Miniatures pt103 – More monsters
I had painted these two beasties from the HOT range of Alternative Armies some time ago, but had forgotten about them and didn’t post it.
They’re a dragonet and a cadaver monster.
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giorgis
Dragonet Cadaver Monster -
giorgis
Ranger of the North S01E01
Last year, I got The One Ring, and also it’s solo supplement Strider Mode. It was about time, and having a solo supplement to go along, supported my choice. I’ll get right into the meat of the session, and then summarize my experience.
For character generation I rolled randomly for my character’s culture, but decided I’ll override any rolled choice I don’t like.
So the hero is Targon, a Ranger of the North.
Using the Character Lifepaths he’s a Watcher of the Border, and he grew up to be Slender
For now I will not spend more time trying to figure out my character background or personality and will continue with the game.
I chose Balin, son of Fundin as his Patron, and rolled up a mission to get the story started
This broken artifact could be a potent weapon against the enemy. What is this item and who wileds the skill to reforge it?Targon is sitting in a far corner at the Prancing Pony, across, a dwarf raises his ale mug to him, gesturing to come over.
It’s Balin, his old friend. They exchange a few pleasantries, and after Targon has quenched his thirst with an ale mug of his own, Balin gets to the point.Q: What is the item?
A: Foreboding courage
It could be… a banner or a horn?
Q: Is it a banner?
A: YesFrom his bag, Balin pulls out a big piece of cloth and sets it on the table. It is torn and tattered, edges burned to a crisp, threads pulled apart, and not to mention a big hole in the middle.
Under its washed out colours and dirt some vague shapes are discernible.
“This is the Banner of Fornost. Woven by elves, it filled the hearts of men and elves with warm hope in the face of the shadow. Victorious troops brought it back after th Battle of Fornost, but it’s fate was lost over the centuries. I got it from a trader who had bought if from a treasure hunter. Should it be repaired it could help rekindle hope when darkness is approaching.”
Balin puts it back in the bag.
“I’d start with the elves at Rivendell, see if they still have a master weaver among them who could perhaps fix it. Would you, Targon, undertake this journey? I’m afraid my road is in the opposite direction.” Balin asks.
“That, I shall do.” Targon answers and takes the bag with the tattered banner.Targon earns 1 Adventure Point for accepting a mission.
He begins the Journey to Rivendell, by following the Great East Road.
Travel: 16/13: Success
An event occurs at 3 hexes eastwards.
Event: 5: Mishap: Obstructed Path.
Awareness: 6/11: Failure + Eye. 3 Fatigue Points.
Eye Awareness rises to 3.
Ill-Fortune: Unexpected Enemies emerge or are sighted.
It’s: (Wolves/Robbers/Orcs/Troll): Robbers: 2 Highway RobbersThree days pass without anything of importance along the east road. Targon travels on foot, but lightly. As the great east road goes through some woods, a huge tree trunk blocks the way. Targon looks around, he concludes that the spring rains of the previous days have brought. He sees a small path to the side of the road and follows it to avoid the obstacle, when suddenly he’s ambushed by a couple of highway robbers hiding behind a boulder.
Swift, and vengeful, they point their spears to Targon. “Your money or your life.”
“Your life…” Targon responds, and they engage in combat.Awareness: 7/11: Failure
Targon is ambushed and surprised at the first round of combat1st Round
Stance: Defensive
Robber 1: Attack: 15/18: Failure
Robber 2: Attack: 7/18: Miss2nd Round
Stance: Open
Draws his sword and attacks 1st Robber: 23: Hit with Special Success and Piercing Blow
for the extra Success I choose: Heavy Blow: Damage: 4+7=11
Piercing Blow: Robber Armor: 19/16: No Wound
Robber 1: Attack: 23/18: Hit with Special Success and Piercing Blow
for the Special Success adversaries do: Heavy Blow: Damage: 4+4=8. Targon is at 17/25 Endurance.
Piercing Blow: Targon Protection: 15/14: No Wound
Robber 2: Attack: 14/18: Miss3rd Round
Stance: Open
As a secondary action Targon will attempt to retreat back towards the road
Atacks Robber 1: 17/11: Hit: Damage: 4. Robber is at 1/16 Endurance
Robber 1: Attack: 17/18: Miss
Robber 2: Attack: 13/18: Miss4th Round
Stance: Open
Q: Has he reached the road?
A: No
Targon Attacks Robber 1: 22/11: Hit with two Special Successes. Robber 1 is at 0 Endurance and out of the fight.
Robber 2: Attack: 18/18: Hit with Special Success: Heavy Blow: Damage: 8. Targon is at 9/25 Endurance, and is Weary.5th Round
Stance: Defensive
Targon attacks Robber 2: 11/11: Hit with Special Success: Fend Off (to increase Parry). Damage 4.
Robber 2: Attack: 20/20: Hit with Piercing Blow: Damage 4
Piercing Blow: Targon Protection: 8/14: Wounded: 7: Severe Injury6th Round
Stance: Defensive
Main action: Jump/climb on the tree trunk
Targon Athletics: 12/11: Success
Robber 2: Attaccks: 13/18: Miss7th Round
Stance: Defensive
Targon attacks Robber 2: 12/11: Hit with Piercing Blow: Damage 4. Robber is down to 8/16 Endurance.
Piercing Blow: Robber Armor: 15/16: Wounded: Eliminated.Targon barely dodges out of the way as the robbers thrust their spears towards him.
He draws his blade which flashes in the sunlight, and turns the tide, by scoring a heavy blow at one of the robbers, his blade stopped by the robber’s armor before causing any harm.
Furious by the strike, the robber counters, and his spear finds Targon’s chest, Targon only saved by his leather corslet.
The other robber fails to score a hit, as Targon maneuvers out of the way.
Targon starts to tactically retreat back to the road, and attacks back, hacking at the robbers, who fail to hit him back. He follows up with another hit, and one of his enemies collapses under his blade, but he has opened himsef to the second adversary who strikes a heavy blow at Targon. He starts feeling the exhausting of the fight kicking in.
Targon hacks back and scores a hit to the remaining enemy, while trying to fend him off, but his foe is cunning, and the spear jabs at Targon under his ribs, piercing through the armor. He feels the pain, and steels himself, defending against his foe and climbs on the tree trunk on the road to get on the high ground.
The robber tries to jab at Targon on top of the tree trunk, but he fails, with the advantage of the higher ground, Targon slashes at his foe, hittin him at the skull, and dropping him to the ground, senseless.Q: Are the robbers still alive?
A: Yes, barelyHe jumps down from the tree trunk, and takes his foes spears and bows, and breaks them in two.
“You better stop your thieving ways. Next time a ranger comes across your deeds, we might not be as forgiving.” He leaves them to tend to their wounds, but not before trying to track their footprints and find a possible stash.Targon: Hunting: 17/11: Special Success: Go quietly.
He finds their stash. Lesser hoard: Treasure value: 3. Magical Treasure: No treasure.
Before attempting to return to his journey, he will make a First Aid attempt for his wound.
I’ll spend 1 hope.
Healing: 29/13: 2 Special Successes. Injury reduced by 3. It will take 4 days to heal.So, since it's my first time playing TOR, I made a few errors. They kinda balanced themselves out, so here they go:1. I did not attempt to use the Robbers special ability using Resolve, to defend themselves more appropriately. This has to be declared prior to the attack, so I failed to do it as I was so eager to roll. They could have survived a few attacks.2. I did not apply the Dour Handed virtue of Targon which would have eliminated the robbers quicker as Targon landed a few Heavy Blows.3. On my initial Travel roll, my (Favoured) Feat travel dice rolled both 1s, I mistakenly applied them as “Eye of Sauron”, which should have been an 11 on my non-customized dice.`Not a few paces further, under a rock next to a tree, he finds a small pouch with coins and jewelry. Probably stolen from folk along the road. Targon takes these, and then he spends some time to clean and dress his wound, applying some medical herbs to the area, before heading back on the road. Two fewer robbers to trouble them.
Travel Roll: 21/13: 2 Special Successes, he travels 5 Hexes along the road before the next event.
his injury has healed, and his endurance is back to 25.
Event: Terrible Misfortune: Violent Weather. Eye of Sauron Awareness +1 to 4. Fatigue +3
Targon: Explore: 22/15: 2 Special Successes.Five days later, he has went past weathertop and even further, when black clouds fill the horizon, and rain starts pouring down. Within minutes, a flash flood starts carrying along, trees and boulders. Targon is quick on his thinking. He looks around and finds a hill overlooking the rest of the area, and makes way towards it. He may be out in the open, and visible for miles, but he’s safe from the torrent running in the road below.
Travel Roll: 8/13: Failure. He travels only a mere 2 hexes, and it’s day 10 of his journey from Bree to Rivendell before the next event.
Event: Ill Choices: Disorienting Environs
Targon: Explore: 6/13: Failure + Eye
Targon gains a Shadow Point (Dread), and 2 more Fatigue Points. Shadow Test: 15/10: No Shadow Point gained.
Eye of Sauron Awareness +1 to 5.
Ill Fortune: Unexpected enemies emerge or are sighted.
Lore Table roll: Gloomy DepthsQ: Is it Undead? (Likely)
A: Yes
Q: Is it marshdwelers? (Certain)
A: YesAn eerie morning a couple days later, a fog is covering the road. It feels unnatural and blocks out the sunlight much unlike the morning mist. Targon can’t see more than a few feet ahead.
He feels a penetrating chill to the core, and grabs the hilt of his sword. The ranger attempts to wait the fog out, so that he can continue when it’s no longer clouded, but it grows thicker by the minute and Targon grows uneasy. He’s almost overcome with dread, but he still holds hope despite the circumstances.
The sounds of the nature are now all muffled, and a thickening silence echoes all around.
He decides to try and get out of this fog, but soon he loses all orientation, and feels like he doesn’t know where he’s going. He can’t find the road markings anywhere, but now is walking on plain dirt. Anxious, he attempts to get back to where he was previously, when relieved, he finds some stone tiles in the ground. Trusting he’s found his way, he lets his guard down, alas he’s mistaken. At the last moment he sees some crumbled walls, just before he takes a misstep and falls in a hole in the ground below him.
He lands in a dark room a couple meters below, and, getting up in the darkness, hears uneasy sounds like growls or whispers. Dread overcomes the tall warden. Did he just see eyes glinting in the dark? Quickly, he draws his sword and his a torch, trying to light it up.Targon: Awareness: (-1 d, due to the darkness): 11/11: Success
Q: How far away are the undead?
A: Very Close
Targon can only make one attempt to light the torch before the close in on him.
Targon: Craft: (spends hope, inspired): 13/11: Success
Q: How many are the undead?
A: 3I’m not quite sure how to approach a dungeon delve in TOR. I found the Dungeon Crawling in Middle Earth homebrew resource, which is very nice looking (has some easy to catch typos though), and I’ll try to use it for some inspiration rolls, using all that make sense. Since we already have an encounter I will not roll an Encounter Die.
Room Contents: Rubble from ceiling collapse
Tone Setting: Chilly fog, rests across the ground
Room Lighting: Wall mounted torches (unlit)
Room Feature: Rotting old furniture
Wall Details: Floor to ceiling dwarven runes in the wall
Ambience: Faint running waterThe shambling humanoids with pale flesh, surround Targon, as in the last second he pulls out a tar-soaked torch, lights an oil soaked cloth with sparks he made with whetstone and quickly wraps it around the torch. Torch in the left hand, sword in the right, he waves the fire to keep them at bay, and it seems to work.
1st Round
As they’re things of Terror, Targon must make a Shadow Test (Dread): 6/13: Failure. He gains 3 Shadow Points.
All the undead lose 1 point of hate as Targon holds a torch.
Stance: Open
Targon: Attacks a marsh-dweller: 17/11: Piercing Blow. Damage 4.
