Hey everybody. I got a pointer to post over here about my OSR / Earthdawn mashup. As the title indicates, I'm running T1-4 as the starting structure to a sandbox set in a Greyhawk/Earthdawn mashup.


Now, the first edition of Earthdawn was timed as a reaction to AD&D 2E, and so many of the core D&D tropes exist in the world's metaphysics and mechanics. But many of the classic oD&D mechanics were not represented in ED1, and many were given in a slightly altered form (reaction -> NPC Attitude). I have been converting some of the 0/1/etc D&D concepts that either aren't spelled out in ED or need to fit into the new ED3 framework. So, part of this thread will be Actual Play and some of it will be discussion of the mechanics (Mass Combat, etc) that are driving this current campaign. Feel free to jump in and comment on either one.


I have quite a lot of background on 'the Great Kingdom' worked out to get the Greyhawk elements into Barsaive, but I'll let most of that get revealed through the AP.

I'll tell you that the game is set near the Tylon Mountains in Barsaive, at the edge of a kingdom which survived the Scourge (when the Horrors came) through some mysterious magic, had a religious/cultural shift during the Scourge from a Druid based religion to the Templar style Church orders, and has closed trade to all the outside world (similar to the Blood Wood) except for one little town on the outskirts.

The Lord of this Hammlet is Rufus, a Warrior Adept building a castle on the ruins of an old hillfort. Hammlet was only recently resettled from one of the Citadels of the Kingdom (see Earthdawn history), and the Church and Nobles Houses back in the City didn't know if the protective wards have saved this area's arable land from Horror taint.  Rufus, along with his companion Burne, a Wizard Adept, and their companions (bandits turned merc.. thanks Gary) saved the town just 5 years earlier from certain doom of some sort. As a reward, Rufus has asked for leave to open the town to trade with the outside world (subject to taxation by himself, the Church, and the nobles in the City). The nobles have sat on his request for a few years, but then suddenly granted it. This has started the rumors flying around the rest of Barsaive.

Let me introduce the Player Characters:

Lux V'strimon is a young female t'skrang from Lake Ban. An odd young lizard, Lux developed a sky-lust early in life, spending hours sketching airships when not swinging from ropes and climbing netting. Now an Initiate Air Sailor, Lux has been sent by the young Shivalahala V'strimon to investigate a possible trade routes through the Servos Jungle to avoid Theran activity along the main river. Lux is sent off towards our Kingdom to scout the area.

Because the trade routes would have to leave the Servos river system when the major river nears where I have placed Nulb and the Temple (along with the other dangers of the Servos in that area), the young Prophetess is hoping that Lux will devise a viable trade route to the new Kingdom everyone is talking about and investigate trading compacts with the new regional power.

Lux has been gifted a Rapier and Dagger, each "forged" (an Earthdawn magic) +1 Damage Step. She has chosen Parry as her optional 1st Circle Talent slot, and has taken Second Weapon, Unarmed Combat, Diplomacy, Haggle, Airship Design, V'Strimon History, Swimming, Craft Weapon, and Dance as her Skill choices. Her House outfits her with a canoe, rations, and a pack animal (a medium sized bird similar to a Chocobo... dang, I had a book reference, it said wild ones are mistaken for Crackbills).


Sorrel Jadefist, Initiate Elementalist is a young Obsidiman who hails from the Ayodhya Liferock. Sorrel left on his quest to become an Elementalist Adept just a few years before the Therans landed their behemoth (a flying castle) upon his Liferock. He has been studying with a Journeyman Elementalist, a Dwarf who lives in Daiche (near Kratas) and helping his master study the flora and fauna, and magical natural elements of the Tylon Mountains.

Upon graduation from apprentice to Initiate, his master has charged him with investigating the strange magic that the Kingdom used to survive the Scourge. He was gifted a exotic set of Jade Stone Disk Armor (Phys 3, Mystic 2, Init -3) and a well made tri-spear by his mentor for protection during the journey. He chose Spell Matrix as the optional 1st Circle Talent slot, and has Sculpting, Creature Lore, Wild Animal Lore, Botany, Animal Bond, Animal Handling, Animal Training, and Wilderness Survival as skills. As an Elementalist, he knows the following spells: Earthblend, Earthdarts, Flame Weapon, Heat Food, Moon Glow, Plant Talk, Purify Water.

Next up, opening encounters and some Mass Combat rules.

Sorry about the wait, I had internet issues last night. Got something in the works right now.

A brief sketch of my Mass Combat system:

[Goal] A Mass Combat / Mook mechanic which fits with the scale of the existing ED3 rules, leaves Adepts primary ( 'Named' PC power-level characters should remain mechanically important), and is "easy" for a GM to manage. I was inspired to try something like this after reading two things in a row: The Reign(ORE) mook rules, and the classic module Slave Pits of the Undercity (the encounter design is great) and then I started thinking about all the other wargaming I've seen/played.

Next up came the decision that a majority of encounters should have a minimal amount of Statblocks involved (see Reign's Mooks), and thus "supporting characters" can all be grouped under a single Unit Statblock. These rules are roughly based on the existing Swarm mechanic and the Creature Scaling design rules in ED3. This will make more sense if you are familiar with an ED3 Statblock, but I will provide an example at the end.


Telarus' Mass Combat Rules

Mass Combat Units come in two types, Mooks and Elite. Differences will be noted along with the Unit Attributes involved.

[A note on ED3 mechanics: Generally, a Unit adds +2 Circles to the base creature's Legend Award rating (the ED3 threat rating system). ED3 Legend Award notation also includes the [Group] tag, meaning an enemy suitable to challenge 4-5 Adepts of that Circle. This translates to a +2 Circle Legend Award when used in a 1-to-1 fight, as per the ED# design rules.]

• Units are collections of Namegivers or other Creatures/Spirits/etc which act together as a single threat.
  
• Unit Size ranges from 2-20 individuals. These individuals should be assumed to have nearly identical statblocks, similar training/skill levels, etc. It should be a simple and routine procedure to grab an existing ED3 creature/npc statblock and create a scaled-up Unit threat.
  
• Unit Karma - "Karma" is an Action-Die like mechanic in ED, where Adepts, Spirits, Dragons and other magical things can add a D6 (usually) to their roll. Unit Karma represents espirit-de-corps, which at this time is the only way for non-Adept Namegivers to access this in-game resource (as a Group).
  * Mook Units have No Karma.
  * Elite Units have Step4/D6 Karma dice, and a pool of Karma Points equal to Unit Size. Elite Units may spent 1 Karma per turn on any Test. They regain 1 Karma per day spent with no Wounds, unless otherwise specified by the gamemaster.
  
• Thrashed - Disregard the base creature's Death and Unconscious ratings. Calculate a Thrashed Rating by using the base creature's Wound Threshold (derived from Toughness) in this formula:
  Code Select Expand
      Thrashed = WT x (Size +3)Once a Unit's current Damage exceeds its Thrashed Rating, it breaks and scatters, individual members fleeing. The Unit can take no further Actions (but the GM may narrate that individuals help their wounded fellows escape).
  [A Design Note: Other ED mass combat systems which scaled the Unc Rating x Unit Size proved un-fun and "grindy" to play through. This simple math adds a slight curve to that.]
  
