D&D via Email

My group plays every Monday but early on it became clear that they all wanted more. I couldn't run more than one game a week but I decided we could do some stuff via email. What you see below is an example of something we do quite a bit now. Essentially it is a story that I as the DM build based on their checks. I like to think of this as a quick time event in a video game. They are attempting to make the right checks to keep the cinematic experience progressing.

To help you make sense of what is going on: Text in italics is for stuff happening in game. Normal text is for stuff outside of the game like rolls and stuff. We use an online rolling app that we all log into so that we can verify everyone's roll.

Marrek: The Human Warlord, played by Kiko
Gnasc: The Gnoll Rogue, played by Alex
Celence: The Elf Invoker, played by Porkfry
Benadrix: The Dragonborn Paladin, played by Brad
148: The Warforged Fighter, played by Travis

DM: That's me.

To set this up, the party has just arrived in Fallcrest. A large town that is under the thumb of a ruthless tyrant. The city is patrolled by guards who break up all gatherings of more than four people. When the story starts they have just come from a tavern where they got caught up in a bar fight that ended with a few Fallcrest guards dead. Needless to say they are in a spot of trouble. They've been told they can find sanctuary in a place called the Nentir Inn. Everything you see below took place via email over the course of a couple days.

Marrek

Streetwise check: 18

Marrek signals for the party to remain in the alley. He asks Gnasc for his cloak and slips it on over his armor, pulling the hood up over his head. He looks back at the party, “If I’m not back in 10 minutes I want you to try and get out of Fallcrest. The gates will be well guarded so your best bet will be…” Benadrix grabs Marrek’s arm “we’ll be fine. Watch yourself out there.” Marrek nods and slides out of the alley and falls into the wave of people moving along the narrow street.

The party waits in tense silence. Celence whispers “How will we know how long it’s been. I can see no clock”. “It has been exactly four minutes and seventeen seconds since Marrek departed.” 148 responds. Benadrix hides a wide smile as he turns back to watch the entrance to the alley.

The flow of people past the alley is steady. Most of them seem to be heading northwest. Benadrix struggles to remember the map of Fallcrest. What’s over there? The Nentir river? “It has been exactly seven minutes and 32 seconds since Marrek departed.” 148 announces. Gnasc sits up and whispers “he’s back” a second later marrek rounds the corner and enters the alley. He pulls off the cloak and tosses it back to the Rouge. “I know where we’re going. The Nentir Inn is just north of us. The roads are teaming with guards though. We’ll need to stay sharp and possibly even split up.”

Marrek

Since there is 5 of us, it's probably best that we split into no more than 2 groups.

148

Turning to regard his friends 148 says "My friends individually we already stick out in the crowed of Low Town more than is ideal at this moment, and while a Human, an Elf, and a Dragonborn my be seen about the city, a Gnoll and a Warforged are I am sure few and far between. Knowing that groups of more than five are regularly split up by the High Town Army we already would pull glances from the guards, and they are most likely looking for a group of our make up." Throwing his cloak about his shoulders and pulling the hood low 148 contenues, "I think that it is best if we split up, twos at most."

Looking to Marrek "While I know you and Gnask have traveled together for a long time, but I believe," looking toward Benadrix, "we all can agree that your level head may be the only thing to keep our green friend here from declaring war on the entire town." Looking to Celence, "Gnask is capable if blending into the shadows and moving undetected in even the most hostile environments, so I believe that leaves you and I. Shall we be off? I believe that it is best we not tarry here for much longer."

Gnasc

Stealth check: 26

Celence

Stealth check: 8

Marrek

There goes the apple cart.

Marrek watches as Celence and Gnasc slip off into the crowd of people heading northwest towards the river.

Celence Looks nervously around the crowd. Gnasc whispers to her "Come on, I'll be close." Then he moves off north towards the Inn. A large man carrying a sack of something over his shoulder passes in front of Celence and then Gnasc is gone. "Great" she says and begins making her way down the street. She pulls the hood of her cloak up over her head and presses on though the crowd. She spares the occasional glance around looking for Gnasc but there's no sign of the Rogue. "How in the name of Erathis does an eight foot tall dog man just disapear?" she thinks. Then someone coming the other direction slams into her. She's thrown backwards but manages to stay on her feet. When she looks up she is staring into the face of a Fallcrest guard. He is a young man with a red face. He looks to Celence like he belongs on a farm rather than in a suit of armor. "Watch where you're going!" he shouts at her. "You know attacking a Fallcrest guard is grounds for arrest!". Someone shouts from behind the guard "What isn't grounds for arrest these days!". The guard spins around "Hey who said that?" he yells. "Show yourself!"

