Last Saturday I had a chance to play the dungeon I made in my series on how to create a dungeon. This is a transcript of the first two hours of the session, Next week I'll post Part 2 and go over some key points that happened during the game. My players were Todd and Kelly playing Joseph Creed and Jen, respectively.
Joseph Creed, HP:1 Gambeson Armor and an Axe
Str:12 Int:10 Wis:13 Dex:6 Con:12 Cha:10
Jen, HP:3 Gambeson Armor and a Mace
Str:16 Int:17 Wis:13 Dex:12 Con:10 Cha:14
DM - A couple days ago you reached the Keep as part of the merchant train, you managed to pay your way and get a ride here because you've heard a rumor that somewhere to the north of the Keep is an ancient tomb that still holds treasure. It has only be talked about in whispers in dark corners of taverns in the area and you decided together or separately that this is where you want to be. You set out for a few hours, going north east and north east again into the forest. Searching your way along, You smell a smell you have nothing to connect to, and spot a thin patch in the tree line with more sun coming through. Approaching you find a large empty field, dotted with tree stumps that have started to regrow. In the field are giant stone blocks, if the temple was here all that is left is the foundation. What you notice quickly are two trolls fighting in the middle of the slab. Both are throwing punches and clawing at each others faces, ones missing an eye already. You watch as one grabs and slams the other into the slab and you hear it crack. The troll that threw him runs off from the cracking slab into the forest.
Todd - I approach it slowly, the troll I mean, the opening.
DM - Yeah
Todd - And my two dogs are going to follow me, if I can control them, are going to follow me close.
DM - You have dogs! Cool cool, those are the one coin dogs? Untrained?
Todd - Yeah
DM - What about you, got anything unusual?
Kelly - No
DM - Alright we'll say its about 9 o' clock in the morning as you guys get here, I'll use my time tracking chart. You have rope, as a leash for these dogs? Or are they running around?
Todd - They're running around free, at the moment.
DM - Okay. I didn't know you had dogs. That's fine, they probably would have barked at the trolls. We'll say they barked and scared off the other troll.
Todd - Mkay?
DM - We'll say the barking scared the troll away.
Todd - interesting
DM - If you were in the middle of a fight, beat up and suddenly new animals are there to attack you, you'd run off too. Trolls aren't stupid. But yeah, you approach slowly where the troll was lying there. As you near you realize it had cracked the top layer of stone and fallen down a stairway, leading down into darkness. Sunlight pierces into there but doesn't illuminate much.
Todd - I sort of inhale, getting a whiff of it.
DM - It smells like wet earth from inside this stepped area, as it has been unsealed for the first time in a very long time.
DM - Your dogs sniff around the floor, at the top of the steps.
Kelly - So we're already there?
DM - Yeah, if you wanna be?
Kelly - I'm approaching there now
DM - Okay you light a torch, sparking it with your flint and steel and begin walking down right into the room where the wounded troll stands up off the ground and turns to face you as you enter.
Kelly - I pull out my mace.
DM - Okay, you doing anything fancy? Then we'll start our combat.
Kelly - Is this a spiral staircase?
DM - No it's a straight staircase, heading down.
Kelly - Which direction?
DM - North, into a 10' flat alcove, before opening into a 30x30 room with a 10' opening in the middle of it's east and western walls.
Todd - I'm not sure if I want to be mapping
Kelly - So it goes on for 10'?
DM - What does?
Kelly - The hall before the stairway?
DM - Yes it does, a 10' alcove before the 30' room.
Kelly - 30x30?
DM - Yep, you entered into the middle of it's southern wall. Getting an idea on what you're facing Todd? Of the layout?
Todd - Yeah, I don't know if I want to do the mapping.
DM - That's fair dude, just don't get lost. Right?
Todd - Yeah... (Starts to map)
About a 3 minute pause as they both start the map.
Todd - It's going to take some effort, could you repeat the description again?
DM - Yes, the stairway leads down into a 10' square alcove at its base, where it flattens out first. This enters from the southern wall into a room that is 30' by 30' feet. It's eastern and western wall have openings leading into hallways.
