GM Elle: Okay, you've got 2 live prisoners and 4 dead bandits, for a total of 5 non-broken shortswords and 6 shortbows, plus 6 quivers. The leader also has 12 silvers on him. I'm pretty sure you're all loaded up close to max encumbrance, so what are you going to do with it all?
MSG: Well, as far as I can tell from the rules, once you're past your encumbrance limit, there's basically no upper cap on how much you can carry. You just have to roll a Strength check every shift to make progress. So I say we just heap all the extras on Dolora and Sir Q, since they're not likely to fail the checks.
Claire: Really? You can carry unlimited weight if you make your roll?
GM Elle: I think he's right. I dug around and couldn't find anything else about it. It kind of makes sense, though, because the encumbrance rules are pretty restrictive in this game as far as your ordinary load goes.
MSG: Before we load up and get ready, though, do we want to do a Stretch Rest?
Claire: I'm only down the two WP, so it would be kind of a waste for me.
Ariel: Fidu definitely wants to rest.
Sasha: Really? You didn't get hit and I don't remember you using any special abilities.
Akane: It's the slothfulness. I recall this about our merchant.
Sasha: Right. Not sure why I didn't!
Akane: Zedeja demands we rest due to her depletion of willpower. Unacceptable to have so few points for magicking!
Hettie: Dilfriida took a hit and used her Backstabbing, so I'm game to rest.
Akane: Why is there still discussion? Zedeja's opinion is known!
GM Elle: Sounds like anyone who wants to can do a Stretch Rest.
Claire: I'll watch the prisoners and Lightning Flash them if they try to make a break for it.
Sasha: Quackenscrump's back up to full.
Akane: Bah. Only 1 recuperated WP for Zedeja.
Hettie: I'm back to max.
MSG: Me too.
Ariel: Fidu wishes you would be quiet while he's napping.
Sasha: Sorry, Barky, but it's time to go.
Akane: Yes! Onward to the camp of bandits!
GM Elle: The bandits lead you down the pass and eastward along the foot of the mountains, following what seems to be a game trail. It winds about and turns upslope toward an outcropping where several immense boulders jut from the side of a foothill. "That's it there," says one of the bandits. "Right between those rocks there's a cave we've been holed up in."
MSG: I'm doing a Bushcraft roll to make sure I know how to find my way back along the trail. I succeed on a 2.
Claire: Right! Knowledge! Me too! Grr, though, I roll 18.
Ariel: I'm going to ask the bandits if there's any other bandits waiting in the cave we'll have to fight. If there are, there'd better be a lot of loot for me to go to the effort of climbing up there and killing them.
GM Elle: I'm rolling ... not necessarily because they're Bluffing, but because if I don't roll, you'll know they're not Bluffing. As far as you can tell, they're being honest when they say there are no other bandits.
Ariel: How about treasure?
GM Elle: They say they've scored some trade goods off a few travelers. Not enough to retire on or anything, but a decent amount.
MSG: I just want to know how it feels to have more than the four silvers I've got in my pocket.
Claire: If you find out, you need to tell me, because I have exactly four silvers too.
Ariel: Ooh! I just had an idea! If you guys stand right here with all the treasure you've got, which I know isn't a ton, then I can go halfway between you and the cave and use my "Treasure Hunter" ability to sense which direction it is to the greatest treasure! If it points me toward you guys, then we know there's not much in the cave.
Sasha: What if this hunk of statue we've got is worth a ton, though? The poisoned dude in the cloak seemed to think it was super important.
Ariel: Oh. I didn't think of that.
GM Elle: Keep in mind that even if their loot is only worth half what yours is, that would still be fifty percent more wealth than you've got now.
Ariel: This power is starting to sound very math-y. I'm not sure I really wanted to take it after all.
Akane: Possibly await some real crossroads, not create one in a scheme-ish way.
GM Elle: So. What's the group going to do, then?
Akane: Investigate! Why did these bandits bring us here, if we do not go in and take their treasure!
Hettie: Dilfriida is okay with your suggestion for once, Zedeja.
MSG: So just walk right up then? We could be heading into another ambush.
