Skystone Subterrane aka The First Dungeon Adventure

I was challenged by the Living Urf Gaming Club to shut my mouth and run something. Big Mike laid down the command that it be in September, and even offered the sweet deal of a Wish for completion of the task. Since the idea I had in my head involved the full moon, I found my deadline looming ever closer. What's worse? I was dealing with spider bites that lead to a pretty bad infection. We persevere!

The Skystone

 “We know little of the Skystone. It appeared during a storm in the new moon, and remote viewings have revealed windmills across its southern edge. No contact has been received for whatever inhabitants may dwell there, but it has drawn the interest of astrologers and druids due to a strange phenomenon. On moonlit nights, a shimmering stair can be seen connecting the Skystone with our own lands, though attempts to ascend it these past weeks have been for naught. Soon the moon waxes full and we shall see if my own theory holds. If so, this expedition may be worth a shift in my own research.” – From the notes of Magister Marcus the Mad.

Big Mike gave me a lot of freedom in the setup; I could choose the theme and design without worrying overmuch about the current Urf milieu. Moreover, I added a request that any PCs across the campaigns have access to it. This offered the opportunity for convergence and permanence, and avoided the "one shot" situation. No one shots! Campaign only!

A Year's Walk

While I had been watching the BROSR for some years, it wasn't until a little less than a year ago that I decided to step forward and get involved. It started with BrozerDiceless, and I was later invited to the BROXT, a veritable training ground for Bros and means of continuing to build from the legacy of Jeffro et al. At that same time, I snuck into the Living Urf Gaming Club when a certain someone posted the link publicly. Whether it was Appendix N Reports, Wargaming for friends' Campaigns, or posting After Action Reports, I've had more fun this last year compared to all but a handful of years gaming in the past. I've barely scratched the surface, and as many others before me, I deal with my own ego and struggle to learn.

Reading

I've said before, but much of my reading is done during downtime at work (if I have any). I've discovered that this lends itself to simpler or more straightforward writers. 

While I love Dunsany, he's easier to read when I'm relaxing at home than half-distracted at work (Recommend: Chronicles of Shadow Valley). Moreover, lighter novels and short stories are top tier. Cirsova Magazines have carried me through many shifts, as have Solomon Kane's short stories and pretty much anything by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

I am still expanding my collection via used bookstores, but have barely scratched the surface of Appendix N's offerings. This became more apparent after I joined the Living Urf because of how varied their games are; from AD&D in a viking milieu to NotAmber to Traveller and the Wild West in Boothill. The energy level is enormous and I frankly cannot keep up with everything. It is nonetheless wonderful to know I've got a group I can lean on to discover new things.

Gaming

Since I joined the Living Urf Gaming Club, all of my tabletop time has been spent on games within the club. It started with 0e D&D with Chainmail and a Boot Hill Braunstein (Norazona), and soon spread out to AD&D in Bloodfall and Svarthold (now Svartalfheim). These games became the source of my write-ups for the recent BROmerican tournament within the BROXT; but what stands out most are the lessons I've learned.

I've said in the past that ACKS II hits my sweet spot, but it is easy to get stuck in the weeds. As I play and learn more about AD&D (slow as I am), I discover how different the design ethos really is. Other Bros, especially Bdubs, are way ahead! For myself, I am seeing the benefit to maintaining certain things in the abstract, alongside the value of weekly or monthly management. I've learned that Playing the Game is by far the most important factor in all of this, and the more everyone gets bogged down in minutia, the less game there is to play. Perhaps that is phrased incorrectly so let me try again: Scalability is important, especially in a Clubhouse and moreso for Real D&D. I have faith that this can be done within the ACKS framework, but how much work would it take?

Beyond the systems conflict, there is something I want to see come to fruition in the future: The Real Clubhouse. It is one thing to talk about many tables playing in the same world, news from various parties spreading and a Living World in which many actors compete under a fog of war (Braunstein!). It is another to execute on it. The Living Urf Gaming Club fills me with hope, and the work everyone is putting in only makes me more excited to see where things are in the coming year. 

I recently wrote an AAR with thank yous to a pair of game masters I've been playing under, but I want to extend that to everyone I've played with this year. Thank you for running great games, for pushing the bounds and educating me, and most of all for creating a space for a simple man like me.

