigilante

-“Summer Winters/Santanica Pandemonium” [Rich C.G.]-female human nurse and mother/demon with flame powers, unaware of dual nature

-“Eli Wasserman/the Amazing Mr. Fantastic” [Brian W./absent]-male metahuman with shadow manipulation, retired superhero and private investigator

-[Beruk A.]-male metahuman with the ability to temporarily imbue machines with personalities

Gotham City Cataclysm — Hamilton in flames

>>Sometime after Santanica Pandemonium encountered snaky sorceress Erichtho at the Ramseir Museum of Natural History, nurse Summer Winters sends an e-mail to her ex-husband, Bobby Galati. Their son Timmy has been asking about his father. Summer then goes to a local library to do some research into a dagger that was stolen from the museum, according to news reports. She isn’t sure why she is curious about this item.

The schizophrenic woman goes to the museum, not realizing that her demonic alter ego already visited it. Summer finds only the gift shop open, and she buys a book cataloging a collection of Asian artifacts including the jade dagger. A picture shows a makara (sea dragon) design in the hilt. Summer studies late into the night….

Meanwhile, three other metahumans have met and captured arsonist “Devil Doll.” DarkStorm drives Thunderbird, Merlin, and their prisoner to the “Little Baghdad” neighborhood of Kingsgate, a section of Hamilton, Delaware. They go to the stately manor of the White Magus.

A strange manservant greets the motley group, and they take the restrained Devil Doll to a sitting room. DarkStorm removes the woman’s mask and sees burn scars and that she is mute. Devil Doll seems to recognize her host, and after she is magically bound and given some writing implements, she identifies herself as Eva Ball, the former partner of the White Magus thought killed in a fire! Merlin divines that she escaped from a hospital-like institution….

Still excited after his first brushes with the superhero community, the Cloaked Quarrel leaves the private detective office of Eli Wasserman in Germantown and returns to the apartment of Boyd Burch at 54 Tenant Street in Kingsgate.

The Russian mobsters whom “The Amazing Mr. Fantastic” had met are gone, and a hopscotch board with odd symbols has been drawn on the sidewalk in front of Burch’s building. The Cloaked Quarrel quickly copies them into his notebook before going in to look for clues to the missing chemist.

Burch’s apartment has been thoroughly ransacked, but the Cloaked Quarrel does pick up some keys and pictures of Burch with his wife and a fellow CalTech grad. A sound in the bathroom brings the Cloaked Quarrel face to face with the Red Right Hand, a violent vigilante.

Kyle eagerly shares what he and Eli have found so far, and “Mr. Hand” gives him a manila envelope with more files and a burner phone in return. The Red Right Hand tells the Cloaked Quarrel that he believes the Russian mobsters were actually trying to protect Burch, possibly from the Galati crime family, because of his gambling debts and connections to tobacco firm D.J. Sharrif….

The next morning, Nurse Winters returns to All Saints Hospital. She confronts Dr. Ben Nitten, who had lured her into an examining room. Not knowing that she had transformed into Santanica Pandemonium, Summer isn’t sure how she got from there to waking up naked in an alley sometime later.

Nitten responds cryptically, gesticulating wildly. He denies any wrongdoing and takes Summer to the security office, where they find Wally, the janitor who had helped her the other day. The nurse’s vision blurs, and Wally somehow becomes guard Billy, and they review fragmentary camera footage.

Summer also glimpses Dr. Nitten flickering back and forth with a dark-haired peasant. She gets sleepy and is surprised to find herself back at home, with her alarm clock ringing for her next shift at the hospital….

White Magus isn’t sure what to do about pyromaniac Devil Doll, especially if she’s his former partner, but Merlin asks her to show him where she escaped from. DarkStorm drives the team back to the not-so-abandoned warehouses at 315 Mycroft Ave. in Fairmont. They find only police tape at the scene of the murder of Albert Boyle, a former colleague of Tim Gray.

On the way back to the White Magus, the would-be heroes learn of another arson. The leader of the mystical Conclave says it’s not one of his properties, and he reluctantly agrees that they should go investigate the blaze at 26 Orissa Street.

As firefighters get the flames under control, Merlin collects ash and scrys upon a woman wearing a mask and cloth wrappings similar to Devil Doll. She is headed northwest. Merlin douses a necklace with a potion of stealth and gives it to DarkStorm.

Thunderbird flies to the roof and is shocked to notice a pattern of holes from vertical fires in a row of buildings leading to the Glassworks section, home of the Hamilton Harriers [see “DarkPages” one-shot]. Since Merlin’s spell tracking “Devil Doll 2” is still active, DarkStorm decides to follow that lead first.

