246 - DnD live play - McDnD - I will shake my head NO - episode 4

several generations of McCann's playing DnD back in 2018

We fight the evil and attempt to build the hammer to crush the seed.

Grandfather - Mac McCann

Dad / Son - Andy McCann

Sister - Justine McCann

Son / grandson - Evan and Levi McCann

Nephew / Grandson - Joseph McCann
Family Friend - Justin Labrecque

The Cellar Entry and Initial Encounter: The party finds themselves at the top of stairs in Lord Taliesin's cellar after closing a door to escape zombified townspeople. A character named Kaladin is teleported in to join the group (White Fang, Sigri, and Kaladin), replacing other party members who were sent back to safety.
The Spectator Guardian Battle: The party descends into a well-crafted dwarven cellar and immediately encounters a spectator (floating eyeball creature with tentacles). After rolling initiative, they engage in combat where Kaladin critically hits with a crossbow but breaks his bowstring, and White Fang's poison spray ultimately defeats the creature.
Discovery of Wooden Planks and Traps: The party finds two 15-foot wooden planks that appear frequently used. They discover pressure plates and grooves in the floor designed for the planks, using them to safely cross a pit trap while one triggers a poison gas trap that partially injures Kaladin.
Splitting Up to Scout: The party splits to investigate different areas. Sigri discovers a portal where drow elves are herding gnome and halfling children through, along with various creatures. White Fang and Kaladin find a drow wizard attempting to teach children while a drow warrior stands guard, and they notice the wizard wears a ring similar to their teleportation rings.
The Web Trap Battle: The party initiates combat against the drow forces. White Fang casts entangle, trapping two of the three enemies. The elite drow warrior and regular drow become stuck while the mage remains free and begins casting spells including magic missile and web, which traps most of the party in sticky webbing.
Combat Complications and Strategy: The battle becomes challenging as the mage uses illusion magic to make the party think reinforcements are coming. White Fang shapeshifts into a dire wolf to fight, dealing significant damage to the elite warrior. The party struggles with the web spell's restraining effects while trying to damage their enemies.
Turning the Tide with the Children: As Kaladin successfully kills the elite warrior with a decapitating blow, approximately 40 gnome and halfling children in the room spontaneously jump on the mage when he tries to escape, restraining him with natural 20 rolls. The regular drow attempts to flee and call for help but is killed by opportunity attacks.
Interrogation and Dark Revelations: The party captures the drow mage, with White Fang taking his ring to prevent escape. They interrogate him and learn he was teaching the children math and science to make them "better" before sending them through the portal. The children reveal his teaching was ineffective (claiming "one plus one is four").
The Master's Purpose: Through interrogation, the party discovers the children are being taken through the portal as slaves to "keep the master alive," strongly implying they're being used as food. The mage shows disturbing satisfaction at this fate, revealing the dark nature of the operation.
Session Conclusion and Loot: White Fang loots a wizardly spell-casting device intended for the absent party member Kieran. The session ends with the party having secured the area, captured the mage, and freed the children, though they failed to save those already taken through the portal. The DM indicates they can take a rest to recover.