AD&D Solo Adventures - The Village of Hommlet Part 12

Still Day 161

Riding horses go at 45 miles a day I decided. So, they cross one and a half flat 30-mile hexes per day. On the Darlene map I would have them ride for Narwell then across the lower part of the Gnarley Forest, then turn north from Hommlet. But Anna Meyer’s more detailed map shows they should turn off prior to Narwell or make a big detour from arriving in Narwell then pass through some small woodland settlements on the High Road. To be consistent with both, they will make time across the flatlands of the Wild Coast and go north to the High Road from Narwell. They reach the bend in the Selintan where On Ford and Crossford are. But as they are not on the map, nor is there a mention of a bridge, they ford it the next morning. No random encounters, not lost on signposted roads.

Day 162

Rations 12/14, they ford the Selintan, which takes them half a day and so they can only move to the edge of the hex. As they are camping now, there is a night encounter roll as well, but neither have an encounter. Not lost now they are beyond civilisation.

Day 163

Rations 10/14, no encounters in the day or night and not lost.

Day 164

Rations 8/14, only 15 miles to Narwell now. They will stop there for the night. However, that day they unfortunately come across one of the many hazards of the Wild Coast, a lair of four trolls. But they are not lost.

Neither are surprised so the encounter starts 160 yards away.

Round 1, the trolls win initiative and charge from their ill-concealed stinking hollow, moving 120 yards forward. The pair decide to trust fate and steel and swing down from the panicking horses, drawing swords and firing spell bolts into the front. First troll HD 6->4.

Round 2, equal initiative and a meeting in the middle of claws, teeth and swords. 9 HD of damage dealt to the trolls, they deal 2 HP damage to Dounil and 5 HP to Celest. First troll HD 4->0 (for now), 2^nd troll HD 6->4, Dounil HP 18->16 and Celest HP 7->2.

Round 3, The heroes win initiative by 1, Dounil tells Celest to get back after her attack. Fray defeats the wounded troll, no swords hit. Troll 1 - 1/3 till it starts healing, troll 2 – 0/3. Trolls bite once and claw for 5 HP damage to Dounil, HP 16->11.

Round 4, heroes win initiative, both swords land and do 6 HD, disabling another troll but remaining one does 3 damage to Dounil, HP 11->8. Troll 1 - 2/3 till it starts healing, troll 2 – 1/3 and troll 3 – 0/3.

Round 5, troll wins initiative, does 2 damage to Dounil HP 8-> 6. 6 HD in return disables the last one. Now they lack oil to burn the bodies, so they are forced to grab their frightened horses and flee. Bandaging around the campfire, Dounil HP 6->8 and Celest HP 2-> 4. No XP can be awarded as the trolls were merely inconvenienced and no treasure could be taken from their lair.

It is further tragic they encounter something again at night. 12 Wolves who smell blood and are probably part dog considering how long civilisation has endured in Grayhawk. And so are unafraid of people. They surprise the party at 10 yards. There is one advantage, the reaction roll is 10 Indifferent, may negotiate. How to negotiate with a wolf?

Dump all the rations far away with a well-aimed throw and move the horses to the fire. Cast light on the fire so it glows like day. That’s enough to sacrifice to keep the wolves at bay for a sleepless and sore night.

Day 165

0/14 rations, not even iron rations. It’s a hungry and tired set of riders who stagger into Narwell. They pay 1sp to enter and another for the horses, they take a shared room with food and pay for 2gp a night another 4gp for the stabling. 62sp just to get somewhere safe, let alone recoup. Now they have 1402sp. To rest 10 days more will cost them 600sp, they won’t get another chance, but Celest is most unhappy.

Day 176

They set off again with 2 weeks of fresh rations 14/14, costing Celest another 100sp for 702sp remaining. The horse fodder has been eaten during stabling, but now they are fine to graze them. If not, they will just turn them loose. They only make it to the edge of the wooded hex with the forest slowing them. Luckily there are no encounters, nor are they lost.

Day 177

Rations 12/14, neither lost nor encounter anything in the day or night.

Day 178

They begin rising into the wood hills now, fortunately not imposing any additional penalties in OSE. Rations 10/14, neither lost nor encounter anything in the day or night.

Day 179

Rations 8/14. They are lost but fortunately are going where they thought they were going, that does means as the wander off the High Road, they encounter something during the day. 100 elves and their leaders, arrayed for patrol emerge from the woods where their clan hall lies. Dounil and Celest being half-elves, hail them in Elvish. That raises their reaction from 5 to 7, making them uncertain about wander strangers. Dounil and Celest quickly relate their tale. The elves do remember defeating the temple forces at the Battle of Emridy Meadows some 7 years ago. They redirect them back to the road.

Day 180

Rations 6/14. They repeat the same mistake and wander off the road but still in the right direction, leading to another day encounter. This time it’s a tribe of Woodmen in their long hall and palisade. While neutral in alignment and indifferent in rection once they hear the friendly Elvish greeting. They hold no love for the Temple and its humanoids, and once again direct the pair on the High Road.

Day 181

Rations 4/14. They are lost again and wander south. Dounil is sure they should be at the abandoned farmstead by now and they make camp, only to encounter something in the dark. It said to use the standard encounter table, so I will assume it being forest overrides the green hill icon. They are not surprised by the approach of 3 huge spiders at 120 yards through the undergrowth.

Round 1, the spiders move first, advancing 180 yards to attack, no hit. Dounil’s Fray kills one and his sword kills another. Celest is suffering from still being level 1. The spider just passes morale and keeps at it, not yet processing its companions’ deaths.

Round 2, The spider is hacked to bits by the pair with great vigour.

Day 182

Rations 2/14. They figure out their location and become unlost, they are still 1 hex away from their destination, so they can make it today. No encounter that day or in the night. They reach the abandoned farm and barn as night closes. They put the horses in the barn and settle down within some crumbling walls.

Day 183

Rations 0/14, Celest is told who to contact in Nulb to assure people they have returned and are going to tear into the temple. She also needs to buy another week of supplies. Dounil will scout the tunnel. It is [8:00].

