Beyond the Veil

“Stepping cautiously over the bent and broken bodies of the now motionless undead horde, you approach the bolted chest at the centre of this underground tomb. As you all place your hands on the ancient vault and try to pry it open, a deafening shriek pierces the air. Before you rises a ghostly apparition, the spectral form of Madame Mallory Myers herself! Roll initiative.”

“Woah!” The party members scream in terrified excitement, as the final boss of their first campaign is revealed.

After months of preparation and play time, they were here at last and what better place to face a spirit from beyond the grave than the Mason’s haunted barn. The traditional lanterns flickering faintly in the night air and the creaking wooden boards create the perfect atmosphere for their first ever conclusion. They played a lot of one-shot Dungeons and Dragons games, but life always got in the way and holding the attention of a single group from an entire story arc always seemed to be so much harder than expected. Here and now, they would either rise to the occasion or fall as heroes.

A colourful collection of D20 dice roll in a patter of tiny thuds across the dusty earth, glinting in the little firelight. One by one they share their order and prepare to share their turn.

“Okay,” the bard begins, “I inspire my group with a song of our travels, filling them with the confidence to overcome these terrible odds. Umm...A group of travellers young and old, have beaten goblins strong and bold, they never do what they are told, and now will kill this stupid ghost.”

The players laugh and cheer at the muddled, obviously improvised number, grateful that their group is full of friends and is a safe space for all to enjoy silliness that is D&D. Bolstered by the smart game play, the others ready their turns. With magic weapons and spell components in tow, they battle the ghost before them. Back and forth with hits and misses, they feel they’re doing fine until the tide turns and Roderick fails a much needed will save.

“Oh no,” he laughs, “Sorry guys.”

“You see your barbarian’s eyes that have always burned with an unnatural red begin to fill with a misty purple hue, swirling, taking over his senses. He turns away from Madame Mallory and turns his rage on you!” The Dungeon Master smiles a wicked grin as she glances around at the panicked faces of those in her circle, the odds shifting quickly in her favour. “What do you want to do?”

The little gnome rogue jumps in with their sneaky attack, dealing damage to their charmed companion as the others slowly back up. Before long it is the barbarian’s turn to act.

“This is too good,” the player grins, “I full attack.”

With the might and rage of a goliath barbarian, Roderick beats their party member within an inch of their life. Another set of hits like that and they’ll be gone for good. Trading blows with the undead horror the party relies on the cleric to save their gnomish ally, but he has another plan.

“How damaged does Mallory look?” he asks, a chaotic glint in his eye, rolling for his check, “A nine.”

“It’s hard to say,” the DM replies.

Going with his gut, the cleric releases ray of positive energy into the centre of the spectral form where the heart would be. It’s do or die time. If this works, they’ve won the day. If not, the gnome is paste. He shares the damage and awaits the DM’s judgment.

“How do you want to do this?”

The party cheers, victorious. The day is theirs and as the ghost of Madame Mallory is destroyed in a brilliant display of holy light, the mist in Roderick’s eyes fade and he is once again their ally. A triumphant conclusion to a harrowing and emotional adventure they shared these past few months.

With a satisfied smile, the Dungeon Master thanks her players and, glancing around at them all one last time for the night, “Welcome to level 5.”