Summer Games, Session Five

I think this is the most consistent gaming I have experienced in years.  NOT having alcohol during the game actually makes it better, at least for me.  Who knew?

Earlier logs are here: one, two, three, four. 

Summary: no deaths, no treasure (beyond a mundane spear), stairs up discovered

-----

We picked up where we left off, in the crypts.  Dave slipped the ring onto his finger, finding that it slipped onto it easily, but then he felt it tighten around the base of his finger.  He has no idea what it yet does, but his gut tells him its magic.

After a brief debate, they checked the crypt across the hall and found it differed substantially from the first three.  Mounted upon the door was a metal plaque (made of orichalcum), with swirling letters that, when they finished swirling, read in a language each could understand (the literate ones and those tall enough to see it, at least):

It would be best

To let them rest

Heed this request

Or become Death's guest

(DM note - I promise my next rhyming riddle will be better.)

After comments about how the lich they suspect is an incarnation of Shel Silverstein, the group opted to skip the remaining three crypts and try the chamber at the end of the hall, so Dave and Daffyd investigated.  (Note that TruggleDave's player is convinced a lich-king is behind all of it).

Approaching the opening, Dave could feel a slight caustic bite in the air. At the entrance, the light from Daffyd's eyebeams revealed a short flight of stairs leading into a large chamber with a high ceiling, a set of stairs leading to dark openings in the other three walls, what looked to be a large pool in the center of the room, and a pair of large skeletal legs attached to large humanoid skeleton holding a large nasty-looking club.  

From HERE - looks like it's sold out...

Said large skeleton (with horns on its skull!) started approaching him as the light panned across it, so Dave retreated, guessing correctly that it was too large to fit through the entrance.

Sharing the news about what he saw, the party discussed several plans, ranging from Roro being sneaky, to throwing Daffyd's head as a distraction (Daffyd was not amused at this plan).  In the end, they decided to tie Daffyd's head to Dack the Boar-Thief's arse, facing backwards, and have the skeleton chase Dack in a circle, while the others raced to the nearest set of stairs.

The plan worked, but to their chagrin (and the DM's joy) the hazard die came up a 1, so the skeletons in the alcoves in the new hallway stepped down and advanced upon the PCs.

Lim-Dul's High Guard by Anson Maddocks

Seeing the mail-clad, spear-wielding skeletons, initiative was rolled and the teams tied.  Brother Frank announced his actions first, holding aloft the fuzzy dice of his deity and calling upon Avrae to turn the walking dead.  

It worked! Three of the four skeletons stepped back into their alcoves, while the fourth lunged at Dave, missing him.  Roro stepped through the legs of the front line and swung the cutlass Sierra, missing.  Varda also swung and connected, learning that skeletons only take half-damage from edged weapons in this world.  Brother Frank then stepped up and rolled a natural 20 with his mace, crushing its skull and ending the threat.

The party hesitated, knowing there were skeletons along the hall and a giant one behind them.  Dave picked up the fallen spear before everyone opted to leave well enough alone and move down the hallway into a rectangular chamber notable for having a pillar in each corner, and an open passageway in each wall.

Studying the pillars, the party saw that they were covered with carvings of people in combat and that - after the entire group failed saves - the carvings began moving faster and closer until suddenly, a plate-armored shade with glowing red eyes stepped out of each pillar!

(DM note: PCs may have evacuated bowels and voided bladders, but players made comments about Ringwraiths and minions of the Lich-King were made.  As a veteran DM, I am not one to let such comments go unheeded... - but just not this session.)

Ihsan's Shade by Christopher Rush

The sudden appearance terrified the party, resulting in all of them backing together in the center of the chamber.  Circumstances allowed for Daffyd's light to shine directly upon one, causing it to momentarily disappear!

Bolstered by the result of Daffyd's light making one shade briefly blink out of existence, Dave's player forgot the game's genre, suggesting that the armored shades were merely holograms, and tested his theory by trying to walk past them.  While they moved menacingly closer, they did not engage, so he was able to use Daffyd to make cursory examinations of the other openings, revealing other passages, to include one that appeared to end in a statue - so the group headed that direction, unmolested by the illusions of shades.

With Daffyd harnessed to his torso, Allistar took the lead and off they went to the statue, crossing another passage in the process.  Shining Daffyd's eyes to the north revealed a set of stairs heading up and to the south revealed more corridor.

Thus we ended, around a statue in a dead-end chamber.

-----

Brother Frank was voted MVP for his successful turning of most of the skeletons AND the natural 20 that crushed the skull of the one that didn't turn.

No treasure was discovered (beyond a mundane short-spear), but stairs up were, so escape is now theoretically possible within the next few sessions.

Overall, the group being effectively stuck on the second level means the potential for exploration XP is high - even if they find the shortest route back to the main entrance on level one (and the tax collectors at the top of it).  Presuming they make it back to Skara Brae, some might actually level up.  

Roro's player has been mapping the entire time and it is glorious! Several sheets of notebook paper with nothing to scale - I know the plan is to sell it to Ebeneezer Hardbottle, but until then, it is being used in game and is awesome.  I'm hoping they'll make use of it to determine potential hidden areas.

As an added bonus, if the mapper's PC falls, that map becomes an excellent treasure for the next explorer! Add a mapper to your games - you won't be sorry!

