Let's Play Forgotten Realms Unlimited Adventures
Deuce Traveler
Adventurer
B8: Journey to the Rock-The Conclusion
Thanks Zireael. It's been fun playing through old modules.
I just left a crazy old man to the dangerous wild, close to the end of the hostile woods. My party slings backpacks onto shoulders and heads out once more to the east. I reach a campsite, which acknowledges my homebound direction. "After a long trek eastward, you find yourself tired and ready for some sleep. The ground may not be a bed, but the burning in your ears and the ache in your muscles diminishes nonetheless." I heal up the party and refresh my magic. Well, that's it, I think. A few more steps and I should be back to the path towards the manor and... oh what the #%@& is this?
"As you break camp, the forest comes alive. A pair of thin bugbears armed with crude clubs raid your campsite. You see each bugbear wears an iron prison shackle around his ankle. They attack voraciously."
This is a bit dumb of them. I would have thought about letting them go since it already looks like they were having hard times and were only stealing because of desperation. Now that they've attacked, I have to put them down. The bugbears have an AC of 4 and 18 hit points each. With their strength and hit dice, they could do some serious damage to the party though they are armed with clubs. I take no chances. Queenie sleeps them both, and (un)reason and Col Pladoh finishes them. The party members receive 60xp each, though we leave the two clubs behind. The battle isn't even worth a screen shot.
We continue east, and slightly north. "You stop, standing at the point where the three trails converge. The air seems full of static, and you see that the grass and smaller trees are bending towards you, some against the breeze. And then, suddenly you are standing before the home of Lirdrium Arkayz. The door opens and two fighters inform you that Master Temlin is awaiting you. One leads you into the manor."
"Jenlar Temlin meets you in a large parlor. 'Congratulations, adventurers! I see you have returned successfully. Do you have the secret of the Rock?' Fenris tells Master Temlin the words you heard in the hall of the Rock. The warrior listens intently, then speaks again. 'You have indeed done well, but the secret of the Rock is a twofold secret. What else have you brought back from your journey to the Rock?' You hand Master Temlin the talisman of the Rock. He looks at it for a moment, then smiles. He bows and opens a small chest holding six pouches. Each is filled with your agreed upon reward."
The game lets us know that we each receive 800 XP and a total of 2400 gp. Each character now has enough XP to level up and also has nearly 800 gp each, plus jewels and gems and magical items unidentified.
"When you ask about the talisman, Master Temlin says, 'Master Arkayz is engaged in a secret labor and the talisman is necessary for the work's completion. It was to have been his long ago, and you have restored it to him. The secret of the Rock is wisdom you may benefit from in the future. I am glad that you have succeeded where so many others have failed. This bodes a bright future for you all.'"
Don't sweat it, man. Success is what happens when you bring in two magic-users with area effects spells to a stabbing match.
"Master Temlin gives you rooms to stay in for the night." After restoring Queenie's sleep spell, we get this: "'Good journey. Follow the trail south, towards the inn. There you will find the path back to the main road near Specularum. From there, allow the winds to carry you where they wish. An adventurer's life is one of whim and luck as much as struggling and strife. Enjoy! You may seek training in the city of Specularum. Master Arkayz has friends there. If you mention his name, they will treat you well.' Master Temlin claps you on the back as he pulls open the door to the hall. You return to the cold autumn air. The door men nod to you respectfully."
We have completed our only quest and the party is fully healed and ready to go. My priorities are now to level up all six characters, identify the items that appeared magic and purchase some decent gear with the coin left over. None of which I can do from my current location. I opt for heading to Specularum.
I head south until I receive this message: "The path to the east will take you away from the Rock and Lirdrium Arkayz, back to the main road to Specularum. To the south is the Inn where you met with Hakeem." East it is, then. "The trail winds north from here towards the great city of Specularum." I choose to continue.
On the world map I go north until I reach Specularum. "Specularum. Three warring factions, one murder. Who is to blame? The Torenescu, the Radu, the Vorloi? Enter Specularum and drop into the heart of a deadly murder mystery. Load game 5, the UA conversion of the Veiled Society, for Characters of levels 1-3."
We will be dropping into Specularum, but only as an interlude. When I enter the town it tells me that "the folk here recognize the name Lirdrium Arkayz. They offer training for the discounted price of two hundred pieces of gold." I actually don't think that's a discount, but whatever.
Fenris becomes a level two paladin and now has a whopping 14 hit points. Because he is dual-classed Scott DeWar can only increase his thief level, but now has 10 hit points. Queenie becomes level 2 with 8 hit points and learns magic missile. Col Pladoh learns the same spell, but is at 7 hit points. GlassEye is a level 2 ranger with 15 hit points and (un)reason is a second level cleric with 14 hit points. We are now looking much more resilient.
One of the pieces of jewelry we sell is worth a whopping 2,379 gp, and one of the heart-shaped gems was worth 250gp. The rest of the haul pales in comparison. We ID some items and I find out the Fenris' sword we hauled from the Rock is a +2 broad sword. Pretty sweet that he was swinging that bad boy around at level 1. The bracers we picked up showed up as magical, as did the silver dagger, but when we ID Queenie's we find that they are normal items. Queenie could wear the bracers anyway since she, like everyone else in the party, is pretty much walking around naked. I could buy them all pants and shirts and shoes, but such items have no impact on gameplay and take up item slots better used for loot. Her ring is a ring of protection +1 and her potion is a healing potion. I give her ring to (un)reason, who has the worst AC of our melee fighters. Col Pladoh ends up with the same bracers and silver dagger, but with two potions. I still have 6,095 gold pieces left over. I decide to purchase three suits of field plate for Fenris, Scott DeWar and (un)reason. I sell their old suits of studded leather and purchase 100 arrows for GlassEye. On a whim I sell off the bracers for Queenie and Col Pladoh as well as a potion, and buy 72 darts each for Queenie and Col Pladoh, which does similar damage to the sling, but has a chance for two shots in a round. With my remaining cash I get GlassEye a suit of chain mail. Fenris now has an AC of -1, Scott DeWar of -2, Queenie of 6, Col Pladoh of 7, and GlassEye and (un)reason at AC 0, though GlassEye goes to an AC of 1 when he switches out the mace and shield, for his primary weapon of a bow. I have the magic-users each memorize two sleep spells and (un)reason memorize four cure light wounds spells. I was tempted to go with a bless, but we'll see how this goes.
