Solo Play Session 4: Orcs!

 

Proving Grounds Level 3

Introduction

Sadly I've fallen behind with documenting my solo adventures with the Evil Elf Gang. After success in Session 3; the two new Assassins, Neldor & Zeno, were training along with the Fighter Magic User Fingar. Meanwhile, Voldar the Fighter reached level 2 not long after Beldroth, Morthil & Ilphar also reached this milestone, and they decided that the four of them were sufficient for another delve.

Timekeeping

This session took place on 01/10/2023, and the Characters adventured for 5 days.

Characters Present

Beldroth (Level 2 Elf Magic User)

Ilphar  (Level 2 Elf Assassin)

Morthil  (Level 2 Elf Assassin)

Voldar (Level 2 Elf Fighter)

Downtime 

Beldroth worked her charms on the captured Celadyde (Fighter/Cleric/Magic User Level 1), trying to get him to join their cause. He eventually agreed to exorbitant terms (and will remain an NPC).

Session Report

The party arrived at the Proving Grounds of the Chaz Overlord dungeon without incident.

As they methodically explored and mapped level 3 they found the place to be fairly empty, the biggest threat being a pit trap that caught Morphil for 1 hit point. Finally a one-way door led into a room with 10 Piercers (A). Given the way this party is travelling silently in the dark and using infravision, I figure they would have a good chance to spot the piercers in a normal dungeon room; however, my rule of thumb in solo play is that they have to encounter a situation at least once before they can develop counter measures, so, in this case, they went forward until a piercer dropped towards Ilphar. It missed and now they could look up and find the others (which I had randomly allocated to each of the 4 squares in the 20' by 20' chamber).

Beldroth dropped Sleep on the ones between them and the nearest exit so they could move out and take up a position to wipe the slow creatures out. They expended quite a few arrows, but the party prevailed before the slowly moving monsters could reach them. 

A thorough search revealed a trunk hidden behind an illusion, with thousands of sp and cp inside. Too heavy for this crowd to bother collecting. A poisoned arrow trap in room (B) hit Voldar for 3 hit points, but he shrugged off the poison on it, and finally they found 3000 more copper pieces at room (C). So this level, with the exception what might be over the river (and there could be little beyond that feature given the configuration) seemed to be a bust after mapping just a quarter of the page.

Proving Grounds Level 1

They returned to level 1 and in room (A) run into group of 8 Orcs; disaster, the Orcs surprised the elves for 1 segment. It could have been worse; since Voldar and Morphil have high dexterity, they were not surprised (they were in front for precisely this reason). Since it was orcs vs elves I didn't roll for the monsters' reaction, they were in for a killing spree.

Now I had some thinking to do (this was probably the most interesting thing to happen this delve). Since two non-surprised characters held the entrance and were standing between the surprised characters and the orcs, I ruled that only missile weapon attacks to the surprised characters at the rear could happen during the surprise segment. Using the Monster Manual entry percentages I worked out that three orcs had crossbows; which now could fire 3 times each in the segment. So they could fire nine shots at Ilphar and Beldroth, really bad news for the magic user in particular. 

However, again, since the non surprised guys were in the way, I wanted to treat them as partial concealment, I could also treat them as cover; but then that would imply that misses would count as hits against them, which makes no sense since they cannot be targeted in the surprise segment. 

On the other hand, it also makes no sense that the non-surprised PCs can effectively block the surprised ones without the possibility of getting hit themselves. So, in the end I decided that the Orcs could only choose to aim at Ilphar and Beldroth, but who they actually targeted would be decided randomly as per DMG p.63. 

On the other hand, the two unsurprised elves could have just jumped clear and left the other two at the Orcs' mercy, but I didn't think of that at the time.

