A Dark And Stormy Knight (Part 1)

Making their way down the Avenue of the Gods, the PCs pass the Temple of Eissa where it is obvious they can get healing and continue onto the wonderful temple dedicated to Kieron, Lord of parties, known as the Palace of Kieron. Rikku decides to take them here because Kieron is Rikku's patron god.

Entering the temple the PCs quickly learn that their chances of getting Rikku healed are nil. A party is in progress inside the temple with wine, women (+ men) and song all vying for one's attention. The all-male (mostly Elven) servants of the temple are encouraging the congregation in their "praise" of Kieron. Asmodeus has found nirvana.

Deciding they really need healing services and not just a good time, The PCs decide to head on back to the Temple of Eissa. A priestess looks after them, taking Rikku, Xera, Shashari and Kodos to a small side chamber to discuss the healing process, while Asmodeus heads back to the Palace of Kieron to party and Cavell goes to the Basilica of Kuor (his patron god) to give his respects. After assessment of Rikku's injuries by the priestess, the remaining small group are given the bad news.

"A small donation of 1700 gold pieces should cover it." says the priestess.

"We've been robbed." - Xera

"We don't have that." - Shashari

"Can I barter the price?", asks Rikku.

"Of course you can, we accept items based on our own evaluation assessment."

Rikku goes through his equipment and pulls out his superior design weapons; a +10 broadsword, +10 dagger and a +5 long bow. "How much is this worth?"

"Well, that will do for about 70 gp, you only have 1630 gp to go. Do you have anything else?"

"No."

"That's too bad."

"Can we perform a service for the temple to pay for the healing?" - one of the PCs, I don't remember who.

"Let me speak with the High Priestess to see if she has anything for you."

It turns out that the High Priestess does have a task in mind, the recovery of a gem the size of a fist, a sky blue diamond, known as a Life Stone. This stone was stolen fifteen years ago from the previous High Priestess while she was returning to Sel-kai from a trip to the south. A group of orcs came out of the west wood and returned that way after killing everyone in the party, taking everything with them. This task will need to be completed within two weeks otherwise the temple will provide no free healing services. For some reason the High Priestess is anxious to get her hands on the life stone.

"What are the conditions of the task?" ask the PCs.

"You are required to convert to Eissa and be put under a geas until the task is performed." replies the High Priestess.

Shashari is concerned for Cavell, who is a Paladin of Kuor. How would he react to this news? Shashari and Xera leave to find Cavell and Asmodeus respectively. They need all in the party to agree to this task.

Cavell, upon hearing the news, is concerned about his dedication to Kuor. He is assured that in this polytheistic society such a conversion does not nullify his devotion to Kuor. Asmodeus is "happy" to help - "hic". Cavell pursues even more information than the others have told him and in the end agrees to the whole process in order to get Rikku healed. Isn't he a good Paladin?

With all the members in agreement, the PCs undergo a conversion ceremony. Xera takes 6 hours to complete the conversion most of the others take 2 to 4 hours. They all succumb to the spell of a geas.

While Rikku is healed in privacy, problems arise and the priestess assigned the task cannot perform the healing. Shashari notices the priestess coming out of the side room and that she talks to another priestess before rushing off. This second priestess moves to guard the door to where Rikku lays waiting for healing. Shashari casts a listening spell so that she can hear what is going on in the side room. The original priestess returns along with the High Priestess, enter the room and perform the healing. Shashari overhears:

"Just do what you did last time dear.", the High Priestess. "Oh, I see what you mean.", "You leave dear, I will perform the healing myself." "Oh!" "Oh no! Eissa give me strength." "Ah, finally!"

The High Priestess comes out of the healing room and leaves; Rikku comes out, looking well.

Walking out of the Temple of Eissa, the PCs realise it is the early hours of the morning and dawn is only a few hours away. Most of the PCs head outside the city walls to make camp because they have no money to pay for a room at The Limping Dog - which is exactly where Shashari heads off to in order to use up the free night of accommodation offered by Jerrell.

After a restful and uneventful sleep, the PCs, coming together with all their equipment, head west into the woods in pursuit of this "life stone". It isn't long before they are set upon by five giant rats, 2 miles into their trek. Easily dispatching the large rodents they press on. Shashari, flying high again, notices clouds building up on the horizon. Several uneventful hours later they have to dismount and walk their horses due to the thick forest growth. They meet up with Shashari at the tor they discovered the previous day. The wind is picking up and the clouds are now dark.

Discussion amongst the party members centres on stopping here at the tor and camping, letting the storm pass them by, it is getting onto night anyway. Rikku the party leader, feeling the need to continue and recover the life stone decides that they will continue to another tor Shashari spotted not far west of their present location, known as Hightower as described by Xera yesterday.

"It has a tower on top of it that should provide some protection from the elements.", says Rikku.