Dungeon Map by Aaron Miller

I definitely need to incorporate encumbrance with all the running and carrying heavy things they are up to - and warned the players as much.

At one point, the session became focused on my and Varda's character jointly reciting Jabberwocky, after a rambling story about White Rabbit and drugs (brought on by the pillar-shades appearance being compared to an acid trip), so I am thinking a vorpal blade that goes snicker-snack is kicking around in the dungeon.

Somewhere.

Probably some custom monsters too: the Manxome Foe, the Bandersnatch, the Jub-Jub Bird, and the Jabberwock itself.  Luckily, most of these, if not all, already exist in one form or another, so my homebrewing is limited to merely cherry-picking what I like best from the Google.

Note that the Chesire Cat is more NPC than actual monster and will also be making an appearance - multiples, probably, because recurring NPCs are fun.

As an aside, I'm excited for Andrew Kolb's take on Wonderland, so I can loot it of ideas.    His Oz and Neverland books are excellent, so I have high expectations. It should be available in November, just in time for Christmas!

Speaking of Jabberwocky, here is the Muppets version - which is awesome, and here is a telling (with music) by Omnia, which is also awesome.

Summer Games, part four

Earlier logs are here: one, two, three.

Summary: still in the dungeon, no one dies, 1 and part of another person join the adventurers, loot acquired and laughter made manifest.  Overall, I count this session as a win. 

First, though, some player-created art - after all, the character sheets do have a place to add a drawing, sigil, or coat of arms.

Truggledave or just plain Dave, drawn by his player.

Roro the Rash, drawn by her player

Not pictured are 

Varda, Elf 1

Allistar, Thief 1

Brother Frank, Cleric of Avrae 1

Dack, Boar-Thief 1

-----

We began the session in the entrance chamber, with Dack the boar eating a fallen zombie (because that IS what pigs do - eat).  As he munched, the party decided to begin moving south, from whence the zombies came.  Inspecting the first set of alcoves, they discovered that the back walls were stone slabs, which, after some effort, they managed to drop with a crash!

Sadly, this noise triggered the first of MANY hazard die checks that did not bring anything to investigate.

Entering the chamber, they found a pair of stone sarcophagi.  Upon investigation, they were revealed to have some form of effigies on the lids, but too faded and worn to determine exactly what might be entombed within.  It was also noted that both sarcophagi had a pair of round holes on each side - no doubt for poles or spearshafts to more easily raise and lower the lid.

With no such poles, the party improvised a plan involving rope, a boar, brute strength, and ignorance.  The end state was the first lid hit the floor with a crash, and everyone was surprised to see a human in full dungeon kit looking up at them, coughing a bit from the dust and blinking his eyes in the party's light.

A brief interrogation revealed that his name was Allistar the Thief and he had no idea how he ended up in the sarcophagus; when Varda realized it was her ex-husband in the sarcophagus, he claimed amnesia there, as well.

The lid crashing down should have brought trouble, but no encounter was rolled, just spoor of a future encounter, and with that, a buzzing sound was heard in the near distance.  This sound caused Dave to fire a flaming arrow down the hallway, which eventually landed maybe 200 feet further, and the buzzing ceased. 

Then with Varda to grudgingly vouch for him, Allistar joined the party in the looting of sarcophagi.  

As they approached the second sarcophagus, the room got noticeably colder.  Removing the second lid yielded a dead head, in that it was grey and dead, but had a glorious topknot of hair.  More importantly, it was gagged and a blue-white light beamed from its eyes, like a modern day flashlight.  Lifting it up and removing its gag, more of the same light came out its open mouth as it said, "thaaaannnnk yoouuuu."

Conversation with the talking head revealed its name to be Daffyd Byrns, who not only spoke in song lyrics (that only one player recognized) but also knew Allistar, calling them both brothers of the shadow.

True to form, Allistar claimed amnesia and the group prepared to cross the hall, but not before Allistar's latent desire for loot (muscle memory?) saw him leap into the sarcophagus that had held Daffyd, and begin searching it.  His efforts were rewarded with the observation that the wooden plank on the bottom lifted up, revealing a sealed box large enough to hold a book.  The box had no easy means of opening it, but Varda saw it was covered with magical markings and sigils that she couldn't read.

So the box ended up in a backpack for later investigation and the group ate and rested, before moving across the hall.  

-----

Crossing the hall to force the door, the party found themselves in a similar room, complete with another pair of sarcophagi and a die roll indicating no random encounter, just an indicator of one, so they heard that buzzing again.  At this point, Roro declared she was going to guard the corridor, so stepped out of the room and sat down.  As she had a sewing kit and extra sacks, she began to fashion a chest harness for Daffyd's head - the goal being to free up hands.

Picture of Dave wearing the Daffyd head harness, by Roro's player and Dave's player

With Roro in the corridor, the sarcophagus opening procedures were carried out, and as the lid crashed down, it kicked up so much dust that everyone in the room had to make (and most failed) saves or fall into a coughing fit.  When the dust cleared, it revealed a dessicated corpse lying there, but Daffyd's eyebeams revealed jewelry: a necklace, matching bracelets, and matching anklets.  This jewelry was divided up between Varda, Roro, and Dack the Boar-Thief. (DM note - does Daffyd's eyebeams have detection properties?  I don't yet know!)

