Actual Play – Leaving Hommlet with baggage in hand! (9/20/2013)

GM: Sean Nittner
Players: Jon Edwards, Tim Sanders, and Soren Ludwig
System: Torchbearer
Module: Temple of Elemental Evil

Our second session in Town Phase. I was surprised that this took two sessions but I shouldn’t have been. I’m a sucker for family drama and it was too much to pass up the tension between Thaspar and his father.

Also, we started the session with a discussion (which I unfortunately didn’t get on air) about the death spiral effect of loot. Namely that they ran out of the Moathouse without nearly enough loot and wouldn’t be able to walk out of town Fresh or paying their bills.

Hommlet on Air

Thaspar’s Tale of Woe

Thaspar recounted the prologue, the adventurers story of coming home. Trials and tribulations followed the party to town. The even brought some with him!

The situation at hand

I reminded folks of their current predicaments. Thaspar’s family trouble had escalated and his parents were now fighting with each other. Orrin was granted knowledge of the Moathouse inhabitants (their leader is named Lareth) but promised to recover Sixtoe’s body so that he was not raised as an undead minion. Thomer had ignited a feud between the Stonemasons and the Cutlers, and was hiding out so none of them realized he had caused the fight.

Artha Awards

Last session had run so long we didn’t get a chance to do Artha, so we did it at the start of this section.

Lifestyle in town

Thaspar’s fever would not pass so he finally opted to sweat it out. Sick was removed but the lingering sinus infection stuffed up his nose such that his nose is particularly sensitive to the smells of alchemical concoctions [Alchemy -1].

Thaspars books, all now stacked in the root cellar of his house, were at least dry. He dug them out and with some help from Orrin (who first had to bail hey for Thaspar’s father) scribed Wisdom of the Sages back into his spellbook [Scholar Ob: 2. Result: Success. +1 Lifestyle]. That night James came home with his wodden dummy to test his block and swing, which Orrin helped him with.

Thomer, after dinner called for Thaspar to come out and asked him what he should do with the mess he created between the Stonemasons and the Cutlers. Thaspar’s advice: Burn bridges behind you and run fast!

As if on cue, Stella from the cutlers guild walked up the road to his house to cash in on that round of drinks she was owed. Thomer hid in the bushes and everyone else, (including James, who was delighted that he could come along with his older brother and friends) headed to the Inn of the Welcome Wench for a round on Thaspar. [Lifestyle +1, result of the twist from entering the town].

Marketplace

Starting with a discussions about how resources rolls work (explaining tax and how cash dice act as insulation from said tax) as well as one goes about getting the Fresh condition when leaving town. Result of the discussion: screw the town, lets buy the gear we need!

Thaspar: Torches [Ob 1. Result: Success]. The woodcutter fought along side Thaspar’s father, and gave him a break on the torches (how town advantage).

Thomer: Fresh Rations [Ob 1. Result: Success] The butchers took well to Thomer and took his silver for food.

Thaspar (now with a Resources 1): Rope [Ob 2. Result, fail by 1. Resources would be taxed by one but it is mitigated by the spending of cash dice]. Rope acquired!

Orrin: Torches [Ob 1. Result: Success].

Family Troubles

As they packed up to leave, Thaspar’s mother approached him and asked he would talk to his father. Things were still not well at the Redclaw home. She had packed him a fresh lunch and pointed him in the directions of his father. Dad and son had it out. You come and bring trouble to my home vs. Take it out on me and not on your mother. [Persuader versus test. Success!] Ignis will leave Matilda out of the family squabbles.

Paying the Bills

Thomer – [Lifestyle: 2, Rolling 2 dice (Resources 1, +1D cash) so there are no bill collectors coming. [Ob 2. Result: Success. Point of taxed nature restored].

Orrin – [Lifestyle: 3. Rolling 3 dice (Resources 1, +1D cash, +1D Persona) so there are no bill collectors coming. [Ob 3. Result: Fail (1 success]. Twist] As he is leaving, Sixtoes mother approached and told him that in Halfling tradition, a fallen son is wrapped in a blanked sown by his family. She give him a blanket [Pack 2] to carry and wrap the body of Sixtoes in.

Thaspar [Lifestyle: 3. Rolling 3 dice (Resources 1, +1D cash, +1D Persona, +1D Home Town) so there are no bill collectors coming. [Ob 3. Result: Fail (1 success]. Twist] Bills paid on his way out of town who should show up but James! His bags were packed and his mind made up: He was going to be an adventurer too! Begrudgingly, Thaspar agreed.

James skills: Fighter 2, Laborer 2, Weaver 2. Will: 2, Health: 5 Order of Might: , Resources: 0, Circles: 1, Nature: 5. Trait: Brave. Equipment: Satchel, Wooden sword, training buckler, crappy leather armor.

Leaving Town

Orrin – Testing Theologian [Ob 4. Result: Fail. GM picks spell granted by the Immortal Lords]. Random result – Benedictions of the Lord of Creation.

Town Event – Nina the Healer, Orrin’s mentor sent a rider to find him, who caught him right on the edge of town. Refugees from the town of Nulb have arrived with horrible stories of how the town has been overrun and creatures from the Temple of Elemental Evil (long thought deserted) have been plaguing their city. There is a crude map to Nulb and the Temple.

Adventure Phase

Back to the Moathouse!

Spell – Before heading out Orrin used his blessing on Thaspar. [Ob 3: Test. Result: Fail. Condition: Hungry and Thirsty]. Parched, Orrin drank heartily from his flask of water to quench his thirst.

Turn 1 – The way back to the Moathouse was still foriegn and unknown. [Pathfinder Ob 3. Result: Fail. Twist] Bandits on the road! Bandits from the Moathouse, evicted by the Gnolls, now Delmar had made friends with a new band of bandits. At first they offered “Your money or your life” but then Delmar recognized them and quickly changed his tune “Forget that, these are the assholed we met in the Moathouse, just kill them, and he let a crossbow bolt fly at Orrin.”

Turn 2 – Orrin leapt out of the way, charging at his agresssor, Thomer tried to take the bolt from him. Thaspar mocked Delmar as he took the shot, trying to distract him. [Versus test. Result: Fail (but gained 2 checks for using Brave against himself). Twist] His aim just a bit off, the bolt went into Orrin’s backpack. Out of the bushes four more bandits stepped out, surrounding the party. (The blankets for sixtoes is torn!)

Thoughts on this game

Forgot to add exhausted ob penalty to Thaspar’s scholar roll.

These were some of my best twists yet! A blanket to wrap the fallen in and a young brother [Order of Might: 2] following them into hell.

“I guess a wooden sword is just another name for a torch.”

Damn it, Delmar, not Jaspar! Net NPCs names right!