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  giorgis 6:10 pm on December 19, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: AD&D, dnd, dungeons-and-dragons, fantasy ( 96 ), Solo ( 176 ), ttrpg ( 2 )   

  Alone Against a Call to Glory S01 – AD&D2e 

  As the interlude to my Savage Warhammer advenure, I’m going to start a short spinoff of my Dragon Quest series, using different systems, but this time with a Single PC, and not a party.
  This is mainly just for fun, but it will also most likely show if any systems are capable of having a single PC run through an entire dungeon.
  I am expecting glorious deaths, and I will push the character creation to its limits by exploiting any optional rules I can find.
  So to start with, I’ll go back to my roots. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Player’s Handbook and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Dungeon Master’s Guide, coupled with Player’s Option: Combat and Tactics as well as Player’s Option: Skills and Powers.

  I will be creating a Fighter, in order to have a fighting chance (pun intended).
  Rolling with the 4d6 method, I have the following attributes.

  • STR 16
  • DEX 15
  • CON 14
  • INT 14
  • WIS 9
  • CHA 12

  And I split them with the subabilities to:

  • Stamina 12
  • Muscle 18/27
  • Aim 13
  • Balance 17
  • Health 12
  • Fitness 16
  • Reason 12
  • Knowledge 16
  • Intuition 9
  • Willpower 9
  • Leadership 10
  • Appearance 14

  He’ll be a classic Sword & Board warrior.
  I’ll give him a 1d12 for hit points, and also Multiple Weapon specialization, but he has a Limited Armor restriction of Chain Mail or lighter.
  So I’m giving him the following Weapon Proficiencies:
  Weapon & Shield Specialization (for a +1 to Attack or +1 to AC, or use one of the Shield Special Attacks without losing the Shield AC bonus), Medium Shield Proficiency (for a +3 to AC shield bonus), Long Sword Proficiency & Specialization (for a +1 to Attack and +2 to damage), Ambidexterity (for -2 instead of -4 to off-hand weapon), Chain mail Proficiency, Scale Mail Proficiency, Battle axe Proficiency (as a backup weapon), Short Sword Proficiency.
  And he’ll also have the following Non-Weapon Proficiencies:
  Blind Fighting, Endurance.
  I rolled 100 Gold Pieces, which he’ll spend on the following:
  Longsword (15 gp), Medium Shield (7gp), Scale armor (60gp), Open-faced helmet (12gp), Battle axe (5 gp).
  The weight of all his equipment is at 68 lbs, but with Scale armour proficiency, this drops to 48 lbs, and he’s Unencumbered.

  So, he has the following combat stats.

  THAC0: 20
  Attack Bonus: +2
  Attacks/round: 3/2.
  Damage Bonus: +5
  Armor Class: 0
  Hit Points: 14 (max hit points of course)

  I’ll be using Combat and Tactics at it’s fullest, with Critical Hits, special Attacks, everything.

  So, for some background, he’s a human, 71 inches tall, weighing at 173 lbs, and named Arryn.
  That’s good enough, he’s a killing machine, let’s throw him into the dungeon.

  Slight disclaimer, since AI is such a controversial topic nowadays. It is my opinion that for solo roleplaying generative AI is a good solo tool. Solo roleplaying is very mentally taxing, and it is very important to be able to maintain a good flow of the game, otherwise you can easily lose momentum and stop playing. However as with all tools, you have to know when and how to use them. But I digress. In this blog post I am using narrative outputs or AI generated images for immersion.

  

  In the peaceful hamlet of Torlynn, Arryn, a stalwart young man of 18, bears the aura of a seasoned adventurer. Towering at 71 inches with a robust frame, his rugged appearance conceals a balance of strength and agility. His deep-set eyes reveal a blend of determination and wisdom, the kind nurtured in the quiet hills near the mountains.

  Clad in scale armor adorned with a cloak billowing like a shadowy mantle, Arryn wields a long sword and kite shield with practiced precision. A backup battleaxe, a nod to prudence, hangs by his side. His journey unfolds, a tale etched in the tranquil hills of Torlynn, awaiting further chapters of bravery and destiny.

  ---

  The Adventure

  Arryn stands before Gustovan, the venerable Burgomaster of Torlynn. The quiet village, nestled amid hills near the mountains, has long been the hero’s haven. Gustovan, known for his sagacity and benevolence, implores Arryn to investigate an ancient dwarven iron mine. Whispers of eerie lights and mysterious sounds stir the air, prompting the hero to embark on this quest.

  Entering the subterranean realm, Arryn treads the rough-hewn cavern, a testament to dwarven craftsmanship. His weapons at the ready, he descends into the abyss, the wind whispering tales of forgotten echoes and untold secrets. The mine awaits, a shadowed tapestry waiting to unfold before the intrepid adventurer.

  ---

  A. Tunnel

  Wandering Monster Check: Orc

  Round 1

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	8
  Orc	9

  They are both man-sized and armed with swords, so they act at the Average Phase. They move closer to each other

  Round 2

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	5
  Orc	9

  Arryn makes a half move and attacks the Orc.
  15+2+6>20: Hit: Damage: 7+5=12. The Orc is dead.

  In the dimly lit tunnel, the wind’s whispers fall silent as Arryn ventures deeper into the forsaken mine. Abruptly, a menacing orc emerges from the shadows, its cruel visage met by the hero’s resolute war cry.
  In the ensuing clash, both combatants, man-sized and wielding swords, dance to the rhythm of conflict. Their blades clash in a symphony of steel as they close the distance.
  In a swift move, Arryn strikes with precision, his blade finding its mark. The orc, no match for the seasoned adventurer, succumbs to the onslaught, its demise echoing through the desolate tunnels.

  ---

  B. The First Lair

  Surprise

  Side	Surprise
  Arryn	5
  Monsters	6

  No one is surprised.

  Round 1

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	1
  Kobold	4
  Goblin	5

  Arryn gets to acts one phase earlier. He navigates so that he has both opponents at reach, and attacks the Goblin.
  7+2+6=15<20: Miss.

  The Kobold approaches and attacks Arryn with its dagger in the fast phase.
  12<20: Miss.

  Goblin attacks Arryn with its sword.
  16<19: Miss.

  Round 2

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	9
  Kobold	5
  Goblin	10

  The Kobold acts first, and the Goblin acts one phase slower.
  Kobold attacks Arryn with dagger: 20/20: Hit: Damage: 2. Arryn is at 12 Hit Points remaining.

  Arryn attacks the Goblin, he will add the +1 of the Weapon & Shield Style to AC.
  7+2+6=15<20: Miss.
  5+2+6=13<20: Miss.

  Goblin attacks Arryn with its sword.
  12-1<19: Miss.

  Round 3

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	10
  Kobold	5
  Goblin	3

  The Kobold acts first, and Arryn acts one phase slower.
  Kobold attacks Arryn with dagger: 8-1<20: Miss.

  Goblin attacks Arryn with its sword.
  6-1<19: Miss.

  Arryn attacks the Goblin, he will add the +1 of the Weapon & Shield Style to AC.
  1+2+6=8<20: Miss.

  Round 4

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	4
  Kobold	10
  Goblin	6

  The Kobold acts one phase slower, so Arry acts first.

  Arryn attacks the Goblin, he will add the +1 of the Weapon & Shield Style to AC.
  15+2+6=23>20: Hit: Damage: 3+5=8: The Goblin is dead.
  Arryn attacks the Kobold: 4+2+7=13<20: Miss

  Kobold attacks Arryn with dagger: 17-1<20: Miss.

  Round 5

  Arryn will use his Shield to block if needed.

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	5
  Kobold	6

  The Kobold acts first.

  Kobold attacks Arryn with dagger: 5<20: Miss.

  Arryn attacks the Kobold, 7+2+7=16<20: Miss.

  Round 6

  Arryn will use his Shield to block if needed.

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	10
  Kobold	1

  The Kobold acts first at Very Fast, and Arryn at Slow.

  Kobold attacks Arryn with dagger: 14<20: Miss.

  Arryn attacks the Kobold, 11+2+7=20: Hit: Damage: 8+3=11: The Kobold is dead.

  Arryn finds a Warhammer and a Battleaxe. He won’t take either.

  In the room’s dim light, Arryn confronts the remnants of the mine’s past. Beds, once occupied by diligent miners, now house a kobold and a goblin, awakening to hostility.
  Swiftly, the dance of blades begins. Arryn, anticipating their assault, maneuvers strategically, his sword seeking the goblin. Yet, the first strike misses, setting the stage for a skirmish in the underground lair.
  As the kobold and goblin retaliate, their strikes fall amiss against Arryn’s stalwart defense. The clash continues, a flurry of steel in the subterranean chamber. Despite the skirmish, Arryn emerges victorious, the goblin meeting its end in a symphony of finality.
  The final foe, a lone kobold, meets its demise in the ensuing rounds, leaving Arryn to discover discarded weapons—a warhammer and a battleaxe. However, the seasoned adventurer opts to press forward, the shadows of the mine concealing both peril and promise.

  ---

  C. Jagged Cavern

  Nothing of interest in this narrow cut cavern in the stone. Only the occasional splashing of water driping from the ceiling.

  ---

  D. Orc Lair

  Surprise

  Side	Surprise
  Arryn	5
  Monsters	6

  No one is surprised

  Round 1

  Combatant	Initiative	Initiative
  Arryn	6	7
  Orc	6	3

  Critical Event: Lucky Break: Arryn: Gains +4 to AC and Saving throws

  Orc attacks Arryn: 13-4<20: Miss Arryn attacks Orc: 14+3+6>20: Hit: Damage: 4+3=7: The Orc is dead.

  Arryn gets the hidden bag of gold.

  As Arryn steps into the oppressive chamber, the pungent odor of decay invades his senses. In the dimness, a lurking figure emerges from the shadows, a harbinger of impending conflict.
  Yet, fortune favors the hero as a stroke of luck befalls him, granting an unforeseen advantage. The orc, driven by aggression, swings its weapon, but Arryn, fortified by this fortuitous twist, deftly avoids the blow. Seizing the opportune moment, Arryn retaliates, his blade finding its mark with lethal precision.
  The orc, vanquished, collapses into the shadows, leaving behind a concealed bag of gold—a hidden reward for the vigilant adventurer.

  ---

  E. Trapped Room

  Arryn: Balance: 2/17: Success: He is not hit by the flame.

  In this diminutive chamber, an unusual aroma lingers amid blackened walls and floor, cloaked in the residue of soot and ash. At the room’s center, a steel door, adorned with an iron handle, beckons the hero’s attention.
  With cautious curiosity, Arryn attempts to open the door, only to be met with an ominous clicking sound. A delayed realization sets in as a jet of Greek fire erupts toward him. Miraculously, his open-faced helmet proves its worth, shielding him from the fiery assault.
  However, a greater deception unfolds—the door, a mere illusion concealing a treacherous trap. Behind it, solid rock now stands, leaving Arryn to ponder the intricate riddles of this forsaken mine.

  ---

  F. Gnoll Lair

  The hero enters a room and a dozen of small insects buzz past them. Biting flies are everywhere. A large furred gnoll is sharpening his sword, and as he sees them attacks.

  Surprise

  Side	Surprise
  Arryn	5
  Monsters	5

  No one is surprised

  Round 1

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	5
  Gnoll	9

  Arryn attacks Gnoll: 18+2+5>20: Critical Hit: Save vs Death: 13/14: Fail: Location: 4: Left Leg: Effect: 4: Leg Grazed, victim knocked down: Damage: 13+3=16: The Gnoll is dead.

  Arryn finds the healing potion known as Kur’s Drink.

  Upon entering the chamber, a swarm of biting flies fills the air, buzzing relentlessly. Amidst this disarray, a large-furred gnoll sharpens its sword, eyes narrowing as it spots the intruder.
  However, Arryn, undeterred, swiftly engages the gnoll. With a masterful strike, his blade finds its mark in a critical hit. The gnoll, overwhelmed by the unexpected assault, succumbs to the blow. In its demise, Arryn discovers a vial of healing potion known as Kur’s Drink—a fortuitous reward amidst the oppressive swarm.
  The room, once a lair of danger, now echoes with the buzzing of insects and the triumphant resolve of the adventurer.

  ---

  G. Empty Room

  Wandering Monster Check: No monster.

  In this cavernous expanse, Arryn traverses a rugged chamber reminiscent of a natural cave. A small pile of dirt occupies one corner, its origins shrouded in mystery. Choosing not to investigate, the hero presses forward, the uneven terrain beneath his boots guiding him through the subterranean labyrinth.

  ---

  H. Broken Room

  Arryn: Balance: 13/17: Success

  Navigating through the expansive chamber, Arryn discovers a vast space hewn from the living stone. Yet, the once sturdy walls now bear the scars of time, marred by ominous cracks that trace their way across the ceiling. Formidable chunks of stone litter the floor, a testament to the chamber’s gradual deterioration.
  As Arryn treads carefully, his every step sends vibrations through the weakened structure. Some stones, stirred by his presence, cascade downward. However, with deft agility, the adventurer maneuvers through the falling debris unscathed.

  ---

  I. Narrow Tunnel

  Surprise

  Side	Surprise
  Arryn	6
  Monsters	3

  The Orc is surprised

  Round 0

  Arryn attacks the Orc: 6+3+6=15<20: Miss.

  Round 1

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	3
  Orc	6

  Arryn attacks the Orc: 12+3+6=21>20: Hit: Damage: 8+5=13: The Orc is Dead.

  Arryn gets the black axe known as Motopua.

  In the narrow confines of yet another tunnel, the hero encounters a sudden intrusion. The door at the tunnel’s end swings open, revealing a foul orc wielding a gleaming black axe, its malevolent intent unmistakable.
  Seizing the moment, Arryn strikes first. However, in the initial clash, his blade narrowly misses its mark. Undeterred, the seasoned adventurer presses on, retaliating with a decisive blow in the ensuing round. The orc, vanquished, collapses, leaving behind its sinister weapon—Motopua, a black axe, now in Arryn’s possession.

  ---

  J. The Story Room

  Intelligence: 3/14: Success

  In the vast, smoothly polished chamber, Arryn beholds a tapestry of history etched into the walls through ancient Dwarvish runes. With a resonant voice, he reads aloud the saga of the mine, chronicling the tireless toil of dwarves and the discovery of a unique ore—eisenmond. This extraordinary substance bore the promise of crafting enchanted weapons, imbued with mystical power.
  Yet, the narrative takes a chilling turn. The dwarves, driven by an unspoken revelation, abruptly departed, leaving behind a singular, radiant nugget of eisenmond entrusted to the enigmatic Stone King.
  As the echoes of the tale linger in the chamber, Arryn discerns that this luminous nugget holds the key to the mountain’s concealed secrets—the very quest set forth by Gustovan. The mine, a repository of forgotten lore, invites Arryn to unravel the enigma that lies dormant within its depths, promising both peril and revelation in equal measure.

  ---

  K. The Iron Mine

  The hero enters a vast chamber that is roughly carved and still being worked. Small veins of iron ore still line the walls. Four monsters work the mine, and as they see Arryn they howl and attack.

  Surprise

  Side	Surprise
  Arryn	2
  Monsters	3

  All are surprised; We go directly to Round 1.

  Round 1

  Combatant	Initiative	Initiative
  Arryn	9	8
  Kobold	1
  Goblin	9	2
  Orc	10
  Gnoll	4

  Event: Knockdown: Kobold

  The Kobold gets back up.

