Zeroes to Heroes - Part 9 - The Plan in Motion

 So the heroes have their plan. Now's the time to put this plan into motion. But first, they have to locate Perth.

(Q)  To they catch up to Perth?  (Likely)  Yes.

(Q)  Does she have a home in the woods?  (Likely)  X-Yes.  

"There they are." Zook pointed as the group moved through the woods. Between several trees, they found a two-story cottage built of bricks, which explained why it looked in excellent condition. Perth's two hired thugs stood outside. "Remember, no matter what happens, stick to the plan."

"Unless the plan goes down the sewers," Natrius added, "then, of course we improvise, or run."

As the group approached, one thug drew is sword while the other pointed his crossbow. "That's close enough," said the second.

"We want to speak with Perth," said Zook. "We're from the village she plans to attack and we want to negotiate."

For this, I'll make a Charisma roll of Zook vs. the second thug (using Bandit stats).

(Ability)  Does Zook win?  (+1 = Likely)  Yes.

"Fine." The thug went inside. A few moments later, Perth emerged, wearing her robes. 

"I am told you have a valid reason for summoning, commoner," she said.

"We are from Briskhill Village," said Zook. "We know you plan to attack it, that's why you poisoned two of our people. We're here to negotiate for our people's safety."

Perth eyed the gnome suspiciously. "And you are?"

"I am Mr. Zook, court wizard," Zook answered.

"And what is that?" she pointed to the glowing amulet around his neck.

"This amulet," he answered, "both detects and enhances magic. It was a gift from my deceased master." He held it for a moment. "Spare our village and it's yours."

 Let's see if she falls for this plan. It's be Zook's Deception vs. Perth's wisdom.

(Ability)  Does Zook deceive Perth?  (+2 vs. 0 = Very Likely)  Yes.

"Very well," Perth said. "In exchange for your magical amulet, I shall spare your pitiful village.

Natrius watched the woman carefully, wondering if she meant what she said.

Natrius will perform a Wisdom roll to see if he can tell if she's lying. He has +1.

(Ability)  Can Natrius tell if Perth is lying?  (+1 = Likely)  Yes.

(Q)  Is Perth Lying?  (Very Likely)  Yes.

Natrius tapped Zook's shoulder, a signal that the old woman had no intention of cooperating after she got the amulet. Noting this, Zook pretended to be nervous.

Perth held out her hand. "Now the amulet."

Zook pretended to hold out the amulet while stepping back in terror.

"For Kor's sake," said Vina, rolling her eyes, "our people are in danger." Snatching it out of Zook's hand, she handed it to Perth. "Here." But as she did so, Vina attempted to steal Perth's bracelet right off her wrist.

Vina will perform a Sleight of Hand (+2) check, again versus Perth's Wisdom (0).

(Ability)  Does Vina succeed?  (+2 vs. 0 = Very Likely)  Yes.

(Q)  Does Perth attempt to use her Shocking Grasp spell?  (Likely)  Yes.

Perth has +2 Prof, +1 from her Intelligence for +3 Spell Attack. This is versus Vina's +1 Dex.

(Clash)  Does Perth hit Vina?  (+3 vs. +1 = Very Likely)  Yes.

Vina takes 7 damage and collapses.

(By the way, yes, I'm mixing Mythic and DnD rules. I don't see a problem with it, especially since I'm running the game solo, and jumping back and forth doesn't seem to pose a problem.)

While handing the amulet to Perth, Vina managed to slip the old woman's bracelet off. However, as she did so, Perth grabbed her wrist and hit her with a shock strong enough to send her flying back. Vina hit the ground, her eyes closed.

Seeing this, Solgi snuck around, attempting to retrieve the bracelet.

Solgi will make a stealth roll (+1) vs. Perth and her thugs (+2 total).

(Ability)  Does Solgi succeed?  (+1 vs. +2 = -1 = Unlikely)  Yes.

While the old woman laughed, Solgi snuck over to Solgi, and grabbed the bracelet, slipping it into her pocket.

"Nice try." Perth's fingers traced over Zook's amulet, which glowed. "Now leave my sight before I turn you all into ash."

Natrius rushed over to check on Vina.

First I'm making a Death Saving Throw for Vina. She needs 3 to either stabilize or die.

(First roll):  Fail.

Natrius rushed over and made a medicine roll to help her.

(Ability)  Does Natrius succeed?  (+2 vs. 0 = Very Likely)  Yes.

Applying some salves, he managed to get her breathing again, but she regain unconscious. Motioning to Solgi, the two picked her up as the group headed for the clearing.

(Q)  Does Perth notice her bracelet is missing?  (Very Likely)  X-Yes.

(Oh boy.)

The group had just reached the clearing when they heard a shriek. The old woman and her thugs approached.

"You have defied me for the final time!" Perth lifted her fingers, which crackled. One thug aimed his crossbow while the other lifted his sword and charged.

(Q)  Is Perth going to use her Bonfire spell?  (Very Likely)  No.

Okay, so she's going for her shocking grasp instead. 

(Q)  Who is she aiming for?  (Rolling 1d8)  Vina.

Vina is currently being held by Natrius and Solgi, making her an easy target. Natrius and Solgi will attempt to make an Escape move.

(Clash)  Does Solgi succeed? (+2 vs. +2 = 50/50)  X-No.

I'm ruling that the Exceptional  result means the old woman is wide open for attacks from the others. Also, for the challenge, I decided she has her Mage Armor activated and has 1 Shield ready to cast. 

I'm also ruling that Ivor is the closest and will attempt to attack Perth with his Great Club.

Ivor has +1 Proficiency bonus vs. Perth's AC of 13.

(1d20 roll for Ivor)  19 +1 = 20.

Even if she uses Shield (+5 AC), the move would hit.

5 Damage. This brings Perth down to 1 HP. She's still alive, but barely.

Reaching the group, Perth sprang, screaming towards the unconscious Vina, thinking she still had the bracelet. "Give it back!"

Luckily, Solgi and Natrius pulled her out of the way. As Perth stumbled, Ivor stepped forward and dropped his great club right over the old woman's head. She fell to all four's, with blood pouring through her hair.

Her two thugs prepared their weapons and attacked to save the old woman.

Thug #1 (Scimitar) will attack (rolling 1d8)  Ivor. Kerri and Milo will try and attack the thug.

Thug #1 gets +3 to attack, while Kerri gets +1, +1 from Milo.

(Clash)  Do Kerri and Milo hit the Thug?  (+2 vs. +3 = -1 = Unlikely)  X-Yes.

Damage:  7 (Kerri) + 4 (Milo) = 11, dropping Thug #1 to 0 HP.

The thug pointed his scimitar and charged towards the cloaked man. But Kerri got there first. Swinging her own club, she caught the man in the ribs, doubling him over. Milo fired his crossbow, catching the thug in the back. He fell over.

That leaves the last thug versus Jaree. Both have crossbows. Thug # 2 has +3 Attack vs. Jaree with +2.

(Clash)  Does Jaree win the Clash?  (+2 vs. +3 = -1 = Unlikely)  No.

Damage:  3 + 1 = 4, dropping Jaree to 0 HP.

Jaree Makes a Death Saving Throw:  1. Fail, 2. Fail, 3. Pass, 4. Fail.

Jaree is dead.

Jaree pointed his crossbow at the thug, who pointed his own. Both fired, but Jaree looked down to see the bolt in his stomach. Dropping his weapon, he collapsed to the ground.

Seeing the former guard fall, Zook pointed his staff and roared. "Now you've done it! Feel the fury from the stars." Muttering gibberish just loud enough to be heard, he locked eyes with the thug.

