The Adventure Begins

The following morning, everyone headed down to the game hall for the next part of their campaign. But first, they made sure to have a hearty breakfast; courtesy of Lynn Sr. As the girls took their seats, their friends all started chatting excitedly about the start of their quest.

"Today's the day, girls" Lincoln giggled, "your adventure in the game will be making its official start, are you excited?" In response; Lori, Lucy, Lana and Lola simply answered with uneasy grins on their faces. This seemed mildly disappointing to Lincoln but in his mind, he reminded himself that they were still just starting out.

"Just you wait, girls" he said with a hopeful grin, "once your quest begins...that's when you'll probably get into it." With that said, he returned to his breakfast; leaving his sisters to contemplate on his words while they also ate.

(Line Break)

Once breakfast had been finished, forty minutes later; the dishes were cleared away and the game board and pieces were back in their proper places. Soon after that, Lynn Sr. began divulging details on the game's scenario; which involved the girls' characters preparing to leave the kingdom of Avalonis to begin their journey to the Bloodstone Keep. "The king and queen give the four of you horses to ride with, on your journey along with bags of supplies" he explained, "while Alucard offers up a map to Ventris."

Almost immediately, Lori asked if the aforementioned map would lead them directly towards the fortress. "Indeed, it does" replied Mr. Grouse, "provided that you keep to the path Alucard outlined on the map." With that, the Council explained the first place the map would take them to; the Forest of Mara-Kai

"Be warned, many dangers may lie ahead of you" said Rita dramatically, "keep on the path and you will reach your goal safely." The girls nodded in understanding and began moving their minifigs outside of the castle model. "You mount up and ride on for almost three days" explained Principal Huggins as Game Master Fastred, "on the fourth day; you all find yourselves walking through the Forest of Mara-Kai."

(The Game World)

As they wandered through the woods, the party kept their weapons held high and their guard up. "Master Alucard told me of this forest, before our departure" Ventris whispered, "he said this place is home to many unusual creatures." With a confident smile spreading across his face, Ezra proudly assured everyone that they were safe.

"I have studied the ways of Druidism since I was a wee cub" he stated, "should any beasties approach us, I should be able to handle them." Despite his bravado, the ladies were not quite so comforted by the male Tabaxi's words; his sister, most of all. "The last time you said that, Brother; you had a flock of birds chasing you 'round the jungle for half a day" Ursa snickered, "your fur reeked of scat for even longer."

Rather than hiss at his sister for her comments, Ezra decided to focus on seeking a safe path through the wood. With his staff in his hands, he sat in a kneeling position and began to focus his mind.

(The Real World)

As our story returns to the real world, we find Lynn Sr./Game Master Acheron reciting these events to Lana. "For this action, you will need to make a Divination Roll" he explained, "would you like for me to explain to you what it is?" Despite the objections of the three sisters beside her, Lana accepted her dad's offer and bade him to continue.

"Considering your age, honey; I'll try to explain it as best as I could" he stated, "no offense meant." Lana smiled softly at her father and assured him that all was good. "Okay...Divination is something most magic users perform" Lynn began, "it basically means that when you use it...you're asking a heavenly being or in your character's case, the spirits of nature to provide some power to help do what you need to do." At first, Lana didn't quite seem to understand the explanation.

But when she heard about the "asking a heavenly being for help" part, she realized that Divination was like a form of praying. "So...I role the dice to make a prayer to nature" she asks, "what happens, after that?" From here; Rita/Game Mistress Eliana said that depending on her role, Lana's druid character would be able to call animals to her.

If she rolled high enough, she could call upon big creatures (like bears or hawks) to help her. "But be warned; like any kind of magic, druid powers come at a price" Mrs. Johnson/Game Mistress Agathe announced, "it only works once per turn and if your character isn't strong enough...using this move could leave him weak." Lana gulped softly yet nervously at the reveal, took hold of the dice and shook it as hard as she could.

After giving it a toss, she crossed her fingers (and toes) for luck; hoping to get a good roll. Alas...once it stopped, everyone could see it showing off a small "8." At first, Lana took this as a bad sign. But then, her parents assured her that she could still summon an animal to assist her; just not a very large one.

"In that case, I make a call out to any birds around" she stated, "I ask 'if any hawk, falcon, eagle or bird can hear my voice...come to us.'" After taking a moment to mentally applaud their daughter for getting into the swing of things, Lynn and Rita tell her that her call worked. "Within moments, what looks like a falcon glides down towards you" explained Principal Huggins/Game Master Fastred, "he lightly perches atop your staff and stares deep into your eyes."