Celence lowers her head again. and tries to move past the guard but he grabs her arm just above the elbow and twist her back around. "Aren't you forgetting something?" he says just inches from her face.

Across the street Gnasc watches the scene play out and sighs.

Gnasc

Bluff Check: I rolled a crit. 33 "GUARDS! THERE'S A CRAZY MAN IN MY MAGIC BAG! HELP!" or something like that.

148

athletics check: 19

Marrek

athletics check: 24

Benadrix

athletics check:23

Meanwhile Marrek, Benadrix and 148 scale the side of the nearest building. Once on top of the roof they stay low and creep slowly towards far side. The buildings here are all stacked on top of each other with little room between. large beams jut out from store fronts holding wooden signs or colorful flags. The three adventurers have little trouble navigating the uneven terrain. They make their way from roof top to roof top often leaping over narrow alley ways to or ducking behind chimneys to remain out of sight. Eventually they find themselves across the street from the Nentir Inn. As Marrek watches, a group of guards exit the inn and plant themselves directly in front of it's door. He continues to watch but the guards show no sign of moving.

The guard squeezes Celence's arm tighter and pulls her towards him. "Where's my apology?" he spits. Celence's hand tightens into a fist as she begins to whisper a series of magical words. Before she can finish the incantation though a scream reaches them from somewhere behind her. "Help! Guards! Over here!" the voice is thin and shrill. Immediately the guard holding Celence releases her and draws his sword charging off in the direction of the scream. Celence watches him go and then feels a sharp tug on her arm. Gnasc is in front of her now pulling her through the crowd. "follow" he hisses and she does.

Eventually the pair end up on the corner opposite the Nentir Inn. A group of four guards stand outside talking and laughing with each other.

Marrek

Looks like we need a distraction. Anyone else have a more subtle method rather than having Benadrix FlameBreath a rubbish pile down the street?

Gnasc

Find a crazy homeless person, give him a few gold and that red cape you took from that guy and tell him he is the new captain of the guards. Send him down the street screaming, letting everyone know he is the new captain of the guards

Marrek

Perception check: 20

Marrek pulls away from the edge of the roof and drops down into the alley alongside the building. A man reeking of piss and beer is passed out behind some discarded kegs. Marrek hauls the filthy man up onto his feet and shakes him vigorously. one of the bums eyes opens slowly and then the other. He blinks a few times and then frowns. "Whydyuwakmeup?" he slurs.

Marrek

Slipping the fine cloak over the man's neck, Marrek reaches deep within himself and stares straight into the vagabond's eyes. "Friend, I know that your future seems dark and your prospects few, but there is a new dawn rising for Low Town. The noble Fallcrest of old needs you. Will you act?"

Diplomacy check: 30

The man's eyes seem to clear, his posture changes as well. He straightens up and sets his jaw. Raising a hand to his brow he salutes the Warlord. "I am yours to command sir".

Marrek smiles and pats the him on the shoulder. "Good man." he says. "Now here is what I need you to do."

Celence and Gnasc continue to watch the Guards in front of the Inn, waiting for them to leave. Suddenly a filthy man bursts out of an alley further down the street. He's wearing a red captains cloak and waving his arms in the air. He stops in front of the guards and bows dramatically while shouting "Behold the captain of a horses arse, Idol of idiot worshipers!" Then he smiles and darts off into the crowd with the furious guards on his heels.

Gnasc smiles beneath his hood.

Gnasc

Gnasc would like to stealth inside to check and make sure the coast is clear.

Stealth check:23

Gnasc leans over to Celence and whispers "wait right here." and before she can respond the Rogue is gone. She searches the street but can see no sign of him. She turns her attention back to the Inn and sees the door open. A man looking a bit tipsy stumbles through the door and, wait...did she just see the Gnoll slip inside before the door slammed shut? "How does he do that?" she wonders again.

Gnasc slips into the Inn and sees a Tall half elf behind the front counter. The common room is empty except for a man in red robes reading a book near the fireplace. Gnasc slides past the desk and examines the top floor. The Inn has eight rooms and Gnasc detects no one inside any of them. Besides the innkeeper and the man with the red robes, the place is empty.

Gnasc

Making his way back outside, Gnasc quickly made his way to the alley that the new Captain of the guard had come from and looked for the other members of his pack. Catching their scent, he looked up towards the roof and uttered "It's clear. Get inside." before disappearing into the crowd again. Making his way back to Celence, he hoped that she hadn't made any new friends in his absence.

That took place between games via email. When we had our next game on Monday they were all at the Inn and we started from there. We end up doing something like this just about every week.