Todd - You said the eastern and western walls have openings, are they dead center or near the corners?
DM - Dead center, the openings are 10' wide as well.
Kelly - Does this look about it?
DM - Using 5 feet squares? Yeah it's close enough. (It was perfect)
Todd - So we're in combat
DM - You enter down, your torch light reveals a troll standing up, it also reveals on the northern wall a painted holy symbol taking up most of it, and in the north east and north west corners are two tall silver candle sticks.
Todd - Did we come from the north?
DM - You came from the south.
Todd - I can just flip this whole thing upside down... what am I doing with my life...
DM - You can just erase the compass rose! Just re-do that part. Your maps don't need to be perfectly accurate, you know? One of my favorite maps I've seen people do is just a circle for the room and just a line for the halls.
Todd - Yeah, like a bubble map.
DM - Yeah! They bubble map it. It can just get confusing if the rooms get complex. Anyways, we all got that? The layout of the room?
Both - Yeah
DM - I've told Kelly but I don't think I've told you Todd, but there is a grid over there and minis in the box and I'm not going to do any minis for you guys. If you want to map combats out, feel free, but I'm going to leave that up to the players as a player skill type thing. How's that sound? We'll see how it goes. That way I'm not spending time mapping the room out, when you can loosely visualize the combat out which is all the map is for anyways.
Kelly - Ready.
Todd - I have a question, what kind of space do my dogs occupy? Do they both share a square for example?
DM - They both could, They could both share a square if you wanted them to. They could also occupy the same spot as one of you guys.
Todd - they could be in the same space as me?
DM - On that scale they are 5' spaces which is a large area. I'd allow a dog to fight around your legs in that area. Make since?
Todd - Yeah
DM - Cool. The troll is about in the middle of the room, so as you come down the stairwell he'd be about 10 or 15 feet away from you guys.
Todd - I just wanna high tail it to the west opening. See if I can find a door to lock behind it. What do you think?
Kelly - I think I want to fight it.
DM - Have you guys roll your HP yet?
Todd - No we have not!
DM - Go ahead and roll a d6 for HP.
Todd - Oooo!
DM - What'd you get?
Todd - One!
DM - Oooo!
Kelly - Three
DM - Alright, one hit point and three hit points.
Todd - (Borat) Very Nice!
DM - (Also as Borat) Very Nice, Very Nice!
Todd - I love how that kind of reflect my actions in a way,
DM - Yeah! So we'll go through the combat sequence for the round so, any spells being declared? Any one making a thrown attack? Nope? Alright cool, Phase two, any one making missile combat? Bow, Crossbow, Sling? Nope? Now comes movement, that troll is going to rush you guys. With the trolls movement being 40 he will reach you unless you make some action.
Todd - Like I said I'm going to the left side.
DM - Perfect, are you burdened or anything?
Todd - No, I'm not.
DM - Okay mark down your movement for being unencumbered, is 45'. 35' for burdened, and 30 for encumbered. Largely won't matter, but if you're unencumbered you'll out pace the troll. Sticking to the far west side of the room you curl around the edge and you make it around the corner.
Todd - Nice.
DM - Do you have a torch though?
Todd - No I do not.
DM - Okay, It's dark down there
Kelly - I have the torch.
DM - There is enough light in this very dim hallway so you can see down the 20' hallway before it opens into another room it appears, but no door like you were looking for. The troll is rushing at you, Kelly, at your characters direction.
Kelly - I'm going to jump out of the way, in Todd's direction.
DM - Heading to the west? Perfect. You head to the west as well and the troll turns to follow you, are you burdened, encumbered or anything?
Kelly - No
DM - Okay, being unencumbered he will keep pace with you as you enter the hallway, making 10' down the 20' hall. With your torch closer it will reveal the room to the west to be 30 by 30 but it doesn't illuminate its northern or western walls yet. The troll is right behind both of you. I'll say that Joseph Creed moved first, as you declared it first and didn't wait for the troll to rush you, as it was your direct intention, the troll is going to be in melee range though of Jen, and make a melee attack.