The second sarcophagus featured an effigy of what appeared to be a woodsman.  In addition, buzzing could be heard from within, and Varda's infravision revealed a heat difference, so they braced for combat as they opened the lid.

Inside was a decomposing body wearing decaying hunter's clothing, everything tattered and stained except for the high soft boots laced up on his feet.  In addition, they could see the chest and stomach moving and heaving under the clothing, so the taller sorts circled the open sarcophagus and raised their blades to begin simultaneously striking the corpse and whatever was squirming inside.

With the first strikes, a swarm of cockroaches (the big nasty buggers like what we get here in Alabama) came flying up and out and around, sending the party into a mix of swatting and yelling and panicking.

They even dropped Daffyd's head in the sarcophagus, and roaches began crawling into his mouth.  Poor Daffyd.

Despite the noise, the encounter die disappointed me again, and nothing headed their way.  

Using fire and smoke (and Brother Frank's mace), the swarm was driven away.  With that, Allistar retrieved and donned the fancy boots, because how else will they learn what the boots do? 

They rested again before adjourning across the hall, because panicking is hard work.  Roro finished her harness and talked nice to Daffyd.

-----

This was the last room they entered before the session ended.  

They could smell brine and sea air once the door crashed down and saw that one of the effigies looked like a stereotypical pirate.  Excited comments were made about it likely containing treasure OR a portal, and they were correct on both counts.  The lid came off like all the others, and Dave shone the light of Daffyd into the seawater, thrilling to see the lights reflected off the shiny things below.  Reaching for a shiny, Dave felt a pull on his arm and failed his save vs spells, then fell in to the far deeper than it should be water.  Determined to find some treasure before he died, Dave grasped a goblet that would have fit in with the treasures of the Nuestra Senora de Atocha.  

He then began to drown.

Image from generic image search - it might even be AI, but I didn't use such an engine.

This goblet (chalice? using connotation, which word sounds more valuable?) should cover Dave's debts, and probably more besides!

Dave's companions thought quickly and opted to make use of the roped boar to maybe pull Dave out.  The rope was weighted and thrown in, and after a few failed attempts, Dave grasped the rope and was pulled out and to safety, Daffyd and the goblet along with him.

Soaking wet and panting, Dave related to the others that there was more treasure where the goblet had come from AND that he had noticed a large shadow moving around in the water, believing (correctly) that something was down there. DM note - at this point I opened the Monster Overhaul to page 277 in eager anticipation, but alas, alea iacta est and no one was eaten.

Without hesitation, Roro announced 'we're going fishing' and stripped down to her unmentionables.  She then donned the harness to hold Daffyd in place, so she could see.  The others tied a rope around her ankle, and with dagger and sack in hand, she was heaved into the water (she is too short to actually see over the top of these sarcophagi).  Roro felt the pull of the magic, but made her save, so would be able to move freely.

Daffyd was annoyed - he may not need to breathe, but that doesn't mean he likes being under water.  Soothing him with a head pat, she kicked towards the gleaming gold.  The encounter dice were again unkind to the DM, so she was able to scoop up a mix of treasures into the sack, then grab a suspiciously new-looking cutlass thrusting up out of the sand.  When Roro tugged the rope as they had prearranged, Dack the Boar-Thief began pulling her out of the water. (As I type this, I realize I missed a chance for the shadow-casting thing to make an appearance and get a jump scare - next time - the players know there is treasure still in the water).

Back in the crypt, the sack was emptied to see what she grabbed: silver trade bars and golden coins.  Roro claimed the cutlass for herself, even though it was almost as long as she is tall.  Investigation revealed the word Sierra engraved upon the blade.

From HERE, and for the low low cost of $189 and shipping, it can be yours!

As Roro toweled off, the group turned to the last sarcophagus and took up their stations.  Infravision showed no heat within, and the effigy on the lid was too defaced to tell what might be within.

The boar grunted, the lid crashed down, and the zombie within sat up and swiped at Brother Frank, dealing 1 point of damage and sending him into a tizzy.  The rest of the tall folk quickly did the zombie in, and Dave claimed the silver ring found upon its finger. 

What will next session hold?

-----

Today's session ended with lots of treasure and Roro being voted MVP (for making the harness for Daffyd).  Of course, they still need to escape to cash it all in.  By the time they find a way up, they may make bank on the exploring rooms xp my houserules make use of.

Or die trying.

Total loot:

Necklace (Varda)

Matching bracelets (Varda, Roro)

Matching anklets (Roro, Dack)

Book-sized box covered with magical symbols - I don't recall - Brother Frank, perhaps?

Fine leather hunters' boots (worn by Allistar)

Golden bejeweled goblet (Dave)

A cutlass named Sierra (Roro)

Sack containing 2 trade bars of silver and 289 gold pieces - I don't recall

Silver ring - Dave

If any of my players can remind me about who is carrying what, that would be grand.  As the group has no Detect Magic spell, they are relying on gut instinct to determine what, if anything, is magical.  I'll need to have this printed and ready to go by next session.  This, as well, for those items the party cannot easily determine on their own.  

Seriously, the blog d4 Caltrops is the gift that keeps on giving!  Go check it out and download/print what will work for your games - you will not be disappointed!