The Cloaked Quarrel reviews the files he got from the Red Right Hand and is waiting to share with The Amazing Mr. Fantastic. Boyd Burch’s wife Mora died about five years ago in an industrial accident. Kyle recognizes her as the glass woman he found while foiling costumed villain Palmetto’s heist of a Mancari Security Co. armored car.

The other man in the photos from Burch’s apartment is Albert Boyle, a biologist at Oryx Industries, which supports D.J. Sharrif’s plan to take over the Annex. The Cloaked Quarrel sets out for the suburb of Blackbird to check on Boyle….

Outside All Saints Hospital, Summer meets ex-husband Bobby Galati. Dr. Nitten appears and encourages their argument. An orderly tries to interpose, and Santanica Pandemonium emerges and rips out his heart!

Horrified, Galati tries to run to his limousine, but Santanica blows it up. He admits that he stashed a jade dagger stolen from the museum in the car, and the succubus retrieves it and flies away….

On the way to Boyle’s house, Kyle is sitting in a city bus when he recognizes DarkStorm behind the wheel of his car (with Merlin, as well as Thunderbird overhead). The superhero fan jumps out, and once he learns that they’re also investigating the arsons, asks to join the case.

Merlin is frustrated when he realizes that he had been magically tracking a dagger that the Cloaked Quarrel got from the first Devil Doll rather than the second arsonist. DarkStorm notes that Boyle is already dead and agrees with the Cloaked Quarrel that their leads are connected.

Another fire erupts, and DarkStorm drives his new acquaintances to it. Rain transforms back into avian form and brings the Cloaked Quarrel to the roof, where he confronts Devil Doll 2. Merlin engages Santanica Pandemonium, who is curious about the inferno.

The Cloaked Quarrel fires bolts from his mystical crossbows, but Devil Doll 2 knocks them away and hurls a knife in return. DarkStorm stashes his vehicle a few blocks away and begins climbing the ornamented exterior of the old theater to get to the roof.

Thunderbird creates a thunderclap with her large wings, briefly weakening the fire. However, Santanica whips up the flames between the Cloaked Quarrel and Devil Doll 2, provoking an attempt by Merlin to banish her with a silver crucifix. The wizard is unsuccessful, and they begin trading verbal barbs.

The second Devil Doll is entagled by a second volley from the Cloaked Quarrel, and DarkStorm unmasks the arsonist. Tim is upset when he recognizes her as Maggie Orex, his former girlfriend thought killed five years ago in a mugging! Her face is bruised, and like Eva Ball, she is apparently mute.

After a few minutes of sparring, Merlin and Santanica stand down at the request of the other crime fighters. The Cloaked Quarrel gets the demoness to go to Evergreen Park to talk. Thunderbird later translates the hopscotch characters as a mix of a nursery rhyme (“Little Jack Horner”) and primal runes.

DarkStorm drives Maggie to Rain’s grandmother, the shaman “Kittaguka,” for treatment of her physical and mental injuries. At Evergreen Park, the team reconvenes to finally compare notes, but Merlin and Santanica Pandemonium continue haggling over the jade dagger.

Arcanists Merlin, Thunderbird, and Santanica wonder about the connection between the Cloaked Quarrel’s ancient crossbows, the “jade warrior’s panoply,” and the dagger that Erichtho of the Coven stole from the museum and that Bobby Galati had.

What’s the significance of the fires leading to Glassworks, and where is the “cintamanni” (dragon pearl or Philosopher’s Stone) that various mystics are hunting? Merlin and Thunderbird had promised the Conclave that they’d search the South Market.

DarkStorm, the Cloaked Quarrel, and [presumably] The Amazing Mr. Fantastic want to investigate the connections between the murder of Orex biologist Albert Boyle, the disappearance of D.J. Sharrif chemist Boyd Birch, and the attempted theft of the glass corpse of Mora Burch.

The Cloaked Quarrel takes DarkStorm to the armored car. They agree that the mix of magic, science, corporate espionage, and organized crime is confusing. A burned-out house bears further examination, and DarkStorm also still wants to find the warehouse in Fairmont.

Further complicating matters is Santanica Pandemonium’s dual nature [and Dr. Nitten]. Summer calls Tim from All Saints Hospital, and when he and Matthew explain what has happened, she begins to remember her activities both as a nurse and a demon.

In the meantime, DarkStorm and Thunderbird decide to go with Santanica/Summer to find her son Timmy. The Cloaked Quarrel and Merlin head to the White Magus to report on their findings and check in on the Devil Dolls. Kyle [+6 x.p. total] also hopes to talk again with Eli and the enigmatic Red Right Hand….

