Borderlands sessions 3

 The group were last left at the bottom of a pit trap and had fought off a group of bow wielding goblins. Fortunately Stickles the thief came back from the keep and followed their trail through the fort. He managed to get some rope down to the group, and help them out of the pit. After discovering that the trapped door was in fact a fake, the frustrated group doubled back down through the fortress to investigate a side of the building still left blank on their map.
 During their explorations, they met up with an adventuring elf by the name of Moonbeam (I know) who had been attracted to the rumours of the richess in Quasqueton. The group decided to allow her to join them as they continued on through the halls of the fortress..
Narrowly avoiding a confrontation with a group of dangerous looking blue tattooed Northmen, and getting lost in one of Zelligar's Mazes of Confusion, the PC's eventually came upon Zelligar's garden room, which had become overrun with all manner of strange plants and fungi. After going about halfway in, the PC's soon found themselves bombarded by a loud shrieking sound emanating from some large orange mushroom shaped plant. Just as the PC's were getting ready to destroy the screaming fungus, they were attacked by some creepy crawlies, and enraged orcs who attention had been attracted by the loud wails.
 Again it was Erin the farm-boy who proved himself in combat; severing the head of one of the orcs in a single blow, and fatally wounding another. No sooner had they finished off this first attack, when the still shrieking mushroom attracted even more creatures. This time the group found themselves surrounded by three large underground reptilian creatures (troglodytes). The PC's thinking they wouldn't be able handle this new threat, decided to try and bluff their way using intimidation. Opting for savage brutality, they stuck the severed orc heads on swords and spears and shook them violently in front of the troglodytes. Fearing for their lives in front of the this new powerful foe, the creatures bowed in deference to the PC's who seeing an opening fed the orc bodies to the reptiles, and made a quick getaway out of the garden. Using their map to back track, they soon found themselves in the eastern half of the fortress again, and made their way to what turned out to be a room belonging to Rogahn's mistress Melissa, while there they made two important discoveries; a supposed treasure map to the lower level, and a secret passage connecting Melissa's room directly to Roghan's.

Editorial:  Two more players joined in for this session but one of the other guys couldn't make it so that gave a total of three players. It made for more discussion as to plans on what to do, as well as a lot more out of game banter..but thats what its all about right. Moonbeam doesn't exactly get named until session 4, but I thought I'd break it too you now...so I've had a Moonbeam, Dale the killing machine, and from the first session and only session my wife participated in...Head Honcho....

             I found the mapping difficult in this one (actually I should say the player's did, b/c I don't do their mapping). It became an extra challenge during the maze part; however they get a kick out of when one hallway somehow intersects another. I'm thinking of using white board so i can make an outline first then let them do the mapping on their grid paper.
  
I also saw a lot of encounter avoidance this time. The party took great pains to try and find what was in a room before going there (even using mirrors under doors), and then leaving if it appeared anyone was inside; they seemed especially concerned over the northerners bearing blue tattoos. Still I liked where the group was headed, and how easily they fell into what we call old school adventuring. I'll post 4 and 5 soon. as some interesting town and wilderness events are starting to occur...as well as some....PLOT..oh no!!!!!!

Wilderness encounters

So the group is going to be searching through the forest for a group of bandits (I have yet to post sessions 3/4 to explain why). Now while I've created an encampment for the Bandits, I also decided to create a few encounters for the wilderness. I wanted to create a sense of supernatural strangeness to the forest, so I decided on some encounters that go beyond just regular wandering monsters (what a strange statement to make.......regular wandering monsters). Anyway, here it is I'd like to know what others think:
Roll a D8

1.....feel dripping from above and snapping branches.....find a frozen, partially eaten corpse in a tree that comes crashing to the ground.....

2.....See a run down abandoned cabin (chance 50% day/ 50% night)....if the party is in or near the cabin at night they will see a pale luminous women in a white night dress staring out the window with a gaping wound in her chest (only noticeable if she is somehow turned away from the window). She will not respond in any way unless touched, at which point she will turn and chant ---"come back to me my love" over and over. at this point all male characters from right to left must save vs spells, the first to fail will be drawn to the figure's embrace where they will age 10 +1d4 years per round until rescued.