Celest rides to Nulb and finds it as bad as described. She stables her horse with Otis and tells him she is friends with the blonde half-elf. Otis tells her it’s good, the temple is back up from whatever blow that was dealt, and not to breathe who her friend is here. Mother Scragg is please and let’s her know she can get healing if she does well. Celest buys 1 week of rations for 7 days, trying to keep that fact she has 50sp on her to a minimum. She says she is a woodsman looking for a lost family member who joined a bandit group a year ago.

Dounil searches out the tunnel. He cannot find the bandit leader’s body, which would be normal in an active woodland after 121 days. But not even gear. Entering the tunnel, he does not spend 20 turns moving and resting but 5 turns of movement, 1 turns of rest and 1 more turn to reach the trapdoor at [9:10], which is shut. Activating the mechanism, he finds the formerly rich bedroom in the tower stripped bare.

Here I must digress a bit from the narrative. The temple is an active site, and the rules are clear that no only are foes replenished if not killed fast enough and their leader still lives. But the numbers grow beyond the listed of appearing. But that is listed after the section where Dounil first entered the tower and left for his extended detour. And I am inclined for purposes of keeping the game manageable, that merely all encounters (bar the harpies/ghouls/ghasts) have replenished.

Dounil can hear with a heavy heart the sound of rancorous men below. The brigands have reoccupied the tower. He makes a strategic retreat, the tunnel is not safe, and neither is the cottage. At [10:30], ten minutes after returning, Celest appears and Dounil discusses the problem. Celest’s opinion: sharpen by delays, near-death and costs; is that if Dounil did them in last time, he can do them in again.

OK, follow behind and this time they’ll split the loot evenly. Accompanying Dounil, Celkest makes good time, she questions why they don’t camp in this cave instead once, they clear the brigands and Dounil said he doesn’t know what lives there. Celest said they can double-check it later. At [11:40], they are peaking through the trapdoor and entering the old bedroom. Dounil will turn invisible and begin to kill, Celest will wear her Elven Cloak and shoot with the bow to take out any crossbowmen first. The door opens and another tower of slaughter begins.

The brigands fail to see through Celest and they really fail to see Dounil, who might not have surprise but cannot be seen. For convenience of the module increasing the danger of foes after the initial encounter, I will assume everyone is already armed and assembled in Room 1, the Main Room or their watchposts.

Surprise round, Dounil rolls a 1 on the attack, as his go wide charging down the stairs. He kills a guard though with his Fray. Celest’s arrow may have failed to penetrate, but these crossbowmen are level 0 and so her Fray chops down 2 of the 4.

Round 1, the brigands rally and attack, going first. A crossbowman firing point blank hits Celest without off her magic shield. Doing 2 damage, HP 7->5. No spears and bows down in the room, just maces and swords and they try to beat Dounil to death and stab what is left. 3 men on each side for 12 attacks against him, 8 footmen, 2 sergeants and 2 lieutenants.

They roll a 19 and three 18s, but it’s not enough to penetrate the magic armour and shield. The other 12 wait to see. Dounil slashes and Frays and 4 footmen die. Celest kills the remaining Crossbowmen and is ready to fire into the crowd below.

Round 2, equal initiative. Dounil will kill a lieutenant and another footman. The footmen, sergeants and lieutenants will be unable to penetrate. The four dead footmen will be filled with the 4 surviving guards, one who hits Dounil for 2 damage, HP 18->16. Celest will pick at the leader hanging back and fire Spell Fray at him too, doing 2 HD of damage, HD6->4. He directs the 4 archers to fire at Celest, who of course cannot have her +2 shield out, so she merely has an AC of 1. All miss.

Round 3, the heroes go first and Dounil kills the other lieutenant and a sergeant. Celest shoots at the archers, killing all 4. The remaining brigands pile into Dounil, the leader hoping his 6H means he can hit Dounil well, he can but he lacks the multiple attacks that make ghouls and trolls so frightful. No one hits Dounil.

Round 4, equal initiative, Dounil has a bad round, missing and rolling a 1 on his Fray, his aim is getting worse as the blood and tumult grows. A guard and footman do 1 damage apiece with short and longsword, HP 16->14. Celest misses the leader but her magical Fray does 1 HD damage, HD4->3.

Round 5, equal initiative again, Dounil kills the leader and the other sergeant. Celest kills 3 footmen.

Round 6, the brigands finally get a go, the 5 surviving brigands fail morale and move to open the door and escape into the courtyard. Dounil gives chase and kills 2, Celest fires from the arrow slits and kills 1 more.

Round 7, the brigands are faster, but Dounil and Celest can cast magic. Their Fray finish off the last 2. Not great though for the Giant Ravens know who their friends are and are coming to attack Dounil. He is not surprised for the roll means he remembered the ravens have an optical illusion.

Round 8, there are 16 giant ravens, each with 3 HD. Fortunately Celest is inside the tower, but random encounters for the daytime will be rolled as the fighting goes on. Luckily the heroes roll 1 more than the ravens for initiative. As the ravens come in to peck and claw, Dounil does 3 HD and kills one. Celest fires arrow and spell but is running out of arrows, she’ll need to take a turn to scavenge some from downstairs and another to return up. She does 2 HD, Giant Raven 3->1.

A vertical square is still a square, so 3 raven attack, doing 1 damage, HP 16->15.

Round 9, Ravens go first and none hit, Dounil kills 1 and the wounded one. Celest scavenges.

Round 10, Dounil kills 2 more Ravens. Celest returns to the firing position, a whole turn has passed so I roll for a random encounter. Nothing. No ravens hit. Dounil cannot take much more, he will retreat next turn.

Round 11, Raven goes first and do 2 damage to Dounil, HP 15->13. Dounil makes a fighting retreat to the doorway, killing 1 and wounding another HD 3->2. Celest only hits it with magic, HD 2->1.

Inside, things are grim. Everyone will know they are here, they can’t assault the temple now and the brigands will easily be able to put together how they got in. They bandage, HP 13->15 and HP 5->7.

