The Tomb of Horrors. An adventure synonymous with character death. Its reputation for brutality is well known and often repeated in anything but hushed tones. Almost all D&D players have tried their hand at this iconic adventure at some point in their gaming career. So when an ambitious DM decided to gather experienced gamers, none of whom had ever actually played Tomb of Horrors before, and run them through the 4e re-imagining of the most brutal adventure ever written, he was surprised to actually find five experienced gamers who fit this criteria. A sixth player who had recently run the Tomb of Horrors for the kids at D&D Camp filled the sixth seat but agreed not to be the party’s decision-maker. With the party complete, the adventure begins.

Our DM shared his initial thoughts on how he planned to run this adventure in the article Unearthing the Tomb of Horrors which we published a couple of weeks ago. Now that we’ve got a few sessions completed we’re ready to share the first three actual play podcasts of our delve into the Tomb of Horrors.

Before we get into the podcasts I’d like to introduce the DM and the players. If you listen to the actual play podcasts on The Shattered Sea then you’ll recognize a lot of the voices gathered around the Tomb of Horrors.

• The DM is Monty Martin. Monty uses the alias Steampunked when contributing to Dungeon’s Master. Monty was the D&D Encounters Dark Sun DM and a regular in the Shattered Sea campaign.
• Liam Gallagher who uses the alias Bauxtehude when contributing to Dungeon’s Master, is the only player at the table familiar with the Tomb of Horrors. Liam is the DM of the Shattered Sea campaign and was the DM during D&D Encounters Season 1.
• Although I post regularly at Dungeon’s Master using the alias Ameron, my friends use my real name – Derek Myers – when I’m playing the Tomb of Horrors, D&D Encounters and the Shattered Sea.
• Matthew Domville you’ll recognize as a staple from the Shattered Sea campaign.
• The final (and no less important) players rounding out the party are Bryan Cort, Josh Hagley and Tom McGee (although Josh doesn’t join the Tomb of Horrors until episode 4).

Please note that these podcasts feature adults using strong adult language. Our intent is not to upset our listeners, and we apologize in advance if anything we say is deemed vulgar, off-colour or offensive.

Tomb of Horrors Episode #1: Interview with Monty Martin

The first episode is an interview with the DM, Monty Martin. He provides his insights on the Tomb of Horrors, shares some of the history of the adventure and its many incarnations, as well as a few house rules he’s decided to introduce while he’s running the show.

Episode 1 | Launch Podcast

Tomb of Horrors Episode #2: Session 1 Part 1

We begin play by introducing all of the characters and explaining why they’ve undertaken this adventure. When the exploration begins the party gets its first taste of the death traps in the Tomb of Horrors.

Episode 2 | Launch Podcast

Tomb of Horrors Episode #3: Session 1 Part 2

After a few close brushes with death (and no fatalities so far) some party members let their curiosity get the better of them and they start acting impulsively despite warnings to proceed with caution. Even though this party hasn’t fought together before, they manage to hold their own against the first real monster they face in the Tomb of Horrors.

Episode 3 | Launch Podcast

Over the next few weeks we’ll have more Tomb of Horrors goodies including additional podcasts and an in-depth look at the rationale behind our character concepts and magic item selections. Be sure to visit The Shattered Sea for more actual play podcasts of the Tomb of Horrors and the ongoing adventures of the Shattered Sea campaign.

Related reading (listening):

• Tomb of Horrors: Actual Play Podcasts (Part 1)
• Tomb of Horrors: Actual Play Podcasts (Part 2)
• Tomb of Horrors: Actual Play Podcasts (Part 3)
• Tomb of Horrors: Actual Play Podcasts (Part 4)

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