Piercing Blow: Marshdweller Armor: 10/16: Failure. Marshdweller spends one Hate point as per Deathless to not be slain.
Marshdweller 1: Attacks: Claws: 14/18: Miss
Marshdweller 2: Attacks: Claws: 17/18: Miss
Marshdweller 3: Attacks: Claws: 15/18: Miss2nd Round
All the undead lose 1 more point of hate. Marshdweller 1 is now Weary.
Stance: Open
Targon: Attacks a marsh-dweller: 27/11: Piercing Blow and two Special Successes. Heavy Blow, Fend Off. Damage 12.
Piercing Blow: Marshdweller Armor: 6/16: Failure. Marshdweller 1 is slain.
Marshdweller 2: Attacks: Claws: 8/20: Miss
Marshdweller 3: Attacks: Bite: 12/20: Miss3rd Round
All the undead lose 1 more point of hate. They’re now Weary.
Targon: Attacks a marsh-dweller: 18/11: Piercing Blow. Damage 4.
Piercing Blow: Marshdweller Armor: 5/16: Failure. Marshdweller 1 is slain.
Marshdweller 3: Attacks: Bite: 21/20: Piercing Blow and a Special Success. Damage: 6. Targon is down to 19 Endurance
Targon: Protection: 3/14: Wounded: Severe Injury (4 Days)4th Round
Stance: Open
Targon: Attacks a marsh-dweller: 16/11: Special Success. Heavy Blow. Damage 12. The Marshdweller is slain.He swings his torch and keeps the creatures away, and with a swift thrust, his sword pierces one of them all the way through. He pulls his blade out, waiting for his foe to drop inanimate, but instead, driven by a deathless force, the creature tries to claw at Targon.
The torchlight seems to sap their resolve, afraid of the fire, Targon swings his sword once more, and he hits the creature with a sharp slash at the neck, decapitating it, and dropping it for good.
Maneuvering through the rotting furniture in the room, Targon finds an opportunity and hacks at the second undead’s head, splitting it in half.
As he does so, the third one finds Targon’s back a ripe target, and get a good bite, piercing through the boiled leather armour. Targon screams in pain, and turns around with a heavy strike, cuts the creature in half.Targon: First Aid: Healing: 14/13: Success. Injury will take 3 days to heal.
Targon earns one adventure point.
I’d say there is a Lesser Treasure Hoard with: 3 Treasure points.Targon stops for a moment, and removes his armour to dress his wound so that it stops bleeding. Then he looks around the room, and finds some valuables. Perhaps these have been hoarded by these foul beings, or they belonged to the initial inhabitants of this structure.
Q: is the opening from the ceiling reachable?
A: No
So I may need to explore the dungeon further.
Q: Are there many exits?
A: Extreme no. There’s only one exit, and it’s not open it’s locked/blocked/barred somehow.
I’ll make a Lore table roll to see what I have to do to open it.
Surround, Stricken, Message.
Moria’s riddle key comes to mind! There’s a riddle that I need to solve.
It will be a Short Time (4 rounds) attempt of a Simple Complexity using Scan, Lore and Riddle skills to find the solution.1st Round
Targon: Scan: 16/15: Success. He looks around the room, and finds the dwarven writing on the walls.
2nd Round
Targon: Lore: 18/15: Success, Fortune. Among the runes, he finds some Adunaic words.
Fortune: You find a moment of comfort or safety: I’ll give two more rounds of time to solve this.3rd Round
Targon: Riddle (I’ll spend a point of hope): 10/15: Failure, Eye of Sauron. Misfortune: Your actions catch the Eye of the enemy: +3 Eye Awareness.
4th Round
Targon: Riddle (I’ll spend another point of hope): 22/15: Special Success: Go quietly.
The ranger looks up to the ceiling, see if he can reach the opening, but it’s too far away to jump or climb. He casts the torchlight across the room, and sees a single exit, blocked by a door with no handle. He tries to push it, but to no avail. It’s completely stuck. As his torch lights the stone frame of the door, he notices carvings.
This reminds him of a story he’s heard about how dwarf stone masons could lock doors using passwords. And the door would only open when they were spoken. Since there is no other exit out of this room, he realizes this is the inner side of the door, so there’s a good chance that the very word that is used to open the door is sculpted there. He realizes that as long as the door is closed, he may be safe for the moment, and takes a deep breath to think.
His knowledge of dwarf speech is limited to say the least, but the writing is in Adunaic.
He looks at the door, and with a steady firm voice he says “Open”
But a screeching boom is heard, emanating across the room, before the thunderous sound dissipates into nothingness. He can’t shake a dreadful foreboding feeling.
He thinks again, and tries a different meaning for the same word he saw. Perhaps over he years, it has changed. He says “Ajar” and the door, slowly pushes itself open. Not wasting any time, Targon slides out.Q: Is this room the main exit?
A: No
Encounter Die: Trap
Awareness: 16/11: Special Success: Gain Insight
Trap Location: Flagstones on the floor
Clues: The materials are foreign to the dungeon
With the insight, he can see the trigger which is: thin, elven rope, tripped
Carefully he avoids it.
Overcome tricky obstacle: +1 Skill PointQ: Are there many exits?
A: Extreme Yes. Twist: Empty Might
It’s a throne room.
There are two exits to the sides, and one to the centre, with a large gate.Targon will attempt to open the main gate.
Q: Is it locked?
A: NoI should remember to always ask Telling questions in a positive phrasing.As Targon gets out, he notices a very thin trip wire right in front of him. The torch light casting a faint line shadow on the floor. Some flagstones are from a different stone, granite instead of marble. Concerned that this could be a trap, he carefully, lifts his legs high enough and makes a wide step without triggering it.
He enters a bigger room than the previous one, with a large throne in the centre. Two passages head to opposite directions to the side, while a large gate at the other end seems to be the main entrance to the room.
Wounded as he is, he decides not to waste any time, and opens the gate, hoping to get out of this structure.Encounter Die: Omen: Hoard Veiled Fire
Q: Is the exit nearby? (Likely)
A: YesA long hallway leads to another gate at the far end. Targon’s sense is fixated on the smell of oil. He looks to the sides of the hallway, and sees two shallow canals, filled with a black substance. Probably some means to light the hall? A defensive measure against invaders?
He can’t tell for sure what role did this oil play.Q: Is the door open?
A: YesTargon pushes the old wooden door open and gets out of this dreadful place. The fog seems to have cleared.
Q: Is the road nearby?
A: No
Targon: Explore: 11/15: Failure
Q: Is this a standard risk level?
A: Yes
I’ll trade the Simple Failure for Success with Woe.
Lore table: Replenish
Targon lost his supplies when he dropped from the hole in the ceiling, and he didn’t realize until just now. He’ll have to spend at least a day Hunting to replenish food, losing 1 day of time.He scans the area around him for any landmarks, and realizes he’s nowhere near the road. As he puts out his torch, and spends a moment to recollect himself, he sees that all his food must have fallen from his sack. Either in the drop, or during the fray. He’ll have to spend valuable time to find something to eat before continuing.
Targon: Hunting: 11/11: Success
Targon gathers the necessary supplies and continues after a day.Targon: Travel: 14/13: Success
Event: Ill Choices: Mismanaged Provisions. Fatigue +2
Targon: Hunting: 16/11: SuccessThree more days down the east road, Targon has went past the Last Bridge and is entering the Trollshaws, when he comes dangerously close to running out of rations. Since his last complication, the supplies he currently has, don’t last long, and he didn’t pay any notice to it. He takes his bow and heads off quickly to find some game. Without wasting any time, using his skills as a ranger, he returns with a few rabbits for dinner.
Targon: Travel: 17/13: Success with Fortune: You Locate or learn of a useful item.
Event: Mishap: Obstructed Path. Fatigue +2
Targon: Awareness: 13/11: Special Success: Gain Insight: Potential dangerAnother obstructed path on the main road. Since we’re in the Trollshaws, I decide that it will be a troll somehow blocking the way.
A big, man sized boulder, catches the attention of Targon. Despite being in the same colours as the land, there is no plausible explanation as to how it could have moved there, as there is no hill or cliffside from where it could have fallen on that side of the road. Cautiously, he examines the surroundings, and he notices remains under the boulder. An arm, and legs are visible on the sides from underneath it. He looks across the other side of the road, and on the hillside, he makes out the vague outline of a cave mouth.
“Trolls” he considers, and crouches.Q: What is the useful item?
A: Gentle haven. The traveller carries notes with directions of how to get to Rivendell. Perhaps he is a messenger.
Q: What time is it?
A: Early noon. Most likely the troll is sleeping
I can’t risk it, and will attempt to reach the remains stealthily.
Targon: Stealth: 13/15: Failure
Q: Is the troll asleep? (Certain)
A: Extreme No with a twist. The troll is waiting for another traveller to come across and throw another boulder to crush him. Eye of Sauron +1.Targon attempts to reach the crushed remains, taking precautions to move silently despite the daytime that turns trolls to stone according to legend. However, he takes a misstep and breaks a branch, with a loud cracking noise. He turns around as he hears a loud growl. To his ill fortune, the troll was awake!
I decide to do a GM-ruling here, and have this troll throw boulders for a change. It can’t come out as it’s full daylight, so it will attempt to crush it’s victims by throwing boulders at them. Boulder 2 (6/12 Break Shield). Also it will only be able to make a single attack with boulders and not two in each round, despite having a Might of 2.
Opening Volley Phase
Targon: Bow: 12/11: Special Success: Heavy Blow: Damage 11. Troll has 49 Endurance Remaining.
Troll: Boulder 10/18: Miss1st Round
Stance: Skirmish
Main action: take the message case
Troll: Boulder: 21/18: Special Success, Piercing Blow: Heavy Blow: Damage 14. Targon is Weary. The troll will Spend 1 Hate for Horrible Strength and make Targon’s Protection roll Ill Favoured.
Targon: Protection: 18/12: No Wound2nd Round
Stance: Skirmish
Main action: escape. I will spend 1 Fellowship point and 1 Hope point to make the roll Favoured, and have an extra 1d.
Escape: 18/11: Special Success: Gain Insight: who was the travellerI will award Targon 1 Adventure Point for Surviving the combat.
Q: Who was the traveller
A: Ominous Defence. Okay that doesn’t seem to work, I’ll go to UNE: Curious Serf. That’s a man of bree, a scout or explorer.Targon draws his bow and shoots an arrow to the troll that has appeared at the edge of the cave. The arrow lodging itself in the thick troll hide. It growls and picks up a big boulder, and slings it with all its might towards Targon, who jumps out of the way. Targon is in the open and doesn’t like how he’s exposed to the troll’s rock-throwing skills. He doesn’t know if he can face such a foe alone, so he wants at least to get the letter case. He tries to keep his distance, and jumps to his target, picking up the case, when a second boulder hits him square in the chest. Targon reels back, weary, but thankfully not injured. He feels like he can’t take this foe. As long as the troll is restricted by the daylight, if he manages to get out of it’s line of sight, he should be able to escape with his life. He calculates the right moment, and makes a quick dash in a zig-zag pattern, running as fast as he can. The troll screams in rage as his prey escaped.
Targon takes a look at the case. Inside is a map to rivendell, and a sealed letter, by “Alcolm of Bree”.
Ruleset Summary & Solo Experience
As a first foray into TOR, I absolutely love it. It has very interesting mechanics, and the more I think about them, the more I like it.
TOR in particular has a Target Number which is derived from the core Attributes (Strength, Heart, Wits), so what your character is natural makes a task easier or more difficult.
Skills allow you to roll a number of d6s equal to your d6 level, so the more skilled you are at something, you’re more likely to succeed.
I love how these two work together for the same end result, but are separate from each other. Also only by having a higher skill can you get a higher chance of getting a special success, as the attribute only effects the TN.
