okey-doke, folks! i got off my patootie and updated my page layout, so if you don't know the story so far, you can now go to the link list on the left and scroll down until you find the dragonbane section!
otoh, this sesh may be an okay place for newbies to jump in if they don't have the patience to catch up from the start, since the group more or less just got to an inn and started getting the low-down on what looks like the main quest of this campaign ...
GM Elle: All right, people. I was looking over the notes while getting ready for this session, and I was like, "Where the F*** is all my swearing?" Seriously, have I really been dropping that few F- and S-bombs while I'm running the game?
MSG: I haven't edited anything out, I promise.
Claire: Me either!
Ariel: I figured you were just trying to make the Misty Vale seem like a place that isn't just totally full cussing.
Sasha: Go with that one, Elle. It's good cover.
Akane: Hmm ... psychology idea! Possibly if cursing gives a feeling of control, it's less needed when you are the one already in control?
Hettie: I don't believe I'll comment on that notion.
GM Elle: Great. Guess I'll just be Miss Self-conscious the whole session tonight waiting to see what comes out of my mouth.
Ariel: That's what -- ow!
Sasha: Worst possible time for your standard joke, Aers. Sorry about the elbow, though.
GM Elle: Ugh. Well, I'm not promising this won't be a total sh**storm, but I guess we should just get started. All right, we left off with Fidu being tired and about to head to bed, but you'll have to pay Vagnhild the innkeeper for your stay first. Do you want a private room for two, or a bunk in the dormitory?
Ariel: I'm pretty loaded right now, so a private room for sure.
Sasha: Isn't some of that the group's money?
Akane: Yes! Zedeja insists on even-handedness in division!
Ariel: Well, I mean, since we're all staying here, how about if I just pay for everyone. Are there enough private rooms?
GM Elle: It isn't a huge inn -- only two separate rooms that will fit two people each, and then a dormitory with triple-bunk beds where six people can stay. The rate is 5 silver a person for the separate rooms, 1 silver each for the dorm bunks.
Ariel: Um ... 5 ... and there's two rooms ... and two people a room ... and that leaves, what, two people in the dorm room? Is that 20 + 2 silver pieces?
GM Elle: Exactly.
Ariel: Woohoo, I mathed it! Okay, well, since I'm getting so many sleeping places, I ask if maybe I can get a discount for bulk.
Akane: Is anyone bulky? Zedeja has the shape of a stick. (It's a joke. Bulk is large quantities, right?)
Hettie: Yes.
GM Elle: Go ahead and roll your Bartering skill, Aers.
Ariel: Made it with a 7!
GM Elle: Vagnhild says she'll shave off 20%, which my calculator tells me is 4 silvers and 4 coppers. So your total will be 17 silver, 6 copper.
Ariel: I don't have any coppers!
GM Elle: She says it looks like your friends are going to be drinking a bit, so if you give her 18 she'll use the extra 4 coppers toward their tab.
Ariel: 'K! I'll get the room keys and leave one at the table before I go up.
Akane: Zedeja tells you to wait for her. "Old ones should share a room to avoid young boisterism." Then she tells everyone not to give away secrets in drunkenness.
Hettie: When the mage turns away, Dilfriida thumbs her nose at her.
Akane: Zedeja is tired, or she would discover you with an Awareness roll.
GM Elle: Around this time, the door opens again and Dolora enters. Since Vagnhild was helping Fidu and Zedeja with the rooms, Annabelle intercepts Dolora at the door with the inn's customary free first tankard of mead.
MSG: I definitely accept!
GM Elle: She points you toward the table where Filvius, Dilfriida, and Sir Quackenscrump are sitting with the adventurers you met on the road and says she thinks your friends are over there.
MSG: Dolora thanks her and heads that way.
GM Elle: Before you actually step away, though, she puts a hand on your arm and leans close to say they told her you could serve as the party's spokesperson about the map the group has. She suggests she might be of help to you, and could also offer a reward if your travels bring you into possession of certain items.
