thracia level 1 continues!

jumping right in here with the third part of our caverns of thracia adventure!

Judge Claire: Let's get this session started with some excitement. Dare I roll the d6 for encounters to see if something attacks you on your way back to the halls of bats and guano? Yes, I dare!
Heddy: If it's a 6, please tell me we don't get attacked while shuttling people back and forth in the dark.
Judge Claire: It's not a 6, so everyone can relax. Now, while you're ferrying folks through the dark and shit, where are you taking them to, and are the humanfolk just going to wait in the dark for the infravision brigade to do their work?
Ariel: I think we should just put them in the room the lizardy guys came out of, and they can hang out in there with a lantern and keep the door shut to not disturb the bats.
Sasha: I'm good with that.
Akane: A sensible plan. But is this sort of plan one our group would normally make?
MSG: I think we're still finding our groove. Too early to know what our overall party vibe is.
Hettie: Meaning not enough characters have died to leave us with a pellucid gestalt.
Elle: Let's go with Aers's idea, then.
Ariel: Woohoo!
Sasha: Okay, so as soon as the light's on, Connie starts asking where this secret door is. She's itching to get exploring something without getting more bat crap on her.
Heddy: Glynette tells her to wait until we've got everyone shuttled through the bat rooms.
Sasha: She grumbles and mutters a lot and starts searching once the infravision guys are gone. Ooh, I roll a 19 on my search.
Judge Claire: Connie finds the panel that serves as a concealed door.
Hettie: While she's searching, Noir would definitely say we shouldn't open that door until more of the party is here.
Sasha: As soon as she finds it, Connie says, "Oh yeah? Well, look here!" and opens it.
Judge Claire: Connie sees a hall leading north and south. About 50' to the north, it turns back west. 30' to the south, it does the same, but there's a door in the wall right at the corner, facing north.
Hettie: We 100% did not let Connie hold the lantern, so she probably can't even see that far.
Sasha: Fine. She closes the door most of the way but keeps peeking out through the crack.
Judge Claire: I'll roll to see if anything happens along and notices the faint light while you're waiting for the next batch of arrivals. No, you seem safe for the moment. It's about 10 rounds there and back, almost 2 minutes. Does Connie keep the door cracked that long?
Sasha: Only if people keep pestering her to shut it. If they leave her alone, she gets bored after a while and looks around the room some more.
Hettie: Noir immediately closes the secret door the rest of the way if Connie didn't.
Judge Claire: Okay. After 20 more rounds, everyone is in the room. What next?
Elle: Whatever we do, let's not roust those fucking bats up again, all right? Maybe open the door of this room wide and have the lantern a few feet inside, shining toward the opposite door.
Judge Claire: Who's up to head over there, then?
MSG: How about all the expendables? That includes Connie, right?
Heddy: Ham is willing to go.
Hettie: Noir will keep an eye on Connie ... or possibly look for an opportunity to push her in harm's way if it looks like there's a chance to rid ourselves of this death-wish woman.
Elle: Imlero's good to go, and pretty strong if we end up needing muscle.
Ariel: Granny is pumped.
Akane: Nanda accepts.
MSG: Chopper too.
Judge Claire: The wood of the door seems swollen, making it hard to open. I'll need a strength check DC 8 from someone to pull it free.
Elle: Imlero will try. 17 total.
Judge Claire: The instant the door opens, a great swarm of red-headed centipedes rushes out to attack those closest to the door! Roll initiative. Only those characters in the exploration group, please.
Heddy: 17.
Hettie: 1.
Elle: Imlero gets a 17 too.
Ariel: 10 for Granny!
Sasha: Connie's on 14.
Akane: Nanda foolishly wastes a roll of 20, reduced to 19 by her poor Agility.
MSG: Chopper is barely ahead of Noir with a 2.
Judge Claire: Nanda is up, Akane. The swarm is occupying this 10' square.
Akane: I step out of the square and chop centipedes with my handaxe. No, it's a 2.
Elle: Imlero tries to dice the little bastards with her battleaxe. 5.
Heddy: Ham makes a daggar attack with a 12.
Judge Claire: Hit. But you find it's hard to get a solid blow in against the skittering, writhing swarm.
Heddy: I roll 1 for damage.
Sasha: Connie's going to show you guys how to do it. Battleaxe! Does a 9 hit?
Judge Claire: I'm afraid not.
Sasha: Well, she's pissed at being held back so I'm burning luck. How much do I have to spend to hit?
Judge Claire: 2 points.
Sasha: Worth it. Max damage, 10 points.
Judge Claire: Aers, you're next. 
Ariel: Granny's going to Grannytize them with her spear! Jab! Boo, that's a 10. I guess I'll spend a point of luck to hit too. 5 damage!
Judge Claire: Everyone in the square gets attacked -- Het, Elle, and Aers. Miss on Imlero, miss on Granny, hit on Noir. One point of damage and I need a Fortitude save.
Hettie: Sadly, you don't. Noir has only 1 hit point.
MSG: My turn then? Chopper gets a 13 to hit for 3 points.
Judge Claire: Back to Nanda.
Akane: A handaxe roll of 9 is close, but too far for a character of such poor Luck to spend points to reach. It's a miss.
Elle: Imlero gets a total of 21 for 6 points of damage.
Heddy: Ham tries to dagger them again ... 18 to hit for 3 points.
Sasha: Big fail for Connie.
Ariel: Granny pokes at them ... oh no, fumble! And that luck point I spent means I don't have a bonus anymore! I roll a 3. How bad is it?
Judge Claire: Your weapon comes loose in your hand. -2 penalty on your next attack.
Ariel: Whew! Not so bad.
Judge Claire: Centipedes keep biting at Granny and Imlero. Fumble on Granny. A 2 is save or spend your next round prone, which I don't think applies to dozens of centipedes. 16 on Imlero for one point and a Fort save.
Elle: 14.
Judge Claire: Easy save. MSG?
MSG: Chopper gets a 9, and I'll spend the 2 Luck points to do 5 damage.
Judge Claire: You guys are thinning them out, but they're still at it. Anyone from the other room who wants to join in can roll initiative now.
Hettie: Antwerp has a sling. Can she aim for the parts of the swarm that aren't in anyone's square without the normal penalty for firing into melee?
Judge Claire: I'm going to say no. Everyone's bending down sweeping and smashing with their weapons, so I think even the empty squares count as engaging enemies.
Hettie: Fair enough. I'll still roll, ending up with a 6.
Judge Claire: No one else? Okay, Akane is up.
Akane: Nanda continues attack rolls of poorness. 5.
Elle: Imlero gets an 11 for 8 points.
Judge Claire: That disperses the swarm. The remaining centipedes scurry away or come at you one at a time, which makes them easy to stomp on and kill. We had a fatality, so 3 xp to everyone who participated in the fight. I'll let Antwerp's initiative roll and contemplation of using her sling count.
Hettie: Thank you.
Elle: High roller gets to level someone up again?
Judge Claire: Sure, go for it. 
Heddy: 7. Probably not good enough.
Hettie: 8. Right behind you. 
Elle: 14.
Ariel: 5. Poop.
Sasha: 15! Sorry, Elle.
Akane: A 6, so no double leveling for me.
MSG: 11. Looks like Sash is the winner.
Judge Claire: And that's to level up one of the participants, so it's Connie, not Stubbly.
Heddy: Really? I'm sure we don't need her getting more powerful than everyone else. 
Sasha: Suck it, guys! Connie's going for Warrior! d12 hit points -- and I roll max! My crap Stamina brings that down to 11, though.
Akane: Now seems a good time for warrior Connie to lead us through a secret door of possible dangers.
MSG: I agree, except that I think we should search this centipede room first.
Judge Claire: It appears to be a small chapel like the one on the other side. This one has faded, stained paintings on the walls that are barely intelligible due to age and neglect, but they seem to show two goddesses undertaking various holy activities. There is a broken statue of a winged woman in the alcove that mirrors the one in the other room.
Sasha: Well that seems like a bust. Connie goes and looks to see if there's a secret door panel like in the other one too.
Judge Claire: No -- the walls contain only the paintings.
Sasha: Okay, I'm headed back to the other room with a first-level strut.
Judge Claire: Will this affect the marching order you want to use when you head through the secret door into the hallway?
Sasha: Not for me. Connie was up front as cannon fodder before. Now she's up front because she can take a hit and has a chip on her shoulder.
Akane: My character of level 1 has still only level zero-ish hit points, so will remain in back.
Judge Claire: All right. As we were before, then. So do you head right when you open the secret door, or left?
Sasha: Connie says right. She sees a door and she wants to go through it, dammit.
Akane: Is it time to return to slow searching?
Sasha: You guys can. Connie's pushing past you toward the door.
Akane: Nanda allows Connie to pass.
Judge Claire: As you reach the corner, you see that the corridor dog-legs and appears to connect back to the area with the pressure plate, though you're not sure, since you've gotten turned around in the dark a lot since then. On the wall opposite you, though, is a gnoll, stretching as though he's just woken from a nap. I'll let the lead 3 characters get a surprise round on him.
Sasha: Connie leaps to attack. As a Mighty Deed, I'm going to try axing his throat so he can't let out a death scream if I kill him. 16 to hit! My Deed Die is only 2, though, so no special slicing. Damage is 7 plus 4 for 11.
Akane: The Deed Die increases damage as well?
Sasha: Yep! Sweet, huh?
Akane: I am pleased Dwarves get them also!
Judge Claire: The Mighty Deed wasn't needed. Your axe cleaves deep into the creature's neck, killing it instantly.
Ariel: Granny's got her spear pointed at the door, then, in case somebody heard and comes out.
Akane: Nanda imitates this. What do we hear from beyond the door?
Judge Claire: Both of you roll Intelligence checks.
Ariel: OMG, Granny actually makes it! A 4 is exactly what she needed!
Akane: Nanda succeeds by a much wider margin.
Judge Claire: You both hear what sounds like discussion in the growling language of the gnolls.
Akane: Nanda whispers suggestively, "We could create an ambush again. Have missile attackers ready from both directions and make a painful barking noise to lure these gnolls out.
Judge Claire: All right, whoever's got the highest Luck, make a check to see if you guys keep quiet enough that the inhabitants of the room aren't alerted early.
Ariel: Vinnie has a 17! I roll a 5! Yay! I mean, Shhh!
Judge Claire: Whoever's doing the barking, make a Personality check to see how well you fake a gnoll noise.
Akane: Kindly is personable to a degree of 16. My roll is 2. Am I adding a modifier to try to reach a high number, or attempting to roll below my score?
Judge Claire: The second one, so you do a great job. You all hear the voices go quiet a moment. Then one of them speaks in a suspicious tone. Aers, if Vinnie makes a DC 15 Luck check, they assume their buddy fell asleep like he often does, and they just open the door to yell at him. Otherwise, they act more warily.
Ariel: Rats. I only get a 12.