Furthermore you always roll a Feat Die (a d12 essentially), numbered from 1-10 and having a face with the Eye of Sauron and a face with Gandalf’s Rune, which give a Misfortune or Fortune respectively. So different situations can increase or decrease the number of Skill dice, and they can also make the Feat Die be rolled at advantage or disadvantage, and the great thing about it is, that they will impact different things in the game!Heading to the next part which is combat. I loved it. A skill roll modified by opponents Parry is made. Each character has an Endurance rating which one could think of as Hit Points, as they can take you out of combat. Each hit you receive will reduce your Endurance. Damage to Endurance is fixed, modified by any special successes rolled, and you only drop unconscious at zero. Only Wounds have the opportunity of killing a character, and that’s where armor has it’s place, as it can prevent this. There are many special successes that can be utilized by the heroes or their adversaries, and the heroes also have four (five in solo) stance to choose when fighting. There is no significant Death Spiral, with the major penalty is the risk of becoming weary if your Endurance drops below your Fatigue and Load rating. I won’t go into any more details, I just found that combat may look complex, but actually is very streamlined, with as few rolls as possible, but at the same time providing a great varied experience.
TOR has several bookkeeping stats, which all play a major role in the game. You need to keep track of your Fellowship, Endurance, Load, Fatigue, Hope and Shadow. Sounds like a lot, but they all provide a different result. Your character may start going down the shadow path, or lose hope, or become tired and need to rest, etc. These all provide an experience as close as one can get to the Tolkien books. The authors also chose terms whose name rings familiar to the LOTR trope.
The next part I adored was the Journey system, which is greatly expanded by the Solo Supplement (more on that later). Another smart way to run hex based journeys. An event will always happen, the question is when, and what event. So depending on how good you’re at travelling, you may make the journey with fewer events or as many as 1 per hex, making you earn each hex with hard adventuring. I love how this system could also work with a hex crawl generator (like the hex power flowers), and with any success based RPG ruleset. It’s something I’ll keep on my toolset for the future, as it works great for solo, and is much better than asking the Oracle or rolling on random encounter tables.
As I don’t want to make a review of TOR, I’m going now to give my impressions on the solo supplement. The experience of Shawn Tomkin in this is evident. Utilizing the Strider Mode doesn’t feel like you take an Oracle and put it on top of the game. Instead it connects to TOR so seamlessly, it feels like TOR was meant to be solo played. It has a Fortune and an Ill-Fortune table which you can use when you roll something good or bad on the Feat die (during regular ruleset rolls), so you can always get an Intervention of sorts while playing. It has a Telling Table (a Yes/No with Extremes, Oracle), and a Lore Table which has 72 each of Action, Focus, Aspect words. These words fit a lot in the theme without being explicit (for example it has Fell, Gloomy, Fellowship, which all bring out the Tolkien vibe), and then it also has a Revelation table for when the Eye of Sauron is fixed on you (another great mechanic!). Finally it has 7 Journey Event tables (6 entries each) which really create opportunities to adventure, essentially expanding on top of the existing Journey system and making it solo. I think it shines here.
So, it doesn’t work with Scenes or Actors. This may be an issue in the long run, if you want a more arching adventure and meaningful encounters. On the other hand, this brings a more gamey vibe out, where things happen on your way to your quest (the initial mission, but they need not be relevant). This follows up a lot the Hobbit vibe, where the party faced a multitude of dangers that were mostly random, before arriving at their quest at the lonely mountain.
I haven’t finished my first Journey yet, and have only accumulated several disjointed journey events, making my trip look like a book or journal. Having a defined enemy (Sauron), clarifies things a lot in solo. Because as I foresee now, the missions will be relevant mostly to the enemy, and depending on the location and the Eye Awareness, you may get extra enemy events. On the other hand there are ample situations for random events.
Overall the experience so far reminds me a lot of Five Leagues from the Borderlands, alas in RPG. I love it, and it can play very fast. Actually it plays a lot faster than most of the other solo adventures I’ve run in the past, and a great advantage is that I rarely had to pause for a long time and think how to interpret a situation. The rolls and results were straightforward, and the process streamlined, I really felt like playing the game, than having to write my story. I can’t tell how it will progress. It’s very deadly, but gives you the opportunity to get out of a bad situation if you need to. This was a good start, and I’m looking forward to how the adventure will proceed.
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Mick
Hi, I posted this on the Mythic Discord but will ask here too just in case you don’t see it there.
Is there any chance of a link to the Dungeon Crawling in Middle Earth homebrew resource mentioned?
Also I have a question regarding the 3rd Round:
“Targon: Riddle (I’ll spend a point of hope): 10/15: Failure, Eye of Sauron. Misfortune: Your actions catch the Eye of the enemy: +3 Eye Awareness.”Can I ask why it was a +3 to eye awareness and not just +1? I’m learning the game so I want to make sure I understand everything.
And another question, “Encounter Die: Trap” what table are you using for this encounter?
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giorgis
Hello! So I’m copying my response here as well:
So, the Dungeon Crawling in Middle Earth is from the dedicated TOR discord channel, at tor-resources. There’s tons of resources there. You can find the respective link below:https://discord.com/channels/348254014598545408/866673287316635658/969792741657702460
To the eye awareness value, I just added up both the +1 for rolling the initial Eye in my 10/15 roll, and the +2 for the subsequent roll in the Ill Fortune table as described in Strider mode, and it sums up to +3. Pretty unlucky for Targon. Sorry if that was unclear.
As to the last question, it’s part of the Dungeon Crawling in Middle Earth resource.
Hope this helps!
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Mick are discussing. 
giorgis
GURPS Hammer S03E01
Feeling the need to switch to a less pulpy system, I’m taking the plunge and going with GURPS. I’m mostly using Dungeon Fantasy as a base, but without using the Professions from Dungeon Fantasy Adventurers, and doing a freeform conversion from my Savage Worlds characters.
I gave each character 150pts to spend, plus 25pts for each finished adventure, with the exception of Elhali who had suffered a permanent injury according to SWADE rules and had to re-increase her Attribute to catch up. She got only 175pts.
For the most part, the conversion went flawlessly, including traits, skills and gear. I’m quite happy as to how it turned out.
I did go back and corrected some things that fit more closely to WHFRP instead of SWADE, as they were lost during the initial conversion.
I am getting some ideas from existing GURPS Hammer conversions, but not using all of the material, and will be adjusting also on the go.
As for gear costs and prices, the WHFRP prices struck me as odd. Gold Crowns were too easy to find and spent.
https://awesomeliesblog.wordpress.com/2018/11/21/all-that-glisters-is-not-gold/ explains very well the problem with WHFRP prices.
I’m not here to solve this.
I’ll be using the Harnworld prices instead, as these fit directly with the WHFRP coin economy.
Harnworld has 1 pound = 20 shillings = 240 (silver) pennies
The Old World has 1 Gold Crown = 20 (silver) shillings = 240 (brass) pennies
In case an item isn’t listed in Harnworld (for example due to the TL difference) or the aforementioned historic prices list, I’ll use the DF GURPS Gear prices, where the 4$ will correspond to 1d.
Finally if the only source available is WHFRP, I’ll do a direct conversion of 1 GC = 1 d which will come handy for future adventure rewards, by bringing them down by a reasonable factor.
The cost of living according to Dungeon Fantasy is approximately $150 per week. Unless the circumstances deem otherwise, I will be considering a week of downtime between adventures. Therefore in this case, they have spent between the two adventures, about 75d each.
Revising my party’s wealth, they have:
- Abenzio 59d 2f
- Elhali 100d 1f
- Greta 55d 1f
- Wolmar 108d 2f
With that out of the way, I’ll be proceeding with the downtimes and the next adventure.
My core oracle will be the Plot Unfolding Machine
I really want to run the Enemy Within Campaign, but being down south in Nuln where The Oldenhaller Contract put me, going to Bogenhafen where the first adventure takes place will need more than a simple nudge, as proposed in the Shadows over Bogenhafen.
Instead, I will try to nudge them towards Ubersreik, wherein I can run the Ubersreik adventures from the WHFRP 4e Starter Set. Perhaps they could then head north to reach Bogenhafen, or avoid it altogether and run various adventures across the Reikland, perhaps visiting Marienburg or Middenheim before going to the Enemy Within.
I roll 4 BOLD Waylays and apply them to my party as I see fit:
Wolmar: (illusory the strange overcome by weak attribute)
Wolmar is in the market, when he notices a group of people shouting and placing bets and yelling. Drawn closer, he notices a man, playing cups and ball. The man seems to be losing money, and Wolmar, relying on his keen senses is ready to step in and place a bet.
“A shilling for the ball!” he shouts. “Find the ball under the cap, and you get it back double!”
Then Wolmar, although a meek herdsman, remembers his father’s trade lessons. That when his eyes tell one story, he should always trust his gut. And Wolmar’s gut tells him that there’s no way this man operates a business on a loss. For sure the man loses his money to a partner just for appearance. Wolmar cautiously steps back away, and leaves.
Abenzio: (provoking mooks overcome by favored ability)
Abe is sitting in The Bull, drinking a pint of ale in peace, when a bunch of thugs enter and start causing a ruckus. Their attention soon is turned to the Tilean pit fighter, his scarred skin and foggy eye. They start giggling between them, and pointing at him, exchanging words.
Unfortunately for them, they don’t know when to stop and Abenzio’s first move is to bash two of their heads together, smash a pewter tankard of ale at the third, and swing a fist at the fourth.
Despite being at the right, his appearance and outsider background don’t sit well with the owner, who calls the watch at him, and he has to make himself scarce.
Elhali: (irritating rival overcome by faction intervention)
Elhali is at the docks, trying to establish some new connections, to get some coin smuggling things on the side. She’s trying to work new contacts, when a non-distinguishing woman, 5’8″ 140 lbs, in her thirties, sienna hair, light brown eyes, bumps into her.
“These commodities that you want to move out of Nuln, they’re subject to taxes you know.” she says “You wouldn’t want the city watch to catch you trying to sidestep customs officials. They’re quite…zealous.”
The woman stares Elhali right in the eye, and opens her jacket, just enough to show off the hilt of her pistol.
Elhali realizes that she stumbled on another smuggler, but just in time, she sees a city watch patrol, and she takes the opportunity to shout.
“Five kegs of blackpowder for half the price? What would I need that for? Do they have the Nuln seal of commerce?” She yells loud enough for all the dock workers and the city watch to listen. The rival smuggler stares like a deer in torchlight for a moment. Then her ear graps the clanking sound of plate armour by the city watch soldier. In the brief moment it takes her to look around and see the city watch running at her, Elhali has disappeared.
Greta: (provoking lover overcome by favored skill)
Greta is shopping at the market trying to find components for her potions, when someone grabs her arm tightly.
She turns around to see her husband Wolf.
“There you are! witch!” he yells. “You’ll come back with me now.” He grabs her scarf, revealing her bald head, and big ears.
“No! let me go!” she shouts back, but her strength isn’t enough to escape the man’s grasp.
“The town council will see that you’re tried for heresy. If you’re exonerated, you’ll be lucky to stay alive locked in the kitchen forever after what you did to us and yourself.” He says and starts pulling her through the crowd.
She puts her hand in her pocket, gets out a small potion, takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and smashes the glass vial on the ground in front of them.
A loud thundering boom accompanied by a flash of light stuns and disorients everyone around, including Wolf, who releases his grasp.
Greta quickly runs off, trying to hide her features.
I took GM liberty to apply the downtimes where they fit best in the backstories, and worked them in such a way to give reason for the party to leave Nuln.
So for the future I’m considering working the downtimes in a different manner.
I will be using the Scene Unfolding Machine parallel matters assigned randomly to each PC, and will roll one BOLD Waylay to be assigned to a party member or the entire party. I’m thinking that these could be mini-scenes as well to be solo-rped, but I’ve not yet decided on how much focus there should be.
