This is why I really enjoy D&D: epic encounters with friends.

Below is a brief recap I wrote for our first adventure in Storm King’s Thunder (very minor spoilers ahead).

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Scarlett, on a quest of self discovery and looking to shed the ways of her past knows that Nightstone is small town with wealthy nobles that may be willing to pay for the services she’s been cultivating since her youth. Distancing herself from her previous run-ins with a noble that bears much ill will toward her is also on the top of her mind. Of course, if the winds of fortune change, the nobles could very well be her next target.

Saamasal is heading to Nightstone looking for answers, but only he knows the questions. Is it power? Knowledge? What Sam does know is that Nightstone is a town with an interesting history. The town got its name from a massive chunk of obsidian that once stands in the middle of the village square, or at least that it once did. Many have tried to decipher the strange glyphs that were carved into it and understand the magic that radiated from it, but it is still a mystery.

Along the path, Scarlett and Sam meet up with two other travellers: Bastion, a small halfling bard and Adrik, a stout looking dwarven barbarian. As night had already fallen, everyone was anxious to get to the city as soon as possible.

As the characters approached the town, a sporadic ringing of the church bell grew louder and louder. The drawbridge to the city was suspiciously down, and the town was eerily quiet, other than the obnoxious sound of the church bell.

Cautious, the adventurers made their way into town. As night had encroached, it was hard to see what had actually transpired in the town, but Scarlett reveals that boulders were strewn about town as if they had fallen from the sky, and the Nightstone that should be in the town square was missing.

Approaching the church to find out the source of the bells triggered the attention of two large, four legged beasts out of the shadows. The first was felled quickly by Adrik and Scarlett. But another emerged and was able to fell Adrik with a vicious bite. In a somewhat state of panic, Bastion, in hindsight against his better judgement, rushes forward letting out a booming thunderwave pushing the beast back.

It was not enough, and the sound echoed through the town square. The sound of the church bell ceased, and into the battle came four goblins flanking the characters.

Bastion, though able to miraculously shrug off the effects of a arrow from the darkness would fall as another struck him from behind. Sam would try valiantly to squash the beast, but the goblins were approaching. An arrow stuck him and nearly bringing him to death’s door. His wits were with him though and he was able to cast sleep to subdue the two surrounding goblins and the beast. Scarlett made an incredible shot with her crossbow into the darkness striking dead one of the two last remaining goblins.

In a last attempt to kill the two remaining adventurers, sensing their death shortly, the last goblin snuck around and was able to get behind Sam, whom had taken up shelter in the church. Turning and charging to the window, Saamasal crushed the last goblin with a single, devastating blow.

Shaken and badly wounded, the adventurers regrouped within the temple. Aiding their new acquaintances, Adrik and Bastion, all were able to slightly recover from the battle after taking about and hour to calm their nerves.