Antarctica Adventure Jam Region 3 - Coldwater Lands

 

Missing the random enounter tables, but I'll do those at the end. When I send the whole of my Region 3 in.

## The Inner Coast

### 296-531 Ship of Wandering Nevre

In a galley pulled up against the riverbank with clothes hanging on the line is a young merchant. Nevre is his name and he has absolutely nothing going on in his life for now. He was going to shift good (including slaves but he won’t mention that at first) along the Inner Sea, but then his captain/guild sponsor died in a drunken brawl in Uinpawa 296-532.

Crew discharged without pay and an ample supply of provisions, he whiles away the days awaiting relief (2d6 days away). As a member of the First Lock, he’s seen some things and in exchange for stories, will reveal information.

For every story where the party defeated at least 10 HD of foes, he will reveal one of the following: the who’s who of the Congress, the location and general nature of a settlement on the map or training in the use of a scientific weapon found elsewhere in Antarctica but unknown in these primitive lands.

### 296-532 Town of Uinpawa

500 people in the capital of the Wa-Wapauine (The Border River Tribe) live in sullen fear. The Congress have long been unable to properly govern this far corner of Coldwater lands. When pirates seized the town as a base two generations ago, the Congress send a message saying they could have it so long as they offered fealty and taxes.

The pirates have turned commercial, but no less cruel. Uinpawa is a hub of piracy now. Where crews sell their ill-gotten gains and slaves while other merchants buy them on.

All governed from the Fort of 120 pirates built on the expanded harbour by the defacto tribal king Captain Gig. They have the run of the town and it is a lucrative shame to be recruited to them from among the population.

The Wa-Wapauine have convinced the pirates that the inland cavemen from 302-532 would be a better target. Many would miss the money drunken pirates spend and fence.The pirates of the fort no longer are bound to any crew and have the run of the town, they pay for nothing unless the Captain orders them to. Outsiders who aren't pirates or cause trouble are viewed with suspicion and hostility if openly armed. They have accumulated a massive haul of taxes and sales but only deliver 10% of the total to Yugen 298-539 yearly.

There is a dilapidated Deer Totem Temple and a slightly better cared for Seal Totem Temple, run by three level 1 Clerics and led by Bobboson C2.

70 light foot  (Mv12 6AC 1HD 1d6)

40 crossbows  (Mv12 7AC 1HD 1d6)

10 heavy crossbows  (Mv9 5AC 1HD 1d6)

M C F4 HP:17 AC:1

Armor +2

M C F4 HP:22 AC:1

Armor +1

F C F4 HP:13 AC:1

Shield +1

Copperflame, Lawful Sword +3

M C F4 HP:10 AC:4

F C F6 HP:25 AC:2

M C F6 HP:16 AC:3

Captain Gig the Victorious

F C F9 HP:25 AC:2

Shield +1

18000gp

Gems worth 3 x 50gp, 12 x 100gp, 11 x 500gp, 4 x 1000gp each

Pieces of jewellery worth 800gp, 4 x 1000gp, 1300gp, 1400gp, 2 x 1500gp, 1600gp, 5 x 2000gp, 3 x 3000gp, 6 x 4000gp, 3 x 5000gp, 7000gp, 8000gp and 9000gp

### 297-532 Town of Wawapadok

200 People live in Wawapadok, clan of the Border River Tribe, capital at Uinpawa 296-532. Harassment by pirates stopped when their kin in Uinpawa were defeated and their relief repelled. The pirates just want taxes in the form of food on demand and all the wealth the townsfolk can give at any time of the Captain's choosing.

The townsfolk have been forced to diversify their income, focusing on exploiting all the resources they can from the nearby tundra. Here they built a warehouse and pen to store what’s brought from Oonel 300-531. Hides, furs ivory and cavemen slaves to raft down to Uinpawa. Some cavemen never make it that far and join an unofficial class of slaves slowly hardening over previous debt restitution and family labour.

Leading all of this is Chiefess Pan C9, who manages the Deer Totem and Wombat Totem Temples and the trade depot. She believes that the village must thrive before any other issues can be addressed. She sees alternative leaderships and ideas as threats to her power.

Hol F3 and 2 F1s lead:

10 crossbowmen  (Mv12 7AC 1HD 1d6)

10 light foot  (Mv12 6AC 1HD 1d6)

Chiefess Pan

F L C9 HP:32 AC:1

Shield +1

Wand of Magic Detection

Spellbook: Detect Evil, Light, Purify Food & Water

Bless, Find Traps, Speak with Animals

Continual Light, Locate Object, Remove Curse

Cure Serious Wounds, Neutralize Poison

Create Food, Raise Dead

### 298-532 Forefront of the Furred Snakes.

20 large marsupials of a kind unknown to our palaeontology (Giant Weasels) have climbed down from the highland caves to feast. They are richly furred and a dark brown.

They are hunting everything they can all along the riverbank and are unafraid of weapons or spells unless demonstrated on them.

### 297-536 Town of Vichipa

200 people live in Vichipa, the capital of the Wa-Saluin (The Surround Water Tribe). This otherwise minor tribal capital is the administrative hub for all the Congress decisions in the Coldwater lands. This is because the two administrators find the city of Yugen disquieting. Hte and Teh are not quite middle age and live alone in a purpose-built tower, jutting out of the ruins of the burned half, destroyed by pirates with Congress money. They have servants but no guards or militia, the locals consider them brave and semirespectable. Abjectly terrible administrators, who line their own pockets with the tribal taxes. Anyone sent to assist them or check up on them either gets their own fief to torment or dies to well-informed rebel bandits. Oogd in Anpauinwa 302-548 was the latest. Local organisation is between Sempay F4 and Himoth C5.

They are 8 HD vampires, who choose a different spiritual journey when the Third Lock was formulated and are kept around as historical records. They prey on farmers and travellers and issue orders at dawn or dusk. They have encouraged the settlement of Oonel 300-531 over the years. Using the wealth to restore facades and pay allowances. They want to be seen as improving infrastructure.

When the Young Bloods ravaged the area, they paid off them with taxes as they should have done. They still have 9000gp left.

### 297-537 Town of Ewchipa

400 people live in Ewchipa, clan of The Surround Water Tribe, capital at Vichipa 297-536. Attacked by the same sponsored pirates which burned Vichipa, saved by the Wizard Agueymo the Ceremonious, a Farlander employed by the Congress for his own ends.

Agueymo wears the collar of his status and spends his days in vaguely-stem shaped Seedtower studying the sky. His private forces are from his home and locals. The Young Bloods didn’t get a coin out of him or the town, frightened by his imported wyverns from Uldore Island.

He wants magnetic diamonds from Yuseel 303-538 for his research and will pay a fair percentage to carry a letter of credit in exchange, without telling people the true value. He’s not interested in rebellion and will turn independent if no Congressional oversight.

#### M N MU11 S:5 I:12 W:9 C:16 D:14 CHA:11 HP:37 AC:9

Ring of Djinn Summoning

Wand of Metal Detection

Spellbook: Charm Person, Detect Magic, Protection/Evil, Sleep

Continual Light, Invisibility, Knock, Wizard Lock

Dispell Magic, Fly, Haste Spell, Water Breathing

Growth/Plant, Hallucinatory Terrain, Polymorph Others

Conjure Elemental, Hold Monster, Pass-Wall

3 Wyverns

50 light foot (Mv12 6AC 1HD 1d6)

50  heavy foot (Mv12 4AC 1HD 1d6)

30 crossbowmen (Mv12 7AC 1HD 1d6)

### 303-538 The town of Yuseel

100 people keep to themselves in Yuseel, capital of its own tribe of Wa-Yuseel (New Town Tribe). They boast the magnetic diamonds they find in the hills are worth a fortune for each gem in the town vault. They paid off the Young Bloods without them. Someone has stolen the town treasury though no one yet realises it. The last stranger who went psouth 310-537.

Ruled by a council of Himoth F4, Pendotter C3 and Trapper Bass T4

10 crossbowmen/light foot  (Mv12 7/6AC 1HD 1d6)

### 29-539 Village of Sentee

46 people farm the leeward slopes where whitebark trees were cut for timber. They are members of the Wa-Oseel, capital at Yugen 298-539. They watch the shores for traders and pirates but do not have houses visible from the water. Lately life has been enlivened by the arrival of a retired mercenary from the March. He calls himself Moebius and he can tell anyone about the situation there. He is from the AMO on the Tiger Coast and for 1,000gp up front, will teach anyone the Sword Dancer Style Fighting Technique.

4 archers  (Mv12 7AC 1HD 1d6)

#### Ochie the Axeman M C F4 HP:12 AC:7

Axe +1

### 298-539 City of Yugen

1000 people live in the traditional centre for the Coldwater people, capital of the Wa-Oseel (Hard Settlement Tribe). Nothing feels good anymore. They have paid or hoarded their taxes regularly, but no chief patronises their crowning hall and even the Congressional administrators prefer half-ruined Vichipa 297-536. Unburned by pirates, the city only succumb to siege after the Congress forces made it clear they would overwhelm and burn the city to the ground rather than be forced to winter around it.

Trade flows up and down the river and on the overland roads, here but the gifts to the empty throne and temples do not come, meaning more tax at the gate. A liberating king is whispered in the drinking houses for a throne empty for generations prior to the Congress. Anyone who can prove sufficient cultural heritage and martial success will need just a reaction roll before the crowd.

#### Guardian of the doors Basson F6 – Pro-glory. Juniors: F3, F2 x 2 F1 x 4

Dagger +2 vs man-sized opponents, +3 vs orcs, goblins, & kobolds

#### Militia Musterer Himoth F3 – More than whatever Basson has. Juniors: F1 x 4.

22 magic arrows

Speaker for the People Pen T5 – Yugen’s wealth must not come from taxes.

Priests of the Deer (Himoth C5), Toad (Croaking Basson C4), Eagle (Doon C4) and Seal (Bobbo C3) totem temples – Authority and tribute must be imposed before anything else. Collective juniors: C3, C2 x 4, C1 x 8.

Scroll of Protection from Lycanthropes

Potion of Levitation

Lawful Sword +1, +3 vs trolls (Intelligence 2, & Knows 2 languages)

Potion of Clairaudience

Priestess of the Penguin shrine Pan C4 – The king must not make the people’s lives worse. Juniors: C1 x 2.

Ring of Water Walking

#### Congressional administrator and member of the Second Lock Raed Posseem F5, opposed to any independence or demonstrations. Juniors: F3 x 2 (First Lock), F2 x 5 (First Lock), F1 x 10.

Chaotic Energy Draining Sword (1 level) (Intelligence 11, Ego 1, Powers: Read Magic, Locate Secret Doors, Detect Traps, Detect magic & 5 languages, & Knows 1 language)

Spear +2

Potion of Posion

The 20 rotating militia still keep order at the gate and the curfew but the defenders are all Congress.

20 light foot (Mv12 6AC 1HD 1d6) – Militia

40 crossbowmen (Mv12 6AC 1HD 1d6)

50 heavy foot (Mv12 4AC 1HD 1d6)

10 light cavalry (Mv24 6AC 1HD 1d6)

### 299-540 Town of Oseetu

100 people live in growing Oseetu, member of the Wa-Oseel, capital at Yugen 298-539.The danger and violence of malicious and ineffectual Congressional rule has brought more people close to Yugen to repopulate what was burned down during the initial siege. They look to the city for solutions and expect a response.