Judge Claire: You hear quiet movement from inside the room, and then the door bursts open and you see 6 gnolls ready for action. Your missile weapon characters can get surprise attacks on the lead 2.
Ariel: Ruri misses with a 10.
Hettie: Antwerp gets a lovely 4 with her sling.
Heddy: Shemp's sling does better ... 19, for 4 points of damage.
Akane: The shortbow of Pestra manages a 12 only.
Judge Claire: All right, now the first row in each hallway can get a surprise round.
Sasha: Connie's going to try chopping number 1 so hard it knocks him into number 2 and the both go prone! Dang. I get a 3 on my Deed Die, but my total is 11, so I guess I miss and the Deed isn't done.
Akane: Nanda strikes with handaxe at number 1. Success! 5 points!
Ariel: Grannytime! Nope. 2.
Judge Claire: Okay, initiative, then. Number 1 is dead, by the way.
Heddy: 15.
Hettie: 22, wasting a possible crit.
Elle: 2.
Ariel: 15 for me too. Twinsies, Heddy!
Sasha: I'm on 15 too.
Ariel: Tripletsies!
Akane: 9 for my characters.
MSG: 5 for me.
Judge Claire: Hettie, you're up.
Hettie: If Antwerp moves here, can he fire his sling past the melee to a gnoll in the back?
Judge Claire: The rules only say there's a chance of hitting allies if they're engaged with the enemy you're shooting. I will give you -2 for them having cover, though.
Hettie: I fire at number 6, then, with a total of 20 for ... 5 points of damage.
Elle: Solid.
Hettie: I don't think Tandy can do anything though.
Judge Claire: One of the triplies can go, then.
Heddy: Shemp will follow Antwerp's lead and shoot at gnoll 6. Also a hit, for 3.
Sasha: My turn? Connie barges in where gnoll 1 was and --
Akane: Who was there?
Sasha: Gnoll 1.
Akane: Apologies. I thought you said someone.
Judge Claire: Haha.
Sasha: What? Oh, I get it. Anyhow, Connie tries a Deed of deadly destruction, whirling her battleaxe to try to get all 3 of these guys around her. Dammit, only 12. I would have hit if you didn't interrupt my jam with your pun, Akane.
Akane: Apologies. I will gnoll better next time.
MSG: Boo.
Judge Claire: You're getting the hang of this, Akane.
Ariel: Granny will try spearing number 2. Waah! It rolled from the 19 onto the 1! My fumble roll is 2.
Judge Claire: Make a DC10 Reflex Save or spend the next round prone.
Ariel: 17! Made it! If Ruri can see number 4 from here, she shoots it. Nope. 10.
Judge Claire: The gnolls get their turn, then. I would have all 3 of these attack Connie, but I know Nanda's luck is only 5, so number 2 attacks her. Fumble! 1 means he's the laughingstock of the party, but no other damage. None of them feel like laughing right now though. 3 and 5 attack Connie. Miss, and 11. Only 2 points.
Sasha: Bring it!
Judge Claire: Okay, number 4 moves into melee with you and brings it.
Sasha: I didn't really mean that. 
Judge Claire: 14 is a hit, for 5 points this time.
Sasha: No smart-assing from Connie this time. She may be in trouble here.
Akane: My round if the gnolls are complete, yes? Nanda attacks number 2 with a 15 for 4 points. Kindly moves closer to Connie. If killed and bleeding out, she may need lizard medicine.
MSG: My guys have no angle to get anywhere.
Elle: Mine either. Well ... Mendi will move up to here and throw her cheese dip at gnoll number 2, hoping to blind it. If I hit an ally with this missile fire, it shouldn't be fatal, at least. Probably hit the back of someone's head.
Ariel: Cheese dip down your neck sounds pretty gross! But I guess we all smell like guano anyhow.
Elle: Only a 9.
Judge Claire: If I roll odd, Nanda might get covered in cheese dip. 3. Repeat the attack roll to see if you hit her.
Elle: No, I get a 6.
Judge Claire: Back around to Hettie, then.
Hettie: Antwerp is going to fire at number 4 and risk hitting Connie. She somewhat asked for it by charging in there by herself. I miss.
Judge Claire: 50% chance you have to reroll against Connie ... I'll just roll percentile dice ... 45.
Hettie: Now I get a 14. Sorry Connie. 3 damage.
Sasha: I'm still up, but not by much!
Heddy: I don't know that Shemp really wants to repeat Antwerp's mistake, but he's trying anyway ... 14 on number 4, whew! Damage is 4.
Sasha: Number 2 and number are both hit already, right? Connie's going to do the Deed on them and try to slash them both. It's a hit at least. I would've primaried number 2 to try making room for some other party members, I guess. Should have said that to start with. 8 points.
Judge Claire: Diced. Aers?
Ariel: Granny's prone this round, right. So she's got nothing. I guess Ruri's going to risk it by shooting number 4. Swish with an 8.
Judge Claire: The dice come up 10%, so try it again on Connie.
Ariel: Yay! 4!
Sasha: Here comes the pain from the gnolls, though.
Judge Claire: Gnoll 3 ... miss. Gnoll 5 ... miss. Gnoll 4 ... Connie's AC is better than 9, right?
Sasha: By 1. Yes!
MSG: The only thing I could see to do is have Chopper move in and get in somebody else's way ... But I guess he's got pretty decent hit points' I'll go here and try axing number 4. 17 is a hit ... 3 points.
Judge Claire: Just enough to kill it.
MSG: Hey, look at Chopper go.
Judge Claire: Hettie?
Hettie: I've now got 2 possible allies to hit if I keep firing, so I'll wait for now.
Heddy: If Shemp moves here, he can get a bead on number 3, who's only engaged with Connie. So he's going for it. 14, another hit! 5 points.
Judge Claire: Hurt but still up.
Sasha: Connie's gonna try another sweep Deed, with number 3 for her first target. These dice! Only 11.
Ariel: Granny gets up and spears number 3! No, she misses.
Judge Claire: They've got no escape route, so the gnolls keep desperately fighting. Number 3 uses its action to say a prayer to its god, actually. But it does no good. Number 5 goes for Connie. Another miss.
Akane: If Nanda can move in, she will attack gnoll 5. A 20! The sort that's natural! But her sad luck is -2, so the total is negative 1.
Judge Claire: She hits so hard her weapon is knocked loose. Add 1d6 and you're disarmed.
Akane: 6 in all.
MSG: Chopper goes for number 5 but misses.
Elle: Mendi will squeeze in and attack number 5. And apologize to Nanda for almost cheese-dipping her. My attack misses badly.
Akane: Nanda allows your apology to be more successful. "But next time, say duck or some such!"
Hettie: Since the way into the room is clear, Antwerp will attack number 5 with her shortsword. Miss.
Heddy: I don't see much I can do.
Sasha: Back to Connie, huh? Slashity-slash, same trick as last time only more hitting involved! Well, I do hit number 3 for 4 points.
Judge Claire: Dead.
Ariel: Granny comes in to spear number 5 ... 13! For 6 points!
Judge Claire: The last gnoll goes down.
Sasha: Whew! Ugh, though ... nobody died.
Judge Claire: That's right, only 2 xp each. I'll give it to everyone, though, not just those who took part in the combat. Any body break the 10 xp mark for the first time? No? Then we'll skip the roll-off for leveling up.
Ariel: Aw, man!
MSG: I think that's reasonable. Although ... how many characters do we have who would be ready to level up just on xp?
Heddy: Both my halflings.
Hettie: Just Antwerp for me.
Elle: Imlero's my only character at or over 10 xp.
Ariel: I've got Granny and Short both waiting.
Sasha: Stubbly's ready to join Connie anytime.
Akane: Nanda has 12.
MSG: So adding in Chopper, that's 9 characters in addition to the two who already leveled up.
Judge Claire: And ... where are you going with this?
MSG: Well, if we leveled up enough for everyone to have one character each, that would be 7 first-level characters, which might be enough to split off and give that mysterious Plastered-Over Doorway of Death a try. And there would still be 12 level 0's to keep exploring with.
Judge Claire: I'm fine doing that if the group is.
Heddy: Hm. Tempting ... but what if the first level group conquers Death's Door and a bunch of the 0-levels are still alive?
MSG: Well, even one more encounter and the rest of the 0-levels will be ready to level up, so if that happens, we'll just have a big pool of characters to pick from for the campaign, plus a lot of replacement characters in the wings if any of the leveled up characters die.
Hettie: Or get trapped forever in a maze of death behind the plastered-up door.
Elle: I'm good with that.
Ariel: Me too! I really want to level somebody up!
Sasha: I've already got Connie, and she already wants to get at that door, so ...
Akane: With only 1 hit point, Nanda has poor survival chances remaining at level zero. This plan seems good to her.
Judge Claire: Sounds like we should break here to level some characters up, then.
Ariel: Woohoo!

into thracia!

picking up right where we left off last time ...

Judge Claire: We ended last session with all the gnolls dead and the temple ruins presumably yours to explore. What do you do?
Heddy: I feel like as adventurers looking for our fortunes, we should be checking these bodies for any treasure they might be carrying. We didn't do that with the last set.
Sasha: Oh, man. I'm falling down on the job there! Well ... I guess it's my D&D character who's gold-obsessed, though.
Judge Claire: All you find are five battleaxes and one longsword. If you'd searched the others, you'd only have found their four polearms.
Heddy: How much is a battleaxe worth?
Ariel: The book says 7 gold pieces! Same for polearms. And a longsword is 10! My character doesn't even have any silver pieces, so ... dozens of gold pieces means we're rich!
MSG: We can probably only get half that selling them back to a shop, though, so not that many dozens of gold pieces.
Judge Claire: Anyone who wants a battleaxe can grab one, then. But the polearms you're out of luck on unless you want to hike back 30 minutes along the road.
Heddy: And risk another 5 or 6 encounter rolls? No thanks.
Akane: If still there when returning, we can acquire polearms in the journey home.
Elle: Let's keep up this optimism that we'll live to return.
Ariel: So what do we find in these ruins?
Judge Claire: The only thing of note is the broad staircase leading down into pitch darkness. The entryway is almost 15' wide, and inside, the stairs are close to 30' across. A bitter, astringent odor hangs faintly in the air as you approach.
Heddy: Did anyone bring a light? I may break down and cry if we have to go all the way back to town for torches or lanterns.
Ariel: I've got a lantern! But I don't have any oil for it. Or anything to light the oil with if I had oil.
Sasha: Same here. Both my dwarves have lanterns but no oil. And they're dwarves, so they can see in the dark anyway, so I'm not sure why they need lanterns to mine with.
Akane: In case they have guest miners? "But it's bring your own oil, guests. Sorry." Fortunately, the characters of Akane are prepared with a lantern, also a torch, also oil, and even flint and steel for lighting!
Heddy: I have a flask of oil too, so I guess we could have two lanterns going at once?
Hettie: With our surfeit of characters, using the torch for a third light source seems wise as well.
