"Kick a Devilman in the Balls" - Nightwick Abbey - Session 40

The Devil's Playground by A.W.B. Lincoln

Last week in Nightwick Abbey...

Session 40 - 15th of December 1391

This week's adventurers:

Sotar (Cleric 4)

Mayfly (Magic-User 3) Grolmes (Fighter 1)

Anston (Fighter 2)

Verinka (Changeling 1)

Maelwyn (Cleric 1)

Liminal Space (Changeling 2)

Mechtild (Fighter 1) 

Blossom (Rogue 4)

Hirelings: Ticze (Changeling 1), Gerung (Magic-User 1)

Downtime in the Village

Over the past weeks, Mayfly bought a house in town. With a surplus of coin and an increasing number of valuables, it seemed prudent to get a place to store things away from the inn, the Medusa's Head. He celebrated the purchase by going out drinking - the night before our delve. He woke up with a nasty hangover and opted to stay in the village, recovering (we use rules for carousing between sessions to spend silver to gain XP - this was the result of Mayfly's roll). In his stead, Mayfly's faithful hireling Grolmes has been promoted and will venture into Nightwick. We gave him an extra set of chain and the magic sword we received from Father Winter, Dhinron. The idol we received from Father Winter, we gave to the woodsman instead of selling it to gain favor with the group. Sotar buys a silver mace and some of the others buy silver polearms to increase our capabilities, and we decide to explore more of level 2 this week.

My Dungeon23 Plans - Excavation of the Old Fort

I'm planning to do the Dungeon23 project in 2023. If you don't know, it's an idea to design a megadungeon, one room a day for a whole year, divided up into one floor for each month. For more details, you can read Sean McCoy's post about it here. As I was thinking of what I wanted the dungeon to look like, I found these tweets by Iko of the Lost Bay.

 

I don't trust Twitter to stay up through the weekend so here's a screenshot.

 

I was inspired by this. I love a good mixing of sci-fi and fantasy, and it's been a staple of role-playing games since pretty much the beginning.

 

Lost in the Abbey - Nightwick Abbey - Session 39

Illustration by Edward Coley Burne-Jones

 Previously, in the world of Nightwick...

Session 39 - 8th of December 1391

This week's adventurers:

Sotar (Cleric 4)

Blossom (Rogue 4)

Liminal Space (Changeling 2)

Mechtild (Fighter 1)

Yevegniy the Coward (Cleric 1)

Anston (Fighter 2)

Hirelings:

Ticze (Changeling 1), Gerung (Magic-User 1), Heyno, Ditl 

Downtime in the Village

The party returns from Father Winter's tomb and rests. Verinka wakes up from his vision/dream and appears otherwise unharmed. Mayfly identifies the sword Father Winter gave us. It is named Dhinron and it is truely a mighty sword - it is sentient, offers the powers of Detect Magic, Detect Metals, See Invisible Object, and Extra Damage Enhancement. Additionally, it has a special purpose: to slay undead. This would be a truly helpful sword for surviving Nightwick Abbey. Unfortunately, it has a mind of its own (Int 12, Ego 12) and anyone wielding it would be at risk of having the sword take them over to further its own agenda. This level of power discourages any of the eligible party members from picking it up this week. Several adventurers are missing this week, but nonetheless, we decide to return to Level 3 of Nightwick to explore some more.

In Search of Father Winter - Nightwick Abbey - Session 38

Away to the Mountains by Warwick Goble

A long, long time ago, in Nightwick Abbey... 

Session 38 - 1st of December1391

This week's adventurers:

Sotar (Cleric 4)

Blossom (Rogue 3)

Mayfly (Magic-User 3)

Anston (Fighter 1)

Liminal Space (Changeling 2)

Cherwe (Cleric 3)

Mechtild (Fighter 1)

Yevegniy the Coward (Cleric 1)

Verinka (Changeling 1)

Hirelings:

Ticze (Changeling 1) + the rest of them

This week we went hex-crawling.