  
• Actions and Tests: Generally, Namegivers have only 1 Action per Round, other creatures may have more. A Unit may target up to 3 Targets with a single Action/Attack. Roll a single Action Test, and compare to the defense target number of each target. Roll a single Effect/Damage test and apply to each target hit.
  * If the Unit can bring 2 individuals to bear on each Target, add +2 to Action and Effect/Damage tests.
  * If the Unit can bring 3 individuals to bear on each Target, add +4 to Action and Effect/Damage tests.
  * If the Unit can bring 4+ individuals to bear on each Target, apply the Harried/Overwlemed rules to the Target and add +4 to Action and Effect/Damage tests.
  [A note on Targeting: Enemy Units count as a single Target. ]
  
• Social Unity - Units may be targeted as "one target" by Social abilities like Taunt, Battle Shout, Leadership, and so on. For these abilities, the Unit Social Defense gains a Bonus of (Unit Size -1), thus raising SocDef by 1 for each member after the first.
  
• Full Area Vulnerability - Units take double damage from area attacks which encompass the whole Unit.
  
• Wounds, Breaking and Fleeing - Units do not make Knockdown checks, and do not receive the normal Wound penalties. Instead, use the following rules. As per ED3, "the first Wound is free (no penalty)".
  * Elite Units  loose 1 Karma point for each Wound received after the first. If the Unit has no more Karma points, default to the Wound rules for Mook Units (see below).
  * Mook Units (and Elite Units who have run out of Karma) roll a Wound Die for each Wound taken after the first, which does an additional Step 4/ 1d6 damage.
  * A roll of a 5 or 6+ on this Wound Die indicates a life-threatening Wound to a Unit Member, who will probably die without prompt medical attention. Make a note accordingly, and reduce Unit Size after the encounter if the Unit member dies during play (the GM can make wounded enemies or allies as complicated as he'd like). On a Wound Die result of 1-4, assume the damage taken by a unit is dispersed over the members if you need an aid to combat descriptions (remember, an Attack roll isn't a single sword-stroke). This bonus Wound Die cannot cause additional Wounds (but it can explode, a feature of the Step System).
  * Units which have Damage in excess of their Thrashed Rating have broken and are fleeing. Any successful hit on a Thrashed unit member automatically causes a Wound (and Wound Threshold in Damage, no need to roll), with the Wound Die now indicating a kill on a roll of 3 to 6+.
  

So, as mentioned, I'm running through Gygax's T1-4 Hommlet/Moathouse/Temple of Elemental Evil.
Here's the 4 man Crossbow squad that the PCs will eventually hire.

Burne's Badgers - Squad 2, Crossbowmen
Mook Unit (human non-adepts), Size 4/4

Actions: 1 (Unit)
Karma: None
Initiative: 6
Move: 6

Defenses
Physical: 8
Spell: 8
Social: 7* (10, via Social Unity)

Armor
Leathers (Physical 3, Mystic 0 +1 natural, Init -0)

Health
Wound Threshold: 9
Thrashed Rating: 63
Recovery Tests /Day: 3

Attributes
Dex(14): 6 Str(13): 6 Tou(13): 6
Per(14): 6 Wil(11): 5 Cha(13): 6

Skills
Maneuver (1): 7
Missile W. (3): 9
* Damage - Light Crossbows (4) 10 [1-16/17-32]
Melee W. (1): 7
* Damage - Short Swords (4) 10

Legend Award: 4th Circle -=OR=- 2nd Circle[Group]

Session 1, Part 1 - On the Road!

[GM scene frame]
The PCs meet on the road to Hommlet. As they travel north, they begin to get to know each other, giving each other the basic outline of their own goal. It grows dark, so Sorrel makes a Wilderness Survival check to find a suitable place to camp. The woods loom thick against the road here, but he finds a large "traveler's pine" which will serve as shelter and windbreak for their fire. Sorrel prepares the fire while Lux ties her pack-bird to the tree. As they make camp they give each other more details about their travels.

Lux had been canoe-ing through the murky Servos jungles and swamps for a few days, heading west towards Greyhawk, avoiding most river traffic. There definitely isn't a clear water route to this side of the Servos from Lake Ban, so she has been considering her Sivalahala's advice about looking for waypoints for an air route as she and her pack-bird drag her canoe from river to river. One night, when parleying with a few t'skrang crawfish trappers she learns that the area upriver from here, between her and her destination, is crawling with bandits and unsavory types. They are based out of a port-slum Named Nulb. She also learns that there is an old pre-Scourge road a few day's travel to the west which runs north/south from the Kratas plateau-lands in the south towards the Tylons in the north. Stowing her canoe (and marking that spot on her map), she then hiked to the road where she met Sorrel the Obsidiman.

Sorrel tells Lux that he hails from Ayodhya and they begin to warm to each other (the Ayodhya Brotherhood and the t'skrang of Lake Ban, House V'strimon, are longtime allies). Sorrel had been walking north along this road for many days, surprised at how few other travelers he has seen on a road which seems in such good repair. He has only run across a peddler with a cart, and a trader with a line of pack animals, both heading towards Hommlet at a pace he couldn't match. He's glad to find a traveling companion.

At this moment, both PCs hear a high-pitched wailing or keening coming from deeper into the woods. Lux scrambles up the traveler's pine to peer deeper into the tangled forest (Climbing check, Perception check) while Sorrel secures the camp area (Perception check). The undergrowth cuts out a few hexes into the forest from the road's edge, leaving clear area below the tall tree canopy, and twilight floods the scene with reddish light. Lux sees what looks like a ball or orb of wicker or brambles hanging from a tree not far off, slowly swaying, which seems to be producing the odd wailing tune.

Lux jumped down from the traveler's pine to grab her rapier and they both set off into the woods to investigate. Walking cautiously towards the hanging bundle, they peer upwards to see a tiny pair of hands gripping the tangled wicker. Sorrel steps on a large fallen branch while staring upwards (failed his Dex roll), and the wailing stops suddenly. Then a light Namegiver's voice calls down to them for help, "Hey! Hey! Get me outta here! Quick, before they come back!"

Curious, Lux begins to climb the tree, looking for a good place to get near the rope holding the trap above the forest floor. As she gets closer she can see a pair of feminine Namgiver eyes peering out. Suddenly, I call for Perception Checks, which both PCs fail.

*Surprise Round!* The 2 Kobolds lurking in the area leap from cover onto Sorrel's face biting and scratching. The Kobolds fail their attack, trying to claw and bite through the obsidiman's thick rock-like skin while hanging onto their precarious perches.

(Aside: I ran these Kobolds as a Size 2 Unit... so they would only be able to divide attacks among 2 targets for base damage step, or one target for base+2 damage step.)

*Round 1* [Init: Lux, Kobolds, Sorrel] Lux leaps from the tree, rolls to her feet next to Sorrel. "Hold Still!" she barks and lashes out with the tip of her rapier at the growling Kobold on her friend's face. Armor Defeating hit! (Shes' glad she didn't miss.) Damage causes a Wound, so she rolls the Wound Die, getting a 5. This indicates that the hit is serious enough to drop the Unit member. The Kobold flies from Sorrel's face sliced neatly into two pieces. The remaining Kobold screams and flees.

(Aside: this is my custom Mass Combat system in action.. if you Wound a Unit, you get to do an additional 1d6 Damage, and if you roll a 5 or 6, you cause a fatality or drop a Unit member in some fashion... Wound Dice can 'explode' on a 6 allowing you to roll the d6 again.. but this bonus damage will not cause further Wounds)

Sorrel advances into the darkening woods after the other kobold while beginning to weave a thread for Earth Darts, but Lux restrains him. "There may very well be many more dangerous traps out there," she says.

