FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH - DAGGERHEART : SESSION 0 RECAP

So, as some of you may have read (or heard on our YouTube channel), my 3 year paid game of D&D 5E came to an abrupt and unexpected end. The group disbanded, but in the past month or so, two of the players and I have been conversing and they are interested in getting back to the table. I ran a two shot Halloween special 5E game for them that was a big hit. When asked if they would be interested in picking up the 5E game where it left off about four months ago, they declined. They were more interested in trying out Daggerheart, so they purchased a copy of the book and so did I. I have been reading over the rules for the last couple of weeks and felt comfortable enough for a session 0, so we set the date for Friday, 11/14/25. We agreed as a group to run four to five sessions in order to learn the rules of the game and give it an opportunity to see if it is good fit for our table.

Our party consists of a Holly Snowgleam, a Faerie Druid, Seventh of Dusk, a Ribbet Ranger, and lastly Lady Topaz of Mayhem, an Infernus Seraph. We worked together to homebrew the village they are from , which we settled on the name as New Moon Harbor. Our Ribbet player settled on the Seaborne for his community and decided that the birthing pool where his kind were born is called The Walled Pond, a sacred spawning place for the Ribbets of New Moon Harbor. Seventh of Dusk is the caretaker of the natural spaces around their town and has lived there all his life. His protection of the forest brought him into contact with Holly, or rather her snow leopard companion, Snowshade. While hunting in the forest Snowshade happened upon Seventh performing one of his protection rituals and the leopard thought to make a meal of him. Holly's timely intervention prevented it and she and Seventh have been friends for the past five years. Topaz wound up in New Moon Harbor as her last port of call. Her indentured servitude on a privateer vessel had ended and she made her way ashore in New Moon Harbor, hoping to find her fortune. What she found was making a legitimate living on land was far harder than she had otherwise thought and not nearly as exciting. She met Holly and Seventh as The Busted Mug, one of only two seaside taverns, and the three became fast friends and regulars at the establishment. I loved how the players wove their Connections together into a believable tale that makes it easier to start the game and establish a reason for why they adventure together.

Our story picks up mid morning on an early Spring day in the familiar setting of The Busted Mug. The three companions have met for their favorite beverages and to discuss the fact that they are in need of coin and adventure. Charity, a barmaid at the Mug, and who knows our players, serves them their favorite drinks and when asked if she has heard any news she advises them that Eltorik has been telling tales of strange lights at night up on the cliff at the abandoned manor home. Seventh is familiar with the boarded up edifice. It belonged to Captain Roberts, a retired sea captain who some say had made his fortune in the shipping lanes and decided to retire by the sea, building a huge, imposing stone home along the cliff face looking out over the sea. Others say he was a pirate and that his wealth came from plundered ships, drenched in the blood of the innocent. Whatever the truth the captain had married a beautiful young woman who was beloved by the town, Alestra Fair hair, a white haired woman of lower noble birth, brought her to the home he had built and there they settled in to raise a family. They had twins, Abigail and Alistare, with snow white hair like their mother. Many in the town did not see Captain Roberts, but those that did say he was a stern, quiet man with eyes that always seemed to be judging them. In contrast, Lady Roberts was kind, compassionate, and always giving gifts to the children of the town. One night, seven years ago, a violent storm blew in from the sea. The whole town had to hunker down and wait for the storm to pass. For days no one saw the Roberts family, and at last when someone went up to the cliff to check on them, they found the front door open, no sign of the family could be found, there was no sign of a struggle, and all their belongings had been left behind. Being a superstitious town, the mayor ordered the manor boarded up and everything left where it was in the event the family may one day return.

Holly and Seventh approach the old dwarf to ask him what he had seen, but Topaz did not join them, scoffing at tales of haunted mansion and the silly beliefs of small town folk. The Faerie and Ribbet were treated to the slightly inebriated ramblings of Eltorik who told them he had seen an eerie green glow at the crest of the cliff, had heard a woman crying, and had seen what appeared to be an apparition of a woman falling from the cliff. He adamantly denied being in his cups that night and was certain of what he saw. When asked if he could show them where he had witnessed these strange things, he refused stating he would never again stray anywhere near the place, stating it was cursed and vengeful spirits wander the grounds.