I'm feeling pretty good about our chances here.
"As you set out from Specularum, you feel as though you are finally putting a close to your adventure leading to the Rock. Now, the realm awaits you with more adventures, deadlier foes, and far greater treasures. But indeed where to from here? Where to indeed..."
I go north past Urnst, then procure a boat south along the river to the town of Kleine.
Next up, B10: Assault on Raven's Ruin!
But before we tackle that challenge, I am curious if those that played B8: Journey to the Rock can tell us whether or not the FRUA module followed the original closely. This is my first exposure to the adventure, and it certainly feels like a TSR adventure, with oddball creatures, crazy wizards and gnomes that defy Darwinism. I'll admit that this adventure has more to it than I thought it would and I definitely had fun. Being first level, I definitely was discouraged from exploring as deeply as I would have liked since I was trying to avoid being horribly murdered. There are other paths I did not travel, and therefore other encounters I completely missed out on. There is definitely replayability here.
Thanks Zireael. It's been fun playing through old modules.
I just left a crazy old man to the dangerous wild, close to the end of the hostile woods. My party slings backpacks onto shoulders and heads out once more to the east. I reach a campsite, which acknowledges my homebound direction. "After a long trek eastward, you find yourself tired and ready for some sleep. The ground may not be a bed, but the burning in your ears and the ache in your muscles diminishes nonetheless." I heal up the party and refresh my magic. Well, that's it, I think. A few more steps and I should be back to the path towards the manor and... oh what the #%@& is this?
"As you break camp, the forest comes alive. A pair of thin bugbears armed with crude clubs raid your campsite. You see each bugbear wears an iron prison shackle around his ankle. They attack voraciously."
This is a bit dumb of them. I would have thought about letting them go since it already looks like they were having hard times and were only stealing because of desperation. Now that they've attacked, I have to put them down. The bugbears have an AC of 4 and 18 hit points each. With their strength and hit dice, they could do some serious damage to the party though they are armed with clubs. I take no chances. Queenie sleeps them both, and (un)reason and Col Pladoh finishes them. The party members receive 60xp each, though we leave the two clubs behind. The battle isn't even worth a screen shot.
We continue east, and slightly north. "You stop, standing at the point where the three trails converge. The air seems full of static, and you see that the grass and smaller trees are bending towards you, some against the breeze. And then, suddenly you are standing before the home of Lirdrium Arkayz. The door opens and two fighters inform you that Master Temlin is awaiting you. One leads you into the manor."
"Jenlar Temlin meets you in a large parlor. 'Congratulations, adventurers! I see you have returned successfully. Do you have the secret of the Rock?' Fenris tells Master Temlin the words you heard in the hall of the Rock. The warrior listens intently, then speaks again. 'You have indeed done well, but the secret of the Rock is a twofold secret. What else have you brought back from your journey to the Rock?' You hand Master Temlin the talisman of the Rock. He looks at it for a moment, then smiles. He bows and opens a small chest holding six pouches. Each is filled with your agreed upon reward."
The game lets us know that we each receive 800 XP and a total of 2400 gp. Each character now has enough XP to level up and also has nearly 800 gp each, plus jewels and gems and magical items unidentified.
"When you ask about the talisman, Master Temlin says, 'Master Arkayz is engaged in a secret labor and the talisman is necessary for the work's completion. It was to have been his long ago, and you have restored it to him. The secret of the Rock is wisdom you may benefit from in the future. I am glad that you have succeeded where so many others have failed. This bodes a bright future for you all.'"
Don't sweat it, man. Success is what happens when you bring in two magic-users with area effects spells to a stabbing match.
"Master Temlin gives you rooms to stay in for the night." After restoring Queenie's sleep spell, we get this: "'Good journey. Follow the trail south, towards the inn. There you will find the path back to the main road near Specularum. From there, allow the winds to carry you where they wish. An adventurer's life is one of whim and luck as much as struggling and strife. Enjoy! You may seek training in the city of Specularum. Master Arkayz has friends there. If you mention his name, they will treat you well.' Master Temlin claps you on the back as he pulls open the door to the hall. You return to the cold autumn air. The door men nod to you respectfully."
We have completed our only quest and the party is fully healed and ready to go. My priorities are now to level up all six characters, identify the items that appeared magic and purchase some decent gear with the coin left over. None of which I can do from my current location. I opt for heading to Specularum.
I head south until I receive this message: "The path to the east will take you away from the Rock and Lirdrium Arkayz, back to the main road to Specularum. To the south is the Inn where you met with Hakeem." East it is, then. "The trail winds north from here towards the great city of Specularum." I choose to continue.
On the world map I go north until I reach Specularum. "Specularum. Three warring factions, one murder. Who is to blame? The Torenescu, the Radu, the Vorloi? Enter Specularum and drop into the heart of a deadly murder mystery. Load game 5, the UA conversion of the Veiled Society, for Characters of levels 1-3."
We will be dropping into Specularum, but only as an interlude. When I enter the town it tells me that "the folk here recognize the name Lirdrium Arkayz. They offer training for the discounted price of two hundred pieces of gold." I actually don't think that's a discount, but whatever.