MSG: Hmm. I'll ask her what she knows about the map.
GM Elle: She draws you aside and tells you she belongs to an organization called the Truth Society. They want to uncover the true history of the Misty Vale and the Dragon Emperor who once ruled it, Eledain. Legend says Eledain's magical sword was buried in a crypt beneath the temple ruins at the center of town, long before Outskirt was founded. The Truth Society thinks the sword and anything buried along with it might help shed light on the ages centuries ago. But a cult of dragon worshippers wants the sword to help them bring back the rule of dragons and enslave everyone who won't submit to their rule. She tells you about how the four pieces of the statue can be used as a key to get into the crypt. She also says that although her organization isn't wealthy, they could reward you with 50 gold pieces for each piece you find and deliver to them.
MSG: Personally, I'd be skeptical of anybody calling themselves the "Truth Society." But Dolora thinks it sounds like this is a sure in on some potential knowledge along with the possibility of reward. She asks what else Annabelle can tell her, and if part of our reward might be taken in the form of access to the Truth Society's information.
GM Elle: She says her sources are always keeping an ear out for word of where the statue pieces might be, so you should definitely check in with her whenever you're in town if you accept her deal. "And spreading the Truth is our entire purpose, so we'd be glad to let you use the Society's library if you help us accomplish our goal."
MSG: Anything else she might know that could help us in our efforts? Like, where to get really potent poison antidote for cheap?
GM Elle: She says she's heard of an herbalist named Hafarmal who can work wonders with different herbs, though she doesn't know if he specifically makes antidotes. Supposedly he lives in the Magna Woods a few days to the north.
MSG: Do I remember the Magna Woods being one of the places on the map? I studied it pretty thoroughly.
GM Elle: You can make an INT roll with a boon to see, I think.
MSG: Yep, 12 and 14.
GM Elle: You do, and you remember there's a road leading into the woods to what looks like a temple on a hill.
MSG: Okay, I tell her I'll talk to my party and get back to her, but I'm pretty sure we're interested in the deal.
Sasha: Uh, no, much more interested in getting that sword to kill monsters with.
MSG: Well, that's not top of Dolora's mind right now. Elle, I'll head on over to the table and try to edge into the conversation to discuss Annabelle's offer.
Claire: Okay, I'm all ears.
Ariel: Is that an elf joke?
Claire: Ooh, no, but I wish I'd thought to make it one!
Sasha: I'm drinking until I hear the part about the monster.
MSG: Well, that's good, because right off the bat, I tell you I found a spot that has a monster, and poison antidote, and maybe even one of those statue pieces. Let me see the map and I'll show you.
Claire: I'll get out the map, but do you need to roll a Bluffing check for that?
MSG: Yes, but I was going to roll when I pointed to that temple in the Magna Woods. I easily make it.
Claire: Great. I guess we buy whatever you're selling, then.
Sasha: Since you're selling monsters, yeah.
MSG: So there's this temple in the middle of these woods. And there's a guy in the area named Hafarmal -- he's an elf, by the way -- who's an expert in poisons and antidotes who lives nearby. That serving maid said rumors are, there might be a piece of the statue hidden in the temple, but there's some kind of monster guarding it.
Claire: You know you're screwed if Gualmond, Hengrik and Fleetclaw have been there and know all about the place.
MSG: Eh. They don't have to believe she told me the truth, just that I'm giving what I think is good information. But I do ask them if any of that checks out with what they know about the place.
GM Elle: This is all news to them.
MSG: Darn. I was hoping it would get some knowledge out of them.
Claire: Slick.
Sasha: Well, I'm totally in. Except if you say we're trading in the statue for gold. I want that monster-killing sword.
Hettie: Dilfriida wants to know if there's anything about other treasures in this temple -- especially if we're not getting the gold for any statue pieces we find.