#### Led by an alliance between Pen, Priestess of the Seal totem temple and Seel, Priest of the Eagle totem temple, both C3.

10 crossbowmen  (Mv12 7AC 1HD 1d6)

10 light foot  (Mv12 6AC 1HD 1d6)

### 301-539 Village of Oseesi

100 people live in angry Oseesi, member of the Wa-Oseel, capital at Yugen 298-539. Yugen did nothing to help them when the Young Bloods came to extort taxes. They feel abandoned and isolation from the populated coast. They have decided to kill and rob any soul who cannot prove they are not a member of the Congress. If weak they attack as a mob in the streets, if strong they attack them in their beds.

Authorising this is their leader Chief Doon F5, assisted by his son Doonson F3 and the Priest of the Toad totem temple Yil C3. They seek a magical weapon to prove their right to independence.

10 archer/light foot depending on the equipment used (Mv12 7/6AC 1HD 1d6)

### 302-541 The Rebel Camp

100 men camp in the foothills, training to sweep the Congress from the coast and rally the people to drive them out completely. They have spent two years reinforcing the camp and the Young Bloods pretended they weren’t there in their reports. They itch to move and will do so next week or when the ice thaws depending on the season. Ten rebels come from Ulend 305-550 and want to exchange messages there with family.

The are led by a council of would-be chiefs and idealists. F8, F6, 3 x F2, 10 x F1. Their names are all some variation on the nom de guerre Yass (Freeman).

30 light foot (Mv12 6AC 1HD 1d6)

20 heavy foot (Mv12 4AC 1HD 1d6)

30 archers

10 light cavalry (Mv24 6AC 1HD 1d6)

10 medium cavalry (Mv18 4AC 1HD 1d6)

In the officer armoury:

Chaotic Energy Draining Sword (1 level) (Intelligence 6, & Knows 1 language)

Chaotic Sword +1 (Intelligence 5, & Knows 2 languages)

Neutral Sword +1 (Intelligence 1, & Knows 2 languages)

Neutral Sword +1, +2 vs lycanthropes (Intelligence 11, Ego 12, Powers: Read Magic, Note Shifting Walls & Rooms, See Invisible Objects, Detect Evil & 1 language, & Knows 2 languages)

Shield +1

### 299-542 Wolfcastle (Hoologgen)

The Seaside fortress of the Superhero Lukel the Bad. He can across the water and built his stone towers to fight pirates when there was no law beyond Congressional occupation. He refuses to pay tribute to Vichipa 297-536 but bribes them with pirate treasure. He will acknowledge no authority and takes what he believes is owed from any traveller. He attracts the wild and free, so that many would be rebels have joined him.

#### Lukel M C F8 S:9 I:13 W:9 C:6 D:7 CHA:6 HP:26 AC:1

Armor +2

Graveeater, Lawful Sword +1

6 Swashbucklers

Level 4 Cleric

50 crossbowmen/light foot (Mv12 7/6AC 1HD 1d6)

50 

10

### 302.543 Garnet Ford

Along the dark gravel bars and riverbanks where the streams meet and slow are reflective spots. Where the water has deposited and uncovered raw garnets from time-to-time worth 100gp. Never enough to make a village out of it. The whiter or clearer stones are magnetic diamonds, which are worth 10000gp or any spell from any scientist or magic-user who can identify them and anyone else will assume is quartz. Can also be used to repair and create anti-gravity devices.

1d6 garnets can be found in a day, there are 2d6 in total and will be replenished in a year. 10% chance of a magnetic diamond per day, 1d6 in total and will be replenished in 10 years. Double amounts found 10 feet below the water along the riverbeds.

### 300.545 Town 300 Weird (Clue to Nearby Hex) Link to 297.536 Settled Lair Link to 300.531 Town 300

### 301-547 Village of Ansepauine

25 people of a clan of the of the Quiet Water Tribe, capital at Anpauinwa 302-548, mill about on the shore of a burned village. Here where a stream meets the sea, the Young Blood, now in 312-548, came demanding taxes. The people here stopped paying taxes when the new administrators in Anpauinwa lost the ability to notice. They fled when they saw the bandits come. Now they are angry and without pity. They will try and rob any travellers who come across them, either at night or in a frenzied mob if they won’t rest.

They are led by Hol F4 and have 2 light foot otherwise  (Mv12 6AC 1HD 1d6).

### 301-548 Idle Kangaroos

Giant wallaby-looking fellows with a sword and sunglasses. Ten Macropods (Antarctic Bestiary p.13) are awaiting a boat on the beach to take them to their next job across the Inner Sea. Not looking for trouble but will defend themselves proactively. Red one with floppy hat will solicit and swap stories, talking about a hex location in the Marches for each story. If told 5 stories, he’ll put a pawprint on a slip of paper as an introduction, worth +2 to reaction rolls in the March.

### 302-548 Town of Anpauinwa

200 people in Anpauinwa, the capital of the Wa-Anootuin (Quiet Water Tribe) live in fear and poverty. Despite the flow of boats between them and their kinsmen across the strait. This is due to the insatiable greed appetites of their Congress masters. Oogd and his 8 fellows were members of the Second Lock and tried to use the newfangled foreign pellets to advance. This transformed them into hulking furred giants (Stats as Ogres). Now they care only for acquiring treasure and food, self-parodies of the high-ranking members of Congress. The administration in XXX in 297-536 sent them here to avoid embarrassment. A report once a year at best.

The garrison stayed long enough to frighten the locals and returned. The locals won’t do anything but flee, the 9 rat-monsters are all the town has for defence. Chief Doon F3 and Ewass C5 sailed to Udor for reinforcements but haven’t returned.

In the filthy den Oogd and his fellows have made of the Chief’s house:

5000cp of seized taxes, never expected to be paid

A piece of jewellery worth 6000gp

Spell Scroll (Detect Magic, Hold Person)

              Frostcusher, Lawful Sword +1

              Int: 12 Ego: 12, Telepathy and speaks 1

              Special Purpose: Slay Monsters, paralyzes Chaotic opponents

              Read Magic

              Detect Sloping Passages

              Note Shifting Walls & Rooms

              Detect Evil and/or Gold

              Clairvoyance

### 303-548 Village of Wanootdok

26 people of a clan of the Quiet Water Tribe, capital at Anpauinwa 302-548, pick through what is left of their home. Surviving mostly by fishing with a few rain-fed farms, the village has existed effectively independent since Anpauinwa stopped being a functioning capital. Especially to avoid the tax-and harvest hungry gaze of the new masters. Unfortunately, other members of the Congress did not care and came to collect unfair and unpaid taxes. They arrived in the night and burned the village in the chaos. They took the dead Chief’s and totem-keeper’s families hostage when the claimed taxes failed to add up.

They kept going back to Congress lands and are currently camped in 312-548.

### 310-548 Town of Ootine

600 people live in misery in the capital of the Wa-Ootend (End of Sound/Language Tribe). Once they prospered as the neighbours to the Congressional lands as merchants used the land road. But they were the first of the Coldwater Lands to be conquered and are still close enough to be taxed regularly. They are ruled by Repalce Lolkaa F6, a member of the Second Lock and his nephew Albe Lolkaa MU3 of the First Lock. The garrison is 60 Congressional troops growing fat and bored, 6 are F1, 3 are F2 and 1 is F3.

There is an Eagle, Toad and Deer Totem Temple each run by a C2 and C1.

30 heavy foot (Mv12 4AC 1HD 1d6)

30 crossbowmen (Mv12 7AC 1HD 1d6)

#### Repalce M N F6 HP:26 AC:4

Shield +1

#### Albe M L MU1 HP:10 AC:9

### 310-549 Town of Yauin

400 people of a clan of the Wa-Ootend, capital at Ootine 310-548, live in grudging anger. Hey were once a prosperous town but now they are close enough to be under constant Congressional supervision. Once they paid almost no tax and donated to the totem temples freely, now the market is checked weekly. They are ruled by Tset Kangeru C5, a member of the Second Lock. 40 Congressional troops are kept wary by petty vandalism, of the heavy foot four are F1 and one is F2, who is a member of the First Lock.

There is a Seal and Deer Totem Temple each run by a C2 and C1.

20 heavy foot (Mv12 4AC 1HD 1d6)

20 crossbowmen (Mv12 7AC 1HD 1d6)

#### Tset F N C5 HP:16 AC:7

Ring of Water Walking

### 305-550 Town of Ulend

100 People behind a stout stone wall and farmland rising above the coast. Clan of the Quiet Water Tribe, capital at 302-548. Small merchant ships for making the crossing to Uldore Island.

Gecko hide cloaks from the heart of Congress 313-549 are all the rage here and locals will pay 100gp per cloak.

This is all thanks to the leatherworker who moved here last summer. Moer has a Congressional accent and will not discuss his business, saying it is better here. His patron died in the March, he left before the Guild foreclosed on his workshop. He knows the First Lock and will teach it to whoever supplies him with 10 skins each.

10 archer/light foot or depending on what equipment they use, one is F1 (Mv12 6/7AC 1HD 1d6)

#### Chief Yilson M N F5 HP:18 AC:0

Shield +2

### 308-550 Lair of the Dire Wombats

All along the coast and the rising grassland beyond are 750 enormous wombats (Draft Horses). Here they congregate during the darkening months and they migrate inland to the highlands and forests in the summer.

They are not as big as they used to be, but they live in sex-segregated herds and will defend themselves with their massive teeth and jaws.

### 309-550 Town of Anyuin

400 people of a clan of the Wa-Ootend, capital at Ootine 310-548, plot violence. They were raided by the Young Bloods, who have since departed. They took everything that could fit in a purse as the taxes unpaid and unasked for had been spent on a new temple complex and fishing boats, now all burnt. The people plot to rob all travellers as revenge for receiving no help and launch a rebellion by quietly killing all people of Congress passing by.

This is led by Ewass Oonchie (Spear in the Hand) (F5) and Ewass Yuie (The Tall) F4. Alongside Sempay Ewie (The Good) C4 and his fellow totem priests: C2 and three C1. Supported by 4 F1s and a F2.

20 light foot (Mv12 6AC 1HD 1d6)

10 crossbowmen (Mv12 7AC 1HD 1d6)

10 heavy foot (Mv12 4AC 1HD 1d6)

AD&D Solo Adventures - The Village of Hommlet Part 15

Took a bit longer to get this out as most of it was either game accounting or round by round battles.
But the heroes finally seem to be making some progress into the temple, now they are of sufficient level to fight groups of multiple Hit Dice foes.

Still day 185

Dounil and Celest split up so they can enter Nulb separately. With Celest stabling her horse first before ordering hot water and washing with what she claimed was found silver. The new proprietor at the Waterside Hostel accepts it without question. Later Dounil enters, having come up with a clever addition to their original scheme. He wears his hood and orders a room, hot water and washing, saying he’s been clearing the road of monsters. Again, no questions but laundry and bathing costs more because of the effort to get water from the river and boil it, 170cp for Dounil and another 15cp for Celest. They must dip into the funds they left to Mother Screng (Dounil uses his Ring of Invisibility to make his way there). Celest paying 1sp and 5cp and Dounil paying 1gp, 6sp and 10cp. Looking like he’s scrounging treasure from various nefarious deeds.

