HalfOrc HalfBiscuit
Adventurer
Well, having read "Lost Boys" I had to read this storyhour as well. Good stuff Goonalan - may be less madness, but it looks like being very interesting in its own right. I'm looking forward to more ...
The Goodman Gang in The Mysterious Tower
The Lost Boys are all newbies, the Goodman Gang- this lot have more than a 100 years experience of RPG's collectively, they play the percentage game.
Also, while I put a few words in the mouths of The Lost Boys they tend to behave... well as portrayed. We've had singing, and bad singing at that; falling's out; rants; a sorcerer that constantly shouts the odds and wants to mix it with anyone and anything; a Priest and A Paladin who try to outdo each other; and luckily, a Rogue that, although the youngest member of the gang, happens on the answer, time and time again etc.
At times I'm not sure whether to continue with this story hour, there are some good bits coming up, the players get a little more into character, and develop a few edges but it's nowhere near as comic as The Lost Boys, then again, I guess that's not what it's about.
It's also the case that DMing the two groups is a completely different experience, The Lost Boys gaming experience is pure chaos at times, particularly as none of the players seem to have a volume control- shouting and screaming is commonplace. In contrast The Goodman Gang often stop for a 'nice cup of coffee and a cake'.
So an encounter with a Beholder would go a little like this for the The Lost Boys-
"I poke it in it's big fat eye."
"Shoot it- see if it bursts."
"Is it a balloon?"
"How's it floating? Does it have wings?"
"Is it a balloon?"
Followed by a minute of the Paladin and Cleric shoving each others miniature off the board because they both want to charge at it- head on.
Obviously then they start rolling '20's
Whereas The Goodman Gang is more-
Shouting towards the fridge. "It's a Beholder... What? A Beholder... Doesn't matter, fetch me a bottle of water."
"Right then we need to head for the sides or the rear, or better still one of us should try to get on it or under it- remember to stay out of it's Anti-Magic cone..."
Followed by a verbatim reading from the MM, or more often this goes unsaid- they all just know everything there is to know about Beholders.
The guy at the fridge returns "What is it?"
All "A Beholder."
"Oh... Does anyone want anything to eat?"
"I bet you can't name all of the eye rays?"
"Are you mad- easy."
And on it goes, obviously I've applied the magnifying glass to the above situations but you get the gist.
I like that they know all this stuff, it saves me time, but some of the magic is gone. The good thing about them is that, like me, they're enamoured with low level adventures, love starting again- none of them are power gamers.
Anyway, thanks for the comment- much appreciated.
Cheers
Also, while I put a few words in the mouths of The Lost Boys they tend to behave... well as portrayed. We've had singing, and bad singing at that; falling's out; rants; a sorcerer that constantly shouts the odds and wants to mix it with anyone and anything; a Priest and A Paladin who try to outdo each other; and luckily, a Rogue that, although the youngest member of the gang, happens on the answer, time and time again etc.
At times I'm not sure whether to continue with this story hour, there are some good bits coming up, the players get a little more into character, and develop a few edges but it's nowhere near as comic as The Lost Boys, then again, I guess that's not what it's about.
It's also the case that DMing the two groups is a completely different experience, The Lost Boys gaming experience is pure chaos at times, particularly as none of the players seem to have a volume control- shouting and screaming is commonplace. In contrast The Goodman Gang often stop for a 'nice cup of coffee and a cake'.
So an encounter with a Beholder would go a little like this for the The Lost Boys-
"I poke it in it's big fat eye."
"Shoot it- see if it bursts."
"Is it a balloon?"
"How's it floating? Does it have wings?"
"Is it a balloon?"
Followed by a minute of the Paladin and Cleric shoving each others miniature off the board because they both want to charge at it- head on.
Obviously then they start rolling '20's
Whereas The Goodman Gang is more-
Shouting towards the fridge. "It's a Beholder... What? A Beholder... Doesn't matter, fetch me a bottle of water."
"Right then we need to head for the sides or the rear, or better still one of us should try to get on it or under it- remember to stay out of it's Anti-Magic cone..."
Followed by a verbatim reading from the MM, or more often this goes unsaid- they all just know everything there is to know about Beholders.
The guy at the fridge returns "What is it?"
All "A Beholder."
"Oh... Does anyone want anything to eat?"
"I bet you can't name all of the eye rays?"
"Are you mad- easy."
And on it goes, obviously I've applied the magnifying glass to the above situations but you get the gist.
I like that they know all this stuff, it saves me time, but some of the magic is gone. The good thing about them is that, like me, they're enamoured with low level adventures, love starting again- none of them are power gamers.
Anyway, thanks for the comment- much appreciated.
Cheers
Dungeon Crawl Classics #2
The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho
An Adventure for First Level Characters
The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho
An Adventure for First Level Characters
Turn 13: What about OUR Ogre?
Three miles west of the village of Tetknee, through the forest again they come, nobody knows the way, except Cas perhaps, he has a map given to him by Ladrasar, the wise woman of the village.
They’d all met back up in the Frog & Parrot pub there; a lot didn’t get said, for ages, in fact all night. But then it all came together when the wise woman appeared, staggered over to the table that Cas was sitting at, with Ala, and shouted, while thumping the table hard enough to make their drinks dance-
“What about OUR Ogre?”
A price agreed, glances met shrugs, shrugs met nods and here they are again, nearly- Mischa it seems is not cut out for the dungeon experience, and so we have Ala.
The story is less convoluted this time, Ogre in cave, normally quite sweet, well… except for the odd misdemeanour, suddenly gets uppity- starts smashing up trade caravans, farmers killed, livestock butchered or taken- can you fix it. Well… yes, we can… probably.
And so in a low dustbowl where no crops will grow, between two steep and stony scarps is a cave; and here it is.
“Newt, could you perhaps scout ahead, you all know the plan, anyway, just make it angry, make it come out here, we’ll do the rest. Shouldn’t prove too difficult for you, I mean…” Cas runs dry.
“I know what you mean. One Ogre- coming right up.” Newt winks, and scuttles into the dark.
Less than thirty seconds later.
“Waaaaaaahh…”
Newt comes running out, zig-zags once then sprints hard right, out of the line of fire, he’s giggling, he even manages to click his heals with a little jump- grandstanding.
FWUNG
THUNG
FWOOM
Etc.
Arrows, and associated missiles, fly- Ala buries an arrow into the Ogre’s shoulder, it jerks left, and into Bec who’s following up the artillery fire with his charge, the giant man crunches into the Ogre, immovable object meets… no, hang on, Bec crumples and falls. Cas dances forward, slices, and nearly takes the Ogre’s foot off, the creature screams, stumbles back.
The Ogre swings its enormous club around, Cas ducks, and the Ogre lets go, the club hurtles off into the distance. Cas slices again ripping open the Ogre’s chest, a curtain of blood flows as Jim rushes by Cas and…
THUNK
Splits the creature’s chest open completely, the Ogre paws the air, and then topples over, no more.
“Well that wasn’t so bad. If you’d like to wake Bec up and tell him it’s over.” Cas cleans his sword. Jim smiles, and does as he’s told.
Ala and the others move up, they gather, staring at the Ogre.
“That’s not… usual.” Anya states the obvious.
The Ogre’s skin is jet black, his eyes a vile green, they seem to glow, even in death, rancid oozing pustules dot his face and body, he seems to have scratched them so hard that many of them have turned to scabrous cuts and sores.
“He doesn’t look… well.”
Newt kicks the corpse, “he wouldn’t, would he- he’s dead”, and then looks ahead, to the cave.
“Shall we see what he’s got, before we go collect our reward?”
The others nod, and with one last look apiece, head off into the dark.
A sunrod flares.
The cave is sparse, almost empty, not at all homely- something odd. They find two sacks stuffed with coin, and some rancid cheese. The coins sacks are too big to hide, so Newt steals the cheese, it’s in his nature.
There’s a dank dark dripping passage that winds further back.
Newt shrugs, motions with the sunrod, the others silently follow.