Thanks again, Rich, for hosting Jason’s game! I look forward to tonight’s playtest of Dungeons & Dragons Next (5th Ed.) at Brian’s place. Rich will host and run the Pathfinder: “Way of the Wicked” evil module on Monday, June 18, followed by Jason’s “Glassworks” on June 25.

See also the Yahoo/eGroups message board for our discussions regarding upcoming games, including the Sunday night telecom group‘s return to my “Vanished Lands” fantasy setting after Josh’s FATE 3e “Spelljammer” miniseries. Take it easy, -Gene

“Glassworks” superhero miniseries, Session 1 — Born in flames

Fellow role-players, here are my notes for Jason E.R.‘s first full “Glassworks” session (originally using DarkPages), on Monday, 21 May 2012. Note that they may eventually be edited and posted to our Obsidian Portal site. Josh C. also plans to write up his notes.

Metal Month of May — Glassworks in flames

-“Kyle Martins/The Cloaked Quarrel” [Gene D.]-male human college student and legacy crime fighter with mystical crossbows

-“Eli Wasserman/the Amazing Mr. Fantastic” [Brian W.]-male metahuman with shadow manipulation, retired superhero and private investigator

-“Rain Tomotowa/Thunderbird” [Sara F.]-female Native American metahuman park ranger, able to change into an eagle

-“Matthew Shanks/Merlin” [Josh C.]-male incubus sorcerer and occultist with an ancient family legacy

-“Tim Gray/DarkStorm” [Bruce K.]-female metahuman super soldier, experimented upon by the government, amnesiac weapons designer for Oryx Industries, and dark vigilante

-“Summer Winters/Santanica Pandemonium” [Rich C.G.]-female human nurse and mother/demon with flame powers, unaware of dual nature

-[Beruk A.]-male metahuman with the ability to temporarily imbue machines with personalities

>>Sometime after “The Gate With the Dreadful Faces” incident, college student and would-be superhero Kyle Martins goes skulking in the Fairmont neighborhood of Hamilton, Delaware. The scent of smoke alerts “the Cloaked Quarrel” to a possible arson, and he runs to an apartment complex where he sees a stairwell on fire.

The Cloaked Quarrel slips past firefighters and police and enters the building, shouldering his way past evacuees. The costumed crimefighter’s attention is divided between devices on the walls and a woman wearing a mask and cloth wrappings….

Meanwhile, across town, Tim Gray is relaxing in his King’s Gate pad when he gets word about a blackmail meeting from the “Red Right Hand,” a fellow vigilante. The weapons inventor suits up as “DarkStorm” and drives to warehouses at 315 Mycroft Ave. They’re supposed to be abandoned, but electronic security is active.

The Red Right Hand’s methods are relatively brutal, so DarkStorm isn’t too surprised to find the body of Albert Boyle with an envelope bearing a bloody handprint. Apparently, Boyle worked at “B” Branch of Oryx Industries, an arms firm that is also Gray’s employer. DarkStorm finds a file mentioning “Project Jabberwock,” which stirs fragmented memories….

In Germantown, the metahuman once known as “The Amazing Mr. Fantastic” gets a well-dressed visitor at his private investigator’s office. Eli Wasserman asks Faisal Marzug to state his business. Marzug explains that he needs Wasserman’s services on behalf of Ms. Sharif, the owner of D.J. Sharrif (a tobacco company) whom was recommended to him by former colleague Whistler Johnson (a.k.a. “Harrier,” now deceased).

Mr. Marzug says that Boyd Burch, a chemist working at D.J. Sharrif, was kidnapped from its offices at 54 Tennant St. in the Annex. Company security cameras caught footage of two men. Eli reluctantly agrees to take the potentially lucrative case, and after Marzug leaves, he calls Sgt. Larry Barley to see what he can find about Burch….

Not far from Kyle’s apartment in Fairmont, student Matthew Shanks hears a scratching at his window. A talking cat summons him to “the Conclave at Spring Unity,” a fountain in Germantown and the site of a secret gathering of mystics.

The heir of Merlin grabs his Irish walking stick and finds other local notables already there, including Rebejah DeJardines, Papa Chango, Kunzang Tenzin, and Metion the Windlord. They are soon joined by Soul Mage, Kerbala, Nethryk the Whisperer, Arcane, Alpha Draconis, and Zodiac, and Shard teleports in. Each represents a different tradition, and there is much posturing. Notably missing are the White Magus and Rainer Burroughs (the latter is M.I.A.).