Zook is attempting to distract the thug, who will use escape to resist it. It's +2 Deception vs. 0.

(Clash)  Does Zook succeed?  (+2 vs. 0 = Very Likely)  Yes.

This gives the thug -1 on his next roll.

The thug stared back at the gnome, just for a moment, but long enough.

Reaching her feet, Perth lifted her hands at the group. Flames emanated from her fingers and the group prepared to respond. Lowering Vina to the ground, Natrius and Solgi pulled out their weapons to attack. 

This will be a combined Clash. If Perth wins, she casts her Create Bonfire, causing everyone who fails their Save to suffer 1d8 Damage. In other words, near instant death for everyone. 

Ivor, Kerri, and Milo all attack Perth. I'll use Ivor's +2 + 1 for each ally, for a total of +4. This is vs. Perth's +3 Spell casting.

(Clash)  Do the heroes succeed?  (+4 vs. +3 = Likely)  Yes, Random Event. 

(Event)  "Conclude, Burden"

(Q)  Does the amulet explode?  (Impossible, since it's 1 in 10 chance)  Yes.

Before the old woman could cast her spell, Ivor and Kerri both swung their clubs, while Milo fired his crossbow. Perth threw up her shield spell to protect her. All of the attacks bounced off her magical barrier, and she grinned as she faced the group. But then the amulet now around her neck shimmered, and before she could react, it exploded.

Since it's around Perth's neck, and she only had 1 HP, it's instant death for her. However, everyone else in range has to make a Dex save to avoid the explosion. Failure results in 1d6 Damage.

Ivor:  Pass.

Kerri:  Pass.

Milo:  Fail (1 Damage).

The three dove for cover. Ivor and Kerri managed to avoid the blast while Milo fell to the ground, clutching his shoulder. Overall, though, they survived.

Now we're back to the final two. Solgi will use her sling against the final thug. Since he's distracted, I'll allow Solgi to roll without counting her Disadvantage. +1 vs. +3/

(Clash)  Does Solgi succeed?  (+1 vs. +3 = Very Unlikely)  Yes.

Damage:  4.

As the thug was distracted, Solgi swung her arm, launching a rock that hit him in the head, causing him to stumble back.

(Q)  Does the thug flee?  (Likely)  X-No.

(Action)  What does he do?  "Enemies, Start."

Looking at the carnage around him, the thug pointed his crossbow. "I'll make you all pay with your lives. I'll paint the ground with your blood."

I'm going full DnD for this next series of rolls, starting with Initiative.

1.  Kerri, 2. Solgi, 3. Milo, 4. Thug #2, 5. Ivor, 6. Zook, 7. Natrius.

Kerri:  (1d20 Roll)  20!!! Damage:  5 x2 for Crit = 10.

As the thug shifted his crossbow back and forth, he sneered, knowing his opponents wouldn't risk closing the distance. But a shadow fell over him, and he turned to see Kerri standing next to him. Before he could aim his weapon, she crushed his skull with her club, dropping him to the ground.

As the lest opponent fell, the group rushed over to Jaree. Natrius dropped to one knee and checked on him. As the others waited, Natrius raised his eyes and shook his head. 

Ivor stood up. "I shall see that he is honored with a monument at this very spot."

Over the next few days, the group disposed of the bodies of Perth and her thugs. Then they performed a funeral and gave their friend Jaree a grave in the clearing, signaling where he fell protecting his friends. 

After a day of resting and helping to heal Vina and Milo, the group explored the cottage belonging to the old woman, seeing if she held anything of interest.

I'm rolling on the Treasure Hoard table in the DMG, for Challenge Rating 1 for Perth. After all, had she used her Bonfire attack, the battle would've ended in a single turn in her favor.

Result:  60 gp in treasure; 2 Potions of Healing.

"This isn't much," said Zook, "but it'll help us move forward. Too bad the old woman's bracelet broke."

"Speaking of moving forward," said Natrius, "I think we're ready to go home."

"But are we really?" the gnome asked. "There may be other threats out there." Perhaps we should be ready for them?"

Natrius grew nervous. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying," Zook grinned, "if we can't find adventurers to hire for the future, we should become them ourselves."

So next time, I'll choose 4 or these characters to become adventurers, giving them classes, etc. The other 3 will return home. Just have to decide which 3.

Until then . . . 

Zeroes to Heroes - Part 8 - Unraveling the Mystery

 The eight individuals sat in a tavern together, discussing recent events. 

"So let me get this straight," said Jaree. "An old woman wants to attack our village, but first she tries to get our blacksmith and healer out of the way."

Ivor nodded. "Makes sense. Remove the one responsible for making weapons as well as the one who can heal the injured." When the others glared at him, he held up his hands. "I am not agreeing with the actions, only understanding them."

"But now we need to stop that woman before she attacks out village," said Kerri.

"Agreed," said Jaree, "but first we need to know more about her. There's no way an old woman and two thugs can defeat even our weakest villagers."

"She might be an alchemist," said Natrius. "That would explain her knowledge of poisons."

"She might also have an army," said Milo.

(Q)  Has anyone in town seen the old woman?  (Likely)  Yes.

(Q)  Was she only with two men?  (Likely)  X-Yes.

Natrius shook his head. "We asked around, and everyone said she was always seen with the two men. She even bought them weapons from the blacksmith, with the smith saying she talked him into a good deal."

"Did he?" Zook got off the chair. "I'll return after I check on something."

I'm going to have Zook make an Arcana check, with his amulet granting him an additional +1. The Difficulty is Average.

(Ability)  Does Zook learn something from the blacksmith?  (+3 vs. 0 = Nearly Certain)  Yes.

A few minutes later, Zook returned. He leaped back into his chair, sitting all the way back. Gripping his amulet, he stared into space.

"What did you find?" Natrius asked.

"I learned that this amulet glows, not only in the presence of magic, but also if magical residue is present, which it did in the blacksmith's shop." Zook took a deep breath. "We're not dealing with an alchemist. Our village is about to be attacked by a wizard."

(Luckily, she's only a Lvl 1 Wizard, but that's still a threat to Lvl 0 characters. The next part of this session is the planning stage.)

(Q)  Is she still in town?  (Unlikely)  Yes.

(Q)  Where was she last seen?  "Uncertain, Help, Stop."

"Has anyone seen her last?" Vina asked.

"The welcome center," said Zook. "We need to be cautious though."

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Before we go any further, let's get some information on Perth. After asking Mythic a few questions (and trying to figure out why an old woman would be only a Lvl 1 Wizard), I came up with the following:

Perth

Perth spent her life as a scribe, while her husband made money as an herbalist. After years of watching adventurers come and go through the town, she decided she wanted to become one herself. First, she poisoned her husband to get him out of the way (because that made more sense to her than, I don't know, talking to him.). Then, she invited a young wizard over. She got him drunk and learned all about his spells. Finally, she poisoned him and took his spellbook. After hiring a couple of street thugs to be her muscle, she set her sights on the closest village in hopes of taking it over and making an easy fortune.

Despite being an advanced age, Perth is in pretty good health. She wears a cloak and a bracelet that gives her +1 to spellcasting (I rolled "Delay, Obstacle." I was going to make it an Arcane Focus, but most of her spells do not require a material component.). Otherwise she has a modest amount of gold.

Perth:  Human Female. Level 1 Wizard. Int +1, Cha +1.  Skills:  Investigation, Arcanum. 

AC:  10 (13 with Magic Armor and 18 with MA and Shield), +2 Prof, 6 HP.

Spells:  

Cantrips:  Create Bonfire, Friends, Shocking Grasp.

Lvl 1:  Charm Person, Mage Armor, Shield.