Before beginning the gameplay, I’ll roll for BOLD connections.
| action | gerund | subject |
|---|---|---|
| ponder | divulging | a decision |
| endorse | concluding | a love |
| digress | excluding | allies |
Q: Does the group regroup back at the Reaver’s Return at the same time?
A: No, but without long periods of time between them.
Q: Who returns first?
A: Elhali
Q: Does anything happen while she waits? (unlikely) – the time period is short
A: It depends (on skill)
Elhali will try to avoid attention, and use her Stealth skill.
Elhali: Stealth: 7: Success
Nothing happens, as Elhali avoids drawing attention.
Q: Who returns 2nd?
A: Greta
Q: Does anything happen while she waits? (unlikely) – the time period is short
A: Don’t know, can’t tell.
So it’s a no.
Q: Who arrives 3rd?
A: Wolmar
Q: Does anything happen while they wait? (unlikely) – the time period is short
A: Yes, apparently.
Random Prompt: Play a scene filler catalyst: Deal with PCs basic needs
Elhali is back at their room, and starts packing her few belongings, she has everything ready, and goes downstairs to Rudolf, and orders a hot meal. Her hunger is insatiable at the moment. Something to do with the running she did.
She is served and starts eating a plate of hot soup, when Greta bursts in. She is not wearing her scarf, and the lack of hair is evident on her head. Elhali is taken aback only for a moment.
She sees her, and rushes to her. “We have to leave. Where are the others?” Greta says in a hurry.
“Girl, what is wrong. Come take a seat. Tell me everything. I can’t go anywhere on an empty stomach.” Elhali says.
Greta rolls her eyes. “Come on Elhali, give me a break.”
“I’ve just made a sprint from the docks to here. Some lowlife thug though I was trespassing on his turf. Set the city watch on him, but I had to outrun them as well.” Elhali smiles. “I need the food. What’s your story?”
“Wolf” Greta replies.
“The Oldenhaller’s dude? what about him?” Elhali asks.
“No, not this one, my abusive husband. He found me. I barely escaped.” Greta leans in and whispers to Elhali. “He’s accusing me of witchcraft and heresy.”
Elhali nods as she gulps down a good spoonful of soup. “That some serious trouble. I’m thinking we had our share of Nuln, you want to leave? I’m with you. Don’t know about the guys though, but don’t worry, I’ll talk them into it.”
“Thank you” Greta whispers, and heads upstairs to cover her features, and pack her things.
I’m deeming that Greta worked the endorse, divulging, a love BOLD connection.
Q: Does anything else happen until Abenzio’s arrival? (unlikely) – the time period is short
A: No, but, they don’t have much time until trouble comes knocking.
Q: Has Elhali finished her meal? (likely)
A: No, not yet
Wolmar is with Elhali and she’s trying to convince him that they should make haste, while at the same time, she’s dipping the rock-hard bread into the soup to make it softer – as if that is possible.
“I’m telling you.” she speaks with her mouth chewing a piece of hard bread. “City watch and smugglers after me, crazy husband and witch hunters after Greta. We should leave.”
Wolmar sits in silence for a moment.
“We have good word with the city watch. We’ve helped them twice already. And we have Oldenhaller, a rich and powerful man on our side. We can still make it work here.” Wolmar counters.
“I’m just saying, it seems to me that the more I think about, the more they’ll figure out that we are all together, and charges of heresy aren’t easily countered. It’s best to not be there when such things are uttered, than try to make a defense.” Elhali gulps some soup.
Abenzio enters. His clothes a bit torn. His knuckles bloody.
“Abe!” Wolmar exclaims. “What happened?”
“Some weaklings at The Bull thought I’d sit and listen to their insults. I let them know what it means to be a pit fighter.” the massive Tilean answers.
“Are they alive? did anyone see you?” Wolmar asks.
“Don’t know, I left when I realized somebody had called for the watch.” Abenzio replies.
Elhali looks at Wolmar. “Let me finish this lunch I paid for, then we’re out of here.”
I’m deeming that Elhali worked the ponder, concluding, a decision BOLD connection.
Q: Does the city watch arrive before they leave?
A: Yes, but, they have heard them in time.
Elhali’s keen senses, catch the metal rattle of armoured soldiers, and the pounding thud of many feet in the city streets. She abandons her almost finished meal and heads upstairs to the room where her companions are gathered.
“The city watch is here, and I won’t sit around to find out for which one of us they are. The thief showed us the way out.” She bolts the door behind her, opens the window and exits through the rooftop.
Without thinking twice, the rest of her friends grab their gear and follow her.
Q: What time is it? (4d6)
A: 13.00
Q: What is the Weather? (Harnworld)
A: Freezing, Overcast, Steady Rain
That’s a -2 modifier to climbing/running/jumping
Let’s see if they make it across the rooftops.
Elhali: 5(13-2):Success
Abenzio: 11(13-2):Success, just made it
Greta: 11(13-2):Success, just made it
Wolmar: 9(13-2):Success
They jumped to the first building across, following the rooftop escape of Bertoldo previously (see Oldenhaller Contract).
Now they will jump on the rooftops across the canal
Elhali: 14(13-2):Failure: DX:4/13:Critical Success: She grabbed the far side ledge and pulled herself up
Abenzio: 14(13-2):Failure: DX:15/13:Failure: He falls down in the canal. Not hurt, just filthy and wet.
Greta: 11(13-2):Success, just made it
Wolmar: 12(13-2):Failure: DX:15/13:Failure: He falls down in the canal. Not hurt, just filthy and wet.
Elhali and Greta have jumped across the canal, and try to jump at the Merchant’s house
Elhali: 7(13-2): Success
Greta: 7(13-2): Success
They jump down from the porch to the street.
Q: Have the city watch seen them?
A: No, not yet
Greta and Elhali rush to help Abenzio and Wolmar get out of the canal, and they make it towards the nearest coach station.
They remember the thief several nights ago doing the same route, so, they carefully jump across to the rooftop across a narrow alleyway.
Then they have to jump across the canal. The very same jump that the thief failed, and they caught up to him. Elhali jumps first, but she doesn’t make the distance. Thankfully, with agility, her hand grasps the ledge across, and she pulls herself up. Abenzio jumps next, and his massive frame goes down in the filthy canal, with a loud splash, the water stopping his fall.
Greta makes the jump and helps Elhali up, while Wolmar meets the same fate as Abenzio.
In the few moments it takes for the men of the adventuring company to recollect themselves, the women have made yet another jump, and get down safely. Seeing that the city watch hasn’t considered to check out of the window yet, they help Abenzio and Wolmar out of the canal, and rush to their escape.
once they catch up their breath, they need to decide, coach or boat, or foot.
Elhali doesn’t want to go to the docks, as twice she made the wrong impression while there, and would like to avoid the risk of being recognized.
Greta wants to leave the fastest route possible, and since the docks are in the opposite direction of the gate, she agrees with Elhali.
Abenzio doesn’t really care much, but would like to get away the fastest route possible.
It’s only Wolmar that isn’t convinced he’s to be blamed for anything, and that’s a challenging time for him whether he’ll stick with this party or abandon them?
“Where to now?” Abenzio asks. “North to the gate or south to the docks?”
“I’d rather not show my face in the docks soon.” Elhali says. “To the northern gate.”
“We could stop by the coaching house on the way. If we’re lucky there could be a coach available.” Greta adds.
The three of them are looking to Wolmar. He’s the most talkative guy in moments like these, but he seems awfully silent.
“Do we really have to go?” he mumbles. “I mean, you all have these issues, but we don’t really know which one of you is the person they’re after…and it sure…”
“…isn’t you?” Elhali quickly fills in.
“We’re all in this together Wolmar, are we not? If I recall you made a sound speech not two weeks ago in the river barge. You wanted the adventuring life? well, you got it.” She responds.
I deem that the last of my BOLD connections is striked out now.
I’ll use A Heated Argument optional rules from Keeping Contact.
I’m considering that the two adventures they had together, will give them at least a +1 Attitude Level (perhaps even a +2).
Heated Argument: 6+1=7: Officially, there’re no grudges. In practice: 5: Sometimes, theory and practice go hand in hand, and this’s one of those times! There are no further consequences.
Wolmar nods. “I am a man of my word. We’re in this together. Let’s go to the North Gate and stop by the Coaching House on the way.”
Q: Do they want to go towards Ubersreik? (vs say Altdorf?)
A: Strong Yes to Ubersreik
Q: Have they seen a job poster already?
A: No. It’s just that it’s a big city which will have plenty of opportunities.
Let’s see if they can avoid the city watch and reach the coaching house.
Elhali: Urban Survival (Per-5): 7/(12): Success
Following Elhali, they quickly reach the coaching house without needing to ask passersby and draw attention to themselves.
A big sign outside reads “Ratchett Lines”, and they enter.
Q: Are there any coaches at the ready inside?
A: Yes, apparently
I’ll use both UNE and Scene Unfolding Machine to establish some information on the NPC.
UNE: uncouth entertainer
UNE: conversation mood: helpful
UNE: bearing: scheming means
UNE: focus: community
SUM: Attitude: they seem to… Act doubtful, questioning, distrusting, disagreeing
SUM: Outside Impression: they appear to… Be important, waiting for you, tell you something
SUM: Filler talks: they talk about… Dreams, aspirations, distant or impossible goal
A man sits behind a desk, he looks up to the party entering. His clothes are dirty, and his hands and nails covered in dirt. He smiles, and reveals a mouth with several bad teeth.
He immediately stands up. “How may I help you my lords?”
Wolmar looks around, he’s never been called a lord before.
“Ah yes, every potential customer is a lord to me. That’s what I say!” he adds. “Though some people think I’m joking. Perhaps I was never a good jokester. The rest of the coachmen don’t appreciate it.” He sighs. “So what is your destination? do you all travel together? and oh my, I see you’re downright wet to the bone. You’ll surely catch a cold if you travel like this. In a hurry are we?”
There are some controversies between UNE and SUM, as there is some overlap, but I think I made it work. Time to use Let’s Talk.
Wolmar’s Hand: Charming, Worried, Sad
He’ll try to discern the actual mood of the NPC: Per: 14/13: Failure
So, without knowning, he’ll use the Charming card
NPC’s Reaction is: Somewhat positive
The actual mood is: Angry, which makes the reaction Somewhat negative, so he is Questioning, hah, doubling down on the initial approach
Wolmar laughs. “I find your remarks to the point. Lords and Ladies. It’s nice to be addressed as such. You have a coach ready? We are on our way north to Ubersreik, or Stimmigen or Dunkelburg if you don’t make the trip there.”
“You still haven’t answered my question. What’s the hurry. The morning coaches have all left. You don’t want the night to catch you outside of a coaching inn. Brigands and others abound. And we have to be careful as to whom we trust.” The coach man snaps.
Wolmar will use Worried.
NPC’s Reaction is: Somewhat positive
The actual mood is: Angry, which makes the reaction Somewhat negative, so he is Worried
“We were to get the morning coach, but we were delayed by urgent matters in the city, and on our way here, a stumble and fall into a canal. If you can also give us a towel to wipe, it would be best, but we would like to hire the coach and be on our way. We’ve lost much of the day as you said already.” Wolmar tries to lean to his good side.
“It’s dangerous to travel so late. It will be night already in a few hours. I can’t tell if we can take you.” He responds.
Wolmar will finally use Sad
NPC’s Reaction is: Negative, he is Neutral
“It’s not what we had hoped to hear. We may have to do the journey on foot in this weather if you can’t take us.” Wolmar replies.
“Then that’s your call. This doesn’t concern me.” The man replies.
So now I’ll roll for Diplomacy with a -2 penalty due to the bad way the dialogue went.
Wolmar has Voice and Charisma 1 which give him a +3 bonus on reaction rolls and +2 on Diplomacy.
Wolmar: Diplomacy: 12/15: Success
Reaction Rolls: 13,14: Good.
Q: Does the coach go to Ubersreik?
A: Don’t know, can’t tell.