3.....An Orgre and a ___(undetermined sorry)___are sharpening tools and preparing a fire next to them tied to a tree is an unarmed person (level 1 magic user) with an extremely despondent look on his face.

4.....The party comes across a petrified tree with a vaguely humanoid figure and what appears to be a face twisted in extreme agony...if the figure is touched, the mouth begins oozing a dark reddish viscous liquid.

5.....Hear a horrible buzzing which seems to be getting closer and closer.......suddenly the the buzzing stops only to have the party immediately become attacked by a swarm of flying insects.

6....Come across a clearing with a ring of 7 white roses with a stone in the center, bearing some sort of faded inscription.  If they decide to read try to read the inscription roll a dice to see who can make it out (1 in 6 chance) the first to succeed is handed a note saying " "Y'salgoth's roses bloom in the dusk of life".....if anyone else asks about this paper or the inscription you must read this quote out loud".Once read aloud 7 zombies will crawl out of the ground from under the roses.

7...The PC's come across a Cairn made of skulls each one with a single jagged hole in the forehead

8...Undetermined yet

so there's the list. Looking back i notice a few hings:
#1 not all have a supernatural or strange bent, which gives different possibilities a different feel.

#2 Not all would have any game effect  (many have no combat) and with the idea being locating a group of bandits, is creating a strange supernatural mood really necessary...I don't know...

Well there are the ideas so far let me know what you think....

Probability Madness

Did you know you have the same probability of rolling a 6,6,6 as you do of rolling eaxctly 4,5,2......(1/216)......I just blew your mind didn't I?

Retro modules

So lately I've pretty much finished my collection of the old TSR stuff, both in paper and pdf (actually I may be missing a large swath of Dragon magazines). My eyes have now turned to the new quality products that have been put for the retro clones.
My purchase have so far included James Raggi's Death Frost Doom, Alphonso Warden's The People of The Pit, Goodman Game's Saga of the Rat King, Micheal Curtis's Dungeon Alphabet, and James Maliszewski's Cursed Chateau. I'd like to eventually give my thoughts on all of these products, but to be honest I've only fully read 3 of them so far (and those were quick reads too). I do know that I'd already like to put DFD and People of the Pit into my campaign...which isn't fair because there are so many of the old modules I want to take a stab at too. Damn that doesn't even include the free modules that people have published online.....Dragonsfoot........
My question to others is are there any new old school modules that you feel are worth a purchase? I know I've put a few on my shopping list at rpgnow, but I'm curious as to what others have to say.

Leveling Up

So the Borderlands has run through 4 sessions in total now (the first being an introductory without much adventuring), and I've been tabulating the experience now that they've actually gone back to town. I don't know about you, but I'm found the experience gained up to this point a little low; the most gained by someone who's been there through all three adventure sessions is 311 exp. Is this normal or have I been too stingy on gold rewards...looking back they accumulated perhaps 200 gp altogether (jewellery included), with another perhaps 500 for selling stuff (mostly rare books). Looking back my one mistake up to this point seems to have not bee to roll for random treasures for the wandering monsters; the treasure placed was taken directly from the B1 module. Maybe its just me though; looking at things if it continues at this rate it could take around 20 sessions to get to second level, this seems beyond the patience threshold to me. I have a feeling I may need to offer a little larger treasure incentive, with a larger risk too of course.

Dungeons and Dragons is Geek

For anyone who thought things have changed after thirty years, here's a little story: I pulled out a large set of multiple dice this week, to teach grade nine math students about probability, and the one student referred them them as "Nerd Dice". When asked what that meant, she told me they were used in dungeons and dragons, which of course was only played by nerds, and geeks. With wide eyes, I replied "Oh Really". Well the expression on my face must have said enough, because her look quickly turned to panic as the person next to her asked me if I played. I turned it around and asked them if it would be so bad if I did. Unfortunately almost in unison of group of them nodded yes.....sigh.....so much for the cool factor of being geek.
     I love our hobby, I really do, but it saddens me that because of it we get saddled with a label that I at thirty five can handle properly, but one for which a shy, awkward fourteen or fifteen year old can feel like a social kiss of death.

PS. I'm not a fan of divulging much of my own personal life with students, but my reply to the question on whether or not I play was to ask my level six paladin.