Ilphar had 50% cover so a +4 bonus to AC and Beldroth, behind him, had 90% cover, so a +10 bonus to AC. Note that these benefits do not help mitigate against the weapon vs ac modifier of light crossbows (+3 vs the two PC's AC types of 10 and 8 respectively). Beldroth was then hit once for 2 hit points and Ilphar hit twice for 5 hit points. Voldar and Morthil also caught a hit each for 3 & 4 hp respectively.

Maybe this could be interpreted as the Voldar and Morthil using their dexterity to try and deflect the orcs crossbow bolts?

The surprise segment over, Beldroth went for broke and began casting Sleep, the others were going to lead with Fingar and the assassins using bows. The party then won a crucial TPK preventing initiative, and the sleep spell effected all 8 Orcs, whew! The party killed and looted the Orcs then called it quits, making it back to Elf Town safely. They rested for 5 days and then returned for delve 5 on October 7th.

Treasure and XP

Monetary Treasure

60 EP

Monsters

10 Piercers

8 Orcs

Items

none

Monsters Total:  670XP

Treasure Total:  30XP

XP & GP Assignment 

Fingar (Level 2/2 Elf Fighter Magic User) 190 XP &  8GP

Neldor (Level 3 Elf Assassin) 190 XP & 8 GP

Voldar (Level 2 Elf Fighter)   127 XP & 6 GP

Zeno (Level 3 Elf Assassin)  190 XP & 8 GP

Graveyard

Empty so far

Solo Play Session 3: All too easy

      

Elf Team B

Introduction

With the other three elves training, Fingar the Fighter/Magic User wants to go back out, and finds 3 more guys to go with him.

Rolls

S 13 I 13 W 14 D 17 C 15 Ch 13

S 18 I 12 W 16 d 16 C 16 Ch 16

S 13 I 13 W 18 D 12 C 13 Ch 12

Elf

S 13 I 13 W 14 D 18 C 14 Ch 13

S 18 I 12 w 16 d 17 c 15 ch 16

S 13 I 13 w 18 D 13 C 12 Ch 12

Class

Assassin 3 S 13    I 13 W 14 D 18 C 14 Ch 13

Fighter  1 S 18:13 I 12 W 16 D 17 C 15 Ch 16

Assassin 4 S 13    I 13 W 18 D 13 C 12 Ch 12

Age

Assassin 3 Age 122(M) S 13    I 13 W 13 D 18 C 15 Ch 13

Fighter  1 Age 148(M) S 18:13 I 12 w 15 d 17 c 16 ch 16

Assassin 4 Age 117(M) S 13    I 13 w 17 D 13 C 13 Ch 12

HP & Secondary Skill & Money 

Assassin 3 S 13    I 13 W 13 D 18 C 15 Ch 13 HP 5  40gp Teamster

Fighter  1 S 18:13 I 12 W 15 d 17 C 16 Ch 16 HP 12 130gp none

Assassin 4 S 13    I 13 w 17 D 13 C 13 Ch 12 HP 5  90gp none

Timekeeping

This session took place on 28/09/2023, and the Characters adventured for 1 day.

Characters Present

Fingar (Level 1/1 Elf Fighter Magic User)

Neldor (Level 1 Elf Assassin)

Voldar (Level 1 Elf Fighter)

Zeno (Level 1 Elf Assassin)

Downtime 

With three of the four original characters from Team A out training, the remaining member approached the Assassin Guild Master about gathering some more like minded fellows. Three elves answered the call.

Session Report

The party arrived without incident and descended into Appendix A. Like a bigshot, Fingar lead the way around the dungeon for the newbies, heading straight for level 3; but, the place proved to be eerily quiet. I rolled for each chamber and room they had previously explored as they again passed through them, but nothing had taken their place; spooky. For "restocking" here I used the standard room contents table but ignored rolls above 17. Mr Wargaming applies a -3 penalty to the roll, which amounts to much the same thing. 

With the way this level is developing, the dungeon could easily end without any further expansion thanks the rolls on Appendix A exhausting the possibilities. I am using an A4 page of graph paper for each level, without any constraints beyond that; it would be strange to have a dungeon peter out with only a quarter of a page used (tune in to future reports to see if that happens). 