“Look, we’ll pay the required amount for a coach for four passengers. We have good coin, and we’ll pay upfront. Will you let customers go spend their silver elsewhere?” Wolmar asks.
The man thinks it over for a few seconds. “Alright. 10 pennies for each of you.”
They all pay up. The man counts up the pennies. “Alright, Frederich and Hugo will be your drivers.” He turns to them. “Frederich, Hugo, get the coach ready to go.”
They dry their clothing as good as possible and remove any water from their boots, and once the coach is ready, they get onboard, and soon they begin.
They make themselves comfortable inside, but Wolmar feels like something wasn’t defined.
“Will they take us all the way to Ubersreik?” Abenzio asks, and Wolmar realizes what he failed to establish.
Q: Does the coach leave Nuln without any incident? (Likely)
A: Yes, absolutely
So, I’ve looked at various maps of the empire that are abundant in the internet, and distances are different, road routes are different, even the locations of settlements differ sometimes. At first I was confused and was wondering on how to deal with this, but then I realized that it’s just perfect. This variance works excellent for solo roleplaying as it gives me the freedom to apply Oracle results as they fit.
Q: Do they reach Segeldorf?
A: No, definitely not.
This calls for a Random Prompt.
Random Prompt: Put Characters in a Situation: Find something of value.
Focus: Plan/Blackmail.
The definitely not, leads the scene. Something stops them completely from reaching Segeldorf, and they’ll have to resolve it before progressing further.
During this scene, they will find a plan or blackmail material.
But what could make a coach stop. Perhaps someone in need of help?
Q: Is there someone in need of help?
A: Yes, but there’s danger that could also affect the party.
I’ll take the adventure hook from the Ubersreik starter set. It’s a courier on the way to Ubersreik who broke their leg.
It’s only been a few hours on the road, when suddely the coach stops. The horses neigh, and the adventurers almost fall on top of each other due to the sudden halt.
“Get out of the way!” they hear Frederich yell.
Let’s roll for the weather first: remains the same.
Each of them grabs their hand weapons, and they pull the curtains of the coach to look outside.
Time to put the Terrain Randomizer to use.
I’ll generate a Small Area.
It has: 3 Zones: a small, a medium an a large zone.
There’s a field which narrows down in the middle, with woods on the left side and a pond on the right side. The road passes right in the narrow passage, and with the constant heavy rain the pond has overflown, so there’s only room for the one coach with the two horses to get through.
Blocking this narrow strip of road is a man, lying in the middle of the road, covered in mud.
“What happened? why did we stop?” Wolmar yells.
“There’s this man in the way. He refuses to move. He keeps yelling to help him” Hugo answers.
Abenzio and Wolmar will step down and get to the man.
This could be an honest accident, but it could also be an ambush. Also something could have caused the accident, something could have startled the horses. They’re too close to Nuln though, for anything mightily dangerous, but… who knows.
Wolmar: Perception: 10/13: Success.
Q: Does Wolmar notice anything dangerous around?
A: No, definitely not.
How did this man break his leg?
A: Unrelated, just coincidence
The two men approach the man.
“Thank Sigmar! Help me please. I lost control of my horse, and it kicked me down. My leg is broken.” The man says, gritting his teeth in pain.
Wolmar and Abenzio support him to the coach.
Q: Are there any things on the ground where he fell?
A: Yes, but, they’re spread all over the mud.
“My, my belongings. They’re important, can you get them?” He pleads on the way.
Elhali gets off the coach and starts gathering the things.
“He rides, he pays.” Frederich says as they bring the stranger towards the coach.
Elhali: Perception: 9/(17-2): Success
Elhali picks up the various items spread all over the mud, missing nothing.
According to PUM, I need to roll once more for a Random Prompt because PCs get out of comfort to face the unknown.
Before that I need to resolve a few more things.
Q: Is the man soaked wet?
A: It depends (on skill): I roll for his survival: 7/10: Success. He isn’t soaked wet, but not due to the rain, rather than because he managed to tuck himself in his cloak properly despite his condition.
Q: Can he be moved?
A: Yes, apparently. As long as he doesn’t step on the foot, he can withstand the pain and enter the coach.
So to recap, Elhali is picking up the belongings, Wolmar and Abenzio are bringing the man back to the coach, while Greta counts 10d to pay the coachman.
Random Prompt: Meet or learn about someone new.
Either of those could fit.
Meet or Learn?: Learn.
So, it’s the adventure hook as described in the starter set. However, I’ll roll for a Modified Proposal: Add hope or some relief.
They put the man inside the coach, while Greta pays the fare. They remove his cloak first so that he doesn’t soak the interior of the coach.
“Sigmar bless you strangers.” The man says. “My name is Edgar Muller. I am a messenger, delivering the post to Ubersreik’s Bridge House Inn . However I also have an important letter from Isabella Dahmbach, a lawyer from Nuln. My company will pay you at least two shillings for the delivery of my mail. Double that if you get me safely to the nearest city as well.”
Session Summary
Hitting an abrupt pause here.
I’m overwhelmed to the point of losing fun in this solo campaign, and I pinpointed this to the overabundance of Old World lore and information.
Seriously, if you start going down the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay rabbit hole, you’ll end up the other side of the Atlantic.
There’s so much information available both online and in official and unofficial supplements, websites, modules, that I spent more time reading it (which I enjoyed!) than actually solo roleplaying.
The thing is that this is really dense, and with retcons and contradicting information, it just simply doesn’t work for me as solo.
All the Solo tools I’ve used in these games are absolutely fantastic, but I find that I limit their usefulness trying to make them fit in a well defined world.
This has been a fantastic learning experience for me, as I wanted to also solo in Harnworld, but now I fear that I might face the same problem.
I had a similar issue when running the Trollshaws campaign and was reading online about the various details of Middle Earth.
Instead of making the world mine, I resorted to reading about existing information, and that’s because I want to learn more about the Old World, as Warhammer is one of my favourite settings back from when I played the Fantasy Battles 4th edition.
The way I approached it is like a GM doing research to create their adventure. But you can’t do that and play the game at the same time. It’s just exhausting, and takes away all the fun. At least for my game style it doesn’t work. I like to run my solo adventures as a player first, and GM second. But you can’t have it both ways. Can’t be a player learning the ropes of the world and at the same time GMing it freely.
And particularly for Warhammer Old World the written approach for the supplements focuses a lot on the details, which helps really to flesh out the world, but leaves little creative freedom.
As soon as I stepped a bit outside the limited framework of the adventure module I hit this wall of immense information. Therefore I will stop this here, as I need to realign on what kind of adventures I want to play.
But before I do that, I’ll review the tools I used.
The Plot Unfolding Machine and Scene Unfolding Machine have a lot of potential. I can see that they need to have free reigns and allow repeat rolls to give immediate portents to generate usable content. Looking forward to trying them out in a different premise.
Dungeon Fantasy GURPS is just great. The Profession templates are a bit too strong at 250 points, but I think they’ll do just fine for a single PC accompanied by henchmen. Looking forward to trying it out further as well.
BOLD, UNE, Let’s Talk and Keeping Contact, I’ve well established in my previous games, and will continue to use them in the future.
giorgis
Savage Warhammer S02E01
Having finished the first season, in The Oldenhaller Contract, I’m preparing, to include updates to my homebrew rules, solo tools and conversions, according to lessons learned and new things I want to try. I’ll be also detailing downtime for the characters, and set the scene for the upcoming adventures.
For Setting Rules I will be using the following, and updating the homebrew rules.
- Hard Choices: As is
- Dynamic Backlash: Replaced by Savage Warhammer Magic rules
Dynamic Melee Combat: Not to be used at all.- Grittier Damage: Revised for extra deadliness.
- Henchmen and Right Hands: According to Beasts and Barbarians
Fate Bennies: Not to be used, since Grittier damage is much more dangerous.
Grittier Damage Revised
I spent way too much time here, because I didn’t like how Gritty Damage worked. I want something that is relevant to the weapon used, the injury level, and the location. So after, converting the entire WFRP1e Advanced Critical Effects, I scratched it off, and took what I learned, inspired from other sources as well, and came up with the following:
1 Wound: Minor Injury, Effects are Temporary, last until the character makes a successful Vigor Roll to recover. This is a free action at the start of their action round.
2 Wounds: Major Injury, Effects are Treatable, last until the injury is healed.
3 Wounds: Severe Injury, Effects are Permanent, last forever unless cured by unnatural means.
4 Wounds+: Grevious Injury. Instant death.
Altered Injury Table
as per SWADE Raw, but in addition/modified
- Arm: Any item held is dropped.
- Leg: Must make a successful Agility roll or fall prone.
- Torso: Wound Penalty applies until healed.
- Head: Stunned.
- 1-2 Hideous Scar: Your hero now has the Ugly (Minor) Hindrance, or Major if already Ugly.
- 3 Deafened: An ear is damaged. Gain the Hard of Hearing (Minor) Hindrance or Major if already Deafened.
Additional Injury Effects Injury by Weapon Type
- Sharp Hand Weapons: Major Injuries cause Bleeding, Severe Injuries cause Impale
- Blunt Hand Weapons: Major Injuries cause Breaking, Severe Injuries cause Bleeding
- Teeth and Claws: Major Injuries cause Bleeding, Severe Injuries cause Breaking
- Arrows and Bolts: Major Injuries cause Impale, Severe Injuries cause Bleeding
- Firearms: Major Injuries cause Impale, Severe Injuries cause Bleeding
- Falling and Crushing (TBD)
- Fire and Energy (TBD)
- Bleeding: make a Vigor roll each round or suffer an additional Wound. A raise stabilizes the injury and bleeding stops.
- Breaking: Treatable effects healed Naturally, become Permanent if there was a Failure in the Vigor roll.
- Impale: The weapon is lodged into the enemy, and requires a Strength roll to remove. If removed without a successful Healing treatment roll, then suffer an additional Wound and Bleeding.
The three effects are not equally balanced gamewise, but I can’t think of something to offset the balance at the moment.
I was also pondering the following options:
- Not use the Savage Worlds Wound Track at all – instead, characters perish according to the Critical Effects
- Use Savage Worlds Wound Track, in addition to Critical Effects, but no Wound Penalties
- Use Savage Worlds Wound Track, in addition to Critical Effects and Wound Penalties
I decided to go with the second option, as I feel like it’s the best of both worlds. It will cause Extras to stop fighting at the first Wound, but it won’t combine Critical Effects and Wound Penalties into an impossible Death Spiral. I gave an exception to this by adding the Wound Penalty to any Torso (Guts) hits.
This might give some different results, as some Critical Effects which relate to Wounds don’t have any lingering impact, but the Wound Track still will offset them if it goes down.
Shaken condition still applies normally.
I will be using the WFRP1e critical tables to help me with narrative descriptions if needed.
Solo Engines
The Oldenhaller Contract doesn’t connect directly to the other Prewritten Adventure Modules, so I kind of have to see what my party will do next. I do want them to play in prewritten modules, but I don’t want to use narrative freedom and place them there directly. I want the game to have a story to tell me, and have my protagonists partake in it.
Unfortunately I can’t think of any reason to have my party leave Nuln at the moment. They just arrived here in search of adventure; of course if the adventure takes them elsewhere that’s another discussion. The solo engines I’ve been meaning to try a long time now, are the ones by Jeansen Vaars, GUM, PUM and SUM.
Before putting them to the test, I want to see what happened with my protagonists in the meantime. For Downtimes, I will try to use BOLD Waylays.
Abenzio: (fledgling power play overcome by faction intervention)
this sounds straightforward and connected to the previous adventure
With one gang eliminated, and another headless, there’s a power vacuum in the criminal underworld of Nuln. A new gang is in play, and while in an alleyway alone, Abenzio’s Tilean heritage makes him a target, mistaken for a Valantina gangster. Before having the chance to put his steel to the test, the Nuln City Watch has appeared and the thugs become scarce.