"A couple of hours and they should be there at around dark."

Most of the party want to stay and camp, but Rikku says they will press on. Cavell is not happy with this decision and grumbles something about a new leader.

Getting close to Hightower tor, the PCs hear growling behind them. Observation rolls are performed but they all see nothing. Kodos does an Animal Lore skill check to see if, in his experience as a ranger, he knows this sound - he fails his roll - evidently he does not recognise this growling.

Holding onto their horses' reins, the PCs make ready to fight just as two wolverines close in for the attack.




In the first round of combat Rikku decides to shoot at a wolverine with his bow, he misses; probably his new eye is out of alignment. He decides next round to hide behind a tree, rolling less than -26 he fails spectacularly and realises that his arm is sticking out holding onto the reins of his horse - ultra smart Rikku! --->>

The rest of the party combat the wolverines with Cavell finally getting his first kill - yippee! (or was one of the rats his first kill?? - I can't remember.)

Xera's horse is savagely set upon by the other wolverine, biting out a chunk of flesh in the hind leg. The horse flees, bleeding badly. The second wolverine is dealt with quickly and the PCs gather the horses, perform the necessary first aid to stop the bleeding on Xera's mount.

The sky has been slowly darkening all day, and the smell of rain has been thick in the air. Now it has finally begun to fall, accompanied by loud peals of thunder that seems to roll across the landscape. The sun is hidden behind massive storm clouds, and a cold wind blows from the north. As bolts of lightning begin to slam from cloud to ground and pieces of hail begin to strike the earth, the need for shelter becomes obvious. If only they had stayed and made camp back at the other tor they wouldn't be in this mess of trying to find Hightower in the middle of a dangerous storm. They could have been snug in their camp beds, listening to the pitter-patter of rain hitting the tents.

"There's Hightower!"

At last! The massive tor towers above the surrounding forest. A few narrow ledges offer scant protection from the elements, but a closer inspection reveals a massive, arched entryway at least 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide, set into the side of the hill. The ground just outside it slopes away from the doorway, directing the falling water out and away. Given this fact and the sturdy nature of the hill, whatever space lies beyond the door should be both dry and safe from lightning and hail. The construction seems quite sturdy, so the likelihood of collapse, even in severe conditions such as these, is remote.

Whoosh ..... thud. What was originally just small hail stones have suddenly turned into hail bricks! The PCs quickly head on into the cave at the base of the tor. Lucky Rikku decided to press on to Hightower than set camp and wait the storm out in an unprotected clearing. Most likely they would all have died in their sleep, those ice bricks can kill!


- until next fortnight ...

Guard, Guard, I've Been Robbed! (Part 2)

A restful and uneventful night later the PCs decide that the only way to get money is to go murlogi (goblin) hunting, hoping that they may have some treasure the PCs sorely need.

"Twenty miles west into the forest isn't far."

"Let's get packing."

"Make sure we have enough food."

"The horses could do with a good workout."

So without much ado, the PCs set their eyes west and headed away from the city.

The forest/jungle (I couldn't make up my mind how best to describe it, some parts are more like a wooded forest and others like a thick jungle) had a small track to follow initially. This petered out eventually and PCs had to negotiate the ever thickening forest.

Shashari, however, chose to fly above the PCs in order to visually scout the area; she wanted to make sure she kept the party within visual range. While flying up high she notices that clouds are appearing on the horizon. Continuing their travels, about 12 miles in, the forest hides the rest of the party from Shashari's sight and she asked them to wait for her. Landing in a nearby clearing which contained a tor (hill), she intended to hike her way to the party. The tor catches her interest, but then again, she always did like being perched up high, being Hirazi (winged race) and all. So she sat and waited for the others to come to her. The only problem was that they were waiting for her to come to them as she had asked.

Eventually the party came together and decided to stop off at the tor for midday meal and a little investigation. Nothing was found at the tor. Xera felt she knew some of the history of this area, but couldn't pinpoint it precisely, she decided to think on it while they journeyed on westward towards the murlogi location. The PCs noticed that the wind was picking up, especially now that they were in the clearing.

Walking their horses now because the growth is too thick to allow riding, the party's progress is slowed. An hour or so later they come across a small animal track and follow it west. There is still not enough room to ride due to tree branches, but at least they are making slightly faster progress to their intended destination. While continuing along the animal track, members of the party notice white strands of an unknown substance crisscrossing the branches about them. Rikku looks further into the forest and notices it is even thicker ahead.

"It looks like spider webs", says someone in the party.

Cavell notices that their horses are not skittish so it must be safe. Shashari goes up to the strands and touches them, they are sticky.

"Spider webs"

But these are not your ordinary house spider webs. Shashari has to cut her hand free and her weapon is now stuck to the web. It takes a little time to free herself and while she does so, the horses freak out.

