Actual Play Report: Mystara 1 Million Session 1

Campaign Day 1

Session 1

 

Location: The site of an ancient magic portal, in an undisclosed castle, in an undisclosed country.

 

Characters Present:

Eponymous 1 FM, Thyatian. A veteran from The War.

Nnnchanter, 1 lady Illusionist, with a weird baby human familiar.

The NPCs: 

A svirfneblin, 

a middle manager, 

a barbarianess, and 

a necromancer named Murder Man.

 

I now turn the blog over to Eponymous to give us a first-hand account of the madness.

Eponymous of Thyatia, first son of Eponymous of Thyatia.

We went through the tunnel of water.

 

It led us to a very old underground space. We heard the glorious music of Thyatian war as we coursed through the water tube, and it comforted the rest of them to hear it. For my part, I need no comfort, for I knoweth I immortals wait impatiently for me to join their ancient court.

 

The air were velvet as we breathed it in. Not pois'nous; but neither were it pleasant to the chest and humours.

 

Suddenly, a serpent set upon me. I killed the great and terrible serpent, and the woman with the weird pet child harvested its guts for some dark ritual.

Slaying the beast.

I found a map; and silver coins bossed with a forgotten king. I made dispatch the map t' the boring man to hold. At least he's good for something: the portaging of trifles!

The boring man is smart. This is how I know: he took a bride who cannot talk. It must be such a peaceful marriage. We should all take such brides to us as this!

Later, the cowardly hunchback found a false wall. I walked though and down the steps. The others followed of course. In a many-yesteryear’s-ruined flop, I discovered three very dear rings with strange inlays. Everyone was happy. They were happy to be my companions this day. What great treasure had I won, and would I share with them!

At this time I went back to the tunnel of water to bring news of my great triumph and share our new riches.

And then we drank and sang and feasted til thwere nary more to drink or sing or eat.

The water tunnel leads nowhere useful. Now they know it well. I hope they shroud it with a shroud and leave it under guard, lest wyrds from mythic underworlds swim up to the realms of Men.

 

Awards:

440 XP for each PC and retainer

200 GP to spend at the castle Mart.

Editor's Note: The other characters did stuff too. I'm certain of it. 

 

Cyfandil Session 7

It's been a week since we payed so I can't remember the campaign dates - probably something like May 21-23, 998 PY. Here is the summary, written by Alyson (Age 13.) 

We started off in the inn where Bob and Nathan soon went out to find an adventure. Both men had to pay 10 GP to their underlings (Bob had to pay ⅓ of his wealth; he was not happy and expressed it thoroughly through threats of firing his henchmen) before venturing out.

 Out there, Bob met some men of the Ebon Hand by accidentally tripping and stumbling into their camp. Nathan didn’t really do anything, but it was clear the group of men were crazy and men of chaos. After saying a brisk goodbye (not a lot of conversing happened sadly) Bob and Nathan returned to the inn where they stayed the night before the next morning. 

Bob left and met up with Bailiff, asking for good areas of adventure, Nathan off eating somewhere, and was rewarded with information. According to Bailiff, taking the East Path would lead to areas full of Sprites and Goblins. Bob grew a bit curious about Sprites after Bailiff told him about them, and naturally started to wonder about pixie dust. 

In a fit of curiosity, he had grabbed Nathan and ordered the wizard to seek out his master/trainer and ask about the dust while he went and met a Wizard back in the inn. She was very old, being 74, and had a very large wart on her nose. After a bit of conversing, with the two being quite childish to each other, the Wizard ‘casted’ a spell on Bob, who in a fit of rage, left. 

Nathan, however, was doing much better. He met up with his trainer and talked with him about pixie dust, which his trainer simply told him that he would buy a pinch of pixie dust for 100 pieces of gold. After saying goodbye to his trainer, Nathan met up with Bob and the two set off down on the East Path where they met a group of clerics in white circled around a cage of Sprites. 

Nathan suggested thievery, but Bob refused. The clerics told the two adventurers about the Red Willow, which was rumored to have treasure, before returning to their circling. 