Celest says they have one option, kill the ravens and stop the noise, then ambush whoever comes out of the tunnel when they go looking for them. It’s a plan but Dounil is incredibly tired. But this is D&D not GURPS, so he’ll just have to bear the fatigue.

He opens the door again and faces the ravens cawing on the ground for their dead kin.

Round 1, Dounil charges forth and does 5 HD of damage, killing one, killing the wounded one and doing 1 HD damage to one more, HD 3->2. Celest fires from the doorway, killing the newly wounded one. Also 60 giant rats are approaching across the ground from 130 yards away.

But now 3 ravens can attack on the ground, 3 in the air and the rest from the sides. Dounil takes 1 HP damage, HP 15->14.

I then realise Celest has a maximum HP of 8 and so she should have had 1 more from Darkshelf onwards, this is corrected, she has 8 HP now.

Round 2, The giant ravens attack and do 3 HP damage, HP 14->11. The rats are almost to the carcasses. Only Celest manages to hit anything with her magical Fray, doing 1 HD to a raven, HD 3->2.

Round 3, Dounil and Celest go first, the sword killing 2 raven and the range killing another. Rats begin to swarm the carcasses for a round, forcing the 3 ravens on the ground to lift off. Dounil backs towards the door. The ravens dive bomb doing 3 damage to Dounil, HP 11->8

Round 4, The heroes kill another and wound 1, HD 3->2. Dounil shuts the door. Preventing the rats from entering.

As they bandage, they take stock. HP 8->10 and remains at 8. They need to kill the giant ravens but are prevented by the rats. The decide to go and search the brigand’s materials. Looking at the torches, Dounil thinks he can levitate up there and ignite the nests. But how would he get down?
Celest would provide covering fire for him. It’s crazy but it might work as it will last 90 minutes for him.

After an hour [12:00], the rats look like they have subsided.

Round 1, Opening the door, Dounil rises at a rate of 20 feet per round, he seems to shrink though he is nearly at the top of a 25 foot tower.

Round 2, Dounil is now level with the top and he sees the giant ravens nest in the timbers caused by the collapse of the thid story into the second. He throws the torch and the 3 remaining ravens take off the strike him out of the air. They do no damage.

Round 3, Dounil descends to 5 feet above the ground, he cannot hit nor does his Fray have any effect, Celest misses too but her spell hurts the injured one, HD 2->1.

Round 4, Celest kills the wounded one and wounds another, HD 3->1, it is finished off by Dounil’s Fray as he touches down. The remaining giant raven divebombs Celest but misses.

Round 5, Celest’s arrow and Dounil’s Fray kill the last. That took way too long for everyone.

There is a deeper problem, if the tower was reinforced, then they knew about the tunnel and the old farmhouse. It was probably only logistics that prevented brigand horses being present when the pair arrived. That means their sleeping area isn’t safe and if there was an affray such as what has happened here, they would check there and Nulb. Which is what sending Celest only was supposed to prevent. They are stuck, unless they can ambush the person who checks the farm.

Scavenging the bodies gets them: 63cp, 96sp, 24ep, 35gp, 47pp and the XP is 92 FXP and 87 MUXP.

Celest rests in preparation for that night. Dounil takes the horses some several miles away and makes a cold camp while Celest hides in a tree with a view of the well with her cloak of Elvenkind.

She sees nothing all night.

Day 184

The next morning, Celest rolls her find secret doors roll and sees footprints around the well. Someone who they couldn’t see was here, but could that person see them while hidden?

5.5E to Cyberpunk RED

I went back and forth on this for an upcoming Cyberpunk RED meets Forgotten Realms game. Not the infamous meme about 5E players lacking the ability to play another game, but a game about being punks in a future version of the Forgotten Realms.

Art by Anselm Zielonka (Edited by Me)

Why?

As Shadowrun in concept is cool but I really don’t like any of its mechanics and find the lore to be cringe. Something that won’t get any better with the effort Cataclysm Game Labs puts into it.

I eventually went for something simple to convert the numbers over.

If the modifier is 0 or higher, add to 4, if it is -1 or lower, use a base number of 5. So, 4 +2 = 6, 5 -2 = 3.

Use all Attack bonuses as combat skills without conversion. Characteristics are converted accordingly

Dex = REF
Your Attack Modifier Characteristic (Str or Dex) = DEX
(Dex + Int)/2 = TECH, this was a recommendation, I previously had it just be derived from Int
Int = INT
Wis = COOL
Wis = WILL
(Str + Con)/2 = BODY
Cha = EMP
(Speed/5)-2 = MOVE
Proficiencies Bonus = LUCK, but no adding or subtracting here, +2 is 2 LUCK if required by an NPC/Monster.

Recalculate HP as normal, this does tend to put most monsters in the 40 HP range, which is not that strange for the idea a monster is tough but not invulnerable.

Use all skills values without conversion, Initiative becomes Combat Awareness. Use Proficiencies Bonus as an Other skill.

AC-10-Dex Mod	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Natural SP	5	7	10	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Worn SP	4	7	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18

Monsters do not take natural armour penalties
Damage Calculation, every dice size above or below d6 increases or decreases the total d6s rolled. Ignore modifiers. 1d4 becomes 2 and less than 1d4 damage becomes 1.

Ex. 2d6 = 2d6, 2d8 = 4d6, 2d10 = 6d6, 2d4 = 1d6.

Add an extra d6 for two handed weapons.

DV for skills, saving throws and spells follow a formula, with rounding down if a DC value cannot reach the next tier.

DC	5	8	10	12	15	20	25	30	35
DV	9	11	13	14	15	17	21	24	29

Saving Throws are a little tricky. As Cyberpunk RED tends to assign them all to wither DEX or WILL. And While I was fine to split them up between DEX and WILL skills, there wasn’t enough DEX skills to assign them properly, with a missing DEX skill to replace Cha saving throws.

So, if a 5E saving throw is required follow this chart

Dex	DEX + Dodge/Evasion
Str	DEX + Athletics
Con	WILL + Endurance
Int	WILL + Concentration
Wis	WILL + Resist Torture/Drugs
Cha	EMP + Concentration

This does create a particular RED issue though. Concentration the skill naturally covers what should be a Constitution saving throw for a D&D 5E Concentration check. But the core them of a Constitution is withstanding the distraction/pain, which Resist Torture/Drugs would be better.