-----

I may have to change out my d6 for the encounters - with all the noise they are making and time they are taking, something should have wandered their way.  Luckily, they are close to keyed trouble, and will probably reach it - and outsmart me again - next session. 

Yes, I could have wanderers show up via DM fiat, but I'd rather not.

Encumbrance came up in discussion during the game, so within the next two sessions I will need to provide some encumbrance pages - I really like slot-based inventories, so probably one of them.  I have a few I have culled from the internet, so will make my choice closer to time.

I haven't worried about encumbrance so far because they are new PCs with minimal gear, but now as they gain treasure, it will begin to matter.  That said, the rate they go through rations may result in room after all.

The Staff of Pmurt the Orange

A magic item that came to me as I drove home.  

I promise the write-up for session four is almost done and should hopefully be finished tonight.

------

Pmurt the Orange was an average wizard born to wealthy parents.  His parents' wealth brought him everything but skill at magic, which could only be achieved through patience and practice.  Given that Pmurt lacked patience, it was only a matter of time before a magical experiment went awry, permanently staining his flesh and hair a sickly shade of orange, a shade that cannot be hidden under any magics yet tried - which only served to increase the anger that Pmurt the Orange felt at being born.

With time, however, Pmurt the Orange did master his craft, at least enough to craft a magestaff of some potency.

Thornbite Staff by Jesper Ejsing

Unfortunately, the staff picked up some of Pmurt's negative personality traits during its creation and, as such, using the staff can be exhausting.  Indeed, merely attuning to it costs the wielder 1d4+1 temporary Charisma loss, a loss which can only be restored when the wielder gives up the staff.  Getting it to actually work requires the wielder to force their will upon the staff, and the more potent the power, the more exhausting the battle of wills.

Mechanically this means that to activate a power safely requires the wielder to make a Charisma save; failure to make the save means the power is still used, but the wielder acquires one or more levels of exhaustion. 

DC10, 1 level of exhaustion - Light, Dancing Lights, Ventriloquism

DC12, 1 level of exhaustion - Detect Thoughts, Knock 

DC14, 1 level of exhaustion - Suggestion, Charm Person

DC16, 2 levels of exhaustion - Dispel Magic, Wall of Ice

DC18, 3 levels of exhaustion - Confusion, Fear

DC20, 4 levels of exhaustion - Teleport Self (like Teleport, but only the wielder goes)

In addition to the above powers, Pmurt's staff has a pair of unique abilities that only exhaust others:

Fleeting Luck - when this power is active, the wielder rolls all rolls at advantage; the drawback is that one of their local allies (chosen at random or by DM fiat) suffers the opposite, and all of their rolls are at disadvantage.  When active, it lasts for 8 hours before having to be reactivated.

Energy Vampire - the wielder heals themself of damage at the expense of their allies.  When activated, a local ally is chosen at random (or DM fiat), and the wielder is brought up to full hit points.  This ability can even heal some conditions, but not exhaustion.  

These abilities seem harsh, but the truth is that Pmurt the Orange was a narcissist, and cared not at all for his allies beyond what they could do for him in the short-term.

Lastly, using the staff slowly stains its wielder the same ugly orange as Pmurt, beginning with the palms of their hands and spreading outwards, until the body is covered.  Using the more powerful abilities makes the stains spread faster; to date, there is no record of what happens to a wielder who goes completely orange, although it is speculated that this is a form of slow-moving possession, and one that reaches full orange becomes Pmurt himself (and therefore, an NPC).

-----

Note that the Staff is sentient and will activate the Teleport Self if it believes it or its wielder is in danger.  This has the side effect of making the wielder appear to be a coward in the eyes of allies.

Being sentient, it can speak, but chooses not too unless absolutely necessary.  

Summer Games, part 3

Three sessions in a row!  2024 is turning into a great gaming year for me.  I even got to play some Magic this Wednesday.

Our cast:

Varda, the Elf

Dave, the Fighter

Roro, the Halfling

Dack, the Thief - currently a swine

Brother Frank, Cleric of Avrae

Land, Cleric of Ikea - rolled and run by Dack's player

Anyhow, we left off last week with Dack turned into a swine and everyone off to meet with Frankie Breakbone, the moneylender.

Frankie Breakbone, courtesy of MtG card Tavern Swindler by Pauline Voss

As might be expected, the conversation ended with our heroes having a month to find the money needed to pay her back.  About 1000gp between Dave, Dack, and Frank.

They also learned that Circe might turn Dack back into a human for a price.  Her price being the recovery of a large gem that she is fairly certain is on the third level of the dungeon - at least her divinations suggest as much.  

Circe the Witch.  Elvira, Mistress of the Dark is an alias.

When does she want it?  Before she sails back to her island in the Aegean Sea in a few months.  With that, she dismissed the party and her guards escorted them out.

Balking at Circe's demand, the party makes use of the I Know a Guy houserule, and Varda introduces the table to Cornelius de Bleu, a wizard who had enough of a crush on her to follow her to Skara Brae and set up shop.  It turns out, he also had an outrageous French accent, kind of a mix between Monty Python and Pepe LePew.  Note that about halfway through, the DM slipped into a bad Antonio Banderas impersonation.  Ah, wizards.

