Part 2 of the Saurian Scholar

Here is the next Encounter for my character, Drastica Trembletoes, a Saurian Rep 5 Caster, exploring land in search of the fabled City of Dreaming Books. Now normally, an Explore Encounters is immediately followed by a Raid. However, I decided to run another Explore instead, this time in a town. In addition, I made it a two-part Encounter; one part during the day and the other at night.

For the Day part, I tweaked the Who Are They table. Anything not an Elf, Orc, or Dwarf would resolve as Men. However, on Doubles, I'd play normally. Also, the board is one of several that you can buy at Twohourwargames.com.

Here we go.

Drastica entered the town around noontime and started down the street. Around her, people went on with their day, and while some noticed her, others did their best to ignore to lizard-like sorcerer.

First PEF resolves as a Rep 4 Shooter with the Slow Attribute. Friend or Foe Test resolves as Foe. Out of curiosity, I took the Meeting them again test and got a 1. Since she hadn't met a Shooter yet, I improvised.

"You! Lizard Breath!"

Drastica paused to see a man pointing a crossbow at her. Freezing in place, she glanced around. "Do I know you?"

"I was sent by Sir Ender," said the man. "It seems you dishonored him in the forest."

"Dishonored?" Drastica tried to remember. "If you mean the knight I met, I meant no disrespect. In fact, he insulted me but I simply walked away."

"Exactly!" The man waved his hands around dramatically. "By not cowering in fear, you dishonored the great Sir Ender and his courage, and he sent me to exact revenge."

This puzzled the sorcerer. "Well if he's so courageous, why did he send you instead of confronting me himself?"

The man opened his mouth but then paused. Lowering his weapon, he rubbed his chin and stared into space. Then with a grumble, he raised it back up. "That's it! I'll teach you to confuse me with logical arguments!"

I rolled a tie on the Action table, but since Drastica had the Advantage, she went first.

The man pointed his crossbow at Drastica's head, but she quickly raised her hands.

Hit with a Damage Spell, resulting in OOF.

Firing a magical bolt spell, she caught him square in the chest. He flew back and fell to the ground out cold. 

The next PEF resolved as a Rep 3 Soldier with the Slippery Attribute. FoF resolves as Friend.

Guards dragged him away and one approached Drastica. 

"Am I under arrest?" she asked.

"No," he answered. "The law in town is that anything goes if you're defending yourself in a fight, as long as you don't harm anyone else."

She nodded. "Fair enough." Then she had a thought. "I'm trying to reach Zamonia. Have you heard of it?"

But he shook his head. "Sorry, and I know this country well."

"Well if you know this country well," Drastica replied, "perhaps I could hire you as a guide."

After some thought, he nodded. "This guard job is only part-time anyway, and I'd love the adventure."

Since the Soldier was friendly, I ran an Interaction and Drastica succeeded. I then ran a second and managed to recruit him.

The next PEF resolved as a Caster and 3 Soldiers. These also resolved as friends.

Some time later, the two met a man in robed, followed by three armed troops.

"A fellow spell-caster," Drastica said. "I greet you."

He responded with a simple nod.

"I'm in search of Zamonia," she said.

In response, he simply nodded and continued on his way, while his guards simply shrugged.

I scored a tie on the Interaction table; no fight but no friendliness either.

Here's where things got interesting.

As the sun started to set, Drastica and Thom Slipblade (I forgot he had a name) heard screams. Rushing down the street, the two saw a couple of trolls tossing people around (Trolls again, huh?).

Seeing her, one of them pointed. "It's her! the one who hurt my sister!"

"You mean my sister!" roared the other. 

"But she can't be both our sister cause then- Oh let's just go smash her!"

The PEF resolved as 2 Trolls, Rep 5 and 4. Drastica won on the Action table.

Before anyone else could react, Drastica launched fire arrows at the trolls. The first took an arrow in the face and fell dead, the other caught one in the chest and doubled over.

Thom clapped. "I can't wait for my chance!"

This ended the Day part of the Encounter. Now onto Night.

After catching a meal, the two continued to wander through the town.