  The Gnoll moves and attacks Arryn: 15<18: Miss

  The Goblin moves and attacks Arryn: 6<19: Miss

  Arryn attacks the Gnoll: 11+3+5=19<20: Miss

  The Orc moves and attacks Arryn on his right flank (no shield bonus): 9+3=12<19: Miss

  Round 2

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	10
  Kobold	5
  Goblin	1
  Orc	3
  Gnoll	3

  The Goblin attacks Arryn: 11<19: Miss

  The Kobold moves and attacks Arryn: 7<20: Miss

  The Orc attacks Arryn on his right flank (no shield bonus): 2+3=5<19: Miss

  The Gnoll attacks Arryn: 12<18: Miss

  Arryn attacks the Gnoll: 10+3+5=18<20: Miss Arryn attacks the Gnoll: 14+3+5=22>20: Hit: Damage: 6+5=11: The Gnoll is dead.

  Round 3

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	2
  Kobold	10
  Goblin	7
  Orc	8

  Arryn attacks the Kobold: 12+3+7=22>20: Hit: Damage: 9: The Kobold is dead.

  The Goblin attacks Arryn: 2<19: Miss

  The Orc attacks Arryn on his right flank (no shield bonus): 8+3=11<19: Miss

  Round 4

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	10
  Goblin	5
  Orc	8

  The Goblin attacks Arryn: 20>19: Hit: Damage: 4. Arryn has 8 hit points remaining.

  The Orc attacks Arryn on his right flank (no shield bonus): 19+3=22>19: Hit: Damage: 4. Arryn has 4 hit points left.

  Arryn turns and attacks the Goblin: 17+3+6=26>20: Hit: Damage: 2+5=7: The Goblin is dead.
  Arryn attacks the Orc: 16+3+6=25>20: Hit: Damage: 3+5=8: The Orc is dead.

  Arryn drinks Kur’s Drink: Heals: 5: Arryn has 9 hit points left.

  Arryn takes the Coil of Rope and the Ring +1 AC.

  In the heart of the iron mine, a vast chamber unfolds—a work in progress, veins of iron ore adorning the roughly carved walls. Four menacing figures, caught off guard by Arryn’s presence, unleash a collective howl before launching into a frenzied assault.
  The clash begins, each swing of steel reverberating through the cavernous expanse. The hero, outnumbered, fends off the onslaught. The battle reaches its peak in a flurry of strikes and evasions. The Gnoll falls first, its demise heralding a turning tide.
  Arryn, resolute, dispatches the Kobold and Goblin with strategic precision, the echoes of their demise resonating through the mine. Yet, the Orc and a Goblin prove formidable, landing blows that test the hero’s mettle.
  With a surge of resilience, Arryn strikes down the last adversaries, claiming victory in the iron mine.

  ---

  L. Tunnel of Death

  Arryn: Dexterity: 9/15: Success

  Through the smooth confines of a straight tunnel, Arryn treads cautiously, the unsettling sight of dried blood staining the floor beneath his feet. As he nears the door at the tunnel’s end, a harbinger of danger awaits.
  Upon opening the door, a malevolent trap springs to life—several rocks hurtling toward him. Quick reflexes guide Arryn as he leaps aside, narrowly avoiding the cascade of stones that crash down. The mine, rife with treacherous surprises, tests the adventurer’s vigilance and agility at every turn.

  ---

  M. Mysterious Fountain

  Arryn Drinks from the fountain and heals.

  Wandering Monster Check: Kobold

  Surprise

  Side	Surprise
  Arryn	5
  Monsters	5

  Noone is surprised

  Round 1

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	4
  Kobold	10

  Arryn attacks the Kobold: 6+3+7=16<20: Miss

  Kobold attacks Arryn with dagger: 10<20: Miss

  Round 2

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	10
  Kobold	2

  Kobold attacks Arryn with dagger: 18<20: Miss

  Arryn attacks the Kobold: 1+3+7=11<20: Miss
  Arryn attacks the Kobold: 3+3+7=13<20: Miss

  Round 3

  Combatant	Initiative
  Arryn	8
  Kobold	4

  Kobold attacks Arryn with dagger: 18<20: Miss

  Arryn attacks the Kobold: 12+3+7=22>20: Hit: Damage: 11: The Kobold is dead.

  Arryn: Wisdom: 20/9: Failure
  Read Strange Writing: Spell: Fireball: Damage: 8: Arryn has 6 hit points remaining.

  A Fireball spell is cast at Arryn, charring him.

  Drinks Kur’s Drink: 4: Arryn has 10 hit points remaining.

  In the heart of the mine, Arryn stumbles upon a chamber adorned with a stone fountain, a majestic dragon coiled around its form, spraying water into a polished stone pool. The air is infused with the sweet scent of fresh water, tempting the adventurer to drink. As Arryn partakes in the magical waters, wounds and fatigue dissolve, leaving him revitalized.
  Surveying the chamber, he discerns no apparent exits. However, fueled by determination, Arryn begins a meticulous search for hidden doors, intent on unraveling the mine’s lingering secrets. Yet, his pursuit is interrupted by the unexpected appearance of a lone kobold.
  In a swift exchange, Arryn and the kobold clash, the narrow confines of the chamber echoing with the sounds of combat. Though the kobold falls, victory is not without cost. Intrigued by strange writings, Arryn triggers a magical trap—a fiery blast engulfs him, leaving him charred.
  Undeterred, Arryn fortifies himself with Kur’s Drink, the healing elixir replenishing his strength.

  ---

  N. Sloping Passage

  Reason: 19/12: Failure
  Dexterity: 12/15: Success: No Damage

  In the depths of the mine, Arryn encounters a formidable challenge—a sloping passage cut downward at a sharp angle. The perils of navigating such treacherous terrain are evident, and yet, with a calculated risk, Arryn embarks on the descent.
  His keen reasoning initially falters against the intricacies of the passage, but his dexterous agility proves to be the saving grace. The hero maneuvers down the slope with finesse, avoiding the imminent danger that the steep descent poses.

  ---

  O. The Eisenmond Mine

  In the ethereal glow of the stone chamber, Arryn discovers a mesmerizing sight—the walls adorned with flickering flakes of a mysterious glowing ore, turning the rough stone into a celestial tapestry reminiscent of a starry night. At the chamber’s center, a pedestal cradles a dwarf statue, headless and adorned with a rusty crown.
  Searching the surroundings, Arryn uncovers a concealed compartment within the pedestal, revealing two nuggets of eisenmond. His intuition guides him, and he instinctively places the nuggets in the statue’s head, embarking on the task of reassembling the fragmented figure.
  As the last piece falls into place, an otherworldly radiance envelops the room. The stone statue, now complete, stirs to life. In a voice resonating with the ancient essence of the mountain, the dwarf-shaped monument speaks of the mine’s history, proclaiming the theft of the Eisenkern—a magical stone vital for containing a beast lurking at the heart of the mountain.
  The gravity of the situation becomes apparent as the statue implores Arryn, the hero, to retrieve the stolen Eisenkern. Failure to do so would unleash a terrible evil upon the lands. The mine, once a realm of dwarven industry, now stands at the crossroads of peril and destiny, urging Arryn to embark on a quest to save the realm from impending doom.

  ---

  Ending the Adventure

  Upon returning to Torlynn, Arryn recounts his harrowing journey through the forsaken mine to Gustovan, the wise Burgomaster. The tale of the stolen Eisenkern and the looming threat weighs heavily on the leader’s shoulders, his countenance reflecting deep concern.
  In acknowledgment of Arryn’s bravery and the grave task ahead, Gustovan rewards the hero for his efforts. However, the troubled atmosphere in the room lingers, as the fate of Torlynn and its inhabitants now hinges on the recovery of the stolen magical stone.

  ---

  The System

  I don’t know what I was expecting. More than 25 years ago that I had purchased Player’s Option Combat and Tactics, I was amazed at the possibilities, of how it would upgrade our game. Unfortunately soon after, my group turned to 3e, and I had never had the chance to put it to the test. It was always reading material. Great reading material, but just that.
  Now that I put it to the test, I find that a lot of it is bloat, and while it does take a few jabs at the core problem that is D&D mechanics, it doesn’t solve them. It’s more like salad dressing.
  I’ll start with the critical hits. So many nice tables, but what is the actual chance they’ll actually appear on the table? close to nil. For opponents that are hit on a margin of 5 or more on a natural 18 or more, the base chance is 15%. But then these dudes will suffer double damage dice, which means they have to survive this for the critical effect to appear, and then then, they must also fail a save versus death. So we must rule out any weak foes that will die in one hit or two, and also any powerful enemies that will resist the save vs death easily. In other words, this max 15% chance has to do with foes that are around 6th level, and that haven’t been beaten to a pulp already. And then, going to read these effects, one can see that they have a nice granularity, but what’s the point, if at the rare cases where you’ll get a critical effect, you usually get a graze wound, that you won’t bother with, since eventually all you care about is bludgeoning the enemy to 0 hit points. It just doesn’t work.
  The combat options also, sound like too much work, or things you’d do only under extreme circumstances, say you want to disarm the sorcerer before using her staff to conjure a demon, or grapple the rogue before throwing a smoke bomb and disappearing. Under classic dungeon crawl combat, against minions, all you want to do is hack and slash, until they’re gone. And this is, well, boring.
  Overall Combat and Tactics looks like it has some excellent ideas, but when trying to apply them to AD&D, it cannot reign the beast that it has become, and gets trampled by it.
  Skills and Powers on the other hand, gives another level of modularity to the game. Again, it draws inspiration from other RPGs, and tries to bring mechanics that are missing, while at the same time it avoids touching the core, which is the Class based system. People can move silently, but even the most dexterous elf will probably fail, unless they’re a Rogue class. Heroes can get weapon proficiencies, but they’ll never be as good as a Warrior. Healing non-weapon proficiencies are locked to the Cleric class, because no one else can learn those secrets. The subabilities allows for great customization of the player characters, and it can be exploited, but also it can help doing this like the experiment I just played.

  Alone?

  Which brings me to this part. The experiment was successful. By using the options provided by these books, I made a 1st Level warrior that soloed an entire dungeon level. I doubt this can be done with different classes, as the main reason Arryn survived, was that he was not getting hit easily, and every successful hit was a kill. More specifically:

  • Armor Class was brought to 0 or lower with the use of Subabilities, Shield Proficiency, Weapon and Shield style, and Scale Armour.
  • Damage was increased to +5 with the use of Subabilities and weapon Specialization.
  • To Hit Chance was increased to +2 or more with the use of Subabilities, Weapon Specialization and Weapon and Shield Style.
  • Hit Points were more than enough with the use of the d12 Class option, and Subabilities.
    I never had the need to perform one of the extra Shield Actions, like Shield Punch, Block, Trap or Shield Rush.
    I also just realized that with Ambidexterity and the Reaction bonus of +2 due to Dexterity (Balance), I can make an extra Shield Punch attack each round at no attack penalties at all. This might come in handy for the future.

  What about the Dungeon Crawl?

  D&D is meant for dungeon crawling, and this adventure is an entry level to D&D, so I guess this question is redundant, but yes, it worked fine.

  Summary

  This was fun, not in a narrative immersive way, but in an experiment success way. Really curious if Level 2 Arryn will be able to solo the next level of the dungeon all alone. Will he do it, when 4 full party attempts have resulted in TPK?

  Links | Solo, Pen, Paper and Dice, giorgis, and midgetmanifesto are discussing. Toggle Comments

   
  • 

    midgetmanifesto 6:30 am on December 20, 2023 Permalink | Reply

    Kevin Crawford, author of stars without number, is a bit of a genius as far as I’m concerned. You might want to try out his solo conversion rules (targetted towards labyrinth lord but probably easy to move to ad&d). It’s even got a free try out pdf. I’m a fan of his red tides setting as well. https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/127458/scarlet-heroes-quickstart

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    • 

      giorgis 8:58 am on December 20, 2023 Permalink | Reply

      I have the full Scarlet Heroes book and yes, Kevin Crawford’s solo rules (and the Oracle and mini-games) are magnificent. I did try to use them to solo Dark Sun.
      For this particular experiment however I didn’t want to use a 3rd party hack.
      Cheers!

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  giorgis 8:54 pm on December 15, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: fantasy ( 96 ), SavageWorlds ( 26 ), Solo ( 176 ), Warhammer ( 23 )   

  Savage Warhammer S01E04 

  Session Four – The Asylum Pt3

  The Sewers

  Rat’s Lair

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module?
  A: Yes

  

  Since I didn’t establish this earlier,
  Q: Have the characters gotten more than one torch?
  A: No, and it will go out soon.

  Let’s see if the characters manage to follow the blood trail under the dim light of one torch.
  Elhali: Notice: (4,11)-4/4: Success

  According to the core book, the rat swarm is endless, and is meant to push the adventurers down the sewers. SWADE has it’s own Rat Swarm in the bestiary, which ranges in size from Large to Medium to Small. When wounded the Swarm splits in two smaller. Now, every round, the equivalent of a Small Rat swarm will always be there from rats pouring in.

  

  Round 1

  Greta flees forward to the sight of rats
  Wolmar swings his sword to the rats: Fighting: (1,4)-2/6: Miss
  The rats bite Wolmar, Abenzio, Elhali.
  Damage to Wolmar: 7/5: Shaken
  Damage to Abenzio: 4/8: Unharmed
  Damage to Elhali: 6/4: Shaken
  Elhali: Spirit: (3,4)-2/4: Shaken: She runs after Greta
  Abenzio: swings his flail to the rats: Fighting: (2,3)-2/6: Miss

  Elhali is in front with the torch, behind her Wolmar, Abenzio and Greta. Suddenly Greta feels tiny tingling feet, and an almost indiscernible bite to her leg. She looks down and she sees rats! Dozens of them. She screams “Rats!!!”, pushes Wolmar and Elhali out of the way and runs forward.
  Wolmar swings his sword, but in the dark narrow corridor, he can’t get a good hit.
  Rats start swarming all over them, shaking Wolmar’s and Elhali”s nerves.
  Elhali not wanting to stay among the furry rodents any longer sprints after Greta. Abenzio swings his flail at the pack, but the metal only finds the cave walls.

  Mine Cart

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module?
  A: Yes

  Round 2

  Elhali: Spirit: (3,3)-2/4: Shaken: She jumps in the cart to escape the rats.
  Greta sees the corpse of a man, and beside him a severed head.
  Greta: Smarts: (7,2)/4: Success. She realizes this man must have raided the Valantina’s study, and killed the boss, whose head lies there. If that’s true then he could also have the gem, so she starts searching. She asks Elhali to shed some light, and searches.
  Greta: Notice: (4,5)-2/4: Failure
  Wolmar: Spirit: (3,3)/4: Shaken. He runs after the girls and enters the cart.
  With everyone fleeing, Abenzio won’t stay alone to fight in the dark, and follows suit.
  The rats follow and start swarming outside the cart.
  The rats need d3 rounds to flood in the cart: 1. They will flood in the next round.

  Greta and Elhali reach a small chamber where several sewers meet, with a manhole in the ceiling, 20 feet above floor level. A narrow railway track runs downwards out of the chamber from a steeply-sloping tunnel, and a mine cart stands at the end of the track.
  Elhali jumps in the cart, torch in hand, still shaken from her confrontation with the rats, and Greta jumps in behind her. As they catch their breath, Greta notices the corpse of a man inside. Besides him, a severed head. Both covered in dozens of small bite-marks.
  Despite the chaos, Greta realizes that this man must have been the one who ransacked the Valantina leader’s study, and most likely that’s the head of the leader.
  “Shed me some light here!” She asks Elhali, as the light from the manhole cover is very dim, and starts searching in the man’s pockets and pouches.
  Within moments, Wolmar and Abenzio follow, and jump in the cart too.

