The ogre swings its makeshift club wildly at you as you deftly feint to the right and then dodge left. Your move puts the behemoth off balance, and you seize the opportunity to swing your sword into its unprotected right flank. You feel the crack of ribs as your sword bites deep into its side, and the ogre emits a howl of pain and rage. The path east winds around ...
Oops, wrong page. Right, page 62...
The monster again swings wildly, but you nimbly duck and counter with a thrust up under its crude breastplate and into its soft underbelly. The beast drops its club in surprise and grasps its stomach, desperately trying to keep its entrails from spilling out. It looks at you first in surprise and then horror as it stumbles backwards and collapses into the fire pit. You quickly untie the two prisoners and usher them into the woods, but the female prisoner resists and instead approaches the ogre's burnt body. She rifles through the beast's pouches and pulls forth a small, nondescript silver ring, which she then hands to you. "My husband is dead and so will no longer need this," she says sadly, "but the service you have done me today deserves a reward. When you wear this ring, you will become completely invisible to everyone else." You escort the two former prisoners back to the site of the attack and the young girl still hiding in the grass. The small group again mourns their dead but thanks you for reuniting those that are left. The three depart on foot towards Berenford to the south, and you are left to continue traveling north towards Mount Redigar.
The path north is uneventful, and a quick encampment allows you to get a few hours' rest before continuing north in the early morning. Before long, you come upon a single traveler going in the opposite direction. He leans heavily on a walking stick, and his gray beard blends perfectly into his flowing robes. "Excuse me, sir," he beckons to you, "You look to be a warrior of some skill. Would you, by chance, be traveling to see Lord Fernault at Mount Redigar?"
Responses:
1. Tell him you are going to rid the region of Lord Fernault.
2. Tell him you are going to try to join Lord Fernault's army.
3. Deny that you are going to Mount Redigar.
4. Ignore him and continue north to Mount Redigar.
An eventful outing, killing the ogre and earning a ring of invisibility. There was also a text error, and some behind the scenes stuff that I'll put in a spoiler.
Beating the ogre came with your first die roll - 5 on a d6. With my revised standards, you needed a 4 or higher for success in this fight. The original version ... you would have failed, and died.
This victory earns you one action point (abbreviated "XP" in its variable name), which can save you from the consequences of a bad die roll in the final battle.
2. Tell him you are going to try to join Lord Fernault's army.
"Ah, it seems I was wrong about you," he shrugs. "Sorry to bother you then." He whistles a light tune as he continues south, and you are left alone on the road north. You travel north another day and spend another fitful night beneath the stars before at last reaching Redigar in the morning. The lonely mountain dominates the sky, and you can see a curl of smoke issuing forth from the summit. It doesn't take long for you to locate a cave entrance that is remarkably unguarded. You venture within. The torchlit passage slopes downwards for some way before evening out, and a breeze—warm, dry, and stifling—washes over you and causes the torchlight to dance playfully on the walls. From far away, you hear a strange, guttural barking in a tongue you do not understand, but you soon realize that it is, in fact, singing. The voice is rough, deep, and completely inhuman. The singing grows louder as you approach a doorway. Peeking around the edge, you see a crude kitchen with scattered tables holding a plethora of haphazard spices, foodstuffs, and cooking implements. A large fire pit dominates the center of the room, over which hangs a heavy boiling cauldron supported by an iron rod set between two massive oaken beams. A troll, humming a tuneless melody, uses a human femur to stir the contents. The passage leads onward past the doorway and further into the mountain. You also see a second passage out of the kitchen directly across from your position, although the troll lies between you and it.
Responses:
1. Continue further along the same passage.
2. Attack the troll.
3. Try to sneak past the troll to the second passage.
4. Put on your ring of invisibility and walk past the troll to the second passage.
OOC: The responses on this one have a confused mess for their trigger conditions; by default, using the ring tests for an entirely different variable. I've done my best to correct this, but there's guesswork involved.
The passage descends a bit further, and before long you hear the sound of rough laughter. You slowly approach a doorway at the end of the hallway to see several human guards playing cards and drinking profusely. They joke raucously as they throw bits of meat or slugs of ale at each other and generally act like drunken degenerates. You see another exit further into the mountain directly across the room from you.
