[The Delvers continue exploring the complex under the Moon Manor Ruins.]
[This game uses the Fifth Revised Edition of the Hero System rules along with the Fantasy Hero supplement. This session happened July 8, 2019.]
Player Characters:
Jala – human female – a person of discretion, studying aspects of the Law [to avoid them] at the Dust Academy
Clarence – human male – studies Religion in Temples district, coincidentally the group healer
Vorgand – human female – professional porter and Adventurer’s Aide, irregularly attends classes at The Tested military academy, practitioner of Steel Serpent martial arts
Zarek the Red – fox male – a cerebrally-unfettered spell researcher [read: Mad Scientist] turned into a talking fox, studying Natural Philosophy at Monarch University to find a way to become human again
Ricky the Astrologer – human male – has a thirst for knowledge but doesn’t know what he’s searching for, currently studying Astrology at Monarch University
Nick Stalwart – human male – part of the Stalwart family of merchants, studying Mathematics at The Interesting Institute of Profitable People, a college at Monarch University
Non-Player Characters:
Torsten, Fish, Harek, Kol – surviving bandits and now torchbearers for the Delvers Guild [Still MIA]
Lester “Les” Stalwart – human male, younger brother of Nick and general tag-along [DNPC]
Freysday, October 18th, 1st year of the reign of King Vladik the Gamesman
[Resumes where Session 6 left off]
Clarence stepped forward to assist the convulsing male elf Zarek had just released from the apparatus in the underground complex. Clarence’s medical knowledge fled him in the moment and, as the elf’s muscles all locked up, Clarence resorted to using his Healing spell to save the elf.
The elf started speaking in an archaic version of High Elven that only Ricky amongst the Delvers knew. Ricky and the elf spoke for a bit, but once the elf learned that the facility was in ruins, he apologized to Ricky and then cast a Sleep spell [10d6 EB NND – force field of force wall only]. This knocked most of the Delvers unconscious with the exceptions of Clarence and Nick, who both still had defensive spells up. [Zarek’s Stoney Skin spell is Armor, so he was affected.]
Nick was calm at first…until he realized his little brother Les was also dropped by the spell, then he got angry! As the elf attempted to leave, Nick grabbed him and bound up his arms. Clarence walked over and demanded an explanation [in a language the elf didn’t know]. The elf responded by easily escaping Nick grip [Martial Escape with +15 STR to break a grab] and then he ran to the airlock doors, stepping in and pulling the inner doors closed. Unfortunately for him, he did not have time to also open the outer doors, locking the inner doors closed. Nick quickly followed and reopened one of the inner doors, blocking the elf’s escape.
Vorgand and Zarek both regained consciousness almost immediately while Jala stirred on the edge of consciousness. Vorgand was on her feet immediately [successful Breakfall roll to stand up without spending an action], dashed over to the airlock area, and flipped the elf over herself and back into the room [Martial Throw]. Clarence then walked over and attempted to grapple with the elf, but the elf [Martial] dodged his efforts. Zarek, still unsteady [he was at 0 STUN and awake only because he made a CON roll], took a chance and sipped a dose of his Potion of Speed while playing unconscious. This sped him up and he flew into the airlock to block the elf with Vorgand and maybe cast a spell.
Nick tried to use his Lightning Bolt spell to stop the elf but missed entirely. The elf bounced to his feet [use of Breakfall] and cast two spells – one a defensive spell [Force Field at 0 END] and the other his Sleep spell again. This knocked Zarek out deeply. Vorgand recognized the spell and tried to close the door to protect herself but was too slow and her unconscious body completed pulling the open door closed.
The elf tried to take Clarence’s mace but failed at the attempt, which gave Nick and Jala time to sip their Potions of Speed. Faced with multiple hostiles and having no weapon, the elf opened the other half of the double doors, stepped into the airlock area, and drew Vorgand’s sword from her scabbard. In response, Nick stepped over, switched his Lightning Bolt to rapid fire, and knocked out the elf with three solid hits from the spell. The elf was stirring again when Vorgand regained consciousness and she punched him in the face, putting him deeply unconscious [and nearly knocking herself back out burning STUN for END she didn’t have].