After this, Mrs. Johnson stepped in (so to speak) and began speaking in a sort of scratchy "bird-like" voice. "I heard your call, Groundling" she said while in character, "what do you wish of me." At first, Lana didn't answer; feeling amazed by the result of her dice roll.

Then, fifteen seconds later, Lola managed to snap her back to her senses and urged her to make her move. "Okay...um...I've got an idea" she exclaimed, "I first ask the falcon if he knows if there are any dangers in the forest to worry about." Much to her dismay, the council informed that the falcon didn't trust her enough to offer such knowledge to her.

"Had you rolled anything close to/above a twenty or maybe a fifteen, this idea would've worked" Pop-Pop/Game Master Karuk said sullenly, "you may want to think of something else to say." While this news did disappoint her, Lana fully understood the circumstances and began to think of a new idea. "Okay...how does this sound" she inquired, "I look the falcon in the eyes and ask him how long it would take us to reach the other end of the forest."

After this, the Council took a quick moment to look into one of their books for something. Then, after having a brief "pow-wow;" they turned back towards Lana and Lynn Sr. rolled a couple of dice he had. "The falcon agrees to your request" he stated, "he takes flight into the air and after half a minute, it flies back to you and says the opposite side of the forest is forty miles from where they stand."

Upon hearing this reveal, Lori thanked the heavens the game was all in their heads. She could never see herself hiking through the woods for forty miles. "Out of curiosity, could I be able to ask the falcon about any possible dangers ahead" questioned Lucy, "it seems like the best thing to do."

While everyone agreed with the idea; several people quickly reminded the young Goth that only Druids, Rangers and Bards could utilize the "Speak with Animals" ability. "Ah, dang it" grumbled Lori and Lucy; "guess we're going in this blind."

(The Game World)

After walking through the Forest of Mara-Kai for almost twenty minutes, nothing seemed too amiss; save for one thing. The trees grew so tall and the leaves upon their branches were so thick that only thin traces of sunlight shined down upon them. Had it not been for Ventris' staff helping light the way, they'd surely be lost.

"Drat it, how long have we been walking through this forest" grumbled Ezra, "it feels as though the sun had set ages ago." Shadow the Kenku witch shook her head slightly and informed everyone that it was still midday. "Well, it certainly feels as miserable as nightfall in a place such as this" Ursa hissed softly, "I'm libel to climb the trees myself and have a look about."

Ezra snickered softly upon hearing this, proclaiming that her sister's fear of heights would keep her from going any higher than the stump. "Perhaps you should go up instead, Brother" Ursa growled, "I will help you...by giving you a good kick in the tail!" Just as the two siblings were prepared to battle one another, they were suddenly encased by a blue aura and frozen in their tracks.

While in their frozen state, Ezra's eyes darted about rapidly; desperate to discover who was holding him this way. It was then that both he and Ursa noticed that Ventris' staff was glowing brightly. "My apologies for doing this to you both" murmured the she-elf, "but if we hope to survive the rest of the way, we cannot bicker amongst ourselves!"

After that, she unfroze the both of them and demanded that they cooperated until they've all left the forest in one piece. Knowing that it would be unwise for them to challenge a mage, the siblings reluctantly agreed. With that, Ventris waved her hand over the top of her staff and the glow faded away; thus releasing the twins from their frozen state.

"We must stand together, if we hope to survive this forest" the elf mage said matter-of-factly, "let alone the remainder of our quest." After taking a moment to stretch their limbs, Ezra and Ursa agreed to adhere to their colleague's wishes...for now. After that, Ventris took a look at the map and tried to find the best path out of the forest.

"This says that there is a stream not too far from here" she stated, "if we follow it, we might see a shortcut out of this place." With that, Ventris gestured for everyone to follow her; while also instructing them to stick together. Through much of the journey, everything felt rather calm; which led Ezra to believe that things might go smoothly for them.

But Shadow seemed to think otherwise, stating that the silence could also mean that they were being watched. "Who could possibly be watching us here" chortled Ezra, "aside from a few birds and beasts, of course?" While she didn't quite approve of how he said them, Ursa found herself agreeing with her brother's words.

Thus far, their journey through Mara-Kai was met with little difficulty; save for the lack of bright sunlight. In time, they came upon the stream Ventris saw illustrated on her map. This was a welcomed sight for Ezra, who appeared on the verge of dehydration.