The XP gained from delving was 19+145+270+0.8+50x2+15x2+20x17+25x10+125x2 = 1404.8/16=87.8 x 1.10 or 1.05 = 96 FXP 92 MUXP

Only 6000 raw XP to go and they will both level up as Fighters.

At Mother’s Screng: 156cp, 845sp, 18gp, 49ep, 27pp

Adding to the haul to be taken to Hommlet: 125gp of silver chain and gem. And 4 jars of oil to be used on any trolls.

Dounil’s cunning plan is to go into the room he paid for, use his ring to sneak into Celest’s room and sleep there so no one who remembers him will be able to ambush him in his sleep. This is ruined by Celest telling him to just barricade his door. So, for the night, he sneaks into the room formerly owned by Pearl. A roll tells me it’s not in use. He alights to the bed and doesn’t need to light the candles in the candle holder, which is totally covered in wax anyway.

Day 186 (15^th of Ready'reat)

Waking the next day, Dounil uses the ring to knock on Celest door when no one else is in the corridor and whispering under the door to let him in. She says to do it after breakfast. Dounil discovers his room is untouched; no one went in and disturbed even the bundle he left under the sheets as a decoy. Downstairs, he and Celest take breakfast, talking low and in vague terms. Dounil will take it easy for a few days and see Mother Screng for some pain-reliving herbs. Celest should go and take a trip south, the road is good for trade and meeting people. (Dounil will rest and recover with magical healing, Celest should exchange the treasure in Hommlet but the road is dangerous).

They go to Mother Screng’s at a leisurely stroll to not aggravate Dounil’s injuries, stopping at Otis so Celest can take her horse.
She asks Otis if he knows anyone trustworthy and discreet who could look after horses in the wilderness. Otis suggests Elmo, a drunk wastrel in Hommlet (Dounil nods which I good enough for Celest). He asks Dounil about stabling and feed and Dounil says he’ll find some more money soon.

With Clest riding off on a dangerous road with bulging sacks of treasure, 10gp and her share of the still-fresh rations, Dounil visits Y’dey as Mother Screng. First to beg for some healing assistance and secondly to request 10sp for Otis and 155cp for his nightly rest. She is happy to grant both as the heroes are making progress, HP 12->13 and Dounil comes away with 4ep 15sp and 5cp, leaving 151cp, 830sp, 8gp, 45ep, 27pp in the hoard. With the electrum, Otis is paid and it looks like he is receiving money more commonly used by merchants. Dounil spends the rest of his day in Pearl’s room and heals 1 HP for it, HP 13->14.

It takes Celest most of the day to ride to Hommlet, passing a merchant caravan on the way. Quite tense for her until they pass completely from view for about 30 minutes. She follows Dounil’s advice and presents herself to Rufus and Burne who are undoubtably worried about yet more promissory notes they can’t yet pay. But as I am now using the OSE Advance update that makes it even more AD&D, they offer her a special note, they will swap the magic shield +1 and any number of promissory notes for equal value in training and spells from Rufus’s spellbook, at 1000gp per spell. This is acceptable as Celest was pretty sure she could not sell the magical item anywhere else around here. They also issue her a new promissory note (as they feel they will get the money back) for the broach, as the cameo coat of arms makes them concerned. 48000gp on the note and 250xp for the shield. Which is 17 FXP and 16 MUXP.

At Nira Melubb the moneychanger, he is torn over exchanging the value and losing any excess coins he must use to do it. 80% of 245gp is 196gp and that’s easy enough for the ivory statuette, silver tube and silver chain with gem (though he will need to wash and clean the stink of them). But the gold chain with the rubies (7,000gp+3,000gp) and the ruby ring (4000gp) is way beyond his ability to exchange. He will evaluate them for free as Celest’s Reaction roll was Friendly. So that must go back to Rufus and Burn who are upset but not appalled at the ghoul stench, being adventurers.

Celest is quite happy as she leaves with a promissory note worth 14,196gp, a FXP of 975 and MUXP of 931 on top of what went before. She’ll need to collect Dounil and then they need to train. She stays overnight at the Inn of the Welcome Wench, at double the price of the Waterside Hostel (5gp 10sp) but in far better conditions. She meets up with Elmo and explains her quest, Elmo is happy to help as a paid retainer, though he asks for 100gp per day if he is not going into the dungeon, to protect the horses outside the temple grounds. Celest says that’s extortion but fair under the circumstances. The contract will start when they return to the temple.

Day 187 (16^th of Ready'reat)

Celest prepares to ride to Nulb to retrieve Dounil. Dounil meanwhile repeats the same lazy day, spending 1gp on his horse and 14sp and 15cp on his stay, leaving 141cp, 831sp, 7gp, 49ep and 27pp in the hoard, HP 14->16. Celest encounters 2 wild boars on the road, they surprise her and fortunately her reaction roll is friendly, they merely grunt and swing their tusks. She carries on with some more speed.

In Nulb she talks to Dounil and impresses on him the note and the task. Recognising this is for the best but still not ready to travel, he wonders if he could get healed in Hommlet. Celest said there was a church there if he saw it there last. She takes the remaining 4sp and gets from Mother Screng, all the gold, electrum, silver and copper pieces. Cannoness Y’dey says to stop it for now, as it’s too obvious. She spends a gold coin on her horse and 15sp and 5cp on her night and breakfast. Dounil buys dinner in the Waterside Hostel for 2sp and 5cp.

Dounil decides that since h’s spent two days with no attempts to murder him in his sleep, he’ll use the room he actually paid for before someone notices he’s in the other room. He debates relighting the candleholder as it might be seen as having been used. Inspecting the wax to see if use was even noticeable, he sees the thing is quite reflective. Chipping away that night as he awaits sleep reveals the holder is silver. He stashes that in his bag, reasoning that it belonged to the temple-spies once and no one has claimed it like the other treasures of the conspirators.

Day 188 (17^th of Ready'reat)

They ride for Hommlet, possibly to spend the winter there, NRE. By the end of the day, they have eaten their last rations, stabled the horses (-2gp) and presented themselves to Rufus and Burne for training in the martial and arcane arts the next day.

It will take Dounil 3 weeks to train to level 4 as a Fighter and 3 for Celest to become a level 2 Fighter, she’ll then train as a level 2 Magic-User first for 2 weeks. At 400gp per week per level, that’s 8 weeks of total training (5 weeks of time) at their current levels, so 400 x 3 x 3 + 400 x 1 x 3 + 400 x 1 x 2 = 5,600gp. That covers the promissory note for the shield +1 and a new note for the other treasure is re-issued at 12,596gp.

On the 11^th of Sunsebb as winter bites (milder than historic Earthly norms for the latitude, probably normal for modern Earth) Dounil finishes his training and can start healing again, Celest finish on the 25^th, day 224. She learns Charm Person, a dangerous spell but still cannot read the spellbook they have been lugging around and add it to their own.  As I bring this into alignment with AD&D via the OSE Advanced update, she should have started with 4 spells, so I need to roll 3 more times. She finally learns Read Magic as she also gain’s Floating Disc (making her just as mobile as Dounil) and Protection from Evil. Dounil gains Magic Missile (a fitting replacement for his lost AD&D Shocking Grasp) and Read Languages (1 off Read Magic of the chart).

It costs the pair 36 x 5.9 x 2 = 424gp and 80sp for their stay. They money comes from Dounil’s discovery of the candleholder. It’s a silver case (75gp) with a sapphire (1,000gp) containing wax, but when the wax was chipped off (eventually heated and dripped) it revealed 19 silvery coins that were ultimately platinum when Dounil took them down to Melubb. That came to 231gp plus the sapphire Melubb refused to transacted. That promissory note (it was worth 900gp according to Melubb who undervalued the gem so he could undervalue it again later for his lords) went to Olster Gundigoot who promptly cashed it in for a tax write-off. I realised later I was 8gp off for Celest’s maximum XP for her level but since I had already done everything, I just took 121gp and 9sp off this treasure.

1131-424.8 = 706.2 (706.2-121.9) = 584.3/16 = 40 FXP and 38 MUXP. With 706gp and 2sp for the hoard. Or it would be had not Dounil been in of healing. His pleas to the stern Canon Terjon require 10 gp per day/cast of Cure Light Wounds for the needy and a 100gp donation for the castle construction. The daily routine of bed rest and healing means it takes 4 days and 140gp to bring Dounil to his full 22 HP. He spends the next five days buying spells from Burne and scribing them in his spellbook, so he can prepare them at times he desires (subject to being a level 3 MU). A fraught process for Dounil’s Intelligence is 13 and still has a 70% chance to never be able to learn the spell once he rolls for it. Dounil learns Burning Hands (AD&D spell), Protection from Evil, Shield, Spider Climb and Ventriloquism. He still can only prepare and cast 2 level 1 spells per day though. The promissory note has been reissued as 7,596gp.

The evening of the 25^th, they pay another 10gp and 2sp for room and breakfast the next morning.

Day 225 (26^th of Sunsebb)

It is cold and the temperature swings from 22 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (-5 to 4 degrees Celsius) over the course of the day. Fortunately, there is neither rain nor snow. They purchase 21 days of fresh rations at inflated prices. The two traders make a keen note for their report that the meddlers are returning to Nulb and the temple.

They have 131cp, 819sp, 1113gp (1013gp) and 49ep across their three saddle bags as Elmo accompanies them, having been paid his first day.

Arriving in Nulb, Elmo reunites with his brother and amid that rejoicing, the heroes learn Otis will not charge his brother for his horse and will let him stay in his home. Elmo said he’ll be rolling in the money once the pair pay him. At the Waterside Hotel, Dounil and Celest take rooms, the proprietor is mor than happy to accommodate returning and paying guests, paid with 2gp, 10sp and 10cp. The treasure hoard was given to Y’dey.

Day 226 (27^th of Sunsebb)

It’s cold and not yet snowing/raining. The party ride forth with a plan. The pair will sweep the tower again now they can advance freely around the temple grounds. This countered by the front door being locked, they should wait to go around the back again. Instead to go below to kill gnolls and ghouls until they become too tired too or a large stretch is pacified.

Leaving at [8:00] and assume they arrive by [9:00], NRE.

Elmo is left with the horses at the foot of the temple and as he leads them out, the pair begin to make haste through the side door. It takes 2 and a half turns to enter and go down the left vestibule. The rest of the third turn to reach the bottom of the stairs [9:30], NRE.

Another advance up the north corridor and shortened movement to the east of the next crossing so they don’t get spotted by the gnolls looking though the view slit. Celest has a plan, she will cast Charm Person and induce the watcher to their side. Dounil prepared Shield, Detect Magic and Levitate. They rest [10:00], NRE x3.

They put their plan into action, advancing up to the eye slit on Room 121, Celest is unseen but she is heard, the gnolls grunts and she quickly casts Charm Person with the gnoll failing the roll. While the other gnolls inside get alert, Celest hurriedly explains they are friends and the gnolls should get a share of all treasure they find to share among friends, please let them in. The gnoll obliges to the surprise and cries of the other ones.

Upon letting them in, Dounil tries to capitalise on the moment and claims he is here to install himself as master of the temple and the gnolls should join them and receive great rewards, a reaction roll of 3 means this goes down poorly an the gnolls attack, prompting the charmed gnoll to defend the heroes.