MSG: It's an abandoned ancient temple, right? It only stands to reason it's one of those places we heard about being chock full of treasure from the age of the Dragon Emperor.
Hettie: I don't know if that's a hundred percent persuasive for Dilfriida, but she can't come up with any argument against it.
GM Elle: Anyone else want to do anything before you all turn in for the night, then?
MSG: I'm good.
Claire: Me too.
Ariel: Already chasing rabbits in my sleep!
Akane: Why -- ah, wolfkin, yes. Zedeja slumbers oldly.
Sasha: I'll probably have another tankard of mead or two and then turn in.
GM Elle: Sounds like that will put you last, so you'll definitely be in the dormitory. Who's in room number two, and who's the other dorm bunkee?
MSG: I've got a boatload of the party's gold, so we probably don't want that in the dorm.
Claire: I've got a good chunk too.
Hettie: Dilfriida's pretty broke. She'll take a top bunk and put her stuff between her and the wall. One sheathed dagger under the pillow -- not the poisoned one!
GM Elle: Okay, then. Sash, you close down the bar with the three adventurers, who are also going to be staying in the dormitory. They say they intend to stick around town resting up and healing a few days, and see if any likely candidates happen through to beef their numbers back up.
Sasha: I'll wish them luck before bedtime. I guess if we happen to lose anybody, we can keep them in mind for replacements.
Akane: Pessimism ... tch.
Sasha: It's a rough world!
GM Elle: All right, in the morning you can pool the party gold and divide it up or buy party gear before divvying up the rest. A bowl of stew to get you going for breakfast is 5 copper, or for 3 silver you can order up a full meal -- eggs, some bacon, potato hash, something along those lines.
MSG: I'm sitting on 94 of the party's gold and I think 12 or 14 silver. I added the silver in with whatever I had.
Claire: We both had 4, remember? I have 19 party gold.
Ariel: Fidu has 17 and 4 silver.
MSG: Okay, that's 130 gold and 18 silver, since Claire's right about the 4 we each had. Looks like ... 21 gold, 9 silver, and 6 or 7 coppers each if we just split it. What would we buy as party equipment if we went that way?
Ariel: Oh! I know, a wagon or at least a wheelbarrow, or something. It seems like we don't have a lot of spare encumbrance room, and Fidu is sure hoping we find some good loot to haul back and trade.
Sasha: That's probably a good idea. Did Dolora say there's a road going to that old temple?
MSG: It looks like it on the map.
Claire: So a wagon or maybe just some pack animals would work. What are our options?
GM Elle: 15 gold for a cart that could be pulled by a donkey -- a horse would take most of your budget, but a donkey's only 12 gp. That would carry two people and 50 encumbrance units. Or for 30 gold and the price of a second donkey, four people could ride with cargo of 100 units. Or just a donkey could carry 10 units, 12 with a saddlebag that costs 6 gold.
MSG: My math says that's 27 for 50 units of capacity, 54 for 100, or 18 for 12 units. The donkey by itself doesn't sound too economical.
Akane: But if we must leave the road for some reasons, a cart or wagon becomes undriveable.
Ariel: Fidu really wants to be in the cart if we get one!
Sasha: I'm voting wagon. We may need to haul a huge monster head back to prove our triumphant deeds.
Hettie: No way, Duckie! I'm not putting any of my share toward hauling monster corpses. The cart sounds fine to me.
MSG: A cart and donkey takes us down to 17 gold, 4 silver, and 6 copper apiece.
Claire: I agree with Dilfriida -- I don't want to cut that down any farther with a wagon.
GM Elle: Okay, buy up any other supplies you want from the rulebook here --
Ariel: Can I Barter for us? Especially if we pile it all together and call it one purchase?
GM Elle: Sure. Make your roll.
Ariel: 12 succeeds!
