After some time, a fourth volume of 4+1 delves for Lone Spelunker's Dungeon Hero has arrived. For today, I will attempt "Invasion of the Corpse Snatchers" with a stealthy scout named Laz Gideon.
My history with solo play is pretty entangled and varied up until roughly summer 2023. That was the time when I started consolidating the various more micro-experiences and trying out more sustained play.
Right near the start of that, I tried Dungeon Hero by Lone Spelunker [though my notes from the time listed it as DungeonQuest which is a whole other beast]. I liked it enough I developed an overcomplicated logging system and character advancement structure and played out several games as something like a campaign.
After that month or so of playing it a fair bit, I never really went back to it though I had a good old time. When I got the email that a fourth set of delves, Eerie Dimensions, had just came out: I took it as a sign.
Let's start with the one on the left, "Invasion of the Corpse Snatchers", and dive in. (If you want to play, it is Pay-What-You-Want, by the way)
Dungeon Hero Basics
You have a solo hero described by a series of eight traits and each are assigned a dice: 1 x d12, 2 x d10, 2 x d8, 3 x d6. Each time you try to overcome an obstacle, you pick two traits that are somehow related to the obstacle (you get to decide). You also have Stamina (15) and Resolve (30).
Traits can be attributes, skills, equipment, or well...whatever. You want them to be somewhat specific but also just general enough that they can cover a variety of related tasks. It is up to you to balance it to the game you want. It would be a bit un-fun to make a d12 Magic and d10 Fast and then use those two to handle everything: "I escape the guards by quickly casting yet another spell!" That said, there's nothing against folks being a bit broad in their trait usage. The more specific you make them, the more challenge you will likely face.
As you go, your character gets to face various situations. The game has an interesting way of doing this. Let's say you are on d8 Rushing Water and then you roll a d6 to advance and get d6 Crumbling Bridge. Rather than a precise element, you try and find out how the latter is informed by the former if at all possible. You roll two dice (one for each) and then compare to your two trait dice that are chosen. If your highest die fails to beat the challenge's highest die, your character loses Resolve equal to the difference.
You also can spend Stamina to reroll dice (1 per).
Along the way, you collect treasure. It doesn't seem to do much and it's almost entirely RNG to get it. In the past I used it as a meta-currency that allowed you to improve your attributes in a campaign mode. I'll give that some thought.
Making Laz Gideon
I have an idea for a sort of stealthy scout. Long dust coat. Cocked Hat (aka, Tricorn). Dark earth tones. Spy glass. Crossbow. Pair of daggers. Hooded lantern.
- d12: Stealth
- d10: Crossbow
- d10: Scout
- d8: Spyglass
- d8: Double Daggers
- d6: Clawed Boots (for climbing, fighting, etc)
- d6: Experienced Traveler
- d6: Pack of Gear (long time spent traveling across wilderness)
30 Resolve. 15 Stamina.
Invasion of the Corpse Snatchers START
- 1d6 Something Amiss
Laz has spent a fortnight out in the Longwood tracking the movement of the lizardfolk who have been harassing caravans. Finally, exhausted and needing rest, he cuts back towards a small town he knows called Gemini Falls.
Entering the Naughty Mermaid, Laz finds himself smiling for the first time in two weeks. How he loves this place. The innkeeper, a man named Lanthan, is from further south and near the coast. Lanthan and his wife have brought that nautical theme with them.
Sure enough, here is Lanthan, now. "Hello...," Laz starts.
"Can. I. Help. You," Lanthan asks with a strangely droning voice.
"Can I have my normal room?"
"That. Will. Be. 10. Guilders."
Pulling the money out, Laz looks and notices that the normally loud folk at the bar are all silently staring back.
- +5 = 5. d8 The Staff is Watching You
Walking upstairs to his room, Laz glances behind him and is sure folks are getting up and starting to take position down below. He can almost taste their strange absent stairs. He needs to get out, somehow.
But how, with the others now down below and clearly looking up...
- d12 Stealth + d6 Pack vs d6 Something Amiss + d8 Staff Watching = 5 + 6 vs 1 + 1 = pretty solid success.
...Laz reaches into his pack and pulls a small handful of random bits out and, playing like he is fumbling with the key, drops them downstairs. As soon as the strange folk look at the following objects, Laz pulls the door to his intended room open and then slams it shut as he bolts to the back of the hall.
- +d6 >> +2 = d6 Strange Flowers in Pots [T] (+d8 Watching Staff).
- d8 Daggers + d10 Scout vs d6 + d8 >> 6 + 5 vs 1 + 8. Failure -2 Resolve [28].
As he is moving down the hall, he can hear footsteps coming up the steps. He also stops as he notices some strange flowers growing out of some ceramic pots. They have an...unusual odor. He takes his dagger and digs down into them but with a hiss, a strange dusty pollen shoots out near his face. He waves his hand to keep it low.
- +d6 >> 4 = This brings us to the next Plot Point.
Not waiting any longer, he makes to the window at the end of the hall and leaps through. Hopefully before he is seen.
Out in Gemini Falls
Now outside, Laz finds the village in the same state as the Inn. Though some of the villagers act like they are going about their day, the bunch have the same blank stares.
Only several of the villagers are engaged in a particular task. Bringing strange burlap bundles out of houses and into the back of waiting wagons. Those wagons are heading towards a large barn at the end of the street.
What do they contain?
- +d6 >> +6 = 15. That was a close call (with lingering effects from the plants)
- d12 Stealth + d10 Scout vs d6 + d6 = 2 + 4 vs 5 + 1 = -1 Resolve [27]. Boy is not doing so hot, eh?