No surprise but the heroes move first. R1, 6 HD of damage kills the gnolls before they can respond. The charmed gnoll is saddened by this but is mollified by the party offering him or her (hard with gnolls) all the treasure the dead gnolls could have, as the new temple’s Chief Gnoll/Soon to be Flind, now 30ep, taking a round.

They push onto Room 122 and throw open the door; there is again confusion and a pitch for a new gnoll-dominated temple. The gnolls are indifferent and want to know what is on offer compared to a lifetime of loot and violence for the Elder Elemental Eye. They want payment up front and the party cannot provide that right now, so they attack. The heroes go first though (good initiative so far). R1, 9 HD of damage clears the room.

R2, as the party supply the gnoll with the treasure, another gnoll arrives from Room 123, party wins initiative again and kills it. Four rounds till the turn is over 20sp, 10p and 10gp.

Advancing to Room 123, the gnolls and hobgoblin are very aware of the fighting but utterly confused as to why two bandits are being escorted by a gnoll. Dounil makes another speech, it’s cautiously received but with no money forthcoming, violence begins. The inhabitants have been hearing violence and win initiative.

R1, two attack each member of the party, with the hobgoblins going after the traitorous gnoll. All gnolls miss but one hobgoblin hits the charmed gnoll, doing 1 HD of damage HD2->1. The party does 13 HD in return, killing them all. I don’t know if the dice are good or having the chance of 4 HD per hero, an extra +2 to hit and an additional 2 damage dice are turning the tide.

With two turns to go, the heroes turn to leave but the gnoll says there is a passage beyond the wall, the pair having missed it last month. 12sp, 6ep and 6gp with 27pp under the brazier coals.

Throwing the hidden door open, the party move into Room 124, where two ogres have heard all the fighting but have dismissed the fighting as per their description. They are therefore aware and when Dounil declares the gnoll time has come there is no negotiation. The heroes win Initiative only by 1 but win all the same.

R1, Spell Fray from Celest, but Dounil can bring his sword to bear on the 4 HD ogres. Only thanks to Celest’s magical sword can she hit the ogres in their bronze platemail alongside Dounil and the gnoll misses. 9 HD of damage kills both ogres. Marking another section of the temple that will stay cleared until those ogres can be replaced in 2 weeks. The turn finishes up with a through looting of the room [10:10], 1/6 NRE. The chest is useful if they wanted to equip a squad but the gnoll has a weapon, the gnoll almost loses their footing lifting the spear barrel in the eagerness to find the ogres’ stash. For they know there should be one. Lifting the slab is another round for Dounil as the 36sp and 22gp treasure is given to the gnoll. The gnoll receives the 870sp and silver bracelet (170gp + 6 x 10gp azurites).

Passing into Room 125, it takes two rounds of cautious movement 3/10, to advance to the T-junction, where they see many remains of a fight from long ago with many gnawed bones or complete skeletons and maybe some external passages. The gnoll said the middle was forbidden as a central corridor. They hear the rattling of bones and metal, as the assembled undead begin to emerge on either side, grey shapes on a grey background to all their dark vision.

The skeletons do surprise them.

Surprise (4/10) Round, the undead advance and begin to slash with various weapons, kept sharp through being positioned within their ribcages and off the floor. Celest is hit for 2 damage, HP 14 -> 12. The gnoll dies to a single successful bow out of 6 attempts.

Round 1, wining initiative, Dounil says he’ll take the gnoll skeletons, they both hit. 2 gnoll skeletons collapse and 6 human skeletons do. No skeleton gets through their magic armour.

Round 2, again wining initiative, 3 human skeletons crumple and 1 gnoll skeleton does as well, another takes 1 HD damage, HD 2 -> 1. Again, the heroes are untouched.

Round 3, The undead have the initiative, Dounil takes 1 damage, HP 22 -> 21. Finishing off the human skeleton with a casual flick of her sword Fray, Celest turns to assist Dounil, destroying the gnoll skeletons.

They roll their charmed gnoll and retreat back to the door to Room 124 and bandage; eyes and ears perked for reinforcements. HP 21 -> 22 and HP 12 -> 14, 3/6 [10:25], NRE.

They spend the next 3 turns, one rest and 5 rounds in Room 125 exploring each end (making it 3/6 [11:10]). No treasure can be picked out in their dark vision as coin-shaped metal. But they see many weapons left in the hands of the formerly risen skeletons. Dounil thinks the southern passage to the west matches his prior map and marks the NE passage. They move on to Room 126.

Again the description of the ogre being aware but uncaring of the fighting means surprise comes from him alone. And surprises he does the pair but misses with his battle axe. He calls for help.

R1, both Frays and Celest miss but the 4 HD from Dounil’s sword + magic + strength kills the ogre leader.

R2, the 3 gnolls rush to assist. They fail to surprise but get the initiative. A lucky blow does 2 HP damage to Dounil, HP 22 -> 20. 11 HD back kills them. While Dounil bandages again HP 20 -> 22., Celest searches the room and Dounil joins her the next turn, no random encounters interrupt them. They then rest [11:40, NRE]. While they avoid the food as a matter of course, the iron chest is found to be locked. They’ll take it with them later. They loot the gnolls for 9sp 3ep and 9gp, and the Ogre Chief for his copper belt (35gp) and his purse of 11sp 19ep and 38gp.

A brief look at some fan-made hierarchy tables tells us the Earth Temple is down to its directly controlled Reavers, clerics and guards. 41 people, dangerous but perhaps the brigands might start questioning what makes the temple so great if they lose another force.

Entering 127, they spend a round opening the empty wooden box in the text description 4/10. Entering 128, they do not get to surprise because there was a gnoll by the door, but the gnolls do surprise in return.

SR, no gnolls hit but the bugbear does to Dounil, HP 22 -> 21.

R1, a gnoll hits Dounil and Celest each, HP 21 -> 19 and HP 14 -> 12. In return the bugbear takes 1 HD of damage HD 3 -> 2 and 4 gnolls die.

R2, the humanoids win and pass morale, the bugbear hits Dounil again for 2 damage, HP 19 -> 17. Dounil kills the bugbear with a Fray riposte, and their blades kill the rest of the gnolls.

They both bandage, HP 17 -> 19 and HP 12 -> 14, ending the turn and spending the next one looting the room thoroughly and then having to rest [11:40], NRE x 3. While there was no fireplace for the goblinoid to stash the hoard, the flammable woodpile rattled when searched and it was found. 64cp, 61sp, 30ep, 48gp, 4pp and a necklace of 12 large gold coins (130gp). Celest suggests they should see if they can find a Bag of Holding somewhere to deal with all the coinage, which has almost tipped them both over to encumbered.

The heavy crossbow is examined but deemed to be too heavy. The peephole it fires through shows the back end of the corridor from the month prior and good thing they didn’t explore or the gnoll didn’t bother firing as they passed.

It’s the work of a moment to cross the corridor into Room 129, prompting no surprises and automatic reactions from the guards.

R1, Only the magic armour blocks the heavy crossbows. In AD&D they probably would have punched right through. The javelins bounce off. The heroes engage the lone crossbowman and the javelinists thanks to their slow encounter move. As we move back into AD&D-like territory, I decide that rather than give Fighter level number of attacks on the 0-level foes, I just give the characters another Fray die. All that’s left is the crossbowman at “g” calling out further down the passage.

R2, Celest, the crossbowman, the guards in 130 and then Dounil. Celest advances and slays the crossbowman. The guards in 130 call out for the fighters in the room beyond and advance to throw javelins. One hits her for 2 damage, HP 14 -> 12. Dounil moves up and fires off his magic Fray, killing one guard.

R3, Celest, guards, Dounil and the fighters. Celest rushes forward and begins to swing her sword, five die. The guards with their longswords fail to penetrate her shield and armour. Dounil follows and the last two die.

R4, the fighters advance from their trapezoidal barracks and throw javelins, the leader throwing his Javelin of Lighting as these foes have wrecked bloody havoc among the Earth Temple. No normal javelin hits in the first volley, the Javelin of Lightning does though, hitting Dounil and both heroes fail their saves. 20 damage would still be just 4 HP though. I’m willing to bend the rules for such a blast and say it’s 8. Dounil HP 19 -> 10 and Celest HP 14 -> 6. They both Defy Death for the first time, so the recalculated HP after the half damage from what is now a successful save is; Dounil HP 11 and Celest HP 8. The Javelin of Lightning is unfortunately destroyed.

Due to the length of the corridor, the heroes can only advance and cast their magic Fray. Celest’s bounces off the leader, but Dounil’s wounds a fighter, HD 2 -> 1.

R5, All the fighters miss, the heroes make a final charge and Celest cuts down the wounded level 2 fighter and another. Dounil deals 8 HD in damage alone and kills both the level 3 fighter and the level 4 leader. Such is the power of high Strength and a Longsword +1 for both.

Bandaging, they debate stopping here, but Dounil said he wants to put down the ghouls again HP 10 -> 12 and HP 6 -> 8. Celest thinks that’s an awful idea, but they don’t want the trail of bodies attracting carrion-feeders over the next few days. Besides they are stronger now, 1/6 [11:50] and NRE.

They spend two turns searching bodies and belongs up and down the hall, dumping the weapons in a pile by the southern door for later, NRE x 2. Besides some bone dominoes (5gp), there is 21cp, 47sp, 79ep, 78gp, 80pp, 4 bronze rings set with a jet stone (50gp x 4), 4 ornamental dagger (15gp x 4), three jars of fuel oil and various bits of had food the pair snack on as they shift material. With a heavy heart, they must dump their copper and silver on the floor for want of coin weight. Hopefully nothing retrieves it by the time they get back.

It takes another turn to advance down to the T-junction and turn east and another turn but moving at x3 speed for having explored the area to pass through the grating, sliming behind them with a clang as they have weapons drawn and Dounil casts Shield. Nothing happens for a turn and the Sheild isn’t giving anything better than his magic plate would anyway. It looks like the ghasts and ghouls are dead, with decaying harpy corpses on the floor, 4/6 [12:30] NRE x 3.

This presents an issue for the pair. They are wounded but otherwise are on a roll. They have killed over two dozen foes and probably reduced the temple forces a bit. But they will need weeks of healing, causing the forces to grow again. Since they lost most of their health to a one-use magical item ad I keep filing to roll random encounters, they think they can chance it later.

It’s a turn to lift the grate between them and advance to the junction, where they rest invisible, [12:50] NRE x 2. And six more turns and another rest, moving at explored and mapped speed (x 3) to cart all the weapons and treasure from Room 121 to 130 into room 124 with the weapons chest and move the iron chest from Room 126, 1/6 [14:10] NRE x 6.

Looking at the chest, Dounil decides the lock is not connected and uses a battleaxe to break it off (the text said it’s breakable and so I say it’s not integrated into the structure). It takes him 7 rounds to break it, long enough to finish the turn by casting Detect Magic on the whole gathered contents. There is nothing magical here, 2/6 [14:20] NRE.

Disappointed, the decide to return to Nulb before they get too mauled down here. The take the iron chest contents of 311gp and 2 big and perfect agates (100gp and 500gp).

They pass at speed to the western vestibule but are mt on the stairs finally by a random encounter on the second roll, 4 gnolls, here to shore up the numbers caused by repeated deaths. They surprise.

SR, Dounil takes a bastard sword though a gap in the armour, HP 12 -> 10

R1, the heroes win initiative and 8 HD damage kills the gnolls, they have no treasure. They bandage above in the vestibule, HP 10 -> 12, [14:45].