Into an enormous cavern.
“What the fu… fu… fu… fu… fu…”
It echoes in here, the ceiling is lost from sight.
FLAP-FLAP
“Something’s coming, flying, switch to missile.” Cas warns, just in time.
A group of long-nosed half-insect half-bird looking creatures swoop into the flare of the sunrod, Newt drops it, hefts his crossbow and-
FWUNG
Plucks one of the Striges out of the air- dead.
Jim gets off a shot but misses by a mile, and then the remaining three Stirges are on them.
One of the creature’s crunch-lands on Anya, squawks, and then plunges its proboscis into her shoulder, gargles blood as she tumbles backwards, falls, the Stirge swells and grows as it sucks down Anya’s blood.
The other two swoop and circle around Cas and Ala who stand side by side, swords drawn.
“Wait.” Cas readies himself, glances at Ala.
The Stirges dive down.
SLICE
Ala cuts through the creature’s wing, it bundles into the cavern floor, squawks a while, then dies, Cas misses as the other Stirge swoops by him.
Newt quickly reloads, spins and fires, scoring a minor hit on the Stirge that sits on the fallen Anya, it takes to the air, it may have outstayed its welcome. Jim dashes in and crunches what’s left of the thing, it explodes spraying blood everywhere.
Ala and Cas turn to face the last Stirge, it banks and comes again.
“Wait.” Cas again readies himself- like some fencing master, glances again at Ala.
She nods, then dances ahead, and brings her longsword around in a deft arc, slicing the final creature in two.
Cas grins at Ala, shows her his sword.
“Look not a mark on it, and yet”, he looks around, “they’re all dead. You know what that’s about don’t you?”
“No, tell me Cas.”
“Leadership Ala.”
They grin, then remember there place and head over to help Anya, who turns out to be “ok, she’s lost some blood- it’s mainly the shock that made her feint, she’ll be alright in a minute”, Ala confirms after a brief examination.
As good as her word, Anya is up in a moment, a little dizzy, but still up for a little more exploration.
“Thank you Ala.”
She smiles at the Elven Cleric, Cas’ new friend.
“Hey, I’ve found something.”
Newt appears; another burning sunrod in his hand.
They head off to see what the Gnome has found.
Thirty seconds later.
“Up there.” Newt motions upwards.
The gathering stops to stare up into the inky darkness- there’s nothing to see.
“Where?” Anya manages.
“Stand back, it’s up there somewhere.”
The others do as their told.
Newt affixes a lit sunrod to a crossbow bolt using a little Gum Arabic with a special substance known only to locksmiths.
“Wait… and watch.”
FWUNG
The bolt leaps into the air, a firework, and…
THUNK
Jams into the rock, for a second, then falls.
A second is enough to see the opening high above, a constructed opening, man-made, or at least, humanoid, probably…
“How did you work out that was up there?” Cas stares.
The others stare at the Gnome in awe, new found respect for his eagle-eyes.
“Easy.”
Newt shifts his feet to reveal a tangle of thick rope.
“I found this rope, y’see the thing about gravity is, and stop me Princess if I’m getting this wrong…”
The Gnome winks at Anya, then grins at Cas, he loves being right, and right here.
“Good work. Now how do we get up?”
“Do we want too?” Ala asks, causing Cas to turn.
“Yes. We do, or at least, I do.”
“Why?”
Everybody waits for an answer, including Cas.
“That’s a good question. And I think the answer may be up there.”
He points up.
“Newt, how do we do this?”
FWUNG
This time the bolt and attached sunrod sails up and into the opening, catches on something hidden- and brings light to the proceedings.
“Right then, anyone any good with one of these?”
Newt holds a beautifully made rope ending in an equally well crafted grappling hook.
It takes a while, six minutes to be exact.
Newt scurries up the line, Cas holding it taught behind him, the grappling hook has obviously found a good purchase.
He’s up.
“All clear.”
He drags himself the last foot or so and gingerly stands, bathed in the light of his sunrod, he squints ahead, tries to see what the future holds.
FWUNG
FWUNG
THUNG
Crossbow bolts clatter and shatter on the rock behind him, including the one that has just taken the top of his left ear off.
“CAAAAAAAZ.”
He recognises the next sound, they’re reloading.
Turn 14: They’re only…
Dungeon Crawl Classics #2
The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho
An Adventure for First Level Characters
The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho
An Adventure for First Level Characters
Turn 14: They’re only…
“CAAAAAAZZZZZ, PLEASE- I’LL BE GOOD.”
Newt turns back, a new noise, they’re charging, hang-on, and reloading- damn there’s lots of them.
“CAAAAAAZZZZZ I PROMISE.”
Newt turns back, out of the glare, and the black beyond, a wave of javelins come, they all fall well short but still skitter on down the corridor at pace. Newt goes to dodge backwards, realises what’s behind him, and too late- is caught on the ankle by one of them.
“CAAA… OH you’re there.”
Lord Casimir pulls himself up, as three creatures charge into the light.
“Hold them.” Cas states.
“Feck.” Newt gulps, and leaps into the fight.
He sees the enemy at last.
“OH. They’re only… Kobolds?”
They’re Kobolds, of sorts, burlier, stockier- nastier. Their skin has rough red patches, rubbed raw, their teeth and claws are longer, somehow twisted- more feral looking. They’re wrapped in mail, armour that is- Scalemail, each has a shield and a military looking shortsword- heavy duty all round. There are three of them, and they mean business.
DMs interlude just for the record the Kobold Footmen have AC 19, yep you heard me right, the Kobold Artillery (with Crossbows) are AC 15, and the Elite Kobolds, when we get to them, are AC 18. None of them have more than 2 hit points, but you’ve got to hit them to kill them. They don’t dish out a lot of damage but they hang around, unlike your normal Kobolds.
Back to the action.
Newt ducks, dodges, bends and blocks- not one of the shortswords hit him, he is however miles away from scoring a hit of his own.
He plays out the same manoeuvres, only in a different order; with the same results- all combatants remain unscathed.
“Cas, please.”
“A second.”
And then Cas is there. Bec’s arm flops up into the corridor, soon followed by the rest of him.
The Kobolds fall back slightly as Cas steps in, giving Newt an opportunity, he smashes his mace into the side of one of the creatures, it falls, goes down holding it’s ribs- gasps for a second and then closes its eyes for good.
FWANG
A crossbow bolt shoots through the gap left by the dying Kobold.
Cas looks aghast.
“Wha…”
“Oh yeah, there’s some more of them- a bit farther on, nice huh.”
“What is this place?”
Cas leans back, still keeping the Kobold at bay.
“GET UP HERE.”
And in that second the Kobold leaps prodigiously and slices, cutting Cas’ throat, a curtain of blood gushes down.
He staggers but stays on board, drops his shield and while clutching at his throat, fights on.
Bec’s giant hand grasps Newt’s shoulder and pulls him over and out of the way, the effect is immediate, his longspear skewers one of the creatures, dead. The last one runs.
“Leg it.”
The Kobold screams. Jim arrives.
“What’s?”
Bec grabs Jim, points ahead at the fleeing form, waves his spear.
“Sandwich?”
And runs after the Kobold. Jim shrugs, grins.
“See yah.”
And sprints off.
Another crossbow bolt pings against the ceiling and clatters off behind them.
Cas channels his healing powers into his ragged throat, the flesh is partially closed, he’s still weak- blood loss.
Anya, and then Ala, quickly scramble up, the latter strides over to Cas, her healing hands do their work, the three head off at a sprint to see where Bec and Jim have got to.
Newt has, in the meantime, taken a good look at the dead Kobolds, they’re both very odd looking, although he’s never seen a Kobold before- perhaps they all look this way. The two bodies do have something else in common, they’re wearing crude gold pendants on leather thongs, each of them a botched depiction of a three fingered hand. The only word that really registers however is ‘gold’- Newt has them both.
Bec stops, he’s entered a huge cavern, lit by a myriad glowing fungi, there’s a river in here somewhere he can hear the water, he spots his pray, sprints off.