Responses:
1. Return back up the passage to the troll.
2. Attack the guards.
3. Enter the room authoritatively and bluff your way past the guards.
4. Put on your ring of invisibility and sneak past the guards.
Don the ring of invisibility and sneak past the guards.
You slip the ring on, step boldly into the room, and head to the opposite exit. The guards are so engrossed in their cards and food fight that they don't even hear your footsteps. Soon, you have put the group behind you and are heading further into the mountain. A short distance later, the passage widens into a room roughly thirty feet square with a recess in the far wall that is covered by heavy iron bars surrounding a crude, locked oaken door. At first, you see only darkness when you peer into the gloom behind the bars, but then the shadows shift and two figures emerge: a middle-aged man with piercing blue eyes and a wild, unkempt beard and a pretty young girl in her teens. The man eyes you warily. "You don't look familiar," he states hesitantly. "Are you with our captors?"
Responses:
1. Answer that you are not.
2. Answer that you are.
3. Ask who they are.
He sighs, "I am Aldaron and this is Peldea, both of the village of Berenford. Peldea is a hostage kept here to ensure her father, a blacksmith, works adequately to supply Lord Fernault's troops with weapons. I came here some days ago hoping to talk the lord into leaving the region, and if he would not see reason, I was prepared to kill him. I am a priest of Lathander, you see, and I thought the Morninglord would protect me, but I was not prepared for what I found here." "I convinced the guards to let me meet Lord Fernault. They laughed, but in the end, they agreed. But when I was led into his chamber, I saw very little of Fernault. It was a huge cavern, and he spoke from the shadows. I pleaded with him to leave, but he gave my request no regard. After a few minutes, he tired of the conversation, and that's when he made his move." "The shadow itself surrounded me. I could barely take it in before I was knocked unconscious. The next thing I knew, I awoke in this cell, and I've been a prisoner ever since. I never got a good look at Lord Fernault, but this I know. He is most definitely not human, nor is he an elf or dwarf or anything else you might expect." "Now, I would beg you to free us, but the key is in Fernault's chamber, and I fear you will have no better luck than I did. However, if you can recover the keys and free me, I shall help you do battle with Lord Fernault if you so choose." You bid the pair farewell and continue on further into the mountain. The passage into the mountain now takes a deep plunge, and the air becomes stifling as the little breeze that once existed stills. After some time, the tunnel gives way to a large cavern dotted by torches that fail to completely illuminate the gloom. A crude throne sits upon a stone dais hewn into the far end, and the cavern is littered with large piles of coins and jewels.
Responses:
1. Enter the cavern cautiously.
2. Enter the cavern boldly.
3. Put on your ring of invisibility and sneak into the cavern.
3. Put on your ring of invisibility and sneak into the cavern.
You slip on your ring of invisibility and enter the chamber, coolly surveying the cavern for any signs of movement. The air is now so hot that sweat pours down your face, and you hear nothing except the popping of the flickering torches. Suddenly, a voice rings out. "Do you really think such petty magics will fool me? Your attempt at deception would be laughable were it not so insulting!" "I see you, puny one," slithers the mellifluous tenor. The voice echoes around the cavern, but you are unable to see any living being through the gloom. "I am curious as to why you have entered the domain of Fernault the Ravager. That you have done so proves you are either very brave... or very stupid."
Responses:
1. Ask that Fernault leave the people here in peace.
2. Demand that Fernault leave the people here in peace.
3. Ask that Fernault free his two prisoners.
4. Demand that Fernault free his two prisoners.
5. State that you are a treasure hunter and are here for the gold and jewels.
The voice laughs hollowly. "And what possible reason would I have to do that when everything here is proceeding exactly as I desire it?"
Responses:
1. Threaten the voice with death if it does not give in to your demands.
2. Offer gold if the voice will give in to your demands.
OOC: The original text on the responses here was broken; both of them had the same text that obviously didn't belong. I'm making an educated guess here as to what they should say.
2. Offer gold if the voice will give in to your demands.
"I smell gold as easily as you insignificant worms smell a roast on a flame, and you do not have enough gold to buy any favor from me, no matter how insignificant. And even if you did, I would simply kill you and take it. Now I have lost interest in you, but I will allow you to go in peace if you leave at once."