In the absence of the White Magus, DeJardines leads the Conclave, saying that a “cintamanni,” or “dragon pearl,” the organ responsible for certain dragons’ flight, is missing, as is Rainer Burrows, a protégé of the White Magus….

Nurse Summer Winter is at All Saints Hospital when two patients are rushed into the emergency room. Their uniforms indicate that they were working at the Ramseir Museum of Natural History, and their symptoms indicate that they’ve been poisoned. Nurse Winter calls for toxicologist Ben Nitten.

However, when the doctor arrives, he seems more interested in getting the comely nurse alone in a room than in treating the poison victims. He tries to place her in a circle of containment, but Summer transforms into Santanica Pandemonium. The succubus is surprised to find that she isn’t as powerful as she is used to being….

Rain Tomotowa spends time with her grandmother, “Kittaguka” (a Metinuwak or shaman of the Lenape tribe), who is banned from the Conclave. Kittaguka asks Rain to serve as her representative, so the young woman transforms into “Thunderbird” and flies to the meeting….

Back at the burning building, the Cloaked Quarrel realizes too late that the second stairwell is also set to explode, and he chases the masked woman across the roof. She easily leaps across an alleyway, but Kyle finds himself barely hanging on. He pleads for the woman’s help in an attempt to slow her down. She releases a fire escape with a thrown dagger, which he later retrieves.

The Cloaked Quarrel doesn’t have time to rest or analyze clues because he hears of a “211 in progress at Charlie and 8th” — an armed robbery. After checking his crossbow bracers, Kyle jogs to the site and finds an armored car and the bodies of two guards….

Eli finds that he’s not the only one watching Boyd Burch’s apartment on 54 Tenant St. in King’s Gate. Since nobody notices an old man, Wasserman can get close to two thugs at a coffee shop as they complain about their work for the Russian mob. He recognizes the tattoo on one of them from the security footage of Birch’s abduction….

At the Conclave, “Merlin” meets latecomer Thunderbird and offers to help find the dragon pearl. The group divvies up their search, leaving the South Market to Merlin and Thunderbird. But first, they stop at Kittaguka’s place, where they encounter Rain’s grandmother’s friend Richard, also known as the White Magus. He says that his properties have been victimized by arson, possibly in an attempt to find the artifact. Kittaguka also reveals that in ages past, the Thunderbirds slew many “Unktehila” — great dragons — and kept their cintamanni in a safe place….

Trapped in the summoner’s circle, Santanica Pandemonium rages. Three demon lords — Narasimha (a sphinx), Zhu Bajie (a boar), and Abezethibou (an ogre) — ask three questions:

-“Would you sacrifice the life of Summer Winters to protect a loved one?”

-“Who do you truly blame for your son’s tragedy?”

-“If you knew a crime was being committed by the Galati organization, would you interfere?”

Only Abezethibou likes his answer, so he reveals critical information that Mancari Security Co. is a front for the Galati crime family. Released, Santanica flies on leathery wings to the Ramseir Museum of Natural History.

Santanica crashes through a skylight into a large hall, where she sees a floating woman surrounded by snakes. Pandemonium blasts two guards under Erichtho’s control with hellfire. The serpent sorceress then animates a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, which Santanica smashes from the inside. However, Erichtho flies away….

DarkStorm drives his black sports car to Boyle’s apartment in the suburb of Blackbird, but it has already been tossed by the Red Right Hand. Tim finds that Boyle went to CalTech, and a safe rattles him with dim memories. DarkStorm then rushes to another fire….

Merlin and Thunderbird head to the same arson in Fairmont. A divination reveals that “Devil Doll” is about to set fire in yet another stairwell. The urban wizard helps evacuate the building, while winged Thunderbird chases Devil Doll, who uses parkour to get to a third-story ledge….

At the armored car and dead Mancari Security guards, the Cloaked Quarrel confronts “Palmetto,” a costumed criminal resembling a giant cockroach. As Palmetto threatens to shoot, the arcane archer fires bolts that jam his stink guns.

The Cloaked Quarrel finds a metal casket with a woman seemingly made of glass. He takes the vehicle and casket, which is labled with the name “Boyd Burch,” to an outlying parking lot of his college and heads to Burch’s apartment….

Santanica Pandemonium returns to All Saints Hospital and returns to human form. Without memories of recent events or clothing, the attractive nurse gets help from a janitor named Wally who assumes that she has a drug problem. Summer goes home, where she finds a parchment note note with incomprehensible writing.