He soon catches up with the Kobold Footman, who spins round to meet the foe, the two face off, it’s David vs. Goliath, and you know how that one turned out. Bec swings and pokes, the Kobold dances out of the way, manages a snarl, or two- they’re vicious, you’ll have to give them that.
Jim sprints on, figuring that Bec can take care of himself.
He’s approaching a river, actually more of a stream, although the current’s running at quite a lick. What’s going on, he takes a look around.
SNICK
Bec meantime gets his Kobold, spearing the creature through its chest.
He rushes forward to Jim as the others troop into the cavern.
“There.”
Jim spots them, points, the remaining two Kobolds are down the bank of the stream, using slick looking stepping stones, sawn-off stalagmites actually, to get across the stream.
“Save meeeeeee.”
As he watches one of the Kobolds slips, and splashes, into the stream, he soon disappears from sight, the river plunges into a dark cavern.
The other makes the far bank, screaming.
“Intruders. Intruders. Bloody help me.”
The Kobold is just about to make it to freedom when Anya strikes a glorious pose, think gangsta rapper with gun, only substitute the beautifully coiffured Anya- with Magic Missile Wand.
“Smidgin”, delivered in breathy-whisper.
The missile hits, the Kobold staggers and collapses- dead.
Newt meanwhile is adding to his new collection, he grabs another pendent-thingy from the Kobold Bec killed.
The group convene momentarily; take a quick look around the huge cavern.
“So what’s going on here?” Cas asks.
Ala shrugs, “What do you think?”
“I don’t know but you saw that Ogre, and the Kobolds… they’re, twisted… somehow.”
“I guess that means we should take a look.”
“I’m game”, Newt adds and then has an attack of conscience, he mentally adds that to his tally so far in life, the total is now at one, “I found some... er, one of these… this.”
He holds out a pendent for the others to inspect.
“It’s an odd looking device- I’ve no idea of its meaning, I must say I’m intrigued too.” Anya states.
Jim nods.
“Can I have sandwich?”
“Then it’s decided, we’ll head on for a while, see where it takes us.” Cas states.
“I’ll keep the pendent then, for safety reasons”, Newt confirms, and grins.
Cas leads them down to the river, hops onto the first of the stepping stones, and seconds later is across- easy. Jim follows, it’s all going well, when the ceiling moves.
“Jim.”
Anya screams, the Rock Centipede is hard to spot, but not now it’s moving, it hangs onto a stalactite above and reaches down to grab for Jim, he dodges aside at the last moment. The creature is a good six feet long, the colour of stone, and yet, on it’s sides, on the individual segments, there seems to be a glowing, at least now the creature is moving, representation of the three-fingered hand.
“Intruders. Get the vile interlopers.”
Cas looks behind him, up the bank, coming out of a tunnel is another Kobold, a solitary individual, he darts over. The two meet, swords clash, there’s something really odd here- Cas thinks, every story he’s been told was about Kobolds running off to get their friends, only attacking when the odds were heavily stacked in their favour? And armoured…
The Kobold holds Cas off, he hates to say it, but- easily.
Jim dives the last few feet across the stream and rushes up the slope to help Cas.
Ala’s bow sings.
CRUNCH
The arrow shatters the side of the Rock Centipede’s skull; it unpeels from the stalagmite and splashes into the river only to be carried off.
Bec meantime has found a short cut; he wades through the stream avoiding the stepping stones entirely. He’s halfway across when the second Rock Centipede makes its appearance, it snaps its jaws inches from Bec’s face, he calmly steps back and stabs his longspear through the creature, wrenches it down and flings it into the water.
The Kobold before Jim and Cas is having troubles, it’s still screaming.
“Tell the Master- Intruders.”
The Kobold stumbles; Jim stabs the thing through its cold heart.
Behind them Ala jumps at the first stepping stone, hits it hard, slips and slides over the edge, she grabs on.
Cas looks back. She smiles- she’s ok, begins to pull herself up.
“CAS.”
Jim shouts, four more Kobolds appear from the same tunnel, two instantly drop to one knee, ready light crossbows to fire, the two others make ready, all are heavily armoured.
Cas, Bec and Jim charge towards them. The Kobolds fire.
FWUNG
CRUNCH
The first bolt misses, the second crossbow suffers some technical aberration, shatters, sending the bolt back and up, through the firer’s face, one down.
The two Kobold Footmen see their opportunity and rush in.
Cas meets the first, he’s still charging, he swings- connects and cuts the creature clean in two.
Bec settles for impaling his.
That leaves one, now heavily outnumbered; he drops his crossbow and flees.
Jim, Bec and Cas charge on into the tunnel- Jim’s sunrod lighting the way ahead.
Back at the stepping stones, Ala slips again, tumbles, banging her head as she goes down, she grabs on for dear life- screams.
“Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas.”
But he’s gone.
“I’ll help you.”
Anya wades into the stream, and in an instant gets stuck herself, the current’s too strong for her, she scrabbles to stay upright.
Newt dives down the bank, he’s not really built for this, he weighs much less than half of either of these ladies, and although he hates to admit it, strength is not his thing- and he hates water.
Then he stops- there’s something on the other side.
“Feck”, he points, shouts over the sound of the river, “there’s another cavern- KOBOLDS.”
To emphasise his point a crossbow bolt smashes into the stepping stone that Ala is desperately clinging onto.
Turn 15: Two Way Split
HalfOrc HalfBiscuit
Adventurer
Goonalan said:
Well comedy certainly isn't my only reason for reading a storyhour - so I hope you keep it going.
Dungeon Crawl Classics #2
The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho
An Adventure for First Level Characters
The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho
An Adventure for First Level Characters
Turn 15: Two way split
The trio of pursuers; Jim, Bec & Cas, head down the tunnel following the fleeing Kobold, he flashes in and out of sight, Bec is having trouble keeping track of the creature, Jim has the light and he’s not keeping up.
The Kobold heads towards a larger cavern, thank Pelor, it’s lit, there’s a brazier burning in there, a guard room, without the guards.
The Kobold zags behind a stone pillar, Bec runs around it, the Kobold comes back round the other side- towards Jim, dodges left and up another sloped passage, and away from his pursuers again.
Meanwhile…
“Help me.”
Ala screams clutching onto the rock, Anya has no way to get to her, she dives forward, onto the bank, and scrambles up the side and out of the stream.
She crawls up the slope, spots the Kobold that Newt had seen earlier, the creature grins, steps aside, four huge Dire Rats spring from the cavern, head towards her.
“RAAAAAAATTTS.”
Newt screams and fires.
Thwung
Wings one of the creatures, only slows it down a little.
Anya drags herself to her feet, reaches behind and looses “Swish”, the broom sweeps forward as Anya steps back.
Meanwhile…
The Kobold dashes up the slope towards a lit chamber, screaming-
“Slazzik, save me- intruders.”
Bec, Jim and Cas exchange glances, they’re running up a slope after the Kobold still, shadows appear at the top- more Kobolds, they seem to be grappling with something.
CRUNCH-WIBBLE-WIBBLE-WBBLE-WBLE-RUMBLEEEEE.
A huge stone comes rolling down the slope, a huge stone bowling ball, and they’re the pins.
Meanwhile…
Two rats snap at Swish, the broom holds them off, the other two snake past the broom and are on Anya- she smashes one of them with her staff- dead.
FWUNG
A crossbow bolt thumps into the side of the other rat, its dead. Anya looks left, Newt winks at her, she smiles, the odds are getting better.
Ala lets go of the rock stepping stone, kicks her legs, swims- thrashes the water, she drifts hard right, and to the shore, she drags herself out.
Fwunk
A crossbow bolt passes over Anya’s shoulder and, she’s back in the room.
Meanwhile…
RUMBLE-CRUNCH.
The boulder takes out the Kobold ahead.
RUMBLE
The boulder rushes on, hits Jim- a glancing blow, he staggers and falls on to the hard cavern floor.