  

  Round 3

  Greta: Notice: (1,5)-2/4: Failure
  Wolmar: Spirit: (3,14)/4: Recovers from being Shaken. He attacks the rats: Fighting: (3,5)-2/6: Failure
  Elhali: Spirit: (1,5)-2/4: Shaken.
  Rat Swarm attacks all the characters.
  Damage to Greta: 3/5: Unharmed
  Damage to Abenzio: 2/8: Unharmed
  Damage to Elhali: 12/4: 2 Wounds: Incapacitated: Vigor: (2,2)-3/4: Failure: Bleeding Out, Battered Guts (Permanent Injury).
  Damage to Wolmar: 8/5: Shaken
  Abenzio: swings his flail to the rats: Fighting: (8,3)-2/6: Hit: Damage: 18/7: 2 Wounds. The rat swarm is destroyed, and will take 2 rounds to flood in again.

  Rats flooding in from all directions start to jump in the cart. Greta keeps searching the corpse, unfazed by the fact that this used to be a live person, while Wolmar’s instinct from flight turns to fight, he swings his blade at the rats, barely hitting any rodent.
  Elhali is curled up in a corner trying to kick and swat the rats away from her, but to no avail. The rats run all over her, and start biting and scratching and tearing, especially under her clothes and at her wounds she suffered earlier, sniffing the blood. Soon, she is overcome by the swarm, and falls unconscious, bleeding profusely.
  Some bite at Wolmar who tries to stomp them down.
  Abenzio swings his flail with might, the spiked balls crushing the rodents, sending them flying out of the cart, scattering all over the place.

  Round 4

  Wolmar: Spirit: (13,8)+2/4: Recovers from being Shaken. He picks up the torch and searches for the gem: Notice: (9,5)+2/4: Success*. He finds the gem. 5 Gold Crowns and 6 Silver Shillings.
  Q: Who Carries the box?
  A: Wolmar. He puts the gem in the box.
  Abenzio swings his flail to the rats out of the cart: Fighting: (5,1)-2/6: Miss
  Greta will attempt to stabilize Elhali: (1,8)-2/4: Success. Elhali is no longer Bleeding Out.
  Wolmar notices a big satchel tucked behind the dead man’s leg. He tugs it out, and inside he finds an opal and several coins. He leaves nothing to chance, and immediately stuffs it into the box Oldenhaller gave them.
  Abenzio swings his flail at the rat swarm that starts again to gather at the cart, while Greta uses her healing skills to bandage again the reopened wounds of her elven companion.
  “Get us out of here already!” she yells at Abenzio.

  They release the cart brakes.

  Note: I just realized I had forgotten to apply Elhali's Notice bonuses due to her edges. Retrospectively, I didn't find any significant clues the party might have missed, but I should be more careful in the future. As an offset, I also mostly forgot to apply her Persuasion penalties due to her Outsider status, but still the results of the roll wouldn't have changed much.

  Q: Does anyone jump from the cart before it hits the hopper?
  A: No, and they all stay in the cart, suffering a -2 to the Athletics roll.
  Wolmar: Athletics: (3,3)-2/4: Failure: Damage: 3/5: Unharmed. 1 Level of Fatigue.
  Abenzio: Athletics @-2 as he holds Elhali: (10,5)-2-2/4: Success. Nor he or Elhali are harmed.
  Greta: Athletics: (1,2)-2: Failure: Damage: 4/5: Unharmed. 1 Level of Fatigue.

  Abenzio immediately releases the brakes, and the cart tips towards the slope and starts running in speed downwards. As it has accelerated and the track reaches its ends, he tries to pull the brakes, but with a crack, the lever snaps.
  Like a fish looking at a lantern trap, they stand motionless looking at their imminent crash. The cart reaches the end, and tips over throwing them all to the ground. Luckily they are not hurt, and only Wolmar and Greta suffer some bruising, as Abenzio hugged Elhali, and rolled carefully outside.

  ---

  The Huyderman’s Base

  Loading Bay

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module?
  A: Yes

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  The chamber is hewn from solid rock, illuminated by four lanterns dangling from the ceiling. At the room’s core, there are a pair of tables accompanied by several chairs.

  Greta will attempt to heal the bumps and bruises.
  Greta heals herself: Healing: (7,1)-1/4: Success. She’s no longer fatigued.
  Greta heals Wolmar: Healing: (2,5)/4: Success. He’s no longer fatigued.

  Greta tends to the bruises she and Wolmar suffered, and makes sure that Elhali is okay. She has regained consciousness, but is no shape to fight or do anything very dramatic.
  As they try to see around them, and make sense of their surroundings, they hear a boom, followed by a long rumbling sound.
  “What was that?” Abenzio asks, but it seems no one has the answer.
  Carefully, they follow the tracks further.

  ---

  Main Chamber

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module?
  A: Yes, but, TWENE: Remove Simple Element.
  There are no crates of wine, casks of brandy, and packing cases filled with spices, as they’ve all been used in the barricades.

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  This expansive cavern, naturally formed with a gentle slope from west to east, is illuminated by wall-mounted torches. The cave’s walls seem notably vacant. A slender railway runs diagonally through the space, leading to a small wagon at the western end of the track. The rails vanish into a darkened tunnel on the eastern side, where faint silhouettes lurk within the shadows. Eerie and unsettling chants emanate from beyond. On the western side, two passages are obstructed by a barricade comprising furniture, chests, crates, casks, cases, and sacks.

  The way the module has played out so far, some options are not feasible, unless I lean heavily on the meta knowledge, which I will not. The characters have no reason to try to get past the heavily fortified barricades since they don’t know what’s behind, nor will they use the second set of tracks and cart to go down the loading bay, since they have no clue what lies beyond. Unfortunately this will play out to a classic old fight, as there’s no escape, and they’re severely outnumbered.
  Also note that since the heroes took so long to reach this part, as they spent a lot of time, bandaging their wounds, and working under the overseer previously, the ritual incantation by the cultists to summon a beast of Nurgle is complete.

  

  Round 1

  Wolmar attacks a Cultist with his short sword.
  Wolmar: Fighting: (1,5)/5: Hit: Damage: 7/5: Shaken
  Abenzio attacks the same cultist with his flail: Fighting: (15,1)/5: Hit*: Damage: 12/5: 1 Wound: Incapacitated: Battered Guts.
  Cultist attacks Wolmar with his Knife: Fighting: 1/5: Failure
  Beast of Nurgle approaches.
  Cultist attacks Abenzio with his short sword: Fighting: 3/8: Miss
  Cultist attacks Abenzio with his knife: Fighting: 7/8: Miss
  Greta dithers.
  Cultist moves behind the front line.

  The adventurers move towards the eastern side. Abenzio holding his flail and shield, with Wolmar by his side brandishing his short sword. Behind them at a safe distance Greta helps Elhali walk slowly, under her support.
  As soon as they approach the tunnel opening, the two silhouettes step forward to block their path. They are wearing filthy brown robes and holding short swords.
  “Give us the gem!” One of them shouts. But as an answer, Wolmar and Abenzio attack in unison. The sword grazes the man, who is stunned just enough for Abenzio’s flail to send him knocked down to the floor. Two more cultists close their path. The party will have to fight their way out. Behind the cultists a chaotic beast approaches, with tentacles, and no legs, oozing noxious slimes behind it as if brought by Nurgle himself.

  Round 2

  Cultist attacks Abenzio with his short sword: Fighting: 1/8: Miss
  Beast of Nurgle approaches behind the front line.
  Cultist attacks Abenzio with his knife: Fighting: 4/8: Miss
  Cultist attacks Wolmar with his Knife: Fighting: 3/5: Failure
  Jones moves closer to guard the rear.
  Abenzio attacks cultist with his flail: Fighting: (7,3)/5: Hit: Damage: 8/5: Shaken.
  Wolmar attacks cultist with his short sword: Fighting: (3,5)/5: Hit: Damage: 26/5: 5 Wounds. Killed. Cultist moves to attack Wolmar. Passes over Nurgle Beast Slime: Athletics: 2/4: Failure. Splis and falls on the noxious slime trail. Incapacitated.

  Abenzio holds the line against the cultists, and Wolmar’s blade strikes a foe, severing his ribcage in two.
  The beast of nurgle approaches, and as a cultist follows trying to get in position against the gap that Wolmar created, he passes over the slime trail. A misstep and he stumbles on the slithering ooze and falls. It sticks on him and burns like acid. The cultist screams and perishes a few feet further. The heroes are shocked at this revelation.
  “Give us the gem!” A man who looks like the leader of the cultists shouts from the rear.

  Round 3

  Greta dithers.
  Jonas casts Aura of Protection
  Beast of Nurgle moves and attacks Wolmar: Fighting: 1/5: Miss
  Cultist: Spirit: 2/4: Remains Shaken
  Wolmar hacks at the Beast of Nurgle: Fighting: (2,2)/5: Failure
  Cultist attacks Abenzio with his knife: Fighting: 1/8: Miss
  Abenzio attacks cultist with his flail: Fighting: (2,5)/5: Hit: Damage: 12/5: 1 Wound: Incapacitated: Broken Guts.

  The cultist leader chants in an unknown speech, that Greta understands as arcane, and mages gestures waving his staff with a foot carved on one end and hand on the other.
  The monstrosity lashes some tentacles at Wolmar, who expertly parries them with his sword, but this takes away all his effort, and he fails to strike back successfuly.
  Abenzio is locked in combat with a cultist. His pit fighting days give him the edge he needs, and his flail hit the man dead in the chest, bringing him down.

  Round 4

  Abenzio attacks beast of Nurgle with his flail: Fighting: (9,5)/5: Hit: Damage: 5/7: Unharmed.
  Wolmar hacks at the Beast of Nurgle: Fighting: (10,8)/5: Hit*: Damage: 25/7: 4 Wounds: Killed.
  Greta Dithers.
  Jonas moves and attacks Abenzio with his Staff: Fighting: (1,4)/8: Miss
  Cultist attacks Abenzio with his knife: Fighting: 2/8: Miss

  He turns his attention to the aberration, and attacks it alongside Wolmar. His flail bounces off, without scathing the beast, but Wolmar digs his blade deep. Pulling it out, unnatural blood oozes out, and with an unearthly scream, the beast dies out.
  Furious, the cultist leader supported by one of his men charge at Abenzio, who blocks their attacks with his shield.

  Round 5

  Abenzio: Vigor: (13,7)/4: Success**
  Abenzio attacks Jonas with his flail: Fighting: (6,5)+2-2/6: Hit: Damage: 9/6: Shaken
  Greta Dithers.
  Jonas: Spirit: (1,1)/4: Remains Shaken. Next turn will recover from Shaken only with a Raise.
  Wolmar: Vigor: (1,3)/4 Failure: 6 Turns, reduction of Strength, Reroll with Benny: (10,1)/4: Success
  Wolmar attacks Cultist with his short sword: Fighting: (1,2)/5: Miss
  Cultist attacks Abenzio with his knife: Fighting: 8/8: Hit: Left Arm: Damage: 7/8: Unharmed

  The cultist leader carries a stench with him, so foul, that the adventurers feel their strength being sapped away. Yet, they manage to prevail.
  Abenzio attacks his foe, through the distracting cloud of flies. He bruises him a little breaking his focus.
  Wolmar and the cultist minion battle it out, with Wolmar on the receiving end of a knife to his left arm, but thankfully, only his clothing is cut, and the flesh is missed.

  Round 6

  Wolmar attacks Cultist with his short sword: Fighting: (2,2)/5: Miss
  Greta Dithers.
  Jonas: Spirit: (2,9)/4: No longer Shaken: Attacks Abenzio: Fighting: (9,8)/8: Hit: Torso: Damage: 7/11: Unharmed
  Abenzio attacks Jonas with his flail: Fighting: (6,10)-2/6: Hit: Torso: Damage: 15/6: 2 Wounds: Busted Guts. Soak: (7,10) : Success*: Soaked all Wounds.
  Cultist attacks Abenzio with his knife: Fighting: 4/8: Miss.

  The leader recovers from his bruise, and swings his staff at Abenzio’s torso, finding his mark, but the Tilean hulk doesn’t bat an eye. He returns the favour accordingly, hitting his opponent, but as luck has it, the flails twist together for a moment and lose their momentum, not harming the cultist.
  Wolmar and his opponent fight it out with no side gaining an advantage.

  Round 7

  Wolmar attacks Cultist with his short sword: Fighting: (9,9)/5: Hit*: Location: Left Leg: Damage: 18: 3 Wounds: Incapacitated: Severed Leg.
  Abenzio attacks Jonas with his flail: Fighting: (25,2)-2/5: Hit*: Right Leg: Damage: 13/6: 1 Wound: Slow.
  Jonas: Spirit: (2,1)-2/4: Remains Shaken.
  Greta Dithers.

  Wolmar ducks, and thrusts and slashes at his foes legs. His sword cuts clean at the knee, severing the limb. The cultist screams, and falls on the ground, bleeding all over the place.
  Abenzio, follows his companion’s tactic and aims low as well. His flail crushing at the enemy leader’s right leg, wounding him, and making him walk with a limp. Shaken by the wound, he doesn’t attack back.

  Round 8

  Abenzio attacks Jonas with his flail: Fighting: (8,1)-2/5: Hit: Right Arm: Damage: 11/4: 1 Wound: Can’t use arm. Incapacitated. Bleeding Out. Battered Guts.
  Wolmar moves and hacks at Jonas with his short sword: Fighting: (1,3)-2/6: Miss
  Jonas: Spirit: (1,3)-3/4: Remains Shaken.

  Now both the adventures are locked on the cultist leader. Abenzio hits again, the swinging strike finds the right arm, causing him to drop his staff. He curses, and seeing the bloodbath all around him realizes that it is too late to change any course action.

  Round 9

  Abenzio attacks Jonas with his flail: Fighting: (2,1)+2/6: Miss
  Jonas: Spirit: (2,2)-3/4: Remains Shaken.
  Wolmar hacks at Jonas with his short sword: Fighting: (5,3)-2/5: Reroll with Benny: (8,2): Hit: Damage: 12/4: 2 Wounds: Battered Guts. Soak: (2,5)-2/4: Failure: Incapacitated. Bleeding Out.
  The heroes are victorious.

  The final blow comes from Wolmar, who splits the sorcerer’s guts open with his blade. He drops, in a pile of stinking filthy bodies, and clouds of flies digging in them. Wolmar wants to puke, but holds it inside.
  “Let’s go…” he says in low volume, trying to avoid taking a deep breath. “Don’t step on the slime. He notes.”

  ---

  Cove

  

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module?
  A: Yes, and, it’s likely the next scene will be as described in the module.
  Intervention: Entity Positive: There’s only PCs here at the moment, let’s see who it is: Greta.
  She recognizes the fine craftsmanship of Jonas’ stave, and takes it, supporting her and Elhali to walk out of there.

  Two rowing boats are drawn onto the pebbly shore, while a third is tethered to the jetty at the terminus of the cart track. The adventures enter, and row their way away, out of the asylum.

  ---

  Ending the Adventure

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module? (Likely)
  A: Yes, and, it’s likely the next scene will be as described in the module.

  The heroes return to Oldenhaller mansion, where the servant guides them to their meeting with Albrecht Oldenhaller. The thought of not returning the gem did cross their minds, but after all the trouble that seems to run amok around it, they wouldn’t consider it as a viable option.
  They present the box with the gem to Albrecht Oldenhaller, and he slides over a pouch of Gold Crowns.