Endurance was therefore a compromise. And they all use WILL anyway, so feel free to change things.

Magic

Magic is tricky as RED treats magic like a weapon. Rolling to hit a target with range drop-off while D&D treats it like a condition that it is up to the target to avoid or mitigate, rolling a saving throw or just suffering through attrition.

Magic can be dealt with importing the table from Elfline Online: Magic Returns or it can be it’s own strange thing, something that happens to people that must be dealt with outside of the normal process. This latter idea also means less work.

I’d keep conditions as is, I would have to write a bunch of exceptions anyway.

Magic by default is a x1 INT skill, just like in Elfline Online. But if a species starts with a magical cantrip or knowledge of a cantrip, the type of magic they use to cast it is equivalent listed Stat + Magic Skill. So, an Aaismar casts their Light cantrip with EMP + Magic. In universe, this is how people differentiate between traditions like druidism, religious, shadow, wild or weave magic.

If a Magic Skill is required to be calculated, it is saving throw DC-8 = Skill

Example Medusa 5.5E to Cyberpunk RED

REF 7 DEX 7 BOD 6 TECH 6 INT 5 COOL 5 WILL 5 EMP 6

Combat Awareness +6

Deception +5

Perception +4

Stealth +6

Other +3

Thermographic Vision 50 y/m

HP 40 SP 10

Attacks Two Claw + 1 Hair or 3 Ray

Claw +6/+13 2d6

Hair +6/+13 2 Piercing + 4d6 Poison

Ray +5/+12 4d6 Poison

Petrifying Gaze (Recharge 5-6) Roll WILL + Endurance vs DV14

Each creature in a 30-foot Cone. If the medusa sees its reflection in the Cone, the medusa must make this save. First Failure: The target has the Restrained condition and repeats the save at the end of its next turn if it is still Restrained, ending the effect on itself on a success. Second Failure: The target has the Petrified condition instead of the Restrained condition.

RED Species – Players Hand Book

Still a dumb and pointless renaming for races, considering most of the D&D lot can interbreed when bad 70s biology isn’t being used. I will only note the changes required for the mechanics later as things have delayed this longer than they should have.

AD&D Solo Adventures - The Village of Hommlet Part 11

Still Day 123

However, from the trap in Room 57 to the puffballs erupting in Room 61, the inhabitants are aware and waiting. Two troglodytes, 1 5HD mudtiger and an evil cleric who has cast Bless on the others, giving them +1 attack, +1 damage and +1 morale. Unsurprisingly, the party is surprised by the foes but the cleric, meaning he cannot act in the surprise round.

Surprise round, the troglodytes launch their javelins and miss even with the Bless. The mudtiger surges forth and shocks. Dounil takes 3 damage, HP 14->11 and Celest takes 1 for saving, HP 5->4.

Round 1, The mudtiger fails to bite into Dounil or recharge it’s shock, the troglodytes miss him with two attacks but the battle axe catches Celest for 1 damage, HP 4->3. The evil cleric tries to split them up, casting Command “Flee!” on Dounil. Dounil knows Celest and soon himself is dead if they split, opts for Defying Death and forces a success by rolling 3d4 (first time today) for damage to himself as he strains against the magic. Coming to three lots of 1 damage and HP 11->8.

Dounil tells Celest to pick them off at range, his wild swings are blocked but he does kill one troglodyte. Celest moves back, swaps to her longbow and sends a Fray bolt towards the cleric, doing 1 HD of Damage, HD 2->1.

Round 2, equal initiative so attacks are simultaneous. The mudtiger fails to recharge or bite. The troglodyte fails to hit with either attack. Dounil kills the other troglodyte. The cleric moves into combat and tries to touch Dounil to cast Cause Fear, Dounil passes only thanks to his +1 WIS modifier. Celest shoots with arrow and magic at the cleric, the arrow hits again only thanks to her ability modifier (+3 vs the -2 from magnetisation) and the cleric dies. So, she sends her spell Fray at the mudtiger. HD 5->4.

Round 3, Again simultaneous initiative. The mudtiger does not recharge and no one hits. Spell Fray does damage to the mudtiger, HD 4->2.

Round 4, The party get the initiative and Dounil finishes the mudtiger off with a sword blow, having arced it away from his armour.

The pair bandage and take stock of the dead cleric 4/6 [16:49]. The cleric is armed and armour as his companions above were but has nothing else. How the cleric can cast without his unholy symbol (left in Room 44) is not addressed. Dounil HP 8->10 and Celest HP 3->5.

They investigate the chamber of Room 65, where the cleric came from. Finding a bedroom and splitting to search the belonging. They find another two vials of presumably nonmagical liquid. They must rest here at the end of the 60 minutes [17:09]. Dounil suggests that Celest keep her longbow out and follow a short ways behind him. It smells like the cleric spends most of his time here. Another turn takes them to a T-junction and they turn left, going east to and hopefully not the ghouls again 1/6 [17:19]. About 20 feet into their next turn, they encounter enemies in Room 63. They fail to surprise the troglodyte but it surprises them. Launching a javelin at Dounil and rolling a natural 20 for 1 damage, HP 8-> 7.

Round 1, The troglodyte goes first. The troglodyte misses both attacks. The combined Fray kills the troglodyte.

Round 2, the pregnant mudtiger emerges ponderous from her pool and attacks, but the heroes rolled a better initiative. Dounil slices up the elemental foe, the eggs released by the death throes in the pool. Dounil and Celest realise looking at the eggs and the fingerings in the north pool that this will be a continuous problem. They try tipping the herbal remedies into the pool to see if they are poison, but it doesn’t seem to do anything. They resolve to deal with that and the water weird later after they escape [17:21]

Advancing another turn to the east and they turn north to see and smell the charnel caves in Room 62, 3/6 [17:31]. They backtrack, while covering themselves with their ring and cloak. That at 3 times speed for passing through already explored territory that then turns to the west as they head south from Room 64, 4/6 17:41].