Fenris becomes a level two paladin and now has a whopping 14 hit points. Because he is dual-classed Scott DeWar can only increase his thief level, but now has 10 hit points. Queenie becomes level 2 with 8 hit points and learns magic missile. Col Pladoh learns the same spell, but is at 7 hit points. GlassEye is a level 2 ranger with 15 hit points and (un)reason is a second level cleric with 14 hit points. We are now looking much more resilient.
One of the pieces of jewelry we sell is worth a whopping 2,379 gp, and one of the heart-shaped gems was worth 250gp. The rest of the haul pales in comparison. We ID some items and I find out the Fenris' sword we hauled from the Rock is a +2 broad sword. Pretty sweet that he was swinging that bad boy around at level 1. The bracers we picked up showed up as magical, as did the silver dagger, but when we ID Queenie's we find that they are normal items. Queenie could wear the bracers anyway since she, like everyone else in the party, is pretty much walking around naked. I could buy them all pants and shirts and shoes, but such items have no impact on gameplay and take up item slots better used for loot. Her ring is a ring of protection +1 and her potion is a healing potion. I give her ring to (un)reason, who has the worst AC of our melee fighters. Col Pladoh ends up with the same bracers and silver dagger, but with two potions. I still have 6,095 gold pieces left over. I decide to purchase three suits of field plate for Fenris, Scott DeWar and (un)reason. I sell their old suits of studded leather and purchase 100 arrows for GlassEye. On a whim I sell off the bracers for Queenie and Col Pladoh as well as a potion, and buy 72 darts each for Queenie and Col Pladoh, which does similar damage to the sling, but has a chance for two shots in a round. With my remaining cash I get GlassEye a suit of chain mail. Fenris now has an AC of -1, Scott DeWar of -2, Queenie of 6, Col Pladoh of 7, and GlassEye and (un)reason at AC 0, though GlassEye goes to an AC of 1 when he switches out the mace and shield, for his primary weapon of a bow. I have the magic-users each memorize two sleep spells and (un)reason memorize four cure light wounds spells. I was tempted to go with a bless, but we'll see how this goes.
I'm feeling pretty good about our chances here.
"As you set out from Specularum, you feel as though you are finally putting a close to your adventure leading to the Rock. Now, the realm awaits you with more adventures, deadlier foes, and far greater treasures. But indeed where to from here? Where to indeed..."
I go north past Urnst, then procure a boat south along the river to the town of Kleine.
Next up, B10: Assault on Raven's Ruin!
But before we tackle that challenge, I am curious if those that played B8: Journey to the Rock can tell us whether or not the FRUA module followed the original closely. This is my first exposure to the adventure, and it certainly feels like a TSR adventure, with oddball creatures, crazy wizards and gnomes that defy Darwinism. I'll admit that this adventure has more to it than I thought it would and I definitely had fun. Being first level, I definitely was discouraged from exploring as deeply as I would have liked since I was trying to avoid being horribly murdered. There are other paths I did not travel, and therefore other encounters I completely missed out on. There is definitely replayability here.
Deuce Traveler
Adventurer
The next module will require mapping as it will take place in a dungeon. Can anyone suggest a decent mapping program that will allow me to convert them to jpegs of gifs for easy posting of their images?
Deuce Traveler
Adventurer
Ok, enough delay. It’s time to continue our adventure. When I check the Acaeum.com site it lists the B10 module’s title as Night’s Dark Terror. However here in FRUA it is listed as B10: Assault on Raven’s Ruin. Amazon.com has a TSR module on sale named Assault on Raven’s Ruin, and it is mentioned favorably on that awesome grognard site, Dragonsfoot.org, but is has no module designation, ‘B10’ or otherwise. I’m not sure what is the disconnect, but I am pushing forward. Maybe someone else can shed light on the mystery.
“As the village draws near, you check your swordbelt, and your mage friend peers into his spell component case. The priest sighs, adjusting the cross that hangs about his neck.” No he doesn’t. We never purchased a holy symbol, a problem I hope to correct soon. “Over the past few weeks’ journey you have stocked up on all the equipment your funds would allow you to carry, to be prepared for whatever adventure you might find.”
The game opens up shortly afterwards with a travelling merchant approaching the camp and asking ‘May I help you?’ If we had not purchased goods at Specularum, we would find a perfect opportunity to do so here. You can’t see it on the screen below, but there is also some minor fire animation in the picture which is a nice touch.
Note that the color scheme and font is different from the one before. I think they are equally ugly. I also messed up the party order when I started, going in reverse in my selection. The mages are still in the middle, so we are fine for now but I will change it as soon as able. Scott DeWar will go first, since he is a fighter/thief and we are going into an underground dungeon filled with bandits, and I’m guessing that there will also be traps.
Well this is disturbing. The merchant is similar to the last few, as in he doesn’t sell holy symbols. Merchants must be atheists and anti-church in this world. I purchase nothing from him. The party only has 10 gold coins currently, so it is not as if we could make a huge impact. After leaving the merchant we are treated to another frame by frame cut scene.
“Your adventures have brought you west of the great city of Specularum, in the Westlands, where threats of humanoid invasions become a bit less nightmare and more reality with each passing year. Many towns and villages dot the countryside hereabouts, and most seem very similar to the passerby. But the trained ear picks up rumor of adventure... You have finally arrived in Kleine, a small fishing village. You hear the distant sound of the plunging cataract, as its water rushes into nearby Lake Ostrel.” I move forward a few spaces.
“As you have heard, Kleine is a peaceful, pleasant place. But something is not quite right. The townspeople seem oddly tense, as if they were expecting something bad to happen. As you move into town, you see notices posted and you hear the sounds of the town crier in the distance. I fix my parrty order and take another step. “The town crier sees you and quickly walks your way as he belts out his message. ‘A threat to Kleine! Our village is threatened by vicious humanoids. They have stolen a valuable item from our town officials. The town council wishes to hire any people who are brave enough and strong enough to deal with this threat and return the item to us. Respond to Councilman Baur at the Melodious Harpy Tavern.’” Get away from me you freak! “The crier walks off, repeating himself to anyone within earshot.”