MSG: Maybe not, since the dwarves and halflings all have infravision. How many of this party/army need light? I've got 3 who do.
Heddy: I only have 1.
Hettie: All 3 of mine are useless in the dark.
Elle: Same here.
Ariel: 3 for me too.
Sasha: I'm down to 1.
Akane: It's 2 for me.
MSG: So that's 16 who need light and 7 who don't. Why don't we put a couple of dwarves up front, have 2 lanterns lit for the group in the middle, and the rest of the dwarves and halflings bringing up the rear. I'll volunteer Noor to be up front.
Ariel: Short can be up there too!
Heddy: I don't mind putting Ham in harm's way.
Akane: Kindly Minely prefers the back. Nanda has oil, so he loans her his lantern.
Sasha: Stubbly or Stumbly can give a lantern to Connie if you'll let her use your oil, Heddy.
Heddy: Sure. Glynette hands it over.
Hettie: I suppose then, it's in we go.
Judge Claire: The gloom closes in around you. As you march deeper and deeper, the stench you smelled before thickens until it's almost choking. Behind you, the opening to the outer world dwindles until it's a mere postage stamp of light, at least a hundred feet away. At this point, you see the stairs open up into a large chamber ahead.
Akane: Nanda aims her lantern to see.
Judge Claire: The moment you do, a wave of noise rolls up from below -- a din of flapping and squeaking sounds. The beam of your lantern reveals a swarm of bats rousing to swirl just within the entrance to the chamber.
Ariel: Super duper. I guess Short heads down that way.
MSG: Noor too.
Heddy: And Ham. But hanging back just a little.
Akane: Nanda raises lamplight and makes a gesture of, "Follow me!" to the remainder of adventurers.
Judge Claire: You descend to the level of the chamber, now storming with bats in a roiling cloud.
Sasha: Batnado!
Judge Claire: This area seems to have been a worship chamber, ages in the past. Now it lies heaped with noxious mounds of bat guano, built up over decades or centuries. The walls are streaked with befouling excrement from above, leaving only faint hints of the faded, chipped religious murals that once adorned the place. The swirling bats harrass you from all sides. Whoever has the highest luck, make a luck check.
Ariel: Vinnie's is 17! I roll a 5.
Judge Claire: For the moment, the bats are only screeching and diving around you -- no one is getting attacked. You see dark passages leading off to east and west, and some massive, iron-bound doors standing ajar to the north.
Ariel: Short would be okay scouting around, since the light seems to get the bats all antsy.
MSG: Noor will go along.
Heddy: Ham follows.
Ariel: Let's go up and check that west hallway first. Do I get there safely? What's down it?
Judge Claire: It's just a 30' run of corridor leading to a dead-end. The guano makes footing treacherous, as it's slick and clinging and ankle deep in places.
Ariel: Ewww! And ugh, I guess we've got to search for secret doors?
Judge Claire: Do all three of you head down to the end? If so, make intelligence checks.
Ariel: I get a 16, which is way over my intelligence.
MSG: Noor's roll is 1.
Judge Claire: Nice. Noor is completely certain that there are no secret doors. It looks like the end of the corridor has been bricked up and sealed with mortar.
Heddy: I rolled a 9, but I assume that's moot now.
Ariel: Okay, what's down the other hallway?
Judge Claire: It goes about 40 or 50 feet east and turns left.
Ariel: Hmm ... well, I don't wanna go down there without more people ... should we peek through these big iron doors?
Heddy: Ham says he's game. Or at least, game to have Short and Noor check it out while he's a few steps behind.
MSG: Sure, let's have a look.
Judge Claire: Poking your heads through the gap, you see a long, wide hall with columns supporting its 20' ceiling. Some of the columns are crumbling, leaving hunks of marble on the floor and places where the ceiling sags. The hall extends beyond the reach of the dwarves' infravision, and is even more heaped with bat guano than the chamber you're in. There are bats hanging from the ceiling in there too, mostly undisturbed because the light from the lanterns hasn't reached this far.
Heddy: Was that hallway to the right a big guano-fest too? Because Ham is about ready to get out of the batshit instead of marching deeper into it.
Judge Claire: It looked pretty clear of guano, except the first few feet where there's some flow out from the room they're using for a roost.
MSG: If the bats are alerted by the light, maybe we should consider having the infravision crew investigate the area beyond the gates while everyone else either hangs back or explores the eastern corridor.
Heddy: Ham says, "Did you not just hear me say I wanted to get out of the batshit?"
Ariel: Without Ham there'd only be six of us, which doesn't sound like a lot to me as far as exploring into a huge-o unknown area.
Sasha: No guts, no glory. The Stamps dwarves would be up for it if you guys make the suggestion once you're back.
MSG: Well, I definitely don't think the three of us should go any further alone, so I'm for returning to the group and letting them know what we found.
Heddy: Glynette is Lawful and has 5 hit points, so she's a little more comfortable with the infravision scouting party idea than Ham, if that's how the party wants to go.
Akane: Kindly Miner is Lawful also ... but poor of hit points, so less excited in leaving the safety of numbers.
MSG: I just checked, and Brandy has infravision too. I was thinking elves only had dim-light vision, but that's some other game, I guess. So even if Ham stays behind, we've still got 7 people in the mini-party. My characters vote for that, particularly the two who wouldn't be putting themselves at risk.
Heddy: If we're voting, Shemp's in favor of that too.
Hettie: My surviving characters all give three cheers for democracy and vote to send our see-in-the-dark companions ahead.
Elle: Same here.
Ariel: I guess it sounds like we're doing that, then? But if we get in trouble, does everybody promise to run help us?
Akane: Is running through ponds of bat waste accomplishable?
Judge Claire: Those who've walked out into the stuff know it's pretty slippery. Running or even fighting in it would require some rolls to avoid slipping.
Heddy: All right, what's our marching order for the brave voluntold seven?
MSG: I'm okay putting Noor in the front row -- she's my number 1 in marching order anyway. Brandy has a shortbow, though, so she should be in back for missile fire support.
Ariel: Short can go up front.
Sasha: I'll put Stumbly in the middle row and Stubbly in the back, if that's all right.
Akane: Kindly Minely is weak in hit points and prefers rear positioning also. And would not mind borrowing a weapon of range, in fact.
Heddy: Shemp can loan you his sling. Which I guess leaves Glynette in the middle? She feels pretty safe with that.
Judge Claire: The gap in the great iron doors is wide enough to proceed through, and you find your presence without lights doesn't excite the bats into swarming. As you get further into the column-lined hall, the sound of the flapping maelstrom quiets slightly, turning into a hum of white-noise echoes. 
Heddy: Glynette is keeping an eye out for anything lurking behind those pillars.
Ariel: If Short's up front, he wants to keep going forward until we can see the other end of the hall, so we don't get surprised by something when we start searching around.
Sasha: Aye-aye from the miners.
MSG: Sure.
Judge Claire: Ahead of you, you see the hallway narrow slightly and end in a broad alcove without columns the far end of the alcove holds a large plinth strewn with rubble. There are doors to the east and west. It looks like the east one is slightly ajar. There are bats in the area as well, somewhat agitated. But it appears the floor is much less gunky here. You can see some trails worn in the guano leading to the east door.
Heddy: Can we tell how recent the trails look?
Judge Claire: Anyone have any hunting or similar background as a skill? If so, make an intelligence check.
MSG: Noor is a rat catcher. But I roll a 1, so ...
Judge Claire: So, I've decided when I call for a "check" and not a "roll," it's like a Luck check and you're trying to roll under your ability score. Otherwise I'll say "roll" and give you a DC to beat. So you wanted to roll low in this case, and it lets you tell the tracks are pretty recent because the guano isn't, you know, crusted over.
Heddy: Ew. I didn't need that explanatory detail.
MSG: So maybe somebody is still in that room. Is the door ajar enough for Brandy to use her spyglass to see into the room?
Judge Claire: I'll say "slightly ajar" is more than "open a crack," so sure. Make an Intelligence check to see if you can peer anything out. Or maybe a Luck check for something to be at a lucky angle you can spot. Your choice. 
MSG: My Intelligence and Luck are exactly the same, 14, and I roll ... 15. Can I say that was an Intelligence check and then spend a point of Luck to make it? I'm feeling nervous about what's behind this door for some reason.
Judge Claire: I'll allow it. Through the gap, you can see motion as of multiple figures. One stands where it's visible to you -- a humanoid creature with reptilian scales and a lizard-like head. It's holding a club and looks alert.
MSG: Hmm. Okay, here's an idea I whisper to my companions. What if we string a rope between these last two columns here, a little over ankle high. Then Brandy and Kindly can stand braced against the next set of pillars so hopefully we won't slip and fall firing our weapons. The rest of the group can hide behind that plinth or behind the corners where the hall narrows, and then we make some noise to see if we can get Lizard-Face to come out. If he and his pals rush to attack us, we ambush them. If they don't, we maybe back off and come back with more support.
Heddy: I like that a lot better than just going up and knocking on the door.
Ariel: Let's do it!
MSG: Noor will also have her net ready to throw over a couple of them if we get surprise on them.
Sasha: Badass!
Akane: Kindly approves of this plan also.
Judge Claire: Okay, position your characters, then.
Sasha: Hey, Stumbly's got a bunch of rope too -- a hundred feet of it from Buspar, because he was a ropemaker. Can we lay it out around Brandy and Kindly's pillar so they have better footing?
Judge Claire: Seems like plenty of rope for that, sure. With all these preparations, though, I think I'd better ask for a Luck check from whoever has the highest Luck, to avoid accidentally making enough noise early to alert the lizardmen.
Sasha: Stubbly's got a 15. Anyone higher? Great. And I easily make it 'cause my roll's a 4.
Judge Claire: Okay. Everyone's in position, then. 
Heddy: So what noise do we make?
Ariel: I don't know ... I guess Short will make an owl call or something. "Whoo! Whoo!"
Judge Claire: Nothing happens for a moment. Then you see the door open a bit wider, and the lizardman comes out and spots you. He sends up a call of alarm in his hissing language and rushes to attack the two intruders he spots. Everyone roll initiative.
Heddy: 16 for Glynette.
Ariel: Short gets an 11.
Sasha: Stamps siblings on seventeen!
Akane: 11 for Kindly.
MSG: 21 for my two.
Judge Claire: Okay. The one Brandy saw rushes out, followed closely by another one. There attention is on you, so the lead one needs a pretty good Reflex save to avoid going prone from tripping on the rope. He fails and goes down hard right here -- faceplant into guano. Number 2 sees his companion trip and has a little better chance ... makes it. He jumps across the rope, but comes down in the guano-patch and has to save to avoid slipping. He fails and is prone too. Two more come out more cautiously and end up here. You can all take your surprise round actions now. MSG?
MSG: Noor throws her net on the two just outside the door. How do we handle that?
Judge Claire: I'm going to say your to-hit roll becomes their Reflex save roll.