Credit Where Due and Starting Anew

 Roll Credits

My last couple of posts have been rather grounded, and I have to admit to trying to see the positive in them despite my own feelings. I've said before that RealD&D hits harder than any conventional table's poorly play-acted drama; it is wholly unlike emotionally stunted adults and their parasocial audience. RealD&D, real emotions, real respect, real bonds.

Our final session of Svarthold/Gulleyja was a proper finale. Our group was out of time, Gulleyja and all we loved (or invested in) was about to be swallowed by the ocean tides; stolen by strange mecha-dwarves! Now was the time for action. To take back, in game and out, what is OURS!

Dealing With Disappointment

Bloodfall Bust 

I mentioned at the end of the last post that the coming Bloodfall session was ripe with opportunity. Thorgal's plan to exact vengeance on Kirk's behalf was inspiring! However, just like Appendix N, not everything goes according to plan.

I wish I could tell a tale of righteous flame consuming soulless elven heathens. I wish could talk about the way the dastardly ambushers tried and failed to strike down our glorious viking forces! It is not to be.

Elfless

We fumbled the ball. There was a miscommunication on who was running the show (lack of leadership/calls), what resources were available, and other details. This was not helped by my own rolling of an Elf in the "session where we kill the elves."

Expectations and Responsibilities: The Ebb and Flow of RealD&D

 Last week I talked about a small, but specific instance of play involving RealD&D, TNB, and the FoW. The response within the Urf clubhouse was mixed: lots of elbow nudging and "you got me good" with a few "this might as well be cheating." There were frustrations and miscommunications; everyone is invested in our games. What sets Urf apart from the conventional is Brotherhood. Lines were drawn, expectations managed, and none of it is personal! The health of the Campaign(s) and Club are paramount!

Unfortunately, events that transpired right after that post left Stanson in an odd spot. That's a possible discussion for another time.

Ebb and Flow

It's a lot of fun to talk about the high points in a game and build excitement, but those highs would not exist without the lows: the Ebb and Flow of RealD&D. Some sessions are fairly by-the-numbers affairs; hit a dungeon, hit a lair, do some exploration. What sets the Real apart from the Fake is the mindset. Why are you aiming for that score? What will you do once you have it? The leveling treadmill can only be satisfying for so long, and nobody cares about how you gained 3 HP (or are stuck at Lv3)!

RealD&D, Total NonStop Braunstein, and the Fog of War

Point of Order

Interested in cutting edge gaming, clubhouses, and brotherhood? Now's your chance to show off your tenacity and join the BroXT.

You'll notice the challenge is writing After Action Reports (formerly Session Reports). If you want an example of what not to do, just look at most of my write-ups: long, excess play by plays with little of substance that would interest anyone but maybe the players. They were good practice and got me into the habit of scheduling time to write, but that's about it.

What should the purpose of an AAR be then? Thoughts, even simple ones. Did you like the game? How was the experience? Any pitfalls or frustrations? These are the pieces that drive the discussion and experiments that lead to better gaming. For myself, I've found that I can't be assed to write anything up unless I feel like I have something to say; and that was true of the current challenge until today.

RealD&D, TNB, FoW

My commute to and from work takes about 40 minutes; that's a lot of time to ponder and listen to music. I got to thinking about my last few months playing with the Living Urf Gaming Club, stumbling through AD&D, and the variety of different skillsets and interests the club brings forth. Specifically, I got to pondering what I could even say about my recent games (Bloodfall and Svarthold being the primary two) that anyone would find valuable. Or Hell, that I even had a strong opinion on. That's when it hit me.

In my time in Bloodfall, I've hit TNB hard. Kirk of Forseti (Cleric 3; yes still 3) has been as involved in Bloodfall's political situation as he could be. The discovery of a Golden Idol with Plant Growth or whatever was the first big point of conflict: lots of gold and XP or tilt the scales for those vying for leadership and earn favors? This lead to Kirk wrestling a Dwarven Fighter to settle the dispute of the sale... and he won! This was the catalyst that eventually lead to the Siege of Bloodfall. 

