The Cold Road Pt 1 (D&D Story)

Wades In Shadows: / diceandbrews
Sweet William: / stabbyquest
And of course, sweet simple Daveh: / raisins
MORE Info & LINKS COMING SOON but for now:
MUSIC CREDITS:
Covert Affair - Film Noire by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/
Ghost Processional (Alternate) by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/
Tiptoe out the back - Dan Lebowitz
9th Symphony, Finale - Beethoven
Amalfi - The Barr Brothers
Seahorse - Rondo Brothers
Northern lights - Chris Haugen
Day of recon (sting) - Max Surla/Media Right Productions
Bonito - Rondo Brothers
See your soon - Otis Mcdonald
animated spellbook d&d unanimated campaign diary dungeons and dragons

[@zeebashew]

The resolution of that fight: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXuxfYqGfsaahaM

[@AllorNothingLA]

Love this story and glad you share them with us, awesome adventure.

[@kjadfhgioaudbfvilaeu]

NOICE! TY!

[@Hello_Sun_]

PLs moar of this story! pls this long story styles awesome

[@federicosaccavino1866]

I love all your videos, but can you please slow down a litle for all of us non native english speakers? Btw you are the main reason that got me back to dnd! Thanks for everything

[@morganb6717]

as an avid climber ( *cough* bullshit. climbing out of bed is occasionally a challenge. ) i can, with no mistake, tell you that the word you mean to use, "piton", is commonly pronounced _pee/tahn,_ (haha, yes. snicker snicker) not _pie/ten._ it's French in origin, if that helps to understand why. yes, this is far too late to make a difference to this story, which i found very entertaining, but it's just something you can take with you should you have need to refer to them in future.

[@ehkesoyo]

"I'm not going to animate this one" still does some kickass illustration.

[@Capt.Thunder]

If this is what you mean by "unanimated" then Jesus, I could do with a few more "unanimated longerform content".

[@seppusesu2608]

This is more of a storyboard rather than "Animated". Animated suggests that there is in between frames and at least semi smooth movements. A storyboard is simply still pictures that can be moved around (a pan or a rotation) to show the main information of the story! Source- I'm an animator

[@RikThunder33]

I'd say it passes as animatic. - animator

[@johnathanriley188]

Can you upload the rest of this campaign pretty please. I really want to know what happens to them. Keep up the good work

[@heathenpride7931]

That final “you’ve got a lot to answer for when we get up there” was absolutely chilling. Good job, GM.

[@boybee9859]

4:01 "That wasn't flying; that was falling with style!"

[@rollforapples6625]

Wade had the healing cigar with him when he had blinked into the fire. Have it have caught on fire when he was standing in the campfire and now is producing a healing smoke to help him and the others recover enough HP to keep going to either retreat or push through things. Wick wanted it when he had a messed up leg so it's got to do some nice healing. Long story short, Wade is now a healing potion humidifier.

[@chrisschoenthaler5184]

Roll for apples Nope. As we learned from a later video, the cigar actually swaps the HP of two entities. Wick was going to heal himself by crippling one of them.

[@2bobthetramp]

Is that a Dragonborn Bard with a wardrum? Because that's badass.

[@zeebashew]

YES!

[@williamschar2959]

The Kenku steps forward, and in so many words, gets the goblins to stand down and take them prisoner instead. He feels obliged to offer them the same... chance to live they offered him. Granted they'll find themselves tied up and in the clutches of frost gobos, but they will have a chance to escape with their lives, and perhaps learn whom the kenku intends to sell the spear head to. I would recommend starting with them all finding themselves tied up, bereft of weapons in some pit, and they have to find their way out, get their equipment back and escape to pursue the kenku.

[@williamschar2959]

perhaps... with an item the kenku has left them. Perhaps he's come to enjoy the chase. Perhaps these persistent bastards are the closest things to friends he's ever known.

[@THINKMACHINE]

Okay, okay. When they're all down, and you have a fade to black because everyone's unconscious, have them abruptly wake up several hours later on the same outcrop/ledge they had made that damn bird crash onto before. Ooooohhhhh they'll HATE it.

[@youtubeuniversity3638]

Animated enough I'd say.