Gear:  Bracelet (+1 Spellcasting)

For the two hired guns, I'm just using Bandit stats, with one using a sword and the other a scimitar.

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Hearing screams, the group rushed outside. Running down the street, they saw several guards standing over four bodies. The bodies lay on the ground in horrific poses, but what the group found most disturbing was that all four bodies were burnt to a crisp.

Zook turned to one of the guards. "What happened?"

"The old lady," the guard answered. "One minute they were all talking and laughing." He motioned to the charred bodies. "But then these four drew their swords and attacked. They bounced off a glowing wall, and then she called for help and must have panicked because the guys burst into flames."

"Where is she now?" Natrius asked.

The guard pointed to the closest gates. "She and her two friends fled into the forest."

Natrius blinked. "Why didn't you arrest her?"

The guards pointed to the bodies. "They attacked her first. To us, she was just defending herself, even if she got carried away. Probably why that thing on her wrist glowed." He glanced at Zook. "Kind of like the one on your neck."

Zook touched his amulet. "Yes, but this detects magic, and nothing else."

Natrius turned to him. "So what do you think?"

I'm going to make this an Arcanum check for Zook to see if he learns more about her.

(Ability)  Does Zook learn more About Perth?  (+2 vs. 0 = Very Likely)  Yes.

Finding a bench, Zook jumped on it and stared in thought as the guards removed the bodies from the street. The others stood around the gone, awaiting his answer.

"Well," said Zook, "we now know she can cast a fire spell that hits multiple targets. She also used some kind of mind spell on the blacksmith." He thought for a moment. "I remember the one who I worked for once mentioning a friendship spell. However, when it wears off, the other person gets hostile. That's probably what happened here."

"But why risk it?" Vina asked. "There was no reason to get into a fight."

"Practice, maybe," Kerri said, "and since they attacked her first, the guards thought she was defending herself."

Milo looked around. "So what's to stop her from charming all of us."

Zook shook his head. "I feel we're all too strong for that. And I have a feeling anything she'd ask that would endanger us would break the spell."

Natrius shook his head. "Terrific. So we just have to worry about being set on fire."

"But she's just an old woman." Ivor held up his club. "All we have to do is get in close and we'll put her in the ground."

"Don't forget the glowing wall," said Natrius. 

Zook nodded. "Sounds like some kind of magical shield."

"Well that settles it then." Natrius stood up straight. "We pool the rest of our money together and hire someone to take her out before she reaches our village."

Milo shook his head. "We tried that at the temple. Almost all adventurers are either at some tombs or other cities."

"He's right," said Jaree. "I believe we're on our own for this one."

"You're joking right?" Natrius started walking away, scanning the streets. "There has to be someone who can defeat this woman."

"Natrius, my friend," said Zook, "you sound frightened."

"Me frightened?" Natrius held up his hands. "Not at all. In fact we should march right into that forest an invite the poor woman to a spot of tea. Of course I'm frightened! This old woman just turned four street toughs into charred meat! How can any of you be so calm? I'm scared spitless!"

"We're all scared." Solgi touched his shoulder. "But if we don't stop her, our holes could suffer."

"Which means," said Jaree, "we need a plan."

(Now normally when I'm writing, I wouldn't reveal the plan in case it fails, but this is a game so it works differently. Plus I didn't consider a plan when I created Perth. I just wondered if I could create a Lvl 1 character who could take down an entire village. Now I have to figure out how to stop her.)

Zook sat in silence for several minutes. Then his hand fell to his amulet. "I'll offer her this if she spares our village."

Natrius looked at the gnome. "You think she'll agree."

Vina scoffed. "Not likely."

"It doesn't matter," said Zook. "This detects spells, but I was once warned that in the presence of a lot of magic, it may explode. If we can trick her into casting her spells over and over, she might overload it."

"But if she casts those fire spells in the forest," said Milo, "or worse the village, she'll burn the place down."

"That's why we need to lure her away from both," said the gnome.

(Q)  Are there any plains nearby where fire won't do as much damage?  (Likely)  Yes - Random Event.

(Event)  "Perfect, Expectations."

"There's a big clearing on the opposite side of the forest," Jaree said. "We'll lure her there."

"So how do we get her to follow us?" Natrius asked.

"We steal that bracelet," Zook answered.

Vina nodded. "I might be able to palm it."

Zook nodded. "Good. Try so when you hand her my amulet. One we're in the clearing, hit her with whatever you have." He looked up at Jaree, Milo, Ivor, and Kerri. "Two of you take out her muscle and the rest hit the wizard."

Natrius shrugged. "Well that's it then. I really hated living anyway."

 

Zeroes to Heroes Part 6 - Third Encounter

 We're back for Encounter #3. If our heroes-to-be complete this, they'll arrive in town to search for answers.

Let's break out Mythic to see what happens next:

(Event)  "PC, Enemies."

(Q)  Are these the bandits from before?  (Likely)   X-No - Random Event.

(Event)  "Danger, Gain."

Okay, so at least one of the characters has encountered these enemies before. Can we get a description of them?

(Description)  "Peaceful, Powerful."

(Q)  Are they after Zook?  (Likely)  X-Yes.

(Q)  Is one of them a wizard?  (Very Unlikely - too early for this)  No.

Okay, I'm still a little fuzzy with details, so I'm using the Character Crafter for more.

(Identity)  "Obstacle"

(Mind)  "Block"

(Body)  "Weapon"

(Talent)  "Executive"

That last word gave me an idea. It seems that Zook might have angered someone who sent 'troubleshooters' to have a word with him. 

(Q)  What did Zook do?  "Delay, Competition."

Huh, HA! Got it!

(Q)  Does he have more than one companion?  (Likely)  No.

Okay so one companion. I'll use the Thug stats for him.

(Q)  Does he want the Thug to fight for him?  (Likely)  No.

(Q)  Is he on his way back to the village?  (Likely)  X-Yes.

(Q)  Is the second person male?  (50/50)  Yes - Random Event.

(Event)  "Competition, Delay."

As the group continued on their way, they saw two men approaching. One of them seemed oddly familiar.

"Hey, I remember you," Zook said. "You got disqualified for cheating in the Tops Tournament."

The man nodded. "I may not be allowed to compete, but my friend here can. And he's going to win us all my money."

"I hope you don't intend to cheat," Zook replied.

"Of course not," the man said, "and I was falsely accused the first time."

I feel like they might not be too trustworthy, so I'm going to have Natrius make a roll (+1 Wis)  

against the man's Charisma, which I determined to be +1.

(Clash)  Does Natrius succeed?  (50/50)  X-Yes.

(Q)  Is the man lying?  (Likely)  X-Yes.

(Q)  Does Zook's amulet detect any magic?  (Likely)  No.

Natrius narrowed his eyes. "You're lying. You're up to something."

The man held up his hands.  "What do you mean?"

"You blinked rapidly," Natrius replied. "You also stuttered and glanced at each other before answering Mr. Zook. I've dealt with a few merchants who tried to pull the wool over me before, so I've gotten an eye for it."

"You have no proof!" The man clenched his fists while stomping the ground."

"Maybe not," said Zook, "but I can find out." Wrapping his short fingers around his amulet, the gnome closed his eyes. "Huh. I see. You mean to deceive the good people of Briskhill."

(Clash)  Does Zook succeed?  (+2 Deception vs. +1 Perception = Likely)  Yes.

The man looked to his companion.  "But you, you can't stop me."

Milo stepped forward. "But I can. I'm a member of the village guard, and I'll tell you now, if you try an deceive the good villagers, I'll have you thrown in jail."