Todd - I have a question, do my dogs run faster than me?
DM - Yes they run at 55', but you didn't tell them to go, so.
Todd - Yeah, I'm curious where they are, how they would react if they would see their owner running and follow this guy.
DM - Lets check reaction, what's your charisma?
Todd - 10
DM - So it's average, no change on this roll and 10 on the reaction roll so they stay with you, being loyal in that moment and both ran with you down the hallway, one of them spun around to face the troll. These dogs are alright, you feed them so they want to keep you alive. One of the dogs will be in melee range and you (Kelly) will be in range. Alright melee phase starts...
Kelly - I want to attack it
DM - You turn as you enter the hallway, you see the troll closing in on you and you realize the plan didn't work as there is no door to shut. Go ahead and roll the attack, the troll will be doing the same.
Rolls dice
DM - The troll swings and misses you, while you swing and crack him across the jaw with your mace, knocking a long tooth out and clatters along the ground. The troll rears back in pain, but still stands and still wants to fight. After that, top of initiative, any one throwing anything?
Todd - I'll throw a dagger.
Kelly - I'm in the way.
DM - You can do that, if you miss the troll you have a 1 in 6 chance to hit an ally in melee, and a 1 in 6 if you attack past an ally. So we'll check if you hit Kelly first before you roll to hit, then a chance if you miss for the dog. Speaking of which does your dog attack during the previous melee? You could just say "get him" and see if he gets him. We'll roll it back a bit to the round where he hit him with the mace, we haven't really done dogs ever or hirelings in a while so go ahead and roll if you want.
Rolls dice
DM - With that roll the dog latches on but isn't able to deal damage through its thick skin. So that's last melee, now to throw weapons. You can throw it, it's only a 1 in 6 chance.
Todd - You were like I'm in the way and now I'm like ehh... I'll play it safe? yeah? You okay with me throwing it past?
Kelly - Yeah
DM - Go for it
Todd - I don't want to kill you immediately, as the guy who was running away.
DM - It's happened before, we've had characters get hit in the head and die in the first combat. It's been a common thing in my games
Todd - I'll go for it, My dagger flies through the air and..?
DM - Your attack hits, lets see if it hits the dog... and it doesn't hit your ally, and you hit the troll so no chance to hit your dog so Kelly has hit the troll with a mace, cracking its jaw and knocking out a tooth. As it turns back the dagger catches it right in the eye, sinking deep. The troll slumps and falls back into the opening.
Kelly - I'm grabbing the tooth
Todd - My dog!
DM - Your dog is okay! The troll has died, the tooth weighs 1/10th of a pound, keep track of your encumbrance.
Todd - I get my dagger back
DM - Yeah you step on his face and pull it out, wiping it down on the trolls brown fur.
Kelly - You'll never know if this will be useful, there are alchemist here right?
DM - Yeah. Are you an alchemist?
Todd - Yeah! Would I happen to know if it is useful?
DM - Yeah, you know it's useful and you know that blood could be used too. Most animal parts can be used, weather it's the furs or feathers.
Kelly - Isn't it dangerous?
DM - Yeah you take a d6 damage if you fail, which is 2/3rds of the time.
Kelly - Instant death if he fails!
DM - Yeah... but a THIRD of the time he makes a POTION!
Kelly - Maybe we should go see a regular alchemist...
Todd - I take my tarp out and my axe, to chop its head off.
DM - To take with you?
Todd - Yeah
DM - Okay... what does a troll head weigh... I'll say a good 6 pounds? Lets pass a few turns as he takes care of that.
Kelly - I want to see how big the room is in the east.
DM - You mean the room to the west?
Kelly - Yeah. Just assume the troll head weighs 8% of its body because that's how much a human head weighs in relation to the whole of it's body.
DM - Gimme a second...
Todd - Interesting...
DM - 8% would be 40 pounds.
Todd - I'll still wrap it up, but I'll leave it by the holy symbol on the wall.
Kelly - I want to back track and inspect the holy symbol.