  Time to use Let’s Talk for some final fluff before closure, Wolmar will do the talking.
  First I’ll choose the Greeting Attitude for Albrecht Oldenhaller, which will be Neutral.
  Then I’ll choose the Topic. This is clear. The gem and reward.
  I’ll read the room to see if he can discern the mood of the NPC.
  Wolmar: Notice: (3,9)/4: Success*
  NPC’s Mood is Suspicious
  Wolmar’s Let’s talk hand has Aggressive, Sad, Surprised.
  Wolmar will use Surprised
  NPC’s Reaction is Somewhat Positive, but will turn to Somewhat Negative as he’s Suscipicious and it’s the first exchange. He is Neutral.

  “We got it. It was chaos in there! The Schatzenheimers were killed by the Valantinas, who’s leader was killed by another assassin! We found the gem with him. We barely escaped from some cultists who wanted the gem.” Wolmar puts all his energy to try to reiterate the events.
  Their employer seems uninterested. Bothered one might say. He’s looking over their shoulders to see if anyone else could be listening in. “As you will see, the agreed upon amount is all there. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to”. He says, and rings a bell. A servant quickly appears to escort them out.

  I decide not to force the discussions further.

  Battered, bruised, but victorious, the adventurers return to the inn.

  ---

  Bookkeeping & Advancement

  From previous episodes the party had spent 2 Gold Crowns and 2 Shillings.
  They found 5 Gold Crowns and 6 Shillings, so it sums up to 3 Gold Crowns and 4 Shillings.
  This is 16 Shillings to each of them, plus the 100 Gold Crowns for successfully recovering the gem.
  I’ll give each Character an Advancement.
  Abenzio: New Edge: Nerves of Steel
  Elhali: Raise Attribute: Vigor d6, to return to the value it was prior to her injury
  Greta: Raise two Skills: Healing d6, Spellcasting (Alchemy) d6
  Wolmar: New Edge: Bolster

  I’ll be updating their rosters with this.

  ---

  Adventure Summary

  First of all, I must say that I liked this session as well.
  With this in mind, let me share what I liked and what not.

  Likes:

  • Speed of combat
  • Theme
  • Grittiness
  • Let’s talk

  Dislikes:

  • Pulpiness
  • Railroading
  • Conversion
  • Dynamic combat

  So, Savage Worlds was great for Fast, Furious, Fun combat (I never get tired of this slogan). It’s really enjoyable. Foundry really assisted in pulling this off, as I didn’t need to monitor all these small effects.
  The Gritty Damage mechanics played out okayish. Foundry first resolves damage and then the Injury roll, so the location mechanics for armor and damage modifiers don’t seem to be applicable. It was confusing at times and I had to do some manual rolls and calculations. The end result was fine though.
  On the other hand, the Pulpiness of Savage Worlds made some things really difficult to balance. By default Wild Cards are 60% more capable than an average skilled Mook opponent, and this is not accounted for in the prewritten adventure modules of a different system like WHFRP. This was evident when Wolmar and Abenzio took down by themselves the entire cultist band and their pet beast, without a single scratch. Yes, there would be the possibility that a lucky blow would take them out, but my protagonists had Bennies stored for that eventuality.
  This wouldn’t be such a problem with a free-form conversion, but when talking modules, it’s something that can tip the scales easily. On the conversion subject, some things had their own rules, which made it easy to convert (i.e. jumping and falling on the rooftop chase), while others where harder to eyeball, especially when considering mook skills.
  The careful reader will have noticed that I quickly abandoned dynamic combat. It really contradicted Savage Worlds style, and I found that it got in the way more than it helped. I’d rather do dynamic combat a la Warhammer style, where the defender, at the cost of a Multi-action Penalty, can opt to have a reactive defense instead of a passive defense. I’ll write it down on a future post.
  On the adventure front, I loved the Warhammer theme. As a fan of the Old World, I enjoyed facing the cult of Nurgle for the first time, however the adventure was more or less railroaded. Since I had to read the entire module, unfortunately I know about things that my party will never get to learn, for example the location of the Huyderman gang and what role they played in all of this, and the destruction of the passages. I did have the smartest party member make some assumptions, but that’s the furthest I could go with this. In a social table, the GM would either find a different way to present this information, or the players would be left wondering, which is a great suspense builder for an adventure.
  Last but not least, there’s the Let’s Talk. I’m keeping this. As a tool, to me it’s on the top places of solo tools, coming just right after the use of Oracles. There’s polishing and hacks to be had to bring it to another level of course, but it’s absolutely great as it is. So glad Dr. Gerald Ravenpie wrote it and shared it with the solo community, and so glad that I found it.

  I recently got Dungeon Fantasy GURPS, and there’s an itch to continue there, but I’ll probably be sticking with Savage Worlds a little bit further, least I fall onto the trap of changing several systems within one adventure as I did in the past. Perhaps I enjoy converting systems and trying them out, too much.

  However I’ll take the lessons learned, and try to adapt accordingly.
   
• 

  giorgis 12:05 am on December 13, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: SavageWorlds ( 26 ), Solo ( 176 ), Warhammer ( 23 )   

  Savage Warhammer S01E03 

  Session Three – The Asylum Pt2

  The Valantina Base

  Guard Room

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module?
  A: Yes, but, TWENE: Remove Simple Element
  The door leading to the Guard Room doesn’t have the Valantina fig leaf design.

  I’ll have Elhali try to listen from behind the door before they’ll open it.
  Elhali: Notice: (22,5)-1/4: Success*
  Elhali can listen through the door, clear as if in an amphitheater. She makes out the presence of three men, talking, drinking and playing games.
  Elhali: Common Knowledge: (3,11)-1/4: Success*
  She understands from their accents that they’re Tilean.

  “Three Tileans are on the other side.” She whispers. “Must be Valantinas. You have the password?” She asks Abenzio.
  The Tilean Pit Fighter nods. They have their hands at the ready to draw weapons, but try not to look hostile, and open the door.

  

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  Torchlight emanates from wall-mounted sconces, casting illumination across the room. Positioned near the northeastern corner is a petite table where three individuals engage in a game of dice and partake in wine. The moment the adventurers enter, they swiftly grab their crossbows, loaded and ready, insisting on the password. Their Tilean accents unmistakably reveal their origin.

  “Malindi” Abenzio says in his deep hoarse voice.

  Q: Do the guards let them pass without trouble? (Likely)
  A: No, but they make a few snide remarks at the elf.

  Time to use Let’s Talk
  First I’ll choose the Greeting Attitude for the guard, which will be Unfriendly.
  Then I’ll choose the Topic. This is clear. He makes a sexist remark at the elf smuggler.
  I’ll read the room to see if she can discern the mood of the NPC.
  Elhali: Notice: (3,3)-1/4: Failure

  My Let’s talk hand has some interesting options, I can choose Romantic, Flirting, Aggressive.
  Wow, my hands are tied. I don’t want her to act Romantic or Flirting with any Tilean sexist swine, so I guess that only leaves us with the Aggressive option. It might ruin the party’s chances of going in the Valantina’s Base peacefully.
  Guard’s Mood is Grumpy.
  Guard’s reaction is Positive, and he is in Disagreement.

  “Nice, nice” one of the Tilean guards seems to fix his gaze on Elhali. “You don’ working the streets honey? Come here for some fun?”
  Elhali feels like she wants to puke from the inside. She clutches her short sword firmly. “You come any closer and I’ll cut your balls and feed them to you.” She responds, escalating quickly.
  The guard stands up quickly, shoving his stool behind. It falls down with a loud clatter. He looks at her firmly. His hands on the hilt of his weapon. Looking at the odds with Abenzio next to her, he decides that it’s not worth a fight. He grimaces, and waits for the adventurers to get going.

  Stockroom

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module?
  A: Yes, and, it will be unlikely the next scene is modified.
  Intervention: Regress Plot

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  Hanging lanterns cast light upon a bustling scenario of intense movement. Six Tileans feverishly fill chests and load small carts with crates and barrels. Upon the characters’ entrance, an overseer directs a shout in the Tilean dialect. Abenzio, understands, but the rest are still looking at him with blank stares, upon realizing the lack of understanding, he repeats himself in a Reikspiel dialect with a distinct accent, commanding them to assist in the packing.

  This scene is set up as a plot regression on its own. Normally, the characters would be able to bluff their way past the overseer, but to enhance the Intervention, I rule that this won’t be possible.
  As stated in the module, the overseer has mistaken the characters for hired labourers, and if they don’t follow his orders he will become suspicious. He won’t leave the stockroom for another thirty minutes.

  Having all this meta knowledge, I cannot decide for myself if the adventurers will sit tight and do the packing, or will attempt to slip away.
  I think Elhali will try slip away on the first opportunity.
  Wolmar and Abenzio will try to talk to the Tilean labourers about what is going on.

  Let’s Talk with Wolmar first.
  First I’ll choose the Greeting Attitude for the labourer, which will be Neutral.
  Then I’ll choose the Topic. This is clear. Latest gossip.
  I’ll read the room to see if he can discern the mood of the NPC.
  Wolmar: Notice: (2,1)/4: Failure
  Wolmar’s Let’s talk hand has some interesting options, I can choose Rude, Wildcard (Friendly), Sad.
  Wolmar will use Friendly
  NPC’s Mood is Harsh
  NPC’s Reaction is Somewhat Positive and he is Satisfied

  As Wolmar begins the packing, he begins small talk with the man next to him. “Lots of boxes. Lots of hands. We’re here to help you move quickly.” He smiles as he takes a box from the Tilean’s hands.
  “Yeah, certainly, it would take us forever to move all this stuff without help.” the Tilean replies in broken Reikspiel.

  Wolmar will use Persuasion now, at +1: Persuasion: (2,8)+1/4: Success*

  “So what is the deal, with all the crates?” Wolmar asks casually.
  “Our boys hit the Schatzenheimers. We got’em good.” The Tilean says giving another crate to Wolmar.
  “Huh, and this stuff is from the raid?” Wolmar continues the chat.

  I’ll continue with the Let’s Talk now.
  Wolmar will use Sad.
  NPC’s Reaction is Positive and he is Sad.

  The Tilean worker, sighs. Wolmar adds “We saw the massacre on the way here. Unfortunately some good Valantinas also where lost. Why didn’t they recover their remains?” his voice expressing real worry.
  The Tilean grits his teeth and his voice almost breaks. “They were my friends. But… see the Schatzenheimers, they had a large stone with them, one we took. It wasn’t any stone, one infected by chaos. Cultists are on the way here. We can’t risk death or infection. We pack, and we’re out of here.”

  Elhali will attempt to find an opportunity to slip away. Notice: (21,2)-1/4: Success*
  Q: Is there an opportunity?
  A: Yes, and, with everyone in a hurry, she can pass unnoticed. I’ll give her a +1 to Stealth.
  Elhali: Stealth: (1,4)-1+1/4: Success
  I’ll roll randomly to find which room she goes to. Eastern Guard Room.

  ---

  Eastern Guard Room

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module? (Likely)
  A: Yes, and, it will be unlikely the next scene is modified.

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  Illuminated by the glow of three torches affixed to the walls, three Valantinas work frantically to erect a barricade at the eastern door. The room, noticeably devoid of furniture, clearly shows that all available items have been utilized in the construction of the barricade.

  Elhali: Notice: (3,1)-1/4: Failure. She doesn’t notice the messenger’s corpse in the corner.
  Q: Does Elhali attempt to go past the barricade?
  A: Yes, but, she is warned by the Valantinas.

  Wanting to continue her scouting further, Elhali tries casually to get past the barricade.
  “Woah woah, lady.” A guard exclaims. “You go past this, you don’t come back. No cultist gets past us, but also no disease.”

  Elhali considers this for a moment. She’s wounded, and alone, and doesn’t want to be completely cut off from the rest of the group. She will return back to the storeroom.

  ---

  Once the overseer leaves, the adventurers have a chance to talk together and share information. They’re all up to speed, and I will randomly to which room they go next.
  They want to find the stone. They go to the Dormitory.

  Dormitory

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module? (Likely)
  A: No, roll on TWENE: Add major element. The door is locked.

  So the question is, will the heroes attempt to unlock the door believing something important lies inside, risking discovery, or will they move to the next passage?

  I just read about this case in FlexTale Solo Adventuring Toolkit. It has rules for Intentional Astrays. Considering the situation, I’ll use Context D.
  I roll and get a Missed Opportunity.
  They try too hard and waste too much time trying to find an opportune moment to get inside, but without any lockpicking skills, they fail. Eventually the overseer returns, and they have to work further, before he leaves again.

  Elhali returns to her companions, and between a short break, they all discuss together what they have found out. They agree to start looking in the Valantina’s base for the gem. When the overseer leaves for a while, they head east, but find a locked door. They set Wolmar on watch, while Elhali waits for someone to get in, and maybe she can follow, but no one does. A long while later of time wasted, the overseer returns, and yells at them to get back to their posts. It’s another long half hour before he leaves the room again, and they decide to try the other room before going all brute force on the locked door.

  ---

  Ante-room

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module? (Likely)
  A: No, roll on TWENE: Add simple element.
  A sword.

  

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  The room is illuminated by a hanging lantern from the ceiling and another one positioned on the desk. Adorning the walls are hunting trophies, pilfered street signs, and framed wanted posters portraying different members of the Valantina gang.
  Seated behind the desk is a robust and finely attired Tilean, his impeccably-oiled hair and scarlet-faced countenance catching the light. He idly plays with a loaded pistol crossbow, while a sword rests atop the desk. Upon the characters’ entrance, he glances up, cautioning against disturbing the boss and inquiring about their purpose.

  I’ll use Let’s Talk, Wolmar will do the talking.
  First I’ll choose the Greeting Attitude for Sebastiano Sansovino, which will be Neutral.
  Then I’ll choose the Topic. This is clear. What do the PCs want.
  I’ll read the room to see if he can discern the mood of the NPC.
  Wolmar: Notice: (7,5)/4: Success
  NPC’s Mood is Overwhelmed
  Wolmar’s Let’s talk hand has Aggressive, Flirting, Surprised.
  Wolmar will use Aggressive
  NPC’s Reaction is Negative, but will turn to Somewhat Negative as he’s Overwhelmed and he is Hostile.

  “What do we want?” Wolmar replies back. “What do we want? – We want to see your boss is what we want.” He sais and kicks slams the desk. That’s… more like Abenzio’s approach to things, the group realizes… and it kind off doesn’t work.
  The guard points his loaded crossbow at the head of Wolmar. “What you’ll get is a third hole for another eye.” He stands up, looks at Wolmar angrily.
  “Didn’t know you had it in you kid.” Abenzio says from behind.

  Wolmar will use Surprised
  NPC’s Reaction is Somewhat Negative and he is Neutral.

  “Woah woah no need for that. Can’t take a joke, huh?” Wolmar puts his hands up and steps back in a scare. “We just need to talk to him about the latest events.”
  “Emiliano’s not to be disturbed.” the guard says and sits down again, yet his crossbow still aimed at Wolmar.

  I’ll roll for Persuasion, but won’t give them the bonus they’d have as the talk went kind of terrible.
  Wolmar: Persuasion: (2,4) vs Spirit: 5: Failure

  “You don’t look like you’re on official business, so scram.” He adds.

  Q: Will Elhali attempt to bribe him?
  A: Yes, but she’ll overcompensate at her bribe attempt, with 3 Gold Crowns.
  Elhali: Persuasion: (1,1)-1: Critical Failure
  This, doesn’t bode well.

