Using Betrayal at House on the Hill in D&D

This experiment started when a buddy of mine who normally DM's our D&D games approached me and asked if I would DM a scenario for his Birthday. Heck Yes! He wanted to play the character he created to cameo in a campaign I play with my sister's husband and kids and I was more than happy to oblige. We played at Mox' Boarding house in Bellevue you can see our setup and the delicious food to the left.

I had always wanted to make my own scenario but I had never really had the push to get it started. I had read about other people taking their D&D characters into the House on the Hill. They did a great job and you can read about it here. I wanted to take it the other way, instead of playing Betrayal with D&D Characters I wanted to play D&D in the haunted house of Betrayal.

I started by thinking of a scenario that would take all my characters there at the same time. You can just drop the characters in the Mansion, but I had another thought in mind. 2 of the players characters had just finished a campaign and were teleporting back to Waterdeep, and for my buddies character who was still in my family campaign I used his connection to his deity.

Bringing the characters together:
I decided that the characters teleportations would get interfered with, and they would all end up together in a summoning circle surrounded by cultists. I wanted the players to face an immediate threat, something easy that lets the players get into the scenario, lets the characters have a fight together that they can bond over. I find combat a great way to bring a group of strangers together.

Bringing Betrayal into the game:
The summoning room was the Pentagram chamber. I built the house before the game using the room tiles from betrayal, and as the players moved from room to room they flipped the tile and discovers what room was next.

I assumed all rooms were 30' X 30' and drew out blank rooms on a play mat (pictured right) so that for combat or encounters the players could be on the mat, but then as they explore they use the tiles like a mini map. This made the players first task to get out of the haunted house. I made exploring the house a 4 hour encounter, during which they learned the plot of the scenario. Some rooms had monsters they had to fight, some had items to find. The house was haunted by ghosts that just wanted their house left alone and they gave the players a quest to protect the house from the monsters attacking it (the players thought that meant the cultists until they realized the cultists were trying to keep something scarier from breaking down the door to the basement.)

While no event cards or omens were used, having the tiles as a mini map as well as taking influence from the different haunts in Betrayal, (how many haunts had traitors trying to summon some evil into the world in this house) It made for a fun experience for my players.

I loved the experiment of using Betrayal in D&D and it gave me the opportunity to make my own encounter. You can find both games at your local game store or Betrayal at House on the Hill here, and the D&D Players handbook here and basic rules here.

I really hope you try this out!

Once more into the breach

Widows walk is the expansion I didn't dare hope for.

10 years ago I walked out of my local board game store with what would become my favorite board game. It had everything, characters that could grow and get stronger as the game progressed, a changing board so no two games are the same, and a story that changed each time.

I spent that winter with 2 of my best friends most evenings playing a game, then saying one more game 2 or 3 times. Sure sometimes the traitor was just so powerful there was nothing the other 2 could do and other times it swung back the other way, and we loved it.

Over the years I would get this game to the table as much as I could. I introduced everyone I could to this game. I had played most of the scenarios but every once in a while one I had not played would come up and it was glorious. I was running for my life as a blob was engulfing the house, (I didn't get very far).

But I knew a new expansion wasn't coming. I'd read multiple threads citing how Mike Selinker said it wouldn't happen. and then it did.

and then I pre-order it.

and then it arrived

and then I scrambled to get a game night together and people showed up, and while now I was in my living room, I was back in my buddies living room exploring this familiar haunted house for the first time again.

If you are a fan of Betrayal at House on the Hill you will love the expansion.
Get it here

Betrayal at House on the Hill

Betrayal at House on the Hill is this board game I purchased back in 2006 and since then has been one of my favorite games to bring to the table. If I can get 3-6 people at a table to play a game for a couple hours this is usually the one I grab.

You can find a vast number of reviews and instructions on how to play elsewhere on the internet, like here or here, but here's why I like it and why you might.

Who hasn't wanted to explore a haunted mansion with a bunch of strangers any one of them potentially being in cahoots with the entity that is doing the haunting. It has the perfect feel for a Halloween board game.

Perfect for people who want theme and story and are playing just for the sake of enjoying the experience that is Betrayal at House on the Hill.

Not perfect for those who want a very balanced game. Due to the nature of events and items the games can swing in favor of either team, and while that can make for a great story, when you are the traitor and you are getting your face pounded by the player whose character rolled well and was very lucky, it can feel less that balanced.

I highly recommend if you have a friend that owns this game play it, or buy it and be that friend.

You can find it here.

Cooking Class

A few weeks ago I had the idea that I could start a cooking class. I talked to Erica about it and we decided it was a good idea. So this Wednesday I am hosting my first cooking class for other residents of Whipple Park.

I will be teaching how to make a pork loin, with roasted red potatoes, sauteed onions, and a mushroom cream sauce.

A couple weeks ago Nelson, Momma D, Ethan and I went to go see the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.  This is a Tulip Festival that happens every year throughout the month of April.  The area was covered with daffodils and tulips.  There were rows and rows of flowers; it looked like a sea of colors. It was gorgeous!  We were so lucky to have beautiful day.  If you are ever in the Mount Vernon area in April and get a chance to go make sure you take it.  It cost $5 for adults and children under 10 are free.  We each picked out our favorite tulips and took a picture by them; here are Nelson's and mine.

A day at Big White

So today I had the opportunity to Ski at Big White with my brothers. We had bought Geigerrig backpacks. you should check them out  http://www.geigerrig.com/. The backpacks come with a Skullcandy passport that has around 30 free lift tickets at different resorts around the continent and Big White is one of them. The view was amazing, blue skies and a view that stretched out for miles and miles. As we were skiing from where we bought our tickets to the central chair lifts we were cruising down a nice green run. We started down a pretty steep hill and I see my brother almost bite it at the bottom. I think nothing of it until I reach the bottom and the hill flattens out rather abruptly. Luckily my knees held strong and I didn't bottom out literally. The day was filled with beautiful long runs and fun hills. There is a bowl that you can ride the chair lift out of. Its so big that as you are looking around its like a 180 degree view of snow! Very majestic. All in all a great day was had by all at Big White.

Silver Star

Wahoo!! This week Nelson and I are skiing the beautiful land of Canada! We are here with the whole family up at Silver Star. Coming up to Silver Star has been a tradition for Nelson's family for awhile now and I am so glad it is. This is my first big ski trip and it has been a blast. Yesterday was my first day here and it was awesome. Nelson and I took a afternoon lesson which helped me gain more skill and now I feel much more confident on the slopes.

Today was another beautiful day. We went down much more blue runs than yesterday. We even hit up a black diamond on accident. That was a little scary! But I made it down safe and sound. My goal is that by the end of the week I will hit up a black diamond and be able to do it well. Skiing up in a beautiful area with those I love is a great way to spend Valentine's Day. All my love to my family and friends, may you know how much you are loved.