Dad narrates as how Houseworth’s crossbow bolt soars into the air and slams into the dragon, inflicting minor damage. Then he turns to me.

“Naa’ril, the huge red dragon looks barely irritated, but it’s your turn, what are you going to do?”

I bite my lip. “I cast Guiding Bolt!” the first-level spell uses one of my spell-slots, and I roll. “Does a 12 hit?”

Dad shakes his head.  “As the glowing bolt of energy flies from your fingertips, it curves in mid-air, right on target, but the dragon dips a wing and bats it away!”

I wince, and Dad raises his arms, spreading them like wings, his wizard robes billowing. “The dragon roars, starting to swoop down, its terrible jaws wide, as it roars! Everybody, give me Wisdom saving throw!”

I roll. “16!”

Mum tosses her dice. “15 for me!”

Dana and Jeffrey roll, one after the other. “13!” “…6.”

Houseworth winces, and I blink at the open show of what looks like actual frustration on his digital face. “I got an 11…”

Dad sucks air through his teeth. Everyone who just rolled below a 15, you are frightened for one minute!”

Three groans rise, as he continues. “After it roars, the dragon makes three attacks! I’m going to roll a d10 three times to determine who gets hit!” he snatches up a dice, barely looking, and rolls the first time. "Helm! The dragon lunges, snapping its jaws at you! Does a… 29 hit?”

Houseworth blinks. “I have an AC… of 19. What do you think?” he says, sounding dazed.

Dad grins. “The dragon’s fangs close around your forearm for a second, and you take… 8 piercing and 1 fire damage!”

He rolls the d10 again, and points at Jeffrey. “The monk! Prepare for the claw!” he rolls. “I’m guessing a 25 beats your AC, yes?”

“Oh damn! Yeah, I’m hit!” Jeffrey grits his teeth, as the damage die roll.

“Ironhand, you receive 7 slashing damage as the dragon’s claws shriek, scraping over your metallic chassis!”

Dad rolls for the third hit. “The warlock!” He smiles at his wife, and mum sticks her tongue out at him.

“Does a 17 hit, my love?”

Mum nods, and starts to smirk, causing dad to pause as he announces the damage. “Nesta takes 8 damage…. Why are you looking at me like that?”

Mum cackles, “I cast Armour of Agathys before the fight, so… I only take three as the Armour shatters, and the dragon suffers 5 damage for every point the armour had. It has 5 points, so… the DRAGON takes 25 damage, no save!”

Dad splutters, before clapping in glee. “Excellent planning, Sylvia! For that, you get Inspiration!”

Mum grins as the damage for both is marked off. Dad lets out a snarl. “As the dragon brings its other set of razor claws down upon the undefended warlock, her clothes ripple with a sheet of thick ice, which blocks the force of the blow, allowing her to escape with only a shallow gouge in her upper shoulder. However, the magically-conjured ice tears open the dragon’s clawed forelimb, causing it to rear back, bellowing in agonized fury! Nesta, you’re on deck! What do?!”

My mum throws her hands up, and lets out a warcry. “ELDRITCH….BLAAAAAAST!”

Dad claps. “Roll to hit, and you have two beams now, I believe?”

Mum nods, and snatches up her dice, making her first roll.  “24 to hit, and the second beam… 20 to hit!”

Dad whoops, “BOTH make full contact!” Mum holds up a finger. “I’m using my Eldritch Invocations! I add 4 to the damage of both beams with Agonizing Blast, and it’s knocked back 10 feet for every hit, thanks to Repelling Blast.”

Dad goggles. “Damn scary Warlocks…” he mutters, loud enough for us all to hear.

Mum’s damage rolls in. 4 Force, plus her Charisma, 8. Second beam 8 Force plus 4 Charisma mod, 12. Mum’s just done 20 Force damage to a dragon, in ADDITION to the 25 piercing from her Armour of Agathys!

Dad huffs. “As the beams of pure arcane essence slam into the dragon, it’s unprepared for the sheer power behind the attack. Thrown off it’s hindclaws, it staggers back, beating its wings to maintain its balance, twenty feet back from the seemingly-weak and fragile Warlock!”