(Clash)  Does Milo succeed?  (+2 Intimidation vs. 0 Difficulty = Very Likely)  No.

(Q)  Do the two men seem violent?  (50/50)  Yes.

"Nice try," said the man, "but my companion here is a troubleshooter. He's dropped entire gangs before, and none of you seem like that kind of threat."

His companion stepped forward, pulling out his swords. "And you can't jail us if you're dead."

So a fight it is. I'm using the Bandit stats for the first guy and Bandit Captain for the second. For this battle, I'm going with DnD rules.

So first, Initiative.  I rolled for everyone and got Vina, Jaree, Chet (our cheater), Natrius, Kerri, Solgi, Milo, Ivor, Zook, and lastly (and fortunately) Brute.

Vina goes after Brute.  +1 Att vs. AC 15 (Disadvantage): Miss.

Jaree goes after Brute.  +2 att vs. AC 15: Hit.  6 damage

Chet goes after Zook. +3 vs. AC 10:  Hit.  2 dmg

Natrius goes after Chet.  +1 vs. AC 12 (Dav)  Hit.  5 dmg.

Kerri goes after Brute.  +1 vs. AC 15:  Hit  3 dmg.

Solgi goes after Brute.  0 vs. AC 15 (Dav)  Hit.  7 dmg.  

Milo goes after Brute.  +1 vs. AC 15:  Hit (Critical!)  14 dmg.  

Ivor goes after Brute.  +1 vs. AC 15: Hit.  4 dmg.  

Zook goes after Chet. 0 vs. AC 12 (Dav)  Hit (Barely)  5 dmg.

Brute gets 3 attacks: Vs. Milo.  +5 vs. AC 10:  Hit.   3 dmg.

Vs. Zook.  +5 vs. AC 10:  Hit.  Dmg. 1 (whew!)

Vs. Ivor  +5 vs. AC 10:  Miss. 

So first round has Zook and Milo down to 1 hp.  Ouch.  Next round:

Vina goes after Brute:  Miss.

Jaree vs. Chet:  Hit. Chet is dead.

Natrius vs. Brute:  Miss.

Kerri vs. Brute:  Hit.  8 dmg.  

Solgi vs. Brute:  Miss.

Milo vs. Brute:  Hit.  4 dmg.  

Ivor vs. Brute:  Hit.  6 dmg.  

Zook vs. Brute:  Hit.  7 dmg.

Brute vs. Solgi:  Miss.

Vs. Zook:  Miss.

Vs.  Solgi again:  Hit.  4 Dmg.

Solgi is down to exaclty 0 HP, not dead but out of the fight. Next round:

Vina:  Miss.

Jaree:  Hit.  7 dmg.  

Natrius: Hit.  1 dmg.  (Seriously?)

Kerri:  Miss.

Solgi is out.

Milo:  Hit.  5 dmg.  Brute is dead.

The two opponents swung their swords around, slicing into the heroes. But it was the two guards who ended the fight as their crossbow bolts struck their opponents in the heads, dropping them to the ground.

Solgi lay curled in a ball with blood covering the ground. Natrius rushed over to help her. Pulling out his medicine kit, he applied some cloth and leaves to help her.  

Natrius has +2 vs DC 10:  Failed!

Solgi must now make a Death Saving Throw.  +0 vs. DC 10:  Crit Pass. Solgi recovers to 1 hp!

Natrius' hands started shaking. "It's no use. I can't save her."

Suddenly, Solgi sat up, eyes wide, and gasping for breath. Quickly, the group tore pieces from their clothing to help stop her wound. After several minutes, she shivered but seemed otherwise okay.

"That was close," said Zook, tending to a cut on his own arm.

Kerri looked over.  "What do we do with the bodies?"

"Take what we can," said Zook. "We can use the money for proper healing services once we arrive in town."

Ivor pulled out his shovel. "I'll take care of the bodies."

The group gets the following loot:

x2 Scimitars

Light Crossbow

Dagger

17 gp  (rolled on the Treasure table for Challenge 1/8 and 2).

Chet is worth 25 xp.

Brute is supposed to be worth 450 xp, but i'm dropping it to 225 because I forgot about his Parry ability. That means the group gets 250 xp.

I'm giving 25 to each person since everyone participated.

Milo and Jaree get the remaining 25 xp each for getting the kills.

Milo, Jaree, and Zook have 60 xp each while everyone else is at 35. Once they reach 100 xp, they become Level 1 characters, though I may wait until they finished the quest.

Next time, they arrive in town.

Zeroes to Heroes Part 5 - Second Encounter

After waking up, packing their gear, and eating breakfast, the group started again down the road.

"I hope we run into more trouble," said Kerri. "We could use more experience in dealing with threats."

"Be careful what you wish for," said Zook.

"Yeah," and Natrius, "I'd be perfectly at peace if this were a nice smooth trip."

Standing and lifting her club, Kerri shook her head. "Not likely, and if we aren't prepared, you will be in pieces."

(Time to see what their encounter for today is.)

(Event)  "Enemies."  (Oh really? What kind?)  "Small."

The bushes trembled, and countless rats emerged.

(Surprise Roll) (Did Natrius detect the rats?)  (Likely)  Yes.

(# of Rats)  Same as party:  8.

"There they are!" Natrius pointed.

"Keep calm," said Zook, "we can do this."

(I'll roll for each character so they can get a chance.)

Zook swung his quarterstaff at one rat.

(Zook gets -2 for his STR and had disadvantage vs. the rat's 0 ATT).

(Clash)  Does Zook win?  (-2 = Very Unlikely)  Yes.

(Damage)  Does it hurt?  (Below Ave Dmg vs. Ave AC)  X-Yes.

(Incapacity)  Is it Incapped?)  BA Dmg vs. Low HP)  Yes.

Zook's staff struck the rat in the head. It tumbled and fell to the ground, not moving.

The next rat charged towards Natrius, who nervously readied his staff.

(Clash)  Does Natrius win?  (-1 Att vs. 0 Att = Unlikely)  No.

(Damage)  Does it hurt? (Miniscule vs. Ave AC)  Yes.

Natrius suffers -1 RS.

The rat leaped into the air and caught Natrius in the arm. With a yelp, he jumped back, covering his just below his shoulder.

Vina prepared her sling.

(Clash)  Does Vina win?  (+1 w/ Disadv vs. 0)  Yes.

(Damage)  Does it hurt?  (BA Dmg vs. Ave AC)  No.

She hurled a stone and it just missed the rat.

Solgi prepared her own attack.

(Clash)  Does Solgi win?  (0 w/ Disadv vs. 0)  No.

(Damage)  Does it hurt?  (Miniscule vs. Ave AC)  No.

The rat struck, but Solgi just barely dodged it.

Raising his great club, Ivor prepared for his fight.

(Clash)  Does Ivor win?  (+1 vs. 0 = Likely)  Yes.

(Dmg)  Does it hurt?  (Above Ave Dmg vs. Ave AC = Likely)  Yes.

Rat is now at -1 RS.

Ivor's club struck the rat with a glancing blow. It survived, but started limping.

Kerri was next with her club. 

(Clash)  Does Kerri win?  (Likely)  Yes

(Dmg) Does it hurt?  (Likely)  No.

Kerri's axe crashed into the dirt, but the rat dodged it at the last second.

Milo prepared his crossbow.

(Clash)  Does milo win?  (+1 vs. 0 = Likely)  Yes.

(Dmg)  Did it hurt?  (AAve vs. Ave AC = Likely)  Yes.

Rat is now at -1 RS.

Milo's bolt went through the rat's hide, sending blood splattering.

Jaree aimed his crossbow.