Those PCs holding onto the reins make an Animal Handling skill check in order to calm their horse, a couple pass the test but others lose control and their mounts panic, backing off down the track. Rikku looks up toward the forest canopy. Two Great Spiders are there, not 10' away. He lets go of his horse and backs off from the spiders.

Asmodeus and Cavell lead their skittish horses back the way they had come and notice another Great Spider closing off their escape route. The only options now are to fight or head north or south into the dense forest with thick webs all over the place. The party decide to fight these creatures. There's only three of them, and they are smaller than us, 2' - 3 ' diameter with their legs spread out. Not a problem!

Kodos is trying to control his horse, Xera readies her chakram, Shashari reaches for her Atlatl, Rikku readies his bow as the spiders drop to the forest floor, Cavell draws his broadsword and Asmodeus prepares his chegain.

Rikku lets loose an arrow and misses the target, Cavell strikes at the spider doing some damage and Xera and Shashari throw their weapons but fail to hurt the creatures. Asmodeus follows up Cavell's attack with one of his own and deftly dispatches the spider. Kodos prepares to teleport behind the two spiders at the front and attack from behind.

"Where the hell am I", thinks Kodos as he reels from the disorientation of a failed teleport. Kodos has accidentally appeared 75' SE of the party's location.

A scream is heard from the front of the party. Rikku turns, hands covering his face. A spider leapt up on him and, using its pincers, plucked out his left eye and leaving the other one blinded for a week.

Aside: You've gotta love this! I know I do as GM. Criticals add so much more "realism", or at least entertainment, hehe. I always use the critical tables. These are found in almost all books that have attack tables in them; the Rolemaster Fantasy Role Playing Rulebook, The Armory, the Spell Law books, Arms Law, Channeling Companion and Fire & Ice - The Elemental Companion.

Back to the action: Asmodeus and Cavell make their way to the front of the party and attack the remaining two spiders. Shashari and Xera continue their attack on the front two spiders as well. Cavell is not having much luck vanquishing these foes. Asmodeus, twice, mops up Cavell's chance for glory. Meanwhile, Kodos is lost and struggles to reorient himself; eventually he figures it out and gets back to the rest of the party with the aid of Shashari and her whistle.

Some healing occurs and it is decided that in the best interests of the party that they return to Sel-kai to get Rikku fixed (hopefully), especially since he is the party leader. The PCs make their way back uneventfully and arrive just after nightfall.

It shouldn't be too hard to find a cleric that would heal Rikku. Every resident of Sel-kai knows that when they enter the city they may pass through the Avenue of the Gods. But then, Healing and Surgery in the Black Oak district is always an option, although Doreg Killian is well know for his cold-hearted business dealings, always expecting cash before healing strangers. I hope Asmodeus has enough coin or, more importantly, is willing to part with it for a stranger he has known now for six days.

Good luck to you Rikku!

Guard, Guard, I've Been Robbed! (Part 1)

So much for only fortnightly posts! Today is Monday 12 June 2006, the Queen's Birthday public holiday and I thought it would be good to have my friends over to play a session of Rolemaster with a meal in the middle. I like this, as it gives us more time to role play with everyone at the session, in this case 6 hrs, and it has the feeling of a family gathering - thanks guys.

Well, it was sure to happen. The PCs have brought attention to themselves by saving the Mayor of Sel-kai right in front of the public and have also received public rewards for doing so. This appears to have caught the eye of a local thief because, when the party woke next morning, they all found they had been robbed of their precious coin. All that is, except Asmodeus, who sleeps with his coin purse in a special place. It brings chills to me just contemplating it, but I cannot disclose this secret information lest I kill you afterwards and that would be no good since I do want you to return to read later blog posts. Asmodeus chose not to tell his friends of his luck.

Sure enough the PCs were NOT happy. Cavell led the march downstairs to the proprietor Jerrell, who immediately called out to his wife Ethel to check their coffers. Arrrhhh!!! A scream was heard followed by the pounding of quick footsteps as Ethel raced to her husband's side to express her emotional state about being robbed.

Shashari has developed a trust for Cavell and so after identifying one of their roommates acting nervously, stayed upstairs and watched as the three gentlemen packed their gear in preparation to leave the tavern. These men were not part of the PC party but were simply sharing the common sleeping quarters. The men headed downstairs, Shashari in tow, and Cavell blocked their exit path, the tavern front door. Xera blocked the kitchen door. The situation was getting tense and someone suggested the proprietor call for the guard, which he did by sending his eldest son.