[@nrhildija4145]

The “You got a lot to answer for when we get up there.” At the end in the cave always cracks me. God dammit.

[@alexporette7505]

I don't have an answer to your question. But I did need to tell you that I got chills when the kenku says "you've got alot to answer to when we get up there"

[@josh0eater0of0happy]

Dude I would happily trade animation quality for awesome tales like these. Animated spell book rocks, but you are also a natural story teller. Also this is still totally animation so don’t even worry.

[@Metal4rLyfe]

Did any one else enjoy this video slightly more than the others? The animated ones are great; but this one was.long and provided a lot more story. I loved it

[@joshuazane3210]

Honestly, after about the third time that I capture an antagonist and he gets away, I'm just going to snap his neck the next chance that I get and just hope for another way to find the mcguffin.

[@Vespidazed]

Should've let the wolves have him. Worst comes to worst you track em later and hope the mcguffin uh... "passes". Even if they didn't kill him, he would have prob blown some of his stuff on em and come out the fight weakened making it easier to find and kill him.

[@KJ-ud9uf]

Joshua Zane xd

[@aa-tx7th]

Its honestly extremely impressive that a *tent* village in the *artic/tundra* had *3 golds'* worth of *limes*. Must be a scurvy thing or something.

[@Blase52]

Getting saved by the DM is usually a buzzkill. Unless they come up with something brilliant themselves you could let them be defeated and have them taken prisoner. The tables have turned where Wick has them captured and they have to devise the slippery escape. An unwelcome detour to the quest but it's just one more on the pile of many they already had.

[@charlescardot392]

I like this almost more than the animated spellbook, you have such a great DM voice and storytelling ability. Please make more, I can't wait to see what happens next with Wick.

[@SladePate]

HOLY SHIT WICK POINTED AT THE BLACK CIGAR WHICH WOULD HAVE TRADED THE HEALTH BETWEEN WICK AND DAVÉ HOLY SHIT THATS COOL

[@BSE1320]

"In one brutal attempt, Wick hacked off all of their legs to escape." I don't know about you, but after that incident, I'd walk on home. Walk. On. Home. :D

[@oz_jones]

Get out

[@zexa252]

I dont care if it is animated or not the story and the deleviry of the story is amazing P.s forgive my english it is only my second language

[@artornis606]

Your English is fine, don't sweat it a bit

[@zexa252]

GamingLegendary thank you very much

[@zexa252]

GamingLegendary thank you very much

[@zexa252]

Justin Pal-Freeman soo true

[@seanaustin2404]

Axeman nailed it. the animation is the icing on the sweet story cake. I don't even play DnD, but your storytelling makes me want to, even if the DM I play with has a fraction of your ability to tell a story, I'd be a regular player.

[@whitewolf9705]

Ideas that come to mind: - Wik 'to the rescue', aids the party to ease his escape during the ensuing melee. - Driver tries his hand at adventure, bonking escape-route gobbos from behind. - Natural disaster (cave-in) - Scare the gobbos (leaderless)

[@ClokworkGremlin]

I really can't help but see Wick as the protagonist in this story. He's resourceful, he's inventive, he's outnumbered, and the little guy's got some real flair. He's basically the protagonist of a Marvel movie.

[@matthewturner5178]

Rewatching since you released a new part to this. No one else makes chasing a simple thief sound so spectacular. Wick is definitely a Legendary character if I ever saw one. That final “You’ve got a lot to answer for when we get up there” is so perfectly chilling.

[@DerElessar]

Same hahahaha

[@archieburbank4938]

I see two options, as far as I can tell the Kenku is a theif but not a murderer. Hes only tried to evade the party. The three of them were knocked out and he could have easily killed them. On top of that the party saved him from the winter wolf pack and freezing to death. Have the Kenku come to their rescue. Fighting on the side of the party. This will create a conflict for your players. Their goal is to catch the theif but he just saved them. Should they betray him? Should they let him go and cut their losses? Or Full on Joker V Batman. Wick enjoys their game of cat and mouse and if the party is killed here he will be left without his batman. In his head the party is source of entertainment or evem a reason to live/improve.

[@mizublackriver7021]

"Unanimated" you say But it have more animation than a lot of other story videos, loved the format, keep the great work!