Though the shadows loom in the winter dimness, it’s not yet twilight, so they encounter nothing as they walk out the main gate. Elmo grazes the horses nearby, saying they should arrange a time to meet, otherwise he would have left them there when it grew beyond twilight.

They shove into his hands 200 electrum pieces and tell him to carry his pay home.

1410xp from dead monsters/16 x (1.10 or 1.05) = 96 FXP and 92 MUXP

85cp, 1066sp 204ep, 522gp and 84pp received/16 x (1.10 or 1.05) = 108 FXP and 103 MUXP, plus 45cp which is lost in rounding.

To be taken to Hommlet:

Silver bracelet (170gp + 6 x 10gp azurites), copper belt (35gp), A necklace of 12 large gold coins (130gp), 4 bronze rings set with a jet stone (50gp x 4), 4 ornamental dagger (15gp x 4), and 2 big and perfect agates (100gp and 500gp).

With saddlebags bulging and darkness falling, they encounter nothing on the road (lowest roll it could be for nothing). Otis gets his 2pp for the horses, Y’dey gets everything obvious and heals Celest, HP 8 -> 10, and the proprietor gets his 10cp, 15sp, 1ep and 1gp. An additional 1sp and 1gp buys a large combined dinner with ale, though not that great all told.

Day 227 (28^th of Sunsebb)

It’s an early night but also an early morning as the heroes are awakened by a large owl apiece hooting into their rooms amid the first rays of dawn. It stares at them quite intently and they reach for their weapons, as it could be sinister. The owls were sent by Otis, for now the heroes can hear heavy footsteps and banging outside as the newest brigands of the broken tower have come to Nulb to ambush the heroes in their sleep. Celest can pull her chainmail on, but Dounil doesn’t have time to buckle on his platemail.

Violence and Cyberpunk Double Feature

I don't have enough for a Grab Bag post and these two are not big enough for an individual post apiece.

Violence meets Eclipse Phase 2E

Why Eclipse Phase?

Eclipse Phase is a big and deep setting with a unique focus on body-hopping and a strong action/horror vibe.

Downside is it is mechanically fiddly for a D100 game.

Why 2E?

As it's simpler than 1E and has less fiddly parts for it's morphs. Though they still are pretty annoying to convert. I'm probably doing too much math compared to how Violence should be used, but this is what I have.

Converting a Morph

Cost: Starting characters get 1d6-2 Morph Points as in normal Eclipse Phase, as they are not supposed to be big heroes

Savings, insurance and political-actor backing means you can get MP Cost-1 back if your current morph ceases functioning

Avail: Roll d100 to see if it's avaliable in your area, subject to whatever extra Negative traits and gimmicks the GM feels like

WT: 6-WT = Reduction to Injury Check

DR: Represent being Downed, add 1 to th 16+ roll required per 5 points of DUR

Biomorph +2 per injury as normal, Synthmorphs +1 per injury

Pools: Give Adv per point for whatever the GM thinks that pool applies to. Flex is free for the players to spend on making their lives easier.

Movement Rate: Normal human is 4 for walking and 20 for running. Anything higher or lower is going to either catch them or not given enough time

Ware, Traits and Equipment do what they say in the Eclipse Phase book, but as this is Violence. They either dictate you can or cannot do something (mostly Ware and Equipment) or give a Violence Advantage or Disadvantage roll to doing a task. This is up to the GM to adjudicate as the players cannot inherently rely on knowing in Violence.

I might have Traits cut into the 6 skill totals as a balance thing or maybe not.

More likely the Traits and Ware lists should be kept seperate.

Two Common Morphs and how they function in Violence

Flat - Normal human not many of them left

Cost: 0 MP • Avail: 30

WT: 6 • DUR: 30 • DR: 45

Insight 0, Moxie 0, Vigor 0, Flex 0

Movement Rate: Walker 4/20

Common Extras: Many have the Genetic Defect trait

Exactly the same as normal Violence character

Only can find a spare human body 30% of the time

Case - The Clanking Masses, for the poor to be sleeved in

Cost: 0 MP • Avail: 100

WT: 5 • DUR: 25 • DR: 50

Insight 0, Moxie 0, Vigor 0, Flex 0

Movement Rate: Walker 4/12

Ware: Access Jacks, Cortical Stack, Cyberbrain, Lidar, Mesh Inserts, Mnemonics, Puppet Sock

Morph Traits: Exotic Morphology (Level 1), Inherent Flaws

Notes: Light Frame (Armor 6/4)

Synthmorph, so a whole range of extra traits the book only tells you in the generic description

Only adds +1 per Injury to Down roll

Everywhere in the Solar System, they will sell you a garbage body

Cases take +1 Injury Checks because they are cheap garbage and get Downed on a 15+

They can't run as fast as a normal human being

Lots of Ware to interact with the world

Have peanlties to adjusting to being sleeved in such garbage, has a 10% chance to automatically take a second Injury if a 20+ is rolled for recieving an Injury

Light Frame sounds like civilian armor, so it does bear out their total Injury check modifier is -1 (+1-2=-1).

The details of the Equipment itself is fairly pointless and with guns and melee weapons work like normal Violence. Anything labelled an X-Risk imposes a Save or Die roll.

Converting Silver Angel to Cyberpunk RED Waterdeep

So this is a Shadowrun 1E module being converted to Cyberpunk RED for use in a game whre the magic and setting is using a weird Forgottn Realms as it's background. It wasn't as hard as it sounded until I got to recreating the computer network for Cyberpunk RED. Every edition of Shadowrun and Cyberpunk have very different ideas about how to make a good network for players to netrun in.

As I may run this for my players, I'm going to just post rule changes. If you have a copy of Silver ANgel, you will know what I changed.

The NET Architecture and the NPC spells were the most difficult to do, just some gaps don't quite mesh, even though Callie did have vaguely enough spells to pretend she's a Lore Bard.

Shadowrun 1E Difficulty to Cyberpunk RED DV.

3 = 09

4 = 13

5 = 15

6 = 17

7 = 21

8 = 24

9 = 29

Barrier Rating x 5 = HP: 3 = 15 HP, 8 = 40 HP and 10 = 50 HP.

The payment

50,000NY up front 35,000NY on completion 15,000NY if silent for 100,000NY total

In Cyberpunk RED, a Moderate Mission pays 2,000eb per player in total, not just in cash but in loot as well.

So the new totals are:

1250eb up front 875eb on completion and 375eb if silent, per person.

Loot will make up what's probally lost from the unrelated alarm or loud approaches.

All bribes and Nuyen costs are /40, so the 2500NY bribe is 50eb

Winslow the Troll bouncer could be used to really hammer home the awfullness of Shadowrun's future. He's old enough to see his apparent humanity stripped away and replaced by something strange. And to watch the new generation devolve into medically-certifiable short-lived violent morons. Since Shadowrun was pretty clear the generation who underwent Goblinization retained their intelligence and lifespans, but their descendents did not.

But as Waterdeep RED isn't using those themes, I replaced him with an Ogre to have the different theme that the modern/future world is always willing to employ a person who fits a mold.

Ogre Bouncer

4 REF 8 DEX 3 TECH 2 INT 3 COOL 3 WILL 8 BODY 3 EMP 6 MOVE

HP 40 SP 7

Darkvision 20 yards/metres

Skills +2

Combat Base +10

Greatclub (Big bat) M 4d6

8 Javelin (Melee or Ranged) 2d6

Security Forces are Security Operative Mooks

Guards inside facility have Assault Rifles in armoury

Have medium armour jackets they will try to put on as well, conveniently Shadowrun 1E and Cyberpunk both do 3 second rounds.

As I didn't want to build my own Net Architecture, I reused the structure from Interface V1 - small corp facility.

Executive system is sub-architeture that can be tied into the main one from the Computer Center (Room 18)

To be accessed from any terminal.

Or hacked directly for just the sub-architecture in the Computer Center (Room 18)

The old version:

SPU-1 Nothing

SPU-2 No Hellhound

SPU-3 No Hellhound No Node-File DV6

SPU-4 No Hellhound No Node-File DV6

SPU-5 Killer No Node-File DV6

SPU-6 Wisp No Node-File DV6

SPU-7 Hellhound Files DV6 Control Node DV6

SPU-8 Skunk No Node-File DV8

SPU-9 Kraken Control Nodes DV8 Self-Destruct DV10

SPU-10 Nothing

SPU-11 Nothing

SPU-12 Hellhound No Node-File DV8

Based on reading this review and conversion of the network to Shadowrun 3E
https://www.nullsheen.com/posts/silver-angel-review/

Normal Small Corp Facility Floors 1 to 3

No Demons, all Manual Activation

Password DV8

File DV 8

Black ICE: Raven DV 8

SPU A (Personal Terminals, Admins Terminals)

1A Password DV8

2A Black ICE: Skunk, Wisp

3A File per Terminal DV6

SPU B (Buildings Systems)

1B Password DV8

2B Black ICE: Hellhound

3B Control Node: Heating DV6

4B Control Node: Elevator DV6

5B Control Node: Power DV6

6B Control Node: Airlocks DV6

SPU C (Security)

1C Password DV10

2C Black ICE: Asp, Kraken

3C Control Node: Cameras (1/Floor) DV10

4C Control Node: ID Card Scanners DV10

5C Control Node: Maglock Controls DV10

SPU D (Executive Systems)

I presume the security of D has already been dealt with by the NPC runners who happen to be in the Computer Center at the same time.

1D Password DV8

2D Black ICE: Raven x 2

3D File: Silver Angel DV10

When security arrives from offsite, I would assume they are also just Security Operative Mooks with maybe a Lieutenant classed foe to lead them, one group has the following leading them.

Mage (Wage)

6 REF 6 DEX 7 TECH 7 INT 4 COOL 4 WILL 4 BODY 4 EMP 4 MOVE

HP 30 SP 11 (Mage Armour)

Equipment: Wand

Skills Magic +6/Base 11 History +6/Base 11 Perception +4/Base 11 Others +2

Multiattack. The mage makes three Arcane Burst attacks.

Arcane Burst. 1.5 yards/metres Range 40 y/m. Hit: 6d6 Force damage.

Spellcasting. The mage casts one of the following spells, INT casting DV to avoid effect 14

At will: Detect Magic, Light, Mage Armor (included in SP), Mage Hand, Prestidigitation

2/day each: Fireball (level 4 version), Invisibility

1/day each: Cone of Cold, Fly

Bonus Actions

Misty Step (3/Day). The mage casts Misty Step, using the same spellcasting ability as Spellcasting.

Reactions

Protective Magic (3/Day). The mage casts Counterspell or Shield in response to the spell's trigger, using the same spellcasting ability as Spellcasting.

See-Me-Not Spell

Modified Crown of Madness, Level 2 Enchantment

The NPC team is comprised of: White Tiger (Netrunner, RED CRB p.414)

Callie Firebird (Reclaimer Chief with no cybernetics and no Heavy Melee Weapon, Paramedic and Pick lock removed, replaced with Magic +10, RED CRB p.414)

Callie could even be upgraded to an Outrider  (RED CRB p.415)  with no cybernetics, Shotgun, Criminology and Land Vehicle Tech replaced with Magic +14 and Moto 4 replaced with Combat Awarenss 4.

- Callie is conducting a NPC-only Ritual to enforce the Crown of Maddness and Clairvoyance spells.