Two guards turned up and started investigating the situation. It appears the nervous gentleman, an Erlini Elf merchant, had been disturbed from his nightly meditation by an intruder not long before dawn. The merchant, concerned for his own life, kept from saying anything about the early morning raid because the thief had threatened him if he revealed this knowledge. In fact, the Erlini merchant, once having spilled this information couldn't help but regurgitate even more. He said he had witnessed the thief the night before leaning over Asmodeus in preparation of killing him, but had frightened the thief away when he made a noise. The thief, a short, 4' Linaeri elf, had a tattooed triangle in the webbing between his left thumb and forefinger. All the PCs were checking if any of this was a lie (Lie Perception), apparently not according to their "readings". In fact, the merchant was telling the truth. It really was a 4' mutant Linaeri elf who had robbed them; so much for being a simple thief.

This is just not good enough! We're going to go looking for this mutant elf and get our money back - so thought the PCs. Asmodeus, Rikku and Cavell go outside The Limping Dog and start asking people for information on finding this mutant, while Shashari, Xera and Kodos choose to stay and help the proprietor with sealing up his windows of the tavern to prevent further break-ins while he gets better locks attached to the windows and doors.

Outside the tavern, Cavell was speaking with a man who wanted a little on the side for information. Asmodeus offered some coin, 2 copper pieces - yeah like that'll do it, NOT!. (Cavell now finds out that Asmodeus didn't get robbed after all.) Still angry from being robbed, Cavell gets rough with the uncooperative gentleman. This came to bite Cavell in the butt a little later, as we will see. Well, the roughing up worked and the three find that they should be looking in the area known as Canal Maze. This is a rough and tumble part of Sel-kai, a place where it is not uncommon to awake in the morning and see a floating body or two in the canals.

Shashari, Xera and Kodos have their own problems helping Jerrell. Not greatly experienced with using hammer and nails before, they all quickly learn why they prefer the life of an adventurer to that of a carpenter. In Xera's mind, she did not sign up for the treatment her thumbs received, so after bashing them several times over and then some, she left the tavern with Kodos in search of her new friends. Shashari chose to stay, true to her commitment to Jerrell to lend him aid. Bravo!

Now Rikku knew of a man in the Canal Maze he had obtained information from before and so he heads off in search of him, leaving Asmodeus and Cavell to do their own uninformed search. Splitting up, Asmodeus and Cavell cover more ground, talking to people in the streets, trying to find out if someone knows of this mutant elf they are looking for, but to no avail.

While Asmodeus is off elsewhere, the man Cavell treated poorly earlier in the day turns up with some friends. Cavell is quickly surrounded as an argument brews. Not happy with his treatment, the men harangue Cavell, preventing Cavell from searching for the mutant elf, and forcing him to back up against a wall. All the while, more and more people are getting involved supporting the maltreated man, as other spectators on balconies watch the scene from above.

Asmodeus appears as if from nowhere and hours pass by as he and Cavell continue arguing with the hostile (almost "lynch") mob. Cavell draws his sword threateningly, however, the mob are not perturbed and so continue their harassing.

Rikku is unsuccessful in locating his underground contact and so heads back to where he last left Cavell and Asmodeus.

Xera and Kodos now turn up and so does Rikku. The three push their way through the crowd to lend Asmodeus and Cavell support. Without Cavell's approval, Kodos uses his special talent and teleports himself and Cavell back to The Limping Dog tavern. This does get Cavell out of the hot seat, but it leaves the others there to face the music and the mob.

Cavell, realising what Kodos did, quickly gets his horse and rides it through the narrow streets to the angry mob. Getting their attention, he rides off with the mob giving chase. They chase and chase, never catching up to the only man with a horse still in the city. Eventually Cavell leads the mob out of the city and into the forest to the west. As night falls the mob, or better, what's left of the now tired group, give up the chase and head back home, as does Cavell, who upon returning to The Limping Dog, finds his friends are safe and well.

Jerrell has allowed the PCs to stay one night for free, feeling sorry that they had been robbed in his tavern. Shashari earns two nights of free board because of her efforts that day. Lucky her!

A Little Boredom

With the PCs back at The Limping Dog tavern they prepare for the night's sleeplessness, or so I thought as GM. No, the PCs, after having a chat with Xera about her overburdening father, all decide to go to bed and sleep off the eventful night. Can you believe this!

The PCs have foiled an assassination of the Mayor and been invited to the Mayor's house for a reception dinner at which they were the target of an assassination. Now they all go to bed thinking that it is all over? Unbelievable! Oh well, they are level 1 characters after all and so I should not expect anything more.

So the first few hours of sleep go by quietly until Asmodeus wakes up to some kind of sound. The room is pitch black for the most part, but he can see faint light under the door to the room. He lies there listening intently and believes he hears foot falls several feet away. Asmodeus decides to be sneaky and tries to quietly get out of bed. The player fails Asmodeus' Agility check and causes the bed to squeak. As he hears his mistake, Asmodeus decides to go and open the door to let some more light into the room. Here is my mistake as GM. I forgot Asmodeus was a Dyari (Dark Elf) who has low-light vision, in which case the room would have been almost as bright as day.

Surprise! A man is moving past the beds of Rikku and Cavell.

