DOUG'S NOTE: The chapter starts out with text meant to be read aloud to players. I will not copy it verbatim but sum it up. To see the precise text, full maps, and such you will need a copy of Dwarven Halls Campaign.
As a reminder, text in curly brackets indicates a page reference. The number in square brackets is the page or card. Dwarven Halls = DH. Advanced Fighting Fantasy (the main rulebook) = AFF. Combat Companion = CC. Gamemaster's Apprentice Deck: Fantasy = GMAF.
For instance, this Chapter Starts on {DH[17]}. In some cases where it is obvious a reference is being made, curly brackets might be skipped.
Chapter Breaks, like below, will be given at the start of chapters. However, sessions will be spaced out rather than following precisely the chapters. In the case a session starts in the middle of a chapter, "Continued" will be added to the chapter break.
The Dwarven Halls, Chapter One - The Black Lobster Inn
{DH[17]} Four youths follow the road, laughing at jokes that are barely funny. Just noise to fill the void. The four are on their way to Arion, where they hear adventure awaits.
The oldest, and shortest, of the four is in the third position. A slight man in his early twenties, he is cloaked in his robe against the chill. He walks almost as if he has a limp, though he does not. He laughs at the jokes as well, though his laugh is the quietest. Almost like he is just following along.
The youngest, and tallest, takes the lead. She is a strong woman very nearly twenty. The man's sister. She laughs the loudest and means it. She is excited by the adventure. Unlike her older brother, she mostly lets herself be exposed to the chill. She likes to image it is toughening her up. Her dog, a mutt named Daffodil, happily follows near her feet.
Behind her, only slightly, a person of similar age is the one telling most of the jokes. Like the first, this person pulls a cloak tight around their face. Unlike the first, the coak is dark and made to fit into shadows. A bow is strapped to their back.
In the last a chubby and lazy man leads a donkey. He wishes he was by a fire. In fact, sign posts have suggested an inn is coming up and this excites him more than anything. His cloak is gray and identifies him as a holy man, though he is a novice in his faith. His donkey is old and faithful, named Fool's Gold, which is what his father had called it once he spent good money on such a tired beast. Besides the two siblings, Fool's Gold is his favorite breathing thing on the planet.
The four had been waylaid this morning due to spring rains and now that the rains have ceased, the wind has swung cold again.
As they turn a corner, they spot the inn ahead. At the top of a valley past a few switchbacks1. Smoke curls over the trees. Between them and the inn, a stone bridge crosses a fast moving stream refreshed by the morning rain.
The First, Leonidas: See, Jortimer. I said we would make it soon enough. Let's get you a nice meal, eh?
The Last, Jortimer: I'm going to have roast and Fool's gonna have hay!
The Second, Tabintha: I told you, Marry, Jort thinks with his stomach and with his ass!
Jortimer: Don't call Fool's an ass, she's a lovely creature.
The third, Marryck, just laughs and soon they all are. This time, Leonidas joins in. What fears he has that this whole expedition is somehow a mercy by his sister Tabintha is forgotten in the thought of Jortimer's obvious pleasure at getting food.
They set foot on the bridge and continue towards the inn. It cannot be further than a quarter-mile at this point.
Just to warm up the dice a bit, let's see if they even spot the cask in the water {DH[17]}. They get a +2. Daffodil gives a +4 Awareness bonus to Tabintha but I doubt the dog will care. Tabintha gets a 5 (out of 6) and spots it right off.
Tabintha: Look at that, some fool has lost their treasure. Oi, Jort, you should go down and get it.
Jortimer: Go through all that trouble just to get what is no doubt a cask full of murky water, no thanks. Pass!
Marryack: Ah, I will. It can be good to get off this damned wet road.
Jortimer: Into the stream.
Marryack hops down off the bridge and starts making their way to the cask. It floats on the edge of the stream, caught up in branches. It is hard to tell from the bridge what might be within it. Chances are, Jortimer is right and it is simply filled with murky water from the stream and the rain.
According to {DH[17]} there are four Slykk here (one per character). They laid out the trap and are attempting an ambush. The fight is practically guaranteed, though, because if the characters pass the bridge they also get attacked.
Each Slykk has 6 Skill and 5 Stamina. They have no armor but are armed with spears and slings.
If "more than two thirds" are defeated, the remainder will flee. This means the fourth will get away if possible.
For simplicity, I will say that one-per will be in effect. One will be trying to ambush Marryck while the other three will jump on the bridge and fight.
There needs to be an Awareness check, here. I'm going to let Marryack and Tabintha [who is the sort to keep overwatch over her friend] make this check. Tabintha's will use Daffodil's bonus this time.
Marryack rolls a 7, which is just a miss.
Tabintha rolls a 7 as well, but with Daffodil helping, manages to spot the Slykk.
Tabintha (responding to Daffodil's barking): Marry, look out, some froggy bastard is attempting to get you from behind.
Leonidas (spotting more Slykk coming over the bridge): Not just Marryck, they are coming for all of us!
Tabintha swings around and gets her sword out and lets out a shout as she tries to keep worry for her brother to a minimum.