Bec and Cas rush into the room ahead, and into a gaggle of Kobolds, four of them- heavily armed and armoured, as usual- nasty looking, same as the others.
There are another two Kobolds over the far end of the chamber, one guarding the other, the other being a scabrous looking individual, short even by Kobold standards, wearing a tatty yellow robe. The chamber itself is dirty and smelly- five stinky beds and at the far side a crude stone desk, old moth-eaten and filthy tapestries on the walls, a huge black candle burns brightly on the desk.
The Kobold wizard, Slazzik, has something in his hand- it’s a wand.
“Wiiiizard.”
Cas screams.
“Smidgin.”
A bolt of force dances and swoops around the room, and slams into Cas, knocking him back a few feet.
Cas reaches down and stabs a Kobold through the chest, Bec meanwhile fares less well, he over-extends himself and is cut twice, one of them a deep blow to his thigh, the giant man staggers, but doesn’t go down.
“Smidgin.”
Another bolt of force slams into Cas, he staggers back again. Jim gets into the room, a Kobold dashes forward to meet him, catches him on the shin- hard, Jim shoots an arm out to the cavern wall steadies himself, he’s bleeding badly, the Kobold snarls. This isn’t going too well.
Cas swings again and decapitates one of the Kobold guards. Bec’s back on form- stabs one through his armour- dead, lashes the end of his longspear round and smacks the second in the face, the Kobold’s head jolts back, neck snaps.
“Smidgin.”
A third Magic Missile slams into Cas’ chest, he wavers but stays on his feet.
Jim and his Kobold tormentor exchange blows, no damage done.
Cas and Bec rush on, charge towards the Wizard and his guard.
Jim slices into the Kobold, it slumps to the floor dead. He rushes forward towards the Wizard and co.
Flames leap from the Wizard Kobold’s outstretched hands- engulf all three of the adventurers, and his guard, which expires in flame.
Cas hits the deck, crisped a little around the ages.
Jim dodges back, avoids the majority of the flame. Bec just rushes through it, smoking, still burning in places, he emerges- stabs at the Kobold Wizard, Slazzik dodges aside, he misses.
Slazzik’s desperate, he stumbles over Draconic phrases, another spell, Bec stabs again, Slazzik dodges again, he misses but the spell is disrupted.
Jim drags himself up and rushes forward.
Slazzik dodges another crude blow from Bec, and this time conjures up a spell, another Burning Hands, the flames engulf Jim and Bec; Jim is crisped, falls.
Just Bec left standing.
Slazzik stumbles backwards to the cavern wall, attempts the same spell again, Bec charges, disrupts the Wizard’s spell as he rams his spear through the Kobold’s chest, the Wizard sinks, gasps- and dies.
Bec breathes hard then trudges over to Cas, pours a Potion of Healing down the Paladin’s throat, then another down Jim’s- thirty seconds later they’re back up. Jim gulps down his goodberry, he’s been carrying it a while, who knows if it does any good.
Cas grabs the Wizard’s wand.
Meanwhile…
Two Dire Rats snap at Swish, the Magic Broom, Ala drags herself out of the stream and up the bank.
A bunch of Kobolds spill out of the cavern, another guard room, three more Kobold Footmen, and two with crossbows, as usual, armed to the teeth.
“KOBOLDS.”
Newt screams.
FWUNG
His crossbow sings- one of the Kobold Artillery sinks to the floor- dead.
“Smidgin.”
Anya vogues with her wand.
One of the other charging Kobolds crashes to the floor- dead.
Ala draws her sword, ready for the two Kobold Footmen approaching.
Fwung
Another crossbow whistles by Anya.
Swish scratches one of the rats attacking it.
FWUNG
The second Kobold Shooter hits the deck; Newt’s getting good at this.
“Smidgin.”
And another Kobold Footman hits the deck.
Ala and the remaining Kobold Footman slug it out, to no effect.
One of the rats has hold of Swish, dragging the broom left and right, when it lets go Swish is still unharmed, the broom flicks over and ‘clonks’ the rat on it’s skull- dead.
FWUNG
Newt’s crossbow takes out the last rat.
Anya parries the Kobold’s blow then brings the pommel of her sword up swiftly, caves the creatures head in.
Newt leaps from stepping stone to stepping stone, traverses the stream, easily.
And then the other members of the adventuring group reappear.
“Where the hell have you been?” Ala’s angry.
“I…” Cas starts up.
“Of you go, rushing ahead, I was in the river.”
“You nodded, smiled at me, I thought you were OK.” Cas looks guilty, then spots the bodies, Kobolds and Dire Rats.
“What happened here?”
“They did.”
Ala and Cas stare at each other for a while, in the background Newt is scooting round stealing as many of the pendants as he can.
The pair break up, Ala sets to healing the others, they’re not speaking to each other.
Five minutes later the adventurers move out.
“So where are we? What is this place?” Anya asks.
Newt shrugs, nobody has an answer.
They enter the second cavern.
Newt shuffles ahead, puts his hand up, wait. He points up.
“Trap… Look...”
The Gnome creeps in, following a rope down to a tripwire, he cuts it- the net ahead falls, netting nothing.
They move forward, and in, through a guard room and into a rats den, there’s nothing to find.
And in silence they wander back to the stream.
“Look will you two just sort it out?” Newt’s tired of the looks and long silences; he stares at Ala and Cas.
The pair wander off a way.
“I thought you were ok?” Cas begins.
“I was… I am, it’s just you can’t keep running off all the time.”
“I…”
“No listen Cas- I don’t know what you want, and the problem is neither do you… you need to take better care of yourself, of your friends, of me. If you’re going to be a leader, then lead, don’t follow- that was stupid splitting the group up, you could have got us all killed.”
“I know, I…”
“No you don’t know. You need to know. You scare me, I never thought it would be easy… being with you, but you’ve got to understand, you need to look out for all these people- they depend on you. I depend on you. I…”
Ala grabs Cas’ arm.
“Just take it easy from now on.”
Cas goes to reach for her, but she’s gone.
They head off to the Wizard’s chamber, Cas catches up with Anya, gives her the wand he found, “the command word is ‘Smidgin’, use it wisely”, Anya grins at Cas.
“Anything I can help you with back there.”
Cas thinks about it, Anya’s look lingers on the forlorn Paladin.
“Nothing I can’t handle, now let’s stay sharp.”
The chamber is as before, except for a steady pulse from the Wizard’s robe, about where the heart is.
“He’s still alive.” Jim states.
“Nope”, Newt stamps on the Wizard’s heart, a squidgy sound, then rips the creatures robes open, a dead toad inside, “his familiar.”
“Let’s see what else he’s got.”
A full search follows and everything that looks to be of worth is placed on the desk, the Wizard has all the good stuff- a glowing Pearl and a set of Bracers. Anya takes the Pearl, “I think it’s some sort of magical focus… for Wizards.” She stares at Ala. The Bracers go to Bec, because he likes them, or at least he takes them and straps them on- they expand to fit his tree-trunk arms, nobody argues.
The black candle they saw earlier sits in a golden candle-holder, they take that, and a dark tome, that no-one, not even Anya can read, she’ll have to try her magic on it later.
They head off again- another empty guard room and then on, they’re at a docks area, or at least there are several rafts pulled up at an underground pool, they follow the flow, there’s a dark cavern ahead, the stream heads that way.
“We’ll rest here. I think that’s enough for a while.”
Nobody complains so they find a safe place and build a fire, eat something, feel human again.
Next Turn: She’s my one and only…
And thus endeth the first session of play in this scenario, which is only the third session of actual play in total for these hardy folk.
Richard Rawen
First Post
Nicely done, enjoying the feel of it. The character development post was appreciated, looks like you have a flare for writing, and not just one style.
Thanks for taking the time to share it all with us.
Thanks for taking the time to share it all with us.
Thanks for that Richard, much appreciated.
Turn 16: She’s my one and only…
We’re back at the camp, the fishing expedition.
“And I think we should go back.” Cas states.