"Uh, what?, I am just trying to find my bed."

Asmodeus checks out the man and sees that he is indeed not wearing much at all except light, sleeping clothes. He must be telling the truth. Obviously he is another traveller staying in this common sleeping room (it can hold ten people). Asmodeus sees that another two beds are also occupied. The PCs were unaware that the three gentlemen came in that night and were now sharing their room.

Well, it is nothing to worry about, or so thinks Asmodeus who promptly returns to bed after closing the door. He stays awake for another hour and a half.

Lookout! The barrel is falling - Rikku is dreaming and as the barrel hits the ground, it makes a huge thud.

Rikku wakes with a start. Looking around the room he sees night light coming in through the window. As GM I ask Rikku's player to do a Memory check (roll D100 and get under his Memory temporary stat value). He passes and I advise him that Rikku remembers that the window was fully closed when he went to bed.

Now Asmodeus and Shashari wake up and also notice the window is open as night light is entering the room. These two both get out of bed and head over to the window.

Rikku hears movement at the foot of his bed and so he jumps out in the dark towards the sound attempting to grapple what ever it is that is there. OOPS! Rikku collides and brushes past the thing, the player impressively rolled an 8AG (8 hit points of damage and an A Grapple critical). Not bad! He lands on the floor with resounding thud. Kodos now wakes up from the noise.

"What was that?", thinks Shashari as she is hurt quite badly. No broken bones, but she is definitely sore. She saw nothing, but felt a lot.

Everyone awake hears a worrisome sound, the ringing of steel as a sword is drawn from its scabbard. Oh no!

Asmodeus, experienced in these matters now, calmly opens the door to the room to let in some light. There is Rikku and Shashari standing next to each other by the window. The others of the group are now waking up ("finally" thinks Cavell's player, but then Cavell always is a heavy sleeper) and the strangers are in their beds, also waking up to all the commotion, complaining.

There in the corner of the room is Xera, her rapier is drawn and being held defensively. "What is going on?" she says.

Shashari is thankful to Rikku who obviously protected her from what ever it was that attacked her. They look out the window and see nothing below on the streets in the dim night light. Hang on, I have low-light vision says Rikku's player. Well, says the forgetful GM, you see as if it is daylight and still nothing is on the streets.

Nobody knows what is going on and so, once again, unbelievably so, they all happily return to their beds, to be woken up by dawn, half an hour or so later.

Breakfast is comical with bread and water being provided. All but two PCs complain and so order a light meal at a generous cost of 2 tin pieces (normally it is 6tp). Xera, expecting more and complaining about the low quality of the establishment eats the bread and water and decides to wait until they get to the market located at The Great Circle to find something more substantial. A couple of PCs need to return in order to pick up an item they ordered the day before. While sitting around the table they plan their activities for the day. They decide to search for work.

While at the market, most PCs go out and mingle with the crowd in the hopes of overhearing some useful gossip that may lead to an adventure. Upon regrouping, the only gossip they find is that Lord Azkatar is searching for his missing daughter. Shashari is concerned they will be arrested for kidnapping and the rest of the group agree. Xera decides she will write a letter to her father and explain that she is going to travel and stay with friends for a few months. A post script was added that asked her father not to hurt the messenger.

Shashari accepts responsibility to deliver the letter as she flies over to the city stables outside the city walls in the hopes of finding out if any caravans are hiring. Arriving at the stables, Shashari learns of a caravan arriving today that will be leaving again in three days time. Having forgotten to deliver the letter, she does so now. After handing over the letter Shashari receives a tin piece for her efforts and then flies off to find her new companions.

"What! I don't believ...."

Shashari hears Xera father shouting as she heads back to The Great Circle.

Meanwhile, Rikku and Xera decide they will go off separately and investigate a known Alchemist's shop, The Compleat Alchemist (Rikku) and a herbalist store, Herbs and Tobaccos (Xera) in the hopes of getting some work finding ingredients. Xera finds out that the herbalist wants a rare green-purple flower (no name given) and will buy them from her for 1 gold piece each; she also spends time buying a bunch of useless herbs - LOL. Rikku is well treated initially by the alchemist when he asks about things that go bang, but after learning the cost of such items, Rikku says he is no longer interested in buying and so the alchemist turns on him and tells him to leave his store.

Just as Rikku walks off down the street he hears a man calling from behind and stops. The alchemist runs up to Rikku and, looking him up and down, asks if Rikku is an adventurer. Conversation ensues and Rikku discovers the alchemist wants Murlogi (goblin) hearts for his experiments. The alchemist offers to pay handsomely at 10 gold pieces for each heart and that the Murlogi can be found a couple of miles west of the city. Rikku agrees to the task.