They investigate the corpse of the Kobold, finding it hard to locate in the dim light among the leaf litter and fallen branches. Eventually Sorrel finds half of the creature, which has turned into gnarled wood in the rough shape of the faerie, showing signs of dry-rot. There is no blood or bodily fluids in the clearing.

The PCs are unnerved.

They then assist the Windling lass out of the trap. She introduces herself as Trina, a Windling Thief Adept. Grateful for the rescue, she spends time getting to know the two heroes, and explaining the situation in the area from her point of view.

The people of Hommlet (mostly humans, with a minority of dwarfs, elves and orks) do not trust Trina's Windling tribe. They call the Windlings "Faeries" and run them out of town whenever they see one. Trina supposes that is because Windlings don't grow uncomfortable and get the urge to leave while on Charter-protected land (as they call the Kingdom's protective wards) like 'other' Fae do. This unnerves the rural populations (families which have moved from the Kaers and Citadels back onto arable land), leading to discrimination and shunning of Windlings.

She laments that very few actual Fae in the area are willing to trade with her tribe (she spits and curses "the Unseelie"), and her tribe has been forced to forage into risky parts of the gnarled woods to find enough to keep all the mouths fed.

They then organize a watch schedule (just in case the Kobold returns with friends), and settle in for the night. The next morning, Trina decides to accompany Lux and Sorrel to Hommlet, hoping that she won't stand out as much amongst such 'odd' company (she is quite impressed by the Obsidiman's presence, and hopes that his being there will draw attention away from the prejudice against her tribe).

The small band sets off along the road once more.

Next: Session 1, Part 2 - Little Jasmine Hudson...





Here is the rough statblock I used for the pair of Kobolds in the opening scene:

Starving Kobold Minions
Mook Unit (trooping faeries), Size 2/2

Actions: 1 (Unit)
Karma: None
Initiative: 6
Move: 7

Defenses
Physical: 9
Spell: 7
Social: 6* (7, via Social Unity)

Armor
Naturally Tough (Physical 1, Mystic 0, Init -0)

Health
Wound Threshold: 4
Thrashed Rating: 20
Recovery Tests /Day: 1

Attributes (Steps only)
Dex: 6 Str: 3 Tou: 2
Per: 5 Wil: 6 Cha: 4

Powers/Effects
Unarmed Combat(2): 8
* Damage - Biting and Scratching(1): 4
Sneaky-Sneaky(2): 8
Traps!(3): 9

Legend Award: 1st Circle

Great stuff, keep it coming!

Why have only Mook or Elite troops for your Mass Combat subsystem?  I mean, it seems logical that there would be an 'average' troop category.  I don't know the mechanics of ED3 so I guess it could be related to the system being tweaked.  Just curious, that's all.

Quote from: Drohem;547170Great stuff, keep it coming!

Why have only Mook or Elite troops for your Mass Combat subsystem?  I mean, it seems logical that there would be an 'average' troop category.  I don't know the mechanics of ED3 so I guess it could be related to the system being tweaked.  Just curious, that's all.

Yeah, it mirrors the Adept/non-Adept split. With this you now have:

Mook Units
Elite Units
Named non-Adept Individuals / Mundane Creatures
Named Adept Individuals / Magical Creatures

Because this is modified by primarily the Attack/Skill ranks (which ranges from 1-10 for non-Adepts) and Gear (for Damage Step), I think that's enough to model a range of threats.

----------------------------------------------------------

Session 1, Part 2 - Little Jasmine Hudson

The PCs and the Windling Trina approach Hommlet from the southern road. (South road exit on this map). The area south of the map is a patch of forest (about 10 min walk thick), with some good pasture lands lying further south. The party has seen a few flocks of sheep at a distance during the walk north, usually watched over by a silhouette of a Namegiver and a pair of dogs from a nearby rise.

As they walk through this last patch of forest, the party chats with one another, asking Trina what they might expect from the people of Hommlet. Trina stand up and bristles on the Obsidiman's craggy shoulder. "Well, first of all, I never stole the Miller Goodwife's necklace. That was just an excuse to run us out of town!"

A sudden ruckus from ahead cuts her off, mid indignation. There is howling, shouting, screaming, the noises of things breaking, more howling and shouting... combat.

The party starts out on the south road 3 hexes into the trees (1 hex = 2 yds), i.e. just off the map. It is still mid afternoon, and the bright sun is making it hard to make out details through the trees. Lux sprints ahead to the edge of the tree line, leaping up to a trunk to gain a better vantage. Sorrel says put while Trina flies up to Lux's position. Running across the fields from the farm-house closest to the player's position is a strange parade.

At the head, a furry goblinoid as tall as a Troll ("A Bugbear!" whispers Trina) is in the lead.  Clutched in one mitt is a large tree branch wielded as a club. The other fuzzy claw holds a child's crib tight to the Fae's shoulder. The beast looks back at his pursuit, then back to the forest, leaps a short rock wall dividing crop fields and starts running southeast (diagonally away from the road) through an open grass field studded with standing stones.

A swarm of 4 Bogles (an Unseelie Goblin breed) boils over the wall behind him. They are squawking and fighting over their loot as they run; 3 loaves of bread, a bucketful of fish, a footstool, a large cured ham, and a large wooden and silver serving platter.

Two human lads in their 20's wielding axes stumble out of the side door to the farmhouse and begin running after the faeries. Meanwhile, the goblins are gaining on the slower moving Bugbear, who is halfway to the trees. Lux estimates that they'll all make the tree-line far before the humans catch them, in about 45 seconds. "Tell Sorrel" she hisses to Trina, and then runs into the forest to the right of the road.

Shadowing the Fae's progress across the field, but keeping the treeline between them, she gets into position in 2 rounds (and makes a Good success on a Dex role modified by partial cover vs the bugbear's Per step to avoid notice).

Sorrel has used the first round to run into the trees as well, the second round he slows down and gets closer to the field. Hiding partially behind a large tree trunk, he begins to pull mana into a thread for the Earthdarts spell. Pebbles on the ground begin to float up, growing into crystalline needle-sharp shards.

Trina uses the rest of her Movement to close the gap between her and Lux. The baby's cries echoes above the goblins fighting amongst each other. In the background a woman is wailing.

*Surprise Round*
Having determined Surprise last round while the PCs had time to position themselves, Lux waits until the Bugbear is within 4 hexes of the treeline before sprinting out to meet it. Calling a Tail Attack (a t'skrang character bonus extra attack, but taking -2 to all rolls that round), she adds an Attack to Knockdown combat option. Trina (having as high Dex as Lux) streaks out of the trees calling, "I've got the Baby!!!!!" A Dex Test is made by the windling and Lux's attack succeeds. The Bugbear goes tumbling, the crib flying, arching, falling.. until the small girl is plucked out of the air by the nimble Windling. They are now hovering in the path of the oncoming Bogle swarm.

Lux has leaped upon her opponent's chest and driven her rapier and dagger deep into the Fae's matted furry hide (11+9 damage not enough to Wound the Bugbear w/ WT 12 ...which made the knockdown attack a smart tactic).

Sorrel emerges from behind his tree, a cloud of crystalline glittery death buzzing around his stone hands. He gestures towards the Bogle swarm (here's another neat thing about my Mass Combat system... I totally skipped trying to figure out or track which Bogle he aimed at.. doesn't matter, as you'll see).

The Earthdarts slam into the still arguing goblins (12 damage, a Wound!). Sorrel rolls Wound Die damage, a 6 - exploding die! Another 6! And then a 1.

25 Damage (over half the swarm's Unc Rating!!!). One Bogle is outright dead, another has caught a face and right leg full of shrapnel and isn't going anywhere. The Bogles turn on the Elementalist screaming in rage.