Finally, in chamber B, the party happened upon 7 fire beetles and surprised them for one segment. Even with just one segment to work with, Elf archery again won the day before the enemy knew what was happening. This one was a pay day, the beetles were dragging along with them (somehow?) 2250 ep, and, a strange jug like item. The party decided it would be worth selling back at town (and boy, was it) so, even though they were at full strength; they returned to Elf Town, again without any encounters along the way.

Proving Grounds of the CHAS Overlord Level III

Team B thinks this dungeoning stuff is easy, one encounter becomes two levels! They will be training for two weeks and not be available until October 14th. It is interesting to note XP for Gold and 1 to 1 time at work here, the first is motivation to head back to town after a big (or even a presumably big) score, the second means that the group is immediately out of play while they train.

Treasure and XP

Monetary Treasure

2250ep

Monsters

7 Fire beetles 224XP

Items

Jug (Alchemy Jug, identified in town) sold for 12000gp!

Monsters Total: 224 XP

Treasure Total:   13125 XP

XP & GP Assignment 

Training until 14th October

Fingar (Level 2/2 Elf Fighter Magic User) 3337XP & 3281 GP

Neldor (Level 3 Elf Assassin) 3337 XP & 3281 GP

Voldar (Level 2 Elf Fighter)  3671 XP & 3281 GP

Zeno (Level 3 Elf Assassin) 3337 XP & 3281 GP

Graveyard

Empty so far

Solo Play Session 2: Dwarves and their Gems

     

Elf Team A

Timekeeping

This session took place on 24/09/2023, and the Characters adventured for 1 day.

Characters Present

Beldroth (Level 1 Elf Magic User)

Ilphar  (Level 1 Elf Assassin)

Fingar(Level 1/1 Elf Fighter Magic User)

Morthil  (Level 1 Elf Assassin, LE)

Downtime 

The party dropped off their prisoner; named Celadyde, and prepared to return to the dungeon. With the captured spells books in hand, Beldroth was able to learn Sleep and Fingar was able to learn Find Familiar. He used the latter to summon forth a powerful...toad, but, at least rolled the maximum hit points of 4. As the front line defender that was a welcome boost for him.

Session Report

The NPCs know their own way to the dungeon now. This was no encounter on the way. The party arrived without incident and descended into Appendix A.

Once again there was nothing here

They party, now with more than one ration and sword to share, swiftly retraced their steps. In their leathers they could move at 120' per turn, and, having mapped previously, could move at 5 times that pace as they swiftly retraced their steps back to a corridor running parallel to one they had already explored. Here they found a trap door, and, bull's-eye, stairs going down to level 3. Triple the loot and triple the danger! Down they went.

I turned two pages in my graph paper book and carefully lined up the spot with the stairs. On reaching level III they found two corridors: one east; and one back to the north west, which ended in a door at the very limit of their infravision. Moving east there was another north west passage, but it was cut off by a 20' wide river, so they continued until the corridor turned sharply north. They found two empty chambers before entering (1) with occupants. What monsters were going to be first to get it today? Dwarfs, twenty seven dwarfs! 

aren't these suckers just asking for it?

This time the four elves were working with four segments of surprise, and greed once again caused them to attack a larger party. Assassinations, archery, and a Sleep spell wreaked havoc; only seven were still alive to try and surrender at the beginning of the first round. Dead dwarfs tell no tales, the party dragged their bodies to the river and dumped them in one by one.

In the same chamber they found 8 gems and 3,000 Copper pieces. Though they had barely worked up a sweat, they decided to loot and scoot; but, when they got to the stairs, they looked at the door in the north west corridor and thought "Why not?". It was nearly a disaster, behind the door (3) were 14 Giant centipedes, and they were not surprised. The party won initiative and pulled the door shut, then scooted for real.