"We should rest here for a spell" Ventris suggested, "I will fill up our canteens at the river; the rest of you, keep watch for any signs of danger." Everyone nodded in understanding while the wee Frost Wolf pup, Lupa simply barked softly.

(The Real World)

Back at the table, Lori and the girls seemed to think that things would be going smoothly by this point. But when they saw the wile look in their parents' eyes, they realized that something big was about to happen soon. "All goes well for the four of you, while you rest" Rita/Game Mistress Eliana said with a smile, "but then...you hear a mysterious rustling in the bush somewhere around you."

Upon hearing this statement, several people on the sidelines begin shaking pom-poms; so as to somewhat simulate the rustling sounds. Much to their surprise, this added element seems to work; as Lily, Lana and Lola (who all have their eyes closed) suddenly murmur with mild alarm. "The rustling seems far away, at first...as if miles from your location" Principal Huggins murmured, "when suddenly...AN OWLBEAR LEAPS OUT FROM THE BUSHES!"

Upon making this declaration, he suddenly slams something onto the game table; thus shocking the five Loud Sisters slightly. Miraculously enough, this didn't cause Lily to burst out into tears. Instead, after letting out a small yelp; she looked out onto the table and saw a small mini figure about the side of a softball.

At first, none of the Loud Sisters knew what to make of it. The creature appeared to have the body and stature of a grizzly bear. But in place of a typical bear's head, it had the head and beak of a horned owl. "Jumpin' Geronimo, what the heck is that thing" cried Luna, "is it some kind of mutant?!"

Without pause, the Council told the young rocker that her assumption was partially correct. "What you see, dear is a critter fantasy stories and games like this call an Owlbear" Pop-Pop stated, "no one knows how they came into being...apart from a rather oddball theory that's been known throughout the fantasy fanbase." Intrigued by the mention of a theory, Lisa inquired to hear a portion of it...for "scientific reasons."

"To make a long story short, Lisa...a crazy sorcerer decided to crossbreed a giant owl with a grizzly for 'fun'" Lincoln explained, "when I first heard about it, I was reminded of one of your earliest science experiments." Upon hearing this, everyone asked Lincoln what sort of experiment she performed. "She wanted to try and make humans both warm and cold-blooded" he said sarcastically, "which involved injecting someone with reptile DNA."

As expected, this news caused everyone to cry out in disgust; some going as far as saying she was no better than the alleged wizard that created the Owlbears. Of course, Lisa defended herself in saying that what they were describing was fantasy, while her work was a "scientific reality." "That's not entirely so, dear" Rita stated, "in both spectrums, there are people who misuse such gifts and end up creating horrific atrocities in the process."

Just as Lisa was about to launch into a debate with her mother, a few people cried out impatiently for the game to continue. "Oh, yes...that's right" Rita chuckled sheepishly, "now, where were we here?" In response to her inquiry, Lily suddenly started shouting the words "Teddy Bird" to her.

"Oh, yes; the Owlbear" she murmured with a smile, "okay...girls, I'm gonna need you four to roll for initiative." Upon hearing this, the girls blinked dumbly and tilted their heads; appearing confused by the order. "Oh, that's right...you're all still learning" Lynn Sr. chuckled sheepishly, "rolling for initiative means you'll have to roll to see who makes the first move."

From there, he explained that the four of them would need to roll one of their 20-sided die all at once. Whichever one among them rolled the highest number makes the first move. "Okay, I think I get it now" Lori murmured, "let's do it, girls!" With that; they each took their die, shook it vigorously between their hands and sent them flying seconds later.

When they all came to a stop, everyone studied them closely to see who had the highest number. Lori's dice showed off a solid 20 (or a Nat 20 as the Council called it,) Lucy had a 24, Lana had 15 and Lola had 18. "Good...now that you've all rolled, here's how this part works" Mrs. Johnson began, "you will all take turns performing actions against the Owlbear based on the order of each of your numbers, from highest to lowest."

The girls all nodded slightly, appearing to understand her explanation; then, they took note of everyone's numbers. "Okay, it looks like...Lucy will be going first" Rita announced, "what do you do?" At the moment, the young Goth didn't know how to answer; considering this was her first time playing.