Claire: Make the prisoners go in front so we've got some cover. Have we tied their hands yet? We should tie their hands.
Hettie: I've got rope. Do I need to roll something?
GM Elle: I think Seamanship and Bushcraft would both apply to rope use. And Sleight of Hand is used for anything that requires fine motor skills. Tying knots would count, I'd say.
Hettie: That one. Bingo. I roll a success with a 13.
GM Elle: They are now well tied.
Akane: Lead us, bound ones! And don't stoop! Stand tall to block any arrows from your bandit allies.
GM Elle: They grumble but move forward. The path gets narrow enough you'll have to go single file, though.
Sasha: Quackenscrump will take the lead if someone behind him can hold these scoundrels' leash.
MSG: I can do that.
GM Elle: All right. As the trail winds its way up toward the boulders, the trees nearby sometimes block the view, and sometimes let you see clearly. Eventually, you round the shoulder of the hill and are high enough to see the opening to the cave, and a more-or-less level patch of earth in front of it.
Akane: Some bushcrafter should check this earth! Are there tracks of recent banditry passage? Wild animals going in and out from this cave?
Sasha: Or monsters, don't forget.
Ariel: Can someone else do it? I'm beat from all this hiking.
MSG: So you're beat about the Bushcraft?
GM Elle: Oof. New experience question for tonight, "Did you make an ungodly bad pun?" If you say yes you have to subtract a mark.
MSG: Oh, whatever. I'll check for tracks since I definitely want to get some knowledge of whatever's in the cave. Eek, that's a Demon.
Claire: Free mark, at least!
GM Elle: I'm going to say while you're peering at the ground for tracks, you overlook a rock and trip on it spectacularly, then desperately and ridiculously struggle to keep your footing and not do a faceplant, which you ultimately fail at.
Claire: Filvius tells Dolora he'll be happy to share the knowledge of how hilarious that was with her.
Ariel: I got even more tired just looking at it.
Akane: Get up, Bushcrafter! What is your report?
MSG: I guess I'll stand up and say nothing more damaged than my pride, and that I didn't see any tracks. All in all, I'll take that kind of Demon roll over the combat ones any day.
GM Elle: You say that now, but at this point I have to tell you that your staggering tomfoolery has drawn a bear out of the cave, and you distracted everyone so much it gets the first initiative card.
MSG: Great. And I draw the 10.
Claire: 6.
Ariel: 7.
Sasha: 2.
Akane: 8.
Hettie: 4.
GM Elle: And the bandits go on 9. By the way, Dolora is still holding their leash, since you didn't say you handed it off to anyone. The bear hits. Are you trying to dodge or parry?
MSG: I don't think I can parry because my club is a two-handed weapon and I've got the rope in my free hand. I do evade though, with a 10.
Sasha: I'm on 2, so I'll rush up and try to broadsword it. Hit! 14 points of damage!
GM Elle: That was a pretty good whack. It looks seriously hurt.
Hettie: Dilfriida's just going to move over adjacent to the bandits, get her knife out, and warn them not to try to escape. "And don't even look at me funny, or I'll gut you!"
Claire: I can't really Lightning Flash it because the extra bolt would hit Dolora or Sir Q, so I'll just hang back and see if anyone ends up needing a heal.
Ariel: I kinda don't want to fight a bear that was probably just getting a needed nap before Dolora's klutzing around woke it up. I'll let the big tough characters handle it at least for now.
Akane: Zedeja has a sling. Can I move to here and cast my stone without a bane for allies impeding my aim?
GM Elle: That's a decent angle, and the bear's pretty big. Go for it.
Akane: 13. Exactly my Slings number since improvement. d8 and d4 bonus die makes ... 7 damage points.
GM Elle: Your rock goes right through its eye and into the brain. With a bestial groan, it falls dead to the ground. The bandits have their turn next, but they definitely don't want to cross you guys any further, so they stay put.
MSG: I guess if a bear was in there, it means there aren't any more bandits, at least.
GM Elle: Nope. The cave is uninhabited now. Inside, you find six sleeping furs, four intact backpacks, one pack that looks like the bear tore into it to eat a bunch of rations that were there, and one treasure card's worth of goodies. Who's checking through this stuff?
