Stone-Hell on the Borderlands Session 1 24APR2023

 

 The Realm of mankind is narrow and constricted. Always the forces of Chaos press upon its borders, seeking to enslave its populace, rape its riches, and steal its treasures. If it were not for a stout few, many in the Realm would indeed fall prey to the evil which surrounds them. Yet, there are always certain exceptional and brave members of humanity, as well as similar individuals among its allies - Dwarf, Elf, and Halflings - who rise above the common level and join battle to stave off the darkness which would otherwise overwhelm the land. Bold adventurers from the Realm set off for the Borderlands to seek their fortune. It is these adventurers who, provided they survive the challenge, carry the battle to the enemy. Such adventurers meet the forces of Chaos in a testing ground where only the fittest will return to relate the tale. Here, these individuals will become skilled in their profession, be it Fighter, Ranger or Magic-User, Cleric, Paladin or Thief. They will be tried in the fire of combat, those who return, hardened and more fit. True, some few who do survive the process will turn from Law and Good and serve the masters of Chaos, but most will remain faithful and ready to fight Chaos wherever it threatens to infect the Realm.

   You are indeed members of that exceptional class, adventurers who have journeyed to the Kendall Keep; A Keep on the Borderlands, in search of fame and fortune. Of course you are inexperienced compared to some, but you have your skills and a heart that cries out for adventure. You have it in you to become Great, but you must gain experience and knowledge and greater skill. There is much to learn, and you are willing and eager to be about it! Each of you has come with everything which could possibly be given you to help. Now you must fend for yourselves; your fate is in your hands, for better or worse.

   Ahead, up the winding road, atop a sheer-wailed mount of stone, looms the great Kendall Keep. Here, at one of civilization’s strongholds between good lands and bad, you will base yourselves and equip for forays against the wicked monsters who lurk in the wilds. Somewhere nearby, amidst the dark forests and tangled fens, are the Night-Haunted Halls of Stone-Hell  where fell creatures lie in wait. All this you know, but before you dare adventure into such regions you must become acquainted with the other members of your group, for each life will depend upon the ability of the others to cooperate against the common foe. Now, before you enter the grim fortress, is the time for introductions and an exchange of information, for fate seems to have decreed that you are to become an adventurous band who must pass through many harrowing experiences together on the path which leads towards Greatness.

   

   How many great campaigns started off with those words ... I think I am well into about a dozen or more honestly. Returning to Kendell Keep; Castellan Keep or simply the Keep on the Borderlands, with a group of 5 players. Replacing the Caves of Chaos with Stone-Hell and not planting the Tomb of Horrors amongst the various Caverns and dungeons in that craggy valley. I have a sick sense of humor what can I say <shrug> has been refreshing. We started this new campaign off Monday night and I stumbled honestly and had to shake the rust off my cobwebbed noggin but got back into the groove fairly quickly. A brief recap of what 'went down' this week.

   Our adventuring party; no formal Group name yet a bit disappointing but meh, entered the Keep proper after a brief summarization of why they had traveled to the Borderlands and description of the regions weather which I honestly parallel to my current weather patterns so unnaturally shill but warming rapidly. They role played a bit with the Gate Guards Larul & Churul; as tempted to make it Larry & Charlie but let's Renfaire it a tad bit why not, before meeting Rufus Corporal of the Guard & Felix the Scribe. Felix being dismissive and Rufus rough and gruff and a wee bit aggressive about why the party was coming to the Keep. They surmised they are adventurers heading to Stone-Hell and were but staying in the Keep for a brief stay. The Road Tax for travelers of 5 Copper Coin was collected and notes made in the Keep's Ledgers the Party sought out you guessed it, the Tavern. As the Party headed to the nearest drinking establishment Felix, Rufus and Larul placed wagers on if they were return from Stone-Hell when they eventually make their way there ...

   A brief description of the Militaristic set-up of the buildings and layout was relayed to the party who seemed to pay it little mind and a brief run down of the local shops they passed on their way to the Tavern. Smith & Forge Hard Cider, Petro's Provisions and Trader Joes. Did I mention I can be quite Tongue-in-Cheek about my games ? The familiar Traveler's Inn to older adventurers was on the main plaza waiting for those needing to rest and the Tavern simply named the Tavern was full of locals enjoying an evening meal and good drink.

 [15 of a 4d4 roll and zero notable NPCs @10% Chance apiece]

Rarely explain why you are dropping dice at a table virtual or otherwise, the Players imagination will fill in the void adding opportunities for Red Herrings and Diversions.