GM Elle: That's a 20% discount, then. MSG, can you pull the PDF of the rulebook up on your phone or computer or both so more people can shop at once?
MSG: Sure. I've got it on the tablet too.
Claire: I'll take the phone.
Ariel: Sash and I can share the book.
Sasha: Yeah, that works.
Akane: The tablet is shareable also. Hettie?
Hettie: Certainly.
GM Elle: Okay, make sure you've got everything written down as to what's in your inventory and what's in the cart.
MSG: Done.
Claire: Done.
Ariel: Me too!
Sasha: Done.
Akane: Zedeja is a careful shopper. Sorry to take a bit longer.
Hettie: Wow, is that really the load on the cart?
MSG: Yeah ... looks like by the time we load on all the supplies people wanted, we've only got 22 open weight units to spare.
Claire: Well, I'm going to say finding more than 22 weight units of treasure is the kind of problem we won't mind having.
Ariel: I mind! Fidu doesn't want to go back to carrying a bunch of stuff himself!
Akane: Zedeja prefers zero problems, regardless of the kind. But if this problem arises, she can assign burdens to each companion.
Hettie: Dilfriida says she wants to see you try it.
GM Elle: All right, then. You head out on the road for your first shift of travel north. Looks like it's a pretty peaceful journey through fields of grain and then the road winding in and out of rolling hills. The mists that give the valley its name remain thick most of the day, only occasionally parting enough to let the sun be seen as a hazy orb overhead.
Akane: Zedeja commands watchfulness from her seat on the cart!
Hettie: Hey, who said she got to ride?
Akane: Obviously, that was Zedeja. Does the thievish halfling dispute it?
Hettie: I definitely do if you call me thievish!
Akane: Then the group must vote. Who is the deserving passenger to sit beside Fidu our wolfkin? An aged and weary wizard who can heal you, or a young, thievish halfling with such energy to make trouble?
Hettie: Dilfriida grumbles about the name-calling, but she's actually kind of surprised Zedeja is calling for a vote.
Akane: Here is how Zedeja arranges the vote. Everyone who wishes Zedeja to ride, continue traveling. Everyone who wishes a halfling to burgle poor old Zedeja's seat, stand still. We will count the vote after one hour.
Hettie: Dilfriida stops for a second before she realizes how that's going to work. I mean, assuming I'm the only one who stops.
MSG: Dolora is on the march for knowledge. She's not interested in stopping.
Claire: Filvius either.
Ariel: Fidu doesn't think it's worth the energy to argue with Zedeja.
Sasha: Since Sir Q is in the lead and I assume the wagon is near the back, I'll make an Awareness roll to see if I even hear what's going on. I have a bane for my helmet ... yeah, that's a fail.
Hettie: As soon as Dilfriida realizes she's falling behind, she growls and hurries to catch up. But when we stop for lunch, she insists that we take a new vote. Everybody who wants Dilfriida to get a turn riding, eat lunch. Everybody who wants Zedeja to stay in the cart, don't eat lunch.
Akane: What a cruel halfling! Not only must Zedeja walk, she must starve her frail old body also?
Ariel: That does seem pretty mean.
Sasha: Does a halfling even weigh 20 units? Can't Dilfriida just ride in the back as long as we don't fill the whole cart up with loot?
GM Elle: Well, Fidu's large tent is 4 units, and a chest is 3 units. So Dilfriida would have to weigh as much as, what, four chests and two large tents, to be over 20 units?
MSG: That's what my math comes up with.
Claire: Great, we have a solution.
Ariel: And since we solved it without violence, that's an experience mark at the end of the session, right?
Sasha: I think Elle decided that solving problems we create ourselves doesn't count.
Akane: Zedeja is dissatisfied to have a halfling crimester in her cart, but especially if there is no experience mark for the solution, eventually she ceases her complaint.
