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.