Cavell, suffering from a little boredom while hanging around at the market, went and asked the local guard if there are any jobs needed to be done that the guard are either unwilling or undermanned to carry out. No luck there I am afraid. So Cavell decides to wander the city in the hopes of finding something to do. Kodos, who knows not what to do, ends up following behind the shiny knight who is riding a warhorse, wanting to use up the time before the beast has to be stabled in the city stables within the next 7 days (since one week is 10 days).

Shashari spots the shiny knight, Cavell, from above and comes in for a landing. I know what you are thinking, but no, she lands fine and also notices Rikku passing by. Not that Rikku noticed the knight on the only horse in the busy street! Calling out to Rikku, Shashari gains the rogue's attention. The group returns to The Limping Dog and Xera later walks in as the others are finishing their midday meal.

A short discussion takes place in which Rikku says that the murlogi are only a couple of miles west of the city and that they should go and investigate. Shashari is positive about this and so joins Rikku on the hunt. Cavell decides to stay at the tavern and guard Xera while she lays low avoiding her father. All other PCs stick around too.

Rikku walks out to the city stables and Shashari flies out west of the city to find the murlogi camps. She flies 1, 2, 3, eventually 7 miles west and finds nothing even when she uses her talent Eye of the Hawk. Three quarters of an hour later, Rikku eventually arrives at the edge of the forest and Shashari lands beside him. She tells him of her failure to find anything and decides to cast the spell Guess to find out if there is anything out there. Yes is her answer, but when she and Rikku expand their search to southwest they still end up finding nothing and run out of time as night falls.


Shashari flies back to the city and asks a guard if there be goblins out there. "Yes, about 20 miles", is the reply. She is not happy. Rikku said 2 miles, no wonder she found nothing.

Shashari and Rikku return to The Limping Dog tavern and meet up with their companions detailing their findings, or lack thereof. Cavell has been drinking for four hours or more while guarding Xera and he owes the GM about 2 copper pieces. I will collect that from him next session.



That's it. I have caught up with the most recent session and posts will now be fortnightly... Until next time.

The Hit (Part 2)

Well, I am almost there. This session carries on from the last and I have only got one other session to blog in order to be up to date. From then on it will only become a fortnightly task.

As mentioned in the last post, Pete was removed from the group and a new member added. Pete understood my reasoning and, though not happy about it (neither was I), relinquished his coveted position as being a member of my gaming group.

The new member to the group has been around since I started GMing in 1992, namely, my wife. I have tried and tried to get her involved over the years but she has never acquiesced. In all that time her interests have subtly changed and she has become an avid computer-based RPG player instead of only reading fantasy/sci-fi novels. And so a few months ago I asked her to sit in on one gaming session and take charge of Pete's character. This was a different campaign, a sci-fi game of Space Master: Privateers, a campaign that had been running for a few years (also made by the makers of RolemasterFRP, Iron Crown Enterprises, or ICE for short).

Anyway, my wife agreed to try it out. I must thank the makers of the inspirational CRPG game The Elder Scrolls IV - Oblivion, Bethesda Softworks, for their hand in converting my wife into an RPGer. Now I am doubly blessed since I have two female gamers in my group!

Moving on ...



The PCs have been invited to the Mayor's residence as honoured guests and to receive an award for their efforts in saving his life. Little do the PCs realise that their very lives will be in jeopardy.

It all started out sinisterly when the PCs were originally invited. The guard who brought the invitation to the PCs at The Limping Dog said that no weapons are permitted inside the Mayor's residence and so they should not bring any along. I liked this point in the game because I got to see the worried reactions of the PCs - LOL. Cavell was suspicious and I do believe, if my memory serves me right, that there was mention amongst the PCs of another plot of assassination either on the Mayor or directed at them. I had to laugh as that was exactly what I was planning. Not only that, but this premonition of the group to foretell future events is uncannily accurate, say 30% - 40% accurate, which is pretty damn good! But then, I like to have the PCs guessing and I do enjoy it when they realise their worst fears are coming true.

So the PCs rock up at the Mayor's residence, Cavell cannot help but bring his weapon, however, he does hand it over at the door. Shashari leaves her weapon behind as does Asmodeus and Aelerine. I can't remember what Rikku and Kodos did, that's the failing memory of an aging GM!

Once in the banquet hall, the PCs find they are seated at a table that is the most distant from that of the Mayor's - another reason for them to worry, hehe. It all starts out innocently with the PCs sitting alongside other people as the meal is brought out. One of the players mentions the food is poisoned, but they dig in anyway - another accurate guess, but it is not as they think. Some of the guests seated around them are in fact assassins poisoning their food when they are not looking. I ask all players to make a D100 roll without telling them what it is for. Actually only one player is in any danger at this point, Aelerine.


I ask PCs to make an Alertness skill roll. Then all hell breaks loose. A woman shouts out "poisoner" from across the room and she gets up and runs across the room to the PC's table, pointing at a man sitting right beside Kodos. The man does nothing until the woman is getting close to the table, then he gets up and draws a dagger. Kodos and Rikku notice what's going on and so get up out of their seats to surround the man.