After a long trek of wandering, the two found the large weeping willow that was crimson red, like the name suggests. Near the willow was the well, and Nathan, who was quite thirsty, decided to take a little sip despite Bob’s warnings. Apparently, there was a taste of metal, and Nathan was able to identify it as gold. After casting nimbus, both of them were able to see a faint glow of gold at the bottom of the estimated 100 feet deep well, pushed to the side where it split both ways. The two decided to return to the inn before returning the next day.

When back at the well, Bob and Nathan devised a plan on how to retrieve the gold. Luckily, there were no wandering monsters nearby at the moment, so they were able to plan with some safety. They decided that Bob was going to tie a rope around him, and drop him into the well. He was going to have a dagger strapped to his belt, a bucket full of rocks in one hand and water skin full of air in the other. Bob returned not too long after successfully retrieving the treasure, dropping the bucket of rocks at the bottom before tying his rope around the treasure to be hauled up. After that, Willy, Bob’s incompetent henchman, pulled Bob up and they decided to return back to the inn to open up the chest.

After purchasing a room, the two opened the chest to reveal that it was full of great treasure– gems, platinum and jewelry! Bob and Nathan became quite rich and wealthy, and now are off training as they reached level 3 and are on the brink of level 4.

OMG he leveled without ever casting a spell (actual play)

Cyfandil Campaign session 6 (?)

Session date: 6 May 2023
Campaign days 73-75.

We’ve had a tumultuous three weeks IRL. I moved house, and then two of the four regular players (dad and daughter) are having car trouble, meaning they won’t be with us for a little while.

Willy

So today we had
Nathan, playing Nathan the Wizard (MU 1) and
Alyson, playing Bob the Recker (F1)
with henchmen
Young John the Likely Lad (lvl 0) who apparently was recovering from Covid and
Willy the Loser (lvl 0.)

Augustus

In the downtime preceding the session, Bob had gone to the enemy barony of Otter to track down a wandering priest who had a lead on a dungeon with an artifact. He got there by serving as a caravan guard for 2GP per day. Nice.

He found the wandering priest. They conspired in Lawful, and Bob learned what he needed to know. He promised to bring the artifact to the priest, and in return, Bob and his men could keep all the other loot they might find.

Having learned enough, he came back to Cragstone and then joined the rest of the party in Castle Westmarch.

When they arrived, they were less than impressed. “Castle Westmarch,” supposedly a ducal palace, was really nothing more than an armed camp behind some stone curtain walls. (I’ve decided to use the Keep from B2.)

Therein, they spoke to Bailiff, who showed them the tavern, the armorer, the provisioner and put them in touch with the priest. They talked to the taverner, picked up a rumor, and he showed them the common sleeping area where they can flop.

Nathan the Wizard inquired about the private quarters (10 GP per week) and the quality of the beef (6.5, edible.)

Bob offered to sell his elven chain +1, but he didn’t know what it was worth, and the armorer wanted 50 GP to appraise it. No dice.

So the next adventuring day (May 8,) the four of them left the castle to poke around in the hex.

That day, they found that wererats were a problem in the several towns and villages, and there was a 10 GP per head bounty on them, above and beyond any treasure the party finds. They met some town guards that had rounded up 16 of them to be hanged at dawn.

The bumped into some knights from the Order of the White Shield. One of the knights was injured so Bob used his bandages to set the broken bone.

Bob’s good deed turned a potentially deadly encounter into a very friendly one. The squad leader introduced himself as Augustus.

They encamped together and headed back to the castle at dawn.

I awarded them 400 XP for that encounter - enough to push them both over to level 2 so they will train up this week.

And it just occurs to me that Nathan the Wizard has gotten to level 2 literally doing nothing.

He hasn’t cast a spell and he hasn’t thrown a dagger. One time he ran away from a monster, so I guess that counts.

Not bad, Nathan the Wizard. Keep it up and people will soon utter your name in terror.

Cyfandil Session 5

GAME DATE: March 27 2023
CAMPAIGN DATE: March 27 998 PY

This update talks about Session 5 which happened on Monday, March 27, 2023 at the library. Alyson and I were there early so she bent my ear about what Bob wants to know: the identity of that weird priest she heard about from Hoogan he Peddler.