(Clash)  Does Jaree win?  (+2 vs. 0 = Very Likely)  No.

(Dmg)  Does it hurt?  (Rat's Miniscule Dmg vs. AAve AC = Unlikely)  No.

The rat lunged but its teeth couldn't penetrate Jaree's clothing.

So we're down 1 rat with 2 injured and Natrius is also injured. 

I'm going to try a Combined Clash, where you take the highest attack scores and add 1 for each ally, up to +3. 

We'll go with Jaree's +2 Att +3 for allies, for +5.

For the rats, we have 0 + 3 for +3 total.

(Clash)  Do the heroes win?  (+5 vs. +3 = Very Likely)  Yes.

For Damage, we'll roll for each character)

(Dmg)  Zook + Natrius vs. Rat  (50/50)  Yes - Random Event.

(Event)  "Fight, Danger."

Rat is at -2 RS.

Zook and Natrius flanked the rat on both sides and struck it with their staves. It stumbled, with blood coming from its head.

(Dmg)  Vina vs. rat  (Unlikely)  No (Just Barely)

(Dmg)  Solgi vs. rat  (Unlikely)  No.

(Dmg)  Ivor vs. rat  (Likely)  Yes. Rat is at -1 RS.

(Dmg)  Kerri vs. rat  (Likely)  No - Random Event.

(Event)  "Mundane, Fears"

Kerri swung her club, but the rat hissed. This sound threw off the woman's focus and she again struck the dirt.

(Dmg)  Milo vs. rat  (Likely)  Yes.  Rat is at -1 RS.

(Dmg)  Jaree vs. rat  (Likely)  Yes - Random Event.

(Event)  "Stop, Goals."

(Q)  Do the rats flee?  (Very Likely)  Yes.

The remaining rats vanished into the brush. Natrius tended to those who were injured (although no one was seriously hurt), and then they rested for a bit.

"Wow, our first real battle," said Kerri. "Pretty exciting."

"But we struggled against rats," said an exhausted Natrius. "What good will we do against real threats?"

Zook sniffed the air.  "It's called a learning experience, my friend, and with every experience, we get better."

Rats are 10 xp each, and since everyone worked together, I'm just going to give everyone 10 xp.

Another step closer to Level 1.

Zeroes to Heroes - Part 4: Shopping and First Encounter

 Zook sat at the table, eyes moving to each of the other seven who sat with him. "Ladies and gentlemen, now that we have our group, it's time to talk supplies."

(Oh, really quick, I wonder how long the trip will take.)

(Q)  Will it take more than 3 days to get to Oasis Brook?  (Likely)  No.

"Assuming we don't run into dead ends or detours," said Zook, "it should take us 3 days to reach Oasis Brook." He nodded to Natrius, who pushed small bags to each person. "We have 200 gold, which means 25 for each of us. Now Govi has put together travel packs for us; they cost 4 gold each and include a backpack, bedroll, waterskin, and a few days rations."

"What if it takes us longer?" Solgi asked.

"We go hunting," Jaree answered.

"Right," Zook continued, "now the next matter is defending ourselves. Whether it's wild animals or bandits, we need to be able to fight."

"Fight?" asked Natrius. "I've never so much as balled up a fist.

"Well you better learn post haste," said Jaree. "We can only protect you so much."

Govi approached the table. "I have a few items here." She turned to the gnome. "Mr. Zook, you requested a quarterstaff, so here you go. 2 silvers."

"Thank you." Zook reached into the bag and pulled two silver coins out, handing them to her."

"You have another one?" asked Natrius, getting some coins himself. "I like that it puts some distance between me and anything that can hurt me."

Govi went into the back and returned with another staff. "Here."

"I'd prefer to not even be that close, but I never learned to use a bow," said Vina, pulling out a dagger, "so I'll just throw these."

"Once they run out," said Govi, "you're toast. How about one of these?" She pulled out a smaller staff with a launcher at the end. "Sling shots launch rocks at opponents. It's not deadly but it's something."

Vina took it, paying with some coins. "I'll take it."

"Me too," said Solgi. "I like the idea of striking from the shadows."

Nodding, Zook turned to Ivor. "What about you?"

"Well, I have my shovel," said the gravedigger. "I've used it a few times of graverobbers."

"And I have my rolling pin," said Kerri. "Some fools learned the hard way that just because a woman runs a shop doesn't mean she's defenseless."

"How about these?" Govi handed them large clubs. "They won't break as easily as your tools."

"That leaves us," said Jaree. "Got any crossbows?"

"I do," Govi answered. "25 gold a piece."

Jaree groaned. "That leaves nothing for ammo."

"Or a travel pack," Milo added.

"Tell you what," said Zook, "I'll cover your travel packs and ammo, since you two are the only ones with actual combat experience."

"I'll help," said Natrius, "if you can help us stay alive."

"So that settles things." Zook looked to the group again. "We leave tomorrow morning. Now, my friends, I cannot promise this quest will be easy, but we each have a role to play (That was unintentional, BTW :) ). Jaree and Milo will be our main fighters. Ivor and Kerri will be our walls. Vina and Solgi will keep to the shadows. Natrius will be our expert with finding a cure. And I'll do my best with talking. Now from what I've seen, these quests begin with a blessing from a priest, but since we buried our healer yesterday, I'll simply say good luck.

So our heroes-to-be are preparing for their quest. Here are their current stats. I tweaked a few things since the adventure technically didn't start yet  (Also, I won't count racial modifiers until they reach Level 1):

Mr. Zook:  Male Gnome.  -2 Str, +1 Int, +1 Cha;  AC 10, 4 HP.  Skills:  Arcanum, Deception; Amulet of Magic Detection; Quarterstaff.

Natrius:  Male Human.  -1 Str, +1 Wis; AC 10, 4 HP.  Skills:  Nature, Herbology, Medicine.  Quarterstaff.

Vina:  Female Elf.  +1 Dex, -1 Wis; AC 11, 4 HP.  Skills:  Sleight of hand, Stealth, Prof; Simple Wpns.  Sling shot.

Solgi:  Female Human.  All stats 0.  AC 10, 4 HP.  Skills:  Stealth, Deception, Simple Wpns. Sling shot.

Ivor:  Male Human Variant.  Con+1, Cha -1; AC 10.  5 HP.  Skills:  Simple Wpns, Athletics, Intimidation.  Great Club.

Kerri:  Female Human.  All stats 0.  AC 10, 4 HP.  Skills:  Simple Wpns, Baking tools, Athletics.     Great Club.

Milo:  Male Human.  -1 Str, +1 Cha.  AC 10, 4 HP.  Skills:  Simple Wpns, Persuasion, Intimidation.  Crossbow.

Jaree:  Male Dwarf:  +1 Dex, -1 Cha.  AC 11, 4 HP.  Skills:  Simple Wpns, Lt. Armor, Athletics.  Crossbow.

(Now I know there's some overlap in skills, etc., but remember that some characters may not survive.)

First Encounter: 

(I'm going to roll on Mythic's Meaning Table for the encounter on the first day)

(Event)  "NPC, Obstacle."

(Q)  Are they bandits?  (Very Likely)  Yes.

(Q)  Are there more than 3?  (Likely)  No.

(Q)  Are they attempting an ambush?  (Very Likely)  Yes.

Three bandits hid behind trees, watching the group walk down the road. Seeing them as simple merchants, they readied their weapons to attack.

The bandits will be performing a Surprise roll (+1 for each bandit for +3 total). Natrius, the only one in the group with a +1 Wisdom for Perception will try to spot them, with help from Vina and Solgi (+1 each)

(Surprise)  Does Natrius detect the Bandits?  (+3 vs. +3 = 50/50)  Yes.