Responses:
1. Threaten the voice with death if it does not give in to your demands.
2. Leave Mount Redigar and abandon the quest.
Threaten the voice with death if it does not give in to your demands.
"Death? YOU think to cause MY death? So very foolish. But at least you are right in sensing that this conversation is bound to lead nowhere but violence." The very shadows begin to shift and coalesce into a frightening figure—tall, muscular, and bulky—that stands up, filling the cavern. Two expansive wings explode outwards and a pair of massive paws bearing a bevy of two-foot-long talons scrape down upon the floor a few feet in front of you. The entire figure is coated in thick scales, a seemingly impenetrable armor dark maroon in color. The sight of the massive dragon is overwhelming, and fear begins to well up in you uncontrollably. You turn to flee, but the moment you sever your gaze from the creature, the fear dissipates to a controllable level. You have little time to think on it further as you draw your sword and turn to face the creature. The fanged jaws open and begin to inhale air in such volume that you fear you might be sucked up into them. Looking deep into the beast's throat, you see the air intake is acting as a bellows within the creature's gut. The great furnace within is even now building a large flame that erupts into the creature's throat, and you realize with dread that the air that is getting sucked in must also eventually be blown out. You dive back into the narrow passage, hoping the walls will protect you from the inferno about to be unleashed. You slam yourself to the ground hoping to find any cover that might shield you from the flames, but it is too late. The oxygen is burned away, starving your lungs and suffocating you as your body is engulfed in the searing heat. It doesn't take long for you to lose consciousness, never to awaken again. Oh well, you died, but this has been known to happen in this game. Despite this, was it a fun game?
Responses:
1. Yes, I enjoyed it very much.
2. Well, it was a game.
3. It wasn't very good, no.
Roll versus dragon fear: 5 on a d6. Success (5+ needed).
Roll versus dragon fire: 2 on a d6. Failure (5+ needed).
Both of these could have been negated with items that you didn't get this time, though failing the fear save wouldn't have killed you.
And you didn't even reach the part of the battle in which action points can be spent.
OOC: It looks like the fighter thread is particularly hard to survive. I'm guessing we should have given a different answer to the traveler with the grey beard and maybe he would have helped us? I also think we might need some loaded dice.
Excellent! Which class would you like: a fighter, a wizard, or a thief?
Responses:
1. I shall take on the role of a fighter.
2. A wizard sounds like it would be fun.
3. I've always enjoyed sneaking around. Let me try being a thief.
4. Eh, I would rather quit after all.
OOC: Regardless of your choices in the fighter route, you do need cooperative dice. I have the chance of a full victory with optimal play at about 7%. After the tweaks I made to improve the player's chances. The odds are very much against you, particularly in that final fight.
3. I've always enjoyed sneaking around. Let me try being a thief.
Ooh, a thief! That's fun. You know, I once stole something. Yep. It's true. There was a pie pan by the bedroom window of a villager back in Nashkel, and it was completely full. I stole it and took a bite. Turns out it was actually a bed pan. Never really had a taste for pie after that. Yeah, so let me just get my Tome of Adventure and we can begin the game. Okay, here it is. Let's start! You are a professional thief, and a rather talented one at that. You have spent most of your career performing jobs for various trade guilds, mercenary groups, and the occasional noble here and there. Your last job went well, but the noble who hired you cheated you on your payment. In an attempt to recoup your losses, you broke into his personal offices, searching for his safe. Instead, you found a stash of documents which indicated the location of a powerful magical ring owned by a rich merchant in the nearby town of Galenwood. The papers explained that the ring was able to amplify the wearer's natural talents of sneaking and innate dexterity. Apparently, the noble had intentions of stealing the ring for himself. To your astonishment, the documents also hinted that the ring had the ability to turn its wearer invisible as well. The location of the house, and even the location of the safe room in which the ring is kept, were indicated in the documents. You took them and proceeded to the town of Galenwood immediately. The road to Galenwood is heavily wooded, with thick underbrush on either side. Thick tree branches extend across the road just above head level and form a canopy which shields the road from direct sunlight. As you reflect on the beauty of the scene, you hear movement and voices behind you. The voices are distant, but your sharp ears are able to pick up a few words, "...will be rewarded for getting the documents back... thief won't get far..." Looking back, you see nothing and realize you have not been seen yet. You have a few minutes to act.