Bob got all up in the mug of Sgt Shanks over beating on some drunkards. Then Bob went into the Church of Aluvia and spoke with Father Gobault. Gobault sent him to the Church of Aubereon.

The several characters were astonished by the literal poofing in of a new man, a Cleric whose name I forget. That cleric did us a solid by scanning Grimm the pet ogre for evilness, and finding none.

I think the most likely outcome for the townsfolk is to shun the powerful Athena, but we will let the dice tell me and I'll roll with it as it comes up on a NPC-by-NPC basis. 

Grimm's luxurious back hair

There's a lot more lore coming. We learned a lot. 

Then they all

•        went into the dungeon,
•        fought a slime,
•        lit some stuff on fire,
•        learned that Grimm sneaks out of the dungeon at night and eats children,
•        got hit by a spell of weakness so-called, and
•        found a golden key.

Next week they say they want to explore the cave section, but also check the room where they torched the slime.

Some other things they want:

•        Orc Hand wants to learn about orcs
•        Athena wants to learn about her magic mirror
•        Bob wants to learn about the pirates and this mysterious priest and wants a lot of other     things
•       Nathan wants to buy rations and a house (he should have played a hobbit)
•       This new guy wants to fit in and be good.

PROPS: Don for managing Emmy and keeping track of all the lore

PROPS: Don again for the amazing map

SLOPS: Scott for leaving his dice at home, that dingus

ADDITIONAL PROPS: The library for letting us act like goofballs

The Lore of Cyfandil, Session 4

 

Map of Cragstone

March 27, 998 PY

 

I have had the opportunity to meet with our adventurers and learn something of their histories. Nathan the Wizard, is of the school of the blue. His occupation is Gong-jack. Age 18, height 5’ 11”. Nathan dresses well, fixing his robe with a leather belt, buckled with a jewel encrusted clasp. He has shaggy brown hair, a neatly trimmed goatee, and a narrow brimmed hat.

 

Athena should not be judged by her diminutive size. While a mere 3’ tall, Athena is an accomplished wizard, as the tale I am soon to tell will relate. Athena has a broad brimmed hat, with its peaked crown drapping over the brim, covering Athena’s left eye. Her hat is decorated with a small sapphire, that hangs from a thin silver chain of the hat’s brim. Athena is also of the school of the blue. She has an owl for a companion.

 

About Bob the Recker, also known as “The Dude of Death,” I now know quite a bit. He is 6’ 2”, a hulky build with a massive helmet formed of a creature’s skull. The skull bears a crack, which for Bob is a reminder of the war he fought with Orc Hands and the betrayal he met with on the battlefield. Bob, despite his fierce appearance, loves cats. He has a cat named Berry the Robber. Bob wears a cape emblazoned with a raging fire from which emerges a figure, sword raised, taunting would-be foes.

 

4 years ago, during the season of war, Bob was battling alongside Orc Hands when he stepped on a land mine. Orc Hands, assuming his friend dead abandoned him. Bob has only faint memories of this betrayal. After the war Bob was interned at a mental hospital. The explosion from the mine had disfigured Bob’s face, giving him the look of one possessed. Bob, tormented by rage nearly went mad. He has since taken to wearing a helmet that hides his face. 

 

The helmet is made of the skull of a beast he had hunted with Orc Hands before the war. Bob remembers little of this. Bob remembers little of anything. Even Bob’s real name is uncertain, although he suspects it is Harold Humperwart, a man from Glendale. Bob dimly remembers his time in Glendale. After having left the mental hospital he returned home, but was harassed by a local priest who accussed him of being possessed by evil spirits. Without memories or friends, Bob felt little attachment to Glendale and so left for Cragstone, where he had went to school and met Orc Hands. Bob is the last person of his clan.

 

Returning to the present day. Bob, Orc Hands, and Athena have returned to the crypt of Thorsten, this time accompanied by Nathan and Nathan’s porter, Little John. Orc Hands hired a link boy, 7-year-old Little Liam.

