Gameplay

As the crew leaves Mossbeard’s forest near The Smithy, Jackal looks up and sees a Ratatosk in the trees. It jumps down in front of them and it’s wearing a uniform and has a cylindrical container on its back. It casts a verbal and somatic spell to identify which of the heroes is Appaluna. As she glows, he knows to give her the letter.

She reads the letter from her patron inviting her to the palace of Countess Levosu, mentioning that she needs to come right away, and it tells her to go via the River Styx and also includes the fare for 3 folks to ride. Appaluna finds a dwarf within The Smithy and asks how to get to the River Styx. She’s told to go to the Five Ways Bridge. When they get there they see a few piers on the banks near the bridge. There’s a robed man with a bluish tinge to his skin on a gondola-style boat. They pay for passage and find out his name is Thomas.

Gameplay

(started off with the following flavor-text)

“Ariana, as you look around at this verdant forest you’ve entered by the use of the Portal Key that belonged to your parents, you feel a deeper connection than you’ve ever felt ever since you chose to become a Leaf druid after becoming an adult. It is not just an ancient forest, but it also has a certain vitality and magical quality you’ve never felt before.”

Gameplay

Grif the Kobold from the Keeper of the Keys meets the adventures as they cross a bridge into The Smithy. He expresses happiness that they found their way to The Smithy after the attack. They give him a summary of what they did. Eventually Griff tells them he will take them to meet Kontak Tekar (head kobold mechanist of the Keepers of the Keys) to repair Ariana’s key.

As they walk around they see steam and multicolored smoke bellowing out of various workshops. They head towards the hill at the middle of the city where the Citadel of the Keys is situated. As they walk to the citadel they see mechadron caravans and celestials bargaining with fey over goods.

Gameplay

The adventurers had landed on a ship when they fell out of a portal. Captain Catapult interrogated them about where they came from and what they wanted to do. The team is able to convince him that they are from another world and need help getting back. Captain Catapult knows a powerful priest who has happened to have given him a letter to summon his friends (meta: the characters from the Dungeon in a Box campaign). The captain says she doesn’t know what they look like, only their reputation so he gives them the letter and sails them to the town of Bloom.

Gameplay

Now that Ariana has her parents’ key, the team returns to Rava’s temple and is escorted to the high priestess’ chambers. The high priestess introduces them to Griff the mechanist who examines the key. Unfortunately the key is spent, but the team is in luck as he explains he just made a new key to The Smithy yesterday. Griff explains that he is in a secretive organization called the Keeper of the Keys which is allied with the church of Rava. He puts his new key itno the air to open a portal.

Gameplay

In the 2 weeks that have passed, Appaluna did research trying to find a lead on her quest to find the Servants of Nidhogg and how to rescue her sister. She learned she should go to the temple of the Goddess Rava, patron of Zobeck.

The team entered the university and made their way to Orlando’s study. Orlando was working on a gearforged body. They delivered the box which had a special brain gear for gearforged. They mentioned what happened to the thieves who tried to open the box before. Orlando explained that the effect on the box was a security mechanism that Aalthic (socerer that gave them the box) uses to make sure no one can open his packages.

Narrative

The party has agreed to work on a dwarven airship in exchange for free passage to Zobeck. Razzit Greyborn (captain) shows them around and shows them where bunks are and introduces them to the crew. The night shift is currently sleeping in the bunks. One of those asleep is a tiefling. The adventurers are helping out by filling in so that the crew can work in shifts.

At the navigation area, Appaluna helps them fly through misty conditions and they just barely miss a mountain.

The Adventure

Before the group sets out Appeluna’s patron tells her that she’s doing a good job and grants her access to more power (meta: attains lvl 6).

It’s a 3 day journey to Reywald. The first two days and nights were uneventful. On the third night Ariana’s on watch. She falls asleep for a second and when she awakens just a few minutes later the package from Aalthic Bellin, the sorcerer, is stolen. She wakes up the rest of the party and tells them what happened.

The Adventure

The team took a week in Wollerton to recover from their efforts to free the area from the machinations of the Servants of Nidhogg. The local Baron gave them each 100GP and a plot of farmland. At first they thought to set up a base in Wollerton, but it was deemed too remote. They decided to lease the farmland for a rent of 10cp per month. Gratiosa’s parents also sent them a reward of 600GP for freeing her and also said they would put in a good word with Appeluna’s parents.

The Adventure

The team’s boat arrives at Wollerton. As they arrive, they hear the sounds of a brawl at the local bar. After someone is thrown out the window, the adventurers attempt to calm the bar brawl. There’s also a halfling with a sign yelling that the end is nigh. The party tries calmly asking people to stop, but the humans and dwarves do not listen. A mastic that belongs to one of the brawlers ends up biting Jackal. Eventually they end up dragged into the fight. A human and dwarf attempt to head butt each other and knock each other out. Eventually Appeluna ends the fight by casting sleep on the brawlers.

The Adventure

The team arrived at Moonlight where the scrawler dropped them off in the middle of town. The old orc and Silgre both also got off the Scrawler. After a brief conversation, the adventurers decided to go to the mayor’s house first. There they were hired to rid the town of kobolds. They agreed on a payment of 25GP per person and 3 nights room and board paid at the tavern.

The Adventure

The adventurers had been working with Kylana for the past month to try and figure out how the mycaloid water source was poisoned. A gnome arrived with a wedding invitation for Ariana from her college friend, a gnome named Favienne Northcord. The wedding is in a town called Moonbright. It’s far enough away that they decide they will take a scrawler to get to the town.

As they are waiting at the ticket booth to purchase a ride on the scrawler, two dwarves show up looking beaten up. They tell the townsfolk that there are some goblins attacking all wagons headed into the town. The mayor tells the adventurers that if they help eradicate the goblins, their tickets on the scrawler will be covered. The team agrees to deal with the goblins.

I honestly cannot remember what made me decide to check out Tales of the Valiant as an alternate 5e ruleset. But we decided to check it out and start our first Tales of the Valiant campaign. If I have my way, this will end up being our longest running campaign. Time will tell.

Character Introduction

Appaluna Harrietdaughter (Female Human Warlock)

Stats

• Heritage: Vexed
• Background: Courtier
• 28 years old
• 6 feet tall
• Brown eyes and hair. Caucasian skin color.

Backstory

Appaluna was born to a noble family. She grew up in comfort, but was often bored and unhappy. When she was 20 she made a deal with an otherworldly creature. Some of the maids found out, and word got out that Appaluna had made a deal with the devil. Appaluna was cast out of the court in disgrace, and now works to try and earn enough money to buy her way back to nobility.