Nanny Lucy McGillicutty hands over Summer’s son Timmy, who asks again about when he’ll see his father, Bobby Gallotti. Summer puts him off again and finds a TV news report about a jade dagger stolen from the Ramseir Museum of Natural History strangely fascinating [event milestone: jade warrior’s panoply]….

At Boyd Burch’s apartment, the Cloaked Quarrel is impressed to watch the Amazing Mr. Fantastic pull one of the Russian mobsters into an alley and interrogate him using his shadow powers. The surprised thug admits that he was told by someone named Oserov to watch Birch’s unit.

After the goon is released, the Cloaked Quarrel eagerly introduces himself to the Amazing Mr. Fantastic, who wants nothing to do with an “amateur.” Kyle tries to assure Eli that he is aware of the dangers that crimefighters face. He also says that he has found something strange that belonged to Burch.

Wasserman reluctantly accompanies Martins to the stashed armored car and the glass woman, and they agree that the D.J. Sharrif scientist was involved in something big as they head to Eli’s P.I. office….

DarkStorm arrives at a blazing building and sees a huge bird attacking a woman on a ledge. Not realizing that Thunderbird is trying to stop arsonist Devil Doll, he shoots at Thunderbird until Merlin arrives to straighten things out.

Thunderbird and Merlin later report to the White Magus and turn over Devil Doll to him….

P.S.: As you may have seen from discussions on the Yahoo/eGroups message board, Rich is willing to host a game tomorrow, 4 June 2012. OF course, you should touch base with him and the rest of the group, especially since Josh was wondering if he should try to move his FATE 3e “Spelljammer” game from tonight to Monday.

It’s a cruel, cruel summer

[Note: This is modified from posts to my gaming groups on Yahoo and Google.]

Fellow role-players, it was good to touch base with some of you last night. Since June has filled up so fast, I don’t know when and if we’ll get to playtest Dungeons & Dragons “Next” (5e), but I look forward to other upcoming games.

As you’ve all seen, on Sundays, Josh’s FATE 3e “Spelljammer” space fantasy miniseries is set to resume via Google+ and Tabletop Forge. We may skip Father’s Day, and Josh’s upcoming job change and move may affect this telecom group. We should eventually return to my “Vanished Lands” fantasy campaign.

On Mondays, Jason’s “Glassworks” face-to-face superhero scenario, using Cortex: Marvel Heroic Roleplaying, will continue at Brian’s place next Monday, 4 June 2012. It will alternate for the next few months with various short-term games, starting with Rich’s Pathfinder: Way of the Wicked evil module on June 11.

It now looks like we’ll get to Bruce’s Pathfinder adaptation of the sword-and-sorcery D20/OGL Conan sometime in July. While Brian, Josh, and I have additional ideas, we can wait. Thanks, James, for your patience regarding your D20 Call of Cthulhu and Pathfinder nautical one-shots. I’ve also been thinking about continuing the adventures of the Blackbird‘s crew in my FATE 3e “Vortex” space opera….

Saturdays in June will be just as busy, with seasonal festivals, movies (Snow White and the Huntman this coming Saturday), and potential houseguests. Note that Free RPG Day is June 16, and I hope to get to the Compleat Strategist in Boston and Pandemonium Books & Games in Cambridge for it. Depending on if we meet, that might also be a good date for a D&D5e/Next playtest.

Do you have any questions? Please remember to to stay in touch between sessions, so that we don’t eat too much into valuable role-playing time.

>>Boston-area campaigns, as of summer 2012:

>Gene D.

-“Vortex” (space opera) using FATE 3e Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer and Bulldogs

-“The Vanished Lands: the Uncommon Companions” (heroic fantasy) using Pathfinder, Skype, and an online dice roller

-“The Vanished Lands: the Broken Chains” (Arabian-style fantasy) using FATE 3e Legends of Anglerre, Skype, and an online dice roller

>Josh C.

-“Spelljammer: the Show Must Go On” (space fantasy) using FATE 3e Legends of Anglerre, Google+ and Tabletop Forge

>Jason E.R.

–“Glassworks” (street-level, Bronze Age superheroes, originally for DarkPages) using Cortex: Marvel Heroic Roleplaying

>James B.:

-D20 Call of Cthulhu (horror one-shot)

–Pathfinder (nautical fantasy one-shot)

>Bruce K.: Pathfinder/D20 Conan (sword and sorcery)?

>Rich C.G.:

–Way of the Wicked adventure path for Pathfinder

–Arkham Horror (board game), Cthulhu Invictus (alternate history/horror)?

>Paul J. and Greg D.C.: FATE 3e Dresden Files (modern supernatural)