Oh, my friends have begun to worry

After two weeks off, we're back in the world of Nightwick! During our downtime, a group of local woodsmen approached Liminal Space and Verinka. They tell the Changelings that the time of Father Winter is coming and if he is not brought his sweet cakes and milk, the Pestilence Man will come and bring plague to the Dark Country this winter. We are to follow the river into the Fog-bound forest for two days until we reach the island in the river that holds Father Winter's Tomb and bring him the cakes and milk. In the meantime, the vicar of Nightwick is preparing for the feast day of Saint Santa Claus! The party decides to take the locals up on their request and pay a visit to Father Winter.

Pyrotechnics MVP - Nightwick Abbey - Session 37

Previously, in Nightwick Abbey...

Session 37 - 10th of November 1391

This week's adventurers:

Sotar (Cleric 4)

Blossom (Rogue 3)

Mayfly (Magic User 3)

Anston (Fighter 1)

Liminal Space (Changeling 2)

Cherwe (Cleric 3)

Mechtild (Fighter 1)

Maelwyn (Cleric 1)

Yevegniy the Coward (Cleric 1)

Hirelings:

Ticze (Changeling 1)

Downtime In the Village

We didn't meet last week, but now we're back and ready to return to level 3 of the dungeon. Mayfly spends his downtime studying the book that he previously recovered from the abbey. It's in Crowleyan, a language no one in the party speaks, but he's able to decipher the magical parts of the text enough to determine that it's discussing the cardinal directions and the breaking of seals. We suspect that this is talking about the glowing runes we've discovered previously on level 3. Sotar finishes scribing a Bless scroll and begins work on a Hold Person scroll. (The level 2 clerical spells represent a big boost in power, but Sotar's limited to 1/day. My strategy now is to make several spells to beef up our arsenal for big fights.)

World Building Through Class Constraint

I went to a small Halloween party with some friends last week - among the costumes were a monk, a witch, a vampire, and a gorilla. It got me thinking about those 4 as core classes in an RPG setting - an alternative to the classic fighter, magic-user, cleric (and rogue/thief). 

What would that class selection say from a world building perspective? There's a religious order, but they're not the armor and mace type. There's also magic, but how are witches differentiated from magic-users? Are they a women only group, in contrast to a male only monkhood? Is it magical movement based in the countryside, as opposed to a city-based magic school? Is it focused on an oral spellcasting tradition rather than spellbooks and study? Gorillas - I guess they're sentient. Do these gorillas wear armor and have their own civilization or are they unarmored, beefy brawlers, barely one step above their wild cousins? Is the setting near a tropical jungle - a gorilla's natural habitat? What role do vampires play into this group? Are they the sneaky rogue type, blending into shadows? Are they spellcaster-fighter hybrids? I like this group - it's evocative; it says something about the world when these are your only options to be an adventurer.

"Dungeon Tours Provided by Werner Herzog" - Nightwick Abbey - Session 36

Last week, the party managed to get it hands on an juicer and managed to capture a devilman in the process...

Session 36 - 27th of Shocktober 1391

This week's adventurers:

Sotar (Cleric 4)

Blossom (Rogue 3)

Mayfly (Magic User 3)

Anston (Fighter 1)

Liminal Space (Changeling 2)

Cherwe (Cleric 3)

Mechtild (Fighter 1)

Maelwyn (Cleric 1)

Verinka (Changeling 1)

Hirelings:

Ticze (Changeling 1)

Fresh Juice - Nightwick Abbey - Session 35

Session 35 - 20th of Shocktober 1391

This week's adventurers:

Sotar (Cleric 3)

Blossom (Rogue 3)

Mayfly (Magic User 3)

Anston (Fighter 1)

Liminal Space (Changeling 1)

Cherwe (Cleric 3)

Mechtild (Fighter 1)

Maelwyn (Cleric 1)

Verinka (Changeling 1)

Hirelings:

Heyno (Blossom)

Ticze (Blossom)

Benish (Liminal)

Gerung (Liminal)

Mikush (Verinka)

Elger (Mayfly)

Grolmes (Mayfly)

Gele (Sotar)

Downtime In the Village

Mechtild is fully healed with a prosthetic leg and returns to delve into Nightwick. We're also joined by the cleric Maelwyn. Mechtild spent the past weeks searching for rumors about treasure in the abbey and finds two: 1) the Sword Brothers (founders of Nightwick Abbey) once set up a chapel in the abbey containing a relic from the desert land. The relic is a shard from the god of law which was turned into a sword and 2) there is an amulet of Protection from Demons somewhere in the abbey. The party decides to journey to level 2 in search of an orange juicing machine that they think can be worth quite a bit.

