First session last night!
The party consisted of a githyanki wizard, a gnome cleric, a half elf ranger and a human fighter. The players had the option of the bringing secondary characters who would get some cut of the treasure (and thus xp) or hiring mercenaries but they declined and just the four of them descended into the Mouth of Doom. We started at the entrance of the dungeon, as you do.
They made their way carefully but the game moved pretty smoothly. All the players have been playing for a long time and the "old school" style was pretty natural for everyone. They poked and prodded and avoided a couple traps and found some secret doors. By chance, they ended up bee-lining it in the direction of the bandit HQ on the first level. They don't know what is ahead but are following a vague trail (the mold is a little scuffed where the bandits come and go through the secret doors).
They ended up fighting the zombie and opening the sarcophagus and killing the ghoul, all without taking a hit -- although the wizard got himself surrounded briefly and only luck kept the zombies from tearing him apart. The wizard also burned through most of his resources in that one fight. He is lobbying to rest already but the other party members don't want to take the chance of a random encounter. We ended for the night before a decision could be made.
They do not know they are now right outside the bandit hideout. The bandits know they are there and will try and rob them if they get a chance. if the PCs rest, they will loop around to flank them (and try and drive a random encounter their way if the dice work out). If the PCs don't rest and press forward, the bandits will try and jump the lead character and ransom his life for treasure. It should be interesting.
A note: I am using 1 minute actions in the dungeon. Moving down a hall or searching a spot or whatever takes 1 minute -- except every fight takes 10 minutes including binding wounds and stuff.
The party consisted of a githyanki wizard, a gnome cleric, a half elf ranger and a human fighter. The players had the option of the bringing secondary characters who would get some cut of the treasure (and thus xp) or hiring mercenaries but they declined and just the four of them descended into the Mouth of Doom. We started at the entrance of the dungeon, as you do.
They made their way carefully but the game moved pretty smoothly. All the players have been playing for a long time and the "old school" style was pretty natural for everyone. They poked and prodded and avoided a couple traps and found some secret doors. By chance, they ended up bee-lining it in the direction of the bandit HQ on the first level. They don't know what is ahead but are following a vague trail (the mold is a little scuffed where the bandits come and go through the secret doors).
They ended up fighting the zombie and opening the sarcophagus and killing the ghoul, all without taking a hit -- although the wizard got himself surrounded briefly and only luck kept the zombies from tearing him apart. The wizard also burned through most of his resources in that one fight. He is lobbying to rest already but the other party members don't want to take the chance of a random encounter. We ended for the night before a decision could be made.
They do not know they are now right outside the bandit hideout. The bandits know they are there and will try and rob them if they get a chance. if the PCs rest, they will loop around to flank them (and try and drive a random encounter their way if the dice work out). If the PCs don't rest and press forward, the bandits will try and jump the lead character and ransom his life for treasure. It should be interesting.
A note: I am using 1 minute actions in the dungeon. Moving down a hall or searching a spot or whatever takes 1 minute -- except every fight takes 10 minutes including binding wounds and stuff.