GM Elle: The afternoon shift passes without incident either. So far, the Misty Vale seems like it's treating you very hospitably. Toward the end of the day, you cross an ancient but still intact bridge over a wide river. Its dark waters pass quietly beneath you, obscured by a blanket of fog.
MSG: Do I remember a bridge from the map?
Claire: Filvius just gets out the map to look.
GM Elle: Yes, it appears to be the bridge across the Kummer River, which runs west to east the length of the vale.
MSG: Looks like we're almost to the Magna Woods, then.
Claire: So how much farther is it? Do we want to push on and get through tonight if we can?
GM Elle: You might be able to, but forcing a march for a third shift will make you all exhausted.
Ariel: That sounds terrible. Let's stop and make camp. Fidu is plenty tired from this long day of travel already.
Sasha: You've been riding in the cart all day!
Akane: But a tiresome halfling rides with us. There's a canceling effect.
Hettie: Dilfriida's just about ready to do some canceling on your old posterior.
GM Elle: If you're making camp, someone needs to make a Bushcraft roll to get the tent up.
MSG: My Bushcraft is good, and I'm pretty sure Fidu is way too tired to do it himself.
Ariel: That's very considerate.
Akane: At least some youngsters have a correct attitude. Zedeja says this with eyes targeting Dilfriida.
Hettie: I scowl at her, then I volunteer to help Dolora, just to prove her wrong.
GM Elle: That gives the bard a boon on the roll.
MSG: Yikes. 17 and 19, both failures.
Akane: Halfling quality help, it's clear. Only worth half of real help.
GM Elle: Are you going to push the roll, MSG? If you don't everyone will have to make individual Bushcraft rolls or the shift won't count as sleep.
MSG: Guess I'd better. Okay, one die is a 10 this time. I'll be disheartened that it was such a challenge to get the tent up.
Hettie: Part of my help is to lay everyone's sleeping furs out inside. When I do that, I'm spreading my bag of marbles out underneath Zedeja's.
Akane: Wickedness! Is there not even a roll required?
GM Elle: You should probably roll Sneaking to get away with it and arrange things so it's not obvious, Het. But considering you're inside the tent, I'll give you a boon.
Hettie: Both my dice come up successes.
GM Elle: It seems like your dastardly plan is coming together. Zedeja, I'm going to give you a CON roll to successfully sleep on your sabotaged fur.
Akane: 9. Even the constitution of this enfeebled ancient exceeds that.
Hettie: Dilfriida still imagines you tossing and turning all night.
GM Elle: Are you splitting the night into watches? If so, who's up first?
MSG: Well, I did most of the work to set the tent up, so I feel like I deserve a rest.
Ariel: Fidu is just going to sleep all night unless someone makes a big deal out of him taking a watch.
Sasha: Sir Quackenscrump will gladly take the first watch. Anyone staying up with me?
Hettie: Dilfriida will. She wants to periodically observe whether her chicanery is spoiling Zedeja's rest.
Claire: Would it work for me to spend the shift hunting not too far from camp? I don't want to get out of earshot where I can't yell for help if something happens, but it would be nice to keep ourselves fed without dipping into our rations.
Ariel: I know, right? Those things are expensive!
GM Elle: You can try it, but I'm going to give you a bane on the roll, and if either die comes up a Demon, there will be trouble.
Claire: Well, I put one of my skills into Hunting and Fishing, so I'm going for it or why did I bother? Aha! 6 and 7.
GM Elle: Okay, you come across ... a rabbit.
MSG: You're not going to lightning-bolt a cute little bunny, are you?
Claire: Well, I don't have a ranged weapon, so I pretty much have to. I'll just put in 2 WP, though. Woohoo, a 2!.
GM Elle: Dilfriida and Quackenscrump see a lightning bolt split the sky extremely close to camp, its blue fire illuminating the mists for an instant. Claire, when Filvius gets to the electrocuted hare --
MSG: Did the hare stand on end when it got shocked?
Claire: Boo.