"I...I might need some help here" she murmured frantically, "as a Witch, am I able to use spells on the creature?" After a brief period of deliberation, the Council informed her that she could use spells...just not very strong ones yet. "At this stage of the game, your character doesn't quite have the strength or endurance levels to use powerful stuff yet" Rita explained, "but you can use what are known as 'Cantrips' and there's also your own normal weapons."

The moment they heard it, all ten Loud Sisters suddenly started giggling at the word "Cantrip;" thinking it was some kind of goofy potion or a creature. "Actually, girls...a Cantrip is a form of magic spell casters can use" Pop-Pop stated, "but unlike other forms of sorcery, they can be used at any given moment and don't take up too much energy." Following this, he added that Cantrips were actually rather weak when compared to other spells.

But when used properly and when the player has rolled a high enough dice number, they could be a strong defensive tool (emphasis on "could be.") "Okay, I think I got it" Lucy stated, "in that case...I use this one on the Owlbear, 'Fire Bolt.'" Feeling curious, the girls asked what this particular spell was and if it was strong.

"Sadly, it isn't devastatingly strong" sighed Rita, "but a Fire Bolt could be a good move...depending on how you use it." From here, she explained that it was simply a typical fireball attack; something that Lucy saw many times in the witch stories she would read. "I will need you to make a...Ranged Spell Check, if this is going to be your move" Rita stated, "this means that we'll be checking how far the fireball will go."

Lucy nodded in understanding, shook up the dice and managed to roll a fifteen. "Okay...due to the roll, your Fire Bolt doesn't strike the Owlbear dead on" Lynn Sr. murmured sadly, "but the good news is you did manage to graze him on his left shoulder blade by just enough." After this, he picked up a D10 dice to see how much fire damage Lucy's attack delivered.

After giving said dice a quick shake, he sent it flying and it rolled about slightly for five seconds before landing on the number 7. "Your Fire Bolt doesn't harm the Owlbear too grievously" Lynn Sr. informed, "but it does burn it a little, making the critter realize you won't be so easy to take down." After that, the baton was passed on to Lori; who was in the middle of thinking up her own strategy.

"Okay...since Lucy wasn't able to hurt it with her attack, I think I might give it a shot" she stated, "are mages able to use these...Cantrip thingies too?" Without hesitation, the Council simultaneously nodded their heads and urged her to proceed. After that, Lori began looking over the list Lucy had for the best kind of spell to use.

"OOH! This one literally sounds just right" she said with a grin, "I cast 'Acid Splash' at the Owl Bear!" Upon making this choice, Principal Huggins/Fastred asked Lori to make the same Range Check Lucy did a moment ago. As she took hold of the dice, she mentally threatened it to give her a good roll..."or else."

After shaking and rolling the dice, it bounced across the game table for about six seconds before coming to a stop. When everyone looked at the number, they suddenly erupted into a fit of cheers; which caused Lori to cover her ears painfully. "Okay...could you all please stop cheering so loudly" she whined, "you're literally making my ears ring!"

After taking a moment to calm down, Lincoln proudly hugged his eldest sister and congratulated her on her roll. "Okay...did I do something good" she asked hesitantly, "why is my roll so important?" Rather than respond to her inquiry verbally, everyone directed Lori's attention to the dice; which showed off a bold number 20 on its side.

"You just rolled a Nat 20, sweetheart" Pop-Pop said with great praise, "that means your attack was a direct hit." Now, Lori was still hesitant in becoming fully invested in the game. But after hearing this news about her successful dice roll, she couldn't help but giggle slightly with delight.

For her, the moment felt like getting a hole in one at golf on her first try. After that, Principal Huggins picked up a D6 dice to see how much damage the attack delivered. He shook it vigorously for four seconds, tossed it and let out a pained hiss; which seemed to make Lori think she was in trouble.

"Your Nat 20 role delivers a direct hit to the Owlbear's face" he explained with a wry smile, "the sting of the acid causes it to let out a pained cry, one that sounds like a mix of an owl's screech and a bear's roar!" To elaborate, he explained that the D6 die he rolled showed a number 5. This meant that the Owlbear took a great deal of damage from the acid.

The next to make her move was Lola, who seemed to be scratching her head frantically. "Okay...I'm guessing my character can't use powers like that, right" she murmured, "what can she do, then?" After that, Lynn Sr. suggested using Intimidation on the Owlbear; considering how startled it currently feels from the earlier attacks.

"Intimidation...you mean like threaten it" questioned Lola, "in that case, I'll do it!" The Council smiled at her slightly and asked how she would choose to threaten/intimidate the Owlbear. "I'm a cat creature, right" she asks, "I could try screeching at it...or how about I roar at it?!"

