D&D The Rise of Tiamat: Season 1 Episode 9

Date of Session: February 25th, 2020 (5:00pm to 9:30pm)

Number of Players: 3

Kai-Ku Midoriya (FIGHTER Human) Level 4
Gundam, Model K (SOLDIER War Forged) Level 4
Killion Gilgamesh (WIZARD Avariel ) Level 4

Series Regulars NPCs (NPC must appear in 5+ consecutive sessions to qualify):

Professor Stoner Head (Mummy, Dormitory Adviser, Gym Teacher, Power: Negation)
Roshi Nighthill (Chibi Human, H.A. Freshman Student, Power: Bulk Up)
Twenty the Goblin (Berserker Goblin, New HERO Academy Student)

Recurring Guest Star NPCs:

Principal Gen Kai the Masked Fighter (Elderly Female Human, Power: Spirit Wave)
Professor Bon Bon (Young Female Human, Dormitory Adviser / Gen Kai’s Assistant)
Nurse Kissey Kiss (Elderly Female Human, Power: Healing Kiss)
Baxter (Cow Humanoid, HERO SUPPORT Worker)
Trudy Overlord (Female Human-Dragon Hybrid, Senior H.A. Student, Power: SPLIT)
Marvelous Johnson (Male Human, Junior H.A. Student, Power: Copy)
Lexi (Female Harpy, Junior H.A. Student, Power: UNKNOWN)
Shane Offender (Male Human, Sophomore H.A. Student)
Regina (Female Half-Elf, Sophomore H.A. Student, Power: Phase)
Jaime (Female Half-Elf, Sophomore H.A. Student, Power: Muscle Mimicry)
Spook (Male Human, Freshman H.A. Student, Power: Teleportation)
Gilgamesh (Father of Killion, King of Epic Heroes, Power: Gates of Babylon)
Kruger (Male Taxbaxi, former Principal, Current Gambler at Urameshi City)
Professor Gear (Robot Human, Enemy of K-Krew, Criminal, Full Name: Gear Bot 145)
Bran Whitey (Fat Human, Enemy of K-Krew, and Current Drunk)

New NPCs Introduced:

Pro Hero Uncle (Elderly Human, New Archaeologist Professor, Power: Unknown)
Assassin Antes Goblin (Male Goblin, Worker at Spirit World Casino in Urameshi City)
Ogre the Ogre (Blacksmith at Koenma’s Weapon Shop in Urameshi City)

The penultimate episode of season one was dedicated to K-Krew getting ready for their mid-terms. They are excited to become the number one students and heroes at such an early age. This session was centered on taking practice mid-term exams and a weekend getaway trip to Urameshi City. The latter was unexpected but a welcomed addition to a rather packed session. K-Krew even got to stop a bank robbery before they headed back to HERO Academy.

K-Krew, after an all night study session, went on a morning jog. This is becoming a routine in their daily schedule. They run into their new History Professor, a former Professional HERO named Uncle. He retired to become a teacher, and to replace a traveling Professor Mirna. She took a temporary leave of absence, hoping to find a method to rescue Professor Mas O from Ninth Hell.

Uncle also reveals he was tasked with researching the Second Island for artifacts. He calls it “looting”. K-Krew are liking the new history teacher and want to take along with him for loot. Uncle agrees because he was going to ask for volunteers later in class. K-Krew have a lot going on in this session when it came to scheduling different tasks around classes and training.

During homeroom, Professor Bon Bon give the students a practice written test. While Kai-Ku and Killion manage to ace the practice exam, Gundam has a rough time with a low roll. He didn’t pass the practice test, which is only a big deal when a passing grade can replace the final exam’s written test. Kai-Ku and Killion can take the hero practical ahead of everyone else in class. Gundam promises to catch up with them and wants to retake the practice written test alongside Roshi Nighthill.

History Class with Professor Uncle was mostly a character introduction, and Gym Class consisted of a two-mile run. Killion suffered the most during the run, not being able to fly. After finishing the track, Roshi and Kai-Ku had a race around to see who was faster. Kai-Ku won the competition.

