After burying their comrades (not before Perceval took Br. McCleary's armor. Hey, he doesn't need it anymore) and returning to town, Perceval and Malazar informed Feldspar of the situation and then went for a drink at the tavern. There, by chance of course, they met Sister Clarice, Acolyte of the Monkey King and Fayona the Hungry (names generated with the help of the awesome name generator from Erik at Wampus Country.)
They were unable to find any fool willing to be their torch bearer or porter (Perceval asked to join the party as a full member, if Feldspar would teach him the fighting arts when his recovery was complete. Rather than having to pay him each time and increasing shares of treasure, Malazar and Feldspar agreed to let him join them).
The PCs planned to go and explore the area with the goblins and bugbear, feeling there is more than likely treasure to be had there. Immediately they were taken aback by the fact that the first door they came to in the dungeon had been repaired.
After an uneventful encounter with a large pack of giant rats which were dispersed by burning oil to dissuade them from bothering the party (sadly, they did not leave 2000 copper pieces when they left), the party made their way to the room of the goblin guards.
There were no new guards this time around, just an opportunistic giant crab spider that dropped onto Perceval. Fortunately it failed to bite him and he was able to throw it off of himself. Fayona and Sister Clarice charged the spider and managed to kill it, but Fayona was bitten. Predictably, she failed her save vs. poison.
Knowing her end was near, she requested to die in the light of the sun, rather than in this godforsaken hole. The party obliged, and she expired just as they got her outside. They buried her and then there was some debate about going back in, but in they went.
A newly set pit trap replete with spikes did in Sister Clarice. Malazar and Perceval decided discretion was indeed the better part of valor and abandoned the expedition to return to town.
*****************
body count: Fayona the Hungry (F:1), Sister Clarice, Acolyte of the Monkey King (C:1)
kills: 1 giant crab spider
rooms explored: none. I didn't even turn over a single card to generate more dungeon!
treasure: none
turns:16
Despite the high body count, I'm enjoying this, and I've grown fond of both Malazar and Perceval. Which, I suspect, seals their doom.
If they had any sense, they'd abandon this whole dungeon delving idea, but the threat of returning to boring jobs toiling in obscurity, near penniless, is a strong motivator.
To have a slightly longer session next time, instead of relying on the dice to tell me how many new PCs join the party, I'm just going to decide myself. I foresee 2 more fighters, a cleric and possibly a thief.
Wherein Our Hero blathers on about playing with toy soldiers, playing RPGs and related interests for his own edification.
What?! How is Perceval still alive?!
ReplyDeleteI call shenanigans!
Tell me about it! I am as amazed as anyone.
DeleteIn part, I suspect it's because I have a rule about not using henchmen as meat-shields - the party shouldn't be allowed to fall back on,, or sacrifice NPCs. Hirelings are always in the middle of the marching order, and they do not engage in combat unless there's some obvious benefit, like saving their meal ticket's butt.
As a side note, playing solo, I suppose it's a bit of fine line between a PC and an NPC, but it's one my brain seems to accept.
In Perceval's case, I believe it's mostly dumb luck. The dice decide who falls in a pit, who the monster attacks, and who fails their save vs. poison. Now that Perceval has moved from NPC to PC (again, that weird fine line), he'll be more actively involved in combat and monsters will have a good chance of choosing him as the target.