PortCon: D&D Next

We had Next pre-gens, we had the Next rules...and we had a DM who said he had read through them once but pretty much didn't remember any of them. We essentially played 3e, using 5e character sheets and the DM's home adventure he has run many times.

I played a Gnome Druid with a charlatan background. I named him Greenleaf. I wasn't exactly sure how to merge druid and charlatan, so I mostly stuck with being a druid in a strange land. Here are some of my more druidic offerings:

We were searching for the whereabouts of a girl presumed to be kidnapped. The party cleric when to inquire at the temple. Being of religious bent, Greenleaf went along too. After the cleric was in between topics with the head priest, Greenleaf suggested the stuffy church could do with some plants in some of the more open areas. The cleric was taken aback, thought about it, and then said he likes to keep the church free from allergens. He then went back to talking with the cleric. When they were done, Greenleaf mentioned he had been contemplating some hypoallergenic plants, and a hibiscus would fit perfectly in the corner, unless he'd rather put the work in keeping a boxwood well-trimmed. (The GM burst out laughing, as I had actually pulled up a list of hypoallergenic plants on my cell phone.)

When we returned to the tavern to discuss our separate findings with the rest of the party, it was time to order some drinks. Greenleaf mentioned to the barkeep that he preferred fresh rainwater, sweetened by rolling off the frond of a palmetto. The barkeep didn't have any of that. He brought river water. It wasn't too bad, even with the hint of salmon flavor.

Greenleaf went with the party elf to do more research. The elf was visiting the missing girl's father. Earlier she had visited the mother, who didn't let the father say anything. Greenleaf decided to distract the mother so the elf could talk to the father. He knocked on the front door, stated his was looking for an elf friend who was there earlier, and then remarked on the beautiful hydrangea he could see arranged in the house. Greenleaf let himself in and continued, babbling about the woman's amazing decor and use of natural lighting. The woman ate up the praise, and the elf had plenty of time to question the father in the workshop.

Our investigative travels took the party north near a great forest at the foot of a mountain. The DM described the lush flora and the recent, cleansing rains. Greenleaf took his cup out of his backpack and started collecting water dripping off the plants. Not long after, we unexpectedly met up with fairies in the forest. Our elf guide got them to stop for a moment and chat. Greenleaf immediately stepped up and offered his cup of rainwater. A lasting friendship was formed.

The rest of the quest was comparatively inconsequential. We entered the goblin caves in the mountain, slipped through some traps, overcame goblin henchmen, and killed the goblin king, releasing the missing girl he was about to sacrifice.

It sounds a lot better when I tell it.


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