IDDR: Shagduk & Ursula of Ulm

I Don't Do Reviews

I've gone from not reading to exploratory reading over the last couple years. I don't have the skill, vocabulary, or experience to write reviews beyond "This was fun" or "Yo, that was pretty cool." Call it a lack of communication skills. Nonetheless, I do like to log my experiences from time to time- typically a result of recommendations or circles I've stepped into.

With that said, before Jeffro Johnson (of BroSR and Dancing fame) disappeared, one of his must-reads was Shagduk. Having received it for Christmas, I was hit with a suggestion to read each entry day-to-day as the novel is written as a diary. This suited my schedule and added a fun layer since the books' (Shagduk and its sequel) focus on the Occult.

Quest Accepted

BroXT: Sons of Loki

 A new challenge has been issued! We are to make a mid-level faction for Braunstein potential and intent on dropping it into a RealD&D campaign (Living Urf, Bloodfall). You can find the rules over on BDubs blog if you, too, want to give it a try!

I've been learning AD&D alongside the Bros in Bloodfall, a Norse-inspired game with your classic town + dungeon starting setup. I've had a lot of fun seeing how things shake out, and Brigadine is doing solid work. I even had the chance to wrestle a Dwarven Fighter for the right to sell a golden statue! Holmgang! 

While the challenge suggests leaning on Appendix N for inspiration, and I do have some ideas I want to try on that front, I find myself more interested in the boots on the ground. I've already got the pieces lying about from previous challenges so why not use them?

BroXT: A Final Assignment From the Man Himself

During one of the previous BroXT challenges, Jeffro left the fields we know and passed across the veil to Elfland. Prior to his departure, however, he had assigned me one last piece of reading. It has taken some time to get to it between my Gods of Pegana order being cancelled, Shagduk daily reading (still truckin'!), and dealing with IRL responsibilities. I finally caught a break and powered through it!

Rumours say he's been sighted near the standing stones during the full moon.

The Dragon Masters

 I've read very little of Vance's work; only a few short stories in Living Urf's required reading. Dragon Masters is what I think of when someone describes "80s Fantasy" to me: Monsters, Dragons, a variety of not-quite-human races all at war for dominance or survival in an alien landscape with armor, swords, lasers, and explosions!

Wolves of Vasquel: Song of Silver and Steel

 The Setup

Lord Blood, alpha of the werewolves, has been slain by his nemesis Marquess Ourdenarde! Ourdenarde did not, however, come away unscathed: Lord Blood left his calling card as rows of gashes in the man's shoulder and torso. As the wolves lead by Blood make their retreat, the Marquess is faced with a decision: become a creature of the night, or die as a man.

Ourdenarde rallies his fastest horsemen to pursue the wolves and quickly takes stock of their remaining silvered weapons: a few quivers of arrows, a handful of daggers, and his own trusty blade. "This shall serve." Prior to their departure, an advisor informs Ourdenarde that Lord Blood's second in command may hold the key to preventing his transformation. Is this hope?

 This scenario, somewhat embellished by myself and @bluehosscat, was provided by Mighty Urf of the Living Urf Gaming Club for use in the BroXT.

Legacy of Adventure: The Fortress Unvanquishable, Save for Sacnoth

Sowing the Seeds

Lord Dunsany has many wonderful writings, my favorite so far being the Chronicles of Shadow Valley. His works are rife with dreamlike imagery and strange magic, a cascade of imagination and inspiration. Don't believe me? Check out the chapter in the Chronicles where Rodriguez meets a wizard, sees the horror of humanity's future, and nearly loses his life to the cosmos! Alas, I'm here to talk about D&D; and with it The Fortress Unvanquishable.

Taken down by a man with a will and magic sword.

The adventure begins as many do with a legend about the atrocities suffered by villagers at the hand of an ancient wizard, and a prophecy on how to end it. Our hero, Leothric, steps up to fulfill the first part of the prophecy by taking on a mechanical dragon-croc whose spine contains a legendary sword: Sacnoth (the adventure setting is probably Australia). Its weakness? Getting booped in its snoot made of lead for three days and starving to death. This first test is one of endurance, as Leothric fights for three sleepless days against the man-eater.

The dragon-crocs' carcass is smelted and eyes harvested; Sacnoth must be sharpened in both blade and sight. The instincts of this semi-mindless blade provide Leothric the guidance needed to navigate the dangerous marsh that hides the wizard Gaznak, leading us to the Fortress proper.