MSG: I will.
Claire: Filvius too.
Ariel: Normally I'd be lazy about it, but my treasure hunting instincts won't let me, so I'll look too.
Sasha: Sir Q is keeping an eye on the bandits.
Akane: Zedeja also.
Hettie: Dilfriida won't pass up a chance to look for goodies.
GM Elle: Okay, I'm rolling a d4 ... 2. Claire, roll Evade.
Claire: I don't like the sound of that! 9 is a success, though.
GM Elle: You find a poison dagger under one of the packs and barely avoid cutting yourself.
Claire: Can I tell what kind of poison it is?
GM Elle: Sure, with a Healing roll.
Claire: Dragon! Sweet!
GM Elle: Without the Dragon I'd probably just give you the type, but your eye is keen enough in this case to determine that it's potency 12 sleeping poison.
Claire: I'll ask if Dilfriida wants it, since she broke one of hers.
Hettie: Dilfriida will gladly but carefully accept it.
GM Elle: Scattered through the rest of the packs, the group finds 4 additional gold pieces worth of sundries.
MSG: Just 4 gold? Not enough to retire on is right.
Claire: Not enough to fight over either, but with only 4 backpacks, how are we going to decide who gets one? They add an extra 2 items to your encumbrance limit.
Ariel: I've already got one, darn it, or for sure I'd call dibs.
MSG: Honestly, Dolora is strong enough she doesn't think she needs one. Even overloaded, she's really unlikely to blow her Strength check for a shift.
Claire: That's one for each of the rest of us, then. Great!
GM Elle: The bandits ask if you can let them go since they led you to their hideout and you're taking all their stuff.
MSG: I ask them dourly if they really want to be left alone and wounded in the wilderness unarmed.
GM Elle: Put that way, they say no. But they ask if you can at least not turn them in once you all get to Outskirt. They promise to put their bandit days behind them, and they'll be glad to lead the way for you, since they know where it is.
MSG: Is one of these guys that rat-faced leader?
GM Elle: Yes.
MSG: Then I'll tell them we definitely won't turn them in if they help us get to Outskirt. My Bluffing roll is ... another Dragon!
Claire: We seem to be racking those up tonight.
Ariel: I'm not.
Sasha: Oh, just uncross your arms, would you? If you keep not doing anything you're going to keep not rolling any Dragons, right?
GM Elle: Sash has a point there, babe.
Ariel: But I really want to play my character!
Hettie: I just feel a need to point out here that you don't have to play your weakness every second of every scene we get ourselves into. That extra experience mark is just for giving in to your weakness at least once.
GM Elle: Het, also, has a point, Aers.
Ariel: Well ... okay.
GM Elle: Now, if you head back in the direction of Outskirt, the bandits say, it should be about a day's march to get there.
MSG: What was that die roll for?
GM Elle: Don't worry about it.
Akane: Probably just a roll for randomly encountering things, boyfriend.
GM Elle: No, but speaking of that, it's time for me to make exactly that kind of roll. And ... nothing happens for your first shift.
Akane: Wait! Before it's a full shift, oldster Zedeja insists -- time for a break!
Ariel: Fidu immediately agrees. Can I try Bushcraft to look for a comfy stump or a nice soft swatch of grass to sit on?
Sasha: That seems like a pretty brazen attempt to get in some die rolls.
GM Elle: The GM will allow it. Always a chance she'll roll a Demon and something delightfully awful will happen.
Ariel: Oh. I didn't think about that.
Sasha: Too late! Roll it!
Ariel: Fine! I roll an 11, and my Bushcraft is a 12.
GM Elle: You find a fallen log that's not yet too rotten to support your weight.
MSG: I guess we're doing a stretch rest then?
Claire: Looks like. Since I'm an elf, I can meditate and roll 2d6 instead of 1 for the WP I get back, so I'm back at full without having to roll it and see.
Akane: 6 for Zedeja! My capacity for great magic returns!
GM Elle: Anyone else doing anything special during this stretch rest?
MSG: I'll go back to looking at the map, since Filvius is zonked and can't look over my shoulder. Do I spot anything I haven't before?
