I had a 4-room dungeon prepared for the game session, and figured it might be interesting to see how it worked out in real time. So, I made notes throughout the game session to see how things moved along.

We started the game a little after 8:00 p.m. (later than normal for our group). The PCs had just left the previous dungeon (which they did not fully explore, much to my disappointment), and were heading for a small town.

They stayed in the town a couple of game days to pick up supplies, They hired a guide to take them to a larger city they had never been to. Three days into the journey, they were waylaid by an ogre and a couple of orcs.

The PCs:
Human barbarian/sorcerer 1/3
Human cleric 4
Elf fighter (archer) 4
The NPC guide does not fight or join the dungeon invasion

9:20-9:33 — 1 ogre, 2 orcs [EL4, 4.5 rounds, 13 minutes (2.9 min/rnd; 29 secs/combatant)]
– Barbarian/sorcerer used mage armor, shield, enlarge person.
– Cleric used shield of faith and some healing.
– Fighter was badly beat up by ogre, but the cleric’s healing made it all better.

They had their guide trail the humanoids back to their lair. He did so, and they found the cave at 9:40. They discussed how to approach the cave and then entered the cave (attempt #1) at 9:45.

Room 1
9:48-10:01 — 6 orcs [EL4, 7 rounds, 13 minutes (1.8 min/rnd; 12 secs/combatant)]
– Barbarian/sorcerer used mage armor, enlarge person, shield?, and held bottleneck tunnel.
– Cleric stood behind and healed barbarian/sorcerer for first 4 rounds, then moved forward into room and engaged in melee.
– Fighter couldn’t do much for first 4 rounds, then moved in and engaged with bow at near point blank range.

After the fight, they explored beyond first room, found room 2. Room 2 was empty of enemies, but a cage held 3 gnome captives. The PCs freed the gnomes. Questioning the gnomes, they learned there were probably 20 orcs in total. The PCs decided to pull out with the freed gnomes to rest and recover. They left the cave at 10:05. Rested overnight. Went back into cave (attempt #2) at 10:25.

Room 1, again
10:25-10:40 — 6 orcs [EL4, 5.5 rounds, 15 minutes (2.7 min/rnd; 18 secs/combatant)]
– Barbarian/sorcerer used mage armor, shield, enlarge person and stepped just a little too far into room, allowing all 6 orcs to engage him (a couple had flanking).
– Cleric stood behind and healed.
– Fighter took some shots when he could, from behind the other two PCs for first 3 rounds.
– Barbarian/sorcerer fell to onslaught of greataxes, cleric healed him to consciousness, but he stayed prone (to avoid 6 AoOs) and fought poorly.
– Fighter jumped in, over barbarian/sorcerer, in round 4 and started shooting up orcs from near point blank range.

Battle went poorly, and the party was pretty used up. Left cave at 10:41. Rested overnight. Went back into cave (attempt #3) at 10:55. Went through rooms 1 and 2 (now unguarded), and made it to room 3.

Room 3
10:58-11:02 — 1 ogre, 2 orcs [EL4, 2 rounds, 4 minutes (2 min/rnd; 20 secs/combatant)]
– Barbarian/sorcerer used enlarge person, mage armor, shield; he did not block the way in, so cleric and fighter could join fight.
– Cleric used shield of faith.
– Fighter shot arrows.

This room had a chest, which the PCs opened (setting off a magic trap against which the cleric made her save for no effect). The chest had some treasure, and the PCs decided to leave it for now. They searched the room and found a secret door. They moved through the door.

Room 4
11:08-11:25 — 1 orc 5th-level cleric [EL5, 8 rounds, 17 minutes (2.1 min/rnd; 31.5 secs/combatant)] This orc cleric had heard the fighting outside the secret door, so he was able to fully buff up before this fight.
– Barbarian/sorcerer used enlarge person again, (still had mage armor), shield; held hallway to trade blows with orc.
– Cleric stood behind and healed.
– Fighter took shots from behind teammates each round.
– Barbarian/sorcerer fell unconscious, cleric healed him back to consciousness, orc stabbed him while prone.
– Barbarian/sorcerer died, cleric cast healing one round too late, orc moved over dead barbarian/sorcerer and attacked cleric.
– Cleric cast sanctuary, orc tried but failed to attack him.
– Fighter continued shooting orc.
– Cleric cast obscuring mist and retreated.
– Orc moved up to fighter and attacked.
– Fighter retreated.
– Orc had been reduced from 41 hit points to 20 hit points, so he used cure spells to fully heal.

The barbarian/sorcerer died, and the rest of the party retreated under cover of obscuring mist. Left the cave at 11:26.