Borderlands Campaign Session 2

Wow, I've waited too long to recap session 2 (in fact to be honest there's already been a session 3, but more on that later), I will be doing a lot of this from memory...so excuse me if I forget some details..I'm not an elephant you know. Again I should be doing this sooner, as its suppossed to also be for my own benefit to refer back too.....sigh....I never learn.
   To begin with Stickles the thief, Dakken the Magic User, and Satara the elf all decided to head back to the Keep, leaving Dale the Killing Machine alone with the two retainers to tackle Quaqueston. Luckily he was joined at the gates by a adventuring holy warrior (i.e. cleric), by the name of Theodore. Shoring up their courage, the now much smaller party stepped through the imposing arched doorway to the dark depths below.
      The group came upon many unnerving sights as they explored the fortress, starting with the grisly remains of a recent bloody clash between some ugly pig faced humanoid beings and a group of humans marked with strange blue tattooes along with a slain dwarf. The group immediately began searching the bodies only to find some coins upon the dwarf.
       The group's luck improved though as they located a private reception area off of the main dining hall; where they proceeded to investigate a large statue of an unknown woman gesturing as in greeting; with some poking and prodding, the group found a compartment inside the statue hiding a beautifully wrought silver laced black mace, bearing the word Bonecrusher along the side. Needless to say Theodore was pleased beyond belief by such a find; and was eager for a chance to test the quality of his new found weapon.
      This opportunity came soon enough, when they stumbled upon a large barrack holding 4 of the pig faced creatures (which Theodore had deduced were Orcs) sleeping in their cots. The group attempted to quietly sneak into the room, but the battle trained creatures were light sleepers, and awoke to find these four humans breaking into their home. As the group did battle, it was Erin the farmhand that they had hired who surprised everyone (himself included) by slaying an orc single-handed, and aiding in the killing of another. The last 2, seeing their comrades killed so quickly, and maybe the slaying skills of Erin the farmboy, soon surrendered. When questioned the two revealed that they had thought the group where either in league with the northmen (the tattooed people) or someone they referred to as the Red Wizard, also that they were waiting for what they felt would be the eventual return of their long departed master (Zelligar). Theodore not trusting the two beast men decided to truss up them and have them guide them through the building.
   They were quickly lead through the building to the bedroom of the fortress' former owner, a room left untouched (more proof of the orcs continued loyalty, or at least fear of the mighty magic user). Once there it was hoped by the orcs that the dangerous poisonous spiders who had taken residence there would make quick work of the adventures. However the trapped was turned upside down when the group threw their prisoners into the on rushing spiders. The distraction  worked, mostly, and the small number that continued on  to attack, were easily dispatched, leaving only one of adventurer to be bitten and  crippled by the strength numbing venom.
    The intrepid explorers were also lucky enough to come upon Zelligar's private library, where they located his diary, penned in a secret code none of the adventurers understood. Having left the library with the diary they continued on down the deserted hallway, to find a large oaken door barring their way. No sooner did they attempted to open it, when suddenly the group was dropped plummeting down a deep shaft into a frigid pool underneath. With little time to gather themselves after the dangerous fall, the group was set upon by a group of short ugly goblinoid creatures who pelted them with arrows from across the way.
     Somehow through both skill and luck, the group was somehow able to regroup and dispense with their mysterious attackers without succumbing to their surprise attack. However they were now wounded, trapped and beginning to low on resources; what would they do?
End Session 1


Editorial (keep in mind this is actually coming really late, as Session 4 wrapped up last Sunday). I was actually a little sad when we started, because only two players were able to make it. I thought for certain they'd feel too awkward to play (for one...Theo...it was actually his first time), but they still wanted to try it, and had a blast doing so. I'm kind of glad to be starting with a group of complete beginners with a very BASIC dungeon because I'm starting to realize how rough my own DMing skills are after over ten years of not playing (it may be more like 15). I also liked some of the ingenius tactics they seem to take, the attempt to use the orcs as guides..and then as food (a theme that repeats itself later....oops spoiler), I just hoped I don't stifle subconsciously try to stifle this as it creates a great challenge to my own improve skills, and gaming ability.
    Still things went really well with one of the players recapping the session at work the next day.
Sorry for the lateness in my posts, but real life has gotten in the way again....new house..busy work.

PS I'm not certain if the narrative style works, but I'd thought I'd give it a shot anyways.