GM Elle: Make a Myths and Legends roll.
MSG: 2.
GM Elle: Well, early on in the shift, you made it to a trail that more or less follows the ruins of an ancient road. There are occasional mileposts topped with the worn remnants of a stylized horned crown, which looks similar to some of the structures drawn along the roadside on the map. Knowing that there was supposedly a dragon emperor in these lands, you think the horns are likely meant to resemble dragon horns.
MSG: Great, so at least we know this isn't a map of some other valley entirely.
Sasha: Sir Q will chat a little with these bandits. Ask them if they know about any monsters in the area, for instance.
GM Elle: The underling asks if ghosts count as monsters.
Sasha: I'm counting them, absolutely.
GM Elle: Then he tells a tale of village in the northeast, once ruled by a sorcerer. The sorcerer betrayed the dragon emperor, and the whole place was burnt in dragon fire as punishment.
Ariel: That sounds kind of awful and overkill-y, burning the whole village when the sorcerer was the one who misbehaved.
GM Elle: Dragon emperors aren't always the most restrained types, apparently. At any rate, the bandit says the sorcerer's tower still stands there, supposedly haunted by his ghost. He says there are lots of treasures there, but everyone who tries to find them dies.
Sasha: I tell them, "Sounds like the place needs a good de-ghosting!" and I smack the hilt of my sword for good measure.
GM Elle: The rat-faced guy sees you seeming to approve of the story, so he hastily butts in and starts talking about an island of mists in the far north of the valley where there's also supposed to be treasure beyond imagining. But the demonic mists there burn the flesh of anyone trying to get too close.
MSG: Hmm. Here's a lake with an island in it that looks pretty northerly. And here's a village up in the northeast. Does that look like a tower to you? It's so small, I can't quite tell.
Claire: I'm oblivious to the world in my meditation.
GM Elle: Okay, if that's it for the stretch rest, then, you resume your march for the next shift. This time I do roll an encounter on the die. Coming in from a side road, you see three beat-up-looking adventurer types. There's a stealthy-looking human, a wolfkin warrior, and a mallard in robes with a staff. They hail you and ask if they can travel the rest of the way into Outskirt with you.
MSG: Dolora tells them we're not looking for more party members, if that's what they mean.
GM Elle: They say they aren't at all interested in going out for more adventures for a while. Their team went somewhere called Dead Eyes Cave, which they heard a monstrous beast had crawled out of to attack a place called Blind Hildi's farm. On the way there, though, they encountered some vicious cultists they had to fight off, and once in the cave, the beast itself killed half their group. "Turned Vinge to stone, it did -- and slashed Uillis right up with its claws!" says the human. "We didn't find nary of the treasure we'd heard whispers of, but we called it a day before we'd plumbed the whole place. I'd avoid it if I were you."
Sasha: Sir Q says, "Nonsense! Wherever monsters show up, they need killing! Where exactly is this cave?"
GM Elle: The mallard steps in and smoothly says that his name is Gualdmond, and they'd be happy to provide you directions if you make it worth their while. "That way we wouldn't be coming back totally empty-handed."
Sasha: I tell him we're not all that loaded ourselves. But I do have this scimitar we took off the worg rider.
Akane: Stop! You have no permission to give away loot from the triumphs of our entire group!
Sasha: Well, obviously getting info on a monster's lair would be worth a lot to the group, right?
GM Elle: The mallard says they could provide you with more than just directions, in fact. They could advise you on the troubles they encountered so you'll be better prepared than they were. But he'd like at least one other thing the value of the scimitar. Two more would be better.
Sasha: How about a couple of short swords? We've got loads of those to spare.
Akane: What? Cease these offerings at once!
Hettie: Hey, you old bag, we're all tired of you bossing us around. How about if you shut up for once and let us at least hear what they say?
Akane: Bag! See if a bag heals you from your next wounding! (Zedeja will huff away for isolated fuming.)
MSG: Dolora isn't delighted about giving up loot, but she's also not delighted about either shrugging off their story of treasure or going after the treasure without good intel, so I'm okay with the deal.
Claire: I always want to know more. Filvius is down with it.