Responses:
1. Stand in the road and await your pursuers.
2. Set a trap beneath the leaves on the road.
3. Climb into the branches directly above the road.
Comments
(Hey we have a magical sword and he might eat the prisoners.)
((OOC: Am I the only one who sometimes tries clicking the answers?))
The ogre swings its makeshift club wildly at you as you deftly feint to the right and then dodge left. Your move puts the behemoth off balance, and you seize the opportunity to swing your sword into its unprotected right flank. You feel the crack of ribs as your sword bites deep into its side, and the ogre emits a howl of pain and rage.
The path east winds around ...
Oops, wrong page. Right, page 62...
The monster again swings wildly, but you nimbly duck and counter with a thrust up under its crude breastplate and into its soft underbelly. The beast drops its club in surprise and grasps its stomach, desperately trying to keep its entrails from spilling out. It looks at you first in surprise and then horror as it stumbles backwards and collapses into the fire pit.
You quickly untie the two prisoners and usher them into the woods, but the female prisoner resists and instead approaches the ogre's burnt body. She rifles through the beast's pouches and pulls forth a small, nondescript silver ring, which she then hands to you. "My husband is dead and so will no longer need this," she says sadly, "but the service you have done me today deserves a reward. When you wear this ring, you will become completely invisible to everyone else."
You escort the two former prisoners back to the site of the attack and the young girl still hiding in the grass. The small group again mourns their dead but thanks you for reuniting those that are left. The three depart on foot towards Berenford to the south, and you are left to continue traveling north towards Mount Redigar.
The path north is uneventful, and a quick encampment allows you to get a few hours' rest before continuing north in the early morning. Before long, you come upon a single traveler going in the opposite direction. He leans heavily on a walking stick, and his gray beard blends perfectly into his flowing robes. "Excuse me, sir," he beckons to you, "You look to be a warrior of some skill. Would you, by chance, be traveling to see Lord Fernault at Mount Redigar?"
Responses:
1. Tell him you are going to rid the region of Lord Fernault.
2. Tell him you are going to try to join Lord Fernault's army.
3. Deny that you are going to Mount Redigar.
4. Ignore him and continue north to Mount Redigar.
An eventful outing, killing the ogre and earning a ring of invisibility. There was also a text error, and some behind the scenes stuff that I'll put in a spoiler.
This victory earns you one action point (abbreviated "XP" in its variable name), which can save you from the consequences of a bad die roll in the final battle.
"Ah, it seems I was wrong about you," he shrugs. "Sorry to bother you then." He whistles a light tune as he continues south, and you are left alone on the road north.
You travel north another day and spend another fitful night beneath the stars before at last reaching Redigar in the morning. The lonely mountain dominates the sky, and you can see a curl of smoke issuing forth from the summit. It doesn't take long for you to locate a cave entrance that is remarkably unguarded. You venture within.
The torchlit passage slopes downwards for some way before evening out, and a breeze—warm, dry, and stifling—washes over you and causes the torchlight to dance playfully on the walls. From far away, you hear a strange, guttural barking in a tongue you do not understand, but you soon realize that it is, in fact, singing. The voice is rough, deep, and completely inhuman.
The singing grows louder as you approach a doorway. Peeking around the edge, you see a crude kitchen with scattered tables holding a plethora of haphazard spices, foodstuffs, and cooking implements. A large fire pit dominates the center of the room, over which hangs a heavy boiling cauldron supported by an iron rod set between two massive oaken beams. A troll, humming a tuneless melody, uses a human femur to stir the contents.
The passage leads onward past the doorway and further into the mountain. You also see a second passage out of the kitchen directly across from your position, although the troll lies between you and it.
Responses:
1. Continue further along the same passage.
2. Attack the troll.
3. Try to sneak past the troll to the second passage.
4. Put on your ring of invisibility and walk past the troll to the second passage.
OOC: The responses on this one have a confused mess for their trigger conditions; by default, using the ring tests for an entirely different variable. I've done my best to correct this, but there's guesswork involved.
The passage descends a bit further, and before long you hear the sound of rough laughter. You slowly approach a doorway at the end of the hallway to see several human guards playing cards and drinking profusely. They joke raucously as they throw bits of meat or slugs of ale at each other and generally act like drunken degenerates. You see another exit further into the mountain directly across the room from you.