Nick tied up the elf while Clarence went around waking people up with his Healing spell. After a couple of minutes, the Delvers were back up and alert and the elf was waking up again. Talking with Ricky, the elf allowed that perhaps he’d been hasty in his earlier actions, not realizing how many of Ricky’s group were mages. Clarence guided the conversation with the elf through Ricky and the Delvers were able to work out a rough deal – the elf would help them explore some areas in the complex and in exchange they would take him to the room that might let him go home. The elf explained where the other rooms were on this level. Vorgand speculated that the room the elf wanted to go to either had a teleportation circle or controlled the teleportation circles and would re-activate them. Clarence is able to infer that the elf was stuck in the apparatus tube for at least centuries, if not a millennia or more. The elf’s name turned out to be Hefhauer and he would not talk about where he was from or why he was in the apparatus other than he needed healing.
With a rough deal in place, Nick adjusted the ropes on Hefhauer’s legs so he could walk, but did not untie the elf’s arms. The group left the laboratory [as identified by Hefhauer] and went north to check out the lab the fungoids were in. At the top of the ramp they showed Hefhauer the two dead fungoids and Hefhauer admitted he had never seen anything like them before. He was also unhelpful in regards to the luminescent paint adorning the flooded areas of the complex.
When the Delvers arrived at the flooded four-way intersection, Jala peeked around the corner to see what the fungoids might be up to. She found the outer doors to the lab were now closed, whereas previously the outer doors had been propped open and the inner doors removed to allow water flow into the room beyond. She and Ricky tested the doors and found they would not open at all. The Delvers asked Hefhauer about this and he opined that if the inner door mechanisms had not been damaged, they could still be manipulated. Not happy about leaving enemies behind them but at a lack as to what to do about it, the Delvers went north to investigate the room Hefhauer identified as “the morgue.”
The morgue had an outer chamber and an inner chamber, separated by a wall with a set of propped open double doors. The water current went through here and into the inner chamber where the Delvers could hear an occasional gurgle.
The Delvers were on guard for some form of undead when they entered the inner room and were slightly disappointed when none presented themselves. The inner room was an examination room of some sort and the gurgle came from the slow vortex of water over what was likely a drain in the floor. The north wall had three rows of half doors in five columns [total of 15 half-doors]. Jala, Ricky, and Vorgand entered the room to look around. Vorgand and Ricky slipped on the very slick floor and fell into the water, Vorgand needing assistance to regain her feet. Jala and Ricky investigated the half-doors. Behind each half-door was a dead body. The upper two rows, out of the water, held dry, mostly skeletal remains. The lower row of five doors were partially submerged and held bloated, water-logged corpses that gave off a terrible odor. Zarek’s Detect Magic indicated a fading bit of necromantic energy in the body cubbies, probably the faded remains of a preservation spell.
Tired and needing a rest, the Delvers left the morgue and returned to the top of the ramp to rest somewhere dry.
End of Session
[This session was short in-game, but took the whole play session. Hefhauer’s escape attempt took up the lion’s share of the session as most of the players were relatively new to the game system, so I explained action options and what I was doing to help teach the rules. The players had many questions, most particularly how Hefhauer could cast all that magic and do all the stuff with minimal END as he had just woken up. They eventually worked out that Hefhauer’s spells were all 0 END and movement took little END. Hefhauer is also in peak physical shape, even after being in the healing tank for so long, something the players never asked about. I know Hefhauer’s backstory, but several players read this, so I won’t go into it now.]
[I feel I need to explain the Potions of Speed all the players have. Zarek knows a lot of alchemy and has a formula for a potion of speed per the Fantasy Hero Grimoire. He can make 18 units per week at 4 doses per unit, which is a frightening amount and would potentially break the game, so I made a deal with the player - he would have one unit of potion per player and the rest were considered sold in the city to meet his living expenses. This gives the players some options but doesn't break my game and everybody is happy.]
Delvers Guild
Session A, Character Creation Part 1
Session B, Character Creation Part 2
Session 01
Session 02
Session 03, Part 1
Session 03, Part 2
Session 04
Session 05
Session 06
Session 08
[This game uses the Fifth Revised Edition of the Hero System rules along with the Fantasy Hero supplement. This session happened July 8, 2019.]