After school ended, K-Krew went to Baxter. Kai-Ku wanted to be excuse from work, so he could hang out with his friends and Uncle on the Second Island. Baxter agrees to let him do the work somewhere…

K-Krew are tasked with building a Batty City Replica by Baxter. The fake setting is for the Mid-Term Hero Practical Portion of the Mid-Terms. Gundam and Kai-Ku agree to fix it up in exchange for a favor. Well, Kai-Ku is doing it for the favor. Gundam is just willing to do the work. Killion is watching and recording for their new YouTube Channel. K-Krew wants to start an online sensation to make gold pieces. They really want to make money which is fair. Everything costs money in this game.

They made a couple videos throughout the session: breaking a vase remix, using a fire extinguisher on Roshi Nighthill, drawing on Killion’s sleeping face, and a fight video to get their view count up. Then, Professor Stoner Head may have tried to run Killion over with a bus.

Onward to the Second Island with Professor Uncle. He motorboats K-Krew over to the Island and discovers a dark secret. The Seal of Lian Yu, a potential portal to Ninth Hell, had survived the temple’s explosion during “The Surgeon” Arc. Everyone thought they should leave it alone until Principal Gen Kai was at least informed about the situation.

K-Krew decided to create the Battle Arena away from that Seal of Lian Yu. On the other side of Second Island. After getting some work done on the Battle Arena and a random statue of himself, Gundam realized he missed the deadline for the makeup test. I loved how everyone, including the DM, forgot about the whole makeup test deadline. He left Second Island in a hurry and barged into Bon Bon’s bedroom to take the makeup test. It was a super funny situation.

Bon Bon would allow Gundam to take the makeup test after the weekend. Gundam agreed and apologized for the intrusion. Kai-Ku tutored Roshi in the meantime. He missed the deadline as well. Killion took the long rest, not interested in building an absurd Battle Arena.

They worked on it the whole week, skipping classes to complete the arena faster. After they got a fourth of the whole thing done, K-Krew grab an adult supervisor—Professor Stoner Head—and head to Urameshi City. On the way there, the Plane Bus stopped in the middle of a dark meadow. There was an oil leak.

K-Krew had to fix the problem fast when they discovered zombies starting to circle on them. They manage to escape in time, but they made a note about the zombies being located between HERO Academy and Urameshi City.

Sometime after the close call, Kai-Ku opened the bus’s emergency door and fell out with a NAT 1. He was trying something else for the YouTube channel, and it didn’t work. Killion suffered as a result and fell out. He tried to save Kai-Ku and ended up rolling a NAT 1. He hurt his wings. The pain was real. Professor Stoner Head turned the Bus Plane around to pick them up. Kai-Ku and Killion falling together randomly through the sky is starting to become a running gag in this campaign.

Professor Stoner Head and K-Krew arrived at Spirit World Casino. They were gambling with clear goals: Gundam wanted a weapon upgrade and Kai-Ku needed to pay a debt.

K-Krew run into Bran Whitey, a drunk after the whole “Toguro” Incident. K-Krew are done with Bran Whitey, having no sympathy for the pitiful villain after everything he’s done to them in their past encounters. Bran Whitey still challenges them to a drinking contest. It was the only way he could survive without his 20 million fortune.

Kai-Ku won the drinking contest against Bran Whitey, defeating this villain once and for all. Winning the whole pot (500 gold pieces) didn’t hurt either. The rest of K-Krew found Assassin Ante Goblin and played until they won enough gold pieces. This took awhile to be honest, but they eventually found Lady Luck on their side. I could go into detail, but I don’t think it would be wise to talk about a man’s money.

They use their winnings at Koenma’s Weapon Shop. Ogre the Ogre Blacksmith is happy to see them and agrees to work on the Rusty Sword and Shield for Kai-Ku. Killion is into ammunition and bought 600 Gold Pieces worth. Gundam waited for the upgrade from Baxter. He was saving his gold pieces for that. Ogre tells K-Krew he’ll finish the work by tomorrow morning. They agree and promise to return tomorrow morning.

After finishing with Ogre, K-Krew and Professor Stoner Head travel to Spiritual Mountain to check on Kruger, their former Principal. Principal Gen Kai had put Kruger in charge of a temple, and asked K-Krew to check to see if he’s doing a good job considering how he was an awful Principal. They found Kruger had made the whole temple messy including their bedrooms. Kai-Ku ended up sleeping outside while Killion kept trying to fix a clean bed.

