Let’s Play The 13th Age: 51-63
“13th Age combines the best parts of traditional d20-rolling fantasy gaming with new story-focused rules, designed so you can run the kind of game you most want to play with your group. Created by Rob Heinsoo and Jonathan Tweet, 13th Age gives you all the tools you need to make unique characters who are immediately embedded in the setting in important ways; quickly prepare adventures based on the PCs’ backgrounds and goals; create your own monsters; fight exciting battles; and focus on what’s always been cool and fun about fantasy adventure gaming.”
- Pelgrane Press
Created by some of the designers behind D&D4e, 13th Age combines strategic turn-based combat with a new focus on roleplay and character development.
This is one of the longest-running actual play campaigns out there: it began back when 13th Age was still in development! This campaign stars the Rogue Elements, a bizarre band of troublemakers that have been tasked with saving the Dragon Empire.
The Dragon Empire
The Elements have a lot of ground to cover, a newly acquired airship, and not a lot of time to put those things together.
51: The Northern Colossus
The party makes their way to the Northern Colossus-- where else could the Seat of the Colossus be claimed?!
The party, aided by the sagacious elf Marek Kane, begins their climb up the Colossus... and along the way, discover the true nature of the pilgrimage's challenge as they face shades and reflections of what could have been.
52: Terror of the Tarrasque
A triumphant return to Moteja is marred by the reappearance of the legendary, titanic Tarrasque.
53: Rite Place, Rite Time
The Elements stop for fuel.
The Elements must fight for their lives to get some fuel.
54: En Route To Eridu
With a destination fully across the Empire, the Battlevan has to get airborne the only way the Elements know how: dropping off a cliff. It's time once again for a haphazard trek across the Empire.
55: Empirically Eridu
As day breaks anew in Eridu, Slots is having some confusing flashbacks to the last ceded city he was tangled up in-- Regulus. History repeats itself as Mint gathers intelligence-- and a brand new cube. Margaret and Slots, pursuing opposing plots, each pressure the generally-disliked Marshall Kakobi and the Imperial garrison he leads. Manuél and Mint help out with their own unique twist: far too much alcohol.
56: The Lord Of Devils
A celebration in a new, free Eridu is cut short by a horrible revelation. Rumors that either the Crusader or Diabolist had fallen in battle were grossly incorrect; instead, they had assumed one another's positions and power.
Deep in the nearby Abyss, the former Crusader has risen with an army the likes of which few in the world have ever seen, becoming the Lord of Devils.
57: The Crud In The Cellar
Drakkel takes his turn in the DM's chair with friendly plantfolk Cactus (Ikks), inventive changeling Tran (Eliza), Rip's gross nephew Slamby (Nate), and golem keeper of the house Padriac (Ironicus) rushing to the defense of Equinox Manor from unusually aggressive mutant Chuuls-- the very aberrant creatures whose components recently disappeared from the laboratories beneath the Manor itself!
CREAM HQ
A secret base full of wizard crimes, CREAM is secret, dangerous, and full of painful memories for one Bella Canto. Also THE MOUNTAIN OF SKULLS is here.
58: Concordance
Slots has been deactivated once again, but leaves one final message to the team. Mint, Bella, Scarlett, and Margaret explore the famously harmonious town of Concord.
Their foes, CREAM, hold the Pearl of the Ocean, and their secret lair on the foreboding island of Omen is suspected to receive their supplies from here, meaning it's the best place to plot their infiltration... after some delightful show-and-tell, anyway!
59: One-Eye
The party, as disguised as they'll ever be, board the CREAM vessel-- only to have an old friend return and recount prior adventures. Nav, Priene (Gnome), Mako (Drakkel), and Nikud Adler (Gharbad) lead an attack on the Lich King in hopes of retrieving the Hand of Death and putting an end to the necromantic menace once and for all.
The battle begins on a dark and stormy night...
60: Blocked Out, Blocked In
The Elements arrive on Omen and make their way into the dangerous tangle of living dungeons that reside there. By chance, they discover an ancient-- and more surprisingly on Omen, mostly intact-- Dwarven vault that predates both CREAM and the dungeons. Before they find the treasure trove, however, they must face whatever else the dwarves locked away and let time forget.
61: Snake In The Past
The Elements continue their exploration of the mismatched halls of Omen. A mountain of... ivory gives way to twisting passages, as Scarlett leads the party on to the faint magical signature that must be CREAM's base... but before the team can reach their destination, an ancient structure unseen for ages stands ominously in their path.
62: What Lies In Cream
Finally, we have arrived.
All our plans go just as expected.
Keen eyes may note something strange.
Eventually, however, we are defeated.
63: A Networking Exercise
The CREAM fail-safe lands the Elements and their until-just-now antagonists in a safe room in the middle of nowhere.
After taking the time to sort their thoughts on recent happenings and meeting a variety of... colorful people, the team hatches a daring escape plan to Necropolis. Mako of the Longfin Empire is ready to wage war on the landfolk, and there's no time to wait for CREAM's bureaucratic safety measures.