Another turn takes them to Room 66, where yet more pools lie. But this time with a cloying fog that makes it hard to see and brings them on edge. This is exactly set up to make Celest’s bow useless, but it’s warm. They realise that taloned killer frogs are emerging from the pool, not yet properly hostile but with the general sort of semi-hostility that comes from the text declaring them to be automatically hostile yet being surprised.

Surprise round, Dounil kills 5 killer frogs, and Celest 2.

Round 1, the heroes win initiative and the last frog dies. Good thing too as they have 3 attacks each and their last attack is 1d4+1 or always 1 damage. They rest again, worried that their gear will get a little rusty and their clothes soaked from the mist 5/6 [17:42].

Exploring the room is a matter of moving a little bit in two directions while progressing around the warm pool. While there are no more frogs, there is a pool of fish. That does mean they have to spend another turn in the mist, 1/6 [18:02]. Two more turns take them back along the beach and they see where they first fought the mudtigers and pulled up the boat. They have completed the dungeon. But still have no oars. They realise they left them back in Room 64 and must either loop back or go back through the tapped roundabout in Room 57 2/6 [18:32].

At 3 times speed they get back to the entrance to Room 64 in 1 turn [18:42]. They can pick up the oars in one 1/3 of a normal turn or 1 turn in an explored area. With Celest carrying them while Dounil carries the black pyramid and end up back in foggy Room 66 at the end. Celest wants a full maintenance done on their gear in Darkshelf and she won’t pay. Dounil says maintenance is fine, it’s about getting the money back to safety that is the learning part 4/6.

Another turn gets them to the boat and they must rest; they cut the rope while Celest banks the oars. Dounil pushes off and tries to hope in before yet gets into the freezing water, no dice, he has some soaked feet and very cold. So, he tries to row vigorously to Celest’s annoyance on the other oar 1/6 [19:12].

They heave and hoe for more than a mile in the freezing wet dark. Using their darkvision to navigate the turns before they reach the hidden jetty and the fading twilight. Luckily it is still the 1st of Harvester, high summer and the light has not yet faded, but is quite obscured by the bluffs and trees. It took an hour [20:10]. It takes another hour to row west to where the bluffs give way to bottomland [21:10]. From there it’s another hour to get back through the bottomland to the outline of the quarry with pair of random encounter rolls for the river and woods. Nothing in the river but they run into a pair of goblins on worgs in the forest. Scouts who are sweeping the land for any escapees or survivors, unaware everyone is dead or fled to Darkshelf yesterday. They are 110 yards away and neither are surprised.

Round 1, the goblins win initiative, and with their split move and fire special ability, they move halfway of their mounts’ speed (180 yards) to 90 yards (20 yards away) and fire their slings at close range. Pinging harmlessly off the heroes’ shields. Then the worgs finish the remaining 20 yards movement and attempt to savage them with their bite and mass. Celest takes 2 damage, HP 5->3.

Dounil and Celest aren’t going to let a pair of goblins stop them now, Dounil’s main thrust fails but his Fray kills the rider and wounds the worg, HD 3->2. Celest gets her revenge, doing 4 HD and killing both goblin and his mount with a massive set of swings.

They bandage and she gets the last health potion again in case there are more, HP 2->5.

They make it back to the keep/guardhouse and strip-off their soaked, stinking armour at [22:10]. They lay it out, heave some furniture over the door to a guest room and pass out. Hoping their keen part-eleven sense will reveal intruding foes.

Day 124

It is [8:00] and they are not dead, since there are no random encounters in the quarry. Their clothes stink, their armour padding stinks and they have a pile of treasure to haul back. They use a wheelbarrow from the quarry. Arriving at [10:00] to much fanfare and no random encounters on the path. With much ceremony, Overlord Neistor thanks them for ridding Darkshelf of it’s terrible scrouge and awards them 500 gold pieces. They then begin the tending too process.

The room at the inn is rented, they are too tired to care about sharing a room and or bed, but it might be awkward later. Breakfast is included for 5gp a night with the suite. The blacksmith will take 10% of the value to melt down the silver unholy objects, the washing of the undergarments and sand-cleaning of the magic armour is 10gp more from various services (I’m just guessing). They will oil and polish their own swords and other weapons. The XP for monsters comes to 1101XP /16 = 68.8 x 1.10/1.05 = 75/72 for each class.

Treasure XP all goes to Celest, hopefully to get her to level 2 so she can assist Dounil against 1 to 2 HD foes in the Temple.

Three holy symbols at 25gp, minus 10% comes to 67.5gp. That plus 500gp (reward) and 8910sp, 1125gp, 23pp in coins. Darkshelf will also take the blood stones (90gp), quartz crystals (230gp) and urns for 75gp in total. But they don’t have a jeweler to change over the remaining jewelry and gems. Understatedly, Neistor is worried he might not have enough cash on hand to change everything over and still have the village economy run for the next season. Especially as it will be months before people feel like working at the quarry again. That comes too 2813.5/8 = 351.68 x 1.10/1.05 = 386/369 XP.

Still to cash in 7 silver and ornamental stone rings/one with bloodstone (770gp), 3 jade figures (300gp) and Glyrthiel’s spellbook which requires magic to read (Friends, Read Magic, Shield, Sleep and Unseen Servant).

This is looking like a bit of a bust for Celest, she is still only ¼ and 1/5 of the way to level 2 after an entire module of XP. Still, they rest for a while, with Celest requiring 2 days of full rest to reach HP 7 again and Dounil to need 11 days complete rest.

So 11 x 5 = 55gp of cost + 20gp for cleaning is 75gp less than 8915sp, 2287gp, 23pp and the gems. Which is being paid out of the silver first to lessen the weight to 8165sp. At day 8, Celest is thinking about what happens to the fingerlings and the water weird, especially if they get accused of leaving a job unfinished. She wants to research how to defeat the weird, but with a lack of sages in Darkshelf, resorts to Defying Death as she racks her brains from her magical training, she did with Dounil. Having not rolled one this session, she rolls 1d4 and gets a 1, no damage. She remembers water weirds can only be permanently slain by Purify Water spell and only blunt weapons do full damage to them.