  Elhali steps forward, she slams 3 Gold Crows on the table.
  “Will these do?” she asks. “We just want to have a talk with him.”
  The guard stands up. The crossbow still aimed at Wolmar, and brandishes his fist, the knuckle dusters shinning under the lantern light.
  “Who do you think you are?” He says, clearly offended, and aims a left hook at Elhali.

  

  

  Round 1

  Sebastiano drew a Joker…
  Sebastiano: Punches Elhali: Fighting: (8)/4: Hit*: Location: Guts: Damage: 13/4: Suffers 2 Wounds: Broken Guts.
  Wolmar: Draws his Short Sword and attacks Sebastiano: (5,1)-2/6: Miss
  Greta grabs Elhali to get her out of the way.
  Abenzio: Draws his Maul and attacks Sebastiano: Fighting: (11,3)-2/6: Hit: Damage: 4/8: Unharmed.

  Round 2

  Q: Are they heard? (Unlikely)
  A: No, and it’s Unlikely they’ll be heard next Round too.
  Sebastiano: Punches Wolmar: Fighting: 2/5: Miss
  Greta gives a healing potion to Elhali: Alchemy: (5,1)/4: Success: 1 Wound is removed.
  Abenzio: Attacks Sebastiano: Fighting: (9,3)/6: Hit: Damage: 12/8: Location: Guts: 1 Wound: Broken Guts.
  Wolmar: attacks Sebastiano: (4,1)/6: Miss
  Elhali gathers her senses, and goes to close the door just in case.

  Round 3

  Q: Are they heard? (Unlikely)
  A: No, and it’s Unlikely they’ll be heard next Round too.
  Abenzio: Attacks Sebastiano: Fighting: (8,9)/6: Hit: Damage: 5/8: Location: Right Leg: No Damage.
  Sebastiano: Spirit: 7-1/4: Success, no longer Shaken: Punches Abenzio: Fighting: 9-1/7: Hit: Damage: 5/11: Unharmed
  Wolmar: attacks Sebastiano: (11,1)/6: Hit*: Location: Torso: Damage: 11/8: Shaken
  Elhali bars the door.

  Round 4

  Q: Are they heard? (Unlikely)
  A: Yes, but, only one worker is on the other side now, and the door is barred.
  Greta goes to support the door.
  Wolmar: attacks Sebastiano: (10,5)/6: Hit*: Location: Head: Damage: 16/8: 2 Wounds.
  Sebastiano: Spirit: 1-3/4: Failure: Remains Shaken.
  The fight is over. Sebastiano yields.

  The thug’s fist finds the elf in the ribs, and she loses her breath in an instant, having broken a rib or two. Bruised she falls back as Greta catches her, and pulls her out of harms way. Wolmar and Abe draw their weapons and attack him, but he evades them, with the footwork of an experienced brawler. He aims a punch at Wolmar who deflects quickly.
  Greta pours the contents of an alchemical potion into Elhali’s mouth, who feels immediately invigorated. She is still bruised, but feels much better.
  Abenzio swings his maul hitting the thug right at the chest. Wolmar tries to support him, but he doesn’t time his attack right, and can’t get a hit.
  Elhali, feeling better, rushes off to close the door, just in case some more Valantinas come after them.
  Abe’s next swing, barely hits his foe at the leg, and suffers a quick counterattack, hitting him at the torso. Abenzio’s bulky physique under the chain shirt isn’t easily hurt, and he is unscathed by the brawler’s punch. Wolmar joins with a thrust of his short sword, and grazes the thug.
  Elhali realizing it’s a matter of time before someone hears the battle cries, puts a makeshift barrier to the door, to bar it. She calls at Greta to come help, and she follows suit.
  From the other side of the door someone shouts “Hey what’s going on in there?”, and Wolmar, just in time with a circular slashing motion cuts a deep gash into his foe’s face, to fit with the other scar. “I yield! I yield!” he cries.
  “Good” Abenzio replies. “Now go tell them it’s all fine.” He carries the wounded thug, who’s holding his face, over next to the door, grimacing in pain, as Elhali holds a knife to his throat.

  Q: Does Sebastiano comply? (Likely)
  A: No, but not because he doesn’t want, he just can’t.

  The thug passes out from bleeding.
  “Hey! open the door!” They hear the overseer shout.

  Abenzio bashes at the door to Emilio Valantina’s Study.
  Abenzio: Damage: 14/10: The door is broken.
  The heroes rush inside.
  Each turn onwards I’ll roll to see if the door to the ante room is broken into.

  ---

  Emilio Valantina’s Study

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module?
  A: Yes.

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  Illumination in the room is provided by a suspended chandelier from the ceiling. A variety of pictures adorns the walls, each hanging slightly crooked. Oriental rugs cover the floor, creating a distinct atmosphere. Positioned against the western wall is a bookcase, from which some books have been taken and are now scattered across the floor. At the heart of the room stands a desk, thoroughly rummaged through and left in disarray.

  Without any tools like axes and mauls, the Valantinas will take a while to break down the door to the Ante Room, so the heroes might manage to escape.
  It’s now a question of if they’ll try to open the door to Emiliano’s bedroom, or if they notice the trail of blood.

  Round 1

  Door Damage: 10/10: The door is broken.
  Elhali: Notice: (2,4)-2/4: Failure
  Wolmar: Notice: (4,4)/4: Success
  Wolmar notices the trail of blood as the door is broken down.
  Abenzio pushes the bookcase over to the entrance to block it.
  Abenzio: Strength (4,1)/4: Success.

  Q: Is the secret door, the bookcase itself?
  A: No, they’ll still need to find it.

  Seeing the trail of blood disappear through the wall, they start looking.
  Greta: Notice: (4,4)/4: Success

  As the adventurers enter the study, they hear they had barred behind them get smashed down.
  Rushing into the room, Wolmar notices a trail of blood to the west. “Look!” he exclaims, but Abenzio has other things in mind. He wishes to block the path behind them, and seeing a massive bookcase, he pulls it over, and pushes it in front of the door they just ruined.
  Greta, being the most cool-headed of the party notices the trail of blood disappearing into the wall behind the bookcase that Abenzio moved. She examines the wall carefully, and finds a very delicate gap, “A secret door!”.

  Round 2

  The Valantinas enter the Ante Room and find Sebastiano wounded.
  Abenzio braces the desk behind the bookcase.
  Greta tries to find the catch that opens the secret door.
  Greta: Notice: (1,1): Critical Failure. She fails, and can’t search any longer.
  Wolmar: Notice: (9,4)/4: Success*. He finds the hidden catch and opens the door.
  Elhali rushes into the passage.

  Abenzio pushes Emiliano’s desk onto the bookcase, to create a makeshift barricade. In the meantime Greta and Wolmar try to find how the door opens. Greta looks carefully, but can’t make any sense of where it could be, but Wolmar, being more practical, traces the outline of the door with his fingers, and like this, he finds a small string, that he pulls out and the door lock is released.
  Elhali enters quickly. “Come on! let’s go” she calls for the other to follow her.

  Round 3

  Greta disappears into the passage.
  Wolmar disappears into the passage.
  Valantinas: Damage: 4/8: The barricade holds.
  Abenzio disappears into the passage, and closes the secret door behind them.

  And follow her they do, first Greta, then Wolmar, and after a short while of hearing the Valantinas bashing at his barricade, making sure everything is in place, so does Abenzio. He takes the additional measure of pulling the string behind him, so that it isn’t reachable from the other side, and the door will remain locked.
  “The Gem!” Wolmar says under the flickering torchlight.
  “They were after us! I’ll be happy to get out of here alive.” Elhali replies.
  “I had them.” Abenzio says.
  “Yeah big guy, that’s why you made sure they won’t follow.” She answers, and Abenzio smirks. “You saw the mess in the study.” She continues. “I don’t know about Emiliano, but if I know one thing about robberies, is that the gem isn’t there to be found.”

  ---

  Session Summary

  When the twists failed to provide surprise, the ruleset and oracle did!
  First things first. Once more, Let’s Talk shined. I don’t know why I love this little gem so much, but it has taken my dialogues to another level, and thus my entire sessions. Every time I use it, I’m looking forward to seeing how the dialogue will evolve. I’m still getting used to it, and want to really understand the underlying mechanics before having a final opinion on a couple of hacks I have in mind. I’m wondering on how could or should a NPCs Mood or Attitude shift within the same dialogue. For example would the extremes of Negative or Positive results shift their Mood or Attitude? Something to think about for the future.
  Another note is that I am trying to write down only the things that the party becomes aware or is immediately affected by a meta perspective. This will allow me to twist the adventure if needed without sticking to preset facts, and also perhaps give a minor sense of surprise to the reader.
  Back to the session. I absolutely loved how despite the failures, the story moved forward, and a great example of how playing an RPG is more than running combat mechanics. Yes, combat is interesting, but what shined to me in this session was the events surrounding it. The snide remarks by the thugs, blending in with the workers, stealthily scouting the base, failing to open the locked doors, getting into a brawl, and ultimately, having to improvise with a barricade and fleeing in the sewers. At the end of the previous session, and beginning of this I was worried about running a railroad, but after this session ended, I’m put at ease. The story is not written, it must be played.

   
• 

  giorgis 10:55 am on December 9, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: fantasy ( 96 ), SavageWorlds ( 26 ), Solo ( 176 ), Warhammer ( 23 )   

  Savage Warhammer S01E02 

  Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying First Edition Old World Adventures in Savage Worlds Adventure Edition

  Session Two – The Asylum

  This is the dungeon-crawling part of the adventure. I won’t be using BOLD connections here.

  The Schatzenheimer Base

  Entrance

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module?
  A: Yes

  Paraphrasing from the module:

  The entrance indicated by the guide reveals a steep set of stairs that descends to a slender corridor. Approximately ten feet along the corridor, it culminates in a door. Affixed to the door is a notice that states, ‘Observe the Laws of Asylum. Knock and Wait’

  So this door is trapped, of course the protagonists don’t know it.
  The module doesn’t describe if the trap is detectable, so I won’t give a passive Notice test.
  There are four possible options:

  • open the door without triggering the trap
  • open the door triggering the trap
  • break the door down
  • knock and wait

  I’ll roll randomly with equal chance:

  • open the door triggering the trap

  Elhali is in front, so it’s her who drops.
  On a successful Athletics test, she’ll react on time to avoid the trap.
  Elhali: Athletics (5,3)/4: Success

  Elhali turns the handle clockwise to open the door. In addition to the spring pushed out of the way, she hears a faint ‘click’. Her sense of danger kicks in and she grabs as hard as she can to the door. Just in time, as the ground beneath her feet gives way, and a trapdoor reveals a pit 4 yards deep. She’s hanging onto the door sheet above the pit, as the rest of the party is frozen by surprise. “That was close” she sighs as she jumps inside, and her companions follow along the sides of the entrance, avoiding the deep pit.

  ---

  Guard Room

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module?
  A: No but, TWENE: Remove Simple element.
  There is no table in the centre of the room.

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  The chamber is empty and devoid of light. Positioned along the northern wall are two sizable wooden cabinets that have been pried open, causing their contents to be strewn about the room. On the southern wall, situated to the left of the entrance, there is an iron lever measuring half a yard in length. This lever protrudes from the upper part of a vertical opening in the wall.

  Q: Do the adventurers interact with the lever?
  A: Yes, and they realize it operates the trapdoor. They will reset it to active, and close the door behind them.

  Q: Do the adventurers find the secret door? (Unlikely)
  A: Yes, and Elhali scouts it and they find that the secret entrance leads through a winding tunnel up some stairs to a back alley.
  Intervention: New Entity

  Q: Is it a Schatzenheimer coming through the secret entrance?
  A: Yes, and it’s two of them, and believe the adventurers to be the cause of the attack to their base.

  The elf smuggler’s attention catches a slight gap behind the left locker. She pushes it aside and finds a low opening, as she follows it, she runs back. Her companions startled at her quick return “Get ready!” she yells as she rushes back inside.
  Two footpads jump in behind her, clubs at the ready. “There they are! Git’em” one tells the other, and they charge.

  Round 1

  Abenzio steps forward and brings his flail down to the footpad.
  Abenzio: Fighting: (5,4)/5: Hit: Damage: 6/6: Shaken.

  Greta moves out of the way and readies a Stun bomb.

  Elhali attacks the footpad with her short sword.
  Elhali: Fighting: (1,4)/5: Blocked: Damage: 4/5: the club remains intact

  Wolmar steps in and attacks other footpad with his hand axe.
  Wolmar: Fighting: (7,2)/5: Hit: Damage: 12/6: Wound, Incapacitated: Broken Guts.

  Footpad Spirit: 1/4: Remains Shaken

  Round 2

  Abenzio: Fighting: (5,4)/5: Hit: Damage: 16/6: 2 Wounds, Incapacitated: Broken Guts.

  The adventurers make short work of the bandits. Elhali checks the secret passage to ensure there are no other surprises, and they continue onwards.

  ---

  Hall

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module?
  A: No TWENE: Add Major element.

  Q: Is Kurt Holger’s body in this room?
  A: No
  I’ll roll for a Portent to help me identify the Major element in the scene.
  Portent: thronged servicing
  So…all the Schatzenheimers had contracted Nurgle’s Rot, and any handling of them, returns a 4% chance of the PCs suffering from the disease as well.

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  Torches are affixed to the walls at intervals of 5 feet along all four sides. The majority of these torches have extinguished, and the ones that persist emit a fluctuating light that illuminates a scene of complete ruin. The doors are cluttered with overturned and shattered furniture, while every surface is marred with dried bloodstains. Scattered haphazardly throughout the room lie six lifeless bodies, each exhibiting numerous stab wounds or pierced by crossbow bolts.

  Q: Does Elhali search the bodies?
  A: No, and the adventurers are shocked by the destruction. Noone touches the bodies.

  They recognize the fig leaf motif, and they make the connection to the Valantina password.

  Two wear cheap pendants bearing a fig leaf motif. Abenzio makes the connection to the paper scrap they found at Vasari, and with the calling cards left on the other bodies, they are certain that these were members of the Valantina gang. Dropped on top of each of the Schatzenheimer bodies is a small card reading ‘Congratulatlons, you have just met the Valantlna Anti Personnel Crew’. They decide to leave the corpses alone.

  I’ll roll randomly to see to which room the PCs will go next.
  They go to room 4.

  Taking two of the still burning torches from the brackets, the adventurers head south through the destroyed door.

  ---

  Kurt Holger’s Room

  

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module?
  A: Yes, and it’s unlikely that the next scene will be altered.

  Paraphrasing from the module:

  The room remains in darkness, its carpeted floor and upscale furnishings contributing to an air of opulence. Stretching along the western wall is an imposing bookcase, with the majority of its contents strewn across the floor. Wall hangings and pictures have been ruthlessly torn down, the drawers of the desk yanked out and emptied. Within the room lies a solitary corpse, that of a middle-aged man adorned in luxurious attire. His complexion is of a pallid brown hue, his countenance marked by three oozing sores, and one of his arms is conspicuously absent.

  Elhali: Notice: (4,4)/4: Success
  Elhali realizes this man is Kurt Holger.

  Q: Does Elhali search the corpse? (Likely)
  A: Yes
  Nurgle’s Rot: 96%/4%: No disease contracted.
  Elhali: Notice: (1,4)/4: Success

  Searching through the corpse of the man Elhali identifies as Kurt Holger, the elf smuggler doesn’t find anything of interest. Realizing they’ve arrived too late, the adventurers press on deeper into the asylum.