Round One
Tabintha: 6+9 = 15. Slykk 1: 6+2 (a fumble). Fumble roll {AFF[58]} 11 = Slykk 1 hits Slykk 2. Does 2 points of damage (3 remains on S2). Furthermore, Tabintha does 2 points of damage to S1.
Leonidas vs S2: 8+4 = 12 vs 6+11 = 17. S2 does 2 points of Stamina to Leonidas.
Jortimer vs S3: 6+7=13 vs 6+7=13. A tie.
I'll just say that Marryack can get their bow out. -2 because they will be moving back. If they lose, the Slykk (S4) covers the gap: 6+9-2=13 vs 6+8. The Slykk dodges the arrow and covers the gap.
Round Two
Tabintha vs S1: 8+6=14 vs 4+6. She gets 3 Stamina damage on it, which kills it.
Leonidas vs S2: 8+4=12 vs 8+6=14. Leo takes another 3 Stamina.
Jortimer vs S3: 8+6 vs 8+6 = another tie. Jeebus.
Marryck vs S4: 6+8 vs 6+6. She hits for 3 points of damage [18 arrows remaining].
Round Three
Tabintha is going to take S2 to protect her brother. He will assist. This gives her a +2 to attack. 9+2+6 vs 6+7. 1+1 for the damage = 2 damage. S2 still has one stamina.
The forever fight between Jortimer and S3: 10+6 vs 10+6. Holy hell. Just swinging his mace around while the Slykk keeps trying to stab him with a spear and Fool's Gold eats moss off the bridge.
Down below, Marryck keeps backing up slowly and shooting while S4 approaches and stabs. 5+6 vs 4+6. A hit. Oooo, a damage roll of 6+1 = 7. Max damage for a short bow arrow is 4 which will kill their target. 17 arrows remain.
Round Four
Two are down. One is injured. One is practically flirting with Jortimer. The siblings continue to tag team one.
10+2+3 vs 4+6. Won't roll for damage. The third Slykk falls. This means this next turn, the fourth will try to leap off the bridge.
For now, though, 11+6 vs 4+6. Jortimer scores 2 points of Stamina.
Round Five
Jortimer is done fighting. Marryck is done fighting. The injured Leonidas is done fighting. However, Tabintha will do an All Out Attack at -2 to try and hit S3 before it gets over the edge.
10+6-2 vs 10+6. Nope, S3 slithers out of range as the short sword very nearly bounces off the edge.
Fight is concluded, time to go back into full prose mode.
Leonidas breathes heavily and nurses two deep gashes. Jortimer walks over to his friend and says a quick prayer to Throff and puts his hand on Leonidas's chest. A warm glow travels to the young sorcerer and one of the cuts heals. Leonidas lets out a hiss.
Heal heals the priest's devotion. In Jortimer's case, total devotion is equal to Magic + Magic-Priestly = 3. Leonidas is still lacking 2hp.
Tabintha hurls curses at the fleeing frog-like creature until she hears her brother hiss. Turning around, she sees her brother bleeding and rushes over to him.
Tabintha: Leo! The bastard hurt you. (gives the Slykk a kick)
Leonidas: That is what happens when weird creatures try to stab you with a spear.
Tabintha: Next time, you get behind me and don't risk yourself.
Leonidas: And let my little sister take the damage?! What would dad say?
At the phrase "little sister," Tabintha looks down at her brother, coming only up to her chest, and does her best to keep the scoff in. Likewise at the "dad" comment, seeing how Reginus Bakersfield has never fully appreciated his son. She instead turns and storms down the bridge a bit to let her emotions settle.
One thing I am never sure about is how well can arrows be recovered in combat. Let's just put it to the oracle:
Can these arrows be recovered? (Even) → {GMAF[53]} No.
Down below the bridge, Marryck snorts trying to pull out their arrows. The hide of the creature has snapped the heads and the one that went wide landed somewhere in the stream.
Switching back to a better mood, they free the cask and walk it back up to the bridge.
Marryck: It seems in good condition.
Leonidas: Do you think it was set as a trap?
Marryck (shrugging): No clue, but we can maybe open it when we get to the inn and see what we have.
Jortimer (happy, again): RIGHT! The inn, let's go. We are nearly there.
Though Tabintha remains a bit sullen with worry, she calls for Daffodil and leads the group up the switchbacks. All things considered, their second taste of true adventure (after fending off a group of half-starved bandits) has gone better than expected.2
Doug's Commentary
This is a good stopping spot because it gives me a bit of everything to figure out how this newer fast-paced notation style is working out for me. I already have a slightly better grasp of the characters and this one should be fun, especially as they get better gear and come more fully into their own.
- Fun Fact: in the original edit, I accidentally typed "hatchbacks." This is despite the fact that I've hiked a lot of switchbacks but, to my knowledge, have only had a few hatchback style cars. Look, I'm going to blame the Nederlands lessons. ↩︎
- There's a bit of a gag here that on the other side of the bridge, a sign saying "beware of Slykk" has been knocked over. I cut it out, but maybe I'll add it back at the start of the next. ↩︎
1 Pingback