"I knew we needed weapons", says Cavell.

Cavell also notices the commotion and makes a move towards the end of the table where all the action is taking place.

Meanwhile, I ask Asmodeus and Shashari to make another Alertness skill roll. The players think this is about noticing the woman crossing the room and so, when they fail a second time, think they can't do anything at this point in the game. This in fact was an error on my part as GM (maybe). I thought it was obvious that Asmodeus and Shashari could see that something was going on at the other end of the table because I was describing the events out loud, but the players did not interpret it that way.

Anyway, everyone is busy watching the woman move across the room and/or dealing with the assassin, too busy to notice the green colour appearing in Aelerine's face.

A guard confronts the assassin who waves his dagger menacingly. The guard attacks the assassin and within a couple of rounds the assassin is bleeding badly and on death's doorstep. The assassin tries to make a desperate lunge for the nearby window and lands flat on his face at the edge of the curtains, dead.

It is at this time that Shashari and Asmodeus finally notice the gurgling sounds coming from behind them as Aelerine sprays vomit all over the table and falls backwards onto the floor, dead from poison. A man sitting beside her is right there lending "assistance" but it is too late. Cavell appears and examines Aelerine, but it is definitely too late. The man who initially assisted Aelerine disappears, Shashari cannot find him.

The PCs find the assassination was planned as there was a cart below the window filled with straw, an obvious escape route for the assassin. Rikku identifies a triangle tattooed on the assassin's left hand in the webbing between thumb and first finger. This can't be a coincidence.

Wanting the night to be over and the PCs out of his house, the Mayor and all his guests retire to another large room where he presents the PCs with a medallion and a small pouch of coins as thanks for saving his life.

The PCs leave behind the body of Aelerine for the guard to deal with and, as Shashari identified with the others agreeing, they knew very little of Aelerine who had been with them for only two days. Aelerine didn't really support them as a group so why should they worry about her now?

While at the reception, Cavell had a chance to speak with the woman who spotted the assassin from across the room; her name, he found out, is Xera. She appears quite pompous and arrogant and a little disgruntled about her overprotective father. She expresses her longing for adventure and asks Cavell about his group. After a small bit of discussion, Xera willingly tags along with the group back to The Limping Dog and decides she is leaving her rich family here in Sel-kai in search of adventure.

And so now a new member has arrived in the PC group:

• Lady Xera Azkatar - a female Laan Lay Healer

The Hit (Part 1)

Wake up sleepy heads. It's a new day, and you have money to spend.

The PCs to date have acted as a team and are learning about each others' capabilities. The previous day has shown them that they can work and support each other with their unique abilities to achieve a mutual goal.

This next scenario, The Hit, is in two parts. It comes from the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons - The Official Dungeon Master Decks: Deck of Encounters - Set One. I picked this up, as well as Set Two, several years ago in a Crazy Special at a Military Simulations. These sets are no longer available, but may be obtained through second-hand stores. I have seen them advertised on the net for ridiculous prices.

The PCs take their time shopping at The Great Circle, the main market in Sel-kai. While shopping the PCs note that some government official is getting ready to speak to the crowd. A podium is prepared and eventually the official speaks. The PCs know this man as the Mayor of Sel-kai and so listen eagerly as he lets the people know that horses will be banned from the streets of this city at the end of the two year trial period. This gives the PCs one week to organised stabling in the city stables for all their horses. Cavell has two horses and so must pay double what his new found friends must. Too bad!

While listening to the Mayor, Asmodeus spots an assassin readying his heavy crossbow on a windowsill, aiming it at the Mayor. He points this out to Cavell who is standing beside him and Cavell immediately calls out "assassin!" and casts the spell Projected Light at the assassin to distract him and pinpoint his position to the others. Kodos now spots the criminal and, using his talent, teleports himself between the Mayor and the assassin.

Just as he arrives in place, Kodos pounces onto the Mayor in order to cover him, as he does so, Kodos feels the sting of pain as a bolt pierces his side.

Shashari jumps into action immediately, flying (she has wings) over to the assassin and dives into the window. The assassin spots her and backs off just as Shashari falls through the open window.

The guards are now moving towards the assassin's location and so is Rikku. Rikku gets to the house first as the guards have to negotiate their way through the crowd. Rikku decides he will climb the house wall and into the open window, but doesn't manage to get a good foothold to make the climb in the first place. He then decides the front door would be a good idea and so tries that instead. Meanwhile, Shashari is face to face with the assassin, trading blows, but neither of them is doing much damage to the other.

Rikku finds the door is locked and so thinks twice about picking the lock before realising he hasn't had much experience doing so and thus decides to ram the door instead. Thud! That door just won't budge.

"Look out, get out of the way."