- Callie casts with EMP + Magic if that is relevant

- Reactions

Protective Magic (3/Day). Callie casts Shield in response to the spell's trigger, using the same spellcasting ability as Spellcasting.

- Her spells are DV14 and are the following:

Cast at level 1:

Cure Wounds

Mage Hand

Magic Missile

Shield

2/Day, cast at level 2

Crown of Madness (Cast once already)

Invisibility (Cast once already)

1/Day, cast at level 3/4

Clairvoyance (Cast already)

Confusion (Cast already)

AD&D Solo Adventures - The Village of Hommlet Part 14

Day 185 (14^th of Ready'reat)

Between then and now, some people drew somethings to my attention. One, the heroes already make fires at night, so they wouldn’t have needed to scavenge a flint and steel from a dead bandit. Two, they would need light to see details for the material they find, as Dark Vision is for heat only. And lastly the official OSE Advanced edition changes have come out that address some of my general rule fudges and bring thing closer to AD&D. Which brings the game closer to the original vision I started with. For the first and second issues, let’s just draw a line over them. The availability of torches in the ToEE cover many omissions and no rules were used when they needed flint and steel. The later though creates new advantages and disadvantages. Actual Magic Item XP rules are good, though the XP gained is less than I calculated and the XP for selling them still has no base price anyway.

The improvement in Fighter HD to D10 is most welcome as it increases both heroes’ HP by 1 and their Fray to a 10% chance of doing 4 HD in damage per round. The addition of training time is a bit of a wash. Dounil has already spent months doing nothing of interest in the desert or over the water, and both gain XP at such a low rate that training time will hopefully, barely turn up.

Regardless, they come into town with the merchant caravan at 7:30 in the morning. They eat two of their three remaining rations and the last is split among the survivors and mixed with the caravan’s food supply, which is also shared as a thank you. Dounil and Celest slipping in as guards with Dounil dressed some of the dead men’s cloths from the ghoul storage. Hoping to be less obviously the man who slew many months prior.

There is much happiness even in this sordid town for the families of the saved, especially as Celest refuses payment for the deed. 2 x 13 + 3 x 12 + 16 + 4 x 14 = 134/16 = 8.375 x 1.1 or 1.05 = 9 FXP and 8 MUXP

She arranges to meet Dounil as he gets the horses stabled, letting Otis know with a subtle twitch of his peasant hood. Otis wisely keeps his snooping apprentice away as money is exchanged in silver pieces, 20sp for a day’s feed and a brush, another 20sp when they come back that night. Dounil then passes on the Mother Screng and Hruda, who is most impressed with his tales of daring in Nyrond and back into the temple. She casts Cure Light Wounds with a roll of 4+1, so Dounil heals 2 HP, HP 12-> 14.

Meanwhile, Celest tries to get some value out of their treasure, she has 591sp after the stable fee. The treasure that isn’t coinage is all too flashy to exchange in Nulb, she’ll need to do so in Hommlet. She leaves it with Mother Screng/Y’dey after carrying it under her cloak, trying to look like she is nursing a hurt arm. She removes the Scroll of protection from Undeath as she has no desire to meet with the ghouls again. With the copper pieces she buys a room for 1, hoping to sneak Douil in with the ring of invisibility to hide his identity. Whether he sleeps on the floor or finds an abandoned room or something is not her problem. It costs her 155cp for the night, dinner and breakfast tomorrow, paid in advance. She grumbles about banditry and tries to sound like a Woodwoman bumkin. The new proprietor is not yet an agent of the temple and merely shrugs.

At the Nulb Market (Building 4), she buys another 7 days of fresh rations -50sp.

XP from treasure is 221 + 326/100 + 899/10 + 71 x 5 + 47 x 10 = 1139.16 x 1.1 or 1.05 = 78FXP and 74MUXP. After spending: 171cp, 829sp, 221gp, 71ep and 47pp. Hidden by Y’dey in a place not even the heroes are aware of.

To be carried to Hommlet and exchanged for XP there: The 6-inch tall finely carved ivory statuette worth 85gp, a brooch with a carnelian stone with a cameo coat of arms (Veluna, quartered by the Knights of the Hart) worth 800gp, silver tube worth 35gp, gold chain worth 7,000gp, set with three small rubies worth 1,000gp each a ruby ring (worth 4,000gp) and a shield + 1.

Fortified, the heroes set off once again at [8:30], debating whether to keep going west to east or clear the ghoul from where Dounil recorded them on the eastern side. It will be [9:00] when they arrive. They meet and pass another merchant caravan coming into the village, trying to make it home before winter, they aren’t even pilgrims in disguise so there is no issue.

At [9:10] they enter the temple and again dismount the horses, NRE. The fact the bandits knew they were here yesterday means the area is not safe, but unless they stable the horses in a building, there is no place safer. They enter from the right vestibule, hoping to eliminate the ghast leadership and the chance of ghouls altogether. Fa chance as they are on the random table, but they shouldn’t know that. Might as well ask why evil men keep joining after losing tens of them repeatedly.

With the cloak and the ring, they should be advantaged against foes. They proceed at x3 speed, as Dounil has the map from his fist expedition, hoping to outpace the chance of an encounter. Tough! A random roll of 03, 4 gnolls joining the forces of the Earth temple. But as the heroes are invisible and the gnolls fail to hear Celest, surprise to the heroes.

Surprise round, the Frays kills one, Dounil misses and Celest’s attack kills another.

Round 1, heroes have rolled initiative, the Fray kills a third gnoll, the last is overkilled. Disappointingly they have only weapons.

At [9:25] they reach the entrance to the Room 103, and it is 1/6 in the dungeon. They reactivate the ring and recheck the cloak. They walk in and as expected the portcullis drops down. To ease the debate about if the harpies come back under the ghasts, I assume so. The harpies sing and the next round they flap about in confusion as they see nothing. Both heroes pass which was fortunate. Defying death is the number one source of lost HP so far after mud-tigers’ electric attack.

As the harpies swoop lower, Dounil and Celest strike. The surprise round is massive overkill, from the 4 HD damage from the 10 roll for Dounil’s Fray to the 8HD done with the swords. The next round is when the ghouls come.

Round 1, six ghouls rush forth due to the screams, but as a new combat has started, surprise is rolled and neither surprise. The heroes roll higher for round 1.

Round 1, 7HD of damage from the pair kill 3 ghouls and wounds another HD2 -> 1HD. The ghouls retaliate with 1 hitting Celest for 1 damage, she takes 1 more damage to Defy Death, HP 8 -> 6.

Round 2, Celest goes first then simultaneous hits. Celest misses but her Fray kills the wounded ghoul. Dounil kills the remaining ghouls with equal amounts of Fray and hitting them with his sword. But the ghouls hit him. He loses 4 HP; 2 from the claws and 2 from Defying Death to avoid being paralysed, HP 14 -> 10.

Keeping an eye on the north door where more lie in wait, they bandage, avoiding the harpy fecal matter and parts of undead. Let’s take the whole turn to round off time 2/6 [9:35], Celest’s HP goes 6 -> 8 and Dounil’s HP goes 10 -> 12.

Kicking down the door to Room 105, the 4 ghouls can hear them but did not expect them. The heroes expected them but could not see them. A roll determines no surprises.

Round 1, Celest, Dounil and then the ghouls. Celest kills 1 and wounds another, 2HD -> 1 HD. Dounil kills the rest with 6 HD of damage.

They push onward, the ghasts will face invisible foes. Still moving at x3 speed, they burst into the ghast room. They fail to spot Celest so the surprise roll will be good, but Celest is overcome by the stench and has that bad -2 to hit penalty. Neither are surprised (the ghasts could here the noise) but Dounil goes fist followed by simultaneous combat.

Round 1, 5HD of damage from Dounil destroys one ghast and wounds the other 4HD -> 3HD. Celest does 1 HD more 3HD -> 2HD. The ghast needs an 18 or better to hit Celest and only rolls some hits the heroes would (and will) kill to possess.

Round 2, the ghast goes first and splitting its attacks, misses with all of them. Dounil destroys it with 3HD of damage. The Undead presence on level one is gone (excluding random encounters) 3/6 [9:45].

Tossing each room takes two turns as they target the bedding in lieu of any chests or nooks. Resting in Room 106 again as they refuse to spend time in a room with ghast corpses [10:15]. I have decided that all gems, art objects and magical items have not been recollected, only coinage has come back with the encounters. By [10:55] and 4/6 turns until the next rest, they have found 295cp, 173sp, 98gp, 5ep and 7 pp. They split the money and are worried any more and they will get overburdened.

They move to the portcullis and raise it over 5 minutes because there is no point in them rolling. They can’t leave and no random encounter can get in. Resting again to prepare, they are wounded but hopefully the humanoids will be easier to deal with, NRE [11:10].

They know from Dounil’s maps that it’s about 200 feet to where they last left off yesterday (it’s actually 220). They intend to conduct their west to east sweep or adjust to go east to west if they encounter anything obvious. Donning the invisible items, they make it to 20 feet beyond the four-way junction, NRE 1/6 [11:20]. 20 feet later they see another corridor to the north, it’s only 40 feet long and there is wood along the sides, indicating doors. It’s off the path and would break the stay left ethos, so they press on only to fit a south (left) corridor, they advance 10 feet along that, NRE 2/6 [11:30]. Next round they advance into the opening of Room 108. It stinks of garbage here and nothing seems interesting. Rather than touch the stuff Dounil casts Detect Magic which comes up as nothing. Celest is annoyed and tells Dounil that now they will have to wait until tomorrow to sort any objects they find if the inhabitants here to take them back.

Advancing back up the corridor at x3 speed and slowing down for the other 40 feet (2/3rds of the remaining movement into the unknown), they come to a Y-junction. They see a gnoll and the gnoll fails to see them or hear them, 3/6 thankfully NRE [11:40].

They advance up the corridor in combat rounds now; 1/10 this turn and the gnoll fails to notice them creep forward to 20/50 feet. Round 2, the gnoll hears their footsteps and they unleash the magic Fray. The gnoll dies and surprise is over.

Round 1, Celest, the gnolls and Dounil in that order. Celest advances 20 feet and let’s loose with her magical Fray, doing 1 HD damage to one of the three remaining gnolls, 2 HD -> 1 HD. The gnolls retreat to the north-west corner and equip spears. One also readies an action to drop the net trap on the foes coming up. Rooms 121 and 1d4 (2) of the guards from Room 123 will appear next round. Dounil advances 20 feet and fires off his spell Fray, but that bounces off with a roll of 1.

Round 2, Celest goes first, then Dounil and the 4 gnolls from Room 121 simultaneously, then the 2 gnolls from Room 123 and finally the gnolls already present. Celest casts her spell fray and kills the wounded gnoll. But as she enters, she is caught by the gnoll’s ready action, and the net trap falls on her. She cannot move and loses her Dex AC bonus and shield AC. Dounil rushes forward, he cannot get into range, so he uses spell Fray but rolls a 1 as his spell fizzles. The gnolls from Room 121 advance and use their throwing axes on them. Only Celest’s armour keeps her from harm. The 2 gnolls from Room 123 use their throwing spears, Celest is hit by the one aimed at her, HP 8 -> 7.

Finally, the surviving 3 gnolls cast their throwing spears at Celest, 2 hits doing 3 HP damage, HP 7 -> 4.

