5th edition #DarkSun #dnd actual play podcast bringing you to the ravaged world of Athas! Join our players as they confront new enemies in the City-State of Tyr and beyond. It is a fight for their lives and for the continued existence of the Veiled Alliance.
Art by Erin Anderson @ErintheZ on Twitter
In our penultimate episode (really the last real one for the season) Our heroes try to cleanse the Temple of Air from the magics corrupting it. The True defiler and his insectoid beast don't want that to happen. Gigus breaks out a trusted maneuver, and Segos seeks to undo the damage while Solania fires away. Grizmo goes for a ride
Will the temple come down around them as they try to save the elements in this once sacred structure? What happens when they make it into the Water Temple.
Who does that voice belong to?
CW: Explicit language, poop humor.
The party continues their fight against The True within the Temple of Fire and Sun while the very ground shakes beneath their feet. Gigus employs brilliant combat tactics. Solania rings Segos' Bell and Grizmo gets stabby.
What is in the sarcophagi? More enemies in the Nexus of Earth? Can they make their way deeper into the Temple? Why does everyone want to fight them?
CW: Mention of slaves, Cannibalism reference, Explicit language, crude humor
Deevo dies mysteriously (in an freak audio equipment error we didn't discover until after the fact)! He actually monologued a bit and then choked as a green fog emanated from his throat and the obsidian orb he held cracked.
Yuna the mul and the dwarven driver tell the party about a nearby temple the True are corrupting and using as a base of operations.
Some debate about investigating the temple or returning to Altaruk results in the party heading for the temple.
Behind a fantastic wall of red-gold sandstone carved with elemental symbols, they find a dimly lit room with enemies waiting for their arrival.
Our heroes have avoided the hazards of the badlands and caught up to the fleeing assassin and his companions. A desperate struggle follows as chariots fly through hazardous canyon terrain that poses as much of a threat to the party as their enemies.
The mul gladiator looks like a big threat and just what is a Mind Blade? How good a driver is Gigus? Can Solania pick off Deevo from afar? Just what is Grizmo's problem?
Thrilling heroics and some surprising behaviors from our heroes. You never know what to expect on Athas.
Deevo the elf who assassinated Lord Aris is escaping into the desert!
Sartaj provides needed rejuvenation magic to the party before they give chase. Several nasty surprises are in store for Solania, Segos, Gigus and Grizmo before they can catch up to the assassin and his lackeys.
Will they close the distance or will Deevo escape into the desert and the True get away with murder? How many different 'chase songs' can we get into one episode?
CW: Spider (a big one)
After discovering evidence that could clear their names, dodging guards and NOT killing anyone while defending themselves from an angry mob, the party has arrived at Magistrate Alensia's estate to plead their case.
Segos puts for an argument for their acquittal while Solania eyes Jax! Captain of Altaruk contemptuously. Gigus is just glad he is in no danger of falling through the floor and Grizmo gets to see how the better half lives.
Sounds of combat from the courtyard reveals the tattooed elf escaping on a chariot while House Wavir guards pursue. Alensia orders her guards to attack the traitors, but who is the real traitor here?
The party has a lead on how to prove their innocence!
The ledger from the tanner Scalgow contains a cypher with a symbol matching the tattoo of the elf they think killed Lord Aris. Gigus' clever disguis isn't what we think it is while the group runs towards Magistrate Alensia's manor to clear their names.
In the clearing before her estate there is an angry mob and several merchant house guards as well as a very handsome and capable Guard Captain.
CW explicit language and juvenile humor
Escaping the mayhem of the Governor's mansion, Segos, Solania, Gigus and Grizmo (less so) comfort Sartaj in her very real grief. Lord Aris, her father is dead and the party has been framed for the murder.
Sartaj instructs them to find an old friend who provides safe harbor and sends them on a path for more information on the quest to clear their names.
What is happening? A peaceful dinner with Lord Aris turns into carnage as True assassins crash the party.
Segos follows Grizmos lead, Solania has a little hair trouble, and Gigus is a little light on his feet while the halfling does a wonderful job repaying murder for murder. Nothing about this dinner goes according to Sartaj's plans but you know what they say: 'If you gotta go, go with a smile!'