Ala grabs his arm- tender.
“What the feck for?” Newt spits.
“Food.”
Newt stops speaking. Ala lets go of Cas’ arm, he looks back, she looks away.
“We need to get some food, I mean who knows what’s down that river, or how far it goes- we may be in here a while.”
“Good idea.” Newt grins.
“Why ARE we here?” Ala asks.
“Because THERE’S something wrong here, you saw the Kobolds.”
“So they’ve got something wrong with them, a disease, it could be a disease.”
Jim itches.
“Ala, please. We should do this right, you said so yourself. There’s something down here- something bad, I can feel it.”
“Me.”
Everyone turns to look at Bec, he struggles for the next word.
“Too.”
Cas looks back at Ala, she sighs and turns away.
“Then what are we waiting for?” Newt is off. “We should check out that big cavern, where we came in, I could have sworn I saw another exit from it, don’t want to leave enemies behind us Cas- you said that, last time.”
Cas sighs, “I remember.”
The group gather up their gear and head back, the stream is easily forded this time- they have time and patience on their side. Same too with the grappling hook and the rope down, although they leave it in place, and well secured.
They’re back in the first large cavern, right at the entrance- the Ogre’s cave; the bodies of the Stirges are still there.
“Look, I told you.” Newt’s spotted another cavern passage already, he heads of.
“Wait”, Cas calls but the Gnome is gone.
Ala rushes past him, after Newt, a glance says it all.
And into another chamber, Newt is pressed hard against the wall fiddling with his crossbow, “there”, he whispers, and points- a pair of bobbing glowing lights approach, at speed, there are other pairs of lights within the cavern.
“Fire beetles.” Newt hisses, and giggles.
THWUNG
Newt’s crossbow bolt buries itself into the creatures carapace, only slows it, a little.
“Ca…” Ala begins, but he’s already there, all of them are.
They fan out to meet the approaching beetles, all three of them.
The Fire Beetles, seemingly enraged, tumble forward into the light, their carapaces glow, tiny human skulls, like a ladybug’s but much creepier.
“What are these things?” Jim asks.
FWOOM
Jim’s magic arrow slices through one of the creatures, it spurts and oozes as it thrashes dead, the stink is appalling. Bec, caught in the blast of the stench, twists away and stumbles over. Ala leaps in and ends another of the beasts. Anya, watches her, and then rushes in with her staff, she connects, but only serves to further enrage the clambering beetle, it snaps and bites at her, she dodges back, leaving a perfect gap.
FWUNK
For another crossbow bolt from Newt, the last beetle stumbles and sinks, they’re all gone, and the smell.
“Pelor save me, is that you Jim?” Cas grins.
The others chuckle, Jim reddens, even Ala smiles.
“Can I have sandwich?” Bec’s up.
“Come on big guy.” Cas pats him on the back.
“There’s another tunnel- straight over.” Newt goes to make for it. Cas reaches out and grabs him.
“OK Newt, this time by the numbers.”
The Gnome grins, dances a little ahead, looks back to make sure it’s not too far.
They head into the next passage, and into another chamber, and into some more Fire Beetles, with equally strange decals.
Newt and Jim are first in, they fire.
FWUMP
THONG
And two of the three beetles are dead, the artillery moves out of the way as Bec jogs forward, longspear at the ready, and skewers the last of the beetles.
“Bee-kul.” He states, then the stink gets to him again and he tosses the dead thing away.
They check the chamber out thoroughly, there’s nowhere to go and nothing in it.
Back to the main chamber and...
“There’s another passage.” Newt dashes over.
“Wait.”
And does so, “same again people, we’re in the groove. Ala?”
“Yes Cas.”
“Watch my back.”
She grins, “yes Cas, whatever you say.”
Anya sneers, silently, and unseen.
They’re through the passage and into another large cavern, nothing of interest, at first.
Then…
< >
No noise, just a blanket of darkness that settles over Bec and Ala, one second they’re there, the next they’re gone from sight.
Becs pauses, then feels something, something rubbery on his shoulder- he seizes whatever it is, just as several other rubbery something’s- tentacles by the feel of them, grab for him. He rips the thing off of him, before it can get a grip, and then Ala’s light spell flares and he’s holding some kind of flying octopus in his hands.
“SQWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.”
The Darkmantle is not so enamoured with the light, it pulses, rips itself free from the Barbarian’s hands, and jets upwards.
THONG
Jim’s magic arrow slices through it, it flutters and pulses- struggles to remain afloat.
“Smidgin.”
The Magic Missile finishes the job.
“Good work Anya, Newt.”
The pair smile at Cas.
There’s another cavern ahead, when they get close they realise it’s not all that grand, a low chamber lies beyond, the ceiling only two to three feet high.
“We’ll leave it.” Cas is about to turn around.
“Hang on, there might be something in there.”
“Newt?”
“Please Cas, let me take a look.”
Cas looks at Ala, she looks away.
“Be quick then.”
And the Gnome is gone.
“Jim, watch his back.” The Ranger shuffles in crouches to see as Newt and his sunrod crawl inside.
For his part Newt does the best he can to put his body between the chest he spotted earlier, and Jim’s watching brief.
He scrambles in the dirt to the chest, a cursory check- no traps, he unlocks it, and it’s as easy as that. Knocks it over- towards him, there’s no room to see into the chest from above. The contents spill out- mostly money but there’s some other stuff, including- strange, four wooden dolls which are…
Getting up.
He looks on horrified as the four petticoat wearing milking-maids totter towards him, grab at his ankle, his hand, his shirt, his hair- scratching, biting, gouging- he screams.
“I’M SORRRRRRRRREEEEEE.”
Jim drops his bow and crawls in, Cas follows, and in seconds they’re on the scene.
The four dolls have still got a hold of the thrashing Gnome, who’s bleeding from over a half-a-dozen nicks and cuts.
Cas grabs out, catches hold of one of the dolls and repeatedly smashes it onto the stone cavern floor until it’s splintered wood in his hands. Jim struggles to grab one, so swivels around and kicks a doll, sending it hurtling off into the dark.
“Get them off me, get them off me.” Newt screams.
The other two dolls continue to claw and scratch at the Gnome, he takes some more damage, until Jim swats one, and Cas the other.
“Go.” Cas barks.
Newt furiously scrambles back out.
Jim and Cas spot the open chest, scoop the money back in until-
“Cas.”
“Yep.”
“It’s coming back- behind you.”
Cas looks beyond Jim.
“You too.”
They shuffle round to meet their adversaries again- there’s one heading for Jim, two for Cas.
Outside Newt shivers, “living dolls, living dolls, I hate…”
Cas scrabbles at the creatures, eventually grabs hold of one, he’s clawed and scratched several times in the process, and smashes the thing as hard as he can into the low ceiling- till it’s splinters. He manages to kick the other away.
Jim sees another way out. Waits for the doll to approach and then launches himself at it, kicking it as hard as he can.
“INCOMING.”
The doll shoots out of the chamber, Bec traps it with his foot, Newt picks himself up and runs away, Bec stamps on the thing until it’s gone.
“Kick it out… out to the others.” Jim manages.
The last doll wends its way back towards Cas, he tries Jim’s trick, with equal success, the wooden effigy comes shooting out, Bec goes to stamp on it but it’s not moving, it seems to have lost its head en route.
The pair drag the chest out, as Ala deals out the last of her healing.
The chest contains lots of gold, half-a-dozen small rubies, three scrolls, which Anya examines, and two coils of rope complete with grappling hooks.
A little later they choose straws and, as it turns out, Bec and Anya head off back to Tetknee to recap their adventures so far, grab more food and supplies for a longer campaign.
The others head back to the river, to rest for the remainder of the day and night, await the re-supply mission.
During the rest the four do there level best to ready themselves for the trials ahead, equipment repaired, cleaned, polished- made good again; backpacks re-ordered- everything needed within reach.
Cas takes the opportunity to talk again with Ala.
“I known there’s something bad here Ala, something terrible.”