She goes to Neistor and explains to full make the quarry safe, she needs to hire the town cleric, borrow two clubs and have three lots of poison bait for the pools (she doesn’t trust the fish). Neistor agrees to give her the bait and clubs, but says the Cleric will want a donation. The 1E DMG says 100gp for the spell, which she pays.

Day 136

The pair armed with clubs to avoid the stacking 1 damage only rule for water weirds and the cleric accompanying, return to the quarry. The cleric hopes he won’t have to turn back any ghosts later but is relieved the bodies in the guardhouse were burnt. It takes an arbitrary time from [8:00 to 12:00] to get down to the pool where the water weird is, the cleric has a lantern and is concerned the goblin bodies might rise as undead. But that’s not really a thing in OSR D&D, undead tend to be human based. They tell the cleric to come in after they are done.

They both can sense each other but the water weird still surprises. It grabs at Dounil, but misses. Round 1 the weird still goes first, trying and missing again. A blow from Dounil’s club and a Fray bolt from Celest bring it low and they call the cleric in quickly. Who casts the spell. On the journey to and from the pools, they tip the posion into the water, ensuring the fingerlings die, the egg spawn will die and the fish will die for good measure.

But they hear a growling from Room 56 as they stand in the cloying mists of Room 66. It appears the rogue mudtiger who appeared in the Darkshelf backstory and on the river random encounter table is back and is having a go at the other mudtiger corpses on the beach. Dounil and Clest move to intercept. The mudtiger is nowhere to be seen until it bursts from the water, having been forewarned by the crunch of the sand and light of the cleric’s lantern, surprising.

It shocks as it’s first action, catching the pair. Dounil takes 2 damage and Celest 3, HP 18->16 and 7->4.

Round 1, the mudtiger attacks first but misses. Dounil misses from the magnetisation but Celest hit with her club. They both fire Spell Fray for a total of 4 HD of damage, killing the mudtiger. They get 8XP for all classes.

That sorted, it’s back to the village for another 3 days of rest.

Day 140

The pair finally leave Darkshelf on the 18^th of Harvest, hoping to get back to the Temple before winter sets in, mild as it is warmer than Earth in Greyhawk. They take a boat, despite their collective misgivings as they don’t want to travel overland. Better 21 days aboard than fighting griffins and goblins throughout the wilds of Nyrond and the Cairn Hills.

With promises of magical protection and steel, it costs them 1gp per day per person with hard tack thrown in for the limestone-carrying ship.

Day 143

Six small whales spotted, no threat

Day 146

A manta ray rising towards the surface, no threat

Day 147

100 Locathah +2 leaders and 8 assistants, all mounted on giant eels migrating They are uncertain, but as they are Neutral in alignment, the encounter is just passing by.

Day 153

5 giant sea horses, not a threat

Day 158

A patrol out of Hardby, Dounil and Celest are kept on the foredeck ready to cast until the ships both verify the other is not flying a false flag.

Day 160

10 sharks feeding on the detritus drifting out of Hardby. No threat. With the ship arrived at the destination, Dounil and Clest pay the 5cp each entry fee and change the remaining gems and art figures including the pyramid, which they didn’t want to sell in Darkshelf. Celest gets the XP, 1570/8x1.1/1.05 = 215FXP and 205MUXP. They debate what to do with the spellbook but decide it’s best they keep it to themselves and if they don’t spontaneous learn Read Magic next levels, they’ll find someone to share it with.

Celest banks most of her money with the city. Who is always ready to take coins from those who might not return. She and Dounil now I think about it, have 1 year to claim the money back. She receives a note for 2087gp 23pp and 6000sp.

They have 1464sp (Celest's), his and her promissory notes and Glyrthiel’s spellbook which requires magic to read (Friends, Read Magic, Shield, Sleep and Unseen Servant).

They rest for the night in separate small but private rooms. Celest says they will pay separately from now on. But Dounil says he has no money except paper. They can split when they start splitting the Temple loot. So, Celest will have to contribute for horses, food and board.

Day 161

They purchase food, horse feed and two horses and begin to ride for the Temple, using the dangerous but unobtrusive road across north of the Wild Coast and through the Gnarly Forest.

The inn was 2gp, 150gp for the horses and 14 days of oats and fodder for getting the horses there though riding horses can eat grass according to the rules. 14 days of rations and 14 days of iron rations for themselves if it takes too long to get there. Taking mostly from her silver, they spend 100gp more and she is left with 424sp.

They set off.

AD&D Solo Adventures - The Village of Hommlet Part 10

Day 123

The pair awaken to the sound of ferocious eating as the freed people of the quarry tearing into the larder and rations of the garrison. Dounil and Celest partake only of a small meal, even though they are quite hungry. Dounil stands up to a respectful silence. He announces that to fund the prisoners’ safe return and compensation, they will have to be methodical in stripping the keep of its valuables. Using the ponies and carts, they can load up the goods and sell them in Darkshelf. Or elsewhere on their journey back home. But to salvage the metal goods, the weapons and armor will need to be stripped from the dead and piled together to prevent them from rusting from their former owner’s putrefaction.

He explains to Celest as they move to the armory to gather than supplies there this is to ensure he can cast Detect Magic on the whole pile at once. It takes from 8 in the morning to noon to fully strip the keep. The pile being made in the Great Hall and everyone having to hold their noses as the pile of corpses in Room 8 renders that adjoining area too foul to stand.

Each Guest Room had a carpet and four tapestries that looked valuable for 4 x 50 pounds and 16 x 30 pounds. For 2000 and 4800 coin weight respectively. The locked chests in Room 6, the Barrack require finding keys, which they suspect are on the bodies.

The barrel of lamp oil is reserved to dump on the bodies and burn them, in case they rise as undead. The pair don’t even try to account for the armory weapons as that’s for the survivors. Some of the people from the kitchens find rare bottles of wine in the buttery, the heroic decision has cost the pair 1500gp from this alone.