  ---

  Dormitory

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module? (Likely)
  A: No, but, TWENE: Decrease Simple Element

  There are only two corpses piled here.

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  Darkness envelops this room, revealing yet another tableau of demise and ruin. The southern wall is adorned with the remnants of numerous wooden bunks, accompanied by torn and bloodstained bedding. At one corner, two lifeless bodies are stacked in a heap.

  Elhali: Notice: (4,4)/4: Success

  Elhali notices the same ‘calling cards’ on the two corpses. The party moves onwards faster.

  ---

  Storeroom

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module?
  A: Yes

  

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  Torches brackets adorn both the northern and southern walls, but their flames have long extinguished, plunging the room into complete darkness. Within, you find a dozen sacks filled with grain, four sizable chests, three vacant barrels, a side of pork, and three lifeless bodies. The sacks bear slashes, spilling the majority of their contents across the floor. The chests, forcibly opened, have been emptied, and one of the barrels lies shattered into pieces.

  Ulrich Vogel, a member of the Schatzenheimer gang is here, wounded, with a loaded crossbow aimed at the party. In the Dim Light he looks like one of the corpses. I’ll draw initiative normally, but the characters can react to Vogel only if one passes a Notice test, or Ulrich shoots.

  

  Round 1

  

  Wolmar: Notice: (1,3)-2/4: Failure
  Abenzio: Notice: (5,3)-2/4: Failure
  Elhali: Notice: (5,4)-2/4: Failure
  Greta: Notice: (7,4)-2/4: Success
  Greta notices Ulrich aiming his crossbow at them. “Take cover!” she shouts, and jumps behind a barrel.
  Vogel shoots at Wolmar: Shooting (2,11)-3/4: Hit*: Location: Guts: Damage: 10: Soak Roll (3,1): Failure: Wolmar takes 1 Wound, Busted Guts, Strength reduced to d4.

  Round 2

  Elhali thrusts her sword at Vogel: Fighting: (3,2)/4: Miss
  Greta remains in cover.
  Wolmar roll spirit: (1,4)-1/4: Failure: Wolmar remains shaken
  Vogel shoots at Elhali: Shooting (7,3)-3/4: Hit: Location: Guts: Damage: 18: Soak Roll (1,4): Success: Elhali takes 2 Wounds, Battered Guts, Vigor reduced to d4. Elhali is Bleeding Out.
  Abenzio bashes at Vogel with his Flail: Fighting: (19,5)/4: Hit*: Location: Left Arm: Damage: 17: Soak Roll (4,5)-1/4: Success: Vogel Takes 2 Wounds, Cannot use his Arm. Vogel is Bleeding Out.

  Round 3

  Elhali: Spirit Roll: (2,1)-2/4: Failure
  Elhali: Vigor Roll: (1,2)-2/4: Failure: Reroll with Benny: (2,5)-2/4: Failure: Reroll with Benny: (3,5)-2/4: Failure: Elhali is Incapacitated.
  `Note: I realized that the Bleeding Out homebrew rule, for 2 Wounds injuries doesn’t make sense – you’re fine one moment – dead the next due to bleeding. Instead, I’m giving it another level. If active, and failing the Vigor Roll, the character Bleeding Out becomes Incapacitated. And if again they fail the new Vigor Roll, they’ll die as per RAW. Elhali is still not out of it, and she has burned two benny points already.
  Vogel: Spirit Roll: (3,4)-3/4: Failure: Vogel Spends a Benny and is no longer Shaken.
  Vogel: Vigor Roll: (1,4)-3/4: Failure: Reroll with Benny: (4,10)-3/4: Success
  Vogel draws his dagger.
  Wolmar: Spirit Roll: (10,2)-1/4: Success*: Wolmar is no longer Shaken
  Wolmar hacks at Vogel with his handaxe: Fighting: (5,1)-3/4: Miss
  Greta runs to Elhali and attempts to stabilize her: Healing: (1,2)/4: Failure: Reroll with Benny: (3,3)/4: Failure
  Abenzio bashes at Vogel with his Flail: Fighting: (11,1)/4: Hit*: Location: Guts: Damage: 17: Soak Roll (5,1)-3/4: Failure: Vogel Takes 2 Wounds, Incapacitated, Busted Guts.

  Round 4

  Greta attempts to stabilize Elhali: Healing: (3,11)/4: Success: Elhali is Stabilized.

  As the party walks among the ruined storeroom and avoids the corpses, Greta picks up some movement at the centre. “Look out!” she yells, as she notices a crossbow brandished under the dim light. Too late. The crossbow bolt hits Wolmar in the gut, who screams in agony.
  Elhali thrusts her sword at her foe, but she’s too hasty, and misses her target. Their enemy, wounded and prone, loads up another bolt and shoots the elf. The bolt hitting her in the abdomen. She screams in agony as the bolt goes clean through.
  Wolmar is still clutching his wound, frozen, but Abenzio, the towering beast is quick to react. His pit fighting days still at work in the dim lighted environment, and he brings down his flail with menace on his foe, crushing his arm.
  Elhali drops unconscious by the blood loss, as their enemy tries to regain his composure and make a final stand. In the meantime Wolmar snaps out of it, and charges with his handaxe, but he too, still in pain, misses his target.
  Greta runs to Elhali, attempting to staunch her bleeding, but it doesn’t seem to work.
  Abenzio ends the fight with another hit of his flail, crushing the man with brute strength, as Greta finally manages to stabilize Elhali, who slowly regains her consciousness.

  Greta will attempt to do First Aid on her friends.
  Greta: Healing Elhali: (6,2)/4: 1 Wound Healed.
  Greta: Healing Wolmar: (11,2)/4: Wolmar is healed completely.

  Greta gets her healing herbs and pastes and starts applying her knowledge at her wounded companions. 20 minutes later, Elhali is much better, with a few stiches at her wound, while Wolmar is back in fighting shape. The adventurers pick up their gear, and without sharing many words, they continue down the path in the Asylum.
  “We could have gleaned some information from him.” Elhali frowns.
  “So after a crossbow bolt to the gut, you feel bad, I turned him into a pulp?” Abenzio asks.
  Elhali shakes her head negatively, “Just, saying, we’re here, right in the middle of a gang war, and I feel like we’re going in blind.”

  ---

  Eastern Guard Room

  Q: Is the Scene as described in the module?
  A: Yes

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  The room mirrors the condition of those preceding it, filled with scattered wreckage, adorned with splatters of blood, and littered with lifeless bodies. Seven of them, all with the same Valantina calling cards.

  ---

  Session Summary

  One thing is for certain, combat is gritty!
  It’s amazing how just a few slight modifications to the rules can increase deadliness by so much.
  I like how the party had to waste their Bennies just to survive a simple combat. And how these Bennies when used, they translated directly to GM Bennies. Vogel used them. I guess next time they’ll be more careful.
  Applying the modifiers and bookkeeping the combat was much easiier in FoundryVTT than when doing it by hand. It really speeds up the play.
  I’m not entirely certain I like how the Adventure Twist Questions apply to a railroaded map that is this part of the adventure. It feels like each alteration is restricted to the room itself where it applies. I felt like I had much less control of my PCs during this session, and I was more like a GM, running a few bots into a dungeon. Of course it could just be a combination of the particular adventure and my particular Oracle rolls, but nevertheless I’m having some thoughts as to how this could be remediated for future attempts.
  Thought to myself: should I use Player Emulator with Tags?
  Apart from the Bleeding Out fix that I had to implement – sometimes you need to see in practice if something works or not – I’m not changing anything else.
  Some other issues I had while running the adventure, was converting the foes. Not so much with regards to the Traits, but when to use a Wild Card or not. I made Ulrich Vogel a Wild Card as he had a name and everything. Not sure if this should be a standard for all enemies.
  I’ll also be definitely using the Henchmen and Right Hands rule from Beasts and Barbarians. This allows for some NPCs to have the ability to take 3 Wounds, but not gain a Wild Die, and the opposite.

   
• 

  giorgis 5:25 pm on December 3, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: SavageWorlds ( 26 ), Solo ( 176 ), Warhammer ( 23 )   

  Savage Warhammer S01E01 

  Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying First Edition Old World Adventures in Savage Worlds Adventure Edition

  So… This is Nuln

  Some points I needed to have also clarified during Session Zero.
  I’ll define the Let’s Talk Tone Wildcards of the protagonists for the How you are (or rather Who you are).
  Abenzio is Rude
  Elhali is Charming
  Greta is Worried
  Wolmar is Friendly

  Also I want to add some motivations to my PCs, and will use UNE for this. To give some control (as PCs should have), I’ll roll 3 groups of 4 motivations and assign them to each PC depending on what makes sense.

  For Abenzio I have complete the poor, hinder lies, abduct greed.
  For Elhali I have produce harmony, indulge discretion, develop nature.
  For Greta I have advise academia, achieve technology, pursue expertise.
  For Wolmar I have guard servitude, determine spirits, learn industry.

  On purpose I won’t define now what they mean. I want them to be vague reminders to guide me on the feeling I get for each PC.

  Prior to the session, I’ll prepare the BOLD connections.

  action	gerund	subject
  commend	detailing	personal qualities
  assure	preparing	friends or family
  ponder	weakening	a like

  ---

  Starting, I ask MUNE an Adventure Twist Question:
  Q: Is the scene as described?
  A: Yes, and the next scene will be Likely on the ATQ.

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  

  The adventurers try the Inns along the waterfront, but they are all full. Tired and groggy, they begin to despair of ever finding a bed for the night. Things seem to be looking up when they meet a man in a tavern who introduces himself as Grolsch Van Eyke. He speaks with a distinctive Wastelander accent, and seems to take pity on them when he hears that they are newly arrived in Nuln. He warns them that it is extremely unwise to be wandering about the city at this hour, and says: ‘Giz’za couple of shillings and I’ll get you a nice warm room somewhere dry and clean’.

  A note here. I have asked the Adventure Twist Question beforehand, to set up the scene, but for major surprises, I will also be asking the Oracle if they are true. For example, in this particular case, Grolsch Van Eyke is an assumed name. The man the characters have met is a small-time Thief, a Pickpocket who is in league with a gang of Footpads, and he is trying to lead the players into an ambush. Therefore if my heroes decide to go along with his proposal, I will ask the Oracle prior to the ambush, a Adventure Twist Question. There’s always the chance that he is an honest man instead, and will take them to a nice inn (unlikely, but yeah).

  Now back to the adventure at hand, since I, as a player, have the meta knowledge of the ambush, I will ask the Oracle instead if my PCs are suspicious of Grolsch.
  The most streetwise member of the party, Elhali the smuggler will make a Notice roll, see if anything feels off to her.
  Elhali: Notice (6,4)/4: Success
  She feels something is off, but she can’t pinpoint it exactly, just a hunch.
  Let’s see if she convinces the party.
  Q: Does the party want to go with Grolsch? (Likely, they’re soaked, and spent too much time dealing with the customs agents)
  A: Yes, and, they look forward to it.
  Elhali: Persuasion: (3,3)-1/4: Failure

  “I don’t trust him!” Elhali whispers sharply, but her words fall on deaf ears. She has been heard, but the rest of the party is so cold, that they decide not to listen to her, even though deep inside they know they should have. She feels like she can’t make a greater deal out of it, as she’s not completely certain that Grolsch is a faux, and also she doesn’t want to make him aware of her alertness. She plays along, hoping that they’ll get a nice warm room soon.

  I’ll use assure, detailing, personal qualities from BOLD: Connections on Abenzio with Elhali, complementing it with Let’s Talk!
  So, the way I’m thinking these can be combined for intra-party banter, is that the PC who initiates the Connection (Abenzio in this case) and executes the exchange, sets the Greeting and Topic and Mood, and the PC who reacts to the Connection (Elhali in this case) sets the Mood.
  With this Connection, Elhali will have the Mood Suspicious.
  Abenzio’s hand has Friendly, Rude, Humorous cards, and he’ll use the Humorous card.
  I roll for Elhali’s reaction and get Positive, but since she is Suspicious that becomes Somewhat Positive which means she reacts Friendly.

  Abenzio seems to notice that Elhali is jumpy, he slows down his pace as the party follows Grolsch, in order to walk beside her, and when the moment is right, he opens his mouth, and in his hoarse voice he tells her “Worry not, for my skill with the flail has brought down more than one scoundrel in the pit fights of Grunburg. Just say the word and I’ll bash the skull of this Van Dyke dude.”
  Elhali laughs, and does a friendly jab at Abenzio. “Are you sure we can rely on your reflexes big man?”. She seems to have been put at easy for now.

  ---

  Q: Is the scene as described? (Likely)
  A: No. Roll on TWENE: Remove Major Element. So for some reason, the Footpads aren’t there. I’m thinking that this could be either because Grolsch is an honest man and gets them to an inn (unlikely – Elhali has already established that something doesn’t feel right), or because something happened that drew the footpads away, perhaps a Town Watch patrol at the right moment? (likely)
  Q: Is there a town watch patrol? (Likely)
  A: No.
  Q: Perhaps the ambush isn’t out in the streets, but inside the building, with Grolsch partaking int it?
  A: No, and, it’s “The Reaver’s Return”

  Okay, so this is a fine example of the Oracle (GM) wanting to take the story on it’s own way no matter what the Player (Solo) wants the story to be. I desperately wanted to have an ambush fight here, to see how the system fares, but instead the Oracle decided to not have the Episode 2: Ambush! altogether. I even had taken a screenshot from the PDF of the corebook small map, and Upscaled it via AI and had prepared Footpad Tokens. Now, to keep the story going as it should, I decided that this establishment where Grolsch took them is the “Reaver’s Return” from Episode 3: The Reaver’s Return, so that the story is not derailed at all. That’s another fine example of how in a social TTRPG, a GM would improvise and Railroad the players “the right way”, instead of forcing them through other ways to the proper inn to continue the story, the GM can just present this inn, as the first available establishment.
  Using Solipsism, I will keep in mind to use the Ambush as a Location in the Map list, but it hasn’t activated yet as per the Solipsism adventure Railroad rules.
  Back to my story, I don’t know why Grolsch actually led them to an inn, perhaps he saw that the adventurers are tougher than he initially thought, or he saw a patrol near the original ambush site, or he’s just plain honest and the secrets he hides are completely irrelevant from the adventurers and their story.
  Keeping Chekhov’s gun in mind, I can see that Grolsch played his part in the story, and I can continue without bothering myself more about him (at least until the Oracle dictates otherwise).

  

  Paraphrasing and combining parts from the two episodes of the adventure module:

  Grolsch leads the party down dark, winding alleys and through streets littered with rotting vegetables and stinking debris. At last, he reaches a door down a dark, dingy lane and the party sees a tattered sign swinging in the wind. It reads ‘The Reaver’s Return’. There is no sound from inside the inn, but a weak light shows through a grimy ground floor window. The place looks even grubbier than the others they have seen – if that’s possible – but they are desperate.
  ‘Here we are,’ he says.
  Wolmar gives him a couple of shillings and Grolsch disappears through the alleyways.
  Elhali tries to open the door, but it’s stuch fast and won’t budge.
  A voice calls from inside, ‘Shove it!’
  There is a pause of about a second, and then the voice calls again. ‘The door, dumdum, just give it a good hard shove!’

  Note: I’m trying to eye situations about what makes sense and assign difficulty modifiers. WHFRP average skill rolls have a lower chance of success than an average skill roll in Savage Worlds. In general if it’s an average WHFRP situation I’ll be assigning a -2 Difficulty modifier, subject to change depending on circumstances.