Dungeon Time Summary:
First foray in dungeon (game day 1) = 20 minutes real time, saw rooms 1 and 2.
Second foray into dungeon (game day 2) = 16 minutes real time, saw only room 1.
Third foray into dungeon (game day 3) = 31 minutes real time, saw rooms 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Total time in dungeon = 67 minutes real time; about 20 minutes over 3 days game time.

The fights make for interesting comparisons:

The very first fight, before even entering the dungeon was against 1 ogre and 2 orcs. They eventually fought the same battle later, in the dungeon.

The first fight against the ogre and orcs was brutal on the party (on the fighter/archer specifically). The second fight against the ogre and orcs was a cake walk; I don’t think any PC got hit.

1st ogre & orc battle: 4.5 rounds, 13 minutes (2.9 min/rnd; 29 secs/combatant)
2nd ogre & orc battle: 2 rounds, 4 minutes (2 min/rnd; 20 secs/combatant)

The fights against the 6 orc guards were rough because the orcs were using greataxes (1d12+3 damage). In the first fight, the barbarian/sorcerer stood in the 10’-wide hallway, where only two orcs could attack at a time. The second fight against the 6 orc guards was brutal on the barbarian/sorcerer because he stepped through the “doorway” of the room, allowing all 6 orcs to attack him. The barbarian/sorcerer stayed in that position the entire time, and the cleric’s healing couldn’t keep up with the orcs’ damage output. [Note: this was a 3.5 game, but I had equipped the orcs with scalemail and greataxes, as statted up in 3.0.]

1st 6-orc battle: 7 rounds, 13 minutes (1.8 min/rnd; 12 secs/combatant)
2nd 6-orc battle: 5.5 rounds, 15 minutes (2.7 min/rnd; 18 secs/combatant)

These four battles show two different things:

The ogre and orcs fights showed what a difference a couple lucky/unlucky rolls can make – the fighter/archer got smashed hard twice in the first fight, but no one got hit in the second.

The orc fights showed what a difference a simple tactic can make in a fight – standing in a chokepoint where enemies were limited in room to attack, versus letting one’s self get surrounded.

Anyway, I thought the data was interesting (especially the comparative combats).

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

The PCs in this campaign are sort of self-resurrected heroes of a previous age.

Back story: In a previous age, a Great Evil lay waste to the world. The PCs were part of a group of mortal heroes who rose in power to become hero-deities against the Great Evil. They defeated it, but the victory cost them their lives — their bodies were destroyed in the battle.

The opening scene of this campaign: These heroes have “awakened” in a [now lost and forgotten] shrine built in their memory. They don’t know why they’ve come back, but they suspect it has something to do with the Great Evil — maybe it is coming back.

They are 1st level, and must work their way back to their near-god-like power (read: level 20+). Along the way they will quest to recover their heroic artifacts, that have been scattered about the world in the age since their first deaths.

The only power they have above normal mortals is an ability to self raise dead 24 hours after death. They have become Eternal Heroes.

I had each Player pick out their “heroic artifacts” that their character had in the previous life. They could pick three to six magic items from the DMG, valued at up to 300,000 gp total. Much of their questing in this campaign will be tracking down these items. Their choices were interesting.

The elven fighter (archer)’s heroic artifacts:

+2 composite mighty (+5) longbow with flaming, frost, shock, and holy
Celestial armor
+6 Gloves of dexterity
Scarab of protection
Ring of spell turning
Boots of striding and springing

The human cleric’s heroic artifacts:

+3 adamantine heavy mace with flaming and holy
Ring of freedom of movement
+6 periapt of wisdom
+2 buckler of reflecting
Mantle of faith
+4 belt of giant strength

The human barbarian/sorcerer’s heroic artifacts:

Broom of flying
+5 amulet of natural armor
+8 bracers of armor
Ring of wizardry I
Ring of wizardry III
+2 adamantine greatsword with holy, merciful, and spell storing

Most of these items are not surprising choices—wise choices, even. But a broom of flying? For a barbarian/sorcerer? That one makes me chuckle.

And the mighty (+5) composite longbow? The PC only has 14 Strength, so is +3 short on the power necessary to pull the bow (would give a total of -6 penalty on attack rolls using it). The Player explained that he expects to buy a +6 belt of giant strength by the time he finds the bow. I’m not sure why he didn’t just make the belt one of his heroic artifacts to find. Oh well, this was all their choices.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

I wanted experiment a bit with a D&D campaign concept. As I lamented in my Januaty 30 post, below, I have a problem with character death in my campaigns.

I would absolutely love, love, love for a group of PCs to go from 1st level to 20th level. I want to see PCs rise in power; I want to experience D&D beyond 10th level.