After seeing nothing but serviceable furniture in the armory, where the sergeant slept, Dounil and Celest make a beeline for the upper levels to access the sleeping champers of the leaders. Kicking the door to Room 18 open, they find a nice apartment that probably belonged to Glyrthiel the elf by the pleasant woodland décor. The metallic and glowing chandelier attracts the pair’s attention, and they conspire to bring it down. Dounil wants to use Levitate but Celest said to stand on the desk. The reason for taking the chandelier is that it is a magic item that might be part of a treasure hoard otherwise. It’s a poor excuse. The desk is searched in two turns out of the morning, finding 10sp, 15gp, 5pp a silver and bloodstone ring (75gp), and three jade figures (100gp each). Most importantly is Glyrthiel’s spellbook, which Dounil and Celest paw at in a most undignified manner.

Brubgrok’s chamber in Room 19 is gross and orcish and therefore predictable. The heap of furs turns out a box but no key. The furs might be worth something but it’s not the pair’s problem so they get dragged out into the corridor (5 x 200gp). The fireplace is dug into with not results. The last room that wasn’t the holding cell (which they assume to have nothing of value) is Room 20. Here the room is foul and goblinoid, so the furs are searched for treasure, finding two leather pouches of 100gp each and the braziers are turned over and the ashes sifted through, finding nothing.

Bags of treasure and a chandelier glowing through the fabric, they come down into the charnel house that is room 8. Some of the more robust freed prisoners have begun pulling off the armor and pulling the weapons from the death grip of the dead.

Ddounil tell them they will search the material for magic, so he piles up the metal while the bodies are searched. With various keys being found, Celest goes into the barracks in Room 6 and tries them on the lockers they are told about. She finds 3000sp and 7 x 100gp of gems but one key won’t fit any lock. When a pile has formed, Dounil tosses the chandelier onto the top and casts Detect Magic while facing the pile against the wall.

Detect Magic tells Dounil what enchantments present and one which item. He understands the candelabra has a Continual Light spell placed on it and Brubgrok’s sword is a +1 Longsword, exactly what Celest needs. He unveils the chandelier and passes it into the dining hall. He tells the assembled people this is a Continual Light spell and it will light their way home. He said there was a dimmer upstairs in the fancy bedroom and Celest would like to trade this and her own sword for the unused sword in the pile. On ne hand, the deal is all the non-monetary treasure to the freed prisoners. On the other hand, the pair were their rescuers and if they wanted to give up a silvery glowing magical item for a sword swap, they weren’t going to fight them over it.

As the goods are taken down the outside to the stables to be loaded onto mine pies and wagons, Dounil and Celest are binging the treasure they dumped last night at the start of the assault. On the dining table, as the people make the next stage of their escape to Darkshelf, they sort the loot into more convenient bags.

After they were done, Celest said the missing key might belong to the sergeant, so they have to search the Armoury in Room 10 again. They turn over the brazier and empty the coal bucket. They turn over the empty dresser from where the people looted it for secret panels. The search under the bed and Celest rolls Detect Secret Door. They find a box which the key opens for 5000sp more.

Talley So Far

Coins: 8910sp, 1125gp, 23pp

Non-monetary: 6 Bloodstones (90gp), 23 quartz crystals (230gp) 7 silver and ornamental stone rings/one with bloodstone (770gp), 3 jade figures (300gp), 3 to be melted down unholy symbols (unknown), 3 nice-looking urns (75gp) and Glyrthiel’s spellbook which requires magic to read (Friends, Read Magic, Shield, Sleep and Unseen Servant).

Magic: +1 Longsword (to Celest), 3 potions that Dounil says look like his Potion of Healing and three vials of something herbal.

This is way too much for them to carry or indeed load onto a horse. Each of them drag the non-magic treasure into the front bedroom and turn the bed over the top of it and leave the chest open so it looks looted. They ignore the pile of bodies in Room 8 + the bodies from the floor above and walk out. The quarry has not been made safe and there is a worrying fear they might of left people further down on level 3.

It is [12:00] and the pair make their way down at 3 times speed as they have explored everything. Fourn turns of brisk walking takes them past the putrefying remains of their previous day’s handiwork (smell is revolting) and to the edge of the slope to level 3. Another descending turn at the slower pace of 60 feet exploring means they stop in Room 55, beside the pool to rest [13:00].

This was a bad idea as the Water Weird emerges to attack them about 1 round into their rest, causing them to fight at -1. It surprises.

Surprise round, it attacks Dounil and thankfully misses.

R1, the heroes go first. Dounil cannot connect, but the flurry of his Fray does 2 HD, HD3->HD1. Celest goes too, testing her new +1 Longsword. She hits only that’s to the magic bonus and her 5 damage + 5 damage bonus takes the total to 10, or 4 HD of damage. Sending the weird cascading back into the pool. However, the water weird reforms. The blades having only done 2 damage to its HD 3+3. Not even enough to make it a 2 HD foe. The pair are ambushed 2 rounds into their new rest.

But luckily it fails to surprise and fails to win initiative. R1, Dounil cuts in half again with 4 HD of damage. Now they spend the two rounds searching the doors, trying to bust them down or open them. Dounil to the north and Celest to the east. Remembering the keys they found of the priests above (that didn’t match anything in the garrison). Each tries two holes from the top down before the WW reforms again. That triggers two chimes, one for each door, but the middle locks open both doors.

Celest can see a corridor and another watery surface ahead, Dounil can see a tunnel four-way intersection. Not wanting to face more water monsters, Celest makes a run for Dounil’s door as he slips out. The water weird decides to target her on the way passed. Celest’s -2 AC saves her from being grabbed, Dounil slams the door behind her. They finally rest against the door [13:15]. They can see a beach to the west and eastwards bends in the tunnels to the north and east.

Advancing toward the beach triggers the trap in Room 57 though. Dounil steps on the one to the south of the pillar. A natural 20 means he does not disturb the snare and neither does Celest. She does trigger the western snare though. She takes 1 HP damage, HP 8->7 as she is slammed against the pillar, to prevent her falling, Dounil casts Levitate to rise up and hold her, as he cuts the rope. The combine weigh is too much though and they sink. Which is fine.