“I can feel it too- I don’t like the place, there’s something wrong here.”
“Then we’re agreed, we need to go on- to find what’s causing these aberrations, put an end to whatever it is?”
“Yes. Of course, it’s just… I don’t trust some of the others.” Ala states.
Cas looks hard round at her.
“Who don’t you trust, I mean… Who?”
“It’s not for me to say- I can’t, I don’t know, I’m just worried that something bad is going to happen, and I can’t see where it’s going to come from, in front or behind.”
Cas snakes an arm around her, pulls her too him.
By the water’s edge Jim and Newt are refilling their flasks, Newt looks over to Cas and Ala.
“I wonder how they met?” Newt asks.
Jim shrungs, “dunno, she’s nice though”, he grins a little.
Newt spins round, “I’m not so sure… She’s always worried… Something’s always going to happen- dangers ahead, don’t do this, don’t do that… and the looks I get. We’re here to explore… Not…”, he trails off.
Jim stares at the Gnome, and then beyond to Ala.
“She’s alright.” The Ranger rests his hand on Newt’s shoulder, the turns and heads off- canteen full.
Leaving Newt staring hard at the holy pair.
Ala, at that moment, turns to meet his eye.
Next Turn: Incey-Wincey.
Dungeon Crawl Classics #2
The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho
An Adventure for First Level Characters
The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho
An Adventure for First Level Characters
Turn 16: She’s my one and only…
We’re back at the camp, the fishing expedition.
“And I think we should go back.” Cas states.
Ala grabs his arm- tender.
“What the feck for?” Newt spits.
“Food.”
Newt stops speaking. Ala lets go of Cas’ arm, he looks back, she looks away.
“We need to get some food, I mean who knows what’s down that river, or how far it goes- we may be in here a while.”
“Good idea.” Newt grins.
“Why ARE we here?” Ala asks.
“Because THERE’S something wrong here, you saw the Kobolds.”
“So they’ve got something wrong with them, a disease, it could be a disease.”
Jim itches.
“Ala, please. We should do this right, you said so yourself. There’s something down here- something bad, I can feel it.”
“Me.”
Everyone turns to look at Bec, he struggles for the next word.
“Too.”
Cas looks back at Ala, she sighs and turns away.
“Then what are we waiting for?” Newt is off. “We should check out that big cavern, where we came in, I could have sworn I saw another exit from it, don’t want to leave enemies behind us Cas- you said that, last time.”
Cas sighs, “I remember.”
The group gather up their gear and head back, the stream is easily forded this time- they have time and patience on their side. Same too with the grappling hook and the rope down, although they leave it in place, and well secured.
They’re back in the first large cavern, right at the entrance- the Ogre’s cave; the bodies of the Stirges are still there.
“Look, I told you.” Newt’s spotted another cavern passage already, he heads of.
“Wait”, Cas calls but the Gnome is gone.
Ala rushes past him, after Newt, a glance says it all.
And into another chamber, Newt is pressed hard against the wall fiddling with his crossbow, “there”, he whispers, and points- a pair of bobbing glowing lights approach, at speed, there are other pairs of lights within the cavern.
“Fire beetles.” Newt hisses, and giggles.
THWUNG
Newt’s crossbow bolt buries itself into the creatures carapace, only slows it, a little.
“Ca…” Ala begins, but he’s already there, all of them are.
They fan out to meet the approaching beetles, all three of them.
The Fire Beetles, seemingly enraged, tumble forward into the light, their carapaces glow, tiny human skulls, like a ladybug’s but much creepier.
“What are these things?” Jim asks.
FWOOM
Jim’s magic arrow slices through one of the creatures, it spurts and oozes as it thrashes dead, the stink is appalling. Bec, caught in the blast of the stench, twists away and stumbles over. Ala leaps in and ends another of the beasts. Anya, watches her, and then rushes in with her staff, she connects, but only serves to further enrage the clambering beetle, it snaps and bites at her, she dodges back, leaving a perfect gap.
FWUNK
For another crossbow bolt from Newt, the last beetle stumbles and sinks, they’re all gone, and the smell.
“Pelor save me, is that you Jim?” Cas grins.
The others chuckle, Jim reddens, even Ala smiles.
“Can I have sandwich?” Bec’s up.
“Come on big guy.” Cas pats him on the back.
“There’s another tunnel- straight over.” Newt goes to make for it. Cas reaches out and grabs him.
“OK Newt, this time by the numbers.”
The Gnome grins, dances a little ahead, looks back to make sure it’s not too far.
They head into the next passage, and into another chamber, and into some more Fire Beetles, with equally strange decals.
Newt and Jim are first in, they fire.
FWUMP
THONG
And two of the three beetles are dead, the artillery moves out of the way as Bec jogs forward, longspear at the ready, and skewers the last of the beetles.
“Bee-kul.” He states, then the stink gets to him again and he tosses the dead thing away.
They check the chamber out thoroughly, there’s nowhere to go and nothing in it.
Back to the main chamber and...
“There’s another passage.” Newt dashes over.
“Wait.”
And does so, “same again people, we’re in the groove. Ala?”
“Yes Cas.”
“Watch my back.”
She grins, “yes Cas, whatever you say.”
Anya sneers, silently, and unseen.
They’re through the passage and into another large cavern, nothing of interest, at first.
Then…
< >
No noise, just a blanket of darkness that settles over Bec and Ala, one second they’re there, the next they’re gone from sight.
Becs pauses, then feels something, something rubbery on his shoulder- he seizes whatever it is, just as several other rubbery something’s- tentacles by the feel of them, grab for him. He rips the thing off of him, before it can get a grip, and then Ala’s light spell flares and he’s holding some kind of flying octopus in his hands.
“SQWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.”
The Darkmantle is not so enamoured with the light, it pulses, rips itself free from the Barbarian’s hands, and jets upwards.
THONG
Jim’s magic arrow slices through it, it flutters and pulses- struggles to remain afloat.
“Smidgin.”
The Magic Missile finishes the job.
“Good work Anya, Newt.”
The pair smile at Cas.
There’s another cavern ahead, when they get close they realise it’s not all that grand, a low chamber lies beyond, the ceiling only two to three feet high.
“We’ll leave it.” Cas is about to turn around.
“Hang on, there might be something in there.”
“Newt?”
“Please Cas, let me take a look.”
Cas looks at Ala, she looks away.
“Be quick then.”
And the Gnome is gone.
“Jim, watch his back.” The Ranger shuffles in crouches to see as Newt and his sunrod crawl inside.
For his part Newt does the best he can to put his body between the chest he spotted earlier, and Jim’s watching brief.
He scrambles in the dirt to the chest, a cursory check- no traps, he unlocks it, and it’s as easy as that. Knocks it over- towards him, there’s no room to see into the chest from above. The contents spill out- mostly money but there’s some other stuff, including- strange, four wooden dolls which are…
Getting up.
He looks on horrified as the four petticoat wearing milking-maids totter towards him, grab at his ankle, his hand, his shirt, his hair- scratching, biting, gouging- he screams.
“I’M SORRRRRRRRREEEEEE.”
Jim drops his bow and crawls in, Cas follows, and in seconds they’re on the scene.
The four dolls have still got a hold of the thrashing Gnome, who’s bleeding from over a half-a-dozen nicks and cuts.
Cas grabs out, catches hold of one of the dolls and repeatedly smashes it onto the stone cavern floor until it’s splintered wood in his hands. Jim struggles to grab one, so swivels around and kicks a doll, sending it hurtling off into the dark.
“Get them off me, get them off me.” Newt screams.
The other two dolls continue to claw and scratch at the Gnome, he takes some more damage, until Jim swats one, and Cas the other.
“Go.” Cas barks.
Newt furiously scrambles back out.
Jim and Cas spot the open chest, scoop the money back in until-
“Cas.”
“Yep.”
“It’s coming back- behind you.”
Cas looks beyond Jim.
“You too.”
They shuffle round to meet their adversaries again- there’s one heading for Jim, two for Cas.
