Session 2: River ambush (2011-10-31)

[Corsario]

Dramatis Personae

* Gorum Followers Caravan
- Kealm, Inquisitor, Caravan Captain. Played by Tyrs13
- Grummsh, Half-Orc Cleric, Caravan Lieutenant. Played by Patrick
- Lucron, Synthesis Summoner, Caravan Warrior. Played by Mark
- Dave, Human NPC, Caravan Warrior
- Bob, Human NPC, Caravan Warrior
- John, Human NPC, Caravan Warrior
- Grumpy, Small donkey, very aggresive, pulling a small cart

* Other characters that join them for protection and company
- Grift, Gunslinger, adventurer. Played by James
- Magu, Chelaxian Half-Elf nun, only female PC. Played by Bolo Lacertus
- Theodosia Scarnetti, Human NPC, Aristocrat young girl

* Other character is in route to Sandpoint by himself
- Maelx, Dwarf Summoner, Professor. Played by Louis

* Absent players, their PC's got away and missed the action
- Revan, Variasian Half-Elf Rogue, hired caravan guide. Played by Abracadaver
- Falk, Elven Wizard, explorer. Played by Elio

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The next day the heroes wake up, almost no one realizing the events that transpired the night before (only the participants and Magu knows).

Theodosia keeps near Magu, asking questions, and only sometimes looking at Grift, smiling.

Theodosia has an awkward conversation with Grummsh, that ends with her giving him a nice small ring that she tells him will help him while dealing with people at Sandpoint.

The Varisian Revan and the Elf Falk take a detour to try and get some game for food, while the rest of the caravan follow the road.

They get to a river crossing, where some half dozen peasants set a rope to cross, and are building a small defensive wall. Maelx has already crossed, with Union, and a couple of Varisians, a nice female and a big man, are crossing across.

The people in the caravan, especially Kealm, sense something is amiss, so they put their own rope to cross the cart, pulled by Grummsh and Magu, who cross first. The Varisian girl, after crossing, goes to talk to Maelx, who doesn't pay her much attention.

When they are halfway the river the trap springs. All the "builders" draw small bows and threaten the heroes. The builder leader and the big guy threaten Grummsh and Magu with crude weapons. And the Varisian woman puts a knife at Maelx throat, together with a kiss on his bearded cheek.

Kealm, expecting the attack, set the cart loose towards the robbers, and everyone proceeds to attack. Together they made short work of the robbers, killing two, gravely hurting a couple more (Grumpy trampling the big guy) and capturing the rest. Even the Varisian woman, who tell Maelx her name is Ruperta, surrenders.

After healing them, and having some hard arguments, the heroes let them all go, deeming them no risk anymore for the travelers, confiscating the robbers weapons.

Ruperta, especially threatened by Grift, bows to take revenge from him, and gives her gratitude to "her master", Maelx, who grudgingly defended her, before disappearing in the forest.

The heroes then continue their journey, with Theodosia very shaken at Grift's behavior.

[Corsario]

I will use this post to talk about my choices as DM. I hope it will help me to get better as GM, and I hope it can help you understand some of the decisions I do, and give you ideas how to use them with your characters.

This was the second encounter I had planned for the travel to Sandpoint. I purpose was to highlight some things the players will face in the game, with my dungeon mastering style.

- I railroad a little (a lot?). They HAVE to cross the river. They HAVE to fall in the ambush. Maelx is going to start threatened. That can be seen as a bad thing, I prefer to see it as set-up only. I set up the odds, for the heroes to face. I the heroes go other way and avoid the ambush altogether I lose prep-time, and they lose a nice encounter.
- The heroes, if play their strengths, will be able to beat the odds. They are heroes after all. They take risks and are bold. They attack when the prudent choice is to surrender. They prevail.
- Combat is not to the dead. Most enemies they will face will try to run or surrender if they feel things are going badly for them. Most enemies will not try to murder if it is not necessary.
- Loot is scarce. The robbers didn't have any money (that's why they are robbers in the first place). Their weapons were few and bad quality. There are no ransoms or jewels.
- You can talk to the enemy. Maybe even fraternize with them. Ask Maelx.
- No, summary executions ARE NOT ALLOWED. The heroes are the good guys, in the old-school sense of the word. They put people on jail even if they know they will eventually escape to give them trouble later. Or even save the trouble and let them go from the start, with a slap in the wrist. Who knows... maybe the enemies of today will be allies tomorrow?

I got my first big battle in Maptools, I fell it worked nice.

But I think I should have fudged the dice more. In special in two places:

- I would have loved for Grumpy to bite the Builder leader hand off at the start of the fight. I should have not rolled it, just go ahead and declare it.
- I wanted one of the warriors NPC to die. I don't want the caravan to have too much manpower arriving at Sandpoint. But well, the dice didn't want it.

What do you think? Are you OK if I fudge the dice a little bit more?

[Corsario]

Please, all the feedback or opinions of this session put in as replies in this threads. Especially the Fudge dice question.

Another big favor. I forgot to save the transcript. Anyone has a transcript of the session?

If any of you even does a character "diary" or something like that, I promise to give some kind of reward "in-game" (I have to motivate it somehow, right?). The ring of Grummsh, for example, was his reward.

You can also give private feedback by mail ([email protected]) or skype (corsario_mexico).

[abracadaver]

Sounds like a fun session, hopefully Revan and Falk found something good to eat.
As far as the the whole dice rolls thing, if you feel like it enhances the experience I'm all for it, everything doesn't need a dice roll.

[Corsario]

I include the image of the ring Theodosia Scarnetti gave to Grummsh.

Ring that Theodosia Scarnetti gave to Grummsh.

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