Well, I could go there... but first...
“You enter the quaint chapel of Kleine. Brothers of the order meet you at the door and welcome you to the altar.” I go looking for the chapel shop. I still need that holy symbol. I really don’t know if there are undead in this module or not. “The village priestess greets you at the altar. ‘Welcome to Kleine, travelers. I fear you have come at a bad time for our village. Vile thieves pillage during the night, making it so that decent folk fear to sleep. Councilman Baur spends day and night at the Melodious Harpy, trying to find a band willing and capable enough to stop this menace.’” I ask her about the situation. “The priestess frowns. ‘The Scepter of Truth was taken from the temple, but no one on duty saw the act, even with guards posted. Even though most of the attacks are clumsy in appearance, there is a cunning force at work in Kleine. I fear for the village if the scepter is not returned.’” Jinkies gang! A mystery! It looks like they are not selling holy symbols here. I truly hope there is no undead about... maybe I can search for a general store...
Ha! I was just kidding, but I enter a building and “A woman stands behind the counter in the general store. She looks very tired and her first instinct as the door opens is to touch the stock of a loaded crossbow. ‘Ah, travelers. Welcome to Kleine. How may I help you?’” You can start by taking that itchy trigger finger off your crossbow. I ask her about the village. “The woman sighs heavily as if your words remind her of something she had nearly forgotten. ‘Thugs is all they are. Thugs and humanoids. Not worthy of the Raven. He was a scoundrel, but he was a damn fine one. The man had finesse. These creatures leave broken window frames, door knobs lying in splinters in your doorway, and they run away at the first sign of light. Cowards, all!’” Ok... she makes them sound more like rambunctious teenagers rather than a marauding horde. I check her meager supplies, notice that she does not sell a holy symbol, and bid the oddball woman adieu.
It’s not just her, the whole town seems a bit off in regards to Raven. Another holy symbol-less merchant had something similar to say. With a sigh I stop my fruitless search and head over to the inn.
“The Melodious Harpy is not difficult to find. There are a large number of people inside, more than you would expect in such a small town. This must be a very popular place for the locals. Many of the tables are occupied by farmers, and some of the discussions are quite loud. You hear mention of ‘cursed goblins!’, and ‘right under our noses’ and ‘Raven’s Ruin’. A few of the townspeople look you over as you enter, some with suspicion, others with hope. Near the door, just to your right, is a well-dressed young man with a pile of papers in front of him. He looks at you expectantly.”
I step to him. “The man at the table motions for all of you to sit and waits patiently for all of your companions to gather chairs before beginning to speak. ‘My name is Councilman Baur and I speak on behalf of Kleine. I am glad you have come! As you must have heard, Kleine is threatened by goblins. Nasty little critters.’” Dude, come on! They are crafty humanoids, not an infestation of locusts. “’They are organized, and they have been raiding nearby farms. Supposedly, they have a base at Raven’s Ruin, and perhaps the thief Raven is leading them, for they have stolen our valued Scepter of Truth. If you end the threat presented by these creatures, and return all they have stolen, we will pay you fifty gold pieces each. What do you say?’ Councilman Baur shuffles through some papers, awaiting your answer.” I say that’s a lousy deal, but since we are down to our last 10 gold pieces and need to eat, we are on board.
I ask him about Raven and Raven’s Ruin: “Raven is a human master thief who retired in the region several years ago and built a keep. Little is known about him, and he seldom dealt with anyone in the village. He has not been seen in two years, but rumor has it that he has now returned. Raven’s Keep is a sprawling underground complex that has fallen into ruin since he disappeared. It is in the burning hills just a few miles from town. People avoid it because it is supposed to have many traps to keep intruders out. And now the goblins have added to the danger with their traps and snares. Their most recent incursions have left a trail just north of the Harpy, and if you look there you will certainly find it.” Traps, huh? Scott DeWar is about to earn his keep. Too bad he lacks thieves tools as no one sells them.
About the humanoids: “The goblins built Raven’s Keep years ago, and then Raven sent them away. They have lived in the forest but recently returned; probably when they found out Raven was gone. Of course it is possible that Raven called them back. They must have some leader organizing them.”
About the Scepter of Truth: “The Scepter is magical. Anyone touching it must speak only the truth, so it is very useful in legal proceedings. It is a well-carved, three-foot wooden rod with gold and silver inlays. Someone stole it from a guarded building in the middle of the night, and the guards saw nothing. The guards have been thoroughly questioned. They had absolutely no motive to steal the Scepter, and the Council has confirmed their innocence. Of course, no one has a motive for stealing the Scepter, but sneaking into a guarded building and stealing something important is just the type of thrill-seeking theft typical of the Raven.”
About the treasure: “The Scepter must be returned, and many keepsakes have been stolen from farmers and merchants. You must agree to return those items as well, and the Council will look over the treasure when you return. The Council is not interested in anything else you find in the ruin.”
I have nothing left to ask and am incredibly poor, so I accept his offer. “Councilman Baur extends his hand, then proffers several documents for you and your companions to either sign or make your mark. When all is in order, the Councilman motions to the hearth and bar. ‘If you’d like to get some rest before entering the forest, the Harpy comes highly recommended.’” Nah, we’re good short a holy symbol and thieves tools. Next, we leave to be heroes... again...
“As the village draws near, you check your swordbelt, and your mage friend peers into his spell component case. The priest sighs, adjusting the cross that hangs about his neck.” No he doesn’t. We never purchased a holy symbol, a problem I hope to correct soon. “Over the past few weeks’ journey you have stocked up on all the equipment your funds would allow you to carry, to be prepared for whatever adventure you might find.”