   I think this Blog Series on Minds will turn into a How-To OSR style and How-Bubba-Does-Shit Tutorial as well as Recap. I'm cool with that though, <shrug.exe> 

   Anyway, The Tavern became an opportunity to flesh out the party's characters and learn some rumors. Now I say I adapted this from the original KotB but some things I left unadjusted like the menu prices and once Cinnamon told the party the costs of Food & Drink it became obvious that Keep Costs were above the Parties meager starting resources, curiously the Druid Jeri had more disposable income. The Player who is running the Druid is one who likes Bards, I hate bards and consider them annoying and a role to be assumed by other classes but his persona is developing into a Lebowski-Style Hippy who whips out the guitar around crowds. Your Druid can be the Bard and fits tbh more easily than a leacherous dandy for a fantasy game. He immediately raises the spirits of the Tavern crowd with music and the Halfling Daagun Digsbridge joins in with a chorus. 

[Reaction roll from the Druid is a 10 w/an unannounced +2 I added mentally for a 12 ! Everyone loves the upbeat bard-core stairway to heaven and the Halfling rolls a reaction as well at 8 w/similar unannounced +2]

   Drinks are sent over and people favorably view the normally detested adventurer types a conversation is started up with Cinnamon their comely tavern Girl and one of two sisters who work there for their father the proprietor. Mild flirtations are announced by players and the Dwarf Stonus Diamondus joins into song with a liturgy of profanity and inability to carry a tune to a Tavern response of groans & urging to stick to delving and please cut it out.

[ Snake Eyes Reaction Roll but this only slightly dampens the mood of the Tavern as Jeri switches to another instrument and Gottri slides his Free Small Beer to his Dwarf Ally who stops singing to Drink ]

   The Party discovers that there is a Spring Planting Festival the following week and Cinnamon is 17 and excited for Big Candy Apples and is confused by why everyone is Ok with the sudden chilly weather oblivious to its effect upon her bodice. Decided upon a quick NPC personality cliche of attractive clueless ditzy Tavern Girl. A quick discussion on how raunchy comedy the party is comfortable with and Fantasy/Medieval levels of  behavior versus our current times. I think its best to do the wink and a nod add a smirk and chuckle as opposed to descriptive erotica in my games, that's just fekkin creepy. I do feel we are gonna have a Keep Romance (Reaction Rolls were already Positive) between the Druid & the Tavern Girls Cinnamon & Savannah with Players not rolling starting age or giving it a thought. The rest of the Party are Demi-Humans so only one Lank as the Dwarf Stonus would say for all the Tavern Wenches in the Keep. Rival adventuring party with the easy to hate Chad Pally or Knight in the future ? Maybe, Dunno I'll let that stew and see how this works out

   The rumors learned of Stone-Hell from Cinnamon was that there are various humanoid tribes in the Valley and in the Dungeon itself as well as a giant cave of Carcass Crawlers (Carrion Crawlers Rebranded) who feasted upon the poor unfortunate souls that perished in the it's former role as prison and social experiment. Stern looks could be discerned from Cinnamons brother the cook as she lingered long with the Druid. I figured I would introduce a few NPCs to the Tavern and brought in Stefan Har'Well the Jewel Merchant and his Half-Elfin Wife Bambi who had words with some of the Men-at-Arms about Bandits upon the Road accosting his endeavors in the region costing him money and forcing him to stay longer in the Keep to recoup his losses. The party interjects itself into the conversation and teh Merchant infers that the Castellon would reward those who put an end to these issues and he knew they skulked in the ruins of Stone-Hell while the Men-at-Arms insisted the Merchant Guild would reimburse brave adventurers and heroes but that there was no posted Bounty upon Bandits. Yellow and Black Checkered Head scarves were said to be an identifying symbol of these brigands though by the merchant. Shortly after the Party split up to take care of minor details before calling it a night at the Taverns Inn.

   Balmortis the Elf Cleric/Magic-User inquired at the Chapel about faithly matters and encountered the Curate (5th Level Cleric) and made a small donation which nets him a future positive relationship with the St Ygg Curate. Jeri headed over to the Stables and encountered Godfrey the Simpleton Lackey as well as the proprietor of the Stables giving advice on care and feeding before departing back to the Inn. Leaving the Halfling and Dwarves to gain rooms at the Inn. 1 SP Common Room or 1 GP/Night single Rooms with the Common Room fitting the Parties budget. They immediately set out the next morn to Stone-Hell. I was surprised they did not inquire more about local matters choosing instead to venture into the Heart of Hell ASAP.

   Uneventful travel as it is but a two day walk to Stone-Hell with the observation of a Ruined Tower at the crossroads ad a debate on Delving into its location before Stone-Hell with the Mega-Dungeon winning out over small ruins. On the eve of heading across the old military road in the shadow of gibbets though they encounter a single wolf before dawn. The wolf is fed by the Dwarf Gottri and smells him before wandering off in to the darkness.

