game 22/01/03

LoLth

Well, it was a good game last night. We finished the bramblewood keep scenario.

who was there:
Elmer Mc Fudd (monk)
Sally (rogue)
Shan Winklo (monk)
parmenion (me)(ranger)
Light (Ranger)

What happened:

Travelling North to bramblewood keep we did a few side treks (a cave of undead and a cave of beetles - where Sally did an exceptional job of scouting by the way and Shan and Elmer engaged in the most viscious form of monk vs. monk combat known to man, dwarf elf or drow... rock, paper, scissors). We took care of a few bears and an angry badger or two. At the main bridge, we met some bandits who we promptly killed and looted, and again at the exit to the bramblewood keep outskirts. There was mention of a Merry and Pippen (two bandit leaders and not hobbits as you may think).

Getting closer to the keep, we met with a female blacksmith called thea who was busy beating the snot out of an anvil.

We also met a farmer who spoke of goblin attacks. Just as he finished his tale a clump (less than a horde but more than a few) of goblin appeared from the woods and attacked. The archers and goblins were easy enough, it was the goblin elite that caused difficulty. Archers arrived from the keep to the north and gave good support fire.

Sally found a cave to the south east defended by two bugbears. Once these were calmly easoned with (read, stabbed repeatedly) we entered the mines of Selthor, a goblin den with some nasty traps (again dealt with by Sally). However there wasone door we could not open.

Onwards to bramblewood keep.
Here we split up to find quests. Captain kel told us of the goblin raids and the tunnel through the mines to the forest lair of the goblins.
Sally found an old woman in the barracks that needed her broom returned, it was in the attic with some giant spiders. Unfortunately, I overzealously legged it up the stairs and started the fight prematurely - which resulted in light and shan missing out on 80xp - sorry lads but I think I made up for it later...

We also met merry and pippen in the pub and promptly killed them. (not a very good track record in the bandit relations field really.....). On one of the bodies a note was found saying "the old duke will not know what is happening. Keep up the good work". it was unsigned....

Elmer had to leave us at this point.

Equipment was divided up and useless stuff sold. myself and light got ourselves shiney longbows.

(on a side note - I will admit to being a bit strict about treasure sharing, but too often we end up with a rush to loot situation because that's the only way we'll get anything. Better to be too strict than to have people getting nothing at all or worse yet, items useful to a party member being sold off)

At this point Sally had to leave. NO ROGUE! Aaaargh!
So, we decided to take a quick look at teh tunnel and see what it was like.

light has 1 point in remove trap and 2 points in search, so he became our point man. Beyond the gate the tunnel continued north. light identified several traps and I..ahem.. disarmed them

Several encounters with undead followed (skeletons, shadows and ghouls), resulting in Light getting diseased and shan dying once.

Out of the tunnel, we entered a forest and started running battles with clumps of goblins. Included was a tower where a shaman shacked up with two elites. The goblin den was in the north east. Having nothing better to do, we entered.

Traps and goblins waited for us and we waded through all of them

At the end, a rather large orc and his pals was waiting for us. A quick fight ensued and we stood on their heads, repeatedly.

back to bramblewood and useless items were sold off.

thus ended chapter 1.

chapter 2 next week?

ps. Shan and myself have reached level 4 (barely), and Light has hit level 2.

pps. I've got a dagger +1 that I did not sell as someone might be able to use it. Betty boo, do you have a magical weapon?

BattlingCheese

Nice 1 Lolth very well written, jaysus you've a good memory.
You should be the official Bard.


O and Elmer I've got your gold so remind me next week.

LoLth

it's just handy for people who miss the session t know what is going on. If we left a quest unfinshed etc.

At least now if people join in for chapter 2 they will know what has gone before. For example that orcs are getting goblins to attack the surrounding areas.

From teh reviews, chapter 2 is supposed to be one of the better ones. Hopefully we can get the whole group there for the full duration.

FlashBang

lol, WERY well written (uhh, ok, I won't be a bard...)

we should make sure everyone stays at about the same level. I.e. we'll kick light from the team, weaken each enemy up till it's "near death", then let him deal the final blow. Till he's only 1 lvl under us or maybe even same level. At least for the regs we could do that.
What do you think?

LoLth

it's a good idea. in theory at least.

In practise, it is quite hard to leave things at "near death" status.

light is only about 2.5k behind on XP, by the time we reach 5th or 6th level he will be almost the same (still behind in XP but equal in level if oyu know what I mean).

Alternatively (and I wouldn't consider it cheating as it is done in most PnP games) we could ask Rev to bump him up a level as he joined a bit behind us. That gives him the experience and as it is only one level, we wont need to add in equipment or magic items etc. as he already has this.

We should perhaps introduce a policy that new character come in at the same level as the lowest level in the group but without teh equipment and that players that miss sessions (and thus XP) get levelled up to the lowest level (but again no magic items or equipment extras - ok, some gold for newbie characters approx 500 per level to buy equipment). That way, the group stays at the same challenge level and everyone gets to take part and enjoy the game equally. It will also make it possible to retire a character and bring in a new one (losing equipment etc) if they decide they don't like the way their current one is working out. For example, a mage ro cleric would be nice right now but there is no incentive for someone to bring in a new one if it starts three levels behind everyone else.


oh look, another essay. me needs a life

ps. forgot to mention above that Sally gave Thea a hammer of the forge and completed a quest. Might come into things later.

pps. was it my imagination or was last nights game more "organised". I thought the one last week was a bit "run everywhere, find everything we can as quick as possible". This one seemed more like a pen and paper session.

FlashBang

true, we had a great crew and everyone "followed the leader"
That was Sally inside the caves and Elmer outside. Most of the decission-making was made by the party-leader Ramases if I remember correctly. We all were a pretty good team, I'd say

... besides, who is elmer? someone we know or one of the new ppl? I don't know who is who (well, besides light whos name is just obvious).
lol, if sally swift wasn't moving when I click on the ground, I wouldn't know she was me either :P

cya
- Flash

p.s.: 500 per level would be a bit much. I'm lvl3 and maybe got 500 GP (with selling stuff etc) all-in-all.

p.p.s.: playing a mage on this module is impossible (at least on lower levels) as resting-restrictions are just too strict. Cleric would be acceptable cause he has considerable melee-skills, too. Additionally, a cleric will be able to resurrect his fallen teammates later...
still, I probably shouldn't change. A rogue really is a must-have in most modules (including this one)

BattlingCheese

I agree on that plan Lolth, sounds good.

Yeah last night was one of the most enjoyable games I've played.
Nice steady pace and everybody had a role to play and we stuck together. Kinda helped that the maps were pretty small and the rest restrictions which meant we all rested about the same time so nobody got left behind.

Here's hoping next week is as good.

Light0r

Yep ! t'was a vry good game.
Im 2949 xp atm - so i dunno - its up to u lot what we do - the higher the levels we all go with - the less it will matter as when the level spacing gets to 4k - i will be at 3k til lvl where u lot will be 1k from lvl - which is grand as we will actually be on the same lvl for most of the time :x
I dunno its up to u lot - i dont mind
i usually stay back and use the bow to cover neyway.
- Light

Furez

Yes Flashbang only playing 2-3 weeks. I was really enjoying lasts night too and was loath to quit.

Battlecheese I shirk worldly goods Just gimme a few bob to buy some Health kits/potions and Im happy .

Furzy (fud)