Player Characters:
Jala – human female – a person of discretion, studying aspects of the Law [to avoid them] at the Dust Academy
Clarence – human male – studies Religion in Temples district, coincidentally the group healer
Vorgand – human female – professional porter and Adventurer’s Aide, irregularly attends classes at The Tested military academy, practitioner of Steel Serpent martial arts
Zarek the Red – fox male – a cerebrally-unfettered spell researcher [read: Mad Scientist] turned into a talking fox, studying Natural Philosophy at Monarch University to find a way to become human again
Ricky the Astrologer – human male – has a thirst for knowledge but doesn’t know what he’s searching for, currently studying Astrology at Monarch University
Nick Stalwart – human male – part of the Stalwart family of merchants, studying Mathematics at The Interesting Institute of Profitable People, a college at Monarch University
Non-Player Characters:
Torsten, Fish, Harek, Kol – surviving bandits and now torchbearers for the Delvers Guild [Still MIA]
Lester “Les” Stalwart – human male, younger brother of Nick and general tag-along [DNPC]
Freysday, October 18th, 1st year of the reign of King Vladik the Gamesman
[Resumes where Session 6 left off]
Clarence stepped forward to assist the convulsing male elf Zarek had just released from the apparatus in the underground complex. Clarence’s medical knowledge fled him in the moment and, as the elf’s muscles all locked up, Clarence resorted to using his Healing spell to save the elf.
The elf started speaking in an archaic version of High Elven that only Ricky amongst the Delvers knew. Ricky and the elf spoke for a bit, but once the elf learned that the facility was in ruins, he apologized to Ricky and then cast a Sleep spell [10d6 EB NND – force field of force wall only]. This knocked most of the Delvers unconscious with the exceptions of Clarence and Nick, who both still had defensive spells up. [Zarek’s Stoney Skin spell is Armor, so he was affected.]
Nick was calm at first…until he realized his little brother Les was also dropped by the spell, then he got angry! As the elf attempted to leave, Nick grabbed him and bound up his arms. Clarence walked over and demanded an explanation [in a language the elf didn’t know]. The elf responded by easily escaping Nick grip [Martial Escape with +15 STR to break a grab] and then he ran to the airlock doors, stepping in and pulling the inner doors closed. Unfortunately for him, he did not have time to also open the outer doors, locking the inner doors closed. Nick quickly followed and reopened one of the inner doors, blocking the elf’s escape.
Vorgand and Zarek both regained consciousness almost immediately while Jala stirred on the edge of consciousness. Vorgand was on her feet immediately [successful Breakfall roll to stand up without spending an action], dashed over to the airlock area, and flipped the elf over herself and back into the room [Martial Throw]. Clarence then walked over and attempted to grapple with the elf, but the elf [Martial] dodged his efforts. Zarek, still unsteady [he was at 0 STUN and awake only because he made a CON roll], took a chance and sipped a dose of his Potion of Speed while playing unconscious. This sped him up and he flew into the airlock to block the elf with Vorgand and maybe cast a spell.
Nick tried to use his Lightning Bolt spell to stop the elf but missed entirely. The elf bounced to his feet [use of Breakfall] and cast two spells – one a defensive spell [Force Field at 0 END] and the other his Sleep spell again. This knocked Zarek out deeply. Vorgand recognized the spell and tried to close the door to protect herself but was too slow and her unconscious body completed pulling the open door closed.
The elf tried to take Clarence’s mace but failed at the attempt, which gave Nick and Jala time to sip their Potions of Speed. Faced with multiple hostiles and having no weapon, the elf opened the other half of the double doors, stepped into the airlock area, and drew Vorgand’s sword from her scabbard. In response, Nick stepped over, switched his Lightning Bolt to rapid fire, and knocked out the elf with three solid hits from the spell. The elf was stirring again when Vorgand regained consciousness and she punched him in the face, putting him deeply unconscious [and nearly knocking herself back out burning STUN for END she didn’t have].