*Next Round* [Init: Lux, Sorrel, Bugbear (all @ init 7), Goblins]
Lux places her rapier tip on the Bugbear's throat, growling out a warning against moving. The Bugbear is furious at the loss of it's prize and swats at Lux from the ground with it's tree branch club. Lux stabs the bugbear two more times (lots of Karma use from the players all around in this fight), driving her rapier into it's throat and her dagger into it's shoulder (7+6 damage).

Trina flies the baby at a sprint towards the two human lads still rushing towards the scene of combat. Sorrel begins to weave a thread to cast Earthdarts again as the Goblins continue to run at him. But as he stayed back away from Lux's position on point, they actually have to run further to get to him than to Lux. The round ends with more pebbles vibrating around Sorrel's hands and the goblins just out of melee reach of their target.

*Next Round* [Init: Lux, Bugbear, Goblins, Sorrel]
Lux finishes off her mark with more quick bladework. The Goblins jump all over Sorrel, trying to knock him down (no dice), and Sorrel blasts another Goblin into a pulpy, crystal studded pile of blue goo. Meanwhile one of the humans has caught up to the limping, wounded Bogle and made short work of it's skull with his axe, while the other has taken the startled baby from the Windling's arms.

*Next Round*
The remaining Bogle breaks to run for the trees, Sorrel tries to stab it with his spear but misses. Trina flies back to Sorrel, sees the Bogle go into the woods and flies after it. The PCs turn to greet the wary but grateful human boys approaching them. (end combat)

The Hudson Lads (they introduce themselves as sons of Mathilde Hudson) thank Lux and Sorrel for saving little Jasmine. During the short conversation there is a sharp cry from the woods as the Bogle meets Trina's blade in the shadows. Lux finds a few Silver Coins in the Bugbear's ratty hide armor.

The faerie corpses begin to reek of alcoholic vapors, and the Bogle corpses are breaking down into translucent globs. Trina returns from the woods, cleaning and sheathing her windling short-sword. She lands on Sorrel's backpack and sits down, trying to be inconspicuous.

The Hudson family (the matron, her 2 son's wives, and their 7 other children) cautiously begin to approach the PCs from the farmhouse. Jasmine's mother rushes to take her from one of the lads, and curious children run over and begin to poke and prod at Lux's tail and the Obsidiman's stoney flesh. Jasmine's father shows the PCs to the local inn, the Welcome Wench, and explains to Ostler Gundigoot, the innkeeper, what has occurred.

Ostler set the 'heroes' up in fine rooms and the evening ends as Lux relaxes in a hot bath and Sorrel scribing in his journal ("The first hot bath in WEEKSSSSssssssss!" exclaims the t'skrang). One of the porter boys knocks at the door (a young lad who stares at the Elementalist with eyes the size of saucers), and delivers a small pouch containing 40 silver pieces as a reward from the Hudson family.

Next up... Interlude 1 - Getting to know Hommlet

Interlude 1 - Getting to know Hommlet

This was 1 days worth of in-game activity roleplayed in bits and pieces over a week. I'll just cover the bullet points.

• Lux and Sorrel wake and have breakfast at the Inn. Waiting for them (and paying for their breakfast) is the local Druid, a bearded Elf named Jaroo Ashstaff (Circle 4 Shaman, Questor of Jaspree). The druid thanks them for saving his neighbor, Mathidle's, little grand-daughter.
• Jaroo explains about the Charter and how Fae and other creatures (who are normally driven away from settled lands) have been more brave about entering town, and have been able to stay for longer before the Chater drives them out. Sorrel asks about the Charter and gets the 'cliffnotes' of how the Charter functions.

QuotePrevious to the Scourge, this kingdom's major religious organization was an old order of Druids who revered Jaspree and Rashamon. The other Passions were represented by individual Questors, small cults and monastic orders (precursors to the Church, who built temples around the kingdom).

The Druids and the Nobility rejected the Theran offer of the Rites of Protection and Passage when they showed up, having devised their own plan to shelter the Kingdom through the Scourge (some say the old Druids openly conversed with Dragons and Fae Royalty... although no-one says this in the presence of a Druid).

The Kingdom raised stone megaliths and markers, huge stone circles surrounding major cities to become Citadels, smaller ones in town centers and around and within the Kaers under construction. Mores lines of standing stones then marked out town borders, major roads and crossroads. The Druids began to weave an immense Pattern across the land of their forefathers, carving shapes and glyphs into hillsides and cliffs to change the path of ley lines and the mana flow in the land. Finally, Stones were erected to define the borders of the Kingdom and the duchies, etc, etc within. Druid agents and their Adept companions raced across the land, conversing with Named Spirits, Elementals, and Magical Beings who made the Kingdom their home.

Then they revealed their Keystone, The Charter (nod to the Sabriel books). This magical contract was inscribed upon a megalith 3 stories high and erected in the center of the Capital, behind the 7 rings of megaliths which made up the city's magical defenses. The elite of the aforementioned Magical Beings who pledges themselves to the Kingdom performed a Blood Magic Ritual along with the Druid leadership to bind this new Charter to the land. A major Named Earth Elemental and a whole Brotherhood of Obsidimen merge themselves with the Charter Stone to end the ritual.

The Kingdom then retreated into their Kaers and Citadels, content that the Charter would keep the land near the roads and around the old town centers from falling totally to the corruption, even though the wild places and vast stretches of the Kingdom without protective megaliths would suffer the worst. Because each Kaer and Citadel served as a major node in the Charter's protective network (and because the other stone circles served as minor nodes), it was designed to move energy in alternate paths if a minor node failed. This worked well during the beginning of the Scourge, keeping Horror manifestation to a minimum (our Kingdom did not have nearly the Invae problem within the protected territories which other kingdoms suffered). When a Stone Circle fell, the Roads were clear and protected enough that the Druids could actually venture out of the Kaers and Citadels to re-take the area and repair them or raise new stones.

...

And then the Passions went MAD. The Druid Leadership was broken when Rashamon turned into Raggok, Passion of Betrayal. The smaller Stone Circles across the Kindgom began to fall in greater numbers. The outer layers of barriers protecting the Citadels began to fail, allowing the physical Horrors and constructs to gain access. The fractured Druids and the scattered Adepts and Questors could not help their people.

There was madness and despair until St. Colbert emerged, banding the larger of the remaining Orders together into the Church. St. Colbert is considered an incarnation of the Passion Floranus, and the son of the 'Old Religion' depictions of the Passions Mynbrujie and Garlen.

The Church of St. Colbert of the Cudgel developed as a Living Legend Cult around a Hero who bravely saved multiple Kaers and Citadels during this crisis, and brought together followers of different Passions into a quasi-military religious organization. It is made of a blend of Questors of Floranus, Garlen, and Mynbrujie and their followers.

Colbert altered the Charter into a new Named Spirit, and then struck a deal with it to save his Kingdom. By having the Spirit reduce the mana used to keep the roads open, he saved the Citadels and Kaers from further incursion. To keep communication (and a sense of community) going, he devised a system of large Living Crystals to send and receive messages (and to preach to the population). An enterprising young Illusionist Questor of Floranus also figured out how to broadcast recreations of Colbert fighting off the Horrors in the Capital. This rallied the Namegivers and helped forge the Church into the power it is today. After these major events the Charter Spirit wasn't seen again, and the Kingdom weathered the remaining Scourge as best they could, loosing only a few Kaers.