Round 3, initiative goes: the 121 gnolls, the heroes, the 123 gnolls and the 122 gnolls. The four gnolls from 121 attack Dounil as he’s still up and dangerous, all attacks bounce off his armour, even with gnoll strength. Celest can still cast spell Fray, she wounds one of the 3 gnolls who trapped her 2HD -> 1 HD. Dounil rolls 8 HD of Fray and sword damage. He sends the Fray towards the 122 gnolls, killing two and leaving one at 1 HD and kills two of the 121 gnolls fighting himself.

The two gnolls from 123 take their morning stars and lay into the trapped Celest, neither roll a 15 to hit as Celest desperately uses her sword blade and rim of shield to deflect. The last 122 gnoll continues the process by throwing a flask of oil at Celest, splashing the thick stuff all over her.

Round 4, Celest goes first, then the 121 and 123 gnolls, then Dounil then the surviving 122 gnoll going for the fire box. Despite the morning stars, Celest has a target for her Fray, zapping the last 122 gnoll dead. The two 121 gnolls try to overpower Dounil, a bastard sword slips under and does 1 damage to him, HP 12 -> 11. The two with morning stars keep wailing at Celest, angry at the failure to connect with a satisfying crunch, 2 damage is HP 4 -> 2. Dounil does 8 more HD, I then change dice rolling surfaces to ensure that the dice are not sliding. As they are very regular. But he slays all the rest. Celest and Dounil now are uninterrupted to cut her free and bandage. Celest’s HP 4 -> 6 and Dounil’s HP 11 -> 12 [12:00] and they need to rest for the 6^th turn, NRE [12:10].

Peeking into 121 shows nothing of interest and otherwise they toss the shelf and bodies. Finding four jars of oil (useful when there would be trolls or pursuers), a silver chain with a roughly polish orange gem (carnelian, total value they cannot appraise at 125gp), 8sp, 9gp and 38ep. There is an unanswered comment about why electrum pieces more than others?

Is Celest willing to go into the next room? She says she has too otherwise they are leaving with enemies at their backs. She’ll use her spells more. They kick down the door to Room 123 as invisible as they can. A surprise roll as neither side were sure if there were enemies or they all perished in the fighting, but no surprise.

Round 1, Celest then the monsters then Dounil. She sees 3 gnolls and two hobgoblins, so she casts Light on the eyes of one gnoll and Frays against the two hobgoblins, she only kills 1. The blinded gnoll lumbers at her as the vengeful hobgoblin aims his composite bow. The other two gnolls concentrate on Dounil with throwing axes. None hit. Dounil does 6 HD and kills the 3 gnolls.

Round 2, Celest goes first again and kills the remaining hobgoblin.

Looking about carpets and tapestries, there is a lot about the earth temple here. Celest notes they all wear brown robes, Dounil might have a set. It takes 2 turns to toss the bedding and Celest tips over the brazier onto the stone floor due to the present of goblinoids 2/6 [12:30]. There is 16sp, 10gp, 11ep and 27pp in the brazier coals as expected. The beer was ignored like all other food down here.

Loaded down with treasure, at an apparent dead end and badly hurt. The pair debate their options. They have to get out but Dounil is intrigued by the corridors they passed to get here, and they still don’t know how these room connect to where they were yesterday. Celest want to take down the tapestries in case they are valuable, but they are of foul scenes and poorly maintained by the gnolls and hobgoblins. They agree to take down and heck for moth holes then if there is nothing, they will explore some more. Another turn to pull them all down, each as disappointing as the last, 3/6 NRE [12:40].

They backtrack to the Y-Junction and keep going. They come up to a new corridor to the south. Dounil checks the map and said these rooms do not enter onto the long corridor or the junction they went to yesterday, 4/6 NRE [12:50].

As the tapestries were a bust, they go down there. One turn is enough movement to reach the end and open both doors, revealing nothing except stress and disappointment in Room 110 and Room 111 They have to rest among the musty, if normal smells of Room 110, 6/6 NRE x 2 [13:10].

Another turn takes them to almost the four-way crossing they know and pass the door Dounil thinks was where the southern gnolls with the bastard swords came from, 1/6 NRE [13:20].

The next turn is at x 3 speed and takes them up and out of the temple underground. Then it’s time to saddle the horses and get out, this might be the last time they can use the temple as a stabling ground now they have assaulted humanoids who can give and take orders. It’s [14:00] when they get back to Nulb.

AD&D Solo Adventures - The Village of Hommlet Part 13

Still Day 184

After discussion with others, I decided to implement XP for Magic Items, after the characters barely made any experience progress after A0 but AD&D handing out magical items quite freely. Dolmenwood said XP is one-fifth the GP value. Checking the Ring of Invisibility in Dolmenwood and in AD&D, they have the same sell price and XP. But I’ll double-check as I go to make sure this isn’t a coincidence.

So Dounil gets XP for: +1 sword (400), +2 shield (1000), +1 plate (1000), 8 x +1 arrows (120x8/5 = 192) and ring of invisibility (1500)

562 FXP and 537 MUXP

Celest has: +1 sword (400), +1 shield (500), +2 chainmail (1500), cloak of elvenkind (1200)

495 FXP and 472 MUXP

I’m not the counting spent arrow, potions or the magical dagger because they drank them all or gave away prior to the decision. That added effectively another A0’s worth of XP (minus what they skipped over giving to the prisoners).

The pair debate what to do, especially now the foes know to watch this tunnel and Dounil still needs a day to heal. Or they could visit Mother Screng/Canoness Y’dey for the last HP needed by Dounil and return. They decide to risk it and sneak into Nulb when it’s dark, so Dounil’s Ring of Invisibility works more efficiently at hiding him.

At [8:30] they have finished feeding and exercising the horses and themselves, with 3 days of rations left. They don’t renter the tunnel but ride for the temple itself, hoping to repeat Dounil’s initial foray style. Going overland imposes 1 encounter roll which is No Encounter, lucky for a 7 out of 12 chances of one. Skirting the wall, they arrive at the door at [10:30]. There are no random encounters. I realise the I should have made the antipathy roll for the main door, not just the interior slope. But as Dounil failed that roll, it is immaterial. I’ll just ay Dounil hewed one of the side doors open retroactively. Though that begs the question of how the monsters get in when the main doors are still barred and remained barred. They can’t all fit through the secret tunnel that is hidden inside a well.

Letting the horses loose in the vestibule and central altar. Celest asks how they can be sure the monsters won’t come up and eat them? Dounil replies that the entire room was sealed, no one knew his horse was here and the dungeon stone is too thick. It was before he left a trail up and down the staircase but it’s not clear how to stable them elsewhere.

 As Dounil entered from the right staircase last time, they head for the left. Celest said this place was as disturbing as she had heard. Dounil said he found a bunch of robes here to disguise himself, but after dragging them across the desert and general storage for a month, he wasn’t sure what state they would be to wear or what they were for. They descend to Room 109a with Dounil in the front to act as the front line and Celest supporting him from the back or alongside depending on the danger of the foes. One turn to creep to the bottom of the staircase, Dounil with his ring active and Celest with her cloak. Dounil remembers much blood being spilt transversing the other staircase. The next hour is quite boring, with no random encounters as they reach the four-way junction and go south to confirm if the layout mirrors the other side, going each at the T-intersection. They go to Room 112; see it’s ransacked and turn around to go to Room 113 and repeat the process. They must rest about 10 feet from the T-junction at [11:45].

They follow the corridor east, as Dounil wants to confirm his map and mark off the shape. It takes 2 turns to reach Room 109 and the stop to look at the immense cold bronze doors with their Darkvision, as the entrance to Room 201. Approaching and return is another turn and the doors don’t glow but it’s clearly too big to move on their own. They go back to the four-way junction and head north, the remaining way, stopping to est about 20 feet from the next junction with no random encounters [12:45].

Advancing again to the junction, they go left to clear the outer edge. As they creep as silently as two armoured people can manage, they come to a door in the left side, it’s well used but locked. They want the area cleared first so they advance to further door to the east [12:55].

Activating the ring and hastening the cloak, they push the door open and confront a room of 6 ghouls. The ghouls are aware of those who do not try and be quiet I would assume but they can see nobody with a roll for the cloak being unsuccessful. Equal chance of surprise and initiative.

The teams roll and the ghouls are surprised. The heroes must act fast as they are facing 12 attacks per round and they are no immune to paralysis. Sword and spell Fray destroy 1 and wounds another HD2 -> 1. Their swords do 6 HD more, destroying 3 more, leaving 1 wounded and 1 fine.

Round 1, the heroes win initiative by 1. The ghouls don’t have a chance to run for help in room 116 before being destroyed. While good, their hiding magic won’t charge this turn. They press on, but which door?

They question is answered as 5 ghouls burst through the door from Room 116, the 6^th having gone to Room 117 to get the ghasts. New rolling. Dounil and Celest are surprised (very bad). Only one claw attack strikes Dounil but that’s enough for a saving throw, he also loses 1 HP, HP 17 -> 16. He fails the roll but Defies Death to pass, rolling 2 HP loss on 3 dice, HP 16 -> 14.

Round 1, ghouls go again first, Dounil is clawed again but he saves, HP 14 -> 13. They do 11 HD of damage in retaliation due to the magic swords pushing their attack bonuses by 1. That fortunately destroys the ghouls.

Round 2, new fight as the ghasts and remaining ghoul come through the door. The ghasts pause at the sight of 11 ghouls dismembered on the floor. But there are only two foes. No surprise and the undead have initiative. The ghast flee but are forced back by the leading ghasts in Room 118 as there are only two foes. Leaving the remaining ghoul to slow down the heroes. It attacks, misses and is destroyed.

Round 2, four ghasts, one at +1 to hit and damage advance, thinking to smash the heroes down. Due to the stench Celest takes a -2 to hit. But the heroes win initiative this round. Swords and spell Fray do 6 HD even with Celest just hitting, one ghast is destroyed and another goes 4HD -> 2HD.

Dounil is hit and must Defy Death, taking a total of 3 HP from the whole ordeal from random ones rolled during the process, HP 13 -> 10. Celest is clawed and must Defy Death for the first time to not being paralysed, HP 8 -> 6.

Round 3, Dounil is clawed again for 1 HP, HP 10 -> 9, but passes the saving throw. Heros do 8 HD in retaliation, destroying 2 of the ghasts, including the leader and leaving only the wounded one.

Round 4, the heroes go first and though Celest misses with her sword and Dounil rolls a fizzle with his spell Fray, the ghast is very overkilled.

After bandaging, Celest HP 6 -> 8 and Dounil HP 9 -> 11 take stock, the time is with rounding [13:05].

Disinterring the ghouls and ghasts from the treasure is a tedious task. Room 115 has a hideous bas relief of a head surrounded by prancing forces of evil, 6 cloth bedding that stinks in a way indescribable to those not familiar with ghouls and a box. Inside: an old cloak described as having no value, 263 cp, and a “6 inch tall finely carved ivory statuette” (85gp). The larger ghast has a gold chain with rubies (7,000 + 3 x 1,000gp) the other leader ghast is tossed carefully and I rolled a 6 to cover for the fact the idea of having 6 to 8 characters individually searching a ghast’s left hand specifically to see if a ring wasn’t just a bony growth or extra knuckle was stupid. They find the 4,000gp ruby ring. This takes 1 turn, 1/6 [13:15].