The game opens up shortly afterwards with a travelling merchant approaching the camp and asking ‘May I help you?’ If we had not purchased goods at Specularum, we would find a perfect opportunity to do so here. You can’t see it on the screen below, but there is also some minor fire animation in the picture which is a nice touch.
Note that the color scheme and font is different from the one before. I think they are equally ugly. I also messed up the party order when I started, going in reverse in my selection. The mages are still in the middle, so we are fine for now but I will change it as soon as able. Scott DeWar will go first, since he is a fighter/thief and we are going into an underground dungeon filled with bandits, and I’m guessing that there will also be traps.
Well this is disturbing. The merchant is similar to the last few, as in he doesn’t sell holy symbols. Merchants must be atheists and anti-church in this world. I purchase nothing from him. The party only has 10 gold coins currently, so it is not as if we could make a huge impact. After leaving the merchant we are treated to another frame by frame cut scene.
“Your adventures have brought you west of the great city of Specularum, in the Westlands, where threats of humanoid invasions become a bit less nightmare and more reality with each passing year. Many towns and villages dot the countryside hereabouts, and most seem very similar to the passerby. But the trained ear picks up rumor of adventure... You have finally arrived in Kleine, a small fishing village. You hear the distant sound of the plunging cataract, as its water rushes into nearby Lake Ostrel.” I move forward a few spaces.
“As you have heard, Kleine is a peaceful, pleasant place. But something is not quite right. The townspeople seem oddly tense, as if they were expecting something bad to happen. As you move into town, you see notices posted and you hear the sounds of the town crier in the distance. I fix my parrty order and take another step. “The town crier sees you and quickly walks your way as he belts out his message. ‘A threat to Kleine! Our village is threatened by vicious humanoids. They have stolen a valuable item from our town officials. The town council wishes to hire any people who are brave enough and strong enough to deal with this threat and return the item to us. Respond to Councilman Baur at the Melodious Harpy Tavern.’” Get away from me you freak! “The crier walks off, repeating himself to anyone within earshot.”
Well, I could go there... but first...
“You enter the quaint chapel of Kleine. Brothers of the order meet you at the door and welcome you to the altar.” I go looking for the chapel shop. I still need that holy symbol. I really don’t know if there are undead in this module or not. “The village priestess greets you at the altar. ‘Welcome to Kleine, travelers. I fear you have come at a bad time for our village. Vile thieves pillage during the night, making it so that decent folk fear to sleep. Councilman Baur spends day and night at the Melodious Harpy, trying to find a band willing and capable enough to stop this menace.’” I ask her about the situation. “The priestess frowns. ‘The Scepter of Truth was taken from the temple, but no one on duty saw the act, even with guards posted. Even though most of the attacks are clumsy in appearance, there is a cunning force at work in Kleine. I fear for the village if the scepter is not returned.’” Jinkies gang! A mystery! It looks like they are not selling holy symbols here. I truly hope there is no undead about... maybe I can search for a general store...
Ha! I was just kidding, but I enter a building and “A woman stands behind the counter in the general store. She looks very tired and her first instinct as the door opens is to touch the stock of a loaded crossbow. ‘Ah, travelers. Welcome to Kleine. How may I help you?’” You can start by taking that itchy trigger finger off your crossbow. I ask her about the village. “The woman sighs heavily as if your words remind her of something she had nearly forgotten. ‘Thugs is all they are. Thugs and humanoids. Not worthy of the Raven. He was a scoundrel, but he was a damn fine one. The man had finesse. These creatures leave broken window frames, door knobs lying in splinters in your doorway, and they run away at the first sign of light. Cowards, all!’” Ok... she makes them sound more like rambunctious teenagers rather than a marauding horde. I check her meager supplies, notice that she does not sell a holy symbol, and bid the oddball woman adieu.
It’s not just her, the whole town seems a bit off in regards to Raven. Another holy symbol-less merchant had something similar to say. With a sigh I stop my fruitless search and head over to the inn.
“The Melodious Harpy is not difficult to find. There are a large number of people inside, more than you would expect in such a small town. This must be a very popular place for the locals. Many of the tables are occupied by farmers, and some of the discussions are quite loud. You hear mention of ‘cursed goblins!’, and ‘right under our noses’ and ‘Raven’s Ruin’. A few of the townspeople look you over as you enter, some with suspicion, others with hope. Near the door, just to your right, is a well-dressed young man with a pile of papers in front of him. He looks at you expectantly.”
I step to him. “The man at the table motions for all of you to sit and waits patiently for all of your companions to gather chairs before beginning to speak. ‘My name is Councilman Baur and I speak on behalf of Kleine. I am glad you have come! As you must have heard, Kleine is threatened by goblins. Nasty little critters.’” Dude, come on! They are crafty humanoids, not an infestation of locusts. “’They are organized, and they have been raiding nearby farms. Supposedly, they have a base at Raven’s Ruin, and perhaps the thief Raven is leading them, for they have stolen our valued Scepter of Truth. If you end the threat presented by these creatures, and return all they have stolen, we will pay you fifty gold pieces each. What do you say?’ Councilman Baur shuffles through some papers, awaiting your answer.” I say that’s a lousy deal, but since we are down to our last 10 gold pieces and need to eat, we are on board.
I ask him about Raven and Raven’s Ruin: “Raven is a human master thief who retired in the region several years ago and built a keep. Little is known about him, and he seldom dealt with anyone in the village. He has not been seen in two years, but rumor has it that he has now returned. Raven’s Keep is a sprawling underground complex that has fallen into ruin since he disappeared. It is in the burning hills just a few miles from town. People avoid it because it is supposed to have many traps to keep intruders out. And now the goblins have added to the danger with their traps and snares. Their most recent incursions have left a trail just north of the Harpy, and if you look there you will certainly find it.” Traps, huh? Scott DeWar is about to earn his keep. Too bad he lacks thieves tools as no one sells them.