Everyone nodded enthusiastically at the idea and highly recommended using the roaring option, considering how Lola's character was like a jungle cat. With a devious smile upon her face; she picked up the Owlbear figure, looked it in the eyes and snarled like a leopard. "Not so fast, sweetie" Rita said suddenly, "you need to roll for Intimidation first."

Upon hearing this, the young pageant princess/rogue chuckled sheepishly and took the dice in her hand. After giving it a shake and rolling it, it skipped along the table before landing on the number 17. "Okay...now, I growl like a leopard at the Owlbear" Lola said emphatically, "with a number like seventeen, it's gotta do something to him...right?"

Much to her relief; the Council said that while her intimidating methods didn't outright terrify the creature, they were enough to alarm it. "Think of it as something like...when you wave your arms out at the sides while being confronted by a real bear" Principal Huggins explained, "while it doesn't do much, it makes the creature think you're bigger than he is." With that done, the ball was now in Lana's court; who was currently in the middle of looking over her character's spells.

Alas, much to her dismay; there wasn't anything within her experience level that would seem effective enough against the beast. "Why not try using one of your natural weapons" suggested Zach, "Druids have quarterstaffs, daggers, clubs and even a sling to choose from." Upon hearing this, Lana suddenly felt an idea forming in her head; one that she thought could be of great use to her team.

"Since we're in a forest, there must be a beehive somewhere" she asked, "I'd like to look for one quick." While her sisters were confused by Lana's notion, everyone else was curious to see where she was going with it. "In that case, give me a Perception Check roll" Lynn Sr. requested, "the higher your roll is for this, the easier it will be for you to find what you need."

Lana nodded in understanding, picked up the D20 and shook it as fast as she could. After rolling it, everyone (even her) see it land on the number 18; which filled the young tomboy with some confidence. "You look up in the tree above the Owlbear and spot a beehive hanging from a branch" explained Pop-Pop, "remember that...the next time you girls attack."

With that simple phrase, the time came for the Owlbear to make its move; which made the girls feel somewhat nervous.

(The Game World)

The party looked on tensely, as the Owlbear glared at them with its coal-black eyes. Despite the traces of acid dripping off its face and its left shoulder blade showing a small burn mark, the beastie still held its ground. Then, after letting out a ferocious screech; the Owlbear charged.

Thinking quickly, Ventris attempted to create a barrier shield to protect herself. But due to the Owlbear's speed, she was unable to summon it in time. As a result, the beast rammed its head into the elf mage's gut; which sent her flying into the bushes.

Alarmed by the assault on her mistress, Lupa growled at the Owlbear and proceeded to bite at one of its legs. But despite her ferocity, her tiny fangs and claws did little to agitate the Owlbear; let alone hurt it. With a stern look in its bulbous eyes, the creature lifted up the leg Lupa was gnawing at and gave it a hard swing; sending the wee pup crashing against the trunk of a nearby tree.

Though it wasn't very severe, the frost wolf pup still whimpered painfully from the collision. Ezra, upon seeing Lupa lying on the ground, snarled with rage and immediately put his plan into action. Thinking quickly, he collected some stones from off the ground; placing one of them into his sling.

At the same time, the Owlbear was slowly approaching wee Lupa; intent on making her its next meal. This was the moment where Ezra sprang into action, at last. With lightning fast reflexes, he proceeded to strike the Owlbear with a few of the other stones; much to the shock of his comrades.

"Ezra, you fool...what are you doing" hissed Ursa, "are you planning on killing yourself?!" Her brother did not answer her cries, choosing only to focus on trying to gain the creature's attention. After the sixth stone was thrown, the Owlbear snarled bitterly at Ezra and turned his attention towards him instead.

But in spite of that, the young druid did not appear all that concerned. "That's it, you abomination of nature" he thought to himself, "come to me...I have a surprise waiting for ye." With this thought in mind, he cautiously moved his hand towards the last stone he had.

The Owlbear quickly noticed this and leapt into action, charging right for him. Elsewhere, Shadow had finished healing Ventris of any minor injuries caused by the beast and she slowly but surely pushed herself up from the dirt. The moment her vision cleared, the she-elf caught sight of the Owlbear rushing towards Ezra.

Just as she was moments away from warning him, Ventris could see Ezra spinning his sling rapidly. Then, a split-second later; he sent a stone flying upward; which proceeded to snap through a tree branch overhead. After that, the beehive it held fell hard like a stone atop the Owlbear's head; shattering upon impact.