  Elhali: Strength: (2,4)-2/4: Failure
  Abenzio: Strength: (3,3)-2/4: Failure
  Wolmar: Strength (2,5)-2/4: Failure
  Greta: Strength (3,11)-2/4: Success*

  Huh, perhaps the -2 difficulty modifier was too much, or the dice gods wanted the weakest party member to open the stuck door.
  Come to think of it, I should have had one open the door and the other assist. I’ll keep this in mind for the next team effort opportunity that arises.

  Elhali tries to push the door open, and as she fails, Abenzio, the hulking Tilean brute shoves her aside and pushes. To his surprise, the door doesn’t budge. Wolmar pushes too but the door remains in place. ‘Shove it!’ the voice calls from inside. Greta steps forward, and pushes with all her weak little might. Was the door already unstuck from the previous efforts? For whatever reason, frail Greta the door suddenly gives way.
  Abenzio, scoffs. ‘We set it up for you’. His pride hurt.
  The party steps into the inn through the wreckage, and the white-haired, wrinkled, old publican looks up from the bar and frowns. ‘You’ll have to pay for that, you know,’ he says.

  Q: Is the scene as described?
  A: Yes, and the next ATQ will be Likely. Intervention: Entity Negative: Greta Kahl.
  I’ll give Greta a Fatigue Level from the effort.

  Greta grabs her bruised shoulder. She starts to feel a numbing pain, and realizes she shouldn’t have tried to so hard to get the door open.
  ‘Pay for what? it was a stuck door.’ the elf counters.
  ‘That will be 6 Gold Crows to repair it darling.’ the innkeeper replies.

  Wolmar will attempt to bargain a better price.
  I’ll use Let’s Talk! once more, using the Persuasion option.
  Quoting from Let’s Talk!:

  Make the Exchange to represent the petition, and then use the ‘persuasion’ system of the game you’re playing, giving it a bonus or a penalty depending on how well (or bad) the exchange went.

  Reading the ‘Social Conflict’ rules from SWADE, these also last three rounds of conversation, and you gather Influence Tokens. I think I can combine the two, and depending on the length of the conversation or the topic, use just 1 (as in this case) or 2 and 3 Exchanges and Conflict Rounds. I’m excited as to how these two seem to connect together.

  First I’ll choose the Greeting Attitude for the innkeeper, which will be Neutral.
  Then I’ll choose the Topic. This is clear. He wants 6 Gold Crowns from the characters.
  Rolling for the Mood, I get Chatty.

  My Let’s talk hand has some interesting options, I can choose Friendly, Humorous, Aggressive.
  I’ll start by using the Friendly card.
  I roll on the Reaction Roll, modify it with the mood and get a Negative result, which combined to the NPC’s tone, means they’re in Disagreement.
  So now, I’ll roll Persuasion at a -2. Against the Innkeeper’s Spirit.
  Wolmar: Persuasion (8,7)-2/1: Success*

  

  Wolmar put on the best smiling face he can. They’ve been soaked wet, freezing cold, and walking through the dirtiest alleyways at night, scared for their lives in an unknown city. Yet he needs to muster whatever happy thoughts he can. Feeling the warm fire inside, he focuses on it, and turns to the innkeeper.
  “I’m certain you don’t treat all your customers this way. We will after all stay the night here, which should more than pay for the cost.” He pledges.
  “As I said before young one, it’s 6 Gold Crowns, if you want to stay the night, that’s 1 Gold Crown per head.” The innkeeper replies.
  “Then we will give you 6 Gold Crowns in total, and we’ll stay for the night.” Wolmar puts his trade skills to the test, having learned from this father.
  “Alright. Pay upfront, and sign your names in the book.”
  As the adventurers pay up and write down their names, the innkeeper turns to them. “My name’s Rudolf Grasser, in case you need to call me. I’ll lead you to your rooms now upstairs.”
  The adventurers finally sigh in relief. What a day!

  ---

  Q: Is the scene as described? (Likely)
  A: Yes.

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  After the money is handed over, Rudolf shows them to their room. The ‘Return’ is a three-storey wooden building, and he takes them to a dingy attic room. The stairs creak under their weight and the bannister feels distinctly shaky. At last you get to the room. ‘You get a nice view of the canal,’ grins Grasser, showing the rotted stumps of his teeth. They can’t see anything through the filthy windows, but can certainly smell the canal.
  Elhali complains “what a dump, you price this for 1 Gold Crown? that’s one Shilling at most!”
  Pointless; Grasser touches an index finger to his forehead, muttering ‘Have a nice day,’ and leaves.

  Now the module here describes probable courses of action. I don’t think they will consider going out again in the dark of the night to find another inn, or spending the cold night in an alley, especially after having paid 6 Gold Crowns (and two shillings).

  Personally, to my own Player style, I wouldn’t look to fastening the bolts, or setting a guard when sleeping in our own room at night, so I will ask the Oracle if the players sleep taking precautions giving it an Unlikely probability. In the Event of any Yes result, I will make a Notice roll to see if they notice the unfastened bolts and they’ll take this course of action. Otherwise they’ll just take turns guarding.

  Note: I had absolutely forgotten to use Solipsism. I tried to retrace the necessary steps, and Railroad the adventure into Solipsism as described under the Instructions section of the Engine. I could not make it work properly. However I could see it working as an excellent tool to put the adventure back into it's Railroad if it goes astray, since you add Features and Elements that have already been established, and connect the Paths to them. I'll keep this in mind, but for now, I'll be regressing to the use of MUNE as my main Solo Engine.

  Back to the adventure:
  Q: Do the adventurers take any precautions sleeping? (Unlikely)
  A: No, and, they go to sleep directly, going to Episode 6: Sleeping Dogs.

  Back to using BOLD connections before going to sleep:

  action	gerund	subject
  commend	preparing	friends or family
  ponder	weakening	a like

  I will use commend weakening a like from Greta to Wolmar.
  Wolmar’s mood is Fair.
  Greta’s hand has Friendly, Questioning, Worried.
  Greta uses Friendly.
  Wolmar’s reaction is Somewhat Positive so he is Happy.

  As they prepare their beds for the night, and set aside their gear, Greta turns to Wolmar, “It was nice how you bargained for a better price from the old scrooge. He sure would have liked to have fleeced us.”
  Wolmar blushes with pride. “Thank you! I’ve learned a thing or two from my father’s trade. Everyone will try to make a profit out of you if you let them.” A feeling of completeness and success overwhelms Wolmar as he turns back to preparing for the night.

  So this is a GM controlled section, as the players are all sleeping and a thief named Bertoldo Vasali tries to rob them.
  Q: Is the scene as described?
  A: Yes, but, TWENE: Decrease Simple Element. The freezing cold has reduced the terrible canal smell.

  Bertoldo enter room through window: Stealth: 4+2/4: Success
  First target: Greta Kahl: Thievery: 3/4: Failure
  Thievery: 4/4: Success.
  Second target: Wolmar of Schlafebild: Thievery: 1/4: Critical Failure. Wolmar wakes up.

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  In the dead of night, Wolmar is disturbed by a hand in his clothing. He wakes with a start to see a hooded figure rushing towards the window.

  I draw initiative cards for all the party members, however Wolmar must act before Bertoldo to wake up the others.
  He draws… 3 of Clubs, while Bertoldo drew a 9 of Hearts.

  “Thief! Wake up!” Wolmar shouts, as the figure exits through the window. Wolmar bravely chases after him, as does Elhali. Greta and Abenzio, follow suit, albeit more carefully.

  ---

  We go to Episode 8: Rooftop Chase
  Q: Is the scene as described?
  A: No, and, TWENE: Increase Simple Element. The rain is steady and heavy. Athletics roll are required just to avoid slipping off the roofs.

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  Outside it is cold and rainswept. Ahead, Wolmar can just make out a hooded figure disappearing over the rooftops.

  Round 1

  As luck would have it, Wolmar and Greta are the first to act.

  Wolmar walks carefully behind and jumps over the rooftop, across the 2 yard gap to follow the thief.
  Wolmar: Athletics: (4,3)/4: He makes the jump, and attacks Bertoldo.
  Q: Did Wolmar grab his handaxe?
  A: No, he just has his dagger.
  Wolmar: Fighting: (4,1)/5: Bertoldo dodges the attack. Bertoldo: Athletics: 7/4: Success. Bertoldo doesn’t fall.

  Greta goes to the other side of the roof and jumps to the next building, following.
  Greta: Athletics: (2,2): She falls. Damage: 5/5: She’s Shaken.

  Bertoldo jumps across the rooftops and over the canal.
  Bertoldo: Athletics: 1/4: Critical Failure. He falls into the canal. Damage: 1/5: No Damage.

  Elhali will attempt to jump down carefully: Athletics: (1,4)/4: Success
  Abenzio will attempt to jump down carefully: Athletics: (2,9)/4: Success* he rolls down with grace, and moves towards Bertoldo.

  Walking carefully on the slippery roof tiles, under the rain, Wolmar jumps behind the thief across the alley between the two buildings. His footing steady, the 2-yard gap is closed and with the momentum he has he swings his dagger at the figure. “Surrender thief!” he yells. The rogue evades the blow, at the same time maintaining his balance.
  Greta tries to follows suit, but she slips at the last moment, and she can’t reach the roof across safely. She loses her grip, stopping the momentum of the fall at the last moment, grabbing the ledge with her hand, and falling clumsily to the alley 5 yards below.
  The thief turns his back at Wolmar and tries to jump across the canal to the roof of the building on the other side, however he misjudges the distance, and falls face first into the shallow water with a big splash.
  Elhali slowly climbs down from the rooftop next to the canal, while Abenzio jumps down, and performs a majestic roll, which is unbecoming of a man his size.

  Round 2

  Greta acts first, Spirit Roll: (11,5)/4: Success*. Greta removes the Shaken status, she jumps into the canal and after the thief who took her purse, and attacks him with her knife. Greta: Fighting: (1,5)/5: Hit: Location: Head: Damage: 3+4=7/5: Shaken

  Bertoldo Spirit Roll 3/4: Failure. Bertoldo remains Shaken.

  Abenzio walks in the canal, and charges at Bertoldo.
  Q: Did Abenzio grab his handaxe?
  A: No, he just has his brass knuckles
  Abenzio: Fighting: (4,3)/5: Bertoldo dodges the attack. Bertoldo: Athletics: 4/4: Success. Bertoldo doesn’t fall prone.

  Elhali walks around, avoiding to get wet in the canal, and blocks Bertoldo’s way out.

  Wolmar will attempt to jump down carefully: (3,4)/4: Success.

  Greta quickly recovers from her condition, and pulling her dagger from her belt, she lashes at the thief. “Give me back my money you filthy swine!” she screams, and her dagger grazes the man’s neck, who looks back at her with horror. He doesn’t move, still shook from the fall in the cold dirty water, the relentless pursuit of his victims, and the mental assault of Greta.
  Abenzio presents his knuckledusters and jumps at the thief, who instinctively dodges out of the way, and splashes into the water at the side.
  Elhali carefully moves to the side to block any attempt to escape, while Wolmar carefully gets down from the roof, to join his companions.

  Round 3

  Abenzio draws a Joker and acts first, attacking Bertoldo: (7,11)+2/5: Hit*: Hit Location: Left Arm: Damage: 18/5: 3 Wounds. Bertoldo is down. He can’t use his left arm.

  With a right hook, Abenzio’s massive arm, crashes into the thief’s left side, shattering his shoulder. The man cries out in pain. “I surrender! Please stop.”

  The adventurers pick the thief up, and stand him next to the wall of a building out of the canal. Abenzio’s hand grabbing the man by the throat.
  “Search him. Get your money, and make sure we find no other surprises.”

  

  Elhali: Notice: (7,5)/4: Success.

  

  Elhali pats the thief down, retrieving Greta’s purse, who she returns to her companion, a dagger hidden in the boot, several silk handkerchiefs, and a scrap of paper with a fig leaf motif.
  Before they have the chance to talk to him further, they can hear the footsteps of armored men. The City Watch arrives.

  I’ll go to UNE to get some description of the City Watch sergeant as the module doesn’t describe the interaction with the City Watch.
  I get indifferent outcast with motivation aid cowardice.
  I have a few thoughts as to what this means, I’m not going to try to define them, since this would give me meta knowledge that I don’t want to have. I’ll consider this as to what the protagonists initial perception of the sergeant is.
  He seems to care about helping the weak as they can’t do so themselves, doesn’t like vigilantes, but in no case will he go above and beyond, as he gives the impression of a man of greater stature placed in a low station.

  I’ll use Let’s Talk, and Advanced Moods.
  The Sergeant’s Greeting is inquisitive “What has happened here?” the Topic is the capture of the thief, and we’ll have to roll to see who will talk with the Sergeant.

  Note: I just realized that Elhali is an outsider so she should have penalties to interaction rolls with the locals. Abenzio is an outsider too. I should have applied these penalties to my interactions with the Customs officer in Session Zero. Nevermind.

  Wolmar seems to be the face of the party, so he takes the opportunity to talk to the sergeant.
  Wolmar: Notice (3,2)/4: Failure. He fails to understand the Mood of the Sergeant, so I will only roll at the Mood Column, and get the Mood only after I’ve played the first card.
  Mood Column: 3-4
  Wolmar’s deck is: Wildcard, Questioning, Aggressive.
  Wolmar will go with his Friendly Wildcard.
  Sergeant’s Mood is Overwhelmed.
  Sergeant’s Reaction roll is Positive and he’s Happy.
  Nice, I’ll stop at only one Exchange.

  

  Five men of the City Watch surround the party, swords at the ready, they flash their torches into the faces of the adventurers and their prisoner.
  One of them, that the party can only figure out he’s the Sergeant, steps forward, his hands on his waist, fingers close to his sword hilt. “Cease Fighting! What has happened here? Are there any others? Explain yourselves.”
  “Sire,” Wolmar begins, “What a great help! We’re so thankful for your timely appearance! My name’s Wolmar, Wolmar of Schlafebild. We were sleeping soundly in our accommodations over there” he points to the window of the Reaver’s Return, “when I was woken in the middle of the night, by this man’s hand in my pockets! He tried to make a run for it, jumping across the rooftops, but he fell in the canal, and we caught up to him. My friend Abe here must have roughed him real good, he won’t be any more trouble to you. He had already stolen Greta’s purse, but we made sure to return it to her.” He points to Greta. “Hope we’re not overstepping our bounds, we’re newcomers to Nuln, but we couldn’t let the thief get away with our belongings!”
  The Sergeant seems indecisive at first. “Yes, you should not go after thieving scum, that’s the City Watch’s job. Don’t want to find yourself with a dagger stabbed at your back, only because you thought you could handle danger and adventure.” He can’t hide a smile though, sighs, and turns to one of his men. “Isn’t that Bertoldo Vasari?” he asks him.
  The guard puts the torch closer. “Yes he is, and I doubt he’ll be using this arm again to steal from anyone anymore.”
  The sergeant turns back to Wolmar, “We’ll take it from here. Oh and so you know, there’s a reward for catching this particular man.” he counts 4 Gold Crowns and gives them to Wolmar. “Don’t become a bounty hunter, they don’t last long.”

  ---

  With that, I’ll use the last of my BOLD connections, ponder preparing friends or family from Elhali to Wolmar.
  Wolmar’s mood is Empathic.
  Elhali’s hand has Humorous, Romantic, Surprised. She’ll use the Surprised
  Wolmar’s reaction is Positive so he is Helpful.

