The Adventure Zone: MaxFunCon East Live

"Hello, everyone. Griffin had a baby, so I'm Mr. Low Voice this time. Lowwwww-vooooice. Are you ready for adventure? We have one for you. Like you wanted. We recorded it at Max FunCon East in September. We hope you like it, very much! Regular Low Voice Guy will be back next time. Oh, and be sure to join us in the middle, and by us I mean me and Justin [snicker] for an exciting announcement! Anyway, are you ready to enter... the Adventure Zone!"

Synopsis
''Griffin and Rachel had a baby! But that's not the only bundle of joy being delivered this week! We have a very special episode recorded live at MaxFunCon East! Our adventurers have been through a lot together, but they don't always work so well together. Well, the BoB higher ups have noticed and they've decided to do something about it! So join the fellas (and a very special guest!) as they grow closer as coworkers and friends!''

Welcome to the Podcast! The set up:
The Tres Horny Boys, as members of the Bureau of Balance, are on a mandatory, weekend-long, corporate team-building retreat at a woodland complex called Camp Goodfriend in the Trollbarg Forest.

The event was organized by the Director of the Bureau of Balance, who began to notice a slight resentment or jealousy between the different teams of the Bureau of Balance.

For the first two days, everyone participated in typical retreat activities: Seminars on effective corporate communication, panels led by HR representatives on workplace etiquette, some bonfires with musical accompaniment led by Johann the Bard. Tres Horny Boys has their own bunk, where:
 * Merle has been making lanyards
 * Magnus has been doing some Fantasy Skeet Shooting with arrows (it's been going poorly)
 * Taako has been sleeping in a lot and blowing off as many activities as he could

Teamwork makes the Dream Work
On the final day everyone participates in Trial of Teamwork, which the event’s organizers and counselors have promised to be a completely transformative experience which will change your lives and allow you to relate to your fellow human--or elf or dwarf or whatever--in ways that you’ve never imagined. It involves entering a dungeon in teams of four and somehow coming out closer than ever. Avi, Johann, Leon, and the Director have just been through it.

Art Goodfriend, the head counselor, invites them to sign up for the Trial of Teamwork. Teams need to have four people, but Brad Bradson specifically requested to join their team!

Carey, Killian, Noelle, and Angus walk out, tears of joy streaking their faces. Angus is riding on Noelle's shoulders, and is excited about what they'll learn.

Into the Dragon's Maw!
They deposit all their magic items and walk into a dungeon decorated like bad haunted house. The walls are all made of papier-mâché. There's a sign that says, “Enter Colleagues, Exit Best Friends." A portcullis drops to keep them inside, but Magnus is strong enough to lift it, so he does a few times.

They descend a few flights of stairs down to the first challenge.

The first trial - The Floor is Made of Lava!
About 6 inches off the ground is a series of five 6½ foot long planks of wood, the ends of which are resting on small, circular metal pegs built into the ground, they make a zigzag pattern over a span of 30 feet, and you notice that below this series of planks, or essentially this low ropes course, is red carpet. The floor is made of lava, Art explains, and they must use teamwork to get across.

Magnus runs across without any trouble.

Merle attempts to jump 30 horizontal feet. He rolls an 8, jumping five feet, and then rolls a 17 acrobatics check to to land on his belly on the plank.

Brad tears a bunch of strips of paper in the form of the planks, and figures out the best way across. He encourages Merle on his way.

Taako casts Levitate and floats over the whole obstacle like a grown man.

They earn one Teamwork Penalty (TP). The meaning of the trial, as communicated by Art over the loudspeaker, is, "we all walk the same path in life, and it's easier with help from your friends!" and not "the floor is made of lava," as postulated by Magnus.

The second trial - The Wooden Wall
15 feet tall, 7 feet wide, and several feet deep, made of wood. In this challenge they need to climb the wall.

Magnus tries to jump, plant railsplitter, and pull himself up the 15 feet. He rolls to attack the wall, then rolls athletics to climb the rest of the way up. Magnus lowers an arm down.

Taako casts reduce on the wall, making it 2 feet tall. Magnus essentially falls 8 (12) feet down, and bruises his ribs on the wall, taking 7 points of damage.

As Brad steps over the wall, he casts "healing word" on Magnus by rubbing his shoulder and saying "feel better, friend."

Merle still tries to jump over it, rolls a 3, trips and falls on his face.

Taako walks over the wall, and he kicks Merle in the ribs. Magnus trips Taako, causing him to stumble.

Brad is taking a lot of notes. They earned another Teamwork Penalty. Obviously. The trial was supposed to teach them that "sometimes life throws obstacles at you, and it's easier to get over them with your friends."

The third trial - Trust Falls
It's a little anticlimactic, because now it's only 2 feet tall. Magnus immediately trust falls and nobody catches him. Taako falls, Magnus catches him, they all move on with their lives. Brad arms-wide-opens back into Magnus's arms, except Magnus moves. Brad understands, but gets gum in his ponytail.

Magnus cuts his ponytail off, with a crit 20. His new haircut looks GREAT.

Merle jumps and flips backwards, not really trust falling but it was good. They earned another Teamwork Penalty. This was supposed to teach them Trust.

The Money Zone
Presented by Justin! MVMT watches

To Jay Scoot Jewelrobber from Chelsea Jewelrobber: You won't believe my Naperville paper mill whippoorwill stable bill, but April will; she'll believe anything. Hail Eirus, thank you for being a genius-weirdo nerd who invents things like computer-generated poetry or dumb tongue twisters that you repeat at me until I hate them, but who also genuinely loves and supports me. I'm glad we're forever-buddies.

For Jay! From Jay! Message: Jay!

For Iris Explosion from Zelma Zelma: Happy birthday to my favorite naked weirdo, and true sexpert -- soon to have a degree on your wall to prove it -- may your birthday herald a year of success and luck, you deserve it. Love, Zelma.

(News: The Adventure Zone graphic novel!)

Featured NPCs

 * Art Goodfriend; owner, administrator, and counselor of Camp Goodfriend

Featured Locations

 * Camp Good Friend

You only thought he was dead

 * JUSTIN: My name is Steven Amell, you may know me better as TV’s The Arrow. You’ve certainly already guessed that from my pecs and sculpt of my body. But I--this whole time I’ve been playing uh, the elven wizard Taako.
 * [Audience cheers.]
 * GRIFFIN: And we’ve left a seat open for Elijah! For--for nerdy Elijah. Nerdy roleplaying--uh, let’s hop right into it!

"Camp Goodfriend: helping you to be a better us!"

"You have to trust in the Universe to provide, death sometimes..."