Dyson’s Delve: Session 16

Making a slightly shorter delve and taking less risk paid off last time for the new adventurers. Let’s see how that approach works again.

Preparation

Last time, downtime went easy because only three of them had anything to do. The new adventurers have had their first delve now and get to participate.

Downtime: Chuckles

Having come back with everyone alive, he’s ready to go out and drink heavily! This time, his revelry results in a boon! Not only does he spend 200 GP (earning the equivalent amount of XP), he meets someone interested in business prospects, talking up the opportunity to invest and build something new. That’s not at all what the barbarian is about, but maybe one of his friends will be interested.

Downtime: Krimkol

The dwarven priest will be even more important in the front rank now. He spends his time in martial training, sparring with Shyup and keeping in form. The practice serves him well as he is in fact in good form, gaining temporary bonuses of +1 to hit and +1 AC (melee).

Additionally, from the last delve, he levels up to 4. This grants him +6 HP and access to 2nd level spells! For the next expedition, Krimkol prepares bless (2nd-level) plus protection from evil and detect evil (1st-level).

Downtime: Parouz

Before deciding how to spend her downtime, what spells does she learn? The elfblad levels up to 4, gaining +2 HP (her -1 CON modifier really hurts) and access to 2nd level spells! Elfblades are like magic-users, so we have to see what she gets. Based on her Intelligence score, she has a 65% chance to learn each new spell, with a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 8 picked up at a new level. I go through the ones I’d like for her to learn easily:

• ESP: yes
• knock: yes
• invisibility: yes
• web: no
• mirror image: yes
• strength: yes
• phantasmal force: yes
• darkness: yes
• magic mouth: yes

That makes 8 “yes” rolls. So for this delve, she prepares phantasmal force for her 2nd-level spell. For her 3 1st-level spells, she prepares read magic (because she has two scrolls) and sleep twice. (The rules in S&W are not clear about scrolls with multiple spells, but OSE (based on B/X) says “if a scroll contains multiple spells, only the spell cast disappears from the scroll”.) She still has no access to the new spells in the Book of Options based on her level.

As noted, she also has a scroll of fireball (3rd level) and a scroll of charm person, detect magic, & mirror image. At this point, due to her Intelligence attribute score, this is the only way she can learn charm person. Therefore, she’ll spend her downtime copying it into her spell book with read magic (which removes that spell from the scroll).

Her spell book now contains the following:

• 1st level
  • charm person
  • detect magic
  • hold portal
  • light
  • magic missile
  • protection from evil
  • read magic
  • shield
  • sleep
• 2nd level
  • darkness
  • ESP
  • invisibility
  • knock
  • magic mouth
  • mirror image
  • phantasmal force
  • strength

Downtime: Shyup

His sparring with Krimkol to keep in form goes just as well. Like his companion, he’s good form, so on this next delve he’ll have an additional (but temporary) +1 to hit and +1 AC (melee).

Downtime: Maple

Maple going out drinking as well, and just like her barbarian friend, her revelry results in a boon! In fact, she also spends 200 GP for that amount of XP, plus meets a prospective business partner. She’ll pursue that in the next downtime, where I’ll flesh out who this person is and what they’re proposing before we decide if it’s something she’ll pursue.

Planning

This time when they go into the dungeon, they’d like to return to level 8, then go through that first unopened door (on the left). As a contingency, depending on how that goes, maybe they will also check out the prisoners in the hanging cage again and offer them food and water in exchange for information. However, unless something unusual happens, they will not offer to free them yet.

Resupply

The adventurers continue to hire the same dwarven mercenaries and human porters / lantern bearers. Therefore Krimkol spends 140gp and Chuckles spends 14gp. However, I realized I have been handling these followers incorrectly. They should be getting some part of the recovered treasure, so I’ll have each combatant get half a share going forward. This won’t affect XP for the adventurers, which is based on the total treasure extracted, but it should actually help reduce the income that Chuckles has been struggling to spend down.