MSG: Ugh. That's a 5. You know what, Noor's number 1 in my cannon fodder order, so I'm spending 3 luck points to make that an 8.
Judge Claire: Use 'em or lose 'em, right? But both of them easily save.
MSG: Damn. Okay, Brandy fires an arrow at number 1. I assume 6 is a miss. 
Judge Claire: By a fair bit. Sash?
Sasha: Miner 49'ers dogpile on number 3! Yech. 9 for Stubbs, 7 for Stumbly.
Heddy: I'm next, right? Can I move to here and strike the prone guy with my staff without sliding in guano?
Judge Claire: Yes. We're going to say the last two columns are the edge of the batshit.
Heddy: 8.
MSG: Plus 2 for striking at a prone opponent.
Judge Claire: Still a miss.
Heddy: Bah.
Ariel: Short tries the same thing with his club. Pow! Wah, 8 even with the extra bonus.
Akane: Kindly sling shoots number 1. A miss.
MSG: Well that plan was a bust.
Judge Claire: Not quite yet. That was your surprise round. Now we go back to the top of the order, which is MSG.
MSG: Noor moves in and tries to club number 3, then. Does a 12 hit?
Judge Claire: I'm afraid not.
MSG: This is starting to feel like trouble. Does Brandy get the missile fire penalty for shooting at the downed lizardmen? It seems like from point blank it would be easier to hit them, not harder.
Judge Claire: I'll give you the bonus for now, since you really seem to need it.
MSG: Still a miss.
Sasha: A miss from Stubbly. But a 19 for Stumbly! Who has shit for damage, though because of her bad luck modifier. 1 point.
Heddy: Ye-- oh, come on. That was a 17 before it tipped onto 10. That's a 13 total. Hit?
Judge Claire: No.
Heddy: Oh, Christ. I spend a point of luck and if that still misses I say we get out of here.
Judge Claire: 14 turns it into a hit.
Heddy: Thank god. And some luck for a change, max damage. 4 points.
Ariel: 19 for Short! Maybe our luck's turning around! Only 2 points, though.
Judge Claire: The lizardmen rolled badly on initiative, so you're up, Akane.
Akane: Again, a miss.
Judge Claire: Their turn, then. Number one needs an easy Reflex check to stand up from the muck ... fails. Same for number 2. I assume Noor has the worst luck of you three, after spending those 3 points?
Sasha: You'd be wrong, because Stumbly only has a 4 luck, remember?
Judge Claire: Ooh, that right. Lizardman 3 attacks her then. That's a 19, for 4 points.
Sasha: Damn. This is going so far south. She's dead.
Akane: Oh no! So sorry for your loss, Stubbly.
Judge Claire: Well, now I'm pretty sure Noor has the worst luck there. Number 4 moves to attack her. You notice that number 4 appears injured, with some bandages on his leg and chest. Does a 9 hit?
MSG: Yeah. 
Judge Claire: 2 points, then.
MSG: Not fatal, at least. My turn? I'm definitely hitting the injured guy. No, not with a 5, I'm not. Sash?
Sasha: I like the thinning the herd idea, so I'll go for number 4 too. Finally a hit! 5 damage.
Judge Claire: That takes him down.
Sasha: That's for you, sis!
Heddy: A reliable miss from Glynette.
Ariel: Short too.
Akane: Poor slinging from Kindly as well.
MSG: Oh, I forgot to shoot with Brandy. Twang! Wow, we suck with this die.
Judge Claire: Their turn again, then. Number 1 successfully rises from prone! But slips and falls again when he tries to take a swing at Kindly. Number 2 gets up as well, wasting a natural 20 on it. He stays up when he swings at Brandy, for a 14, and 4 points of damage.
MSG: Wow, this is turning into a bad idea.
Judge Claire: Number 3 strikes at Noor, since she's still up. A 12, for 2 points.
MSG: She's done and down.
Judge Claire: Rough break on these dice so far. Sorry, guys.
Sasha: Stubbly smacks number 3 with a 7, and we're toast apparently, so I'll spend 7 Luck to make that a hit. 5 points of damage.
Heddy: Glynette can no longer reach number 1 now that he moved, right? Can I step across our rope and put my back to that column so I don't have the chance of slipping?
Judge Claire: You'd have to move really slow and careful and I wouldn't let you take an attack this round.
Heddy: What if I try leaping at number 2, swinging my staff while I'm in the air, and crashing into him so we both go down?
Judge Claire: That sounds more like a Mighty Deed of Arms for a Warrior, but you guys are in such bad shape I suppose I'll let you. If you hit, you'll do damange, and both of you go prone in the guano.
Heddy: What about if I crit, like that?
Sasha: Sweet!
Judge Claire: Your choice. Either keep your feet when you land, or roll on the crit table as normal.
Heddy: Too much strategy for me, but I like the chance of extra damage more than I trust my chance of hitting next round if I'm on my feet, so I'll take the crit roll. It's a 1, -1 for my luck is 0.
Judge Claire: You hit so hard it knocks your staff from your hand. Add a d6 to your damage, but you're now unarmed.
Heddy: 7 points.
Judge Claire: He's hit but not dead -- barely.
Heddy: Can I burn Luck to make him dead?
Judge Claire: How many points?
Heddy: I'm going to hope that "barely" means he's only got 1 left, so I spend 1.
Judge Claire: Dead.
Heddy: Whew!
Ariel: Short's turn, right? I don't feel too good about my chances of rolling a crit like that, so I'm going to go help Stubbly. You guys got this, Kindly and Glynette! I move over here and club-ola this lizard guy. That's an 8, so it would take 6 luck for me to hit him. Sheesh, though, I may not get a better chance, so I'll spend it.
Judge Claire: Dead. He had only 1 hit point left.
Ariel: Woohoo!
Akane: Kindly will punch this last lizardman. Hmm. It's 10 after bonuses ... I will expend 4 Luck points with sadness, reducing to only 13 luck.
Judge Claire: That takes him out, then. He's got 2 hit points left, but I know you have a damage bonus, so the 4 survivors get 4 xp each. 
MSG: So is it time to cross the bridge of whether people get to level up when they hit 10 xp?
Judge Claire: I don't think I'm ready for there to be 4 level 1 characters and still 16 level 0's, or however many it is. If you guys want to roll off on a d20, I'll let whoever rolls highest level up.
Heddy: I'm good with that.
Ariel: Sure.
Sasha: Already rolling ... 3.
Akane: My roll is 18.
MSG: Whoa, 19! Sorry, Akane.
Heddy: Still room for a 20, MSG. Nope, not from me.
Ariel: I get 8.
Akane: Wait. Only survivors got these xp, correct? You have survivors?
MSG: Oh. Good point. I got so excited about leveling up I forgot both my characters bit it.
Judge Claire: Akane it is, then.
Akane: Reviewing the book ... hmm. I roll a d10 for hit points ... sad, only 3. I pick one weapon for permanent luck bonus ... also sad that I spent those 4 Luck points! Only +1 now, not +2. I continue to have lucky fists ... now +3. Some better ability to attack with a "Deed Die," and some improvement on Saving Throws. It's an improvement over a level 0 character, definitely. But still I feel somewhat weak-ish.
MSG: Bummer on that hit point roll.
Judge Claire: So. With the excitement leveled off for the moment, what do you do?
Heddy: I don't have high hopes for gold from people armed with clubs, but I suppose we should still search the bodies.
Judge Claire: After wiping away the guano --
Heddy: Never mind.
Akane: Kindly will investigate past guano even if Glynette does not.
Judge Claire: You find these creatures had very little on them ... except that each carries a bundle of bandages, mosses and lichens to make dressings similar to those you saw on the one injured lizardman earlier. These are basically last-ditch first aid and will return 1d3 hit points to a character who is bleeding out. Heddy, bleeding out is what happens to characters of level 1 and higher. If healed within a number of rounds equal to their level, the character loses a point of stamina instead of dying. Normally  it's permanent, but with these healing packets, the stamina damage heals as normal for ability damage.
Heddy: Still, something I'd rather not experience. Well, for now I say we let Kindly carry them, since he's the only one they'll work on.
Ariel: We should also scrounge the stuff from our own guys who died. 
Sasha: Stubbly lays claim to his sister's goods.
Akane: It's appropriate for a brother to do so.
Heddy: Glynette will loot Noor's body since Brandy died in the muck and none of MSG's other characters are there to do it.
MSG: Fine by me. We're all villager pals as far as I know; whose characters are whose is just a convenience of play. Noor has a net, one day's rations, and 34 coppers.
Heddy: When that's done, I suppose we should look into the room they were occupying.
Judge Claire: Inside, you find a small chapel that appears to have been deliberately defaced. Fragments of an unidentifiable statue lie shattered on the floor in an alcove. At the back of the alcove is a decorative panel depicting stalks of grain. There's a small pile of dead centipedes -- much larger ones than normal -- with their heads removed. Some are cracked open and the insides missing. Others still writhe and twist in spite of being headless.
Ariel: I guess the lizard guys were munching on them for a snack?
Sasha: They must have killed them pretty recently for that, right? Otherwise these no-head ones would be more dead than they are.
Akane: Hmm. Is there a mystery of, where did the centipedes come from?
MSG: Maybe they were in here when the lizardmen got here.
Heddy: Hey, wait. Claire, you said the place was thoroughly defaced, but then you said we could tell the decorative panel showed stalks of grain. Does that mean it's intact?
Judge Claire: It does seem to be, yes.
Heddy: I'm going to check it out. Maybe there's a reason for that. Can it be removed? 
Judge Claire: Maybe. Make a DC10 Intelligence roll to see if you can figure it out. 
Heddy: 12.
Judge Claire: You find a catch along one side that allows it to swing open. 
Heddy: I'm not about to swing it all the way open without anyone being ready. Can I just peek through it a crack?
Judge Claire: Yes. There appears to be a hallway beyond, about 10' wide and running north to south.
Heddy: I close the panel back into place and let everyone else know what I found.
Ariel: Do you think maybe that hall and the hall we saw in the big room connect up somehow?
MSG: If they do, then we could bring everyone else through that route and have some backup to check out that door across the way. Oh, wait. I can't suggest that because both my guys are dead.
Heddy: I would have said the same thing, I think, given the chance. Anyone opposed to heading back and seeing if the rest of the party wants to try that unexplored hallway?
Ariel: Not me.
Sasha: I'm good with it.
Akane: Kindly accepts this plan.
Judge Claire: All right. You make it back without incident and inform the rest of the group.
Hettie: While we've been waiting here, an idea has percolated up in my head.
Ariel: Like, we should have coffee while we're playing? I could go for coffee if it's got enough cream and sugar in it!
Akane: Sugar can be optional, but cream I never refuse.
Hettie: I was actually speaking "in character." Since the bats in the room beyond the iron doors didn't swarm like this while the scouting party looked around in the dark, what if we shutter or shut off our lamps and have the infravision characters shuttle us across without light?
Ariel: Short's okay with that but my other characters are maybe on the fence.