Dad grins. “And with that, we’re back to the top of the round! Faeln, what’s your game-plan? You can use your turn to try to run, or try to break out of your frightened state! In fact, everyone who’s frightened, I’ll give you advantage, because of the absolute war-crimes my wife just committed against the dragon.”

Dana grabs a dice. “I’m going to try to make a Wisdom save to break free of the frightened condition!” she rolls. “19, +! Wisdom mod…20!”

Dad nods. “The Lizardfolk Ranger shakes his head and narrows his secondary eyelids. This dragon isn’t so tough. The Warlock’s just given it a thrashing, after all!”

He turns to Jeffery. “Your turn, Ironhand! What do?”

Jeffrey grins. “I’m gonna try and break free of the fear, too.” He rolls, and then curses. “Best is an 8…”

Dad nods. “Still frightened, then. Next up, our Dwarf! Helm?”

Houseworth simply rolls. “Damn it… 13 is the best I can do. I assume that means I’m still frightened?”

Dad nods. “Yeah, sorry buddy. Who’s up next...? Naa’ril! You’re up!”

I grin. “Remember the rewards we’ve been gathering from wiping out the cult in Glenhollow? Well… I’m using one of them!”

I gesture to my character sheet. “I’m going to drink a Potion of Speed, using my Free Action. Then, I’m going to Dash, using my doubled movement, which is doubled by the potion, so… 240 feet, and climb up the tower to the siege weapon!”

Dad looks in delighted awe at me. “You’re using the potion?! I LOVE IT when they do that!” he throws his head back, laughing. I grin. “I still have an action left, thanks to the potion!” I tease. “I want to fire the ballista at the dragon!”

Our DM grins right back at me. “Alright, then! Give me a second…” he mutters something as he pulls out a measuring tape, lining it up…. “Yep, the dragon is exactly in line, thanks to Nesta’s Eldritch Blast! No need to adjust, you can just… fire, I guess! Make three attacks with whatever ranged weapon you have, with advantage, and the damage is 1d12 per ballista bolt!”

I start to roll. First bolt… “16!”

“That hits! Roll the next attack?”

“17 this time!”

“Alright, two hits! Can she make it a hat-trick?!”

I roll for the final bolt. “…. 23!”

A cheer goes up. Dad grins. “Roll 3d12, Kylie! Let’s see those big damage numbers!”

I roll my dice. “18 damage in total.”

Dad grins. “As the bolts fly from the ancient weapon, they impact firmly, striking the dragon with loud, splintering cracks! All three bolts fragment, but, from the way the dragon reels, the strikes did some damage. It takes off, unsteadily weaving, as it turns and flees! Helm and Ironhand, the Frightened condition is gone, and you may both take a ranged Attack of Opportunity against it, since you didn’t have much of a chance to do anything.”

The two grin and roll dice. Houseworth grins. “23 to hit, 10 piercing damage!”

Dad howls, rising to his feet, “yes! The bolt strikes home, causing the fleeing red dragon to lurch and roar in pain!”

Jeffrey uncovers his dice with a slow, sadistic grin. “Nat 20, Mr DM. Can I launch the dart straight up the dragon’s butt?”

Dad stares down at the dice, the truth of Jeffrey’s words stark and plain. He sits down, heavily. “I’ll tell you what. I’m gonna roll a d20, and if it’s an 11 or higher, it’s coming right back for round two.”

He rolls. “A…7. Well, fuck. I wasn’t expecting you to do so well, to be fair. I THREW A DRAGON AT YOU GUYS!” He starts to laugh, marking off the damage from Helm and Ironhand’s attacks.

“Congratulations, you lot. You’ve successfully repelled the dragon, without killing it, without dying yourselves, and without even suffering that much damage! You all get a level up!”

As everyone starts cheering and clapping, I instinctively grab Dana’s hand, and pull her into a kiss. She reciprocates easily, just like we’ve been doing in-game. The silence around us reminds me of something. This… ISN’T in-game. We’re in my house, in the real world, kissing. In front of my parents.

Parting my lips from Dana’s I turn to look at my mum and dad. “Uh…. Yeah…”

Dad looks stunned, and mum has a look on her face that just screams ‘oh-my-god-yes’.

I bite my lip. “Um, Dana and I are kinda dating, I guess, in the real world? We’ve been together in Aegis Online since just before the Ancient Lich King fight.”