GM Elle: All right. When you fork over the scimitar and two short swords -- mark those off, by the way -- Gualdmond gets out a quill and some paper and sketches this rough map.
GM Elle: He tells you that the pit full of snakes marked on the map is mostly made up of plain snakes. But there are vipers in there too, and he recommends you take venom antidote with you if you go. The rock of the cave is also full of narrow fractures and tunnels or burrows that a person can't fit through. The monster seems to have no problem doing so, though. It attacked them once in the empty room to the west, then slithered off lightning fast when the mage got a good hit on it with a fire spell. Several of them were wounded, but they pressed on, and then a viper killed the elf in the lead, and they decided to fall back and find some poison antidote to return with. But on their way out, the monster attacked again and killed two more of them.
Ariel: And they didn't get anything out of that? Yikes! That sounds like a lot of work for nothing.
Sasha: Well, if we go we'll kill the monster, so it won't be for nothing for us.
Hettie: Can you ease up with the monster angle? It's starting to get on my nerves.
MSG: Okay, so I'm going to ask them to describe the monster and see if I can make a Beast Lore roll to figure out what it is and maybe some weakness it has.
Claire: Oh, is your Beast Lore pretty good?
MSG: No, it stinks. But even if I blow the roll, I'll be getting knowledge about the creature.
Claire: Well I'm listening too, and my Beast Lore is pretty good.
Ariel: What about Sir Quackenscrump?
Akane: Yes! If trading our goods for monstrous information, he should make use of his Beast Lore knowledge to our advantage!
Sasha: Sorry, my Beast Lore is the worst. Literally one of my worst skills.
Ariel: But ...
Sasha: I know what you're going to ask, and the answer is, "All I need to know is one thing. Where they are."
GM Elle: In response to your question, the adventurers say it looked like a bizarre cross between some kind of giant lizard and a rooster.
MSG: 14 for me against Beast Lore of 6.
Claire: 8 for me, and my skill is 12.
GM Elle: Filvius thinks it sounds like a basilisk. They're terrifying creatures that can breathe poison gas and turn you to stone by locking eyes with you.
Ariel: Wait, does that mean if they're in poison gas they can breathe it just fine, or --
GM Elle: Do you really need to ask that question?
Ariel: I was just trying to be an optimist.
Claire: Do I remember any weaknesses these things have?
GM Elle: Make another roll.
MSG: I'm rolling too, now that we know it's a basilisk.
Claire: I didn't say I identified it out loud yet. I roll a 6 this time.
GM Elle: Strangely, they are deathly afraid of chickens. If the stories you've heard are true, they won't attack anyone holding a chicken.
Claire: Weird, but okay. I'll tell everyone all this.
GM Elle: At the poison gas thing, the roguish human says he guesses they would have needed antidote even if there hadn't been snakes. The wolfkin says it didn't breathe any gas at them, so maybe Filvius doesn't know what he's talking about. The human counters with, "Or maybe we just ran before it had a chance to gas us." Then when you get to the chicken thing, all three of them just stare at you.
MSG: Do they have anything more to add, or can we skip ahead to the town?
GM Elle: I think we can safely skip. The wagon tracks and crumbling ancient road-stones give way to a paved road cutting through high grain fields. You can smell a thousand aromas of human habitation -- smoke, rotting vegetables, manure, freshly baked bread, grilled meat. The road leads to a settlement surrounded by a log pallisade, lots of small houses with smoking chimneys beyond the sharpened logs, and a high hill in the center of town with what looks like a weathered stone ruin from long ago atop it. It's late afternoon when you arrive, and the village gate is closed. Two low but sturdy towers flank it, flat-topped with crenellations. A voice calls down that you should halt and state your business. "This is a place of peace and decency ... if you're not of good character, begone back to the forest!"
MSG: I call out that they shouldn't worry, we're definitely of good character, and to prove it, we've brought these two criminals to turn in to whatever your local law enforcement is.
GM Elle: The bandits have been stumbling along tiredly, so I guess they're just now waking up to the fact that you haven't untied them yet. The rat-faced leader squawks and objects, saying you promised you wouldn't turn them in.
MSG: I reply that I may have told them very clearly that we wouldn't turn them in, but that's not the same thing as promising.