Cornelius was willing to provide an answer out of kindness to his crush.  His researches suggested that if a person were to walk backwards across the Bridge of Broken Souls (item 94 on this table).  Unfortunately, Cornelius wasn't certain where said bridge might actually be - perhaps in the dungeon. (DM Note - it would be funny if it had to be crossed to retrieve the gem Circe wants).

By this point, Dack's player had finished rolling up and equipping Land, Cleric of Ikea, so the party followed Dack the Swine's lead to the temple of Ikea, where it nosed into Land.  After introductions, we learned that Dack had been raised by the temple, but did not jive with their neutral ways.  Still, Land remembered and felt pity for the swine, so offered up that the temple of Ikea had access to the dungeon, and would provide it to its members.

As they prepared for the delve, they discussed the rumors they had heard over the past few days, and I, the DM had each of them roll on d30 rumor table.  They learned the following:

Ebeneezer Hardbottle is still willing to pay for maps.

Tristan's bride-to-be was kidnapped and her dowry stolen by bandits on the first level.

A flaming sword was lost to the orcs on the first level.

A treasure-laden funeral barge floats on a vast reservoir deep down on the tenth level (this was a popular topic, being rolled three times).

The Church of Starry Wisdom keeps a treasure vault on the second level.

Spinning a Wheel destroyed the gossip and their friends.

A pair of ogres named Smash and Grab enjoy ale and mules.

Some folks bathed in a pool and woke up ... different.

Rumors shared and bags packed, they headed down a dark spiral staircase, farther down than they initially thought possible (DM note - all the way to second level) where the air grew cold and still - like see-your-breath cold.

The stairs bottomed out into a 30'x30' chamber with an opening in the center of each wall.  Peering down two of them, they saw nothing but alcoves in the walls and darkness stretching out past their torch and candle light.  Without checking the third opening, Roro the Rash called out "Hello!" down a passage and was rewarded with a distant shuffling and moaning that grew closer and closer until their light revealed a pair of zombies shambling towards them!

The zombies were met with bowstring and steel, but alas! poor Land, Cleric of Ikea, fell to the blows of a zombie! This enraged Dack the pig, and looking in the rules, we found that Boars are listed, and as Dack is a male, we ran with it.

The final zombie fell beneath the furious feet of an enraged Dack-boar! 

And with that, we ended!

BX combat is fatal!

 

Summer Games, part 2

A second session complete!  This log is brought to you by the letter B and Dragon's Milk Stout.

We ended last session with an encounter rolled but unrevealed, so this week we played it out.

Our intrepid band had stepped into the entrance chamber to find that another party had just entered the dungeon themselves.  This was a larger party, led by a knight of Osha, Sir Gerrard Capashen (DM note - the thief named after an MtG character made jokes about my using MtG character names...) who asked the party if they could direct him to a large room with double doors, as Osha himself had sent a vision to Gerrard, questing him to guard that chamber for a full year, and to put down whatever came through those doors.  Honestly telling him that they hadn't found such a chamber, the party moved aside as Sir Gerrard and his party - which included squires, a chaplain, several men-at-arms, some lantern-bearers/linkboys, and a muleskinner and his mule - headed down the way the PCs had come from.

(DM note - this encounter illustrates and reinforces that there are multiple adventurer groups in play, negotiations are often safer than immediate combat, the players can hire help, and that supplies for a prolonged stay might prove useful; in addition, I cannot control when or if the PCs pass through those double doors, but if they do, well...).

Observing that Sir Gerrard's company had left a makeshift ramp on the entry stairs, no doubt to facilitate the mule, Varda declared that counting out the contents of the chest would be a good plan, and the others agreed, so they began counting out the coins in neat stacks of 10.

In the dungeon entrance room.

As might be imagined, this took some time, which meant a roll for an encounter, which came up a 1.

Okay, this is technically a scene from Moria as painted by the late, great, Angus McBride, but the sentiment is the same.

While they were counting, they heard pounding from the far door by the bloodstains.  A thump followed by a clang as the first spike holding the door closed fell to the floor.  A second thump and clang as the second spike fell.  The third thump saw the door fly open and three angry hobgoblins stepped through, armed with wickedly curved scimitars.  

The largest of the three took in the situation, pointed at the party, and called out, "BREE-YARK!" which is goblin for 'time to pay your taxes'! Both Dave and Varda understood them, which influenced their actions.

Our heroes took action at the first thump and clang, with Dave and Roro readying bows, Brother Frank raising his mace and shield and standing next to Dave, Varda standing up from counting and drawing her sword, and Dack bravely moving to the rear - to protect the treasure, no doubt.

By the time the door burst open, our heroes were ready.  At the first call of Bree-Yark, Dave and Roro fired their bows, missing wildly, and the fight was on!  Varda followed up the arrows with a Magic Missile (now her permanent 1st level spell), slaying the first hobgoblin.  The other two hobgoblins passed their morale check and continued the charge.

Face-to-face, the two sides exchanged blows, with an end-state of the hobgoblins being dead - one by Dack's dagger - through the ear! - and the other from an arrow through the eye, courtesy of Roro.  

Realizing the folly of counting coins in the dungeon, the team loaded up sacks, both with the loot from the chest, and the small loot from the hobs, to include a necklace made of silver coins strung on a leather thong, which Varda claimed.  

