Category: Actual Play

Our monthly session took place last Friday. Players returned to The Balok, the campaign’s tentpole dungeon, for some wholesome dungeon crawling. They covered quite a bit of ground and fully explored several sections of the second level. They also struggled a bit with getting their maps lined up, which, as far as I am concerned, is part of the core fun of classic D&D.

In which our heroes brave ancient plumbing facilities, face off against unfriendly cavemen and corrosive creatures, and follow pig tracks to a hidden treasure, all while pondering who has been closing their carefully spiked doors.

Read on over at planetkar.us.

It’s the first session of 2025. We had four players at the table, a rare treat these days. They decided to finally try and get rid of a major threat looming over their home base ever since the start of the campaign. The results were… less than spectacular. We had lots of fun with this.

In which the party attempts to subvert a boogieman camp through magical infiltration. Ploikal, cloaked in invisibility, tries and fails to psychically manipulate the chief Movog, while outside the camp, the spirit of fallen comrade Cista speaks through Xull’s possessed claw, demanding vengeance. After several failed schemes involving mind-controlled brutes and sleep spells, the party retreats empty-handed.

Read on over at planetkar.us.

A final session before the end of the year. I had had zero time to prep this one, so while my players were getting set up, I ran through a slimmed-down version of my usual prep script, and off we went. A straightforward dungeon crawl, to go easy on the poor, overworked referee, turned into quite the gauntlet due to a higher-than-average amount of monsters rolled during dungeon restocking.

In which the party navigates The Balok, making allies of rats and foes of various beasts, loses four retainers to misfortune and monsters but returns with an ornate shield and other treasures, only for Ploikal to discover disturbing changes at the farmers’ guild hall.

Read on over at planetkar.us.

We had an occasional player request an additional session because they were in the neighborhood. I was only too happy to oblige. This was a fairly straightforward bit of dungeon delving, a nice palate cleanser after all the high-stakes urban shenanigans of the previous week. Here’s the usual AI-generated capsule summary.

In which our adventurers explore The Balok, suffering repeated attacks on Pholgon’s unfortunate armor from both green slime and grey ooze, engage in snack-based diplomacy with cavemen until it goes badly wrong, lose two light foot to the ensuing melee, but ultimately escape with a healthy haul of coins, tools, and a potion of giant’s strength.

Read on over at planetkar.us.

We sat down to play again last Friday and had an almost entirely improvised session roaming the wilderness, and in a nearby city. Sparked in large part by a few carelessly tossed-out rumors. In other words, the best kind. Here’s the usual brief summary and a link to the full report.

In which our adventurers journey to Khodang, acquire exotic pets, capture boogiemen for sacrifice, perform a bloody ritual to enchant an alien artifact, and surgically attach said artifact to Xull’s arm – all while losing two companions to the perils of the wasteland.

Read on over at planetkar.us.

After a 17-week hiatus, we finally sat down for another session the other week. And what do you know? On the very first encounter roll of the night, I nearly TPK’d the party with a random wilderness encounter. Twelve titanotheres and a failed surprise check will do that to you. One player, who runs a powerful psionic magic-user, made their save vs. death after hitting zero hitpoints by one point exactly. Close call! The rest of the session was fun as well. Below is the usual capsule summary.

In which our adventurers brave the perilous Mirror Hills, suffer a tragic encounter with titanotheres, regroup to explore the mysterious Balok, and delve into its dangerous depths, facing shadows, centipedes, and sleeping pigs while uncovering valuable treasures and magical artifacts, only to emerge victorious but not unscathed from their subterranean exploits.

Read on over at planetkar.us.

We managed to sit down for a game of D&D just before the end of the month. Notably, the players have breached the third level of the campaign’s tentpole dungeon. They also ‘burned’ a tremendous amount of treasure to level up their characters.

In which a group of adventurers, led by Ploikal, the swift-footed mage, and his daring comrades embark on a treasure-seeking journey into the depths of the eerie Balok dungeon. They encounter giant rats and hostile albino neanderthals, manage to gather a modest haul of gems and silver pieces, and face a terrifying horde of zombies. Tragically, one of their own falls in the undead melee. Despite this loss, they return safely, their spirits lifted by the successful acquisition of treasures, which they celebrate with a legendary bender.

Read on over at planetkar.us.

A short but sweet session on my birthday, in which I got to kill two characters, both run by the same player. My players really really know me so well.

In which adventurers Kaplull, Gita, Xull, and Gorakal set out to explore The Balok, encounter a robot named Sterling, and face fierce bonecrushers. Tragically, Kaplull and Gita fall in battle. Amidst their losses, the group secures enchanted boots and a valuable figurine, returning home with tales of bravery and sorrow.

Read on over at planetkar.us.

The marathon D&D session I have been daydreaming about for a long time finally occurred last weekend. Six players and I spent most Saturday playing, only stopping for the occasional break and pizza. I was completely exhausted by the end, but we had a blast. Felt like old times. Below is the usual machine-generated summary of the play report.

In which an intrepid party of adventurers, comprising Ploikal, Xull, Gorakal, Konn, Kaplull, and Pholgon, embark on a daring journey through the treacherous landscapes of Buraith and beyond. Their quest leads them to the ruins of a crashed spaceboat and the lair of bone crusher dogs. Amidst encounters with ochre jellies, zombified Visitor soldiers, and formidable space crabs, the group skillfully acquires a trove of treasures, including valuable engine parts, ancient surgical tools, magical potions, and exotic weaponry. They skillfully navigate threats and surprises throughout their expedition, emerging unscathed and significantly wealthier. Their adventure concludes with a triumphant return to Batbeng, laden with spoils and eager for future escapades.

Read on over at planetkar.us.

We played another game the other night. Below is a short machine-generated summary. Click through to read the full report. This was a fully improvised affair. Players latched on to a tossed-off rumor about mysterious goings-on in the farmers’ guild hall, and wouldn’t you know it, they wanted to go “investigate.”

Planet Karus session 19, in which the party, comprising Konn and Ploikal, embarks on a stealthy heist at the Farmers’ Guild Hall, uncovering its secret as a base for a cult devoted to the harvest goddess Yiggub. Utilizing magic, invisibility, and summoned creatures, they navigate through guards and a sudden onslaught of skeletons, successfully looting treasure, including gemstone eyes from a statue, before making a narrow escape into the night.

Read on over at planetkar.us.