DM - Perfect. You spend about 10 minutes chopping and wrapping the head up. You look at the painted symbol, it's very angular. Roughly a box with a triangle tucked inside it, only two points piercing the bottom but no the top and a circle on the inside. With a 17 intelligence you recognize it as a 30 or 40 year old cult, worshiping a woman of knowledge. At a time they had three or four temples that dot the land but one day they just disappeared and all their temples collapsed, other information is only hearsay and rumor.
Kelly - I want to go back to the other room.
Todd- You said there were candle sticks in the first room?
DM - Yeah, they are silver and stand 6 feet tall.
Todd - Silver huh... We'll get them on the way out.
DM - So you tucked the head in there somewhere?
Todd - Yeah
Kelly - There were doors in the other room, yes?
DM - You didn't actually get there before.
Kelly - I want to enter that room then.
Todd - I'll follow him with my doggos
DM - Perfect, So you enter the other room, now with a torch. You find it's 30x30 as well, you enter from the middle of the eastern wall, with a hall opening to the north and west once more.
Todd - 10' hallway?
DM - Yes, two hallways. No doors so far.
Todd - Lovely
DM - In this room, it's largely empty. On the southern wall is a table and chairs, with four candle sticks. In the northern corners are two statues posed as if they are praying.
Todd - I'm going to check out that table.
DM - Okay, its a wooden table, rotting away.
Todd - Ah.
DM - It still has some strength. You could sit in the chairs, they're just old and moldy.
Todd - Are the chair legs or table legs sturdy so I would be able to thwack people, kind of thing?
DM - You could definitely thwack with it. They would be thwack-able, the candle sticks would be thwack-able too.
Kelly - How many candle sticks? Were still in the west room right?
DM - Four of them, That's correct.
Kelly - Six foot tall?
DM - No, small ones, they are sitting on the table.
Kelly - I'll take one of them.
DM - Okay, one of the four.
Kelly - I'll investigate the room to the north.
DM - Okay, so you guys are heading north are are you going to try to do anything with the legs?
Todd - I don't think I need another weapon at the moment, we'll just go north.
DM - Alright you guys go north, you find that the hallway extends 10, 20, 30, 40 feet before coming to its end at a doorway.
Kelly - Is it a closed door?
DM - Yes the door here is shut.
Todd - Is it centered?
DM - Yep.
Kelly - I want to open it.
Todd - Question, does this door look odd? Is it just wood, is it made of a particular material, a motif or anything?
DM - The door is elaborately carved, it has a nice edging on it and a lock in the middle with two handles that it will split in the middle when opened. You do take note that it has two gold handles on it in a downward L shape. If not for the age and mold the door would be worth something in itself.
Kelly - You said the knobs are gold, are there screws?
DM - No, but you could pry them off if you wanted to go full adventurer.
Kelly - Not right now, maybe on the way back out.
Todd - Yeah
DM - So what are you doing at the door?
Kelly - We try to open it
DM - You twist the handles sideways and the doors open revealing you're in the middle of a 30 foot wall, the east and west walls extend 10', and then the next 10' of each wall has a door in it's side.
Kelly - Is it 30' from the door?
DM - What? Be more specific?
Todd - We're in the center of the wall.
Kelly - Centered on a wall, so is the whole wall 30'?
DM - You are in the center of a 30' wall as you enter, correct. The walls on the east and west extend 10' before 10' again which contains a door, they then extend another 10' past that after which the light from your torch no longer reaches.
Todd - What can we see in our line of sight?
DM - Down the middle are rows and rows of pews facing the north that you can not see.
Todd - What are pews?
DM - Long wooden benches, 10' wide.
Todd - Thank you
Kelly - So we can't tell how long the room is yet?
DM - Your torch can not reach that far yet.
Kelly - How far does my torch reach?
DM - 30' radius, so it gives about 20ish feet ahead of you before becoming too dim to really see
Todd - And in these pews is it just dust and cobwebs or?
DM - Dust and cobwebs, nothing else in these pews
Todd - Is there anything above us?
