Monsters, Maces and Magic

Glenn, a college sophomore, has a Sociology 102 paper that requires spending time with an unfamiliar group or culture. Luckily, two hot girls from his class have the same idea: Attend the university’s game club to get material for their papers. A creepy game moderator shows up, ready to start a game of Monsters, Maces and Magic. Glenn doesn’t fret over the GM’s disturbing vibe, figuring it’ll lead to potential fodder for his paper. Moments after rolling up his character and beginning the adventure, Glenn, his two classmates, and three other players are drawn into the game - literally.

Stephi, Kirby, Ron, Derek, and Glenn survived their first adventure into the Dark Heart Swamp and are approached to once again enter the dismal marshland. An elf maiden has been taken captive by a band of goblins, and gold is offered for her rescue. Gold is needed, not only if the party hopes to escape the game world, but to live and survive its perils. Glenn and his party take the mission, even though they weren’t the first choice. Beyond that, the foul swamp and its evil denizen may not be the greatest danger. A seer warns that their greatest threat lies in betrayal.

Eighteen years ago, Tom, a barber college student, got trapped in the Monsters, Maces and Magic game world as Josiah the thief. The first two adventures saw all of Tom’s party members, also trapped within the game world, perish within the fetid depths of the Dark Heart Swamp. His subsequent stint adventuring with NPCs proved short lived. He preferred survival. Over time, Tom became Josiah, adopting a life blending in with the game world’s NPCs. But life, even one lived as a faux NPC, can get interesting. 

With Stephi, now transmorphed into a fairy, the party must do the leprechaun’s bidding. Otherwise, Stephi will remain a diminutive fairy with no hope of returning to her former elf self. But leprechauns aren’t known for their straight dealing, and neither is Higslaff, a manipulative pawnshop owner who possesses what the leprechaun desires. Glenn, Kirby, Stephi, Ron, and Derek - RPG players trapped in the game world as their characters - set off on a mission to Riven Rock, a city rife with cruelty and corruption, and where danger and deceit threaten the party at every turn. 

Higslaff the Pawnshop Owner needs a job done, but the Guild War has taken a toll. Those he’d normally call upon are engaged in some other vital assignment, or dead. He decides to hire Gurk, Jax, Marigold, Lysine, and Kalgore instead. The adventuring party has proven themselves resourceful and effective on previous jobs, not only for himself, but for the local silversmith, and the Church of Apollo. This particular assignment shouldn’t be a problem. 

From the best-selling author of Outpost and Pawn! Kirby is going on his first date, ever, but in the body of his RPG character, Gurk. When vengeful danger rears its ugly head on the nighttime streets of Three Hills City, will the chivalry of a half-goblin thief suffice?

Minutes after being drawn into the Monsters, Maces and Magic world as their characters, the unsuspecting players fell under attack. Kim, having become the warrior monk Byeol, didn’t survive, thanks to a rampaging ogre. But the party’s quest to obtain a Revive the Dead Spell for Kim proved futile. Fortunately, rather than departing, her soul entered the party’s vacant soul gem.