[@ShowToddSomeLove]

"You've got a lot to answer for when you get up there" gave me chills.

[@bencolter1117]

I sincerely love your storytelling. It’s absolutely enthralling

[@InSearchOfScience]

Please do more like this. I love the art in animated spell books, but I also love hearing you weave tales. They are both great and I would be stoked to see you go back and forth on each style.

[@seamusfish7009]

Save the party! 1. That darn bird needs them. The goblins have him hostage and he needs there help. A sort of hostage like in the pirates of the carabian when Jack was made king of an island tribe. 2. The driver comes to the party's aid. Having been thrown extra coin for driving, he hopes to earn more gold be lending a cross bow. 3. An astral dragon planes shifts right on top of the party incapacitating the goblins and the players. It can be persuaded to help on waking. 4. There was a price on goblins. What are the odds a hunting party might be coming in right now? 5. It was all a dream as the party wakes back in the hunting camp.

[@toprak3479]

1- Works 2- He can't defeat them all by himself 3- Not sure 4- Works but the players may feel themself powerless 5- Cliche

[@entothechesnautknight1762]

Seamus Fish i think 3 might kill everyone, but also would be quite fun.

[@seamusfish7009]

Ento: The Chesnaut Knight yes. Yes it could. And that's the beauty of it.

[@fang319]

I'd love to see more of these, non-animated longform campaign diary!

[@bobcrafty8091]

I actually preferred this form of video. It was animated enough that it was nice to actually watch and gave a great grasp of all that was going on.

[@swest6982]

I like animated spell book, but honestly I prefer more longerform campaign stories. It would be great if you could do more. Even in the spell book series, my favorite part is the beginning where you narrate the slice of a campaign.

[@slickrickard]

Omg please more of these. I would be fine with you dropping full animation altogether for more of these. This was killer.

[@commandershepard8878]

I know these story retellings are not easy to make, but they are absolutely top tier in terms of storytelling. I would LOVE to see more episodes like this. And they don’t necessarily have to be animated, your narration and pacing alone sells the whole thing.

[@R3GARnator]

Is this your favorite youtube channel on the citadel?

[@commandershepard8878]

@@R3GARnator I'd be willing to offer my endorsement, in exchange for a discount

[@chancealbright6906]

"And honestly give my hand a bit of a break" The Cold Road Parts 2-4: Oh buddy

[@ToastyRoyale]

Really dig this video format, I definitely don't mind getting less animated videos in exchange for longer stories.

[@unmog4223]

I liked the longer one, regardless if it wasn't animated it was fun to watch

[@jesterxreverie152]

The description of that arrow flying felt epic

[@Froggy711]

When Wick said "you've got a lot to answer for when we get up there" it gave me chills.

[@maubeequinnfountain-eitel945]

I want more long form stories like this

[@mikeyh6379]

I would have them use those cigars they found. Also, I really enjoy this format.

[@samburcham4753]

Does anyone else re-watch these episodes every few months to keep the story fresh? God this is some good stuff, thanks for making this Zee Bashew, you're a great storyteller.

[@madmanvarietyshow9605]

Same. I think I'm on my 6th rewatch? I can't remember lol

[@TheGreatCrow]

I'm on my 5th rewatch!

[@jeofickles2771]

Wade in Shadows voice makes me feel some time of way

[@ledgendweaver]

I know right?!

[@throneofterra109]

Idc if it ain't animated. I love your art style, and you're a great story teller! Keep it up :)

[@RadioCharlotte]

I agree

[@golgarisoul]

Oooooh, magical cigars, I got to use that.

[@jeremypalmer5695]

Ya blink arrows sound like a recipe for mayhem too.

[@billle6883]

This is how you make an epic-tier game at first level

[@stevenn1940]

4 golds worth of limes? Jesus, did they buy out the tavern's entire stock of them? No more mojitos. Limes are 86d.

[@technoskald464]

This was just as entertaining as the animation videos in its own way. I'd like to see more of these!

[@deathreaper95100]

I just come for your voice. The animation is icing on top

[@soup8291]

"Oh we got a Big Boy!" is the best response to a monster appearing ever.