As the coins were being picked up, it was decided that beheading the corpses and placing the heads in the chest would be a funny prank to play on whomever next opened the chest.  Furthermore, the chest and the bodies would be pushed through the hole in the door where the snake was believed to lurk.

They tasked Brother Frank to do the beheading, to which he exclaimed "clerics cannot wield edged weapons - it says so in the holy book!" and then he pulled out thin tome with red leather covers, and an image embossed on the front of what appeared to be a wizard and fighter battling a dragon of some sort.

While Brother Frank showed his work, Dack filled the chest with heads.

(DM note - During this entire first hour, I asked at least multiple times specifically about the chest.  At no time did anyone search it for a false bottom or false top.  Their loss.)

They began to move the bodies through the door when a slithering sound was heard beyond it.  Presuming it to be a giant snake, our heroes opted to head back to sunlight and safety!

At the top of the stairs waited Sergeant Bruno of the guard, his men-at-arms, and the magic-user/scribe Halaster.  Guards began exchanging money, and the party learned that bets are made about various dungeoneers' survival, and having heard the fight below, the bets ran high - against the party.

The PCs also learned that in addition to an entrance fee, there is a tax on found treasure.  After a tense moment and words with Bruno, Varda grudgingly handed over the coin necklace as payment for the group and team headed off to the Green Dragon to spend their filthy lucre. 

Hopefully the rumors about other entrances are true.

-----

Safely aboveground, it was time to divvy up the treasure, and more importantly, the XP.  After math, each PC received 454 xp, with additional amounts of 5% or 10% going to some for high prime requisites. 

The total cash value was 30gp per PC (mostly silver in that chest).  Enough for a few days of careful living.  Or a blowout party.

Barroom Brawl by Craig J Spearing

I then introduced the group to proper carousing rules, ala' Jeff's Gameblog.  From experience, though, I have scaled down the "fire" option, because I enjoy having a city not in ashes.  That said, here is what carousing brought them:

Only Dave, Dack, and Brother Frank opted to go carousing.  Being more dignified than their human companions, Roro and Varda found a full-service spa.

Dave rolled a 2 and failed his poison save, becoming known as the life of the party here in Skara Brae, which means all his future carousing rolls cost twice as much.

Dack rolled a 5 and also failed his poison save, and it seems that while drunk, he made lewd advances towards a witch, who turned him into a swine.  (DM note - I am guessing it was Circe out slumming, having tired of her island home in the Aegean Sea).

Brother Frank rolled a 6, but made his poison save.  Praise Avrae!

None of the three had enough cash for the die rolls, so now all three owe money, conveniently from the same person...

In the morning, a messenger from Frankie Breakbone was waiting for them.  "Now that you're all awake, my boss, Ms. Breakbone, wants to have a word with you.  Given that she loaned you three money, she expects you after breakfast.  I'll wait."

Varda and Dack both recognized her name from their dealings with the underworld

And that is where we left off: 4 bipeds and a quadruped (on a leash) being escorted to meet with one Frankie Breakbone, loanshark, businesswoman, and all-around not nice gal.

At the end of the session, it was determined that Dack was the MVP, so received a bonus 250xp award.  As a thief, Dack is close to leveling up - provided he can become un-swined. 

-----

Yes, the principal deities this time round are Osha, God of Law; Ikea, Divinity of Neutrality; and Avrae, Goddess of Chaos.

Perhaps this game takes place in the far distant future of our world, but not quite Dying Earth distant.

-----

Bonus news! As a Father's Day gift, I received this from my eldest.  It's only a matter of time before the PCs run into it...  I promise I am not lifting ideas directly from Delicious in Dungeon.

Gargantuan Red Dragon

But only after its painted.  Luckily, I know a guy.

Making the Most of a Cancelled Session

Our second session was cancelled due to reasons, so I invested the time in working on my DM binder.

By DM Binder, I mean the 1.25 inch binder filled with document protectors that I can use as a reference without flipping through multiple books, a pile of printed pages, or bookmarked websites.  

While I already had a pile of printouts, I also did some research on FB, which led me to these threads on ENWorld.  There is also this post at the excellent blog Don't Split the Party about pregame prep and available tools to make me feel inadequate in my preps.  

As I write this, I realize that I will need to divide it into two parts: running the game and building adventures.  Maybe even subdivide them by general, urban, wilderness, dungeon - although I shouldn't need the wilderness for the foreseeable future.

Since I am currently running a B/X game, my focus is on what will help me running those games.

Jayemdae Tome, art by Donato Giancola

-----

In no particular order are:

A one-page of major house rules.

A one-page of the various ways PCs can gain XP.

The tables from the Gamemaster Screen from New Big Dragon Games Unlimited (worth the money); they are just all the B/X charts in one spot for ease of use.

A list of random names, 20 each for Humans/Halflings, Dwarves, and Elves.

A running list of encountered names and places.

The d20 list of what a failed save at carousing brings you from Jeff's Gameblog.

A dynamic list of rumors - my goal is to keep it at d30 and eventually incorporate PC antics.

The Hazard System v.03 from Necropraxis.

Lists of Smells and Sounds from Dungeons and Dragons Colour - lots of d100 lists there, both for keying a location as well as the more random things the party encounters.  I use these two for when a 1 isn't rolled on the hazard check.