GM Elle: Rat-face yells up to the guy in the tower, "Did you hear that? He's admitting they're liars! You shouldn't let them in!" But Gualdmond vouches for you, and the guy in the tower seems to recognize the mallard. If you give your names, he lets you in.
MSG: Dolora.
Claire: Filvius Factsnacker, good sir!
Ariel: My name's Fidu.
Sasha: Sir Quackenscrump. You'll be hearing of me soon for all the monsters I've killed.
Akane: I am Zedeja of Mind.
Hettie: I give them my name, but I'm not super happy about it.
GM Elle: The town gates open and admit you to Outskirt. I'd say this is a good place to end the session. Ready for Experience Questions?
MSG: Definitely.
Claire: Yeppers.
Ariel: A thouszillion percent.
Sasha: Sure.
Akane: Ready and also eager.
Hettie: Me too.
GM Elle: Participation? Yes, everyone participated. Defeat a dangerous adversary? The bear went down pretty easy, but it was still dangerous, so yes. Explore a new location? I'll be generous and say the bandit cave counts. Solve a problem without violence?
Claire: Does figuring out how to prep for a basilisk fight count?
GM Elle: I'm on the fence about that, and I was on the fence about the cave, so I'll split the difference on this one and say no.
Sasha: It wasn't just picking up some facts, though -- we traded for that info and brought the three guys along with us for their safety.
GM Elle: Hmm. All right, I'm convinced. Or at least convinced enough. And everyone role-played their weaknesses, so it sounds like 5 marks each.
MSG: Nice!
GM Elle: I'll trust everybody to work out their advancement marks out of session. Are we good to go then?
Claire: Yep, good game!
Ariel: The best!
Akane: I think this will be unanimous in every game.
GM Elle: Thanks!
and thanks everybody out there for reading. until next time, then!
MSG: I guess we're doing a stretch rest then?
Claire: Looks like. Since I'm an elf, I can meditate and roll 2d6 instead of 1 for the WP I get back, so I'm back at full without having to roll it and see.
Akane: 6 for Zedeja! My capacity for great magic returns!
GM Elle: Anyone else doing anything special during this stretch rest?
MSG: I'll go back to looking at the map, since Filvius is zonked and can't look over my shoulder. Do I spot anything I haven't before?
GM Elle: Make a Myths and Legends roll.
MSG: 2.
GM Elle: Well, early on in the shift, you made it to a trail that more or less follows the ruins of an ancient road. There are occasional mileposts topped with the worn remnants of a stylized horned crown, which looks similar to some of the structures drawn along the roadside on the map. Knowing that there was supposedly a dragon emperor in these lands, you think the horns are likely meant to resemble dragon horns.
MSG: Great, so at least we know this isn't a map of some other valley entirely.
Sasha: Sir Q will chat a little with these bandits. Ask them if they know about any monsters in the area, for instance.
GM Elle: The underling asks if ghosts count as monsters.
Sasha: I'm counting them, absolutely.
GM Elle: Then he tells a tale of village in the northeast, once ruled by a sorcerer. The sorcerer betrayed the dragon emperor, and the whole place was burnt in dragon fire as punishment.
Ariel: That sounds kind of awful and overkill-y, burning the whole village when the sorcerer was the one who misbehaved.
GM Elle: Dragon emperors aren't always the most restrained types, apparently. At any rate, the bandit says the sorcerer's tower still stands there, supposedly haunted by his ghost. He says there are lots of treasures there, but everyone who tries to find them dies.
Sasha: I tell them, "Sounds like the place needs a good de-ghosting!" and I smack the hilt of my sword for good measure.
GM Elle: The rat-faced guy sees you seeming to approve of the story, so he hastily butts in and starts talking about an island of mists in the far north of the valley where there's also supposed to be treasure beyond imagining. But the demonic mists there burn the flesh of anyone trying to get too close.
MSG: Hmm. Here's a lake with an island in it that looks pretty northerly. And here's a village up in the northeast. Does that look like a tower to you? It's so small, I can't quite tell.
Claire: I'm oblivious to the world in my meditation.