DM - Above you? No, your torch doesn't illuminate anything above you. The roof here is domed as opposed to mostly flat like the others.
Todd - I go to the east door and listen for anything past it, is it a normal door?
DM - Yeah these are simple doors with iron handles. You listen to the door, hearing nothing but Jen behind you go "Hmmm This candle stick sure looks expensive..." and you and him both come to no conclusion. There may be something down the hall, but you can't hear it.
Kelly - Could we send the dog in there? as bait?
Todd - I was thinking I could light a torch and get the dog to carry it so we can see with it.
Kelly - Just send the dog in there and we'll hear what happens. It's a dog that cost you one coin after all.
Todd- Haha, yeah...
DM - So what are you doing now?
Kelly - I walk down the aisle
DM - There isn't an aisle down the middle, but two walk ways down each side.
Kelly - I'll walk down the side of the room
Todd - Are the pews angled or horizontal?
DM - No they are horizontal down the middle of the room
Todd - That clears it up a lot.
DM - My bad, were you thinking a church where they are angled?
Todd - Yeah
DM - So you're heading down the east side?
Kelly - Yeah
DM - Heading to where Joseph is on the eastern side with your torch. This reveals that the room fully extends 50' from the southern wall you entered, culminating at a 30' wall on its northern side. There is also a pulpit at the end with two gold candle sticks on each side, In the north corners are two statues poised as if praying.
Kelly - I take a candle stick
DM - Go ahead they are two pounds
Kelly - How much can I hold in my backpack?
DM - How much is in it?
Kelly - Three waterskins, three rations, rope, flint and steel, handtools.
DM - How many handtools?
Kelly - Just one handtools, it says 8/10th of a pound
Todd - Yeah man its an 11-in-1 retractable handsaw
DM - Where's the shopping list? Handtools is the category for all these items. Handsaw is 8/10th of a pound, for 5 coins.
Kelly - I guess I have a handsaw then.
DM - That works! Its a specific list, incase you want to carry a backpack of ruining-this-dungeon-supplies it's a lot of weight. If you just wanted a crowbar isn't bad, but if you wanted a crowbar, a saw, three pry bars, 46 pylons, 6 different hammers for whatever you need and 6 pickaxes its going to be a lot.
Kelly - Well, I take the two candle sticks
DM - That adds four pounds then
Todd - I check out one of these statues, is one in better condition?
DM - Both are in pretty nice condition, They are angled into the center of the room depicting women with hands clasped as if praying.
Todd - I touch the hand, how's it feel? Cold or warm?
DM - It's stone, warm as is all the air in the dungeon. Moisture as seeped into here and it's very muggy. Did you ever send a dog down the hallway?
Todd - No I didn't want to do that, are they around me still? Acting normal?
DM - Yeah they're sniffing around the pews, seemingly normal.
Kelly - You said there was a door on the west side?
DM - Yes, on both the east and west side. The door on the west is just like the one on the east, plain with iron handles.
Kelly - I'm going to listen to the door
DM - It's hard to hear anything other than the dogs sniffing behind you,
Kelly - I'm going to open it
DM - You gingerly open it, your torch light pierces and illuminates a 30 hallway until you can't see any more.
Kelly - I'll leave it be, is there a place to lock the door at?
DM - Not on this door
Kelly - I don't have the lock and key anyways. Open that door real quick.
Todd - The other one? sure, I go over and open it up axe in hand.
DM - You head down to the eastern door and open it just as easy as the western one. It's harder to see as the torch light is across the room, but in the dim light you see a hallway extending at least 10 feet.
Kelly - Which should we go down first?
Todd - I want to make an animal sound first, see if I can make something move in the darkness. Maybe a raccoon or a rat squeak?
DM - Go ahead and make a 2 in 6 chance to make a convincing noise.
DM - Your dogs perk up and when they hear the echo one starts barking, which carries down the dungeon very loudly.
Kelly - I quickly listen to my door for anything coming.
DM - You close it and begin listening, and the torch light begins to flicker. You don't seem to hear anything.
Kelly - How long do I have on my torch?