The kingdom's Kaers and major Cities haven't been open very long compared to the rest of Barsaive, with outlying towns having been re-settled just 5-7 years ago. Only Hommlet has begun trading with peddlers and traveling merchants, spreading rumors of the Kingdom's strange situation.

It appears the Charter is still functioning, major swaths of agricultural lands were recovered quickly in the first few years after the Kaers opened, but lately the Charter seems to be weakening. Farmland goes fallow and the gnarled woods encroach upon pasture-lands. Malicious Faeries and other Monsters have been attacking the towns and cities, disrupting food and trade shipments within the Kingdom. Rumors of a deadly blight "eating" the northern lands of the Kingdom has everyone worried.

• Sorrel asks to see the megalith circle here in town. Jaroo gets a sparkle in his eye and says that maybe they can come to an arrangement. He asks after Lux's reasons for traveling to Hommlet. She is straight forward about her intentions to scope the area for trading compacts. Jaroo indicates that he might be able to help with that, as a member of the town's Council. He mentions there is a Trader's Establishment just across the river, but asks that Lux not mention her intentions to the proprietors until she and Jaroo have a chance to speak with the Council. Lux agrees.


• Jaroo gets down to business, pulling a large tiger's eye gem from his robes. He says that he has been hearing disturbing reports of bandit activity in an old ruined castle a few leagues down-river (between Hommlet and the port-slum of Nulb, which he mentions is not under the Charter). With recent attacks on the town increasing, he's concerned that it might be more than simple bandits with a campfire. He is willing to pay the PCs with one gem now, and another upon their return with information. He mentions that he will pay a bonus if they can find or bring evidence of a specific Sigil (a Flaming Eye). The PCs discuss it (with Trina piping in every once in a while), and agree to do this errand for Jaroo.


• Lux heads to investigate the Trader's Establishment and visit the money-changer. She scopes out the Trader's, sensing that they are overcharging for certain things, and haggling for a horse for a while until one of the traders asks to see her money at which point she politely bows out. At the moneychanger's she manages to bargain well for the gem (Haggle success!) coming away with 300 silver.


• Sorrel asks after the leader of the town's militia and is directed to the southeast-most farmhouse. He goes to the Megalith circle (in the grove of trees which the Druid's house is in) and sketches the magical patterns for a while, taking notes. He then goes to the militia captain's house, where he asks the older man's permission to ask around town for volunteers to go with them to check out the Moathouse. The old man considers this for a while (and, being of the Old Faith is impressed by the appearance of an Obsidiman offering to aid the town), agrees upon the condition that the PCs provide new gear for the volunteers. He tells Sorrel to see his son Elmo, who actually just left to go to the inn to see the "rock man".


• Sorrel finds Elmo in the Inn's yard, and they strike up a conversation. A very friendly Elmo agrees to accompany the party for 1 share of the loot "and if they buy Elmo a big Axe", and he also agrees to go around town to see if anyone else will volunteer. He recommends that Sorrel talk to Rufus at the Tower for the service of some men-at-arms if he is worried about what they might find at the Moathouse. Sorrel meets briefly with Rufus, who offers a Squad of Burne's Badgers for 20% of their loot or 1sp per man per day, whichever is greater. He may choose from either a squad of 3 Spearmen - ringmail, shields, spears, longswords; or 4 Crossbowmen - leather, crossbows, shortswords. Sorrel decides he must consult with his party before making that decision, and tells Rufus he will return later in the day.


• Sorrel returns to the Inn, waiting in the common room for Elmo. Elmo returns an hour later, with a pair of Ork twins (a male and a female) who live on the western edge of town, explaining that everyone else in town has business or work to attend to and cannot leave for even a day. The Urok Twins (Kartan, and Kenna) are a size 2 Unit (mooks, no Karma), that are excellent hunters and trappers, and proficient with quarterstaves and slings, bows, or crossbows. Sorrel and Lux discuss Rufu's offer and decide on the Crossbow Squad. Sorrel walks back to the tower to inform Rufus of the decision, while Lux asks everyone to meet them back here at the Inn the next morning, at 10 bells, to gear up for the journey. The party has a little more than 340 silver in current funds.

Any other feedback so far? I know this is mostly "exposition"...we'll be getting to some more combat in the next session-report.

Next up... Session 2, Part 1 - The Party ventures forth!

Session 2, Part 1 - The Party ventures forth!

Lux is up bright and early on the morning of the departure (note to self, 3rd day in the village after 2 days on the road). She and Sorrel had decided to sleep in the 'common beds' (a room with a few bunks, mostly pallets) on the 2nd floor of the Welcome Wench last night (in order to afford to stable and secure their possessions), and had spent part of the evening listening to trader's stories.

She counts out the party funds and heads up to Davl's General Store, getting to know the two weaselly humans who run the place (overweight, slothful Rannos Davl, and fussy twitchy Gremag, his business partner) . Setting aside her instincts to have nothing to do with these men for a moment, Lux starts bargaining for the party's needed gear. She purchases a large 1-handed axe (in the Scythan style) for Elmo, 2 light crossbows and 30 bolts for the Ork twins, 15 days worth of rations & water to divide among the party if they need, and a climbing kit (6yds rope, 3yds light chain, a grappling hook, and 2 pitons). She knows that the merchants are overcharging her for these items, but aren't asking for as much as they could milk out of her. It seems Rannos is curious about this new T'skrang in town and doesn't want to chase her off right away.

She also picks up a Dungeon Cart (25% OFF!) which she will use her pack-bird to pull. The party is left with about 120 silver.

Returning to the Inn, she meets the Orks and gives them their new crossbows, instantly winning a smile from both. She takes the Cart to the Inn's stable and for a few copper rents some tack to secure the bird to the cart (carry capacity now 500lbs).

Sorrel and Trina are in the Inn's common room, talking with the innkeeper, Ostler. Sorrel is explaining how he and Lux saved Trina from Kobolds, while the Windling slices an apple up with her sword and eats it, deferring to the Obsidiman. Lux comes in, telling the Ork twins to wait outside for Burne's Badgers to show up.

As the talk at the bar changes to their impeding departure with her arrival, Lux notices a few travelers mixed in with the morning breakfast crowd perk up and pay attention, while trying to seem otherwise engaged. [GM note - used the Deceit/Insight rules, Lux got a Good success against the various characters Gygax has staying at the Inn, except the dude in the corner with his face in shadow. She couldn't see who it was or if he was listening.]

Lux stands as she notices the others listening in on the logistics. At this point Sorrel notices and also stands. He openly offers a place in the party for anyone interested in going. A pair of odd thugs (an ork wearing a long thin warbraid down his back and his human companion) mumble into their drinks. A young human lad clad in 'tatty clerics robes' also shies away from directly answering. The figure sitting away from the fire grunts, and another tough near the fire coughs and stands (Lux recognizes him as the human guard on duty in Davl's Store yesterday..but not this morning). The guardsman uses the moment to return to the bar to refill his mug, commenting to Oslter that he 'hopes to hear some interesting stories when the lizard and the rock-man get back'.

Lux scowls and herds the party outside. They meet up with the arriving Crossbowmen, and the party sets off east through town, past the newly dug trenches of the castle work-site, until they see the small track leading away from the main road which Jaroo described. At one point this may have even been a serviceable one-lane road, with bits here and there showing sign of ancient paving stones. A few hundred yards along, as the track follows the river downstream, it grows thick and choked with tall grasses and scrubby brush. At times small tree thickets and stands of bamboo-like reeds block the way.