GM Elle: Seriously, I'm going to start asking that Experience question about puns if you make me. Now, as I was saying, when Filvius arrives at the hare's smoking body, he finds it's big enough for 2 rations worth of food.
Claire: Well that was kind of anticlimactic.
Sasha: Did the electricity like, make its eyeballs explode or anything?
Ariel: Ew!
Akane: Is this knowledge a necessity in a fantastical world?
Claire: Hey, if it's knowledge, Filvius wants the details too.
Ariel: I'm plugging my ears.
GM Elle: Go ahead and roll your damage dice, Claire. Anything over 5, and sure, the eyes exploded.
Ariel: lalalalalalala
Claire: I roll 7 points.
Ariel: lalalalala did you say already?
Sasha: Yeah, you're safe.
GM Elle: I'm rolling twice on the random encounters table for this shift, in case the lightning strike stirred something up ... but no, the shift passes uneventfully.
MSG: All right, so if the three of them are hitting the sack for second shift, and Fidu is sleeping the night through, is Zedeja at least going to join Dolora on watch?
Akane: This depends on, is Dolora waking Zedeja up?
MSG: Sure.
Akane: The mage of Mind is cross. "You were not instructed to wake me!" But with this grumbling she agrees to help with watch.
Hettie: Excellent. As soon as they're both out of the tent, I'll scoop my marbles out from under Zedeja's sleeping fur.
GM Elle: Sneaking roll again, since there are people in the tent with you, some of whom are trying to get to sleep.
Hettie: 12. Done.
GM Elle: No one is the wiser, then.
MSG: Having slept, I get to remove my "disheartened" condition, right?
GM Elle: Yes. Now let's see if anything comes upon you the rest of the night. A 3 on the d12 means no.
Claire: By the way, I'm assuming, Bushcraft-wise, I know to hang my rabbit from a tree branch or something where it won't attract bears.
GM Elle: Probably should have said that before you went to sleep, but sure. With dawn, the mists thin ever so slightly, allowing through a hazy light from the east. Everyone needs to mark off a ration for breakfast. Anyone doing anything else before you set off?
Claire: I think it takes a whole shift to cook my rabbit, which seems excessive, especially since it's already been fried by lightning. But the rules are the rules, and I assume no one wants to wait another shift to get two rations of food cooked.
Akane: If the subject is raised, Zedeja makes a ruling. No hare cookery delays!
GM Elle: Travel gets underway, then. For an hour or two, the road is quiet, winding through the thickening copses of the Magna Woods until you're surrounded by full forest. Then, from somewhere ahead, you hear high pitched cries for help echoing through the trees.
Sasha: Sir Q breaks into a run, in case someone's being attacked by a monster.
Akane: Wait! This was not authorized by Zedeja!
Hettie: I'll jump down from the cart and follow the knight, if only to get under Zedeja's skin.
GM Elle: What's everyone else going to do?
MSG: Well, I don't think we should all leave the cart, but I definitely want to know what's going on, so I'll suggest Fidu and Zedeja do their best to get the donkey to hurry, then I'll follow the others.
Claire: No way is Filvius letting Dolora be the first to know what's up. He'll head in the direction of the screams too.
Ariel: How do you get a donkey to hurry? Riding? My Riding skill is pretty bad.
Akane: This is not the expertise of Akane. You should roll.
Ariel: Aw, man. I roll and 8 and I needed a 7 or less.
GM Elle: The donkey brays at you resentfully and continues plodding at a typical donkey pace. The cries and wails grow louder as those on foot approach the source -- but it becomes obvious they don't originate on the road. You're going to have to push through the dense vegetation to get to whatever's making the sound. It's a very high-pitched, reedy voice. "Help! Help meeee!" You think you hear deeper voices responding roughly, but the foliage makes it hard to tell what they're saying.
MSG: I guess I'll keep hurrying that way.
Claire: Should we try to sneak up on whatever's happening?