It is a misty, grey day as the party sets out early for Nightwick Abbey. The fey-touched changelings in the party, Liminal Space and Verinka, look especially weird in the fog.

Nightwick Abbey - Session 34

 

Previously, in Nightwick Abbey...

Session 34 - 13th of Shocktober 1391

This week's adventurers:

Blossom (Rogue 3) 

Mayfly (Magician 3)

Sotar (Cleric 3)

Anston (Fighter 1)

Liminal Space (Changeling 1) 

Bacifor (Froglings 1)

Yevegniy (Cleric 1)

Hirelings:

Ticze

Heyno

Gele

Mikusch

Gerung

Benish

Elger

Grolmes

Dile

Downtime In the Village

In the past week, Mechtild the fighter continued her healing, she should be fully recovered by next week. Mayfly the conjurer has returned from his travels and studies and rejoins the party. He identifies the glowing blue sword that we took from the goblins as "Slasher," a +2 sword. We give it to Anston, a new fighter in the party. Sotar spent the week studying the books he has recovered from Nightwick. He uncovers two pieces of information - the demon Armadeus, whose servant the party has dealt with previously, seems to be especially strong within the Dark Country, where Nightwick is. Second, a long time ago, a baron of Averwaw sent his daughter to the abbey as a lay nun. Some in the party speculate that this could be the crying woman previously encountered, but we have no definite connection.

We decide to return to level two and attempt to steal a magical device we once found there capable of producing lightning. Mayfly prepares a scroll of Floating Disk in preparation.

Never Trust a Treasure Chest - Nightwick Abbey - Session 33

Previously, in Nightwick Abbey...

Session 33 - 6th of Shocktober 1391

This week's adventurers:

Sotar (Cleric 3)

Ianthe (Changeling 2)

Liminal Space (Changeling 1) 

Verinka (Changeling 1)

Cherwe (Cleric 2)

Clepta Tullis (Rogue 1)

Hirelings:

Ticze

Heyno

Gele

Ulman

Mikusch

Downtime In the Village

Last week we rescued several people from the clutches of the goblins. On our way back to the village, one of the women insists that she must return to her own village in the fog-bound forest and departs from the group. Later in the week, we hear a report from a drunken woodsman that he saw a wolf skin in the woods, left as if its bones "walked right out of it.” He returned to the same spot later and the skin was gone, but a woman's footprints leading right to where it was. It would appear we rescued a werewolf last week. 

Mad God Maggots and Crying Women - Nightwick Abbey - Session 32

Previously, in Nightwick Abbey...

Session 32 - 29nd of September 1391

This week's adventurers:

Sotar (Cleric 3)

Ianthe (Changeling 2)

Liminal Space (Changeling 1) 

Verinka (Changeling 1)

Brother Farthing (Cleric 1)

Copronymos Maximus (Cleric 1)

Hirelings:

Ticze

Heyno

Fidgety Nodge

Timo

Downtime In the Village

Since last week, Mayfly the Magician stopped by the Medusa's Head and translated the runes on Mechtild's new magic sword. "Steel" the runes read. It seems a bit anticlimactic for a magic sword, but maybe once we see it in action our minds will be changed. However, that won't happen yet. Mechtild's still healing from losing a leg and will be out for a few more weeks (though she can pay for better treatments to quicken her healing). Verinka and Liminal both go carousing during the week, in anticipation of the upcoming feast day of St. Toad (on the 1st of Shocktober). In his drunkenness, Liminal Space burns down several houses and is no longer allowed into the Medusa's Head.

We covered a lot of ground this week.