There were no more encounters to hinder them, and they returned home safely to discover that the gems were worth quite a bit! In fact, all but Fingar had levelled up.

Treasure and XP

Monetary Treasure

8gems

Gem: 50 gp Banded Agate.

Gem: 5000 gp Opal.

Gem: 100 gp Onyx.

Gem: 200 gp Sardonyx.

Gem: 3000 gp Sapphire.

Gem: 100 gp Rock Crystal.

Gem: 45 gp Blue Quartz.

Gem: 20 gp Moss Agate.

Dwarf coins 702 gp

Monsters

27 Dwarfs 506 XP

Items

dwarf junk, weapons and equipment looted.

Monsters Total:  506 XP

Treasure Total:   8515gp  XP

XP & GP Assignment 

Beldroth (Level 1 Elf Magic User) 2225XP & 2129 GP

Ilphar  (Level 1 Elf Assassin) 2225XP & 2129 GP

Fingar (Level 1/1 Elf Fighter Magic User) 2225XP & 2128 GP

Morthil  (Level 1 Elf Assassin, LE) 2225 XP & 2128 GP

Graveyard

Empty so far

Solo Play Session 1: Proving Grounds of the CHAZ Overlord

    

Elf Team A

Introduction

"Stinking humans are taking our trees," -- some elf 

The party is made up of disaffected elves intent on pushing back against the encroachment of humans and their religion. One day they might end up as NPC villains in a Machodor session; but, for now, they will concentrate on increasing in power. Their home town is solely populated and run by elves, but the Assassin guild master is calling the shots and is their main patron. There is a dungeon a couple of hours of travel through the partially sylvan forest, and beyond that, a human town not too far away. I have a vague idea of where this is on a regional level; but there is no need to give that away.

Some details of the set up are in this thread, but I will do a post version eventually.

Solo play is a great way to learn and practice the rules without the time pressure of a session. Hopefully using a similar format to a PC session report will work for recording what happened.

Timekeeping

This session took place on 22/09/2023, and the Characters adventured for 1 day.

Characters Present

Beldroth (Level 1 Elf Magic User)

Ilphar  (Level 1 Elf Assassin)

Fingar(Level 1/1 Elf Fighter Magic User)

Morthil  (Level 1 Elf Assassin, LE)

Downtime 

N/A

Session Report

The NPCs know the way to the dungeon, having been shown by other elves previously. This gives one chance of an encounter each way. The party arrived without incident and descended into Appendix A.

Going with a randomly selected standard entrance

I drew this out on my graph paper, but initially forgot to put the doors on. Doors are not friends to this party, since they drop their chance of surprise from 4 to 2.

Relying solely on infravision, they moved down the stair and into the first room (1). Finding it empty, they unhooded their lantern and made some hasty measurements they then scribbled down, before again returned to darkness. They went right and found a stair going up in that next turn to the right. Too early to be leaving, they passed it by. Next they found that the corridor continued east, but soon there was a turn off south into a small 20 by 20 chamber (2) with no exits, and, an encounter. Will it be Orcs, Goblins, what monster is going to fall first? It was character party. 

There were 5 Level 1 Characters & 4 Men-at-Arms: A Human Magic User, A Human Fighter, 2 Human Clerics, and, an Elf Cleric? 

Yes, in fact, a multi-classed elf Cleric is possible.

Neither side were surprised, and the reaction of the other party was neutral. Now I went and rolled up the alignments and details, quite a mixed bag. There was no way the party was going to ignore the fact that there was an elf with them, they needed to know if he was of like mind to them (he was, in fact LE). Was he working on a similar plan to theirs? They dropped a little CE into the conversation, prompting no reaction, then they dropped a little LE, and, bingo. At this point, the leader of the other party, the Neutral MU, had enough of this weird talk and asked the party to leave; which they did.