[Box Car Reaction Monster Reaction Roll, Future encounters with a Single Wolf will be this particular Lone Wolf Looking for a pack, I do allow PCs to use the Henchman Slot for dedicated animal companions but since the player had secondary skill as jeweler instead of Animal Handler I will let the dice create this opportunity later on]

 This is getting long for a recap of a 3 hour session, anyway

 They travel through the Swamp that separates Stone-Hell from from the main road on a raised road which sits about 3 feet above the swamp water with many culverts preventing erosion. Gibbets are spaced every 20 feet along the 1 1/2 mile road though the swamp with little light piercing the canopy. a heavy mist covers the water making it difficult to see anything beyond 1 feet from the edge of the  road. After traversing the road and encountering none of the murderous flamingos warned bout by the patrons of the Tavern they come upon the ruins of the Gate House to the Valley. A broken set of doors lay in the grass, graffiti is painted upon the old walls and rubble to the north and south mark were the walls have fallen due to a siege or neglect or more likely a bit of both. They opt to climb up on the roof from the northern breach and after the Dwarves inspect the stone work from the ground; the crenellations they loop with a lasso are 20 feet above after all, they say well 50/50 it all falls down and send the Halfling up the rope. After the party makes it to the roof, first time a party did  this to me in Stone-Hell by the way, they fail to open the first Trapdoor they find and note the general decay of the roof with the run off clogged by dirt and bird droppings they can see the water damage done above and note it drains into the Gate House. They have better luck with the second trap door ...

[Three 6's in a row on Open Door Checks ... just saying]

   They discover several abandoned rooms and opt to head north towards the other trapdoor. This leaves an unexplored room to the South. They discover a Murder Hole Room above the main Hall they avoided and note freshly stacked rocks which have been used in the recent past due to chipped flooring below, blood stains below and upon some of the stacked rocks. Goblin Graffiti decorates the walls and a reference to "Iron Beaver" ? The next room is wrecked but has one large Cask untouched with a leather satchel upon it but this is below a large hornet's nest which the Druid Jeri advises is best avoided. The next chamber revealed a ladder down and obvious signs of habitation. The pace picks up quite a bit in the gate house compared to earlier in the session but its the last hour and they have gained no treasure or fought any critters or foul beasts of chaos, this is usually where mistakes are made ;)

   I honestly made a few mistakes here running as DM.I tend to hit the bed at 900/930 and I schedule my game sessions to 11. One of our players is working 12 hours atm and bailed early leaving me to run his character as a NPC, he is normally a quiet reactive player so this is no big deal. Quick glance at a mundane encounter chart instead of a rom reference I make reference to giggling and laughter they hear when in actuality there are goblins chomping on week old deer. The Gate House is partially haunted so this is easy to explain over in the next session but the party also discovers the perils of low level play. The upper level had arrow slits allowing light in so it had been described as Shadowy and Dim, the Halfling and Human Druid have not a torch between them so this lower level has no arrow slits so the light available from the trap door and an open door around the corner are the only lighting available. Too poor for Torches ...

    The Dwarves take lead and noting they have about 20 minutes left of play time kick the door in. Yup, every door has been searched for traps up and until the last door which is blindly kicked open with the human and halfling hanging back and the Elf at the ladder. I know the Balmortis player personally that is totally where that Elf would be standing, as far away from the door as possible lol.  I allow the players to roll surprise as they catch the 5 goblins who have been foreshadowed in the second floor and are primarily nocturnal unawares. It is a quick combat with no damage taken, all Goblins slain or dying. The party decides to take the two barely breathing goblins; I inadvertently let slip they were at 0 HP instead of just dead, as prisoners and discovered they have but a single bit of rope left to the party as whole as the other rope is still hanging from the crenellations on the roof. 

   One of my Non-OSRer House Rules, You ain't dead at 0, its a lottery, you're unconscious and defenseless. After 12 hours you awaken with a single HP. A bit longer than your 8 hour rest for a single HP + CON Bonus but fiction is full of heroes waking up on the battlefield after being wounded or knocked harshly upon the noggin. Same for the Monsters you fight, some may survive after you reduced them to 0 and leave them without coin purse, weapons and boots. Hard to land on 0HP with critters getting multiple attacks and fireballs but Hope is always cute to give to players even if it is rare. 

  So the first session spanned 3 days with the party ending session in a ruined gate house with a bit of knowledge, a small bit of coin (The goblins had 33 EP between them all and a fairly valuable Copper Nose Ring) & in Two Week they are gonna pick up and see what information they can glean from the goblins. I Think Torture is on the Menu but I run a 3 Axis Alignment System so there is ALLOT of Grey Area for Players.

#OSR #OSE #ttrpg #SHotB