So, I’ve started my new campaign witih a “safety net.” If a PC dies, he or she will rise again, as though by a self-cast raise dead spell. I’m also awarding double xp for overcoming challenges.

This is not something I would do with just any group of D&D players. My group has been together for four years; the Players know me, and I know the Players. We have discussed this campaign concept, and everyone accepts it. We all know it’s an experiment.

There are only three Players in my group, so there are only three PCs in the campaign. They are built with 30 points for the Point Buy method, and other than the raise dead effect, they have no super powers beyond their normal class abilities from the core rule books.

And since this campaign is an experiment, I’m tracking some stuff for data examination. For example, I’m tracking how long combats take, all the way up to 20th level. I’ve been doing this data tracking for a couple years in my regular campaigns (see my June 27, 2006 post below), but this time I’ll see how it looks through all 20 levels.

I’ve already got some data and some posts to make on how the game has been going so far (three game sessions), so I’ll be updating this section just about every day this week.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

Classic D&D adventure module review

The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, by Dave J. Browne with Don Turnbull – Advanced D&D, 1981

An adventure for character levels 1-3

32 pages plus the separate tri-fold cover with maps on the inside faces and the third panel of the outside face. (1 blank page backing player handout illustrations.) The adventure has 30 numbered areas in the mansion, and 17 numbered areas on the ship.

This was the premiere module from the United Kingdom, and the preface mentions, as a light warning, that American readers will probably notice the “slightly different flavour.”

The first four pages introduce the module, mention the town of Saltmarsh, tell the legend of the haunted mansion, and explain the overall plot and story for the adventure. Unlike other adventures of the time period with a town name in the title, this module does not detail the main town. The section on the town merely gives an overview and tells the DM to create any necessary details, including the names and occupations of the Town Council and other prominent citizens, any inn and/or tavern, and the place(s) of worship. The only details given are the population, “about 2,000,” and its coordinate location on the World of Greyhawk map.

The plot for this adventure revolves around a supposedly haunted mansion on a cliff near the town. The text gives several plot hooks to get the PCs to investigate the mansion. Once the PCs investigate, they should discover a smuggling operation working out of the basement with its small sea caves complex. When the PCs defeat the smugglers, they will then need to prepare to capture the smugglers’ ship when it arrives.

The mansion is not actually haunted, but is dilapidated enough to have a few dangerous spots that act essentially as traps. There are several giant vermin encounters in the mansion, and in a change of the AD&D paradigm, the vermin don’t have deadly poisonous bites. The authors made the spider and centipede bites debilitating instead of killing.

This module has boxed text to be read to the Players, and the room information is broken up into readable paragraphs. This helps tremendously compared to other modules of this era with dense paragraphs and no text boxes.

All the monsters are listed in the “old school” stat block style: (AC 8; HD 1+1; hp 7 each, #AT 1; D 1 hit point plus poison).

The only non-critter encounter in the house proper is with a tied up self-admitted thief. This Ned Shakeshaft is actually an assassin placed in the mansion to foil the PCs’ investigation. The encounter is set up such that Ned has what seems like a good story for his presence, but the story is flawed just enough that proper scrutiny will reveal a clue to actually push the PCs further in their investigation.

If the PCs make it to the secret areas of the basement of the mansion, they will find obvious evidence that the house is not vacant. The cavern areas are full of smugglers and some humanoid thugs. This part of the adventure in the mansion can and probably will be a series of combats, hopefully ending in the defeat of the land-based element of the smuggler operation. With the evidence found and deciphered from the mansion investigation, the PCs will need to plan an assault on the smuggler ship.

The ship part of this adventure can go in two completely different ways: It can be a stealth operation – sneaking up on the ship, slipping on board, quietly taking out guards, etc. Or it can be a straight-up boarding assault – storm the railings, hack and slash the defenders, etc. The module is written with the assumption that the PCs at least try the stealthy approach first, although a mass melee on the decks may result from mistakes or bad luck.

Once the smugglers are defeated and the ship taken, there is more mystery and intrigue to discover: what the smugglers are actually smuggling, and to whom. This sets up the plot hook for the next adventure module in this series, Danger at Dunwater.

Overall, this adventure is not a mindless hack-and-slash affair. It is a mystery story punctuated with interesting combat scenarios. There are intriguing plot points throughout the adventure, and the whole operation is full of great role playing opportunities. Impatient, strictly kick-in-the-door types may not appreciate this adventure, but there are enough of most gaming style elements here to satisfy most gamer types. This module is truly one of the greatest adventures ever created. It has story, role playing opportunities, and plenty of grand, interesting combat.

Bullgrit