Passouan 11-17
The players had split from Chapter 2: King Melny, Alistair, and Wolf going into the Undermaze, and Raphael staying in Sota City, since Tasha had missed the session. So I started writing two prompts: one for Sota City, and the other for the Undermaze.
Sota City
The human element has lost half its contingent, with Lord Sylvain running away with his "camp follower", Vivienne, to parts unknown. The remaining contingent is paid to stay there by Lord Auguste, who is loyal to King Melny, but he's gonna run out of cash in a month.
Raphael
I stayed on the walls as Sylvain fled, watching half the humans vanish with him. I marked the roads to Sota Fortress and counted Auguste's coin, knowing it wouldn't st the month. With the month of Sonno closing in, I began preparing for the day the humans fail, so their would collapse would not take us (the elves who had recruited Raphael) with them.
Undermaze- Sota City Cluster
The minotaurs captured King Melny, Alistair, and Wolf very quickly, along with the half-dozen children they had rescued. The minotaurs were infuriated that Alistair and King Melny had broken their vow to never reveal the secrets of the Undermaze, even for children's safety. They considered abandoning King Melny and Alistair deep under Sota City, by the Apocalypse Ship. If The Outsider wanted them to survive... they would.
The rival minotaur, Artur, broke into the prison with his bulls, and rescued all of them on Passouan 17.
Passouan 18-30
Unfortunately I couldn't host the next week. We had a family trip to do. So I wrote up a new set of prompts for them to answer. With kids getting sick the next week, I decided to extend the timeframe the prompt happened under.
Sota City
The Knight (the death knight leader of the infinite zombie horde that's always streaming out beneath Sota City), comes under a flag of truce and declares those mortals who work under him won't be eaten. He offers clear and obvious terms: lieutenants in his army and full protection.
Lord Auguste promises any who accept this offer will be shot immediately. Some still manage to desert to the Knight.
Parties are held on the walls to taunt the undead who can't get up there without help from the dragon.
Raphael
I don't debate. I act.
I kick a chair off the wall, wine falling below, and draw steel just long enough to make a point. I glance from the Knight's tidy little flap of truce to Auguste's execution promises and sigh:
"Immortality with benefits or loyalty with a firing squad," I say dryly. "Hard choice," I wave my blade at the gate. "If you're going to leave, do it quickly. The dragon hates late exits."
I grab a fresh drink, lean back against the battlement, and toast the dead below. "Sorry boys, private party."
The Undermaze
Artur is poisoned by an ex-lover, and collapses. An insurrection is led, but ARtur's supporters bring out Solidified Flame and use it to break the will of the insurrectionists. The victory is celebrated, tense as it is.
Alistair
I attempt to use the sword (which heals what it cuts) to save Artur (Weaver note: success!).
During the week, I spend time with the insurrectionists, mostly just to listen to their grievances so they can be brought forward so the responses and reasoning can rectified.
King Melny
King Melny spent time with Alistair, but to see how he could manipulate the minotaurs.
Sonnon 1-7
... and then we lost another week. This one was more due to total scheduling SNAFUs, along with kids going to bed way too late. So we're coming up on a month with no actual play sessions! I was pretty discouraged. It also didn't help that I had been getting news of multiple family members coming down with cancer amidst everything... and just wanted a break. And couldn't get one. But, I figured "What the hell, why not," and sent out another pair of prompts.
Sota City
The Argentum Empire has arrived, with a full army... and are taking over the human part of the operations from the Ferrens. Forcibly. Any commoner who disagrees is exiled. Several knights would wouldn't accept a commission in the Argenti army are publicly executed.
There's a real supply chain now.
The Argenti are much more... sensual.. than the dour Ferrens. They bring plenty of women, openly, and the ensuing debauchery for the Festival of the Solar Trial, when Telos begged for the children Arvoita before the betrayed Outsider) shocks the Ferrens, who at least keep their whores hidden in their tents.
Raphael
I stood on the edge of the celebrations, armor on, eyes everywhere, while the Argenti drank, laughed, and claimed the camp. I made sure the supply lines held and the executives stayed a finished business. Festivals make people careless - so I stayed sharp, counting blades, watching loyalties shift, and preparing for whatever happens after music stops.
The Undermaze- Sota Cluster
The queenslings, a race of beautiful women made out of stuff darker than shadows, seeking anything warm to drain, happened upon the minotaur cluster. They drained several of the bulls of their warmth, creating undead thralls of them. They struck during the feast of the Solar Trial, and if not for the festival it would have gotten worse. They were driven away... and then the funnels began.
King Melny
"I can fix her".
I would most likely stay out of sight and observe. seeing what can be seen and what could possibly be learned from the encounter. As well as see what would be used to my advantage.
Alistair
Alistair was a part of the team driving away the queenslings. Light will touch all.
Chapter 3, Sonnon 8
Finally, we had an opportunity to play!
And it all seemed to fall apart.
Tasha had an emergency she had to take care of, right then and there. Cal's internet was out as part of an ongoing issue, and he still couldn't play. So, I asked Jesse if he "just" wanted to a 1v1. Normally Jesse doesn't do those. He likes the interplay between the people. But it had been so long.
And what happened was pure gold.
Reflections
Honestly, folks, since Christmas has been rough on me and mine. There's been a ton of illness, terminal announcements, and games just haven't run. I know what would normally be happening right at my tables if something like this hit: the steam would be slowly coming out of the campaign. It just would.
That isn't what happened. Quite the opposite. We just kept running the off-session prompts, let time pass organically, and when even one freaking person could get on and play, we had a blast. The momentum of the campaign didn't stall, it didn't even stutter. I have never seen anything like this, period. If anything, momentum continued to build, even with more missed sessions and real-world tragedies!
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