GM Elle: Okay, if that's it for the stretch rest, then, you resume your march for the next shift. This time I do roll an encounter on the die. Coming in from a side road, you see three beat-up-looking adventurer types. There's a stealthy-looking human, a wolfkin warrior, and a mallard in robes with a staff. They hail you and ask if they can travel the rest of the way into Outskirt with you.
MSG: Dolora tells them we're not looking for more party members, if that's what they mean.
GM Elle: They say they aren't at all interested in going out for more adventures for a while. Their team went somewhere called Dead Eyes Cave, which they heard a monstrous beast had crawled out of to attack a place called Blind Hildi's farm. On the way there, though, they encountered some vicious cultists they had to fight off, and once in the cave, the beast itself killed half their group. "Turned Vinge to stone, it did -- and slashed Uillis right up with its claws!" says the human. "We didn't find nary of the treasure we'd heard whispers of, but we called it a day before we'd plumbed the whole place. I'd avoid it if I were you."
Sasha: Sir Q says, "Nonsense! Wherever monsters show up, they need killing! Where exactly is this cave?"
GM Elle: The mallard steps in and smoothly says that his name is Gualdmond, and they'd be happy to provide you directions if you make it worth their while. "That way we wouldn't be coming back totally empty-handed."
Sasha: I tell him we're not all that loaded ourselves. But I do have this scimitar we took off the worg rider.
Akane: Stop! You have no permission to give away loot from the triumphs of our entire group!
Sasha: Well, obviously getting info on a monster's lair would be worth a lot to the group, right?
GM Elle: The mallard says they could provide you with more than just directions, in fact. They could advise you on the troubles they encountered so you'll be better prepared than they were. But he'd like at least one other thing the value of the scimitar. Two more would be better.
Sasha: How about a couple of short swords? We've got loads of those to spare.
Akane: What? Cease these offerings at once!
Hettie: Hey, you old bag, we're all tired of you bossing us around. How about if you shut up for once and let us at least hear what they say?
Akane: Bag! See if a bag heals you from your next wounding! (Zedeja will huff away for isolated fuming.)
MSG: Dolora isn't delighted about giving up loot, but she's also not delighted about either shrugging off their story of treasure or going after the treasure without good intel, so I'm okay with the deal.
Claire: I always want to know more. Filvius is down with it.
GM Elle: All right. When you fork over the scimitar and two short swords -- mark those off, by the way -- Gualdmond gets out a quill and some paper and sketches this rough map.
GM Elle: He tells you that the pit full of snakes marked on the map is mostly made up of plain snakes. But there are vipers in there too, and he recommends you take venom antidote with you if you go. The rock of the cave is also full of narrow fractures and tunnels or burrows that a person can't fit through. The monster seems to have no problem doing so, though. It attacked them once in the empty room to the west, then slithered off lightning fast when the mage got a good hit on it with a fire spell. Several of them were wounded, but they pressed on, and then a viper killed the elf in the lead, and they decided to fall back and find some poison antidote to return with. But on their way out, the monster attacked again and killed two more of them.
Ariel: And they didn't get anything out of that? Yikes! That sounds like a lot of work for nothing.
Sasha: Well, if we go we'll kill the monster, so it won't be for nothing for us.
Hettie: Can you ease up with the monster angle? It's starting to get on my nerves.
MSG: Okay, so I'm going to ask them to describe the monster and see if I can make a Beast Lore roll to figure out what it is and maybe some weakness it has.
Claire: Oh, is your Beast Lore pretty good?
MSG: No, it stinks. But even if I blow the roll, I'll be getting knowledge about the creature.
Claire: Well I'm listening too, and my Beast Lore is pretty good.
Ariel: What about Sir Quackenscrump?
Akane: Yes! If trading our goods for monstrous information, he should make use of his Beast Lore knowledge to our advantage!
Sasha: Sorry, my Beast Lore is the worst. Literally one of my worst skills.
Ariel: But ...
Sasha: I know what you're going to ask, and the answer is, "All I need to know is one thing. Where they are."
GM Elle: In response to your question, the adventurers say it looked like a bizarre cross between some kind of giant lizard and a rooster.
MSG: 14 for me against Beast Lore of 6.