About the humanoids: “The goblins built Raven’s Keep years ago, and then Raven sent them away. They have lived in the forest but recently returned; probably when they found out Raven was gone. Of course it is possible that Raven called them back. They must have some leader organizing them.”
About the Scepter of Truth: “The Scepter is magical. Anyone touching it must speak only the truth, so it is very useful in legal proceedings. It is a well-carved, three-foot wooden rod with gold and silver inlays. Someone stole it from a guarded building in the middle of the night, and the guards saw nothing. The guards have been thoroughly questioned. They had absolutely no motive to steal the Scepter, and the Council has confirmed their innocence. Of course, no one has a motive for stealing the Scepter, but sneaking into a guarded building and stealing something important is just the type of thrill-seeking theft typical of the Raven.”
About the treasure: “The Scepter must be returned, and many keepsakes have been stolen from farmers and merchants. You must agree to return those items as well, and the Council will look over the treasure when you return. The Council is not interested in anything else you find in the ruin.”
I have nothing left to ask and am incredibly poor, so I accept his offer. “Councilman Baur extends his hand, then proffers several documents for you and your companions to either sign or make your mark. When all is in order, the Councilman motions to the hearth and bar. ‘If you’d like to get some rest before entering the forest, the Harpy comes highly recommended.’” Nah, we’re good short a holy symbol and thieves tools. Next, we leave to be heroes... again...
Last edited:
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
Sounds like SD needs to find some thieve's tools and picks!
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
Maybe he should thieve them
Thieve's tools are for thieving, not to be thieved. See the difference?
Deuce Traveler
Adventurer
The heroes leave the inn and Councilman after I put GlassEye as the highlighted character for reasons that will soon become obvious. Behind the building I find a trail. “You notice a trail beaten into the forest to the north, trod by the feet of humanoids.” North it is. “You leave the village of Kleine behind, and the forest closes in fully around you.” I continue north until I reach a western bend in the trail. “The trail turns west here. From the forest shoots a crossbow bolt! Scott DeWar is hit for 3 points of damage. No brush has moved, the forest remains unchanged. It is as if the bolt were never fired.”
This is why I have GlassEye highlighted. He is our human ranger, I had hoped he might notice an ambush. I suppose not. Shrugging, I follow the trail west, then north at another bend until I receive this message. “Two grungy humanoids appear in the east. They stand about a hundred yards’ range.” The game gives me the option to attack, wait of flee. During my last playthrough, I chose to wait and these two ran into the brush and hid. Not wanting them to get away, this time I choose to attack.
FFFFFFFFFF*@#!
“You position yourselves for a fight, moving into a broadly cut pit trap. The ground opens beneath you!” GlassEye takes 6 points of damage from the fall before I can pull myself out. Finally I get the message that I remembered regarding rangers in this adventure when we stumble upon a branch in the trail. “What ranger in your party will study this branch in the trail?” I pick GlassEye.
“Your friend nods and motions ahead of you, to the east. ‘Humanoids have gone south from here, but nearly all the tracks lead east, in the same direction we have been walking.’” Well thanks, GlassEye! East it is. After some travels, we receive this message. “You stand before a partially revealed pit trap, the deer that it caught lies nearby. Drag marks leave clear tracks in the leaves.” And thank you for finding that trap, Mr. Deer. I believe that we can depend on traps being a factor in this module. I continue onwards. In hindsight, I might have tried searching the area with the LOOK command and seeing if I could examine the deer closer. A missed opportunity. I move on and receive another threatening message.
“You hear a terrible roar from the path to the north of you.” I warily move north. Sure enough... “A ravenous bear charges from a distance.”
Double crap! The battle starts with the bear already in melee. Charging from a distance, my fat cheeks! Also, Col Pladoh is in melee with the bear, too. Queenie goes first, with her overly large quantity of darts.
Highlighting the bear, I see it has an AC of 7 and 21 hit points. I decide to save my spells for now. Queenie hits twice with two darts for a total of 4 hit points of damage. Multiple attacks is the one advantage of darts over slings. Fenris goes next and deals 9 points of damage with his magical sword. (Un)reason misses with his mace, but GlassEye hits for another 5 hit points of damage. I’m beginning to get my hopes up that we may be able to end this fight before the bear can attack. And we do... Scott DeWar finishes up the battle with a devastating blow from his mace. Each character gets 28xp, though there is understandably no treasure found on the bear. (Un)reason’s name is now highlighted in purple, which is this module’s way of alerting me that he is ready to be raised to a 3rd level cleric. It’s tempting to turn around at this point, but I sense we are almost to the Ruin.
Sure enough, after a bit more of a walk I receive a new message. “The forest gives way to the dismal, windy reaches of the burning hills.” I see a patch of rocks in the distance and go to it.
“Raven’s Ruin is not difficult to find, and you have little trouble reaching it. The surrounding terrain is bleak and desolate, a fitting home for the goblins you have heard so much about lately. You can see no indication on the surface that a keep rests here, but this is the location you were given. As you look around, you see some humanoid tracks, as well as signs of work. It looks as though rocks and dust have been cleared away from the entrance. The stairs are composed of sturdy gray stone and seem well-built. At the bottom of the stairs is a wooden door, somewhat damaged by the weather, but still sturdy. It is unsurprising that a thief would require his residence to be built well. Knowing how to break into places must have given him ideas about how to keep people out.” Is this another hint about traps? That’s how I see this. “Well, you are prepared for this, and you are ready to do your job. You go down the steps and check the door for traps. Finding none, you open the door to adventure.” A moment later I am in a dungeon. “You have entered a room that seems to have been a reception area. Three chairs sit to the sides, and several coat hooks grace the far wall. A set of stairs lead farther and there is a door to the other side of the room. A sign hangs from the door, but you cannot read it from here. The room is in poor condition and has obviously not been taken care of for some time. Dust covers the floor, and cobwebs cling to the walls and ceiling. You do see evidence, however, of the presence of humanoids—there are tracks, and a few, small, broken spears lie in the corner next to the stairs.”