In true Dunsany fashion, this fortress is a work of wonder, both inside and out; immense metal doors only Sacnoth can hack through, tall halls filled with unseen vampires and other horrors, a talking monstrous spider, decadent princes and queens, inhuman concubines that attempt to prey on Leothric's good will, and mechanical dragon-like servitors to spare. Even Gaznak himself is a dreamhaze horror. Despite all the obstacles, Leothric pushes through and finally ends the wizard's dream.

A final note leaves us with the rumour that there was never any Leothric, Wizard, or Fortress; it was all some fever dream. Perhaps the weaver of the tale was Gaznak himself?

Plentiful Harvest

While this is only a single piece of Lord Dunsany's work, it is rife with adventure material used and re-used through years of D&D and its derivatives; ancient legends, horrific monsters, magical craftsmanship, temptations, and terrible wizards. It is myth made manifest.

The Power of Archetypes: Angel of Vengeance

Angel of Vengeance

I just finished reading the Savage Tales of Solomon Kane, a gift I received this past Christmas. I'm still new to the various Appendix N authors and slowly branching out as I find things from used bookstores (I prefer paper to digital), and Kane is right up my alley.

For real, buy it.

 

You see, my favorite book to date is the Count of Monte Cristo; a classic about loss, tenacity, and vengeance. Edmond Dantes is crafty, and you follow him through the layers of intrigue, setups, and payoffs until his enemies have received their just desserts. Kane, however, is more direct, animilistic, and primal. Howard describes near everything about Kane as inhuman: steel, iron, or wolf-like. Everything, that is, except his righteousness.

Rotvalan Reveries Ep23: Logistical Concerns

Run Date: November 24, 2024

PCs
Lysalia: Lv4 Witch
Francisco: Lv4 Fighter

Hench
Julius: Lv1 Fighter
Hurriya: Lv1 Explorer
Leighann: Lv1 Bladedancer
Phaoros: Lv1 Fighter
Dhaivol: Lv1 Ruinguard
Bellara: Lv2 Fighter

Logistical Concerns

This is hardly worth calling a session, but due diligence requires me to report it nonetheless.

The party, such as it was, had a couple wounded henchman. The thinning of the front line and general lack of numbers resulted in hesitation to venture out of town. Instead, the players discussed logistics and used the time to build up their core of information, connections, and adventure opportunities.

The first point of discussion was assisting Lysalia with building her repertoire to be more useful in combat scenarios. Given Rotval’s hatred of witches, this would be a difficult task. The group began by hitting up the cathedral and inquiring about available stock. The players rolled out the scrolls and spells, discovering that a “Monster Scroll” (22 spell levels) had a lot of things they wanted. Such an item was outside their current fund, but Francisco floated the idea that they may be able to pay for that single spell instead of the whole scroll. Would the church take such a deal?

Rotvalan Reveries Ep22: Opalescent Investments

Run Date: November 17, 2024

PCs
Lysalia: Lv4 Witch
Francisco: Lv4 Fighter

Hench
Julius: Blacksmith
Hurriya: Lv1 Explorer
Leighann: Lv1 Bladedancer
Dhaivol: Lv1 Ruinguard
Phaoros: Lv1 Fighter
Bellara: Lv2 Fighter

Foreword

This session used Sharpbone Opal Mine from the Delightful Dungeons Competition, a two-page dungeon project and competition to encourage the creation of smaller adventure sites useful for sandbox play. I used the hook of a Merchant who’d won the deed to the mine in a game of cards, but was unsure if it was even still viable or functioning. She put out a 100gp bounty to adventurers who’d head out there to recon, and potentially secure, the place. For the shrewd adventurer that demanded more, she offered a stake in the mine’s profits; once it got up and running again, of course.

Rotvalan Reveries Ep21: Semi-Solo Play

 Run Date: October 27, 2024

PCs
Lysalia: Lv3 Witch

Hench
Julius: Master Blacksmith
Hurriya: Lv1 Explorer
Leighann: Lv1 Bladedancer
Dhaivol: Lv1 Ruinguard

Semi-Solo Play

Only one player today. I left it up to Lysalia whether or not we’d run something or skip the night. We ended up running wilderness exploration and doing some stocking.