From here the route east lead to a dead end, so they returned to the entrance room and now I remembered there were supposed to be doors there (you were supposed to draw the bloody doors on! in Michael Caine's voice). They went through the one on the left, having no trouble pushing it open, and explored some corridors without finding anything other than another dead end. They returned again to the entrance room and opened the right door and... characters again in room (3). Yes, the first two encounters were with characters. Naturally, this was the same party as before; they had simply continued their exploring as well and were now here.

Running into characters in 2, and 3

This time, even with the penalty of going through the door, the party had achieved one segment of surprise. This situation is what the party's class selection is all about; surprise the enemy, then use the elf assassins' bows to make assassination attempts as per the assassination table on DMG p. 75. This combination of rules has come up in Trollopulous, and a natural reading of the rules suggests six bow attacks per surprise segment equates to six assassination attempts. We've chosen to lean into the rule that the DM can choose to modify the chance of success; and so we are playing with a -5% penalty per shot, cumulative each segment, with this penalty resetting each segment, and with missile weapons limited to three possible attempts per surprise segment.

Even with only one segment, the temptation was too strong; they attacked! Morthil called out in LE for the enemy elf to drop and that he would be spared, then he and Ilphar unloaded assassinations left and right. I rolled up stats and, crucially, two of the enemy, the MU and the LG Cleric, had a high enough dexterity to counter the surprise. On top of this, none of the assassination attempts worked, but, at least, the automatic hits from the attempts did work, and, two of the characters along with one of the men-at-arms went down. Fingar let loose six arrows into the enemy, with targets randomly assigned among the surprised, he hit the elf and reduced him to -1 hit points (which, with his 15 Con, turned out to be not quite enough to kill him; but he was unconscious). 

With no offensive spells to offer, Beldroth threw nine darts to spread the pain. So at the end of the segment four of the nine enemies were down. The enemy party then went on to win initiative, and, it would have been bad, except I then remembered morale. Having lost four guys, they rolled, high, and surrendered! 

This was unexpected, the party was not equipped to take prisoners, and they soon decided dead men tell no tales. Yet, they were not monsters, although murdering in cold blood might be required, they didn't have to make them suffer. They bound the humans, and staunched the wounds of the elf; then pulled the MU aside and interrogated him to find out what spells he knew. Greedily, they learned that he had Sleep and then hatched their idea of a merciful plan. They had the MU cast Sleep on the prisoners and then killed them, looted them, and pulled out, taking the unconscious elf with them.

On the way back to town they had a close encounter with a group of Sprites, 70 strong. These guys are no joke and the party wouldn't want them to get close enough to detect their alignments. Fortunately they got surprise and used it to evade.

Epilogue

For a first solo outing it seems like an unlikely story is already unfolding. Although I obviously expected this party to be evil; the were real bastards, and I needed a bit of a break afterwards. Will the captured elf be the solution to the party's healing problem when he has recovered? Only time will tell. 

Treasure and XP

Monetary Treasure

250gp, this is treasure that was in the room with the "characters". When there is treasure, I only roll for it ahead of time if the monster might be able to use it.

Monsters

4 Characters 100xp

4 Men-at-Arms 50xp

Items

Spell book 1: Sleep, Jump, Find Familiar, Read Magic  200XP to Beldroth

Spell book 2: Push, Spider Climb, Read Magic, Find Familiar 200XP to Fingar

Potion of heroism 300XP

Potion of  invulnerability 350XP

There were some weapons and equipment looted as well.

Monsters Total:  150 XP

Treasure Total:   1300 XP

XP & GP Assignment 

Beldroth (Level 1 Elf Magic User) 488 XP & 62 GP

Ilphar  (Level 1 Elf Assassin) 262 XP & 62 GP

Fingar (Level 1/1 Elf Fighter Magic User) 462 XP & 63 GP

Morthil  (Level 1 Elf Assassin, LE) 262 XP & 63 GP

Graveyard

Empty so far