 

There was an ill omen on the eve of their return to the crypt. A fierce hailstorm raged, and in March no less. Upon entering the tomb, the spell trap was once again sprung although most of the party, save Orc Hands and the hirelings, were able to avoid it. 

 

Bob took the lead and urged the party on a new path, this time straight. The door was stuck, but Bob kicked it open. Ever alert, Bob spied a secret door in the next room. A panel in that room was loose and was able to slide sideways. The next room was quite expansive, a long hall way with stairs descending down to an open area flanked by two large frescoes-one of a wizard and the other of a knight. Further down was another flight of stairs leading back up. Athena studied the painting of the knight, who looked to be laying in a tomb. She could find no secret doors or switches on the painting, nor any secret meaning or message in the painting itself. They proceeded further and discovered a chest at the top of the stairs. They did not have time to open the chest though, for as soon as they discovered it they heard commotion from their companions, Nathan and Orc Hands, who had stayed behind.

Nathan and Orc Hands did not follow their companions into the secret passage, but instead ventured into an adjacent room, which opened out into a large, high-ceilinged, room filled with frescoes. Pillars filed down the center of the room in two columns, extending beyond eye sight. About 35 feet ahead could be made out a hulking form, an ogre. Feeling outmatched and unprepared Nathan and Orc Hands flee. They rush out of the room and press shut the door behind them. In their haste they realize they had forgot little Liam. A scream followed by a crunching of bones is heard behind them. 

Bob and Athena hear the scream and rush to their companions’ aid. Orc Hands and Nathan are able to run into the secret passage before being attacked by the Ogre. Bob sees that Orc Hands is now face to face with the ogre. Orc Hands swings his sword and misses. Bob fires a shot with his crossbow that strikes the target. Athena and Nathan both effectively cast a spell. Athena casts beguilement and Nathan casts nimbus, rendering the ogre charmed and blind.

Athena approaches the ogre, discovering it is a female named Grim. Athena, while disturbed at the death of Little Liam at Grim’s hands is overjoyed to have such a large and powerful new companion. Grim asks to be cured of her blindness and says that she is willing to part with two gold nuggets if the wizards can return her sight. The party agrees and informs Grim that she will have her sight restored within an hour. 

 

Athena and Bob return to the long hallway and open the chest they had left earlier, discovering a coat of Mithral chain mail armor as well as a mirror that looks to be magical. The adventurers agree that Bob will have the chain mail, Athena will take the magic mirror, and Nathan and Orc Hands will each take a gold nugget. 

 

The adventurers, mourning the loss of Little Liam, return to Cragstone. Exhausted, they forgo investigating their treasure. A funeral for Little Liam will need to be arranged. Athena’s mirror also needs to be investigated. Orc Hands met with the librarian, Minthada, to learn more about Orcishness, an affliction he has long been curious about. Orc Hands discovers there is a settlement of the afflicted in Rithwic. As he is leaving the library he is given a slip of paper with a cryptic message, “A Focusing Stone is about the size of a fiun skull. I wonder if there is a connection?” Orc Hands is resolved to look into the matter, believing that if he discovers a connection he may receive a reward from the librarian.

Cyfandil Session 4

Lolol THE JOYS OF EMERGENT GAMEPLAY

The way Charm Person works in my game is, the charmed person takes up a Retainer slot. They check to break the charm periodically, the period based on their INT. It only works against man-types (humanoids up to 4 +1 HD - ogres are right at the top of that power curve.)

Meet Grimm

Hilariously, one of our wizards, Athena, is cursed to live as a midget. She is 3’ 11” tall, and she just charm personed an 8’ tall ogre. They will have to check to see if the charm is broken in… 30 days. 

Until then, talk about an odd couple! 

This is the kind of plot that you just couldn’t write. It can only come as a result of weird game loops; the story emerges from actual play. 

The Lore of Cyfandil, Session 3

March 26, 998 PY 

A fortnight past the town of Cragstone held its annual festival, the Feast of the Annunciation. Unbeknownst to me, and—I dare say— most other citizens of Cragstone, there was discovered that day a secret passage below the plinth of the statue of Thorsten Cragstone. 