That said, Chuckles still buys the food (3 * (5 + 4 + 2) = 3 * 11 = 33 rations) and resupplies the oil. He also goes out and buys an expensive gold torc worth 500 gp and two anklets each worth 250 gp, so that he only has portable wealth.

Shyup needs a missile weapon, so he buys a light crossbow and 20 light bolts. (Would a short bow make more sense? Maybe, but I like having crossbows around.)

Delve

As ever, we start with the Underclock at 20. The Underworld die will start at a d6. Our follower stats are as follows:

• Dwarves (4): HD 1 (3, 3, 7, 8 hp); AC 15; Atk war hammer (1d4+1); Move 6; Save 15; Morale 10; Special: +1 to attack rolls (+2 total), +2 to saves and morale (included), darkvision 60’, detects attributes of stonework. Speak Dwarven and Common.
• Lantern Carriers (2): HD 1d6 (2, 6 hp); Atk spear (d6); Move 12; Save 18; Morale 7. Speak Common.

Level 7 is fully explored, so we’ll just make two Underclock rolls to get through it:

• d6! = 4 => 20-4 = 16
• d6! = 3 => 16-3 = 13

Turn 1

The group descends the stairs to level 8. They’ll pass through the previous “toll booth” and past the trapped niche to the first unopened door, where the rest of the corridor turns right.

• Underclock: d6! = 4 => 13-4 = 9

Turn 2

Maple listens at the door; she hears snuffling sounds and occasional groans. This is where they’re starting to face danger, so Parouz casts read magic. Krimkol similarly casts detect evil: nothing on the other side of that door registers in his magically-enhanced awareness. However, the spell has a range of 120 feet (and will last to end of turn 8), and so instead he detects evil behind them!

The group thus decides to leave this door alone for now. Instead, they’ll try to ensure they aren’t leaving some threat behind them instead that might cut off their retreat.

• Underclock: d6! = 2 => 9-2 = 7

Turn 3

Behind the nearby door (on the north side of the corridor), Krimkol gets a bad feeling about this (i.e. his detect evil senses are tingling). Those who carry missile weapons prepare them, then Chuckles forces the door open. It’s a menagerie, with multiple cages and supplies. Importantly, on the other end, they see three ogres with a pet hellhound on a chain!

• Ogres (3): HD 4+1 (17, 14, 11 hp); AC 14; Atk weapon (1d10+1); Move 9; Save 13; Morale 10; AL C; CL/XP 4/120
• Hell Hound: HD 4 (25 hp); AC 15; Atk bite (1d6); Move 12; Save 13; Morale 9; AL C; CL/XP 5/240; Special: breathe fire (1/round, 10ft range, 8 damage, save for half)

The ogres are immediately hostile, so I’ll assume their hound is as well. No surprise on either side, of course. The encounter starts at 40’ (the room’s maximum).

Round 1: Adventurers win initiative. Chuckles immediately heaves a spear at the nearest ogre, missing. Krimkol throws oil at that same ogre and sets them on fire, doing 4 damage (down to 13 hp). Parouz similarly throws oil at the second ogre and misses (but blocks it for a round). Shyup shoots the third ogre with a crossbow bolt for 5 damage (reducing them to 6 hp). Maple looses an arrow at the same target but misses. Ogres release their hound and two of them move to melee. The dwarves-at-arms attack: one hits the lead ogre for 3 damage (down to 10 hp), the next one hits same ogre for 5 damage (down to 5 hp), and the next one misses. The last hired dwarf hits the third ogre for 5 damage (down to 1 hp). The lead ogre attacks that fourth dwarf, hitting for 8 damage (down to exactly 0 hp, but they make their death save and thus are only mostly dead). The other ogre attacks Krimkol, smashing him for 9 damage (which takes the priest down to 12 hp). The hell hound tries to bite another dwarf; it can’t get to them, fortunately. But then it breathes fire on that dwarf and Krimkol, doing 8 damage to Krimkol (down to 4 hp) and killing the lead dwarf straight out. Porters must make a morale check: they both stand fast, improbably.