Sasha: Sure. I'm in plate armor and my Sneaking is 7.
Hettie: Sounds like we should just rush them and decide what to do when we can see more clearly.
GM Elle: You break through the undergrowth to what appears to be a game trail. Coming up the trail toward you is a procession of tough-looking humans armed with scimitars. Two of them carry a goblin between them, chained to a log. The goblin is the source of the screams.
Sasha: I'm disappointed there are no monsters, and it's just a goblin screaming. Last time we met goblins they attacked us for no reason, so maybe these dudes are only giving this one what it deserves.
Hettie: We should at least ask them what's up, though, don't you think?
MSG: Dolora agrees and asks the humans what the trouble is.
GM Elle: "No trouble at all," says the one in the lead. "Unless you're getting in our way." He appears to be sizing the four of you up. The goblin pleads for you to save him so he can go back to his family, but one of the men whacks him on the head. "Shut up, runt!"
Hettie: Dilfriida doesn't much care for seeing small people abused by bigger ones or insulted for their size. She's going to draw her dagger.
GM Elle: The leader sees that and immediately whips out his scimitar. Time for us to draw initiative cards. NPCs ... 8.
MSG: 5.
Claire: 7.
Sasha: 9.
Hettie: 3. I'll immediately switch with Claire and say, light these guys up, Filvius!
Claire: Sure. I'll spend ... let's say 4 WP. Animism roll is ... damn it, 14. I'll push and become Disheartened. That's better, 11. I'm zapping the guy in the lead.
GM Elle: He's definitely going to try to evade that. Getting zapped by lightning doesn't appeal to him. He succeeds with a 5, so there's no second bolt.
MSG: I'll move up and smack the leader with my greatclub, since I know he can't dodge now. Wham! 10. My damage is 13 points.
GM Elle: He's down. Het?
Hettie: I'll move to here and throw my dagger at #2. That's a hit for 8 points.
GM Elle: Their turn. The two holding the log drop it and draw their scimitars. These two here draw and move up to attack Dolora. This guy in the back pulls his weapon and moves up, but can't get close enough to strike this turn. First attack on Dolora ... hits for 9.
MSG: I bought some studded leather, which helps a little, but ouch.
GM Elle: Second guy hits but only does 4.
MSG: Whew! Medic!
Sasha: Quackenscrump rushes this guy and guts him with a broadsword stroke. A hit, but only a lame 8 points.
GM Elle: That's the one Dilfriida threw at though ... so, dead. New initiative. They're on 6.
MSG: 4.
Claire: 2.
Sasha: 7.
Hettie: A wonderful 10.
Claire: I'll move up and try to heal Dolora with 4 WP of Treat Wound. Blah, 18! Now I'm getting Angry at how poorly I'm doing with my magic ... but I still blow it with a 14 when I push the roll.
MSG: I'm going to switch cards with Quackenscrump, then. Here you go, Sash.
Sasha: Yes! Sir Q boldly strides between these two guys and broadswords the one next to the bard. Slash! Hit! Sheesh, only 9 points of damage, though.
GM Elle: Hang on, you're supposed to give him a chance to dodge or parry. Which he does. Their turn. This guy's out for blood on Dolora, so he shifts here and hoo, rolls a Dragon.
MSG: Damn it. It takes a Dragon to dodge that, right? I'm not wasting my action on those odds.
GM Elle: He's picking the option that lets him get a second attack on someone else after hitting you. 9 points.
MSG: Puts me at 0.
GM Elle: For his free attack on Sir Q ... a hit, for 10 points.
Sasha: You need to get some plate armor, Dolora. That's only 2 to me.
GM Elle: These last 2 guys also move up to attack you though, Quackenscrump. First one misses ... second one hits for 9.
Sasha: Yawn.
MSG: All right, I've got to make a death roll ... no problem with a 7. Now I'll try to rally myself ... made it! I keep on my feet and swinging!