 

A band of adventurers, three in number, set out to explore this newfound passage. Two of these adventurers—fighting men both—known as “Bob the Recker” and “Orc-Hands” were classmates in our local academy for youth. Each 19 years, accomplished in military matters, and experienced in battle. A third, named Athena, a professed user of magic, also 19, accompanied them. There was to be a fourth to the band, a certain wizard by the name of Nathan, but he was struck with a fierce illness and was unable to attend.

 

While the two fighting men are known to the people of Cragstone, having gained some renown through their prowess on the battlefield as well as their near perpetual feuding, the background of our magic users, Athena and Nathan, is less clear. 

 

It was apparent from the outset that this was to be no ordinary adventure. Upon entering the crypt, two of the adventurers reported experiencing gloom, which they attributed to a kind of trap or spell set at the entrance to the dungeon. This appeared to be only a minor inconvenience, they took no heed, and proceeded on. The entranceway offered three passages– one right, one left, and one proceeding straight ahead. They chose the left passage. Moving left they encountered a long hallway. Bob the Recker thought it best to scare off any would-be attackers and let out a mighty shout. A squat creature, somewhat reptilian or insect-like in appearance approached them.

 

Orc-Hands charged the creature and missed. The creature was discovered to have an oozing liquid that could be excreted from its tail. This liquid was ejected onto Orc Hand's sword causing the sword to quickly rust, rendering it useless. Athena commenced to attack the creature, although she too was repelled, her dagger reduced to rust.

 

Our once brave company at this began to fret. Athena, in a flash of inspiration, decided to toss a day’s ration of iron to the creature. The trick worked and the beast quickly went to feast on the morsel. Given an opportunity to strike Bob took out his bow and loosed an arrow into the beast wounding, but not defeating it. Aroused, the beast struck again, this time turning Orc Hand's dagger to rust. Two out of our three adventurers three were now disarmed. There was no need to worry though, for Bob’s second arrow struck true and took down the beast.

 

The crew, disarmed and thankful to be alive, resolved to retreat for the day and return when better equipped. Orc-Hands skewered the beast on a ten-foot pole he had brought with him and with that the crew left the dungeon. Emerging into the light of day they were met by a crowd that had gathered in the square. What is this? They are being cheered and praised as champions.

 

Among the crowd was a knowledgeable man about town, Magnus Goodbody, who offered them 100 gold pieces for the carcass of the beast. Goodbody recognized the creature immediately, identifying it as a “rust monster” (actually, as it so happens, this is quite a common creature in the known dungeons of Cyfandil). Our adventurers, surprised at their good fortune, took their gold pieces and went to town, exploring the various shops for merchandise so they might restock and prepare for another adventure in the tomb of Thorsten Cragstone.

 

Servant of Lore,

Ser Thomas Perscors

Time Saved is Content Gained

Need me one of them light-up floaty things

For some reason this week, I have been thinking about savings time. Can’t figure out why, but I’m going to enjoy the new, later sunset while I ruminate. 

Daily Savings 

One great way to consume more content while we play is to keep your next action queued up. 

Once you discharge your action for a Round or Turn, immediately start thinking about your next one. That way when it comes around to you again, you can tell us what your figure is doing right away. 

If each player does this, we can shave seconds or minutes off of each gameplay loop, and this time adds up as the night unravels. 

Weekly Savings 

Another good idea is for the several players to communicate during the first part of the RL week and come up with questions they want their players to have answers to when they reconvene. This gives the Ref a chance either to research or to plan what those answers are. 

Obviously there will be some info each figure will seek, and many times this info will be secret. Submit these questions to the Ref separately of course. 

Some of these questions will have immediate resolutions because they will be things the characters will already know (but the players and Ref may yet not know.) Some will require offscreen acts from the figures, or even a quest for the correct sage. Finally, some will form the basis of further onscreen adventures for the whole party. 

Cyfandil Session 3

Session date: 13 March 2023 AD

Campaign Date: 26 March 998 PY

Players: 

Alyson playing Bob The Recker F1

Lily playing Athena MU1

Don playing Orc Hand F1 (chaotic)

Deaths: none

Level ups: none

Snacks eaten: 12 cupcakes, some japanese tortilla chips, several glasses of milk, two oranges, lots of water, some blue Play-Doh noodles

Don and Lily making evil plans.

