[Later that night, things get hairy and the next day dawns cold. Plus, spiders!]
[This game uses Adventures in the Green, a RPG based on the original rules for the world’s most popular roleplaying game. These rules are under development with Draft C available here. Game sessions happen an average of once a month. This the second half of the session that happened April 24, 2021.]
Biggz’z Troop, CAC (Chartered Adventuring Company):
Biggz Bigguns of the Big’uns Clan – female goblin Family Priest (5th level Cleric)
Porkins – male human Conjuror (5th level Magic-User)
Tiny – male minotaur Swashbuckler (5th level Fighter)
Tor Wind – male human Swashbuckler (5th level Fighter)
Mannin Darkshield – male dwarf Robber (3rd level Thief)
Kunigunde Gruber – NPC female goblin Footpad/Petitioner (2nd level Thief/1st level Cleric)
Hirelings:
Larn the Linkboy – male human hireling linkboy
Isidoros of Delphis – male Tolk hireling translator [specifically, German to Mü]
Deniska – female human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]
Ivan – male human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]
Bernagi – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]
Hardkira – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]
Yggsday, December 24, 523rd year of the Empire
Evening
Tiny was awoken by the sounds of fighting and screams from outside The Brass Dog. Always interested in a fight, he picked up his [magical] axe and went downstairs. In the common room, Tiny discovered that the staff of the inn had closed the shutters and barred the door. He convinced them to unbar the door so he could go outside [an easy task when one is a minotaur and carrying a huge axe].
Outside Tiny found the villagers wielding weapons [some very improvised] and chasing some creature through the streets. When he asked what was going on, the villagers paused. Tiny did not speak German nor did the villagers speak Mü and they were clearly wondering if they were going to have to fight this minotaur in addition to the other thing. Tiny made gestures with his hands and his axe and the villagers realized he was with them in tracking down the monster they were hunting. This greatly encouraged them. Maybe they wouldn’t have to be the ones to die or get injured after all!
Tiny and the villagers chased the monster around the buildings inside the village walls. Whatever it was, it was quick and Tiny never got a good look at it. It eventually ran up some stairs to the wall and leapt over it to the cold ground outside. It then fled the village area just as Tiny got to the top of the wall. Tiny contemplated just hopping over the wall himself and continuing the chase, but in a rare flash of insight he realized none of the humans would be able to follow him, so he stopped. The villagers took this as a sign that the minotaur had scared off the monster and now considered the minotaur one of them.
Near the end of the chase, Biggz awoke to the noise [the roaring minotaur helped here]. Biggz immediately checked Porkins’ room and found it empty with the window open. Biggz realized that Porkins had changed again and feared the results of a conflict with the villagers. Biggz closed the window and straighten the room a little before heading downstairs. It was time to go outside and see if they could avoid having their magic-user murdered by an angry mob of villagers.
Once outside, Biggz learned the chase was over and the monster had escaped. This greatly relieved Biggz, who then inquired if anyone had been injured. Several villagers had been and Biggz started healing them and treating their wounds with wolfsbane and holy water. The local priest noticed this and discretely asking if the use of the herbs was necessary for these wounds. Biggz replied, “Yes.” The priest then took Biggz to other injured villagers he had treated so she could apply her herbs and holy water. To avoid a panic, the priest explained this extra treatment as something to avoid the wounds going bad. He eventually introduces himself as Father Solomon, the village’s priest.
Once the wounded are treated and Tiny sent back to the inn, Father Solomon and Biggz have a quiet talk about why Biggz knew treatment for lycanthrope was necessary. Biggz confessed that the “monster” was one of her friends and that she had only learned the previous day that he had lycanthrope. Biggz felt that they would be able to remove the curse soon, but possibly not for a week [Biggz was close to leveling and gaining access to Remove Curse]. Until then, Biggz wanted to keep things bottled up. Father Solomon saw this as a dangerous to the village as there was still one more night of the full moon. He agreed to assist Biggz but needed to spend some time on other responsibilities [the next day being Yule and a major holiday]. Further, he required that Biggz keep her friend out of the village the next night to keep the villagers safe. Biggz accepted this and the two agreed to meet in the morning the next day to discuss further options.
Sunday, December 25, 523rd year of the Empire
Dawn
Biggz woke up Tor and Mannin by pounding on the door to their room until one of them opened it. Rather rudely, Biggz talked only to Tor and in Gobbly [the language of goblins, which Mannin does not speak]. Biggz explained to Tor that there was a monster attack on the village that Tor and Mannin slept through, but the monster was actually Porkins, who had lycanthropy. Biggz needed Tor to take Tiny and go out into the countryside to find Porkins, who should be human again but mostly without clothes, in the winter. Tor accepts the mission and went to find Tiny. Biggz switched back to German and told Mannin that the group would be heading out after Noon and would he please pack up everyone’s gear and keep an eye on things here at the Brass Dog. Mannin knew that Biggz was hiding something and was a bit sore about it, but he was there to meet a syndicate obligation so he agreed.
Tor found Tiny down in the common room eating breakfast. Tor attempted to explain the situation to Tiny, but Tiny just didn’t get it. Tiny eventually worked out that the two were going looking for the monster from last night and he was good with that. Tor stopped trying to explain while he was ahead and had breakfast.
Outside the Village
Porkins awoke, sore and cold, in a copse of trees, barefoot. His clothing was blood-soaked and there were parts of some animal around him with clear signs they had been gnawed on. He stepped outside the copse and discovered he was in farmland with a farmhouse nearby. It was very cold. Porkins tore the bloodied sleeves off his tunic and then staggered to the farmhouse.