That afternoon the intrepid band made their way up the overgrown road to the top of the cliff where the house stood. They found the walls around the grounds intact, the black iron gate from the road chained and locked, and no signs of movement or sound within. Seventh decided to collect some rocks, twigs, and nearby plants to make a natural shrine upon which to cast say his ritual over to prevent any spirits from leaving the grounds (this is totally for flavor and has not basis in the mechanics of the game). As the sun started to set Holly and Topaz noticed there was no presence of animals nearby. Holly used her Nature's Tongue ability to speak with the nearby plants to see if they could provide them any help. A roll with hope allowed her to speak with the plants who told her there is much sorrow, fear, and anger inside the home and that restless spirits wander the grounds frightening away all the wildlife.

As the sun sets, a fog moves in from the ocean, a wet, thick cloud and the quarter moon above can not make its way through. Soon the party starts to hear strange sounds, like the pitiful crying of children coming from the fog shrouded grounds beyond the gate. The night has fully settled in and the party debates how to proceed. Keeping watch, Holly see what appears to be glowing cloaked woman wandering along the Widows Walk of the home before throwing herself from the roof, only to vanish in the fog below. Finally, Seventh feels moved to investigate and decides to examine the large rusty, iron lock that holds the chain binding the gate closed. In frustration he strikes it with his walking stick and the lock falls to the ground with a thump, startling the party. As the gate shrieks open on rusty hinges, the fog parts to show them a scene of the apparition of a small girl standing there looking at them with pitiful eyes and a tear streaked face. As Seventh reaches for her the mists close in and she is lost from sight. The party moves onto the ground, though Topaz is loathe to do so. As the make their way toward the house, they see another ghostly image, that of a small boy, twin to the girl from moments ago, running as if in terror from the home, looking over his shoulder at a pursuer the party cannot see.

As they near the tall dark stone building, the fog parts as if welcoming them and the large wooden doors standing ajar. Entering the foyer they are met with a cold, dusty interior, cobwebs hanging from the chandelier above, large paintings of the sea on either wall each covered in a layer of dust from neglect. The plush red rug under their feet makes an strange wet sound as they step on it and they are greeted with a smell of salt water. Examining the rug more closely they discover it appears to be saturated by sea water, though they see no signs of water anywhere else. Moving deeper into the mansion they come into the parlor, a large sitting area with moldering overstuffed furniture with a huge fireplace carved from stone to appear the gaping maw of a whale. A painting of Captain Roberts hangs above the mantle, portraying a scowling, dark haired man with strange yellow colored eyes. Hanging on the wall opposite of this portrait is a painting of a beautiful young fair skinned woman with shockingly white hair, a sharp contrast to her husband, and whom Seventh recognizes as Lady Roberts. The party begins to hear strange noises, a woman crying, footsteps on the floor above them, and what sounds like a door being slammed somewhere deeper in the home. Seventh studies the portrait of the Lord of the home and gets an uneasy feeling which he describes to the party. Topaz, moved to action, as much by frustration as fear, take the portrait of Captain Roberts down from where it hangs, throws it on the floor and strikes it with her halberd, slashing the canvas. When they turn it back over, the image of the man has been replaced with a ghastly, spectral representation of him with a ragged scar where the Topaz's weapon struck. As they look at the transformed painting in horror, they hear the sounds of a man's maniacal laugh coming from above them.

Making their way further into the home they find the children's play room, with toys, small furniture, and a table with scattered pages of children's art work. The one on the top draws the attention of Seventh and appears to be a seaweed wrapped humanoid coming out of the sea. The image unsettles the Ribbet and he decides to take it with him. Holly finds a small wooden sword and shield. When she lifts up the shield, large for her two foot tall frame, she gets a strong sense of it's previous owner using it to defend those he loved. She decides to sling the wooden toy to her back and says a silent prayer that she hopes it will protect her and her friends as it did for its previous owner. As they collect these things two ghostly images of a boy and girl materialize at the table, moving as if they are drawing pictures. They both look up in shock and fear toward the door from the hallway, then vanish. At this point the party is not sure what to make of what they are seeing, but believing they are seeing some horrible tragedy play out before them. As they discuss whether or not they should leave this haunted place they see an image of Lady Roberts proceed down the hall. Following they see her pass through a door. Opening it they find stairs up.

What awaits our players as they make their way to the second floor? What happened that night of the storm when the family disappeared? Come back in a week when we have our next session to see how the adventure unfolds!