"Wait." Natrius held up his hand. "There's something behind that tree."

"He's right," said Solgi. "There's another one."

"And right there,"  Vina pointed.

"Come on out," Zook called. "We know you're there."

The three bandits stepped out with the leader the closest, though they kept somewhat of a distance.

"Greetings friends," said the leader. "You must pay a toll to continue on."

"My friend," said the gnome, "I am Zook the Sorceror, former apprentice to Krospel the Mighty. Allow us passage or I promise you shall regret it." Dropping to a crouch, he spread his arms while making a mysterious motion with his fingers. "Astra Nuolnug!"

"Former apprentice, are you?" said the lead bandit.  "Where's your master?"

"He and I entered a forest years ago," said Zook, "but only I returned." It was somewhat true.

(Let's see if they buy it.)

(Deception)  Does Zook successfully deceive the bandit leader?  (+2 vs. 0 = Very Likely)  X-Yes.

The bandit leader raised his hands. "Whoa there! Our mistake." He motioned his allies to step aside "We'll make an exception for a wizard."

The group passed the bandits, though Milo and Jaree kept an eye out behind them.

(Q)  Will the bandits attempt a flanking sneak attack?  (Unlikely)  No.

"Well that was easy," said Natrius.

"Don't get too excited," said the gnome. "Our journey has only begun."

Zook gets 25 gp for routing the bandits. Reaching 100 means a character becomes Level 1 and gains a Class. It's a long way to go though.

Zeroes to Heroes - Part 3 - Building the Team

 Natrius and Zook sat at a table at the back of the blacksmith's shop. They sat in silence while drinking from their mugs. A few moments later, they heard footsteps, and Daniel's niece, Govi appeared, taking a seat next to them.

"How is he?" asked Natrius.

"Breathing," said the young woman. "He drank some soup, but that's it."

With a sigh, Natrius turned to the gnome sitting across from him. "We need to move quickly then."

"Very true," said Zook, "but first, we need a team. If we're traveling those roads, we'll definitely need some muscle." 

They both looked to Govi, who was in excellent shape, with defined muscles.

(Q)  Will Govi go with them?  (Likely)  No.

Unfortunately, the woman shook her head. "I'm not leaving Uncle Daniel." She then raised her eyes to the shop. "Besides, someone has to run this place."

Natrius nodded. "We understand." He turned back to Zook. "Who else?"

"Well," said Zook, "the farmer's a big buy?"

(Instead of tying out full scenes here, I'm going to just have a few quick scenes of each interaction.)

(Q)  Does Loffo agree?  (Likely)  No.

Sitting in the tavern, the big man shook his head. "Farm needs Loffo. Loffo no can leave."

Zook nodded. "Well, there's the gravedigger, Ivor."

They found the gravedigger straightening a gravestone. The tall, lanky man in a cloak noticed the two and smiled.  "Gentlemen, what a lovely morning, is it not?" 

"It is," said Zook. 

Ivor nodded to the other man. "Natrius, sir, those dyes of yours worked perfectly for Mr. F'bassio's pigments. Again, my thanks."

"You seem to really love your job," said Zook. "I don't know if I could work around the dead all the time."

"These?" He stamped the ground. "These are but empty shells. When we die, our essence moves on, wherever that may be. My job is to treat the shells, either by shovel or torch."

Zook snorted. "That seems disrespectful to the dead."

"Why? They're dead." Ivor brought his arms wide. "All this is just to serve the living. It's all part of nature."

"Well as interesting as this is," said Zook, "we may have need of your services. Daniel, the blacksmith has fallen ill and we're traveling to another town for help. We could use your physical presence."

(Q)  Does Ivor agree?  (Likely)  Yes.

"Mr. Daniel is sick?" Leaning on his shovel, Ivor thought of this. "I'm afraid I haven't been in many fights, but just tell me when you plan to leave."

"Really?" said Natrius. "You're not bothered we're disrupting the nature of life?"

"Well he's still alive, is he not?" asked the tall man. "If there's a way to help him, then it's best we make haste."

"Thanks," said Zook. "Come by the shop in the morning."

"Well," said Natrius," that's one. Who's next?"

Later, they entered the bakery.

"Kerri!" said Zook.

Kerri, a young woman with broad shoulders and brown hair tied back, smiled. "Mr. Zook." she turned to her customer. "You cake'll be ready by the end of this week."

"But I need it tomorrow morning," said the old lady.

"Madam," said Kerri, "I need time to bake the cake and then decorate it, especially since it's so large."

"So what," said the lady, "you have it when you open tomorrow morning or else. It's not like you do real work here."

The lady stormed out while Kerri kept the smile on her face. "What can I get for you, Mr. Zook? A cake in an hour?"

"Not at all," said the gnome. "Daniel, the blacksmith has grown sick and we're heading out of town to find a cure. We can use some help, specifically your muscles."

(Q)  Does Kerri agree?  (Likely)  Yes.

Staring out the door where the old lady had left, Kerri picked up a rolling pin. "I'm in."

"What about her cake?" Natrius pointed to the door.

Kerri shrugged. "She was going to complain no matter what. I can use the vacation.

Zook grinned as they left the shop. "Perfect. Well, that's half our team. I can probably convince the captain to spare a couple of guards."

Natrius nodded. "That still leaves two slots. So who else?"

Zook rubbed his chin.  "You know, it wouldn't hurt to have a few less than savory fellows helping us, you know, to look out for trouble, pick locks, be sneaky, that sort of thing."

Natrius blinked. "You want to hire thieves to protect us?"

Zook shook his head. "No, not thieves, but a few who are close enough to that lifestyle can help us."

"Spare a coin or three?"

They looked over to see a young woman sitting on the bench.

"Solgi," said Zook, "you break into anymore houses?"

The woman shrugged. "Either the house or a cell. Either way, I sleep under a roof."

"Wait," said Natrius, "you break into houses?"

Solgi nodded and grinned. "It's fun."

The two men looked at each other, and then Zook spoke. "How'd you like to earn a few coin, doing just that, being sneaky?"

(Q)  Does Solgi agree?  (Very Likely)  Yes.

"What do you need?" She asked.

"We're going to another town to help the blacksmith, who's been poisoned. We need someone who's got an eye for the shadows.

"Sounds like fun," she said, "count me in."

(It occurred to me that Vina, the former bandit could be useful as well.)

(Q)  Does Vina agree?  (Very Likely)  Yes - Random Event.

(Event)  "Distant, NPC."

(Q)  Does Vina have a pleasant thought towards this NPC?  (50/50)  Yes.

(Q)  Can this person help?  (Likely)  Yes.

"I heard you were heading to the towns." Vina, the village master of tops tournament approached. "Do you have an actual plan or are you just going to hit each town?"

"What do you have in mind?" asked Zook.

"Oasis Brook," she answered. "I have a friend there who can get us what we need, and she can make sure we don't get ripped off in the process."

Zook held out his hand. "Welcome to the team." He turned to Natrius. "Well, now we just need to get supplied and our quest awaits!"

 By the way, the last two, which I simply rolled up are:

Milo

Not exactly a guard, but more of a village guide who keeps an eye out for trouble, he's better at talking his way through situations than fighting. 

Str -1, Cha +1.  Skills:  Persuade, Intimidate. 

Jaree

A guard in training who's skilled at throwing things, but who jumps way too easily.

Dex +1, Wis -1.  Skills:  Proficiency in Simple Weapons.

Next time, out hopeful heroes go shopping!

Zeroes to Heroes - Part 2

 Zook stood in the village court, watching as Chief Notty dealt with case after case that morning. Or rather, it seemed as much even though only a few cases were brought before the chief. It was just one of those slow weeks.