Lux calls for the crossbomen to brings out their short-swords and help her clear a path wide enough for the Cart to be pulled through. It is slow going, doubly so as they stop to clean and inspect their weapons for damage. Nearly fours hours (and half their water supply) later, and they approach the Moathouse. The thickly overgrown track has sunk to a muddy rut, and the sounds of insects and large amphibian ululation fills the swamp.

Almost before I can finish reading the boxed text description of the old mouldering fortress (a forks splits off the road you've been following to the north, towards the old rotting drawbridge, etc, etc), Sorrel is rolling Wild Animal Knowledge to ask for the most dangerous wildlife in the area. He rolled really well, so I point out the usual suspects, poisonous snakes, bobcat, large otters, JubJubs and other carnivorous amphibians, lizards & large crocodiles. He quickly proceeds to arrange the party's marching order, using the Crossbowmen to guard the left flank, the Orks to guard the right and manage the Bird & Cart, and the 4 Adepts (Lux, Sorrel, Trina.... and Elmo, who turns out to be a 2nd Circle Axemaster) front and center. He leads the party & cart off the track they've been following onto a raised section that leads north towards the keep.

By this point, I've been rolling Frog Dex (modifying for cover) and calling for Perception checks from Lux and Trina (I let the players run all the party's Adepts during combat). They both spot large carnivorous frogs in the swampy marsh to either side of the raised road.

*Round 1*
Trina spots a swarm of young Giant Frogs on the left of the road, beginning to hop towards the party. She flies over to the crossbowmen to point them out and then buzzes further left towards a few trees, aiming to get around and behind the frogs. Sorrel steps over towards the now panicky Bird, and rolls a crazy 26! on his Animal Handling skill (crazy bonus dice). This pretty much negates the gygaxian trap at the beginning of this encounter (a 50% chance of mounts and pack animals panicking, and then a 50/50 chance of them bolting into the swamp, or bucking their riders/handlers when the Frogs attack). Darn, I really wanted to use that =P

Sorrel calls the Orks to come to assist with the pack-Bird and turns to absorb the action. Lux and Elmo have drawn their steel and are charging down the right embankment into the marshgrass at a huge, bloated amphibian (larger than their cart) hopping towards them. Another full grown, adult Giant Frog is behind the first, and two more younglings approach from further to the right, in the shallow scummy  riverwater. As the combat started at such long range, the Crossbowmen are the only ones to attack this round, pelting the first 2 approaching frog younglings with bolts. The others have Run to get close enough to the adult Frogs to start in melee range next round.

*Round 2*
Lux gets in close to the large Frog first, dodging a snapping elastic tongue strike from the Frog that otherwise would have pulled her into it's waiting jaw. She lashes out with Rapier and Dagger, taking the strain for a Second Weapon attack and burning a Karma on her primary. Elmo similarly wades in with his flashing Axe (which resembles, but isn't the axe which Lux bought for him...*?*).

And then the combat is really over before I know it. Let's see how it went down:
Sorrel's Earthdarts and the Crossbowmen (and one of the ork)'s bolts take care of the young frogs [a Unit] before they could get to within 1 hex of their target (young frogs have a reduced tongue attack). Lux, Elmo, and Trina make short work of the 2 adult Giant Frogs (once she got a sneak attack in, Trina realized that Sorrel and the humans had the small ones covered). Trina and Lux's high Dex and Aviod Blow skills keeping them from being froggy lunch.

As the young Frogs fall, and the first adult Frog is killed, the party turns it's focused attention to the 2nd adult Frog. It takes 2 Wounds immediately and flees. Sorrel, having woven up an Earthdarts thread, but watching his 1st target splash away into the river (doubling it's Mov), turns to the remaining fleeing frog youngling in range, and blasts it into pate. The NPC's re-group at the cart, as Sorrel begins butchering the fallen Frogs (Frog Legs!). Trina spots a large gem in the entrails of the adult frog, convincing Lux to fish it out with her rapier-tip.


I actually ran this combat in my living room with MapTool, so you happy people get pics of the end of the battle.

Pics: [Battle End Overview (notice the fleeing lone frog survivor)] [The PCs] [NPC Units guard the Cart]

"Unique" statblock used -
The Party: 4 Adepts, 2 npc hirelings Units
The Frogs: 2 Adults, 1 youngling Unit
[So I, as GM, dealt with processing maybe 9 Actions per Round]

"Characters on the field"-
The Party: 10
Frogs: 8
[Muahaha :cool:]

The party then re-groups and sits still for a while, peering into the fens.

I get to roll a random encounter!
[Note to self... keep physical track of time in the dungeon, as mentioned by posters on here....]

I used Gary's table (because I've stated out everything in the upper floor of the Moathouse at this point in ED3 rules), and turn up a pair of Bandits as a result. Looking at my Bandit gang, I grab 2 of the t'skrang crossbowmen and decide that their Ork leader, Grodak Eyecutter, has posted them near the rotting drawbridge as a lookout.

[Old-school question? I'm now under the impression that I should have just ADDED 2 bandits to the scene, and not "borrowed" them fro their keyed encounter..... what do you all think?]


The scene ends (break/intermission) as I roll Dex for the 2 T'skrang bandits who are watching from the Moathouse courtyard's arrow-slits. Unfortunately, one of them botches, and the party hears rocks shifting and falling on stone from the direction of the ruined Gates.

:eek:

Next Up - Session 2, Part 2 - Into the Moathouse!

OR -= How do we get an 800lb living statue across a waterlogged, rotting drawbridge?=-

That's where my super-detailed notes end, but we did play a few more sessions. I have brief sketches/notes for those and a few more screenshots out of Maptool. I'll continue from here, but it might get a bit more abstract (no combat round, etc).

Thanks for the reads, any feedback is appreciated.

Session 2, Part 2 - Into the Moathouse!

Session 2, Part 1 ended as the party wiped the opening Giant Frog ambush clean off the map. The party regroups and loots their kills (Trina made her Perception check to notice the gem in one of the adult Giant Frog's entrails, with a slight bonus because Sorrel started butchering them for meat). Just then, Lux hears shifting stones from the castle courtyard, and then two pairs of boots running towards the main castle structure.

She barks at the Ork twins to steady and watch the bird and their dungeon cart and calls the Crossbowmen to take position behind the fallen log. She and Trina cautiously move forward, wary of missile fire through the few intact arrow-slits. After a round or two of no further sounds of movement, Trina flies cautiously over to one of the arrowslits and peers into the courtyard. She waves the all clear and the party advances to the rotting drawbridge.

"I'm pretty sure that isn't going to hold your weight, Sorrel", mutters Lux. She breaks out her chain, rope and grapple. "Trina, fly this up to a good solid anchor on that ruined watchtower." Once the hooks are set, Lux tests the rope and swings across (Air Sailor Half-Magic). Trina flies the loose rope back and Elmo and Rufus' guardsmen take turns swinging across the gap to be caught by the Air Sailor Adept.

Finally, Trina flies back to the waiting Elementalist. "Lux says you're gonna have'ta get wet... and then probably use that spear of yours to help with footing when you climb the wall over there." It takes a few minutes (and a couple of rounds of underwater movement), but with the rope to guide him Sorrel picks his way across the flooded moat, finds a rubble pile to climb until he's halfway out of the water, and then the party pulls him up onto the drawbridge landing.

[WHAT? The 2nd trap of the dungeon, foiled again by the Obsidiman. This was actually really fun to see go down in play, and I didn't even mind not getting to roll the Trap for any of the party.]

