Stone-Hell on the Borderlands Session #3, 22MAY2023

 

   Third Session creeps up quickly even on a Bi-Weekly play schedule. Some minor things had been taken care of In-Between Session via dedicated discord channels. Liquidation of previous session loot except for a Copper Nose Ring of Exceptional quality looted from a Goblin. Although it had been identified as a Hobgoblin Nose Ring for Slaves. Also a few more rumors added to player's Rumor handouts. They roll a variety but mainly items of note about Kendell Keep's Sewers and the creature known as "The Grey-Stinker".

   A player could not make it so we are short; a Dwarf Player humorously, a PC for this evening's adventure and after a brief discussion and explanation that Gottri is suffering an illness after poking his nose into sewer grates they decide to return to Stone-Hell for a big pay out hopefully. Daagun has no Thieve's Tools still and its 3rd session it is becoming their top priority. Their journey towards the Eastern road heading ot Stone-Hell is filled mainly with discussion on the Druid Jeri's distrust of the Townfolk and Town Guard with the some questions about local farmers and how they are unaffected by Bandit raiding the roads, no homes burned etc it is at this point I decide we should roll a Wandering Monster Check.

[ As per KotB: "Nothing will bother the party when camped outdoors, unless they are within six squares of a numbered encounter area. For each square they are within the six square range there is a 1 in 6 chance that the monsters there will seek them; so at 6 squares there is a 1 in 6 chance, at 5 there is a 2 in 6, at 4 there is a 3 in 6, at 3 there is a 4 in 6, at 2 there is a 5 in 6 and at I square a 6 in 6 - automatic encounter. Treat otherwise as a normal encounter" I take the info in a module as a suggestion, you know like the entirety of the rulebooks too. I decide to roll chance for encounters when near 'Keyed Encounters' & insert road encounters as needed. It is the fringe of the 'Civilized Lands' but the Roads are Patrolled and the local Bandits are keen observers while other creatures are more numerous closer to Stone-Hell. Dice Drop, a 1]

  Having rolled an encounter and they are near "The Raiders Camp" a Keyed encounter I determine that the Bandits are confident in their numbers versus the group's four. Allowing a d6 drop to see if anyone notices and they all roll high. Check for Surprise and get a 6. Regular initiative. A dozen bandits led by Jahkur the Cruel and his trusty lieutenant Hastur call out the party to throw down their coin purses and weapons and they shall allow them to pass on or return to the Keep unmolested. A pair of archers take aim to press the point. The party discusses the situation and a few threats are issued by the bandits who do in fact hold an advantage at 120 feet a pair of archers and at 80' EIGHT SPEARMEN in Leather ! 12 v 4 or 3:1 odds which is a very tough fight for First level characters. Cockiness wins and Balmortis announces almost casually "I cast Sleep, let's end this..." 

 [ Since I Had said they were saying anyone makes funny moves we shoot ya' dead and Balmortis declares an action first I ask for the rest of their actions {Declaration Phase} and roll for Init. They lose and the Elf Balmortis; Such a hard core Dwarf Name for an Elf ~que inner chuckling~, with his 1 AC is hit for 6, disrupted and at ZERO HP so he drops. Now I know its not very Old School OSR but I let Players who are at 0 hit points go unconscious and dead is any negative number. My Game, its how I roll and tis a lottery for the players. I can mentally hear the "God Dammit" from Dennis' house when this happens ]