Nick tied up the elf while Clarence went around waking people up with his Healing spell. After a couple of minutes, the Delvers were back up and alert and the elf was waking up again. Talking with Ricky, the elf allowed that perhaps he’d been hasty in his earlier actions, not realizing how many of Ricky’s group were mages. Clarence guided the conversation with the elf through Ricky and the Delvers were able to work out a rough deal – the elf would help them explore some areas in the complex and in exchange they would take him to the room that might let him go home. The elf explained where the other rooms were on this level. Vorgand speculated that the room the elf wanted to go to either had a teleportation circle or controlled the teleportation circles and would re-activate them. Clarence is able to infer that the elf was stuck in the apparatus tube for at least centuries, if not a millennia or more. The elf’s name turned out to be Hefhauer and he would not talk about where he was from or why he was in the apparatus other than he needed healing.
With a rough deal in place, Nick adjusted the ropes on Hefhauer’s legs so he could walk, but did not untie the elf’s arms. The group left the laboratory [as identified by Hefhauer] and went north to check out the lab the fungoids were in. At the top of the ramp they showed Hefhauer the two dead fungoids and Hefhauer admitted he had never seen anything like them before. He was also unhelpful in regards to the luminescent paint adorning the flooded areas of the complex.
When the Delvers arrived at the flooded four-way intersection, Jala peeked around the corner to see what the fungoids might be up to. She found the outer doors to the lab were now closed, whereas previously the outer doors had been propped open and the inner doors removed to allow water flow into the room beyond. She and Ricky tested the doors and found they would not open at all. The Delvers asked Hefhauer about this and he opined that if the inner door mechanisms had not been damaged, they could still be manipulated. Not happy about leaving enemies behind them but at a lack as to what to do about it, the Delvers went north to investigate the room Hefhauer identified as “the morgue.”
The morgue had an outer chamber and an inner chamber, separated by a wall with a set of propped open double doors. The water current went through here and into the inner chamber where the Delvers could hear an occasional gurgle.
The Delvers were on guard for some form of undead when they entered the inner room and were slightly disappointed when none presented themselves. The inner room was an examination room of some sort and the gurgle came from the slow vortex of water over what was likely a drain in the floor. The north wall had three rows of half doors in five columns [total of 15 half-doors]. Jala, Ricky, and Vorgand entered the room to look around. Vorgand and Ricky slipped on the very slick floor and fell into the water, Vorgand needing assistance to regain her feet. Jala and Ricky investigated the half-doors. Behind each half-door was a dead body. The upper two rows, out of the water, held dry, mostly skeletal remains. The lower row of five doors were partially submerged and held bloated, water-logged corpses that gave off a terrible odor. Zarek’s Detect Magic indicated a fading bit of necromantic energy in the body cubbies, probably the faded remains of a preservation spell.
Tired and needing a rest, the Delvers left the morgue and returned to the top of the ramp to rest somewhere dry.
End of Session
[This session was short in-game, but took the whole play session. Hefhauer’s escape attempt took up the lion’s share of the session as most of the players were relatively new to the game system, so I explained action options and what I was doing to help teach the rules. The players had many questions, most particularly how Hefhauer could cast all that magic and do all the stuff with minimal END as he had just woken up. They eventually worked out that Hefhauer’s spells were all 0 END and movement took little END. Hefhauer is also in peak physical shape, even after being in the healing tank for so long, something the players never asked about. I know Hefhauer’s backstory, but several players read this, so I won’t go into it now.]
[I feel I need to explain the Potions of Speed all the players have. Zarek knows a lot of alchemy and has a formula for a potion of speed per the Fantasy Hero Grimoire. He can make 18 units per week at 4 doses per unit, which is a frightening amount and would potentially break the game, so I made a deal with the player - he would have one unit of potion per player and the rest were considered sold in the city to meet his living expenses. This gives the players some options but doesn't break my game and everybody is happy.]
Delvers Guild
Session A, Character Creation Part 1
Session B, Character Creation Part 2
Session 01
Session 02
Session 03, Part 1
Session 03, Part 2
Session 04
Session 05
Session 06
Session 08
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