[@kevingriffith6011]

Shifty Wick is probably one of the best D&D villains I've heard recounted in a long time. Rather than being some ridiculous monster that is devastatingly powerful and a real threat to the party in combat... Wick is actually weak enough to be non-threatening... if only the party could get their hands on him long enough to work with. It's helped that their job wants him alive, so they've got this whole dynamic of catch him, he escapes, save him, etc etc. I guarantee your party hates him so much more than the standard powerful wizard or warlord boss, because he's made fools of them so many times and dammit the party isn't going to get consistently one-upped by an NPC!

[@adamwelch4336]

He's my favorite D&D villain!

[@ZombieChimpanzee]

he relies on his cunning and resourcefulness, and it makes him frustrating because on paper he should be manageable by the party, but he keeps playing to his strengths and its great.

[@roundishwhale]

Love your animated stuff...but HELL YEAH please more of this kind of video aswell. Love the "simple animations" in these ones, they add so much to the well told story. Regarding your "TPK Problem" I an not sure If i can provide anything usefull that is not abvious. But I would say that the big monster that was in the cavern could certainly be a good distraction for the frostgoblins (attracted by all the bloodsmell that has to reek from the corpses.

[@apollohokyu3618]

Do more of these please. That story was awesome and your voice acting is great imo!

[@sciverzero8197]

I concur

[@brush5004]

wait these guys were level 1? i always thought this was a high level adventure considering all the long winded history between wick and the party.

[@666lupine666]

I have assumed that the long winded history was the worlds greatest backstory prior to the start of game. If that amount of calamity had occurred during actual play any gamer I know would have quit. Or maybe it's fiction. rock-solid fiction that makes me wonder what the hell I have been doing.

[@voodoominerman]

@@666lupine666 are you kidding? If that much stuff had happened to my group I would never leave. That sounds like a fantastic campaign.

[@g0lddustt29]

pretty sure they are at least level 3-5

[@Lucky-eo2dt]

The little bastard was planning to swap his health pool with wades utterly devious

[@SuperheroWannabe]

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this type of video! Please do more of these!

[@Ryanin2D]

Goddamn you are a great storyteller

[@amerriam9817]

I see maybe a few plausible ways: 1) Have that priest from the town show, and cast a few buff spells. 2) Remember those dice from earlier? Guess what, they're magic! Maybe a goblin trips over the dice to remind the players that the dice exist. They could be used as light grenades or thunderstones to blind/deafen/damage in a radius. I'm assuming the gobs have low HP. 3) Have the behir return; it was wounded. not killed. 4) Wick's cigars; Wades has them in his pocket. 5) Diplomacy or Intimidate(which would be at a huge penalty, because it's clear that they're squishy) or have the bard, if the priest shows up and heals,. fascinate them with music, or an actual spell if possible. Actually, you could have a Diplomacy check to surrender to them and have them take you alive. 6) Leaving it up to the players, they follow one of the goblin groups to the javelins, maybe manage to take them out, and then use the javelins against the other group. Divide and conquer. 7) The players can use the boiling water from the cook fire as splash damage, or impose negative conditions, or even make difficult or slippery terrain. Some of this has already been said in other comments. Many of these can be used in combination.

[@bossmanjan2521]

7:04 A priest? With the symbol of Tharzidun on him? *Sees the ep.4 and whispers* oh nooo....

[@andrewknorpp9415]

Haha, I just popped over to watch this entire masterpiece again.

[@lyrix9753]

Yeah same just noticed that too

[@wolfnerd4984]

I came into this thinking there would be one picture the entire video. I was pleasantly surprised by both the great as usual (although slightly less dynamic) illustrations. The story was great

[@randycollins8917]

Just some feedback? I dig the way you showed the story this week. Take a break from full on animation whenever dude. This was just as cool!

[@zacharybouis7998]

I don't normally comment on stuff, but I would love it if the whole channel was like this actually. A lot of people are on KZbin telling stories about D&D but you have a flair for it that puts you in a class above.

[@ThreeSeatStarboard]

Hitting a crit against a gliding birdperson for nonlethal damage. Now that's soldiering.

[@tamahiro7343]

That Kenku is too cute to be evil. Also crocodile/snake looking dragonborn are interesting and nice to look at.