The first PEF resolved as 2 Orc Shooters. FoF resulted in Friends so I decided they were traders.

Seeing a campfire, the two approached and found two orcs in a discussion. 

"Greetings," Drastica said. "How are you this evening?"

"We're off the clock," said one. "Talk to us in the morning. We run the smithing shop around the corner."

Interaction ended as a tie.

The next PEF resolved as a Rep 4 Shooter and a Rep 4 Thief. FoF resulted in Foe.

Seeing movement in the shadows, the two approached and saw a man attempting to pick the lock to one of the shops. 

"Excuse me," said Drastica, her hands up defensively, "but I believe that's illegal."

"Great," said another voice. "Someone can't mind her own business." Another man emergedm pointing a bow at her head.

The opponents had the Advantage but Drastica won on the Action table.

Before they could react, Drastica threw sparkling lights at their faces.

The other man pulled out a dagger, but Thom charged him. The two exchanged blows until the thief slit Thom across his stomach. 

As the two thugs turned their attention to Drastica, she blasted them both with magical bolt spells, dropping them both to the ground.

I started combat with Drastica casting a Dazzle spell so Thom could get some action. Unfortunately, the soldier choked in his first fight and went OOF. At least he recovered afterward.

And the last PEF ended up being a doozy!

Hearing screams again, Drastica sighed. "Oh please, no more trolls." 

Be careful what you wish for.

Racing to the source, they saw four vampires, munching down on people. Seeing the two, they stalked forward.

Two of the vampires lunged at Thom, nearly tearing him apart. Drastica set the other two on fire before blasting the two and saving Thom.

All four went OD and Thom went OOF but recovered afterward.

"Thanks," he said. "Maybe i'm not cut out for this. I think I'll go back to guard duty for a little longer."

"I'm sorry," Drastica responded. "Best of luck to you."

With that, she continued on her journey.

Drastica improved to Rep 6, but Thom dropped to Rep 2. For his safety, I cut him loose.

Maybe Drastica will have better luck with an ally in the future.

Return of the Saurian Scholar - AAR for Swordplay

I haven't played many fantasy games in a while, so I thought I'd start with Swordplay, the base fantasy rules, which are free to download from Twohourwargames.com. Later, I'll probably upgrade to Talomir Tales, but for now, I figured I'd keep it simple.

Years ago, I read a novel called, The City of Dreaming Books, by Walter Moers, and it has become one of my all-time favorite novels. Moers created a fantasy world called Zamonia and filled it with creatures of every shape and size. But what I love most is the city in the novel, Bookholm, a city devoted 100% to reading, writing, creating, etc. books. Even coffee shops make pastries in the shape of books. It even has adventurers, called Book Hunters, risking life and limb to explore underground cities for rare and valuable tomes.

But since I don't want to run my games there, yet, I figured I'd start in Talomir and work my way there, but using the world for background. I'm also borrowing from Edd's Pub, another game from THW.

Let's get started with my Star.

Drastica Trembletoes is a Saurian (race from Edd's Pub), a lizard-like race. However, unlike her people, she dislikes violence and prefers to spend her time reading and writing books. Eventually, she learned about magic and began training in the mystical arts. This dedication to scholarly pursuits didn't sit well with her otherwise war-like people, so she ran away. Then, upon learning about Bookholm, the City of Dreaming Books, she decided to seek out this city, in the land of Zamonia. first though, she entered the portal at Edd's Pub and entered Talomir. To reach her goal, she must find her way through Talomir, hoping that her adventures eventually help her locate the legendary city of books.

Since Saurians aren't listed as races in Swordplay, I rolled at random and got Rage. This fits since her people have rather sharp claws, but doesn't help her much as she prefers to catch spells. For her random Star Attribute, I rolled Resilient, which allows her to survive some vicious attacks.  Finally, she enters Talomir only with the robe on her back, and it isn't even magical.

For my figure, I took a dinosaur figure and wrapped it in tissue paper. For everyone and everything else, I'll use the cut-outs that come with Swordplay.