"So let me get this straight," said the chief to the man in cuffs standing before him, "you were cheating in the tops tournament by using a metal top instead of a wooden one." He turned to glance at Zook, who merely shrugged. Then he addressed the man again. "You realize the spent more making your little toy than what you would've gained from the prize money, right?" When the other man didn't reply, Notty sighed. "Fine, you forfeit your entrance free and are hereby banned from few tournaments. Oh, and pay a 5 gold fine for wasting my time. Guards, get those cuffs off of him and get him out of my sight."

The chief turned to the gnome standing beside him.  "What's next, Mr. Zook?"

Zook stared at the parchment before him. "It looks like Solgi was brought in again for squatting in an empty house."

Notty rolled his eyes. "She gets money from begging and spends it in this village. Can't we do something to help her?"

Before Zook could reply, a man burst into the court. "Sire, I need your help."

Zook looked to the man. "Natrius? What's wrong?"

Grasping his chest and wiping the tears from his eyes, Natrius addressed the two. "It's Daniel."

Hearing the gnome gasp, Notty turned to Zook. "Who?"

Zook raised his hand high above his head. When the chief stared at him, the gnome made a muscular pose attempt.

"Oh," said Notty, "the blacksmith."

Welcome back!

Last time, we learned that our uber-muscular blacksmith named Daniel has an embarrassingly low strength. Well, a few people on the Mythic Discord suggested to turn it into the plot of an adventure, and I think that's a brilliant idea. So this will be about a group stepping out of their comfort zones to help a friend. 

Just a warning though, if you're expecting an action packed, hack and slash adventure, you might be disappointed. Remember, these are Level 0 characters. They have a ways to go until they become heroes. Not only that, they can't even walk into a shop and buy thousands of gold in weapons and armor. They'll have to move a step at a time to succeed.

And that's assuming they survive in the first place.

So let's get to it.

I'm not sure what happened to Daniel, so I'm going to let Mythic help me.

(Q)  Did Daniel get injured?  (50/50)  No.

Okay, so it's either a disease or poison.

(Q)  Was it caused by a person?  (Likely)  Yes - Random Event.

(Random)  "Strange, Help."

Sounds like it wasn't completely deliberate.

"It's food poisoning," Natrius said. "Evidently, when a group of merchants came through a couple of weeks ago, they traded some food from their home. I looked it over and found out they use a spice native to their land that can be poisonous if you don't slowly build up a resistance to it." Pulling out a small sack, he revealed pieces of multi-colored bread. "Daniel was one of two people who tried it, and it just took effect. This morning, while bending a piece of metal, he collapsed and has been unconscious ever since."

Leaning forward, Notty eyed the other man. "Tell me, Natrius, how do you know all of this? I thought your skills were limited to dying fabrics."

"More or less," said Natrius, "but I've worked with my share of dangerous plants and even learned a bit of medicine, just in case."

"How bad is it?" asked Zook.

Natrius covered the bread again and returned it. "According to my studies, he won't last more than a couple of weeks. His size and health are the only reasons he's lasted this long."

"Wait," said Notty, "what about our healer? Can't he do anything?"

Natrius shook his head. "I'm afraid he was the other who ate the bread. He wasn't so lucky."

"So what do you suggest?" asked the chief.

"We need either the antidote," Natrius answered, "or a really strong healing potion."

"And I'm guessing neither are in supply here," said Notty. 

"I'm afraid not, sire," said Natrius, "but we have to do something. Daniel is my closest friend."

"Well that's easy!" Zook perked up. "We just hire a group of adventurers. They're always looking for quests like this."

"Normally, I'd agree with you," said the chief, "but the problem is every adventurer is elsewhere, exploring dungeons, hunting dragons, and the like. We haven't had a group in this village in weeks."

Zook then got a sly grin on his face. "Then we'll do it."

Notty furrowed his brow. "You'll do what?"

"I was once a hireling," Zook answered. "I'll put a group together, and we'll travel to the next town to find either the potion or the antidote."

"The roads aren't safe though," said the chief, "and we can't spare a lot of guards. That would leave us open to attack."

Zook moved his hand aside. "Not a problem sire. I've got the skills we need."

The chief frowned. "What skills? You don't know any spells?"

"Give me a chance," said the gnome, "I can do this."

(Q)  Does Chief Notty agree?  (Likely, just to get the adventure going)  Yes - but BARELY!

Notty sighed. "Something tells me you'll go anyway." He paused in thought. "Fine, you may form a group of 8 individuals; you and 7 others." He looked up. "Make that 6 others, plus you and Natrius."

Natrius looked up.  "Me, sire?"

"Yes, you," said the chief. "Mr. Zook'll need your skills with medicine."

"But I don't know how to, what do you call it, adventure?" He held up his hands. "Last time I left the village, it was in a carriage with three guards."

"Best I can do for Daniel," the chief said.

"One other thing," said Zook, "we could use some money for supplies."

"I'm afraid we don't have much with business being slow.," said Notty. "I can't do much."

"We'll take whatever you can spare," said the gnome, "but the more you give us, the better chance we have to succeed."

Let's see if Zook can convince the chief to offer some gold.

(Q)  Does Notty give some gold for supplies?  (Zook's +1 vs. Notty's +3 = -2 or Very Unlikely)  Yes.

"Fine," said the chief. "I'll open the coffers and give you 200 gold." As the gnome's grin grew wider, Notty held up a hand. "That's total, to be divided among your group." He then jabbed a finger. "But once you're done, Daniel owes me a sword that'll cut through an anvil. Am I clear?"

"You got it!" Zook jumped up, tapping Natrius on the back and leading the reluctant other man out of the court.

Next, we build the team.

Zero to Hero - Maybe!

 

I recently read the book, NPCs, by Drew Hayes, which is an awesome book, by the way. It starts with a group of adventurers who enter a tavern, get some drinks, and drop dead. Learning that the king is expecting this group (and this king gets rather cranky when he feels ghosted), four background characters step forward and take the group's place. However, since they're not skilled at adventuring, they have to learn as they go, and they even end up switching roles as they learn more about how to adapt their skills to fit their roles.

I decided this seems like a fun way to run a Dungeons and Dragons game. I'd fill a village full of Commoners, each with their own skill sets and personalities, let the players choose the characters, and once they reach Level 1 (assuming they survive), assign them classes, etc.

Unfortunately, I don't have the time to join or even start a group as I don't have the same nights off each week. It just wouldn't be fair to a group to cancel because suddenly I have to go into work at 4 the next morning.

Because of this, I'll use Mythic to run a solo game, with my controlling all of the characters.

Here's how it works:

I created a village with a bunch of Level 0 characters. These characters have no class and at times no race (those with a race don't get any modifiers). Each also gets 4 Hit Points and Armor Class 10 (+/- and modifiers). Abilities average at 10, with 0 for +/-. That means if a character has a + for an Ability, they have a - elsewhere. Also, I don't know if I'll play exclusively D&D for game rules or use it and Mythic (I know Mythic will be used for the story though), but luckily, jumping back and forth is relatively easy. While D&D mostly resolves events by rolling 1d20, Mythic uses Percentage Dice. Converting one to the other won't be a problem. 

Finally, each character will have 2-3 Skills or Proficiencies in certain areas, while receiving a +1 bonus to those (and only those) areas. 

Hopefully by the end of the quest, I'll get 4 characters who can take the roles of heroes. Hopefully they survive.

So let's get started!

