Group 13

On June 12th, 2020, Jenny ran a Percy Jackson D&D one shot for just Shammy The Shamrock, introducing him into the world of Percy Jackson, which inspired Jenny's creativity in her youth. This sparked a phenomenon that would turn into a 2 year long campaign, creating hours and hours of memories that would become a staple of the Taphouse.

## In The Beginning

Before the campaign began, Jenny and Shammy had been playing in multiple one on one games with each other, mainly focusing on learning the Call of Cthulhu TTRPG system. Eventually this lead to a conversation where Jenny went on about the world of Percy Jackson, and they joked about running a Percy Jackson D&D game. During this time, Shammy became interested in the idea to the point they drew art for their OC, the character who come to be Xander Waller.

Seeing Shammy's interest in the game, Jenny wrote 3 lines on a sticky note, and was ready to run the one shot for Shammy. Using art from the official books and a stolen plot line from the 1st and 2nd Percy Jackson novels, Jenny led Shammy into the world of Percy Jackson.

Eventually, the one shot turned into a campaign, as more members of the Taphouse became interested in the game, and asked to join. With a full party, Xander and Group 13 began their adventures together at Camp Half-Blood.

## Book 1: The Black Sun

Xander Waller was a 16 year old kid living in Manhattan. He lived with his father Victor, and his step mom Julia. He was a normal kid, though his upbringing wasn't the greatest. A poor kid with beat up shoes and thrift store clothes, Xander's life was mundane as could be. Before one fateful day changed all of that.

### Chapter 1: I Almost Die Playing Dodgeball

Our story begins with a normal day at Xander's high school. Leaving his New York apartment, Xander walks to school with his head hung low, ready to endure today's suffering. As he's grabbing books from his locker, it is quickly slammed shut by Xander's bully, Clyde. A blonde buff football captain-type guy who's always followed by his two goons, Peter and Daniel. Clyde tried to take Xander's lunch money, as per the usual, but he managed to convince Clyde that he didn't have any that day. Angry, Clyde and his goon leaves, as Xander breathes a sigh of relief.

Xander then enters one of his better classes, English. His teacher, Mr. Brunner, was a kind man that always treated Xander with respect. Something he didn't get anywhere else. Mr. Brunner was confined to a wheelchair, but still in the front of the class began to give a small lecture about Homer's The Odyssey, and Greek Mythology in general. He asked a few questions, to which Xander was able to respond to correctly.

Later that day, came Xander's favorite class, P.E. Not because of any physical activities, but because it was the only class he had with his best friend, Amanda. A young girl with dyed hair, always listening to the emo punk essentials of Panic! At The Disco and Fall Out Boy on her MP3 Player. Amanda was Xander's best friend, and subsequently only friend. As they met up after getting changed, Amanda informed Xander that they'd be playing dodgeball today, to which Xander began signing his will. Dodgeball always culminated in one team, usually led by Clyde, was made up of the beefiest jerks while the other was literally everyone else. It was a massacre waiting to happen. And lo and behold, the day quickly turned into a bullet hell of dodgeballs thrown by kids that must've been held back a few years considering they were all almost 6 foot, mainly Clyde and his goons.

Xander and Amanda were bobbing and weaving like they always did, but it wasn't until a dodgeball flew past Xander and cracked the gymnasium wall that things started to get weird. Clyde and his goons seemed to get, bigger. Their stature become beefier, and they began growing several feet. His classmates and their P.E. teacher seemed to react in some way and quickly headed for the exit, meanwhile they continued their barrage, mainly focusing their shots at Xander. Once the class piled out, one of Clyde's goons blocked the gym door with a fold out table, leaving just them inside. As dodgeballs that would certainly bore a hole through Xander started flying at him, he turned and saw Amanda taking off her pants. As if this situation wasn't weird enough already. Xander always figured Amanda wore sweats during P.E. because she was self-conscious about her leg hair, but Xander never expected it to be this bad. That's when Xander realized Amanda's legs weren't covered in hair, it was fur. And as she kicked off her shoes, she didn't have feet, she had hooves.

In a startled panic, Amanda led the charge against their opponents, who quickly revealed their true forms. Peter and Daniel's skin turned a pale green, with large teeth and bulbous heads. And Clyde grew to easily 20 feet tall, his blonde hair getting messier and shorter, and this strange mirage over his face faded, as his two eyes melded into one. These monsters, now free to show their true colors, began attacking Xander, who continued to dodge and luckily avoid being hit by dodgeballs being thrown and near Mach speeds. Amanda began fending off the monsters as best she could, with flying karate kicks and what could only be described as "goat-fu". Xander, only armed with a pencil he left in his gym shorts, tried defending himself from the onslaught of these creatures. After being slammed into the wall with a long steel bleacher seat, Xander eventually got a leg up on Clyde, stabbing him in the eye, stunning him. Amanda having finished off Peter and Daniel grabbed Xander and began to run out of the gym and school. Very quickly grabbing their clothes and heading for the parking lot. Hearing the roars of the monsters behind them, they continued forward. Amanda very briefly and poorly explained Xander's situation. He was the child of a god, a Greek god to be specific. His mother was a goddess, which made Xander a demigod, or Half-Blood, as they're often called.

Amanda got to a car in the principal's parking space, quickly breaking the window and hot wiring it. She began driving Xander away, heading towards a safe haven for half-bloods, the only place where they could live in peace and train to fight against the monsters that constantly hunt them down. As if on cue, suddenly, a swarm of harpies descended upon the car, clawing at the windows and slamming the car roof. Xander, in an act of pure fear and panic, climbed down underneath the dashboard, huddling himself into a ball, closing his eyes, hoping he'd wake up from the horrible dream. That's when the car crashed.