Claire: 8 for me, and my skill is 12.
GM Elle: Filvius thinks it sounds like a basilisk. They're terrifying creatures that can breathe poison gas and turn you to stone by locking eyes with you.
Ariel: Wait, does that mean if they're in poison gas they can breathe it just fine, or --
GM Elle: Do you really need to ask that question?
Ariel: I was just trying to be an optimist.
Claire: Do I remember any weaknesses these things have?
GM Elle: Make another roll.
MSG: I'm rolling too, now that we know it's a basilisk.
Claire: I didn't say I identified it out loud yet. I roll a 6 this time.
GM Elle: Strangely, they are deathly afraid of chickens. If the stories you've heard are true, they won't attack anyone holding a chicken.
Claire: Weird, but okay. I'll tell everyone all this.
GM Elle: At the poison gas thing, the roguish human says he guesses they would have needed antidote even if there hadn't been snakes. The wolfkin says it didn't breathe any gas at them, so maybe Filvius doesn't know what he's talking about. The human counters with, "Or maybe we just ran before it had a chance to gas us." Then when you get to the chicken thing, all three of them just stare at you.
MSG: Do they have anything more to add, or can we skip ahead to the town?
GM Elle: I think we can safely skip. The wagon tracks and crumbling ancient road-stones give way to a paved road cutting through high grain fields. You can smell a thousand aromas of human habitation -- smoke, rotting vegetables, manure, freshly baked bread, grilled meat. The road leads to a settlement surrounded by a log pallisade, lots of small houses with smoking chimneys beyond the sharpened logs, and a high hill in the center of town with what looks like a weathered stone ruin from long ago atop it. It's late afternoon when you arrive, and the village gate is closed. Two low but sturdy towers flank it, flat-topped with crenellations. A voice calls down that you should halt and state your business. "This is a place of peace and decency ... if you're not of good character, begone back to the forest!"
MSG: I call out that they shouldn't worry, we're definitely of good character, and to prove it, we've brought these two criminals to turn in to whatever your local law enforcement is.
GM Elle: The bandits have been stumbling along tiredly, so I guess they're just now waking up to the fact that you haven't untied them yet. The rat-faced leader squawks and objects, saying you promised you wouldn't turn them in.
MSG: I reply that I may have told them very clearly that we wouldn't turn them in, but that's not the same thing as promising.
GM Elle: Rat-face yells up to the guy in the tower, "Did you hear that? He's admitting they're liars! You shouldn't let them in!" But Gualdmond vouches for you, and the guy in the tower seems to recognize the mallard. If you give your names, he lets you in.
MSG: Dolora.
Claire: Filvius Factsnacker, good sir!
Ariel: My name's Fidu.
Sasha: Sir Quackenscrump. You'll be hearing of me soon for all the monsters I've killed.
Akane: I am Zedeja of Mind.
Hettie: I give them my name, but I'm not super happy about it.
GM Elle: The town gates open and admit you to Outskirt. I'd say this is a good place to end the session. Ready for Experience Questions?
MSG: Definitely.
Claire: Yeppers.
Ariel: A thouszillion percent.
Sasha: Sure.
Akane: Ready and also eager.
Hettie: Me too.
GM Elle: Participation? Yes, everyone participated. Defeat a dangerous adversary? The bear went down pretty easy, but it was still dangerous, so yes. Explore a new location? I'll be generous and say the bandit cave counts. Solve a problem without violence?
Claire: Does figuring out how to prep for a basilisk fight count?
GM Elle: I'm on the fence about that, and I was on the fence about the cave, so I'll split the difference on this one and say no.
Sasha: It wasn't just picking up some facts, though -- we traded for that info and brought the three guys along with us for their safety.
GM Elle: Hmm. All right, I'm convinced. Or at least convinced enough. And everyone role-played their weaknesses, so it sounds like 5 marks each.
MSG: Nice!
GM Elle: I'll trust everybody to work out their advancement marks out of session. Are we good to go then?
Claire: Yep, good game!
Ariel: The best!
Akane: I think this will be unanimous in every game.
GM Elle: Thanks!
and thanks everybody out there for reading. until next time, then!
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