Hettie: Dilfriida draws her knife and moves here to backstab. Easy hit, 3 and 7, for 14 points.
GM Elle: He's very dead.
Hettie: Also, poisoned. Does that mean my poisoned dagger is used up and now just a regular dagger?
GM Elle: Poison is listed as by the dose, so I'd say yes.
Hettie: Well, easy come, easy go.
GM Elle: New initiative, then.
Ariel: What about us? Have we caught up yet?
GM Elle: The yelling for help stopped, and you continued forward. If you roll Awareness I'll say you hear the sounds of battle off through the trees and can draw initiative.
Akane: Zedeja is the most Aware ... but fails.
Ariel: Oh no! I roll a Demon!
GM Elle: In that case, not only do you not hear, you keep driving the cart forward so that you're now getting farther and farther from the fight.
MSG: Peachy.
GM Elle: The bad guys are on 10.
MSG: Yes, finally! I get the 8, but at least I'm ahead of them.
Claire: I get 6.
Sasha: Quackenscrump draws the 1, baby!
Hettie: 9 for Dilfriida.
Sasha: Broadswording this guy here. Hit! He dodging?
GM Elle: He's trying. You seem to be a killing machine. Fails with a 19, though.
Sasha: 11 points. I'm betting they have 12, right?
GM Elle: No comment.
Claire: I'm trying to use Healing skill to help Dolora, since I've got a slightly better chance of that than I do with my magic. A 2 succeeds.
MSG: Kind of a bummer, since I rallied. But I'll take it over dying.
Claire: You're welcome.
MSG: Okay, I'm going to pull my horn out and use my Musician ability to give them all a bane on all rolls until my next turn. That has the additional advantage of working out to 100 meters, so hopefully Aers and Akane can hear it.
GM Elle: Normally I'd just give it to you, but because of that Demon Aers rolled, I'll say they get another Awareness roll ahead of next initiative. Hettie, you're up.
Hettie: I'll just do a normal attack on this guy Quackenscrump almost killed. 12 hits.
GM Elle: Dead. Their turn, and they see which way the wind is blowing here. They're taking off running. Sash, you'll get a free attack on each one.
Sasha: Yessss! Hit! 17 points! Hit! 12 points!
GM Elle: Both dead.
Sasha: Hah! I told you they had 12 hit points.
GM Elle: The sounds of battle die away through the mists. Zedeja and Fidu get their Awareness rolls.
Ariel: Made it.
Akane: I, also.
GM Elle: As the goblin hesitantly and plaintively asks you to release him, I'm going to say this is a good place to stop for the evening. Experience questions! Did you participate in the session? Yes for all. Did you explore a new location? Sure, the Magna Woods. Did you defeat dangerous enemies? Yes for Dilfriida, Dolora, Filvius, and Sir Q.
Ariel: That's a little bit of a bummer, but Fidu is relieved that he at least didn't have to exert himself. Also, I got a free mark for that Demon I rolled.
GM Elle: I think everyone played their weaknesses pretty clearly. Did you overcome an obstacle without violence?
Akane: Crossing a bridge? It's unlikely as an obstacle, I suppose.
GM Elle: Yeah, I'd say you skipped that one again. So, 4 for most of you, 3 for Aers and Akane, and then any marks you got for Demons or Dragons.
MSG: Great game, Elle!
Ariel: Even if there was hardly any cursing!
GM Elle: Oh, sh**, there wasn't, was there? All right, well, you can clean up the one I just said there and the ones from when we got started if you want.
MSG: Claire? It's your blog.
Claire: Sure, let's bleep it back to PG.
GM Elle: All right, thanks for playing, everybody. Next time ... the temple!
Ariel: I mean, unless we let this goblin go and follow him home or something.
Sasha: I'm definitely going to be interrogating him on whether there are monsters near his place.
GM Elle: We'll see ...
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