Round 2: Parouz starts to cast sleep, and the bad guys go first. No real movement occurs other than Maple moving behind the ogres (setting up for a backstab) and Shyup interposing himself to protect Parouz while she is engaged in casting a spell. The lead ogre takes 1 damage from flames (down to 4 hp) and attacks Shyup. This attack hits for 8 damage, reducing the fighter down to 7 hp. The second ogre, now unblocked, goes for Chuckles and does 10 damage (down to 18 hp). The third ogre swings for Parouz but is blocked by Shyup. That deals 4 damage (down to 3 hp). The hell hound bites Chuckles for 3 damage (down to 15 hp). It also breathes fire on Chuckles and the third dwarf, dealing 4 damage to both (since they save successfully). Chuckles is at 11 hp and the dwarf is at 3 hp. Krimkol uses his staff of healing on Shyup, restoring 7 hp (back up to 10 hp). Chuckles attacks the lead ogre from behind but can’t hit them solidly. Maple attacks the same target from behind, which hits hard for 6 damage and kills them. Shyup counter-attacks the third ogre; he does 5 damage and kills them too. The remaining two dwarves-at-arms attack the hell hound from behind but do not hit. Parouz finishes her cast, putting the hell hound to sleep. The remaining ogre passes their morale check and continues to fight.

Round 3: The good guys (it’s relative) win the initiative roll. There’s only one target up, the remaining ogre (originally the second one). Chuckles faces them and swings the war hammer he took from that elemental cult’s vicar, dealing 4 damage (down to 10 hp). Maple attacks the ogre from a flanking position and stabs them with her short sword for 5 damage (down to 5 hp). Shyup slashes with his sword to do 1 damage (4 hp left), Krimkol does another 2 (2 hp left), and finally a hired dwarf does 5 damage and kills it.

That fourth dwarf is at 1 hp; Chuckles is at 11 hp; Krimkol is at 4 hp; Shyup is at 10 hp. All others are unhurt.

• Underclock: d6! = 6+1 = 7 => 7-7 = 0

Shadowing event: they hear large stomping sounds. I’ll reset the clock to 3.

Turn 4

Searching the room, the group finds 1000 gp and 4000 sp. Krimkol uses his staff of healing: first on himself, restoring 5 hp (up to 9), then on Chuckles for 4 hp (up to 15 hp), and finally on the nearly-killed dwarf-at-arms for 7 hp (up to 8 hp). They know those stomping sounds are coming for them, so no taking a rest here.

(I had forgotten that Underworld die steps down 1 size here because of the intended reduced frequency of random encounters.)

• Underclock: d4! = 3 => 3-3 = 0

Stomp stomp stomp. Reset clock to 3.

Turn 5

The group carefully maneuvers back into the corridor where the cage is hanging in an intersection. The occupants are not surprised. This time, however, they appear to be a small ogre and a dwarf (rather than the troglodyte from last time). I give the NPCs a +2 to the reaction roll given the circumstances: they’re hesitant. (Krimkol recognizes that both occupants are “evil” / chaotic, but he doesn’t speak up immediately.)

The trapped dwarf asks the party if they are here to help them or to kill them. Parouz asks instead why they are up there; the dwarf replies that it’s a good place to stay out of the way and watch. That being the case, the party asks about their missing “friend” (the agent they’re looking to recover). The dwarf has a friendly reaction to this, so they tell her that they haven’t seen any surface dwellers here in a while, but that there are two ways down to the next level. They also describe the location: behind a door to the right, and if they go through the door to the left they’ll find some natural stairs down. They don’t really give too much other information. The party decides to leave them there for now, on Krimkol’s advice (because of the result of his detect evil spell).