Outside Newt shivers, “living dolls, living dolls, I hate…”
Cas scrabbles at the creatures, eventually grabs hold of one, he’s clawed and scratched several times in the process, and smashes the thing as hard as he can into the low ceiling- till it’s splinters. He manages to kick the other away.
Jim sees another way out. Waits for the doll to approach and then launches himself at it, kicking it as hard as he can.
“INCOMING.”
The doll shoots out of the chamber, Bec traps it with his foot, Newt picks himself up and runs away, Bec stamps on the thing until it’s gone.
“Kick it out… out to the others.” Jim manages.
The last doll wends its way back towards Cas, he tries Jim’s trick, with equal success, the wooden effigy comes shooting out, Bec goes to stamp on it but it’s not moving, it seems to have lost its head en route.
The pair drag the chest out, as Ala deals out the last of her healing.
The chest contains lots of gold, half-a-dozen small rubies, three scrolls, which Anya examines, and two coils of rope complete with grappling hooks.
A little later they choose straws and, as it turns out, Bec and Anya head off back to Tetknee to recap their adventures so far, grab more food and supplies for a longer campaign.
The others head back to the river, to rest for the remainder of the day and night, await the re-supply mission.
During the rest the four do there level best to ready themselves for the trials ahead, equipment repaired, cleaned, polished- made good again; backpacks re-ordered- everything needed within reach.
Cas takes the opportunity to talk again with Ala.
“I known there’s something bad here Ala, something terrible.”
“I can feel it too- I don’t like the place, there’s something wrong here.”
“Then we’re agreed, we need to go on- to find what’s causing these aberrations, put an end to whatever it is?”
“Yes. Of course, it’s just… I don’t trust some of the others.” Ala states.
Cas looks hard round at her.
“Who don’t you trust, I mean… Who?”
“It’s not for me to say- I can’t, I don’t know, I’m just worried that something bad is going to happen, and I can’t see where it’s going to come from, in front or behind.”
Cas snakes an arm around her, pulls her too him.
By the water’s edge Jim and Newt are refilling their flasks, Newt looks over to Cas and Ala.
“I wonder how they met?” Newt asks.
Jim shrungs, “dunno, she’s nice though”, he grins a little.
Newt spins round, “I’m not so sure… She’s always worried… Something’s always going to happen- dangers ahead, don’t do this, don’t do that… and the looks I get. We’re here to explore… Not…”, he trails off.
Jim stares at the Gnome, and then beyond to Ala.
“She’s alright.” The Ranger rests his hand on Newt’s shoulder, the turns and heads off- canteen full.
Leaving Newt staring hard at the holy pair.
Ala, at that moment, turns to meet his eye.
Next Turn: Incey-Wincey.
Dungeon Crawl Classics #2
The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho
An Adventure for First Level Characters
The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho
An Adventure for First Level Characters
Turn 17: Incey-Wincey.
Out in the sunlight, on the way back to Tetknee, Bec dawdles and wanders, glad again to be back in the light, away from the closed spaces of the dungeon.
Anya reaches back to cradle the giant man’s arm- hurry him along.
Bec thinks-
WarmarmsuuuuunlightlightlightsunlightwarmsuANYATOUCHmmmmwarmanyawarmsunlightwarmanyaANYAANYAANYAwarmmmmmmmHOT.
Bec reaches out to grab at the Wizard’s robe, her nape- the back of her neck- touches, Anya shrugs his hand away.
“Come on, my bloody feet are killing me, lets get this done before I make you carry me.”
Bec thinks-
Anyaanyanicesandwich.
Seven hours later Bec and Anya are back at the river, and loaded with goodies, they’ve managed to scrounge together twenty days supply of trail rations, claim the parties initial reward, Anya thought to take the Ogre’s skull back to confirm their victory, and several more healing potions, after some quick talking and gold to the wise woman. They’ve also managed to secure a few more party favourites, particularly another two dozen sunrods.
There’s a good feeling at the camp, the adventurers are already rested, and itching to see what lies ahead. Cas however is all business, they’ll stay the night here, wait until Ala and Anya have their spells back before they head out.
A watch rota is drawn up.
The night passes.
But not without incident.
It’s late, it’s Newt’s guard shift, and yet here he is, sitting hidden in the shadows, stripes of fire flicker across his face, he’s two feet away from a sleeping Ala.
Not a sound. Not the lap of water. Not the lick of fire. Not the sound of his own breathing. Newt crouches in the dark place, inside his brain, twisting the dagger in his hand- watching her.
And then, slowly. Very slowly.
The sounds return. The lap of water. The lick of fire. The sound of his breath. The sound of Ala’s breathe.
Newt stands and creeps over to the fire, puts his dagger away en route, sits and sips coffee- watches over his sleeping companions.
All is quiet.
Anya doesn’t move, lies still on her side, in the dark- watching Newt.
Early morning of the second day sees the group divided between the two rafts- Ala, Lord Cas & Bec, on the first- Jim, Newt & Anya on the second.
They paddle off into the huge cavern, following the steady flow of the stream. The light of their sunrods bouncing off the huge glistening caverns walls.
“Spider.” Newt yells, and for good measure, points.
They follow his finger, and sure enough high above them sits a enormous spider, it’s body must be eight to ten feet long, it’s nestled on a huge web, which the onlookers follow down- it blocks the way forward, the rafts are about to bump into it.
Cas back-paddles furiously, makes good-water, out of the flow of the stream. Ala fires, unsteady, the arrow flies wide.
“Bec, paddle.”
The lug of a man sets too, as Cas stands up and grabs for his bow.
The other raft spirals towards the web, a little out of control, all three of its passengers take aim, there’s nobody rowing, or steering, for that matter. Jim’s arrow catches the creature square on, ripping into its flesh; Anya manages to launch a sling stone into the creature, although with little effect, only Newt misses.
The spider’s had enough of this, there’s nowhere else for it to go, it scuttles down its web towards the waters edge.
FLiiiirt
A sticky strand shoots from the spinnerets of the beast, snags Cas, hauls him in- the Paladin is lifted into the air, Ala grabs at him but fails to connect, Cas swings madly as he’s reeled in, and up, and into the webs- stuck fast.
Bec back-paddles furiously.
“No, forward.” Ala screams.
Jim grabs an oar and in the last instant tries to keep the other raft off the webs, Anya dives down and does the same, the two thrash at the water.
FWUNG
Newt’s crossbow sings and the spider takes another hit.
Bec drops his oar, staggers to his feet, rocking the raft, which closes in on the web, he rushes to the edge and leaps for Cas.
SPLOOOSH
And finds only the water, he surfaces and slowly drifts into the web.
Ala rocks back and forth, keeps her balance- just, then-
THWONG
Slams another arrow into one of the spiders legs, its heading down now- towards Cas.
Anya leaves off the rowing, the raft half-turns and reverses into the web, she steadies herself, points her wand, “Smidgin”, the magic bolt rocks the spider but it continues on its course. Newt fires hurriedly, falls on his back in the same instant, misses by a country mile his crossbow bolt slams into the cavern ceiling looses dirt and rock that cascade down, along with his bolt, back onto the boat and its inhabitants- he takes a thump to the skull.
And then the spider is on Cas, it rears up- revealing its dripping fangs, and then plunges them into him, he feels the poison pulse, burning him inside, his strength fading, he gasps…
“Ala…”
Bec flounders in the water, trying to climb up to Cas, he can’t, he’s stuck in the web. Ala lies down on the floor of the raft as it finally drifts into the lower reaches of the web, bobs and stays there- captured. She fires, the arrow slices into the spiders abdomen, dripping filthy yellow ichor.
Newt fires again.
THwong
And buries six inches of steel in the creature, the spider goes limp, looks to fall for a second but is caught in its own web. Only then can they finally make out the shape of the three-fingered hand etched on its abdomen.
The operation to remove Cas takes quite a while, eventually the pale-faced Paladin is dragged down, holding his side, the puncture wounds. Ala does the best she can to heal him, the rafts still caught in the lower reaches of the web, safe there for the moment.