This adventure starts in the village of Briskhill. Here's a map to give us an idea where we are (Pleas ignore the descriptions. I realize my handwriting is less than legible.  (Okay, I've had instruuctors turn my papers upside down while trying to read them):

Briskhill Village lies in a valley, between roads that lead to a number of towns and cities. Originally created as a trading post, it developed its own community and acts as a stop for adventurers traveling to larger locations. Also, since it lacks mines, trading occurs quite often. 

To the south of the village is Glimmer Forest. While the trees don't grow very tall (Most are as tall as the average human), they regrow rapidly. And while the residents don't understand why, they do take advantage, using the lumber for structures, objects, and even trading for metals. The wood from the lumber itself doesn't show any magical properties, though it is quite sturdy.

In the center of the village is Central Pond, where residents fish while gathering around the bank for different events.

One event that takes place every few months in the village is Tops Spinning. Anyone wishing to enter the contest pays and Entrance Fee (5 sp). In return, they get a block of wood that they can carve in whatever shape for their top that they choose. Competitors then spin their tops on one of the selected tables, tournament style. The winner gets 25 gp while the runners up get 10, 5, 2, and 1 gp prizes. In addition, people gamble on winners.

Briskhill Village is run by Jerey Nottbary, a halfling former merchant who helped established the village. While too old to work a normal job anymore, he does give advice to merchants who wish to start their trade in the village. Generally cheerful and charming, he's known as Chief Notty to the people who live in his village.

(Going by the Lord British Postulate), I'm only assigning him basic stats:

+3 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma. Skills in Persuasion, Insight, and Perception.

Now let's look at some of the other residents of this village (They'll be more later on). Hopefully, a few of them will become heroes in the near future. In most cases, I used a combination of D&D's rules and Mythic's 1 Page Character Crafter to create them, with 1 Page Mythic filling in the blanks. Note that if an Ability isn't listed, it's treated as 10 (0 modifier)

Mr. Zook

Zook (The villagers call him Mr. Zook) is a halfling who serves Chief Notty as Court Wizard. However, he possesses no actual magical ability. Instead, he has an amulet that glows in the presence of magic. Also, he has knowledge of magic and a a bit of showmanship, throwing his hands in the air to try and tricks others into thinking he's casting a spell. Mostly, he tries to protect the Chief while also making sure people don't cheat in the tops tournaments.

(Deciding that Zook is my main character, I wanted to know more about him so I made a few rolls. First, since I couldn't decide on a clan name, I decided he didn't have one, but I wanted to know why.)

(Detail)  What happened to Zook with his clan?  "Emotion, Deception."

(Q)  Did this have something to do with a female?  (Likely)  "Yes."

Zook was banished from his village after things went very bad with a woman he was trying to court (He never mentioned the details, but apparently, he thought highly of her at the time).

(That helps. Now I want to know about his history with magic.)

(Detail)  How did Zook get his amulet?  "NPC, Control"

(Detail)  What happened?  "Nature, Harm, Fight."

(Q)  Was this harm deliberate?  (Likely)  "Yes."

Needing a way to survive, Zook served a wizard for some time. At one point, the wizard tried to burn down a forest so he could get his tower constructed. The wizard entered the forest, but screams were heard. Zook rushed into the forest but only found his master's bloody cloak and amulet. After getting the cloak cleaned and fitted for his size(It's not magical), he donned it and the amulet and eventually found his way into the court of Chief Notty.

Mr. Zook.  Male Gnome.  -2 Str, +1 Int, +1 Cha. Skills:  Arcanum, Deception.

(Zook's amulet can Detect Magic up to 10 feet. However, every time it detects a spell, roll 1d10. Rolling equal to or less than the Spell Level causes the amulet to explode).

Govi

Govi has lived in Briskhill all of her life. Her parents died when she was very young, so now she lives with her uncle Daniel, the village blacksmith, and works as his apprentice. Govi is in excellent shape and works hard, but outside the shop, she tends to trip over her own feet. Also, she doesn't like verbal interaction much and can be terse, blunt, and brutally honest.

Govi:  Human female. +1 Str, +1 Con, -1 Dex, -1 Cha.  Skills:  Athletics, blacksmith tools.

Vina

Vina is a former bandit who's trying to get away from her former life. Unfortunately, a life of impulsive decisions and knee-jerk reactions didn't go well for her. Trying not to stand out, she lives by sweeping and cleaning shops. However, she earns most of her money competing with her top, which is shaped like a crystal shard. Having won a number of tournaments with it, she calls it her lucky charm.

Vina.  Female Human.  Dex +1, Wis -1.  Skills:  Sleight of Hand.

(Vina also possesses her top, which she named Thresher. It gains a +3 when she's gaming.)

Natrius

Known by his friends as Nate, Natrius is the village dyer. An expert on using plants to create different colors, he supplies the villagers, usually for buildings, signs, and even writing ink for the court. Natrius learned (the hard way) which plants also are useful and dangerous, a side effect of his profession.

Natrius:  Human male.  Str -1, Con +1.  Skills:  Nature, Medicine.

Fara

Fara is the bartender of the village's only tavern. Having watched a few tops tournaments, she got an idea to increase business. When traveling merchants and adventurers enter her tavern, she's play to their pride, encouraging them compete, while conveniently leaving the details, such as that it's not fights or athletic contests. She also collects wagers, so she does her best to get newcomers to compete, knowing they usually lose in the process.

Fara:  Human female.  Str -1, Cha +1.  Skills:  Persuade, Insight.

Loffo

Loffo is Fara's closest friend, whom she sees as a younger brother. He works the farm, where he spends most of his days. While not very bright, he does know how to grow crops quite well. However, he also helps Fara in another way. Being a huge, hulking person, he tends to intimidate anyone stepping out of line in the tavern. But Fara also points to him when convincing outsiders to compete in the tournament, though they don't realize until too late that he has his own set of tops. Loffo doesn't mind this as Fara keeps him fed and lets him sleep in one of the bunks for free.

Loffo.  Male (unknown race):  Str +1, Int -1.

Hollyn

Hollyn is an orc who works as a woodcutter. 

(That's all I've got, so far).

(Q)  Did something bad happened to her in her past?  (Likely)  "Yes."

(Detail)  What happened to her?  "Competition, Setback, Harm."

When she was younger, Hollyn hunted with her clan. Several others tried to sabotage her, and in her anger, she killed them. Deciding that was the perfect time to see new sights, she traveled until settling in the village.  She gets along with the other villagers pretty well, though when not doing business, she keeps to herself.

Hollyn:  Female orc:  All stats 0.  Proficiency:  woodcutter's ax.

Oskar

Oskar is the tavern cook, working for Fara and sleeping in a bunk for free. 

(That's all I've got. Let's see what else I can come up with)

(Mind Descriptor)  "Insight, Old."

Oskar is middle-aged but still in good shape. He's learned a variety of cooking recipes over the years, and his delicious foods have made him quite popular. Knowing he brings in business, Fara pays him well and gives him a lot of freedom with his cooking.

Oskar:  Male dwarf.  Con +1, Dex -1.  Skills: Perception, Proficiency:  chef's tools.

(This next one threw me through a loop.)

Daniel

Daniel is Govi's uncle and the village blacksmith. A huge man, he's quite skilled at shoeing horses, making weapons, and shaping armors. 

When I rolled up this character, I got the following Descriptors:

(Identity)  "Strong"

(Mind)  "Social"

(Body)  "Strong"

(Talent)  "Strong"

(Sure sounds fitting for a blacksmith, right? Weeeelllll . . . )

Daniel:  Human Male:  Str -3

(Yep, -3! So what does that mean? Well thanks to several people on the Mythic Discord, I came up with an idea, which is where are adventure starts.)

Well, next time . . . 

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.