Run Date: July 23rd, 2022
Today really hammered home just how little I’ve learned about LFG, as well as how much I enjoy just rolling dice with the group. As a general rule, I prefer to have memorized everything I can so I don’t really need to open a book or go looking for things. I tend to get a bit OCD, however, and need to double triple check things even if I’m reasonably sure I know. I’ve got years of experience making rulings, but if I’m going to be teaching this new group then I need to master the game.
The session itself went pretty well between a chaotic riot, stealing some charts from the Mass Battle rules, and a bit of exploration into Riversmeet’s Graveyard in Oldtown. We were also down a player.
PCs
Thorin(Pa): Lv1 Magic User
Hallow Sween(Sh): Lv1 Fighter
Invocation of Thunder
The party (from last week) returned to town today, receiving their rewards and splitting off for some downtime and research. Hallow, now alone, decided to take a stroll through the town and wind down a bit. Unfortunately for her, she crossed the heart of Riversmeet as a mob of angry workers had started yelling in protest and riling up others. The guards started to prepare for a riot. As the mob group grew, the high sun and heat mixed with the years long drought pushed them into desperate madness. One called out that the lords of the Trade District were forcing up prices to make them penniless, and received a united cry of approval. This cry happened just as a Red Sun merchant was crossing the central bridges. His presence instantly became a target and the mob charged at his wagon and entourage. This triggered the guard captain’s signal and everything collapsed into chaos. This entire event was the result of a random roll in one of LFG deluxe’s many tables. Since the amount of actors was so large, I borrowed the melee attack chart from the mass combat rules (mob: Militia, Guards: Infantry) and eyeballed the rest.
The initial charge was in favor of the guards, severely shattering the morale of most of the mob with a pincer on the bridges. The goal was subjugation, not murder, so they immediately began routing and arresting everyone they could. The last chunk, however, had escaped the initial charge and were headed straight for the merchant and his guard (2:1 mob). At this point, Hallow attempted to interpose herself and her horse between the merchant’s entourage and the mob, but they immediately drove her back. The next round things got bloody as the Magic User Thorin decided to use the dust and chaos as a cover to help some of the folks being arrested. He decided to fire a shot from his (light/hand) crossbow. Unfortunately, he instantly killed his target. This set off a chain of shouts from the guard captain and they immediately regrouped as a shield wall to grab the body. The rioters they were dealing with took the opportunity to escape into the streets. The guards used their time and turn to mount a defensive retreat and watch the streets for assassins. This left the last of the mob engaged with the merchant’s guards.
A costly mistake resulted in the merchant guards faltering and losing one of their own as he was pulled into the mob’s flying fists and feet. Some stole his spear and started tormenting the poor guy while the rest charged hard. The merchant’s horse broke free, the leftover guards shattered, and the mob looted their spoils. Hallow, having been unable to make a difference, cut her losses and went back to the Red Tankard.
The following day, the rumors of the riot were hot on everyone’s tongue. Some guards had come into the tankard for breakfast and were drinking to their fallen friend’s memory. Thorin, who had deftly escaped attention the day before, struck up a conversation with them about their friend (Lil Johnny). He donated 5gp to Lil Johnny’s family, and the guards nearly cried. They bought the kind man a drink and reminisced about how Lil Johnny got his name from being a frail, but stubborn kid. He was like a little brother and son to most of the force, and did everything he could to be a good member, honest man, and proper guard. Thorin took his drink and bowed out before things went too much further. Hallow had come down some time during the conversation, noting they had mentioned they couldn’t bury their friend due to the issues in the graveyard in Oldtown. She learned that the guards were already stretched thin making sure nothing came in or out of it, and that the riot only made things worse. Hallow offered to help how she could and agreed to meet them later that evening.
The group chose to sit in today and wait until evening, when Richard (one of the guards) and his cohort returned. Thorin and Hallow agreed to help with the graveyard situation. To that end, they were sent to speak with the Laurenian priest charged with overseeing the place. Arriving just before sunset, the party chatted up the old holy man and laid out their plan. He noted just how dangerous the task was, but the group insisted they knew the risks. Once they’d agreed on the plan and repeated how well they understood, the priest lead them to the gates. Thorin dipped for a few to hire a torchbearer named Gunther, a confident man with a habit of picking at his infected, oozing ear. He also attempted to use Lil Johnny’s name to inspire the couple guards on duty to join them (he failed). They went in 3 heads strong and the door was immediately barricaded behind them.
The first hour or so went by peacefully, the party having chosen to approach the situation in circular patrols. They began with the outer grave sections first, noting nothing of interest until they had nearly completed their loop. There, on a short hill nearby, was an old mausoleum, door wide open and a banging coming from within. The pair decided to check it out, stepping in side by side and leaving Gunther just behind to keep the light steady. The banging continued, and a slow knocking noise came down a side hallway. To note, these mausoleums are basically just a main hall with a few side halls, nothing complex or even deep. As the knocking sound grew closer the party prepared for battle. Soon, a lone, one-footed skeleton came around the corner as if wandering or lost. Hallow immediately shouted “Halt!” and it stopped, turning its head toward her as if obeying (neutral reaction, “peasant” skeleton). She was baffled that it worked until the loud banging lead to shattering and crashing. Soon after, a swarm of 10 more skeletons started rushing around the corners to the door. Thorin, who had prepared to shoot any hostiles approaching, picked off one. The wave hit with fingers, bites, and a pair of spears (former “guards”). The spears struck hard but both players stood.
