Somehow, I forgot to mention that the third series of D&D podcasts featuring Penny Arcade, Scott Kurtz, and Wil Wheaton (that's me!) has been available for a couple of weeks.
Here are links to the episodes that are currently online:
It's Fallcrest, midwinter, and snow has settled over everything. Acquisitions Incorporated has been holed up in their favorite sanctuary, The Silver Unicorn, enjoying the warmth of a fire. All is calm… until they meet their old acquaintance, Nathan Farringray—looking troubled and with a tale of woe that can only be solved by Acquisitions Inc.
Over at Five League House, Farringray's companion, Barton has been keeping on eye on local bandits. A number of merchant wagons have been besieged in recent days, and the trade route has become jeopardized.
Acquisitions Inc. agrees to perform this small favor, checking on Farringray's friend… with the assumption that adventure will soon find them.
There is something on the roof… a guy on the roof…
Or is there? Sometimes houses just have guys on their roof…. at least so goes the theory so far as what Acquisitions Incorporated saw as they departed Barton's on the way to the Dawnforge Mountains. Hammerfast lies ahead, as are the bandits Acquisitions Inc. is determined to face.
Once at Hammerfast, dwarves are seen milling around… along with the occasional spectral apparition. It seems, the dwarven clan lords who wished to build this place needed to strike a compact with the indigenous—and often cursed—residents.
Marcinda Goldspinner, leader of the dwarven merchants guild, meets with Acquisitions Inc. to discuss the bandits. The Ambershard dwarven bandits!
Through the front doors, Acquisitions Inc. enters a snow-covered yard surrounded by a 20-foot wall. In the middle of the yard, a cabin waits, smoke rising from its chimney. A giant boar lies sleeping alongside the side of the cabin. And inside, they know, lives Thazin Stormbellow.
How well can an angry dwarf carrying a shield and a hammer sneak past a sleeping boar? Answer: Not very.
Roll for initiative.
I loved playing in this adventure, not only because I got to sit down and hurl polyhedrons with some of my favorite people in the world, but also because we all did a ton of roleplaying this time around. In fact, there isn't even a combat encounter until the third episode.
And for those of you keeping score at home, his name is AEOFEL. Not Al. Godsdammit, I swear to Melora.
New episodes come out every Friday, and while you can subscribe in iTunes or whatever to have them automatically show up, I strongly encourage you to actually visit the podcast page at Wizards, so you can see the artwork that accompanies each episode.
Until next time, Jim winks!