   They commit to this battle and it takes awhile. The Dwarf Stonus Blackdiamondus (<- OHHH YEA) & Daagun the Halfling move forward and engage the 8 spearmen with Jeri the Druid clinging away at the two archers. After a round Jeri decides to move closer to the ground action and seek cover behind his brethren and the bandits hoping they do not fire into melee. Last session Gottri was nearly done in by a hurled spear from Stonus so they are more cautious now about firing into melee. The bandits seem to be of the same mind and this draaags on for awhile. Several rounds of no one hitting anyone so I keep describing the battle. Everyone Stonus hits he skewers with his spear, Daagun is having a terrible time hitting & Jeri is incredibly lucky with his 6 AC. It turns into a nail-biter of a fight as well as a battle of attrition but the party eventually triumphs. Bandits make both Morale Checks so technically would fight to the death (very un-bandit like in my opinion) by the Morale rules but as they break past the Spearmen and engage the Archers and leader types I make a decision that Jahkur would disengage rather than fight Stonus leaving Hastur and his lone Spearmen to their fates, they are Chaotic afterall. I allow a reaction roll when Daagun and Stonus offer quarter but they roll horribly low. Lone spearmen doesn't believe the lying halfling and wont look over his shoulder to see if he is being abandoned and Hastur actually wants to avenge his fallen cohorts. Jahkur and an archer flee to the Wooded Hills Southwest of the Battle.

   This single battle ate up a ton of our three hour game time. They were triumphant however and gather up coinage off of the fallen as well replace some of their shields they had shattered during combat. Hastur's broad-sword is claimed by Stonus and dubbed "Hastur's Mom" ! They give aid to the near death Elf and lop off heads and stuff them in sacks returning to the Keep. There was even a discussion of putting all of the heads on a spear making a head-kabob for ease of transport.

   A minor interaction at the Keep Gate between the Town Guard and the party where they order the guards about and this has the Gate's closed to them briefly. "No one tells the Guard what to do fellas ! We is da' LAW !" declare Rufus. "Ya' done did the Keep a Service but ne'er forget who is in charge here " He allows them to enter and exits to inform the Bailiff of their actions and deeds. [This maintains their Distrustful status with the Guard, more info on that in a bit]

   A deal is struck with the Innkeeper of the Traveler's Inn on getting a discounted rate on a private room over staying in the common room. Properly sized Dwarf Beds are added and arming dummies sent to their chamber and they pre pay for nearly a month. A double bonus for the Innkeeper as the ill Gottri is moved out of sight and the battered Elf may make traveling merchants or hirelings nervous about the roads security. [Innkeeper moved to Favorable] Jeri interrogates a cat about the sewers ...

   After two days they head to the Tavern and are greeted by Cinnamon and notice that Stefan Har-Well is talking to the Bailiff & the Guildmaster of the Merchant guild. A feast is brought out for the party paid for by the Jewel Merchant Stefan. HE takes the the moment to lambast the Bailiff and Men-at-Arms of the Keep for the inability to keep the roads safe from Banditry but they are blessed to have these strong arms clear it for them. The party spends coin to get the Town Guard drunk and a rowdy party happens. They each garner 2 rumors and the Jewel merchant offers them a Quest. "These bandits are not the ones who accosted my wagons, thos' checker headed bastiges have escaped justice! Hear is 25 GP for dealing with the Raiders, I'll give you another 50 GP if you deal with them as well. They all wear Black & Yellow Scarves atop their heads. I also 'ear that the Guildmaster is looking for trustworthy but discreet persons for a task. I'll put ina good word if you can dispatch these bandits ? Deal ?"

[ QUEST : Deal with those checker-headed Bastiges ! 50 GP + 100 Bonus XP]

Good Session

 I added a simple Faction System { Hated, Disliked, Distrustful, Neutral, Favorable,  Admirable, Ally} Individual and Party based which currently has Jeri favorable with Cinnamon, Balmortis Favorable with the Curate, The Party Favorable with the Jewel Merchant and Distrustful with the Town Gard even after them buying them drinks, some party members asking probing questions about Troop Strength and there was that altercation at the gate ... not to mention Rufus lost coin on his bet with Felix. Felix is Favorable as he Won money betting on the party

 

Borderlands Guards keeping a Death Pool on the Party ?

What's up with the Sewers ? A Grey Rat the size of a pony according to a Cat and a Giant Snake ?

Murder Flamingos ? Wait, Wut ?

Why do the Dice hate us ?

Game Well, Game Often Folks, more to come in two weeks

#OSR #VintageGaming