Telecanter's Voices, Creepy Combat Commentary, What You Did While You Were a Werewolf, and What Are the Monsters Doing.

Several of the d100 tables from d4 Caltrops, particularly d100 Tells for Traps, but also Why This Hireling Decided to Join, This Secret Door Opens..., Why is This Door Stuck?, Where is the Key for This Locked Door?, So You've Been Brought Back from the Dead..., Rumored Remedies for Curses/Energy Drain, and Magical Mishaps & Calamitous Curses.  

Speaking of curses, I found these Random Curses at Dyson's Dodecahedronn - other cool things there, as well.  For example, his character sheets, which we use.

Six Tables of Unusual Kit from Another Hamsterish Hoard - for when bodies are searched.

Since B/X doesn't have an Identify spell, I have this for inspiration from Archade's Tower; I don't use it as-is (it's written for DCC), but the ideas are sound.

I find all of these useful both for things that have happened as well as things that may happen down in the depths, as well as the city streets.

As might be imagined, this is a definite work-in-progress, but I wanted to share.  

Also, it looks like I will need a larger binder, and certainly more document protectors.

-----

In addition, I created two smaller folders for my players, who only know 5e.  It's mostly just the chart compilation in my binder, a page on how to earn XP, a page of big house rules, and the spell options.

What's in your binder?

Summer Games - B/X at Work

May is wrapping up, and with it the frenetic energy of a graduation, multiple field trips, class parties, and championship soccer games.  What it heralds, though, is a few months without any evening responsibilities beyond normal chores.

Which means that I get to play this summer!

So I'll be running some work colleagues and their spouses through a B/X megadungeon.  

It's a new ruleset for them and a new/old location for me, as it starts in the city of Skara Brae. It is a simple premise - the good citizens of Skara Brae awoke one morning to find a stairwell descending into darkness right in the middle of the main market square.

In the three months since its appearance, many people have tried their luck exploring the place.  Of the ones that returned, sometimes they are fabulously wealthy, other times they are just happy to be alive.

The government of Skara Brae soon garrisoned the market around the stairs, charging a small fee to enter, and a cut of the treasure to those that exit.  In addition, the garrison is charged with ensuring nothing monstrous leaves the dungeon.

If only they knew...

Regardless, I enjoy running and playing in a megadungeon because it allows for exploration, faction play, puzzles (of all sorts), and the occasional fight.  Most importantly, it provides a means for lots of laughter.

As some of the players have been enjoying Delicious in Dungeon, they are familiar with the concept.

-----

To help set the tone, I made sure that a small pile of blank Death Certificates was visible to all players during PC creation (an idea I lifted from a company commander I once knew in the Army, who would keep a copy of AR 190-55 Procedures for Military Executions visible on his desk whenever he had to call in a soldier for disciplinary reasons.  He never executed anyone, but terrified lots of people).

Free from Stormlord Publishing, found at the link above

We used Dyson Logos' free BX character sheets and soon had a likely band of adventurers ready to go.

Let me introduce our heroes:

Dave the Fighter

Roro the Halfling

Dack the Thief 

Varda the Elf 

Brother Frank the Cleric (acolyte of Avrae, goddess of chance)

I prefer to run games with the PCs already knowing some of the others.  In this case, the thief and fighter owed money to the cleric's faith, the halfling had been fired from her job with the elf and knew the fighter from work, and the elf had been helping the thief steal money from her job, which is what got the elf fired.  My players - please correct me if I am wrong on any counts!

Normally, I have players roll on a rumor table, but mine (the linked one is for a different place) wasn't ready, so I just provided a few to get them started:

Lots of gold and magic has been brought up from below.

Not everyone returns from the dungeon.

Ebenezer Hardbottle will pay for maps of the dungeon.

There are whispers of additional entrances to the dungeon.

The dungeon runs deep and all sorts of strange creatures exist there.

Not all of the creatures want to (immediately) fight the surface-worlders (because I use reaction rolls).

Relationships established around a common theme of being in debt and needing money fast, our team found themselves at the top of the stairs talking to a Sergeant of the Guard, as his bored troops looked on.  There they learned that the government of Skara Brae charges a small fee to enter the dungeon - a paltry silver piece per person.  Each person paid and then registered their name and profession (unemployed) with Halaster, the day shift wage mage assigned to this duty.

Having paid and registered, the intrepid heroes make a quick marching order and head down the stairs, finding themselves in a large chamber featuring six doors (three in each wall), a large round pool, and a statue near the pool.  

Two doors immediately caught their interest - one that was spiked shut and had fresh-ish bloodstains on the floor in front of it and one on the opposite wall that had a large hole chewed through the bottom of it.

Roro and Dack moved to check out the door with the hole while the other three moved to check the pool.  Roro noted that she couldn't see the pool anyhow, due to the height of low wall around it.  

Limited light showed a dark room through the hole in the door, but not the full size of the room.  That being the case, Roro boldly stepped through, only to find herself face to face with a GIANT FREAKING SNAKE staring at her from across the room from a hole in another door.  Lifting her handaxe, she boldly charged it, slamming her axe down into its head!  The head collapsed, revealing it was just a shed snakeskin, and it was blocking further progress - all she could tell was that there was a corridor beyond the snake door.  Not about to try that alone, she headed back out to tell her companions.