Sasha: I'm fine with the idea.
Akane: Less appealing than coffee, but I do not object to it.
MSG: Sure, why not?
Heddy: What I would say is, we've already encountered a secret door, but we haven't had any traps befall us yet. So I'm expecting one any time now; I read up on these old modules between sessions and it sounded like traps were a big thing. So my addition to the proposal would be for some of the infravision crew to go down that east hall searching for traps and for more secret doors before we cluster our army of peasants in such a confined space.
Hettie: Are you volunteering your halflings, dear?
Heddy: Sure. Glynette is a bit emboldened by having survived the morass and melee she just went through, and Ham is getting antsy to do something.
Sasha: Stubbly's not in any emotional condition to go searching for traps or doors. But he'll go along with his dagger and club to whale on anything he can take his distress out on.
Akane: Kindly will attend for searching and defense as well.
Judge Claire: All right. Give me a marching order for those four.
Ariel: It's 10' wide, right? So we can go side by side in two rows and somebody taking up the rear alone. Short's okay being up front.
Sasha: Stubbly is gloomy enough to trudge in the back.
Akane: Kindly has greater leveling than others, so can go in a front row.
Heddy: My halflings can take up the second row, then.
Judge Claire: Okay, so how slow and careful do you take the searching? 10' a round, using your move to go the 10' and your action to search? Or slower than that?
Ariel: That sounds kinda fast to me if we're being super careful. How about just 5' a round?
Sasha: Sure. Gives Stubbs more time to deal with his grief.
Akane: Agreeable.
Judge Claire: Then if the halflings don't object, it takes you 8 rounds to search up all the way to the corner where the hall turns north. 8 Intelligence checks each.
Heddy: This is so many dice. Someone else go and I'll note all mine down.
Akane: Kindly is in front and searches this way: twice successful, then a failure. Then success, failure, success, failure, success, and two failures.
Ariel: Uh ... yes, no, no, no, yes, yes, yes, no.
Heddy: All right, for Ham, on the left, it's no, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, no. For Glynette, yes, yes, no, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Judge Claire: You make it to the corner with no traps encountered and no secret doors discovered. 
Heddy: I'll take it.
Judge Claire: The corridor extends northward, and at the far extent of your dwarves' infravision, takes a turn left again.
Heddy: How about if we start shuttling, then, and the characters who need a light can put one on around the corner from the bat room and start searching while we finish leading everyone through the dark.
Ariel: We don't need to shuttle one at a time, do we? Like, one infravision person could hold hands with a human, and then the human could hold hands with the next human, right?
Elle: That sounds great ... until a wandering monster takes out the first human in line and leaves all the others flailing in the dark.
Ariel: Oh. Yeah, I guess one at a time is better, then.
Judge Claire: Shuttling order for the humans, then.
MSG: Can we just assume our normal 1, 2, 3, 4 order by player instead of talking that all the way through?
Judge Claire: Sure, that's a better idea. So, to avoid infinite die rolling, I'm going to give a spoiler and say there might be one thing to find in this section of hallway, or there might be nothing. So each character roll one Intelligence check to see if you find the something or don't find the nothing.
Hettie: I'm disquieted by the double-negative, but fine. Noir is in the front row, and succeeds. Antwerp succeeds, and Tandy as well.
Ariel: Granny is so dumb! She definitely fails. Short too. Then Vinnie makes it, and Ruri blows it bad.
Akane: Nanda ... success. Pestra --
Judge Claire: No need to go any further. Nanda is on the right and in front, so she finds the unusual thing 40' along the wall. Like the other chambers down here, this hallway has plastered walls, and Nanda spots an area about the size of a door where the plaster seems to be just slightly recessed.
Heddy: Ooh, promising!
Akane: Maybe. Nanda has suspicions. She will look very carefully. Is any sign see-able that this area can actually be opened, without chipping away the plaster covering?
Judge Claire: Make a DC10 Intelligence roll.
Akane: Success with a 13.
Judge Claire: It seems to just be completely plastered over.
Hettie: Noir is right next to Nanda. If it's obvious what she's looking at, I think I see her concern. If the plaster is the same age as the rest of this area's walls, it seems probable no one has come out from that direction in centuries. Which means it's possible that something beyond has prevented anyone from coming out in centuries.
Akane: Nanda considered it just so as well.
Sasha: Connie Tistra's a con artist, so she smells potential treasure. Like, whatever else is in this dungeon, other adventurers have had a shot at it all these centuries, but they haven't as far as what's behind that plaster, right?
Ariel: Hey! I just remembered Ruri is a fortune teller! Can I use my tarot cards to see if it seems like a good idea to chip away this stuff and go in there?
Judge Claire: Make a Luck check. 
Ariel: Easy, with a 2!
Judge Claire: I don't know all that much about tarot cards, but I know there's a Death card, and that one comes up in a position that indicates grave danger.
Sasha: Yeah, yeah. Wouldn't it come up that way anywhere in this place? What about treasure? Any indication of that?
Judge Claire: Yes, but overall, Ruri has a bad feeling about opening the area up.
Ariel: Plus, I didn't say I did my tarot stuff out loud, Sash. So Connie doesn't know what I'm learning yet.
Sasha: Well, even when you tell her, it's not like you're a wizard or anything, right? Seems like just mumbo jumbo to Connie.
Ariel: I tell everybody the cards say there's death behind that plaster for sure.
Hettie: That's good enough for Noir.
Akane: Nanda also.
Sasha: Connie says you guys are pussies and tries to convince everybody else we should check it out.
Akane: If all from the same village, we know the intelligence of Noir and Nanda, yes? My other character find Connie lacks convincingness.
Ariel: Granny's dumb and pretty fearless, plus she's old and maybe not that far from dying anyway. So she's good with going for it. Vinnie's on the fence. But Short and Ruri are definitely against.
Sasha: Stubbly is in a fatalistic mood and says he's fine facing down death.
Akane: Kindly points out ... how many more rooms to explore on level 1? If those don't enrich us, we can return here. This logic persuades Pestra. Nanda already expressed her dislike.
MSG: My guys would go if the whole group was going, but Chopper would rather we all stick together. Carson's thinking about it. If the party splits, he might go in with Connie's group. 
Heddy: Glynette knows there's a secret door somewhere ahead if we keep going down this hall, and there's still that one door to explore in the bat area. My group isn't into ignoring that Death card.
Elle: So that's 3 in favor, maybe 4 or 5 with Vinnie and Carson ... my most chaotic and cannon-fodder character is dead, and as far as the others, Mendi is Lawful, so no splitting the group for her. Nora's chaotic, so she's a maybe. Imlero is not the brightest, so another maybe.
Judge Claire: It sounds like Connie has a decision to make as to whether she wants to initiate a split.
Sasha: Connie's pretty set on it, but she's also only got a 6 Personality, so she knows people don't normally listen to her. I actually think it's a terrible idea, so I'm going to make a Luck check, and if I miss by a lot, she goes for what I think is a bad decision. Oof. Natural 20.
Akane: Seems like fate desires Connie to go through the plastered door.
Sasha: Time to shit or get off the pot then, people. Who's definitely with Connie?
Akane: Kindly attempts to persuade others of the foolishness of this con artist. His Personality is opposite of hers: 16.
MSG: Sounds like time for them to make a roll-off for the characters on the fence.
Judge Claire: I don't want to make anyone send their character in a questionable direction just on the roll of the dice, but let's see how well the two of them make their case. Roll d20 and add your Personality modifiers.
Sasha: Connie winds up with a total of 4.
Akane: For Kindly, 16.
MSG: That gets Carson off the fence. I'm with the smooth-talking dwarf.
Elle: Yeah, if Connie hadn't flubbed it, Imlero might have gone with her, but she got her ass handed to her in that debate, so my two on-the-fencers are off now.
Ariel: Vinnie buys into what Kindly says. Granny's dumb, but she's not crazy. If nobody else is into it, she's for going on. 
Sasha: Stubbly will listen to his fellow dwarf.
Judge Claire: That leaves Connie pretty much holding the bag, if I'm hearing right. Is she stubborn enough to try going on her own?
Sasha: Maybe, but she doesn't have a torch or a lantern, so she just gets pissed at everybody and gives up.
Judge Claire: The wandering monster die doesn't come up with an encounter while you're debating, so if the party's ready to move on, around the bend is another 35 feet of hallway and a turn to the right. This time, I want Granny and Noir to give me a d10 roll modified by Intelligence.
Heddy: Should we be nervous that it's just a d10 not a d20?
Hettie: Skill checks in this game are done with a d10 if you're not trained in the skill, so it might mean we're rolling a Find Traps roll. My roll is 10 plus 2 is 12.
Judge Claire: No need for Granny to roll, then, because Noir finds a pressure plate on the floor -- clearly some kind of trap.
Hettie: Can I determine the borders of the pressure plate?
Judge Claire: Yes. It's big enough that it would take a DC 7 Agility check to clear it.
Heddy: So statistically, somebody out of our army of characters is going to set the thing off.
MSG: That's what my math says too.
Heddy: How about a new plan, then?
Sasha: Connie immediately says, "Back to the plastered-up door!"
Heddy: No, Shemp is going to say we should go back and use our infravision shuttling strategy to get everyone to that room we found the secret door in. Glynette groans at the prospect of trudging through more guano, but agrees that makes more sense than having somebody spring the trap and die.
Hettie: I'm for it.
Elle: Me too.
Ariel: If Granny was Chaotic I bet she'd say, "Come on, you whippersnappers! How hard is it to jump across a little stretch o' floor like that?" And then just jump to show them. But since she's Neutral I don't think she would. My other guys are okay with Shemp's idea.
Sasha: Stubbly is too. Connie's just pissed off about everything, but she doesn't have much choice.
Akane: Back to the bat rooms, my characters agree.
MSG: Mine too.
Judge Claire: All right then, let's pick up there next session.
Heddy: I think I'm starting to get into this game.
Hettie: It's an acquired taste, but it has its charms.
Elle: Nice gamemastering, Claire.
Ariel: Yeah!
Sasha: Although if somebody had stepped on that pressure plate and died, we all could have gotten another 3 xp.
Judge Claire: Brutal, but true. We'll see how things go next time!

oh no! more dungeon crawl classics!

i don't know why i have this idea that anybody out there reading this blog sort of rolls their eyes when we get to another one of these dcc game posts. it's not like i even look at my blog statistics to see what's popular or not (because basically no one reads any of it), and most every post gets the same number of comments whether it's an rpg post or not (by which i mean, zero comments).

but here we are again, back in the realm of dungeon crawl classics! since before heddy got here, we've been playing akane's d&d campaign, and elle has said she's ready to get back to dragonbane whenever akane's ready for a game-mastering break. so what happens? msg goes poking his nose around the goodman games site and finds they've just released this giant mega-dungeon book called "caverns of thracia." it's a reworking of a classic olden-days d&d module from 1979 (before even msg started playing that game!), and it sure looked and sounded exciting, so we ordered ourselves up a copy and when it came i called dibs on being the judge. i was thinking, we just did that portal under the stars funnel a while back and have the 1st level characters from that. so we can have heddy roll up a level 1 character and jump into this mega-dungeon, since it says it's for level 1 and up. and then, whoosh. i started reading the dang thing.