[@CmikeDnD]

it's amazing how much the camera and large object motion does to making the "lack of animation" not as noticeable. Shows how powerful moving camera shots, editing, and rack focusing shots are. Edit: also, the storyteller helps A LOT! I really enjoy the longer story (10-15) is a great sweet spot. I personally would like more pauses or rhythm changes through out the story to give beats strength or weakness. If there were any, i didn't notice. Because it was longer, i more so listened to the video than watched it (the unanimated helped with that choice too) but ya. those are my notes if they help. Good adventure!

[@MrKogarou]

Honestly I prefer this over the (awesome) animated spellbook episodes. Makes sense if these form of episode comes out less often. But you run a great campaign, and I really wanna hear more presented like this!!

[@perrycarters3113]

I was today year's old when I noticed Wick, the gobbos, the entombed priestess from Episode 3, and Father Grigor all have necklaces/symbols that reference Tharizdun.

[@33nihilus]

YES MORE OF THESE! Dont get me wrong, I love your animations. But I like your stories more. And this animation is still great for what it is.

[@Naxthural]

Have Wick save them, to redeem himself in their eyes, only to backstab them later. A sort of "Hey I can get these guys off my back!"

[@zachb8012]

I like that! Wick could be a great character. The goblins converge on the party and in a single turn, the heroes fall, pin cussions under a hail of javalins... Dreary flashes of fevered reality, darker, colder, deeper... "You'll have a lot to answer for!" They come to in pitch black. Perched above the precipice where the cold, naked, barely conscious heroes lie, Wick tosses down a small parcel. Quills, ink, and a parchment; written in draconic sealed with runes the parchment holds an offer they can't refuse. Heroes no longer, they'll serve serve a new calling, "ANSWER FOR..." "... ANSWER". The characters are now obligated fulfil a contract with Wick and must find a solution to appease the oath while retrieving and the spear and bringing Wick to justice. In their quest to fulfil the contract with neutral evil, they'll be tempted to stay that path after learning the true nature of Wick's cause.

[@gregorymathans8148]

What about giving your players the option of a cave in. Some post that is holding up the ceiling. If they have their gear the goal could switch from surviving the goblins to surviving being buried alive. Neither are ideal but they could heal up and start to dig themselves out. You could even create a brand new map based around how it affected the surounding area. It also leaves the fate of the Kenku in the air.

[@michaelwinter742]

Ways a DM could help players out of this include: 1) Goblin child panics and pulls “oh no” lever. Floor falls out below. 2) Rival warlock picks this moment to raid the cave 3) The warlock’s patron smites the goblins for the patron’s failure 4) One healing potion was of the wrong type, heal all to full 5) They find the hole that has been used as the toilet/it’s a smelly retreat 6) What’s his name, the driver, also picked up for himself some rare spices. Diplomacy and sharing turn to escape. 7) Goblins are scared by the ominous words and run 8) The cave is actually the digestive system of another ...that monster thingy from earlier 9) As a thank you, the guy they hinted but didn’t kill helps out. 10) They hide on the ceiling 11) You have an illusion guy. If he can do two illusions - one sight and one sound - he could illusion the warlock leader as alive and yelling at the goblins about the poor invite to his guests 12) A portal opens ...but to where? 13) They throw coin on the ground, distracting the goblins 14) Someone notices the spiders in the cave are poisonous and control them to attack on the party’s behalf 15) If the goblins have a speed of 25, so they could Dex around them or disengage and run 16) They could bluff being from the goblin tribe. Do the “off button” trick and illusions someone “back into” a goblin (actually illusioning into a goblin). 17) Single combat 18) Hold up the corpse of the warlock and ..heh. Well, use it for an intimidation check. This may involve a dex check for skinning quickly. Heh. 19) Illusion a goblin saying, “wait, if Boss is dead - are we even getting paid?” 20) Goblin dice are found on the ground. They spark because they are magic. This light is pleasurable to the goblins, hence their addiction to the game. The players have insight to how the magic can be used as a flashbang that freezes the returning goblins into a state of ecstasy for 1 minute. I mean, if the story is on your side then you can’t lose. And finally: 21) You wake up the next morning in the inn, covered in goblin blood. You have no recollection of how you got there. The last thing you do remember is the voice of a bird saying ... . Now, you have a super mysterious NPC.