Their home destroyed, the bees that once occupied said hive proceeded to swarm all around the Owlbear; stinging him viciously. Started by the onslaught, the beast raced off into the distance in a desperate attempt to outrun the bees. Once it had departed, all was quiet once more.

"Bless my soul" murmured Ventris in surprise, "I did not expect you to make such a move, young druid...thank you." With a pleased squawk emanating from her beak, Shadow extended her praises unto Ezra as well. "That was rather clever, Brother" murmured Ursa, "but I speak for us all when I say next time, inform us of your ideas beforehand!"

Ezra chuckled heartily at his sister and agreed to her request. After Ventris helped heal Lupa of her minor injuries, the party was ready to continue on their trek out of Mara-Kai. But then, there came yet another rustling in the bush; which made them feel quite bothered.

(The Real World)

Back at the table; the four Loud Sisters grumbled in bitter annoyance, after hearing their mother describe their current situation in the game. "Great, is it another Owlbear" Lori seethed, "because I cannot literally deal with another one of those freaks!" Before anything else could be said, the eldest Loud Sister suddenly noticed Bobby acting rather peculiar.

His eyes were gleaming, he was bouncing giddily, he had an odd smile upon his face and he appeared to be desperate to say something...but was restraining himself in doing so. The Council took notice of this and chuckled merrily at him. "Patience, dear" sighed Mrs. Johnson, "very soon, we'll get to the good part."

That one simple statement was just enough to catch the four Loud Girls' attention and Lori proceeded to ask what the "good part" was. "Just like we told him, honey...be patient" Lynn Sr. stated, "we've gotta get the mood right first." With that; he turned his attention towards the band nearby and gave them a silent nod.

With a laugh in each of their throats, the group proceeded to collect a series of medieval woodwind instruments (such as fifes, pan flutes, a small set of bagpipes and something their dad called an Ocarina." Then, Chunk stepped over and picked up a lute; eager to start playing.

All was quiet for a few seconds and then, after Lynn Sr. gave the signal, the band started playing. The tune was rather nice, sounded rather whimsical (which even the likes of Lucy and Haiku found charming.) Then, Rita stepped forward and began to describe the game scenario.

"Soon after the Owlbear has fled, you hear a rustling in the brush" she murmured dramatically, "then...you hear footsteps, rather soft footsteps approaching your location." In that moment, everyone could see the four girls' eyes darting about anxiously; as if they expected something to leap out at them. This seemed to please them, feeling that the narration coupled with the musical accompaniment was successful in helping the girls get in the game.

"The footsteps and rustling approaches ever nearer to you" whispered Pop-Pop in his Karuk voice, "when suddenly from out of the bushes, A HOODED FIGURE LEAPS AT YOU!" Soon after this was said; Bobby giggled like a mad man, reached into his cloak, pulled out a figurine and placed it excitedly upon the game table.

Curious, Lori gazed down at the figure and noticed how near identical it looked to how Bobby was dressed. It was then that she realized that it must've been his "elf character," Alexi Long-Strider. "You all look upon this stranger with wary eyes, wondering who they are and why they've come" murmured Mrs. Johnson, "best hope he's on your side, ladies."

(First AN: As they say in Smash Bros., "a new player has joined the game!" Who is this young elf, where did he come from and is he on the girls' side? Tune in next time, Dungeon Crawlers, as the Loud Sisters journey through D&D continues.)

(Second AN: This chapter had me doing a lot of research; particularly with all the spells Lori, Lucy and Lana used. While this game, much like some real world D&D sessions, don't include the characters leveling up; as newbies, the girls haven't studied any kind of strong spells to use yet. As such, they're using mostly Cantrips.

In time, they may come across spell books within the game that will help teach them new stuff...just not yet.)

(Third AN: In the past, some reviewers wanted me to show the girls utilizing game knowledge or learning a few tricks during each of their turns. I hope I did well in fulfilling your requests. As stated in the second Author's Note, I did a lot of research online about certain things for their characters.)

(Final AN: The theory on the creation of Owlbears is in fact real. Aside from D&D, fantasy mediums like Pathfinder and Vanillaware's Dragon's Crown have mentioned the "demented wizard" thing. More to the point, I thought it would be funny to parallel it with Lisa's scientific "hobbies;" considering she is often demented herself, despite her age.)