Responses:
1. Return back up the passage to the troll.
2. Attack the guards.
3. Enter the room authoritatively and bluff your way past the guards.
4. Put on your ring of invisibility and sneak past the guards.
Well, now you see what the other choice is.
You slip the ring on, step boldly into the room, and head to the opposite exit. The guards are so engrossed in their cards and food fight that they don't even hear your footsteps. Soon, you have put the group behind you and are heading further into the mountain.
A short distance later, the passage widens into a room roughly thirty feet square with a recess in the far wall that is covered by heavy iron bars surrounding a crude, locked oaken door. At first, you see only darkness when you peer into the gloom behind the bars, but then the shadows shift and two figures emerge: a middle-aged man with piercing blue eyes and a wild, unkempt beard and a pretty young girl in her teens.
The man eyes you warily. "You don't look familiar," he states hesitantly. "Are you with our captors?"
Responses:
1. Answer that you are not.
2. Answer that you are.
3. Ask who they are.
He sighs, "I am Aldaron and this is Peldea, both of the village of Berenford. Peldea is a hostage kept here to ensure her father, a blacksmith, works adequately to supply Lord Fernault's troops with weapons. I came here some days ago hoping to talk the lord into leaving the region, and if he would not see reason, I was prepared to kill him. I am a priest of Lathander, you see, and I thought the Morninglord would protect me, but I was not prepared for what I found here."
"I convinced the guards to let me meet Lord Fernault. They laughed, but in the end, they agreed. But when I was led into his chamber, I saw very little of Fernault. It was a huge cavern, and he spoke from the shadows. I pleaded with him to leave, but he gave my request no regard. After a few minutes, he tired of the conversation, and that's when he made his move."
"The shadow itself surrounded me. I could barely take it in before I was knocked unconscious. The next thing I knew, I awoke in this cell, and I've been a prisoner ever since. I never got a good look at Lord Fernault, but this I know. He is most definitely not human, nor is he an elf or dwarf or anything else you might expect."
"Now, I would beg you to free us, but the key is in Fernault's chamber, and I fear you will have no better luck than I did. However, if you can recover the keys and free me, I shall help you do battle with Lord Fernault if you so choose." You bid the pair farewell and continue on further into the mountain.
The passage into the mountain now takes a deep plunge, and the air becomes stifling as the little breeze that once existed stills. After some time, the tunnel gives way to a large cavern dotted by torches that fail to completely illuminate the gloom. A crude throne sits upon a stone dais hewn into the far end, and the cavern is littered with large piles of coins and jewels.
Responses:
1. Enter the cavern cautiously.
2. Enter the cavern boldly.
3. Put on your ring of invisibility and sneak into the cavern.
You slip on your ring of invisibility and enter the chamber, coolly surveying the cavern for any signs of movement. The air is now so hot that sweat pours down your face, and you hear nothing except the popping of the flickering torches. Suddenly, a voice rings out. "Do you really think such petty magics will fool me? Your attempt at deception would be laughable were it not so insulting!"
"I see you, puny one," slithers the mellifluous tenor. The voice echoes around the cavern, but you are unable to see any living being through the gloom. "I am curious as to why you have entered the domain of Fernault the Ravager. That you have done so proves you are either very brave... or very stupid."
Responses:
1. Ask that Fernault leave the people here in peace.
2. Demand that Fernault leave the people here in peace.
3. Ask that Fernault free his two prisoners.
4. Demand that Fernault free his two prisoners.
5. State that you are a treasure hunter and are here for the gold and jewels.
The voice laughs hollowly. "And what possible reason would I have to do that when everything here is proceeding exactly as I desire it?"
Responses:
1. Threaten the voice with death if it does not give in to your demands.
2. Offer gold if the voice will give in to your demands.
OOC: The original text on the responses here was broken; both of them had the same text that obviously didn't belong. I'm making an educated guess here as to what they should say.
"I smell gold as easily as you insignificant worms smell a roast on a flame, and you do not have enough gold to buy any favor from me, no matter how insignificant. And even if you did, I would simply kill you and take it. Now I have lost interest in you, but I will allow you to go in peace if you leave at once."