The party advances into the moathouse courtyard, wary because they suspect they are not alone in the ruin. They scope out the main courtyard, note the well in the SE corner, the main double-doors to the manor-house to the NE, the door-less entryway to the ruined tower next to the draw-bridge (SW corner), and the slope of rubble and ruined stairs leading to the gaping hole in the barracks wall (NW corner).

"Trina, scout the tower", Lux whispers. She sets the Crossbowmen to watch the double-doors across the courtyard while she and Sorrel walk their way towards the barracks. Trina flies up above the doorway, poking her head down to get a view into the tower without giving away her silhouette. There is nothing visible, although she does catch the glint of metal from a pile of straw and rubble near the center of the room. She flies back to Lux with the info.

[I've been running the NPC Adpets, and I must say a Windling Thief sure changes some of the classic dungeon tropes... I wonder if that's why certain groups bar them from play.. I kinda liked it.]

"Fine, then we need to search that room with the blasted down wall next. Elmo, stay here with the guardsmen and cover the courtyard from the base of the rubble," she says as she begins picking her way up the tumbled blocks of stone. Sorrel and Trina follow. At the top of the slope, they peer into the dim interior, making out a barracks in shambles.

Sorrel spots a chest in the corner, which Trina offers to go and open. Lux and Sorrel make their way into the room slowly as Trina flies over to the chest. "Aww, this damn thing's rusted shut!" cries the little Thief. "I can handle that", says Sorrel, the Caster with a 16 STR value. He pulls a hatchet from his robes and begins to hammer at the rusted lock. Trina flitters up to hover above the chest, watching Sorrel work.

Unfortunately, that means she's Blindsided when the Ghoul Lizard sleeping against the sun-warmed wall of the room behind the chest wakes up from all the Obsidiman's pounding! A surprise check (not surprised) and initiative roll later, and Trina has burned a Karma to narrowly avoid the Ghoul Lizard's attack.

Ghoul Lizards are an ED version of the classic giant lizard. As a magically active creature, it is quite dangerous. Named because of the white marking and ridges on it's face that resemble a namegiver's skull. It has 3 rows of poisonous spikes that usually lie down along it's back. When threatened these spikes rise up and any attacker is in grave danger of impaling themselves on the poisonous spike, and a cluster of these on it's whip-like tail.

The next few rounds of combat are frantic (every failed attack means a Dex roll to avoid the spikes). The Ghoul Lizard continues to chase after the buzzing Windling ("Snack") while Sorrel threadweaves and Lux throws herself into the fray. Trina keeps making those Avoid Blow rolls, and Lux scores hit after hit (while avoiding the spikes narrowly). The female Ghoul Lizard hisses and cries as the t'skrang's rapier bites into it again and again. Her mate, sleeping on the other side of the room now wakes and barrels towards the melee.

Sorrel catches him out of the corner of his eye (and has initiative). Unleashing a round of Earthdarts at the new threat, he calls out "ELMO! Get in here. Trouble!". Elmo commands one guardsmen to remain in the courtyard, as he and the other three run up the slope (Dex checks made). Elmo and the crossbowmen help Sorrel finish off the male lizard while Lux finishes the female. Trina has at this point flown out of that room and is chilling with the guardsman watching the rear ("By the Passions, it almost ATE ME!" she starts quipping with the human).

[Pics: The Battle's End, The Party Looting Their Kills]

Sorrel notices that the male lizard's stomach and sides are distended, as if it ate something too big for it (that Animal Handling skill comes in handy along with Creature Lore). Lux and Elmo proceed to cut the lizard open while avoiding the barbs. Sorrel meanwhile has leveraged the chest open and collected it's contents (some copper, a scale mail tunic, a light crossbow and a case of 24 quarrels). Lux finds a winding sized Rider's Shield, accented with silver, within the male Ghoul Lizard. The players decide that after a bit of clean-up, it will be perfect for Trina (and looks in good condition considering it's been sitting in stomach acid for who know how long).

[The Shield has been "Forged +1" and enchanted with a bit of blood magic to make the Forging last longer than the normal year-and-a-day. It basically is the +1 magic shield described in the module.]

The PCs hunt around the room, careful not to disturb the ruined stone above them. The door to the rest of the keep seems to be blocked from the other side with rubble, and the PCs can make out a slight buzzing noise from the northern end of this room, which puzzles them.

Trina, meanwhile has been getting bored. She flits back up to to the barracks, complaining about having nothing to do and not being able to sit still after almost being eaten. "Well, go and search the tower then," Sorrel says, "You said you saw something shiny there. By the way, we found something for you but it needs a bit of cleaning..." Trina gets the glint back into her eye. "Great! Something to do", she grins as she flies back to the courtyard and towards the tower. Elmo and the guardsmen are dragging the loot from the barracks back down to the courtyard.

She pauses at the doorway again, letting her eyes adjust (and I make a Perception check for her, to see if she notices the Giant Trapdoor Spider lurking behind a layer of wood and webbing under the ruined stairs). Trina doesn't see anything but the coins glinting from the center of the room and flies in. BANG! The Spider leaps from hiding and pushes her up against a large webbing stretched over an opposite corner of the room.

Trina screamed so loudly that, later, Lux said that she expected the dead frogs and lizards to get up and run away in shock. The party bolts for the ruined tower to find out what happened.

Meanwhile, Grodak the Ork's bandits are busily burying their loot in the fireplace in the manor-house's kitchen (as per the Dungeon Key). His second, Brezox the t'skrang river-pirate and his 3 crossbow-t'skrangs are setting up an ambush in the manor-house dining hall by tipping over the tables and taking position behind them.

Brezox has decided to buy his boss a little time time by standing out in the open and parleying with the PCs when they enter, but he wants cover-fire to run for the door to the kitchens (where the bandits have prepared a large timber to blockade the door when needed). Grodak peers from the kitchen door at his second's preparations and grumbles to his men behind him to dig faster so that they can get the hell out of there.

Next Up - Session 2, Part 3 - "Ooooh, No. You go in first."

Almost a hundred views.. I'd love any impression or feedback so far.

Well, I don't want to sound like a cheerleader, but I think that it has been great.  I love that the game rules are sprinkled throughout the narrative.  It's interesting to see how you took the NPCs from the module and applied them to your game.  I use MapTool as well so it's great to see the screen shots.

Have you created your own Earthdawn framework for MapTool?  Are you using one that some else made?

Also, I would love to see your blank Moathouse maps for MapTool.

Thanks Drohem!

I have worked on a Maptool framework for ED3 (actually, it has gone through 2 versions at this point)... I'm still working out how to implement the system in Maptool. The character mechanics have a lot of cross-referencing, but I have all the basic tables and Discipline Circle lists in already, as a "GM Screen".

I'd want to re-format the character sheet and re-do how equipment works at this point (it was a snafu'd in the earlier versions). You can find that here:
http://forums.rptools.net/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=20557

These sessions were played with characters on paper sheets & notecards, tho, as I was still coding that (I did have my Maptool framework open for reference to the tables in play without flipping thro the books).

It has very good GM tools, but player/npc tokens aren't 100% bug free. I think one of the rptools forumites is also using it as a base for his campaign.

I found the excellent maps for the Moathouse and the Moathouse dungeon over here:
http://www.educatedgamer.net/toee_moathouse.htm


This is actually my first time digging in to the Greyhawk material (I started D&D in Forgotten Realms/Planescape era... ). I had been reading blogs like Justin Alexander's for a while just before the whole OSR thing made it big in the social media, so I had been meaning to give Greyhawk another look. Then, the idea of oD&D via the Earthdawn rules popped into my head and I knew I had to start with something classic.