Elhali: (apparent straying/lost overcome by avoidance)
Elhali comes upon a scene of a young teen asking for directions to get her home. She begs for passersby to help her. Her streetwise nature tells her that there could be an ambush in the works. Despite her instincts proving her wrong with Grolsh van Eyke, she hasn’t change her manners. One can take the villager out of the village, but not the village out of the villager. She avoids the stray altogether, and heads back to The Reaver’s Return.
Greta: (forbidden hamlet overcome by counteraction)
is this about her past? forbidden hamlet being her homeplace? what is the counteraction?
Greta is in Reiksplatz when she stumbles upon one of her husband’s cousins, Fritz, a merchant who travels a lot. The man recognizes her, and makes some remarks about how interested her husband will be to know of her whereabouts. Greta is taken aback at first, but then she notices that Fritz is accompanied by a woman of ill repute. She threatens him with sharing his interesting news with his family should he make any revelations. Taken aback from Greta’s newly founded boldness, Fritz mumbles something about him never wanting to cause any ruckus, and disappears quickly into the crowd.
Wolmar: (foreign tavern overcome by favored ability)
he wants to enter a new tavern but he can’t, they won’t let him in, but he talks his way in?
Wolmar wants to learn about any ongoing news and rumours, and heads for the nearest tavern, “The Bull”. As he does so, he is stopped by the doorman, telling him that this establishment is not for men of his status. Wolmar, empowered by his recent adventures, displays the hilt of his short sword, replying that there’s always more than meets the eye, he wants no trouble, but he can handle himself. The doorman is convinced that he misjudged Wolmar, and allows him in.
There are more tools for Downtimes, some including SWADE‘s own interludes. I really like BOLD waylays, as they provide enough traction to even create threads and adventure hooks. From the above examples I have, a new gang, a man from Greta’s past, Elhali being conflicted about her own convictions of trust, and Wolmar being in a position to find new adventuring opportunities.
With the characters having earned a good amount of money, I want to equip them better.
Wolmar will purchase a leather jack and a cap for 15 gc.
Abenzio will purchase a pair of plate bracers for 60 gc.
Greta will purchase heavy robes and trade tools (lab supplies) for 60 gc.
Elhali will purchase heavy leather leggings and a bow for 20 gc.
Note: I went down the rabbit hole of Old World prices, and it's a chaos, changed a lot between editions. It seems like the 1st edition WFRP had the gold crown as standard similar to D&D gold piece, and each version thereafter subsequently mitigated that to more realistic prices. So, I will use the Wealth System from SWADE. They each have a d6 in Wealth normally. The recent reward raised it to Wealth d8 for the upcoming month or so. This should save me the bookkeeping trouble for a while.
I’m considering also that Greta spent some time preparing two Stun and two Healing potions (10 PP total). On purpose I will be making the Alchemy roll when the potion is used, as the meta knowledge of the success of the potion shouldn’t come in place before then.
The Ritual
The adventure I will be tackling is The Ritual.
I went ahead and wrote down all the Plot Nodes.
…and started the adventure.
Claw Mark
Q: Is the scene Modified?
A: Yes
Modified Proposal: Add anger or indignation.
Paraphrasing from the adventure module:
The heroes are walking back from a late night drink at The Bull.
As they are strolling through a particularly dark and quiet street, a door suddenly bursts open from one of the expensive houses lining the road. A young man, dressed only in his night-clothes, rushes out yelling, “Help! Help us you degenerate lowlifes!”
As he catches sight of the characters, he turns and races towards them. A large bruise covers one side of his face. As he races over, gasping for air, a dark shape appears, silhouetted in the doorway of the house. The man gasps out one last sentence, “They’ve got my father… He’s worth way more than you… Get him back and you’ll be rewarded…” before an audible twang comes from the doorway, followed by a much closer thud.
The unfortunate young man collapses into the arms of one of the adventurers, choking and coughing up blood. A crossbow bolt is buried in his back. He is dead.
I modified the young man to have bourgeois indignant behavior, as that’s the best interpretation I could think of considering the prompt of PUM.
Q: Are the characters well equipped?
A: Yes. Anything short of adventuring gear. They have one handed weapons, armor and shields.
I decide for the party that they will run towards the house.
The House
Hallway
Q: Is the scene Modified?
A: Yes
Modified Proposal: Add stress or worry: The PCs hear Klauss’s screams as they enter, while Tavelli goes upstairs as described. If a PC makes a difficult Notice roll, they can discern the direction of the scream.
Wolmar: Notice: Difficult: (4,2)-2: Failure
Elhali: Notice: Alertness, Difficult (5,3)+2-2: Success
Greta: Notice: Difficult: (13,1)-2: Raise
Abenzio: Notice: Difficult: (1,5)-2: Failure
The group splits, Abenzio and Wolmar head upstairs towards the thief, while Elhali and Greta head downstairs towards the scream.
Running inside the wealthy townhouse from the open door, they enter a hallway, opulently furnished with hunting trophies and tapestries which hang from the walls. A plush blue carpet covers the floor. An elaborate staircase in the south-western corner spirals upwards to a balcony that overlooks the hall. A lantern illuminates the hallway and another the balcony.
A tall man with a wide-brimmed hat and a midnight blue cloak runs up the stairs as the adventurers enter. The scream of a man is heard echoing in the house, which the alert elf, and the big eared alchemist discern coming from the ground floor. Greta grabs the lantern, and follows Elhali who runs towards the scream, while Wolmar yelling “Stop!” to the stranger follows Abenzio who roars in the indiscernible pit fighter speech.
Round 1
Wolmar: Agility: (1,1): Critical Failure: He falls down the stairs and receives: 2+1=3 damage. He’s unharmed, but prone.
Abenzio: Agility: (4,1)+1: Success
Abenzio runs up the stairs and attacks the man with his fists, hoping to render him unconscious (Nonlethal damage): Fighting: (1,7): Hit: Right Leg: Damage: 24!: His leg is smashed, and he falls unconscious.
Huh next time I should attempt grappling instead.
Q: Was the scream heard from the direction of the Dining Room? (Likely)
A: Yes
Elhali and Greta run to the Dining room.
Wolmar heads up the spiral staircase to get to the cloaked figure, who in turn pushes down a decorative wine barrel, tumbling down the stairs. Wolmar’s momentum puts him directly in the course of the barrel, and he’s hit, falling to the base of the stairwell, prone, but unhurt.
Abenzio deftly avoids the barrel and charges up, his fist, armed with knuckledusters, connecting to the stranger’s right hip. The mass of the arm combined with Abe’s brawling technique send shivers up his foe’s spine. A cracking sound is heard, and if Abe hadn’t held back, the leg would be dangling in two pieces. The pain is excruciating, and the man drops down, unconscious due to shock.
Elhali and Greta run to the next room from where they heard the faint scream.
The Dining Room
Q: Is the scene Modified?
A: Yes
Modified Proposal: Add anger or indignation.
There is already a level of destruction here that cannot be increased or added to. I’ll just keep the scene as is.
Reading into PUM’s modified proposals, seems like they work best with Scenes rather than locations. Whereas MUNE’s TWENE seems like a better fit for going room by room in a dungeon and seeing if everything is as expected.
TWENE: Remove Simple Element There are no bodies, but a blood trail is evident. Perhaps the attackers took the corpses for whatever ritual they have in mind.
Elhali and Greta enter the dining room which is currently a total mess. Two big blood pools are smothered across the floor, with a blood trail leading to another room. The table is upturned and shattered glass lies everywhere. What must have once been an expensive wooden cabinet has been smashed in along the front; the drawers and their contents have been scattered across the room.
Back to the entrance hall.
Q: Is there anything to tie up Tavelli?
A: It depends (on skill)
I can’t find any skill on my party roster that would help, or any edge, so this means that the answer is No.
“Come on! Let’s go!” Greta shouts to the men, and Abenzio and Wolmar exchange looks.
“He’s out, we have to find the rich dude while he’s still alive.” Abenzio tells Wolmar, referring to their unconscious foe. Wolmar nods. “I was hoping to tie him up, but there’s no time.”
They run after their companions.
The Kitchen
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes
The party enters the kitchen, following the blood trail. This large room has a flight of stone stairs leading down into the cellar. Two clubs rest in a puddle of blood, evident to anyone entering the room.
Q: Do the heroes search the room? (Unlikely)
A: No
They quickly go down the stairs into the cellar.
The Cellar
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes
The adventurers go down the cellar. This stone flagged room is filled with barrels and casks containing a wide variety of fine wines and ales. A flight of stairs leads up into the kitchen in one corner, whilst in another corner, a flagstone has been removed, revealing the entrance to a tunnel. This tunnel leads into the sewer system, the blood trail goes this way, and the adventurers rush in quickly.
Into the Sewers
Q: Is the scene modified?
A: Yes
Modified proposal: Bring someone unhelpful/inconvenient
Rats! Swarms of rats scurrying all around. Considering the party’s last encounter with rats, they won’t like this at all.
Also I need to give a chance to my party to bring more light with them.
Q: Do they consider bringing more light into the dark tunnel?
A: Weak yes, they bring another lantern as spare.
The rock corridor in which the adventurers are standing is pitch black. Illuminated only by the dim light of one of the lanternts. The corridor is quite low (about 6’ high), so Abenzio has to duck to avoid hitting his head against the ceiling. He’s not so happy of this.
The floor is covered with a shallow layer of mud, and footprints clearly mark the path taken by the assailers.
The rats will make it difficult to discern the tracks at -2 penalty.
Wolmar: (3,4)-2: Failure.
Wolmar can’t tell how many the abductors were, or the abductees.
Rats scurry all the way around, and although the footprints are clear, Wolmar cannot tell to how many people they belong.
The corridor and branching passages are rather frightening, as the adventurers hear strange, far off noises, and grunts echoing in them. The walls glisten with moisture – a greenish slime being evident in some places – and the air is distinctly cool. There’s an atmosphere of foreboding here.
Q: Does anyone from the party propose to branch off the passages? (Unlikely)
A: No, definitely not
The tracks eventually lead to a dead end: a wall of moist, smooth stonework.
Elhali: Notice: (9,5): Raise
Elhali notices a marked stone on the smooth wall. She pushes it without second thought, and this causes the wall to swing outwards, providing an entrance to the sewers.
Entrance to the sewers
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes
The sewers, like the corridor leading in to them, are in pitch darkness. They are roughly 10 feet wide, including narrow stone walkways, 2 ½ feet wide to each side of the effluent channel, which is 5 feet deep, and half filled with slow flowing muck.
The walkways are only wide enough to permit movement in single file, and, as they are also wet and slippery.
The effluent, not surprisingly, emits a terrible stench.
An unpleasant and unsettling atmosphere pervades the sewer systems, and all characters without a previous career which would inure them to such an environment (such as Rat Catcher or Sewer Jack), make Spirit Rolls (except those related to casting or resisting Magic) at a Difficult (-2) modifier.
The walls are made of dull grey stone and glisten with moisture (although this time there is no slime).
Wolmar: Survival (Tracking): (9,3): Raise
Encounter roll: 62: No Encounter
As the party enters the sewers, they see the clear footprint trail disappear.
“Now what?” Elhali shrugs.
“Allow me,” Wolmar steps forward, and can see the vague trail of blood drops, and mud footprints in the walkways. “Follow me” he points out and leads the way.
Entrance to the Skaven Den
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes, and.
As the trail ends to another wall, the adventurers now are alert. Searching the wall, they find the secret door, and open it. It leads to a corridor, which is inclined upwards at a steep angle.
Let’s see if Wolmar notices the trip wire.
Wolmar: Notice (1,2): Failure.
Let’s see if he trips it.
Wolmar: Agility (2,2): Failure
Q: Can they hear the bell ringing?
A: Yes, for now
Elhali: Notice: (2,10)+2: Raisex2
A bell rings in the distance, and a small glass globe drops to the floor, releasing a yellowish gas which floods the area.