Going into Room 116, they see lots of cloth bedding, a barrel and a sack. On the second turn of searching out of three. They hear the slurping noise and see a flowing grey form, like the floor has come alive slip behind them, having sensed living flesh over the ghoul carcasses.

Neither the heroes nor the Grey Ooze are surprised, Heroes gain the first round. Round 1, the grey ooze dies.

The next turn as they reach the last section of the ghouls’ room, eight brigands and a F2 leader arrive to check the trail of ghoul bodies. The brigands are surprised and that is their doom. The heroes do 6 HD in the surprise round, killing the leader and half the brigands. And then the heroes win initiative for round 1 and despite horrible rolls, the heroes do 5 HD of damage to 4 HD of brigands.

The heroes finally search the last 2 x 10-foot squares leaving them with, at 4/6 [13:45]:

92sp and 47ep in a hole under a barrel, 54gp from the brigands and a sack with 13 sets of clothes.

Another turn of searching Room 117 clears the bedding of treasure, evidently the resting undead don’t leave non-edibles there. The stench is so foul and the need to rest so great the heroes willingly move into the corridor outside of Room 114 rather than spend more time among the quiet dead, using their hidden abilities to try and keep safe.

Pity 2 ghouls coming back from their patrol interrupt them. No one is surprised but the heroes not only go second, but they have -1 to attacks due to no rest. Luckily the ghouls miss but only the Fray retaliates to destroy one and do 1 HD to the other, 2HD -> 1 HD. Round 2, only the negative AC saves Celest from a hit, they destroy the ghoul in return. The ghouls had 9gp on them. They have to rest again but are no interrupted [14:15].

Back to Room 117, they only need two turns, one for the 2 x 10-foot squares containing bedding and one to realise the ironbound chest is padlocked 2/6 [14:35]. Another turn search Room 118 as it’s a small trophy room, nothing but a dirty shield on the wall. Mindful of the candelabra enchanted with light and the magic swords, the pair debate how to find magic items. They resolve to drag all loose weapons and items into a pile and Dounil will cast Detect Magic at once. Another turn to heave the chest and shield back to Room 115 3/6 [14:45]. Moving along the outer door they come to Room 119. Entering and resting in Room 119, a banquet hall destroyed by a skirmish and the detritus left, including dead warriors. Mindful of treasure, they spend a turn searching, finding a shortsword and a battleaxe but nothing else useful 1/6 [15:25]. Moving on, it takes another couple of turns of creeping to move beyond the hall and take an eastern turn into a disused kitchen. Besides the large oven, skeletons and mysterious doors, there is nothing but detritus 3/6 [15:45]. No random encounters throughout.

Then the giant snake strikes but roll above 50%, meaning it fails to surprise and the heroes have the initiative with another good roll. The snake dies. The pair take 3 turns and a turn of rest to search what turns out to be a ruined kitchen with a few skeletons inside it 2/6 [16:55]. This extra added turn is because they were interrupted mid-rest by 7 brigands and a F2 leader trying to figure out the event of the last two days.

Neither are surprised. For round 1, Celest goes first then the brigands then Dounil. Celest kills 5 HD, leaving 4 brigands. Those brigands pass morale but miss all attacks despite rolling a 19, as Celest’s negative AC provides the edge. Though Dounil misses, his Fray kills 2 more.

Round 2, same order. Celest kills the remainder. Now they complete their rest and have 39gp more. Dounil remarks his education was greatly funded by fighting random gnoll and bugbear patrols beneath the moathouse.

Most notably, one skeleton is an ogre who has a short sword as its “dagger” and dried pout leather sack (I would assume to be openable) containing 84gp. The side storage rooms are looked at and ignored.

Peeking from Room 120 down the corridor shows they are at the terminus. With another door ahead 60 feet and to their left (eastward). Advancing to it and opening it as silently as they can, they see another passage heading north-east and NRE, 3/6 [17:05]. Celest asks if this is on his maps and Dounil says no and they shouldn’t go down it until they have cleared everything “behind” them (the connected western rooms).

Advancing another 10 feet and 10 again takes them to an open corridor slanting north-west and a locked door. Dounil’s secondary skill being a mapmaker, he tells Celest that these seem to connect to the rooms they cleared. Another 30 feet has an open eastern passage. Again, the bypass it for later. And 10 feet later they encounter an ogre looking for somewhere quiet to deal with indigestion before they can end their turn 4/6 [17:15].

The heroes are surprised, though luckily the ogre fails to hit Dounil.

Round 1, Celest goes before a simultaneous round. Only her magic Fray can hit and does hit, so the ogre goes 4HD -> 3HD. Dounil does 2HD, so 3HD -> 1HD. The ogre rolls a 1, which is just a miss in these rules.

Round 2, Celest, the ogre and Dounil is the order. Only Celest’s magical Fray hits but it kills. The ogre has no treasure.

Another turn of movement brings them back to the four-way junction that led to the undead, having explored all but 3 one branch, they turn right to go west to Room 114, the locked room and stop outside for their rest turn, becoming aware of faint noises inside, NRE 6/6 [17:35].

Unable to open the door with a lockpick or magic, they bust it down by carefully applying their never-dulling magic blades and the battle-axe they found for general violence. No one can be alerted and checking the description of two attacks per person for a total of 4d8, it takes 3 rounds to hack the door down. Which does make it an extra 3 minutes, but since things generally aren’t measured in minutes outside of combat, I’ll just say 5 minutes and round the time to [17:40] for ease of writing.

A horrible sight and smell assault them. Naked and chained (the men) human (by default) prisoners are trapped here, two women among them. They beg for help, saying ghouls captured them and they have taken away others to a no-doubt gruesome fate. The heroes realise the clothe sin the ghoul’s lair were taken from these people and as Dounil hacks away at the chains, Celest goes to fetch them. I’m going to rule this takes the rest of the current turn and the turn after, NRE x 2, 2/6 [18:00]. The women are family to a Nulb merchant (though the text does not say if it is one of the two other merchants held captive). The sailor was brought here by Dick Rentsch for making a pass a Dala. But Dounil killed Dala and Dick months ago before I read this section. We can say it was the pirate tavern or leave it ambiguous. Dounil and Celest were not feeling quite like they could tackle another area, but no they have an excuse to escort these folk back to Nulb, where they all hail from. The fact the region is generally Neutral Evil only applies to a Paladin, if this was even thought of at the time of writing. This is also a great excuse for the heroes (Celest) to make some goodwill in a village where they are not trusted. As they dress, the heroes tell them they have one last task to do. They take the random weapons and shield and throw them on the pile, then Dounil casts Detect Magic.

The Shield is revealed to be a +1 Shield, which neither have need of (but is valuable). OSE said that magical items for sale are double the cost of creation. Some quick back of the envelope math tells me the general cost of making a new magical weapon is x 20 the base cost. So, a Shield +1 is 100 x 40 = 4,000gp. Lucrative if they can find a buyer to earn them that 250 XP. The chest also has a magical scroll inside, a Protection from Undeath, but nothing else. The heroes spend another tow turns bashing that chest open while the freed prisoners cower inside the door, ruining the battleaxe and one of the short swords they found, luckily NRE x 2, 4/6 [18:20]. Inside is a silver scroll tube they know contains the magic scroll, 611sp and a brooch with a carnelian stone with a cameo coat of arms. General knowledge tells them part of it is for Veluna but neither took heraldry for their secondary skill and don’t know they what it has been quartered with. Getting weighed down, even with the treasure distributed between two. They give a man at arms the last short sword and tell them to follow between them, and they will get them back to Nulb.

The people are injured and it is dark, but no one is moving at the slower exploratory speed, so I’ll judge them going at still 60 feet a turn. I assume that though Dounil and Celest are half-elves and so do not need external lights, the rescued people do. Luckily, they killed some brigands, who do need light and so I rule they can find a flint and steel on them as a matter of course. Lighting one of the many unburned torches from the corridor description.

They rest once more to refresh the turn rate [18:30] and it takes 3 more turns to escort everyone up to the ruins of the temple on the surface 3/6 [19:00].

On the stairs themselves, they encounter 9 brigands and a F2 leader, who like he last two groups, have explored the death and destruction wrecked by the heroes on the Broken Tower brigands and the chaos downstairs, found the horses and are sweep the area. None of the three groups have killed the horses because horses are valuable and useful for humans. Monsters would though. Only Dounil can engage with melee, the prisoners block Celest. The brigands are surprised though.

Surprise round, it turns out a roll of 9 is enough to hit the AC7 brigands. Two 8s from sword and spell kill the leader and 2 more, leaving 7 left. Celest pushes up the stairs, using her spell Fray to kill another.

Round 1, Celest goes first then the brigands then Dounil, who is quite tired from the day’s exertions and wounds. Celest’s spell Fray kills another; she’ll get to the frontlines next round. No brigands hit Dounil, who returns with 4 HD of damage, killing all but 2 brigands.

Round 2, brigands go last, so Celest’s sword Fray kills one and Dounil overkills the rest. They redistribute the swords to the survivors of the cell and pocket the 42gp.

On the surface, they see faint moonlight as it is 7pm on the 13^th of Ready'reat, the last season of autumn. It appears my detour to A0 probably was a bit extreme considering how long my original character spent walking about in the desert and on boats.

They extinguish the torch and tell the survivors they will escort them by moonlight, though there is much fear among them. No encounter getting them out of the temple grounds. It is an hour on foot, but I’ll say two for the weakened state of the survivors.

Two random encounters which for time I am writing this, I will turn into one encounter. 15 brigands lead by a 4^th level leader and a merchant caravan (rolled not evil pilgrims). The caravan failed to make it to Nulb before sundown and the brigands are having a go at them. It’s up to the heroes to save the evening.

100 yards distance between them. The brigands are surprised. The pair will use their surprise round to ride forth on horseback to 20 yards distance and dismount, as the horses are not battle-trained.

Round 1, The heroes go first, they charge forth into combat with swords, 4 brigands die from sword Fray. Celest doesn’t hit any though with her main attack and Dounil only does 2 HD to the leader, 4HD -> 2HD. Fortunately the rolls for the brigands were all awful and only Celest was in danger if the attack roll had been 20, but it was 19 instead.

Round 2, Dounil fights 6 brigands and the leader, Celest fights 5. Heroes go first. Dounil kills the leader and 2 more brigands. Clest kills 2 more as well. The 7 surviving brigands fail morale and flee.

Round 3, though they are far slower with their equipment alone, the heroes cast spell Fray after them. Killing 2 more. I realise I never accounted for the caravan guards and roll 2d6 to see if the guards did HD damage, they did slay the remainder with crossbows and so the heroes don’t get XP for the remaining 5 0-level brigands.

The party ask if they can spend the night with the caravan, as they have too many people to safely escort back in the dead of night. The caravan agrees and says it would be good for them too, as the heroes were mighty and noble. The bodies were dumped some distance for the wolves and there is not any description of treasure, so none. This is a great chance to tally XP and finish the session.

XP from monsters alone: 34 level 0 brigands, 1 level 4 Fighter, 3 level 2 Fighters, 1 ogre, 1 giant snake, 1 grey ooze, 12 ghouls and 4 ghasts. IN OSE XP that is 5 x 34 + 75 + 3 x 20 + 125 + 200 + 4 x 175 = 1330/16 = 83 x 1.1 or 1.05 = 91 FXP or 87 MUXP.