i never played d&d back in the day (wasn't even alive back in that particular day, in fact). dungeon crawl classics, as my faithful readers know, was my first rpg. so even though dcc is a pretty brutal game, i wasn't expecting this olden-days module to be even deadlier than a normal dcc scenario!

they're totally going to get slaughtered in this thing, i became convinced the more i read. so i decided a better approach than pulling out those level 1 characters, just to off them really fast, would be to do the first bit of this dungeon as a funnel. with 7 players, they'd have 28 freaking characters at the start, so even mass casualties would leave at least a couple to escape and run back to town with their tails between their legs. then those survivors could tell the 1st level guys what they saw, and whoever goes back in will be better prepared.

so how did that work out? let's see!

Judge Claire: Okay, folks! Time for our mega-dungeon mega-cast of mega-characters who all do we have going into this pit of terror and peril?
Heddy: My four are Shemp Shuckley (a corn farmer that everyone says has terrific stats), Ham Handwarmer the halfling glovemaker (who even I can see is lacking in almost everything though not disasterously so), Groovy Glynette (a halfling dyer with much better rolls than Ham), and Azey Crates (a trapper with three 8's in her stats and a luck penalty on initiative).
Hettie: I've a guild beggar called Antwerp the Agile (who's actually got stats just shy of Shemp's), Rudy Roots (rutabega farmer with exceptional hit points), Tandy Tunely the Minstrel, and Noir Mehl (a startlingly smart armorer whose low hit points probably won't be helped by her luck bonus on saves against traps).
Akane: Mine are: Kindly Minely (a dwarf who mines and has extraordinary fistiness of +4 for unarmed attacking), Pestra Poorshot (who is a hunter so poor at shooting due to unagile), Beryl Offun (a cooper, which i learned is a barrel maker, so low in hit points but extreme in personability), and Nanda No-toes, a clumsy woodcutter of awful luck and penalty on receiving magic healing).
Ariel: I've got a fortune teller called Ruri Media. She's great! And she has fortune-telling cards! Then there's Granny Grains (whoosh, only 1 hit point for this rice farmer), Vinnie Velo (an urchin! 5 big hit points! super lucky!), and Short Ensimple (another dwarven miner. what? he's got hit points and not too much else).
Elle: I'll start with the somewhat worrisomely named Nora Hemlock (an armorer, okay overall, good hit points), Mendi Mageworth (18 intelligence on this mendicant, but will she live to become a mage?), Imlero Nh (my second armorer and the group's third, hmm. solid in pretty much everything but the brains department), and Lea Chandler, a weak, clumsy, rude, unlucky outlaw.
Sasha: Here come some more duplicate ocupacions! Stubbly Stamps is a dwarven miner, Buspar Tiedy is a ropemaker with sad stats everywhere but personality and stamina, Stumbly Stamps -- you guessed it, another dwarven miner, so I made her Stubbly's sister, and Connie Tistra, a strong con artist who sucks at most everything but strength.
MSG: I've got Carson Quickfoot (a mendicant with a 40' speed from his lucky sign), Noor Ratchet (dwarven rat catcher, solid and stolid), Brandy Aidt (a weak elven navigator with okay intelligence and luck), and Chopper Glaive (a 5-hit-point butcher).
Judge Claire: Wow, that's a big crew.
MSG: This is a re-do of a '70s D&D module though, right? I'm betting we burn through these guys pretty fast.
Judge Claire: No spoilers, but also no argument from the Judge on that. Okay! The over-two-dozen of you are villagers from a town some miles away from a disreputable wilderness where there are supposedly some ancient ruins. You're in the local pub one day when some adventurers come into town and start telling tales of their adventures in a portal under the stars.
Hettie: Or possibly mis-adventures?
Judge Claire: Only the survivors made it here, so they spin it as pretty adventuresome. At any rate, you hang on their every word and decide that that's exactly the life for you! Those old ruins are half a day's march from here, and suddenly you feel like they're just calling for you to take that hike and delve into them for treasure. You follow a series of landmarks you've heard about in all the tales until you reach the crumbled remnants of an ancient road, weedy and shot through with high grass, leading directly into a dense, dark forest. What do you do? Oh, but first everybody write your characters' marching order down so we know who's in front.
Heddy: That sounds ominous. Do you want our order from 1 to 28? Or just our order within our own four characters?
Elle: It usually goes 1 to 4 for your own characters.
Judge Claire: Yep, that's it.
Heddy: Done. Anyone object to pushing on into the woods on this road?
Hettie: It seems anticlimactic to make an about face and hike another half-day home out of last-minute fretfulness.
MSG: And probably unwise to blunder into the trackless woods instead of taking the road.
Judge Claire: All right, then. Darkness closes in around you as the thick boughs overhead shut out the sunlight. It's dim and quiet and smells of earth and old leaves as you move in under the trees. The tension is thick initially, but the longer you make your way through shadowy woods, the less your nerves maintain their jitters. Mileage may vary by character, of course. Then! About ten minutes into the woods ... the front-liner with the highest luck needs to make an Intelligence roll to see if you notice something.
Heddy: 8.
Hettie: 14 here.
Akane: It's 5 for Nanda No-toes.
Ariel: Granny has a 13. Whew! I'm glad it's worse than Hetty's because Granny's pretty dumb.
Elle: A woeful 4 for my outlaw.
Sasha: Buspar's a 7.
MSG: 11 for me.
Judge Claire: Hettie's up, then.
Hettie: Noir rolls a total of 7, showcasing once again my superlative affinity for the dice.
Judge Claire: Your opponents roll pretty badly too.
Ariel: Opponents? Uh-oh!
Judge Claire: From the darkness ahead lumber four burly, rough-furred humanoids with the ears and snouts of hyenas! It's a patrol of gnolls, armed with polearms! Roll initiative! Heddy, in a 0-level funnel, that's a d20 plus the highest Agility modifier among your characters.
Heddy: 16, then.
Hettie: 11 for me
Akane: It's 9.
Ariel: Me too! 9!
Elle: 18.
Sasha: Nice. 11 for me.
MSG: A big, fat 1 here.
Judge Claire: Wow, MSG. Not one of your characters has an initiative bonus?
MSG: Nope.
Judge Claire: All right then. Elle, your group is up.
Elle: Lea is up front and Chaotic. She'll rush the lead gnoll and slash at it with her sword. Big miss. Imlero is neutral and not bright, so she'll follow Lea's lead. Aha -- that's a crit.
Sasha: Even nicer! The dice are on fire for you tonight, Elle!
Elle: Don't jinx me. d4, for 0 levellers, right? That's a stunning crack to the forehead. +d3 damage and the foe falls to the bottom of the initiative count next round. 7 points total from my club. What the hell, I'll say Mendi is emboldened by this stunning success and rushes to attack the stunned gnoll. 13 to hit.
Judge Claire: That is in fact a hit.
Elle: 4 more points.
Judge Claire: It's still up.
Elle: Nora is not emboldened, and hangs well back out of polearm reach.
Judge Claire: Heddy is next, then.
Heddy: Is there a penalty for firing into melee?
Hettie: Yes, and a miss is highly likely to kill one of our characters.
Heddy: Got it. Azey Crates will unlimber her sling and go for one of the other gnolls. But she misses by a mile. Ham charges in with his dagger to stab at the injured gnoll. Misses by even more than a mile. Glynette will try her staff on it as well if there's room.
Judge Claire: There is, but she's the last who'll be able to crowd into position.
Heddy: 13 was a hit before, so I assume it still is? Only 2 points of damage, sadly.
Judge Claire: Sash or Hettie.
Hettie: I'll defer to someone likely to roll better.
Sasha: Okay, let's see if that's me. Buspar goes for one of the next gnolls ... 15! Pretty good. Assuming this guy's not tougher than the last -- damage is 2. Connie tries to dagger the same one. But she sucks. My dwarves will play it safe this round.
Hettie: I'm next then? Antwerp has a sling and will fire on one of the unengaged fellows. A clear miss. Noir has a 16 intelligence and only 1 hit point, so she'll leave the valor to someone else this round. Rudy dashes up to take a stab with his spear. Ah, an 18 hits, I assume, and damage is ... 4
Judge Claire: Was that on the one Antwerp fired at? Or the one Buspar hit?
Hettie: Strategy would suggest the one already wounded, but honest compels me to admit I assumed I was attacking the same one Antwerp did. Tandy will gang up on that one as well, but with a mere 7 to hit.
Judge Claire: Akane or Ariel is next, then.
Ariel: You can go, I don't mind!
Akane: Very polite! However, also safer -- but I don't mistrust a girlfriend like Ariel. Pestra will unleash an arrow at the one not yet in combat. Very missly. Nanda hurries with a handaxe to attack the opponent of Rudy and Tandy. Beryl sees the poor effort of Nanda and tries to do better. Unsuccessful! Kindly Minely will exert prudence this round.
Ariel: So my turn now? Granny goes for the one Buspar and Connie attacked. Boo. Vinnie tries next ... swish. Can Short squeeze in on one of the ones already ganged up on?
Judge Claire: The melee is pretty thick at this point. I'll say you can fit in to attack the same one your other characters went for.
Ariel: 13! That's a hit, right? 3 points of damage! That's all for me.
Judge Claire: The gnolls go. Who's got the worst luck out of Lea, Imlero, Mendi, Ham, and Glynette?
Elle: That's Lea -- unless someone else is worse than a 4.
Judge Claire: The lead gnoll attacks you with a 10. 
Elle: Shockingly, it misses. I have a bad agility but as an outlaw, I'm in leather armor, so my AC is 11.
Judge Claire: All right then -- what about Buspar, Connie, Granny, Vinnie, and Short?
Sasha: Anybody worse than Buspar's 7? No? It's me then.
Judge Claire: It misses with a 2. Rudy, Tandy, Nanda, and Beryl?
Akane: All my characters but a mining dwarf are so low in luck. Beryl has only 4. 
Judge Claire: 17. Damage is --
Akane: Also, she is unlucky enough to have only 1 hit point. No need to roll damage.
Ariel: Aw!
Elle: Not to be insensitive, though, but our experience take just went up for this fight.
Sasha: Yes!
Judge Claire: The last gnoll goes for Lea, then, since I know she's got bad luck too. Or maybe not, since it misses her. MSG, it's your turn.
MSG: Damn. That one attacking Lea means they're all in combat now, so Brandy can't use her shortbow. Chopper will try to get into the hole where Beryl went down. That's a 12.
Judge Claire: A miss, unfortunately.
MSG: Damn. Noor goes for the uninjured one then. Nice, 17! 2 whole points of damage.