### Chapter 2: I Almost Die Playing Capture The Flag

Xander awoke in what looked like an infirmary. Sitting next to him, watching him come to consciousness was a girl around his age, with long curly red hair. Xander wasn't sure if he was still dreaming, but the girl quickly got up and left the room, leaving him alone with no idea where he was. A bit after, a familiar face came into view. Amanda entered the room and was so thankful Xander was okay. She had given him some ambrosia to heal his wounds, she was worried for a bit she had given him too bunch, but if she did he already would've burst into flames. Xander, still confused about where he was, fully realized this wasn't a dream. Amanda took him outside and began to explain where he was in depth. They excited a large cabin known as the Big House, and Xander got a full view of Camp Half-Blood. A large pine tree stood on a hill, looking over a plethora of buildings, all with Grecian style architecture. A group of Cabins laid out in a Greek **Ω**. A beautiful lake, a large forest, and a clear beach looking out onto Long Island Sound.

It's here where Xander is reunited with his English teacher, Mr. Brunner. Who revealed himself to be Chiron, an immortal centaur dedicated to training half bloods here at camp. Xander's godly parent was yet to be determined, and as such, he was assigned to Cabin 11, the Hermes cabin. Here he met Omar, the cabin counselor, who gave him a brief intro into camp life. He then tasked another Hermes kid, Jack Feller, to be Xander's guide here at camp. Jack was a scrappy kid with curly brown hair, a bow and quiver strung over his shoulder at almost all times. He showed Xander around camp, introducing him to multiple friends and other campers along the way. He met campers like Damien, a child of Thanatos, James, a child of Hephaestus, and Will Solace, a child of Apollo. During dinner at the Dining Pavilion, Xander saw that red haired girl again. She was sitting at the Ares table, along with a tan skinned boy with black messy hair held up by a red headband. Jack informed Xander that they were Mavis and Duncan, two of the strongest and most respected fighters here at camp. Xander could feel Mavis staring at him almost the entire night.

The next day, camp was getting ready for their weekly Capture The Flag matches. Xander, despite being completely new, was thrown into armor and thrown onto a team with the Hermes cabin, along with a few others. Jack led a small group around towards the enemy team's flag, where upon they were ambushed. Duncan, leading the ambush demanded a challenge against Xander, in an effort to exert his dominance over the new arrival. Bullies were everywhere Xander thought, yet he still faced this enemy head on, albeit to a quick defeat. But as Xander lay on the ground, panting, out of breath, suddenly, a surge of necrotic energy began to surround him, a veil of darkness fell over Xander, as black skeletal wings sprouted out of his back, his eyes glazed over with a purple glow. Above his head, burning in black fire, was the symbol of Nemesis, goddess of Revenge. The tide quickly shifted, Xander getting the upper hand before defeating Duncan in combat, and claiming the flag for the Nemesis cabin.

### Chapter 3: I Find A Group Of Dysfunctional Friends

Weeks later, Xander is fully accustomed to camp life for the most part, fitting in with the Nemesis cabin and his new half-sisters, as all of the other Nemesis were girls. The cabin counselor, Charlotte, gave him a magical dagger known as Fortune's Revenge, which could shrink down into a wooden ring. It was at this time that camp was preparing for their annual Half-Blood Games. A tournament event where random teams fight for a chance to stay at the Express Cabin, a beautiful an luxurious cabin by the beach that can only be stayed in by winners of this tournament. All of camp gathered at the Dining Pavilion ready to be assigned teams. Four half-bloods reached into the large chalice all pulled from it a number. As groups were being assigned, Chiron shouted, "Group 13!". The four half bloods approached, getting a good look at their new teammates. The first, was Xander Waller, new to camp here, he didn't really recognize his other teammates, except from seeing them in passing.

The second, was Asher Lorento. A child of Aphrodite, and a notable outcast from his cabin. A young man with slightly long black hair Asher was extremely catholic, even going as far to wear vestments as his regular outfit everyday. His beliefs were an odd sight at camp, due to the existence of Greek Gods having been confirmed. Despite this, Asher held onto his religion, disregarding others opinions of him.

The third, was Ken Takahashi. A child of Athena, and counselor of the Athena cabin. Ken was a slightly older kid, that nearly every camper knew not to mess with. He wore an eyepatch over his left eye, hiding a wound or scar that no one at camp had every actually seen before. One of the best fighters at camp, his strength rivaled if not surpassed that of Duncan.

And finally, Jemma, the dryad. Not entirely a camper, but Jemma and other nature spirits like satyrs were also allowed to participate in the games. Jemma had long brown hair, constantly filled with leaves and twigs. She could always be found growing and smoking marijuana at certain spots in the forest.

With the randomly dubbed, Group 13, assembled, the Half Blood Games began. Made up of several events where the teams individual members compete against other teams in order to gain points. The highest scoring teams would make to the final event in order to compete for the grand prize. Jemma competed in the Archery Challenge, where she came in first thanks to her technique of throwing the arrows as hard as she should instead of using a bow. Asher and Ken both competed in a Combat Challenge, where they battled other teams in a tournament-style event. And finally, Xander competed in the Rock Climbing Wall Challenge. Which doesn't sound so intense, before you know that the Climbing Wall spouts lava and debris at those who attempt to climb it. Xander competed against Mavis during this event, where Xander, despite being less physically fit, managed to keep pace with Mavis eventually leading to a tie.

With the scores tallied, the last two remaining teams were Group 13, and Group 24, made up of Amanda, Duncan, Mavis, and Jack. The final competition was revealed to camp, a Chariot Race.