With his wounds cleaned and closed the poison still runs its course, in less than a minute the Paladin is doubled over clutching at his stomach, convulsing, sweating- a mess.
“We need to find somewhere for him to rest. We need to get him to land.”
Ala’s not even trying to hide the desperation in her voice.
It’s at that point that the web finally gives way and the rafts drift on- deeper into the cavern.
Bec and Jim paddle furiously but it’s of little use, they’re in the current.
Ala grasps Cas’ hand, he opens his eyes for a second, smiles at her, then heads back to the pain and the dark place, where the poison burns, within him.
The rafts drift out of the cavern into another larger chamber.
“Right.” Anya whispers, “There’s land”, they paddle with the flow and soon scrape the rafts up against a stony shore.
The rafts are dragged out of the water and Newt is sent forward, sunrod in hand, to check the place out, he returns in thirty seconds, there’s a hole, a tunnel, it’s only small but I think it goes into a larger cavern.
“We need to find cover Newt.” Anya states the obvious.
“I know, there’s nothing else.”
Ala nods.
“This way.” Newt heads off.
“Jim, drag the rafts out of the stream.” Anya adds.
Jim nods and sets to work.
The others arrive at an opening, a low tunnel in the rock, all that’s left of a much larger passage, possibly a cave in some time ago.
“It doesn’t look safe.” Ala worries.
“Nothing looks safe. Besides, it’s my ass.” Newt grins.
“Here grab this.” Newt ties a rope around his waist, passes the end to Bec, “if I holler, pull me out.”
“Sandwich?”
“Sure you can”, Newt pats Bec’s arm and scrambles up and through the gap.
“Ala. Ala. Ala.” Cas intones, she rushes to his side.
“I can’t see anything Ala.” He cries.
“It’s cold.” Cas continues, she wraps her cloak around him.
“FECK.” It’s Newt, he comes shooting back out of the tunnel, Bec the cause, he’s banged and bruised, he lies panting on the floor.
“Undead. Ghoul. I think… in there.” He points.
At that point the Ghoul pops his head out of the passage, which turns out to be the last thing he does- Jim’s magic arrow smashes its head like an over-ripe pumpkin. The creature’s body is soon dragged out of the way.
“See ya.” Newt climbs up and back in; he’s a sucker for punishment.
“Wait.” Ala orders, he stops, she strides over and weaves her magic, “this should protect you a little, from anything evil you may encounter.”
“Ta.” Newt nods and is off again.
“Brave.” Anya mouths.
“Or a fool.” Ala completes.
Bec nods, at both comments.
Thirty seconds later the Gnome’s voice echoes from down the tunnel.
“All clear.”
One by one they head through, and into a graveyard- of sorts. The chamber is dotted with open graves, each about six feet deep, at the bottom of each a skeleton.
“Newt.” Ala’s not pleased.
“Where else is there?”
The group fans out, Ala holding Cas up, they creep around the open graves, to the left and to the right- Bec stops and turns, he’s heard something, a door in the wall opens to his right and a vicious looking feral creature, all flaking grey skin and jutting bones, stands for a second silhouetted in the light.
It launches itself at him, the pair tumble into one of the open graves, Bec is dragged down, the creature has remarkable strength, he’s bitten on his shoulder and clawed across the chest. He can feel his limbs stiffen, then his mind empties- or rather… is empty, and he’s up and fighting back.
The creature exudes a nauseous miasma, the air thickens, Cas gags and collapses, Newt and Anya back away as far as they can choking from the stink.
Bec leans way back and then forward at great speed, smashes his head into the creatures face, caving in most of the right side, the Ghast flails and falls against the opposite side of the grave.
Fwang
Newts crossbow bolt digs into the dirt. Ala fumbles for her holy symbol, mutters prayers, but the creature snarls and gets back up. Jim launches himself into the pit, there’s a brief struggle and he’s thrown aside.
Ala tries to turn the Ghast again- fails badly. Bec head butts the creature for a second time, it rocks back- stunned for a second. Jim jumps in with his dagger in hand- only gouges a hollow in the dirt. The Ghast is getting back up.
“Smidgin.” The Magic Missile crashes into it, sitting it back down.
GGGGrrrind.
Another door opens, at the far side of the chamber, unseen as of yet, and rushing into the light come a trio of armoured Skeletons.
“Bugger.” Newt voices everyone’s feelings.
Anya is caught from behind, scratched along her back. Cas, desperate, levers himself to his feet, wafts his sword and slumps down again- exhausted. Ala tries again with her prayers, brandishing her holy symbol, again to no affect, there’s something about this place, it feels unholy.
Anya and Newt attack the skeletons with staff and mace respectively, to no effect.
Bec and Jim however double team the Ghast, both plunge daggers into the creature- it writhes a moment then ceases its struggle.
Anya looses Swish, the broom hops forward to attack the Skeleton but is knocked away with ease, it tumbles into another open grave. The skeleton lurches towards Anya, swipes and connects, she’s scratched across her neck, she backs off instinctively, narrowly misses following Swish into the open grave.
“ALMIGHTY CORELLON…”
Ala finishes her fourth prayer, this time the skeletons glow softly- stiffen, then shuffle back the way they came.
Newt, Bec and Jim leap after the creatures, smashing as they go- they’re soon splinters, shards of bone.
Cas coughs, blood, then fades away. Ala is at his side.
The Paladin is made comfortable, or as best they can.
Bec and Jim head off into the Ghasts chamber, their light casts a feeble glow, the rock walls are a deep blood red, they quickly discover a hidden area. Bec rolls away a great boulder and behind, in the space, is a hidden cache, a large sack full of lumps of agate, maybe two dozen of them, and a beautifully crafted longsword, made of some dark metal, in a battered leather scabbard.
“Cas?” Jim offers.
Bec nods, the pair take the sword back to the sick Paladin, and show the others their find.
Newt and Anya discover a whole selection of swords and shields in the chamber the skeletons emerged from, several of the items of excellent quality, probably Masterwork.
Ala Detects Magic when they have the whole pile before them, the longsword registers, it will indeed go to Cas, when, and if, he wakes. The others re-equip as necessary, Bec takes a good quality longsword and shield in case he needs to fight in close quarters.
They make camp here, Newt and Jim briefly head out the hole to hide their tracks and make sure the rafts are well out of sight.
On the way back the pair lean shields and swords against the crawlspace, figuring that if someone wants to get in they’ll have to dislodge the pile.
They rest again.
The early warning system proves its worth three hours later, when clambering into the chamber come another trio of skeletons, similarly armoured.
The creatures are summarily destroyed by Jim, Bec and Newt, with no harm coming to the brave adventurers.
Newt gets twitchy a while later and without telling anyone slips out, the water seems to extend out from where they’re camped, another huge pool, there may be another landing, over the far side- he can’t make it out for sure.
What he is certain of is there’s a ledge somewhere, he can hear voices, Kobold’s, it must overlook the lake he thinks, and with that he heads back inside.
A little later in the cold dark Jim wakes, Anya’s on guard duty, he can see the whites of her eyes.
“Why did you come back?” He whispers.
Anya thinks, before whispering back.
“I couldn’t go back… to my old life.”
Jim nods.
“Things have changed, no that’s not it- I’ve changed.” Anya goes on.
Jim nods again.
“But Lowth hasn’t. It won’t. Ever.” She finishes and rubs her eyes.
The silence stretches.
“Don’t despair. You can change it.” Jim reaches out, touches Anya’s shoulder, she leans her head down, rests it on his hand.
“Thanks Jim.” She whispers.
He moves in closer.
They hold each other in the dark.
“I thought you came back for Cas.” Jim half-smiles.
Anya, just for a second, stiffens, and then looks away.
Next Turn: A Little Army
Pedestrian
Explorer
Just wanted to leave a comment to extend my appreciation for this and your other two story hours. I'm enjoying them very much. Thanks, Goonalan.
