"With Michael as the Dungeon Master, Alex and Shane head to battle against a Black Dragon, their NPC reinforcements close behind."

A recent YCH piece done by  diaszoom. Love how this turned out, and it was worth the wait/cost. My thanks to her once again, and here's to future business.

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"You haven't gone far before the sound of flapping wings reaches you," Michael explained as Alex and Shane moved their pieces along the hex gridded map. "It's from something large, with leathery wings. That much is obvious."
"Oh, boy." Alex said.
"I'll start looking around, then," Shane said.
His father nodded and continued. "It takes you but a moment to see it -- a Black Dragon -- and call attention to it. From where you stand, Alex?"
"Yeah?" When Michael didn't follow through, Alex checked his character sheet. "Knowledge: Arcana." He had 12 points in the skill. "Got it."
Alex's D20 was rolled within his paw for a second before he tossed it. It bumped his mini and came close to the edge of the table before stopping on 13. 25 total.
"You have seen dragons this size before," Michael said in response. "Young Adults, in fact. Dangerous on their own, and resistant to many physical attacks, though this one seems completely alone. As if hunting for food."
Alex began looking through his spell list at that. Shane's character was the muscle of the party, but he could only do so much against scales, even with the enchanted weapon his character had.
"Getting ideas?" Shane asked.
"A few, yeah." Alex replied. "What if we don't want to fight this thing?"
"Hmm. Well, you're several hundred yards from a forest. You could try and run then do a Hide check, but by the time you reach it, it'll likely have spotted you. And it can stay in the air and breath weapon the trees until you leave again.
"Well then," Alex looked at Shane. He shrugged. "Alright. We'll keep the forest nearby as cover in case we need to pull someone out and heal them."
"So, you would like to remain near the treeline as you continue?"
Alex nodded.
"Alright. You order your men to keep quiet and stay near the treeline as you progress. Yet within minutes, you hear the leathery wings circling back."
"Oh, crap."
"I'm readying my weapon." Shane said.
"Might not do you much good. The dragon doesn't look like it wants to land."
"Probably hit and run us. Black dragons use acid, right?" Alex asked to which Michael nodded. "Yeah, ouch."
"Any ideas, then?" Shane asked.
"Give me a minute..." Alex said as he poured over his spell list. One spell soon stood out: Blindness/Deafness. It's effects were permanent. Alex grinned after realizing it.
"What?" Shane asked.
"You'll see." Alex said. "Draw him closer."
"You sure? You just said that thing uses acid."
"Trust me, man. This'll work."
"I hope so." Shane then looked toward his father. "I order some of the men to shoot arrows and few Magic Missiles at it."
"You got it." Michael then rolled a few dice behind his screen; the missiles had to be accounted for since they would always hit, and Shane had ordered five arrows and three missiles. "The missiles do a total of 14 damage, and the dragon now has his attention on you as he circles back around."
A flicker of doubt crossed Alex's head at that. "I'll ready a spell. As soon as the dragon gets close, I'll cast it."
"How close?" Michael asked.
"Let's see...within 180 feet."
"Okay. It doesn't take him long to do so, and you can see drips of acid falling from his muzzle."
"Alright. Then, I cast Blindness/Deafness on him."
"Oh, ho. Clever."
"Won't dragons resist magic, though?" Shane asked.
"Not completely. This one has...plus 11 on Willpower saves, though. So, if Alex's roll succeeds, it will permanently disable the dragon's ability to see, and fly."
"And what does it need to reach to succeed?"
"Let's see." Michael did some quick math. "25, so at least a 14."
"Alright." Alex said. "Let's do this."
He rolled the die in his paw again and tossed it, this time at Michael's DM screen. The die rebounded off the cardboard shield and came to a stop a few inches away.
On the 20 face.
A few barking laughs got away from Alex as the number registered and before he stopped himself and pumped his arm. Shane and Michael only smiled, though Shane looked more impressed. "That'll show 'em."
"Nice roll," Shane said.
"And as you see the focus of your spell hit the dragon," Michael began, "it becomes clear it did not expect that. Its head wavers around and its wings attempt to correct for something it cannot suddenly do, leaving it a falling lump of flesh and scales."
"Bombs away," Alex said. "I order the men to move aside and let it fall."
"And they listen, impressed by the event they just saw. When the dragon lands, it rips up the earth and flails around, attempting to adjust to the sudden loss of its eyesight."
"Good luck with that," Shane said. "I'm charging in."
"Right behind you," Alex said, to which he added, "I order the men to give us cover fire, missiles first, arrows second."
Michael nodded, drawing his cape's hood over his head. Now it was on.

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Werewolves can make for the best niche of tabletop RPG players because of the 36 hours they remain shifted when the full moon arrives. Stuck in their homes most of this time, some group/family activity is always welcomed.

After the events of Werewolf Tale II, as Alex grows more used to Shane and his family, he and they start their own gaming group, with hired NPCs, or second character sheets, making up for other players when D&D is on the menu.