The Black Mete Session 2 - More OSR Stuff Gets Used and I Almost Kill Somebody

Dammit, we are playing today!

Sunday, I was sick, tired, still out-of sorts, two players couldn't make it and we were unable to get started until 3:00. I was determined not to call the game. So, at 3:00, the Cleric, Mage, Halfling Hero and their hirelings, entered ChicagoWiz's The Dungeon of Akban from the Swords & Wizardry Quick Start.

I used ze bulette's Hireling record sheet this go around.  It's easier on my old eyes and has a generator on the back, as well. Also, it lists the Saves for 0 level types.

One more new OSR thing was used this week. Jeff Rients Enchanted Holy Symbols article from FO! #1 Which lead to the player question of the afternoon "What does Ithyphallic mean?"

My head was hurting like hell. It was only shear obstinance that kept me from calling the game. Fortunately, two things happened:

1.  The players chose the short rout, leading pretty much straight to the main baddie in the dungeon.
2.  That encounter was a blast!

But first: 

You Make the Call!

Player 1, a Halfling with the ability to Hide in Shadows, is separated from her party by a Portcullis Trap. After dicking around for what the DM considered to be an inordinate amount of time, the party hears sound coming from behind the room in which the trapped player is located. The Halfling PC decides to Hide and does so successfully.

The Skeletons round the corner. Do they see the Halfling? How do skeletons see? Do they sense living things, or do they have some sort of eyesocket sight?

If we take Sinbad Movies as our model, then they're capable of perceiving movement at least well enough to actually fence, as opposed to just hacking away at the living presence in their way. Also, on the one hand, the little Halfling had nothing but shadows to hide in. On the other, the party on the other side of the portcullis were directly in front of the skeletons field of... vision, or whatever.

I could make arguments either way, but decided that the Halfling's Hiding worked at least well enough that the Skeletons were drawn to the living beings who were directly in front of them and making a lot of hoopla. 

Which may have been a mistake. The skeletons went up to the portcullis, dropped their jaws and began shaking wildly, as they couldn't get at the party. Said party, farted around another 15 minutes, before finally deciding to break out the flaming oil.

After screwing around with portcullis traps and skeletons.

I guess the player's were trying to be Good or something, because they decided to engage Tisha, the evil Cleric of the Toad-God in conversation, first. Which, gave her the time and opportunity to easily employ a gift I gave her, courtesy of Mr. Rients.

After rolling a random choice from amongst the PC's and NPC's, the Halfling Hero PC had to make a Save, which she failed. Which eventually lead to this, after the PC MU cast his Magic Missile:

DM to Player: "Your fellow party members are trying to kill someone you Love! Now, what are you doing?"

Hilarity ensued! Seeing the inter-party conflict, two of the meat-shields and the pack-bearer immediately failed morale and took off! With all the horses, it was later discovered. The two other meat shields eventually fell to goblins. 

The PC Cleric had Commanded the evil Cleric to go to sleep, which lead the PC MU to try a sliding dagger-stab, to get around the Charmed Halfling, who was trying to awaken her dear friend. After applying all the various adjustments, he Hit! While the Halfling and the MU were struggling, the Cleric sneaked around and engaged Tisha the evil NPC Cleric. She went for the Cause Light Wounds but, alas, only rolled 2 point for damage, so the already wounded PC Cleric again escaped death! He then impaled the evil NPC Cleric with his trident, a torrent of blood spewing forth over his head (he's a Halfling, as well.)

They found a few prisoners and made their way to the magic fountain room. The PC MU pricked his finger and dropped some blood into the "cup" to open the door. The only two PC's who drank from the fountain received some minor beneficial effects. The totally new player was the only one wise enough not to go drinking from strange fountains in dungeons. (He's fairly paranoid over-all, though, so for all that he's a newb, he's got a good shot at surviving!)

I felt a lot better once that main battle got going. There was a lot of energy at the table and the whole thing was so fraught with frenetic peril, that it had a real sense of urgency and danger! Things could have easily went very bad, indeed! Lot's of fun!