As he approach the barn by climbing up the side of a building and leaping from rooftop to rooftop, he hears a strange noise. One of the staff from the inn (how did he get out so fast?) is standing in the middle of the street. Laz feels a tingle on his skin as the strange pollen from before starts tingling. The person below looks up in Laz's direction and let's out a strange screech.
Laz has to bolt to stay ahead of the group building up down below. He can't tell if they saw him for sure or not, but he doesn't want to take his chances.
- +4 = Next Plot Point
The Barn
He leaps over down into some hay and then scrambles up into a window on the side of a barn, breathing heavily. One of the zombie-like villagers drops off another sack and then heads out.
Laz sneaks down and using his daggers cuts open the sack. It's Lanthan. But how?
Suddenly, the screeching sound let out by the inn staff is right behind him. Laz turns and sees several of the villagers have stopped and are pointing right at him. Each letting out a terrible screech.
- d8 Corpse Snatcher. There are 4 with 6 health each. This will be on top of the d6 "That was a close call".
- D10 Crossbow + D10 Scout [he's used to having to fight his way out of trouble].
- d10 + d10 vs d8 + d6 >> 6 + 2 vs 4 + 2 = -2 vs 1 (4)
- 9+6 vs 5+4 = -4 (first is dead, three remain).
- 5+5 vs 7+6 = -2 Resolve (25)
- 5+2 vs 4+3 = -1 (5,6,6)
- 7+6 vs 5+6 = -1 (4,6,6)
- 2+2 vs 5+4 = -3 Resolve [22]
- 10+9 vs 6-1 = -4 Threat [6,6]
- 7+4 vs 4+3 = -3 Threat [3,6]
- 10+9 vs 5+3 = -5 Threat [0,4]
- 7+3 vs 4+3 = -3 Threat [1]
- 8+2 vs 6+2 = -2 Threat. All defeated. +4 Treasures.
Laz runs around, shooting crossbow bolt after crossbow bolt at the strange villagers. Even as he manages to take them out one at a time, their superior numbers take its toll. He feels battered and bruised as their bodies lay on the floor of the barn.
Only...they are not corpses. As he pulls one bolt out, it is not blood that greets him but strange wires. Inside one wound, he sees something like clockwork.
- +d6 >> 1 = 18. d8 Reinforcements Approaching Fast (+d6 Close Call).
- d12 Stealth + d6 Clawed boots
- d12 + d6 vs d8 + d6 >> 7+3 vs 4+2 = Success.
Hearing more screeching voices outside, Laz scrambles up the side of the barn wall and tries to get himself down into the hayloft.
- +3 >> 21. d8 More Burlap Bundles (+d8 Reinforcements)
- d12 Stealth + d10 Scout
- d12 + d10 vs d8 + d8 >> 11 + 8 vs 7 + 7 = Success.
Laz manages to keep out of their sight, even if he nearly loses his footing when, leaping over a pile of rotted hay, he falls into another pile of burlap sacks. These have a particular...smell. More corpses.
- +d6 >> 5 = Next Plot Point
Becky
As Laz hears more of the strange villagers gathering below, more screeching, he is unsure what to do. Even getting out of the barn might involve leaping into other fray.
Right as he feels truly cornered, the wooden slats near him shatter inward and a young woman leaps in. She tosses her lantern down to the floor with force and fire leaps up. The villagers scream and flee the fire.1
"Come on," she says, "They won't stay away long, but you can avoid them if you know their pattern."
Laz follows her lead and she takes off down the street before the villagers can recover.
As they approach the woods, she points up at a small structure hidden up in the tree branches. She climbs up and he follows.
She introduces herself as Becky Jordan and explains the villagers have started being taken off by "those things." After exposure to strange plants, the villagers come back...but are different.
Laz says they should flee but Becky is adamant. The corrupted villagers have taken out everyone but her and are getting ready to take the flowers to the next village over.
"We have to stop them now!"
- +d6 >> 29. d10 Corpse Snatcher Bull [Threat = 10] (+d8 Burlap Sacks)
- d10 Crossbow + d6 Clawed Boots
- 5+3 vs 7+1 = -2 Resolve [20]
- 2+1 vs 9+4 [-1 Stamina] = 7+... -2 Resolve [18]
- 7+3 vs 5+4 = -2 Threat [8]
- 6+2 vs 9+5 = -3 Resolve [15]
- 10+5 vs 7+5 = -3 Threat [5]
- -4 Stamina [10] 5+2 vs 8+5 = -3 Resolve [12]
- 6+2 vs 10+6 = -4 Resolve [8]
- 4+2 vs 6+4 = -2 Resolve [10]
- 8+2 vs 6+4 = -2 Threat [3]
- 3+1 vs 8+1 [-2 Stamina[8]] 3+2.. [-2 Stamina (6)] 3+2.... -5 Resolve [3]
- 3+2 vs 9 +5 = death...
Unfortunately, as Becky is trying to encourage Laz to join in the action, the entire tree house shakes as a large bull slams into the tree.
Becky and Laz tumble to the ground. As Laz tries to fight against the great beast, he is clearly outpowered.
Despite trying everything, he finds himself thrust through by the horns time and time again.
Soon...he feels consciousness seeping from him.
Now he can only hope that death finds him before they take him to the place with the flowers.
Wrap Up and RIP
It has been a good minute since an RPG combat has gone that badly when the numbers were roughly equal. Sad thing is that Stamina essentially would have barely helped since the Bull was rolling god-tier dice.
Bull is 100% dating the GM.
Anyhow, dice are going in time-out to think about what they just did to me and I'll wrap up here today.
Tomorrow might try another of the adventures/delves in the set and figure out some other fool to die at the whims of fate. I'll probably return to this one some time but onward to new, first.
- In the adventure itself, it says she shines the light at them, I figured I'd make it a bit spicier. ↩︎