• Underclock: d4! = 3 => 3-3 = 0

Is that stomping sound coming from behind them? They’ll go check the door on the left. Reset clock to 3.

Turn 6

Illustration by Iguanamouth from The Monster Overhaul (affiliate link) p. 107

At the door, Maple can’t hear anything behind it. Thinking that’s a good sign, Chuckles and Shyup open it. On the other side is a large natural cave, but it smells of excrement and sweaty animals. They see “dry log-sized pellets full of bones” (TMO p. 107), then several large shapes with orange, grey, and white feathers. After a moment, those shapes resolve into three owlbears, digging maniacally in the dirt. Upon noticing the party’s presence, they look up, each with one empty eye socket. They’re not immediately hostile, though they bristle and growl in warning. The party decides to go the other way for now. (This does not count as a properly-explored room.)

• Underclock: d4! = 2 => 3-2 = 1

Turn 7

They go back through the intersection and take the other door on the west side of a corridor leading south. Again, Maple hears nothing, so Chuckles opens it. There are just stairs leading down (a minor feat of exploration). What can it hurt to check out what’s down there? Nothing, right?

• Underclock: d4! = 1 => 1-1 = 0

The stomping sound behind them highlights the time sensitivity of what they’re doing. Reset clock to 3. (This going back and forth is keeping me on edge to see what happens!)

Turn 8

The group is now on level 9 (of 11 in the entire dungeon). The Underworld die stays at a d4 here. They find themselves in a two-leveled statuary chamber with multiple exits and several incredibly lifelike, detailed statues of giant scorpions, humans, and troglodytes. This gives them the idea that a medusa, or something similar, is around here. Therefore, they decide to go back up to level 8 for now. They won’t come back until they have a way to deal with that.

• Underclock: d4! = 3 => 3-3 = 0

As they come up the stairs, they hear the stomping sound again. Krimkol knows that whatever is coming, it’s evil. Reset clock to 3 once more.

Turn 9

They transit the various corridors and go back to the level entrance.

• Underclock: d4! = 2 => 3-2 = 1

Turn 10

The whole party trudges back up the stairs to level 7. Here the Underworld die returns to a d6. They need to make two rolls before they can exit to the surface.

• Roll 1: d6! = 1 => 1-1 = 0

They can hear a squelching sound in the darkness, giving them all the shivers. Reset clock to 3 again.

• Roll 2: d6! = 4 => 3-4 = -1

Turn 11

In the long hallway leading to the exit, the dwarves notice that the squelching sound is coming from behind them. They can’t see what it is, but they can hear it and have a general sense of where it is. The porters frantically shine the lanterns in that area, trying to find it. Krimkol and Shyup hold their shields forward, covering the others as they leave. (The monster’s reaction roll was uncertain, so it didn’t immediately attack. Perhaps it will be waiting for them on their return.)

Experience and rewards

The TXP now is 13000 + 13000 + 13000 + 2000 + 1250 = 42500. That means a minor feat of exploration at 2% of that is 850 XP.

• Monsters: 5 ogres (two from last time I forgot) @ 120 XP each; 1 hell hound @ 240 XP
• Treasure: 1000 gp, 4000 sp (1400 XP)
• Feats of Exploration: 1 minor (entrance to level 9)

From monsters, they earn 840 XP; from treasure, 1400 XP; and from feats of exploration, 850 XP. That’s 3090 XP total, divided by 5 for 618 XP each before bonuses. Maple will reach third level as a thief; the others are not particularly close to leveling up. Maybe if they spend a little more time on that 8th level, or explore the 9th with appropriate precautions, they’ll find more.

Additionally, they’ll give the three surviving dwarves-at-arms a half share each of the treasure. That means that each of the “PCs” get 215 gp, and the dwarves get 108 gp (rounded to the nearest whole gold piece to simplify my bookkeeping).