Judge Claire: Hey, better than 0 points. Top of the initiative order -- Elle.
Elle: Lea tries to take down this leader gnoll. I roll a 14 -- 
Sasha: Yes!
Elle: -- but my strength is 4, so that makes it a 12.
Sasha: Erf! Sorry about that.
Elle: Imlero gives it a try ... 15 this time, for 3 points of damage.
Judge Claire: It's tottering but still on its feet.
Elle: Mendi rolls an 11. Over to you, Heddy.
Heddy: Maybe Ham can get his dagger into this guy and finish him off. Nope. Glynette's our last shot then. 11. At least that guy's last in the initiative this round, though.
Hettie: Yes, but no one else can squeeze into that pack.
Elle: I love your confidence that the other three gnolls won't kill anyone this round.
Heddy: I wasn't trying to say it quite that bluntly, but that is what I meant.
Hettie: These games have really sparked your bloodlust, haven't they?
Heddy: I feel goaded by that. My corn farmer rushes in to help Noor fight that gnoll she's the only one attacking. He spears it with -- only a 9. I hope that wasn't a fatal mistake.
Hettie: You can blame me if you need to, darling.
Sasha: My turn? Dwarves to the rescue! Stubbly and Stumbly go for the one Mr. Corn just missed. Miss for Stubbly, hit for Stumbly. Don't get your hopes up, though -- she's got - 2 on damage rolls from bad luck. 1 point. Buspar goes for the one he's been on ... miss. Same for Connie.
Hettie: Rudy tries to spear his opponent. 19, fantastic. Maximum damage of 8.
Judge Claire: It's totes dead.
Hettie: Does that make room for Tandy to get around and flank the leader?
Judge Claire: No, but you can go for the one Buspar and the others are attacking.
Hettie: I miss anyway. That's it for my troupe this round. Akane?
Akane: Has Nanda room to arrive at another opponent?
Judge Claire: Yes, the one on Noor, Shemp, and the dwarf siblings.
Akane: A roll of poorness. Could Kindly find someone to punch?
Judge Claire: Really? Unarmed combat? You can also fit in the tussle Noor and Nanda are in.
Akane: I have +4 with fists because of a lucky sign: raised by wolves. My total is 16. For damage, 5 points.
Judge Claire: That kills it. Ariel, your turn.
Ariel: Okaysies. Granny spears at hers ... miss-ola! Short misses it too ... but Vinnie hits! 4 points!
Judge Claire: Dead as well.
Ariel: Yes! So, with all those guys dead, there's gotta be room around the leader, right?
Judge Claire: I'll say yes.
Ariel: Ruri's going for it, then. 16!
Judge Claire: It had one hit point left, so it's dead.
Ariel: Yay!
Judge Claire: A fatality in the fight means the survivors get 3 xp each.
Heddy: I'm guessing it takes a lot fewer experience points to go up a level in this game than in D&D.
Hettie: Significantly fewer.
Akane: I am remembering 10 from the other game of Dungeon Crawling Classics that we played.
Judge Claire: Right. But in this case, I'm giving you advance notice that nobody is leveling up while we've still got more than seven characters going. If you hit 10 xp, you can send some guys back to town to level up and press on with the rest, but we're not leveling up 16 characters to tromp through the dungeon as 1st level adventurers.
Ariel: I don't know ... that sounds kind of fun to me!
Sasha: Yeah! 
MSG: The down side is that it takes a lot of work to level up to first.
Ariel: Sure, but it's fun and cool!
Judge Claire: All right ... well, um ... let's see how it goes then. No sense debating all this when you might lose 12 characters in the next fight anyway.
Akane: My characters become wary if a next fight will kill twelve. We should sneak carefully and go around this next fight to the fight after that.
Elle: I don't think it works that way, but sneaking carefully is never really a bad idea in this game.
Sasha: Sneak mode! Let's go!
Judge Claire: Are you sure? Sneak mode will be slow, so I'll actually be rolling for more encounters that way.
Hettie: I vote that we just proceed without further speculative digression.
Elle: Seconded.
Judge Claire: You continue on, then. Ten minutes further into the jungle ... oop.
Akane: Is this an "oop" of more encountering?
Judge Claire: Yeah, that's two sixes in a row on the encounter die. To be honest, I only rolled because I figured it would probably not be an encounter. Since Noir is still alive and I assume up front, Hettie needs to make another Intelligence check to see what she sees or hears. 
Hettie: Tremendously better this time. 19. 
Judge Claire: Up ahead, you see four giant rats devouring something in the underbrush just off the road.
Hettie: I will pantomime a bow and arrow shot and point to the rats to give our ranged attackers a round of surprise.
Judge Claire: All right, everyone who has a ranged weapon can take a shot.
Heddy: Azey Crates has a sling, but I'm sure a 7 misses. 
Hettie: Let's see if Antwerp can do any better. 13.
Judge Claire: Hit!
Hettie: Only 3 points though. I would be shooting at the biggest one.
Judge Claire: It's still alive then.
Akane: Pestra's arrowing is a success this time, since 17 is more than 13. I am shooting the large rat of previous injury, for 6 points.
Judge Claire: Now it's dead.
MSG: Brandy takes aim with her shortbow and hits for 4 points on the next largest one.
Judge Claire: The other three all seem about the same size. 4 points kills the one you hit. Initiative time!
Heddy: 13
Hettie: I get an 18 thanks to Antwerp being "the Agile."
Akane: Only 6 here.
Ariel: 15 for me!
Elle:  Another 18. My characters are getting proactive this game.
Sasha: 18 for me too! Charge!
MSG: 17 for me.
Judge Claire: Who's up first for the 18's?
Hettie: Strategically, I recommend letting Antwerp go first with her sling.
Sasha: No objections here!
Elle: I'm good with it.
Hettie: A miss with an 8. Noir, Tandy, and Rudy will all gang up on one of the remaining rats. 17 from Noir for 3 points.
Judge Claire: Dead.
Hettie: Rudy and Tandy spend their round making sure of that, then. Elle? Sasha?
Elle: I'll go. Lea makes a run at the last rat. Misses. Mendi tries to do better ... and does with a 10. Is that a hit? If not, Imlero gets an 18 and does a minimum of 3.
Judge Claire: Mendi swings and misses, but Imlero kills the rat. No one got injured or expended any resources, though, so no xp.
MSG: Does that mean I get my arrow back? If not, it's a resource expenditure, right?
Judge Claire: I wasn't planning to track ammunition for 0 level characters. Do you want me to?
MSG: Let me double-check how many it says come with the bow. Looking ... looking ... okay, the answer is no, let's not track ammunition.
Judge Claire: Good. Not long after the rat encounter --
Sasha: Wait!
Judge Claire: Yes?
Sasha: What were the rats eating? If it's some dude, does he have anything on him?
Judge Claire: Ten percent chance it was a dude. If so, ten percent chance he's got something worthwhile on him. You can roll, since you had the idea to look.
Sasha: Woohoo! No, woo-foo. I roll 86, so it's not even a dude.
Heddy: You literally 86'ed your own idea.
Judge Claire: Moving on ... another ten minutes venturing ahead -- really? I need to stop rolling this encounter die or you'll never get to the dungeon. Three 6's in a row! All right, Hettie, roll your Intelligence check while I see what this one is.
Hettie: Even better this time. Noir gets a 21.
Judge Claire: The creature rolls okay, so you don't surprise it. But it's really slow, so it's going last anyway. Ahead of you on the road, you see a 10' by 10' heap of primeval slime oozing its way along the road. With your 21 check, you notice that wherever it oozes across the grassy tufts jutting between the stones of the road, they hiss and dissolve. We'll keep the previous initiative since we barely used it and the creature is going last anyway.
Heddy: Can our ranged attackers all go first instead of being broken up across our individual initiatives?
Hettie: I'm for that.
Judge Claire: I'll allow it.
Hettie: Antwerp also gets a 21 on her to hit roll, then. Assuming that's not a miss, damage is 5 points.
Judge Claire: The sling stone strikes it with a "ploop!" and seems not to do a ton of damage.
Ariel: Uh-oh.
MSG: Brandy fires her shortbow. Does an 11 hit? 
Judge Claire: Yes.
MSG: 3 points.
Judge Claire: It seems to do less than that. Also, roll an Intelligence check.
MSG: Natural 20. Seems like a waste of a crit roll ...
Judge Claire: Maybe, maybe not. You notice that where your arrow stuck into the thing, the arrowhead is corroding and melting. The shaft of the arrow is not, though.
MSG: I'll warn everybody that this thing seems to eat metal.
Heddy: Azey rolls an 18 with her sling for 2 points of damage.
Judge Claire: Another "ploop," but I just realized slings do bludgeoning damage not piercing. So you and Antwerp both do full damage. Brandy's still doesn't seem to have had as much of an effect as it should have.
Akane: The shortbow of Pestra twangs hopefully ... but failingly with a 9. Unless 9 hits a slow-moving slime?
Judge Claire: Nope.
Hettie: Noir suggest that if this thing really is all that slow, we should back up and just keep lobbing missile fire at it. My other characters follow her advice.
Akane: This advice sounds superior. I accept it.
Ariel: Me too!
Elle: I'm willing to try that strategy. Hopefully it's not just a slow-to-react but lightning-fast leaper.
Judge Claire: Anyone breaking ranks to rush it? No? Then on its turn, it oozes forward by 10 feet. It's much too slow to catch you if you stick to Noir's idea, so your slings eventually do it in. If we were tracking ammo, Brandy's slime-eaten arrow would be an expenditure of resources, but we're not, so it's not. Another no-xp encounter, guys. A short way beyond the slime's sickly, dissipating goo, you see sunlight streaming down on the road -- looks like a substantial gap or clearing in the trees ahead.
Heddy: Let's hurry before Claire decides there's no way her encounter die will roll four 6's in a row.
Hettie: Affirmed.
Judge Claire: Approaching the sunny area, you see that with light to help it grow, the grass upon the road is rank and high -- easily waist-high in most spots.
Heddy: What's that to a halfling, then? Over our heads?
Judge Claire: Yes. You and the dwarves too. Since this is an unusually short party, your vision is pretty restricted. As you reach the edge of the wood, the taller characters see that the forest is broken to the left by a stone foundation strewn with rubble, so old and decayed that it has a few trees growing through it. It looks like this, with the arrow being your line of sight:

Elle: As an outlaw, Lea is thinking this looks like a good place for an ambush. Any chance she can use her criminal skills to sneak closer and look around without getting spotted by whoever might be lurking around the ruins?
Judge Claire: Sure.
Elle: My roll is a 14.
Judge Claire: When you peer out from the edge of the high grass, you see six gnolls apparently standing watch, including one of them that looks pretty large, like the big guy you fought before -- and one who looks even tougher. That last one has a longsword. All the others have battleaxes.