Lysalia set out from Rotval (the city) to explore a hook from a local merchant about an opal mine. The cash on offer was something like 100gp for information and clearing it out if there were issues, and a 10% stake in the mine. However, the merchant didn’t quite note its exact location.

Rotvalan Reveries Ep20: Not So Double Header

Run Date: October 13, 2024

PCs
Lysalia: Lv3 Witch
Francisco: Lv4 Fighter

Hench
Bellara: Lv2 Fighter
Julius: Master Blacksmith
Hurriya: Lv1 Explorer
(Leighann: Lv1 Bladedancer)
(Dhaivol: Lv1 Ruinguard)

Not So Double Header

Francisco and Lysalia decided to redouble their efforts and return to the Whispering Cave to delve proper. They ran against several walls during their previous trip and hoped no more obstacles would have popped up. The trip out was overall uneventful and the party arrived at the dungeon ready to hit it. Francisco had sketched a paper map and was ready to navigate (this lead to a later conflict since I was trying to convert the map to something usable in Owlbear).

The party descended into the entry chamber where Francisco opened the way via snake-neck lever. He followed down the bear hall and skipped the miniature well inside the room. What followed was a desire to complete some loops and fill gaps in his map. This lead him through a long series of hallways and back toward the bramble or thorn door. Upon proper examination, he deduced that bashing the door open would incur damage to himself (yes, even through his plates). He proceeded to smash the thorns flat with his magic hammer then kick it down.

BroXT Jan 9: The Champ Throws Down the Gauntlet

 

It wouldn't be a trial by fire without someone throwing on some gas.

The current BroXT champ, Crom, was unhappy with the narrow offerings being put forth for the Appendix N King of the Ring challenge! "Why is everything Conan?" As such, he gave us a proper lashing and demanded we do better! So much so that he began handing out assignments. I've said it before, but this man deserves his belt; he believes in us and demands nothing less. Can we believe in the him that believes in us?

My assignment was Leigh Brackett's Vanishing Venusians. I had purchased and read the Illustrated Stark last year and loved Brackett's writing; especially her take on Venus (Enchantress of Venus). Her writing is evocative, even to someone as illiterate as myself, and full of pieces you can steal for adventure sites and dungeons. Vanishing Venusians was no different.

The story introduces us to a veritable ark of humans looking for a promised land. They roll through the deep underseas of rot and mist that make up this version of Venus in the hopes of seeing the sun again. The grim present is often contrasted with the beautiful, heavenly past of the elder and experienced "adventurer" Harker. He's lost nearly all hope, but sometimes dreams of what was. Poor guy.

When the ark comes across a new swampland with high, dangerous cliffs, Harker breaks from the stagnation and offers to hunt down the plateau. A pair of men join him in his endeavour; a strongman fighter and a younger man at the edge of hope. This latter man has an incoming child and a strong personal drive to find a better life for him.

All this is a simple setup for the real meat of the story which takes the trio through the dense and horrible upper clouds of Venus into "another world." They wander dark caves, relying on simple weaponry and tenacity to push through a horde of plant-fish men just to find a beautiful paradise with a dark secret. Brackett makes ample use of contrast to manage tension while offering small clues and insights into just how alien and dangerous even the seeming brighter areas of Venus can be. Crom gave a solid recommendation here.

To be honest, I feel I've missed the mark and had too narrow a view on the Challenge. I'm not really the one to come to for elevated thoughts or deep conversation. What I can say is that I've done more reading the last year or so than I have the last decade, and the antecedents that inspired D&D have so much on offer that don't rely on waiting 100 years for Book 2. I have to wonder, did Gygax and the Old Guard feel the same excitement when they read about these strange worlds? How did they feel when Rodriguez nearly lost his life in the tower of a Wizard?

BroXT Jan 9: Sparks of Inspiration

The Challenge

You ever read something and think, "Man, I'd like to adventure there" or "I could plop this into my game!"? It turns out that I've had that come up twice! The first with Scarlet Citadel and the second with Moon of Skulls (Both by Robert E Howard).

The skinny of Scarlet Citadel is that King Conan is lured into a trap and chucked into a dungeon connected to the underworld. In it, Conan must escape among hellish fears and grotesque abominations created by an evil Sorcerer. If you ever have need of an antagonist or need help understanding Dungeon as Underworld, this is the story for you.