Once there he banged on the door and called for help. The farmer and his family took Porkins in and asked what had happened to him. Porkins claimed to be part of a group on their way to Stralbruck who were attacked by bandits. Porkins claimed he was the only one to escape and he had been wandering without shoes and proper clothing for hours. The farmer and his family bought the story and helped get Porkins cleaned up and gave him some spare clothes so he could get to Stralbruck.
10:00 AM
Biggz met with Father Solomon in the clergy house adjacent to the village’s church. The two talked over their options, but it was a frustrating conversation for them both. Father Solomon eventually offered the use of two long silver cords to bind Porkins when he changed again. That would keep him from harming any villagers or farmers and will give the two of them another month to secure a permanent solution [although they differed on what that solution might be]. Father Solomon asked Biggz to came back by the church after the Noon services and he would have the supplies ready. Biggz agreed to this and returned to the Brass Dog to wait.
Roughly at the same time Tiny and Tor stumbled across Porkins in his new coat and shoes, walking the road to Stralbruck. Porkins was nervous about going back into the village and he convinced Tiny and Tor to follow a new plan. Porkins and Tiny will circle the town and head to the mill site the group is supposed to investigate and wait there. Tor will go into town and get the rest of their belongings and the rest of the group and meet Tiny and Porkins at the mill site in a couple hours. Tor agreed to this. Porkins spent the trip to the mill site trying to explain to Tiny that he, Porkins, was the monster last night.
10:30 AM
Tor arrived at the Brass Dog, having detoured to a smith to purchase three feet of steel chain [all that was available] and four horseshoes. At the tavern he found Biggz in the common room eating a late breakfast. Tor explained to Biggz that he and Tiny had found Porkins and what the new plan was. Biggs rolled their eyes and explained they needed to wait to meet the priest again for some additional supplies to bind Porkins, but the rest of the group should go to the mill site and wait there for Biggz.
Tor went upstairs and collected a grumpy Mannin, the hirelings, and all the group’s supplies. The group set off to the mill site just before 11:00 AM.
Noon
Mannin, Tor, Larn, Isidoros, Deniskva, Ivan, Bernagi, and Hardkira arrived at the mill site and met up with Tiny and Porkins. The mill site was at a bend in a low set of cliffs with a stream flowing across and in front of the ruins. The area had been partially cleared of trees and brush, exposing the ruins. The ruins [only recently learned about] were several stone buildings, some two stories tall. They were ornately decorated with stone statuary as part of the decorations and two of the buildings were connected by a walkway above the ground floor. The camp site the workers had used was obvious and quite abandoned.
The adventurers stashed their gear and supplies [NOT at the abandoned campsite] and decided to investigate the outside of the ruined buildings. They crossed the stream at a point where the workers had thrown in some large stone blocks to step across. They went left to circle around behind the first building on that side.
The area behind the building where it was close to the cliff-side was clotted with spider webs, starting just past a collapsed corner of the building. While the adventurers were peering into the building and trying to avoid stepping on the webs, four giant spiders appeared and advanced on them.
During the first minute of combat, the adventurers attempted to shoot the spiders. Most missed, but Tor “hit” one and saw the arrow go straight through the spider to no effect. Mannin ordered Larn to light a torch while dropping his bow to ready a melee weapon [I don’t remember if he uses an axe or a sword]. Tiny was bit by one of the spiders but the others failed to do the same. The adventures struck several blows against the now corporeal spiders.
Tor switched to his sword but observed the spiders phase out during their moves. None of the adventurers’ melee attacks actually landed, wafting through the spiders. Then the spiders came in to bite, becoming solid again but failing to connect.
Before the spiders could phase out again, Kunigunde was able to hit one of the spiders with her sling. The spiders moved to attack multiple targets and Larn got his torch lit. The spiders had initiative and attacked. Two of them bit Tiny, one bit Kunigunde, and one bit Mannin. All felt the spider venom start stiffening their muscles, but only Mannin fully succumbed to the paralysis [the rest made their save vs. Poison]. Tiny and Tor each hit a spider.
Before the spiders phased back out [which happens as a half-move action], Porkins finally decided to use a spell, casting Magic Missile and peppering one of the spiders with three missiles. The spiders phased out and the one Tiny had hit twice fled the area. Tor readied his shield. One of the remaining spiders bit at Tiny but shattered his shield instead of landing the blow [Tiny’s player wanted to avoid Tiny becoming paralyzed], the others missed. In return, Tiny killed one of the spiders.
Using the window of vulnerability between the spiders' bites and being able to phase back out, Porkins cast another Magic Missile at the same spider and killed it. The last spider phased out and moved to attack Tiny. Tiny and Tor attacked first, but the spider was still out of phase and they failed to injure it. The spider failed to bite Tiny, rebuffed by his armor [and low armor class].
The last spider took hits from Tiny and Tor and decided that it had had enough. When it next phased out it fled the combat. Tor took the lit torch from Larn and set fire to the webbing inside the building while Kunigunde used her staff of healing on Tiny. The webbing inside the building caught fire and started giving off smoke, which the adventurers used to cover their retreat back to their camp site.
1:00 PM
Mannin’s paralysis wore off and he berated Tor for burning the webbing as phase spider silk is magic and commands a good price.
End of Part 2
End of Session
Behind the Green
[This was my first time using Phase Spiders with my rules and I found the description of their powers in OD&D…lacking and possibly broken. I described this back in my April posting on Rule Descriptions - Phase Spiders and the Combat Sequence, which you can read there. I also explain the Combat Sequence I’m using there.]
[I didn’t remember it at the time, but I am now amused that Mannin was the one who ordered the torch be lit before they knew the spiders were phase spiders and then ended up complaining when the torch was actually used.]
Biggz’z Troop, CAC
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