Meanwhile, Dave and Varda first tested the water (cold and clear and not too deep) by dropping a sling stone into it.  That having no effect, they moved on to the statue and discovered that its outstretched hands might move and maybe trigger something.  Varda placed a sword in its hands and they were rewarded with the sound of stone grinding and water draining quickly as the bottom of the pool turned into a spiral staircase heading deep into darkness.  As the rush of water receded, laughter could be heard rising up from the depths, laughter that turned into sobbing.

Varda reclaimed her sword, and the stairs folded back up and, inexplicably, the pool began to refill.

Throughout all of this exploration, the DM using the Hazard System from Necropraxis failed to roll up any wandering encounters, just torches expiring.  So tragic.  

Our explorers were faced with a dilemma: what to do next.  So many options (six doors, stairs down, and they didn't even look behind the stairs that entered the room!) and so little time!  At first, they used a spear to reopen the stairs down, but as they couldn't see the bottom, they decided one of the normal-looking doors would be the better choice.  Not wanting to leave the stairs open behind them, Varda went to take her spear, but before doing so, spoke down the stairs "do not despair - we'll come back for you!"  All within earshot were shocked when her voice echoed back up the stairs, saying, "I'll be waiting for you!"

With that, the stairs ground shut and the nearest door cautiously approached.  

Dack stepped forward to check the door for traps, and finding none, pulled it open.  When asked where everyone was standing, players got real specific about not being in line of sight - I wonder why?

They found a corridor and cautiously moved down it, and at the midpoint, Dave noticed two things: a closed door at the far end of the corridor and his torch flame was guttering, as if a breeze was blowing.  Calling attention to this, the party quickly discerned a secret door to the north, but could not determine how to open it, so headed to the far door.

Listening closely, they heard nothing, so Dave forced it open.  The party paused as they saw a pair of pig-headed humanoids seated at a table playing chess.  Discussion taught the PCs several things: the humanoids were Orcs, that Varda could speak Orc, that the Orcs were annoyed but just wanted the intruders to leave so they could finish their game in peace, and that Orcs and call elves knife-ears.  Despite harsh words, the party left in a huff, with Varda slamming the door behind her - and no wandering monster showing up on the DM's encounter roll.

Retreating back to the secret door, the team were in a quandary until Varda the Elf asked the PCs to extinguish their torches so she could use her infravision.  This let her determine a likely method to open it, so they did.  As the wall pulled toward them, a cold blast of air hit them - like see-their-breath cold.

As they adjusted to the cold, they could see a body crumpled to the ground in the hidden corridor.  Dave checked for obvious traps, and finding none, approached the body.  Once there, he could tell it was frozen solid and quite dead.

He headed back to the somewhat warmer main passage and Dack offered to lasso the corpse so they could drag it to safety, where it could thaw and be looted.  One coiled rope and improvised grappling hook later, they had a frozen corpse with them in the hall.  Dack pulled him to the side to better determine how to loot it (DM note - pouring oil on it and setting it alight was suggested, but not attempted).

While Dack examined the corpse, Varda and Roro moved up to the point where the body had lain, and there discovered Elvish runes for cold and death upon the floor, blocking forward passage.  They could also see a large face carved into the stone of the far wall, with its cheeks puffed and mouth open as if it were blowing something.

A hasty plan was put forward and attempted - Varda would throw Roro across the runes to the flagstones beyond.  The attempt was badly fumbled, with Roro instead landing directly on the runes, the warmth of her body activating them.  A blast of cold roared down the passage, blasting over Roro and chilling Varda to the bone (she saved and so only took 4 damage; Roro took none as it past over her).  Realizing that they could army crawl over the runes, the PCs soon crossed over and found themselves at another door.

Brother Frank was volunteered to force the door, and after several tries (and two sore shoulders) was successful, tumbling into a small room holding two chests against the far wall.

Chests which Dave immediately attacked with his bow.  It not responding gave the Dave the courage to approach it, and after some fiddling about and dice rolls, open it, to reveal the warm reflection of coins in the torchlight!

Excited at the real loot, Dave was ready to do the same to the second chest, but as he moved it from the wall, he noted an acrid smell coming from it.  Dack came forward and determined that there was a trap on the chest, most likely triggered by opening it.  The group suspected gas of some sort (DM note - they weren't wrong), so began discussing how to safely open it.

Two plans were put forward - the first to open it in the pool, gambling that the gas couldn't disperse in the water and the second to gift it to the chess-playing Orcs and let them die to it.

The group slowly brought the chests into the hall and knocked on the Orc-door.  The orcs answered, and after a heated exchange with Varda, they took the chest and closed the door.  

At this point, the party decided to head to the surface with the chest of coins.

Our heroes had gotten the chest into the main room when finally the dice rolled an encounter - and on that note we closed for the evening on a dice-based cliffhanger.  Tune in next week to find out what has responded to the noise and how the PCs react!

-----

After about an hour getting settled, explaining rules, and creating our first PCs, the rest of the session took two hours.  Our current plan is to meet weekly for two hours (some of us have a bit of a drive) for the rest of the summer, and maybe beyond.

Which means weekly session logs for those that enjoy them!

My in-session time-keeping needs work, and I need to remember to incorporate smells better in my descriptions, instead of only doing so when asked.

For my players - if I forgot or misreported something, please tell me!