Author's Note: This article will include spoilers for Episode 2 of Dungeons and Drag Queens.
This episode began where the last one left off. The Questing Queens journey forth into the underworld. Episode 2 of Dungeons and Drag Queens shows us what the questing queens are made of by putting them in harm's way for the first time in a battle that truly matters.
Let's dive in!
The Questing Queens First Battle
So as the Questing Queens try to cross the River of Sorrow, they are confronted with some undead spirits that also wish to cross over. When they refuse to let them cross, a battle ensues!
This battle was the first time I noticed that The Questing Queens are level 5! That's incredible for a first-time play!
Gertrude using Thunder Wave was a blast, and the other queens kicking ass in their first battle was terrific. Brennan designed all of the enemies to have around 10 hp for this encounter, so it was pretty easy.
It's not until they reach the town and meet a demon they intend to trick that things heat up. But before they did, Brennan introduced a classic DM NPC.
Meeting Up With Princess's Uncle
As all of the undead are defeated, we discover one of them is Princess's uncle Kerwin. He guides the group to their next location - the town where they meet the demon they haggle with.
And also, Kerwin stays with the group as an ally. This has multiple benefits - Brennan can provide friendly advice through Kerwin as an underworld resident about where to go next.
He could also provide details about what not to do and what is favorable. If the Queens are trying to do something that would endanger them somehow, Kerwin could provide the insight needed about the world to prevent that from happening.
We don't know how strong Kerwin is in a battle, but he might come in handy in the battles to come.
Trying to Trick a Demon
The Demon encounter in the shop is the first time the Questing Queens are met with Brennan's big brain energy. The demon was clearly a formidable opponent, and if Gertrude didn't cast Darkness, some actual harm could have been done to the group.
Also, can we take a moment to highlight how hilarious Jujubee is? Her energy to "sabotage" the group is fantastic and funny. Love it!
Trying to run away with the soul and failing was an actual D&D moment, and I think it put the group in a predicament that Brennan solved quickly by introducing Shalilah and her slip of the tongue.
Shalila's Slip of The Tongue
When Troyann presents the false soul to Shalilah, they start a conversation. And in that conversation, Shalilah let slip that the souls Troyann has been gathering were not, in fact, to save all of Everdeep. They are used to keep her mother alive.
And not only that but when her father discovered this fact, he gave his own life to undo all of the work he did before.
This twist in the story also serves a vital role in the quest of the adventure. Instead of appeasing the goddess of death and her mother, Troyann is on a quest to discover more about what happened. And that means the group needs to leave town and delve deeper into the underworld.
Delving Deeper into The Underworld
Our Questing Queens follow Shalilah's footsteps to the Tower of Tombs - Thanara's home. The Goddess of Death is the target for Zariah Hex's forces and Shalilah and Troyann's mother's forces.
That means our players will probably have to resolve all those obstacles on their way to the tower.
Let's talk about predictions for the next episode.
Predictions for the Next Episode
In terms of predictions, I believe the next episode will see the Queens find their way to the vicinity of the tower, but they will have to reach the building itself, and they will have to go through enemy lines to do so.
We kind of resolved Troyann's initial goal. We now have to resolve the other players' goals as well. At the end of the day, the journey to Thanara is one where they will ask her for boons. So even though everything seems to point out that she's bad, she's actually neutral in the grand scheme of things.
I believe the forces are coming to her because they also want boons. So maybe it will be a race? Who knows.
Conclusion
The second episode of Dungeons and Drag Queens is a fantastic introduction of the players into battle and conversation skills. In this episode, they fought for their lives and tried to haggle with a seller in a market. There aren't many other experiences to induct new players into the fantastic world of D&D.
What did you think about the episode? What did you like? What did you didn't like about it? Let's talk in the comments below!
Read my review for episode 3 right here.