The guards finally arrive and rush the door spilling into the entry. Rikku takes the initiative and rushes upstairs while the two guards are picking themselves up off the floor.

Poor Shashari has had no luck taking out the assassin over several rounds and now she watches as Rikku runs in through the door to the upstairs room and kills the assassin with a well placed critical strike.

Cavell moves to the podium to see how Kodos is going. He finds Kodos on top of the Mayor and guards arrive to arrest Kodos. Cavell intercedes and protects Kodos letting the guards know that it was Kodos who saved the Mayor from certain death. Upon request Cavell releases the names of all his party members and is told that they will be contacted later.

Kodos, gritting his teeth in pain, is healed by Cavell. The crowd is stunned by all the action, just as Aelerine has been. I believe Aelerine had a nap at the time, well certainly her player did.

Shashari and Rikku discover the assassin has a tattoo on his left hand, a single triangle shape in the webbing between thumb and first finger.

The PCs decided to return to The Limping Dog. Later that night a guard turns up and speaks with Cavell about a banquet being held tomorrow night at the Mayor's residence. He and his party are invited as honoured guests, at which time they will receive an award for their efforts.



(Aside)

This was a good session, all players had the opportunity to get involved though one (Aelerine's) chose not to due to him being over tired from shift work. I am sure that Asmodeus did do more than indicated above, but I can't remember as it has been a month since the session and the starting of this blog. Sorry Asmodeus!

It is sessions like this one that bring both joy and sadness to me as GM. Joy, since almost everyone got involved and had a good time and sadness, because Aelerine's player (let's call him Pete - not his real name) chose to not get involved. This had not been the first time for Pete and Pete has another problem in that he can only turn up to play once a month. So I decided to remove Pete from the player group and bring in fresh blood. Someone who did have the time to turn up regularly (fortnightly for my sessions) and get involved.

And so we move onto part two ...

The Limping Dog

It can be a tough deal when players are asked to move on and start afresh with level 1 PCs, especially if they have just come off another campaign in which their old PC was at a high level. Readjusting to new abilities at low power can make a player feel weak all of a sudden.

Destiny Awaits begins at The Limping Dog tavern, situated within the city of Sel-kai. I suppose this is always the cliché for games, “you meet at a pub”, but it is not a traditional thing I do as a GM when starting new characters, however, I have used this a few times in campaigns I start. I usually like to roleplay individually each character’s movements to their initial meeting as a group, but not this time. We start with six PCs:

· Rikku The Lost – a male Linaeri Rogue

· Kodos Kitari – a male Laan Ranger

· Asmodeus The Destroyer – a male Dyari Sorcerer

· Shashari The Hirazi – a female Hirazi Magent

· Cavell Lazatar, Knight Errant – a male Laan Paladin

· Aelerine The Wanderer – a female Erlini Magician

Each PC has turned up at The Limping Dog to stay for the night having left their home in search of something more. The PCs are sitting at different tables in the common room, eating a meal and unknowingly being observed by a man. As each PC finishes their meal, the man asks a barmaid to invite them into a curtained-off, private area. When all six PCs finally arrive, the man introduces himself as Aenor of Qaal, a merchant.

Aenor wants these individuals to find out if Aldaran Elgata, a competing merchant, has stolen the ship departure times of his fleet of cargo vessels in order to conduct piracy. Aenor gives one of his vessels names as the Deathwitch to identify the stolen information. The PCs agree to the task to earn some money and pay for their meagre lodgings.

When Aenor leaves, Cavell expresses concern that the job is a fake and that they should first find out if Aenor is telling the truth about his owning the Deathwitch. That night three PCs check out Aldaran Elgata’s villa, while the next day they find out that yes, indeed, Aenor is a merchant and yes he does own the Deathwitch. The group find the wanted proof at the Elgata villa and return it to Aenor that night so he can take the matter up with the authorities.

The PCs return to their beds, shared/group sleeping quarters, at The Limping Dog, wanting to go shopping the next day with their hard-earned coin.

The Undiscovered Country

The time for change has come!

After fourteen years of role-playing with Rolemaster 2nd Edition and watching Rolemaster Standard System appear and be rebuilt into the latest edition, RolemasterFRP (RMFRP), I have decided to take the plunge into the new edition. So I have now purchased all the RMFRP books and I am ready to lead my friends into a new gaming experience.

This new campaign, Destiny Awaits, aims to take the PCs from first level to above twentieth. In the process I aim to bring the D&D Birthright campaign rules (modified) into the game so that the players can experience empire building at its finest - as long as I can get a grip on the Birthright rules, this won't be a problem.

With six new PCs created and the Shadow World campaign location selected, the planet known as Kulthea, or Ceril VII [35X, 20Y, 80Z] for those of you familiar to the Space Master milieu, awaits exploration of an undiscovered country.

The journey begins...