GM: Noam Rosen
Players: Mark E, Ben Hartzell, and Sean Nittner
System: World of Dungeons
This was a short-ish game. We started a bit late, Shaun wasn’t able to make it and Mark’s Google video chat plug-in was acting up. Ben and I ended doing most of the play, but I felt a bit confused, so I wasn’t really doing my best either.
We did discover some interesting facts.
The Scorpion God is a) a she and b) named Seket.
Jurek is something of an outcast in his tribe because he wants to be a priest but was trained to be a weather watcher and was not allowed into the clergy. When he went on a vision quest and saw the Scorpion God, the elders declared that he had seen the Horse God instead and call it an ill omen.
Vin is the crazy hermit priest that people come to when they need Real(TM) power. Delivering babies and treating fevers is one thing, but bringing a man back from the brink of death, or warding off an evil spirit is another. And for those, you need Vin, though that doesn’t mean anyone likes him.
Knocking on deaths door
We were at the bottom of trap that let us down to the Deep Dark, and Vin was at 0 HP and dying. We decided on a “death’s door” rule which I like quite a bit. Roll+Con
10+: Recover consciousnesses at 1 HP
7-9: Recover consciousnesses at 1 HP with a permanent debility (-1 on one stat, players choice)
6-: Choose 1: Push up the daises, give up the ghost, the long kiss goodnight, or the Final Sting.
Vin got a 7-9 and we settled on a broken leg (-1 Dex). It seemed fitting given the fall, and gave Jurek a chance to practice a bit of field medicine. Two dulled short sword blades and a rope made for a splint. Yay!
The goblins ran away. Mostly because Jurek killed the leader for betraying us. Gaspar (Mark was still having trouble connecting) went chasing off after them.
Seeking shelter
We looked for some shelter, a place to rest for the night and recover. A partial hit gave us some fun results. We got a night’s sleep… on the back of some coloswithsal monster. We woke up when it woke up, and fled for our lives! As earth gave way under us Jurek was trapped under a giant stone mushroom that collapsed in the wake of a creature with school buses for legs.
Gaspar (Mark was online now) heard the upheaval, and after giving up on his Goblin army (one dead, the other disappearing into the darkness), went to find out what all the commotion was about. He spotted Vin trying to free Jurek, as well as a great plateau filled with strange figurines.
Where are we?
I asked for a “what the are we doing here” move and we agreed Discern Realities could be ported over whole cloth. After Jurek was freed, and we approached the plateau, Gaspar consulted his accumulated lore and realized we were in the real of the dark ones, creatures that enslaved other all those around them. Native to the Deep Dark, they occasionally ventured the the surface to enslave top-siders as well.
Yay, Drow town! Or maybe Mind Flayer town!
Our quest complete
Atop the plateau we found dozens of religious idols, all of them desecrated. There we some we recognized from the desert tribes, others we didn’t believe even came from the topside. In the wreckage, hacked by a sword, covered in feces, and otherwise thrashed, we found what we were looking for… the sleeping scorpion idol!
Vin was overcome by rage and horror. He threw himself to his knees and cried out in anger. Jurek took the remains of the idol and held it against his bare chest, feces and all. And in that moment, the Scorpion God touched him as well. She gave him a vision of remaking the idol, in the fires of a great forge.
The aftermath
Our quest wasn’t complete, but for Jurek something more important happened. Vin, a member of the clergy witnessed him on a vision quest. His place with the priests is secure! Assuming we can ever get out of this place!
We found 600sp in loot from the idols, which put us all at 2nd level (total XP 1280). An extra hit die!
Thoughts on this game
Missing Shaun and Mark having trouble connecting made for some fits and starts throughout the game. We also had situational awareness issue. We basically knew we were in a dark place, without really knowing a goal or direction. I eventually proposed the “discern realities” roll to give us a sense of direction.
Looking forward to playing again, finding out where we’ll end up in the Deep Dark, and what creatures we’ll see!