We almost had a full table finally. Nathan and his wizard, also named Nathan, were absent due to illness. Maybe next week we will be at full strength? We will need it!

We spend another hour or so on session zero stuff since Don is brand-new and there was stuff Lily didn't get to hear last week. 

The several characters bravely and greedily headed into the dungeon. Athena and Orc Hand got hit with gloom, but soldiered on. Athena immediately cast her spell, Detect Magic, and it came to naught. 

Room 2, Bob the Recker shouted down a long hallway for some reason, which gave them an automatic wandering monster. It was this guy:

After losing two daggers and a sword, they figured out what it was, fed it some iron (ha-ha) rations, and stabbed it. It didn't have any treasure of its own but they did find an amazing 5 silver pieces in the rubble. 

Now one of the fighters was out of weapons and the wizard was out of spells and weapons, so they decided to retreat. They brought the carcass back to the surface with them. Townsfolk were eager to see what was going on and reacted to the carcass with awe and disgust. 

NPC Magnus Goodbody, a member of the Cragstone Collectors Guild, offered them 100 GP for the body, a price to which they happily agreed. 

FYI a strange creature like this should be worth about 100 GP/HD dead and perhaps more (or less) alive. 

PROPS: Don and Alyson for some seriously hilarious RP

SLOPS: The other guests in the house who were as noisy as the king of France

HONORABLE MENTION: the stuffed bunny

Alyson proudly demonstrates her two stars, which
betoken Bob the Recker living through two adventures. 

Memo to fellow Refs: The players REALLY love the star stickers, even though they have no game mechanical value. It's a game and stickers are fun!

Cyfandil Session 2

No we still haven’t gotten any actual playing done. But we had an awesome time messing around with dice and telling jokes!

Lily joined us and we helped her make her characters. Then Alyson and Nathan chose their henchmen. Nathan got Young John (a likely lad) and Alyson got Willy (the ultimate Loser.)

Alyson wants to get Willy killed. Of course. She’s merciless  

The merciless, murderous Alyson
writing up her murder plans on her Chromebook 

And here is Alyson’s character’s archenemy REGGIE:

Cyfandil Session 1

We had ourselves an adventure night tonight. It was short but good. We are all still getting into the groove. Even with just two players and a Ref, it’s going a little slow; but we are having great fun. 

Remind me later to talk about the unbelievable power of the charismatic Fighting-Man. I’m probably going to have to figure out a way to scale it back somewhat.

Campaign dates: March 20-26, 998 PY

It was the Festival of the Annunciation, near the end of March. Everyone in the town of Cragstone and the surrounding villages was there. Several peddlers stopped too, to peddle their peddles. Everyone was in town to trade, drink, share rumors, find work, find henchmen, and play festival games. 

A good time was had by everyone, especially Nathan, whose wizard (named Nathan) got +1 to three stats by winning three of the aforementioned games. 

We also had a little good-natured intra-party tomfoolery but nothing serious. 

The several players then learnt of a secret door hidden in the plinth of the statue to Thorsten Cragstone. Will it lead to his fabled crypt? 

Find out next Monday when we will be joined by two new members of the mysterious Order of the Brass Dragon.

PCs:

Nathan, MU1 30 GP and 30 XP

Bob the Recker, F1, 10 GP and 10 XP

NPCs encountered: 

Little Liam Linkboy (age 7)

REGGIE (probably a jerk, level unknown)

Kills: none 

Deaths: none

Graveyard: still empty

Anyway, the power of the fighting-man. 

Using the Crown & Valor rules, a fighting-man’s followers will begin employment with a Morale of 8; a charismatic fighting-man will have their followers start even higher, up to a maximum starting morale of 10. 

This is nuts! Bob the Recker has a CHA of 14 and his henchmen will hench at an 83% morale pass rate. 

This is kind of what I want from the class. Not just a meat shield, but a leader of meat shields: I really don’t know what this will do, but I bet it makes a huge difference. 