Wolmar: Vigor: (1,3)-2: Failure: He falls unconscious for 7 minutes.
Wolmar drops unconscious under the influence of the gas.
“Get him!” Elhali tells Abenzio. “We, tripped an alarm.”
She walks backs to step away from the gas.
The poison gas will expand for 5 rounds.
Abenzio enters the gas to try to grab Wolmar.
Abenzio: Vigor: (3,11)-2: Raise: He holds his breath and won’t have to roll in the next round.
Wolmar plus gear is at ~196 lbs. Abenzio has 59 lbs of gear, and can carry a maximum of 320 lbs, so he picks Wolmar up, and starts walking at the minimum pace of 2 yards. The gas will keep expanding each round so he’ll be in the radius constantly until it dissipates, and will have to make all the Vigor rolls…
2nd Round: Abenzio holds his breath
3rd Round: Abenzio: Vigor: (2,4)-2: Failure: Benny: (1,4)-2: Failure: Benny: (1,6)-2: Success
4th Round: Abenzio: Vigor: (5,2)-2: Failure: Benny: (6,2)-2: Success
5th Round: Abenzio: Vigor: (2,8)-2: Success!
The poison dissipates
Random Encounter: 57: No Random Encounter
Abenzio takes a deep breath and enters the yellowish gas cloud. He kneels down, grabs the knocked out herdsman, and puts him over his shoulders, steps up at once, and with slow steps he starts walking back to where Elhali and Greta have run.
The poisonous gas cloud spreads as he walks away, and he barely makes it out in time, before he manages to take a deep breath, and the gas cloud dissipates.
Mere moments pass, as Abenzio places Wolmar gently down, and Greta checks his health, when the torchlight and footsteps of men approaching, warns them of the imminent danger.
Abenzio arms his flail and shield and with Elhali by his side, they turn to face the 7 newcomers, coming from round the corner.
Round 1
Abenzio drew a Joker! Thankfully, he earned back one benny, as spent all while staying awake in the gas cloud.
Abenzio vs Cultist: Fighting: (3,1)+2/5: Hit: Torso: Damage: 6/6: Shaken
Greta tries to wake up Wolmar: Healing: (3,2): Failure
Cultist: Spirit: 1: Failure: Remains shaken
Cultist: Attacks Abenzio: Fighting: 3/: Miss
Elhali attacks Cultist: Fighting: (3,1)/5: Miss
The rest of the cultists gang up behind.
Round 2
Abenzio vs Cultist: Fighting: (1,4)/5: Miss
Cultist: Spirit: 5: No longer Shaken: vs Abenzio: Fighting: 4/8: Miss
Elhali vs Cultist: Fighting: (1,5)/5: Hit: 12: Head: Damage: 6/5: Shaken: The cultist ducks as her sword whistles past at head-height, cutting a piece of the cloak’s hood.
Greta tries to wake up Wolmar: Healing: (3,1): Failure
Cultist vs Elhali: 2/4: Miss
Round 3
Q: Do the cultists change tactics?
A: No, but, they press on
Abenzio vs Cultist: Fighting: (1,2)/5: Miss
Cultist vs Elhali: 1/4: Miss
Greta tries to wake up Wolmar: Healing: (3,2): Failure
Cultist vs Abenzio: 4/8: Miss
Elhali vs Cultist: Fighting: (2,2)/5: Miss
Round 4
Cultist vs Abenzio: 5/8: Miss
Abenzio vs Cultist: Fighting: (1,4)/5: Miss
Greta tries to wake up Wolmar: Healing: (3,4): Success!
Cultist vs Elhali: 3/4: Miss
Greta tries to wake up Wolmar: Healing: (3,2): Failure
Cultist vs Abenzio: 4/8: Miss
Greta tries to wake up Wolmar: Healing: (3,4): Success!
Elhali vs Cultist: Fighting: (6,5)/5: Hit: Right Leg: Damage: 6/5: A glancing blow to the calf.
Round 5
Q: Do the cultists change tactics?
A: It depends (on skill): so, no
Abenzio vs Cultist: Fighting: (1,4)/5: Miss
Wolmar, wakes up and switches places with Elhali: vs Cultist: (3,2)/5: Miss
Cultist vs Abenzio: 8/8: Hit: Torso: Damage: 8/11: Unharmed
Cultist: Spirit: 2/4: Failure: Remains Shaken
Round 6
Cultist vs Abenzio: 7/8: Miss
Cultist: Spirit: 2/4: Failure: Remains Shaken
Abenzio vs Cultist: Fighting: (11,4)/5: Raise: Right Arm: Damage: 10/6: 1 Wound (Minor): The blow smashes into the back of the cultist’s hand. Cultist suffers the One Arm Hindrance until recovery, drops his club and is Incapacitated.
Wolmar vs Cultist: (8,4)/5: Hit: Left Arm: Damage: 9/6: Shaken -> 1 Wound: The blow opens a small cut on the cultist’s forearm. Cultist is hit again and incapacitated.
Round 7
Q: Do the cultists change tactics?
A: Apparently, Not
Cultist steps forward and attacks Wolmar: 10/5: Hit: Left Leg: 6/5: Shaken
Wolmar: Spirit: (4,1): Success: No longer shaken: Fighting vs Cultist: (4,1)/5: Miss
Cultist steps forward and attacks Abenzio: 5/8: Miss
Abenzio vs Cultist: (6,2)/5: Hit: Right Leg: 3/5: Unharmed
Round 8
Cultist attacks Wolmar: 5/5: Hit: Left Leg: 11/5: Soak: (3,3): Fail: Reroll: (11,1): Raise: Soaked all damage (spent 2 bennies)
Abenzio vs Cultist: (3,2)/5: Miss
Cultist vs Abenzio: 4/8: Miss
Wolmar vs Cultist: (10,2)/5: Raise: Torso: Damage: 7/6: Shaken: The blow makes a shallow cut in the cultists’s groin.
Round 9
Cultist vs Abenzio: 1/8: Miss
Abenzio vs Cultist: (9,1)/5: Raise: Left Leg: Damage: 15/5: 2 Wounds (Major): The blow breaks the cultist’s femur. Cultist suffers the Slow Hindrance, falls incapacitated and prone and is Bleeding.
Cultist: Spirit: 2/4: Failure: Remains Shaken
Cultist moves and attacks Abenzio: 3/8: Miss
Wolmar vs Cultist: (5,3)/5: Hit: Right Leg: Damage: 8/5: Shaken -> Wound: Cultist is hit again and incapacitated. The blow causes a flesh wound to the cultist’s calf.
Cultist moves and attacks Wolmar: 3/5: Miss
Round 10
Q: Do the cultists change tactics? (Likely)
A: Yes, for now: they will attempt to flee
Abenzio vs Cultist: (9,4)+2/5: Raise: Left Leg: Damage: 17/5: 3 Wounds (Severe): The blow smashes the cultist’s knee. Cultist suffers the Slow Hindrance, falls incapacitated and prone and has a Broken and Bleeding leg.
Wolmar vs Cultist: (15,3)/5: Raise: Left Arm: Damage: 7/5: Shaken: The blow skins the cultist’s knuckles.
Cultist turns and runs to raise the alarm
Cultist: Spirit: 2/4: Failure: Remains Shaken
Round 11
Elhali runs past Abe and Wolmar to go after the cultist: there’s some distance
Wolmar runs past and draws his hand axe and throws it to the cultist: (11,1)-2/4: Raise: Torso: Damage: 11/6: 1 Wound (Minor): Incapacitated: The blow cuts the cultist deeply across the ribs
Greta moves to attack the shaken Cultist: (6,2)/5: Hit: Right Leg: Damage: 5/5: Shaken -> 1 Wound: Cultist is incapacitated
The heroes are victorious.
Abenzio and Elhali hold the corridor against the gang of cultists who try to charge at them.
They hold valiantly, their lines unwavering, fighting one-on-one the cultists. Greta tries to wake Wolmar up, first with some slaps, then lifting his feet off the ground, but it doesn’t seem to work. Then she remembers, and brings some salts right under Wolmar’s nose, who opens his eyes as if he was kicked to the unmentionables. The rush is imminent, and drawing his sword, he takes the place of the elf, who starts to feel pressured by the wave of enemies.
Abenzio, now smiles with Wolmar by his side, reminiscing the last time the two of them fought side by side, the two men start making short work of their foes.
One by one, the fanatics are brought down, and just when their fanaticism seems to betray them, a cultist from the far end turns tail and runs. Wolmar runs after him, abandoning his shaken foe. He can’t catch up with the coward, but aims his hand axe and throws it. The axe finds his foe in the back, and with a thud he’s down.
Within a minute of fierce combat, seven foes have been vanquished, and the adventurers managed to stop them from raising the alarm. Catching their breath, they now have to decide what to do next.
It’s curious now to see what the status of the extra who were incapacitated during the fight is.
5 of them have survived the combat.
Q: Is there any rope available?
A: It depends (on skill), so no
My characters are adventurers in a gritty grim world, but they’re not murderers. They take their defeated oppponents weapons, and tell them to leave. Abenzio will also try to intimidate them about what will happen should they return. He also wants to find out where did they take the rich man.
I’ll give a +4 bonus as the adventurers are victorious.
Abenzio: Intimidate: (3,2)+4 vs Cultist Spirit: (3,1,7,8,5)
The enemies flee, but there’s a chance that a couple of them might return later. Due to the layout they can’t get past the heroes to raise the alarm, but they might attack them should the heroes fail and try to flee the sewers.
As to the interrogation, to be fair, I’ll randomly have the party choose one of the surviving cultists.
It will be the: 1st of the surviving cultists, who failed their Spirit vs Intimidation roll (3).
Rolling on PUM’s Interaction Oracle.
Q: Do they know where they took the merchant?
A: Yes, of course.
Rolling on SUM’s Truth or Dare.
it sounds like…
there is no reason for them to be lying; fully honest
So, I’ll go with the knowledge we have right now from the prewritten module, but there’s always the off chance that the later scene (if the PCs make it to there) will be modified
The cultist tells them that they got the merchant further inside to prepare for the ritual, but he remains adamant that the adventurers will never make it there in time.
Q: Does he reveal information about the holding cells?
A: Yes, but be careful.
Yes, he tells them that right now the cells are empty, apart from the jailer.
Taking a closer look at their defeated enemies, it seems that two of them will not breathe again the stale air of the sewers, but a handful are still alive, beaten, bruised, but alive.
Abenzio grabs one by the throat and gestures for the rest to flee, without weapons, from the exit of the sewers.
“You’ll either join your living friends, or your dead friends.” He tells the man he holds. “It all depends on what you’ll tell me. Do you understand?”
The man nods, scared.
“The rich merchant. Where did you take him?” Abenzio asks.
“To, to the main corridor, as you head forward, keep left. You can’t miss it. He’s headed for the sacrifice. Don’t waste any time going to the cells. Through the heavy doors. They’re all empty.” He gasps.
Abenzio looks closely. Grunts, and throws him back, releasing his grip, and letting him flee.
Cultist’s Common Room and Guard Chamber
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: No, and: TWENE: Decrease Major Element: Illumination is normally provided by four tourches. But there is only one torch as the cultists took the rest when attacking the party.
There are a couple of tables and some chairs in the north-eastern area of the room, two sets of bone dice, and a pack of cards lying on the tables. Illumination is provided by a single torch mounted on the wall.
The party takes the torch.
It makes sense for the party to look around, so what they see is a deep corridor heading north, a small corridor to a room to the east, and a sturdy oak door to the south.
Wolmar will go to the east, Elhali will attempt to listen to any noise from the door, while Abenzio will stand guard for anyone coming from the north.
Elhali: Notice: (7,2)+2: Raise.
Q: Is there any sound coming from the room (Unlikely)
A: No, definitely not.
Armoury and Store Room
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes, but.