Gundam found a corner and stood. War Forged don’t require sleep, but they do go into “shut-down” mode; it’s kind of like a PS4 in rest mode. In the meantime, Kruger fooled the players into playing Assassin Ante and Arm Wrestling with their gold pieces on the line. After Kruger cleaned Kai-Ku and Killion out, Gundam won enough back in an arm-wrestling. He NAT 20 the victory and broke Kruger’s hand.

He wasn’t mad. In fact, Kruger is at peace living at the temple because he found purpose in Spirit World Casino. He’s a full-time gambler and makes a lot of gold pieces there. He found where he truly belonged. K-Krew thought this made sense because they thought Kruger was greedy the entire time he was Principal. Nobody ever saw him do any work.

The following morning. K-Krew said their goodbyes to Kruger, their former principal, and leave with Professor Stoner Head to Koenma’s Weapon Shop. When they arrive to pick up Kai-Ku’s weapons, they find the place covered by police. K-Krew are surprised and decide to investigate the crime scene. After Professor Stoner Head grants them permission to be heroes, they review the security footage. They spot three bandits stealing everything and Professor Gear shooting the security camera.

Professor Gear had stolen Kai-Ku’s weapons.

Kai-Ku summons his weapons back to him (Keyblade Style). Then he found a tracking chip on the shield using an investigation check. Sometime after more theorizing, they get attacked by a barrage of bullets. Killion rolled a NAT 1 saving throw and suffered a critical failure. Those same three bandits were coming down the street.

Gundam used his laser chain gun to take out the three bandits without killing them. Killion healed himself and prepared Magic Missile. Professor Stoner Head undid his mummy bandages, intending to help apprehend Professor Gear.

However, Professor Gear was already ahead of them. He took an officer hostage, gun to the man’s head. Everyone stood down, not willing to risk the officer’s life. They thought Professor Gear had gone too far this time.

Professor Gear simply wanted the weapons back. Kai-Ku didn’t know why, but he refused to hand his Rusty Sword over. Gundam pretended to act selfish and wanted to walk away from the scene. Gear allowed him to leave, thinking Gundam was abandoning his friend. Gundam kept moving, looking back to make sure he isn’t seen. He goes on a rooftop and sets up his sniper. He shot Professor Gear in the shoulder, and Kai-Ku rolled a NAT 20 for grappling the former teacher. Kai-Ku broke the robot’s arm, dislocating it from shoulder.

The police arrest him for this crime on top of his past crimes which included harassing K-Krew back at HERO Academy. After many random encounters throughout the campaign, Professor Gear finally got arrested. Before he’s taken away though, Professor Gear reveals that the original owner of the Rusty Sword hired him to steal it. Kai-Ku wants Gear to tell him where his dad is. Professor Gear doesn’t know, but he wouldn’t tell the boy anyway.

K-Krew want to visit Professor Gear in prison later, but they agree it isn’t a priority at the moment. They need to prepare for the Practice Mid-Terms, the Heroic Situation Portion. Returning to Bubby Island, Gundam and Roshi retake the mid-terms written portion for the third time. Using the power of teamwork, Gundam and Roshi cheat to pass the test.

The next step was to pass the Practice Hero Situation. Regardless of the results they get, K-Krew would still have to take that part of the Mid-Terms. HERO Academy changes the test every year, but they are allowed to use last years for practice. The point of last year’s mid-term exam was to collect points and save citizens.

K-Krew did an amazing job taking the practical mid-term, battle portion. They fought robots (worth 0-3 points) and saved citizens (worth rescue points, unknown to K-Krew). Despite knowing the Giant Robots were worth zero points, K-Krew + Roshi destroyed a couple giant ones—using a Roshi NAT 20—in the name of protecting the citizens.

This act of heroism earned them enough points for a passing grade. Now, they had an idea on what the mid-terms will be like.

After this, K-Krew relax and check on Baxter for weapon upgrades. Since Ogre couldn’t do what they wanted in Urameshi City. Baxter agreed to the task, and took their well-earned gold pieces. To finish out this session, K-Krew and the rest of their NPC friends like Roshi, Spook, Trudy, Marvelous, Shane, Twenty the Goblin, etc. completed the Mid-Term Battle Arena. Gundam added a decent statue of himself to the front entrance. They are looking forward to the season finale session.

We’ll be taking a week-long break, so until next time! Thanks for reading our adventure so far.

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