I highlight the fighter/thief, Scott DeWar, once more. We'll see how well he can do his work without picks. As an added note, this is the farthest I came in previous playthroughs of this Westlands campaign. I no longer have past experience to fall back upon.
Next: Exploring Raven’s Ruin!
This is why I have GlassEye highlighted. He is our human ranger, I had hoped he might notice an ambush. I suppose not. Shrugging, I follow the trail west, then north at another bend until I receive this message. “Two grungy humanoids appear in the east. They stand about a hundred yards’ range.” The game gives me the option to attack, wait of flee. During my last playthrough, I chose to wait and these two ran into the brush and hid. Not wanting them to get away, this time I choose to attack.
FFFFFFFFFF*@#!
“You position yourselves for a fight, moving into a broadly cut pit trap. The ground opens beneath you!” GlassEye takes 6 points of damage from the fall before I can pull myself out. Finally I get the message that I remembered regarding rangers in this adventure when we stumble upon a branch in the trail. “What ranger in your party will study this branch in the trail?” I pick GlassEye.
“Your friend nods and motions ahead of you, to the east. ‘Humanoids have gone south from here, but nearly all the tracks lead east, in the same direction we have been walking.’” Well thanks, GlassEye! East it is. After some travels, we receive this message. “You stand before a partially revealed pit trap, the deer that it caught lies nearby. Drag marks leave clear tracks in the leaves.” And thank you for finding that trap, Mr. Deer. I believe that we can depend on traps being a factor in this module. I continue onwards. In hindsight, I might have tried searching the area with the LOOK command and seeing if I could examine the deer closer. A missed opportunity. I move on and receive another threatening message.
“You hear a terrible roar from the path to the north of you.” I warily move north. Sure enough... “A ravenous bear charges from a distance.”
Double crap! The battle starts with the bear already in melee. Charging from a distance, my fat cheeks! Also, Col Pladoh is in melee with the bear, too. Queenie goes first, with her overly large quantity of darts.
Highlighting the bear, I see it has an AC of 7 and 21 hit points. I decide to save my spells for now. Queenie hits twice with two darts for a total of 4 hit points of damage. Multiple attacks is the one advantage of darts over slings. Fenris goes next and deals 9 points of damage with his magical sword. (Un)reason misses with his mace, but GlassEye hits for another 5 hit points of damage. I’m beginning to get my hopes up that we may be able to end this fight before the bear can attack. And we do... Scott DeWar finishes up the battle with a devastating blow from his mace. Each character gets 28xp, though there is understandably no treasure found on the bear. (Un)reason’s name is now highlighted in purple, which is this module’s way of alerting me that he is ready to be raised to a 3rd level cleric. It’s tempting to turn around at this point, but I sense we are almost to the Ruin.
Sure enough, after a bit more of a walk I receive a new message. “The forest gives way to the dismal, windy reaches of the burning hills.” I see a patch of rocks in the distance and go to it.
“Raven’s Ruin is not difficult to find, and you have little trouble reaching it. The surrounding terrain is bleak and desolate, a fitting home for the goblins you have heard so much about lately. You can see no indication on the surface that a keep rests here, but this is the location you were given. As you look around, you see some humanoid tracks, as well as signs of work. It looks as though rocks and dust have been cleared away from the entrance. The stairs are composed of sturdy gray stone and seem well-built. At the bottom of the stairs is a wooden door, somewhat damaged by the weather, but still sturdy. It is unsurprising that a thief would require his residence to be built well. Knowing how to break into places must have given him ideas about how to keep people out.” Is this another hint about traps? That’s how I see this. “Well, you are prepared for this, and you are ready to do your job. You go down the steps and check the door for traps. Finding none, you open the door to adventure.” A moment later I am in a dungeon. “You have entered a room that seems to have been a reception area. Three chairs sit to the sides, and several coat hooks grace the far wall. A set of stairs lead farther and there is a door to the other side of the room. A sign hangs from the door, but you cannot read it from here. The room is in poor condition and has obviously not been taken care of for some time. Dust covers the floor, and cobwebs cling to the walls and ceiling. You do see evidence, however, of the presence of humanoids—there are tracks, and a few, small, broken spears lie in the corner next to the stairs.”
I highlight the fighter/thief, Scott DeWar, once more. We'll see how well he can do his work without picks. As an added note, this is the farthest I came in previous playthroughs of this Westlands campaign. I no longer have past experience to fall back upon.
Next: Exploring Raven’s Ruin!
Last edited:
Deuce Traveler
Adventurer
Dungeon Room Test:
････>･･
････････+
････････
I think I found an easy way to draw maps for you. I call it 'rogue-like' mapping.
････>･･
････････+
････････
I think I found an easy way to draw maps for you. I call it 'rogue-like' mapping.
Deuce Traveler
Adventurer
If anyone is wondering what is taking so long, I still haven't found a textual way to provide a map layout using the ENWorld message boxes. At first I used some ASCII characters that seemed to work, but they didn't transfer to my word program correctly and the ASCII characters that I picked for room borders show up in the message boxes, but fail to show up in post. I am pushing forward by using underscores for the walls, but I apologize if the mapping is uglier than I anticipated.
