Started a new DW campaign last night. Only three players could make it, though I’m generally hoping to have four for most sessions. Two out of three are actors with strong comedy backgrounds so the tendency was to get a bit gonzo. I ran with it for the most part, but managed to maintain a bit of decorum when it seemed necessary.
Meet Aladra the Wizard; Thaddeus Sanguinius, Paladin of the Maker; and Jesseo de Champlain de Rockefellier (aka Jesse the Thief).
We first happen upon our heroes as they are getting shot at by the town guards of Dunspur. Turns out they had gotten into a bit of a scrap when Aldara read out a legal document about Jesse’s family’s role in some unpopular re-development decisions in town. Thaddeus tries to calm things by calling on his divine authority. In response, Guardsman Thomas shoots him with rusty crossbow bolt.
They take cover in the town square, hiding behind the fallen Great Oak of Dunspur that Jesse’s family had cut down recently. Jesse climbs up and cuts loose the town water reservoir and it washes away both the guardsmen and his friends. Jesse then steals some horses to assist in their retreat.
On the road out of town, they encounter two armed riders. Jesse recognizes the riders (Bronson and Charles). They are bandits but Jesse claims they are Rockefellier contractors. Their boss, Ysfaren is looking for help. The Maker reveals to Thaddeus that these men are evil and he attacks, killing one immediately. Jesse takes a bolt from the other while preventing Thaddeus from getting shot. Aldara blasts the second foe with a magic missile and Thaddeus finishes him off.
Thaddeus heals Jesse but suffers a lot of damage, some of which Aldara is able to heal in turn, demonstrating the Maker’s favour upon her in Thaddeus’ eyes.
A large group of bandits approach and Thaddeus swears an oath to slay their leader. To everyone’s surprise, the Maker responds to Thaddeus’ vow, granting him immunity to ranged weapons until he slays the bandit captain. Thaddeus charges and all 10 bandits fire bows and crossbows at him. The Maker bends the projectiles around his champion, leaving him unharmed. The bandit thugs flee when Thaddeus bellows his challenge, leaving Ysfaren to stand alone. There is a brief skirmish between Thaddeus and Ysfaren and Thaddeus wounds his foe badly, causing the coward to flee toward town, holding his broken, bleeding ribs. Aladra briefly pauses her cataloguing of the fight to nearly finish Ysfaren with a subtly cast magic missile.
During the fight, Jesse ambushes a fleeing bandit and knocks the man from his horse by cutting his saddle strap. Before he can gather his wits, the bandit finds himself staring into the business end of Jesse’s crossbow. He doesn’t have much money, but he quickly spills the beans about the coin and treasure map in Ysfaren’s saddle bags.
Spurred on by righteous rage, curiosity and greed, respectively, Thaddeus, Aladra and Jesse converge on Ysfaren in front of the town gates, where the bandit leader wheels his horse about and surrenders instead of facing the town guards. Jesse attempts to knock out Ysfaren to prevent revealing the fact that they know each other, but his blade slips and he accidentally kills him instead.
Grand Mayor and Captain of the Guard Cornwallis witnesses the heroes slaying the archvillain Ysfaren and he not only forgives all their sins but berates his men for mistreating the heroes earlier.