All My Rowdy Friends

Starting on Monday, I have a weekly game starting. I have two total d&d virgins and two that have only played 5th edition. It will be the perfect opportunity to start from scratch and try out #BroSR play.

There’s a dad and an 8 year old daughter, and then a brother and sister who are 11 and 13. We also may get visits from older sister (15) and mom; there is an outside chance we will get another 12 year old boy and his dad too. But four players and the Ref will start.

We will use my Crown & Valor as the rule book of record. 

We will play a deadly variety of the game. Death at -1. Dead PCs and even team wipes should happen fairly often. Players will learn to fight only when necessary - use small unit tactics and throw their henchman ahead of them when possible.

The several players will each keep several characters right from the start. Each player will roll up four sets of stats. One set will serve as the basis of their first PCs and the rest will wait in the Bullpen to fill in for that character when necessary. To that end I have developed a Bullpen sheet.

We will keep strict time records. To that end, I have developed a calendar for the game world and worksheets to keep track of PCs while they are away from the table.

With time rules, we can make training rules of a stricter nature, which encourages interpersonal relationships with NPCs and also gives the player an excuse to switch out characters.

We will keep strict time in the underworld, marking turns, wandering monster checks, torches and rations. To that end, I have developed a time tracking by sheet. The same sheet keeps time by hour in the wilderlands. 

We will make henchmen readily available, and I will strongly suggest taking them along as soon as they can. To this end, I have adapted reasonable hireling rules and Retainer procedures, and I have several likely candidates printed out on index cards ready to hand to the players. 

We will have a Patron game as soon as the players feel like they can handle the tactical element. I have not developed objectives but I have an idea of who the patrons are and what each one wants.

I have adapted the excellent ACKs domain rules for the table for when the several players get a PC to Name level. 

We will have aging, romance (offscreen,) marriages, births, deaths, and hopefully dynasties. Is this too ambitious? Maybe. But I would rather have the capacity ready to go than tack it on later.

But Monday is Session Zero! Almost three years to the day since I last Reffed or played. 

Here is a link to the Cyfandil campaign summary sheet. 

Use Your Words!

 

Use Your Words!

Our party was ambushed by two named NPCs and their gaggle of mooks on the way to the Tabernacle of Freya to warn the priestesses of the approaching dark elf army. 

Ambush by -kardisart-

My cleric cast Hold Person and froze two mooks. The rest were killed and one main bad guy escaped. 
After taking them prisoner and hearing they were mercenary soldiers from far away, my cleric offered to employ them as his men at arms rather than killing or imprisoning them. 
Now he has two 2nd level fighters for relatively short money - half price as it turns out. They were making 20 silver pieces a month as regular soldiers. Usually a level 2 fighter makes 200 GP per month. So I offered them 100 GP per month each and their eyeballs turned into dollar signs.
A lot of times talking leads to unexpected and interesting results.

Constructing the Big Book of Stuff

The last campaign I ran ended in early 2020 because half my table were pandemic enthusiasts. I had assembled an amazing binder of stuff to use to run a game - any game that goes in any direction - completely on the fly. No thinking, no flipping through six million books. 

Then I lost that binder. 

So I’m putting together a team. Or in this case, a new binder. It looks like this right now but of course it’ll change as I get gooder at this. 

10 Dividers

1. Handouts: Bullpens, character sheets, roll up guides, spell sheets, calendars, time trackers, graph paper, unusual storeboughts sheet
2. Seasonal events and calendar - wars, omens, winter upkeep
3. Town adventures, NPCs, henchmen for hire, procedures for hiring them, rumors and hooks sheets 
4. Dungeon: the current thing (remove from binder for play?)
5. Monsters: monster manual, dungeon wandering monsters
6. Treasure including unique materials 
7. Wilderness and overland, with procedures, weather, wonders and wanderers by biome, and a supply countdown sheet. Also disease rules. 
8. One-page dungeons and modules not being played. 
9. Full spell list; spell handout sheet 
10. One-off handouts such as paladin rules, spell research procedures, and unique swords