Drastica Trembletoes: Rep 5 Saurian Caster; AC 2; Rage, Cast Spells, Resilient.


The first Encounter is an Explore, with 4 PEFs. Upon entering Talomir, Drastica found herself in a forest at the edge of a mountain range. Noticing bones under some trees, she decided to stay on her guard.

The first PEF resolved as a Troll (Rep 5/AC4).

Hearing a crunching sound, Drastica did her best to avoid it. But while attempting to maneuver around a tree, she found herself face to stomach with a troll, who was munching down on . . . something, that had worn armor. Seeing Drastica, the troll dropped her meal.

"You interrupt me, petty creature?" roared the troll. "Then you become next!"

Combat begins with a roll on the Action table. The Troll, having the Slow Mover Attribute, suffers a penalty. Drastica goes first.

Drastica hated violence, but the thought of getting consumed, her bones chewed to powder, sent a shiver up her spine. Raising her hands, she whispered some words and launched a Magical Bolt right at the creature's chest.

The bolt struck the troll, sending her backwards. She smashed into the tree and collapse. And while she still breathed, the creature would be out cold for a while.

Drastica scored a hit, and the Troll went Out of Fight. Drastica gained 1 Increasing d6.


Now on to the second PEF.

I rolled 3 Men; 1 Knight (Rep 5/AC 6) and two Soldiers (Rep 4/AC 4 and Rep 3/AC 2). The Knight and first Soldier have the Resilient Attribute while the last Soldier has Slippery.

An hour later, Drastica came upon three men who sat around a campfire. All three were visibly armed and armored. One of them, the leader, stood up and approached her.

Taking the Friends or Foes test, I got no confrontation. So I went with an Interaction.

"Who are you?" asked the knight, his hand falling to his sword.

"My name is Drastica Trembletoes," she answered.

He eyed her. "You're a Saurian?"

She nodded. "I escaped my people because I prefer the study of knowledge to violence. I'm seeking the city of Bookholm. Have you heard of it?"

Unfortunately, I failed on the Interaction. However, and fortunately (because Drastica was outnumbered), no fight occurred.

The knight sneered. "Books here are for the weak. Try sitting under a tree to read out here and you'll find yourself giant food. Now stop wasting my time." He returned to the campfire.

Drastica gained 1 Decreasing d6 and ended that PEF.

Now onto the third PEF.

A few hours later, Drastica found herself in a clearing. Thank goodness, she thought. Now I'll have an easier time watching my back.

"You, you hurt Tonnie!"

Turning to the voice, Drastica found herself facing another troll, but this time a male.

"We were supposed to go out to dinner tonight! Now you're dinner!"

The Troll was Rep 5/AC 4, and this time he had the Advantage, meaning he'd win on a tie on the Action table. Luckily, Drastica won and went first.

Raising her hands, Drastica fired off another Magic Bolt. Just like the first, this slammed into the troll, knocking him to the ground. He rolled down the hill and vanished from sight.

Another hit and another OOF result. Drastica gained another Increasing d6.

One PEF left.

Some time later, Drastica heard a roar. Suddenly an ogre burst through some trees and towered over her.

Tonnie and Byde be friends of Gur," he growled. "You pay big now!"

This time, the PEF resolved as a Rep 4/AC 2 Ogre, and again he had the Advantage. Fortunately, Drastica again succeeded on the Action table and rolled first.

The ogre may have gotten the jump on her, but if the past few hours had done anything, they had greatly improved Drastica's reflexes. Not even hesitating, she raised her hands and fired another magic bolt spell.

The bolt struck the ogre between the eyes and he fell to the ground, taking down a tree with him.

Direct hit and another OOF result. Drastica gained 1 Increasing d6.

Seeing a town in the distance, she decided to make a beeline for it, hoping for a little rest and safety.

This ends the Encounter. Drastica came away with 3 Increasing d6 and 1 Decreasing d6, result in 2 Increasing d6 total. Rolling, I got a 3 and 5; she did not improve her Rep. At least not yet.

The next Encounter is supposed to be a Raid, but i'm thinking of doing another Explore, but this time in a town so she can recruit and get some help.