[@JazzJackrabbit]

How to avoid party wipe? Have the goblins knock the party unconscious and take them hostage. Have them use the party as slaves, make them work in the mines. Then party could try and escape later?

[@HoundofOdin]

*You will arrive along the Old Road. It winds with a troubling, serpent-* . . . Oops, wrong road.

[@patryckfitch6612]

Goblins, wielding cruel weapons of war...

[@zhukel_marimasko]

That sounds like a brilliant campaign

[@user-kx8pu6ys5i]

Bralliont

[@Dac85]

"You've got a lot to answer for when we get up there." Chills.

[@lastwymsi]

I would love to watch more of these, please tell us your tales!

[@ImNotAnAthlete]

This campaign sounds amazing! Also I would be into more of these long form diaries. I love your animated spell books but this was really good.

[@chunkytheclown3422]

Regardless of whatever happens to Wick in the future, at least he achieved the dream of every Kenku in existence: to fly. And not just with invisible magic or a flying carpet, with actual wings! That's probably worth more to him than any treasure could ever be.

[@quincykunz3481]

Ah, easy fix for the TPK guys. Just bribe the goblin population with all those limes. Problem solved.

[@sammybutler7241]

It's kind of funny because what you call not animated is what the entire rest of KZbin calls animation

[@ShowToddSomeLove]

It is the dream of every kenku to fly. This lucky bastard.

[@netherin5844]

Those are the best descriptions of Wick.

[@lillymanning2998]

Please do these more often!! You're story telling is enrapturing. Even without the animation, I was following everything the whole time and I'm invested. I can't think of a way for those guys to get out alive, sadly, but. You know. They tried.

[@zeebashew]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXuxfYqGfsaahaM :)

[@garethlamb6923]

Wick’s final line in this short is so haunting. I love it.

[@maltt8715]

“You have a lot to answer for up there” oh shit

[@NotoriusBEN1]

What slippery little bastard Wik is. Imma steal him for my games, hes too good.

[@thewovenmantis6813]

It would be awesome if you continued this campaign diary. Really liked this video, I’ve watched it 3 times. 😅

[@funymony]

Long form animation is still entertaining to watch! Take those nice stretch breaks so you don't ruin your wrist!

[@BadSkeelz]

You're a great storyteller (and DM by the looks of it). Really enjoyed this, particularly the bit where Wick takes flight. Thank you for sharing!

[@JowenbraMC]

I would love to see more of these long-form diary's. Even with just the stills and no animation you had me enthralled.

[@arandomzoomer4837]

I know this isn't animated but it's the next best thing. You didn't skimp out at all.

[@Ratling_rat]

I like the longer form stories, please keep them coming

[@griggscodin1508]

Something tells me the reason we haven't heard more from this yet is because they ended up dying.

[@rayanderson5797]

Actually his latest video gives us the conclusion. Go check it, man.

[@nklinef]

More Longform! More Longform! More Longform! More Longform! More Longform! More Longform! You do great work! But even mostly without animation, this is your best episode. Please Please make more story episodes like this!

[@Vinemaple]

6 months too late, but you said it was "open season" on the goblins, maybe a small force of local hunters could have been inspired to come after the heroes and join in the adventure... give the heroes a fighting chance, or maybe save them but create a new problem.

[@GeronimoJak]

Quickly becoming one of my favorite youtube channels! You need to finish this story for us!

[@TheeCapN]

Honestly if you do unrefined animations where not every second is drawn its fine. like there are youtube artists who only change the art when something big happens. i like this style of creation because it means its easier for the creator and more content. Also if you dont reply to my comment I will TPK my next session.

[@zeebashew]

DON'T DO IT! Unless they set up an ambush inbetween to large groups of enemies.

[@ordinator7203]

Man I sure do hope nothing bad happens to that sweet Williams, he seems like a stand up guy.

[@natalie6811]

Ordinator I have some bad news for you...

[@grey3247]

WELP

[@otaku2life]

Please give us more of these. Even more than the animated.