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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JEB" data-source="post: 9372430" data-attributes="member: 10148">So this is one place where running RAW got a bit frustrating. (Probably why I finally broke and made that single exception for recruiting hirelings in session 2.) I tried very hard to find a RAW excuse to lower the encounter numbers for orcs in the dungeon (and for other monsters the players never reached!). I did note what you mentioned above, in Book II, for Number Appearing:That gave me hope, but they never provided alternative dungeon numbers. So I didn't have any RAW alternative but what was listed.Then, the section you partially quoted above actually made it worse! Since I had a group of 5, and orcs were Monster Level 1 creatures, and this was Level Beneath Surface 1... I was obliged to double the resulting numbers. And then there's the rest of that passage:Which forced me to conclude that yes, the number appearing should be used as provided, and you were just supposed to creatively fit them into the dungeon space. That did at least give me leeway to break the massive orc population (280 IIRC) into patrols of approximately 34 each scattered around the dungeon level (plus one lair with a larger number).Sidenote: It would have been real interesting had their initial negotiations with the orc patrol worked out, and they'd secured safe passage through their territory. Very very different experience. Oh well.</blockquote>