Elle: Okay. Here's my plan to fuck with these guys. All our melee characters hide in the trees to the sides of the road where it's still shady. Our ranged people sneak up, unload on the longsword guy, and retreat back along the road. I'll sneak back to the group and let them know. Do I need to roll again?
Judge Claire: No, the watch-gnolls looked really inattentive. Like a one on the d20 inattentive. Does the group like this plan?
Heddy: Sounds great to me.
Hettie: I'm in.
Akane: I have a concern. What if our firers of distance weaponry are less stealthy than Lea the outlaw? A step on some twig or stick could leave them in danger of gnolling. Pestra says this because she is very unlucky.
Elle: How about this, then? Any archers or slingers who aren't feeling lucky stay back on the road well past the spot where we've got our ambush set.
MSG: That's even better.
Heddy: I agree. Unfortunately, Azey Crates is pretty unlucky and not very smart either, on top of being Chaotic. So she feels fine about participating.
Judge Claire: All right. In that case, who has the worst Luck out of everyone going up to shoot?
Heddy: Azey's is 8.
Hettie: 14 for Antwerp.
MSG: 15 for Brandy.
Judge Claire: Then Azey needs to make a Luck check. Heddy, roll the d20 and try to get under your 8.
Heddy: Nope. That's an 18.
Judge Claire: As you approach the firing position, then, you stumble on a rock and really hurt your toes, which makes you cry out reflexively. There's an immediate bark of alertness in the gnoll language from the direction of the ruins. Everyone roll initiative, I'll map this out.
Heddy: Sorry everyone. Even better, I roll a 2.
Hettie: Another 18.
Akane: Exceptional rolling for you tonight, girlfriend Hettie! My attempt ... only 7.
Ariel: 21! Woohoosies!
Elle: A spectacular 20 for me.
Sasha: 6.
Judge Claire: Ariel, you're up first.
Ariel: I'm just waiting for them to come to us!
Elle: Same here.
Hettie: Likewise, except that Antwerp will fire her sling and retreat, assuming I have line of sight. 16 to hit.
Judge Claire: Minus 2 for medium range on a sling makes it 14, which misses the big guy.
Hettie: Yikes.
MSG: Brandy fires her shortbow. If I'm at medium range too, that's a 16. And I'm rolling damage, because if a 16 misses, we're all screwed. Uff. 1 point.
Judge Claire: Again, that's better than zero points. Akane, it's your turn, since the gnolls still haven't moved.
Akane: My characters remain ambushly.
Judge Claire: The gnolls charge. The big leader is fast. He gets all the way to Azey, but that consumes his action, so he can't strike. Everyone with initiative 7 or higher who was holding can get a free action for surprise before the next round begins. Ariel first.
Ariel: Granny goes in with her spear! 18! Only 3 points, though. Vinnie tries to club him! 16! 4 more points! Ruri stays hidden to maybe get a second wave of surprise. Elle's next, right?
Elle: Right as ray-guns. Lea moves up to this underling gnoll and slices at it with her shortsword. That's a 16 ... for 1 point. Imlero heads up to the leader. Club smash -- only a 14. I'll spend a point of luck and hope that's good enough.
Judge Claire: It is.
Elle: Nice. But minimum damage of 3. Mendi will reposition to here, and Nora follows Ruri's lead to stay in the reserves. I'll hand it off to you, Het.
Hettie: Noir can get to the leader, just barely. But misses as expected. Rudy uses his movement and action to get into place behind the big guy. Tandy will position herself to attack next round.
MSG: Noor and Chopper advance to be able to reach combat next round. Brandy already went, and Carson will do the whole second-line-of-attack thing.
Judge Claire: Akane?
Akane: Nanda is able to reach this gnoll number 2, and so, attacks. A miss. Pestra advances to shoot at the large but not leader gnoll ... also a miss. Kindly Miner repositions closer to battle.
Judge Claire: Okay, back to initiative order. Sasha is next.
Sasha: Looks like Buspar will fit in right here to dagger the leader, Connie can get behind gnoll number two, and my dwarves will move their stubby little legs to get ready for next round. Dagger! Nope. Dagger! Dammit. Okay, I'm done.
Heddy: That just leaves me, right? Azey already went, and Ham and Groovy are shorties, so they'll just reposition closer to the action.
Judge Claire: Whew! New round, then. Aers is up.
Ariel: Looks like I'm just attacking this leader guy. Granny-spear! Swish. Dwarf-club! Swishity-swish. Aannd ... urchin-power! Yes, Vinnie gets a 17. That'll be 4 points of damage.
Judge Claire: He's looking pretty bruised. Elle?
Elle: Lea will will slice the shit out of this gnoll number 2. 13 to hit for 3 points of damage. Imlero is next on the leader with a 13 to hit. Bummer. Mendi comes clubbing on gnoll number 2 with a 13 for 3 more points.
Judge Claire: Gnoll number 2 goes down.
Elle: Nora's still playing it safe. Het?
Hettie: Noir tries to smack the leader, misses. Rudy tries to spear him, same. Antwerp will move up and sling gnoll number 1, since he's still unengaged. Miss. That leaves Tandy to boldly circle over here and gouge big bad number 2. 15 hits, and a nice 4 points of damage.
MSG: Me next? Noor goes for BBN2 as well. But misses. Chopper heads up to gnoll number 1. 16 hits for pff, 1 point. Brandy's kind of ticked that Chopper didn't wait for her to shoot first, but she's lawful, so she doesn't go for the shot and risk hitting him. She'll reposition to here though because the word was there were 6 gnolls and we've only seen 4 so far. I'm done.
Judge Claire: Akane?
Akane: Nanda moves to strike gnoll number 1. 13 hits, yes? Damage of 4 points. Pestra follows the lead of Brandy. Kindly Minely moves to punch the large-size gnoll here. 14 to hit, and 3 to damage.
Judge Claire: Gnolls' turn! Numbers 3 and 4 move in and engage, but it takes their whole turn to get there. Gnoll leader is pissed off. Let me see the character sheets of everyone in his reach. Looks like Buspar and then Azey have the worst luck. Sword to Buspar. 14! Minimum damage is 4
Sasha: Ouch. So long, Buspar.
Judge Claire: Second attack.
Heddy: Second attack!?
Judge Claire: Longsword to Azey. Hit.
Heddy: Also no way I can take that.
Judge Claire: Big bad second in command goes for Tandy. Does a 9 hit?
Hettie: Just barely not.
Judge Claire: That leaves gnoll number 1, who chops air with his battleaxe. Sash, you're up.
Sasha: I'll move here, here, and here, and then Connie daggers gnoll number 1 for a hit and 3 points.
Judge Claire: Dead.
Sasha: So then Stumbly clubs at the secondary leader ... hit! 2 points!
Judge Claire: Heddy?
Heddy: Ham can get to the vice gnoll, and Groovy moves closer to the action with gnoll 3. A miss from Ham.
Ariel: My turn! It's Grannytime! Natural crit 20! Go, granny! And I get a 4 on the die plus my luck for 5 on the crit table. What's that?
Judge Claire: Solid strike to torso, plus 1d6 on this attack. Could be the end of gnoll leader ...
Ariel: 12 points!
Judge Claire: He goes down hard.
Ariel: Yes! I can still move now that he's dead, right? I'll Granny-rush number 4 for next round. Then Short heads up here and Vinnie urchins his way over to number 3. Club! Only a 12, which misses I guess.
Elle: My non-lurkers move into combat here, here, and here. Imlero clubs the secondary gnoll -- with a crit. Only a 1 on the table, though.
Judge Claire: Add 1d3.
Elle: 5 points. Another minimum damage disappointment.
Judge Claire: So close, too -- he looks like he's in really bad shape.
Elle: Lea tries to finish him off, then. That's a miss. Over to you, Het.
Hettie: Noir and Rudy try to do some damage to number 3. Noir hits for 2, Rudy misses. That's all for me.
MSG: In that case, Noor the rat catcher goes for the second-string leader and misses. Chopper attacks gnoll 4 with a 17 for 2.
Judge Claire: Akane's turn.
Akane: Only Nanda can reach an enemy this round. Her roll is 15 and damage of 2 on gnoll 4.
Judge Claire: Gnolls attack! Leader B goes for Lea. Hits. Damage is 3.
Elle: That's enough. Lea coughs blood and dies.
Judge Claire: Gnoll 3 attacks Rudy. Crit. Let's see what the table says ... oh, not too bad. Assuming you live, you're swept off your feet and prone next round. Damage, though, is 8.
Hettie: Rudy is definitely prone next round. As well as all the rounds thereafter.
Judge Claire: Gnoll 4 goes for Nanda. Whoop, it fumbles ... and trips itself prone. Sasha?
Sasha: Gnoll 4 gets Connienatored! 21 to hit! Max damage 6! Leader B gets Stumbly-Stamped! Er, no, Stumbly goes fumbly. That's a 5 of the fumble table.
Judge Claire: You fall prone.
Sasha: Whew, I'll take it. Stubbly comes running to help his sis ... miss. Sorry, Sis.
Heddy: All right. Ham hacks at leader number 2. Miss. Glynette misses with her staff too. Since Azey's dead and Shemp is lurking down the road, that's it for me.
Judge Claire: Back to the top of the initiative order, then. Ariel, take it away.
Ariel: Okay, if Granny moves here and Short moves here, we can all gang up on this number 3 guy. You're about to get Grannyfied, number 3 guy! Woohoo! Another crit! And my crit roll is 5 again! An extra d6, right? 7 points!
Judge Claire: He's up but on his last legs.
Ariel: Then here's some Shortification! Well, that didn't work as well. I miss. But I've still got Vinnie. Urchin! Nope, 10.
Elle: It looks like my only character who can attack without crowd-surfing is Imlero. That's a roll of 18, total of 20 --
Judge Claire: One hit point left. It's dead.
Hettie: On my round, Noir attempts to club the first-mate gnoll ... exceptional! I get a crit.
Judge Claire: Wasted because he was also on his last hit point. Multiple fatalities means everyone gets 4 xp this time around. And if no one objects, I think this is a good spot to end the session.
Heddy: I'm pretty worn-out with all the fighting, so that's fine by me. Is it my imagination, or is there a lot more fighting in this game?
Akane: Much more than with a D&D game run by a novice in Dungeon Mastery. But also I think a little more than the other DCC game we played. That one, lots of traps on top of fights. Also, weird, creepy, and puzzling things.
MSG: This is an update to a '70s D&D module, and those were very combat oriented in a lot of cases. But I'll also point out that three of the fights tonight were just bad luck on the encounter die. I see some stairs down on that map, so we'll find out the truth of it once we get down in the dungeon, I'm guessing.
Judge Claire: No spoilers from me!
Heddy: I wasn't complaining by the way. Just observing and hoping for fewer random encounters next time, I suppose.
Ariel: I had fun! Good job, Claire! You're always the best game master ... I mean, except when someone else is being the best game master. I mean ... you know what I mean!
Judge Claire: Definitely. And thank you!

until next time, then, dear readers!