This small cave serves as a makeshift armoury. It contains five swords, six daggers, three hand axes, two flasks of oil, two tinderboxes, and eleven torches. The weapons are all arranged in wooden weapon racks set against the walls, and the torches, oil, and tinderboxes are stacked neatly in another corner.
Wolmar tells Greta to come give a hand. They take the flasks of oil, tinderboxes and torches.
Corridor and Cells
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes.
Elhali opens the door and sees a dismal corridor with nine cells, each, with a small barred window in them.
Considering the information gathered previously from interrogating the cultists, the party won’t investigate the cells further, and instead will move North.
“I can’t hear or see anything else, here.” Elhali reports, as Wolmar and Greta bring supplies. “I guess the man was telling the truth. Perhaps we should hurry.”
The rest of the adventuring party agrees, and carefully, they tread onwards.
Junction
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes
The north running passageway from the guard room splits into two at this point. Standing at the junction, in the positions indicated on the map, are two brown furred Skaven sentries.
Since it’s the first time my adventurers meet Skaven, they must roll for insanity.
Abenzio: Spirit: (1,4): Success
Elhali: Spirit: (1,4): Success
Greta: Spirit: (10,3): Raise
Wolmar: Spirit: (4,4)+2: Success
For a brief moment, the adventurers are startled as they see what seem to be creatures that are a mix of men and rats. Ratmen standing on two legs, wearing clothes and wielding weapons. Greta recalls having read an excerpt in the past about Skaven, but she thought it was a fairytale, until now.
They all get a good grip of themselves, and remain in composure when one of the ratmen turns to them and in broken old world speech asks them what do they want.
Elhali mouths “Follow my lead” to her companions, and steps forward.
“We are to return the prisoner to his cell. Interrogation.” She tries to be as convincing as possible.
Elhali: Persuasion: (9,9): Raise
The ratmen look at each other. “Skretth didn’t tell us anything.”
“Skretth?” Elhali responds quickly. “He’s the one that sent for us. Do you want me to explain to him that you’re the reason we’re delayed? See the big guy behind me? he’s the one that will knock the information out of the prisoner’s mouth”.
Q: Do the Skaven allow all of them through? (Likely)
A: Yes, and hurry up
She plays her hand just right. She usually isn’t much of a talker, but for once, she isn’t met with the prejudice of humans against her heritage, and has some newfound confidence.
The ratmen step aside. “Go. Just so you know. Skretth doesn’t want the ritual delayed. It will be your stinky hide then.” says the guard and laughs, his incisors revealed as the flaps of his mouth move.
End of the Tunnel
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes, but.
The tunnel ends at this point, dropping away to the sewer some 7 yards below. A rope bridge spans the chasm, ending in another tunnel mouth which leads away into the darkness. A rough staircase has been carved into the rock on the southern side of the gap.
Encounter roll: 98: No encounter
The Sacrificial Chamber
Q: Is the room as expected? (Unlikely)
A: No, and. TWENE: Wild Negative.
I’ll use the Random prompt from Prepless PUM.
Lay out a skill challenge: Have to resist or withstand.
So it seems that Skretth has been successful at creating warpstone from his victims (yes, I know the module states otherwise, and that it’s not possible, but the Oracle has decided), and is using the warpstone as catalyst to extract more.
Exposing themselves to warpstone is dangerous, and perhaps Klauss (the prisoner) has mutated already.
This huge natural cavern is dominated by a carving of the Horned Rat on the northern wall. At the north end of the cavern is a bloodstained granite block with an iron ring set into it The south end is bare, except for two pillars supporting the entrance to the tunnel. A torch in a wall bracket provide dim illumination.
A prisoner is bound to the block by a piece of rope tied around his wrists at one end, and to the ring at the other. He is dressed only in a white, torn, bloodstained robe and seems too exhausted to cry for help. He is unguarded.
Above him, set in the stone, is a blackish crystal emanating a greenish glow.
Q: Has Klauss mutated already? (Likely)
A: It depends (on skill)
I’ll give him a Vigor roll to resist: 1: Failure
Mutation: 96: Odd number of eyes: 2: three eyes.
Seeing a mutation causes Fear. Let’s see how the party reacts.
Abenzio: Spirit: (4,4): Success
Elhali: Spirit: (1,5): Success
Greta: Spirit: (9,3): Raise
Wolmar: Spirit: (6,4)+2: Raise
Let’s see if Greta knows anything about the warpstone.
Greta: Science: (2,3): Failure
Q: Does any character want to get the warpstone?
A: Weak yes, only one of them, and the other’s won’t help
It’s going to be: Greta
Greta wants to remove the warpstone out of its slot: Strength: (6,10): Raise
She successfully removes the warpstone.
Q: Does anyone try to stop her?
A: Yes, for now.
Abenzio will attempt to stop her.
As the adventurers close in, they notice…the vague outline of a third, shut eye on the prisoner’s forehead. They look at each other disgusted, but proceed.
Wolmar and Elhali cut the ropes that hold the prisoner, while Greta grabs the crystal out of it’s slot.
As she does so, Abenzio grabs her forearm. “If the ratmen see it missing, they’ll come for us. We’re deep in their den as it is…”
Q: Does Greta abandon the warpstone? (Likely)
A: Yes
She puts the crystal back, and they rush back, Wolmar and Elhali supporting the prisoner.
Greta however has to roll to resist the Chaos: Vigor: (1,2): Failure: Benny: (4,3): Success
Escaping
Q: Do the adventurers escape the tunnels without problem?
A: Yes, but
by the time they have returned to the house the cultist who attacked the house is already gone.
Noone seems to bother them as they make their way back to the surface. The ratmen believed their bluff, and the cultists were dispersed by their fight.
When they reach the house however, the man they had incapacitated is no longer there. They would like to have a nice conversation with him.
Klauss’ House
Q: Is the scene as expected?
A: Yes
I’ll use Let’s Talk for the final scene of the adventure.
Wolmar will do the talking.
The man they saved, washes himself in the basin, and asks for a moment to collect himself. He returns some time later, dressed in clean clothes.
“Thank you, brave fellows. For saving my life.” He tells them. “My name is Klauss Dralst.”
The topic is saving him from the skaven.
Wolmar: Notice: (1,4): Success: He can see the Mood is: Self-absorbed
Wolmar’s hand has Aggressive, Worried and Friendly
He will use Friendly
The NPC’s reaction is: Positive and he is Helpful
“We’re here now. They won’t trouble you again.” Wolmar says, patting the man on the shoulder.
“Thank you!” He answers. “80 Gold Crowns to each of you, should be a proper reward. Yes?” He brings out a pouch. “Ernest…my son…he starts looking around.”
I will not attempt to haggle for a better price.
“Your son?” Wolmar asks. “He’s the one that warned us to come after you. Unfortunately he didn’t make it.
“You should block the entrance to your house from the sewers.” Elhali points out.
“And..take a look at this.” Greta gestures at her forehead to make him understand, and he quickly turns the other way.
“Yes… yes, thank you. Please, I would like to be alone now.” Klauss excuses himself, and the party heads out.
Outside
Q: Has the city watch arrived?
A: Yes, for now.
Q: Is it anyone the heroes know?
A: Yes, absolutely
It is the Sergeant who they met when they caught Bertoldo Vasari.
Let’s give him a name: Reiner Schuster
“Sergeant Reiner!” a city watch guard calls to their sergeant, as they are examining Klauss’ son’s body. The sergeant is the man they had encountered a few nights ago. “We have a few witnesses here.” continues the guard, and the sergeant’s attention is drawn to the adventurers.
“Have I not seen you before…?” he wonders loudly. “You’re the ones who caught that thief…Vasari. Yes, I never forget the faces to whom I’ve given rewards from the city coffers.”
He looks to the corpse, and then to the Dralst house from where the heroes emerged. “What do you know of this? And how are you involved in yet another crime?”
Wolmar’s hand has Wildcard, Worried and Rude
Wolmar: Notice: (3,10): Raise
Sergeant Reiner: Mood: Charming
Wolmar will use Worried
Reiner’s reaction: Positive: Questioning
“The young man got to use before spending his final breath. His father was kidnapped by cultists. We went quickly and saved him from their snatch. I’m worried there is great evil brewing, and they are involved.” Wolmar replies.
“Why you?” the Sergeant asks. “And what kind of cultists? Where did you save his father from, and what is his name?”
Wolmar will use Friendly – Wildcard
Reiner’s reaction: Somewhat Positive: Satisfaction
“We just happened to be returning from a drink at The Bull. Just pure luck that his son got to us.” Wolmar replies. “And of course, as you know about rewards, we’re always happy to assist. Ernest, the son mentioned something along those lines before collapsing. There was a tunnel complex below the house. We don’t know what kind of cult it was, and we didn’t sit around to find out. We got Klaus – the old man back to his house, got the reward and we’re out of there. You could ask him what else he knows. That’s his house over there.” Wolmar points to the Dralst house. He avoided pointing anything out about ratmen, as he didn’t want to be called a liar or taken in for further questioning.
“Alright.” the sergeant gestures for a guard to follow him as he heads towards the house. “You’re free to go, but don’t venture too far. We might have further questions.” He tells Wolmar as he leaves.
At long last, the party is free to go to a well deserved rest.
Bookkeeping & Advancement
Wealth die increased by another die temporarily as a Reward to a d10.
I’ll give each Character an Advancement.
Abenzio: New Edge: Improved Nerves of Steel
Elhali: Raise two Skills: Stealth d6, Thievery d4
Greta: Raise two Skills: Healing d6, Spellcasting (Alchemy) d6
Wolmar: New Edge: Hard to Kill
Adventure Summary
The way the adventure evolved it was pretty straightforward. The twists of the oracle on the module did play their part so that things were kept interesting.
For example, the screams and additional blood trail at the beginning which forced the characters to abandon their downed foe, and also not spend any time investigating the townhouse. This had three immediate effects: there was no chance for interrogating Tavelli or disguising as him, they didn’t take the bombs that could be used against Skaven, but on the other hand, they moved quickly, and reached Klaus in time to save him.
The poison trap was interesting, but the fight against the cultists was boring (I’ll get to that later). A really lucky roll from Elhali let them get past the Skaven without trouble, and due to the way this happened, they got the man without facing Skretth or the Skaven. This was a bit undramatic, but, hey it worked.
I loved the twist with the warpstone at the end, which allows for some interesting plot hooks for the future, as Klaus will become a mutant.
The choices of solo tools worked well more or less. I enjoyed the use of PUM’s Oracle, and SUM was great for the interrogation and seeing if the NPC is lying part, something where Let’s Talk doesn’t apply. MUNE fit well also for using TWENE for Room twists in a dungeon.
Though I’m currently thinking if I should add an extra layer of twists with regards to the map layout. Perhaps roll 1d6 and on 1 remove an exit, and on 6 add another one? Not sure yet. Will still keep this in mind.
Finally, I’m back to the use of Savage Worlds. I still face the same issue I had in the previous adventure. The new Gritty Damage hack seems to work better this time however, Savage Worlds is too Pulpy for Warhammer, no matter how Grittier I make it.
Abenzio is more or less impervious to most common mooks, as they need to get really high results in both attack and damage rolls to hurt him. Now that the rest of the party starts getting equipped properly, the risk of injury is too low, and with the use of Bennies it goes to near nil.
The fight against the cultists in the tunnel was especially boring in the first few rounds, where nothing happened, and remained boring later on as well. Too many misses or attacks that didn’t harm anyone at all.
The poison trap could have made sort work of my party, but the Bennies saved them. Bennies saved Greta from a mutation as well (I am not unhappy with this, as player might have not went for the green glowing blackish crystal after all, and let it be).
Of course in a different environment the party might fare differently. Missile and magical attacks could potentially bring Abenzio down, and things could become dire.
I’m left wondering if I should switch systems or give it another shot.
Solo, Pen, Paper and Dice 
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