On the flipside, you have Moon of Skulls which takes the crusader Solomon Kane into the halls of an ancient race in search of his friend's daughter. Kane scales a sheer cliff-face, ventures into black caves, and wanders through lost passages while avoiding death at the hands of the fanatical, bloodthirsty residents.

Each stands on its own as a seed for adventure. Moon of Skulls features mix-raced madmen consumed by bloodthirst, their leader, Kane, a lore dumping Atlantean, and our damsel. Scarlet Citadel has several traitors, but our Sorcerer and his playthings are the real meat. What if I tried to turn them into an adventure site?

The Scarlet City

A mountain of scarlet floats atop the canopies of a great jungle, its peaks casting long, cold daggers toward the horizon. Where there is shadow, untold horrors await.

Short and simple. Our floating mountain is surrounded by deep ravines with only a narrow bridge giving access. We'll populate jungles with abominations ala Scarlet Citadel; reskin or add some simple powers to already existing monsters for simplicity (in ACKS II, just borrow some abilities from the MM). Limit their movements to the shadow of the mountain and you've got time pressure; but crossing the jungle is only the first obstacle.

A narrow stone bridge is the only obvious entrance, but in Kane's case, he stumbled upon an unseen cave that followed one of the many lost secret tunnels. This is already a natural hazard, and could serve as a means of skirting around a defensible front gate; but let's borrow a bit from Citadel and add more entrances, winding paths, and a prison for failed experiments! Oh, and the well to the Underworld. Gotta give adventurers opportunity to take risks for great rewards, right?

What about the city itself? Factions! The Tigress and her half-bloods venture out for slaves and "product" and relish in the tortures Master Sorcerer commits to the hapless victims while searching for Atlantean secrets. Meanwhile, the Ageless Antlantean Sages use their knowledge of the secret tunnels to evade capture and execution, while using their own dark magics to create or possess their own allies, perhaps through some psychic prowess. Is that why the abominations go mad? What about the Dark God from Moon of Skulls? Remember our Well to Hell? He's itching to make a deal and break his chains.

Rotvalan Reveries Ep19: Walls

 Run Date: October 6, 2024

PCs
Vakara: Lv3 Thief
Lysalia: Lv3 Witch
Francisco: Lv3 Fighter

Hench
Hurriya: Lv1 Explorer
Rannulfr: Lv0 Master Blacksmith
Bellara (Belly): Lv2 Fighter

Walls

I’ve received feedback in the past regarding a united visual for players to communicate, map, etc so we spent some time playing with Owlbear Rodeo this session. One of the ACKS II stretch goals was a module for Foundry VTT, but I don’t own it. Maybe if it goes on sale I’ll give it a try and write some notes on our experience there.

The session began with Vakara joining the party; called by the distant ashes of a Heroic Funeral or something. Francisco then recommended grabbing a few henchmen and heading back out to the Whispering Cave to see what else they could squeeze out of it. On their way out, they passed some pilgrims and discovered the corpse of a dead boar. The latter was in a poor state from scavengers and it was difficult to judge if it was killed by another chupatoro (or whatever the boar version is).

Rotvalan Reveries Ep18: Zero Prep: Legend of the Chupatoro

 Run Date: September 29, 2024

PCs
Lysalia: Lv2 Witch
Francisco: Lv2 Fighter
Lorelei: Lv1 Explorer

Hench
None

Zero Prep: Legend of the Chupatoro

Unsure of what Helena was planning for her week, the party decided to remain near Rotval (the city) and find other work. We talked a while and I mentioned that there wasn’t any real hooks developed for this area of the map. I asked what sort of things the players wanted to get up to and they settled on a simple dungeon crawl and a bit of work. From this, I tried to create a mental work flow forward.

Background on myself: Previous to lockdowns and picking up ACKS, I had run 5e for my FLGS for some 6+ years. The nature of a public table requires a level of flexibility and I had gotten used to having broad-strokes laid out and building from them. I am not skilled nor practiced in creating things whole-cloth, nor considering all the semi-pedantic facets in-play. With that in mind, I had each player throw out details that I then stacked together into a concept/motif/theme. While they were making their preparations, I hunted down a random map from the internet, plopped down the POI on the map, and we got to it.