Quote from: Telarus;548373I found the excellent maps for the Moathouse and the Moathouse dungeon over here:
http://www.educatedgamer.net/toee_moathouse.htm

Thanks!  Also, way to turn a random idea into gaming gold.

Session 2, Part 3 - "Ooooh, No. You go in first."

The screaming echoed into the courtyard. Burne's Badgers stared in shock and it was Elmo that was first to recover. The lad sprinted into the tower's shattered interior, belying his usual physical and verbal slowness. The spider's huge bulk a clear target, Elmo's axe flies up and down, hacking wildly at it's limbs (attack to knockdown, success!). Throwing the arachnid back from the struggling windling just as the crossbowmen advance to the threshold, three bolts suddenly spring up from the spider's thorax and abdomen. The spider lunges at Elmo, hoping to throw him towards another waiting web-trap. The Axemaster dodges the strikes and another round of crossbows pierce chitinous armor. By the third round, when Lux and Sorrel shoulder their way past Burne's Badgers, Elmo has backed the thing into a corner away from it's burrow. Lux and Elmo finish it quickly as Sorrel frees the entangled winding, who crawls into Sorrels Backpack and  begins sobbing.

[Giant Trapdoor Spider, Earthdawn Gamemaster's Guide p174, Threat: 1st Circle, tactics from the book.]

Sorrel takes Trina out into the sunlight and begins to console her as the crossbowmen look abash and keep an eye on the unexplored half of the courtyard. Lux and Elmo marvel at the size of this Trapdoor Spider, then Lux collects the meager loot the spider had piled in the center of the room as a shiny lure. A couple dozen copper and an ivory box the size of a large book.

The party decides to take a few minutes to recover from the spider encounter. Lux goes to the drawbridge and waves the Ork twins all-clear (as one had run up upon hearing the screaming). The crossbowmen break out their waterflasks, one always facing the broken double-doors across the way with a hand on his weapon. Sorrel and Trina talk quietly, the Obsidiman's low tones traveling much further than his actual words. Elmo stands halfway across the courtyard, hand on axe, scowling at the entryway as Lux walks back to meet him. Sorrel stands, carrying Trina over to the two fighters, waving the hirelings into rank behind them.

"You feeling OK?" Lux asks the girl sitting in the obsidiman's hands. "Fine," nods the windling.

"You up for.." Lux is cut off before she can finish.

"Oooh, No. You go in first!" exclaims the windling, standing with a grin and pulling her sword. Lux smirks and nods. "Fair enough." She stalks towards the empty doorframe, tail lashing and hands on rapier and dagger hilt. When she is halfway up the stairs she motions the others to begin following, then slides up along side the doorway, peering in until her eyes can adjust.

Inside, the scream had frozen the bandits frantic preparations for a moment until Grodak barked at them to keep digging. "I don't know what it wassss..." hisses Brezox the t'skrang back at his boss. Catching Lux's silhouette at the edge of doorway, he motions to Grodak to shut the door and turns around (Brezox actually failed his Perception roll vs Lux's Dex Test, but then his Cloaksense Brooch kicked in VS her Spell Defense - no Surprise). As he turns, he trys to put on his his best diplomatic face. His two minions clutch their crossbows nervously as they hide.

Lux enters gingerly, walking on a toppled door to avoid tripping on any rubble. She suddenly sees the lone t'skrang standing at the far end of what used to be a great dining hall, nearby the old hearth and a few toppled tables. The other t'skrang smiles at her. "Greetings ssister! Strange to meet you here in my makeshift campssite.."

Lux is having none of it. "I am Lux, of House Vistrimon. Declare yourself for parley," she commands. Brezox's head spins for a moment 'A VISTRIMON?!? HERE?' he thinks frantically.

At this point, I call for a Dex check on the NPC mooks part, modified by their cover VS Lux's Perception. They botch, and Lux hears one of them shift at the mention of the noble t'skrang House. She pulls her blades. "Might as well asks your friends there to show themselves."

Brezox snickers nervously. "It'ss not what you think!" he manages to exclaim as he motions them up. The other t'skrang stand, drawing their crossbows on Lux. Brezox again smiles at Lux, "We're jusst a trio of fishermen from a nearby village using this old keep as a camp overnight. I am Brezox. Get over here, boyss." He motions his 2 t'skrangs to lower their crossbows.

"Ssee, we heard the sscreaming and all and didn't know what to think! It's very good luck to see a Vistrimon ssister here and not banditss. We don't want any troubles."

Lux cocks an eye at him.

[Bluff check vs Perception. Lux totally wins that contested roll and sees through the deception.]

Lux plays along. "Fishermen, eh?" She notes their tattered gear, and Brezox's silver rings on one hand, and the two mooks constant glancing at the door to the northeast tower. "Fine. Terms: House Vistrimon claims salvage rights to this keep. We are surveying it now. You must leave."

"Here are our termss then," Brezox sighs, finally accepting the ritual. "Give uss a few minutes to clear our fishing gear out of the old kitchen here. In fact, just 'survey' there lasst. We'll be out of your way before you even know it."

During this conversation, Lux has stood in the main doorway, and has gestured over her shoulder a few times to catch her companions attentions. Sorrel urges Trina to fly closer to see what's up.

"Agreed, by my House." Lux tells the other t'skrang. "You three may go and clear out only your belongings with safe passage." The other two t'srang glance at Brezox. "Thank you Ssister," he replies and they all back up towards the northeast door, slipping through.

Lux spins around, and seeing the windling hovering there motions Trina over. She points over to an arrow-slit next to the old hearth and tells Trina to fly out there and watch what those t'skrang do in the "old kitchen" area, as it was obvious they were hiding something. Then she motions Elmo, Sorrel, and the crossbowmen inside, telling them what went down.

They are a little shocked as Trina comes flying right back into the arrowslit, calling, "Hey you Badgers, get over here NOW. There are a bunch of bandits trying to leave by a back way, definitely more than 3 t'skrang." The party sprints across the dining hall to the east wall, Lux peering out the arrowslit.

"Damn lying dogs!" she curses as she sees Grodak and the first few of his human minions picking their way across the moat on fallen blocks of stone. Lux motions two of the Badgers over to the next arrowslit, and calls out the window. "This is Lux of House Vistrimon. Hold and declare yourselves!" Grodak grumbles, head down, and keeps crossing from stone to stone. His men follow, having left two of their number behind to finish filling in the fire-pit as Brexoz and his men lodged the timber behind the door.

When they do not answer, Lux gives the Badgers the order to fire, stepping back from the arrowslit. The two Badgers on point begin firing, passing their crossbow to the man behind him to reload. Meanwhile, hearing the order to fire, Elmo and Sorrel have rushed the kitchen door, finding it barred from within.

Lux and Trina also run over to the door. While the bandits had found the largest timber they could for their barricade, they couldn't have predicted an Axemaster adept with a forged axe and an Obsidiman to be pounding on it! A few nice Damage rolls (and an exploded d8!) later, and the party is though the door in the second round of firing on the bandits from the keep.

[Thank you ED3 barrier rules.]

The last 2 human bandits and the 3 t'skrang are still picking their way down the ruined NE tower to moat level as the party rushes into "the kitchen" and over towards the opening where the tower wall has fallen away. The other bandits are across the moat, looking nervously to their boss for instructions.


I'll end there for now. More later.

[Edited slightly for clarity, as Brezox was lying about the "Black Chamber" being "the kitchen" & to clean up mechanics.]