Having arrived in Altaruk, the party spends the afternoon learning about what may be their new home. This fortified trade city is not as secure as it appears from the outside.
Sartaj leaves to secure a meeting with Lord Aris at the Governor's mansion. Solania and Grizmo visit the tannery. Segos checks in with House Wavir and Gigus tells a story and makes a new friend.
Dinner at the governor's mansion ends abruptly.
CW: slavery (mention of slaves); explicit language.
A desperate struggle for water and life continues as the party fights against the crodlu herd that had tried to ambush our weakened warriors. Solania struggles with her equipment, Grizmo fades in and out of existence, Segos uses boulders to great effect and Gigus is a little jealous.
While recovering, we learn about the survival-craft native to the jozhal and Gigus talks his way past the guards.
We have made it to Altaruk!
Featured music:
Metal by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6554-metal
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Atmospheres #10 - Hotseat by Brian Holtz Music
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7704-atmospheres-10-hotseat
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Desert City by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3639-desert-city
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Segos, Solania, Gigus and Grizmo have escaped the slave caravan with their injured leader Sartaj and with a handful of other slaves. Now they have to find water enough for them all or more will die.
Solania leads the group to a muddy oasis but as the slaves begin to fill their bellies with water they find they are not the only ones that want respite from the dark sun in the cool water.
Explicit and more than a few jokes.
The party has survived their first full day on the slave caravan and even succeeded in collecting most of the items Sartaj needs to complete the ritual to summon help.
Once they 'collect' the ore and Segos fashions a bowl, Sartaj is able to ritually contact a nearby tribe of giants who agree to attack the caravan, but there is no guarantee of safety from their onslaught.
As the b'rogh devastate the caravan, can our characters survive?
The party reconvenes with Sartaj following a dangerous first day on the slave caravan. Solania and Gigus survived their matches in the ring, but everyone is now faces with another punishing day as the caravan travels to Balic.
Each of them attempt to find the necessary items they've been asked to recover for Sartaj so they can attempt to make a very daring escape.
CW: Explicit language, Slavery
Having reconnected with Sartaj, the party now looks for ways to survive their life as a caravan slaves long enough to escape.
Life as slaves on the caravan means work, and the party is split performing various tasks. Segos and Grizmo stay on the argosy, while Solania ranges and Gigus has a very good day! Sartaj has good news but Avram gives another nasty surprise at the end of the day.
Having reconnected with Sartaj, the party now looks for ways to survive their life as a caravan slaves long enough to escape.
Life as slaves on the caravan means work, and the party is split performing various tasks. Segos and Grizmo stay on the argosy, while Solania ranges and Gigus has a very good day! Sartaj has good news but Avram gives another nasty surprise at the end of the day.
The party debates on their next moves after discovering that their leader and mentor Sartaj survived the attacks of the True and has been sold to a slave caravan outside the city.
Solania and Grizmo walk out to look at the caravan while Segos and Gigus speak once more with House Wavir but don't receive any support. The party decides on a risky course of action and it may or may not play out the way they expect.
Will they find and rescue Sartaj?
CW: explicit language, slavery
The city-state of Tyr is in shock after the attacks by The True. Who are these new foes and what do they want?
Taking refuge in a Wavir safe-house, Solania and Grizmo venture into the elven Market for information while Segos reaches out to House Wavir. Both groups are directed to a cloth merchant within the elven market who is more than she appears to be and they learn the fate of their leader Sartaj.
Content Warning: explicit language, discussion of slavery.
Featuring music by Alexander Nakarada
Metal
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6554-metal
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Tranquil Fields Eastern
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5770-tranquil-fields-eastern
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Our heroes combine forces and escape from the besieged Veiled Alliance stronghold only to find worse awaits them on the streets of Tyr. Who is this new and deadly foe? Can they survive to find what became of their mentor?
A Dark Sun 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons actual play of the Ashes of Athas campaign series.
Meet the characters and the cast as we start our Athasian Adventure. Join Solania the elven ranger, Grizmo the halfling rogue, Segos the jozhal wizard and Gigus the half-giant warrior as they meet within the City-State of Tyr ready to help the Veiled Alliance, but are confronted with a deadly surprise!
A Dark Sun 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons actual play of the Ashes of Athas campaign series.