DM - About 10 minutes once it starts flickering.
Kelly - I light up another torch.
Todd - As I see him do that I walk over to light my own.
DM - So you both have a torch, cool you burn both torches
Kelly - I'll just have him take over torch duties
DM - So only his is lit now?
Kelly - Yeah
Todd - I'm trying to understand what's going on now.
DM - So his torch was flickering and as he was going to light his you come across to light your one, when Jen sees Joeseph he puts his away. For 10 minutes you'll both have light after that yours will burn out.
Todd - I'll have my axe in one hand and my torch in the other. I also have a shield but I never said I was holding it at some point, just a heads up.
DM - No worries you can hook it to your backpack to carry
Todd - Just to make sure I can't like, strap it to my arm like a buckler?
DM - No, a shield hand is occupied
Todd - Alright I wanted to confirm that
Todd - "so what do you think of this hallway?"
Kelly - Since I only have 10 minutes I'm going to throw my torch down the hallway
DM - Which hallway?
Kelly - Uh the one we're both at now
DM - Give me an attack roll, apply any bonus to missile weapons
Kelly - Is the door open?
DM - I sure hope so since you're throwing something down there
Kelly - I open the door
DM - You throw the torch a good 25' down the hallway, illuminating that the hall is 40' in total length, before turning north
Kelly - So there is a path to the right?
DM - Yes, an opening of some kind. you can't tell if its a door or a hallway yet.
Kelly - I head down that way
Todd - I follow him
DM - You and your dogs make your way down, turning north to reveal another hallway extending at least 20' to the north.
Kelly - We keep going
Todd - Do I notice anything weird about the ground, perhaps?
DM - Nothing particularly weird yet. Going north 20' the eastern wall opens up west to another hallway and a 10' alcove to the north has a door in it.
Todd - Centered? Is the door mundane?
DM - This door has gold handles on it again.
Kelly - I listen to the northern door
Todd - I look down the western hallway
DM - Your torch barely illuminates the 30' hall showing another door with gold handles.
Todd - No change in the stonework?
DM - Not on the walls, but the floor in front of the 10' alcove is very clean. Listening at the door you hear that nothing is inside.
Kelly - I open the door
DM - You enter the room to the north, your torch illuminates a chandelier with many glass panes hanging from it. You also notice a silver holy symbol on the table to the north west as well as a neatly folded white robe with gold trim. The robe is untouched by the mold that dots the wood and other surfaces in the area. As for the shape of the room, you have entered on its southern wall which is 30' wide and you're right in the middle of it. Its western wall extends 10' to the north, from that point it extends 10' to the west, then extends 30' to the north, before extending 30' to the east, extending 10' to the south, 10' to the east, and 30' one more to the south, finishing the room. There is a long table in the north west corner occupying the wall in the 30x30 space and another door to the room in the middle of the 30' eastern wall.
Kelly - Let me see your map?
Todd - This is what it looks like on my end.
DM - Looks perfect.
Todd - Now I think the dimensions are off in my head, could you describe the table again?
DM - The table is very long, it occupies most of the 30' western wall and the 30' northern wall.
Todd - And it's 5' wide?
DM - Yes, and don't forget there is a chandelier and a door in the eastern wall.
Kelly - I want to listen to the door to the east, somethings not right here.
Todd - I look under the table, see if I can spot anything.
DM - You find cobwebs and not much else. You listen for a moment and can't seem to hear anything.
Kelly - I'll ignore it for now, I want to check the holy symbol.
Todd - I want to check the robe.
DM - As you approach the robe on the table it floats up and seems to inflate as if some one where wearing it. A voice booms from the robe, "Who are you disciples?"
Todd - "My name is Ryan... Birbiglia. I am a new.. I am a pilgrim to your flock, I haven't found the head priest in days. Do you know where he is..? She is?"
DM - "Welcome brother Ryan, we are pleased to have you. And you are?"
Kelly - "Jen"
DM - "Welcome brother Jen, we are please to have you as well. What is it you seek in our temple?"
Kelly - What are we looking for, in character?