 

Into the Crevasse - Nightwick Abbey - Session 31

Session 31 - 22nd of September 1391

This week's adventurers:

Verinka (Changeling 1)

Sotar (Cleric 3)

Mechtild (Fighter 1)

Liminal Space (Changeling 1)

Ianthe (Changeling 1) 

Hirelings:

Ticze

Heyno

Fidgety Nodge

In the Village

We start the session with our downtime activities since last week. Most of the party rested up (gaining a +1 HP bonus for this session) but Sotar spent the week inspecting the illuminated manuscript that he had removed from the abbey, attempting to restore it. He determined that it is a book of the Law and he restores a section of it. A brother of the abbey long ago had been writing a passage about how likely it is that various creatures are lying, but in the middle of the passage, he trailed off and wrote about how he has been hearing a voice in his head from the depth of the abbey. He knew that the other brothers hear it too and the other day he saw a brother carving something into the abbey...

Nightwick Abbey - Session 30

Previously, on Nightwick Abbey...

Session 30 - 15th of September 1391

The adventures continue. This week's motley crew is...

Cherwe (Cleric 1)

Liminal Space (Changeling 1)

Sotar (Cleric 3)

Ianthe (Changeling 1)

Mechtild (Fighter 1)

Verinka (Changeling 1)

In the Village

Ianthe is back, after having an arm torn off and Mechtild has been promoted to full party member. There's a new hireling available at Nightwick village, Sister Fronika, who is only willing to be hired by a cleric. One of our own hirelings, Gumpert the Fanatic, is able to hire her to accompany us into Nightwick. A few other hirelings were available, but they didn't seem worth the coin to anyone in the party.

Nightwick Abbey - Old School Megadungeon - Sessions 28 & 29

For the past few months, I've been playing in a megadungeon campaign set in the excellent Nightwick Abbey, using Old School Essentials. One of my fellow players has been documenting our delves so far on his blog, but, as he's unable to play at the moment, I thought I'd fill in temporarily to continue the documentation of our delves into the abbey. Hopefully these play reports will help give people and example of what old school style RPGs look like at the table.

 

Session 28 - 1st of September 1391

This Week's Victims Adventurers.

Cherwe (Cleric 1)

Liminal Space (Changeling 1)

Sotar (Cleric 3)

Blossom (Thief 3)

Gaius (Magic User 1)

Verinka (Changeling 1)

Neighborly (Dwarf 1)

In the Village

There are two new hirelings available: Gumpert, a fanatical cleric who wishes to cleanse the Abbey and requires no payment to go into it (though he gets a half share of XP) and Timo, a woodsman. We decide to hire them both and descend into the abbey. At this point, we've explored what we think is most of level 1 of the dungeon, and we decided to explore more in the western half of the level in an attempt to visit some of the remaining unexplored areas.

First Attempt as Solo Role--playing (with BFRPG)

Mount Olympus from Larissa, Thessaly, Greece by Edward Lear

I tried my hand at solo role-playing this weekend. I elected to use Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game, since I had just gotten the book from Lulu and I was inspired by easyGURPS's collaborative solo games using BFRPG. BFRPG is a good system, I can see why so many people like it. It's very straightforward and well done - the reduced options (4 races, 4 classes) compared to other systems feels like trimming off fluff and just sticking to the good parts. In addition to the basic rules, I used BFRPG Hexcrawl Adventures supplement to facilitate solo play. I supplemented the supplement (deutero-supplements) with random tables from Maze Rats and, when I had a more general question about the world, I used Chris McDowall's Ask the Stars to answer them.

Winter's Daughter Play Report (x2)

Prolegomena

Over the winter break I had the opportunity to run Winter's Daughter twice, both times using Old School Essentials. I thought I'd put a quick writeup here of running the module as a relatively new GM. This is also an excuse for me to work on recording my thoughts to better express myself. In preparation for these games I made a number of pre-gen characters to help things start off quickly. I picked a subset from the Advanced Rules book and the Mage and Acolyte from Carcass Crawler. To help balance out the characters some, I gave those with the worse stats more starting gold and the ones with better stats less gold (inspired by Electric Bastionland/Into the Odd). I rolled the starting amount in OSE (3d6 * 10) a number of times equal to the characters I was making and then assigned the values to individual characters. When making the pre-gens, I also made sure each character had some interesting piece of equipment for the players to play around with and to encourage them to get creative in their problem style in the old school way.