The following round Thorin revealed his secret to Hallow. Magic Users are hunted and burned out west in Solaria (where he'd come from). As such, Thorin had become accustomed to hiding his powers and identity. Desperate times called for desperate measures and he unleashed a Thunderous Invocation. I’ve mentioned before that the players are new to LFG, and this is their first time seeing how the spell system works. I explained Dark and Dangerous Magic (no activation, though) and read the spell aloud. Thorin’s player assumed it was just like Thunderwave from 5e, but when I read that it travels 30ft, he saw the absolute devastation it could cause in a narrow hallway. Every last skeleton was obliterated, the group partially deafened, and the fight ended. They took the time to do some looting while the ringing subsided (short rest, carry loot), finding 6GP worth of old coinage (mostly silvers) and a small box with a pearl-coloured horn and some of its powder. They tucked it away and headed back for another set of rounds.
Another hour, this time closer to the center. It wasn’t until about halfway through this cycle that they found a set of graves surrounded by a 2ft high wall with a statue of Saint Laurenia at the center. They took the opportunity to look the place over and noticed the empty graves, the name (Lancaster), and a decorated box with tarnished silver clasps. The last one caught their eye and they decided to check it out. It was a short and quick job, and they noticed the symbol of Saint Laurenia around a tarnished silver keyhole. Thorin shrugged, set it on the ground, and used his light mace to smash the thing open. He struck right on the symbol and sent the coinage and treasure into the air, along with a wave of acid (25% chance inactive, moderate threat). Unfortunately, Thorin was the only one quick on his feet.
With that, I got the opportunity to explain All Dead, Mostly Dead to the players. Gunther, the poor infected man, had his face melted off (Thorin promptly took his payment back). Hallow was alive (her best roll of the night), but would suffer an injury. Thorin, seeing the situation, gave Hallow a quick patch up and started gathering the coinage that had flown everywhere. He wasn’t halfway through when he heard approaching footsteps. So the choice arrived: collect the coins and hope the creatures don’t come, or drag Hallow’s KO’d body to safety (he chose the former, of course). As he was getting the last of the coins packed away and grabbing Hallow’s body to drag off, the Lancaster patriarch and one of his knights stepped into the plot, clad in old and rusty armor and original weapons (sword and shield). The fight for survival began in earnest.
Initiative: GS, Thorin beats the boss and his knight. Thunderous Invocation (still no DDM) obliterates the knight’s skeletal form but the Patriarch stands firm, albeit heavily wounded. He charges in and deals a heavy slash across Thorin’s torso. Thorin was relieved at first, until the aftershock of energy forced him down to 1 HP. The next initiative would decide his fate, 4! (GS). So it was, with another invocation, that he finished the Patriarch off, forcing the old warrior to his knees where he collapsed to the ground. Thorin noticed the bronze and gold bracelet on the creature’s wrist, but heard the horde approaching in response to his two thunderous blasts. He decided to cut his losses and drag Hallow to the gate. He went hard and fast, but the gate was on the other side. To his luck, he successfully arrived at the barricaded gate where he attempted to yell and bang on the door, but he was too weak and out of breath to do much of either. It took several attempts (and no more random encounters) before one of the guards on duty heard and recognized him. Turns out his lucky streak continued as Richard was working a graveyard shift tonight (poor guy).
The door finally opened as Thorin's vision faded. A few hours later (around midnight), the two had awakened and were being nursed back to health within the church. The priest had patched up and cleaned their wounds, as well as offered several prayers. They updated him on the situation, noting their belief that the evil is coming from the center of the graveyard, and that there are indeed undead roaming around (up until now it was just speculation). With that, he gave them an escort back to their rooms at the Tankard and that was the session’s end.
Rewards
I flipped through so many pages rolling up and making random calls, estimated odds with zero idea of what to do, et al. I decided the Patriarch’s personal belongings had a 15% chance of being “lair treasure,” justifying it as part of his life’s collection that he had hidden with him (15, go figure). Since the group is so small, I let them do most of the rolls while I’m flipping around. It’s a bit of a cop out, but I think it keeps everyone engaged. The XP this session I’m honestly not even sure of. I took the statements at face value and will break it down here for the sake of disclosure.
Exploration: “Explore a dangerous city district, learn an important clue”; “Explore new section of adventure site”
Combat: “Survive an adventure” ; “Defeat significant foe”
Looting: “Obtain Carry Loot/Trinket” ; “Obtain valuables” ; “Obtaining Lair Treasure from creatures with HD approximate to party level”
Social: None
Total: 12 XP
236 GP
Pearl-coloured horn (and powder)
We ran over time a bit so I’ll need to touch base with Hallow and Thorin, but I believe both of them are going to be training (50gp, 1 week). Hallow may need more time or a strong investment due to her injury, but I’ll make a ruling on that sort of thing as time progresses.
Downtime
(Feb 20, 2023: DT took some getting used to, and how I originally wrote it up had a weird delay. Trying to fix it now)
Rebel(Sa): (Session 1) Spending time with James and learning about the Khairnite faith. (Session 2) Carousing, Henchmen Recruitment.
Arken Varsay(Pa): (Session 1) Studying the Infused Rat Fangs. (Session 2) Created a potion to resist mind-affecting spells and powers. (Session 2) Gifted the "Unicorn Horn" found during the session (via Hallow), beginning research into it.
Thorin(Pa): Training to Lv2.
Hallow(Sh):Recovering from injuries and shopping.
No comments:
Post a Comment