They resolve to find another way than go through the last two rooms again. They complete their second turn walking onto the beach in Room 56, standing on the coarse sand and looking at the rowboat, a distance away. Mindful of what Kwan said about the salvers bringing people in by boat, the see it has no oars and is held by a rope taut in the water. This could be a way out but first they need to get the bot. Dounil pulls the rope, wincing at the coldness of the water through the metal and cloth of his gauntlets. This was a bad move as the Mudtigers sense the boat is moving. They wait to sense if killer frogs will be dropped in the water to keep them satisfied. When none are forthcoming, they attack, just as Dounil and Celest finishes hauling the bot against the slight current onto the beach. As they are busy, the mudtigers get automatic surprise.

They use this to rush the pair and get two shocks off. As Dounil and Celesta re together, both are very magitised to both each other and their own equipment. Two shock attacks mean two chances to pass Breath Weapon saves. And they both do for the second shock. Maybe the polarity was in their favour with two opposing charges. They take half damage, and a roll of 1 and 2 becomes less than 1 and 1 (or double 0 HP loss). The first attack though does 3 HP damage to both characters.

Dounil HP 17 (he healed overnight)->14

Celest HP 7->4

Round 1, the Mudtigers go first, one mudtiger’s teeth fail to catch Celest. The other does 1 HP of damage to Dounil, HP 15->14. Celest hits with her sword while the magical Frays go off. 5HD kills 1 mudtiger HD4->0 and hurts the other HD4->3.

It was at this point I was reminded that OSE does Initiative roll very round and not just once at the beginning. So now that will take precedence. This lapse probably saved the characters more than once.

Round 2, the mudtiger wins initiative again, rerolls its electric shock attack and hits the pair again for 3 HP damage each. Dounil HP 14->11, Celest HP4->1. Only 1 magical Fray hits, doing 1 HD, HD 3->2.

Round 3, The mudtigr wins again and bites Dounil, for 1 damage. HP 11->10. In retaliation, he slays it with a blow from his sword.

The pair really need to bandage [13:35], Dounil HP 11-> 13, Celest HP 1->3 and 3/6. Celest asks if the Detect Magic spell yesterday included the various mysterious liquids. Dounil (and I) say yes, 3 potions of healing and three vials of non-magical liquid.

Celest drinks a Potion of Healing, as does Dounil. Celest rolls a 6, HP3->5 and Dounil HP 13->14. They wander north, scouting along the beach after finding the rowboat empty of oars. Two more turns of exploratory walking put them in Room 58, where, thematically supported by the thousands of spine-like and deceptively small stalactites, the alert and camouflaged troglodytes attempt to ambush them. They surprise them from the beds of seaweed, skin turning the familiar spotted grey as it rises.

Two miss Dounil with the javelins, one hits Celest but does no damage. But the screech of the impact on the wall tells them it is metal.

R1, the party in Initiative and pass the Poison save vs the repulsive odour. Dounil’s Fray takes off 1 HD and Celest’s sword kills it, another and wounding the last. Who survives with 1 HD as Celest’s Fray did no damage. That troglodyte has two attacks with it’s claws and battle axe (metal); the claws miss Dounil and the axe misses Celest.

R2, the party wins initiative and so the troglodyte dies.

They are forced to rest as it’s the 6^th turn, trying to breathe shallowly to avoid the combined stench of troglodyte, seaweed and innards [14:35].

They spend two turns prodding at the seaweed bedding before realising there is no treasure here 2/6 [14:55]. Two more turns passing through Room 59 (empty now) and to the edge of a stinking rubbish pit (Room 60). Dounil checks his map (his secondary skill being cartography) and realises they came to the top of this hole yesterday. Celest interrupts him as 4 zombies begin to shuffle forward. Dounil remembers almost dying to them below the moat house, he tells Celest to shoot her bow and he will hold them off. Trusting his armour will deflect arrows if she misses.

Rushing forward to meet the undead, the zombies always strike last. R1, Swords swinging, 2 zombies are destroyed. Celest changes to a bow. Both zombies miss.

R2, Dounil destroys the rest and Celest wonders why he asked her to do anything. Dounil said they are dangerously strong when they swing. They stare at the rubbish pit and gingerly start prodding about the junk, worried there might be a corpse, moving or not.

They spend a turn searching and now must rest, Celest bitterly accuses Dounil of trying to deaden her sense of smell. They did find a sinister looking pyramid, like a smaller version of what they saw above in the shrine. Looks vaguely valuable so they wrap in in a sack and keep going [15:57].

Another turn going single file down a narrowing tunnel reaches a guano strewn cave that smells like a crypt and dust. Dounil knows this smell, he smelt it beneath the moat house when the ghouls had broken into the tombs and tunnelled out their warren. He activates the Ring of Invisibility and Celest pulls the Cloak of Elvenkind over her head. Unfortunately, the text said the ghouls can hear combat in Room 60 with the zombies. So, they are waiting, but they weren’t expecting invisible, so as they attempt to ambush them the next turn, they will be affected by the penalty to hit invisible foes for the first round (-4 to hit). They also fail to see Celest.

Next turn, despite the best efforts of the party, they are surprised. Surprise round, the ghouls miss all their attacks, but in doing so, the Invisibility wears off. New initiative.

The heroes win 6 to 5. Dounil rolls well but his magic and strength bonuses carry his attack to 4 HD, enough to kill both 2 HD ghouls. The pair don’t stay in case there are more and move to the west, to the central chamber [16:18]. But they do decide to investigate a side tunnel first, as they are wary of weirds and mudtigers in the water. They stop just at the edge of Room 61, 3/6 [16:28].

They can see this is another rubbish dump, like the one in Room 60 and Dounil takes a little satisfaction in his crude map starting to connect. The rubbish is covered in fungi, especially fist-sized puffballs. Wanting to search for treasure, they fire an arrow from Dounil’s quiver into the mass, causing multiple 5-foot diameter pollen clouds. They decide not to search though Celest wants more treasure. The return and other branch takes them into Room 64, activating their invisibility while doing so, a large oblong chamber with a large pool in the centre and smoky oil lamps [16:39].