Todd - In character? Wealth. But I'm going to pose as a religious student, do what you got to do.
Kelly - I'm going to follow your lead.
Todd - "I'm looking for enlightenment and a better way of life."
Kelly - "We've come to seek knowledge of your holy temple, can you give us directions to the main chamber?"
DM - That was a good answer so no roll, give me a moment
Todd - I was going to say Ryan Reynolds but I couldn't live with my self.
Kelly - Well its a fantasy world so Ryan is probably an alien name
DM - "For new pilgrims we will always be pleased to guide them to knowledge, simply head that way" as the robe points with it's arm. "Head past your first hallway, then turn left, a right, and you'll enter into one of out main alters after that you can head south, take the turn, then your first left will bring you to one of our grand libraries. We are pleased to have new arrivals."
Todd - "We are pleased to be here. And you are?"
DM - "I am the head priest here. If you have any questions please return and ask them." The robe then flutters for a bit before falling to the floor. all the candles in the chandelier light and slowly spins, the panes tinkling against each other.
Kelly - I'm going to that library, I'm going to assume its the hallway to the south.
DM - He told you. Should of taken notes.
Kelly - It's hard to take notes.
DM - Be better, player skill
Todd - He said the door to the east
Kelly - So go north, take a left, take a right and that'll be the main chamber.
Todd - Yep and the second part of directions was the library. So these crystals...
DM - The glass panes? It's glass hanging from iron and when they tap they make sound, it's very musical like a windchime.
Kelly - I'm going to take it easy on the listening to doors and stuff because I'm going to assume its a relatively safe place. Lets go to the library and look for books, could be promising.
Todd - Yeah. We head south.
DM - Okay, You head down 10' before you reach the hallway to the west you have not explored yet and continue to the south until you reach a hallway going east. Do you keep going?
Todd - You said west?
DM - To the west you have not explored yet, do you want to head that way?
Todd - We're heading south right?
Kelly - South 10' and then west. This is the room we were just in and then Whoop-Whoop (Motions directions on his map)
DM - You're heading back to the room you just came from.
Todd - Oh, I thought that's what we intended to do.
DM - Were you trying to map the way to the east? Not the southern door?
Kelly - Yeah
Todd - I had different intentions.
DM - Okay, cool, that's where we were confused. Back in the room with the chandelier you guys are discussing what to do now
Todd - Do you want to backtrack or do you want to keep going?
Kelly - I want to find the library.
Todd - Yeah, I'm curious what this main chamber is about, so we're going east no matter what.
Kelly - Lets go.
DM - You open the eastern door, revealing a hallway heading east 20' before a hallway branches north. Continuing to head another 20' you find a second hallway branching north and the hall continues east into darkness.
Kelly - We take the second left.
DM - Counting your steps this hall extends, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 feet before turning east again for 30' and ends at a set of double doors.
Kelly - I open the door.
DM - You reach for the iron handles and twist them, only to find they don't budge.
Kelly - Is it locked?
DM - You look and find that it's locked.
Kelly - I don't have a lockpick so I can't get in it.
Todd - I have a lockpick.
DM - A single lockpick?
Todd - A few, I'll try to open the door.
DM - Using a bit too much pressure you snap the lockpick, and are able to get it out to try again.
Todd - I'll try once more.
DM - You successfully pick the lock, you may choose to open the door.
Todd - I do, slowly.
DM - Your torch light shines in, revealing a 30' by 30' room as you enter from the middle of the western wall. Another door is in the middle of the southern wall, and an alter is in the north eastern corner with a statue of a woman posed as if praying over something gleaming on the table.
Kelly - I go towards it.
Todd - I tell one of my dogs to stay and walk over to it.
DM - leaving the door open?
Todd - Yeah
DM - You walk over and find a gilded sword with inlayed gold.
Todd - I pick it up and take it with me.
That was the spot when the pizza arrived for us. This was around Exploration Turn 10 after an hour and a half real time, without a single random encounter occurring. The party has been lucky, passing many treasures and not having to engage in combat. We'll see how long that lucky streak can go for!
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