  As soon as the adventurers return to their room in the Reaver’s Return, Elhali turns to Wolmar. “We were caught unaware! How did he get inside? Should we have been better prepared? I recall my father telling me stories of acrobats jumping across roofs to steal from folks in deep sleep, but I’d never believe it would happen to me.” She hits her forehead. “Stupid me, I should have been more careful. Bolting the windows or something.”
  “Hey, it’s not your fault alone. None of us thought about it. Nuln is more dangerous than we initially thought. Next time we bolt the doors and windows, and if that’s not possible, we’ll take watches through the night. We can do it.” His words soothe her as she fastens the bolts on the window.

  We go to Episode 9: Rise and Shine
  Q: Is the scene as described?
  A: No, and, TWENE: Add Major Element.
  I get a Portent: Dazzled Incumbent. Huh, I’ve learned a new word.

  Normally, the party would be at a loss now, trying to figure out what to do next and earn money, as they’re going to go broke soon otherwise. Which according to the module would hint them to go to Reiks Platz and look at the notice boards (including one notice for the Oldenhaller contract). However, since we have TWENE altering the scene, I’m going to interpret it as follows. An employee (official?) of Councillor Oldenhaller has heard of their exploits and on his way to put the notice on Reiks Platz, he stopped by to see the heroes themselves.

  As the adventurers climb down the steep creaking wooden stairs to the groundfloor of the Reaver’s Return, their eyes fall upon Grasser behind the bar, talking to a man in fine clothing. “There they are!” Grasser gestures for the man to see the adventurers descending into the main hall.

  His name is Wolf Schreiber. Getting some information from UNE.
  Schreiber’s Bearing is Knowing/Account.
  Going with Let’s Talk.
  We’ll have the Greeting with the Topic being the NPC brings an opportunity.
  His Mood is Self Absorbed.
  Wolmar will do the talking on the party’s behalf.
  Wolmar’s hand is Aggressive, Surprised and Charming.
  He’ll play Surprised.

  

  The well dressed man introduces himself. “My name is Wolf Schreiber, and I come with an opportunity for daring men and women like you. Your exploits last nights exploits have reached my ears.”
  Wolmar is taken aback. “They have?” Wolmar sounds surprised and changes his tone immediately. “I mean for certain they have, it’s about time our name starts being heard in Nuln.”

  Schreiber’s reaction is Somewhat Positive, and he is Questioning.
  Wolmar will use Charming.

  “And what are your names? What can you do?” Schreiber asks.
  “Oh what, can’t we do.” Wolmar answers. “My big Tilean friend Abe here,” he pats Abenzio’s shoulder “took down a wanted man last night with a single punch. Elhali,” he gestures towards the elf rogue “can walk the rooftops with the agility of a cat, and Greta, will make a balm that all your bruises are gone. We are good.”

  Schreiber’s reaction is Somewhat Positive, and he is Surprised.

  Schreiber seems taken aback by Wolmar’s presentation, “You sure seem so!”. He pauses for a second and continues. “Look, I was on my way to Reiks Platz to put up this notice for my employer, Councillor Oldenhaller. He’s looking for specialists for a repossession job. One’s night work, legal, some danger, good money. You’ll find him at Oldenhaller Mansion, Oldenhallerstrasse. I thought I’d give you a head start since I believe you fit the criteria… what does it say… ah ‘Military background helpful'” he looks at Abenzio. “No timewasters.” he looks at Wolmar. “I’ll be on my way. You, have a nice day.”
  “Good day to you too Mr Schreiber!” Wolmar replies, and before he has a chance to ask any more questions, Schreiber has already left the cesspool of an inn that the Reaver’s Return is, and is on his way to Reiks Platz.

  I won’t ask the Oracle as to how the protagonists react. This sounds like a good opportunity, so they’ll take it.

  After some gruel for breakfast, the adventurers prepare, and head off towards Oldenhaller mansion.

  ---

  We go to Episode 13: The Oldenhaller Contract
  Q: Is the scene as described?
  A: Yes, but, TWENE: Remove Simple Element. The oriental rugs have been removed from the hallways to not be ruined from the heavy boots of any visitor adventurers.

  

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  The party finds the mansion easily, and the doorkeeper clearly expects to see people in heavy boots tramping into his master’s hallway, no rugs are in the hallway. A messenger is sent to the Councillor, and after a half-hour wait they are led through winding, opulently decorated corridors to a huge study. The floors are covered with oriental rugs and the walls are hung with family portraits, hunting trophies and framed contracts and bonds.
  Albrecht Oldenhaller sits behind a vast mahogany desk, toying with a jeweled paper knife. He looks them up and down, and then speaks.
  “As you may be aware,” he says, “The house of Oldenhaller is engaged in trading and other activities at a number of levels, and we would be most unhappy – if our dealings with certain of our agents and contacts were to be made public. Accordingly, I must insist that this business must be conducted in the utmost secrecy.” He pauses significantly while this sinks in.
  “A certain gem has appeared in the city,” he continues. “I won’t bore you with the details, except to say that it was acquired on behalf of the House of Oldenhaller by a group of people vulgarly known as the Schatzenheimer gang, who have so far failed to make delivery. You are to recover the stone from them and deliver it here by dawn tomorrow. Like many great stones, there are several legends and superstitions attached to the gem. It is said to have come from a ring worn by Nurgle, the Chaos God, and to carry a highly infectious rotting disease which afflicts all those who handle it. I set no store by these superstitions, but in case there is some substance behind them, you will take this” – he pushes an elaborately carved wooden box across the desk – ”and use it to carry the stone. It bas been enchanted to suppress the magic of anything inside for precisely six hours. That should give you adequate time to deliver the stone here. You will set out at nightfall, and I will have you guided to one of the entrances to the area known as the Asylum, which is where I believe the stone to be. Are there any questions?”

  

  “The most important thing you’ve left our. How much is the pay?” Elhali asks.
  “100 Crowns for the each of you, but how do I know you are suited for the job?”
  “Your man Mr. Schreiber sought us out himself and sent us here.” She counters.

  Now it’s time to use Let’s talk. Each exchange will allow for one question, and of course there’s the matter of bartering for a better price.

  Elhali will do the talking this time. Her hand is Worried, Flirting, Wildcard.
  Let’s see if we can Read the Room.
  Elhali Notice: (5,2)/4: Success
  Oldenhaller’s Mood is Diplomatic.
  She will use Worried. Oldenhaller’s Reaction is Somewhat Positive and he is Worried as well.

  “You hire us for a really dangerous job. You want us to bring you this gem? You’d better tell us exactly what we’re dealing with, and not the superstitious mumbo jumbo. You don’t want your hired hands fail just because you didn’t brief us properly.” Elhali shares her concerns, building up the stage for her next sales pitch.
  Oldenhaller looks down for a moment. “Yes, but yes, you are right. I’ll tell you all you need to know. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Her pitch worked.

  Elhali will use Wildcard, Charming now.
  Oldernhaller’s Reaction is Negative and he is Neutral.

  She takes a chill posture, “And as I said, we will get the job done. Mr. Schreiber will vouch for us. You want to get the job done? We’d better have some extra coin, you know for motivation.” She tries to sell the pitch.
  But Oldenhaller is unimpressed. “I’ll see it when it happens.”

  The overall dialogue went somewhat poorly, so I’ll give a -1 to Elhali’s Persuasion attempt again’st Oldenhaller’s Spirit, and another -2 for her Outsider status. I should have had Wolmar do the talking…
  Elhali: Persuasion: (2,2)-3/3: Failure

  He looks at the elf. “100 Crows each. Mr. Schreiber sent you here, and you did take advantage of the opportunity to come first. I’m certain there are other adventurers willing to take the contract. Quite as capable as you.” He pauses. “So what will it be?”
  “We’ll take it” Elhali replies. A bit bummed she didn’t get a better deal.

  Paraphrasing from the adventure module:

  Albrecht begins to explain the terms of his offer.
  “As I’ve already explained, secrecy is essential. You cannot involve anyone else in this mission nor recruit any hired help. You will be taken to the edge of the _Asylum, and after that you are on your own. The entrance leads into the portion of the complex: controlled by the Schatzenheimer gang. They are mainiy Nulners; they forge currency and trade in contraband and stolen goods. We think that Kurt Bolger the gang’s leader, has the stone. From the Schatzenheimer area, the Asylum runs towards the river. The central area is run by the Valantinas, who are mainiy Tilean immigrants. They are the most powerful gang in Nuln, involved in every imaginable form of illicit activity. On the easternmost edge of the Asylum is the base of the Huydermans gang, with access to the river. The Huydermans are Wastelanders, and are mainly smugglers and cutthroats”
  “You shouldn’t have too much trouble moving about in the complex although you may need to know the gang’s passwords. The Schatzenheimer password for today is ‘Sweet Hanna’. I don’t know either of the other gangs’ passwords. That is all I can tell you.’

  Oldenhaller has nothing more to add. A servant appears, and the adventurers are lead out of the study, down more winding corridors and into a small private study. The servant offers to have any goods fetched from the ‘Heaver’s Return’, and will present the adventurers with a hearty meal. The characters will are not left unescorted at any time. A half hour later; the guide arrives, along with any equipment the adventurers requested from the ‘Return’.

  I’ll make a Smarts roll for Abenzio, to see if he realizes that the word ‘Malindi’ alongside with the dates, is the Tilean gang’s password.
  Abenzio: Smarts: (9,5)/4: Success*

  While still at the study, Abenzio asks for Wolmar to see the fig leaf marked paper they got from Vasari. He pauses for a moment. “That’s Tilean”, could it be the password for the Valantina gang?” he shares with the rest of the part. “Wouldn’t hurt to try.”
  And with this, night is beginning to fail as the characters set out for the Asylum.

  Bookkeeping

  I need to start having some minor bookkeeping. My party has spent 6 Gold Crowns and 2 Shillings, and earned 4 Gold Crowns so far.
  So each party member has spent 10 Shillings and 6 Brass Pennies, or 10/- 6d in short.

  ---

  Session Summary

  It’s been a long while since I had so much fun during a solo gaming session.
  Using the right tools played a major hand in this, so I’ll break it down for analysis.

  I’ll start with the star of the story: Let’s Talk.
  It’s the social mechanics tool I’ve been waiting for so long. I’ve tried other systems, engines, but none ever came close to how much fun and interesting Let’s Talk made the dialogues.
  Yes, there’s a slight minigame approach to it, but that’s where the fun comes. Afterall, aren’t social interactions reliant on how we act during a discussion? Haven’t people ever snapped at someone and then come to regret it? Or frozen at someone’s advances, and then wondered why they did nothing?
  The core concept of the tool and the Moods, Tones, Attitudes and Reactions interactions tie all together so nicely. Couple this with Advanced Moods and Persuasion and Lying mechanics, it’s an absolute little gem.
  It’s a bit rough around the edges, and you absolutely need to try it out, as it plays much better than it reads. I wonder how different social mechanics, such as Intimidation would work with it, and if it can work with RAW or it needs a different approach, but that’s a thought for another day.
  A slight note, is that per RAW, you draw a new hand (without restocking the main deck with the first three drawn cards), whereas I went Hardcore mode, and had to use just the three cards I had drawn at first for the entirety of the three exchanges, which is a tougher approach, because as the duration of the discussion increases, your options decrease as well, and with a bad hand, you might decide to cut it early altogether (as I did with Oldenhaller, avoiding to go Flirting).
  With Let’s Talk, my Dialogues had way more immersion than combat! It’s about time that Social Mechanics get the place they deserve in RPGs. Kudos to the author.

  My combination of BOLD’s Connections with Let’s Talk seems to have worked well, and I had the perfect opportunities to add some filler on otherwise empty adventuring periods. I need to keep this up and not forget to use it.

  UNE works well too, but there’s some overlap with Let’s Talk,

  With regards to the use of Solipsism, I had to cut my losses, and abandon my effort. I spent like an hour trying to make it work with Railroading the adventure, but it just didn’t fit. I’m keeping Solipsism in my solo toolbox for future use.
  MUNE took the burden on it’s shoulders like a champ. My adventures got modified to the right extent. Some major twists occurred too, with the footpad ambush never happening, and the adventurers heading directly to the Oldenhaller mansion without stopping by at Reiks Platz and wasting time with the side quests of the notice board. On the other hand, some more fun would have been had should these events have the opportunity to occur.

  I didn’t get a good chance to try out my combat hacks in Savage Worlds as much as I would have liked, but a first taste seems to have worked well. If things go as expected there should be plenty of fighting in the next Session.

  I’m going to add another hack, as proposed by midgetmanifesto, bennies used for rerolls refresh every gaming session. However bennies used to save one from death – a Soak Roll when otherwise the PC would be incapacitated, are permanently burned, and reduce the maximum number of the PC per session.

  I’ve started using FoundryVTT, and it sped up my solo gaming experience like twice. The SWADE modules 1 2 have all the necessary information, and there’s also a MUNE module that I’ve used extensively. I spent some time preparing the VTT cards of Let’s Talk, and using it with my characters. More or less it works smoothly. There’s a learning curve, and I still have ways to go.

  On the AI front, again I’ve decided to not use any generative text AI like ChatGPT, and I’m narrating the scenes, combat and dialogues. On the other hand, I’m using generative AI for evocative images, and especially portraits.

  Overall I enjoyed the adventures, and getting to know my party and how the characters evolve. Looking forward to the next session into the Asylum!

  Links | Solo, Pen, Paper and Dice, midgetmanifesto, and giorgis are discussing. Toggle Comments

   
  • 

    midgetmanifesto 3:18 am on December 15, 2023 Permalink | Reply

    Vogel is probably just a Mook. Wildcards are truly notable enemies. As you said, Vogel was a simple combat. Another though is Vogel is pretty messed up in the scenario so is probably working under wound penalties.
    Wild cards should be chapter bosses and reoccuring enemies.

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    • 

      giorgis 2:44 pm on December 15, 2023 Permalink | Reply

      Oh that would make sense. It never occurred to me to just apply Wound Penalties, while retaining the Mook status. Insofar the most difficult conversion issue, balance wise, is this. Especially considering prewritten modules.
      Thanks

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      • 

        midgetmanifesto 5:40 pm on December 15, 2023 Permalink

        Conversion can always be a bit tricky. If you realize most normal folks are d4s in savage worlds with an upgrade to a d6 if it’s ‘their job’ it gets pretty easy. Soldiers for instance are shooting d6. A notable would have d8. So that bare knuckle fighter at the carnivale is probably a d8 strength, vigor and fight BC he’s above what a regular trained person would be. A gutter dreg would be d4s all around

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      • 

        giorgis 5:45 pm on December 15, 2023 Permalink

        Yes! I’m using a conversion I found somewhere online that starts with 20-29% being a d4, and increasing a die step for each 10% upwards. With that, the module conversion pretty much aligns with what you say above.
        The Wild Card concept breaks this balance though on the conversion level.

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      • 

        midgetmanifesto 6:37 pm on December 15, 2023 Permalink

        The wild card thing gives some appropriate gravitas and heft to villains. It is a pulpy ruleset. We played it a lot and single baddies are prone to being one shotted by lucky damage rolls that explode. Mobs are way more scary for most characters. One friend caps exploding damage to max damage (of the weapon/are) plus a bonus d6 bennies allow the villains to soak some hits, not fall on their face, not be shaken ever single round.
        Wild cards are a story mechanic more so than a conversion challenge. If you want a returning villain/rival give them some bennies so they can twirl their mustache and escape while their henchmen get in the way of the PCs attempts to down them.

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