_______
_･････<
+･････_
_･････_
_>>____
As you can see, there are two ways I can continue. The exit that I came from is behind me in the northeast, so that’s not one way to go. There is a door ahead that reads “Do Not Enter” when I approach. The two upper-left stairwells lead to a lower level. The room itself is fifty feet wide and thirty feet north to south. I decide to search for a secret entrance along the right and left walls, but find nothing. Finally I decide to go for the far door, since that sign is just too tempting. However, the door is locked. Scott DeWar still picks the darned thing without lockpicks. Go Scott! Real thieves need no locpicks!
___________
_･･･_･････<
_･･･+･････_
_･･･_･････_
_____>>____
“It looks as though no one has entered this room for a long time. It is bare except for a chest in the middle of the room and a few feathers in the corners.”
Hmmm...this is obviously a trap of some kind. Perhaps the feathers indicate a guardian or three. Harpies perhaps? Instead of heading straight for the chest, I decide to make a circuit around the perimeter of this 30-foot square room. I find no enemies, even with doing a search. Being the adventuring type, I decide I just can’t leave that chest alone. I have Scott DeWar approach and check for traps. “Scott DeWar explains that opening this chest will result in the triggering of a very complex trap. It would take hours to fully disarm.” The screen goes back to asking me if I want to check for traps, open or leave. I decide to leave it, regretfully. Too bad it didn’t give me the option to “disarm for hours”. I’d willingly set-up a perimeter to do so.
I take the double staircase down. “The stairs lead down from the entry to a short hallway. The hall turns right and narrows ahead.”
___________
_･･･_･････<
_･･･+･････_
_･･･_･････_
_____>>____
_____･･____
_____･･____
_____･･____
_____･･____
_____･･____
_____･････_
_________･_
_________･_
_________･_
I go along this twisting corridor until I reach this message: “You see a short bow lying on the floor. It has been broken into two pieces.” Ok, I figure I’ll search here for a trap and... before I can do so this crap happens: “Suddenly, nets drop from a narrow ledge ten feet above you! Gibbering shouts echo through the hall as gray-skinned humanoids scamper about the hall to the south. With swords, they attack as you struggle for freedom...”
A battle begins against some goblins which get to go against me first. One gets a free shot against Scott DeWar, bringing him down to 7 hit points. But GlassEye goes next. Each goblin has four hit points and AC 6. GlassEye hits the goblin that hurt Scott DeWar and brings him down, clearing a path for Scott to charge in, dodge an attack of opportunity, and miss with his own strike. Col Pladoh fires and misses with a sling. (Un)reason moves forward and kills the second goblin. Queenie misses the third and final assailant, but GlassEye nicks him for 2 hit points of damage. I caught an image of his shot in mid-flight. Fenris gets free and finishes the battle with a blow that deals 12 hit points of damage to a four hit point goblin.
The battle is over, and we only received a tiny portion of XP, and three short swords we leave behind. The last screen reads “Two goblins fled while you fought.” I’ll be tracking them down in the next update.
_______
_･････<
+･････_
_･････_
_>>____
As you can see, there are two ways I can continue. The exit that I came from is behind me in the northeast, so that’s not one way to go. There is a door ahead that reads “Do Not Enter” when I approach. The two upper-left stairwells lead to a lower level. The room itself is fifty feet wide and thirty feet north to south. I decide to search for a secret entrance along the right and left walls, but find nothing. Finally I decide to go for the far door, since that sign is just too tempting. However, the door is locked. Scott DeWar still picks the darned thing without lockpicks. Go Scott! Real thieves need no locpicks!
___________
_･･･_･････<
_･･･+･････_
_･･･_･････_
_____>>____
“It looks as though no one has entered this room for a long time. It is bare except for a chest in the middle of the room and a few feathers in the corners.”
Hmmm...this is obviously a trap of some kind. Perhaps the feathers indicate a guardian or three. Harpies perhaps? Instead of heading straight for the chest, I decide to make a circuit around the perimeter of this 30-foot square room. I find no enemies, even with doing a search. Being the adventuring type, I decide I just can’t leave that chest alone. I have Scott DeWar approach and check for traps. “Scott DeWar explains that opening this chest will result in the triggering of a very complex trap. It would take hours to fully disarm.” The screen goes back to asking me if I want to check for traps, open or leave. I decide to leave it, regretfully. Too bad it didn’t give me the option to “disarm for hours”. I’d willingly set-up a perimeter to do so.
I take the double staircase down. “The stairs lead down from the entry to a short hallway. The hall turns right and narrows ahead.”
___________
_･･･_･････<
_･･･+･････_
_･･･_･････_
_____>>____
_____･･____
_____･･____
_____･･____
_____･･____
_____･･____
_____･････_
_________･_
_________･_
_________･_
I go along this twisting corridor until I reach this message: “You see a short bow lying on the floor. It has been broken into two pieces.” Ok, I figure I’ll search here for a trap and... before I can do so this crap happens: “Suddenly, nets drop from a narrow ledge ten feet above you! Gibbering shouts echo through the hall as gray-skinned humanoids scamper about the hall to the south. With swords, they attack as you struggle for freedom...”
A battle begins against some goblins which get to go against me first. One gets a free shot against Scott DeWar, bringing him down to 7 hit points. But GlassEye goes next. Each goblin has four hit points and AC 6. GlassEye hits the goblin that hurt Scott DeWar and brings him down, clearing a path for Scott to charge in, dodge an attack of opportunity, and miss with his own strike. Col Pladoh fires and misses with a sling. (Un)reason moves forward and kills the second goblin. Queenie misses the third and final assailant, but GlassEye nicks him for 2 hit points of damage. I caught an image of his shot in mid-flight. Fenris gets free and finishes the battle with a blow that deals 12 hit points of damage to a four hit point goblin.
The battle is over, and we only received a tiny portion of XP, and three short swords we leave behind. The last screen reads “Two goblins fled while you fought.” I’ll be tracking them down in the next update.