Mum turns, eyes wide and sparkling, to dad. “Thomas? I ship it!!!!”

I blink. “I’m… sorry?”

Dad chuckles. “She means she thinks you make a really cute couple, Kylie. Congratulations, both of you!”

The doorbell rings, and Houseworth tilts his head, one eye going camera-like. “There’s a deliveryman at the door for you, Master Thomas. Shall I go and fetch it for you?”

“Oh, awesome! No, thank you, Houseworth. I’ll deal with it. Thanks for letting me know!” Dad heads for the door as Dana pulls me close for a squeeze. “Ah, they’d have to know sooner or later, cutie. I’m happy to be open about our relationship. Anyway, I’d better get home, I need to login to Aegis Online. See you in-game?” she squeezes me, and I blush, nodding.

“Alright, see you soon, darlin’!”

As dad chuckles menacingly, stroking the delivered parcel, giving us all a long, taunting stare, as if daring us to ask. Dana leaves, and I help clear up after our tabletop game, smiling. Jeffrey leaves, promising to meet up with me in-game.

Once I’m ready, I head up to my room, changing into my podwear, and slip in. “Pod, please load Aegis Online, thank you.”

“Of course, Kylie. Don’t spend too long playing, alright?” My dad’s voice comes through the pod’s speakers, and I close my eyes, feeling a slight falling sensation, and…

 

 

I open my eyes, feeling rough sheets under my back, and sit up. I’m in my bed in the Claymore’s Grave, the tavern in Vassim. Swinging myself out of bed, I equip my armour and sling my swordspear and greatshield onto my back, my wings furled tight enough that they won’t interfere with my armaments. Making my way downstairs, I pay for my room at the bar. Checking my quest log, I pause. That one I picked up before the fight with the Fear of the Endless Desert, ‘The Sleeping Manor’. I still haven’t touched it. Asteria said she wanted in, but we got side-tracked by the raid boss. I shoot her a quick message, asking her to join me in the Claymore’s Grave, without streaming.

Looking to the barkeep, I ask her. “Hey, can I have some of that apple brandy from last time? And I’d like to ask about something, if that’s okay?”

The barkeep nods, fetching my drink and taking payment. “Sure, what d’you want to ask?”

I tilt my head. “There’s this creepy manor-house out in the Old District. Do you know anything about it?”

The woman leans on the bar as I sip my drink. “Oh, I’ve had more than one customer come staggering in, swearing up an’ down that the place is haunted. They swear oaths that there’s ghosts and evil spirits roamin’ the halls. That place ‘as been standin’ empty for… oh, almost a hundred years. Why’re you asking about that wretched place?”

I swallow. “Well, I took a quest to investigate the rumours, so I’m trying to gather any information I can about the manor-house before I go in. I’m waiting on my friend, too. There’s no way I’m going in alone.”

The barkeep nods, before pausing. “That spear of yours is going to be a problem, you know? It’s too long. Wait a second, I think I have… something… that’ll… help.” She begins rummaging in a large cupboard, her back to me.  “Ah! Perfect. This’n might be more suitable!”

She turns and thumps down a beautiful mace. It’s engraved with silver chasing up the full length of the handle, with a head made up of a ball of chisel-like blades jutting out at every angle, runes carved into the tip of each spike. When I reach out and pick it up, it’s surprisingly chunky, with a nice heft to it, and, even better, it has an elemental affinity for two types of damage! I smile.  “Oh, yeah, this’ll be perfect! How much?”

She shrugs. “It’s just something a guest left behind in their room. I really don’t care what happens to it, but if you wanna, I’ll take fifty ducats for it.”

 I count out the coins, before stashing my spear in my inventory, slinging my new mace onto my belt. Dana strolls into the tavern, smiling at me, as I wave. “Heeey, over here!”

She joins me, her sabre at her hip, kissing my cheek. “So, haunted house time?”

I nod, feeling a shiver run down my back. “Y-yeah… let’s go, before I lose my nerve.”

Exiting the bar after finishing my drink, I wrap my wings around myself, like a feathery safety blanket, my girlfriend at my side, as we make our way across the bridge from the Central District to the Old District.