Responses:
1. Threaten the voice with death if it does not give in to your demands.
2. Leave Mount Redigar and abandon the quest.
"Death? YOU think to cause MY death? So very foolish. But at least you are right in sensing that this conversation is bound to lead nowhere but violence."
The very shadows begin to shift and coalesce into a frightening figure—tall, muscular, and bulky—that stands up, filling the cavern. Two expansive wings explode outwards and a pair of massive paws bearing a bevy of two-foot-long talons scrape down upon the floor a few feet in front of you. The entire figure is coated in thick scales, a seemingly impenetrable armor dark maroon in color.
The sight of the massive dragon is overwhelming, and fear begins to well up in you uncontrollably. You turn to flee, but the moment you sever your gaze from the creature, the fear dissipates to a controllable level. You have little time to think on it further as you draw your sword and turn to face the creature.
The fanged jaws open and begin to inhale air in such volume that you fear you might be sucked up into them. Looking deep into the beast's throat, you see the air intake is acting as a bellows within the creature's gut. The great furnace within is even now building a large flame that erupts into the creature's throat, and you realize with dread that the air that is getting sucked in must also eventually be blown out. You dive back into the narrow passage, hoping the walls will protect you from the inferno about to be unleashed.
You slam yourself to the ground hoping to find any cover that might shield you from the flames, but it is too late. The oxygen is burned away, starving your lungs and suffocating you as your body is engulfed in the searing heat. It doesn't take long for you to lose consciousness, never to awaken again.
Oh well, you died, but this has been known to happen in this game. Despite this, was it a fun game?
Responses:
1. Yes, I enjoyed it very much.
2. Well, it was a game.
3. It wasn't very good, no.
Roll versus dragon fire: 2 on a d6. Failure (5+ needed).
Both of these could have been negated with items that you didn't get this time, though failing the fear save wouldn't have killed you.
And you didn't even reach the part of the battle in which action points can be spent.
I'm glad to hear it. Would you, by chance, like to play again or perhaps choose another class?
Responses:
1. Okay, perhaps I will try another class.
2. No, I would rather quit.
Or try thief without my brain-dead "Check the rug" response... ?
Excellent! Which class would you like: a fighter, a wizard, or a thief?
Responses:
1. I shall take on the role of a fighter.
2. A wizard sounds like it would be fun.
3. I've always enjoyed sneaking around. Let me try being a thief.
4. Eh, I would rather quit after all.
OOC: Regardless of your choices in the fighter route, you do need cooperative dice. I have the chance of a full victory with optimal play at about 7%. After the tweaks I made to improve the player's chances. The odds are very much against you, particularly in that final fight.
Ooh, a thief! That's fun. You know, I once stole something. Yep. It's true. There was a pie pan by the bedroom window of a villager back in Nashkel, and it was completely full. I stole it and took a bite. Turns out it was actually a bed pan. Never really had a taste for pie after that.
Yeah, so let me just get my Tome of Adventure and we can begin the game. Okay, here it is. Let's start!
You are a professional thief, and a rather talented one at that. You have spent most of your career performing jobs for various trade guilds, mercenary groups, and the occasional noble here and there.
Your last job went well, but the noble who hired you cheated you on your payment. In an attempt to recoup your losses, you broke into his personal offices, searching for his safe.
Instead, you found a stash of documents which indicated the location of a powerful magical ring owned by a rich merchant in the nearby town of Galenwood. The papers explained that the ring was able to amplify the wearer's natural talents of sneaking and innate dexterity. Apparently, the noble had intentions of stealing the ring for himself.
To your astonishment, the documents also hinted that the ring had the ability to turn its wearer invisible as well. The location of the house, and even the location of the safe room in which the ring is kept, were indicated in the documents. You took them and proceeded to the town of Galenwood immediately.
The road to Galenwood is heavily wooded, with thick underbrush on either side. Thick tree branches extend across the road just above head level and form a canopy which shields the road from direct sunlight.
As you reflect on the beauty of the scene, you hear movement and voices behind you. The voices are distant, but your sharp ears are able to pick up a few words, "...will be rewarded for getting the documents back... thief won't get far..." Looking back, you see nothing and realize you have not been seen yet. You have a few minutes to act.
Responses:
1. Stand in the road and await your pursuers.
2. Set a trap beneath the leaves on the road.
3. Climb into the branches directly above the road.